• Sony has revealed two new PlayStation headsets
• They're intended to supersede the previous PlayStation Pulse models
• There's no word on pricing yet

Sony has just unveiled the "next line of PS5 audio products" with two new PlayStation Pulse wireless gaming headsets.

Both models are intended to supersede the old PlayStation Pulse Elite, which was released in 2024. The new PlayStation Pulse Edge boasts custom planar magnetic drivers that deliver "studio-inspired" sound and has eight magnets under the hood.

It comes with a detachable boom mic offering AI noise rejection alongside a USB Type-C adapter and premium carrying case.

Major features include built-in volume controls that integrate with the console's operating system, a game audio and chat balance slider, and active noise cancellation.

The upcoming PlayStation Pulse, in contrast, is positioned as a more entry-level model. It cuts the number of driver magnets down to four, which likely means less bass and reduced clarity. There's no boom mic either, so you need to rely on an integrated microphone instead.

It also loses the game audio and chat balance feature, lacks active noise cancellation, and isn't bundled with any kind of case.

Sony has been quite cagey about pricing, with no word on how much either model will cost on the official PlayStation Blog. This makes it hard to determine whether this refreshed line will offer good value, especially given the abundance of excellent headsets currently offered by third-party brands like SteelSeries and Corsair.

We do know that both models will be available in both white and black, however, and will hit shelves early next year.

They will also connect to the PlayStation Portal out of the box, thanks to their native PlayStation Link compatibility.

The latest Nintendo Direct has concluded, and what a cracker of a show!

It delivered a huge number of titles for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 owners to look forward to, with some big new entries in major franchises like Kirby and Metroid.

There were also plenty of exciting ports, like three new Resident Evil ports, two Far Cry games, and more. Lots of existing titles also got big upgrades in the form of new Switch 2 Editions or free updates.

There are more maps coming to Mario Kart World, for example, and Pikmin 4 is getting a comprehensive Switch 2 upgrade later today.

If you didn't manage to catch the show, you can see a bullet point list of all the announcements in the order that they happened below.

Everything announced at Nintendo Direct – 09/09/2026

• Monster Hunter Wilds Nintendo Switch 2 port shown, includes all updates — launches on December 4
  • Ascendance expansion is also coming in 2027
• Final Fantasy 7 Revelation trailer shown — launches on April 8, with pre-orders beginning later today
• Crisis Core Final Fantasy 7 Reunion launches on Nintendo Switch 2 later today
• Hyrule Warriors Age of Calamity Definitive Edition coming to Nintendo Switch 2 with visual upgrades and new modes — out February 25
• Viral hit Meccha Chamelon is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later today
• Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass DLC is adding some cute new accessories later this year
• Star Fox is getting a free update with four split-screen players in battle mode, plus three new stages
• Star Fox Adventures from the Nintendo GameCube is coming to Nintendo Classics later today
• Some Nintendo Switch 2 The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered footage shown — out September 29
  • Songs of the Past expansion also shown — coming in 2027
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Royal Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027
• Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave new trailer shown — game still set to launch on September 17
• Professor Layton and the New World of Steam finally gets a new trailer showing puzzle gameplay — set to have the biggest number of puzzles yet when it arrives on December 10
• New Yokai Watch game revealed — Yokai Watch 2 Haunted Domain currently in development
• Nintendo Switch 2 Edition version of Pikmin 4 confirmed — adds voice commands, new mode, and more when it comes out today
• Onyx The Dead Grip — new horror game from Bloober Team launches as a Switch 2 exclusive next year, can only be played in handheld mode
• New sizzle reel for Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Nintendo Switch 2 Edition
• Stage Fright, a new spooky game from the developers of Overcooked shown — comes to Switch and Switch 2 next year
• Disney Dreamlight Valley: The Keepsake Sea — the game's next paid expansion with underwater areas
• Ondeh Ondeh Kaya's Tasty Tale — a charming rhythm adventure out in 2027
• Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight finally releasing for Switch 2 on September 18
• New Kirby Air Riders amiibo will launch on November 12
• Cairn port arriving in early 2027, with demo out today
• Resident Evil 2 Deluxe Edition, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition all coming on October 16
• Tomb Raider Legacy of Atlantis Switch 2 trailer shown — out February 12, 2027
• New Nintendo Switch Sports Resort trailer showing free island exploration — Switch 2 exclusive coming October 22
• New 2D Metroid title revealed — Metroid Ravenous, out January 28, 2027
• Big free update with ten new courses, plus two new knockout tour routes, is coming to Mario Kart World today
• Mega Man: Dual Override gameplay trailer shows off Proto Man
  • New Mega Man and Proto Man amiibo also revealed
• New RPG Eternal Anima shown — comes to Switch 2 on March 4, 2027
• Danganronpa 2x2 port revealed with new 'Slayhem' mode out on January 14, 2027, for Switch and Switch 2
• Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves port is on the way in October
• Metal Slug Ultimate Collection revealed with loads of games — out for Switch and Switch 2 next year
• Yo-Gi-Oh! Tag Force GX port revealed for Switch and Switch 2 — launches February 16, 2027
• Romance Saga 3: Destinies United remake for Switch and Switch 2 also out February 16, 2027
• 007 First Light is actually launching at some point this year, apparently
• Far Cry 3 Classic Edition coming to Switch in 2027
• Far Cry Blood Dragon Classic Edition on the way too
• The Crew Motorfest Switch 2 port shown in the sizzle reel
• The Apothecary Diaries: The First Imperial Brother out in early 2027
• House Flipper 2 out October 15
• Sonic Pico Park spin dashing on to Switch and Switch 2 on November 12
• Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World out on December 3
• Torneko's Mystery Dungeon Classic HD is available later today
• Hela port launching on December 1
• Criksholm The Stolen Dream is coming to Switch 2 on December 3
• Stellar Blade Complete Edition shown with Bayonetta crossover costume
• The Ascent Complete Edition is out in December
• It Takes Two comes out on October 15 for Switch 2
• Palia Nintendo Switch 2 Edition out in December
• Bluey's Happy Snaps — brief bit of new footage shown
• Hot Wheels Infinite Rush dropping on September 10
• Fading Echo out on September 17 — demo later today
• Hell is Us port shown, out October 8
• Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy Encore Edition dropping on November 5 — pre-order today
• Surprise Persona 4 Revival trailer shows off loads of new gameplay
• Persona 6 logo shown on screen
• The final announcement is a new Kirby game that looks almost open-world — called Kirby and the World Beyond and out in Spring 2027

