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The teams behind two of Dawn of War’s big overhaul mods are working to update them for the Definitive Edition

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One of the low-key most exciting changes in Dawn of War: Definitive Edition is the shift to a 64-bit exe, which makes it a more stable platform for modding. Dawn of War is beloved for its sense of scale, and being able to expand that even further with massive numbers of enemies on screen and even more factions is the promise of mods like Unification.

If you’re all keyed-up to install Unification right away, however, maybe hold off on that a minute. You might encounter a few problems, like not being able to pan the screen left or right with the cursor, or graphical issues with the Unification campaign map. Over on the Unification Discord, a modder called Kekoulis, Shogun of Unification, has explained the team is waiting for the Definitive Edition to be patched before releasing an update for the mod.

The schedule for that has moved forward, however. Relic had communicated that the Definitive Edition’s second patch, planned for September, would be the one to wait for. Now it’s looking like the first major patch will include the fixes modders are waiting on, “So we will wait for that to test and see if we can release earlier than the 2nd major patch”, Kekoulis writes. “We have already made some progress on updating the UI as well as the rest of the elements, so the patch is proceeding as planned.”


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Back in the day, my preferred wide-scale overhaul for Dawn of War was the Ultimate Apocalypse mod, which is also having some issues with the Definitive Edition—in particular with the UI. Its maps also look rough compared to the upscaled originals. Fortunately the team currently in charge of that mod is also working on a compatibility update.

The same can’t be said for the Crucible mod. Its creators have put together a lengthy document detailing their issues with the Definitive Edition, and said on their Discord that, “Right now there are only a few minor positives to moving to DE, and multiple major negatives, so on balance we will continue modding legacy DOW until DE is up to scratch.”

Finally, since apparently enough people have been asking the Unification team about the recently announced Dawn of War 4 that they’ve had to post a reply. Kekoulis, Shogun of Unification, has made it plain they won’t be adapting Unification to the next game in the series. “Aside from the fact we do not even know the state of that game and how it will be, you are asking us to redo 10+ years worth of work in a new game,” Kekoulis writes, “which will be less known and will have different aspects. The home of Unification is DOW1, especially with DE.”

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Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War - Definitive Edition removes all possible barriers to playing one of the greatest strategy games of all time.
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Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition removes all possible barriers to playing one of the greatest strategy games of all time.

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Hurtle back through space and time with me, will you, to my living room sofa in 2005. Hunched over, Ork-like and sallow, I used to balance my laptop on one of those nesting coffee tables that was a tiny bit too small, a squeaky little bluetooth travel mouse on the even smaller one beside it. It got so uncomfortable at one point I had to give up on the luxury of my squishy wrist-pad mouse mat, and just wedge a whole cushion under my arm instead. All that for another few minutes running my army around the corners of the map, looking for the final building to demolish, any straggling xenos I’d yet to expunge.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition

  • Developer: Relic Entertainment
  • Publisher: Relic Entertainment
  • Platform: Played on PC
  • Availability: Out now on PC (Steam)

The original Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War is one of the all-time greats of real-time strategy. It’s Relic Entertainment, an RTS powerhouse, approaching if not outright hitting its utmost peak, the three brilliant expansions it developed in-house (plus Iron Lore Entertainment’s Soulstorm later on), arriving at just the same time as its equally superlative first Company of Heroes. To look back on that time now – an early teenager, surfing the early-ish, pre-algorithmic internet, playing a favourite genre in a pomp we’ll probably never see again – is to summon that phrase which increasingly feels like the defining cliché of life as an older millennial. We didn’t know how good we had it.

Anyway, I’ve got that out of my system. Back to the grimdark violence of the far future! Dawn of War was and is brilliant because it is just frightfully silly. In writing that, I can hear a thousand mouths cry out in pain, as I think the Aspiring Champion put it. For many, Warhammer is serious business. But not me. Ye olde editor of mine Martin Robinson used to describe 40K as like Tonka Toys for grownups, as if the little models were something you’d imagine smashing together while making duf-duf-duf noises and giggling with glee. I’ve never been able to see it another way since – no faction captures it more than the flag-bearing Space Marines, being all domed shoulders and coned shins and big, cool trucks. Dawn of War was intricate and keenly balanced and vast, but it was also simple. What if you could play your goofy pre-teen imagination, and what if doing that was awesome?

Here’s a trailer for Dawn of War – Definitive EditionWatch on YouTube

Dawn of War – Definitive Edition, which has just released, was more than enough of an excuse to return. As a remaster it’s a pretty low-key one. For everyday users arguably the biggest fix is the one made to the previously clunky choose-your-resolution options on start-up. There were no good options, for anyone not playing on a monitor from 2005 (Dawn of War and the first expansion, Winter Assault, are 4:3 aspect ratio for instance, and Dark Crusade onwards just stretched-out versions of that), where now it scales nicely all the way up to 4K.

There’s a prettifying effort that’s been made to textures, lighting, shadows and the like – the type of thing that you notice the first time you play the new version and then immediately forget. That’s a compliment, if a back-handed one: the nature of these kinds of upgrades is that, while noticeable side-by-side, in practice the new one simply bumps your memory of the old clean out of your head. I must’ve played the original Dawn of War for hundreds, maybe thousands of hours; within about three with Dawn of War – Definitive Edition my subconscious has already decided that’s just how it always looked.

