Move over Loki and Mobius, because there’s a new tag team in town. Deadpool is back, and the wise-cracking Merc with a Mouth is in peak form. Marvel dropped its first official trailer for Deadpool & Wolverine on Super Bowl Sunday, and it shows Ryan Reynold’s hero ready to dive into action with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. The ad broke Spider-Man’s record as the most-viewed movie trailer of all time, said Disney. Within 24 hours, it logged 365 million views, beating Spidey’s global tally of 355 million.
In true Wade Wilson fashion, the trailer winks and delivers a few burns. Deadpool tells the TVA that pegging isn’t new for him, “but it is for Disney.”
The plot? Time travel. Fans will recognize the TVA (Time Variance Authority) — managers of all timelines — from Loki’s Disney Plus series. The TVA recruits a version of Deadpool to be a hero, and demonstrates his importance by flashing a couple prominent avengers on the screen: Ironman and Captain America. But he finally gets to join forces with X-Men mutant Wolverine for on a mission. Will it involve Kang the Conqueror and a legion of variants? It seems so.
Deadpool 3 is set to hit theaters July 26. The film is directed by Shawn Levy, who also worked with Reynolds on Free Guy and The Adam Project. The cast is set to include Morena Baccarin, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen and Jennifer Garner as Elektra. Once part of 20th Century, the anti-hero franchise was purchased Disney, home of Marvel Studios.
Apple released iOS 17.3.1 on Thursday, more than two weeks after the release of iOS 17.3. While the previous update brought new features, like Stolen Device Protection, to your iPhone, iOS 17.3.1 is a minor update that patches an iPhone bug.
To download the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update, tap Install Now and follow the onscreen prompts.
Apple wrote in the update’s description that it fixes an issue where text might duplicate or overlap while you’re typing. The company didn’t post common vulnerabilities and exposures, aka CVEs, for the update, so it’s unclear if iOS 17.3.1 addresses any security issues.
Apple normally posts an update’s CVEs online when the download becomes available. But there have been some instances when the company hasn’t posted them, like with the release of iOS 17.2.1 and iOS 17.1.1.
For more iOS news, you can check out what could be included in iOS 17.4, what your iPhone got with iOS 17.3 and our iOS 17 cheat sheet.
When you’re shopping for a new Mac monitor you probably want to go big and go sharp. If you’re a creative working with videos, photos or text, having the right display can make all the difference. At 27 inches big and with a 5K resolution Apple’s Studio Display hits the sweet spot and offers Retina display levels of resolution and pixel density the likes of which few match. But it isn’t the cheapest monitor on the market which is why it’s important to get a great deal. And this $299 Amazon discount is a good deal.
Amazon is offering the $299 discount across a range of models. It starts with the standard glass, tilt-adjustable model that now sells for just $1,300 rather than the $1,599 that you’d normally hand over. Looking to upgrade to the gorgeous Nano-texture finish? You’ll save the same amount of cash and now pay just $1,600. Best Buy has a similar offer with local collection available if you just can’t wait — prices also start from just $1,300.
Note that we don’t know how long either of these retailers will keep these deals around, so bear that in mind when you’re planning your purchase.
The Apple Studio Display has a 27-inch 5K Retina screen, an A13 chip, a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera with Center Stage and a high-fidelity, six-speaker sound system. The three-mic array makes for clear audio on calls and voice recordings. More than 14 million pixels and 1 billion colors at 600 nits of brightness make for a phenomenal display. And an antireflective coating also ensures better readability, while the nano-texture glass option further minimizes glare.
You can use your Studio Display with Mac notebooks and desktops, such as the MacBook Pro or Mac Mini, as well select iPad Pro and iPad Air models. It has one Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port with 96-watt charging capability to connect to the device driving the display, plus three standard USB-C ports for hooking up other peripherals.
If the Apple Studio Display doesn’t check all the boxes for you, don’t worry. We’ve built a list of the best monitor deals we can find and there is sure to be something there for everyone. We’ll be updating it with the latest prices regularly so you never miss a great deal, too.
Valentine’s Day is nearly here, and streaming services know it.
Streamers are packing this month with brand-new content fit for Feb. 14, from romantic comedies to reality TV premieres to Hallmark dramas. Netflix and Prime Video are leaning heavily into the lovefest, and you can find more to set your heart aflutter on Peacock and Hulu.
