Title: Skydance Institutes Company-Wide Mandatory Return To Office So It Can Avoid Saying ‘Layoffs’ So Soon After Merger Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:00:49 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/skydance-institutes-company-wide-mandatory-return-to-office-so-it-can-avoid-saying-layoffs-so-soon-after-merger-2000749847 In addition to a five-days-a-week in-office mandate, the company is also offering employee buyouts

Title: Here’s How The Way Activision Talks About Call Of Duty Launch Weekend Sales Has Changed Over Nearly 20 Years Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 22:30:49 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/heres-how-the-way-activision-talks-about-call-of-duty-launch-weekend-sales-has-changed-over-nearly-20-years-2000749843 It hasn't been bragging about Modern Warfare 4 sales despite rave reviews

Title: I’m Having A Blast Waiting In Line For An Hour To Play One Minute Of A Platformer With One Million Levels Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 22:00:45 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/i-waited-in-line-one-minute-jono-2000749830 I'm doing my part!

Title: AI Has Triggered A PS5 Homebrew Gold Rush, But It’s Also The Reason GTA 6 Can’t Be Pirated At Release Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 21:30:32 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/ai-has-triggered-a-ps5-homebrew-gold-rush-but-its-also-the-reason-gta-6-cant-be-pirated-at-release-2000749776 One hacker is being accused of ruining everyone's chances of pirating GTA 6 after reporting a massive hypervisor exploit to Sony

Title: What Does It Even Mean To ‘Save’ Mass Effect? Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 21:10:43 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/mass-effect-5-universe-save-petition-bioware-signatures-shutdown-cancelled-2000749836 Thousands of fans are rallying around a campaign to save the series after BioWare's shutdown, but what does that look like?

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: One Day Out From Early Access, Emberville Has Been Delayed To 2027 Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:05:58 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/one-day-out-from-early-access-emberville-has-been-delayed-to-2027/ Originally set to enter early access on October 27, action-adventure RPG Emberville has been delayed by over two months to January 7, 2027. The last-minute delay gives the team time to make "essential improvements" before Emberville reaches its fans. The upcoming game mixes Stardew Valley-like farming and community building with action-adventure RPG combat. Trapped in a magical underground dungeon, the player must uncover the truth about their cursed prison while revitalizing the ruined town of Emberville. Emberville's demo was one of the most played during Steam Next Fest last week; however, player feedback from the demo has led to a last-minute delay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOJmwxZZsX0 "Some of the improvements we want to make are systems changes that can't be done quickly," the Emberville team said, acknowledging feedback from Next Fest players. "Reworking bow combat, for example, would take more time than we had prior to our Early Access release even though the team is working around the clock. After carefully considering our options, we have decided to move the release date and include some essential improvements in the Early Access launch build." While the game is intended to grow and improve throughout its early access period, with the developer planning to add new content incrementally, the studio wants to reach a certain baseline before it launches. "Our team has a clear vision for how Emberville will develop throughout early access," the Steam post continues. "On January 7, our goal is to deliver an experience that shows what makes the game distinctive, establishes its core gameplay, and offers a compelling glimpse of how the game will grow throughout early access." While some players are disappointed by the eleventh-hour delay, others have said they're happy for the Emberville team to take as much time as it needs to get the game up to scratch. Some players have also speculated that Emberville is just the latest game to move its release date in order to avoid losing players to the looming release of GTA 6.

Title: Ghost Of Yotei Was A Hit, But Its Developer Is Reportedly Cutting Jobs Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ghost-of-yotei-was-a-hit-but-its-developer-is-reportedly-cutting-jobs/ Sony-owned studio Sucker Punch Productions is losing 24 employees in another round of layoffs in the games industry. The studio is behind Ghost of Tsushima and Ghost of Yotei, two first-party PlayStation titles that have been critical and commercial hits. An Aftermath report claims 24 Sucker Punch staff have lost their jobs. The studio is estimated to have between 190 and 230 staff, depending on the source, meaning Sucker Punch has lost at least 10% of its employees. "After carefully observing the challenges in the market and reviewing the team needs for our next project, we've decided to make some staffing reductions," an email from studio leadership quoted by Aftermath read. "Several positions across Sucker Punch will be eliminated as a result." "We know this is a lot to take in, and we want to assure you that we did not make this decision lightly. We have given this a lot of attention and worked to support our affected colleagues during this transition as well as we can," the email continued, adding: "Next week we will go into more details about the future." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d48IWwIRg98 For the past decade, Sucker Punch has worked on its two open-world samurai adventure games, both standout successes in Sony's first-party slate. As of 2022, Ghost of Tsushima had sold over 8 million lifetime copies, while Ghost of Yotei was reported to be Sony's best-selling title on the PS5 as of June 2026. The studio's latest release was the critically acclaimed Echoes of Sekigahara expansion for Ghost of Yotei, which brought back the first game's protagonist, Jin Sakai. Prior to Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch developed the Sly Cooper and Infamous series. This isn't the first time the studio has undergone layoffs after a commercially successful release; an unspecified number of layoffs occurred in 2014 following the launch of Infamous Second Son, the same month the expansion First Light was released.

Title: This Book Release Is Basically GTA 6 Launch For Thirsty Women, And Larian Knows It Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 03:27:38 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/this-book-release-is-basically-gta-6-launch-for-thirsty-women-and-larian-knows-it/ You might have noticed that Baldur's Gate 3 has an extraordinarily large female audience, and for years, I've had my own theory as to why this is. Much like Dragon Age (rest in peace, my sweet angel), Baldur's Gate 3 features high stakes, fantasy-filled adventure, swords and sorcery, and charming characters that you can smooch. Essentially, it's a Romantasy--a term given to the plethora of women-oriented novels that feature all of the above. Regardless of if you love or hate the term, Romantasy has exploded in popularity over the past decade, and part of that is thanks to writer Sarah J. Maas and her A Court of Thorns and Roses series. For over five years, that series has been on hold while Maas worked on other novels, but now, the sixth book in the series, A Court of Splintered Harmony, is finally here--or at least it will be later tonight. Anyways, it's basically GTA 6 release day for thirsty women, and Larian's latest post proves that team is well aware of it. Earlier today, Larian took to Instagram to share a post referencing the series ahead of A Court of Splintered Harmony's release. In it, the studio shows off a few of the saga's most notable characters in Baldur's Gate 3's character creator while ACOTAR-related audio plays over top. But while Larian celebrating ACOTAR was already enough to made me giddy, the best thing about this post is that it proves that someone at Larian knows ball. Each clip perfectly pokes fun at a character's most iconic (or notorious) moment, or references an inside joke from the ACOTAR community. This includes Feyre's watery bowels, the invisible fleck of dust Rhysand is constantly picking at, and the fact that Feyre's garden-loving sister Elain probably could have helped her family and grown a few crops while they were, you know, starving to death in a small cottage. And the Withers-Suriel comparison? Masterful. Suffice to say that as both an avid reader and gamer, Larian's post delighted me. And as someone who has been yelling about how many of the best games around are secretly Romantasy games (The Witcher 3, The Blood of Dawnwalker, just about every Final Fantasy...), you have no idea how validated I feel right now.

