Games news

• Mario Kart Tour Will Be Unplayable After Nintendo Shuts It Down In September

  08-07-2026 13:09 via gamespot.com
  
  Nintendo has announced that it will shut down Mario Kart Tour on September 29, ending its seven-year run on mobile devices. Originally launching in September 2019, Mario Kart Tour was one of several games released for mobile devices as Nintendo made a push into that space. Most of those games have since been shut down, but Mario Kart Tour proved to be a lucrative spin-off of the main series, employing controversial gacha game mechanics to keep players invested the racer."We sincerely thank the m
  
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• Call Of Duty: Black Ops 1 And 2 Ports Are Out Now On PS5, But DLC Costs Extra

  09-07-2026 20:56 via gamespot.com
  
  The ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and Black Ops 2 (2012) are available now. The ports, which were confirmed in June, are developed by Iron Galaxy in conjunction with Activision.
  As announced previously, these are not remasters or remakes--if you enjoyed the games in their original states, that's what you're getting here.
  The games cost $40, but PlayStation Plus members can get each for $20 through August 6. There is no bundle that puts them together.
  Black Ops 1 and 2 are out now on PS
  
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• New Counter-Strike 2 Map Has Players Rescuing Dogs Instead Of Hostages, And That’s Very Nice

  09-07-2026 18:53 via gamespot.com
  
  A new, fan-made map for Valve's free shooter Counter-Strike 2 has a unique spin on the game's popular Hostage Rescue mode, having players instead rescue dogs in danger.The "Shelter" map (via Dexerto) takes place in a fictionalized suburban animal shelter, as players race to stop "Phoenix Biotechnical" from kidnapping animals for medical trials.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtd0HLui7W4
  As you can see in the walkthrough video below, Shelter is a large, impressively detailed map, featuring all ma
  
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• Palworld Won’t Raise Its Price Following 1.0 Launch

  09-07-2026 18:07 via gamespot.com
  
  After more than two years in early access, Palworld has launched in 1.0, and there's some good news for anyone looking to dive into it. Usually, early access games charge a smaller fee to entice users, increasing the sticker price once the full release goes live. Palworld developer Pocketpair is bucking that trend, and it says that the game's price will remain at $30 following its full launch on PC and console."After much thought, we have decided not to raise the price of Pal
  
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• How One Teacher (And A Private Investigator) Revived The Beloved Franchise Of Your Childhood

  09-07-2026 18:00 via gamespot.com
  
  The Backyard Sports series' resurgence began a few years ago with a re-release of the classic 1997 game Backyard Baseball, but this month's launch of Backyard Baseball--an all-new entry--is a monumental step for a franchise that had been on ice for years. But getting there wasn't easy, requiring years of work (and the help of a private investigator) to even acquire the rights, let alone find a development partner who could revive such a legendary franchise.Playground Productions CEO Lindsay Barn
  
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• GTA Online’s Next Big Heist, The First Since 2020, Is Coming Soon And It Looks Great

  09-07-2026 17:02 via gamespot.com
  
  While fans await news about GTA 6, Rockstar continues to update GTA Online, and its next big update is coming very soon.The Kortz Center Heist, the first major brand-new heist in the game since 2020's Cayo Perico, releases on July 14, Rockstar Games has announced. In this heist, players will meet up with Mr. Faber and Raf De Angelis to steal valuable art.
  Players will be able to acquire an Art Studio for their home as part of the new update, and after doing so, a "gifted counterfeiter" will occu
  
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• Boy Shocked By Electrical Current While Playing Video Games After House Is Struck By Lightning

  09-07-2026 16:15 via gamespot.com
  
  A teenage boy sustained injuries after lightning struck his home as he was playing video games, hitting him with an electrical shock.
  The 13-year-old boy, Vladyslav Skuridin, told ABC News via a statement from his mother that he "felt a shock go through my whole body and I saw a super bright white light." He said he "quickly jolted back" and felt "super dizzy and confused."
  He was playing a game on his computer at the time."Also, I kind of just started screaming because there was a super loud bo
  
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• The Elder Scrolls 6 Devs Fear “More Delays” After Layoffs Have “Crushing Effect On Morale”

