Title: Epic’s Tim Sweeney Keeps Inventing Solutions To Problems That Are Already Solved Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:30 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/tim-sweeney-epic-games-store-gen-ai-nfts-discord-2000710961 Quick, someone tell him what Discord is

Title: Falco In Star Fox Is Every Toxic DPS You’ve Ever Played With Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:46 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/star-fox-falco-voice-actor-lines-switch-2-2000710989 ‘I could use some of that teamwork!’

Title: Destiny 2′s Final Hotfix Gets Delayed After Sony Lays Off Some Of The People Working On It Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:47 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/destiny-2s-final-hotfix-gets-delayed-after-sony-lays-off-some-of-the-people-working-on-it-2000710981 Bungie is running out of chances to set things right in its sci-fi MMO before it's left behind for good

Title: Everything We Spotted In Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen’s New Spotlight Showcase Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:31:03 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/dragons-dogma-2-dark-arisen-dragonsplague-relics-weapon-skills-2000710941 Kento Kinoshita, Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen's original director, is returning for Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen

Title: The Forgotten GTA Game That Secretly Hides A Phil Collins Concert Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:21 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/the-forgotten-gta-game-that-secretly-hides-a-phil-collins-concert-2000710657 Also: The Florida Joker would like you to send him $100, please

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: Some Retailers Reportedly Spill The Tea On GTA 6 Gameplay Details Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:56:18 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/some-retailers-reportedly-spill-the-tea-on-gta-6-gameplay-details/ With Grand Theft Auto 6 a few months away from blowing up the entire industry on November 19, some retailers appear to be getting antsy, as a new leak floating around online is providing new details about the crime sim. Posted to the notorious GamingLeaksAndRumors subreddit on June 25, gameplay details on GTA 6 appear to come from the Brazilian version of Amazon. Some of this information doesn't seem particularly new—like the dual-protagonist system or the higher graphical fidelity—but other parts sound kinda enticing ... if it's to be believed. For example, the supposed leak mentions that this rendition of Vice City is "the most massive, dense, and insane map" developer Rockstar Games has ever created. There will be dangerous swamps, crowded beaches, and realistic suburbs "designed to deliver brutal immersion and total freedom." The two protagonists—Lucia and Jason, who people speculate are either lovers or siblings—possess unique abilities that "directly influence the criminal ecosystem and the tactical intelligence of the missions." That doesn't sound too dissimilar from the roles the triple characters of Grand Theft Auto 5—Franklin Clinton, Michael Townley, and Trevor Philips—had, but with a bit more impact on the game's narrative development and gameplay interactivity. What may be most fascinating, though, is the role social networks play in GTA 6. If this leak is true, your in-game phone will allow you to follow Vice City influencers, discover "secret side missions" and "world events," and watch viral videos. So, think TikTok, but in GTA. Maybe RobTok? TikCrime? We'll workshop those names. This all comes together in a vibrant "living world controlled by artificial intelligence." Vice City, according to the leak, will pulsate in "a hyper-realistic way," with NPCs going about their lives based on advanced AI, creating a more immersive experience that allows you to participate in random events and walk into interactive establishments. It's giving Watch Dogs 2, but with what sounds like "a greater sense of immersion." Take it all with a grain of salt, though. This leak comes right on the heels of Rockstar Games peeling back the curtain on how much GTA 6 will cost—$80, though there is a more expensive $100 Ultimate Edition—and the fact that you only get a download code in the box instead of a disc. Going download-only makes sense in theory in 2026, but while preorders are now live, people have thoughts about the price. This is especially true following Xbox's upcoming price increase, which now means you gotta be rich to buy GTA 6 and a console come November—if your retailer is even carrying the game, that is.

