Today's Gaming Pulse
Capcom rolls out free demo for blockbuster Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Requiem, which has sold over 7 million copies, now offers a free demo across major platforms. Players can try early chapters on Steam, Epic, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2, though progress cannot be transferred to the full game.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Goldenpeak takes majority stake in Ampere Analysis
EA Is Reportedly Stopping An Xbox Game Pass Family Plan
Xbox Game Pass explored a Family Plan that would let a primary subscriber add up to four household members, with trials in Ireland and Colombia showing strong interest. Insider Jez Corden says Electronic Arts opposed the plan, claiming EA “fully hated” the idea, which forced Microsoft to cancel the rollout. EA’s early support for Game Pass makes its resistance a significant hurdle, while Microsoft’s recent price cut and removal of Call of Duty suggest attempts to offset the lost family‑tier potential.
The Best Meta Abyss Gears To Use In Crimson Desert
The Gamer outlines the most effective Abyss Gears for Crimson Desert, focusing on items that add damage or enable new playstyles. Top picks include Ator's Orb, Crow's Pursuit, Frost Spike, Groundsurge, and Infinite Arrows, each tied to specific weapons or...
Ubisoft's Net Bookings Are Down 54% Year-on-Year
Ubisoft reported FY2025‑26 net bookings fell 54% year‑on‑year to €415 million (≈$482 million), even though Q4 bookings beat guidance. CEO Yves Guillemot highlighted a two‑year transformation involving studio closures, layoffs, and a shift to five “creative houses.” The company expects free cash...
New Tomb Raider Mod Turns The Classic Game Into An Awesome 2D Platformer
A new fan‑made mod called Tomb Raider: Side‑Scroller Edition reimagines the classic 1996 3‑D adventure as a 2‑D platformer. Developed by modders Delca and Trxye, the release adds ten side‑scroll levels inspired by original biomes, 100 hidden Golden Crystals, and...
How to Sell Cars at an Auction in Forza Horizon 6 to Earn Credits
Forza Horizon 6 players can liquidate excess vehicles only through the player‑driven Auction House. Sellers set a starting bid, a higher buyout price, and choose an auction length from one to 24 hours. A 15% sales fee is applied, and credits...
How To Solve The Secret Chamber of the Golden Plains In Crimson Desert
The Secret Chamber of the Golden Plains is a hidden crypt in the Demeniss region of Crimson Desert, found east of the Wheelsmith Wainwright near a barricaded fence. Players must use the Blinding Flash ability to clear vines, navigate flame‑jet...
Best Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core Graphics Settings for No Lag and Max FPS
Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core entered early‑access on May 20, offering a roguelite spin on the popular co‑op shooter. The author, running an AMD Ryzen 5600G and an NVIDIA RTX 3060, outlines a custom graphics profile that balances 1080p resolution with 60‑90 FPS caps,...
Steins;Gate Re:Boot English Switch, Switch 2, and PS5 Release Set for October
Spike Chunsoft announced that the English version of Steins;Gate Re:Boot will launch on Xbox Series X and PC in North America on August 20, 2026, matching the Japanese release. The Switch, Switch 2, and PS5 versions are delayed until October 29,...
8 Of Our Favorite Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight Easter Eggs
Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight launched in early access as an open‑world brawler packed with pop‑culture Easter eggs. TT Games slipped nods to Five Nights at Freddy’s, American Psycho, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Resident Evil 4, Street Fighter,...
Directive 8020: The Kotaku Review
Supermassive Games released Directive 8020 on May 12 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, moving its Dark Pictures horror franchise into a sci‑fi setting on the planet Tau Ceti. The game blends choice‑driven narrative with stealth puzzles and introduces a Turning Points system...
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Xbox Series X | S – Everything You Need to Know
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, the second installment of Square Enix’s ambitious remake trilogy, launches on Xbox Series X|S on June 3, 2024. The Xbox version offers dual visual modes—4K‑targeted Graphics and Performance—along with VRR, HDR10, Spatial Audio, and Velocity Architecture...
Warhorse Announces Open-World Middle-Earth RPG and New Kingdom Come Title
Warhorse Studios announced two upcoming projects: a new entry in its Kingdom Come series and an open‑world role‑playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle‑earth. The reveal follows Embracer Group’s recent spin‑off of Fellowship Entertainment, positioning Warhorse under a dedicated IP‑focused...