VOD

You can also catch up with the video on demand (VOD) version of the stream via YouTube below.

What did you think?

• The final season of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been revealed
• It includes a Doom crossover and lots of Halloween content
• Only one new multiplayer map is being added, however

Activision has lifted the curtain on the content coming to Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 in its final season ahead of the Modern Warfare 4 launch.

With a new game on the way, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that this update is going to be a smaller one. Still, it includes plenty of spooky Halloween content as part of the series' annual The Haunting event.

This includes a bombastic Doom crossover, allowing players to unlock loads of Doom-themed rewards in a new limited-time event pass. As usual, this pass will be divided into two tracks: a free one and a premium option.

The free track contains new operator skins for Wei Lin and Falkner, plus an adorable Mini Slayer weapon charm and a range of other rewards. Completing the entire track will grant you the Roc 20mm special weapon — a massive, almost cannon-like rifle that fires devastating 20mm rounds.

The premium track, on the other hand, unlocks the Doom Slayer himself as a playable operator in the JSOC faction. By default, he's wearing his Doom: The Dark Ages attire, but the premium track's final reward is an alternate classic 1993-style skin.

Other weapons introduced in the upcoming season include the TR41 Para Assault Rifle, which will be available at launch, and the Arcblade melee weapon added later on. There are also some new weapon attachments on the way for the VS Recon Sniper Rifle, Dravec 45 SMG, and Sokol 545 LMG.

Unfortunately, the offering is pretty sparse on the map front, with only one new one being introduced. It's called Quantum, and it looks like an appropriately ruined laboratory. There is at least also a new version of the existing Homestead map, called Bloodstead, for you to explore as well.

The cool Hordepoint mode will be returning from previous games in season too, challenging players to face off against a rival team and spawning waves of zombies.

All of this comes alongside a fresh battle pass full of new skins and unlocks, not to mention additional content for the Zombies and Endgame modes, plus the free-to-play Warzone battle royale.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is available now for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Xbox One.

You could be sitting on a treasure trove of fantastic iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV games and not even know it.

Apple Arcade might be one of the most underrated gaming services on the market right now, with many Apple One subscribers not even realizing that it is included in all tiers of the service. You can also subscribe to it separately and you could even be able to access a generous free trial right now if you're reading this on a shiny new Apple device.

But what exactly is Apple Arcade, how much does it cost, what kind of games can you play on it, and, perhaps most importantly, are any of them actually good? I've spent the last week really sinking my teeth into the service in order to find out and deliver this ultimate guide to everything that you need know.

From all the basic facts to a bumper list of my personal game recommendations and even a personality quiz to match you to titles that you might like, everything here is intended to help you walk away an expert in all things Apple gaming.

The ultimate guide to Apple Arcade

I've spent the last week really getting to grips with the Apple Arcade service, trying out all of the available games and experimenting with its major features.

The experience has been great so far, thanks to the many console-quality games out on the platform. I'm talking titles like Sonic Dream Team, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Cult of the Lamb, Fantasian, and so much more.

Although they're all perfectly playable with touch controls, loads of Apple Arcade games (including all of the aforementioned titles) offer full controller support. Hooking up a compatible gamepad is the perfect way to get an even more console-like experience, and really recommend getting your hands on one if you want to make the absolute best and most comfortable playing sessions.

For iPhone players, I would recommend three of the best mobile controllers on the market today: the Backbone One, Backbone Pro, and Razer Kishi V3 Pro. They're all formidable choices, though each has its own distinct advantages. The Backbone One, for example, is the most portable and cheapest of the three, while the Pro and Kishi V3 Pro are more comfortable and have better software features. I've also included the GameSir G8 Plus Galileo as a worthy budget alternative, though it doesn't offer quite as seamless an experience as the others.

For iPad gamers, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL is one of the few options that's compatible with massive tablets. It can even fit the truly huge 13-inch iPad Air and Pro models.

Finally, those playing on Apple TV are best served by more conventional options: the Xbox Wireless Controller and DualSense Wireless Controller. If you want something a little quirkier, the cute CRKD Neo S is a strong choice.

Recommended Apple Arcade controllers

Whether you're a die-hard mobile gamer or a newcomer to the world of portable play, Apple Arcade will likely have something for you.

The subscription service gives you access to hundreds of games for your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, ranging from revamped mobile classics including Angry Birds Reloaded and Doodle Jump 2+ to original and exclusive games in massive franchises such as Sonic the Hedgehog with Sonic Dream Team. All of the included titles have absolutely zero ads and no microtransactions, meaning that they offer a more premium, console-like experience than you would get with many other App Store titles.

Most Apple phones now come with a free three-month subscription to the service, giving you the perfect opportunity to take your shiny new hardware for a whirl. Even if you're using an older device, there's still a one-week free trial that new subscribers can take advantage of, in order to see what the service offers and work out whether it's a good fit for them.