Title: Assassin’s Creed Shadows Ended Up Great–If You Played All The DLC Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:55:30 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/assassins-creed-shadows-ended-up-great-if-you-played-all-the-dlc/ Assassin's Creed Shadows' story has come to an end with the release of Black Tides, the game's final narrative expansion and a tie-in to Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. Black Tides is surprisingly very good. It's not perfect (it's got some extremely annoying boss fights) but its story missions and animations and pacing and structure are all leaps and bounds ahead of the base game for Shadows. It left me wishing that Black Tides, as well as the other bite-sized post-launch expansions that led up to this three-hour finale, had been the true plotline of the base game all along.  Since I've reviewed Assassin's Creed Shadows, I've increasingly soured on the structure of the base game's story, as well as how the story concludes. While I still think the opening act of Shadows is strong--it's more affecting and fun to play through than the first 10 hours of Odyssey, Valhalla, and Mirage at least--and contains several especially excellent performances from Masumi Tsunoda (the English voice of protagonist Naoe), I can no longer easily forgive the faults of Acts 2 and 3.  Act 2 is simply way too long and aimless, with dozens upon dozens of targets hidden in repetitive hunts that lack the necessary cohesion and structure to give protagonists Naoe and Yasuke compelling character arcs. This entire 35-hour chunk of the 50-hour story is just too disjointed and purposeless. And then Act 3 pulls too far away from Naoe, the better hero to play as, to focus on Yasuke, and while this three-ish-hour conclusion finally begins to bring Shadows' story into the Assassin's Creed mythos and Assassin-Templar conflict, it ends frustratingly abruptly. That ending was then followed by several story-driven expansions, releasing every few months in the year following Shadows' launch. And almost every single one of them increased my appreciation for Shadows, building on one another to give the action-RPG the ending it always deserved. The specific additional stories that best built Shadows up are A Critical Encounter, a crossover with Critical Role's Assassin's Creed Shadows One-Shot that refocuses the game on killing Templars; A Puzzlement, a short but exceptionally tricky treasure hunt that adds the Isu into Shadows and amazingly reminds everyone that Odyssey's Kassandra is trolling everyone in the background of every game; Claws of Awaji, which addresses the lingering threads of Shadows' cliffhanger ending; and then finally, Black Tides.  In my review of Assassin's Creed Shadows' Claws of Awaji expansion, I talked about how the DLC addresses my biggest qualms with the base game's structure during Act 2. Namely, that the DLC makes the target hunt more meaningful by providing concrete results for your efforts, shortening the overall hunt, and building up each of the targets of the hunt to be more memorable. In a similar way, Black Tides addresses my issues with Act 3, as it gives emotional stakes to Naoe and Yasuke's partnership, and ensures the two's journey ultimately concludes with both joining the greater mythos of the series. In Black Tides, Naoe and Yasuke encounter Black Cross agents (elite Templar operatives who largely have only existed in Assassin's Creed books and comics up to this point) named Eamon Hathaway and Nirmala. Both Black Cross immediately make it clear that they're not in Japan to follow up on the efforts of the Templar members that Yasuke has already killed in Japan--Eamon even comments that the machinations that Yasuke and Naoe foiled during the main game mean extremely little to him. Even though the Templar Order wants Naoe and Yasuke dead, Eamon says he's willing to leave them be if they agree to let him and Nirmala be. Our heroes do not just let things be, of course. Naoe and Yasuke investigate the two and, in an incredible twist, the two learn that the Black Cross are in Japan searching for the Observatory, the exact same McGuffin that Edward Kenway, the Assassins, and the Templars are still looking for over 100 years later during the events of Black Flag.  Given that the Observatory is in Jamaica and not Japan, Black Tides' race between the Templars and Team Naoe/Yasuke ends with both sides failing to find the site. However, the search does lead to a strong possible explanation as to how the Assassins possessed one of the cube-shaped blood vials ahead of the Templars. And, most fascinatingly, Black Tides hints at a potential reasoning for how Achilles Davenport was able to identify the Isu artifact at the end of Rogue's story on sight and realize he had too quickly misjudged Shay Cormac. In both cases, it seems as if Naoe and Yasuke took what they learned over the course of Black Tides' story and informed the leadership of the Assassin Brotherhood. Black Tides also seems to imply that the reason Yasuke is such a towering individual with a knack for warfare and an almost absurd level of plot armor when it comes to surviving what should be fatal wounds is because he has an abnormal amount of Isu DNA, making him like Odyssey's Kassandra. He's basically Assassin's Creed's version of a demigod, which retroactively sort of narratively explains why Yasuke has some of the superpower-like abilities of the action-RPG Assassin's Creed games, while Naoe's abilities are more human. It's an intriguing final reveal that feels on par with Minerva speaking to Desmond through Ezio at the end of Assassin's Creed II, or Abstergo Entertainment IT head John Standish revealing himself to be a Sage. Black Tides has me wanting to go back and replay Shadows to see how the development team might have been hinting toward Yasuke's true nature all along. In short, Black Tides establishes that the main plotline of Shadows is a silly goosechase in the overall politics of the rest of the world (which feels extremely validating based on how I felt the game mishandled that plotline), delivers several fun nods to other Assassin's Creed games and stories (including Shao Jun--the best part of Embers and Chronicles: China), reminds the audience that Kassandra is a delightful troll who should be included in every Assassin's Creed game in some way from here on out, and sets up the plotline for the next entry in the series: Black Flag Resynced. It ends in a way that--while still a bit of a cliffhanger--feels far more conclusive and rewarding than the base game of Shadows, and makes me excited to see what happens next (even if I already know what that story is because I played the original Black Flag 13 years ago). For the first time, Shadows feels like a true Assassin's Creed. Black Tides also just looks better than the base game Shadows. The cutscenes seem sharper, with the characters' faces being more expressive and the voice acting being more memorable and less wooden--I was totally caught off guard by just how goshdarn charming and witty Eamon was, which felt like a nod back to when Assassin's Creed had incredible villains. And the cutscenes had, remarkably, animations. Characters moved and acted like people, not awkward puppets, and duels between characters featured people running and sliding and jumping and twirling ... this seems silly, but trust me, lifelike movement has been missing from Assassin's Creed since the switch to the Ubisoft Anvil engine back in 2020. In fact, that is one of my biggest worries about Black Flag Resynced--some of the brand-new cinematics look very bad in comparison to the original cutscenes.  Best of all, Black Tides doesn't continue Shadows' habit of undermining its best idea: its two protagonists. The story has missions exclusive to Naoe and some that are exclusive to Yasuke. We get to have moments purposely structured for one hero or the other. And guess what? It's perfect. Because the story makes sure Naoe is in one spot and Yasuke in another instead of leaving it up to player choice, their relationship can actually develop based on the events of the story, and every mission can be structured with intent around their respective combat and traversal abilities. It took us until the end of the game's development to get here but we did, and it reinforces that Shadows should have always been like this. And that's my main takeaway for Black Tides: Why are we getting this story at the end of a year's worth of content drops? Why were all of Shadows' best ideas reserved for paid expansions and free updates? Shadows is what it is; there's no changing it now. But I can't help but wish that the game's fantastic first act had led into a far more concise and narrative-driven Act 2 that emulated the structure of Claws of Awaji, and then concluded with the Black Cross coming in for a Templar-centric Act 3 that set up Black Flag Resynced. And for this hypothetical reimagining of Shadows, we could have gotten memorable villains that you wanted to interact with, not simply check off of a massive kill list, and the cutscenes could have injected more life into each character than the uncanny, puppet-like movements that we got.  Still, thanks to Black Tides, I'm now more looking forward to Black Flag Resynced than I was a few months ago. I'm more confident that Ubisoft can achieve some level of life and dramatic performance with cutscenes in the Ubisoft Anvil engine, and I'm now curious as to whether Black Flag Resynced will feature new storylines that tie it more heavily to Naoe and Yasuke's tale. But as excited as I am, I'm also a little sad. This last update for Shadows hinted at a stronger vision for the game than the one we got and, for the first time in my 100+ hours with Shadows, I understood (even if only briefly) what Ubisoft Quebec was going for with the dual-protagonist set-up. Shadows has always been a good action-RPG, but apparently this entire time, it could have been a great Assassin's Creed.

Title: Mega Skarmory Pokemon Go Raids: Weaknesses, Best Counters, And Best Moveset Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:38:38 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/mega-skarmory-pokemon-go-raids-weaknesses-best-counters-and-best-moveset/ Pokemon Go is holding its next Super Mega Raid Day this Saturday, June 27, and it's introducing another new Mega-Evolved Pokemon to the game: Mega Skarmory.  While standard Skarmory favors defense, Mega Skarmory is a quick and powerful attacker, making it a formidable opponent in battle. It's also one of the coolest new forms in the game, gaining golden armor and giant, razor-sharp talons upon Mega Evolving. To help you conquer the new Super Mega Raid boss, we've rounded up some tips on how to defeat Mega Skarmory, including recommended counters and the best moves to teach it once you have one on your team. In This Article Mega Skarmory Raid Day Hours And BonusesMega Skarmory WeaknessesBest Mega Skarmory CountersBest Moves For Mega Skarmory Mega Skarmory Raid Day Hours And Bonuses Mega Skarmory is only appearing in Super Mega Raids on June 27. These Raids will occur from 2 to 5 PM local time and are even more challenging than standard ones, requiring a group of at least seven players who each have their own Mega-Evolved Pokemon. Fortunately, a few bonuses will be active during the event to make it easier to join Raids. The number of Remote Raid Passes you can hold is temporarily being bumped up to 20, and you can get up to six regular Raid Passes for free by spinning the Photo Discs at Gyms. You can see the full list of bonuses below: Remote Raid Pass limit increased to 20 (June 26-27) Receive up to six free Raid Passes by spinning the Photo Disc at Gyms Increased chance to encounter shiny Skarmory after completing a Raid On top of that, new Timed Research tasks will also be available during the event. Complete these to earn other helpful rewards, including a chance to catch Houndoom, which will be very effective against Mega Skarmory. Mega Skarmory Weaknesses While many Pokemon change types upon Mega Evolving, Mega Skarmory retains its steel/flying type combination, so it has the same weaknesses as standard Skarmory. The armor bird Pokemon is only vulnerable to fire and electric attacks, making those your best options to use when participating in a Mega Skarmory Raid. Best Mega Skarmory Counters Fire and electric Pokemon deal extra damage when using attacks of their own type, so you'll want to pack your team with as many of them as possible to maximize your chances against Mega Skarmory. Any fully evolved or legendary Pokemon of those types will prove useful, but here are a few recommendations: Fire PokemonTypeFast AttackCharged AttackMega Charizard YFire/FlyingFire SpinBlast BurnMega BlazikenFire/FightingFire SpinBlast BurnEnteiFireFire SpinOverheatHeatranFire/SteelFire SpinMagma StormReshiramFire/DragonFire FangFusion FlareBlacephalonFire/GhostIncinerateMind BlownCinderaceFireFire SpinBlast Burn Electric PokemonTypeFast AttackCharged AttackMega AmpharosElectric/DragonVolt SwitchZap CannonMega ManectricElectricThunder FangWild ChargeRaikouElectricThunder ShockWild ChargeElectivireElectricThunder ShockWild ChargeZekromDragon/ElectricCharge BeamFusion BoltXurkitreeElectricThunder ShockDischargeRegielekiElectricLock-OnThunder Cage Best Moves For Mega Skarmory Skarmory's attack stats gain a significant boost upon Mega Evolving, turning the armor bird Pokemon into one of the most formidable attackers in the game. If you want to leverage Skarmory's flying type, you'll dish out the most damage by teaching it the Fast Attack Air Slash and the Charged Attack Sky Attack. These two moves will maximize Skarmory's offensive powers and make it a great counter against fighting, bug, and grass Pokemon. If you'd rather use Mega Skarmory as a steel-type attacker, your best options are the Fast Attack Steel Wing and the Charged Attack Flash Cannon. These will make the Mega Pokemon a very effective counter against rock, ice, and fairy types.

