The Black Friday and Cyber Monday sprint is over, but the gift shopping marathon continues. And what better gift than one that connects families no matter where they live?
Always fans of bundling their smart devices, Amazon now offers the Echo Show 8 with an Echo Show 5 Kids edition for just $69.99. That basically works out to a total of $154.99 off the original price for both smart displays, or $39.99 cheaper than if you bought them separately right now.
Both Echo Show devices are a quick way to upgrade voice calls with your family. The Echo Show 8 (2nd gen, 2021 release) features an 8-inch HD touchscreen and a 13MP camera that features auto-framing so you're always centered in video calls. Just ask Alexa to call up your contacts, or use the Echo Show 8 to look at your reminders, see real-time traffic updates, or watch and listen to content on Prime Video, Spotify, and other platforms. And it works as a great central hub to control any connected smart home devices such as security cameras or lights.
The included Echo Show 5 (2nd gen) Kids features many of the same features, but in a smaller package and with more parental controls. It has a 5.5-inch touchscreen and a 2MP camera with a built-in shutter to ensure privacy. Kids can ask Alexa to play videos, music, and audiobooks, or answer your standard homework questions. But parents still get the option to set timers for watching videos, view activity on the parental dashboard, and block shopping to guarantee no surprise purchases.
Honda's big electrification push will include US-oriented hydrogen fuel cell cars. The automaker has revealed that it will begin US production of fuel cell vehicles in 2024. The first model will be a plug-in hybrid based on the current-generation CR-V (pictured here). You'll theoretically have pure electric driving for your daily commute, but still get zero-emissions driving for longer city-to-city jaunts.
More details of the hydrogen-powered CR-V will be revealed sometime closer to its 2024 launch, Honda says. It's only willing to offer a peek at the power plant (below). The existing CR-V is available as a conventional hybrid with a gas engine and no plug-in feature.
Honda
The new model is part of a larger Honda strategy to completely drop combustion engine vehicles by 2040 using a mix of pure EVs and fuel cell cars. On top of the hydrogen CR-V, Americans can also expect the fully electric Prologue SUV in 2024. The brand already sells the electric Honda E subcompact, but not in the US. Honda aims to be carbon neutral by 2050.
Whether or not there's a market for the fuel cell SUV is uncertain. Hydrogen cars haven't gained much traction in the US compared to their all-electric counterparts, due partly to high prices and a lack of filling stations. Honda axed the fuel cell-based Clarity sedan in 2021, reportedly in response to weak demand for the $71,200 machine. There's no guarantee customers will be more welcoming in 2024, particularly as EVs become more affordable and offer improved range.
If you've Googled "gifts for dad," you've likely been greeted with an overwhelming number of whiskey stones and knives. But do dads even like those? What about the dads who are fed up with the constraints of toxic masculinity? What about the dads who just want some pampering?
Whatever the occasion that has you looking for dad gifts (Father's Day, for example), stray away from clichés and try to think outside the box. Unless your dad is an avid tie collector and seriously *lives* for ties, then avoid this played-out gift. Instead, get him something that says, “I see your hobbies and I respect them."
Even if your dad is hard to shop for, he deserves something cool and special, like a new gadget, a subscription box, or something that will keep him looking ageless for years to come.
Remember that a gift doesn't have to fit some sort of arbitrary dad stereotype for it to be a good fit for your dad. Here are some ideas.
Season 2 of HBO's The White Lotus is officially past its midpoint. And while there's still some room for doubt about which characters get bumped off at the end of this Sicilian murder-mystery, there's little doubt about which one most deserves an untimely death: Cameron, the smarmy American bro played by British beefcake Theo James.
Cameron's moral crimes on the show are legion, as well as sun-blisteringly obvious. He cheats on his wife Daphne (Meghann Fahy), who informs us that Cameron works with some of the worst Bernie Madoff types in finance. He belittles his supposed college friend Ethan (Will Sharpe) every chance he gets, while hitting on (and in episode 1, casually exposing himself to) Ethan's wife Harper (Aubrey Plaza). To top it off, in episode 5, Cameron seems to think he can get away with not paying sex workers Lucia and Mia (Simona Tabasco and Beatrice Grannò) he hired while Daphne and Harper were away for the night.
