After pictures of in-hand copies of Wizkids’ new pre-painted Baldur’s Gate 3 miniatures emerged and were promptly ridiculed last week, the toymaker has announced plans to offer complete refunds to players disappointed by the horrifying paint jobs that turned Faerun’s finest into eldritch abominations. The controversy around Wizkids’ new $50 Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3D&D video game found them arriving with almost comically bad paint applications—significantly worse than the production images used to sell the set promoted, which were themselves already significantly worse than the images used for the highly anticipated set’s reveal last year. Although no one expected seven mass-market miniatures to hit the quality of, say, a Golden Demon entrant, when Karlach’s eyes start slipping halfway down her face, Lae’zel’s hair is half Githyanki-skintone colored, and Gale looks more like a Dollar Tree Matt Berry, something has gone clearly wrong. Thankfully, Wizkids agrees. In a statement released to the company’s official website today, Wizkids offered an apology for the quality of its Baldur’s Gate 3 minis. “As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play. We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products,” the statement opens. “Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set.” Wizkids will offer complete refunds to anyone who purchased the set directly from the company, but also offered that anyone who purchased the box set through their local game store can return it to point of purchase for a complete refund as well. Should anyone be brave enough to want a replacement instead, they can also fill out an online form to receive a set that Wizkids will “ensure that it meets the standards expected.” Wizkids has also removed the Icons of the Realm set from its webstore, so anyone looking to try and buy a questionable piece of Baldur’s Gate 3 history might find themselves out of luck. “Please accept our sincerest apologies for the frustration and disappointment these quality issues caused our customers. We, too, feel the same as the final product did not meet our expectations or that of our Wizards of the Coast partner,” the statement concluded. “Our teams are working to find the best solutions to resolve this for all involved and to work with you, our customers, to fix this.” Hasbro’s broader stewardship of Baldur’s Gate 3 in the wake of Larian officially moving on from the game after its latest patch has been marked by a series of unfortunate public mishaps as it seeks to capitalize on the immense success of the 2023 smash hit. In a much less funny situation than badly painted miniatures, earlier this year Wizards of the Coast scrapped its much-vaunted virtual tabletop project Sigil, which had extensively leveraged the ability to use characters like Baldur’s Gate‘s Karlach and Astarion in promotional material. Hopefully we get a few more critical hits rather than natural 1s, whatever the company decides to do with BG3 next. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

Baldur's Gate 3's terrible miniatures "missed the mark" so much, WizKids is offering refunds Company is taking complaints "seriously." Image credit: Eurogamer/WizKids News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on May 19, 2025 Board game company WizKids has apologised for its recent line of Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures, acknowledging the melty faced monstrosities "missed the mark" and offering full refunds. WizKids announced the range - officially known as Dungeons & Dragons: Icons Of The Realms: Baldur's Gate 3 - at the end of last year, and US customers began receiving their £50/$49.99, seven-character sets earlier this month. However, rather than the crisply detailed renditions of Astarion, Karlach, Gale, Shadowheart, Wyll, Lae'zel and Withers featured in WizKids' promotional material, customers instead received pre-painted miniatures that wouldn't have looked out of place in a Borja church fresco - and complaints were swift. And now, with more and more images of the squishy faced disappointments being shared online, WizKids has been forced to concede that, yes, its Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures are in fact rubbish. "As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play," it wrote on its website. "We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products." Uncanny. | Image credit: Eurogamer/WizKids "Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur's Gate 3 Character Boxed Set," it continued. "If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with their set... We're aware of the recent reports and complaints and are taking them seriously. Our team is currently investigating these issues and taking action to make this right for those whose purchases were negatively affected and to ensure these issues do not recur in future products and reprints." WizKids notes anyone who purchased the box set from a third-party retailer should contact them directly for a refund, while those wishing for a replacement - one that "meets the standards expected" - can do so via its website. "Please accept our sincerest apologies for the frustration and disappointment these quality issues caused our customers," WizKids concluded. "We, too, feel the same as the final product did not meet our expectations or that of our Wizards of the Coast partner. Our teams are working to find the best solutions to resolve this for all involved and to work with you, our customers, to fix this. We appreciate your patience as we focus on getting back to those affected and helping them with their refunds in a timely manner." It's hardly a fitting celebration of developer Larian's acclaimed 2023 RPG, but with the studio's work on the game now largely at an end following April's massive Patch 8, Astarion, Karlach, and friends are now entirely at Dungeons & Dragons owner Hasbro's mercy. And if that means licensing them out to be turned into unrecgonsisable bits of plastic, then so be. Hasbro has, of course, already confirmed it's keen to find a studio to make Baldur's Gate 4, but with Larian now working on its own mysterious projects, it's unclear how far off that may be.