Title: How To Unlock The Kowakujo Easter Egg Song In Black Ops 7 Zombies Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:37:42 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-to-unlock-the-kowakujo-easter-egg-song-in-black-ops-7-zombies/ Call of Duty Season 4 Reloaded is live in Black Ops 7, bringing the brand-new Kowakujo map to Zombies. Like previous Zombies maps, Kowakujo includes an Easter egg you can activate to play a new tune composed by Kevin Sherwood. Here, we guide you in finding the hidden headphones needed to unlock the secret song on Kowakujo in Black Ops 7's Zombies. How to unlock the Easter egg song for Kowakujo To activate Kowakujo's secret song, you first need to find three hidden headphones. The headphones are blue and have fuzzy ears like the Mister Peeks bunny. These can be interacted with in any order and at any time during your match. Press Square (PlayStation) or X (Xbox). Completing this Easter egg will play the new Zombies song called "Evencry," which is performed by Kevin Sherwood and also features Cole Rolland and Malukah. Mister Peeks headset #1 Headset in the Stables Head toward the small courtyard with the Death Perception perk machine. The Stables are located in the corner near the area's Mystery Box spawn. Look to the right of the boxes stacked in the corner, as shown in the image above. You'll see the headset has fallen down beside them.  Mister Peeks headset #2 Headset in Onsen Baths Head toward the Elemental Pop perk machine. The headset can be found in the room to the right of Elemental Pop, which is labeled the Onsen Baths. This one seems a bit tricky. You should hear the headset's music playing near the cubbies with the towels and sandals, as shown in the image above. This headset didn't appear visible to me here, but interacting with the area did trigger the laughing audio cue to confirm it was activated. Mister Peeks headset #3 Headset in Kitchens This headset is in the same room as the Double tap perk machine, labeled "Kitchens." The headset is inside a large wooden bowl on a bottom shelf.  Kowakujo's Easter egg song, "Evencry," will play once you've interacted with all three. You can only do these steps once per match to play the song.

Title: You Can Now Stream The Best Part Of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: Its Sea Shanties Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:33:32 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/you-can-now-stream-the-best-part-of-assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-its-sea-shanties/ Ahead of its release next month, Ubisoft has released a playable part of Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced online--playable sea shanties, that is. This is technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. Available online through various streaming platforms, the collection includes all the original shanties from the game, brand-new compositions, and the unreleased rendition of The Parting Glass by Sarah Greene. In total, that's 57 tracks to accompany you on your next voyage. You can listen to it through the links below, but we all know that you're going to have "The Wellerman" on a loop: https://open.spotify.com/album/59KZr80YaeZ6bT9Nt1sCY3 Spotify YouTube Music Apple Music Deezer Amazon Music Qobuz Tidal The original Black Flag's soundtrack required some work to completely unlock, as dozens of shanties had to be located and caught. Appearing in the game as glowing pieces of sheet music, players had to perform acrobatics to acquire each one, and once in their possession, protagonist Edward Kenway's crew would sing them while players were sailing. You could even take these seaworthy tunes on the go with you, as an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag companion app synced to the game and downloaded the tracks to your smartphone. Sadly, the app has long been discontinued. Recorded in Montreal by a group of contemporary folk singers and musicians, the Black Flag soundtrack's catchy collection of sailing songs predated the rise of ShantyTok on TikTok around 2021. Scottish musician Nathan Evans recorded a rendition of The Wellerman that quickly went viral, and it wasn't long before more users began to join in with their own performances. For Black Flag, Ubisoft hired musician and professor David Gossage to produce the in-world music, which was then adjusted to fit the game's time period. Another interesting fact is that the singers recruited for the shanties had to dial back their singing so that they could sound like sailors, not a well-rehearsed choir. Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced launches on July 9 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Preorders opened up for the game a few months back, and to kick off the marketing for the Black Flag remake, Red Bull Gaming tasked several athletes with recreating Edward Kenway's signature leaps of faith.  Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Standard Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X) $60 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Digital Deluxe Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC) $70 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Collector's Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC) $200 | Releases July 9 Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Preorder at PS Direct Opinions are mixed on some of the changes that the remake will introduce, but overall, it looks like fans can expect a mix of graphical overhauls and quality-of-life updates. 10 Ways Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Differs From Ubisoft’s Original Pirate Adventure View Images

Title: X-Men: The Animated Series showrunner reveals the surprising origins of an iconic Professor X tradition Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 17:00:21 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/x-men-the-animated-series-97-professor-x-astral-plane/ One of the biggest draws of the X-Men is their magnificent array of powers: concussive beams, metal claws, teleportation, the ability to control the elements, the list goes on. But the most dazzling superpower among them belongs to Charles Xavier.

Title: Sekiro: No Defeat anime gets bloody new trailer at Annecy Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:56:32 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/sekiro-anime-trailer-studio-ghibli-influence/ A new look at the feature-length anime adaptation of FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was revealed at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival this week, and if you're lulled into believing that you're looking at some bucolic coming-of-age story, à la Studio Ghibli, just wait until the decapitations begin. Sekiro: No Defeat looks to capture the martial arts violence of the 2019 video game in beautiful animation.

Title: Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen taps series veteran to direct new DLC Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:50:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/dragons-dogma-2-dark-arisen-director-kinoshita/ Capcom has announced that Kento Kinoshita is the director of Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen during the Jun 25 Spotlight showcase. Kinoshita previously directed 2013's Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen, the updated version of the original 2012 game that helped establish the RPG as a cult classic.

Title: Tekken just announced a new anime, Tekken! Cartoon Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:58:23 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/tekken-cartoon-anime-announced-trailer/ The Tekken series has a long history of not very well-received adaptations, but the latest show looks like a big departure from what came before. Bandai Namco just announced Tekken! Cartoon, a series that looks much more inspired by American animation than anything that’s come out of the series so far.

