Title: Even The Worst Pokémon Are Someone’s Favorite And Now There’s Proof Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 21:31:09 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/even-the-worst-pokemon-someones-favorites-now-theres-proof-2000697141 Someone out there loves Goldeen, I promise

Title: Viral Cuphead-Style Indie Game Into The Unwell Unannounces Early Access Plans With A Song Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 21:30:17 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/viral-cuphead-style-indie-game-into-the-unwell-unannounces-early-access-plans-with-a-song-2000697096 Also: was that KOTOR remake going to make the silent protagonist talk?

Title: It’s Fun To Go To The Square Enix Orchestra Concert And Get Mad When They Don’t Play Your Personal Fave Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 21:12:55 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/square-enix-orchestra-concert-symphony-fun-2000697119 What, no Harvestella?

Title: Xbox Has A New User Feedback Portal And The Top Requests Are Exclusives And Free Multiplayer Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 20:30:02 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/xbox-has-a-new-user-feedback-portal-and-the-top-requests-are-exclusives-and-free-multiplayer-2000697118 Microsoft has essentially created an in-house subreddit for Xbox

Title: In Palestine, One Game Developer Wants To Share A Dream Of His Land’s Beautiful Past Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 20:08:17 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/upcoming-stealth-game-dreams-on-a-pillow-palestine-beauty-2000697109 “We wanted to talk about Palestine, which is a land full of people"

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: Genshin Impact Luna 7 brings us the first playable Hexenzirkel as things take a turn in Sumeru Date: Fri, 08 May 2026 13:44:39 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/genshin-impact-version-luna-7-nicole-new-quest-details HoYoverse just wrapped up a new Genshin Impact Special Program, where the developer revealed everything there is to know about the game’s next major update. Truth Amongst the Pages of Purana, or as its friends call it, Luna 7, was unveiled as part of the showcase. Read more

Title: Petit Planet preview: HoYoverse's first foray into family-friendly games is very careful to colour within the lines Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:38:34 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/petit-planet-preview-hoyoverses-first-foray-into-family-friendly-games-is-very-careful-to-colour-within-the-lines This isn't a complaint, but I can't help but feel like every new game I pick up at the moment is Animal Crossing. Heartopia? Animal Crossing. Pokopia? Animal Crossing. Tomodachi Life? You guessed it, Animal Crossing! I am unashamedly one of those people who thinks the gaming landscape of the 2020s peaked early when New Horizons gently shepherded us all through lockdown, so perhaps I shouldn't be surprised that – now that we're well past the midpoint of the decade, I hate to remind you – a bunch of studios have come to the same conclusion, and either spun up their own take on the idea, or repurposed an existing IP to include more Animal Crossing-like elements. Read more

Title: The Adventures Of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Just Got A New Demo Ahead Of Launch Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 17:00:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-adventures-of-elliot-the-millennium-tales-just-got-a-new-demo-ahead-of-launch/1100-6540014/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Square-Enix's line of HD-2D role-playing games have been hailed for how they balance nostalgic appeal with modern-day visuals, and next month, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales joins that growing library. A new demo for the game is also available right now, giving you an early slice of the next title from the creators behind Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default.An action-RPG with real-time combat, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales follows the adventurer Elliot and his fairy sidekick Faie on their journey to complete a thousand-year mission. As part of their mission to lift the curse placed on Princess Heuria of Huther, Elliot and Faie will explore different periods in history, from humanity's strife-filled Age of Reconstruction to the height of prosperity in the Age of Magic. Every era has a looming threat that Elliot and Fae must deal with, and like previous Square-Enix games, the entire experience looks like an homage to Super NES-era JRPGs."The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales has some elements to overcome--a chatty companion character and, let's be honest, a clunky title," Steve Watts wrote in his preview. "But it also showed that HD-2D can be applied to other genres that we remember fondly from decades ago. And more than just empty nostalgia or homage, it looks to build on those elements."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Check Out McFarlane Toys' New Mortal Kombat Klassic Sub-Zero And Reptile Figures Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 16:17:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mortal-kombat-klassic-sub-zero-and-reptile-buying-guide/1100-6540007/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Mortal Kombat Klassic: Sub-Zero $32 | Releases August 23 Preorder at Amazon Mortal Kombat Klassic: Reptile $30 | Releases August 23 Preorder at Amazon Mortal Kombat is back in the spotlight thanks to the release of the new live-action film, and if you're looking to bring some of that video game magic home, you can check out two new collectible action figures. McFarlane Toys is expanding its line of Mortal Kombat toys with two new "Klassic" Sub-Zero and Reptile figures. Bearing a design that harkens back to their arcade roots, each figure is also constructed from translucent materials to make them stand out on your shelf and you can preorder them ahead of their August 23 arrival. Mortal Kombat Klassic: Sub-Zero $32 | Releases August 23 The greatest weapon of the Lin Kuei ninja order, Sub-Zero, has been realized in a cool blue plastic inspired by his ice clone ability. The figure comes with an alternate set of hands, a base, and is packaged inside a display box. Featuring 22 points of articulation, it's seven inches tall. Preorder at Amazon Mortal Kombat Klassic: Reptile $30 | Releases August 23 Similar to Sub-Zero, Reptile has also been manufactured in a plastic that makes the infamous assassin almost invisible. Featuring a smoky translucent design, the Reptile figure also comes with an alternate set of swap-out hands, a full range of articulation, display box packaging, and is the same height as Sub-Zero above. Preorder at Amazon More Mortal Kombat Klassic FiguresTo expand the collection--and host your very own Mortal Kombat tournament--you can pick up several more figures from McFarlane Toys. The lineup currently includes fan-favorite characters like Johnny Cage, Raiden, and Ermac alongside a regular version of Reptile.Ermac -- $30Jade -- $35Johnny Cage -- $32Kitana -- $30Noob Saibot -- $35Raiden -- $29.51Reptile -- $30Reptile (Invisible) -- $32Sub-Zero (Ice Clone) -- $30Mortal Kombat 2 Blu-ray preorders are now live Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight Video Review Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 16:15:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/lego-batman-legacy-of-the-dark-knight-video-review/2300-6466878/ Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight combines a nostalgia-rich story, hilarious writing, and Arkham Lite combat to make the best Lego game in years.

