Naughty Dog studio head Neil Druckmann concluded this year's "The Last of Us Day" by giving updates on the developer's current projects, teasing two new The Last of Us projects that "will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II" without confirming whether or not either one of them is a game, as well as saying that its next game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Project, will be "fully reveal[ed]" next year.

Writing on the Naughty Dog blog, Druckmann thanked fans for helping raise over $11,000 for AbleGamers before addressing the status of the studio's ongoing projects. Regarding The Last of Us, which he recently said the developer was "not done" with, Druckmann clarified that previous tease by specifically saying that the team has two TLOU projects on its plate. "We have a couple of very exciting new projects in very early stages – so we can’t say much about them at this point," he said. "I will tell you that both projects will expand the canon of The Last of Us beyond Part I and Part II. The world of The Last of Us means a great deal to us, and we wouldn’t return to it unless we had something meaningful to say. We believe these stories are worth telling."

Regarding Naughty Dog's next game, the sci-fi Intergalactic: The Heretic Project, Druckmann said that the studio will stay quiet for the few remaining months of the year, but "in 2027, that changes. We’ll fully reveal Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and give you a proper look at Jordan’s wild sci-fi adventure." He also called it Naughty Dog's most ambitious project yet, and asked fans for their patience, perhaps an indirect olive branch to fans who were frustrated by Intergalactic's no-show at the recent Sony State of Play. "There’s an electricity around the studio right now as all the pieces come together, and we’re stoked to finally unveil Intergalactic in all its glory," he said. "But…we need to cook for just a little bit longer."

Druckmann concluded with, "We know it’s been a long time since we’ve had much to share with you. We don’t take your continued support for granted. We’re working incredibly hard to make something worthy of your patience."

Meanwhile, it looks like the HBO TV series adaptation of The Last of Us will wrap up with the upcoming third season.

Data shows that Zach Cregger’s film adaptation of Capcom’s flagship horror franchise was so successful, it boosted sales for copies of both Resident Evil 2 Remake and RE4’s 2023 remake on the PlayStation 5.

Cregger’s Resident Evil has enjoyed resounding success on all fronts; not only is it the single most-profitable Resident Evil movie ever made, it’s also helping sales for the games it’s based on.

Stats aggregated by Alinea Analytics show that the Resident Evil 2 Remake and Resident Evil 4 (2023) enjoyed a massive boost in the week after Cregger’s movie hit theaters. As told in a substack post written by Alinea Analytics’ Rhys Elliot, RE2 remake and RE 4 (2023) enjoyed a whopping 64% and 54% increase in PS5 sales, respectively. With Steam copies added to the mix, the games got bumped up by an additional 11% and 14%, respectively.

On PlayStation, this means the two games’ revenue increased by a jaw-dropping 80% and 84%, though it’s also worth noting that Capcom slashed prices for the games about 10 days before Cregger’s movie hit theaters.

Elliot points out that, while deep discounts made up for most of these impressive numbers beforehand, Austin Abrams’ deeply relatable performance as Bryan moved the needle quite a bit in the week afterwards, which also translated to increased player numbers.

Daily active users across several major Resident Evil titles increased after September 18, with RE2R having the largest surge at 48%, jumping from ~78K to ~116K daily players. This makes sense, given that Cregger’s film takes place parallel to the events of this particular game.

Resident Evil 4 (2023) players increased 24%, Resident Evil 3 Remake jumped up 25%, and Resident Evil Requiem saw a 20% increase in active players. Requiem also recently passed $500 million in total lifetime revenue, with a whopping 91% of sales for the game happening across PlayStation and Steam. In fact, this particular game drove PlayStation and PC sales in Japan within the first half of 2026, increasing by 13% to 21 million copies sold.

With the Code Veronica remake on the horizon, Resident Evil fans are getting fed by the Capgods, who have similarly enjoyed a wonderful year with three highly rated game releases. Onimusha: Way of the Sword was critically acclaimed upon launch, and Pragmata surprised critics and casual players alike with its innovative gameplay and tear-jerking story.

For more Resident Evil news, check out this viral behind-the-scenes footage of stunt performers who worked on Cregger’s film, showing how they brought its main stalker monster to life. You can also read our interview with Cregger here, where he admits that he was “naive” to think hardcore fans would be pleased with him avoiding a direct adaptation of the games — though those box office numbers seem to be telling a different story.

As Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie spreads to theaters across the globe, one dedicated fan has managed to create a Resident Evil 2 mod featuring Austin Abrams' character, Bryan.

Considering the modding community's history with Capcom's legendary survival horror game franchise, a mod based on the new live-action adaptation felt inevitable. A little more than one week after the film's premiere, Nexus Mods user D0ct0rSauce has unveiled a Bryan skin, a mod that allows players to keep the unfortunate courier's horrific run through Raccoon City going in Resident Evil 2.

While Abrams is the one delivering Bryan's shrieks and screams throughout Resident Evil's hour-and-a-half runtime, this fan-made version of the character isn't quite as detailed. This is more like a PlayStation 1-inspired version of the character, breaking him down to just a few simple polygons as a replacement for Leon's retro skin. You can see gameplay footage of the mod, featuring art created by X/Twitter user @mindnumb_opus, below.

thanks to @mindnumb_opus ' excellent 3D artwork, i'm excited to reveal a mod we've developed that makes bryan from the new resident evil movie playable in resident evil 2 remake!#ResidentEvilㅤ #biohazard #bryanhodukavich #REBHFUN pic.twitter.com/VrOs4r6SqY

— dr. sauce (@realdoctorsauce) September 26, 2026

/ shitty gameplay. but check out bryan :D pic.twitter.com/SFkokWc0h2

— bryan resident evil (@thcourier) September 27, 2026

Resident Evil brought Bryan to theaters when it premiered September 18, 2026. Cregger's latest horror flick managed to exceed expectations with a $108 million global debut. It's an opening tally that earned its place as the biggest first weekend in franchise history just days after reviews cemented it as the highest-rated video game adaptation of all time.

