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Pokémon 151, Surging Sparks, Journey Together, and More

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Pokémon fans have plenty to sift through today with restocks across some of the most in-demand sets. Surging Sparks and Journey Together booster packs are back at reasonable prices, and the Azure Legends tin is a smart pickup if you’re looking for variety in a single purchase. These items have been tough to grab without markups, so it’s a good time to stock up while they’re available and shipping with Prime.

Pokémon 151 Booster Bundle, Surging Sparks, and Journey Together Restocks

The 151 Booster Bundle has also returned to Amazon, but don’t be fooled by the listed discount. Despite being marked as 20 percent off, the current $66.65 price is nearly double its original MSRP, which typically ranges from $30 to $35. If you’ve been trying to complete this nostalgic set, it’s at least back in stock, but from a value standpoint, the deal is questionable.

Add MLB.TV and Get $30 Off Your First Month of Sling

Add MLB.TV and Get $30 Off Your First Month of Sling

Now through May 31, you can tack on MLB.TV and stream every single out-of-market game and get $30 off your first month of Sling TV. Get access to ESPN, TBS, FS1, and more, plus a free month of unlimited DVR.

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet: 151 Booster Bundle

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet: 151 Booster Bundle

Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet: 151 Booster Bundle

Full Disclosure: MSRP is $26.94

This bundle brings back the original 151 Pokémon with modern mechanics and new artwork, making it a highly sought-after product among longtime fans and collectors. It’s marketed as a great way to access the set without buying a full booster display box, and it consistently sells out quickly. Still, at nearly twice the standard retail price, it’s worth thinking twice unless you’ve had trouble finding it elsewhere.

Pokemon TCG Surging Sparks Sleeved Booster Pack

Pokemon TCG Surging Sparks Sleeved Booster Pack

Pokemon TCG Surging Sparks Sleeved Booster Pack

Currently the number one best-seller in collectible booster packs on Amazon, Surging Sparks includes over 250 cards, new Pokémon ex, ACE SPEC cards, and more than 50 cards featuring special illustrations. With solid pull potential and a modest price point, it’s an easy recommendation for casual players and serious collectors. Each pack contains 10 cards and is eligible for fast, free Prime shipping.

The Last of Us – Joel With Hatchet Bust

The Last of Us - Joel With Hatchet Bust

The Last of Us – Joel With Hatchet Bust

Available now for pre-order, this officially licensed Joel bust from Dark Horse and Naughty Dog stands 8.5 inches tall, reaching 11 inches at the top of the hatchet. The statue features detailed texturing on Joel’s flannel, backpack, and face, all set on a battle-worn concrete base with moss and bullet holes. It includes a certificate of authenticity and is scheduled to ship in August 2025. Ideal for collectors and fans of The Last of Us looking to lock in a centerpiece item.

Pokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin

Pokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin

Pokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin

This newly released tin includes five booster packs and one random foil promo card featuring either Kyogre ex, Xerneas ex, or Dialga ex. Inside, you’ll find a mix of packs from recent expansions including Surging Sparks, Temporal Forces, Stellar Crown, and Obsidian Flames. It’s a solid mid-tier pickup for anyone looking to expand their collection with newer sets in one convenient package.

Dice & Destiny Game Bundle

Dice & Destiny Game Bundle

Dice & Destiny Game Bundle

This bundle features seven well-reviewed indie RPGs including Disco Elysium, Citizen Sleeper, Broken Roads, Roadwarden, and both Pillars of Eternity games. With ratings as high as 94 percent positive on Steam, the value here is undeniable for turn-based and narrative RPG fans. Plus, 15 percent off Citizen Sleeper 2 is included as a bonus coupon. The deal supports Care.org and is available for the next 15 hours only.

Pokémon TCG – Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together Sleeved Booster

Pokémon TCG - Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together Sleeved Booster

Pokémon TCG – Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together Sleeved Booster

Full Disclosure: MSRP is around $4.50

Marked down from $15.99, this pack is part of the Scarlet and Violet expansion and comes in assorted packaging. Each blister contains 10 cards, with a chance to pull some of the newer generation cards and artwork styles. While the pack style you receive is random, this is a good opportunity to sample the set at a much lower price than usual.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Elite Trainer Box

This is the first time I’ve seen the ETB for a reasonable price without having to buy it from someone’s backseat eBay hustle. Nine booster packs, full-art N’s Zorua promo, card sleeves, energy, dice, the works. I’ve seen this box selling for $90+ since launch, so $70.31 from Amazon is genuinely solid. Lillie’s Clefairy ex is still floating around $180 and N’s Zoroark ex has dropped to $13, which tells me the hype has deflated and we’re in “buy because it’s fun” territory again. I like it here.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Bundle

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Bundle

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet — Journey Together Booster Bundle

This is the low-frills version for people who just want to open packs without pretending they’re going to organize their collection. Six Journey Together boosters and none of the ETB fluff. Honestly, this is how I like to test a set when prices cool off. You still have a shot at cards like Salamence ex SIR, which tanked from $250 to around $106, or a sub-$20 N’s Reshiram. Even if you pull nothing, at least you didn’t overpay trying to win the cardboard lottery.

Pokémon TCG – Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together – Sleeved Booster

Pokémon TCG - Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together - Sleeved Booster

Pokémon TCG – Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together – Sleeved Booster

I threw one of these in my cart last week just to hit the free shipping minimum. One pack, random art, decent discount. There’s no reason to expect anything big, but the price is finally low enough that I don’t feel bad if I just pull a Furret. And if you happen to land something like Articuno’s Illustration Rare (now $18.69) or Wailord (around $14.55), it’s a nice win from a $10 impulse buy.

