Title: Gorgeous Slice-Of-Life Game Vivarium Brings That Old-School Anime Energy Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:27:22 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/vivarium-game-xbox-life-sim-old-school-anime-energy-2000703752 Ah, to live in a tiny terrarium...

Title: Xbox’s Strategy On Exclusives Is More Confusing Than Ever Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:56:04 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/xboxs-strategy-on-exclusives-is-more-confusing-than-ever-2000703739 Some first-party games will never come to PlayStation 5 but lots of others will

Title: Time-Bending Action-RPG Clockwork Revolution Goes Full Steampunk Heist Mode In New Gameplay Trailer Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:39:47 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/time-bending-action-rpg-clockwork-revolution-goes-full-steampunk-heist-mode-in-new-gameplay-trailer-2000703702 It's releasing in 2027 as an Xbox exclusive

Title: Why Do You Need Generative AI To Make Crazy Taxi? Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:32:03 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/why-do-you-need-generative-ai-to-make-crazy-taxi-2000703713 Answer: You don't!

Title: Everything We Saw At Xbox’s 2026 Summer Showcase Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:28:23 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/everything-we-saw-at-xboxs-2026-summer-showcase-2000703605 From Gears of War to Fable to Halo and much more, here's everything that was featured at today's big Xbox event

Title: Monopoly Go x The Simpsons crossover is almost here Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:41:21 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/monopoly-go-the-simpsons-crossover-details Monopoly Go players have been looking forward to a major crossover event for what felt like months, and though most of the details ended up leaking, nothing actually beats official information. Read more

Title: Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 will take us deeper into the World in Canvas and make Mortenax Blade playable Date: Fri, 22 May 2026 13:43:44 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/honkai-star-rail-version-4-3-all-details HoYoverse has today delivered full details on the next major update for Honkai: Star Rail. Version 4.3, dubbed The Lethe Below the Living, will be available for all players on June 1. The upcoming update adds a new chapter to the Planarcadia arc, and introduce a new playable character. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 explodes on Steam even before it's officially out Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:02 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-steam-numbers-big-launch Steam is abuzz this week with a couple of long-anticipated launches, but in Forza Horizon 6’s case, at least, the game isn’t even out for what will be most of its players. The anticipated sequel in the open-world driving game series doesn’t officially launch until May 19, but owners of its most expensive version - the Premium Edition - can play it right now. Read more

Title: Mystic Messenger's most loyal players are getting banned in droves for seemingly playing the game too much Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 10:02:10 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/mystic-messenger-ban-wave-thousands-of-hourglasses-anniversary Mystic Messenger, arguably one of the best dating sims around, has been dormant for about seven years. Despite not receiving new content or any meaningful updates in all that time, the game remains popular with its core fans, many of whom just woke up to some shocking news about their accounts. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 review - The driving game for everyone still can’t seem to escape its car-collecting legacy Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 12:00:03 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-review There is this idea that, for a long-running series to remain as consistently popular as Forza Horizon has been, it needs to diminish itself somewhat with each new entry, gradually losing more and more of its edge in a bid to appeal to the widest possible audience. Read more

Title: What Ugly Truth Will God Of War Laufey’s Faye See Reflected In Her Sword? Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:02:44 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/what-ugly-truth-will-god-of-war-laufeys-faye-see-reflected-in-her-sword/ The 20-minute gameplay reveal for God of War Laufey puts a lot of focus on protagonist Faye's new sword. And while we don't yet know what the sword is called or where it originally came from, I've already got so many questions about the blade. Most pressing, I want to know how Faye's new weapon will act as a thematic mirror for her, much as the Blades of Chaos and the Leviathan Axe acted as narrative reflections for Faye's husband, Kratos. If I had to guess, I think Faye's new sword is a reflection of her time as a schemer and that it will act as a catalyst for her coming to terms with the lingering machinations she left for her husband and son to deal with. The God of War series has long used its trademark weapons as a means to provide a thematic blueprint for whoever wields them. The chains of the Blades of Chaos were originally burned to Kratos' skin, for example, symbolically chaining him to his vengeance, rage, and servitude to the gods. Meanwhile, the Leviathan Axe returns to Kratos' hand no matter how far it's thrown, mimicking how Kratos' past as a living weapon and a god of war keeps finding and catching up to him in the present, no matter how much he tries to distance himself from it. So it stands to reason that developer Santa Monica Studio hasn't just given Faye a random sword--it, too, likely is meant to reflect some sort of trauma or discomfort that Faye will be dealing with over the course of God of War Laufey. On its own, we don't have much to work with--swords often symbolize power or leadership (like King Arthur's Excalibur), but can also be symbols of courage or protection (like Link's Master Sword). But there is some insight to be gleaned from how characters in the God of War Laufey gameplay reveal trailer talk about Faye's sword, as well as how Faye has been characterized in the franchise up to this point. What's most telling--so far, anyway--is that the sword has a past or significance unknown to Faye. A kid saved by Faye tells her "that sword is more than you think it is," and Begtse warns Faye, "You don't know what you wield," leading her to believe the Mongolian god of war is afraid of the sword and what it means to wield it. So just by using the sword, Faye is evidently participating in a legacy she hasn't been clued into yet. Perhaps, by wielding the sword in the first place, she is even unknowingly fulfilling some prophecy or predestined journey as dictated by someone else. And if that is the case, then she's being put on a path pretty much like how her husband and son were placed on a path by her. As seen in 2018's God of War and 2022's God of War Ragnarök, Faye used her seer-like Frost Giant abilities to look into the future and then put certain events into motion so that Kratos and Atreus travel to Jötunheim and discover the destiny of Loki, which also causes the lead-up to Fimbulvetr (and subsequently, Ragnarök) to happen early. All of this is in service of going against the Giants' original prophecy that Kratos would die in Ragnarök, and Faye hoped that by putting her own plan into motion, her husband and son could carve their own destinies and survive the final showdown with Odin. Faye doesn't tell her husband or son any of this, and her secrecy becomes a point of strife for Kratos and Atreus, especially during the events of God of War Ragnarök, as the duo can't tell where Faye's machinations begin and end, and her decision to lie about who she is and why she's been doing what she's doing means it's not immediately apparent how much of the Giants' prophecy or her conflicting prophecy should be taken at face value. See, Faye is a schemer. Worse yet, she's a schemer who doesn't realize until it's much too late that schemes don't just magically disappear or right themselves after you're gone. Faye seems so sure her plan for Kratos and Atreus is solid, she's almost immediately surprised when things don't work out as planned. Just after waking up in the afterlife of the gods, Faye finds a mask that resembles that of the Mask of Creation from God of War Ragnarök. Uncovering the truth that there's more than one of these masks freaks her out (presumably the splinter in Faye's hand that Sekhmet pulls out of her is all that remains of a mask she destroyed just prior to her death--perhaps even the act of destroying one of these masks is the cause of her death in the first place), and Faye even comments that "If there's another mask, their path isn't safe. I have to find a way back." And, to me, therein lies Faye's biggest issue. Schemers often fail to remember that their schemes don't just die with them. They have a momentum all their own, just like how Faye fights when she's using the sword. In describing how Faye fights with her new sword in the God of War Laufey Combat First Look, lead hero designer Kevin Peterson and combat design director Denny Yeh continually repeat that Faye's fighting style is built around momentum and tempo as well as this idea of manipulation (specifically souls with magic in this case, but the concept of controlling people in general still feels relevant). This feels like further evidence that this concept of constantly moving forward in an effort to control others is the basis for Faye's hubris and how her weapon is meant to reflect that dangerous flaw. "One of the defining aspects of Faye's sword is its tempo, which is a deliberate combination of speed, control, and relentlessness," Peterson said. "From the moment that we see Faye wielding the sword, she's attacking with this incredible pace, and she's able to do that by building and maintaining this momentum and allowing that momentum to carry from one attack to the next. That creates this relentlessness in the way that Faye wields the sword." I just feel like that relentless momentum is meant to be a reflection of Faye's secrecy. You can't kill a story once you start to tell it, and any mistakes you make don't magically disappear once you're dead. Those things spread, usually to the people you care about the most. And in doing so, the carefully curated image of yourself can falter--too often in the real world, people learn a ton about their parents after those parents have died, much as Atreus discovered so much about his heritage and his mom that Faye kept hidden from him and Kratos. And even though Atreus accepts that his mom was doing all of this to be helpful, so much of what Faye did is frustratingly vague and open to interpretation from his and Kratos' perspective because what was obvious to Faye is not to either of them without the context that she kept hidden. Similarly, the past of this sword is kept frustratingly vague. Faye keeps asking people about it in the gameplay trailer and doesn't get an answer, continuing to push forward with the blade in hand despite the potential machinations she might be playing into by wielding it. It kind of feels like Faye is the sword--a weapon at its most dangerous when it's leaning into the momentum of carving away evil to protect allies, but the truth about what it is and its past aren't immediately clear. So much of Kratos' story in God of War and God of War Ragnarök dealt with him too often looking back at his past and wishing that things had gone differently, culminating in one of the best-written DLC expansions ever in God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla. I think God of War Laufey is going to deal with the opposite issue: the idea that Faye spent way too much time looking forward and putting plans into motion and crafting carefully constructed secrets without considering the ramifications of these plans' momentum after she's gone. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upjpP54xDIc Faye literally cannot help her loved ones anymore. She's dead. She should have looked back and reflected on her actions and done a better job of sharing some of her secrets with Atreus and Kratos so that they weren't stumbling about with so much uncertainty as to how prophecies work and what the Mask of Creation is. And while we know things do work out for Atreus and Kratos, Faye doesn't know that at the start of God of War Laufey. And I think that insecurity is going to gnaw on her throughout her story, and dealing with it is key to her growing into someone better, much as Kratos had to grow into someone better. Whether Faye's definition of "someone better" is a new god of war is anyone's guess. I hope that's the case--much as Sucker Punch's Ghost of Yotei dealt with Atsu becoming the next Ghost after Jin Sakai, and Insomniac's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is the story of Miles becoming a new Spider-Man, I'd love for a game with the God of War title in its name to be about its protagonist becoming a new god of war. Faye is already a bit of a god--while she doesn't belong to a pantheon, she is a Giant, or a Jötunn, meaning she descends from the same divine source as the Aesir and Vanir, like Odin and Freya. It's why both Begtse and Sekhmet refer to her as a "godling" or a minor deity. If Faye can learn to be less of a control freak who is too caught up with winning at 5D chess, I think she'd make for a great god of war in a young pantheon. Until then, however, she's as dangerous to others as the sword in her hands.

