Games news

• PlayStation Plus Extra/Premium Games For July 2026 Revealed

  15-07-2026 17:41 via gamespot.com
  
  Sony has revealed the latest games coming to the Game Catalog for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers in July. Like last month, the release schedule for these games has now changed for US, UK, and Japanese subscribers, with an initial batch starting July 21 and the rest arriving in later waves. Here's a closer look at everything on the way:PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium Games for July 2026
  Rise of the Ronin (PS5) -- July 15Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (PS5) -- July 21Firefighting
  
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• Marathon Game Director Leaves Bungie At A Tumultuous Time

  17-07-2026 21:31 via gamespot.com
  
  Marathon game director Joe Ziegler has announced that he's leaving Bungie for a new job, and his departure comes at a tumultuous time for the studio.Ziegler said in a note that taking over for him as game director on Marathon will be Del Chafe III, who was previously the assistant game director. Chafe III will work alongside creative director Julia Nardin to "guide the game forward."
  "Both of them have been operating in a strong leadership capacity for the team and are ready to guide Marathon in
  
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• Zero Parades Dev Announces Layoffs Despite Game’s Critical Acclaim

  17-07-2026 20:33 via gamespot.com
  
  Another day, another layoff announcement. This time it comes from Zero Parades: For Dead Spies developer ZA/UM, which said on social media that despite the game's critical acclaim, the studio can't sustain the size of its team.ZA/UM took to Bluesky on July 17 to share the unfortunate news. The team said that although Zero Parades reviewed well, "its commercial performance" made it difficult for the studio to maintain its current employee count. As a result, the company has "served redundancy or
  
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• Todd Howard Addresses “Fan Chatter” About Bethesda-Obsidian Rivalry Conspiracies

  17-07-2026 20:30 via gamespot.com
  
  Bethesda boss Todd Howard has addressed rumors of a rivalry between Bethesda Game Studios and Obsidian, saying the online discourse does not reflect reality.He told Windows Central, "I appreciate some of the fan chatter, but behind the scenes, there's a huge amount of mutual respect [between Bethesda and Obsidian]."Obsidian developed 2010's Fallout: New Vegas, which was a much-loved entry in the series. The studio is now working on a new Fallout game, though we still don't know exactly what it i
  
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• Saudi Arabia’s EA Takeover Reportedly Set To Clear EU Hurdle

  17-07-2026 19:59 via gamespot.com
  
  After announcing its $55 billion acquisition of EA in September 2025, the European Union is reportedly set to approve Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) purchase at the end of July, according to new reporting from Reuters.As Reuters reported on July 17, people familiar with the deal said Saudi Arabia's PIF will secure the EU's approval under EU subsidy rules. This means that, after the EU completes its preliminary review under its Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) on July 22, the
  
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• Diablo 4 Season 14’s Worst Mythic Change Is No More: “Not Every Idea Lands”

  17-07-2026 19:55 via gamespot.com
  
  Diablo 4 Season 14's most controversial change, only being able to equip one crafted-Mythic item at a time, is now a thing of the past.In a surprise patch on July 16 for PC (and coming sometime on July 17 for console players), Blizzard opted to remove the one equipped crafted-Mythic restriction introduced as part of Season of Death Awakening, as well as increase Mythic and Iconic Mythic drop rates from the new seasonal Lair Boss.Blizzard announced the season's other most controversial addition,
  
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• This PC Gamer Is Making His Own Physical Steam Games, One Expensive Cartridge At A Time

  17-07-2026 19:27 via gamespot.com
  
  Physical PC games have been out of fashion for many years, thanks to the rise of digital distribution platforms like Steam. While big PC game boxes containing CD and DVD-ROMs have essentially died out, one modder has decided to bring back game cartridges to their Steam library, blending solid-state drives with Steam's flexible desktop client.Over on the PC Master Gaming Race subreddit, Jibril-sama detailed their plug-and-play approach to playing Steam games. They'd recently purchased a stack of
  
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• Bethesda Boss Talks Elder Scrolls 6, Fallout 5, Xbox Layoffs, And More

  17-07-2026 19:01 via gamespot.com
  
  Todd Howard, the top man at Bethesda Game Studios (BGS), has finally broken his silence on just about everything Bethesda. This includes news on Fallout games (like Fallout 3, Fallout 5, and Fallout: New Vegas), confirmation of Obsidian Entertainment's Fallout spin-off (which we kinda already knew), updates on Starfield and The Elder Scrolls 6, and more.
  https://twitter.com/BethesdaStudios/status/2078117386935214101
  There's a lot to get into, so let's jump in.What's up with The Elder Scrolls 6 a
  
