Title: Bethesda Isn’t Giving Up On Starfield As It Promises New Content In 2027: ‘Starfield Remains An Important Part Of Our Future’ Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/bethesda-isnt-giving-up-on-starfield-as-it-promises-new-content-in-2027-starfield-remains-an-important-part-of-our-future-2000717082 As part of Bethesda's big road map laying out its future, the studio confirmed more Starfield updates are in the works

Title: Todd Howard Updates Fans On The State Of Bethesda After Brutal Xbox ‘Reset’: ‘The Elder Scrolls 6 Is Our Primary Development Focus’ Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:59:52 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/todd-howard-updates-fans-on-the-state-of-bethesda-after-brutal-xbox-reset-the-elder-scrolls-6-is-our-primary-development-focus-2000717081 ZeniMax Online Studios will 'align more directly' with Bethesda on the franchise after studio leadership was laid off

Title: Fallout 5 Is In Preproduction And Fallout 3 And New Vegas Remasters Are On The Way Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:59:32 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/fallout-5-is-in-preproduction-and-fallout-3-and-new-vegas-remasters-are-on-the-way-2000717079 Obsidian's mystery Fallout collab game has also been confirmed, and a major Fallout 76 expansion is planned

Title: Slay The Spire 2′s Latest Balance Patch Features Some Absurd Buffs That Players Are Already Exploiting Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:30:39 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/slay-the-spire-2-patch-buffs-nerfs-eidolon-relics-2000717061 Mega Crit's new Slay the Spire 2 balance patch reworks several Ancient relics, and also features a few bizarre card buffs

Title: Backrooms Director Leaps In To Stop A24 Copyright Striking Community Art Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:06:11 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/backrooms-director-kane-parsons-a24-copyright-strike-wallpaper-2000717053 Kane Parsons took the production company to task over the fan art takedowns

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 Odyssey Has Us Thinking About Christopher Nolan’s Video Game Adaptation Ideas Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:57:17 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-odyssey-has-us-thinking-about-christopher-nolans-video-game-adaptation-ideas/ A new Christopher Nolan movie is always cause for celebration, as the celebrated filmmaker has produced some of the most talked-about flicks of all time. The Odyssey is looking to be another blockbuster, and also a reminder that the world could do with a video game or two based on his movies. That's not to say that Nolan hasn't toyed around with the idea of a video game adaptation of his work, but he's well aware of just how tough the industry is. "Making films is complicated and takes a long time. Making video games is even more complicated and takes even longer," Nolan said way back in a 2020 interview with The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley. "The way the video game industry works--it's really tough. You don't want to just be doing a licensed game; tying it into something and using the brand established by the film, the same way you don't want to build a video game adaptation to a film. You don't want it to just draft off the brand. You want it to be something great in its own right. It's not something you'd ever take on lightly, but it's definitely something I'm interested in." https://youtu.be/a3gai4Za4eE?t=1562 We almost had a dream Christopher Nolan video game That's not to say that Nolan hasn't dabbled with a video game adaptation before. Nolan wasn't involved in the development of EA's Batman Begins tie-in game--but his wife, Emma Thomas, and Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister were active consultants on the game's visuals and gameplay. Nolan had considered making a video game based on Inception, and not long after, the project was officially greenlit. "I always imagined Inception to be a world where a lot of other stories could take place," Nolan said in 2010. "At the moment, the only direction we're channeling that is by developing a video game set in the world." Sadly, a developer was never officially announced for the project, and it quietly fizzled out. Since then, the director has made several more award-winning and mind-bending movies like Dunkirk, Tenet, and Oppenheimer, and it's not hard to imagine how any one of those movies could work as a video game--we're sure there's a cozy angle to be taken with a video game that follows Robert Oppenheimer as he grapples with his role in creating the ultimate weapon. As for The Odyssey, it's an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem of the same name, and it has a stacked cast of actors, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. It is getting a video game adaptation, albeit as an official tie-in that'll be available for free through Roblox. https://youtu.be/Mzw2ttJD2qQ Alternatively, games like Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Immortals: Fenyx Rising, and both of Supergiant's Hades adventures should scratch that itch for action during an age of myths and legends.

Title: Palworld’s 1.0 Update Is Massive, And It’s Just Got A Jormuntide-Sized Discount To Celebrate Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:49:16 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/palworlds-1-0-update-is-massive-and-its-just-got-a-jormuntide-sized-discount-to-celebrate/ Palworld is exactly the type of wacky mashup I love to play. The monster-taming aspects of a great Pokemon game, combined with survival mechanics and creating a (potentially) brutal society with your Pals, sound like a nightmarish combination, but Pocketpair's hit proves it's a lot of fun. I mean, a peak concurrent player count of more than 2.1 million can't all be wrong, so there's no reason to miss out anymore. Like many players, I was caught in the tidal wave of its launch, swept up in the hype, and, after spending 30 hours with it during release week, put Palworld down for a later date. As an early access game, the foundations were excellent, but I wanted to wait for the full experience before diving back in. I think it was well worth the wait. Have you seen the Palworld 1.0 patch notes? They're colossal. The core experience remains. You wake up in a world full of creatures called Pals, and you're soon tasked with surviving off the land, taming these creatures to battle rivals across the open world. Alternatively, you can pummel them with a hail of bullets or send them to your industrial sites to work with little pay and even less rest. It's like taking the edginess of a Nine Inch Nails album and pouring it into the world of Pokemon. Now you can enjoy an adult take on monster collecting while waiting for Pokemon Winds and Waves to arrive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fpGg9wNM9A Palworld's 1.0 release is packed with new features and quality-of-life improvements that make an already strong game even better. New Pals, sub-missions, the Awakening mechanic, and much more make it worth revisiting if you've played before, while also giving newcomers the perfect excuse to jump in. Admittedly, saying Palworld was inspired by Pokemon is like saying Call of Duty is a Doom ripoff. Palworld blends survival, creature taming, and automation in a way that feels distinct from everything else. More than two years later, returning to Palpagos feels like a homecoming, while new players still have that first adventure ahead of them. I'm a little jealous. If you're looking to give Palworld a shot and join the hundreds of thousands of players currently exploring Palpagos, you can grab a Steam key for $20.99 / £17.49 at Fanatical, making it 30% cheaper than its list price. Considering how much there is to do, it's an easy recommendation, especially now that the full release has arrived. I'll be honest: I'm definitely one of the gentler Palworld players. If I can avoid sending my Pals into hard manual labor, I will. You cannot make me hurt my precious Pengullet. Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom. This story was created in collaboration with Fanatical's deals team.

