Title: Hackers Begin Dumping Nintendo Switch 2 Games As Expanded Exploit Breaks Console Security Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:45:43 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/hackers-begin-dumping-nintendo-switch-2-games-as-expanded-exploit-breaks-console-security-2000749440 New exploit allows for game dumps, but will probably be patched soon

Title: Mass Effect 5 Director Says One Day Fans May Get Explanations For All Those Cryptic Teasers Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:30:30 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/mass-effect-5-universe-tears-game-awards-2020-liara-reapers-2000749715 There was a reason Liara was crawling around derelict Reapers

Title: Eric Bauza, The Voice Of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, And Many More Has Died At 46 Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 03:54:20 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/eric-bauza-looney-tunes-death-dies-announcement-2000749416 The actor’s family said he passed ‘suddenly’

Title: Google’s Finnish Data Centers Were Already In Trouble Over Deforestation, Then The Wolves Came Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2026 22:59:26 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/googles-finnish-data-centers-were-already-in-trouble-over-deforestation-then-the-wolves-came-2000749401 Wildlife have slowly relocated into towns and cities due to environmental collapse, but a controversial data center in Finland suggests this phenomenon can now occur overnight with help from AI

Title: Following Cancelled Concert, Umamusume Fans Give Knott’s Berry Farm Blacksmith Busiest Day Of His Life Date: Sun, 25 Oct 2026 21:26:29 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/following-cancelled-concert-umamusume-fans-give-knotts-berry-farm-blacksmith-busiest-day-of-his-life-2000749394 While stricter visa policies scrapped the American concert stop, Pretty Derby die-hards weren’t deterred, hitting the old west and getting horseshoes engraved with their favorite characters

Title: Monopoly Go x The Simpsons crossover is almost here Date: Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:41:21 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/monopoly-go-the-simpsons-crossover-details Monopoly Go players have been looking forward to a major crossover event for what felt like months, and though most of the details ended up leaking, nothing actually beats official information. Read more

Title: Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 will take us deeper into the World in Canvas and make Mortenax Blade playable Date: Fri, 22 May 2026 13:43:44 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/honkai-star-rail-version-4-3-all-details HoYoverse has today delivered full details on the next major update for Honkai: Star Rail. Version 4.3, dubbed The Lethe Below the Living, will be available for all players on June 1. The upcoming update adds a new chapter to the Planarcadia arc, and introduce a new playable character. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 explodes on Steam even before it's officially out Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 11:00:02 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-steam-numbers-big-launch Steam is abuzz this week with a couple of long-anticipated launches, but in Forza Horizon 6’s case, at least, the game isn’t even out for what will be most of its players. The anticipated sequel in the open-world driving game series doesn’t officially launch until May 19, but owners of its most expensive version - the Premium Edition - can play it right now. Read more

Title: Mystic Messenger's most loyal players are getting banned in droves for seemingly playing the game too much Date: Fri, 15 May 2026 10:02:10 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/mystic-messenger-ban-wave-thousands-of-hourglasses-anniversary Mystic Messenger, arguably one of the best dating sims around, has been dormant for about seven years. Despite not receiving new content or any meaningful updates in all that time, the game remains popular with its core fans, many of whom just woke up to some shocking news about their accounts. Read more

Title: Forza Horizon 6 review - The driving game for everyone still can’t seem to escape its car-collecting legacy Date: Thu, 14 May 2026 12:00:03 +0000 Link: https://www.vg247.com/forza-horizon-6-review There is this idea that, for a long-running series to remain as consistently popular as Forza Horizon has been, it needs to diminish itself somewhat with each new entry, gradually losing more and more of its edge in a bid to appeal to the widest possible audience. Read more

Title: Call Of Duty Movie Will Not Be About, “Hey, Let’s Shoot Them All Up,” Director Says Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:15:51 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-movie-will-not-be-about-hey-lets-shoot-them-all-up-director-says/ The upcoming Call of Duty movie aims to show the "cost of war," according to director Peter Berg. He told ComicBook that the film, set in the Modern Warfare universe, will strive to capture the spirit of those games, which means lots of guns and violence, but also heart and soul. "So Modern Warfare, if you really look at the missions, and the storylines, and the characters--like Captain Price, and Soap, and Ghost, and Alex--these are complicated humans,” Berg said. “These are not--and no disrespect--cartoon characters or comic books. These are very nuanced storylines; like, there’s a real soul to the Modern Warfare universe," he said. "And, yes, there’s violence, and there’s hardware, and equipment, and there’s killing--but underneath it I think the game, and the craters of the game, are really looking at the cost of war, the cost of having to be a warrior who’s, for whatever reason, chosen to put himself between real danger and the rest of us, and the burden that these guys carry." Berg said this is "real stuff," and it demands a movie that respects that. "This is not just ‘Hey, let’s shoot them all up and shoot popcorn!’ Like, there’s a soul underneath it," he said. Berg went on to say that the Call of Duty movie's writer, Taylor Sheridan, understands this as well. "There will be a very strong soul, and consequence of war within the film, called 'duty,'" he said. Mark Wahlberg as Marcus Luttrell in Lone Survivor. Sheridan is also known for his work in the military/war space. One of his most highly acclaimed works is 2015's Sicario, a film that leaves the viewer thinking about moral grey areas, which sounds like what Berg is going for. Sheridan wrote that film, along with other acclaimed movies like Hell or High Water and Wind River. He also created the very Call of Duty-like TV show Lioness. One of Berg's best-known and most highly acclaimed movies was 2013's Lone Survivor. This film told the story of real-life Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, who was the lone survivor of an ambush in Afghanistan. Berg also directed movies based on other real-world tragedies, including Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day. The Call of Duty movie is set for release in June 2028. It's in the works at David Ellison's Skydance, which just acquired Warner Bros. Discovery, and it will be released theatrically. The newest Call of Duty game, meanwhile, was Modern Warfare 4, which just launched on October 23. In addition to a Call of Duty movie, a Battlefield movie is in the works as well, with major talent attached.

Title: Elden Ring Movie Is Reportedly A $200 Million Gamble For A24 Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:57:25 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/elden-ring-movie-is-reportedly-a-200-million-gamble-for-a24/ Bringing From Software's Elden Ring to life on the big screen is no small feat, and it won't be cheap. A new report claims the upcoming Alex Garland-directed film has a whopping budget of nearly $200 million, making it the most expensive movie distributor A24 has ever financed. While that's not an unrealistic sum for a movie of this nature with so much star power, it is a rare move for A24. The Wall Street Journal reported the figure, and if true, Elden Ring's budget will eclipse A24's most expensive movie to date, the $70 million Marty Supreme. Typically, A24 focuses on producing and distributing films with low production costs, allowing the company to make a tidy profit if the movie is a hit. While these films won't give the Avatar and Avengers franchises any sleepless nights, the formula is sound overall, but not foolproof. Movies are typically expected to make double their production budgets to be considered box office hits, and in the case of Mary Supreme, that flick has a lifetime global gross of $96 million, well below the $140 million it would have needed to be a success story. Of course, video on demand, Blu-ray sales, streaming deals, and even AI training also factor into overall profitability, but theaters are generally seen as where movies make the biggest commercial impact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z73iKl-hlNA&t=13s In comparison, Backrooms was a massive hit for A24. Filmed on a shoestring budget of $10 million, it went on to gross over $197 million at the global box office this year. Could Elden Ring surpass that sum when it hits theaters in March 2028? Nothing is impossible, as several video game adaptations have done very well over the last couple of years. The catch is that movies like Illumination's Super Mario Bros. films, Sonic the Hedgehog, and A Minecraft Movie were geared toward kids, and with parents in tow, that proved a lucrative demographic to target. Elden Ring doesn't have an official age rating yet, but it is expected to take aim at older audiences with its dark fantasy setting and mature themes. Details on the movie haven't been revealed yet, but A24 confirmed that Warfare’s Kit Connor will star alongside Alien: Romulus and Civil War actress Cailee Spaeny. Meanwhile, 2026 has seen a few video game adaptations hit the silver screen, but with mixed fortunes. Zach Cregger's Resident Evil adaptation was both a critical and a commercial hit, while Street Fighter has been a box office flop--but at least it can say that it was better received than Return to Silent Hill.