Title: Marathon May Never Be Popular, And That’s Why It’s So Good Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:04:03 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marathon-may-never-be-popular-and-thats-why-its-so-good/ Marathon is burdened with the past. Its twin namesakes, the titular colony ship and the trilogy of classic boomer shooters for the Apple Macintosh, are both corpses plundered for new life. The protagonists of this new, rebooted game are scavengers, quite literally picking over the bones of what came before.  This fact has colored the reception of Marathon from its very first announcement. The fact that Marathon was set to be a pure live-service game, with no single-player component, was a blow to franchise fans. Sony's acquisition of Bungie fueled speculation. Was Marathon a corporate-mandated multiplayer game?  Just a couple months after release, the announcement of Destiny 2's final update, as well as the revelation that Bungie had no "Destiny 3" or any other tentpole project waiting in the wings, have put Marathon in a difficult and unfair position. But part of the skepticism about the game exists because Marathon, unlike every Bungie game since Halo: Combat Evolved, is not a game expertly tuned for mass-market success. Instead, it is something altogether stranger and more exciting. Marathon is sometimes harsh and unfair, and all the more thrilling for the exchange. Perhaps the best way to articulate this shift is the difference in themes. In Destiny and its sequel, the player character is special. She is a warrior of light, one of the absolute guardians of humanity. She gathers legendary weapons that do not tarnish or vanish. She charts new worlds, venturing boldly into fights with gods and demons alike.  In Marathon, the player character is nobody: a floating consciousness uploaded into readily disposable bodies. She's a freelancer for massive corporations, which freely experiment with her, risking her well-being for ever-slimmer margins of profit. Even the Compiler, the raid boss that presents one of the new game's most daunting challenges, is a regularly encountered foe in the original trilogy.  In Destiny, even in the competitive Crucible modes, the player is a key part of an organization that works together. In Marathon, she is just one soldier on the edge of space, fighting her own kind to tick down a debt she can never fully pay. But these differences go beyond Marathon's writing, and into the brass tacks of how it feels to play; it is friction-forward in a way multiplayer games at its budget and scale rarely are. In contrast to the nigh-infinite vaults of Destiny 2, Marathon players have limited space to store their goods. They can horde, but eventually, if they want more, they have to stake some of their hard-worn gear. With each season, like in other extraction shooters like Escape From Tarkov, each player's gear fully resets. Absolutely nothing is permanent. The only thing that any player can carry from season to season, and match to match, is what they have learned. This includes the regular skills of any first-person shooter: what guns suit a particular playstyle, where is best to flank enemies, find cover, or avoid the sight lines of enemy snipers.  But Marathon's sprawling maps make the simple act of learning more difficult than it might appear. For one, the alien world of Tau Ceti IV is awash with unfamiliar sounds. Players opening loot-laden locked rooms, starting specific events, gaining the attention of patrolling robots, even simply dying--each of these things carries with it a unique sound cue. Learning what each sound means and how to get in position in relation to it is its own battle.  In short, Marathon throws a lot at new players. Getting proficient takes time and knowledge. Everyone in Marathon will lose; everyone in Marathon will live to win some future day. A lot of the discourse around Marathon has posited essentially one of two things about it: that it is a money-grubbing cash-in on a popular trend, or that it fails at being a mainstream title at the scale of Destiny 2.The graveyard of live-service games like Highguard and Concord have prompted constant comparison. But Marathon is not a shotgun blast, trying for the broadest possible appeal; it is a knife's edge, cutting away at a well-defined niche. Take the Compiler, the game's ultimate PvE challenge. To get there, players must successfully raid each of the Cryo Archive map’s six vaults and exfil with their goods intact, which they will need special keys to attempt in the first place. After doing so, they must use a separate key to activate a set of challenges, which will lead to the boss room. These things would be significant time investments in any game, but in Marathon, the threat of an ambush by other players is constant, making a team lose both progress and loot in a single fiery enchange.  In contrast, a casual Destiny player could "beat" the game, at least in the sense of completing its many campaigns, without spending hundreds of hours on it. With a little dedication, she could even see some endgame bosses. Marathon demands more. If not more time, at least more skill. Still, Marathon has become more approachable over its first season. Mercy kits let players revive their foes, offering another way to negotiate between enemy squads. Bungie added cheap ways to get back up when down, making it harder for runs to end thanks to enemy robots or far-off sniper shots. Season 2 has more of those changes in store. The Cradle, a brand-new stat system, lets runners tune their character's strengths and weaknesses without looting or buying items. Upgrades, which players buy with a combo of cold, hard cash earned on runs and materials robbed from Tau Ceti, now can be purchased for less. But these changes have all maintained the heart of Marathon's eerie, threatening landscape. Your loss is someone else's gain; your gain is someone else's loss. For example, take the "Sponsored Survival" experimental mode just added to the game. In this mode, only one squad enters the "Night Marsh" map, giving them time to loot without (player) inference. They must take free equipment, meaning they cannot carry any loot from their vaults to lose or use in the match. However, Rooks, the lone scavenger players who propagate in the middle of matches, all enter the map just a few minutes later. And unlike other Marathon modes, there is only one place to extract at the end of the match. If the lone team or any of the rooks make it to the end, they can all leave together--or test their might in a hail of gunfire. It makes looting easier; but extraction more targeted.  And this all takes place on Night Marsh, which drenches a familiar location in darkness. In most video game nights, the world takes on the hue of dusk. It’s sort of dark, but everything you need to see is still visible. In Marathon, the night is pitch black, with occasional lights illuminating only select sections of the map. Additionally, the player’s eyes and ears will trick her. Ghostly figures can wander by, vanishing as soon as they appear. Shouts and screams will emerge from the dark, seemingly without source. If speculation is correct, there are fewer enemy players to be found than on the more standard “Dire Marsh” map. But even so, the world holds threat. These might all sound like reasons not to engage, but all these things combine to make something with genuine mystery and awe. Marathon's most game-changing loot and its most profound challenges might be locked away, but anyone can start to get the picture from their very first match. The electronic hum of the starting music. The terror of enemy footsteps. The thrill of a well-timed attack. Deciding not to extract, because there is still loot waiting to be found, and dying from greed. Or besting an enemy team’s ambush through guile and speed.  Within Marathon’s nigh-endless deaths and rebirths, there is the rush of life. It is stressful, demanding, and by definition “not for everyone,” but that’s true of most things that are worth your time.