Title: God Of War TV Show Cast: All The Actors And The Roles They Play For The Prime Video Show Date: Thu, 26 Mar 2026 16:56:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/god-of-war-tv-show-cast-whos-who-in-the-upcoming-prime-video-series/2900-7444/ There are dozens of Hollywood adaptations of video games in the works for film and TV. Not all of them are expected to materialize, but one that is definitely going ahead is Prime Video's God of War TV show. The series is led by Sons of Anarchy actor Ryan Hurst as Kratos and Callum Vinson as Atreus, with a cast that includes other big names, including Mandy Patinkin. Read on to see all the actors confirmed for the God of War TV show so far, along with what we know about their roles and more. The God of War TV show, which hails from Battlestar Galactica's Ronald D. Moore, has already been ordered for two seasons. Frederick E.O. Toye (The Boys, Fallout) is directing the first two episodes. There is no release date yet. The God of War TV show will follow some of the events of 2018's God of War and 2022's God of War Ragnarok, telling the father-son story of Kratos and Atreus. God of War is one of Sony's best-known franchises, and while no future games have been announced, it's expected the series will continue. A live-service God of War game, however, was reportedly canceled last year. Prime Video is also producing the live-action Tomb Raider TV show starring Sophie Turner. Beyond that, Prime Video is making the Life is Strange TV series, and also runs the popular Fallout TV show. ???? as Kratos Sons of Anarchy actor Ryan Hurst landed the leading role of Kratos for the God of War TV show. The actor, who also starred in the movie Remember the Titans, said he feels grateful to have the part, adding that he used to play the games and now he gets to be Kratos. However, following a serious injury in June, Amazon MGM Studios made the difficult decision to recast his role--and a replacement has not yet been announced. Advertisement Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson will play Thor, the God of Thunder, on the God of War TV show. Ólafsson is known for a number of roles, including most recently Mr. Drummond on Severance. Thor was played by Ryan Hurst in the game God of War Ragnarok. Advertisement Teresa Palmer as Sif Teresa Palmer will star on the show as Phoebe/Sif, who is Thor's wife. The Australian actor and model is known for her work on the TV shows The Family Next Door and The Last Anniversary. She also had roles in the movies Warm Bodies and The Fall Guy. Advertisement Max Parker as Heimdall Max Parker is playing Heimdall. The actor is known for his role on the long-running soap Emmerdale Farm and the Netflix series Boots, which was recently canceled. Advertisement Mandy Patinkin as Odin Acting legend Mandy Patinkin, whose career in entertainment has spanned decades, will play Odin on the God of War TV show. Patinkin began his career as a theater actor and earned multiple Tony Award nominations. He's also known for his starring role as Saul Berenson on the TV show Homeland. To others, he's best known as Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride. Advertisement Alastair Duncan as Memir Alastair Duncan played Memir in God of War and God of War Ragnarok, and he's coming back to play the same role on the God of War TV show. He becomes the first actor from the game to reprise their same role on the show. Advertisement Jeff Gulka as Dindri Jeff Gulka, known for his roles on The X-Files and Stargate SG-1, will play Sindri. Image credit: Getty images /Jeff Kravitz/ Contributor Advertisement Danny Woodburn as Brok Danny Woodburn, who you may remember from The Witcher and Seinfeld, will play Brok. Advertisement Callum Vinson as Atreus Child actor Callum Vinson, known for voicing Piglet on multiple Winnie the Pooh TV shows, will play the major role of Atreus. He's also set to appear as a young Jason Voorhees for the Crystal Lake TV show coming up. Headshot Photo Credit: Meg Vinson. Advertisement Ed Skrein as Baldur Ed Skrein will play Baldur, the youngest son of Odin. In the 2018 God of War game, he was played by Saving Private Ryan's Jeremy Davies. Skrein is known for his roles in Deadpool, Jurassic World: Rebirth, Midway, and the Rebel Moon movie series. Advertisement Louis Cunningham as Modi Louis Cunningham is known for his role on Marie Antoinette as Louis XVI. He will play Modi on the God of War TV show, and he will be a series regular. Modi is the middle child of Sif and Thor. Photo Credit: Patch Studio. Advertisement Ben Chapple as Magni Australian actor Ben Chapple (Good Cop, Bad Cop, Playing For Keeps) will play the recurring role of Magni on God of War. Magni is the eldest son of Sif and Thor. Photo Credit: Marnya Rothe Photography. Advertisement Evelyn Miller as Gna Evelyn Miller is known for her roles on Foundation and The Lovers. She will play Gna, who is Odin's Valkyrie commander. Photo Credit: YellowBelly. Advertisement Island Austin as Thrud Island Austin appeared in Insidious 6 and I Can Only Imagine 2. She will play the series regular role of Thrud, the youngest child of Sif and Thor, on the God of War show. Photo Credit: Deidhra Fahey Advertisement Sonya Walger as Freya Sonya Walger will play Freya, who is Odin's ex-wife and the former Queen of the Valkyries. Walger is known for her role as Penny Widmore on ABC's Lost and has also appeared in Apple's For all Mankind. That show was co-created by Ronald D. Moore, who is also the writer, producer, and showrunner for the God of War TV show. Advertisement

