Steam

Many Star Path event duties will task you with finding and interacting with specific villagers around the town in Disney Dreamlight Valley. These characters are often disguised behind vague hints, though, as is the case with the chat with the village’s best dealmaker task. The valley is packed with unique villagers, and there’s likely more than one candidate you may think matches this description. For the purposes of the Star Path duty, though, only one character works, so here’s how to chat with the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valley. Table of contentsWho is the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valley?Chat with the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valleyhttps://embeds.beehiiv.com/a8d62108-86ed-4039-bf49-44877ba62c15 Who is the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valley? Screenshot by Destructoid For the Godly Glamor Star Path event in DDV, the village’s best dealmaker is Scrooge McDuck. This is one of the toughest tasks you’ll encounter, especially if you’re a longtime player, as we’ve had this mission on an old Star Path event with a different required character. Back when the Lovely Monsters Star Path event was featured in 2024, this same task was available to complete. The required character for it was Ursula, though, not Scrooge McDuck, so you may get tripped up here if you previously participated in it. Both villagers excel when it comes to making deals, so it does make sense that each one of them has been praised for this skill by the Star Path task. Still, there can only be one best dealmaker in the village, and this time around, the title has been bestowed only on Scrooge McDuck, so seek him out to complete this mission. Chat with the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valley Screenshot by Destructoid To finish the chat with the village’s best dealmaker duty, you need to have one daily discussion with Scrooge McDuck. You can do so by meeting up with him and selecting the dialogue option that appears next to the speech bubble icon. The easiest way to find him around the village is by visiting his store, as he always teleports inside when you arrive. Only one daily conversation can be had with each villager per day, so if you’ve already selected this option, you’ll have to wait until the next day to check off this task. Otherwise, it’s an easy one to get done in the same day you unlock it since all you need to do is have a small chat with Scrooge McDuck to complete it. You only get five Tokens for completing this task, which isn’t much at all, but it is quite a quick one to work through once you figure out the correct character to chat with. Still, you’ll likely need to put in a lot more work to save up for the prize you have your eye on. Some other good Star Path duties to tackle for Tokens are crafting a potion you can really “dig,” selling green veggies, cooking a fairly fancy dessert, and digging for pottery material. /wp-content/themes/destructoid2025/assets/img/icons/likes-off.png0 The post How to chat with the village’s best dealmaker in Disney Dreamlight Valley appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

RuneScape: Dragonwilds is currently available in Steam Early Access. View the full article

Anker has unveiled a pair of Pikachu and Eevee earbuds to celebrate the Pokemon 30th Anniversary, but there's no sign of a US or *** release so far.View the full article

Moon Studios has announced that its action RPG will exit early access this October. View the full article

During the State of Play showcase, Sony revealed three classic PS2 games coming to PlayStation Plus Premium over the next three months, as well as a day one Game Catalog title for PlayStation 5. Gitaroo Man hits the Premium tier on June 16, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy on July 28, and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams on August 25. Meanwhile, Sony has picked up Jagex’s Runescape: Dragonwilds as a day one Game Catalog release (Premium and Extra) in the fall, marking the RuneScape IP’s debut on console. PlayStation Plus Premium PS2 Classics for summer 2026:Gitaroo Man - June 16, 2026Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy - July 28, 2026Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams - August 25, 2026 Gitaroo Man is a beloved cult-classic rhythm video game originally released for the PS2 in 2001 by Koei and iNiS. You play as U-1, a clumsy, shy boy who transforms into the legendary rock-god Gitaroo Man, using his magical "Gitaroo" instrument to battle bizarre cosmic enemies and save the universe. Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy is a 2004 action-adventure, third-person shooter developed by Midway Games. Players control Nick Scryer, an elite, brainwashed psychic soldier tasked with infiltrating a terrorist cult known as The Movement. And Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams is a 2006 action game developed and published by Capcom that serves as the fourth main canonical installment in the classic Onimusha ******-slaying series. It’s worth noting that Sony recently hiked the price of the PS Plus subscription service. Here are the new prices for new customers: PlayStation Plus May 2026 price rises: 1-Month: Premium $19.99 (up from $17.99)Extra $16.99 (up from $14.99)Essential $10.99 (up from $9.99) 3-Months: Premium $54.99 (up from $49.99)Extra $43.99 (up from $39.99)Essential $27.99 (up from $24.99) As Sony had announced, these price changes do not apply to current subscribers (except in Turkey and India) unless the existing subscription changes or lapses. The 12-month subscription option remains unchanged. We’re expecting the full Game Catalog lineup for PS Plus in June 2026 any day now. In the meantime, here's everything announced at State of Play June 2026 if you need a catch up on what PlayStation has in store. 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

