Title: My Most Beloved PSP Era Lost Gem Finally Returns In R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 16:03:09 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/my-most-beloved-psp-era-lost-gem-finally-returns-in-r-type-tactics-i-ii-cosmos-2000708774 Finally the world can experience the vibey and ruthless R-Type strategy game trapped on the handheld for nearly two decades

Title: I Am Looking For My Father In Blue Prince’s Spiral Of Stars Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/i-am-looking-for-my-father-in-blue-princes-spiral-of-stars-2000708221 There are two true boxes in this room

Title: Richard Garriott Wants To Take Ultima Back From EA Using Obscure Legal Quirks Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:38:06 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/richard-garriott-wants-to-take-ultima-back-from-ea-using-some-legal-quirks-2000708685 The eccentric Lord British wants to retake the RPG series that made him a fortune without spending one

Title: Entropy Is A Fascinating Vagrant Story-Inspired RPG In A Nasty Kingdom Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 19:59:10 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/entropy-is-an-upcoming-vagrant-story-inspired-rpg-in-a-nasty-kingdom-2000708680 The anticipated follow-up from the Dread Delusion folks is filled with rot, rock and rule

Title: Xbox Clarifies Halo: Campaign Evolved Won’t Require PS Plus For Splitscreen After Massive Backlash Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 18:58:47 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/halo-campaign-evolved-on-ps5-gets-called-out-for-bizarre-split-screen-playstation-plus-requirements-forced-double-online-drm-even-for-couch-co-op-2000708662 What a mess

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: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced – Everything To Know Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-everything-to-know/ From new story missions to revised  mechanics, here’s everything to know about Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced.

Title: My Favorite Baseball Team Can Make Me Love MLB The Show, Or Absolutely Hate It Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/my-favorite-baseball-team-can-make-me-love-mlb-the-show-or-absolutely-hate-it/ It's a 5-4 game in the bottom of the ninth inning in Pittsburgh, and it looks like the Pirates might drop one to the struggling Minnesota Twins. But Spencer Horwitz gets on base with a scrappy infield single. With one out, Bryan Reynolds steps up to the plate. On a 2-2 count, he absolutely demolishes a fastball, sending it over the left-field wall as fireworks erupt. Ballgame.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Hu7sDCUCOc I'm on top of the world, watching clips of the walk-off blast from every angle I can find. Who do the Twins even think they are, trying to sneak that fastball by him?  And now to hit some homers in MLB The Show 26. I'll even play some games at PNC Park, hoping I can replicate that dinger or even do something more impressive, like launching a ball into the Allegheny River.  Another day, the Pirates are facing the Colorado Rockies--one of the worst teams in baseball. Pittsburgh loses 10-4, with longtime starting pitcher Mitch Keller getting absolutely shelled and the bullpen struggling to do much better.  Think I'll throw this one right down the middle. I'm going to bed. I don't even want to look at MLB The Show.  Usually, when something frustrating or unfortunate happens, playing video games can be a great way to blow off some steam and forget about it for a little bit. But when the Pirates have lost, the last thing I want to do is boot up MLB The Show. I do not want to see the stupid, silly face of whoever blew the lead from the bullpen. I do not want to play as the batter who struck out with runners on second and third--I don't even want to face them in the game, lest I be reminded of how badly they ruined my night.  So I suffer. I seethe. Just as I have, more often than not, for the last 29 years of watching the Pittsburgh Pirates. It's what I deserve. As the Boss Baby once said so eloquently, cookies are for closers, and enjoying MLB The Show 26 is for people whose baseball team has won that day.  MLB The Show 26 is my comfort game. When I'm bored and have nothing else to do on a weekend, or I need a break from something more intense or difficult, I start the game up and take my Diamond Dynasty team for a Mini Seasons match or try to complete a Conquest map.  But if the Pirates lose, the comfort is gone. I can't enjoy the home run I just hit because I'm thinking about Marcell Ozuna absolutely whiffing on a meatball down the middle earlier tonight. Say, what's his rating in The Show right now? A 73?! I become visibly disgusted. Spencer Horwitz--the king of bat flips--is only sitting at a 68, and he can actually hit the ball! What is Don Kelly thinking starting Ozuna day after day? Why did I try to play this tonight? Perhaps I can do something more enjoyable, like taking out the trash or cleaning my cat's litter box.  You almost had that one! Occasionally, I try to ignore the pain and start MLB The Show up anyway, thinking it could somehow be different. Most recently, I was greeted by a server outage, like the baseball gods were mocking me for even thinking of playing after seeing my Buccos embarrass themselves. It also could have been Sony San Diego struggling with its online systems like it has for much of the year, but when a baseball fan has the chance to choose between the most obvious explanation and the superstitious one, we pick the latter. We wouldn't see so many upside-down caps in the stands otherwise.  Does all of this just mean I care way too much about what happens in a children's game played by people who don't even know I exist? Yes. But while it does make the low moments worse--I sure would like to want to play my favorite video game after getting put in a bad mood--it also makes the highs even better. After seeing a walk-off home run or a game-winning play at the plate, all I want to do is play MLB The Show, and I know I'm going to have a giant smile on my face. Without a little bit of misery, I can't appreciate that.  That being said, Bob Nutting, I still want you to sell the team.

Title: Resident Evil Veronica Changes We’d Like To See Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/resident-evil-veronica-changes-wed-like-to-see/ A lot has changed in the 27 years since the release Resident Evil — Code: Veronica, and some things have aged better than others. So here's a list of things we hope to see addressed in the upcoming remake Resident Evil: Veronica.

