Eurogamer.net News Feed

Halo Studios reportedly cancels Halo multiplayer project Ekur, which had customisable Spartans and Elites and large player battles

Robert Purchese — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 16:20:54 +0000

Halo Studios has reportedly cancelled a multiplayer project called Ekur, in a move that seems to align with the wide-ranging Xbox cuts announced last week.

Games Done Quick announces and then quickly cancels SNK-sponsored stream because of company's Saudi ownership

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 15:57:48 +0000

Summer Games Done Quick 2026 is now over, and while it's been a grand time as usual, one of the group's post-event streams - dedicated to celebrating Metal Slug's 30th anniversary - was ended early after many viewers expressed disappointment due to developer-publisher SNK's ties to the Saudi-owned Electronic Gaming Development Company.

Nintendo's next Lego set looks to be a retro Donkey Kong arcade machine

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 14:55:18 +0000

Lego and Nintendo's collaborations have been among the most eye-catching and sought-after in recent years. From little Super Mario builds, to a near-perfect replica of the original Game Boy, to complex Pokémon sets, collectors are clearly lapping up the 'brickified' versions of Nintendo icons. And perhaps the most ambitious one may be around the corner.

Amid Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced furore, Ubisoft's latest financial report removes widely mocked claim microtransactions make games "more fun"

Matt Wales — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:42:16 +0000

Did you know that microtransactions make games more fun? That might seem like a dubious statement, but it was one Ubisoft was more than happy to put its name to last year. However, it appears the company might have learned a lesson from the pushback it subsequently endured across the internet: as complaints around the newly released Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's microtransactions make headlines, it's been noticed Ubisoft's widely mocked "more fun" sentiment is conspicuously absent from its latest financial report.

The 'Classic' nostalgia trend continues as League of Legends Classic gets a release date and the promise of player-voted patches

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:27:19 +0000

We know Riot Games is remaking League of Legends in 2027, but the 16-year-old MOBA is also getting a nostalgic throwback 'Classic' release, and now we have a release date for it.

Expensive and pointless? Black Ops 1 and 2 PS4 and PS5 ports cost a lot of money and barely offer any upgrades over the originals

Sherif Saed — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:23:13 +0000

The promised PlayStation 4 and 5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 have arrived. But unfortunately, these updated releases have left players disappointed at the quality offered for the price. Activision is charging £35 ($40) for each Black Ops re-release, meaning a total of £70 ($80) if you want both. These prices do not include their DLC packs, either, which is unusual given how most game re-releases these days typically come with all associated content bundled in.

Xbox cuts "not the end" for The Elder Scrolls Online, insists ZeniMax, despite a drastic reduction in size

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 12:13:04 +0000

Last week's sweeping Xbox layoffs have affected The Elder Scrolls Online studio ZeniMax Online, a studio that had already faced cuts a year ago. This has reignited fears amongst the community that the game is being moved into 'maintenance mode', in which no substantial new adventures or updates will be developed for it.

Palworld barges Dota 2 aside as PC player counts skyrocket following the game's 1.0 release

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 10:37:54 +0000

After a long wait, Palworld has finally hit 1.0 on PC and consoles, and while it hasn't managed to replicate its massive 2.1m concurrent player peak from early 2024, it's currently one of the most played games on Steam.

Despite having an offline mode, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced was unplayable when Ubisoft Connect went down

Sherif Saed — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:04:57 +0000

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced might have delivered one of the biggest launches in series history, but it sadly hasn't fixed age-old issues with Ubisoft's PC ports. Over the weekend, the DRM and social-related layer of the game, Ubisoft Connect, suffered an outage, knocking the game offline on PC.

Summer Games Done Quick 2026 raises another $2.4 million for Doctors Without Borders

Vikki Blake — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:24:43 +0000

Summer Games Done Quick (SGDQ) 2026 has finished up raising another $2.4 million (£1.8m) for Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières.

Steam's "no questions asked" refund policy makes it "super easy for players to abuse this rule", says indie developer

Vikki Blake — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 16:03:57 +0000

An indie developer who says they have had to refund 55,000 sales allegedly due to Steam's two-hour refund policy said it "should not be possible" for players to be refunded for games they leave positive reviews for.

