Google Play recently decided to pay tribute to Sonic the Hedgehog on social media. Reasonable, given that the famous mascot is currently having a bit of a cultural moment. The only problem? Most of it was completely wrong.

Over the weekend, Google Play’s X/Twitter account took it upon itself to make an impromptu Sonic The Hedgehog appreciation thread where the chili dog-eating hero gets older the more you scroll through it. But the Google Play’s scrapbook-esque thread's dabbling in historical revisionism of the blue hedgehog would spark a wave of corrections, even prompting Sega's own social media account to ask what was on every Sonic fan’s mind: What are you doing?

Google Play’s Sonic-themed thread, which sporadically covers the blue blur’s evolution from 1991 to 2022, is now riddled with community notes criticizing the social media account for its litany of factual errors.

1991 Sonic. The cover? Rotund. Husky. Still fast as lightning. The actual game? 8-bit GLORY 🙌 pic.twitter.com/a2k2j9mvXH

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) April 27, 2024

For instance, Google’s first threaded post of Sonic and Tails in 1991 is actually of Sonic’s 2013 mobile game. The key signifier of this error on Google Plays part is the fact that Tails isn’t Sonic’s companion in the original game. The post also refers to the original Sonic the Hedgehog as "8-bit glory" despite first releasing on the 16-bit Sega Genesis. And that's just the beginning.

what are you doing

— Sonic the Hedgehog (@sonic_hedgehog) April 28, 2024

Other blatant errors in Google Play’s thread include a screenshot of Sonic from 2014’s Sonic Boom cartoon saying this was the “short king” in 1993; a 2022 screenshot of Paramount Picture’s live-action Sonic that was actually from the 2020 movie, and a 2006 Sonic image from the 2017 mobile game Sonic Forces Mobile —which is available on the Google Play store.

Fans went so far as to wonder if AI was used to create the strange thread, not the least because one of the images is poorly altered to remove background characters.

2022 Sonic. Just like us, he’s healed from 2020 but isn’t quite the same 😆 pic.twitter.com/f9XYSeLtxm

— Google Play (@GooglePlay) April 27, 2024

While the endgame of Google Play’s Sonic thread remains a mystery, what isn’t is the fact that Sonic fans are treating it like material for Twitter's version of a comedy club's open mic night with a sea of hilarious memes at Google Play’s expense. Here's one of our favorites.

We all know who's behind this https://t.co/CMgSvvd31X pic.twitter.com/1qpmQu6RRc

— Artvader || Commission Season (@Artvader_AF) April 29, 2024

All in all, it was a strange moment for Sega's biggest franchise, which is otherwise celebrating the release of the Knuckles TV series on Paramount+. We called it a "fun, chaotic bonus level that nails everything that made the Sonic movies great, earning a well-deserved fist bump," and is one more step along the path toward a potential Sonic Cinematic Universe.

In the meantime, the third Sonic the Hedgehog film, starring Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, hits theaters on December 20, 2024.

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer at IGN.

Microsoft just held its latest ID@Xbox, a digital showcase showing many fantastic indie games headed to Xbox and PC. From existing games getting updates, such as Palworld and Vampire Survivors, to new details on existing indie games, like 33 Immortals and Lost Records: Bloom & Rage, today's showcase likely had a game for just about every type of player.

If you missed today's ID@Xbox showcase, don't worry. IGN has recapped everything announced, which you can read below.

Astor: Blade of the Monolith is out on May 30

Originally announced as Monolith: Requiem of the Ancients before the rebranding, Astor: Blade of the Monolith is a hack-and-slash ARPG. Players control the titular character, Astor, as he ventures off to unravel the mystery regarding the disappearance of the ancients.

33 Immortals' closed beta is set for late May

If you are looking for a co-op roguelike game with 32 of your friends, 33 Immortals' is the game for you. The top-down action game has beautiful hand-drawn visuals reminiscent of Spiritfarer combined with constant on-screen action from something like Vampire Survivors, 33 Immortals' closed beta is set for May 24.

Palworld is getting a massive update with new Pals this Summer

Palworld, the indie darling that has become a breakout hit for Xbox early into 2024, is getting a big update this summer that includes the introduction of four new Pals. More interestingly, the trailer showed a flamethrower weapon being wielded by a player; previously, players who wanted to use a flamethrower in Palworld needed a Foxsparks to replicate a flamethrower.

WWII-era game Commandos: Origins is getting a closed beta this Summer

Claymore Game Studios has provided a new look at the next entry in the Commandos franchise, subtitled Origins. Set in World War II, players control Jack O'Hara or one of his five companions in a series of missions that set in " historically authentic WWII environments."

A closed beta is set to be held sometime this Summer.

Centum is an 8-bit point-and-click adventure game coming this Summer

If you like 8-bit visuals and point-and-click adventure games, Centum might be worth adding to your watchlist. The gameplay from the reveal trailer reveals that the game will shift between medieval and modern settings. Centum is out this Summer.

Lost Records: Bloom & Rage gets a new trailer, but no release date

Announced at the 2023 Game Awards, Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is the next project from Don't Nod, the creator of Life is Strange. Unlike Don't Nod's previous story-driven choose-your-own-adventure games, which were set in a more modern period, Lost Records is set in 1995. The latest trailer oozes 90s nostalgia, with kids skateboarding and footage of the trailer being "recorded" from a 90s-era camcorder.

Keylocker is out this Summer on PC and Xbox

A turn-based cyberpunk action game, Keylocker, will be released on PC and Xbox sometime this Summer. Set in a world where music is outlawed, players control a singer. Developer Moonana explained on the game's Steam page that the Mario & Luigi RPG series and Chrono Trigger inspired Keylocker.

Stampede: Racing Royale is a battle royale racing game with 60 players on the course

While Mario Kart is still the franchise that dominates the kart racing subgenre, it is still limited to Nintendo hardware. Sumo Digital's Stampede: Racing Royale might give Xbox players something to fill the Mario Kart void.

A racing game that fuses kart racing and battle royale, Stampede: Racing Royale has 60 players burning rubber on the course. The gameplay and power-ups are similar to those in a Mario Kart game, combined with the goofiness found in MediaTonic's platform battle royale game Fall Guys.

Jackbox Games is finally making an adult-themed Party Pack coming this year

Adult Jackbox players wishing for an adult-themed Party Pack can stop praying as Jackbox Games announced today that it is finally making one.

Jackbox Naughty Pack is coming sometime this year. While there is no information on what games will be included in the party pack, the announcement reminds me of how Apples to Apples and Cards Against Humanity exist, with the Naughty Pack taking a darker and more provocative twist.

Times & Galaxy gets June release window

Copychaser Games' upcoming point-and-click game Times & Galaxy will be available on PC and Xbox sometime in June. Payers control a robot, the first robot reporter for the prestigious Times & Galaxy newspaper. The reporter is asked to find stories across the Galaxy as an intern, hoping to get a scoop.

Sulfur is a contemporary shooter with old-school vibes coming to Xbox

A contemporary first-person shooter with roguelike elements and an old-school design. One of the user-defined tags on the game's Steam page describes it as a "boomer shooter." Looking at the previous trailer and the one that appeared at ID@Xbox, gameplay might remind people of the older Doom and Wolfenstein games.

Fera: The Sundered Tribes is out later this year

Massive Damage Studios has shared a new trailer for Fera: The Sundered Tribes, an action RPG that fuses monster hunting with tribe management and building mechanics. The gameplay and screenshots resemble Monster Hunter: World.

Fera, The Sundered Tribes is launching later this year.

All You Need Is Help is a quirky puzzle game from the creators of PixelJunk Monsters

If you are looking for a silyl but cozy puzzle game, PixelJunk Monsters creator Q-Games' next project, All You Need Is Help, is hitting the sweet spot. The trailer indicates that this puzzle game is a multiplayer game in which players have time and need to place their puzzle pieces in the correct position.

All You Need Is Help is out sometime this Fall.

Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter gets new trailer, still no release date

Odd Bug Studio's upcoming soulslike action RPG Tails of Iron 2: Whiskers of Winter got a new trailer at ID@Xbox, flaunting more of its comic book 2D art style. Players will control Arlo, who is on a quest to defeat giant beasts and bandits that are scattered throughout the world.

Hangry briefly appears at ID@Xbox

Hangry, the "snack n' slash" RPG in which players hunt down and eat monsters, briefly appeared at ID@Xbox, where players got a brief new look at gameplay.

Promise Mascot Agency is the next game from the creators of Paradise Killer

Kaizen Game Works, the developers behind Paradise Killer, are back with a sophomore title called Promise Mascot Agency. As the name implies, players run a mascot agency, and gameplay includes card-based battles.

I promise Mascot Agency will be out sometime next year.

Five games published by Gamera Games are headed to Xbox Game Pass

Indie game publisher Gamera Games appeared at ID@Xbox today, revealing that five games—Depersonalization, Firework, Volcano Princess, Kelperth, and The Rewinder—are headed to Game Pass. All these games were released initially on PC before today's announcement.

Over 15 games from the Triple-I Initiative showcase will be playable on Xbox

Earlier this month, the Triple-I Initiative showcase highlighted many indie delights that are headed shortly. Games such as Palworld Arena and Cat Quest 3 appeared. Towards the end of the showcase, it was revealed that 17 games from that sizzle during ID@Xbox will be playable on Xbox.

Dungeons of Hinterberg gets a colorful new trailer focusing on gameplay

A fusion of social sim and action RPG genres with cel-shaded graphics, Dungeons of Hinterberg is set in the Austrian Alps where players control Luisa, a law trainee suffering burnout who opts to drop the corporate life and trade it in for the rugged life of living in the wild and conquer dungeons.

