Title: Northernlion Addresses His Friend’s U.S. Army–Sponsored Twitch Streams: ‘It’s So Far Beyond The Bounds Of What Is Acceptable To Me’ Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 19:00:50 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/northernlion-addresses-his-friends-u-s-army-sponsored-twitch-streams-its-so-far-beyond-the-bounds-of-what-is-acceptable-to-me-2000736196 Dan Gheesling's U.S. Army–sponsored boot camp game show stream on Twitch was streamed for three days to his 'all-ages' audience on the platform

Title: Final Fantasy Director Says Xenogears ‘Sounds Like A Tough Game’ To Remake And I’m Beginning To Think The Cult PS1 RPG Might Never Be Coming Back Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:30:42 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/final-fantasy-director-says-xenogears-sounds-like-a-tough-game-to-remake-and-im-beginning-to-think-the-cult-ps1-rpg-might-never-be-coming-back-2000736127 What began as a possible Final Fantasy game deserves to have its legacy preserved

Title: I Can Bearly Contain My Excitement For Fat Bear Week Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:30:08 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/happy-fat-bear-week-everyone-2000736138 What do you MEAN you don't know about Fat Bear Week?!

Title: Marathon Didn’t Reach As Many Players As Bungie ‘Hoped’ And ‘Needs To Evolve’ Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:07:55 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/marathon-didnt-reach-as-many-players-as-bungie-hoped-and-needs-to-evolve-2000736189 The excellent extraction shooter is in a bad place

Title: Ken Jennings Proves He’s A Born Poster, References ‘Slut Gnomes’ Meme In Jeopardy! Categories Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:00:03 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/ken-jennings-jeopardy-slut-gnomes-false-berlin-2000736097 'Bizarre little men'

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: Resident Evil Director Reacts To People Who Didn’t Like The Controversial Ending, Says It Was Almost Completely Different Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:29:05 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/resident-evil-director-reacts-to-people-who-didnt-like-the-controversial-ending-says-it-was-almost-completely-different/ The new Resident Evil movie from director Zach Cregger hit theaters on September 18, and it had a scary-good first weekend at the box office. The movie got great reviews but some people didn't like the ending specifically. Cregger said in new interviews that he respects that, but doesn't agree--and the ending was almost totally different. This story contains major spoilers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNd1gb19A-c The Resident Evil movie ends by revealing that Austin Abrams' character, Bryan, becomes an infected demon after getting bitten by a child, and that the movie is actually the origin story of a monster that you might find in the games. The syringe carrying the cure to the virus shatters on the ground. In the original version, Cregger said the syringe with the cure also broke, but at that moment, Bryan simply went on a killing spree. However, test screenings resulted in negative feedback, with people saying this was deflating and meant that the story was "over." However, Cregger told Collider that he filmed a second sequence as a Plan B, and that's the one that ended up in the movie where people root for Bryan to be cured. It led to a greater emotional journey for viewers, Cregger said, though not everyone agrees. "I shot that shot of the scientist putting the needle in his pocket just because I had a feeling. I was like, 'I feel like I'm going to need that.' Then we were able to build a new sequence at the end. I shot a contingency of him going for the stab ... just like, if I need it, I should just get it. And thank God because that's what we ended up using," he said. "Because it keeps the stakes all the way until the end. It's like, 'Save him, save him!' Whereas before it was like, 'Kill them I guess? Kill them all?'" In a separate interview with The New Flesh Horror Movie Podcast, Cregger said he liked the idea of Bryan reaching his "final form" as a mutant monster, especially because it's not what you'd expect. "This whole movie wasn't this guy who saves the world. It was the origin story of a monster. It recontextualizes everything, and I like a movie that punches you in the face," he said. "I like a movie that does not give you what you want, but what it does give you is more impactful." https://twitter.com/RENews_X/status/2102034866145726615 Some of the feedback Cregger said he received was that people enjoyed the movie up until the ending. If you're in that crowd, Cregger said he respects your opinion, but he made the movie he wanted to. "That's too bad. I don't care. It does not bother me at all. If you don't like the ending, we just disagree. I respect it. But I would never in a million years change it." Given how Resident Evil ended, it sure seems like there are more stories to told, and Cregger himself has said he does have sequel ideas in mind. That being said, Cregger has also said he is finished making franchise movies after getting lots of hate from fans of the Resident Evil games. In addition to changing the ending, Cregger made other adjustments to the film based on screen tests, including removing a lot of jokes.

Title: Jupiter & Mars Definitive Edition Launch Trailer – Nintendo Switch Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:10:50 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/jupiter-mars-definitive-edition-launch-trailer-nintendo-switch/ Tigertron's groundbreaking oceanic adventure game -- a dolphivania -- comes to Nintendo Switch for the first time bearing a wealth of new additions and improvements: A new default 3rd-person perspective, graphical improvements, QoL upgrades, and a new ending theme song 'Blue Life' by Japanese electronic music legend, Ken Ishii. Jupiter & Mars: Definitive Edition launches for Nintendo Switch on September 10, 2026! The game even features Ecco the Dolphin creator, Ed Annunziata, in a special guest appearance. It's up to eagle-eyed players to find track him down. Background: Jupiter & Mars made its debut at Stockholm's Fotgrafiska gallery, in front of esteemed guests like Sweden's prime minister and SeaLegacy's Paul Nicklen.

