Title: New Zealand Man Has Pinball Machines Confiscated After Drug Raid On Home Arcade Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:25:31 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/new-zealand-man-has-pinball-machines-confiscated-after-drug-raid-on-home-arcade-2000680902 The owner of the "Kimzone" was suspected of using his arcade collection as a front for selling drugs

Title: 11 Excellent Horror Games Worth Picking Up For Cheap During The Spring Steam Sale Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 21:19:23 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/scary-good-spring-steam-sale-deals-on-horror-games-2000680898 Every day can be Halloween if you load up your Steam library properly

Title: Crimson Desert Dev Apologizes For Not Disclosing AI Generated Art As It Works To Remove It Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:18:58 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/crimson-desert-ai-art-peal-abyss-2000680884 Developer Pearl Abyss apologizes for its inclusion and promises to replace the slop with new art

Title: Moderators Work To Preserve Massive Database Of Visual Novel Games After Founder Dies Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:15:43 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/visual-novel-database-founder-passes-away-yorhel-vndb-2000680833 The loss of Yoran 'Yorhel' Heling has site moderators working to figure out a preservation strategy

Title: Mario Kart Tour Now Rated 18+ In Some Places As Regulators Crack Down On In-Game Gambling Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:44:05 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/mario-kart-tour-gambling-esrb-pegi-age-rating-2000680828 North American ESRB ratings are bucking global trends

Title: Crimson Desert's first patch aims at fixing controls, but it mostly affects mouse and keyboard Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:47:46 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/crimson-desert-patch-1-00-03-first-mouse-keyboard-ui-fixes Crimson Desert has been out for a few days now, and as positive as its been received by many players, the game suffers from several fundamental issues that anyone who’s played it has called out. Read more

Title: All the hype has already made Crimson Desert one of the biggest launches on Steam this year Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2026 08:49:30 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/crimson-desert-steam-launch-numbers Crimson Desert, the open-world action RPG off-shoot from Korean MMO Black Desert Online, has officially launched, nearly six years after it was initially revealed. The game has been building up a lot of momentum over the years, which recently coalesced to turn it into one of 2026’s most anticipated titles. Read more

Title: Crimson Desert Review: Story Buried in the Sandbox Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 22:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/crimson-desert-review Crimson Desert is a champion bodybuilder of a video game. Its gigantic world bulges with incredible scale, with shining graphical fidelity and a muscular combat system which excels at pulling poses with an undeniably impressive wealth of options. Read more

Title: Heartopia goes to the movies with its next event Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:53:56 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/heartopia-dreamlight-cinematics-festival-details Heartopia’s next in-game event has been announced, and it’s one you may not have seen coming. Developer XD Games revealed Dreamlight Cinematics Festival, an upcoming limited-time event that celebrates cinema and movie-making. Read more

