games news

• Why the Switch Is Nintendo’s Make-or-Break Console

  31-10-2016 19:54
  
  As a lifelong Nintendo fan – heck, Nintendo games are the reason I started gaming in the first place – I desperately wanted to be excited about the Nintendo Switch. After being thoroughly unfazed by the Wii U, I was delighted by the Switch’s impressive debut video, which showcased AAA-level software and a clear message about what the new machine is capable of. I’ll be preordering, and I hope it succeeds. That being said, I believe the Switch is the make-or-break console f
  
  Read more

• "The ultimate sign of respect": Path of Exile co-creator says Blizzard locking Diablo 2's base game updates to paid Warlock DLC isn't about "selling copies," it's "about preserving a museum piece"

  19-02-2026 21:49 via gamesradar.com
  
  Diablo 2 Resurrected stole the spotlight from little bro Diablo 4 last week with the surprise release of its Reign of the Warlock DLC, which adds the iconic ARPG's first new class in 25 years as well as some handy quality of life updates. The DLC costs $25, which is either a greed-driven atrocity or "the ultimate sign of respect," depending on how you look at it.As someone who's been playing Diablo 2 for 25 years, I fully understand the protective urge to tell modern-day Blizzard to keep its gru
  
  Read more

• Splinter Cell remake still happening, Ubisoft insists as it lays off 40 developers at the studio developing it

  19-02-2026 21:41 via gamesradar.com
  
  As Ubisoft continues to undergo the "major reset" the publisher's leadership announced last month, 40 developers at the company's Toronto studio have hit the chopping block. Ubisoft Toronto is the studio behind the long-promised Splinter Cell remake, and somehow, the company insists the project is still happening, even with all the layoffs."This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected," a Ubisoft spokespe
  
  Read more

• Slay the Spire 2 Steam early access release date set for March 5 as the king of roguelike deckbuilders returns to its throne

  19-02-2026 21:41 via gamesradar.com
  
  Following a delay, Slay the Spire 2 will now launch in Steam early access on Thursday, March 5.Developer Mega Crit games announced the exact release date, long penciled in for March 2026, in a new trailer released today. The lovely animated short shows off the new creatures, cards, classes, combos, co-op, and various other c-words coming in the long-awaited sequel, with a special animated shoutout to a returning class, the orb-loving Defect (and my beloved son).New stuff also including relics, p
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• God of War reboot actor Christopher Judge reiterates he has "zero involvement" with remake trilogy, teases "other projects" after fans convince themselves there's a Ragnarok sequel

  19-02-2026 21:27 via gamesradar.com
  
  Christoper Judge, the thunderous voice of Kratos in Santa Monica Studio's God of War soft reboot, is going to need everyone to calm down. Twitch streamer Fuzhpuzy just recorded him – seemingly, unwittingly – suggesting there would be a new God of War game alongside the upcoming remake trilogy, but now he's clarifying."Let me be crystal clear, I have zero involvement with the original games and what they involve," Judge writes in a February 19 Twitter post. "Full stop."Announced at la
  
  Read more

• Sony shuts down Demon's Souls remake dev Bluepoint after cancelling its God of War multiplayer project

  19-02-2026 20:33 via gamesradar.com
  
  Sony has shut down PlayStation subsidiary and Demon's Souls remake developer Bluepoint Games a little more than a year after the developer's live-service God of War project was canceled.A PlayStation spokesperson told Bloomberg that Bluepoint Games will be closing its doors in March "following a recent business review." The studio closure will leave around 70 developers without jobs."Bluepoint Games is an incredibly talented team and their technical expertise has delivered exceptional experience
  
  Read more

• After a year of bad reviews, Monster Hunter Wilds claws its way to 50% positive on Steam after a big performance patch finally moves the needle

  19-02-2026 20:03 via gamesradar.com
  
  Somebody had better check the thermostat in Hell because Monster Hunter Wilds is on the up on Steam. After a year of notoriously bad performance that led to equally dire user reviews, Monster Hunter Wilds has finally reached the promised land: 50% positive lifetime Steam reviews.Will Capcom be celebrating a "Mixed" Steam score of 50%? Possibly not. I don't think anybody truly aims for a 50. But with 188,162 reviews logged, it's hard to effect any kind of statistical change, yet the game's latest
  
  Read more

• 6 new movies and shows to watch this weekend on Netflix, Prime, Disney Plus, and more (February 20-22)

  19-02-2026 20:00 via gamesradar.com
  
  Our list of the best new movies and shows to watch on streaming this weekend is packed with exciting stories you won't want to miss, from spy adventures to erotic thrillers and fantasy epics. Here, we help you find your next watch in no time!Below, we've put together a list of 6 great new movies and shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Apple TV Plus, and Hulu, which are some of the best streaming services out there. This time around, we've included some titles that should
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• It looks like Arc Raiders is finally adding beards in the Shrouded Sky update, plus a hurricane map condition that eats your shield and sends your grenades flying