The only problem? With so many titles on offer it can be hard to know where to start, even if you're already a subscriber. That's why I've created this short personality quiz, which is designed to find out what kind of gamer you are and deliver a selection of recommendations. The recommended games have been personally tested by me, and are what I believe should suit your taste.

Did you find this quiz useful, or do you think I missed the mark with my picks? Let me know in the comments, and don't hesitate to drop your own game recommendations if you have them!

It's been a huge week for me here at TechRadar. I managed to convince my boss that it was a good idea for me to sit at my desk for five whole days and play all 200+ games available as part of the Apple Arcade service on my phone.

If it sounds like a ridiculous idea, that's because it really is. Honestly, in my rush to get paid to play some games on my phone, I don't think I actually considered just how long the task would take. That became painfully apparent when I actually started on Monday, and the fact that I was about to spend hours and hours flicking through apps set in.

Still, I managed it — even if the quest ended up sapping up all of my free time. I spent entire evenings lying on the sofa planting crops in Stardew Valley+, whole meals with one finger guiding an escaping explorer in Temple Run Legends, and my hour commute with both eyes glued to Suika Game+ . If I had just one hand free at any given time this week, I was using it to play an Apple Arcade game. Thankfully, I didn't have to drive anywhere.

Now, to be clear, I didn't spend an equal amount of time in all of them. It's easy to sink a few hours into the pixel survival action of Vampire Survivors+, for example, but literal torture to do the same in Play-Doh World (which is basically just a sensory experience for toddlers).

Still, I can now say with confidence which ones are truly worth getting into and, while the following eight picks are by no means an exhaustive list of everything worth playing on the service (just look at the honorable mentions for even more greats), they are the games I've had the most fun with so far and will coming back to time and time again in the weeks and months to come.

Top eight

8. Squiggle drop

Squiggle Drop is one of the biggest surprises I've had while exploring Apple Arcade. It's an easy-to-understand puzzler that has you drawing shapes to complete different objectives and, with basic graphics and a spartan interface, looks like a pretty simple game.

That simplicity is one of its biggest strengths, however. The controls are eminently approachable; just drag your fingers around the screen to draw, and all of the levels have multiple solutions that reward creativity and mean that you never feel like you're truly at a loose end.

There's loads of variety to boot. One mission could have you drawing a container to save a birthday cake from the rain, while another might require a more complex creation to catch an underwater fish.

With more than 250 puzzles (some of which are pretty darn difficult), rotating daily challenges, a raft of achievements to obtain, and even an in-game town that you build as you progress, it's the perfect game to pick up and play when you get a few spare moments in an otherwise busy day.

7. Lego Star Wars: Castaways

Lego Star Wars: Castaways is yet more proof that you should never judge a book by its cover (or, I guess, an app by its icon art). What I thought was going to be a generic kids' game turned out to be a really approachable and quite charming MMO.

You create a custom Star Wars hero and drop into a shared hub world that you can explore while surrounded by other real players, before dropping into iconic locations from the movies (explained in-game as a training simulation) to battle waves of Stormtroopers, Tusken Raiders, Battle Droids, and fearsome bosses like Darth Vader either solo or with up to three friends.

There are four character classes to unlock, focusing on ranged laser blaster combat, powerful force skills, team support, and stealth, and they all have meaty upgrade trees in addition to a range of distinct weapons to try. Character customization is also strong, and you can unlock loads of different hats and outfits using currency you obtain by completing quests and missions.

I had a lovely time with it as an adult, but there are some smart safety features that make this a great pick for children as well. Your character name, for example, is chosen from a random selection of suitably Star Wars-sounding words (I foolishly flicked past 'Jar-Jar Skywalker' when it popped up as an option) and numbers. There's also no direct text or voice chat function, though you can communicate through a small selection of emotes.

6. Angry Birds Reloaded

Angry Birds is a game that needs no introduction. This legendary early App Store sensation spawned countless sequels, spinoffs, theme park rides, a TV show, and even two popular animated films with a third set to release later this year.

Reloaded is basically the definitive Angry Birds game, bringing together the levels from the classic Angry Birds and its sequels Angry Birds Seasons, Angry Birds Space, and Angry Birds Stella (the latter two aren't even available on the App Store in their original forms anymore, making this the only way to officially play them) in addition to loads of new ones.

It offers the classic bird-slinging action that made the series so popular, now spruced up with shiny new graphics that look lovely even blown up on a big screen. All of the new content means that it's a joy to dip into even if, like me, you completed all of these games back in the day.

For newcomers, it's the absolute best that the series has ever been, with the best-looking graphics, all the greatest levels, and absolutely no ad interruptions. Get it downloaded, and find out why it was such a hit.

Top five

5. Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition

If after a busy day you just want to kick back and escape to a fantasy world, then Disney Dreamlight Valley is for you. This life simulator thrusts you into a magical town filled with iconic Disney characters that has fallen into disarray. A mysterious malevolent force is taking over in the form of dark roots that sap away memories, and it's up to you to get rid of them all and restore everything to its former glory.

From relaxing farming to designing your own cute cottage and customizing your outfits, everything here seems designed to bring nothing but the most chill vibes. There's a good sense of progression as new areas are steadily unlocked while you play, bringing the worlds of new Disney franchises into the mix.

On that note, it's hard to overstate the joy of interacting with some of the company's best characters. I've never been a massive fan of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, or Goofy, but even I can't stop myself from smiling when I unlock childhood favorites like Ratatouille's Remy, Wall-E's Eve, or Peter Pan's Tinker Bell.

Although you can pick up Dreamlight Valley on other platforms, the Arcade Edition comes packed with all of the latest free updates and access to the biggest paid expansions at no extra cost. It looks great and controls well on a phone, too.

