Steam

If you were upset to hear that pop star Ariana Grande wouldn't return in Final Fantasy Resonance, a new mod is here to save the day. In case you were unaware, Square Enix's Final Fantasy Resonance will arrive as the long-running RPG franchise's first proper HD-2D game when it launches next month, and it also happens to be a bit of a remake. The game it's based on, Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, is a free-to-play game with turn-based gameplay that launched for iOS and Android devices in 2015 and shut down in 2025 – but what does that have to do with Ariana Grande? The performer behind hits like "break up with your girlfriend, i'm bored," who also played Galinda in the recent Wicked films, isn't a newcomer for the Final Fantasy series. Grande actually joined Final Fantasy Brave Exvius in the form of pixelated characters – including one fit with her Dangerous Woman era bunny outfit – in 2017. The announcement (below) even detailed some in-game love for the pop star's song "Touch It," but when it comes to Final Fantasy Resonance, Grande's contribution to the series will be lost to time. Producer Keisuke Nakashima recently confirmed to Kotaku that Grande "unfortunately" would not appear in the October Final Fantasy game. At the very least, it sounds like a decision Square Enix put some thought into. "It’s also part of the worldview, you know?" he told the site. "Ariana Grande’s character would not fit within the vibe that we’ve created for Final Fantasy Resonance." Modders, it seems, disagree. As spotlighted by the FFR Vision Studio mod (via Eurogamer), Grande can feel right at home back in Final Fantasy Resonance along with a collection of other guest characters. That means you can add other names like Sora from Kingdom Hearts and 2B from Nier Automata to join the fight with only a few clicks. FF Resonance Mods byu/NightWaIker inFinalFantasyResonance .reddit-embed-wrapper iframe { margin-left: 0 !important; } Keep in mind that this is all more than one month before the game actually comes out. From Grande to Sora, these characters are only available to join Final Fantasy Resonance as part of its recently released demo. The demo does, however, allow players to carry their progress over to the full release, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see former Final Fantasy Brave Exvius characters show up in the launch build, too. Final Fantasy Resonance launches for PC, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S October 22, 2026. Until then, you can check out IGN's final preview for the game. Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images. View the full article

Project ZETA was something I was very unfamiliar with before I was asked to attend a preview at gamescom 2026. There was a lot of talk online when I searched, so I knew it was something I couldn’t pass up. The team at KRAFTON brought me into a room, sitting across from three Nirvanana developers while we watched just one round of the game, and they live-translated what was going on in front of me. It was a lot to take in all at once, but after it was over, I somehow absorbed the many mechanics of the game, and if enough people dive into it, I can certainly see Project ZETA having a pretty addictive gameplay loop. The game starts with picking your character, and you have to choose one of four classes: Warrior, Mage, Assassin or Marksman. It was recommended by Nirvanana to go into each map with at least one Warrior, but said the others could vary. There is no pure tank or pure heal class, as everyone has offence and defence abilities, so you won’t need to worry about a DPS, Tank and ... Read moreView the full article

We got the chance to speak with the CEO of NIS of how he's steering both NIS Japan and NIS America into a market that's becoming tougher for Japanese developers and soon, it might become a market that no longer has physical discs. View the full article

Data mining is a tricky thing for game developers. They can't really avoid it, and its occurrence is very much a compliment to their game, but what's uncovered is often devoid of context and can give players the wrong ideas about creative decisions. Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson learned the hard way that trying to mislead dataminers wasn't the answer, even if it is fun. In a video on his YouTube channel, Wilson went long on his experience dealing with such activities while making the original action-RPG at Grinding Gear Games. He opens by pointing to his grey stubble, because his current hair color is a by-product of handling datamining for a number of years. In a section of the video, he discusses ways devs can prevent or minimize what miners can uncover. You can implement automated processes to scrub anything that isn't strictly necessary to the player experience, and always aim for what's included to be relevant only to the immediate game, rather than teasing cut assets or future updates. [Hidden Content] "Some developers, including me in a past life, have added in decoy assets, so players don't know what to believe." he says. "But that's a pretty wasteful process. Very good for trolling, though." I imagine so. You're taking time out of making the game to do up fake versions of your actual to-do list. That's a hard case when it comes to efficiency or time well-spent. But, I can also imagine seeing a wry joke travel through the community is satisfying too, especially if there are a couple of personalities who've caused problems for you in the past due to them spreading information they uncovered in the game's code. He points to encryption as a possible hurdle for data mining too, but notes it only works to protect games pre-release. Once they're out, everything in them needs to be decrypted for players to run whatever project they're buying. I'm reminded of the saying: make something ****** proof, someone will invent a better ******. You can mitigate this kind of fanfare, but full prevention seems truly difficult, and that goes triple for super popular series like Diablo. Ultimately, your best asset is hoping the community takes anything discovered with a grain of salt - and if you manage to slip in the occasional punchline, all the better. Path of Exile co-creator "would have scoffed at something like Baldur's Gate 3" 10 years ago, but now he knows why live service isn't necessarily "the future" [/url]View the full article