  09-07-2026 15:51 via gamespot.com
  
  The Elder Scrolls 6 is one of the biggest upcoming games in the works at the Xbox-owned Bethesda Game Studios. But after Microsoft's sweeping layoffs, which also impacted BGS, developers there have expressed concerns about the impact on The Elder Scrolls 6 and the possibility of a delay.
  A source at BGS told IGN that the developers have been "very excited and hyped" for The Elder Scrolls 6, and that the big Xbox "reset" has "had a crushing effect on morale" at the studio.
  "We were already runnin
  
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• New Perfect Dark, Co-Op Doom Were Reportedly In The Works At Id Software Before Mass Layoffs

  09-07-2026 15:42 via gamespot.com
  
  Doom: The Dark Ages just received the Revelations expansion earlier this week, the latest work from prominent developer id Software. But what the studio was reportedly working on next sounds fascinating, according to GamesBeat. The team was reportedly playing around with a new Perfect Dark game, a co-op or multiplayer-centric version of Doom, and a John Wick-esque experience named Fury.However, the chances these projects ever get fully fleshed out seem low after mass layoffs hit id Software earl
  
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• GTA 6 Fans Are Getting Excited Again For A Date In August, As Take-Two Makes A Notable Change

  09-07-2026 15:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Grand Theft Auto 6 preorders have finally arrived. New screenshots were also recently released. The game's November 19 release date is locked in. But Rockstar Games is still staying relatively quiet about the specifics of GTA 6, like what new kinds of gameplay experiences it provides. To date, all that's been revealed are screenshots, story descriptions, and cinematic trailers. Fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of any new information about the game, or a third trailer, and while it remains t
  
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• Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Delivers The Series’ Best Reviews Since 2013

  09-07-2026 14:24 via gamespot.com
  
  The first big release of July 2026 has set sail, and so far, it looks like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is hitting a critical high note that the series hasn't seen since Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag. The remake of the 2013 game currently has a metascore of 84, a number that previous games have not reached for a very long time.In comparison, the original Black Flag has a metascore of 88, and the highest review score aggregate between that game and its remake was Assassin's Creed Odyssey
  
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• Persona 4 Revival Producer Confirms Some Noteworthy Character Changes Are Coming

  09-07-2026 00:41 via gamespot.com
  
  Persona saw a big presence at Anime Expo last weekend, featuring a dedicated booth, panels, and merchandise to promote the series' 30th anniversary, as well as the upcoming Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6. The staff behind P4R was also giving press interviews, and one comment by General Producer Kazuhisa Wada has been drawing attention.Speaking to Anime Corner, Wada discussed some changes would be made to parts of the game, particularly with regard to one specific character."We haven't changed a
  
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• Your Loyalty To Sony Or Xbox Means Nothing, Analyst Says

  08-07-2026 21:29 via gamespot.com
  In response to Sony announcing that it will stop producing physical game discs for PlayStation starting in 2028, a lot of people have had a lot of things to say. One of those voices is Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, who offered a refreshing, if not brutal, reminder that your loyalty and love of PlayStation--or any other game console or franchise--means nothing to the corporate overlords controlling them. It's all about money, and it always has been.
  "You can love your preferred video game ecosy
  
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• New Fallout Game Is New Focus For New Vegas Developer Obsidian Entertainment – Report

  08-07-2026 21:25 via gamespot.com
  
  Obsidian Entertainment--the developer behind Grounded, The Outer Worlds, and Avowed--will reportedly shift strategies to work on a new Fallout game. That means that a planned Avowed sequel and other unannounced projects will get shelved in the process, according to Bloomberg. It's unclear whether this new Fallout game from Obsidian will be Fallout 5 or a spin-off similar to New Vegas. Fallout 5 was reportedly "greenlit" a year ago, though there were no details about the lead developer. In 2
  
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• Over 220,000 People Petition Sony Not To Kill Physical PlayStation Game Discs

  08-07-2026 21:20 via gamespot.com
  
  As Sony plans to kill all PlayStation disc production in January 2028, a Canadian retailer has done what everyone was probably thinking of doing: urging the company to change its mind with a petition that's garnered over 220,000 signatures.PNP Games is an independent retailer based in Canada that started in 2005 by selling games on eBay. Since then, it opened three locations around Canada, becoming a budding business that supplies its customers with everything from home goods like art and drinkw
  
