Lego and Star Wars is a partnership that's better than Han Solo and Chewbacca, and for decades, this pairing has produced some of the most sought-after toy sets. The ever-expanding Lego Star Wars lineup has grown once again with more than a handful of new sets, including multiple large-scale builds that are very cool.You've got your casual sets designed to function as a quick diversion, like the Lego Droid Builder set that gives you enough bricks to build the best, cutest, and sassiest astromechs you've ever seen, while a more involved build like the Lego Imperial Star Destroyer looks like a fantastic weekend project. We're also seeing a few imaginative sets from Lego, with the Dark Falcon being the highlight here. What if all the Star Wars heroes decided to turn to evil? Then you'd get this gorgeous version of the Millennium Falcon in jet-black and wonderfully evil minifigures like Darth Jar Jar.Quick look: New Star Wars Lego Sets at AmazonImperial Star Destroyer (1,555 pieces) -- $160The Dark Falcon (1,579 pieces) -- $180TIE Fighter and X-Wing Mash-Up (1,063 pieces) -- $110C-3PO (1,138 pieces) -- $140Jedi Bob's Starfighter (305 pieces) -- $40Ahsoka Tano's Dual On Peridea (382 pieces) -- $55Desert Skiff and Sarlacc Pit (558 pieces) -- $80Droid Builder (1,186 pieces, Lego Store) -- $1002024 Advent Calendar - Star Wars Edition -- $45 | Preorder, Releases September 1There are also a few sets based on recent Star Wars media, like the Ahsoka Tano mini-series. Lego has unveiled a kit that allows you to reconstruct one of the more pivotal moments from the show, as you can stage a duel between Tano and Ezra Bridger against Grand Admiral Thrawn and Morgan Elsbeth on Peridea. For fans of the classic Star Wars trilogy, the new Desert Skiff set will be a big hit. This recreates the exciting opening battle from Return of the Jedi and it has parts for you to construct your very own Sarlacc Pit.Check out all of the new Lego Star Wars sets below. Star Wars isn't the only franchise to receive new Lego sets on August 1. It's a massive day for Lego, as you can also purchase new building kits for Lego Super Mario, Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, Animal Crossing, Guardians of the Galaxy, Batman, and more.In addition to the new Lego Star Wars (and many more) sets that launched today, you can also preorder Lego's 2024 Advent Calendars, including the Star Wars-themed edition, which is always popular. Other major franchises with 2024 Lego Advent Calendars include Spider-Man, Harry Potter, and Disney. Check out all of the new Lego sets Lego Star Wars The Dark Falcon$180Release date: August 11,579 piecesMinifigures: Darth Jar Jar, Bounty Hunter C-3PO, Darth Dev, Darth Rey, Beach Luke and Jedi VaderAccessories: Lightsabers and a blue milk cartonSpecial features: Top panels can be flipped up to reveal the detailed interior, a removable throne for Darth Jar Jar, command center, hyperdrive, bunk beds, an entertainment area, and a jail cell See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Imperial Star Destroyer$160Release date: August 11,555 piecesMinifigures: Darth Vader, Commander Praji, an Imperial Gunner, Imperial Navy Trooper, a Stormtrooper, and Cal KestisAccessories: A red lightsaber for Darth Vader, a blue Lightsaber for Cal Kestis, and blasters for the Imperial army minifiguresSpecial features: A hidden foldout carry handle, two spring-loaded shooters, and a lift-off top panel and foldout side panels to access the detailed interior See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego C-3PO$140Release date: August 11,138 piecesMinifigures: C3POAccessories: A C-3PO information plaque, space for the C-3PO minifigure, and a Lego Star Wars 25th Anniversary brickSpecial features: Head and arm can be turned to create familiar poses See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Star Wars TIE Fighter and X-Wing mash-up$110Release date: August 11,063 piecesMinifigures: Rebel Pilot, TIE pilot, Yesi Scala, Sig Greebling, and an L3-G0 droidAccessories: Blasters for the pilots and a Gaffi stick for Yesi ScalaSpecial features: Each starfighter has an opening cockpit for a minifigure and two spring-loaded shooters, and the X-wings wings are adjustable See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Jedi Bob's Starfighter$40Release date: August 1305 piecesMinifigures: Jedi Bob with a lightsaber, an Ackbar Trooper with a blaster, and a servo droid figureAccessories: Blue milk carton and bananaSpecial features: Opening cockpit, two spring-loaded shooters, and retractable landing gear See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Ahsoka Tano's duel on Peridea$55Release date: August 1382 piecesMinifigures: Ahsoka Tano, Grand Admiral Thrawn, Morgan Elsbeth, Ezra Bridger and a Night TrooperAccessories: White lightsabers for Ahsoka Tano, a blaster for Admiral Thrawn, the Blade of Talzin for Morgan Elsbeth, a blue lightsaber for Ezra Bridger, and the Night Trooper's blasterSpecial features: A brick-built platform with built-in turntables for spinning battles and a function to recreate Ezra's leap off the platform See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Desert Skiff and Sarlacc Pit$80Release date: August 1558 piecesMinifigures: Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, Lando Calrissian, Nien Nunb, and Boba FettAccessories: A green lightsaber for Luke Skywalker, blasters, pikes, and a jetpack for Boba FettSpecial features: Sarlacc mouth has moving tentacles and can fit one Boba Fett-sized minifigure inside of it. The desert skiff features translucent elements for a hover effect, a plank for Luke Skywalker to walk on, and the breakaway railing where Han Solo nearly fell off. See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Droid Builder$100Release date: August 11,186 piecesFeatures buildable versions of R2-D2, Chopper, QT-KT, and R5-J2Minifigures: Young Princess Leia with her droid L0-LA59Accessories: A duck, cowboy hat, baseball cap, hat with flower, mustache, ice cream, balloon, glasses, bow, bow tie, headphones, two jet boosters, and two stud shootersSpecial features: Buildable accessories fit on all the droids, and the rotating head and legs of each droid can be reattached to any other droid body See at Lego Store