Title: Xbox Veteran Who Just Got Promoted Under Asha Sharma Promptly Leaves Amid Mysterious Circumstances Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:47:48 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-veteran-who-just-got-promoted-under-asha-sharma-promptly-leaves-amid-mysterious-circumstances/ Xbox's first-ever chief operating officer, Helen Chiang, has left the company after being promoted to that role just a few months ago under CEO Asha Sharma. In this job, Chiang was assigned to oversee the profitability of Xbox, and it's been looking very bleak for Xbox lately. Given the timing of her exit, people wondered about the circumstances, and that remains unclear. Sharma confirmed Chiang's departure in a memo to staff, seen by The Verge, saying she is grateful for Chiang's "years of service" at Xbox. A spokesperson for Microsoft told Windows Central that the company does not "discuss individual personnel matters." According to a source speaking to Eurogamer, Chiang was "terminated for policy violations." The Verge's Tom Warren backed this up, saying Chiang was cut loose due to a "policy violation," but the exact nature of that is unknown. In July, Sharma announced that Chiang would become Xbox's first-ever COO, with "end-to-end" responsibility for the financial future of Xbox's content, hardware, platform, and services. Chiang had worked at Microsoft for 20 years, in that time playing a key role in the creation of Xbox Live and later shepherding Mojang and the lucrative Minecraft franchise. As COO, Chiang was expected to "bring our businesses together under one operating model, making sure we make clear investment decisions, learn from our successes and failures, and hold ourselves accountable for results," Sharma said. For her part, Sharma said she will have an update to share on the COO position at Xbox at some point, but she didn't divulge more. The Xbox business was "not healthy" when Sharma took over, she said, and Chiang no doubt had a challenging road ahead of her. As for now, however, people can only speculate as to the real reason she left Xbox. September was another terrible month for Xbox hardware sales, with sales of the Xbox Series X|S consoles in the US falling to an all-time September low. On the software side, Gears of War: E-Day is looking like a huge flop. In terms of services, Xbox Game Pass is set to get worse and more expensive in November.

Title: Phantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense | Review Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/phantom-blade-zeros-combat-is-so-good-you-wont-care-the-story-makes-no-sense-review/ S-Game's Wuxia-inspired combat puts you in the middle of a Chinese action movie.

Title: Phantom Blade Zero’s Combat Is So Good, You Won’t Care The Story Makes No Sense Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/phantom-blade-zeros-combat-is-so-good-you-wont-care-the-story-makes-no-sense/ S-Game, the Chinese studio behind Phantom Blade Zero, clearly understands the core tenets of character-action games. If your melee combat isn't tight, responsive, and oozing cool, then what's the point? Some games might have better combat, but few can match Phantom Blade Zero's style.  Every moment feels like you're in the middle of a Chinese martial-arts movie, pulling off moves that shouldn't be feasible--moves that go against what we expect from third-person action games--yet are baked into the mechanics. The game is not without issues, and they do hold it back from reaching the genre's upper echelons, but the highs are stratospheric. Character-action games aren't typically known for telling riveting stories, and Phantom Blade Zero is no different. You play as Soul, a stoic assassin who dies in the game's opening moments when a sword tears through his heart. Soon after, a mysterious figure gives him a chance to come back from the dead, forcing him to choose between two artificial hearts. One will allow him to live but strip away all of his emotions, while the other will let him retain those emotions but only give him 66 days left on this mortal coil. Soul chooses the latter, setting up a 66-day quest to find a cure, unravel a conspiracy, and prove that he was framed for his master's murder. It's a fairly ridiculous opening, but one that doesn't reflect the rest of the game. Much of Phantom Blade Zero's narrative unfolds through background machinations: in clandestine conversations, hidden notes, and secondhand information. Multiple organizations, people, and malicious schemes are in play, but it doesn't do a particularly good job of filling you in, so I found it tough to keep track of who's who and what's what. Some aspects eventually come into sharper focus toward the end of the game, but this feels like too little, too late. You're essentially dropped into an established world where even the protagonist knows more than you do, referencing past events and showing familiarity with characters new to you. All you can do is attempt to piece together some kind of understanding through the notes and loading-screen tooltips, but even then you'll still be in the dark for a good chunk of the game's dialogue.  There are some cool storytelling moments here and there, such as the way it uses hand-drawn watercolor animation whenever it flashes back to Soul's childhood. One sequence also features traditional Chinese shadow puppets (or Piyingxi) to explore a character's backstory. Repeating or explaining plot points during loading screens feels like a concession to its failures elsewhere, though, and ultimately, I found it difficult to latch onto anything that would make me care about the story.  Unsurprisingly, combat is Phantom Blade Zero's bread and butter. It's also unlike anything else I've played, essentially translating the choreographed action of films like Hero and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon to a playable medium. Both movies are known as Wuxia, a Chinese genre of fiction and low fantasy that blends martial arts with fantastical elements. Wuxia fight scenes are known to be incredibly fluid and dynamic: half combat, half choreographed dance, with both sides attacking and defending at the same time, creating a calculated but frenetic spectacle of clashing steel.  Phantom Blade Zero The choreography isn't something you can replicate in video games without resorting to quick-time events, but Phantom Blade Zero still makes it look and feel like you're engaged in a cinematic, free-flowing dance to the death. You have light and heavy attacks at your disposal, with combos alternating between the two. The key is that these attacks require no commitment.  There's never a point where an attack begins and locks you into an animation until it ends. Switching to defense--either to block or parry--is instantaneous, even if you're mid-combo. Some attacks will even deflect incoming strikes automatically, recreating the back-and-forth, simultaneous attack-and-defend action Wuxia is known for. The whole thing is antithetical to the call-and-response philosophy of so many other action games, but it works when enemies test your abilities. Sometimes, particularly during boss battles, you still need to focus strictly on offense or defense--maybe because you've created an opening to counterattack or need to lock in and parry multiple strikes in quick succession--but the delineation isn't as common as it is elsewhere. Most combat encounters achieve this satisfying flow through speed, aggression, and how combos and parries gracefully intersect. Sure, you could sit back and wait for your opponent to attack, or you could rush in and deal damage while still watching for their attack cues. Every action you take is fast and responsive, and even the biggest, heaviest weapons are swung at a rapid pace. Much of this fluidity comes from the game's excellent motion capture, which showcases each movement with the smoothness and intent you'd expect from seasoned martial artists. It's also complemented by an eclectic soundtrack that infuses the action with everything from Chinese rap, metal, and pop to somber piano pieces and electronic beats. There's mechanical depth beyond the surface panache, too. These mechanics are more par for the course, but familiarity is important when trying something new. Sha-Chi, for instance, is Phantom Blade Zero's stamina system. The meter drains when you hold down the block button or perform heavy attacks, but successful parries will severely deplete your opponent's Sha-Chi instead, gradually breaking their guard and leaving them vulnerable to a flurry of offense. Blue and red flash attacks also denote special, telegraphed moves you need to either parry or dodge, with both tightening up the window for you to react. Failing to do so will eat into your health bar, but depleting your Sha-Chi meter also takes you out of action for a few seconds. To counteract this, switching weapons quickly replenishes your Sha-Chi, letting you maintain the initiative with a different armament. You can equip two primary weapons to alternate between, which not only helps you manage your Sha-Chi, but also gives you more combat options when you consider how varied Phantom Blade Zero's plethora of swords, axes, and spears are. Each one feels unique when executing your standard light and heavy attacks, and they all have various intricacies that unlock as you level them up. For a good chunk of the game, I used a sword called the Outlaw Warblade. With this two-handed weapon, heavy attacks deal increased damage by eating into your health, which switching to standard attacks then restores. It can be a risky but effective weapon to use, but one I wasn't afraid to equip knowing I could quickly switch to another weapon. Whether it's a broken blade that transforms into a ranged weapon after drinking--while also making you move like Jackie Chan in Drunken Master--or a pair of swords that summon the power of both wind and thunder, the weapons on offer are incredibly fun to use. They're flexible, too, with an upgrade system that lets you refund and recover the materials you've spent, so you never feel locked into using a particular weapon just because you've spent time upgrading it. You're free to experiment and jump from one completely different arsenal to the next, which is a more than welcome choice.   Each weapon also has a secondary attack that breaks the non-committal rule. Landing heavy attacks builds Sha-Chi Essence, which you can then spend on weapon-specific techniques called Power Surges. While some of these might enhance your offense for a short time, others unleash devastating combos that you can't cancel out of, forcing you to consider when the opportune time to utilize them is.  Phantom Blade Zero The same is true of Phantom Edges: secondary weapons you can use a limited number of times before needing to replenish their stock. These range from heavy axes that can break through shields and armor to ranged weapons, chained sickles, flying guillotines, and a magical bell that can summon puppets to fight by your side. Both Power Surges and Phantom Edges add another layer to Phantom Blade Zero's flashy combat, upping the ante in desperate situations or providing that extra oomph you need to finish off a boss. Boss battles are where the game's combat truly sings: where spectacle and cinematic action are pushed to the forefront, with free-flowing and thrilling mechanics to back it all up. Whether it's a Lion Dancer that breathes fire and hops between wooden plinths, or a three-faced puppet summoning giant paper snakes from the earth, the bosses are distinct and built on spectacle. It's no surprise that these conflicts represent Phantom Blade Zero at its most challenging. It might not be a soulslike, but From Software's influence is felt here and elsewhere.  The world, which blends a traditional kung-fu aesthetic with steampunk machinery and body modification, is all S-Game. The studio calls this style "kungfupunk," and it's an accurate descriptor, melding pagodas with industrial iron and billowing smoke.  There's variety within this conceit, too. At one point, you traverse a once-verdant forest that's now crimson, stained red after a brutal battle, "as though the forest itself were weeping blood." Another area sees you using a steam-powered boat to navigate a vast lake dotted with islands, while you'll also venture into a town whose denizens have been transformed into wooden puppets, and a winding valley with waterfalls and cliffs overlooking its crystal-clear streams.  It's a strongly realized world, but the level design is distinctly soulslike, with circuitous areas full of branching paths and looping shortcuts. It's one of the strongest examples of this type of level design, making each locale a treat to explore, though it doesn't always feel entirely necessary.  Soulslike checkpoints let you replenish health and upgrade weapons and items, but crucially, they don't respawn enemies as you would expect. It's an odd choice, especially since enemies stay dead even after you die. This changes the dynamic of enemy encounters, essentially letting you whittle down a group of enemies even if they get the better of you. This speaks to Phantom Blade Zero's overall leniency, though. Many of its boss battles contain multiple phases, but if you reach the second phase and die, you don't have to repeat the first. I'm a fan of this decision, because if I've already demonstrated I can beat the first phase, forcing me to do so again can be frustrating.  There are also three difficulty levels to choose from. You can swap between them at any time, which is something I took advantage of to make some of the regular enemy encounters more interesting. This is Phantom Blade Zero's biggest flaw, as even on the hardest difficulty, it's too easy to simply button-mash your way to victory against most enemy types. Groups still gave me trouble on occasion, especially since switching lock-on targets in these instances is overly cumbersome, but as I mentioned earlier, taking out a few enemies is beneficial even if you die.  As someone who plays these kinds of games a lot, this might not be the same experience for everyone. Yet the bosses still posed enough of a challenge that I had to bump the difficulty back down to medium, so it feels more like a wildly unbalanced swing than anything else. It's disappointing because, under the right circumstances, Phantom Blade Zero's combat is spectacular. Its Wuxia-inspired action nails the free-flowing, back-and-forth nature of its kinetic influences with aplomb. Being able to cleave through dozens of enemies who barely put up a fight isn't a fatal flaw, but tedium, and the fact you know how thrilling combat can be makes it a more glaring issue. It's this misstep that holds Phantom Blade Zero back, but it's still a fantastic game that any action aficionado should lap up.

