Gaming

Germany's state-backed ICS archive is shutting down. It held more than 60,000 cataloged games. Its €1.5 million in public funding expired and was not renewed. The closure comes months after the fan-run Myrient archive, home to 390 TB of preserved games, also shut down over rising infrastructure costs.

HP has released new versions of its latest 15-inch gaming laptop. Now available with up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus, the HyperX Omen 15 also now comes in cheaper configurations starting at $1,699 with AMD processors.

Rockstar Games developers say mandatory overtime, or “crunch,” is effectively built into contracts at Rockstar North ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI’s release, with staff reporting weeks that could reach up to 80 hours. Union members also allege inconsistent bonuses, opaque pay structures, and a widening gender pay gap, raising concerns about labor conditions behind one of gaming’s most commercially anticipated titles.

The Halo: Campaign Evolved developers already shifted their focus to improve efficiency. Yet, a leak reveals that Xbox could task Activision Blizzard with overseeing Halo Studios. Microsoft wants the shooter franchise to become more profitable by releasing games regularly.

Circana analyst Matt Piscatella says Nintendo may be the last major console maker to maintain a physical games presence as Sony prepares to end new PlayStation disc production in 2028.

With the impending death of discs, more PlayStation fans are considering piracy. The PS5 jailbreak unlocks access to homebrew apps, emulators, and local backups of some digital games. This exploit also forces notable compromises and can be used to violate copyright laws.

Computer prices continue to increase and new gaming handhelds are also affected. MSI's new gaming handheld Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel's new Arc G3 Extreme chip offers very good performance figures, but we are not sure there are sufficient potential buyers considering the high price of $1799.

Capcom has confirmed the pricing and release date for the Street Fighter 6 Year 4 pass. Here is what you will pay for Tifa Lockhart, Yasmine, and the rest of the new roster.

MagicX has announced the discontinuation of the Mini Zero28 Android handheld, citing memory prices as the reason. However, it has also announced a potential successor that will have a larger display but ship with Linux out of the box.

Thunderobot has teased the Zero Air 16 on Weibo, a 16-inch gaming laptop weighing 1.64 kg that pairs an Intel Core Ultra 7 356H with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070. The company plans to show the Zero Air 16 publicly at Bilibili World 2026, with a full launch expected in August.

Capcom confirms Resident Evil Veronica hits PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Switch 2 in 2027. The RE Engine remake now features an over-the-shoulder view.

Humble Bundle has renewed the GDC game bundle, and for Summer 2026, it has brought a relatively good collection, featuring eight Steam Deck-playable games with a total value of $187. However, the entire selection can be purchased for $13.

Retroid had teased the release of a new gaming handheld. Appearing in the wake of the Pocket Nova, the device appears set to challenge the AYN Thor with dual displays.

Critics have found a new reason to protest Sony’s shift away from physical games. The company’s Terms of Service explain that EU PlayStation accounts left unattended for 3 years are at risk. Buyers could potentially see massive collections of digital PS5 games vanish.

Developed by Crytek, Ryse: Son of Rome allows you to fight in the Roman army in Britannia, face numerous enemies, and use different strategies to defeat them. And now it is available for less than $4 on Steam.

Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc. has opened applications for beta testing the upcoming Bleach Mirrors High video game for Android and iOS devices. The game is set after the Blood War timeline and includes two new Soul Reaper characters designed by Bleach creator Tite Kubo.

When GTA 6 pre-orders began, Sony promoted the game like a PS5 exclusive. As PlayStation encountered protests for abandoning physical discs, many advertisements disappeared. While some fans think Rockstar wants to avoid bad press, the marketing partnership is unlikely to be in any danger.

MagicX is developing a new gaming handheld that strongly resembles a Nintendo 2DS. The device may launch in two versions at different price points.

Asus is planning a handful of new accessories that will be announced this summer, and among the new products is a new controller. A teaser for the gaming accessory shows it has a display and will likely have an 8,000Hz polling rate.

Honkai: Star Rail 4.4 launches July 15, 2026. Features Himeko-Nova, Fate/stay night crossover phase 2, system optimizations, and a free five-star character.

Not only is the timing suspect, but Bethesda doubling down on the "physical" keyword in its post on X leaves little doubt about what it's taking a jab at.

Dishonored is a critically acclaimed stealth adventure known for its exceptional gameplay freedom. As part of the Summer Sale, the game is available with a 90% discount for the first time, bringing the price down to around $2.

Bethesda and id Software confirm the launch details and gameplay overhauls for DOOM: The Dark Ages – Revelations campaign expansion.

Nexus: The Jupiter Incident is now available as a free game on GOG. This a story-driven, real-time tactical space game with warships, cinematic missions, and management elements. It typically retails for $9.99 and has a 86% positive review on Steam.