Because you deserve all the love this February, we’ve gathered up as many new romantic titles on streaming services as we could. Some big premieres include season 6 of Love Is Blind; the new rom-com Players, with Gina Rodriguez; and a fresh version of Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Whether you’re watching with a significant other or embarking on a solo Valentine’s Day-themed binge-a-thon, streaming services have plenty to offer in the love department.
Honor teamed up with German carmaker Porsche to design a foldable phone that “harnesses distinct sportscar DNA.” The Magic V2 RSR is a limited-edition version of Honor’s flagship Magic V2, which lays claim to the title of world’s lightest and thinnest book-style foldable phone.
The Magic V2 RSR’s back cover is designed to resemble the “flyline” of a Porsche 911’s hood. The camera bump, which is framed by titanium, is a similar shape to the car’s rounded windshields. Apart from the design, the biggest difference between the regular Magic V2 and the Porche edition is that the Magic V2 RSR comes with a stylus inside the box. The stylus can be used on both the cover screen and the inner one.
There are other minor differences between the RSR edition and a regular Magic V2: The RSR model has more storage space (1TB vs. 512GB) and what Honor calls an anti-scratch nanocrystal shield display for the cover screen. The company says this screen is better protected against drops and scratches than regular nanocrystal glass, partially thanks to a layer of silicon nitride over the glass material. And at 234 grams, the Magic V2 RSR is 3 grams heavier than the Magic V2.
Those differences aside, the Magic V2 RSR is otherwise identical to the regular Magic V2. It has a still-peppy Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a triple-camera module (complete with a telephoto lens) and a large battery that supports 66-watt fast charging. It also comes with four years of Android software upgrades and five years of security updates.
Honor is expected to release the Magic V2 RSR internationally for a higher price than the Magic V2, which starts at for 1,700 in the UK, and 1,999 euros in the EU.
Honor’s Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung’s Galaxy S24 Ultra
If you’re in the market for a new smartwatch and have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the best option. In fact, the latest Apple Watch Series 9 is one of the best smartwatches period, and now you can put one on your wrist with a massive $90 discount thanks to a limited-time deal Best Buy. This promotion drops Series 9 configurations to within $10 of their lowest prices ever, but you only have until the end of the day to score the savings.
Right now you can order a new Apple Watch Series 9 in the 41mm size at the retailer for just $309 and the 45mm version is now yours for just $339, too. There are multiple colors on offer across both sizes as well as discounts on cellular-enabled models. Unlike some previous promotions, you don’t have to be a My Best Buy member to get in on this deal.
The Apple Watch Series 9 was just released in fall 2023 and has been upgraded with a new S9 chipset, the first meaningful processor change since the Apple Watch Series 6, for improved speed and power efficiency. The device also features a new Double Tap gesture that opens up some one-handed use possibilities, while also being the first model to include on-device Siri commands. Ultra Wideband capabilities and a brighter display are also on board.
Buyers can look forward to an App Store full of possibilities including health tracking, games, and more. With Apple Pay support you can make payments on the go even if you don’t have your wallet or iPhone, too.
For more savings on the Apple Watch, be sure to hit up our dedicated Apple Watch deals roundup for the latest discounts and promotions.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the gaming world’s latest obsession, Palworld — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Last month, Game Pass Ultimate added the instant phenomenon Palworld, which already has 7 million players, and it continues to add new titles. Here are the games coming to the service soon.
Resident Evil 3
Available now.
About a month after Game Pass Ultimate added the award-winning RE2 remake to its library, subscribers can now play the next Resident Evil remake as well. RE3 puts you back in the shoes of Jill Valentine as she attempts to escape from the zombie outbreak that’s taken over Raccoon City. You’ll have to solve puzzles and figure out the best routes of escape in this survival horror game, all while being stalked by the walking weapon Nemesis.
Madden NFL 24
Available now.
The Super Bowl is over, but with Madden NFL 24 on Game Pass Ultimate you can keep playing football all year round. The latest installment in the football franchise introduces some new gameplay mechanics, like an upgraded passing system that adds jump and dive passes to your arsenal. Your in-game playbook has also been expanded, putting more than 70 new formations and at least 500 new plays at your disposal. So if you’re not thrilled that the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 58 — or you think they should have won by more — now’s your chance to take your team to the championship.
Train Sim World 4
Available now.
