Steam

Bethesda has once again acknowledged the existence of The Elder Scrolls 6, offering an encouraging update about the game's ongoing development. The developer rarely gives official updates about The Elder Scrolls 6, but this latest set of comments offers serious encouragement about the game's potential release window. View the full article

Bethesda Game Studios, maker of The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, has laid out its roadmap for the foreseeable future as both Bethesda and Xbox refocus on their core franchises in the wake of last week's brutal "reset" that resulted in over 3,000 layoffs and several studios being spun out of Xbox. Game design legend Todd Howard, who is currently working with his team on The Elder Scrolls 6, remains focused on that long-awaited project, which was officially announced back in 2018 — and is reportedly still at least two years away. However, Fallout 5, which Howard previously confirmed to IGN as his next project after TES 6, will be brought along on a shared tech pipeline utlilizing the studio's in-house Creation Engine 3. Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction, BGS confirmed today. Furthermore, the studio confirmed recent reports of Fallout: New Vegas developer Obsidian Entertainment's new Fallout project, along with "several" remaster projects. In a note to fans, BGS finally confirmed Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas remasters are in the works. No release windows were offered for any of the games mentioned by BGS today. Bethesda also confirmed multiple Fallout projects — seemingly separate from Obsidian's game — and a 30th anniversary "Fallout Day" live in Washington, D.C. (the setting of Fallout 3, and pretty close by Bethesda Game Studios' real-life Rockville, MD headquarters) sometime next year. Meanwhile, BGS said Starfield "continues," although Bethesda stopped short of confirming a sequel is in the works. "With over 17 million players logging almost a billion hours to date, Starfield remains an important part of our future," Howard said. "As we enter Year 3, we'll continue expanding the Settled Systems with new stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and additional updates, while preparing for the launch of new Starborn content next year. More than 40% of players already customize their experience through Creations, and we'll continue investing in creators and giving players new ways to make Starfield their own." Here's Bethesda Game Studios' message in full: A NOTE FROM BETHESDA GAME STUDIOS We love making these worlds as much as you love playing in them. Today, we want to share what's next for Bethesda Game Studios and what you can expect from us in the years ahead. For forty years, we've built games that have entertained almost half a billion players. More than just games, these are worlds. Worlds for you to explore, shape, and make your own. Worlds we return to together. That's what's driving us forward. We're investing more deeply in the worlds players love, giving creators a ******* role in shaping their experiences, and bringing our teams closer together so we can get our games into your hands sooner, support them longer, and continue building them alongside you for decades to come. STARFIELD CONTINUES With over 17 million players logging almost a billion hours to date, Starfield remains an important part of our future. As we enter Year 3, we'll continue expanding the Settled Systems with new stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and additional updates, while preparing for the launch of new Starborn content next year. More than 40% of players already customize their experience through Creations, and we'll continue investing in creators and giving players new ways to make Starfield their own. CREATED BY PLAYERS We've believed from the beginning that our worlds belong not only to the people who make them, but also to the people who play them. That's why we've long provided players with the tools to create their own experiences, dating back to the Morrowind Construction Set. This year marked another major milestone for Creations with its expansion to Fallout 4, joining Skyrim and Starfield. We're proud to say Creators have already earned more than $10 million in royalties from their work. THE FUTURE OF FALLOUT Fallout is one of our biggest priorities today. Fallout 5 remains our long-range destination, and we have multiple Fallout projects in active development right now. Fallout 76 continues to be home to millions of players exploring Appalachia together. With nearly 70 free updates released to date, the journey is far from over. In fact, we have a major Fallout 76 expansion planned for next year: Raven Rock, a prequel story to Fallout 3. Fallout 4, the most award-winning game in the franchise, just celebrated its 10-year anniversary and recently passed over 35 million copies sold, continuing to attract a new audience every year. We also know many players want to revisit previous Fallout experiences. While we're not announcing any dates today, we have been working on remasters for both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. Fallout Shelter continues to be the most popular way to experience Fallout on the go, with more than 250 million players. There’s more ahead for Fallout Shelter, including new Seasons. An unscripted Fallout Shelter television project is also in the works with our partners at Amazon Studios and Kilter Films. We'd like to congratulate Kilter Films and Amazon Studios on the 10 Emmy nominations for Fallout Season 2. Production on Season 3 is already underway. And while we won't host a traditional Fallout Day broadcast this year, we're already planning something special for Fallout's 30th anniversary in 2027, when Fallout Day will be celebrated live in Washington, D.C. STUDIO COLLABORATION The wasteland continues to expand as we team up once again with our longtime friends at Obsidian Entertainment. We're happy to confirm they're working with us on a new Fallout project. We'll have more to share in the future. We're also bringing our teams closer together across Bethesda. ZeniMax Online Studios will partner closely with Bethesda Game Studios on The Elder Scrolls franchise, while continuing to deliver incredible new experiences for The Elder Scrolls Online. Season One: Return of the Thieves Guild recently launched, and the team has more planned for the future. By aligning more directly across the franchise, we can create even better experiences for players. Bringing our teams closer together is helping us build a stronger foundation for everything we create next. THE ELDER SCROLLS AND BEYOND That foundation extends beyond our teams to the technology, tools, and systems that will power the next generation of Bethesda RPGs. Our teams are now developing The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5 on Creation Engine 3, a shared technology platform we've been building since Starfield's launch. It allows our teams to support multiple projects simultaneously with new tools, rendering, and systems that define our games. Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction. The Elder Scrolls VI is our primary development focus today, with the majority of our team currently working on the next chapter of the franchise. With over 65 million copies sold, players are still exploring Skyrim 15 years later, but we know it’s been a very long wait for the sequel. The next chapter is on the way. We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day. THE ROAD AHEAD Across Bethesda Game Studios, we're building for the future of Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, and Starfield. We're investing in our technology, bringing teams closer together, supporting our live games, expanding into new forms of entertainment, and developing the next generation of Bethesda RPGs. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s ahead and wanted to share as much as we could today. We can’t thank you enough for all you’ve given to us and these worlds. And we can’t wait to continue them together. –Bethesda Game Studios This roadmap announcement comes as "part of an ambition Xbox for becoming the #1 gaming platform in the world," which begs the question of whether or not any, some, or perhaps even all of these projects will be Xbox console exclusives. That key question remains unanswered for now, but at least we know that we have a heck of a lot more Fallout in particular to look forward to from Bethesda Game Studios and its partners in the coming years. Bethesda boss Jill Braff has told staff that the layoffs and change in strategy “reflect the realities of our industry and business – and our responsibility to ensure Bethesda is operating from a more stable foundation.” "To be successful in the future, we need to change course,” Braff continued. “We must strengthen our business, return to sustainable growth, and ensure we can continue investing in our franchises and our players. I know that doesn't make a day like today any easier.” Without naming games, Braff said “to best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what's next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises and determining the content roadmap that best serves our players and Bethesda as a whole.” “From there, we’ll align the right talent, technology, and resources across the organization to deliver on those priorities,” Braff added. Ryan McCaffrey is IGN's executive editor of previews and host of both IGN's weekly Xbox show, Podcast Unlocked, as well as our semi-retired interview show, IGN Unfiltered. He's a North Jersey guy, so it's "Taylor ham," not "pork roll." Debate it with him on Twitter at @DMC_Ryan. View the full article