Often cited as the "best deal in gaming," Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is going up from $17 to $20 a month starting September 12, but if you act fast, the Amazon-owned online retailer Woot is selling discounted prepaid Game Pass codes that will save you a hefty chunk on the subscription service. See at Woot With the deal, you can grab a 30-day prepaid Game Pass Ultimate digital code for $13.49 (was $17) or a 90-day code for $36.49 (normally $51 at the Microsoft store). But that's not all--if you use the coupon code VIDEOGAMES at checkout, you'll get an extra $3 off your code. The coupon can only be used once, but that extra $3 helps make this one of the best deals on Game Pass you'll find. For comparison, after the price increase next month, three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate will cost you $60, so this is almost a 50% discount based on the upcoming price hike.This is a great deal even if you only grab one 30- or 90-day code, but the discount is a great excuse to load up on a few months worth of Game Pass Ultimate.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Headphones and gaming headsets are great, but for folks who wear glasses, finding a headset that you can wear comfortably while your glasses are on can be difficult. Thankfully, glasses manufacturer Zenni Opix's new line of OptiFlex glasses frame are designed to be worn with headphones, headsets, helmets, and hats. And like all Zenni frames, the OptiFlex glasses are extremely affordable, with frames starting at $26. See OptiFlex frames at Zenni Unveiled at Evo 2024, Zenni's Optiflex eyewear line uses super-flexible, lightweight ULTEM materials. The shape is designed for limited touch points on your head to minimize pressure and discomfort on your ears and temples, especially when wearing headphones and other headgear. The material is also slip-proof, so the glasses will stay in place as you move around. They're also hypoallergenic and resistant to heat, chemicals, and impacts.The OptiFlex frames are now available exclusively at Zenni's online store. Each pair of frames starts at $26 and has numerous customization options. There are 13 frame shapes and sizes to choose from, including rectangle, square, aviator, round, and Catseyeall in child and adult sizeseach of which can be customized with multiple color options, for 120 total styles.Continue Reading at GameSpot

A ton of new Lego sets were released today, including many in Lego's video game-inspired collections. Three new Sonic the Hedgehog sets have joined Lego's growing lineup of playsets featuring Sega's iconic mascot. Each set comes with multiple minifigures and a wealth of interactive components. Here's a closer look at Tails' Adventure Boat, Knuckles and the Master Emerald Shrine, and Super Sonic vs. Egg Drillster, which comes with a Shadow the Hedgehog minifigure that will look tiny next to the newly announced Shadow the Hedgehog Lego bust. Preorders for the first Lego Sonic "display set" just went live at Target ahead of its October 1 launch. Check out all of the new Lego sets Lego Sonic - Super Sonic vs. Egg Drillster (590 pieces) $80 Dr. Eggman's Drillster made its first appearance in Sega's legendary platformer series in Sonic the Hedgehog 2, so this iconic vehicle has been around for over 30 years. It has since been featured in a handful of other Sonic games, and now it's buildable Lego playset. The vehicle has a rotating drill that can break the wall to the small lab and a hover dock. In addition to Dr. Eggman, the set comes with one of look-alike robots and minifigures of Shadow and Super Sonic. With the included launch pad and speed sphere, Super Sonic can be flung across the floor/table (preferably in the direction of Eggman). See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Sonic - Tails' Adventure Boat (393 pieces) $55 This set includes Sonic and Tails figures, plus a working speed sphere launcher to send your characters hurtling ahead of the boat. Toss in parasail connectors to send a figure high above the boat and a buildable island, and you've got a cool addition to the Lego Sonic lineup. See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego Sonic - Knuckles and the Master Emerald Shrine (325 pieces) $35 This buildable playset gets you Knuckles and Amy figures, as well as a posable Eggrobo with a working launcher. You'll also get to piece together a catapult to launch grapes at your enemies as well as a rotating floor with a punching bag for Knuckles. See at Amazon See at Lego Store Preorder Shadow the Hedgehog (720 pieces) $70 Though it's not out today, the upcoming Shadow the Hedgehog Lego set is now available to preorder at Target. All of the sets in the Lego Sonic line thus far have been playsets, but that'll change come October 1 with the release of this 720-piece display model of Gerald Robotnik's most diabolical creation. Will the Lego version of Shadow the Hedgehog conquer the world? Probably not, but