Title: We Asked Blizzard Why Diablo 5 Is Confirmed For PC But StarCraft Is Not Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:30:18 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/diablo-5-pc-starcraft-xbox-confirmed-2000735382 Why is Blizzard being so weird about this?

Title: Team Behind Popular Ocarina Of Time PC Port Admit To Using AI For Years And Now Fans Are Freaking Out About ‘Vibecoded Slop’ Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 22:00:44 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/team-behind-popular-ocarina-of-time-pc-port-admit-to-using-ai-for-years-and-now-fans-are-freaking-out-about-vibecoded-slop-2000735358 When asked what version of Ship of Harkinian doesn't contain LLM content, a dev said 'I don't know'

Title: Choosing Who To Play In Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Made Me Realize This Game Is Gonna Take Forever Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:30:16 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-four-flames-of-dagda-choice-2000735375 Doing some quick napkin math and yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if this is gonna take upwards of 100+ hours. Sheesh.

Title: Bungie Shoots Down Viral ‘Leak’ About Marathon And Destiny 2 ‘Merging’ Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:10:58 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/bungie-shoots-down-viral-leak-about-marathon-and-destiny-2-merging-2000735363 Hopium is fueling all sorts of wild rumors

Title: The Proliferation Of Copycats On Steam Makes Discovering Original Games Like Finding A Needle In A Haystack Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:30:52 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/the-proliferation-of-copycats-on-steam-makes-discovering-original-games-like-finding-a-needle-in-a-haystack-2000734794 Steam has a real problem on its hands, and it's only going to get worse

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: Warcraft 3 Devs On How Its New Expansion Bridges The Gap To WoW Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 01:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/warcraft-3-devs-on-how-its-new-expansion-bridges-the-gap-to-wow/ We sat down with Ian Hazzikostas and Brad Chan of the Warcraft team to talk about their history with RTSs, why now is the time to expand upon Warcraft III Reforged, and how the new expansion Forsaken Kingdom ties into World of Warcraft.

Title: GTA 6’s Robberies NEED To Be Unpredictable Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/gta-6s-robberies-need-to-be-unpredictable/ Grand Theft Auto 6 is all about robberies. Here's a breakdown of everything we know about them, and how they could kick the doors open for exciting emergent moments.

Title: Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave’s First Hour Is Wild Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:33:56 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fire-emblem-fortunes-weaves-first-hour-is-wild/ Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is an epic intertwining story set in an Age of Antiquity that most closely resembles Ancient Greece. But! It is also a guns-blazing shiny metal futuristic sci-fi story, and judging by the social media reactions, a lot of people weren't exactly prepared for how hard it leans into that element right from the start.  In the interest of not spoiling the game and abiding by certain embargo restrictions, we had to say mum about the first hour of Fortune's Weave when previews were published in August. By then it felt like a secret we were all sitting on, especially when a Fire Emblem-themed Nintendo Direct aired and didn't make even the slightest mention of how absolutely buckwild the first hour is. The review embargo was a little looser and I was able to mention in my Fortune's Weave review that the story essentially begins in the future. Even still, Nintendo and Intelligent Systems commit hard to the bit, and for those used to a more fantasy-based Fire Emblem, it can be jarring. When you start this game you construct your version of Eshmel, Herald of the Pale Raven. Eshmel is essentially a living weapon made to battle the Demon King hordes. The supporting cast are the last remnants of humanity driven to the brink of extinction, fighting a hopeless war. Everything is glowing and futuristic, and characters have weapons that look and function exactly like guns--though they call them Salamanders. It's as if Fire Emblem got a sudden injection of cyberpunk.  What's more, in your very first tutorial battle, the Demon King summons the Flame Lords against you. Cai, Dietrich, Theodora, and Leda are there, all with a telltale evil, purple glow. This is before the game has mentioned them in any way as the main protagonists, so if you haven't been following the advertising and you're going in totally cold--like I was when I first started it for my preview--this is a striking twist. You know from the start not just that Eshmel has to recruit the Flame Lords to humanity's side, but also, that if you don't, they'll end up working for the Demon Lord instead. Talk about stakes.  Fans are getting their hands on Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave now, and the reactions to the first Fire Emblem to include guns--err, sorry, Salamanders--is something to watch. Check out a few of the reactions below: https://twitter.com/UltimaShadowX/status/2100470870166700259 https://twitter.com/PseudoMonious/status/2100605406297116963 https://twitter.com/Rooflemonger/status/2100494185144963530 https://twitter.com/krembeni/status/2100595471995797524 "Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is a sprawling masterpiece of a strategy RPG, building upon the successes of past Fire Emblem games with new interconnected elements, expertly designed combat puzzles, and an emphasis on flexibility and choice," I wrote in my review. "Nintendo and Intelligent Systems have topped themselves, making this the new high point to beat for future entries."