God of War Laufey studio hints at 2027 release window following tweet that assures players it "will be available on disc"

Vikki Blake — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 15:18:51 +0000

We may not know the precise release date of the upcoming God of War Laufey, but a new tweet suggests we'll get it before the end of 2027.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls' single-player Episode Modes have been written by legendary writer, Kieron Gillen

Vikki Blake — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 14:53:41 +0000

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls' single-player mode, Episode Mode, has been written by legendary comic writer and former games journalist, Kieron Gillen.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis actor wraps up "on the last official session" of recording

Vikki Blake — Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:23:34 +0000

Alix Wilton Regan, the new voice behind Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog's new Lara Croft, has confirmed she has finished up recording for Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.

Warframe's next major update blends Blade Runner, The Sopranos, and film noir in a whole new solar system, coming later this year

Connor Makar — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 22:22:20 +0000

Digital Extremes has wrapped up this year's Tennocon Live event with a massive reveal trailer for Warframe's next major update: Warframe: Tau. This update brings players to a Blade Runner and Sopranos-inspired locale, and tackles themes of addiction and its dangers head-on.

"This is our Spider-Man 3" - Soulfame's Warsong update adds "edgelord" progression path later this year

Connor Makar — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 21:27:08 +0000

Digital Extremes has revealed a lenghty new gameplay trailer for its fantasy action game Soulframe. It's next major update - Warsong - adds a new quest. It'll also come with rideable mounts and "vegan" fishing.

id Software insists in new statement that it still has "the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for"

Vikki Blake — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 16:01:00 +0000

id Software has posted a brief statement on social media, thanking players and well-wishers "for the support" and insisting that despite the recent job cuts, "we still have the crew we need to build the games."

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced opens to 2 million sales on launch day

Vikki Blake — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:32:39 +0000

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is off to a "strong start", selling two million copies on launch day.

"I sued their asses and won!" Gamer wins legal battle to get hacked Xbox account back after they were told to rebuy all their digital games

Vikki Blake — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 15:04:22 +0000

Xbox has lost a legal battle in Brazil after a gamer "sued their asses and won" for suspending their account, along with all of their digital games, after it was hacked.

EU admits it cannot stop Sony killing physical discs – "companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit"

Vikki Blake — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 14:10:55 +0000

The European Union has confirmed it cannot prevent Sony from scrapping physical discs, stating "companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit".

Obsidian game director reacts to people "spouting off" about the studio and how it's not what it "used to be"

Vikki Blake — Sat, 11 Jul 2026 13:33:09 +0000

A director at Obsidian Entertainment has shared their thoughts about the "extremely difficult week" at the studio, stressing how hard it's been to see "a bunch of cold take artists coming out of the woodwork" and "spouting off" about "what Obsidian is or what it isn't".

"Just too gay" - Robert Yang is battling censorship to launch a collection of his award-winning games on Steam and Itch, and it's completely free

Matt Wales — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 16:50:45 +0000

Robert Yang, the award-winning designer behind the likes of The Tearoom and Rinse and Repeat, is battling increasingly restrictive rules adopted by digital storefronts to launch an "ongoing re-remaster" compilation of his short experimental games. It's called Radiator Forever and is available now for free - although it might take a bit of hunting to find it.

As Xbox and PlayStation flounder, Steam is reportedly having another record year

Dom Peppiatt — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 15:52:57 +0000

Valve's PC storefront Steam continues to go from strength to strength. In the first half of 2026, it recorded its highest-ever results, generating an enormous $11.1bn in revenue, which is more than it made during the game-heavy end of last year, and considerably more than it made during the first half of 2025.

"We mean business" - Bethesda union members to march in protest of sweeping Xbox job cuts

Matt Wales — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:52:02 +0000

Bethesda Game Studios union workers have announced plans to protest the recent mass layoffs impacting Microsoft's Xbox division, telling members, "The company wants us to accept this as a done deal and quietly disappear. We won't let that happen."

"My 'Microsoft will probably be a good steward of the brand' statement isn't aging well" - id Software co-founder John Carmack speaks out after devastating Xbox layoffs

Matt Wales — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 11:02:56 +0000

John Carmack, the co-founder of legendary Doom and Quake developer id Software, has shared his thoughts on the reported "bloodbath" of layoffs at his former studio, following Xbox's devastating "restructuring".

