Games news

• Stripped-Back Shooter Empulse Could Be The Titanfall Successor We’ve Been Waiting For

  08-07-2026 22:23 via gamespot.com
  
  I'm always on the lookout for new first-person shooters to sink my teeth into. For a long time, Destiny 2 was my predominant shooter of choice. I'm not the biggest fan of extraction shooters or battle royales, of which Destiny 2 is neither. But I mainly stuck with it because it combined Bungie's best-in-class gunplay with individual slices of single-player, cooperative, and competitive action. There aren't any other first-person shooters mixing these same ingredients together, but some at least
  
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• Microsoft, Please Don’t Ruin Minecraft

  08-07-2026 21:39 via gamespot.com
  
  The long-dreaded time has come and Microsoft has begun to aggressively shift its Xbox plans, instituting heavy cuts across many of its studios--with more cuts to come over the next year--and various studio closures. One studio that appears to have emerged relatively unscathed is Mojang, makers of Minecraft. But underneath this illusion of safety are signs that Microsoft wants to use Minecraft to turn on the money spigot, which could mean worrying things for the beloved classic. This "reset"
  
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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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• Save Up To 95% On Lego Games In Green Man Gaming’s Big Sale

  08-07-2026 20:16 via gamespot.com
  
  Whether you've never experienced a Lego game or are overdue for a dose of childlike joy, you can grab some great Lego games in Green Man Gaming's Lego at the Movies bundle, which has options for as little as a dollar. The sale runs through July 21, and best of all, purchases support Breakthrough T1D, a research and advocacy organization dedicated to type 1 diabetes.
  See at Green Man Gaming
  The Lego at the Movies bundle includes Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Galactic Edition, Lego Star Wars:
  
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• The Viture Beast XR Glasses Made Me Question Whether I Need A TV For Gaming

  08-07-2026 19:08 via gamespot.com
  
  It has never been easier to take your gaming with you, thanks to options like the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, or your smartphone. The downside to a portable gaming setup mostly comes down to the screen, as it can be harder to parse what you're seeing on a seven-inch LCD when compared to the much larger TV in your room. Extended Reality (XR) glasses have been presented as a solution, but early attempts at creating wearable screens were clunky and headache-inducing to wear for long periods. Fortu
  
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• Subnautica 2 Update Now Lets You Stun Those Aggressive Fish

  08-07-2026 18:59 via gamespot.com
  
  Subnautica 2's Adaptive Measures update is live, bringing quality-of-life changes and a much-needed way to defend against the world's aggressive fish. The patch notes reveal the addition of new Biolab locations, improved the wreckage exploration, and a way to finally fight back against those angry fish biting at your limbs.Since launch, developer Unknown Worlds has emphasized Subnautica is not about combat, but players have still been asking for a way to fight back against the aggressive fish at
  
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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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• Build Your Own Criterion Closet With Up To 50% Off Blu-Rays And Box Sets

  08-07-2026 18:04 via gamespot.com
  
  Many movie collectors have opted to go digital these days, but considering that films are periodically removed from streaming services, others prefer to maintain a physical collection. If you're a Criterion fan in that boat, we have excellent news for you. Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble are having monster sales on Criterion 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD collections with discounts as high as 50%. It runs through July 26 and includes new releases and preorders too, so you can even get a great deal
  
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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 Team Might Have Shed Some Light On Why The Sims Ditched Its Open World

  08-07-2026 17:30 via gamespot.com
  
  The Sims 4 juggled multiple ideas during development, but one idea from its predecessor that was eventually scrapped was the idea of an open-world city for players to explore. Instead, The Sims 4 offered smaller, instanced neighborhoods that were separated by loading screens, something that many fans considered to be a major step back from what The Sims 3 had achieved.So what was the reason for these smaller locales? The Sims 3 was notorious for how it pushed PCs to the edge with its demanding g
  
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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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• The Sims’ Biggest Competitor Is Ignoring All Of The AAA Rules Of Game Dev, And That’s Why It’s Already A Huge Success