The movie then continued its theatrical run in weekend two with an additional $50 million added to the pot. Its total now stands at more than $196.5 million, a number that far exceeds its reported budget of $75 million (via Variety).

IGN gave it an 8/10 review. We said, "With a laser focus on putting its hero through the worst night of his life, Resident Evil is a simple and exciting survival horror story that benefits greatly from director Zach Cregger’s sensibilities."

don’t look at me as I repost this for the third time, I’m so sorry— (2/2) pic.twitter.com/sAkxaveJKO

— Opus (@mindnumb_opus) September 11, 2026

Resident Evil 2 players on PC can imagine Abrams' Bryan surviving the game's take on the fall of Raccoon City thanks to D0ct0rSauce and @mindnumb_opus' work. While we wait to see what the modding community cooks up next, you can catch a glimpse of how Cregger used some creative tricks to bring the film's most wicked creation to life. You can also check out the Resident Evil Requiem mod that added Resident Evil 4's merchant to the game.

The Elder Scrolls never got a Fallout: New Vegas-like spinoff because Todd Howard is "very protective" of the IP, according to former Bethesda developer Kurt Kuhlmann.

Kuhlmann, who served as lead designer and senior designer at the Microsoft studio for 20 years before leaving in 2023, shared details on his experience working on the legendary fantasy RPG franchise during an interview with FRVR. Fans have spent decades wondering why The Elder Scrolls never got the same spinoff treatment as Fallout has, but he said there's a pretty specific reason why that's the case.

"The whole New Vegas thing did create this, at least the perception of this, 'Who makes a better Fallout game? Oh, they should just give it to Obsidian’," Kuhlmann said. "There are the Obsidian, the New Vegas people, that think obviously New Vegas is way better, Obsidian is way better at making those games, and why don’t they just get Fallout altogether?"

Kuhlmann isn't sure "that Todd wanted to create that situation again for The Elder Scrolls." He added, "Todd, from my time there, he is very protective of it."

The ex-Bethesda developer continued, saying he thinks ZeniMax Online Studios' The Elder Scrolls Online "did take the heat off of that" idea. The multiplayer offshoot, which launched in 2014, is quite different from the franchise's typical single-player outings, but it's still managed to carve out its own place in its history.

"There are a lot of people for whom The Elder Scrolls is now ESO," Kuhlmann explained. "That's their experience with it. That's what they love, and that's where they got their Elder Scrolls gaming experience, and that's probably what they want more of.

"I do think that ESO was the, 'We're doing something with Elder Scrolls. There is a product for people that want it.'"

Kuhlmann stopped short of confirming whether Bethesda ever had formal discussions about a The Elder Scrolls spinoff. So, as the company undergoes massive changes behind the scenes, fans will have to settle for The Elder Scrolls Online while they wait for a more traditional installment with The Elder Scrolls 6.

The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced in 2018, but in 2026, it still seems to be years away. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma recently posted about seeing a demo for the new game, saying that "the scale and grandeur are incredible." For more, you can read about what Kuhlmann had to say regarding the potential for Starfield 2.

Backrooms director Kane Parsons says he’s always had a “main ending” in mind for his liminal space story, which he says would be best served as a limited series.

Parsons, while not the original creator of the viral 4Chan greentext post responsible for kicking off the Backrooms craze, is arguably its primary mouthpiece, having caught A24’s attention thanks to his wildly popular YouTube series exploring the concept.

Ever since he first shared his videos — which were almost entirely created in the 3D software Blender — he’s had an idea about how he wants his Backrooms saga to end, though it likely won’t be in theaters.

Speaking to Deadline, Parsons said there’s “always been a plan” for its ending, though it’s been challenging to “find the proper way to package that.”

“I never stop making things,” he told the outlet. “There’s a few things that I would love to talk about when I can soon. I’ve said since the very beginning that the dream scenario would be a limited series for Backrooms to get to the main ending.

“I can’t say anything, but there’s been a very set arc to the whole thing from the beginning, and I just feel absurdly excited at the idea of actually being able to follow through on all of it.”

The success of Parson’s Backrooms kicked off a broader, reactionary trend across the filmmaking landscape; almost instantly, studios started greenlighting similar creepypasta projects, with the likes of Siren Head, The Mandela Catalogue, and even The SCP Foundation nabbing big-budget adaptations with major directors and producers attached.

“You’re going to see more of this,” Parsons said of this trend. “It’s kind of inevitable, given the pressure cooker of people our age who have grown up with the internet. It’s cool to be at the front of that, but that’s just the constant tide of these things.”

Backrooms recently made its way to HBO Max, even getting its own special opening cinematic with HBO’s logo decked out in the Backrooms’ iconic yellow wallpaper. Naturally, its resurgence on this major streaming platform has viewers wondering what’s next for the IP, or Parsons as a filmmaker. We may have an answer to both of these questions; Parsons recently shared his visit to Valve’s offices on social media, prompting no end of speculation as to whether or not he’s in talks to adapt one of the developer’s popular games into another feature film — especially given his love for Portal.

For now, Parsons essentially has carte blanche to do as he pleases, and the wealth of possibilities is making fans even more excited for what’s next following his latest remarks about Backrooms. In the meantime, liminal space-lovers can check out 15 extra minutes of footage from his debut movie on YouTube for free, which was initially added to theatrical Backrooms screenings fittingly titled 'Everything Must Go.'

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is reportedly already planning a re-release, which will feature new footage.

Deadline has reported that Sony is preparing a new cut of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will be released into theaters in the future. There's currently no word on when this re-release will drop, but the window for it to happen this year is rapidly shrinking as the holiday season approaches. The new cut will feature scenes that were originally removed from the film, including one with Rosario Dawson's Daredevil character, Claire Temple.