Title: Zero Parades: For Dead Spies Video Review Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 15:41:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/zero-parades-for-dead-spies-video-review/2300-6466877/ Disco Elysium's shadow looms large, and while Zero Parades: For Dead Spies stumbles into imitation at times, it's still an excellent and richly detailed RPG in its own right.

Title: Fanatical's May Madness Sale Has Discounts On Dozens Of Brand New PC Games Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 15:30:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fanaticals-may-madness-sale-has-dozens-of-brand-new-games-and-preorders-discounted/1100-6540018/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f It's nearly the end of May, and Fanatical is celebrating with another one of their annual sales on digital games. The May Madness sale, live and running until May 31, has over 10,000 discounted digital games available, including brand new titles like Resident Evil Requiem for $57.39 (was $70) or Crimson Desert for $59.49 (was $70). But another interesting aspect is that even preorders for upcoming games are discounted. You can get 007 First Light for $60.89 (was $70) or The Blood of Dawnwalker for $59.49 (was $70), just to name a couple. Along with these every day discounts, each day of the sale will also include multiple limited-time Flash Deals offering even bigger discounts on select titles popular games. And finally, if you spend $15 or more on a single purchase, you can get an extra digital game or coupon code. Keep in mind, all of these games come as digital download codes for redemption on Steam. See all deals at Fanatical If you're looking to finally pull the trigger on some more recent releases like Resident Evil Requiem and Crimson Desert mentioned above, this sale has plenty of titles that launched within the last year or two at nice new discounts. Marathon is Bungie's next big thing, available for $34.39 (was $40) for the new extraction shooter. I'd also highly recommend Mixtape, a slice of life John Hughes-inspired teenage romp set to a killer soundtrack for $18 (was $20). And if you're a fan of gigantic open world RPGs with plenty of customization and humor to boot, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is down to $28.19 (was $60).Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Dropout CEO Sam Reich explains the 'paradox' of Game Changer's s8 premiere Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 23:00:20 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/sam-reich-interview-game-changer-season-8/ Since 2019, Dropout.tv’s flagship series has been Game Changer, a comedy game show with a new premise and mechanic nearly every episode. Some of those mechanics are inspired by other game shows or reality competitions — Game Changer has done fairly straightforward riffs on The Bachelor and Survivor — while others are wholly original.

Title: Forza Horizon 6 interactive map Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 22:50:20 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/map/forza-horizon-6-fh6-japan-interactive/ The Forza Horizon 6 map offers a complete and delightful feast for anyone who loves Japan and enjoys the idea of exploring the country's diverse regions. As you travel across its nine regions — Tokyo City, Sotoyama, Takashiro, Hokubu, Ito, Minamino, Nangan, Ohtani, and Shimanoyama — you'll have the chance to visit historical towns, famous temples, and the streets of Tokyo. Whether you're participating in an official Horizon Festival race, competing in the night races taking place all over the place, or completing deliveries as part of the Raku Raku Express team, there's always something to do.

Title: X-Files: I Want to Believe's never-seen cut streaming on Hulu in June Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 22:03:49 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/x-files-i-want-to-beleive-directors-cut/ Before Ryan Coogler’s reboot of The X-Files arrives, Disney will be giving us a brand-new cut of the 2008 thriller The X-Files: I Want to Believe. According to a news release from Disney, the company will drop The X-Files: I Want to Believe – Director's Cut on Disney Plus on June 11.

Title: How to reach the Alien Ruins in Subnautica 2 Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 21:36:36 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/subnautica-2-how-to-reach-alien-ruins-survive-collector-leviathan/ Getting to Subnautica 2's Alien Ruins is your first big traversal challenge in the game. You leave the safety of your home waters behind and strike out into the depths, where mysteries await — and a lot of very big, angry fish that want to eat you. There's a trick for avoiding them safely and some things you'll need to do before you set out for the ruins, though.

Title: PlayStation confirms it will no longer bring narrative exclusives to PC Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 21:06:43 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/sony-playstation-exclusives-officially-ending-pc/ PlayStation is abandoning its PC release strategy for most of its first-party games, according to a social media post from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. He reported PlayStation studio business group CEO Hermen Hulst made the announcement during a company town hall on Monday.

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

Title: Linked and Loaded: Gaijin Single Sign-On Now Available on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 07 May 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gaijin-sso/ Less typing, more tanking. Faster logins mean more time in the gaming action — and this week provides GeForce NOW members with a smoother path straight into the battlefield. Cloud gaming is all about instant access to titles across devices, and the latest GeForce NOW update removes another layer for members jumping into their Gaijin libraries from anywhere. With seven games joining the cloud this week, the action keeps growing — now backed by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 performance for Ultimate members across nearly the full GeForce NOW library, spanning both Ready-to-Play and Install-to-Play titles. One Gaijin Login to Rule Them All Less typing, more tanking. Gaijin account linking is now cleared for takeoff on GeForce NOW, making it easier to jump straight into battle without extra logins. With Gaijin single sign-on, one quick sign-in connects a Gaijin.net account to the cloud, so supported titles are ready to launch with fewer clicks and no password juggling. Just head to the GeForce NOW app on PC or Mac, dive into the settings and log in under “Connections.” Once linked, supported Gaijin games on GeForce NOW — like the combined-arms chaos of War Thunder — are ready to stream without logging in each time. It’s the same library-first, platform-linking magic members already enjoy with Xbox, Ubisoft Connect and more, now extended to Gaijin so existing PC accounts work seamlessly across devices. Groovy New Games Groove or go down. Dead as Disco from Brain Jar Games drops players into a neon-soaked fever dream where every punch, dodge and takedown hits on the beat. This rhythm-infused brawler blends stylish combat with pulsing tracks, turning each fight into a dance floor showdown. Chain combos, stay in sync and keep the groove alive as the chaos escalates. Now available to stream on GeForce NOW, it’s all about timing, flair and fighting like the music never stops In addition, members can look for the following games, all ready to play on GeForce RTX 5080-power for Ultimate members: Dead as Disco (New release on Steam, May 5) HUNTDOWN: OVERTIME (New release on Steam, May 7) Nuclear Option (Steam) Sintopia (Steam) Kiln (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Hotel Architect (Steam) PowerWash Simulator 2 (Xbox, available on Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. What has been your most-played game so far this year? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) May 5, 2026