Title: The Blood Of Dawnwalker Wants You To Eat The Rich–Literally Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:41:45 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-blood-of-dawnwalker-wants-you-to-eat-the-rich-literally/ The Blood of Dawnwalker’s hero, Coen, begins with a predictably humble origin story common to many fantasy heroes. Outside the small matter of a looming blood mass, where villagers feed on their vampiric overlords’ blood to ward off the plague, you meet him on just another day in the unremarkable life of an impoverished former-sellsword’s son. He starts out chopping wood, checking traps for hares, playing tag with his energetic siblings, and haggling with the local herbalist over his mother’s desperately needed medicine.  I assumed this inauspicious beginning would become a distant memory once I, playing as Coen, imbibed the supernatural vampiric powers of a Dawnwalker. Surely I’m destined to become rich, powerful, and respected, I thought. I’ll become a willing participant to political machinations within gilded halls of renown. Maybe I’ll even get on the property ladder like in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, and start my own IKEA collection. No such thing happened. Instead, I was delighted to find Dawnwalker rejects that played-out routine of upward mobility. I was never wooed and welcomed into the halls of the vrakhiri; the game's vampire ruling class reviled me to the last. I firmly remained a peasant, an upstart subject challenging their feudal vampiric hierarchy. Dawnwalker may take place in the 14th Century, but the sense of class solidarity I saw makes for a very modern fantasy. From Gareth the Arthurian knight to Oliver Twist, there’s a long line of fictional characters who treat poverty and precarity as a state to overcome and entirely forget once they’ve acquired  wealth and power. Games aren’t immune: My Dragon Age: Origins City Elf playthrough started in the slums but invariably ended in the throne room; And, for all Atlus’s nods to more democratic governance models, Metaphor: ReFantazio’s protagonist still sets aside his humble Elda roots for the Euchronia highlife. And we can’t forget Geralt, the protagonist of The Witcher series and perhaps the defining hero of the fantasy RPG genre. With Rebel Wolves being founded by several CD Projekt staff, including The Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, The White Wolf is perhaps the most interesting comparison of all. Witchers are treated lower than peasants, yet, despite his claim to eke out a living from patchy contracts, Geralt still gets swept into the ruling class’s orbit. He treats with royals and enjoys their hospitality--even their bathtubs. Remember Geralt’s famous scrubdown? It comes right before his audience with the Emperor of Nilfgaard. Put it this way: If you toss a coin to Geralt, he likely spends it at the tavern or smithy. If you toss a coin to Coen, that poor lad desperately needs it to feed his impoverished family. That defiant attitude toward those who think they’re Coen’s betters shapes Dawnwalker’s worldview of power, class, and politics. It extends far beyond Coen; even accounting for branching decisions, it’s etched across its worldbuilding and systems.  It’s seen in its vampires, who aren’t the kind to inspire class envy like the stylish, seductive, and sophisticated modern vampire. Brutish, cruel, and repulsively ugly, the vrakhiri hew closer to the original Eastern European folk tales that first inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. For Brencis and his boyars, eternal life doesn’t come with eternal beauty. But it doesn’t matter when power comes first. Wealth is a welcome, but secondary, consideration. And it’s equally visible across the extent of the vrakhiri's blood-tithe regime, which imposes industrialized cruelty across the valley. Peasants wade into fetid swamps as they farm for leeches, fed on their blood and stored for vrakhiri snacks. Handpicked maidens are trafficked under guard across Vale Sangora for unknown sinister ends. And boyar Bakir runs bloodthirsty battle royales where volunteers fight for his favor. That feudal system of extortion is mapped out across the open world and through the game’s reputation system. You accrue notoriety, not political influence. That metasystem places Coen as a destructive interruption to an exploitative machine, well-oiled with peasant blood. And yet, for all the vrakhiri's monstrousness, Rebel Wolves draws a complicated and unresolvable comparison between the vrakhiri and the valley’s former ruler. For many peasants, the new vampiric rulers are little different to the previous knyaz. Their new lords at least offer protection from the plague that’s taken the lives of millions across the rest of Europe, in exchange for serving as a living factory farm prone to ruthless displays of violence.  After upending the social order and reducing nobles and knights to peasants, the vrakhiri can genuinely be seen as an equalizing force. Life was already poor, nasty, brutish, and short for the peasantfolk. Now that the underclass has expanded to everyone else, peasants rejoice in seeing one-time nobles now play jesters or serve as a moveable feast for the vrakhiri court.  When commoners now play key roles in boyar courts, their loyalties are divided to the point many don’t need to be coerced by fear or propaganda to fight Coen to preserve the new status quo. For the peasants working towards Bakir’s inexhaustible taste for alcohol, or filling barrels full of (former peasant) Ambrus’s blood-fattened leeches, consistent pay beats the hardship of subsistence farming. And when either variation on society treats humanity as livestock to exploit, your choice of farmer can still make a difference. That choice between familiar or supernatural oppression is the moral conflict behind many of Coen’s decisions.  Nevertheless, everyday life continues under the nobles’ shadow. And when you spend time in the communities you encounter, rather than chasing mystical swords, sabotaging boyars, or marshalling allies, it holds weight due to the ongoing countdown to your family’s slaughter. When the game invites you to help your father’s friend Volk--an aged, blind, and disconcertingly horny man--there’s a tangible cost: the lost time. Yet still, I fix his windows and slay the wolves roaming nearby, all for scant reward. When I ask Volk if he needs anything else, the ungrateful codger cheekily tries his luck for a footrub!  The pattern repeats when I pursue a quest in Svartrau City, wherein the only way I can proceed is by spending hours helping nuns tend to the sick and dressing their wounds. These unwanted duties could feel like a waste of time, but I do them gladly. These acts feel earned, like they're more than just RPG busywork; these scenarios replicate communities surviving atrocity through mutual care and favours.  Coen isn’t the only peasant who dreams of taking matters into his own hands. The careless, reckless Manumits share the same intention of taking down the vrakhiri. Drawing their support from the populace, or at least those their rash actions haven’t angered, Crake and his forces don’t easily draw my sympathies or allegiance. For him, peasants are collateral damage. Crake’s win-at-all-costs attitude even tempts him to consider calling for aid from nobles outside the valley. When that act risks recreating the same tyranny that made Brencis the more palatable despot, his ending felt the worst option to me by far--only slightly better than the one in which Coen simply abandons Vale Sangora by leaving the valley forever through a forgotten mountain pass. Dawnwalker’s vampiric metaphor for the ruling classes resonates all the more today, when working-class precarity has heightened to the stage it’s been compared to neo-feudalism: Hypercapitalism extracts labor from our bodies for ever-dwindling rewards, while big tech extracts the expression of our emotions and intellect, just to sell it back to us. Pitted against such overwhelming forces, those old fantasies of joining the elite or effecting change as a benevolent ruler don’t cut it anymore. I’m reminded each time I defeat one of Brencis’s boyars, plunging my fangs into a defeated adversary’s neck, that peasant power is where my class allegiances truly lie. When the monsters and their insatiable greed are real, The Blood of Dawnwalker knows the solution isn’t to join them: It’s to eat the rich.

Title: Destiny Isn’t Dead After All, Bungie Admits It Lost Sight Of What Players Loved Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:36:20 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/destiny-isnt-dead-after-all-bungie-admits-it-lost-sight-of-what-players-loved/ Bungie has admitted that it "lost sight" of what players loved about its games over the past few years, acknowledging that a series of broken promises and shifting promises caused the studio to lose the trust of its community. Now, the Destiny developer promises to refocus on its players, with plans to restore removed Destiny 2 content and evolve Marathon beyond its current extraction-shooter format. In a new video accompanied by a blog post on the Bungie website, Bungie studio head Poria Torkan and Marathon head of product and general manager Josh Dean addressed the studio's recent struggles and outlined its plans for the future. Torkan acknowledges that Bungie's ambitions had stalled as the studio pursued too many different initiatives without enough focus on the things players actually want. "We lost trust. We lost incredible colleagues. And our ambitions as a studio stalled," Torkan said. "We chased vision without enough focus on what players loved, and that's on us. We own that." https://youtu.be/asnrQ1UoBQM Bungie directly acknowledged the frustration surrounding Destiny 2--which received its last content update on June 9, 2026--including the removal of large amounts of content from the game in "sunsetting" processes. "We haven't just heard your feedback. We understand the anger, the disappointment with us," Torkan said. "We're not asking for your trust, we know we have to earn it." Bungie described Destiny as the foundation of the studio and stressed that it is "absolutely not done with Destiny." However, it wants to take its time with whatever comes next, starting with returning Destiny to what it describes as its original promise of mystery, discovery, and the community of Guardians facing seemingly impossible odds. Before it shifts to new stories, Bungie plans to restore content that was previously removed from Destiny 2. That could include the Red War campaign, the Tangled Shore, or raids, including Leviathan and Crown of Sorrow. Bungie described the restoration as something that "never should have been ripped away to begin with." Destiny 2's vaulted content will be returned to the game. It's a notable shift for Destiny 2, which has spent years operating around the controversial vaulting of content. Bungie didn't provide a specific timetable for when the removed content will return, emphasizing that doing it properly will take time. Bungie will also focus on the future of Marathon, where player numbers continue to dwindle. The studio plans to evolve Marathon beyond the genre constraints of an extraction shooter. Bungie's goal is to expand it into a "deeper survival experience." The studio says it wants to preserve the aspects of Marathon that players already enjoy while giving them more agency over how they play--including PvE and PvP. Alongside its plans for Destiny and Marathon, Bungie says it has made internal changes intended to make the studio more focused. "Stability does not mean shrinking our ambition," Torkan said. "It means focusing on things that you want to see from us and making sure that our vision matches our reality." With Bungie wanting to put players "above everything else" to rebuild the relationship between the studio and its communities, it also isn't expecting players to just accept their promises this time around. "We're not going to do it with words," Torkan said. "We're going to do it through the games that we make and how we show up for our players." Bungie has made it clear that it has a lot to prove, but restoring Destiny 2 content that players--including me--have been longing for is a great start. But after years of promises, Bungie now has to show players that this time, it can deliver.