Image credit: Relic Entertainment / Eurogamer

Naturally, of course, it isn’t. Go back to the original again and you’ll be blown away by just how claustrophobic the level of zoom is with the camera. Or how greedy the UI’s taskbar is, taking up the entire bottom edge and what must be close to about 20 percent of your entire screen. These are little snags you didn’t even know were snags, sanded off and 2025-ified for modern consumption. Plenty of old bugs have been tidied up too.

The headline for the true nerds is the move to a 64-bit version of the game from the previous 32-bit. I’m not going to even attempt to get all Digital Foundry about this but the top-line point here is that it’s a major boon for the modding scene, adding extra headroom where modders would previously come up against hard limits to RAM usage. Part of the justification developer Relic gave for this specific type of somewhat limited remaster, in fact, was that it “didn’t want to break anything” modders had made for the original, as design director Philippe Boulle told some guy called Wes at IGN.

Absolute state of this lad. | Image credit: Relic Entertainment / Eurogamer

The headline for me, meanwhile, is that I once again have a reason to play this game again – and a functional, borderline thriving online community to repeatedly lose to once more. (Anyone who ventured onto old DoW servers in recent years would’ve encountered one of about nine, five-star-rated experts who still lurked there, and who were often very nice, in that Warhammer shop assistant way, as they absolutely obliterated you in about 45 seconds flat.)

I started up my playthrough here at the very beginning, with the first Dawn of War’s main campaign. This lasted a few pleasantly xeno-purging missions until I had one of those who am I kidding moments, and turned straight to the conquest mode of Dark Crusade – one of the very greatest RTS campaigns of all time, and a mode I’ve personally replayed so many times, on so many chunky laptops after school, or friends’ parents’ PCs when attempting to jank together some rudimentary LAN party, that even the tutorial voiceover guy’s weirdly impeccable enunciation is burned into my ears. This mode is just magic. Put a conquest mode in everything, I say (and realise I’ve also said before).

Memories… | Image credit: Relic Entertainment / Eurogamer

In saying that, I realise I’m trying to sell you on it. And in realising that I’m landing on something else. The other big millennial realisation that is forever destined to haunt us, as it’s done to every generation before. A lot of people are about to experience this thing you’ve always loved for the first time today. I like that one much better. So much has been said and written about the demise of the RTS. And indeed of Relic, a sensational developer that’s gone through the ringer like so many others in recent years. Now’s your chance to remind yourself what they were all about; or to realise it for the first time. If you’ve never played Dawn of War – hell, if you’ve never played a real-time-strategy game – this is the time to do it.

Dawn of War is grim, jagged, frequently some shade of sludgy grey, green or brown. It’s also campy, emphatic in its spectacle and quite happy to be bizarre. It’s a game where teching (or turtling, as some call it) can be genuinely viable, letting you pile up defensive turrets and mines, pack choke points (all great strategy games must have choke points!) and outlast your enemy’s assault as you bide your time through unit upgrades. As can rushing to a specific unit or upgrade for some niche, edge-case means of assault, like teleporting a builder over a chasm and having them construct cloaked buildings right under the enemy’s nose. It’s a game you can take very seriously, with a real competitive edge, or likewise not even a little seriously at all, giggling at line deliveries and old quotes you’ll find yourself muttering to friends years later. And all of it’s just drenched, dripping, squelching away in peak, secondary school oddball fantasy. I refuse to play this game and be sad about the state of the RTS, to feel sorry for what we’ve lost or what could’ve been. Instead I’m simply glad to have it at all. I say get your big fancy power armour on and wade in, like the rest of the Emperor’s finest.



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Howl's Moving Castle Deluxe Limited Edition Novel Is Only $23, Releases Next Month
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Howl’s Moving Castle Deluxe Limited Edition Novel Is Only $23, Releases Next Month

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If you’re a big fan of Studio Ghibli’s animated movie Howl’s Moving Castle, you may be interested in adding a gorgeous new edition of the novel it’s based on to your bookshelf. Diana Wynne Jones’ beloved 1986 fantasy novel will be reissued in hardcover on September 9. Howl’s Moving Castle Deluxe Limited Edition is available to preorder at Amazon for $23.24 (was $25). Fans can also preorder a new paperback box set containing the entire World of Howl Trilogy for only $32.

The Deluxe Limited Edition and World of Howl Box Set would look great displayed next to the Steelbook Edition of Howl’s Moving Castle. The 2004 adaptation written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki strays considerably from the source material, but both the film and novel are magical in their own ways.

$23.24 (was $25) | Releases September 9

The Deluxe Limited Edition of Howl’s Moving Castle features beautiful new jacket art, full-color endpapers by artist Devin Elle Kurtz, black-and-white illustrations throughout the novel, and more premium flourishes. The publisher recreated a starry night sky by digitally printing the blue page edges. Bright white streaks resemble shooting stars.

If you remove the dust jacket, you’ll find gold foil-stamped text and shooting star graphics on the front/back covers and spine. The front cover features a well-known line from the novel: “Howl’s quite heartless, you know.”

As this is a limited-edition release, Howl’s Moving Castle fans may want to preorder their copy of the new 352-page hardcover soon. The $25 list price is lower than many standard hardcover fiction releases.

