Title: Unionized Workers At Xbox Respond To Layoff Reports, Say They ‘Will Not Be Treated As Disposable’ Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:39:40 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/unionized-workers-xbox-respond-layoff-reports-will-not-be-treated-disposable-2000711455 'The money is there, leadership is simply choosing where it goes and who pays'

Title: Modder Behind Unofficial PC Port Of Donkey Kong 64 Dunks On Rival: ‘We Have A Competitor Who Is Vibe Coding Their Way Through, And Doing A Very Poor Job Of It’ Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:00:55 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/team-behind-unofficial-pc-port-of-donkey-kong-64-dunks-on-vibe-coding-rival-project-2000711416 Some of the same people behind Donkey Kong 64's popular randomizer are working on the upcoming N64 recompile

Title: New Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2 Trailer Teases A More Violent Story Than The First Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:37:19 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/cyberpunk-edgerunners-2-trailer-netflix-anime-release-date-2000711438 Studio Trigger is back with a new Night City story

Title: Oh Great, There’s Another Unnecessary Sexual Assault In Game Of Thrones Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:00:31 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/house-of-the-dragon-season-three-sexual-assault-game-of-thrones-2000711385 The latest episode of House of the Dragon goes back to what the series is known for: sexual assaults that do nothing for plot or character development

Title: Ouch, Supergirl Made Less Than Morbius In Its Opening Weekend Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:00:30 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/supergirl-box-office-numbers-superman-comparison-domestic-2000711410 The second movie in James Gunn’s DC Universe is off to a rough start

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 Witcher Company CD Projekt Is Now CD Projekt Red, Not To Be Confused With CD Projekt Red Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:56:48 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-company-cd-projekt-is-now-cd-projekt-red-not-to-be-confused-with-cd-projekt-red/ CD Projekt, the parent company of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher studio CD Projekt Red, has a new name that it hopes will unify its businesses. Unfortunately, that name is CD Projekt Red, which is perplexing because CD Projekt Red already exists. So now, there are two CD Projekt Reds. In a June 23 news post (via Eurogamer), CD Projekt's new name is CD Projekt Red Spółka Akcyjna, with the tacked-on bit at the end being a Polish term for joint-stock company. The company voted on this name to consolidate the operations of its broader businesses, which include OG CD Projekt Red and all of its subsidiaries. In a statement on the news, CDPR said the intention was to create one main company that does everything CDPR has already been doing. That way, there's no confusion between CDPR the publisher and CDPR the developer ... except there's a lot of confusion between the two with this move. "The studio's activities currently correspond to the Company's core operational activity, which consists of producing and publishing video games and managing the Company's brands, including through the creation and licensing of accompanying products," CDPR wrote. "In the opinion of the Management Board, the new company name will ensure consistency in the communication of the CD Projekt Red brand, which will, among other things, facilitate the identification of the company with its products on the global market and support recruitment processes." It may become difficult to differentiate official news from CDPR the publisher and CDPR the developer now. So, when there's an announcement or a press release, it'll be tough to ascertain which is which and what it means for your favorite games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher. Speaking of Cyberpunk 2077, CDPR is working on a sequel, though information about the project is scarce. Although the studio recently said its reputation hasn't fully healed following the game's disastrous launch, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 drops this fall--and a new trailer is out now. On The Witcher front, there's been no substantive news about The Witcher 4. But to tide us all over, while "most" of the staff works on the upcoming sequel and new IP, The Witcher 3 is getting an expansion that may bridge the gap between the two games. More news about this DLC, titled Songs of the Past, will be revealed at Gamescom, which will be held in Cologne, Germany, from August 26 to August 30.

Title: All The Major Fighting Game Announcements From Evo 2026 Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:09:36 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/all-the-major-fighting-game-announcements-from-evo-2026/ Evo 2026 is in the books, with new champions crowned in Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and more of the top fighting games on the scene. As is tradition, along with the competitions came a steady supply of fighting game news across multiple developers and publishers. Below, we've gathered all of the major announcements from the weekend into one place. Announcements included the final character announcements for Marvel Tokon's launch lineup, DLC plans for Avatar Legends, a pair of retro revivals from SNK, and a few shadow drops to boot. Here's everything that was announced at EVO 2026. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QGiaEkqYEE The Samurai Outriders join Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls The final team coming to Marvel Tokon was unveiled, as Blade, Loki, and Deadpool will join Ghost Rider to form the Samurai Outriders. Deadpool in particular stands out, as a PlayStation Blog post that surfaced after the reveal describes him as "somehow obtain[ing] a game strategy guide from beyond the fourth wall, granting him access to a variety of unique attacks from fighting games of legend." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOLl4SmGujQ Kenshiro from First Of The North Star is now available in Fatal Fury: City Of The Wolves We knew Kenshiro was joining the FF: COTW roster, but SNK shadow dropped the legendary anime hero just after the Fatal Fury tournament ended. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZ-PIR5_wvE SNK revives Art of Fighting 3 with a new character SNK wasn't done with Kenshiro, however, as the company announced The Path Of The Warrior: Art Of Fighting 3R, a rebalanced version of the retro fighter with a new character in King.This was the second of two retro revivals SNK confirmed, as Ninja Masters, a more obscure piece of SNK history, was shadow dropped onto Steam. https://youtu.be/3MXczHKMgDA Lux and Samira are next for 2XKO The next two champions for 2XKO are Lux and Samira, as confirmed via a trailer that aired after the 2XKO final. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0kqqn-1RuA Invincible Vs Season One details The first seasons of DLC for Invincible VS launches June 30, and it will include two playable characters--The Immortal and Universa--along with multiple new skins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9LMYzN2SYg The Bakunawa Killer enters Virtua Fighter Crossroads A new character enteres the Virtua Fighter Crossroads Arena in The Bakunawa Killer, who has some connection to Pai Chan. Early theories suggest it's Pai's father, Lau Chan, or her rival, Lei Fei. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp1BF4Ov55A Bob is next for Tekken 8 Bandai Namco brought a trailer for the next Tekken 8 DLC character, the combination of speed and weight that is Bob. A brief teaser for Roger Jr, which channels a popular viral video involving a kangaroo and a dog, was shown at the end of the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtgIsJJ6YuY Robo-Ky join Guilty Gear Strive Next up for Guilty Gear Strive's roster is Robo-Ky, who joins the roster July 2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwIFOrqiDL4 Avatar Legends DLC details confirmed The first season of downloadable content for Avatar Legends will include five fighters: Iroh, Ty Lee, Lin Beifong, Bolin, and a fifth to be voted on by the community. The voting options are Tenzin, Kuvira, Amon, King Bumi, and Asami.

Title: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 | Official Teaser 2 Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:49:11 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/cyberpunk-edgerunners-2-official-teaser-2/ Look alive, choom — Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is coming your way this Fall! Gear up for a return to the world of Cyberpunk, where only the ruthless survive and one wrong move can get you flatlined. This standalone story throws a fresh cast of characters into the darkest corners of Night City and brings a raw, gritty take on the world of the future. Lawless and unforgiving, this is Night City at its most brutal. Brought to you by CD PROJEKT RED and TRIGGER, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 is directed by Kai Ikarashi (Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, SSSS.Gridman), with Kanno Ichigo (Promare, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners) as the lead designer and Hugo Award winner Bartosz Sztybor as showrunner, story writer, and producer. TRAILER MUSICOriginal Score by Tsuneo Imahori“You Can't Run From Me” — written by Maria Kelly and Drew Polovick, performed by Rico Nasty, produced by Drew Polovick, mixed and mastered by Elliot Polokoff Coming to Netflix, Fall 2026.

