Title: GTA 6′s Expectedly Massive File Size Has Been Revealed Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/gta-6s-expectedly-massive-file-size-has-been-revealed-2000750298 Leonida needs its space

Title: Some Discord Server Messages Are About To Show Up In Web Search Results Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:30:48 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/some-discord-server-messages-are-about-to-show-up-in-web-search-results-2000750261 Starting in December, discoverable Discord server messages will show up in search results unless administrators opt out

Title: It Took Mass Effect Fans Less Than 15 Minutes To Crowdfund Billboards Outside EA’s Offices And The Game Awards Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:08:44 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/savemasseffect-mass-effect-billboard-ea-hq-game-awards-2000750281 The #SaveMassEffect campaign is rallying to be heard in places EA can’t avoid

Title: Toei Animation Tried To Cancel Its Yu-Gi-Oh! Anime, So Weekly Shonen Jump Threatened To Pull Its Dragon Ball License Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:00:20 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/toei-animation-tried-to-cancel-its-yu-gi-oh-anime-so-weekly-shonen-jump-threatened-to-pull-its-dragon-ball-license-2000750199 My grandpa's publishing company has no pathetic anime IPs, Kaiba!

Title: This Room In Dark Souls Is My Personal Waking Nightmare Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:30:11 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/forget-halloween-this-room-in-dark-souls-is-already-my-personal-waking-nightmare-2000750190 I get knocked down, but I get up again

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: You Can Unlock Lots Of Free Stuff In Pokemon Go’s Halloween 2026 Event Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:07:25 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-everything-you-can-unlock-for-pokemon-go-halloween-2026/ Halloween is almost here, and Pokemon Go is getting into the spooky spirit with its annual Halloween celebration. This year's event takes place across two parts that run into early November, each of which will offer new Pokemon, Research tasks, and other bonuses. To help you prepare, here's everything you need to know about Pokemon Go's Halloween 2026 event. In This Article Halloween Part IEvent ScheduleFeatured PokemonTimed And Field ResearchChandelure Super Mega Raid DayBonusesHalloween Part IIEvent ScheduleFeatured PokemonTimed And Field Research Halloween Part I Event Schedule The first part of this year's Halloween event kicks off at 10 AM local time on October 27 and runs until 10 AM local time on November 1. Featured Pokemon Like previous years, a handful of new costumed Pokemon will make their debut during the Halloween festivities. Part I will introduce three costume-wearing monsters to catch: Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet Zubat wearing a top hat Sinistea wearing a bow You can encounter the aforementioned Pokemon in the wild or as one-star Raid bosses. Shiny variants will also be appearing throughout the event. In addition, some costume-wearing Pokemon from previous years will appear in the wild once again, as will other creepy monsters like Duskull and Misdreavus. Wild Encounters Zubat wearing a top hat Misdreavus Duskull Piplup wearing a Halloween Mischief costume Drifblim wearing a Halloween Mischief costume Pumpkaboo Raid Bosses One-Star Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet Sinistea wearing a bow Timed And Field Research Pokemon Go is offering a free Timed Research for all players. Log in before Part I ends on November 1 to claim the Research, which will be completed automatically and net you the following rewards: Rare Candies (6) An encounter with Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet Some Halloween-themed Field Research tasks will also be available during the event. You can claim these by spinning PokeStops, and they'll offer various rewards when completed, including additional encounters with the featured Pokemon. Chandelure Super Mega Raid Day A spooky new Mega-Evolved Pokemon is making its debut on Halloween: Mega Chandelure. The ghost/fire type will appear as a Super Mega Raid boss on October 31 from 2-5 PM local time, marking your first chance to get this Mega-Evolved form in Pokemon Go. Not only that, but you'll have increased odds of encountering shiny Chandelure from these Raids, and any Chandelure that you catch will have Mega Level 1 already unlocked. A few other bonuses will be available during this mini-event. The number of Remote Raids you can join is being increased to 20 for a limited time, and you'll be able to get up to six free Raid Passes when you spin the Photo Disc at Gyms. Bonuses Remote Raid limit increased to 20 (October 30-31) Receive up to six free Raid Passes from spinning Gym Photo Discs Chandelure caught from Super Mega Raids will have Mega Level 1 unlocked Increased chance of encountering shiny Chandelure from Super Mega Raids Bonuses Like past years, Pokemon Go will receive a spooky makeover during the Halloween event. The usual nighttime background music will be replaced by a remix of the infamous Lavender Town theme, and Gyms and PokeStops will be decked out in Halloween decorations. On top of that, the game will offer its own version of trick-or-treating. As you play, you'll periodically notice gift boxes on the map. Tap on these and you'll receive candy or initiate an encounter with a costumed Pokemon. Finally, a few additional bonuses will unlock as you level up the event's Go Pass. Hit rank 10 and you'll receive extra candy for catching Pokemon, and you'll earn bonus Stardust on top of that if you reach rank 20. Go Pass Tier 1 (Rank 10) 2x candy for catching Pokemon Go Pass Deluxe: 3x candy for catching Pokemon Go Pass Tier 2 (Rank 20) 2x Stardust for catching Pokemon Go Pass Deluxe: 3x Stardust for catching Pokemon Halloween Part II Event Schedule This year's Halloween festivities will continue into early November. Part II begins at 10 AM local time on November 1 and runs until 8 PM local time on November 5. Featured Pokemon Like Part I, a new Pokemon is debuting during the second leg of this year's Halloween event: shiny Greavard. This marks the first time you'll have a chance to encounter this shiny variant in Pokemon Go. Mega Sableye is also getting a power boost. Beginning with Part II, you'll be able to power up the Pokemon's Mega Level up to Super Max Level, which means it'll have access to an additional Charged Attack–Night Shade+--while it's Mega Evolved. A few other themed Pokemon will also be available during the event. Costumed versions of Gengar and Rowlet will appear in the wild, as will ghost types like Litwick. Wild Encounters Gengar wearing a Spooky Festival costume Litwick Rowlet wearing a Pokemon Halloween costume Greavard Raid Bosses One-Star Pikachu wearing a hat and capelet Sinistea wearing a bow Timed And Field Research Another free Timed Research will be available during the second part of this year's Halloween event. Log in before November 5 to claim the Timed Research, which will be completed automatically and offer the following rewards: Rare Candies (6) An encounter with Sinistea wearing a bow A variety of Field Research tasks will also be available. These can be claimed from PokeStops and will reward you with encounters with the event's featured Pokemon upon completion. October may be coming to an end soon, but Pokemon Go has plenty of activities lined up for next month, including a global Wild Area event and a Pawniard Community Day. Check back soon for our November events roundup.

