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Figures

We’re Entering a Golden Age of Marvel Fighting Game Figures

by admin June 24, 2025

A few weeks ago, Hasbro revealed it was cooking up a massive tribute to the legacy of Capcom’s Marvel fighting games, from Children of the Atom all the way through to the legendary Marvel vs. Capcom franchise, with a series of Marvel Legends figures replicating aesthetics and matchups from across some of the most iconic fighting games ever made. But would it be a fighting game without a shock new challenger entering the ring?

Last night Bandai confirmed that it would be kicking off its own “Gamerverse” line of figures in the S.H. Figuarts range, likewise inspired by the classic Capcom Marvel games, starting with a downright glorious Cyclops that’s due out this November for ¥9,900 (or around $68). Heavily inspired by the aesthetic of Bengus’ artwork for the likes of Marvel vs. Capcom and X-Men vs. Street Fighter (itself drawing inspiration from Cyclops’ then-current Jim Lee suit from the ’90s refresh of the X-Men comics), the figure is more than just Bandai’s first crack at comics-inspired X-Men figures (the Figuarts line has had a few mutant entries via movie adaptations, most notably Deadpool and Wolverine via their appearances in Deadpool & Wolverine). It’s a celebration of Cyclops specifically as he appeared in those classic fighting games.

It’s very cool to see the SHF Cyclops hitting all the poses you’d want him to hit from those early games, from his legendarily sassy Optic Blast pose, to hitting a Gene Splice uppercut, to, of course, using a set of back sheets to replicate his massive Mega Optic Blast hyper combo. He can even do his little x-hand pose before he fires, to boot!

But what’s most interesting about this wave of merchandising nostalgia for the early Marvel/Capcom games—off of the back of the re-release of several of the classic games in the Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection last year—is that they’re now all dropping right as Marvel’s fighting game legacy prepares to move away from Capcom itself. The start of this month saw Sony make a surprise reveal of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, a new tag-team fighter in the vein of those classic Capcom titles, but made by Guilty Gear‘s Arc Systems Works. It was the first major Marvel fighting game not developed by Capcom in years, and came in the wake of the disappointing release of Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite back in 2017.

The MvC series had spent nearly a decade wash with disappointment for the latest title, while also patting itself on the back for the legacy that had come before it. Now, on the video game front, that legacy is preparing to go elsewhere. But on your toy shelf, at least, it’s staying firmly put in Capcom’s court.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

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June 24, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Six New Fantastic Four Figures Launching Next Month, Preorders Live

by admin June 24, 2025

At long last, the Fantastic Four are making their return to the big screen with Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25, and maybe the fourth time will be the charm for Marvel’s first family. Naturally, Marvel is launching a bunch of official merch to coincide with the film, including a new batch of Fantastic Four figures joining the Marvel Legends line. The first wave includes six-inch figures based on the core Fantastic Four team, including Mister Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and The Thing, as well as the version of the the Silver Surfer from the new movie. There’s no sign of Galactus yet, but that’s probably going to be a BIG figure when it eventually arrives. Marvel Legends Fantastic Four: First Steps figures launch on July 13 for $25 each. They stand inches tall and include a selection of accessories. They also come in window box packaging with movie-inspired branding. Preorders are available now at Amazon.

All Marvel Legends – Fantastic Four: First Steps Six-inch Figures

$25 | Releases July 13

Reed Richards, the leader of the Fantastic Four, is based on the likeness of actor Pedro Pascal, and it comes with two very long arms to replicate Mister Fantastic’s stretching. There’s also a pair of fists that you can attach to either his regular or stretchy arms.

$25 | Releases July 13

The powerhouse of the Fantastic Four, Sue Storm, comes with an invisible force-field effect part–complete with bullet holes–and an alternate set of hands.

$25 | Releases July 13

This new set of Fantastic Four collectibles includes two Human Torch figures. The first showcases Johnny Storm in his regular human form dressed in his Fantastic Four costume. It includes a pair of alternate hands and two fire effects to replicate the moment he chooses to flame on.

