In a year full of video game layoffs, Assassin’s Creed maker Ubisoft Montreal is the latest to get hit by ongoing cuts. The publisher confimred to Kotaku that it will layoff 98 people across its Canadian offices today as part of a “reorganization” of its general and administrative teams, Ubisoft IT, and Ubisoft’s SFX…
Hulu/Disney+ series “Culprits” picks up after a big heist, as an assassin tracks down everyone involved. TV review.
Why do we bloody love a heist?
Most of us are unlikely to actually execute one (you’d likely be reading this from prison), so we live vicariously through ultimate crews of nicknamed misfits thrown together through niche skills and legendary backstories. We need greasemen, drivers, and explosives experts to distract us from our own nine-to-fives. We want the ol’ bait and switch, nail-biter safe-cracking scenes, and planning montages drenched in wah-wah pedal-heavy funk. Most of all, we love an anti-hero who screws over the one percent in style.
What we don’t always get, aside from sequels like Ocean’s 12, is what happens after the heist. Will they actually get away with it? How are you going to hide and spend all that gold without fleeing to somewhere without extradition? Hulu/Disney+ series Culprits picks up after the loot is gone and the team split, but rather than getting the band back together, they’re running from an assassin with no real allegiance to each other but to stay alive long enough to find out who it is.
While the material may not reinvent the screeching getaway car wheel, the series boasts a talented cast, big action scenes, and enough time jump confusion to keep you on your toes.
Extending a heist over an entire series is by no means unprecedented: see Money Heist, Lupin, Kaleidoscope et al. But it’s tough to keep the energy going.
If you’re wondering why Culprits isn’t a film instead of an eight-episode series, it’s based on an anthology, Culprits: The Heist Was Only The Beginning, a collection of stories about criminals post-heist. It was snapped up by The Undoing producer Stephen Garrett for the screen and adapted by I Care A Lot‘s J Blakeson, who co-directed the series with Claire Oakley.
Culprits begrudgingly reunites a crew of heist specialists who have moved on with their lives and the loot. Years after a major one-and-out job in London went haywire, a masked assassin is tracking them down. It’s basically like Ocean’s 12, when Terry Benedict locates all eleven crew members and demands his money returned. But it’s eight hours long, instead of two, which comes with its pros and cons — you can potentially dig deeper into each character, play a longer, more realistic game, but the heist genre usually benefits from brevity to keep the thrills high.
Leading the series is compelling Candyman, Genera+ion, and Misfits star Nathan Stewart-Jarrett as protagonist David Marking, a family man and hopeful restaurant owner living a quiet life in Washington State with his partner Jules (Kevin Vidal) and super cute kids. But David’s heisting past threatens to unravel his suburban bliss and his new identity under the name Joe Petrus. Before the killer makes it to America, David must track down his former crew mates in the UK and figure out who’s targeting them.
If Culprits feels derivative of heist movies and TV before it, at least the series respectfully sticks to formula, pulling a number of switcheroos — most notably beginning post-heist and switching up the timeline. The heist at its core is your classic “one last job”, the ultimate haul that will set this bunch of misfits up for life. Of course, the plan will go off the rails. Of course, the boss has an ace up their sleeve. Of course, explosions will be bigger than expected when you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off.
For the heist itself, the series leans on a talented cast to bring their own flare to the trope-filled script: think covert meetings in galleries, high speed chases, coded messages in the classified section. The crew are handed monikers snipped from classic caper cloth: Fixer, Right Hand, Muscle, Driver, Fuse, Greaseman, Specialist, Soldier, Officer. (“It’s like being in a movie, no?” retorts Driver). And they’re all steered by Brain aka Dianne Harewood, played with ice cold M-style (and the best costumes of the entire cast) by Gemma Arterton.
When you’re watching Arterton’s unblinking “stick to the plan” monologue during the series’ requisite blueprint briefing scene, it feels overtly familiar to the genre — and it eliminates the planning element of the heist with everything already done. But while this reduction of characters to their handles seems intended to make it easier to remember who did what during the heist, it’s somewhat restrictive for character development and camaraderie. While rooting for the team is vital for a heist, it’s even more important if you’re going to start killing them off.
With Stewart-Jarrett and Arterton up front, the cast (featuring way more women than most heist tales beyond Ocean’s 8) is strong enough to find their own footing, with standouts including The Good Place star Kirby as the mischievous Officer, The Wonder‘s Niamh Algar as the psychotic Specialist, Tara Abboud as the safe-cracking Azar, and national treasure Suzy Eddie Izzard almost stealing the series in a surprise role.