Title: Remember That Time BioWare Made A Sonic The Hedgehog RPG? Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:31:38 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/remember-that-time-bioware-made-a-sonic-the-hedgehog-rpg/ Over the three decades of its existence, BioWare rightfully earned the reputation of a legendary role-playing game studio. The news of its closing understandably has fans in mourning, and we’re left reminiscing about game franchises like Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age. But every studio has at least one oddity within its gameography, and the clear outlier for BioWare has to be Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. The 2008 Nintendo DS game is BioWare’s first--and only--handheld game. While the studio was no stranger to working with other IPs after making a Star Wars game, the upbeat and colorful world of Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, et al. is a far cry from what those storytellers were used to. And it wasn’t some small, side project for BioWare; the studio assembled a team of 30 developers, led by director Mark Darrah, who also directed the first two Dragon Age games, and writer Jay Turner, who wrote for Mass Effect 2 and 3. Storywise, The Dark Brotherhood was a bit more complex than what Sonic the Hedgehog was used to, though noticeably simpler than usual BioWare fare. It’s a plot that involves a tribe of echidnas from an alternate dimension, introducing new, otherworldly characters and concepts. It’s a serviceable addition to Sonic canon (well, it was), and it should be no surprise that BioWare was able to come up with sharp dialogue for the Sonic characters we’re all familiar with. Living up to the promise of a Sonic RPG, you, well, played the role of Sonic. Conversations had multiple dialogue options for the blue hedgehog, with choices allowing your Sonic to be compassionate, inquisitive, or straight-up rude. While your choices might have affected the direction of the conversation, added romantic tension with Amy Rose, or even skipped some battles, this was still no Mass Effect, and your decisions didn’t cause any ripple effects on the plot. The game itself took advantage of the DS’s capabilities, with overworld navigation happening on the bottom screen. You controlled Sonic (or one of his many friends) using the stylus, running around 2D hand-drawn environments from an isometric perspective, which felt awkward as heck. As opposed to a combat system with real-time elements, BioWare instead employed more traditional turn-based battles. Special attacks would have you tap and slide on the touch screen, following prompts like Elite Beat Agents. It was unique and engaging enough, but it quickly became tiresome. The quality of Sonic Chronicles is certainly up for debate, but the soundtrack is widely reviled, with the most ghastly MIDI tracks that couldn’t have possibly come from a reasonable human mind. Gossip from the internet and numerous retrospectives claim that the actual soundtrack was replaced for legal reasons about a week before copies were printed, but it’s hard to pin down a reliable source for that claim. Ear-grinding music notwithstanding, the most interesting lore behind The Dark Brotherhood has to be the reasons why no follow-up materialized. EA’s purchase of BioWare certainly did Sonic Chronicles no favors, but many point to the infamously litigious and self-aggrandizing Sonic comic artist and writer Ken Penders, the bane of many hardcore Sonic fans. Penders sued Sega and EA, claiming that the villains of Sonic Chronicles were too similar to his own villainous echidna clan from the Sonic Archie comics. While the lawsuit was dismissed, it’s believed that Sega has avoided using the characters since then to avoid further legal headaches. Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood concluded with an ominous “THE END?” title card, and a cliffhanger would never get resolved. It will never have a legacy anywhere close to that of BioWare’s other works, and it may not deserve one. But like all games, it deserves to be talked about. When we eulogize BioWare (and any departed studio, for that matter), it’s important to acknowledge the good, bad, and weird in equal measure. That means recalling the duds like Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem just as much as Jade Empire or Baldur’s Gate. Many of us might look back at them with disdain, while a rare few will look at them with affection. Yet all of us should look back at them with curiosity. And when considering BioWare’s body of work, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood is a more curious game than any.

Title: You Can Make Your WoW: Forever Character Now And Be Ready For Launch Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 20:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/you-can-make-your-wow-forever-character-now-and-be-ready-for-launch/ World of Warcraft: Forever's character creation and name reservations are now live, letting you save some time on launch day by making your characters now rather than on launch day. To access name reservations, you'll need to have Forever preinstalled on Battle.net and have purchased at least the $30 Skyborne Heroic Pack, which grants access to the game's new optional playable race, the Skyborne elves. Once you've done that, you can simply log into the game, select the ruleset you want to play on, and create your characters. You can create and name up to three characters ahead of launch day. Unlike in other versions of developer Blizzard's MMORPG, Forever requires both a first name and last name for characters, giving you more options and creative freedom when it comes to names.  https://twitter.com/Warcraft/status/2112653802939855222?a=eS31hWluPFUMjgd66lA&s=20 When making a character, make sure you create them on the server ruleset you intend to play on. Once the game is live, Blizzard said there won't be a way to transfer characters to different rulesets. It's also worth noting that on player vs. player rulesets, you will only be able to create characters of a single faction on that specific ruleset, so make your choice of Alliance or Horde wisely.  One might think with the game's beta over and around a week to go until Forever's release that Blizzard is slowing down its communication. Instead, Blizzard is releasing all kinds of Forever news and updates, including major changes to racial abilities, promises to improve its controversial layering system, and the last-minute addition of another server option.  In case you weren't excited enough, Blizzard additionally just dropped a Forever PvP-focused animated music video to hype you up even more. The trailer shows a battle between the Horde and Alliance amidst a nu-metal soundtrack performed by vocalists Amy Lee, Poppy, and Courtney LaPlante. Forever launches November 4 on PC and for the first time in WoW history will be fully playable on a controller.  