Title: Netflix Says Part Of Its Games Business Is Up 600%, But It’s Still Early Days Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 13:07:57 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/netflix-says-part-of-its-games-business-is-up-600-but-its-still-early-days/ As part of Netflix's latest earnings report, the streamer gave an update on its growing video game efforts, which include cloud-based TV games and mobile games. In short, the business is growing and showing positive signs, but it's still early days. June 2026 saw the release of Netflix's two "most successful" launches ever for cloud games on TV with FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition and the horror game Unhinged, though Netflix did not share any specific datapoints about them. The Netflix Playground app, designed for kids, saw 3x growth in daily players since it debuted in April this year. This new app has helped "engagement" for kids' mobile games from Netflix to surge 600% year-over-year, Netflix said. "While off a small base, these early signals give us increasing confidence that we are building a foundation with exciting future growth potential," Netflix said. The Netflix Games business is growing. During an earnings call, Netflix co-CEO Gregory Peters said Netflix continues to be in the building stage for its video game efforts. “We’ve been building some solid foundations, and now we’re seeing exciting positive signals that help inform and give us increased conviction in our future growth and the nature of that growth here,” he said. Peters went on to say that another “big positive sign” for Netflix Games has been its cloud-based TV games, which began to scale in earnest in October 2025. Since that time, “monthly active players for cloud games have increased 11x, and adoption is significantly ahead of that curve that we had for mobile games with even higher retention value,” he said. “So we’re definitely excited about that and focused on scaling up cloud games.” Peters said the gaming market is massive, and Netflix is taking it slow as it defines a strategy and determines its investment levels. "We're just getting started here. We're scratching the surface in terms of what we think the total potential of the space offers for us," he said. "You're going to see us continue to calibrate and refine our level of investment here, which is still very small relative to our overall content spend based on demonstrated performance based on what is working for our members and what's delivering returns to our business." The next big Netflix game, Netflix Minigolf, launches on July 28, bringing together franchises like Squid Game, Bridgerton, and Stranger Things. Netflix Games has endured a rocky road in recent years as it set out to establish a strategy. At one point, Netflix invested in AAA games, and hired big names, but those plans fell apart. Today, Netflix is more focused on social and party games that people can play quickly and easily. Netflix Games' narrative executive Sean Krankel told The Game Business that, in the next couple of years, he wants people to see Netflix as "natural" destination to play games, as opposed to it being perceived like it is today, as "experimental." "I would love, in a year or two, for people to be going: ‘This is naturally the place that I would go to play a story’. And that ‘playing a story’ doesn’t sound weird," he said. "The ambitious thing here is that we create a new way of interacting with story and character that doesn’t feel like you have to be trepidatious or worried about trying it, or, ‘Am I going to be good at this?’" "The same way that somebody’ll go to Disneyland and jump on a ride or go into an escape room, and it just becomes a new form of entertainment. That’s where I’d love to see this go," he added.

Title: A24 Is Reportedly Copyright-Striking Backrooms Content It Doesn’t Own Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:55:14 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/a24-is-reportedly-copyright-striking-backrooms-content-it-doesnt-own/ Creators of Backrooms-inspired liminal horror have been exposed to something far more terrifying than creepypasta fiction: takedown notices from their work. Users online are reporting that copyright claims have been issued against them by "A24 Films LLC," the production company behind one of this year's biggest movies. On the r/backrooms subreddit, user GnarlyNet detailed their experience, saying that their Backrooms-inspired artwork received a copyright strike on the commerce site Redbubble. GnarlyNet's image design was derived from the original 2019 Backrooms image, not the movie, and other creatives are also feeling the brunt of A24's enforcement. Indie team Davilkus Games (via Kotaku) says that it was hit with three copyright strikes this month over its own liminal horror game project, resulting in its Google Play developer account being banned from the platform. https://twitter.com/maywrence/status/2077507230631338424 In response to these complaints, Backrooms director Kane Parsons has said that he's investigating the issue. "I'm looking into this. Should not be happening," Parsons wrote on the subreddit. So what's happening here? A24 is likely using an automated system that has resulted in mass copyright strikes being issued against users. While it's within its legal right to protect the Backrooms movie, the genre itself does not belong to any one person, as there have been numerous fan projects, artwork, and video games inspired by this particular brand of creepypasta content. A24 hasn't won any fans either for its decision to sign a $75 million AI research partnership with Google's DeepMind, with many film buffs and fans blasting the deal. Parsons also weighed in on the drama, explaining on his Discord server that "those resources" would not be spent on Backrooms or any potential sequels. In case you missed it, Backrooms launched earlier this year and was a box office smash, making almost $375 million off of its $10 million budget. For his next project, Parsons is aiming to make a movie based on Valve's Portal game. 30 Best Horror Games To Play In The Dark In 2026 View Images

Title: The Steam Machine's best feature is changing my gaming life Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:06:50 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/steam-machine-cloud-saves/ I’ve been living with the Steam Machine long enough now that the initial novelty has settled and I have a better sense of what it’s like to live with it. Everything I said in my initial review still stands: It’s a great casual plug-and-play machine, but the hardware doesn’t match the price. I’m still using it regularly with the obvious downsides, though, and that’s largely thanks to a mundane feature I didn’t expect to change my gaming habits: Steam Cloud saves.

Title: Dune has nothing on 2026's wildest sci-fi movie release — watch the trailer Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:00:12 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/gandahar-4k-release-2026-trailer/ Mutants, killer robots, primal warriors, alien worlds to rival Avatar, and a 1,000-year time jump: René Laloux's 1987 animated feature Gandahar has all the pieces of a cult sci-fi classic. And maybe it would hold that status if a pristine version of this psychedelic odyssey was easier to watch.

Title: Stardew Valley, Hatsune Miku, and more are coming to Magic Secret Lair in 2026 Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:26:41 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/new-secret-lairs-magic-con-amsterdam-2026/ MagicCon Amsterdam 2026 is in full swing, and Magic: The Gathering fans, players, and creators from all over the world have assembled in the Netherlands capital for a weekend full of entertaining events and surprises. On Friday, Wizards of the Coast's Secret Lair team assembled to give fans a preview of the future drops coming for the popular, and sometimes controversial, collectors' product.

Title: Epic Games integrates AI voices into 36 Fortnite characters Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:04:03 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/epic-games-ai-fortnite/ Epic Games, the publisher and developer of one of the world's most popular games, Fortnite, has announced that it has added "consistent voices and personas" to 36 existing Fortnite characters, such as Agent Jones and The Imagined. These voices are to be used in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN), allowing creators to include these characters and their voices on their islands.

Title: 20 years ago, Persona 3's social stats changed how we think about video game characters Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:00:12 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/persona-3-atlus-20th-anniversary/ In 2006, Atlus released Persona 3 for the PlayStation 2 in Japan. While following the premise of the first two games and pushing the series' visual style further, the third entry in the series introduced the now-familiar calendar system and plenty of new ideas. Now, 20 years after its release, it's clear to see that Persona 3 paved the way for what has become one of the most successful JRPG series in recent years. It established a formula that would be replicated and improved upon by Atlus and other studios. But on top of all that, Persona 3 also expanded the JRPG language used to represent characters.