Sony is still doing well with PS5, but its own games are not selling like they did near the end View the full article

After months of speculation, God of War Laufeywas officially revealed at June's State of Play, confirming the various rumors of a new spin-off game featuring Faye. The new game was showcased in epic fashion, with Sony dropping a 20-minute uninterrupted gameplay trailer that gave players a good look at what they can expect when the new God of War entry eventually releases. View the full article

Love over the top action? Everything is Gun! built for those who love old-school speed and lots of destruction - with an arm you constantly change. Read the full article here: [Hidden Content] View the full article

Falloutfans are going to be waiting quite some time before they get their hands on the official next mainline game in the series, with Fallout 5's release being well off at this point and Bethesda's main focus at the time being The Elder Scrolls 6. As the wait for Fallout 5 drags on, it's a good thing Amazon's Fallout television series has been a huge success, giving fans of the franchise something to tide them over until we get an official new game. View the full article

Grand Theft Auto 5 actor Ned Luke has celebrated the sentencing of an online swatter who will now serve four years in jail. Luke, who played Michael De Santa in Rockstar's blockbuster, regularly streams himself playing GTA Online — and has fallen victim to swatting attempts numerous times. The practice of hoax calling the police to turn up at a streamer's address while they're on camera — usually with a claim of violence to provoke an armed response — has sadly become prevelant, and evidence exists of Luke being swatted on at least four occaisons following a leak of his personal address. Now, however, progress has clearly been made in catching those responsible. In a post on X/Twitter, Luke shared a letter from the U.S. Department of Justice confirming that at least one perpetrator had now been sentenced — to "incarceration of four years followed by supervised release of three years," plus a $200 fine. "Don't drop the soap in the shower douchebag," Luke commented. "Won't be swatting anyone anytime soon... and they're coming for the ones he ratted out as well." He signed off his post with five star emoji, a nod to GTA's highest wanted level. Luke has now been swatted so often that a recent visit by the police in December 2025 saw two officers turning up knowing full well they were likely attending a hoax call. Footage of the incident shows them and Luke wishing each other a merry Christmas, before Luke returns to playing GTA 5. By sharing news of the swatter's sentencing, Luke likely hopes to deter others from doing similar. Here's hoping he has a quieter time streaming GTA 6, which is due on November 19. Photo by Erika Goldring/Getty Images. Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social View the full article

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PS5 also gets improved lighting with today's update. View the full article

Phantom Blade Zero is, perhaps, my most-anticipated game of 2026, especially since Fable's launch has been shifted into 2027. Oozing Wuxia style and priding itself on recreating authentic martial arts combat, it was my favorite game of Summer Game Fest 2024, and I'm excited to finally get my hands on it. Initially slated to launch in September, it's since been pushed back to October, as confirmed by both a new trailer and S-Game CEO 'Soulframe' on X. It's certainly a bit of a blow, but the reasoning makes sense. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Phantom Blade Zero gets slight delay, with S-Game determined to launch the "best version" on day one View the full article

Valorant developer Riot Games has temporarily locked off Breeze, after a major map bug was posted online. Fortunately, it doesn't look like it'll be out of commission for long, and usual service should resume next patch. This isn't the first issue found in the FPS game's latest 12.10 patch that has necessitated a temporary removal, after the return of Cypher's hilariously-broken Spycam bug saw the agent get sent to the icebox (pun intended) last week. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Valorant's Breeze gets put into timeout, and it's all because of a stack of crates View the full article

Marathon's Season 2 update was a huge moment for the game. With the massive patch and an open week to invite new players, it felt like a prime opportunity for Bungie to give the game a much-needed injection of both new content and fresh blood. Unfortunately, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and that's exactly what happened here, as error codes and server issues plagued the release. Read the full story on PCGamesN: Marathon dropped its massive Season 2 update, and nobody was able to play it View the full article