The annual incremental tweaks to EA's behemoth FC series make it easy to forget this was once a genre that took generational leaps every few years. Soccer sims were defined and redefined throughout the 90s, noughties and 2010s, and certain features were so groundbreaking that they transformed how we play – sometimes instantly, some only in retrospect. With a bit of help from Richard Moss, author of Tale of Two Halves: The History Of Football Video Games, I've picked nine of the most important features that changed football games forever. CPU-assisted Passing - Soccer Playing EA FC with fully manual controls, the ball travelling exactly in the direction you push the control stick, is humbling. You'll realise your aim is not as good as you think and even completing simple short passes is a challenge. It shows we take AI assists for granted – but they weren't always there to help. The earliest football games took your input (usually in eight directions) as a direct instruction to pass the ball, so you could only really pass to teammates in specific spots relative to the ball. In 1985, Konami's Soccer on the MSX personal computer and the NES game Soccer both included CPU-assisted passing, Moss explains, "whereby your vague directional input to, say, up-left, is taken as a request to pass the ball directly to the nearest player in that direction, rather than an exact instruction to do a kick angled 45 degrees from the player". "It took a while to fully catch on, but by the mid-90s that became the standard passing mechanic," he explains. I'm glad: I go through the occasional phase where I turn assisted controls down or off entirely but always, feeling defeated and pathetic, revert to default settings. 3D Graphics - Virtua Striker Some 2D football games were fantastic, World Cup Italia '90 and Sensible Soccer among them, but the 1994 arcade game Virtua Striker changed everything. It was the first football game with true 3D graphics: its polygonal players are slightly cursed in hindsight, their limbs long and misshapen, but their detailed animations felt like the future, pointing the way towards a true simulation of the sport. Virtua Striker was perhaps underappreciated because it was only in arcades and the series wouldn't be ported to consoles until several years later. But within a year of its release Konami and EA were in on the 3D act, and they didn't look back. Through Ball - Pro Evolution Soccer In the early and mid-2000s FIFA was the more popular, flashier football sim but Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) was the purists' pick. It felt realistically messy and, I'd argue, more satisfying than FIFA when you scored a slick team goal. Its superiority was summed up in one button: triangle. It triggered a through pass, kicking the ball into space in front of a sprinting teammate. Konami tried it in the 90s – International Superstar Soccer 64's through ****** felt rigid and eerily magnetic – but perfected them in the PS2 era. They were incisive without feeling automatic. You still needed to get the timing and direction right, so you felt like a genius when it worked. Other developers were jealous. "In the late 90s onwards, every other football game developer was looking at [Konami] and saying, these guys have killer through ******," says Moss. "And EA, in this PS2 era, every season, they're trying to figure out how to force a through ball mechanic into their game, when they had an engine that was not built for that." FIFA eventually caught up, and in both series, lofted through ****** over the top to your striker became the de facto way to score in multiplayer against your mates. They've remained a key part of football sims, now with even more variations – but I don't think they'll ever feel as good as they did in those golden days. Skill Stick - FIFA 2003 FIFA's first iteration of the skill stick, the "Freestyle Control System" in FIFA 2003, was as clunky as its name. It felt slow and unimaginative, but over a decade of refinement it became an essential attacking tool. Before then, skills in FIFA (and in Pro Evo) were mostly performed with button combos. Mapping them to the right stick enabled quicker tricks and more intuitive controls, and by FIFA 06 skill controls matched the natural shape of a trick. Flick forward and sweep to the side for a step-over, hold the stick left or right for a ball roll. Today, high-level players rely on skill moves to fool defenders and create space for shots, with a move list long and complicated enough to rival a fighting game. Finesse Shots - Pro Evolution Soccer 5 Pro Evolution Soccer 5's "controlled shot" was the original finesse. Earlier games let you modify your shots beyond aim and power (you could chip the keeper in International Superstar Soccer, for example) but the precise controlled shot created a whole new way of scoring: Thierry Henry cuts inside from the left, aims for the far top corner, and curls it, starting outside the post but swerving into the top corner, past a diving keeper. The mechanics of finesse shots have been constantly remoulded – today's finesse shots have even more whip – but the fact you can score that exact goal in virtually every football game since PES5 highlights its importance. Ultimate Team - FIFA 09 Ultimate Team is the behemoth that helped EA's FIFA series pull away from Pro Evo. EA trialled a similar mode in its 2007 UEFA Champions League tie-in game, but the first proper version of Ultimate Team arrived in March 2009, as paid DLC for FIFA 09. The core concept was instantly appealing: buying and opening card packs, improving your team chemistry, and building a bank of coins. It combined the stakes and action of online multiplayer matches with the luck-based compulsion of loot boxes – for better and worse. FIFA 12 was the first to include Ultimate Team for free at launch. Demolishing the walls between the mode and the rest of the game confirmed that EA saw this as integral to the series, and the gamble worked – nowadays, EA FC is Ultimate Team to many people, and it makes the company boatfulls of money. Any would-be rival to EA is contending not just with its on-pitch action but with an entire ecosystem of YouTubers, influencers and real-life players (we've no doubt all seen players react to their in-game cards). The controversy around the mode will never disappear – EA still can't sell its in-game currency in Belgium because of gambling laws, for example – but Ultimate Team is here to stay. 360-degree Dribbling - FIFA 10 FIFA and Pro Evo still limited your inputs to eight directions as late as 2009 – a fact so unbelievable that I had to boot up PES 6 just to confirm it. Both series masked it with clever animations and by smoothing direction changes when you sprinted but we were, effectively, using D-pads for decades. FIFA 10's 360-degree dribbling (Pro Evo tried it the same year, with less success) unlocked a new level of freedom and flexibility. You could slip through tight spaces and skip past defenders smoother than ever before, and you felt more connected to the players you controlled. I remember spending hours sprinting around the Practice Arena with Wayne Rooney, spamming tricks and testing every possible direction change. Returning to a D-pad now is unimaginable. Tactical Defending - FIFA 12 I still remember playing FIFA 12 for the first time. The fiddly defending controls bamboozled me and my friends and we vowed to return to FIFA 11. With a few exceptions, one-on-one defending in football games before then had involved holding a single button to, first, pressure and, second, tackle an opponent. FIFA 12's tactical defending decoupled the two, with one button to "contain" the attacker, staying near them, and another to step in and attempt a tackle. When I got over my initial frustration I realised that it was a more flexible system that let you choose a level of aggression that matched the situation, such as not diving in as the last defender. It rewarded patience and positioning, and made defending feel like a true skill. EA FC 26's "advanced defending" is, you might argue, the next evolution, further splintering the tackle button into multiple tackle types. We're never going back to a one-button system. Playstyles - EA FC 24 The one feature from recent years that feels truly foundational. FIFA's "traits" – badges that showed star players' strengths and in some cases granted extra abilities – existed 15 years ago, but only for star players. When EA FC 24 changed them to "playstyles", however, they became vital. They boosted specific skills and granted bespoke animations: "Press Proven" players kept the ball closer while jogging, "Bruisers" bounced opponents away in tackles like bumper cars. They were no longer limited to star players, which sprinkled personality throughout every squad. Until FC 24 you judged a player by their overall rating, or sometimes by specific attributes relevant to their position. But playstyles were so powerful that they became equally as important. Now, I'll pick a player with multiple playstyles even if their overall is underwhelming. In my EA FC 26 career I've just unearthed a young centre back with seven playstyles who'll dominate the league for years. View the full article