WizKids is offering refunds for its Baldur’s Gate 3 miniature set after fans criticized the quality of the pre-painted figurines. The $50 D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 set, which includes the six origin characters as well as Withers, drew backlash over its paint jobs, which lack detail and precision according to photos posted by customers. WizKids acknowledged the situation in a statement, saying it “seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play,” but that “unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal.” To remedy the situation, customers who bought the set directly from WizKids can request a refund through the company’s customer service email. Those who purchased the set from a local retailer can seek a refund at that point of sale. There is also a product replacement option available through WizKids’ website for anyone who wishes to roll the dice again with WizKids. Images of the melty-faced miniatures have been circulating online recently since they were sent out. A senior cinematic artist for Larian Studios who worked on Baldur’s Gate 3 took to X to share the disappointing distortion from expectations to reality. For some, the melty pre-painted faces were not the biggest cause for concern, because the miniature set they received didn’t even have a head for Shadowheart! What I ordered VS what I received. Only Gale has a decent face. It's expensive for a 5 years old painting work… Shame on you @Wizards_DnD pic.twitter.com/JcMCBhtRpt— Gale-LOD 😏 (@HighLODLar) May 13, 2025 The set’s quality issues are surely disappointing for Baldur’s Gate 3 fans who were hoping for collectible-quality figures of the game’s beloved cast. Although seven pre-painted figures for $50 is not that expensive in the hobby, even those with modest expectations have been surprised by how poorly they turned out. For others, though, these flawed minis might end up as collectibles in their own right. Misprints and errors have occasionally gained value over time in other collectible hobbies, and with refunds and replacements already underway, the original run of these figures could ironically become a desired oddity for collectors.

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Activision is delisting Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile after one yearActivision is delisting Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile after one year'It unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players.'Chris Kerr, Senior Editor, NewsMay 19, 20251 Min ReadImage via ActivisionCall of Duty: Warzone Mobile has been pulled from digital shelves after falling short of expectations.The title launched in March 2024 but has struggled to attract players. Developer Activision confirmed anybody who installed the game prior to its removal from the App Store and Google Play storefronts on May 19, 2025, will be able to continue playing for the time being.The studio, however, will cease active development on the free-to-play shooter and will no longer be delivering new seasonal content and gameplay updates. Social features will also be retired across both platforms."This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors and while we're proud of the accomplishment in bringing Call of Duty: Warzone to mobile in an authentic way, it unfortunately has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences," explained Activision in a post on X."Players who have the game installed before Monday, May 19, 2025 will still have access to the game with continued cross-progression of shared inventories using existing content, and servers with matchmaking for online play. Any unspent COD Points can also be redeemed in-game toward available content in the Store."Although players will be able to spend remaining COD Points on existing items, they will no longer be able to spend real currency in-game.Related:Activision will not be issuing refunds for previously purchased in-game content or unused COD Points.Read more about:Activision BlizzardAbout the AuthorChris KerrSenior Editor, News, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games here Last week, pre-painted miniature figures of Baldur’s Gate 3 spread across the internet as fans were taken aback by the sheer ugliness on display. With even official Larian developers surprised at the extremely low quality of the figures, the miniatures’ creators at WizKids have formally apologised.  The new pre-painted minis set “D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3” cost fans $49.99/£49.99 for figurines of the main party (and Withers). While the figure sculpts were okay, the paint jobs were extremely ugly and looked like they were painted by toddlers.  WizKids apologises for awful Baldur’s Gate minis  In a new statement, WizKids has formally apologised for releasing their pre-painted minis in their current state. Anyone who purchased the minis are now eligible for a full refund while also keeping the figures.  Fans who purchased the miniatures via WizKids directly can reach out to the company for their awful figures. However, if the figures were purchased via a third-party retailer, you’ll have to go through them instead.  These are just plain awful. “Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set,” the company said in a recent statement. “If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with their set.” “Please accept our sincerest apologies for the frustration and disappointment these quality issues caused our customers,” the company continued. “We, too, feel the same as the final product did not meet our expectations or that of our Wizards of the Coast partner. Our teams are working to find the best solutions to resolve this for all involved and to work with you, our customers, to fix this. We appreciate your patience as we focus on getting back to those affected and helping them with their refunds in a timely manner.” Considering the sheer amount of quality found in Larian’s Baldur’s Gate 3 game, that air of quality should be expected to continue with the game’s merchandise. As Hasbro claims to be “raising the bar” with future releases relating to the series, the truly atrocious miniature figures are a minor stain on that promise.  For more Baldur’s Gate 3 coverage, read about the game’s upcoming custom campaign mod backed by hundreds of fans.  Baldur’s Gate 3 Platform(s): macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series S/X, Xbox Series X Genre(s): Adventure, RPG, Strategy 10 VideoGamer Subscribe to our newsletters! By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime. Share

