Title: Report: Sony Rebooting Live-Service Horizon After Bad Player Tests Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:40:34 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/horizon-co-op-mulitplayer-game-development-reboot-2000725807 Horizon Hunters Gathering is struggling to get off the ground

Title: Every Game Should Let Me Craft Directly From My Storage Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:36 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/every-game-should-let-me-craft-directly-from-my-storage-2000725432 More and more games are figuring out that I don't want to have to remember where I left my high-quality copper

Title: The Pokémon Center Was Hit By Same Data Breach As Valve, And Customer Orders Are Being Cancelled Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:23 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/pokemon-center-hack-data-breach-valve-orders-cancelled-ceva-2000725795 Leave it to Pokémon to find a way to rub salt in the wound

Title: Is Steam Down? Is It Tuesday? Great News, It’s Probably Just Maintenance Day Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 23:00:49 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/steam-down-tuesday-maintenance-2000725528 The more you know

Title: All The New Details We Spotted In The Leaked GTA 6 Videos: Six-Star Wanted Level, Gas Meter, Improved Combat, Boosting Stats With Basketball Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:49:48 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/all-the-new-details-we-spotted-in-the-leaked-gta-6-videos-six-star-wanted-level-gas-meter-improved-combat-boosting-stats-with-basketball-2000725524 Rockstar's massive open-world game has leaked once again and revealed some new details in the process

Title: Monopoly Go x The Simpsons crossover is almost here Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:41:21 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/monopoly-go-the-simpsons-crossover-details Monopoly Go players have been looking forward to a major crossover event for what felt like months, and though most of the details ended up leaking, nothing actually beats official information. Read more

Title: Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 will take us deeper into the World in Canvas and make Mortenax Blade playable Date: Fri, 22 May 2026 13:43:44 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/honkai-star-rail-version-4-3-all-details HoYoverse has today delivered full details on the next major update for Honkai: Star Rail. Version 4.3, dubbed The Lethe Below the Living, will be available for all players on June 1. The upcoming update adds a new chapter to the Planarcadia arc, and introduce a new playable character. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 explodes on Steam even before it's officially out Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:02 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-steam-numbers-big-launch Steam is abuzz this week with a couple of long-anticipated launches, but in Forza Horizon 6’s case, at least, the game isn’t even out for what will be most of its players. The anticipated sequel in the open-world driving game series doesn’t officially launch until May 19, but owners of its most expensive version - the Premium Edition - can play it right now. Read more

Title: Mystic Messenger's most loyal players are getting banned in droves for seemingly playing the game too much Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 10:02:10 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/mystic-messenger-ban-wave-thousands-of-hourglasses-anniversary Mystic Messenger, arguably one of the best dating sims around, has been dormant for about seven years. Despite not receiving new content or any meaningful updates in all that time, the game remains popular with its core fans, many of whom just woke up to some shocking news about their accounts. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 review - The driving game for everyone still can’t seem to escape its car-collecting legacy Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 12:00:03 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-review There is this idea that, for a long-running series to remain as consistently popular as Forza Horizon has been, it needs to diminish itself somewhat with each new entry, gradually losing more and more of its edge in a bid to appeal to the widest possible audience. Read more

Title: The Biggest Surprise About The Blood Of Dawnwalker Is How Little RAM It Needs Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:37:18 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-biggest-surprise-about-the-blood-of-dawnwalker-is-how-little-ram-it-needs/ Ahead of its release next month, the official PC requirements for The Blood of Dawnwalker have been revealed. The game is shaping up to be a good-looking dark fantasy adventure, but fortunately, it only requires a modest amount of power to run at 1080p and 60 frames per second. The biggest surprise here is the amount of RAM you'll need to hit various presets (specifically, GPU VRAM) as developer Rebel Wolves doesn't expect players to need more than 16GB of the precious PC resource to run the game across several graphical presets--but you will need a suitably powerful GPU and CPU to get a smooth 4K 60fps experience. On PC, playing games at 1440p is usually the sweet spot for most setups, and aiming to run The Blood of Dawnwalker at that resolution at 60fps will require 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia 40-series GPU with 8GB of VRAM. If you don't mind dialing the specs down to 1080p at 60fps, you'll also do just fine with 8GB of VRAM and a 20-series Nvidia GPU. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLMUp83HZKE&pp=0gcJCRMMAYcqIYzv Seeing a modern PC game attempt to make things easier for potential consumers is welcome news, as RAM prices have soared in recent years due to AI companies eating up available supply. More recent PC releases have made an effort to cater to gamers who have stuck with a modest amount of RAM in their rigs, usually requiring around 16GB to run a game at a decently high preset. Several major RAM producers are reportedly sold out of their manufacturing capacity for 2027, meaning that current memory prices aren't going to get much better. The Blood of the Dawnwalker PC requirements Target: 1080p at 30fps Preset: Low (Minimum) CPU: Intel Core i5-11400F / AMD Ryzen 7 2700X RAM: 16GB GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 / AMD Radeon RX 580 VRAM: 6GB or more Storage: 60GB SSD OS: Windows 10 or later, DirectX 12 Target: 1080p at 60fps Preset: Medium CPU: Intel Core i7-11700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5700X RAM: 16GB GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super / GTX 1070 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 5700 / Intel Arc A750 VRAM: 8GB or more Storage: 60 GB SSD OS: Windows 10 or later, DirectX 12 Target: 1440p at 60fps Preset: High (Recommended) CPU: Intel Core i7-11700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5700X RAM: 16GB GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 / AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT / Intel Arc B580 VRAM: 8GB or more Storage: 60GB SSD OS: Windows 10 or later, DirectX 12 Target: 2160p at 60fps Preset: Ultra CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D RAM: 16GB GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 9070 VRAM: 12GB or more Storage: 60GB SSD OS: Windows 10 or later, DirectX 12 A new game from former Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 developers, The Blood of Dawnwalker follows the game’s protagonist, Coen, on his quest to rescue his sister Lunka from the powerful vampire lord Brencis. After failing to protect her and getting handed a vampire curse, Coen only has 30 days to level up his new powers and save his sister from Brencis and his deadly undead lieutenants. One key thing that sets the game apart from other dark fantasy adventures is how the passage of time is keenly felt, as taking on a mission advances the clock. While the clock is ticking, players won't be punished for taking their time when exploring the world. The Blood of Dawnwalker launches on September 3, and it'll also be available for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Title: GTA 6 Leakers Say They Acted For Gamers’ Rights, While Pushing A Memecoin Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:34:42 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-leakers-say-they-acted-for-gamers-rights-while-pushing-a-memecoin/ The consumer rights group Stop Killing Games has addressed this week's Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks, urging people not to support the hackers claiming responsibility for leaking footage of the game ahead of its November release. The group released several minutes of what appears to be GTA 6 gameplay, and while developer Rockstar Games hasn't officially commented yet on the footage that has spread online, its owner, Take-Two Interactive, wasted no time in issuing DMCA takedown notices. This suggests that the gameplay may be authentic, and the videos themselves have had advertisements for memecoins and donation requests plastered all over them. The hackers, on the other hand, reportedly claimed in a manifesto--that is no longer available online--that the leak is in response to GTA 6's physical edition for consoles being a code-in-a-box release, and they have warned that they'll go after developers who also ship games without any proper physical edition. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeurNpMkA3c Stop Killing Games, which has campaigned against online games being terminated, has criticized the hacker group for its actions and how they could potentially hurt the thousands of developers working on GTA 6. "Using illegal means to make a point is unacceptable to us and does nothing to protect our right to keep using what we paid for," Stop Killing Games wrote in a statement. "No matter how strongly you disagree with the decisions of upper management at these companies, there are still thousands of developers who worked hard on this project--and they're the ones being hit the hardest. "Channel that frustration into something constructive instead. This kind of act is destructive and helps no one; worse, it risks tarnishing the reputation of our communities and our chances to make change." This isn't the first time that GTA 6 has been in the crosshairs of hackers, as early footage of the game was leaked in 2022. At the time, Take-Two said the leaks were really "frustrating" and "upsetting". An official look at GTA 6 is on the way, as part of a deep-dive showcase that'll be shown on Netflix first. Scheduled for August 27, it's the first proper preview of GTA 6 in over a year. GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