Title: Sharpen the Sword, Skip the Downloads — ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ Is Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-onimusha-coming/ Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming to GeForce NOW at launch, with the playable demo available this week. It’s joined by Denshattack! rolling in with five new games arriving in the cloud. Plus, GeForce NOW officially launches in India, moving from beta to public availability — meaning gamers can sign up without a waitlist. Pick Up the Oni Gauntlet Cloud-powered. Samurai-approved. Capcom’s next legendary action adventure is coming to GeForce NOW. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will arrive on the cloud at launch on Thursday, Sept. 3.  Members can jump into the action even sooner with the demo now available to stream. Set in a dark fantasy vision of Edo Japan, follow a lone samurai wielding the legendary Oni Gauntlet against relentless demonic Genma. Master precise swordplay, unleash powerful abilities and absorb the souls of fallen enemies as supernatural battles unfold across a haunting world filled with mystery and danger. Ultimate members can experience every clash with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices and TVs. From the first swing in the demo through launch day, GeForce NOW lets members step into battle the moment it’s available — no downloads, storage space or expensive hardware required. Gamers can find the demo in the GeForce NOW app demo row and add the title to their wishlists today to be ready when the blade is drawn.  India Levels Up The wait is over. GeForce NOW has officially exited beta in India, bringing the world’s highest-performance cloud gaming service to more gamers across the country.  This week, gamers can choose from monthly Performance and Ultimate memberships, flexible day passes or the basic, free offering — making it easier than ever to experience GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. GeForce NOW now supports UPI payments, giving gamers across India a fast, secure and convenient way to purchase memberships and day passes.  Premium memberships unlock GeForce RTX-powered features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex, along with higher resolutions, faster frame rates and priority access to streaming. With thousands of supported games — from blockbuster releases and free-to-play favorites to indie hits — members can enjoy PC games they already own without the cost of upgrading to high-end gaming hardware. Join the conversation with the GeForce NOW community on Reddit.  Go Off the Rails This Weekend “Denshattack!” is pulling into the cloud. Denshattack! — the off-the-rails, train‑wrecking action game — is now available to stream on GeForce NOW, letting members embrace pure chaos from almost any device.  Take control of runaway trains and send them barreling through crowded tracks, explosive obstacles and delightfully destructive layouts, chaining spectacular crashes with just the right mix of precision and pandemonium. Its colorful, tongue‑in‑cheek presentation and physics‑driven mayhem turn every run into a highlight reel of derailments — perfect for quick sessions, score‑chasing and laughing at just how wrong a single turn can go when the throttle never lets up. In addition, members can look for the following to play this week: Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 15) The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (New release on Steam, available July 15) Heave Ho 2 (New release on Steam, available July 16) Fogpiercer (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 17) Onimusha: Way of the Sword DEMO (Steam) The GeForce NOW community keeps discovering new games to play, with members discussing the most beautiful games on the service. What game has impressed you most on GeForce NOW? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: GeForce NOW Turns Up the Heat With New GeForce RTX 5080-Powered Toronto Server Date: Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:00:55 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-toronto-expansion/ This GFN Thursday brings more games, more power and more ways to play on GeForce NOW.  The cloud gaming service is expanding with a new GeForce RTX 5080-powered server in Toronto, bringing dedicated high performance in the cloud closer to members across the region. NTE: Neverness to Everness also gets an update in the cloud, making it even easier to jump into the latest content from the supernatural adventure without a single download or more storage space needed. It leads the way for GeForce NOW bringing native touch control to the game, coming soon. There’s even more to explore with three new games joining the GeForce NOW library this week.  Take It to the Next Level in Toronto The forecast is looking cloudy in Canada. A new GeForce RTX 5080-powered GeForce NOW server is coming to Toronto, expanding service in the region and bringing dedicated cloud gaming performance closer to local members. The new server will roll out within days, giving more players access to top-tier cloud gaming across Canada. Ultimate members can stream across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more with GeForce RTX 5080-class power in the cloud. Enjoy up to 4K resolution and beyond on supported ultrawide displays, up to 120 frames per second, plus NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies.  Bring on the ‘999 Nights’ Reality bends — on any device. Step into the surreal world of NTE: Neverness to Everness with the NTE Version 1.2 “999 Nights” update.  This version introduces a massive gameplay evolution, plunging players into an immersive, tabletop-inspired fantasy role-playing game on the Warren Continent — a new permanent game mode featuring its own dedicated progression system. This narrative and mechanical expansion is elevated by the debut of two powerful characters, Shinku and Iroi, alongside an unprecedented fashion upgrade featuring a sweeping collection of 19 new character outfits. To top it off, exploration gets a high-octane upgrade with Draco, a revolutionary new motorcycle vehicle, making this version an absolute playground for combat strategy, stylish customization and high-speed urban traversal.  Plus, GeForce NOW will soon be rolling out native touch controls to NTE: Neverness to Everness, which will make it even easier to explore the city’s mysteries from supported mobile devices. Look for the game in the GeForce NOW app to seamlessly jump between devices and continue the adventure — no downloads, storage space or expensive additional hardware required. Embark on Expanded Adventures The journey continues in Granblue Fantasy: Relink with the Endless Ragnarok expansion. Known for its dynamic combat, diverse roster of Skyfarers and thrilling online co-op, Relink returns with fresh story content as mysterious beings known as the Ragnalia threaten the Zegagrande Skydom. Strange gateways, powerful new foes — including the mighty Beelzebub — and fresh challenges await across the skies. The expansion also introduces additional ways to play, including summon abilities that add another layer of combat strategy, co-op quest tiers and a solo mode filled with unpredictable encounters. Master traits offer more opportunities to customize favorite characters, giving both longtime Skyfarers and newcomers plenty of reasons to take flight. Jump into the latest action with the following games to play this week: Esports Manager 2026 (New release on Steam, available July 6) Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, available July 9) Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Demo (Steam) As GeForce NOW continues to expand, so does the community discovering cloud gaming. One new Ultimate member summed up their first impressions: “Finally caved and got GFN Ultimate… and wow.” Another longtime PC gamer shared how GeForce NOW completely changed their perspective after years of skepticism, calling it “a good alternative” for casual players and encouraging others to “try the one month and upgrade to the yearly before the sale ends.” What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Joyride Through July With 12 Games Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:00:23 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-july-2026-games-list/ Summer is heating up — and GeForce NOW is taking players along for the ride. Start the month with Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, bringing a galaxy far, far away to the iconic board-game franchise, alongside 12 new games joining the cloud this month.  Plus, don’t let the sun set on the biggest GeForce NOW savings of the year. Level up for less before the deals disappear. Light Side, Dark Side, Cloud Side  The Force is strong with this one. Rule the board, you must. Choose a side in Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, the classic property-trading board game reimagined with legendary characters, locations and rivalries from across the Star Wars universe. Play as iconic heroes or infamous villains — each with unique abilities — to assemble a team and experience cinematic moments while competing with family and friends across locations from every era of the saga. Every roll of the dice brings new opportunities to build an empire and claim victory. GeForce NOW makes it easy to take the battle between the light and dark sides across nearly any device. Jump into a match on a low-powered PC, Mac, phone, TV, tablet or handheld device and keep the fun going across the galaxy. Check out what’s available this week: Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (New release on Steam and Ubisoft, available June 30) Meccha Chameleon (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, available July 9) Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 15) The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (New release on Steam, available July 15) Heave Ho 2 (New release on Steam, available July 16) Fogpiercer (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 17) ZeroSpace (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Planet Crafter (New release on Xbox, Available on Game Pass July 21) Carnival Hunt (New release on Steam, available July 23) The Ranchers (New release on Steam, available July 30) Corsair Cove (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 31) Juicy Extras From June In addition to the 18 games announced last month, 10 more came to the cloud.  Deer & Boy (Steam) DOOM Eternal (Epic Games Store) Embers of the Uncrowned Demo (Steam) EMPULSE (Steam) The Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox, available on Game Pass) NBA THE RUN (Steam) SAND: Raiders of Sophie (Steam) Voidling Bound (Steam) Witchspire (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Wargaming) Last Call for Cloud Summer Savings The clock is ticking. Get gaming at the best price of the year. The final days of the GeForce NOW Summer Sale are here. Before the savings disappear, gamers can save $35 on a 12-month Performance membership or $70 on a 12-month Ultimate membership — unlocking GeForce RTX-powered gaming in the cloud across devices they already own. The Performance membership delivers smooth, high-quality gaming with RTX-powered servers, making it easy to jump into favorite titles across PCs, Macs, phones, handhelds and TVs. The Ultimate membership takes cloud gaming to the max with RTX 4080‑ or 5080‑class performance. Experience cinematic visuals, ultralow latency and responsive gameplay powered by technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex — all without the cost of a new gaming rig. Hear directly from the GeForce NOW Community. One GeForce NOW member recently called the Summer Sale “quite significant” after realizing the savings were even larger than expected in their local currency. By locking in a year of Ultimate, they calculated their monthly cost dropped from roughly 29 CAD to 17 CAD – showcasing how GeForce NOW continues to help gamers around the world enjoy the games they love, wherever they choose to play. Plus, check out this spreadsheet, made by a community member, featuring discounted games streaming on GeForce NOW  and build out a bigger library at the best bargains during the Steam Summer Sale. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

