Games news

• Comparing Games Like Halloween To Dead By Daylight Doesn’t Make Sense, Illfonic Says

  21-09-2026 21:30 via gamespot.com
  
  Halloween is the latest in a long line of asymmetrical multiplayer horror games to release over the past decade, and like all the others, it's faced lots of comparisons to Dead by Daylight (DBD), the decade-long leader in the genre. It's an "easy" comparison to draw, Illfonic chief creative officer Jared Gerritzen said, but ultimately it's inherently flawed."It's literally cricket versus baseball. It's so easy to see an image of cricket and say it's exactly like baseball; it's like, really, is i
  
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• More than half of Steam's top 10 best-rated 2026 releases are early access graduates

  22-09-2026 21:23 via gamesradar.com
  
  Some players might be cynical about the whole early access process here in 2026, but it's still produced some of the best games in recent memory. Case in point? Just look at the top Steam releases for 2026, where six of the top 10 games are early access escapees that finally got their 1.0 update.That's according to Steam250, which shows Palworld and Valheim as the year's top-rated new releases following each game's respective 1.0 launches. Other 1.0 launches in the top 10 include shopkeeping gam
  
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• WoW: Forever Aspires To Have A “Mandela Effect” On Players

  22-09-2026 20:53 via gamespot.com
  
  World of Warcraft: Forever is reinventing the classic version of Azeroth with all kinds of new content, and if Blizzard does its job, players won't be able to tell the difference between what's old and what's new. Announced during BlizzCon 2026, Forever introduces four new zones to Azeroth: the Riverglades, Mount Hjyal, Shen'dralas, and Zephras Isle. In an interview with GameSpot, WoW: Forever senior art director Jeff Parrott and senior game designer Josh Greenfield elaborated on how Blizza
  
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• After Microsoft's latest bloodbath, former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra offers "props to Xbox"

  22-09-2026 20:08 via gamesradar.com
  
  Uncertainty circles Halo after a major shakeup at Microsoft that has seen hundreds more Xbox employees laid off, including many developers at Halo Studios, and the Halo IP moved to Activision. Former Blizzard president Mike Ybarra, at least, seems thrilled by this, calling the move "the best news in a decade plus" for fans of Xbox's most recognizable series. Ybarra shared a post highlighting key details from the latest chapter of the ongoing Xbox reset. That post, from game news hound Shinobi602
  
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• What Is Xbox Game Studios At This Point?

  22-09-2026 20:04 via gamespot.com
  
  The organizational structure of Xbox has long been complex and unwieldy, and that hasn't changed after the latest wave of changes and layoffs as part of Xbox's "reset." But Microsoft's latest reshuffling of its studios and workforce does prompt the question of what the "Xbox Game Studios" brand even is now, with apparently only four studios left under that banner.The Xbox division (formerly named Microsoft Gaming) consists of Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda parent company ZeniMax Media, and Activisi
  
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• Halo Studios didn't get to launch even one original title before Xbox decided to let Activision try

  22-09-2026 19:56 via gamesradar.com
  
  Halo Studios lived a short, utilitarian life – Microsoft used it to create the perfectly serviceable Halo: Campaign Evolved remake, and now the studio is effectively retired after 268 layoffs impacting it and other first-party Xbox developers. But it never had the opportunity to be anything more interesting. Thus is the plight of Western gaming. Big corporations keep being impatient for results, so they move straight to relentless "restructuring." That's what's happened here – Halo:
  
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• Xbox Layoffs Are Not Done Yet

  22-09-2026 19:47 via gamespot.com
  
  Microsoft's "reset" of the Xbox business entered its next chapter this week with the announcement of 268 more layoffs, along with other drastic organizational and operational changes for the gaming giant.
  As part of the announcement, Xbox boss Matt Booty said this latest wave of restructuring, combined with the changes completed in July, brings the company up to "roughly three-quarters of the way through" the planned changes.
  In essence, he’s saying that the Xbox “reset” effort
  
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• WoW: Forever Doesn’t Let Shamans Or Warlocks Tank, But That Could Change