It all starts with a watch. Q approaches a young, fresh-faced James Bond in the bowels of MI6, offering a box of quintessential Q Watches. We've seen them 100 times before in the movies and other Bond media, but 007 First Light presents me with an ornate case with plush ****** lining; an expensive house for an expensive product. As a Bond fan, I wasn't surprised to see the 'Omega' logo emblazoned in gold across its front; the watches are Seamaster Diver 300Ms, and retail for a pricey $9,400. Q proceeds to walk me through the various strap colors: Midnight Maroon, Ember Grey. In many ways, it feels like a sales pitch; an unprompted reminder that I am, indeed, poor. Read the full story on PCGamesN: 007 First Light's brand placement is obnoxious, but it works. What it could mean for the industry, however, scares me View the full article

Marathon‘s in-game progression in the second season has undergone a major change, and we can use the Cradle system to develop our characters. While the core objective is to improve the stats of your character (just like the first season), the progression now is easier to manage. If you’re a new player, the Cradle system can be a tad confusing to understand, and this guide will ease those doubts. Table of contentsCradle system in Marathon explainedHow to level up in Marathon with the Cradle systemhttps://embeds.beehiiv.com/a8d62108-86ed-4039-bf49-44877ba62c15 Cradle system in Marathon explained When you pick a shell (any for that matter), there will be six different stat categories: Strength, Recharge, Dexterity, Endurance, Support, and Resistance. All six stats have their progression tracks and different nodes. Once you unlock a node, you’ll get bonuses. Screenshot by Destructoid To unlock a node, you’ll need to spend energy. You gain this energy whenever you play the game and level up. There are two ways to gain energy: you can either exchange items from the Vault in the Matter Converter, or you can complete different contracts. If you’re a veteran of the game, you’ll find some similarities with the previous faction system. Back then, we will gain upgrades by leveling up our faction standing (by completing contracts). While the system is still there in Season 2, its scope has been largely limited. You’ll still unlock different upgrades that allow you to improve the armory, find cores, and more. However, you won’t have to depend on Factions to improve the core stats of your shells. So far, I am a fan of this new system as it makes it easier to upgrade our builds (completing certain contracts can take time and requires us to successfully extract, which might not always be possible). How to level up in Marathon with the Cradle system Based on the upgrade nodes we have in the game, we will need to reach level 84 to max out all trees. However, you don’t need to max out all the trees immediately. Instead, pick upgrades based on which Runner shell you’re using. You should upgrade stats that directly improve the strong points of your chosen shell. How you build your runner shell is up to you. So far, I haven’t found a so-called ‘meta’ trick to follow. However, you should always emphasize investing sufficient points to unlock a node in a specific path first. The nodes are key to applying permanent upgrades on your runner shell, so that should always be your priority. Hence, don’t spread out points on multiple tracks; focus on the nodes that you want to unlock first and invest the necessary points to reap the benefits. /wp-content/themes/destructoid2025/assets/img/icons/likes-off.png0 The post How does the Cradle system works in Marathon appeared first on Destructoid. View the full article

With Wizards of the Coast revealing cards for big name super heroes like Iron Man and the Hulk for the upcoming MTG Marvel Super Heroes set, Magic fans may not have expected one of the most powerful to be 'The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl'. Marvel fans familiar with her comics and gamers who've taken a pummelling from her in Marvel Rivals will know different - Squirrel Girl has faced off against the most powerful villains in the Marvel Universe and never been beaten. And your commander pod may soon discover just how awesome she is, because Squirrel Girl needs very little help to flood the board with infinite squirrels. Read the full story on Wargamer: This new MTG Marvel commander will drown your opponents in infinite squirrels View the full article

Like many people, I played way too much Plants Vs Zombies in the 2010s. Back then, I had none of my current world-weariness - probably because I didn't have a smartphone yet. I was shooting peas and chucking nuts at the undead on an iPod Touch for hours on end. Those were simpler times. Read the full story on Wargamer: The Plants vs Zombies board game won me over with one simple rule View the full article