$25 | Releases July 13

The second Johnny Storm figure features the hotheaded hero engulfed in his trademark flames. The figure is made of translucent plastic, which creates a flame when you shine a light through it. The figure also comes with an alternate set of hands.

$25 | Releases July 13

Yancy Street’s favorite son, Ben Grimm AKA The Thing comes ready for clobberin’ time with his six-inch action figure. The figure features an impressive sculpt that accurately captures his rocky exterior, 20 points of articulation, and a pair of alternate hands.

$25 | Releases July 13

Finally, the set also includes a Silver Surfer figure. Like the upcoming film, this version of Galactus’ herald is Shala Bal–who comic fans will know as the lover of the original Silver Surfer, Norrinn Rad–which raises some interesting questions about the Silver Surfer’s backstory in Fantastic Four: First Steps. The figure comes with the Surfer’s iconic cosmic surfboard, an alternate set of hands, and an energy blast effect piece.

Lego Marvel Fantastic Four vs. Galactus Figure

If you’re looking for more official Fantastic Four: First Steps collectibles, you can grab the Lego Marvel Fantastic Four vs. Galactus Figure for $60 at Amazon. The centerpiece of he 427-brick set is a very big version of the cosmic force of nature, Galactus, and it comes with minifigures of the Fantastic Four.

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June 24, 2025 0 comments

Game Reviews

Sega’s leaked sales figures show Sonic’s new frontier is heading in the right direction

by admin June 23, 2025

Over the weekend, Sega accidentally leaked sales figures for a number of its key franchises, revealing – among others – the sales of its open zone game Sonic Frontiers.

The numbers were accidentally included on the company’s latest fiscal report and have since been swiftly removed, but not before fans shared the numbers on ResetEra.

Total sales of Sonic Frontiers were 4.57m, while Sonic Superstars was 2.43m, and Team Sonic Racing was 3.5m. Meanwhile, as officially revealed by the company, Sonic X Shadow Generations sold 2.3m units.

Sonic Frontiers | Launch TrailerWatch on YouTube

Elsewhere in the leak, Persona 5 Royal has sold 7.25m units – as expected – while Persona 3 Reload just 2.07m units. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth sold 1.66m units, and Like A Dragon: The Man Who Erased His Name just 960,000.

Sega also officially revealed Metaphor: ReFantazio sold 2m units.

The company critically had a great year in 2024. Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth was well received by series fans, Metaphor: ReFantazio was an outstanding new RPG, and Sonic X Shadow Generations was one of the best-reviewed Sonic games in recent memory. But this reception seemingly hasn’t translated to strong sales.

Still, the figure for Sonic Frontiers does stand out. Released back in 2022, it proves the game has had a long sales tail – even if that’s been spurred on by discounts. And, as the pre-eminent 3D game in the series, its sales have continued alongside both the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and 3 films.

Back in November 2022, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka stated Sonic Frontiers’ open zone design was the “cornerstone of future Sonic games”. There will be high hopes, then, for its presumed sequel.

Sonic Frontiers established the “open zone” design (rather than open world), which emphasised exploration as well as speed and took advantage of current hardware technology (despite its egregious pop-in).

Sonic Superstars, released a year later, has just over half the sales of Sonic Frontiers. A 2D game, it perhaps didn’t sit well with fans after the forward-thinking Frontiers.

As for Sonic X Shadow Generations, it has sold well since its release last year, spurred on by the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 film. However, it’s still a remake of an older game. And it seems, as much as Sega trades in nostalgia, it’s the open zone advancement in design that fans have responded to with their wallets.

The fact Team Sonic Racing has outsold more traditional platformers also bodes well for the forthcoming Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds.

In short, Team Sonic is heading in the right direction, and expectations will be high for the original game that follows Sonic Frontiers.

As Eurogamer’s Alex Donaldson discussed with Iizuka recently, Sonic has gone from “fighting to survive” to a global megastar in the past 10 years.

