Category: Games

Marvel’s martial artist superhero Shang-Chi is headed to the big screen in 2021. Not only will Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star Simu Liu as the titular hero, but it’ll also finally make good a long-dangling MCU plot threat by introducing Tony Leung as the one, true Mandarin.While it might seem strange to pit Shang-Chi against a villain most commonly associated with Iron Man, this choice backs up a popular theory that the Mandarin will be depicted as Shang-Chi’s father in the MCU. Here’s why we think that theory will come to fruition in the new movie.

Shang-Chi and Fu Manchu

Shang-Chi has fairly complicated origins (which we break down in greater detail in our Shang-Chi Explained feature), some of which create problems for Marvel Studios as the character makes the jump from page to screen. Originally, Shang-Chi was depicted as being the son of Dr. Fu Manchu, a villain created by pulp novelist Sax Rohmer and licensed to Marvel back in the ’70s.

The problems here are two-fold. One, Marvel no longer has the rights to the Fu Manchu character. Not only has this made reprinting the early Master of Kung Fu comics difficult, it’s prevented them from referencing Shang-Chi’s parentage in subsequent comics. Two, Fu Manchu is now widely criticized as a racist caricature and an example of the “Yellow Peril” storytelling trope. Even if Marvel could bring Fu Manchu into the MCU, it’s doubtful they’d actually want to use a villain with such a problematic history.

Marvel Phase 4 Comic Con Panel

In the comics, Marvel’s solution to the Fu Manchu problem has been to essentially replace him with a different character named Zheng Zu. A recent series called Secret Avengers revealed that Fu Manchu was one of several cover identities used by Zheng Zu over the decades. As a mystical, immortal sorcerer, Zu has no trouble impersonating others and keeping his true identity hidden from the outside world.

From Zheng Zu to Mandarin

Marvel Studios could opt to follow the example of the comics and introduce Zheng Zu in place of Fu Manchu. However, Zu isn’t a character with much name cache. He hasn’t appeared much in the comics since that initial Secret Avengers reveal. And given the relatively small mainstream exposure Shang-Chi has outside the comics, it’s in Marvel’s best interests to spruce up the character’s origin story by linking him to a more recognizable Marvel character. That’s why we think Mandarin is being re-imagined for the MCU as a replacement for Fu Manchu/Zheng Zu.

It’s a logical change given the many similarities between Zheng Zu and the Mandarin. Both are immortal men of Asian descent who wield seemingly supernatural powers. Both prefer to lurk in the shadows, manipulate others and keep their existence a secret from the outside world.

Then there’s the fact that the Mandarin is one of the greatest martial artists in the Marvel Universe. While he generally relies on his powerful rings (which grant him control over forces like fire, electricity and radiation), the Mandarin has shown himself capable of battling foes like Iron Man with nothing more than his fighting prowess. It makes sense to reveal that Shang-Chi is descended from that proud lineage. The greatest superhero martial artist in the MCU had to learn his skills from somewhere, right?

Conversely, Marvel may want to give Shang-Chi an upgrade and throw in some superhuman powers to augment his martial arts skills (similar to how Black Panther gained his new energy detonation power in the MCU). If so, it becomes much easier to explain how he acquired powers if his father is The Mandarin.

Asian Superheroes Who Need Their Own Movie or TV Show

The Mandarin Family Legacy

Both Mandarin and Shang-Chi are characters with troubled histories in Marvel’s comic. Not only is Shang-Chi the son of one of the most infamous “Yellow Peril” villains in pop culture, the Mandarin himself is another unfortunate example of that trope. Suffice it to say, those early Mandarin stories in Tales of Suspense don’t exactly stand the test of time.

Much as 2018’s Black Panther dealt with issues of race and social inequality, we’re fully expecting Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings to confront issues of representation and Asian American identity. This is Marvel’s first Asian-driven superhero movie. There’s no doubt going to be a concerted effort to acknowledge the troubled history of Shang-Chi and Mandarin and reinvent both characters in a way that makes sense for 21st century audiences. Linking the two characters as father and son is one way to find their shared humanity and ensure that the MCU doesn’t repeat the mistakes of the comics.