The average of American gamers is 37, and 67% of us play games. Those are the essential facts from the latest report from the Entertainment Software Association, the lobbying group that represents game companies. But the ESA’s latest report is so much more than that, as it attempts to decipher the habits of the 212 million Americans who play video games. The annual report, Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry, is a comprehensive look at the state of video games nationwide. It’s an important subject this year, as analyst Matthew Ball, now chief strategy officer at Xbox, wrote a report this year that questioned whether the amount of time that gamers spend playing games has begun to decline, thanks to a perceived rise in demand for addiction industries, from Only Fans to prediction markets. Sadly, we don’t get an easy answer about whether this is true or not. But Ball’s work helped me frame my interview with Stanley Pierre-Louis, CEO of the ESA. The results in detail Conducted in partnership with YouGov, the latest report reveals that video game play continues to grow in popularity across generations, with the average age of players rising to 37. With 67% of Americans (ages 5-90) now playing video games one or more hours per week, video games have cemented themselves as one of the country’s preferred choices for entertainment. These and dozens of other compelling findings in this year’s report explore video game preferences across different demographics, regions, employment status and more. “Video games play an integral role in American life today, with a large majority of Americans now playing regularly,” said Pierre-Louis. “Video games have become a powerful cultural force, while providing mental stimulation, stress relief and meaningful social connection for people of all ages.” Breaking stereotypes More folks are playing games. Source: ESA Featured findings from the 2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report include: Players continue to break stereotypes for who is a “gamer.” 212.3 million Americans play video games every week, up 3% (7.2 million) compared to 2025. The gender of players is split fairly equally between men and women, with 53% of men and 46% of women actively playing. Slightly more boys and men play than girls and women in all generations except Boomers (ages 62-80) where 52% of Boomer women play games compared to 47% of men. Video games are for everyone, not just kids. Stanley Pierre-Louis, CEO of the ESA. While more than 80% of Gen Alpha (age 5-13) and Gen Z (age 14-29) play video games, the majority of adults are powering up as well: 71% of Millennials (age 30-45), 56% of Gen X (age 45-61) and 50% of Boomers (age 62-80) say they play weekly. Even 32% of the silent generation (age 81-90) are joining in on the fun. Adult players are more likely to be employed full-time (39%) or to have children (35%) compared to the general U.S. population – 34% and 30%, respectively. Parents prefer their kids play video games, and love playing with them, too. The majority of American parents (75%) actively play video games each week, with most (81%) saying they also game with their children (52% at least weekly). Nearly half (49%) of parents whose children play video games believe playing games teaches important skills to their children, such as problem solving and creative thinking. Two thirds of parents say they use parental controls with that number jumping to 70% for parents of kids 12 and under. Americans feel overwhelmingly positive about video games. Most American adults recognize the positive benefits of playing video games, such as them being fun (85%), bringing joy (81%), offering stress relief (78%), and providing mental stimulation (79%). Younger players (Gen Z) especially believe that video games offer a great way to bring people together (88%) and build relationships (87%). Most adults agree that playing video games helps develop problem-solving skills (76%) and teamwork/collaboration (67%), as well as adaptability/resilience (58%) and STEAM (53%) and communication skills (52%). Nearly nine-in-ten (89%) players who play a sport both on-screen and in real life say playing the video game version of their sport improves their real-world performance. Mobile leads the way, with people playing across genres and platforms. Th ESA delved into why players play on mobile. Source: ESA Playing on a mobile device is the most popular across all age groups (80%), while PC and console gameplay is more common with Gen Alpha, Gen Z and Millennials. Puzzle, primarily driven by older players, is the top genre on mobile (66%) and PC (60%) but falls behind action (66%), shooter (60%) and arcade (60%) games on console. Americans believe video games offer the most value for their money. A majority of players (63%) report that video games deliver the most entertainment value for their money, compared to video streaming services for music, TV and movies, as well as books, magazines and news articles. Most Gen Alpha (69%), Gen Z (78%) and Millennial (67%) players have purchased in-game content, typically spending $20 per month (median). Parents also purchase in-game content for their children (54%). Of those that do, nearly all of them (93%) require approval for in-games purchases made by their kids. More than half (58%) of players downloaded a game for free in the past 12 months, while 43% purchased a game, 35% purchased a game subscription and 19% borrowed a game. The full Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry report is now available. 2026 Essential Facts About the U.S. Video Game Industry Methodology Women are playing more than many men. Source: ESA YouGov and ESA conducted a 20-minute online survey in the U.S. from February 11-25 among 13,545 total respondents recruited from YouGov’s proprietary online panel. Data is weighted to be representative of the overall US population in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, education, state, census region, and the distribution of gamers vs. non-gamers, as defined above. 18+ respondents were asked about all members of their household in order to size gamers as young as 5 years old. Gamers aged 8-17 were asked to complete the survey under the supervision of a parent. A conversation about the meaning of gaming’s popularity Hours per week of gaming. Source: ESA “We find it very useful for the industry and for policymakers and for the general public to understand what’s happening. This year’s results provided a lot of great insights, as well as a few surprises in terms of the demographics,” said Pierre-Louis said. He noted the average age and the percentage of people playing. The gender split is nearly even, with 47% of gamers being female and 52% male. “That just shows that the continued staying power of video games in every demographic group, but then the surprises began to emerge within some of the data, particularly when you look at who’s playing by age,” Pierre-Louis said. “So if you look at the overall pie, 23% of those playing are under 18, but 28% of those playing are 50 years old and older. So you’ve got a much larger population of 50-year-old-plus players than you have under 18, which just speaks to the state of games for players throughout their lives, but also those who pick it up later in life and continue to play.” He added, “If you look at generation alpha, roughly ages five to 12 today, they have the highest percentage of players of those in that category who play at about 83%,” he said. “But as you go up in range, you just have more people at high numbers. I thought it was interesting to see that nearly half of boomers are playing video games, but that women in the boomer generation are playing more than men.” He noted about 36% of people in the silent generation, 80 years old and up, are playing games. That’s up 6% from last year. “We saw growth occurring in that group over the past five to 10 years. But if you look since COVID, it’s really risen dramatically each year and and I would say we’re getting some more notable players, particularly in that Boomer range,” Pierre-Louis said. There was a story out of Chicago about how John Prevost played Wordle and Words With Friends with his brother, Robert Francis. And so now we have Pope Leo as the most famous gamer in the world, Pierre-Louis said. “No one had that on their bingo card, but it just shows the range of kinds of games and and how people engage, both to get a reprieve from everyday life, but also to stay connected with friends and family,” Pierre-Louis said. I noted that the non-gamers are aging out more as younger gamers with higher percentage of play are taking their places. Doesn’t that suggest inexorable growth? “More people are playing earlier in their lives, and video game play is part of who they are, as a hobby, as self expression, as a communication tool, as a way to connect with friends and family. So