Title: It’s Gonna Be May: 16 Games Hit the Cloud This Month, With More NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 Power Date: Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:00:47 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-may-2026-games-list/ [Editor’s note] The blog has been updated to note that GeForce RTX 5080-power expansion also extends to the Install-to-Play library. It’s gonna be May — and the cloud’s in full festival mode.  16 games are joining GeForce NOW this month, including new AAA titles arriving on launch day from Steam, Xbox, PC Game Pass and GOG, so members can stream their PC libraries instantly across almost any device. Headline launches include the highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6 and 007 First Light, both ready to hit the cloud on day one. Meanwhile, the GeForce NOW Ultimate membership dials things up with expanded RTX 5080‑class performance across the cloud gaming library, bringing higher frame rates, richer visuals and more responsive gameplay to even more of the games members already love. Ultimate members now get priority access to RTX 5080‑class rigs, making it easier than ever to tap into next‑generation PC power from almost any device. GeForce NOW is also celebrating 30 years of Firaxis in style, with more of the studio’s classics coming as Install‑to‑Play titles for instant access — just in time for a Steam celebration sale on select Firaxis games supported in the cloud. And this week kicks things off with six new games dropping into the cloud, setting the stage for a May packed with new adventures. The Cloud Keeps Getting Bigger AAA titles are landing throughout the month on their launch dates. Members can pick them up from their favorite PC stores — Steam, Xbox, PC Game Pass and GOG — and stream their PC gaming libraries instantly on GeForce NOW without having to repurchase titles to play across devices. The highly anticipated titles hitting the cloud this month include:  Stream it on GeForce NOW. Forza Horizon 6 from Playground Games: The Horizon festival is back and bigger than ever. This is Horizon Japan — stretching from the iconic downtown streets of Tokyo City all the way to the snowy Japanese Alps — introducing the most dense and vertical map yet. A massive new open world, a stacked car roster and that legendary “one more race” energy are all heading to GeForce NOW on the title’s launch date. Members can pick it up on PC via Steam and Xbox, including Game Pass, then hit full throttle from the cloud on almost any device. 007 First Light from IO Interactive: The game brings a modern James Bond origin story to the cloud when it launches Wednesday, May 27, for PC, inviting members to step into the shadows as Bond begins his journey. Experience a mix of stealth and action built around a “breathing” gameplay loop with IOI’s cinematic, set piece-driven storytelling. Approach encounters through stealth, direct action or creative improvisation, with multiple viable paths to each objective that let players define Bond’s style. It’s ready on day one for players grabbing it on Steam, Xbox on PC or GOG. More Power GeForce NOW Ultimate is expanding what premium cloud gaming looks like. Starting today, Ultimate members can stream even more of their games on RTX 5080 virtual gaming rigs — bringing the power of the NVIDIA Blackwell RTX architecture to a wide range of titles. This update significantly broadens access to 5080 performance beyond the list of GeForce RTX 5080-optimized titles. Now, across nearly the entire GeForce NOW library, members can experience higher frame rates, richer visuals, and more responsive gameplay by default at up to 5K 120 frames per second or 360 fps at 1080p. With RTX 5080 in the cloud, Ultimate members unlock the same cutting-edge features available to GeForce RTX 50 Series GPU owners. That includes NVIDIA DLSS 4 technology for sharper image quality and higher performance, NVIDIA Reflex for reduced system latency and faster input response, and advanced ray tracing for more lifelike lighting and reflections.  With RTX 5080 powering the default Ultimate experience, GeForce NOW delivers next-generation performance to more games, extending the value of a GeForce NOW membership. See more details in the knowledgebase article. 30 Years of ‘One More Turn’ Happy 30th, O mighty Firaxis Games. GeForce NOW is celebrating three decades of Firaxis — the legendary studio behind Civilization and XCOM — with a growing lineup of some of the best strategy games on the cloud. Throughout May, GeForce NOW is rolling out a collection of classic Firaxis games, available as Install-to-Play titles for instant access. Expanding beyond Civilization V and Civilization VI and the series’ signature “one more turn” gameplay,  GeForce NOW will showcase the studio’s broader legacy.  Take to the stars in Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, lay tracks in Sid Meier’s Railroads!, defend the globe in XCOM 2, and command the skies in Ace Patrol and Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies. Add to that the anniversary celebration on Steam with discounts of up to 90% on games in the Firaxis catalog for a limited time. It’s the perfect time for members to build their Firaxis collection in the cloud. May-jor New Games One wrong turn from glory to graveyard. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is the official prequel that returns to the roots of the genre-defining, critically acclaimed turn-based strategy series. Raise grand armies and wield devastating spells to overcome foes in solo and multiplayer, set against a grim, war-torn world of uneasy alliances and hard choices. Now available to stream on GeForce NOW, every decision shapes a path defined by power, strategy and hard-earned victories All roads lead to Rome. Some also lead directly into a volcano. Anno 117: PAX Romana is turning up the heat with its first downloadable content (DLC), Prophecies of Ash, dropping a massive new volcanic island into the heart of the Roman empire. Build a thriving city on Cinis, juggle new production chains like obsidian crafting and new items, and try to stay on the good side of Vulcan — a new deity to worship —  while a very active volcano looks in the background. Additionally, the DLC introduces a new resource a new trader, Ceacilia, and several new specialists. Available to stream on GeForce NOW, the DLC is ready to play without waiting on big downloads or patches — just jump in, claim the new land and see whether the empire can handle a little fire and brimstone. Check out what else is available this week: Global Rescue (New release on Steam, April 27) s&box (New release on Steam, April 28) Far Far West (New release on Steam, April 28) INDUSTRIA 2 (New release on Steam, April 29) Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, April 30) Bus Bound (New release on Steam, April 30) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Conan Exiles (New release on Steam and Epic Games Store, May 5) Dead as Disco (New release on Steam, May 5) HUNTDOWN: OVERTIME (New release on Steam, May 7) Outbound (New release on Steam, May 14) Starminer (New release on Steam, May 27) Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core (New release on Steam, May 18) Forza Horizon 6 (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, May 19) Luna Abyss (New release on Steam, May 21) ZERO PARADES (New release on Steam, May 21) 007 First Light (New release on Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on the Microsoft store, May 27) Hotel Architect (Steam) Kiln (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Nuclear Option (Steam) Sintopia (Steam) Sudden Strike 5 (Steam) Super Battle Golf (Steam) Adding to April In addition to the 10 games announced last month, 11 more joined the GeForce NOW library: ‘83 (Steam) Crimson Desert (Xbox, available to play via Xbox Play Anywhere) DayZ (Xbox, available on Game Pass)  Diablo III (Ubisoft Connect) MapleStory M (Steam) Morbid Metal (Steam) PRAGMATA SKETCHBOOK – Demo (Steam) Rayman: 30th Anniversary Edition (Steam and Ubisoft) Tides of Tomorrow (Steam) Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (Xbox) Windrose (Steam) Outbound didn’t make it to the cloud this month due to its launch date being moved. Stay tuned to GFN Thursdays for the latest. What are you planning to play this weekend? 