Title: How to get high-tenacity fibers in DMZ in Modern Warfare 4 Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:40:50 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/mw4-modern-warfare-4-dmz-high-tenacity-fibers-where-to-find-how-get/ High-tenacity fibers in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's DMZ mode are one of the most sought-after crafting materials, especially when you're still learning the ropes of the game, because they're used for a number of upgrades around your FOB. The most important of these is the uncommon ingredient printing upgrade, as that allows you to manufacture higher-rarity crafting materials.

Title: James Gunn Explains the Difference Between DC Studios and Marvel Movies Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:05:59 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/james-gunn-dc-universe-individual-stories-marvel-crossovers/ It can be hard to keep up with cinematic universes nowadays, especially as more movies and shows are created, new characters come into the picture, and numerous plot lines are introduced. It's rewarding to invest in each character's story and eventually experience a major crossover movie with every relevant superhero and villain to date. However, DC Studios boss James Gunn doesn't want this to be the only point of individual stories in the DC cinematic universe. His goal is to create movies that work well on their own despite being connected to something bigger.

Title: 27 Years Ago, 'Buffy the Vampire' Unleashed an Impossibly Good Season, and Broke the Fandom Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:00:19 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/buffy-season-3-best-season-mayor-faith/ Buffy the Vampire Slayer was no exception. The show's first season was mixed at best, as the cast and writers all struggled to find their footing. Yet Buffy season 2 easily has one of the finest batches of episodes in television history, largely thanks to the introduction of iconic vampire baddies Spike (James Marsters) and Druscilla (Juliet Landau), along with Angel's (David Boreanaz) transformation into the villainous bloodsucker Angelus.

Title: Amazon's Fourth Wing Show Reportedly Set to Start Filming Soon Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:15:12 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/fourth-wing-filming-start-date-location-vancouver/ Fourth Wing went viral on BookTok in 2023, amassing fans all over the world. These thousands of avid readers are anticipating Amazon's adaptation of their favorite romantasy series. As more details come out, it's clear that it is close to leaving pre-production. Recent reports provide details about its filming window and location, allowing fans to speculate about the real-world location that will become Navarre and Basgiath War College.

Title: D&D's Japanese Rival Sword World Crowdfunding Raises Over $2 million in a Day Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 09:59:38 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/sword-world-rpg-crowdfunding-backerkit-success/ Japan's most popular fantasy tabletop role-playing game, Sword World RPG, is finally live on BackerKit with its first official English localization. Courtesy of Mugen Gaming, a company that specializes in localizing Japanese tabletop games, the Sword World RPG campaign is already off to a great start, raising over $2 million in one day.