"It was like being back in 2016" Pokémon Go celebrates 10th anniversary by recreating the original trailer's Times Square Mewtwo raid

Lottie Lynn — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:54:27 +0000

Last night Pokémon Go celebrated its 10th anniversary by fulfilling the final promise of the game's original trailer: giving players the chance to battle Mewtwo in Times Square.

"No thanks!" - Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake Resynced being review bombed on Steam for single-player microtransactions

Dom Peppiatt — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:26:46 +0000

The remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag, Resynced, is off to a flying start. Before it even launched, the game was already on track to out-perform,Assassin's Creed Shadows, pulling in "roughly $14m in gross revenue" for publisher Ubisoft. Not bad!

Xbox leader Asha Sharma has joined a US government task force for employment, days after announcing restructuring that has left thousands of people without jobs

Dom Peppiatt — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:12:22 +0000

After spearheading a restructuring of Xbox that resulted in 3200 job losses, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been asked to be an advisor to the US Federal Reserve for Productivity and Jobs, where she will seemingly lead a task force related to, ironically, employment.

Dragon Age creator reckons the series is dead following Veilguard flop, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't have another go at it if given the chance

Matt Wales — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 16:36:46 +0000

Following the poor commercial performance of 2024's Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Dragon Age creator David Gaider has said he believes developer BioWare's beloved fantasy RPG series is likely dead. But if some twist of fate ever meant he had the opportunity to work on a new one - despite no longer being at BioWare - he'd be interested in taking it in a "dark and dangerous" direction, and do with it "things that will make people upset".

Bungie gives Destiny 2 players a final farewell gift as the game enters maintenance mode

Sherif Saed — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 15:04:43 +0000

Destiny 2 developer Bungie surprised fans earlier this week with something of a farewell gift. The developer posted a code on X that players can redeem on Bungienet to claim a free emblem.

Games are almost always cheaper in shops, says new report, just as Sony announces an end to PlayStation discs and brings retailers' futures into question

Sherif Saed — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:51:19 +0000

Earlier this month, Sony announced that it's ending manufacturing of physical PlayStation discs beginning January 2028. The shocking decision means future releases, both from Sony Interactive Entertainment and every other publisher on the planet, will only be available in digital formats.

Fallout's second season has been nominated for more Emmys, even if it's significantly fewer than last time

Matt Wales — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:33:56 +0000

Season two of Amazon's live-action Fallout adaptation might have been a bit of a divisive one, but that hasn't stopped it from being showered with another bunch of nominations ahead of this year's prestigious Emmy Awards. In total, Fallout's second TV outing has made it in nine categories - a decent clutch, even if it's significantly less than the 16 nominations it got for season one.

Even The Elder Scrolls 6 is affected by Xbox layoffs, say Bethesda employees, as "key" people are let go and morale bottoms out

Dom Peppiatt — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:33:05 +0000

The impact of this week's massive wave of Xbox layoffs on individual projects and teams is starting to become clear. The latest revelation comes from multiple staff at Bethesda, who have told IGN they expect a "substantial and cascading effect" on the long in-development Elder Scrolls 6.

Sony, Bungie settle with ex-Marathon director they accused of "predatory behaviour", bringing $200m wrongful dismissal lawsuit to a close

Matt Wales — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:51:17 +0000

Ex-Marathon director Christopher Barrett has announced a settlement has been reached with Sony and Bungie, after he sued both companies for wrongful dismissal, claiming they had "deliberately destroyed [his] reputation by falsely, and publicly, insinuating...he had engaged in sexual misconduct."

Doom and Quake studio id Software reportedly gutted, leaving standalone capabilities in doubt and newly revealed game ideas dead

Robert Purchese — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:23:27 +0000

A clearer picture of how hard id Software has been hit by Microsoft's drastic Xbox restructuring is beginning to emerge, and it has been hit very hard indeed.

Fallout: New Vegas studio Obsidian reportedly moved onto a new Fallout game by Xbox, but at the cost of a sequel to Avowed

Sherif Saed — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 11:19:35 +0000

Days after Microsoft's devastating 3200 job cuts at Xbox, the true scope of the redundancies is becoming clearer. Obsidian Entertainment, which reportedly lost a quarter of its staff in the cuts, has had its priorities shifted too.

There are apparently going to be "changes" to one of Persona 4 Revival's most important characters, but what exactly does that mean?

