Today's Gaming Pulse
Valve hikes Steam Deck OLED prices amid component cost surge
Valve announced a price increase for its Steam Deck OLED handheld, pushing the 512 GB model to $789 and the 1 TB version to $949. The company cited rising memory and storage component costs and broader supply‑chain challenges as the reason for the hike.
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By the numbers: Goldenpeak invests majority stake in Ampere Analysis
SEGA Releases New Wave of Sonic Adventure 2 Merch
SEGA has unveiled a new line of Sonic Adventure 2 merchandise, featuring a Shadow‑themed tee, a key‑art canvas print, and a Sonic versus Shadow bomber jacket. The collection is now available through the official SEGA Shop, targeting fans of the 2001 classic. By refreshing its retro catalog, SEGA aims to tap into nostalgia‑driven demand while diversifying its non‑gaming revenue streams. The launch underscores the company’s broader push to monetize legacy IP across apparel and collectibles.
Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition Update Available for Switch 2, Adds DLSS and More
Bethesda released a Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition update for the Nintendo Switch 2, introducing NVIDIA DLSS support for 40 fps and 60 fps modes. The patch also bundles extensive stability fixes, addressing crashes during gameplay, saving, and docking, as well as numerous visual and...
Fallout 4 Update Out Now on Nintendo Switch 2, Patch Notes – DLSS Support, More
Bethesda released a major patch for Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2, adding NVIDIA DLSS support for both 40 fps and 60 fps modes. The update also bundles extensive stability fixes, addressing crashes during gameplay, saving, and docking. UI and controller...
The Next Bluey Game Is Coming to Xbox Game Pass as a Day-One Launch Title
Microsoft announced that Bluey's Happy Snaps will debut as a day‑one title on Xbox Game Pass in Fall 2026. The family‑friendly adventure lets players explore Brisbane, take photos, and enjoy mini‑games, expanding beyond the home setting of the previous Bluey game....
How to Unlock Bag Upgrades in Pokémon Pokopia
Pokémon Pokopia lets players expand their inventory by purchasing Packing Tips upgrades from the PC shop. Four tiers—Rookie, Intermediate, Pro, and Expert—unlock as you reach specific Environment Levels in designated areas, each costing between 100 and 1,500 gold. Upgrades add a...
Dying Light: The Beast's New Restored Land Update Lets You Turn the Game Into a Gritty Walking Sim
Techland’s free Restored Land update for Dying Light: The Beast introduces a persistent world mode where killed zombies never respawn. The feature is locked to Survivor or Brutal difficulty and solo play, and it also limits loot, shop inventory, and...
All Sponsors in The Finals Season 10
Season 10 of *The Finals* launches with a refreshed sponsor roster, mixing returning names like Alfa Acta and Volpe with familiar partners such as Dissun and Engimo. Each sponsor offers a distinct set of tasks and rewards, allowing players to tailor their...
Vaunted's Tactical Combat Looks Fine, but I'm Most Interested in the Consequences of Rewriting History when One of Its Dodgy...
Vaunted is a newly announced tactical RPG from Lost Lake Games that mixes real‑time shooting with turn‑based planning. Players control three morally ambiguous space mercenaries—Dyse, Gendril, and Kyvaath—each representing a heavy, thief, or mage archetype. The game’s standout feature lets...
Serious Sam Returns To Xbox With 'Shatterverse', And Its Developer Might Surprise You
Devolver Digital unveiled Serious Sam: Shatterverse during the Xbox Partner Preview, a multiversal co‑op first‑person shooter developed by Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind Dead by Daylight. The game lets up to five players battle across procedurally shifting arenas while wielding...
League of Legends: Wild Rift X Porsche Collab Revealed Alongside Racing-Themed Patch 7.1 Update
League of Legends: Wild Rift is teaming with Porsche for the Flat Out Patch 7.1, launching April 9, 2026. The update overlays a neon‑lit racing aesthetic across the UI, adds a Porsche‑themed skin, companion, and a Lido Grand Prix event where players can...