But Cameron's greatest crime is this: He is lazily written and poorly acted, a cartoon sitting like a black hole at the center of an otherwise intriguing satire. If he is one of the corpses, and there are an increasing number of reasons to think we're heading for a "revenge of the wives" scenario, few viewers will mourn him the way they did Armand, the past-breaking-point hotel manager who dies in Season 1. There's no third dimension here to mourn.
This is how Cameron differs from Season 1 villain Shane, an equally over-privileged scion who ended up accidentally killing Armand. Shane was a preppy jerk who wanted to control his newlywed wife – and yet he felt real. Why? Partly the acting chops of Jake Lacey, who won an Emmy nod for his seething portrayal. Mostly, a script that combined Shane's anger and his sad, self-defeating hunt for the most elite experience the hotel could offer.
Shane's diatribes on how he had been wronged, in suite allocation as well as in love, made sense from Shane's perspective. You believed that he believed it; indeed, it is precisely what the five-star hotel system encourages pampered customers like Shane to believe.
Cameron, alas, suggests that showrunner Mike White has no idea what made Season 1 work. Shane insisted on wearing uncomfortable loafers in Hawaii: a telling and oddly humanizing detail. Cameron is a cookie-cutter finance dude with his shirt buttons ostentatiously open. What unusual human factor motivates him? We don't know. He's a basic bro right down to his choice of condom: standard Durex, according to the wrapper Harper fishes out of her couch.
(Now if Cameron was the kind of douche who would deliberately plant an "XL" wrapper for his friend's wife to find, that I could believe.)
Credit: Fabio Lovino / HBO
Believability is the problem all around with this guy. Sure, Cameron has to be a bit of a jerk to Ethan – but he's so much of a jerk you have a hard time imagining they were ever friends, or that Ethan would agree to the vacation. He's supposed to be jealous of Ethan, but we need more showing of that, less telling. The story requires us to believe Cameron knows how to party, but then he gets his crew to mix MDMA and alcohol — about as basic an error as party fouls get. (Unless there are lots of cut scenes where Cameron, Ethan, Lucia, and Mia hydrate responsibly.)
To make matters worse, James plays Cameron in as cartoonish a manner as possible, with a lecherous sneer plastered on his face in most scenes. He slaps backs and drawls like a cowboy — a cringingly amateur approach to an American role from an English actor. You don't believe he believes it. (James adopted a similar fake-Yank style for the title role in the so-so HBO series The Time Traveler's Wife, while failing to find chemistry with co-star Rose Leslie; turns out that there's only so far in the acting world that a rocking bod can take you before you start sinking entire projects.)
Bad enough to be a cartoon hero, worse to be a cartoon villain. Anthony Hopkins once explained how he approaches a role like Hannibal Lecter: Look for the good in them and play that, Hopkins said. It makes the character even more chilling, because you catch yourself wanting to like them despite their deeds.
Examples like that abound in The White Lotus. This is a story that makes us feel a disturbing amount of sympathy for the sex-addicted Hollywood producer whose fondest wish is to repair the marriage irretrievably ruptured by his philandering. Likewise for Bert, the incorrigible broken-down old flirt whose own dark marital history casts a shadow over his son. He's played by F. Murray Abraham, who practically wrote the book on believable bad guys with his Oscar-winning Salieri in Amadeus.
Next to that performance, James is the 21st century equivalent of a silent-movie villain twirling his mustache.
Credit: Fabio Lovino / HBO
Here's what I can believe about Cameron. I absolutely believe that Daphne would cheat on him with her trainer, to the point of their kids actually being fathered by the trainer, as episode 5 suggests. I can believe that Daphne is just angry enough to reveal this information to Cameron right before he dies.
I believe Daphne would hang out on the beach the next morning, talking to potential witnesses about her amazing stay before coming across the first body in the ocean, thus establishing her apparent innocence. I believe she wouldn't have been as prominent in that scene if there weren't a sting in her tale.