After seemingly endless amounts of speculation and rumours, Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas remasters have been officially announced by Bethesda. This happened in a Twitter post where Bethesda Game Studios acknowledged the future of the studio following Microsoft's latest massive wave of layoffs – including the future of its big three: Starfield, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout. While Starfield got some more proof of life and Elder Scrolls got a pretty simple "we're working on it," Fallout fans are eating right now. Not only has Bethesda outlined the future of Fallout by confirming that Fallout 5 is in pre-production, and that the rumours are true and it will be working with Obsidian Entertainment on a new Fallout game, but the past of the series is also getting some love as Bethesda finally confirms those remasters are happening. "We also know many players want to revisit previous Fallout experiences." Bethesda says, adding: "While we're not announcing any dates today, we have been working on remasters for both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas." This duo of remasters has been heavily requested and heavily rumored since the release of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered in 2025, and while it's not exactly been a massive secret, this is the first time Bethesda has outright mentioned it's happening. Fallout 3 was first released back in 2008 and marked Bethesda's first outing with the franchise, while New Vegas was helmed by Obsidian Entertainment – a studio at the time filled with ex-Fallout 1 and 2 staffers – and is widely considered the greatest game in the franchise. Only 16 Fallout: New Vegas developers still work at Obsidian, says RPG's original writer. [/url]View the full article