September 10, 2026, is going to be an extremely busy day for Borderlands fans, as Borderlands 4 launches two paid DLCs, a new Vault Hunter, a free update that adds new gear and raises the level cap, and more. Borderlands 4 was probably not the game that fans expected before release, as many hoped it would finally address the infamous war prophesied by The Watcher in The Pre-Sequel. This seems to be something for the next game, whenever it comes out, as BL4 further sets the stage for more universe-shaping events. View the full article

As PS1-era video games become increasingly associated with the retro label, more and more retro-inspired indie developers on Steam are embracing deliberately dated visual styles. A handful of PS1-inspired soulslike games have appeared on Steam, as have some old-school-looking platformers, but it’s the horror genre that melds best with the approach. This is hardly a surprise, as not only did a wide range of horror classics debut in this era of consoles, like the original Silent Hill and Resident Evil, but many players find the low-poly looks of these games more terrifying than modern horror titles full of detail. Anyone who finds older horror games unsettling should consider giving False Oath a look, as despite its usage of knights and swords, the similarities to OG Resident Evil are paramount. View the full article

Forza Horizon 6 is still planned to launch on PS5 this year, despite not having a firm release date yet. Playground Games has confirmed it still plans to release Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 this year, following rumors that it might be delayed. Nothing else was shared about the port, but the clock is ticking for this new version. "If you’re planning your trip to Discover Japan on PlayStation 5, stay tuned!" Playground said in a post today. "Forza Horizon 6 will be releasing on PS5 later this year, and you can add the game to your Wishlist on the PlayStation Store to be notified of availability." September and October are loaded with big releases like Marvel's Wolverine and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, but there is enough difference in the audiences for these respective titles for Forza Horizon 6 to still succeed. November, however, is a different story. Launching Forza Horizon 6 on PS5 in November seems like a death wish given GTA 6 is set to dominate the industry upon its release. GTA 6 is expected to have an in-depth car customization system and races in addition to all of the other features one expects from GTA, making it hard to imagine players choosing Forza over GTA. December may be more feasible, though the GTA 6 hype will still be very high and a hot item for the holiday season. It's hard to say, but Microsoft and Playground don't have too much time to build up to the PS5 release. Forza Horizon 5 was a massive hit on PlayStation 5, despite coming to the platform very late, so players will be attracted to it regardless. Forza Horizon 6 is one of the biggest games of 2026, which has been a very busy year for gaming. It's one of the best-selling games of the year and has garnered a ton of critical praise, including from IGN, which gave the game a 10/10. "Technically, Forza Horizon 6 has not skipped a beat, and it runs like a titan," an excerpt from our review said. "Aesthetically, it’s the best-looking and best-sounding game Playground has produced to date, set in the most wonderfully realised map it’s ever crafted – full of dense, authentic details and stunning driving roads. It’s rewarding to explore, the campaign is well-paced with a great payoff, and I simply cannot stop playing." View the full article

Four playable factions have been confirmed for Total War: Warhammer 40K: Space Marines, Orcs, Aeldari, and the Imperial Guard. But there's at least one more group we'll be seeing whilst fighting amongst the stars – the Traitor Guard, branches of the Imperial Guard who have turned on the Imperium due to Chaos corruption or plain ol' revolution. I spotted the Traitor Guard's faction icon while playing Total War: Warhammer 40K at Gamescom, although I never encountered them first-hand. Afterward, I caught up with Dave Petry, battle product owner for Total War, and asked whether the Traitor Guard would function differently in battle compared to the Imperial Guard, or if their shifting allegiance would be purely cosmetic. (Image credit: Creative Assembly) "There will be some presence of traitorous things occurring," says Petry, picking his words carefully. "They'll be around [as] things that you can fight, and will be causing trouble and uprisings throughout your campaign. And that's probably all that I ought to be talking about for now..." Whether the Traitor Guard will differ from the Imperial Guard remains to be seen, but there is precedent for unique factions not being immediately playable in Total War. The first Total War: Warhammer launched with chivalric faction Bretonnia on the campaign map, but they were only made playable when their roster was fleshed out the following year. Of course, the Traitor Guard could just be grumpy Imperial Guard. But given the secrecy, I wonder if Creative Assembly has more tricks hiding up its sleeve? There has been no concrete sign of Chaos in Total War: Warhammer 40K, with my campaign preview focused on fighting orcs as Space Marines, but the developer has already confirmed plans to add more factions post-launch. Given Creative Assembly wants to make "the seminal Warhammer 40K game," it will only be a matter of time until the heretics arrive. Total War: Warhammer 40K is getting a closed beta, and its latest gameplay has convinced me its battles will be incredible [/url]View the full article