Title: Fable’s Chicken Obsession Goes Even Deeper Than We Imagined Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 20:02:52 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fables-chicken-obsession-goes-even-deeper-than-we-imagined/ Microsoft and Playground Games have announced the preorder bonuses for the Fable reboot, and wouldn't you know it, one of the perks is a chicken suit. For anyone just catching up, the Fable franchise is basically obsessed wth chickens, so it's fitting that one of the preorder perks is a chicken suit. The "legendary" costume includes a beak, feathers, and "questionable dignity," according to the item's official description. In addition to the chicken suit, people who preorder Fable get the Wild Flower Bouquet to help with romantic endeavors, a toy chicken, and a picnic hamper. "Bestow them wisely to shape how others see your Hero, improve your reputation, and unlock relationships that may or may not end in true live," reads a line from the description of the items. The Fable reboot also continues the franchise's tradition of allowing you to kick chickens. Game director Ralph Fulton said if NPCs in the world see you kicking chickens, you’ll begin to earn a reputation as a “Chicken Chaser." Preorder Fable on Amazon However, different people will take this reputation to mean different things. “Kicking chickens isn’t objectively good or objectively evil in a way everybody will agree on,” Fulton said. “It comes down to the unique worldview of the NPC [and] what they think of you because of it.” As announced previously, Fable will also have giant, scary chicken enemies to fight, like the one in the screenshot above. Fable releases on February 23, 2027, but the premium edition unlocks five days earlier. A story expansion for Fable, Order of the Hero, has been announced and is coming sometime after launch.

Title: Gears Of War: E-Day Is Drastically Changing Movement For The First Time In The Series Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:57:46 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-is-drastically-changing-movement-for-the-first-time-in-the-series/ During the Gears of War: E-Day Direct, which took place after a packed Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest, we got a good look at some of the big changes The Coalition is bringing to the Gears of War formula established nearly two decades ago. In short: Marcus can jump. Gears of War has been defined by its big, brutish protagonists who look and walk like tanks. It was the series that helped define waist-high cover when cover-based shooters were taking off, and hasn't really strayed much from that. With Gears of War: E-Day, traversal is getting its biggest revamp yet, with different heights and types of cover, a new sense of verticality afforded by jumps, and much faster movement in and out of cover. If you were keeping an eye on the gameplay that opened the Xbox Showcase, you might have noticed that Marcus was able to take cover behind some upended tarmac on a street, nearly laying down to avoid bullets. This is one example of different types of cover you can now use. Later in the same demo, Marcus vaults over a shelf that is several meters taller than he is, again showcasing how much more choice you have when exiting cover. https://youtu.be/y85lNvF3kVQ?si=Hzu7MCcAwTo_TSgt In the Direct, The Coalition says that this will give you more choices to make during combat, and more ways to use the crumbing city around you to survive. Sprinting is still here, but can now be combined with a slide that can give you an advantage around corners, or allow you to slide beneath a small piece of cover (like below a truck) and surprise an enemy on the other side. These are drastic changes to Gears of War's standard sprint, cover, roll, and vault that have defined the feel of the gameplay throughout its history. These changes should provide more interesting ways to get around in the campaign, but will make the PvP multiplayer feel entirely new in some ways. Gears of War: E-Day launches exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 16, 2026.

Title: How The New Spyro Is Handling The Big-Name Options For Its Lead Voice Actor Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:45:48 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-the-new-spyro-is-handling-the-big-name-options-for-its-lead-voice-actor/ Spyro: A Realm Beyond is the first new Spyro game, not associated with the Toys to Life Skylanders spin-off, in years. In the intervening time the definitive voice of Spyro, Tom Kenny, has become one of the biggest names in the business thanks to voicing the mega-hit SpongeBob Squarepants. But despite the success, Kenny wasn't too big for his square britches. Spyro creative director Lou Studdert told GameSpot he was game for returning and still loves the character. "We started a normal VO casting process, but for us, when looking at Spyro, it wasn't, 'let's open a casting call,'" Studdert said. "We want Tom. Let's reach out to Tom. Let's see how it goes. And his enthusiasm was right there. He loves the franchise, he's been an absolute pleasure to work with. And as I mentioned, just instantly embodies the character. He's instantly back in it. He has a love for it. He was remembering his lines from the original and doing them in session with us. It's been a total blast to work with." While Kenny is considered the definitive voice of Spyro, he's far from the only actor to take the role. Carlos Alazraqui voiced the character in the original game, after which Kenny took over in 1999. Frodo Baggins himself, Elijah Wood, provided the voice in the Legend of Spyro trilogy, and Josh Keaton voiced him throughout the Skylanders spin-off games. But Kenny has been considered the real Spyro in the hearts of many fans. Spyro: A Realm Beyond is coming in 2027, as the first new game since Toys For Bob regained its independence. It subsequently penned a deal with Microsoft to develop a new Spyro game in the style of the originals. This version of Spyro will be a little older than the kid dragon from the classics, and the studio is touting flight as a major feature of his return. This time Spyro will have much more freedom of movement by taking to the skies. For more, check out all the news from the Xbox summer showcase.

Title: Minecraft Dungeons 2 release date confirmed Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:28:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/minecraft-dungeons-2-release-date/ There aren’t many certainties in this world besides death, taxes, and Minecraft. And Minecraft is about to get even bigger later this year, with a much-anticipated follow-up.

Title: Everything coming to Game Pass from the Xbox Showcase Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:23:11 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/xbox-games-showcase-announcements-2026-game-pass/ During the Xbox Games Showcase 2026, Microsoft showed a complete lineup of new games coming to Xbox in the months ahead. As expected, many of those new and previously announced titles will also be part of the Game Pass catalog. Xbox's June showcase focused on the familiar instead of pushing boundaries, letting everyone know Microsoft is getting back to its roots — and playing it safe by relying on its best-loved franchises.

Title: Xbox announces special edition anniversary console and controller for fall 2026 Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 19:03:10 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/xbox-new-hardware-2026-release-date-pre-order/ Xbox announced a new Xbox Series X special edition during the Xbox Games Showcase on Sunday, and it's perfect for nostalgic Millennials. The Xbox Series X25 celebrates 25 years of Xbox with its design.

Title: State of Decay 3 gameplay reveal and release window announced Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:43:53 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/state-of-decay-3-xbox-trailer-june-alpha-playtest-date-signup/ In April, Undead Labs announced that fans could sign up for a public play test of the co-op zombie survival game, State of Decay 3. During Sunday's Xbox showcase, did not announce dates for the playtest, but did say the game will be out in 2027 — alongside a new gameplay trailer for the anticipated game.