Vampire Survirors: Operation Guns DLC gets one more trailer before its May 9 release date

Vampire Survivors: Operation Guns, known affectionately as the Contra DLC, is headed to all platforms early next month. We got another look at the new DLC before it gets into players' hands. But the most interesting thing about the new trailer is that at the end, viewers get a "one more thing..." revealing that Brad Fang, a character who first appeared in Contra: Hard Corps, will be featured in the DLC.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Jackbox players who are older and have been wishing for an adult-themed Party Pack: your prayers have finally been answered, as Jackbox Games announced at ID@Xbox today that its next party pack is aimed at the older demographic.

As the name implies, Jackbox Naughty Pack is the next entry in the party game franchise and is designed specifically for adults. Though there are no details, such as what mini-games would appear in the pack, we do know it is out this year.

Jackbox Games has released a new party pack nearly annually since the first installment was released in 2014. Each Party Pack entry consists of five mini-games designed to be played ideally with three or more friends while everyone uses a device with an internet browser, most commonly a phone, to play.

The Jackbox Party Pack series grew in popularity thanks to content creators hosting streams where they play one of the ten currently available Party Packs. The series spiked exponentially in 2020 during the pandemic as family members or friends hosted virtual game nights on video conferencing apps like Zoom while social distancing. Beyond content creation and social distancing, Jackbox is a great option for those looking to host a game night or have a fun activity to engage in during a dinner party.

Though Jackbox is designed for all ages, releasing a Party Pack is unsurprising, particularly as many adults will typically host a game night that requires participants to be 18 or older. Or the fact that some players typically use snark or vulgar language when playing mini-games such as Quiplash.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Ubisoft and Microsoft appear to be tag-teaming a legal crackdown on people who try to pass off fake versions of Minecraft and Assassin's Creed official merchandise as the real thing.

In a complaint filed on April 19, 2023 in the Illinois Northern District Court, Ubisoft alleges that a number of individuals, corporations, and other companies have been selling unlicensed and counterfeit Assassin's Creed merchandise via a number of different storefronts including iOffer, Wish, Amazon, and the sellers' own storefronts. Per the complaint, Ubisoft says these items are "inferior limitations" that nonetheless use design elements and Assassin's Creed trademarks to deceive consumers into thinking the merchandise is genuine.

Ubisoft alleges the sellers are gaming search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure their listings are at the top of relevant search results, misdirecting consumers away from legitimate products. Additionally, Ubisoft claims the counterfeiters have evaded past attempts to take actions against them by registering new seller accounts under new aliases, maintaining numerous off-shore bank accounts, moving website hosting to servers outside the United States, and shipping products in small quantities to avoid detection by U.S. Customs. While Ubisoft provided a list of sellers it is pursuing to the court, the list is under seal and unavailable at the time of the filing.

Ubisoft is charging the unknown sellers with trademark infringement and counterfeiting, false designation of origin, and violation of Illinois' Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act (which may explain why the suit is being filed in Illinois specifically). The publisher is seeking that the sellers be permanently restrained from doing the same thing in the future, the websites taken down, and their accounts shuttered across a number of online marketplaces. Ubisoft is also seeking to collect all profits from the counterfeit goods or statutory damages up to $2 million for "each and every use of their Trademarks."

Just a few days later, Microsoft filed a similar suit in the same court, in this case referring to Minecraft merchandise counterfeits on storefronts such as Amazon, Walmart, and eCRATER. It's not confirmed whether or not the complaint is against the same sellers, as Microsoft too has a sealed Schedule A listing the defendants, but given the nature of the complaint, the court, the timing, and the very existance of a sealed list, it seems likely. Even the relief Microsoft is asking for in this case is similar.

But even Microsoft admits it doesn't fully know who all the counterfeiters are, which may be why it and Ubisoft have struggled to stamp out the counterfeit operations prior to now. Ubisoft speculates in its complaint that the sellers are primarily based in China or in other foreign countries, and that the groups and individuals seem to coordinate with one another in chatrooms to share tactics, evade detection, and avoid legal action. But that seems to be the extent of its knowledge. "Tactics used by Defendants to conceal their identities and the full scope of their operation make it virtually impossible for Microsoft to learn Defendants’ true identities and the exact interworking of their counterfeit network," Microsoft's complaint reads. "If Defendants provide additional credible information regarding their identities, Microsoft will take appropriate steps to amend the Complaint."

So why, then, are Ubisoft and Microsoft hiding the list of people they're suing from the public eye? In Microsoft's motion to seal, it points out that it wants to keep the defendants from learning they're being sued until a temporary restraining order can be issued. Otherwise, Microsoft claims, the sellers will be able to wiggle out of legal consequences once again. "If Defendants were to learn of these proceedings prematurely, the likely result would be the destruction of relevant documentary evidence and the hiding or transferring of assets to foreign jurisdictions, thus frustrating the purpose of the underlying litigation and this Court’s power to grant relief," Microsoft says. "Once the temporary restraining order has been served on the relevant parties and the requested actions are taken, Plaintiff will move to unseal these documents."

The dual lawsuits represent an interesting tag-team effort to curb counterfeit video game merchandise being sold as the real thing across major online storefronts. It's an understandable one, too - having browsed both Amazon and Wish for similar items before, it's often very difficult to tell from listings what items are official and which ones are not. Generally, it's better to get them from official storefronts (Ubisoft or Microsoft's own, for instance, or storefronts that don't allow individual resellers), but if you're deal-hunting, that's not always the best option.

For now, collectors will just have to wait and see as to whether Ubisoft and Xbox's gambit here will actually make a dent in the flood of fake statuettes and branded gaming items on the market, or whether a long history of seller evasion will continue to prevail.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

The free-to-play mobile game Play Together gives players of all ages around the world the chance to play however they want, wherever they want. It’s an online social hub game where there are tons of minigames, customization options and chances to connect with other players. And with an event going on now that introduces popular Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, now’s the time to jump in.

Play Together is all about giving you the freedom to play how you want. You get dropped off on Kaia Island, and from there it’s up to you. If you want to wind down after a long day, there are relaxing options like fishing and insect catching. If you’re looking to meet some new friends, you can invite people over for a Home Party. If you’re the competitive type, there are more than 30 minigames with rewards depending on how you finish. No matter which of these activities you choose, you’ll accomplish goals and gain rewards that you can use to upgrade your character.

There are minigames of all different types, too. Game Party pits 30 players against each other in waves of games, with players eliminated each round until there’s only one champion left standing. Zombie Virus turns some players into zombies, while the others have to hide to avoid getting infected. Tower of Infinity sends you through a gauntlet of obstacle courses and challenges you to complete them all back-to-back. And that’s just scratching the surface of all the games that are available.

That “play how you want” mantra also extends to character customization. When you first start the game, you’ll have the chance to pick your body type, hair, skin color and facial features. Once the game gets going, you’ll get tons of additional options. Clothes, shoes, hats, accessories — from butterfly wings to shirts with flaming skulls, there’s a wide variety of things available.

Every player also gets their own house right from the beginning of the game. No waiting until you hit a certain level here. As you play, you can improve your house, making it bigger and decorating it with all kinds of furniture — beds, chairs, tables and appliances of all shapes and sizes. There’s even specialized furniture for your pets.

That’s right, there’s pets too. And you get your first one as part of one of the first objectives in the game. You’ll get your hands on an egg, then need to treat the egg well, fulfilling the wishes of the cute animal within. Once you’ve done that and raised the egg to the level needed, it hatches into a companion that will accompany you as you walk around. So even when you’re playing solo, you’ll always have an adorable friend with you.

Speaking of adorable friends, the game recently added more with its collaboration with Sanrio. To celebrate Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary, one of the game’s hotels has been transformed into a home for her and her friends. Daily missions can be given by Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, Pom Pom Purin and Kuromi. They’ll give you special kitty coins, which can be traded for unique character items.

The area outside of the hotel also has a new Sanrio character photo zone, where players can take as many photos as they want. And next to the photo zone is a Sanrio calendar that provides a free gift every day. There are also new costumes and cars themed after Hello Kitty and Cinnamoroll.

Play Together has a little something for everyone, no matter your age or experience. There’s all kinds of fun to be had, and you can download the app for free on iOS or Android. Click here to find out more!

There really isn't a tablet out there today that's better than an Apple iPad. We've always ranked the iPad as the best tablet to buy, and for good reason. They're powerful, lightweight, easy to use, and available at a variety of price points and sizes. If you're on a tight budget, the Apple iPad is the right fit for you. If you're looking for something small and ultra-portable, then the iPad Mini or iPad Air is what you should consider. If you're looking for a powerful workhorse that can do almost everything your laptop can do, then the iPad Pro is the cream of the crop. Knowing what iPad model you're looking for can help you find the right tablet for the right price.

TL;DR - The Best iPad & iPad Accessory Deals Today

Below are all of the best iPad deals going on right now. They're not all from Apple either; most of them are from reliable 3rd party retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart.

If you already have an iPad, check out the best iPad games to play in 2024.

The Best iPad Deals

2021 Apple iPad (9th Gen) 10.2" 64GB for $249

Amazon is offering the 2021 Apple iPad 10.2" Wi-Fi 64GB tablet for only $249. This iPad normally retails for $329, so you're saving about 24%. Even at its $329 MSRP, the 2021 Apple iPad is $120 cheaper than the 2022 Apple iPad, $170 cheaper than the iPad Mini, $270 cheaper than the iPad Air, and $470 cheaper than the iPad Pro.

2022 Apple iPad Air 10.9" 64GB WiFi from $499.99

The 5th generation Apple iPad Air was released in March of 2022 with a $599 MSRP. Yes, it's substantially pricier than the original iPad, but it upgrades virtually every aspect of its hardware. It boasts a larger screen size (10.9" vs 10.2") with both True Tone and P3 wide color. It has the same powerful Apple M1 chip found in the 2021 iPad Pro. Despite the more powerful hardware, the iPad Air is roughly the same size as the 10.2-inch iPad, thanks to the slimmer bezel, and weighs less. There's even a universal USB Type-C port.