This isn't the first time Sony has done this for the webhead. In 2022, the company re-released Spider-Man: No Way Home with additional footage, including extended scenes featuring all three Spider-Men. Admittedly, it wasn't anything to write home about, and it was arguably a worse movie due to how these extra scenes disrupted its overall pacing. It added about 10 extra minutes to the original film, so it's possible something similar will happen here with Brand New Day.

Similarly, Avengers: Endgame is cleaning up at the box office seven years after its release thanks to a new re-release, which adds newly-shot footage that connects it to Avengers: Doomsday. All of these re-releases seem to be done with at least a partial goal of boosting the film's box office numbers; Brand New Day is currently the number one film at the domestic box office, and third globally. Avengers: Endgame's re-release is allowing it to quickly close the gap between it and the number one film, Avatar.

Is it a bit greedy? Probably. But people keep showing up and it's a good way of getting people to go support a movie theater, I suppose!

The directors of Avengers: Doomsday seem to be teasing that Doctor Doom is abducting different heroes from around the Marvel universe.

At the end of Avengers: Endgame Encore, a recent re-release of the 2019 film with additional footage, Bruce Banner is seen recording a video message in a bunker. He has isolated himself following the events of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but his moment of isolation is interrupted when Doctor Doom suddenly appears and seemingly kidnaps him. It's unclear exactly what Doom is planning, but it goes beyond just snatching the Incredible Hulk.

Speaking to Empire, director Joe Russo teased that Banner is just one part of Doom's larger plan.

"I mean, look, his interest may extend beyond just Banner," said Russo. "So, that's what we'll say about that."

We may already have an idea of who else Doom is targeting. During the post credits scene of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Doom can be seen in the living room of the Baxter Building, speaking with a young Franklin Richards. Although Sue Storm interrupts, it's unclear if Doom manages to abduct Franklin or if he's forced to leave without the child. A long-running theory for the film has also speculated that Doom may be kidnapping the children of various Marvel heroes, including Franklin, Thor's adopted child, and possibly the child of Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter (this one lost some credibility following the ending of Avengers: Endgame Encore, though).

Whatever the case may be, it seems like Doom wants to capture and potentially control some of Marvel's most powerful heroes. There are currently roughly two months left until the release of Doomsday, which should provide a lot of clarity on things. However, there will likely still be plenty of mysteries, as Doctor Doom will return next year in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Steam has seen an avalanche of cheap and cheerful tidying-up games lately, from libraries to magic shops to toy stores, but the genre is about to get weird.

New game Something is Wrong With the Library is still about organizing books, but this time around, you're doing it while dealing with "psychic manifestations" made of flesh. Makes sense, considering the walls of the building are full of the corpses of homeless people. You can wishlist it now on Steam, ready for its release later this fall.

Unlike most of the clearing clutter genre, Something is Wrong With the Library stands out because it appears to have a (deeply messed up) story to go with all the chores. You play as the library's former administrator, Phillip Shed, who has one night to organize the books and deal with the gory consequences of the bodies in the walls. According to the Steam listing, players can also expect to find something called The Drowning Room, which doesn't sound ominous at all.

Meaty monstrosities aside, you can expect brutal bibliophile realism, thanks to the developer's previous career. “If you've ever been in a library at night, you'll know that it feels unexpectedly warm and full of possibility–until you hear a single sound you don't recognize and realize you're surrounded by towering shadows.” says studio head Xalavier Nelson Jr.

“As a former librarian, I truly hope that, despite the objectively messed-up things they're going to witness, everyone who plays the game falls in love with their local library a little more.”

It's notable that Nelson was the lead developer on another deeply weird Steam gem, CLICKOLDING, where you have to sit in a room across from a sinister stranger and click a button 10,000 times.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is making a major quality-of-life change that fans have been wanting to see for years.

Starting with Modern Warfare 4's launch, double XP tokens will only count down during matches. Most double XP tokens last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. It's a great way to rank up, but for years, players have grown annoyed by the way they're used.

Previously, they would begin to count down the second they were activated, and would remain active even in pre-game lobbies where you couldn't earn any XP. Now, Infinity Ward is making it so the double XP timer only works when you're actively in a match. That means you'll get a lot more usage out of them!

More time to make your 2XP count.

Tokens will count down in game time and your existing tokens will be usable starting in Modern Warfare 4. pic.twitter.com/AZNVBdLVc9

— Call of Duty (@CallofDuty) September 28, 2026

This is just one of many changes Infinity Ward is implementing to show that it's listening to fans ahead of Modern Warfare 4's launch. Last week, the studio confirmed it would also be adding a toggle to allow players the ability to turn off skins. So, if you don't want to see someone's obnoxious skin, you no longer have to be subjected to that. Instead, they'll be shown as a default character model.

Some fans are hoping that these changes will lead to bigger ones, such as major adjustments to skill-based matchmaking. Whether that happens remains to be seem, but it seems like Activision is trying to woo fans as much as it cans as it enters arguably its most competitive launch window in years. Call of Duty will have to contend with the GTA 6 this fall, a game that will be a black hole when it comes to media coverage, engagement, and overall spending. Whether that hurts Call of Duty in the long run will be interesting to see.

Avengers: Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo joked that Doctor Doom's introduction was "planned all along" after new Avengers: Endgame Encore scenes teased his impending arrival.

The filmmaking duo behind this year's Marvel Studios reunion movie touched on how one of the few new teasers attached to Endgame's re-release ties into the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) during an interview with Empire. The moment in question is more of a collection of images than it is a proper scene, but that doesn't mean the Russo brothers didn't use it to draw connections between Iron Man and Doctor Doom actor Robert Downey Jr.

Warning! Avengers: Endgame Encore spoilers follow.

Those who saw Endgame Encore this past weekend and stuck through the end of its credits sequence were treated to the familiar sound of Tony Stark hammering away on his first Iron Man suit – or at least, that's what we thought it was in 2019. This time, however, viewers were shown shots of what seemed to be Victor von Doom as he molds his own mask.