Title: Tag, You’re It: GeForce NOW Levels Up Game Discovery With Xbox Game Pass and Ubisoft+ Labels Date: Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:00:51 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-in-app-labels/ GeForce NOW is doubling down on what matters most: gamers. This week’s upgrades bring smarter libraries, making it easier than ever for gamers to turn a PC collection into a cloud-powered flex. It starts with giving existing libraries time to shine. Gamers can bring the games they love to the cloud, stream them with high performance and see the value of a GeForce NOW membership grow with new games, rewards and features. First up, finding something to play gets an upgrade. The new in-app labels, first announced at GDC, are now live — making it simple to spot titles and new releases from connected subscription services like Xbox Game Pass and Ubisoft+. All that sets the stage for six new games rolling onto the cloud this week. Leading the charge is Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard, a chaotic new spin on the fast, unpredictable and packed-with-personality Vampire Survivors universe. Even the vampires can’t avoid the spotlight this time. Round it out with a thunderous new Marvel Rivals skin for Thor, and it’s a lineup fitted to perfection. Just Play It GeForce NOW lets members connect their existing gaming subscriptions to bring more of their games with them on the go, across devices. Today, keeping track of which games can be streamed just got even easier. New in‑app game labels on GeForce NOW make it easy to see which titles are part of Xbox Game Pass or Ubisoft+ game libraries once accounts are connected. Tagged and ready. Clear labels now appear directly on each game’s details — eliminating guesswork and making it simple to see exactly what’s available to play instantly from connected subscriptions. Stream hundreds of NVIDIA RTX-powered titles with a single click. More clarity, less searching — and one more reason the cloud gaming library has never looked better. Feeding Time Make sure to bite hard. Get fired up for the feeding frenzy — Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard is a roguelite horde escape game that stacks absurd power‑ups and turns every run into a highlight reel of close calls. Stay mobile, grab upgrades and try not to become the snack. Every build becomes a delightful walking disaster, with weapons, perks and abilities combining into wild synergies that can turn a run from barely surviving to absolutely steamrolling in just a few upgrades. Dense enemy waves, screen‑filling attacks and unpredictable upgrade paths keep each attempt fresh — and dangerously prone to “one more run.” On GeForce NOW, all that chaos stays razor sharp, with smooth performance for dodge‑heavy moments, crisp effects even when the screen is packed and the ability to jump back into the madness from any supported device. Thunder Drip Thor is striking poses again. The God of Thunder is trading his classic red cape for an umber‑toned, battle‑ready look that can only mean one thing: a serious style upgrade. GeForce NOW Premium members get first access to the Thor Midgard Umber Skin in Marvel Rivals starting today, and those on the free tier can grab it starting Friday, April 24, bringing stormy flair to the battlefield.  Claim the reward by Saturday, May 23 — or before Odin hoards them all. Redeem through the GeForce NOW account portal and enter the code in game on Steam. Then stride forth, majestic and moody, because this look is eternal — at least until the next mythic crossover. Time for Adventures Members can look for the following new games this week: Vampire Crawlers: The Turbo Wildcard from Vampire Survivors (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, April 21) Tides of Tomorrow (New release on Steam, April 22, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) ‘83 (New release on Steam, April 23, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Diablo III (New release on Ubisoft Connect, April 23) Crimson Desert (Xbox, available to play via Xbox Play Anywhere, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) MapleStory M (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Settled Systems Pandora Raccoon City Thanks for taking us on a trip through the cloud @airiesummer #GFNShare pic.twitter.com/4XKgnCPl6J — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) April 21, 2026