2021 Apple iPad Mini 8.3" 64GB WiFi from $399.99

The iPad Mini may be the most diminutive tablet of the bunch, but that doesn't mean it's gimped in any way. Although it was released back in 2021, the newest generation Apple iPad Mini is still more powerful than the standard sized iPad that was release in late 2022. The iPad Mini features an 8.3" Liquid Retina display with True Tone and Wide Color, a very capable A15 Bionic processor, universal USB Type-C port for fast charging, and Apple Pencil 2 compatiblity. If you're looking for the most portable iPad, the iPad Mini is your pick.

2022 Apple iPad (10th Gen) 10.9" 64GB WiFi for $439

The 2022 Apple iPad had a price hike, from an MSRP of $329 for the 2021 model to an MSRP of $449 for the 2022 model, which was released at the end of October 2022. This new iPad benefits from several upgrades, including a newer A14 Bionic chip, larger and nicer 10.9" display, a better camera, a fingerprint sensor, and the USB Type-C port now replacing the Lightning port. While it doesn't have a massive discount right now, this is the best price available on this iPad at the moment and we'll update this when another deal for it appears.

Apple iPad: Budget to Best

Buying a new iPad doesn't have to be an expensive venture. If you're looking for an option that gets the job done at a more affordable price, we've got you covered with the selection below.

The Best iPad Accessory Deals

If you already have an iPad, you might consider adding on some useful accessories, like a case and a screen protector to keep it protected, an Apple pencil for enhanced productivity, a tablet keyboard to turn it into a hybrid laptop, or a faster charger to keep it topped off quickly. Here are all the best deals we've found today.

If you're simply looking for protection, check out our best iPad cases of 2024.

More Apple Deals

• The Best iPhone Deals
• The Best iPad Deals
• The Best AirPods Deals
• The Best Apple Watch Deals
• The Best MacBook Deals

Crystal Dynamic’s Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition is finally on PC after 10 years of waiting – but there’s a catch.

As spotted by DSOGaming, this all-encompassing version of the franchise reboot, which originally released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in 2014, can officially be downloaded on PC, but only through the Microsoft Store. Like most similar releases for other games, Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition packs in all previously released DLC, including Tomb of the Lost Adventurer, single-player outfits, and a collection of multiplayer goodies, as well as a suite of graphical enhancements.

However, places like Steam and the Epic Games Store still only have access to the Game of the Year version of the experience, which includes add-on content without the visual improvements.

“The cinematic action-adventure that forced Lara Croft to grow from an inexperienced young woman into a hardened survivor has been re-built for next-gen consoles, featuring an obsessively detailed Lara and a stunningly lifelike world,” a description for Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition says. “Lara must endure high-octane combat, customize her weapons and gear, and overcome grueling environments to survive her first adventure and uncover the island’s deadly secret.”

It's unclear why what is widely regarded to be considered to be the best version of the Tomb Raider reboot is only available on Microsoft’s digital storefront on PC. Crystal Dynamics’ original Tomb Raider reboot launched for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 at the tail end of the console generation in 2013. The Definitive Edition arrived only one year later but left out PC.

IGN has reached out to Crystal Dynamics for comment.

For more Tomb Raider, be sure to check out the latest update for Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, which removed some pinup pictures of Lara without explanation. You can also read up on our 9.1 review of Tomb Raider's 2013 refresh, where we said, "A new beginning for Lara Croft that does justice to one of gaming's most iconic characters."

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

Blizzard has announced it will not hold its annual BlizzCon event in 2024, but promised the event will return in future years.

In a statement to press, Blizzard failed to share the reason for the cancellation of the event, though it said the decision was "not made lightly." Additionally, the company plans to participate in other industry events throughout the year instead:

Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing more details about our launches coming later this year, including World of Warcraft: The War Within and Diablo IV's first expansion, Vessel of Hatred. To celebrate these upcoming releases and to bring our communities together in new and special ways, we will soon share some exciting plans for other industry trade shows and conventions like Gamescom. We can’t wait to tell you more about those plans soon. We’re also looking forward to the Overwatch Champions Series’ stops at both Dreamhack Dallas and Dreamhack Stockholm. And we’re thrilled to be planning multiple, global, in-person events to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Warcraft, which will be held in addition to the in-game celebrations across our Warcraft games throughout 2024. While these events are distinct from BlizzCon, we’re harnessing all of our creativity and imagination to ensure that they carry the same spirit of celebration and togetherness.

This news comes just as BlizzCon was getting back on its feet. The event was fully canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then returned briefly as a digital show in 2021 before going on hiatus again in 2022. Last year, BlizzCon was held again in-person for the first time in four years.

While BlizzCon's cancellation may come as a shock to fans, it makes some amount of sense. BlizzCon is traditionally where Blizzard unveils all its major announcements ahead of the coming year, but 2024 would have almost certainly had a thin slate. The next World of Warcraft expansion, The War Within, is planned for release sometime in the summer or fall of this year, ahead of when BlizzCon usually occurs. Diablo 4 does have an upcoming expansion planned for release in late 2024, but it's entirely possible that's slated to happen ahead of BlizzCon as well, leaving Blizzard with little new to reveal on that front either. With its upcoming survival game canceled, that would leave Overwatch 2 and Hearthstone to carry the bulk of the conference's major reveals, and neither game seems poised to sit in the hot seat for an entire conference.

What's more, Blizzard was hit by layoffs earlier this year; it was one of multiple divisions impacted by the cutting of 1,900 staff from Microsoft's video game arm in January. With Activision Blizzard still getting its feet under it following its acquisition last year amid a climate of wider industry budget cuts and layoffs, it makes sense not to spend a ton of money on a conference. What is less clear is what BlizzCon will look like when it does return - now under Microsoft's oversight.

Microsoft will hold its Q3 earnings call later today, which may explain the timing of the BlizzCon news.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

If you use an Apple iPhone, then there's no question: the Apple Watch is absolutely the only smartwatch you should consider. Apple watches come in a variety of price points, from the value-minded Apple Watch SE to the no holds barred Apple Watch Ultra. They combine smart iPhone integration with a dazzling array of fitness, and health-related tech that no other brand can match. They've always topped our list of best watches, including for 2024, so it was only right that we gathered up some of the best Apple Watch deals available right now.

TL;DR - The Best Apple Watch Deals Today

The Best Apple Watch Deals

Apple Watch Series 9 from $329

The latest addition to the lineup is the Apple Watch Series 9. It released in September 2023, with a significantly faster processor than its predecessors, plus a handful of new features. It has 18-hour battery life, which will get you through the day and then some. Access to Siri is processed on the device, rather than having to beam over the internet, which makes for faster response times. It also can detect a "double tap" motion you can make with your thumb and forefinger. You can use this to press the primary button in an app without having to touch the watch display with your other hand (or nose). Fancy.

Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) from $189

The Apple Watch SE 2 features an upgraded CPU over the original Apple Watch SE. The Apple Watch SE 2 has the same S8 processor found in the Apple Watch Series 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra. The original Apple Watch SE uses an older S5 processor. Apple claims about a 30% performance improvement between the two. Outside of that, both SE watches are largely similar. The bright and sharp Retina OLED display is 30% larger that what you'd find on the Apple Watch Series 3. It also features crash detection (new to the 2nd gen Apple Watch SE), IPX7 water resistance, international roaming, heart rate notifications, fall detection, sleep tracking, sports monitoring and activity tracking, Apple Pay, and more.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 from $779.99

For the adventurous and outdoorsy types, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a terrific buy. Built for endurance athletes, outdoor adventurers, and water sports enthusiasts, this techy timepiece boasts a 49mm corrosion-resistant titanium case, 100m water resistance, and an S9 SiP for a superbright display. With a battery life of up to 36 hours and 72 hours in Low Power Mode, it's designed to keep up with your most demanding adventures. The biggest, brightest always-on Retina display ensures visibility in any setting, while cellular capabilities, advanced health features, and specialized bands make it a must-have for athletes, adventurers, and health-conscious individuals alike.

While it doesn't have a discount at the moment, this is the best price available on it. We'll make sure to give this an update when the next best deal comes around!

Apple Watch: Budget to Best

Investing in an Apple Watch doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. There are plenty of excellent, more affordable options to choose from, and we've listed some of our favorites below.

Can you use an Apple Watch with Android phone?

Although it's technically possible to use an Apple Watch with an Android phone, we wouldn't recommend it. Apple made it so that a lot of the functionality of the Apple Watch requires a smartphone with an iOS operating system. There are some workarounds to implement some of the features, but for the average person, the hassle isn't worth it. If you're absolutely intent on getting an Apple Watch, then getting an iPhone first would be the best option. For those of you quite happy with your Android smarpthone, there are plenty of Android smartwatches that would be a better fit than the Apple Watch.

How to Customize Your Apple Watch

Personalizing your Apple Watch is the next best thing to do after you've bought one for yourself, and there are plenty of ways to do it. Whether you want to find a specific style of band, case, or even customize your watch face, there are a wide variety of options to choose from. In our roundups of the best Apple Watch faces, the best Apple Watch bands, and the best Apple Watch cases and covers, you can find our top picks for 2024.

More Apple Deals

• The Best iPad Deals
• The Best AirPods Deals
• The Best Apple Watch Deals

The latest episode of the ongoing X-Men ‘97 animated series sees a very angry Rogue doing a very powerful kick that references everything from the Marvel vs. Capcom video games to Kamen Rider.

Warning! Spoilers for X-Men ‘97 Episode 7 follow.

