Title: The Dune 3 Trailer Is Finally Here And There Is So Much Going On Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:29:08 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/the-dune-3-trailer-is-finally-here-and-there-is-so-much-going-on-2000679654 Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya are back in WB's first trailer for what it is calling the conclusion of its Dune film trilogy

Title: Hands-On Preview: Capcom’s Pragmata Isn’t Just Old-School Cool, It’s Also Got Heart Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:03:56 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/pragmata-preview-impressions-capcom-diana-hacking-2000679655 Taking bold swings and untainted by cynicism, Pragmata is shaping up to be a breath of fresh air

Title: Marathon‘s First Big Update Adds End-Game Nightmare Map Cryo Archive But No One Knows How To Get There Yet Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:44:17 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/marathon-cryo-archive-map-patch-notes-2000679628 Fans have been hoping the new map can measure up to Bungie's old Destiny raids

Title: Pokémon Pokopia Trick Lets You Do Hours Of Work In Just Seconds Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:30:18 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/pokemon-pokopia-wooper-water-habitat-where-to-find-2000679646 Wooper can help you save literal hours of maintenance time

Title: Hunting Nazis Makes For Very Satisfying Detective Work In The Ratline Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:18:13 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/the-ratline-hunt-nazis-owlskip-indie-of-the-week-pc-steam-2000679595 Head to the 1970s to seek out the Nazi war criminals who fled Europe

Title: Zenless Zone Zero Version 2.7 brings Angels of Delusion to the battlefield with playable Nangong Yu Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:39:19 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/zenless-zone-zero-update-2-7-nangong-yu-hollow-champion-competition HoYoverse has delivered another Special Program for the second day running, this time for Zenless Zone Zero. The developer revealed the full details of Version 2.7, subtitled Champions Never Fall to the Past. Read more

Title: Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.1 livestream reveals a pared-back, four-week update as HoYo plays catch-up Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:13:44 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/honkai-star-rail-version-4-1-star-rail-fest-ashveil A new Honkai: Star Rail Special Program has concluded, which means some fresh news about the game’s upcoming major update. Version 4.1, unveiled today as Unraveled for Daybreak, is the action RPG’s next moment, kicking off on March 25. Read more

Title: Stupid Never Dies, a blazing fast action game from devs behind Devil May Cry and Resident Evil, is funky, spunky and even “slightly spooky” Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:58:19 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/stupid-never-dies-trailer-preview Stupid Never Dies, a new “Blazing Fast” action game from long-time Capcom programmer and producer, Hiroyuki Kobayashi, has dropped its first full trailer, showing off high-octane combo-busting combat and introducing prospective players to its storyline. Read more

Title: Battlefield 6 is getting a free trial next week with a decent selection of maps and modes Date: Fri, 13 Mar 2026 10:23:20 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/battlefield-6-free-trial-march-2026-maps-modes-dates Battlefield Studios has announced that Battlefield 6 is going free to play for one week next week. Well, a portion of the game is, anyway, as part of a free trial that will include some of the game’s most popular modes and maps. Read more

Title: Crimson Desert PC specs don't keep resolution and framerate targets a secret, and they don't use upscaling for everything either Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2026 11:47:41 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/crimson-desert-pc-mac-console-specs-settings-presets Crimson Desert is a little over one week away from release, and developer Pearl Abyss has delivered the official, final list of specs for the game. The twist is that the specs not only include useful information for PC players, they also cover similarly relevant details for console players, who traditionally don’t get mentioned in those reveals. Read more

