Title: Man, I Miss Big Bargain Bins Of Used Video Games Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 19:00:09 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/man-i-miss-big-bargain-bins-of-used-video-games-2000712341 Is that a used copy of Nintendogs?!

Title: Disc Manufacturing Factory Already Planning For PlayStation’s All-Digital Future Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 18:30:22 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/disc-manufacturing-factory-already-planning-for-playstations-all-digital-future-2000712489 And according to Sony Digital Audio Disc Corporation’s upper management, this shift in production had been planned for some time before Sony's announcement on July 1st

Title: Hands-On With Ninjala 2: The Anime Brawler Returns To Switch 2 With A New Twist Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:30:37 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/hands-on-with-ninjala-2-the-anime-brawler-returns-to-switch-2-with-a-new-twist-2000712493 The live-service franchise is pivoting to PvE

Title: I Can Never Remember The Actual Name Of Naughty Dog’s New Space Game Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:00:43 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/i-can-never-remember-the-actual-name-of-naughty-dogs-new-space-game-2000712393 Interstellar something? Galaxy quest?

Title: 10 Extraordinary New Indie Games To Wishlist This 250th Indie-Penance Day Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:30:46 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/indie-penance-day-indie-games-steam-wishlist-deckbuilder-4x-2000712495 An exquisite array of games of every type, packed with invention and originality