Jesse is a mild-mannered writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter.

We’re nearing the end of our month of exclusive Control

coverage, but we’re not going out without a bang. Today, we’ve got 8 minutes of never-before-seen gameplay for you to look at.Join Jesse Faden as she visits the Black Rock Processing department of the Federal Bureau of Control. That might sound like a trip down Bureaucracy Lane, but it actually involves entering a quarry that shouldn’t be there, lit by the light of stars that can’t exist, and stuffed full of haunted ex-employees to bounce off of walls. Lovely.

Along the way, you’ll see a lot of combat, featuring multiple weapon forms and powers (being able to chuck the bodies of downed enemies at other enemies never gets old). What you won’t see are any story spoilers, so don’t worry about taking a peek unless you want to stay 100% fresh.

If that’s left you wanting to see even more, we’ve got the game’s first 13 minutes to show off, as well as a full side mission and boss fight. If you still haven’t seen our thoughts in general after 8 hours, come and see why we think Control is smart, savage, and bats**t crazy.

Control: 11 New Screenshots

Joe Skrebels is IGN’s UK Deputy Editor, and he wants a quarry in his house. Follow him on Twitter.

This interview contains spoilers for Legion Season 3, episode 5, which aired on July 22. Legion Season 3 airs Mondays at 10 p.m. on FX in the US.

Aubrey Plaza is as obsessed with her Legion character as you are. Over the wild series’ fantastical run — “And yes,” she admits, “it’s just as confusing to me” — her performance has been a breakout among breakouts, a singular talent in a Noah Hawley show chockablock with them. But Plaza knows, like the rest of us, that she has a leg up on everyone else in the show: she’s freakin’ Lenny, and Lenny is nothing if not pure chaos. She’s technically already dead, and has died a bunch of times, was taken over by a supermutant (Navid Negaban), and has David Haller (Dan Stevens)’s adoptive sister living in her head, seeing with her eyes. With this character more than most, truly, anything is possible. “That is why Lenny is such a fun character, because she’s a lovable villain. She’s a lovable trickster!”

Of course. if you’ve watched episode five of the Marvel TV adaptation of the comic of the same name, you already know the truth: Lenny might actually be done for good this time, fully dead. After having had enough of David’s cruelty laced attempts for redemption, and finding a bit of her own life and happiness outside of that, she removes herself completely from the equation, slicing her own neck.

The History of the X-Men on TV

Plaza confirmed these scenes being her final moments on a call with journalists who visited set ahead of the season premiere, calling episode five her final bow. “At the end of Lenny’s arc, I would say that you do get to see, I think, the closest thing to real Lenny that we’ve seen so far.” She also added that this is, “the closest we get to Lenny’s ideal, aspirational self. We find her in a place where she’s more at peace than she has been. [But] she still has half of Amy Haller’s DNA, so she’ll never be the same [person] she was two lives ago, but this is the closest we get to her true, true self.”

Whether it is a wish of her own making or borne out of Amy’s (Katie Aselton) DNA, Plaza believes that Lenny, “ultimately wants to be happy, to be normal. She found someone she loves and she wants to settle down—whatever that means for her. But of course, that ultimately gets completely thrown out the window.”

Plaza doesn’t have any regrets about Lenny’s seemingly permanent demise, because her final death wasn’t at the hands of anyone else.

“[David has] been her entire reason for being for so long. And I think that what she does at the end is an attempt to take control back; take her power back. I think it would have been very dissatisfying and depressing to me, if she had just been killed by The Shadow King, or by David, or by anyone,” she explained, before pointedly adding, “She’s already died multiple times. She’s been tortured. She’s been fighting to survive. And I think that it’s her attempt at taking control, and saying, ‘If I’m gonna die again, then I’m gonna die like this. And I’m going to do it on my own terms.’ She’d had enough.”