If you’re a fan of model trains, but don’t have the space in your home for the tracks — or a means to finance the hobby — you should give Train Sim World 4 a try. In this game, you can learn how to operate a train and take it across countries like Australia, Germany and the US. You can run different scenarios where you can change things like the weather en route for an added challenge, or you can go into Free Roam and ride the rails however you want.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Available: Feb. 14
This game makes its return to Game Pass Ultimate almost three years after it was removed from the service. This Metroidvania-style game was developed by Koji Igarashi, a former Castlevania series producer, and it feels like another installment in that series. You’ll explore a castle, solve puzzles and use magic and physical weapons to rid the land of monsters and demons.
A Little to the Left
Available: Feb. 15
This cozy puzzle game will have you stacking documents, sorting postcards and cleaning areas.
“A Little to the Left is all about tidying messes into pleasing arrangements, without worrying about timers or fail-states,” Anne Macmillan, co-founder of developer Max Inferno, told Xbox.com. “It’s peaceful and accessible, with simple controls that anyone can quickly understand.”
Just as you think you’ve solved these puzzles, though, a playful cat may come along and mess up your progress. But so it goes. You’re not racing against a clock, so solve the puzzle again and hope the cat minds its own business.
PlateUp!
Available: Feb. 15
Have you thought about starting your own restaurant, or just caught up on The Bear and want more chaos? If so, you should give this a try. PlateUp! is a cooking action game that lets you experience the ups and downs of the restaurant business without any of the financial risk. You design your restaurant and kitchen, cook up dishes and plan out who’s working which shift so your new place thrives.
Return to Grace
Available: Feb. 20
This narrative adventure game puts you in the boots of a space archaeologist who’s just discovered the resting place of an AI god named Grace. Your goal now is to befriend Grace’s fractured variants and discover why the AI was shut down in the first place.
Titles leaving Game Pass
While you’ll be able to play the above games on Game Pass Ultimate in the coming weeks, there are a few titles that are leaving the service on Feb. 15. You have some time to finish any side quests, but once these titles are gone you’ll have to buy them separately.
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.Reviews ethics statement
Matt ElliottSenior Editor
Matt Elliott is a senior editor at CNET with a focus on laptops and streaming services. Matt has more than 20 years of experience testing and reviewing laptops. He has worked for CNET in New York and San Francisco and now lives in New Hampshire. When he’s not writing about laptops, Matt likes to play and watch sports. He loves to play tennis and hates the number of streaming services he has to subscribe to in order to watch the various sports he wants to watch.
CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.Read how we test products and services.
The MSI Cyborg 15 is one of the most affordable ways to get an Nvidia GeForce RTX 40-series gaming laptop. It’s an entry-level model with a basic, 15.6-inch, 1080p, 144Hz display powered by a 13th-gen Core H-series CPU with RTX 4050 graphics. The Cyborg 15 offers few frills and a level of performance that lags behind other budget gaming laptops with higher-wattage RTX 4050 GPUs, but it provides playable frame rates for anyone looking for a gaming laptop on the tightest of budgets.
It’s not uncommon to find an RTX 4050 gaming laptop for less than $1,000, but such a machine rarely dips as low as $800. And that’s nearly what the MSI Cyborg 15 is from Amazon. At the time of this review, it was available for $869 but was as low as $812 a month ago. The Cyborg 15 isn’t a good buy at its list price of $1,000 but becomes more attractive as the price inches closer to $800. The thing is, better budget gaming models also go on sale. For instance, an RTX 4050-based Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 is a better deal at its frequent sale price of $850 or $900 at Best Buy. And an RTX 4060-based MSI Cyborg 15 model at Best Buy can sometimes be had for only $750.
MSI Cyborg 15 A13VE-218US
Price as reviewed
$869
Display size/resolution
15.6-inch 1,920×1,080 144Hz
CPU
Intel Core i7-13620H
Memory
16GB 5,200MHz DDR5
Graphics
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU @ 45 watts
Storage
512GB SSD
Ports
1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 1, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1 x HDMI, 1 x Ethernet, 1 x combo audio
Networking
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 and Bluetooth 5.2
Operating system
Windows 11 Home
MSI sells a variety of configurations of the Cyborg 15, offering a mix of 12th- and 13th-gen Intel Core i5 and i7 processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 and 4060 graphics but only one display option: a 15.6-inch, 16:9 display with a 1,920×1,080-pixel resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. Our test system is available for $1,000 at Costco and $869 at Amazon and features a Core i7-13620H processor, 16GB of RAM, RTX 4050 graphics and a 512GB SSD.