he could conquer the open spot on your display shelf for $70. Lego says this set will have Easter Eggs for Sonic fans to uncover, which sounds similar to the Lego Mario sets that are designed for display. Speaking of Lego Mario, Target is also taking preorders on the upcoming Super Mario World Lego set, which also launches October 1. Preorder at Target More Video Game-Inspired Lego SetsLego Animal CrossingAlong with the two Lego Sonic sets above, there are plenty of other Lego sets that just hit the market. This includes new new Lego Super Mario starter sets and expansions--such as The Bowser Express Train, which is the largest Lego Mario expansion yet. And if you're a fan of Animal Crossing, be sure to check out the new set featuring K.K. Slider. Here's a full look at the new releases in Lego's Nintendo and Sega gaming lines.Unless otherwise stated, the links below are Amazon listings. The vast majority of these sets are eligible for Prime shipping, so you could start building your new set(s) this weekend.Continue Reading at GameSpot

K.K.'s Concert at the Plaza (550 pieces) $80 See at Amazon See at Lego Store Fly with Dodo Airlines (292 pieces) $38 See at Amazon See at Lego Store Lego has added to its Animal Crossing Lego lineup with two new sets. One of the sets features the iconic K.K. Slider during a performance outside Resident Services, and the other is a replica of the Dodo Airlines Airport. The pair of building kits join the existing Lego Animal Crossing catalog, which features five replicas of Isabelle's House, Kapp'n's Island Boat Tour, and more.Interested in adding one or both to your Animal Crossing Lego collection? Here's a closer look at the brand-new Lego sets, which are just two of many new Lego sets that launched this week. You can also pick up new Super Mario, Star Wars, Minecraft, Sonic the Hedgehog, and more new kits from popular franchises. We've included a list of the highlights from Lego's new releases at the bottom of this story. Check out all of the new Lego sets K.K.'s Concert at the Plaza (550 pieces) $80 This 550-piece set lets you piece together your very own K.K. Slider concert. Once completed, it gets you a model of the Resident Services building, a drivable camper toy, and a small caf area. You'll also get figures for K.K., Isabelle, and Audie. As a nice bonus, the Resident Service's flag is customizable and you can rearrange the set's baseplates to change up the overall scene. See at Amazon See at Lego Store Fly with Dodo Airlines (292 pieces) $38 If you're looking for a smaller set, Fly with Dodo Airlines is a nice alternative. It's less than 300 pieces, so even novices should have no problem snapping this together in an afternoon. It features the Dodo Airlines airport, complete with a tiny control tower and a buildable seaplane. Two minifigures are included (Wilbur the pilot and Tangy the passenger), and an included jetty allows you to walk them through the airport out to the awaiting aircraft. See at Amazon See at Lego Store More Lego Animal Crossing SetsIf you haven't picked up the first wave of Lego Animal Crossing sets, all five are currently in stock at Amazon.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Just over a year ago, the performers in SAG-AFTRA went on strike against the major Hollywood studios and streamers over a variety of issues including a lack of AI protections. Now, the actors are on strike again against video game studios whom they claim have refused to offer the same AI protections that SAG-AFTRA secured following last year's strike."We've made deals with the studios and streamers," said SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland during an interview with the Associated Press. "We've made deals without a strike with the major record labels and with countless other employers, which provide for informed consent and fair compensation for our members. And yet, for some reason, the video game companies refuse to do that and that's whats going to be their undoing."SAG-AFTRA members authorized a strike last week after negotiations between the union and the video game publishers dragged on for 18 months without a resolution. Some of the studios that the actors reached deals with last year, including Warner Bros. and Disney, have video game divisions as well. But that hasn't led to any movement on a new protections for the actors who lend their voices and likenesses to video games.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Is it really a Call of Duty game without some zombie options? Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 isn't going to break from that tradition when it launches this fall. Activision Blizzard developer Treyarch already announced that there will be round-based zombie action in Black Ops 6. Now, Treyarch is offering a few ominous teasers about the mayhem ahead.The official Call of Duty account on X has a brief video that directs fans to go to TheTruthDies.com, with only a brief glimpse of zombies. But it only gets weirder from there.Back from the dead #BlackOps6 pic.twitter.com/j7vpvqAEHV Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) August 1, 2024 The website features a TV screen that offers a scrolling program menu and six different channels that be accessed, but only two of the channels currently have anything that can be seen. Each channel is initially innocuous before the music shifts into a scarier key and flashes of a grotesque bunny plushie appear with menacing laughter. The program menu also shifts to display prisoners in cells who don't look like they're infected... at least not yet.Continue Reading at GameSpot