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

Title: 23 Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games To Play Right Now Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 03:31:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-nintendo-switch-2-games/2900-6618/ What to play on Switch 2 right nowThe Nintendo Switch 2 quickly set new sales records after launch, but exciting as new hardware is, it's ultimately all about the games. The best games to play on Switch 2 games so far include a lot of familiar names, including some games from Switch 1 that have either received paid upgrades or just run better with the increased horsepower.Mario Kart World gave the Switch 2 a well-deserved boost as its marquee launch game, and Donkey Kong Bananza is a superb single-player adventure that takes inspiration from Super Mario Odyssey and even recent Zelda games.For now, here are what we feel are the best Switch 2 games to play right now, listed in alphabetical order. With most Switch games also being supported through backwards compatibility (even if they aren't getting Switch 2 Editions or free updates), you can also consult our picks for the best Switch games to play in 2025. Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD RemasterA remaster of a great RPG from 2013, Flying Fairy HD Remaster looks promising based on our time with it so far. This version rescues the original from being solely available on 3DS and gives it a great-looking new coat of paint, while maintaining the excellent combat system. There are some modern conveniences added and some new minigames that leverage Switch 2 mouse controls, but all of that takes a backseat to HD Remaster simply providing a better-looking, easier way to spend some time with a quality RPG. See at Walmart Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate EditionCyberpunk 2077 overcame its initial, rough launch through numerous updates and improvements to become a terrific game--one made even better with the release of the Phantom Liberty expansion. Both that DLC and the original game are packed into Switch 2's Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, which also introduces motion and mouse controls for those looking for a different style of experience (you can even use a keyboard, apparently). Based on our time with Cyberpunk on Switch 2, it runs very well, and with the ability to play in handheld mode, that makes this a great way to experience an RPG you shouldn't miss. See at Amazon Deltarune: Chapters 1-4There's nothing quite like Deltarune, a game that gives you all the tools you need to fight back against anything in your way and then encourages you to find a better way to solve problems. The spiritual prequel to Undertale is surprisingly earnest with the themes and emotions it tackles, while also managing to constantly surprising with how it approaches these topics. It's one of those games that you want to go into as blindly as possible so that you can savor its brilliant surprises in this elegant RPG. Donkey Kong BananzaNintendo's first big single-player adventure on Nintendo Switch 2 isn't a Mario game, but a fresh start for classic mascot Donkey Kong. Though Donkey Kong Bananza has a lot in common with Super Mario Odyssey, it sets itself apart with an inventive terrain deformation mechanic. The mighty Donkey Kong smashes his way through solid rock to find hidden secrets and delicious bananas, accompanied by the aspiring young singer Pauline. With the help of animal elders, DK unlocks "Bananza" forms that give him new powers to augment your exploration and puzzle-solving abilities. The central hook of smashing your way through layers of the planet core never gets old, thanks to a huge array of delightful surprises, so this one is not to be missed. Yakuza 0: Director's CutWhile there is some room for improvement, there's an undeniable charm in Yakuza 0 on Switch 2. It's still the best game in the entire Yakuza/Like a Dragon series, as it deftly combines gangland drama with hard-hitting action and absurd diversions off the beaten path. It's that heartfelt approach to being both silly and emotionally gripping that makes it stand apart from its competitors, and with new features like English voice-overs and expanded cutscenes, it's also the perfect starting point for newcomers to the series. See at Walmart Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Stole TimeThe Switch was the perfect platform for cozy games, and with Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Stole Time, that trend continues on the Switch 2 with an engaging combo of action, exploration, and crafting. Playing like a mash-up between classic The Legend of Zelda and Animal Crossing, Fantasy Life I is a relaxing RPG that lets you set your own pace inside of its magical world. Fast FusionAt $15, Fast Fusion is an easy recommendation for Switch 2 owners who enjoy a good racing game. Yes, players already have Mario Kart World, but Fast Fusion offers a no-frills, pure racing experience akin to the iconic Wipeout series.However, the one frill Fast Fusion does include is a smart one, offering players the ability to fuse different vehicles into one design to mix and match stats. It's also one of the few Switch 2 games to offer different graphics options. And don't worry; while the game currently looks very overprocessed with Nintendo's DLSS upscaling, developer Shin'en has promised that the game's slight visual hiccups will soon receive a patch.That one foible aside, Fast Fusion's design feels like a natural evolution of the Wipeout style. Hades 2Hades 2 has raised the bar for what a roguelite game can be, as this masterclass of design expands on the original game and improves it in virtually every department. The narrative is darker, the gameplay is beautifully refined, and the soundtrack is catchy enough to make you leave a hole in your floor thanks to several foot-tapping beats.Sequels often run the risk of being iterative improvements on the first game, but Hades 2 deftly dodges that comparison by pushing the ideas of its predecessor to glorious new heights. Roguelite action simply doesn't get better than this, and thanks to an early access development period, Hades 2 emerged as a finely-honed and deeply engaging trip through Greek mythology. See at Amazon Hollow Knight: SilksongJust how do you improve on a game that many call the gold standard for metroidvanias in the modern age? Hollow Knight: Silksong had its work cut out for it, as Team Cherry's sophomore effort needed to match the expectations of a ravenous fanbase after spending a lengthy period of time in development. Silksong doesn't just stick the landing; it takes everything that made Hollow Knight so memorable and makes them feel better than ever with its absurdly polished gameplay and elegant animations.On a technical level, it's superb, challenging, and invigorating whenever you overcome its deadly design. But as the sum of years-long anticipation and hype? It's a game that truly was worth the wait as you delve deeper into a haunted world. It's a ruthless return to edge-of-your-seat action and platforming, but when the end result feels this good, it's hard to pull yourself away from the screen when you feel that victory is just around the corner. See at Amazon Kirby Air RidersKirby Air Riders looks deceptively simple when you first boot it up, but under the hood, the game is a masterclass in speed told through straightforward races that encourage you to find the perfect line amidst all the chaos around you. A rock-solid karting experience, Kirby Air Riders is also a game that won't get--and doesn't need--any post-launch content, as it's packed to the gills with diversions and activities. Each mode offers a ton of content to explore, while the comprehensive multiplayer feels rich and well fleshed out.Read our Kirby Air Riders review. Kirby Air Riders for Nintendo Switch 2 $69 | Releases November 20 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the GoddessAn underrated gem from 2024, Kunitsu-Gami is a clever blend of action and strategy games, with its varied gameplay helping to keep things feeling fresh throughout. The boss battles, in particular, are a real highlight. The day/night cycle splits the game into two halves: Days see you planning the strategy side of the game, scouting out an area, making decisions about how to prepare for the battle ahead, and assigning jobs to rescued villagers. At night, you'll shift to hack-and-slash action as you battle against enemy hordes.What distinguishes the Switch 2 version of Kunitsu-Gami are its mouse controls: Tilt the Joy-Con to the side and you're able to control gameplay in a way that works far better than standard gamepad controls. That makes this the best way to play the game on a console, which could very well become a recurring trend with other Switch 2 ports. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Switch 2 EditionBreath of the Wild presents a similar argument to Tears of the Kingdom. All of the same improvements to Tears of the Kingdom 2's Switch 2 Edition are present here (save for the Autobuild sharing, given the building feature is exclusive to the sequel), providing even die-hard players a reason to re-explore Hyrule with the new commentary. The frame-rate improvements also stand to be a meaningful enhancement here--just imagine if you can finally visit the Korok Forest without the frame rate tanking.While Tears of the Kingdom introduced a number of steps forward for the foundation BotW built, the older of the two games is still very much a worthwhile experience. It has a demanding combat system that forces you to constantly weigh the choice of what weapons to use, rewarding exploration, and creative tools to use to solve puzzles. Both of these Zelda games received a rare 10 in GameSpot's respective reviews, and with good reason. See at Walmart The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomBorrowing the Link's Awakening visual style for a new adventure, Echoes of Wisdom has the distinction of letting you play as Zelda herself. Yes, Zelda finally gets to be the hero of her own story, as she seeks to clear her name after being falsely imprisoned for causing deadly rifts all over the kingdom.This being Zelda's first game, she isn't just a duplicate of Link with his sword-slashing h'yahs. Instead, Zelda uses a magic wand to summon copies of hundreds of things she encounters in her journey--traps, rocks, enemies, and more. This summoning power is used as both a flexible way to solve the game's many puzzles, and as a combat tool to summon creatures to your defense. As your summoning power increases the puzzle and combat challenges ramp up as well.Like the Link's Awakening remake on the original Switch, Echoes of Wisdom sometimes struggled on the original Switch, so the upgrade to Switch 2 just makes for a better experience, smoothing out rough patches and improving the frame rate overall. A free Switch 2 update also adds HDR support and optimizes it for high-resolution displays. See at Amazon The Legend of Zelda: Link's AwakeningThe beloved Game Boy classic Link's Awakening got a modern remake on Switch, but it seemed at times to be pushing the hardware just a little too hard. That's not a problem on Switch 2, which has the horsepower to handle it and then some, making the remake run smooth as butter. That means you get to soak in the lovely art style that makes Link and the inhabitants of Koholint Island look like little maquette dolls without compromising on frame rate. A free update also optimizes it for the Switch 2 with improved visuals and HDR support.Link's Awakening was a trailblazer on Game Boy, squeezing a Zelda-sized adventure onto the modest portable cartridge. Its standalone story follows Link to a mysterious island being terrorized by Nightmare beasts, as he collects the sacred instruments to wake the Wind Fish. The gameplay is modeled largely after the Super NES Link to the Past but adds new elements like an item that enables jumping, and served as the template for later portable Zelda games. It's considered a classic for a reason, and the Switch remake largely didn't mess with success. This version also includes the Color Dungeon that was added for the Game Boy Color release. See at Amazon The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom Switch 2 EditionArguably the best game on Nintendo Switch will be even better on Switch 2. Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom both looks better (including HDR support) and runs better on Switch 2--the smoother frame rate really jumps out the moment you boot into gameplay. Load times are faster, too, helping to keep you in the action.Both Tears of the Kingdom and Breath of the Wild's Switch 2 Editions incorporate support for the Zelda Notes section of the Nintendo Switch mobile app (formerly known as the Switch Online app). This includes a bunch of new features: progress-tracking and voice guidance for hunting down things like shrines and Koroks; the ability to share Autobuild blueprints or items with other players; commentary from characters (including Zelda) when visiting certain locations; and more.Beyond what's new, Tears of the Kingdom is also just a spectacular experience that you can sink a huge amount of time into as you explore its expansive open world, which takes the Hyrule of Breath of the Wild and adds new underground and sky areas to venture through. See at Walmart Mario Kart WorldEven prior to launch, we had spent some time with Mario Kart World and were struck by it being such a bold sequel, especially given how Switch 2 itself feels like a conservative, iterative follow-up to its predecessor. It was also just plain fun in our time with it, and if there's a safer bet in gaming than "a new Mario Kart game will be enjoyable," we'd like to see it.The inclusion of Cow as one of Mario Kart World's characters might be reason enough to put the game on this list, but the new open-world format is a breath of fresh air for the series without jeopardizing the core experience. The racing itself feels largely unchanged from Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, albeit with some new forms of variety like the ability to race across water, a day/night cycle, an increase to the number of competitors in a race, and a Free Roam mode that lets you explore. There look to be a ton of tracks and new items, too.But, again: Cow. 'nuff said.You can check out our Mario Kart World review for a more in-depth analysis. See at Walmart Mario Tennis FeverMario Tennis games have been delightful spin-offs over the years, but fairly predictable due to their straightforward gameplay mechanics. Fortunately, Mario Tennis Fever doesn't suffer from that problem, as its polished gameplay is enhanced with a layer of unpredictability thanks to the new Fever rackets.A wide selection of special rackets that add game-altering effects to every match makes for a wild time, while other ideas like a punchy campaign, clever boss fights, and a plethora of modes make for a grand slam champion on the courts.Read our Mario Tennis Fever review. Mario Tennis Fever for Nintendo Switch 2 $69 | Releases February 12 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Target Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop Metroid Prime 4: BeyondMetroid Prime 4: Beyond arrives with years of expectations behind it. Seemingly stuck in development hell for an eternity, the game has miraculously made it out of the trenches and onto Switch consoles. Does it live up to the hype after all this time? Not entirely, as the game can feel dated, with its AI-controlled teammates and a barren open-world that offers little. But at its core, this is still a Metroid Prime experience that feels impeccably polished, thanks to finely crafted levels, boss battles that require you to use every tool in Samus' arsenal, and a sense of discovery that's hard to beat.Read our Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch 2 $70 | Releases December 4 Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at GameStop Preorder at Target Metroid Prime 4: Beyond for Nintendo Switch $60 | Releases December 4 Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Pokemon PokopiaThere's no mainline Pokemon game to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary in 2026, but this delightful spin-off from Koei Tecmo's Omega Force is more than just a consolation prize. It's an unexpectedly endearing dive into the world of Pokemon, a sweet and cozy combination of the design sensibilities of Animal Crossing and Dragon Quest Builders that captures the heart of the franchise. It's a super effective tribute to the series that gives you the space to enjoy living among your Pokemon friends while you build the perfect habitat for them.Read our Pokemon Pokopia review. Pokemon Pokopia $70 | Releases March 5, 2026 Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Nintendo Store Preorder at GameStop Pokemon Scarlet & VioletThe original launch of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet was maligned for its underwhelming visuals and even worse performance. While the duo haven't received any new gameplay features or changes on Switch 2, they do benefit from one of the aforementioned free updates, making it both look better and--more importantly--run far more smoothly, with a more consistent and much higher frame rate than on Switch. While it's not the best-looking game around by any means, the improved performance is transformative, making it feel like a brand-new game. That means those of us who held off playing due to that issue can now enjoy what we called the best new mainline Pokemon game in years.Pokemon battles are deeper than before thanks to the new Terastallizing mechanic, while hardcore players into shiny-hunting and egg-hatching will find welcome improvements. Its open-world format and non-linear progression also breathe new life into the series, making this the best opportunity to jump into Scarlet and Violet. See at Walmart Resident Evil RequiemLike a handful of other developers, Capcom has managed to squeeze every ounce of power out of the Switch 2, allowing Resident Evil Requiem to shine on the hardware. Whether you're plugged into your TV or you've decided to be brave and play Requiem in bed with the lights turned off, the Switch 2 version runs surprisingly well, barring a few of the busier moments in the game when the frame rate starts to dip. Those moments are rare, and most of the time, you'll be absorbed by the game's brilliant balance of horror and action, high level of replayability, and dozens of Easter eggs that reference 30 years of Resident Evil's signature blend of survival-horror.Read our Resident Evil Requiem review. Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller - Resident Evil Requiem $100 | Releases February 27 Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Nintendo Preorder at GameStop Shinobi: Art of VengeanceStreets of Rage 4 developer Lizardcube is quickly becoming the go-to studio for resurrecting Sega classics, as the developer just delivered another killer game with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance. Combining its eye for crafting engaging combo-laden 2D action with a beautifully illustrated art direction, Lizardcube brings Joe Musashi into the modern age with a rip-roaring adventure. The game is at its best when you nail its flow-state, as a killer combo of acrobatics, attacks, and ninja arts makes for a joyful homage to the classic Shinobi games. See on the Switch eShop Street Fighter 6The Switch 2 port of Street Fighter 6 has two big things going for it. First, it includes all of the extra DLC characters from the first two years of the game's life on other consoles, so characters like Akuma, Rashid, Bison, and guest characters Terry Bogard and Mai Shiranui are available from the start. Secondly, it's a damn good port of what was already a damn good fighting game, with impressive visuals, smooth gameplay, and a serviceable online experience.What's more, the portable nature of the Switch 2 lets you take SF6 with you wherever you go, which was technically possible on portable PCs, but Nintendo's console makes it easier for non-PC players to enjoy. Street fighting on the go has never been easier, as SF6 is a perfect fit on Switch 2. Street Fighter 6: Years 1-2 Fighters Edition $60 | Releases June 5 Preorder at Walmart Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Luke Amiibo $40 | Releases June 5 Preorder at Walmart Jamie Amiibo $40 | Releases June 5 Preorder at Walmart Kimberly Amiibo $40 | Releases June 5 Preorder at Walmart Street Fighter 6 Amiibo Card Character Set (GameStop Exclusive) $40 Preorder at GameStop