Title: Xbox Games Showcase 2026: Every game trailer, reveal, and announcement Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 18:37:55 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/everything-announced-xbox-games-showcase-june-2026/ The Xbox Games Showcase 2026 lineup was full of announcements, more than two dozen games highlighting the console's next year — with a couple of surprises. The biggest one is that Xbox is rolling back its multiplatform strategy and launching some of its biggest new games on Xbox Series X exclusively, including Gears of War and Clockwork Revolution. Other reveals include the charming summer simulator Vivarium and a very, very short look at Persona 6.

Title: NVIDIA, KRAFTON, NC and Reigning ‘League of Legends’ Champions T1 Celebrate RTX Spark at Korea’s PC Bangs Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 07:00:15 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/krafton-nc-t1-korea-gaming-pc-bang-rtx-spark/ At GTC Taipei at COMPUTEX last week, NVIDIA unveiled RTX Spark, the superchip that reinvents Windows PCs for the era of personal AI agents. On the heels of this announcement, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang headed to South Korea, where he introduced RTX Spark to the nation’s passionate gaming community. Leading game developers — including Korea’s KRAFTON and NC — are already working to bring their titles to RTX Spark-powered systems.  Designed for local AI, creating and gaming, RTX Spark brings together 30 years of NVIDIA innovation to slim Windows laptops with all-day battery life and small, ultraefficient desktop PCs.  With the superchip, gamers can play AAA games at 1440p resolution and over 100 frames per second with NVIDIA ray tracing, DLSS and Reflex technologies. In addition, RTX Spark supports all NVIDIA RTX technologies, including the recently announced DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, which features a second-generation transformer model for realistic image quality.  RTX Spark Ignites Korea’s Gaming Community Korea has played a major role in spearheading esports and driving the boom in PC bangs, or internet and gaming cafes. With longstanding collaborations rooted in the country, NVIDIA in October celebrated 25 years of GeForce in Korea with a free festival for gamers, highlighting the rich gaming ecosystem that has been built over decades.    On Friday, Huang headed to T1 Base Camp — a PC bang owned by T1, one of Korea’s top esports teams. There, he met with T1’s reigning League of Legends World Champion team, including six-time World Champion Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok to unveil RTX Spark.  NVIDIA and Riot Games — developer of League of Legends — are collaborating to bring the title as well as VALORANT to RTX Spark, expanding gamers’ access to high-performance gaming on slim laptops.  To mark the occasion, T1 Base Camp attendees had the chance to win RTX Spark laptops, League of Legends and T1 merch signed by Huang and Faker, as well as GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs.  Surprising PC-Bang Gamers  Later, Huang headed to Seoul’s Gangnam district, where he surprised PC-bang gamers with a first look at RTX Spark with KRAFTON and NC.  At the first stop, Optimum Zone PC, Huang and KRAFTON Chairman Byung-gyu Chang showcased PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and Subnautica 2 on RTX Spark to a captivated crowd of gamers.  Gamers then got the surprise chance to play with the unreleased PUBG Ally, a co-playable character built with NVIDIA ACE technologies on RTX Spark laptops. PUBG Ally resulted from AI research and development at KRAFTON and NVIDIA, part of an initiative to create next-generation game characters that act like teammates and enable more meaningful, immersive engagements with players. Next, Huang stopped at another PC bang, Portal PC, where he showcased NC’s CINDER CITY and AION 2 on RTX Spark, with support from Taekjin Kim, co-CEO of NC.  NC and NVIDIA began working together in the early 2000s on the Lineage franchise and have since collaborated to integrate RTX technology into many of NC’s flagship games, including Lineage 2, AION, Blade & Soul, AION 2 and CINDER CITY.  Gamers at Portal PC were given the chance to play a demo of NC’s highly anticipated open-world massively multiplayer online tactical shooter CINDER CITY on GeForce RTX-powered PCs.   CINDER CITY will support the DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and Super Resolution features at launch. Plus, gamers will be able to experience the title on slim RTX Spark laptops and compact desktops when the game is released later this year.  In addition to KRAFTON, NC, and Riot Games, 100+ Windows software providers and game developers are embracing RTX Spark. These partners include NetEase, Remedy Entertainment and XBOX.  Learn more about RTX Spark and its launch partners.

Title: Forecast: Fun Ahead — 18 Games Join in June to Stream on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-june-2026-games-list/ June’s forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming. GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies ready for the spotlight. Members can dive into fresh worlds, squad up in new playlists and discover “just one more run” favorites — all streaming from the cloud, no downloads or upgrades required.  Eighteen games are coming this month, starting with the 10 games arriving this week with the highly requested Neverness to Everness.  A World Beyond City limits end where reality bends. Step into a surreal, supernatural open world in NTE: Neverness to Everness from Hota Studio. Reality bends, streets twist into impossible angles and the uncanny waits around every corner. Play as an anomaly hunter drawn into a strange metropolis alive with anomalies, cosmic oddities and dreamlike encounters. Explore the city’s districts at street level or from impossible heights, uncovering secrets, side stories and hidden paths woven through the tangled skyline. Combat and exploration blend together as players move between quiet, eerie spaces and sudden bursts of action.  Every alleyway and rooftop hides something strange and new, from bizarre characters to otherworldly phenomena that reshape the environment in unexpected ways. Streaming with GeForce NOW lets the game’s distinctive art direction and atmospheric lighting shine, keeping the city’s moody glow, deep shadows and supernatural effects crisp and sharp.  Whether wandering its streets on a big screen or checking in from a laptop, NTE: Neverness to Everness stays fluid and immersive — powered by the cloud. June Games Juicing Up the Cloud A legend returns. Return to the Valley of Mines in Gothic 1 Remake, a faithful rebuild of the original experience that expands the world with more detailed questlines, additional nonplayer character routines and reactions, new traversal abilities and a fully modernized combat system. Step into the role of the Nameless Hero and explore a dangerous prison colony filled with rival factions, ancient magic, deadly creatures and choices that shape the journey ahead.  Whether revisiting a classic or discovering it for the first time, GeForce NOW makes it easy to jump into the adventure instantly across nearly any device, no downloads required. Check out what all is available this week: Jurassic World Evolution 3 (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass) Fatekeeper (New release on Steam, available June 2) House Flipper Remastered Collection (New release on Steam, available June 4) Pro Cycling Manager 26 (New release on Steam, available June 4) GOALS (New release on Steam, available June 4) Gothic 1 Remake (New release on Steam, available June 5) NTE: Neverness to Everness (Launcher) The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (Epic Games Store) XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions (New release on Steam, June 11) SpaceCraft (New release on Steam, June 11) Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, June 17) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (New release on Steam, June 18) Dark Scrolls (New release on Steam, June 22) Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (New release on Steam and Ubisoft, June 30) Farever (Steam) FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (Steam)  More From May In addition to the 16 games announced last month, 18 more joined the GeForce NOW library: Alchemy Factory (Steam) Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes (Steam) Blades of Fire (Steam) BeamNG.drive (Epic Games Store) Directive 8020 (Steam) Disco Elysium (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure (Epic Games Store) Ostranauts (Steam) Planet Coaster 2 (Epic Games Store) PowerWash Simulator 2 (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Resident Evil Requiem Demo (Steam) Romestead (Steam) SPLITGATE: Arena Reloaded (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Subnautica 2 (Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Sunderfolk (Epic Games Store) TerraTech Legion (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know X or in the comments below.