WizKids is offering refunds for its Baldur’s Gate 3 miniature set after fans criticized the quality of the pre-painted figurines. The $50 D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 set, which includes the six origin characters as well as Withers, drew backlash over its paint jobs, which lack detail and precision according to photos posted by customers. WizKids acknowledged the situation in a statement, saying it “seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play,” but that “unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal.” To remedy the situation, customers who bought the set directly from WizKids can request a refund through the company’s customer service email. Those who purchased the set from a local retailer can seek a refund at that point of sale. There is also a product replacement option available through WizKids’ website for anyone who wishes to roll the dice again with WizKids. Images of the melty-faced miniatures have been circulating online recently since they were sent out. A senior cinematic artist for Larian Studios who worked on Baldur’s Gate 3 took to X to share the disappointing distortion from expectations to reality. For some, the melty pre-painted faces were not the biggest cause for concern, because the miniature set they received didn’t even have a head for Shadowheart! What I ordered VS what I received. Only Gale has a decent face. It's expensive for a 5 years old painting work… Shame on you @Wizards_DnD pic.twitter.com/JcMCBhtRpt— Gale-LOD 😏 (@HighLODLar) May 13, 2025 The set’s quality issues are surely disappointing for Baldur’s Gate 3 fans who were hoping for collectible-quality figures of the game’s beloved cast. Although seven pre-painted figures for $50 is not that expensive in the hobby, even those with modest expectations have been surprised by how poorly they turned out. For others, though, these flawed minis might end up as collectibles in their own right. Misprints and errors have occasionally gained value over time in other collectible hobbies, and with refunds and replacements already underway, the original run of these figures could ironically become a desired oddity for collectors.

Last week, WizKids' Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures arrived, and they didn't exactly garner rave reviews. The public response seems to have been heard, and now WizKids is offering refunds to anyone who feels dissatisfied with their minifig boxes."As a company, WizKids seeks to create products that enhance and add to the enjoyment of game play," the company said in an announcement. "We want our customers to build long-lasting, fond memories around game nights with friends and family using our products. "Unfortunately, we missed the mark on this goal with the D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set. If you purchased this set through our online stores, we will be offering a full refund to those who are unsatisfied with their set."WizKids went on to say it's aware of the reports, and its team is investigating the issues and taking action to both "make this right" and to ensure issues do not pop up again in future products.The $49.99 pre-painted D&D Icons of the Realms: Baldur’s Gate 3 Character Boxed Set started rolling out to buyers last week, and the results surprised more than a few. Opening the box to strange paint jobs, off details, and a seemingly melting Withers left purchasers feeling frustrated.WizKids is offering refunds through two options. If you bought the set online, you can contact customerservice@wizkids.com to start a request. If you went through a local retailer, you can return it at the point of purchase for a full refund. The company is also offering a product replacement through its replacement site, where WizKids says it will work to provide a replacement that "meets the standards expected."PlayIt's not exactly the happiest ending for those hoping for a nice new set of Baldur's Gate 3 miniatures, but it's at least something for those disappointed with the outcome of their box of minis. Hopefully those affected can find some other figure-makers to fill the miniature-shaped hole in their hearts.Larian just bid farewell to Baldur's Gate 3 with Patch 8, its final major patch for its 2023 RPG that took the world by storm. The studio's CEO Swen Vincke has dropped some hints about what's next for Larian, but aside from it not being Baldur's Gate nor Dungeons & Dragons, there's not too much more to go on.Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Activision is starting to wind down Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile just over a year after its global launch. The game “has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences,” according to a post on X. The company will be pulling the game from the App Store and Google Play after Sunday, May 18th. Players who have installed the game before Monday, May 19th will “still have access to the game with continued cross-progression of shared inventories using existing content, and servers with matchmaking for online play,” Activision says. We deeply appreciate your dedication and passion for Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile. Going forward, we will be streamlining the scope of the game. This decision was made after careful consideration of various factors and while we're proud of the accomplishment in bringing Call of… pic.twitter.com/2FU3itRRZ9— Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile (@WarzoneMobile) May 16, 2025 However, there will be no new seasonal content or gameplay updates, social features across platforms will not be available, and you won’t be able to buy content with real-world currency, Activision says on a support page. Activision will not be offering refunds for previously purchased content or for unspent COD Points. Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile launched worldwide on March 21st, 2024, and it shared progression with Call of Duty: Warzone on console and PC. But it apparently wasn’t as successful as Activision and Microsoft, which became a huge force in mobile gaming as a result of the acquisition, would have liked.