This wasn’t, however, the ending for her character that she’d envisioned. “I had no idea it was gonna end like this. I had no idea it was gonna end when it did, or how it did. It was all very surprising to me.”

But also, who are we kidding? Journalists were only supplied with the first six episodes, and, well: this is Legion. Anything is possible, and now David has a time traveler — Switch, played by Lauren Tsai — keen on helping him turn the world back and rewind his crimes. (Or whatever reasoning he’s telling himself to justify his actions).

Of course, even if this is the end, it went out with a bang for Lenny—and for Plaza, too. We are, of course, talking about the Alice in Wonderland Tea Party scene, complete with Lenny as a resplendently maniacal Mad Hatter. The actress was delighted by the experience. “I got to kind of live out my Tim Burton fantasy,” she enthused.

It is in these moments of talking about Lenny that you really understand the level of affection Plaza has for the character. “It was just amazing. And I think that’s the fun [of it]; to just be able to kind of fully trip out, wearing a top hat, crawling around on a table. I had a blast doing that. It just felt like this was her dream, just as it was my own, actual dream.”

And oh, what a trippy dream it has been to watch.

For more on Legion, check out how Noah Hawley and Harry Lloyd created a new version of Professor X.

Professor Xavier in Legion

If you’ve already seen Disney’s live-action adaptation of The Lion King, then you may be wondering just how they pulled off it off.IGN visited the film set during production and came away with seven cool factoids about how it was made.

They Filmed The Lion King Inside a VR Video Game

The movie was shot inside a video game world created to look like the iconic settings from The Lion King. Director Jon Favreau and his fellow filmmakers put on VR headsets to scout the in-game locations and line up shots, then programmed the animal characters to “perform” according to the script. Once they got everything just right, they filmed each scene and sent it to a visual effects house to finalize it for the big screen.

For an in-depth look at this part of the process, check out our full breakdown of how Favreau directed The Lion King inside a video game.

Behind-the-Scenes Photos From The Lion King

They Took a Trip to Africa to Study Animals

Favreau took a three-week trip to Kenya with his team to study animals in their natural habitat. This research gave them first-hand perspective on how the animals behaved while they were running, lounging, eating, sleeping, and interacting with one another.

The trip was especially eye-opening for animation supervisor Andy Jones.

“It was quite fascinating to me because I’d only seen these animals in zoos and to really see them in their own environment and get a feeling for how they do roam around each other and how they react around each other. Especially the lions. The big cats versus the the prey animals. We learned a lot about behaviors and different things that we’re gonna try and bring in this film,” Jones told us.

The Actor Performances Were Reflected in the Animation

While on set, we were shown the “black box” area where the actors would gather to perform a scene. Giving the actors some space to move around and interact was preferable to just having them read their lines in a VO booth. While they were performing, cameras captured their performances so the animators could incorporate certain nuances into the final product.

“We’re able to bring some of the actors together where they have a scene together and actually have them be off book a little and get some eye contact patterns and certain things that we can use for their performance of the animals,” Jones said. “The actors really are driving these characters a bit, which is nice.”

Some of Timon and Pumba’s Scenes Were Improvised

Most of the film’s lines are pulled directly from the original script, but the more comedic bits were given more freedom. It may not come as a surprise that when comedians Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen got together to act out their scenes as Timon and Pumbaa, they came up with some off-the-cuff jokes that were too good not to use.

“We did have good black box sessions with them where they really start to improvise a lot,” Jones said. “I think Seth embodies Pumbaa really well. In terms of the character, his voice, the tone and how he performs it. There’s a certain level of charm and innocence to his performance that actually is working really well of Pumpaa. And likewise with Eichner and Timon. He’s got this kind of sarcastic approach that’s working really well too.”

They Had to Be Careful Depicting Violence

The end battle between Scar and his hyenas versus Simba and his allies suddenly takes on a whole new context in live action as they claw, bite and otherwise try to maim each other. Depicting such a sequence in live-action meant the animators had to be cautious not to make it too realistic.