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• Final Fantasy Resonance Trailer Imagines A World Without Final Fantasy 7 Changing Everything

  17-07-2026 18:08 via gamespot.com
  
  Final Fantasy games have been rendered in 3D engines for far longer than they have in 2D, but the new trailer for Final Fantasy: Resonance wants you to imagine a world where Square Enix's risky 1997 gambit never happened. What would Final Fantasy look like if it stuck to its 2D pixel-art guns? We'd probably have gotten the HD-2D aesthetic a lot sooner, but regardless, this reimagining of the mobile gacha game Fantasy Brave Exvius continues to look stunning:
  https://youtu.be/ftCvnEE6rfI
  While the
  
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• Starfield Remains “Important” To Bethesda, New Content Coming In 2027

  17-07-2026 18:03 via gamespot.com
  
  As part of Bethesda's big announcements today about its future and what's coming next, the company also gave an update on Starfield. In its statement, Bethesda said, "Starfield remains an important part of our future."Starfield released in September 2023, so the game is now going into its third year. Bethesda said it will continue to expand the game with "new stories, targeted gameplay improvements, and additional updates." There will be "new Starborn content" coming to the game in 2027, Bethesd
  
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• Physical Games Are “Irrelevant” To GameStop’s Business, Says CEO

  17-07-2026 17:19 via gamespot.com
  In a games industry that is increasingly shifting to digital, amplified by PlayStation phasing out physical game discs starting in 2028, where does a brick-and-mortar chain like GameStop fit into this future? GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen appears to have no concern for this monumental shift whatsoever.When asked by Bloomberg about how Sony's digital policy would affect GameStop's business, Cohen responded: "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all."
  While his answer appears flippant and preposterou
  
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• Todd Howard Says Fallout’s Future Is Bigger Than The Long Wait For Fallout 5

  17-07-2026 16:54 via gamespot.com
  
  The post-apocalyptic world of Fallout expanded a few years ago with the release of a TV series on Prime Video, but anyone expecting a new Fallout game to release in time with the show was out of luck. Two seasons have already aired--and a third is on the way--but the gap between new Fallout video games continues to widen. Bethesda Game Studios boss Todd Howard has a different viewpoint on the MIA status of the games, and as he explained to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier on his YouTu
  
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• NHL 27 Brings Back A Fan-Favorite Mode Not Seen In Years, But It’s Not What It Seems

  17-07-2026 16:28 via gamespot.com
  
  EA Sports has officially announced NHL 27, with 20-year-old Macklin Celebrini gracing the cover. The new entry in the pro ice hockey series includes all the stuff fans would expect, including better graphics, rebuilt team playbooks, and updated camera work, but there were also a few reveals fans might not have seen coming.
  One of the marquee new additions to NHL 27 is Connected Franchise, a feature fans have requested for years. It hasn't been in an NHL game since 2013's NHL 14. People were init
  
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• Fallout 5 Is Really Happening, Along With Fallout 3 And Fallout: New Vegas Remasters

  17-07-2026 16:15 via gamespot.com
  
  In a statement today, Bethesda re-confirmed that Fallout 5 is in the works, along with remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas. These projects are in the works alongside Obsidian's new Fallout game, so there are a lot of Fallout games coming."Fallout is one of our biggest priorities today. Fallout 5 remains our long-range destination, and we have multiple Fallout projects in active development right now," the developer said. "We also know many players want to revisit previous Fallout exper
  
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• Netflix Says Part Of Its Games Business Is Up 600%, But It’s Still Early Days

  17-07-2026 15:07 via gamespot.com
  
  As part of Netflix's latest earnings report, the streamer gave an update on its growing video game efforts, which include cloud-based TV games and mobile games. In short, the business is growing and showing positive signs, but it's still early days.
  June 2026 saw the release of Netflix's two "most successful" launches ever for cloud games on TV with FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition and the horror game Unhinged, though Netflix did not share any specific datapoints about them.
  The Netflix Playground
  
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• A24 Is Reportedly Copyright-Striking Backrooms Content It Doesn’t Own