Bethesda Game Studios has undeniably felt the impact of Microsoft's recent plan to cut over 3,200 employees at Xbox – but according to the company, The Elder Scrolls 6 is still chugging along just fine. The studio reveals as much in quite a lengthy new post over on Twitter, confirming that The Elder Scrolls 6 is currently Bethesda's primary focus – and the developers feel pretty confident about the new RPG, too. That and the next Fallout game, which we now know is for sure happening. "Our teams are now developing The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 on Creation Engine 3, a shared technology platform we've been building since Starfield's launch," writes Bethesda. "It allows our teams to support multiple projects simultaneously with new tools, rendering, and systems that define our games." A NOTE FROM BETHESDA GAME STUDIOSWe love making these worlds as much as you love playing in them. Today, we want to share what's next for Bethesda Game Studios and what you can expect from us in the years ahead.For forty years, we've built games that have entertained almost… pic.twitter.com/slD4pMWqW1July 17, 2026 The studio's thread continues, describing where the new Fallout and Elder Scrolls are in terms of development. "Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction. The Elder Scrolls 6 is our primary development focus today, with the majority of our team currently working on the next chapter of the franchise. With over 65 million copies sold, players are still exploring Skyrim 15 years later, but we know it's been a very long wait for the sequel." That's an understatement – but Bethesda's words here are reassuring nonetheless. It has been well over a decade since Skyrim changed the RPG genre forever, leaving us all craving the next Elder Scrolls, after all. But, as the studio confirms, "The next chapter is on the way. We're where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day." This story is still developing. Elder Scrolls Online is "not going to be able to put out the amount of content at the speed" it was, former dev says following Xbox layoffs. [/url]View the full article

Rumors of Fallout 3and Fallout: New Vegasremasters have been floating around for a while now, and Bethesda Game Studios has finally officially spoken on the topic. Following the success of 2025's Oblivion Remastered, taking a similar approach to Fallout games of yesteryear seemed like a natural way for Bethesda to capitalize on fan desires. View the full article

After a worrisome few weeks over at XBOX and Bethesda Game Studios, gamers have started to grow even more concerned about The Elder Scrolls 6 and its expected release date. Microsoft's sweeping restructuring resulted in thousands of layoffs across its gaming division, with Bethesda reportedly losing more than 50 developers working directly on the studio's flagship RPG, including veteran staff from programming, art, design, and at least one employee who had been with the company since the Morrowind era. View the full article

Fallout 5 is in preproduction at Bethesda as the studio prioritizes The Elder Scrolls 6. Bethesda broke its silence today, releasing a lengthy look at the studio's pipeline and the plans for its biggest franchises. Fallout is a key focus, with Fallout 5 essentially simmering in the background. "Our teams are now developing The Elder Scrolls VI and Fallout 5 on Creation Engine 3, a shared technology platform we've been building since Starfield's launch," Bethesda explains. "It allows our teams to support multiple projects simultaneously with new tools, rendering, and systems that define our games. "Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction. The Elder Scrolls VI is our primary development focus today, with the majority of our team currently working on the next chapter of the franchise." This story is developing. [/url]View the full article

Knowledge is power, and that's true in games of Warhammer 40k as much as it is in any other area of human competition. The better you know the game and the scenario you're playing, the better the decisions you will make, and the more likely you are to emerge victorious. If you want to speed up the process of mastering the battlefields of 11th edition, there's a handy new community-made web tool to help you on your way - the Map Distance Calculator. Read the full story on Wargamer: Get the edge in Warhammer 40k 11th edition with another ingenious, community-made tool View the full article

A grand total of 79 Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair cards were revealed at MagicCon Amsterdam today, with a sackful of superdrops that fans will be able to buy from the Secret Lair website in the coming weeks. Read the full story on Wargamer: New MTG Stardew Valley and Hatsune Miku Secret Lairs revealed, with 79 cards total! View the full article