It gave new meaning to Endgame's original final moment as Doomsday looms. When asked to elaborate, Joe Russo said with a laugh that "it's been planned all along." Considering Marvel announced it would rework and retitle The Kang Dynasty into Doomsday back in 2024, it's safe to say that comment is a joke.

"It's almost like the same actor is playing both characters!" Anthony Russo added with a laugh.

Its connections to the MCU's first true superhero, however, are very real. Fans have wondered how the directors will connect Downey Jr.'s two characters since his role was announced, but for all we know, the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men featured in Doomsday may not even get to see the man behind the metal mask. While we're still months from seeing how it will all unfold, the Russo brothers have acknowledged their Endgame Encore tease is more than an ominous flash from the future.

"There is certainly a symmetry at play here," Joe Russo said. "There is an interesting examination of good and evil at play. And I think that that scene at the end, obviously it's intended to be almost identical. It's because there's a duality being explored."

Avengers: Endgame Encore helped fans prep for Doctor Doom when it premiered in theaters last week. Although viewers had to see it on IMAX and Infinity Vision screens to catch all of the Easter Eggs, we can at least rest easy knowing all questions will be answered when Avengers: Doomsday premieres December 18, 2026. In the meantime, you can read about what the Marvel directors had to say about shooting with an unfinished script.

While Diablo 5 was announced at Blizzcon 2026 just a couple weeks ago, the game doesn't come out until spring 2029. But it seems like Chris Wilson, former co-founder of Path of Exile developer Grinding Gear Games, is tentatively excited for Blizzard's next ARPG.

Wilson, who left Grinding Gear Games in 2023, released a video over the weekend where he broke down everything Blizzard has announced about the upcoming Diablo game, from its story to itemization and monster levels. And while he did have some nitpicks, it seems like he's cautiously optimistic that the Diablo series is headed in the right direction, because of the influence the seminal Diablo 2 seems to have on it so far.

Wilson is particularly fond of the new character and inventory screen, where items once again boast different sizes, along with stats that are more in line with Diablo 2. However, there are some modern choices, such as a flat DPS number on weapons, that rub him the wrong way. Still, he recognizes that Diablo 5 can't fully embrace Diablo 2's at-times clunky design.

"There's a bigger question if they're going to go all the way and risk alienating the modern audience that they've cultivated over the last couple of decades," he said. "I don't think they necessarily should. While selfishly it'd be amazing for them to make a new version of Diablo 2 just for me, I don't think they could justify an investment of that size for a game with a niche audience."

Instead, Wilson expects that Diablo V will try to adopt the best of both worlds, with a "modern ARPG that borrows heavily from Diablo 2, rather than a true return to the design philosophy of Diablo 2."

But even though the game is still a couple years away, according to Blizzard, Wilson thinks Diablo 5 is going to end up delayed. He says, "My best guess is the game won't be ready for spring 2029, but that's okay, delays happen and are normal in this industry. I can't count the amount of times I had to delay a Path of Exile League release and players were okay with it."

If anything, delaying Diablo 5 would give Diablo 4 more room to breathe. Just like a lot of players, Wilson feels like the early announcement of D5 is a sign that Blizzard is abandoing Diablo 4 – even if Blizzard itself has denied that in an interview with PC Gamer. Instead, Blizzard is going to keep developing the story with new seasons, the latest of which is a 30-year celebration of the franchise.

I've already spent almost 50 hours in Season 15 alone, and have been having a blast with all the nostalgic content Blizzard added this time around. Chris Wilson is less amused by it, saying, "To be honest, this event feels pretty distasteful to me," because "Diablo 4 was slowly building up to you being able to fight all the prime evils, then they introduce them all at once in a special event that isn't really tied to the games story."

Regardless, new seasons will continue to filter out to Diablo 4 over the next year and a half. Blizzard will also be adding Diablo 2's Amazon class to the game in a DLC pack early next year. Speaking of classes, the company has also revealed a handful of the classes coming to Diablo 5, and that at launch the new game will apparently have more classes available than in any previous Diablo game. I'm just hoping they bring back the Demon Hunter from Diablo 3.

Troy Baker has teased that Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet is "testing the bounds" of what Naughty Dog is capable of, telling fans that they are going to have their "minds blown."

The Last of Us actor, who is also featured in the studio's new sci-fi adventure, talked about what the studio is cooking up during an appearance at Ottawa Comiccon in Ontario, Canada, earlier this month. Footage of his panel was captured and shared on YouTube before clips made their way around social media today, but the biggest highlight from the hour-long talk saw Baker teasing Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

"You guys are going to have your minds blown," he said. Covering his mouth and closing his eyes, he added, "You are not ready. You are not ready. It's so good."

Baker noted that, as previously announced, Naughty Dog recently wrapped shooting performance capture for the studio's new IP. Of all of the things to call attention to, though, it's star Tati Gabrielle and her work as main character, Jordan A. Mun.

"I don't know how [writer and director Neil Druckmann] found two amazing actors," he added, referencing Ashley's Johnson's casting as Ellie in The Last of Us. "He found Ashley for Ellie, and he found Tati for Jordan. It's like, what? How do you do that?

"She is the spiritual successor. There is so much about Jordan and that game of Intergalactic that feels like… man, I feel all of it. I feel Uncharted, I feel The Last of Us, I feel something new. They are testing the bounds of what that studio is capable of. Everything that I've seen, they are delivering, and it's going to be incredible."

We know precious little about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet since Naughty Dog first revealed it at The Game Awards 2024. Druckmann called the new game "incredible" in 2025, and later that same year, he joked that he's been "bootcamp-ing" Gabrielle on the hate the studio's received regarding The Last of Us Part 2. He also said he was stepping away from HBO's The Last of Us show to pour his focus into the project's development.