But unlike a Guy Ritchie or Steven Soderbergh cast, they’re not really given enough banter to define their bonds, to give the audience moments of comic relief amid the chaos — depending on where in the timeline we are, they literally either just met or haven’t seen each other in years. Throughout the series, they’re mostly chasing their own tails instead of pulling an elaborate con, and while they do have moments of genuine connection, they’re pretty fleeting.
As for the masked assassin himself, only known as Devil, the series’ primary villain barely invokes fear or style, instead slow-walking into every scene like Jason Vorhees in athleisure wear and playing to the overtly melodramatic violence that’s more likely to open a BBC murder-of-the-week show. Honestly, a team full of heist specialists couldn’t take on this one dude?
Like Money Heist, the series takes itself deeply seriously, trying to keep the action closer to reality than any Mission Impossible film will. This level of dark realism means we miss out on the silliness that can come with a good heist tale: the banter, the hijinks, and moments of false bravado. But there really isn’t enough time for that, amid all the time jumps.
A flurry of moving pieces, the series doesn’t just live in the present, instead jumping back and forth to before, during, and after the heist. It’s the kind of disruption that worked for Netflix’s Kaleidoscope, a series that owned the structure shake-up by encouraging viewers to watch the episodes out of order. But here, it’s entirely up to the director, which makes for some hard work for the viewer.
One of the least fun parts of the series’ reliance on time jumps, however, is the lack of stakes for the heist itself. The real nature of the target is kept under wraps for most of the season, which makes it really only Brain’s emotional investment and the crew’s cash to pick up at the end of the day. Without stakes, it becomes just a cursed suitcase of money for each crew member with little connection. But without the full details of the job, we have little to fight for, and not knowing the truth for eight episodes is a hard ask.
The time jumps also make it tricky to really get to know the team that well beyond David due to the majority of the show happening after the crime. But with David, it’s truly fun to watch him practically manage living post-heist: where his creative stash hiding places are, where his secret SIM lies, how he MacGyvers home security. And Stewart-Jarrett creates his own reality to fight for in his moving scenes with Vidal, both of whom make every one of their scenes count.
If you’re looking for a heist series that follows the formula with time jumps, action sequences, and a compelling cast to boot, Culprits is worth a watch. If anything, it might give you too many good ideas…
How to watch: Culprits is streaming on Hulu in the U.S. and Disney+ in the UK from Nov. 8.
From Harry Potter to Fast & Furious and “Bridesmaids,” Peacock has the hits you need to see (again).
Some days, it feels like there are too many streaming services and too many options. How can you possibly choose what movie to watch next?
For those of you who have Peacock (and why wouldn’t you? Their TV offerings are stacked!), we’re here to help. We’ve combed through the streaming service’s catalog to bring you the funniest comedies, the most moving dramas, the most suspenseful thrillers, and the all-around best movies for your viewing pleasure. All you need to bring is the popcorn!
The most “Wes Anderson” of Anderson’s prolific and twee oeuvre, Asteroid City is not for everyone. If you’ve never found meaning in the stylistic artifice of an Anderson film, then you might feel similarly baffled here. But if Anderson’s whimsy has spoken to you in the past, then take comfort knowing this most recent offering might be his most intricate and affecting film to date.
Existential and gentle, Asteroid City is a movie about a show about a play, a nesting doll artistic endeavor keenly interested in the nature of storytelling. Is it about an alien encounter in a fictional desert town or the playwright and actors who brought the fictional desert town to life? Or is it about Anderson himself, an explainer on his hyper-specific body of work? The answer is all of this and more. Asteroid City is a fanciful, emotional triumph, popping off the screen with vibrant technicolor and a stacked cast of familiar faces and vibrant newcomers. A must-see film for Anderson-fans. — Kristina Grosspietsch, Freelance Contributing Writer
How to watch: Asteroid City is now streaming on Peacock.
If you haven’t seen Bridesmaids, written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo, we’re so sorry that you’ve obviously been trapped in a siren’s cave for the last 11 years — because there is simply no other excuse. Bridesmaids was an era-defining film. In 2011, there were still prominent male comedians claiming women couldn’t be funny! Bridesmaids put an end to the debate.