You've just left the cinema, but The Odyssey still beckons. But what if I told you there were four incredible games you can play to recapture a taste of the adventure? From the most beautiful and best open-world games to RPGs set among the Greek isles, I've picked these games because of how each draws upon different aspects of what makes The Odyssey so thrilling. There's sword-and-sandals combat action to be found in one, if it's the glory of battle you crave, while others have a tighter focus on the myths and legends that have fueled Homer's classic for thousands of years. There's even a bit of a wildcard entry that might confuse you entirely, since it features neither gods nor Greeks, but I think the common theme of long, laboring journeys more than makes up for it. If you're in need of a little refresher before you get stuck in here, check out our beginner's guide to The Odyssey to help you pick out your favorite aspects of the film – it will help narrow down your search, trust me. So what are you waiting for? Here are four games to play after experiencing The Odyssey! The best games to play after watching The Odyssey, starting with...Hades 2 (Image credit: Supergiant Games) Release date: September 25, 2025 Developer: Supergiant Games Platform(s): Switch 2, PC, PS5, Xbox Series X A no-brainer game to play after watching The Odyssey is "godlike roguelike" Hades 2. The game features Odysseus himself as a Shade (aka a ghost) as well as a host of connected characters. His sea monster nemesis Scylla has been reimagined here as a glam rock siren, guarding the deepest layer of Oceanus with her bandmates Jetty and Roxy. Charybdis the Kraken also shows face, both as a randomized miniboss encounter and as a special guest in Scylla's band. Melinoë also runs into the goddess Circe on the isle of Aiaia during her Surface runs, and can even engineer a meeting between her and Odysseus so he can make amends for his treatment of her in life. Oh, and the voice of Greek poet Homer narrates Mel's quest throughout! Hades 2 is one of the best roguelikes ever for its expert blending of snappy isometric combat and beautifully scripted storylines, and I can't recommend it highly enough for any fan of The Odyssey's mythical roots. Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island (Image credit: Whitehorn Games) Release date: December 5, 2024 Developer: Polygon Treehouse Platform(s): Switch, PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X If you want your odyssey to be lighter on the violence yet heavier on the Greek pantheon itself, Mythwrecked is the game you should play after watching Christopher Nolan's latest and greatest. Shipwrecked on an island dotted with amnesic gods, it's your job to help recover their memories and make some powerful new friends on the way. Mythwrecked is a narrative-heavy experience, drawing on the rich mythology and lore of The Odyssey while giving it a more modern twist. Unfortunately, you cannot romance any of these divine beings (*cough* Hades 2 is where you want to be), but this gorgeous PG-13 indie is the perfect fix for those who'd prefer their next great adventure to be a bit less bloody. Assassin's Creed Odyssey (Image credit: Ubisoft) Release date: October 5, 2018 Developer: Ubisoft Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X The film name's in the game title, after all. Assassin's Creed Odyssey, set among the Greek islands during the Peloponnesian War, places you in the sandals of mercenary twins Kassandra or Alexios of Kefalonia as you unravel a nationwide conspiracy with decidedly Templar links – or as they were known back then, the Order of the Ancients. Much of the action in this RPG takes place between the warring Athenian and Spartan armies. However, between ganking the Templar Order and lending either army a hand in battle, the thing that really makes AC Odyssey feel like The Odyssey is the amount of Greek mythology you encounter. Expect to go head-to-head with Medusa, the Bull of Minos, and even a cyclops as you uncover the glorious open world, with plenty of naval travel and combat if you're keen to ride the waves between each island. No other game on this list offers a third-person Ancient Greek experience, making it the most thematically and contextually similar to Nolan's new film of the bunch. Death Stranding 2: On The Beach (Image credit: Sony) Release date: June 26, 2025 Developer: Kojima Productions Platform(s): PC, PS5 Now this might be a hot take, but Death Stranding 2 actually has a lot more in common with The Odyssey than you might think. At first glance, Sam's journey as a courier in a postapocalyptic Australia sounds about as far from the aftermath of the ******* War as you can get. But think about it: Death Stranding is a long, arduous journey – an odyssey, you might say, albeit on foot – with plenty of pit stops along the way. It too features a central protagonist with numerous other faces he encounters on his journey, all the while moving toward a single endpoint that somehow gets only further away the more he moves toward it. It's a grueling feat of a video game that perfectly encapsulates the relentless slog of The Odyssey (check out our Death Stranding 2 review for more), though this time, you'll be fending off BTs instead of sirens. The Odyssey is out in cinemas now. For more information on Nolan's latest, check out our glowing The Odyssey review. [/url]View the full article

Arc System Works is giving fans of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls their best opportunity to check out the game before launch, with an open beta that is stuffed with game modes and characters to try out. Following its surprising reveal last year, Arc System Works has been heavily reliant on player feedback to help drive development on Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Thanks in large part to previous closed beta tests as well as feedback from conventions, the game has seen plenty of changes, tweaks, and additions ahead of its launch in August. View the full article

PAW Patrolis headed back to the big screen this summer with PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie, and this won't be the franchise's only venture into a prehistoric extravaganza. Ahead of the film's launch, the heroic puppies will be dealing with dinosaur troubles in PAW Patrol: Dino World, a game set to launch on July 31 across all major platforms. View the full article

Palworld recently got its long-awaited 1.0 update, with patch notes so big they can only be described as monstrous – and boy, has it brought in a lot of players. In fact, the survival gem saw its new full release spur enormous player numbers – and loads of positive reviews on Steam to boot. In fact, Pocketpair's game has even managed to overtake Valve's own Counter-Strike 2 in terms of its concurrent players a couple of times on roundups of Steam's most-played games. Fans have caught sight of Palworld doing so over on Reddit and the like… but they're not alone. The developers have evidently noticed its climb up the Steam charts, too. We officially have reached #1 on Steam!!!! from r/Palworld Head of Pocketpair publishing and communications John "Bucky" Buckley acknowledges the feat over on Twitter, showcasing a screenshot of Steam's most-played charts – and Palworld's spot right at the top, with Counter-Strike 2 and Dota 2 following right behind it. "Pause," writes the lead. "Let me enjoy this moment for just a little longer." A well-deserved moment, too, if I do say so myself, considering the sheer amount of content 1.0 boasts. Pause.Let me enjoy this moment for just a little longer. pic.twitter.com/SDfuYLBJLVJuly 16, 2026 Fellow industry heads are chiming in as well, with Pearl Abyss (the studio behind Crimson Desert and ****** Desert Online) PR and marketing director Will Powers commenting, "It's a good feeling. Well deserved." In response, Bucky says, "Thank you, gamer." In a separate post, Pocketpair CEO Takuro Mizobe celebrates the game's achievement, sharing his thanks with fans and expressing how glad he is that players are enjoying it. It's wholesome, and it's nice to see a team that started as an indie group now thriving. Pocketpair's not done with Palworld yet, either, with more for the game and beyond up its sleeve. There's still the Stardew Valley-esque farming sim Palfarm to look forward to, which will be a nice cozy counterpart to Pocketpair's flagship title, and the admittedly cursed Palworld dating sim that's also underway at the company. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a base to go build, and Pals to command – those trees aren't going to chop themselves, after all, and I'm in dire need of more wood to use on my virtual home. Palworld would collab with Ark, No Man's Sky, and Enshrouded "tomorrow" if "we could make it make sense," says publishing chief. [/url]View the full article