“When I moved over from Tokyo to Los Angeles, it was like an ‘oh my god’ moment,” Iizuka said. “Like, we need to save the brand, or this brand isn’t going to be around for much longer.”

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June 23, 2025 0 comments

Esports

Man in wheelchair quit school after making five figures a month through Fortnite

by admin June 23, 2025

A man who is wheelchair bound due to a rare form of muscular dystrophy has revealed how he’s able to make £10,000 a month by working with Fortnite players.

To some people, Fortnite has been a life-changing experience, kickstarting their journey to becoming well-known faces in the community, whether that’s as a content creator, streamer, map designer, or even professional player.

Like many other fans, 22-year-old Ross McLaren, who’s wheelchair-bound due to a rare form of muscular dystrophy, becoming a professional Fortnite player was also his initial dream.

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But even after he realized he wasn’t “good enough” to do so, thanks to the game, he now earns £10,000 a month from his bedroom after quitting school, managing some of the most popular creators in the community.

Ross reveals how his disability enabled him to hone his craft in the gaming world

Ross started his business at just 17 years old when he was still living with his parents, Lesley and Craig. Speaking to the Daily Record, he said, “I really wanted to be a pro Fortnite player, but I realized I wasn’t good enough.”

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SuppliedRoss McLaren seen with professional player Clix.

He then got into video editing for professional players. In the beginning, he worked with small gaming streamers for free while he was still in school. As time passed, things took a different, positive turn.

“By summer 2021, I was making £10,000 per month, and I told my parents I didn’t want to sit my Advanced Highers,” he said. Despite his situation, however, his parents still had doubts and asked him to go back to school, though he quit after just one day.

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Ross didn’t let his disability stop him from pursuing his craft. He explained, “Having muscular dystrophy was somewhat of an advantage for me as it meant I spent a lot more time on a computer when I was younger, as I couldn’t go out and play sports like other kids.”

At some point, he started offering his video editing services to small streamers “for fun.” Just when he was about to give up, he was hit with a golden opportunity. He mentioned that he was able to work with Bugha, who only had about 20,000 subscribers back then.

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Then, one day, Bugha participated in the Fortnite World Cup in 2018 and won $3 million, and his subscriber count reached one million overnight.

Afterward, Ross and his business just kept getting even more similar opportunities, like working with another well-known face in the community, Clix. Top Fortnite streamers certainly earn a pretty penny, and Ross makes money off producing content from lucrative commissions.

Due to his parents’ pressure, Ross returned to George Heriot’s School for one day before calling it quits and getting another massive opportunity, as he was asked to run YouTube star KSI‘s gaming channel, which has over 22 million subscribers.

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Ross is now a freelancer responsible for managing big icons such as Clix and esports org Sentinels. He’s hoping to move to Dallas to be closer to his clients in the future.

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June 23, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

How this Bitcoin investor turned spare change into seven figures

by admin June 12, 2025

What started as a simple daily habit has officially grown into a million-dollar Bitcoin portfolio, after several years of quiet, consistent accumulation.

According to data recently shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), an anonymous investor who purchased $30 worth of Bitcoin (BTC) every single day for the past 7 years, 10 months, and 12 days has recently joined the BTC millionaires’ club.

pic.twitter.com/MfKQGuceYx

This user been buying bitcoin $30 a day DCA and after 7 years, 10 months and 12 days, made it to $1M portfolio.

Total spent $86,370 which now worth $1M

— lynk (@lynk0x) June 11, 2025

The individual has spent a total of around $86,370 since their mission commenced in 2017, and that steady stream of small buys is now worth over a million dollars today.

No risky leverage, no market timing, just an almost eight-year streak of daily purchases through various industry phases, including the 2017 bull run and crash, the 2018 bear market, the 2020-2021 bull run, the 2022 downturn, and the 2024/2025 ETF-fueled rally, among others.

The milestone marks a 1,057% return on investment through dollar-cost averaging (DCA), a long-term strategy where fixed amounts are invested at regular intervals regardless of market conditions.