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: The Best Roblox Games To Play Right Now Date: Mon, 04 Aug 2025 12:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-roblox-games/2900-6830/ With thousands of games on the platform, it can be tricky to find the best Roblox games without searching through pages upon pages of entries. Sure, the charts in the client can give you a general idea, but many are flash-in-the-pan compared to the ones that truly deserve to be at the top of the podium. The majority of these games fall into categories commonly found within the typical gaming space, such as shooters, party games, or more obscure genres like tower defense. However, there are a few that you typically only find on Roblox, so if you want a breakdown of what exactly some of the exclusive genres are, such as Obbys, then you can find everything you could need to know in our Roblox beginner’s guide. Here is a list of the best Roblox games you can play right now. Jailbreak As one of the original crime-based Roblox games, Jailbreak is the closest to cops vs robbers you’re going to get. Team up with friends to orchestrate the most daring criminal heists or a police raid on a villain’s base of operations. While it’s a lot more freeform compared to GTA Online, there’s still plenty of places to rob or criminals to apprehend and prevent from escaping from their cells. New heist locations appear in every major update, each one challenges criminals to navigate traps and obstacles to reach the vault, while the cops must stop them before it’s too late. With over 27 seasons' worth of content, this crime game has been around for quite some time, boasting a healthy player base. Whether you choose to be a villain or an officer of the law, you’ll have a blast with Jailbreak. Featured in this image Jailbreak (2017) View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Epic Minigames Epic Minigames is a massive collection of 131 short games that have a great amount of variety. It’s the constantly changing types of minigames that keep us coming back. One second you’re scaling a wall in a platforming challenge or avoiding lava, the next you’re in a good old-fashioned team shootout in a western town. If you’re a fan of the minigames of Mario Party, these will tread some similar ground. Every win gives you coins that you can spend on pets and titles, as well as level-ups that get you more stuff to show off to everyone around you. Just be sure you’re ready for the next minigame as they come thick and fast. On top of that, the hub area has plenty of distractions, including its own Obby, in which you can earn coins for finishing the course. However, it’s the huge number of minigames that are the star attraction and this one doesn’t disappoint. Advertisement Adopt Me! Those who like the idea of raising small creatures will love Adopt Me! It’s all about taking care of virtual furry babies by responding to their individual needs, such as feeding, cleaning, playing, and providing a safe space for them to rest their weary eyes after a long day. As your skills as a caregiver increase, you’ll get the chance to adopt more elaborate critters, from rare cat breeds and exotic animals like capybaras, to mythical beasts and costumed gorillas. New seasons bring activities you can participate in to get prizes, the value of which is based on your performance. There are also freshly designed hub areas packed with features to explore, while existing mechanics have been updated to improve the user experience, so if you’ve not played in a while, it may be worth seeing what’s new. Featured in this image Adopt Me! View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Blox Fruits Often imitated but never truly outdone, Blox Fruits is the most popular of the anime-based games on Roblox. By eating fruits, you can gain one of 40 different powers that range from being able to summon flames from your hands to becoming a T-Rex. With your newfound abilities, you can complete quests to gain gold and train your abilities to unlock more attacks for your fruit powers. There are some similarities between this and Jailbreak in that the teams are divided between law-enforcing marines and treasure-plundering pirates, but this plays a little more like an MMORPG, with its PvP combat and quests that involve defeating a quota of enemies. No matter which faction you choose, there’s a plethora of islands to explore, coins to open via chests, and bosses to beat up. If you’re a fan of One Piece, this is the closest to an MMO based on the anime as it gets. Advertisement All Star Tower Defense X Speaking of anime-based games, All Star Tower Defense X has you collect a bunch of your favorite heroes and villains from various Shonen Jump manga and use their powers to defend your tower against marauding foes seeking to destroy it. You can then use the gems earned for beating each level to play the gacha machine to get new units, and coins to upgrade and evolve them to more powerful forms. With regular updates and a healthy player base, there’s always something new to find whenever you return. Events keep things fresh by issuing battle challenges to test your tower-defending skills, while themed minigames reward players for participating in the festivities. The units in the gacha also constantly change, meaning that there’s always someone cool and rare to pull. It also has a rather fitting tribute to the late Akira Toriyama in the lobby, which shows the care and respect the developers have for the source material. Advertisement Tower of Hell Obbys are dime a dozen in Roblox, and the most infamous has got to be Tower of Hell. When you enter, there are two different challenge towers to choose from, with the Noob Tower being the simplest to complete and the Pro Tower providing a significant challenge. Even though each level has glowing kill zones and massive drops to contend with, there’s a timer counting down the seconds you have to finish before it all changes. However, should you decide to take on The Tower, you’ll be faced with a daunting skyscraper that is hundreds of levels high. Luckily, you have all the time in the world to complete this ascent, but one wrong move could see you plummet to the very bottom in the blink of an eye. Our only advice is to watch your step and time your jumps well. Featured in this image Tower of Hell View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Loomian Legacy Fans of Nintendo’s Pokémon might want to try the somewhat legally distinct Loomian Legacy. The spiritual successor to Brick Bronze, the game follows your character as their town is hit by a mysterious storm that rearranges the letters on an ancient tablet before shattering it and scattering the pieces. Your scientist parents trust you to investigate with your chosen Loomian, while also knowing you face the Battle Theaters. The similarities found within the battle system to Pokémon in this single-player RPG make it a comfortable experience for newcomers. The major difference is that, instead of PP, moves now have a set stamina they use. Should you run out, you can wait or rest to recharge, but this skips a turn. Of all the games on this list, this has a ton of effort put into it as its camera is fixed for the most part, and the characters aren’t the typical Roblox-shaped people. For a free game that anyone can play, it’s a great alternative to Nintendo’s juggernaut RPG series. Evomon Those who find Loomin Legacy a little too far from the Pokemon formula and lacking a little in the visuals should consider Evomon. Featuring a fully fledged story and well over 200 catchable creatures, Evomon also has a more familiar battle system, complete with an easy-to-decipher type chart that gives the player on-the-go information. Battles are quick, mostly decided by a monster’s ultimate attacks, which charge as you fight. On top of that, you as a trainer also have some room to grow, with ascension rankings that increase your bond with your Evomon and spins to earn new suits with permanent perks. Divided into different areas, each one has an assortment of chests with treasure hidden across the map, trainers to fight, monsters to capture, and bosses to defeat. When you’ve reached higher levels, new features will unlock, such as World Bosses, PVP, and Daily Challenges. There are also Tower challenges with 200 floors that get progressively harder as you ascend, culminating in 3v3 fights every so often. Featured in this image Loomian Legacy View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Murder Mystery 2 While some still lament the passing of the original, Murder Mystery 2 is a decent social deduction game. Players are split into three different roles: Innocents, the Murderer, and the Sheriff. Innocents can decipher who the murderer is, but must avoid being killed by them. The Sheriff can work with innocents to take down the Murderer and is the only one with the means to stop them in their tracks. Meanwhile, the Murderer must eliminate everyone to win. With a ton of maps to pick from, including a yacht, a bio lab, and several hotels, houses, and hospitals, there are plenty of hiding spots for a murderer or sheriff to ambush their foe. You can also collect coins to gain bonus experience after every match, but your footsteps can give your position away, so exercise caution lest you meet an untimely end! Featured in this image Murder Mystery 2 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Brookhaven If you just want to settle down, build your dream home, and live your best life in a roleplay sim, Brookhaven is one of the best out there. This game will require players to interact with each other, but the general idea is to cooperate and live a normal life by hanging out with friends. This means that you can choose a career, including actor, athlete, detective, or more specific ones, such as a veterinarian. The world is your oyster, and so long as you keep to your role, you should get the most out of this experience. Given its roots in immersive role-playing and its reputation as the very best among the entirety of Roblox, it’s worth noting that this game does include real-world products appearing within the in-game advertising. One recent example was that the billboards heavily publicised The Bad Guys 2 in the weeks up to its release. However, it’s also great for in-universe ads, such as Club Brooks’ opening times. Featured in this image Brookhaven View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Doors Everyone loves a horror game during Halloween, though Doors can be too scary for younger audiences. Each run, the idea is for you and some friends to run through an ever-increasing number of doors. Every new level leads to the possibility of having to solve a puzzle to find a key to progress, or a new horrible monster that can chase you. Played entirely in the first person, each bang you hear may put you so on edge, you have no choice but to hide under a bed or inside a wardrobe until the coast is clear. Fair warning, the cryptids you’ll face are kinda horrific, with somewhat inventive ways of getting rid of them. For example, one of them will hide from you until you find it, and jump scare you if you don’t do it in time. The designs for each one are a bit more creepy than other popular horror games for younger audiences, such as the many animatronics in the Five Nights at Freddy’s series. With the brand new update, known as The Great Outdoors, looming on the horizon, there’s no better time to check out this Roblox horror classic. Featured in this image DOORS View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Natural Disaster Survival Sometimes, you just want a bit of a challenge, and Natural Disaster Survival certainly scratches that itch. The aim is to avoid impending disasters such as flash floods, volcanic eruptions, fires, lightning strikes, and deadly viruses, and emerge relatively unscathed at the other end of the round. This bears a small resemblance to Epic Minigames, but there are a handful of maps, and the disaster chosen is always random. Unlike a lot of Roblox games on this list, this one doesn’t feature any kind of commitment to play beyond the leaderboard that shows a total number of disasters survived by each of the top players. Therefore, it’s the perfect experience if you just want to spend a few minutes playing without having to commit too much. Featured in this image Natural Disaster Survival View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Dress to Impress For those fashionistas among you, Dress to Impress has you strutting your stuff on the catwalk in contests where your outfits must match a prompt. It’s then up to the other players whether your outfit slays or you should just sashay away. You pick star ratings based on how well the clothes and patterns they chose match the requirements. It’s a relatively simple premise, but with so many accessories, skin tones, tops, and makeup options to select from within a short timeframe, it can be daunting. Seasonal events and limited-time modes, such as Style Showdown, also help mix things up so you don’t get bored with the same lobby for hours on end. There are occasions where just the best outfit wins, rather than the one that best matches the theme, and that’s okay. Creativity is encouraged from the Dress to Impress community, which, on the whole, is lovely and supportive. So if you want to become the new talk of the town, you’ll need to brush up on the latest trends and styles to look fabulous. Incidentally, there are some Dress to Impress codes you can redeem to help you in that goal. Featured in this image Dress To Impress View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Grow a Garden For a time, Grow a Garden was the most popular game on Roblox and for good reason: you didn’t need to play it to make significant progress. Sure, you need to plant your crops at least, but as soon as you’ve got things going, you can leave it to do its thing. The idea is to plant seeds, wait for the Grow A Garden weather events to mutate your crops, then sell the fruit, and use the profits to buy more expensive stuff. Eventually, you’ll end up with a paradise full of plants and trees and a significant amount of cash. You can also hatch pets from eggs and feed them your plants to keep them healthy. Do consult our Grow A Garden Beginner’s Guide to help you get settled in. What keeps players coming back, much like many other experiences, is its variety of seasonal events. You can always find out when the next Grow A Garden update will be a week in advance, and participate in the invaluable ‘Admin Abuse’ events to snag the rare Grow A Garden mutations. It may be one you don’t play for long at any given point, but cultivating a real garden also takes time, so it’s good practice. At least this one has a bunch of Grow A Garden pets to roam your plot, with the top-tier ones making your crops far more valuable with their utterly busted abilities. While its time in the sun may be waning, the events are more substantial and better quality than they were a few months ago, so it might be time to see how much your garden has grown if you've not tended to it in a while! Grow a Garden 2 While the original Grow A Garden still exists, it’s a shadow of its former self and has been superseded by Grow A Garden 2. The idea is almost the same: plant fruit and veg into your garden and sell the crops for profit. You can still get pets to buff your garden, though they seem to appear in and around the hub area for a limited time rather than in crates or shops. There are many improvements compared to the original. For example, the animations have a tad more flourish, and there are quality-of-life updates such as a timer showing how long you need to wait for a plant to grow and which pets are active in your farm. While the game still has weather effects, they are far more uncommon, and some are exclusive to different parts of the day cycle. The big new feature is that players can now steal fruits from other farms at night. While you can stay safely in your farm to protect your plants from pilfering plunderers, you can also venture into a neighbor’s plot and partake in a bit of fruit larceny. Other weather events can tempt you to leave the safe confines of your farm. Just don’t get caught on the other end of a rival’s shovel or a slingshot round as you bring your ill-gotten gains back to your plot. Featured in this image Grow a Garden View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Prospecting Prospecting is all about digging through sand and sifting it in rivers to find the most valuable jewels. With every treasure you unearth, you can convert it into items that buff your overall stats, or sell it to merchants for cash that you can use to upgrade your equipment. New areas are progressively unlocked depending on the quality of your spade and tray, each with its own quests for you to obtain more upgrades. We hear that Prospecting Fire Opal is especially tricky to find because of its very low drop rate. Updates often include new limited-time events where you can mine rare minerals, as well as permanent additions that help boost your stats. It’s also a multiplayer game with free private servers, so you can invite your Roblox party for some cooperative mining and share bonuses from the various stat-buffing totems you can deploy. Just know that even with all the odds stacked in your favor, you may be digging for a while for those rare gems. Featured in this image Prospecting! View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Restaurant Tycoon 3 If you fancy cooking up a storm with friends, Restaurant Tycoon 3 is the latest and possibly best of developer Ultraw’s cooking simulators. You start with two tables, a basic kitchen, and just one dish. However, as you increase your skills, hire staff, and build out your restaurant into a fully kitted-out establishment, you’ll unlock bonus items to make a little more money to invest in your business. This new version includes a fully redesigned user interface, making the building part easier than ever to get right the first time. The main new feature is farming, which enables you to grow your own crops for use as ingredients. There are also other facilities on offer, such as fridges where each item purchased from shops that’s stored inside will elevate the quality of your dishes and the value you can charge per dish. Featured in this image Restaurant Tycoon 3 View Game Hub Follow Advertisement 99 Nights in the Forest Sometimes, you only need a little bit of folklore to create a creepy atmosphere. 