Title: Ubisoft Co-Founder Dies In Plane Crash, CEO Pays Tribute To His Brother Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:09:31 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-co-founder-dies-in-plane-crash/ Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot died in plane crash on June 19 in an accident that also left another person dead. Guillemot was 69. Ubisoft said in a statement (via The New York Times) that it was "deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp., in an accident." The statement added: "Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time." Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot released a statement paying tribute to his brother. "We have received an extraordinary number of messages from our employees, players, partners, friends, and members of the gaming and tech industries around the world. On behalf of my family and Ubisoft, I want to express our gratitude for your support and the memories you have shared," he said. "They have brought us great comfort. During this difficult time, our thoughts are with his wife Nathalie and their children Valentin, Julia, and Victoria." He added: "Claude's impact extended far beyond what he built. As a founder of Ubisoft, a member of the Board of Directors, and the President of Guillemot Corporation, he helped shape Ubisoft with an entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity, and unwavering optimism. He believed deeply in innovation, embraced new technologies early, and always encouraged us to look ahead with confidence." "Those who knew Claude will remember him above all for the person he was. He had a remarkable ability to connect with people. Whether speaking with a longtime partner, a young employee, or someone he had just met, he always gave people his full attention. He was genuinely interested in others, generous with his time, and always ready to share his enthusiasm or a few words of encouragement." A report from French news broadcaster ICI said the crash happened just before 6 PM local time in La Baule, in western France. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOcx9yZJoDc Guillemot and one other person in the twin-engine Cessna 421 propeller plane were killed in the crash, the report said. A report from the Associated Press said the other person was a flight instructor. Both were licensed and experienced pilots, the report said. The mayor of La Baule, Franck Louvrier, said witness reports indicated that the plane "banked and crashed" upon approach to the city's airport. Claude Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft in 1986 together with his four brothers, including current CEO Yves Guillemot. Yves' son, Charlie Guillemot, was recently promoted to a top position at the company. Claude Guillemot was on Ubisoft's board of directors. He was the CEO of Guillemot Corporation, a French company that makes gaming accessories and also owns the Thrustmaster brand. He earned a Master's degree in economic science from Rennes 1 University in France.

Title: Old Fortnite Battle Pass Skins Are Returning: What’s Actually Exclusive And What Could Come Back? Date: Sun, 28 Jun 2026 23:20:34 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/old-fortnite-skins-are-returning-whats-actually-exclusive-and-what-could-come-back/ One of the most contentious topics in the Fortnite community is the one surrounding its many exclusive cosmetics that may never be available to obtain ever again. As it stands now, folks have been fighting about this for years, with a lot of players arguing that it's only right that new players get a chance at those classic battle pass skins like Drift or Peely. But this is actually a legal question, rather than something we could put to a vote, so these discussions rarely get anywhere near the heart of the matter. At issue is Fortnite's FOMO-based system of microtransactions. In the first few years of Fortnite, Epic leaned hard on exclusivity as a motivating tool. The idea was that if you saw a player using a skin that you like but can't have, it would encourage you to grind out future battle passes and pick up anything you think is cool from the shop as soon as possible. But once it became clear that Fortnite might be around for decades, Epic realized that it's not so good to have ultra-famous characters like Darth Vader permanently locked behind an old battle pass that can never be purchased again. These days, Fortnite almost never releases any new exclusives. Every free or promotional item now comes with a disclaimer that it could pop up in the item shop later, and battle pass items from Chapter 5 Season 4 (pictured above) and on can now hit the shop 18 months after the season ends, and the first of these landed in the item shop together on June 28: Gwenpool, Peelverine, Mysterio, Captain Jones, and War Machine. You can feel confident that any new cosmetic that pops up these days will eventually hit the shop, unless it says so very clearly on the item page.  It's a very different situation than it used to be. There are tons of items from older passes, as well as lots of other old cosmetics, that remain stuck in exclusivity hell, and many other cosmetics whose status is ambiguous and hard to gauge. Thanks to Epic's hard pivot away from exclusivity the last couple of years, and the natural cycling in and out of players, they've created an environment where it can be hard to figure out what old skins are actually exclusive and which ones aren't, because nobody's really been keeping track as we went. At least not accurately. But that's what this article is ultimately about--sorting out which Fortnite cosmetics actually are exclusive, and which ones are not. Below, we'll break it all down as best we can--but keep in mind that Epic's lawyers may be the only ones who really have the answers here. But since they aren't going to be sharing that info with us, this piece is the next best thing. Let's dive in. In This Article Skins that are permanently exclusive and will not returnAny battle pass skin from Chapter 1 Season 2 through Chapter 5 Season 3 Free Winterfest 2019 skinsAnything in the shop that was marketed as "exclusive."Partial exclusives or grey areasMonthly Crew skinsPlayStation Plus skinsEarly phone collabsLevel Up skinsTwitch Prime packsSkins that are not exclusiveMost FNCS skinsConsole pack-insAny battle pass skin from Chapter 5 Season 4 or afterRegular item shop itemsMusic pass (aside from Ultraviolet Billie), OG pass, and Lego pass itemsReal money packsWinterfest skins (other than 2019)Refer a Friend/Reboot Rally skinsAny other free skin Skins that are permanently exclusive and will not return Any battle pass skin from Chapter 1 Season 2 through Chapter 5 Season 3  Everything in this era is truly exclusive. This is because Epic promoted the passes as the only way to ever get the included items. The battle pass FAQ used to say this during Chapter 2 Season 7: "Rewards from a Battle Pass can only be earned in that season, and will not be available in later seasons." The back half of that sentence--"will not be available in later seasons"--is not ambiguous at all. So if Epic were to sell items from one of those old passes, that quote would suddenly become false, and that would, in turn, open the company to litigation and fines. Very few old battle pass skins could hypothetically sell well enough to be worth the potential price. There are 222 skins that fall into this category, which represents just 8% of all Fortnite skins. Examples: The Reaper Drift Peely Skye Aquaman Mystique Groot Rick Sanchez Predator Doctor Strange Darth Vader Indiana Jones Spider-Gwen Geralt of Rivia Eren Yeager Optimus Prime Solid Snake Peter Griffin T-60 Power Armor Free Winterfest 2019 skins Epic's blog post announcing the first Winterfest claimed that the free cosmetics from the Winterfest lodge would be "exclusive to this year’s Winterfest!" This was the only Winterfest where they described the rewards that way. Items: Lt. Evergreen Wooly Warrior Anything in the shop that was marketed as "exclusive." The Fortnite Championship Series-themed Major Glory and The Champion were each sold in the item shop as a "time-limited exclusive," which is pretty clear. Likewise, The Paradigm skin and its accompanying emote were promoted on Twitter with this claim: "These exclusive items are only available for a limited time." And, in 2024 when The Paradigm mistakenly returned to the shop for two hours, Epic confirmed its status as a permanent exclusive. Partial exclusives or grey areas Skins in this category probably can return, but due to the use of certain wording in their promotions, they might remain exclusive to the method through which they were previously available. In some cases, that makes them essentially exclusive, if not literally--since you probably can't play Fortnite on a Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 these days anyway. But most of the skins here don't face that sort of obstacle, and those could come back any time. Even so, players often think of the skins in this category as being exclusive. It makes sense--no skin in this category has ever appeared in the item shop or become available again any other way. But, technically, anything here could come back at any time--but the circumstances required to do so may not be worth the effort. Monthly Crew skins Epic has consistently stated that the monthly skins you receive for subscribing to Fortnite Crew can come back at any time, though they've also referred to these skins as being Crew exclusives--the Fortnite storefront on the Epic Games Store mentions that one of the perks of a Crew subscription is an "always-new Outfit Bundle that only Fortnite Crew members can get" every month. No Fortnite Crew skin has ever come back after rotating out at the end of its month, but that doesn't mean they can't. But if any of them did come back, you would almost certainly need to be subscribed to Fortnite Crew to get them. Examples: Vi Alli Cube Assassin Sylvie Phaedra Loveless Dahlia Breezabelle Princess Lexa Durr Taisho PlayStation Plus skins Like the Crew packs, these packs are stated to be exclusive to PlayStation Plus members. So it's the same story as it is with the Crew skins, essentially--they would likely only be able to return for PS+ subscribers. Examples: Blue Team leader Prodigy Cloud Striker Subzero Cryptic Early phone collabs There have been a number of skins over the years that required you to play Fortnite on a specific model of phone or tablet. In more recent years, Epic has tended to include language specifying that these sorts of promotional items can be sold in the item shop after the promotion ends. But some early examples--like Galaxy for 2018 Samsung tablets, Ikonik for Samsung S10 phones, and Honor Guard for the 2019 Honor 20 phone--were promoted as being exclusive to specific phone models that are now at or beyond the end of their lifespans, most of a decade later. Examples: Ikonik Glow Galaxy Honor Guard Wonder Level Up skins From Chapter 3 Season 1 until Chapter 5 Season 4, Fortnite offered a "Level Up Quest Pack" during the last month of each season that would include a skin and its accompanying accessories. By then collecting the pack's time-gated level-up tokens during rounds of Battle Royale, owners would unlock a very different and unique bonus style. These skins were not referred to as "exclusives," but the cool bonus styles were specifically stated to only be available to unlock through the end of the season. So it's likely Epic could bring back the base styles for these skins, but perhaps without the time-gated bonus styles--and without the bonus styles, those skins are a lot less enticing. It's probably not a coincidence that Epic stopped making these the very same season they ended exclusivity for new battle passes. Examples: Ayida Axion Sentinel Monarch Phantasm Twitch Prime packs The skins included in both Twitch Prime packs were advertised on Twitter as being exclusive, but it's conceivable they could be offered again for Amazon Prime members or as a Twitch drop. Items: Havoc Sub Commander Trailblazer Skins that are not exclusive Any skin not listed in the previous categories is not an exclusive and could return to the item shop at any time. The vast majority of skins fall into this category--more than 2,000 of them, in fact. Here are the categories of skins that always have a chance of popping up in the item shop, and examples of each type. This includes some skins we previously believed were exclusive.  Most FNCS skins Epic recently brought back two older FNCS skins, Dummy Supreme and Championship Aura, which were thought to be exclusives because they had a tag that said "Limited Time!" on their shop pages. Until then, no FNCS skin with that tag had ever returned, while the ones released more recently without that tag return every season. We suspect the distinction between these two skins (and several other FNCS skins) is that they were not otherwise promoted as exclusives. We just inferred that these ones would be, because of that tag, and because the first two FNCS skins Epic released, The Champion and Major Glory, actually were exclusive. Examples: Championship Jonesy Recon Champion FNCS Championship Seeker FNCS 3:1 Champion Console pack-ins Console bundle skins, like Royale Bomber on PS4 and Wildcat on Switch, have likewise long been considered exclusives, but none of them were ever really advertised as such. With the Royale Bomber skin, for example, Epic told Polygon in 2018 that the PS4 console bundle was "the only way you can get the ‘Royale Bomber’ at this time," which specifically confirmed that it was not exclusive, and the skin was later offered in a controller bundle as well. However, none of these skins have ever been sold in the item shop, and the codes for these items sell for a lot of money on the secondary market. While Epic doesn't make any money directly from those purchases, the people buying them almost certainly spend a lot of money in Fortnite, too. And it would probably alienate those folks if Epic took a skin they'd spent hundreds of real-world dollars to get and sold it in the shop for 1,200 V-bucks. So this is a bit of an uncertain category. Examples: Neo Versa Eon Huntmaster Saber Any battle pass skin from Chapter 5 Season 4 or after These skins can appear in the shop starting 18 months after the end of their respective seasons. Homer Simpson Superman Emperor Palpatine Godzilla Evolved Doom Bugs Bunny Regular item shop items Buzz Lightyear Stellaron Hunter Kafka Rocksteady Moon Knight Satoru Gojo Music pass (aside from Ultraviolet Billie), OG pass, and Lego pass items They can be sold any time after the pass ends without any waiting period, though Epic has not been in any hurry to get most of these items into the item shop--only three music pass skins and one Lego pass skin have shown up so far. The Weeknd James Hetfield Sabrina Carpenter Power Punk The Visitor (Reality Unknown) Andy Fangerson Real money packs This includes Starter Packs, Save the World packs, and any other bundle that requires or required genuine human currency to purchase Court Queen Erisa Megatron Slayer Charlotte The Devourer Winterfest skins (other than 2019) Krisabelle Polar Peely Santa Dogg Holiday Boxy Refer a Friend/Reboot Rally skins Rainbow Racer Redcap Xander Any other free skin Runway Racer Jackie Chord Kahele First Order Stormtrooper That's everything there is to know about the suddenly more confusing world of Fortnite Item Shop exclusivity rules. There's a lot that is left in a gray area, but a lot else that's not so unclear. In fact, it's often quite clear that Epic is giving itself permission to be less restrictive when it comes to selling--and reselling--skins in the game.