That’s a fine lineup for the money, but the RTX 4050 has lower total graphics power than competing laptops with the same GPU. It has a TGP of only 45 watts, which is just a fraction of the 140-watt RTX 4050 you get with the Acer Nitro 16 or Acer Predator Helios Neo 16. The HP Victus 16 has an RTX 4050 at 120 watts, and the Lenovo LOQ 82XT has an RTX 4050 at 95 watts. As you’ll see in the next section, the Cyborg 15’s lower-wattage GPU landed it near or at the back of the pack on our lab tests.
We tested the Cyborg 15 alongside four other budget gaming laptops with RTX 4050 graphics. As mentioned above, its GPU is set to run at a much lower power limit than the others. The TGP of the RTX 4050 GPU can be configured between 35 and 115 watts, and an additional 10 to 25 watts can be added via Dynamic Boost from the CPU. So, setting it to a maximum of 45 watts is well below its full capacity.
Thermal concerns are one reason a manufacturer might set a GPU to a lower TGP. If you put an RTX 4050 into a compact and thin enclosure, a lower TGP will result in less heat output and help prevent the laptop from overheating. The Cyborg 15 isn’t particularly compact or thin, but it does have only a single cooling fan. This arrangement might be a cost-saving measure to allow MSI to price the Cyborg 15 at the lower end of the price scale for RTX 4050 laptops.
And while the Cyborg 15 is one of the cheapest RTX 4050 laptops, it’s also one of the slowest. On our application and graphics tests, it finished either last or next to last, with the exception of Geekbench 6, where it placed third. (Scroll to the end of the review to see the results of our performance tests.)
It managed to squeak past the Lenovo LOQ 82XT on our Guardians of the Galaxy benchmark, averaging 100 frames per second at 1080p with quality settings on High. And it can’t be ignored that it finished dead last on The Riftbreaker GPU and Shadow of the Tomb Raider tests — and by a considerable margin on each test. But it’s not all bad news: v-pre Even in last place, it still averaged a playable 75 fps on Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p at the Highest settings.
You might think its lower-wattage GPU might allow for a longer battery life, but that wasn’t the case. The Cyborg 15 barely cleared the five-hour mark on our online streaming battery drain test, which was the shortest runtime of this group by more than an hour. The whir from the Cyborg 15’s single fan never got too loud, and the rear half of the laptop became warm after playing for a while but never got so hot that it was uncomfortable.
Icy blue translucence
The defining characteristic of the Cyborg 15’s design is its translucent accents. Ten keys on the keyboard, the display hinges and the bottom panel are made from translucent plastic. On the keyboard, the WASD keys, four arrow keys, spacebar and power button allow an icy blue to shine through. The entire keys for the WASD keys and power button are translucent, and portions of the arrow keys and spacebar get this treatment. Combined with the funky font on the keys, the translucent keys give the Cyborg 15’s look a bit of an edge.
The bottom panel is translucent, but the effect is muted because, well, how often are you looking at the bottom of your laptop? It would be more fun to see the internal components, but your view is blocked by a thin coating of silver paint on the inside of the bottom panel. Instead of getting a view of the motherboard or cooling system, you are greeted on the bottom panel with large lettering that spells out MSI TRUE GAMING in the venting. And through the vents, you can see some of the copper heat pipes and motherboard circuitry. The bottom panel does wrap around the side edges of the Cyborg 15, and there you can see some of the laptop’s inner workings.
Like the other budget models mentioned earlier, the Cyborg 15 features a plastic keyboard deck and bottom panel but adds some durability to the overall package with an aluminum top cover to protect the display. There’s no lighting on the top panel, just a subtle MSI dragon logo. The edges of the top panel are also made from the same translucent plastic as the bottom panel and wrap around some portions of the lid to add some contrast to the matte-black aluminum — namely, the bottom edge between the hinges, a bump in the middle of the top edge near the webcam and one of the top corners.
The Cyborg 15 might be a bit of a lightweight in terms of performance when viewed against competing RTX 4050 laptops, but it’s also literally lightweight. It weighs just 4.5 pounds, which is nearly a full pound lighter than the 15.6-inch Lenovo LOQ 82XT that weighs 5.4 pounds. The Acer Nitro 16 or Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 feature larger 16-inch, 16:10 displays, and each weighs 5.7 pounds. Impressively, the 16-inch, 16:10 HP Victus 16 weighs only 5.2 pounds.