  22-09-2026 19:34 via gamespot.com
  
  World of Warcraft: Forever is bringing big changes to the WoW Classic sandbox, but don't expect to see Shamans or Warlocks tanking, at least at launch.New roles for classes, like the above-mentioned tanks, as well as Rogue tank and Mage healer, were something Blizzard experimented with in WoW: Classic Season of Discovery. It certainly helped solve the game's tank shortage problem, with more classes than ever before able to taunt enemies and effectively hold aggro.In an interview with GameSpot, W
  
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• Pragmata Is A Dad Game Dead Space, And It’s A Must-Play That’s Now Cheaper Than Ever

  22-09-2026 19:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Pragmata has a bit of a storied development history. It was delayed indefinitely, went missing from multiple showcases, before coming to life once again and eventually being released this year. The reveal was bizarre, the idea looked strange, and yet Capcom continues on an unstoppable roll, making hit after hit, and Pragmata was—thankfully—one of them. With a unique twist on the third-person shooter genre and an interesting take on the ‘dad game’ subgenre, Pragmata is one
  
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• Control Story So Far

  22-09-2026 19:00 via gamespot.com
  
  If you’re planning to jump into Control Resonant and want a refresher of the first game’s story, we’ve got you covered. Here is the story so far in Control. Get ready for a lot of proper nouns.
  
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• Lego Dragon Ball set officially teased, and clues suggest it could feature Shenron

  22-09-2026 18:55 via gamesradar.com
  
  A Lego Dragon Ball kit is officially on the way, but this doesn't seem to be a playset for kids; judging by the teaser, it's a full-on collector display piece.Revealed in a teaser that shows a lone Lego Dragon Ball rolling toward the other six before glowing with blinding light, the caption reads "Ready to make a wish?" The video then ends with Lego's "Adults welcome" tagline, which would strongly suggest this is a for-adults display model like Lego Pikachu and Poke Ball or the playable Donkey K
  
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• Adidas just dropped an entire Pokémon collection hitting everyone from Pikachu to Charmander

  22-09-2026 18:42 via gamesradar.com
  
  Adidas's limited edition Pokémon collection has hit the wilds, and with low and mid Superstar IIs and Control 5s taking center stage. The full roster comprises six adult designs mainly concentrated around the low Superstar shape, with additional kids options throwing some good old fashioned Sambas into the mix as well. The best part? At the time of writing everything's still in stock at Adidas's own site. There's a good selection of sneakers and apparel up for grabs here, but the highligh
  
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• Stellar Blade devs only had enough money to survive "for about 3 months" at one point

  22-09-2026 18:36 via gamesradar.com
  
  As we get closer to the release of Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, it's been revealed the series was almost a complete non-starter. Developer Shift Up struggled to gather enough investment to ship the first action game, with the company's boss saying the financial runway got perilously short at one point.Speaking to Inven, as translated by Automaton, Hyung-Tae Kim, CEO of Shift Up, talks about the timeline for the first installment. Essentially, investors and publishers believed the project was too b
  
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• New "Overwhelmingly Positive" Steam hit and dressmaking sim overtakes Diablo 4 on top sellers chart

  22-09-2026 18:29 via gamesradar.com
  
  Of all the surprise new games to top Steam's charts this year so far, Dressmaker might just be one of the most mind-boggling – but I'm so here for it.If you haven't spotted it on your storefront home just yet, Dressmaker is a cozy new indie sim that does exactly what it sounds like it does: places you in the shoes of a dressmaker running a busy little boutique.
  As developer Cozy Lives describes it on the wholesome game's official Steam page, you get to "choose fabric, cut out patterns, and
  
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• Activision lost a bidding war to acquire Rare over 20 years ago, and now it's overseeing the studio

  22-09-2026 18:25 via gamesradar.com
  
  Xbox's new reshuffle has seen Rare moved under Activision, 24 years after Xbox outbid the publisher for the studio.Rare has mostly been seen as one of the biggest drop offs in games. While the studio's Sea of Thieves is seemingly super successful, it was one of the powerhouse developers of the 1990s only to flounder throughout the 2000s and 2010s; the big shift being when Rare was purchased by Microsoft. While the studio did release some great games during this era like the Viva Pinata duology a
  