Wiig stars as Annie, a wayward thirtysomething who feels out of step with her best friend Lillian (a perfect Maya Rudolph) when she meets the other women in Lillian’s bridal party. What follows is both romantic comedy and buddy flick, stuffed to the brim with punchlines, physical gags, and a repulsive and unforgettable gross-out scene. The entire cast here is flawless: Rose Byrne is delightfully haughty. Jon Hamm is perfect as a hot idiot. Chris O’Dowd is a swoon-worthy love interest, and Melissa McCarthy was nominated for a dang Oscar for her scene-stealing performance as another misfit bridesmaid. Please escape the siren’s cave and see this legendary comedy — for your own good! — K.G.
How to watch: Bridesmaids is streaming on Peacock.
Currently, all John Wick properties, including the so-so prequel series, The Continental, are streaming on Peacock. This highly stylized and violent neo-noir thriller franchise tells the story of John Wick (Keanu Reeves), the best assassin there ever was, who gets drawn back into the underworld after a personal tragedy leaves him set on revenge. Wick’s body count is prodigious and creative, but his cause is just. You can’t help but root for the quiet, brooding antihero. He wanted out of the game — but the game won’t let him say goodbye that easily. John Wick is a nonstop action spectacular with stunning cinematogaphy and positively mesmerizing fight choreography. — K.G.
How to watch: John Wick is now streaming on Peacock.
This cleverly twisted crime film was written and directed by Graham Moore, who won an Oscar for his adapted screenplay of The Imitation Game in 2015. The incomparable Mark Rylance stars as a soft-spoken British tailor who makes beautiful, bespoke men’s suits in 1950s Chicago. Unfortunately, most of his clientele are ruthless mobsters. The majority of the movie takes place in the span of one shocking and breathless night when his gangster clients seek shelter in the shop after an unexpected shootout from a rival organization.
The Outfit is a sophisticated and constantly surprising thriller. As Rylance’s assistant, Zoey Deutch is as charming as always, and Johnny Flynn thrives while playing against type as a no-good ’50s gangster. It’s an absolute gem of a film that will keep you guessing the whole way through. — K.G.
How to watch: The Outfit is streaming on Peacock.
Devin Blackmon stars as Dayveon, a young kid in Arkansas struggling in the aftermath of his brother’s death. Unmoored and spending his days listlessly wandering the little town he lives in, he is increasingly drawn to the sense of belonging he finds in a local gang. Directed by Amman Abbasi, with a script by Abbasi and Steven Reneau, Dayveon is a sophisticated and deeply intimate film made even more incredible by the fact that its cast is primarily composed of non-actors. It’s a moving and beautifully shot story that feels wholly, heartbreakingly real. — K.G.
How to watch: Dayveon is streaming on Peacock.
2017’s raunchy comedy about a group of friends traveling to New Orleans for the Essence Music Festival made Tiffany Haddish a household name. And once you watch the scene of her zip-lining above a partying crowd on Bourbon Street, you’ll know why. Written by Kenya Barris and Tracy Oliver, Girls Trip is boisterous, outrageous, and ridiculously lovable. The jubilant cast, starring Haddish, Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Queen Latifah, is clearly having so much fun celebrating female debauchery, it’s hard not to be on board with Girls Trip. — K.G.
How to watch: Girls Trip is now streaming on Peacock.
The mid-2010s brought us ombre hair, planking, and #YOLO, but its most enduring cultural addition was a wave of movies about imperfect women. More female-led films at the box office meant there was finally enough space for leading ladies who didn’t have to meet every standard to which we hold the modern women. Movie theaters were flooded with bad moms, antiheroines, and the sloppiest drunks you’ve ever seen in your life. Enter Trainwreck, a hilarious and irreverent rom-com directed by Judd Apatow and starring Amy Schumer in a role that’s basically her hot mess stand-up persona come to life.
In this hysterical comedy, Schumer and Bill Hader are surprisingly charming together as opposites attract. Plus, John Cena and LeBron James both add an unexpected sparkle to a fun and cheeky romance. — K.G.
How to watch: Trainwreck is streaming on Peacock.
Ip Man is an exciting Hong Kong martial arts biopic about the extraordinary life of the Wing Chun grandmaster who was Bruce Lee’s martial arts teacher. The film tracks Ip Man’s journey from the Southern Chinese village where he was well known as a skilled martial artist to his family’s displacement during the Japanese occupation of the Second Sino-Japanese War, his eventual rise as a fighter, and his establishment of a school in Hong Kong.