Title: I’ve Become An Awful Jerk Whenever I Play This Haunting Sledgehammer Game, But It’s Not My Fault Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ive-become-an-awful-jerk-whenever-i-play-this-haunting-sledgehammer-game-but-its-not-my-fault/ I had only played about an hour of Virtue and a Sledgehammer prior to sitting down to speak with a few of the game's devs. The third-person, narrative-driven exploration game is essentially a walking simulator, in that you methodically explore a space and slowly uncover a story. You learn about what's happening by swinging a sledgehammer, which can shatter buildings, break open painful memories, crush generators, and destroy the androids that each house the digitized ghost of a person who was once one of your neighbors. The story gets pretty freaky, pretty fast--it opens with the reveal that the body of the protagonist's mom is in their car's trunk--and is clearly more concerned with telling an affecting story than delivering a traditionally fun experience. Or at least that's what I thought before I spoke with the devs. And one small moment changed everything: I asked all those who were present if they found themselves playing the game the same way or if they tackled Virtue and a Sledgehammer's loop of tearing down both physical and figurative walls differently. "You know, actually--this is just funny and stupid--but there's actually aiming in the game," Deconstructeam composer and level designer Paula Fingerspit told me. "So if you aim the stick looking up at the sky, you can actually smash [the androids] into the sky." This, of course, changed everything. I made it through the rest of the interview as best I could but the entire time we were talking, I just kept thinking to myself, "I've got to try that." So as soon as the interview wrapped up, that's what I did. I hopped back into the game, found a father android who informed me that he had locked his wife android and children androids into the house on top of the hill and needed me to kill them for him, walked up to the house, broke down the front door, and as the android mother ran toward me and shouted for me to not harm her android kids, I aimed up at the ceiling, and swung the sledgehammer. She went flying through the ceiling. It broke a huge chunk of plaster off, which then fell down onto a table and sent the android kids running. I mercilessly tracked down each one through the house to corner them in their various hiding spots so that I could use every one of them as a wrecking ball to dismantle their entire home. I then went down the hill to the father android, and used what I had learned to send him flying up the hill to join his destroyed family. In this scenario, I'm clearly the monster--again, the androids are all clearly people who have been digitized (possibly against their will?)--but I was also having a delightful time. And from that moment onward, I always tried to position myself in such a way that I could launch the androids up and away at something I wanted to destroy. This amusing distraction aside, however, Virtue and a Sledgehammer is an interesting title. Its narrative of a pretty ordinary (albeit, extremely strong) person who returns home to unleash their rage at those who harmed them growing up feels like something I'd normally prescribe to a short indie film or an episode of a TV show, but the game's developers have opted for the interactivity of a video game to give the viewer ownership of how and when that rage is directed. "It's funny that you mention TV shows because we always think a lot about why this is a video game," Deconstructeam creative director and writer Jordi de Paco told me. "And it's always the power of video games. Like any medium can pose questions but only video games can make you answer them." Virtue and a Sledgehammer is a first for developer Deconstructeam, as the team's past games have been extremely minimalistic in terms of how much you're actually playing. While the sledgehammer-swinging mechanic in Virtue and a Sledgehammer is quite simplistic, it's a level of violence and gameplay that goes beyond the studio's past work on point-and-click games or narrative experiences. "With this game, like we said at the beginning, it's always more [about] designing combat or stuff like that," de Paco said. "We are always designing situations [and] every level or every bit of the game is a situation. And in the same way you get to respond [in Virtue and a Sledgehammer] throughout the flashbacks with what you want to say, you get to respond [in the present gameplay] with a sledgehammer." In terms of being a game, Virtue and a Sledgehammer is okay (unless you're launching the androids into the sky with murderous glee--then it's quite a bit more fun). It's clearly meant to be appreciated more as a piece of art than something that's just to be enjoyed for fun. "You cannot destroy a Spanish townhouse with a sledgehammer," de Paco said. "It's not possible, but in this game you can. And [the game] is about this method of being methodical, engaging with this destruction. It was a deliberate decision for us to not allow the player to run, and video game players immediately miss that--you are not able to run [in Virtue and a Sledgehammer]. In fact, with the demo on Steam, we have many requests from people to add a sprint button." According to the team, Virtue and a Sledgehammer did have a sprint button once upon a time, and was much more of a game than a narrative experience. "We removed it because it felt disrespectful with what was going on to just run around in town when you're going through something really heavy, really stressful, [and] emotionally demanding," de Paco said. "Suddenly, if you run, you lose all that vibe. You need to walk, you need to stare at things, and you need to decide how to deal with them with a sledgehammer." "We would rather have some people get bored about having to walk slower than appeal to the people that are fine with the walking speed but will run if they have the choice," Fingerspit said. "We are protecting them from themselves," Selkie Harbour technical director & co-founder Guillermo Ferrando added. "There are these things that if you [implement], add up. Like, a lot more arcade-y moveset. If you can run and you can attack more, there is this room for thinking about what you're gonna do before every android just slips away. We wanted to make the game more powerful regarding what you do, not how. It's fun to break things, but it's not fun violence [in Virtue and a Sledgehammer] per se." And I think that's totally fine! But it's good to know that going into the story--you'll need to bring out your thinking cap and be ready for more abstract concepts to appreciate this one. And, if you're like me, you won't walk away from the game thinking, "That was so much fun!" Instead, you'll go, "Oh that was interesting." "And after seeing people play through it, I start thinking that this is like an elaborate personality test," de Paco said. "Like you throw someone into the game and you just watch them [in how they] behave and you get to learn a lot about them." I also get the feeling that Virtue and a Sledgehammer is a game that's meant to be played multiple times. Not because there are different endings, but because your interpretation of the characters can change depending on what choices you make. "There's no reward for a pacifist run, but you can do a pacifist run and you can go through the whole game without killing anyone," de Paco said. "I think that there's only like this bit of dialogue that acknowledges that [you did so] if you do it, but it's mostly just [asking,] 'Why? How?'" According to the developers, the demo I played only included the first 75% or so of the full game, so I still haven't seen what kind of concluding statement Virtue and a Sledgehammer ultimately makes, or how the game's ending will react to the choices I've made. I won't have to wait all that long though--Virtue and a Sledgehammer is scheduled to launch on PC on October 27.

Title: FF7 Revelation Will Fix One of Rebirth’s Worst Features Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:53:26 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/ff7-final-fantasy-7-revelation-auto-level/ One of the biggest questions when Square Enix announced its plan to remake Final Fantasy 7 into a trilogy of full-length RPGs was how the company would be able to stretch the original's limited content. Rebirth, the second entry in the series, introduced players to a massive open-world that solved the time problem by adding numerous side activities. While some of this was typical of an open-world game, there was widespread criticism that the world felt too bloated. With Revelation, the conclusion of the trilogy, Square Enix is fixing the problem.

Title: A New Witcher Book Is in the Works, and It Might Be out Sooner than Expected Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:40:04 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/witcher-next-book-andrzej-sapkowski-2027/ The Witcher fans have a lot to look forward to, like a remaster of The Witcher 3, the Songs of the Past expansion, and The Witcher 4, expected sometime in 2028. Those fans probably know by now that their favorite monster-hunting games are based on an iconic book series (as is the Netflix show), and they'll be glad to learn that author Andrzej Sapkowski has more up his sleeve.

Title: Xbox Patents New Way to Inject Ads Into Gaming Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:34:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/microsoft-patent-in-game-ads-load-screens-pauses/ Xbox appears to be brainstorming new and creative ways to torment its player base. As per Respawn First, Microsoft recently filed a patent focused on in-game ads. Specifically, the patent covers an “ad credit” system designed to deliver ads on specific triggers. These advertisements would be tied to two main factors: if a player has exceeded a set amount of ad-free playtime and if they’ve hit a somewhat natural stopping point, like a load screen.

Title: GameStop's Shocking 'Pokémon' 30th Anniversary TCG Prices Have Been Quietly Redeemed Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:19:58 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-30th-anniversary-where-to-buy-gamestop-prices-etb/ For months now, Pokémon fans have regarded video game retailer GameStop with disdain. The nerdy retailer made the mistake of announcing incredible markups for the Pokémon 30th Anniversary trading card set back in July 2026. The move proved so controversial that GameStop adjusted its Pokémon prices multiple times. Once the set was out, GameStop's tags still seemed exorbitant — that is, until wider market prices for the 30th Anniversary collection settled. Now? For better or worse, GameStop might well be the best deal you can find on Pokémon cards.

Title: How long is Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave and how many chapters are there? Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:15:20 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-chapter-list-how-long-to-beat/ During the quests in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, you will follow the journey of the Flame Lords. Starting by playing as either Cai, Theodora, Leda, or Dietrich, you make your way through the Heroic Games and see how these characters become entangled in world-changing events.