Title: Madoka Magica's long-awaited 4th film finally has a release date Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:11:29 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/madoka-magica-4th-movie-walpurgisnacht-rising-release-date/ The wait for the next Puella Magi Madoka Magica film is almost over, hopefully. The oft-delayed and long-awaited fourth entry in the subversive magical girl anime series is finally set to be released on Aug. 28 in Japan.

Title: Star Wars Reylo fanfiction turned hit rom-com gets Prime Video premiere Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:02:37 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/the-love-hypothesis-reylo-prime-video-september/ Let's be honest with one another: the pipeline from fan fiction to original novel is becoming more overt — and talked about — as time goes on. It's no longer all that shocking in literary communities to read something and find out that it was originally fan fiction. Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid? It started (before later being revised) as a Stucky (Steve and Bucky from the Marvel Cinematic Universe) fanfic, and everyone knows that 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James got its start by exploring the kinky love life of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen from Twilight.

Title: 36 years later, Akira's manga still has one of cyberpunk's best endings Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:00:21 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/akira-manga-ending-36th-anniversary-movie-comparison/ Six years after the serialization of Katsuhiro Otomo’s Akira began in 1982, the acclaimed manga artist helmed a hugely influential anime adaptation of his yet-to-be-completed work. This 1988 film, Akira, would go on to become a cornerstone entry in the cyberpunk genre and inspire a global cult following like no other.

Title: Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 gets first full trailer and it's gnarly Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:52:40 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/cyberpunk-edgerunners-2-trailer-new-cast-release-date/ If you were worried that Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 would take its foot off the gas compared to the first season, Studio Trigger seems to have put those concerns to rest. Netflix dropped the first major trailer for its upcoming sci-fi series (that’s set to debut this fall), and it’s a complete sensory overload.

Title: Backrooms Everything Must Go Edition arrives in theaters this weekend with 15 minutes of new footage Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:33:46 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/backrooms-extended-version-theatrical-rerelease-july-4-weekend/ Backrooms is one of 2026's best films and, with more than $330 million made at the box office, it has become A24's highest-grossing film to date. If you've yet to check it out yet, the wait has paid off: A24 will release an extended version of Backrooms in theaters on July 3.