Title: From Cryptids To Carinderias, Here Are 8 Games To Celebrate Filipino American History Month Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:53:46 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/from-cryptids-to-carinderias-here-are-8-games-to-celebrate-filipino-american-history-month/ The Philippines is far from the first country you think of when it comes to the video game industry, but it’s quietly evolved into a budding hub for game development. The island nation initially had a tenuous relationship with the medium, as for a brief period of time in the 1980s, video games were banned in the country. Now, the Philippines has a reputation for its thriving esports scene, and the output of quality Filipino-made games is gradually rising. To observe Filipino American History Month, we’re looking at several recent games made in the Philippines, many of which include distinctly Filipino cultural elements showcased for players around the world. From explorations of Manila-inspired urban areas to bouts with terrifying aswang creatures from Filipino mythology, these are some of our favorites coming out of the motherland. Until Then Until Then has been one of the best-known Philippine video games since its release in 2024. Mark Borja is just another high schooler in Manila, Philippines, until supernatural happenings upend his ordinary life. Despite these extraordinary circumstances, Until Then brings me back to my own high school days with its lighthearted antics and passionate friendships, and its magical realism feels straight out of an anime.  As an interactive visual novel, Until Then shares DNA with coming-of-age narrative adventures like A Space for the Unbound and Night in the Woods, though it sets itself apart with its distinct characters and Manila setting, which adds a particular flavor to the story. It also features plenty of novel interactive elements, as in between meaningful dialogue moments, you surf social media, stab fish balls at the local snack stand, run through hallways, and so on. You may need to play a couple of times before you piece together the full story, but it’s well worth it for the entertainment along the way. If you finish the full game, you can also try the recently released Until Then: Afterimages DLC. - Jess Reyes Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking Lutong Bahay is like if Cooking Mama were made into a Filipino visual novel. Young Maricela is set on taking over her grandma’s carinderia (eatery) and has learned to copy her grandma’s recipes exactly. However, before she takes over, her grandma encourages her to travel to learn more about cooking from others and develop her own style. Throughout Lutong Bahay, you cook Filipino comfort-food classics from sinangag (garlic rice) to turon (fried banana rolls), each accompanied by a short story related to the dish. The anime-style art helps Lutong Bahay feel warm and cozy--like what I’d expect from a cooking game with personal stories peppered throughout. Also, the food looks so tasty that I feel compelled to look them up or try them myself. Outside of the food, I also appreciated the small bits of Tagalog sprinkled throughout the dialogue--just enough so that English speakers could still guess at what’s going on without being too confused. As a bonus, Lutong Bahay: Lola’s Home Cooking is currently free on itch.io. - Jess Reyes Plantabi: Little Garden I can now start killing houseplants in real life and video games thanks to Plantabi: Little Garden. In this plant-tending sim, you grow plants and sell them for money. Plants generate passive income as they live, and you get even more cash from nurturing them. You can speed up time so that your plants grow faster. However, this also means quickly tending to your plants whenever they need water or other care, and if you don’t do it quickly enough, they will lose health. Besides plants, you can use your cash to buy furniture to decorate your room. Whenever you get into a decorative mood and don’t want to constantly take care of plants, you can slow down time and move furniture and plants as you please. Plantabi: Little Garden isn’t an inherently Filipino game in terms of culture, but it does come from solo Filipino developer Adrian Corpuz. I’ll admit that there isn’t much to do and the UI sometimes feels clunky, like how you can’t just drag a plant between the store and inventory without selecting it first. However, it’s easy to overlook once you understand the few controls, and different unlockable plants and furniture keep me from putting it down. - Jess Reyes High Times High Times hooked me right away with its prologue of cryptic questions from a mysterious woman about my character's current and past loves. Like Coffee Talk, High Times asks players to entertain friends and strangers alike with conversation, as well as form relationships with them. However, instead of coffee and tea, you'll be offering guests mood-enhancing donuts; For example, the flavor Vanilla Cheer gives the customer a positivity boost.  In addition to serving the food, High Times sees you  make it fresh right in front of the guest, from molding the dough to icing the top. I haven’t met every character yet, but so far each one is a joy to interact with and seems like they have baggage to unpack. It helps that dialogue from the main cast is fully voiced, and includes work from big names like LilyPichu and Johnny Young Bosh. It’s not surprising, considering Yangyang Mobile’s track record with intriguing visual novels. Even if a donut-making dating sim doesn’t sound like your type of game, I’d consider one of its other positively reviewed visual novels like The Letter, Love Esquire, or Perfect Gold. - Jess Reyes Fallen Tear: The Ascension The Manila-based team at CMD Studios made its own contribution to the ever-growing metroidvania genre with Fallen Tear: The Ascension. The developers cite the Ori series as an inspiration, along with JRPGs like the Suikoden franchise, and that shows in how Fallen Tear looks and plays. Following an aspiring hunter named Hira, Fallen Tear sees you explore the high-fantasy world of Raoah as it faces its possible destruction. You’ll gain “Ascension” skills, which are your basic metroidvania traversal abilities, and you’ll make “Fated Bonds” with other characters, letting you summon them for special attacks and other abilities. There is definitely a lot to take in story-wise, with a ton of world-building from the get-go. Visually, Fallen Tear is quite pretty, with 2D hand-drawn graphics and bright colors, and any of the monsters I’ve encountered are actually adorable, which made me feel bad for cutting them down with Hira’s blade. The party characters are charming and endearing, which is essential if you’re going on a lengthy adventure with them. Best of all, the game’s map promises to be massive, with 26 biomes to explore--this is great news for a metroidvania freak like myself. - Chris Compendio Jeepney Simulator and Jeepney Simulator 2 One of the most recognizable icons from the Philippines is the jeepney, an often-crowded road vehicle adorned with vibrant, custom decorations and artwork. These gorgeous gas-guzzlers serve as public transportation vehicles, and they’re at the center of not one, but two simulator games from developer Spacezero Interactive. Both Jeepney Simulator and its sequel have you operate a jeepney on busy streets (and believe me, they’re busy), while also having to manage fares by hand. The first game has a simplistic, blocky art style, while the sequel has a more realistic aesthetic, also adding some Tagalog voice lines that add life to the fictional Manella City (a parody of the real-life Manila). True to the promise of being jeepney simulators, you can customize and decorate your hot rods. Both games have great senses of humor, with the sequel even adding a wanted system that brands you as the “Manella Madman.” The games ask for a lot of multitasking from the player, but having ridden actual jeepneys in the past, I can say that it’s true to life. And now, I need someone to make a tricycle simulator. - Chris Compendio Jeep Horror and Aswang Hunter Neuroticfly Games specializes in a very specific type of horror game, with the studio’s inspirations coming from the likes of the SCP universe, Backrooms lore, and Creepypastas. Two of the studio’s upcoming titles are rooted in Filipino mythology, and they both have demos available to the public. They also serve as excellent entryways to the team’s large body of work, which includes Hapunan and Interdimensional Vending Machine. Jeep Horror is a different type of jeepney game--instead of driving, gameplay focuses on interacting with your passengers, as some of them are actually aswang (shape-shifting monsters in Filipino mythology) in disguise. Root them out by observing their odd behaviors or splashing them with holy water, or you might find yourself cannibalized by the end of the night. Meanwhile, Aswang Hunter has you directly fighting these cryptid-like creatures, defending a family with rudimentary weapons like a frying pan. Think of the creatures in these games as absolutely messed-up versions of the fun monsters you saw in the movie Forgotten Island. - Chris Compendio Bayani What if historic Filipino figures were superheroes? That’s the premise of Bayani, a fighting game from Ranida Games. The word “bayani” in Tagalog translates to “hero,” but the term is more generally used for brave, selfless individuals who made sacrifices for their community. The game, sporting an anime-like art style (with a full, animated intro video and all), reimagines these figures and their heroism to new, over-the-top heights. For example, the real-life revolutionary writer and scholar José Rizal inspired the character of Joe, a fencer who also happens to shoot fireballs. There are eight characters in the early-access release of Bayani, each based on a different historical person. Control-wise, Bayani is a six-button fighting game, but it’s still easy to pick up. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like Bayani has been in active development for a while, with the last social media update from developers dating back to June 2024. The developers didn’t respond to an inquiry about the current state of the game, but it’s still available to purchase and play. - Chris Compendio

Title: GTA 6 Developers Are About To Do Something Historic Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 19:43:21 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-developers-are-about-to-do-something-historic/ Workers at GTA 6 developer Rockstar will soon get to vote on recognizing a union. The union, IWGB Union at Rockstar, is for Rockstar's UK-based developers. Rockstar North, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, is one of Rockstar's biggest outfits in the UK, and the lead developer on GTA 6. The negotiating process between the union and Rockstar management took months, and the union, if recognized, would give workers a stronger seat at the table for key issues like pay and bonuses, overtime, generative AI policies, work-from-home setups, and situations involving layoffs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klc0fQmAL6k The IWGB Rockstar Game Workers Union would become the largest in the UK video game sector, if it's voted in. The voting period--November 12-26--overlaps with the release of GTA 6 on November 19. At the same time, an employment tribunal over claims that Rockstar fired developers for trying to form a union is coming to a close, with final arguments set for November 17 and November 18. More than 30 IWGB members were let go from Rockstar in the UK in October 2025, with the union saying Rockstar fired them for trying to form a union. Rockstar, for its part, said the staffers were dismissed for leaking key details about Rockstar's upcoming games. IWGB said the Rockstar case for unionization is an especially important one in the UK because the profile of Rockstar North--the developer of what is expected to be the biggest game of all time--could lead to a more widespread unionization push across gaming. Rockstar publishing boss Jennifer Kolbe told Bloomberg recently, "We go where the team goes. So if they want a union, they will have a union.” Rockstar Game Workers Union Committee member Shanti Easton-Steel said the studio has "the chance to making gaming history" with the upcoming unionization vote and the tribunal decision. "As all our hard work, skill and creativity are experienced by GTA 6 players for the first time, our voices will now be heard for the first time too," Easton-Steel said. "When management choices are kept hidden, we can’t properly address issues like the gender pay gap, the uneven and ever-changing policies on overtime pay, or the concerns many co-workers hold around job security post-release." IWGB Union president Alex Marshall added, "For anyone who cares about the games industry or the people who keep it running, this vote is just as historic as the game release. But for workers at Rockstar, it is so much more personal: it is fundamentally a choice about whether you get to have a say in how your day-to-day life is organized." While the movie industry in Hollywood and beyond are largely unionized, the same is not true for video games. Unions are far more rare, but that's changing somewhat, as more and more developers in the US and worldwide are unionizing. For example, more than 1,900 workers at Blizzard recently reached a unionization contract with Microsoft, with workers winning things like guaranteed raises, guardrails on AI, and more.