Despite calling it the "most ambitious game" the team has made to date, the only actual look at it we've seen arrived in that first reveal trailer. Despite there being no firm release date, as Naughty Dog no-shows State of Plays and goes on seven years without a new game release, there are at least a few reasons to suspect we'll learn more in the somewhat near future.

We knew Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet would miss 2026, but there have been rumors that the PlayStation developer is shooting for a 2027 launch. Wrapping up work on performance capture just last month means that progress is moving steadily ahead, too. The Last of Us Part 2 reached a similar milestone one year before its 2020 launch in 2019, so if the team is following that same trajectory, there is at least hope we'll learn more in the months ahead.

Unfortunately, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet has no official launch schedule in place for now. In the meantime, The Last of Us Day 2026 has given fans a little something to chew on while they await the series' return. The series' future is something Baker touched on during his convention appearance, too.

"We'll see," he said, crossing his fingers.

Milan Records has released a five-track EP of new original music from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's upcoming Songs of the Past expansion. Titled The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past (Original Soundtrack Gamescom 2026 EP), the first taste of the DLC's soundtrack includes compositions from Magda Urbanska, Marcin Pryzbylowicz, and Daniel Elms.

"I’ve worked with classical music for most of my life," Urbanska said. "But folk requires a completely different sensibility — it has its own tone and form, while also offering enormous creative freedom. But our roots, our Slavic heritage, are something more than that — something that runs deep within us, something that grows out of who we are. I hope we’ve managed to preserve The Witcher DNA in these pieces."

Publisher Milan Records describes the new music as such: "Created to accompany Geralt of Rivia's return to the Path, the soundtrack expands upon the rich musical identity that has made The Witcher franchise a global phenomenon. Blending evocative orchestral writing with traditional folk influences, powerful vocal performances, and regional instrumentation inspired by the world's diverse cultures, the score captures both the intimacy and grandeur of a new chapter in Geralt's story." Here's the tracklist of the EP, which you can hear now everywhere:

1. Return to the Path – Magda Urbańska
2. Awoken – Magda Urbańska
3. Into Darkness – Daniel Elms
4. What’s Done – Marcin Przybyłowicz
5. Belleteyn Night – Magda Urbańska

Songs of the Past was a nearly unprecedented announcement earlier this year (though it had been rumored): a new expansion for a game that will be 12 years old by the time Songs of the Past ships next year, and the first expansion in over a decade. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was named IGN's Game of the Year in 2015.

Naughty Dog has revealed that it's celebrating The Last of Us Day 2026 with Ghost of Yotei content, player avatars on PlayStation and Steam, and an hour-long ambience video as fans continue begging for any updates on The Last of Us Part 3.

It's… probably not what you or anyone else was expecting to see when the Sony studio teased plans for its annual holiday over the weekend. Instead of confirmation for The Last of Us Part 3 (or even yet, another remaster of an existing title), Naughty Dog instead revealed a collection of smaller surprises to keep fans tied over.

The headline is no doubt an armor set that's coming to Sucker Punch Productions' Ghost of Yotei. Available starting October 1, players will be able to hop into the sequel's Most Wanted mode while sporting Clicker-inspired armor. After it's unlocked, players will be able to use it in the base game, as well as its new Echoes of Sekigahara DLC. You can see a first look at The Last of Us armor below.

So, what else is there for The Last of Us Day 2026? Naughty Dog also announced a partnership with collectible company Youtooz for a Bloody Clicker figure. In addition to the previously revealed Welcome Hub background wallpaper for PS5, PlayStation users can enjoy four new themed avatars, with even more available on PC via Steam.

Also starting October 1 at 10 AM PDT / 1 PM EDT is a new Steam and Epic Games Store sale, which will discount The Last of Us Part 1 by 50% and The Last of Us Part 2 by 33%. There's also a new hour-long subway ambiance video for those who miss living in the series' Cordyceps-infested world. Does any of this come with a tease for The Last of Us Part 3? Well, no. Not at all.

It's been more than six years since Naughty Dog released The Last of Us Part 2, the series' latest entry. While the time between has seen the launch of important installments in the groundbreaking post-apocalyptic franchise, including the launch of two seasons for its live-action HBO adaptation, it's also brought disappointment for fans.

Perhaps the biggest blow to those hoping to hear more about where the franchise is heading was the cancellation of the long-in-development multiplayer spinoff, which many referred to as The Last of Us Online. Sony officially pulled the plug in December 2023, with Naughty Dog team promising it would focus solely on single-player games going forward.

As The Last of Us Part 3 remains absent and without any official confirmation that it's even in development, the studio is still very much in the weeds of its next new IP, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. Initial footage for the project seemed promising when it was shown off in 2024, but two years later, we still know little about it, too.

In addition to all of today's aforementioned goodies and a No Return charity stream for AbleGamers, the studio also announced it has established dedicated The Last of Us social media pages across Instagram, Facebook, and X/Twitter. Still, fans spent the days leading up to The Last of Us Day hoping the holiday would come with any news about the future of the series. Some hoped it might come with confirmation that The Last of Us Part 3 was in the works at all, but for now, at least, it seems fans will have to wait.

The future of The Last of Us continues to be a mystery as Naughty Dog celebrates The Last of Us Day 2026. In the meantime, you can see why some fans think a tease from Neil Druckmann suggests a third game will happen eventually. You can also read up on the multiplayer mod canceled at Sony's request earlier this month, and the new cast members that joined the show's third season.

Rumors of an LA Noire 2 have been floating around the internet lately, but is there actually any truth to them?

Over the weekend, eagle-eyed fans dug up an old GTA 6 leak from 2023. The leak originated on 4Chan and revealed a bunch of details that have actually since been confirmed. Perhaps one of the most notable bits is that Rockstar once planned to have four protagonists in GTA 6, but eventually settled on two, which was recently confirmed by Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson. However, it is worth noting that this tidbit was also buried in a report from Axios a year prior to the 4Chan leak, as well.