If you’ve never read the novel, Howl’s Moving Castle follows Sophie Hatter after she accidentally attracts the attention of the Witch of the Waste. Transformed into an old woman, Sophie’s only chance at breaking her curse lies within the Wizard Howl’s castle, a mobile base ruled by an infamous heartbreaker who is tormented by dark secrets from his past.

$32 | Releases October 7

Just a few weeks after the Deluxe Limited Edition’s release, Greenwillow Books is publishing Diana Wynne Jones’ complete trilogy as a paperback box set.

Howl’s Moving Castle is the first book in the World of Howl Trilogy. It was followed up by Castle in the Air in 1990 and House of Many Ways in 2008. All three books are standalone stories with different protagonists, but Howl appears in both of the follow-ups, so you should definitely read Howl’s Moving Castle first.

Castle in the Air follows unsuccessful carpet salesman Abdullah as he daydreams about a more adventurous life. House of Many Ways focuses on Charmain Baker as she explores a family home that can bend time and space.

All three novels are also available individually in paperback, and standard edition hardcovers with durable library bindings of the first two books are in print, too.

World of Howl Series:

  • Howl’s Moving Castle
  • Castle in the Air
  • House of Many Ways

Howl’s Moving Castle Deluxe Limited Edition

Studio Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle on Blu-ray

As mentioned, the 2004 Studio Ghibli film deviated quite a bit from the book, as it featured a different aesthetic, certain characters stuck around for much longer, and even the dynamic between Sophie and Howl plays out in an unconventional way.

If you want to add the Studio Ghibli adaptation to your home movie collection, you can get the Howl’s Moving Castle Limited Edition Steelbook for only $16.29 or the standard edition for $15. Both editions come with Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film as well as a nice selection of special features, including storyboards, documentaries, interviews, and the original promotional materials. Howl’s Moving Castle has a star-studded cast of voice actors, including Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, and Billy Crystal, who voiced various characters.

Howl’s Moving Castle on Blu-ray

You can pair the Blu-ray with The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle, an excellent official companion book published in 2005. Priced at $19.44 (was $35), The Art of Howl’s Moving Castle offers a sprawling collection of concept sketches, fully rendered character and background drawings, paintings and cell images, and commentary from the Studio Ghibli crew that worked on the movie.

Howl’s Moving Castle is just one of numerous Studio Ghibli animated films inspired by a novel, short story, or manga. We’ve rounded up some of the other adaptations and their source materials below. We only included Ghibli films that pull from source material that’s readily available in English. At the bottom, you’ll also find a few examples of the reverse situation: written and illustrated stories adapted from Studio Ghibli films.

Kiki’s Delivery Service

Written by. Eiko Kadono and illustrated by Akiko Hayashi, Kiki’s Delivery Service is a popular Japanese children’s novel originally published in 1985. Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed the 1989 animated adaptation. The adaptation has an official art book as well as a comic adaptation of its own.

  • Read the novel:
  • Watch the adaptation:
  • Books based on the movie:

Tales from Earthsea

The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition | Shuna’s Journey

The 2006 Ghibli film Tales from Earthsea is a notable one here because Goro Miyazaki–Hayao Miyazaki’s son–adapted parts of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea series as well as his father’s graphic novel Shuna’s Journey. The film pulls from the first four novels in Le Guin’s classic fantasy series. A Wizard of Earthsea, the first novel in the fantasy series, was published in 1968. Humorously, the film gets its name from the fifth book in the series, but it doesn’t include elements from its namesake.

Shuna’s Journey, meanwhile, was published in Japanese in 1983 and received an English translation in 2022. It has beautiful watercolor artwork by Hayao Miyazaki. We’d also highly recommend The Books of Earthsea: The Complete Illustrated Edition, a lavish 1,008-page hardcover collecting Le Guin’s full series.

  • Read Ursula K. Le Guin’s novel series:
  • Read Hayao Miyazaki’s graphic novel:
  • Watch the adaptation:

The Secret World of Arietty

The Borrowers, a 1952 fantasy novel written by Mary Norton was adapted by Studio Ghibli in 2010 as The Secret World of Arietty. Hayao Miyazaki wrote the screenplay, and Hiromasa Yonebayashi directed the film.

  • Read the novel:
  • Watch the adaptation:

When Marnie Was There

When Marnie Was There, a 1967 children’s novel by Joan G. Robinson, was adapted to a film of the same name in 2014. Yonebayashi directed and co-wrote the psychological drama.

  • Read the novel:
  • Watch the adaptation:

The Cat Returns

Baron the Cat, a 2002 manga by Aoi Hiiragi, was adapted the same year as The Cat Returns. Aoi Hiiragi’s manga was translated to English in 2005 with the title Baron: The Cat Returns. The Baron from the book and movie previously appeared in Studio Ghibli’s 1995 film Whisper of the Heart. This is because Aoi Hiiragi also wrote the original manga it’s based on. Unfortunately, the 1989 manga Mimi o Sumaseba has never received an English translation.