Title: Critical Role is already switching up Campaign 4's West Marches format Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:54:46 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/critical-role-campaign-4-new-tables/ When Critical Role first announced that Campaign 4 would do things very differently from the first three campaigns, one of the biggest reveals was that the cast would adopt a West Marches-style format. No longer would the adventures of Aramán follow just one party, but rather a rotating set of three tables, with different players at each.

Title: The Ultimate Summer Sale Pairing: Steam Sale Meets GeForce NOW Discounts Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-steam-summer-sale-2026/ Summer savings are heating up. From the Steam Summer Sale to GeForce NOW membership discounts, this week’s GFN Thursday delivers double the deals and more ways to get the most value from cloud gaming. Plus, Dark Scrolls joins the growing Devolver lineup, alongside Square Enix’s The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. They lead the charge for six new games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Steam Dreams Are Made of These Add to cart, not to storage. The Steam Summer Sale is here, bringing discounts across thousands of PC games as one of the year’s biggest opportunities to grow a gaming library. Supported Steam games can be streamed across devices with GeForce NOW, making it easy to buy a game once, keep progress synced and pick up where the gameplay left off on PCs, Macs, handheld devices, phones, TVs and more. In other words, the Steam Summer Sale brings the deals; GeForce NOW adds the flexibility.  As new titles expand collections, storage demands and hardware requirements expand with them. GeForce NOW helps remove those barriers by streaming supported games from powerful GeForce RTX servers in the cloud, allowing members to enjoy today’s biggest games on devices they already own. Since downloads and installs are handled in the cloud, games can be added to the cart without being added to storage. Check out the “Sales & Special Offers” row in the GeForce NOW app to discover the discounts today. The Ultimate Upgrade to Level Up for Less The upgrade every game deserves. The deals don’t stop there. Pair GeForce NOW’s summer sale with the Steam Summer Sale to spend less time waiting on downloads, managing storage or needing pricey hardware upgrades — and more time gaming. Get $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership or $35 off a 12-month Performance membership and experience GeForce RTX-powered gaming in the cloud across devices. The Ultimate membership unlocks GeForce RTX 4080- and 5080-class performance in the cloud with up to 4K resolution, up to 120 frames per second (fps) and advanced technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex. Dig Into Devolver Written in chaos. Dark Scrolls, the kinetic action roguelite from Devolver Digital, arrives on GeForce NOW with its blend of fast combat, evolving builds and unapologetic chaos. Set in a warped fantasy world that doesn’t take itself too seriously, players battle through shifting arenas packed with enemies, hazards and power-ups that can turn a run from fragile to unstoppable in seconds. Stack abilities, experiment with wild combinations and adapt on the fly as the game constantly raises the stakes — rewarding bold play as much as careful movement. On GeForce NOW, Dark Scrolls is ready the moment players are, streaming across devices with no downloads or setup required. It joins a growing lineup of Devolver Digital titles on the service — Cult of the Lamb, Hotline Miami, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, Inscryption, Enter the Gungeon and Ball x Pit — each delivering that distinct mix of style, surprise and controlled chaos, and just a click away with GeForce NOW. A Storybook Across Centuries The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales arrives on GeForce NOW, delivering a charming, narrative-driven adventure filled with mystery and discovery. With a hand-crafted world and a focus on exploration, it blends classic adventure gameplay with modern, character-driven storytelling. Follow Elliot — a curious traveler bound to a mysterious Millennium Core — as he’s pulled across eras in a journey that spans neon skylines, forgotten ruins and quiet villages on the edge of legend. Each era has its own rules and rhythms, with Elliot’s reactions and scribbled journal notes giving the story a warm, personal touch. Stream the cinematic-quality visuals and responsive gameplay with GeForce RTX power in the cloud for Ultimate members. Experience Elliot’s time-twisting journey in sharp detail across supported devices — no high-end rig, patches or paradox prep required. Just jump in and pick up from wherever the last chapter left off. In addition, members can look for the following: Dark Scrolls (New release on Steam, available June 22) SAND: Raiders of Sophie (New release on Steam, available June 22) Deer & Boy (New release on Steam, available June 23) EMPULSE (New release on Steam, available June 24) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Steam) FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (Steam) Leaving the last word to the Community Corner, one GeForce NOW member recently shared being “so impressed” by GeForce NOW. They gave the service a spin because of affordable pricing and took a lower-end PC from 20-30 fps on low settings to 60+ fps with settings maxed out — really putting the WoW in their World of Warcraft.  What are you planning to play this weekend? Maybe even more importantly, what device are you planning to play on? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Sync and Stream: GeForce NOW Connects to Members’ Game Libraries Across Devices Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:32 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-game-stores/ Play favorite titles from popular game libraries, keep progress synced and jump back into gaming sessions on virtually any device. That’s the power of GeForce NOW cloud gaming. From providing access to members’ favorite game libraries to offering some of the season’s best membership pricing, GeForce NOW is making it easier than ever to get more from the cloud this summer. Plus, check out the seven new games arriving in the GeForce NOW library this week. Hit Play Across Top Game Stores That’s a whole lotta ways to play. Whether it’s blockbuster franchises, competitive shooters, sprawling role-playing games (RPGs) or indie gems, GeForce NOW supports thousands of games from leading PC game stores, making it easy to bring existing game libraries to the cloud. Connect supported game store accounts and stream titles with GeForce RTX power. Games that include cloud-save functionality help keep progress intact across devices. Start a game on one screen, pick up where playtime left off on another and spend less time managing installs and storage space. Jump into fan favorites like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt streaming through GOG. These sci-fi and fantasy favorites support cloud saves, making it easy to continue where play left off. GOG single sign-on and game library syncing — coming this summer — will make that process even smoother. Explore ancient mysteries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise or team up for tactical action in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege through Ubisoft+, delivering iconic worlds and competitive experiences to the cloud.  