Today's Gaming Pulse
Resident Evil Requiem launches free demo after 7 million copies sold
Capcom’s Resident Evil Requiem, which has sold over 7 million copies since its release three months ago, is now offering a free demo on Steam, Epic, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2. The demo lets players experience early chapters with protagonist Grace Ashcroft, though progress cannot be transferred to the full game.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Goldenpeak takes majority stake in Ampere Analysis
The Rise of the 'Pro-Gamer' Protagonist: Is Esports the New Friday Night Lights?
Esports has transitioned from niche arcade contests to a mainstream cultural force, with professional gamers now cast as the new sports heroes. Counter‑Strike 2 (CS2) anchors the competitive scene, fueling a sophisticated betting ecosystem that mirrors traditional sports wagering. Global audiences now number in the hundreds of millions, highlighted by the 2026 Esports World Cup projected to draw 600 million viewers. The surge has attracted major brands, media platforms, and academic programs, cementing esports as a multi‑billion‑dollar industry.
Playing Call of Duty Before Bed Doesn’t Ruin Sleep, and It Might Even Boost Your Memory
A University of Campania study examined eighteen non‑gamers who played Call of Duty for one hour before bed over three nights. Objective sleep measures—including latency, deep‑sleep duration, and awakenings—remained unchanged, while sleep efficiency was slightly better than after watching an...
Life Is Strange: Reunion Is a Full-Circle Moment for Its Stars
Square Enix’s new installment, *Life is Strange: Reunion*, revives Chloe Price, reuniting the iconic Max‑Chloe duo after the surprise return of Max in 2024’s *Double Exposure*. Voice actors Rhianna DeVries and Hannah Telle revealed they were blindsided by the audition...
Nintendo Aware of Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness Switch 2 Crash
Nintendo confirmed via X that the Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness title, playable through the Switch 2 GameCube Classics app, can crash, shut down, and erase saved progress. The bug has been reported by users since the game’s launch on Nintendo...
Fortnite Developer Epic Games Lays Off 1,000 Staffers, Citing 'Industry-Wide Challenges'
Epic Games announced it will lay off more than 1,000 employees, citing a downturn in Fortnite engagement that began in 2025 and broader industry challenges. The company reported $6.01 billion in revenue for 2025 but said spending on the live‑service game...
Epic Games to Retire Three Fortnite Modes After Failing to Attract and Retain Players
Epic Games announced that three Fortnite modes—Ballistic, Festival Battle Stage, and Rocket Racing—will be discontinued, with the first two shutting down on April 16, 2026 and Rocket Racing following in October 2026. The retirements come after the modes failed to...
FalleN: "I Think Everyone in the Team Is Trying to Find New Ways to Play Well"
FURIA was eliminated in the group stage of the BLAST Open Rotterdam by Falcons, ending their stop‑start 2026 campaign. Captain Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo said the loss reflects ongoing adjustments to a new team playstyle rather than a failure, emphasizing progress...
All Shells in Marathon, Ranked
Marathon’s latest patch introduces ranked matches and the high‑stakes Cryo Archive, where players must field a loadout worth at least 5,000 credits to compete. The update also adds a detailed ranking of the seven playable shells, highlighting Triage as the...
10 JRPGs That Made Grinding Feel Extremely Satisfying
The article lists ten JRPGs where grinding feels rewarding, highlighting how each title turns repetitive combat into a strategic activity. It shows the genre’s evolution from mandatory grinding to optional, depth‑filled loops such as Bravely Second’s BP management and Disgaea’s...
Alakazam | Pokémon Guide
The guide details Alakazam’s full evolution chain, from Abra to Kadabra and finally Alakazam, noting the trade‑based evolution and the linking‑cord method in Legends: Z‑A. It lists the Pokémon’s Psychic typing, abilities, base stats—highlighting a 135 Special Attack and 120 Speed—and...
Hello Kitty Island Adventure Usahana City Town DLC Heads to Consoles
The Usahana City Town expansion for Hello Kitty Island Adventure is moving from its Apple Arcade exclusivity to Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5 and PC on April 16, 2026. The DLC introduces an urban City Town region, new character shops such as the...
Razer Viper V4 Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse Announced
Razer unveiled the Viper V4 Pro wireless gaming mouse, shipping today in black and white at $159.99. Weighing just 49‑g (black) or 50‑g (white), it is 9% lighter than the V3 Pro and features Razer HyperSpeed Wireless Gen‑2 with 0.204 ms...