Other than the translucent keys, the keyboard is the standard fare. The keys feel quick with shallow travel, but some gamers might prefer deeper travel with a more satisfying response. The four arrow keys are all full-size, which is always preferable to half-height keys. The keyboard offers three-level backlighting, but you had better like the icy blue color because there’s no option to change to another color. To be fair, while you can find one- or four-zone RGB lighting on budget gaming laptops, a single color at this price isn’t unusual. The touchpad feels a bit undersized but suffices for navigating Windows with a smooth, matte surface and firm click response.
Dull display, weak speakers, grainy webcam
The Cyborg 15’s display marks the system as decidedly entry-level. The best thing it has going for it is the 144Hz refresh rate, which is faster than the standard 60Hz rate. The fastest panel you’ll get on a budget gaming laptop is 165Hz, and the difference between 144Hz and 165Hz is slight to imperceptible. Games looked sharp and smooth at 1080p, but colors looked dull because of the panel’s lack of brightness. I measured peak brightness with a Spyder X Elite colorimeter at only 266 nits. Competing models I tested boast noticeably brighter and more vibrant displays, including the Lenovo LOQ 82XT (343 nits), Acer Nitro 16 (424 nits) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (442 nits).
The webcam is another clue to the Cyborg 15’s budget status. It’s a grainy, 720p camera that struggles to display a balanced image, even in decent light. MSI outfits the Cyborg 15 with a pair of 2-watt speakers, which is the minimum offering on any laptop. Not surprisingly, they offer tinny sound with nothing in the way of bass response. In other words, keep your headphones handy.
The laptop offers a wide variety of ports, with one notable omission. You get one USB-C port, a pair of USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port and a headphone jack. What’s missing is Thunderbolt 4 support; the lone USB-C port is of the USB 3.2 Gen 1 variety that offers only 5Gbps transfer speeds. That’s a tiny fraction of the 40Gbps you’d get with Thunderbolt 4. Again, this isn’t uncommon to lose at its price, but going up to Gen 2 would be nice because it at least doubles the transfer speed.
The dull display and underpowered RTX 4050 GPU are the biggest drawbacks to the MSI Cyborg 15. There are better options that, when on sale, are too close to the Cyborg 15’s bargain-basement price to pass up. If the Cyborg 15 saved you $200 compared with better-performing RTX 4050 laptops, then a good argument could be made for it. The Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 PHN16-71 is frequently available at Best Buy for $850 or $900. At that price, it’s a no-brainer to opt for it over the Cyborg 15 because it offers a bigger and brighter display and superior 3D performance thanks to its RTX 4050 running at a full 140 watts.
As with any budget laptop, corners get cut to decrease the price. For us, there’s a bit too much missing here. But, if your budget doesn’t stretch beyond $800 and you like the look of the Cyborg 15, then the RTX 4060-based model at Best Buy is the better buy when you can find it on sale. I’ve seen it as low as $750 with a massive $350 discount.
The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computerlike devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device’s aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.
Apple released iOS 17.2 in December, and the update brought some security patches and long-awaited features, like the Journal app, to your iPhone. One of the anticipated features the update brought to iPhones was Contact Key Verification, a security tool meant to help verify that the person you’re texting is who they say they are.
Apple wrote in December 2022 that with Contact Key Verification, people who might find themselves in dangerous situations, like journalists, activists and members of government organizations, can verify that they are messaging who they intend to. While most people won’t find themselves targeted in such a way, Apple wrote that the tool provides an important layer of security to those who might.
Here’s how to enable Contact Key Verification and how to use the new security feature. Note, both you and the person you’re messaging need to have this feature enabled for it to work properly.
How to enable Contact Key Verification
1. Open Settings. 2. Tap your Apple ID (your name and picture) near the top of your screen. 3. Tap Contact Key Verification near the bottom of the menu. 4. Tap the switch next to Verification in iMessage.
Next you’ll see a splash screen that explains Contact Key Verification. Tap Continue on this screen.
You might be taken to another splash screen that says you need to update some of your devices in order to turn the feature on. You can either tap OK and then update the devices, or you can tap Remove Devices in Settings. However, you should probably update your devices even if you don’t plan on using Contact Key Verification.
Verifying the identity of yourself and others
After you’ve enabled the feature, the Contact Key Verification menu will have a new option called Show Public Verification Code. Tap this new option and you’ll see a string of letters, numbers and symbols. This code is how people verify they are messaging you.
Next, tap Copy Verification Code beneath your code, and you’ll be able to paste your code wherever you want to share it, like in a message or online. Now others can verify they’re messaging you, and if their code doesn’t match their code online, you’ll know you might not be talking to the right person.