Title: 29 Years Ago, ‘Buffy’s Wisest Character Got a Shocking Backstory that Redefined the Entire Series Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 04:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/buffy-halloween-season-2-rupert-giles-ripper/ In Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Halloween is the one night a year when monsters think it’s cliché to go out and torment the Hellmouth. As Buffy elegantly puts it: Halloween is “like, dead for the undead.” But 29 years ago, one evildoer decided to wreak havoc in Sunnydale on the one night no one expected. The result was an episode that explored the characters' deepest insecurities and gave the Scooby Gang an unexpected hero: Rupert Giles (Anthony Head), the fussy librarian who until then had served as Buffy’s moral compass and cheerleader. While he ended up saving the day, the episode added a wrinkle to his character, introducing his mysterious past as "Ripper."

Title: The MCU's Oldest Villain Just Made a Surprise Return in 'VisionQuest' Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:46:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/visionquest-mcus-oldest-iron-man-villain-raza-hamidmi-al-wazar/ In the 2008 movie Iron Man, the biggest, baddest villain was Obadiah Stane, played by Jeff Bridges. Originally business partners with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), Obadiah betrayed Tony by hatching a plot to kill him while he was in Afghanistan. When Tony survived and became Iron Man, Obadiah responded by taking on his own iron identity: The Iron Monger.

Title: 3 Upcoming Sci-Fi RPGs Better Than Waiting for a New Mass Effect Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 01:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/upcoming-games-like-mass-effect/ When EA closed BioWare and canceled the next Mass Effect game, it took away a future many of us had been looking forward to for a long, long time. Think: more squadmates to fall for, more ships that you slowly realize feel like home, more decisions that haunt you years later.

Title: 5 Adult Fairy Tale Books That Are Magical From Start to Finish Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 00:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/best-fantasy-books-like-adult-fairy-tales/ Fairy tales are often the first stories kids learn from picture books, and the works of Hanna Diyab, the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen can help inspire a lifelong passion for reading. But just because you grow up, doesn’t mean you have to abandon the genre. Modern fantasy books often strive for epic scale and complex political scheming, but it can be just as satisfying to explore a wondrous world where brave heroes fall in love and find the courage to do what’s right. If you want to bring some more magic to your reading list, check out these five fairy tale novels for adults.

Title: The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King Is Officially Getting a New Version Next Year Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/return-of-the-king-trick-taking-game-interview/ There have been an enormous number of tabletop adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but few capture the story so well and in such an accessible fashion as Bryan Bornmueller’s The Lord of the Rings Trick-Taking Game. A version based on The Fellowship of the Ring waspublished in 2024, and it sees players work together with limited information to fulfill missions based on the book’s biggest moments. Bornmueller continued the series by releasing the equally excellent The Two Towers Trick-Taking Game in January, and the trilogy will conclude with The Return of the King in February 2027.