Train Sim world 5 Route Remix Bundle

Train Sim world 5 Route Remix Bundle

Train Sim world 5 Route Remix Bundle

I don’t know how many people wake up wanting ten train simulator add-ons, but if you’re one of them, today is your day. For $15, you get Train Sim World 5’s Starter Pack plus nine routes and loco add-ons. Antelope Valley, Cajon Pass, Thameslink, Santa Fe F7—the whole diesel buffet. It’s Steam keys, it supports CALM, and the value is so off the rails (pun fully intended) that I bought it just to mess around with the Railpool BR193 Vectron. Don’t judge me.

Lepro O1 AI Floor Lamp

Lepro O1 AI Floor Lamp

Lepro O1 AI Floor Lamp

This is one of those “tech that doesn’t make sense until you try it” products. It’s a smart LED floor lamp with AI-generated lighting modes, music sync, voice control, app scheduling, and a vibe for every mood. It’s absurdly bright at 2300 lumens, and it looks clean in any corner setup. The AI stuff isn’t just fluff either. Say “I want relaxing light” and it’ll give you ten preset scenes. I think it’s great if you want one light to do everything without fiddling with settings for half an hour.

Lepro B2 AI Smart Light Bulbs

Lepro B2 AI Smart Light Bulbs

Lepro B2 AI Smart Light Bulbs

These are the same AI bulbs as the ones in the floor lamp, but in classic 75W-equivalent LED form. They’re bright, colorful, and weirdly helpful if you’re too tired to fine-tune your lighting manually. The music sync is fun, the AI scenes work well, and the voice commands actually feel smart instead of gimmicky. I bought a set of these last month and haven’t touched the wall switch since. At $8 per bulb, it’s kind of a no-brainer.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks

I picked up Surging Sparks because six booster packs under $50 is lower than what Amazon has been charging recently (It’s still above MSRP though) Honestly, I wanted something new to crack open. It’s part of the latest Scarlet & Violet expansion, so if you’re trying to keep up with current sets or just enjoy the chaos of pulling a good card, this one’s a smart grab.

Pokémon TCG: Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection

Pokémon TCG: Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection

Pokémon TCG: Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection

This one’s for the collectors who care as much about presentation as they do the pulls. Iono’s Bellibolt ex Premium Collection comes with six packs, a full-art promo, and a display sheet that’s more elaborate than it needs to be — in a good way. It’s also a cool way to snag Journey Together packs with a fantastic promo card.

Free to Play VR Sandbox Game: DigiGods on Meta Quest

Free to Play VR Sandbox Game: DigiGods on Meta Quest

DigiGods is a free-to-play, physics-based, VR game that allows players to create, play, and share in a sandbox environment. Safety is a top priority with the use of AI content filtering and human moderators to ensure a safe and positive environment.

Mass Effect Merchandise

Mass Effect Merchandise

Mass Effect Merchandise

I think anyone who’s replayed Mass Effect more than once knows exactly why these statues are tempting. I pre-ordered Jack immediately because, well, it felt necessary. The line includes Shepard, Tali, Legion, and others, and they look good enough that I’ve already made space for them on the shelf. If you’re still quoting Garrus unironically, these are for you.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paldean Fates: Booster Bundle

 Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paldean Fates: Booster Bundle

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet: Paldean Fates: Booster Bundle

Paldean Fates is priced a double MSRP, but it’s also very hard to come by in 2025. I grabbed it because the baby shiny sub-set is awesome, but if you just want to grab the single cards from this set, it might actually save you money.

Fellow Traveller Publisher Bundle

Fellow Traveller Publisher Bundle

Fellow Traveller Publisher Bundle

Pay less to get fewer items, or pay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charity One Tree Planted

This bundle has some of the better narrative indies from the last few years. I paid the $12, added the games to my backlog like I always do, and immediately booted up The Pale Beyond. It’s a strong lineup if you like character-driven games and don’t mind occasionally being emotionally wrecked by minimalist storytelling.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

 Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box

I think of this one as the all-in-one box for when you want cards and a bunch of gear you probably won’t use but still want around. Nine booster packs, a promo, sleeves, dice, and enough extras to make you feel like you’re doing more than just opening packs. It’s a solid option if you like having a little structure with your chaos.

Pokémon TCG: Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection

 Pokémon TCG: Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection

Pokémon TCG: Terapagos ex Ultra-Premium Collection

I hesitated on this one, then immediately remembered it includes 18 booster packs and a playmat. It’s definitely a big spend, but if you’ve been waiting for a premium bundle that actually justifies the price, this checks out. I picked it up more for the experience than the individual cards, and that’s the right way to approach it.

Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box

Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box

Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box

I grabbed Shining Fates Pikachu V mostly because I never actually opened it when it first dropped, and now seemed like a good excuse. Four booster packs, a Pikachu promo, and the oversized card that ends up somewhere near your desk — standard stuff, but still a nice throwback if you missed it the first time around.

Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior”. Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.