Title: Fallout 5 Could Be Made Outside Bethesda, Former Dev Says Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:25:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fallout-5-could-be-made-outside-bethesda-former-dev-says/1100-6538833/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Bethesda said Fallout 5 was coming many years ago, but the company never specifically said it would make the game internally. According to former Fallout developer Jonah Lobe, he wouldn't be surprised if Bethesda outsourced Fallout 5 to a different developer.Speaking on the Kiwi Talkz YouTube channel, the former Bethesda character artist known for designing the Deathclaw said Bethesda Game Studios may simply be too busy right now."I think that they're doing more and more of that already, they're bigger and bigger than ever," he said, as reported by GamesRadar. "I feel like The Elder Scrolls 6, the expectations are already beyond the screen here, and they already have their hands full with that."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: GTA 6 Parent Company Boss Dismisses "Laughable" AI Uses Amid A Flood Of Countless Games Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:24:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-parent-company-boss-dismisses-laughable-ai-uses-amid-a-flood-of-countless-games/1100-6538835/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has once again shared his thoughts on AI in gaming, saying it is "laughable" to believe people can use AI tools to simply "push a button" and make a high-quality, top-selling game."The notion that somehow new tools would allow an individual to push a button and generate a hit and bring it to many millions of consumers around the world, it's a laughable notion," he told The Game Business. "It's just never been the case with entertainment. Right now [in music] there are programs that allow you to put out a prompt and get a professionally recorded song spit back out at you. It sounds like a song, but I defy you to listen to it more than once. It's great to send as a greeting card to your partner on their birthday, but that's about it."Zelnick has said pretty much the same thing on the topic since 2023, so his new comments are not surprising. Previously, he said AI is "not going to allow someone to say, 'Please develop the competitor to Grand Theft Auto that's better than Grand Theft Auto', and then they just send it out and ship it digitally and that will be that. People will try, but that won't happen."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2: Start Date, And All Leaks And Teases So Far Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:38:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/fortnite-chapter-7-season-2-start-date-and-all-leaks-and-teases-so-far/2900-7548/ The first season of Fortnite Chapter 7 is the game's longest in six years, but the end is finally in sight, and it promises to bring some big changes. And with just days left to go before we start Season 2, which has apparently been dubbed Showdown, Epic Games has begun dropping real teasers, and there are plenty of leaks to go with them. Plus, it seems like the entire battle pass lineup has been revealed, since there are eight new skins in the key art above.Let's go over what we've got so far. When does Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 start?While Season 2 was originally scheduled for the beginning of March, the new season launch was recently delayed by two weeks and will now start on Thursday, March 19. Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 2 teaserThe first teaser Epic dropped wasn't much, just a little calendar detailing a series of little story events. We don't know what exactly will happen on the upcoming dates listed in the teaser, but they're all going to be part of the ramp-up to Season 2, culminating in a "final wave" of something that begins on March 14 and continues during the last week of the season. So far, these have been live mini-events during Battle Royale, like the big orb hovering over the center of the map disappearing into a rift to start the Power Hour on March 7.In the second teaser for Season 2, we learn that we'll be on a mission to save The Foundation, the leader of the Seven, who's been missing since he and Jonesy jumped into the Zero Point at the end of Chapter 3 Season 2. And, yes, he'll once again be played by Dwayne Johnson.The new teaser shows him frozen in ice (alongside a new Captain America, for some reason), apparently imprisoned by the Ice King. In story terms, this makes Season 2 a remix of the original Chapter 1 Season 7, during which the Ice King held The Prisoner the same way--though it's worth pointing out that we also see The Prisoner once again frozen in ice in the teaser.So we'll probably see The Foundation thaw out during the season at some point, since the plot of the season is about the Showdown between The Foundation and the Ice King. Will Season 1 end with a live event?Epic held a mini "story moment" event on March 14 and 15, and it appears as though that's it for live events leading into next season. So don't expect to have to show up for any kind of season finale thing. Big changes are coming in Season 2Producer Ted Timmins recently spent an afternoon chatting with fans on Twitter, and he made a lot of cryptic comments about what to expect from the upcoming season. Such as:A mostly refreshed loot poolNew movement items, including one your who squad can use togetherSeason 2 will "dial up the loony tunes" with its gameplay updatesThere will be a "new-old meta loot spot" on the map that activates mid-gameTeaser word: "bearer"Some folks may make this sound like a pile of dramatic, course-correcting changes, but modern Fortnite changes most of the loot pool and adds new movement items every season anyway--these changes may be the normal kind of big.The significant details in that list, then, are the group movement item, which could be amazing, and the mid-game "new-old meta loot spot," which sounds like a revamped version of the old loot island idea, or the mod bench vaults that were on the map during Chapter 5.More recently, we got a cryptic tease from leaker Shiina, which claims players will be able to challenge each other as a "rival." This'll likely will work similar to the old bounty system, where both players were given a radius indicator on their maps showing where they were. Shiina also said we'll be able to drive the battle bus--presumably this'll be the new season's drop gimmick, a la surfing in Season 1.And for those who feel that Season 1 has been going on for way too long, we've got good news: Season 2 is slated to run for about 80 days, or a month shorter than Season 1. The currently scheduled end date is June 6, a Saturday, which implies there will be a major live event that day V-Bucks are about to cost way moreEpic Games is increasing the cost of V-Bucks again, making the currency more expensive than it's ever been, and in the process it's also cutting the amount of V-Bucks included in the battle pass from 1,500 to 800, and the amount you receive each month from Fortnite Crew from 1,000 to 800. There's even more to it than that, because it's a weirdly complex set of interconnected changes--you can read my more in-depth run-down of the whole thing here. Chapter 7 Season 2 battle pass and collabsTimmins' unnecessary reference to "loony tunes" above is not just some incidental description of the gameplay--it was a tease, because Bugs Bunny will be on the battle pass. And there will likely be some kind of gameplay component to that collaboration. Think some kind of wacky ACME contraption for launching you all over the map, or something.An Overwatch collaboration has also been teased by three separate leakers, who've claimed it will include skins for Tracer, D.Va, Genji, and Mercy. One of the leakers even claims an Overwatch character will be on the Season 2 battle pass. Despite that, there isn't any Overwatch stuff in the key art, which may indicate this leak is wrong or the collab has been canceled.And even though Captain America was frozen in ice in the teaser trailer for Season 2, he's reportedly not going to be part of the battle pass.We've also been getting rumors all over about a wave of Toy Story cosmetics, which would include skins for Woody, Buzz, and Zurg, as well as the Pizza Planet delivery truck skin, and an unknown sidekick. There's no indication any of the Toy Story stuff will be on the battle pass.Beyond the collaborations, there are also a couple new Fortnite originals we're expecting to see on the pass, including a remix of The Foundation skin from the Chapter 3 Season 1 pass, a new version of The Order, which is the only member of the Seven that has never been on a battle pass, a fifth version of Jules, and a new version of the Ice King, which everyone was expecting to be on the Season 7 OG pass in December.There will also be some new folks, judging by the key art, including a frozen lady, a gamer girl, and a squid boy. And it looks like there's a new sidekick in there as well. The curious case of AdiraFNInfoAdira was a new leaker whose star had been rising fast in 2026 after they correctly leaked the 28 Years Later, Ed Edd N Eddy, Solo Leveling, The Office, Honkai Star Rail, and The Regular Show collabs, as well as the second wave of KPOP Demon Hunters, the Magik and Luna Snow Marvel skins, and the Fortnite-original Esme and Hattie Chirps skins, and they were also one of the leakers of the Overwatch collab mentioned above. It was a mind-blowingly good track record for somebody so new to the leaker scene.Adira's run lasted just a month and a half before they completely disappeared, which was pretty unusual for a Fortnite leaker. But what happened next was even more surprising: Epic Games claimed in a lawsuit that Adira was actually one of its contractors, named Hayden Cohen, who broke a non-disclosure agreement to leak all that stuff. So Adira won't be dropping any more leaks ever again, but before they disappeared they offered several more leaks that still haven't been officially revealed yet. Given the lawsuit, we can probably consider Adira to be a trusted source--though it's also possible that one or more of these are false leaks planted by Epic in an attempt to track down the source of these leaks.Whatever the case may be, here are the remaining collabs Adira said were on the way:MinecraftPeakBen 10Kingdom HeartsGame of ThronesMasters of the UniverseNone of these have yet been corroborated by other leakers. Why Season 2 was delayedWhen the upcoming season was pushed back a couple weeks, no official explanation was given for the change. But the first season of Chapter 7 has been plagued by major technical problems since the South Park event started at the beginning of January--problems that seemed to get worse or manifest in new ways with each update since then.This is speculation, but our best guess is that the delay is the result of those bugs, with Epic giving itself some extra time to get everything in shape before Season 2 starts. A two-week delay is probably preferable to a botched season launch, I'd think.