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) PlayStation 11.11 Power Deals returns from 30 October to 12 November 2026 Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2026 02:01:10 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/27/20261028-sale/ PlayStation 11.11 Power Deals returns to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam from 30th October to 12th November 2026, with discounts on PS5 peripherals and disc versions of PS5 games from PlayStation Studios. Highlights of this year’s 11.11 Power Deals include: DualSense wireless controllers: SGD 14.10 / RM 54 / THB 500 / IDR 250,000 / VND 260,000 off DualSense Edge wireless controllers:  SGD 39 / RM 130 / THB 1,000 / IDR 470,000 / VND 750,000 off PULSE Elite wireless headset: SGD 56 / MYR 180 / THB 1,400 / IDR 680,000 / VND 1,040,000 off Discounts on disc versions of PS5 games, including Marvel’s Wolverine, MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, SAROS and Death Stranding 2: On The Beach. The 2026 PlayStation 11.11 Power Deals promotion will be available at participating retailers (https://www.playstation.com/local/retailers/) while supplies last. NOTE: Offers are available while stocks last. Promotional prices apply to selected PlayStation products at participating retailers. Actual prices and product availability vary by retailer. The promotion runs from 30.10.26 to 12.11.26. See below for the full list of promotional offers on selected games and peripherals in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam: Singapore PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPDualSense™ Wireless controller – WhiteSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Midnight BlackSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Cosmic RedSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Nova PinkSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Galactic PurpleSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Starlight BlueSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ Wireless controller – Gray CamouflageSGD 99.00SGD 84.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Volcanic RedSGD 108.00SGD 93.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Sterling SilverSGD 108.00SGD 89.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Cobalt BlueSGD 108.00SGD 93.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma TealSGD 108.00SGD 93.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma IndigoSGD 108.00SGD 89.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma PearlSGD 108.00SGD 89.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Techno RedSGD 115.00SGD 100.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Remix GreenSGD 115.00SGD 100.90DualSense™ wireless controller – Rhythm BlueSGD 115.00SGD 100.90PULSE Elite™ – WhiteSGD 194.00SGD 138.00PULSE Elite™ – Midnight BlackSGD 194.00SGD 138.00PULSE Explore™ Wireless EarbudsSGD 214.00SGD 175.00PULSE Explore™ Wireless Earbuds – Midnight BlackSGD 214.00SGD 175.00DualSense Edge™ Wireless ControllerSGD 279.00SGD 240.00DualSense Edge™ Wireless Controller – Midnight BlackSGD 279.00SGD 240.00Access™ controllerSGD 126.00SGD 87.00 Game Titles (PS5)Original SRPPromotion SRPSarosSGD 97.90SGD 53.00Ghost of Yotei – Complete EditionSGD 89.90SGD 64.00Marvel Tokon Fighting SoulsSGD 77.00SGD 53.00Astro BotSGD 77.00SGD 53.00Gran Turismo® 7SGD 85.00SGD 37.80God of War™ RagnarökSGD 85.00SGD 37.80Marvel’s Spider-Man 2SGD 85.00SGD 37.80Rise of the Ronin™SGD 85.00SGD 37.80The Last of Us™ Part II RemasteredSGD 64.00SGD 37.80The Last of Us™ Part ISGD 85.00SGD 37.80Ghost of Tsushima Director’s CutSGD 85.00SGD 37.80Helldivers 2SGD 53.00SGD 37.80Until DawnSGD 77.00SGD 37.80Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredSGD 64.00SGD 25.00LEGO Horizon Adventures SGD 53.00SGD 14.00Stellar BladeSGD 85.00SGD 37.80Death Stranding 2: On The BeachSGD 85.00SGD 53.00Marvel’s WolverineSGD 89.90SGD 64.00Lost Soul AsideSGD 77.00SGD 25.00 Malaysia PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPULSE Elite™ wireless headset – WhiteRM699RM519PULSE Elite™ wireless headset – Midnight BlackRM699RM519PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – WhiteRM789RM659PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – Midnight BlackRM789RM659DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – WhiteRM999RM869DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackRM999RM869Access™ controllerRM449RM319PlayStation®VR2RM2,099RM1,619DualSense™ wireless controller – WhiteRM369RM315DualSense™wireless controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PCRM369RM315DualSense™wireless controller – Midnight BlackRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Cosmic RedRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Nova PinkRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Galactic PurpleRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Starlight BlueRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Gray CamouflageRM369RM315DualSense™ wireless controller – Volcanic RedRM399RM345DualSense™ wireless controller – Sterling SilverRM399RM345DualSense™ wireless controller – Cobalt BlueRM399RM345DualSense™ wireless controller – Techno RedRM419RM365DualSense™ wireless controller – Remix GreenRM419RM365DualSense™ wireless controller – Rhythm BlueRM419RM365DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma TealRM399RM345DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma IndigoRM399RM345DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma PearlRM399RM345PlayStation VR2 Sense™ controller charging stationRM229RM99 Game Titles (PS5)Original SRPPromotion SRPAstro BotRM249RM169Gran Turismo® 7RM299RM129God of War™ RagnarökRM299RM129Marvel’s Spider-Man 2RM299RM129Rise of the Ronin™RM299RM129The Last of Us™ Part II RemasteredRM209RM129The Last of Us™ Part IRM299RM129Ghost of Tsushima Director’s CutRM299RM129Helldivers 2RM169RM129Until DawnRM249RM129Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredRM209RM79LEGO Horizon Adventures RM169RM39Stellar BladeRM299RM129Death Stranding 2: On The BeachRM299RM169Lost Soul AsideRM249RM79Ghost of Yotei Complete EditionRM299RM209SAROSRM299RM169Marvel Tōkon: Fighting SoulsRM249RM169Marvel’s WolverineRM299RM209 Thailand PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPULSE Elite™ wireless headset – WhiteTHB 5,190THB 3,790PULSE Elite™ wireless headset – Midnight BlackTHB 5,190THB 3,790PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – WhiteTHB 6,090THB 5,090PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – Midnight BlackTHB 6,090THB 5,090DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – WhiteTHB 7,790THB 6,790DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackTHB 7,790THB 6,790Access™ controllerTHB 3,090THB 2,090PlayStation®VR2THB 15,990THB 12,390DualSense™ wireless controller – WhiteTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PCTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Cosmic RedTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Nova PinkTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Galactic PurpleTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Starlight BlueTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Gray CamouflageTHB 2,590THB 2,090DualSense™ wireless controller – Volcanic RedTHB 2,690THB 2,190DualSense™ wireless controller – Sterling SilverTHB 2,690THB 2,190DualSense™ wireless controller – Cobalt BlueTHB 2,690THB 2,190DualSense™ wireless controller – Techno RedTHB 2,890THB 2,390DualSense™ wireless controller – Remix GreenTHB 2,890THB 2,390DualSense™ wireless controller – Rhythm BlueTHB 2,890THB 2,390DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma TealTHB 2,690THB 2,190DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma IndigoTHB 2,690THB 2,190DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma PearlTHB 2,690THB 2,190PlayStation VR2 Sense™ controller charging stationTHB 1,699THB 699 Game Titles (PS5)Original SRPPromotion SRPAstro BotTHB 1,990THB 1,290Gran Turismo® 7THB 2,290THB 990God of War™ RagnarökTHB 2,290THB 990Marvel’s Spider-Man 2THB 2,290THB 990Rise of the Ronin™THB 2,290THB 990The Last of Us™ Part II RemasteredTHB 1,690THB 990The Last of Us™ Part ITHB 2,290THB 990Ghost of Tsushima Director’s CutTHB 2,290THB 990Helldivers 2THB 1,290THB 990Until DawnTHB 1,990THB 990Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredTHB 1,690THB 690LEGO Horizon Adventures THB 1,290THB 345Stellar BladeTHB 2,290THB 990Death Stranding 2: On The BeachTHB 2,290THB 1,290Lost Soul AsideTHB 1,990THB 690Ghost of Yotei Complete EditionTHB 2,290THB 1,690SAROSTHB 2,290THB 1,290Marvel Tōkon: Fighting SoulsTHB 1,990THB 1,290Marvel’s WolverineTHB 2,290THB 1,690 Indonesia PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPULSE Elite™ wireless headset – WhiteIDR 2,499,000IDR 1,819,000PULSE Elite™ wireless headset – Midnight BlackIDR 2,499,000IDR 1,819,000PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – WhiteIDR 2,699,010IDR 2,229,010PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – Midnight BlackIDR 2,699,010IDR 2,229,010DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – WhiteIDR 3,599,000IDR 3,129,000DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackIDR 3,599,000IDR 3,129,000Access™ controllerIDR 1,649,000IDR 1,179,000PlayStation®VR2IDR 7,799,000IDR 6,179,000DualSense™ wireless controller – WhiteIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PCIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Cosmic RedIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Nova PinkIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Galactic PurpleIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Starlight BlueIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Gray CamouflageIDR 1,359,000IDR 1,109,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Volcanic RedIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Sterling SilverIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Cobalt BlueIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Techno RedIDR 1,549,000IDR 1,299,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Remix GreenIDR 1,549,000IDR 1,299,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Rhythm BlueIDR 1,549,000IDR 1,299,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma TealIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma IndigoIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma PearlIDR 1,449,000IDR 1,199,000PlayStation VR2 Sense™ controller charging stationIDR 899,000IDR 429,000 Game Titles (PS5)Original SRPPromotion SRPAstro BotIDR 879,000IDR 579,000Gran Turismo® 7IDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000God of War™ RagnarökIDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000Marvel’s Spider-Man 2IDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000Rise of the Ronin™IDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000The Last of Us™ Part II RemasteredIDR 729,000IDR 439,000The Last of Us™ Part IIDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000Ghost of Tsushima Director’s CutIDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000Helldivers 2IDR 579,000IDR 439,000Until DawnIDR 879,000IDR 439,000Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredIDR 729,000IDR 279,000LEGO Horizon Adventures IDR 579,000IDR 139,500Stellar BladeIDR 1,029,000IDR 439,000Death Stranding 2: On The BeachIDR 1,029,000IDR 579,000Lost Soul AsideIDR 879,000IDR 279,000Ghost of Yotei Complete EditionIDR 1,169,000IDR 729,000SAROSIDR 1,029,000IDR 579,000Marvel Tōkon: Fighting SoulsIDR 879,000IDR 579,000Marvel’s WolverineIDR 1,169,000IDR 729,000 Vietnam PeripheralsOriginal SRPPromotion SRPPULSE Elite™ wireless headset – WhiteVND 3,999,000VND 2,959,000PULSE Elite™ wireless headset – Midnight BlackVND 3,999,000VND 2,959,000PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – WhiteVND 4,399,000VND 3,649,000PULSE Explore™ wireless earbuds – Midnight BlackVND 4,399,000VND 3,649,000DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – WhiteVND 5,699,000VND 4,949,000DualSense Edge™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackVND 5,699,000VND 4,949,000Access™ controllerVND 2,599,000VND 1,849,000PlayStation®VR2VND 12,999,000VND 10,389,000DualSense™ wireless controller – WhiteVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight Black + USB Cable for PCVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Midnight BlackVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Cosmic RedVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Nova PinkVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Galactic PurpleVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Starlight BlueVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Gray CamouflageVND 2,099,000VND 1,839,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Volcanic RedVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Sterling SilverVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Cobalt BlueVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Techno RedVND 2,399,000VND 2,139,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Remix GreenVND 2,399,000VND 2,139,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Rhythm BlueVND 2,399,000VND 2,139,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma TealVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma IndigoVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000DualSense™ wireless controller – Chroma PearlVND 2,299,000VND 2,039,000PlayStation VR2 Sense™ controller charging stationVND 1,490,000VND 740,000 Game Titles (PS5)Original SRPPromotion SRPAstro BotVND 1,499,000VND 999,000Gran Turismo® 7VND 1,799,000VND 899,000God of War™ RagnarökVND 1,799,000VND 899,000Marvel’s Spider-Man 2VND 1,799,000VND 899,000Rise of the Ronin™VND 1,799,000VND 899,000The Last of Us™ Part II RemasteredVND 1,249,000VND 749,000The Last of Us™ Part IVND 1,799,000VND 899,000Until DawnVND 1,499,000VND 749,000Horizon Zero Dawn RemasteredVND 1,249,000VND 624,000LEGO Horizon Adventures VND 999,000VND 499,000Stellar BladeVND 1,799,000VND 999,000Death Stranding 2: On The BeachVND 1,799,000VND 999,000Lost Soul AsideVND 1,499,000VND 759,000Ghost of Yotei Complete EditionVND 1,799,000VND 1,249,000SAROSVND 1,799,000VND 999,000Marvel Tōkon: Fighting SoulsVND 1,499,000VND 999,000Marvel’s WolverineVND 1,799,000VND 1,249,000