“It was easier and the original film was animated and they could do slow motion. It softens some of the impact and stuff because it is a cartoon,” Jones explained. “[For the live-action Lion King] the more realistic we make it can become gory or something you don’t wanna watch, you don’t want to bring your kids to, so we had to be really careful with where we draw that line and how much we show. Camera work is a big part of that. To make you think you saw more of a fight than you might have seen or just more violence than you might have seen.”

Lion King Character Posters

Re-Creating the Elephant Graveyard Was Especially Challenging

Of all the settings in The Lion King, re-creating the elephant graveyard was especially challenging because the heightened stylization of that animated sequence was at-odds with Favreau’s philosophy of essentially making the movie look like a National Geographic animal documentary.

“[The elephant graveyard scene] obviously has tremendous roots and in the original film. Such a powerful image, these big bones and cubs kind of sliding around on the tusks and things like that. And yet to imagine delivering that in a documentary style, I think that’s an example of a world where if we literally provided these huge bones and all this stuff in the same volume that it was in the animated film, I think you’d be pulled out [of the experience,]” production designer James Chinlund explained.

That meant making key changes to the scene — like removing Simba and Nala’s cartoony slide down a set of tusks — and basing it off of a real-world location, a sulfur hot spring in Ethiopia called Lake Abbe.

“The idea is that over time elephants and things got trapped in this pool, sort of like the tar pits or something like that, so you’ll see a lot of bones, and the hyenas have decided to occupy this part of the world because as scavengers there’s good pickings out there,” Chinlund said.

They Had to Calculate How Far Simba Ran Away

How far did Simba go when he ran away from home? It’s a question many have perhaps wondered, but given how Chinlund was tasked with re-creating the world of The Lion King in realistic fashion, he actually had to calculate it out.

“I remember watching the [original Lion King] movie and never could figure out how far Simba ran away for him to grow up independently. How far away did he actually run?” Chinlund mused. “I love the first film but geography was a huge problem for me on that movie. It’s an animated movie so they used the available slipperiness of illustration to change scale. Pride Rock changed shape and scale throughout the movie so I don’t think it was their intent to deliver like a tight geographical piece, but it did frustrate me as a designer.”

And so Chinlund set out on building a world map to answer the question. They decided that Simba was out there three or four days crossing the desert before he wound up on the shore of Cloud Forest, so if a cub travels about 12 miles a day, Chinlund gives the rough estimate of 50 miles.

Joshua is Senior Features Editor at IGN. If Pokemon, Green Lantern, or Game of Thrones are frequently used words in your vocabulary, you’ll want to follow him on Twitter @JoshuaYehl and IGN.

IT: Chapter Two producer Barbara Muschietti has confirmed that there will be a director’s cut of the upcoming Pennywise picture, which has been given a theatrical run-time of two hours and 45 minutes.In an interview with Digital Spy, Muschietti said that she believes the fear-inducing flick “merits” an extended cut because there are “some amazing scenes that didn’t make it into the movie” since it had to be cut down from it’s original bladder-busting duration of four hours.

“We will put out a director’s cut because this time it definitely merits it,” she said, adding that “you have to make choices sometimes and some things cannot be in this theatrical release but are definitely worthy of people seeing them at a later date.”

While the runtime for the director’s cut has not been shared at this time – the contents of that version are likely barely in the planning stages right now, if even that far – there is potential for up to one hour and 15 minutes of extra footage to be included in this version of the film. Director Andy Muschietti admitted that the theatrical release was originally much longer than its final 165 minutes runtime.

“A movie is very different when you’re writing the script and you’re building a story compared to what the final product is,” he said. “At the beginning, when you’re writing and building the beats of the story, everything that you put in there seems very essential to the story. However, when you have the movie finally edited and it’s four hours long, you realise that some of the events and some of the beats can be easily lifted but the essence of the story remains intact.

“You cannot deliver a four-hour movie because people will start to feel uncomfortable,” he added.