Title: Cyberpunk TCG Launches Kickstarter Campaign, Raises Over $3 Million In Less Than An Hour Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:21:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/cyberpunk-tcg-launches-kickstarter-campaign-raises-over-3-million-in-less-than-an-hour/1100-6538837/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f The trading card game market is filling up fast, with tenured games like Magic: The Gathering and Pokemon Trading Card Game being joined by Disney Lorcana, One Piece Trading Card Game, and Riftbound: The League Of Legends Trading Card Game in recent years. Today, tabletop game company WeirdCo launched a Kickstarter campaign for Cyberpunk TCG, a new game featuring the world and characters of CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk universe, and the project has blown through all set milestones in a matter of minutes.As of this writing, the campaign--which began at 9 AM PT / 12 PM ET today--has raised over $3.6 million and counting, crushing WeirdCo's initial goal of $100,000. This figure has also eclipsed five of the 11 initial stretch goals included in the campaign's launch, with the highest goal set at the $5 million mark. Per the game's official website, Cyberpunk TCG pits players against one another in an attempt to collect Gigs, which are indicated by special dice that enter the playing field each turn. Cards featuring many notable characters from Cyberpunk 2077--including V, Panam, Goro Takemura, and more--are used to attack other players, defend against attacks, and earn the Gigs needed to secure victory.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Nvidia's DLSS 5 Teases AI-Powered, Photo-Realistic Lighting--And The Backlash Is Strong Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:16:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/nvidias-dlss-5-teases-ai-powered-photo-realistic-lighting-and-the-backlash-is-strong/1100-6538836/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Nvidia has announced its next addition to the growing suite of DLSS options, which already includes impressive upscaling, ray reconstruction for ray-traced workloads, and frame generation. DLSS 5 is being teased as the biggest leap forward yet, with Nvidia introducing an AI-powered model that changes lighting and material properties at a per-pixel level. However, the response to the announcement has been overwhelmingly negative so far.Equated to the introduction of a programmable graphical shader in 2001, Nvidia is leveraging a real-time neural rendering model that takes in color and motion vectors from a single in-game frame and generates a wholly new one with photorealistic lighting and material changes. Nvidia notes that these changes are anchored to a game's assets, indicating that the model doesn't inherently change the geometry of a character's facial model, for example, but instead just reshapes the lighting that around it, providing a new level of detail. The technology was predominantly showcased using character models from games such as Resident Evil Requiem, Starfield, and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. The results are striking, but for polarizing reasons. Lighting is indeed photorealistic, but seems to also drastically alter the look of some characters to a point where they look entirely different. This is very obvious when looking at the difference between Grace Ashcroft in Resident Evil Requiem, where the DLSS 5 altered model exhibits properties that her look like she's been passed through a beautification filter.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: When is ranked mode coming to Marathon? Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:39:39 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/marathon-ranked-mode-release-date-time-when-est-pst/ Worry not: Ranked mode is coming to Marathon soon. Bungie's extraction shooter is receiving its own competitive game mode on Saturday, March 21.