4. Sid Meier' Civilization 7 Arcade Edition

The Arcade Edition of Sid Meier's Civilization 7 is the real deal, bringing all the strategic brilliance of the latest Civilization game to mobile with few real compromises aside from some missing DLC.

If you're unfamiliar with the franchise, it tasks you with building and governing a historical society from the ground up in a randomly generated world. You build cities, conquer territory, develop new technology, and interact with other competing societies. Whether you form trade alliances and live peacefully alongside your neighbours or wage war is entirely up to you.

Unlike past games, Civilization 7 added the ability for your empire to evolve, giving you the choice to swap between different cultures for unique bonuses, special buildings, or exclusive units.

The level of depth here is simply unparalleled in the mobile space, and as games can take tens of hours at a time, it's great to be able to take it all on the go.

Top three

3. ‎Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat

Taiko no Tatsujin is a name you'll recognize if you've even been to an arcade in Japan. It's a simple but addictive rhythm game all about hitting a big drum in time with the beat, a gameplay perfectly suited for a touchscreen.

Tap either side of the on-screen drum in time with the blue icons or either side of the middle for the red ones, with bigger notes needing both sides at once. It starts off simple, but as the difficulty ramps up, beats that you have to hold are introduced, alongside ones that have you hammering the screen as quickly as possible with your fingertips.

The song selection is brilliant if, like me, you love Japanese music with a good mix of J-pop hits, Vocaloid classics, and music from popular anime. If that's not your speed, there are plenty of original songs, a whole load of classical music, a few tracks from Western blockbusters like Indiana Jones, plus viral sensations such as Baby Shark.

Nothing quite compares to the joy of mastering a song and, with so many to choose from and a wide range of difficulty levels to beat, Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat is almost impossible to put down.

2. Sonic Dream Team

What if I told you the best new 3D Sonic the Hedgehog game of the last decade was an Apple Arcade exclusive? It sounds hard to believe, but Sonic Dream Team is so good that I would recommend it even if you're not a Sonic the Hedgehog fan.

This 3D platformer has the iconic blue hedgehog navigating a series of dense worlds with impeccable dream-like visuals, hopping between floating platforms, boosting your way down high-speed rails, and dispatching enemies with homing attacks. The action certainly isn't as fast as some of the 2D Sonic the Hedgehog games, but the precise controls mean that it feels excellent nonetheless.

It's not the longest experience on Apple Arcade, lasting just a couple of hours, but it is highly replayable with six swappable characters (including a rare Cream the Rabbit appearance), each with their own distinct pacing and unique roster of abilities to experiment with, a ranking system to chase high scores, tricky challenge stages, and unlockable powers.

There are also loads of collectibles to seek out, so true completionists have plenty to chip away at even after the credits have rolled.

1. What the Golf?

If I were forced to pin down one overall favorite among everything that I played this week, then What the Golf? is the obvious choice.

It's an unapologetically ridiculous physics-based game that is only really about golf in the loosest sense. Levels are incredibly creative, and no two are the same, having you putt everything from hot dogs and cars to live horses and entire houses into the hole.

It's consistently surprising and endlessly amusing, with mechanics and even the game's perspective shifting on a level-by-level basis. It's all underpinned by an expressive, minimalist art direction, a sleek interface, upbeat music, and a barrage of punny humor. The brilliant use of haptics also deserves some credit, giving everything you punt a distinct feeling of weight to it.

In addition to a lengthy main campaign, there is a generous selection of daily courses, bonus episodes, special events, online leaderboards, and more. Indie game fans will recognize loads of crossovers and references, too. It's nothing short of a joyous time.

Even more picks

Honorable mentions

I wanted to keep my recommendations concise and varied, with a good mix of genres, art styles, control methods, and so on represented. That doesn't mean that I don't have loads more recommendations, though, so here are some more strong picks that didn't quite make the full list for one reason or another.

• Fantasian is a sprawling RPG adventure with a beautiful miniature art direction.
• Monument Valley+ and Monument Valley 2+ are two stunning indie puzzle games that play with perspective in interesting ways.
• NFL Retro Bowl '26 offers a surprisingly meaty football simulator delivered through charming pixel-art graphics.
• Stardew Valley+ combines relaxing farming with social simulation as you build relationships with a cast of memorable characters in a cozy town.
• Suika Game+ has you merging different fruits in an easy-to-understand puzzler that's taken the internet by storm.
• Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop is an exclusive entry in the long-running Puyo Puyo series that's filled with its trademark Tetris-like puzzle battles.
• MySims and MySims Kingdom are both expansive, feature-complete ports of classic The Sims spinoff games.
• Vampire Survivors+ brings the viral wave survival game to mobile — be warned that hours can vanish in the blink of an eye.

Remember when mobile gaming was fun?

Back in the day, you could just scroll the App Store, pick out an icon or two that you liked the look of, and have a new game downloaded and ready to play in just a few moments.

Booting them up, you’re not confronted with a 29.68GB additional download that you have to stay on one screen to complete, a wall of sketchy in-app permissions to accept, or a page demanding that you sign in with some iffy third-party account — just a neat little self-contained experience designed to help you kill a few hours on the train.

Though they seemed simple, many of the best App Store games were quietly revolutionary. Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja pioneered intuitive touch-screen controls, while Doodle Jump smartly utilized the iPhone’s accelerometer to show how hardware features could become core gameplay mechanics.

Statista estimates that there are now more than 180,000 mobile games available on the App Store. But when was the last time you installed one that felt genuinely exciting, rather than like a thinly veiled scheme to force ad views, harvest personal data, or pressure you into pricey Gacha Pulls? That’s exactly where Apple Arcade comes in.