Title: Epic Mickey Brought An Icon Back To Disney, And Warren Specter Doesn’t Want You To Forget Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:48:50 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/epic-mickey-brought-an-icon-back-to-disney-and-warren-specter-doesnt-want-you-to-forget/ After over four decades in video games, developer Warren Specter is retiring from the industry. But as Specter moves towards the door, he wants to make sure that the team behind his 2010 game Epic Mickey gets their due for bringing one of Walt Disney's earliest creations back home to Disney. In 2003, the development document for Epic Mickey reportedly spurred then-Disney president Bob Iger to eventually regain the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a breakout animated character created by Disney and animator Ub Iwerks. When the Oswald property was taken from Disney, the latter created Mickey Mouse and the rest was history. In 2006, Iger was Disney's CEO when he made the deal to bring Oswald home in exchange for the rights to sportscaster Al Michaels. Subsequently, Epic Mickey was the first Disney project to bring Mickey and Oswald together. Sixteen years after Oswald appeared in Epic Mickey, the character is getting his own miniseries on Disney+.. On his LinkedIn account, Specter reacted to the recent D23 preview of Oswald's Disney+ show. He also noted that he that Epic Mickey's contributions to the character were being overlooked. "I'm seriously looking forward to [the miniseries], but it seems as if people are looking at it as the debut of the character," wrote Specter. "Call me small-minded but that ain’t right." Specter elaborated that the game marked Oswald's first Disney role since 1928, and added that the game's sequel, Epic Mickey: The Power of Two, gave Oswald a voice for the first time in a Disney story and fleshed out his love interest, Ortensia. "I have to admit that I’m a little bitter about the lack of credit the team gets for all this," Specter wrote. "I was blown away that Disney trusted us and saw fit to reintroduce the little guy in a game. But the team did a great job and deserves to be recognized for it before Hollywood makes people forget the games ever existed." In 2024, Epic Mickey got a modern remaster in Epic Mickey Rebrushed. Around that time, Specter acknowledged that Epic Mickey 3 was unlikely to happen, but he did say that he had some ideas for the unmade sequel.

Title: It’s Time To Accept Madden Is Good Again Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:46:04 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/its-time-to-accept-madden-is-good-again/ For my entire life, sports games have lived under the shadow of a particular criticism: "same game, different year." It was never literally true, of course, but has often reasonably captured the sentiments of millions of players who jump into annualized sports sims year after year. EA's NFL sim Madden may be the most common target of this flavor of feedback. There have been years when I, too, was very disappointed with Madden. It was taking the sport I love most and fumbling it every August. But for five years now, it's felt less true, and at this point, with Madden NFL 27, we just have to admit Madden is good again. To be fair, I had even higher praise for Madden 26 than you'll find in this Madden 27 review, which takes a slight step back in some ways, but none of those shortcomings can be found on the virtual field itself. It's the continued gameplay improvements that keep Madden from succumbing once more to formerly reliable memes and criticisms. The Tiburon team has been building and iterating on its foundational gameplay in clear and beneficial ways on a timeline that, to my mind, began with Madden 23. It culminates with this year's game, which feels better than ever when you step onto the gridiron. Defense is the key. Despite my career-high praise of last year's game, something shook it to its core a month or two after launch, breaking the pass rush for the duration of the game's time in the sun. It resulted in a Madden experience where games routinely went over 90 total points scored. In my competitive Madden league, I even saw some players score upwards of 70+ several times. Defense was sickly. Madden 27 is medicine.  This year's game focuses intensely on giving players more control over their players and improving things like zone coverage and pass rushing, in particular. In last year's game, it felt like you needed a sixth sense as the user on D to make a stop. With smarter zone coverage, you can rely on AI defenders. Players won't spectate from the middle of their zone anymore, as they now "look for work," diagnosing a play's progression and playing proactively rather than reactively. Along with new tools to play conservatively, aggressively, or their ultra variants, you can now better prepare for what you think you know before the ball is snapped.  These new shoulder-button commands are part of a complete remap of the pre-play adjustments. These take some getting used to, as they reconfigure years of muscle memory for longtime Madden players, but it's a worthy learning curve to run down, because the end result gives you not just more options, but options that are much quicker to activate.  Things that may have taken four or five button presses in past games now take just two, and with new custom adjustments, you can create your own macro adjustments, bundling a set of would-be individual changes all in one go. For example, if you think you know what play your opponent is running, you can quickly activate a macro that adjusts your defensive line spacing, cornerback shading, and LB zone depth in ways that you feel counter that play correctly, all with the press of two buttons. Macro adjustments and a streamlined controller remap are changes made for the diehards, and I love them. It's truly revolutionary and speaks to Madden's renewed energy spent on serving the diehard community first and foremost. Even if macros sound too sweaty, you can use those provided by default, never having to jump into the game's menus to create your own. It's not as sexy a feature as the awesome new holiday game presentation, but in my mind, these new tools are the defining feature of Madden 27. As deep as these new tools go to help defense, many of them work on both sides of the ball, and the offense actually gets an exclusive new toy, too. Timing-based catching came to both of EA's American football games this summer, and Madden has the benefit of learning from College Football's launch-week struggles. Similarly to timing your NBA 2K shot release in the green zone, timing-based catching asks Madden players to snag the ball at the moment it hits your hands. I've taken about two weeks to make up my mind on this optional new mechanic, which you can toggle off. I was skeptical and worried at first, but I've settled on using it. It adds more player input to plays, removing some of the Madden Math--as those in my league like to call it when the game's attributes algorithm calculates who wins or loses any scuffle on a play. My only concern right now is that finding the sweet spot will be a months-long quest for the studio, as it reacts to players saying it's too powerful or not powerful enough. I hope it can settle into something predictable and reliable. If it does, I believe we'll see the team iterate on the feature in welcome ways for years to come. If it never quite lands right with the wider community, it may go the way of QB Vision: quickly swept out of the game. But for me, and for now, I like it. For many, including me, Franchise is the destination mode, and for the second straight year, the mode actually delivers some big changes that I enjoy. The marquee addition here is the Persona Engine, which assigns every player a number of personality traits, then makes dealing with them on your roster an interpersonal minigame. Players may have a team-first mindset, or they may be driven by money over all things. They may be quick to annoy or helpfully patient. They may be near the end of their career and seeking to close it out with a title, or they might demand a trade because you didn't offer them a contract that they felt respected their efforts.  Something like this has been in Madden in recent years, but it's only been relevant during free agency, and even then, hasn't been very influential. This year, it's actually a big deal and will undoubtedly reshape your roster in unpredictable ways. A football team is 53 players, and for the first time ever, you'll feel like you're coaching 53 unique individuals.  Every negotiation is its own experience. This is made better by an overhaul to how contracts are offered. For a long time, Madden's deals would reflect only one format: year-over-year pay increases. That might sound typical at your job, but it's not nearly true of the NFL, and now Madden captures these nuances. You can negotiate to add void years, rearrange the salary versus bonus money, apply no-trade clauses, and a number of other options that dynamically become available during contract talks, which now happen all throughout the season, rather than having a bunch of guys ready to discuss contracts in Week 3 like the old way Madden did deal-making. It's important to note that, though I didn't see many head-scratching deals in my Franchise sessions, social media has featured several in the first few days since Madden's release. Computer-controlled teams are signing too many players at one position, re-signing much of their roster for mega-deals that would break the salary cap, and doing other things that suggest Madden's new Persona Engine logic is causing some headaches. It's a tricky thing for me, as I didn't see them myself, so it can't color my firsthand experience--and playing in a 32-player league means I'll be insulated from CPU tomfoolery such as this--but I see these stories and ingest them like headlines of viruses somewhere else in the world. For now, I'm apparently safe, but I'm mindful that such dangers are lurking elsewhere. Kids would call this next part of my review a vibe shift. While the on-field and Franchise additions are great, if you're most interested in other modes, you'll be left wanting. Despite some fun in the custom-avatar career mode, Superstar, it was a frustrating experience overall. I played my career as a free safety, one of the new positions you can take on. But the play-by-play scoring system--a load-bearing pillar of this mode--is routinely faulty. When I'd make a tackle, it would score me as having made a tackle assist. When I'd engage in a block, it would downgrade me for having been pancaked, even as I remained upright. Even weirder, it would get game results wrong. With the Chargers, I beat the Rams to go 6-1, but after the game it said we were 5-2. Then next week, when I lost to the Texans, it gave me a win.  Off the field, Superstar is still a fatigue-inducing affair of menus, corny brand inserts, and false choices. Often, dialogue options let me choose what to say in a text message or to the media, and the difference in outcomes is negligible. This mode also gets to something that is becoming worse in Madden, and probably only going to get even worse once the long-rumored PvPvE social mode, akin to NBA 2K's The City, finally arrives. Monetization is everywhere, and it's affecting gameplay. You can buy levels to improve your avatar faster than playing, but you can also buy a Superstar Pass, which is just a battle-pass-style system that gives you even more skill points for leveling up. Neither precludes you from the other, and in fact EA seems all too happy to let you double-dip, since progression is slow either way, and especially painful if you try to play for free, even if you stick to the single-player story.  You could play Superstar without buying anything extra, but the game really prefers you spend money. The blowback NBA 2K gets over similar tactics hasn't really hit Madden yet because its half-measure of a social mode, Superstar Showdown, is largely ignored by the game's diehard players, whereas in NBA 2K, The City is the point for most players. But if predatory progression slowdowns like this still exist when that mode finally arrives, it'll be EA willfully stepping on a rake after having surely heard about these issues for years beforehand. At the very least, NBA 2K charges players a lot but delivers a fun game mode. For EA to both ask for so much of your money after the initial $70 (or even $150) and still not offer something enjoyable in exchange is mind-boggling. All that spending doesn't even account for the mode-agnostic Team Pass, which is another $10 every few weeks if you want it. Like last year's game, the Team Pass includes some recycled rewards from the previous Madden, which is frustrating for paid content anyway, but especially bad when it means my Tennessee Titans cosmetics include the team's outdated branding, since they overhauled their logo and uniforms last winter. Of course, you can't talk about overly monetized design without speaking to Ultimate Team, the decades-long undisputed champion of pay-to-win tactics in a fully priced game. For what it's worth, Ultimate Team (MUT) doesn't get much focus in Madden 27, which is what many Franchise and Superstar fans always hope for, as they feel it means more resources went to their preferred landing spots instead.  What MUT does add this year is a bit more flexibility in how player cards crystallize, with "Evo" cards allowing you to over-level cards, change their archetypes, and more. To my eyes, this mode is a chore each year that demands you spend your free time playing nothing but MUT. I don't find that fun or rewarding and probably never will, so long as they keep throwing me into games against credit-card warriors who spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to shred people online using the same small handful of glitched plays that emerge every year. Hard pass. On top of the awesome holiday presentation packages that decorate broadcast-style elements to fit Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, Madden 27's presentation adds a few other welcome touches. This includes more numerous and detailed alternate field designs that are rolled out to match throwback and alternate jerseys whenever the home team equips them. The weekly recap and halftime shows go deeper than before, adding a Player of the Week segment. It's all still handled by Scott Hanson, too, who brings authenticity and electricity to each instance.  The holiday broadcasts are a relatively small addition that go a long way toward improving the game. With all of these new bells and whistles over the past two Maddens, I do wish players in PvP could opt into what the game calls "full" presentation. By default, if you're playing someone online, the game skips a lot of these awesome displays, like pre-game run-outs and highlights that mimic fading to commercial. These go a long way toward giving the game a more authentic feel, and it's too bad I rarely get to see them once my review sessions are over and the rest of my games are played in PvP league games. Presentation is right up there with gameplay and Franchise as the three key pillars that determine whether I enjoy a Madden installment. While the gains here have been smaller than those on the field, in particular, they are still very noticeable, very appreciated, and very cool. Madden 27 is the fifth consecutive year in which the on-field experience has been foundationally sound and improves on its predecessor. It's a heartening trajectory for a series I've spent my life playing, through both good and bad eras. Despite the still-glaring issues in arenas like Superstar and MUT, Madden feels cool again. It's past time we stopped applying outdated perspectives to a game that has evolved significantly over the past half-decade. Madden will continue to frustrate at times, patches will sometimes be slow to arrive, and monetization is still way too intrusive and seems likely to get worse. But if you stick to Franchise and take advantage of the many new tools at your disposal on the field, there's a game worth celebrating here.