Title: Here’s Another Mass Effect 5 Leak To Break Your Heart Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 23:31:44 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-another-mass-effect-5-leak-to-break-your-heart/ If last week's mysterious Mass Effect: Universe trailer leak wasn't painful enough for you in the wake of BioWare's sudden closure, we've gotten yet another taste of The Game That Could Have Been, this time courtesy of award-winning video game composer Austin Wintory.  Known for his beautiful and haunting soundtracks for games like Flow, Journey, ABZÛ, Aliens: Fireteam Elite, Sword of The Sea, John Wick Hex, and Hades II, Wintory was also evidently working on the Mass Effect: Universe soundtrack. From the sounds of things, EA and the now-defunct BioWare were considering having Wintory produce the game's OST. And thanks to Wintory, we at least know what the game might have sounded like. "Mass Effect was my ultimate white whale, my all-time dream project," Wintory wrote in a post on Bluesky. "For the last couple years I'd been in discussion with BioWare & EA to take on the project, and as part of that, I wrote close to 20 minutes of music to explore where the franchise can go next. May as well share it!" Wintory shared the music alongside an image that reads, "Mass Effect: Universe, the music that might have been." "So here you go," Wintory added in a follow-up post linking to a YouTube upload of the test-run tracks. "Thank you again to my friends at both BioWare and EA. To even dream in your sandbox was a privilege." The video features 20 minutes of Wintory's experimental score, featuring seven unique tracks and one remix. Text displayed within the video itself also reveals more about the nature of Wintory's talks with EA and BioWare, along with his inspiration for the soundtrack. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBO8s_McKjU "In 2007, when the credits rolled on my first playthrough of Mass Effect, I remember calling a friend and saying, 'I can't believe I already know this will be among my favorite all-time games.' Usually, it takes the passage of time before we can be so sure something truly belongs to the ages, but in this case, the confidence was instantaneous," Wintory wrote. "This trilogy is my most-cherished gaming experience of my lifetime, and as a professional composer, represented my most sought-after 'White Whale.' For me, there is no greater dream project to be part of." According to Wintory, nothing had been finalized yet, but both EA and BioWare seemed eager to get him on board. So Wintory, in all his love for the franchise, cooked up a little surprise for the Mass Effect: Universe team. "For the past several years, I'd been in dialogue with people both at BioWare and EA to potentially jump into Mass Effect 5," Wintory explained. "As part of those conversations, I decided to surprise the team by writing/recording a giant love letter to the franchise, with my idea of where it can go next. When I wrote this (in 2025), I knew nothing of what they were planning, so this was a bit narratively speculative. The concept was a direct homage to Jack Wall and Sam Hulick's incredible work on the first game, while leaning even harder on true analog synths, and a more complex integration of the orchestra (almost akin to the hybrid nature of The Matrix)." While it seems that Mass Effect: Universe will never see the light of day, at least we have the beautiful soundtrack-that-could-have been, for what looked to be an equally beautiful game.

Title: WoW: Forever Just Got Another Major Racial Ability Shakeup Before Launch Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 22:48:46 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/wow-forever-just-got-a-major-racial-ability-shakeup-just-before-launch/ World of Warcraft: Forever's release is just around the corner, but developer Blizzard is making one final pass at the game's racial abilities before launch in response to beta feedback. In a forum post, WoW community manager Kaivax posted a list of significant changes to many of each race's unique abilities that players expressed concerns about during Forever's beta. Those changes include tweaks to tauren, humans, orcs, dwarves, and Skyborne elves. "In taking a final pass on these, we've prioritized racial identity, which means that some races will naturally be slightly more effective than others at certain combat roles," Blizzard said. "In some places where we had replaced role or class-focused racials with generic ones, we're rolling those changes back." https://youtu.be/miSndSl23bI?si=kQoKkM4LGLofOsk- The exception to that mindset is weapon-specialization abilities, Blizzard said, which existed for humans and orcs both in WoW Classic and early on in Forever's beta and made each race more effective with specific types of weapons. "While those have a strong fantasy component to them, it is not healthy in the long run for future raid and dungeon loot tables to be evaluated through the lens of 'required' weapon types," Blizzard said. "At the same time, we're doing a tuning pass on some of the remaining passive bonuses to help ensure that they aren't skewing outcomes in a way that limits player preferences."  Humans, widely viewed by the community as one of the most "optimal" races to pick thanks to their powerful passive abilities, have lost some of their power in combat. Ruthless now only grants 1% critical strike chance instead of 2%. In exchange, their Human Spirit passive has been buffed from 5% to 10%. Tauren have seen some significant changes, with massive buffs to their unique Plainsrunning ability but a loss to some of their combat effectiveness. Plainsrunning will now grant 2% movement speed per stack up to a max of 60% increased movement speed, at the price of no longer increasing mounted movement speed and the loss of hit chance and crit damage from their Endurance passive.  Orcs have seen their 1% crit chance removed and replaced with an earlier passive, Command. Now, orcs will deal 5% increased Warlock and Hunter pet damage. Dwarves have had their critical damage passive removed, instead replaced with a 1% chance to hit with attacks and spells. Last but not least, Forever's newest race, Skyborne elves, have seen some major changes. Their haste bonus from Wind-Blessed has been reduced to 2% from 3%. They also now benefit more from using their Skysight and Read Leyline abilities at elemental convergence or leyline sites, with stronger effects that persist through death. It's just the latest (and sounds like the last, at least for a while) batch of changes to Forever's various races. Blizzard said these changes, a little over a week before Forever's launch, were to address feedback players had during the beta about some abilities feeling "too generic," while others were "objectively stronger than others." You can read the full racial ablity changes below. Blizzard looks to be making plenty of changes to Forever in the last stretch before release. It announced last week that it will be getting a new PvP-server option after all, and that the MMORPG's controversial layering system will see improvements in time for launch. WoW: Forever arrives November 4. WoW: Forever Racial Ability Changes 10/26 Human Ruthless now increases critical chance by 1% (was 2%). Human Spirit now increases Spirit by 10% (was 5%). Dwarf Earth Fury (2% increased critical strike damage and healing) removed. Added: Artisan’s Precision - Increases hit chance with spells and attacks by 1%. Tauren Plainsrunning now grants 2% movement speed per stack (was 1%), for a total max increase of 60% (was 30%). Plainsrunning no longer increases mounted movement speed. Endurance no longer provides any modifiers beyond 5% increased Health (no hit chance or critical damage modifiers). Orc Savage removed (1% increased critical strike chance). Command re-added, increasing Warlock and Hunter pet damage by 5%. Skyborne Wind-Blessed Haste bonus reduced to 2% (was 3%). Read Leyline now increases Mana and Health regeneration by 50% (was 100%), with a 15-second duration. This ability cannot be used while Innervate is active, and will be replaced by Innervate as a more powerful effect. Using Read Leyline at a Ley Line now also grants “Attuned” for 1 hour. While Attuned, the benefit of Read Leyline is increased to 100% regeneration increase. Attuned persists through death. Skysight is now a 15% increased movement speed (was 10%), with a 15-second duration. Using Skysight at an elemental convergence now also grants “Charged” for 1 hour. While Charged, the benefit of Skysight is a 30% movement speed increase. Charged persists through death.

