Title: Game Devs Put Together An Itch.io Bundle Of Over 100 Games With Proceeds Going To Help Laid-Off Colleagues Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:04:03 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/itchio-game-developer-hardship-bundle-necrosoft-games-layoffs-unionization-2000720782 The Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle contains over 100 games and will be on sale for the next two weeks

Title: In A ‘Who Could Have Possibly Seen This Coming’ Event, Ubisoft Will Shut Down Its NFT Game Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:40:24 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/ubisoft-nft-game-shut-down-champions-tactics-might-and-magic-fates-2000720757 Champions Tactics had previously removed its Web3 functionality and will be sunset in October

Title: Spider-Man: Brand New Day Pokes Fun At An Infamous Debate About The Avengers Movies Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:25:42 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/spider-man-brand-new-day-bruce-banner-thanos-scene-2000720770 On top of Thanos’ plan being abhorrent, it was also extremely dumb

Title: Here’s Why Fans Think The Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Remake Is Going Head-To-Head With GTA 6 In November Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:00:11 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/heres-why-fans-think-the-zelda-ocarina-of-time-remake-is-going-head-to-head-with-gta-6-in-november-2000720752 A pattern of new amiibo releases offers a compelling theory

Title: Everything You Need To Know About Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s Post-Credits Scene Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:34:08 +0000 Link: https://kotaku.com/spider-man-brand-new-day-post-credits-scene-secret-wars-2000720761 Peter might not be announced for Avengers: Doomsday, but we have an idea what’s coming next for him

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: Here Is Xbox CEO’s Plan To Turn Things Around Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:36:55 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/here-is-xbox-ceos-plan-to-turn-things-around/ While Microsoft itself just set a record for the biggest single-day market cap swing in history, the company's Xbox division is struggling. How will new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma turn things around? In a memo to staff obtained by The Verge, Sharma shared the top Xbox priorities for the current fiscal year and beyond. These included four main buckets--Core, Content, Creation, and Connection. Some of the efforts include making Minecraft "the world's creator platform" and getting Xbox games to become "global franchises." She also wants to "strengthen" the Xbox platform, "led by console" and undertake an effort to "extend the worlds that fans love." Here are the four pillars, as written by Sharma: CORE: Strengthen our platform, led by console CONTENT: Grow great games into global franchises CREATION: Make Minecraft the world’s creator platform CONNECTION: Extend the worlds that fans love Xbox revenue decreased by 7% for the latest fiscal year, or about $1.7 billion. It's not uncommon for businesses to have up and down swings, but what's particularly notable here is that most of Microsoft's other divisions are booming. Microsoft's Windows and Devices division dipped, too, but not by as much as Xbox. Additionally, every other business unit showed year-over-year revenue gains. Microsoft's biggest success in the past year was its "server products and cloud services" division, which jumped by $31 billion thanks in part to the AI craze. "Our business did not grow with our audience" Sharma said in FY2026 (July 1, 2025-June 30, 2026), more than 200 million "new players" came to Xbox, "but our business did not grow with our audience." She said Microsoft must "close that gap by investing in what players value." She said this will take time--but not that much time, at least for the first stage. Sharma said Xbox is expected to "return to growth" by the end of FY2027, so by June 30, 2027. In her memo, Sharma said for FY2028 and FY2029, the Xbox division must "move into businesses producing meaningful player value and revenue acceleration." She also talked about trying to "scale what works" and by FY2030, she said Xbox's ambition is to "be halfway to our long-term daily-player goal with sustained double-digit growth in players and engagement and industry-leading margins." Xbox is undergoing a "reset." Additionally, Sharma said Xbox is already "one of the largest stadiums" out there, reaching 100 million people daily, 500 million monthly, and nearly 1 billion each year. Sharma also spoke about how important console is to Xbox, saying console "generates the majority of Xbox revenue and remains the foundation of our fandom." Microsoft is working on a new system, Project Helix, but it may be undergoing changes due to AI-related memory and component pressures that are being fueled, in part and ironically, by Microsoft. Also in the memo, Sharma talked about moving away from a decentralized model for game development to a system that is "more focused around our strongest franchises and biggest new ideas." Part of this has included divesting of five studios and re-focusing on games like Fallout and Elder Scrolls that have the best chance at succeeding. She added that Xbox leadership is coming up with "long-term plans" for the company's biggest franchises, spanning games, film, TV, consumer products, live experiences, sponsorships, and doing more in China. On the subject of games specifically, Sharma said Xbox already has three franchises that generate $1 billion or more annually. She didn't name them outright, however. She also said Microsoft will invest in Minecraft "more than ever before." As for film and TV projects, Microsoft is working with Paramount on a Call of Duty movie that's coming in 2028. There is also a Gears of War movie in the works for Netflix. A Gears of War animated TV show is coming as well. There is also a new Minecraft movie set for release in 2027, a third season of Fallout, and a Sea of Thieves movie. In total, Microsoft has a dozen film and TV projects in the works. Earlier this year, Xbox's new chief strategy officer, Matthew Ball, spoke frankly about how Xbox languished in recent years and what comes next. Another way Microsoft is trying to get back to growth is by cutting staff. The company laid off 1,600 people this month and will part ways with another 1,600 people in the next year. For more, check out GameSpot's breakdown of the Xbox studios that are left and what they're working on.

Title: Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Everything To Know Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:30:00 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/videos/marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-everything-to-know/ From its unique mechanics to its interesting roster of characters, here’s everything to know about Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls.

Title: Two Unreleased Virtual Boy Games Are Coming To Nintendo Switch Online Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:08:15 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/two-unreleased-virtual-boy-games-are-coming-to-nintendo-switch-online/ Three decades ago, Nintendo discontinued its Virtual Boy console after it failed to catch on. But now, two of the unreleased Virtual Boy titles are set to make their debut on Nintendo Switch Online. Nintendo has announced that D-Hopper and Zero Racers will be available on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pass on August 4. D-Hopper was originally known as Dragon Hopper, and it's a fantasy action-adventure game that puts players in control of a prince as he attempts to bring down an evil regime and free his loved ones, fairies, and elemental spirits from their grasp. Zero Racers is a racing game that was inspired by the SNES hit F-Zero. Both D-Hopper and Zero Racers would have been released in 1996 if Nintendo hadn't pulled Virtual Boy from store shelves. https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/2083002205519413357 Nintendo is also catering to Virtual Boy fans with its latest additions to Nintendo Music. The following games have been added to that lineup and are available to listen to now. Virtual Boy Wario Land Mario Clash Galactic Pinball Teleroboxer Mario's Tennis Although Oculus Rift creator Palmer Luckey once opined that Virtual Boy had "hurt the VR industry," Nintendo surprised players by adding support for select Virtual Boy titles in September 2025. It even released a plastic replica Virtual Boy as well as its cardboard counterpart to recreate the experience of playing the games in a primitive form of VR. As an unexpected benefit, players can also use the Virtual Boy replicas to access VR modes in Switch titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Super Mario Odyssey. Additionally, the GameCube's signature Mario game, Super Mario Sunshine, will arrive on Nintendo Switch Online on August 13.