Dom Peppiatt — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 09:20:10 +0000

After a long period of not knowing much about the upcoming remake, Persona 4 Revival, we last month finally learned that Atlus' re-do of one of its most popular games is launching on 18th February on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. But the game isn't a straight one-to-one remake of the 2008 RPG. Similarly to Persona 3 Reload, it will see differences to the source material.

Brutal Soulslike Mortal Shell 2 chooses violence, sets release date in the 2026 August traffic jam

Sherif Saed — Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:43:23 +0000

Mortal Shell 2, the inventive Soulslike RPG from developer Cold Symmetry, has an official release date. The game will arrive 20th August on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. While Mortal Shell 2 has always been set for release this year, its release window was the biggest mystery.

17 years later, Minecraft is finally adding somewhere to sit

Matt Wales — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 16:15:25 +0000

You might want to sit down for this one. Some 17 years after its release, Minecraft is finally adding somewhere for weary adventurers to rest their flagging posteriors: cushions are now available as part of the survival blockbuster's latest preview build, with a full release planned for later this year.

"Dracula is King of England" - New immersive sim Vampirium: 1997 announced by Tron: Catalyst and Thomas Was Alone developer Bithell Games

Robert Purchese — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:51:11 +0000

Bithell Games - the developer of Tron: Catalyst, John Wick Hex and Thomas Was Alone - has revealed a new minimalist immersive vampire sim called Vampirium: 1997.

Palworld developer Pocketpair decides not to raise the open-world survival game's price tag as it nears a 1.0 launch later this week

Fran Ruiz — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:48:11 +0000

Legal battles with Nintendo aside, open-world survival game Palworld has enjoyed tons of success since it was launched back in January 2024 into early access. After more than two years of updates, it's been confirmed it'll hit 1.0 this Friday, 10th July. Forget about a price increase though.

Doom's new Chain Spear weapon seems to be dividing The Dark Ages' audience - "I'm like an hour in and I can't wait to get the shield back"

Fran Ruiz — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:19:40 +0000

Only a few weeks after Doom: The Dark Ages - Revelations was revealed to the world, Xbox has made deep cuts to developer id Software that could change the studio and their games forever. But for now, players seem to be enjoying the expansion - albeit for one divisive new weapon.

Workers at MindsEye studio protesting controversial fan event this weekend after multiple rounds of layoffs

Sherif Saed — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 15:00:38 +0000

UPDATE 9TH JULY, 10AM BST: Following the publication of this story, a Build a Rocket Boy spokesperson reached out with the following statement:

Subnautica 2 isn't backing down on fish murder, but you can at least stun them now thanks to its first major update

Matt Wales — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:36:14 +0000

Subnautica 2's early access journey reaches a new milestone today as developer Unknown Worlds releases the underwater survival sequel's first major update. It's notable in a number of respects; not least because it adds the ability to stun fish - which, while far from the all-out fish murder some players have been begging for, does at least provide a new defensive option for getting out of sticky situations.

Arc Raiders introduces separate Solo, Duo and Trio tracking so you can be friendly in one and a rat in the others

Sherif Saed — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:29:09 +0000

Arc Raiders is evolving its matchmaking behaviour yet again. The game's latest update introduced a feature players have long requested. Patch 1.36.0, available now across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox allows the game to track your playstyle separately for its different matchmaking pools: Solo, Duo, and Trio.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced hasn't set sail yet, but it's already doing better than Shadows on Steam

Fran Ruiz — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:01:09 +0000

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced isn't even out yet - Edward Kenway makes his long-awaited return tomorrow, 9th July - but it's already on track to perform better than last year's Assassin's Creed Shadows.

The retreat from mobile games continues as Mario Kart Tour and Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis will be taken offline later this year

Fran Ruiz — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:32:53 +0000

There seems to be a retreat from mobile adaptations of big gaming brands underway. From Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile being shut down to Sony heavily downsizing mobile operations, the gold rush for ambitious big-IP adaptations is declining. And now, Nintendo and Square Enix are following a similar path.

You can complete medieval vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker even quicker than previously thought - before even the prologue ends

Robert Purchese — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:32:09 +0000

You can finish medieval vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker even sooner than previously thought: it isn't just possible to end the game after the prologue, you can do it in the prologue too. (Beware, there are some prologue spoilers ahead.)