Title: Here’s The Great New Tactics Game You Should Be Playing–And I Don’t Mean Fire Emblem Or Zero Company Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:20:55 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/heres-the-great-new-tactics-game-you-should-be-playing-and-i-dont-mean-fire-emblem-or-zero-company/ I've been loving Star Wars Zero Company, especially for how it builds on my favorite story arc from The Clone Wars animated series. But whereas I was positive that Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave would be the title to finally pull me away from Zero Company, it's another tactics game that has captured my attention: Ex Sanguis. It's no real surprise why I'm enjoying Lightbulb Crew's Ex Sanguis. While it's not a direct sequel to the studio's debut title, Othercide (one of my favorite games of 2020), Ex Sanguis has the same memorable visual style consisting of simple grayscale and striking crimson, a party of heroes who are all elegant women, and turn-based bloodbaths that satisfyingly reward triggering chain events. Ex Sanguis just feels like more Othercide, much in the same way Hollow Knight Silksong and Marvel's Spider-Man 2 feel like extensions to their respective predecessors. Ex Sanguis has enraptured me so completely with how it differs from Othercide, however. Both tactics games have roguelike elements, but Ex Sanguis really leans into that genre's trappings to offer a snappier gameplay loop. You can boot up the game, play for 20-30 minutes, and feel good for accomplishing a few small victories that will benefit your future attempts. That's not really the case for Othercide, which is designed first and foremost as a brutally challenging tactics game. Othercide sees you commanding an army of your daughters. Each day, you send a squad of three on a mission in hopes of unlocking a node at the end of the week, leveling up your units to unlock more permanent upgrades. If one dies, she and her perks are gone for good and the only way to replenish one daughter's health is to sacrifice another. Birthing new daughters costs valuable resources. This culminates in a loop of sacrificing units (some of which you've put a lot of time into) for the good of the mission. It's like playing a game like XCOM or Zero Company with permadeath on and purposively leaning into the tragedy of losing a beloved unit. So while it's very much a tactics game, Othercide has a roguelike feel--from the jump, it's clear that you're not going to do well on your first time trying to unlock a node and face a boss, and you'll need to slowly accrue enough permanent upgrades to enough units to get strong enough to even have a chance at success. And if all your daughters die (which will surely happen more than once), then you're done for and have to start again. Othercide is a long and arduous grind, one soothed by the intriguing lore that twists between each level and drip-feeds answers to the mystery of what your daughters are and why you're hellbent on sacrificing them to carve and shoot your way to whatever is at the end of all this violence. The game is perfect for folks who like to min-max, but even your best-laid plans can fail if the random nature of the changing levels between each failed attempt screws you over while you're trying to build up an ideal team for the boss at the end. And that can be really frustrating, so it's also a game for those with either a ton of time or a lot of patience. Ex Sanguis, meanwhile, leans further into the roguelike formula by streamlining everything to make the overall gameplay easier. Each run is substantially shorter than those in Othercide, so getting to some sort of checkpoint is less intense, and it's easier to say, "Okay, one more run" after a failed attempt. The warriors under your command (they're called stillae, rather than daughters, in this game) heal between each mission, and new stillae spawn in automatically between missions if one falls in battle. And each stillae has a choice of one upgrade from three possible options after every mission instead of two, increasing your chances of replicating your favorite builds (and a limited-use re-roll feature to get rid of any options you absolutely hate raises those chances even more). Ex Sanguis puts a greater onus on completing runs quickly to build up your party and then tackle a boss, while Othercide is all about perfecting how you play a tactics game (and scrapping a run partway through if the randomness of the roguelike elements screw you over on the permadeath mechanic) to have any chance of even holding your own against a boss. Ex Sanguis encourages you to earn a bunch of small victories on your way to each of the big victories, while Othercide is just all about those big victories and being okay with failing a whole bunch between each one.  Structurally, Ex Sanguis still pretty closely copies Othercide, but I'm no longer drowning in despair at 3 AM because I bungled my latest run, lost my strongest daughters, and now I'm basically starting over from square one. And like Othercide, Ex Sanguis is a fantastic tactics game. Time is the major factor in every battle. Each action that one of your stillae can take consumes a set number of points from the total pool they have--moving a great distance costs more points than only a few steps, for example, and weaker, fast attacks tend to be cheaper than stronger ones. If a stillae only uses half her total points on her turn, her turn ends as normal. However, you can command each of your warriors to go beyond her limits and use the second half of her points to perform extra actions. Doing so puts the stillae in a bad way, pushing her next turn further back on the overall timeline of the battle as she needs longer to recover.  Success in a fight is often only rewarded by carefully considering how often to risk pushing any of your stillae in this way, as well as by stacking specific effects together. Certain environmental hazards can trigger explosive chain reactions, for instance, and some stillae can be equipped with abilities that don't act immediately on the overall timeline or only occur if a specific trigger happens, like an enemy wandering into melee range or a nearby stillae reducing a foe's health below a specific threshold. This encourages you to not only think through what you plan on doing next but how each of the various enemies are going to move and attack. It's a complex series of considerations to keep in mind that only grows as new enemy types are introduced and you unlock more stillae abilities. But setting everything up in just the right way to pinball bounce an enemy into oblivion is so deeply satisfying, much in the same way I've adored Creature in the Well and Marvel's Midnight Suns. That isn't to say Ex Sanguis is a universal improvement upon Othercide--for as much as this game improves Othercide's gameplay, it drops the ball on narrative. Othercide drips with a horrific gothic atmosphere. Its dark and foreboding story of a mother desperately attempting to utilize her womanhood to save a broken world suffering under a growing fracture in reality is deliciously cryptic--the type of convoluted mystique that's such a delight for theorists to unravel via soothing narration in a YouTube lore video. You piece the story together through snippets of lore dropped in dialogue and by unlocking codex pages, and even then the final result is up to interpretation. It's a challenging game to understand, and subsequently the difficulty of clawing your way through its gameplay emulates that struggle for understanding. Othercide's vibes are perfect. In comparison, Ex Sanguis doesn't really have a story. There's very little lore provided and no codex to be seen. And while the narrator implies that the stillae are struggling against something, that challenge isn't reflected in the gameplay. I can feel the existence of a narrative, but nothing in the game is focusing it into some sort of recognizable tale. Admittedly, that all could come later. Ex Sanguis launched into early access with only the first three bosses available and an initial handful of difficulty settings (I've done everything in about six hours), so the full game might tell a more interesting story. Regardless, if you like tactics games, you should play Ex Sanguis. Well... you should play Othercide first and wonder how you missed it back in 2020. And then you should play Ex Sanguis--maybe it will have gotten a story update by then!