Stardew Valley fans are waiting with bated breath for the official announcement of the 1.7 update, which will introduce brand-new content and further expand Pelican Town with two new marriage candidates: Clint and Sandy. Creator Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone has also teased additional social interactions, new events, and other surprises while keeping much of the update intentionally under wraps ahead of launch. View the full article

Nexon America has officially launched Arcana: Martial Hearts, a sizable summer update for its fantasy MMORPG, Mabinogi. Eligible players can play immediately, embarking on fresh quests to unlock two new Arcana classes: the tactical Melodic Puppeteer and the Blazing Brawler. According to a press release, by fusing the strengths of two distinct Grandmaster talents, “Arcana allows veteran players to wield an unmatched hybrid power.” Adventurers can start their journey today by completing the newly added Arcana guide quests, unlocking new storyline scenarios and game-changing progression mechanics. [Hidden Content] The Melodic Puppeteer combines the music of a Bard with the control of a Puppeteer, allowing players to deal massive damage from mid-to long-range. In order to acquire Melodic Puppeteer, players must meet the following prerequisites: Reach cumulative level of 20,000 or higherAcquire the Grandmaster Idol Talent titleComplete the quest “Melodic Puppeteer Cutting the Chord” Melodic Puppeteers gain access to a symphony of unique skills which can be equipped with a control bar, including: Downbeat Drop: An attack that summons a puppet to the target’s location to attack enemies.Wireless Connection: A passive skill that allows one to summon and control multiple puppets through subtle shifts in vocal tone without the need for any kind of manual manipulation. Showstopper: A powerful attack that summons the Pierrot, Colossus, and Echo Marionettes to unleash a brilliantly choreographed attack that’ll leave enemies seeing stars. Live Wire: Lays down wire traps that make enemies take extra damage from your puppets. Unlocking Arcana Links (Levels 1 to 10) gives permanent stat boosts. At Level 1, players get extra HP, MP, and Stamina. Reaching Level 10 lets you conduct absolute chaos on the battlefield, instantly empowering your Marionettes with the Act 9: Invigorating Encore effect whenever a Music Buff is active. Blazing Brawler: Introducing “Ater” The Blazing Brawler fuses close combat with martial arts, letting players deal rapid, high-impact melee damage. In order to acquire Blazing Brawler, players must meet the following prerequisites: Reach cumulative level of 20,000 or higherAcquire the Grandmaster Brawler Talent titleComplete the quest “Blazing Brawler: Fist of the South Sands” Blazing Brawlers channel their combat-driven rage into explosive physical power through exclusive skills, which can be equipped with knuckles, including: Ignite: Flurry of Fists: Assaults a target and nearby foes with a barrage of swift strikes.Ignite: Cyclone Drive: A high-speed charge that blitzes toward a target, scattering any enemies caught in the path.Ignite: Hammerblow: A devastating leap-attack that delivers a mighty slam, sending shockwaves to nearby enemies.Berserker’s Fury: Releases Fury, the violent combative energy that powers a Blazing Brawler’s martial onslaught to bolster one’s own body.Fire Within: A passive skill rooted in ascetic meditation that allows players to efficiently accumulate and channel their Fury. Blazing Brawler Arcana Links reward aggressive playstyles. At Level 1, players generate increased Fury from skill usage, scaling up to Level 10, which expands the range of your Combo: Charging Strike and increases all Martial Arts combo skill ranges by 2 meters. With the arrival of two new classes, the Total Arcana Level cap has been officially expanded from Level 350 to Level 450. Every 10 total levels achieved will permanently raise a player’s maximum stat caps, allowing for uncapped character growth. A growing roster also means the Arcana Association headquarters is expanding, literally doubling its castle space. Players can dive into two fresh Vignette questlines offered by Laoire, earning exclusive rewards while exploring the charming, behind-the-scenes interactions of their favorite Arcana members. Alongside the new combat abilities, Mabinogi is making high-end character progression much more accessible. Stat boosts have been seamlessly integrated directly onto new Outfits and Titles, streamlining the gearing process. Furthermore, player-favorite dungeon reward pools have been upgraded: New reward boxes have been added to the Alby Shineseeker Dungeon.The highly coveted Special Erinn Spirit item can now drop from several dungeon difficulties (with drop rates scaling higher based on dungeon difficulty).Players who collect 10 Special Erinn Spirits can exchange them to receive random Title Coupons. For more information about Mabinogi and the Arcana: Martial Hearts update, check out the official patch notes here. The post Nexon unveils Arcana: The Martial Hearts update for MMORPG Mabinogi appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

