Razer's Pokemon themed gaming Kraken Kitty V2 headset sold out immediately when it was first launched stateside back in early August. The only way to get your hands on one was on eBay for a marked up price. Fortunately, Pokemon fans can rejoice because supply has finally caught up with demand. Target currently has the Razer Pokemon Kraken Kity V2 Gengar Edition headset in stock at its intended retail price of $139.99 with free and immediate delivery. If you're a Target Circle cardmember, then you can even get an additional 5% off your purchase.Razer's Pokemon Gengar Edition Gaming Headset in StockThe Kraken V2 headset is a wired headset featuring Razer's Triforce 40mm drivers with 7.1ch surround sound, a hypercardoid boom microphone, and reactive RGB lighting effects. The Kraken Kitty collection is a spinoff of this headset featuring a cute cat-ear aesthetic. This particular model resembles the ghost-type Gengar Pokemon, decked out in a two-tone purple color scheme and adorned with Gengar's iconic head spikes and pointy ears.How to Follow IGN Deals RecommendationsThe IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, heres how to follow our coverage:Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TiktokEric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Pro-style controllers are a dime-a-dozen nowadays, but Scuf has pioneered the third-party gamepad that comes with extraneous features that are supposed to give a competitive edge. Things like programmable back buttons, swappable thumbsticks, hair trigger stops, and finely tuned analog control can genuinely make for a better gameplay experience, particularly for competitive scenarios where precision and split-second inputs matter. With so many options already available, where does that leave the new Scuf Valor Pro? Its in the smaller details.While there are a few new additions that arent necessarily game-changing, like onboard volume-chat wheels (and an upcoming 1000Hz polling rate for PC users), what matters is how it iterates on familiar features to make them feel better to use. The wired version comes in at $100 while the wireless model goes for $190, and it's a tough ask even for those looking for something geared towards competitive play, but aside from a few quirks, its one of the better controllers for PC and Xbox.Editor's note (10/22/25): This review, originally published on February 24, 2025, has been updated to reflect my experience using the new wireless model of the Scuf Valor Pro. A new section has been added to highlight it specifically as well.Scuf Valor Pro Design and FeaturesWith this primarily being for Xbox, it takes on the same layout and similar ergonomics as the stock Xbox controller. Nearly across the board, however, every button has a better and more responsive tactile feel. The face buttons have a nice bounciness that makes them easier to tap rapidly, and the eight-way directional pad still has a distinct clickiness but it doesnt have that stale crunch of the normal Xbox controller.Whats arguably the biggest upgrade with the Valor Pro is the switch to magnetic Hall Effect analog sticks (and TMR on the wireless model). As the concern over stick drift on traditional controllers leaves folks burned by defective parts and expensive options for replacements, Hall Effect and TMR sticks have been increasingly common in high-end third-party gamepads. Theyre much more durable since the magnetic parts create less friction, and it also feels great from a performance standpoint here on the Valor Pro.The Valor Pro stacks up against some of my favorite third-party controllers in recent memory.Another noteworthy addition is the unique onboard volume and chat balance control. On the bottom next to the 3.5mm audio jack are two scroll wheels the left one handles in-game volume and the right one controls chat volume. Many wireless gaming headsets have a volume-chat mix dial of their own, so the one on the Valor Pro is strictly for devices plugged into the audio jack. This limits its use-case somewhat, but can make things convenient for those who go with a wired analog headset.As for the more minute details, the left and right bumpers have a great mouse-like click to them, making them much easier to press with a light touch while providing good tactility. The triggers are smooth and consistent all the way through so its easier to apply a specific amount of pressure. On the inner side of RT and LT are trigger stops to put the hair trigger mechanism in place it creates a much shorter throw distance so you can theoretically actuate and reset trigger inputs faster.Back paddles are key to any good pro-style controller and the four programmable buttons are decent, but not exactly my favorite of the many controllers Ived used in the past. The two main buttons, labeled P1 and P2, sit along the inner side of the controllers grips where your middle fingers would typically rest. While their positioning and tactility are great, theyre a tad too stiff for my liking at least I never accidentally pressed them even with a tight handle on the controller.The back buttons labeled P3 and P4 are interesting in that theyre more like hunches that sit closer to the center of the controllers rear. You can either flick them with the backside of your middle finger or press down on them directly, which makes them easier to use than P1 and P2 thanks to their soft, mouse-click feel. If you only need two back buttons and/or find the inner