Title: 007 First Light Just Got Its Biggest Update Yet, And You Can Get It At Its Lowest Price Ever Right Now Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/007-first-light-just-got-its-biggest-update-yet-and-you-can-get-it-at-its-lowest-price-ever-right-now/ The history of James Bond games is a little wonky. GoldenEye 007 remains a landmark in gaming history, marking one of the best FPS games of all time almost 30 years ago. Everything or Nothing was a solid classic, but for every good game featuring the MI6 agent, there are some bad ones. Now, I’m not naming names, but I’m specifically looking at 007 Legends and 007 Racing—which, despite the name, isn’t a racing game. Fortunately, IO Interactive’s 007 First Light is firmly on the good side, standing alongside the N64’s GoldenEye as one of the more memorable Bond games, and with a huge update, it’s now cheaper than ever, too. I know you might want to say (Dr.) No to this deal, but let me sell you on why 007 First Light is one of this year’s best games. Firstly, it’s a pseudo-prequel, which works great as a starting point for newcomers (the last movie was five years ago, after all), while for fans, it offers another interpretation of the beloved double-0 agent. The cinematic aspect basically makes it feel like a new Bond movie, but the gameplay also lives up to the iconic name. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHUbV1Ym0Sg As a globe-trotting adventure, 007 First Light sees James Bond go from a young man with a bad attitude to the familiar shaken-martini drinker we all know and love. Missions offer a mixture of linear, action-packed sequences and open-ended, more sandbox-style levels that fans of IO Interactive’s Hitman series have come to know and love. The awesome Q-Gadgets add another layer of strategy, whether you decide to go in and kill every enemy or take the stealthy approach and leave no trace. It is, to put it frankly, one of the best action games in recent years. It’s like Uncharted and Hitman had a baby with Daniel Craig, and it’s a perfect blend. If you happen to own one of the best graphics cards right now, you can also enjoy the latest update, which brings Path Tracing to the game. At the very least, my PC is going to hum and then explode like a James Bond gadget, and can any game be more immersive than that? Right now, you can grab a Steam key for 007 First Light for just $51.09 / £43.79 at Fanatical, a 27% discount off the listed price and the lowest the game has been so far. You won’t want to Buy (it) Another Day, so make sure you grab it while you can. Don’t worry, you’ve got a Licence to Buy (it). Sorry. So, whether you’re a James Bond fanatic or someone looking for a new game to play, 007 First Light is a perfect opportunity, especially when you can grab it at a discount. Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom. This story was created in collaboration with Fanatical's deals team.

