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
You're Bound to Find an Indie Game Here that Suits Your Taste
Steam’s bi‑weekly roundup spotlights a surprising resurgence of older indie titles and fresh releases. Hero Siege, a 12‑year‑old hack‑and‑slash game, re‑entered the trending list after its Season 9 update, while Starfield’s Shattered Space DLC pushed concurrent players from 7,000 to over 21,000. New indie releases such as Road to Vostok earn “Very Positive” reviews despite solo development, and the Triple‑I Initiative showcases a wave of indie games that rival AAA production values. The column underscores how post‑launch support and community buzz drive Steam traffic across both legacy and new titles.
Mario‑Themed Turtle Beach Gear Impresses Switch 2 Review
I went hands-on with Turtle Beach’s Mario-themed controller and headset for Nintendo Switch 2 and they impressed me for these key reasons. https://t.co/XqXqlmB0Rb
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Dev Reportedly Dissolved
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, a Souls‑like action RPG released on July 24, 2025, has seen its developer Leenzee dissolve less than a year after launch. The game opened with 131,518 concurrent Steam players but shed roughly 50,000 users within the first week, settling...
Gunzilla Games CEO Defends Cash‑Flow Payment Model Amid Contractor Pay Delays
Gunzilla Games' chief executive Vlad Korolev defended the studio’s payment schedule after former contractors claimed they had not been paid for months. The dispute highlights growing tension over NFT‑driven game financing and worker rights in the web‑3 sector.
The Best Non Damaging Moves To Use In Pokemon Champions
The Gamer outlines nine essential non‑attack moves for Pokémon Champions, highlighting how they can swing high‑rank battles. Moves like Protect, Tailwind, and Trick Room provide priority, speed control, and turn‑order reversal, while Perish Song and Will‑O‑Wisp add strategic pressure. The...
Roblox Looks to Dodge Iowa Suit over Danger to Children
Roblox asked an Iowa judge to dismiss a consumer‑fraud lawsuit that accuses the platform of exposing children to predators and illicit content. The company relies on Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, arguing it is merely a carrier of third‑party...
Guide: Best PS5 Fighting Games to Play in 2026
The guide ranks the ten most popular fighting games on PlayStation 5, blending community votes with editorial picks. Highlights include Street Fighter 6 as the esports flagship, Guilty Gear Strive as the first native PS5 fighter, and Tekken 8’s new Heat system. The list...
Guilty Gear Strive's Version 2.00 Patch Visual Guides Are so Massive They're Longer than Many Movies
Guilty Gear Strive received its most substantial update yet with Version 2.00, a five‑year‑old title’s first major overhaul. The patch removes legacy mechanics like Wild Assault, nerfs several Roman Cancels, and rebalances damage, speed, and hitboxes across the roster. Community creators Rooflemonger...
All About Clint: Stardew Valley Gift Guide, Schedule, and Events
Clint, the Pelican Town blacksmith, will become a marriage candidate in Stardew Valley’s upcoming 1.7 update, slated for the game’s 10th anniversary. He can be interacted with from day one, working at the smithy 9 am‑6:50 pm and moving to the Saloon...
Roblox Unveils New Roblox Plus Monthly Subscription that Pays Creators Who Get Players to Sign up for the New Roblox...
Roblox announced Roblox Plus, a new subscription that replaces the existing Premium plan on April 30. The service offers a tiered discount on Robux purchases—10% initially, rising to 20% after three consecutive months—and grants unlimited private server access and fee‑free Robux transfers...
Pete Hines Says He Left Bethesda because He Didn't Want to Watch It Being 'Damaged' And 'Abused'
Pete Hines, Bethesda’s longtime vice‑president of marketing and public relations, departed the studio in 2023 after Microsoft’s 2020 acquisition. He said he stayed because the company needed him, but grew powerless to protect its efficient development culture as Microsoft restructured...
You Can Watch The North American FFXIV FanFest's Concerts This Time--At A (Literal) Cost
Square Enix announced paid live streams for the North American Final Fantasy 14 FanFest concerts, offering access to a piano performance by Keiko and a band set by The Primals. The StreamPass costs 5,720 yen, roughly $36 USD, and covers both days....