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Age of Apes ads review new level: Strategy or chaos? Age of Apes ads #gaming #funny #games

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पोकेमॉन कार्ड मार्केट वॉच: इस सप्ताह के लिए सबसे बड़ी कीमत गिरती है और बढ़ती पिक्स

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एक और सप्ताह, पोकेमोन सिंगल कार्ड मार्केट में एक और व्यस्त बदलाव, जबकि प्रशिक्षकों को नियत प्रतिद्वंद्वियों के गिरने का इंतजार है। कम से कम ब्लैक बोल्ट और व्हाइट फ्लेयर पोकेमोन सेंटर के पूर्वजों ने इस बार एक शत्रुतापूर्ण बॉट अधिग्रहण से परहेज किया।

इस सप्ताह सबसे नाटकीय दुर्घटना ग्रेनिन्जा पूर्व 214/167 है, जब इस वर्ष की शुरुआत की तुलना में लगभग आधे से दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो गया। हम ओब्सीडियन आग की लपटों और मायावी 151 विस्तार में कुछ अच्छी कीमत बूंदें भी देख रहे हैं। इस बीच, ड्रैगनाइट वी इवॉल्विंग स्काईज से इस वर्ष की शुरुआत की तुलना में मूल्य में लगभग दोगुना हो रहा है, और अकेले कलाकृति ने हमेशा इस कार्ड को अंडरवैल्यूड किया।

Charizard v Alt Art भी एक बैंगर है, जो वीनुसौर के खिलाफ एक पोकेमोन लड़ाई को दर्शाता है, जबकि धीरे -धीरे मूल्य में चढ़ता है। लेकिन Rayquazza vmax Alt आर्ट काफी हद तक उच्च बढ़ रहा है, इस वर्ष की शुरुआत के बाद से मूल्य में अतिरिक्त $ 100 स्कोर कर रहा है। आइए बाकी सभी सबसे बड़े पोकेमोन टीसीजी पर्वतारोहियों और सप्ताह के क्रैशर्स में खुदाई करते हैं।

पोकेमॉन कार्ड क्रैश

ग्रेनिंजा पूर्व सर एक गोधूलि masquerade dragapult ढाल पृष्ठभूमि पर
IGN फोटो कम्पोजिट / द पोकेमॉन कंपनी

जब तक हम अंत में तलवार और शील्ड युग में एक ध्यान देने योग्य चढ़ाई देख रहे हैं, पोकेमॉन कार्ड, स्कारलेट और वायलेट श्रृंखला कार्ड अधिकांश भाग के लिए वास्तविकता के दायरे में वापस आ रहे हैं।

Alakazam Ex Sir 151 से एक जॉर्जिया कार्ड है, और यह मार्च की भीख मांगने की तुलना में 34% कम है। इस साल आपके बाइंडर में एक स्थान का दावा करने वाले उरी गेलर ग्रैंडड नहीं होने का कोई कारण नहीं है।

बुलबासौर मेरा पहला स्टार्टर पोकेमोन था जब मैंने पहली बार पोकेमोन ब्लू वे को वापस लोड किया था, इसलिए इस बुलबासौर आईआर का मेरे दिल में एक विशेष स्थान है। यह कार्ड मार्च के मध्य से बड़े पैमाने पर 52% कम हो गया है, इसलिए इस सुंदर कार्ड को पकड़ने का कोई कारण नहीं है।

ओब्सीडियन लपटों पर घूमते हुए, उन्नीस आईआर हमेशा सेट के सर्वश्रेष्ठ कार्डों में से एक रहा है। यदि आप सहमत हैं, तो यह इस कार्ड को स्नैप करने का समय है क्योंकि यह Feburary से 40% तक दुर्घटनाग्रस्त हो गया है, इसलिए एक उचित $ 18.17।

लोग ओब्सीडियन लपटों के बारे में शिकायत कर सकते हैं जो वे चाहते हैं, लेकिन यह चैरिज़ार्ड पूर्व सर इतना शांत है। यह तेरा रूप में एक सना हुआ ग्लास लुक को हिलाते हुए, यह सुनिश्चित करने के लिए एक शो स्टॉपर है। दी यह मार्च के बाद से बहुत अधिक नहीं है, लेकिन $ 5 कम $ 5 बचाया गया है।

अंत में इस महीने सबसे बड़ा क्रैशर ग्रेनिनजा एक्स सर है, जो एक बिंदु पर सबसे महंगा स्कारलेट और वायलेट एरा कार्ड बनने के लिए तैयार था। तब प्रिज्मीय इवोल्यूशन साथ आए और फोमो को 10 पायदान ऊपर ले गए। यह अभी भी एक क्लास कार्ड है जो इसे $ 275 पर वजन कर रहा है, लेकिन इसे पढ़ने की कल्पना करें और Feburary के अंत में $ 411.62 का भुगतान करें। ओ प्यारे।

पोकेमॉन कार्ड पर्वतारोही

ड्रैगनाइट वी एक गर्भनिरोधक विकसित हो रहा है
IGN फोटो कम्पोजिट / द पोकेमॉन कंपनी

इस सप्ताह के पर्वतारोहियों को आगे बढ़ाते हुए, Rayquazza vmax Alt आर्ट तलवार और शील्ड युग की मुख्य कब्रों में से एक है। यह पहले से ही $ 500+ कार्ड था, लेकिन $ 649.99 पर यह धीमा होने के कोई संकेत नहीं दिखाता है। यह यकीनन कुछ वर्षों में $ 1,000 के निशान को हिट कर सकता है, इसलिए मुझे एक फाई मिलेगा जिसे आप इसे बर्दाश्त कर सकते हैं।