Scale Risk Reduction Using Perfect Information Strategies
Moontower today 🌙cross the “bridge of asses” 🌙how to get arbed with perfect information 🌙scaling laws of risk reduction 🌙“research collector” skill https://t.co/XwLS7zmHQd https://t.co/4TXC3SqKuS
Game Pass' Crime Scene Cleaner Is Getting a Story Update that Adds New Xbox Achievements
Xbox Game Pass title Crime Scene Cleaner will receive a free story update, adding Act 2 with five new missions. The update introduces new Xbox achievements, unlockable skins, and music tracks, and concludes the protagonist Kovalsky’s storyline while hinting at future...
Xbox Game Pass to Get Blumhouse Games' Grave Seasons in August 2026
Xbox Game Pass will add Blumhouse Games' new title *Grave Seasons* on August 14, 2026. The game mixes classic farming‑sim and romance mechanics with a supernatural killer, creating a horror‑infused management experience. It will be available through the Xbox Partner...
Wuthering Waves Comes to Xbox in July with "Exclusive" Game Pass Benefits
Wuthering Waves, the gacha action‑RPG that captured mobile gamers in 2024, is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC in July with Xbox Play Anywhere support. The free‑to‑play title will be available at no cost, extending its anime‑styled open...
Xbox’s Latest Games Showcase Had Hades 2, The Expanse, and Bluey
Microsoft’s Xbox Partner Preview showcased a surprisingly diverse slate of upcoming titles, highlighted by the imminent arrival of Hades II on Xbox and PlayStation 5 next month. The event, held amid a major leadership reshuffle at Xbox, emphasized third‑party support with...
Microsoft Now Lists All Game Platforms During Xbox Shows
I love that Microsoft now regularly lists every platform a game is coming to during their Xbox shows https://t.co/1hJxjepNvG
Xbox Game Pass Adds Hand-Drawn Platformer The Eternal Life of Goldman on Day One
THQ Nordic announced that the hand‑drawn 2D platformer *The Eternal Life of Goldman* will debut on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate on day one, despite the full release slated for a 2026 window. The game, developed by Weappy—known for titles like...
Hades II Coming to PS5, Xbox Series on April 14
Supergiant Games announced that Hades II will launch on April 14 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series consoles and PC, with availability through the Microsoft Store and Game Pass. The sequel, which entered Early Access on May 6, 2024, previously launched fully on Switch 2, Switch and...
One of the Highest-Rated Games of the Year Is Coming to PS5
Indie roguelike *Mewgenics* debuted on PC on February 10, 2026 and quickly became a breakout hit, ranking fourth on OpenCritic’s 2026 list with an 89 average score and a 94% critic recommendation. The game sold over one million copies in...
10 Best Fighting Games That Don't Take Ages to Master
The article curates a list of ten fighting games that let players jump in quickly without extensive practice, ranging from indie titles like Divekick to heavyweight franchises such as Street Fighter 6 and Super Smash Bros. Each entry highlights simplified controls,...
Stranger Than Heaven Trailer Reveals RGG's Latest Will Span 5 Time Periods and Cities
During Xbox's Partner Preview on March 26, Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio unveiled a new trailer for *Stranger Than Heaven*, an action‑RPG set across five distinct time periods between 1915 and 1965. The narrative will travel through five Japanese...
All Ranked Series Event Rewards in Black Ops 7 & Warzone
Activision launched a Ranked Series Event for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Warzone’s Season 2, running from March 26 to March 31. Only players ranked Gold or higher can compete on separate 50‑player leaderboards, earning points through wins, eliminations, placements and penalties....
17th Century Korea-Set Dark Action Game MOOSA: Dirty Fate Announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC
MOOSA: Dirty Fate, a dark action title set in 17th‑century Korea, was announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The game immerses players in a famine‑stricken Joseon era, drawing on the Little Ice Age’s historical hardships. Players control Gunn,...
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn Release Date Update Announced Alongside Closed Beta
The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, developed by Owlcat Games, is slated for a spring 2027 release and will launch a closed beta next month. A new trailer showcased cover‑based shooting, space‑flight, and familiar locations from the Expanse universe, drawing clear parallels...
Dispatch Coming to Xbox Series This Summer
AdHoc Studio announced that its superhero workplace comedy *Dispatch* will arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC via the Microsoft Store this summer, following its earlier releases on PlayStation 5, PC (Steam), and Nintendo Switch. The game blends narrative-driven decision‑making with...