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen Gives a Peek at Upcoming Tropical Island Region Badia De Cara
Visionary Realms released a dev diary revealing Badia de Cara, the new tropical island region for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen. The preview showcases the Port of Rulun, a bustling southern gateway on the Silent Plains, and introduces the hostile...
Rockstar Cites Importance Of Roblox And Fortnite In New Job Listing
Rockstar Games announced two new hires—a Strategy Research Associate and a Senior Manager—focused on its Creator Platform as development of Grand Theft Auto 6 nears completion. The roles target expertise in user‑generated content ecosystems such as Roblox, Fortnite and Twitch. By...
Hines Says Microsoft Acquisition Made His Job Impossible
Hines suggests it became impossible to do his job after the Microsoft acquisition. He was part of the 2023 FTC trial over an email he circulated about Call of Duty getting to remain multiplatform while Bethesda games were made exclusive. https://t.co/Va6rvrrPPe
Code Vein 2’s Patch 1.0.7 Brings Performance Fixes, Balancing Changes, and More
Bandai Namco released Code Vein 2 patch 1.0.7, delivering extensive performance optimizations that lower processing loads for collision, enemy spawning, partner outfits, and visual effects across all platforms. The update introduces a new difficulty toggle for replay runs, increasing enemy strength while...
Tied Company Launches Crowdfunding for Stratos: The Gaming Sphere
Tied Company S.r.l. has opened an equity crowdfunding campaign on the MyRestartup platform to finance Stratos: The Gaming Sphere, an indie game publishing model that integrates AI‑driven predictive analytics. The campaign offers investors a direct equity stake in Tied Company...
Amazon Luna No Longer Offering Third-Party Game Purchases, No Refunds Available
Amazon announced that Luna will cease all third‑party storefront integrations, ending individual game purchases and external subscriptions effective April 10, 2026. The move shifts Luna’s focus exclusively to content bundled with Amazon Prime, abandoning the original strategy of competing with...
Roblox 'Plus' Is Here, but It's Only for the Hardcore Spenders
Roblox announced Roblox Plus, a $4.99‑per‑month subscription that initially offers no Robux but provides a 10% discount on in‑game purchases, increasing to 20% after three months. Additional perks include free private servers, fee‑free Robux transfers, and the ability to trade...
This Month, WoW Continues Midnight's Story and Puts Up More Challenges in 12.0.5
World of Warcraft’s Midnight Season 1 continues with patch 12.0.5, adding new story chapters and a suite of activities. Players can now tackle rotating Void Assaults, larger Void Incursions, and tiered Ritual Sites that feed into Great Vault rewards. The Voidforge...
Netflix Adds Three Jackbox Party Games to Its TV Gaming Platform
Netflix has integrated three Jackbox titles—Fibbage 4, Quiplash 3 and Drawful 2—into its Party Games collection at no extra charge. The move broadens the streamer’s TV‑based multiplayer offering and underscores its push toward family‑friendly interactive content.
Best Crystalfall Graphics for No Lag and Max FPS
Destructoid outlines a set of graphics and UI tweaks that eliminate stutter and lock Crystallfall at a smooth 60 FPS on a mid‑range PC. The author, using an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G, 16 GB DDR5 and an RTX 3060, disables VSync, caps the frame rate,...
Where To Find The Pirate King Hat In Crimson Desert
The Pirate King Hat is a rare cosmetic item in the open‑world RPG Crimson Desert, obtained by completing the “Beyond The Silent Waves” quest chain in Vellua Village. Players must sail southeast from the village, locate the pirate ship Singing Catfish,...
Sony Leaks Three PS6 Models Powered by AMD Canis and Orion Chips
A YouTube leaker claims Sony will unveil three PlayStation 6 variants – a budget S model, a handheld and a flagship console – each built on AMD’s upcoming Canis or Orion APUs. Estimated retail prices range from $350 for the entry‑level...
