Game Releases

Hamster Corporation, known for its meticulous Arcade Archives series, is expanding into console emulation with new Console Archives line for Nintendo Switch 2 and PlayStation 5, debuting with Coolboarders and Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos.

Struggling retailers may see a much-needed boost in foot traffic on the GTA 6 release date. The Take-Two Interactive CEO has rejected the idea of delaying physical copies. A rumor had emerged about an exclusively digital release to avoid GTA 6 leaks.

Fans recently got a chance to check out the newly released teaser for an upcoming sci-fi shooter from one of the original creators of Escape from Tarkov.

Team Fortress 2 Classified is an unofficial spin-off that aims to deliver a mix of fresh gameplay and classic TF2 nostalgia. Judging by player numbers and early reviews, it seems to be striking the right chord with fans so far.

Bladesong is a newly released RPG that casts players as a medieval blacksmith, featuring a detailed crafting system and a dark fantasy narrative. The game is normally priced at around $20 but is currently available at a 10% launch discount.

The studio remained unaffected by the recent NetEase layoffs; the fate of its Star Wars project remains unknown as the MOBA's release date looms closer.

Console owners could see the selection of new Xbox games start to dwindle. 1348 Ex Voto and Nickelodeon Splat Pack will not have Xbox Series X|S versions as expected. Declining sales, price increases, and fewer exclusives are incentives for publishers to focus on the PS5 and Switch handhelds.

Half Sword combines physics-based knight combat with uncompromising brutality and has already produced many absurdly funny moments – even though it has so far only been available as a demo. The title is now nearing Early Access.

Super Mario Bros. Wonder is being updated with new areas, modes, and characters. Yet, the price of the Switch 2 upgrade pack is too steep for some gamers who aren't interested in multiplayer. Nintendo detractors believe they are regularly asked to pay more for games they already own.

Players of Hitman World of Assassination will soon be able to pick up where they left off, regardless of the platform, thanks to a new feature that will be added next month. The feature will be rolled out to all the platforms the game is available on.

The games in the series, although short, present challenges that can only be solved through co-op gameplay, which are generally well-received by most of its players.

After an uninspiring unveiling, Marathon is trying to win over skeptics of the extraction shooter. PlayStation supporters will be relieved that Bungie’s project is a PS5 Pro Enhanced game. Unlike most titles, Marathon promises to run at a native 5K resolution before downscaling to 4K.

A Song of Sunlight is a new indie RPG that stands out for its emotional story, rich atmosphere, and a unique twist on turn-based combat. The game is free to play and currently holds a 94% positive rating on Steam.

A new update is arriving soon for the PS5 version of Far Cry 3 Classic Edition. The update, which will also be released for the PS5 Pro, will bring a smoother and more fluid gameplay to the 2012 title.

War of Dots strips real-time strategy down to its essentials, focusing on quick matches and simple, straightforward rules instead of deep, complex systems – including in multiplayer. The recently launched game is completely free and currently holds a 93% positive rating.

Hytale’s Early Access debut has blasted past 1 million players, as the $19.99 sandbox RPG returns from a turbulent cancellation-to-revival arc under Hypixel Studios’ original founders. Despite predictable launch-week server strain, early player reports suggest manageable queues, while the developers commit to rapid patches and ongoing updates as the project’s second life begins.

An English fan translation has opened access to Delisoba Deluxe, an ultra-rare 1996 Sega Saturn title based on a Tokyo Friend Park 2 game show challenge that was never commercially released and exists in reportedly fewer than 100 copies.

Virtual City Playground, originally a mobile title, has now launched on Steam. It is a laid-back city builder that avoids overly complex mechanics. Although the game is often criticized for aggressive monetization, it remains completely free to play for those willing to progress at a slower pace.

Nuclear war isn’t the only issue in a once-free world, where even the government wants to clamp down on your freedoms.

Hytale, the upcoming sandbox MMO from Hypixel Studios, is set to enter Early Access on January 13, 2026. Combining a Minecraft-inspired visual style with MMO and RPG elements such as dungeons, boss fights and a deep combat system, the game has been in development for over a decade. The developers expect more than one million players at launch.

Bandai Namco has released a new cinematic trailer for My Hero Academia: All’s Justice, a 3v3 fighting game based on the manga’s final arc. Developed by Byking, the game launches in February 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

A new homebrew port of Super Mario 64 brings Nintendo’s classic platformer natively to the Sega Dreamcast, running at full speed in crisp 480p thanks to extensive decompilation and optimization work. Developed over several years by MrNeo, jnmartin84, and Falco Girgis, the project has impressed the retro-gaming community with performance and polish that rival, and in some respects surpass, the original Nintendo 64 release.