Title: Fortnite OG Season 9: Start Time, OG Pass, Live Events, And Map Changes Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:55:15 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fortnite-og-season-9-start-time-og-pass-live-events-and-map-changes/ Fortnite OG has been a bit of a mixed bag, largely just because Chapter 1 feels primitive for a lot of the folks who weren't there for it the first time. But it was during the late stages of Chapter 1 when Fortnite really found its stride creatively--Season 9 was such a fun shakeup that it could almost pass for a more modern season of Fortnite. And now it's time to go back to the future, with Fortnite OG preparing to kick off its awesome new sci-fi makeover. While Epic hasn't fully detailed what we can expect from Fortnite OG Season 9, we already know plenty about what we can expect based on the original version of Season 9, which ran during the summer of 2019. Let's dive in. In This Article Fortnite OG Season 9 release date and start timeFortnite Season 9 OG PassFortnite OG Season 9 storyline and live eventsMap changes in Fortnite OG Season 9Fortnite OG Season 9 weapons and loot Fortnite OG Season 9 release date and start time Season 9 of Fortnite OG begins on the morning of June 25. Epic Games will deploy a patch on the evening of June 24, which will take Fortnite offline for a few hours, and Season 9 will be live when the game returns online. Fortnite Season 9 OG Pass We haven't yet seen the full lineup for the Season 9 OG pass, but it appears that one of the new skins will be a remix of Rox, a character from the original Season 9 battle pass. There should be three skins in all, and they'll likely be remixes of previous skins from the Season 9 pass, which you can see above. So we're also expecting a new version of Singularity, since that character just recently popped up in the new season of Battle Royale. If these two are indeed on the new OG pass, then it's likely that the third skin would be a wackier, more meme-like skin--like a new version of Sentinel, who's better known as the chicken knight. Fortnite OG Season 9 storyline and live events In the original version of Season 9, the island was still dealing with the fallout from the Great Unvaulting and the eruption of the volcano. The biggest consequence is that Polar Peak is melting--and it turns out it was never actually a real mountain. Instead, it's a massive kaiju called The Devourer, frozen in a block of ice. And over the course of Season 9, that ice melts. Our heroes, knowing that a giant beastie is about to tear the island apart, build a giant mech (that would be Mecha Team Leader) to defend against The Devourer, and at the end of the season we got a massive battle between the two giants that remains one of the most fun live events in Fortnite's history. You better believe we're going to get to experience that live event, dubbed The Final Showdown, in Fortnite OG Season 9. Map changes in Fortnite OG Season 9 Season 9 added a futuristic flavor to some of the locations around the island, with Tilted Towers being redesigned as New Tilted, and Retail Row becoming Mega Mall. As part of all those cool future-style renovations, the island was full of wind tunnels that could launch players into the air and let them fly around the island more quickly than was ever possible before. Because of that, Season 9 will be the most Zero Build-friendly season of Fortnite OG yet. Fortnite OG Season 9 weapons and loot The start of Season 9 didn't change up the loot pool all that much. The Pump Shotgun, Scoped Revolver, and the Suppressed and Thermal ARs are all vaulted, and Epic unvaulted grenades and introduced the Combat Shotgun, which is oriented around mid-range battles instead of being a close-range powerhouse.  Over the course of Season 9, Epic also introduced the Tactical Assault Rifle, the Burst SMG, the Drum Shotgun, and the beloved Chug Splashes. And midway through Season 9 we first got our hands on the Storm Flip item, which creates a temporary mini-storm when you're in the circle, or if you use it while you're in the storm, it'll make a temporary safe zone. Fortnite OG Season 9 returning loot pool list: Assault Rifle Scoped Assault Rifle Minigun Infantry Rifle Drum Gun Tactical Shotgun Pump Shotgun Suppressed SMG Pistol Suppressed Pistol Hand Cannon Flint-Knock Pistol Heavy Sniper Bolt-Action Sniper Grenade Launcher Rocket Launcher