Starring the skillful Donnie Yen, Ip Man doesn’t skimp on character development; it’s an electrifying rumination on philosophy, power, and honor in addition to its stunning action. Ip Man is a deeply influential film in the martial arts genre and, to everyone’s delight, has inspired three equally stirring sequels, all of which are available on Peacock. — K.G.
How to watch: Ip Man is streaming on Peacock.
And now the franchise that needs no introduction: Harry Potter. The original eight-movie series starts as a charming coming-of-age tale about a boy wizard learning about magic and ends as a serious and emotional allegory about fighting fascism and the lengths we will go to protect the people we love. J.K. Rowling notwithstanding, Harry Potter is our hero, Ron Weasley our goofy best friend, and Hermione our actual hero, because duh.
The quality of the movies vary based on the different directors at the helm and the age of the young leads, but the strength of the source material — paired with the prodigious gifts of the many, many storied British actors who fill out the sparkling supporting cast — assure a satisfying watch. Most agree that the final two movies, each covering half of the last book in the series, are the most enthralling in the group — but you’ll have to watch them all to get what’s going on. So, you might as well start with number one, The Sorcerer’s Stone, and go from there. Poor you! You’re about to have a really great time! — K.G.
How to watch: Harry Potter is streaming on Peacock.
You haven’t seen E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, yet? So you’ve been politely laughing along every time someone has said “E.T. phone home” for the last 50 years?! It’s time to get on it already. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a beloved family movie classic for a reason — it’s simply fantastic.
Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece tells the story of Elliott Turner, a 10-year-old who finds an alien in his backyard. With his siblings, he must help his new friend get back home or risk his being turned over to the government. It’s an exciting, heartwarming adventure that makes you feel like a kid again and inspired a half-century of copycats and homages (Stranger Things, anyone?). Despite being filmed five decades ago, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has not lost an ounce of its charm and emotional punch, a testament to its enduring quality. If you haven’t seen it, put E.T. at the top of your queue, immediately. — K.G.
How to watch: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is now streaming on Peacock.
This absolutely stunning, hand-drawn film hasn’t garnered as much attention as, say, Pixar’s latest, but that’s no reason to skip this immensely affecting French-Danish tale. Sasha (Christa Théret) is a 15-year-old aristocrat living in 19th-century St. Petersburg, Russia. Determined to find her missing grandfather, a famed explorer, and clear her family’s name, she locates a vessel and sets off with a motley crew into the unforgiving Arctic landscape.
Directed by Rémi Chayé, Long Way North is both an epic adventure and a human drama, exploring themes of empowerment and empathy. What truly makes this 80-minute movie special, though, is its unique artistic style. The snow-covered landscape might be stark, but Long Way North makes the icy world feel both beautiful and alive. — K.G.
How to Watch: Long Way North is streaming on Peacock.
Part of Lars von Trier’s “Depression Trilogy,” (which includes Antichrist and Nymphomaniac), 2011’s Melancholia is an artsy, atmospheric sci-fi thriller about the end of the world. A rogue planet is due to collide with Earth, and everyone must come face-to-face with the inevitable nothingness ahead of them. The cast is magnetic (Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Alexander Skarsgård, and more) and the cinematography is unforgettable. A memorable, piercing rumination on grief that stands alone in its category. — K.G.
How to watch: Melancholia is now streaming on Peacock.
There’s no way you haven’t heard of 1985’s Back to the Future, the comedy science fiction romp — and honest-to-god American classic — that made the world fall in love with Michael J. Fox. Fox is Marty McFly, a bored teenager who befriends an eccentric scientist (Christopher Lloyd) and finds himself transported to the 1950s, where his presence threatens to wreak havoc on the future. Marty has to make sure his parents still fall in love, or he’ll be wiped from history forever. It’s a fantastic premise that somehow never feels absurd thanks to the Fox’s aching humanity and Lloyd’s charisma. From the very first utterance of “Great Scott!” we’re along for the ride on a journey where we won’t need roads. — K.G.
How to watch: Back to the Future is now streaming on Peacock.
Jason Segel is Peter, a television soundtrack composer whose life revolves around his TV star girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (a deliciously bratty Kristen Bell). That is, until she abruptly breaks up with him. While he’s naked. Cue the full-frontal sobbing!
To get his mind off of her, Peter takes a trip to Hawaii, but turns out, Sarah is vacationing at the same resort with her new rock star boyfriend, Aldous Snow (unfortunately played by Russell Brand). Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a sweet and raunchy breakup rom-com full of characters that are flawed, idiosyncratic, and incredibly human, including Mila Kunis as Peter’s cool new love interest and Paul Rudd as a hippie-dippie surf instructor. And let’s not forget the singing vampire puppets! — K.G.