Title: The Ultimate Summer Sale Pairing: Steam Sale Meets GeForce NOW Discounts Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-steam-summer-sale-2026/ Summer savings are heating up. From the Steam Summer Sale to GeForce NOW membership discounts, this week’s GFN Thursday delivers double the deals and more ways to get the most value from cloud gaming. Plus, Dark Scrolls joins the growing Devolver lineup, alongside Square Enix’s The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. They lead the charge for six new games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Steam Dreams Are Made of These Add to cart, not to storage. The Steam Summer Sale is here, bringing discounts across thousands of PC games as one of the year’s biggest opportunities to grow a gaming library. Supported Steam games can be streamed across devices with GeForce NOW, making it easy to buy a game once, keep progress synced and pick up where the gameplay left off on PCs, Macs, handheld devices, phones, TVs and more. In other words, the Steam Summer Sale brings the deals; GeForce NOW adds the flexibility.  As new titles expand collections, storage demands and hardware requirements expand with them. GeForce NOW helps remove those barriers by streaming supported games from powerful GeForce RTX servers in the cloud, allowing members to enjoy today’s biggest games on devices they already own. Since downloads and installs are handled in the cloud, games can be added to the cart without being added to storage. Check out the “Sales & Special Offers” row in the GeForce NOW app to discover the discounts today. The Ultimate Upgrade to Level Up for Less The upgrade every game deserves. The deals don’t stop there. Pair GeForce NOW’s summer sale with the Steam Summer Sale to spend less time waiting on downloads, managing storage or needing pricey hardware upgrades — and more time gaming. Get $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership or $35 off a 12-month Performance membership and experience GeForce RTX-powered gaming in the cloud across devices. The Ultimate membership unlocks GeForce RTX 4080- and 5080-class performance in the cloud with up to 4K resolution, up to 120 frames per second (fps) and advanced technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex. Dig Into Devolver Written in chaos. Dark Scrolls, the kinetic action roguelite from Devolver Digital, arrives on GeForce NOW with its blend of fast combat, evolving builds and unapologetic chaos. Set in a warped fantasy world that doesn’t take itself too seriously, players battle through shifting arenas packed with enemies, hazards and power-ups that can turn a run from fragile to unstoppable in seconds. Stack abilities, experiment with wild combinations and adapt on the fly as the game constantly raises the stakes — rewarding bold play as much as careful movement. On GeForce NOW, Dark Scrolls is ready the moment players are, streaming across devices with no downloads or setup required. It joins a growing lineup of Devolver Digital titles on the service — Cult of the Lamb, Hotline Miami, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, Inscryption, Enter the Gungeon and Ball x Pit — each delivering that distinct mix of style, surprise and controlled chaos, and just a click away with GeForce NOW. A Storybook Across Centuries The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales arrives on GeForce NOW, delivering a charming, narrative-driven adventure filled with mystery and discovery. With a hand-crafted world and a focus on exploration, it blends classic adventure gameplay with modern, character-driven storytelling. Follow Elliot — a curious traveler bound to a mysterious Millennium Core — as he’s pulled across eras in a journey that spans neon skylines, forgotten ruins and quiet villages on the edge of legend. Each era has its own rules and rhythms, with Elliot’s reactions and scribbled journal notes giving the story a warm, personal touch. Stream the cinematic-quality visuals and responsive gameplay with GeForce RTX power in the cloud for Ultimate members. Experience Elliot’s time-twisting journey in sharp detail across supported devices — no high-end rig, patches or paradox prep required. Just jump in and pick up from wherever the last chapter left off. In addition, members can look for the following: Dark Scrolls (New release on Steam, available June 22) SAND: Raiders of Sophie (New release on Steam, available June 22) Deer & Boy (New release on Steam, available June 23) EMPULSE (New release on Steam, available June 24) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Steam) FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (Steam) Leaving the last word to the Community Corner, one GeForce NOW member recently shared being “so impressed” by GeForce NOW. They gave the service a spin because of affordable pricing and took a lower-end PC from 20-30 fps on low settings to 60+ fps with settings maxed out — really putting the WoW in their World of Warcraft.  What are you planning to play this weekend? Maybe even more importantly, what device are you planning to play on? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Sync and Stream: GeForce NOW Connects to Members’ Game Libraries Across Devices Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:32 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-game-stores/ Play favorite titles from popular game libraries, keep progress synced and jump back into gaming sessions on virtually any device. That’s the power of GeForce NOW cloud gaming. From providing access to members’ favorite game libraries to offering some of the season’s best membership pricing, GeForce NOW is making it easier than ever to get more from the cloud this summer. Plus, check out the seven new games arriving in the GeForce NOW library this week. Hit Play Across Top Game Stores That’s a whole lotta ways to play. Whether it’s blockbuster franchises, competitive shooters, sprawling role-playing games (RPGs) or indie gems, GeForce NOW supports thousands of games from leading PC game stores, making it easy to bring existing game libraries to the cloud. Connect supported game store accounts and stream titles with GeForce RTX power. Games that include cloud-save functionality help keep progress intact across devices. Start a game on one screen, pick up where playtime left off on another and spend less time managing installs and storage space. Jump into fan favorites like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt streaming through GOG. These sci-fi and fantasy favorites support cloud saves, making it easy to continue where play left off. GOG single sign-on and game library syncing — coming this summer — will make that process even smoother. Explore ancient mysteries in the Assassin’s Creed franchise or team up for tactical action in Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege through Ubisoft+, delivering iconic worlds and competitive experiences to the cloud.  Whether joining massive, all-in combat in Battlefield 6 or shaping the fate of Thedas with compelling companions in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the EA app offers action-packed experiences and beloved RPGs. Find them in the GeForce NOW app by simply searching and filtering by store. Choose the Screen, Keep the Adventure Gaming doesn’t always happen at a desk — community members are sharing how GeForce NOW lets them play across their favorite devices. GeForce NOW Ambassador and cloud gaming creator Anytime Anywhere Gaming recently showcased Dead as Disco — a PC title without a native mobile version — running on an iPhone through the cloud. As he put it: “One of the coolest benefits of GeForce NOW is I can take the same copy of the game I own on Steam and carry it to my iPhone … it’s super awesome being able to play a game on a multitude of devices without having to buy it again.” That flexibility extends beyond mobile. One GeForce NOW member on Reddit shared being “blown away” by the experience of playing on Mac through the cloud, highlighting how GeForce RTX-powered gaming can be enjoyed across devices, no upgrades required. Whether via phone on the go, on a MacBook between work meetings or on a TV in the living room, GeForce NOW helps make PC gaming accessible across nearly every screen. Upgrade and Unlock More This Summer Summer lovin’, havin’ a sale. For a limited time, annual memberships are available at the best prices of the year: $35 off a 12-month Performance membership $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership Performance memberships deliver high-quality cloud gaming across devices, while Ultimate unlocks GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud with up to 5K resolution, up to 120 frames per second and advanced technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex. Pair these special prices with thousands of supported games across top PC game stores. Plus, with GeForce NOW, spend less time downloading, upgrading hardware and managing storage — and more time gaming. New on the Cloud  In addition, members can look for the following: Embers of the Uncrowned Demo (New release on Steam, available June 13) Pro Cycling Manager 26 (New release on Steam, available June 15) Aphelion (Steam) Citizen Sleeper (Epic Game Store, free from June 18-25) Megastore Simulator (Steam) OPERATOR (Steam) Super Meat Boy 3D (Xbox, available on Game Pass) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Save Big and Play Bigger: GeForce NOW Summer Sale Brings Major Membership Savings Date: Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:00:17 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-summer-sale-2026/ The GeForce NOW summer sale kicked off today with limited-time savings of up to $70 off a 12-month membership, making now the perfect time to upgrade to get the best of the cloud and see just how far Ultimate gaming can go. PC gamers are driven by one thing: the love of the game. But getting there can be complicated — setups take space, hardware takes planning and downloads take time. GeForce NOW removes the barriers and delivers instant access to games, high-performance GeForce RTX power in the cloud and the ability to play across nearly any device — all with one membership. Regular upgrades and new features continue to expand the experience, building the value of that membership over time.  Plus, GeForce NOW is always delivering new games — including epic adventures across Tyria. Guild Wars 3 is coming to GeForce NOW, bringing its next-generation massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) experience to the cloud at launch. While awaiting its arrival, the journey begins today with Guild Wars 2 and Guild Wars Reforged, along with limited-time exclusive rewards. Instantly Elevate Every Device PC gaming demands more from players than ever. Bigger game files and more frequent updates can turn the urge to play into a long list of to-dos. GeForce NOW streamlines that experience. Installs, patches and updates are handled in the cloud, so games are ready to launch in just a click. Time that would’ve been spent waiting on progress bars can go back into playtime, making it easier to fit gaming into quick breaks on busy days. High-performance NVIDIA GPUs in the cloud means access to always-ready GeForce RTX performance without having to purchase new hardware. Members can tap into powerful servers that meet rising game requirements and keep pace with today’s games. And memberships continue to improve with platform upgrades — like the free Ultimate upgrade to the NVIDIA Blackwell architecture — extending their value, as well as the life of gamers’ devices, over time. All of the gaming. Laptops, phones, tablets and TVs — devices most gamers have at home and already use for school, work and everyday life — can all act as gaming screens. Streaming means not having to worry about hard drive space for installs and updates, or needing the latest devices.  Level up playing on Linux. These benefits are reinforced by continuous quality-of-life improvements like smoother sign-ins, new platforms — like Linux and Amazon Fire TV — and refinements that make it faster and easier to get into a gaming session. Together, these benefits make GeForce NOW the easiest way to enjoy PC gaming both instantly and over time, while keeping the focus on what matters most to gamers: getting into the game. The Biggest Gaming Upgrade, the Best Price of the Year Sale-ing into summer with huge savings. For a limited time this summer, GeForce NOW memberships are available at some of the year’s best pricing — with major savings on 12-month memberships: $35 off a 12-month Performance membership $70 off a 12-month Ultimate membership The Performance membership delivers smooth, high-quality cloud gaming across devices, with streaming up to 1080p at 60 frames per second (fps) and access to RTX-powered servers for supported games. The Ultimate membership steps things up with RTX 4080‑ or 5080‑class performance in the cloud, supporting up to 4K and beyond on ultrawide displays, up to 120 fps, and advanced features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex for a more responsive, visually rich experience. These limited-time discounts won’t last long — beat the heat and jump into GeForce NOW.  A New Legend Rises One of the best things about the cloud is that every week, new games become available to stream — including new AAA games at launch and the latest content and rewards.  The land of Orr awaits. Guild Wars 3 marks the next adventure in Tyria — an action-adventure MMORPG where fluid combat, deep character building and a living world of magic and mystery shape every journey. Alliances are forged, spirits awaken and every step forward leaves a lasting mark on an untamed frontier. Be among the first to raise the banner. Gamers can add Guild Wars 3 to their wishlist today and stay up to date on every reveal as it marches toward launch. While the next chapter in Tyria prepares to unfold, its legacy is ready to be played today. Return to adventure in Guild Wars 2 and Guild Wars Reforged, and unlock exclusive in-game rewards for a limited time — available for GeForce NOW Premium members today through Saturday, July 11, and free to all members beginning Friday, June 12. Be on the lookout for an email with codes to redeem.  In Guild Wars 2, the “Masterpiece Emote Tome” turns every victory into a moment of flair — a chef’s kiss to triumph. Start playing by applying the code through an ArenaNet account or during account creation, then log in to access the emote. In Guild Wars Reforged, the “Vision of Lyssa” costume brings elegance and illusion to life and includes an account upgrade. Inspired by the twin goddess, this striking ensemble can be worn over any armor. Redeem by adding the code in game, then visit a Costume Maker NPC to claim the reward. But Wait, There’s More Duet Night Abyss from Hero Games makes a splash on GeForce NOW, plunging players into a submerged world where survival is shared. Control a synchronized duo tethered by fragile oxygen lines, navigate glowing reefs, drowned ruins and shadowy chasms where every move demands trust and timing. The game’s moody visuals and tense, cooperative focus give each dive the feel of a playable deep-sea thriller. GeForce NOW is kicking off a new Community Corner for the summer, spotlighting stories and creations from members across the globe. This week, a community story takes the spotlight as a Linux gamer on Reddit shares how GFN has helped them with accessibility gaming, saving storage space on massive titles and minimizing upgrades. In addition, members can look for the following: NBA THE RUN (New release on Steam, available on June 9) Witchspire (New release on Steam, available on June 10) SpaceCraft (New release on Steam, available on June 11) Duet Night Abyss (Launcher) DOOM Eternal (Epic Games Store) The Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Farever (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Wargaming) Finally, Pro Cycling Manager 26 is now scheduled to launch on Monday, June 15, and Denshattack! is now expected to launch on Wednesday, July 15.  What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: NVIDIA, KRAFTON, NC and Reigning ‘League of Legends’ Champions T1 Celebrate RTX Spark at Korea’s PC Bangs Date: Sun, 07 Jun 2026 07:00:15 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/krafton-nc-t1-korea-gaming-pc-bang-rtx-spark/ At GTC Taipei at COMPUTEX last week, NVIDIA unveiled RTX Spark, the superchip that reinvents Windows PCs for the era of personal AI agents. On the heels of this announcement, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang headed to South Korea, where he introduced RTX Spark to the nation’s passionate gaming community. Leading game developers — including Korea’s KRAFTON and NC — are already working to bring their titles to RTX Spark-powered systems.  Designed for local AI, creating and gaming, RTX Spark brings together 30 years of NVIDIA innovation to slim Windows laptops with all-day battery life and small, ultraefficient desktop PCs.  With the superchip, gamers can play AAA games at 1440p resolution and over 100 frames per second with NVIDIA ray tracing, DLSS and Reflex technologies. In addition, RTX Spark supports all NVIDIA RTX technologies, including the recently announced DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, which features a second-generation transformer model for realistic image quality.  RTX Spark Ignites Korea’s Gaming Community Korea has played a major role in spearheading esports and driving the boom in PC bangs, or internet and gaming cafes. With longstanding collaborations rooted in the country, NVIDIA in October celebrated 25 years of GeForce in Korea with a free festival for gamers, highlighting the rich gaming ecosystem that has been built over decades.    On Friday, Huang headed to T1 Base Camp — a PC bang owned by T1, one of Korea’s top esports teams. There, he met with T1’s reigning League of Legends World Champion team, including six-time World Champion Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok to unveil RTX Spark.  NVIDIA and Riot Games — developer of League of Legends — are collaborating to bring the title as well as VALORANT to RTX Spark, expanding gamers’ access to high-performance gaming on slim laptops.  To mark the occasion, T1 Base Camp attendees had the chance to win RTX Spark laptops, League of Legends and T1 merch signed by Huang and Faker, as well as GeForce RTX 5090 GPUs.  Surprising PC-Bang Gamers  Later, Huang headed to Seoul’s Gangnam district, where he surprised PC-bang gamers with a first look at RTX Spark with KRAFTON and NC.  At the first stop, Optimum Zone PC, Huang and KRAFTON Chairman Byung-gyu Chang showcased PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS and Subnautica 2 on RTX Spark to a captivated crowd of gamers.  Gamers then got the surprise chance to play with the unreleased PUBG Ally, a co-playable character built with NVIDIA ACE technologies on RTX Spark laptops. PUBG Ally resulted from AI research and development at KRAFTON and NVIDIA, part of an initiative to create next-generation game characters that act like teammates and enable more meaningful, immersive engagements with players. Next, Huang stopped at another PC bang, Portal PC, where he showcased NC’s CINDER CITY and AION 2 on RTX Spark, with support from Taekjin Kim, co-CEO of NC.  NC and NVIDIA began working together in the early 2000s on the Lineage franchise and have since collaborated to integrate RTX technology into many of NC’s flagship games, including Lineage 2, AION, Blade & Soul, AION 2 and CINDER CITY.  Gamers at Portal PC were given the chance to play a demo of NC’s highly anticipated open-world massively multiplayer online tactical shooter CINDER CITY on GeForce RTX-powered PCs.   CINDER CITY will support the DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and Super Resolution features at launch. Plus, gamers will be able to experience the title on slim RTX Spark laptops and compact desktops when the game is released later this year.  In addition to KRAFTON, NC, and Riot Games, 100+ Windows software providers and game developers are embracing RTX Spark. These partners include NetEase, Remedy Entertainment and XBOX.  Learn more about RTX Spark and its launch partners.