In episode seven, called Bright Eyes, we see Rogue on a mission to avenge the death of Gambit. Along the way, the super powerful X-Man attacks a base guarded by soldiers and tanks, pretty much destroying the entire operation in just a minute. In one moment, which you can watch in the video below, Rogue performs a number of mid-air rolls before unleashing a powerful downward kick that knocks a tank for six.

It’s this kick that fans have compared to similar kicks from across anime, including Kamen Rider, the Japanese superhero media franchise that saw enormous success in the 70s.

Rider kick* pic.twitter.com/sFHg3ejZc0

— taokami (@taokami3) April 24, 2024

based on the kamen rider rider kick pic.twitter.com/j8KDLLoMBF

— bigger (@BiggerWright) April 24, 2024

Rogue’s X-Men '97 kick also closely resembles her divekick from the Marvel vs. Capcom games, from 1996’s X-Men vs. Street Fighter to 2000's Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - and storyboard artist Matthew B confirmed on X/Twitter that the kick is indeed a reference.

https://t.co/uC8B3qoPDi

— Free MvC2 (@MatthewB64) April 23, 2024

🚨EASTER EGG🚨 In the GREATEST easter egg of all, we get a callback to Rogue’s entrance and downward kick from X-Men vs. Street Fighter/Marvel vs. Capcom 2!

Episode 7 of X-Men ‘97 entitled BRIGHT EYES drops tomorrow on Disney Plus! #XMen97 #xmen #rogue #gambit #capcom pic.twitter.com/uVaHzmrEy9

— Power of X-Men (@powerofxmen) April 23, 2024

I really do appreciate the MvC head on the X-Men 97 team. They animated Rogue's Rider kick (from the games), with the close-up like she was activating a super. She basically did her "power dive punch" in the beginning. Round start super is wild af.

Got her out here shining. pic.twitter.com/MOPp71YM4t

— WanderingPastries 🏳️‍⚧️ (@NomadPastries) April 24, 2024

Of course, X-Men ‘97 references the X-Men arcade games in a recent episode, so a link from the world of animation to the world of video games has been established in the show.

Whatever the case, Rogue is not messing about in Episode 7, which leaves the X-Men struggling in the face of the threat of Bastion. Check out IGN’s article, X-Men '97's Bastion Explained: What You Need to Know About This Deadly Super-Sentinel, to find out more about the series’ antagonist.

For more on X-Men '97, learn about why Vulcan's debut is such a big deal and why it's great that the series remembered the melodrama.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

The ongoing success of the Fallout TV show has fuelled renewed interest in the Fallout games ever since it hit Prime Video, and now Bethesda has confirmed just how big an impact it’s made.

In a series of social media posts, Bethesda said almost five million jumped in across all Fallout games in just a single day. That includes the likes of the original, Interplay-published Fallout games, Bethesda’s Fallout 3, 4, and 76, Obsidian’s Fallout: New Vegas, and mobile game Fallout Shelter. Bethesda also singled out Fallout 76, its most recent mainline Fallout game, which saw over one million people play in a single day.

...and almost five million across all Fallout games in a single day!⚡

— Fallout (@Fallout) April 23, 2024

While Microsoft, Sony, and mobile platforms fail to disclose player numbers, we had a good idea of how well the Fallout games were doing post-show via Steam, which makes concurrent player numbers publicly available. All Fallout games on Valve’s platform enjoyed a boost, with Fallout 4 seeing the most number of players followed by the multiplayer-focused Fallout 76, then New Vegas. Data trackers have said Fallout Shelter has seen a revenue boost, too. Fallout games are so popular right now that even Nexus Mods is struggling to cope.

All this comes ahead of the release of the Fallout 4 next-gen update on April 25, which is certain to boost that game’s player numbers even further. The makers of the hotly anticipated mod Fallout London are unimpressed, however — they say they were “blindsided” by Bethesda’s next-gen update release date announcement.

The Fallout TV show is a hit, then, and Season 2 is already announced. The showrunners have already confirmed its setting and discussed how they plan to handle it with the video games in mind. To keep you going until Season 2, be sure to check out IGN’s wide-ranging, spoiler-filled interview with Bethesda Game Studios executive Todd Howard and executive producer and director Jonathan Nolan.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Over four months after Fortnite Festival was released, Harmonix and Epic Games announced that the rhythm game now supports Rock Band 4 plastic guitar controllers.

In a blog post, Epic Games revealed that, as part of the new changes introduced in season 3, players can now use Rock Band 4 guitar controllers for Fortnite Festival's new song parts: Pro Lead and Pro Bass. The new song parts are available on the Main Stage, which is considered the Fortnite Festival's main gameplay mode. Players can play solo or with three friends and choose a song while trying to button-mash and get as high a score as possible before the tune concludes.

This guitar controller support includes the PDP Riffmaster, a new third-party wireless guitar controller announced a few months ago for PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. Unfortunately, Epic revealed that the whammy bar on the Rockband 4 controllers does not provide any warp to the audio when pressing it, stating that for not the whammy bar "only provides a visual effect."

You can check the full list of guitar controller support below:

• PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5:
  • PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
  • RockBand 4 Rivals Wireless Fender™ Jaguar Guitar for PlayStation 4
  • RockBand 4 Wireless Fender™ Stratocaster™ Guitar for PlayStation 4
• Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S:
  • PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC
  • RockBand 4 Rivals Wireless Fender™ Jaguar Guitar for Xbox One
  • RockBand 4 Wireless Fender™ Stratocaster™ Guitar for Xbox One
• PC
  • PDP Riffmaster Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC*
  • RockBand 4 Rivals Wireless Fender™ Jaguar Guitar for Xbox One
    • *Requires the Microsoft Xbox One Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 to use on PC
  • RockBand 4 Wireless Fender™ Stratocaster™ Guitar for Xbox One*
    • *Requires the Microsoft Xbox One Wireless Adapter for Windows 10 to use on PC

The blog post mentions that Epic will "have more instrument controller news to announce in the future," so those wishing to play the drums or grab the mic and sing a song at the Fortnite Festival must wait a little longer. While Fortnite Festival's instrument controller support is still incomplete, including the guitar and bass parts is a massive step in the right direction for the rhythm game.

Fortnite Festival launched last December and was criticized by critics and players, mostly due to the price of songs and the lack of support for instrument controllers. A few days after its release, Harmonix studio director Alex Rigopulos told IGN in an interview that support for game peripherals shaped like instruments is "very much a priority" for the studio.

"Fortnite Festival is just… Rock Band on a gamepad, and it's a little like playing a light gun game on an analogue stick. Yeah, it works, but it doesn't feel like quite the right way to play it," my colleague Luke Reilly wrote in his review of Fortnite Festival, which he gave a 4/10.

Taylor is a Reporter at IGN. You can follow her on Twitter @TayNixster.

Epic Games has updated Fortnite to let players block certain emotes it said were used in “confrontational ways.”

The new 'Confrontational Emotes' setting, live as part of April 23’s v29.30 update, lets players toggle visibility on four emotes, including Fortnite’s famous ‘Take the L’ emote. Players who choose not to see certain emotes that are “sometimes used in confrontational ways” will instead see a player using the emote standing still, with no emote sound, Epic said.

“We want emotes to be a source of good vibes, but a few (*cough* Take the L *cough*) can sometimes feel a bit overly confrontational,” Epic explained in a tweet.

The 'See Confrontational Emotes' setting applies to four emotes:

• Laugh It Up
• Take the L
• Whipcrack
• Make It Plantain

The new setting can be found under ‘Social Privacy’ and will default to only show these emotes from friends in your party, Epic said. You can change this setting any time, so you can see these emotes from ANY player or not at all.

It’s a significant change for Fortnite, which owes much of its early success to revenue-generating emotes as the battle royale blew up in the late 2010s. Some of the emotes became world famous dances, with even footballers performing them as goal celebrations.

When griezmann hit the "Take the L" celebration VS Croatia in the world cup final🐐🐐 pic.twitter.com/mgW5xLMOPc

— Ugo (@MCFC_Ugo) September 11, 2023

Reaction to the move is mixed, with some within the Fortnite community expressing disbelief that Epic would let players block any emote in the game, let alone some of the most famous ones. However, others are defending the decision while pointing out that even with these emotes disabled, players will still see their own avatar perform them.

“In the years since they were added, the culture and use around them has become insanely toxic,” said redditor express_sushi49. “They are almost exclusively used in a setting where one player is sweaty beyond belief and the other is likely angry af. Epic stands to gain nothing by allowing their players to potentially rage quit from their game over it. It's just bad business after all.”

ItsChris_8776_ suggested Epic offer refunds on the listed emotes, because players who bought them did so for the express purpose of trolling others. “The main issue is that a lot of the emotes banned, such as take the L or laugh it up, were EXCLUSIVELY marketed to annoy other players that you kill, and is the main reason that players paid for these emotes,” ItsChris_8776_ said.

Others still are now wondering if players will use other emotes instead in order to troll others, and, if so, whether Epic will expand the list.

Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Former Epic Games Chief Creative Officer Donald Mustard has explained why Fortnite was never able to add a Nintendo representative like Samus Aran as a playable character.

Fortnite has raged on as one of the biggest crossover titles in pop culture for nearly seven years, and that’s thanks to the long list of characters from across movies, TV, and games that it features. With PlayStation and Xbox mascots like Kratos and Master Chief already available as playable characters, many fans expected to one day see a Nintendo character join the fray. When documents revealed that Epic had once considered the possibility of including someone like Samus, excitement grew even more.

However, Mustard said the chances the sci-fi bounty hunter appears in Fortnite are currently pretty slim. He opened up about some behind-the-scenes talks at Epic during an interview with Stephen Totilo’s Game File, saying Nintendo wasn’t interested in seeing its characters appear on other consoles.