Persona 4 Revival Executive Producer Kazuhisa Wada and Art Director Akane Kabayashi chat about everything from favourite characters to threading the needle on a beloved fan favourite. View the full article

Rockstar once worried that fans would find Red Dead Redemption 2 boring after spending time with GTA 5 and its trio of protagonists. After years of primarily offering a singular protagonist for you to experience its in-game worlds through, Rockstar broke tradition by going with three for GTA 5 – giving you the option to swap between the trio as their narrative journeys intertwined with each other. Considering GTA 5 still sells millions of copies a year, I'd say it worked pretty well. In fact, it almost worked too well, as Rockstar became nervous about moving on to Red Dead Redemption 2 and the singular cowboy it offered to you to play as. Speaking to TroisCouleurs about GTA 6, Rockstar North co-lead Rob Nelson delves into the journey from GTA 5 to Red Dead Redemption 2, and how that's influenced where the developer is today. "We always look back at the last games and think about how to evolve on them and move them forward," he says. "And so, with GTA 5 with three protagonists that were connected but individual in their own way, and then going to Red Dead Redemption 2, which was obviously Arthur’s story, we were slightly nervous people were going to be bored with just one protagonist. "And we did have people ask, 'Are you going to be able to switch between members of the gang?' There were questions about that. I forgot about that until now. And you think about it, and you know, people speculate." Looking back, Nelson says that it "feels funny now," because Arthur "worked as a character." Partly because Rockstar gave itself the space to "really drill into his journey." In fact, the way his story shifts depending on your choices left such an impact on the team that you can see some form of it in GTA 6. "We wanted to take the depth that we were able to add into the world of Red Dead Redemption 2 and the ability to interact with the world in a much more significant way, but then also this sort of emotional connection that people end up having with Arthur," Nelson shares. "Is there a way that we bring that into GTA, and how could we do it? So, we had played around with different ideas; we knew we wanted to come back and continue playing with the idea of multiple protagonists. "We thought about different options but ultimately wanted to try a duo, a partnership of some kind. If they're in relationship, or have the potential to be in [a] relationship, what does that feel like? So it's a couple, it's Bonnie and Clyde. And then as soon as we thought about it, it was obvious. It became the very clear choice for us and felt like something we had to try." Considering that Rockstar was once worried about Red Dead Redemption 2 boring GTA 5 fans, you have got to say the outcome the team got wasn't bad at all, hm? GTA 6 boss says "there will always be things to satirize," but Rockstar has to "be careful about what we pick" because after 11 years of development "it could be gone, it could change, it could be dated." [/url]View the full article

Persona fans just got some good news about the potential for more remakes in the future, as Persona 4 Revival producer Kazuhisa Wada says they are likely happening. The Persona series has already seen Persona 3 Reload as a remake of P3, and the upcoming Persona 4 Revival is set to remake P4. Now, it seems like the original Persona 1 and 2 are next on the list for Atlus, with the games planned to be remade eventually. View the full article

There are some franchises that just endure. Star Wars; Indiana Jones; The Lord of the Rings - some stories we just can't help but fall in love with over and over again. Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond expansions aim to bring those to cardboard life and, while they've seen some serious peaks and troughs in quality, Wizards of the Coast is undeniably swinging for the fences with the massive settings it's taking MTG to. It's just Magic-ified The Hobbit, one of my most beloved novels. Next on the list is Star Trek, another childhood favorite of mine and, as it so happens, one of Principal Magic Designer Gavin Verhey's, too. Read the full story on Wargamer: Magic: The Gathering's Star Trek set has Tribbles in it, confirmed View the full article

Modern Warfare 4 gets off to a strong start ahead of launch, as the MW4 beta leaves ****** Ops 7 in the dust. Read the full story on PCGamesN: The Modern Warfare 4 beta managed something ****** Ops 7 couldn't on Steam View the full article