Title: Cloud Deployment Incoming: ‘Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’ Arrives on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-call-of-duty-modern-warfare-4/ Lock in and load out this GFN Thursday. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives on GeForce NOW at launch, bringing a new campaign, multiplayer action and DMZ, high-stakes extraction mode to supported devices. The campaign also gets an enhanced look: GeForce RTX 5080-class performance arrives for Ultimate members, bringing support for ray-tracing features in the cloud. There’s a new way to join the cloud, too: Existing supported Fire TV Stick users can now purchase one-month Performance or Ultimate memberships directly through Amazon, making it easier to sign up and start streaming on the big screen. Plus, Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE brings cinematic pixel art and strategic battles to the cloud, and The Elder Scrolls Online’s Echoes of Skyrim Season adds the entire Greymoor Chapter free for all ESO Standard Edition owners. It’s all part of six games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. Deployment Without the Downloads Squad up and answer the call on the cloud. Activision and Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches today on GeForce NOW. Members can drop into the trenches in Korea, close-quarter combat in New York, high-octane chases through Paris, night raids in Mumbai and city-wide engagements to reclaim occupied territory. Fight as Private Park, a young South Korean soldier facing live combat for the first time alongside his squad as a routine patrol turns into a desperate fight for survival. Beyond the front lines, operator-turned-outlaw Captain Price is operating outside the system he once served, pursuing revenge through covert missions as the conflict spreads. Multiplayer pairs precise combat with fluid movement, a dozen core 6v6 maps from around the world and battlegrounds that are shaped by the campaign’s global conflict. The DMZ extraction mode sends players into contested territory to recover valuable technology, weigh objectives and decide when to get out. Loot, fight, negotiate, betray and extract — it’s all fair in the cloud and battleground. Ultimate members can now experience the campaign with ray tracing, powered by newly added GeForce RTX 5080-class performance across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, browsers, supported TVs and more. With game downloads and installs handled by GeForce NOW, members can spend less time preparing a local rig and more time preparing the next loadout. A New Way to Play A new way to join GeForce NOW on Fire TV. GeForce NOW in-app purchase is rolling out to existing supported Fire TV Stick users, making it possible to purchase a membership directly through Amazon using an existing account. Transactions are processed through Amazon’s billing system, creating a more seamless path from setup to gameplay. GeForce NOW transforms Fire TV into a powerful PC gaming rig in the cloud. Members can stream supported PC games they already own or purchase new titles from digital stores including Steam, Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, Xbox PC Game Pass, GOG and EA. The library includes thousands of ready-to-play games, including many of the world’s most-played titles and more than 100 free-to-play games. No downloads, installs, patches or updates stand between a new game and playtime. An Amazon Fire TV Stick, the GeForce NOW app and an Ultimate membership are all it takes to level up the living room with GeForce RTX 5080-powered gaming. A Pixel-Perfect Fantasy Classic roots. A new adventure. Square Enix’s FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE launches today on GeForce NOW, bringing the series’ classic roots into a cinematic pixel-art world. Travel with companions bound by fate and uncover the truth behind a force threatening to bring everything to ruin. Strengthen the party with Visions of beloved FINAL FANTASY characters, each bringing unique skills and abilities to battle. Dynamic camera angles and pixelized 3D models give familiar fantasy a fresh perspective. Exploit enemy weaknesses to stagger foes, break their defenses and seize extra turns before finishing the bonus phase with powerful Resonance attacks. Airships, crystals, espers and moogles bring familiar series favorites to a world filled with secrets to discover. GeForce NOW handles the game’s downloads and storage in the cloud, leaving more space on supported devices for everyday essentials. Save the inventory management for potions and Phoenix Downs. Step Into a New Season in Tamriel Familiar lands. Fresh reasons to return. The Elder Scrolls Online’s second season, Echoes of Skyrim, launched Wednesday, Oct. 21, free for all ESO players and ready to stream through GeForce NOW. Season Two gives everyone who owns ESO Standard Edition access to its Skyrim content and the Antiquities treasure-hunting system. The Markarth downloadable content follows Monday, Nov. 9, rounding out the additions with two classic zones to explore.  The Season also introduces Solo Dungeons, reimagining challenges previously designed for groups. Moon Hunter Keep and March of Sacrifices have been redesigned and rebalanced for players ready to tackle their dangers alone. Earn new rewards and take on new challenges at your own pace without needing to find a group. A new Tamriel Tome also launched Oct. 21, offering both free and premium battle pass reward tracks.  In addition, members can look for the following titles joining the GeForce NOW library this week: We Were Here Tomorrow (New release on Steam, Oct. 20) FINAL FANTASY RESONANCE (New release on Steam, Oct. 22) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (New release on Oct 23, available in the Call of Duty app) CONTROL Resonant (Epic Game Store) Crimson Desert (Epic Games Store) Planet Zoo 2 (Xbox app, supports XBOX Play Anywhere) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after release and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the mission board this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Dial Up the Cloud: NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 Controls Arrive on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:59 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-enshrouded-update/ Dial in the next gaming session this GFN Thursday. New NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls give GeForce NOW members more choice over how supported games look and perform in the cloud, even without the latest hardware. Then, step into the Shroud as Keen Games’ Enshrouded leaves early access with its 1.0 release, or let the bolts fly in Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2. Both are streaming on GeForce NOW at launch. With 10 new games joining the cloud this week, members can put the new controls to work in supported titles and keep playing across supported devices without downloads, installs or expensive hardware upgrades. Fine-Tune the Cloud With DLSS 4.5 Controls More control, more cloud power. NVIDIA DLSS 4.5 controls are now available on GeForce NOW, giving members more choice over how supported games look and perform in the cloud, even without the latest hardware. DLSS Super Resolution sharpens image quality, while Dynamic Multi Frame Generation delivers lower latency and reduces stutter for smoother streaming, and Ray Reconstruction enhances ray-traced visuals. In addition, Ultimate members streaming on GeForce RTX 5080-powered cloud rigs benefit from the maximum available options, including Dynamic Multi Frame Generation up to 4X.   From James Bond’s globe-trotting missions in 007 First Light — now with path tracing support — to CONTROL Resonant’s reality-bending Manhattan and the shadowy scares of Resident Evil Requiem, the controls help fine-tune supported games for image quality, responsiveness or a preferred balance between the two. These new settings are available in the GeForce NOW app under settings, for Windows, macOS, Chrome OS and Steam OS platforms. Members can read here for more details on using the feature with their membership tier, and more information on how to get the smoothest cloud game streaming for some games on GeForce NOW. Rise, Flameborn Enshrouded 1.0 brings the co-op survival action role-playing game out of early access and into its full release. Rise as a Flameborn, the last ember of hope of a dying race, and venture into a vast world of survival, action and role-playing, where a corrupting fog has consumed a once-beautiful kingdom. The title brings improvements to existing systems, alongside expansions in combat with nine new spells, new mage and archer skills, reworked wands and upgradeable Eternal spells and arrows. New enemy variants keep encounters fresh, while a new biome raises the player level cap to 50 and equipment cap to 55.  GeForce NOW offers Enshrouded 1.0 ready to play in the cloud at launch across supported devices. Skip the 60GB local install to save precious storage space, then step into the Shroud without waiting for downloads or needing to make room for the update. Let the Bolts Fly Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 is now streaming on GeForce NOW. The brutal, fast-paced sequel to the retro first-person shooter brings more enemies, more weapons and new ways to purge. Picking up directly after the original game, a branching single-player campaign sends the fight to grimdark new worlds. Choose between the formidable Sternguard Veteran Malum Caedo and the swift Sister of Battle Nyra Veyrath, each with distinct abilities, weapons and play styles. From towering hive cities to jungle mangrove swamps, new enemy types await in every biome. GeForce NOW keeps the campaign ready in the cloud. No local rig upgrades or game installs stand between members and the fight — the Emperor’s work waits for no loading bar. In addition, members can look for the following joining the GeForce NOW library: Deep Dish Dungeon (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Planet Zoo 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Total War: SHOGUN 2 – Complete Edition (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Valor Mortis (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Among the Trolls (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) over the hill (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Beyond These Stars (New release on Steam and Xbox, Oct. 15), available on Game Pass Tenebris Somnia (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered (Xbox), available on Microsoft Store Also this week, the performance of DLSS 5’s 3D-Guided Neural Rendering model is improving by 2X, enabling even more gamers to enjoy DLSS 5’s transformative uplift in lighting and materials at high frame rates and settings. The new, more performant DLSS 5 model will debut in NBA 2K27 on Oct. 16 on GeForce NOW, GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and RTX Spark laptops. Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Gamers who want to test out the new 4.5 controls and high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Rally Up: ‘Gears of War: E-Day’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 08 Oct 2026 13:00:46 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-gears-of-war-e-day/ Gears of War: E-Day leads the charge on GeForce NOW this week, bringing Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago’s first fight against the Locust Horde to the cloud with GeForce RTX-powered performance. A new way to join the action is also coming: Fire TV users will soon be able to purchase GeForce NOW memberships directly through Amazon, creating a more seamless path from device setup to gameplay. Keep an eye out for availability in the coming weeks. There’s more in store this GFN Thursday, with the cloud serving up 10 games, including seven new releases. Emergence Day Is Here Gears of War: E-Day is now streaming on GeForce NOW following its global release on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Set 14 years before the original Gears of War, the prequel follows Marcus Fenix and Dom Santiago as they confront the terrifying arrival of the Locust Horde on Emergence Day. The series’ brutal combat, desperate survival and larger-than-life action return with a new origin story for the legendary partnership. Ultimate members can take on the Horde with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, plus technologies including NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex. From campaign missions to cooperative and competitive modes, GeForce NOW keeps the fight ready across low-power laptops, Macs, mobile devices, handhelds, Firefox and other browsers, and more — no massive downloads or expensive gaming rig required. New on the Cloud Menu Members can look forward to the following games joining the GeForce NOW library this week: Gears of War: E-Day (New release on Steam and Xbox, Oct. 6), available on Game Pass STAR WARS: Galactic Racer (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Forever Ago (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Order of the Sinking Star (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Silver Pines (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Permafrost (New release on Steam, Oct. 9) Graveyard Keeper 2 (Steam) Solasta II (Steam) Tyr (Steam) The Xbox version of Dune: Awakening didn’t join GeForce NOW in September as previously shared. Stay tuned to GFN Thursday for updates on game availability. Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they are released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the play list this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Fall Into 25 New Games on GeForce NOW This October Date: Thu, 01 Oct 2026 13:00:54 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-october-2026-games-list/ Spooky season is streaming in. Alongside falling leaves, pumpkin spice and everything nice, 25 new games are joining GeForce NOW throughout October, including six ready to play this week. From a new CONTROL Resonant reward for Performance and Ultimate members to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered joining the cloud, this GFN Thursday is packed with fresh reasons to play. Claim Rewards A new reward from a world gone sideways. CONTROL Resonant is streaming from the cloud for GeForce NOW Performance and Ultimate members. Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation as Dylan Faden harnesses extraordinary powers to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Performance and Ultimate members can claim the Third Ice Baseball Cap reward for CONTROL Resonant. After claiming the reward code, launch the Steam or Epic Games Store version of CONTROL Resonant, select “Options” from the main menu, navigate to “Gameplay” and choose “Enter Redeem Code.” The reward can be equipped after completing Act 1. Cap it off: Claim the reward from Thursday, Oct. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 1, at 11:59 p.m. PT, before it slips into another dimension. The White Wolf Rides Again The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered launched Tuesday, Sept. 29, and is now streaming for Performance and Ultimate members. Follow the iconic tale of Geralt of Rivia, a monster slayer for hire, as he tracks down the Child of Prophecy in a war-torn, monster-infested open world. The remastered adventure brings Geralt’s beloved world back at refreshed specs across nearly any device. GeForce NOW handles the rendering, downloads and storage in the cloud, so there’s no expensive hardware upgrade or lengthy install standing between the trail and the next contract. Ultimate members can take the Continent further with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud — high-end horsepower worthy of the White Wolf, with no local hardware upgrade required. In addition, members can look for the following titles streaming this week: Minecraft Dungeons II (New release on Xbox, Sept. 29), available on Game Pass Nivalis Nights (New release on Steam, Sept. 29) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered (New release on Battle.net and Xbox Play Anywhere, Sept. 29), available on Microsoft Store Bookshop Simulator (Steam) Megastore: Tidy Up Together (Steam) Planet Coaster 2 (Xbox), available on Game Pass And look forward to the games coming throughout October: Gears of War: E-Day (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) STAR WARS: Galactic Racer (New release on Steam, Oct. 6) Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Order of the Sinking Star (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Silver Pines (New release on Steam, Oct. 8) Permafrost (New release on Steam, Oct. 9) Deep Dish Dungeon (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Planet Zoo 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Total War: SHOGUN 2 – Complete Edition (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Valor Mortis (New release on Steam, Oct. 13) Among the Trolls (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) over the hill (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2 (New release on Steam, Oct. 14) Beyond These Stars (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) Tenebris Somnia (New release on Steam, Oct. 16) Dimraeth (Steam) Graveyard Keeper 2 (Steam) Solasta II (Steam) Tyr (Steam) More from September In addition to the games announced last month, 11 more joined the GeForce NOW library. The Blood of Dawnwalker (GOG.com) Death Stranding Director’s Cut (Epic Games Store) DragonSword: Awakening (Steam) Dune: Awakening (Xbox) Everything Is Crab (Steam) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (Steam) Over the Top: WWI (Steam) Roadside Research (Steam) RuneScape: Dragonwilds (Xbox) Stick It to the Stickman (Steam) Wild West Pioneers (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they are released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates on announced titles. Gamers who want to test out high-performance GeForce NOW cloud gaming can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of the day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to try GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming with the latest releases, then level up for more. What’s on the playlist this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Contain the Chaos: ‘CONTROL Resonant’ Launches on GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2026 13:00:36 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-control-resonant/ A warped Manhattan is waiting in the cloud this week. Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant brings Dylan Faden’s extraordinary abilities and a paranatural crisis to GeForce NOW at launch. With the release comes the final days of the CONTROL Resonant Ultimate Membership Bundle. Purchase a 12-month GeForce NOW Ultimate membership through Sunday, Sept. 27, and receive CONTROL Resonant at no additional cost. GeForce NOW support is coming soon to Googlebooks, a new category of laptops bringing together the best of ChromeOS and Android. To top it off, DragonSword: Awakening leads nine new games this week, bringing an anime-style open world to supported devices. Take Control on the Cloud Explore a warped Manhattan on the brink of paranatural annihilation in Remedy Entertainment’s CONTROL Resonant. Harness Dylan Faden’s extraordinary abilities to battle the Hiss, the Mold and other reality-bending threats while searching for his sister, Federal Bureau of CONTROL Director Jesse Faden. Dylan must master his new powers and the ever-changing forms of the Aberrant, his paranatural melee weapon, to face a cosmic threat that has escaped the Oldest House and swept through the city. Ultimate members can stream the next chapter of the CONTROL franchise with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud, including NVIDIA DLSS 4, ray tracing, NVIDIA Reflex and Cinematic Quality Streaming technologies, with up to 5K high dynamic range on supported devices. Skip the 100GB local install and expensive PC upgrades, and step into the chaos the moment the mission begins. The clock is ticking: the CONTROL Resonant Ultimate Membership Bundle ends Sunday, Sept. 27. Cloud Gaming Meets Googlebooks GeForce NOW support is coming soon to Googlebooks — Google’s new category of laptops, and the first designed for Gemini Intelligence. Googlebook is crafted with premium materials for powerful performance. Secure by design, its Titan C chip and multigrade protection keep viruses out and hackers away. It also lets users jump from phone to laptop without skipping a beat, and access files and apps from phones directly on the laptop. As Googlebooks begin rolling out this fall, GeForce NOW support will bring the cloud gaming library to the new laptop category, making it possible to stream the latest PC games with GeForce RTX-powered performance — and without local installs. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW social channels for more availability details later this year. Awaken the Dragon Sword A dragon has awakened after 60 years, and the legacy of six heroes waits to be uncovered. Hound13’s DragonSword: Awakening transports players to the radiant, anime-style continent of Orbis, where Lute’s journey to become the hero known as the Dragon Sword begins. Explore meadows, secret cellars, deep seas, caves and dungeons alongside trusted allies and collectible Familiars. Build a team from 19 heroes, stack Status Ailments with Active Skills and chain Signal Skills into spectacular tag-team combos. Each character carries a story of their own to uncover along the way. The journey travels across supported devices, including Steam Decks, Firefox browsers and Amazon Fire TV devices, making players ready for the next adventure in Orbis. The Dragon Sword awaits. In addition, members can look for the following games joining the cloud this week: Dune: Awakening (New release on Xbox, Sept. 22, available on Game Pass) Stick It to the Stickman (New release on Steam, Sept. 23) CONTROL Resonant (New release on Steam, Sept. 24) Wild West Pioneers (New release on Steam, Sept. 25) DragonSword: Awakening (Steam) Everything Is Crab (Steam) LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (Steam) Over the Top: WWI (Steam) Roadside Research (Steam) Dates listed above reflect when games are released on their respective stores. GeForce NOW availability may vary, as games are onboarded after they’re released and added throughout the week. Keep an eye on GeForce NOW channels and GFN Thursdays for availability updates to announced titles. Those new to GeForce NOW can start with a day pass to try premium cloud gaming before committing to a membership. Better yet, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first monthly membership — making it easy to level up with GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. Which cloud-bound adventure is calling this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Celebrate Helldivers 2 Liberty Day 2026 with in-game gifts today Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 10:00:05 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/26/celebrate-helldivers-2-liberty-day-2026-with-in-game-gifts-today/ We at Arrowhead Studios are excited to mark Liberty Day, the Helldivers 2 in-universe celebration, that’s now in its third year. As with previous celebrations, we’re marking the anniversary with a range of in-game gifts for active Helldivers, decorating your ship lobby to mark the occasion, and much more. The history of Liberty Day Long ago, before the formation of the Democratic Council, humanity lived in utter undemocratic chaos. Citizens of Super Earth had no reliable sources of truth. People believed anything, everything, with erratic voting records influenced by information, misinformation, and disinformation. Society was crumbling, descending into total democratic anarchy. We needed leadership and action to unite our beliefs, our votes, and our views. We are so fortunate that the Democratic Council came together at this pivotal moment to give us the first and final draft of the tenets of Managed Democracy, which guide us on our true path to liberation. Now, every October 26, we come together to celebrate all the wonderful things Managed Democracy has given us. From fair elections and strong family values to the Helldivers themselves as our galactic peacekeepers. How we celebrate For Liberty Day 2186, we have some new celebration items especially for our Helldivers: aboard your Super Destroyers this year, we have drafted new regulations regarding holiday ship adornments for October 26. Now, for 24 hours on our special day, you will see banners, rugs, party supplies, and other fun decorations aboard your ship. We are also continuing our custom of a Liberty Day gift for our active duty Helldivers: The AR-23L Liberator Legacy1. This classic modeled after weapons used in the First Galactic War will bring a retro flair to modern loadouts. The AR-23L Liberator Legacy will be rewarded at the conclusion of the Liberty Day celebrations. Be sure to log in and participate in the celebrations to claim your gift. Finally, we are bringing back some community minigames for Liberty Day, including Minidivers*. Work together in the chat to send emoji stratagem codes and stop the waves of enemies. Adopt-a-SEAF. Receive your very own blueberry to care for and send on missions. Meet your new friend on the frontlines. Oath of Enlistment*. Do your part and receive a copy of your oath to keep. Raise the Flag*. Salute in the chat and raise the flag together. *Only available to members of our official Discord server. Officially recognized Liberty Day parties Many citizens choose to throw parties for Liberty Day. This year, the Party Planning Protocol was enacted by High Command to help citizens plan their regulation Liberty Day celebrations, which includes the creation of the Liberty Day Party Pack. This pack contains everything a citizen needs to get started, from games and decorations to recipes and printable Helldiver helmets. Instructions for downloading the pack can be found via the link here. Other popular Liberty Day activities: The Liberty Day Pyre. Families gather around the pyre at home and reflect on patriotism while children open their Liberty Day gifts. Liberty Day Parades. Check with your local colony or city to find out your parade routes. Did You Know: You don’t have to miss the parade because you’re stationed on your Destroyer. The Liberty Day Parade in Prosperity City will be broadcast to your ships no matter where you are in the galaxy. The Mandatory Salute. Helldivers and citizens alike throughout the entire galaxy are required to salute in unison as a show of our democratic unification. Helldiver Enlistment. There’s no better time to take the oath and do your part. Orbital Bombardment of the Moon. Send a message to the enemies of Liberty using over 15,000 megatons of ordnance. Fireworks. Light the spark of civic duty in every citizen with a patriotic fireworks display. No matter what, the most important thing to do on Liberty Day is to be free. Enjoying the freedom afforded to us by Managed Democracy is what unites Super Earth’s citizens under one common cause–no matter where in the galaxy they might be. Super Merch Store Celebrate what Managed Democracy means to you with Super Merch. Complete select in-game achievements before February 28, 2027 to unlock special items for purchase on the Helldivers 2 Super Merch store. Reach Level 100 and earn the ‘Hell Commander’ title to unlock the Hell Commander Pin. Complete 75 missions and secure some cuddly backup with the Private Teddy Snuggles Plush.2 Plus, celebrate Liberty Day with all-new rewards. Visit the Super Merch Store today (October 26) to discover the latest additions. Helldivers 2 on PlayStation Plus Game Catalog3 Thinking of enlisting? Candidates eager to spread Managed Democracy across the cosmos can join up right now with a PlayStation Plus Extra membership, with Helldivers 2 available as part of Game Catalog, or alternatively you can drop some credits to sign up for the galactic frontline by purchasing the game at PlayStation Store. Gear up for Liberty Day with new officially licensed merchandise Bring the action of Helldivers 2 to your collection with all-new merchandise available now for Liberty Day and coming soon. Available now at Displate, the Helldivers 2 Display Shards collection features a limited edition set of six metal collectibles, each featuring artwork inspired by the game. You can also show your allegiance to Super Earth with a collection of metal posters from Displate that brings Liberty Day to your walls. Available for pre-order starting on November 20 from FiGGYZ, celebrate the heroes and enemies of Helldivers 2 with this limited edition, individually numbered FiGGYZ collector’s box set. Each set includes four pixel-art magnetic figures – Helldiver (Quick Draw), Helldiver (Flagbearer), Hulk, and Devastator. Visit PlayStation.com for more information on these products and where to purchase. Happy Liberty Day 2186, Helldivers – Stay free. Full-day celebration privileges apply only to Class A citizens or higher. Class B citizens receive a one hour mandatory celebration period during which they may step away from their labor duties to attend their local parade and participate in the Mandatory Salute. 1 Rifles are distributed at the end of Liberty Day, 23:59 CET on October 26, 2026. Available to all players who have played since September 26, 2026, 00:00 CET.2Criteria must be met by February 28 2027 at 9:59am PT. Eligible players must order the product between August 12 2026 and March 31 2027 at 11:59pm PT. Limit one per player, unavailable to ship where prohibited by US regulations. Private Teddy Snuggles Plush is unable to ship to Japan at this time.3Gameplay requires internet access and paid-for PlayStation Plus membership (sold separately) on PS5. PlayStation Plus membership subject to recurring subscription fee taken automatically until cancellation. Age restrictions apply. Full terms: play.st/psplus-usageterms.