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Dead by Daylight Maker Behaviour Has Bought the Studio Behind 7 Days to Die to Create "a Portfolio of Horror...
Behaviour Interactive, the Canadian studio behind Dead by Daylight, has acquired Texas‑based The Fun Pimps, the developer of 7 Days to Die. The deal, terms undisclosed, aims to build a portfolio of horror IPs, adding 7 Days to Die’s 20 million‑plus...
Behaviour Acquires The Fun Pimps, Creators of 7 Days to Die
Behaviour Interactive, Canada’s largest game studio, announced the acquisition of The Fun Pimps, the developers behind the survival‑horror hit 7 Days to Die. The title has sold more than 20 million copies since its 2013 early‑access launch and maintains a vibrant...
Bandai Namco Posts Job Listing for Unnamed Fighting Game Designer, Speculated to Be Soul Calibur
Bandai Namco posted a senior fighting‑game designer job listing that outlines responsibilities ranging from system design to character customization, sparking speculation about its next title. Analysts point to the emphasis on customization and scenario creation as clues that the project could...
AppLovin Deploys AI Video Creatives for In-Game Ads
AppLovin launches AI-enabled video creative generation AppLovin is launching AI-enabled video generation to optimize eCommerce ads for in-game environments. By repurposing assets through generative models, the platform addresses the performance gap between social media creatives and full-screen mobile placements. This rollout...
The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin Release Date, Gameplay, and Trailer
Netmarble announced The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin will launch on March 23, 2026 for mobile devices and March 16, 2026 for Steam and PlayStation 5. The title expands the popular anime franchise into an open‑world action RPG with a multiverse storyline...
Crimson Desert’s Rivers, Attention to Detail Praised by Red Dead Redemption 2’s Water Artist
Crimson Desert shipped 3 million copies within five days of its March 19 launch on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, yet critical scores hover at 78 on Metacritic. Red Dead Redemption 2 water artist David O'Reilly praised the game’s rivers, calling the live‑particle...
What Our Data Reveals About Ad Quality and Player Churn in Mobile Games
A November 2025 analysis using Unity’s AdQuality tool examined how ad quality affects player churn across Android and iOS mobile games. The study compared rewarded video and interstitial formats from multiple networks, finding that interstitials consistently generate higher churn than...
A Puzzle Game Soundtrack That Plays With Your Head
*Lumines Arise* is a rhythm‑driven puzzle game that syncs falling blocks to an ever‑changing soundtrack. The music, crafted by Tokyo duo Hydelic (Noboru Mutoh) and Takako Ishida at Enhance, blends club‑rooted hardstyle, jazz, New Age and hyperpop to create a...
It Has My Face, My Favourite Sci-Fi Assassination Sim About Being Stalked by a Clone of Yourself, Has a 1.0...
It Has My Face, the roguelite clone‑stabber from Behaviour Interactive, exits early access with a full 1.0 launch on April 3 2026. The update adds multiplayer modes—including Team Deathmatch and Free‑For‑All for up to eight players—new story chapters, expanded clone abilities, mutator...
Capcom’s Anniversary Artwork Sparks Fresh Dragon’s Dogma 2 DLC Rumors
Capcom posted celebratory artwork for Dragon’s Dogma 2’s second anniversary, and fans quickly decoded a hidden letter that mentions griffins from the “Northern Region of Organ.” The clues have reignited speculation that a major DLC, similar to the original game’s Dark...
GTA 6 Fans Have some Wild Theories About Adult Content in the Game
Rockstar Games is slated to launch Grand Theft Auto 6 on November 19, 2026, featuring a dual‑protagonist couple, Jason and Lucia, set in a modern Vice City. With only two trailers released, fans on the GTA 6 subreddit are debating whether the game...
I Got to Play Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Early, and Sorry Pokopia, but It Might Be My GOTY Already
Nintendo’s upcoming Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream preview shows a polished sequel that expands the original’s quirky life‑sim formula onto a deserted‑island setting. The game introduces robust Mii creation tools, including non‑binary gender options and detailed clothing choices, while retaining...