99 Nights in the Forest is another Roblox horror game that pits you and a team of fellow survivors in the middle of the woods. You must find four missing children, while also battling hunger and keeping the fire lit at all times throughout the 99 days, especially when the monsters come out during the night. Critters such as wolves, geographically out-of-place polar bears, and even hostile frogs will harm you. There is also a horrifying deer monster that will gore you to pieces if it catches you, as well as cultists armed to the teeth with crossbows and maces, donning the same threatening antlers of their bipedal god. To fend them off, you’ll need to use your class’s perks and craft items with chopped-down tree logs and other materials. Eventually, you’ll be able to expand your search beyond the camp, but with a nasty surprise lurking behind any tree, it’s best to keep your wits about you. Featured in this image 99 Nights in the Forest View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Fisch There was a time when Fisch was one of the most popular games on Roblox. The idea is simple: fish for aquatic creatures and sell them to meet quest quotas. To do so, you will lay traps to capture crustaceans and cast out a rod to snag the fish in the rivers and seas of its many biomes. The fishing minigame involves clicking or tapping on a screen in precise spots, before mixing both holding and letting go of the screen to reel in your catch. If you’re playing on mobile, you might have a slightly easier time with this. It’s a little primitive visually, with some fairly rough angles on the trees, but don’t let that deceive you. While derivative games, such as Fish It, might have a lot more polish, they’re also full of in-game microtransactions designed to prey on your wallet. Fisch is not only a lot fairer in terms of how much it sells to the player, but it’s also a far more engaging gameplay experience, where fishing actually requires a degree of skill. It also has pleasant acoustic guitars strumming away as you sail across the sea, giving it somewhat calming qualities found nowhere else among the hustle and bustle on the platform. Featured in this image Fisch View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Plants vs. Brainrots No, Steal A Brainrot is not making this list, even if it is the origin of this Roblox trend, because it’s not a game: it’s a playground that’s fun for five minutes or until the appeal of ragebaiting younger kids wears off. No, instead we’re recommending a different game made by former Grow A Garden owner Jandel (under a different studio name) called Plants vs. Brainrots. You might have no idea what we’re on about, so for those in the back who don’t know what a Brainrot is in this context, they’re creatures with a nonsensical design, such as a piece of fried tofu in a ninja costume, or a rat in a suit with sunglasses, with fake Italian-sounding names. If you’re familiar with the incredibly popular Vampire Survivors and its “original” cast, then you should have a good idea of the naming contentions. Here in Plants vs. Brainrots, you have the gameplay of PopCap’s Plants vs. Zombies, where you need to defeat these abominations. Once you have a Brainrot, you can sell it or utilize it to generate money, allowing you to afford upgrades and higher-damaging plants. After a while, you’ll discover there are more original features, such as fusing plants with Brainrots to get new variants that give you more money per second. It’s a winning formula, and while it’s not exactly wholly original, its appeal will last a lot longer than the Roblox game it has taken some inspiration from. Advertisement Rivals Of all the main game genres, it’s surprising that Rivals is the first FPS that feels fun enough to warrant a recommendation. That’s not to say that shooters aren’t popular on Roblox; it’s just that they have an element of jank about them for the most part. However, if you’re a fan of the good online multiplayer shooting experience the likes of Call of Duty or Halo would cater to, then Rivals has plenty of fun modes on offer. These range from many configurations of Team Deathmatches, as well as the wonderfully chaotic ‘Gun Game,’ where your weapon changes after every KO you get. Your progress and unlockables are dependent on skill and play time, rewarding you with keys. With this in-game currency, you can unlock some of the many weapons, like sniper rifles or katanas, or more exotic gadgets, including Distortion Guns and Warpers. On top of that, with each event, there are unique weapons you shouldn’t miss out on, as well as limited-time game modes, such as a cooperative ascent of a zombie-filled tower or a deathmatch where all players can dual-wield weapons at the same time. It may not quite have the depth a full-priced multiplayer shooter offers, but to scratch that competitive itch, you could do a lot worse. Featured in this image Rivals View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Sonic Speed Simulator Yes, you heard us right: Sonic Speed Simulator is one of the best Roblox games for the simple reason that it’s not just a typical Roblox gacha game. What’s remarkable is that, despite being created using Roblox, which normally has a limited moveset, Sonic Speed Simulator’s controls are about as tight as one of Sonic’s 3D adventures. Coupled with the fact that this is an officially endorsed Roblox game by Sega, this is the closest you’ll get to a full-blown Sonic game that’s free to play. That said, you might feel a bit slow at first, but as you collect Chaos Orbs, rings, and other goodies hidden throughout each hub world, you’ll speed up not just your boost speed, but also your basic run can reach astronomical levels. Completionists will also find a bunch of hidden characters, music, and other unlockables as you explore each world. We recommend that you play this one with a controller where possible, as it's the most one-to-one with a conventional Sonic game. However, and we can’t stress this enough: you don’t need to engage with the monetization to enjoy Sonic Speed Simulator fully. Many spinners in the game are just not worth the Robux, even though there are a huge number of characters to get. However, it gets shadier when the characters are either hidden away via long, tedious quests or rolled for in the gacha systems, available to only a limited number of players in total. If you stay away from the in-app purchases, you'll still find plenty to enjoy in Sonic Speed Simulator. Featured in this image Sonic Speed Simulator View Game Hub Follow Advertisement Dandy's World Fans of mascot horror games like Five Nights at Freddy’s or Poppy Playtime will find many familiar influences in Dandy’s World. Set in what is billed as an education hub and museum, the Gardenview Center is also likely where the Toons and the company that made them created the TV show you see advertised on the various posters around the complex. However, this rundown building is locked away from prying eyes, as the Twisted now roam its halls, addicted to the ichor that created them and seeking out Toons to devour. To progress through each floor, your team of Toons must drain the ichor from various receptacles, all while keeping an eye out for the horrors that lurk around every corner. Just make sure you don’t mess up the button prompts as you do so, or the monsters will hear you. Each Toon has a unique ability that can be helpful, such as Boxten, who can extract ichor faster depending on the remaining number of players. However, the Twisted also have powers, such as increasing the chance of hazardous rooms with slippery floors, hiding as a Research Capsule to catch unsuspecting newer players off guard, or summoning two ichor hands around the map to swat at nearby Toons. It can be tricky to find a group that survives much longer than a couple of rounds due to the relentlessness of the Twisted. However, with a dedicated team of distractors luring enemies away from those completing objectives, there’s no cutesy mascot horror experience quite as polished on the platform. Featured in this image Dandy’s World View Game Hub Follow Advertisement The Forge Those who love the quest-filled beginning of MMOs will probably get a kick out of The Forge. You begin by completing quests for your Sensei to learn how to mine and the basics of forging weapons and armor. While mining is a simple affair, the forging minigame affects the quality of the item you’re crafting and, therefore, how much it will be worth when you sell it. New worlds appear in every major update, meaning more quests to complete and dungeon-like mines to explore. It seems like a rather simple game, but there are some nuances. You can consult The Forge tier list to get a heads-up on the best pickaxe you can buy, the races that give the best passive bonuses, and construct the types of weapons when it comes to speed and damage. Occasionally, there are also some The Forge codes to accelerate your progress or give you more rerolls to get the S-tier races, such as Angels or Demons. Advertisement Knockout! Knockout! has a deceptively simple concept: knock all the other penguins off the ice and be the last one standing. However, the catch is that everyone plans their moves simultaneously, meaning that each move is only revealed once the time has run out and they've all locked in. Because the aim is easy to understand, it's actually quite tricky to gauge just how hard you need to push your penguin into an opponent. Sometimes, they may decide to dart out of the way, potentially sending your critter into the freezing waters below. So far, there are a handful of map types, ranging from Classic: a single square block that shrinks in every round, to Color Blocks: where you must stand on the correct one to survive. Polar Portals is probably the most fun, as it has a portal on each corner that is linked to the opposite corner, allowing you to juke your rivals for the first few rounds. For every knockout, assist, or match won, you'll earn ice blocks that you can use to buy eggs that hatch into new skins. You can also participate in an Obby between rounds, earning 50 ice blocks every time you finish. Players can also complete quests ranging from fairly easy daily quests (for example, getting two knockouts) to trickier long-term weekly goals (winning 12 games). While it's fairly barebones right now, there's definitely scope for this one to expand, perhaps with more victory dances and custom arrows to unlock. It would be even more fun if the island had a larger amount of stuff to do in between rounds, giving it plenty of potential in the future. Advertisement Escape Tsunami For Brainrots! Escape Tsunami For Brainrots! has players run the gauntlet of killer waves in a rush to collect Brainrot creatures and return them to the safe area. Each zone has multiple Brainrot characters to collect and boxes that can reward players with exclusive critters. The further in you get, the rarer the Brainrots are. Once you've returned a Brainrot to the safe area, you can put them to work to earn money, which is spent on upgrading your character's speed stat, allowing them to make it to the coveted Celestial area. Where it stands out from the rest of the Brainrot ilk is not in its character designs or its economy. In fact, it borrows a fair bit from Steal A Brainrot with the ability to interrupt a player's run with a swift bat to the face. Griefing in this type of game is not an uncommon occurrence, and here you also have the option to activate lethal waves to get revenge on an opposing player. No, the concept that elevates it above all the others is the constantly shifting arenas. The Gold event challenges players with hidden Obbies that reward those who complete it with bonus gold bars, while the Arcade event scatters gamepads that players can redeem at the secret basement arcade for tokens. This is a relatively new game, but it managed to earn 1.7 million concurrent players, thanks in part to the developer holding an in-game party to celebrate the game's latest update. During this, they allowed players to upgrade their lucky boxes with multiple storm effects, as well as explaining new features and debuting new Brainrots. Giveaways of exclusive Admin-type Brainrots were also distributed to those quick enough to snag them. The future looks healthy for this fledgling Roblox game, and with a few more unique zones to explore, it's shaping up to be a must-try experience. Advertisement Armless Detective In Armless Detective, you are tasked with gathering evidence in crime scenes to determine who the culprit is in each case. However, due to an accident at a construction site, you lost your arms. Your chief gives you a hat that comes equipped with multiple gadgets: a magnifying glass and a blacklight to uncover stray hairs and fingerprints, respectively, as well as a magnet that only attracts cash and a grabber for manipulating the environment. Each case has many potential suspects, but only one will match three pieces of evidence as shown in the journal. The sharp-eyed among you may notice that some pieces of evidence require a little bit of lateral thinking. If you see ruffled sheets, that doesn’t necessarily mean there was a disturbance, but it may mean the clue you’re looking for is that the lead suspect must clean up after themselves. Ripping off the thermometer may help rule out anyone who relies on warmer temperatures to stay snug. Where you find a key can mean the difference between suspects who prefer to hide evidence and those who prefer to keep it out in the open. With a decent handful of cases to solve, which are randomized each time, and a decent selection of hats, suits, faces, and other cosmetic items to collect, there’s plenty for a sleuth to get their curious mitts on. You can also participate in events, as well as play with friends, to come to a consensus on which NPC committed the crimes. Just make sure you are thorough in searching; otherwise, you could be fired from this lucrative job offer before you know it. Advertisement Animal Hospital (Anomaly) Animal Hospital is a dystopian Papers Please-like simulation game where your main job is to treat patients of their ailments and send them home healthy. However, some weird goings-on in this clinic are naturally going to put players on edge, particularly if the patient is sporting massive teeth or gloomy eyes. This horror game is best played with others, as up to four players can help triage patients, treat their conditions, and prevent anomalies from harming those in your care. While the enemies can’t harm you specifically, they can and will kill your patients or generally creep you out, both of which affect your sanity. When it reaches zero, it will send you mad and end your medical career. There are ways to recoup your sanity; drinking coffee or eating snacks gives you a short-term boost, while classes such as the Doctor, Surgeon, and Secretary can get small buffs for simply doing their job. It may take a while for you to get used to the medical procedures, distinguish between the anomalies, and resolve anomaly-related emergencies, but learning on the job is crucial to successfully keeping the clinic open for patients in need. It's still relatively new, but updates add more anomalies to thwart and deepen the mystery surrounding the hospital and your supervisor, Dr. Harlow.