I can believe that Cameron will die as he lived — as a disappointing caricature and missed opportunity.
I can also believe that Cameron is such a cookie-cutter character because he's designed to slot into the myth of the Moor's head, flagged at the beginning of the season — a roguish husband who fails to disclose to a local lover (in this case, Mia and Lucia) that he had a family back home, and is executed for it.
I can believe that Mike White thinks we won't expect this to happen to Cameron, because Season 1 trained us to expect that the privileged bro will always escape consequences and stay with his wife. White is therefore likely to give us a cautionary tale with the opposite result, especially given that said bro seems entirely ignorant of the local Mafia culture that is being clearly flagged.
I can believe that Cameron will die as he lived — as a disappointing caricature and missed opportunity. And I can only hope that the anthology show's third season, now confirmed, will not contain such a sophomore slump.
Our favorite, yet questionable, American in Paris is back! Season 3 of Emily in Paris is upon us. And things are heating up for Emily (Lily Collins), who’s finally questioning her decision-making. Hurray for character growth!
Following Season 2’s cliffhanger, it seems that Emily has decided to stay in Paris and work double-time for her two bosses, Sylvie (Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu), her oh-so-chic yet callous French mentor, and Mindy (Ashley Park), her Chicago boss-turned bestie.
So, she's juggling two jobs with — to no one’s surprise — a love triangle to match. Will she stay with her British beau Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) or finally pursue her French flame Gabriel (Lucas Bravo)?
While Emily’s at a crossroads in her Parisian dream life, one thing’s for sure: her rom-com adventure continues. There are hot air balloons, the French countryside, more berets, wine, wine, and more wine. Will her streak of having everyone convinced that a social media marketing job is actually worth pursuing continue? There’s only one way to find out.
Not only that, but Spotify has been mostly silent on the matter. The last mention of the HiFi tier on the company's official blog dates February 2021. Same goes for Twitter, where Spotify's official account tweeted that HiFi is "on its way" nearly two years ago.
Last year, Spotify did address the issue on its official forums, saying that Spotify HiFi is coming "in the future," which is about as vague as you can put it.
We've asked Spotify about the delay and will update this post when we hear back, but we wouldn't bet on getting any feedback. It's as if Spotify HiFi has been completely abandoned and the company hopes everyone will just forget about it.
That's unlikely to happen, given that all of Spotify's major competitors, including Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited, and Tidal, all offer lossless-quality streaming.
Featured Video For You
AI musicians are coming soon to your Spotify playlists
The difference between Spotify's stream quality, which goes up to 320kbit/s for Spotify Premium, and lossless streaming may not be easily discernible on cheap audio gear. Headphones and speakers are getting better all the time, though, and many users would surely benefit from higher-quality streaming.
One thing Spotify didn't forget to do this year is launch its Spotify Wrapped experience, which gives you some info on the songs, albums, artists, and genres you listened to the most. This is just your annual reminder that you could've listened to all that music in far better quality.
Exactly 50 years ago today, Atari released Pong. It wasn’t the first video game ever created, nor the original take on virtual table tennis – a fact that would eventually lead to two decades of lawsuits. But in Pong, the early video game industry was born. Released in 1972, Atari sold more than 8,000 Pong arcade cabinets. A few years later, the home version of Pong would become an instant success, with Sears selling about 150,000 units of the console you needed to play the game.
Those are modest sales numbers by 2022 standards, but the success of Pong and Home Pong gave Atari the resources and expertise needed to create the Atari 2600. The second-generation console went on to sell more than 30 million units before the end of 2004. All things considered, pretty good for a project that was only meant to be a training exercise for designer Allan Alcorn, who was 24 at the time and had no prior video game experience. And if not for Pong, Nintendo would not exist, and a young Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak may have not gone on to create Apple.
Happy birthday, Pong, and thank you for inspiring countless sequels and knockoffs, as well as the careers of an entire generation of video game designers.