Microsoft is reportedly considering making more of its first-party games exclusive to Xbox

Sherif Saed — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 12:08:31 +0000

More of Microsoft's future first-party titles may become Xbox exclusives, according to a new report. The company is said to be interested in giving customers a reason to choose Xbox consoles over other brands.

The upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops PlayStation re-releases seemingly drop a few fondly remembered features

Sherif Saed — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 10:24:54 +0000

We're likely closer than ever to the launch of Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 and 2 re-releases on PlayStation, because their Trophy lists have appeared online. This typically happens days before a game becomes available.

It's only in Europe where Nintendo is discontinuing Switch 1, and likely to do with the Right to Repair laws we have here

Sherif Saed — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 08:59:12 +0000

Nintendo has confirmed the decision to halt sales of its Switch 1 console in Europe will not affect its operations in the rest of the world. The company, which recently revealed it will stop selling the original Switch console in Europe starting mid-February 2027, has clarified that it's not ending sales everywhere else.

Two brothers admit to stealing more than £71,000 worth of Pokémon TCG cards after failing to escape the police and hide the loot

Fran Ruiz — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 08:46:25 +0000

Many of us are excited for Pokémon TCG's latest sets - including the massive 30th anniversary one - but a pair of brothers in Warrington, Cheshire, England took things too far when they stole over £71,000 worth of loot across several collectibles stores.

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader gets "massive update" on Switch 2 following disappointing launch, all DLC and expansions now free

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:09:06 +0000

2023's Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader is one of the best party-based CRPGs you can play today, but its Nintendo Switch 2 port was called one of the console's worst so far earlier this year. Now, Owlcat Games is trying to make things right.

IO Interactive regains full ownership of Project Fantasy following end of Xbox deal, shuts down Istanbul studio and lays off developers "to find a new balance"

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 14:53:14 +0000

It's one of those weeks. After Xbox pulling out of a publishing and funding deal for Project Fantasy - IO Interactive's next game - the developer has regained full control of the IP and funding. That, however, means it's readjusting its business to accommodate the ambitious RPG as well as future projects.

Doom co-creator John Romero weighs in on Xbox's cuts to id Software, underlines the importance of digital preservation and the studio's history

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:51:20 +0000

Xbox's recently announced, division-wide layoffs are a disaster, and Doom studio id Software has been hit particularly hard right as it's launching The Dark Ages' expansion-sized DLC. Now, Doom co-creator and id Software co-founder John Romero has weighed in.

The petition against Sony's decision to kill PlayStation physical discs has over 170,000 signatures

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 13:49:46 +0000

You may scoff at how little real-world change petitions typically produce, but you can't deny that this particular campaign has a lot of user support behind it. The Don't Kill the Disc Change.org petition, which was launched in the wake of Sony's bombshell decision to end physical disc manufacturing in January 2028, has amassed over 170,000 signatures at the time of writing.

The Outer Worlds and Fallout New Vegas studio Obsidian is reportedly losing a quarter of its staff in Xbox layoffs

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:43:27 +0000

Obsidian, the legendary RPG studio behind The Outer Worlds, Avowed, Fallout New Vegas and other acclaimed games, is losing about a quarter of its workers. That is according to a new Kotaku report, citing sources familiar with the matter.

What exactly is going on with Marvel's Blade? Arkane Lyon's fate remains unclear in the wake of Xbox's controversial 'reset'

Dom Peppiatt — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 12:40:53 +0000

Yesterday, we officially heard what has been rumoured for the past few weeks: Microsoft is set to lay off thousands of people from its Xbox division, losing four game studios and making its remaining studios pivot to tried-and-tested franchises, all as part of a big 'reset' overseen by newly-appointed Xbox leader Asha Sharma.

State of Decay 3 may no longer launch into Game Pass, now that Microsoft is letting developer Undead Labs go

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:50:15 +0000

State of Decay 3, the once first-party Xbox game, may not launch into Game Pass after all. The game's developer, Undead Labs, is among the studios Microsoft is parting with following its decision to lay off 3200 workers from across the Xbox division.

Former Xbox boss Don Mattrick once reportedly suggested Halo 4 should have a real-money auction house like Diablo 3 infamously did

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:42:02 +0000

As the games industry grapples with Xbox laying off 3200 workers and dropping five studios, more voices are surfacing to tell tales about corporate fumblings in the past.