P3 and P4 buttons to get in the way, you can easily remove them by plucking them out from the notch on the inner side.The rubberized texture that lines the handles creates a firm and comfortable grip with all these extra features and pieces built for performance, having a solid grip on a controller that has a decent weight brings it all together.The New Wireless Version of the Scuf Valor ProScuf launched a wireless version of the Valor Pro in October 2025, and it shares an identical design along with the same great performance, ergonomics, and customizability. The big change, however, is that it uses TMR sticks as opposed to Hall Effect after using both models side-by-side, they feel and perform very similarly. Of course, it comes with a chunky 2.4GHz dongle for ultra-low latency wireless connectivity on Xbox and PC. It can still do 1000Hz polling through a wired connection on PC, but also has a Bluetooth mode for mobile devices. Scuf rates battery life at 17 hours from a full charge, but through testing the Valor Pro with 2.4GHz wireless by playing Ninja Gaiden 4 and Black Ops 6, it was closer to 10 to 12 hours.To no surpise, the wireless Valor Pro is also more expensive starting at $189.99, and it's available at retailers such as Amazon or directly from the Scuf store (where there are several custom designs).Scuf Valor Pro Customization and SoftwareWith Scuf being under the Corsair umbrella, it's a bit surprising that the Valor Pro doesn't use the iCue software suite on PC for manual configuration. Its one of my least favorite software suites among the major peripheral manufacturers, so it's actually fine. Not having a customization app isnt the end of the world since there just isnt much to fiddle with on the Valor Pro. Mapping the back buttons is done easily on the controller itself just hold down the profile button the back, press the back button and normal button you want to map together, and thats it. You can even map d-pad directions and stick clicks in rare cases that would help more. The profile button swaps between three different settings (indicated by the LED color on the top right) so you dont need to keep remapping things if you need specific setups for different games.A post-launch update brought 1000Hz polling rate to PC users polling rate refers to the frequency at which the controller sends registered inputs to the device its plugged into. High polling rates are increasingly common in gaming mice and keyboards, and theres a theoretical advantage to that, and while I find polling rates over 1000Hz to bring a minimal to negligible benefit, bringing a controller to the 1000Hz standard helps it keep up with the input fidelity offered by higher refresh rate displays (if you use them).Like other Scuf controllers, you can lift the Valor Pros faceplate off since its held in place magnetically. Customizing a faceplate is cool and all, but this is how you swap out the thumbsticks by just pulling them out. The normal concave-style sticks are on by default, but I quite like the convex-style sticks, especially since theres a taller one I can use as the right analog stick to create more room for precise motions (which helps aiming in a shooter).Looking to upgrade your audio game?Check out our roundup of the best gaming headsets for Xbox!Scuf Valor Pro PerformanceNow, for the fun part I played a good amount of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 multiplayer, Avowed, Ninja Gaiden 2 Black, and Forza Motorsport to get a full picture of how it performs in various scenarios. And from hours of playing these games, the Valor Pro stacks up against some of my favorite third-party controllers in recent memory.The first thing I did before jumping into Black Ops 6 was map the face buttons to the back buttons to make sure my right thumb never had to leave the stick. As I mentioned above, the P1 and P2 buttons are quite stiff, but that wasnt too much of a problem when having jump and crouch set to them being able to initiate a slide while constantly aiming felt great and the P2 button worked well for that. Reload and switching weapons often need to be done in heated moments so setting them to P3 and P4, and giving them a light flick, did the trick in intense firefights.Call of Duty is the type of game that would benefit from hair triggers, and its the one area the Valor Pro falls short. I tend to avoid using hair triggers on account of the fact that I just dont like how it feels, despite the potential benefit. But even more so with the Valor Pro, I was even less inclined to use them since they make the triggers stiff as a board. It takes far too much pressure to initiate the trigger, which defeats the purpose of a hair-trigger thats supposed to be light and fast on the draw. And if anything, it hindered my ability to get the jump on my enemies. If this is a feature you rely on with high-end controllers, itll be a dealbreaker.A wired controller for $100 (and the wireless version for $190) is a somewhat tall ask, but youll be getting one of the better options available for PC and Xbox.I quite enjoyed my time with Avowed using this controller simply because I can map jump to a back button (theres surprisingly a lot of parkour in the game). The overall build and feel shined throughout a long session, which is something I can also say from playing through more of Ninja Gaiden 2 Black. It being an action game that requires lots of rapid pressing of the face buttons, the