मेरी किताब में पर्याप्त कांटो प्यार नहीं हो सकता है, और चैरिज़ार्ड वी ऑल्ट आर्ट इसे इस वीनसौर की लड़ाई के साथ पार्क से बाहर निकालता है। कोण बहुत अच्छा है और ऐसा लगता है कि एक स्थैतिक बॉडी शॉट के बजाय एक मूविंग कार्ड की तरह कई पोकेमॉन कार्ड दोषी हैं (आप को देखते हुए, WOTC युग)। यह जनवरी के बाद से एक और $ 40 कमाया गया है, और कोई कारण नहीं है कि यह कार्ड वर्ष के बाहर होने से पहले $ 200 से अधिक नहीं मिल सकता है।

ड्रैगनिट वी ऑल्ट आर्ट विकसित करने वाले आसमान में से एक है। यह एक प्रशंसक पसंदीदा पोकेमोन है जो नरक के रूप में प्यारा लग सकता है या दूसरे मॉन के चेहरे को चीरने के लिए तैयार हो सकता है। यह एक पूर्ण पैकेज है जो कुछ भी नहीं दिखता है जैसा कि यह पूर्व विकास है, लेकिन यह ठीक है क्योंकि यह ड्रैगनाइट है।

यह प्यारा पक्ष इस कलाकृति में आता है, और यही कारण है कि यह जनवरी के मध्य से लगभग दोगुना है। यह अब एक ठोस $ 225 को हिला रहा है, इसलिए किसी भी उच्चतर उड़ने से पहले आपको पकड़ना सुनिश्चित करें। क्या आपने पिछले हफ्ते के लेख को पकड़ लिया? वहाँ पर कुछ बैंगर्स भी हैं।

पोकेमॉन कार्ड सील बूस्टर

यदि आपने अपने जीवन को स्वयं चेस कार्ड खींचने के लिए समर्पित किया है, तो यहां हम स्टॉक में अभी क्या पा सकते हैं। बस MSRP पर मूल्य निर्धारण के लिए बाहर देखें, हम अभी पोकेमॉन प्रशिक्षकों के रूप में एक अजीब जगह पर हैं, इसलिए आपके पास जो भी है उससे अधिक भुगतान न करें।

यहाँ पोकेमॉन टीसीजी पूर्ण रिलीज़ शेड्यूल अब तक इस वर्ष के लिए भी है ताकि आप कुछ भी याद न करें। एकल खरीदना अभी इकट्ठा करने का सबसे सस्ता तरीका है, लेकिन ऐसा महसूस न करें कि आपको “सभी को पकड़ना है!”।

क्रिश्चियन वेट सब कुछ संग्रहणीय और सौदों को कवर करने के लिए IGN के लिए एक योगदान देने वाला फ्रीलांसर है। क्रिश्चियन को गेमिंग और टेक उद्योग में 7 साल से अधिक का अनुभव है, जिसमें Mashable और पॉकेट-टैक्टिक्स में बायलाइन हैं। ईसाई कृपा लघुचित्रों के लिए हाथ से पेंट किए गए संग्रहणता भी बनाता है। क्रिश्चियन “Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by Gameswarrior” के लेखक भी हैं। X @chrisreggiewait पर ईसाई का पता लगाएं।

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AAA Games in just ₹10,000 console #gamingnews #console #ps3

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Jobs roundup: May 2025 | Ares Interactive appoints Mike DeLaet as president

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It can be difficult keeping track of the various comings and goings in the games industry, which is why we compile them in semi-regular round-ups.

If you have new appointments or transitions in your company that belong here, please send the names of the appointees, new role and company, and prior role and company to newhires@gamesindustry.biz.

Mike DeLaet | President, Ares Interactive

Ares Interactive has appointed Mike DeLaet as president.

Prior to this role, DeLaet was global head of digital gaming at Mattel – a position he held for just over two years. He was also SVP of strategic partnership at Scopely for two years, joining in 2020.

DeLaet began his career at Sprint in 2007 as head of games. He transitioned to Glu Mobile in 2009 as SVP of global publishing for nearly four years.

In 2013, DeLaet was appointed SVP of worldwide business development and licensing at Kabam, overseeing games including Marvel Contest of Champions and Transformers: Forged to Fight.

DeLaet founded publisher Rogue Games in 2017, and was CEO and chairman until June 2020.

Rob Schonfeld | Chief business officer, Ludeo

Gaming platform Ludeo has appointed Rob Schonfeld as its chief business officer.

“The opportunity to help scale (Ludeo’s) technology and build something entirely new represents the most exciting opportunity in my career,” said Schonfeld.

He was previously global revenue officer at Activision Blizzard. Schonfeld joined the firm in 2012 as vice president, head of global digital and mobile sales. He then became senior vice president of global digital and mobile commerce.

In 2019, Schonfeld was appointed senior vice president of revenue before joining the board of directors in 2022 and becoming global revenue officer.

Kieran O’Leary and Jochen Gary

Stillfront promotes Kieran O’Leary and Jochen Gary

Stillfront has promoted two of its executive employees – Kieran O’Leary and Jochen Gary.

O’Leary has been promoted to EVP growth after joining the company in January 2025 as EVP growth platform. Prior to Stillfront, O’Leary was SVP of live games and chief revenue officer at Gameloft.

He started at Gameloft in 2014 as product managers lead in North America, moving to global products managers lead, global product marketing lead, then product marketing lead before leaving in April 2019 to join Outfit7 as senior director for marketing.

O’Leary worked at Rovio for three years, beginning as director of growth in games then VP of marketing and CCO. He also worked at Forecomm in business development for the US, IBM, and at Ubisoft as international product manager for Watch Dogs.

