Gaming

Zenless Zone Zero’s big end-of-year update brings multiplayer combat, free Zhao, and the first dual-form Agent

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December 19, 2025

Zenless Zone Zero’s big end-of-year update brings multiplayer combat, free Zhao, and the first dual-form Agent

Zenless Zone Zero’s latest Special Program has delivered the good news on Version 2.5, To Be Fuel for the Night. This chapter is a big deal for a few reasons, not least of which because it brings an end to Season 2.

To start with, Version 2.5 arrives on December 30, making it the game’s last major update of the year, which also means players are in for some freebies to celebrate the new year.

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Of course, the biggest addition in Version 2.5 is Ye Shunguang, the game’s new Agent, who’s a Void Hunter, and also Zenless Zone Zero’s first dual-form Agent. Zhao also becomes a playable Agent as part of this update – two things HoYoverse teased last week at The Game Awards.

Ye Shunguang’s unique attribute is Honed Edge, through which she can enter an Enlightened Mind state. Ye Shunguang’s signature Ether Veil can deliver Honed Edge damage as she applies a vulnerability effect to enemies. She arrives alongside her sidekick, Bangboo Sprout, who keeps with her swordplay theme by calling down flying swords.

Zhao is the other playable Agent as mentioned, an S-Rank Ice Defence legend. Zhao is a fast and nimble attacker who uses her giant greataxe to suppress enemies. Zhao can trigger Ether Veil: Wellspring by using Frostbite she accumulates, which buffs the entire squad.

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Narratively, this particular chapter will reveal the fate of Waifei Peninsula. The quest is gonna take the squad deeper into the Lumite Mine ruins, and the new Perception Technique is how you’ll uncover the answers hidden within.

There’s a gameplay component to that, too. Ye Shunguang’s Bladeflash Mirage ability will come in handy during the story’s big investigation, which comes with unique rewards, including a new W-Engine.

Version 2.5 is also the one set to give players the first taste of multiplayer combat thought he limited-time Joint Investigation: The Divine Maze event. As part of that, you can have three-Agent squads face off against each other in unique combat challenges.

There’s even more to get excited about in this one. Proxy Outpost lets you create your own Outposts, and join those created by other. This is more of a social feature than anything, though.

HoYoverse is also making a series of updates to Soldier 11, Grace, Soldier 0 – Anby, Ellen, and Burnice, all of whom will see their mechanics updated and their effectiveness boosted. Similar updates are on the way for other Agents, which will arrive in future updates. Shiyu Defense and Deadly Assault has seen some adjustments to the gameplay loop, too.

Finally, HoYoverse is making it easier for players to jump into 2.5’s new story chapter using Advance Screening. Ye Shunguang and Zhao will be available for the entire update’s duration, and reruns in the second half will guarantee another S-Rank.

You’ll be able to pick from Alice, Soldier 0 – Anby, or Astra. Zhao will herself be available as a login bonus alongside 1,000 Polychromes, a new outfit for Jane, and more. If you’re looking to jump in on December 30, don’t do so without having a look at our Zenless Zone Zero codes page to get some freebies.

Bungie’s Marathon Has Lost Its Art Director Just Months Before Release

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December 19, 2025

Bungie’s Marathon Has Lost Its Art Director Just Months Before Release

Joseph Cross, the art director on Bungie’s upcoming extraction shooter Marathon, is leaving just months before the game’s release. Cross’s exit comes just after the game was finally announced for a March 2026 release, following an indefinite delay prompted by underwhelming player feedback on the shooter’s alpha tests.

Cross’s departure from Bungie was tipped by an update to his LinkedIn page and social accounts, and he confirmed to Kotaku that it was his choice to leave. “I’m super proud of the project and what the team accomplished over the last six years,” he said, reflecting on his exit.

After years of work on Destiny as lead concept artist, Cross returned to Bungie in 2020 to help shape the visual style for Marathon. The extraction shooter is looking to be one of Bungie’s most visually unique titles, with a bold aesthetic named by Cross as “graphic realism.”

Marathon’s unique art style became a point of controversy earlier this year when graphic artist Antireal accused Bungie of art theft, tagging both Bungie and Joseph Cross in a callout post on X. Bungie said the stolen assets originated with an artist who was no longer with the studio. Antireal has since said that the issue has been resolved to her satisfaction.