Title: No Need for Space Gear — Capcom’s ‘PRAGMATA’ Joins GeForce NOW on Launch Day Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-pragmata/ Head straight for orbit with GeForce NOW — no space helmet required.  PRAGMATA, Capcom’s long-awaited sci-fi action adventure, touches down on GeForce NOW the same day it launches worldwide. The futuristic journey through a cold lunar station in the near future can be streamed instantly from the cloud to almost any device, no console or heavy hardware needed. That’s only the beginning. Five new titles join the cloud this week, expanding April’s gaming galaxy with fresh adventures and endless possibilities.  Plus, the GeForce NOW Ultimate membership comes to gamers in India for the first time, with the service now available in beta and operated by NVIDIA.                Time to see what’s landing on GeForce NOW. A Mission Gone Wrong PRAGMATA is Capcom’s newest sci-fi action adventure that blends heart, high-tech and a hauntingly quiet world set in the near future. Step into the boots of Hugh Williams, an investigator navigating a lunar research station gone silent and Diana, a young android. Armed with an arsenal of weapons and the ability to hack, every corridor and console becomes part of a cinematic experience filled with tense exploration and fast-paced action. The story unfolds amid the cold vacuum of the moon after a massive quake hits the station researching Lunafilament — a material said to be able to create anything given enough data. Awake, injured and disoriented, Hugh crosses paths with Diana, the mysterious android girl known as a Pragmata. Now, they must work together as they face the rogue station on their way back to Earth. PRAGMATA shines in stunning clarity with ray-traced lighting and NVIDIA DLSS 4 technology boosting frame rates and image quality. Stream it on launch day at full fidelity, even without the latest hardware — no need to wait on a large install or worry about hardware specs. Hugh and Diana’s lunar mystery is ready when the moment strikes. Let’s Play Today Heroes in the cloud don’t have to wait for updates. Fortnite: Save the World is now free and ready to stream instantly on GeForce NOW. The storm hits hard and the heroes hit harder — jump into a co-op adventure that mixes base-building, looting and all-out action against waves of Husks. Craft the ultimate fort, set sneaky traps and team up to protect what’s left of the world — no waiting for updates or patches, just pure fight-and-build mayhem. The storm’s closing in, but thanks to the cloud, the party’s jumping right into the action. “Save the World” isn’t available on mobile devices, including tablets. In addition, members can look for the following: REPLACED (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, April 14, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Windrose (New release on Steam, April 14, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss (New release on Steam, April 16, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) PRAGMATA (New release on Steam, April 16, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) PRAGMATA SKETCHBOOK – DEMO (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. You’re loading into a game and can invite ONE person to your squad… Who’s your pick? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) April 15, 2026

Title: Time travel, trials, and treasure awaits in The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/18/time-travel-trials-and-treasure-awaits-in-the-adventures-of-elliot-the-millennium-tales/ We’re excited to show you more of the early portion of Elliot and Faie’s adventure in The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, coming to PS5 June 18. At this point in the game, our dynamic duo has teamed up and ventured through a Doorway of Time, granting them access to the Age of Reconstruction, which is 250 years in the past. You’ll see how the people of this era cling together in a village called Littlehope, eking out an existence with meager resources and defenses. From here, Elliot and Faie will embark into a dangerous world that resembles their home in the Era of Safekeeping, but subtle differences will keep the spark of exploration alive. One of the main attractions in this demo is the Doorway Ruins, located in the eastern section of Philabieldia. This dungeon has it all: platforming, puzzles, plenty of beastmen to do battle with, and treasure to discover. You can even get a powerful new sword for Elliot, which will come in handy when you go to face the dungeon’s formidable boss, the Tag Guardians. In this fight, you’ll have to defeat a Greatsword Guardian and a Great Bow Guardian. The guardians move quickly and aggressively, with the Greatsword Guardian wielding a huge blade with surprising range and the Great Bow Guardian launching shots at you from afar. Elliot has all seven weapon types available to him in this demo, so you can find the strategy that works best for you. With the hammer, for example, Elliot can unleash a devastating charge attack, and with the boomerang, he can deal damage from afar. By changing up Elliot’s magicite setup, you can also find new ways to customize the combat experience to your liking. Faie’s magic will also come in handy as she can help Elliot speedily escape a tricky situation. Speaking of Faie’s abilities, it’s also possible to unlock a new power for her in this demo. By seeking out the Shrine of the Mystic, Faie can learn the Warp ability, which enables Elliot to teleport to her location. This is super useful for solving puzzles and for evading enemy attacks. There’s plenty more for Elliot and Faie to do beyond the Doorway Ruins and Shrine of the Mystic. The pair can freely fast travel to any discovered adventuring guideposts in the two eras unlocked in this demo, so you can check out what secrets the world has to offer. One fun piece of side content we’ve implemented is cat collecting, which is exactly what it sounds like. Throughout the world, you’ll find cats that you can collect on behalf of a cat-fancying traveler. You’ll get various rewards for your efforts, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out for any stray felines. When you want to take a break from adventuring, you can also check out Faie’s Magic Lessons, which are fun minigames accessed through the menu. The sprint minigame in particular is a favorite of ours, and it will have you racing down an icy mountain, pursued by an avalanche. Through these minigames, you can unlock records that allow you to listen to the in-game soundtrack. I hope this preview has grabbed your interest. This is just a small look at what the full game has to offer, and we can’t wait for you to embark on your journey with Elliot and Faie when The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales launches on PlayStation 5 on June 18, 2026. To give you a better glimpse of what to expect, we’re excited to share a Q&A with the development team. (Note: All answers are translated from Japanese.) Why did you choose to make this an action RPG rather than a turn-based game?  Tomoya Asano: Through the HD-2D visual style, we first explored the RPG genre with  Octopath Traveler, followed by the strategy genre with Triangle Strategy. Building on that progression, we wanted to reach an even broader, newer audience with this latest entry, which led us to adopt the action RPG genre for this title.  As the development team, what lessons did you learn from other HD-2D games that you applied to this project? Could you tell us about the challenges you faced in incorporating HD-2D into the action gameplay, and how you overcame them? Naofumi Matsushita: The appeal of HD-2D lies in the fact that, by using 3D backgrounds, we can create a sense of depth in the maps and scenery, even though the characters are 2D. The challenge was how to fuse that strength with 2D action gameplay. In pixel-art 2D action games, the entire screen tends to be dominated by the ground of the map. However, that prevents players from feeling the depth of a 3D environment, and the visuals can end up feeling rather dull to users. In this title, particularly in the field areas, we’ve implemented a drum roll technique where the map curves in the background to reveal distant terrain. By applying unique innovations to further maximize the visible range, we’ve created an experience that conveys a sense of depth despite being a 2D action game. We achieved this through careful coordination with the development team, and is a key creative aspect that differs from our previous HD-2D titles. Furthermore, we’ve introduced a unique element—controlling your fairy partner Faie—and added elements to the core battle system that allow players to use their own strategies. Our intention was to let players enjoy traditional fun within a beautiful visual style while also providing a new experience through these unique elements. We achieved this balance by playing the game extensively and refining it day by day. Could you tell us about the development team’s vision for this time-travel action RPG?  Tomoya Asano: Having worked on many RPGs over the years, I’ve come to realize that the past plays a crucial role in storytelling. The idea that if players could actually experience that past led to the creation of a storyline where you travel back through time using the Doorway of Time to explore different eras. So, rather than traveling to every corner of the world, this story focuses on untangling the history of a single nation within a specific region. Naofumi Matsushita: The tagline is derived from, “Hope is always there,” a phrase that appears in the story itself and holds deep significance for us. I’d like players to discover and experience the theme and message for themselves by actually playing the game. And I would love for players to enjoy this thousand year journey as they experience the history of the town and the lives of its people unfold across the four eras. We hope you enjoyed this extended look at The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, and prepare to explore more dungeons and take on giant bosses when the game arrives on June 18 for PS5.