Ascend to ZERO Launches July 13 for Xbox Series, PC
Flyway Games announced that its time‑control roguelike Ascend to ZERO will release on July 13 for Xbox Series consoles and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store. The title will also be accessible through Xbox Game Pass from day one, expanding...
Three Weeks After Being Accidentally Uploaded to Steam, the New Hunter: The Reckoning Game Is Now Official
Polish studio Teyon officially unveiled Hunter: The Reckoning – Deathwish, slated for a 2027 release. The title reimagines the World of Darkness tabletop franchise as a first‑person RPG set in modern New York, featuring investigation, romance options, and branching narratives....
V Rising Developer Is Making Its "Most Ambitious" Vampire Game yet, and Players Want It to Be an MMORPG
Stunlock Studios announced it is moving beyond V Rising to develop a new, more ambitious vampire title within the same universe. The studio says V Rising’s content is now complete and will shift resources to a fresh project that abandons its current...
TwitchCon Has New Rules to Keep Streamers and Fans Safe
Twitch announced a suite of safety rules for TwitchCon 2026 in Rotterdam and San Diego, including optional lanyards that signal a "no‑camera" preference, a ban on walk‑ups, mandatory reservations for meet‑and‑greets, and stricter penalties for violations. Streamers who breach the...
How to Upgrade Your Progress Level Fast in CookieRun: OvenSmash
CookieRun: OvenSmash’s Progress Level ties individual Cookie upgrades to an account‑wide experience meter, rewarding players with Crystals, Soul Chips, and random boxes. Each Cookie level grants Progress Points, and higher‑level Cookies yield increasingly larger point bonuses. Balancing upgrades across the...
![Mzinho: "I Was so Happy that I Stepped up [vs Spirit]"](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/9408cb7f21afc85525115a3055ec247d.webp)
Mzinho: "I Was so Happy that I Stepped up [vs Spirit]"
Ayush “mzinho” Batbold delivered a man‑of‑the‑match performance, posting a 1.85 rating as MongolZ defeated Spirit 2‑0 to secure a playoff spot at BLAST Open Rotterdam. The 18‑year‑old also led the group stage with a team‑high 1.16 rating, highlighting his rapid...
What IT and Academic Leaders Need to Know About Collegiate Esports
A new Voice of Intercollegiate Esports (VOICE) study provides the first large‑scale data on how collegiate esports programs affect student outcomes. Participants posted average GPAs above 3.3 and a 94.8% intent to graduate, with graduation rates hitting 85.9%, well above...
Easter Returns in Old School RuneScape, Jagex Makes Series of PvP Quality of Life Tweaks
Old School RuneScape’s Easter event runs through April 15, featuring a new holdable pet rock called Archibald and a quest to retrieve a runaway chocolate egg. Jagex also rolled out a suite of PvP quality‑of‑life tweaks, including meta‑aligned gear changes,...
Must‑Play RPG Worth Adding to Your Steam Wishlist
If you love RPGs this should be on your Steam wishlist, trust me. Post screenshot and I'll say something nice to you (or something mean, if you prefer)
How and Why New Street Fighter 6 Combos Work Showcased Side-by-Side by the String Master Desk with some Extra Sauce
Street Fighter 6 received a major balance update that introduced new character Alex and revised combo mechanics across the roster. Content creator Desk released side‑by‑side videos demonstrating how the changes affect fighters such as Dhalsim, Terry, Mai, Rashid, Juri and Luke....
MAJ3R on XANTARES' Hand Injury: "Sometimes He Feels Pain"
In a pre‑playoff interview, Aurora’s in‑game leader Engin “MAJ3R” Küpeli discussed the team’s strong group‑stage showing—wins over FaZe and FURIA and a loss to Natus Vincere—while previewing their quarter‑final against The MongolZ at the BLAST Open Rotterdam. He revealed that star...
‘Five Nights at Epstein’s’ Game Spreading on School Laptops, Raising Alarm Among Parents
A controversial game called “Five Nights at Epstein’s” is appearing on school‑issued laptops, bypassing web filters and allowing students to play during class. Pupils are using VPNs and proxy sites to circumvent blocks, exposing classmates to graphic references to the...