Title: Welcome To GameSpot Cheap Week Date: Mon, 17 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/welcome-to-gamespot-cheap-week/ Gaming is expensive. That's always been true, even if other hobbies could be worse in that regard, but recent years have seen the situation only become more extreme. Enter GameSpot Cheap Week. All this week, we'll be publishing assorted features looking at how we got here--why are consoles so expensive, what goes into game pricing--and ways in which you can play more while spending less, be it through mods, libraries, or games that just don't cost an arm and a leg. Check back with this page as we publish more all throughout the week! Why Are Video Game Consoles So Expensive These Days (And Games Historically Cheap)? The Best Games Under $10 Looking To Save Money? Here’s How (And Why) You Should Finally Tackle Your Backlog Game Subscriptions You Might Secretly Already Have https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY

Title: FPS Games Are Finally Getting a Dedicated Showcase Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:00:14 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/fps-games-show-announcement-september/ The aptly named FPS Games Show is a brand new pre-recorded showcase dedicated entirely to first-person shooters, and it's coming next month. Taking place on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 2 p.m. EDT, it will be streamed exclusively on Twitch. Check out the announcement trailer below.

Title: FFXIV’s Switch 2 Version Might Be the Best It’s Ever Been (For Casuals) Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:00:14 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/ffxiv-switch-2-impressions/ Nintendo had a poor reputation for online stability during the Switch 1 era. Mario Kart 8 matches frequently disconnected, Mario Party online was a nightmare, and even Splatoon 3 suffered from regular issues. So I was surprised and more than a little apprehensive when Square Enix announced it was releasing the always-online MMO Final Fantasy XIV for Switch 2. After spending two weeks with FFXIV on Switch 2, though, I'm sorely tempted to put up with the extra sub and just make this the main way I play the game. Depending on how you play FFXIV, though, you might want to stick with whatever platform you're on now.

Title: The New ‘Wildwood’ Trailer Shows a Mix of Coraline’s Style With a Haunting Fairy Tale Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:30:13 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/wildwood-trailer-laika-movie-coraline/ Portland, Oregon-based stop-motion animation studio Laika launched in 2009 with Coraline, Henry Selick’s highly acclaimed adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s dark fairy tale about a girl who discovers another world where a twisted doppelganger of her mother hopes to keep her forever. The new trailer for the studio’s latest film, Wildwood, shows a return to Laika's roots with an eerie story that combines aspects of Coraline and Jim Henson’s 1986 musical Labyrinth.

Title: David Tennant Returns to 'Doctor Who' for a New Adventure - but There's a Catch Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:04:15 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/david-tennant-returns-doctor-who-audio-drama-rani/ A few days ago, I said that it would be lovely if the BBC, Whovians, and any future showrunner would lay off poor David Tennant in a desperate bid to save Doctor Who from permanent cancellation. I still stand by that.

Title: The 10 Fastest Bans in Magic: The Gathering History Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:00:14 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/magic-gathering-mtg-fastest-card-bans/ The 30-year history of Magic: The Gathering has allowed Wizards of the Coast plenty of time to uncover what makes a card too powerful for certain formats. Despite that, some effects have slipped through the cracks over the years, breaking formats the moment players get their hands on them. Some became notorious over time, while others barely survived their first few weeks before Wizards brought out the ban hammer.