Whether joining massive, all-in combat in Battlefield 6 or shaping the fate of Thedas with compelling companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the EA app offers action-packed experiences and beloved RPGs. Find them in the GeForce NOW app by simply searching and filtering by store. Choose the Screen, Keep the Adventure Gaming doesn’t always happen at a desk — community members are sharing how GeForce NOW lets them play across their favorite devices. GeForce NOW Ambassador and cloud gaming creator Anytime Anywhere Gaming recently showcased Dead as Disco — a PC title without a native mobile version — running on an iPhone through the cloud. As he put it: “One of the coolest benefits of GeForce NOW is I can take the same copy of the game I own on Steam and carry it to my iPhone … it’s super awesome being able to play a game on a multitude of devices without having to buy it again.” That flexibility extends beyond mobile. One GeForce NOW member on Reddit shared being “blown away” by the experience of playing on Mac through the cloud, highlighting how GeForce RTX-powered gaming can be enjoyed across devices, no upgrades required. Whether via phone on the go, on a MacBook between work meetings or on a TV in the living room, GeForce NOW helps make PC gaming accessible across nearly every screen. Upgrade and Unlock More This Summer Summer lovin’, havin’ a sale. For a limited time, annual memberships are available at the best prices of the year: $35 off a 12-month Performance membership $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership Performance memberships deliver high-quality cloud gaming across devices, while Ultimate unlocks GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud with up to 5K resolution, up to 120 frames per second and advanced technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex. Pair these special prices with thousands of supported games across top PC game stores. Plus, with GeForce NOW, spend less time downloading, upgrading hardware and managing storage — and more time gaming. New on the Cloud  In addition, members can look for the following: Embers of the Uncrowned Demo (New release on Steam, available June 13) Pro Cycling Manager 26 (New release on Steam, available June 15) Aphelion (Steam) Citizen Sleeper (Epic Game Store, free from June 18-25) Megastore Simulator (Steam) OPERATOR (Steam) Super Meat Boy 3D (Xbox, available on Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Save Big and Play Bigger: GeForce NOW Summer Sale Brings Major Membership Savings Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:00:17 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-summer-sale-2026/ The GeForce NOW summer sale kicked off today with limited-time savings of up to $70 off a 12-month membership, making now the perfect time to upgrade to get the best of the cloud and see just how far Ultimate gaming can go. PC gamers are driven by one thing: the love of the game. But getting there can be complicated — setups take space, hardware takes planning and downloads take time. GeForce NOW removes the barriers and delivers instant access to games, high-performance GeForce RTX power in the cloud and the ability to play across nearly any device — all with one membership. Regular upgrades and new features continue to expand the experience, building the value of that membership over time.  Plus, GeForce NOW is always delivering new games — including epic adventures across Tyria. Guild Wars 3 is coming to GeForce NOW, bringing its next-generation massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) experience to the cloud at launch. While awaiting its arrival, the journey begins today with Guild Wars 2 and Guild Wars Reforged, along with limited-time exclusive rewards. Instantly Elevate Every Device PC gaming demands more from players than ever. Bigger game files and more frequent updates can turn the urge to play into a long list of to-dos. GeForce NOW streamlines that experience. Installs, patches and updates are handled in the cloud, so games are ready to launch in just a click. Time that would’ve been spent waiting on progress bars can go back into playtime, making it easier to fit gaming into quick breaks on busy days. High-performance NVIDIA GPUs in the cloud means access to always-ready GeForce RTX performance without having to purchase new hardware. Members can tap into powerful servers that meet rising game requirements and keep pace with today’s games. And memberships continue to improve with platform upgrades — like the free Ultimate upgrade to the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture — extending their value, as well as the life of gamers’ devices, over time. All of the gaming. Laptops, phones, tablets and TVs — devices most gamers have at home and already use for school, work and everyday life — can all act as gaming screens. Streaming means not having to worry about hard drive space for installs and updates, or needing the latest devices.  Level up playing on Linux. These benefits are reinforced by continuous quality-of-life improvements like smoother sign-ins, new platforms — like Linux and Amazon Fire TV — and refinements that make it faster and easier to get into a gaming session. Together, these benefits make GeForce NOW the easiest way to enjoy PC gaming both instantly and over time, while keeping the focus on what matters most to gamers: getting into the game. The Biggest Gaming Upgrade, the Best Price of the Year Sale-ing into summer with huge savings. For a limited time this summer, GeForce NOW memberships are available at some of the year’s best pricing — with major savings on 12-month memberships: $35 off a 12-month Performance membership $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership The Performance membership delivers smooth, high-quality cloud gaming across devices, with streaming up to 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps) and access to RTX-powered servers for supported games. The Ultimate membership steps things up with RTX 4080‑ or 5080‑class performance in the cloud, supporting up to 4K and beyond on ultrawide displays, up to 120 fps, and advanced features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex for a more responsive, visually rich experience. These limited-time discounts won’t last long — beat the heat and jump into GeForce NOW.  A New Legend Rises One of the best things about the cloud is that every week, new games become available to stream — including new AAA games at launch and the latest content and rewards.  The land of Orr awaits. Guild Wars 3 marks the next adventure in Tyria — an action-adventure MMORPG where fluid combat, deep character building and a living world of magic and mystery shape every journey. Alliances are forged, spirits awaken and every step forward leaves a lasting mark on an untamed frontier. Be among the first to raise the banner. Gamers can add Guild Wars 3 to their wishlist today and stay up to date on every reveal as it marches toward launch. While the next chapter in Tyria prepares to unfold, its legacy is ready to be played today. Return to adventure in Guild Wars 2 and Guild Wars Reforged, and unlock exclusive in-game rewards for a limited time — available for GeForce NOW Premium members today through Saturday, July 11, and free to all members beginning Friday, June 12. Be on the lookout for an email with codes to redeem.  In Guild Wars 2, the “Masterpiece Emote Tome” turns every victory into a moment of flair — a chef’s kiss to triumph. Start playing by applying the code through an ArenaNet account or during account creation, then log in to access the emote. In Guild Wars Reforged, the “Vision of Lyssa” costume brings elegance and illusion to life and includes an account upgrade. Inspired by the twin goddess, this striking ensemble can be worn over any armor. Redeem by adding the code in game, then visit a Costume Maker NPC to claim the reward. But Wait, There’s More Duet Night Abyss from Hero Games makes a splash on GeForce NOW, plunging players into a submerged world where survival is shared. Control a synchronized duo tethered by fragile oxygen lines, navigate glowing reefs, drowned ruins and shadowy chasms where every move demands trust and timing. The game’s moody visuals and tense, cooperative focus give each dive the feel of a playable deep-sea thriller. GeForce NOW is kicking off a new Community Corner for the summer, spotlighting stories and creations from members across the globe. This week, a community story takes the spotlight as a Linux gamer on Reddit shares how GFN has helped them with accessibility gaming, saving storage space on massive titles and minimizing upgrades. In addition, members can look for the following: NBA THE RUN (New release on Steam, available on June 9) Witchspire (New release on Steam, available on June 10) SpaceCraft (New release on Steam, available on June 11) Duet Night Abyss (Launcher) DOOM Eternal (Epic Games Store) The Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Farever (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Wargaming) Finally, Pro Cycling Manager 26 is now scheduled to launch on Monday, June 15, and Denshattack! is now expected to launch on Wednesday, July 15.  What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