Title: Share of the Week: 007 First Light Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 16:00:57 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/23/share-of-the-week-007-first-light/ Last week, we asked you explore the new Photo Mode in 007 First Light using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured. Here are this week’s highlights: call_me_xavii shared Bond blasting at enemies with his Aston Martin WildJogurt shared a turtleneck-wearing Bond receiving mission orders lucaslu_ckli shared a stylist look at James’ Aston Martin m1rko_vp shared a black and white portrait of James looking dashing in the field Milz_VP shares James checking out his outfit in the mirror wern_r shares James posing next to Jack the bulldog  Search #PSshare #PSBlog on Twitter or Instagram to see more entries to this week’s theme, or be inspired by other great games featuring Photo Mode. Want to be featured in the next Share of the Week? THEME: CostumeSUBMIT BY: 11:59 PM PT on October 28, 2026 Next week, share your favorite in-game costumes or outfits from the game of your choice using #PSshare #PSBlog for a chance to be featured.

Title: Saros: creating the epic Overlords of Carcosa Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 11:59:40 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/23/saros-creating-the-epic-overlords-of-carcosa/ Housemarque and Nixxes developed Saros in close collaboration; one area was developing the set-piece bosses. Housemarque brought the creative vision, world, combat language, visual concepts, and signature bullet-hell DNA. Nixxes brought the bosses to life through encounter design, animation, environments, lighting, and technical implementation. The result was a set of encounters designed to challenge players, surprise them, and deliver the kind of spectacle PlayStation players expect from a Housemarque action experience. Spoilers for the bosses of Saros ahead, so read at your own risk. Play Video Collaboration with Housemarque Boss fights in Saros are fully staged encounters, not just enemies with larger health bars, so that required close collaboration from the start. Housemarque handled boss concepts, visual direction, and VFX identity. Nixxes focused on animation, environments, technical design, boss behaviour, and attack implementation, with Housemarque’s final review and collaboration. The road to developing a boss started with a briefing that outlined the vision, gameplay goals, and visual direction for the encounter. From there, Nixxes pitched its take, built early prototypes and first-playable versions, refining each encounter through iteration, playtesting, and polish until shipping. Play Video Play Video What makes a Saros boss? When designing bosses for Saros, we followed a few guiding principles, starting with three distinct phases for every boss encounter, each with its own identity, changing how the encounter looks, feels, and plays. A typical boss battle in Saros lasts about three to eight minutes (Saros: Zenith has a tighter arcade experience), with the challenge coming mainly from boss behaviour, arena transformation, environmental hazards, bullets, beams, and physical attacks. These were also designed to encourage players to use their shield, jumping, parrying, and dashing abilities, knowing that a good boss attack should make players move with intent, not in panic. Most importantly, when players were defeated by a boss, we asked: do they understand why they lost, do they know what to do differently next time, did it feel like their own mistake rather than something unfair, and do they want to try again? The Bosses Prophet — the wall boss The Prophet was our introductory boss and a first major test for players. Because the Prophet appears early in the game, we wanted it to teach players what a Saros boss could be without becoming a major progression blocker. With the Prophet, we wanted a fight that felt dramatic and threatening while still welcoming players to the structure and expectations of boss combat. Architect — the flying boss The Architect is one of the game’s most dramatic encounters, fought atop a massive tower after earlier foreshadowing. The boss comes at you with everything it has, destroying the environment as the fight unfolds, and it doesn’t quit until the very end. The entire encounter centres on the collapsing arena, making the grapple hook a fundamental part of the battle. You are not just fighting the boss; you are fighting to survive the arena. Shepherd — the massive boss The Shepherd is the game’s largest boss and biggest visual spectacle, set on a ship on a stormy sea. It has an intimidating scale and culminates in a terrifying transformation by the end of the encounter. This boss is all about tentacles, which you must dodge and jump over throughout the fight. The tentacles also shrink the arena and spawn attacks from unexpected directions. In a dramatic conclusion, you face the boss on a sloped arena. Priestess — the magic boss The Priestess uses illusion and transformation, making for a less grounded, more surreal encounter with a strong phase identity. We wanted players to feel the Priestess could be the final boss, even if the journey was not over yet. The encounter evolves from illusion-based clone combat into a large-scale, floating arena, encouraging players to combine combat, puzzle-solving, and platforming to survive. King — the final boss As the final boss, we wanted the King encounter to feel direct, intense, and skill-focused. It is also a major narrative moment, and the encounter needed to reflect its importance. The boss battle escalates in personality as much as in challenge. It starts controlled and relentless, then becomes more brutal, and finally something feral and unpredictable. As a result, the King doesn’t rely on a complicated gimmick. Instead, the fight tests everything the player has learned, where mastery matters most. Looking back and looking ahead to Saros: Zenith Working on bosses for Saros was an amazing opportunity for the Nixxes content team. We aimed to make each one feel fair, thrilling, and worth trying again. And each encounter challenged us to think about how we could create the most memorable moments for the player. More importantly, it let us collaborate closely with Housemarque on the fast, responsive, high-intensity action that defines the game. With Saros: Zenith, players can return to these battles in Housemarque’s new Overlord Rush mode and experience them in a fresh, faster, and more replayable way. We are excited to see how players take on the challenge and fight to reach the top of the Leaderboard. Play Video