Title: Guillermo Del Toro Begged For An Easier Dead Cells, And The Game’s Devs Answered His Call Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:58:40 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/guillermo-del-toro-begged-for-an-easier-dead-cells-and-the-games-devs-answered-his-call/ Whether you're a veteran gamer or not, it's okay to admit that Motion Twin's 2018 roguelike-metroidvania Dead Cells is kinda hard. So much so that, eight years later, acclaimed filmmaker and avid gamer Guillermo del Toro has implored the studio to make it a little more forgiving for "the elderly players." Well, Motion Twin heard the phone ringing, saw the caller ID, picked the phone up, and granted del Toro's wish--or, rather, reminded him this option already exists. In a July 29 IGN interview, del Toro quite literally begged the French developer to make a version of the game that doesn't include respawning. For him, dying and restarting made it difficult to both explore the world and make tangible progress. "Dead Cells was really interesting to me," del Toro said. "I just hate respawning, because you only get about 35 levels and then you start again. You get faster, but please, do a version without respawning for the older, for the elderly players. I'm available. Contact me and send it to me, please. I beg you!" Motion Twin responded to del Toro's request on July 30, telling IGN that the roguelike-metroidvania has a somewhat easier mode already: Assist Mode. "We'd like to officially add this moment into our own personal Cabinet of Curiosities," the developer said. "We are surprised and truly honored to see that Mr. del Toro is a Dead Cells player, and we can even help him right now: there is an Assist mode in the game! This mode lets you resurrect at the start of the current biome or closest checkpoint, rather than restarting the entire run." The studio then thanked del Toro for his "kind words" and "time on the game," concluding that they hope "this little message" helps him enjoy the game more. Released in June 2022 as part of version 2.9 and known as both the Accessibility Update and Breaking Barriers Update, this patch introduced a variety of accessibility options that let you tweak the game's settings to fit your preferred playstyle. Assist Mode came packaged with this update and, alongside customizing settings, it let you respawn at the nearest save point instead of restarting the entire run. There were other features folded into version 2.9 as well, including the ability to adjust the damage you take from enemies and traps, an auto-hit setting, and the option to increase the parry window. So, if del Toro's looking for something like Alive Cells instead of Dead Cells, then Assist Mode perfectly encapsulates that. Being the gamer that he is, del Toro has worked on a number of video games in recent years. While he's done some work on unreleased projects in the 2000s and 2010s, his contribution is probably most recognized in P.T., since he co-directed that game with bestie Hideo Kojima. He also made a cameo in Kojima Productions' 2019 UPS sim Death Stranding, though it was only his likeness and he didn't voice the character.

Title: For Doom Composer Mick Gordon, Every Soundtrack Is Waiting To Be Discovered Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:35:52 +0000 Link: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-doom-composer-mick-gordon-every-soundtrack-is-waiting-to-be-discovered/ There's no shortage of video game soundtracks that you can boot up and enjoy these days, but few can compare to Mick Gordon's work on 2016's Doom and 2020's Doom Eternal. Each soundtrack has a raw, unflinching sound that perfectly encapsulates the rip-and-tear gameplay with its heavy beats and unrelenting ferocity, and Gordon even built a custom analog effects and audio-routing rig to turn the most brutal of sounds into harmonic violence. Gordon will be bringing that soundtrack with him when he hits the Radar Festival stage as a headline act in the UK next summer, and ahead of that performance, GameSpot spoke to him about his work on the Doom games. One of the interesting takeaways was how Gordon sees himself in the space of video game music, as he approaches each gig in the way that an archeologist works on an excavation site. As Gordon puts it, the music is already there--he just has to uncover it. "I think my job, I feel, is very much like a musical archeologist," Gordon said. "My job is to turn up with a delicate set of tools and very carefully--with a very delicate brush and a very careful hand--start uncovering what I feel is already there. It's just the sound or the music is already there, and the job I feel is to uncover it and very, very delicately unearth it, polish it up. And then send it out into the universe. Because the truth is, a franchise like Doom inspires that type of music, and I feel it wouldn't deserve anything less than that." As for the longevity of his work, from Doom to a guest spot on Gareth Coker's Absolum album? Gordon credits the fans of his music for giving his soundtracks plenty of airtime. "Once I've done my job, save out the audio files, and I send it to the developer, they wrap it up into the game, it comes out, and I'm no longer involved," Gordon explained. "That's it. That's my job done. If this thing has any legs, goes off, and does the things that you just mentioned there, that has nothing to do with me. That's all about the fans. That's all about how other people receive it. It's not me who's been prolonging it. It's the fans enjoying it. You know what I mean? So they deserve as much credit as I do." Following a sabbatical at the end of his work on Doom: Eternal--which Gordon has since distanced himself from--he has lent his talents to several other games, from Atomic Heart to Routine, and his next project will see him riff and tear in the upcoming cyberpunk FPS game Defect.

Title: Nintendo Switch’s Virtual Boy pays off with 2 newly released games Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:56:35 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/nintendo-switch-online-virtual-boy-new-games-zero-racers-d-hopper/ In the year 2026, Nintendo is releasing new games for the Virtual Boy. On Aug. 4, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 owners will be able to experience D-Hopper and Zero Racers for the first time through Nintendo Switch Online.

Title: PlayStation says it's not backing down on ending physical disc Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:47:13 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/sony-playstation-physical-discs-response-cfo-tao-lin/ It's been a month since Sony Interactive Entertainment announced it was ending production of physical discs for PlayStation games, and a contingent of fans has been loudly criticizing the decision since. On Friday, Sony executives addressed the controversy, indicating that there are no plans to reverse course.

Title: Who is Barbatos? Batman: Caped Crusader’s weirdest villain explained Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:00:12 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/barbatos-batman-caped-crusader-explained/ Prime Video’s Batman: Caped Crusaderseason 2 puts fresh twists on some of Batman’s most popular villains, including the Riddler, the Joker, and Scarecrow. But the show also delivers the first adaptation of one of the Dark Knight’s weirder foes: Barbatos. If you want to know more about his role in Batman comics and how it’s different from the show, we’ve got all the details.

Title: Critical Role just announced a new Daggerheart campaign with D&D veteran at the helm Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:57:51 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/critical-role-new-campaign-daggerheart-reign-of-the-weredragon-chris-perkins/ Gen Con has more than delivered this year, with huge announcements from Wizards of the Coast, Darrington Press, and more about projects ranging from World of Warcraft to Star Wars. No matter what system you play or plan to play, there's something exciting coming soon for tabletop players.

Title: Deltarune Chapter 5 gets final patch as devs turn full focus on Chapter 6 Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 14:39:42 GMT Link: https://www.polygon.com/deltarune-chapter-5-final-patch/ Developer Toby Fox has released the latest patch for Deltarune, and with it the game gets one step closer to its long-awaited finale. V0.0.253 will be the last patch for Chapter 5, as the developer focuses on what comes next.