Gary has been promoted from VP of marketing to chief marketing officer, and will report to O’Leary directly.

His prior role was at Goodgame Studios as vice president of marketing. Gary joined in 2015 as lead marketing controlling, then was promoted to vice president of marketing.

Imogen Calypso Mellor | Social lead, Yrs Truly

Imogen Calypso Mellor

Imogen Calypso Mellor has been promoted to social lead at gaming marketing agency Yrs Truly.

Mellor joined Yrs Truly in 2023 as campaign manager. Prior to this role, she worked in journalism starting as a staff writer for PCGamesN, then moving to Ladbible. She was a features producer at PC Gamer, and audience director at The Telegraph.

She also works as a presenter, having hosted GDC in 2021 and has worked with brands including E4, Top Gear, and games such as Disco Elysium.

Andrew Hoffacker | VP head of game production, Annapurna Interactive

Annapurna Interactive has appointed Andrew Hoffacker as VP head of game production.

Hoffacker was previously production director of external games at Netflix. He worked at Riot Games for nearly five years, joining in 2019 as senior producer, becoming director of Riot Forge in 2012.

He also worked at Activision for 12 years in producer roles on Call of Duty, and was a production coordinator at Infinity Ward for Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.

Eva Ryott | Head of live operations, King

King has promoted Eva Roytt as head of live operations.

Eva Ryott

Ryott began her career at King in 2013 as a data scientist. She was then appointed business performance manager, team lead for analytics, business performance director, and as a senior producer. She left in 2019 to join Meta as a data science manager, a position she held for nearly three years.

In 2022, Ryott rejoined King as senior director, content area lead. She then became VP head of core gameplay for Candy Crush Saga prior to her latest position.

“In this role, I will be responsible for advancing our tooling and technologies to support better and faster decisions in our games – creating cohesive and relevant experiences for our players,” she said.

“With this, I am also transitioning from the Candy Crush game team into our shared tech organisation, serving multiple games across King.”

Jody Zarkos | People and talent lead, Lockwood Publishing

Lockwood Publishing has promoted Jody Zarkos to people and talent lead.

Zarkos joined the company in 2024 as senior talent partner. Prior to this, she was head of HR at Omeda Studios – a position she held for two years. She also worked at Jagex for four years, starting in 2017 as talent acquisition specialist, then human resource specialist and associate HR business partnering.

Ben Board | Head of Unreal Engine games business – Western Europe, Epic Games

Ben Board

Epic Games has promoted Ben Board as head of Unreal Engine games business – Western Europe.

Board joined Epic in 2017 as developer support manager. He moved up to business development manager then director, before becoming head of Unreal Engine games business for Western Europe.

He joined the industry in 1997 at Bullfrog Productions as a programmer, before co-founding Dogfish Entertainment in 2000 where he was also lead programmer.

Board moved to Lionhead Studios in 2022 as lead programmer (scripting), then went on to Team Bondi in May 2005 as lead gameplay programmer on LA Noire. He also worked at Microsoft as European developer account manager between 2008 and 2013.

Jayce Diaz | Principal encounter designer, Gunfire Games

Jayce Diaz has joined Gunfire Games as principal encounter designer.

Diaz started his career in 2005 as a shift leader for Game Crazy, and also co-founded independent gaming news site Glitchy Tasty.

He joined Microsoft in 2011 as a designer, and worked on the campaign design team on Halo 4 and Halo 5, and was a Spartan Ops designer on Halo 4.

Diaz moved to Bungie in 2015 as a designer, then worked as a senior gameplay designer at 343 Industries in 2019. In 2021, he joined ZeniMax Online Studios as senior level designer, then principal level designer in 2022.

Ben Gunstone

Ben Gunstone | CEO, Stainless Games

Stainless Games has appointed Ben Gunstone as CEO, while founder Patrick Buckland has become executive chairman.

Gunstone joined the developer in 2006 as production director, a role he held for nearly 13 years. He moved to GlobalStep in 2019 as UK general manager and then director of business development.

He then became executive producer of the Fishing franchise at Dovetail Games in 2021 before moving back to Stainless Games in 2022 as game director. He was promoted to operations director before becoming CEO.

Gunstone has been in the industry since 1992, working as a hotliner for Nintendo. He then worked in QA and production at SCI Games for ten years, and was senior producer for external production at Sega for three years.

“Ben has been a huge part of our journey over the last 20 years,” said Stainless Games. “Now he’s leading the charge as we continue to create awesome games for our clients, build up our projects, and team up with even more AAA and AA studios as a trusted co-development partner.”

Tim Coupe and Clive Moody join Steel City Interactive

Steel City Interactive has announced the appointment of Tim Coupe as VP of studio and Clive Moody as VP of product development.

Coupe’s prior role was at Electronic Arts as head of studio operations for EA Sports UK. He joined the developer in 2021 as director of product development, and then became head of operations.

Tim Coupe

Coupe started in the industry as a programmer, before becoming VP of mobile and handheld at Warthog Games in 1999, then moved to EA as development director in 2003.

He was studio development manager at Eurocom for over seven years, before becoming executive producer at Jagex in 2012. Coupe joined Codemasters in 2015 as senior development director, before leaving in 2018 to work at Palringo and Curve Development.

Coupe returned to Codemasters in 2020 as executive producer, becoming director of product development then head of operations.