Title: 10 Years Ago, Anime's Most Bonkers Series Introduced a Disturbing Villain Who Changed Everything Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 11:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/jojo-bizarre-adventure-villain-diamond-is-unbreakable/ Part 4 of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, called Diamond Is Unbreakable, also features an idyllic town with a rotten core. Author Hirohiko Araki changes things up after a globe-trotting adventure in Stardust Crusaders (Part 3), shifting the scene to the beautiful town of Morioh. Part 3 protagonist Jotaro Kujo seeks out Morioh resident Josuke Higashikata seeking to learn more about his true parentage, which triggers a string of bizarre events in this seemingly peaceful small town.

Title: Free-to-Play Pokémon Game Is Shutting Down After 5 Years Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:05:01 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-unite-end-service-announcement/ Pokémon games come in all shapes and forms. There are the mainline Pokémon games, where players must collect 'em all and engage in battle with other trainers. But these pocket monsters have appeared in other video game genres as part of several series spin-offs. For example, Pokémon Unite is a MOBA similar to League of Legends but with Pokémon. The concept is fun, and the fact that it's free-to-play caught the attention of many. Unfortunately, its servers will soon shut down permanently.

Title: Adult Fairy Tales: The Best of the Best Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:01:19 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/happily-never-after-adult-fairy-tales-week/ 𝔒𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔲𝔭𝔬𝔫 𝔞 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢, 𝔴𝔢 𝔴𝔢𝔯𝔢 𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔠𝔥𝔦𝔩𝔡𝔯𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔲𝔠𝔨𝔢𝔡 𝔟𝔢𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔱𝔥 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔠𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔰, 𝔩𝔬𝔰𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔲𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔳𝔢𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔢𝔰 𝔬𝔣 𝔢𝔫𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔣𝔬𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔱𝔰. 𝔒𝔯 𝔪𝔞𝔶𝔟𝔢 𝔴𝔢 𝔧𝔲𝔰𝔱 𝔴𝔞𝔱𝔠𝔥𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔦𝔰𝔫𝔢𝔶 𝔞𝔫𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔡 𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰? 𝔈𝔦𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯 𝔴𝔞𝔶, 𝔫𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔶 𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯𝔶𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔪 𝔬𝔣 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔥𝔞𝔰 𝔞 𝔪𝔢𝔪𝔬𝔯𝔶 𝔬𝔣 𝔣𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔲𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯 𝔞 𝔣𝔞𝔦𝔯𝔶 𝔱𝔞𝔩𝔢’𝔰 𝔰𝔭𝔢𝔩𝔩. 𝔈𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔣 𝔶𝔬𝔲’𝔳𝔢 𝔫𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔠𝔯𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔢𝔡 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔅𝔯𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔰 𝔊𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔪 𝔬𝔯 ℌ𝔞𝔫𝔰 ℭ𝔥𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔱𝔦𝔞𝔫 𝔄𝔫𝔡𝔢𝔯𝔰𝔢𝔫, 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔰𝔱𝔬𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔰 𝔞𝔯𝔢 𝔴𝔬𝔳𝔢𝔫 𝔦𝔫𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔣𝔞𝔟𝔯𝔦𝔠 𝔬𝔣 𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔦𝔪𝔞𝔤𝔦𝔫𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰.

Title: 7 Reasons FF7 Is the Ultimate Video Game Fairy Tale Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/ff7-final-fantasy-7-fairy-tale/ When you think of a fairy tale, what comes to mind? A medieval European setting, with soaring castle spires, imposing forests, brave knights, and fair maidens?

Title: These Two Dark Fairytales Need to Unravel on Modern Consoles Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/american-mcgee-alice-madness-returns-console-retrospective/ The world can be a cold and dangerous place. We think about its darkest parts as we wrap ourselves in blankets and find a comfy armchair near a roaring fireplace, much like our ancestors did. Also like our ancestors, we turn to stories to understand how to survive the darkness: Don’t trust tricksters with magical powers, avoid suspicious fruit, and never venture into the woods alone.