Title: Class Is in Session: GeForce NOW Levels Up Linux, Chromebooks and More Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2026 13:00:33 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-linux-native-app/ GeForce NOW is giving cloud gaming an extra-credit upgrade just in time for back-to-school season. The native Linux app for GeForce NOW is officially out of beta. GeForce NOW is also delivering new cloud optimizations that make Frame Generation feel even more responsive while streaming. On top of that, Performance members will see higher frame rates in demanding games thanks to a CPU performance adjustment.  Plus, learn how GeForce NOW can add high-performance GeForce RTX gaming to the Chromebooks students already rely on for school – and how eligible new owners can take advantage of Chromebook Fast Pass. It all adds up to more ways to move from assignments to adventures across nearly any device. The only homework left is to decide what to play. This week, nine new games join the GeForce NOW library. The Cloud Gets Extra Credit GeForce NOW keeps getting better. The native Linux app for GeForce NOW has officially graduated from beta. Built on months of community feedback, the release focuses on performance, stability and polish while continuing to support Ubuntu 24.04 and later. A new Flatpack repository makes getting started and receiving future updates even easier. Visit the download page for more information and instructions. The cloud handles the rendering, so Linux gamers can tap into the latest GeForce RTX performance while staying on their preferred setup — without local hardware upgrades, compatibility headaches or complicated workarounds. Smooth gameplay makes the grade. GeForce NOW has also optimized DLSS Frame Generation in the cloud, reducing latency and making games feel more responsive. The improvements are especially noticeable when streaming at 60 or 120 frames per second in 1440p and 4K, helping every mouse movement and camera pan feel more immediate. Performance members will also enjoy additional server software optimizations to improve frame rates in select CPU-intensive games, helping demanding titles run more smoothly while delivering an even better gameplay experience. The cloud-side upgrade happens automatically, with nothing for members to install or configure, and at no additional cost. From Class Mode to Game Mode Class dismissed. Game on. Chromebooks already in backpacks can double as a PC gaming powerhouse, with GeForce NOW giving everyday school setups extra credit.  Chromebooks handling lectures, group projects and browser tabs can transform into high-performance GeForce RTX gaming PCs in just a few clicks. When class is out, open a supported browser or app and stream more than 2,000 supported PC games from existing libraries, with the cloud handling the heavy lifting. The same flexibility extends to Macs, Surface devices, everyday laptops, Steam Deck and mobile devices. Plus, eligible new Chromebook and Chromebook+ owners can claim a year of GeForce NOW at no cost with Chromebook Fast Pass, with priority access and no ads.  Study. Stream PC games. Same device.  Ready for the Weekend Follow the chain of command, streaming from the cloud. In addition, members can look for the following new games streaming this week: Car Wash Simulator (New release on Steam, Aug. 10) Pax Autocratica (New release on Steam, Aug. 10) Clawed (New release on Steam, Aug. 13) Hell Let Loose: Vietnam (New release on Steam, Aug. 13) Sandustry (New release on Steam and Xbox, Aug. 13) Cat Mail Co. (Steam) Misery (Steam) Monster Hunter Wilds Prologue Demo (Steam) Pratfall (Steam) To cap things off, a creator known as “Madelyn” recently shared how GeForce now makes cloud gaming affordable and accessible across nearly all her devices, calling it “a game changer” in her video: What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: GeForce NOW Shakes Up August With 26 New Games Date: Thu, 06 Aug 2026 13:00:11 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-august-2026-games-list/ August is here, bringing 26 new games for GeForce NOW members.  Command the seas in World of Warships: Legends and discover what’s next in the GeForce NOW library, starting with the eight newly added games this week.  In addition, GeForce NOW is at the QuakeCon gaming conference this week in Grapevine, Texas, with hands-on experiences awaiting attendees. Return to QuakeCon  Visit the NVIDIA booth at QuakeCon to experience GeForce RTX 5080-powered Ultimate cloud gaming in action, with demos showcasing stunning visuals at up to 5K 120 frames per second on an ultrawide display, as well as seamless gameplay on the Lenovo Legion Go S handheld device. Conference attendees can see how thousands of PC games, including fan-favorite Bethesda titles, can move effortlessly across laptops, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more — letting members pick up where they left off on nearly any supported screen. Gamers not at the show can try out Ultimate cloud gaming in action with a day pass and jump into Bethesda titles from any device. All Games on Deck Sail the seas from nearly any screen. World of Warships: Legends drops anchor on GeForce NOW this week, bringing free-to-play naval combat. Captains can command destroyers, cruisers and battleships across massive multiplayer battles while exploring the latest update, featuring the Pacific Hammer Campaign, a new line of U.S. destroyers and more. Chart a course straight into the latest content across devices today without any installs needed, and check out all the games available this week: Big Walk (New release on Steam Aug. 4) Beacon Pines (Free on Epic Games Store Aug. 6) Sovereign Tower (New release on Steam Aug. 6) Expeditions: Samurai (New release on Steam Aug. 7) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Xbox, available on the Microsoft Store) The Incident at Galley House (Steam) Machine Party (Steam) World of Warships: Legends (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Pax Autocratica (New release on Steam Aug. 10) Car Wash Simulator (New release on Steam Aug. 10) Clawed (New release on Steam Aug. 13) Hell Let Loose: Vietnam (New release on Steam Aug. 13) Sandustry (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Aug. 13) The Sinking City 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 18) Mortal Shell II (New release on Steam Aug. 20) Gallipoli (New release on Steam, Aug. 20) Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 25) Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, Aug. 27) Breathedge 2 (New release on Steam Aug. 30) World of Warships: Legends (Steam) High on Life (Steam) High on Life 2 (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Paradise Killer (Steam) Misery (Steam) Pratfall (Steam) Starvester (Steam) Extra Joy From July In addition to the dozen games announced last month, 15 more joined the GeForce NOW library.  Breath of Fire IV (Steam) Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Ubisoft Connect) CloverPit (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Dinoblade (Steam) Dino Crisis (Steam) Dino Crisis 2 (Steam) Esports Manager 2026 (Steam) Funnel Runners (Steam) Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Demo (Steam) Halo: Campaign Evolved (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Mistfall Hunter (Steam) Onimusha: Way of the Sword DEMO (Steam) Pathogenic (Steam) Sudden Attack Zero Point (Steam) The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (Steam) Mistfall Hunter didn’t make it this month. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for the latest updates. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Share a game screenshot or clip that perfectly sums up your day so far. — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) August 4, 2026

Title: Best in Class: Stream PC Games and Study on the Same Laptop With GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-back-to-school-2026/ Back to school means balancing assignments, deadlines and downtime. GeForce NOW makes it easy to have it all. With cloud gaming, everyday laptops used for class can also become GeForce RTX-powered gaming setups.  When it’s time to switch from studying to gaming, members can jump into Halo: Campaign Evolved, as GeForce NOW is bringing one of the gaming world’s most celebrated titles to nearly any device through the cloud, alongside eight total games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. From A+ to AAA Gaming  This back-to-school season, the easiest upgrade isn’t replacing laptops in backpacks. It’s unlocking even more from these same laptops, from creating to gaming. With a GeForce NOW membership, Chromebooks, Macs and Surface devices can become GeForce RTX-powered gaming PCs in the cloud. The GeForce NOW library features thousands of supported PC games, letting members stream titles they already own from digital stores like Steam, Xbox PC Game Pass and Epic Games Store in just a few clicks. The cloud keeps games up to date and ready to play, making it easy to jump into a match between classes, after homework or whenever there’s free time. Time spent waiting on downloads, patches and installs becomes time spent in game instead. The Ultimate membership enables best-in-class experiences by delivering 5080-class performance in the cloud with NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies for responsive, visually rich gameplay — all on the hardware gamers already own. A creator known as “Menguiny” recently put this to the test after picking up a MacBook Neo. GeForce NOW turned the laptop — usually the creator’s go-to for editing videos and everyday work — into a top-notch gaming machine, too. Another creator, “TechWithSeong” highlighted that same versatility GeForce NOW offers. Rather than juggling separate devices for work and gaming, he used GeForce NOW Ultimate to stream supported PC games across the devices he already owns — from a MacBook used for editing to gaming on the go with handheld devices. Gamers can start with a day pass and experience all the premium benefits without a monthly commitment. Plus, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first membership purchase — it’s like earning a little extra credit along the way. Everyone, at Their Stations Needlers never looked so sharp. Experience the Master Chief’s iconic journey on GeForce NOW in Halo: Campaign Evolved — a modernized remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign — rebuilt with high-definition visuals, updated cinematics and refined gameplay. Whether discovering Halo for the first time or returning after 25 years to finish the fight, it’s as the Master Chief says: “We’re just getting started.” Crash-land on the mysterious ringworld alongside Cortana and uncover great secrets while battling overwhelming Covenant forces. Fight through the rebuilt campaign, then continue the adventure with three brand-new missions featuring the Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson. Expanded weapons, iconic vehicles, hijackable Wraith tanks and optional Skull modifiers offer even more ways to play. Suit up across PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more with GeForce NOW Ultimate, powered by GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud. Experience Halo with NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies delivering higher frame rates and ultralow latency that keep every firefight feeling responsive and worthy of a Spartan. From solo gaming to online co-op modes, GeForce NOW cloud saves let members log in and pick up exactly where they left off across supported devices — no lengthy downloads, extra storage space or expensive hardware upgrades required. The only thing left to carry is the mission. Let’s Play Today In addition, members can stream the following games this week: Halo: Campaign Evolved (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 28) Mistfall Hunter (New release on Steam July 29) Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (New release on Ubisoft Connect July 30) Sudden Attack Zero Point (New release on Steam, July 30) The Ranchers (New release on Steam, available July 30) Corsair Cove (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 31) Funnel Runners (Steam) Pathogenic (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Which game lore are you so familiar with that you can give a school presentation on it? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) July 29, 2026