Title: Best Fantasy Games To Escape The World In 2026 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:58:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-fantasy-games/2900-6971/ Fantasy games take you away from any semblance of the real world, instead trading in unique worlds and universes, often featuring magic, but sometimes leaning into fantasy technology as well. These games are often in the RPG genre, and many of them feature open-worlds as well. The most important and defining aspect of fantasy games is their settings, though, featuring magical creatures and special powers. There are tons of fantastic offerings, but we've narrowed it down to 15 of the best fantasy games. While we tried to get a nice mix of titles on the list, we've focused on more modern games, since those are readily available to pick up and play on modern platforms. Avowed Developer: Obsidian Entertainment Platforms: Xbox Series X|S and PC Genre: FPS RPG Multiplayer: No Avowed is a massive first-person fantasy RPG from Obsidian Entertainment, the developers of The Outer Worlds and the upcoming The Outer Worlds 2. Set in the Pillars of Eternity universe, you set out to the Living Lands, an island where a mysterious disease threatens all life, and you need to decide how to save it. You will gather a party, explore the lands, and make massive decisions about the future of the Living Lands and its citizens. It's also one of the more colorful fantasy settings, giving the world a sharp, vibrant color you won't find in similar RPGs. See at Steam Advertisement Baldur's Gate 3 Developer: Larian Studios Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: CRPG Multiplayer: Yes Baldur's Gate 3 is another massive and beloved RPG, with a heavy focus on classic CRPG systems and role-playing. Set in the universe of Dungeons & Dragons, the story follows your character as you recruit companions, battle your Dark Urges, and maybe even experience a bit of romance. If you have any affinity for Dungeons & Dragons, you've probably already played Baldur's Gate 3, but its depth in both narrative and class construction makes it an excellent choice for anyone that loves a hardcore RPG experience. Baldur's Gate 3 offers a variety of fantasy elements to engage with, like talking to animals, using magic spells, and even transforming into different animals, depending on your class. There are also vampires, orcs, dragons, and so many more magical creatures spread throughout its many, many, narrative threads. See at GOG Advertisement Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Developer: Sandfall Interactive Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: Turn-based RPG Multiplayer: No Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is one of the biggest hits of 2025, and while a large part of that comes from its focus on reactive dodging and parrying in its turn-based combat, its narrative and world are key components. Directly inspired by Belle Époque France, it features a ton of painterly areas and biomes. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 operates in a unique style of fantasy world not common in video games and its premise that each year a giant painter paints a lower number and everyone over that age dies allows for it to hit the ground running. It was also influenced by JRPGs, which has led to some discourse around JRPGs and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. See at Amazon Advertisement Crimson Desert Developer: Pearl Abyss Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No A couple of months after launch, and Crimson Desert feels, looks, and plays better than ever. While it doesn't rewrite the rulebook for what fantasy games of capable of, Crimson Desert excels at offering you enough swords and sorcery fun to last you a lifetime. It's a massive game, one that hides secrets around every corner. Developer Pearl Abyss reached for the stars with its big single-player adventure, and the result is an ambitious and awe-inspiring experience. It might stick the landing with every idea it throws at you, but with the sheer amount of content available to sample, it's a stunning and varied delight to dive into. Read our Crimson Desert review. See on Amazon Advertisement Dragon's Dogma 2 Developer: Capcom Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No Dragon's Dogma 2 features a harsh, but classically inspired fantasy world. You can find yourself faced down by a griffin, medusa, or dragon regularly, in addition to little goblins and other monsters. It also has a reactive world, where nearly any NPC can die and the solution to some of your quests can be simple or convoluted depending on your playstyle. You can also wield magic in addition to swords and bows, plus you get to bring a party of companions, made by either you or other players. Dragon's Dogma 2 can be quite obtuse in what it's asking of you, and the performance can be rough depending on the platform, but its methodical pacing and sense of discovery is unmatched. See at Amazon Advertisement Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age Developer: Square Enix Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC Genre: Turn-based RPG Multiplayer: No Dragon Quest XI is a massive turn-based RPG, set in the fantasy world of Dragon Quest, best known for having slimes, shirtless buff guys, and bunny girls. DQ11 serves as a great entry into the series, as the story is disconnected from previous games. It also has tons of 2D sections, and even the option to play the main game in pixel form too. While it certainly has its moments of serious storytelling, Dragon Quest is often far more colorful and whimsical than some of the darker fantasy worlds on this list. See at Humble Advertisement Elden Ring Developer: FromSoftware Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and announced for Switch 2 Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: Yes Elden Ring is FromSoftware's biggest hit to date, and while its tough and grueling combat might scare some away, Elden Ring’s setting of The Lands Between is a phenomenal fantasy world to explore. It's a far more dangerous world than other entries on the list, but the massive map is filled with secrets to discover, along with some environments that can really only be described as breathtaking. If the hardcore action has scared you away, it's worth putting the practice in just to experience everything Elden Ring, and its expansion Shadow of the Erdtree have to offer. See at Amazon Advertisement Final Fantasy VII Remake Developer: Square Enix Platforms: PS4, PS5, PC, Switch 2 (late 2025), Xbox Series X|S (late 2025) Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No The first entry in Square Enix's ambitious remake trilogy of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake primarily covers the Midgar section of the original game. While it features helicopters, motorcycles, and other advanced technology, it still has a strong fantasy setting, even if you have to wait until FF7 Rebirth to see more of that world. Follow Cloud Strife as he and his crew battle against Shinra and Sepiroth, while utilizing a hybrid action-RPG combat system, which features small turn-based elements via the Active Time Battle system. See at Amazon Advertisement Final Fantasy XVI Developer: Square Enix Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: Action RPG Multiplayer: No If FF7 Remake isn't your style of fantasy world, Final Fantasy 16 offers a more traditional fantasy world, taking heavy inspirations from Game of Thrones. Follow Clive Rosfield, a warrior determined to get his revenge on the Dark Eikon Ifrit. The world doesn't have any sci-fi elements in terms of its technology, but it does have both fast-paced action combat and giant monster battles, making it feel dynamic from battle to battle. See at Amazon Advertisement Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Developer: Square Enix Platforms: PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, Switch Genre: Tactical-RPG Multiplayer: No Decades after it was first released, Final Fantasy Tactics is still a riveting spin-off that has stood the test of time. Fast-forward to 2025, and Square Enix gave this beloved tactical-RPG the love it deserved with a remake that captures everything that made it an instant classic. Everything from the gameplay to the visuals has been given a major upgrade; the story is still a beautifully constructed Shakespearean tragedy, and the quality-of-life upgrades add to the experience, creating a brilliant strategy experience. See on Amazon Advertisement The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Developer: Nintendo Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 Genre: Action-Adventure Multiplayer: No The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is one of the greatest video games ever made, and its Hyrule Kingdom is a particular flavor of fantasy you won't find anywhere else. While Tears of the Kingdom also certainly counts, Breath of the Wild focuses more on exploration and less on contraption building, letting its fantasy setting keep its mystical feeling. Explore Hyrule, meet new friends and foes, and solve massive puzzles to help in your battle against Ganon. Hyrule also has a nice variety of environments to explore, with grassy hills, sweltering deserts, and snowy mountains. See at Amazon Advertisement Metaphor: ReFantazio Developer: Atlus Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: Turn-based RPG Multiplayer: No Metaphor: ReFantazio is Atlus rolling out a new turn-based RPG series after years of developing Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, this time with a fantasy setting. After the death of the king, an election is held to determine the next ruler. You and your ever-expanding party of misfits need to venture across the land, helping people in need, completing contests, and fighting for a better future. Its fantasy land has a unique spin on its world and inhabitants, and features special technology, like giant ship runners and magical staffs. The turn-based combat has a heavy focus on class archetypes that can be swapped freely, adding a layer of strategy on top of the finely-tuned combat. See at Amazon Advertisement Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Developer: Capcom Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2 Genre: RPG Multiplayer: No What's the best Monster Hunter game to play currently? Surprisingly, it's not a mainline game but a spin-off that takes Monster Hunter’s core loop, reimagines it with flexible turn-based combat, and an engaging story that'll keep you grinding away until the wee hours of the morning. Full of style and substance, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection evolves the monster-taming genre with new ideas, but it's the roster of likable characters and imaginative monster designs that'll make you want to spend dozens of hours inside of its distinct world. Read our Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection review. See on Amazon Advertisement Octopath Traveler 2 Developer: Square Enix, Acquire Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC Genre: Turn-based RPG Multiplayer: No Octopath Traveler 2 is an HD-2D pixel art RPG from Square Enix. Its fantasy world is set in the early industrial revolution, with the invention of the steam engine and large commerce ships sailing the seas. It features eight party members, each of whom have their own individual stories for you to experience, taking you across the entire world of Octopath Traveler 2. Its fantasy world has one of the more unique looks on this list, thanks in large part to the gorgeous HD-2D art. See at Amazon Advertisement Sea of Stars Developer: Sabotage Studio Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, PC Genre: Turn-based RPG Multiplayer: Yes Sea of Stars is an indie turn-based RPG, heavily inspired by Chrono Trigger and classic Final Fantasy games. It utilizes active combat mechanics, where you have to use timed button presses to do more damage, or defend against incoming attacks, like Super Mario RPG. Sea of Stars has a gorgeous art style and a colorful fantasy world, with plenty of fun creatures and environments to discover. See at Humble Advertisement Tales of Arise Developer: Bandai Namco Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No Tales of Arise is the latest non-remaster entry in the series, and it's an incredible Action-RPG. You play as Alphen, an amnesiac slave with a mysterious mask on his face, and you have to venture across the world to gather allies and help deal with the divided people of the world. It dips into sci-fi, but is primarily a fantasy setting, where you will explore small towns and battle mythic creatures on your adventures. The cast of characters here are excellent, and the romance between two of the protagonists is well done. See at Fanatical Advertisement The Witcher 3 Developer: CD Projekt Red Platforms: PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, Switch 2, PC Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No The Witcher 3 is a beloved action-RPG, set in a dark fantasy world. Not only is there a smattering of mythical creatures you will encounter, but the wetland setting of The Witcher 3 has a distinctly eastern European feel in its design. There is romance and a seemingly endless number of high-quality side quests, allowing you to spend hundreds of hours in its world. Plus, it has Gwent in it, an incredible card game side activity. See at GOG Advertisement Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Developer: Monolith Soft Platforms: Switch, Switch 2 Genre: Action-RPG Multiplayer: No While you might get more out of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 after playing the first two games, you can absolutely jump straight into Monolith Soft's magnum opus. This massive RPG features action combat that functions similarly to MMO combat, with regular attacks happening automatically, while you activate special abilities. It also features plenty of sci-fi technology, but the large sprawling world filled with monsters and villains still has a strong fantasy feel. The story is the star of the show, as your crew sets out to discover if the ten-year lifespans they have been given can be extended. See at Target Advertisement