Cross has now posted about his departure on X, reiterating the pride he has in his work on Marathon. “Getting support at this scale for something a bit different is rare, and the art team at Bungie is the best in the biz. I’ll be enjoying playing the game as a fan with all of you.”

Marathon is due to release in March 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. The game will be priced at $40 at launch, the same price as its popular competitor Arc Raiders.

Apple Goes to Record Low on AirPods Pro 3 via Amazon, Now Cheaper Than Your Old Pro 2 – Kotaku

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December 19, 2025

Apple Goes to Record Low on AirPods Pro 3 via Amazon, Now Cheaper Than Your Old Pro 2 – Kotaku

Apple’s pricing strategy since Black Friday has been wild to watch with the AirPods Pro 3 dropping roughly $10 each week like clockwork. Yesterday they were sitting at $209, and today they’ve hit $199, marking an all-time low that you won’t find on Apple’s official site where they’re still listed at the full $249. Amazon’s exclusively offering this discount and makes it the perfect moment to grab wireless earbuds that pack hearing aid features, live translation, and heart rate sensing.

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Why These Earbuds Are Worth the Hype

Active noise cancellation cuts out up to twice as much unwanted noise as the AirPods Pro 2 and makes a bubble of silence that works just as well on subway rides as it does in open offices where coworkers won’t stop talking. The new acoustic architecture changes how music sounds to your ears, the bass feels deeper without making the midrange sound muddy, and the clarity lets you hear each instrument in complex tracks. Vocals are so clear that it sounds like the host is talking directly to you in podcasts and audiobooks. Last but not least, spatial audio makes the soundstage three-dimensional and moves with your head.

Heart rate sensing lets you track your fitness right from your earbuds, keeping track of your pulse and calories burned during up to 50 different types of workouts without needing to wear an Apple Watch. You can use the Move ring, count your steps, and Workout Buddy, which is powered by Apple Intelligence and learns your habits and pushes you when you’re not working hard enough. Live Translation makes it possible to talk to people who speak different languages in real time and Apple Intelligence does all the hard work in the background: This one feature changes how you can travel and talk to friends and clients from other countries.

With ANC on, the battery lasts up to 8 hours on a single charge and with Transparency mode and the Hearing Aid feature on, the battery lasts up to 10 hours. The USB-C charging case lets you listen for more than 24 hours before you need to find an outlet. If you plug it in for just five minutes, it will charge quickly and give you about an hour of playback time. With five different ear tip sizes, you can finally find a fit that stays in place while you run or just listen to music.

The hearing health features are more advanced than what you’d find in regular earbuds and you can take a clinical-grade hearing test at home using guided tones and frequency sweeps. The Hearing Aid feature with automatic Conversation Boost makes voices louder in noisy places, so you can follow conversations at restaurants or family gatherings without having to ask people to repeat themselves all the time.

Bluetooth connections stay strong even in crowded places where wireless signals usually have trouble: Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac will automatically switch between them based on which one you’re using at the time. You can control playback, answer calls, and switch between noise cancellation modes on each earbud stem without having to look for your phone. With spatial audio and dynamic head tracking, movies and TV shows sound like they are coming from a personal surround sound system, and the sound moves naturally as you turn your head.

Right now, you can get Apple’s best earbuds for $199 instead of $249 which is the lowest price ever on Amazon. This is a great deal for features that used to only be found in medical devices and high-end headphones. With better noise cancellation, heart rate tracking, live translation, and real hearing aid features, you get tools that make your daily life better than just listening to music.

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Intergalactic: The Herald Prophet Is Aiming For Mid-2027 Launch

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December 18, 2025

Intergalactic: The Herald Prophet Is Aiming For Mid-2027 Launch

Keep an eye on the middle of 2027, because a new report states that Naughty Dog’s Intergalactic: The Heratic Prophet is aiming to launch around that time.

Gaming journalist and professional knower of stuff Jason Schreier has the report over at Bloomberg. The article is actually focused on mandatory overtime being used to polish a demo of Intergalactic ready for Sony to review.

The key piece of information we’re looking at comes deep into the interesting write-up: “The game is slated for release in mid-2027, according to the people familiar with the schedule”

Schreier goes on to say that the forced overtime is winding down this week as the demo is ready for review, but that people fear that this heralds even worse crunch closer to the game’s release in 2027.

Crunch (overtime) has played a huge role in the game’s industry over the years but became especially controversial a few years ago, leading to a lot of company’s trying to do away with it. Or, at least, keep it quiet. Naughty Dog was often cited as being one of the worst for crunch, and it seems like they don’t have a compunction about bringing it back.