Title: Prime Slimes: A Guide To Gaming’s Greatest Goo-Getters Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/prime-slimes-a-guide-to-gamings-greatest-goo-getters/ When God of War Laufey was unveiled a few weeks ago, the titular late wife of Kratos was supposed to be the star of the showcase. Things turned out differently, however, as much of the online discussion was centered around one of Laufey's sidekicks: a square of goo by the fancy name of Phranque. The sludgy sidekick--voiced by Jack Quaid in one of the funniest mo-cap setups we've ever seen--quickly stole the show, whirling and twirling as he helped Faye mow down a mob of foes with shocking agility. The consensus is clear: We stan the cube. It's the boy! Phranque, however, is just part of a long-running legacy of slimes in gaming. These slippery characters have been friend and foe, obstacle and companion, and sometimes even playable heroes. Let's step back and take a look at the trail of game history our bubbly buddies have left behind. Slime monsters have been a staple in pop culture for eons, but the creatures' continued presence across gaming comes primarily from an analog source: the great Dungeons and Dragons. Slime creatures have existed in D&D since its genesis in 1974, but one particular muck-monster has endured in popularity throughout the years: the Gelatinous Cube. This 10-by-10-foot carrion-feeder sweeps dungeons to consume the remains of living things that have perished in the depths.  The famous Gelatinous Cube, now in pinball machine toy form. The Gelatinous Cube's appeal is understandable--there's something fascinating and morbidly humorous about a massive, mindless cube of toxic jelly that feeds on dead adventurers--and the recent uptick in popularity for all things Dungeons and Dragons has given the cube a fresh fanbase (though I wonder if Minecraft's slimes taking a cubical form has also bolstered the AD&D OG's profile). Heck, the Gelatinous Cube even occupies prime real estate on Stern's recent Dungeons and Dragons pinball table. So while Phranque's relatives may lack intelligence, they're certainly not lacking in prestige. D&D would go on to inspire the first wave of computer RPGs, including the legendary Wizardry, which featured slimes as some of your party's earliest enemy encounters. Other early adventure games, like Namco's Tower of Druaga and Hydlide, also featured enemy slimes. But it was Wizardry's success and direct influence that led to the creation of gaming's most famous slime. Dragon Quest owes much of its early inspiration to Wizardry. Creator Yuji Horii wanted to make his own game with similar ideas--including the sorts of monsters that appeared. Wizardry had slimes, so it made sense for them to be in Dragon Quest as well. That's when famed manga artist and illustrator Akira Toriyama worked his magic to create a gaming icon."Originally when we thought up the slime, it was a pile of goo," said Horii in a 2007 interview. "We had imagined…an icky pool of slime, but when (Akira Toriyama) came back with that perfectly shaped tear-drop monster, we thought it was perfect." Fear them The baby-blue monster was different from the popular image of slimes. Instead of being a gross, messy pile of sludge, the simple design oozed with charm, greeting players with a big, goofy smile that almost made you feel bad about grinding levels from them. The Dragon Quest slime quickly became the face of the series, becoming even more iconic than many of the human cast members. Through sequels, minigames, and spin-offs, players became able to interact with slimes in ways beyond battle. The slimes even got their own spin-off series of games--only one of which, the excellent Rocket Slime for the Nintendo DS, was released outside of Japan. To this day, the Dragon Quest slime remains an icon, decorating all manner of merchandise with its eternal grin. After Dragon Quest, video game slime design took a notable turn away from realistic, nature-inspired molds, algae, and snottites to gradually embrace round, jiggly cuteness. You definitely still had old-school slime designs, like the recurring early-game demon recruit in the Shin Megami Tensei series, and creatures like the Final Fantasy series's Flan monsters mixed anthropomorphic features like big googly eyes with toothy snarls. But mass appeal and marketability for slime characters was definitely in--and a surprise puzzle hit was poised to capitalize on that. Puyo Puyo from the Switch Sega Ages collection Puyo Puyo was originally a spin-off of developer Compile's RPG series Madou Monogatari--a game in which the wobbly, squishy Puyos appeared as enemy mobs not unlike Dragon Quest's slimes. First released for MSX and Famicom Disk System in 1991, Puyo Puyo would find massive success with an arcade release in 1992 that emphasized a fast-paced versus mode. The rules of Puyo Puyo were simple: Link Puyos of the same color together to erase them, and set up big chains to rain a hail of garbage on your opponent's playfield. Puyo Puyo played faster than Tetris and was just as easy to grasp, plus it featured a charming cast of delightful weirdos that fans ate up. But the Puyos themselves were the crux of the gameplay, and they became iconic in their own right. Puyo Puyo continues to be one of the most popular falling-piece puzzle games out there, and rights-owner Sega markets the cute little blobs in a variety of ways--including continuing a decades-long tradition of making Puyoman, a sweet treat based on the blobs. With the newfound popularity of slime monsters in media, it only made sense for a game about critter collecting to feature a globular representative. While Pokemon's original lineup of 151 beasties drew design inspiration from all manner of sources, Ditto stands out from the pack. It's a surprisingly basic-looking concept--a somewhat lumpy blob with two beady eyes and a laid-back smile--but its ability to morph into other Pokemon and use their abilities is entirely unique. Despite not being a headliner Pokemon like Pikachu, Ditto has lots of fans--particularly those invested in Pokemon husbandry, as it is a universal mate. And recently, Ditto got to assume the spotlight in Pokemon Pokopia, a building/simulation title where Dittos assume humanoid form to create a lively living space, but are able to utilize their transformation capabilities to learn and use other Pokemon's skills. The recent success of Pokopia raises a question: there are lots of games where you interact with slimes in some way, but are there other titles where you are the goo? Perhaps unsurprisingly, it can be difficult to make a game focused on a creature who lacks traditional limbs and movement. That hasn't stopped developers from trying, however. One obscure gem in the slime-protagonist genre actually comes from a pre-Pokemon Game Freak. In the early days of the Super NES's life, Game Freak produced Smart Ball--known as Jerry Boy in Japan--a game about a boy turned into a slime creature. The game has some interesting ideas for how the player character attacks and moves, as you're able to stretch and cling to walls, as well as absorb (and toss out) items into your gelatinous mass. It's a charming, colorful platformer that also serves as a good look into what Game Freak was doing before its mega-success--but sadly, the sequel got canceled before it ever released. Another more infamous example of player-controlled slime is The Ooze, a Genesis/Mega Drive exclusive developed by Sega Technical Institute. Hero Dr. Caine is transformed into a puddle of bubbling green slime as he's preparing to expose a nefarious plot by his former employer to poison the planet. Not only must he foil the plan, but he also needs to find a way to become human again. Like many Sega Technical Institute games, The Ooze is unique and ambitious but not all that fun to play--controlling the slime-ified Caine is awkward, and managing your supply of goo (which increases your size, and thus, your hitbox) is a messy, frequently frustrating affair. The Ooze is mostly remembered for being a very late console release and having some interesting physics for the time--and, well, being a game starring sludge.  If there's one section of gaming where slimes are getting plenty of love nowadays, it's the indie sphere (or cube). One of modern indie gaming's first breakout hits, 2008's World of Goo (and its 2024 sequel), has you building structures to solve physics puzzles using a supply of slimes. Slime Rancher 1 and 2 are cozy nurturing sims where you raise, feed, and breed oodles of adorable slimes on colorful planets far away from Earth. Indie developers are embracing slime protagonists. The cutesy co-op  souls-like Slime Heroes is available across multiple platforms. Former Epic Games artist Asher Zhu has been showcasing development on a 3D slime game with beautiful visuals.  Slime Rancher With Phranque soon to be making his mark and an illustrious legacy of gooey glory, one thing's for sure: as friends or as foes, as blobs, cubes, or slithering piles of mucky mass, Slimes will forever be one of gaming's greatest monster archetypes.