Title: How To Unlock Flame Strike And Frost Mantle In Crimson Desert Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:47:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/crimson-desert-flame-strike-frost-mantle-guide/2900-7616/ Are you excited to unlock Frost Mantle and Flame Strike in Crimson Desert? Now, don't be too hasty. These elemental skills are truly powerful, but you're going to have to make a long trek across the Abyss just to obtain them. We've got all the information you need in this guide, though are also spoilers ahead. Spire of Ringing Truth and Flame Strike / Frost Mantle unlock locationsThe Crimson Desert Flame Strike and Frost Mantle elemental skills are both unlocked as part of one long island chain in the Abyss. Be ready for quite a journey since this one's going to be a doozy. Here's the gist:You need to go to the Spire of Ringing Truth, which is at the western part of Pailune. This is an optional location, which means you won't visit it as part of any main quest.The Spire of Ringing Truth has a teleporter that takes you to another region of the Abyss. This follows a long island chain where you must complete various challenges.Here are all the locations that you'll go through: Ether Rest -> Frostbitten Paradise -> Path of Trials (Frost Mantle reward) -> Sanctorum of Darkness -> Loop of Life -> Tree of Slumber (Flame Strike reward). Spire of Ringing Truth: Part 1 - Find a way down to the basement of the spireMake your way to Pailune--i.e. west of the Wayward Woods--to find the Crimson Desert Spire of Ringing Truth landmark. Once inside, you need to do a platforming/jumping challenge. The goal is to reach the very top of the structure, which means utilizing Kliff's traversal moves like the Double Jump, the triple mid-air Force Palm, and even the Aerial Maneuver if you have a lot of stamina.Upon reaching the top of the tower, you'll see a large bell. You need to burn the rope to make it fall. We couldn't get Blinding Flash - Concentrated Light to work. So, we just fired an Explosive Arrow to quickly get this part done. A cutscene then played, showing that the bell destroyed the floor at the bottom of the spire. Spire of Ringing Truth: Part 2 - Priscus the Ancient boss fightJump all the way down and be ready for a boss fight. You'll face a fella called Priscus the Ancient:Priscus mostly flies and glides in mid-air, so don't bother with melee combos. Instead, you can utilize Focused Shot to pelt him with arrows. Alternatively, you can block projectiles with Nature's Snare, before blasting him with a beam.Priscus spawns sentry orbs that shoot out lasers. Thankfully, you can block these if you activate your Nature's Snare barrier.He also has a deadly dive bomb attack that deals tremendous damage.Beating Priscus nets you the following rewards:Abyss Gear: Ancient Retribution - Command a sentry to shoot down enemies from above; can be socketed into a melee weapon.Accessory: Ancient's Necklace - It has +3 attack, level 0 critical rate, level 3 refinement, and +0.1 spirit every second.Consumable: Blessing of the Immortal - Grants temporary invulnerability on use.Note: Priscus the Ancient is also a boss that's part of the Aeserion the Great Serpent quest chain. Ether Rest challenge: Part 1Ether Rest is the first island chain that's required for the Crimson Desert Flame Strike and Frost Mantle abilities:After beating Priscus and going through the portal, you'll be spawned on a small floating ledge.Glide/fly across the gap by riding the air currents.Upon reaching the large structure in the center, use your Axiom Force on the circular switch to activate the controls. Rotate the sliding panels to open an entryway. Ether Rest challenge: Part 2Jump down the opening to reach the next part:Use your Nature's Snare to lift the movable wall. This reveals a gap that you can roll through.You'll then find yourself in a section with multiple fans that move around a conveyor belt. The goal here is to ride the air currents from the fans until you reach the top.Just hop on a fan at the bottom, then jump and activate your glide to get whisked higher up into the air. Move sideways as you let the wind push you up.Eventually, you'll see an electrified cube. Grab it with your Axiom Force and bring it to the control room at the top. Place it on the stone lantern to power up the facility for good. Ether Rest challenge: Part 3When you're done with the Crimson Desert Ether Rest challenge, you'll be able to cross the gap in the transition area. There's an odd-looking ledge at the end of the path, and you're probably wondering what you need to do with it. Well, you can actually activate it by using Nature's Snare:Cast Focus to slow down time. Then, create your Nature's Snare banner--i.e. hold the right mouse button or rotate the right thumbstick.Keep Nature's Snare active until the turbine powers up.The floating ledge should act like a motorboat that takes you to the next island: Frostbitten Paradise. Frostbitten Paradise: Part 1The Crimson Desert Frostbitten Paradise puzzle is a little bit tricky, so we're doing to outline all the steps that you need to do. This puzzle area mainly involves utilizing cubes with lasers.At the entrance, you're going to see one such object. Let's call it Laser Cube A. You must carry it and place it on a square flooring so the laser beam hits the crystal.The controls are a bit iffy, though, and the cube/laser might point sideways instead. Just keep trying until you get it to work. Frostbitten Paradise: Part 2Once the barrier has dissipated, you'll be able to enter the facility. Here's what you need to do next:Step on the square plate to activate it.Jump down to the lower level and check your surroundings. You should see a rectangular battery. Grapple it and align it with the receptacle to the right, then smack it into place with Force Current.You'll also see another laser cube down below. Let's call it Laser Cube B. Carry it and place it in front of the other crystal.These steps should allow you to ride the moving platform to the other side of the gap. Frostbitten Paradise: Part 3To your right, you'll see a connecting room that has even more contraptions:There's another laser cube--i.e. Laser Cube C. Grapple it and place it on the conveyor belt--i.e. the one with a cage next to the stone lantern. Make sure its facing toward the closer wall.Grapple the electric cube and place it on the stone lantern. This causes the conveyor belt to move toward your location--i.e. outward. Grapple the electric cube again, then pull it away from the stone lantern. The conveyor belt should move toward the opposite side.Laser Cube C, assuming it's facing in the right direction, should activate the crystal at the other side of the conveyor belt. This clears the barrier near the lower entrance from earlier.You can now carry the laser cube from earlier--i.e. Laser Cube B--and bring it to the connecting room.Reactivate the conveyor belt as well so you can grab Laser Cube C. Frostbitten Paradise: Part 4We're almost done here:Place both Laser Cube B and Laser Cube C on the square floor panels and make sure their respective lasers hit the crystals. This deactivates the barrier in the small nook.Enter the nook and grapple the rectangular battery. Move it closer to the barrier at the other side.Now, this next part has to be done with haste. First, activate your Blinding Flash: Concentrated Light--i.e. your "magnifying glass" action that burns objects.If you target the crystal with Concentrated Light to power it up, the other barrier will disappear for a few seconds. Quickly use your grapple to push the battery outside.If the barrier reactivates, use Concentrated Light once more. Then, jump out of the opening.You should be able to grab the battery and place it in a receptacle on the ground. Hit it with an aerial Force Palm to power up the teleporter.Take the teleporter back to the main area. Finally, activate the wheel mechanism with Force Palm and claim your Abyss Artifact. Path of Trials: Part 1After a short transition area, you'll find yourself in the Crimson Desert Path of Trials island puzzle. Initially, you just have to Double Jump/Aerial Force Palm your way to the top of the wall.Then, to your left, you're going to see a rectangular battery in a receptacle. Use your Axiom Force grapple to pull it out. This will disable the barrier at the top of the ledges. Path of Trials: Part 2 - Frost Mantle unlockClimb the ledges to reach the top. To your right, there should be a square floor panel/generator. Use your Axiom Force grapple to pull out the panel. You'll notice that it's actually frozen.With the panel attached to your grapple, make your way through the barrier and carefully jump down the interior. There's a lava pool here, and you can dip the panel into it to melt the ice. Quickly jump back to the outside and attach it to the floor receptacle with an aerial Force Palm.Doing the above steps lets you interact with the wheel mechanism. Climb and hang on it, then hold the Resist button prompt to make Kliff grip the device tightly. This prevents you from getting knocked all the way back when you use your Force Palm on the mechanism.Note: Completing the Path of Trials challenge unlocks the Crimson Desert Frost Mantle elemental skill. When cast, it lets you character do an area-of-effect pushback with the power of Ice. You can also imbue certain skills with Ice to freeze your foes. Anyway, let's continue onward to unlock Flame Strike, too. Sanctorum of Darkness: Part 1We're getting every closer to the Crimson Desert Flame Strike ability. The next island in this branch is called the Sanctorum of Darkness:In the center, you should see a barrier on the floor. There are also two laser machines but only one is working.At the right-hand side, there's an electrified square panel.The left-hand side is missing its panel/source of electricity. Sanctorum of Darkness: Part 2This challenge is actually fairly easy. Carefully glide down the ledge at the central area. Down below, you'll see an electrified panel behind a metal gate.Opening the gate isn't necessary at all. Instead, you just need to use your Axiom Force grapple to target the electrified panel.Pull out the panel with your grapple to deactivate the floor barrier at the top.Next, just lift it higher, then grapple it again once you're back at the central area. Sanctorum of Darkness: Part 3Here are the last few steps for the Sanctorum of Darkness:Take the electrified panel and bring it to the left-hand side. This causes the laser machine on the left to get activated as well.Use your Axiom Force grapple on the circular switches of both lasers. Then, use the controls so that their respective beams hit the crystals at the opposite side of the gap.After a few seconds, the giant turbines should activate, which will power up the facility.As usual, hit the wheel mechanism with your Force Palm and grab the Abyss Artifact from the pillar. Loop of Life: Part 1All right, so we're at the Loop of Life island now, which is probably one of the most gorgeous places in the Abyss. This area consists of several massive rings that you can power up by attaching the electrified square panels in the receptacles.The first ring has a panel that you can easily see as you approach. Align it with the receptacle, then use an aerial Force Palm to latch it into the place. The ring will begin spinning, so try not to get dizzy as you go to the next areas. Loop of Life: Part 2Here are the next steps:The second electrified panel is floating in mid-air. Hop on the ledges so you can grab it with your Axiom Force grapple.Bring it closer to the first ring, then keep moving/inching it closer to the tall structure at the far side (as shown in the image).Assuming it's close enough, do a Double Jump/Triple Force Palm and glide to the tall structure. Use your grapple again to pull the electrified panel back toward you.Attach the panel to the receptacle on the floor. This will cause the barrier to disappear, giving you access to yet another electrified panel.These two panels can be used to activate the next two rings. Bring them both with you by pushing them closer to those rings via the grapple. Then, just jump/glide across the gap, before using the grapple to pull them closer to you once more.Attach the panels in the next receptacles you see in the second and third rings to power them up. Doing so completes the challenge. Tree of Slumber and Flame Strike unlockThe Crimson Desert Tree of Life island puzzle is where you need to go to unlock the Flame Strike ability. Think of this as somewhat akin to the Ancient Ruins pillar puzzles in Pywel:The large mechanism in the central has four slots. You need to use your Stab ability to hit the slots. Doing so lets you interact with the mechanism.Each slot lets you lower or raise pairs or sets of pillars. Certain slots control just two pillars, while others control three.The goal is to make sure that all the pillars are of the same height as the fifth pillar, which cannot be moved.We don't have a step-by-step solution for this, as we mostly relied on trial and error. In any case, you'll know each pillar is of the correct height if you see the glowing blue lights on it.Note: Once you complete the Tree of Life puzzle, you'll unlock the Crimson Desert Flame Strike ability. When activated, it scorches opponents that are within a small radius. As with other elemental skills, you can also imbue it to boost the effects of certain skills or actions. You can refer to the button prompts/triggers in the Imbue Element skill description. Bonus: Skyloop Bridge - Part 1You're pretty much done with the objective if you just want to get the two elemental skills. But, if wish to continue onward, there's one more puzzle island and it's called Skyloop Bridge:The Skyloop Bridge has four distinct sections separated by a massive gap. You definitely want to watch your step or you might fall to your doom.Each section has a circular control panel that you can interact with via the Axiom Force grapple. It allows you to select an area/pillar--i.e. your active selection will have blue lights.When you press the Operate button, a small platform will move to that area.For now, select your area--i.e. the bottom of the screen--and have the ledge move closer to you. Walk on top of the ledge and use your Axiom Force on the switch to pick another area among the three. The ledge will take you to the control pillars at those sides. Bonus: Skyloop Bridge - Part 2To solve the Crimson Desert Skyloop Bridge puzzle, you have to repair each circular "stargate" via Axiom Force:If you're just standing next to a pillar/control area, you won't have an angle to properly view the ruined gate.You need to use your Axiom Force to grapple a large stone block. Pull or push it so that it's in front of a gate, but you can still reach it by jumping and gliding.Stand on the large stone block that you just moved. Next, use your grapple to grab hold of the floating ring debris. Push them into the spaces in the stargates until they glow and get attached automatically. (You don't even need to use Force Current because you'll just fall.)Do these steps to repair the three stargates. Oh, and you might need to pass or jump through them once they're activated. That's what we did in our playthrough but we're unable to confirm if that's an actual requirement.Completing the Skyloop Bridge puzzle lets you access a teleporter that brings you back to the continent of Pywel. You'll then find yourself in the middle of nowhere near a mysterious puzzle known as the Ancient Sealed Gate. But we're not going to bother with that right now because you're probably too tired from the whole ordeal.Anyway, that does it for our guide on how to unlock Flame Strike and Frost Mantle in Crimson Desert. Don't forget to obtain other elemental skills, such as Storm Veil and Lightning Surge.The lands of Pywel are vast and you are the only one who can keep the peace. As you explore distant realms and battle numerous foes, you might want to read about various tips in our Crimson Desert guides hub.