Xbox Game Pass subscription numbers are reportedly well below where Microsoft wants them to be

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 11:23:51 +0000

The total number of Game Pass subscribers has dropped back down to 30 million, according to a new Wall Street Journal report. This is a loss of around 4 million compared to publicised 2024 numbers.

Latest Xbox layoffs hit id Software as Doom: The Dark Ages' DLC launches, around half of the staff potentially cut

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 10:26:16 +0000

Xbox is cutting 3200 jobs between now and the end of financial year 2027, with studios like Undead Labs and Compulsion Games going independent as others also try to navigate an uncertain future. Moreover, ZeniMax's entire division - which includes all of Bethesda's big studios - is facing major layoffs, even if no studios are being shut down for now. Now, we're hearing id Software has been hit particularly hard just as Doom: The Dark Ages - Revelations prepares to launch later today.

As layoffs continue to ravage the games industry, a union across North America establishes a fund to help those impacted by it

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:41:02 +0000

The United Videogame Workers union (UVW-CWA) has launched a new fund to help laid off workers across the US and Canada. The Game Worker Hardship Fund, as it's called, is available to anyone who's been laid off from January 2024 to the present day.

The Elder Scrolls Online studio reportedly suffers a second large wave of layoffs in a year, with "up to half" of the team impacted

Connor Makar — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 09:12:39 +0000

A second wave of massive Microsoft layoffs has reportedly hit Zenimax Online Studios, with some sources claiming "up to half" of the studio has been cut.

Hatsune Miku: Starry Party is a new video game starring the virtual singer and her friends coming to Switch 2 and PC

Fran Ruiz — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:54:07 +0000

Good Smile Company has announced Hatsune Miku: Starry Party, a new "party action" game with chibi character designs coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.

Acclaimed PS5 roguelike shooter Saros gets a substantial free trial, but there's a catch

Sherif Saed — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 08:33:44 +0000

Saros, the latest game from the arcade-loving game creators at Housemarque, is getting a new two-and-half hour trial for anyone interested in trying it.

Independent again: Double Fine and Compulsion react to leaving Xbox and taking all their games with them

Robert Purchese — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:59:25 +0000

Psychonauts and Keeper developer Double Fine Productions, and South of Midnight and We Happy Few developer Compulsion Games, have reacted to their new futures as it's confirmed they will become independent developers again.

As ZeniMax also faces cuts, Xbox seeks a "significant overhaul" to focus on Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Quake, and other big franchises

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:52:43 +0000

Following weeks of rumours and speculation, Microsoft and Xbox have announced today around 3200 jobs are being cut before financial year 2027 ends, with a number of studios being let go to find new owners or go independent. As more details pour out, we've also learned ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks are facing cuts - even if no studios are closing. Moreover, there are new plans for their key properties moving forward.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma wants the company to "entertain more than a billion people" every day: here's why that's a deeply unrealistic thing to say

Connor Makar — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:16:27 +0000

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has expressed hopes that Xbox can be a company that "entertains more than a billion people each day" amidst drastic change at the company.

Nintendo has detailed rollout plans for Switch 2 product revisions in Europe with replaceable batteries, and Switch 1 consoles are being discontinued

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 14:24:19 +0000

In a move that's been brewing for a while now after Europe announced the Right to Repair directive and new battery regulations, Nintendo committed in early June to Switch revisions. Now, the hardware giant has detailed its rollout plans for Switch 2 products.

Microsoft announces 3200 layoffs and four studio departures in "most significant" Xbox restructuring in history

Robert Purchese — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:47:44 +0000

The news is finally out. Microsoft is laying off thousands of people from its Xbox division and losing four game studios from its roster. Those studios are Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs, with Arkane Lyon in talks for being removed.

Palworld developer confirms when the version 1.0 update will go live

Sherif Saed — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 13:43:59 +0000

July may be a quiet month when it comes to new game releases, but one of the biggest games of 2024 is graduating out of Early Access during the month. Palworld, the survival and creature-collecting hybrid whose characters look similar to Pokemon - but are legally distinct, will roll out its 1.0 update this Friday, 10th July.

You can sort-of play Mario Kart on YouTube as an "interactive video" that could lead to more complex experiments

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:40:26 +0000

There's a whole world of shockingly creative YouTube channels out there, but it's not often we come across something as surprising as Atlas Arcade's playable Mario Kart video.