Title: GeForce NOW Sets Sail With ‘Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame’ Joining the Cloud Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-path-of-exile-allflame/ Lock in and load up the cloud. GFN Thursday brings fresh updates and new adventures, all ready to play without waiting for downloads. Set sail in Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame and charge in Battlefield 6 Season 4 both launching major content for members this week. Then revisit Capcom legends like Breath of Fire IV, Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, jump into Halo: Campaign Evolved Advanced Access and discover nine titles arriving on GeForce NOW. The Curse Calls Prepare to brave the unforgiving waters of Wraeclast. Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame launches Friday, July 24, sending Exiles into the perilous Frozen Seas. Guided by formidable corsair captain Valerie and her cursed navigator Vesper, gamers must piece together scattered treasure charts, board the legendary vessel — the Sovereign — and chart a course into the abyss. Descend into the depths using Allflame Lanterns to uncover valuable relics while surviving the dangers lurking beneath the waves. The update introduces sweeping changes, including a complete rework of sockets and links. The Scion also gains the all-new Luminary Ascendancy, the Mercenaries of Trarthus return alongside mysterious Atlas Anomalies, and the preexisting Abyss, Legion and Talisman mechanics receive revitalized gameplay and exclusive rewards. GeForce NOW members can dive in the moment it launches across their devices, no downloads needed. Learn more about the latest additions on the Path of Exile website. Rise Through the Ranks The next operation begins. Battlefield 6 takes the fight further with Season 4, bringing new battlegrounds, expanded progression and new ways to play.  Take to the land, air and sea with the massive Tsuru Reef and the return of the fan-favorite Wake Island, coming in phase two. Both feature aircraft carriers with operational flight decks, new naval vehicles and a dynamic wave system that helps move every match. The update also introduces Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode, delivering more ways to play. From large-scale multiplayer battles to intense vehicle combat, GeForce NOW lets members deploy across nearly any device. Ultimate members can stream with GeForce RTX 5080-powered performance across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more. Whether returning to the frontlines or enlisting for the first time, members can leap into the latest Battlefield update the moment it arrives on GeForce NOW — without waiting for patches. Dragons and Dinosaurs — on Any Device Classic adventures, now in the cloud. Three iconic Capcom adventures arrive on GeForce NOW this week, ready for longtime fans to revisit and new players to discover. Journey through the rich fantasy world of Breath of Fire IV, a role-playing game following the intertwining stories of Ryu and Fou-Lu. Master an array of skills and magic to unlock strategic victories in battle and go head to head with unique enemies using powerful Dragon Transformations.  Raw instinct takes over in Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, the survival-horror series that combines pulse-pounding action, resource management and thrilling dinosaur encounters. Pursued by a relentless prehistoric terror, players fight to survive from the facility to the world of the Cretaceous Period. Whether reliving unforgettable moments or discovering these legendary titles for the first time, gamers on GeForce NOW can experience gaming history on supported devices like Chromebooks, Fire TV and Steam Deck — no legacy hardware required. Spartans — Start Early Spartans don’t have to wait. Players who prepurchase the Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved can suit up for Advanced Access before the game’s global launch on Tuesday, July 28.  Start the weekend with all the new games arriving on GeForce NOW: ZeroSpace (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Planet Crafter (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass July 21) Carnival Hunt (New release on Steam, available July 23) Dinoblade (New release on Steam, available on July 23) Breath of Fire IV (Steam) CloverPit (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Dino Crisis (Steam) Dino Crisis 2 (Steam) The last word goes to the Community Corner. One GeForce NOW member recently shared they found themselves back on GeForce NOW Ultimate because they missed the flexibility of gaming across devices like Steam Deck. Their post sparked a discussion about why members tap into cloud gaming, whether as a backup, a travel companion or their primary way to play. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Sharpen the Sword, Skip the Downloads — ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ Is Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-onimusha-coming/ Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming to GeForce NOW at launch, with the playable demo available this week. It’s joined by Denshattack! rolling in with five new games arriving in the cloud. Plus, GeForce NOW officially launches in India, moving from beta to public availability — meaning gamers can sign up without a waitlist. Pick Up the Oni Gauntlet Cloud-powered. Samurai-approved. Capcom’s next legendary action adventure is coming to GeForce NOW. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will arrive on the cloud at launch on Thursday, Sept. 3.  Members can jump into the action even sooner with the demo now available to stream. Set in a dark fantasy vision of Edo Japan, follow a lone samurai wielding the legendary Oni Gauntlet against relentless demonic Genma. Master precise swordplay, unleash powerful abilities and absorb the souls of fallen enemies as supernatural battles unfold across a haunting world filled with mystery and danger. Ultimate members can experience every clash with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices and TVs. From the first swing in the demo through launch day, GeForce NOW lets members step into battle the moment it’s available — no downloads, storage space or expensive hardware required. Gamers can find the demo in the GeForce NOW app demo row and add the title to their wishlists today to be ready when the blade is drawn.  India Levels Up The wait is over. GeForce NOW has officially exited beta in India, bringing the world’s highest-performance cloud gaming service to more gamers across the country.  This week, gamers can choose from monthly Performance and Ultimate memberships, flexible day passes or the basic, free offering — making it easier than ever to experience GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. GeForce NOW now supports UPI payments, giving gamers across India a fast, secure and convenient way to purchase memberships and day passes.  Premium memberships unlock GeForce RTX-powered features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex, along with higher resolutions, faster frame rates and priority access to streaming. With thousands of supported games — from blockbuster releases and free-to-play favorites to indie hits — members can enjoy PC games they already own without the cost of upgrading to high-end gaming hardware. Join the conversation with the GeForce NOW community on Reddit.  Go Off the Rails This Weekend “Denshattack!” is pulling into the cloud. Denshattack! — the off-the-rails, train‑wrecking action game — is now available to stream on GeForce NOW, letting members embrace pure chaos from almost any device.  Take control of runaway trains and send them barreling through crowded tracks, explosive obstacles and delightfully destructive layouts, chaining spectacular crashes with just the right mix of precision and pandemonium. Its colorful, tongue‑in‑cheek presentation and physics‑driven mayhem turn every run into a highlight reel of derailments — perfect for quick sessions, score‑chasing and laughing at just how wrong a single turn can go when the throttle never lets up. In addition, members can look for the following to play this week: Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 15) The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (New release on Steam, available July 15) Heave Ho 2 (New release on Steam, available July 16) Fogpiercer (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 17) Onimusha: Way of the Sword DEMO (Steam) The GeForce NOW community keeps discovering new games to play, with members discussing the most beautiful games on the service. What game has impressed you most on GeForce NOW? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: A field guide to Gran Turismo 7’s 1.71 update, out today Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 13:00:46 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/19/a-field-guide-to-gran-turismo-7s-1-71-update-out-today/ Gran Turismo 7’s 1.71 update roars onto PS5 today*, bringing with it new cars, as well as introducing  three new World Circuits, while Whistler added as featured Curation in Scapes.  Play Video Each of the four cars in this update offers a different kind of driving experience. Whether you are chasing style, discovery, precision, or something new, this update is built to be explored your way. To help you decide which one to drive first, check out the below guide, detailing what makes each one special and shows you exactly how to jump in. 1.71 update – Car Field Guide  Each car fits into a simple category:  Street Icon Sleeper Pick Pure Driver Next Gen Performance Pick what feels right, start simple, and explore from there. New Cars*** ’97 Toyota Chaser Tourer V *Can be purchased from Used CarsCategory: Street Icon 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 Street Icons are all about presence, style, and cultural impact. These are the cars players connect with and make their own. The Chaser has instant attitude. Its stance and silhouette give it a natural presence, while its roots in tuner culture and the world of drifting give this Toyota a ton of street cred. This is the kind of car that quickly becomes a favorite because it reflects how players choose to drive, customize, and express themselves. How to experience it in GT7 Start here: Take it to Tokyo Expressway and run a clean lapThen try this: Add a livery in GT Auto and head to the Tuning Shop to start modifying the ChaserLevel up: Capture a replay or Scapes photo that shows your version of the car ’97 Toyota Mark II Tourer V *Can be purchased from Used CarsCategory: Sleeper Pick 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 Sleeper Picks are understated at first glance, but reward players who spend time with them. Not to be confused with the Chaser, the Mark II carries quiet confidence. It may not demand attention immediately, but it connects with players who enjoy discovering something a little deeper. It represents a side of car culture where reputation is built through feel, knowledge, and performance rather than appearance alone. How to experience it in GT7 Start here: Take it to Tokyo Expressway or another urban track and get a feel for itThen try this: Compare it to other road cars from a similar eraLevel up: Tune and test different setups to find what suits your style If you enjoy finding hidden favorites that reward time and attention, this is your car. ’08 Caterham Seven Superlight R500 *Can be purchased from Brand CentralCategory: Pure Driver 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 Pure Driver cars strip everything back and focus entirely on the connection between driver and road. The Caterham delivers one of the most direct driving experiences in GT7. Lightweight and responsive, it puts every input in your hands with no distractions. It is less about power and more about precision, making every corner and braking moment feel earned. How to experience it in GT7 Start here: Run a Time Trial on a technical track like Deep Forest RacewayThen try this: Focus on improving lap consistency over multiple runsLevel up: Refine braking, cornering, and racing lines to shave off time If you want to feel every input and improve with every lap, this is where to start. ’25 Hyundai IONIQ 6 N *Can be purchased from Brand CentralCategory: Next Gen Performance 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 Next Gen Performance cars represent the evolution of speed, technology, and driving feel. The IONIQ 6 N brings a modern edge to the update. It reflects where performance is heading and invites players to experience something different from traditional expectations. It feels fresh, responsive, and part of a new chapter in driving. How to experience it in GT7 Start here: Take it to a fast circuit like High-Speed RingThen try this: Run a custom race against modern performance carsLevel up: Compare its performance across tracks and refine your driving approach If you want to experience where performance is going next, start here.Want to learn more about August Update 1.71? Then head over to gran-turismo.com.Haven’t purchased Gran Turismo 7 yet but want to get a feel for it? Download My First GT on the PlayStation store for free and hop into the game!And in case you missed it this past weekend, the Gran Turismo World Series – GT’s live event – was a blast in Tokyo! If you want to catch the excitement in person for the next round in Singapore, tickets are on sale right now: gran-turismo.com/GTWS *Gran Turismo 7 1.71 update will be available for free for Gran Turismo 7 players beginning today at 11:00pm PDT / August 20 at 7:00am BST / 3:00pm JST**. **Internet connection required for update.  ***Credits (paid or via game progression) required to purchase vehicles.