Title: How To Unlock Lightning Surge In Crimson Desert Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:47:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/crimson-desert-lightning-surge-guide/2900-7615/ Are you planning to unlock Lightning Surge in Crimson Desert? Lightning Surge is one of our elemental abilities in the game. Not only can it be cast to electrocute your foes, but it can also be used to gather resources that require a bit of electrical conduction, such as Bismuth Ores. We've got all the details for you right here, but be ready for a few spoilers, too. Lightning Surge unlock location: Spire of the Stars and the Courtyard of PrecisionThe Crimson Desert Lightning Surge elemental ability comes from the Courtyard of Precision, an island in the Abyss sky realm. However, you need to access that area via a spire on the continent of Pywel:The tower that leads you to that island chain is the Spire of Stars, which you definitely can't miss if you're going through the main story. You visit the location near the end of Chapter 4: The Price of Knowledge.In Chapter 4, after solving the Spire of Stars puzzle and reaching the central area of the Sanctorum of Insight island, a cutscene will play where Kliff falls back down to the surface.Later, though, you can revisit the Sanctorum of Insight to tackle the next set of Abyss challenges. You'll go through the Secret Garden, Vault of Vengeance, and, finally, the Courtyard of Precision. Secret Garden puzzle solution: Part 1The Crimson Desert Secret Garden puzzle is just after the transition area past the Sanctorum of Insight. Inside this chamber, you'll notice the following curious-looking objects and contraptions:There are two laser machines but only one is working. The lasers are also reflected off mirrors so the beams can hit the receptacles at the opposite side.There's an electrified square panel down below near a pool of water. Grab hold of this object using your Axiom Force grapple. Next, move back to the initial side of the pool and bring the electrified panel with you.Now, check your Skills menu to see if you've already unlocked Force Current--i.e. it's in the green/spirit branch of the skill tree.Align the electrified panel with the square receptacle on the wall using your grapple. Then, use Force Current to zap it into place. Make sure you're facing the panel/wall receptacle when you activate Force Current, too. Secret Garden puzzle solution: Part 2The above steps should activate the laser machine on your left:Use your Axiom Force grapple to take control of the machine at the left-hand side of the chamber. See if you can somehow reflect the laser off the mirrors to hit the crystal to the left of the exit barrier.If you're unable to, just realign the laser so that its beam bounces off mirrors to hit the crystal on the right instead.Next, go to the other machine and realign its laser. It should bounce off mirrors at an angle to hit the crystal on the left. Vault of Vengeance puzzle solution: Part 1Once you're done with the Secret Garden, you should be one step closer to unlocking the Crimson Desert Lightning Surge elemental skill. At the transition area, you're going to ride a cool-looking platform with an alien-looking design to reach the next island known as the Vault of Vengeance.At the entrance, use your Axiom Force grapple to grab the electrified cubes. Then, place them on the two stone lanterns. This should remove the energy barrier. Then, at the end of the corridor, cast Nature's Grasp to lift the movable door. Vault of Vengeance puzzle solution: Part 2The Crimson Desert Vault of Vengeance puzzle requires you to use Focused Shot, which is another skill in the green/spirit branch:The vault chamber is protected by multiple laser beams that will blast Kliff if he gets too close. You'll also notice four glowing bullseye targets floating above you.If you have Focused Shot, you can activate it by drawing your bow, casting Focus to slow down time, and marking the four bullseye targets.When you let go of the button, Kliff will fire several arrows at the marked targets. If you manage to hit all of them in a short span of time--i.e. almost simultaneously thanks to the skill--you'll deactivate the laser trap.This nets you the Golden Sword weapon. This one-handed weapon has 16 attack, level 1 attack speed, and level 3 requirement. It doesn't have any Abyss Gear mods. Vault of Vengeance puzzle solution: Part 3For the next part, you need to drop down to the lower level of the Vault of Vengeance. This corridor also has a bunch of laser arrays, almost akin to the traps from the first Resident Evil movie. In any case, we just brute-forced this part by running across the corridor and healing up by eating food.At the end of the hallway, there's an electrified square panel that you can align with a receptacle on the wall. Use Force Current to smack it into place, then take the teleporter to the exterior of the facility.The last part has a rectangular battery cell. As usual, use your Axiom Force grapple to grab it, then align it with the receptacle in front of the wheel mechanism. Charge up your Force Current to push it into place, and you should be able to activate the wheel mechanism with Force Palm. Courtyard of Precision puzzle solution and Lightning Surge unlockThe last island that you need to clear for the Crimson Desert Lightning Surge ability is called the Courtyard of Precision:This is similar to the Vault of Vengeance in that you still need to mark and snipe targets swiftly with Focused Shot.There are multiple sets of bullseye targets hovering above ground level. Ignore the targets that are blue and just mark/shoot the ones that are yellow.Later, you can ride the air current to the topmost section of this area. You can either snipe the targets while floating in mid-air, or you can do so while standing on the floating disc-like structures.When you're done with this part, activate the wheel mechanism and grab the Abyss Artifact. This unlocks the Lightning Surge in Crimson Desert. The ability itself lets you cast an electrical field that damages nearby enemies and those that step within its radius.Of course, you can also imbue it to empower certain abilities with the Lightning element. A good example is when you press the Imbue Element button prompt while you're charging up Force Current, which causes Force Current to be boosted by Lightning. Lastly, don't forget to unlock the other elemental spells in the game: Storm Veil and Flame Strike/Frost Mantle.The lands of Pywel are vast and you are the only one who can keep the peace. As you explore distant realms and battle numerous foes, you might want to read about various tips in our Crimson Desert guides hub.

Title: How To Unlock Storm Veil In Crimson Desert Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:47:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/crimson-desert-storm-veil-guide/2900-7614/ Are you currently looking for a way to unlock Storm Veil in Crimson Desert? This elemental skill allows your characters to harness the power of wind. And, yes, it even lets you get out of dodge when your enemies spot you. Our guide has all the details that you need, but be forewarned that there will be spoilers ahead. Storm Veil unlock location: Spire of Clockwork and Riddle SquareThe Crimson Desert Storm Veil or Wind skill is unlocked via the Abyss island chain that starts in the Spire of Clockwork. Here's the gist:The Spire of Clockwork is at the eastern edge of Demeniss, near the river that acts as a border between that region and Delesyia.The tower itself is inaccessible at the start. Instead, you have to complete the entirety of Chapter 8: Blood Coronation. Once you're done with that chapter, you'll receive the Spire of Clockwork Key.Later, after reaching the top of the Spire of Clockwork, you have to enter the Abyss and complete a challenge on an island called Riddle Square. Spire of Clockwork challengeAs mentioned above, the Crimson Desert Spire of Clockwork can only be opened once you obtain the key at the end of chapter 8. Once you're inside the structure as Kliff, you'll notice that the place is filled with gears, cables, and all sorts of contraptions. Don't get confused, though, because the only objective you need to do is this: Look for handlebars. Then, jump and cling onto them to lower them.There are a couple that you need to pull down. One is at the ground floor, and the other is halfway up the structure. So, just keep jumping and climbing until you find an exit. Once you're back outside, you'll see a lift that you can ride to the top of the tower. That's also where you'll see a portal that takes you to another Abyss island chain. Riddle Square challengeThe Spire of Clockwork takes you all the way to an Abyss island chain where the first area is known as Riddle Square:Despite the name, this place doesn't actually have a riddle or a puzzle that you need to solve. Instead, this is a time trial activity.First, you have to use your Axiom Force grapple to activate the receptacle/switch near the center. This turns on the large fans and causes the rings to move into place.Your goal is to fly/glide through all the rings in order until you make it to the very end of the course.Note: When we initially went through this section before the game's launch, the time trial required players to complete the course in roughly one minute and 15 seconds. We're currently unable to confirm if this duration has been increased. Riddle Square tips and Storm Veil unlockHere are some tips to remember if you're going through the time trial challenge in Riddle Square:Naturally, speed is of the essence. Any mistake that causes you to lose just a second or two is likely enough to fail the challenge.If you think you won't make it in time, just drop back down to the central area. Then, use your Axiom Force grapple to reactivate the central pillar switch.Make sure you accelerate while gliding so you can shave some time off the clock.Having enough stamina--i.e. around level 5 or so--should be enough for this task. The rings that you pass through automatically restore your stamina as well.There are segments where you need to deactivate your glide and fall down. You then have to reactivate your glide to get blown by air currents. Be aware that there's a slight delay in activating the maneuver.At the last section, you're going to hit the wheel mechanism. Quickly cling onto it and use your Force Palm to complete the objective.That does it for our guide on how to unlock Storm Veil in Crimson Desert. Once the wheel mechanism is activated, you should be able to pick up the Abyss Artifact at the opposite side of the island platform. This also nets you a brand new elemental skill.The Storm Veil can be cast in the middle of combat to emit a cloud of smoke. This obscures the vision of enemies--i.e. distraction or "aggro" reset--allowing you to move away stealthily or take them down swiftly. In any case, don't forget that there are other elemental abilities in the game that boost your characters further. You can refer to our Lightning Surge guide and Frost Mantle/Flame Strike guide on how to obtain these boons.The lands of Pywel are vast and you are the only one who can keep the peace. As you explore distant realms and battle numerous foes, you might want to read about various tips in our Crimson Desert guides hub.