  19-02-2026 19:23 via gamesradar.com
  
  A new teaser for the Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky update sheds some light on what developer Embark Studios has in store for the next stage of the game's early 2026 roadmap. The sky looks unsurprisingly shrouded by storms, and what's more, your raider's face may be shrouded by a beard.Shrouded Sky is out Tuesday, February 24, and anticipation for the update has spiked following the beard reveal at the end of this teaser. Players have been asking for facial hair options in character customization ever
  
  Read more

• XCOM boss's new studio evidently shutting down without releasing a game: Jake Solomon shares AI-powered build of The Sims meets The Truman Show "before we close the doors"

  19-02-2026 18:39 via gamesradar.com
  
  Jake Solomon is strategy gaming royalty, having worked on numerous Firaxis classics before leading the beloved 2012 XCOM reboot at the studio. He left Firaxis in 2023 to co-found Midsummer Studios, but sadly it seems the company is shutting down before it could ship its first game: an AI-powered life sim that could be succinctly described as The Sims meets The Truman Show."We built a studio, we made a game, and I'm really proud of both," Solomon says on Twitter. "Before we close the doors at Mid
  
  Read more

• It was niche and nearly forgotten, but horror fans begged devs for a Fatal Frame 2 remake and got it: "Responding to those voices was the main reason behind this project"

  19-02-2026 18:39 via gamesradar.com
  
  The Fatal Frame games have kept an inexplicable hold on my general mood and psyche despite the fact that most of them received middling reviews at the time of their early 2000s releases and are impossible to play on modern consoles. I'm still perpetually haunted by every bit I've experienced of their faded worlds – I've paid real money for a hairdresser to trim my bangs "like Miu from Fatal Frame," I gravitate toward any cardigan as lacy as Madoka's – and I'm obviously not alone, or
  
  Read more

• Buzz, Woody, Jesse and the gang are in trouble as big tech invades the toy room in Toy Story 5

  19-02-2026 18:37 via gamesradar.com
  
  Get ready to enter nostalgia overdrive with the latest trailer for Toy Story 5, which is all about high-tech gadgets making toys expendable.With the toys bumping up against the very real threat of technology in a battle for children's attention, expect plenty of playtime, peril, and perhaps a tear or two. It is, after all, being described as a Jessie story. And that's always a good way to set an audience off.The first Toy Story 5 trailer confused fans thanks to reuniting Woody and Buzz, despite
  
  Read more

• "Very important findings": Much like Baldur's Gate 3, Larian knows you have been watching Divinity's "sexy times" on repeat

  19-02-2026 18:18 via gamesradar.com
  
  Much like with Baldur's Gate 3, hardened RPG fans are particularly infatuated with one very NSFW quality of Larian Studios' upcoming game, Divinity – its, uh, sex.The proof is in the pudding, as they say, and Larian publishing director Michael "Cromwelp" Douse has posted proof enough. With a screenshot of what appears to be the studio's private group chat, scenes from the Divinity trailer that YouTube marked as the most rewatched come to light – and yes, you guessed it.
  Those moments
  
  Read more

• Former Street Fighter and Mega Man producer spends $500,000 "per account" on his own game to "make sure the biggest spenders don't feel dissatisfied"

  19-02-2026 18:16 via gamesradar.com
  
  A former Capcom veteran who worked on classic games in the Street Fighter, Mega Man, The Legend of Zelda, and Resident Evil series, Yoshiki Okamoto, admits to spending "¥80 million" or approximately $500,000 "per account" on his own game, in order to get a better understanding of its "biggest spenders."In an interview that was originally aired on Fuji TV, before being reported on by Sponichi Annex (thanks, Automation), Okamoto justifies his outrageous spending habit on his own game, particul
  
  Read more

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons update ensures Timmy and Tommy never let you out of their sight again while Resetti can no longer clone your fences

  19-02-2026 18:15 via gamesradar.com
  
  A fresh Animal Crossing: New Horizons patch is here, bringing some bug fixes to Nintendo's coziest life sim in the aftermath of its recent 3.0 update and Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrade.Animal Crossing: New Horizons version 3.01 rolled out yesterday (thanks, The Gamer), with some fixes applying to both versions of the game while others are Switch 2 exclusive.
  I'm not sure who out there might have been trying to duplicate fences, but if that's you, I have some bad news: "Fixed an issue where, w
  
  Read more

• Avowed's new playable races are missing "unique dialogue choices" because Obsidian simply didn't have any "dedicated narrative people available"