Title: Dune 3 trailer undoes Denis Villeneuve's smartest change to the books Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:27:09 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/dune-3-trailer-chani-paul-back-together/ The first trailer for Dune: Part Three has finally arrived, promising an "epic conclusion" to director Denis Villeneuve's science fiction trilogy. But while our first look is filled with mysterious, muddy visuals promising a violent space saga, it's the very first shot of the trailer that raises the most questions.

Title: First Dune 3 trailer shows Paul, Chani and Robert Pattinson's Scytale Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:04:45 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/dune-3-trailer-part-three-release-date-trilogy/ Legendary and Warner Bros. have released the first trailer for Dune: Part Three, the "epic conclusion" to director Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy of films, heralding a grim, but darkly beautiful end to the franchise — for now. It's also a chance for us to hear star Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) sing a song again, this time a guttural war chant.

Title: Critical Role Campaign 4 has a major flaw in its unique structure Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/critical-role-campaign-4-seekers-table/ After a week away, Critical Role returns with a brand-new arc. It was revealed duringCooldown episode 17 (available only to Beacon members) that the Seekers would be hanging up their spy glasses. Next up, audiences will be deep-diving into whatever swindling shenanigans the Schemers table has been up to in the city of Dol-Makjar.

Title: How Drifloon's Dream Islands work in Pokémon Pokopia Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:30:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-pokopia-dream-islands-drifloon-dolls/ In Pokémon Pokopia, you'll meet a Drifloon who will offer to take you to Dream Islands pretty early on. Dream Islands are useful places you can visit every day filled with resources, comparable to the Nook Islands you'd visit in Animal Crossing: New Horizons. The islands you visit will be randomized, and you'll be able to visit a new island every day.

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Title: Starfield is coming to PlayStation 5 on April 7 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:15:07 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/17/starfield-is-coming-to-playstation-5-on-april-7/ On April 7, Starfield is coming to PlayStation 5, inviting a whole new community of explorers into the Settled Systems. At the same time, Starfield’s biggest free update yet, Free Lanes, and the all-new Terran Armada story DLC will go live across all platforms. For those of you stepping onto the Frontier for the first time, this version of Starfield is the result of years of love from Bethesda Game Studios and the Starfield community. Bigger, deeper and packed with even more ways to play. Play Video PlayStation 5 features Every firefight and dogfight in Starfield hits harder with the PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Adaptive triggers change from weapon to weapon (including your starship loadout), the light bar keeps tabs on your health and ship integrity, and the touchpad lets you jump between first- and third-person POV or instantly access your map and hand scanner.  On top of that, in-game audio logs and non-local ship intercoms will pour through the DualSense controller speaker, immersing you deeper in the action. Starfield has also been visually enhanced for the PlayStation 5 Pro, with a Visual mode that runs 4K resolution at 30 fps and a Performance mode that features improved visuals at 60 fps. Free Lanes update (free for all players) The Free Lanes update is built around Starfield’s core values: rewarding exploration; allowing deep, meaningful customization; and making the experience smoother than ever so you can get lost among the stars, following your curiosity and crafting your story. Free Lanes touches nearly every major element of the game: Expanded space travel options that allow you to freely fly between planets within a star system New space encounters have been added and encounter frequency has been increased A new resource has been added to give you even more control over your gear and ship customization New options for upgrading your Starborn abilities and bringing your favorite gear with you into New Game+ And so much more With Free Lanes, the Settled Systems are more alive than ever. All you need to do is pick a direction and see what you find. Terran Armada (new story DLC) The Terran Armada has risen and they’re bringing “unity” to the Settled Systems in the form of an army of highly advanced robots and enough firepower to put the galaxy in a chokehold. In Starfield’s new story DLC, you’ll fight back through the Incursion system, uncover powerful new tech, explore with a new Companion, and earn rewards that will definitely be worth the risks. You can pick up Terran Armada on its own, or get it bundled with the Premium Edition—or included with the Premium Edition Upgrade. Trackers alliance (creation bundle) Starting at launch, you’ll be able to jump into the Trackers Alliance bounty arc, available for purchase through the Creations menu. The bounty series is complete with seven unique, high-value targets to track down and deal with however you see fit. Each entry is a self-contained story, full of tough choices, memorable marks, and pursuits that will take you all across the Settled Systems. Mark your calendars for April 7, and we’ll see you in the Settled Systems.