Here's a quick look at the top deals from Best Buy's 20 Days of Deals sale:
NOV. 29 DEAL OF THE DAY: The LG 50-inch NANO75 UQA series LED 4K UHD Smart webOS TV is an entry-level 4K upgrade with a fast interface and a vivid display — $369.99$579.99 (save $210) + free 3-month Apple TV+ subscription
NOV. 29 12 DAYS OF GAMING DEAL:The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD is a high-definition remaster of the hit 2011 Wii game — $29.99$59.99 (save $30) + free tech decals set
Best Buy is counting down to the holidays with a series of gifts, only it's swapping the lords a-leaping and partridge-laden pear trees for one-off tech discounts.
Through Sunday, Dec. 18, the electronics store is hosting a 20 Days of Deals event comprised of a series of short sales on featured products across all departments. Offers go live around 12:01 a.m. CT every day and will remain available for 24 hours or until they sell out — whichever comes first — with a limit of one per customer and no rainchecks.
These main Deals of the Day will be joined by a varying number of Bonus Deals of the Day, as well as quick 4-Hour Deals staggered throughout each day at 8 a.m., 12 p.m., 4 p.m., and 8 p.m. CT. As if that weren't enough, this is all happening alongside a 12 Days of Gaming sale at Best Buy that brings one-day discounts on select Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch titles through Dec. 10. (And you thought Cyber Weekend was chaotic.)
We'll be keeping track of all the Deals of the Day and 12 Days of Gaming offers here for easy referencing, keeping a close eye out for any discounts that stay live beyond their scheduled windows. Below, you'll find Best Buy's picks for Tuesday, Nov. 29.
This entry-level 50-inch 4K smart TV with a speedy webOS interface features LG's backlit NanoCell display technology, which applies a filtering layer of teeny nanoparticles to its LCD panel for extra-vivid colors. Its refresh rate only goes up to 60Hz, so we wouldn't recommend it as a companion for next-gen consoles, but its Auto Low Latency Mode should keep things smooth during gameplay.
Today's $369.99 Deal of the Day offer is $3 higher than its current list price on Amazon, which is a new record-low, but you do get a free three-month Apple TV+ subscription (valued at $20.97) if you go the Best Buy route.
Last year's high-definition remaster of the hit 2011 Wii Game The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword traded slick visual upgrades for still-clunky controls, per former Mashable senior entertainment reporter Alexis Nedd. It's no Breath of the Wild, in other words, but it's still worth a play-through before Tears of the Kingdom arrives next May.
Best Buy has it on sale for $29.99, which is 50% off its $59.99 MSRP and only $1.50 more than its previous all-time-low on Amazon (where it's currently sold out). It also throws in a free set of decals featuring art from the game that you can slap on your phone or laptop.
If history is anything to go on, Google won’t announce the next entry in its Pixel A series until I/O 2023. That means we could be waiting as much as six months before the company is ready to share any substantial information on the device. Of course, that’s not stopping the rumor mill from getting an early start on leaking details about the Pixel 7a.
Over on Smartprix (via XDA Developers), Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks fame has shared early renders of the upcoming device. Unsurprisingly, the images suggest the Pixel 7a will look a lot like its predecessor and Google’s 2022 flagships. According to Smartprix, the dimensions of the new device are nearly identical to the Pixel 6a, with the former reportedly coming in at 10.1mm thick at the camera bump. The phone also looks to feature relatively thin bezels, a not-so-prominent chin and a center display cutout for the selfie camera.
Steve Hemmerstoffer
Notably, the renders indicate the Pixel 7a will feature a SIM tray on its left side, suggesting – at least for the time being – Google won’t follow Apple’s decision to go all in on eSIM. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the search giant has decided to bring back the headphone jack; the analog port is nowhere to be found on the Pixel 7a.
The more interesting aspects of the Pixel 7a may be features that don’t show up in renders. According to Smartprix, the phone is likely to feature a 90Hz display from Samsung and an upgraded main camera sensor from Sony. It could also be the first Pixel A series phone to feature wireless charging. That's about all we know about the device at the moment. However, we’re certain to get a fuller picture of the Pixel 7a as more information leaks, or when Google decides to get ahead of the rumor mill like it did with the Pixel 4.