  19-02-2026 18:04 via gamesradar.com
  
  Avowed's Anniversary Update is out now, adding a new weapon, quality-of-life features,updated skill trees, a New Game Plus mode, and most excitingly, playable races to Obsidian Entertainment's RPG. But whether you choose to play as a chubby dwarf or a furry orlan, the fantasy game won't give you access to "unique dialogue choices" based on your race.Avowed's gameplay director Gabe Paramo tells RPG Site that letting folks pick between roleplaying as a dwarf, elf, orlan, aumaua or pre-existing hum
  
  Read more

• Blizzard made "a strategic mistake" releasing Diablo 2's Reign of the Warlock without "substantial new exploration content," Path of Exile co-creator says

  19-02-2026 17:44 via gamesradar.com
  
  Blizzard turns 35 this month, and as part of the celebrations, Diablo 2: Resurrected got a new expansion, Reign of the Warlock. It's headlined by the Warlock class, and though that's certainly exciting, being the first addition of its kind in years, the co-creator of Path of Exile believes more emphasis should've been on "new exploration content."Chris Wilson, a former lead designer on Path of Exile and a long-time Diablo fan, went through his thoughts in a video. "I think this may have been a s
  
  Read more

• Avowed's anniversary update loosens the "strict and punishing" upgrade system that Obsidian was "surprised" fans bounced off, but director warns the haters that the RPG hasn't "fundamentally changed"

  19-02-2026 17:34 via gamesradar.com
  
  Obsidian's 2025 RPG Avowed is now available on PS5 alongside a big anniversary update for all platforms, and as usual it seems the players who've chosen to wait are going to get the game at its best. Although the devs will tell you that the fundamental gameplay remains largely unchanged – if you didn't like Avowed the first time around, you probably still won't like it here – after being "surprised" by players' negative response to the upgrade system, they've taken big steps to fix i
  
  Read more

• Forgive my laughter, I can't believe the $1,000 ROG Xbox Ally X is getting a price hike, even if it is only in Japan for now

  19-02-2026 17:20 via gamesradar.com
  
  I really shouldn't be surprised at Asus ROG Xbox Ally X price hikes, given the carnage RAMagedon is already inflicting on the best gaming handheld scene. Yet, upon hearing that the portable PC now costs around 21% more in Japan, I couldn't help but burst into a fit of nervous laughter.The bad ROG Xbox Ally X news comes courtesy of Japanese publication AutomationMedia, with a report claiming the handheld now costs 169,800 yen (around $1,094.72). That's a 30,000 yen increase compared to the portab
  
  Read more

• Forgive my laughter, I can't believe the $1,000 Asus ROG Ally X is getting a price hike, even if it is only in Japan for now

  19-02-2026 17:20 via gamesradar.com
  
  I really shouldn't be surprised at Asus ROG Xbox Ally X price hikes, given the carnage RAMagedon is already inflicting on the best gaming handheld scene. Yet, upon hearing that the portable PC now costs around 21% more in Japan, I couldn't help but burst into a fit of nervous laughter.The bad ROG Xbox Ally X news comes courtesy of Japanese publication AutomationMedia, with a report claiming the handheld now costs 169,800 yen (around $1,094.72). That's a 30,000 yen increase compared to the portab
  
  Read more

• First House of the Dragon season 3 trailer teases the Battle of the Gullet and heartbreaking drama, as the Targaryen civil war heats up

  19-02-2026 17:10 via gamesradar.com
  
  The first trailer for House of the Dragon season 3 is finally here, and it's a tense, fiery affair.In the trailer, which you can watch above, Rhaenyra shares the news of Alicent offering to open the gates and surrender to her in the previous season. However, Rhaenyra's son Jacaerys counsels that Alicent cannot be trusted. We later see Jacaerys riding his dragon into battle – which book readers will recognize as the long-awaited Battle of the Gullet – while we also see James Norton on
  
  Read more

• The Witcher 3 may have one of the best quests in RPG history, but it drove Geralt actor Doug Cockle completely "bonkers": "I hated running up and down that hill"

  19-02-2026 17:04 via gamesradar.com
  
  Many The Witcher 3 fans consider its Bloody Baron quest to be not only one of the most narratively astounding of the whole fantasy franchise, but also one of the most satisfying quests in general across all RPGs. But Geralt's veteran voice actor Doug Cockle is not one of those fans."The Bloody Baron, that quest drove me bonkers at the beginning," Cockle tells YouTuber GoatedSynro, in a new video where he ranks The Witcher 3 locations and romance options. The Bloody Baron's home in the Velen prov
  
  Read more

• New Tron: Ares concept art shows Cillian Murphy suited up as Sark, with artist admitting it was to "lure him to the production to reprise his role"

  19-02-2026 16:58 via gamesradar.com
  
  Film concept artist Phil Saunders has shared Tron: Ares concept art featuring Cillian Murphy as Sark... and apparently it wasn't enough to get the actor to sign on."One of the first things Production Designer Darren Gilford asked me to tackle on Tron: Legacy [sic] was a quick illustration of Cillian Murphy as the new Sark," Saunders wrote on his official ArtStation account. I think it was meant to lure him to the production to reprise his role as the junior Dillinger. Given his absence from the
  