So far the reception to Intergalactic has been mixed, but I’m very interested in seeing what Naughty Dog can create, and I’m happy to see them working on something that isn’t The Last of Us.

How to Make Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake in Disney Dreamlight Valley

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December 18, 2025

How to Make Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake is one of the 4-star Dessert Meals added with the Wishblossom Ranch expansion. Players can make this meal for themselves to restore energy or gift it to villagers to increase their Friendship Level. However, this recipe is exclusive to the owners of the expansion. In this guide, we will tell you how to make a Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Ingredients for Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake in Disney Dreamlight Valley

Players can make a Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake dessert meal with the following ingredients.

Fairy Kamut is a grain-type ingredient that players can get by growing the Fairy Kamut Seeds. Goofy sells the Fairy Kamut Seeds at his Caravan in the Wishblossom Mountains. It costs 200 Star Coins for 1 Fairy Kamut Seed, and it takes 50 minutes to grow. Fairy Sprinkles is a spice ingredient that grows in the wild in all areas of the Pixie Acres biome.

Slush Ice is the only Ice-type ingredient in the game, and you can unlock it by completing the Level 10 Friendship Quest “The Unknown Flavor” for Remy. Upon completing the quest, it will be available for purchase at Chez Remy Restaurant for 150 Star Coins, along with all other Dairy Ingredients. Lastly, Red Currants are a fruit-type ingredient that grows on the Red Currant Bushes in the Wishing Alps biome. There is one Red Currant Bush in every area of the Wishing Alps biome. Go to any bush and interact with it to harvest the Red Currants. Every harvest will yield 2 Red Currants, and it will take 25 minutes for them to regrow.

How to Make Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake in Disney Dreamlight Valley

After gathering all the ingredients for the Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake, go to any Cooking Station to start making it. Head to any cooking station in the Valley or Eternity Isle and interact with it. Then, put the ingredients into the Cooking Pot one at a time and select the “Start Cooking” option to prepare the Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake Dessert Meal. It will cost 1 Coal Ore to finish cooking. When you make the Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake for the first time, you will learn the recipe. Next time, you can autofill the ingredients for making it again.

Use of Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake

Players can choose to eat the Pixie Ice Cream Dome Cake to restore 1,489 Energy. Moreover, they can gift it to another villager to earn Friendship Points and increase their Friendship Level. Lastly, they can sell it to Goofy for 554 Star Coins.

Torii Review | TheXboxHub

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December 18, 2025

A Poetic and Dreamlike Journey

A lot of games deal with their themes head-on, in a straightforward manner. And one of the biggest themes in games is revenge. We have Ellie in The Last of Us Part 2 or, most recently, in Ghost of Yotei, showing someone tracking down the killers of her family.

It’s an easy device to centre a game around, mostly as it gives the player opportunity to go killing with a purpose.

But lately, other games have tackled more sensitive subjects, and one of these is suicide and loss. Torii is a game that focuses on these themes in a unique and poetic manner, but it’s also a kind of open-world adventure. Curious? You should be.

This is a game that was released on PC in 2022 and has gone through the mill with a few changes after feedback, finally getting released on console. It’s a third-person arthouse narrative adventure featuring an unusual, trippy take on a narrative and some puzzles to solve in a strange, dreamy world.

You play as a young girl called Ipa, who is looking for her sister Lulu after a terrible event tore their world apart. She is travelling with a living rucksack on her back called Moswig, which is also the name of the studio who has developed Torii. From there she journeys into unreal landscapes, meeting strange creatures as she looks to find her sister and, hopefully, allow the healing to start.

As you might have guessed, Torii is a straightforward story. The themes are there to be deciphered, and you have a feeling rather than a straightforward answer to the questions about the game. Distorted images will appear, bits of fragmented text will be shown, and most of the story is symbolic as to what Ida is feeling and going through.

I liked this a lot, and loved the ambition. In fact, I adore it when developers go creating something very different from the norm. However, this will be hard for some gamers out there, those who like their story straightforward and full of handholding. This doesn’t offer any of that.

The Core Gameplay Loop

The gameplay runs as a mixture of stealth sections, exploration, and platform puzzle-solving. Ida will journey around these landscapes, and there are a number of “wings” to collect, as well as memories dotted around these semi-open world areas. You also collect rings in each level, and you can interact with these little beings called Kublins, who will give you information about the world, or clues to what you need to do next.