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: Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse hands-on report Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:36 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/17/castlevania-belmonts-curse-hands-on-report/ It’s the February 12 State of Play. Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse has just been announced, and Evil Empire, the team developing this action adventure for the past four years, is having a nervous watch party. “We were waiting because you never know when your trailer is about to appear,” says Marketing Director Bérenger Dupré. “Then we saw it and started freaking out. And the video’s chat moves so fast that you can’t read the reactions. Then we received a message from a fan showing a version of the ‘absolute cinema’ meme, and I was like, okay… we’re doing fine.” Since that nerve-wracking reveal, Konami and Evil Empire have been hard at work to ensure Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse meets its October 15 launch on PS5. Which has also included offering some hands-on time to peer into the gothic depths that await. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image In this coffin of treasures I discovered lots for Castlevania traditionalists to enjoy, combined with modern quality of life design choices, smooth combat, and an expansive magic and abilities system giving this entry in the series a fresh feel. In fact, this approach is symbolised by the entirely new character who fronts the game… Meet Rose Belmont Set after Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse, 1499 Paris is in ruin and on the brink of Dracula’s resurrection. The city’s only hope? Trevor Belmont and his daughter Rose, who are infiltrating the city after a suspicious letter from the Bishop. While Trevor seeks out the clergy, our protagonist Rose is left to explore the city itself, burning, ravaged, and rampant with the undead. After a fun animated scene setter, Rose’s introduction blends both thoughtful aesthetic design and hints towards a character arc befitting of the Belmont family tree. She’s determined, but burdened with guilt over her mother’s death, a scar visually represented by her tarot deck and the fiery red curse creeping from her elbow to hand, both things which have greater significance as the game progresses. Modern-yet-classic Castlevania Belmont’s Curse feels exactly how a modern Castlevania game should feel, steering away from roguelite elements of permadeath or procedurally generated levels. “We really wanted to capture the essence of the series,” says Konami producer Tsutomu Taniguchi. “When we started discussing the game with Evil Empire, we said we’d like to go back to its core.” From its massive map with destructible secret walls, to clearly visible areas which are inaccessible until you gain a certain skill (and the suitably gothic soundtrack of organs and synths) all the expected elements are here. There’s a familiar weight to how Rose controls, but it’s graced with an agile responsiveness that makes both combat and platforming feel intuitive. During my playthrough, I was able to swiftly guide Rose with wall jumps, swing across instant death spikes, and mix it up with crafty skeletons, lumbering zombies, and cowardly bats, all of which can be damaged by the environmental hazards. And while there was no double jump available, not only were there noticeable level design clues that it would be introduced later, but my questions to the dev team about the ability were met with a wry grin. Fast and fluid combat Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse also places strong emphasis on snappy combat, with versatile evades and combos. Rose’s dodge and slide on the Circle button gives you the ability to flip backwards with a double tap, while the Arcana Whip grapple on R2 can be chained into an instant attack or traversal swing. Mana – something you can recover by defeating enemies – is used for spells with the Triangle button, or healing via L1. The weapons system is also substantial, with seven different types each with their own style and special moves. For example, the balanced longsword comes with a perk of extra damage when attacking immediately after a backdash. While the cestus gauntlets are shorter range but have faster combos, and increase in damage the more I hit enemies with them. “We are very focused on combat, which was a great opportunity to add something new in this specific genre,” explains Evil Empire’s creative director Emmanuel Nouaille. “We want to get the right balance between the spirit of Castlevania and what we want to have to modernize.” Unleash the power of Relics Also making their return are Relics, which offer bonuses for combat and exploration. Rose can equip up to three, so you can tailor them to your individual playstyle. The main one I found was the Crypt Key which fully restored Rose’s health and mana whenever she opened a chest. Which was especially useful because: This game packs a challenge True to its roots, Belmont’s Curse doesn’t spare your feelings. Hasty mistakes are punished fast and hard, but I never felt like the game was unfair. The reliance on learning patterns, using your dodge’s invincibility frames, and mastering Rose’s attacks were essential to surviving, especially when it comes to the visually impressive boss fights. Whether it was leaping over The Fallen’s Holy Cross or screen-reaching whip attack in the sewers, or dodging Joan of Arc’s flaming sword swipes, backstabs, and fireballs during an explosive rooftop battle, my first encounter with the game’s bosses were vicious and reflex testing, respecting repeated and patient play. The cards are the key The satisfaction of defeating the tricky bosses is also rewarded via the loot you earn from them. As well as occasional weapons – Joan’s Burnt Sword of Fierbois and its charge attack was a particular favourite – each boss gets merged into Rose’s tarot deck, turning them into Arcana which unlocks spells, skills, and special actions. So that Holy Cross The Fallen repeatedly bludgeoned me with? Well, as a Castlevania mainstay it should be no surprise that it’s yours once you’ve ‘tamed’ him. While Joan’s Holy Light allowed me to traverse through previously solid Chaos Shards by holding down L2, an ability which also deflected enemy attacks if I timed my press perfectly. Additionally, each Arcana has up to three Works of Mercy, a specific task to be completed like hitting an enemy five times with its spell, which then unlocks a Blessing to improve it. This comes with an unlockable bonus ‘Gift’ once you assign it – for example, the Cursed Flame’s fireball can be enhanced to become bigger and pack a heavier pushback. Whip smart design decisions While the nerves are still there for the development team, my playthrough so far captured what made the Castlevania series fun in the first place, without alienating modern day expectations. And it’s an excitement echoed by the people behind the eagerly anticipated action adventure. “We’re happy and overwhelmed with the great response,” says Tsutomu. “I feel a lot of pressure, because everyone is expecting a lot, but it’s a good feeling.” You’ll be able to finally revisit Dracula in all his gothic glory when Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse arrives on PS5 on October 15 – just in time for Halloween.