It Chapter Two: How Does the Sequel’s Cast Compare to the Originals?

If the prospect of a four-hour runtime gives you the heebie jeebies, then rest assured, as Muschietti promised that the pacing is very good for the 2 hours and 45 minutes that you will spend in the theatre watching the Stephen King horror sequel, saying “nobody who’s seen the movie has had any complaint.”

For more on IT: Chapter Two, check out the three skin-crawling scenes from ScareDiego, review our comparison of the younger and older Loser’s Club cast, or take a look at this bizarre sequence from the book that made it into the movie.

Adele Ankers is a Freelance Entertainment Journalist. You can reach her on Twitter.

Season 10 of Fortnite is almost upon us. The next season of Epic’s popular battle royale game officially kicks off on all platforms this Thursday, August 1, and as the developer traditionally does before each seasonal changeover, it has begun dropping a few teaser images, which seem to hint at some kind of time warp theme for the new season.

The first teaser, which you can see below, was shared ahead of the finals of the Fortnite World Cup. The tweet simply reads, “Think Back,” and features an image of Dusty Depot, which was famously destroyed by a giant meteor and became Dusty Divot all the way back in Season 4. This seems to suggest the beloved area could be making a return in Season 10.

The second teaser image, which dropped earlier today, features what appears to be some kind of new mech that’s coming to the game. “Look Forward,” the tweet reads, which again hints at some kind of space-time disruption taking place in the new season. You can take a look at the second teaser below.

Each seasonal changeover in Fortnite is typically preceded by some world-changing event, and earlier this month, a giant robot did battle with the monster that was formerly frozen beneath Polar Peak. The mech was ultimately able to defeat the monster by impaling it with a giant sword hidden beneath Neo Tilted, but the Vault in Loot Lake was damaged during the confrontation and is becoming increasingly unstable, which may be the catalyst for whatever time-related event leads to Season 10.

With Season 10 only a couple of days away, time is quickly running out to complete Fortnite’s Season 9 challenges. If you need help mopping up any remaining tasks, you can find tips and guides for all the trickier ones in our complete Season 9 challenges roundup. Fortnite’s second birthday event is also underway until July 31, and it has its own set of challenges to complete and rewards to unlock. Most are fairly straightforward, but the only one that may pose a problem asks you to dance in front of 10 different birthday cakes. Be sure to check out our birthday cake locations guide.

If you’ve ever been curious about liquid CPU cooling, but didn’t want to deal with the expense, installation, and maintenance of a DIY setup (as well as the possibility of leaks), an all-in-one (AIO) unit provides much of the same benefits as “open-loop” cooling, but without any of the messy set up. They come pre-sealed and the pump is integrated into the cold plate typically, so you just install the radiator in your PC case, bolt the water block onto your processor and you’re good to go.It’s not much different than installing an air cooler, and it provides better cooling and less noise (usually). If you’re ready to take the plunge, these are five of the best liquid-coolers for your Gaming PC.

TL;DR – These are the Best Liquid CPU Coolers:

1. Corsair Hydro Series H100i Pro

Best Liquid CPU Cooler

Corsair has been a mainstay maker of AIO liquid coolers for nearly two decades now and all that expertise has led to the Corsair Hydro Series H100i Pro. The Hydro series is very popular for a variety of reasons, including easy installation, excellent performance, low-noise, and a reliable pump.

The company’s latest cooler combines a copper plate and aluminum radiator for serious cooling potential. As a 240mm, it should also fit any setup from full tower PC cases to even some Mini ITX cases.

2. Deepcool Captain 240 Pro

Best Budget Liquid CPU Cooler

Coming in at a reasonably low $130 price, the Deepcool Captain 240 is a great liquid CPU cooler that keeps up with much more expensive products. It looks like nothing else on the market too, thanks to a little bit of clear pipping that allows you to see the liquid circulate.

The clock dial face on the pump is also pretty unique and makes for a great RGB implementation. Speaking of which, all the lights on the cooler and its fans are fully addressable, so you’ll be able to take full control over the color and patterns of your illumination.