Title: Best in Class: Stream PC Games and Study on the Same Laptop With GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 13:00:20 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-back-to-school-2026/ Back to school means balancing assignments, deadlines and downtime. GeForce NOW makes it easy to have it all. With cloud gaming, everyday laptops used for class can also become GeForce RTX-powered gaming setups.  When it’s time to switch from studying to gaming, members can jump into Halo: Campaign Evolved, as GeForce NOW is bringing one of the gaming world’s most celebrated titles to nearly any device through the cloud, alongside eight total games joining the GeForce NOW library this week. From A+ to AAA Gaming  This back-to-school season, the easiest upgrade isn’t replacing laptops in backpacks. It’s unlocking even more from these same laptops, from creating to gaming. With a GeForce NOW membership, Chromebooks, Macs and Surface devices can become GeForce RTX-powered gaming PCs in the cloud. The GeForce NOW library features thousands of supported PC games, letting members stream titles they already own from digital stores like Steam, Xbox PC Game Pass and Epic Games Store in just a few clicks. The cloud keeps games up to date and ready to play, making it easy to jump into a match between classes, after homework or whenever there’s free time. Time spent waiting on downloads, patches and installs becomes time spent in game instead. The Ultimate membership enables best-in-class experiences by delivering 5080-class performance in the cloud with NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies for responsive, visually rich gameplay — all on the hardware gamers already own. A creator known as “Menguiny” recently put this to the test after picking up a MacBook Neo. GeForce NOW turned the laptop — usually the creator’s go-to for editing videos and everyday work — into a top-notch gaming machine, too. Another creator, “TechWithSeong” highlighted that same versatility GeForce NOW offers. Rather than juggling separate devices for work and gaming, he used GeForce NOW Ultimate to stream supported PC games across the devices he already owns — from a MacBook used for editing to gaming on the go with handheld devices. Gamers can start with a day pass and experience all the premium benefits without a monthly commitment. Plus, the cost of a day pass can be applied toward a first membership purchase — it’s like earning a little extra credit along the way. Everyone, at Their Stations Needlers never looked so sharp. Experience the Master Chief’s iconic journey on GeForce NOW in Halo: Campaign Evolved — a modernized remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s campaign — rebuilt with high-definition visuals, updated cinematics and refined gameplay. Whether discovering Halo for the first time or returning after 25 years to finish the fight, it’s as the Master Chief says: “We’re just getting started.” Crash-land on the mysterious ringworld alongside Cortana and uncover great secrets while battling overwhelming Covenant forces. Fight through the rebuilt campaign, then continue the adventure with three brand-new missions featuring the Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson. Expanded weapons, iconic vehicles, hijackable Wraith tanks and optional Skull modifiers offer even more ways to play. Suit up across PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more with GeForce NOW Ultimate, powered by GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud. Experience Halo with NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies delivering higher frame rates and ultralow latency that keep every firefight feeling responsive and worthy of a Spartan. From solo gaming to online co-op modes, GeForce NOW cloud saves let members log in and pick up exactly where they left off across supported devices — no lengthy downloads, extra storage space or expensive hardware upgrades required. The only thing left to carry is the mission. Let’s Play Today In addition, members can stream the following games this week: Halo: Campaign Evolved (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 28) Mistfall Hunter (New release on Steam July 29) Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (New release on Ubisoft Connect July 30) Sudden Attack Zero Point (New release on Steam, July 30) The Ranchers (New release on Steam, available July 30) Corsair Cove (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 31) Funnel Runners (Steam) Pathogenic (Steam) What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below. Which game lore are you so familiar with that you can give a school presentation on it? — NVIDIA GeForce NOW (@NVIDIAGFN) July 29, 2026