Title: Everything you need to know about MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 17:03:31 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/16/everything-you-need-to-know-about-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-open-beta/ The wait is almost over. The MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Open Beta is nearly here, and we can’t wait for players to jump into the action. Whether you’re returning after last year’s Closed Betas or stepping into the fight for the very first time, here’s everything you need to know before the Open Beta begins. Play Video Open beta schedule The Open Beta will run for 72 hours, starting on: Start: July 24, 12:00am PT / 8:00am BST / 4:00pm JST End: July 26, 11:59pm PT / July 27, 7:59am BST / 3:59pm JST The Open Beta will be available on PlayStation 5 console, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. No registration is required: simply download the Open Beta from your platform store and start playing. Pre-downloads will be available two hours before the Open Beta goes live, so you can be ready to play as soon as the servers open. A PlayStation Plus subscription is not required. However, all players will need an internet connection and an Account for PlayStation  to access the Open Beta on both PS5 and PC.   15 playable Heroes and Villains Fifteen of the game’s twenty launch characters will be available during the Open Beta, including Blade who becomes playable for the very first time. Fighting Avengers Captain America Iron Man Black Panther  Unbreakable X-Men Storm Magik Wolverine Danger  Amazing Guardians Spider-Man Ms. Marvel Star-Lord Peni Parker  Samurai Outriders Ghost Rider Blade  Knights of Doom Doctor Doom Magneto  Players will also be able to battle across six iconic stages, each inspired by legendary Marvel locations: Marvel’s New York (Day), Savage Land, X-Mansion, Knowhere, Wakanda, and Marvel’s New York (Night).   More than online battles Many of you have already experienced online matches during the Closed Betas. This time, we also want to give you a taste of the additional modes and features waiting for you in the full game when it launches on August 6. Online Casual and Ranked Matches Jump into Casual Match to quickly face opponents of a similar skill level or test yourself in Ranked Match and climb the competitive ladder against the best of players. Want to battle locally? Versus Mode will let you challenge friends on the same system or practice against the CPU whenever you like.  Explore the open lobby The Open Lobby is your hub between battles, featuring miniature versions of the game’s iconic stages. Choose from 16 unique avatars, each with four color variations, then explore the lobby, meet other players, and communicate using free chat, preset messages, stamps, and emotes. Ready for another fight? Head over to one of the arcade cabinets scattered throughout the lobby to challenge other players. Practice time New to MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls? Start with Start Up Battle, an interactive tutorial designed to introduce the game’s core mechanics. Learn the fundamentals of 4v4 combat, understand team-based systems, and put your new skills to the test in a trial match before jumping into the action. Whether you’re learning the basics or mastering advanced combos, Training Mode gives you all the tools you need. Experiment with every character, practice combos, learn game mechanics, and customize a wide variety of training scenarios and dummy settings to sharpen your skills. Experience Episode Mode For the first time, players will also get an early look at Episode Mode. Play through the three first chapters of the Amazing Guardians storyline as Spider-Man begins assembling his team to confront a mysterious threat descending upon Earth. Experience how beautifully illustrated motion-comic storytelling blends seamlessly with explosive battles. Finally, the Open Beta will reflect the full localization players can expect at launch, featuring localized voice-over and text in US English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Latin American Spanish, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese (Mandarin VO). Text-only support will also be available in UK English, Arabic, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Thai, and Traditional Chinese.  If you played during last year’s Closed Betas, you’ll notice that MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls has continued to evolve.  Based on community feedback, we’ve refined gameplay, improved mechanics, and made numerous adjustments across the experience to deliver an even more exciting and accessible tag fighter. We’re incredibly excited to welcome both returning players and newcomers into the fight and can’t wait for everyone to experience the ultimate 4v4 tag team fighter when the Open Beta begins on July 24. Assemble your dream team and get ready to fight!

