When Is Amazon Prime Day 2021: Dates, Deals, And What To Expect

Amazon Prime Day has become one of the biggest sales events that budget-minded shoppers can count on every year, offering literally thousands of deals across every category imaginable, from tech and gaming to toys, kitchenware, beauty, apparel, and more. Prime Day has grown exponentially since its launch in 2015, expanding to take place over multiple days and offering tens of thousands of deals for Prime members to shop, but it’s also forced competing retailers to hold their own anti-Prime Day sales to try to steal some of Amazon’s thunder. The summer sales bonanza is almost on par with Black Friday at this point, with all the biggest stores offering best-of-year prices on their hottest items.

As a result, there’s always a ton of interest leading up to the announcement of Amazon Prime Day, with Prime members and other shoppers anticipating when the sale will be, how long it’ll last, and what special offers it will bring. While the details on Amazon Prime Day 2021 are currently slim, here’s what you should know about Amazon Prime Day and what to expect from this year’s sale based on previous years.

What is Amazon Prime Day?

Amazon Prime Day is a blowout sale the retailer throws every summer to offer steep discounts on thousands of products, exclusively for Prime members. The sale offers a mix of deals that end at different times–some will run for the full 48 hours, while others will only be available for one day. The hottest offers tend to be the lightning deals that may last for a few hours but usually sell out much sooner (sometimes in a matter of minutes).

When is Amazon Prime Day 2021?

Amazon hasn’t announced the Prime Day 2021 dates yet, but we have an idea of when to expect the big sale. With the exception of last year, Prime Day is always in the summer, and it’s usually in mid-July. It always kicks off on a Monday at midnight, and since 2019, it has lasted for a full 48 hours, so it’s safe to assume it’ll span two days this year as well. Assuming Prime Day returns to a normal schedule this year, we can expect it to kick off sometime in July, but we won’t know for sure until Amazon confirms this year’s dates.

Last year, logistical issues stemming from the pandemic caused Amazon to push Prime Day back by several months, and it was held October 13 and 14. We saw competing sales from Walmart, Best Buy, GameStop, and other retailers as usual, and Prime Day basically functioned as the kickoff for early Black Friday sales.

What Prime Day 2021 deals can we expect?

There are certain products you can always expect to see on sale during Amazon Prime Day–namely, Amazon-branded tech and accessories. That includes Echo Shows, Kindles, Fire TVs, tablets, Ring security devices, and more. Of course, Amazon runs Deals of the Day on its own products all the time, but Prime Day really is the best time of year to find them on sale–and, of course, get some holiday shopping done early.

What’s more exciting are the thousands of gaming deals you’ll have to choose from as well. Prime Day 2021 will be the first major sale since the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of deals are available for next-gen games and even accessories like the new Xbox Wireless Controller and first-party PS5 accessories. We’re already starting to see PS5 and Series X games get discounts in weekly sales, so it’s a safe bet that you’ll be able to pick up next-gen games for great prices during Prime Day. Accessory deals seem likely as well, so if you’ve been needing to pick up a new PS5 headset or Xbox controller, you’ll probably find some solid options during Prime Day.

However, don’t expect to see any PS5 or Xbox Series X console deals. The most we can hope for is a restock of either console, similar to what stores like Target, Walmart, and GameStop did for Black Friday last year. But until console shortages stabilize, don’t count on any discounts.

Nintendo Switch deals, on the other hand, will likely be out in full force. We’ve been seeing Switch games at great prices much more often recently, including a handful of first-party titles that were at $39 each for weeks around Mario Day. If you’re a new Switch owner, Prime Day will be an excellent time to pick up games that are normally $60 for cheap. In terms of Switch console deals, you never really know what you’re going to get, but it’s doubtful we’ll see any significant outright discounts. What’s more likely are Switch bundles that get you the console with a game or Switch Online. We may also see restocks of limited editions like the new Mario Red & Blue Edition or the Fortnite bundle.

Usually, Prime Day brings nice discounts on online gaming memberships, and because these subscriptions stack, you can stock up on Switch Online, Game Pass Ultimate, or PS Plus for cheap.

Outside of gaming, you can expect numerous deals on TVs, laptops, SSDs, keyboards, and practically any piece of tech or peripheral you’ve been needing to stock up on. There will also be deals on Prime Video so you can rent or buy movies for cheap, and usually there are nice offers on memberships like Audible as well.

How to participate in Amazon Prime Day

In order to take advantage of Amazon Prime Day’s deals, you’ll need to sign up for Amazon’s 30-day free trial (unless you’re already subscribed, of course) ahead of the event. Once you’re subscribed, you’ll be able to shop Prime Day deals and take advantage of other Prime benefits like free one- or two-day shipping, Prime Video, free monthly PC games, and more. You can cancel your membership anytime to avoid being charged the full yearly price after the free trial ends. Amazon Prime costs $119 per year or $13 per month if you choose to pay monthly. There’s also a student membership that comes with a six-month free trial.