Title: Pragmata hands-on report: hack-and-blast through a futuristic city Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:31 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/17/pragmata-hands-on-report-hack-and-blast-through-a-futuristic-city/ With just a month to go until Pragmata launches on PlayStation 5 on April 17, I had the chance to spend a few hours trying out the game at a recent press event. Diana’s hacking abilities and Hugh’s arsenal This hands-on preview was set in the New York-like cityscape shown during February’s State of Play, allowing players to explore, fight, and upgrade as they pushed toward a boss waiting at the end. Hugh can equip a variety of guns to blast away at enemy “bots,” but their tough armor means regular shots don’t do much on their own. That’s where Diana’s hacking skills come in. When Hugh locks onto a target, Diana pulls up a grid-style Hacking Panel. Drawing a single continuous line through the blue squares triggers a successful hack, dealing damage and temporarily compromising the enemy’s armor. The more squares you connect, the greater the damage and the longer the armor stays disabled. Once their weak points are exposed, you can unleash Hugh’s firepower for some serious damage. That said, enemies won’t just wait around while you’re hacking. You must stay sharp, deciding whether to push your luck and connect more blue squares or cut it short to dodge incoming attacks. Break through shields and dodge missiles that disrupt hacking Some enemy bots are protected by red, shield-like barriers that make them immune to Diana’s hacking. These shields can be destroyed with Hugh’s gun or other attacks, opening the enemy up to hacking once they’re taken down. You’ll be forced to prioritize either hacking or gunfire based on each encounter. Some enemies fire homing missiles at Hugh, but those can be hacked as well. A successful hack allows you to take control and redirect the missile straight back to its sender. Master four weapon types Hugh has access to four types of guns. Aside from the Primary Unit, each weapon breaks once its ammo runs out, so you’ll need to be strategic about when to use them. Landing well-timed combos, like pinning enemies down with the Tactical Unit, hacking them mid-fight, and then finishing them off at close range with the high-powered Attack Unit, feels incredibly rewarding. The Defense Unit, which can lure enemies away, also comes in handy in all kinds of situations. Amplify your hacking abilities with the Hacking Node If you’re carrying a Hacking Node, yellow tiles will appear on Diana’s Hacking Panel. Connecting these and completing a hack will trigger special effects. These range from Decode, which lowers enemy defense, to Multi-Hack, which spreads the effect to nearby targets. Each use consumes one Hacking Node, and once you run out, these perks can no longer be activated. In the full release, various upgrades and customization options will let you carry multiple Hacking Nodes, which will significantly increase tactical versatility. Gear upgrades and gameplay loop The Shelter is a safe haven where you can heal your health and use materials you’ve gathered, such as Lunafilament, to unlock new abilities or enhance your weapons and Hacking Nodes. Once you unlock the Critical Down Node, you’ll be able to knock down weakened enemies and follow up with a strong melee attack, making combat more fluid and intense. Be sure to upgrade and customize your loadout regularly to stay prepared as you venture deeper into the Sectors. Epic battles against colossal enemy bots After plenty of upgrades and customizations along the way, I found myself facing off against an enormous bot at the end of the demo. While the core gameplay of hacking and shooting remained the same, this encounter definitely raised the stakes with various area-of-effect attacks and multiple shields that blocked hacking attempts. Hacking under heavy fire proved challenging, but progress wasn’t lost even when I pulled back to evade, giving me room to calmly finish the hack bit by bit. Having to choose when to break the red shields and shift into offense mode added another layer of tactical depth. Just when I thought the fight was finally over and I was savoring my victory, a sudden hacking prompt triggered mid-cutscene; a final reminder that this game doesn’t let up until the very end. Pragmata delivers a unique gameplay experience that fuses shooting action with puzzle mechanics. I’m excited to see how the full release expands on the game’s tactical depth. Pragmata launches on PS5 on April 17.