Title: Pro Jank Footy brings classic arcade chaos August 12 Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:00:41 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/16/pro-jank-footy-brings-classic-arcade-chaos-august-12/ Australian Rules Football, Australia’s favourite sport, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players, where they chase a ball on a cricket oval, and score goals by kicking the ball between two gigantic posts. For many, Aussie Rules sounds like a completely made-up sport – and that’s where our game comes in: we redefine the rules of Aussie Rules Football. Welcome to Pro Jank Footy, launching August 12 on PlayStation 5. Play Video I’m David Ashby, Creative Director for Pro Jank Footy, a love letter to Aussie Rules Footy, retro sports games of the 90s, and our cultural irreverence. Now, there have been many “Footy” games over the years, but there was never one that leaned into the high-energy arcade sensibility shared by titles such as NBA Jam or NHL ‘94. We leaned right into both the fun and absurdity of our sport and I’m excited to share more about it with the PlayStation Community. The “jank” Aussie Rules Footy is a high-scoring game, akin to basketball and hockey, which makes it fast by design, which allows us to implement a simple core mechanic whereby whenever a player scores a goal, the opponent gets to choose one of three random power-ups. This is how we put the jank in Pro Jank Footy. There are over 150 power-ups in the game. These powers range from making your team better, making the opposition team worse, or changing the rules of the game. Not only does this allow players to bounce back, but it also allows players to change the game from retro sports into pure, unhinged, janky chaos. Personally, I suck at sports games. There’s nothing worse than just sitting there, taking an absolute belting. With our power system, you’re rewarded for losing. Tyler Roach, who co-created this game with me, is a genuinely dominant player (and to be fair, he did make the game). When we play each other, my only tactic is to concede a bunch of goals so I can get a decent power-up build to turn the tide (note: he still beats me most of the time). There are simple power-ups that make your team faster or gigantic. There are brutal powers that reset the scores. There are even powers that add a third team to the game or turn all the players into seagulls (a very real fixture of Australian football, who hang around ovals to eat everyone’s food). One of my favourites turns one of your players into your dad’s beat-up sedan. There’s even a trophy you can pop if you ram it into a shopping trolley. There are also power-ups that are deliberately vague, such as Burnt DVD and Where’s the Remote? – figuring out what they do is part of the fun! From a challenge to reality The project started as a dare in 2024, when I was challenged to get into video games by Cam Rogers, an entertainment lawyer (who later came on board as producer), while at a fantasy football league BBQ. Cam made the argument that there aren’t a lot of funny video games being made, despite the appetite, and I should give it a go. It occurred to me pretty quickly that footy was the answer. Like that fantasy draft, we had to put a team together. In addition to Tyler and Cam, there’s Broden Kelly, known for his work with Australian comedy collective Aunty Donna. He performs in-game commentary and completely understands the intent and humour, bringing a performance that is both sincere and comically absurd. Hyemin Yoo, a Korean artist based in Adelaide, animated all the amazing goal celebration cut scenes. Not only did she bring a voice of authenticity to the project, but her humour and distinct visual style really elevates the project to a whole other level. Oscar Armstrong-Davies singlehandedly built the online functionality for the game, and Dario Russo composed all the music, including all the team songs. Umbrella Entertainment, a film distributor looking to branch into games, is supporting us as well. Through them, we’ve even started rolling custom arcade cabinets into pubs around Australia to build a real tournament scene, created by Louie Roots, the cabs can run on car batteries so they can be played anywhere, and they even have AM radio transmitters so you can tune in your radio to the game audio for that true footy experience. Get ready to have a ball There are multiple game modes in Pro Jank Footy. You have the option to play the true “Pro Jank Footy” experience, with all the power-ups activated, or you can play the appropriately named “Normal Footy” which is, as the name suggests, normal Aussie Rules footy without power-ups. The game is designed to be a couch co-op experience, but you can play solo against bots, and you can play online too. There’s also a single-player Season Mode, where you start the campaign with a random set of powers and fight your way through ten increasingly ridiculous teams – one team of giants, one made entirely of cars, one that’s just a single unstoppable player – to become Pro Jank World Champion. There’s also a Watch Mode where you can just watch the AI battle it out (which is surprisingly entertaining) and a Kick-to-Kick Mode, which is a throwback to the classic “Aussie Rules Footy” game. We’ve found that a lot of younger kids gravitate towards this game mode more than anything else. Pro Jank Footy is both a love letter to arcade sports games from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and to a sport that is arguably Australia’s game, one that is worth sharing with the rest of the world for all its charm and absurdity.  We can’t wait for the PlayStation community to share a slice of Australia when Pro Jank Footy comes to PS5 on August 12.

Title: Explore horror’s furthest sensations in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 12:01:01 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/16/explore-horrors-furthest-sensations-in-clive-barkers-hellraiser-revival/ Hi, I’m Emil Esov from Saber Interactive, and we are excited to have Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival coming to PlayStation 5 on October 8, 2026! The team has been hard at work over the past 4+ years creating a game that brings life to Clive Barker’s unique style of horror and we’ve got the first look at an exclusive behind-the-scenes developer diary to share with you that covers what building this game has been like for us: Play Video Hellraiser separates itself from other pieces of horror media by having villains, the Cenobites, who aren’t so easily viewed as being morally bad. As the Hell Priest (aka Pinhead) explains in the original Hellraiser movie, they are “Explorers in the further regions of experience. Demons to some, angels to others”. We like to think of them as monks – whether it comes to extreme pain or pleasure, they are interested in exploring sensations and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.  Your Hellraiser: Revival experience will come from the perspective of Aidan Lynch, our story’s protagonist. He first encounters the Cenobites after his girlfriend Sunny activates the Genesis Configuration, a mysterious puzzle box with unknown power and purpose. The Cenobites appear and unceremoniously tear Sunny in half. At first this seems like some kind of fever dream to Aidan, but he quickly comes to learn that Sunny’s soul can still be saved and that the Cenobites are integral to accomplishing that goal. While Cenobites exist as godlike explorers of experience from another realm, there are people in the real world who are seeking that same kind of enlightenment. This is where one of the groups of enemies that you’ll face in Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival come in… the members of the Scarlet Church. Led by a charismatic figure named Marlowe, this cult is working to establish contact with the Cenobites and seeks to use the Genesis Configuration in order to create a debauched paradise for themselves. But the cultists of the Scarlet Church aren’t the only people that will stand in Aidan’s way. There are people, maybe now better described as wretches, who once sought out greater experiences but were denied by Leviathan, the creator of the Cenobites and ruler of the otherworldly Labyrinth. We call these creatures, who are essentially Hell’s rejects, the Unworthy. They are drawn to the Genesis Configuration as a potential path to redemption, and will instinctively seek out Aidan in an effort to obtain it. You’ll be able to fight back against the cultists of the Scarlet Church and the Unworthy by attacking while dual-wielding weapons (R2) and Genesis Configuration powers (L1). Aidan’s journey fighting against these groups will be full of pain, pleasure and everything in between. In a way, this mirrors our experience developing the game over the past few years. Some of us have even uncovered our own fears and phobias through the development process. I found out that I suffer from trypophobia, a condition where you feel sick from looking at clusters of holes or bumps! Luckily, if you run into anything you find too disturbing or find yourself needing to make a quick escape away from a certain Cenobite, you can either turn your Flashlight off (R3) and hope the problem goes away… or make a quick 180 degree turn (Left Stick + L3) and run for your life!  If you’ve made it this far into the blog, congratulations! You might be exactly the type of person who will enjoy exploring that which Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival has to offer. But I’m not one to pass judgment – Leviathan is the ultimate decider. Will you be worthy? We’ll find out on October 8 when Hellraiser: Revival launches both digitally and on physical media.