Title: Marvel’s Wolverine: Photo Mode guide Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:00:31 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/22/marvels-wolverine-photo-mode-guide/ Photo Modes are a rewarding way to get to grips with some essential elements of photography, while letting you more closely examine and appreciate a game’s art design and increasingly photorealistic visuals. Feature-rich Photo Modes put an entire suite of virtual lighting rigs at your fingertips, subtracting concerns about space requirements, or the patience of your models as you get your composition just right.   Insomniac in particular continues to bring a superheroic heft to its photographic options, first established through its Marvel’s Spider-Man games, with Marvel’s Wolverine. The game’s out for just over a month, and we continue to be dazzled by the Photo Mode skills players have displayed since launch. We’ve equally had questions from budding shutterbugs asking for guidance on how to better their shots. Here, we unpack some of the options the studio offers up in Photo Mode and some examples to get you thinking.  Warning: some of the photos here are spoilers for the game’s outfits and mid-game content Set up tips  Chapter select: Once you’ve rolled credits, loading your save file will pop you back in Logan’s cabin. Head to the bed to access a chapter select menu, letting you leap into any location or moment from the story. From Canada’s snowy wilderness, neon-soaked Shinjuku arcades, to the compact districts of Madripoor and more, you got plenty of backdrops, blockbuster moments and quieter character moments to work with.  Photo Mode UI repositioning: Insomniac has packed in a multitude of options in its Photo Mode to cater to every need you’d have. That includes up to 5 independent lighting rigs (plus customisable natural light options!), character poses, miniature mode, filters and more. Extensive options means a chunky, multi-tab Photo Mode UI. Remember: if you find the UI is blocking your shot, you can tap a button to alternate it between the left and right of your screen.  D-Pad Shortcuts: As default you access Photo Mode from the Pause menu, but jump into Settings, and you can map a shortcut to Photo Mode to the DualSense’s D-Pad. And while you’re there, assign another D-Pad button to adjust the game speed, letting you reduce game speed by 30, 50 or 70%. Useful when you want to capture the perfect action moment.   Landscape, portrait or between: You can use the Tilt option to angle the camera from a straight landscape shot, to a dramatic dutch angle, or a 9×16 portrait image. You’ll need to tilt your own head to better compose the shot with that last option (or, if you’re playing on a PlayStation Portal, just turn the handheld device on its side).  I see five lights  A headline feature of Marvel’s Wolverine Photo mode is five independent lights, each offering separate colour spectrums, intensity options, adjustable distances and such. You can choose each light to be Sphere (casting a wider glow from their centre) or Spotlights (a stronger directional beam).  One to two lights: That can seem daunting, but you don’t have to use them all! In fact, for individual portrait shots, just one or two will do. In photography terms, two lights cover your key light, and your rim light. The former is the main light, illuminating your subject from the front. Play about with having this light to the side, above or below your subject to change the mood of the shot. The latter usually is positioned behind your subject at a lower intensity and at a slight angle, casting a soft fall of light onto your model’s side, shoulders or hair, which separates them from the background.  But those guidelines aren’t rigid: play with lighting, shifting from traditional portraiture to something more startling, as I’ve done with the above. (Which positions Logan’s character model within the radius of a gun’s muzzle flash during a fight scene.)  And once you’ve comfortable with one subject, extend it to two models, then group shots. So, 5 lights. There’s a few examples of location-based uses that could help wrap your head around how to operate them.  Try this: Take the arcade early on in the “In the Shadows” chapter. It’s a barrage of colour, glowing cabinet screens and neon ceiling lights battling for dominance. Switch to Photo Mode and use each light to mimic the glow of a different arcade cabinet screen, or infer ones that aren’t even in shot. Tinker with the intensity and light type of each. You’re just trying to best replicate the mood and look of an arcade bar. I applied the same trick to the casino scene below, but with two lights only. One was positioned just in front of the fruit machine to give off that notable glow, which bathed Jean Grey’s left side in purple light. Logan on the other hand was the focus of an off-white light off-camera, mimicking the glow from the wider casino floor. Three lights: The below photo ups the set to three lights, this time coloured to replicate the flow from the two lanterns to the rear of the shot, and the candles on the floor in the foreground. I upped the intensity of the front light to cast a strong shadow on the floor. A similar trick I applied to an alternate version on the arcade scene: notice the shadow of the grabber claw cast on the back wall? Move him as you need him  In all the shots thus far, my focus was ever on the position and body language of NPCs, rather than Logan himself. That’s because with the Character Pose option, you’re able to cycle through a set of different locked poses, and then,  with movement options, you’re free to move Wolverine to anywhere within a generous radius (up, down, left, right, back and forward). You can rotate him, cycle through a variety of facial expressions and switch between any suits or claws you’ve currently unlocked. You can also hide him entirely, or any enemy NPC thanks to a toggle option in the menus.  A good rule of thumb with any photo: once snapped, cycle through the different suits before exiting. Some might fit the mood of a shot better, and the various materials on each react differently to light sources.  Note: Logan’s original position when entering Photo Mode will be taken as the centre point to which the 5 independent lights will circle around, not where he is moved to. So you’ll need to adjust lights accordingly if you want him lit a certain way.  Ready, set, action (figure)  A fun feature making a welcome leap from Marvel’s Spider-Man 2: Action Figure mode. Found in the Character Pose sub-menu, one click turns Logan miniature. Ripe for some creative executions. For myself, I envisioned Wolverine sitting in Jean’s outstretched palm. In trying to capture that moment during a combat moment, I stumbled onto something unexpected: the world’s smallest Fastball Special.  Worth noting: despite his (more than usual) diminutive size, mini-Logan’s model has the same movement radius (up, down, left right, forward or back) as his normal-sized version.   The above had a comic book cover-like look I liked, which led me to the rabbit hole of using miniature work, and the ability to switch backgrounds to a specific colour palette to mimic something you’d see on the front of a graphic novel. The above was possible due to another feature worth flagging: Logan has an entirely separate set of poses when he’s airborne, as exampled below. Merging Figures The Wolverine character model isn’t blocked by other character models or environmental objects when moving him,  giving you the flexibility to get characters side by side for some dramatic shots. Don’t worry about any clipping or overlaps between models! The right camera angle will hide that imperfection (such as the shots below: in the first Jean’s right arm is actually clipping through Logan’s jacket, the second, Logan’s knee is clipping through Jean’s back). That said, don’t be afraid to get creative with the clipping. Example below: having Jean and Logan’s heads blend together, a nod to sci-fi movie-style posters and referencing how the game’s story delves into his mind and memories.  Composed and captured your shot? Now pan around  Captured a great shot? Great. But before you back out of Photo Mode, train yourself to do one last pan around. There may be an alternative angle to your setup, a hidden detail just out of view. Heck, there could be a completely different photo worth capturing in the frozen moment. For me, an early example was the below. Originally this was a neon-lit picture of Wolverine in a completely different pose. But I widened the lens and spotted Jean’s hand in the foreground, which made for a fun framing device and also gave a different vibe to the photo.  Now go grab some great photos  The above isn’t intended to be an exhaustive run down of the game’s many Photo Mode options, but a few primers to get you thinking and start on capturing great shots of your own. If you need more inspiration, find a few more galleries below!  Street Photography Gallery Remember to look beyond your immediate view. Every location in the game is rich with cool environments or background characters going about their lives.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Action Gallery  You can increase the amount of blood or damage on Logan’s character model via a specific menu option in Photo Mode.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Verify your age to view this content. 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Title: PlayStation Store: September 2026’s top downloads Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:00:25 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/10/22/playstation-store-september-2026s-top-downloads/ It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts. In September, Marvel’s Wolverine led the PS5 charts in the US, followed by EA Sports FC 27, while in the EU, EA Sports FC 27 led the PS5 charts, followed by Marvel’s Wolverine. Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month? PS5 Games US/CanadaEUMarvel’s WolverineEA Sports FC 27EA Sports FC 27Marvel’s WolverineNBA 2K27The Blood of DawnwalkerHalloweenHalloweenThe Blood of DawnwalkerGrand Theft Auto VMadden NFL 27MinecraftOnimusha: Way of the SwordOnimusha: Way of the SwordControl ResonantNBA 2K27NHL 27Forza Horizon 5College Football 27Control ResonantCall of Duty: Black Ops IICall of Duty: Black Ops IIMinecraftValheimValheimThe Witcher 3: Wild HuntGrand Theft Auto VSilent Hill: TownfallSilent Hill: TownfallResident Evil 4Minecraft Dungeons IIMinecraft Dungeons IIForza Horizon 5NHL 27Call of Duty: Black OpsDune: AwakeningDune: Awakening007 First LightResident Evil 4It Takes Two *Naming of products may differ between regions *Upgrades not included PS4 Games US/CanadaEURed Dead Redemption 2EA Sports FC 27Call of Duty: Black Ops IIIRed Dead Redemption 2Batman: Arkham KnightBatman: Arkham KnightGang BeastsA Way OutCall of Duty: WWIICall of Duty: WWIIResident Evil 5Call of Duty: Black Ops IIIResident Evil 6Gang BeastsMinecraftNeed for Speed HeatNeed for Speed HeatLEGO Marvel Super HeroesLEGO Marvel Super HeroesCall of Duty: Modern WarfaretheHunter: Call of the WildCrash Bandicoot N. Sane TrilogyCall of Duty: Modern WarfareMinecraftA Way OutUnravel TwoGod of WarThe ForestStar Wars Battlefront IIMafia TrilogyMortal Kombat XResident Evil 6Crash Bandicoot N. Sane TrilogyResident Evil 5EA Sports FC 27God of WarThe ForesttheHunter: Call of the WildInjustice 2LEGO Marvel Super Heroes 2 *Naming of products may differ between regions  PS VR2 Games* US/CanadaEUI Am Cat I Am Cat Horizon Call of the MountainBeat SaberBeat SaberPavlovPavlovHorizon Call of the MountainJob SimulatorJob SimulatorCities: VR – Enhanced EditionMetro AwakeningArizona Sunshine VR 2Arizona Sunshine VR 2Bootstrap IslandCities: VR – Enhanced EditionMetro AwakeningVampire: The Masquerade – JusticeHard BulletSwordsman VR *PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included Free to Play (PS5 + PS4) US/CanadaEUCall of Duty: WarzoneAniimoOnce HumanFortniteFortniteCall of Duty: WarzoneAniimoRobloxRobloxOnce HumanMarvel RivalsRocket LeagueRocket LeagueeFootballApex LegendsAsphalt LegendsAsphalt LegendsMarvel RivalsFall GuysFall Guys