Throughout the game, there are also floating pyramids which when you engage with sees the world change, allowing you to do other things, like putting Ida into an Astral dimension within the level. These result in challenges like platforming or triggering platforms to get to a memory.

Patience and Stealth

And then the next big thing to worry about are the stealth sections.

There are these little beings going about their business, and they are called Hums. You need to capture these little creatures, and to do that, you need to hide from their field of vision and wait for them in a bush. When they come near, you can capture them, but it’s a hard waiting game, and you have to be accurate, or they run away. As you progress through the levels, these Hums get harder in their challenge. There might be more than one scuttling around too, so that means more fields of vision to hide from. Of course, there are special ones that you need to find too. There are also ones with triangle-shaped heads that you need to avoid altogether. I like these challenges, but there is no doubt that these segments ramp up the difficulty of Torii, especially once you are a few levels in. Patience is key.

Dreamlike Serenity

Torii comes with a very unusual and unique art style. It looks a bit like Journey at times, but is more surreal and dreamlike. There are cutscenes like a hazy memory or a distorted dream where it all comes across as calm and serene, but there is an uncertainty or disquiet in the world as well. I liked the use of colour in the game with its mixture of vivid and desaturated tones. Accompanying that and the sound is pretty basic, though the soundtrack has the same unusual quality that matches the visuals and vibe of the world itself.

A Boundary-Pushing Experience That Loses Its Sheen

I cannot stress enough about how important it is for games like Torii to exist, as they push boundaries and try new things in the gaming space, working all-new narratives. I like how this game uses symbolic visuals, rarely spelling out the narrative to the gamer, leaving them to instead figure out the message being told. The visuals are great, as is the world, but whilst everything works nicely, and it delivers a decent challenge, after a while the sheen you experience in the early moments does begin to wear off.

Should you be in the market for something a bit different though, give Torii a try.

Important Links

Torii Opens The Door To A Surreal And Emotional Journey On Xbox – https://www.thexboxhub.com/torii-opens-the-door-to-a-surreal-and-emotional-journey-on-xbox/

Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/torii/9PBVJS763FK6/0010

Deck the Vaults: ‘Fallout: New Vegas’ Joins the Cloud This Holiday Season

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December 18, 2025

Step out of the vault and into the future of gaming with Fallout: New Vegas streaming on GeForce NOW, just in time to celebrate the newest season of the hit Amazon TV show Fallout.

To mark the occasion, GeForce NOW members can claim Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 as special rewards, completing a wasteland-ready trilogy in the cloud.

Whether scavenging the ruins of post-apocalyptic America or rebuilding hope in the Wasteland, gamers can experience every choice — and every radroach — even sharper in the cloud.

Take a detour from the desert dust to the enchanted halls of Hogwarts in Hogwarts Legacy — and relive Harry’s years at school, brick by whimsical brick, in LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-7. This week’s GFN Thursday lineup of five games proves adventure comes in every form, from radiation to incantations.

Plus, GeForce NOW is joining Ubisoft to celebrate 10 years of Rainbow Six Siege: a decade of clutch plays and tactical showdowns streaming strong in the cloud.

Have Yourself a Merry Little ‘Fallout’

It’s a S.P.E.C.I.A.L. GFN Thursday.

Bethesda’s Fallout: New Vegas is rolling onto GeForce NOW with a suitcase full of wasteland wit. Set in the Mojave Desert after a bombing, the title follows a courier carrying a valuable chip through a desert full of schemers, gamblers and nuclear scars.

The adventure drops players into a three- or more-way tug-of-war for the fate of New Vegas, where every decision can shift who runs the Strip and who ends up buried in the sand. Choices matter at every turn: talk fast, sneak smart or go loud, all while navigating sharp, darkly funny writing and factions that rarely fit cleanly into good or evil.

In the cloud, the Mojave feels right at home, with high-fidelity visuals, fast response times and no need for a monster rig or huge downloads. The wasteland spins up in just seconds on underpowered laptops, phones and more, making it easier than ever to drop in for a quick caravan run or a long night on the Strip.

To sweeten the deal, GeForce NOW Ultimate members can claim a stack of classics — including Fallout 3 and Fallout 4 — while supplies last. It’s a tour of the Fallout universe, ready to stream from the cloud. Members can look for an email with details on how to redeem.