  17-07-2026 14:55 via gamespot.com
  
  Creators of Backrooms-inspired liminal horror have been exposed to something far more terrifying than creepypasta fiction: takedown notices from their work. Users online are reporting that copyright claims have been issued against them by "A24 Films LLC," the production company behind one of this year's biggest movies.On the r/backrooms subreddit, user GnarlyNet detailed their experience, saying that their Backrooms-inspired artwork received a copyright strike on the com
  
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• Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Dev Is Tired Of People Calling Gunny An AI Chatbot

  17-07-2026 12:38 via gamespot.com
  
  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 lead studio Infinity Ward has addressed claims that the game features an AI assistant. After retired Call of Duty leaker TheGhostOfHope labeled the Gunsmith assistant "Gunny" as an AI chatbot, Infinity Ward responded by saying that the virtual helper is a "hand-crafted" creation by the studio."Wrong (again.) Gunny is hand-crafted by our developers, not AI. It recommends builds based on the attachments you've unlocked for each weapon. It helps make quick loadout cha
  
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• Matt Damon Is In Fortnite Now, But He Was Almost In His Own Game Way Earlier

  16-07-2026 21:24 via gamespot.com
  
  This week, Fortnite is adding multiple skins based on Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey film, including one of Matt Damon as Odysseus. While this is the first time the actor's likeness has been in a video game, that was nearly not the case. Way back in 2008, a little game called The Bourne Conspiracy released, and the plan was originally for Damon to reprise his role of Jason Bourne for the project.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Nb97lgpung
  We heard rumors over the years, but it was a 2021 interv
  
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• Luigi Replaces Mario Due To Immigration Issue

  16-07-2026 20:52 via gamespot.com
  
  French metal band Gojira has confirmed that its drummer, Mario Duplantier, will not be able to perform on some upcoming shows, and he's being temporarily replaced by Luigi Paraventi. That's right, Luigi is stepping in for Mario.In its announcement, Gojira played up the gaming angle, writing, "Player 2 has entered game. RESPECT!" The band also included an image of Mario and Luigi from the Mushroom Kingdom in its post.Gojira's US tour kicks off today, July 16, at Rock Fest in Wisconsin, continuing
  
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• New Street Fighter 6 Fragrances Let Your Room Smell Like Juri’s Feet

  16-07-2026 20:44 via gamespot.com
  
  There's a new Street Fighter 6 collaboration about to drop in mid-October that comes with three scents inspired by the "signature moves" of three brawlers from Capcom's fighting game, which, of course, includes Juri--in case you wanted your room to smell like her.The Japanese fragrance company CODE Meee revealed on July 16 that it will produce three scents through its perfume brand Gaming Fragrance based on three Street Fighter 6 characters: Ingrid, Ed, and Juri. All three fragrance oils are uni
  
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• Battlefield 6 Is Getting A Feature Not Seen In 21 Years And A Top Gun Crossover

  16-07-2026 20:30 via gamespot.com
  
  Battlefield 6's next big update, 1.4.1.0, is launching on July 21, introducing Season 4 : Pacific Front and a naval warfare system. The update also brings back a feature that Battlefield hasn't had since 2005's Battlefield 2, and it looks like a Top Gun crossover is coming as well.The old feature that's coming back is two-seater, fixed-wing jets. No Battlefield game since Battlefield 2 has had those, according to Eurogamer, but they are finally coming back, or at least that's what fans are surmi
  
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• 007 First Light Almost Turned James Bond Into “Mr. Gadget”

  16-07-2026 19:47 via gamespot.com
  
  007 First Light strikes a key balance between keeping James Bond grounded while also placing him in believably outlandish sequences, but for longtime fans of the franchise, the lack of any over-the-top gadgets was sorely missed in the game. That's not to say that developer IO Interactive didn't consider giving Bond some extra black ops hardware during the development of the game, but these gadgets were cut back so that Bond's arsenal would more accurately reflect the world he was living in--whic
  
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• Halo TV Show Director Comes Aboard Odysseus TV Show As Nolan’s The Odyssey Hits Theaters

  16-07-2026 19:16 via gamespot.com
  
  Amidst the hype around Christopher Nolan's new movie The Odyssey, a new TV show called Odysseus has been announced, with a Halo TV show director on board. Karl Gajdusek (Stranger Things) is the showrunner for Odysseus, while Roel Reiné, who directed episodes of the Halo TV show, is directing. The pilot was written by Sean Finegan, Scott Windhauser, Noah Lang, and Blake Hoss, according to Deadline, which broke the news.Odysseus is described as "visceral and muscular," featuring blood, ship
  