You can experience the life and legacy of one of history’s greatest artists through the eyes of those who knew him best – a touching adventure from Thatgamecompany, the makers of the massively influential indie game Journey and popular MMO Sky: Children of the Light. Dear Van Gogh is now available for all to play in Sky! It’s a brand new “game-within-a-game” playable in Sky, the free-to-play “cozy MMO” (available on iOS, Android, PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch) that’s been downloaded more than 300 million times since launching in 2019. Over the span of about two hours, players will explore the tragic yet richly compelling life of Vincent van Gogh, his adoring brother Theo, and sister-in-law Johanna, who ensured Vincent’s legacy lived on after his suicide at age 37. [Hidden Content] Players will explore some of Vincent’s most famous paintings, recreated as explorable 3D spaces, and help restore their beauty with Sky’s in-game brush mechanic, all while learning more about the painter’s life, family and what compelled those around him to see such emotion in his works. No need to play other parts of Sky. The Dear Van Gogh experience unlocks after you complete the brief tutorial! You can watch the gorgeous new launch trailer on YouTube. The post Thatgamecompany launches Dear Van Gogh season for Sky: Children of the Light appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

Doom: The Dark Ages director and id Software co-studio director Hugo Martin has acknowledged the layoffs the studio is facing, and says things aren't as dire as they sound. As part of a Slayers Club Live stream on the Bethesda YouTube channel (spotted by Kotaku), Martin says: "There's been reports that we've been 'nerfed into the ground' and 'gutted' and we have 50 people and that’s not true." These reports came from a mixture of places. Derek Best, a principal VFX artist at the studio, talked of Xbox "nuking a team into the dirt," while a WARN notice filed in Texas suggested that 136 of the 185 developers at the studio were let go. [Hidden Content] Martin continues, "We're the size we were when we made Doom 2016 and id Tech is very much alive and well." Reports also claimed that the id Tech team was decimated at the Texas studio, but Martin says: "You have to understand we have id Tech engineers both in Frankfurt and at MachineGames. We collaborate quite a bit." Furthermore, he adds: "The id Tech is there, the Doom team is here, and we're excited to share with you guys more of what we're working on in the future when it is appropriate and approved." After the layoffs occurred, former employees claimed Martin had proposed a "Gun Fu" action game inspired by the likes of John Wick, while Perfect Dark, a western robot survival game, and multiple Doom projects were also rumoured to have been pitched. Martin says "the fact that we made a game that people like and is critical and commercially successful – like I said, it's doing very well related to the forecast and stuff – that's good for everyone, for the people at the studio, for the people who, unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to." He adds: "But what matters the most is that the games are good and I'm so happy that people, I don't know… It's just a good thing for everybody, it's going to help. So we are really here to just play the game now and celebrate the work." If anything, Martin's note that Doom was critically and commercially successful just makes Microsoft's layoffs more mind boggling. A legendary studio which created some of the most iconic shooter franchises in history – ones Xbox is reportedly pushing Bethesda to make more of – facing layoffs at this scale while also being successful and owned by one of the most affluent companies in history is difficult to explain, to put it lightly. Laid-off id Software devs "cannot imagine a path forward where they make another game in id Tech," despite the Doom studio's claims. [/url]View the full article

Square Enix and Lightspeed have confirmed that FF14 Mobile will end service in September, bringing an early stop to the MMO adaptation. Read the full story on PCGamesN: FF14 Mobile is officially dead, will shut down in September View the full article

A game called Deceive Inc., which launched on PC and consoles in March 2023, has decided to rebuild its backend to help fans keep it alive now that the developer has closed its doors. While Deceive Inc. isn't the first game to put its future in the hands of its PC players, it has earned plenty of respect from gamers for going the extra mile and reworking its entire backend to avoid a shutdown. View the full article

Solo Leveling has quickly become a global phenomenon, with A-1 Pictures' adaptation shattering streaming records and dominating anime awards around the globe. As such, Sung Jinwoo fans are eagerly awaiting the continuation of his journey following the announcement of Solo Leveling: Beyond the System. While a third season has yet to receive a firm premiere date, the franchise's future remains bright as the upcoming film is expected to bridge the gap before the anime eventually returns. View the full article

While Electronic Arts has not officially announced EA Sports FC 27 yet, a new leak has revealed when players can View the full article

