Title: Mario Tennis Fever Is The Definition Of A Meh Video Game Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:00:23 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/mario-tennis-fever-the-kotaku-review-is-it-good-switch-2-gameplay-2000669771 A barebones and boring Mario sports game for only the biggest fans of arcade-y tennis

Title: Nintendo Tells Pokémon Store That Got Robbed To Change Its Name Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:50:51 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/pokemon-poke-court-nintendo-trainer-nyc-store-robbed-2000669827 The Poké Court will now be known as the Trainer Court

Title: 3D Platformer Become Asks, What If Finding Nemo But The Fish Was A Sperm? Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 01:45:45 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/become-game-sperm-3d-adventure-platformer-trailer-2000669807 In indie developer Valentin Wirth's upcoming 3D platformer/adventure game, you play as a sperm racing to fertilize an egg

Title: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Magic: The Gathering Cards Are Winning Me Over With Their Big-Time Video Game Vibes Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:22:45 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/tmnt-mtg-commander-leonardo-donatello-shredder-krang-2000669775 The latest Nickelodeon Universes Beyond expansion has some neat tricks

Title: Skyrim On Switch 2 Less Of A Mess After New Update Adds 60FPS Option And Fixes Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:58:04 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/skyrim-switch-2-60fps-update-2000669806 The aging Elder Scrolls RPG looks and plays better after the 1.2 update

Title: Genshin Impact Luna 5 takes the squad back to Mondstadt, finally makes Varka playable Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:23:10 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/genshin-impact-luna-5-varka-return-to-mondstadt The latest big content update has been revealed for HoYoverse's breakout game, Genshin Impact. Version Luna 5, which has the unusually long and needlessly layered title — Song of the Welkin Moon: Variation - Homeward, He Who Caught the Wind — is set to arrive February 25. Read more

Title: You're not crazy, trying to heal in Nioh 3 sometimes doesn't work - and Team Ninja is fixing it Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 11:56:12 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/nioh-3-patch-1-03-01-elixir-healing-bug-crash-fixes Nioh 3 has received a hot new update that brings plenty of bug fixes to very specific issues, but it also implements fixes for a few of the most common - and incredibly annoying - bugs. Patch 1.03.01 arrived earlier on all platforms, and it comes with a chunky set of notes. Read more

Title: Watch the Battlefield 6 Season 2 gameplay reveal here Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2026 11:34:14 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/battlefield-6-season-2-reveal-watch-times After a one-month delay, we’re finally days away now from the start of Battlefield 6’s Season 2 of live service. The second season is being revealed today, following weeks of teasers, and some Battlefield Labs testing of the first new map arriving with the new season. Read more

Title: Diablo 4’s next class is the Warlock, but you can sort of play it today in Diablo 2: Resurrected’s new DLC Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:10:04 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/diablo-4-warlock-reveal-diablo-2-anniversary-spotlight Diablo 4’s segment in the big Diablo 30th Anniversary Spotlight was among the biggest, even if the reason most of us tuned in was somewhat spoiled earlier in the same livestream. Blizzard unveiled the Warlock, the second of two classes coming to the game with the upcoming Lord of Hatred expansion. Read more

Title: Battlefield 6's next season will speed up battle pass progression, and make it so Redsec players who don't own the game can actually make progress Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:04:13 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/battlefield-6-season-2-major-goals-gameplay-changes Ahead of the start of Battlefield 6’s Season 2 next week, Battlefield Studios has shared some insight into a few of the major goals the developer has with the Season 2 patch. The game’s second season was delayed in mid-January, and the developer even brought back Battlefield Labs to test out some of the new content and features coming with the new season. Read more

Title: Arc Raiders Dev Explains Why It Takes So Long To Ban Cheaters Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:16:00 -0800 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/arc-raider-dev-explains-why-it-takes-so-long-to-ban-cheaters/1100-6538240/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Earlier this month, a duplication glitch in Arc Raiders left the door open for cheaters to run wild and duplicate almost any item in the game. Now that the glitch has been patched out, developer Embark Studios has explained why it didn't immediately act and what the consequences will be for the players who exploited the glitch. On the official Arc Raiders page, Embark noted that it took the time to validate what was happening before acting "with fairness and accuracy." The developer also wanted to confirm the scope of the exploit, while also separating players who accidentally used it from the ones who intentionally abused the glitch."We want to act once, with intention, and with confidence that we're doing the right thing," wrote Embark. "This is the first time we've handled an incident of this nature at such scale in Arc Raiders. Rather than rushing, we chose to take the time needed to fully understand the situation and make sure our response was consistent with our values and expectations."Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: A Dead By Daylight Anime Is Reportedly On The Way Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:13:00 -0800 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/a-dead-by-daylight-anime-is-reportedly-on-the-way/1100-6538239/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f Ten years after it debuted, Dead by Daylight may be evolving beyond the video game realm. The live-action film recently took a major step forward, and now a new report indicates that Behaviour Interactive is planning to develop a Dead by Daylight anime.According to Dread Central, Behaviour has partnered with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster for the potential Dead by Daylight animated series and the search is already underway for writers to work on it. Behaviour signed up with Blumhouse and Atomic Monster for the live-action film in 2023, and presumably the animated series will be an expansion of that relationship.No story details have been shared about the Dead by Daylight anime, but it's likely to explore the core mythology behind The Entity, an otherworldly evil that demands sacrifices from various killers. The game casts players as four survivors who have to evade a killer before all four are sacrificed.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: Crisol: Theater of Idols Review - Drained Dry Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 05:00:00 -0800 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/crisol-theater-of-idols-review-drained-dry/1900-6418462/?ftag=CAD-01-10abi2f The best thing Crisol: Theater of Idols has going for it is the world it is set in. The game clearly takes many cues from the likes of Resident Evil and BioShock in terms of cultivating a sense of mystique and atmosphere in its opening hour, with tension-building sound design, closed-off environments, and unnerving enemies that are visually human-like but move in an unnatural manner. Unlike those games, however, Crisol begins to lose its edge when the enemies become too numerous and easy to defeat, undermining the sense of danger that first built up its setting and undercutting the game's best mechanic. The first-person shooter gameplay grows increasingly dull as the layouts of different arenas become repetitive, keeping combat from evolving in exciting ways. And while the narrative framework of Crisol is interesting and immediately draws you in, the actual story is held back by another drag: its protagonist.In Crisol: Theater of Idols, you play as Gabriel, a soldier of the god of the sun who has infiltrated the perpetually stormy island settlement of Tormentosa, a locale that is part of Hispania, a nightmarish version of Spain. Gabriel is waging war against the sea god for his master and receives his mission instructions through visions that the sun god sends him. He must make his way across the island, working alongside the remnants of a human resistance that is struggling to survive against statues that have been given some form of sentience and now move with murderous purpose. Throughout it all, he is dragged further and further into the history and politics of the ongoing war between the two deities.The best part of Crisol is its blood-for-bullets mechanic. There is no ammo in Crisol--instead, you refill each firearm by injecting Gabriel's blood into them. This, obviously, hurts. As a result, Gabriel's health and firearm ammo both pull from the same resource bar. This is not too much of an issue on the easiest difficulty, but on the harder ones, this blood-for-bullets mechanic makes for an interesting risk-versus-reward gameplay loop. You have to carefully manage how much you reload your firearms.Continue Reading at GameSpot