Title: Who is Wiley? Atlanta director Hiro Murai reveals the answer — sort of Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 16:01:19 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/4-years-later-atlanta-director-hiro-murai-finally-weighs-in-on-one-of-the-shows-weirdest-mysteries/ There’s a particular kind of Atlanta mystery that doesn’t behave like a normal TV puzzle. It’s not a fan theory you can “solve” by zooming in on a frame or mapping out a timeline, but an enigma that lingers in the same space as the show’s constantly shifting tone. Season 3 leaned hard into that dreamlike weirdness, especially during a multi-episode Europe tour arc where the main characters drifted through stories that often felt like they were about the surrounding bystanders as much as themselves.

Title: Toy Story 5's opening weekend was bigger than The Super Mario Galaxy Movie's Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:58:02 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/toy-story-5-opening-weekend/ Toy Story 5 now has the biggest opening weekend gross of 2026, dethroning The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. In just three days, Toy Story 5 has grossed $160 million in the United States alone.

Title: The wait for Winds of Winter just passed a surprising milestone Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 15:21:53 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/the-winds-of-winter-wait-milestone/ While you probably know that we've been waiting a long time for The Winds of Winter, you may be surprised to learn that we've now surpassed the time it took George R.R. Martin to publish the first five A Song of Ice and Fire books.

Title: Don’t Let It Starve is the latest in a long line of Balatro clones, with a retro horror twist Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 14:01:20 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/dont-let-it-starve-horror-roguelike-impressions-random-select/ Random Selectis a new column from Polygon about under-the-radar video games. Every week, Polygon's editors assign a writer to check out a game at random, downloading the game without knowing beforehand what it is. The catch? They have to play for at least an hour and report on their thoughts — honestly. This week's game is the bento box builder roguelike Don't Let It Starve.

Title: House of the Dragon season 3 stars reveal the biggest challenges filming the Battle of the Gullet Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:30:19 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/house-of-dragon-season-3-battle-gullet-interview/ House of the Dragonseason 3 opens with an epic battle as Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) and his bastard son Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) lead Rhaenyra Targaryen’s navy in a battle against the Triarchy fleet attempting to break her blockade of King’s Landing. In George R.R. Martin’s books, the Battle of the Gullet is the bloodiest naval battle in the history of Westeros, and HBO spared no expense when producing the glorious spectacle. The set involved four boats, a dry tank, a wet tank, an underwater tank, and three million liters of water.