Title: Cute Critters Come to the Cloud: ‘Aniimo’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:00:55 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-aniimo/ A new creature-catching adventure is ready to stream from the cloud this week. Pawprint Studio’s Aniimo arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, inviting gamers to explore the vibrant continent of Idyll across supported devices. Also this week, 007 First Light receives a path-tracing update on GeForce NOW, alongside a smashing limited-time Deluxe Edition sale on Steam and Epic Games Store. Gaijin Network’s fractured-multiverse action game Active Matter and Annapurna Interactive’s acclaimed space mystery Outer Wilds are also among 11 new titles joining the cloud this week. Explore Idyll With the Cutest Companions The path to Idyll begins now. Aniimo is a free-to-play, open-world creature-catching role-playing game where every creature encountered can become a companion. Catch Aniimo with Aniipods, then Twine with them to take on their form and use unique skills to solve puzzles, win battles and overcome challenges. Glide, dive and burrow across Idyll, then return to a personal RV to build a warm, interactive Homeland alongside Aniimo companions. Stream Aniimo on a Steam Deck, in the newly supported Firefox browser and across any other supported devices — without waiting through its 45GB download or making room in local storage. There’s always room in the Homeland for one more Aniimo. Choose Your Path Licensed to render. In the critically acclaimed, multimillion-selling 007 First Light, follow James Bond as a young, resourceful and sometimes reckless recruit in MI6’s training program, and discover a reimagined origin story of the world’s most famous spy. Incorporating IO Interactive’s signature stealth gameplay with world-class Bond action, players can embark on missions in breathtaking locations around the globe, drive iconic vehicles and dive into a cinematic adventure in pursuit of a rogue agent who’s always one step ahead. Path tracing has now been added to 007 First Light, introducing extra-detailed lighting, shadows and reflections, making its levels and set pieces even more cinematic, immersive and realistic. And NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction ensures the fidelity, clarity and accuracy of these additions are at their absolute best. Ultimate members can stream with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance, with up to 5K high dynamic range and cinematic-quality streaming. DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution and Dynamic Frame Generation accelerate frame rates and enhance image quality. A limited-time opportunity awaits: the 007 First Light Deluxe Edition is on sale on Steam from Sept. 15-29 and on Epic Games Store from Sept. 3-18. The mission is on sale. The getaway car is in the cloud. Matter of Time Gaijin’s Active Matter, a realistic military shooter set in a fractured multiverse, has launched on GeForce NOW. As an operative stuck in a time loop, join dangerous raids for loot or intense player vs. player battles. Fight against rivals from other timelines, survive physics-breaking anomalies and try to stay alive. Harvest active matter, gather loot and extract to a safe place before the whole zone ceases to exist. Ultimate members can take on each raid with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, delivering high frame rates, advanced graphics features and low latency across supported devices. The zone won’t wait — and neither does the next loop. Let’s Get Loopy Every loop holds another secret. Outer Wilds joins the GeForce NOW library this week. As the newest recruit of Outer Wilds Ventures, search for answers across a strange, ever-changing solar system trapped in an endless time loop. Gamers can trace mysterious signals, decipher alien writing and discover hidden locations before an underground city is swallowed by sand or a planet crumbles beneath their feet. There’s even more to stream this week: Active Matter (New release on Steam and Gaijin, Sept. 15) Aniimo (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) RuneScape: Dragonwilds (New release on Xbox, Sept. 15, available on Game Pass) Train Sim World 7 (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) The Guild 1 Remake: Europa 1410 (New release on Steam, Sept. 17) The Blood of Dawnwalker (GOG.com) Mixtape (Steam) Neon White (Steam) Outer Wilds (Steam) Stray (Steam) What Remains of Edith Finch (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Ready to take this week’s new games for a spin? Start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Even better, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to level up with GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Boots on the Ground: ‘WARDOGS’ Goes All Out on GeForce NOW at Early-Access Launch Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:00:18 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-wardogs/ Gear up: The latest PC games and major updates are ready to play on GeForce NOW this week. WARDOGS drops onto the cloud at early-access launch, alongside the Valheim 1.0 Deep North update and Bus Simulator 27 — part of nine new titles joining the cloud. The newest PC releases can demand serious hardware, storage space and upgrade budgets. GeForce NOW puts GeForce RTX-powered performance in the cloud, so members can jump into the newest titles across supported devices without needing expensive PC upgrades to keep up. From a 100-player tactical firefight to a frozen Viking frontier and a growing bus empire, every adventure is ready when members are — no downloads or storage management required. Who Let the ‘WARDOGS’ Out?   Take on the Control Zone: WARDOGS launches on GeForce NOW today, bringing BULKHEAD’s large-scale tactical first-person shooter to the cloud at early-access launch. Up to 100 players across three teams battle to control randomized zones in a large-scale military sandbox, where tactical gunplay, combined-arms combat, building and destruction can change the course of a match. There’s no single route to victory. Outfit a loadout, coordinate a squad, fortify a strategic position or take the fight to the enemy in vehicles. Every team play action earns cash, giving players more ways to invest in gear and vehicles that can turn the tide. Ultimate members can stream the fight with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud for a tactical advantage. Pick up the battle across supported devices without waiting on a huge game install or clearing local storage first. Ice, Ice in the Deep North, Baby Sharpen the axes and raise the shields – Valheim has left early access with its 1.0 update, letting members stream the final biome in Iron Gate’s Viking survival saga through Steam and Xbox Store.  Set sail for the Deep North, a frozen frontier filled with new enemies to face, weapons to craft and strongholds to build before the cold closes in. The 1.0 launch also arrives alongside new platform versions with full crossplay support, making it easier to rally the clan. Whether returning to a long-running world on a PC or Mac or beginning a fresh voyage on a Steam Deck or Amazon Fire TV Stick, members can head to the Deep North across supported devices without waiting for downloads. The Wheels on the Bus Go ‘Round in the Cloud The route to the top starts here. Hop into the driver’s seat. Bus Simulator 27 is now streaming from GeForce NOW.  Drive a fleet of more than 45 officially licensed buses from 13 manufacturers through Felicia Bay, a sunny region with two cities, 20 districts and a full day-and-night cycle. Build routes, manage timetables and grow a successful bus company in Story, Career or Sandbox mode. And there’s even more to stream from the GeForce NOW library this week: Bus Simulator 27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Halloween: The Game (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Honeycomb: The World Beyond (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Wanderburg (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Shroom and Gloom (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Train Sim World 7 – Advanced Access (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) WARDOGS (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Welcome to Elderfield (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Epic Games Store) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. One GFN community member recently returned after six years, saying NVIDIA DLSS 5 technology renewed their interest in GeForce NOW cloud gaming. Ready to try it out, too? Start with a day pass to test premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. For those who decide to keep playing, the cost can be applied toward their first monthly membership. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: ‘NBA 2K27’ With NVIDIA DLSS 5 Leads 28 New Games Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:00:35 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-september-2026-games-list/ September is here with 28 more games streaming on GeForce NOW this month, led by a slam dunk: NBA 2K27 with the NVIDIA DLSS 5 3D-Guided Neural Rendering feature. Through NVIDIA’s close collaboration with Visual Concepts and 2K, DLSS 5 brings a new level of lifelike lighting and material detail to the court — tuned by developers to support the game’s authentic broadcast-style presentation. Members can also walk the line between human and vampire in Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker and step into genma-haunted Kyoto in Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword — part of the 10 games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Take the Court With DLSS 5 Showcase your moves. NVIDIA, Visual Concepts and 2K have brought DLSS 5 3D-Guided Neural Rendering to NBA 2K27, delivering a new level of sports realism for players streaming from the cloud at launch.  DLSS 5 enhances and tunes lighting and materials to make the action feel even more lifelike — from how light catches hair and skin to the detail preserved in the facial geometry of real-world athletes — achieving new levels of authenticity.  GeForce NOW Ultimate members in NVIDIA-operated regions can stream NBA 2K27 across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more. DLSS 5 is available when streaming from a GeForce RTX 5080-powered rig in the cloud. Tip off without waiting for downloads or managing storage, and experience NBA 2K27 from the cloud with the visual fidelity of DLSS 5. Walk the Line Between Day and Night Human by day. Vampire by night. Rebel Wolves’ newly launched The Blood of Dawnwalker is streaming from GeForce NOW. The open-world, dark-fantasy action role-playing game transports players to 14th-century Europe, where war, plague and rising vampire powers have reshaped history. Play as Coen, a young Dawnwalker fighting to save his family while caught between his humanity and cursed vampiric strength. His abilities — and the choices available to him — change between day and night, shaping how players explore, fight and uncover the secrets of the world around them. Sink teeth into the fresh adventure from nearly any supported device, with Ultimate members tapping into GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud. Skip the installs and let GeForce NOW handle the heavy lifting, leaving more time to take a bite out of everything Coen’s new world has to offer. Skip the Downloads and Sharpen the Sword Pick up the Oni Gauntlet. Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, giving members a way to jump straight into the series’ return instantly from the cloud. Fight across a twisted vision of Edo-period Kyoto as a lone samurai wielding the mystical Oni Gauntlet. Master precise swordplay, unleash powerful abilities and absorb the souls of fallen enemies while battling relentless Genma beneath mysterious clouds of Malice. Ultimate members can stream every clash with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs, the newly supported Firefox browser and more. Cut to the chase by skipping any downloads and storage management and step into battle. In addition, members can look for the following titles streaming this week: Breathedge 2 (New release on Steam, Aug. 31) Serious Sam: Shatterverse (New release on Steam, Aug. 31) Crimson Moon (New release on Steam, Sept. 1) The Blood of Dawnwalker (New release on Steam, Sept. 2) NBA 2K27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 3) SpeedRunners 2: King of Speed (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Sept. 3) Onimusha: Way of the Sword (New release on Steam, Sept. 4) How to Fish (Steam) Shelves and Sorcery: Tidy Up the Enchanted Shop (Steam) VHOLUME (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Bus Simulator 27 (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Halloween: The Game (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Honeycomb: The World Beyond (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Wanderburg (New release on Steam, Sept. 8) Shroom and Gloom (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) WARDOGS (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Welcome to Elderfield (New release on Steam, Sept. 10) Active Matter (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) Aniimo (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) Train Sim World 7 (New release on Steam, Sept. 15) The Guild 1 Remake: Europa 1410 (New release on Steam, Sept. 17) CONTROL Resonant (New release on Steam, Sept. 24) Nivalis Nights (New release on Steam, Sept. 29) Mixtape (Steam)  Neon White (Steam)  Outer Wilds (Steam)  Stray (Steam) What Remains of Edith Finch (Steam) All the Extras From August In addition to the 26 games announced last month, 18 more joined the GeForce NOW library.  Cat Mail Co. (Steam) Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo (Steam) Stars Reach (Steam) DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain (Steam) Escape the Backroom (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Hell Is Us (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Parcel Simulator (Steam) The Thaumaturge (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (Epic Games Store) STAR WARS Zero Company (EA app and Steam) Baldur’s Gate 3 (GOG) Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (GOG) Cold Fear (GOG) IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator (Steam) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (GOG) Mount & Blade: Bannerlord II (GOG) No Man’s Sky (GOG) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (GOG) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. New to GeForce NOW? Start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: GeForce NOW Gives Gamers More Ways to Play at Gamescom 2026 Date: Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:00:33 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gamescom-2026/ NVIDIA’s Gamescom announcements are revealing what’s next for GeForce NOW, with new ways to play, more supported devices and platforms, and even more big PC games headed to the cloud. New NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 technology controls give members more ways to fine-tune gameplay, while expanded support for new Steam devices, GOG single sign-on, Firefox browser support and more Amazon Fire TV devices continue broadening where and how GeForce RTX-powered PC gaming can be enjoyed. Gamescom is also bringing a blockbuster lineup of PC games to GeForce NOW. CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker and STAR WARS Zero Company are all coming to the cloud at launch.  For a limited time, members can also get CONTROL Resonant with the purchase of a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership. The Gamescom extras don’t stop there. To celebrate, GeForce NOW is giving away more than 40 prizes in our Community Giveaway — including gaming hardware and GeForce NOW Ultimate memberships. There’s even more fun to come. Check out the list of 13 games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Next-Level Cloud Gaming More ways to choose how to play. This fall, GeForce NOW is introducing new NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls in the cloud, giving Ultimate members more choice over how supported games look and perform, even without the latest hardware. Powered by NVIDIA RTX graphics, each control offers something different: DLSS Super Resolution sharpens image quality, while Dynamic Frame Generation delivers lower latency and stutter for smoother streaming, and Ray Reconstruction enhances ray-traced visuals. Together, these technologies make it easier to tune supported games for image quality, responsiveness or a preferred balance between the two.  Stay tuned to GFN Thursdays for details about best practices for enabling DLSS 4.5 overrides and how Dynamic Frame Generation can help Ultimate members enable more graphic settings while still getting smooth streaming. Stream full steam ahead with the Steam ecosystem. GeForce NOW is also adding community-requested support for Steam Machine with Steam Controller later this fall, and later for Windows and macOS, delivering more ways to play and making it even easier for longtime Steam players to jump into the cloud using familiar hardware. The additions build on existing Steam Deck support and expand compatibility across the Steam ecosystem. Get your GOG on with one click into the library. Launching GOG games just got even easier. With GOG single sign-on now available on GeForce NOW, members can securely link their account once, automatically sync supported games and launch them without having to sign in to GOG again — all with a single click. With fewer steps between opening the app, skipping any downloads and jumping into gameplay, it’s another way GeForce NOW continues streamlining access to PC gaming libraries, making it easier to play the GOG library of games on TV platforms since gamers are automatically logged into their GOG accounts. Find popular titles, like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, in the app in the dedicated GOG row. Or search and filter for GOG games, then jump into supported titles from almost anywhere — all streamed from the cloud. Check back on GFN Thursdays for the latest games joining the GeForce NOW library, including newly supported games streaming from GOG. Outfox nearly any device with GeForce RTX gaming. Plus, GeForce NOW is now officially supported on Firefox, expanding browser access across all major Windows browsers. Members can jump into supported PC games directly from Firefox without downloading a dedicated app. Ultimate members can enjoy GeForce RTX-powered gaming at up to 1440p and 120 frames per second. Simply download the latest version of Firefox and visit play.geforcenow.com to get started. The cloud handles downloads, installs and updates, keeping local storage free while games stay ready to play in the cloud.  Bring the fire to living rooms with GeForce NOW. GeForce NOW is expanding support to additional Amazon Fire TV devices. GeForce NOW first launched on Fire TV devices earlier this year, and will soon expand to the Fire TV Stick 4K Select, a 4K streaming stick that’s ready to game right out of the box. Streaming from the cloud means supported PC games are ready to play using a compatible controller, making it easy to enjoy GeForce NOW on the biggest screen in the house with even more options to play from the comfort of the couch.  And that’s not all the awesomeness from Amazon. Later this year, Fire TV users will be able to purchase GeForce NOW memberships directly through Amazon, creating a more seamless path from device setup to gameplay. These new features will arrive alongside some of the biggest games coming to the cloud throughout the year. Get Ready for Launch Five newly announced and highly anticipated games are coming to GeForce NOW at launch: CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, The Blood of Dawnwalker and STAR WARS Zero Company.  Better yet, members can lock in one of them early: For a limited time, purchase a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership and receive CONTROL Resonant at launch at no additional cost, and be first to experience Faden’s next chapter. The offer is available Tuesday, Aug. 25, through Sunday, Sept. 27. Ultimate members can stream the full lineup with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, including NVIDIA DLSS 4, ray tracing, NVIDIA Reflex and Cinematic Quality Streaming technologies, with up to 5K high dynamic range on supported devices.  Whether diving into new worlds or returning to iconic franchises, GeForce NOW lets members skip expensive hardware upgrades, massive installs and storage management so they can jump straight into the action the moment each game launches. Here’s a closer look at what’s coming: Contain the chaos. Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation in Remedy’s CONTROL Resonant. Harness Dylan Faden’s extraordinary powers to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Emergence begins. Experience the horror and brutality of Emergence Day in the Coalition’s Gears of War: E-Day. Fourteen years before the original Gears of War, join Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago in a gripping origin-story campaign as the Locust Horde first erupt from below, igniting a desperate fight for survival. Rally squads and fight on in multiplayer with a reimagination of Gears’ iconic PvE mode, Horde Siege, or go head to head with a refined versus PvP. Pick up the Oni Gauntlet. Fight across a twisted vision of Edo-period Kyoto in Capcom’s Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Wield the mystical Oni Gauntlet, master intense swordplay and battle relentless demonic Genma beneath mysterious clouds of Malice. Walk the line between day and night. Step into 14th-century Europe in Bandai Namco’s The Blood of Dawnwalker, where war, plague and rising vampire powers have reshaped history. Play as Coen, a young Dawnwalker torn between humanity and cursed strength, and shape his path while fighting to save his family. Command the galaxy’s finest. Lead an elite squad behind enemy lines in STAR WARS Zero Company, a single-player turn-based game set during the twilight of the Clone Wars. Command former Republic officer Hawks and Zero Company through tactical battles and high-stakes missions where strategy, squad composition and player choices shape the fate of the galaxy. More Ways to Win Gaming gear and Ultimate memberships are up for grabs. GeForce NOW is marking Gamescom with a community giveaway featuring more than 40 prizes. Gamers will have a chance to score a MacBook Neo, Steam Deck or Chromebook — each paired with a one-year GeForce NOW Ultimate membership — along with Amazon Fire TV Sticks and GeForce NOW Ultimate memberships ranging from one month to one year. Head over to the GeForce NOW community on Reddit for all the giveaway details and how to enter. The Hunt Is On Squad up and fight for survival in Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, streaming on GeForce NOW this week at launch. Assemble a four-player fireteam of Colonial Marines and battle through swarms of Xenomorphs, deadly new threats and increasingly desperate encounters. With deeper squad mechanics, new and improved classes, smarter enemies and expanded customization, every mission puts teamwork — and nerves — to the test. Members can also look for the following games joining the cloud this week: Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (New release on Steam, Aug. 25) Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (New release on Steam and Xbox, Aug. 27, available on Game Pass) STAR WARS Zero Company (New release on EA app and Steam, Aug. 27) Baldur’s Gate 3 (GOG) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 – Open Beta Weekend (Battle.net, Steam and Xbox available from Aug. 28 10am PDT  to Sep. 1 at 10am PDT. For more information please visit the Call of Duty website). Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 (GOG) Cold Fear (GOG) IRON NEST: Heavy Turret Simulator (Steam) Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (GOG) Mount & Blade: Bannerlord II (GOG) No Man’s Sky (GOG) Paradise Killer (Steam) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (GOG) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. To experience GeForce NOW, gamers can start with a GeForce NOW day pass and try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first membership purchase, making it even easier to level up when ready. Check back every GFN Thursday for new games, new features and even more ways to play on GeForce NOW. Which Gamescom announcement has you most excited? Let us know on X or in the comments below.  The future of PC gaming is on display with GeForce NOW. DLSS 4.5 controlsExpanded device support Upcoming AAA games More ways to play Community giveaway Firefox browser support… and more! #gamescom Details https://t.co/Rz6RnX0Pt4 pic.twitter.com/sShKRhzrD3 — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) August 25, 2026