Title: Death Stranding 2 new PC & PS5 features detailed, live March 19 Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:30:10 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/17/death-stranding-2-new-pc-ps5-features-detailed-live-march-19/ Hello Porters. Jay Boor from Kojima Productions here and we’re 48 hours away from Death Stranding 2 being delivered to PC. To celebrate the moment, we have a new launch trailer debuting today that confirms new features for both the PC and PS5 editions of Death Stranding 2, edited by Hideo Kojima.  Play Video For PC players just learning about Death Stranding 2, the game is a standalone sequel to Death Stranding, in which you step into the boots of Sam as he sets out on a brand-new adventure to connect both Mexico and Australia to the Chiral network and ultimately save humanity from extinction once again.  A Hideo Kojima game, Death Stranding 2 stars Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, Elle Fanning, Shioli Kutsuna, Troy Baker, Luca Marinelli, George Miller, Fatih Akin, Nicolas Winding Refn, Guillermo del Toro, Tommie Earl Jenkins, and Alissa Jung. And now, onto to the newly announced features. Get Wilder with new “to the wilder” mode and more A brand-new challenge is coming to the PC version of Death Stranding 2. For those seeking the ultimate gameplay challenge to accompany the story, “to the wilder” mode tests your porter skills to the extreme in merciless environments filled with deadly enemies, and completing orders will require every ounce of ingenuity you can muster. Although there is no turning back once you embark upon this punishing journey, your reward will be a sense of satisfaction that is truly priceless, and you can expect genuine gratitude from the other porters you help. Sam can also access new fieldware including new bandanas which can be unlocked through the newly added “Trapped in a Strange Realm”; a VR training area where you can relive Sam’s epic confrontations with Neil. Porters can also expect to see visits from the Chiral Feline in the private room aboard the DHV Magellan, new additions – including the Chiral Feline – to Photo Mode.  We’re happy to confirm that all these content additions will be coming to the PlayStation 5 version of the game at the same time.  Thanks to our friends at Nixxes Software, features exclusive to the PC version include full integration with Nvidia’s DLSS, AMD’s FSR and Intel’s XeSS and upscaling and frame generation technologies as well as uncapped frame rates and customised graphical settings1, super-ultrawide (32:9) support for gameplay, with standard ultrawide (21:9) support for in-game cut scenes2, full mouse and keyboard support with custom keybind mapping, full DualSense controller integration, with haptic feedback, adaptive trigger functionality3, and Spatial Sound Support4. Standard ultrawide (21:9) support will also be made available for the PS5 version. Additionally, players on PC with high-end PC hardware will have the additional option to enable Ray Tracing on Reflections and Ambient Occlusion via additional settings. When enabled, ray-traced reflections are applied on surfaces such as water and tar, while ray-traced ambient occlusion applies ambient lighting affects to scenes, resulting in more realistic shadows in crevices, corners, and between objects. These additional PC options are aimed at players with powerful hardware that want to push visual fidelity beyond the “Very High” graphics settings the game already offers. Though would like to note that Ray Tracing is not part of the minimum or recommended specifications for the core experience and is not required to enjoy the game as intended. And let’s not forget, Porters who connect their account also get unique in-game design patches for backpack customization and an exclusive suit inspired by the PlayStation logo. PS5 players will also receive PlayStation Connection Bonuses on PC launch day as a game update as well. Death Stranding 2 is available in Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions. Digital Deluxe Edition includes: Machine Gun [MP] (Lv.1) early unlock Patch 70: Quokka Patch 71: Chiral Cat Patch 72: Why Me? Battle Skeleton: Gold (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) Boost Skeleton: Gold (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) Bokka Skeleton: Gold (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) Digital Deluxe Edition And if you pre-purchase the Death Stranding 2 PC version in the next 48 hours you can get the pre-order bonuses below: Custom Hologram: Quokka early unlock Battle Skeleton: Silver (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) Boost Skeleton: Silver (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) Bokka Skeleton: Silver (Lv1, Lv2, Lv3) We are all excited for you to experience this latest version of the critically acclaimed Death Stranding 2.  From all of us here at Kojima Productions we would like to extend our thanks to our friends at PlayStation and Nixxes, who helped bring our vision to a brand-new audience, and to the many Porters out there for their continued support. For more information on Death Stranding 2 on PS5 and PC, including pre-purchase details, please be sure to visit the game’s official page. Click here for more details on the full PC specifications. We’ll see you on the beach. 1 Compatible PC and graphics card required. 2 Compatible PC and display device required. 3 DualSense controller and wired connection required to experience the full range of in-game controller features. 4 Supports 3D Audio via Dolby Access, DTS Sound Unbound, or Windows Sonic for Headphones.

Title: New PlayStation Portal software update adds 1080p High Quality mode and UX refinements  Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/17/new-playstation-portal-software-update-adds-1080p-high-quality-mode-and-ux-refinements/ PlayStation Portal remote player continues to evolve, with ongoing improvements designed to enhance the way players experience Remote Play and Cloud Streaming. Since our last update in November, we’ve seen strong momentum on PS Portal. Cloud Streaming monthly users grew by 162% year-over-year in January, and over 50% of PS Portal users are now PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers – reflecting growing engagement with the cloud experience.  As more players discover new ways to play on PS Portal, we remain committed to continuously refining performance and usability. Today, we’re pleased to share some new features and refinements for our PS Portal users. Starting today, (March 17 PDT / March 18 CET and JST), a new system software update for PS Portal will roll out globally, introducing improvements designed to deliver higher visual fidelity, smoother interactions, and a more seamless overall experience. Here are some details of the new features. 1080p High Quality mode Players can now select a 1080p High Quality mode during Remote Play and Cloud Streaming. This new mode enables players to enjoy games at a higher bitrate compared to the default 1080p Standard mode, providing a smooth and high-fidelity experience.** To enable the mode, go to [Quick Menu] > [Max Resolution] and select [1080p High Quality] during Remote Play or Cloud Streaming. You can apply the change by restarting the Remote Play / Cloud Streaming session. View and download image "1080p High Quality mode setting screen" Download “1080p High Quality mode setting screen” close Close Download this image Refined Cloud Streaming experience We’ve introduced several enhancements to improve usability and reduce friction during Cloud Streaming*** sessions. Improved Product Detail Page: When you select “Stream” on the product detail pages of game bundles, a new UI will show up, allowing you to select a specific game to play from that bundle. Game Invite: If you’re actively streaming a supported title and receive game invites, you’ll now see a clear on-screen notification on PS Portal, ensuring you never miss an invitation while playing. Enhanced Trophy notifications: Trophy notifications now clearly display the trophy name and associated image when unlocked. Platinum trophies will also feature their special animation, bringing greater visibility and celebration to your achievements. Improved Search screen: The search interface has been refined for a smoother experience, such as the On Screen Keyboard display being available immediately when going into search. View and download image "Select the specific game you want to play from the bundle" Download “Select the specific game you want to play from the bundle” close Close Download this image *Sample game for illustrative purposes only Smoother onboarding experience If you don’t have an account for PlayStation yet, getting started is now easier than ever. With an improved UI and onboarding flow, you can now quickly create an account and sign in to your PS Portal by scanning the QR code using your mobile device. View and download image "Scan the QR code to create an account" Download “Scan the QR code to create an account” close Close Download this image We’re excited to deliver these updates and hope you continue enjoying Cloud Streaming on PS Portal alongside Remote Play. Share your comments below! * Data as of December 2025 to January 2026. **PlayStation Portal Remote Player requires broadband internet Wi-Fi with at least 5Mbps for use. For a better play experience, a high-speed connection of at least 15Mbps is recommended. The quality and connectivity of your play experience may vary depending on your network environment. An account for PlayStation is required. ***Requires PlayStation Plus Premium subscription. PlayStation Plus is an ongoing subscription subject to a recurring subscription fee taken automatically (at the then-current PS Store price) at the frequency you choose at purchase until cancellation. Terms apply: play.st/psplus-usageterms