3. Thermaltake Water 3.0

Best 360mm Liquid CPU Cooler

Thermaltake’s WATER 3.0 is the Cadillac of closed-loop cooling, if your Cadillac has LED ground effects and flashy rims. Thermaltake’s offering is slightly pricier than other options, but you’re getting top-shelf cooling thanks to its 360mm high-efficiency radiator, three thermal design power fans, and a highly reliable pump. Plus, just look at it!

4. EVGA CLC 280mm

Best 280mm Liquid CPU Cooler

Evga has recently been breaking into all kinds of new hardware territory and is a newcomer to the closed-loop cooling market. Still, the company obviously knows how to craft some sweet hardware, and its new 280 CLC is one of the best bang for the buck models available. It utilizes a 280mm radiator with twin whisper-quiet fans, and also has beautifully designed LED integration on the water block.

Topping it all off is its Its killer software dubbed EVGA Flow Control, which allows you to control the fans, RGB lighting on the block, and the pump RPM as well. The pump is built with Asetek’s Gen5 pump technology, which is known for its reliability and efficiency. At around $115, the performance, noise, and quality are well worth it, and it is one of the best values in the market right now.

5. NZXT Kraken X52

Best 240mm Liquid CPU Cooler

NZXT’s popular Kraken series almost needs no introduction. You’ve probably already heard of them simply through their good reputation of being high-quality and gorgeous cooler.

However, you’re paying a bit for the name brand along with quality construction, superb performance, a very long six-year warranty, and of course the RGB infinity mirror on the water block. We’ve featured the 240mm X52 here, but the Kraken is also available in all sorts of sizes from 140mm to 360mm.

6. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage

Best RGB Liquid CPU Cooler

Let’s be real, as important as keeping your CPU cool is, we all really buy liquid CPU coolers for their RGB lighting. If you’re ready to accept that truth, you should definitely consider the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage.

This AIO cooler is fully lit like none other with a transparent pump design that lets you see your liquid cooling work in real-time. Combined with all the zany RGB effects you can program on the exterior of the pump and fans, and this is one of the most hypnotizing things you can add to your fully RGB gaming PC.

The best gaming chairs are supremely comfortable, but let’s be honest—there’s only so much money in anyone’s budget for a gaming throne. While there’s we all crave ergonomic racing chairs made of the finest Italian leather or a swanky Herman Miller chair that’s adjustable in 27 different ways, you shouldn’t have to sell family heirlooms just to afford a decent gaming chair.Truth is, there are all kinds of excellent gaming chairs out there for about $100 or less, and that’s what this handy list is all about. Spend the extra dough on what really matters: games or hardware.

The best cheap gaming chairs share one thing in common: they’re cheap, but beyond that styles fluctuate wildly. There are traditional racing-style gaming chairs, beanbag chairs for console gaming, and even office chairs if you want something more conservative. Now, technically any chair can be a “gaming chair” if you’re using it right, but these cheap gaming chairs are comfortable, affordable, and attractive. Also, I want to be clear that in this case cheap equals “affordable,” not poorly made, necessarily.

TL;DR — These are the Best Budget Gaming Chairs:

1. GTRacing Gaming Chair

Best Budget Gaming Chair

There’s a ridiculous amount of racing chairs out there for gamers to choose from, and some of them cost more than a high-end GPU. But the GTRacing Gaming Chair borrows its looks from some of its more expensive competitors at a much more affordable $130 price.

The GTRacing Gaming Chair also features a full array of adjustable ergonomics including an adjustable neck pillow, lumbar support, and armrests. It’s available in seven color combinations, and some of them even have some trim on the casters too, which looks pretty slick.

2. Respawn Essentials Gaming Chair

Best Ultra Cheap Gaming Chair

If you absolutely have to stay under a $100 budget for your gaming chair, the $75 Respawn Essentials Gaming Chair should do nicely. it might look more like a regular office chair, but it definitely has the flair of a gaming throne with its sculpted racing lines and dual-tone colors.