Job Title: Part-Time Travel Concierge SpecialistLocation: Remote, Americas time zonesHours & Pay: $20 / hour · 4–8 hr shift blocks · minimum 20 hrs/week, up to 48 hrs/weekReports to: Head of OperationsWhy This Role ExistsWhen flights cancel at 2 am or a passport issue pops up the night before departure, travelers need calm, fast, human help. You’ll be that trusted voice—backed by our AI tools—who rescues the trip and wins lifelong loyalty.What You’ll Do (Shift Blocks)Respond within 10 minutes to urgent phone/email/Slack alerts; triage what’s truly critical.Search for and book air travel, hotels, car rentals, and transfers. For flights, this may also include looking for point deals (we will train you how to be a travel hacker). Rebook or re-route disrupted flights using our tool or airline websites and confirm new tickets.Issue refunds, file EU/US compensation claims, and track voucher balances.Handle simple exchanges (date/time changes, seat moves) for clients.Proactively scan travel issues during your shift for schedule changes or weather risks; flag solutions before the traveler asks.Document every action in our CRM— no loose ends for the next shift.Escalate edge-case pricing or ticketing errors to senior ops quickly.Must-HavesNative English speaker: Extremely strong written and verbal English skills with no accent.Service reflex: you naturally reassure stressed travelers in crisp, empathetic English.Dependability: if you’re on the roster, we can count on you; 100% on-shift response SLA.Fast learner: comfortable juggling chat, phone, and two browser-based tools at once.Professional home work-station: high-speed internet, quiet, etc.Practical judgment: you instinctively steer travelers toward the option they actually need—even when they’re not sure themselves.Self-starter mindset: you’re comfortable making decisions and moving work forward without hand-holding.Ego-free collaboration: when you hit a roadblock, you ask for help instead of guessing in silence.Pressure poise: stressed or angry client? You stay calm, empathic, and laser-focused on solutions.Able to pass a background checkNice-to-HavesSabre, Amadeus, or Galileo experience (we’ll train the right person).Experience with points/loyalty redemptions or boutique/luxury travelers.What We OfferPredictable shift bidding two weeks in advance; swap in our scheduling app.Paid training & GDS certification pathways.Quarterly performance bonus tied to CSAT + first-contact resolution.Travel perks after 6 months (industry rates, standby benefits).A ladder: top performers can scale to 30-40 hrs, salaried roles, or product/QA rotations.If friends ask you which backup flight to book when storms hit—apply.If you read this far, put The Time Machine by H. G. Wells for the appropriate question.Apply NowLet's start your dream job Apply now Meet JobCopilot: Your Personal AI Job HunterAutomatically Apply to Remote Customer Support JobsJust set your preferences and Job Copilot will do the rest-finding, filtering, and applying while you focus on what matters. Activate JobCopilot

New owners of VPNSecure have been taking major flak recently after unexpectedly cancelling all lifetime subscriptions for users of the VPN service. The owners claimed that they didn’t know about the lifetime subscriptions when they first bought VPNSecure and are now unable to continue honoring them. Per Ars Technica, the first complaints from users losing their lifetime access began in March of this year. In April, users with lifetime subscriptions received an email stating, “To continue providing a secure and high-quality experience for all users, Lifetime Deal accounts have now been deactivated as of April 28th, 2025.” In response to a sudden wave—24 pages in total—of negative 1-star customer reviews on TrustPilot, a representative for the provider clarified, “In 2023, we acquired only the infrastructure and brand in a distressed asset sale after that company shut down. No contracts, payment data, or customer obligations were transferred.” VPNSecure has apologized to customers who were caught off guard by the sudden cancellations but reinforced its new position by saying it “never will” sell lifetime subscriptions. The whole ordeal seems to have been bungled from the start, but the company drew further ire with the way in which it so abruptly cut subscriptions. While it may have mitigated some of these issues by giving more advanced notice of the cancellations, it was never going to be an easy pill to swallow for previous lifetime plan holders. Adding insult to injury, there is no evidence that VPNSecure is offering refunds to those who purchased lifetime subscriptions. Instead, it’s offering affected users “an exclusive deal starting at just $1.87/month to continue using the service.” Insert eyeroll here. The whole ordeal is a great reminder that lifetime subscriptions are rarely as trustworthy as advertisements lead you to believe. Should the company ever go out of business or be sold, these previous ‘guarantees’ can be nothing but hot air. If you happen to be someone affected by these cancellations or are just looking for a VPN service that you can trust, refer to our list of the best VPNs.