Title: Future PlayStation Hardware Will Get AI-Powered Frame Generation, PS5 Architect Confirms Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:45:00 -0700 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/future-playstation-hardware-will-get-ai-powered-frame-generation-ps5-architect-confirms/1100-6538935/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Chief PlayStation 5 architect, Mark Cerny, has confirmed that AI-powered frame generation will come to PlayStation platforms in the near future, before stopping short of confirming which ones and when.In an interview with Digital Foundry, Cerny explained that PSSR 2, the latest version of the PlayStation 5 Pro exclusive upscaler, stems from the same co-developed algorithm AMD is using with FSR 4 (or FSR Redstone, as it is now known) on PC. It's that same co-development that has helped AMD also include frame generation in its latest iterations, and makes Sony well-poised to include this in its own capacity in the near future."Just to clarify a few things about the collaboration with AMD, the new PSSR uses the same core co-developed algorithm as FSR Redstone's Upscaling," Cerny explained. "FSR Frame Generation is also based on co-developed technology (or as my good friend Jack Huynh puts it, 'co-engineered technology'). I’m very happy with how that work is progressing, and an equivalent frame generation library should be seen at some point on PlayStation platforms."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: The best Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 accessories for Pokémon superfans Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 19:01:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/best-pokemon-nintendo-switch-switch-2-accessories/ This year marks the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, and despite being old enough to have two-day hangovers and chronic lower back pain, the franchise shows no signs of slowing down. Pokémon Pokopia has become the first major Nintendo Switch 2 hit of 2026, selling more than 2.2 million copies in just four days. And since Pokopia's a console exclusive, that means there's been a surge in sales of the Switch 2 as well.

Title: This 2012 Channing Tatum classic explains Project Hail Mary's secret sauce Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 18:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/21-jump-street-22-jump-street-lord-miller-project-hail-mary/ Following in the trajectory of movies like The Martian,Interstellar, andGravity, Project Hail Mary is another big-budget space epic bringing in millions at the box office. But unlike those other films, Project Hail Mary isn’t just a rock-solid space story, it’s also a hell of a good buddy comedy. The tale of a friendship between an astronaut played by Ryan Gosling and a rock-like alien may come as a surprise, but it makes sense when you consider who directed this movie.

Title: TMNT II Stuntmen Reflect on Playing Tokka and Rahzar 35 Years Later Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 17:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/35-years-tmnt-2-tokka-rahzar-interview/ They might not be Bebop and Rocksteady, but they are the next best thing.

Title: 10 TV shows that should have been just one season Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 16:00:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/tv-shows-that-should-have-been-one-season-list/ That isn’t to say the shows below — our personal nominees for series that should have stopped with season 1 — never had a single good episode or storyline in subsequent seasons. Plenty of them had great storylines or scattered flashes of brilliance later in their run. But none of them lived up to the potential of their opening seasons, and we felt like we lost something powerful and enjoyable when they moved into season 2 and beyond.

Title: 10 best Pokémon with no evolution line Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 15:30:18 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/best-pokemon-no-evolutions-evolve/ Evolution has been a staple of Pokémon since the franchise’s beginnings. From raising your little Charmander into a Charizard to using a team of all different Eeveelutions, evolving Pokémon goes hand-in-hand with the series’ other gameplay pillars, like catching wild Pokémon and battling trainers. Because of that, you’d think every Pokémon would belong to an evolution line, but plenty don’t.

Title: Smooth Moves: 90 Frames-Per-Second Virtual Reality Arrives on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2026 13:00:09 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-virtual-reality-update/ It’s a double feature on GFN Thursday. This week, GeForce NOW offers smoother sights in virtual reality (VR) and a sprawling new land to conquer. Streaming at 90 frames per second (fps) comes to supported VR headsets. And Crimson Desert, which recently surpassed 3 million wishlist additions on Steam, debuts in the cloud with GeForce RTX 5080‑class power. Catch it as part of four new games on GeForce NOW VR, but Make It 90 FPS Power levels rising … to 90 fps. VR in the cloud is getting a smoothness upgrade. GeForce NOW is boosting support for Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest devices and Pico devices to stream at up to 90 fps for Ultimate members, bringing crisper motion and more responsive gameplay straight from the cloud. The app update is starting to roll out to members starting today. Members can transform the space around them into a personal gaming theater with GeForce NOW, playing favorite PC titles on a massive virtual screen. With support for up to 90 fps for Ultimate members, gameplay feels smoother, movement more natural and action more comfortable. All premium members can continue to enhance their experiences with NVIDIA RTX and DLSS technologies in supported titles. Just fire up GeForce NOW on supported VR platforms, step into a virtual big screen and let the cloud handle the heavy lifting. From chill sessions in a virtual theater to high‑octane firefights, 90 fps helps keep every moment looking sharp and feeling responsive. A Storm Brews Into the cloud with “Crimson Desert.” Pearl Abyss’ Crimson Desert, a stunning, open‑world action adventure set in a war‑torn fantasy land, pairs large‑scale exploration with cinematic storytelling and hard‑hitting, combo‑focused combat. One moment is a quiet ride across windswept plains, the next is a chaotic clash against towering foes with mystical power effects lighting up the battlefield. Follow Kliff, a mercenary whose close‑knit group is destroyed in a sudden ambush. The journey centers on exploring a massive, detailed world, taking on story missions, riding mounts, finding supplies and facing dangerous enemies as Kliff works to bring his scattered companions back together. GeForce NOW brings 5080-class power to the game across supported devices, delivering high settings, smooth action and lush visuals without the need to worry about system specs. Members can jump into its cinematic battles and sweeping landscapes on the device of their choice, from low‑spec laptops to compatible TVs and mobile devices. Joining the Family It’s time to make an offer no tank can refuse. World of Tanks is rolling out the red carpet for Battle Pass Special: Mafia from March 19-29, welcoming the respectable family from the fine city of Lost Heaven and bringing their signature mix of loyalty, ambition and firepower to the battlefield. Recruit iconic characters from 2K’s original Mafia game, unlock stylish 2D looks like Little Italy and Lost Heaven Noir, and command the Italian Predatore tank to make sure every deal ends with a bang. Respect is earned — and it’s best earned playing on GeForce NOW, where the action hits fast and smooth — powered by the cloud. In addition, members can look for the following: Everwind (New release on Steam, March 17, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Retro Rewind – Video Store Simulator (New release on Steam, March 17) Crimson Desert (New release on Steam, March 19, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Fallout 3 (Steam) Cyberpunk 2077, Forza Motor Sport, Icarus and Ark Survival Ascended — currently available to all GeForce NOW members — will no longer be available on the free tier starting Wednesday, April 1, as the basic rig type does not meet the game’s updated minimum system requirements. Premium members can continue to play these games uninterrupted. For some icing on the cake, the GeForce NOW Reddit community is running a giveaway for a VR headset. Find details on how to enter. Plus, check out GeForce NOW creator Airie Summer’s gaming giveaway on X much love to nvidia for the community giveaways ♡@logitechg pro grade performance gears https://t.co/lRpSTKhQHJ @nvidiagfn entries open @ channel during the following times xoxomarch 12, 19, & 26 from 09:30 a.m. to 05:30 p.m. ethttps://t.co/q67SOJNpbO #nvidiapartner pic.twitter.com/uQ6L1rcVcj — airie (@airiesummer) March 12, 2026 . 