Hasbro Cancels Dungeons & Dragons Game Led by Respawn Veterans
Hasbro’s Wizards of the Coast has terminated its collaboration with Giant Skull, the studio founded by Respawn veteran Stig Asmussen, ending development of an announced Dungeons & Dragons action‑adventure game. The partnership, unveiled less than a year ago, was halted after WOTC reassessed...
CoinsBack Sweepstakes Casino Wins Over Gamers with 50% Instant Rewards and Giant Bonus
CoinsBack, a new sweepstakes‑style casino, has surged in popularity among online gamers thanks to a 500,000‑coin welcome package and a 50% instant CoinsBack reward on every spin. The platform’s fast prize redemptions and a library of over 1,000 games are...
Subnautica 2 Angel Comb Locations - All Adaptations
Subnautica 2’s early‑access build introduces four Angel Combs that grant essential biological adaptations. The tutorial provides the first Comb, unlocking pressurised‑air breathing, while the remaining three are scattered at specific coordinates from the Lifepod. Players must clear each Comb’s root bloom...
We Have to Talk About Live Service, After Heavy Rain Dev's Online Gambit Is Scrapped
Quantic Dream announced the cancellation of its free‑to‑play 3v3 shooter Spellcasters Chronicles, just three months after its Early Access launch on Steam. The title never attracted a sustainable audience, peaking at 888 concurrent players and falling below 100 within weeks....
Roguelike FPS Offshoot Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core Launches Into Early Access with Its Own Dangers, Its Own Dwarves, and...
Ghost Ship Games released Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core in early access, turning the beloved co‑op FPS into a full‑blown roguelike. The title introduces a new Reclaimer class, procedural caves, a rising threat meter, and a team‑centric upgrade system that forces players to...
Where Winds Meet Cracks Down on Illegal Trading and Unauthorized Gift Scams with Stricter Penalties
NetEase Games announced a sweeping crackdown on illegal trading, unofficial top‑ups, and fraudulent gift scams in its title Where Winds Meet. Players caught in chargebacks or black‑market transactions will face long‑term or permanent bans, with the possibility of legal action....
Embracer Chairman Says Cost Control 'Does Not Get Enough Respect' After Presiding over Years of Layoffs
Embracer Group chairman Lars Wingefors used an open letter to investors to defend the company’s aggressive cost‑control measures after a wave of layoffs and studio closures. He linked the turmoil to the collapse of a $2 billion Saudi‑backed Savvy Games investment and...
Official: Esports World Cup Moved to Paris*
The Esports World Cup Foundation has shifted its $75 million festival from Riyadh to Paris, citing the ongoing conflict in Iran. All announced titles, tournaments and competitive formats remain unchanged, though broadcast schedules may adjust to European time zones. The Counter‑Strike...
No Legacy, Seeking Feedback to Craft Something Unique
David Cage 9 months ago: "since we have no legacy in this genre, we know we have everything to prove — which is why your support and feedback will be essential. Together, we believe we can create something truly unique.” https://t.co/ExHWW2eXH2
It's Not You, Would-Be Subnautica 2 Fish Murderers, It's Our Creature Encounters Not Feeling "Fair, Readable, and Engaging" Enough, Say...
Unknown Worlds issued an open letter to Subnautica 2 players, acknowledging frustration with predator encounters and the perceived weakness of avoidance tools. The studio pledged to tweak creature aggression timing, aggro ranges, flare potency, and Survival Tool effectiveness in upcoming patches....
Quantic Dream Is Abandoning Its MOBA Just Three Months After Launch As Another Ill-Fated Live-Service Game Gets Added To The...
Quantic Dream announced it will abandon its free‑to‑play MOBA Spellcasters Chronicles just three months after its Early Access debut on Steam. The game failed to attract a sustainable audience, prompting the studio to halt development and issue full refunds as...
Star Wars Eclipse “Continues as Planned” As Studio Shutters Live Service Game and May Face Layoffs
Quantic Dream announced it will discontinue development of its free‑to‑play live‑service title Spellcasters Chronicles, which entered early access three months ago but never attracted more than 888 peak concurrent players and now struggles to hit 100. The studio cited a...
How to Get Rubber in Subnautica 2
Rubber is an early‑game crafting material in Subnautica 2, produced from two Lucifer Rotsacs at a functional Fabricator. The glowing yellow Rotsacs are abundant on the ocean floor and are easiest to spot at night. Rubber enables essential upgrades such as...