Title: Gundam Rogue Orbit Could Be the Next Great Mech-Action Game Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:58:28 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/gundam-rogue-orbit-impressions-tokyo-game-show-2026/ Bandai Namco's new spin on the Gundam franchise is going big on style. Gundam Rogue Orbit is a high-mobility action game that is meant to be a new entry point for players, thanks to a new setting that doesn't require familiarity with five decades of Gundam lore. After playing a build of Rogue Orbit at Tokyo Game Show this week, it's also clear that the new Gundam game doesn't require hardcore action game expertise; it's a surprisingly friendly action game, not an overly challenging Soulslike.

Title: Lollipop Chainsaw 2 is Officially Bringing Back the Zombie-Slaying Cheerleader Cheesecake Franchise Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:55:31 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/lollipop-chainsaw-2-tokyo-game-show-2026/ More than 14 years after the zombie hack-and-slash game Lollipop Chainsaw was released, Juliet the undead slayer returns for an official sequel. While many of the original game's creators — namely DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn and Grasshopper Manufacture's Goichi Suda — don't appear to be involved in the sequel, the new game's style and substance feel authentic and familiar, at least on the surface.

Title: Stephen King's 10/10 Sci-Fi Detective Series Is Officially Free to Watch on YouTube Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 04:00:20 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/stephen-king-procedural-adaptation-streaming-free/ In 1979, Stephen King introduced the world to Castle Rock, a picturesque Maine town that hides evil within. But while plenty of King's stories in the years since have returned to Castle Rock, none have ever recaptured the experience of that very first trip.

Title: ABC's Legendary 49-Episode Sci-Fi Anthology Series is Officially Free on Streaming Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 03:00:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/the-outer-limits-free-to-stream/ Created by Leslie Stevens, The Outer Limits was simply ABC’s attempt to replicate CBS’s success with The Twilight Zone. Both shows were high-concept series with different casts and ideas every week carried out by some impressive writers and a wide array of actors who would become well known later. Like the Twilight Zone, the show leaned heavily into science fiction elements with deeper human messages underneath that were often laced with irony.

Title: 8 Best Social Deception Games Every Traitors Fan Must Play Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:00:14 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/best-games-like-the-traitors/ Video games have been running this exact experiment for many years. These are the eight worth playing if you can’t get enough of TheTraitors this season.