Final Fantasy Resonance's director says the upcoming throwback JRPG is part of a "resurgence" of turn-based games, though one that still has plenty of fresh ideas. Wrapping up a chat with RPG Site at PAX, director Hiroto Furuya says we're in the middle of a "resurgence of turn-based RPGs and JRPGs" – which sounds pretty darn good to me. And if that sounds pretty darn good to you, the Final Fantasy Resonance devs hope the Final Fantasy Brave Exvius refresh might be of interest. "Looking at the recent wave of things globally, it seems there's a resurgence of turn-based RPGs and JRPGs," he says. "It is kind of like being re-examined once more. "We consider Final Fantasy Resonance as one aspect of that overarching wave or trend. I think there is something to note about the appeal of classic RPGs, and the fun of classic RPGs, really. We're trying to capture that through Final Fantasy Resonance – but not stop at that. "We wanted to ensure that we're delivering a new experience, a new title, to audiences all around the world." Having played the demo myself, I can see part of what Furuya means. Final Fantasy Resonance is very much playing the hits – you've got crystals, chocobos, and a mixture of magic and machinery. More to the point, though, there's a turn-based battle system with some deeper series cuts. There's an order to who moves next, but filling a foe's stagger meter shakes that up – and ensures you'll get a window to deal increased damage. What I've most enjoyed, though, is that the visuals and action are really dialed up to 11. The art style remains the HD-2D style popularized by Octopath Traveler, though cutscenes, both mid-fight and in-story, really deliver a sense of spectacle. Of course, when Furuya talks about the trend of turn-based RPGs and JRPGs, it goes beyond what Square Enix has managed to accomplish with the Octopath series and other HD-2D remakes. Atlus has been holding down that fort for a while with the likes of Persona and Metaphor: ReFantazio, and genre love letter Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has won so many awards it's hard to ignore. Speaking of awards, the J'RPG is only really rivaled in recent times by Baldur's Gate 3. I'm starting to think there's something to these turn-based games. Final Fantasy Resonance appeals to my inner child like no RPG since Chrono Trigger. [/url]View the full article

The Last Gas Station released in April 2026 with a beautifully rendered world that was frustrating to actually play and engage with. Since then, the team at Alawar have been hard at work with progression overhauls, bug fixes and the like. The most recent update is a big one, marking a change to the endgame […]View the full article

Shiro Games has released a chunky free update for their tactical RPG Wartales. Community Update 7 brings with it new features, systems, and those all important quality-of-life updates that the community has been asking for! Firstly, what is Wartales? Starting in Early Access in 2021, and undergoing full release in 2023, Wartales has you controlling […]View the full article

On Monday, Games Workshop revealed the face of the new Codex Space Marines for Warhammer 40k 11th edition - or rather, the faces, since the all-important rule book will be available as either a Regular, Special, or ludicrously blinged out Limited edition. One piece of substantive rules news came out alongside the reveal: the list of fifteen detachments that Space Marine players will have access to when they build their army. Read the full story on Wargamer: Warhammer 40k teases 15 new Space Marine detachments as codex day approaches View the full article

Final Fantasy 7 Remake series director Naoki Hamaguchi is to thank for each member of the party having access to all of the FITS jobs from the start in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. As we approach the end of Final Fantasy 7's remake trilogy, Square Enix is introducing one of the biggest overhauls to the game in its third act. FITS is a new system which works as a job system seen in games like Final Fantasy 5, 12, and Tactics which in turn will allow you to tailor your characters to specific archetypes, with four available to be equipped. During a PAX West 2026 panel (via Game8) Hamaguchi reveals that the original plan was to have each character unlock FITS throughout the game as unlocks for getting through specific milestones. So for example (my own, not Hamaguchi's), Tifa could be unlocked with ****** Mage, Barrett gets Knight, and you would need to unlock the other classes with each. However, Hamaguchi says this is something he personally overruled, meaning once FITS is unlocked, each party member will have access to all four jobs. However, FITS, true to its name, will also come with unique costumes for each character for every job, which brings back the eternal style vs usefulness quandary that every RPG player has faced some point in their life. Do I go with what looks the best, or do I go with the most efficient set? Hamaguchi also announces that the team has included a skin system to the game separate from the FITS. So, if you want Tifa in her classic outfit compared to the loose sleeves look we've seen her donning during gameplay footage, you'll be able to do so. Perhaps even more excitingly, Hamaguchi says there will be bonus skins unlocked from side content throughout the game too, which hopefully means we'll get some good fanservice fits like Cloud and Tifa's Advent Children outfits or Yuffie and Cid's Kingdom Hearts looks. Square Enix wants to turn Final Fantasy 7 into "an IP with an ever-evolving future" beyond the FF7 Remake trilogy. [/url]View the full article