id Software creative director Hugo Martin has commented on the Xbox layoffs that have affected the legendary Doom developer, insisting it’s still alive and kicking. A WARN notice filed in Texas last week and reported by Game Developer confirmed that 96 workers had been laid off in Richardson, Texas, home of id Software, with a further 40 remote roles cut. The cuts, estimated to have affected half the id Software staff, were part of new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s “reset” of Microsoft’s gaming business, which began with 1,600 staff losing their jobs. Another 1,600 will be let go during the rest of the current financial year. Four Xbox studios are already out the door, with another hot on their heels. Last week, id Software issued a statement responding to the layoffs, saying it was now at the staffing level it had back when it made the much-loved 2016 Doom reboot. It also insisted it was still capable of making “great games,” and pushed back on the suggestion that there’s essentially no-one left at the company working on id Tech, the game engine it and fellow Bethesda-owned studio MachineGames uses to build their games. Xbox confirmed to IGN that "there are dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations," and that previous reports that there was only one person left in Texas are "inaccurate." First reported by Kotaku, during a livestream playthrough of Doom: The Dark Ages DLC, Revelations, Martin addressed the layoffs, pushing back against reports of the studio’s demise and promising to announce what it’s working on next in due time. “There’s been reports that we’ve been ‘nerfed into the ground’ and ‘gutted’ and we have 50 people, and that’s not true,” Martin said. “We’re the size we were when we made Doom 2016, and id Tech is very much alive and well. You have to understand, we have id Tech engineers both in Frankfurt and at MachineGames. We collaborate quite a bit. The id Tech is there, the Doom team is here, and we’re excited to share with you guys more of what we’re working on in the future when it is appropriate and approved.” Martin then suggested Doom: The Dark Ages, the prequel to 2016's Doom and 2020's Doom Eternal, was meeting commercial expectations. “Look, the fact that we made a game that people like and is critical and commercially successful — like I said, it’s doing very well related to the forecast and stuff — that’s good for everyone, for the people at the studio, for the people who unfortunately we had to say goodbye to. I think that helps everyone and we really appreciate your support,” he said. “But what matters the most is that the games are good, and I’m so happy that people, I don’t know… It’s just a good thing for everybody, and I know it’s going to help.” Martin's comments come as laid off staff protest outside Bethesda offices, including id Software's. According to Kera News, dozens of workers attended a “Save our Devs” rally outside id Software's Richardson office building on Wednesday, as part of an event organized in several cities across the country and Canada by workers represented by the Communications Workers of America union. The CWA is currently negotiating an exit agreement with Microsoft. id Software co-founders John Romero and John Carmack have both issued statements on the layoffs at the studio. John Romero took to social media to offer affected id Software staff his support, and to call on the studio’s recent legacy to be preserved. “Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein are not easy names to carry on, especially in today’s industry,” he said. “The last few games showed real care, skill and respect for what those worlds mean to people.” Carmack, however, expressed sadness but not “anger or outrage," questioning whether id Software's games had sold well enough to prevent the layoffs. So, what will id Software make next? According to GamesBeat, id Software was formulating new game ideas, such as a John Wick-style original IP, a new Perfect Dark game, and a multiplayer / co-op Doom game before the layoffs hit. The Verge’s Tom Warren has said id Software is now working on a new Doom game. Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at *****@*****.tld. View the full article

Steam users have discovered that a game called Killer Queen ******, which was delisted in 2022, has suddenly reappeared on the storefront, this time as a free-to-play title. Initially released in 2019, Killer Queen ****** was forced to shut down its servers on all platforms, including Steam, after Amazon decided to end its GameSparks service, which the game's multiplayer features relied on. View the full article

Ares Interactive and AMC Global Media today announced the launch of The Walking Dead: Aftermath, the first free-to-play roguelite game set in the universe of AMC’s television series The Walking Dead. Developed by Swift Games, the Ares Interactive studio behind the mobile powerhouse Heroes vs. Hordes, the title blends frenetic, real-time combat with the brutal decision-making that often defines The Walking Dead franchise. “The Walking Dead is a proven IP with a passionate global fanbase and the perfect narrative fit for roguelite mechanics where survival defines the experience,” said Mike DeLaet, president of Ares Interactive, in a press release. “With The Walking Dead: Aftermath, we’ve combined intense combat, meaningful progression, and base-camp strategy into a loop where every decision carries weight. We’ve applied decades of experience operating hit free-to-play titles to ensure the experience is both rewarding and sustainable for the long term. This is exactly the kind of franchise partnership we build at Ares Interactive, and we can’t wait to see how the players navigate this world.” [Hidden Content] The Walking Dead: Aftermath thrusts players into the boots of legendary survivors like Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, and Michonne. In this world, the price of safety is eternal vigilance, so players must navigate harrowing survival missions where any single mistake can be deadly. According to the press release, the game’s key features are: Dynamic Roguelite Combat: Face relentless walker hordes and hostile human factions. Level up in real-time during each run, selecting from three randomized ability upgrades that evolve combat tactics on the fly for each level up.Base Camp Management: When the fighting stops, retreat to fortify and upgrade for the next battle. Build watchtowers, manage resources, and assign survivors to roles that boost the settlement’s output and unlock vital production advantages.Arsenal Progression: Use scavenged materials to permanently improve gear and survivor attributes, ensuring a stronger return after every run.An Ever-Changing Apocalypse: Experience a world that grows through a consistent stream of new storylines, regular content drops, and community events that ensure the fight for the future never stays the same. Additional survivors and fan favorite characters are set to join the fight over time.Boss Arena Challenges: Face off against powerful bosses in recurring limited-time events, earn exclusive rewards, and climb the rankings in asynchronous competition against players from around the world.Alliance Survival: Survivors are stronger together. Form or join an Alliance, coordinate with fellow players to defend your camp, and compete against rival groups for leaderboard dominance and valuable rewards. “A core pillar of The Walking Dead story is that of people learning to adapt and thrive in ever-more-extreme circumstances, and our partners at Ares Interactive have created a game that perfectly captures that feeling,” said Clayton Neuman, head of games and franchise at AMC Global Media, in the same press release. “The Walking Dead: Aftermath allows players to enter a world where the stakes continuously mount with every choice made. Fast-paced, action-packed, and just the right amount of chaos – the end of the world has never been quite so much fun.” Players can now download the game on the App Store and Google Play. The post Ares Interactive and AMC Global Media Unleash the Walker hordes in The Walking Dead: Aftermath appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article