Title: Leading Publishers Bring Blockbuster PC Games and Technology to NVIDIA RTX Spark Date: Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:30:48 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/gamescom-rtx-spark-pc-games-technology/ NVIDIA is bringing the next wave of RTX gaming to the Gamescom conference running this week in Cologne, Germany, with support for new games, anti-cheat technologies and increased visual quality.  Electronic Arts, Embark and Ubisoft are among the latest game publishers and developers bringing their blockbuster titles to NVIDIA RTX Spark ahead of its launch this fall. They join the publishers that announced RTX Spark support at COMPUTEX in May, including KRAFTON, NetEase, Riot Games and XBOX.  NVIDIA is working closely with game developers and ecosystem partners to ensure today’s top PC games — including EA’s EA SPORTS F1 25 and Apex Legends, Ubisoft’s Anno 117: Pax Romana and Embark Studios’ ARC Raiders and THE FINALS — run seamlessly on RTX Spark devices. “We’re excited to bring Anno 117: Pax Romana to a new generation of RTX-powered PCs,” said Stéphane Jankowski, Ubisoft executive producer of Anno 117 : Pax Romana. “Our teams build the game to be seen wide: full districts, long sightlines, thousands of details at once. Seeing RTX Spark hold that level of fidelity from a single chip is genuinely impressive.” RTX Spark reinvents personal computing, bringing personal AI agents, advanced content creation and high-performance gaming together in a platform engineered from the ground up for the next wave of Windows PCs. For gamers, RTX Spark combines Windows devices with NVIDIA RTX technologies, including DLSS and Reflex.  Bringing Anti-Cheat to RTX Spark Supporting modern PC gaming goes beyond running the game itself. Many of today’s biggest online games rely on sophisticated anti-cheat technologies, to enable fair play across the multiple platforms these games run on.   NVIDIA has been working with EA to bring native EA Javelin Anticheat support to RTX Spark, including for EA’s biggest multiplayer games, such as EA SPORTS F1 25. RTX Spark launches this fall.  RTX Delivers Next-Generation Gaming RTX Spark is just one part of NVIDIA’s lineup of gaming announcements at Gamescom, including: DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction is available now, featuring NVIDIA’s latest second-generation transformer model to deliver even higher image quality in ray- and path-traced content. It replaces traditional denoisers with an NVIDIA supercomputer-trained AI network to reconstruct higher-quality pixels in the parts of a ray-traced frame where rays were not sampled. Path tracing comes to CONTROL Resonant and 007 First Light to deliver new levels of visual fidelity.  NVIDIA ACE technologies are coming to Aniimo in early 2027, letting players naturally interact with their creatures. Gears of War: E-Day includes RTX Mega Geometry integration, advancing image quality on GeForce RTX GPUs, alongside ray tracing and DLSS 4.5. RTX Remix keeps remastering PC classics, with a major Painkiller RTX mod update available now and The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind RTX coming soon. GeForce NOW gives members more ways to play with new DLSS 4.5 controls, expanded support for Steam Machine and other devices and platforms, plus blockbuster PC games including CONTROL Resonant, Gears of War: E-Day and more coming to the cloud at launch. Find more on NVIDIA’s announcements at Gamescom in this GeForce article. 