Title: Forecast: Fun Ahead — 18 Games Join in June to Stream on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:00:27 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-june-2026-games-list/ June’s forecast with GeForce NOW: 100% chance of gaming. GeForce NOW is lining up new adventures for the month, from big-name blockbusters to quirky indies ready for the spotlight. Members can dive into fresh worlds, squad up in new playlists and discover “just one more run” favorites — all streaming from the cloud, no downloads or upgrades required.  Eighteen games are coming this month, starting with the 10 games arriving this week with the highly requested Neverness to Everness.  A World Beyond City limits end where reality bends. Step into a surreal, supernatural open world in NTE: Neverness to Everness from Hota Studio. Reality bends, streets twist into impossible angles and the uncanny waits around every corner. Play as an anomaly hunter drawn into a strange metropolis alive with anomalies, cosmic oddities and dreamlike encounters. Explore the city’s districts at street level or from impossible heights, uncovering secrets, side stories and hidden paths woven through the tangled skyline. Combat and exploration blend together as players move between quiet, eerie spaces and sudden bursts of action.  Every alleyway and rooftop hides something strange and new, from bizarre characters to otherworldly phenomena that reshape the environment in unexpected ways. Streaming with GeForce NOW lets the game’s distinctive art direction and atmospheric lighting shine, keeping the city’s moody glow, deep shadows and supernatural effects crisp and sharp.  Whether wandering its streets on a big screen or checking in from a laptop, NTE: Neverness to Everness stays fluid and immersive — powered by the cloud. June Games Juicing Up the Cloud A legend returns. Return to the Valley of Mines in Gothic 1 Remake, a faithful rebuild of the original experience that expands the world with more detailed questlines, additional nonplayer character routines and reactions, new traversal abilities and a fully modernized combat system. Step into the role of the Nameless Hero and explore a dangerous prison colony filled with rival factions, ancient magic, deadly creatures and choices that shape the journey ahead.  Whether revisiting a classic or discovering it for the first time, GeForce NOW makes it easy to jump into the adventure instantly across nearly any device, no downloads required. Check out what all is available this week: Jurassic World Evolution 3 (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass) Fatekeeper (New release on Steam, available June 2) House Flipper Remastered Collection (New release on Steam, available June 4) Pro Cycling Manager 26 (New release on Steam, available June 4) GOALS (New release on Steam, available June 4) Gothic 1 Remake (New release on Steam, available June 5) NTE: Neverness to Everness (Launcher) The Outer Worlds: Spacer’s Choice Edition (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Tomb Raider I-III Remastered (Epic Games Store) XCOM: Enemy Unknown (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions (New release on Steam, June 11) SpaceCraft (New release on Steam, June 11) Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass, June 17) The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (New release on Steam, June 18) Dark Scrolls (New release on Steam, June 22) Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (New release on Steam and Ubisoft, June 30) Farever (Steam) FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves (Steam)  More From May In addition to the 16 games announced last month, 18 more joined the GeForce NOW library: Alchemy Factory (Steam) Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes (Steam) Blades of Fire (Steam) BeamNG.drive (Epic Games Store) Directive 8020 (Steam) Disco Elysium (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure (Epic Games Store) Ostranauts (Steam) Planet Coaster 2 (Epic Games Store) PowerWash Simulator 2 (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Resident Evil Requiem Demo (Steam) Romestead (Steam) SPLITGATE: Arena Reloaded (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Subnautica 2 (Steam, Epic Games Store and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Sunderfolk (Epic Games Store) TerraTech Legion (Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass) Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know X or in the comments below.