Title: GeForce NOW Sets Sail With ‘Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame’ Joining the Cloud Date: Thu, 23 Jul 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-path-of-exile-allflame/ Lock in and load up the cloud. GFN Thursday brings fresh updates and new adventures, all ready to play without waiting for downloads. Set sail in Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame and charge in Battlefield 6 Season 4 both launching major content for members this week. Then revisit Capcom legends like Breath of Fire IV, Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, jump into Halo: Campaign Evolved Advanced Access and discover nine titles arriving on GeForce NOW. The Curse Calls Prepare to brave the unforgiving waters of Wraeclast. Path of Exile: Curse of the Allflame launches Friday, July 24, sending Exiles into the perilous Frozen Seas. Guided by formidable corsair captain Valerie and her cursed navigator Vesper, gamers must piece together scattered treasure charts, board the legendary vessel — the Sovereign — and chart a course into the abyss. Descend into the depths using Allflame Lanterns to uncover valuable relics while surviving the dangers lurking beneath the waves. The update introduces sweeping changes, including a complete rework of sockets and links. The Scion also gains the all-new Luminary Ascendancy, the Mercenaries of Trarthus return alongside mysterious Atlas Anomalies, and the preexisting Abyss, Legion and Talisman mechanics receive revitalized gameplay and exclusive rewards. GeForce NOW members can dive in the moment it launches across their devices, no downloads needed. Learn more about the latest additions on the Path of Exile website. Rise Through the Ranks The next operation begins. Battlefield 6 takes the fight further with Season 4, bringing new battlegrounds, expanded progression and new ways to play.  Take to the land, air and sea with the massive Tsuru Reef and the return of the fan-favorite Wake Island, coming in phase two. Both feature aircraft carriers with operational flight decks, new naval vehicles and a dynamic wave system that helps move every match. The update also introduces Custom Lobbies and Spectator Mode, delivering more ways to play. From large-scale multiplayer battles to intense vehicle combat, GeForce NOW lets members deploy across nearly any device. Ultimate members can stream with GeForce RTX 5080-powered performance across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more. Whether returning to the frontlines or enlisting for the first time, members can leap into the latest Battlefield update the moment it arrives on GeForce NOW — without waiting for patches. Dragons and Dinosaurs — on Any Device Classic adventures, now in the cloud. Three iconic Capcom adventures arrive on GeForce NOW this week, ready for longtime fans to revisit and new players to discover. Journey through the rich fantasy world of Breath of Fire IV, a role-playing game following the intertwining stories of Ryu and Fou-Lu. Master an array of skills and magic to unlock strategic victories in battle and go head to head with unique enemies using powerful Dragon Transformations.  Raw instinct takes over in Dino Crisis and Dino Crisis 2, the survival-horror series that combines pulse-pounding action, resource management and thrilling dinosaur encounters. Pursued by a relentless prehistoric terror, players fight to survive from the facility to the world of the Cretaceous Period. Whether reliving unforgettable moments or discovering these legendary titles for the first time, gamers on GeForce NOW can experience gaming history on supported devices like Chromebooks, Fire TV and Steam Deck — no legacy hardware required. Spartans — Start Early Spartans don’t have to wait. Players who prepurchase the Premium Edition of Halo: Campaign Evolved can suit up for Advanced Access before the game’s global launch on Tuesday, July 28.  Start the weekend with all the new games arriving on GeForce NOW: ZeroSpace (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Planet Crafter (New release on Xbox, available on Game Pass July 21) Carnival Hunt (New release on Steam, available July 23) Dinoblade (New release on Steam, available on July 23) Breath of Fire IV (Steam) CloverPit (Xbox, available on Game Pass) Dino Crisis (Steam) Dino Crisis 2 (Steam) The last word goes to the Community Corner. One GeForce NOW member recently shared they found themselves back on GeForce NOW Ultimate because they missed the flexibility of gaming across devices like Steam Deck. Their post sparked a discussion about why members tap into cloud gaming, whether as a backup, a travel companion or their primary way to play. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Sharpen the Sword, Skip the Downloads — ‘Onimusha: Way of the Sword’ Is Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:00:34 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-onimusha-coming/ Onimusha: Way of the Sword is coming to GeForce NOW at launch, with the playable demo available this week. It’s joined by Denshattack! rolling in with five new games arriving in the cloud. Plus, GeForce NOW officially launches in India, moving from beta to public availability — meaning gamers can sign up without a waitlist. Pick Up the Oni Gauntlet Cloud-powered. Samurai-approved. Capcom’s next legendary action adventure is coming to GeForce NOW. Onimusha: Way of the Sword will arrive on the cloud at launch on Thursday, Sept. 3.  Members can jump into the action even sooner with the demo now available to stream. Set in a dark fantasy vision of Edo Japan, follow a lone samurai wielding the legendary Oni Gauntlet against relentless demonic Genma. Master precise swordplay, unleash powerful abilities and absorb the souls of fallen enemies as supernatural battles unfold across a haunting world filled with mystery and danger. Ultimate members can experience every clash with GeForce RTX 5080-class performance in the cloud across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices and TVs. From the first swing in the demo through launch day, GeForce NOW lets members step into battle the moment it’s available — no downloads, storage space or expensive hardware required. Gamers can find the demo in the GeForce NOW app demo row and add the title to their wishlists today to be ready when the blade is drawn.  India Levels Up The wait is over. GeForce NOW has officially exited beta in India, bringing the world’s highest-performance cloud gaming service to more gamers across the country.  This week, gamers can choose from monthly Performance and Ultimate memberships, flexible day passes or the basic, free offering — making it easier than ever to experience GeForce RTX-powered cloud gaming. GeForce NOW now supports UPI payments, giving gamers across India a fast, secure and convenient way to purchase memberships and day passes.  Premium memberships unlock GeForce RTX-powered features like ray tracing, NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Reflex, along with higher resolutions, faster frame rates and priority access to streaming. With thousands of supported games — from blockbuster releases and free-to-play favorites to indie hits — members can enjoy PC games they already own without the cost of upgrading to high-end gaming hardware. Join the conversation with the GeForce NOW community on Reddit.  Go Off the Rails This Weekend “Denshattack!” is pulling into the cloud. Denshattack! — the off-the-rails, train‑wrecking action game — is now available to stream on GeForce NOW, letting members embrace pure chaos from almost any device.  Take control of runaway trains and send them barreling through crowded tracks, explosive obstacles and delightfully destructive layouts, chaining spectacular crashes with just the right mix of precision and pandemonium. Its colorful, tongue‑in‑cheek presentation and physics‑driven mayhem turn every run into a highlight reel of derailments — perfect for quick sessions, score‑chasing and laughing at just how wrong a single turn can go when the throttle never lets up. In addition, members can look for the following to play this week: Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 15) The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (New release on Steam, available July 15) Heave Ho 2 (New release on Steam, available July 16) Fogpiercer (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass on July 17) Onimusha: Way of the Sword DEMO (Steam) The GeForce NOW community keeps discovering new games to play, with members discussing the most beautiful games on the service. What game has impressed you most on GeForce NOW? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: GeForce NOW Turns Up the Heat With New GeForce RTX 5080-Powered Toronto Server Date: Thu, 09 Jul 2026 13:00:55 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-toronto-expansion/ This GFN Thursday brings more games, more power and more ways to play on GeForce NOW.  The cloud gaming service is expanding with a new GeForce RTX 5080-powered server in Toronto, bringing dedicated high performance in the cloud closer to members across the region. NTE: Neverness to Everness also gets an update in the cloud, making it even easier to jump into the latest content from the supernatural adventure without a single download or more storage space needed. It leads the way for GeForce NOW bringing native touch control to the game, coming soon. There’s even more to explore with three new games joining the GeForce NOW library this week.  Take It to the Next Level in Toronto The forecast is looking cloudy in Canada. A new GeForce RTX 5080-powered GeForce NOW server is coming to Toronto, expanding service in the region and bringing dedicated cloud gaming performance closer to local members. The new server will roll out within days, giving more players access to top-tier cloud gaming across Canada. Ultimate members can stream across PCs, Macs, handhelds, mobile devices, TVs and more with GeForce RTX 5080-class power in the cloud. Enjoy up to 4K resolution and beyond on supported ultrawide displays, up to 120 frames per second, plus NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex technologies.  Bring on the ‘999 Nights’ Reality bends — on any device. Step into the surreal world of NTE: Neverness to Everness with the NTE Version 1.2 “999 Nights” update.  This version introduces a massive gameplay evolution, plunging players into an immersive, tabletop-inspired fantasy role-playing game on the Warren Continent — a new permanent game mode featuring its own dedicated progression system. This narrative and mechanical expansion is elevated by the debut of two powerful characters, Shinku and Iroi, alongside an unprecedented fashion upgrade featuring a sweeping collection of 19 new character outfits. To top it off, exploration gets a high-octane upgrade with Draco, a revolutionary new motorcycle vehicle, making this version an absolute playground for combat strategy, stylish customization and high-speed urban traversal.  Plus, GeForce NOW will soon be rolling out native touch controls to NTE: Neverness to Everness, which will make it even easier to explore the city’s mysteries from supported mobile devices. Look for the game in the GeForce NOW app to seamlessly jump between devices and continue the adventure — no downloads, storage space or expensive additional hardware required. Embark on Expanded Adventures The journey continues in Granblue Fantasy: Relink with the Endless Ragnarok expansion. Known for its dynamic combat, diverse roster of Skyfarers and thrilling online co-op, Relink returns with fresh story content as mysterious beings known as the Ragnalia threaten the Zegagrande Skydom. Strange gateways, powerful new foes — including the mighty Beelzebub — and fresh challenges await across the skies. The expansion also introduces additional ways to play, including summon abilities that add another layer of combat strategy, co-op quest tiers and a solo mode filled with unpredictable encounters. Master traits offer more opportunities to customize favorite characters, giving both longtime Skyfarers and newcomers plenty of reasons to take flight. Jump into the latest action with the following games to play this week: Esports Manager 2026 (New release on Steam, available July 6) Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, available July 9) Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Demo (Steam) As GeForce NOW continues to expand, so does the community discovering cloud gaming. One new Ultimate member summed up their first impressions: “Finally caved and got GFN Ultimate… and wow.” Another longtime PC gamer shared how GeForce NOW completely changed their perspective after years of skepticism, calling it “a good alternative” for casual players and encouraging others to “try the one month and upgrade to the yearly before the sale ends.” What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Joyride Through July With 12 Games Coming to GeForce NOW Date: Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:00:23 +0000 Link: https://blogs.nvidia.com/blog/geforce-now-thursday-july-2026-games-list/ Summer is heating up — and GeForce NOW is taking players along for the ride. Start the month with Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, bringing a galaxy far, far away to the iconic board-game franchise, alongside 12 new games joining the cloud this month.  Plus, don’t let the sun set on the biggest GeForce NOW savings of the year. Level up for less before the deals disappear. Light Side, Dark Side, Cloud Side  The Force is strong with this one. Rule the board, you must. Choose a side in Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains, the classic property-trading board game reimagined with legendary characters, locations and rivalries from across the Star Wars universe. Play as iconic heroes or infamous villains — each with unique abilities — to assemble a team and experience cinematic moments while competing with family and friends across locations from every era of the saga. Every roll of the dice brings new opportunities to build an empire and claim victory. GeForce NOW makes it easy to take the battle between the light and dark sides across nearly any device. Jump into a match on a low-powered PC, Mac, phone, TV, tablet or handheld device and keep the fun going across the galaxy. Check out what’s available this week: Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains (New release on Steam and Ubisoft, available June 30) Meccha Chameleon (Steam) And look forward to the games coming throughout the month: Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (New release on Steam and Ubisoft Connect, available July 9) Denshattack! (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 15) The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (New release on Steam, available July 15) Heave Ho 2 (New release on Steam, available July 16) Fogpiercer (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 17) ZeroSpace (New release on Steam, available July 20) The Planet Crafter (New release on Xbox, Available on Game Pass July 21) Carnival Hunt (New release on Steam, available July 23) The Ranchers (New release on Steam, available July 30) Corsair Cove (New release on Steam and Xbox, available on Game Pass July 31) Juicy Extras From June In addition to the 18 games announced last month, 10 more came to the cloud.  Deer & Boy (Steam) DOOM Eternal (Epic Games Store) Embers of the Uncrowned Demo (Steam) EMPULSE (Steam) The Elder Scrolls Online (Xbox, available on Game Pass) NBA THE RUN (Steam) SAND: Raiders of Sophie (Steam) Voidling Bound (Steam) Witchspire (Steam) World of Tanks: HEAT (Wargaming) Last Call for Cloud Summer Savings The clock is ticking. Get gaming at the best price of the year. The final days of the GeForce NOW Summer Sale are here. Before the savings disappear, gamers can save $35 on a 12-month Performance membership or $70 on a 12-month Ultimate membership — unlocking GeForce RTX-powered gaming in the cloud across devices they already own. The Performance membership delivers smooth, high-quality gaming with RTX-powered servers, making it easy to jump into favorite titles across PCs, Macs, phones, handhelds and TVs. The Ultimate membership takes cloud gaming to the max with RTX 4080‑ or 5080‑class performance. Experience cinematic visuals, ultralow latency and responsive gameplay powered by technologies like NVIDIA DLSS, ray tracing and NVIDIA Reflex — all without the cost of a new gaming rig. Hear directly from the GeForce NOW Community. One GeForce NOW member recently called the Summer Sale “quite significant” after realizing the savings were even larger than expected in their local currency. By locking in a year of Ultimate, they calculated their monthly cost dropped from roughly 29 CAD to 17 CAD – showcasing how GeForce NOW continues to help gamers around the world enjoy the games they love, wherever they choose to play. Plus, check out this spreadsheet, made by a community member, featuring discounted games streaming on GeForce NOW  and build out a bigger library at the best bargains during the Steam Summer Sale. What are you planning to play this weekend? Let us know on X or in the comments below.