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: 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: Final Fantasy VII Revelation hands-on report: Into the Whirlwind Maze where Sephiroth awaits Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/17/final-fantasy-vii-revelation-hands-on-report-into-the-whirlwind-maze-where-sephiroth-awaits/ Final Fantasy VII Revelation, launching April 8, 2027 on PlayStation 5, marks the epic final chapter in the remake trilogy following Final Fantasy VII Remake and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. At Tokyo Game Show 2026, we had our first chance to play a hands-on demo of the PS5 title, featuring a combat-focused portion of the main story. In this demo, we explored the Whirlwind Maze and got the chance to test out combat with newly added playable characters Vincent and Cid, the new FITS System, and battle against Jenova Deathmourner. Exploring the Whirlwind Maze where black-robed figures linger Airship pilot Cid joins Cloud and the rest of the party at the beginning of the demo. With a group totaling eight members, you set off for the Whirlwind Maze where Sephiroth awaits. The terrain requires shimmying along cliff faces and vaulting over ledges with parkour traversal. An eerie atmosphere hangs over the field. Winds howl across the cliffs. Aurora-like ribbons of light illuminate the darkness. Black-robed figures linger along the path. Vincent: Fighting in two styles as human and beast In this game, Vincent and Cid join the party as playable characters, and both were available at the beginning of this hands-on session. Vincent fights using two distinct powers: gunplay and monster transformation. The versatile fighter unleashes ranged gunfire and fights up close in monster form. Landing consecutive standard firearm attacks causes Vincent’s unique abilities to evolve from Blood Moon to Execration and then Retribution, increasing in power relative to the hit count. There is no need to manually aim; simply firing with the Square button and executing abilities with the Triangle button makes battle feel satisfyingly effortless and snappy. Holding the R1 button transforms Vincent into a powerful monster. Moving swiftly on all fours like a beast, he can slash enemies with sharp claws. Holding the Triangle button while in monster form allows him to stagger enemies faster. Monster form is unlimited, but as time passes the Chaos level rises, reducing Vincent’s maximum HP. Switching between human and beast forms while reacting to enemy types make him a unique and versatile addition to the party. Cid: Dancing swiftly through the air with spear in hand As a spear wielder, Cid excels at airborne combat. Chaining standard attacks with the Square button and pressing the Square button again at the exact moment he becomes cloaked in a blue aura leads into derivative attacks like Dragon Spin, Hyper Dive, and Ground Pound. His long spear offers impressive reach, perfect for sweeping away groups of enemies. Pressing the Triangle button fires Target Spear, which can be charged by holding the button to launch up to five spears. Pinning enemies with spears empowers Cid’s abilities like Skydive and Burst Spiral, creating engaging tactical options. Unlocking unique abilities with the new FITS System The game introduces the FITS (Function-Integrated Tactical Suitwear), a new mechanic where choosing from four specialized FITS — Warrior, Knight, Black Mage, and Summoner — each unlocks different capabilities and abilities based on the equipped uniform. In this hands-on demo, Cloud started with the Summoner FITS equipped. Selecting FITS from the command menu during combat summons Ifrit, Shiva, Titan, and other powerful beings to fight alongside Cloud for a limited duration. Selecting FITS again while a summon is active unleashes the high-damage attack Pledge Roar. Using Pledge Roar drains HP, so this massive power comes with risk.  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 Battling Jenova Death through flames and tentacles Tough foes like Dragon Riders and Gigas await deep inside the Whirlwind Maze. Sephiroth himself appears toward the end of the demo, leading into a fight against Jenova Death. Debuting in the original Final Fantasy VII, the creature returns here with a sinister redesign featuring an unsettling spiky body. Jenova Death rains down wide-area Fire attacks, including fireballs and scorching gusts. Dodge or guard these attacks or risk severe damage to the party. Midway through the battle, Jenova Death’s tentacles sprout and shield the main body from damage until you destroy each one. As the battle continues the tentacles begin spewing fire like flamethrowers. In our session, combining Synergy Abilities and Limit Breaks finally brings down the colossal Jenova Death. From the distinct fighting styles of Vincent and Cid to the new FITS System and intense boss encounters, this hands-on session offered a great look at what makes this third entry unique. Finish the adventure when Final Fantasy VII Revelation launches on PS5 April 8, 2027.