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

Title: Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 544: Vesper Underground Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:37:29 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/19/official-playstation-podcast-episode-544-vesper-underground/ Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! Sid, Tim, and I are back this week to discuss some new details on upcoming games. But since it’s a quieter week, we take the opportunity  to dive into the team’s latest gaming adventures and triumphs, including 007 First Light, Mina The Hollower, and Overwatch. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: Dead or Alive 6 Last Round | PS5 Abyssus | PS5 Assassin’s Creed Shadows update — The final update for the latest Assassin’s game is now live. Test your skills in the Animus-bending endgame content. These new challenges remix the game in fantastical ways and will require a steady hand and top-tier builds. The Planet Crafter coming to PS5 —  Survive and thrive on July 21 in this cozy co-op survival game that alleviates the pressure and lets players enjoy terraforming and creating a life on a deserted planet. Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok —  See what you can expect from the massive expansion coming to the PS5 on July 9. Get the inner workings of the updated battle system featuring dynamic character synergy power-ups, summon system, and more in our hands-on report. 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 Tim Turi – Content Communications Manager, 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: Saros Date: Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:10 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/19/share-of-the-week-saros/ Last week, we sent you to Carcosa to try out the newly released Saros Photo Mode using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: MdeavorVP shares Arjun dashing to the side thwippip shares Arjun atop a ruined landscape on Carcosa dougsvest shares Arjun sending a red blast to an enemy   l2.focus shares Arjun standing in front of The Constant y2que shares Arjun posed with his weapons vp_louie shares an onslaught of blue enemy orbs 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: Saros – Arjun DevrajSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on June 24, 2026  Next week, share portraits of Arjun as he explores the corrupted world of Saros. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok hands-on report, demo available today Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/18/granblue-fantasy-relink-endless-ragnarok-hands-on-report-demo-available-today/ Set to touch down on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 on Thursday, July 9, Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok is a massive new expansion built to significantly evolve the high-flying action RPG that first captivated players in 2024. At a recent press event, we had the chance to experience the new additions coming to Endless Ragnarok firsthand through an exclusive developer presentation and an early hands-on gameplay session. For newcomer captains eager to take to the skies, a playable demo of the main Granblue Fantasy: Relink title is now available on PlayStation Store. Dynamic character synergy power-up the evolved battle System Endless Ragnarok injects a wealth of new content into the experience, introducing an all-new story arc, new playable characters, the game-changing Summon battle mechanic, a punishing new quest difficulty, the Master Trait progression tree, and a dedicated single-player endgame mode called the Conflux. The expansion adds six fan-favorite faces to the playable roster: Gallanza, Maglielle, Beatrix, Eustace, Fraux, and Fediel. In addition to these allies, players will square off against formidable new skybound threats, including iconic bosses like Beelzebub and The World. The new Summon system unleashes fresh tactical depth and spectacle The crown jewel of Endless Ragnarok’s new mechanics is undoubtedly the Summon system. By equipping summons, earned as you progress through the narrative, you can call upon various characters during battle and take control of them. Because your character gains complete invincibility while a summon is active, this mechanic works beautifully not just as a devastating offensive push, but as a clutch counter against a boss’s most lethal attacks. With a diverse lineup of summons offering specialized roles in offense, crowd control, and support, your tactical options have never been broader. The visual spectacle reaches a fever pitch with the introduction of Primal Burst. When your party performs a full chain of Skybound Arts under specific conditions, Lyria will unleash a powerful follow-up attack through a summon. Battles heat up under the punishing new Chaos difficulty For our hands-on session, we booted up a save file positioned right at the opening act of the Endless Ragnarok storyline. The moment the curtain rises on this new chapter, the quest counter unlocks its highest, most unforgiving difficulty rank: Chaos. In a terrifying show of force, even the very first quest—which functions as a tutorial for the expansion’s mechanics—plunges you straight into Chaos-level danger. Quests in this tier feature merciless new adversaries, like the apocalyptic beasts ragnalia, and bosses will aggressively utilize a terrifying, unique ability known as EX Burst. When a boss enemy’s body radiates a distinct purple aura, it is your cue that an EX Burst is imminent. Facing these catastrophic attacks for the first time brings an incredible amount of tension. However, reading the telegraphs, discovering the counter-strategies, and perfectly timing your dodge windows to turn a crisis into an opening is exactly where Relink’s combat system shines. Veterans who have completely mastered the original game and crave high-stakes encounters will absolutely live for this thrill. Conquer the Sky Realm by mastering your Summons During our demo run, we had the opportunity to take the primal beasts Furycane and Managarmr out for a spin. While Furycane requires a massive chunk of the summon gauge to activate, its rapid-fire slashes and tracking tornado combos are devastatingly potent. Closing the gap with a rushing strike before immediately transitioning into a flawless, high-damage combo feels incredibly smooth, and its massive scale on the screen delivers the pure, larger-than-life thrill of a premier summon battle. Managarmr, by contrast, moves with a heavier, more deliberate pace, but it proves immensely dependable by automatically burying the field in a ferocious blizzard just as its summon duration expires. Because this attack inflicts the Glaciate status effect, it freezes enemies dead in their tracks, giving you a perfect window for crowd control. It is a fantastic example of how summons can be used for deep, defensive strategy rather than just raw firepower. Crucially, equipping summons does more than just let you call for backup; they also bestow a variety of passive traits and skill effects upon your captain. Once players begin amassing a vast collection of these summons later in the game, theorycrafting the ultimate combination of passive stats and active summon timings is bound to become an absolute obsession. Plus, those precious invincibility frames during a summon act as a vital lifeline when your back is against the wall. Hands-on impressions of the brand-new roster We also took the time to test out two of the highly anticipated new playable characters: Gallanza and Beatrix. Gallanza is a textbook powerhouse who commands the field with a massive spear-axe. While his animations swing on the heavier side, his raw attack radius is exceptionally wide, making it immensely satisfying to shatter enemy defenses with a rhythmic succession of heavy-hitting strikes. Beatrix, on the other hand, is a highly technical fighter who forces you to actively cycle through shifting offensive, defensive, and recovery self-buffs mid-combat. While she demands constant situational awareness and fast decision-making from the player, her potential to dynamically adapt to any role in a party makes her an incredibly rewarding character to master. The solo-exclusive ultimate endgame: the Conflux We closed out our session with the Conflux, a brand-new piece of content tailored specifically for solo play. In this mode, players fight their way through sequential zones, checking off specialized objectives mapped to each area. Upon successfully clearing a zone’s objective, you are prompted to choose one of three temporary perks that remain active strictly for the remainder of that specific run. The gameplay loop centers on methodically conquering rooms, stacking powerful buffs, and testing your limits as you plunge deeper into the abyss. According to the development team, the Conflux was designed for players who prefer to avoid multiplayer matchmaking, allowing them to efficiently earn rare materials and high-tier equipment solo. The objectives that appear and the perks offered change randomly with every run, creating a highly replayable loop. Combining rogue-lite randomness with single-player-focused progression feels like a promising and fresh way to experience the game. Our brief journey with this expansion left us deeply impressed by its newfound mechanical depth—from the tactical layers introduced by the Summon system to the addictive loop of the Conflux. 