The strangest power-up in Halloween: The Game is no more as IIIFonic removes its strange sex skill check. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Halloween The Game has already axed its very weird sex minigame View the full article

Sanzhana in The Blood of Dawnwalker are blue fairies found around the world and multiple quests, all of which collectively result in a great reward: more time! There are five different Sanzhana around Vale Sangora to find, in quests like Come Hither and Burrow Sorrows, and while each encounter comes with its own rewards, most of them are fairly nondescript unless you can complete them all. Not only that, but you'll be able to converse with your sister Lunka, gaining small amounts of information about the final mission in the process. If you want to find all the Sanzhana, I'll explain where to discover them all below, as well as what you need to know about each encounter. Where to find all Sanzhana in The Blood of Dawnwalker There are 5 different encounters with the Sanzhana fairies in Dawnwalker, all laid out on the map and table below. [Hidden Content] (Image credit: Bandai Namco) Good Home. Found in the Svartrau Outskirts, we recommend doing this Sanzhana quest first. You'll meet a girl called Heile who sends you on a quest to find her brother, with some small encounters with wolves and some investigation along the way. Once you reunite them, you'll meet the Sanzhana Tsarina, who gives you the first chance to message Lunka.Come Hither. West of Tantari and South of Svartrau, you'll encounter a crying Sanzhana who asks you to see if any of her brethren have survived a monster attack: specifically, one of the Murohn bosses. Kill the Murohn and you complete the quest. You can also find Silk Threads for free in that boss arena, used to make the Arbiter Armor.Tiny Dancer. In Svartrau itself, there's a night-time mission wherein you break into a house and free another Sanzhana from a merchant by taking the key and opening her cage. This also gives you a chance to loot some silver from the Merchant, among other things.Burrow Sorrows. North of Rockfalls you'll meet a Sanzhana who asks you to kill some kobolds that have apparently taken her burrow and her charm. Once you kill them and bring it back, she'll let you keep it anyway.Pearly and Precious. In the North Boar's Back forest, tracks will lead you to a Sanzhana who loots bodies, and sends you to make some more out of the bandits nearby. She'll pay you for their teeth, but whatever you do, don't buy the Silk Threads from her. As mentioned, you can get them for free in the Come Hither quest, and you'll only need one. [Hidden Content] (Image credit: Bandai Namco) You don't have to do these quests in any specific order, but we do recommend doing the Good Home one first, as it properly sets up the Sanzhana as a part of the game. After each quest, you can go back to the Yawning Burrow (where the Sanzhana Tsarina is encountered) and ask her to send a new letter to Lunka with a question. The replies will appear in your inventory the next time the day/night cycle changes, and while they can give small details about Brencis and his castle, they're not essential. However, once you've done all five quests, the Sanzhana will grant you an extra 24 hours of time on top of your standard 30 day countdown! It's a nice gift, though doing all five quests above means you technically already spent about half of it at least. Oh well. Find all the Sword Shard locations in The Blood of Dawnwalker Forge it Anew quest, or check out how to escape the nightmare in The Blood of Dawnwalker Home Sweet Home questline. © GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission. [/url]View the full article

Persona 1 and 2 remakes are "probably eventually" happening, series lead Kazuhisa Wada reiterates, who believes it's a creator's "duty to take the things you've done and make sure they're not lost." Game preservation has been a particularly hot topic as of late following Sony's announcement that it plans to stop disc production for new PlayStation games from 2028. Though game preservation has been a continual challenge up to this point anyway, especially for older titles that naturally become harder to find and play over time, the idea that physical games are starting to be phased out by one of the main platforms is worrying, to say the least. Thankfully, though, plenty of devs are still committed to the idea of keeping their games accessible well into the future, and it sounds like Atlus is one of them. Speaking in a new interview with Rock Paper Shotgun, Persona 4 Revival producer Wada talks about his thought process surrounding remakes and remasters, going back to Persona 3's 2023 comeback. "When we originally conceived the idea of Persona 3 Reload, we knew we wanted to do P4R as well; we had to put it on the backburner, but it was something we thought of at the same time," he begins. "For me, I think a remaster or remake is some kind of cultural preservation. As a creator, it's your duty to take the things you've done and make sure they're not lost, and are still around in the modern day," he continues. "From that same perspective, Persona 1 and 2 are something we'll probably eventually do too." This isn't the first time that Wada has brought up the possibility of Persona 1 and 2 remakes – in another recent interview, he stated: "I can't say for sure, but personally, I think it's something we should definitely do. I think we have to do it." The necessity in his tone here now makes a lot of sense given his views on preservation, and I'm sure fans won't be complaining. Just look at how folks reacted when Atlus announced new merch for the oldest games in the series earlier this year – admittedly, partly thanks to some very questionable phrasing that suggested a lot more than some new shirts being on the way. Of course, there's no doubt that these titles feel the most dated and different compared to the modern Persona games, which also raises the question of how they'd be handled in any remakes. That's not to mention the fact that there are two Persona 2s, so in total, this would be a whole extra trilogy for the devs to deal with. For now, it's likely that Atlus has its plate full with Persona 4 Revival and the upcoming Persona 6, but Wada's words here definitely bode well for the rest of the series. Persona 4 Revival is the best looking Persona to date, and after 1 hour playing, I'm already desperate to return to Inaba. [/url]View the full article