Title: The Best Steam Deck Games To Play In 2026 Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:27:00 -0800 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-best-steam-deck-games-to-play-right-now/2900-4083/ These are the very best Steam Deck games. The Steam Deck has become a staple of PC gaming as the go-to portable solution for many PC players, and its popularity has seemingly inspired more portable PC manufacturers to join the market. Now you can enjoy a wide range of games, from the latest AAA releases to intriguing indie games, all in a convenient portable device.You can read our Steam Deck review to see what we thought of it, but more than likely, you're ready to dive in for yourself. As soon as you boot it up, you'll find your Steam library is intact, which is exciting, but not all games are created equal when it comes to playing them via Steam Deck.We've rounded up a few dozen of the best games to play on Steam Deck, including major AAA hits, under-the-radar indies, and everything in between. In most cases, these games have already been declared as "Deck Verified" by Valve, meaning it's fully supported without any caveats. Plus aside from just technical verification, some games just feel great in portable form, so we've taken that quality into account as well. And while the Steam Deck is great for PC tinkerers, for the purposes of this list we've stuck with games that run natively through the Steam interface without any special hoop-jumping. These are our best of the best recommendations for Steam Deck, and we regularly reevaluate and update. That means even now in 2024, you can reference this as a resource for finding great games.If you do want to expand your horizons, though, you can also install Epic Games Store on Steam Deck to broaden your library even more. In most cases in our experience, these games work just as they would on your home PC, which is great when you consider how often Epic hands out free games on its platform. If you want to get the most out of your new toy, check out our list of the best Steam Deck accessories. As the list of Steam Deck-compatible games grows, so too will this list here. Keep checking back for recommendations on the best games to play on Steam Deck. Arcade ParadiseArcade Paradise starts out unassuming enough, as you go through the tedious work of managing an old laundromat. Soon you discover a few arcade machines sitting in storage in the back room and decide to open them up to the public. As you start to develop your business, you build up more and more cabinets, converting more of the laundromat to a burgeoning arcade business. While you need to manage your business, you can also play all of your own arcade machines to your heart's content. In effect, this makes Arcade Paradise a great minigame collection, letting you dabble in tons of different retro-styled games. And those play habits feed into the business management mechanics as well, as your performance in the arcade machines increases their popularity and profitability. The Steam Deck is a perfect fit, as you can while away the hours playing games or just check in for a day of managing your business while you're on the go. See at Fanatical Ball X PitYou're not going to believe this, but Ball x Pit is a game that's all about balls and pits. Playing like Arkanoid with a roguelike spin, Ball x Pit combines deeply engaging--yet captivatingly simple--gameplay with "just one more turn" energy that makes it hard to put down. Beneath the deceptively simple facade lies a layered game of nuanced strategy, as you juggle a roster of characters with pros and cons, roguelike buildcrafting, and exploiting enemy weaknesses with correctly angled attacks to triumph. It's a simple concept perfectly executed, and it's the kind of game that'll make you run out the battery on your Steam Deck as you play into the late hours of the night.Read our Ball x Pit review. See on Steam Blade ChimeraThis metroidvania follows closely in the footsteps of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night while forging an identity all its own. The beautiful pixel art and tightly designed combat make it a joy to explore its sci-fi/fantasy dystopian setting, where the world has been ravaged by wild demons. You play as Shin, a high-ranking commander in a paramilitary cult that hunts down demons, whose life gets complicated when a demon bonds with him. It's a delightful surprise and a great harkening back to classic metroidvania design. See on Steam Blue PrinceThe less you know about Blue Prince the better. The puzzle adventure game is one of this year's best-reviewed games, as you explore and learn about a unique shape-shifting manor house that reconstitutes itself every day. You determine the layout of the rooms as you explore and carve a path through the house every day, and slowly learn the ways the rooms and systems interlock with each other. It's a game that will keep your brain churning even when you turn it off, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck so you can put it to sleep mid-run and pick up rightRead our Blue Prince review. See on Steam CauldronCauldron cooks with a lot of genre-ingredients, but the end result is a tasty blend of ideas. With its collection of minigames, turn-based combat, and skill-trees that you can spend an obscene amount of time exploring, Cauldron has plenty of "just one more turn" energy that makes it hard to put down and perfect for some bedtime gaming. CelesteCeleste is a challenging platformer with an emotional story to tell. It follows Madeline as she navigates her anxiety and depression--and it’s a story that’s arguably even more poignant today than it was in 2018. The narrative is best experienced without any spoilers, and it’s a journey that’s propelled to incredible heights thanks to its minimalistic graphics and a fluid movement system that works perfectly on Steam Deck. It only takes about eight hours to finish the journey, but completionists can stick around much longer if they want to uncover everything Celeste has to offer. It's a beautiful game that all platforming enthusiasts should play. See on Steam Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3A match-3 puzzle game with a metroidvania influence and a novel twist--which revolves around a psychic clone attempting to take over your mind and turn you into a cannibal--Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion 3 is absurd, weird, and hilarious. It's a sequel to a game that doesn't exist, a fast-paced puzzle adventure that's also an honest tale about sequels, game development, and reality falling apart on itself. Made by the developers behind Clickolding, I Am Your Beast, and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, it offers an exciting mash-up of genres and a great soundtrack full of polka music. See on Steam Cult of the LambPart dungeon crawler, part simulator, Cult of the Lamb enlists you as the leader of a tribe of cultists as you try to gain the favor of a mystical being that saved you from death. Combat is fast and fluid, with levels randomly generated for replayability. There are also tons of ways to enhance your skills, giving you plenty of reasons to dive back in for another quest. When you’re not swinging swords or slinging spells, you’ll need to manage your cult in typical sim-game fashion. That means feeding your members, giving them jobs… and picking up their poop. See on Steam CupheadDon’t let its colorful, cartoon graphics fool you--Cuphead is a brutally difficult game. You play as the eponymous Cuphead as he battles a series of increasingly difficult enemies on his journey toward the Devil. Battles play out from a 2D perspective and take place in a single room, although each boss always manages to bring something new to the table. Beyond its striking graphics, Cuphead features some of the smoothest combat mechanics on this list, making it a blast to face off against each new villain (even if they destroy you just a few seconds later). Toss in a variety of unlockable weapons and abilities, multiple playable characters, and the stellar Delicious Last Course expansion, and it’s easy to see why Cuphead remains so popular more than five years after its release. It feels right at home on Steam Deck and is a must-play for anyone who likes challenging action games. See at Fanatical Dave the DiverOn the surface, Dave the Diver is a cute adventure sim game in which you go spear fishing during the day and then bring your catches in at night to serve as the menu for a burgeoning sushi restaurant. But like the Big Blue Hole that you're diving into, there's unexpected depth here. Dave the Diver ends up being a wild hodge-podge of tons of different genre influences, incorporating lots of different activities as it tells its lengthy story. Still, the loop of catching fish, serving sushi, and using your profits to upgrade your gear is so easy and compelling it's a perfect fit for the Deck. The lovable Dave is a fun, rotund hero, and the game is also home to some of the biggest and best pixel cutscenes we've ever seen. See on Steam Diablo 4Diablo might have started life as a good ol' PC game that required copious amounts of clicks from your mouse hand, but these days, it works just as well with a controller layout. Now that the game is available natively through the Steam storefront--as opposed to needing to jump through a few hoops to get Battle.net working on the handheld--it's easier than ever to install it and have a go at taking on the burning hordes of hell.Blizzard's work in fine-tuning the game to feel natural to play with face buttons and analogue sticks makes for a fun, tactile experience, and it runs surprisingly well on the Valve hardware. With a new expansion on the way, now is a great time to enjoy Diablo while you're on the move.Read our Diablo 4 review. See on Steam Disco ElysiumDisco Elysium is so text-heavy that it can feel like you're actually holding a Kindle when playing it on a Steam Deck, but for fans of deep RPG experiences, it's exactly what you're probably looking for. The latitude for true role-playing is vast and the story goes places that are both smart and unpredictable. The painterly art style also looks great in handheld mode and may have fellow train passengers looking over to see what it is you're doing, which admittedly is a little awkward when you start the game hungover in your underpants. See on Steam DispatchJust when you think you've seen every superhero story there is, along comes a game like Dispatch to put a fresh spin on the genre. It's interactive fiction that harkens back to the glory days of Telltale Games, but Dispatch gives players just enough agency to move the story forward while crafting a gripping tale that anchors the entire experience. The fact that it also looks like a Saturday morning cartoon--but isn't afraid to knock a few teeth loose or shed some blood--gives it a nostalgic appeal to anyone who grew up watching Batman and X-Men on their CRT TV, and it made a strong case for how an episodic release schedule can work wonders for this kind of game.Read our Dispatch review. See on Steam DredgeA video game with a side of Eldritch horror, Dredge has you fishing the shores of Greater Marrow to reel in big catches, upgrade your boat, buy better supplies, and deal with panicked hallucinations. You know, normal fishing stuff! As the story unfolds you discover more about the horrific sea monsters that lurk below the surface, giving the whole thing a touch of lightly creeping spookiness. See at Fanatical Elden Ring: Shadow of the ErdtreeOur favorite game of 2022 recently got even better with the release of a massive expansion. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree gives Tarnished a new set of tough-as-nails combat obstacles to overcome in an entirely new area, with a smart balancing system that recreates the feeling of progression without doing away with all your hard work in the main campaign. And it expands on the rich and layered Elden Ring lore in new and surprising ways. Best of all it works great on Steam Deck, so you can take The Lands Between with you wherever you go. See at Fanatical Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals TimeProving that opposites do attract, Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time is a cozy combination of grand adventure and wholesome life-sim games. Leaning into the best elements of both genres, the game expertly mixes the appeal of the daily level-up grind with building a community around you. There are 14 jobs (aka "Lives") to master and they feed into each other, so there's lots to keep you busy. See on Steam Final Fantasy Pixel RemastersThe classic Final Fantasy series has gotten lovingly restored with the Pixel Remaster, and these classic RPGs feel readymade for portable. Thanks to mods, Steam Deck the best place to play. Not only can you grind levels while binge-watching a show, but it looks and plays great, and you can even install mods to (for example) fix the font. If you can only get one, Final Fantasy 6 is an absolute masterpiece. See on Steam Fields of MistriaSteam is awash with cozy little farm sims inspired by Stardew Valley, and it takes something novel or well-executed to stand out from the crowd. Fields of Mistria is a bit of both. It boasts very familiar Stardew mechanics, but it speeds up the pace a good bit, making it much faster for Stardew veterans. It also sets itself apart with a magical anime-inspired setting and an array of magical powers to warn that will help you delve into dungeons, grow crops, and more. While it's only in early access so far, it's already a great way to relax and farm on Steam Deck. See on Steam Hades 2Just like the original Hades, Supergiant's anticipated follow-up is already a highly polished nail-biting action game on Steam Deck, even in early access. As Zagreus' sister, Melinoe, you cut your way through the underworld in a quest to defeat the Titan Chronos, the mythical figure behind the concept of time. While the trappings are familiar, Melinoe has a feel all her own, and new weapons and abilities make this feel noticeably different than its predecessor. If you'd rather have a game that's fully baked, the original Hades is still available and great on Deck as well. See on Steam Hitman: World of AssassinationHitman 3, now rebranded as the World of Assassination with all of the content from the trilogy in tow, is the culmination of a half-decade of hard work from IO Interactive. But also, on Steam Deck, it's a diverse world tour of portable murder playgrounds, and that's pretty neat too. If you happen to have access to the earlier games in