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• Hero x Hero codes (September 2026) and how to redeem them for free Chips, cosmetics, and more

  22-09-2026 18:02 via gamesradar.com
  
  Hero x Hero codes will provide you with a helping hand if you're trying out this VR experience in Early Access, as it can be tough stepping into the virtual shoes of a Super Hero. As you smash your way across the city fighting demon mobs and huge bosses, you'll unlock fresh abilities as you become more powerful and gather unique Hero Souls so you can transform into different characters. To get the lowdown on this, here are the current Hero x Hero VR gift codes and how to redeem them.All Hero x H
  
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• Rayman Legends Retold Feels Like A Remake That Didn’t Need To Happen

  22-09-2026 18:00 via gamespot.com
  
  I've felt off about Rayman Legends Retold since its announcement. It's a remake of Rayman Legends, the best game in the platforming series, but the original game still holds up surprisingly well 13 years later. I can't help but compare Retold to Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced--another remake of a 13-year-old Ubisoft title--in that neither feel necessary. And having now played Retold for just under three hours, that feeling isn't going away. Retold feels like an excellent framework for what
  
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• Rayman Legends Retold – 10 Minutes of New Gameplay

  22-09-2026 18:00 via gamespot.com
  
  Check out new gameplay from Ubisoft's Rayman Legends Retold remake featuring levels from The Land of the Livid Dead realm.
  
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• What is the pharmacy locker code in Silent Hill Townfall?

  22-09-2026 17:59 via gamesradar.com
  
  The Silent Hill pharmacy locker code is your first real puzzle, requiring you decode a strange video you can pick up inside the building to then work out the combination. While you'll previously have needed to find the house on your TV in Townfall thanks to some location images, this new footage shows some initially confusing things that don't make a huge amount of sense at a first glance. Don't worry though, because everything you need is right there once you know where to look. How to get the
  
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• Helldivers 2 disables the DSS buff that's been a team-killing monster for months

  22-09-2026 17:57 via gamesradar.com
  
  Sacrifices must be made in the name of democracy – but occasionally even Super Earth must admit to carelessness. A DSS buff in Helldivers 2 that was causing more friendly fire than it's worth has been turned off for the time-being, allowing developer Arrowhead Game Studios to give it a good old rework.The announcement was made on social media, in typical fashion. "Attention, Helldivers," starts the post. "High Command has made the decision to deactivate the DSS Eagle Storm due to an unquan
  
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• A Star Wars fan might have figured out a way the Emperor's return in The Rise of Skywalker makes total sense

  22-09-2026 17:53 via gamesradar.com
  
  One Star Wars fan might have figured out a way the Emperor's return in The Rise of Skywalker actually makes total sense with Return of the Jedi – though, not everyone seems convinced. "Do you think Palpatine was on the Death Star ready to 'die' since he was sure he could be brought back on Exegol? He wanted Luke to kill him and turn to the dark side?" they question on Reddit. Do you think Palaptine was on the Death Star ready to "die" since he was sure he could be brought back on Exegol? H
  
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• Acer's CEO says it's "impossible" for the memory shortage to last until 2030

  22-09-2026 17:49 via gamesradar.com
  
  Acer's CEO Jason Chen has shared his perspective on the ongoing memory crisis, and it'll probably fly in the face of everything you've heard about it so far. Despite all the projections and publicly known manufacturing contracts between the biggest RAM producers and AI companies, Acer's chairman believes things are looking up. "It's impossible for the shortage to last until 2030!" he told Economic Daily. Granted, this is translated from his native Chinese, so a less bombastic version of what he
  
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• Obsidian’s New Fallout Game Is Still Coming, As The Studio Moves Under Bethesda’s Umbrella

  22-09-2026 17:45 via gamespot.com
  
  As Xbox continues its reset and lays off nearly 300 staff, the company announced that some of its subsidiaries have been shaken up as well. This includes Obsidian Entertainment, which will now operate under Bethesda Softworks.On September 22, Xbox chief content officer and executive vice president Matt Booty posted on Xbox's website, outlining a new structure that sees the Bethesda business unit now include Obsidian."Bethesda will expand its remit to include Obsidian, which will continue its cur
  
