Some of iRobot’s best robo-vacs are on sale. Wellbots has the ultra-premium Roomba Combo 10 Max + Autowash Dock for $420 off with Engadget’s code ENGDT420. Or, if you want a high-end model without spending quite as much, the Roomba j9+ and Roomba Combo j7+ are on sale for up to $320 off with these exclusive deals.

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Save $420 with Engadget code ENGDT420.

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Save $420 with code

ENGDT420

$979 at Wellbots

The iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + Autowash Dock is the company’s most advanced (and expensive!) robot vacuum. This model sucks up dirt, mops and even self-cleans: Its dock can wash and dry the mopping pad, leaving less work for you. You can run self-cleaning manually, but its companion app will also remind you when it’s time for standard maintenance or deeper cleaning.

This model’s base can store dirt and debris for up to 60 days before emptying. Its mopping pad and self-cleaning tank hold up to seven days of water.

Usually a whopping $1,399, Wellbots has the Roomba Combo 10 Max + Autowash Dock on sale for $979. Although that’s still a pretty penny, this deal puts the vacuum within range of alternate models that don’t match its feature set. Use Engadget’s exclusive code ENGDT420 to see that price.

Also on sale is the Roomba j9+. This model doesn’t mop, but it gives you powerful automated vacuuming in a stylish package that won’t be an eyesore in your home. It has a three-stage cleaning system, multi-surface rubber brushes and high-end suction.

This model is usually a daunting $899, but you can get the Roomba j9+ for $619. Use Engadget’s code ENGDT270 during your checkout at Wellbots.

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Finally, the Roomba Combo j7+ is a slightly older vacuum / mop model with high-end features. It has a 96.4 percent debris removal rate, obstacle avoidance and a four-stage cleaning system. This model has an edge-sweeping brush, dual multi-surface rubber brushes and power-lifting suction. The Combo j7+ can empty itself for up to 60 days.

You can pick up the Roomba Combo j7+ for only $679 (compared to its usual $999). Just enter the coupon code ENGDT320 while checking out.

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Microsoft is moving its Halo development to Unreal Engine 5, after more than a year of rumors of an engine switch following a leadership overhaul at 343 Industries, layoffs, and other changes. 343 Industries is now becoming Halo Studios as part of this engine change announcement, hoping to mark a new chapter in the history of Halo.

Halo moving to Unreal Engine 5 is being positioned as the first step of a transformation for Halo Studios to change its technology, structure, processes, and even culture. “We’re not just going to try improve the efficiency of development, but change the recipe of how we make Halo games,” says Pierre Hintze, studio head at Halo Studios.

The team building Halo will move from the studio’s Slipspace Engine to Unreal, after the proprietary engine it built for Halo Infinite became difficult to use and strained development. Halo Studios has had to dedicate a lot of staff to developing the Slipspace Engine, and parts of it are almost 25 years old.

“One of the primary things we’re interested in is growing and expanding our world so players have more to interact with and more to experience,” says Chris Matthews, art director at Halo Studios. “Nanite and Lumen [Unreal’s rendering and lighting technologies] offer us an opportunity to do that in a way that the industry hasn’t seen before. As artists, it’s incredibly exciting to do that work.”

Halo Studios isn’t committing to any release dates or new Halo game announcements just yet, but the team has been building some examples of Halo running in Unreal. Dubbed Project Foundry, the work is “neither a game nor a tech demo,” but more of a research, development, and training tool. It’s also the foundation for how the studio is changing up the way it builds Halo games.

Project Foundry has been built as if it was a shipping game so that a bunch of it can appear in Halo games in the future. “It’s fair to say that our intent is that the majority of what we showcased in Foundry is expected to be in projects which we are building, or future projects,” says Hintze.

Project Foundry includes more detailed landscapes for Halo biomes, as well as foliage levels we haven’t seen in Halo games in the past. Master Chief’s armor has even been remodeled in this footage, months after I exclusively revealed in Notepad that Microsoft was working on some form of a Halo: Combat Evolved remaster.

Halo Studios is now working on multiple Halo games, while the Slipstream Engine will continue to power Halo Infinite. “We had a disproportionate focus on trying to create the conditions to be successful in servicing Halo Infinite,” says Hintze. “[But switching to Unreal] allows us to put all the focus on making multiple new experiences at the highest quality possible.”