The Forman basement in Point Place, Wisconsin, is back in business in Netflix's That '90s Show, the sequel series to the classic sitcom That '70s Show.
That '90s Show's first teaser sees the return of some familiar That '70s Show faces, like Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp as Red and Kitty Forman. It also introduces a new generation of teenagers including Leia Forman (Callie Haverda), Eric and Donna's daughter. As she searches for adventure while staying with her grandparents, Leia finds a pack of friends to call her own — and to get up to all sorts of mischief with.
The Orion spacecraft's record-setting distance from Earth made for stunning photography, apparently. NASA has shared a photo taken by the Artemis I vehicle on Monday showing both Earth and the Moon in the background. Much like some Apollo photography or Voyager 1's "Pale Blue Dot," the picture puts humanity's home in perspective — our world is just one small planet in a much larger cosmos.
Orion took the snapshot around its maximum distance from Earth of 268,563 miles. That's the farthest any human-oriented spacecraft has traveled, beating even Apollo 13's record of 248,655 miles from 1970. Notably, Artemis I represents the first time explorers intended to travel this far out — Apollo 13 only ventured so far from Earth because NASA's emergency flight plan required the Moon as a slingshot.
Ars Technicanotes that this early Artemis flight has so far surpassed NASA's expectations. While the mission team has only completed 31 out of 124 core objectives so far, it's adding goals like extended thruster tests. About half of the remaining activities are in progress, with the rest largely dependent on returning to Earth.
Orion is expected to splash down off the San Diego coast on December 11th. The Artemis program has dealt with numerous delays, and now isn't expected to land humans on the Moon until 2025 or 2026. NASA originally hoped for a lunar landing in 2024. Still, Artemis I's current performance suggests the space agency's efforts are finally paying off.
SAVE $130: As of Nov. 28, Walmart's Cyber Monday sale is offering the 1st-generation Apple Watch SE for $149. That's a 47% savings.
Just a few months ago, Apple launched its latest and greatest watch — the Series 8. With the 41mm model starting at $399 and going all the way up to $799 for the ultra-tough, nearly bulletproof Watch Ultra, you'll shell out plenty for all of those features.
If you're just looking for the basics with an Apple watch, opt for this 1st-generation Apple Watch SE, on sale at Walmart's Cyber Monday sale for just $149. That's $130 off its usual list price of $279, and $250 below the lowest price of the brand-new Series 8 Watch.
The Watch SE is a good beginner fitness tracker. Not only can it track your daily movements and activities, while syncing up to your phone, but it can also track fun workouts like pilates and tai chi, alongside the usual swimming, jogging, and yoga activities. Meanwhile, on the hardware front, the 50-meter water resistance rating can stand up to your daily workout routine.
Walmart's $149 price is not only a great deal, but it also compares favorably to the 2nd generation Apple Watch SE, where the lowest price we've seen was $269.98 this past September. Now that you've waited until the end of the year, you'll get a Cyber Monday deal on this older model that's great for straightforward fitness tracking and more.
The holidays are stressful. Between traveling, hosting get-togethers, visiting extended family, and decorating, finding perfect yet affordable gifts can be a challenge. Thankfully, we have Cyber Monday to help alleviate some of the pressure. From smart devices to kitchen gadgets, you can find a number of gift-worthy items on sale today.
Keep your wallet (and your giftees) happy with our top picks for Cyber Monday deals under $25.
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini features voice control integrations compatible with Alexa and Google Home Assistant, scheduling options (e.g., timer or countdown schedules to auto turn on or off your smart plug), and smart outlet control via the Kasa app. Get one for $12.99 or a four-pack for $22.99.
With the Gourmia Iced Coffee Maker, you can sit back with a freshly brewed iced coffee in just four minutes. (That definitely beats waiting in line at Starbucks!) This device is simple to use and includes a 25-ounce double-walled tumbler, straw, and measuring scoop. Plus, it has a reusable filter — so you’re not just saving money, you’re saving the environment too.