  08-07-2026 17:25 via gamespot.com
  For the past 25 years, The Sims has reigned supreme over the life-sim genre and for good reason. Maxis' groundbreaking title revolutionized what the genre could be, introduced players to a level of immersion never before seen, and subsequently, inspired developers to create boundary-pushing life-sims of their own. Yet despite wave after wave of new, innovative life-sims hitting the scene--and growing discontent from Sims players--The Sims has remained relatively uncontested; precious few titles
  
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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 n
  
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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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• 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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• Where To Find Monkey And Cat Pets In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Are you eager to tame monkey and cat pets in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced? These cute critters can be found in certain locations in the Caribbean. Once you've obtained at least one, you can choose them as a mascot for your ship, the Jackdaw, where the creature will lounge next to you on the wheel.Cats and monkeys in Assassin's Creed Black Flag ResyncedAs of the time of this writing, we've found two of each type of pet in Assassin's Creed Black Flag:
  Soot the CatAlbert the MonkeyDark Anim
  
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• Where To Find Blackbeard’s Treasure In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Are you scratching your head about Blackbeard’s Treasure in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced? This is a new mission that’s exclusive to the remake, and it provides a rather fitting conclusion to the narrative arc involving the rather controversial Edward Thatch. We’ve got all the details for you right here in our guide. That said, please be reminded that this article contains spoilers.Blackbeard’s Treasure Map and Burn Blackbeard’s Beard in Assassin’
  
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• How To Complete All What If Rifts In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Are you curious about the Rifts in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced? Unlike the original, which also had a modern-day story, Resynced presents a different narrative arc. Think of these Rifts as “What If” scenarios, alternate outcomes that would’ve occurred had characters taken a new path in their lives. Of course, not everything is as it seems, so you still need to be wary. Our guide has all the info that you need, but be ready for a few spoilers, too. In This Article
  
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• Black Flag Resynced Is A Bad Remake Of Peak Assassin’s Creed

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  I've been conflicted about Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced since it was announced. The original 2013 pirate action-adventure is one of my favorite games ever, so my immediate reaction to hearing it was getting a remake for current-era consoles was excitement. In that very first announcement video, Ubisoft said that Resynced would not reinvent protagonist Edward Kenway's tale, but that there would be large changes to combat, parkour, stealth, and the structure of the overall story. And while
  
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• All Treasure Maps And Solutions In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Are you searching for all the Treasure Maps in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced? Each one points to a location of a Buried Chest somewhere in the Caribbean. The drawings show landmarks, though coordinates should provide some helpful hints. Our guide has all the details that you need to obtain various goodies while exploring. In This Article Treasure Maps and Map Piece RestorationNorthern Caribbean Treasure MapsTreasure Map (North) #1: Great InaguaTreasure Map (North) #2: Mariguana Isla
  
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• All Mayan Stelae Locations In Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced – Mayan Mysteries Guide

  08-07-2026 12:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Are you wondering about where to find all Mayan Stelae in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced? Much like the original, this task has you scrounging the Caribbean for ancient monoliths to obtain strange stones. Our guide has all the details that you need to find these locations.Mayan Mysteries guide - Where to find all Mayan Stelae and Mayan StonesThere are a total of 16 Mayan Stelae in Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced. Whenever you spot one of these pillars, climb on top of it a
  
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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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• Project Hail Mary Blasts Off On Blu-Ray This August

  08-07-2026 00:53 via gamespot.com
  
  Project Hail Mary Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)Currently sold out | Releases October 11Preorder at Amazon Project Hail Mary (4K Blu-ray)$28 (was $38) | Releases August 11Preorder at AmazonPreorder at WalmartProject Hail Mary (Standard Blu-ray)$25 (was $32) | Releases August 11Preorder at AmazonPreorder at WalmartProject Hail Mary (DVD)$26 | Releases August 11Preorder at AmazonPreorder at Walmart
  After crushing the box office back in March, Project Hail Mary is coming to Blu-ray this Aug
  
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