bounciness of A, B, X, and Y made the experience a bit more enjoyable and took some pressure off my right thumb. Ninja Gaiden also has a few button combos for special attacks, so using the back buttons to more easily press A + B or B + Y turned out to be a nice convenience.Forza Motorsport proved the finesse of the triggers. The smooth and consistent throw of RT and LT let me feather the gas and brake with precision, more so than the stock Xbox controller. The triggers find a good balance between being firm and light, and manage to have no friction, stickiness, or unwanted resistance along the travel distance. So, while the hair triggers leave a lot to be desired, its normally set triggers have the edge over some of the best controllers on the market.Purchasing GuideThe Scuf Valor Pro is available for $109.99 on Amazon or $99.99 (plus shipping) directly from Scuf. While Amazon currently only offers the controller in three colors (black, white, and steel gray), there are several custom faceplates and color schemes to choose from for an extra $10 if you get it on Scufs website. (See section above for details on the Valor Pro wireless model.)

Its that time of year, when retailers start to announce their Black Friday sales. The latest announcement for the holiday shopping event comes from LEGO. The official LEGO Store Black Friday sale is scheduled to run November 28 - December 1, 2025. Thats right, its a four-day sale that starts promptly on Black Friday and runs through Cyber Monday. While LEGOs Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale is a multi-day event, its quite a bit shorter than some other retailers are planning for their sales. Best Buys Black Friday plans, for instance, span the entire month of November, and will likely include plenty of discounts on LEGO sets as well. You can expect similarly elongated sales (including LEGO deals) from other retailers, like Amazon, Target, and Walmart, as well.What Kinds of LEGO Black Friday Deals to ExpectLEGO is pretty predictable when it comes to sales. General smaller sales throughout the year tend to get you about 20% off a variety of sets. For bigger sales, like Black Friday, you can expect a good number of sets to drop to 20%, 30%, or even 40% off, depending on various factors. Factors include how long ago they were released and whether theyre on the list of LEGO sets retiring soon. In addition to discounts, LEGO always has GWPs (Gifts With Purchase) to give away when you buy certain sets. These are smaller sets you get for free, often for spending a certain amount on the LEGO Store. Last year, for instance, if you bought The Endurance set, you got three GWP sets for free. Well have to wait to learn what GWP sets will be available this Black Friday.LEGO Insiders Weekend DateYou dont have to wait for Black Friday to kick off the LEGO holiday shopping festivities. Each year, the company runs a LEGO Insiders Weekend sale the weekend before Black Friday (so, November 22 - 23 this year). This sale is only open to LEGO Insiders, but you can sign up here for free. You can check out the LEGO Insiders Weekend page on the LEGO Store here, but there arent any discounts and no real information at the time of this writing. All the company says to expect is a weekend filled with surprises, gifts with purchases and much more. For more, check out every new LEGO set out in October 2025. There's been a lot of brick-focused news lately, including four new LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight sets coming out next year. We also just built the LEGO Gingerbread AT-AT Walker, a delightful Christmas treat.Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

If you're seeking the absolute best of the best in PC gaming performance, look no further. Alienware has just dropped the price of its flagship Alienware Area-51 prebuilt gaming PC equipped with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card starting at $4,299.99 with free shipping. This is the lowest price I've seen for an Alienware 5090 gaming PC and is reasonably competitive compared to other boutique PC builders. The GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card is currently the most powerful GPU on the market, and by a wide margin.Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PC From $4,299.99The least expensive Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 gaming PC configuration is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K processor with 240mm liquid cooling, 32GB of DDR5-6400MHz RAM, and 1TB SSD. For an extra $400, you can upgrade to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor, double the storage capacity, and a beefier 360mm all-in-one cooler. Both systems are powered by a 1,500W 80Plus Platinum power supply.Alienware Area-51 RTX 5090 Gaming PCs at Dell OutletAlternatively, Dell Outlet is now offering an assortment of Clearance, Like New (Refurbished) and Scratch & Dent Alienware Area-51 gaming PCs equipped with both RTX 5090 graphics cards. You'd be saving up to $1,000 less compared to buying an identical system brand new and includes the same warranty. Dell's certified refurbished systems are submitted to a rigorous refurbishing process. These previously owned products could have observable minor blemishes that do not affect performance, or could look as good as new.New for 2025: The Alienware Area-51 ChassisDell unveiled the new Alienware Area-51 gaming PC at CES 2025. The chassis is a