Magnetic learning tiles can be expensive, so you better grab this deal while you can. This Tytan Magnetic Learning Tiles set includes 60 pieces and unlimited possibilities. The set also includes a wheeled vehicle base so you and your little elf can build and design moveable, 3D creations.
In Babylon’s kooky trailer, Damien Chazelle reimagines 1920s Hollywood as a place where quite literally anything goes. (And yes, whatever you’re thinking, that too.)
In the unbridled drama starring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and Diego Calva, big dreams meet big egos, colliding in an intense and action-filled affair. Desperation reeks through the screen, as the early cinema's aspiring stars reach heights never before seen — but nowhere to go but rock bottom.
With nothing to lose and everything to gain, shoot-outs, underground taverns, and alligator wrangling become the status quo in this escapade-packed depiction of this heady time in Hollywood.
The flashy film also stars Jean Smart, Jovan Adepo, Li Jun Li, and Tobey McGuire.
Tesla is working on a redesign of the Model 3 codenamed “Highland,” according to Reuters. The company’s goal is to reportedly reduce the complexity and number of components required to produce the sedan. The redesign could include changes to the car’s exterior and powertrain performance. The project is also said to build on the revamp of the 2021 Model S. However, it's unknown if the redesigned Model 3 will feature the controversial steering yoke found in its more expensive sibling.
Reuters reports Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory will begin producing the new Model 3 sometime during the third quarter of 2023. The company’s Fremont plant will also make the redesigned sedan. It’s unclear how much Tesla expects to save on the new Model 3, nor whether the company will pass on the cost savings to consumers. Tesla currently makes a profit of about $9,500 for every car it produces. Reuters also makes no mention of whether the refresh will feature the automaker’s next-generation 4680 battery cells. In 2020, Elon Musk said the new battery design would enable Tesla to produce a $25,000 electric car within three years.
It's safe to assume that even if the 2023 timeline is accurate, it could be subject to change. Reutershasn’t had the best track record with its Tesla reporting recently, and it’s not like the company is great about sticking to deadlines either. When the automaker first announced the Cybertruck, for example, Elon Musk said volume production would start in 2021. That date first slipped to 2022 and then 2023.
It's Cyber Monday, which means it's still a good time to be in the market for new gaming gear, if you know where to look. That last part is where we can help: We've picked through the barrage of so-called gaming deals at Amazon, Walmart, GameStop and other retailers to find the ones that are actually worth your time. Below are some of the highlights, which include genuine deals on the Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch, several high-profile games, a range of recommended gaming peripherals and more.
Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe + Switch Online
Nintendo's chief holiday deal bundles the standard Switch console with a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a three-month subscription to the company's Switch Online service at no extra cost. Nintendo has offered this exact same promotion for the past few years, and given that the newer Switch OLED is a pretty firm upgrade over the base model, it's hard to call this a great deal. Still, if you're gifting someone their first Switch and you don't think they'll need the Switch OLED's bigger and more vibrant display, there's some value here. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still a great time and normally retails around $50, while three months of Switch Online typically cost another $8.
The Xbox Series S is down to $240 at Amazon, and if you use the code XBOX at checkout, the retailer will throw in another $40 in digital credit. That's effectively a $100 discount. Woot has the device available for $220 outright — albeit for an international model — while several other retailers have it for $240. Normally, the Series S retails for $300.
Either way, this is a good value for PlayStation or Switch users who want a cheaper way into the Xbox ecosystem. We gave the Series S a review score of 85 at launch: It isn't powerful enough for 4K gaming, lacks a disc drive and only has 512GB of built-in storage, but it can still play all the same games as the pricier Xbox Series X.
If you need a spare gamepad for your Xbox or PC, Microsoft's wireless Xbox Series X/S controller is available for $35 at Lenovo when you use the code GAMERSAVER at checkout. That's a rare discount and about $15 below the controller's usual going rate. If stock runs dry at Lenovo, it's also down to $40 at several other retailers. Those sales apply to multiple finishes, though some colors are priced at $45. Just note that these pads still rely on AA batteries by default; if you want one rechargeable battery, that'll cost you another $25.