Dungeon Crawler Carl has taken the literary world by storm, transforming Matt Dinniman's once-independently published LitRPG series into one of the genre's biggest modern success stories. The series follows Carl and his scene-stealing companion Princess Donut through an alien-controlled, game-like dungeon where surviving ridiculous challenges is just a part of the adventure. View the full article

PC users can claim a 2018 cyberpunk action-adventure game completely free of charge, but only if they do so before it expires on September 10. While there are plenty of online giveaways and methods of getting free games on PC, this one is pretty simple, straightforward, and DRM-free. Digital Rights management, especially in an era increasingly defined by the abandonment of physical media where companies like PlayStation argue that no one owns digital games, is an important consideration in any game. View the full article

Steam players have just days left to claim a free 2022 RPG that is about to disappear from the storefront. Anyone who adds it to their library before September 14 will be able to keep playing it afterward, but players who miss the deadline will lose their chance to own it. While it's also a relatively short game on Steam, there is no need to finish or beat it before the cutoff, either, as simply adding it to a digital library preserves access. View the full article

Last year's Alienware 16X Aurora actually represented solid value at the time, but its lack of OLED display and RTX 5070 configuration cap kept it from being one of the greats. Dell's fixed both of those problems in its 2026 re-release, and then some. This is the brand's middle child. It's got more grunt than Dell's new Alienware 15 hybrid systems and has more meat than the entry-level Alienware 16 Aurora (a cheaper rig that didn't see this year's OLED upgrade). It's not a flagship, though, so while the Alienware 16 and 18 Area-51 models can take you further up the GPU pole, we're still firmly in mid-range territory. It's a 16-inch gaming laptop for those who want to splash out on an upgrade from an RTX 40-Series or RTX 30-Series card, but don't need the full 4K force of an RTX 5090 or the no-holds-barred 1600p performance of the RTX 5080. It's a relatively slimline machine (not a true work / play hybrid, but still more manageable than the Area-51 line) with the rounded edges and soft-touch internals you'll find in similar aesthetically conscious rigs. Does the new Plus range of Intel processors have any meaningful impact on day-to-day gaming performance? No. But that new OLED display certainly does. It's one of two headline new features here. Alienware's Anti-Glare OLED screen sidesteps the glossy implementations across the rest of the best gaming laptops, instead opting for a matte finish that changes the game. Accompanied by upgradeable RAM and SSD bays, this is a real investment for those happy to wait for memory and storage upgrades while prices are sky-high. Meanwhile, stretching the GPU menu into RTX 5070 Ti territory means the 16X Aurora can also push 12GB VRAM at the top end of its spec sheet. That's going to allow for a little more headroom in higher-resolution gameplay, and, going by my benchmarks, should get you comfortably playing in 1600p across more demanding titles. Alienware 16X Aurora configurations (Image credit: Future) As a mid-range device, the Alienware 16X Aurora keeps its sights firmly in the middle of the GPU scale, stretching a little towards the higher end of available CPU options. Lighter builds are covered with 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD configurations (though that SSD looks to be exclusive to the US at the time of writing), but if you're going all out the 16X Aurora also accommodates 64GB / 4TB RAID storage pairings as well. Key Specs Tested Also Available Price $2,679.99 / £2,499 $1,529.99 - $5,279.99 / £2,349 - £6,549 Display 16-inch WQXGA Anti-Glare OLED, 240Hz - Processor Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus GPU RTX 5070 RTX 5060 | RTX 5070 Ti RAM 16GB DDR5 32GB | 64GB Storage 1TB NVMe M.2 Gen4 SSD 512GB NVMe M.2 Gen4 | 2TB NVMe M.2 Gen5 | 4TB RAID 0 NVMe M.2 Gen5 Connectivity WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 - Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C, 1x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm audio, 1x RJ45 - Dimensions 0.92 x 10.45 x 14.05 inches - Weight 2.61kg 2.57kg It's a healthy mid-range tasting menu overall, allowing for prices to start at $1,529.99 in the US while still keeping that OLED display. The numbers run a little more northerly in the ***, however. The configuration I tested paired up an Intel Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus processor with an RTX 5070 GPU (it should be noted that this is the older 8GB version rather than the new 12GB release). That's with 16GB RAM and a 1TB Gen4 SSD (you'll need to be at 2TB or