Title: Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 541: Legendary Run Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 17:20:09 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/15/official-playstation-podcast-episode-541-legendary-run/ Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! Sid, Kristen, and I are back this week to discuss min/maxing runs in Saros, the music and vibes of Mixtape, and other games that’ve been keeping us busy. We also have a special interview about Ghost of Yōtei Legends endgame raids with Sucker Punch Lead Designer Darren Bridges. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Darksiders: Warmastered Edition | PS5 R-Type Dimensions III | PS5 Coffee Talk Tokyo | PS5 Warhammer 40,000: Speed Freeks | PS5 Bubsy 4D | PS5 LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight | PS5 Scuf Omega PS5 controller — Check out the new officially licensed performance controller from Scuf. It features 28 inputs and numerous customization options to cater to a wide variety of gaming preferences. Saros “Finding Carcosa” dev diary  — Peek behind the curtain of the third-person sci-fi shooter and see how Housemarque brought protagonist Arjun to life. Spoiler: It’s a mix of performance tech and a bad experience with LA traffic jams. PlayStation Plus May Game Catalog PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Star Wars Outlaws | PS5  Red Dead Redemption 2 | PS4 Bramble: The Mountain King | PS5, PS4 The Thaumaturge | PS5 Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn | PS5 Broken Sword – Shadows of the Templar: Reforged  | PS5, PS4 Enotria: The Last Song Standard Edition | PS5 PlayStation Plus Premium Time Crisis | PS5, PS4 The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Sid Shuman – Senior Director of Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Kristen Zitani –  Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Title: Share of the Week: EA Sports FC 26 Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 16:02:53 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/15/share-of-the-week-ea-sports-fc-26/ Last week, we asked you to share your goal-winning moments from EA Sports FC 26, available to all PlayStation Plus members* as part of the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup for May. Here are this week’s highlightings: Photomode_Raro shares the ball being kicked up and close to the foreground. call_me_xavii shares a goalie holding the ball outside the goal. fsantos1697 shares a view of the crowd at the stadium. lucaslu_ckli shares a goalie reacting in disbelief at a goal, while the opposing player runs off Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: HandsSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on May 20, 2026  Next week, put ‘em up! Share moments focusing on characters using their hands in the game of your choice. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.  *PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day for more information.