NAVI's Owner Claims Owning an Esports Team Is Actually a "Very Profitable Business"
Owner Maksym Krippa says NAVI has become a “very profitable business” after turning around a loss‑making esports organization he acquired in 2018. The team, which previously required a $1.5 million annual subsidy, has been in the black ever since, driven by...
Supercell Reboots Its Lowkey Monster Hunting Game Mo.co with Seasons and (Free) Gacha Pulls
Supercell is relaunching its monster‑hunting title Mo.co with a monthly season‑pass system and free gacha‑style Perk pulls that cannot be bought with real money. The game, which rolled out invite‑only in March 2025, has generated just under $4.7 million in in‑app...
PlayStation 5 versus Xbox — Reliability Statistics From a South African Repair Store
Data from Console Service Centre, a leading South African console repair shop, shows the PlayStation 5 generated far more service tickets than Xbox models in the past year. Of 1,021 repairs, 428 were PS5s, representing over 70% of all console fixes,...
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book Review Roundup: 'A Unique Creature-Watching Safari'
The new Yoshi title, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, has opened its review slate with a Metacritic average of 81 based on 73 critic scores. Reviewers commend the game’s inventive level design, vibrant art direction, and the novelty of its...
Subnautica 2’s First Early Access Hotfix Promises Changes to Terms of Service
Unknown Worlds released the first hotfix for Subnautica 2’s Early Access, addressing AMD GPU start‑up crashes and an infrequent Ping‑related crash. The patch also activates analytics after users accept the Terms of Service, though it can be turned off in‑game. Importantly,...
You Ready, Bub? Marvel’s Wolverine to Take Spotlight in Massive Upcoming State of Play
Sony has confirmed a summer 2026 State of Play for June 2, promising an hour‑plus broadcast. The showcase will center on Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine, a PS5 exclusive slated for a September 15 launch, with fresh gameplay and details expected. Sony...
Former BioWare, Inflexion Games, and Timbre Games Developers Launch Studio Reset
Studio Reset, a new Canadian indie studio founded by former BioWare, Inflexion Games and Timbre Games veterans, announced its formation and unveiled its debut project—a neon‑noir supernatural mystery set in a stylized Canadian city. The founders emphasize a sustainable, small‑scale...
A Broken Sword Movie Adaptation Is Coming From the Studio Behind Sonic the Hedgehog
A live‑action adaptation of the classic point‑and‑click adventure *Broken Sword* is moving forward, produced by Story Kitchen—the studio that delivered the recent *Sonic the Hedgehog* movies. The screenplay is being written by Evan Spiliotopoulos, known for *Pirates of the Caribbean:...
![[Event News] Develop:Star Awards 2026: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yōtei Lead Nominations Ahead of Industry Voting](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/dev-bright.png)
[Event News] Develop:Star Awards 2026: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yōtei Lead Nominations Ahead of Industry Voting
Develop:Star Awards 2026 finalists were announced, opening industry voting until 3 June with winners to be revealed at the 15 July ceremony during Develop:Brighton. Sandfall Interactive’s *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* and Sucker Punch’s *Ghost of Yōtei* lead the pack, each earning six nominations across categories such as...
Unknown Worlds Confirms No Kill Policy for Subnautica 2, Vows to Balance Gameplay
Unknown Worlds confirmed that Subnautica 2 will retain its no‑kill policy, refusing to add combat mechanics against predator creatures. The developers acknowledged that current predator encounters feel unbalanced and pledged a series of balance patches targeting aggression timing, aggro range, flare...
Hasbro Cancels Dungeons & Dragons Game Deal with Giant Skull, Citing Early Concept Concerns
Hasbro announced today that it has terminated its exclusive publishing agreement with independent studio Giant Skull for an action‑adventure Dungeons & Dragons game. The decision, described as a move away from an early concept, comes amid a broader re‑organisation at...
Rivalis: Open Source Multiplayer Framework for Phaser and Node.js
Rivalis is a free, MIT‑licensed Node.js framework that adds multiplayer support to Phaser games through a simple rooms‑and‑actors model. It provides typed WebSocket messages, automatic reconnection, heartbeats, and per‑actor rate limiting out of the box. The library ships as @rivalis/core...