We’ll be covering Amazon Prime Day up until the big event itself, including the dates when they’re revealed, so stay tuned for more coverage and the very best deals and sales. You can also follow us on Twitter @GameSpotDeals, as it’s the best way to stay up to date with all the best Prime Day deals when the sale actually kicks off. For now, you can check out all the best deals at Amazon right now, including the latest daily offers.

Yahoo Answers Is Shutting Down Permanently on May 4th

Yahoo Answers, a resource where users could ask the public questions on stuff like how to build a shelf, or whether it’s illegal to kill an ant, is closing permanently on May 4th. After which the Yahoo Answers page will redirect to the Yahoo homepage.

The news comes by way of the Yahoo Answers page which says the submissions to the site will end even sooner on April 20th. That means users have until then to say their goodbyes to a community that has been running since 2005.

Yahoo, which was purchased by VerizonMedia Group in 2017 for $5 billion, says that a decline in popularity is one of the reasons why Yahoo is sunsetting the Answers page. Since Yahoo Answers’ debut, sites like Reddit have exploded, allowing users to ask the internet going public any question they like and expect a deluge of responses.

Still, the Yahoo Answers page will be remembered for a certain, let’s say chaotic brand of users whose questions range from the mundane (“Do you think humans will ever walk on the sun?”) to batshit (“IF YOU DIE IN CANADA DO YOU DIE IN REAL LIFE?”)

Given the decline in popularity for both Yahoo and Yahoo Answers, the current version of the site seems less like questions you’d ask if you were really drunk and more political conspiracies, so maybe it’s for the best ultimately that Yahoo focuses on other services.

Yahoo says users have until June 30th to request a downloadable copy of all your questions and answers users posted with their accounts. After which Yahoo Answers will securely delete all the Q&A responses tied to a person’s account permanently.

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Matt T.M. Kim is IGN’s News Editor.

(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

I Am Legend: 30 Easter Eggs And Other Tidbits From Will Smith’s Apocalyptic Thriller

At the time of its release, I Am Legend received widespread critical acclaim. The majority of it focused on its depiction of a desolate Manhattan, now being reclaimed by nature. Lions and deer roamed Times Square. Vegetation poked out of the concrete. Glass facades of buildings had collapsed, exposing their steel underpinnings. The emptiness of the City That Never Sleeps was enough, on its own, to create an uncanny, creepy atmosphere.

But bring up the movie today, and most of the dialogue concerns the ending, which was different from the novel’s and different from the filmmakers’ original intentions. Thanks to DVD / Blu-Ray extras, we can watch the filmed alternate ending and decide for ourselves: Is this a more sophisticated, impactful ending to the movie? Or had I Am Legend simply not earned this ending, by not laying the necessary groundwork for it?

I Am Legend is currently available on HBO Max and Netflix. Here are 30 trivia facts and Easter eggs you might have missed the first time around.

Pokemon Go Spring Collection Challenge Guide And Rewards

As part of the Spring Into Spring event, a new Collection Challenge is underway in Pokemon Go. Like previous Collection Challenges, this one tasks you with capturing specific Pokemon within a limited time, with a special medal and other rewards up for grabs if you’re able to complete the challenge.

In keeping with the motif of the Spring Into Spring event, the Pokemon you need to catch for this Collection Challenge are spring-themed. You’ll have to capture 10 monsters in total to complete the Challenge. Fortunately, most of them will be appearing fairly frequently throughout the event, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble. You can see the full list of Pokemon to catch, along with where to find them in the game, below.

Pokemon Where To Catch
Exeggcute Spawns in the wild
Shadow Exeggcute Defeat Team Go Rocket grunts
Buneary Spawns in the wild
Bunnelby Spawns in the wild or one-star Raid boss
Plusle Spawns in the wild
Minun Spawns in the wild
Flower crown Pikachu Spawns in the wild
Diggersby Evolve Bunnelby
Azumarill Three-star Raid boss or evolve Marill
Flower crown Chansey Spawns in the wild or Research task encounter

The Spring Collection Challenge runs until April 8, giving you only a few more days to complete it. If you do manage to finish the challenge before time runs out, you’ll receive a handful of nice rewards, including one Lucky Egg, 50 Lopunny Mega Energy, and 2,500 XP, plus a medal commemorating your achievement. You can see all the Pokemon you have left to catch by tapping on the Research icon in the bottom right corner of the screen and opening the Today tab.

That’s not all that’s happening in Pokemon Go this month. Niantic has a variety of events lined up for the next few weeks, including April’s Community Day, which takes place April 11 and features Snivy. The Rivals Week event is also set to kick off on April 13, and new Field Research tasks and rewards are live this month.