Title: Arknights: Endfield on PS5 Pro: Upgraded PSSR launches with Version 1.4 Date: Wed, 15 Jul 2026 17:00:37 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/15/arknights-endfield-on-ps5-pro-upgraded-pssr-launches-with-version-1-4/ Arknights: Endfield will support upgraded PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) on PlayStation 5 Pro as part of the Version 1.4 update. Designed to take advantage of the latest PS5 Pro enhancements, the upgraded PSSR delivers sharper image quality, improved temporal stability, and smoother performance as you explore Endfield’s expansive sci-fi world. Sharper character detail With the upgraded PSSR enabled on PS5 Pro, character outfits and material textures appear noticeably sharper. Fine costume details, layered materials, and surface textures retain greater definition, allowing the game’s distinctive character designs to stand out with improved clarity throughout exploration, combat, and story scenes. Greater clarity for Endfield’s stylized world Arknights: Endfield’s stylized environments also benefit from the upgraded PSSR. Lush vegetation, sprawling industrial facilities, and the wildlife peacefully inhabiting natural environments all maintain stable, crisp detail, making exploration across the game’s diverse maps even more immersive. Crisp and stable visuals during fast-paced gameplay During fast-paced movement, the upgraded PSSR more effectively preserves image integrity and clarity while reducing visible instability. On PS5 Pro, the system can more consistently maintain higher frame rates at 4K resolution, delivering a gameplay experience that balances smoothness and visual quality. “Integrating upgraded PSSR required very little engineering effort, while improving image clarity and temporal stability across a wide range of gameplay scenarios. It allows us to present the world of Arknights: Endfield with greater visual consistency, preserving the smooth exploration and combat experience while bringing the rich details of Talos-II to life.” – David Gu, CTO, Hypergryph About Arknights: Endfield Version 1.4 – Companionship Celebration: Homecoming Version 1.4, Companionship Celebration: Homecoming, is the biggest content update since launch, bringing a major story expansion, new operators, gameplay systems, challenge modes, and Half-Anniversary rewards. Continue the main story with Chapter 3: Acts 1 & 2 as the Wuling storyline reaches its dramatic conclusion. Explore two brand-new regions—Yinglung Pass and the North Wuling Exclusion Zone—each featuring unique environmental mechanics and culminating in an epic confrontation against the powerful new boss, Alleikhreos. With Version 1.4, players will learn more about Arcane, an operator who has already made her appearance in the story, while also meeting a remarkable new companion, Liino. Arcane, a Nature Caster specializing in Corrosion and crowd control, further strengthens Nature-based team compositions with powerful battlefield control. Meanwhile, Liino, an Electric Supporter with healing and amplification abilities, joins the roster with her distinctive idol-inspired style and strong team support capabilities. Version 1.4 also introduces several major gameplay additions. Experience Echoes of War, a permanent seasonal challenge mode that rewards skillful play with exclusive titles. Venture into The Rooted Realm, a brand-new roguelike mode featuring progressively unlocked stages and unique rewards. Team up with a friend in Heat Rage! Mega Arena!, a limited-time co-op challenge where only two operators can be deployed. The update expands the AIC Factory with a new Gas production chain, introduces new progression systems including Story Skip for new players, Birthday rewards, Talosite collectibles, and an upgraded Photo Mode with adjustable poses. Celebrate the Half Anniversary with generous in-game rewards, including a free 6★ weapon, Oroberyl, recruitment permits, limited-time events, and multiple sign-in campaigns. The upgraded PSSR will be available as part of the Arknights: Endfield Version 1.4 update, which launches on July 16.

Title: "I'm saying this on camera and millions of people will believe it": How Suzerain Stories: The Neutral Lens lets you shape the news Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 14:06:09 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/im-saying-this-on-camera-and-millions-of-people-will-believe-it-how-suzerain-stories-the-neutral-lens-lets-you-shape-the-news The original Suzerain, a political strategy game presented as a visual novel, cast you in the role of Anton Rayne, the newly elected President of fictional country Sordland. You had to tackle political turmoil as the leader of a country coming out of years of authoritarian rule, while also dealing with an economic crisis, and threats from the powerful nations neighbouring your borders. In the Kingdom of Rizia DLC, you left elected politics behind and, instead, sat in the inherited throne as King Romus Toras. Though your absolute power was tempered by anti-monarchists, breakaway states, and corrupt vassals. The stakes in new DLC Suzerain Stories: The Neutral Lens are significantly smaller. You are just a journalist, Ilias Moris, the anchor on international news program The Neutral Lens. The decisions you make don't restrict trade in ports, pass laws that limit freedoms, or send citizens to war. Instead you're picking what question to ask in an interview or where to send your reporters for a scoop. But how much impact decisions the press can make on the world is exactly the point. Read more

Title: "I would fight it tooth and nail": The Sims artist would challenge any mandate to reduce diversity after EA Saudi buyout Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 11:50:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/i-would-fight-it-tooth-and-nail-the-sims-artist-would-challenge-any-mandate-to-reduce-diversity-after-ea-saudi-buyout Answering concerns that The Sims team may face pressure to reduce support for diversity following the Saudi Arabian-backed buyout of EA, senior character artist Jess Hyland says she's not "heard anything" about such a mandate and, if one were introduced, she "would fight it tooth and nail." Read more

Title: Unions accuse Microsoft of having "unlawfully fired people" in unfair labor practice complaints filed over Xbox layoffs Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:46:43 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/unions-accuse-microsoft-of-having-unlawfully-fired-people-in-unfair-labor-practice-complaints-filed-over-xbox-layoffs The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union and their Canadian offshoot CWA Canada have filed unfair labour practice complaints against Microsoft, accusing the company of having mishandled the recent mass layoffs at Xbox. Read more

Title: "Id Tech is there, the Doom team is here": Doom: The Dark Ages director pushes back against idea studio have been "nerfed into the ground" by Xbox layoffs Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:28:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/id-tech-is-there-the-doom-team-is-here-doom-the-dark-ages-director-pushes-back-against-idea-studio-have-been-nerfed-into-the-ground-by-xbox-layoffs While reports about Microsoft's mass layoffs have painted a devastating picture, the company and affected studios like Doom developers Id Software have been publicly trying to reassure players that the cuts aren't the end of the world. Doom: The Dark Ages director Hugo Martin has stuck to that line while acknowledging the layoffs during on official livestream of the game's Revelations DLC, which came out the same week 136 Id workers were shown the door. Read more

Title: Control a human proxy on an abandoned spaceship by typing in every command or risk losing your job in Remote Control Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:53:06 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/control-a-human-proxy-on-an-abandoned-spaceship-by-typing-in-every-command-or-risk-losing-your-job-in-remote-control The idea of another person controlling every action my body takes is one that keeps me awake at night more often than I like to acknowledge to myself. So how about a game all about that! It's called Remote Control, and in it you most titularly remote control human proxies to explore a derelict spaceship and figure out what went wrong on it. Read more