  • Read the manga:
  • Watch the adaptation:

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind

Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind Manga Box Set (Hardcover)

Hayao Miyazaki has adapted exactly one of his own published works: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind. First published in 1982, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind is Miyazaki’s only manga series. He based the screenplay for the 1984 film adaptation on parts of the first and second volumes of what eventually ended as a seven-volume series in 1994. Since the manga ran for a decade after the film’s release, it’s no surprise that the 1,100-plus page series is markedly different than the movie. The Nausicaa manga is available in trade paperback or in a deluxe, two-volume hardcover box set with a display case, fully illustrated endpapers, and a watercolor poster. Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind’s Blu-ray and DVD combo pack is one of many Studio Ghibli films available with a steelbook case.

  • Read the manga:
  • Watch the adaptation:
  • Read books about both:

My Neighbor Totoro

My Neighbor Totoro: The Novel and Picture Book

My Neighbor Totoro isn’t like the films and books listed above. Written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro released in 1988. A four-volume ani-manga released in Japan almost simultaneously. Viz Media translated those volumes to English in 2004-05. Just last year, all four were reprinted as My Neighbor Totoro Film Comic: All-in-One Edition. The nearly 600-page hardcover book is available for the bargain price of $30. The film was also adapted into a picture book the same year it released. For Totoro’s 25th anniversary, author Tsugiko wrote a novelization of My Neighbor Totoro with illustrations by Miyazaki.

  • Watch the movie:
  • Read the books based on the movie:

My Neighbor Totoro and Kiki’s Delivery Service aren’t the only Studio Ghibli films to receive ani-manga (film comics in the US) adaptations. Fans can also get omnibus editions of comics adapted from Spirited Away and Ponyo. The 856-page Spirited Away Film Comic: All-in-One Edition is on sale for $25.60 (was $35). Ponyo’s All-in-One Edition released in July and is up for grabs for $25.87 (was $30). Ghibli fans can also preorder the Princess Mononoke Film Comic: All-in-One Edition ahead of its publication next January.



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TMNT Trilogy Limited Edition Revealed - 4K Restorations And New Bonus Content
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TMNT Trilogy Limited Edition Revealed – 4K Restorations And New Bonus Content

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The original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie trilogy is coming to 4K Blu-ray for the first time this holiday season. All three early ’90s action films have been digitally restored by Arrow Films and will be bundled in two limited-edition box sets, both of which are available to preorder ahead of their December 16 release. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy 4K Limited Edition is available for $100, while the standard Blu-ray version is going for $95.

Like most Arrow Video releases, these prices are likely to drop before release day. If you preorder now, you’ll be eligible for any future discounts until Amazon ships your order. Keep in mind that Arrow Video Limited Editions are actually limited. The British distributor often reissues sold-out Blu-rays, but subsequent printings don’t have the fancy packaging and collectible inserts. At the time of writing, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy is the No. 1 best seller on Amazon’s movie and TV charts, so it wouldn’t be surprising if the 4K set sold out.

$100 | Releases December 16

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
  • TMNT II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III (1993)

The 4K Blu-ray edition of the original 1990 movie has been restored from the original 35mm camera negative. The second and third films in the trilogy were restored from the original 35mm interpositives.

Along with native 4K (2160p) resolution, each film supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. For enhanced audio, the original movie has Dolby Atmos surround sound support. The sequels don’t support Atmos, but surround sound is still offered with DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Original lossless stereo audio is also available for all three movies.

The Limited Edition includes multiple collectibles and premium packaging. Inside the limited-edition display box, you’ll find a collector’s booklet with retrospectives by Simon Ward, John Torrani, and John Walsh. Each film is packaged individually in a case with a reversible sleeve. The sleeves have original artwork by Florey.

In terms of on-disc bonus content, so far we know there will be new director’s audio commentaries for all three films as well as interviews with at least 15 actors and seven crew members.

Arrow Video said the full list of extras will be unveiled on September 26, so the box set will have additional bonus features and possibly more collectibles.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy Features:

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
    • 4K restoration from original 35mm negative
    • Dolby Vision / HDR10
    • Dolby Atmos / Lossless Stereo
  • TMNT II (1991) & TMNT III (1993)
    • 4K restorations from original 35mm interpositives
    • Dolby Vision / HDR10
    • DTS-HD MA 5.1 / Lossless Stereo
  • Bound Collector’s Booklet with retrospectives
  • Reversible sleeves with original artwork
  • Limited Edition display box
  • New director’s audio commentaries for each film
  • New cast and crew interviews for each film

$95 | Releases December 16

The 1080p version is made from the 4K restorations, so the films will almost certainly look and sound better than current Blu-ray editions. You’ll get all of the same extras and on-disc bonus content with the standard Blu-ray Limited Edition. You will be missing out on Dolby Vision and HDR10, though. With the price difference currently only five bucks, it doesn’t make much sense to buy this edition unless you don’t have a dedicated media player or game console capable of playing 4K Blu-rays.

35 years later, nothing quite compares to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The original movie is still an impressive showcase of practical effects, martial arts action, and it’s surprisingly dark in its execution of the source material. In fact, depending on who you ask, it might have been too dark, as its sequels were much more family-friendly in comparison. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze was more slapstick in nature, while Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 3: Turtles in Time might have jumped the shark with its time-travel story that saw the gang transported to feudal Japan.