Title: Silent Hill: Townfall Developers discuss the Scottish setting, retro technology, first-person combat Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/30/silent-hill-townfall-developers-discuss-the-scottish-setting-retro-technology-first-person-combat/ Launching September 24 on PlayStation 5, Silent Hill: Townfall marks the latest entry in the iconic psychological horror franchise. In this article, we bring you insights from Motoi Okamoto, producer for the Silent Hill series at Konami and Jon McKellan, writer and director at Scotland-based developer Screen Burn Interactive.   Could you share why you chose Screen Burn as the development team for this title? Motoi Okamoto: We were introduced to Screen Burn by Annapurna Interactive, who co-published the title with us. Annapurna has an incredible track record of success with narrative and art-driven indie games, so we fully trusted their taste. I had personally played Screen Burn’s previous titles Stories Untold and Observation, and both were fantastic, so I felt confident leaving the project in their hands. When asking Jon to handle the narrative, were there any specific requirements or guidelines regarding what makes a game “Silent Hill?” Okamoto: While Konami does have an internal “bible” or storyline guidelines, I believe the most crucial part of the process is for the developers and writers themselves to analyze the Silent Hill series and build their own bible. Handing over a thick manual from our end wouldn’t necessarily resonate with a team. That’s why we ask every development team we collaborate with to go through that personal discovery process. What were your thoughts on setting the game in Scotland? Jon McKellan: Scotland is where we grew up; it’s the environment most familiar and natural for us to depict. To create a meticulous, persuasive setting, we felt it was essential to build a world we knew inside and out. That’s why we chose Scotland. On top of that, Scotland is naturally a very foggy region, making it a perfect fit for Silent Hill. There were times when we’d take photos outside and think, “We’re literally standing in Silent Hill right now…” Okamoto: Silent Hill frequently collaborates with development studios worldwide. Through these partnerships, we can blend diverse regional cultures and perspectives to deliver fresh, innovative horror experiences. This title marks the first full-length Silent Hill game to adopt a first-person perspective. While Silent Hill: The Short Message (released in 2024) also used first-person viewpoint, it was a smaller standalone experience. Despite being developed by different teams, did that title influence Silent Hill: Townfall? Okamoto: Beyond having different developers, the production timelines were completely different, so there was no direct exchange of technical know-how. The fact that both Silent Hill: Townfall and Silent Hill: The Short Message ended up in first-person was purely coincidental. McKellan: Since there was no overlap, our team at Screen Burn was able to play Silent Hill: The Short Message with a completely fresh perspective. For Silent Hill: Townfall, a first-person viewpoint was an indispensable foundation for integrating the mechanics around the CRTV device. Honestly, the CRTV couldn’t work from any other perspective. While the first-person view brings many changes compared to traditional titles in the series, we took great care to maintain that distinct, atmospheric Silent Hill feel and presentation. What was the motivation behind evolving the series’ iconic radio into the CRTV? McKellan: The concept of changing the radio to the CRTV was there from the very start of development. In the earliest stages, it was a standard radio, but we set a challenge for ourselves: how could we make the radio an active tool rather than a passive one? By turning it into a visual device where you can watch video signals in addition to hearing audio, the possibilities exploded—from how we handle narrative presentation to how it integrates into gameplay, like stealth. Plus, as you might be able to tell from Screen Burn’s past games, figuring out how to manipulate slightly outdated analog technology is right up our alley. Are there scenes that simply couldn’t exist without the CRTV? McKellan: So much of the presentation and gameplay was designed around the premise of the CRTV. Rather than asking “Which scenes couldn’t exist without it?”, we approached development by asking, “How can we best leverage this device to its fullest potential in every moment?” Could you tell us more about your meticulous, almost obsessive, dedication to recreating retro gadgets and environments? How do you feel that enhances the Silent Hill experience? McKellan: Older analog tech and gadgets mean a lot to us, and we have a real fondness for them. Nostalgic elements like these are things that not just us, but players everywhere have touched and experienced, evoking a sense of familiarity. We deliberately designed moments that play against those nostalgic feelings. In a modern context, analog technology feels a bit unstable, unreliable, or hard to trust completely. We wanted to create a situation where players have to rely on this device to survive, even while feeling uneasy about relying on it too much. As for our environmental design, we take pride in saying it borders on obsession. Believing that a place actually exists is what makes players truly care about it, and making players care is the most important thing of all. Red and black are used very prominently in this game. What was the intention behind this color palette? McKellan: Part of it is simply that they are a striking pair of colors, but as you progress through the game, players will discover that these two colors hold a deeply symbolic and vital significance for our protagonist, Simon. The creatures in Silent Hill: Townfall feel tougher than in previous entries. Is the game balanced to favor stealth over combat? McKellan: We’ve provided players with multiple options to handle encounters. Rather than forcing a single playstyle, we want players to experiment and discover which approach feels most effective or suitable for each situation as they fight to survive. How did you approach the concept of multiple endings? McKellan: The endings in Silent Hill: Townfall aren’t determined by a simple binary choice at the end. Instead, the culmination of the player’s actions throughout their playthrough dictates which ending they reach. We designed this freedom so that the ending feels genuinely earned based on the player’s unique journey. Okamoto: All three main endings can be reached right from your first playthrough, whereas the secret ending becomes accessible after clearing the game once. It follows a structure similar to the original Silent Hill and Silent Hill 2, meaning players won’t be forced to replay the game two or three times just to see all primary endings. Could you share how PS5 features like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers enhance the game’s presentation? McKellan: Through the DualSense wireless controller’s adaptive triggers, players won’t just feel the weight of firearms—haptics allow you to literally feel the footsteps of certain approaching creatures right in your hands. Motion control (gyro) also enables intuitive aiming. Early in development, I was actually a bit skeptical about how well motion controls would fit, but once we implemented them in-game, it felt so natural that I couldn’t go back to traditional controls. Using motion controls, you can also manipulate the map as if holding it directly in your hands. Additionally, certain puzzles require you to physically tilt the CRTV—mimicking the everyday motion of holding up a phone to search for a signal, which is another fun way we’ve integrated the motion controls. As a producer, how do you feel about the DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers and haptic feedback? Okamoto: The Silent Hill series has historically been praised for its visuals and sound, but with the PS5, being able to bring the sense of touch into the horror experience feels like a massive step forward. 3D Audio is another crucial element for modern horror. How have you used sound design to heighten the terror in Silent Hill: Townfall? McKellan: Because Silent Hill: Townfall is played in first-person, your visual field of view is naturally restricted, making audio far more important. We intentionally created situations in which players must rely heavily on subtle noises and audio cues to perceive threats lurking beyond what their eyes can see. Silent Hill: Townfall launches on PS5 September 24. 