Title: (For Southeast Asia) PlayStation Plus Tokyo Game Show promotion starts 17 September Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:41:07 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/16/20260917-psplus/ Players who join PlayStation Plus during 17 September to 30 September can save up to 25% on a PS Plus 12-month membership! Current PlayStation Plus members can save big on the remainder of their membership when upgrading a current plan to PlayStation Plus Extra or Deluxe.* With PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe, get access to monthly games, exclusive discounts, online multiplayer, and hundreds of games through the Game Catalog and Classics Catalog, including hit titles like Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima and many more. Explore the Classics Catalog with PlayStation Plus Deluxe, try select games like the epic Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 with Game Trials, and more.* *Availability of Classics and Game Catalog varies over time, region/country, and plan. See https://www.playstation.com/Plus for details and updates on PlayStation Plus offerings. 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: Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance hands-on report – taking on new monster Araketa and Elder Dragon Teostra Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:00:21 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/16/monster-hunter-wilds-ascendance-hands-on-report-taking-on-new-monster-araketa-and-elder-dragon-teostra/ Currently in development for release in 2027, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is a massive expansion that adds new storyline, areas, monsters, actions, and Master Rank to the game. At the PlayStation booth during Tokyo Game Show 2026, we got the very first opportunity to play a hands-on demo of the title. This demo offered three quest types featuring Chatacabra, the boss variant of new monster Araketa, and Elder Dragon Teostra. Here is what we learned from experiencing the new Boost Action mechanics firsthand and hunting Araketa in the new Skybound Eyrie area. Experiencing Boost Action, the new feature evolving the hunt even further Added in Ascendance, Boost Action is a new mechanic that unleashes weapon specific attacks and empowers certain weapon actions for a limited duration by activating the Boost Bracer. What stood out during this demo was how seamlessly Boost Action integrates with existing moves to sustain continuous attacks. Because Boost triggering actions can be activated mid combo or right when you are exposed after finishing an attack, you can instantly press the offensive without breaking momentum. The Boost gauge fills gradually over time and with every strike landed. Crucially, destroying wounds with Focus Strike while in the Boost state recharges the draining gauge, enabling high-level tactics such as shattering a wound just before Boost wears off to keep the momentum going. Armed with the Sword and Shield, the Boost activation move delivered lightning fast mobility while slashing through monsters. Closing the gap on distant targets to dive inside their guard and unleash devastating boosted combos feels exhilarating. Triggering it up close pivots you instantly around to their flank, doubling as a brilliant dodge mechanic. Taking on the Araketa pack in the new Skybound Eyrie area Next, we jumped into a quest to hunt the boss variant of the new monster Araketa in the breathtaking Skybound Eyrie. While traversing this realm dotted with floating islands, mounting your Seikret lets you catch updrafts, rocket skyward, and seamlessly glide between floating landmasses. Towering ruins loomed in the distance against a crystal-clear blue sky, creating an awe-inspiring backdrop. The target monster Araketa hunts in packs, and without Slinger Dung Bombs to scatter them on this run, we were forced to clash with multiple beasts at once. Araketa inflates its wings with air to blast hunters back or rocket forward in heavy charge attacks. Watch those wings closely, as a massive swell signals an incoming strike. What truly stole the show was the terrifying coordination between the boss variant and its pack. The alpha barks commands to send pack members pouncing in rapid succession, culminating in a signature ultimate move where the entire pack leaps into the heavens before diving straight down in a synchronized, high speed charge. Throwing up a hasty Great Sword guard was nowhere near enough, sending us hurtling through the air. Fortunately, the boss exposes a throat weak spot whenever it roars, and landing a clutch Focus Strike successfully cuts off its orders to the pack. Weaponizing Gundoraja, a small creature inhabiting the area, adds fantastic dynamic flair to the hunt. Wrapped in rock solid hide, a curled up Gundoraja can be hoisted directly by hand and hurled at targets. Sniping the hyper active Araketa takes real precision, but connecting delivers a heavy blow that staggers the monster in its tracks. The assault was so relentless that we completely forgot to trigger Boost state at times, even with a maxed out Boost gauge. Somehow, we managed to take down the boss variant right before time ran out. It was a fierce uphill battle, but nothing beats the sheer thrill of hunting a brand new monster for the first time. Given another chance, we  can’t wait to thoroughly explore every corner of Skybound Eyrie. New attacks arrive in the battle against Teostra Finally, we stepped into the Oilwell Basin to go head-to-head with Elder Dragon Teostra. Alongside franchise staples like charges, flame breath, and blast explosions, this demo showcased brand new attack patterns we had never seen before. What left the biggest impression was a terrifying move where Teostra rears high and slams both forelegs down with crushing force. Attempting to circle around its flank, Teostra remained upright while pivoting on the spot to realign its target. Luckily, a quick reaction with the Switch Axe Offset Rising Slash landed cleanly, deflecting the heavy slam right back at the monster. While the windup looks horrifying, mastering the timing makes for an incredibly rewarding counter option. Fighting Teostra inside the Oilwell Basin created an especially toxic combination. Whenever dust scattered to signal an impending blast, getting stuck in thick oil mud repeatedly sabotaged our movement, continually robbing us of the precious seconds needed to dodge away. While Teostra remains an absolute nightmare to fight, leveraging Focus Mode, wound destruction, and new Boost Actions allowed us to trade blows effectively. Ultimately, a devastating surprise hit wiped out our health, and exhausting our recovery items triggered a heart breaking quest failed screen as time expired. Between breathtaking new locales, formidable beasts, and revolutionary combat depth brought by Boost Action, this short taste proved that Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is set to evolve monster hunting in spectacular ways. Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches on PS5 in 2027.