more to get zippier Gen5 tech). The final bill on this configuration comes to $2,679.99 / £2,499.99, which is a little squeaky to say the least. Gaming laptop prices have ballooned in the last year, and 2026's releases require a different hat to evaluate their value compared to the generation before. Back in July I scoped out average RTX 5070 gaming laptop prices when the new 12GB card hit the shelves, with the then-average MSRP of these mid-range machines (at Best Buy) sitting at around $2,500 (not including savings). Alienware's just on the wrong side of that fence here, then, but those figures add important context for what I'm about to say next. An RTX 5070 configuration of last year's Alienware 16X Aurora came in at under $1,600. The RTX 5060 version I tested (with 32GB RAM) totalled $1,449.99. We've got a big price gap between the two generations, but not one that's isolated to Dell. Looking at the rest of the market, Alienware is just teetering into the more expensive category - by around $200. That's nothing particularly new, Dell's best Alienware laptops have always been pitched at a premium. Alienware 16X Aurora performance The Alienware 16X Aurora performs in line with the rest of my RTX 5070 testing pool, frequently coming out ahead of slimmer machines like the Razer Blade 14 and Acer Predator Triton 14 AI while matching (if slightly trailing) the similarly built Asus ROG Strix G16. Across 3DMark tests, it keeps on par with other RTX 5070 decks in Steel Nomad, the more true-to-life run, while topping the pack in Fire Strike and coming in behind the Strix G16 in Time Spy. Of course, it's 2026, and with RAM shortages blazing onwards, it should be noted that the G16 I tested last year had 32GB RAM under the hood, while this Aurora only has 16GB. [Hidden Content] In all likelihood, you're going to be sacrificing a little memory to pick up a gaming laptop in 2026, but that's not going to cause too much harm at the power level of the RTX 5070. While the Aurora is slightly behind the G16 in both lighter and more demanding 1080p runs, we're still comfortably over 60fps even in Cyberpunk 2077 at full RT: Ultra. The Aurora is still holding its own though, performing just about as well as the 32GB G16 with half the memory. If you're worried about your overall performance when taking a RAM cut, the Aurora's gameplay figures should put your mind at ease a little. Obviously, that's future-proofing notwithstanding. [Hidden Content] At the top end of the resolution scale, the G16 does sometimes take us closer to a more comfortable 60fps+ position in titles like Total War: Three Kingdoms. It's these kinds of strategy games where memory could play a larger role in overall performance, and the Asus's 68fps in Ultra graphical settings are far less squeaky than the Aurora's 62fps average. Still, we're firmly in smooth-running territory here still. [Hidden Content] Most RTX 5070 rigs will fall below that 60fps threshold in heavy duty titles like Cyberpunk 2077, so it's no surprise that the Aurora follows suit. We can still hit those goals in high settings slightly further down the performance scale, on Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered, even if the Alienware averages slightly under the G16 at full Ultra settings. Overall, though, the Alienware 16X Aurora manages to perform inline with the rest of the RTX 5070 testing pool, even with half the working RAM. Alienware Aurora 16X OLED benefitsA matte OLED revelation I was a little surprised when I first opened the lid. The new anti-glare OLED display Alienware has slapped on its Aurora's face takes a little getting used to, especially if you're coming from a more traditional glossy model. It's a strange sight to behold, with an affect I originally mistook for being dulled compared to the panel on my Razer Blade 14. But it's not dulled, there's simply no reflections giving it the annoyingly shiny topper you'll find elsewhere on the market. (Image credit: Future) That means it's still packing a serious visual punch while also keeping darker details highly visible even in daylit environments. At full brightness, there's no loss of color impact or sharpness with that additional overlay. Cyberpunk's internal sets are gritty and moody, with neon pops of color exploding out of the screen. Take gameplay outside and the streets are filled with vibrant hues, each one represented with pinpoint clarity and a surprising amount of depth. I can't remember a time I've ever specifically praised an Alienware laptop for its display, but 2026's iteration has knocked it out the park. Sturdy battery life 16-inch gaming laptops, especially those in this slightly chunkier form factor, aren't typically designed as battery-first devices. The Alienware 16X Aurora isn't either, but it still manages to hold its own in productivity scenarios. I was able to complete a full eight hour work day on a single charge multiple