Title: Silent Hill: Townfall hands-on report Date: Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:00:24 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/29/silent-hill-townfall-hands-on-report/ The line between supernatural horrors and the psychological struggles of characters is often blurred between Silent Hill games, but it might never have been as hazy as it is in Silent Hill: Townfall. I recently played about four hours of the first-person survival-horror game, in which protagonist Simon finds himself in a foggy Scottish town full of horrors, but seemingly can’t quite make out what’s real and what’s only in his mind. My preview began at the start of Townfall, with Simon apparently responding to a letter asking him to return to the mysterious town of St. Amelia. One moment it appears Simon is drifting towards the dock aboard a boat. The next, he bursts out of the water and pulls himself ashore as if he’s just awoken there. The details of Simon’s arrival to St. Amelia seems intentionally ambiguous. He sets off into St. Amelia, trying to find out what’s going on, but it seems to be abandoned. As you make your way down the city streets, he hears shouting and sees flashes, implying there’s a protest or a riot — only to discover the town square is empty of people. Is Simon hallucinating, or are dark forces leading him on in St. Amelia? It’s impossible to say, especially after Simon answers a ringing pay phone and hears a cryptic voice pushing him to find a woman named Zoe. He’s suddenly transported into an underground structure hued in red light, which indicates it as part of Silent Hill’s twisted version of the real world, known as the Otherworld. Exploring the structure leads Simon, impossibly, to an apartment, where you discover the hand-held TV that is Townfall’s most important item. Tuning signals on the TV provides hints about how to solve puzzles, and you’ll need it to access an elevator that somehow returns you to the streets of St. Amelia. A foggy past As writer and director Jon McKellen explained, the puzzles you’ll face in Townfall are also direct hints about the story. The signals you find on the CRTV are directly related to St. Amelia’s and Zoe’s pasts, providing clues about who she was and where she might have gone. Visiting Zoe’s empty apartment reveals that she’s a nurse, leading to the clinic where she worked. A set of three scales sits in her office, each awaiting an object that was important to her — but which she felt symbolized her failures, which led her to disappear from her job. In Zoe’s apartment, you find her ID badge, and in the nearby pharmacy, you can find a prescription Zoe ordered, but discover that she mistakenly called in the wrong dosage. When you make your way to the apartment of Zoe’s coworker, you collect her medical bag with a broken stethoscope inside, the symbol of her inability to truly hear her patients. Zoe’s story is inextricably linked with that of the town, which seemed to have suffered some sort of medical outbreak, and with Simon, even though he doesn’t know who she is. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. This town is full of monsters Townfall is the first Silent Hill game in which you’ll fight creatures in first-person, and compared to other recent titles like Silent Hill 2 or Silent Hill f, the change in perspective makes for some harrowing moments. A third-person camera makes it a little more viable to potentially dodge attacks and move around enemies, but in first-person, your options narrow to facing the threat head-on, or making a run for it. That adds an intensity to every battle, especially since it can be easy for Simon to get overwhelmed. While following in Zoe’s footsteps, Simon learns that St. Amelia isn’t completely empty. Marauding the streets are faceless, writhing creatures, wrapped in industrial straps and sporting axe blades for faces. Luckily, you can sometimes find pieces of wood to use as clubs to defend yourself, although these aren’t plentiful. If a monster sees you and attacks, you can block its vicious charges and swings with your melee weapon by holding L2. The trick is then to strike back with R2 when you see an opening. But combat is fast and frenetic, and enemies don’t go down easily. What’s more, your makeshift club can only survive the onslaught for a couple of battles. Combat in Townfall is only something to resort to if you have no other choice. A much better option is to avoid enemies altogether. Turning the CRTV to certain signals allows you to see monsters through walls and fog, and you can duck behind walls, cars, and fences gives you a chance to stay out of sight. Hold L1, and you can peek over or around objects to see what’s awaiting you. If something does spot you and give chase, the town has small spaces like closets, sheds, and half-opened doors where you can duck in and hopefully hide yourself until the danger passes. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. A later section of the preview, in which the Otherworld invades the streets, sends you through the yards and alleys of a neighborhood. Here, I faced a new type of creature, which fires vicious tentacles from its chest to attack at range, or can grab and overpower you almost instantly, especially if your health is low. Verify your age to view this content. Verify your age to view this content. Luckily, I also had a new weapon: a revolver. It might be more of a liability than a real defense, though. The gun is powerful but incredibly loud, and while it was good for quickly killing enemies, it always made the situation worse by drawing more. It also reloads slowly when you hit Square as Simon presses each cartridge into the cylinder individually. Stealth is, again, the best option here, and you can pick up small objects like bottles and bricks to throw as distractions, or use machines you come across, such as radios or TVs, to draw an enemy away so you can slip around them. A PS5 Pro-enhanced experience Townfall channels an uncanny realism in St. Amelia, thanks to making heavy use of the PS5’s features. Its visuals are enhanced by the PS5 Pro, and it leans on aspects of the DualSense controller to create a singular experience. The game uses a 2.35:1 aspect ratio to create a cinematic experience, and sports both a 30FPS Quality setting and 60FPS Performance setting. The developers at Screen Burn visited and photographed real coastal towns in Scotland in order to recreate their look and feel, and Townfall uses PS5 Pro’s upgraded PSSR to create a town that looks incredibly realistic at high resolution. Ray tracing to create hauntingly beautiful environments, whether they’re full of fog in the regular world, or bathed in oppressive red light in the Otherworld. Haptics feedback with the DualSense controller adds a lot of intensity to combat, from the smash of a wood plank against an enemy, to the blast of blocking a counter-attack. Townfall also makes use of the DualSense’s gyroscope for certain controls, making them feel more tactile. With motion controls enabled, when you use the CRTV to hunt for signals in radios or other devices, you’ll need to physically move and twist the controller to tune in. You can also use motion controls with firearms, moving the whole controller to carefully adjust your aim and land headshots at key moments. Though my time with Silent Hill: Townfall left me with plenty of questions and a lot of mysteries, its twisting psychological machinations captured exactly what I like about the series. Its emphasis on tough combat and stealth mechanics also give it plenty of ways to make you jump out of your seat. You can try to keep your cool when Silent Hill: Townfall launches on September 24 on PlayStation 5.