Title: All Slay The Spire 2 Bosses Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 09:44:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/slay-the-spire-2-bosses/2900-7563/ For those who loved the original, Slay The Spire 2 offers more of the same card-collecting, monster-slaying action. Some of the gameplay hits a similar note, but with a new tower to scale, which also means there are a whole host of new bosses to overcome on each floor, each with their own tactics that will stretch even the most robust builds. During the first phase of early access, there are two first acts, one second act, and one third act available to play. This means that there are 12 bosses in total for you to fight, of which you'll fight three at a time. However, given that this is a Roguelike game with random perks, classes, and cards in every run, you'll probably want to know ahead of time what the best ways to deal with them are. A big part of this is the cards, classes, and perks you'll earn by unlocking the Slay The Spire 2 Epochs, with some of the stuff hidden behind these goals being essential to making even the toughest boss battle far easier. Advertisement Vantom (Act 1 Overgrowth) Found in: Act 1 Overgrowth Enemies: Vantom (173 HP) The Vantom has nine charges of Slippery at the start of the fight. For each hit, one charge is spent, but you only deal one point of damage. Its tail will also slowly rise up and over your character, doing one or two attacks each turn. When it dangles above you like the Sword of Damocles, it has a huge boost to the amount of damage it deals. It also adds three Wounded status cards to your deck, which are unplayable and only serve to clog up your hand. It then buffs its strength before starting the cycle again. Advertisement The Kin Found in: Act 1 Overgrowth Enemies: Kin Priest (190 HP), Kin Follower x2 (58/59 HP) The Kin Followers will buff their strength and attack, while the Kin Priest simultaneously attacks and debuffs you with Frail or Weak, or buffs its own strength. It’s best to try to kill the followers first, as they have lower HP, but still deal a similar amount of damage with their melee attacks. That said, if you manage to kill the Kin Priest first, the Kin Followers will flee as they are minions, so it depends on whether you think you can withstand the Followers' attacks. Advertisement Ceremonial Beast Found in: Act 1 Overgrowth Enemies: Ceremonial Beast (252 HP) At the start of the fight, the Ceremonial Beast will use Plow. This increases its attack by two every turn, but will leave it vulnerable to being stunned when its health reaches 150 or below. Once it reaches this threshold, it also loses its health. After its turn being stunned, it will alternate between attacking and trying to debuff with the Ringing effect, which means you can only play one card per turn. Its attacks in this phase are weaker, but so is the potential for you to defend against them, so hit it as hard as you can while you're able to. Advertisement Waterfall Giant Found in: Act 1 Underdock Enemies: Waterfall Giant (250 HP) At the beginning of the fight, the Waterfall Giant will buff itself with Steam Eruption, which adds damage it will deal to you when you kill it. The next turn, it deals damage, casts a Weak debuff on you, and a strength buff on itself, increasing the Steam Eruption damage. It can also heal. When you reduce it to 0 HP, you have one turn to surpass the defensive requirements before it blows up. Advertisement Soul Fysh Found in: Act 1 Underdock Enemies: Soul Fysh (211 HP) The Soul Fysh begins by adding a copy of Beckon to your deck and discard piles, respectively. If they are in your hand at the end of your turn, you lose six health. Thankfully, you can pay one of any resource to play it, but it stays in your deck until the end of the fight. As the fight progresses, it’ll buff itself with the Intangible stat buff, which reduces all damage taken and HP loss to one. It also attacks, casts the Vulnerable debuff, and adds more Beckons to the draw and discard piles. Advertisement Lagavulin Matriarch Found in: Act 1 Underdock Enemies: Lagavulin Matriarch (222 HP) Lagavulin Matriarch starts the fight asleep with 12 armor. If you eliminate her armor while asleep, she will be stunned for the turn. After that, she will attack regularly. Occasionally, she’ll shore up her defences, then apply debuffs to decrease your strength and dexterity, while also buffing her own strength. If you know you’re up against this boss, your best bet is to focus on poison, doom, and other status ailments that aren’t affected by strength or dexterity. Advertisement The Insatiable Found in: Act 2 Hive Enemies: The Insatiable (321 HP) During the first turn, it casts Sandpit. This will start a countdown, and in 4 turns, you die. That said, it will still attack you every turn, but you can extend this countdown timer with the Frantic Escape cards it adds to your deck. However, each copy of Frantic Escape increases the cost to play it by one whenever you use it. You’re essentially racing to dish out enough damage before it eats you, while also micromanaging remaining turns and so forth. Thankfully, The Insatiable doesn’t really do anything else in the fight, but its high health pool is problematic. As for what the best strategies are: cards and perks that increase the number of base resources you generate or going into cost-reducing builds will make you have an easier time of it. High blocking also helps a lot with the giant worm's damage output, prolonging the time it takes for it to kill you. Effects like poison and Doom are also very helpful in whittling down its health. Advertisement Knowledge Demon Found in: Act 2 Hive Enemies: Knowledge Demon (379 HP) Whenever the Knowledge Demon casts a debuff on you during the fight, including the very first turn, it will give you a choice between two negative effects. Disintegration: At the end of your turn, take damage (this is always an option and increases by 1 damage each time it appears) Mind Rot: Draw 1 fewer card each turn. Sloth: You cannot play more than 3 cards each turn. Waste Away: Gain 1 less primary resource per turn. In addition to this effect, the Knowledge Demon can buff its attacks, hit relatively hard, and even heal itself in a pinch. You want to have either a heavily defensive or a brutally offensive strategy with plenty of focus. Combos that do one thing incredibly well are the key to overcoming this fight, whether it's the Sinner with poison strats or a Necrobinder Doom deck. The Defect can set up multiple orbs, finishing the job quickly, while the Regent and Ironclad need to have a bit of luck on their side when drawing cards that end the fight quickly, as they're unlikely to win a war of attrition. Advertisement Kaiser Crab Found in: Act 2 Hive Enemies: Crusher (199 HP), Rocket (189 HP) This hulking monstrosity has two pincers, with the Rocket (right) one being able to dish out major damage. Both claws can deal extra damage with back attacks, and they gain five additional strength and 99 block if the other claw dies. It sounds scary, but as it only lasts that turn, all it really means is that it’s unlikely you’ll kill both claws in the same turn. When Rocket uses its launching attack, it will not attack the following turn, giving you time to breathe. The Crusher (left) is more tanky, as it’s able to buff its defense, so focus on Rocket first. Moves that target both claws are ideal, as the fight will go quicker, but the Rocket has the more powerful attacks, so it should be dealt with first. Once both claws are dead, the Kaiser Crab in the background will flee, giving you the victory. Advertisement The Queen Found in: Act 3 Glory Enemies: Queen (400 HP), Torch Head Amalgam (199 HP) The Queen can add Afflictions to your cards, which are debuffs in addition to your card’s standard effect. In this case, she inflicts Chains of Binding, which gives the Bound status ailment to the first three cards you draw, restricting you to only being able to use one of the three that turn. This is not permanent, as the effect disappears at the end of the turn. She also inflicts 99 Frail, 99 Vulnerable, and 99 Weak as a debuff, and bolsters her own strength and defense. The Torch Head Amalgam is a minion and will flee once the Queen dies, but it’s the primary damage dealer, able to inflict up to three hits at a time. It’s not worth focusing on the Queen as the Amalgam is likely smacking you around, so try to mitigate its attack power where possible and take it down first, before focusing on the Queen. Advertisement Aeonglass Found in: Act 3 Glory Enemies: Aeonglass (512 HP) While the third boss was originally the Doormaker, this multi-layered boss was proving far too tricky compared to the rest of the Act 3 bosses. In its place now is the Aeonglass, and it has a similar amount of health to its peers. However, it also exploits its rather dangerous gimmick, which it has called Withering Presence. Every time you play six cards, the Aeonglass will give you a Wither status card. This effect carries over across turns, so you can’t really mitigate this by limiting the number of cards played each turn. So what is Wither? Well, it’s an unplayable status card that deals three damage if it’s still in your hand at the end of your turn. However, Wither is upgradeable, shown as “+X” in the card name based on how many times the Aeonglass has buffed it, which adds another three damage to the total dealt. Wither+2, for example, would hit for nine damage. This will upgrade all copies in your deck, as well as any newly created Withers, making the fight harder the further it goes on. On top of this, the Aeonglass hits hard, dealing at least 20 damage per turn if unblocked, but often more. It can also permanently buff its strength. Speed is, therefore, of the essence with this fight, but some Slay The Spire 2 classes and builds will have a far easier time than others. The Necrobinder and the Silent might have an easier time with both Doom and Poison builds, respectively, as both quicken the fight in their own way and have cards that can accelerate their status effects for very few cards. The Defect’s orbs can also do damage over time, but it might be tough to reach the amount needed to kill the boss. As for the Regent and Ironclad, defensive plays might be the best strategy, as you will likely need to block lots of oncoming damage per turn. Advertisement Test Subject #C8 Found in: Act 3 Glory Enemies: Test Subject #C8 (100 HP, 200 HP, 300 HP) The low HP you see at first is, rather predictably, deceptive. Test Subject #C8 has the Adaptable ability, an annoying perk that enables it to revive itself, coming back even stronger each time. In the first phase, it also has Enrage, which makes it gain two strength every time you play a Skill-type card, while also attacking and inflicting the Vulnerable debuff. During the second phase, it replaces Enraged with the Painful Stabs ability, which adds Wound cards every time you get hit by unblocked damage. It will also hit harder, potentially multiple times in a turn, but aside from an increased health pool, the strategy is the same. In the third phase, you see Adaptable and Painful Stabs phase out, but in its place, it gets Nemesis, a disgustingly powerful ability that grants it Intangible every other turn. This reduces all damage done to it by an attack to 1 HP while it’s active. This slows you down considerably and also hinders the potency of effects such as poison. In addition to the usual buffing strength and attacking, it also adds Burn cards to your discard pile, which are unplayable cards that each deal two damage if in your hand at the end of your turn. Advertisement