it’s becoming commonplace. It has been commonplace for some time,” Pierre-Louis said. “But we’re recognizing it as a common occurrence more and more. But seeing how people maintain that passion for games and finding different games that meet their needs as they play through different stages of their lives has been important.” Pierre-Louis said that speaks to the growth of game development, the growth of scope of kinds of games that people are playing, and how games fit into your lives in a different way as you age into different categories. Some of the taste for games depends on the amount of time you have or the kinds of interests you have as a player. “There’s some people who love certain games, and they play those games with their friends throughout but many players progress to different kinds of games, and there really is a game for everyone, and we’re finding that out in our surveys,” Pierre-Louis said. I noted the demographics keep getting better for gaming, but the economics still go up and down as we still have down cycles. “Well, I would say if you look at our industry going back five, 10, 15, or 20 years, you’ll see a growth trajectory, generally speaking. Obviously, during the COVID cycle, there was a spike in video game play as people stayed home and were looking for outlets and for ways to stay connected,” Pierre-Louis said ” And so since COVID, both in terms of player engagement and revenue, there’s been an adjustment to what the trend would have been. But if you take out COVID and follow the trend lines, which are in the report, you will see that it is generally upward moving, and it’s been exponential in several years, but it continues to trend in the right direction.” He said that it’s a matter of how you maintain the pace of games that players demand, and that’s what companies are working through in a very deliberate way. “They want to put out games that meet and exceed expectations, and that’s what we’re seeing with the games that come out, whether they’re games that people expect to be big or games that are smaller but captivate the imagination of players,” he said. In different phases of life, players look for different outcomes from games. They may look for fun, or to keep their minds sharp if they’re older. They may want to be more competitive, connect with others, or just relax. Data on girls and gaming. Source: ESA “In different phases, the rationale changes, but we are beginning to see if you trended over years, there are certain categories of anticipation or behavioral expectations from players, and they might shift depending on the the stage each player might be going through in life, but they point to a lot of similarities about how play is great for emotional development and emotional well being,” he said. He added, “Play is great for relaxation and stimulation. It’s great to release anxiety. And in fact, there are, you know, scientific studies that others do that point to the fact that 10 to 15 year olds who play games are just less stressed because it’s a great outlet. So more and more we’re seeing that these emotional releases and opportunities for players hold true, but they have different impact on different age groups overall.” And he said another thing that was interesting was how parents are more likely to play video games than the overall population. About 70% of parents play games, and of those parents, 82% play games with their kids. “And they do that for a number of reasons. It’s fun, and everyone enjoys it. It’s a good opportunity to socialize with their kids, and it’s great to spend family time together doing this,” Pierre-Louis said “And so those high levels seem to suggest that games are a great way for families to bond, and that 70% of parents would prefer their children spend time playing video games than on social media. And the experience the parents have on playing games and on social media probably point to the fact that games are interactive, there’s a goal, they’re competitive, and they’re a way to connect, and social media tends to be a one way street.” As far as devices go, when you look at the generation alpha, their number one device is consoles. The easiest to play as a family on a console, as opposed to a mobile device or having two or three computers set up, Pierre-Louis said. Games are also busting up into mass culture, rising up from a subculture. There are blockbuster movies and television shows being developed from video game content. And at the same time, you have musicians releasing new music or hosting concerts on video game platforms, and so now, more and more, particularly with Gen Z and millennials, Pierre-Louis said. Demographics of gamers. Source: ESA “Gamers are reporting finding new songs and television shows and movies from the games that they played right there. They’re learning more about other entertainment content through video games and more of a personal anecdote than stats, the younger generation seems to prefer playing a video game than watching a television show or a movie straight up, or simply listening to music without doing something else,” Pierre-Louis said. And so video games end up being a platform that really reaches that new audience that other entertainment categories want to use. Pierre-Louis said that 56% of adults who play real life sports play a video game version of that sport, and 87% of them believe it improves their real life performance. “So that’s an interesting stat to see that video games are influencing how people view their real life performance in a sport. And if you if you look at some of the games, it makes some sense, because it provides essentially a simulation of the game,” Pierre-Louis said Are movies and TV shows helping people discover games? I wondered if shows like The Last of Us on HBO and the Mario movies are helping people become more aware of games. “If you look at a show like The Last of Us, even the way it’s filmed, it’s almost feels like an RPG as you’re following a character. So more and more you’re seeing a video game format informing and cross pollinating with the television show or the streaming series or the movie, in a way that’s appealing to both audiences,” Pierre-Louis said. He added, “But it takes that sensibility to understand that it’s a different kind of content that has to be filled differently. So, you know, so I think that adds to why those games are so popular among the fans of the game and fans to be of the game.” Optimism? The silent generation of gamers. Source: ESA It’s been a tough few years with a lot of layoffs among game companies. I asked Pierre-Louis if he saw optimism in the report. “Seeing the continued growth of the video game audience is exciting. Seeing how older generations are playing games serves as another example of why so much of the misconceptions around games shouldn’t exist,” Pierre-Louis said. “So, in other words, the data we see this year continues to dispel myths and stereotypes about who plays games. The truth is, everyone’s playing, and there’s a game for everyone, and games form different parts of our lives and mean different things in our lives, at different stages of our lives, and that’s what this year’s data points to.” There are trends that could be viewed from multiple points of view. It’s a negative trend to see people playing older games for a much longer time. The result is that they aren’t buying as many new games and that hurts sales. But there are is a positive in that players are investing a lot of time into their favorite games and those hit games have a longer life.. “If people watch Netflix today, they may be watching shows that were filmed before their era, but they’re enjoying them now. You know, Friends continues to be a very popular streaming show,” Pierre-Louis said. “Well made content wears well through any generation in any era, and one of the reasons people continue to love some of the games that that have been out for a while is that they were really well made games. They told a great story. The visuals were compelling, and the ability to play with others and connect may have enhanced that experience. So I think it’s a win win.” At the same time, new games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hit players in the right way and the right time, and they became big hits. That shows “there is room for large scale games, newer indie games and everything in between,” Pierre-Louis said. I have some ideas for the ESA to ask more questions. I think it could ask about retro games and why they’re popular across generations. I think it would also be good to see where the competition is and ask how much time people spend playing games versus other pursuits. “There’s a game for everyone at every age, and the proof is in the survey,” Pierre-Louis said. The post Average age of gamers hits 37 while 67% of Americans play | ESA CEO interview appeared first on GamesBeat. View the full article