Title: Inside the brutal puzzles of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival  Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 12:15:07 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/19/inside-the-brutal-puzzles-of-clive-barkers-hellraiser-revival/ It’s dark. The walls are oppressively grey, spikey and close. And there’s a disturbing noise of chattering teeth that sounds like it’s coming from, well, everywhere. Then, I see him. Flesh warped, eyeless sockets sunken, mouth wide, teeth full. The Chatterer – the source of the ever-present and unnerving noise. Player character, Aiden, runs away, but seconds later Chatterer remerges in front of him in a crackle of electricity. Aiden tries another path of escape and Chatterer again fizzles into view. Down a seething red, fleshy corridor and the chattering figure zaps in front of him again. But there is a way to escape, you just need to know how. Play Video This is just part of my introduction to Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, a first-person survival horror hitting PlayStation 5 on October 8. And while this is a fairly straightforward puzzle element that I’m being shown, there are far more elaborate and equally disturbing ones that Assistant Game Director Vid Rajin is eager to walk me – or more accurately in this case, run – through. A labyrinth of terror Although Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival features a number of firearms and weapons, that’s not the purpose of the demonstration I’m immersed in. The focus is very much on how the game aims to test your nerve through its reality warping environments and the mysteries they hold, all encased with the gruesome tension the series is famous for. In fact, Hellraiser is a franchise which doesn’t necessarily lend itself to combative action, given its psychological and deeply disturbing investigation of the lines between pleasure and pain. To translate that into a game was one of the challenges faced by the teams at Mad Head Games and Saber Interactive, aiming to give the puzzles an appropriate edge. “We use the Genesis Configuration – a puzzle box – at the centre of things,” explains Vid. “Mysterious puzzle boxes are literally key to everything in Clive Barker’s universe, so it writes itself in terms of helping to craft puzzles and how to manipulate the world. We have a background in adventure games and hidden object puzzle titles, so we took our experience from those, but we want to make sure we have a narrative purpose for puzzles wherever we can.” The earlier example of our encounter with Chatterer is a clear sign of that bleeding of narrative and puzzles, as is another environmental teaser where Aiden is wandering through his house near the start of the game. At first it appears normal – but twisted little elements, such as photos on a wall being crooked or distorted soon become clear. And trying to escape the various rooms only leads to them repeating. The only way to solve this tormenting loop? By turning back instead of trying to move forward, which changes the entire setting. “The labyrinth Aiden is trapped in is intertwined with the real world,” says Vid. “So in the case of the looping rooms, the environment is almost trying to tell Aiden something, to get him to change his perspective, and make the player figure out another approach to what they might have been doing.” Controlling the Genesis Configuration Learning lessons is a fundamental part of any horror story, which makes Vid’s point fit smartly into the game, aping one of the mainstay themes of the genre no matter the medium – you learn or you die. Be it reversing your course to escape the looping room or outmanoeuvring Chatterer by discovering which corridor he doesn’t teleport in front of you in, understanding the importance of finding unconventional routes is crucial. Hints are offered by the labyrinth itself, although for some of the more traditional puzzles, like opening a safe via a sliding picture lock, clues can be something far less intimidating, such as discovering a diagram on a desk. But a chunk of progressing through Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is through using the Genesis Configuration itself. While it can channel power for offensive abilities like setting enemies on fire, Vid reveals how it’s essential for overcoming many of the present environmental puzzles.  Some puzzles have clear binary solutions. One example is using the Genesis Configuration to rotate a giant wheel, which in turn would realign the narrow walkways Adrien found himself on within a spike-laden room to plot a safe route through. Another demoed its transformative properties: we stood in a courtyard hub, with three main gates. Each one could only be opened by retrieving a statue’s missing item – such as an appropriately macabre tongue or hand – and then changing the Genesis Configuration into the correct shape to act as a key. But there are others which have multiple ways of solving them. What those are, the studio remain tight-lipped, keen for players to discover themselves.  And while many revolve around traversal, the labyrinth itself, and all the horror that await within, there are a few incidental and familiar parts for survival horror fans. “We have classic lock pick mechanism puzzles as well [such as]safe combinations which reward you with useful items, like crafting resources, ammo, some nice upgrades, or even like a new weapon,” says Vid. “And you have to manage your inventory in a similar way to the Resident Evil games.” Inspiration outside of hell Between these types of traditional survival horror puzzles and more surreal, M.C. Escher inspired interiors that help fashion the environment, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is shaping up to be something fans will appreciate. The development team – fans themselves – also had the advantage of Clive Barker himself advising from its initial conception and Doug Bradley reprising his role as Pinhead from many of the movies, to help keep them on track. “They were a huge help, especially in giving us small details,” says Vin. “The pressure to make something to honor the franchise is always there, but it’s been alleviated by the positive response from the fans so far.” Prepare for oblivion With a campaign that Vin suggests could take over 12 hours to complete, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival aims to deliver a sharp experience that captures the visceral and psychological intensity of its source material. And if you own a PS5 Pro, you can expect higher graphic settings and PSSR sSupport to hone in on the horror. Can your chattering nerves handle a piercing face to face with Pinhead and his cenobites? Find out on October 8 when Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival launches on PS5, available for pre-order now.