Game Studios Show Mixed Success Adapting to AI
Our Lab just posted a new research report from Zimran Ahmed about how the game industry is adapting to AI. He spoke to people at 20 different studios and found a wide range of approaches to adapt (or failures to...
Amazon Luna to End Third‑Party Game Purchases and Bring‑Your‑Own Library by June 2026
Amazon announced that Luna will no longer allow purchases from EA, Ubisoft, GOG or other third‑party stores, and the Bring Your Own Library feature will be retired on June 3, 2026. Users can stream existing third‑party titles until June 10,...
Battlefield 6 Makes Big Changes to Progression and Revives, but It Might Be Too Late for some Fans
EA announced the Battlefield 6 1.2.3.0 update for April 14, introducing Operation Augur, the LTV vehicle, and the Ripper 14" weapon. The patch overhauls progression by granting weapon and vehicle XP for active use and increasing overall XP rates. Revive mechanics are rebalanced: defibrillators...
Titan Quest II Previews All Four New Summons Coming in the April Update in a New Teaser
Titan Quest II developer Grimlore announced that the upcoming April patch will finally reintroduce summons, a mechanic from the original game that was missing in the sequel. A new teaser reveals the four summon types—Core Dweller, Automaton, Wisps, and War Banner—and...
Ex-Bethesda Exec Says The Elder Scrolls 6 Maker Isn’t Part Of Something ‘Genuine’ Or ‘Authentic’ At Microsoft
Former Bethesda communications chief Pete Hines says Microsoft’s ownership has made the studio feel inauthentic and stripped him of the authority to safeguard its culture. He retired after feeling powerless to run Bethesda post‑acquisition, citing forced Xbox exclusivity and a...
Xbox Series X/S Gains New Kiln Dynamic Background
Xbox Series X / S users now have access to a new Kiln Dynamic Background https://t.co/slkwlSNzwV
FUT Beat The MongolZ to Reach First Big Final
FUT advanced to the grand final of PGL Bucharest 2026 after a 2‑0 win over The MongolZ, securing their first major final appearance. The victory lifted the Romanian‑led roster to sixth in the global VLR rankings ahead of a showdown...
Pokémon Champions Singles Battles: Best Pokémon to Use
Pokémon Champions’ Singles mode pits players in 1‑v‑1 battles where you select three of six Pokémon. The Destructoid guide highlights the top contenders—Hippowdon, Garchomp, Meowscarada, Archaludon, Greninja and Hydreigon—detailing each one's strengths, weaknesses, and optimal item choices. Speed, stall tactics...
Never Too Late for Censorship: Doki Doki Literature Club Gets Deplatformed by Google Play a Decade After Release
Doki Doki Literature Club, the 2017 indie horror game known for its unsettling exploration of mental illness, has been removed from Google Play after nine years on the store. Google cited violations of its terms of service concerning depictions of...
Industry Legend Ron Gilbert Is Bringing His Auto-Scrolling RPG to PS5 Next Week
Legendary designer Ron Gilbert’s studio Terrible Toybox is set to release its auto‑scrolling roguelike RPG Death By Scrolling on PS5 on April 16, 2026. The pixel‑art adventure lets players choose from several characters, navigate constantly scrolling levels, and battle Death while collecting gold for...
The Best Highlights From PGL Bucharest Semi-Finals
The PGL Bucharest semi‑finals delivered a cascade of high‑octane moments, highlighted by FUT’s dramatic 3‑5 comeback against 3DMAX and dem0n’s near‑miraculous 1v4 clutch. Astralis gained early momentum thanks to phzy’s AWP triple and cobrazera’s 4K AWP kill that halted a...
Is 007 First Light Coming to Xbox Game Pass?
James Bond’s origin story, 007 First Light, will launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and PC on May 27, 2026 after a brief delay. The title will support Xbox Play Anywhere, allowing a single purchase to be used on both console and Windows PC, but it...
Epic's Disney Shooter Raises Concerns over Half‑baked Releases
Scoop: Epic is working on a Disney extraction shooter Ahead of its slated Nov launch, employees say they're worried about Epic's pattern of "Version 0.5" releases -- a challenge they say may have hurt adoption for the Epic Games Store, mobile...