Title: Ball x Pit final update The Naturalist arrives August 6 Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:00:14 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/28/ball-x-pit-final-update-the-naturalist-arrives-august-6/ Hello PlayStation Blog community! I’m back for the last time (…maybe) to share what to expect in the latest and final, free Ball x Pit update. Titled The Naturalist Update, players can expect more of what they love when it releases next week on August 6 and I’m here to share a brand new trailer, gameplay clips, and give you some content details of what to expect in the next update. Play Video To give a little backstory, it turns out we couldn’t stop making content for this game. We had a little breathing room before release and a pile of ideas we didn’t want to waste, so we honestly just… kept going. Which would explain all of that extra chaos making its way to you as free content. We’ve been so excited to see what new ball combinations the community has been cooking up after each and every update, tuning into your videos and content on social channels has been amazing. So for that, we thank you! 2 new characters Players of Ball x Pit: The Naturalist Update will come across two new unlockable characters, each with opposite personalities. The Ballbearer doubles down on firepower (literally), giving you double the amount of ball slots to build an arsenal at the cost of giving up passive items entirely. The Hoary Hoarder takes the opposite approach, lugging around an oversized backpack stuffed with gear. They only have room for two ball slots, but make up for it with twice as many passive slots, letting powerful item Evolutions do the heavy lifting. 11 New Balls Lightning Bug lights up the battlefield by spawning a firefly with every bounce. Each one seeks out the strongest enemy before zapping nearby targets with a burst of lightning. Mosquito Kingdom slowly builds a buzzing swarm, spawning one or two mosquitoes whenever it hits an enemy. The mosquitoes hunt down the weakest target on the field, dealing between 100-150 damage with each attack, and if one lands the killing blow, well, you simply recover a small amount of health back. Drill tears through enemies from behind, piercing straight through them and dealing extra damage along the way. Flesh starts off weak, dealing only half damage, but it rapidly increases in speed with every bounce until it becomes a blur tearing across the screen. Armageddon calls down a destructive meteor shower the moment it hits an enemy. The first impact marks the target, then flaming meteors rain across the area, dealing heavy damage to every enemy caught within a three-tile radius. 5 New Passives Platinum Dumbbell rewards clean shots, giving your balls a damage boost that lasts until they finally collide with the back wall. Inglorious Hammer keeps the pressure on after a bounce, causing balls that hit a wall or the back of the arena to immediately strike a random enemy for reduced damage. Remote Detonator turns every kill into another explosive opportunity. Whenever an enemy goes down, it spawns a level 1 Bomb Ball whenever an enemy dies, keeping the chain reaction going and filling the battlefield with even more booms. ..aaand of course there’s more that we don’t want to spoil! The team and I appreciate your time for reading and all the support surrounding the game since launch, and we hope you’re excited as we are to finally jump into the final free content update! Ball x Pit: The Naturalist Update will be available for all PS5 players next week on August 6.

Title: PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for August – Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Big Walk, Signalis Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:30:11 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/28/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-august-dying-light-2-stay-human-reloaded-edition-big-walk-signalis/ Be fleet of foot to survive a post-apocalyptic cityscape alone or with pals, buddy up to walk and talk your way through a pleasant puzzle-filled world, or take a solo trip into a dystopian future for a brooding slice of psychological survival horror with the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for August. Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition, Big Walk and Signalis will all be available to PlayStation Plus members* from Tuesday August 4 until Monday August 31.  Let’s take a closer look at each of the games.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Dying Light 2 Stay Human: Reloaded Edition | PS5, PS4 In Dying Light 2, survival meets action adventure as you attempt to endure a hostile, post-apocalyptic world. Rival factions across The City aren’t the only enemy – a virus has turned a vast majority of the human population into monsters. Take on the role of Aiden Caldwell, a wanderer with the power to change the fate of The City, but your exceptional abilities come at a price. Haunted by memories you cannot decipher, you set out to learn the truth – and find yourself in a combat zone. Hone your skills to defeat your enemies and make allies. Unravel the dark secrets behind those that wield power, choose sides and decide your destiny. Play in up to four-player co-op: host your own games or join others and see how their choices have played out differently than yours.  View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Big Walk | PS5 Big Walk is a cooperative multiplayer adventure about teamwork and talking. Set out with your friends through a wide-open world full of challenges, puzzles, and discoveries. You’ll need to work together to find your way around, stay in contact using an assortment of tools and toys, and figure out new ways to communicate when you suddenly find yourself speechless. Adventuring aside, there’s plenty of time to just hang out. Sit and watch the sunset, or steal your friend’s binoculars and kick them into the ocean. Spending time with friends is the best part of a big walk. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image Signalis | PS4 Awaken from slumber and explore a surreal retrotech world as Elster, a technician Replika searching for her lost partner and her lost dreams. Discover terrifying secrets, challenging puzzles, and nightmarish creatures in a tense and melancholic experience of cosmic dread and classic psychological survival horror. View and download image Download the image close Close Download this image MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls PlayStation Plus Pack   Starting August 6**, all PlayStation Plus members can acquire a MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls PlayStation Plus Pack from PlayStation Store. This pack contains two sets of items: Five Avatars inspired by characters from MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls, featuring Captain America, Storm, Spider-Man, Doctor Doom, and Ghost Rider.  A set of in-game Result Screen Character Poses featuring 20 characters, including Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, Peni Parker and more.  The pack will be available in the PlayStation Plus section of PlayStation Store on your PS5 or PS4 console or PlayStation Plus web page, starting August 6*. PlayStation Plus members need to redeem and download the pack to access its contents. The Avatars will appear in the Avatar section of your profile page on your PS5 or PS4 console. The Result Screen Character Poses are accessible and selectable in the PS5 version of MARVEL Tōkon: Fighting Souls once the game and pack are downloaded onto your PS5 console.  *PlayStation Plus Monthly Games lineup may differ by region. Please check PlayStation Store on release day for more information.  **MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls PlayStation Plus Pack is available until August 6, 2027. 