“My years at EA Sports and Codemasters have helped shape my experience of sports franchises,” said Coupe. “Sharing (Steel City Interactive CEO) Ash Habib’s vision for Steel City Interactive and Undisputed, I believe we will create the definitive boxing video game franchise.”

Clive Moody

Moody also worked at Codemasters for over two decades. He left in 2024 as SVP of product development, and has been involved in the development and delivery of multiple franchises.

“What Ash and the team have created is incredible,” Moody added. “The ambition going beyond what’s been achieved to date is genuinely exciting, and too good an opportunity not to be part of helping to shape and deliver.”

Christine Brownell | Senior design director – Games, Lego Digital Play

Christine Brownell has joined Lego Digital Play as senior design director after working at Sumo Digital as director of live ops.

Brownell joined the industry in 2003, working at Blizzard Entertainment as a QA software analyst then quest designer. She moved to NetDevil in 2005 as content designer and lead content designer, then lead world designer at Perpetual Entertainment in 2006.

Christine Brownell

Brownell worked at EA as senior game designer at Maxis in 2008, before becoming creative director of Playfish in 2011. She was also creative director at Scopely for nearly three years, joining in 2019.

Before joining Sumo Digital in 2024, Brownell was franchise design director at Media Molecule and game director at PlayStation London Studio.

“As someone who’s always believed in the power of play, and who grew up building, storytelling, and imagining things with Lego, this role feels deeply meaningful,” Brownell said.

“I’m also feeling lucky and grateful for the chance to join a team led by Aaron Loeb, someone I’ve had the pleasure of working with before and have huge respect for.”

Matthew Pellett and Holly Cooper appointed new roles at Secret Mode

Secret Mode has appointed Matthew Pellett as platform engagement director and Holly Cooper as head of communications.

Matthew Pellett

Pellett joined Secret Mode in 2022 as PR and communications manager, then PR and communications director in 2024.

He made his start in the industry in 2007 as a staff writer at Xbox World 360 magazine. He was also editor at GamesMaster Magazine and the Official PlayStation Magazine.

Pellett worked at Dead Good Media for nearly four years, starting as media and influencer consultant, then PR account manager and senior PR account manager.

“After 18 years spent in the media, media relations, and marketing realm, I’m mixing things up,” said Pellett.

“I’m delighted to step into a platform engagement director position at Secret Mode, where I’ll be focused on our store pages, first-party platform visibility, digital event and festival participation, and much more besides.”

Cooper joined Secret Mode in 2024 as product marketing manager. In January this year, she was promoted to senior product marketing manager before becoming head of communications.

Holly Cooper

Prior to Secret Mode, she worked at Frontier Developments as product marketing manager. She also worked at Team17 for almost four years, starting as junior PR and events manager in 2017, before climbing the ladder to PR and events manager then junior brand manager.

Cooper also held positions of field executive and PR executive at Ubisoft.

“I’ve been given an amazing opportunity to jump back into comms as head of communications at Secret Mode,” said Cooper. “I started my industry career in PR and events, and I’m excited to jump back in.

“Huge thanks to Matthew Pellett for trusting me with this incredible team and to the senior leadership at Secret Mode for the opportunity to take this next step in my career.”

Ben Parfitt | UX writer, Sony Interactive Entertainment

Ben Parfitt has joined Sony Interactive Entertainment as a UX writer.

Parfitt has been in the gaming industry since 2005, starting as associate editor at MCV/Develop. He was also a freelance writer, contributing to The Guardian, Kotaku, and GamesIndustry.biz.

In 2018, Parfitt joined Jagex as associate editorial director – a position he held for just over four years. He then became senior web editor at Creative Assembly in 2022, leaving the position in January 2024.

Partfitt returned to freelancing before his latest position at Sony.


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TOP 5 WIRED GAMING HEADPHONES UNDER 1,000 RUPEES

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Please watch: “Best Budget Gaming TWS |#youtube #youtuber#youtubechannel#gaming #video#viral#subscribe#gamer#trend”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bCdcBaWKqI –~–
TOP 5 WIRED GAMING HEADPHONES UNDER 1,000 RUPEES

1]
REDRAGON H120
PRICE – 899
BUY LINK – https://www.amazon.in/Redragon-H120-Gaming-Headset-Microphone/dp/B07JLFFTY1/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=58406915705&dchild=1&ext_vrnc=hi&gclid=CjwKCAjwlYCHBhAQEiwA4K21m_ZBa5w8ejOoPVH_w6nIkH-LqUuslDa2ACgssy7U3CtDldhrLp6lwRoCCYYQAvD_BwE&hvadid=294095743569&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9040224&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=b&hvrand=7833756406269798397&hvtargid=kwd-668500449821&hydadcr=20159_1725733&keywords=redragon+h120&qid=1625303693&sr=8-1

2]
REDGEAR CLOAK RGB
PRICE – 899
BUY LINK – SORRY CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

3]
ANT ESPORTS H520W
PRICE – 699
BUY LINK – https://www.amazon.in/Ant-Esports-Nintendo-Computer-Warships/dp/B0849N8VCF/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ANT+ESPORTS+H520W&qid=1625304150&sr=8-2

4]
COSMIC BYTE STARDUST
PRICE – 855
BUY LINK – https://www.amazon.in/Cosmic-Byte-Stardust-Flexible-Blue/dp/B08G1GHJ2X/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=COSMIC+BYTE+STARDUST&qid=1625304372&sr=8-1