Title: Ghost of Yōtei Legends Raid: building the multiplayer mode’s endgame Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:03 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/15/ghost-of-yotei-legends-raid-building-the-multiplayer-modes-endgame/ Launched last month, the Ghost of Yōtei Legends Raid forms the endgame of Sucker Punch’s multiplayer mode, as Ghosts face off against the last two of the supernatural Yōtei Six, The Dragon and Lord Saito. Well, them, plus a horde of warriors and labyrinth strongholds that four players must cooperate together to survive. With enough time now passed, we sat back down with Lead Designer Darren Bridges to delve into the creative processes behind the Raid. Spoilers follow, so if you’ve yet to level up and tackle the Raid, then bookmark this article until you’ve returned to the lobby flush with success. The full interview will be available to listen to later today on the Official PlayStation Podcast. Play Video “One of our original thoughts was: it’s like an escape room where people are trying to kill you.” The Raid’s elevator pitch “One of our original thoughts was: it’s like an escape room where people are trying to kill you. It’s four player, hardcore, challenging content. And there are puzzles that you need to work together as a team to complete. And, of course, there are enemies who are also trying to kill you, so it often will involve a lot of learning, coordinating, and performing as a team in order to succeed.” Learnings from Ghost of Tsushima Legends and its Raid “[Ghost of Tsushima Legends] was the first time we’d done anything like that as a studio. It had a lot of successes. It brought that level of challenge and learning and team coordination requirements. But it was also kind of unbalanced in the pacing and the length of it. A lot of players weren’t able to play it. The first time I played the second chapter of the Raid with my friends, I think it took six hours. So you had to have a group of four who were committed and could set out that amount of time. So it was epic, but it was also kind of inaccessible in that way. You know that you’re serving multiple audiences. When you’re building content, there are people who want really hardcore and those who don’t have that much time. They may want to play, but they may not be able to set aside that much time. So we wanted to enable those same experiences of challenge, but make it easier for players to step in. If they had to step away, they could rejoin. So this time in Ghost of Yōtei Legends, the missions are paced a little more consistently and, if we’ve enabled it so that if you replay it, you can play just the boss. So if your team has made it through the puzzles, but then you’re struggling with the boss, run out of time, someone has to leave… you can come straight back to the boss.” “I love hearing in a co-op game where there’s no text on screen naming something, how every team comes up with their own language for describing or expressing it.” Raid missions built to prepare you for what’s to come “When we were building the Raid, we wanted to introduce elements [on the mission to the boss encounter] that would prepare you for what you’re going to face in the fight. “So in The Dragon fight, you’ll see the giant Bo-Hiya missiles dropping, so you get a little bit of an introduction to that. And then Saito’s giant sword attack that is mostly undodgeable. If you hit your ultimate, you can avoid it, but it’s just kind of damage that you have to take. And so we introduce that ahead of his fight. We want them to make sense and build off the things that you learned throughout the rest of the experience. I would also say I love hearing in a co-op game where there’s no text on screen naming something, how every team comes up with their own language for describing or expressing it. Every time when we watch streams there’s a natural language evolution that happens in-game as people are trying to describe this thing and communicate to each other.” Adding new threats to throw players off their game… “In The Dragon fight, there’s a moment where bombs start dropping on individual players, and you have to run around. In Legends in general, you can’t hurt other players, but suddenly there’s bombs dropping on you. So wherever you go, you’re creating a danger area. So as everyone’s panicking, you see someone running towards you, and if you cross paths, you’re both going to get blown up by the bombs that are falling. So you have to coordinate to either avoid the giant bombs or destroy them.”  …and discovering surprising ways to counter those dangers “If you are a Shinobi and vanish, the bombs stop tracking you, stop dropping. And if you can get near your teammates and cause them all to vanish, it’ll skip that entire bomb drop sequence. That was actually something that we didn’t plan for. But when we were testing it, we saw it, and we’re like, oh, that’s actually really awesome.” “We wanted to create moments which we call ‘Group Jump Rope’, where everyone has to do something together as a team, and other moments where one person can be the hero and carry and support the rest of the team.” Built to work together… “A lot of our combat team play Raids in different games. Especially boss-type Raids. So they’re excited to express that design in the Yōtei universe and with the Yōtei combat mechanics. “One of my favorite parts is the Shadow Saito guys that attack you. I mean, I hate them. But the fun part is it’s a great moment for players to practice calling things out for each other. If one player sees the boss getting ready to summon you can call it out, and then everyone else can prepare and try to react in time. We wanted to create moments which we call ‘Group Jump Rope’, where everyone has to do something together as a team, and other moments where one person can be the hero and carry and support the rest of the team. So you want blends of those throughout the battle.” …and Builds to work together “We wanted to have elements that would reward or encourage different build types, or build craft and people bringing their ingenuity and theory to it. We made sure to place a Gear Station right at the beginning of the [Saito] boss fight. So anytime you die as a team, you’ll start back right at the Gear Station. You can tweak your build. And for that fight, you’ll want some perfect parry buffs, to help you against the shadow warriors. Then you need some way to deal with his health, reduce the damage from his big explosion attacks, either, you know, healing, or, you know, some other way. So we wanted the Team Build to impact the experience.” “Those teams have a different mindset, even in how they play. It feels like building an obstacle course with your local team and then throwing Olympians at it.”  Watching the first team of players complete the Raid “When you’re making something, you’re always like ‘no one’s going to beat that, this is going to be tough, this is going to slow people down’. And sometimes it does, and sometimes it doesn’t. “The world’s first team beat Saito, I think, in like two minutes. And they had spent, I think, an hour or so leading up to that point. And so I thought, oh, you know, I was thinking, proportionally, it’ll probably be another half hour or something… and they just headshot him. They found the most kind of efficient and optimal way to defeat him. And that team, those teams, have a different mindset, even in how they play. It feels like building an obstacle course with your local team and then throwing Olympians at it. But it’s awesome. You never know exactly what will happen, but that’s part of what makes it exciting. And then a lot of the other teams that we watched took more of what we would have expected, two to three hours, to learn and repeat and practice and defeat that boss. So there’s always a variety. “There’s not many times in game development where you actually get to release content and see how people react. It’s especially fun with Raid type content, where teams have prepared leading up to that point. It’s really cool when they’re streaming with a Raid team, they will often have their mics on and broadcasting audio. You get a window into what they’re thinking as they’re playing and that communication… you get to see all of it evolving as they’re playing. It’s a very clear window into their full experience. So as developers, that’s really fun to see.” A Ghosts’ tale concluded  “The Raid update was our last major planned update for Legends. It finishes the story of the Yōtei Six in that mode. We’ve loved to see players playing it, continue to play it and enjoy it. It’s been great.” You can enjoy the Raid and the entire elections multiplayer mode with Ghost of Yōtei, available now on PlayStation 5.

Title: Creating Saros: how performance tech and a bad commute brought Arjun Devraj to life Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 15:00:47 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/05/14/creating-saros-how-performance-tech-and-a-bad-commute-brought-arjun-devraj-to-life/ You grip your controller until your thumbs go numb. You’re just gonna go on one more run. Hypnotic waves of colorful bullets fill the screen as you weave through the chaos, locked into an adrenaline-pumped flow state. But beneath that audiovisual and technical excellence, there are narrative reasons to explore the hostile alien world of Carcosa. Play Video The Soltari Enforcer, Arjun Devraj, played by actor Rahul Kohli, is deployed alongside a rescue crew, to Carcosa to secure a lost mining colony, though he may be harboring ulterior motives. The story of Saros takes Housemarque in a new bold direction, and it’s all propped on the shoulders of the actors behind these performances. ​​ Finding Carcosa: Becoming Arjun is a behind-the-scenes documentary that explores how Arjun came to life. Taking you onto the performance capture stage, the film features exclusive footage and new interviews with Kohli and the development team, detailing exactly what it took for Arjun to find his voice. “As both a filmmaker and a lifelong gamer, I’ve always been fascinated by what makes a video game character truly feel authentic. Really pop out of the screen. With this episode, I wanted to not only peel back the curtain to share a glimpse of the technical side of performance capture, but also shine some light on the human process behind it.” says Paul J. Vogel, the director of the three-part Finding Carcosa documentary series. The tech and freedom of performance capture “I hated it,” laughs Rahul when asked about his first day on the performance capture stage. “It’s a very strange feeling. You spend most of your time worrying how you look in this lycra wet suit, wishing you’d gone to the gym. It takes an hour or two before you stop feeling silly. That’s the strange thing. It starts tech heavy – calibrating your fingers. And then once you’ve done that, it felt like an empty stage with actors and a director, and a script. Most actors are comfortable with doing a lot with very little. From day one in a rehearsal space, you are working without props, without stage furniture. Everything else, [the tech], has just gone.” Rahul references advice he received from Troy Baker. “He said it was the purest form of acting you’ll ever do. And he was right. I’m not playing to the camera… it’s just about me and [the other actors].” Finding the characters by focusing on story-driven scenes first The studio made sure to organise the shoot order so the cast could settle into the character’s roles, and find their respective voices. “We started with a lot more of the dream elements,” explains Louden. “That way they didn’t need to know exactly who they were. They could be more dreamlike and from there go into the more realistic, naturalistic performance.” Gamer-turned-game protagonist “He’s [Rahul Kolhi] a gamer as well, so he knows what he is looking for a videogame character,” reminisces senior narrative designer Khalil Osaimi. “On set he had so many notes, even with the script. It was really interesting to see him collaborate with Greg, because it was like two kids with action figures [laughs]. They created a fantastic spectacle. “That collaboration was how to add these little details for players, and bring this level of authenticity whether players are watching the performance capture or hearing the voice over… it feels real.” How a traffic jam helped Rahul find Arjun’s voice “I had to catch a flight, and Housemarque wouldn’t have access to me for six months,” says Kolhi. “And they needed the trailer. And in order for me to make my flight I had to record on the other side of town in LA crazy early. And I’m stuck in traffic. And I was so worked up and angry at seven, eight in the morning. We recorded the teaser trailer. And that voice that came out was angrier, more intense than anything we’d done or explored previously. And Greg and I were immediately like… ‘wait, that’s him. That’s who we’ve been looking for’…. being angry and not being good enough to hide it… that was where Arjun was really born.” “Rahul’s anecdote about finding the true voice of Arjun is the perfect summary of how sometimes the creative nature of storytelling can be unpredictable. It’s funny because it is so completely unglamorous. Stuck in traffic, already late for a recording session and up against the clock for a departing flight. It shows how a character can come alive from research, rehearsal and collaboration with your director… but sometimes all it really takes is one very bad commute,” Paul continues It was not only amazing to see Rahul’s dedication to find Arjun, but also how much it meant to him on a personal level. You can feel how Saros is a milestone in his career that he might have not even dared to dream of some years ago. As both an actor and an avid gamer, he understood the assignment and felt the weight in bringing to life a character that hopefully would resonate with gamers across the world. Thank you so much Rahul and the whole cast, and a thank you to all our players as well. Saros is available now on PS5.