Title: Cloud Deployment Incoming: ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’ Arrives on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4/ Lock in and load out this GFN Thursday. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, bringing a new campaign, multiplayer action and DMZ, high-stakes extraction mode to supported devices. The campaign also gets an enhanced look: GeForce RTX 5080-class performance arrives for Ultimate members, bringing support for ray-tracing features in the cloud. There’s a new way to join the cloud, too: Existing supported Fire TV Stick users can now purchase one-month Performance or Ultimate memberships directly through Amazon, making it easier to sign up and start streaming on the big screen. Plus, Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE brings cinematic pixel art and strategic battles to the cloud, and The Elder Scrolls Online’s Echoes of Skyrim Season adds the entire Greymoor Chapter free for all ESO Standard Edition owners. It’s all part of six games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Deployment Without the Downloads Squad up and answer the call on the cloud. Activision and Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches today on GeForce NOW. Members can drop into the trenches in Korea, close-quarter combat in New York, high-octane chases through Paris, night raids in Mumbai and city-wide engagements to reclaim occupied territory. Fight as Private Park, a young South Korean soldier facing live combat for the first time alongside his squad as a routine patrol turns into a desperate fight for survival. Beyond the front lines, operator-turned-outlaw Captain Price is operating outside the system he once served, pursuing revenge through covert missions as the conflict spreads. Multiplayer pairs precise combat with fluid movement, a dozen core 6v6 maps from around the world and battlegrounds that are shaped by the campaign’s global conflict. The DMZ extraction mode sends players into contested territory to recover valuable technology, weigh objectives and decide when to get out. Loot, fight, negotiate, betray and extract — it’s all fair in the cloud and battleground. Ultimate members can now experience the campaign with ray tracing, powered by newly added GeForce RTX 5080-class performance across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, browsers, supported TVs and more. With game downloads and installs handled by GeForce NOW, members can spend less time preparing a local rig and more time preparing the next loadout. A New Way to Play A new way to join GeForce NOW on Fire TV. GeForce NOW in-app purchase is rolling out to existing supported Fire TV Stick users, making it possible to purchase a membership directly through Amazon using an existing account. Transactions are processed through Amazon’s billing system, creating a more seamless path from setup to gameplay. GeForce NOW transforms Fire TV into a powerful PC gaming rig in the cloud. Members can stream supported PC games they already own or purchase new titles from digital stores including Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox PC Game Pass, GOG and EA. The library includes thousands of ready-to-play games, including many of the world’s most-played titles and more than 100 free-to-play games. No downloads, installs, patches or updates stand between a new game and playtime. An Amazon Fire TV Stick, the GeForce NOW app and an Ultimate membership are all it takes to level up the living room with GeForce RTX 5080-powered gaming. A Pixel-Perfect Fantasy Classic roots. A new adventure. Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE launches today on GeForce NOW, bringing the series’ classic roots into a cinematic pixel-art world. Travel with companions bound by fate and uncover the truth behind a force threatening to bring everything to ruin. Strengthen the party with Visions of beloved FINAL FANTASY characters, each bringing unique skills and abilities to battle. Dynamic camera angles and pixelized 3D models give familiar fantasy a fresh perspective. Exploit enemy weaknesses to stagger foes, break their defenses and seize extra turns before finishing the bonus phase with powerful Resonance attacks. Airships, crystals, espers and moogles bring familiar series favorites to a world filled with secrets to discover. GeForce NOW handles the game’s downloads and storage in the cloud, leaving more space on supported devices for everyday essentials. Save the inventory management for potions and Phoenix Downs. Step Into a New Season in Tamriel Familiar lands. Fresh reasons to return. The Elder Scrolls Online’s second season, Echoes of Skyrim, launched Wednesday, Oct. 21, free for all ESO players and ready to stream through GeForce NOW. Season Two gives everyone who owns ESO Standard Edition access to its Skyrim content and the Antiquities treasure-hunting system. The Markarth downloadable content follows Monday, Nov. 9, rounding out the additions with two classic zones to explore.  The Season also introduces Solo Dungeons, reimagining challenges previously designed for groups. Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices have been redesigned and rebalanced for players ready to tackle their dangers alone. Earn new rewards and take on new challenges at your own pace without needing to find a group. A new Tamriel Tome also launched Oct. 21, offering both free and premium battle pass reward tracks.  In addition, members can look for the following titles joining the GeForce NOW library this week: We Were Here Tomorrow (New release on Steam, Oct. 20) FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE (New release on Steam, Oct. 22) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (New release on Oct 23, available in the Call of Duty app) CONTROL Resonant (Epic Game Store) Crimson Desert (Epic Games Store) Planet Zoo 2 (Xbox app, supports XBOX Play Anywhere) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the mission board this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Dial Up the Cloud: NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Controls Arrive on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:59 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-enshrouded-update/ Dial in the next gaming session this GFN Thursday. New NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls give GeForce NOW members more choice over how supported games look and perform in the cloud, even without the latest hardware. Then, step into the Shroud as Keen Games’ Enshrouded leaves early access with its 1.0 release, or let the bolts fly in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2. Both are streaming on GeForce NOW at launch. With 10 new games joining the cloud this week, members can put the new controls to work in supported titles and keep playing across supported devices without downloads, installs or expensive hardware upgrades. Fine-Tune the Cloud With DLSS 4.5 Controls More control, more cloud power. NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls are now available on GeForce NOW, giving members more choice over how supported games look and perform in the cloud, even without the latest hardware. DLSS Super Resolution sharpens image quality, while Dynamic Multi Frame Generation delivers lower latency and reduces stutter for smoother streaming, and Ray Reconstruction enhances ray-traced visuals. In addition, Ultimate members streaming on GeForce RTX 5080-powered cloud rigs benefit from the maximum available options, including Dynamic Multi Frame Generation up to 4X.   From James Bond’s globe-trotting missions in 007 First Light — now with path tracing support — to CONTROL Resonant’s reality-bending Manhattan and the shadowy scares of Resident Evil Requiem, the controls help fine-tune supported games for image quality, responsiveness or a preferred balance between the two. These new settings are available in the GeForce NOW app under settings, for Windows, macOS, Chrome OS and Steam OS platforms. Members can read here for more details on using the feature with their membership tier, and more information on how to get the smoothest cloud game streaming for some games on GeForce NOW. Rise, Flameborn Enshrouded 1.0 brings the co-op survival action role-playing game out of early access and into its full release. Rise as a Flameborn, the last ember of hope of a dying race, and venture into a vast world of survival, action and role-playing, where a corrupting fog has consumed a once-beautiful kingdom. The title brings improvements to existing systems, alongside expansions in combat with nine new spells, new mage and archer skills, reworked wands and upgradeable Eternal spells and arrows. New enemy variants keep encounters fresh, while a new biome raises the player level cap to 50 and equipment cap to 55.  GeForce NOW offers Enshrouded 1.0 ready to play in the cloud at launch across supported devices. Skip the 60GB local install to save precious storage space, then step into the Shroud without waiting for downloads or needing to make room for the update. Let the Bolts Fly Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is now streaming on GeForce NOW. The brutal, fast-paced sequel to the retro first-person shooter brings more enemies, more weapons and new ways to purge. Picking up directly after the original game, a branching single-player campaign sends the fight to grimdark new worlds. Choose between the formidable Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo and the swift Sister of Battle Nyra Veyrath, each with distinct abilities, weapons and play styles. From towering hive cities to jungle mangrove swamps, new enemy types await in every biome. GeForce NOW keeps the campaign ready in the cloud. No local rig upgrades or game installs stand between members and the fight — the Emperor’s work waits for no loading bar. In addition, members can look for the following joining the GeForce NOW library: Deep Dish Dungeon (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Planet Zoo 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Total War: SHOGUN 2 – Complete Edition (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Valor Mortis (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Among the Trolls (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) over the hill (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Beyond These Stars (New release on Steam and Xbox, Oct. 15), available on Game Pass Tenebris Somnia (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered (Xbox), available on Microsoft Store Also this week, the performance of DLSS 5’s 3D-Guided Neural Rendering model is improving by 2X, enabling even more gamers to enjoy DLSS 5’s transformative uplift in lighting and materials at high frame rates and settings. The new, more performant DLSS 5 model will debut in NBA 2K27 on Oct. 16 on GeForce NOW, GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and RTX Spark laptops. Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Gamers who want to test out the new 4.5 controls and high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Rally Up: ‘Gears of War: E-Day’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:46 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gears-of-war-e-day/ Gears of War: E-Day leads the charge on GeForce NOW this week, bringing Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago’s first fight against the Locust Horde to the cloud with GeForce RTX-powered performance. A new way to join the action is also coming: Fire TV users will soon be able to purchase GeForce NOW memberships directly through Amazon, creating a more seamless path from device setup to gameplay. Keep an eye out for availability in the coming weeks. There’s more in store this GFN Thursday, with the cloud serving up 10 games, including seven new releases. Emergence Day Is Here Gears of War: E-Day is now streaming on GeForce NOW following its global release on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Set 14 years before the original Gears of War, the prequel follows Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago as they confront the terrifying arrival of the Locust Horde on Emergence Day. The series’ brutal combat, desperate survival and larger-than-life action return with a new origin story for the legendary partnership. Ultimate members can take on the Horde with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, plus technologies including NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex. From campaign missions to cooperative and competitive modes, GeForce NOW keeps the fight ready across low-power laptops, Macs, mobile devices, handhelds, Firefox and other browsers, and more — no massive downloads or expensive gaming rig required. New on the Cloud Menu Members can look forward to the following games joining the GeForce NOW library this week: Gears of War: E-Day (New release on Steam and Xbox, Oct. 6), available on Game Pass STAR WARS: Galactic Racer (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Forever Ago (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Order of the Sinking Star (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Silver Pines (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Permafrost (New release on Steam, Oct. 9) Graveyard Keeper 2 (Steam) Solasta II (Steam) Tyr (Steam) The Xbox version of Dune: Awakening didn’t join GeForce NOW in September as previously shared. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for updates on game availability. Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they are released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the play list this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Fall Into 25 New Games on GeForce NOW This October Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:54 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-october-2026-games-list/ Spooky season is streaming in. Alongside falling leaves, pumpkin spice and everything nice, 25 new games are joining GeForce NOW throughout October, including six ready to play this week. From a new CONTROL Resonant reward for Performance and Ultimate members to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered joining the cloud, this GFN Thursday is packed with fresh reasons to play. Claim Rewards A new reward from a world gone sideways. CONTROL Resonant is streaming from the cloud for GeForce NOW Performance and Ultimate members. Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation as Dylan Faden harnesses extraordinary powers to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Performance and Ultimate members can claim the Third Ice Baseball Cap reward for CONTROL Resonant. After claiming the reward code, launch the Steam or Epic Games Store version of CONTROL Resonant, select “Options” from the main menu, navigate to “Gameplay” and choose “Enter Redeem Code.” The reward can be equipped after completing Act 1. Cap it off: Claim the reward from Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 1, at 11:59 p.m. PT, before it slips into another dimension. The White Wolf Rides Again The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered launched Tuesday, Sept. 29, and is now streaming for Performance and Ultimate members. Follow the iconic tale of Geralt of Rivia, a monster slayer for hire, as he tracks down the Child of Prophecy in a war-torn, monster-infested open world. The remastered adventure brings Geralt’s beloved world back at refreshed specs across nearly any device. GeForce NOW handles the rendering, downloads and storage in the cloud, so there’s no expensive hardware upgrade or lengthy install standing between the trail and the next contract. Ultimate members can take the Continent further with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud — high-end horsepower worthy of the White Wolf, with no local hardware upgrade required. In addition, members can look for the following titles streaming this week: Minecraft Dungeons II (New release on Xbox, Sept. 29), available on Game Pass Nivalis Nights (New release on Steam, Sept. 29) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered (New release on Battle.net and Xbox Play Anywhere, Sept. 29), available on Microsoft Store Bookshop Simulator (Steam) Megastore: Tidy Up Together (Steam) Planet Coaster 2 (Xbox), available on Game Pass And look forward to the games coming throughout October: Gears of War: E-Day (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) STAR WARS: Galactic Racer (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Order of the Sinking Star (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Silver Pines (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Permafrost (New release on Steam, Oct. 9) Deep Dish Dungeon (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Planet Zoo 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Total War: SHOGUN 2 – Complete Edition (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Valor Mortis (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Among the Trolls (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) over the hill (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Beyond These Stars (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) Tenebris Somnia (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) Dimraeth (Steam) Graveyard Keeper 2 (Steam) Solasta II (Steam) Tyr (Steam) More from September In addition to the games announced last month, 11 more joined the GeForce NOW library. The Blood of Dawnwalker (GOG.com) Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Epic Games Store) DragonSword: Awakening (Steam) Dune: Awakening (Xbox) Everything Is Crab (Steam) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (Steam) Over the Top: WWI (Steam) Roadside Research (Steam) RuneScape: Dragonwilds (Xbox) Stick It to the Stickman (Steam) Wild West Pioneers (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they are released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Contain the Chaos: ‘CONTROL Resonant’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:00:36 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-control-resonant/ A warped Manhattan is waiting in the cloud this week. Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant brings Dylan Faden’s extraordinary abilities and a paranatural crisis to GeForce NOW at launch. With the release comes the final days of the CONTROL Resonant Ultimate Membership Bundle. Purchase a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership through Sunday, Sept. 27, and receive CONTROL Resonant at no additional cost. GeForce NOW support is coming soon to Googlebooks, a new category of laptops bringing together the best of ChromeOS and Android. To top it off, DragonSword: Awakening leads nine new games this week, bringing an anime-style open world to supported devices. Take Control on the Cloud Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation in Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant. Harness Dylan Faden’s extraordinary abilities to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Dylan must master his new powers and the ever-changing forms of the Aberrant, his paranatural melee weapon, to face a cosmic threat that has escaped the Oldest House and swept through the city. Ultimate members can stream the next chapter of the CONTROL franchise with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, including NVIDIA DLSS 4, ray tracing, NVIDIA Reflex and Cinematic Quality Streaming technologies, with up to 5K high dynamic range on supported devices. Skip the 100GB local install and expensive PC upgrades, and step into the chaos the moment the mission begins. The clock is ticking: the CONTROL Resonant Ultimate Membership Bundle ends Sunday, Sept. 27. Cloud Gaming Meets Googlebooks GeForce NOW support is coming soon to Googlebooks — Google’s new category of laptops, and the first designed for Gemini Intelligence. Googlebook is crafted with premium materials for powerful performance. Secure by design, its Titan C chip and multigrade protection keep viruses out and hackers away. It also lets users jump from phone to laptop without skipping a beat, and access files and apps from phones directly on the laptop. As Googlebooks begin rolling out this fall, GeForce NOW support will bring the cloud gaming library to the new laptop category, making it possible to stream the latest PC games with GeForce RTX-powered performance — and without local installs. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW social channels for more availability details later this year. Awaken the Dragon Sword A dragon has awakened after 60 years, and the legacy of six heroes waits to be uncovered. Hound13’s DragonSword: Awakening transports players to the radiant, anime-style continent of Orbis, where Lute’s journey to become the hero known as the Dragon Sword begins. Explore meadows, secret cellars, deep seas, caves and dungeons alongside trusted allies and collectible Familiars. Build a team from 19 heroes, stack Status Ailments with Active Skills and chain Signal Skills into spectacular tag-team combos. Each character carries a story of their own to uncover along the way. The journey travels across supported devices, including Steam Decks, Firefox browsers and Amazon Fire TV devices, making players ready for the next adventure in Orbis. The Dragon Sword awaits. In addition, members can look for the following games joining the cloud this week: Dune: Awakening (New release on Xbox, Sept. 22, available on Game Pass) Stick It to the Stickman (New release on Steam, Sept. 23) CONTROL Resonant (New release on Steam, Sept. 24) Wild West Pioneers (New release on Steam, Sept. 25) DragonSword: Awakening (Steam) Everything Is Crab (Steam) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (Steam) Over the Top: WWI (Steam) Roadside Research (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Those new to GeForce NOW can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to level up with GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. Which cloud-bound adventure is calling this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: (For Southeast Asia) Crunchyroll Arrives for PS5 and PS4 users in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:01:28 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/26/20261027-roll/ We are excited to share that Crunchyroll, the global and ultimate destination for anime fandom, has arrived for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 users in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Anime fans can now subscribe to Crunchyroll directly through PlayStation Media Hub on PS5 or PS4.  Crunchyroll offers hundreds of anime titles, including Black Clover Season 2 and Overgeared.  The Crunchyroll Mega Fan membership is now available through PlayStation Store on PS5 or PS4 for IDR 49,000 / MYR 14.90 / THB 119 per month. It includes ad-free viewing, offline downloads on supported devices, streaming on up to four devices simultaneously, and access to Crunchyroll Game Vault, a collection of over 100 anime-inspired mobile games included with the membership. 