Developers of Lords of the Fallen 2 have rejected accusations that their new Menaslide Soldier enemy plagiarizes Elden Ring: Nightreign’s Wylder, presenting internal Slack logs and production timelines to argue the design predates FromSoftware’s reveal by several months. CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski maintained that any similarities stem from common medieval fantasy tropes rather than copying, and asserted full confidence in the originality and integrity of the studio’s art team.

Larian Studios has reversed its decision to use generative AI tools in the concept art pipeline for its upcoming game Divinity, following strong community backlash and widespread concerns about artistic integrity. While pledging that no AI-generated creative assets or narrative text will appear in the final product, the studio maintains that tightly controlled AI tools may still be used to accelerate internal iteration and development workflows.

Fallout co-creator Tim Cain warns that toxic, taste-based arguments in gaming are driving both players and developers away from the medium, as online debates increasingly dismiss the legitimacy of differing priorities like frame rate, visuals, or narrative features. In response, Cain urges fans to shift focus from fighting to funding, arguing that “buy the games you want to see more of” is the most effective way to shape the industry’s future.

Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Super Smash Bros. and Kirby, argued that ballooning AAA development teams make individual contributions harder to see, stripping away the personal satisfaction that once defined his work on smaller projects. In a candid interview, he reflected on the shift from tight-knit teams to hundred-person teams, warning that the current trajectory of large-scale game production is unsustainable and may push studios toward greater reliance on generative AI.

Blizzard is reportedly developing a new third-person StarCraft shooter, led by former Far Cry executive Dan Hay, with a formal reveal expected at BlizzCon 2026. According to Windows Central and previous reporting by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, the project marks Blizzard’s latest attempt to revive its iconic sci-fi RTS as a shooter, though key details like its single- or multiplayer focus remain unclear.

MachineGames is reportedly developing a long-rumored third mainline Wolfenstein title to conclude B.J. Blazkowicz’s arc, alongside a separate multiplayer project said to share tactical, team-based elements with Rainbow Six Siege. While both projects remain unannounced, recent rumors and past developer comments about “having a story left to tell” strongly suggest Wolfenstein is returning after a six-year hiatus.

A UK trade union is seeking the immediate reinstatement and visa protection of 31 fired Rockstar Games developers, alleging “brutal union busting” over their involvement in organizing efforts around GTA 6. Rockstar denies the accusations, insisting the dismissals were solely due to confidential game details being shared on an “insecure” channel, setting up a high‑stakes legal clash over labor rights and corporate secrecy in the games industry.

Vigilant Paradise, a Miami Vice-inspired first-person shooter quietly released for the Sega Saturn after five years of solo development, channels the aesthetics and design ethos of 90s console gaming with low-poly 3D visuals, branching narrative, and a synth-heavy soundtrack. Initially soft-launched in November 2025 and only later spotlighted by the retro community, the homebrew title showcases an ambitious technical feat on original hardware while offering a full single-player campaign at a modest $10 price point.

For fans of teddy bears and roguelikes, a small dream might just have come true. Teddy Knight is a classic action roguelike starring a brave teddy bear knight on an adventure inside a toy box. It’s free to play and was met with mostly positive reviews at launch.

Xbox’s hardware business suffered a historic downturn in 2025, with UK console sales falling 39% year-on-year and U.S. sales plunging 70% in November, marking one of the industry’s worst months since 1995. While competitors like PlayStation also saw declines, Microsoft is responding to Xbox’s steeper collapse by reorienting toward Game Pass, cloud gaming, and broader platform releases amid layoffs, cancellations, and mounting pressure to prove its long-term strategy.

Roguecraft DX, the acclaimed Amiga-born roguelike, is expanding to Game Boy Color, Mega65, and Amiga in early 2026 with platform-tailored ports that retain its tense, 30–40 minute dungeon runs and Lovecraftian, isometric charm. The enhanced edition adds extra levels, new enemies, refined animations, and achievements, while Thalamus Digital prepares both digital releases and collector’s physical editions alongside a planned PC launch on Steam.

Czech indie developer Petr Šimůnek is launching a series of racing games on Steam, all built around the same MMO-style arcade concept. The latest entry, Supercar Evolution 2025, entered Early Access on December 29.

Bethesda Game Studios director Todd Howard has confirmed that a new mainline Fallout, widely expected to be Fallout 5, is in early development alongside multiple unannounced Fallout projects. However, he cautions fans to remain patient as Elder Scrolls VI currently commands most of the studio’s internal resources. Buoyed by the breakout success of the Fallout TV series and sustained support for Fallout 76, Bethesda insists Fallout remains its top-priority franchise, with design leadership aiming for massively replayable experiences spanning hundreds of hours.