times through my testing (that's nearly double what I got out of the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14). Granted, gaming only yielded me about three and a half hours, but that's on par with some of the slimmer machines more geared towards endurance than performance. In it for the long haul Ok so, you're not likely going to want to shell out for a 32GB or, God forbit, a 64GB configuration of the Alienware 16X Aurora in 2026 - not unless you're far wealthier than most players. However, while the 16GB model is going to be the only one suiting the budgets of mainstream portable PC purveyors, Dell's got a fix waiting in the wings. (Image credit: Future) The Aurora is particularly easy to upgrade further down the line. The bottom cover is held in place pretty simply, with Philips-head screws, and once you're in you'll find two DDR5 slots to play with (should those prices become more manageable in the next few years), as well as two M.2 bays supporting 2230 and 2280 drives. The Aurora supports up to 64GB RAM across two slots. Alienware Aurora 16X OLED drawbacksA slight letdown in the keyboard department A few years back Alienware released its M16 R2, and it featured one of the best-feeling keyboards I've used, even to this day. Since then, Alienware has stuck to a soft-touch, but highly satisfying internal control feel, from the gentle Aurora before this one to the snappy mechanical deck on the Alienware 16 Area-51. Something feels a little less polished here, though. The keyboard is fine, it's got a confident level of travel with an easy tension under each key that makes for fast repeated presses. There's no sense of mushiness or softness here. It just doesn't have that tactile sparkle I've felt from the brand before. (Image credit: Future) These keys are a little too loose to give me that same sense of satisfaction and the trackpad has just a little too much depth to match previous releases' super slick push gestures. On the heavier side It feels like Alienware laptops are always going to be a little heftier than their counterparts from other brands. While we're not exactly in the dark days of the 2010s here, the Alienware 16X Aurora is going to put more of a strain on your shoulders than others in its class. This machine ranges from 2.57kg to 2.61kg - a heft that's only beaten by the 2.8kg Asus ROG Zephyrus Duo in my 16-inch testing pool (and that's carrying a whole second screen around). (Image credit: Future) It's heavier than the MSI Cyborg (2.1kg), Acer Nitro V16 AI (2.43kg), Lenovo Legion 7 Gen 10 (1.99kg) and Acer Predator Helios Neo 16S AI (2.3kg). In fact, of all the 16-inch gaming laptops I've tested over the last two years, this is easily one of the heaviest. That's not going to make too much of a difference if you generally keep your laptop at home, or only travel shorter distances. However, if you're after a 2-in-1 work and play machine, that strain is going to make itself known. Should you buy the Alienware 16X Aurora? (Image credit: Future) Gaming laptop prices are in a tricky spot right now, and Alienware's propensity for leaning slightly over average when it comes to the final bill isn't going to help it too much. The 16X Aurora trends towards the top end of the price range without any discounts applied, but it does have plenty to keep big spenders interested once those numbers have been digested. Its OLED display is going to serve anyone tired of battling glare during brighter hours, its performance still has it standing tall among its peers, and its upgradeability is going to go a long way to keeping that 16GB configuration interesting while prices are as mad as they are right now. After spending three weeks with the Aurora, I'd happily recommend it to anyone looking to invest in an RTX 5070 or RTX 5070 Ti machine in 2026, though likely only if travel isn't going to be too intense. How I tested the Alienware 16X Aurora I used the Alienware 16X Aurora as my dedicated gaming and work laptop for two weeks, while also testing alongside a mini PC for an additional week. I ran the machine through in-game benchmarks on Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Horizon Zero Dawn: Remastered, and Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p, 1600p, and UHD+ in each game's high and highest settings. Each test was completed three times, with the final result above representing an average of each run. I also used 3DMark's Time Spy, Steel Nomad, and Fire Strike benchmarks for more synthetic performance data, again running each test three times. Day to day, the Aurora's been running Restory, High on Life 2, and Doom: The Dark Ages. For more information on how we test gaming laptops, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy. I'm also on the hunt for the best Razer laptops and the best Asus gaming laptops, or check out the best gaming handhelds for something even more portable. [/url]View the full article