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DC Introduces Monkey Prince Superhero

DC Comics’ upcoming Festival of Heroes will introduce a new Monkey Prince superhero to the mythos of DC.

The company will release its 100-page DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration commemorative anthology on May 11 and one of the 11 stories inside will tell the tale of a new superhero, Monkey Prince. This hero is inspired by the Monkey King of Chinese mythology and will be the star of the 12-page story, The Monkey Prince Hates Superheroes.

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“Debuting in a story written by award-winning writer Gene Luen Yang (Superman Smashes the Klan, Batman/Superman, New Super-Man) with art by Benard Chang (Teen Titans, Batman Beyond), Monkey Prince is inspired by the Monkey King, legendary hero of Chinese mythology and the classic tale, Journey to the West,” a release from DC reads. “In Yang and Chang’s original 12-page story, ‘The Monkey Prince Hates Superheroes,’ Monkey Prince battles and teams up with Shazam to defeat both the evil Dr. Sivana and a Chinese deer demon spirit.”

Monkey Prince is inspired by the same Monkey King from Chinese mythology featured in Game Science’s Black Myth: Wukong video game, which received a new trailer focused on bosses, enemies, areas in the game, and spells last month.

To celebrate this character’s arrival to the DC Comics universe, the publisher is releasing a special, 1 in 25, Monkey Prince variant cover by Chang. This Asian superhero celebration anthology will feature 10 other stories about Asian superheroes and it will arrive to comic book stores and digital platforms on May 11, 2021.

Other characters featured in the anthology include stories starring Batgirl Cassandra Cain, Green Lantern Tai Pham, Cheshire, Katana, and more.

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“DC Festival of Heroes: The Asian Superhero Celebration is an incredible celebration anthology spotlighting DC’s past, present, and even future Asian super heroes, featuring some of the most dynamic Asian storytellers in and out of comics,” the release reads. “Featuring an incredible cover by the team of DC Publisher and Chief Creative Officer, Jim Lee, and colorist Alex Sinclair, this anthology includes a foreword by activist and CNN and WSJ Online contributor, Jeff Yang, a selection of tribute pinups of DC’s Asian super heroes, plus an awesome variant cover featuring Cassandra Cain by artist Stanley ‘Artgerm’ Lau.”

While waiting for that to release next month, check out IGN’s breakdown of every new DC Comics series confirmed for 2021 and then check out this list of all new DC movies and TV shows coming this year and beyond. Read our list of the 25 best heroes of DC comics after that and then  check out this list of all DC Extended Universe movies, TV series, comics, and video games coming in 2021.

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Wesley LeBlanc is a freelance news writer and guide maker for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @LeBlancWes.

Image Credit: DC Comics

Star Trek Picard Season 2 Gets New Teaser

Paramount+ has released a teaser for Star Trek: Picard Season 2, revealing that the show will return for another outing sometime in 2022. A slow-burn clip clocking in at just over a minute, the teaser has a weary Jean-Luc Picard providing a voice over, waxing philosophical about what will likely be a dominant theme in the upcoming season: “Time offers so many opportunities, but never second chances.” Check out the clip below.

As exciting as the announcement of Season 2 is, it’s heightened even more by the winking tease at the end that Picard’s recurring nemesis Q will likely be playing a role. This was confirmed in a companion video where Wil Wheaton (The Ready Room) interviews Patrick Stewart about the upcoming season, only to be interrupted and “surprised” by the appearance of John De Lancie (Breaking Bad), who played Q.

“I wish I could sit here and blurt out to you all the new storylines and situations and times that you’re going to be seeing in this second season,” said Stewart. “Despite 178 episodes of Next Generation… and four feature films, there are events coming up in Season 2 that have never been seen before.”

Of Q’s return, De Lancie said, “It’s been a long time coming, and I’m more than ready… He is deliciously naughty, kind of marvelously annoying, terribly self-involved. As my wife says, ‘It’s not much of a stretch [playing this character].'”

Check out everything you need to know about Paramount+ here.

PGA Tour 2K21 Is Steeply Discounted Ahead Of The Masters Tournament

The Masters Tournament, one of golf’s four major championships, kicks off this Thursday. It’s fairly common for golf games to be discounted during Masters week, and right now golf fans can save big on PGA Tour 2K21 on PlayStation and Xbox. Normally $60, you can snag digital copies for $19.79. While PGA Tour 2K21 doesn’t have a next-gen update, it’s backwards-compatible with PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and features significantly reduced load times. The Nintendo Switch edition isn’t on sale on the eShop, but Amazon is selling physical copies for all three major console platforms for $30.