"They got really hung up on their characters showing up on platforms that weren't their platforms," Mustard explained.

Fornite is available on nearly every game-playing device players can get their hands on. Were Mario to appear in Fortnite on Switch, he would need to also appear on PlayStation, Xbox, and even mobile platforms, too.

"They would be thrilled to have Nintendo characters in Fortnite, but just only if it's on their platform," he continued.

Epic could theoretically release Samus as a Nintendo Switch-exclusive character, but Mustard said the company isn’t interested in walling off content from other players.

"For me and for all of Epic, we’re like, ‘That is an absolute must. We want to make sure that Fortnite is the same experience, no matter what screen or device you're playing on,'" he said.

Nintendo’s strategy has been seen in previous crossovers before. Rocket League, a game that is also available on a wide variety of platforms, received Mario, Luigi, and even Metroid-themed vehicles in 2017. However, those cars are Switch exclusive, meaning those who play on different consoles cannot access the content. Epic would go on to buy Rocket League developer Psyonix in 2019.

Nintendo could always change course when it comes to allowing its beloved cast of characters to appear on other consoles. For now, though, don’t expect to see Bowser winning any battle royale matches. For more on Fortnite, be sure to check out some of its newest content, which saw Epic include familiar faces from Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Image credit: Photo by Euan Cherry/Getty Images for University of St Andrews

Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.

Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.

The release date for Genshin Impact maker HoYoverse’s upcoming urban role-playing game, Zenless Zone Zero, might have leaked before its official announcement. The action RPG’s soft “coming soon in 2024” placeholder text may actually mean this summer.

According to Zenless Zone Zero’s Apple App Store page, the anime-inspired third-person action RPG is expected to release on July 3. As of the time of writing, developer HoYoverse has yet to announce an official release date on its official social media accounts. So far, only Zenless Zone Zero’s Apple store page has a listed release date, though the storefront does couch the expected date with supplemental text, saying, “This content may change without notice, and the final product may be different.”

Zenless Zone Zero's seemingly leaked expected release date may hold some water, considering the whoopsie daisy comes weeks after the free-to-play urban fantasy RPG’s official PlayStation 5 technical test sign-up announcement. Prior to Zenless Zone Zero’s PS5 technical test sign-ups — which ended on April 17 — HoYoverse invited players to Amplifying Tests for PC and mobile platforms. Taking all of this into consideration, it wouldn’t be wild to assume the conclusion of ZZZ’s PS5 technical test serves as the action RPG’s final pitstop before its official release. The sooner we’re able to play as a bazooka-wielding grizzly bear, the better.

Zenless Zone Zero was first revealed in May of 2022. In it, players take on the role of mercenaries for hire named Proxys tasked with defending the last vestiges of the post-apocalyptic world of New Eridu from Bleach-esque monsters called Hollows.

Zenless Zone Zero will also be available on Android, PlayStation 5, and PC. Be sure to check out our Zenless Zone Zero guide to get yourself well acquanted with the game's sprawling lore and enemble cast of anime-inspired characters.

Isaiah Colbert is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow them on Twitter @ShinEyeZehUhh

Amazon is offering a Renewed Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max 128GB Fully Unlocked Smartphone in Sierra Blue for only $491.99. That's a great price for the highest end variant of an iPhone model that's only two generations old. The Apple Store still sells the base model iPhone 13 (non Pro, non Max) for $599. Amazon states that this refurbished phone is in excellent condition and it even comes with a 90-day return policy. The iPhone 13 is compatible with the latest iOS, and is still supported by Apple.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max (Renewed) for $491.99

The iPhone 13 was released in September of 2021. It's two generations old but it's capabilities are still relevant for 2024 (if you're actually looking for a current gen iPhone, check out the best iPhones to buy in 2024). If you're curious about what "Refurbished - Excellent" means, here are the deets

• Fully unlocked and compatible with any carrier of choice
• Not Apple certified, but has been professionally inspected, tested and cleaned
• No visible cosmetic imperfections when held at an arm’s length
• This product will have a battery which exceeds 80% capacity relative to new.
• Accessories will not be original, but will be compatible and fully functional
• Eligible for a replacement or refund within 90 days of receipt

This is a way better deal than finding a used one off Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, especially with that 90-day return policy. The iPhone 12 Pro is compatible with the newest iOS (17.3.1) and should be supported in terms of iOS upgrades and security updates for at least the next few years since even the 2018 iPhone Xs/XR is still supported (although not for long).

The iPhone 13 is no iPhone 15, but this is still a great phone with excellent build quality. It's constructed from a combination of Gorilla Glass (front) and stainless steel (rear) and boasts a triple-lens camera system that performs well in low-light conditions. Other features include a 6.7" 2778x1284 Super Retina XDR OLED display, Apple A15 Bionic chip, dual SIM (nano SIM and eSIM) compatibility, outstanding 11 hour battery life, and 128GB storage capacity. This model is fully unlocked and will work with all of your favorite carriers like AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Verizon, US-Cellular, Cricket, Metro, and more.

Check out more Apple iPhone deals for discounts on other iPhone models. If you're looking to accessorize, then here are the best AirPods deals and the best Apple Watch deals.

Goddess of Victory: Nikke, the free-to-play sci-fi RPG shooter out now, is celebrating its 1.5 anniversary in April giving away up to 108 draw opportunities! You can tune in to the English language live stream on April 20th to get 22 time-limited recruitment opportunities and see what’s next for the gunner girls. Veteran players can expect tons of new story content to look forward to, and newcomers can get a jump start using the loot giveaways during the event.

Nikke has amassed over 528 million USD since its release, according to mobile market data site Data.ai. It's already received several awards, including Google Play's Best of 2023 for Best Game and Best Story. Nikke has held crossover events with properties like Chainsaw Man, Nier: Automata, and Re:Zero.

Nikke's setting is a dark, alien-scarred universe, where humanoid weapons–Nikke–are mankind's last hope against a vicious race of aliens called Raptures that have driven them underground.

The struggle continues with Last Kingdom, a new story event that focuses on a cache of superfood seeds that might solve the world's ongoing food shortage. The Rapture Chatterbox and the traitor Nikke Indivilia learn about the cache that's stored under a renovated castle called Crown Kingdom. They lead a massive invasion against the kingdom, which is countered by Nikkes Crown, Kilo, Chime, and Modernia.

Last Kingdom contains a ton of visual assets that bring the struggle to life, like the new 3D field map that blends fantasy and sci-fi into a unique setting with a whole new atmosphere. Nikke’s R&D team poured their blood sweat and tears into Last Kingdom to guarantee old fans and newcomers will be pulled directly into the heart of the conflict. This year Nikke will continue the story of the commander exploring the surface and devs indicate that there will be an incident of the Ark.

Nikke's 1.5-anniversary celebration and live stream aren't just about giving veteran players a brand new world to explore and new characters to interact with. It's also about bringing new players into the fold with tons of rewards and benefits. Log into the game on April 25th to claim 10 advanced recruit vouchers and the new SSR Nikke Kilo. Log in by May 9th to get 10 advanced recruit vouchers and a choice box with two SSR Nikke, Kilo, or Rei. And if you participate in the new Last Kingdom story event, you get 10 advanced recruit vouchers as well as the SRR Nikke Kilo/Rei choice box.

That's just a taste of what you can expect if you join the Nikke community during this special anniversary event. The more you play, the more opportunities you have to score free recruitment vouchers, avatar frames, and tons more! Don't forget to check the live stream on April 20th at 6 am EST. Once you're in, join the Influencer Campaign on April 25th to see famous influencers and cosplayers participate in the Commander Test.

Here is the latest information about the Influencer campaign:

Tune in on April 25th for a 90-minute extravaganza across Twitch and YouTube.

Get ready for a thrilling celebration as Goddess of Victory: Nikke marks its 1.5 anniversary with an electrifying live stream competition! You can witness your favorite OTV stars like LilyPichu clash in fierce battles, showcasing their NIKKE prowess. Catch all the action on https://www.youtube.com/@OfflineTV.

Another special live stream featuring VTubers from Vshojo performing great reviewed NIKKE OST music will be hosted during NIKKE’s 1.5 Anniversary. Join TGA 2023 content creator of the year, ironmouse, along with GEEGA, Matara Kan, Zentreya, Projekt Melody, and Hime Hajime to enjoy immersive NIKKE music together on https://www.twitch.tv/vshojo.

Prepare for action-packed IRL elements inspired by the game's intense action, taking the experience beyond the digital battlefield. Keep your eyes peeled for exclusive first looks and trailers, teasing the exciting future of Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Don't miss this epic anniversary showdown!

Download Nikke on the official site, on the App Store, or Google Play. If you need help settling in, join Nikke's active Discord, check the Twitter account, and get tons of info from the game’s YouTube channel.

NIKKE is a post-apocalyptic RPG Shooter you can play on mobile and PC. The game is developed by Shift Up, the studio behind Stellar Blade, the all-new story-driven action-adventure game available on PlayStation April 26th.

When it comes to smartphones, the Apple iPhone stands tall as one of the best around, and that's for very good reason. It boasts unparalleled build quality, a gorgeous Retina display, the most powerful processor, the best smartphone camera, an easy-to-use OS, the largest selection of apps, compatibility with other equally well-engineered products like the AirPods and Apple Watches, and so much more. With all of these features, it's no wonder these phones come with a hefty price tag.

TL;DR - The Best iPhone Deals Right Now

Whether you're buying the baseline iPhone 15, the more feature-rich iPhone 15 Pro, or even an older model, it can set you back quite a bit. Thankfully, there are many ways to get an iPhone at a much lower price than MSRP, but most of them involve signing up for or extending a contract. There are, however, a few deals that come around once in a while that allow you to get an iPhone without a plan.