Back in time

Having spent the last week diving into all 200+ of the titles available on the service, I can’t help but think that Apple’s highly curated library of mobile titles feels like a journey back in time to the App Store’s glory days.

The whole experience is completely seamless. You sign up for $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$9.99 a month and can immediately jump into browsing the games. They’re all contained in a dedicated Arcade tab in your iPhone’s App Store, so there’s no ambiguity about whether the app you’re looking at is part of the service or not.

Although the selection here is nowhere near as expansive as the regular games tab, it feels genuinely curated and cuts out huge amounts of clutter and spam.

No matter what you like to play, there’ll be at least a few games for you. An impressive variety of genres are represented in the catalog: there are plenty of massive role-playing games (RPGs) that you can sink hours into, be that Trials of Mana+ or Final Fantasy+, fast-paced racers such as Asphalt 8: Airborne+ and Sonic Racing, head-scratching puzzlers in Monument Valley+ and Lego Builder’s Journey, and so much more.

Those iconic early mobile titles I mentioned earlier? They’re back too in new and improved forms that make them a nostalgic joy to revisit. There’s a full-on Angry Birds remake with enhanced graphics and extra levels, an expanded Doodle Jump sequel that updates the hand-drawn graphics and adds new environments, and a Temple Run successor that trades the endless format for challenging levels that are better-suited for short bursts of play.

The innovation of the early App Store is there too. RPG Fantasian wows with incredible art direction that sees you exploring hundreds of beautiful real-world dioramas that were digitally scanned into the game, while bonkers sports simulator What the Golf? takes full advantage of punchy iPhone haptics to add real weight to its wacky physics challenges.

No distractions

The games are all entirely devoid of ads and microtransactions, so you never have to deal with a frustrating splash screen or pop-up that takes you out of the action.

This means that most of the games will work entirely offline as well, just like they did back in the day. I had practically given up playing mobile games on my commute before getting into Apple Arcade simply because it was so hard to find titles that wouldn’t kick me out the second my train went into a tunnel.

There are no sign-in screens anywhere, and most games don’t even request permission to send push notifications. Your progress will even automatically sync to the cloud so you can continue playing on your iPad, Mac, or Apple TV when you get home.

Oh, and you don’t need to worry about your privacy in all this either. Apple says that all of the games in the service have no third-party tracking software and don’t collect any advertising data. All that, to me, is certainly worth paying for.

If you're a die-hard iPhone user, then there's a strong chance that you already have access to Apple Arcade and don't take full advantage of it. The gaming service is currently included with all tiers of the Apple One subscription — an all-in-one bundle that also includes the likes of iCloud Plus, Apple TV Plus, and Apple Music in one monthly fee.

Even if you don’t pay for Apple One, a free three-month trial of Apple Arcade comes bundled with every new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, plus, the service is available as a standalone subscription if you don’t want it bundled with anything else. Sounds great, right? But what actually is Apple Arcade, how much does it cost, and is it really worth the price?

I’ve spent this week getting to grips with all things Apple Arcade, from diving into some of its biggest exclusive games to comparing it to other competing services, in order to bring you this comprehensive breakdown of everything you need to know about it. Read on and become an Apple Arcade expert.

What actually is Apple Arcade?

Apple Arcade is a gaming subscription service by Apple designed for its iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and even Apple Vision Pro devices. It launched in September 2019 and gives you access to a huge library of more than 200 premium games that you can download and play offline.

Unlike many titles that you might download from the App Store, Apple Arcade games are wholly devoid of both ads and in-app purchases. They are complete experiences that you can dive into without the risk of annoying interruptions or being asked to shell-out real world cash for in-game items or downloadable content (DLC).

What kind of games are included?

There are more than 200 games available on Apple Arcade, with options across a wide variety of genres. This includes a selection of high-quality original games such as fast-pace platformer Sonic Dream Team, cozy life simulator Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and beautiful role-playing game Fantasian.

There are also some ports of console and PC games, such as hit strategy game Sid Meier's Civilization 7 Arcade Edition, Disney life sim Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition, and indie roguelike Cult of the Lamb.

You will also find loads of premium versions of existing mobile titles with no ads or microtransactions in the likes of Doodle Jump 2+, Fruit Ninja Classic+, Bloons TD 6+, and much more.

You can use our quiz below for some hand-picked recommendations.

How much does Apple Arcade cost?

The Apple Arcade standard plan costs $6.99 / £6.99 / AU$9.99 a month.

You can save some cash by opting for an annual plan instead, which is $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79.99 — a saving of $33.89 / £33.89 / AU$39.89 compared to 12 months of monthly payments.

No matter which of these two options you choose, you can share your Apple Arcade subscription with up to six family members at no extra cost.

Apple Arcade is also available as part of all Apple One tiers (Individual, Family, and Premier). Unlike Apple Arcade, Apple One is not available in an annual subscription format, so you can only pay for it on a monthly basis. You can view and compare all of the options below.

How to claim your Apple Arcade free trial

In most regions a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV now comes with a three-month free subscription to Apple Arcade. The offer is only valid for 93 days (that's roughly three months), so if you have an eligible device you should consider claiming it quickly if you're interested.

To do so, simply follow these four simple steps

1. Open the App Store on the eligible device
2. Tap the Apple Arcade tab at the bottom of the screen
3. The offer should appear automatically
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to redeem it

If you're not eligible for a complimentary three-month subscription, there's no need to worry — because new subscribers can still claim a one-month trial via the App Store.

Whether you claim three months or one month, bear in mind that a valid payment method will be required in order to get set up. This will be billed at the standard subscription price when your promotional period is over, so remember to cancel your subscription if you want to avoid any charges.

You can find out how to do this on the official Apple Support page.