Snapchat Adds AI Clips for Lens Studio so You Can Put Yourself on the Red Carpet
Snapchat has introduced AI Clips in Lens Studio, a new format that turns a single Snap or Camera Roll photo into a five‑second cinematic video based on a text prompt. The AI‑powered tool lets creators place users in settings ranging...
Microsoft Renames Xbox Full Screen Experience to Xbox Mode
Microsoft has now rebranded its Xbox Full Screen Experience to just Xbox mode in the latest update for the Xbox app on PC https://t.co/LQcGAuenLx
"The Thing We Are Trying to Stop Keeps Happening": Highguard and Other High-Profile Demises Keep Making the Argument for Stop...
Stop Killing Games, a grassroots coalition, has taken its case to the European Parliament, urging legislation to prevent online‑only games from disappearing when servers shut down. Recent high‑profile closures such as the shooter Highguard illustrate the emotional and cultural loss...
New Rumor Suggests OnePlus Is Working on an Android Gaming Handheld for Fans of Call of Duty Mobile and Delta...
A new leak suggests OnePlus is developing an Android handheld specifically tuned for first‑person shooter titles like Call of Duty Mobile and Delta Force. The rumor, traced to Weibo tipster Digital Chat Station and reinforced by a concept image shared...
Appcharge Reaches $1 Billion in Annualized DTC Transaction Volume | Exclusive
Appcharge announced that its customers’ direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) transaction volume has reached $1 billion as of March 23, 2026, up from $500 million in July 2025. The Tel‑Aviv‑based firm raised a $58 million Series B round in August 2025 to expand its web‑store and revenue‑pipeline tools for game developers....
Top Pikachu Competitor Releases New Tier List for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that Shows a Favorable Opinion of the Electric...
Top SSBU competitor ShinyMark, renowned for his Pikachu play, released a new unofficial tier list ahead of the fourth official ranking. The list places Pikachu in the top tier alongside Steve, Sonic, Mr. Game & Watch and R.O.B., while Steve retains the top...
Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus Beats AMD in Gaming Benchmarks, Shocking Review
Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus have been benchmarked against AMD's flagship Ryzen 7 9700X and 9800X3D, delivering gaming FPS gains that rival or exceed the pricier AMD chips. The surprise performance shift could...
![[Event News] Expo Gamers 2026 Announces Powerhouse Lineup for Opatija Summit](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/32.png)
[Event News] Expo Gamers 2026 Announces Powerhouse Lineup for Opatija Summit
Expo Gamers 2026 will take place on May 29‑30 in the coastal city of Opatija, positioning itself as the “Gamescom of south‑east Europe.” The boutique B2B2C event expects more than 3,000 attendees, ranging from developers and publishers to investors and...
Capcom Bars AI-Generated Game Assets, Aims to Boost Production Efficiency
Capcom announced it will not incorporate AI‑generated graphics or models into any Resident Evil game, while simultaneously rolling out internal tools that use generative AI to speed up asset pipelines. The move signals a cautious adoption of AI in a...
Mister Root Explores Blast Cone with Riftbound Previews
Mister Root enters the Blast Cone with our pair of Riftbound Unleashed card previews. https://t.co/bsnHX3ip7x
Indika Forced Me to Confront some of Life's Toughest Questions, and I Think It's Made Me a Better Person
Indika, the latest release from indie developer Odd Meter, is a dark narrative‑driven game that intertwines puzzle‑platforming with retro arcade sequences while confronting religious hypocrisy and personal faith. Set in an Eastern Orthodox convent, the four‑hour experience follows a nun...
![[Industry News] UK Games Dev Sector Has Suffered Its Sharpest Recorded Decline – TIGA Data](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/TIGA-Making-Games-in-the-UK-2026_Cover.jpg)
[Industry News] UK Games Dev Sector Has Suffered Its Sharpest Recorded Decline – TIGA Data
TIGA reports the UK games development sector suffered its steepest decline, losing 1,537 development jobs—a 4.5% drop—in the year to September 2025, ending 14 consecutive years of growth. Including supply‑chain effects, total job losses reach 4,347, while the number of studios...
Nintendo Reportedly Adjusting Switch 2 Production After Weak Holiday Sales
Nintendo is scaling back Switch 2 production to 4 million units this quarter, down from an initially planned 6 million, after weaker-than-expected holiday sales in the United States. The console’s US sales lagged despite strong performance of the lower‑priced variant, causing the stock...