If you're looking for an inexpensive iPhone and none of these deals interest you, then you might want to consider an iPhone with a low MSRP to begin with. Check out the cheapest iPhones to buy in 2024.

The Best iPhone Deals Without a Contract

Apple iPhone 14 Plus 512GB for $659

Refurbished - Excellent Condition

Amazon has a refurbished (in excellent condition) Apple iPhone 14 Plus 512GB smartphone for only $659. That's a pretty big price drop from its $1199 retail price (for the 512GB model). If you've been shopping around for iPhones, you're probably well aware of the fact that it is extremely hard to find a discount on the newer generation of iPhones without signing up for or extending a contract. This deal is the next best thing. Even though it's refurbished, Amazon states that it's "fully functional, and in excellent condition. Backed by the 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee." They also state that "this pre-owned product has been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by Amazon-qualified vendors."

Apple Store iPhone Deals

Get up to $630 off an iPhone 15, 14, or 13 with Trade-In

Apple Store has its own trade-in program. The best thing about it is that you can get a brand new unlocked phone without having to sign up for a contract. You can get up to $630 in trade-in credit depending on your phone. Apple Store only accepts iPhone models and they have to be the iPhone 11 or newer.

iPhones: Budget to Best

Buying a new iPhone doesn't have to put a massive dent in your wallet, either. In this section, we'll point you towards more affordable options that are available.

Verizon Wireless iPhone Deals

Get up to $1,000 off an iPhone 15, Pro, or Pro Max with Trade-In

Verizon Wireless is offering up to $1,000 off an Apple iPhone 15, 15 Pro, or 15 Pro Max when you trade in an eligible smartphone within 30 days of your purchase. You will need to sign up for a new 5G Unlimited plan. If you're already a Verizon customer and you just want to upgrade an existing line, then you'll get up to $440 back with your trade-in. You will get your trade-in value in the form of bill credits over 36 months.

AT&T Wireless iPhone Deals

Get up to $1000 off an iPhone 15 Pro or Pro Max with Trade-In

AT&T Wireless is offering up to $1000 off an Apple iPhone 15 Pro or 15 Pro Max when you trade in an eligible smartphone within 30 days of your purchase. You will need to sign up for a qualifying 5G plan. You will get your trade-in value in the form of bill credits over 36 months. Depending on your phone, the trade-in value will either be $1000, $700, or $350.

T-Mobile Wireless iPhone Deals

Get up to $830 off any iPhone 15, 14, or 13 with Trade-In

T-Mobile is offering up to $830 off any Apple iPhone 13, 14 or 15 model when you trade in an eligible smartphone within 30 days of your purchase. You will need to sign up for a Go5G Plus plan. You will get your trade-in value in the form of bill credits over 24 months. That's better than the 36 months payout from Verizon and AT&T.

Free iPhone 13 if You Create an Account

T-Mobile will straight-up give you an Apple iPhone 13 if you're a new customer who creates a new account. The only catch is that you have to keep T-Mobile service for 24 months.

Differences Between the Newest iPhone Models:

There are five current-gen Apple iPhone models: the iPhone SE (3rd Gen), iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Here's a quick roundup of the differences and you can also check out our recommendations on the best iPhones to buy in 2024. The iPhone 14 is a generation old but still available for purchase along with the iPhone 13. Those could save you some money compared to buying the newest generation.

Apple iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

The iPhone SE is a compact phone that easily fits in most pockets. It features a smaller 4.7" Retina HD display that's powered by an A15 Bionic chip, the same CPU found in the iPhone 14. It has a simpler single rear 12MP camera. Check out our IGN iPhone SE review.

Apple iPhone 13

iPhone 13 comes in an array of eye-catching colors -- something not every iPhone can boast (see the relatively muted color options in iPhone 15 for a comparison). That said, it starts at 128GB and sports a 6.1" display. It runs on the A15 Bionic chip, the same one found in the SE and standard iPhone 14.

Apple iPhone 14

This is the most basic of the iPhone 14 models but still a serious upgrade from the iPhone SE. The iPhone 14 boasts a 6.1" Super Retina XDR display and the A15 Bionic chip. It features a dual rear camera system in the form a 12MP main lens and a second ultra-wide lens.

Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus

iPhone 15 is available in a 6.1" or 6.7" models (the 6.7" one is the Plus). It has the Dynamic Island on the display instead of the bump from previous models. And it's powered by the A16 Bionic chip, making it downright speedy. It's also the first iPhone to feature a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port. See our iPhone 15 review.

Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max

The Apple iPhone 15 Pro features either a high-resolution 6.1" or 6.7" Super Retina XDR display with ProMotion technology and the coveted Always-On feature. In addition, the CPU has been upgraded to an A17 Bionic chip, making it even faster than the base model iPhone 15. The biggest upgrade, however, is the triple rear camera system. It boasts a significantly enhanced 48MP main lens as well as a second ultra-wide lens and a third telephoto lens that offers up to 10x optical zoom. Check out our IGN iPhone 15 Pro review.

For a full history of iPhones, check out our guide to every iPhone generation.

More Apple Deals

• The Best iPhone Deals
• The Best iPad Deals
• The Best AirPods Deals
• The Best Apple Watch Deals

Stardew Valley’s 1.6.4 update is now live on PC, bringing with it an impressively long list of bug fixes, quality-of-life improvements, and fresh content, along with the mysterious removal of two ‘inappropriate names’ from the game’s random name generator.

Among the new 1.6.4 additions are over 20 never before seen ‘alternate’ mine layouts - which start to appear once players have reached the bottom of the mines for the first time - and a brand new cutscene that triggers upon helping to grow a neighbour’s family to its maximum size.

Players were also thrilled with some of the adjustments made to existing items, including one newly implemented balance change that allows golden mystery boxes to yield an auto-petter, which, as the name suggests, pets barnyard animals to improve friendship levels.

The 1.6.4 update is out for PC! This patch adds some new content, as well as many improvements, balance changes, and bug fixes. Patch notes can be found here: https://t.co/H1PZNit3ZD pic.twitter.com/Lku1SRsQkV

— ConcernedApe (@ConcernedApe) April 18, 2024

"Crab pots now have a short time period after harvesting from them during which they can’t be removed (750ms)."

Actually SO exciting - thank you!!! 🦀🦀🦀

— Verdski (@verdski) April 18, 2024

goated change 🙏🙏🙏😭😭 pic.twitter.com/JqbkWnn4Za

— no (@SamSuth3) April 18, 2024

Others had their curiosity piqued by the fact that the update had added two ‘innappropriate names’ to the list of words excluded from the game’s random name generator. Barone understandably opted not to reveal what the names were in the patch notes, as they were likely offensive in some way.

Of course the omission has naturally prompted some members of the community to take to social media to share some of the questionable names that Stardew Valley's random generator had served up to them in the past, that could have been the target of the selective purge. In the name of good taste, we won't repeat them in this article, but any curious-minded individuals can find the discussion here.

The 1.6.4 update also brought a mass of fixes to the game, including one that addressed a bug that was causing some farmyard pets to disappear. Another gameplay fix took aim at numerous crashes and/or or bugs that would arise while building a cabin, and another removed an issue which saw the player collide with objects during a cutscene.

Check out the full list of 1.6.4 patch notes below, courtesy of Stardew Valley creator Eric Barone.

Full Patch Notes for Stardew Valley Version 1.6.4.

New content & features

– Added 20 new ‘alternate’ mine layouts, which can start appearing after reaching the bottom of the mines.
– Added 20 new volcano mines layouts, which can appear after you’ve unlocked the shortcut between the caldera and the volcano entrance.
– Added fish frenzies.
– Added a special cutscene after you’ve helped your new neighbors grow their family to the max.
– Added 4 new fairy styles.
– You can now place 8 additional non-fish items into fish tanks.
– Raccoon shop now includes a trade for mystery boxes and golden mystery boxes.
– Vinegar can now be poured onto trees to stop them from ever growing moss.
– Shaving enchantment now causes tree-specific drops:

fern → fiddlehead fern
mushroom → red mushroom
mahogany → hardwood

Translation changes

– Many edits and improvements to the Chinese version (中文翻译问题说明和修改日志)
– Edits to the Russian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Turkish, and Korean translations.
– Changed the Chinese fonts to make them more appealing and readable.
– Changed Hungarian number spacing character from a comma to a period.
– Some improvements to Russian font.

Balance changes

– When you load a save, you’ll now unlock missed Steam achievements if needed (e.g. achievements gained while playing offline).
– Added mini-shipping bin as an expensive Qi gem shop purchase.
– Added more variety, and improvements, to Skull Cave treasure chests.
– Life elixirs now only restore health, and energy tonics now only restore energy.
– Wild seed spots are now rarer, but yield more seeds.
– Doubled the Iridium Golem’s chance to drop iridium.
– The monsters in the volcano entry level are now randomized each day.
– Using a treasure totem indoors no longer works. This prevents them from being wasted.
– Going down a level in the mines now makes you invulnerable for 1 second.
– Increased raccoon mystery box reward from 4 to 5.
– Farming experience now contributes to mastery experience at a 50% rate.
– Ice orb will no longer freeze a spider while it is in the air jumping.
– Removed red snapper from winter fishing quest pool, and sardines from the summer quest pool.
– You will no longer get calico rating points from going down the normal mines.
– Golden mystery boxes now have a small chance to yield an auto petter.
– Slightly reduced chance to find mystery boxes.
– Mine barrels and coal carts will now “refresh” at the start of each year.
– The order of mystery box rewards is now randomized per-player instead of per-save.