Title: Lisa x PlayStation arrives this October: First look at the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and all-new merchandise Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 12:00:58 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/21/lisa-x-playstation-arrives-this-october-first-look-at-the-dualsense-wireless-controller-lisa-limited-edition-and-all-new-merchandise/ Last year, we teamed up with Lisa for the first time on our global PS5 campaign. Today, we’re taking our collaboration a step further with an all-new DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and a new merchandise collection designed with Lisa herself. Play Video Lisa’s journey has taken her from her roots in Thailand to Korea and beyond, as she’s become a defining figure in global pop culture – from her dynamic stage presence to her bold approach to fashion. Hear from her directly on the collaboration: “Gaming is something I do whenever I have time to relax, so getting to create this collection with PlayStation was very exciting. I had a lot of fun adding in little details that I knew my fans would notice, and I wanted the fans to have something they can connect with. I’ve always loved expressing myself through music and fashion, so this collaboration gave me a new way to be creative and show a different side of myself. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.” – Lisa Fans won’t have to look far to find Lisa in the details. From the very start, we worked closely together to incorporate elements that held personal meaning for her. Her iconic bangs and eyes take center stage on the DualSense wireless controller touch pad, joined by her signature stars and bold “LL” lettering, all set against a Chroma Pearl colorway – Lisa’s personal favorite. The DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition will be available in highly limited quantities directly from PlayStation and at participating retailers globally beginning on October 30 for a recommended retail price of $84.99 USD / ¥12,480 (including tax) / €84.99 / £74.99. Pre-orders will begin on October 2 at 10am local time, while supplies last.  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 Lisa x PlayStation merchandise pictured above available on Lisa’s official Amazon store beginning October 23.  Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection Launching this October in the U.S., the Lisa x PlayStation collaboration goes beyond gaming with a collection of PlayStation merchandise featuring Lisa’s designs, including apparel, hats, tote bags, keychains, stickers, a DualSense controller carrying case, and more. The collection gives fans new ways to bring their love for PlayStation and Lisa into their everyday lifestyle. The Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection will include two unique assortments available in limited quantities in the U.S. Select merchandise will be available to pre-order directly from PlayStation on October 2 at 10am ET, and launch on October 30. Additional items will launch on October 23 on Lisa’s official Amazon store at amazon.com/lisa and in the Amazon Music app.    Alongside the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and Lisa X PlayStation collection launching this October, fans can also look forward to the release of her new EP, Press Play, on October 23. We can’t wait to see how fans make the Lisa x PlayStation look their own when it launches.  Come and Press Play! 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 Buy direct from PlayStation purchase information Starting at 10:00am ET on October 2, players in the US will be able to pre-order the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition and Lisa x PlayStation merchandise collection direct from PlayStation through direct.playstation.com in limited quantities, while supplies last. Starting at 10:00am local time on October 2, players in the U.K., France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, players will be able to pre-order the DualSense wireless controller – Lisa Limited Edition direct from PlayStation through playstation.com/store/hardware in limited quantities, while supplies last.