Title: The Name’s Gaming … Cloud Gaming: ‘007 First Light’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:37 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-007-first-light-launch/ License to stream, shaken and stirred. GeForce NOW is dialing up the espionage with the launch of 007 First Light, letting members slip into James Bond’s reimagined origin story from almost any device — no tux or preloads required.  For a limited time, the game is included with the purchase of a 12‑month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership, letting members lock in Bond’s next mission and a year of top-tier cloud gaming in one shot. And for those stepping into the role, the look comes with it. Daring Elite Outfit, a signature look capturing the spirit of a rising agent, is now available for Ultimate members — equal parts discipline, ambition and edge. And catch Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem demo in the cloud — catch an early portion of the game and discover its two sides: terrifying survival horror with Grace Ashcroft, and pulse-pounding action with Leon S. Kennedy This GFN Thursday also brings eight new games to the cloud, expanding the library with even more ways to play across genres. Mission Assigned First light, first mission. The mission begins before the legend. 007 First Light puts players in the shoes of James Bond at the dawn of his career, when instincts are sharp, rules are flexible and every decision shapes the agent he’s destined to become. This is a Bond who’s still earning his “00” — unpolished, dangerous and learning when to trust a plan and when to improvise under fire. A cinematic spy thriller unfolds with high-stakes infiltration, tense encounters and stylish set pieces. One moment brings thrills working undercover at an opulent event — the next, white‑knuckle chases and close‑quarters confrontations where timing and composure are everything. Approaches to each mission — quiet and calculated, bold and aggressive, or something in between — define Bond’s path and the allies and enemies that cross it. Stream it all with GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU power in the cloud, with up to 5K high dynamic range and cinematic-quality streaming for Ultimate members. Experience Bond’s origin story in razor-sharp detail across devices — no high-end PC required. Keep It Daring Tailored. Tactical. Dangerously sharp. Looks speak first. A new 007 First Light reward drops today on GeForce NOW, delivering Ultimate members a refined,  unmistakably bold way to step into the world of espionage. The Daring Elite Outfit blends calculated precision with effortless style — the kind that turns heads before the mission even begins. Sleek, confident and just a little dangerous, it’s built for agents who understand that presence is a part of the playbook. All rewards are available starting now through Saturday, June 27, or while supplies last. To claim, log in to a GeForce NOW account, head to the rewards section in the account portal and redeem. Keep It Heated Time to get heated. Armored battles get hero-driven in Wargaming’s free-to-play, player vs. player vehicle shooter, World of Tanks: HEAT, now streaming on GeForce NOW. World of Tanks: HEAT is the franchise’s first hero-driven tank action game, where powerful Agents and their experimental machines shape every fight. Fast-paced 5v5 and 10v10 matches erupt into high-velocity brawls as hero-enhanced tanks trade explosive bursts, clutch escapes and momentum-shifting abilities. Each Agent brings a unique tool kit and vehicle lineup, layering team roles and synergy on top of sharp aim and smart positioning. It’s classic steel-on-steel combat with a hero-shooter twist, now available in the cloud. The next match is always just a quick deployment away on GeForce NOW. Keep It Playing Community stories take the spotlight this week as an Ultimate member on Reddit shares a heartfelt note about what GeForce NOW means to daily gaming. In addition, members can look for the following: Romestead (New release on Steam, May 26) World of Tanks: HEAT (New release on Steam, May 26) 007 First Light (New release on Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on the Microsoft store, May 26) Starminer (New release on Steam, May 27) Resident Evil Requiem Demo (New release on Steam, May 27) Alchemy Factory (Steam) BeamNG.drive (Epic Games Store) Ostranauts (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. nvidia geforce now delivers such flawless performance, it is possible to exert dominance upon the squad ‘w/ absolute precision & @ ease' ♡ more about @nvidiagfn @ https://t.co/pFHAv1zXRS https://t.co/q67SOJNpbO #nvidiapartner #geforcenow pic.twitter.com/NsiK3FIX6v — airie (@airiesummer) May 22, 2026

Title: License to Stream: ‘007 First Light’ Coming to GeForce NOW With an Ultimate Bundle Date: Thu, 21 May 2026 13:00:22 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-007-first-light-ultimate-bundle/ The mission begins now. GeForce NOW is dialing up the action with a blockbuster mix of spy thrills, high-speed racing and member rewards — plus eight new games joining the cloud this week, all ready to stream instantly. Leading the drop: the 007 First Light Ultimate Membership Bundle, which brings a brand-new way to jump into one of the year’s biggest releases and discover James Bond’s reimagined origin story. Rev the engines — the Horizon Festival is calling. Forza Horizon 6 is now available on GeForce NOW — bringing the series’ signature open-world racing and festival energy directly to members, wherever they play. Stream a world built for speed, style and freedom instantly across devices, with no downloads required. Step Into the Cloud of Espionage A license to stream. A mission worth accepting arrives. Starting today through Wednesday, June 10, 007 First Light is included with the purchase of a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership. Lock it in before the game’s launch, and it’ll be ready to play the moment it goes live on Wednesday, May 27 — no preloads, no waiting, no mission briefings required. This is a new, original take of Bond’s story — before the tux fit perfectly and the martinis got specific. 007 First Light drops players into a sharp, cinematic origin story packed with globe-trotting espionage, close calls and choices that shape how the world’s most famous agent takes form. Expect stealth, spectacle and just enough chaos to keep things interesting. Stream it all with GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU power in the cloud, with up to 5K high dynamic range and cinematic-quality streaming for Ultimate members. It’s high-end PC gaming, minus the high-end PC. Redeeming the mission is simple: After purchase, get the game by going to the “Available to Redeem” section in the account portal, signing in to a Steam account and completing the redemption. The game is for members to keep — and ready to play across devices at launch with GeForce NOW. Welcome to the Festival Engines roar. Crowds surge. The road stretches endlessly forward. Forza Horizon 6 is the ultimate automotive playground — a shared world where racing, exploration and creativity come together. Every road, trail and skyline is designed to be driven, discovered and mastered. Take on a wide range of events, from high-speed street races to off-road expeditions, or drop into live activities happening across the world. Build a garage of iconic cars spanning decades of automotive history, each brought to life with incredible detail and customization. The Horizon Festival is more than competition — it’s a celebration of car culture and music. Seamless online features connect players across events and challenges, making every session feel alive and unpredictable. Powered by the cloud, GeForce NOW delivers the festival in stunning detail. Members experience ultrasmooth performance and vivid environments without needing to wait for installs or upgrading hardware. With technologies like NVIDIA DLSS enhancing performance and visual fidelity, every reflection, speed blur and finish-line sprint hits at full intensity. Community Spotlight Community-created content takes the spotlight this week, as GeForce NOW ambassador Cloud Gaming Battle sits down with Andrew Fear, GeForce NOW product manager director at NVIDIA, to dive into what makes the service tick. The conversation covers how GeForce NOW brings high-performance PC gaming from the cloud to a wide range of devices, giving a closer look at the tech, thinking and passion behind the platform. It’s a conversation that the GFN Reddit community is calling “genuinely inspirational.” In addition, members can look for the following: Forza Horizon 6 (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, May 19) Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core (New release on Steam, May 20) Luna Abyss (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, May 21) Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II (New release on Steam, May 21) ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies (New release on Steam, May 21) Splitgate Arena Reloaded (Xbox, Available on Game Pass) Sunderfolk (Epic Games Store) TerraTech Legion (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Rev your engines — the Horizon Festival is calling. @ForzaHorizon 6 is now streaming on GeForce NOW – stream a world built for speed in the cloud today. pic.twitter.com/hJuKFT2GZp — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) May 19, 2026