the Hitman reboot series, this third game houses every level, weapon, and ridiculous costume into one central hub, giving Hitman fans the totality of the franchise's best entries all in the palms of their hands. Plus the addition of the roguelike Freelancer mode gives the entire World of Assassination trilogy a new lease on life. See on Steam Into The BreachInto the Breach is one of the best-designed games in recent memory, and it's perfectly at home on Deck, thanks to its turn-based nature and bite-sized missions. As the previous Switch release demonstrated, the controls work perfectly well with a gamepad, and the screen here is well up to the task of displaying all of the information you need. Performance is great (it's not terribly demanding from a hardware perspective), and it's a terrific game that you can sink hours into at a time or occasionally glance at while watching something on TV. See on Steam Is This Seat Taken?Who would have thought that a video game about organizing seating arrangements could be this engrossing? Is This Seat Taken manages to put an engaging spin on what should be the most mundane task ever, as this cunning collection of logic puzzles is consistently satisfying to play. It also looks adorable in action, and it's the perfect type of game for commuter stretches or a chill-out session on the couch. Lorelei and the Laser EyesThe mind-bending puzzle game Lorelei and the Laser Eyes will stick with you even while you aren't playing, so why not take it wherever you go? The game's many mysteries and secrets unfold with meticulous, interlocking detail, to the point where the game opens by encouraging you to keep a notebook in real life to help keep it all straight. The puzzles are challenging and rewarding, and will keep tickling your brain even when you put it down. But you won't want to. See on Steam Marvel Cosmic InvasionThere's an uncomplicated charm to games from yesteryear, and that's something that Marvel Cosmic Invasion embodies within its '90s-influenced arcade action. A love-letter to the Marvel Comics before the MCU radically changed the status quo of that universe, Marvel Cosmic Invasion is a time capsule of old-school action bolstered by an all-star roster of classic characters. To its credit, Marvel Cosmic Invasion puts a new twist on the superhero side-scrollers of old with its gameplay, encouraging players to engage in titanic team-ups and experiment with modifiers to make each run feel unique.Read our Marvel Cosmic Invasion review. See on Steam Metaphor: ReFantazioPersona series director Katsura Hashino has returned with his first new game since 2016, and it's a fantastic one. Metaphor: ReFantazio is similar structurally to the Persona series, but it features a new original storyline set in a fantasy world, and a wide array of characters to find and classes to unlock. The turn-based RPG combat unfolds beautifully into deep layers of strategy, and the story is an affecting meditation on the power of storytelling. It runs decently well on Steam Deck, letting you dungeon-crawl while on the go or watching TV. Metaphor: ReFantazio is one of the few games in our history to earn a 10/10 review.Read our Metaphor: ReFantazio review. See at Steam Minishoot' AdventuresOne of our favorite surprises of 2024, Minishoot Adventures blends retro Zelda-like exploration and adventuring with bullet hell shoot-em-up combat and movement mechanics. The combination may seem strange, right up until the moment you try it for yourself and find that it all gels together beautifully. Discovering the world and finding hidden secrets while also upgrading your arsenal to take on increasingly difficult swarms of enemies means there's always something interesting to see and do, whether you're exploring a tricky dungeon or just taking on a giant boss roaming the landscape. And if you miss playing Zelda games on handhelds like Game Boy, this is a perfect fit for the Steam Deck, letting you adventure on the go and soak in its colorful world. See on Steam Monster Hunter RiseMonster Hunter Rise is another Switch game that eventually found a home on PC, making it well-suited for Steam Deck. The latest game in the franchise does quite a bit to move the series forward, with the Wirebug adding a new verticality to its maps and Rampage quests offering a chaotic break from your usual hunts. Beyond those changes, everything else that made Monster Hunter so popular is here in spades. Whether you enjoy heading out on hunts with a group of friends, meticulously crafting every piece of gear, or trying to slay beasts solo, Monster Hunter Rise is bound to impress. See at Fanatical Monster Train 22020's Monster Train was one of the biggest games in the roguelike deckbuilder space, and in 2025, its sequel can easily be responsible for consuming far too much of your free time. While it's structurally similar to the first game, Monster Train 2 sharpens the experience with several new ideas and expands on the core concepts to create a devilishly fun sequel. Ninja Gaiden: RageboundNinja Gaiden fans are eating well right now, as between satisfying remasters and a promising sequel, there's been the delicious in-between meal of Ninja Gaiden Ragebound. Blasphemous developer The Game Kitchen has brought its A-game to this retro-inspired romp, as it combines a nostalgic art direction with engrossing combat and challenging levels that'll keep you on your ninja-toes.Read our Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound review. Octopath Traveler 2Most of the JRPG homages are riffing on classics from Square Enix, so it only makes sense that Square would make one of the best ones itself. Octopath Traveler 2 is the sequel to its experimental first game featuring eight heroes with their own backstories, and that core idea is still intact here. But OT2 is a vast improvement in every way. The repetitive process of gathering all eight party members has been streamlined, and the roles and abilities are more differentiated. Characters also now have differing daytime and nighttime skills, as well as Latent Abilities to use in combat. It may be a little slow to get started, but when all the mechanics and systems come together, it sings. See on Steam Ori and the Blind ForestThe Metroidvania genre fits like a glove on Steam Deck, and among those, one of the absolute best is the Ori series. The two games as a duology remain an immaculate and tightly-designed genre standout, arguably the best of the past decade. Taking that on the go is already possible on Switch and even Xbox Cloud Gaming, so you've maybe had opportunities to play it in handheld mode before, but if you missed it until now, the Steam Deck is the best of those handhelds thanks to it not requiring an internet connection like Xbox and its larger, nicer screen than Switch. See at Fanatical Pipistrello and the Cursed Yo-YoYou might dismiss Pipistrello and the Cursed Yo-Yo as just another retro-influenced indie game at first glance, but there's far more to it than just nostalgia and an art direction that pays tribute to the golden era of the Game Boy Advance. The game mixes a surprisingly heartfelt story revolving around dreams, backstabbing mob bosses, and family with an especially sharp critique of capitalism run amok, but it's the gameplay that makes it stand out from the pack. There's no shortage of games that harken back to classic Legend of Zelda and metroidvania titles, but Pipistrello's ingenious use of a simple yoyo to do everythingis the magic sauce here and its constantly fun to learn new tricks on your journey. It also sports an inventive upgrade mechanic, which involves taking out risky loans to suffer a temporary debuff in exchange for a permanent buff. See on Steam Prince of Persia: The Lost CrownThe metroidvania genre is popular for a reason, but it plays especially well on handheld platforms where you can alternate between focusing your attention and idly exploring while catching up with a bake-off. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown is no exception, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck for that reason. While it's not on Steam and therefore takes a little extra setup, it's worth the work.And this is a particularly spectacular metroidvania. The combat is tight and responsive with an emphasis on counters and parries, and it uses an equipment system that lets you cater the action to your own play style. Exploration is vast and varied, thanks to a compelling world and white-knuckle platforming challenges. Every part of it harmonizes with the others, creating one of the best metroidvanias in recent years. Promise Mascot AgencyA contender for one of the weirdest games of the year--disgraced yakuza exiled to a rural town manages the careers of strange monsters that resemble Japanese mascots--Promise Mascot Agency also has great "just a few more minutes" energy thanks to its collect-a-thon design. There's something consistently satisfying about chasing down elusive collectibles, and when you're in bed and on the hunt, that makes for a stimulating experience instead of doom-scrolling on your phone. See on Steam Sea of ThievesWhile you do need an internet connection to play Sea of Thieves, it's still worthwhile to play when you aren't out and about. Past iterations of Rare's pirate sandbox have been less short session-friendly, but the team has taken strides to improve the game in that area, offering short and sweet daily challenges for all players and introducing new Sea Forts, which are meant to be challenged and won in as little as 15-20 minutes including the time it takes to sell all your loot. Sea of Thieves, like God of War listed earlier in this feature, is the kind of game that you once could only dream about playing on a handheld. But today the future has arrived by boat. See on Steam Shin Megami Tensei V: VengeanceShin Megami Tensei V has come to PC, and it's a great fit on Steam Deck--which makes sense for an RPG that originated on the handheld-hybrid Nintendo Switch. The enhanced port, Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance, adds loads of new story content and surprises for returning veterans, enhancing your relationships with human and demon characters, along with better navigation tools to find your way around. SMTV was already a deep and engrossing RPG, and it shines on Steam Deck. See on Steam Shotgun Cop ManDeveloped by the studio behind My Friend Pedro, Shotgun Cop Man is delightfully weird and wastes no time at all getting you up to speed on your mission: taking down Satan himself. It's time to give the devil his legal due, and while the prince of darkness is pretty fleet-footed, he's no match for a man driven by the momentum of his own weapons--and hatred for all things demonic--in this cheeky little precision-platformer. Skin DeepEssentially Die Hard meets Home Alone--but in space--Skin Deep sees you regularly outnumbered, outgunned, andout-clothed by space bandits. Full of sharp humor, gripping stealth sequences, and full of cats to rescue, this immersive-sim is at its best when you're figuring out novel solutions to strange dilemmas.Read our Skin Deep review. Spider-Man RemasteredLike God of War, Spider-Man Remastered is a game that shows just how well Steam Deck can handle a big-budget, AAA experience. Marvel's Spider-Man came out in 2018, but its remastered version helped push the power of the PS5. The PC conversion can run even better with a significantly beefy PC, but the Steam Deck version runs impressively well with the right settings. That means you can pack the great-looking visuals and all the web-swinging action into a portable package. See at Fanatical Stardew ValleyStardew Valley might be the most popular farming game on the planet. Created almost entirely by a single developer (Eric Barone), the amount of content packed into its adorable, pixelated world is staggering. What starts as a simple quest to rebuild your grandpa’s farm quickly turns into something more. You’ll chat with the locals and form relationships, head out on dangerous mining expeditions, and watch as the quaint Pelican Town transforms through the seasons. Its laidback pace makes it a perfect fit for Steam Deck, giving you a chance to stick your hands in the dirt no matter where life takes you. See on Steam SteamWorld Heist 2SteamWorld Heist 2 is only the second game in the SteamWorld series to warrant a numbered sequel, but it earns the distinction. The first SteamWorld Heist game was an inventive little take on the tactical game, with close-corridor combat that rewarded trick shots. SteamWorld Heist 2 retains that core, but builds out from it with a massive world to explore, larger stages, and more systems to manage, including a sophisticated class system. You can mix and match class abilities to create powerful combinations, making the strategy that much more rewarding. See on Steam Tactical Breach WizardsTactical Breach Wizards takes the tropes of a gritty SEAL Team 6-like operator squadron and gives it a hilarious and fantastical twist. Instead of marines, you're a tough band of magic users. The concept grants the ability to merge deep tactical gameplay with magical abilities, like the foresight to see the full outcome of your turns. Combat is like an interlocking puzzle, reminiscent of Into the Breach, while the characters and writing make it feel new and novel. The bite-sized stages are an especially great fit on Steam Deck, where you can breach and clear a single stage or settle in for longer sessions. See on Steam UFO 50An audacious game experiment from a band of developers led by Spelunky's Derek Yu, UFO 50 is not a single game but a collection of 50 games. Presented as the long lost library of 8-bit games made by a developer called UFO Soft, the games range from shoot-em-up to racer to puzzle game and everything in-between. Some games are modernized takes on retro genres, while others are modern genres recontextualized through an 8-bit lens. The package is almost overwhelming in scope, consisting of both a massive collection of games and also serving as a meta-commentary on classic game development. See on Steam Vampire SurvivorsAn early access game you can grab on the cheap, Vampire Survivors is very simple but shockingly fun. The single-stick shooter has you navigate around hordes of enemies while your weapons fire off automatically, building up experience to buy new weapon upgrades. The deceptively simple premise gets increasingly fiendish and chaotic as more enemies join the fray, and your weapon upgrades get ever-more destructive. It's enough to tempt you to play just one more round until you realize, oh whoops, it's 3 AM. See on Steam