Magic Without the Wait

GeForce NOW is making spirits bright this season with two enchanting adventures in the cloud. Step into the wizarding world with Hogwarts Legacy and relive the full saga of the “Boy Who Lived” in brick form with the LEGO Harry Potter Collection. Whether exploring the Forbidden Forest or causing mischief in Hogwarts, gamers can experience plenty of magic to go around.

Hogwarts Legacy on GeForce NOW — It’s not sorcery, it’s the cloud.

In Hogwarts Legacy, players can chart their own path as a fifth-year student at Hogwarts in the 1800s. From learning powerful spells to taming magical beasts, the castle and its grounds are packed with secrets waiting to be discovered. It’s a world of intrigue, danger and wonder — with rich storytelling and breathtaking visuals that shine perfectly in the cloud.

GeForce NOW Ultimate members can experience the magic of Hogwarts like never before — every spell, shadow and shimmering corridor brought to life with GeForce RTX 5080-class power and NVIDIA DLSS 4 technology for spellbinding performance and ultrasmooth gameplay.

Lego Harry Potter Collection on GeForce NOW — No floo powder needed — just jump right in with GeForce NOW.

The LEGO Harry Potter Collection offers a lighter, more playful spin on the saga, combining all seven years at Hogwarts into one charming package. Revisit major moments, cast silly spells and collect enough studs to make Gringotts jealous. It’s the ultimate magical mashup — family-friendly, full of humor and packed with puzzles and co-op fun.

No need for spells or waiting around for sorting — the magic starts right away with GeForce NOW. Members can stream both titles in jaw-dropping detail from nearly any device.

Seize the Cloud

Rainbow 6 siege 10 year celebration on GeForce NOW — No floo powder needed — just jump right in with GeForce NOW.

Rainbow Six Siege is turning 10, and the tactical chaos is streaming strong on GeForce NOW. For a full decade, squads have been breaching, droning and clutching rounds in one of the most precise, team-focused shooters around, instantly accessible from the cloud on a range of devices.

Rainbow Six Siege is rolling out free in-game rewards all month to mark a decade of creativity, competition and tactical mastery. Players jumping into the game can look forward to a steady stream of goodies — from themed cosmetics to special packs and daily surprises — to commemorate the anniversary, on top of seasonal updates and the ever-evolving Operator roster.

Celebrate and stream the iconic game on GeForce NOW, with anniversary matches just a few clicks away — from quick warmups on a laptop to long sessions on the living room TV. Squads old and new can mark 10 unforgettable years of Rainbow Six Siege together in the cloud.

In addition, members can look for the following:

GeForce RTX 5080-ready games, in addition to Hogwarts Legacy:

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (Steam and Ubisoft Connect)

Starting in January 2026, some games currently available to all members will no longer be available on the free tier as the basic rig type does not meet these games’ — Enshrouded, Alan Wake 2 and Cities: Skylines II — minimum system requirements. Premium members can continue to play these games uninterrupted.

What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

☃️ Treat yo’elf to our Half Price Holiday offer — for a limited time, premium memberships are half off for the first month. ❄️

Go here ➡️ https://t.co/eLwaS9Go5Z #GeForceSeason pic.twitter.com/QLdVpROB7T

— 🌩️ NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) December 17, 2025

Tomb Raider Netflix Season 3 can still happen “if people watch the show,” showrunner says

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December 18, 2025

Tomb Raider Netflix Season 3 can still happen “if people watch the show,” showrunner says

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Tasha Huo, the series showrunner and writer for the Tomb Raider Legend of Lara Croft anime on Netflix, says Season 3 can still happen “if people watch the show”. Speaking through her Act Two podcast, as spotted by FilesTomb on X, her encouragement comes off the back of an exclusive report from Variety that Season 2 is the final season, despite its big cliffhanger.

Tasha Huo spoke about a potential season 3 on her podcast, saying, ‘There will be a season 3 if people watch the show. There’s so much stories to tell”

So watch it and give it a double thumbs up on Netflix if you want to see more adventures from Lara Croft. #tombraider pic.twitter.com/NbPvUKpTyg

— Tomb Raider Files (@FilesTomb) December 16, 2025

The Netflix anime was originally announced in 2021. It was greenlit for two seasons, and the first season launched in October 2024 with Season 2 now available following its premiere on December 11. The Netflix anime stars Marvel actress Hayley Atwell as Lara Croft, taking over the mantle from Camilla Luddington, who voiced Lara in the Survivor trilogy: Tomb Raider 2013, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Variety reported on the cancellation of the series in September, but there’s no explanation why Netflix isn’t planning to renew more seasons. However, Season 1 was received poorly by fans with only a 33% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the series’ viewership didn’t reach Netflix’s top ten globally or in most countries.