Title: The VFX tech behind Saros: from NGP to Graphite Date: Wed, 17 Jun 2026 12:00:21 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/17/the-vfx-tech-behind-saros-from-ngp-to-graphite/ Five years ago, we wrote about how the visual effects in Returnal came to life, including the real-time voxeliser that dissolved Phrike into volumetric fog. If you haven’t read it, that post is a good companion to this one. This is how that story continues. With Saros, we didn’t just extend what we’d built for Returnal. We stepped back, looked at thirty years of accumulated engine development, and rebuilt it as a unified framework: Graphite. What we had, and why we changed it Our proprietary particle engine, NGP (Next-Gen Particles), started as a prototype for Resogun in 2013 and grew with every game since, all the way to Returnal. By SAROS, NGP was mature, but it was also a product of twelve years of incremental decisions, each one made in the context of a specific, isolated game. Then something else changed: us. Joining PlayStation Studios meant delivering experiences at the level our players expect, and our tools, and the names we’d given them, no longer matched the studio we were becoming. Enter Graphite. It brings GPU simulation, rendering, tooling, and DCC integration under one architecture, built directly for PlayStation hardware. NGP didn’t disappear, it became part of Graphite, evolved and more capable than ever. Every Housemarque game has a visual identity players recognise immediately. Graphite is what makes that possible. And what it actually does, frame by frame, is best explained by the incredible people who built it: Housemarque Graphics Architect Sharman Jagadeesan and Senior Graphics Programmer Konsta Toivanen will walk you through the volumetric fog in Saros: how it evolved from Returnal, and the two systems we built to make Carcosa’s atmosphere feel alive. Risto Jankkila (VFX Architect) will explain how we extended Graphite with data from Houdini, including a full breakdown of the player spawn sequence. Volumetric fog Fog in games is often an afterthought, something that fills empty space and hides draw distances. In Saros, we wanted it to be a living part of the world, reacting to everything happening in it. In Returnal, our volumetric fog was already reactive, but too low frequency, and heavy temporal filtering kept it from showing fine detail. For Saros we built two complementary solutions: low frequency fog for ambient atmosphere, and high frequency fog for the character effects seen in special story rooms in Carcosa. Low frequency fog We took Unreal Engine’s froxel fog, a frustum-aligned voxel grid, as a starting point and rebuilt significant parts of it to meet our vision. The first challenge was temporal stability. The hysteresis coefficient controls how much of the previous frame’s data the fog holds onto: Unreal’s default of 90% keeps the image stable but makes the fog sluggish on fast-moving cameras and lights. We pushed it down to 50%, using blue noise jitter and depth clamping to keep the resulting aliasing under control. Saros also needed fog that could represent everything from low density ambient mist to high density ground fog. To render these faithfully we used: A dual Henyey-Greenstein phase function, modelling how light scatters forward and backward through the fog depending on viewing angle. A coloured absorption coefficient, determining how much light is absorbed as it travels through a medium, for a far wider range of colours than traditional monochromatic solutions. A self shadowing system that aggregates incoming light sources into a dominant shadowing direction and ray-marches toward it. A physically based sky lighting integral, for accurate distant lighting without sacrificing performance. Together these gave Carcosa’s atmosphere a grounded, physical quality. Finally, the low frequency fog is fully interactive. Advection from our player-following fluid simulation feeds directly into the density hysteresis step, making every player movement, projectile, explosion, and enemy readable in the fog in real time. High frequency fog For the high-frequency fog we built a custom ray marcher. To keep performance in check while preserving fidelity, we cluster the scatter data into 8x8x8 voxel groups before marching, drawing only the clusters that contain data, with a user-defined threshold keeping their number in check. While marching, empty regions between clusters get skipped, letting the marcher take larger steps where it can. For lighting, we evaluated a light volume per scatter volume, containing irradiance from all light sources, with pre-marched self-shadowing for every light voxel. We exposed parameters for albedo, absorbance, density, and shadowing, letting artists balance visuals against performance for each volume. The two fog systems are then merged: we sample the low frequency fog’s scatter data during the high frequency march, and feed results back so both stay consistent with each other. Use cases We used the high frequency volumetric fog in a few scenarios. One use case was in the Prologue in the form of a smoky skull with cables attached to it. Another use case was with what we call Mirages. In four of our biomes there are specific narrative rooms where Arjun is faced with smoke creatures. 1/2Now showing slide 1 of 2Show all View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Fog skull at the beginning of the Prologue View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Four story rooms with Mirages Reactivity is key to all the VFX we make, and these effects were no exception. Since impact data doesn’t need high resolution, we store it in a separate, low resolution volume, which for the skull also holds its low frequency velocity field. The videos below show that volume on the left, and combined with the skull on the right. Impacts are evaluated as a Signed Distance Field that closes back up over time, while velocity is shown in colour, you can see both the impact holes and the turbulence they create. 1/2Now showing slide 1 of 2Show all Here’s the final skull effect without the cables and other secondaries and in a different environment. The mirage effect is similar to the skull effect. The difference is that there are so called mirage “scenes” that rotate. We also used our real-time skeletal mesh voxelizer to bring existing meshes into the scenes. The video below shows a sweep between the voxelized result and the final result with advecting data from the previous frame. Here’s the final effect with rotating two mirage scenes in a test environment. For reactivity, we used the same method described for the skull effect. Extending Graphite with data from Houdini In addition to improving the rendering quality of our volumetric effects we wanted to introduce new ways for our artists to author them. Previously, volumetric effects were created by writing per-voxel expressions for density emission, combined with fluid simulations driving the advection (the directional movement) of the density field. Because this grid-and-voxel approach is the industry standard for film VFX, it was our natural first step as well. From Returnal days: voxelising Phrike into a grid for density emission During Returnal’s development, we realized we needed tighter control over exactly where density is generated. Per-voxel logic let us emit density on nearby surfaces or voxelised meshes, but anything more complex came with severe runtime overhead. Emitting density from just a character’s arm, rather than their whole voxelised body, was very difficult to do efficiently in real time. Also from Returnal: full body density emission from the voxelised mesh To solve this, we turned to particles to drive volumetric density emission. Graphite’s fully programmable particle system gave us a solid foundation for tightly controlled volumes, resulting in two new tools: An Offline Houdini Data Pipeline: lets artists pre-compute complex, high-fidelity data in Houdini that would be too expensive to generate at runtime. A Runtime Point Cloud Rasterizer: a high-performance component that takes simulated points and rasterizes them directly into a volume in real time. Together, these freed us from stateless per-voxel expressions and rigid fluid simulations. Particles can now precisely follow a character’s animated mesh, giving artists full control over an effect’s behavior and lifecycle. In practice, an artist imports an animated Saros character into Houdini and uses its tools to compute starting positions and attributes for an effect. That baked data feeds into the game engine, where real-time simulation takes over. In the video below, points generated in Houdini closely match the in-game character, and custom runtime logic detaches them from the enemy on bullet impact, so initial positions come from Houdini, but the behavior reacts dynamically to the player in real time. Creating point data in Houdini Using point data from Houdini in engine Since artists can export any kind of data from Houdini to Graphite, it’s easy to go beyond static particles attached to characters. Below, particles flow across the surface of an animated mesh: the surface was unfolded in Houdini into a 2D simulation space, then exported and mapped back onto the animated mesh in real time. Particle flow on Arjun’s body on the left. In the middle we extract an ISO surface from the particles. On the right we have volumetric fog emitted from the particle flow. A prime in-game example of this technology in action is the player spawn sequence in Saros. This complex effect is built in multiple layers, starting offline in Houdini, where we generate splines directly onto the player’s skeletal mesh. When exporting these splines into Graphite, we treat each control point along the spline as an individual particle. Simulating particle positions in Houdini. These are only used as target positions in the engine and the growth motion will be re-simulated dynamically during runtime. At runtime, our programmable particle system controls how these elements behave over time. At first, the splines drift freely in space, then gradually guide back toward their target positions on the character mesh. We wanted the player to look like they’re physically reforming from a pool of shifting “goo.” Marching Cubes gave us that viscous, solid-surface look, and controlling it with particles let us build a sequence where the player forms from separate strands into a character. Marching cubes constructed from particle splines Much like the splines that generated the goo surface, we can also emit volumetric density as well. In the spawn sequence we placed a number of particle splines near the player location and spawn volumetric fog from them to simulate rising steam or smoke.  Volumetric fog emitted from particle splines As a final touch, we added spark particles that collide with the player character, using a signed distance field computed from the player’s collision capsules. The programmable particle system again gave us flexibility here: the player attracts particles, but once they get too close, the player mesh repels them, helping sell the look of emerging from hot, lava-like liquid. Particles colliding with player capsule SDFs Here’s everything combined. Every element is simulated at runtime, at 60 fps on base PS5, with no baked simulation assets. This lets us ship multiple spawn animations, each with slight randomization so it looks a little different every time the player wakes up. Final player spawn sequence An ever-evolving development journey Reading through what Risto, Sharman, and Konsta broke down here, the goal for us and our technology has always been the same: every simulation, every effect, every rendering decision exists to make you feel something when you play. Making games means believing in something you can’t yet prove, and the only people who can ever confirm it are the players themselves. Saros players told us, in their own words, that what we built mattered. And that means everything to us. Our games will keep informing the technology we develop for Graphite, always showcasing what PlayStation as a platform can do. We can’t wait to share that future with you.