Title: Sea You in the Cloud: ‘Subnautica 2’ Early Access Dives Onto GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-subnautica-2/ Editor’s note: The Gaijin single sign-on feature is now up and running. Dive masks on — Subnautica 2 is making a splash on GeForce NOW day-and-date with launch, so members can plunge into the title’s brand-new alien ocean from almost any device. It leads 11 new games joining the cloud this week. A limited-time HITMAN World of Assassination reward event brings signature tools of the trade — equal parts precision and unpredictability. At the same time Le Chiffre from CASINO ROYALE, played by the legendary actor Mads Mikkelsen, returns to HITMAN World of Assassination. Play for free through May 25 and earn a unique reward for 007 First Light. Meanwhile, engines are already revving — the highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6 races onto the scene with early access, starting today for players who preordered the Premium Edition on Steam or purchased the Premium Upgrade Bundle for PC Game Pass. GeForce NOW members can jump in once early access becomes available on the service — no preinstalls or downloads needed.  It all highlights what GeForce NOW does best: turning PC gaming collections into play-anywhere experiences across devices, with no install, updates or the latest hardware required.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Making Waves Explore the unknown with the cloud. Jump into a shared-world ocean frontier in Subnautica 2 — where survival, exploration and creativity rise to the surface together. Every reef, trench and stormy horizon is crafted to be swum through, studied and slowly tamed as players chart their own course beneath alien waves. Descend into a living seascape of dynamic ecosystems, mysterious ruins and creatures that range from curious to colossal. Take on story-driven missions, dive into resource-rich biomes and construct bases above and below the surface to turn hostile waters into a home. Whether playing solo or with a crew, the ocean stays vast and unpredictable. On GeForce NOW, every current, glow and shadow streams with crisp detail and fluid performance straight from the cloud. Members can plunge into the depths in moments, skipping downloads and hardware upgrades.  Keep It Classy Shaken, stirred and slightly unhinged. Suit up, agent — things are getting a little explosive. A new HITMAN World of Assassination reward event lands on GeForce NOW, giving members a stylish (and slightly unhinged) way to make an impression. Each item leans into HITMAN’s signature tone — equal parts precision, chaos and dark humor. Here’s what’s waiting: Free users: The Purple Streak Explosive Duck — a remote explosive disguised as an innocent rubber toy. Performance members: The Purple Streak Explosive Duck and the Bomb Dynamite, a classic TNT bundle built for loud, messy exits. Ultimate members: Full Ultimate Bundle — adds the Purple Streak Fiber Wire (a sleek, silent takedown tool) and the Purple Streak Swimwear Suit (a bold outfit that trades stealth for style) to the Purple Streak Explosive Duck and the Bomb Dynamite. Starting today, all members get access to the rewards, which will remain available through Sunday, June 14, first come, first served. To claim, log in to a GeForce NOW account, head to the rewards section in the account portal and redeem.  One mission, a handful of questionable tools and a clear message: Stealth is optional, style is not. Splashy New Games In addition, members can look for the following: Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes (New release on Steam, May 11) Outbound (New release on Steam, May 11) Directive 8020 (New release on Steam, May 12) Subnautica 2 (New release on Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on Game Pass, May 14) Blades of Fire (New release on Steam, May 14) Forza Horizon 6 (Early access on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, May 14) Disco Elysium (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure (Epic Games Store) Planet Coaster 2 (Epic Games Store) Sudden Strike 5 (Steam) Super Battle Golf (Steam) The Gaijin single sign-on feature is coming soon and is currently in development with Gaijin. Updates will be shared in a future GeForce NOW Thursday once the feature is live. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.   Which gaming genres do you play the most? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) May 13, 2026  

Title: Summer Game Fest 2026 highlights: 16 games coming to PS5 Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:29:59 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/05/summer-game-fest-2026-highlights-16-games-coming-to-ps5/ The summer continues to be an exciting time for big game announcements with a new look at upcoming titles, some long-awaited release dates, and more than a few surprises along the way. Here are some of the biggest updates and reveals on upcoming PlayStation titles.  Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced | Coming July 9 Publisher: Ubisoft Developer: Ubisoft Singapore | PS5 Play Video Ubisoft unveiled a new trailer for the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. The trailer spotlights Leave Her Johnny Resynced, a reimagined take on the iconic sea shanty by artist Woodkid. Hoist your flag and hit the high seas again in relentless pursuit of freedom. Control Resonant | Coming September 24 Publisher: Remedy Entertainment Developer: Remedy Entertainment | PS5 Play Video We got a new look at Control Resonant, the upcoming action-RPG sequel. The latest trailer explores the game’s version of Manhattan, where Dylan Faden navigates a city transformed by paranatural forces. Players will explore diverse zones, take on story missions, side quests, boss encounters, and puzzles, while also revisiting previously unseen areas of the Oldest House from the original Control. Crossfire | Stay tuned Publisher: Smilegate Developer: That’s No Moon | PS5 Play Video That’s No Moon shared their debut game, Crossfire, available to wishlist now. Combining cinematic storytelling with grounded, stealth combat, Crossfire follows two enemy operators who must form a fragile alliance to overcome an existential threat. Final Fantasy VII Revelation | Coming 2027 Publisher: Square Enix Developer: Square Enix | PS5 Play Video The final battle against Sephiroth begins as a meteor fills the sky, monstrous planetary guardians wreak havoc across the globe, and the fires of war rage. Take to the skies and explore a boundless world, fight alongside a fully assembled party, master strategic and dynamic combat, and prepare yourself for the climactic finale. gen Atlas | Stay tuned  Publisher: Epic Games Developer: gen Design | PS5 Play Video The studio behind Ico, Shadow of the Colossus, and The Last Guardian unveils gen Atlas, a single-player open-world action-adventure. Awaken on an abandoned planet, colossal massive robots, and resume a halted terraforming project. Stay tuned for more updates. Guild Wars 3 | Stay tuned Publisher: ArenaNet Developer: ArenaNet | PS5 Play Video The third entry in the beloved Guild Wars action-adventure MMORPG franchise and its first new game since 2012. The game will release globally on PS5, marking the first time a Guild Wars game will appear on home consoles. The first beta tests begin in the fall of 2027. Gundam Rogue Orbit | Coming 2027 Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment | PS5 Play Video An all-new Gundam game is coming to PS5 in 2027. Suit up for humanity in Gundam Rogue Orbit, a high-mobility action game that delivers a new take on the IP, blending a fast-paced cinematic story with intense, hard-hitting combat in a new universe. Lords of the Fallen II | Coming 2026 Publisher: CI Games Developer: CI Games | PS5 Play Video A new trailer for Lords of the Fallen II, featuring the Katana weapon class, new bosses, and locations in Thorngar. Battle against the darkness in an epic adventure across a shattered kingdom. Mafia: The Old Country – Man of Honor (DLC) | Coming August 14 Publisher: 2K Developer: Hangar 13 | PS5 Play Video Step back into the role of Enzo Favara and work alongside Ennio Salieri in Man of Honor, an expansion for Mafia: The Old Country coming August 14. Witness Salieri’s early days in the Valle Dorata via two new story chapters and new Free Ride content. Resident Evil Veronica | Coming 2027 Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom | PS5 Play Video Survive the terror of Resident Evil Veronica, a remake of the 2000s Resident Evil Code: Veronica. This new title preserves the essence of the original game while introducing modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics. RuneScape: Dragonwilds | Coming September 15 Publisher: Jagex: The RuneScape Company Developer: Jagex: The RuneScape Company | PS5 Play Video RuneScape: Dragonwilds will be available to PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers at launch.  On RuneScape’s forgotten continent of Ashenfall, dragons have awoken. Gather, build, skill, and craft in this co-operative survival adventure. Only by mastering survival and uncovering ancient secrets can you hope to face the ferocious Dragon Queen. Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | Coming 2026 Publisher: Sega Developer: Sega  | PS5 Play Video Sega announced the release timing of the final two DLCs for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles coming in July, and Avatar coming in October – and teased a new Season Pass Two, which includes Godzilla and Evangelion DLCs during Summer Game Fest. Star Wars: Galactic Racer | Coming October 6 Publisher: Secret Mode Developer: Fuse Games | PS5 Play Video Tonight, a new story trailer for Star Wars: Galactic Racer debuted, showcasing how Kestshowingar Bool uses his position as League Champion to threaten other pilots. In a bid to retain control over his racing league, Darius Pax enlists the help of Shade, a mysterious pilot with a personal grudge against the Bool family.  Stranger Than Heaven | Coming January 15, 2027 Publisher: Sega Developer: RGG Studio | PS5 Play Video A fifty-year, action-adventure saga of men with nowhere to go and their desperate struggle to find a home. Use extreme violence to survive, and musical talent to thrive as a showman across five cities and eras of modern Japan. Oh, and Tupac is here. Swords of Legends | Coming soon Publisher: Aurogon Shanghai Developer: Aurogon Shanghai | PS5 Play Video A new trailer for Swords of Legends, a single-player action RPG, offers a first look at its combat, featuring the debut of the Spirit Companion system and a boss fight against the Master of Cantrip, whose every move is staged as classical Chinese stage magic. The Blood of Dawnwalker | Coming September 3 Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment Developer: Rebel Wolves | PS5 Play Video Vampires walk out of the shadows in the latest action-packed trailer for The Blood of Dawnwalker. Experience two different gameplay loops, day and night, in this open-world dark fantasy action RPG. Stay tuned for more SGF news as we go hands-on with some of the titles revealed and share our first impressions of the games headed our way.

