The Halo series has a sizable villain problem. It’s not that there aren’t notable antagonists, but that they tend to disappear after a couple games, get relegated to simple boss battles, or fade into grander stories. The Flood was the first big mystery threat, but the Gravemind and his booming...
The Witcher season 3’s big twist was part Met Gala, part Red Wedding, and all details
Geralt of Rivia, revered monster slayer and banquet-booer, is annoyed. He remains convinced the sorcerers and sorceresses at the ball are hellbent on not-so-shyly making fun of him, a mutant and a freak. Still, he is able to recognize the tension he senses comes from something more — something far...
The miracle of Palworld isn’t its popularity, it’s that it exists at all
How the hell did Palworld happen? In a recent blog post, Takuro Mizobe, the CEO and co-founder of the studio behind the latest mega-hit, provides some clarity. The answer isn’t what any gaming veteran would call “proper game development.” But maybe that’s the secret. Although Palworld recently hit the second-highest...
The creators of Venture Bros. reflect on the end — the real one
The July release of The Venture Bros.: Radiant Is the Blood of the Baboon Heart properly closes the book on one of the all-time great animated series. After Adult Swim canceled The Venture Bros. in 2020, an abrupt ending to a seven-season run that started in 2004, the feature-length finale...
Anime is huge — and we finally have numbers to prove it
Polygon surveyed more than 4,000 people to demystify anime’s reach within the world of pop culture. By Polygon Staff / Jan 22, 2024, 5:00PM UTC Eventually, all the biggest forms of entertainment reach a tipping point. After spending years establishing themselves, building an audience, and becoming indispensable to fans, they still...
Failing internet and Game of Thrones fandom turned Cuban kids into fake spies
For many years in Cuba, getting online to watch a show or to download the latest game meant using tools and methods reminiscent of spycraft and espionage. It went a bit like this: An information broker known as a paquetero sits in his cramped, street-facing office, surrounded by monolithic PC...
Taylor Swift Easter eggs are more than a puzzle — they’re a lifestyle
Everyone knows Taylor Swift, one of the world’s biggest pop stars, but only a select few know what she’s really thinking. Much like an Instagram story that’s secretly meant for a crush, Swift is always subtly putting herself out there, hoping you’ll notice. At least, that’s how fans tell it....
Small board game publishers harassed by international counterfeiters
Everything was going right for Wonderbow co-founder Laia Gonzalez. Her small publishing company’s latest project, a board game called Kelp, had wildly exceeded expectations and was closing in on its final crowdfunding total of more than $1.5 million. Delivery was scheduled for October 2024, so there was plenty of time...
Neopets community in delight and discord over the return of original pet art
For years, Neopets has had a black-market pet problem. Neopets themselves aren’t just digital pets — they’re also currency. When the website, popularized in the 2000s, got a revamp in 2007, its creators unintentionally created a new market for rare goods. At that time, most of Neopets’ pet art was...
Groot and Minority Report helped No One Will Save You’s director build a puzzle box
Hulu’s original science fiction movie No One Will Save You is an effective, creepy, and at times repulsive thriller, but it’s also openly positioned as a discussion-starter. Isolated small-town loner Brynn (Booksmart star Kaitlyn Dever) encounters aliens, which she alternately fights and flees. Her situation keeps changing in ways that...