In the decades since, the Turtles have starred in a handful of feature films and several long-running animated TV series. TMNT continues to be popular with fans of all ages. If you want to spend some time with Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello, and Michelangelo, check out our roundups outlining all of the TMNT TV series and movies you can watch today on Blu-ray and DVD.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated series

The original 1987 animated series along with the wildly popular action figures turned Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles into a worldwide phenomenon. The series amassed 193 episodes across its 10-season run that finally came to a close in 1996. The complete series released on DVD last October, and it’s an absolute steal even at its full $34 price. Right now, you can grab the 23-disc TMNT: Complete Classic Series Collection for only $26.59.

Impressively, TMNT followed up its original series with another long run from 2003 to 2009. The follow-up show went by several different names throughout its seven-season, 155-episode run. Whereas the original leaned into comedy, the follow-up series skewed more toward the serious, grounded personality of the comics. TMNT: The Ultimate Collection includes every episode and the Turtles Forever TV movie. In Turtles Forever, the Turtles save the multiverse alongside the Turtles from the original 1987 movie.

The franchise simply makes for good TV, and this trend continued with the 2012 Nickelodeon series. It ran for five seasons before ending in 2017 after 124 episodes. Last year, a new series called Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles debuted on Nickelodeon and Paramount+. All 12 episodes are available on Blu-ray and DVD, and Season 2 is expected to air in 2025.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies on Blu-ray

Since the turn of the century, the franchise’s big screen outings have been a tale of two styles. The 2014 and 2016 live-action films were massive disappointments, but returning to its animated roots in 2023’s Mutant Mayhem proved to be a winning formula.

  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trilogy (Remastered)
  • TMNT Trilogy (Blu-ray) — $13 ($20)
  • TMNT 4-Film Favorites: Trilogy + 2007
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2007)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016)
  • TMNT: Out of the Shadows + TMNT 2014 (Blu-ray) — $15
  • Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Comic Book Collections

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Compendiums

If you’re interested in reading some of the awesome Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comic books while you wait for the TMNT Trilogy to arrive, you’re in luck: There are a bunch of great omnibus editions and compendiums to check out. For a budget-friendly way to read some all-time classics, check out The Ultimate Collection black-and-white paperbacks and the Color Classics Collection.

In addition to classic TMNT comics, there’s the ongoing IDW series, which has been running for nearly 15 years and has eclipsed 300 issues. So far, the series has been collected into 17 hardcover books, with Volume 18 slated to release in September.

All of the books below are hardcover unless otherwise noted.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Series

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin Series

The biggest modern TMNT hit in the comic book space is undoubtedly The Last Ronin. It’s genuinely one of the best graphic novels released over the past five years. The Last Ronin II was published in July, so now’s a great time to check out this must-read series from the co-creator of the franchise.

Lastly, we’d highly recommend checking out Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Ultimate Visual History. This beautiful book takes fans on a tour through the franchise’s storied history. Insight Editions published a revised and expanded edition in 2024. You can get the 328-page hardcover book for $41 (was $75).



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28 Years Later Steelbook Collector's Edition Preorders Are Live At Amazon
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28 Years Later Steelbook Collector’s Edition Preorders Are Live At Amazon

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More than two decades after the release of 28 Days Later, director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Alex Garland have teamed up again for a new film beloved post-apocalyptic zombie franchise. 28 Years Later hit theaters on June 20, earning strong reviews from critics and fans. It’s the third entry in the series, though Boyle/Garland didn’t work on 28 Weeks Later, the 2007 standalone sequel. Fans may want to consider locking in a preorder for the 28 Years Later Steelbook Collector’s Edition, which is available for $45 and comes with 4K and 1080p Blu-ray discs as well as a digital copy.

At the time of writing, the Steelbook Collector’s Edition is the No. 1 best-selling movie on Amazon. It’s not uncommon for steelbook preorders that top Amazon’s charts to sell out. The 4K Blu-ray release date for 28 Years Later hasn’t been announced, but you won’t be charged until your order ships (likely two to three months from now).

If you need to refresh your memory before watching 28 Years Later, Prime Video has deals on the first two movies. You can buy 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later for $15 total.

$45

The official design of the steelbook case hasn’t been revealed yet. Placeholder art for all physical editions showcases the grisly Bone Temple from the movie. Typically, promotional materials like this are used for the standard editions, and steelbooks get their own unique exterior and interior art, so don’t be surprised if the Collector’s Edition’s case design is markedly different from this.

The Steelbook Collector’s Edition comes with 4K Blu-ray, 1080p Blu-ray, and digital copies of 28 Years Later.

Even if you don’t care about steelbook cases, it offers the best value at the moment. Both Amazon and Walmart have priced the Collector’s Edition at $45. Blu-ray pricing can be all over the place when preorders first open, and that’s reflected in the list below. The standard edition 4K Blu-ray is five bucks more at both retailers, and the 1080p version is $41. Amazon has the DVD of 28 Years Later for $35, which would be the most curious number here if it wasn’t for the $41 cost at Walmart.

Standard edition prices will likely drop in the coming weeks. You won’t be charged for your preorder until it ships, and you’ll get any deals offered before release. It’s also worth keeping in mind that steelbook preorders sometimes increase from their initial price.

  • Preorder Steelbook Collector’s Edition (4K Blu-ray)
  • Preorder 4K Blu-ray
  • Preorder Blu-ray
  • Preorder DVD

Special features haven’t been revealed yet, but we’re expecting the usual assortment of behind-the-scenes featurettes, interviews, and promotional materials.