Title: Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 543: State of Faye Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:05:55 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/05/official-playstation-podcast-episode-543-state-of-faye/ Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! Tim, Kristen, Brett, and I are back this week to discuss the latest State of Play, along with some of our favorite announcements and what we can’t wait to get our hands on. This episode also includes a special interview with the Head of Creative at Santa Monica Studio, Cory Barlog, and God of War Laufey Director Ariel Lawrence. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Solarpunk | PS5  NBA The Run | PS5  Beastro | PS5  PlayStation peripherals — Get all the new details on the FlexStrike wireless fight stick coming August 6, the 27” Gaming Monitor with DualSense Charging Hook coming August 27, and the Pulse Elevate Wireless Speakers coming later this year. Get a detailed hands-on report and pricing. Ace Combat 8 Wings of Theve hands-on — Learn how aerial combat has evolved with air-to-sea and air-to-land combat, including a big battle with a land battleship. State of Play —  Check out all the big announcements and updates from the show, including an extended look at Marvel’s Wolverine and the first reveal of Marvel’s Wolverine, Until Dawn 2, and God of War Laufey. The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Tim Turi – Content Communications Manager, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Title: Share of the Week: Star Wars Outlaws Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:00:10 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/05/share-of-the-week-star-wars-outlaws/ Last week, we sent you to a galaxy far, far away to share moments from Star Wars Outlaws using #PSshare #PSBlog. The open-world adventure is available now in the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog. Here are this week’s highlights: wingsforsmiles shares Kay staring out to a sunset with TIE Fighters in the distance coalabr14 shares a shadowy portrait of Kay SheikhSadi80 shares Kay and Nix riding across the surface of a lake  CaliOcelot shares Nix looking excited on the back of Kay’s speeder  RhodWulfLeon shares Kay walking down some snowy steps KeenEyeVP shares a colorful and detailed portrait of Nix Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: DualitySUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 10, 2026  Next week, share reflections, opposites, or anything that comes in pairs using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: (For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Store: May 2026’s top downloads Date: Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:03:49 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/05/20260605-top/ It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts. In May, Mr. Bond does it again as 007 First Light topped the Asia charts for PS5,  while NTE: Neverness to Everness topped Asia’s Free to Play charts.  Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month? PS5 Games AsiaUS/Canada007 First Light007 First LightNBA 2K26LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark KnightResident Evil 4NBA 2K26Forza Horizon 5MLB The Show 26PRAGMATAGrand Theft Auto VDevil May Cry 5 Special EditionMinecraftGhost of YōteiCall of Duty: Black Ops 7Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered FateInvincible VSIt Takes TwoSarosGrand Theft Auto VCrimson DesertCrimson DesertForza Horizon 5Gran Turismo 7Mortal Kombat 1FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTHEA Sports Madden NFL 26The Witcher 3: Wild HuntMixtapeSplit FictionGhost of YōteiLEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark KnightMortal Kombat 11Hogwarts LegacyContent WarningResident Evil RequiemPragmataResident Evil VillageDirective 8020Diablo IVSea of Thieves *Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included PS4 Games AsiaUS/CanadaRed Dead Redemption 2Star Wars Battlefront IIDevil May Cry 5Red Dead Redemption 2Devil May Cry HD CollectionDevil May Cry HD CollectionACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWNBatman: Arkham KnightA Way OutGang BeastsSEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICECall of Duty: Black Ops IIIOvercooked! 2Mortal Kombat XTEKKEN 7MinecraftShadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive EditionDying LightGod of WarDevil May Cry 4Resident Evil 6The ForestMONSTER HUNTER: WORLDGrand Theft Auto VNBA 2K26A Way OutGod of War III RemasteredOvercooked 2Devil May Cry 4Resident Evil 6Batman: Arkham KnightCastle Crashers RemasteredNeed for Speed HeatGod of WarMinecraft DungeonsNBA 2K26Assassin’s Creed OdysseyFor HonorUNCHARTED: The Nathan Drake Collection PlayStation HitsResident Evil 5 *Naming of products may differ between regions PS VR2 Games* AsiaUS/CanadaHorizon Call of the MountainI Am CatBeat SaberAlien: Rogue Incursion VRAlien: Rogue Incursion VRStar Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge – Enhanced EditionMaestroBeat SaberKayak VR: MirageCreed: Rise to Glory – Championship EditionArizona Sunshine 2Job SimulatorCreed: Rise to Glory – Championship EditionArizona Sunshine 2Little Nightmares VR: Altered EchoesAmong Us 3D: VRMetro AwakeningMoss VRCrossfire: Sierra SquadZero Caliber VR *PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included Free to Play (PS5 + PS4) AsiaUS/CanadaNTE: Neverness to EvernessFortniteRobloxRobloxWhere Winds Meet (F2P)NTE: Neverness to EvernesseFootballCall of Duty: WarzoneDelta Force (F2P)Marvel RivalsAsphalt LegendsApex LegendsPUBG: BATTLEGROUNDSTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – Free AccessGenshin ImpactRocket LeagueWuthering WavesAsphalt LegendsFortniteFall Guys