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• Xbox Kills Obsidian’s Avowed Sequel In The Wake Of Layoffs – Report

  08-07-2026 20:58 via gamespot.com
  
  Xbox's big reset continues, as the company has targeted RPG icon Obsidian Entertainment, laying off about a quarter of its staff and cancelling a sequel to the underrated 2025 action-RPG Avowed.According to a July 8 Bloomberg report, Obsidian Entertainment has cancelled "multiple projects" so that the California-based developer can focus on a bigger franchise: Fallout. As part of the cuts, Avowed was a casualty, along with 52 workers, per a July 8 Game File report.As Bloomberg noted, progress on
  
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• Love And Deepspace Drama Continues As Chinese Government Indicates New Love Interest Is Gone For Good

  08-07-2026 20:34 via gamespot.com
  
  Regardless of if you play the action-packed dating-sim or not, you've probably heard a bit about the intense controversy surrounding Love and Deepspace recently. And no, it somehow has nothing to do with its spicy content or gacha-style gameplay. Instead, it revolves around the introduction--and quick cancellation--of Valko, the game's sixth love interest.There's been a new development in the ongoing drama, and it doesn't look good for all the fans who have been petitioning for developer Paperga
  
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• Fallout TV Series Lands 10 Emmy Nominations For Season 2, But Actors Get Snubbed

  08-07-2026 20:28 via gamespot.com
  
  The nominees for the next Emmy Awards have been announced, and Amazon's Fallout TV show scored 10. Season 1, for comparison, picked up 16 nominations in 2024, ultimately winning two.For Season 2, Fallout's Emmy nominations included nods for Production Design, Costumes, Hairstyling, and Stunt Performance, but no acting nominations. Many think Walton Goggins was snubbed after he turned in another incredible performance as The Ghoul in Fallout Season 2.Here are the 10 Emmy nominations for Fallout S
  
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• Bernie Sanders Rips Microsoft For Xbox Layoffs And Price Hikes

  08-07-2026 18:21 via gamespot.com
  
  Microsoft recently announced mass layoffs affecting 4,800 people, including 3,200 at Xbox, and now US Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) has ripped the technology giant for cutting staff at a time when it's making massive profits.
  Posting on social media, Sanders pointed out how Microsoft made more than $100 billion in profit in 2025, with CEO Satya Nadella getting paid $96 million. He also called out how US President Donald Trump's new tax plan would save Microsoft $12.5 billion.
  "Please don’t
  
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• England Has A New King, And He’s Thirsty For Blood In Vampirium 1997

  08-07-2026 17:53 via gamespot.com
  
  Thomas Was Alone and Amberspire developer Bithell Games has announced its next project, a non-linear horror game in which the vampire King of England tasks you with assassinating his enemies. Set in an alternate timeline during the late '90s--so you're probably safe from hearing Hanson's MMMBop on repeat--Vampirium 1997 is billed as an immersive sim boiled to its essence by game director Mike Bithell."Dracula is King of England. At his command, master your dark gifts to assassinate his enem
  
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• Paralives’ Success Shows Being Generous To Players Isn’t Unreasonable

  08-07-2026 17:30 via gamespot.com
  
  Earlier this year Paralives released in early access, and so far, things are looking good for the life-sim. The game has proven to be popular since its May launch; the cozy vibes have been praised, and the promise of free post-launch DLC and updates for the lifespan of Paralives continues to be a big selling point. In an industry focused on extracting the maximum amount of cash possible out of every player, it has become the norm--just look at how GTA 6 is locking in-game shops away from pl
  
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• Paralives Isn’t Interested In Taking Down The Sims

  08-07-2026 17:30 via gamespot.com
  
  Fans of life-simulator games have been eating well lately, as the dominance of The Sims 4 has been challenged by new kids on the block like InZoi and Paralives. While both of these titles are considered to be serious challengers in a cozy genre of living your best life, the team behind Paralives doesn't see itself as a "Sims-killer," preferring instead to view the game as another option in the genre. After all, competition in this field will ultimately benefit players by offering them more choic
  
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• Palworld Reaches A Huge Player Milestone Ahead Of 1.0 Launch