A former Rockstar North technical director explains why GTA 2’s experimental futuristic setting failed to resonate with both developers and players, making the studio abandon cyberpunk-style worlds for the series. Citing the brand’s cultural weight and risk-averse strategy, Obbe says GTA is unlikely to revisit a dystopian future, with GTA VI instead reaffirming Rockstar’s commitment to grounded, contemporary cityscapes.

Former Sony executive Shawn Layden argues that the traditional console market has hit a hard ceiling of roughly 250 million devices per generation, despite gaming’s broader growth into a $250 billion industry. In a recent interview, he proposes a unified gaming format akin to VHS or DVD as the radical step needed to break this cap, while still preserving the value of strong platform exclusives.

PC players are finally getting an early taste of Bloodborne’s online features on computers, as the rapidly advancing ShadPS4 emulator now supports asynchronous elements and limited co-op play. While the experience remains unstable and incomplete, the breakthrough marks a major step toward full-featured PS4 emulation and a long-awaited unofficial PC option for FromSoftware’s classic.

Former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij said he has no regrets about the studio cancelling projects like Agent, Project Z, and a potential Bully sequel, arguing they would have distracted from Grand Theft Auto’s dominance. In a candid interview, he maintained that Rockstar is right to funnel experimental ideas into GTA rather than launch new IPs, even as he praised studios like Larian for taking the opposite, riskier route.

A new Sega Channel Revival project brings the 1990s cable-based Sega Genesis subscription service back to life on modern hardware, with MiSTer and Raspberry Pi builds that faithfully recreate the original menus, characters, and rotating game library. Built from recovered prototype ROMs and preserved system data hosted on the Internet Archive, this offline reconstruction offers a historically rich, near-accurate experience of Sega’s ahead-of-its-time platform, albeit without save support at the moment.

The latest leaks follow previous rumors that the project was in development hell, with no relief in sight, and showcase progress as well as a new 'Casino' location.

What started as an indie Kickstarter project and was supposed to be released back in 2016 still has no solid release date, and users received an update from the developers in April 2024.

Once Upon a Shell reimagines the classic tale of the hare and the tortoise as a fast-paced racing game with roguelike elements. Recently launched on Steam, the free-to-play title has already been earning praise from players.

The Genesis Project Team is delivering a meticulous Commodore 64 remaster of the 1984 cult classic Sabre Wulf, featuring completely redrawn 320x200 pixel art, smoother code, bug fixes, and a refreshed soundtrack that finally taps the system’s full audiovisual potential. With added quality-of-life features such as a “fog of war” map, enhanced UI, and expanded enemy variety, the project is nearing completion, and an early v0.5 build is already available for download.

Airs Adventure, a little-known 1996 Sega Saturn JRPG, is now fully playable in English thanks to a new fan-made translation patch led by Saturn hacker Hitomi2500. While never a critical darling, this quirky, light-hearted RPG, long locked to Japan, can finally reach a global audience of retro enthusiasts willing to embrace its “so bad it’s good” charm.

Microsoft is reshaping its Xbox strategy around cloud and cross-platform gaming while denying reports that it is enforcing a 30% profit margin target on the division. Amid steep hardware sales declines, significant project cancellations, and widespread layoffs, the company is doubling down on subscriptions and broader device access as it distances itself from Bloomberg’s claims of a 30% margin minimum in play for the division.

Netflix is teaming up with FIFA on an exclusive World Cup 2026 football game for its Netflix Games service, developed by Delphi Interactive and playable on TVs and mobile at no extra cost to subscribers.

The Last Ninja Collection + Bonus Games brings seven meticulously preserved C64, Amiga, and ZX Spectrum classics to Steam, bundling the full Last Ninja trilogy with remixed editions and celebrated fighting titles like International Karate and International Karate+. It also comes with controller support, split-screen multiplayer, modest system requirements, and planned physical editions for PC, PS5, and Switch in the near future.

Voice actor Alix Wilton-Regan has revealed that Microsoft’s canceled Perfect Dark reboot had reached advanced development, with whole motion-capture chapters and key milestones completed before funding was abruptly pulled. Her account underscores how deeply the project was underway and how sudden Xbox’s wider wave of studio closures and layoffs felt to those working on the game.

Playtiles, a $12 credit-card-sized gamepad that physically overlays smartphone touch controls, is finally reaching early backers after months of anticipation, delivering a surprisingly sturdy, adhesive-free alternative to Bluetooth controllers.