Generating codes in Messages
You can also generate a code with someone directly in Messages. This is a quick way for both you and another person to simultaneously verify identities and devices, but you and the other person need to have Contact Key Verification enabled for this to work.
If you both have the tool enabled, here’s how you make a code directly in Messages.
1. Open Messages. 2. Start a conversation with someone or tap into the right conversation. 3. Tap the person’s name at the top of the conversation. 4. Tap Verify Contact near the bottom of the menu.
Then, compare the six-digit codes generated on both devices. If the codes match, tap Mark as Verified, then tap Update on the following screen. Now that person’s contact card will have the code associated with it, and a checkmark will appear next to their name in Messages.
If the codes don’t match, tap No Match. You might not be communicating with the right person, and you should stop messaging them until you can verify their identity.
For more on iOS 17, check out what new features could be coming in iOS 17.4, what was included in iOS 17.3 and our iOS 17 cheat sheet,.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a CNET Editors’ Choice award pick, offers hundreds of games that you can play on your Xbox Series X or Series S, Xbox One and PC for $17 a month. With a subscription, you get new games every month — like the gaming world’s latest obsession, Palworld — and other benefits, like online multiplayer and deals on non-Game Pass titles.
Last month, Game Pass Ultimate added the instant phenomenon Palworld, which already has 7 million players, and it continues to add new titles. Here are the games coming to the service soon.
Train Sim World 4
Available now.
If you’re a fan of model trains, but don’t have the space in your home for the tracks — or a means to finance the hobby — you should give Train Sim World 4 a try. In this game, you can learn how to operate a train and take it across countries like Australia, Germany and the US. You can run different scenarios where you can change things like the weather en route for an added challenge, or you can go into Free Roam and ride the rails however you want.
Madden NFL 24
Available now.
Madden NFL 24 is joining Game Pass Ultimate just in time for Super Bowl Sunday. The latest installment in the football franchise introduces some new gameplay mechanics, like an upgraded passing system that adds jump and dive passes to your arsenal. Your in-game playbook has also been expanded, putting more than 70 new formations and at least 500 new plays at your disposal. So if you’re not a fan of the Chiefs or the 49ers, play some Madden instead this Sunday.
Resident Evil 3
Available: Feb. 13
About a month after Game Pass Ultimate added the award-winning RE2 remake to its library, subscribers will be able to play the next Resident Evil remake as well. RE3 puts you back in the shoes of Jill Valentine as she attempts to escape from the zombie outbreak that’s taken over Raccoon City. You’ll have to solve puzzles and figure out the best routes of escape in this survival horror game, all while being stalked by the walking weapon Nemesis.
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
Available: Feb. 14
This game makes its return to Game Pass Ultimate almost three years after it was removed from the service. This Metroidvania-style game was developed by Koji Igarashi, a former Castlevania series producer, and it feels like another installment in that series. You’ll explore a castle, solve puzzles and use magic and physical weapons to rid the land of monsters and demons.
A Little to the Left
Available: Feb. 15
This cozy puzzle game will have you stacking documents, sorting postcards and cleaning areas.
“A Little to the Left is all about tidying messes into pleasing arrangements, without worrying about timers or fail-states,” Anne Macmillan, co-founder of developer Max Inferno, told Xbox.com. “It’s peaceful and accessible, with simple controls that anyone can quickly understand.”
Just as you think you’ve solved these puzzles, though, a playful cat may come along and mess up your progress. But so it goes. You’re not racing against a clock, so solve the puzzle again and hope the cat minds its own business.
PlateUp!
Available: Feb. 15
Have you thought about starting your own restaurant, or just caught up on The Bear and want more chaos? If so, you should give this a try. PlateUp! is a cooking action game that lets you experience the ups and downs of the restaurant business without any of the financial risk. You design your restaurant and kitchen, cook up dishes and plan out who’s working which shift so your new place thrives.
Return to Grace
Available: Feb. 20
This narrative adventure game puts you in the boots of a space archaeologist who’s just discovered the resting place of an AI god named Grace. Your goal now is to befriend Grace’s fractured variants and discover why the AI was shut down in the first place.
Titles leaving Game Pass
While you’ll be able to play the above games on Game Pass Ultimate in the coming weeks, there are a few titles that are leaving the service on Feb. 15. You have some time to finish any side-quests, but once these titles are gone you’ll have to buy them separately.