5]
HP H100
PRICE 930
BUY LINK – https://www.amazon.in/HP-H100-Gaming-Headset-Black/dp/B07CH9JDKM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=HP+H100&qid=1625304495&sr=8-1

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Doom: The Dark Ages Review

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If there’s one thing that’s kept the name Doom up near the top of the list of first-person shooters, it’s how it’s always boldly reinventing being a badass, super powered, one-man army against the armies of Hell. Three decades ago we got the original old-school run-and-guns, then a jumpscare-laden horror shooter, then a modern reimagining of the old-school run-and-gun, and a mobility-focused action shooter in 2020’s Doom Eternal. The form that Doom: The Dark Ages takes on is actually one that is very different from Eternal, a game that I rank as one of my favorite shooters of all time. In fact, it’s so different that initially I was turned off by the heavier feel of the movement, the lack of a double jump or airdash, and the sheer chaos of having wide-open fields with seemingly hundreds of enemies closing in on me from all sides.

But a few hours into the 20+ hour campaign, my arsenal had expanded, the ways in which I could dispatch enemies had diversified, and I’d started to better understand and appreciate what Doom: The Dark Ages was and what it wasn’t. By the end of it I was left grinning like a Doomguy that just picked up a Super Shotgun as I ripped and tore until it was done

Doom: The Dark Ages’s campaign is all about setting up the dark sci-fi fantasy vibes. It follows our strong, (mostly) silent Doom Slayer before he was awoken in a Sarcophagus in a UAC space station back in Doom 2016. Of course, the Slayer himself isn’t much more than just a vehicle for badassery, so it’s not like we’re seeing a new side of him or getting any sort of deeper look at his character’s origins or motivations. Instead, The Dark Ages’ story is more about filling in the blanks in the Doom universe, diving into the history of the conflict between humans and demons, and further fleshing out both the faction of humanity defending Sentinels and the deity-like Maykrs. And in that way, it’s not only serviceable, but it also does a good job of at least taking us to both a wide variety of hellish landscapes that includes sci-fi themed medieval castles, and a very welcome trip to the Lovecraftian-inspired Cosmic Realm, which features a ton of really cool mind bending puzzles and creepy settings that are different from what we’ve seen before.

This is the strongest a Doom story has ever been.

Perhaps the best thing about the story is that it no longer feels like it’s just the Slayer against the nameless forces of Hell. There are human companions that are central to the plot: it regularly feels like you’re fighting alongside humanity in this giant all-out war against the demons, and there’s actual intrigue involving the mysterious Maykrs and their role in this whole conflict. This is the strongest a Doom story has ever been, even if that’s not a bar you’d have to double-jump over.

Captain Doom Slayer

Besides the setting, the big thing that separates Doom: The Dark Ages from prior entries in the series is the addition of the Slayer’s Shield, and all of the abilities that come with it. Now, rather than being forced to avoid taking damage by constantly staying on the move and jumping around like a madman, you’re often encouraged to charge straight forward into danger with your shield at the ready to either block or deflect enemy attacks. Any attack that is red can be blocked until your shield’s depleted, and anything that’s green can be reflected with a well-timed guard to not only deal substantial damage, but also stun most monsters it hits. Even on Nightmare difficulty, which is what I did my playthrough on, the parry timing is very generous, but fortunately you can fine tune it however you like in the menus, along with a ton of other handy difficulty modifiers.

The other key shield technique is a charging bash attack that can be used to quickly close the distance between you and the enemy. Think the Super Shotgun’s grapple in Doom Eternal, only faster, you can use it with any weapon, and it’s on a relatively quick cooldown. This combination of being able to use the shield both defensively to block and stun, and then offensively to quickly zip in or out, is what really elevates The Dark Ages’ combat to the stratosphere by making it still feel very fast and exciting even with the removal of things like double jumps, quick dashes, and fast weapon swaps. We get the best of both worlds, in that this Slayer is still extremely mobile, but also feels like a heavily armored tank thanks to loud footsteps and a shockwave when you land from a high jump.

The Slayer is still very mobile, but also feels like a heavily armored tank.

The shield’s utility doesn’t end there, either. Eventually, you’ll also get the ability to toss the shield out, Captain America style, to instantly decapitate tons of fodder enemies at once. Or, if you use it against larger enemies, it will continuously buzzsaw into them, keeping them incapacitated for a short while. This is an extremely useful skill, but I found this to be especially potent against the Arachnotron enemies that like to pepper me with a constant stream of non-refelctable bullets. If they’re unarmored, I can just toss my shield to stop them from shooting, dash in, and all it takes is a single super shotgun blast to ready them for an execution.

Those abilities are key to surviving tough fights because almost every enemy in Doom: The Dark Ages has some sort of weakness like this – and unlike Doom Eternal, they are rarely weapon-specific. There’s no more switching to the combat shotgun specifically to pop a grenade into a Cacodemon’s mouth, then swapping to the rifle to snipe the guns off a Revenant, then swapping between shots of your super shotgun and ballistae to quickly burst down a Marauder or other big and beefy enemy, etc. That’s fun in its own way, and I’m sure there will be those out there like myself who will still prefer it overall, but The Dark Ages still manages to find a way to be an absolute blast without requiring a StarCraft pro’s level of APM (Actions Per Minute) on the harder difficulties.