Title: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: PS5 Pro enhancements detailed Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:00:27 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/29/assassins-creed-black-flag-resynced-ps5-pro-enhancements-detailed/ Released first on the PlayStation 3 and as a launch title for the PlayStation 4, Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag has remained a defining entry in the series for more than a decade. When we first explored the idea of bringing Edward Kenway’s journey to modern hardware, it quickly became clear that a traditional remaster wouldn’t be enough to do it justice. Play Video Instead, we rebuilt the game from the ground up on the latest version of the Anvil engine, modernizing nearly every system while preserving the spirit and identity of the original game. The result is an experience tailored for modern PlayStation hardware, with 60 FPS options, HDR support, Dolby Atmos, DualSense haptic feedback, and plenty of other improvements. You can find the list of graphics modes available at launch for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro below. With all these new features and graphics options, we’ve been able to take full advantage of the PlayStation 5 hardware and deliver the best experience possible for players when the game launches on July 9. In this article, we’d like to take a closer look at some of the technologies that bring this new version of the Caribbean to life. A more reactive Caribbean with ray tracing In Resynced, our goal was to make the world feel more alive, more dynamic, and more responsive to the player’s journey. A major part of that comes from our updated lighting system, now fully dynamic and powered by hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Instead of relying on precomputed lighting, the world reacts in real time to changes in time of day, weather, and environment. Interiors respond more accurately to outdoor light sources, and weather conditions dramatically reshape the mood of the world. Ray-traced diffuse lighting allows light to bounce across surfaces, creating natural color bleeding and more consistent shading throughout environments. Meanwhile, Ray-Traced Specular Reflections enhance surfaces like wet wood, metal, and ocean spray, helping the Caribbean feel more physically grounded and reactive. To ensure a consistent experience, Ray-Traced Global Illumination is enabled in all graphics modes on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro. Ray-Traced Specular Reflections are available in Balanced and Fidelity modes on PS5, and across all graphics modes on PS5 Pro. Continuous detail with micropolygon geometry One of the key visual improvements in Black Flag Resynced comes from how we handle geometry at scale. Traditional rendering pipelines rely on discrete levels of detail, switching between simplified models as the player moves through the world. While effective, this approach can sometimes introduce noticeable visual popping. With our Micropolygon geometry pipeline, we take a different approach. Instead of switching between fixed models, geometry is continuously refined based on distance, visibility, and camera perspective. This continuous level of detail is enabled by the PlayStation 5’s ultra-high-speed SSD, which allows Anvil to instantly stream, virtualize, and render tiny geometric clusters. This lets environments and assets scale smoothly from close-up detail to distant silhouettes without noticeable transitions. PlayStation 5 Pro enhancements The PlayStation 5 Pro includes all the features of the base PlayStation 5 but adds significantly more GPU power and enhanced ray‑tracing performance, giving additional headroom for higher fidelity and more stable performance. Across all graphics modes, players on PS5 Pro benefit from extended ray tracing support, including both Ray-Traced Global Illumination and Ray-Traced Specular Reflections. This enables richer lighting and reflection quality while maintaining higher performance targets across Performance, Balanced, and Fidelity modes. We’ve also expanded our strand-based hair on PS5 Pro. Rather than relying solely on traditional hair cards, the engine can simulate and render individual strands for more natural motion and response to wind. All of this allows us to get a very realistic hair render for our characters. On PS5 Pro, strand-based hair is available for Edward in all modes. In Fidelity mode, nearby crowd characters also benefit from strand simulation during gameplay, while cinematics use strand-based hair for all characters regardless of mode. In addition, Black Flag Resynced supports the latest version of PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR), helping deliver better image quality and improved reconstruction, reducing the visual gap between performance and fidelity modes. A living world driven by Anvil’s Atmos Black Flag Resynced simulates weather in real time through Atmos, the systemic weather simulation framework in our Anvil engine. Rather than treating weather as a set of isolated effects, Atmos continuously simulates variables such as temperature, humidity, wind, and vapor density. These systems evolve over time and influence one another, producing more coherent and dynamic weather. This same simulation extends into gameplay and environmental interaction. Wind affects not only cloud movement and storms at sea, but also vegetation, cloth, particles, sails, and character hair. The result is a world that doesn’t just look alive but feels physically connected as well. A richer ocean The ocean has always been at the heart of Black Flag, and modernizing its rendering was a key focus for this project. Black Flag Resynced introduces a fully modernized water system, based on a physically based rendering pipeline. New tessellation technique, volumetric foam generation, and dynamic bubble systems add more details to the water surface. These updates allow the sea to respond more naturally to wind conditions, weather, and ship movement. The sea now plays an even greater role in shaping both the mood and moment-to-moment experience of navigation and combat. Prepare for a more immersive experience When rebuilding Assassin’s Creed Black Flag on the latest version of Anvil, our goal wasn’t only to modernize technology. We wanted to strengthen the sense of immersion, adventure, and discovery that made Edward Kenway’s journey so memorable in the first place. PlayStation 5 hardware has given us the opportunity to push that experience further than ever before, from the way the world looks and sounds, to how it feels. Whether you’re returning to relive a favorite adventure, or setting sail with Edward for the first time, we’re excited to welcome you to the Caribbean when Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launches on July 9 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 5 Pro.