Visual improvements

– Qi club coins now show up in the shop menu.
– Various map edits and fixes.
– Removed Maru’s glasses from all beach portraits for consistency.
– Improvements to signage in some non-english languages (i.e. Chinese, French, and Russian)

Quality of life changes

– Added a 1.2-second delay after dropping an item, before it’s picked back up by the same player.
– Napalm rings are now non-destructive on the farm and inside the slime hutch (i.e. the explosion will only damage monsters).
– Added ctrl + right-click as an alternate toolbar drop hotkey.
– Receiving a “special notification” (e.g. first geode message) will no longer cancel out player actions such as eating or warping.
– Flopping fish no longer fall back into fish ponds.
– Crab pots now have a short time period after harvesting from them during which they can’t be removed (750ms).
– The Junimo bundle menu now only highlights items that can actually be placed in the selected bundle.

Other changes

– Minor optimizations.
– Added two inappropriate names to the list to exclude from the name generator.
– You can no longer give gifts to NPC’s during green rain year 1 (prevents incongruous attitudes). This also prevents a portrait issue with Demetrius.

Gameplay fixes

– Fixed disappearing pets bug.
– Fishing splash zones and ore pan points are now removed overnight.
– The prize ticket machine now consumes your ticket when you get the reward, rather than when you first press the button.
– For the purposes of perfection, the level 100 mines stardrop now has a more robust way to check if it’s been acquired.
– Fixed Monster Compendium not actually doubling all loot.
– Fixed geodes no longer dropping on the farm in normal circumstances.
– Fixed rare crash when spawning items overnight.
– Fixed player colliding with stuff during event cutscenes.
– Fixed pre-1.6 forged weapons having reduced stats.
– Fixed not being able to put a torch on the sprinkler you get as a CC reward.
– Fixed various bugs/crashes related to building a cabin.
– Fixed wild seeds in garden pots putting their final crop in the top-left corner of the map instead of the pot.
– Fixed “lost and found” chests (from night market and elsewhere) not working anymore in 1.6.
– Fixed a duplication bug with the “lost and found” chests.
– Fixed slime hutch floors reverting to the default after reloading a game.
– Fixed malformed casino shop red fireworks ID.
– Fixed pet adoption catch-all case only working with the animal catalogue, and only applying in year 2 specifically, rather than for any year 2 or beyond.
– Fixed ‘use legacy randomization’ option applied inconsistently when loading a save, which caused weird issues like broken green rain days.
– Fixed the case where you could permanently miss the ancient seed recipe if you grabbed the ancient seed packet but not the associated recipe, and then closed the museum rewards menu. Missing recipes will also be restored upon loading a file.
– Fixed issue with duplicated animals & building interiors from pre ~1.3 saves.
– Fixed end tables not being rotateable.
– Fixed an issue where empty barns/coops could not be removed by Robin on old saves.
– Fixed slime egg incubators letting you reclaim the egg before it hatches.
– Fixed farmhouse placement bounds to match the object placement restrictions around it.

Multiplayer fixes

– Synced some NPC Gift data in other languages.
– Fixed fireworks (and possibly other sprites) drawing behind stuff in multiplayer.
– Fixed “Build a Silo” quest not being completed for farmhands.
– Fixed Raccoon quest not being removed for all players.
– Fixed double trinket issue when a farmhand disconnects/reconnects.
– Fixed double and/or missing derby participants sprite issue in multiplayer.

Display text and localization fixes

– Many edits and fixes in translation text.
– Fixed a text parsing error for Asian languages which caused them to incorrectly wrap in some cases.
– Fixed spacing issues in Asian languages.
– Fixed several localization issues
– Fixed Russian line break issue.
– Fixed events not consistently handling gender-dependent text.

Cosmetic fixes

– Adjusted the draw order of basic objects so that debris will not be drawn underneath them as often.
– Placeable grass now offsets vertically a little if it would clip through a front-layer tile.
– Fixed seasonal world map not working for non-English players.
– Fixed flying monsters not being draw above things on the farm & volcano.
– Fixed reward icon in completed quest menu being visually offset.
– Fixed george’s TV clipping with farmer during green rain.
– Fixed movies not showing layered sprites (e.g. the eyeball in Mysterium).
– Fixed Qi club coins drawn below the lightmap.
– Fixed Qi coin overlay drawn during minigames.
– Fixed crane game audio not stopping when the game is forcefully closed.
– Fixed some tooltip padding issues.
– Fixed movie theater display issues on the world map.
– Fixed repeated dialogue selection sound if a control was plugged in but you are using a mouse.
– Fixed quest reward icon input offset issue.
– Fixed Joja Warehouse roof drawing above the weather (and possibly other similar cases).
– Fixed various map tile issues.
– Fixed a visual issue with a shadow in the farm house.
– Fixed able to swap two chests of the same type.
– Fixed machines sometimes wobbling when they’re not processing anything.

Changes for modded players

– Improved debug commands:

– Added debug commands to change pet types/breeds, to allow migrating older saves (setPreferredPet and changePet). This replaces the former toggleCatPerson command.
– The filterLoadMenu <search> command now keeps the original save slot numbers.
– Combined removeNpc and killNpc commands. The unified command removes all instances of an NPC, to help fix duplicate NPCs.

Changes for mod authors

– C# mods can now hide specific animals from the animal social menu (e.g. animals owned by NPCs) via the FarmAnimal.hideFromAnimalSocialMenu field.
– In Data/Buildings, you can now add furniture via IndoorItems.
– In Data/FarmAnimals, added fields to set the sleep sprite and whether they eat golden crackers.
– In Data/Locations, added fields to set effect of fish-specific bait and whether fish can be caught using a training rod.
– In Data/Machines, added option to only let the machine complete overnight.
– In Data/Powers, added CustomFields field.
– Added missing Id fields in Data/FarmAnimals and Data/Pets.
– Added a warning when a farm animal’s spritesheet size is invalid, which would previously lead to the animal silently freezing.
– You can now use tokenizable strings in event scripts and dialogue text.
– De-hardcoded forest waterfall fish into Data/Locations.

Fixes for modded players

– Fixed some wallpapers and flooring not appearing in mod item lists.
– Fixed pre-1.6 farm maps having broken warps to the bus stop.
– Fixed errors and crashes due to mods adding items without a name.
– Fixed softlock when a warp leads to an invalid location.
– Fixed crash when playing events that use the replaceWithClones command.
– Fixed crash if an NPC has invalid temporary dialogue.
– Fixed world map showing a glitched texture for custom farm types which don’t override it.
– Fixed another case of NPC duplication involving the movie theater.
– Fixed crash when loading a save if a farm Junimo wasn’t properly removed before saving.
– Fixed crash if the lost & found contains null items.
– Fixed disconnect for Steam players when using mods that send messages before a farmhand has been approved.
– Fixed crash on save if shipping bin has empty slots.
– Fixed riding the bus to the desert instantly warping you back if mods added warps on the desert road.
– Fix multiplayer crash if some players don’t have the same NPC textures.

Fixes for mod authors

– Fixed farmhands’ cellars not applying cellar data from Data/Locations.
– Fixed crash if a farm animal has no entry in Data/FarmAnimals.
– Fixed festivals ignoring year suffixes for <setup>_additionalCharacters and name fields.
– Fixed issues with farm animals which have a custom home building.
– Fixed hardcoded assumptions about farm animal spritesheets which could cause counter-intuitive behavior with custom animals.

Following the release of the patch, some players took the opportunity to petition Barone for an update on when Stardew Valley’s massive 1.6 update - and subsequent patches - will be available on console versions of the game. Whilst no update was forthcoming on this occasion, the developer had previously explained that console and mobile versions of the 1.6 update were “in progress”, and that he would provide an update when there is “something significant to share”.

Image credit: Eric Barone, Stardew Valley.

Anthony is a freelance contributor covering science and video gaming news for IGN. He has over eight years experience of covering breaking developments in multiple scientific fields and absolutely no time for your shenanigans. Follow him on Twitter @BeardConGamer

The Apple Watch is one of the most highly customizable pieces of tech from the Cupertino, California-based company. Not only can you switch out its watch band, but you can also swap watch faces depending on your mood and situation. The smartwatch is very versatile for just about any occasion.

TL;DR – These are the best Apple Watch faces

• Infograph (Best for Up-to-the-Minute Information)
• Nike Digital (Best for Exercising)
• Watch Faces by Facer (Best Third-Party Watch Faces)
• Simple (Best for Minimalist)
• California (Best for Formal Wear)
• GMT (Best for Travelers)
• Numerals Duo (Best for Informal Wear)
• Playtime (Best for Kids)
• StepDog (Best for a Virtual Pet)
• Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse (Best for Disney Fans)
• Wayfinder (Best for Apple Watch Ultra)
• MobyFace (Best for the Pop Culture Obsessed)

However, with the wide range of watch faces to select, it may be overwhelming to find the best one for you. We rounded up the best Apple Watch faces for all sorts of people in all sorts of circumstances and events.

Luckily, nearly all Apple Watch faces are free, but there are a few that require some cash—if you want access to more options and styles. From formal wear to working out and the minimalist to the pop culture lover, here are the best Apple Watch faces in 2024, below:

Don't have an Apple Watch yet? Be sure to check out the best Apple Watch deals here.

The Best Apple Watch Faces

1. Infograph

Best for Up-to-the-Minute Information

Pros:

• Supports eight complications simultaneously
• Highly customizable

Cons:

• Can get a little busy

For those looking for a lot of information at once, the Infograph Apple Watch face is our pick. It can support up to eight complications at the same time—including weather, location, calendar, compass, Apple Fitness, Apple Music, and so much more. Oh, and it also displays the time.

It even has a phone contact feature, so you can quickly call your favorite contact (just a cellular Apple Watch or paired with an iPhone) with just one tap from your watch. Meanwhile, Infograph is highly customizable with all sorts of different colors and styles.