Dota 2 Returns to The Games of the Future Esports Event
The Games of the Future (GOTF) esports festival is staging Dota 2 in Astana, Kazakhstan from July 31 to August 5, 2026. The tournament will feature the world’s elite Dota 2 squads competing for a $1 million prize pool. GOTF positions the event as a showcase...
![[Event News] SAGA Barcelona Game Fest Is Born](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/HD4LVoXWcAAeM1M.jpg)
[Event News] SAGA Barcelona Game Fest Is Born
Organizers of BCN Game Fest, RetroBarcelona and SAGA Saló del Gaming have launched SAGA Barcelona Game Fest, a three‑day convention scheduled for October 9‑11, 2026 at Fira de Barcelona Montjuïc. The event will split its program, dedicating October 9 to industry professionals and...
All Sanctum Locations In Crimson Desert
Crimson Desert’s world of Pywel hides twelve sanctums, each guarded by a distinct witch and overrun by cultists. Players must locate these sites—ranging from Hernand’s Grace Estate to Tashkalp’s Drywind Valley—and collect fusion cores to cleanse them. Cleansing not only...
Wartales DLC Contract: Fires in the Capital Launches on April 30
Shiro Games announced the Wartales DLC “Contract: Fires in the Capital” will launch on April 30, 2026 for PC via Steam at $12.99 (≈€10.99, £12.99). The expansion shifts gameplay to the imperial capital Isandrin, offering urban combat, a reactive Chaos...
CachyOS: New Proton Release Fixes the FSR-4 Upgrade and Cleans up the Downloader
CachyOS released a new Proton‑CachyOS update that restores the FSR 4 upgrade path for AMD GPUs by fixing the download and fallback of the required amdxcffx64.dll library. The fix re‑enables the environment variables PROTON_FSR4_UPGRADE=1 and PROTON_FSR4_RDNA3_UPGRADE=1, allowing automatic DLL handling on...
Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Soundtrack Is Now Available Digitally Worldwide on iTunes, Amazon, and More
Square Enix has launched the Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy Original Soundtrack alongside the mobile game’s server activation. The album contains 33 tracks composed by Takafumi Imamura and is now purchasable on iTunes, Amazon, and other digital retailers. While the soundtrack can be streamed...
Invasive Monster List for Monster Hunter Stories 3
Monster Hunter Stories 3 features nine Invasive Monsters that block access to endangered species eggs. Each monster appears in a specific region and demands a unique combat condition—such as elemental attacks, hammer skills, or defensive gear—to force a retreat into an...
The Unwritten Rules of Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen Explained
Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen, classic Gen III titles now available on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, continue to attract both veteran and new players. The article highlights hidden mechanics such as gender‑specific TV references, a Select/Y shortcut for faster PC actions, and...
How to Apply Clipart to Furniture in Heartopia (Painted Furniture Quest)
Heartopia’s Painted Furniture quest teaches players to apply custom clipart to Joinery furniture after unlocking the painting feature via the Brushstroke Whimsy quest. Players must acquire a drawing board—costing 2,000 in‑game Gold—from the NPC Ka Ching, create a design, and then...
Lucian Bastier Boss Guide in Crimson Desert
The guide walks players through the Chapter 8 boss fight against Lucian Bastier in Crimson Desert, now forced to be tackled with the newly introduced character Damiane. It outlines essential consumables, skill load‑outs like Shield Throw and Smiting Bolt, and a...
Square Enix Teams with Google to Add Gemini‑Powered AI Companion to Dragon Quest X
Square Enix announced a partnership with Google to embed its Gemini generative‑AI model into the Japan‑only MMORPG Dragon Quest X, launching a voice‑enabled companion called Chatty Slimey that will help newcomers navigate the 13‑year‑old game. The move marks one of...
Security Researchers Flag Widespread Game Malware Amid FBI Probe
Security researchers have warned that malicious code is being distributed through popular video games, prompting a federal investigation by the FBI. While the alert has raised concerns for millions of players, the sources provide no specific details on the affected...
Jynxzi’s Steam Account Gets Hit with 3-Day Cooldown During Case Opening Stream
Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart’s live CS2 case‑opening stream was abruptly stopped when Steam imposed a 72‑hour suspension. The ban was triggered after he exceeded the platform’s $2,000 24‑hour spending limit and tried to bypass it with a friend’s gift‑card. The cooldown...