Title: (For Southeast Asia) Pulse Elevate wireless speakers launch November 12, 2026 Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 01:33:26 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/18/20260818-speaker/ Update (August 19, 2026): Pulse Elevate wireless speakers in Midnight Black and White will launch starting on November 12, 2026,* with a recommended retail price (RRP) of  SGD 319 / MYR 1,099 / THB 8,499 / PHP 14,709 / VND 6,999,000. Pre-orders for Pulse Elevate speakers will be available starting from September 2, 2026 in local retailers.. With Pulse Elevate wireless speakers, experience lifelike audio for desktop gaming and on the go – read more about Pulse Elevate wireless speakers here. *Availability may vary by market and retailer. 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 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 View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image We’re excited to share a first look at the Pulse Elevate wireless speakers – the newest addition to our lineup of PlayStation audio accessories  – which we revealed earlier today during State of Play. Pulse Elevate builds upon the immersive next-level gaming audio experience we introduced to players with Pulse Elite wireless headset and Pulse Explore wireless earbuds, combining powerful technologies like planar magnetic drivers and PlayStation Link into new form factors for players to experience with their favorite games. As the first wireless speakers developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Pulse Elevate fits seamlessly in a PS5, PC, or Mac desktop gaming setup and can be enjoyed on the go with a PlayStation Portal remote player or smartphone. The wireless speakers feature exceptionally lifelike audio, ultra-low latency and lossless PlayStation Link wireless connectivity. Play Video Here’s an overview of the speakers’ key features: Lifelike desktop audio: Each speaker features studio-inspired planar magnetic drivers for lifelike sound across the entire audible spectrum. This means players can hear games exactly how developers intended – whether they’re playing on PS5, PC, Mac or PlayStation Portal.On the PS5 console, the driver technology further enhances immersion in PS5 games that support Tempest 3D AudioTech by positioning audio cues with incredible accuracy. The speakers also feature built-in woofers that deliver rich bass tones for a fuller soundscape. Built-in mic with AI-enhanced noise rejection: Pulse Elevate seamlessly introduces a high-quality voice chat experience into a desktop gaming setup with a microphone integrated within the right speaker. With AI-enhanced noise rejection technology, the mic also helps identify and remove unwanted background noise for crystal-clear voice communication, providing a new level of headset-free voice chat for desktop gaming. PlayStation Link ultra-low latency and multi-device connectivity: Pulse Elevate is powered by PlayStation Link technology for ultra-low latency and lossless connectivity to deliver sound as it happens on compatible devices including PS5, PC, Mac, and PlayStation Portal remote player. The speakers are also compatible with Bluetooth devices, so players can listen simultaneously via a PlayStation Link-connected device for in-game audio and a separate Bluetooth-enabled device for music, voice chat, and more. Pulse Elevate wireless speakers will feature a PlayStation Link USB adapter that is compatible with USB-C ports. Built for both desktop gaming and portability: With the built-in rechargeable battery, players can take Pulse Elevate on the go when gaming with a PlayStation Portal remote player via PlayStation Link, or with a mobile device or smartphone via Bluetooth. The included charging docks make it easy to jump back into a desktop gaming setup.  Highly customizable audio: Pulse Elevate speakers feature built-in volume controls and are designed to be easily adjusted for the ideal horizontal and vertical orientation in a player’s desktop setup. Players can further personalize their audio experience on PS5 or PC* with the option to adjust EQ, sidetone, volume, and mic mute settings directly via system menus. Pulse Elevate wireless speakers will launch in 2026 and will be available in both Midnight Black and White.** What games are you looking forward to trying with our new speakers? Stay tuned for more information on launch date and availability in the coming months. *PC options available post launch. **White available while supplies last from direct.playstation.com (where available) and select retailers. Availability may vary by country.

Title: New NBA 2K27 gameplay details on The City, co-op, MyNBA eras, and more Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:00:23 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/18/new-nba-2k27-gameplay-details-on-the-city-co-op-mynba-eras-and-more/ Enter the World of 2K and get your competitive fix with the NBA 2K27 Preseason Breakdown: Game Reveal recap! Live from the Inuit Dome in Los Angeles, CA, NBA 2K hosted a 45-minute livestream detailing the most exciting updates and in-game enhancements coming in NBA 2K27. In case you missed it, we’ve got you covered. Read on to learn more about what you missed from the August 18 showcase. Play Video Balanced gameplay Gameplay in NBA 2K27 strives for the most balanced experience to date, introducing meaningful new offensive tools like Step-Through Up-and-Unders and reworked defensive systems like improved Hands-Up Shot Contests to deliver a rewarding experience on both ends of the floor.  Powered by ProPlay, the game continues to push the limits of courtside authenticity by leveraging advanced machine learning capabilities. When you take the hardwood in 2K27, you’ll see heightened fidelity in animations and the real-time evolution of on-court adjustments. As players around the league find new ways to create separation, we’re finding new ways to innovate, giving hoopers of all skill levels the ultimate playground to prove they belong. Introducing a co-ed City For the first time, we’re introducing a co-ed City, where you can create a female MyPlayer and compete in The City alongside our global community of hoopers. All MyPlayers, male and female, are built on the exact same framework. Your height, badges, attribute ratings, and wingspan are strictly determined by the MyPlayer build you create, not your appearance. All game modes within The City are completely co-ed, with full access to The REC, The Theater, Street Kings, Park, Proving Grounds, Ante-Up, Starting Five, plus the all-new Crew HQ and Casual Corner. One thing to note: Female MyPlayers are a City-only experience. New environments to hoop in The Rec, The Theater, Ante-Up, and Seasonal Parks all feature brand-new environments. Based on community feedback, The Rec now rotates randomly between five unique environments available right at launch: High School Gym Outdoor Court Private Gym Crowded Arena Season-Themed Venue Builder customization & new Badge Tokens The biggest game-changer is the introduction of Badge Tokens, which you’ll use to equip Badges. In the Builder, you can see in real time how your selected size and position affect which Badges you qualify for and how many tokens each Badge will cost. The Builder provides real-time feedback, showing you the exact tokens required as you adjust your attributes.  There are 53 Badges in 2K27, including 19 brand-new Badges built to create a more balanced playing field. Badge synergy Unleash your full potential with the all-new Synergy system, the next evolution of Badges and boosts.  Synergy slots provide a +1 boost, or a massive +2 boost to your Badges. They are broken into two parts: Fuse and Reaction. Fuse Badges receive a permanent +1 or +2 boost for the entire game, pushing that Badge beyond its current tier to maximize its potential, even up to Legend tier.  Reaction Badges are directly paired with Fuse Badges. The effect is triggered automatically once you’ve activated your Fuse Badge a set number of times during a game. Once triggered, the Reaction Badge receives the same +1 or +2 boost for the rest of the game. Exchange without limits For the first time in MyTeam, you can exchange any of your Player Cards (Free Agent cards excluded), even cards earned from Season level rewards, for elite rewards. Every single card you earn, pull, or unlock is a meaningful asset toward building an unstoppable lineup. Even when you complete a Collection for a Collection Reward, cards will now become unauctionable rather than locked in, meaning they can still be used in The Exchange after being used to get a Collection Reward. MyNBA Legacy: Build a 100-Year Dynasty The headline addition to MyNBA in NBA 2K27 is MyNBA Legacy, a single-player, player-locked mode that bridges the gap between running the front office and dominating on the hardwood. Choose any player in the Modern Era, earn experience to upgrade their Attributes and Badges, and create a legend. Whether you’re committed to writing the next century of NBA history, or looking for a casual sandbox experience, MyNBA Legacy has something for everyone. MyCareer Eras For the first time in MyCareer, you can choose to step outside the modern NBA and build your career in one of five historical eras. We took the foundation of MyNBA Eras and brought it directly into MyCareer, allowing you to insert your MyPlayer into the exact moments that defined basketball history. Compete across five iconic eras: The Magic vs. Bird Era The Jordan Era The Kobe Era The LeBron Era The Steph Era Co-op MyCareer We’re bringing a massive community request to life: for the first time ever, you can invite a friend with NBA 2K27 to play co-op multiplayer directly in your MyCareer. This is made possible by your Running Mate, Trace Miller—a custom teammate you meet in the G League who stays with you all the way through your NBA career. When Trace is introduced, you choose one of nine build templates that feature shades of NBA superstars and earn points through gameplay to upgrade his attributes, Badges, and playstyle.  Your co-op partner takes control of Trace exactly as you’ve built him, and you both earn your own separate, full amounts of VC and Season XP.  Trace is the ultimate Running Mate, helping you unlock your full potential on the court. Grab your Crew and hit the courts in The City early by pre-ordering NBA 2K27 Deluxe Edition or Ultra Edition to receive up to 9 days of Early Access*, starting August 26. *Early access begins at 9:00am PT, August 26. Availability may vary by region and time zone. 