Gaming peripheral manufacturer Thrustmaster has revealed the Thrustmaster Heart Controller. This new gamepad, which is compatible with both Xbox and PC, features Hall Effect thumbsticks and mechanical buttons.

Accuracy and longevity seem to be at the center of its design. The name, which is actually an acronym, stands for “Hall Effect AccuRate Technology” – a fancy marketing term for what appears to be very similar to Hall Effect technology that is already found in many of the best Xbox controllers and PC controllers.

Update 10/7/24: If there’s a product category I get excited about, it is board games. In searching through what Amazon had to offer, I was able to find hot discounts and suitable games for just about any table out there. Whether they’ve been played (and loved) by me personally or someone in my game group, these games have all passed the test of being lovable, direct, and great to play. Note that many of these deals are “With Prime” meaning you’ll need an Amazon Prime membership to get them.

With October 8 and 9 having some great Prime Big Deal Days deals, now is the perfect opportunity to pick yourself up a board game, especially since it’s one of the few days of the year where board games have some solid discounts. To that end, we’ve gone out and collected some of our all-around favorite board game deals for you to check out. That said, if you’re a more traditional PC gamer, then check out these Prime Day gaming laptop deals and Prime Day gaming PC deals while you’re at it.

Draftosaurus — $14 (with Prime) $25 44% off

There’s hardly a more underrated drafting game out there. Whether you’re an MtG nerd looking for a 15 minute drafting fix or have a dino-loving kid ready to start their first planning games, this is it. This game has a light exterior and easy-to-understand ruleset, but has nonetheless satisfying gameplay for any gamer.

Jekyll vs. Hyde — $14 (with Prime) $14 39% off

It’s hard to get four together to play Hearts of Spades, but this two-player trick-taking game can quickly fill the spot. While simple to play, wrapping your mind around the different roles in the game, when to use special moves, and the unique one-vs-one trick-taking atmosphere will mean this game will take ages to master.

Codenames — $20 $25 20% off

If there’s a game you’ll hear non-boardgamers cite in recent years, its the word association game Codenames. I can like Codenames, you can like Codenames, we can all like Codenames. There’s a weird blend of strategy, word play, and social dynamics at work in the game. Plus, it is easy to accommodate groups of any size (you can play seamlessly in teams) and if a player leaves early or comes in late you can plop them in with little fuss. A great first or last game in your night’s lineup.

Rallyman: DIRT — $25 (with Prime) $45 45% off

If you’ve got a group that’s tired of “victory points” style games with 7+ points trackers to follow, this push your luck racing game will be refreshing. Push your car, but not too much, to win the rally. You get to design the courses with hex pieces, so there’s (essentially) endless variety to be had.

Dominion (2nd Edition) — $34 $50 32% off

We know that if you’re a turn-based computer games gamer, you’re still playing Slay the Spire. So, why not also play one of the original competitive deck-builder boardgames as well? Each game has different sets of cards to purchase from, giving it depth and lasting power for your table. Plus, there are expansions!

Space Base — $37 $45 18% off

Space Base may not have battles, but it feels more like the autobattler genre in boardgame format more than any other game I’ve played (and arguably more so than which imitates many tropes of the genre). Players acquire ships and get lucky to get resources and, eventually, enough points to win. This game uses a combination of luck and strategy, so even a new player can win.

How to Choose a Board Game on Prime Day

If you’ve never really gotten into the world of board games and are only familiar with things like Monopoly or Clue, then a good place to start is to look at our roundup of the best board games and pick the things that may seem interesting to you. These are all really great starter board games that can ease you into the wider world of board games, especially since you can go very complex if you’re looking for that.

On the other hand, if you’re ready to jump right in, then you should think about the style of a board game that you like to play. For starters, there are entirely co-op games where everybody works together to reach a goal, such as Pandemic or Forbidden Island and Forbidden Desert. If you want to add a little bit of tension to the situation with potential traitors, then Dead of Winter, Nemesis, and The Thing are all great options. You could also check out very social games, such as Coup, Codenames, and Wavelength, which are all great fun to play with six or more people.

That brings us to the next point: one of the most important things to consider when buying board games is how many people you regularly play with and how long you have to play. There are board games that are for as few as two people and as many as ten, and some board games can last 15 minutes, while others can easily last three to four hours. As such, you should plan around your usual gaming group and time.

How We Chose These Board Game Prime Day Deals