Title: New Marvel Cosmic Invasion: The Siege of Castle Doom gameplay details Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 16:00:09 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/26/new-marvel-cosmic-invasion-the-siege-of-castle-doom-gameplay-details/ What was Doctor Doom up to during the Annihilation Wave? How would the master of Latveria react to an invasion of this magnitude to his doorstep? This was the first question we’ve asked ourselves while tackling the design of our second DLC for Marvel Cosmic Invasion. We knew players demanded a mode promising a lot of replayability.The idea was to offer something that would mix a perfect combination of classic Beat Em Up combat and an evolving mode that brought a new angle and some unique challenge to the genre – something that would perfectly accompany the addition of the two new playable characters: The Invisible Woman and Doctor Doom.Doom’s Castle Doomstadt seemed like the perfect candidate for this combination. Design Intent It was obvious to organize the new game mode around the duality of Reed Richards and Doctor Doom. Through voice-overs, the leader of the Fantastic Four guides the heroes through their ordeal while Doom mocks their efforts to invade Doomstadt. This notion brought us the idea of creating gauge mechanics. As Doctor Doom’s brand new Cosmic Inductor charges up with energy to give him massive power, a Siege Gauge charges up each time the heroes get bested by enemies within the halls of Castle Doom. But every victory yields batteries charging up a Stabilizer, stalling Doom’s progress.We thought this theme and core gameplay enhanced the classic experience of the main campaign by tackling uncharted design territories and giving more ways to interact in the midst of the combat with new equipment, new power-ups, strategies and player decisions that can change the course of each run in a matter of seconds. The ever-changing experience The philosophy behind the level design of our new mode was to create a great sense of navigation and surprise within the corridors of the Castle Doomstadt. We aimed to create impactful moments that can reinvent themselves in new encounters, dangers and patterns that can become familiar after multiple runs without taking out the sense of adventure. The Siege of Castle Doom has more than five times more encounters than the main game without the addition of the new events, traps and hazards that form the environmental challenges. Reaching Doctor Doom is no easy task. The Halls of Doom are filled with torturous medieval-era tools. Heroes will be challenged by harsh blizzards freezing the Castle Battlements.  Beware of the Tower of Solitude’s treacherous elevator platforms where Doom is developing his many experiments. But to progress through these dangerous halls, the players will have to carefully choose which direction to take by selecting themed doors. Equipment: Arms the player with a variety of special powers, whether they’re imposing force fields or devastating energy blasts. Events: Leads the heroes to an arena where the rules are temporarily changed, potentially giving bonuses or penalties, depending on the outcome. Heal: Gives your hero much needed healing. Infinite: Power-up door where the player can be gifted infinite ammo or infinite focus. Progression: Where your hero can collect a random amount of batteries that will fill Reed’s Stabilizer Gauge. Build the best team against Doom Atop the castle, Doom is charging up his Cosmic Inductor to make himself into Earth’s Champion.Players will need to be careful to not increase the Siege Gauge before gathering enough batteries to create Stabilizers and give Reed Richards the chance to increase the hero’s efficiency with the help of Perks. The Perks system allows for leveling up with many branches: Offense, Defense, and Tactical, all based around their own theme. Perks are applied individually to each hero. Together, they will be able to unite their different strengths to create the best possible squad. Coordinating decision making for the builds will create a clear strategy, enabling even more chances for victory. In multiplayer, an MVP system will even reward the most effective players in the runs by showcasing their statistics. Back at the lab When collecting Stabilizers, heroes can reach Reed Richard’s Lab where they can expand their experience and unlock even more content. All-new unlockables such as equipment, events, and modifiers will reshape your Castle Doom experience. Completing a run will unlock a brand new palette for your hero, adding even more customization to your favorite character.We are excited to welcome you to Castle Doomstadt and give you a brand new adventure within Marvel Cosmic Invasion on November 10.