As mentioned above, 28 Years Later is a sequel to 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later–there’s no 28 Months Later, much to our dismay–and it sees Boyle return to the director’s chair, armed with a script penned by Garland. The original film launched Garland’s Hollywood career and showcased Boyle’s impressive range as the director; it’s cool to see the pair team up again 23 years later on 28 Years Later (sorry).

Set almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, the UK is still cut off from the outside world, and this has given rise to new communities that survive amidst the chaos. One such outpost is located on a small island connected to the mainland by a single and heavily-defended causeway, and the film chronicles the journey of a group from that village who discover new secrets and horrors in the lands beyond their safe haven.

One of the interesting things about 28 years Later is that it was filmed with iPhone 15 smartphones–using custom-made lenses and specialized rigs–to create a unique look for the film. A sequel, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, has already been filmed and will be out next year, and if both films are a success, there’ll be a threequel to finish off this new horror trilogy.

The previous films in the series are still worth watching, but in the case of 28 Days Later, there is a catch here. Even on Blu-ray, the movie looks pretty bad, but not because of a poor transfer or shoddy remastering. Partly due to strict time constraints on UK filmmakers looking to shoot their movies on location, Boyle and his team decided to go with lightweight Canon digital camcorders for production so that shoots could be lean and fast.

28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later on DVD

This allowed them to film the eerily abandoned streets of London quickly, but the downside here is that these cameras could only offer low-resolution digital footage that was then saved to MiniDV cassettes. Unlike film, upscaling from these tapes is extremely difficult, and this is made very evident by the final scenes of 28 Days Later that were shot with an Arri camera in a higher resolution.

As for 28 Weeks Later, it isn’t as widely loved as 28 Days Later, but it’s still a rock-solid zombie movie with several incredible scenes, if you don’t mind the overreliance on shaky-cam techniques employed by director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo.

Watch 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later

Both films are technically available on Blu-ray, but since they’ve been out of print for years now, the prices are rather high. The out-of-print DVD editions can also be fairly expensive, but you can get a combo pack with both films for $50-$60. It’s worth mentioning the editions in the box set display in 4:3 aspect ratio and will look best on CRT TVs. Widescreen editions of both movies are available to purchase separately.

As mentioned, you can also grab digital versions of 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later for low prices on Amazon.

A 4K Blu-ray edition of 28 Days Later is in the works, but we’re not certain if it’ll look better or worse in ultra-high-definition. Considering the picture quality, it’s best to go with the DVD or cheap digital versions of 28 Days Later for now. Fans can preorder the 28 Days Later 4K Steelbook Edition for $45, though it’s not expected to ship until December at the earliest.



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Little Nightmares 3 gets October release date and there's an enhanced edition of the original on the way
Game Reviews

Little Nightmares 3 gets October release date and there’s an enhanced edition of the original on the way

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It’s been an eventful news day for fans of adorably sinister horror series Little Nightmares. Not only has the upcoming third instalment received a 10th October release date on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and – as newly confirmed – Switch 2, publisher Bandai Namco has announced an Enhanced Edition of the original game, and a brand-new VR instalment.


Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition, which seems as good a place as any to start, promises a bit of a glow-up for developer Tarsier Studios’ acclaimed 2017 original. This time around, players can experience raincoat-wearing protagonist Six’s strange, dark escape from the mysterious, floating Maw at 4K resolution and 60fps. There’s also talk of “RTX reflections, water effects, more particles, and volumetric lighting”, plus a choice between Quality and Performance modes, depending on whether you prefer to prioritise visuals or framerate.


Bandai Namco has given Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition an official launch date of 10th October, but it’s available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC right now for anyone that pre-orders developer Supermassive Games’ Little Nightmares 3. Switch 2 is also getting the Enhanced Edition, but not until October.

Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition comparison video.Watch on YouTube


As for that VR version, it’s title Little Nightmares: Altered Echoes and… that’s pretty much all we know so far. Bandai Namco is yet to confirm a developer, even the platforms it’s targeting, but we do get a 45-second announcement trailer to tide us over. “Every step echoes closer,” the publisher teases, “does this tune sound familiar, little ones?” Also promising is the newly teased Little Nightmares stop-motion project, which looks eerily beautiful in its brisk reveal trailer, although there’s no hint as to when or even where this might eventually show up. Is it related to the Little Nightmares TV show announced back in 2017? Time will tell.


So to recap: Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition is out now for those that pre-order Little Nightmares 3, otherwise both games launch on 10th October. Little Nightmares: Altered Echoes, meanwhile, exists, and there’s not much else to say. As to what original Little Nightmares developer Tarsier Studios is up to now, having walked away from the series after part 2, that’ll be Reanimal. It’s another kids-in-dark-places horror adventure (but with added co-op) that’s coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC later this year.



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Xbox and Meta unveil new VR Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset
Esports

Xbox and Meta unveil new VR Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition headset

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Xbox has announced a new VR headset designed in collaboration with Meta – the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition.

Corporate VP of Xbox partnerships and marketing, Lori Wright, said it would be a “limited edition release” as part of an “ongoing partnership” that “celebrates the expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta) on Meta Quest headsets.”