Sony's DualSense controllers for the PlayStation 5, meanwhile, are down to $49 in several finishes. That matches the lowest price we've seen, and depending on what color you choose, comes in either $20 or $25 below the pad's usual price. In general, the DualSense is heavier and harder to hook up with a PC than its Xbox counterpart, but its D-pad isn't as clicky, it doesn't rely on AA batteries and its haptic feedback system is much more nuanced.
One of the most acclaimed and popular games of 2022, Elden Ringis a mammoth, haunting and challenging open-world game from the developers behind the Souls series of action-RPGs. It's currently on sale for $35 at Walmart, which is the lowest price we've tracked and $15 below the usual going rate for a physical copy. (The PS5 version is low in stock as of this writing, but it's available for $40 elsewhere.) Like its spiritual predecessors, Elden Ring can sometimes feel punishing, overwhelming and overly cryptic, but its dark-fantasy world is refreshingly honest, letting you discover — or completely miss — its many secrets at your own pace.
If you're need something new to play on your Switch, a handful of well-regarded first-party Nintendo games are still on sale for lower-than-usual prices (though the selection isn't quite as strong as it was on Black Friday):
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, another recently released hack-and-slasher, is priced a bit higher than it was on Black Friday but is still $25 off.
The engrossing action-RPG Monster Hunter Riseis available for a new low of $20.
Note that, on Amazon, some of these deals aren't visible until checkout. Nintendo also has several other titles discounted as part of a Cyber Week sale at its online eShop.
Horizon Forbidden West and other PS5 exclusive games
If you're looking to build out your PS5 library, meanwhile, several exclusives for Sony's console are also at or near their lowest prices to date:
One of our favorite sequels of the year, the robot-battling open-world game Horizon Forbidden West, is down to a new low of $35. You can also pay $29 for a PS4 copy, which includes a free upgrade to the PS5 version.
If you primarily game on the PC, Steam's annual Autumn Sale is still kicking as well, bringing the usual truckload of discounts until November 29. Some highlights here include the biting RPG Disco Elysiumand the supernatural shooter Controlfor $10 apiece, the impressive VR game Half-Life: Alyxand the cyberpunk cat game Strayfor $24 each and a 22-pack of classic Valve games for just $7. There are hundreds more games from across eras beyond that, but remember that a fair chunk of these prices are likely to be replicated on PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox's respective storefronts as well.
If you need to top up your PlayStation Plus subscription, Sony has dropped the price of 12-month memberships to that service by 25 percent. The deal applies to all three PS Plus tiers, so the basic "Essential" tier is down to $45, the "Extra" tier is down to $75, and the "Premium" tier is down to $90.
As a refresher, the Essential tier should be enough for most: It gets you broad access to online multiplayer, an allotment of cloud storage for backing up game saves and a handful of free game downloads each month. The Extra tier adds an on-demand library with a few hundred games, while the Premium tier provides cloud game streaming and an additional selection of "classic" PlayStation games on top of that.
Meta's Quest 2 headset is a couple years old at this point, but its wire-free design, competent performance and (relative) comfort have kept it the best option for most people looking to give virtual reality a try. For Cyber Monday, Meta is still selling a bundle that pairs the 128GB Quest 2 with two of its better games, the classic horror-shooter Resident Evil 4and the energetic rhythm game Beat Saber, for $350. That's a roughly $50 discount. If you need more storage, a bundle with the 256GB variant is on sale for $429.
Now, we're using the term "discount" loosely here, since the Quest 2 used to start at $299 until Meta jacked the price up by another $100 earlier this year. Still, this is the best deal we've seen since that price hike — and if nothing else, this is a much better value than the Meta Quest Pro. We gave the device formerly known as the Oculus Quest 2 a review score of 89 when it launched back in 2020.
The Backbone One is a clever and well-built mobile game controller that we've recommend in previous buying guides. The iPhone version of the device is currently down to a new low of $75 in both its standard and PlayStation-branded finishes. This isn't as good as the deal we saw on Black Friday, when Amazon had the device as low as $64, but it's still a good $25 off the controller's normal going rate.