Title: It’s Surprisingly Easy To Customize SteamOS Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/its-surprisingly-easy-to-customize-steamos/ If you want to enhance your SteamOS experience, Decky Loader is an easy way to start.

Title: Honkai Star Rail Next Update And Banners Date: Fri, 22 May 2026 13:38:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/honkai-star-rail-next-update-and-banners/1100-6538813/ Want to know when the next Honkai: Star Rail update is? Thanks to official livestreams providing banner and event details for each new patch, we usually know well in advance what's awaiting us in the new version of Star Rail. Each new update for Honkai: Star Rail brings new banners to pull on, events to take part in, and a new Trailblaze Mission to move the story along, with future patches set on Planarcadia for the foreseeable future, a planet with ties to Aha and the path of Elation. Plus, we usually get some sort of update to the Divergent Universe, Currency Wars, or other endgame combat mode in every patch. The current update is version 4.3, the next will be version 4.4, and this page explains everything we know about both the current and next updates in Honkai: Star Rail. In This Article When is the next Honkai Star Rail update?When is the next Fate collaboration?When is the next Honkai Star Rail livestream?Honkai Star Rail 4.3 bannersHonkai Star Rail 4.3 eventsPixel Plane RumbleWispae Amusement ParkWhat is new in version 4.3?Honkai Star Rail 4.4 bannersFate bannersHonkai Star Rail 4.4 eventsFate/Star Rail nightAntigraft BrickbusterWhat is new in version 4.4? When is the next Honkai Star Rail update? The next Honkai Star Rail update is on Wednesday, July 15. This will be version 4.4, the patch where Himeko Nova debuts, along with Gilgamesh and Rin as part of the Fate/stay night collaboration continuation. When is the next Fate collaboration? The second Fate collaboration starts Friday, July 24 during the 4.4 patch. It introduces new characters Gilgamesh and Rin, and features both a permanent new Trailblaze Continuation mission, and an event with limited-time rewards. When is the next Honkai Star Rail livestream? The next Honkai: Star Rail livestream should be on Friday, August 14 if the regular rule of releasing 12 days before an update is maintained– which it should be, as we’re back to the regular six-week update schedule now. This will be the livestream detailing all the banners and events coming in version 4.5, the patch where special summer outfit versions of Aventurine and Robin will debut. We should know by Tuesday, August 11 what date and time the version 4.5 livestream will air at. Phase 1 banners were Mortenax Blade and Yao Guang. Honkai Star Rail 4.3 banners In Phase 1 of version 4.3 the Honkai: Star Rail banners were Mortenax Blade and Yao Guang. These ran from June 1 to June 24. Plus, when you pulled Mortenax Blade from his banner, you got the Karmic Fire of the Distant Shore cosmetic, a flaming halo of fire that floats around the Trailblazer’s head. It takes up a brand new cosmetics slot. All four-star characters on Mortenax Blade and Yao Guang’s banners were: Sampo Luka Tingyun The Honkai banners for Phase 2 are Cyrene and Phainon. Then in Phase 2 of version 4.3 the Honkai: Star Rail banners are Cyrene and Phainon. These banners run from June 24 to July 14, and the four-star characters boosted on their Phase 2 banners are: March 7th Arlan Yukong And don’t forget Archer and Saber’s banners are still running! These Fate collaboration banners have been running since July 2025, and are still kicking around for anybody yet to pull them. Honkai Star Rail 4.3 events As well as the Planar Fissure and Realm of the Strange double-drop periods, there are two events in version 4.3 of Honkai: Star Rail. Pixel Plane Rumble. Pixel Plane Rumble Honkai’s take on a 3D arcade shooter. Think Star Fox if it were on-the-rails. You can also upgrade your ship with different parts to improve it as you take on tougher opponents. Rewards include a new texting background, Self-Modeling Resin, Tracks of Destiny, and Stellar Jade. Runs from June 1 to July 15. Wispae Amusement Park Wispae Amusement Park A top-down strategy mini-game that sees you placing items and planning the optimal route to attract Wispaes. It’s kind of like a bite-sized Roller Coaster Tycoon, if it only involved making creative waiting lines. The more the Wispaes like the environment while they’re moving through the line, the more points you get. Rewards include Tracks of Destiny and Stellar Jade. Runs from June 24 to July 15. What is new in version 4.3? The Honkai Star Rail 4.3 update includes: New Trailblaze Mission in Planarcadia New location in Planarcadia (Inkford Hermitage) Cosmetic for pulling Blade on his banner (Karmic Fire of the Distant Shore) Gift of Odyssey check-in event for 10 Star Rail Special Passes New permanent Daily Training mission You can now use Fuel Vouchers or Deep Immersifiers to quickly claim all daily rewards Starward Mode added to Memory of Chaos, Pure Fiction, and Apocalyptic Shadow Two new Relic sets (As Navigator Isee Sees It, Devine Querying Master Smith) New Quantum Path Ascension material New Trace materials for the Erudition and Destruction paths Widget feature if you have Star Rail installed on your phone Certain game settings now support cross-device synchronization, like the auto-battle toggle Honkai Star Rail 4.4 banners In Phase 1 of version 4.4 the Honkai: Star Rail banners are Himeko Nova, Sparxie, Dan Heng Permansor Terrae, and Evernight. These run from July 15 to August 5, except Himeko who runs until the end of version 4.4. All four-star characters on their banners are: Moze Hanya Serval Then in Phase 2 of version 4.4, the Honkai: Star Rail banners are Himeko Nova, Cerydra, Anaxa, and Aventurine. These banners run from August 5 to 25, and the boosted four-star characters on their banners are the same as in Phase 1: Moze Hanya Serval Fate banners Gilgamesh and Rin Tohsaka are also debuting in version 4.4 on new special Fate [UBW] banners, which are rolling into the current set of Fate banners for shared pity etc. These new Fate banners start July 24 and will be available for "a long time after launch". You can claim one copy of Gilgamesh for free right up to version 4.6, or another free copy of Archer if you prefer. And don’t forget Archer and Saber are still running! These original Fate characters have been running since July 2025, and are still kicking around on the new Fate [UBW] banners for anybody yet to pull them. Honkai Star Rail 4.4 events As well as the Planar Fissure and Garden of Plenty double-drop periods, there are two events in version 4.4 of Honkai: Star Rail. Pixel Plane Rumble. Fate/Star Rail night Mostly a standard combat event, but there is story too, as the Trailblazer tracks down the king's treasures with Rin Tohsaka and gradually unravels the truthbehind the Imagenae: Holy Grail War. Rewards include a Rin doll collectible, Self-Modeling Resin, Tracks of Destiny, and Stellar Jade. Wispae Amusement Park Antigraft Brickbuster A Tetris-like mini-game, with a few extra twists. After you complete its story mode, you unlock a multiplayer mode where you can play with friends, or Silver Wolf. Rewards include Tracks of Destiny and Stellar Jade. Rewards include Self-Modeling Resin, Tracks of Destiny, and Stellar Jade. What is new in version 4.4? The Honkai Star Rail 4.4 update includes: New Trailblaze Mission in Planarcadia New locations in Planarcadia (Desolate Maw's Demonhold, Fallen Star's Cradle) Imagenae: Holy Grail War permanent Trailblaze Continuation mission Free copy of Gilgamesh or Archer until version 4.6 Currency Wars: Zero-Sum Game update Ascension Level rewards expanded to Level 170 Highest difficulty raised to A8 Wealth Creator 50 New bond, investment strategies, investment environments, and more New characters: Himeko Nova, Mortenax Bade, Rin Tohsaka, Gilgamesh Gift of Stardust store update New floating pet Pentaflavor Emoti Fan-Made Lygas head cosmetic New outfit for Sparxie (Candy-Coated Waves) A new Echo of War boss (The Comedy of Doom) Two new Planar Ornaments (Fallen Star Anchorage, Cosmic Life Sciences Institute) Gift of Odyssey check-in event for 10 Star Rail Special Passes Can now level-up characters and Light Cones to max with a single button Achievements menu update Can now all be claimed with one click A search function added The Best PC Games To Play In 2026 View Images