Title: GeForce NOW Raises the Game at the Game Developers Conference Date: Thu, 12 Mar 2026 13:00:53 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gdc-2026/ GeForce NOW is bringing the game to the Game Developers Conference (GDC), running this week in San Francisco. While developers build the future of gaming, GeForce NOW is delivering it to gamers. The latest updates bring smoother performance, easier game discovery and a fresh lineup of blockbuster titles to the cloud. Game discoverability gets a boost with new in‑app labels for connected accounts for Xbox Game Pass and Ubisoft+. It’ll be easier than ever to see titles already available through linked subscriptions, so members can seamlessly jump into games they already own. Virtual reality gets a smooth upgrade — supported devices now stream at 90 frames per second (fps), up from 60 fps, delivering more responsive and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences. Account linking is also leveling up. Following Gaijin single sign-on announced at CES in January, GOG account linking and game library syncing are coming soon. The GeForce NOW library continues to grow with new releases joining the cloud at launch: CONTROL Resonant and Samson: A Tyndalston Story. Plus, select Xbox titles will join the Install-to-Play library. In addition, there’s a lineup of five new games to catch this week, including Capcom’s Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, on top of the latest update for Fortnite. Gaming Is Buzzing GeForce NOW is rolling into GDC with an easier way to keep track of titles, as well as performance upgrades and a growing lineup of major titles ready to stream at launch. Keeping track of which game lives on which service can be tricky. In‑App labels — coming soon to GeForce NOW for connected subscriptions — will help make it simple for members to know exactly what games they can play on GeForce NOW. Once a member connects their Xbox Game Pass Account or Ubisoft+ account, clear labels will appear directly on the game art inside the GeForce NOW app — eliminating guesswork and making it easy to see exactly what’s available to play from their game subscription services. Set it and forget it. Account linking is expanding too. On top of Gaijin single sign-on, GeForce NOW is adding GOG account linking and game library syncing in the coming months.               Smooth moves. Virtual reality is also getting an upgrade. Starting Thursday, March 19, VR devices that GeForce NOW supports, including Apple Vision Pro, Meta Quest and Pico devices, will stream at 90 fps for Ultimate members, an increase from 60 fps. The higher frame rate enhances smoothness, responsiveness and realism across every session — whether gamers are chasing enemies through neon-lit streets or exploring far‑flung alien worlds. GeForce NOW’s Install‑to‑Play library is also expanding with select Xbox titles, including Brutal Legend from Double Fine Productions and Contrast from Compulsion Games. These additions bring more flexibility for members to download and install their owned games alongside streaming favorites. That’s just the start. Highly anticipated games are headed to the cloud at launch: Bending reality. CONTROL Resonant — Remedy’s upcoming action‑adventure role-playing game (RPG) that blends supernatural powers with a warped Manhattan facing a reality-bending cosmic threat. Unravel a family story steeped in myths. Samson: A Tyndalston Story — the game from Liquid Swords is a gritty action brawler, set in the city of Tyndalston, launching on PC. Free to Save the World Chaos in the cloud. Fortnite’s original adventure is back in the spotlight — and soon, it’ll free to play. Fortnite first launched in 2017 as a story-driven co‑op experience, and on Thursday, April 16, the “Save the World” update will officially be free to play for all players. Pre-registration begins on Thursday, March 12. Join forces against hordes of husks, solo or with the squad, in a player vs. environment action-packed story, complete with gathering, crafting and collecting. Pick a favored playstyle with four distinct classes to choose from, over 150 heroes and weapons to upgrade, and loadout customization options to hone builds even further. With hundreds of updates since its original launch and over 100 hours of content, squads can build, grind gear and engineer elaborate homebase defenses to keep the Storm King at bay. “Save the World” isn’t available on mobile devices, including tablets. On GeForce NOW, Fortnite “Save the World” streams straight from the cloud — no waiting around for updates or patches. Low‑latency streaming keeps building, shooting and trap placement feeling snappy across supported devices. Stay in the action with GeForce NOW. Gear Up for Glory The cloud makes it easy to suit up in style. From chaotic infantry clashes to roaring jet dogfights, every match is an unpredictable explosion of strategy and mayhem in EA’s Battlefield 6.  This week, GeForce NOW Ultimate members can drop into the action with serious style — a new reward, the Advancing Gloom Soldier Skin, gives soldiers a sleek, battle-hardened look fit for the frontlines. Members can claim it in their GeForce NOW account portals, redeem it at EA.com/redeem, then show up ready in true Ultimate fashion. It’s available through Sunday, April 12, or while supplies last. Being a GeForce NOW member pays off. Whether streaming on the go or maxing out graphics in the cloud, members get exclusive rewards to keep and flaunt. Start the Games Twin monsters, one cloud. Twin Rathalos, born in a twist of fate, set the stage for the third entry in the Monster Hunter Stories RPG series, launching on GeForce NOW. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an RPG series set in the Monster Hunter world, where players can become a Rider, and raise and bond with their favorite monsters. Play it instantly on GeForce NOW and take the adventure anywhere, on any device. In addition, members can look for the following: Warcraft I: Remastered (New release on Ubisoft, March 11) Warcraft II: Remastered (New release on Ubisoft, March 11) 1348 Ex Voto (New release on Steam, March 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (New release on Steam, March 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection (New release on Steam, March 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) This week’s additional GeForce RTX 5080-ready game, on top of the addition of John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, 1348 Ex Voto and Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection: Greedfall: The Dying World 1.0 (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: NVIDIA Virtualizes Game Development With RTX PRO Server Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:30:07 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/gdc-2026-virtual-game-development/ Game development teams are working across larger worlds, more complex pipelines and more distributed teams than ever. At the same time, many studios still rely on fixed, desk-bound GPU hardware for critical production work. At the Game Developers Conference (GDC) this week in San Francisco, NVIDIA is showcasing a new approach to bring together disparate workflows using virtualized game development on NVIDIA RTX PRO Servers, powered by NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPUs and NVIDIA vGPU software. With the RTX PRO Server, studios can centralize and virtualize core workflows across creative, engineering, AI research and quality assurance (QA) — all on shared GPU infrastructure in the data center.  This enables teams to maintain the responsiveness and visual fidelity they expect from workstation-class systems while improving infrastructure utilization, scalability, data security and operational consistency across teams and locations. Simplifying Complex Workflows As game development studios scale, hardware can often sit underutilized in one location while other teams wait to access it for production work. QA capacity is hard to expand quickly. Over time, workstation hardware, drivers and tools diverge, making bugs harder to reproduce. AI workloads are often isolated on separate infrastructure, creating more operational overhead.  The NVIDIA RTX PRO Server helps studios move from workstation-by-workstation scaling to centralized GPU infrastructure. Studios can pool resources, allocate performance by workload and support parallel development, testing and AI workflows without expanding physical workstation sprawl. Centralized GPU infrastructure enables studios to run AI training, simulation and game automation workloads overnight, then dynamically reallocate the same resources to interactive development during the day, improving overall utilization and reducing idle capacity. The NVIDIA RTX PRO Server supports virtualized workflows for 3D graphics and AI across the game development lifecycle for: Artists: Providing virtual RTX workstations for traditional 3D and generative AI content-creation workflows. Developers: Powering consistent, high-performance engineering environments for coding and 3D development. AI researchers: Offering large-memory GPU profiles for fine-tuning, inference and AI agents. QA teams: Enabling scalable game validation and performance testing using the same NVIDIA Blackwell architecture used by GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs. This allows studios to support multiple teams — including across sites and contractors — on one common GPU platform, improving collaboration and reducing debugging issues that can arise from disparate hardware. Supporting AI and Engineering on Shared Infrastructure AI is becoming a core part of everyday game development, spanning coding, content creation, testing and live operations. As these workflows expand, studios need infrastructure that can support AI alongside traditional graphics workloads without introducing separate, siloed systems. With the RTX PRO Server, studios can support coding agents, internal model experimentation and AI-assisted production workflows without spinning up a separate AI stack for every team. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU features a massive 96GB memory buffer, enabling developers to run multiple demanding applications simultaneously while supporting AI inference on larger models directly alongside real-time graphics workflows. NVIDIA Multi-Instance GPU (MIG) technology partitions a single GPU into isolated instances with dedicated memory, compute and cache resources. Combined with NVIDIA vGPU software, MIG can help studios securely allocate GPU capacity across users and workloads. In combined MIG and vGPU configurations, a single RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Server Edition GPU can support up to 48 concurrent users, maximizing utilization while maintaining performance isolation. Enterprise-Ready Deployment for Game Studios NVIDIA RTX PRO Servers are designed for enterprise-grade data-center operations. Studios can deploy virtual workstations on RTX PRO Servers via NVIDIA vGPU on supported hypervisor and remote workstation platforms. That means RTX PRO Servers can fit into studios’ existing infrastructure and IT practices, rather than requiring one-off deployments. Major game publishers already use NVIDIA vGPU technology to scale centralized development infrastructure and improve efficiency at studio scale. ​Learn more about the NVIDIA RTX PRO Server. See these workflows live by joining NVIDIA’s booth 1426 at GDC or attending NVIDIA GTC, running March 16-19 in San Jose, California.  See notice regarding software product information.

Title: March Into the Cloud With 15 New Games Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:00:30 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-march-2026-games-list/ March is in full bloom, and that means a fresh wave of games heading to the cloud. 15 new titles are joining the GeForce NOW library this month. Leading the March lineup is Pearl Abyss’ Crimson Desert, an open‑world action‑adventure set in a war‑torn fantasy land, alongside plenty of other games to explore. Whether looking to shake off the winter blues or jump into some bracket‑worthy gaming action, there’s something for everyone in the cloud. March into the cloud and see what’s new — and keep an eye on GFN Thursdays all month for more updates. This week kicks off the month with eight new games. March Gaming Madness In LORT we trust. LORT dials chaos up to 11 and snaps the knob clean off. Big Distraction’s off‑the‑rails adventure hurls players into a world where every corner hides a bad idea waiting to become a great story, powered by wild weapons, weirder characters and “Did that just happen?” moments. Catch every glorious disaster in full fidelity and play it on GeForce NOW, available this week. Here’s are this week’s eight new additions: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass, March 3, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered (New release on Steam, available March 3) Esoteric Ebb (New release on Steam, available March 3) The Legend of Khiimori (New release on Steam, available March 3, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Slay the Spire 2 (New release on Steam, available March 5) Docked (New release on Steam, available March 5) Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) LORT (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the rest of the month: John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (New release on Steam, March 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Everwind (New release on Steam, March 17) Crimson Desert (New release on Steam, March 19) Screamer (New release on Steam, March 23) Nova Roma (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, March 26) Legacy of Kain: Ascendance (New release on Steam, March 31) Subliminal (New release on Steam, March 31) February in the Books In addition to the 24 games announced last month, 18 more joined the GeForce NOW library: Anno: Mutationem (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Blizzard Arcade Collection (Ubisoft Connect) Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle (Steam) Capcom Fighting Collection (Steam) Diablo (Ubisoft Connect) Diablo + Hellfire Expansion  (Ubisoft Connect) Diablo II: Resurrected (Ubisoft Connect) Galactic Civilizations 3 (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store) KILLER INN (Steam) Mega Man 11 (Steam) MotoGP22 (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store) Spellcasters Chronicles (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) STALCRAFT: X (Epic Games Store) Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (Steam) Torment: Tides of Numenera (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) TCG Card Shop Simulator (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Trine Enchanted Edition (Epic Games Store) Trine 2: Complete Story (Epic Games Store) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below, then see what Blue Thunder Gaming thinks of GeForce NOW.  