“Over the past several years, Xbox has expanded the Xbox cloud gaming experience to more places and more players,” Wright said. “Since the announcement of the Xbox app on Quest, our goal has been to empower more people to play their favorite games whenever and wherever they want.

“Today, with the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, we are bringing this vision to life with a new design that celebrates Xbox’s iconic aesthetic.”

The Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition bundle is available now for $400 (£380) and comes with the headset, matching Touch Plus controllers and a limited-edition wireless controller, a Meta Quest Elite strap, as well as three months of Meta Horizon+ and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, Xbox reports you can pair any Xbox wireless controller or adaptive controller to the headset via Bluetooth.

“We’re proud of what we’ve built together with Meta, and we can’t wait for you to dive into everything the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition has to offer,” Wright concluded. “Whether you’re streaming the latest Xbox Game Pass Ultimate titles, exploring the ever-expanding world of VR, or kicking back with immersive entertainment, this is just the beginning of what’s possible when great teams and great technology come together.”

The reveal comes on the same day we reported that Microsoft is allegedly planning a “major” round of layoffs at Xbox next week. If true, this follows a round of Microsoft layoffs in May 2025, where 3% of the company’s headcount was targeted, on top of a smaller round of layoffs before that in January 2025. 650 staff were similarly cut from its games division in September 2024. In May 2024, four studios under subsidiary Bethesda were closed, with some staff “realigned” to other teams. There were also 1900 roles cut in January 2024.

During its recent Q3 2025 results, Microsoft shared that its gaming segment increased revenue 5% year-on-year.



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death stranding 2 higgs
Gaming Gear

Which Death Stranding 2 Edition Should You Buy?

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Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will launch on June 26 exclusively for the PlayStation 5, but those who buy a special edition of the game will be able to access it early. The question is, with three special editions available, which version should you get? 

Death Stranding 2 is the sequel to legendary developer Hideo Kojima’s 2019 game, and it improves on every aspect of the original, making it a game that anyone who is remotely interested in it should play. The edition you should purchase will depend on how big of a fan you are of the series. 

Watch this: Unboxing the Death Stranding 2 PS5 Controller

00:45

What do the Death Stranding 2 pre-order bonuses and early unlocks actually do?

The digital content that comes with the Death Stranding 2 editions is primarily for cosmetic purposes. It lets players add a little customization to their equipment. The one early unlock that does give players an advantage is the Machine Gun, since it’s a powerful weapon that players wouldn’t usually get until around the mid-point of the game. 

What’s in the different Death Stranding 2 editions?

To start, there is the Standard Edition, which retails for $70.

Kojima Productions

The Standard Edition does include some additional digital content:

  • Quokka Hologram
  • Battle Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
  • Boost Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)
  • Bokka Skeleton: Silver (LV1, LV2, LV3)

Holograms get unlocked the more you play through the game. These holograms can be placed at structures that the main character, Sam, builds and act as a little sign that you were there. 

Skeletons are an equippable item, and help Sam physically while allowing him to carry more items. The Battle Skeleton lets Sam do more damage with physical attacks, the Boost Skeleton helps Sam run faster while carrying a lot of items and the Bokka Skeleton helps Sam climb up certain terrains while being more balanced, so he won’t tip over. This content, however, is just a cosmetic color for the Skeleton. It will not unlock the item, since that has to be done by completing missions in the game. 

Next, there’s the Digital Deluxe Edition for $80. Order this edition or the Collector’s Edition from Sony, and you’ll receive 48-hour early access to play the game before it comes out, which will begin at 12 a.m. ET on June 24 (9 p.m. PT on June 23). 

Kojima Productions

The Digital Deluxe Edition includes the 48-hour early access and the Skeleton cosmetics, although in this edition, the cosmetics are gold and not silver. This edition also comes with:

  • Machine Gun (MP Bullets) LV1 early unlock
  • Quokka Patch
  • Chiral Feline Patch
  • Why Me? Patch

The Machine Gun is a weapon you get later in the game, and it’s a powerful addition thanks to its large magazine filled with bullets. It can also shoot for longer than the Assault Rifle found early in the game. MP Bullets are the standard type of bullets found in the game that can damage humans, BTs and robots. 

The patches are for Sam’s backpack. They are strictly cosmetic and offer no in-game advantage.  

Then, for the big fans of Death Stranding, there’s the Collector’s Edition that costs $230. 

Kojima Productions

The Collector’s Edition comes with all the digital content from the Deluxe Edition as well as some real-life collectibles in a collector’s box. It includes: 

  • 15-inch Magellan Man Statue
  • 3-inch Dollman figurine
  • Art cards
  • Letter from Hideo Kojima

All of the special editions are available to order now. 

Should I pre-order Death Stranding 2 for the bonus DLC?

The big reason to pre-order Death Stranding 2 is early access so you can play the game early if you get the Digital Deluxe version. The other bonus DLC is nice to have, but not really needed in the game.

Is the Death Stranding 2 Digital Deluxe Edition bonus content worth it?

If you’re looking to get a leg up on the game, being able to unlock the Machine Gun early can be worth the price of the Digital Deluxe Edition. 