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

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

Title: Share of the Week: Saros – Arjun Devraj Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:06 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/26/share-of-the-week-saros-arjun-devraj/ Last week, we tasked you with capturing portraits of Arjun Devraj in Saros’ newly released Photo Mode using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: l2.focus shares Arjun’s profile against a moody red background MdeavorVP shares Arjun aiming his weapon Santisbae shares Arjun’s head haloed by the eclipse  thwippip shares a close up portrait of Arjun rruiz_86 shares Arjun exploring a chamber on Carcosa Couch_Gamer2k23 shares Arjun facing a source of light 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: SparksSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 1, 2026  Next week, share sparks, fireworks, and twinkling lights from the game of your choice. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Highlights from Capcom Spotlight 2026 – Dragon’s Dogma, Onimusha, Monster Hunter, and more Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:52:30 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/25/highlights-from-capcom-spotlight-2026-dragons-dogma-onimusha-monster-hunter-and-more/ We’re back with another Capcom Spotlight presentation, this time focused on new content for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, a deeper dive into the newly revealed Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, and a new look at Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Here’s a roundup of what you need to know. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection New content for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches today, with the arrival of the paid DLC, Additional Side Story: Rudy, as well as a free update that adds powerful endgame challenges. Fans of Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will recognize the return of Navirou, who once journeyed alongside the protagonists of each respective game, and is an ancestor of the Royal Felyne, Rudy. Additional Side Story: Rudy digs deeper in Navirou’s fate in the past 200 years, bringing ancestor and descendant face-to-face in an unexpected twist. Nergigante, the iconic flagship monster from Monster Hunter: World, returns as a formidable threat in this DLC. This destructive Elder Dragon is a bit too rowdy to tame as a Monstie, but you can expect a memorable challenge as you take on this spiky predator in a climactic battle. How will Rudy, Navirou, and crew overcome the power of the extinction dragon? Additional Side Story: Rudy is available as a standalone DLC as well as part of the Deluxe Edition and Premium Deluxe editions. Check PlayStation Store and see what awaits you in this new adventure. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection also receives a free update adding powerful endgame challenges called Royal Monsters. Riders can load their completed save file and take on an even harder version of the final boss. Defeat this version of the final boss, and the existing world will be populated with powerful Royal Monsters. You can also test your limits even further by taking on Royal Monster versions of invasive monsters and Calamitous Elder Dragons. New details on Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Two years after the original launch of Dragon’s Dogma 2, the grand fantasy adventure has returned as Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen. Enhanced with major updates and the Dark Arisen Expansion, Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen arrives both as a bundle package for new players, and as a standalone expansion on October 9.  During Capcom Spotlight, Director Kento Kinoshita – who also directed the original Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – shared the team’s desire to deliver on requests from fans to continue exploring the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 even further. With that in mind, the team invites players to a mysterious new frigid northern area called Norgan. You’ll uncover the story behind a Fallen Dragon, bearing an eerie form with a missing heart, along with its pursuer, a mysterious woman named Eir. In the Norgan area, the addictive gameplay loop first established in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, makes a return as the Relic Expedition Cycle. Battle through formidable foes and gather relics, then bring them back for appraisal into stronger weapons and armor. Powerful treasure awaits with every adventure during your pursuits in Norgan. Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen also introduces 12 new unique dungeons called Lost Rites. Rare equipment once held by past Arisen awaits you in these dungeon challenges, which take place in the existing world of Dragon’s Dogma 2. Additional hairstyles and tattoo options are coming with the expansion as well, bringing even greater variety to the versatile character creation options. The base Dragon’s Dogma 2 game was recently updated with a variety of quality-of-life features, too. Ahead of the launch of the expansion, we’ll be releasing a second free update in late August which adds further gameplay improvements highly requested by players, such as additional save slots, an increase of weapon skill slots from four to six, and performance improvements. Pre-orders begin today on PS5 in most regions and will roll out to all countries in early July. Those who pre-order will receive the Norgan Fashion Set – Northern Attire, which can be obtained whether you pre-order the bundle or standalone expansion. Those who pre-order the bundle will immediately receive access to the base Dragon’s Dogma 2 game. Whether you’re a new Arisen or are returning to make the adventure into Norgan, we can’t wait for you to experience what awaits in Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen when it arrives on PS5, October 9. New enemy revealed in Onimusha: Way of the Sword The latest swordplay action game in Capcom’s acclaimed series is nearly here with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. The iconic samurai swordplay series which first began on PlayStation 2 is back with an all-new entry for the first time in 20 years, bringing its signature mix of satisfying samurai action and dark fantasy. Take up the katana of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi, slain by twisted creatures called Genma, and suddenly revived with mysterious Oni powers. Now bearing an Oni Gauntlet, Musashi searches for his reason to fight amidst hordes of powerful Genma in a twisted, dark fantasy version of Edo-period Kyoto. During Capcom Spotlight, Director Satoru Nihei revealed a look at a powerful new Genma enemy: Dohatsu-ten. Have a look at this fearsome new foe for yourself. Dohatsu-ten is a powerful boss enemy with both strength and speed on his side, relentlessly attacking our protagonist Miyamoto Musashi with swift and devastating movements. Unique to this Genma is the bloodthirsty nature of its sword, which becomes increasingly powerful when stained with Musashi’s blood. Beware its surging power as it absorbs souls and becomes even more dangerous. Onimusha: Way of the Sword slashes onto PS5 this September. Get a taste of early action in the game with the free demo on PlayStation Store!

Title: Star Wars: Galactic Racer hands-on report Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:29:32 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/25/star-wars-galactic-racer-hands-on-report/ Even back in the 1977 original film, Star Wars has always been a universe full of vehicles that move at incredible speeds. While its spaceships are famously fast — just ask anyone about the Millennium Falcon’s record-breaking Kessel Run — its land vehicles might be more impressive as they tear through forests and canyons at breakneck, often deadly pace. Star Wars: Galactic Racer continues a video game tradition of capturing that speed by putting you behind the controls of landspeeders, speeder bikes, and podracers. I played about an hour of Galactic Racer at Summer Game Fest and came away excited for a game that expands on the Star Wars universe, and goes fast doing it. Set after the fall of the Empire, Galactic Racer places you on the Outer Rim, where lawlessness has allowed for the rise of an unsanctioned racing circuit called the Galactic League. You play a helmeted human called Shade, who is recruited by the League’s creator, Darius Pax, to defeat the circuit’s reigning champion. Turns out, Shade also has a history with the champ, Kestar Bool, and so you jump into the circuit for a personal vendetta as much as a love of speed and a need for credits. The story portions of Galactic Racer show glimpses of the larger galaxy, beyond the usual battles between good and evil. The SGF demo focused mostly on the campaign mode, and the portion I played centered on racing the more stable and reliable speeders, rather than the barely-held-together podracers (though podracers appear in the game too). Speeders come in three types: the car-like landspeeders, the fast and fragile speeder bikes, and the agile skim speeders. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as its own specific abilities that can help you win races. Landspeeders are bigger and heavier than the other options, allowing them to take more of a beating than other vehicles if you bounce them off walls or other racers. They also have the ability to drift around turns to help you keep your racing line clean.  Speeder bikes are faster than landspeeders, but much easier to wreck. They have an ability called Kinetic Burst, which gives a quick blast of speed that helps you re-orient your bike to handle tight turns. Skim speeders are a little more like starships than speeders, and are the most graceful of the three types. They offer the most maneuverability thanks to the Knife Edge ability that lets you flip them on on their sides for tighter turns. All your speeders also come equipped with an Afterburner you can activate with X, which can give you a quick speed boost to overtake racers or extend a lead, and a powerful booster called a Ramjet, activated by pressing and holding R3. The Ramjet can boost for a long period to greatly increase your speed, but as you use it, a heat meter slowly fills on your screen.  If it heats up too much, your speeder runs the risk of exploding, but if you release the Ramjet early, you’ll have to wait for it to charge back up completely before you can use it again. You can also unlock and equip special abilities, such as shields to protect you from impacts or weapons to use against other racers, that can be activated by hitting L1. Events are scattered across different, famous Star Wars planets, which brings a lot of character to each race. For example, courses on Jakku take you through the graveyards of crashed Imperial ships, while Lantaana’s tracks mix dense jungles and fiery volcanoes. In the campaign, the circuit takes on a roguelite structure — while you race across each planet in a specific order, which specific events you face on each planet is randomized. You’re presented with three different “paths” at the start of a run, which show you what kinds of events you’ll face so you’ll have some idea of what to expect. Events include standard races, Field Tests that require you to hit a certain time with a new vehicle, Eliminators that remove the bottom competitors over the course of a race until only the top three remain, and Mystery Encounters that seem like they could be anything from a race to a story-driving conversation. Never quite knowing what you’ll face next helps Galactic Racer maintain the sense of being an up-and-coming racer who might be a little out of their depth.  You’ll have to hone your racing skills and strengthen your speeder on each run in order to stay competitive, and you can earn and buy upgrades that power up your vehicle, as well as some that persist between runs.  The races I played were satisfyingly tough — there are canyon walls and hunks of debris everywhere, and you’ll need to react quickly, as wrecks can be devastating. Crash too many times, and you’re bounced from the circuit, forced to restart your run from the beginning. If you’re skilled and devious, though, you can wreck your opponents in spectacular fashion by forcing them into walls or obstacles, giving Galactic Racer a bit of a Burnout: Takedown feel. In addition to the campaign, Galactic Racer includes a multiplayer mode, a Scenarios mode that includes longer-term challenges focused on specific characters, and an Arcade mode for quick races. I also tried the Arcade mode, jumping into a podrace as the villainous Sebulba from Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and running a treacherous track on Tatooine. Podracers feel very speedy in Galactic Racer. The tradeoff is that they’re much more unstable than speeders, and just about any impact blows them apart. That made racing as Sebulba — whose podracer spits fire to take out other racers when you hit L1 — an exciting but tough proposition. His racer is incredibly fast and maneuverable, and great at taking down other racers, but you also need to be careful in managing your speed and making tight turns to avoid clipping the rocky canyon walls of Tatooine. Star Wars: Galactic Racer looks to be both a deep and interesting look at a specific pocket of the Star Wars galaxy, with all the speed Star Wars fans expect. You can jump into your speeder’s cockpit yourself when Galactic Racer hits PlayStation 5 on October 6.