Title: The Nightmare Returns in the Cloud: GeForce NOW Unleashes Capcom’s ‘Resident Evil Requiem’ Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 14:00:48 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-resident-evil-requiem/ GeForce NOW’s anniversary celebration reaches a chilling crescendo as Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem creeps into the cloud — and the horrors look better than ever on a GeForce NOW Ultimate membership. To mark the occasion, a special launch bundle rises from the shadows, pairing the game with a yearlong Ultimate membership for a limited time. It’s not a celebration party without treats. GeForce NOW is also offering members a new reward to use in Delta Force. Suit up and grab it alongside 11 new games joining the cloud this week. The Nightmare Returns in the Cloud A new era of survival horror arrives with Resident Evil Requiem, the latest and most immersive entry yet in the iconic Resident Evil series. Experience terrifying survival horror with FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft and dive into pulse-pounding action with legendary agent Leon S. Kennedy. Their journeys and unique gameplay styles intertwine into a heart-stopping, emotional experience that will chill gamers to their core. Requiem for the dead. Nightmare for the living. With GeForce RTX 5080-class power in the cloud, experience Requiem with lifelike lighting, full path tracing, ray‑traced reflections and cinematic realism at up to 5K resolution with high dynamic range, plus NVIDIA DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation for maximum performance. The Ultimate membership keeps every encounter smooth and immersive when streaming from powerful GPUs in the cloud. To celebrate GeForce NOW’s sixth anniversary, a special launch offer emerges from the fog: For a limited time, Resident Evil Requiem is included with the purchase of a 12‑month Ultimate membership. It’s the perfect way to return to the city of disaster and despair, now more haunting and beautiful than ever. Priority Package GeForce NOW marks six epic years in the cloud, and the party lands on the Delta Force frontline with a new reward drop. What a drop. Being a GeForce NOW member is rewarding. All members can get an edge in the Delta Force extraction and warfare game modes with a reward bundle packed with standard gear tickets, premium weapon XP tokens and armament vouchers to fine-tune loadouts and push every op further. Performance and Ultimate members gain even more battlefield muscle with an early unlock of the PP‑19 Bizon, a weapon that brings close-quarters stopping power to every mission. This special sixth-anniversary reward is available through Thursday, March 26, while supplies last. Redeem now and deploy. Ready, Set, Stream This week, members can look for the following: TCG Card Shop Simulator (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass, Feb. 24) Blizzard Arcade Collection (New release on Ubisoft Connect, Feb. 25) Diablo II: Resurrected (New release on Ubisoft Connect, Feb. 25) Spellcasters Chronicles (New release on Steam, Feb. 26, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Resident Evil Requiem (New release on Steam, Feb. 27, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Anno: Mutationem (Xbox, available on Game Pass) ARC Raiders (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) DEVOUR (Steam) Galactic Civilizations 3 (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store) MotoGP22 (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store) Torque Drift 2 (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. What's your bragging rights? Share the latest achievement you got in a game. — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) February 23, 2026

Title: Peni Parker revealed for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls  Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:56:49 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/22/peni-parker-revealed-for-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls/ Hello everyone, I’m Takeshi Yamanaka, Producer of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Earlier today at the Arc World Tour 2025–2026 Finals in Korea, we revealed the second team to appear in the game: the Amazing Guardians. If you haven’t seen the latest Team Reveal Trailer yet, be sure to check it out below. Play Video A new team takes the stage: The Amazing Guardians View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The Amazing Guardians are a team made up of heroes from a new generation. Leading the group is your friendly-neighborhood Spider-Man (voiced by Josh Keaton), who answers the call with both great power and great responsibility. He’s joined by the up-and-coming Ms. Marvel (voiced by Dalia Rooni), the profit-seeking space pirate Star-Lord (voiced by Scott Porter), and the interdimensional gadget whiz Peni Parker (voiced by Risa Mei).   How did these four heroes come together? How will they face an overwhelming threat? Can they work as a team despite their differences? You’ll find out in Episode Mode, where their story unfolds! New playable character: Peni Parker View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image One of the newly announced characters is Peni Parker. A Japanese-American student, Peni is a brilliant (and maybe a little eccentric) young scientist. She pilots SP//dr, a powerful mech suit created by her father, and fights as the spider hero of a parallel universe. In MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, Peni brings SP//dr into battle, using a wide range of gadgets and unique tools to improvise strategies on the fly. Though she grew up in the United States, Peni occasionally slips into speaking Japanese. Keep an ear out for how this detail is brought to life across different language voiceovers. Our Master of Ceremonies appears: The Promoter View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image The trailer also introduces a mysterious new figure known as the Promoter (voiced by Sabrina Fest). Her true name is Xirena Awhina, and she’s an Elder of the Universe — an ancient alien race that has existed across the cosmos since time immemorial. True to her title, Xirena travels the galaxy organizing entertainment on a supernova scale. The Promoter invites our heroes to a high-stakes tournament that will determine the fate of planet Earth. How will our heroes, and villains, rise to the challenge? And is the Promoter acting alone? Stay tuned… more will be revealed soon. New feature: Automatic Team Name Generation View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image We know players love building their own four-character dream teams—and giving them a name to match. Starting with the latest build, we’ve added a fun new feature: Automatic Team Name Generation. (No, we didn’t patent it!) Based on your selected characters, the game automatically creates a team name that references Marvel lore. The name appears on screen and is even announced by a ring announcer. Try out different combinations to discover cool, surprising, or just plain fun team names. Improvements based on the Closed Beta tests feedback Based on feedback from our two Closed Beta tests last year, we’ve made a number of refinements and improvements to the game. Watch this video for an overview of the latest gameplay changes. Detailed patch notes are available on the Discord Server. To everyone who played the demo and shared their thoughts—thank you! Our development team is continuing to fine-tune the experience right up until launch. Play the latest demo at EVO Japan 2026 Next, we’ll be bringing the latest hands-on demo to EVO Japan 2026, taking place in Tokyo from 1- 3 May. This build will feature Peni Parker as a playable character, along with the Knowhere battle stage, which is closely tied to the Amazing Guardians team, bringing the total of playable characters to 12 and 4 stages to choose from at EVO Japan. If you’re attending EVO Japan, we’d love for you to stop by and give it a try. See you at EVO Japan 2026!

Title: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024: a deep dive into PS VR2 mode Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:00:04 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/20/microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-a-deep-dive-into-ps-vr2-mode/ When Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 was announced last year for PlayStation 5, you could almost hear the inevitable question on everyone’s lips: “Will it support PS VR2?” Asobo Studio and the Microsoft Game Studios team at Microsoft wasted no time with the immediate and welcome revelation that, yes, you’ll be exploring new heights in one of the most advanced flight sims available with a free PS VR2 update launching early this year. But as with any VR mode, it’s not just a matter of pressing a magic button to get the job done. “Cockpit interactions in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 are complex,” explains Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator. “There are so many different instruments, knobs, and switches to interact with. Every interaction model had to be redesigned to fit the PS VR2 Sense controllers to action them in a natural and intuitive manner.” On top of the control elements, there were many technical aspects that posed a variety of challenges to the team, especially those related to ensuring a smooth framerate, something essential to such a visually demanding game. “Getting foveated rendering with Flexible Scaled Rasterization right was quite a challenge,” said Jorg. “It impacts the entirety of the rendering pipeline, and subtle off-by-on-pixel bugs during development could result in dramatic quality issues. “Another tech developed specifically for PS VR2 support was frame duplication, where the render thread would iterate twice for one frame of the main thread, updating the camera position in-between. This technical approach was another key in achieving the framerate needed for PS VR2 support.” Inspirations, feedback and fun With the heavy focus on technical quality there’s always a risk of losing sight of what can make – and keep – a game being fun, but the development team’s strong emphasis on community feedback from prior versions kept their vision clear. Jorg revealed that they also looked at how Gran Turismo 7 effectively used VR as a form of inspiration. Placing the player into the seat of a high powered vehicle is an obvious overlap, with the feeling of being within the high flying environments offered by Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 being something that the studio felt they had to get absolutely right in VR. “It’s the sense of scale,” says Jorg. “On a flat screen, you see a mountain. In VR you feel the sheer mass of the rock wall as you hover your helicopter next to it. Also, flying through a storm is a completely different experience when you can lean forward to look through a clear patch in the windshield.” Navigating with over 100 aircrafts   One of the other factors that had to be taken on board for VR was that different aircraft archetypes provided their own quirks and characteristics, which  meant more considerations. “Airliners were used a lot during development, especially the Boeing 737-8,” said Jorg. “In general, airliners are the most challenging archetype because of their requirements on performance, the sheer complexity of the cockpits, readability, as well as interactions. But now that it all works really well, taking off with a 737 in VR is immensely satisfying! “Helicopters like the Guimbal Cabri G2 are also particularly interesting and immersive in VR, because the peripheral vision in these aircraft is unmatched. In VR, you do not just fly a helicopter, you feel like you are suspended in mid-air. It is a great way to enjoy the scenery.” And while being able to take in the many different environments at your leisure is a big part of the experience, when asked about some of the more thrill-seeking moments in VR, Jorg had a clear favourite. “With the PS VR2 Red Bull Air Races are jaw-dropping, they take on a whole new dimension in terms of authenticity. The ability to look into a high-G turn to spot the next pylon is simply incredible.” “A true-to-life experience” With up to 125 different aircraft to try out, many providing a very different experience via VR, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is looking to deliver an enhanced level of authenticity in simulated flying for both fans and newcomers alike. And if – like me – you’re a little apprehensive around heights, this could be as real as it gets to flying an actual aircraft, which is no mean feat. “For those of us who are pilots, it is uncanny how our body movement mimics what we do when flying a real aircraft when simming in VR,” says Jorg. “Looking over your shoulder for the runway, looking through the side windows for orientation … the actual movement and muscle memory are very similar to flying real planes. VR is making flight simulation a true-to-life experience, and with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 on PS VR2, console players can experience this incredible sensation for the first time.”