The enemies are largely the usual suspects that have been in most of the other Dooms, You’ve got your Imps, Hell Knights, the aforementioned Mancubi and Arachnotron, and even the Cyberdemon, all of whom behave as you’d expect. Others have gotten new facelifts to better match with the new setting, like the Pinkie who’s now a mount with a demon archer riding him, and the new Cacodemon that hails from the Cosmic Realm. The Dark Ages even brings back the Vagary as a mini-boss, who hasn’t been seen since Doom 3. Overall, there’s a nice variety in the enemies, and even those you’ve fought a million times before have a few new tricks to make them fit better in The Dark Ages’ combat.

Id has exponentially jacked up the number of on-screen nasties.

Speaking of enemies, It’s worth mentioning as well that Id has exponentially jacked up the number of on-screen nasties relative to Doom or Eternal. When you get a bird’s-eye view of a battlefield, it truly looks like all-out war against the minions of Hell. This did lead to a bit of frustration for me early on because I was often getting attacked from behind by enemies that would spawn in without warning, but all it took was some adjustment in how I approached certain combat encounters. I had to make sure that I used my shield bash to disengage in addition to engaging to keep them off my back.

One noteworthy omission from The Dark Ages is the iconic Chainsaw that has been used since Doom 2016 as a way to instantly kill a single enemy and regain ammo in the process. That has been replaced by an all new melee system that lets you get up close and personal and engage in melee brawls that also restore your ammo. I do miss the satisfaction of just sawing an Imp or other small enemy in half, but this system works better for what Doom the Dark Ages is trying to achieve by again making you rush towards the fight rather than away from it. The “ammo” pick ups for your melee attack are also much more plentiful than the gas for the Chainsaw was in either Doom 2016 or Eternal, making me run out of ammo far less, which was something I very much appreciated.

The Tools of Doom

As far as the actual weapons go, The Dark Ages plays around a lot with the look of each weapon to give it an old-timey flavor, but the functions are generally all the same as what we’ve come to know and love from this series. All the satisfyingly punchy stalwarts are accounted for: The combat and super shotguns, an assault rifle that shoots out railspikes instead of bullets (but don’t call it a railgun), a plasma rifle, and a single-shot sniper rifle-like weapon in the form of a satisfying steel ball launcher, just to name a handful. The only unique weapon of the bunch is the Skullcrusher Pulverizer, which sort of behaves like the chaingun but has a ridiculous spread that can just absolutely shred a football field’s worth of fodder enemies. It’s a fun weapon that goes great with The Dark Age’s absolutely insane amount of on-screen enemies at once, even though I typically opted to use the shield throw to mow down the hordes of fodder since there’s an upgrade that powers up the shield charge when you do so.

One interesting twist for how The Dark Ages handles its arsenal is that every gun has a sister weapon that uses the same ammo type and can be hotswapped between with the press of a button. So for example, along with a rocket launcher, there’s a grenade launcher; in addition to the aforementioned Pulverizer that does a little bit of damage spread out over a wide area, there’s a Ravager that concentrates the fire to hit single enemies. It all adds up to a ton of variety in the gunplay, and while I was never forced to swap between my weapons in the same way that I was in Doom Eternal, I still found myself jumping around from gun to gun simply because it’s fun.

I still found myself jumping around from gun to gun simply because it’s fun.

But the absolute best part about the toolbox in The Dark Ages is – and this is a credit to the weapon designers at Id, because this is true for just about every Doom game – that every gun retains its usefulness throughout the entire game. Sure, I might have my favorites and gravitate more towards the Super Shotgun, Rocket Launcher, and Steelshot, but even the early weapons stay relevant once you get some upgrades into them. If I’m low on armor, I can swap to the combat shotgun that I upgraded to ignite enemies and make them drop armor shards; if I need health, I can swap to the Ravager to make them bleed h ealth pickups; and if I need to incapacitate an enemy while also dealing damage to others nearby I can throw my shield into a baddie, shoot the shield, and watch as my bullets ricochet and hit everyone else around.

To sweeten the pot, all of these abilities and weapons are sprinkled at a measured pace throughout the campaign. There was never even a chance for the gunplay to get stale because every level would give me a new gun, or a new ability for my shield, or a new melee weapon, or I’d find enough gold to afford a new upgrade at the shop that would alter something I already had in a way that made me want to use it more.

And it’s this need to upgrade that fed into my desire to explore and find both upgrade currencies and more traditional Doom collectibles like figurines, weapon skins, and lore pick ups. Appropriately, the levels of The Dark Ages welcome that exploration with open arms. While they all vary in size, the smaller stages are still big by the series standards, and the big levels are gigantic. They’re huge, open battlefields with tons of secrets, challenging enemy encounters, and more than a few breathtaking vistas.

Doomazord Power

Breaking up all of the running and gunning are giant mecha battles and flying sections where you pilot the Slayer’s dragon. Yes, the Doom Slayer has a dragon, because why not. These sections are shallow compared to the rest of The Dark Ages, with the mecha sections amounting to little more than a simple game of dodge, punch, punch, dodge, punch, punch, etc. And the dragon bits are little more than dodge, shoot, shoot, dodge, shoot, shoot. That said, they’re kind of like a turret sequence in that they’re infrequent and brief enough to never drag the pacing down, and they at least provide some cool moments in the cutscenes that precede and follow them.

And then there’s the soundtrack: holy hell. If you’ve played a Doom game before you probably know what to expect going in, but even so I was gleefully into it. It’s another banger of a heavy metal soundtrack that had me coming back to certain levels after beating the campaign and just turning down all the volume except for the music so I could listen without it being overpowered by all the sounds of shotgun blasts, explosions, and dying demons.

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