Title: Borderlands 4: new Vault Hunter C4sh the Rogue rolls in March 26 Date: Mon, 16 Mar 2026 16:00:23 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/16/borderlands-4-new-vault-hunter-c4sh-the-rogue-rolls-in-march-26/ Feeling lucky? Hi everyone, I’m Tommy Westerman, Senior Character Designer on Borderlands 4. Today, I’m thrilled to share insights into the making of C4sh the Rogue, the new playable Vault Hunter coming to Borderlands 4 as part of Story Pack 1: Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned* on March 26! Play Video I’ve been a character designer at Gearbox since Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, where together with the team I designed Claptrap as the playable Fragtrap class, as well as Jack the Doppelganger (aka Timothy) and Aurelia the Baroness. In Borderlands 3, the team and I designed Amara the Siren and Zane the Operative, followed by the Clawbringer and Spellshot classes for Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. That finally brings us to Borderlands 4, where the team and I designed Rafa the Exo-Soldier, Harlowe the Gravitar, and now C4sh the Rogue. When designing C4sh’s unique Action Skills, Augments, and Passives, the team and I really got to lean into the power fantasy of going for broke as a devil-may-care gambler, bending luck in your favor to overcome any odds. Ever since we designed Claptrap the Fragtrap over a decade ago, I’ve had ideas in my head of things I wanted to fix, change, or tweak. With C4sh the Rogue, I was excited for the opportunity to work with the team on another character class that has some purposely unpredictable playstyles. C4sh’s skills range from not-very-random to absolutely random, but what’s key is that you’re always able to influence that randomness, preserving the thrill of relying on luck while ensuring it’s on the player’s side. Beating the odds When it comes to C4sh’s backstory, he’s a former CasinoBot with a new lease on life. After a long streak of gaming the solar system’s casinos and battlefields with statistical insights, he developed a taste for the unpredictable after winning the magical Deck of Kanansi in a high-stakes game. Now that he’s seeking out more lucrative, dangerous risks, a career in Vault hunting is the perfect way to bet on himself in the biggest way possible. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image We know that fans love robot Vault Hunters like Pre-Sequel’s Claptrap and BL3’s FL4K the Beastmaster, so we were eager to bring C4sh to Borderlands 4. When thinking up a Vault Hunter’s origins, our first pillar is to simply make an interesting character, whether they’re flesh and blood or circuits and bolts. We started with the idea of a CasinoBot who’s obsessed with numbers and probability, but the exciting hook for us was C4sh’s desire to seek out eldritch trinkets that completely upend mathematical chances. As for what C4sh adds thematically to Borderlands 4’s ensemble, most people picture classic rogues as sneak-attacking thieves, but there’s also the gambler who relies on luck and wit. We want C4sh to feel like that latter, rarer archetype: someone who doesn’t pick pockets, but steals your money anyway because he knows how to manipulate the odds. Heart of the cards (and dice and guns) C4sh’s penchant for unpredictability is epitomized by his Action Skills and skill trees. Giving C4sh dice (Cleromancy Action Skill / Roll the Bones skill tree) and a deck of cards (Sleight of Hand Action Skill / Luck of the Draw skill tree) seemed perfect for players who love randomness, while his dual revolvers (Cross-Fire / Chaos Walking skill tree) felt right for the promise of a Wild West-style gambler. No matter the outcome, C4sh’s Action Skills are always powerful, but with luck you can trigger some super powerful effects. His skill trees are unique in that they don’t feature any Capstones, but all three of his trees offer a skill that grants an additional Augment slot. By building across all three skill trees, you can give C4sh’s up to four Augments total. Managing how many Augments you equip gives you more control over the degree of randomness for his Action Skills. One fun thing we always try to do with Borderlands’ DLC characters is break some rules. BL2’s Gaige introduced stacks and Krieg turned the entire idea of FPS combat on its head; Pre-Sequel’s Aurelia begged to be played in co-op. After Claptrap, even though some of us really liked him, we all kind of looked at each other and said, “Well, let’s never do that again.” C4sh broke that rule, and I love him for it. You’ll be able to play as C4sh the Rogue across all of Borderlands 4’s story and zones by owning Story Pack 1, which is included in Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition. We can’t wait to see how you come up with builds that make the most of his chance-based abilities, and remember: there’s no telling what the next card draw or dice roll will bring. *Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned is the first of two post-launch DLC Story Packs coming to Borderlands 4. This content is included with Borderlands 4 Super Deluxe Edition and the Borderlands 4 Vault Hunter Pack, and is also available for separate purchase. Base game required.