It’s a similar tale with the viewership figures for Season 2. The second season launched on December 11, and, although we don’t know the viewership numbers, we at least know its global viewership figures weren’t higher than 2,500,000, the minimum to reach Netflix’s top ten most-watched shows worldwide between December 8 and 14.

Netflix’s Tudum website lists the top ten most-watched shows and movies weekly. Besides globally, it also shows that Tomb Raider The Legend of Lara Croft Season 2 didn’t hit the top ten in the United States, the United Kingdom, and many other nations.

The Tomb Raider Netflix series is a prequel to Legacy of Atlantis

The events of the Tomb Raider Netflix series happen before the newly announced Legacy of Atlantis video game. This is part of the new unified timeline, which recognizes the Survivor trilogy as Lara Croft’s canon origin. In the new timeline, the Netflix series leads into Legacy of Atlantis, although you do not need to watch the anime before Legacy of Atlantis releases in 2026.

Developer Crystal Dynamics says that Legacy of Atlantis is a “reimagining,” not a remake, of the first Tomb Raider game released in 1996 for PS1. In addition to taking place after the events of the Netflix anime, it replaces Hayley Atwell with the newest voice actor for Lara Croft, Alix Wilton Regan, who is a British actress you may recognize as Samantha Traynor from Mass Effect 3, the female Inquisitor in Dragon Age Inquisition, and Alt Cunningham in Cyberpunk 2077.

At The Game Awards on December 11, Crystal Dynamics also announced Tomb Raider Catalyst for 2027. There are not many details about this game, but it is set in Northern India. It is also the newest point in the unified timeline, starring Lara Croft at her oldest and taking place after Underworld, a PS3 game released in 2008.

Although a third season for the Netflix show seems unlikely, there is a live-action Amazon Prime series starring Sophie Turner as Lady Croft for Tomb Raider fans to anticipate. Filming begins in January 2026, and a producer of the show, Story Kitchen, confirms that it shares the same universe as the Tomb Raider games.

Tomb Raider

Platform(s):
Android, iOS, PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 3, SEGA Saturn, Xbox 360

Genre(s):
Action

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It’s official: Battlefield 6 is 2025’s best-selling game, but Black Ops 7 still managed to be November’s top-seller

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December 18, 2025

It’s official: Battlefield 6 is 2025’s best-selling game, but Black Ops 7 still managed to be November’s top-seller

Circan’s November 2025 video game sales report has easily been one of the most anticipated. For one, November is always one of the most lucrative for the games industry, but this year in particular has seen several major hits – including new entries in two rival series.

We’re talking, of course, about Battlefield 6, and Black Ops 7 the latest releases in their respective multiplayer shooter series. The decades-old fight to claim the top spot has long been won by Call of Duty, but the latest Battlefield has achieved what many thought was impossible.

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Cricana’s report covers spending on video game software, hardware, and accessories in the U.S. November 2025 saw spending fall by 4% compared to November 2024, bringing in a total of $5.9 billion.

Software technically saw growth during the month, but declines in hardware, and accessories were mainly responsible for the drop in overall spending. Black Ops 7 continued Call of Duty’s 18-Year Streak in topping sales in its launch month.

However, this year’s game did not also top the year-to-date charts, something the series has done consistently, and more than any other top-selling game each year – with rare exceptions. Battlefield 6 is firmly in the lead there, cementing its claim as 2025’s best-selling title. Black Ops 7, fittingly, occupies in the #7 spot there.

Separately from the best-selling game title fight, November has actually been one of the worst for the industry in terms of hardware sales. The report notes that the three major platform holders – Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all seen their hardware sales decline.

Spending on hardware during November amounted to only $695 million, a massive 27% decline compared to November 2024. According to the report, that’s the worst dollar amount total for any November since 2005, when it comes to hardware specifically. All three current-gen consoles totaled 1.6 million units sold, which Circana also notes is the lowest for any November since 1995.

This all doesn’t bode especially well for the industry. November has always been a key holiday shopping month, but it’s clear the constantly rising console prices – and already high game prices – have had a big impact.