Title: Celebrate Helldivers 2 Liberty Day 2026 with in-game gifts today Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:05 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/26/celebrate-helldivers-2-liberty-day-2026-with-in-game-gifts-today/ We at Arrowhead Game Studios are excited to mark Liberty Day, the Helldivers 2 in-universe celebration, that’s now in its third year. As with previous celebrations, we’re marking the anniversary with a range of in-game gifts for active Helldivers, decorating your ship lobby to mark the occasion, and much more. The history of Liberty Day Long ago, before the formation of the Democratic Council, humanity lived in utter undemocratic chaos. Citizens of Super Earth had no reliable sources of truth. People believed anything, everything, with erratic voting records influenced by information, misinformation, and disinformation. Society was crumbling, descending into total democratic anarchy. We needed leadership and action to unite our beliefs, our votes, and our views. We are so fortunate that the Democratic Council came together at this pivotal moment to give us the first and final draft of the tenets of Managed Democracy, which guide us on our true path to liberation. Now, every October 26, we come together to celebrate all the wonderful things Managed Democracy has given us. From fair elections and strong family values to the Helldivers themselves as our galactic peacekeepers. How we celebrate For Liberty Day 2186, we have some new celebration items especially for our Helldivers: aboard your Super Destroyers this year, we have drafted new regulations regarding holiday ship adornments for October 26. Now, for 24 hours on our special day, you will see banners, rugs, party supplies, and other fun decorations aboard your ship. We are also continuing our custom of a Liberty Day gift for our active duty Helldivers: The AR-23L Liberator Legacy1. This classic modeled after weapons used in the First Galactic War will bring a retro flair to modern loadouts. The AR-23L Liberator Legacy will be rewarded at the conclusion of the Liberty Day celebrations. Be sure to log in and participate in the celebrations to claim your gift. Finally, we are bringing back some community minigames for Liberty Day, including Minidivers*. Work together in the chat to send emoji stratagem codes and stop the waves of enemies. Adopt-a-SEAF. Receive your very own blueberry to care for and send on missions. Meet your new friend on the frontlines. Oath of Enlistment*. Do your part and receive a copy of your oath to keep. Raise the Flag*. Salute in the chat and raise the flag together. *Only available to members of our official Discord server. Officially recognized Liberty Day parties Many citizens choose to throw parties for Liberty Day. This year, the Party Planning Protocol was enacted by High Command to help citizens plan their regulation Liberty Day celebrations, which includes the creation of the Liberty Day Party Pack. This pack contains everything a citizen needs to get started, from games and decorations to recipes and printable Helldiver helmets. Instructions for downloading the pack can be found via the link here. Other popular Liberty Day activities: The Liberty Day Pyre. Families gather around the pyre at home and reflect on patriotism while children open their Liberty Day gifts. Liberty Day Parades. Check with your local colony or city to find out your parade routes. Did You Know: You don’t have to miss the parade because you’re stationed on your Destroyer. The Liberty Day Parade in Prosperity City will be broadcast to your ships no matter where you are in the galaxy. The Mandatory Salute. Helldivers and citizens alike throughout the entire galaxy are required to salute in unison as a show of our democratic unification. Helldiver Enlistment. There’s no better time to take the oath and do your part. Orbital Bombardment of the Moon. Send a message to the enemies of Liberty using over 15,000 megatons of ordnance. Fireworks. Light the spark of civic duty in every citizen with a patriotic fireworks display. No matter what, the most important thing to do on Liberty Day is to be free. Enjoying the freedom afforded to us by Managed Democracy is what unites Super Earth’s citizens under one common cause–no matter where in the galaxy they might be. Super Merch Store Celebrate what Managed Democracy means to you with Super Merch. Complete select in-game achievements before February 28, 2027 to unlock special items for purchase on the Helldivers 2 Super Merch store. Reach Level 100 and earn the ‘Hell Commander’ title to unlock the Hell Commander Pin. Complete 75 missions and secure some cuddly backup with the Private Teddy Snuggles Plush.2 Plus, celebrate Liberty Day with all-new rewards. Visit the Super Merch Store today (October 26) to discover the latest additions. Helldivers 2 on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog3 Thinking of enlisting? Candidates eager to spread Managed Democracy across the cosmos can join up right now with a PlayStation Plus Extra membership, with Helldivers 2 available as part of Game Catalog, or alternatively you can drop some credits to sign up for the galactic frontline by purchasing the game at PlayStation Store. Gear up for Liberty Day with new officially licensed merchandise Bring the action of Helldivers 2 to your collection with all-new merchandise available now for Liberty Day and coming soon. Available now at Displate, the Helldivers 2 Display Shards collection features a limited edition set of six metal collectibles, each featuring artwork inspired by the game. You can also show your allegiance to Super Earth with a collection of metal posters from Displate that brings Liberty Day to your walls. Available for pre-order starting on November 20 from FiGGYZ, celebrate the heroes and enemies of Helldivers 2 with this limited edition, individually numbered FiGGYZ collector’s box set. Each set includes four pixel-art magnetic figures – Helldiver (Quick Draw), Helldiver (Flagbearer), Hulk, and Devastator. Visit PlayStation.com for more information on these products and where to purchase. Happy Liberty Day 2186, Helldivers – Stay free. Full-day celebration privileges apply only to Class A citizens or higher. Class B citizens receive a one hour mandatory celebration period during which they may step away from their labor duties to attend their local parade and participate in the Mandatory Salute. 1 Rifles are distributed at the end of Liberty Day, 23:59 CET on October 26, 2026. Available to all players who have played since September 26, 2026, 00:00 CET.2Criteria must be met by February 28 2027 at 9:59am PT. Eligible players must order the product between August 12 2026 and March 31 2027 at 11:59pm PT. Limit one per player, unavailable to ship where prohibited by US regulations. Private Teddy Snuggles Plush is unable to ship to Japan at this time.3Gameplay requires internet access and paid-for PlayStation Plus membership (sold separately) on PS5. PlayStation Plus membership subject to recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/psplus-usageterms.