Title: Flamecraft is coming to PS5 this year, demo available today Date: Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:00:30 +0000 Link: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/28/flamecraft-is-coming-to-ps5-this-year-demo-available-today/ Hi, PlayStation community! I’m Matt from Monster Couch, and I’m super excited to share that Flamecraft is coming to PlayStation 5 later this year. In the meantime, if you’re curious to see what awaits you in Flamecraft’s whimsical town, the demo is available today on PlayStation Store! The demo lets you visit a selection of the town’s unique shops, meet some of the cheerful Artisan and Fancy Dragons you’ll encounter in the full game, play against bot opponents across three difficulty levels or gather up to five players for local multiplayer. To help you get started, we prepared a tutorial that will walk you through the basics of being a Flamekeeper.  Play Video But what is Flamecraft really about? Let’s start from the beginning… You keep the letter folded in your pocket, though the ink is smudged and the edges are gently singed. It serves as a reminder of who you were before coming to town and meeting such wonderful new friends. “Welcome, Flamekeeper! We are delighted that you have agreed to make your way to our quaint little town on such short notice. The artisan dragons have been very excited to begin this grand project, but it has been quite difficult sorting out what that even is without a translator. They are eager to start immediately, and we are not sure what they intend to do with all this wood, stone, and sheep.”  Now it is your time to burn bright. Flamecraft is a cozy, turn-based strategy game where tiny Artisan Dragons and local shopkeepers work together in a whimsical shopping district full of magic. In Flamecraft, you become a Flamekeeper—one who’s skilled in the art of conversing with dragons. Your main task is to help the dragons find their perfect homes by placing them thoughtfully in shops, where they can work their magic and delight the townsfolk with their craft. 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 As a Flamekeeper, you’ll play dragon cards, manage resources, and build powerful combos with enchantments and Fancy Dragons, each with their own unique abilities. But remember that every dragon you place and every shop that appears in town becomes part of a shared engine that every Flamekeeper can use—that means your opponents, too. As the town grows, so do the possibilities, so strategize and plan your moves carefully to build your Reputation.  Each turn, you’ll choose whether to visit a shop to gather resources or enchant it using magical artifacts. Enchanting a shop allows you to fire up all dragons working there, combining their powers into satisfying combos that reward careful planning. Along the way, you’ll also befriend extraordinary Fancy Dragons, whose unique abilities and special scoring opportunities can boost your strategy as you compete for the coveted title of Master of Flamecraft. There are many paths to victory, whether you focus on chaining enchantments or making the most of Fancy Dragons. With a huge variety of Artisan Dragons, plenty of unique shops, and a different setup every game, every match is a chance to try something new. Flamecraft has three ways to play: solo, locally with friends or bot opponents, or online with Flamekeepers from around the world. Solo Mode lets you play at your own pace while completing achievements to unlock pieces of an original story, following the dragons and townsfolk as they work toward an ambitious shared dream: building a lighthouse whose beacon will guide Artisan Dragons from distant lands to a place they can finally call home. If you’d rather play with others, you can set up a custom local game with friends, family, and bot opponents for up to five players sharing a single console, or try the Online multiplayer and choose between Short Matchmaking, Long Matchmaking, or Custom Online Games. And if you feel there’s a lot to learn—fret not! The fully narrated interactive tutorial is voiced by Becca Scott, the beloved tabletop personality behind Good Time Society, who guides you through the game’s mechanics step by step while introducing you to the wonderful world of Flamecraft. A small reward even awaits those who complete it! From the very beginning, our goal was to build a warm, cheerful, and wholesome game that’s welcoming to everyone. We wanted this enchanting world to feel alive, so we handcrafted a vibrant 3D town and filled it with beautifully animated shops and characters, lively dragons, a whimsical soundtrack, and countless little details that make it feel cozy and relaxing. I’m incredibly proud of our team and everything they did to make Flamecraft feel so special.  If you enjoy cozy strategy games or maybe you need more whimsy in your life, check out what awaits you in the shopping district! Tiny dragons await!  See you in town!

Title: Nexus Mods update their generative AI-made mod tagging policy, dividing one label into three for more specific search filtering Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 15:18:18 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/nexus-mods-update-their-generative-ai-made-mod-tagging-policy-dividing-one-label-into-three-for-more-specific-search-filtering As you might be aware, mods made using generative AI - either to directly generate the likes of character voices or for tasks linked to development - seem to be getting more common as the controversial tech continues to become tougher to avoid no matter where you're looking. Such mods aren't against the rules of modding site Nexus Mods, provided they don't infringe on the rights of voice actors or use assets without permission and are appropriately tagged. This week, the modding site have moved to tighten up the latter, dividing a single AI-generated content tag into three more specific ones. Read more

Title: 20 years ago, Dead Rising showed a different path for open worlds, and more games should pinch its ideas Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:00:00 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/20-years-ago-dead-rising-showed-a-different-path-for-open-worlds-and-more-games-should-pinch-its-ideas Photojournalist Frank West is heli-dropped into the Willamette Parkview mall, following a tip-off that there’s something sinister going down in the sleepy Colorado town. Impressively undeterred by the sight of people eating each other by a school bus during his fly-by, he instructs his pilot to drop him off on the mall roof and return for him in exactly three days. The rest, more or less, is up to you. If you decide to do absolutely nothing but lounge around in the security room for 72 in-game hours, Dead Rising doesn’t care. The chopper turns up on schedule, you get in and leave. Thanks for the £40, here’s the credits. Read more

Title: EA expect their $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia and private equity firms to close next week, with "all regulatory approvals required" in place Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:52:45 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/ea-expect-their-55-billion-sale-to-saudi-arabia-and-private-equity-firms-to-close-next-week-with-all-regulatory-approvals-required-in-place About a week on from getting the thumbs up from the European Commission, the $55 billion leveraged buyout which will see Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner-founded investment firm Affinity Partners become the new owners of EA and take it private is expected to close next week, the company have announced. Read more

Title: A former Assassin's Creed dev is making a ghost-hunting horror mystery based on visits to abandoned convents, in which your greatest weapon is a chunky instant camera Date: Fri, 31 Jul 2026 09:27:37 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/a-former-assassins-creed-dev-is-making-a-ghost-hunting-horror-mystery-based-on-visits-to-abandoned-convents-in-which-your-greatest-weapon-is-a-chunky-instant-camera What's the next logical games industry career step after being a cinematic director on Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a lead cinematic consultant on XCOM: The Bureau, and a director at Ubisoft Montreal working on Assassin's Creed Unity and the recently reborn 1666: Amsterdam? If you answered "explore abandoned convents with a camera crew, proceed to make a horror game about it", then you are clearly Jesse Malcolm Sweet, developer of Sisters of Solitude, and I'll thank you to keep your nose out of my drafts. G'wan, get thee to a nunnery! Read more

Title: Midnight Moments is a cyberpunk diorama builder for the neon sign and drizzly rain lovers Date: Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:52:19 +0000 Link: https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/midnight-moments-is-a-cyberpunk-diorama-builder-for-the-neon-sign-and-drizzly-rain-lovers I'm finding the relatively recent trend of supposedly calming diorama builders in games to be an interesting one in that there's a clear desire amongst creatively inclined folks to be crafting something in virtual environments, just not necessarily at scale. Just this week I wrote about Sandcastle, a literal sandbox game where you build sandcastles, and of course there's Tiny Glade too which good ole Christian Donlan loved. And now there's Midnight Moments, a cyberpunk diorama builder that has me thinking about the function of these games. Read more