How to Watch: Forgetting Sarah Marshall is streaming on Peacock.
A sumptuous and charming adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, 2020’s Emma is unique among Emma iterations because it leans into a secret truth: the heroine, Emma Woodhouse, is kind of a brat. She floats above everyone else, pulling strings to set up matches that serve her purposes instead of what her friends actually desire. Clueless always understood this — and now, thanks to director Autumn de Wilde, we can watch the naive and loveably self-centered character face her comeuppance while sporting the dazzling Regency-era costumes she was made for. Anya Taylor-Joy hits all the right notes as Ms. Woodhouse herself, and Johnny Flynn is magnetic as Mr. Knightley, her prickly neighbor who sees through her act. But it’s Josh O’Connor as a delightfully offputting Mr. Elton, a nightmare suitor, who steals every scene he’s in. — K.G.
How to watch: Emma is now streaming on Peacock.
Most of pop culture’s most enduring monsters — Dracula, Frankenstein, the Mummy, and the Wolf Man/Werewolf — got their first screen time in Universal Studios films made between the 1930s and 1950s. These incredibly influential classic horrors are the reason we all picture a square-headed Frankenstein and a Dracula with an indulgently high collar. The first impression is the one that sticks.
Peacock is still home to most of the Universal Classic Monsters, including The Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man Returns, Werewolf of London, Phantom of the Opera, and more. None are as iconic, however, as 1931’s Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff as Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. The story, adapted from Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, is one so well-known it does not need repeating, but if you were wondering where the almost-full century of film and TV jokes about little girls befriending villains came from, look no further. This is the movie that turned a monster into a legend. — K.G.
How to watch: Frankenstein is now streaming on Peacock.
In 1974, Philippe Petit walked a high wire between the two towers of the World Trade Center in NYC. Petit was later arrested for the stunt. In 2008, documentarian James Marsh made Man On Wire, a moving, awe-inspiring chronicle of Petit’s audacious feat, based on Petit’s own book about the event. Suspenseful, mischievous, and paced like a heist movie, Man On Wire is a riveting watch sure to keep even the most ardent documentary-avoider on the edge of their seats. — K.G.
How to watch: Man on Wire is now streaming on Peacock.
Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) doesn’t quite fit into his dragon-fighting viking village of Berk. The seasoned warriors, including his father, the chief (Gerard Butler), think he’s too much of a weenie to fight their fearsome dragon enemies. But Hiccup has a secret: He’s found a wounded dragon who has quickly become his best friend. Will his village change its mind about dragons, or will Hiccup and his dragon be forced to hide for the rest of their lives? It’s a fun family romp that makes the incredibly smart choice of giving dragons the eager, earnest personalities of everyone’s favorite family dog. It doesn’t matter how old you are, Dreamworks’ How to Train Your Dragon is a total treat! — K.G.
How to watch: How to Train Your Dragon is now streaming on Peacock.
The movie that won Steven Soderbergh the Academy Award for Best Director, Traffic is a complex, captivating exploration of drug trafficking in the USA and Mexico. Following multiple intersecting storylines, audiences watch the effects of illegal drugs ripple in all directions, from manufacturers and distributors to the politicians trying to combat them and the users who are hooked. Shot like a documentary and including multiple cameos from actual U.S. congresspeople, Traffic is a riveting, powerful piece that feels utterly real.
What’s more, the cast is stellar, with Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Luis Guzmán all at the top of their game, and Benicio Del Toro in particular winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a Mexican police officer. — K.G.
How to watch: Traffic is now streaming on Peacock.
Written and directed by Robert Eggers (The Witch, The Lighthouse), The Northman is a dark, suspenseful retelling of a Scandinavian myth that also happens to have been the direct inspiration for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Alexander Skarsgård is Amleth, a young prince who swears revenge after his uncle murders his father and marries his mother. Years later, now a berserker Viking, Amleth has an encounter with a seer that convinces him the time to collect on that childhood promise is nigh.
The Northman is a tense, atmospheric, and brutal historical thriller, told as if it were a story recounted around a medieval Scandinavian fire, grounded in an ancient point of view. This visually-stunning but bloody revenge saga also stars Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe, and Björk, obviously.* — K.G.
How to watch: The Northman is now streaming on Peacock.