Title: The Planet Crafter launches on PS5 July 21 Date: Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:00:13 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/16/the-planet-crafter-launches-on-ps5-july-21/ Hello! I’m Amélie from Miju Games. We’re so excited for you to finally get to try our survival game The Planet Crafter when it launches on PS5 next month.  Play Video The Planet Crafter is unlike many of the survival games you’ve played in the past. When we were designing it, we sought to make a chill, non-violent survival experience. The Planet Crafter will still challenge you. The player has to carefully manage needs like oxygen, food, and water; especially early in the game, you can push your limits too far and discover that there’s a fatal result to that. But this isn’t a game with jump scares and monsters. There’s nothing to dread behind that boulder or in the depths of that cave. But there is wonder. We’ve made some big worlds for you to explore, and secrets to uncover. The planets and moons you will find are evolving as you start the long journey to terraform them. When you build heat pumps and drill into a planet’s core to raise the atmospheric pressure and temperature, you’ll find that the changes are more than just cosmetic. Maybe a glacier has melted, revealing a new valley you couldn’t access before. When life starts to take root in your world, perhaps you’ll notice trees growing that provide a bridge to a new location. The Planet Crafter is not a violent game, but we promise that it is full of adventure. One point of inspiration for us when creating The Planet Crafter surprises people when we tell them. We’ve always appreciated idle games, and you’ll find some of that DNA in our game. When you build terraforming machines they keep operating as long as your grid has power. You’re always making progress towards that next terraforming milestone. We think that’s a great way of encouraging you to explore. Let the machines do their thing while you go hunt for relics from a lost previous expedition, prospect for rare minerals in the shards of a fallen meteorite, or get acquainted with the new life forms that you’ve introduced into the world. In The Planet Crafter, things are always getting a little better. We can’t wait to see the bases that you and your friends create in single-player or co-op in The Planet Crafter on PlayStation 5. The worlds we’ve created for you to terraform may be stark and desolate when you first arrive. But with a little effort, we hope you will find that they’re warm and inviting places for you to hang out. Good luck out there, and we hope to see you soon in-game.