"If anyone encounters the same error, don't panic like I did" - Steam Machine suffering "red line of death" comes back to life

Sherif Saed — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 12:06:07 +0000

The Steam Machine that suffered a "red line of death" last week that was thought to indicate a serious graphics card issue has miraculously sprung back to life.

The first reactions to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2 are in, and CD Projekt Red and Studio Trigger seem to have another winner on their hands

Fran Ruiz — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:41:10 +0000

Last week brought us the stunning first proper trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 2, which is introducing and following an all-new cast of characters and storyline (even if we're not leaving Night City). Soon after, some lucky fans and members of the press were able to watch its first episode before the season premieres on Netflix in fall 2026.

One of my favourite weeks of the year is here: Summer Games Done Quick 2026 begins and anyone with a passing interest in games should dip in

Dom Peppiatt — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:19:05 +0000

Some people get very excited for our annual non-E3 blast of games news in June. Others await the Q3-Q4 release window rush of games with glee (although, this year, I find it a bit more scary than I do exciting). My favourite time of the gaming calendar, though, is split between two six-month blocks: I celebrate the arrival of Summer Games Done Quick and Awesome Games Done Quick like the passing of Halley's Comet.

Valve updates SteamOS to improve your WiFi download speeds, and it's available on Steam Deck with a couple of caveats

Sherif Saed — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:08:14 +0000

Valve has rolled out a change to SteamOS that should help devices using a WiFi antenna get better download speeds. This latest version, 3.8.14, was released over the weekend. The change-log only lists two changes, and one of them is pretty consequential. The new version fixes an issue that caused WiFi speeds to be limited on routers that incorrectly advertise their MCS requirements.

Death Stranding director Hideo Kojima "really sad" about Sony ending physical disc production, and says lack of media ownership has "frightening" possibilities

Connor Makar — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:56:28 +0000

Hideo Kojima has spoken about Sony's cessation of physical video game disc production, with the director behind Death Stranding expressing that the news made him feel "really sad".

Meccha Chameleon tops another milestone, selling 15 million copies in less than 30 days

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:37:42 +0000

Meccha Chameleon – the viral hide-and-seek game that sold 10 million copies in just 16 days – has smashed another milestone, topping a staggering 15 million sales in less than a month.

Crimson Desert Update 1.13.00 is live – here's what's new

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 16:04:09 +0000

Crimson Desert's 1.13.00 update is here across all platforms, adding new outfits and expanding dyeable equipment options, addressing various bug fixes and stability improvements, and allowing Oongka and Damiane to enter the Abyss.

Epic Games settles a court case against former contractor accused of leaking Fortnite collaborations

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 14:06:30 +0000

Epic Games has settled a court case against a contractor accused of leaking Fortnite information.

Final Fantasy 15, and others, could come to Nintendo Switch 2 – "it's not entirely impossible"

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:53:25 +0000

Square Enix has hinted that it's "not entirely impossible" that we could see Final Fantasy 15 on Nintendo Switch 2.

Danganronpa 2x2 delayed to 2027

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 12:18:25 +0000

Danganronpa 2x2 has been delayed to 2027.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is blocked in 132 countries due to Sony's controversial PSN linking requirement – but its Steam page is still visible to blocked players

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 11:39:22 +0000

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls is blocked in 132 countries, once again due to Sony's controversial PSN linking requirement.

Sony assures developers they can still order some games on disc after 2027 – but there's a catch

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 08:00:00 +0000

Sony is reportedly informing developers that they can still order disc games beyond January 2028 providing the game releases before its cut-off date.

Halo: Campaign Evolved really, really wants you to know you can get a physical disc even if you buy it on PS5

Vikki Blake — Sun, 05 Jul 2026 07:00:00 +0000

Microsoft is using Sony's decision to end production of discs from 2028 as a selling point for Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Sony still has to ration attachable disc drives sales to "1 per order" due to "high demand" despite plans to end production of physical discs for PlayStation games

Vikki Blake — Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:21:05 +0000

Sony is still rationing its supply of attachable disc drives despite announcing plans to end production of physical discs for PlayStation games because of changing "consumer trends".