super-sized upgrade to the 2024 R16 system with aesthetic and cooling redesigns and updated components. The I/O panel is positioned at the top of the case instead of the front, and the tempered glass window now spans the entire side panel instead of just a smaller cutout. As a result, the side panel vents are gone, and instead air intakes are located at the bottom as well as the front of the case. Alienware is now pushing a positive airflow design (more intake than exhaust airflow), which means a less dusty interior. The internal components have been refreshed with a new motherboard, faster RAM, and bigger power supply to accommodate the new generation of CPUs and GPUs.The RTX 5090 Is the Most Powerful Graphics Card EverThe Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 has emerged as the most powerful consumer GPU on the market. Although with this generation Nvidia has prioritized software updates, AI features, and DLSS 4 technology to improve gameplay performance, the 5090 still boasts an impressive 25%-30% uplift over the RTX 4090 in hardware-based raster performance. If you want the absolute best performance for your gaming PC, there is literally no other option from any other brand.See more of the best Alienware deals.How to Follow IGN Deals RecommendationsThe IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, heres how to follow our coverage:Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TiktokEric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Anker quietly released a new 25,000mAh power bank earlier this year that sits alongside their Anker 737 and Prime series of power banks. This particular model boasts a massive 25,000mAh battery capacity, 165W of total charging output, and two built-in USB Type-C cables in case you forget to bring your own. It normally retails for $135, but there's a deal today that drops the price to $91.99. This is a great complement to your power-hungry gaming handheld PC like the Steam Deck, Xbox Ally X, or Lenovo Legion Go. In fact, it can also charge non-gaming laptops including most new MacBooks.Note that the 165W spec is a bit misleading. Although the Anker power bank can indeed deliver up to 165W of total power output, an individual USB Type-C charging port can actually only deliver up to 100W max.New Release: Anker 25,000mAh 165W Power BankThe new Anker power bank features a 25,000mAh battery capacity, which is the second largest capacity we've seen from Anker in a compact form factor. So how much juice will that offer to today's gaming handheld PCs? A 25,000mAh battery equates to a 95Whr capacity. An 80% power efficiency rating (which is standard for power banks) means you get about 76Whr of usable charge. That means this power bank will charge a Steam Deck or ROG Ally (40Whr) from empty to completely full 2 times, an Asus ROG Ally X (80Whr) 1 time, and a Nintendo Switch (16Whr) about 4.75 times.The Anker power bank has one USB Type-C port and one USB Type-A port. In addition, there are two built-in USB Type-C cables. One is a retractable cable that can extend up to 2.3 feet. The other is a fixed 1-foot cable that doubles up as a lanyard when not in use. Each USB Type-C port is capable of up to 100W of Power Delivery with a total 165W maximum output. That enough to fast charge any gaming handheld PC at its fastest rate. It's also powerful enough to max out the charging speed on most non-gaming laptops, including the MacBook Air and the 14" MacBook Pro.Another feature common to Anker's other premium power banks is the digital LCD readout. It displays a wealth of information like remaining battery capacity, current charging rate, input/output wattage, battery temperature, battery health, charge cycle count, and more.TSA-ApprovedTSA states that power banks must be under 100Whr in capacity for carry-on (check-in is not allowed under any circumstances). This Anker power bank is rated at 95Whr. You might get checked simply because this is a relatively hefty power bank, but you shouldn't have any problems getting it cleared.How to Follow IGN Deals RecommendationsThe IGN Deals team has over 30 years of combined experience finding the best discounts and preorders available online. If you want the latest updates from our trusted team, heres how to follow our coverage:Sign up for our IGN Deals NewsletterSet IGN as a preferred source in GoogleFollow us on social mediaIGN Deals on XIGN Deals on InstagramIGN Deals on FacebookIGN Deals on TiktokEric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Xbox has spent the past few years bringing its games to other platforms a strategy that would've once seemed unthinkable to those of us who remember when a console was judged by the quality of its exclusive games. For Xbox president Sarah Bond, however, the idea of exclusives is looking downright "antiquated" as the biggest games in the world are increasingly looking like platforms in their own right.Asked about exclusive games in an interview with Mashable, Bond says, "We're really seeing people evolve way past that. The biggest games in the world are available everywhere. You look at Call of Duty, you look at Minecraft, you look at Fortnite, you look at Roblox. Like, that's actually what's really driving community in gaming. That's where people gather [and] they have experiences, and the idea of locking it to one store or one device is antiquated for most people. You want to be able to play with your friends anywhere regardless of