Title: Silent Hill: Townfall — 9 ways first-person changes the iconic horror formula Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 07:00:18 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/21/silent-hill-townfall-9-ways-first-person-changes-the-iconic-horror-formula/ The Silent Hill franchise has evolved with its most recent entries, expanding into settings that go beyond the eponymous foggy American town. In Silent Hill: Townfall, it also taps into a new way to terrify players, shifting from a traditionally third-person perspective to first-person. The series has previously offered glimpses of first-person gameplay, including Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2, 2004) and Silent Hill: The Short Message (PS5, 2024). However, Silent Hill: Townfall is the first time you’ll face all the horrors of a full Silent Hill experience through the eyes of its protagonist. Play Video Here are nine ways Silent Hill: Downfall uses its first-person perspective to create a more intimate horror experience and amp up its scares. A claustrophobic perspective Silent Hill: Townfall puts you in the shoes, and viewpoint, of its protagonist character, Simon Ordell, which means you can’t see as much of the world around you as you might in a third-person Silent Hill game. You must be on your guard for threats coming from the side or behind you. The game also uses a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, making the screen wider at the sides but shorter vertically, creating a cinematic presentation — but one that also makes your vision feel realistically restricted. That change in presentation forces you to pay close attention to your surroundings and to listen for enemies you might not be able to see right away. A CRTV to see through the fog Characters in Silent Hill games often carry radios that can give them hints about when enemies are nearing them in the fog — when the radio emits static, danger is close. Townfall takes a more visual approach to this idea with its CRTV, a handheld device you can tune to different frequencies to see the positions of nearby enemies. L1 lets you hold the CRTV up in front of you as you move around, so you can see both what it displays and the world around you. The device also gives a helpful haptic pulse in your DualSense controller to let you know when a new enemy is near. Melee combat It’s a staple of Silent Hill games to battle twisted horrors using everyday objects like pieces of wood. But in Townfall, combat gets harrowing, as monsters throw themselves at your face and your only defense is to hold up a flimsy object to block them. You’ll need to react quickly to stop counterattacks and get some blows in if you want to stay alive. Stealth for survival Combat isn’t always an option in Townfall, and often you’ll have to sneak past enemies to survive. Ducking behind objects like fences, signs, and parked cars with Circle allows you to slip by many enemies unnoticed. You can also hold R1 and use the right analog stick to lean around corners or peek over the top of cover to see where enemies are so you can better avoid them — or scare yourself when you realize just how close they are. Running and hiding No matter how sneaky you are, sometimes, you just have to run for it. You can sometimes lose an enemy just by rounding a corner or ducking behind something, breaking their line of sight. You can also slip inside cabinets, closets, and lockers to hide, where you can watch them through a crack in the door or on the CRTV. But be careful: If an enemy sees you slip into a hiding place, they’ll chase you down and pull you out. Aiming weapons with motion control Motion control is one of Townfall’s useful features, which you can enable in its settings menu. This lets you tilt the DualSense controller to aim when using a firearm or throwing an object. Motion control makes it easier to dial in attacks on enemies with extra precision. But it also makes combat more frightening, since it’s tough to hold your controller perfectly still when your hands are shaking in fear. Dividing your attention The new first-person gameplay means you’re always worrying about what could be just out of view. When you open a door, you’ll need to quickly check what’s on the other side or risk stumbling into an enemy. Actions as innocuous as rifling through drawers or reading emails on a computer become eerie, since you’re vulnerable to monsters that may be shuffling around you. Even using your map (by hitting Triangle) causes you to hold it up in front of your face, robbing you of the ability to see what’s sneaking up on you. Searching your environment for clues Townfall’s first-person view makes puzzles more engaging but also more dangerous. With a more intimate perspective, you can search the environments around you for clues like notes left on desks or diagrams hidden in drawers. But that also means you often need to scour rooms and buildings for the information, and with creatures often stalking around in search of Simon, you’ll have to watch your back. Getting a glimpse of Simon’s inner life The first-person perspective isn’t all about scares. It also gives you a deeper look into Simon’s psyche at certain points. Rather than Simon speaking his thoughts aloud, you’ll sometimes see text appear over the screen to give you a sense of his inner monologue, bringing you a little closer to the character and giving you a sense of how he’s affected by what he’s seeing. For example, he might think “I feel sick…” when seeing something unsettling. With Silent Hill’s first big foray into first-person, Townfall provides plenty of scares as you make your way through the frightening fog of St. Amelia. You can feel the fear for yourself when Silent Hill: Townfall launches on September 24 on PlayStation 5.

Title: Share of the Week: Seasons Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 15:59:55 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/18/share-of-the-week-seasons/ Last week, we asked you to celebrate the seasons using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: FlamingHobo666 shares a golden bird flying across a spring field in Ghost of Yōtei gh_holy_mash shares fallen autumn leaves in Onimusha: Way of the Sword raphxander_ shares the castle covered in winter snow in Hogwarts Legacy RhodWulfLeon shares yellow flowers blooming in Horizon Forbidden West John_Varela_R shares Lara ice-picking her way up a mountainside in Rise of the Tomb Raider JDanny7_VP shares a summer evening on the water in Red Dead Redemption 2 Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: Marvel’s WolverineSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on September 23, 2026  Next week, unleash ferocious shares from Marvel’s Wolverine using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Control Resonant: How Remedy is going bigger and weirder with its paranatural horror sequel on September 24 Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:00:08 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/18/control-resonant-how-remedy-is-going-bigger-and-weirder-with-its-paranatural-horror-sequel-on-september-24/ Control was just the beginning. The paranatural realm established in Remedy Entertainment’s sci-fi action adventure thriller gets a full sequel in Control Resonant on PlayStation 5, which leaves the confines of the mysterious Oldest House and ventures into a world of terrifying entities, mind-bending cityscapes, and an unfairly incarcerated man with incredible abilities who just wants to find his sister. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. I went hands-on with the full game ahead of its September 24 launch to discover how strange things really get in a warped and broken Manhattan. Spoiler: weird doesn’t even cover it, in the best possible way. A story which resonates Not familiar with Control? Never fear – Resonant has a handy recap trailer to get you up to speed, told from the perspective of the first game’s protagonist, Jesse. And given her younger brother is only just discovering this new, unfamiliar world, he’s the perfect vessel for any exposition you need to understand the game’s story. Control Resonant keeps the surreal, horror tinged sci-fi tone of the first game, but amps it up with a powerful tale of people who fall through society’s cracks. This doesn’t refer to just Dylan, but also other characters who have been discarded or deemed unworthy. It’s an emotional theme reflected through Dylan’s relationship with Jesse, and his handler Zoe, but you’re given the chance to make your mark on Dylan’s shy personality by choosing some of his dialogue in specific conversations. In fact, one of my favourite elements of Control Resonant’s tale are the optional mini-quests where Dylan can recreate a scene based on a memory or childhood thought using relevant objects in the environment. In one instance, through rescuing a couple of inanimate cats, I crafted a feline picnic area that Dylan drew, speaking to a part of his tragically lost childhood. The reluctant hero In contrast to the confident and determined Jesse, Dylan is shy and hesitant, in part due to spending years both in a coma and incarcerated by the FBC. But as a fascinating counterbalance, Dylan’s powers give him far more mobility than his older sister, which is appropriate given he has the larger environment of Manhattan to explore, full of wide streets, high rooftops, and even gravity distorted Inception-like areas where the city has folded in and on top of itself. Holding down the X button elevates Dylan high enough to reach the summit of some of the city’s shorter buildings after a double jump, and a tap of the Circle-mapped dodge button lets him air dash. And by pressing Circle twice, Dylan can also dash so quickly he leaves an afterimage trail in his wake. That’s not to mention the unlockable traversal abilities gained via ‘Jesse Quests’, like the super handy Reach grappling hook. All of which is essential when it comes to surviving encounters with the freakish Hiss entities that roam the city. But what makes Dylan relatable is that despite his vast power, he possesses a childlike awkwardness that grounds his interactions. Even when using his impressive abilities, he staggers, wobbles, and even clumsily topples over after long falls; a stark contrast to the typical 3-point stance ‘superhero landings’ we’re all used to.  Combat tailored to your style When it comes to combat, Control Resonant doesn’t spare your mistakes. Much like its predecessor, aimlessly lurching into fights quickly results in a blood-red game over screen. Dylan’s paranatural abilities are far more melee slanted than Jesse’s, which means battles against the Hiss are often face-to-face (that’s when they actually possess a face), and require a lot of dodging, and quick, powerful and precise strikes. While using a bus shelter, abandoned trucks and other parts of the Manhattan environment as cover is a big part of keeping Dylan alive, his offensive capabilities and combos are key. Control Resonant’s dense and versatile upgrade paths for the disarmingly charismatic protagonist are central to Dylan’s entire range of attacks. The first and secondary forms of his shapeshifting Aberrant weapon can be enhanced with status effects including burn and infect, as well as perks such as better cooldowns and increased damage to combo finishers. Further to that, Dylan’s bonus Combat Ability can change up your tactics as well, whether it’s a shield, a barrage of projectiles, or an ally formed via ambient junk in the environment, each featuring some nice resistance on the Adaptive Triggers to give them a sense of physical weight. Combat Abilities consume Power, which can be regained via melee attacks, so conflict is all about strategy, balance and using L3 as much as possible to activate chainable execution moves on stunned foes. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. With a default of six total first and secondary Aberrant to choose from, there are dozens of loadout combinations to personalise Dylan with, which can be unlocked, changed and tested by visiting the mysterious Gap, a limbo-like hub accessible by holding down on the Directional buttons. Add that to the choices available in the multiple skill trees, and Control Resonant expands massively on the combat options of its precursor. Missions for all types of player Although the substantial and twisted Manhattan is yours to explore, Control Resonant isn’t quite an open world. True, it’s a shift from Jesse’s adventure through the office building confines of the FBC headquarters, , but the game smartly gives you digestible and focused sandboxes to explore, aided by a variety of mission objectives. These ranged from being combat driven, such as clearing an area of Hiss or investigating a missing person, to helping construct and fixing a machine, with Zoe’s radio chatter audible via the DualSense Controller’s speaker during relevant tasks. Handily, the game also lets you prioritise your missions, so I not only had the choice to progress the main story, but also focus on searching for Jesse or engaging in side stories. There are even arcade cabinets to unlock in each zone, where you can reward Dylan’s skills via timed challenges. The openness doesn’t reduce the horror and thriller elements that made the first game so memorable, either. There are plenty of disturbing and creepy moments that sometimes even heavily shudder the DualSense Controller – from hallucinatory jump scare visions and sudden booming announcements from The Board, to reality warping taxis and the ground-shaking arrival of misshapen enemies that had me thinking twice about my choices. Actually, while I’m on the subject… The Resonants are deeply unsettling Control is well known for its Brutalist inspired architecture and unforgettable art design, which carries over here, but things get delightfully weird with its Resonants, the often colossal and intimidating boss encounters. The first one was a giant porcelain doll’s face using taxis and girders to bludgeon Dylan, and things only became more unpredictable from there. Another confrontation surprised me entirely by not being a traditional boss fight at all. I won’t spoil it here, but you’ll know it when you see it. A PS5 must-play There’s so much to discover in Control Resonant that, like Dylan, your world will be constantly flipped and challenged, and you’ll enjoy every moment. Prepare to enter one of the most surreal adventures of 2026 when it hits PS5 on September 24.