Title: 21 Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games To Play Right Now Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 04:17:00 -0800 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 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 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.

Title: Magic’s TMNT crossover is its best Universes Beyond set since Final Fantasy Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/mtg-tmnt-universes-beyond-final-fantasy/ After seeing the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover in action as part of an hour-long video preview, it’s clear that the same philosophy is alive and well in the sewers of New York. The set oozes with love for the Turtles and covers more than 40 years of comics, cartoons, video games, and live-action movies. Rather than picking one version of the Turtles, the team instead worked with Nickelodeon and drew inspiration from across the franchise to develop a unique vision for the set. Throughout, it looks to be full of clever little design choices that might make it the best UB set since Final Fantasy. Here’s a look at all my favorites.

Title: Highguard's funding reportedly came from Tencent Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:46:31 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/highguard-funding-tencent/ It's no secret that Highguard had a seriously rocky launch. What had been a secret — until today — is where the struggling "raid shooter" got its funding. The game's developer and publisher, Wildlight Entertainment, has repeatedly referred to the game as "fully funded," but never disclosed that a majority of that funding came from China's gaming powerhouse Tencent. According to anonymous sources who spoke to GameFile journalist Stephen Totilo, Tencent was the game's biggest financial backer.

Title: Before TMNT license disappears, we're getting the ultimate Turtles retro toy line Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:01:32 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/tmnt-toys-2026-playmates-final-line-toy-fair-preview/ This year, Playmates Toys celebrates its 60th anniversary producing premiere action figures. But when I visit Playmates' booth at the 2026 Toy Fair, I can't help but detect a hint of disappointment in the air too. Recently, the news hit that, after nearly 40 years, Playmates lost the license to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, its signature toyline which began back in 1987, when Playmates financed the first season of the original cartoon series.

Title: Pokémon Go's Battle League quirks are getting fixed in 2026 Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 21:00:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-go-battle-league-gbl-trainer-battles-changes-update/ While many Pokémon fans may think of Pokémon Go as a means to be physically active and explore new places, collecting rare Pokémon along the way, there’s a passionate portion of the player base that’s in it to fight. Since early 2020, Pokémon Go players have been able to battle each other in the Go Battle League, where competitive online Trainer Battles take place.

Title: Dropout is launching a 24/7 marathon channel Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 20:58:17 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/dropout-tv-24-7-channel-dimension-20/ Dropout is entering an era of nostalgia-fueled experimentation. After announcing earlier this month that it would release two seasons of Game Changer on Blu-ray (which quickly sold out), the streaming platform is now doing something (ahem) game-changing: bringing back cable TV.

Title: GeForce NOW Turns Screens Into a Gaming Machine Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:00:58 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-amazon-fire-tv-app/ The GeForce NOW sixth-anniversary festivities roll on this February, continuing a monthlong celebration of NVIDIA’s cloud gaming service. This week brings even more reasons to join the party, as GeForce NOW launches on a new platform with support for Amazon Fire TV devices, and eight new games to keep the streaming going strong. The new app brings GeForce NOW directly to select Amazon Fire TV devices, so members can jump into their PC game libraries on the biggest screen in the house using a compatible controller. The Cloud Turns Up the Heat GeForce NOW continues to expand access across devices, supporting multiple platforms with the latest additions of Linux. From PCs and Macs to smartphones, browsers and smart TVs, the cloud delivers high-performance gaming to nearly any screen, on more devices than ever. Members tap into GeForce RTX power on the screens they already own, extending the value of their membership without extra hardware or complexity. That reach expands again with the launch of the GeForce NOW app on Amazon Fire TV. GeForce NOW is powering up the living room with the launch of the GeForce NOW app on Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks, leveling up big-screen gaming with PC-quality performance. GeForce RTX performance on Amazon Fire TV. The GeForce NOW app on Fire TV is available now with initial support for the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus (2nd Gen) with Fire OS 8.1.6.0 and later and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd Gen)with Fire OS 8.1.6.0 and later, and Fire TV Stick 4K Max (1st Gen) with Fire OS 7.7.1.1 and later, streaming at up to 1080p60 with standard-dynamic-range graphics using H.264 video encoding and stereo audio. Fire TV owners now have an even more powerful way to play on the big screen. Connect a controller, open the app and stream favorite titles instantly with RTX power behind every pixel — no console required. Cloud gaming has never felt more at home. Stories From the Ninth World Words hit harder than weapons. Torment: Tides of Numenera, inXile Entertainment’s story-focused role-playing game, puts emphasis on choices, characters and dialogue, mixing science fiction and fantasy into a strange, colorful world where every conversation and decision matters. The adventure takes place in the “Ninth World,” a far-future version of Earth built on the ruins of incredibly advanced civilizations. Step into the role of the Last Castoff, a person connected to a powerful, mysterious figure, and get pulled into a mystery that asks one big question: What does a single life truly mean? Expect memorable companions, tough moral choices and plenty of odd, fascinating situations rather than a typical hero-saves-the-world story. On GeForce NOW, this story-heavy experience is easy to jump into, no high-end rig required. Gaming sessions can pick up right where they left off across supported devices, making it simple for gamers to sink back into the Ninth World whenever the story calls. Pixel-Powered Punch Arcade icons and blue‑bomber brawls light up GeForce NOW this week with a retro‑powered surge from Capcom, featuring Mega Man 11, Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection, Capcom Fighting Collection, and the Capcom Beat ’Em Up Bundle. Members can catch them in the cloud, reliving the glory arcade days and timeless showdowns — now streaming anywhere to members’ devices. Gear up, power up, save the future. Mega Man is back — Mega Man 11 is the latest entry in the iconic series that blends classic, challenging 2D platforming action with a fresh visual style. Hadoukens never age. Celebrate Street Fighter’s historic legacy with the Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection. In this collection of a dozen Street Fighter titles, four groundbreaking titles let gamers play with friends and relive the arcade experience through the online Arcade Mode. Where legends throw down. Capcom Fighting Collection includes 10 of Capcom’s most popular arcade games in one bumper collection, from series such as Street Fighter and Darkstalkers to Cyberbots and the first home console port of Red Earth. It’s the perfect collection for arcade veterans and newcomers alike. Grab a friend and clear the streets. Relive the glory days of cooperative arcade games with the Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle. This comprehensive collection includes seven classic titles, each with various multiplayer options and online capabilities. Time to Play Twisted. Reanimal is a twisted little nightmare that leans into creepy-cute horror with a co-op twist. Guide a scrappy brother-sister duo through a haunting, off-kilter world where every shadow hides something worse, every puzzle feels like a dare and “sticking together” isn’t just smart — it’s survival. In addition, members can look for the following: Disciples: Domination (New release on Steam, Feb. 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) REANIMAL (New release on Steam, Feb. 13, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Kingdom Come: Deliverance (Xbox, available on Game Pass, Feb. 13) Capcom Beat ‘Em Up Bundle (Steam) Capcom Fighting Collection (Steam) Mega Man 11 (Steam) Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection (Steam) Torment: Tides of Numenera (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Our Reddit community is hosting a giveaway! Here's your chance to win: HOTAS Thrustmaster OneAmazon Fire TV SticksG515 KeyboardG522 HeadsetG502X MouseRacing Wheels (G920/G29) How to enter https://t.co/fZ9mKx9p61#6YearsofGFN — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) February 11, 2026