Title: Pokémon Go Sobble Community Day event guide Date: Sat, 04 Jul 2026 01:01:19 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-go-sobble-community-day-shiny-inteleon-moveset/ Pokémon Go is having a Sobble Community Day event on Saturday, July 4 from 2-5 p.m. in your local time. (If you're US-based like me, no July 4 celebrations for you! Only lizards.)

Title: Kagurabachi's first 20 minutes slices through the explosive Anime Expo hype Date: Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:51:25 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/kagurabachis-anime-has-finally-arrived-and-anime-expo-is-giving-fans-an-early-look-at-shonen-jumps-next-phenomenon/ For a manga that became a phenomenon almost overnight, Kagurabachi has always carried the weight of expectation. Long before it had enough chapters to establish itself, Takeru Hokazono’s dark fantasy revenge tale was being crowned as Weekly Shonen Jump’s next blockbuster by an internet eager to create its next obsession.

Title: Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle streaming release date announced for July 2026 Date: Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:44:41 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/demon-slayer-infinity-castle-movie-streaming-release-crunchyroll/ With Anime Expo 2026 happening this weekend, it was likely that some big Demon Slayer anime news was around the corner. While it wasn't the big announcement about part 2 of Infinity Castle that fans were hoping for, there's still something good on the horizon: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba The Movie: Infinity Castle finally has a streaming release date.

Title: Yoshitaka Amano bringing hand-drawn animation back with ZAN anime Date: Sat, 04 Jul 2026 00:24:31 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/zan-yoshitaka-amano-anime-expo-hand-drawn-series/ For decades, Yoshitaka Amano’s unmistakable artwork has shaped fantasy itself, from Final Fantasy to Vampire Hunter D. Despite influencing generations of artists, one of his own original stories has remained largely untouched. That changed at Anime Expo 2026, where Amano and his collaborators unveiled the first proof-of-concept footage for ZAN, an ambitious hand-drawn adaptation of his fantasy novel that feels determined to swim against the current of modern anime production.

Title: New Solo Leveling movie hitting theaters ahead of season 3 — details Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 22:05:27 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/solo-levelings-next-big-movie-announced-at-anime-expo/ Sorry to anyone waiting for a Solo Leveling season 3 — you're getting a blockbuster feature film first.

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: Sparks Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:00:20 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/03/share-of-the-week-sparks/ Last week, we asked you to share sparks and fireworks using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: ​​ call_me_xavii shares Sam taking in spinning fireworks in Death Stranding 2: On The Beach JAA_PhMode_0510 shares some use of spark bokeh in Cyberpunk 2077 Couch_Gamer2k23 shares Arjun dodging blue orbs and sparks in Saros RhodWulfLeon shares Cal surrounded by sparks as he fights in Star Wars Jedi Survivor Taser9001 shares Cloud fighting a mech surrounded by sparks in Final Fantasy VII Remake ​​ 4mllr shares Stacy and the gang taking in fireworks in Mixtape 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: PortraitsSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 8, 2026  Next week, zoom in on your favorite characters and share detailed portraits from the game of your choice. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: PlayStation Store: June 2026’s top downloads Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:07:54 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/03/playstation-store-june-2026s-top-downloads/ It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts. In June, creepy, empty spaces took over the charts as Escape the Backrooms topped the charts in both the US and EU, while other backroom-themed games appeared in the PS VR2 rankings. Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month? PS5 Games US/CanadaEUEscape the BackroomsEscape the Backrooms007 First Light007 First LightUFC 6EA Sports FC 26EA Sports FC 26UFC 6NBA 2K26NBA 2K26MinecraftMinecraftNBA The RunGrand Theft Auto VGrand Theft Auto VGothic 1 RemakeLEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark KnightResident Evil 4MLB The Show 26Forza Horizon 5Call of Duty: Black Ops 7The Witcher 3: Wild HuntForza Horizon 5LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark KnightResident Evil 4Resident Evil RequiemGhost of YōteiArk: Survival AscendedMortal Kombat 1Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5Final Fantasy VII RebirthIt Takes TwoARK: Survival AscendedGhost of YōteiStar Wars Jedi: SurvivorBackrooms: Escape TogetherReady or NotCall of Duty: Black Ops 7Poppy Playtime: Chapter 5Star Wars Jedi: Survivor *Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included PS4 Games US/CanadaEURed Dead Redemption 2Red Dead Redemption 2Gang BeastsEA Sports FC 26Batman: Arkham KnightUncharted The Nathan Drake CollectionStar Wars Battlefront IIThe ForestCall of Duty: Black Ops IIIGang BeastsNeed for Speed HeatNeed for Speed HeatMinecraftBatman: Arkham KnightCupheadA Way OutUncharted The Nathan Drake CollectionStar Wars Battlefront IILEGO Marvel Super HeroesFirewatchThe ForestGrand Theft Auto VEA Sports FC 26Unravel TwoResident Evil 6MinecraftCall of Duty: WWIILEGO Marvel Super HeroesGod of WarBlasphemousGrand Theft Auto VCupheadResident Evil 5Resident Evil 6A Way OutMafia: TrilogyNBA 2K26BlasphemousBlasphemousCuphead *Naming of products may differ between regions PS VR2 Games* US/CanadaEUI Am CatI Am CatBeat SaberJob SimulatorAmong Us 3D: VRBeat SaberJob SimulatorMetro AwakeningArizona Sunshine VR 2Among Us 3D: VREscape – Backrooms Horror VRSubsideSynapseArizona Sunshine VR 2Metro AwakeningArizona Sunshine VR RemakeArizona Sunshine VR RemakeSynapseGorn 2Escape – Backrooms Horror VR *PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included Free to Play (PS5 + PS4) US/CanadaEUFortniteGoalsRobloxFortniteCall of Duty: WarzoneRobloxRocket LeagueRocket LeagueMarvel RivalseFootballTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – Free AccessCall of Duty: WarzoneApex LegendsTom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – Free AccessFall GuysAsphalt LegendsAsphalt LegendsFall GuyseFootballValorant

Title: Players’ Choice: Vote for June 2026’s best new game Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:00:04 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/02/players-choice-vote-for-june-2026s-best-new-game/ Last month was filled with fighting, sports, and adventure! Some big new releases included The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, Dead or Alive 6 Last Round, and NBA The Run. Which game was your favorite?   How does it work? At the end of every month, PlayStation Blog will open a poll where you can vote for the best new game released that month. After the polls close we will tally your votes, and announce the winner on our social channels and PlayStation.Blog. What is the voting criteria? That’s up to you! If you were only able to recommend one new release to a friend that month, which would it be? Note: re-released games don’t qualify, but remakes do. We define remakes as ambitious, larger-scale rebuilds such as Resident Evil 4 (2023) and Final Fantasy VII Remake. How are nominees decided? The PlayStation Blog editorial team will gather a list of that month’s most noteworthy releases and use it to seed the poll. View Poll