Title: Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game Spirit Wilds stage revealed Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:01:12 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/29/avatar-legends-the-fighting-game-spirit-wilds-stage-revealed/ Yip yip. Pre-orders for Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game are now live on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 5. The wait is almost over. To celebrate, we’re taking a closer look at pre-orders, incentive previews, plus a sneak peek at a brand-new stage. Enter the Spirit Wilds We’re excited to reveal Spirit Wilds, a brand-new stage coming to Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. One of the most mysterious corners of the Avatar universe, Spirit Wilds provides a visually striking battleground for elemental clashes. Launch opponents skyward with airbending or control space with earthbending in this new arena with a beautiful backdrop for every fight. Peep the exclusive Spirit Wilds video reveal and match video below. Play Video Play Video At launch, players will have access to 12 playable characters, a roster of support characters, eight unique stages, and multiple ways to play. Whether you’re looking to jump online, sharpen your skills in Training Mode, or experience the game’s original story, there are no shortages of ways to begin your journey. Pre-order details Players who pre-order either the Standard Edition or Deluxe Edition will receive a collection of exclusive bonuses: Gold color variants for Aang, Korra, Zuko, Katara, Toph, and Sokka Samurai Appa Support Character Skin Voting rights for a Year 1 Pass character Access to the Closed Beta running July 2-5 The Samurai Appa skin gives Aang’s faithful flying companion a tough new look when selected as a support character. 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 Pre-ordering also unlocks exclusive gold variants for Aang, Korra, Toph, Zuko, Katara and Sokka, giving players striking golden outfits that ensure they look their sharpest while bending. Perhaps most exciting of all, pre-ordering grants players the opportunity to help shape the future of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game. Players will be able to vote on one of the characters joining the Year 1 Pass roster. Choose your edition Standard edition vs Deluxe edition Year 1 Pass Join us in the Closed Beta Players who pre-order either edition of Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game will receive access to the Closed Beta from July 2 through July 5. The Beta will feature Aang, Korra, Katara, Toph, Zuko, Sokka, and Azula, giving players an early opportunity to experience the game’s fast-paced combat and support character system. Pre-orders are available now on the PlayStation Store, and we’re excited to continue sharing additional updates and surprises as we get closer to launch. Thanks for all your support, and we’re stoked to see you in the Beta.

Title: Blade, Loki, Deadpool announced for MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 01:38:56 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/28/blade-loki-deadpool-announced-for-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls/ Hello everyone! I’m Takeshi Yamanaka, producer of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls. Did you get a chance to check out the final team trailer revealed today, Sunday, June 28 at EVO 2026 —the “Samurai Outriders”? If you haven’t seen it yet, be sure to watch it below. Play Video Fifth and final team revealed: Samurai Outriders View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Ghost Rider (voiced by Giancarlo Sabogal), who had already been revealed, is now joined by Blade (voiced by Imari Williams), Loki (voiced by Jason Spisak), and Deadpool (voiced by Nolan North) to form a new team. Not the Midnight Sons—but the Samurai Outriders. Were you expecting this lineup? The Samurai Outriders are a group of dark heroes. As you might expect, they don’t start out as a cohesive unit… in fact, they’re quite the opposite. As they face threats to the world, how each of them—and the team as a whole—grows and evolves is something you can look forward to experiencing in Episode Mode. New Stage: Asgard View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image We’re also excited to reveal a new stage: Asgard. Asgard is known in the Marvel Universe as the “Realm of the Gods,” said to sit at the pinnacle of the Nine Realms. It is a land that combines advanced magic with science and technology, ruled by King Odin, and home to Thor Odinson and Loki. In this title, Asgard appears as a battle stage composed of five areas: the Observatory, Bifrost Bridge, Throne Room, Treasure Vault, and Yggdrasil, the World Tree. New playable characters Blade View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Blade, whose real name is Eric Brooks, was born as a human-vampire hybrid after his mother was attacked by a vampire during pregnancy. Seeking revenge against the monsters who killed his mother, he became a vampire hunter, fighting against evil blood-sucking creatures. In this title, Blade has completed his training in Japan, gaining even greater physical and mental strength. He wields the demon-slaying sword Muramasa, a weapon capable of slicing through gods. Muramasa is normally kept sealed with its power restrained, but when Blade releases that power, the blade turns red and reveals its true potential. He specializes in an aggressive combat style, skillfully handling a variety of deadly tools including Muramasa, machine guns, and glaives. One of his unique abilities, Heartstopper, throws a stake that pins the opponent in place and allows Blade to close the distance at incredible speed. When it hits, Muramasa glows red, enhancing the performance of his sword-based skills. Closing in instantly and delivering powerful slashes, Blade truly lives up to the name of a hunter. Loki View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Loki Laufeyson, the adoptive brother of Thor, is known as the “God of Mischief” and the “God of Lies.” Though raised in Asgard by Odin, he is actually the son of Laufey, king of the Frost Giants. Originally a villain, Loki is attempting to turn over a new leaf and become a hero in this title. As part of the Samurai Outriders, he makes full use of his powers of deception. His combat style excels at trickery, with many skills incorporating feints and counters using illusions. He also uses projectiles based on ice and magic, combined with clever use of erratic movements to constantly confuse opponents. True to his mischievous nature, he can dish out frustrating and deceptive attacks—but if his tricks are exposed, he may be punished heavily. Loki is a uniquely unpredictable character who takes advantage of his opponent’s bad habits. Deadpool View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Wade Wilson, a Canadian mercenary, grew up in a troubled household and eventually left home. After receiving extensive military training, he served in special forces but was later diagnosed with cancer. As part of the Weapon X Program, he was injected with a healing serum derived from Wolverine’s blood. While it saved his life and granted him superhuman regeneration, it also left his body severely scarred and his mind unstable. Deadpool’s combat style reflects his reckless nature, enabled by his powerful healing factor. He uses guns, grenades, and swords, along with high-risk techniques that involve taking damage himself. In this title, Deadpool has somehow obtained a game strategy guide from beyond the fourth wall, granting him access to a variety of unique attacks from fighting games of legend. Filled with a love for hype and excitement, he enters the arena with an outrageous arsenal of crowd-pleasing moves. Character Guide trailers Leading up to launch, we will be releasing deep dive trailers for all playable characters. These trailers take a closer look at each character’s battle mechanics, including default color options, normal move animations, skills, super moves, ultimate abilities, and assist types. If you want to learn how a character plays—or just want to see their moves in action—these videos are a great place to start. We recommend checking them out when you find a character you’d like to try. More trailers will be released soon, so stay tuned! Upcoming events With launch fast approaching, the development team is entering the final stretch! We will be holding a global Open Beta* on PS5 and PC from July 24-26 (PT). In this beta, Blade will be available as a playable character. We will be sharing more details soon, so please stay tuned. *Account for PlayStation required to participate in the Open Beta.