Title: Aloft and Conan Exiles Enhanced launch on PS5 in early 2027 Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:00:43 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/27/aloft-and-conan-exiles-enhanced-launch-on-ps5-in-early-2027/ We’ve just launched Dune: Awakening on PlayStation 5, but we’re only getting started. We’re excited to bring two more of our open-world survival adventures to PlayStation 5 in early 2027. Soar the skies in Aloft, then visit the unforgiving Exiled Lands in Conan Exiles Enhanced. Aloft: Build a home among the clouds Play Video After six years of heartfelt development with a team that grew from a small group of friends to the Astrolabe of today, we are ecstatic to reveal that our cozy co-op sandbox survival game in the clouds, Aloft, makes its console debut with Funcom as a publisher on PS5 early 2027. The PS5 version includes all the updates released during the game’s Early Access period on PC, as well as the 1.0 experience, bringing our complete vision of Aloft to life, filled with new content, stories, and so many improvements. Turn floating islands into skyships, build a home among the clouds, and explore a colorful open world alone or with friends. Since launching in Early Access, we have introduced five major content updates to Aloft, featuring new wildlife, puzzles, combat improvements, glider customization, expanded exploration, and much more. Discover lost knowledge, cure fungal corruption, care for your animals, brave hurricanes as you restore the ecosystem and uncover new adventures across the skies. Launching the complete game on PS5 marks an exciting new chapter for us. Aloft has always been a passion project fueled by the unwavering support and love of our community. Reaching this milestone is incredibly exciting, as this will mark a new era for the game – we really hope you will be part of our flight. Conan Exiles Enhanced: Survive the brutal, yet beautiful Exiled Lands We are thrilled to announce that Conan Exiles Enhanced is coming to PS5. All players who own Conan Exiles on PlayStation will get the Enhanced version for PlayStation 5 for free. Both PS4 and PS5 versions will be available to purchase. Buy one version and get the other for free. All your purchased Bazaar items and DLC will also carry over from PS4 to PS5 seamlessly. The Enhanced edition brings improved environments, characters, lighting, and effects, along with a redesigned UI and performance and quality-of-life improvements. Play Video The update also makes exploring the Exiled Lands and the Isle of Siptah expansion a more seamless experience. Isle of Siptah remains a separate purchase. The new Legacy of the Giant-Kings story arc will be included in the console launch of Conan Exiles Enhanced, bringing an exciting new narrative experience to console players from day one. Players will be able to uncover the mysteries of the ancient Giant-Kings, explore their forgotten legacy, and embark on a journey filled with new challenges, discoveries, and rewards. Its inclusion ensures console players can experience this major story arc as part of the enhanced Conan Exiles experience at launch. We’ll share release dates and more details for both games at a later date. Wishlist both games now at PlayStation Store.

Title: Where Winds Meet’s climactic Hutuo Battlefield narrative arc revealed, out Nov 13 Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:01:34 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/27/where-winds-meets-climactic-hutuo-battlefield-narrative-arc-revealed-out-nov-13/ Today, we are proud to unveil the most climactic narrative arc in Where Winds Meet yet: Hutuo, a sprawling new region launching November 13 alongside the game’s first global anniversary update. Marking a major turning point in Where Winds Meet, Hutuo invites you onto an epic, war-torn frontier to experience a story of unwavering conviction, camaraderie, and the true meaning of heroism. Play Video Defining ‘Xia’: From martial arts to universal heroism When we first set out to build Where Winds Meet, our aspiration was to reimagine Wuxia—a genre long confined mostly to classic cinema—as a living, breathing Jianghu for a global audience. Nothing has moved us more than seeing wanderers worldwide find their own resonance within this realm: discovering what ‘Xia’ truly means through personal awakening, sacred promises, and the enduring longing for freedom. We reached an unforgettable milestone this August when the game welcomed over 100 million players worldwide and claimed Best Mobile Game at Gamescom. Being the first to bring an authentic Wuxia open world to the global stage has been a deeply humbling journey, proving that the spirit of this genre speaks to hearts across every border. Yet our vision goes beyond combat choreography and ancient traditions. With Hutuo, we wanted to delve deeper into the spiritual core of ‘Xia’ (Chivalry)—exploring how sacrifice and guardianship reflect a universal heroism that resonates across all cultures. Nowhere is this clearer than in the story we tell at the battle of Zhongdu Bridge. Here, you step into a desperate historical crossroads: northern invaders are surging across the border, frontline defenses are fracturing, and old pacts lie in ruins. With displaced civilians behind you and an unstoppable tide of steel ahead, loyalty and justice pull in opposite directions. A haunting question arises: when the powers above fail, do you fight in blind obedience to a crumbling throne, or rise alongside sworn companions to shield the innocent and guard your homeland? How you answer that call captures what we believe is the truest, most profound essence of ‘Xia’. The Hutuo Battlefield: Uncovering light in the ashes To anchor this theme, we shifted our world design to craft an authentic, mud-and-steel warzone unlike anything seen in the game before. We focused heavily on immersive environmental storytelling and quest design, allowing players to experience the wartime Jianghu from varied perspectives. Whether stepping into the shoes of a conflicted soldier defying brutal orders, listening to a haunting song of displaced survivors among the river reeds, or witnessing nameless folk risk their lives to shelter refugees in the night, each tale captures a distinct facet of the frontier. Even in the darkest corners of history, we wanted these intimate stories to uncover the enduring light of ordinary lives, showcasing the quiet dignity and everyday bravery of people surviving the storm of war. Immersive warfare: PS5 & PS5 Pro enhancements To make every clash across this frontier feel immediate and visceral, we have tailored dedicated technical upgrades for PlayStation players: PS5 Pro & enhanced PSSR: Utilizing enhanced PSSR alongside upgraded ray-traced reflections, Hutuo’s rivers and wetlands look more striking than ever at a stable 60 FPS, bringing fire and falling ash vividly to life across uneven, mud-soaked reflections beneath your feet. Tactile combat & responsiveness: DualSense adaptive triggers and haptics lend physical weight to every drawn war-bow and clashing blade, while reduced frame hitches during effects-heavy battles keep your parries, combos, and dodges razor-sharp. Seamless battlefield scale: Optimized asynchronous asset streaming drastically cuts load times across fast-travel points, dungeons, and cinematic transitions—ensuring your charge into Hutuo’s core warzones remains smooth and uninterrupted. Yuen Woo-ping’s dual spears & a historic first anniversary Experiencing the emotional peak of Where Winds Meet goes hand-in-hand with our biggest celebration yet. Arriving November 13, our first anniversary update delivers the most generous historic rewards since launch, alongside fun and tactical new board game modes like Horse Racing Chess and Jianghu Tactics. The celebration continues on late November with the debut of the Dual Spears Martial Art. Directed and choreographed by legendary action director Yuen Woo-ping (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), this dynamic style alternates fluidly between offensive Light Spears and stance-breaking Heavy Spears, building Spear Stance for relentless combo loops. Want an early look at the front lines? Tune in to our First Anniversary Special Broadcast on November 2, where our team will share deeper developer insights and exclusive gameplay reveals for Hutuo.