Title: MindsEye developers Build a Rocket Boy and IO Interactive announce their publishing divorce, won't stay together for the Hitman crossover Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:17:15 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/mindseye-developers-build-a-rocket-boy-and-io-interactive-announce-their-publishing-divorce-wont-stay-together-for-the-hitman-crossover Build a Rocket Boy, developers of MindsEye, and the publishing arm of Hitman studio IO Interactive have announced the end of their publishing marriage on the ill-fated action game. Build a Rocket Boy'll be flying solo on MindsEye from here on out, with a planned crossover between it and Hitman having been now officially nixed after a while in awkward limbo. Read more

Title: Huzzah! Satisfactory version 1.2, now in beta, lets you actually pause your game, and you can take selfies now too Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:06:44 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/huzzah-satisfactory-version-12-now-in-beta-lets-you-actually-pause-your-game-and-you-can-take-selfies-now-too A new update for Satisfactory is here! Well, for those of you that play on the Experimental build that is, meaning this update, version 1.2, is still technically a work in progress. It's a fairly beefy one too, with plenty of additions and tweaks so I'll just get with explaining it all. Read more

Title: Bethesda reveal Starfield's Terran Armada DLC: it's about a space robot army and drops alongside a beefy free overhaul of the base game Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 16:04:19 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/bethesda-reveal-starfields-terran-armada-dlc-its-about-a-space-robot-army-and-drops-alongside-a-beefy-free-overhaul-of-the-base-game Bethesda have followed up being one of the studios gushing about Nvidia's face yassifying DLSS 5 tech by revealing two updates coming to Starfield. Dubbed Free Lanes and Terran Armada, the former's a free update overhauling the likes of ship travel, while the latter's a second story DLC. Both are set to arrive on April 7th. Read more

Title: Far Cry's name is very ironic, if you're an armchair etymologist Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/far-crys-name-is-very-ironic-if-youre-an-armchair-etymologist During a random dictionary delve last week I learned that "explore" once meant to cry out. It comes from an old Latin word formed from the prefix "ex-", describing outwardness, and "plorare", meaning to cry or weep. Compare "implore" - to beg, cry for something - and "deplore" - to berate, 'cry of' something or somebody. The OED explains ("ex + "planō", meaning to level off, flatten for understanding) that "explore" may originally have referred to hunters, shouting to scare up animals lurking in the area around them. Exploration was always somewhat predatory, then, perhaps a little anguished. I have to admit, I got misty-eyed on discovering all this, thinking about how this word I've written a million times in videogame reviews is a kind of silenced wail. Read more

Title: "You're not doing parkour off a roof, but the principles were the same": How the makers of Firewatch pulled from Mirror's Edge, Far Cry 2, and Bioshock to tell a new kind of story in a walking simulator Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/youre-not-doing-parkour-off-a-roof-but-the-principles-were-the-same-how-the-makers-of-firewatch-pulled-from-mirrors-edge-far-cry-2-and-bioshock-to-tell-a-new-kind-of-story-in-a-walking-simulator In May 2014, the small team at Campo Santo were still in the early days of making Firewatch, a first-person narrative exploration game – you can call it a walking simulator, they do, and with no disparagement. The developers assembled at their San Francisco offices, some came from nearby, others from as far away as Vancouver, Canada and Winchester in the UK. They loaded up cars with beer, board games, and tents, and drove the several hours to Yosemite National Park, where, as one of Campo Santo's founders Nels Anderson puts it, "We went camping in the goddamn woods." While Firewatch was always due to be set more than 500 miles away in Shoshone National Forest in Wyoming, the team wanted to get deep into a forest and find the feeling of being surrounded and overwhelmed by nature. "All of us would say we were highly informed by that trip," Chris Remo says. He remembers thinking "In a year and a half, this is the thing we will have hopefully captured some little part of." Read more