Title: Cancelled Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake's voiced protagonist and naked robo-person bums bared in this reportedly leaked cinematic Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 15:35:43 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/cancelled-star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-remakes-voiced-protagonist-and-naked-robo-person-bums-bared-in-this-reportedly-leaked-cinematic I'm losing you, naked blue placeholder person with a tiny red blaster and tiny bare bottom standing on my arm! Wait, what was that? Oh no, I, purple-faced placeholder robo-person am being sucked out of an airlock, as is my partner, red-faced placeholder robo-person. Our bare bottoms will never survive in the lethal void of space! It's ok, though. Thanks to some quick thinking, we'll make it out of what appears to be an early-in-production cinematic from the first interation of the Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic remake, which has been in relative development limbo for a while now. Read more

Title: "That lore terrifies me": Ex-Valve writer Chet Faliszek isn't interested in writing a Half-Life 3, as he wouldn't touch a sequel "with with a 10-foot pole" Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 14:20:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/that-lore-terrifies-me-ex-valve-writer-chet-faliszek-isnt-interested-in-writing-a-half-life-3-as-he-wouldnt-touch-a-sequel-with-with-a-10-foot-pole Stop it. Stop trying to make him do it. He won't. He will not do it. He's been very clear with you. Yes, you, seemingly random commenter who's suggested that making Half-Life 3 would be a piece of cake. Former Valve writer Chet Faliszek doesn't reckon it would be. The mythical sequel's also not something he'd be interested in penning, because he's not a fan of having to deal with a tonne of established lore. Read more

Title: Sure, a new GTA 6 trailer would be nice, but it doesn't have a hope of matching the cultural significance of GTA 4's second reveal Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 13:49:25 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/sure-a-new-gta-6-trailer-would-be-nice-but-it-doesnt-have-a-hope-of-matching-the-cultural-significance-of-gta-4s-second-reveal There are whispers on the wind that a new trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 will be out this week. There were whispers it would be last week, too. Whenever the next look at Rockstar’s open world crime-’em-up arrives, it's unlikely it will have the cultural impact of Grand Theft Auto 4's second trailer. Not even Rockstar had an inkling of what GTA 4's trailers would kick off. In part because it's got nothing to do with Niko Bellic, his cousin, or even bowling. Read more

Title: Extraction shooter spinoff EVE Vanguard will let you salvage ships destroyed in EVE Online, then flog the parts back to their owners Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 12:08:25 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/extraction-shooter-spinoff-eve-vanguard-will-let-you-salvage-ships-destroyed-in-eve-online-then-flog-the-parts-back-to-their-owners EVE Vanguard, the latest attempt by Fenris 'I Can’t Believe It’s Not CCP Games' Creations at crafting a first-person shooter counterpart to EVE Online, continues to gestate within Iceland’s best-funded spinoff vats. Nearly three years after being revealed as a Shoot, Loot 'n' Scoot extraction game, it’s running its first alpha playtest – titled Operation Avalon – from July 7th-20th, with Fenris staff promising attendees of last week’s EVE FanFest event that it will dutifully tighten up the gunplay that players of previous 'pre-alpha' tests criticised as loose and floaty. More intriguing, however, is what the company calls an "economic bridge" between EVEs Vanguard and Online: the ability to conduct on-foot Vanguard raids into ship graveyards, containing parts salvaged from real player-owned ships that were destroyed in the MMO’s space dogfights, before putting those parts up for sale back inside EVE Online itself. Thus opening a potential lifeline for defeated ship captains desperate to reclaim their stuff – or, perhaps more likely, the EVE universe’s biggest new hardware ransoming operation. Read more

Title: Subnautica 2 mod makes creatures killable, despite its devs' desire to convince players to "use non-violent and more creative solutions" Date: Mon, 18 May 2026 11:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/subnautica-2-mod-makes-creatures-killable-despite-its-devs-desire-to-convince-players-to-use-non-violent-and-more-creative-solutions Subnautica 2 is deliberately designed to nudge you away from seeking violent solutions to your 'oh lordy there's a giant leviathan chasing me' problems, with devs Unknown Worlds having been clear that strong feelings have propelled them down that path. Yet, as they've also acknowledged, not every Sub 2 player will agree: cue a mod that makes creatures killable quickly springing up now the survival game's out in early access. Read more