Title: Terrible Lizards dev discusses twisting familiar dinosaur designs, out Oct 29 Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:00:38 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/27/terrible-lizards-dev-discusses-twisting-familiar-dinosaur-designs-out-oct-29/ When I founded WDR Studios with my colleagues, the goal was simple: make the kind of games that we’d want to play. I wanted to apply the lessons I’d learned from years of managing a successful YouTube channel to the medium of video games, drawing inspiration from some of my favourite titles to create a fresh horror experience that puts gameplay first.  That’s how Terrible Lizards came to be. Perfecting paleo platforming Terrible Lizards is a 3D first-person platformer, but we also use the term “parkour” to describe the game’s emphasis on movement through physical spaces. You could also call it an action/horror dinosaur game, in that you’re running for your life from dinosaurs. That balance between fear and fun is central to the game’s design philosophy. As with any platformer, we knew we had to place an emphasis on enjoyable, engaging movement. Terrible Lizards is a fun game to be inside of, with controls and mechanics that are satisfying to use: runs, jumps, sliding, wall running, bounces, as well as grabbing ledges and leaping from ledge to ledge. There’s also a bunch of different tools that you can use to manipulate each level and environment. Overall, the game has a very tight feel to its control scheme, promoting intuitive movement with precise timing. When we decided to utilize a first-person perspective, we made sure to create movement that felt distinct from other parkour games, instead building platforming mechanics based on the movement styles of popular first-person action shooters. There’s a balance between floatiness and a strong sense of control, and finding that perfect balance became our “secret sauce” for achieving a satisfying gameplay feel. The result is a rhythmic game flow, where the player feels in control of everything. In our game, you’re always going the maximum speed whenever you can move and jump: it’s fixed, which makes it predictable and rhythmic at the same time. It’s easy to get into a good flow state, especially with things like aerial control. Instead of having to run and jump, your momentum carries forward, so you can just jump and stay moving. It’s subtle but effective, and we’ve found it allows for both a low and high skill ceilings. Players can use aerial control to correct an over jump, or to move side to side in an instinctual way. You know when you play a racing game and can’t help but physically lean your body into turns? That feeling plays out here, too. Jurassic parkour The game takes place in the early 1990s, where you play as a college kid road tripping out west on Route 66. When your car breaks down, you venture into a roadside attraction called Dalton’s Dinos looking for help… but you find something terrible instead.  We’re very inspired by the current indie mascot horror niche, which takes familiar iconography and twists it into something new, as all horror does. We started with a few broad concepts—American nostalgia, interstate road tripping—which led us to the roadside attraction as a premise. And when you look into the tradition of those attractions, there’s often a lot of silly dinosaur statues outside, advertising makeshift prehistoric tours or fossils of questionable legitimacy. These attractions became especially popular during the 90s, alongside the broader cultural fascination with dinosaurs reflected in popular media of the era. As a child, dinosaurs were my first real interest and hobby, which I think is a familiar experience for a lot of people. The word dinosaur actually means “terrible lizard”, from the Greek deinos and saurus. It’s a term that’s been used before in the paleo community, but not for anything horror, so we knew it was a perfect fit for our game. We felt that considering how excited and feverish people are for dinosaur media and dinosaur things, it’s still a pretty underrepresented niche. They capture our imagination in awe-inspiring and frightening ways, both of which you can see on full display in Terrible Lizards. Exit Through the Dalton’s Dinos gift shop… if you can I’ve dabbled in enough mediums (such as film, music, and animation) to know that game development is one of the hardest art forms anyone could pursue. In some ways, I was a jaded gamer before this undertaking, but creating Terrible Lizards has made me fall in love with the medium all over again, as well the craftsmanship behind it. Our team is made up of first-time game developers, most of us being creators coming from the online space. In that sense, Terrible Lizards is by the community, for the community, and we hope players everywhere enjoy the game when it launches on October 29.