Crypto Twitter celebrated the feat, praising the investor’s consistency and patience. Some even dubbed the anonymous new millionaire “ a whole legend”, adding that they deserve the profits for their level of conviction.

@lynk0x DCAing $30 a day into bitcoin is like planting acorns and pretending you didn’t see the oak tree coming. congrats to this absolute unit of patience.

— Alice in Blockland (@AliceBlockland) June 11, 2025

The milestone comes as Bitcoin continues to flirt with higher price levels, recently peaking over $110,000 before settling to trade at its current $107,000 level. Growing institutional adoption and other bullish market factors are fueling optimism for even higher prices ahead, suggesting that more gains could still be in store for the new millionaire investor.

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June 12, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Get A 3D Printer Capable Of Making 7-Inch Resin Figures For Only $160 At Amazon

by admin May 30, 2025

If you’re curious about 3D printers but don’t want to spend upwards of $1,000 (or more) for a fancy name-brand model, Amazon has a few enticing offers for Prime members to check out. For a limited time, members can get an entry-level 3D printer for as low as $160. For those who simply want to dabble with the hobby by printing small monochrome figures and accessories, the deals below are worth considering.

$160 (was $250) | Get free bottle of resin

Amazon’s best deal right now is for the Anycubic Photon Mono 4. This Prime-exclusive deal lets you snag a 3D printer capable of creating 6-inch resin models for $160, which is the lowest price offered since the Photon Mono 4 launched last fall. This particular model originally sold for $300 before the MSRP dropped to $250, but it was selling for $240 just a few days ago.

For a limited time, you’ll get a free bottle of Anycubic 3D Printer Resin ($15 value) with your purchase, too. You’ll need to click the “Benefit Items” option to see the resin. If you have trouble finding it, you can just navigate directly to the freebie and add it to your cart. Your resin designs can be printed at up 10K resolution (9024 x 5120), and Anycubic says its four-point leveling system makes it easy for newcomers to start printing without an elaborate setup process.

If you look at Amazon’s promotion page, you might notice that there are two different versions of the Anycubic Photon Mono 4. Both listings are discounted to $160 for Prime members and boast identical printing capabilities and internal tech. Needless to say, the situation is a bit confusing. The only tangible differences we found between the listings pertain to the dimensions and weight. One of the listings says the Photon Mono 4 has a 20-inch diameter and weighs 5.1kg (11.2lbs), while the other says the diameter is 10 inches and it weighs 3.5kg (7.7lbs).

Those listed differences between the two listings could be true, but it’s also possible the store page was uploaded a second time due to an error. The 10-inch diameter looks and sounds more accurate, since the Photon Mono 4’s maximum total volume for each print is 6.04 x 3.42 x 6.49 inches.

If you want to stock up on resin, Prime members can also score a big discount on a four-pack of Anycubic resin. The four-pack is $54 (was $77) with Amazon’s deal, but if you sign up for Subscribe & Save, you’ll pay $48.59. Amazon lets you cancel subscriptions at any time without penalty.

Best Budget 3D Printer Deals at Amazon

Anycubic Photon Mono 4 and Elegoo Mars 5

Amazon also has a couple of nice deals on Elegoo 3D printers with a few additional bells and whistles–and these also include a free bottle of resin. Be sure to add the freebie to your cart before finalizing your purchase. The most premium printer of the bunch is the Mars 5 Ultra at $285 (was $350), which works faster than most of the other models and features auto-leveling technology to make setup easier than ever. It boasts a 9K resolution, so it’s capable of creating fairly elaborate patterns with resin.

Prime members will also find the last-gen version of Elegoo’s premium 3D printer, the Mars 4 Ultra, on sale for $240 (was $300), and since it offers the same 9K resolution as the Mars 5 Ultra, it’s worth considering if you don’t mind sacrificing a few quality-of-life improvements such as auto-leveling tech.

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May 30, 2025 0 comments