The June PlayStation State of Play showcase has revealed that the dinosaur survival experience The Lost Wildwill be arriving sometime in 2027 on PS5 and PC. The game, which is being developed by Great Ape Games and will be published by Annapurna Interactive, were not the only titles to get viewers excited during the event. View the full article

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth on PC and PlayStation 5 received a major patch today that adds the “streamlined progression” feature. This feature includes various options to streamline combat and exploration, such as unlimited HP and MP at all times, 9,999 damage dealt to enemies during battles and minigames, and the maximum number of each item available (with some exceptions). Square Enix said this feature is designed to help players “advance through the game smoothly, not only during your first playthrough but also when you replay it.” Also added is the "New Game - Head Start" feature, which lets you start the game with level 65 characters (max level: 70) equipped with several enhanced materia. The PC version specifically also now supports AMD FSR upscaling, enabling “more stable and detailed image processing.” PC players are reporting that the update weighs in at a hefty 71GB. The update comes as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth launches across Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X and S, and on the Microsoft Store on Windows. It brings the game up to version 1.005. Patch notes, courtesy of Steam, are below. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth’s arrival on more platforms comes as fans await an announcement for the third part of the Final Fantasy VII remake trilogy. In April, director Naoki Hamaguchi assured fans that Part 3 was "proceeding on time and on schedule," and asked them to wait for "just a little longer." "What I can say is that development itself is proceeding on time and on schedule," Hamaguchi said. "We believe it’ll become a title we can deliver with confidence as the culmination of the trilogy. We know many fans are eagerly waiting, and preparations toward the announcement are steadily underway. Please look forward to it just a little longer." Final Fantasy 7 Remake was chopped up into three different installments, with Part 1 releasing in 2020 and Part 2 in 2024. That means that even if Part 3 is released by the end of this year, there'll have been six years between the release of Part 1 and Part 3. Hopefully it won’t be long before we hear more. Final Fantasy VII Rebirth update 1.005 patch notes: [Updates] ・ “Streamlined Progression Feature” ・ “New Game - Head Start” are now available. The Streamlined Progression feature includes several enhancement options to streamline combat and exploration—like unlimited HP and MP at all times, 9,999 damage dealt to enemies during battles and minigames, and the maximum number of each item available (with some exceptions)—which can be tailored to suit the player’s preferences. The feature helps you advance through the game smoothly, not only during your first playthrough but also when you replay it. "New Game - Head Start" allows you to start the game with level 65 characters (max level: 70) equipped with several enhanced materia. The PC version now also supports AMD FSR upscaling, enabling more stable and detailed image processing. We hope you apply this latest update and utilize these features to enjoy FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH’s story and refreshed game experience. *The Streamlined Progression feature can be toggled on or off for each option at any time from the in-game options menu. *This update also includes additional minor bug fixes. 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