The post went on to reveal details about the game's relationship mechanic, which has also since been confirmed, and teased some spoilers that have been loosely corroborated in other legitimate leaks in recent years. However, the reason people are digging this post back up is because it claims that Rockstar's next game is a sequel to LA Noire, set to release in 2030.

The game would be set in San Francisco and center around the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the city in the '70s. If there ever were to be an LA Noire followup, this would be the most ideal story to tackle, given that it's rich with unique crimes, people, and has a great setting. So... is any of this real? Let's look at all of the evidence.

For starters, LA Noire was developed by the studio Team Bondi, led by a man named Brendan McNamara. Rockstar published the crime game and lent some developers to assist on the project. Unfortunately, Team Bondi dissolved shortly after LA Noire's release. Not long after, McNamara founded a new studio to make a successor known as The Whore of the Orient (which we reported new details on earlier this summer) without the help of Rockstar.

The game was scrapped due to funding issues and McNamara founded yet another studio known as Video Games Deluxe, which helped port LA Noire to VR devices. The studio was acquired by Rockstar in 2025 and renamed to Rockstar Australia, leading many to wonder what they're up to, exactly.

Presumably, they're helping with GTA 6, but a lot of the studio is comprised of ex-LA Noire creatives, including McNamara, who is a renowned storyteller. It seems hard to imagine that a creative like him would be relegated to leading a support studio, so it seems feasible that there could be plans for more games with him at the helm.

Rockstar has also shown an interest in the IP multiple times over the years. LA Noire was the second Rockstar game behind GTA 5 to be ported over to Xbox One and PS4, which raised eyebrows, given fans were more interested in titles like Bully, Red Dead Redemption, or even GTA 4. A condensed version of the game was also ported to VR around the same time, which was an unusual level of investment for Rockstar.

More recently, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about the possibility of LA Noire returning. He noted that the door is open for Rockstar to revisit the game, so long as there's a team that's passionate about it.

“Broadly, we’re looking at doing something in the future with all of our intellectual property,” he said in April 2026. “There’s nothing to announce on LA Noire specifically, and if there were, it would be Rockstar announcing it, not me. But in any case, with regard to our legacy IP, the teams are always looking at what we have and we’re always thinking about it. The question is, at any given time, do we have a team that’s passionate about working on that?”

Whether McNamara is invested in another period crime drama remains to be seen, but his team would likely be the ones most gung-ho about going back to LA Noire. In 2012, Rockstar also teased that an LA Noire sequel wasn't off the table, as it was pleased with how the game performed, and Take-Two even noted its importance as a "franchise" moving forward.

"Don't count out the possibility of a new game in the LA Noire franchise in the future," said Rockstar during a fan Q&A. "We simply have not decided anything. We're all very pleased with how that game turned out and are considering what the future may hold for LA Noire as a series. We don't always rush to make sequels, but that does not mean we won't get to them eventually – see Max [Payne] and Red Dead for evidence of that – we have so many games we want to make and the issue is always one of bandwidth and timing."

Either way, it's an exciting prospect to consider, but there are a lot of questions over what direction Rockstar will take post-GTA 6. The game is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch in history, and the studio will likely support the hell out of it with updates over time, especially when its online mode launches in the future.

Will that be all-consuming, eliminating any chance of "smaller" games like an LA Noire sequel, or will the financial success afford Rockstar the opportunity to make more interesting artistic plays? We'll just have to wait and see, but Rockstar is already set to publish a pair of Max Payne remakes, developed by Remedy, so there are opportunities outside of heavily monetized online games.

Avengers: Endgame and Doomsday directors Joe and Anthony Russo wanted to show Steve Rogers' journey to replace the Infinity Stones "for a long time."

Rogers agrees to return the Infinity Stones to their places across the MCU timeline in the finale of Avengers: Endgame, before settling back in time to live out a happy life with Peggy Carter. (A life that will now be interrupted by the events of Avengers: Doomsday, it has been confirmed.)

While this journey hasn't yet been shown on screen, fans have long called for a Disney+ series featuring Chris Evans as he adventures across the Marvel timeline, dropping off various stones back where the Avengers found them. There's some fertile ground for exploration here too, as Evans could reunite with younger versions of his former team as well as former foes. It would be great to see Rogers bid a final goodbye to Black Widow before her later death, or face off once again with Red Skull.

Clearly, the Russos also thought similar. Speaking to CBR, Joe Russo said that he and his brother Anthony Russo "did have that conversation," around showing Rogers' journey, before suggesting it would have been too difficult to show within a single film just as a montage.

"I think we toyed around with an idea of like, 'Is there a montage where he puts the stones back?' We felt like it just played past the ending," he explained. "We were like, 'It seems like much more complicated than a montage could sustain.' And so we didn't do it."

"We did circle it for a long time, that idea," Anthony Russo added, before seemingly discounting the idea of a Disney+ series. "I think that's a great idea," he continued. "How about a movie?"

This discussion is interesting as it appears to dovetail with comments made in the past by Evans himself, who said he had received numerous pitches to return to the MCU that he ultimately did not move forward with, as he waited for an idea big enough that justified going back.

While Marvel rarely discusses its discarded project ideas, it's not difficult to imagine a movie showing Steve's journey being pitched to Evans at some point. However, at present, there's no sign that this is a journey we'll ever actually get to see, as the Russos are busy enough still tinkering with Avengers: Doomsday, and entering pre-production on Avengers Secret Wars.

As for Doomsday, we know that it will pick up Steve's story after his Infinity Stone mission, as his life with Peggy Carter is disturbed by a visit from Loki. This is a moment that viewers have now seen play out in the extended version of Avengers: Endgame now playing in theaters. Exactly what happens after that, however, we'll need to wait a few months to see — when Avengers: Doomsday arrives December 18.

The Witcher 3 Remastered comes out tomorrow with a whole host of improvements that yet again bring it into the current generation. But it seems like if you want to max the game out with path tracing, you're going to need an absolute beast of a gaming PC.