Title: GeForce NOW Celebrates Six Years of Streaming With 24 Games in February Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:00:53 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-feb-2026-games-list/ Break out the cake and green sprinkles — GeForce NOW is turning six. Since launch, members have streamed over 1 billion hours, and the party’s just getting started. Throughout February, members can look forward to new games, fresh ways to play across more devices and even more ways to bring RTX power to every screen in the house. There’s plenty to celebrate: the February games list kicks off with 24 new games. Start with the 10 new games in the cloud this week, including the launch of Team Jade’s Delta Force and the newest title launching in the PUBG universe, PUBG: BLINDSPOT. Reporting for Duty The ultimate extraction. Delta Force, now boots on the ground and fully deployed on GeForce NOW, brings the tactical first‑person shooter from Team Jade (TiMi Studio Group) to the cloud. The game features high-stakes extraction with an all-out warfare mode, giving players a playground of open environments, vehicles and gadgets to pull off coordinated assaults. Players join elite units tasked with tackling high‑risk missions across sprawling maps, from tight urban incursions to rugged open‑terrain operations. Expect strategic objectives, combined‑arms combat with land, air and sea vehicles, and tense firefights where teamwork and planning are just as important as quick reflexes. On GeForce NOW, Delta Force leans into its high‑octane personality: fast drops, big maps and cinematic engagements that look sharp and feel responsive across devices. Members can squad up from almost anywhere, enjoy high‑resolution streaming and smooth performance, and stay ready for every op without waiting on downloads or big updates before jumping into the next mission. New Mission Squad up. PUBG: BLINDSPOT, a new spin-off set in the PUBG universe from Krafton, expands the franchise with a standalone 5v5 top-down tactical shooter. Set across tightly designed maps, matches focus on information, positioning and coordinated team play, with squads clearing angles, locking down objectives and outmaneuvering opponents in fast, round-based firefights. Every callout and ability use matters, turning each round into a layered tactical puzzle rather than a simple test of reflexes. On GeForce NOW, responsive streaming and sharp RTX-powered visuals keep every angle, rotation and clutch play feeling precise, even on lower-powered devices. With support across a wide range of screens, the cloud makes it easy for the gaming squad to jump right into the action, without lengthy downloads or updates getting in the way. Feelin’ February Kick off GeForce NOW’s anniversary month in style. Here’s what’s in store to start the celebration, with this week’s 10 new additions: Indika (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass, Feb. 3) Menace (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Feb. 5, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade Classic Anniversary Edition (New release on Battle.net, Feb. 5) PUBG: BLINDSPOT (New release on Steam, Feb. 5, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Carmageddon: Rogue Shift (New release on Steam, Feb. 6, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Delta Force (Steam) Fallout Shelter (Steam) Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Roadcraft (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Wildgate (Epic Games Store) In addition to this week’s additions of Menace, PUBG: BLINDSPOT and Carmageddon: Rogue Shift, this game will also be GeForce RTX 5080-ready this week: HumanitZ (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the rest of the month: Disciples: Domination (New release on Steam, Feb. 12) REANIMAL (New release on Steam, Feb. 13) Kingdom Come Deliverance (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass Feb. 13) Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass Feb. 17) Norse: Oath of Blood (New release on Steam, Feb. 17) Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown (New release on Steam, Feb. 18) Styx: Blades of Greed (New release on Steam, Feb. 19) Ys X: Proud Nordics (New release on Steam, Feb. 20) Resident Evil: Requiem (New release on Steam, Feb. 26) Arc Raiders (Xbox) DEVOUR (Steam) Torque Drift 2 (Steam) Trine 3: The Artifacts of Power (Epic Games Store) Trine 4: The Nightmare Prince (Epic Games Store) January in the Books In addition to the 14 games announced last month, 21 more joined the GeForce NOW library: Ancient Farm (Steam) The Bard’s Tale Trilogy (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Blood West (Epic Games Store) Bladesong (Steam) Cairn (Steam) The Gold River Project (Steam) Half Sword (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (Steam) The Midnight Walkers (Steam) Paradise Killer (Epic Games Store) Prototype (Ubisoft Connect) Prototype 2 (Ubisoft Connect) Rustler (Epic Games Store) Star Wars Outlaws (Ubisoft Connect, now available on Xbox Game Pass) Styx: Shards of Darkness (Epic Games Store) Styx: Master of Shadows (Epic Games Store) Total War: Three Kingdoms (Epic Games Store) Vampires: Bloodlord Rising (Steam, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Warhammer 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 (Xbox, available on Game Pass, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Waterpark Simulator (Steam) Nova Roma is now set to launch in March and will arrive in the cloud when it debuts. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for more details. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Hopping into this convo. 2016 vs. 2026 For @CandraHastings, it looks like growth – share yours. pic.twitter.com/o9p3oBBQYD — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) February 3, 2026

Title: GeForce NOW Brings GeForce RTX Gaming to Linux PCs Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:00:49 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-linux/ Get ready to game — the native GeForce NOW app for Linux PCs is now available in beta, letting Linux desktops tap directly into GeForce RTX performance from the cloud. Alongside the expansion comes ten new games, including The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut and The Bard’s Tale Trilogy for a leveled-up gaming weekend. And operators can squad up in Team Jade’s Delta Force when it deploys in the cloud on February 3, bringing high-stakes tactical action to nearly any device with no downloads required. Linux Just Got RTX Gaming on Linux just got a major RTX upgrade. Starting with support for Ubuntu 24.04 and later, the new app delivers a seamless native experience that fits right into Linux desktop workflows. It transforms compatible Linux systems into high-performance GeForce RTX-powered rigs, streaming supported PC titles directly from the cloud at up to 5K resolution  and 120 frames per second, or 1080p at 360 fps. This new desktop-focused app goes beyond the earlier Linux experience that was tuned specifically for Steam Decks, which targeted handheld-friendly resolutions and up to 1200p at 90 fps. The beta Linux app is built for PCs and notebooks, offering an experience similar to the existing GeForce NOW app on Windows and macOS. With GeForce NOW, rendering happens in the cloud, so demanding titles run on a wider range of devices. Experience how RTX technologies — including ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS 4 and more — bring games to life with RTX 5080 performance from the cloud. Linux PCs and devices join the GeForce NOW native app family that also supports Windows, macOS, Chromebooks, mobile devices, smart TVs and more — unlocking flexible, on-demand gaming anywhere. Download the app today. For more details, check out all knowledge base articles on the GeForce NOW Linux beta app here. A Tale of the Cloud Adventure calls twice with two legendary journeys from inXile entertainment packed with wit, wonder and a few well-placed lute solos. Sing loud, fight hard and out-charm enemies. Get ready to sing, slash and swindle through the wild world of Caith in The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut. This dungeon-crawling role-playing game serves up clever puzzles, tactical turn-based battles and a hearty helping of bardic humor. Whether belting out battle tunes or charming foes into submission, gamers can enjoy an adventure that’s never sounded this good. Relive the songs and chaos that started it all. Plus, step back to where the saga began with The Bard’s Tale Trilogy. This remastered collection revives the classic, old-school dungeon crawling and tongue-in-cheek charm that started it all — now with smoother gameplay and polished visuals. It’s nostalgia wrapped in pure fantasy fun. Hot off the Cloud One mountain, countless close calls. Cairn is a survival-climbing adventure from The Game Bakers that pushes pro climber Aava up the unforgiving face of Mount Kami, a sheer giant that no one has ever managed to summit. Realistic climbing systems, resource management and route-planning turn each wall into a tense, puzzle-like challenge — blending simulation detail with atmospheric storytelling. In addition, members can look for the following: The Midnight Walkers (New release on Steam, Jan. 28, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Cairn (New release on Steam, Jan. 29, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Prototype (New release on Ubisoft Connect, Jan. 29) Prototype 2 (New release on Ubisoft Connect, Jan. 29) Warhammer 40,000: SPACE MARINE 2 (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass, Jan. 29, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Half Sword (New release on Steam, Jan.30, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Vampires: Bloodlord Rising (New release on Steam, Jan. 30, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) The Bard’s Tale Trilogy (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Total War: Three Kingdoms (Epic Games Store) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Name a food item that gives you… +20 health-2 Dexterity — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) January 28, 2026