Do you need a controller to play Apple Arcade games?

You don't actually need a controller to play the majority of Apple Arcade games. On iPhone and iPad, almost every title supports full touch screen controls and can be enjoyed without any extra hardware.

If you're playing on Mac, many titles support keyboard and mouse controls.

On Apple TV, you're most likely to need a dedicated gamepad as there are only a few titles that work well with the included remote.

Of course, lots of games still allow you to use a controller on any device even if it's not strictly required and I'd recommend it if you're after an even more console-like gaming experience.

You can see some models that I've personally tested and would recommend for Apple Arcade below.

What about the competition?

If you're strictly looking for a gaming subscription service for your iPhone, then Apple Arcade doesn't really have much direct competition.

The biggest alternatives on that platform are cloud gaming services such as Amazon Luna, which you can access through your iPhone's web browser. These stream games to your phone directly from a cloud server, which means that they require a constant internet connection and cannot be accessed offline.

They also don't work too well with on-screen controls, which means a controller like the dedicated Luna Wireless Controller is required for anything but the most casual titles.

That said, cloud gaming does have some big advantages. You can access full console or PC games, including massive titles such as Fortnite, Fallout 4, or Shadow of the Tomb Raider. As they do not rely on your local hardware, they can also offer high-end graphics features such as maximum in-game settings and ray tracing — though slow or choppy internet can negate this by introducing visual artifacts.

If you have access to an Android Phone, Google Play Pass is a potential alternative. It's cheaper than Apple Arcade but similarly grants access to loads of mobile games with zero ads or microtransactions. It also includes some productivity apps, meaning that it's a little more versatile than the strictly gaming-focused Apple Arcade.

That said, its software library feels much more chaotic and less curated. It also lacks the compelling exclusive releases that I think really bring a lot of value to Apple Arcade.

Apple Arcade FAQs

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is here, and it looks like this remake has been a massive success. Ubisoft says that it’s already sold more than two million copies, with players all around the world discovering (or rediscovering) its wonderful 1700s Caribbean setting and all the twists and turns of its engaging pirate story.

Our own Resynced review saw the game awarded four stars out of a possible five, praising its many modernized mechanics and just how faithfully it adapts the 2013 original. Although the main review was handled by our resident Assassin’s Creed expert, Managing Editor Rob Dwiar, I’ve spent the last few days pouring hours into the game and am having an excellent time so far.

I’m almost halfway through now, and there’s already so much to like about it, as you’ll see with some of the highlights below, but also one little thing that’s been bothering me.

The visual upgrades are a huge success

You don’t need to have put Resynced side by side with the original Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag to appreciate just how much of an improvement the new visuals are. It’s no hyperbole to say that this is the best-looking emtry to date, edging out the already stunning Assassin's Creed Shadows thanks to its smaller but more detailed world.

The opening sequence has you parkouring your way through a lush tropical rainforest, showing off incredibly dense plants and little details like dangling vines that really help sell the setting. The gorgeous ray-traced lighting dances through the canopy superbly, light scattering down onto the little pools of water that are dotted throughout the jungle and reflecting off them realistically.

If you examine the layouts in detail, there have been loads of changes, but key elements from the original level layouts have been preserved smartly, like the fallen tree trunks that protagonist Edward Kenway darts across, so everything feels just right.

It’s the same story when you reach the city of Havana, which feels larger and more bustling than ever before. The streets are packed full of non-player characters (NPCs) wandering around, chatting to one another, moving crates, or standing around market stalls to give the impression of a lived-in world.

As for the open sea, I don’t think another game has nailed the waves quite this well. The water physics are phenomenal, with countless waves that stretch off into the horizon. The sea here looks far brighter than the original game ever did, but rather than taking away from the atmosphere, I appreciate how inviting it makes it all look. This is a world that’s just begging to be explored.

The visual overhaul extends to the game’s cutscenes. The wooden 2013 character models are no more, replaced with far higher fidelity versions that look much more convincing. Faces are no longer stiff and awkward-looking, either, thanks to enhanced motion capture, making it much easier to get stuck in and immerse yourself in the story.

Refined combat means swashbuckling feels better than ever

Going into Resynced, having seen a handful of trailers, I was quite worried that the combat would feel like that of Assassin's Creed Mirage: awkward, clunky, and a throwback to the systems of the older games in all the worst possible ways. Thankfully, when I actually got my hands on the game, it was immediately clear that my concerns were misplaced.

The combat system here is like the simplicity of the original game’s mechanics merged with all the style and flair of the fights in Shadows. Enemies have decently sized health bars or shields now, which you can whittle down with sword strikes before hitting a perfect parry to trigger a stylish finisher. This isn’t your only option either, as abilities like the rope dart or kick let you quickly stagger tricky enemies without breaking your flow.

There’s a fantastic rhythm to all of it, and I’ve found that charging in with my swords drawn has quickly become my favorite way to tackle encounters. It certainly helps that the most frustrating instant-fail parts of missions have been entirely reworked as well, giving you more freedom than ever to experiment with Edward’s arsenal.

There's finally no modern-day nonsense

Rob lamented the loss of some of the modern-day content, but I’m in the exact opposite camp. I think taking it out was the right decision, as the diversions into the modern setting are some of my least favorite parts of older Assassin’s Creed games.

I’ve always found the series’ whole meta narrative incredibly tedious — filling what would otherwise be grand adventures with a barrage of pointless conversations between characters that I’m convinced nobody ever cared about. Can anyone earnestly say that Desmond Miles is the best Assassin’s Creed character? No, and he just takes up precious time that we could be spending with someone actually entertaining and charismatic like Ezio Auditore da Firenze.