what they're on."It's easy to read a bit of defensiveness into what Bond's saying here as Xbox continues to not produce exclusive games, but she's really just reiterating the company's long-stated strategy. Xbox is increasingly positioning itself as less of a platform to play games on, and more of a service to play games through. Exclusives don't really help the argument in that case.And yes, in 2025, it's games like Fortnite, COD, Roblox, and Minecraft that are driving the industry, and the stats on the titles people are actually playing every month back that up. You and I people reading and writing for traditional gaming media outlets, respectively might still prefer the now-old-school 'games as a product' or, gasp, 'games as art' approach, but those games are small potatoes compared with the live service whales.But then, is Xbox offering anything particularly compelling for games you can play on any other platform anyway? Cloud streaming? The promise of Fortnite bonuses in Xbox Game Pass? Devices like the ROG Xbox Ally X? Bond leans into the handheld as an example of what Xbox is trying to do: "We're really leaning into that with this experience because it just opens up another way for you to play. As does cloud, as does PC, as does the consoles that we all own and have in our living room."Microsoft says the next Xbox console "will be a very premium and high-end curated experience," and you can see "some of the thinking" in the Xbox Ally handheld.

Former Battlefield developers' shooter Arc Raiders enjoyed a festive Server Slam open beta period, as evidenced by the 30 million rounds developer Embark Studios reports were played ahead of the game's October 30 launch.I was also pleased to learn through Embark's post-Slam autopsy that Arc Raiders players also spent a decent amount of time collecting 816,162 rubber ducks the pudgy yellow kind, with an orange bill and beady, dot eyes.But, duck or no duck, Embark thanks "all the brave Raiders who joined us for the ARC Raiders Server Slam this past weekend" for their "vital" participation. In addition to identifying useful stats like the fact that 2,356,295 players were knocked over by the Rocketeer ARC enemy type, while an unlucky 26,676 got toppled by lightning Embark's beta helped it start quickly squashing bugs."We are working around the clock to implement fixes and tune the game for launch," says Embark. "We took immediate action on several fronts."At the moment, Embark is currently aiming to improve crucial pre-launch details like Arc Raiders' stability across all platforms, balance adjustments, and visual performance."The default settings did change a bit to favor more performance, and we are looking into tuning further to strike the right balance," the developer explains. But "every piece of data and feedback you provided is helping us to make ARC Raiders a better game."A new shooter is gaining on Battlefield 6 and Arc Raiders on Steam's top sellers, and it's only $18: Escape from Duckov is a PvE riff on Escape from Tarkov with 180,000 peak players

Metroid Prime developer Retro Studios and Nintendo has numerous disagreements while the now-classic GameCube game was in development, according to series producer Kensuke Tanabe.Tanabe shared these insights into Metroid Prime's development for the new book, Metroid Prime 1-3: A Visual Retrospective (via IGN). Retro had been working on a separate first-person game called MetaForce, whose engine impressed Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto enough that he gave Retro the license to shift focus and make a new entry in the Metroid series, and apparently, it was then that creative tensions started brewing between the Texas-based developer and its soon-to-be parent company."There were many instances early on where our approaches to the specifications did not align, leading to disagreements," wrote Tanabe. "Retro often explained, 'This is how Western studios approach and think about game development.'"To help them understand our perspective, I told them, 'Yes, but the game we are making now is a Nintendo game, and this is Retro's first time working on one. I've been working on Nintendo games my whole career, so I believe I have the most experience in making Nintendo games. So please trust me first.'"Of course, Nintendo ultimately was the one making the final calls, but Retro fought hard for the ideas it felt strongly about, leading to extended meetings between the two parties."One day, during a video conference about the Meta Ridley battle, our discussions kept clashing, and we couldn't find common ground," Tanabe said. "Time slipped away and by the time the meeting (which had started in the morning) finally ended, the sun was setting."According to Tanabe, Retro did score a number of wins in these negotiations, namely the shift from first to third-person when in Morph Ball mode and Samus' ability to roll through half pipes in Morph Ball mode, but it also had to relent to decision makers like Miyamoto, who declined a proposed skip option that would've reduced morphing time.Whatever friction was going on between Retro and Nintendo resulted in one of the most beloved Nintendo games ever made, speaking volumes for diversity of opinion in creative spaces and compromise between developers and publishers. Not gonna lie though, I kind of like the sound of that skip feature.Find out which game beat out Metroid Prime for the top spot on our list of the best GameCube games.