Title: The Sunday Papers Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-sunday-papers-815 Sundays are for sitting by a window in your pants eating cold pasta, as a game of football meanders through its grassy paces on a screen not too far away. Light curtains drawn in an attempt to eliminate any chance for people in the street below to catch a glimpse of your boxers, time slows to a crawl. You're never not moving, but at least in this moment you're being afforded that chance to move slowly. Life never stops, but it does at least occasionally allow the odd evening in cruise control. You're snapped out of your trance by a flurry of activity on the screen. A decision has been made. One team flap around voicing their unhappiness. The referee ushers them away so the ball can be placed and the spot kick taken. The taker steps up. On the back of his shirt, instead of a name, you see a question. Read more

Title: MonCraft 199X is a creature collecting survival game where the Y2K apocalypse actually happened Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:59:46 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/moncraft-199x-is-a-creature-collecting-survival-game-where-the-y2k-apocalypse-actually-happened Many of you young'uns might hear the term Y2K and think of a vague, all encompassing descriptor of 2000s aesthetics, but us older folk think of it as this apocalyptic event that never came to be at the turn of the new millennium. Because the world didn't end, many thought that it was just a load of hogwash. In reality, there was a genuine computer bug that could have ruined important infrastructure worldwide if it hadn't been fixed leading up to the year 2000. All this to say, here's MonCraft 199X, a Pokemon-esque survival game where Y2K really did happen. Read more

Title: As EA appear to renew the trademark for Ultima, its creator lies in wait to reclaim the game's copyright next year Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 20:41:57 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/as-ea-appear-to-renew-the-trademark-for-ultima-its-creator-lies-in-wait-to-reclaim-the-games-copyright-next-year It's been a while since there's been a new Ultima! Just about eight years, in fact, and it wasn't even called Ultima (it was Underworld Ascendant, which we didn't review back in the day). Such is the case with many series' that are over 40 years old, they just don't have quite the same steam as they used to. But then earlier this week, it appeared that EA (who have long owned the rights to the series) filed a couple of new trademarks for Ultima this week. And following this, it appears series' creator Richard "Lord British" Garriot is trying to get the copyright back. Read more

Title: CD Projekt Red's CEO still thinks they need to finish their post-Cyberpunk redemption arc, and he's hoping The Witcher 4 will help Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 18:00:44 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/cd-projekt-reds-ceo-still-thinks-they-need-to-finish-their-post-cyberpunk-redemption-arc-and-hes-hoping-the-witcher-4-will-help I think despite the mess that was the launch of Cyberpunk 2077, it wouldn't be right to say that CD Projekt Red's reputation was completely tarnished. It is still a game with a lot of cultural relevancy, and nobody can shut up about The Witcher 3 to such a degree that it's even getting a brand new expansion more than 10 years after the last one came out. Even still, it doesn't sound like joint CEO Michał Nowakowski is entirely convinced that the studio has managed to complete its redemption arc. Read more

Title: Sony say goodbye to PC and hello to AI in their annual business report, which must be a good thing, right? Date: Sat, 20 Jun 2026 17:10:31 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/sony-say-goodbye-to-pc-and-hello-to-ai-in-their-annual-business-report-which-must-be-a-good-thing-right Back in March, a report emerged claiming that Sony no longer had plans to release the likes of Ghost of Yōtei and other such singleplayer-only games on PC. Sony are yet to explicitly confirm that this is the case, but it certainly seems like that is the case based on their annual business environment and strategy report for PlayStation. Oh, but it does mention how they plan to use AI, so. Yay. Read more