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• Skate Adds Its Biggest Event Yet: The Legendary X Games

  16-07-2026 19:15 via gamespot.com
  
  With Skate's fourth season approaching its midway point, developer Full Circle is pulling out all the stops for what's sure to be the skateboarding sim's biggest event thus far: bringing the iconic X Games to the shreddable world of San Vansterdam.In a lengthy July 16 post on the game's Steam store page, Full Circle revealed that The Stadium--Skate's major dynamic location that dropped alongside Season 4--will get "transformed into the home of [the] X Games." It'll feature spots familiar to thos
  
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• New Netflix Game Brings Together The Streamer’s Most Popular Shows

  16-07-2026 18:27 via gamespot.com
  
  Netflix has announced its latest video game, and it brings together a number of the streaming giant's popular franchises into a crossover minigolf experience.Netflix Minigolf, as it's called, is a couch co-op party game releasing on July 28 for all subscribers. The game combines elements of minigolf and pinball, with its 60+ levels taking place in settings from Netflix shows like Stranger Things, Bridgerton, and Squid Game (via Variety). It's developed by Next Games, which is one of multiple gam
  
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• Steam Malware Allegedly Helped Florida Man Steal Over $220,000 In Crypto

  16-07-2026 17:07 via gamespot.com
  
  Federal law enforcement has unmasked and arrested a 21-year-old Floridian who allegedly played a part in smuggling hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims' wallets by installing crypto-stealing malware into Steam games, according to a new report.As reported by Decrypt (via Yahoo News), Zyaire Dontaevious Zamarion Wilkins was arrested on July 14 and charged with conspiracy to obtain information by computer for private financial gain. The games Wilkins reportedly used included BlockBlasters,
  
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• Call Of Duty: MW4 Features A Car Created By Iconic Brand That Looks Like A Halo Warthog With A Roof

  16-07-2026 17:01 via gamespot.com
  
  Activision and iconic car company Aston Martin have teamed up to bring an all-new car to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.
  The Aston Martin Dreadnought was designed exclusively for Modern Warfare 4, and it looks pretty slick. The SUV is described as an "uncompromising and deliberately extreme creation" featuring Aston Martin's "high-performance, luxury DNA."https://twitter.com/CallofDuty/status/2077760024122634529
  The name Dreadnought is inspired by the famous British warship, HMS Dreadnought. The
  
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• Former Rockstar Dev Explains GTA 6’s Console-First Approach

  16-07-2026 16:49 via gamespot.com
  
  GTA 6 is shaping up to be the hottest console game launch of the year, but PC gamers won't be sharing in that fun. This is par for the course with developer Rockstar Games, as it has typically prioritized console versions of its games before porting them to PC, a strategy that one former employee says will result in a better port.Former Rockstar Games producer John Ricchio explained to KiwiTalkz that while Rockstar had experimented with developing its games for PC, this ultimately caused pr
  
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• These Fortnite Swimsuit Skins Better Not Awaken Anything In Me

  16-07-2026 16:36 via gamespot.com
  
  Fortnite is never without its summer event, but this year's sunny celebration has a special focus: DC Comics. Hot Bat Summer is the official name of the weeks-long event, which runs for five weeks starting on July 16. It includes a new Batman Sprite, the return of the grapnel gun, new Shiny Hours, and lots of free cosmetics. Perhaps the highlight, however, is the foursome of new swimsuit skins for the DC Comics lineup. Mirroring Marvel Rivals' penchant for nearly naked superheroes and villa
  
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• Hasbro Announces Partnership With Nintendo For Zelda Toys, First Will Be Revealed Soon

  16-07-2026 16:27 via gamespot.com
  
  Hasbro has announced a multiyear licensing partnership with Nintendo to create products based on The Legend of Zelda franchise. The deal kicks off in 2027, but you won't have to wait that long to see what Hasbro is cooking up.
  Hasbro will reveal three six-inch-scale figures at San Diego Comic Con this month. Hasbro has not revealed any images or details about these, however.
  The 2027 timing for the deal, and the tie-in with Comic-Con, is leading some to believe that Hasbro's toyline will be focu
  
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