Speaking with IGN as part of our IGN30 Icon Series, Guillermo del Toro opened up about his favorite games — and while he gushed about many, one definitely stood out from the rest.
It’s no secret that Guillermo del Toro is a die-hard gamer. He’s spoken at length about his favorite titles, most recently retweeting a sculpture of Resident Evil 2’s Super Tyrant with an excited, “Aaaaah~.”
We got the chance to sit down with the acclaimed filmmaker at San Diego Comic Con 2026, where he celebrated the 20th anniversary of Pan’s Labyrinth. During our chat, del Toro waxed poetic about the many games that have impacted him over the years, citing titles like Journey, Left 4 Dead, and Monument Valley.
“Death Stranding made me cry,” he told us. (It’s no surprise — he starred in the game, after all.) “Shadow of the Colossus made me introspective about so many intangible things. Bioshock, it’s a world I could get lost in for ages.”
However, his most surprising favorite doesn’t feature brooding themes or a dark, shadowy world. Instead, it’s one of the most popular mobile games of all time, notably featuring an iconic, upbeat theme song and bright, happy colors: Angry Birds.
“Every day of my life, every moment I have free, I’m still playing Angry Birds. I’m really good at it,” he admitted.
On the more predictable end of what you’d expect from del Toro’s tastes, he also revealed that he’s a massive fan of Dead Cells, though he jokingly asked the game’s developers to make a version without respawning for the older gamers out there.
“Dead Cells was really interesting to me,” he explained. “I just hate respawning, because you only get about 35 levels and then you start again. You get faster, but please, do a version without respawning for the older, for the elderly players. I’m available. Contact me and send it to me, please. I beg you!”
Our full, extended interview with Guillermo del Toro will be published later this year as part of the IGN30 Icons series. In the meantime, you can check out a previous episode of the series, where we chatted with Ken Levine, creator of famed games like System Shock 2 and its spiritual successor, Bioshock.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.