Title: Introducing the five new games of Jackbox Party Pack 12 Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:01:08 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/25/introducing-the-five-new-games-of-jackbox-party-pack-12/ Jackbox isn’t rocket science but we take our task of silliness seriously. We’re proud of our Chicago comedy roots, and every aspect of our games is high-touch to set fans up for a successful night.  Play Video What sets The Jackbox Party Pack 12 apart? It’s a pack especially focused on helping players build deeper human connection in fun ways. We’re excited to share more about what to expect this fall, along with some work-in-progress screens from each of the games. We Forgot a Card For Party Pack 12, we wanted to lean into the special events our games are often paired with. “We were inspired by all the funny cliches around greeting cards,” says Studio Creative Director Arnie Niekamp, “and that familiar feeling of being in a not-great store but you have to find something fast because you’re already late to a party.” Players design a card that fits an unusual gathering with limited time and bizarre options, pairing stock imagery with player-written taglines for the funniest outcome. “‘Quick, get to the jokes’ is practically the theme of this game,” says Niekamp. In the final round, players create a talking plush to pair with their card. It’s a gift that keeps on giving! MegaPals In MegaPals, players are given a one-word prompt and must submit as many associated words as they can before the timer runs out. Points come from matching with other players. Match the most and you’re MegaPals! “We were inspired by folk games like Mind Meld and Contact where you try to think alike in very few words,” says Game Director Alina Constantin. “The pitch was an idea from Editorial Lead Liz Anderson. We wanted to spotlight the common takes as well as the weird misses, and allow players to riff off their group’s train of thought.” Prompts for subsequent rounds are based on player inputs, giving the game endless replayability. “This game is great for players who enjoy adding a personal flair to simple word association and discovering unexpected compatibilities,” says Constantin. Idol Factions Idol Factions is a team-based game where words are served up to be sorted into the right category. The words don’t stop coming, so players must communicate and work together to land them in the right spot. “This game was pitched by Lead Engineer Chase McClure and started as a solo experience. Even then, Chase had made it so that players had to communicate quickly and clearly, which was immediately fun,” says Game Director Warren Arnold, “We want players to be the right amount of stressed out.” “This game is going to be perfect for gathering on a big ol’ comfy couch so you can scream your heads off about why an answer belongs in the category ‘Type of Cheese’ and not ‘The Last Name of a British Prime Minister.’” said Arnold. Debate and Switch In Debate and Switch, you’re in a town hall that has gone sideways. Everything up for discussion is a bizarre hypothetical and you need to form an opinion and defend it. Fast. “The original inspiration was the movie Rat Race, and then I realized there was already a board game version of what I was working on: Pricetitution. So we ditched the terrible scenarios and pricing and delved more into debate mechanics.” says Nate Sandberg, Senior Audio Lead, who originally pitched the game. “We loved building out the running characters, created by Senior Art Lead, Hector M Padilla, to act as voters during debates. Those little guys are just the best,” says Game Director Michael Siciliano, “It was harder to hone in on tone for the debate topics. We’ve had to pivot on exactly how strange or detailed they get. Allowing players to craft their own topics was an evolution we’re really excited for people to play with.” Hyperface In Party Pack 11, we played with the phone’s microphone for Hear Say. In Party Pack 12, we’re playing with the camera! In Hyperface, players edit a photo in response to a prompt. Players can choose to use a stock photo or they can take a selfie and edit their face in wild ways. “The reveal is often the highlight,” says Game Director Tim Sniffen. Seeing what others chose to do, whether going all-out or doing a tiny subtle eyebrow-raise, is usually the high point of any playthrough.” We want players to smudge, squash, stretch, and draw on their photos to create the wildest result possible. “Who among us hasn’t added a mustache to a magazine photo? If you’re ready for the power-user version, where you’re smudging someone’s nose like it’s made of taffy, this game is for you,” says Sniffen. The Jackbox Party Pack 12 is coming to PS4 and PS5 this fall. 