CD Projekt Red updated The Witcher 3 system requirements ahead of tomorrow's update, and while it is still reasonable on the low end, if you want to enable path tracing at 4K, you're going to need an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, which is going for about $1,650 on the low end right now. Even with that beefy graphics card, the system requirements suggest that you'll need both DLSS upscaling and frame generation to hit 60 fps, which means Nvidia's penultimate GPU still struggles with the 11-year-old game.

So, I of course plugged in an RTX 5080 to see how the game runs with path tracing in a lap around Novigrad, and it isn't great. At 4K with everything enabled, including path tracing and hairworks, with DLSS upscaling set to 'Performance,' the Nvidia 5080 gets an average of 30 fps. That goes up to 59 fps with frame generation, but at that low of a base frame rate, there are some very noticeable artifacts, particularly in the ground textures.

To be fair, hairworks has been nuking frame rates in The Witcher 3 since it first launched back in the day. You can (and probably should) disable hairworks to get much better performance, but even then, the 5080 can't hit 60 fps without frame gen. With hairworks disabled and path tracing enabled at 4K with DLSS set to performance, the game manages a 44 fps average, which jumps to 80 fps when frame generation is enabled.

The best way to get good performance out of The Witcher 3 Remastered right now, short of buying an RTX 5090, is to disable path tracing entirely. When you do that on the RTX 5080, the frame rate jumps to 55 fps, which is more reasonable, especially considering that all of this testing was done in Novigrad, which has been notorious for performance issues since 2015. Keep in mind that even with path tracing disabled, there are a ton of other ray tracing effects that you can disable to further improve your performance.

Luckily, the new system requirements suggest that the game will scale down well to lower hardware. It'll just be a question of which settings you are willing to disable to get good performance from this massive game. Still, it does sting to play an 11-year-old game with one of the most expensive graphics cards on the market and not be able to max everything out at a good frame rate.

We've got plenty more on The Witcher 3 Remastered, including a roundup of all the improvements, and the global release times. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Remastered is available as a free update on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2 from September 29. To ease you into Geralt’s life on the road, check out the things The Witcher 3 doesn’t tell you, plus IGN’s The Witcher 3 walkthrough and The Witcher 3 endings guide, which outlines all of the major quests and choices in the base game and expansions (now bundled in with the Remastered edition). When you’re ready for the tough choices, check out our The Witcher 3 sex and romance guide to see who Geralt can smooch and all the opportunities to do so. And to make Geralt as strong a monster hunter as possible, check out all the Witcher gear locations, Places of Power locations, and even Gwent card locations.

Avengers: Endgame Encore viewers have issued a warning to fans after realizing Disney locked a major new scene behind IMAX and Infinity Vision theaters.

The re-release of Marvel Studios' Infinity Saga conclusion made a splash in theaters in its opening weekend as moviegoers flocked to relive memorable hype moments and catch a glimpse of a few new Avengers: Doomsday teases. The new scenes, of which there are four in total, are arguably the biggest selling point of Avengers: Endgame Encore, so when some fans left the theater having only seen three, they were less than pleased.

"I just got back from a regular showing of Endgame Encore (2D screening) and I’m really frustrated that I didn’t get to see all the new footage," Reddit user Tyler_the_hourman said in a popular post they authored after they left the theater. "It was completely unknown to me (and the others in my showing) that we wouldn’t get the full cut with all the new footage.

This same fan admitted some may feel they got what they "paid for," but they say it "still feels so scummy." They clarified that they, like many others, tend to avoid social media ahead of new Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) releases so as to avoid any major spoilers. Avengers: Endgame Encore, despite being a spruced-up re-release, was no different, so they didn't learn about Disney's scene exclusivity strategy until it was too late.

The House of Mouse announced plans to lock new Doomsday teases behind IMAX and Infinity Vision screenings in late August. It was a relatively quiet announcement that, based on reactions online, didn't make it around to quite as many viewers as you might expect. There's also the fact that the reveal only promised that these exclusive scenes feature "an additional sneak peek," so no one truly knew what to expect until they walked into theaters September 25.

Warning! Avengers: Endgame Encore spoilers follow.

We now know that the four bonus sequences, which run for a combined total of around four minutes, feature an extended ending for Steve Rogers and Peggy Carter, a meeting between Bruce Banner and Doctor Doom, a fiasco at the TVA, and a few frames of what seems to show the forging of Victor von Doom's mask. It's the TVA scene, which looks like it may have been ripped straight out of Doomsday itself and features more than a few surprise cameos, that was left out of standard screenings.

Assemble respectfully.

Silence your phones when you see Avengers: Doomsday, in theaters December 18. Get tickets now: https://t.co/HReh5UfF1M pic.twitter.com/550mzSqS5w

— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) September 28, 2026

Loki series regulars like Mobius (Owen Wilson) and OB (Ke Huy Quan) show up for the extended look, which shows that not all is well with the Time Variance Authority as the multiverse begins to cave in on itself. It's maybe the longest scene of the four shown with Avengers: Endgame Encore, and it lives up to director Joe Russo's teasing. So, as fans are confused and frustrated to learn they missed out on one of the biggest Doomsday teases simply because they either don't live near a theater supporting IMAX or Infinity Vision screens or because they weren't willing to fork over the extra cash required for often pricier formats.

"It's a pretty scummy way Disney did this," one fan said. "Can't believe some people are actually defending this strategy of theirs."

"That's weird I thought the point of the rerelease was to add the new scenes," another said.

"Cash grab" is a frequent phrase shared by MCU fans who are aware Disney kept certain scenes locked to premium theaters. Others are only just learning of the move now, as moviegoers leave their local theater and take to social media to express their frustration.

"I didn’t realize it until this post. IMAX Encore had even more footage than what I saw?" one Marvel fan said. "Interesting that they would partner with IMAX when all the IMAX theaters for Doomsday are taken by Dune."