  08-07-2026 17:14 via gamespot.com
  
  After two and a half years in early access, the Pokemon-like game Palworld has reached 40 million players before its 1.0 release. Developer Pocketpair announced this milestone just days before the game's massive 1.0 update, which brings several major changes to overhaul the game."Palworld passes 40 million players," the developer said on social media. "Thank you all so much for your incredible support! Over the last two and a half years, Palworld has grown alongside our community."Of course, hit
  
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• World Cup Star Erling Haaland Shows Off His Gaming Setup, Wants Xbox To Sponsor Him, And Is Excited For GTA 6

  08-07-2026 16:38 via gamespot.com
  
  If you've been watching the World Cup or soccer in general, you're surely familiar with Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, and now he's provided a deeper window into his life and specifically his gaming habits.
  In a "day in the life" video on his YouTube channel (via PureXbox), Haaland began by saying he's a big fan of Xbox, so much so that he even owns the Xbox minifridge and it's not just for show. As you can see in the video, he has it stocked with MTN Dew and Coke. "One day, Xbox, I want them
  
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• Minecraft Is Adding A Highly Requested Feature It’s Been Missing For 17 Years

  08-07-2026 15:57 via gamespot.com
  
  A new update coming to Minecraft is adding something the game has never had in its 17-year history and it's something everyone loves to do: sit down.In a new video, producer Gustav Höglund confirmed that there will finally be a "straightforward" way to take a load off, and that's with a new craftable cushion that players can sit on. As Höglund noted, people have found creative ways to sit down already by way of plopping down in a boat, a mine cart, or by riding an animal. But that's no
  
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• Pokemon Winds And Waves Could Have 300 New Pokemon, But Don’t Get Too Excited

  08-07-2026 15:19 via gamespot.com
  
  Pokemon Winds and Waves won't be out until 2027, but it looks like a few Poke-leaks are already surfacing. The Switch 2 exclusive is the next mainline entry in the series, and like previous games before it, it'll introduce a whole new region populated with unique Pokemon. Just how many new Pokemon will there be? According to one report, we could be looking at hundreds of new critters to collect.Traditionally, each new mainline Pokemon game introduces around 100 new Pokemon--Generations
  
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• Was This Duck Trying To Get Secrets About The Witcher 4?

  08-07-2026 14:51 via gamespot.com
  
  It's nesting season for ducks in Poland, and one mallard mom chose CD Projekt Red's office in Warsaw to lay its eggs, the studio recently shared. For anyone scared that this story does not have a happy ending, fear not. It's safe to read on.
  The Polish developer said the duck laid eight eggs at an open-air part of the impressive-looking modern office. The momma duck "cared for them attentively throughout the nesting period," and CD Projekt Red staff gave her plenty of room to sit on the eggs in
  
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• One Final Fantasy Game Is Shutting Down, But You’ve Still Got Time To Play

  08-07-2026 10:22 via gamespot.com
  
  With Final Fantasy VII Revelation set to complete the remake trilogy soon, fans have been eagerly revisiting FFVII's various releases and spinoffs in anticipation, speculating about what the future might hold for the finale. Unfortunately, one of those spinoffs, the live-service game Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, now has a Doom timer attached to it--meaning you'll need to play it as quickly as possible before it shutters if you want to see what it has to offer.Released on December 2023, Final F
  
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• Sony Tries To Change The Subject After Killing PlayStation Discs

  08-07-2026 01:01 via gamespot.com
  
  To kick off July, Sony made the surprising announcement that it plans to end support of physical discs for PlayStation games at the beginning of 2028. In the week since that news, Sony kept quiet on social media. Now, Sony has attempted to start a new conversation with gamers, but it's not going well so far.In the message seen below, Sony touts the FlexStrike wireless fight stick. Under normal circumstances, this product could have been positively received on its own terms. Unfortunately for the
  
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• Arc Raiders’ Matchmaking Update Gives Players What They’ve Always Wanted

  07-07-2026 22:58 via gamespot.com
  
  The latest Arc Raiders update is out now, and alongside the opening of the Expedition 4 window and an upcoming crossover event with Embark's first-person shooter The Finals, the extraction game is getting a matchmaking overhaul that fulfills one of players' biggest wishlist items.Starting today, Arc Raiders offers separate matchmaking buckets for solo, duo, and trio queues. This means that players who may prefer to express different playstyles depending on their team size can now find lobbies th
  
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