Title: How roguelite shooter Void/Breaker’s destruction combat uses PS5 features Date: Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:15 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/24/how-roguelite-shooter-void-breakers-destruction-combat-uses-ps5-features/ There are two types of players. One type enjoys high-octane gameplay – fluid movement, satisfying gunplay, the thrill of pure destructive chaos. On the other side of the axis are players who like to strategize. They’re driven by a need to optimize for the most efficient outcome. What if I told you there’s a solo developer – Daniel Stubbington – who decided to make a game for someone who has both of those in them? A roguelite shooter with fluid, fast-paced movement, where survival means mastering an environmental destruction system and combining it with a weapon modding system deep enough to create synergies crazy enough to make even the developer gasp? That game is Void/Breaker. And it’s coming to PS5 – we think this is going to be the best way to play it. What’s changed since we announced the PS5 version? The arsenal has grown. To the Pistol, Assault Rifle, and a Shotgun, we’ve added the SMG and the Sniper Rifle (Daniel’s own personal favourite). These weapons are the archetypes, and each one has its own character and that’s where the gun modification system comes in place. Every weapon has its own grid, and into that grid you place modules – weapon mods, ability mods, fire mode mods, melee mods. The modules aren’t isolated upgrades. They interact with each other, sitting next to one another on the grid to form combinations that are often more powerful than the sum of their parts. A mod that freezes enemies. Another that guarantees a critical hit against frozen targets. A proximity mine that deploys every time you slide. Some modules even expand the grid itself, unlocking more space. Stack the right things in the right place, and you’ve built something that carves through a room before your brain has caught up with what just happened. On PlayStation 5, the developer is exploring how adaptive triggers and haptic feedback can bring each weapon’s identity into your hands – so the resistance and feedback of firing the Sniper Rifle feel distinct from the rapid pull of the SMG. Gyro aiming is also being looked at, giving players who want it an extra layer of precision for a more immersive feel. That thinking extends to abilities, grenades, and the gravity tether too. All are being explored for how haptics could make each one feel distinct and satisfying to use. Gameplay built with the community, not just for them Daniel has remained firmly committed to the early access roadmap, working closely with the community and incorporating feedback to make Void/Breaker the best it can be ahead of its PlayStation 5 launch. And the community has been a huge part of shaping where Void/Breaker is today – not in a vague, “thanks for the feedback” sense, but in ways you can point to directly in the game. Wallrunning is the best example. Daniel experimented with it early in development, but decided against adding it. Players kept asking for it anyway. He listened, brought it back, and it’s now one of the features that gives the game’s movement the fluidity it’s known for. Melee tells a similar story. It used to be a fallback for when in a tight spot. Now it’s a genuine playstyle. New melee-specific mods arrived alongside a rebalance that scales damage relative to enemy health, so it holds up deep into a run rather than falling off. It’s another area where the DualSense controller’s options are being looked at, in the hope of making melee combat in particular feel memorable and satisfying. The story that grows  Underneath all of this sits a narrative that gives the gameplay real meaning. You’re a prisoner, caught up by a malevolent AI entity whose goals aren’t clear, and your goal is to break free from an endless cycle. You’re not doing it alone, though. Early into the escape, you find an unexpected ally – a chip left behind by a former prisoner makes contact and starts offering support, guiding you through the zones as the story builds toward its conclusion. Void/Breaker’s narrative leans heavily on Returnal as an influence, not just for its gameplay loop but for how it builds a story into a roguelite structure. It’s a big part of why the zones aren’t just combat arenas – they’re chapters in something larger. Five zones have been completed so far, each with its own distinct theme and identity, and the plan is for Void/Breaker to launch on PS5 with six zones in total, with the final zone bringing the story to its conclusion. Try it yourself A PS5 demo is available right now, letting you explore Zone 1 and get a feel for the core of the game. It’s running without DualSense-specific features for the moment – the adaptive triggers, haptics, and gyro support we’ve talked about here are still being built, and they’ll be ready for the full launch. Add Void/Breaker to your PS5 wishlist.

Title: "I torture myself over every last detail": Stardew Valley's creator is having a real time of it with Haunted Chocolatier's recipe book interface Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:45:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/i-torture-myself-over-every-last-detail-stardew-valleys-creator-is-having-a-real-time-of-it-with-haunted-chocolatiers-recipe-book-interface Stardew Valley creator Eric 'ConcernedApe' Barone has released his latest reminder that yes, he's still working on Haunted Chocolatier, the action-RPG and life sim in which you run a sweetshop in a realm of ghosts. This particular blogpost is notable for a mildly agonised aside about the game's recipe book interface, which needs to be "seamless, clear, intuitive, satisfying, aesthetic", in a word, perfect. Read more

Title: Valve's Steam Machine gets competition in the "Stim Machine", a cheeky French PC box that's already reportedly been re-named Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:07:59 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/valves-steam-machine-gets-competition-in-the-stim-machine-a-cheeky-french-pc-box-thats-already-reportedly-been-re-named Watch out, Steam Machine! One who would claim your throne comes forth from the sun-kissed streets of France. He might have your number, once he's figured out what he's comfortable being called. He's the PC Box from French tech sellers LDLC, and he was originally dubbed the Stim Machine because no parody can be too on the nose. Read more

Title: Deep and volatile Terraria-style factory sim Sandustry hits early access in August, Hooded Horse announce Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:37:15 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/deep-and-volatile-terraria-style-factory-sim-sandustry-hits-early-access-in-august-hooded-horse-announce Driven witless by the UK heatwave, I throw open my email inbox and search desperately for videogames about waterfalls, canopies of thick palm leaves, and the sibilant settling of ice in the bellies of the largest, most enduring glaciers. Instead, I am challenged to excavate a world of sand. Hooded Horse and Lantto Games have announced an early access release date for Sandustry, their 2D factory-building game in which resources break down into pixels with individual physics. It's out in early access via Steam, GOG, and the Microsoft Store on August 13th. Please be careful when watching the below trailer. It may absorb whatever body fluids you have left. Read more

Title: How to survive the memory shortage crisis: a PC owner's guide Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:02:19 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/how-to-survive-the-memory-shortage-crisis-a-pc-owners-guide Urgh. Have you seen memory prices lately? If you somehow haven’t, make sure to look through your fingers, as they are truly terrifying. DDR5 RAM sticks are ungodly expensive, older DDR4's not much better, high VRAM graphics cards are ridiculous, and any PC hardware that includes at least one of these (which is a lot) is suffering ludicrous price hikes in turn. That includes the new Steam Machine, while handheld PCs are being stripped of affordable options, and next-gen, standalone VR headsets are unlikely to do much better. But we’re been here before, right? We made it through the crypto-mining-induced GPU price spikes of 2018, the 2011 hard drive shortages caused by flooding in Thailand, and the pandemic-driven PC surge. Remember the Discord stock alerts? The retailer lotteries? The waiting lines for websites? We can do this. We can weather the storm of new memory price hikes. But we don’t have to do it in silence. We don’t need to damn our enthusiasm for the PCs that play our PC games. There are ways to still upgrade and improve your rig, and its gaming prowess, even with memory prices as ridiculous as they are. Read more

Title: Creative Assembly confirm Total War: Medieval 3's starting factions, pegging out a complex world of schemers and killers, feudal giants and emerging empires Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:46:44 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/creative-assembly-confirm-total-war-medieval-3s-starting-factions-pegging-out-a-complex-world-of-schemers-and-killers-feudal-giants-and-emerging-empires Creative Assembly have announced the first six playable factions for historical strategy bash Total War: Medieval 3, while also sharing a little insight on the process of choosing Total War factions. Of course, the optimal way to select Twarieval 3 factions would be to mock up a grand tournament, where designers adorned with the heraldry of each realm prove their mettle in the jousts, the melee, and the pas d'armes, while rival spymasters contrive to spike their goblets with arsenic. Sadly, I don't think Creative Assembly have the budget to build a jousting arena, and poisonings tend to be frowned upon by modern HR departments. But they are, at least, letting players vote on 23 other playable factions they're thinking about adding. Online voting: the tiltyard of the modern era. Read more