Point Break is an iconic and insane ’90s movie in which Keanu Reeves plays rookie FBI agent Johnny Utah, who has to — and we’re not kidding here — infiltrate an L.A. “surf gang” suspected of robbing banks. Very little in this movie makes any sense (the large reason Utah is assigned the undercover role is because he used to play football in college?), which is exactly why it’s so dang wonderful. You’ve got Patrick Swayze as the enigmatic leader of a surfing cult, Gary Busey as Reeves’ gruff veteran partner, and again, Keanu Reeves plays a former college football star named Johnny Utah who has to learn to surf as a matter of life and death. Point Break is ludicrous, magnificent, and fantastically, perfectly ’90s. Vaya con dios, baby. — K.G.
How to watch: Point Break is now streaming on Peacock.
If loving Fast & Furious is wrong, we don’t want to be right. Across 11 bonkers movies that scoffed at physics and grunted about the importance of family, this franchise hasn’t slowed down. Not only has it raised the bar on out-of-this-world action, but also, it’s grown the Fast family by leaps, bounds, and long-lost siblings. So what could Fast X possibly do to keep this momentum going strong? It went hard in every way fans demand.
In the tradition of its predecessors, Fast X retcons to bring a new ferocious foe into the fray. Jason Momoa stars as the flamboyant, fashion-forward, and gleefully anarchistic Dante, who’s seeking revenge against Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and all of his extensive family. Momoa is wild fun as a villain who is Dom’s polar opposite in attitude and outfit choices. That alone is enough to enjoy this ride. But Fast X also includes gonzo fight scenes with the likes of Brie Larson, Charlize Theron, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, and many, many more. There are also jaw-dropping cameos and a climax that had fans shocked and cheering. The only thing not to like about this one is how it left us hanging, waiting for whatever Fast and Furious 11 might bring.* — Kristy Puchko, Film Editor
How to watch: Fast X is now streaming on Peacock.
(*) denotes writeup came from a previous Mashable list.
UPDATE: Oct. 31, 2023, 2:18 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect Peacock’s current streaming selection.
We’ve rounded up the best deals on games, consoles, accessories, and more ahead of Black Friday specifically for PlayStation fans. Take a look, and game on.
UPDATE: Nov. 2, 2023, 3:00 p.m. EDT This article has been has been updated with the latest early Black Friday deals for PlayStation games, consoles, accessories, and more.
It’s that time again, gamers. It’s the crucial period just before Black Friday when the holiday deals start trickling in — also known as our favorite time of year.
Whether you mainly play on Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, or some other method, you’re bound to score some sick savings out there. But, let’s focus on our PlayStation friends this time. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best PlayStation-centric Black Friday deals so far, including discounts on games, console bundles, and much more. Take a look, and be sure to come back every once in a while to see the new deals we’ve added.
What’s that? You haven’t played the best Star Wars game of all time? Well, let’s change that — Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the sequel to 2019’s excellent Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is $27 off the original price ahead of Black Friday, and to add to an already great deal, this offer applies to the Deluxe Edition, which gets you a bunch of fun in-game bonuses. Snag your copy in the PlayStation Store and embark on a galactic journey like you’ve never seen before.
A Plague Tale: Requiem — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)
Assassin’s Creed Origins Gold Edition — $19.99 $99.99 (save $80)
Assassin’s Creed Unity — $8.99 $29.99 (save $21)
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)
Atomic Heart — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III + Limited Collector’s Box — $129 $149 (save $20)
Call of Duty: Vanguard — $15 $59.99 (save $44.99)
Control — $7.49 $29.99 (save $22.50)
Dead Island 2 — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)
Deathloop — $10 $39.99 (save $29.99)