The Persona series has always been known for bangin' soundtracks, and Persona 3 is no exception. That's why there was some disappointment when it became clear that the remake, Persona 3 Reload, was remixing its iconic songs with a new vocalist. The new tracks turned out to be great, too, but soon you won't have to pick favorites the original singer of those tracks is coming back.A new patch on October 23, released on all platforms alongside the Switch 2 version of the game, will include eight tracks from original Persona 3 vocalist Yumi Kawamura, which you'll be able to set as dungeon or battle music from the options menu. Those tracks are as follows:Burn My Dread -Last Battle-Mass DestructionDeep MentalityWhen The Moon's Reaching Out StarsWant to Be CloseMemories of YouMass Destruction -P3fes Version-Brand New DaysAn iconic voice returns to Persona 3 Reload Listen to eight dungeon and battle BGM tracks by the original Persona 3 vocalist - Yumi Kawamura - when the game launches on Nintendo Switch 2! Patch will be available on all platforms. pic.twitter.com/cZKpuVTWyPOctober 22, 2025"It's been a while! I'm truly overjoyed and grateful to be reunited with everyone again," Kawamura says in a message accompanying the news. "Persona 3 is a treasure to me as well I can't help but feel excited. Old friends, will you fight alongside me once more? New friends, how about letting my songs aid you in battle? Let's celebrate together. Thank you for your continued support!"Many of the original Persona 3 vocal tracks were rerecorded by Azumi Takahashi in Reload, and for my money the results are fantastic but having the original voice of the game back in as an option is unequivocally a good thing.These are the best JRPGs you can play today.

BioWare veteran Mark Darrah has given his insight into why it seems like EA was so quick to move on from Anthem's failure when it gave plenty of time to studios like DICE and Maxis to fix games that also didn't do well at launch, like Battlefield 4 and The Sims 4, respectively.In the latest episode of his 'What Happened on Anthem' video series, Darrah broke down the two big incentives for EA to invest more in fixing a game like Battlefield 4 as opposed to Anthem."Battlefield had this track record of selling way more than 10 million copies, so it was seen as, to some degree, too big to fail," said Darrah. "It was seen as already a giant franchise, so the effort was seen as bringing it back to something it was already shown to be. As opposed to something like Anthem, which was new. It wasn't clear or obvious or a given that it was going to be that big."So, that's one reason for the apparent discrepancy. But, according to Darrah, "an even bigger factor was simply the structure of BioWare." The studio was never known for Anthem. It was known for Dragon Age. Baldur's Gate. Mass Effect. If a new experiment like Anthem fails, BioWare can just go back to one of its tried and true IP.Conversely, with DICE circa 2013, "your choices are either to fix Battlefield 4 or shut the studio down," Darrah said. "And through much of its recent history, EA has been very reluctant to shut down studios. Whereas with BioWare, because you have two or three or sometimes even four games jockeying for resources, when something isn't working as well as you wanted, there is always someone else that is desperate for those people, so there's always a greater pressure drawing those resources away."There's probably no greater authority on the failure of Anthem than Darrah, at least not one so willing to talk at length about the topic. His multi-part video autopsy examines fundamental issues with the game's botched multiplayer, lame story, and now, EA's reluctance to give BioWare the time and resources to turn things around.