Title: A close quarters look at Proto Man in Mega Man: Dual Override Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 01:00:12 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/16/a-close-quarters-look-at-proto-man-in-mega-man-dual-override/ At long last, the Blue Bomber is leaping back into action with Mega Man: Dual Override. However, he’s not the only one making a return in the highly anticipated game. Capcom’s latest evolution of the Mega Man series also features a second playable character! Proto Man is making his comeback in Mega Man: Dual Override, and the fan favorite is armed with a powerful playstyle that’s entirely his own. Today, we’re excited to share a closer look at Proto Man and the unique arsenal he’ll unleash in this all-new adventure. Proto Man’s return in Dual Override is something we’ve been teasing from the very jump. Fans may have heard his signature whistle in our reveal trailer, but now it’s official. Proto Man is back, and in the latest footage, you can catch the first look at him in action. Alongside the arrival of Mega Man: Dual Override, next year marks the 40th anniversary of the series. It’s a long legacy, and Proto Man has been a key part of that story over the years. As Dr. Light’s first creation, he’s the legendary prototype who started it all. The mysterious red-clad robot originally debuted as an adversary in Mega Man 3. Over time, however, Proto Man has moved beyond his rivalry with the Blue Bomber. Now, he’s a trusted ally who appears when Mega Man is in trouble, lending a hand when it matters most. It’s been a bit since Proto Man’s last appearance as a playable character in Mega Man 10, but he’s picked up some new tricks since then. Over the course of Dual Override, players will discover Proto Man and Mega Man each excel in different areas, possessing their own distinct strengths, combat philosophies, and even progression systems. Contrasting with Mega Man’s longer-range approach to combat, Proto Man excels in close quarters. The wandering warrior has a more aggressive but technical playstyle that rewards rushing into the fray with precision. His iconic weapon, the Proto Buster, may have a relatively short range, but it packs a serious punch with high attack power at point blank. The Proto Shield also returns in Dual Override, and this time around, players will have the chance to wield it on both offense and defense, as part of Proto Man’s special abilities. Unlike Mega Man, who replicates the powers of Robot Masters he defeats, Proto Man walks his own path. By defeating bosses over the course of the journey, he’ll unlock new attacks (many of which revolve around his shield), reinforcing his role as a close-range fighter. Instead of switching between these tools one at a time, Proto Man will develop a versatile loadout of Shield Actions that can all be used on command to tap into more offense and mobility on the fly. However, this power comes at a cost. Overreliance on these skills puts a strain on Proto Man’s body, causing him to overheat with repeated use. So please be mindful of Proto Man’s temperature to help him stay cool in the heat of battle. Choice and customization are also at the core of Dual Override. Beyond selecting between Mega Man and Proto Man, players can also enjoy added flexibility with the Custom Chip system – one of the brand-new gameplay features in Dual Override. There are more than 50 chips in the game, each of which grants an active ability or passive effect, so you can experiment by creating tailor-made builds with countless combinations. Whether it’s more offense, survivability, or something else entirely, Custom Chips open up a whole new world of tactical options for Mega Man and Proto Man to explore. Another one of the game’s key features (it’s in the title, after all!) is the Override system. This new addition allows the game’s dual protagonists to transcend their normal limits, unleashing tremendous power and amplifying their abilities for a short period of time. You can catch a glimpse of Proto Man activating his explosive Override in the latest trailer. This dramatic transformation shouldn’t be undertaken lightly, though! Once Override ends, our heroes will find themselves in a more vulnerable state. So, it’s important to choose the perfect moment to pull the trigger on harnessing this high-risk, high-reward maneuver. With two playable heroes, each with their own unique playstyles, and new features that add layers of strategy to the experience, fans can look forward to plenty of variety of depth in Mega Man: Dual Override when it launches in Spring 2027 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4. Until then, you can wishlist the game now on the PlayStation Store.