Demon’s Souls — $29.39 $69.99 (save $40.60)
Dying Light 2 Stay Human — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)
Far Cry 6 — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)
Forspoken — $17.50 $59.99 (save $42.49)
Ghostwire: Tokyo — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)
Gotham Knights Deluxe Edition — $22.49 $89.99 (save $67.50)
Horizon Forbidden West — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)
Like a Dragon: Ishin! — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)
Marvel’s Midnight Suns — $31.99 $79.99 (save $48)
Need For Speed Unbound — $49.99 $79.99 (save $30)
NHL 23 — $24.99 $69.99 (save $45)
Outer Wilds: Archaeologist Edition — $23.99 $39.99 (save $6)
The Quarry — $9.99 $69.99 (save $60)
Resident Evil Village — $15.99 $39.99 (save $25)
Sifu Deluxe Edition — $19.99 $49.99 (save $30)
Solar Ash — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)
Sonic Frontiers — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)
Stray — $22.49 $29.99 (save $7.50)
Yakuza: Like a Dragon — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)
Yakuza Remastered Collection — $11.99 $39.99 (save $28)
Consoles
PlayStation 5 + Modern Warfare III Bundle — $539.99 $569.99 (save $30)
PlayStation 5 + Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Bundle — $559.99 $569.99 (save $10)
PlayStation 5 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Limited Edition Bundle — $599.99
Controllers
PlayStation 5 DualSense controller — $44.99 $49.99 (save $5)
PlayStation 5 DualSense controller (Midnight Black) — $65.99 $69.99 (save $4)
PlayStation 5 DualSense controller (Gray Camouflage) — $65.99 $74.99 (save $9)
PlayStation 5 DualSense controller (Galactic Purple) — $65.99 $74.99 (save $9)
Headsets
HyperX CloudX Stinger Core gaming headset — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15)
Turtle Beach Recon 70 gaming headset — $35.33 $39.95 (save $4.62)
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 gaming headset — $44.95 $59.95 (save $15)
Razer Kraken gaming headset — $44.95 $79.99 (save $35.04)
HyperX Cloud II gaming headset — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)
Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Gaming Headset — $99.99 $119.99 (save $20)
Razer BlackShark V2 Pro gaming headset — $125.99 $179.99 (save $54)
Logitech G Astro A30 Lightspeed gaming headset — $179.99 $229.99 (save $50)
Subscriptions
We haven’t found any deals on PlayStation Plus memberships yet, but check back later.
Misc.
OIVO PS5 Controller Charger Station — $18.49 $24.99 (save $4.50)
TotalMount Wall Mount for PS5 — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)
Larian has dropped another colossal patch for its hugely successful Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, Baldur’s Gate 3, and it brings over 1000 individual fixes and tweaks to the game just as we head into its three-month anniversary.
Gaming deals are always bountiful during the Black Friday season. Here are the best Xbox deals ahead of the big shopping event.
UPDATE: Nov. 1, 2023, 1:00 p.m. EDT This article has been has been updated with the latest early Black Friday deals for Xbox games, consoles, accessories, and more.
No matter what console you play on, Black Friday is always going to be an absolute treat for gamers everywhere. Get ready, because steep deals on games, consoles, accessories, and more are coming in hot. And by “coming in hot,” we mean right now.
Xbox players, this one’s for you. To keep you safe from the holiday shopping stress, we’ve compiled a list of all the best Xbox-related deals, including great discounts on console bundles, Game Pass subscriptions, and games both new and old. Read on and have at it — just make sure to keep checking back with us, as we’ll be adding new deals as they come in.
With the smaller, more focused Assassin’s Creed Mirage just recently being released, some AC fans may still be clamoring for the open-world style that has now become the franchise’s bread and butter. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla will certainly scratch that itch — it’s massive, and it’s a direct predecessor to Mirage, so you’ll probably want to play it anyway. You can pick up a copy of the deluxe edition in the Microsoft Store for just $19.99 right now, a full $60 off the original price ahead of Black Friday.