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida criticized Valve’s new Steam Machine for underwhelming 3D performance, slow game boot times, touchy controls, and a high starting price while praising its console-like features

Ayaneo has returned with teasers for two new gaming handhelds. While one is a new Konkr-branded device, the other is a return to Ayaneo's Windows handheld series that promises to offer a small form factor experience.

A report claims that older PS5 games will ship on discs past January 2028. Physical media production wouldn’t cease immediately, easing console owners into an exclusively digital age. Sony also says that it will offer retailers new ways to sell PlayStation download codes.

The long-awaited Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 PS5 ports could be only days away. PlayStation has pushed out several patches for the PS3 shooters, which are due out in July. An insider hinted that the uploads point to a release date as early as the week of July 6th.

Former PlayStation chief Shawn Layden says Sony’s earlier PC strategy was aimed less at direct profit than at expanding awareness of major franchises like Horizon beyond the console audience. His comments come as Sony appears to be retreating from PC ports for single-player exclusives, while continuing to support live-service releases and third-party timed exclusives across platforms.

IO Interactive is cutting staff after Xbox reportedly ended its funding and publishing deal for Project Fantasy, an online RPG the Hitman studio says it remains committed to completing. The layoffs come despite the strong launch of 007: First Light, which sold 3 million copies in two weeks and earned broadly positive reviews.

Gaming monitors are seeing huge discounts for the Fourth of July sale, and Samsung’s Odyssey OLED G9 is one of them. It is a massive 49-inch ultrawide OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate and HDR 10+ support.

Xbox eagerly pointed out that many first-party titles are not exclusively digital games. Ahead of the July 28th Halo: Campaign Evolved release date, buyers can pre-order a physical version . Even so, like with the PS5 disc, a download is necessary before playing the Combat Evolved remake.

Commodore’s retro-themed Callback 8020 flip phone has opened for preorders at a reduced $399, with an early promo lowering the price to $349 despite continued criticism that it remains costly for a Linux-based “digital detox” device. Fan reaction has intensified after a promotional trailer featuring generative AI elements drew backlash, even as Commodore defends its "limited, transparent AI use" and says early interest in the device has exceeded expectations.

Sony's announcement of the upcoming discontinuation of physical game disks has also confirmed that the PS6 won't have a disk drive. Moore's Law Is Dead believes that Sony's decision is primarily a way to keep PS6 profits intact.

The AnTuTu performance rankings from June 2026 are here, and in the flagship section, gaming phones have topped the list once again. However, it's interesting to see the RedMagic 11S Pro+ being beaten by the iQOO 15 Ultra.

Released on March 13, 2020, on Steam, State of Decay 2: Juggernaut Edition is an open-world survival game where, to survive, you'll need to develop your community and gather resources. But you'll have to be prepared for many dangers.

Dorfromantik is not the only laid-back city builder. Pan'orama may be nowhere near as well known, but it has earned solid reviews and is currently available on Steam with an 85% discount for the first time.

Ghostwire: Tokyo is cheaper than ever on Steam. Bethesda’s open-world adventure currently costs just around $6 instead of $60. In return, players get a deserted Tokyo filled with ghosts, yokai and Japanese folklore.

Epic Games Store has revealed the upcoming free games, and the lineup includes Nova Lands and Tattoo Tycoon. Both games will be available starting July 9, and they'll remain live for a week.

Even with mediocre Steam Machine reviews, the hardware bests every game on Valve’s top sellers list. The chart ranks entries by total revenue, giving the pricey Linux system an advantage. Long wait times and scalpers netting large profits may signal impressive sales nonetheless.

The e-ink faceplate was first shown off alongside the Steam hardware announcement last year, and Valve has now shared the files and instructions for those who want to make one on their own.

Amazon has announced the next lineup of games that Prime members will be able to download and play for free this month. The lineup includes CyClones, LoneStar, and more.

Thanks to a coupon code for an additional 4th of July discount, a high-end model variant of the HP Omen Max 16 can now be ordered for $2,450, which might entice some gamers to pull the trigger on their big upgrade.

With the latest graphics driver update, the Intel Arc Pro B390 iGPU can use up to 93 percent of the available system memory as graphics memory. This is expected to boost performance by up to 15 percent in select workflows.

The Epic Games Store has started July 2026 with a new giveaway for mobile gamers. Available until July 9, Sophia the Traveler draws inspiration from Where's Wally? and Where's Waldo? with over 1,800 characters, 10 levels and numerous Easter Eggs.

The Sony stock price is rallying following its total embrace of digital gaming. Rising over 3% in a single day, investors anticipate the PlayStation Store will benefit from the downfall of physical discs. Meanwhile, gamers don’t share their enthusiasm, with some threatening boycotts.

We’ve heard reports of delays for the PS6, but there are always industry insiders denying those reports. Now, another analysis firm has claimed that the PS6 will not be released in 2027, and not even in early 2028.