  Read more

• Overwatch's evil faction suffers a huge blow in a new Helldivers 2-style event, and it's all thanks to the Jetpack Cat cosmetics tempting everyone to switch sides

  19-02-2026 16:57 via gamesradar.com
  
  Overwatch's new faction wars event has been flipped on its head after Blizzard Entertainment dangled Jetpack Cat cosmetics in front of players' noses, once again proving the evergreen power of cats as an internet carrot on a stick.As part of its huge rebrand consisting of five new heroes, Overwatch is trying something new when it comes to narrative events. Every week, players will be able to pledge their allegiance to either Overwatch, the good guys, or Talon, the not-so good guys, to complete q
  
  Read more

• The Duskbloods hopium is out in full force as FromSoftware fans spot ad for the action RPG online following the emergence of a new eShop listing: "New trailer soon?"

  19-02-2026 16:36 via gamesradar.com
  
  FromSoftware fans have spotted a new advert for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive action RPG, The Duskbloods, shortly after players caught sight of its eShop listing for the first time.This week, eagle-eyed Australian Switch 2 owners noticed that a listing for The Duskbloods had appeared on the eShop, both on the website and via their consoles. It doesn't feature a price, pre-order button, or release date beyond the vague 2026 window, but given that FromSoftware has provided very little i
  
  Read more

• Arc Raiders players are killing Queens and Matriarchs way too fast, devs admit, because it's "not intended" for entire lobbies to dogpile them

  19-02-2026 16:31 via gamesradar.com
  
  Taking on the Matriarch or the Queen in Arc Raiders is no easy task. You generally need help, and quite a bit of it to take one down. But in saying that, they weren't designed for a whole map full of players to target them, neither in toughness nor loot, and the devs at Embark Studios are becoming increasingly aware of that fact."They're not intended for the full server to go up against and get equally rewarded," Virgil Watkins, design director on Arc Raiders, tells PC Gamer. "It is meant to be,
  
  Read more

• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner says The Sworn Sword is his favorite Dunk and Egg Novella, which bodes very well for season 2: "It feels nice to see it slowly come together"

  19-02-2026 16:24 via gamesradar.com
  
  A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner Ira Parker says production for season 2 is well underway, and that it adapts not only the second Dunk and Egg novella, but his favorite one of the three."We're now getting into The Sworn Sword, which is my favorite novella in many ways, with Rohanne Webber or the Red Widow, Ser Bennis, and Ser Eustace, who are these classic characters," Parker told The A.V. Club. "I can't say much but we have three absolutely brilliant actors coming in to do these roles.
  
  Read more

• As the Wii U's most underrated JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles X becomes the first in the series to get a Switch 2 Edition, fans are begging for the main trilogy to get the same treatment: "MY LIFE IS YOURS"

  19-02-2026 16:17 via gamesradar.com
  
  Out of nowhere, Nintendo has revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition both has a Switch 2 Edition and it's available right now, and hot on the heels of the shadowdrop, fans of the beloved JRPG series are praying that the main trilogy could be next.Xenoblade Chronicles X broke free from Wii U jail last March with its excellent Switch 1 port, but now, Switch 2 users can now buy an upgrade pack to improve the open world JRPG's visuals even further. Per a Nintendo press release, "The
  
  Read more

• Highguard drama prompts Palworld lead to confirm that, no, the hit survival game has no secret investors: "We are 100% independent and self-funded"

  19-02-2026 15:36 via gamesradar.com
  
  Nope, it seems monster-taming hit Palworld has no secret investments flooding in apart from the money players are willing to spend on the famous 'Pokemon-with-guns' phenomenon.Pocketpair's head of publishing and communications John 'Bucky' Buckley said so in response to online claims that Palworld was possibly made with investment from tech behemoth Tencent, a company that has its fingers dipped into countless game studios, from Riot Games (League of Legends) and FromSoftware (Elden Ring) to Lar
  
  Read more

• Pokemon Emerald speedrunning has been changed forever after the discovery of a very specific, lonely Mudkip that was fittingly overlooked for 21 years until it earned one player a new world record

  19-02-2026 15:10 via gamesradar.com
  
  A new Pokemon Emerald speedrun record has been set after almost three years of stagnation thanks to the implementation of a Lonely Mudkip, which is harder to get than the usual Naughty one.The situation is outlined beautifully in a video by Youtuber Pulse Effects, which describes how the latest Pokemon Emerald Any% glitchless run by keepingiticy has spurred players into picking up the category once again after the three-year reign of legendary Pokemon speedrunner WaveWarrior. The main change tha
  
  Read more

Follow @Newslockergames on Twitter!