2. Nike Digital

Best for Runners

Pros:

• Simple, sleek design
• Includes Nike Run Club app on watch face

Cons:

• Limited customizability

If you’re a seriously active runner, then the Nike Digital Apple Watch face is ideal to stay on top of your fitness goals. In September 2022, Apple discontinued the Apple Watch Nike Edition and simply made its watch straps and faces available to purchase for all users.

While there are five Nike-themed watch faces (Nike Analog, Nike Bounce, Nike Compact, and Nike Hybrid), the Nike Digital is the best one—thanks to its sleek design, use of up to three complications, and includes the Nike Run Club app on the watch face. Now runners can quickly launch the app from the Apple Watch itself to start a run without digging through their iPhone.

3. Watch Faces by Facer

Best Third-Party Watch Faces

Pros:

• Huge variety of watch faces to choose from
• Works with other top smartwatch brands

Cons:

• Subscription fee for ad-free watch faces

One of the top third-party Apple Watch face makers is Watch Faces by Facer, which is available on the Apple App Store. The company features thousands of watch faces for the Apple Watch, as well as other wearables, including some of best Apple Watch alternatives.

Meanwhile, Facer watch face types range from simple to complex and monochrome to colorful with categories in arts, space, mermaids, unicorns, butterflies, retro gaming, and much more.

While just about all of its watch faces are free, they are ad-supported—unlike watch faces from Apple directly. If you don’t like ads, there’s a Facer Premium subscription for $5 per month, or $40 per year. This allows you to download and sport any of their watch faces without any ads.

4. Simple

Best for Minimalists

Pros:

• Minimalist style
• Includes four complications to glance at

Cons:

• Less customizable than other watch faces

Simple, as the name suggests, is a very simple and straightforward, yet stylish, Apple Watch face. It’s designed with an analog clock that can be customized to show a full clock or just the watch hands with a black background. It’s very minimal, but also includes up to four complications for quick info at a glance or to launch apps from your wrist.

5. California

Best for Formal Wear

Pros:

• Elegant design
• Customizable colors, numerals, and dial markers

Cons:

• Only includes two complications

For a bit of class, go with the California Apple Watch face — especially if you’re in formal wear. Its elegant design features a mix of half Roman and half Arabic numerals, while it can either be displayed in full screen or circular. California is very customizable for colors, numerals, dial markers, and up to two complications. Overall, you can make the watch face simple or complex, depending on the occasion.

6. GMT

Best for Travelers

Pros:

• Tracks two different time zones
• Supports four complications in each corner of watch face

Cons:

• Watch dial can be confusing

If you’re a globetrotter or jetsetter, then the GMT Apple Watch face is for you. It’s designed to have two time zones shown in a clever and analog style with two dials. The inner dial shows your local time in a 12-hour format, while the outer dial can be set for another timezone in a 24-hour format. This is a good way to keep track of where you are and where you’re going at the same time.

Meanwhile, the watch face’s two-tone color scheme is customizable, while it also shows additional information, such as day and night, and sunrise and sunset of your chosen city. GMT also supports up to four complications – one for each corner of the Apple Watch.

7. Numerals Duo

Best for Informal Wear

Pros:

• Simple, no-frills design
• Easy to read

Cons:

• Supports no complications

For something more casual, the Apple Watch face Numerals Duo is our pick with its large numerals and customizable two-toned design for the hour and minutes. This is a no frills option, but stands out because of its large blocky look. It also has no complication options; it just shows the current time. In fact, it’s this writer’s everyday look and watch face for the Apple Watch.

8. Playtime

Best for Kids

Pros:

• Interactive watch face
• Rotating the digital crown changes background

Cons:

• Supports no complications

Made for kids of all ages, the Playtime Apple Watch face is fun, bouncy, and interactive. In a collaboration with Chicago-based illustrator Joi Fulton, Playtime features peppy characters as its numerals that interact with you whenever you tap on them.

Meanwhile, you can even give the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown a turn to change the background of this watch face. However, while the colors are customizable, it unfortunately features zero use of complications.

9. StepDog

Best for Virtual Pets

Pros:

• Virtual pet motivates you to reach step goals
• Supports various complications

Cons:

• Small fee for animals and accessories on app

If you’re a pet owner, then you’re going to fall in love with StepDog. Much like the Tamagotchi from the ‘90s, StepDog is a virtual pet that helps you track your daily steps. The more you walk (or run), the more your new pet gets exercise and thrives. Once you hit your daily goals, StepDog goes to sleep for the day and wakes up for your next set of steps.

However, StepDog is not free. It costs $1 for a premium pack, which includes your choice of dog breed, toys, food, water, and a dog house. If you want all of the dog breeds offered, then it’s $2 for the complete set.

You can also check out our list of the best Apple Watch games for more of the interactive watch apps available.

10. Mickey Mouse & Minnie Mouse

Best for Disney Fans

Pros:

• Mickey or Minnie’s arms or voice tell you the time
• Whimsical design

Cons:

• Limited customizations

For Disney fans, the Mickey & Minnie Mouse Apple Watch faces are fantastic picks. The playful and whimsical design features Mickey or Minnie pointing to the hour and minute of the time with their rotating arms, while their feet tap out the seconds.

Both watch faces are customizable with an assortment of colors, while each supports up to three complications. One of the coolest tricks these watch faces can do is it can read out the current time in either Mickey or Minnie’s voice when you hold two fingers down on the watch face display.

Additionally, for Pixar fans, there’s a Toy Story Apple Watch face that features Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, or a toy box option with Hamm, Rex, Bullseye, and the Pizza Planet aliens. When you tap on the watch face, it will display assorted animations from the Toy Story movies.

11. Wayfinder

Best for Apple Watch Ultra

Pros:

• Customizable elevation or longitude and latitude inner ring
• Supports up to eight complications

Cons:

• Exclusive to the Apple Watch Ultra

Because the Apple Watch Ultra is designed for the great outdoors, the Wayfinder face is exclusive to it. It features customizable elevation or longitude and latitude in the inner ring and a compass in the outer ring. The watch face also supports up to eight complications (four in the center and one for each corner of the smartwatch), while colors and dial style are customizable.

Meanwhile, it’s the only Apple Watch face that has a special Night Mode that turns everything red to make it viewable in the dark to preserve battery life.

12. MobyFace

Best for the Pop Culture Obsessed

Pros:

• Officially licensed watch faces for top comics, movies, shows, sports, and more
• Sells matching bands

Cons:

• $2 fee for each collection

Love all things pop culture? MobyFace creates officially-licensed watch faces for the Apple Watch, such as Harry Potter, Star Wars and The Mandalorian, Marvel, DC Comics, Hello Kitty, and much more.

At $2 per collection, MobyFace offers hundreds of fun designs from your favorite movies, TV shows, sports teams, music, and other forms of pop culture. The company also sells matching smartwatch bands, phone cases, and other mobile accessories.

What to Look for in Apple Watch Faces in 2024

The Apple Watch is the most popular and best selling smartwatch in the world for a few reasons. It works seamlessly with the iPhone, it’s accurate, highly functional, well-built, and very versatile. In fact, one of its biggest draws is its customizability to suit just about any activity and occasion. Not many smartwatches can go from fitness tracking to black-tie formal at a moment's notice.

However, with all of the watch bands and watch faces available, there are millions of different combinations and styles for the Apple Watch. To help you navigate, here’s what to look for in an Apple Watch face in 2024.

Apple Watch Model

You have to really know your Apple Watch. Older Apple Watch models might still be working, but they’re not likely to be running the latest watchOS, which is watchOS 10. Apple Watch Series 4 or later, Apple Watch SE (both first- and second-generation models), and Apple Watch Ultra models are compatible with watchOS 10. Not sure which model you own? The series number is engraved on the back of every Apple Watch.

Apple iPhone Model

Moreover, the Apple Watch needs to be paired with an iPhone model that is compatible. This also requires that your iPhone is running at least iOS 16 or higher, which is compatible with the iPhone 8 or later. This means your Apple Watch wouldn’t have the newest watch faces to select, so your options might be limited.

Next you have to consider what activities you’re going to use the Apple Watch for. As mentioned above, the Apple Watch is very versatile and can be used for just about any physical activity, while it can also be used as an accessory for formal and informal wear.

Watch Faces

Best of all, watch faces can be quickly changed on a whim, so it can look different for any situation. Just long press on the watch face and the Apple Watch will prompt you to change its watch face with just a series of swipes. For a complete list of all of the watch faces available for watchOS 10, click here (and for Apple Watch Ultra faces here).

Price

The price may be of some consideration, but just about all first-party watch face styles are free to use through the Apple Watch itself and the iPhone’s built-in Watch app. However, there are a number of third-party watch face designers that are compatible with the Apple Watch from the Apple App Store. The prices for these watch face apps can vary from free with ads to paying an annual subscription upwards of $40 per year.

It really comes down to your use case for the Apple Watch. The smartwatch is highly customizable, which is one of its appeals, so your personal usage and style are the biggest factors for what to look out for in an Apple Watch face.

Apple Watch Face FAQ

What are Apple Watch complications?

Complications are essentially special features you can add to certain watch faces. They are often tiny icon-like elements that share blips of relevant information or add convenience to accessing features, like the current weather, a calculator, a timer, and stocks. There are a wealth of complications to choose from, but the number available to place on any given watch face depends on the face you choose. Four tends to be the sweet spot for complications. However, some faces allow up to eight, which can get busy for such a compact screen.

Can I keep my Apple Watch Face on all the time?

Yes. You can keep your watch face on all the time, depending on your Apple Watch. The Series 5 was the first Apple Watch to offer the always-on display, which stays dimly lit, showing the time and watch face even when it’s away from your face. Every Series since 5 and the Ultra has an always-on display. However, it may drain your battery quicker, so you can always turn it off. If you have an Apple Watch SE, an always-on display is not supported.