Title: What Dune: Awakening brings to PlayStation 5 Sept 22 Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/02/what-dune-awakening-brings-to-playstation-5-sept-22/ On September 22, Dune: Awakening is coming to PlayStation 5. Dune: Awakening is an open world survival game set on the most legendary planet in the universe: Arrakis. Rise from survival to greatness, as you explore, build, craft, and unravel a cinematic Dune story that asks the mind-bending question: what if Paul Atreides was never born? Dune: Awakening has been available on PC since last year, and during that time we’ve added a ton of content and enhanced core gameplay systems. The game is better than ever, and with its debut on PlayStation 5, we’re adding even more including a full single-player mode. PlayStation gamers will be treated to the best version of Dune: Awakening yet. All the enhancements and additions that we’ve been working on for the past year will be on PlayStation day one. We’ve put together a Developer Deep Dive video exploring what’s coming in the PlayStation 5 version of the game. Check it out: Play Video Optimized for PlayStation 5 The team has spent a lot of time and effort making sure the experience on PlayStation 5 is the best it can be. UI and controls have been tailored to the console experience, and we’ve put a lot of focus on making sure the game is highly optimized for both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro. On the base PlayStation 5, Performance Mode will run at 60fps with frame-gen. On PlayStation 5 Pro, Performance Mode runs at 60fps without frame-gen. Quality Mode will run at 30fps on both systems. The game runs in upscaled 4K on both PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro, in both Performance and Quality Mode. We’ll provide more specific technical details as we get closer to launch, including an overview of native resolutions. Survival games generally have a reputation for being complex and challenging to learn. With Dune: Awakening, our design philosophy from day one has been to make it a more accessible survival experience. Not less challenging, but less challenging to learn. We’ve implemented systems that teach you the game and ease you into its core elements, and there is also a strong narrative thread that guides you through the journey from survivalist to hero instead of just dropping you in the middle of a literal sandbox. To put it like this: if you’re skeptical about survival games, Dune: Awakening is a great portal for you into the genre! Single-player mode: a game changer The biggest new addition PlayStation 5 gamers can look forward to is the single-player mode. Right now, on PC, the game is exclusively multiplayer and single-player mode is by far one of the top-requested features. Making an inherently multiplayer game work in full single-player has not been an easy task. The team has spent months making sure the experience translates well. It’s not just removing multiplayer functionality; every aspect of the game needs to make sense in a single-player format. For example, in multiplayer, the endgame in Dune: Awakening is built around players competing over specific objectives to make sure their faction – House Atreides or House Harkonnen – gains control over the Landsraad. Controlling the Landsraad gives them the ability to make decisions that can impact gameplay for everyone across the server. In single-player, instead of removing or downscaling this part of the game, we’re instead simulating other players competing for these objectives, making sure it’s still a compelling and engrossing part of the experience. We’re also introducing a wide range of gameplay customization options, allowing you to scale the difficulty to your liking. Want to harvest resources faster or even disable the sandworm? That’s your choice. You can also customize all these options if you choose to rent a private server for you and your friends. The new single-player mode allows you to play the game the way you want to, at your own pace. Available in digital and physical format We’re also excited to share that we’ll be releasing a physical edition of Dune: Awakening. We’re teaming up with Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe who will put the game on shelves in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, and with Solutions 2 GO for North and South America. It will also be released in retail in Japan, with a publisher to be announced later. In Japan, the game is expected to release in October, with pre-orders commencing soon. With the third installment in Denis Villeneuve’s and Legendary Entertainment’s epic Dune franchise coming to theatres in December, the physical edition can be a great holiday gift for Dune fans around the globe. Can you survive on Arrakis? Arrakis is a test that few will survive, and Dune: Awakening represents the ultimate survival fantasy. On September 22 it’s time to prove whether you can survive the most dangerous planet in the universe. Dune: Awakening can be wishlisted and pre-ordered today.

Title: PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for July – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, For the King II, CrossCode Date: Wed, 01 Jul 2026 15:30:05 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/01/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-july-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-iii-for-the-king-ii-crosscode/ July PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup brings blockbuster thrills, high fantasy adventure and retro-inspired 2D RPG action to all PlayStation Plus members* from Tuesday July 7 until Monday August 3.  Let’s take a closer look at each of the games.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III – Cross-Gen Bundle | PS5, PS4 Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image For the King II | PS5, PS4 Once beloved by her people, Queen Rosomon has turned against her subjects, casting them into servitude in the darkness of Fahrul’s mines whilst building alliances with sinister and malevolent forces. Gather your party in four player co-op or adventure alone through Fahrul as you risk everything to fight the tyrannical queen and bring an end to her oppressive reign. From the creators of For The King, the much-loved RPG that blends roguelite and tabletop gameplay comes a new chapter in Fahrul’s history, designed on an updated engine bringing innovation and gameplay refinement for returning heroes and new adventurers alike. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image CrossCode | PS5, PS4 This retro-inspired 2D action RPG might outright surprise you. CrossCode combines 16-bit style graphics with butter-smooth physics, a fast-paced combat system, and engaging puzzle mechanics, served with a gripping sci-fi story. CrossCode is all about how it plays! Take the best out of two popular genres, find a good balance between them and make a great game. That’s what CrossCode does. You get the puzzles of old school Action Adventure dungeons and are rewarded with the great variety of equipment you know and love from RPGs. During the fast-paced battles you will use the tools you find on your journey to reveal and exploit the enemies’ weaknesses and at the same time will be able to choose equipment and skills for a more in-depth approach in fighting your enemies. *PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day for more information. 

Title: Well, Professor Pippin Barr, you've done it again: you've ruined chess Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 16:29:58 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/well-professor-pippin-barr-youve-done-it-again-youve-ruined-chess Back in 2019, experimental game developer and actual university professor Pippin Barr released a browser game consisting of eight, very silly variations on chess - a flagrant assault on the dignity of a strategy experience whose roots go back a thousand years, which Barr justified as an effort to "allow non-players of chess to get a kick out of the game". Read more

Title: Slay the Spire 2 gets 15 powerful new multiplayer cards, while making life easier the first time you install a mod Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 15:12:37 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/slay-the-spire-2-gets-15-powerful-new-multiplayer-cards-while-making-life-easier-the-first-time-you-install-a-mod Slay the Spire 2 has received a bunch of potent new cards specifically for co-operative multiplayer. They span all five of the game's classes, from the aloof and stargazing Regent to the venomous and underhand Silent (Silent! My beloved, etc). The update in question is out now via the roguelite deckbuilder's Steam beta branch, and comprises of a new colourless card, two new Regent cards, and three cards apiece for the other four classes. A few other cards have been reworked. All told, it's a great time to have friends who enjoy killing steeples. Read more

Title: Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is getting a "Story Expansion Pass" amid a heap of DLC to help it wrap up the remake trilogy, leaked store listings suggest Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:31:18 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/final-fantasy-7-revelation-is-getting-a-story-expansion-pass-amid-a-heap-of-dlc-to-help-it-wrap-up-the-remake-trilogy-leaked-store-listings-suggest Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is the end of the remake trilogy Square Enix kicked off with, er, Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Though, it looks like than ending might go on a bit longer than you might have anticipated. A cluster of listings in the backend of the Epic Games Store appear to suggest a heap of DLC's planned for Revelation, including a "Story Expansion Pass". Read more

Title: Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced promises smooth handheld sailing with Steam Deck and Steam Machine verification Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:14:35 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-promises-smooth-handheld-sailing-with-steam-deck-and-steam-machine-verification As nautical stabbist remake Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced heaves into view of its July 9th release date, it’s already secured one piece of treasure. Namely, a full Steam Deck Verified badge, the highest honour Valve bestows upon games that don’t falter, fumble, or otherwise snap in half when faced with the SteamOS handheld PC. Read more

Title: I love being a cultist in Feed the Pit, and not just because I get to throw scummy stock-brokers into a toothy vortex Date: Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:32:31 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/i-love-being-a-cultist-in-feed-the-pit-and-not-just-because-i-get-to-throw-scummy-stock-brokers-into-a-toothy-vortex If Feed the Pit were simply a quickfire extraction game about hunting down obscenely wealthy people and chucking them into a ravenous Sarlacc, that'd have been plenty catharsis enough for this age of actual trillionaires. It'd have been solid reaction video fodder for terminally online Marxists, a kind of Hunt: Showdown for the dirtbag left. But Feed the Pit goes further. It's a creepy narrative experience that, after an hour with the game's first act, reminds me a little of Mouthwashing. Read more