Saudi Arabia-owned Scopely continues its mobile investment spree with Umamusame: Pretty Derby director's new company Studio AuKnow

Connor Makar — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:59:25 +0000

Mobile gaming giant Scopely has made a "strategic investment" into Studio Auknow, a new company formed by the former director of Umamusame: Pretty Derby.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 studio Sandfall isn't bothered that people may not like its next game, and that's the most refreshing thing I've heard all week

Dom Peppiatt — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:42:40 +0000

"Maybe people won't like it. That's life," says Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 director and Sandfall Interactive founder, Guillaume Broche, when asked about the studio's yet-to-be-revealed sophomore game - its second game. "We didn't make the first game to please anyone, and I think that's why it worked."

As the memory crisis continues and players begin to complain, Cinder City drops 64GB RAM requirement and ups GPU requirement instead

Sherif Saed — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:02:55 +0000

Cinder City is a new online co-op shooter from South Korean publisher NC. Announced earlier this week, the game looks like a cross between The First Descendant and many other zombie shooters you may have seen before.

Cyberpunk 2077 passes another extraordinary sales milestone as CD Projekt Red hails "the incredible, lasting strength" of the game

Robert Purchese — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:30:56 +0000

Cyberpunk 2077 has just passed another huge sales milestone for CD Projekt Red, showing that despite a somewhat disastrous launch, the retro-futuristic role-playing game remains an incredible success for the Polish studio.

"The future of gaming shouldn't come at the expense of ownership" - Anti-DRM champion GOG restates the fundamentals as PlayStation kills off discs

Robert Purchese — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 12:24:09 +0000

In the wake of Sony announcing the end of PlayStation game discs, and as concerns about game ownership swirl around it, PC digital distribution shop GOG has sought to remind people about what's most important.

"Red line of death" - Steam Machine encounters its first major hardware fault and it's already got a fitting Xbox-inspired nickname

Sherif Saed — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 11:01:59 +0000

Valve's Steam Machine has encountered its first major hardware fault, and people have already given it a fitting nickname.

Sony has already started repurposing its lone PlayStation disc factory, and the body of physical gaming isn't even cold

Connor Makar — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 09:17:43 +0000

The last remaining factory where Sony makes its physical discs is already being repurposed, just days after the company announced it was ceasing physical game production.

The final Final Fantasy 7 remake game Revelation may not actually be the end of the story, leaked DLC listings suggest

Sherif Saed — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 08:26:50 +0000

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is set to finish the story that started all the way back in 2020 with the original Final Fantasy 7 Remake. But that ending may not be as definitive as you might have expected.

Soma dev's next game, Ontos, delayed to 2027 in order to deliver on studio's "ambitious" vision

Connor Makar — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 16:30:35 +0000

Frictional Games - the Swedish developer behind Soma and Amnesia: The Dark Descent - has announced its upcoming release Ontos is being delayed to 2027.

The first wave of Steam Machines has arrived at long last, but those without are left watching the waitlist

Connor Makar — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:43:45 +0000

The first wave of Steam Machines have arrived in the hands of eager early adopters. But while some are celebrating their new toy, others are left to stare at the waiting list.

"Am I going back to PS4 days?" - Former PlayStation leader Shuhei Yoshida has tried the Steam Machine, and he doesn't sound very impressed

Connor Makar — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:09:01 +0000

Former PlayStation Worldwide Studios president, and later the head of indies at PlayStation, Shuhei Yoshida has received his Steam Machine, and he has some blunt feedback about the new console.

Is yet another Microsoft studio, Obsidian, negotiating with Xbox to avoid closure? Conflicting reports emerge

Dom Peppiatt — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 14:51:13 +0000

A new report from The Game Business suggests that Obsidian Entertainment is another studio currently negotiating with Microsoft to avoid closure as part of the company's controversial reassessment of its business. Only yesterday, we heard that Dishonored developer Arkane is reportedly one of five studios Microsoft is targeting to close down as part of its big 'reset'. This follows on from previous comments highlighting Double Fine, Compulsion Games and Ninja Theory as other potential victims of Microsoft and Xbox's latest wave of sweeping layoffs. Undead Labs is also affected by the move.

2025's Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine remaster that was inexplicably exclusive to PC and Xbox seemingly on its way to PS5 and Switch 2

Sherif Saed — Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:55:44 +0000

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine - Master Crafted Edition, the remaster of the classic Relic action game, was released in June last year, less than one month after its initial unveiling. Curiously, however, the remaster was only announced, and released, for PC and Xbox Series X/S.