The Respawn Essentials’ contoured segmented padding offers plenty of plush and breathable comfort. In terms of ergonomics and customizability, users have a pair of flip-up armrests and a recline function.

3. OFM Essentials Racing Chair

Cheap Racing Chair Alternative

If the Furmax chair isn’t your thing, don’t worry—this chair from OFM is another great option and is also affordable. The seat itself is covered in black leather with some tasteful color accents constructed from mesh fabric. This helps the chair stay cool and the mesh lets the chair to breathe a bit during long gaming sessions.

I also really appreciate the flip-up armrests—strangely missing from several chairs at this price point—so you can get them out of the way if you need to scoot closer to your desk. It’s even offered in four popular colors to match (or contrast with) your gaming setup, and it’s shown here with Nvidia green (or is it lime?).

4. AmazonBasics High-Back Executive Chair

Best Cheap Office Style Chair

Sure, it may not look like much more than a boring chair straight out of Accounts Receivable, but this high-back chair is dang comfy. The armrests have the same padding as the seat, and it features plenty of adjustments along with easy-rolling casters for getting around your home office without leaving the previously mentioned cozy padding. Plus, it’s a great way to keep your home office looking respectable despite the fact that you spend every night playing PUBG.

5. LCH High-Back Office Chair

Best Cheap Mesh Chair

Mesh-backed chairs are pretty popular in offices these days, thanks to their supportive ergonomic features and breathability. This LCH model has a mesh back with an extra-tall back, so it’s great for people who like to lean back while gaming, or for those who just like a comfy headrest.

Other welcome features include adjustable armrests and a few leather accents for increased durability. Beyond the obvious pneumatic controls for height and tilt, this mesh chair also has a dial to set the tilt tension so you don’t experience that awful freakout sensation of falling if you tilt it back too far. If you’re the type that is rarely satisfied with a chair, LCH offers a 30-day risk-free trial, so it’s kind of hard to go wrong on this one.

6. Respawn-200 Gaming Chair

Best Budget Mesh Gaming Chair

If a mesh gaming chair sounds appealing to you, but you’re looking for something with more of that racing aesthetic, the Respawn 200 should be the obvious choice. It’s a little pricier at $138, but this gaming chair offers more adjustability with a neck pillow and integrated lumbar support.

Almost the entire back of the Respawn 200 is made of mesh with a leather bucket seat underneath, so you get both solid support and breathable comfort.

7. Ace Bayou X Rocker Pedestal Chair

Best Cheap Chair For TV Gaming

Not all gaming chairs are for PC gamers. If you want to game in front of your TV with your favorite console (or even use a lapboard for living room PC gaming) the Ace Bayou X Rocker pedestal chair is a great option. This connected chair features Bluetooth 2.1, and audio is delivered through its two speakers and integrated subwoofer.

If you don’t want to feel a rumble on your rump you can plug in a headset (or charge your controllers) via the side ports. Of note: you’ll want to grab an optical to RCA adapter if you’re using a PS4 Slim or PS4 Pro with this chair. Also, this model goes a teeny bit over my $100 price point threshold, but it’s still considerably cheaper than similar models, and $125 isn’t that much to pay for such a loaded gaming throne.

8. Merax Adjustable Floor Chair

Best Cheap Beanbag Chair

Bean bags actually make pretty amazing chairs for gaming on the floor, but the best ones are surprisingly expensive and they don’t always offer much versatility. Enter the Merax floor chair with its soft, micro-fiber cushioning and a steel frame is hidden inside for support.

You can pull the back up and adjust it to five different positions, depending on just how chill you want to be while gaming. You can even lay the whole thing flat and just stash it under a bed when you’re not using it, which is pretty awesome. I wish it included some type of storage pockets for controllers and remotes, but at just about $65 it’s still a great value.