Title: Flight Controls Are Cleared for Takeoff on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2026 14:00:53 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-flight-controls/ The wait is over, pilots. Flight control support — one of the most community-requested features for GeForce NOW — is live starting today, following its announcement at CES earlier this month. Virtual captains can now bring dedicated flight gear into the cloud and feel every roll, yaw and throttle change with even more precision, starting with the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One. Time is running out on our T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition + 1 month of @NVIDIAGFN Ultimate giveaway! How to enter 1. Follow both @TMThrustmaster and @NVIDIAGFN accounts on social2. Repost this and share on your feed 5 winners will be chosen – ends 1/24. pic.twitter.com/B89mGwJoNQ — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) January 19, 2026 Remember to enter the giveaway for a chance to score a T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition and one month of a GeForce NOW Ultimate membership — follow Thrustmaster and GeForce NOW, and repost the giveaway post to enter before Saturday, Jan. 24. Also on the horizon, Delta Force from Team Jade (TiMi Studio Group) is coming soon to GeForce NOW, adding another big-name title to the cloud lineup. Get ready for all the action by streaming the four new games in this cloud this week. Pilots Wanted Members can now jump into their favorite flight and space simulation games with a full stick-and-throttle setup streamed right from the cloud. It’s all about dialing in that authentic, hands-on flying experience while keeping latency low and gameplay responsive on GeForce NOW. Full throttle in the cloud. To get right to flying, members can look for a dedicated row in the GeForce NOW app highlighting games that support flight controls, making it simple to spot great titles for putting their new setup through its paces. This initial flight control support rollout is just the beginning, with plans to keep tuning the experience and expand compatibility to more peripherals. Fire up the rig, plug in the Thrustmaster T.Flight HOTAS One and get ready to take off — the cloud cockpit is open and ready for flight. Your Next Mission: ‘Delta Force’ Team Jade’s Delta Force is coming soon to the cloud, ready to drop players into high-stakes extraction with an all-out warfare mode where coordination and precision matter just as much as raw firepower. When it launches on GeForce NOW, members will be able to jump into the action instantly from almost any device, taking advantage of high‑performance streaming to stay locked at smooth frame rates even in the most chaotic firefights. Get ready to squad up, Delta Force is inbound soon. On GeForce NOW, every long‑range shot, helicopter insertion and tense objective push can feel crisp and responsive, whether playing on low‑powered laptops, Macs or mobile devices. The cloud makes it easy to squad up, drop in and get straight to the mission without worrying about downloads, patches or local hardware. New in the Cloud A graceful little robot having the worst day in the universe. MIO: Memories in Orbit is a neon-tinged metroidvania about a nimble little robot waking up on a massive, overgrown ark called the Vessel with nothing but fractured memories and a whole lot of trouble coming its way. Dart through low-gravity corridors, chain together elegant wall-runs, glides and grapples, and tangle with rogue machines as the Vessel itself quietly steals the spotlight — moody, decaying and just alive enough to keep a few secrets. In addition, members can look for the following: MIO: Memories in Orbit (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Jan. 20) Bladesong (New release on Steam, Jan. 22) Rustler (New release on Epic Games Store, free starting Jan. 22) The Gold River Project (New release on Steam, Jan. 23, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. If you could fly to any video game destination, where would it be? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) January 21, 2026

Title: Survive the Quarantine Zone and More With Devolver Digital Games on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:00:35 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-quarantine-zone/ NVIDIA kicked off the year at CES, where the crowd buzzed about the latest gaming announcements — including the native GeForce NOW app for Linux and Amazon Fire TV sticks, community-requested flight-control support and a stacked AAA lineup for the year. Check out what the creators of the YouTube channels Cloud Gaming Battle and Anytime Anywhere Gaming had to say in their latest videos exploring GeForce NOW at CES: Plus, read what the community said about the upcoming native GeForce NOW app on Linux. The energy continues this GFN Thursday with the launch of Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, Devolver Digital’s most haunting and atmospheric release yet. Check it out along with other top Devolver Digital games on GeForce NOW and nine new games in the cloud this week. Here’s your chance to win a T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition + 1 month of @NVIDIAGFN Ultimate. How to enter 1. Follow both @TMThrustmaster and @NVIDIAGFN accounts on social2. Repost this and share on your feed 5 lucky winners will be chosen – good luck! pic.twitter.com/DDxzcGwt8I — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) January 14, 2026 And flight sim fans can soar even higher with a Thrustmaster giveaway, featuring the T.Flight Hotas One MSFS Edition and one month of a GeForce NOW Ultimate membership for free — follow Thrustmaster and GeForce NOW, and repost the giveaway post for a chance to win before Jan. 24. Welcome to the Zone Trust no one, file everything. Quarantine Zone: The Last Check drops into the cloud this week, bringing the eerie isolation and grim decision-making of its Steam debut to any device powered by GeForce NOW. Armed with advanced screening tools and instincts, players are put in charge of a critical checkpoint during a zombie outbreak — where one wrong choice could let the infection slip past the post. Screen survivors, manage scarce resources and hold back the undead. Holding the line is only the beginning — reinforce defenses and keep the camp alive as chaos intensifies with each passing day. Quarantine Zone: The Last Check streams at full GeForce RTX 5080 power for GeForce NOW Ultimate members, bringing razor-sharp visuals and ultrasmooth performance to every tense border crossing. Every document check, difficult decision and late-night shift in the guard booth hits harder with maxed-out settings and buttery frame rates, all without long installs or hardware worries getting in the way of the paranoia. No trip through the Devolver catalog would be complete without revisiting its eclectic, chaotic hits already streaming on GeForce NOW. Check out Cult of the Lamb, Ball x Pit, Hotline Miami, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, Inscryption and Enter the Gungeon — where every dodge roll matters and every chest hides mayhem. Each of these titles showcases Devolver’s knack for daring design and unforgettable worlds — now all one click away through GeForce NOW. Time to Play Sink into the shadows and steal everything that isn’t nailed down. Styx: Shards of Darkness sneaks back in with a signature goblin grin and a dagger never too far from trouble. Published by Focus Home Interactive, this stealth adventure leans into vertical level design, tight shadows and sarcastic commentary from gaming’s most lovable little assassin. Expect big, open environments to pick apart, a toolkit full of invisibility tricks, traps and clones, and plenty of chances to turn a quiet infiltration into chaotic improv when plans go sideways. In addition, members can look for the following: Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (New release on Steam, Jan. 12, GeForce RTX 5080-ready) Star Wars Outlaws (Ubisoft Connect, now available on Xbox Game Pass) The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon (New release on Steam, Jan. 15) Styx: Shards of Darkness (New release on Epic Games Store, free on Jan. 15) Styx: Master of Shadows (New release on Epic Games Store, free on Jan. 15) Guild Wars: Reforged (Steam) Mon Bazou (Steam) Tavern Keeper (Steam) Waterpark Simulator (Steam) For Game Pass titles on Ubisoft Connect, reference this article on how to log in. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: How open world Soulslike deckbuilder Death Howl was built Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:00:00 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/16/how-open-world-soulslike-deckbuilder-death-howl-was-built/ When we first started working on Death Howl, if you had told me we were building an “open world, soulslike deckbuilder,” I would have looked at you with a fair bit of confusion. It sounds like a recipe made out of components that don’t naturally fit together. Yet, as we prepare to bring the journey of Ro to a new audience on PlayStation 5 from February 19, I’ve been reflecting on how this genre blend came to be. The truth is, the “soulslike” tag wasn’t part of the original design document. A foundation of cards and tactics At its core, Death Howl began as a prototype that I made as a school project back in 2015 after playing the unique and brilliant game called Dream Quest. I’ve always been inspired by Magic: The Gathering and the idea of traversing a world to collect materials for crafting power. Our initial goal was to create an alternative to the traditional roguelite deckbuilder – something that traded linear, “always-start-from-beginning” runs for a free-roaming open world. We also looked at the character skill building where cards replaced traditional weapons and spells, with all combat taking place on a grid. Play Video The accidental Soulslike In general, we never intended to blend so many genres. At its core, Death Howl is an open world deckbuilder. But to achieve that vision, many different designs had to merge. We combined tactical, grid-based combat with deck building. We merged open world exploration with turn-based battles. And as the design evolved, other genre elements emerged organically – including soulslike mechanics. Honestly, I wasn’t even especially familiar with soulslike games when we started. It was something that came about from testers telling us it felt like one. Some elements were already in place. “Sacred Groves” – checkpoint locations much like the bonfires you might know from other games-allow you to heal, but they also respawn all enemies. We had designed these early on. But testers pointed to other traces of the genre in our game. They felt Death Howl earned the soulslike label because of how it rewards pattern recognition. You need to observe enemy behaviors – learning to avoid the frontal charge of a boar, for instance – and embrace the punishing but fair loop of death and adaptation. We made one key adjustment to fit our card-based structure. Instead of sending players back to the last checkpoint, dying in Death Howl returns you to the moment just before the encounter you lost. When Ro dies, she drops “Death Howls” – the currency earned from defeating enemies, used to craft new cards and upgrade abilities. These can be retrieved after respawning, much like souls in other games. This mechanic was perhaps the biggest direct inspiration we took from the genre once we became more familiar with it. The rest emerged more indirectly. But embracing the soulslike direction as an overall concept helped us add even more layers to the experience. For me, it’s still an open world deckbuilder. For others, it’s a soulslike card battler. Both are true. Balancing the dark and the ethereal Genre-blending is one part of Death Howl’s identity. The other is its mood. The world of Death Howl is a spirit realm born from grief, distant memories, and the unknown. To capture that otherworldly feeling, we leaned into a “linocut” or woodcut art style-inspired by heavy metal t-shirts and old-school Scandinavian illustrations – all rendered in minimalistic pixel art. This visual approach mirrors the gameplay in a way. Just as shapes emerge from deep shadows in our art, players must piece together the narrative of Ro’s quest to reunite with her son. The pixel art forces the viewer to imagine the details left in the darkness, creating space for their own interpretation. A journey to PlayStation Building Death Howl taught us that creating something unique often means combining elements that don’t obviously fit together. The result is a game that balances the calm of exploration with the intensity of turn-based combat, all wrapped in a story of resilience and loss. As we bring this experience to PlayStation 5 on February 19, we’re incredibly excited for a new community to step into our Spirit World and discover its secrets. Whether you’re a deckbuilding veteran or a soulslike fan looking for a tactical twist, we hope you’ll find something here that resonates. Death Howl is more than the sum of its genres-it’s a reflection of the creative journey that shaped it.