Title: Meet the Lovecraftian monstrosities of The Sinking City 2, out today on PS5 Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 14:00:44 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/18/meet-the-lovecraftian-monstrosities-of-the-sinking-city-2-out-today-on-ps5/ Hi everyone, my name is Evgeny Maloshenkov, and I’m responsible for creature design at Frogwares, the team behind The Sinking City 2. When we started working on the sequel back in 2023, we knew we wanted to take the series in a new direction. The original The Sinking City was an open-world Lovecraftian detective adventure. But for the sequel, we went full force into semi-open-world survival horror, putting a much greater emphasis on combat, exploration, and survival, and of course, all still wrapped in that Lovecraft gloom. Play Video Investigation is still present, but now it’s an optional layer for players who want to dig deeper into Arkham’s mysteries. And those who do will be rewarded with useful knowledge, resources, shortcuts, and other useful rewards. The new stand-alone story – so you don’t need to know the original to enjoy this one-  takes place in Arkham after a mysterious flood engulfs the city. Eventually, with waters rising relentlessly, the population had to be evacuated, leaving behind only a handful of barely sane survivors and the Eldritch abominations that arrived with the flood. So with combat playing such an important role in The Sinking City 2, we thought it would be fun to take a closer look at five of our favourite enemies and how they evolved from early concepts into the creatures you’ll encounter in the game. Slither Worms and Abominations The Slither are among the most common enemies you’ll encounter in Arkham, and they were one of the first creatures we defined for the game. From the beginning, we knew we didn’t want “just another zombie.” Instead, we imagined the Slither as worm-like deep-sea parasites, ranging from finger-sized creatures to worms as long as an arm. Individually, they are barely sentient, but when they gather into colonies, they form a hive mind capable of controlling human corpses in service of Yog-Sothoth. One of our biggest design questions was: What does a corpse look like when it is being controlled by something that has never used a human body before?The worms control the body indirectly, moving muscles themselves from the inside and so they do so with less than 100% precision. We tried to show that through animations and behaviour  shoulders become dislocated, and limbs move in awkward, erratic ways.We also imagined the colony gradually “learning” how to operate its new body, resulting in tangled legs, overextended arms and strange little practice movements. Those ideas became the foundation for the two stages of Slither infestation, with the creature’s appearance and behaviour changing as the colony grows stronger and more confident. Stygian Harvester It might be small and relatively fragile, but that doesn’t make it harmless. Stygian Harvesters are dangerous because of their speed, numbers and ability to surprise the player. They dodge attacks, set up ambushes, and retreat into hiding when threatened, waiting for the right moment to strike again. The creature moves using long human arms ending in hands. This allows it to squeeze through tight spaces, cling to its surroundings and move in ways that feel distinctly wrong. It prefers darkness, where it can remain hidden and turn the environment itself into part of the ambush. Acheronian Juggernaut The Acheronian Juggernaut returns from the original game, and for a very simple reason: we still love its design. The creature looks like multiple bodies have been fused into one enormous, grotesque mass. It has six arms, six legs, and a huge open maw stretching from its head down through its torso. It can even swallow an entire human body and hold it inside while it slowly decomposes. The Acheronian is incredibly powerful and resilient, although its size makes it one of the slower enemies. Originally found in Oakmont, the largest Wylebeast in the city has now made its way to Arkham. Because we were already so happy with its visual design, we kept the changes relatively minimal. Instead, we totally redesigned its behaviour and attacks, with this version much better suited for creating a formidable enemy that will make you sweat in combat. Lethian Revenant Originally known simply as the Lethian, the Lethian Revenant is a human that transforms into a humanoid Wylebeast. The infection leaves the creature visibly diseased and unstable, but its most disturbing feature is its head. It splits open vertically, allowing the Revenant to spit blobs of bacterial fluid at the player from a distance. Its behaviour reflects its physical condition. The Revenant appears to be in constant pain and avoids direct confrontation whenever possible, relying on ranged attacks and retreating behind cover. For The Sinking City 2, we rebuilt the creature from scratch. Its model and textures were completely remade, while some animations from the original game were reused and expanded. We also reworked its wounds to create a much more fleshy appearance, with torn skin, exposed muscle, and dark pus oozing from its body. Deep One Raider No Lovecraftian game would be complete without Deep Ones! These ocean-dwelling creatures are humanoid in shape but distinctly fish-like in appearance. They can survive on land for extended periods and are biologically immortal, dying only through violence or accident. ​​ The Deep One Raider is a terrifying close-range opponent. It possesses immense physical strength and devastating claw attacks, but what makes it particularly unsettling is the way it moves. It can dodge in strange, inhuman ways, drop onto all fours and suddenly burst into a sprint before knocking its victim to the ground. Welcome to the Flood We’re so happy to say that The Sinking City 2 is out now on PlayStation 5! Getting here has been quite a journey. Making a game is difficult under normal circumstances, and doing it with a team in Ukraine while a war continues around us has presented challenges we could never have anticipated. There have been struggles along the way, but seeing the game finally in players’ hands makes us incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished. Thank you so much for reading, and we hope to see you in the flood!

Title: "Without us, Bethesda games aren’t Bethesda games": Rallies against Microsoft layoffs at Elder Scrolls studio continue, with unionised devs' morale "on the upswing" Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/without-us-bethesda-games-arent-bethesda-games-rallies-against-microsoft-layoffs-at-elder-scrolls-studio-continue-with-unionised-devs-morale-on-the-upswing Yesterday, August 18th, further union rallies against Microsoft's mass layoffs across Xbox studios were held across North America. As the One Bethesda Game Studio (OneBGS) union and the Communication Workers of America (CWA)-supported protests continue, one unionised Bethesda developer has said that while work-related morale for those who remain at the studio is low, there's optimism about their efforts to organise. Read more

Title: Immersive sim Retrospace, aka '70s System Shock, gets an October release date plus a trailer full of funky guns and sentient black holes Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 11:00:57 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/immersive-sim-retrospace-aka-70s-system-shock-gets-an-october-release-date-plus-a-trailer-full-of-funky-guns-and-sentient-black-holes Space horror immersive sim RetroSpace will launch on 1st October 2026, developers The Wild Gentlemen and publishers Kwalee have announced. New to RetroSpace? In brief: you are a 3D-printed clone janitor, trapped aboard a space station that has been swallowed by a "sentient black hole". Now, you must deploy a mixture of stealth, violence and swaggering "discopunk" ingenuity as you go up against a bunch of mutant plants and animals, together with the station's own security systems. Read more

Title: Latest alleged GTA 6 leak "risks tarnishing the reputation of our communities", say Stop Killing Games after hackers claim pro-consumer motivations Date: Wed, 19 Aug 2026 09:15:38 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/latest-alleged-gta-6-leak-risks-tarnishing-the-reputation-of-our-communities-say-stop-killing-games-after-hackers-claim-pro-consumer-motivations As you might have seen, there was another alleged GTA 6 leak yesterday, with apparent footage of Rockstar's crime sandbox in action spread across the net and in many cases swiftly hit with DMCA takedowns. The group seemingly behind the leakage this time have claimed that their motivations have to do with ranging against anti-consumer practices by publishers, prompting the Stop Killing Games campaign to step in and issue a statement condemning and distancing themselves from the hack. Read more

Title: Clipmatrix is a Counter-Strike-like, bunny hopping, platforming romp through surreal and industrial locales Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 21:52:28 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/clipmatrix-is-a-counter-strike-like-bunny-hopping-platforming-romp-through-surreal-and-industrial-locales A thing that always tickles me in a particular way is when a game takes a beloved mechanic from an iconic game that doesn't technically exist. By not existing I'm talking about something like wavedashing in Super Smash Bros. Melee. You can't play that game professionally without doing it, and yet it's just an exploit as opposed to something purposeful, but there are derivatives that directly bake it in. So, despite never playing its source (pun intended (you'll see what I mean in a second)) of inspiration, I'm quite intrigued by Clipmatrix, a momentum platformer set in surreal, industrial locales built around Source Engine bunny hopping found in the likes of Counter-Strike. Read more

Title: GTA 6 footage once again appears to leak online, this time because of a group that wants games like The Crew to have offline modes and the end of digital preorders Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:31:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/gta-6-footage-once-again-appears-to-leak-online-this-time-because-of-a-group-that-wants-games-like-the-crew-to-have-offline-modes-and-the-end-of-digital-preorders Yeah, it's happened again: some GTA 6 bits appear to have leaked. I'm not going to link to any of them for I hope obvious reasons, as well as the fact I don't want John Rockstar to send me an email wagging their virtual finger at me. But, having seen them, they do seem to be legit, consisting of a couple of clips and a handful of screenshots showing the in-game map. Read more