9. E-Win Big and Tall Gaming Chair

Best Budget Big and Tall Gaming Chair

Finding an affordable big and tall gaming chair is, well…a tall order, but thankfully E-Win has stepped up to the plate. With a 21.7-inch wide seat and a 400-pound weight capacity, it should be able to support almost any user.

The E-Win Big and Tall Gaming Chair looks like the spitting image of the Secretlab Titan, not that we’re complaining after all this is a very handsome gaming chair. This model also has large lumbar and neck pillows, for its large support areas.

Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

July is wrapping up, which mean it’s time for New Releases to tackle a fresh month of video games. Speaking of tackling, Madden NFL 20 releases for everyone at the start of the month. Later on you’ll be able to sling bullets and psychic powers in Control and revisit the early days of the world’s biggest MMO with World of Warcraft Classic. August wraps up with the action-packed Astral Chain and the terrifying Blair Witch.

Madden NFL 20 — August 2

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Some of you might already have early access to Madden 20, but its public launch kicks off the new month. This year’s game includes new features like Face of the Franchise, a campaign that takes a player from a college career up to the NFL proper. Some pros can also use special abilities during games thanks to new Superstar X-Factors.

More Coverage:

Control — August 27

Available on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

The latest game from Alan Wake and Quantum Break developer Remedy gets its name from the Federal Bureau of Control, a fictional government agency that handles cases where the laws of physics just don’t add up. Enter protagonist Jesse Faden, who can fling bad guys and float around using her psychic powers. She’s infiltrated the FBC to find her missing brother, and she’ll have to shoot her way through a few men in black to find him.

More Coverage:

World of Warcraft Classic — August 27

Available on: PC

If you’ve been yearning to return to an older version of WoW, Classic is exactly what you’ve been waiting for. Classic looks and plays the way WoW did during version 1.12 (the Drums of War update), a time before The Burning Crusade even launched. WoW subscribers get access to Classic at no additional cost.

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Astral Chain — August 30

Available on: Switch

If you know Platinum Games’ portfolio of titles like Bayonetta and Vanquish, then you know what to expect from Astral Chain. Your police offer protagonist is chained to a living weapon known as a Legion, and the two of you can swing around the battlefield to battle monsters in stylish combat. As you might be able to guess from the name, you can even travel to the Astral Plane to discover where the monsters originate.

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Blair Witch — August 30

Available on: Xbox One, PC

Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team is revisiting the cult classic movie franchise with this canon game, featuring the studio’s signature psychological horror flavor. You play as a cop looking for a missing boy in the famously haunted Black Hills Forest. At least you have your canine companion Bullet to help sniff out any witches.

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August is creeping up, and the next episode of New Releases will look at more new games the month is bringing along. You have a chance to revisit some previously released titles with the Guacamelee One-Two Punch Collection and Metal Wolf Chaos XD.

This portion of the guide explains how microtransactions work in Wolfenstein: Youngblood.

Microtransactions Explained[edit]

Below are quick answers regarding microtransactions. Click on the link to jump down to that section of the page for additional details.

Can you buy items and upgrades that give you a gameplay advantage with real money?[edit]

No.

Everything that gives you a gameplay advantage must be purchased with silver coins or ability points that can only be earned/found in-game. Below are some examples.

• You can upgrade your character’s abilities (mind, muscle, and power) using Ability Points earned in-game.
• You can buy pep signals which add different kinds of boosts for you and your sister (such as health and armor) with silver coins earned in-game.
• You can buy boosters to temporarily boost your loot pick ups, max armor, or max health boost.

What can you buy with real money?[edit]

You can buy Gold Bars with real money. These Gold Bars can be used to buy cosmetic skins for Sophie, Jess, and weapons.

How much do Gold Bars cost?[edit]

Gold Bars can only be purchased in 3 types of bundles. Below is the breakdown.

Gold Bars	Cost
500	$4.99
1100	$9.99
2500	$19.99

Can I buy cosmetics without spending real money?[edit]

You can buy cosmetics without ever spending any money. You can use the silver coins you earn in-game to buy cosmetics.

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