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Microsoft dips its toes into VR with limited edition Xbox-themed Meta Quest headset
Game Reviews

Microsoft dips its toes into VR with limited edition Xbox-themed Meta Quest headset

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Xbox has collaborated with Meta to launch the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition, a limited edition VR headset.

The device continues an ongoing partnership between the two companies, following the addition of Xbox cloud gaming to Meta headsets in 2022. This was followed by the release of Xbox Game Pass to Meta Quest 3 back in 2023, as Xbox expanded its cloud gaming offering.

The headset features an Xbox design of black and green, along with matching Touch Plus controllers and a limited-edition Xbox Wireless Controller. The package also includes three months of Meta Horizon+ and three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. It’s out now, and costs £379.99. It is available directly from Meta or exclusively at Argos and EE in the UK.

Unveiling the Exclusive Meta Quest 3S Xbox EditionWatch on YouTube

US purchasers will find the headset at Best Buy for $399.99. Further details can be found on Xbox Wire.

Through the cloud, users will have access to Xbox Game Pass through the headset – though this won’t be fully VR versions of games. Instead, there are four display options, including one cinema-sized screen. Cross-play and cross-progression mean players can continue playing across the VR headset or their Xbox console or PC.

Back in 2019, CEO of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer stated VR wasn’t a focus for the company’s then forthcoming Xbox Series X/S consoles.

“I have some issues with VR,” he said. “It’s isolating and I think of games as a communal, kind of together experience. We’re responding to what our customers are asking for and… nobody’s asking for VR.”

He added “nobody’s selling millions and millions” of VR units, before stating: “I think we might get there [eventually]. But yeah, that’s not where our focus is.”

Now, Microsoft is dipping its toes into VR with this collaboration, without developing its own VR system.

It mirrors the company’s recently announced handheld console, the Xbox branded ROG Ally from ASUS. As announced at the recent Xbox Games Showcase, the handheld will be released later this year.

It’s also in contrast to Sony’s PSVR2, which has not been well-supported since its release in 2023. Recently, Beat Studios ended support for Beat Saber on both PS4 and PS5.



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Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Earth Dancer Edition Restocked On Launch Day
Game Updates

Rune Factory: Guardians Of Azuma Earth Dancer Edition Restocked On Launch Day

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Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma’s Earth Dancer Edition is back in stock on launch day at Best Buy and GameStop. Though the standard edition released on June 5 for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 as originally planned, production issues caused the Earth Dancer Edition to be delayed by two weeks to June 20. The $100 edition has been sold out everywhere for more than a month, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Best Buy and GameStop sell out of copies again. Nintendo Switch 2 players who buy the Earth Dancer Edition can buy a $10 upgrade from the eShop.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Earth Dancer Limited Edition:

Updated on June 20

$100 | Restocked on June 20

The $100 Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Earth Dancer Limited Edition includes the physical edition for Nintendo Switch–the full game is on the card–and the following extras:

  • Woolby character plush keychain
  • 140-plus page art book
  • Official soundtrack on CD
  • Traditional Japanese folding fan
  • Seasons of Love DLC bundle with extra downloadable Woolby Costumes
  • Custom box with unique cover art
  • In-game content as DLC:
    • Festive Attire & Dark Woolby Bundle
    • Seasons of Love Bundle
    • Rune Factory 4 Outfit Bundle
    • Useful Item Bundle

The Earth Dancer Edition isn’t available for Switch 2, but you can pay a $10 fee on the eShop to upgrade to the Nintendo Switch 2 version.

The production/shipping issues for the Earth Dancer Edition caused it to sell out at all major retailers well before Guardians of Azuma’s launch. As mentioned, Best Buy and GameStop are the only major retailers with copies available on launch day (June 20). It remains sold out at Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

$60

If you only want a physical copy of the base game, the Switch version of Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma is in stock for $60 at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Best Buy.

$69

The Nintendo Switch 2 physical edition of Guardians of Azuma is available for $69 at Amazon, Walmart and Target. Unlike many third-party releases on Switch 2, Guardians of Azuma is a true physical edition–the game is fully stored on the cartridge.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma – Earth Dancer Limited Edition

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma has been a hit with both critics and fans. It currently holds a Metascore of 81 on review aggregator Metacritic (a GameSpot sister site). Guardians of Azuma has a user review average of 80, and the PC version currently sits at “Very Positive” based on more than 1,400 customer reviews.

The new entry takes the RPG-meets-farming-sim formula to new heights. Set in Azuma–a fantasy world inspired by Japanese folklore–the game places players in the role of a magical martial artist known as an Earth Dancer. You embark on a journey to restore the land by building farms, repairing villages, and completing RPG-style quests where you’ll square off against bosses with magical swords imbued with elements.

More Rune Factory games on Switch

Rune Factory 3 Special – Golden Memories Limited Edition

If you’re interested in Guardians of Azuma and haven’t played all of the previous entries in the franchise, you’re in luck, because there are three great Rune Factory games on Nintendo Switch already. Rune Factory 5 is the most recent numbered game in the franchise, but remastered versions of Rune Factory 3 and 4 are also worth checking out. Rune Factory 3 originally released on Nintendo DS in 2010, while Rune Factory 4 first appeared on 3DS in 2013. You can get all three for cheap at Amazon. You can even still get Rune Factory 3’s Golden Memories Limited Edition for less than retail price.



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