The modern-day stuff was especially bad in the original Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, casting you as an unnamed game developer working for a company controlled by the evil Templar Order. Wandering around a plain office block reading files and chatting with a handful of annoying coworkers is indescribably dull — I enjoy games that let me escape from my daily life, not recreate it.

Yes, the segments do introduce a little bit of satire, riffing on some of the more ridiculous events of the alternate history plot, but otherwise you’re not really missing anything with their removal.

Like Shadows, there are still some elements of the overarching narrative here as well for those that really care: the intro makes it clear that the game takes place in a simulation, and there are plenty of documents that reference the modern Assassin vs Templar struggle (on top of new Animus Rift challenges that explore interesting ‘What if’ scenarios connected to Edward’s life).

Thankfully, that’s all optional, so it can be promptly ignored if, like me, you’d rather focus on the historical fantasy.

But I wish the UI was a little more distinct

It’s clear that Resynced draws quite heavily on Shadows both technologically and mechanically (in addition to a healthy splash of Skull & Bones for the parts where you’re at sea). This, of course, isn’t a problem in and of itself, as Shadows is clearly an excellent foundation to build upon, but I do wish that the design of the menus and UI was more distinct.

There have been some tweaks for sure, like the position of different elements and the icons of map markers and so on, though to me lots of it still looks a little bit too similar - the loading screens are the scale, and the inventory menus are practically identical, for example, as are prompts when you’re being seen while in stealth. Both games even use the same fonts throughout.

It’s definitely not a big deal, but it all leaves Resynced looking more like a Shadows DLC than a remake of an older game at its most surface level. A more imaginative UI that drew more from the original Assassin’s Creed 4 and less from the most recent instalments would really help give Resynced more of a distinct identity.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is out now for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and Series S.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 dropping in November, time is running out if you want to play the previous games in the series before diving in. If you own a modern console, there aren't that many to catch up on, as only a few of the older ones have been ported.

• View the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Still, you can play through the whole of Grand Theft Auto 5, the previous entry, and dive into Grand Theft Auto Online, which has its own narrative content and is included free of charge. There's also Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition, which contains remasters of not just one but three fan-favorite games.

They're not the most accomplished remasters on the planet, but given that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which shares a setting with the upcoming GTA 6, I would consider it an essential play before the new game arrives.

Grand Theft Auto games — top picks

• Grand Theft Auto 5 (includes GTA Online) PS5: only $19.99 at Best Buy
• GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition: now only $23.90 (was $29.99) at Amazon US
• Grand Theft Auto 5 (includes GTA Online) PS5: only £15.99 at Argos

For US gamers

For UK gamers

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Back-to-school tech: 48% off laptops, headphones & tablets
• Cheap TVs: Samsung, Sony & LG from $89.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Smartwatches: up to $250 off Garmin & Apple
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Amazon Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & De'Longhi
• Fans: from £20
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

It sounds bizarre saying that I wish I could go back in time and bully my past self into spending more money, but that's exactly what I would do when it comes to Red Dead Redemption 2.

I first bought the cowboy adventure game on sale back in 2020. I can't remember the exact price, but it was something like 30 bucks for the standard version, and about ten more if I wanted the Ultimate Edition instead.

I took a look at what the more premium version offered — an exclusive mission, a cool horse, some new clothing, and some in-game progression boosts, plus a load of content for Red Dead Online — and decided that it wasn't for me. After all, I wasn't entirely sure that I would even enjoy the game or want to explore its multiplayer component.

The problem is that I did genuinely love it, and soon found myself wanting all the extra goodies. The problem? Rockstar offered no way to upgrade between editions. There were no little add-ons that let you pick up each item individually, like you can with most other games.

I was trapped with my standard version, and if I wanted to experience that Ultimate Edition content I would have to buy the entire game again. Obviously, I wasn't going to do that — leaving me bitter and feeling like I missed out.

Learn form my mistake

With the Grand Theft Auto 6 price and editions officially confirmed, I'm urging everyone not to make the same mistake. Like Red Dead Redemption 2, GTA 6 will be available as either a standard edition or Ultimate Edition, with the latter unlocking loads of exclusive content.

It sounds even more significant than what you got with the comparable edition of Red Dead Redemption 2, and includes new vehicles, weapon skins, outfits, and even access to some exclusive locations, such as a beachside garage.

To be clear, Rockstar has not officially confirmed whether it will offer the option to upgrade to the pricier edition down the line. But, after my Red Dead Redemption 2 experience, I wouldn't take the risk.

At $99.99 (UK and Australian pricing has yet to be confirmed), the Ultimate Edition isn't cheap. It's only $20 more than the standard version, though, which goes for $79.99, and that 20 bucks could very well save you from feeling like you missed out in a year's time.

Bear this in mind when Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders begin at midnight on June 25 (local time) ahead of the game's launch on November 19 for Xbox Series X and Series S and PlayStation 5.

With protagonist Fox McCloud appearing in a surprise cameo in the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie, it’s clear that Nintendo wants to bring its niche on-rail space shooter series to a wider audience. To that end, this new Star Fox makes a lot of sense. It’s a remake of the 1997 title Star Fox 64, which is beloved by fans and a good starting point if you’ve never played one of the games before.

The problem for me is that this is far from the first time that Nintendo has brought Star Fox 64 back. I grew up with the Nintendo 3DS, and experienced it as Star Fox 64 3D. This was followed by some hands-on time with the Wii U reimagining Star Fox Zero, and then finally a playthrough of the original release when it came to Nintendo Switch via Nintendo Switch Online.

Every single mainline Star Fox game that’s come out since I was about eight years old has been a version of Star Fox 64, and now, as an adult, I’m getting yet another one in Star Fox for Nintendo Switch 2.