Title: Share of the Week: 007 First Light Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 16:00:57 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/23/share-of-the-week-007-first-light/ Last week, we asked you explore the new Photo Mode in 007 First Light using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Here are this week’s highlights: call_me_xavii shared Bond blasting at enemies with his Aston Martin WildJogurt shared a turtleneck-wearing Bond receiving mission orders lucaslu_ckli shared a stylist look at James’ Aston Martin m1rko_vp shared a black and white portrait of James looking dashing in the field Milz_VP shares James checking out his outfit in the mirror wern_r shares James posing next to Jack the bulldog  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: CostumeSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 28, 2026 Next week, share your favorite in-game costumes or outfits from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Saros: creating the epic Overlords of Carcosa Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:59:40 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/23/saros-creating-the-epic-overlords-of-carcosa/ Housemarque and Nixxes developed Saros in close collaboration; one area was developing the set-piece bosses. Housemarque brought the creative vision, world, combat language, visual concepts, and signature bullet-hell DNA. Nixxes brought the bosses to life through encounter design, animation, environments, lighting, and technical implementation. The result was a set of encounters designed to challenge players, surprise them, and deliver the kind of spectacle PlayStation players expect from a Housemarque action experience. Spoilers for the bosses of Saros ahead, so read at your own risk. Play Video Collaboration with Housemarque Boss fights in Saros are fully staged encounters, not just enemies with larger health bars, so that required close collaboration from the start. Housemarque handled boss concepts, visual direction, and VFX identity. Nixxes focused on animation, environments, technical design, boss behaviour, and attack implementation, with Housemarque’s final review and collaboration. The road to developing a boss started with a briefing that outlined the vision, gameplay goals, and visual direction for the encounter. From there, Nixxes pitched its take, built early prototypes and first-playable versions, refining each encounter through iteration, playtesting, and polish until shipping. Play Video Play Video What makes a Saros boss? When designing bosses for Saros, we followed a few guiding principles, starting with three distinct phases for every boss encounter, each with its own identity, changing how the encounter looks, feels, and plays. A typical boss battle in Saros lasts about three to eight minutes (Saros: Zenith has a tighter arcade experience), with the challenge coming mainly from boss behaviour, arena transformation, environmental hazards, bullets, beams, and physical attacks. These were also designed to encourage players to use their shield, jumping, parrying, and dashing abilities, knowing that a good boss attack should make players move with intent, not in panic. Most importantly, when players were defeated by a boss, we asked: do they understand why they lost, do they know what to do differently next time, did it feel like their own mistake rather than something unfair, and do they want to try again? The Bosses Prophet — the wall boss The Prophet was our introductory boss and a first major test for players. Because the Prophet appears early in the game, we wanted it to teach players what a Saros boss could be without becoming a major progression blocker. With the Prophet, we wanted a fight that felt dramatic and threatening while still welcoming players to the structure and expectations of boss combat. Architect — the flying boss The Architect is one of the game’s most dramatic encounters, fought atop a massive tower after earlier foreshadowing. The boss comes at you with everything it has, destroying the environment as the fight unfolds, and it doesn’t quit until the very end. The entire encounter centres on the collapsing arena, making the grapple hook a fundamental part of the battle. You are not just fighting the boss; you are fighting to survive the arena. Shepherd — the massive boss The Shepherd is the game’s largest boss and biggest visual spectacle, set on a ship on a stormy sea. It has an intimidating scale and culminates in a terrifying transformation by the end of the encounter. This boss is all about tentacles, which you must dodge and jump over throughout the fight. The tentacles also shrink the arena and spawn attacks from unexpected directions. In a dramatic conclusion, you face the boss on a sloped arena. Priestess — the magic boss The Priestess uses illusion and transformation, making for a less grounded, more surreal encounter with a strong phase identity. We wanted players to feel the Priestess could be the final boss, even if the journey was not over yet. The encounter evolves from illusion-based clone combat into a large-scale, floating arena, encouraging players to combine combat, puzzle-solving, and platforming to survive. King — the final boss As the final boss, we wanted the King encounter to feel direct, intense, and skill-focused. It is also a major narrative moment, and the encounter needed to reflect its importance. The boss battle escalates in personality as much as in challenge. It starts controlled and relentless, then becomes more brutal, and finally something feral and unpredictable. As a result, the King doesn’t rely on a complicated gimmick. Instead, the fight tests everything the player has learned, where mastery matters most. Looking back and looking ahead to Saros: Zenith Working on bosses for Saros was an amazing opportunity for the Nixxes content team. We aimed to make each one feel fair, thrilling, and worth trying again. And each encounter challenged us to think about how we could create the most memorable moments for the player. More importantly, it let us collaborate closely with Housemarque on the fast, responsive, high-intensity action that defines the game. With Saros: Zenith, players can return to these battles in Housemarque’s new Overlord Rush mode and experience them in a fresh, faster, and more replayable way. We are excited to see how players take on the challenge and fight to reach the top of the Leaderboard. Play Video