Title: God of War Sons of Sparta – Mega Cat Studios discuss origins of Kratos and company’s name Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 14:04:11 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/16/god-of-war-sons-of-sparta-mega-cat-studios-discuss-origins-of-kratos-and-companys-name/ When Mega Cat Studios sat down to dream big, one name sat at the very top of their wishlist: God of War. Years later, that long-shot ambition has become God of War Sons of Sparta, a newly released prequel developed in collaboration with Santa Monica Studio (SMS). Set at the earliest point in the series timeline, the game casts players as a young, devout Kratos before he knows his true nature as a demi-god, weaving a story about brotherhood and the meaning of being Spartan. Sons of Sparta pairs retro action-adventure design with an emotional God of War story. Mega Cat Studios Founder and CEO James Deighan and Game Director Zack Manko also discuss the origins of the game’s title and the name of the studio. For the full conversation listen to the latest Official PlayStation Podcast episode. Play Video PlayStation Blog: What can you share about the origins of this collaboration with Santa Monica Studio? James Deighan: So one of the things we’ve always done at Mega Cat are these leadership retreats where we talk about what we want to do… what we want to be known for… what inspired us to join the games industry. And one of the things that we’ve maintained, kind of ceremonially, is this “wishlist” of franchises we wish we could collaborate on. And we’ve had God of War listed as number one since the very beginning. And part of that wishlist is also the probability of us being able to do that, which we’ve always had listed very low. And as we continued to grow and make bigger, better games, and got a lot more confidence we started taking bigger swings, and eventually we just made a pitch and reached out and got really lucky that somebody read it, and they were open to having a conversation about what our idea was for a prequel and some kind of pixel art treatment extension of the franchise that we all adore. …so it really is just on multiple layers, a dream come true, working with such a talented team [at Santa Monica Studio], with a franchise we adore. How is Kratos’ relationship with the Greek gods at this point in his life? Zack Manko: This is Kratos as a boy. So it’s pre-god powers. He doesn’t even know he’s a god. But that also means he has a very different relationship with the gods. He’s very devout. He has this faith that he leans on and turns to when things look darkest. And in Sons of Sparta, you see how that pays off. You get Gifts of Olympus, these artifacts blessed by the gods, that allow you to do all these crazy puzzles, exploration, and combat. Ultimately, seeing Kratos as this devout, faith-filled figure, and knowing what comes later with his relationship with the gods…adds a new dimension as well. What went into the decision to set the game at the earliest point in the series’ timeline? Manko: I think there are two reasons, really. First, like you said, it’s a prequel. Our initial pitch was, you know, imagine what God of War would have looked like on [the original PlayStation], you know, what a God of War zero, if you will, would look like. So I think with that in mind the narrative team at SMS thought this time period you know, Kratos as a boy, his formative years, would be interesting to explore, because the events here and what he goes through and what he experiences, it really adds a texture to his character that kind of you can see throughout the rest of the saga. It certainly adds a new lens onto him [when looking back at the Greek games]. Early on, we did think about maybe [making the story] a little bit closer to the events of the Greek saga games that fans are familiar with. But again, I think the writers at SMS thought this is what we need to go to, because seeing Kratos as a boy here resonates throughout the rest of the series, not only with the Greek games, but also, you know, the Norse saga, where you see Kratos as a father with Atreus, and how the events in Sons of Sparta may influence that. And the same sort of, same sort of context, the influences on Kratos as a boy, how that lines up with Kratos’ parenting style in the Norse saga. These formative years of Kratos, this character, seeing all these things that happen and these influences on him. It just adds so much to this character that fans are familiar with throughout the rest of the games. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Meet Mega Cat, the feline the God of War: Sons of Sparta studio is named after. What can you tell us about the origins of the game’s title and name of the studio itself? Manko: James wanted to name it something Greek yogurt themed, you know, high protein, fitting for Kratos [laughs]. But, um, no, in all seriousness, God of War Sons of Sparta was chosen because it just encapsulates the main themes in the game so well. You know, Kratos and Deimos are the sons of Sparta, and they’re discovering what that means. What it means to be a Spartan, what are the demands there, what’s the cost? Deighan: [Regarding the studio name Mega Cat Studios] we had a beloved cat that I had as a pet that passed. One of our [team members’ now-wife] volunteers at a local animal shelter here, and she was serving a few bottle babies. [Bottle babies] are whenever the shelters are completely overburdened with animals, the trained [certified] volunteers can take [cats] home and help raise them. I was dealing with some pet-loss heartbreak, as you do, and [the shelter had] this one, really aggressive runt in the litter that we ended up taking home and bottle feeding and spending some time with. That was Mega Cat.  So when we first came up with a list of many ideas and names for the company, we included [“Mega Cat”] on the list and started voting and sharing it around with our friends, family, and colleagues. And there was this really overwhelmingly positive response [to the name]… which kind of rolls off the tongue. Early years, it really worked to our advantage, because people confused us with Mad Catz [laughs]. We had all these names that we really went deep on, and we added a Mega Cat at the end of the list. Even our UPS driver was like, “that one’s awesome, man.” God of War Sons of Sparta is available now on PS5.