Indie Cozy Survival Co-Op Game Solarpunk Launches in June
Indie duo Cyberware is set to release its non‑violent survival crafting title *Solarpunk* on June 8 across PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. The game drops players onto floating islands where they must gather resources, build airships, and harness renewable...
Blizzard's Updating Old Overwatch Heroes Starting in Season 2
Blizzard announced that season 2 of Overwatch, launching April 14, will integrate key perks directly into the kits of legacy heroes Mercy, Reaper and Pharah. Mercy’s flash‑heal, Reaper’s long‑range volley, and Pharah’s drift boosters become permanent abilities, removing reliance on temporary perks....
Enjoying Your Free PS4 Game? Here's a Look at Its Sequel, Coming to PS5
Graveyard Keeper is now free on PS4 without a PS Plus subscription, a move by Lazy Bear Games to boost visibility for its upcoming sequel. The sequel, Graveyard Keeper 2, is slated for a PS5 release, though Sony has not disclosed a...
Ninja Quits Streaming Indefinitely over “Unplayable” Arc Raiders Cheating Issues
Tyler "Ninja" Blevins announced an indefinite streaming hiatus, citing that the third‑person shooter Arc Raiders has become "unplayable" due to rampant cheating and stream‑sniping. He said he will only consider playing League of Legends or non‑gaming content until the issue is...
Best Players for FC 26 Into the Spotlight Evolution
EA Sports’ FIFA 26 (FC 26) has rolled out a free Ultimate Team add‑on called Into the Spotlight Evolution, which lets players evolve a chosen card through five distinct upgrade tiers. The evolution imposes strict caps—overall 87, strength 90, and excludes centre‑backs...
Dune: Awakening Devs Realize that Most Players Don't Want PvP
Funcom announced that its Dune: Awakening survival game will prioritize PvE after data showed only about 20% of players engaged with PvP. Starting with patch 1.3.20.0, all PvP zones in Hagga Basin will be disabled and separate PvE and PvP...
New Metro Game Expected to Be Announced Next Week – Rumor
4A Games is poised to announce the next installment of its post‑apocalyptic Metro franchise, likely during Sony's State of Play event slated for April 16. The new title is expected to feature a darker narrative influenced by the ongoing war...
Friendslop and Attack on Titan Intersect in This Upcoming Co-Op Indie
Titan Hunters is an upcoming indie co‑op tower‑defense game that lets up to four players defend a castle against giant titans. Its visual style and monster design are heavily borrowed from the Attack on Titan manga, complete with exaggerated, comedic...
This Month in Sea of Thieves: An Economic Reset, New Season Update, a New Event and More
Rare’s Sea of Thieves Season 19 “Fights & Festivals” moves into Act 2 on April 16, resetting all Doubloon balances to gold to curb hoarding. Players who have accumulated over 50,000 Doubloons receive a special Doubloon Hoarder Cutlass. Act 2 introduces new deeds, the...
Best Players for FC 26 Il Capitano Evolution
EA Sports’ FC 26 introduces the Il Capitano Evolution, a paid upgrade path that turns a qualifying centre‑back into a 91‑rated item for 125,000 in‑game coins. The evolution imposes strict caps—overall 89, pace 90, and excludes World Tour Silver Stars—while...
Full Broadcast Should Be Standard for All Esports Co‑Streamers
Should be the standard for ALL COSTREAMERS across esports imo Watching the broadcast in full at the very least
PS6 Won’t Cost $1,000, Will Likely Cost Between $600 and $800 – Rumor
A new analysis by Moore's Law is Dead estimates the bill of materials for Sony's upcoming PS6 lineup, putting the Orion home console at roughly $743, the handheld at $494, and a low‑power PS6S variant at $404. After accounting for...
Esoteric Ebb Creator Reckons Most Players only Saw Half the Game, and That's Fine by Him: 'You've Got to Miss...
Esoteric Ebb’s creator Ted Litchfield says the game is deliberately crafted so most players only experience about half of its content in a single playthrough. He has written roughly 700,000 words of narrative, expecting a large portion to remain unseen....