Critically acclaimed co-op platformer Pico Park is being delisted, meaning players only have a limited time to pick it up for free. Pico Park (now known as Pico Park: Classic Edition) was originally released in 2016 and is a co-operative puzzle platformer for up to 10 players. Last year the game’s developer Tecopark accidentally made it permanently free after deciding to update it, not realising they had fallen foul of Steam rules. Read More... View the full article

After its initial reveal at the 2025 Game Awards and subsequent teases with new screenshots, we finally got a full reveal of when and what to expect from Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis when it releases. Acting as a ground-up remake of the original Tomb Raider from 1996, it not only aims to bring the experience up to modern standards but also expands upon the story and gameplay to seamlessly connect with the more recent reboots. View the full article

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says the WWE 2K series has the potential to double or triple its audience. The latest game in the series, WWE 2K26, was critically well received and Take-Two says “recurrent consumer spending” on the game is up 20% compared to the previous year’s game. In an interview with IGN, however, Zelnick stated that the game could grow much larger than it currently does, if developer Visual Concepts continues to innovate with each annual iteration. Read More... View the full article

In response to monopoly allegations, Valve CEO Gabe Newell stated that Steam does not dictate prices to developers and that PC gamers are free to buy games from whichever storefront they prefer. The allegations stem from a lawsuit initially filed in 2021 by independent developer Wolfire Games LLC. In the lawsuit, Wolfire argued that Valve has abused its position in the industry by enforcing a platform-wide "Most Favored Nation" pricing policy. According to the developer, this policy prevents publishers from selling their games on other platforms at prices lower than those offered on Steam. View the full article