Title: "IT FLIPS UP," Fallout New Vegas modders yell after releasing a funky Pip-Boy based on cancelled entry Van Buren's design docs Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 13:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/it-flips-up-fallout-new-vegas-modders-yell-after-releasing-a-funky-pip-boy-based-on-cancelled-entry-van-burens-design-docs One of the days last week was October 23rd. It's the date in the Fallout universe when the bombs dropped and has morphed into a time for yearly community happenings plus, in Bethesda's case, usually some marketing. Sometimes, modders behind long-running projects time up standalone releases with it, as has been the case this year with the folks behind Fallout: The New West, the project aiming to make their own version of Black Isle Studios' cancelled third Fallout game. They've released a few guns inspired by the canned entry, which you may know by its codename Van Buren, but the headliner from this gear drop for New Vegas is a funky new Pip-Boy design. Read more

Title: Clean a whole planet with a toothbrush in Moon Sweepers, the PowerWash genre's latest crime against perfectionists Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:44:03 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/clean-a-whole-planet-with-a-toothbrush-in-moon-sweepers-the-powerwash-genres-latest-crime-against-perfectionists I don't much go for PowerWash Simulator-likes, but there is something appealingly unwholesome about a game in which you have to wipe the dust off an entire moon. Using a toothbrush. True, you can upgrade to beefier hoovering equipment in Moon Sweepers by cashing in shipments of lunar dirt, but that strikes me as a dangerous concession to brute mass production thinking – it risks consigning centuries of artisanal knowledge to, well, the dustbin. Take pride in your craft, colleagues! If we become over-reliant on hoover-me-dos, we'll lose the skill of cleansing celestial objects by hand, and sooner or later, they'll give our jobs to the bots. You can keep your new-fangled vacuum mops. If anybody needs me, I'll be over here in the Sea of Tranquility, collecting individual motes with a pair of tweezers. Read more

Title: This week in PC games: Run a shady cyberpunk boutique in Probably Stolen, autobattle Viking towns in Northgard Battlegrounds, and trash homophobic robots in Virtue and a Sledgehammer Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 12:12:05 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/this-week-in-pc-games-run-a-shady-cyberpunk-boutique-in-probably-stolen-autobattle-viking-towns-in-northgard-battlegrounds-and-trash-homophobic-robots-in-virtue-and-a-sledgehammer I've been tricked. Deep within the fine print of the Health and Safety and Wild Eldritch Creature Control License Edwin convinced me to apply for is a stipulation that I alternate shifts of Maw care with him. I've unwittingly signed up to cleaning the beast's cage out once a fortnight, bringing you news of upcoming PC games while not hosing down the creature from a distance. Well, as is my regulatory obligation, here are some of the PC games coming out this week that caught my eye while scrubbing out the the sluices. Read more

Title: 32-year-old "ellipsoid" horror game Ecstatica gets a PC re-release today, showing us an alternative timeline in which polygonal 3D never became dominant Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:35:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/32-year-old-ellipsoid-horror-game-ecstatica-gets-a-pc-re-release-today-showing-us-an-alternative-timeline-in-which-polygonal-3d-never-became-dominant One of my favourite hobbies is digging up older pieces of gaming tech or software know-how and asking myself: "man, what would the world have been like, if every GPU were made out of Gorgonzola?" Or less silly words to that effect. Nostalgia aside, it's useful to revisit historical alternatives in the face of very rich people who would have us believe that only their trillion-dollar boondoggle is "the" future. The code running 1994 horror game Ecstatica probably isn't going to topple Unreal Engine anytime soon, but look at this article's header image, and tell me you aren't fascinated. Why is everything so… pert? I will tell you why: Ecstatica's graphics make heavy use of ellipsoids. They're the basis for everything from werewolf buttocks to the grain of castle flagstones. You can experience this terrifying bubble-wrap reality for yourself in today's Steam and GOG re-release of both Ecstatica and its sequel, care of SNEG Games. Read more

Title: Mass Effect 5 was named Universe partly because it let players generate alternate timelines based on their choices in previous entries, technical director says Date: Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:02:57 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/mass-effect-5-was-named-universe-partly-because-it-let-players-generate-alternate-timelines-based-on-their-choices-in-previous-entries-technical-director-says In case you missed it, an internal trailer for the new Mass Effect game which BioWare were working on prior to EA shutting them down hit the net late last week. It offered a peek at what the studio were cooking with this new entry, dubbed Mass Effect Universe. According to its technical director, one of the reasons the game was given that name was that it had a system aimed at letting players form alternate timelines based on their choices in previous Mass Effects. Read more