Title: Share of the Week: Ghost of Yōtei Legends Date: Fri, 20 Mar 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/20/share-of-the-week-ghost-of-yotei-legends/ Last week, we asked you to take on the new Ghost of Yōtei Legends mode using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here’s are this week’s highlights: nna_Roc shares a Legends version of Atsu poised to strike Leumir4 shares a portrait wielding a kasurigama in the Kitsune mask call_me_xavii shares their character standing before a corrupted torii gate pannn03_ shares Atsu with an eye-patch, ready to throw something UkkoVP shares their character approaching a dark see of watchful eyes LosBjornOs shares a black and white portrait leaping into action with a katana 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: Resident Evil 30th AnniversarySUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on March 25, 2026  Next week, we’re celebrating 30 years of Resident Evil. Share your scariest moments from any game in the iconic horror series using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Pragmata interview: combat, hacking, resource management, and more Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:00:49 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/03/19/pragmata-interview-combat-hacking-resource-management-and-more/ Capcom’s upcoming PlayStation 5 title Pragmata , launching on April 17, is a bold new sci-fi adventure that combines puzzles and action to deliver an experience that is both thrilling and deeply strategic. During the recent hands-on, we also spoke with the game’s director, Yonghee Cho, and producer, Naoto Oyama, who shared some insight into the game’s development as well as its PS5-specific features. (Left) Yonghee Cho, Pragmata director, Capcom (Right) Naoto Oyama, Pragmata producer, Capcom Note: the following interview has been condensed for brevity. PlayStation Blog: How have players been reacting to the Pragmata Sketchbook demo that’s out now? Oyama: We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback. We expected more mixed reactions, so it’s been a pleasant surprise to see how much the players enjoyed it. I think it’s one of those games where you can’t fully understand what makes it special until you actually play it. That’s why we decided to release the demo fairly early, and we’ve been thrilled by the amount of positive feedback. The game experienced multiple delays, being first revealed in 2020 with a 2022 release window, which was later moved to 2023, and then delayed indefinitely. Even so, the team never lost focus and kept pushing forward. Now that players can finally try the demo, I feel equal parts relief and anxiety. Cho: We never imagined the game would attract this level of anticipation. Although our goal was always to create something unique, every new trailer seemed to amplify the buzz. With that attention came greater pressure, and trying to meet every player’s expectation probably played a part in the delays. The intricately designed streets of New York really stand out, as did details like Diana’s smooth, flowing hair and the metallic finish of the enemy bots. Could you tell us more about the attention to detail that went into the visuals? Cho: I’ve always felt that bold, intentional designs are essential when creating artificial machines. The mechs in this game have a sleek, near-futuristic aesthetic, which gives the visuals a very different feel from other Capcom games like Resident Evil or Devil May Cry. To create beautiful mechanical designs, I worked closely with the modeling and background teams. Natural elements are full of visual information, like a zombie’s blood in Resident Evil. Mechs, on the other hand, can easily appear flat or sterile, so we focused on ways to add depth and nuance. Adding decals and carving subtle grooves helped us create a sense of complexity and scale. Oyama: For the enemy bots, we refined every component, paying attention not only to their smooth exterior, but also how they look after their shields are destroyed by Diana’s hacking. ​​ What inspired the idea to combine gun shooting action with hacking-based puzzle elements? How did those ideas come about and why did you decide to implement them? Cho: From the start of development, we wanted to make something that set itself apart from traditional shooters. That’s how the idea of combining gunplay with hacking in combat came about. Hacking felt like a natural match for the sci‑fi tone we were aiming for, and as we experimented with ways to make it fun and meaningful in gameplay, it gradually evolved into the puzzle‑based system we have today. Oyama: It actually didn’t start out as a puzzle. We went through a lot of trial and error, testing various ideas to see how we could incorporate hacking into gameplay. After exploring various options, we found that the current puzzle system offered the most intuitive controls and the kind of depth that keeps players engaged over time. After playing the game, the mix of shooting and puzzle gameplay felt remarkably well-balanced. How did you nail down that fine balance? Cho: Our goal from the start was to blend shooting and puzzle elements into one seamless experience. If players could finish a battle using only one of those mechanics, it would undermine the concept we were aiming for. In early prototypes, hacking sequences were automatically triggered during firefights, but we quickly realized that approach wasn’t very engaging. On the other hand, giving players total freedom led many to rely exclusively on gunplay. To ensure hacking felt both meaningful and essential, we conducted extensive playtesting to find the right balance. Oyama: It took quite some time before we settled on the idea of turning hacking into a puzzle mechanic. Even after making that decision, we spent a great deal of time fine-tuning it. We wanted the puzzles to feel engaging rather than mandatory, so we refined everything from the visual and sound effects to the way the puzzle grid shifts. We also brought in new playtesters regularly, incorporating their feedback until it all finally came together. In the demo and the hands-on, players can use hacking to disarm traps, weaken enemies, or deflect incoming missiles. Can players expect to see a wider range of hacking options in the final game? Oyama: Each area introduces its own set of enemies and unique gameplay. With every new location, players will encounter new challenges and mechanics that keep the experience engaging from start to finish. Cho: There are also special hacking sequences where Diana comes to Hugh’s aid. Each sequence is tailored to different enemy encounters and features its own unique visuals that we hope players will enjoy. The demo and hands-on preview featured Hacking Nodes like Decode, which weakens enemy defenses, and Multi-Hack, which propagates effects to surrounding enemies. What other types of nodes are available in the game? Oyama: There will be plenty of different types of nodes. We’ll leave the rest for players to enjoy once the full game is released. Cho: As you progress, players can carry a greater variety of Hacking Nodes at once and experiment with different combinations. For example, pairing Decode with Multi-Hack allows you to lower the defenses of multiple enemies with a single hack, setting them up for shotgun blasts.  Oyama: Mixing and matching various nodes and weapons really broadens your tactical options. The more weapons and nodes you unlock, the more freedom you have and the more satisfying the combat feels. Players can also use upgrades to tailor their approach and choose to focus on shooting or hacking. With enough hacking upgrades, you can even out-damage guns and take down groups of enemies with a single powerful hack. Cho: Some players who tried the demo might be wondering whether hacking will get even more challenging in the later sections of the game. However, as you unlock and upgrade more nodes, each hack becomes more powerful and efficient, making the overall gameplay feel faster and smoother. I noticed that conserving Hacking Nodes against weaker enemies is an important part of resource management. Oyama: That’s true. However, you can easily replenish them by returning to the Shelter, so you don’t need to worry about extremely strict resource management. Players are encouraged to use nodes freely, but if you’re being careless, you might find yourself running out at a crucial moment. Cho: You’ll also find a fair number of nodes scattered throughout the areas, so we encourage players to swap them out and experiment with different types. Players will be able to unlock new outfits for Hugh and Diana during a second playthrough that will drastically change their look. What kinds of approaches or ideas went into the 3D Audio sound design? Oyama: Our goal was to create an audio experience that makes players feel truly present in the game environment. To achieve more realistic spatial representation, including reverberation, we analyzed environmental data and generated segmented datasets for each room. We built detailed geometry to simulate early sound reflections, which was then used to calculate spatial audio fields. When enemies close in from all directions, directional sound cues become essential for immersion. Thanks to the sound team’s innovative approach, we were able to achieve an exceptionally high-quality audio design. Cho: The game takes place on the moon, so we also focused on portraying the silence when transitioning from an indoor area onto the lunar surface. We’re excited for players to experience it themselves. Capcom’s proprietary development engine, RE Engine, has achieved remarkable results in PS5 games such as the Resident Evil series. Are there ongoing efforts to further evolve or expand the applications of the engine? Oyama: Our research efforts are ongoing. The key advantage of the RE Engine lies in its flexibility, which allows us to keep adding new features to meet the unique requirements of each title. Feature expansions implemented in one project can be carried over to other titles in development. New capabilities developed through ongoing research can then benefit future releases. Its ability to adapt to internal demands and evolve continuously is what makes it such a powerful development engine. Pragmata launches on PS5 April 17.

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

Title: Your citizens don't stay put in Stellaris-style 4X strategy game Final Vanguard - start a war and "entire waves of refugees can emerge" Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/your-citizens-dont-stay-put-in-stellaris-style-4x-strategy-game-final-vanguard-start-a-war-and-entire-waves-of-refugees-can-emerge Final Vanguard is a real-time sci-fi 4X grand strategy game that puts an unusually big emphasis on migration. We've seen migration mechanics in many 4X games – pops can shuffle about in Stellaris as you slop your colonies across the map, populating the periphery and slowing the development of your homeworld – but Final Vanguard's creators Heavy Pepper Inc want the feature to be central. It's part of an ambition "to model a civilization made up of interconnected systems that influence one another over time", with everything from fleet manoeuvres to industry forming part of "a network of dependencies", rather than treating planets as isolated upgradeable nodes. Read more

Title: Oopsie, Crimson Desert's weird AI paintings weren't supposed to left in for release, Pearl Abyss claim, outlining plans to remove them Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2026 10:09:48 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/oopsie-crimson-deserts-weird-ai-paintings-werent-supposed-to-left-in-for-release-pearl-abyss-claim-outlining-plans-to-remove-them Ah, it turns out the eyebrows raised by suspiciously AI generated-looking art found throughout Crimson Desert weren't wrong in their lanate liftage. Developers Pearl Abyss have aplogised for failing to disclose their use of asseets made using "experimental AI generative tools", claiming that these were just mockups created early in production and were never supposed to make into the final release version of the game. Read more

Title: RPS Verdict: Anime racer Screamer slides sideways into success with its colourful, characterful driving Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 11:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rps-verdict-screamer-review Ed (RPS in peace) has, finally, posthumously, got his wish: another Screamer. This one’s gone all cyberpunk and/or anime-styled, with a heavy focus on story – it follows multiple, multinational merc-drivers entering a lightly murderous racing tournament – but can it still deliver on drifty driving thrills? After much practice, Mark and James both avoided clattering into the track barriers long enough to find out. Read more

Title: The Sunday Papers Date: Sun, 22 Mar 2026 10:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/the-sunday-papers-802 Sundays are for waking up in a Holiday Inn and finding that the breakfast buffet hash browns are glued to the bottom of the serving pan. Tarnation! I bellow like an enraged thunder god, like Vesuvius at full bloom, and stab the tray wildly with my knife and fork. I am dragged away by heavyset teenagers, who are about to heave me into the canal when I protest that I haven’t yet finished writing the weekly Sunday Papers article for prominent videogame website Rock Paper Shotgun. Shocked, the outsized urchins release me, and I scurry back to my typing desk with a mugful of baked beans. I’ll be back for those hash browns. I will have my vengeance. Read more

Title: Crimson Desert is raising some AI-brows with a bevy of suspiciously generated-looking art Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2026 22:55:33 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/crimson-desert-is-raising-some-ai-brows-with-a-bevy-of-suspiciously-generated-looking-art Crimson Desert is, by many accounts, a video game. A not necessarily good one, a perhaps just ok to occasionally baffling video game that appears to be big for the sake of winning a pissing contest. It is also potentially a video game that is not being entirely honest about certain art assets being human-made or not. Read more