"I literally just got back from seeing The Odyssey in IMAX and the trailer they screened for Endgame Encore said nothing about new footage being exclusive to IMAX," another Reddit user said.

"This is a shameless Disney cash grab," another reply added. "I'm not blowing all that money and driving out of my way to a Disney-owned theater just to go see five minutes of added footage. I'm sorry you got screwed."

Consider this story your PSA: If you want to see every new tease for Doomsday, you'll want to head to an IMAX theater when watching Avengers: Endgame Encore. It's currently unclear how long the re-release will stick around in theaters, but considering it made an impressive $86 million at the box office during its opening weekend, expect to see it hang around for at least a little while longer.

Avengers: Doomsday will follow up on all of the teases when its premiere marks the beginning of the end of the Multiverse Saga December 18, 2026. For more, you can read about how Anthony Mackie learned he'd be picking up Captain America's shield. You can also check out IGN's original 9.5/10 Avengers: Endgame review.

GTA 6 is confirmed to have an "advanced" weather system, leading many to wonder if we're going to get tropical storms.

Game Informer has confirmed that GTA 6 will be the magazine's cover story this month and as a result, it will feature a treasure trove of new details about the game. The 14-page story will feature exclusive interviews and screenshots and while we're still waiting to find out all the specifics, Game Informer did confirm it will dive into the game's "advanced weather systems that simulate Florida’s less sunny weather phenomena."

Although we'll have to wait to learn more about what that means, this tidbit has resulted in a flurry of speculation. GTA 6 is set in Leonida, a fictional version of Florida, which has many wondering if there will be intense weather systems such as hurricanes. Game Informer's tease suggests that Rockstar is finally going to reveal the limits of its weather system, but one has to imagine it will go further than previous Rockstar titles.

GTA 6 is a technically ambitious game, but having something like a hurricane outside of a scripted event or mission seems like a daunting task for the developers. It could change the map, create unique gameplay obstacles, and really stir things up in complex ways. Up until now, Rockstar has been cagey when asked about its plans for weather. It's possible the studio was still trying to finetune these systems before saying anything, as to avoid getting anyone's hopes up, but hopefully it has designed something that goes beyond a simple rain shower.

Red Dead Redemption 2 had some pretty intense storms which featured intimidating lightning and thunder, big gusts of wind, and spooky dark clouds. The game also featured snow and dust storms in relevant parts of the map. It's unlikely we'll see either of those return in a parody of the sunshine state, but it's clear that Rockstar likes to create dynamic circumstances to make the world feel more alive and potentially add more challenges.

Game Informer's story goes live tomorrow, September 29, so we'll be able to mull over all of the details soon. However, there are no shortage of details about GTA 6's in IGN's own preview of the game from earlier this summer. It's unclear if or when we'll get another trailer for the game, but hopefully, it won't be too much longer.

Ever since Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2’s 2024 launch, players have said that the Chaos enemies are harder to fight than the Tyranids. Well, now Space Marine 2’s game director has come out and admitted that is indeed the case — and confirmed plans to do something about it.

For the uninitiated, the Tyranids are a swarm-type enemy type that packs the screen with a mix of smaller foes and much bigger, harder-hitting foes. There’s a bloody minded pleasure that comes from chewing through scores of Tyranid enemies as a Space Marine, sweeping your Power Sword through xenos flesh, parrying a strike that gives you a clean response, and — my personal favorite — punching those Tyranids in the face with my Power Fist.

In contrast, the Thousand Sons present a more measured challenge. You are, after all, going up against fellow Space Marines here and their daemonic forces; they’re supposed to be tough. When those Terminators spawn and spam their missile barrage, playing against Chaos can feel like pulling teeth. The Thousand Sons are less of a 'switch your brain off and cleave through it' proposition, and more of a, 'if Space Marine 2 wanted to be a bit like Elden Ring, it would probably go a little like this.'

The effect is more pronounced the harder the difficulty you play. At easier difficulties, the Tyranids and Chaos are much of a muchness in terms of challenge. But ramp the difficulty up — which you need to do for certain levels of progression in Space Marine 2 — and Chaos becomes an absolute bloody nightmare, whereas the Tyranids often still feel manageable.

For this reason, Space Marine 2 players have for years now said the Tyranids are more fun to play against than Chaos, and I certainly agree. But in a Reddit AMA, game director Dmitry Grigorenko not only acknowledged that Chaos are harder, but said there is work being done to tweak the balance between the two enemy factions.

“We understand that Chaos is more difficult to fight against Tyranids, yes,” Grigorenko said. “There will be some pass on this in the future. I don't think it will be about bots being good vs Chaos specifically, though.”

That latter part of the answer is a response to the suggestion that Space Marine 2 should balance Chaos Operations (PvE missions) so it’s easier to fight against them as a solo player. With that ruled out, what could Grigorenko be talking about here? Perhaps it’s about a nerf to the entire faction, whether it be toughness, damage, or even spawn intensity. There are lots of things Saber could do here, although the fundamentals of how Chaos works in the game versus the Tyranids won’t change. Chaos are Space Marines after all.

I suspect that no matter what Saber does here, the Tyranids will always be more fun to fight than Chaos. That’s because you simply can't beat the feeling that comes from carving your way through the swarm, or pumping scores of alien monsters with bolter fire. That’s kind of the way this works. Still, I wouldn’t mind a tweak that makes me wince a little less whenever I’m up against Chaos.

My thoughts have inevitably turned to Space Marine 3, which is in development. What will be the “swarm” enemy here? Most believe Space Marine 3 will feature the Necrons, based on hints sprinkled throughout Space Marine 2. But what other factions would fit the bill? A return to the Orks seen in Space Marine 1? (Orks are the primary antagonist of the 11th edition of the Warhammer 40,000 tabletop game.) How about a focus on the relentless Death Guard and swarms of shuffling Plaguebearers?