Developed by HB Studios, PGA Tour 2K21 is technically the latest entry in The Golf Club series. Just like its predecessors, PGA Tour 2K21 offers a superb golfing experience that aims for realism. It earned an 8/10 in GameSpot’s PGA Tour 2K21 review. “PGA Tour 2K21 improves on the mostly stellar foundation of The Golf Club series, offering the most realistic and pure golf experience in a game to date,” we wrote.

PGA Tour 2K21 deals

At this point, I’ve logged hundreds of hours into PGA Tour 2K21. From its career mode and myriad of online leagues to the robust course creator, PGA Tour 2K21 has almost everything you could want in a golf game.

2K Sports recently announced a new partnership with Tiger Woods, marking the return of the all-time great to golf video games. Woods was previously the cover athlete for EA Sports’ golf series, which is making its return from a lengthy hiatus to compete with 2K’s series on next-gen consoles. This year’s Masters Tournaments will be without Woods, as the golfer is recovering from serious leg injuries stemming from a car accident in February.

The Masters Tournament is one of the rare major sporting events that’s available to stream for free on the official site. You can watch the latter portion of each day’s coverage without spending a dime. That said, if you’re a diehard fan and don’t have cable, you may want to get an ESPN+ subscription ($6 per month). ESPN+ will have earlier coverage of featured groups and the most iconic holes at Augusta National.

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Apple Watch Series 6 Is $80 Off Right Now

Here’s some good news for anyone in the market for a smart watch, fitness tracker, or wrist-mounted internet machine: Apple Watch Series 6 is on sale for $80 off at Amazon right now (the discount appears at checkout). That’s the lowest price we’ve seen this model drop to in the entire history of the universe. Granted, it only applies to the (Product)Red color scheme, but it’s a great color.

Apple Watch Series 6 is the latest version of the company’s smartwatch. The 40mm GPS model normally retails for $399, but right now you can get one for $319.99 at Amazon. If you’re more the 44mm sort, you can save $50 on the red one in that size instead.

Save Up to $80 on Apple Watch Series 6

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The Apple Watch Series 6 brings all the high-tech features of previous models forward and adds a handful of new hardware and software features of its own. So it still offers all kinds of internet connectivity, like letting you place and receive phone calls and send and read text messages. The always-on screen, inherited from Series 5, is 2.5-times brighter than the previous model as well.

Apple Watches are full-featured fitness trackers. They count your steps, track a range of exercises from swimming to yoga, and can periodically remind you to stand up and move around.

As for what’s new in Series 6, the headline new features are all about health. You can monitor your blood oxygen level now, thanks to a new sensor. You can take an ECG anytime, if you’re interested in that kind of thing. It also has a new sleep app that helps you set a nighttime routine and can monitor your rest. You can even set sleep goals for yourself, and it will track them for you.

Beyond all that, you can swap out watch bands to match your outfit or mood. They play nicely with other Apple products, like Airpods, the company’s wireless earbuds. It’s a good watch, and this is one of the best deals we’ve ever seen on it. Grab it before it’s gone.

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Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert at IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @_chrislreed.

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PlayStation Now April Lineup Includes Marvel’s Avengers And More

It’s the beginning of another new month, and that means PlayStation Now has another new batch of games available. Coming to April’s PlayStation Now lineup are Marvel’s Avengers, Borderlands 3, and The Long Dark.

All of the above games will be available to play starting April 6. Marvel’s Avengers will be available until July 5, 2021, and Borderlands 3 will be on PSN a little longer, leaving the service on September 29, 2021. There is currently no set date for when The Long Dark will leave PSN.

Marvel’s Avengers released on August 20, 2020 and is an action-RPG brawler featuring–you guessed it–Marvel characters. The latest Marvel’s Avengers update, Patch 1.5.0, brought Hawkeye Clint Barton onboard as a playable character and added a campaign replay feature. Patch 1.5.0 also gave PlayStation 4 and Xbox One players a free next-gen update, promising better visuals, improved destruction and Heroic detail, and significantly faster load times.

Borderlands 3 is a loot-shooter by Gearbox. In GameSpot’s Borderlands 3 review, Jordan Ramée commented, “If you’ve never been a fan of the franchise, it’s unlikely Borderlands 3 does enough things differently to change your mind, as the game best excels at continuing what the series has always done: deliver a humorous tall tale of misfits looting and shooting their way to heroism.” The Borderlands franchise is also getting a movie featuring Haley Bennett and Cate Blanchett, which is expected to begin production soon.

The Long Dark is a survival game–a genre that has received plenty of love as evidenced by the success of Rust and Valheim. Released in 2014, The Long Dark sets players in a freezing wilderness where the objective is to survive as long as possible.

PSN offers a seven-day free trial to players. For those who want to know more about the service, you can read our PS Now Explained article where we breakdown what you can expect.

Now Playing: Marvel’s Avengers Video Review

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