Title: The sound of Saros: Building an audio identity for Carcosa Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 13:01:26 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/27/the-sound-of-saros-building-an-audio-identity-for-carcosa/ When we started working on Saros, we knew we had an interesting challenge ahead of us. We had established a very distinctive audio identity with Returnal, and Housemarque gave us a clear direction from the beginning: “Refinement, not Reinvention.” That became a useful principle throughout development. We carried forward our gameplay-first approach, our emphasis on strong and satisfying player feedback, our immersive soundscape, and our ambition to showcase PS5 features such as Tempest 3D Audio and DualSense haptics. At the same time, Saros is a brand-new IP with its own characters, story and tone. Every piece of audio content needed to feel unique and help establish the world of Carcosa. Finding the sound of Carcosa Very early on, we started looking for elements that could define Saros sonically. The Eclipse became one of our first creative anchors. It is central to the world and story of the hostile planet, so we began experimenting with its sound identity. One of our most useful discoveries came from a didgeridoo recording session in our studio. With creative processing, the recordings felt epic and became incredibly versatile. With further manipulation, they could even begin to sound like a deep voice. This eventually became the foundation for the Yellow King’s vocalisations and helped define the wider Saros sound palette, emphasising the influence of the Eclipse, the Yellow King and the Corruption throughout the game. The cinematic announcement trailer, which was the first presentation of Saros to the public, became an opportunity to showcase these creative explorations, featuring the didgeridoo source alongside many other sounds. Play Video The idea of recording something and transforming it into something unusual became important across the entire soundscape. We combined grounded recordings with heavily processed and abstract elements, crafting sounds that could feel familiar yet alien. Some sounds came from very unexpected places. The first enemy players encounter, an evil mechanical drone, is built partly from processed floppy disk recordings. The ocean in the Yellow Shore was created from recordings of marinated chicken, frying chicken and walnuts being moved around a bowl. Sound design is often about hearing the potential in something that was never intended to sound like what you need. Sam Slater’s score also brings its own powerful vocabulary to Carcosa, combining distorted voices, synthesis, guitars and darker experimental textures. Our aim was to allow Music and Sound Design to blend and complement each other, helping the Corruption feel like an overwhelming force that had spread throughout the entire world. Designing a world where every sound has a purpose A major part of the sound design was making sure that the varied parts of Carcosa had their own identity, while still feeling connected to the same world. We wanted players to be able to understand what was happening around them through sound, even when the screen was full of visual information. Enemy vocalisations were designed to be fast, tonal and memorable, particularly for attacks that players need to recognise quickly enough to dodge or absorb with the shield. We created distinct sonic families for organic, mechanical and cosmic enemies. The cosmic enemies, in particular, needed to feel connected to the divine influence of the Yellow King, with a sound that could be both menacing and beautiful. Mongolian throat singing became part of their core vocal foundation, while higher vocal elements came from singers and instruments such as the shakuhachi, adding a more beautiful quality. Play Video Projectiles were treated with the same level of care. Normal, Corrupted and Nova projectiles each have their own palette. Blue projectiles use electric and liquid textures, yellow Corrupted projectiles draw from the didgeridoo-based Corruption language, and red projectiles use more tonal material derived from processed human screams. These details may be subtle individually, but together they make the world feel coherent and help players read intense combat.  In contrast to other studios, Housemarque’s titles are recognised for replayability through mastery, with bullet-hell spectacle of hundreds of projectiles filling the screen. We developed several layers of prioritisation so the most important sounds remain audible without simply silencing everything else. Enemies are prioritised according to factors such as their threat level, distance, visibility and combat state. Their audio is then organised into different levels of prominence, allowing us to carefully manage how many sounds are competing for the player’s attention. Projectiles use a similar approach, grouping them according to their type and proximity so that the game can communicate the most important information without overwhelming the player. The result is a dense mix that can still communicate what matters most. Putting the PS5 at the centre of the experience Building on our experience with Returnal, we wanted Saros to push 3D Audio and Haptics further while also delivering the most immersive audio experience through Dolby Atmos. In a game this demanding, 3D Audio is not only about immersion. It is another source of gameplay information. Enemies and projectiles can approach from above, below, behind or outside the screen, and accurate positioning can make a real difference during combat. Our process goes far beyond simply activating Tempest on positional content. Every small detail, from a leaf moving in the wind to an enemy attacking from behind, is carefully designed, implemented, positioned and mixed with 3D Audio in mind. Different content uses different spatial approaches, allowing us to create complex scenes while maintaining clarity and control. The 3D Audio implementation in Saros aims for uncompromised audio quality and spatial precision, both in environmental audio and in combat. Saros also showcases PS Acoustics, a technology developed by Audio Tools and Tech team. Using raytracing, it calculates reverberation and reflections in real time, alongside obstruction and occlusion. Players can hear the sounds and voices of Arjun, enemies and the Echelon IV crew being reflected from nearby walls, with the effect responding to the absorption properties of the materials. While the reflections can be subtle acoustic details, the reverberations are much more obvious. For example, the Passage has a strong acoustic tone and depth that matches the unique shape and construction of the environment. Instead of relying entirely on predetermined acoustic behaviour, this technology makes spaces feel believable and responsive, all within the 3D Audio environment. We also wanted to deliver Saros as a standout experience in Dolby Atmos, taking advantage of the game’s extensive verticality and positional information. Throughout development, Saros was regularly mixed in Atmos, and we made sure that the work put into the 3D Audio presentation translated effectively to speakers. This ranges from conveying the scale of the most epic boss fights to subtle moments, such as a flock of birds flying overhead. Towards the end of production, we chose to complete the final mix at the iconic Abbey Road Studios. This gave our teams and Housemarque’s Creative Director an exceptional environment in which to experience, refine and finalise the audio for players. Designing sound and haptics together The same uncompromising philosophy applied to DualSense Haptics. Sound and haptics were designed closely together from the beginning of development, for each feature, as part of the same sensory experience. They work together to convey weight, intensity and nuance. One example of meaningful subtlety is the bullet-based weapons. As ammunition runs low, the haptic frequency changes, giving the player another subtle indication of their weapon state without requiring them to look away from the action. These details are deliberately small, but in a game where so much is happening at once, they can provide valuable information without adding another visual element to the screen. Weapon behaviour, physical interactions, combat feedback and key narrative moments are communicated not only through what players hear, but through what they feel in the DualSense wireless controller. That combination of bold Sound and Music design, state-of-the-art 3D Audio, Dolby Atmos and Haptics design and implementation approach defines the audio vision for Saros. Giving players more control over the experience Another major goal was to create an audio experience that players could tailor to their own preferences, needs and listening environment. From the early stages of development, we collaborated closely with the PlayStation Accessibility Team to establish a set of essential features that should be present across the wider game portfolio, while also developing functionality specifically suited to Saros. Players can make dialogue louder or progressively clearer through the Dialogue Priority setting, customise the volume of sound effects, and reduce high-pitched ringing. Music can be adjusted independently for combat and exploration, while Bass and Treble controls offer quick tuning for different headphones or speakers. The Dynamic Range settings offer a high level of customisation, allowing players to calibrate the soundscape to suit their own gaming environment. These options were developed alongside PlayStation accessibility standards and considered throughout production, rather than being added at the end. Ultimately, that attention to detail reflects the philosophy behind the entire audio experience in Saros. Whether it is an unusual creature vocalisation, the sensation of a weapon through the controller, a reflection moving through a space, or an option helping someone hear dialogue more clearly, every detail was designed to contribute meaningfully. Our goal was to create an experience that feels bold, original and unmistakably Saros, while using the unique capabilities of PS5 to make Carcosa as immersive, responsive and accessible to players as possible.

Title: Monarchs at Play is a 4X strategy city-builder about chaining hexagonal tiles that only takes an hour out of your day Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:46:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/monarchs-at-play-is-a-4x-strategy-city-builder-about-chaining-hexagonal-tiles-that-only-takes-an-hour-out-of-your-day None of us have any bloody time any more, do we? The economy being in the toilet is obviously part of that, but the other part is that we're all adults and now we have to do responsible adult things like our laundry, and buying toilet paper, and buying toilet paper again because it simply never ends. It all makes playing games just that little bit trickier, especially when it comes to lengthy strategy game runs. If you're longing for a quick dose of some 4X strategy, though, Monarchs at Play, a turn-based city-builder that only takes an hour, might be the thing you're after. Read more

Title: Discord know they replaced forums, so they're making your messages in discoverable servers searchable, which immediately raises one question: what about AI? Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 21:28:32 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/discord-know-they-replaced-forums-so-theyre-making-your-messages-in-discoverable-servers-searchable-which-immediately-raises-one-question-what-about-ai You might want to hold off on that horny posting in your favourite discoverable Discord server. The chat service announced today that any servers that are listed as discoverable, meaning anyone can find them simply through Googling, no invite link required, will now also show messages and discussions posted in said servers on Google. Read more

Title: UK-based Rockstar devs will be putting their union recognition to a vote during GTA 6's launch next month Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:37:53 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/uk-based-rockstar-devs-will-be-putting-their-union-recognition-to-a-vote-during-gta-6s-launch-next-month November is potentially going to be big for Rockstar Games, and not just because of that GTA 6 thing they're doing. As shared in a press release from the Independent Workers of Great Britain (IWGB), recognition of the IWGB Union at Rockstar will be voted upon by staffers at the studio, with votes being held from November 12th (a week before GTA 6's launch date) and November 26th. Read more

Title: A leaked trailer for Transformers: Reactivate shows off the only lick of gameplay we'll likely ever see of the cancelled co-op action game Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/a-leaked-trailer-for-transformers-reactivate-shows-off-the-only-lick-of-gameplay-well-likely-ever-see-of-the-cancelled-co-op-action-game Back in 2022, Gears Tactics studio Splash Damage revealed that they were working on a Transformers game. It was called Transformers: Reactivate, and at the time was set to be a 1-4 player co-op action game, but come 2025 and the game gets canned all while parent company Tencent was going on a funding withdrawal spree in the games industry. Nothing substantial was ever really shown off of the game, but a trailer has now been leaked featuring what was apparently meant to be an internal look at it in action. Read more

Title: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is wrapping things up with one last big update that adds in new game plus and a throwback to the original game Date: Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:58:44 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-is-wrapping-things-up-with-one-last-big-update-that-adds-in-new-game-plus-and-a-throwback-to-the-original-game Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is setting sail for quieter pastures. That's because the game's last big update arrived today, with Ubisoft explaining that there are only plans for quality-of-life updates for the game going forward. Still, it's a meaty enough sounding update, and one that could in theory keep you going forever if you'd like to torture yourself by relegating your life to a single video game. Read more