Marathon PvP Etiquette Sparks Heated Debate on First Shots
Very curious for people's takes on Marathon PVP etiquette I've never not shot first and had someone else reciprocate. Exfil camping feels like it's gotten especially brutal Surprising range of opinions in this thread compared to what I've seen in game https://t.co/j6oOWA6YJd
Nintendo's Physical Switch 2 Game Prices Outpace Digital, Sparking Pricing Debate
Nintendo's latest Switch 2 console retails for $696 in stores, while flagship titles like Mario Kart World sell digitally for as low as $51.99. The price gap between physical and digital game formats is prompting industry analysts and consumers to...
NEOWIZ’s IDOLY PRIDE to Go Offline on April 26, 2026, Marking the End of Its Idol Management Run
NEOWIZ announced that its idol‑management RPG IDOLY PRIDE will cease operations on April 26, 2026, ending service on both Korean and global servers. The title, which debuted in South Korea in 2021 and expanded worldwide in 2023, will remain playable...
New Star Wars XCOM-Like Game Includes A Surprising Feature
EA’s upcoming Star Wars: Zero Company, developed by Bit Reactor, merges XCOM‑style turn‑based combat with third‑person exploration of iconic Clone Wars locations. Players will navigate planets in an action‑adventure mode between tactical missions, while squadmates engage in dynamic dialogue that...
Apple's Next iPad Might Look the Same, but a New Listing Suggests It Could Get a 30% Gaming Performance Boost
Apple’s upcoming 12th‑generation iPad is rumored to retain its current 11‑inch design but will be powered by a new A18 chip, delivering roughly a 30% single‑core performance uplift. The tablet is also expected to increase memory to 8 GB of RAM,...
Why TapNation Is Banking on Rewarded Play
TapNation and payments platform ZBD are championing rewarded play as a growth engine for mobile games. TapNation’s data shows real‑world rewards can lift day‑7 and day‑30 retention, while ZBD reports that allocating 10‑20% of ad revenue to players yields 80‑200%...
Pyrite64 The Unity-Like Nintendo 64 Game Engine
Pyrite64 is a Unity‑style game engine that enables developers to build Nintendo 64 titles using C++ and a visual‑scripting editor. The engine automates the Windows toolchain, supports GLTF model import with Fast64 material handling, and offers HDR, bloom, and 256 × 256 texture...
How Monopoly Go's Pets Season Sparked 12,000 Fan Submissions and Community Engagement
Scopely launched Monopoly Go’s Pets Season on Feb 4, running through Apr 7, featuring pet‑themed tokens and a community‑driven sticker collection. The contest attracted 12,000 fan submissions, with nine pets turned into in‑game stickers and additional pets highlighted on social media. The...
Star Citizen Alpha 4.7, 'Welcome to the Rock, Adds New Multi-Part Mission, and First Iteration of Crafting
Cloud Imperium Games launched Star Citizen Alpha 4.7, dubbed “Welcome to the Rock,” featuring the multi‑part Operation Breaker Stations mission, the Aurora Mk II starter ship, and the first version of a crafting system (Crafting T0). Players must infiltrate dormant QV Breaker stations in the Keeger...
Best Social Casinos 2026
Social casinos are booming in 2026, but the market has become fiercely competitive as dozens of platforms vie for player attention. MegaBonanza emerges as the clear leader, outshining Chumba Casino, Pulsz, WOW Vegas and LuckyLand Slots with a more balanced, polished...
New Restored Land Update Makes Every Action Permanent
Restored Land is Dying Light: The Beast's massive new update and almost reinvents how to complete the game —'All actions have permanent consequences'. https://t.co/hwfi4870aL
Jesper Kyd Shares First ‘90s-Inspired Trip-Hop Song From ‘Samson: A Tyndalston Story’ Soundtrack
Jesper Kyd has released the first track, "Samson's City," from the upcoming game Samson: A Tyndalston Story. The song channels 1990s trip‑hop influences, drawing on Massive Attack and Tricky while staying modern. The open‑world action title, developed by Liquid Swords...
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War Has Retro Looks and Modern Edge
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War, developed by Auroch Digital and Dotemu, launches as a retro‑styled first‑person shooter that satirically mirrors the 1997 film’s anti‑war themes. Drawing design inspiration from a 1999 Halo demo, the game blends classic 2000s shooter mechanics...