Title: Hands-on report — Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:30:03 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/04/hands-on-report-ace-combat-8-wings-of-theve/ Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve begins with a losing war. After a lightning strike by the Republic of Sotoa, the armed forces of the Federation of Central Usea are struggling to survive — and as an FCU fighter pilot, you’re joining the remnants of a military that’s barely holding on. After playing through several of the campaign missions in Ace Combat 8, I got a sense of how developer Project Aces is telling its story of a desperate aircraft carrier crew trying to keep the battle going, and how you’ll rise to become a hotshot fighter ace, and a source of hope, for the embattled FCU. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The story of a war “hero” A propaganda campaign is at the center of Ace Combat 8’s story. When you first arrive aboard the aircraft carrier Endurance, you’re introduced to the plan to keep the FCU going: a social media blitz focused on a legendary pilot known as the Wings of Theve, named for the FCU’s capital city. But in truth, the Wings is just Rex, an amiable but ordinary pilot whose job is to serve as a figurehead and whose exploits are greatly exaggerated. His true orders are to make an appearance in every engagement, and then run away and stay alive. You join Rex as his navigator, but things don’t go well during that first mission; you’re shot down by enemy aces, and Rex is killed. But after you’re rescued, to keep the lie alive, you’re tasked with taking on the “Rex” callsign and playing the role of the Wings of Theve. Ace Combat 8 conveys all this story through immersive, first-person cinematics that are a new choice for the series — one that Brand Manager Kazutoki Kono said was inspired by the team’s work on the PlayStation VR modes in Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. The perspective adds a lot of emotional weight to Ace Combat 8, capturing the sense of struggle aboard the Endurance and the pressure of carrying the war’s morale on your back and commanding Joker Flight, Rex’s four-fighter team. Becoming a fighter ace Though your job as the Wings of Theve is initially just to stay alive, your presence and skills quickly change the tone for Joker Flight. When enemy fighters show up on your first mission, you quickly prove that the Wings of Theve can be more than just an inspiring ghost story. The Ace Combat series does a good job of keeping complex flight controls simple and easy to learn, so it doesn’t feel like you need flight sim-level knowledge to become a top gun. Fans of Ace Combat 7 will be right at home with Ace Combat 8, which maintains the experience from the 2019 game, but with some new bells and whistles thanks to the PS5 Dual Sense controller. Resistance in the haptic triggers adds intensity to accelerating with R2, decelerating with L2, and executing high-G turns by holding both, telegraphing through your hands how powerful your aircraft really is. Whether attacking other planes in the air or strafing targets on the ground, your goal is often to keep enemies in your sights long enough to lock on and fire missiles or special weapons with Circle or your machine gun with X. You can quickly swap lock-ons with Triangle to find new targets and swap weapons with Square. The controls are easy to pick up, but there’s complexity in flying your plane, and you’re going to need to build your skills to survive some of Ace Combat 8’s later sorties. Project Aces has very much avoided fixing anything that isn’t broken when it comes to gameplay, with battles feeling fast and chaotic as you dodge incoming missiles and try to line up your guns against enemy planes. With your comrades at your wing, you can also issue orders with the directional buttons, sending them to attack a specific target, allowing them to scatter and engage at will, calling them back to cover you, or telling them to switch to any special weapons you’ve equipped them with and go on the attack. At some points, you can also make story decisions about how the team will proceed. During one mission I played, you engage an enemy squadron filled with friends of Rex’s wingman, Professor. He asks you to avoid killing the pilots as you shoot them down, and you can choose whether to agree to that request. It doesn’t seem that your decisions will greatly alter how the story plays out, but Kono said choices like this, as well as how well you fare when you’re tasked with defending allied forces such as naval ships, can affect which characters survive into future missions and story beats. A series of desperate battles Ace Combat 8 shines in conveying the stakes of the war you’re fighting as your successes cause the legend of the Wings of Theve to grow — along with the hopes and expectations of your fellow soldiers. In one mission I previewed, the ragtag FCU forces work to take down a ridiculously huge, incredibly dangerous Land Battleship. The ship, which is basically a navy destroyer combined with a tank, is nearly indestructible, and the FCU plans to use trucks loaded with bombs to try to take out its treads. Your mission is first to protect the trucks, then attack the treads. Even on Ace Combat 8’s normal difficulty, the mission was tough — the Land Battleship is decked out with powerful rail guns, as well as anti-aircraft cannons and deployable drones. The fight takes place in a massive city center, so you not only have to dodge all sorts of incoming fire, but do your best not to crash into the buildings as well. The only hope to defeat the land battleship is for the FCU to demolish skyscrapers in the ship’s path, slowing it down and eventually trapping it. The mission really ratchets up the scale of the war and channels the emotions felt by the FCU’s forces. Radio chatter is nothing new to Ace Combat 8, but in all the missions I played, that chatter captures the chaotic and often desperate tone of the moment, as commanders, officers, soldiers on the ground, and your wingmen all fill the airwaves, issuing orders and reacting to what’s happening. As we arced around the land battleship, fighting interceptors and protecting the trucks, Ace Combat 8 not only used the chatter to convey critical mission info in the moment, it sold the story of frightened soldiers doing everything they can to stop an overwhelming force as they fought for their home. It’s that storytelling, coupled with fast-paced battles and memorable characters, that make grabbing the stick in Ace Combat 8 an exciting prospect. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve hits PlayStation 5 on October 2.

Title: The Sunday Papers Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-sunday-papers-813-1 Sundays are for recovering after a late night of trailerblogging and oop, no, wait, there’s another two full-length showcases just this evening. It’s too late for me, readers, but you can save yourselves with some more thoughtful, maybe even calming reads on games and not-games. I bet none of them even have the words "great experience for our players." Read more

Title: Silent Hill 2 remakers Bloober Team are boldly going where few horror devs have gone before in Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, a "psychological thriller" starring Ro Laren Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2026 23:10:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/silent-hill-2-remakers-bloober-team-are-boldly-going-where-few-horror-devs-have-gone-before-in-star-trek-shadow-frontier-a-psychological-thriller-starring-ro-laren Here's one I wasn't quite expecting: Silent Hill 2 remake and Cronos: The New Dawn developers Bloober Team are working on a Star Trek game in collaboration with license owners Paramount. As you might imagine, given Bloober's pedigree, it doesn't appear to be a very uplifting Star Trek game. It is not a Star Trek game in which you would expect to have an Earl Grey teaparty on the Holodeck, with Data playing the viola. Called Star Trek: Shadow Frontier, it's a "psychological thriller" set on an uncharted planet that has become a spaceship graveyard. Something with tendrils lurks hereabouts, and it's trying to eat your mind. Read more

Title: Self-cloning strategy game The Alters is getting a 20 hour terraforming expansion that plays with the problem of age Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2026 21:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/self-cloning-strategy-game-the-alters-is-getting-a-20-hour-terraforming-expansion-that-plays-with-the-problem-of-age Self-cloning sci-fi strategy game The Alters is getting a DLC expansion in which you terraform the world of the original game, using cryosleep to fast-forward the years, even as your hard-working alternate selves age and wither. Out on 13th July, it's a 20 hour epilogue starring Jan Scientist, one of Jan Dolski's vat-grown doubles, who creates his own workforce of clones while investigating a phenomenon called "the Oasis". Over the course of the expansion, you'll build up a new underground base, populate the volcanic soils with flora and fauna, and contend with the planet's increasing hostility to your efforts. It's not quite clear from the release, but I imagine there's also a moderate risk of being dragged from your cryopod and crucified by a bunch of septuagenarian doppelgangers. Anyway, with useful irony I can't think of any more synonyms for "clone". Here's a trailer. Read more

Title: Ukrainian-made Lovecraftian horror game The Sinking City 2 finally has a release date, and you can play the first hour right now on Steam Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2026 20:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ukrainian-made-lovecraftian-horror-game-the-sinking-city-2-finally-has-a-release-date-and-you-can-play-the-first-hour-right-now-on-steam Frogwares' are ready for you to dip your toes into their survival horror game The Sinking City 2. What happens to said toes in those tentacle-filled Lovecraftian waters is your responsibility. As well as a release date – August 18th –, the Ukrainian developers have released the game's first hour as a demo on Steam. You'll step into the waterlogged gumshoes of private investigator Calvin as he searches for his missing lover, Faye, in the city of Arkham, a flooded Massachusetts town overwhelmed by Cthulhu horrors. Our Jeremy played a portion of the game recently and said it might just be "we'll finally have a good Cthulhu game that can stand up to the likes of what Pyramid Head and Nemesis have given genre enthusiasts." Read more

Title: What are we all playing this weekend? Date: Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/what-are-we-all-playing-this-weekend-385 Saturdays are for lying in bed and resting your sore typing fingers, muttering curses at Geoff Keighley under your breath. They're not particularly mean curses, I quite enjoy covering events like SGF. It's nice having a few hours where game announcements pour forth like bubbling water. Yes, those bubbles can be the ineffable gassing up of marketing hype, but I won't dismiss everything we see as pure cynicism. And besides, as tired as I may be this morning, it's not as bad as the time I worked a week of night shifts covering E3 at PCGamesN. At the end of the week, on the last train home, I fell asleep, thouroughly missed my station and got kicked off at the terminus. With no phone battery and no taxis in the small village, I had to sleep in a park until the next morning when the trains started up again and I could get back to my bed in Bath. Read more