Title: "Nearly everyone" laid off at Hyper Light Drifter devs Heart Machine after publisher drops unannounced game Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/nearly-everyone-laid-off-at-hyper-light-drifter-devs-heart-machine-after-publisher-drops-unannounced-game Heart Machine, the US-based makers of Hyper Light Drifter, its multiplayer spinoff Hyper Light Breaker, and last year’s Possessor(s), have laid off "nearly everyone" on staff after an unnamed publisher pulled funding for their next, unannounced game. Read more

Title: Escape a roundabout as a stoned tuk-tuk driver in Zero Parades' free Director’s Cut update, which will add about 40,000 new words to the RPG next month Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:17:32 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/escape-a-roundabout-as-a-stoned-tuk-tuk-driver-in-zero-parades-free-directors-cut-update-which-will-add-about-40000-new-words-to-the-rpg-next-month As many reservations as I had going into ZA/UM's Zero Parades: For Dead Spies earlier this year, what with all of the drama and upset that's surrounded the studio since Disco Elysium's release, it pleasantly surprised me. I don't think I rate it more highly than its brilliant predecessor, but it offered a throughly fun time that felt like it was riding the coattails of Disco, but not in a way that left it any way unable to create its own magic. Now, it's getting a free Director's Cut update to coincide with its console release, with a bunch of new additions and tweaks coming to the PC version. Read more

Title: Twitch CEO expects GTA 6 online multiplayer will launch next year, which if accurate would leave only the PC port's arrival point up in the air Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 15:02:50 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/twitch-ceo-expects-gta-6-online-multiplayer-will-launch-next-year-which-if-accurate-would-leave-only-the-pc-ports-arrival-point-up-in-the-air Despite Rockstar Games' silence on the matter, the cat rather seems to be out of the bag about GTA 6 getting its own online component that'll doubtless serve as GTA Online has for GTA 5. Court docs the studio themselves filed as part of the ongoing final hearing in a legal battle over the firings of 34 developers last year are partly to thank, but now so is the boss of streaming platform Twitch just blurting out when he expects GTA 6 to get a big multiplayer bump. Read more

Title: Three different 4X strategy games, three different solutions to "that inherent problem" of disappearing exploration Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:26:54 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/three-different-4x-strategy-games-three-different-solutions-to-that-inherent-problem-of-disappearing-exploration There is an issue in 4X games. In fact, it's so persistent, that Amplitude Studios' co-founder and CEO Romain de Waubert de Genlis describes it as an "inherent problem", one his team have been attempting to solve since the first Endless Legend released back in 2014. "One of the X's, 'explore', disappears after a while," de Waubert de Genlis explains. You've discovered the map for one thing, so there is no more world to uncover. But 'explore' can also refer to something more abstract, your strategy becomes fixed. Because you can see the lands, and you can see the resources, and you can see the enemies you face, you must decide on a course of action and there will rarely be much reason to change it. But spotting the problematic 'X' is far simpler than fixing it. Read more

Title: "If the player trusts you enough, they are not going to savescum": Why the makers of some of the best RPGs on PC want you to get used to failing Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/if-the-player-trusts-you-enough-they-are-not-going-to-savescum-why-the-makers-of-some-of-the-best-rpgs-on-pc-want-you-to-get-used-to-failing When it comes to RPGs, I am an irredeemable savescummer. I admit it. I'll slam F9 at the drop of a hat (perhaps the hat was dropped as a result of a failed dexterity roll. Unacceptable. Reload). So when I recently found myself reloading a Divinity 2 save for the umpteenth time in a single session, I started to wonder - in a genre that's supposedly about storytelling first and foremost, why am I viewing botched persuasion checks as something to be studiously avoided? And why is it that I feel totally different about making a horrible mess of things in tabletop roleplaying games? After all, some of my fondest memories of real-life roleplaying are moments of extravagant failure: sometimes of the bathetic stepping-on-a-rake-instead-of-slaying-the-necromancer variety, and sometimes of the much more grounded, human, and affecting type. It all got me thinking: how do RPG developers think about player failure? Would they recognise the distinction between digital and tabletop that I'm describing? And can they convince a savescummer like me to renounce my ways? Read more