Title: Share of the Week: Saros – Arjun Devraj Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:06 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/26/share-of-the-week-saros-arjun-devraj/ Last week, we tasked you with capturing portraits of Arjun Devraj in Saros’ newly released Photo Mode using #PSshare #PSBlog. Here are this week’s highlights: l2.focus shares Arjun’s profile against a moody red background MdeavorVP shares Arjun aiming his weapon Santisbae shares Arjun’s head haloed by the eclipse  thwippip shares a close up portrait of Arjun rruiz_86 shares Arjun exploring a chamber on Carcosa Couch_Gamer2k23 shares Arjun facing a source of light 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: SparksSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on July 1, 2026  Next week, share sparks, fireworks, and twinkling lights from the game of your choice. Use #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Highlights from Capcom Spotlight 2026 – Dragon’s Dogma, Onimusha, Monster Hunter, and more Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:52:30 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/06/25/highlights-from-capcom-spotlight-2026-dragons-dogma-onimusha-monster-hunter-and-more/ We’re back with another Capcom Spotlight presentation, this time focused on new content for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, a deeper dive into the newly revealed Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, and a new look at Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Here’s a roundup of what you need to know. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection New content for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches today, with the arrival of the paid DLC, Additional Side Story: Rudy, as well as a free update that adds powerful endgame challenges. Fans of Monster Hunter Stories and Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin will recognize the return of Navirou, who once journeyed alongside the protagonists of each respective game, and is an ancestor of the Royal Felyne, Rudy. Additional Side Story: Rudy digs deeper in Navirou’s fate in the past 200 years, bringing ancestor and descendant face-to-face in an unexpected twist. Nergigante, the iconic flagship monster from Monster Hunter: World, returns as a formidable threat in this DLC. This destructive Elder Dragon is a bit too rowdy to tame as a Monstie, but you can expect a memorable challenge as you take on this spiky predator in a climactic battle. How will Rudy, Navirou, and crew overcome the power of the extinction dragon? Additional Side Story: Rudy is available as a standalone DLC as well as part of the Deluxe Edition and Premium Deluxe editions. Check PlayStation Store and see what awaits you in this new adventure. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection also receives a free update adding powerful endgame challenges called Royal Monsters. Riders can load their completed save file and take on an even harder version of the final boss. Defeat this version of the final boss, and the existing world will be populated with powerful Royal Monsters. You can also test your limits even further by taking on Royal Monster versions of invasive monsters and Calamitous Elder Dragons. New details on Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Two years after the original launch of Dragon’s Dogma 2, the grand fantasy adventure has returned as Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen. Enhanced with major updates and the Dark Arisen Expansion, Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen arrives both as a bundle package for new players, and as a standalone expansion on October 9.  During Capcom Spotlight, Director Kento Kinoshita – who also directed the original Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen – shared the team’s desire to deliver on requests from fans to continue exploring the world of Dragon’s Dogma 2 even further. With that in mind, the team invites players to a mysterious new frigid northern area called Norgan. You’ll uncover the story behind a Fallen Dragon, bearing an eerie form with a missing heart, along with its pursuer, a mysterious woman named Eir. In the Norgan area, the addictive gameplay loop first established in Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen, makes a return as the Relic Expedition Cycle. Battle through formidable foes and gather relics, then bring them back for appraisal into stronger weapons and armor. Powerful treasure awaits with every adventure during your pursuits in Norgan. Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen also introduces 12 new unique dungeons called Lost Rites. Rare equipment once held by past Arisen awaits you in these dungeon challenges, which take place in the existing world of Dragon’s Dogma 2. Additional hairstyles and tattoo options are coming with the expansion as well, bringing even greater variety to the versatile character creation options. The base Dragon’s Dogma 2 game was recently updated with a variety of quality-of-life features, too. Ahead of the launch of the expansion, we’ll be releasing a second free update in late August which adds further gameplay improvements highly requested by players, such as additional save slots, an increase of weapon skill slots from four to six, and performance improvements. Pre-orders begin today on PS5 in most regions and will roll out to all countries in early July. Those who pre-order will receive the Norgan Fashion Set – Northern Attire, which can be obtained whether you pre-order the bundle or standalone expansion. Those who pre-order the bundle will immediately receive access to the base Dragon’s Dogma 2 game. Whether you’re a new Arisen or are returning to make the adventure into Norgan, we can’t wait for you to experience what awaits in Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen when it arrives on PS5, October 9. New enemy revealed in Onimusha: Way of the Sword The latest swordplay action game in Capcom’s acclaimed series is nearly here with Onimusha: Way of the Sword. The iconic samurai swordplay series which first began on PlayStation 2 is back with an all-new entry for the first time in 20 years, bringing its signature mix of satisfying samurai action and dark fantasy. Take up the katana of protagonist Miyamoto Musashi, slain by twisted creatures called Genma, and suddenly revived with mysterious Oni powers. Now bearing an Oni Gauntlet, Musashi searches for his reason to fight amidst hordes of powerful Genma in a twisted, dark fantasy version of Edo-period Kyoto. During Capcom Spotlight, Director Satoru Nihei revealed a look at a powerful new Genma enemy: Dohatsu-ten. Have a look at this fearsome new foe for yourself. Dohatsu-ten is a powerful boss enemy with both strength and speed on his side, relentlessly attacking our protagonist Miyamoto Musashi with swift and devastating movements. Unique to this Genma is the bloodthirsty nature of its sword, which becomes increasingly powerful when stained with Musashi’s blood. Beware its surging power as it absorbs souls and becomes even more dangerous. Onimusha: Way of the Sword slashes onto PS5 this September. Get a taste of early action in the game with the free demo on PlayStation Store!

Title: Valve dropped that Steam Machine Companion Cube case down the legal incinerator after its makers neglected to get their permission Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:00:08 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/valve-dropped-that-steam-machine-companion-cube-case-down-the-legal-incinerator-after-its-makers-neglected-to-get-their-permission Steam Machine stock may be in short supply, but hey, at least it hasn’t been taken off sale and scoured from the Internet, never to be seen again. That’s just the fate of Dbrand’s unofficial Steam Machine Companion Cube case, a smartly made (if overpriced and kind of pointless) Portal-themed accessory that it turns out was so unofficial, Dbrand never actually had permission from Valve to sell it. So, now they aren’t, and have issued refunds to anyone who ordered one. Read more

Title: "Everybody got the rug pulled out from under them": Xbox are putting third-party Game Pass deals "on pause", claims publishing veteran Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:26:37 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/everybody-got-the-rug-pulled-out-from-under-them-xbox-are-putting-third-party-game-pass-deals-on-pause-claims-publishing-veteran Microsoft are easing off on third-party game deals for the Xbox Game Pass subscription service, according to one fairly seasoned industry figure, while they "figure out" what to do with their gaming business in general. Read more

Title: Rainbow Six Siege developers go on strike through July to protest mass layoffs and RTO policies at Ubisoft Barcelona Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:12:26 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/rainbow-six-siege-developers-go-on-strike-through-july-to-protest-mass-layoffs-and-rto-policies-at-ubisoft-barcelona Staff at Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege support studio Ubisoft Barcelona are going on strike across July in response to mass layoffs. They'll be downing tools every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from June 30th to July 17th, and are calling for protection against future "collective dismissals", together with the reinstatement of previously agreed promotion packages. Read more

Title: Space shooter Hyperwired gives you a ship with a doofy power cable hanging out the back and challenges you to keep its battery charged Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:11:26 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/space-shooter-hyperwired-gives-you-a-ship-with-a-doofy-power-cable-hanging-out-the-back-and-challenges-you-to-keep-its-battery-charged Picture the kind of spannerhead who would leave their starfighter's charging cable unplugged, the day before the big Mission to Save the Galaxy. Picture the absolute wellington who'd lift off with that cable dangling behind their ship like a ribbon of bogroll flapping from the heel of a pub drunk. Picture the consummate cheesewinkle who'd then have to keep latching onto random satellites to replenish their ship's batteries, while avoiding enemy fire. *smash cut to Zaragoza-based headquarters of Hyperwired developers Sidralgames* *game director rises to their feet in ecstasy* "¡Sí! ¡Ese es nuestro piloto!" Read more

Title: US lawsuit accuses Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron of worsening the RAM crisis by fixing memory prices and supply Date: Mon, 29 Jun 2026 12:24:48 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/us-lawsuit-accuses-samsung-sk-hynix-and-micron-of-worsening-the-ram-crisis-by-fixing-memory-prices-and-supply Chip makers Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have been accused of fixing RAM prices and supply, thereby exacerbating the effects of the ongoing memory crisis, in a US class action lawsuit. According to the suit, the trio have co-ordinated their pivots from focusing on making the sort of RAM consumer tech needs to the high bandwidth memory typically used by AI datacentres, with no-one stepping up to take advantage of fulfilling the demand such moves have left for non-astronomically priced memory on the consumer side. Read more