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• Meet the Lord of the Rings RPG that smashed its crowdfunding goals by 10 times in a single hour

  22-09-2026 17:42 via gamesradar.com
  
  A Lord of the Rings RPG just launched a crowdfunding campaign for its rules revamp, and it's already flown past 12 times its goal with the speed of an airborne Nazgûl. Actually, judging by how fast that number keeps ticking up, I suspect it'll be significantly more when you read this.Developed by Free League, The One Ring is a tabletop roleplaying game like D&D set between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. This beginner-friendly update is essentially a new edition, but the overhaul
  
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• Modding GTA 6 sounds illegal in Rockstar's guidelines, but that's never stopped modders before

  22-09-2026 17:38 via gamesradar.com
  
  PATCH NOTES v09.22.2026 – GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games reiterated its modding guidelines and new monetization policy in the run up to the new Grand Theft Auto, further complicating its relationship with custom and user-generated content. This comes three years after Rockstar purchased the studio behind one of the most successful GTA 5 multiplayer mod frameworks, FiveM, after having first sought to shut the project down completely.It felt like a win back then, but as GTA 6 looms on the ho
  
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• Sonic boss sees the franchise "like my own son" since the hedgehog is technically older than his human children

  22-09-2026 17:30 via gamesradar.com
  
  Sonic Team boss Takashi Iizuka is reflecting on the franchise as it reaches 35 years old, saying Sonic himself is like a child to him.Speaking to One More Game, Iizuka says that the franchise's journey has been a very personal one for him, having been a part of it since 1992's Sonic 2, which he did debugging work on before becoming an integral part of the franchise from then onwards. "It has been 35 years," Iizuka begins, acknowledging that means Sonic has been around longer than even his own ch
  
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• Xbox’s Forza Studios Have Been Tag-Teaming For Years. Now They’re Becoming One

  22-09-2026 17:25 via gamespot.com
  
  Big changes are afoot at Microsoft, as the company announced a massive reorganization of its Xbox gaming division. While Activision and Bethesda will expand their remit, adding several studios to their portfolio, Forza series developers Playground and Turn 10 won't be included in the consolidation. Instead, the two developers are joining forces, merging into one developer after years of tag-teaming on games like Forza Horizon and Fable."These two studios have been creative and franchise par
  
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• Bloodborne’s JackSepticEye Says He’s A “Vibe-Checker” For The Movie

  22-09-2026 17:20 via gamespot.com
  
  When the R-rated Bloodborne movie was officially announced with YouTuber Seán McLoughlin AKA JackSepticEye signed on as a producer, many wondered what, exactly, his involvement might be. Now, we have a better idea.
  Appearing on 100 Questions with Tom Simons (via GamesRadar), McLoughlin said you can think of his role as a producer as a "vibe-checker" for the movie. In essence, McLoughlin said that when he's on calls with stakeholders discussing key elements of the "vetting process" and hir
  
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• State Of Decay 3 Lives On, And Is Still Coming To Game Pass

  22-09-2026 17:15 via gamespot.com
  
  In the wake of the latest round of reshuffles and retrenchments, Microsoft has confirmed that State of Decay 3 developer, Undead Labs, has reached an agreement with a new publisher that will keep the game alive.Undead Labs will now continue working on State of Decay 3, with Microsoft confirming that the game will still launch on Xbox Game Pass day-one when its ready. The studio confirmed the news in an announcement of its own, confirming that it is now a completely "independent, employee-owned g
  
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• Gabe Newell once spent months throat singing in the Valve office, Counter-Strike co-creator says

  22-09-2026 17:13 via gamesradar.com
  
  Valve lead Gabe Newell is nothing if not an eccentric billionaire, much to fans' amusement – so eccentric, in fact, that he apparently went through a… throat singing phase?Yes, you read that correctly. Counter-Strike co-creator Minh "Gooseman" Le recalls as much in a new interview with Indie Game Joe over on YouTube (below), explaining how Newell would bring his interests to the office – whether or not his coworkers approved – starting with Mongolian throat singing.
  "He
  
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