Title: God of War Sons of Sparta: What you need to know Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 20:51:53 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/13/god-of-war-sons-of-sparta-what-you-need-to-know/ God of War Sons of Sparta is a brand-new entry to the series available now for the PlayStation 5!  Developed by our partners at Mega Cat Studios, Sons of Sparta takes God of War staples and translates them like never before into a retro-inspired 2D action platformer. Looking to learn more before embarking on a journey back to ancient Greece this weekend? Here’s what you need to know about God of War Sons of Sparta!  Duty, honor & brotherhood Sons of Sparta is a canon story that takes place in Kratos’ youth from the writing team that brought you God of War (2018), God of War Ragnarök, and God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla.  Set during the brutal training period Spartan cadets undergo at the Agoge – Kratos, alongside his brother Deimos, must traverse far beyond the home they know into the beautiful yet dangerous region of Laconia that surrounds the familiar walls of Sparta.  Kratos and Deimos must overcome threats that will put all their training to the test while challenging them to confront the true meaning of duty, honor, and brotherhood.   Play Video Heartfelt performances  Sons of Sparta features a fantastic vocal cast whose performances bring the depth and emotion fans expect from God of War games.  We’re thrilled to have two actors who have both portrayed Kratos in the Greek saga reprise their roles for this game. TC Carson returns as the adult version of Kratos who serves as our story’s narrator, while Antony Del Rio portrays the younger version of Kratos, which he also did in God of War: Ghost of Sparta back in 2010!  We’re also excited to have newcomers join the series, including Scott Menville, as the voice of our young Deimos.  Play Video God of War combat in 2D  Sons of Sparta brings God of War’s kinetic combat to a brand-new genre. Customize your weapons, learn new skills, and harness powerful divine artifacts using the Gifts of Olympus to end your foes with brutal finishers.  Play Video A Spartan’s first weapons Kratos’ spear and shield can each be enhanced and adapted using different attachments. Each attachment comes with its own upgrade path, so you can tailor your build to empower whichever playstyle you enjoy.   Kratos also has access to three primary skill trees where he can learn new abilities to improve his offensive, defensive, and movement kits.  Gifts of Olympus  Throughout his adventures in Laconia, Kratos will acquire Gifts of Olympus, divine artifacts that can turn the tide in combat through their special and super attacks. Some of the Gifts excel in ranged combat – striking with precision from afar or launching an exploding projectile to hit multiple creatures. Others come with their own devastating melee combo to supplement Kratos’ spear attacks.  Myths and legends Sons of Sparta features the return of many iconic creatures from the Greek saga, including hulking minotaurs, nimble satyrs, and undead legionnaires. We worked closely with the team at Mega Cat Studios to faithfully translate the original animations to their 2D representations in-game.  On top of the classics, MCS has also brought in many new creatures from Greek mythology didn’t have the chance to explore in the originals. Explore Laconia  Stunning high-definition pixel art environments will take you on a journey through a variety of locations that bring Kratos’ homeland to life with incredible detail.  As you progress through the main story, you’ll find that Laconia is also full of content that rewards exploration – optional quests, hidden encounters, and loot await! Play Video The sound of Sparta  Bear McCreary returns to score Sons of Sparta with an incredible soundtrack that melds retro aesthetics with God of War’s signature sweeping orchestral and choral style. Get it today The Standard and Digital Deluxe Editions are both available for purchase digitally at PlayStation Store: Standard Edition of God of War Sons of Sparta is $29.99 USD / €29.99 / £24.99 / ¥3480 Digital Deluxe Edition of God of War Sons of Sparta is $39.99 USD / €39.99 / £32.99 / ¥4480 Thank you to all the God of War fans for your continued support, we hope you’ll enjoy Sons of Sparta! 

Title: Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 534: State of Sparta Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:43:25 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/13/official-playstation-podcast-episode-534-state-of-sparta/ Email us at PSPodcast@sony.com! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or download here Hey, everybody! Brett, Kristen, and I are back this week to talk about this week’s State of Play, along with all the exciting announcements that came with it. To celebrate the surprise launch of God of War Sons of Sparta, we have a special interview with developer Mega Cat Studios: Game Director Zack Manko and Founder/CEO James Deighan. Stuff We Talked About Next week’s release highlights: God of War Sons of Sparta (out now!) | PS5 Avowed | PS5 Death Howl | PS5 Styx: Blades of Greed | PS5 Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown | PS5 Ys X: Proud Nordics | PS5 Romeo is a Dead Man Suda 51 Interview  — Suda 51 dives into his artistic approach to hyper-violence and sci-fi in his games, while also breaking down the inspirations behind the character Romeo and the story. Monster Hunter Wilds update  —  The update adds the Arch-tempered Arkveld, the return of the Festival of Accord, winners of the Original Weapon and Pendant Design contest, and more goodies on February 18. Helldivers 2 new story arc — The Cyborgs are back, and this time the fight is in the heart of their homeworld, Cyberstan. Prepare with the War Horses Armor Set and new missions and objectives. Battlefield 6 season 2 update — Battlefield 6 and Redsec Season 2 drops February 17 and brings with it a new conflict with Pax Armata in the mountainsides, a new map Contaminated, three new weapons, two new gadgets, and the return of the legendary AH-6 Little Bird. State of Play recap  — If you missed the show, don’t worry. We have all the information and highlights in one place. Your new favorite game may be waiting. God of War Sons of Sparta — The new God of War title was dropped this week, and you can learn everything you need to get started. Live the story of Kratos before he became the God of War. The Cast View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Kristen Zitani – Senior Content Communications Specialist, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Brett Elston – Manager, Content Communications, SIE View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image O’Dell Harmon Jr. – Content Communications Specialist, SIE Thanks to Dormilón for our rad theme song and show music. [Editor’s note: PSN game release dates are subject to change without notice. Game details are gathered from press releases from their individual publishers and/or ESRB rating descriptions.]

Title: Share of the Week: Romantic Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:00:05 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/02/13/share-of-the-week-romantic-2/ Last week, we asked you to share romantic moments from your favorite games using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: legend12480 shares Cloud holding Aerith in Final Fantasy VII Rebirth RazinZamee shares Kratos and Faye touching heads in God of War Ragarök Ninon76278564 shares a Persona 3 Reload date with teammate Aigis Leumir4 shares Maria giving James a sly look in Silent Hill 2 raphxander_ shares Nate and Elena sharing a kiss in Uncharted 4 BBSnakeCorn shares a moment between Lars and Alisa in Tekken 8 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: Nioh 3SUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on February 18, 2026  Next week, take on yokai and warlords alike in Nioh 3. Share epic moments using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Former Diablo devs release demo for their Diablo 2-style action-RPG Darkhaven, but warn of "rough edges" Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:28:46 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/former-diablo-devs-release-demo-for-their-diablo-2-style-action-rpg-darkhaven-but-warn-of-rough-edges Moon Beast have released a pre-alpha demo for their action-RPG Darkhaven. You know, the one from the former Blizzard North devs, which harkens back to Diablo 2 while stirring in a dynamic world and terrain destruction reminiscent of Minecraft. I did a big interview feature about it. Now, you can play a very early build and decide whether I've been quaffing the Kool Aid. Read more

Title: Battlefield 6 sets out to rally flagging player numbers with a big dose of hallucinatory gas Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:28:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/battlefield-6-sets-out-to-rally-flagging-player-numbers-with-a-big-dose-of-hallucinatory-gas Battlefield 6’s Season 2 thunders onto PC today, a three-month festival of Battlefoolery that begins with a new map, Contaminated, new modes for the Redsec battle royale component, a dinky yet deadly helicopter, and some new guns and gadgets. The EA shooter’s Steam playerbase has slumped following its chart-topping release last year, but don’t worry, ye Battlefaithful, because Season 2 has officially recaptured my interest by filling my lungs with psychoactive vapours. In new limited-time mode VL-7 Strike, available in regular multiplayer and Redsec, you must wear a gas mask and replenish its filters to avoid falling victim to clouds of funky fumes. Idiot! Why would you want to avoid falling victim to clouds of funky fumes. It’s got to be more intriguing than flipping the objective yet again. Read more

Title: You can now play Avowed as Small Person With Big Magic Stick Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:20:34 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/you-can-now-play-avowed-as-small-person-with-big-magic-stick Avowed now has a bunch more possibilities when it comes to one of the most important fantasy RPG build archetypes, thanks to the deployment of its anniversary update. Three new character races are on offer alongside the established humans and elves, and you can arm them with a quarterstaff which caters to mages who think puny wands and books aren't quite showy enough. As you might recall, some of the stuff included in this anniversary update was orignally supposed to arrive in Avowed late last year, but ended up being delayed by Obsidian. Read more

Title: SSD prices in yet more trouble as two of the biggest hard drive makers have already sold out their 2026 stock Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 11:25:33 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ssd-prices-in-yet-more-trouble-as-two-of-the-biggest-hard-drive-makers-have-already-sold-out-their-2026-stock Amid soaring SSD prices, slower-but-cheaper mechanical hard drives may have offered an attractive reprieve for anyone wanting to embiggen their PC storage on a – and I know it’s increasingly difficult to use this word without breaking down into desperate laugh-crying – budget. Unfortunately, that probably ain’t happening either, as leading HDD manufacturers Western Digital and Seagate have both revealed that they’ve already sold “pretty much” all of their mechanical drive stock that was allocated for 2026. Read more

Title: Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown's survival RPG retelling inspires many emotions, but mostly makes me feel old Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:20:04 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/star-trek-voyager-across-the-unknowns-survival-rpg-retelling-inspires-many-emotions-but-mostly-makes-me-feel-old Back when Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown was announced, we knocked it for offering zappy muzak in place of the TV show’s official theme. Gamexcite and Daedalic have added the theme, now, and I sort of wish they hadn’t. “Help!” I screeched to my bedroom walls, as the rousingly sorrowful opening bars wafted from the speakers like nitrous oxide. “A videogame is making me feel something! It is making me feel like 31 years have passed, and I can still remember Neelix getting drunk on water. I still remember the Doctor’s first words. I still remember blowing up the Caretaker Array rather than using it to insta-warp home.” Read more