Title: Co-op roguelite Shape of Dreams launches today on PS5 Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:00:15 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/17/co-op-roguelite-shape-of-dreams-launches-today-on-ps5/ Hi everyone, PlayStation players! I’m Eunseop Shim, developer at Lizard Smoothie. I’m thrilled to finally be sharing this news. Shape of Dreams launches today on PlayStation 5, arriving alongside The Starless Path — our 1st Anniversary Update, and the largest update we’ve ever made. Watch our newly released launch trailer first, then read on to see what’s waiting deep inside the dream world. Combat and Travelers Shape of Dreams is fast-paced, spectacular and aggressive. You become one of completely different nine Travelers, and descend deep into the Rapids — a dream world that reshapes itself every time you enter. Once you’ve chosen your Traveler, it’s time to dive into the Rapids. Memories and Essences Combat is fast and flashy, but how you take control of the battlefield is entirely yours to decide. Memories are the core abilities you equip. Essences slot into those Memories and fundamentally rewrite how the ability works. Take a single-target attack Memory and attach an Essence that chains the ability to nearby enemies, or one that cuts its cooldown every time you land a hit, and it becomes something else entirely — an ability capable of wiping out an entire room. With more than 200 Memories and Essences available, no two runs are the same, and a run isn’t about finding the right answer. It’s about deciding what to make out of what you’ve found. Digging up wild synergies nobody saw coming — that’s the real heart of this game. Traveler Memory and Identity Memory Every Traveler begins with two unique traits at the center of their build: the Traveler Memory, an active skill, and the Identity Memory, a passive. Before each run begins, you pick one of two options in each of these slots. Your choices let you go beyond simply stacking abilities on top and adjust the starting point itself. Constellation Every Traveler has their own Constellation to fill in, and progress isn’t lost when a run ends — it accumulates. Travelers who return to the Rapids again and again grow to heights a single descent could never reach. The Starless Path adds new Stars you can slot in. Four-player co-op You can play the whole game by yourself, or run it as a four-player online party. In co-op, builds lock into one another: one player freezes enemies while a teammate drives extra damage into the frozen targets, or someone pulls everything into a single point so the rest of the party can sweep it all at once. Nobody is forced into a fixed role. Four independent builds collide and interlock on the battlefield until they come together into one perfect rhythm. Cross-play is live at launch. PS5 lobbies are fully unified with PC and other consoles, so you can head straight out with friends without waiting around. New in The Starless Path Our largest update ever. Every improvement and piece of new content we’ve forged over the past year alongside more than 1.5 million players on Steam is fully baked into today’s PS5 version. New Traveler Cetus joins as a ranged frost tank, locking down the battlefield with ice while keeping shields up on himself and everyone around him. If you want to be the reason your party survives a bad map, start with Cetus. The Way of Stars is a new system where each Traveler’s story is woven together like a constellation. Travelers who reach the depths of the Rapids unlock hidden episodes and illustrations, and face a new ending along with the toughest final boss in the game. On top of that, existing world bosses gain threatening secondary attack patterns, turning out craftier and more lethal behavior at higher difficulties. Fallen Stars and Faded Memories: A new feature in The Starless Path. The Identity Memory introduced above can now be swapped for one of 6 Universal Identity Memories, rather than being limited to your Traveler’s own. This opens up a completely new progression path for your Traveler! A year ago, we asked players a single question. Would you risk everything to shape a dream? Today, we finally get to put that question to PlayStation players too. Thanks for reading — we’ll see you in the Rapids.

Title: "It wasn't a planned thing": Breaking Benjamin singer on his mid-gig Fallout 4 mod promo being down to a broken drum and his love of VR Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 16:15:21 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/it-wasnt-a-planned-thing-breaking-benjamin-singer-on-his-mid-gig-fallout-4-mod-promo-being-down-to-a-broken-drum-and-his-love-of-vr Remember when, a couple of weeks ago, the singer of American band Breaking Benjamin was filmed promoting a Fallout 4 first person he'd made via a mid-gig speech about modding community drama? Well, according to Benjamin Burnley, that wasn't some planned tirade, but rather an instance of ad-libbing to fill the dead air caused by a snare drum giving up the ghost. As for why it exists, the answer's largely just that the bloke loves him some VR wandering around Tamriel and The Commonwealth. Read more

Title: Microsoft file patent for a machine learning system that would "train" itself on your playtime to work out when you'll be least annoyed by in-game ads Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 15:42:51 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/microsoft-file-patent-for-a-machine-learning-system-that-would-train-itself-on-your-playtime-to-work-out-when-youll-be-least-annoyed-by-in-game-ads Uncle Microsoft's efforts to keep inventing the Torment Nexus proceed apace with a patent application for an in-game advertising system that might use machine learning to read your activities, and work out when you'll be least apoplectic about being suddenly served a giant MacDonalds pop-up. Read more

Title: Virtue and a Sledgehammer will begin battering down the walls and android ghosts of a hometown filled with emotional memories this October Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:47:23 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/virtue-and-a-sledgehammer-will-begin-battering-down-the-walls-and-android-ghosts-of-a-hometown-filled-with-emotional-memories-this-october I dug The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood. It's a game about a fortune-telling witch on an asteroid who designs tarot cards and eventually gets sucked into politics. It also has its own special dildo. The devs behind it, Deconstructeam, are set to release their next game on October 27th. It's called Virtue and a Sledgehammer, and it's about revisiting your hometown to do a bit of trauma-laced DIY - if levelling the place counts as DIY. Read more

Title: Fly between radio outposts inside a murky megastructure in The Hollowing, a follow-up to the brilliant spelunking sim Lorn's Lure Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 14:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/fly-between-radio-outposts-inside-a-murky-megastructure-in-the-hollowing-a-follow-up-to-the-brilliant-spelunking-sim-lorns-lure I loved 2024's Lorn's Lure, the megastructure exploration game with the handsome climbing axes, but it took me a while to get the better of the whole "repeatedly falling and dying" element. I imagine a few megastructure lovers were deterred by this. Fine, says developer Rubeki, here's The Hollowing - another megastructure game set in the same narrative universe, but this time, with an airplane. Read more

Title: "I thought people would leave": Hideo Kojima offers his account of Physint's switch from PlayStation to Xbox, as his studio insist they're in a "healthy, profitable state" Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2026 13:28:30 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/i-thought-people-would-leave-hideo-kojima-offers-his-account-of-physints-switch-from-playstation-to-xbox-as-his-studio-insist-theyre-in-a-healthy-profitable-state Hideo Koijima and his studio Kojima Productions have offered a more in-depth version of their side of the story after action espionage game Physint switched publishers from PlayStation to Xbox earlier this month. Kojima claimed PlayStation had tried to cancel the game, with a subsequent report from Bloomberg alleging that an exceeded budget, missed deadlines, and Death Stranding series sales not being as strong as Sony hoped were among the factors which led the console makers to get cold feet. Now, Kojima Productions have urged people to take those claims "with a dose of scepticism", as Kojima has gone through his version of the events around the jump between publishers. Read more