A Plague Tale: Requiem — $15 $59.99 (save $44.99)
A Plague Tale Bundle — $47.99 $79.99 (save $32)
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey Gold Edition — $19.99 $99.99 (save $80)
Assassin’s Creed Origins Gold Edition — $19.99 $99.99 (save $80)
Back 4 Blood — $7.50 $59.99 (save $52.49)
Batman: Arkham Collection — $8.99 $59.99 (save $51)
The Callisto Protocol Day One Edition — $9.99 $69.99 (save $60)
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III + Limited Collector’s Box — $129 $149 (save $20)
Control — $7.49 $29.99 (save $22.50)
Control Season Pass — $4.49 $14.99 (save $10.50)
Dead Island 2 — $48.99 $69.99 (save $11)
Diablo IV Cross-Gen Bundle Edition — $54.99 $69.99 (save $15)
Forza Horizon 5 — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)
Forza Motorsport — $64.99 $69.99 (save $5)
Gotham Knights — $12.50 $69.99 (save $57.49)
Immortals Fenyx Rising Gold Edition — $14.99 $99.99 (save $85)
Just Dance 2023 Edition — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)
Little Nightmares I & II Bundle — $14.99 $49.99 (save $35)
Madden NFL 23 — $12.50 $59.99 (save $47.49)
Madden NFL 24 — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Enhanced Edition — $10 $69.99 (save $59.99)
Metro Exodus — $7.49 $29.99 (save $22.50)
Need For Speed Unbound — $12.50 $69.99 (save $57.49)
The Quarry — $9.99 $69.99 (save $60)
Red Dead Redemption — $23.99 $29.99 (save $6)
Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare Pack — $7.99 $9.99 (save $2)
Resident Evil 4 — $42.99 $59.99 (save $17)
Resident Evil Village — $9.99 $39.99 (save $30)
Redfall — $17.50 $69.99 (save $52.49)
Sonic Frontiers — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)
Street Fighter 6 — $46.99 $59.99 (save $13)
Wild Hearts — $9.99 $69.99 (save $60)
The Witcher III: Wild Hunt Complete Edition — $19.99 $49.99 (save $30)
Consoles
Xbox Series S (Certified Refurbished) — $249.99 $299.99 (save $50)
Xbox Series S Gilded Hunter Bundle — $299.99
Xbox Series S Starter Bundle — $299.99 $349.98 (save $49.99)
Xbox Series X Diablo IV Bundle — $499.99 $559.99 (save $60)
Xbox Series X Forza Horizon 5 Bundle — $499.99 $559.99 (save $60)
Controllers
Xbox Wireless Controller (Stellar Shift Special Edition) — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)
Xbox Wireless Controller (Remix Special Edition) — $71.99 $84.99 (save $13)
Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core (White) — $120.99 $129.99 (save $9)
Headsets
Xbox One Chat Headset — $14.97 $24.99 (save $10.02)
HyperX CloudX Stinger Core gaming headset — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15)
Turtle Beach Recon 70 gaming headset — $35.33 $39.95 (save $4.62)
Turtle Beach Recon 200 Gen 2 gaming headset — $44.95 $59.95 (save $15)
Xbox Wireless Headset — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)
HyperX Cloud II gaming headset — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)
SteelSeries Arctis 9X wireless gaming headset — $99.99 $193.50 (save $93.51)
Logitech G Astro A30 Lightspeed gaming headset — $179.99 $229.99 (save $50)
Subscriptions
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 14-day Subscription — $1.00 ($16.99 per month after)
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month Subscription — $30.49 $40.29 (save $9.80)
Xbox Game Pass Core 12-month Subscription — $43.89 $73.19 (save $29.30)
Happy Halloween! Ubisoft Netherlands invites you to celebrate the spooky festivities with AI-generated Assassin’s Creed art. Terrifying indeed!
Ubisoft is shutting down online services for several of its older games, including a bunch of ‘Assassin’s Creed’ titles.
One of the saddest things in gaming has come for a bundle of Ubisoft games.
In an article on its website, Ubisoft announced that it is “decommissioning” online services for several older games in its portfolio. In all, 10 games are losing online functionality on Jan. 24. Here’s the list:
Assassin’s Creed II (Xbox 360)
Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood (Mac)
Assassin’s Creed Liberation HD (PS3 and Xbox 360)
Assassin’s Creed Revelations (PC)
Ghost Recon Future Soldier (PC)
Heroes of Might and Magic VI (PC)
NCSI (PC)
Splinter Cell: Conviction (Xbox 360)
R.U.S.E. (PC)
Trials Evolution (PC)
Obviously, online features differ for all of these games, but the main thing to know is that anything that uses the internet will be shut off. That means multiplayer for games that have it, Ubisoft account linking, and in-game online rewards will no longer be accessible after Jan. 24. Ubisoft also keeps a full list of every game it has shut down in this manner on its website.
This is a deeply sad reality of the games industry. Running servers costs money and publishers often don’t want to spend that money after years have gone by and the player-bases for these games naturally decrease over time. However, instead of crying about what’s happening now, let’s celebrate what we used to have.
In particular, the competitive multiplayer in Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood and Revelations was some of the coolest multiplayer of its era. Several players would play as setting-appropriate characters, each having one target to assassinate. You had to find your target (who was probably hiding in a crowd or on a roof somewhere) while staying hidden in plain sight yourself. It was wonderfully tense, and as far as I can tell, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag might be the only way you can play it now.
Until Ubisoft inevitably shuts that game down, too. Best get in on it while you can.
10 years ago, Ubisoft launched Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, an open-world pirate-themed RPG that set the stage for the modern iteration of the long-running series by revitalizing its open-world exploration and adding remarkable naval combat. And in that time, millions of people have played the game.