Embracer Will Actively Explore Partnerships for Saints Row, TimeSplitters, and More
Embracer Group announced it will split into two entities, creating Fellowship Entertainment to house flagship franchises such as Tomb Raider and The Lord of the Rings. The new unit will also inherit dormant IPs like Saints Row, TimeSplitters, Deus Ex and others, and will form a dedicated...
Paralives Ready to Take on The Sims with New Footage Ahead of Release
Paralives, a life‑simulation game positioned as a direct rival to The Sims, will launch on May 25, 2026 in Early Access. A new trailer and a 45‑minute gameplay video showcase an open‑world town, deep character customization, and a built‑in modding...
'Faker' Lee Sang-Hyeok: "Representing the National Team Is an Honor"
T1 defeated DRX 2‑1, marking its fifth consecutive win and the team’s 11th victory of the 2026 LCK season. Faker was named Player of the Match for the second straight game and discussed both the win and areas for improvement...
Warhorse Studios Is Making an Open World Middle-Earth RPG
Warhorse Studios, fresh off the critical success of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, announced it is developing an open‑world Middle‑Earth RPG, confirming rumors through a hiring post on X. The same post revealed a second, undisclosed Kingdom Come adventure in the works, suggesting two...
"Roguelike Can Be Anything": Krafton Exec Is Very Tired of Being Pitched "Balatro with Different Cards"
Krafton’s Europe investment director Victor Lee warned that he’s been flooded with roughly 250 roguelike deck‑builder pitches in the past year, calling the label a misnomer that offers little differentiation. He argued that the rapid turnover of gaming trends makes...
T1 Wins 5th Consecutive League Matchup with 2-1 Victory Over KRX
T1 extended its winning streak to five games by defeating KRX 2‑1 in the third round of the 2026 LCK regular season. After a tightly contested second set that saw KRX level the series, T1 leveraged superior macro play, objective...
Warhorse Studios Developing Open-World RPG Set in The Lord of the Rings' Middle-Earth
Warhorse Studios announced two new projects: an open‑world role‑playing game set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle‑earth and a new adventure entry in its flagship Kingdom Come series. The Middle‑earth RPG marks the studio’s first licensed fantasy IP, aiming to deliver an...
Skillz Q4 2025 Revenue Jumps 67% YoY as RZR Segment Fuels Growth
Skillz Inc. announced Q4 2025 GAAP revenue of $30 million, a 67% year‑over‑year increase and an 11% sequential rise. Adjusted EBITDA loss shrank to $10 million, and the company highlighted a $420 million false‑advertising verdict that could exceed $1.2 billion, while $130 million of debt...
Online Child Safety Campaigners Call for US Inquiry Into Roblox
Child‑safety advocates, led by Jonathan Haidt’s Anxious Generation Movement, have filed a complaint with the FTC demanding an investigation into Roblox’s platform design and monetisation. They allege that Roblox’s voice and text chat expose children to sexual content and that...
The Rumours Were True, Warhorse Are Making an Open-World Lord of the Rings RPG Alongside a New Kingdom Come Game
Warhorse Studios has officially confirmed that it is developing an open‑world RPG set in Tolkien’s Middle‑earth, marking the studio’s first foray into high‑fantasy after the historically grounded Kingdom Come series. At the same time, Warhorse announced a new "Kingdom Come...
Hasbro Cancel Dungeons and Dragons Action Game Helmed by Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Director, Leaving Studio Hunting for New...
Hasbro has pulled the plug on the Dungeons & Dragons action game it announced with Giant Skull last June, a project led by former *Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order* director Stig Asmussen. The cancellation stemmed from an early concept that Baldur's Gate...
"Seven or Eight Years Is Not that Unusual": Diablo 4 Lead Says AAA Games Are Taking Longer to Make, Which...
Lead engine engineer Marcin Undak warned that AAA titles now often require seven to eight years of development, far longer than the traditional three‑year cycle. Extended timelines mean studios like Blizzard, CD Projekt and Ubisoft open fewer junior positions, hiring...
Proton 11 Beta 5 Released with More Regression Fixes
Valve rolled out Proton 11 Beta 5, a targeted update that patches several regressions and adds controller input fixes for titles like Deus Ex: Mankind Divided. The beta restores playability for BattleBit Remastered, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and improves Terraria performance compared with...