I really wish the gaming giant had been a little bolder with this release, adding even just a smidge of new gameplay to freshen up the old campaign. Still, Star Fox 64 is a cult classic for a reason, and thanks to its strong base, this remake is still plenty of fun to play through for what is, hopefully, one last time

Into the Lylat Wars

The premise is simple, if a little unconventional. You’re a dashing fox in a universe populated by anthropomorphic animals where civilization has managed to crack space colonization despite an apparent lack of opposable thumbs.

Rather than rooting through sci-fi bins, you’re the leader of a mercenary squad (staffed by you, the bird-like Falco, the lagomorphic Peppy, and slimy Slippy toad) that lends its services to the highest bidder — in this case an intergalactic army that’s waging war against the evil scientist dictator Andross.

Fully voiced and animated cutscenes to convey all this information are one of this remake’s biggest new additions, and they feel like a natural inclusion. They’re not super long or expansive by any means, but all flow well and are decently acted throughout even if there are a few moments where the animation can look a bit cheap.

They provide some much-needed downtime in between each of the levels, which are hectic, high-score challenges that see you steering your ship, the Arwing, through intense battles. The action unfurls in a largely on-rails format, but that doesn't mean that this isn’t a degree of strategy to it.

You can swerve all across the screen, hitting barrel rolls to deflect incoming fire and blasting your laser canons. Your craft very much exists in a 3D space, so enemies often come up behind you, requiring evasive maneuvers like somersaults or hitting the brakes.

There's a boost too, which, deployed at the right time, can see you zooming under falling debris or through closing gaps — often picking up a power-up or two in the process. It’s all remarkably smooth to control, and sections where you pilot other vehicles keep the stages feeling fresh.

Each campaign is extremely short, taking just over an hour to complete, and has you working your way through a map of the galaxy littered with 16 unique planets.

You can’t visit all of them in one playthrough, which, alongside the two main story paths, gives you plenty of reasons to replay it at least a couple of times. That said even when you bear that in mind, the experience is still pretty fleeting and doesn’t feel befitting of the $49.99 / £41.99 / AU$84.95 digital (or $59.99 / £44.99 / AU$99.95 physical) asking price.

This is especially true if you’ve played all the other versions of Star Fox 64, as you’re basically just paying for a new, admittedly quite pretty, coat of paint.

There is thankfully a new battle mode to try out, and it’s pretty good on the whole. It’s in an online 4v4 player versus player (PvP) format, with one team playing as the Star Fox squad and the other cast as their rivals Star Wolf. Each of the three maps has its own associated game mode, ranging from simple control point capture to fighting to drag limited space cargo back to base.

I’ve had a great time with it so far, though I can imagine that online populations will quickly dwindle given the small map pool. Hopefully a post-launch update will add some more.

Should I play Star Fox?

Play it if...

Don't play it if...

Accessibility features

As with most first-party Nintendo releases, the accessibility features here are thin. Subtitles are used throughout the game, though their appearance cannot be customized. You can invert the axis of the control scheme and disable features like controller rumble, but that’s basically it.

How I reviewed Star Fox

I played Star Fox on Nintendo Switch 2 for roughly eight hours, experiencing all of its major campaign routes, unlocking every planet, and trying out challenge mode.

I also dived into its multiplayer offering, using my earlier hands-on experience with other players when trying it at Nintendo HQ and testing matches against bots. I mainly played the game in handheld mode using the Joy-Con 2 controllers, though I did briefly test it in docked mode on a 4K Samsung TV to ensure the performance and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller support is up to scratch.

First reviewed June 2026

• Developer Rockstar Games has announced the price of Grand Theft Auto 6
• The standard edition will cost $79.99
• The Ultimate Edition will be available for $99.99

Developer Rockstar Games has announced the price of the highly anticipated upcoming game Grand Theft Auto 6, and it's not as bad as some were expecting.

A new press release states that the standard edition of the game will retail for $79.99 (which presumably means a £79.99 price point in the UK and around AU$125 in Australia). The more premium Ultimate Edition will then cost $99.99 and will come with some digital bonus content.

As per the official Rockstar site, Ultimate Edition buyers will get their hands on an "exclusive collection" of in-game items, including a selection of unique vehicles, matching revolvers for the protagonist duo, bonus customization options for guns, vehicles, and clothing, and more.

Anyone who purchases either edition before November 20, 2026 will get their hands on the Vintage Vice City Pack downloadable content (DLC) as well. This nets you the '55 Vapid Stanier sedan vehicle, a garage on Ocean Beach, and some retro outfits and hairstyles for the two playable characters. This is on top of a charming weapon pattern inspired by Vice City hero Tommy Vercetti's iconic shirt.

A fair price?

This news comes after months of speculation regarding how much the games will cost, with some analysts suggesting that it could cost as much as $100 to buy. With that in mind, the starting price of $79.99, while higher than that for most games, doesn't seem that bad.

Many developers also reportedly hoped that Rockstar would break the existing '$70 barrier'. With most AAA releases priced at $69.99 / £69.99, there's a chance that this announcement will kickstart a trend of $79.99 games. We'll just have to wait and see whether other companies follow suit.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to release on November 19, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S. Pre-orders will begin on June 25 at midnight local time.

The press release does state that the physical version of GTA 6 will be released early on November 12 in order to support pre-loading, and will contain "a download code inside the box" rather than a standard physical game.

If you're interested in placing a physical pre-order as quickly as possible, you can save the search links below.

• US GTA 6 pre-order retailer search links: Amazon | Walmart | Best Buy | Target | GameStop
• UK GTA 6 pre-order retailer search links: Amazon | Currys | Argos | Very | EE | ShopTo | The Game Collection | John Lewis