Title: Steam Frame kernel updated with external CD-ROM drive compatibility just one day after a user asked Valve for it Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 11:04:11 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/steam-frame-kernel-updated-with-external-cd-rom-drive-compatibility-just-one-day-after-a-user-asked-valve-for-it Even with the importance of physical media ownership in the current era of digital product ephemera, it's often unlikely your PC will actually be able to play the CDs, DVDs or Blu-Rays you have around the house. Internal disc drives aren't common amongst desktops or even laptops anymore, so your only recourse is often an external drive. One Steam Frame user was hoping to connect his own detachable disc drive to watch movies and play Need For Speed Carbon (valid!) using the headset, which can run both VR and 'flat' games without a separate PC, but found that the Frame lacked the drivers to read a disc. In a very earnest community post, user Aiodensghost lamented that this fact "KILLED MY ABILITY TO INSTALL MY ABANDONWARE FROM 2006. You don't sell NFS Carbon anymore (fuck you very much EA) [...] May I PLEASE have the ability to use an optical drive?" So polite! Read more

Title: "Mass Effect was my ultimate white whale": Journey composer shares 20 minutes of music created during talks to work on BioWare's recently cancelled RPG Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/mass-effect-was-my-ultimate-white-whale-journey-composer-shares-20-minutes-of-music-created-during-talks-to-work-on-biowares-recently-cancelled-rpg The gradual drip of details about and glimpses at what BioWare were looking to cook up with the cancelled Mass Effect 5 continues, this time thanks to a composer who was in talks to come aboard to put together the RPG's soundtrack. Said songsmith, Austin Wintory, has opted to share around 20 minutes of tunes he put together just as an attempt to explore where he might take things if he did end up being hired to score Commander Shepard's next adventure. Naturally, with BioWare's closure, that hasn't come to pass. Read more

Title: Boltgun 2 and Warhammer Survivors devs Auroch Digital say they're laying of 25% of their staff in now-deleted posts Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 10:06:45 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/boltgun-2-and-warhammer-survivors-devs-auroch-digital-say-theyre-laying-of-25-of-their-staff-in-now-deleted-posts Not long after releasing boomer shooter Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun II and right before Warhammer Survivors launches in November, developers Auroch Digital have unfortunately given a public statement confirming that roughly a quarter of its current staff will be laid off as part of a restructuring. What's strange — to the point that layoffs are, unfortunately, expected — is that the initial social media posts, on both LinkedIn and Twitter, have now been deleted. Read more

Title: The GameMaker engine series behind Undertale, Hotline Miami and Spelunky is going free for commercial use on PC Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 18:15:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-gamemaker-engine-series-behind-undertale-hotline-miami-and-spelunky-is-going-free-for-commercial-use-on-pc Here's some upbeat news to end the day on (unless one of the other awful people working here posts something diabolical, once I'm done) - you'll soon be able to publish games created using the latest GameMaker tools for free on PC alongside web and mobile. Read more

Title: With Xbox cuts not done, Microsoft offer voluntary buyouts to around 60,000 workers across the company in latest attempt to get rid of staff Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 17:40:40 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/with-xbox-cuts-not-done-microsoft-offer-voluntary-buyouts-to-around-60000-workers-across-the-company-in-latest-attempt-to-get-rid-of-staff Update: According to Vertical Slice and The Verge, an unspecified number of Xbox staff are among those who've been offered voluntary buyouts by Microsoft. Original story follows: Staff at Microsoft continue to recieve emails they'd probably rather not be getting. After telling some the other week of plans to mandate four days in the office starting in February and presiding over multiple rounds of layoffs at their gaming division Xbox, Microsoft are now offering volutary buyouts to 60,000, roughly 25% of their overall headcount. Read more