Regardless of which style you pick, the One should make playing gamepad-compatible iOS games — or cloud-streamed console and PC games — feel much more natural than a touchscreen. The main complaints are that its face buttons are on the clicky side and that you'll need an adapter to get it to work with certain iPhones.
The HyperX Cloud Alpha is down to $50 at HyperX's online store when you use the code HOLIDAY at checkout. That's about $20 below the headset's usual going rate and one of the best prices we've tracked. If stock runs out there, the device is also available for $55 at various other retailers. In any event, this is a sturdy, no-frills gaming headset that's comfortable to wear for hours at a time. A good set of non-gaming headphones will sound better for the price, but the profile here is still relatively well-balanced, and the included mic is perfectly fine for everyday party chats.
If you'd prefer a wireless headset, SteelSeries' Arctis 7+ is worth a look at $99, which is a new low and roughly $50 off its usual price. That one isn't as universally comfortable, but it has a decent, hyped-up sound and some 60 hours of battery life per charge.
Logitech G Pro X Superlight, plus more gaming accessories
Logitech's G Pro X Superlight is a high-performing gaming mouse we like for both work and play, and right now it's down to a new low of $100, or about $35 off its usual street price. You should see the full discount at checkout. That's still not cheap, but the G Pro X Superlight stands out for being exceptionally light (at about 63 grams), quick to glide, and consistently responsive in faster-paced games. Just note that you only get a couple of customizable shortcut buttons, and that the whole thing connects over a USB dongle, not Bluetooth.
This is just one of a plethora of low or near-low prices on gaming accessories we like, though:
Razer has since replaced the Viper Ultimate, but at $57 it's still worth considering as an ultralight alternative to the G Pro X Superlight. It's a more ambidextrous mouse than the Logitech model, with a pair of shortcut buttons on either side, though its shape is a bit flatter.
If you don't mind going wired, Razer's Viper 8KHz is another responsive option for FPS games. It's a great value at its current deal price of $40, which is an all-time low.
We've previously recommended Razer's Huntsman Mini for those who want a fast gaming keyboard in an ultracompact form factor. It's currently within $5 of its all-time low at $70.
Corsair's Scimitar RGB Elite is an soft-feeling, comfortable-sized and full-featured mouse for MMO gaming, and it's within a dollar of its Black Friday price at $50. Razer's Naga Trinity is a solid alternative that has swappable side plates; that one is within $2 of its all-time low at $57.
Logitech's G29 is technically an older-generation model now, but it remains a fine value for those looking to get their first racing wheel at $200.
Logitech's G915 TKL is a comfortable wireless keyboard for those who prefer a low-profile feel. It's down to $160, which is $10 more than its all-time low but $25 off its usual price.
The latest version of Asus' ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop is down to $1,300 for a model with a Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, a 14-inch 120 Hz display and a Radeon RX 6700S GPU. That's $350 off MSRP and one of the better prices we've seen. The Zephyrus G14 is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops: Its chassis is impressively light at 3.64 pounds, but this configuration still packs enough power to play just about any modern game at a 1440p resolution relatively smoothly.
If you want to save some cash, you can get a previous-gen Zephyrus G14 with a Ryzen 7 5800HS processor, a 512GB SSD, a 144Hz 1080p display and an RTX 3060 GPU for $900. That's still a decent value despite the drop in power, but be aware that this older model doesn't include a built-in webcam.
A configuration of Razer's Blade 14 with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an RTX 3070 Ti GPU is currently down to $2,000 at Amazon. That's about $350 off its average street price and tied for the best price we've tracked. A variant with a slightly slower Ryzen 9 5900HX CPU and a slightly more powerful RTX 3080 GPU is also on sale for $100 more.
We gave the Blade 14 a review score of 84 last year, and we've recommended the similar Blade 15 in recent buying guides and gift guides. It can run hot, and you can still get similarly powerful gaming laptops for less cash, but the Blade still packs enough power to play demanding games at higher settings in a slim and slick-feeling design that weighs less than four pounds.
