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
Nintendo Switch eShop Deals – Lowest Prices Ever for Bear and Breakfast, Neva, Planet of Lana, More
Nintendo’s North American eShop has launched a massive discount event, slashing prices on more than 200 Switch titles. Flagship indie releases such as Bear and Breakfast, Neva and Planet of Lana hit their lowest ever price points, with discounts reaching up to 80 percent. The promotion spans a wide range of genres, from classic collections like the Ace Attorney Trilogy to newer hits like Hogwarts Legacy. Nintendo directs shoppers to its storefront for the full catalog and archives of past sales.
Everything We Know About Supermassive’s Directive 8020: Story, Release Date, Platforms, and More
Supermassive Games announced Directive 8020, the first sci‑fi installment of the Dark Pictures Anthology, slated for release on May 12, 2026 across PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. The game follows the Cassiopeia crew as a shapeshifting alien stalks them on a crashed colony...
Where to Find All Notes and Documents in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5
The new GameRant guide lists all 35 notes and documents hidden in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5, offering step‑by‑step locations from the opening chase to the Data Center finale. It details secret magnetic‑surface puzzles, hidden rooms, and specific item interactions required to...
PS4 Games That Made Couch Co-Op Feel Like an Event
The article lists ten PS4 games that kept couch co‑op vibrant despite an industry shift away from split‑screen. It highlights titles such as The Playroom VR, Helldivers, Overcooked, and Borderlands 3, noting unique features like VR‑paired play and chaotic friendly‑fire mechanics. By...
Best Units in Roblox Retro Tower Defense
Roblox’s Retro Tower Defense received an updated tier list on February 22, 2026, highlighting 4x4x4x4 as the current top‑tier unit. The guide emphasizes Noli for pure DPS, Mage for AoE damage, and Helper Bot for tower‑stat boosts, while noting that Epic‑rarity heroes...
Markiplier Is Officially Done with Poppy Playtime After Disappointment with Chapter 5
YouTube star Markiplier announced he will no longer play the Poppy Playtime series after a five‑hour livestream of Chapter 5 left him frustrated. He condemned the chapter’s disjointed narrative and relentless chase sequences, calling the experience “a f**king mess.” Despite the...
Dplus KIA Reverse Sweep T1, Clinch Last LCK Cup 2026 Ticket to Hong Kong
Dplus KIA pulled off a dramatic reverse sweep of T1, winning the lower‑bracket series 3‑1 to clinch the final LCK Cup 2026 ticket to Hong Kong. The comeback marked the first reverse sweep in DK’s history and T1’s first such loss...
Nintendo Pre-Order Updates – February 22, 2026 – Rayman, Xenoblade X on Switch 2, Scott Pilgrim EX, More
Nintendo’s February 22 2026 pre‑order roundup reveals a robust launch slate for the Switch 2 and the legacy Switch across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. The lineup kicks off on Feb 27 with multiple Resident Evil bundles and spans over 60...
Battleplan Preview: Tactical Moves, Grand Strategy Results
Battleplan, the latest title from Canadian studio Foolish Mortals Games, puts players in a WWII map‑room where they issue high‑level orders to shape the Normandy campaign. The game blends tactical arrow‑based planning with grand‑strategy depth, offering both historical divisions and...
HOTU Win Roman Imperium Cup V
HOTU captured the Roman Imperium Cup V title, earning a $5,929 first‑place prize and climbing to 21st on the global Valve standings. The team swept Betclic and fnatic before defeating Gentle Mates in the final, despite a 13‑0 loss on...
All FC 26 1 of 3 88+ Encore Icon Player Pick SBC Rewards
EA Sports has revamped the 1‑of‑3 88+ Encore Icon Player Pick SBC in FIFA 26 Ultimate Team, now awarding three Icon cards and letting players keep their preferred choice. The updated pool adds Team of the Year (TOTY) Icons alongside...
How to Get the Shatterseal Great Sword in Monster Hunter Wilds
Capcom added the Shatterseal Great Sword to Monster Hunter Wilds in the February 2026 title update, but it can only be crafted using the Master Craftsman's Blueprint. The blueprint is earned by completing the new Every Hunter's Dream quest, which...
How to Grow Crops in Starsand Island - Farming Guide
Starsand Island’s farming mechanic hinges on a tiered Farmer Certification, which unlocks progressively valuable seeds and tools. Players start by completing Graminova’s Sprouting Hope quest to earn the Apprentice certification, then advance through Junior, Intermediate, Senior, and Expert levels. The...
The Biggest Winners and Losers of Mortal Kombat 9's Main Story Tallied by Victories
Mortal Kombat 9’s single‑player story mode has been dissected, tallying each fighter’s victories and defeats across sixteen chapters and numerous cut‑scene battles. Raiden, Sindel, Kuai Liang and Liu Kang emerge as the top winners, while Bi‑Han, Johnny Cage and Quan Chi accumulate the most losses,...
Latest Persist Online Patch Focuses on Clarity, Stability, and Player Guidance
CipSoft released Persist Online version 0.6.0.70, adding quest markers, adjusting wind effects, reworking faction logic, and fixing core bugs. The patch emphasizes usability, reducing motion‑sickness, and clarifying combat requirements for new players. These changes improve onboarding and stability as the...
How to Complete I Need a Bigger Boat in Windrose
Windrose’s early‑game “I Need a Bigger Boat” quest guides players to acquire a larger vessel by repairing a wrecked ship on the second island. Players must first finish the “Rescuing the Crew” quest to recruit a repair crew, then locate...
How to Get Copper Ingots in Windrose
Copper Ingots are a core resource in Windrose, required for quests, tools, and base upgrades. Players first encounter them during the tutorial, where they craft a stone pickaxe, mine copper ore, and build a charcoal kiln and smelting furnace. Converting...
Grimslair Is Not Afraid of Slay the Spire 2, and Release Date Stands
Indie studio ThunderRam Studios is set to launch its deck‑building title Grimslair on March 6, 2026, exactly one day after Mega Crit’s Slay the Spire 2 enters Steam Early Access on March 5. The proximity of the two releases has sparked concern that Grimslair could...
ZywOo Takes a Historic 30th MVP at PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut captured his 30th HLTV × 1XBET MVP award at PGL Cluj‑Napoca 2026, extending his lead over s1mple by nine medals. He posted a 1.39 overall rating and a 1.44 median map rating while Vitality swept all six matches against top‑11 ranked...
Pantheon Prepares Major Summoner Overhaul Alongside First Nightfall Crypt
Visionary Realms announced a major update for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen that reworks the Summoner class and adds the first Nightfall Crypt dungeon. The Summoner will now start with both Fury and Zephyr companions, gain pet gear slots, floating...
Camelot Unchained Reveals Ongoing Visual Evolution in Latest DevBlog Video
Unchained Entertainment released a new development video showcasing a comprehensive visual overhaul for Camelot Unchained as it approaches its 2026 launch. Art Lead Evan Schumacher explained that legacy assets are being rebuilt to meet modern engine standards, improving character models,...
Nintendo eShop File Size Round-Up for Feb. 22nd, 2026 (Fallout 4, Resident Evil Titles, Pokémon FireRed/LeafGreen & More)
Nintendo’s eShop update for February 22, 2026 highlights a stark size divide between flagship AAA ports on the upcoming Switch 2 and the extensive indie catalog on the current Switch. Heavyweights such as Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition (61 GB) and Resident Evil titles (20‑29 GB) dominate the...
Fate Trigger Twitch Drops Event: Here’s How to Claim the Free Rewards
Fate Trigger, a hero‑based tactical shooter, has launched a Twitch Drops promotion to coincide with its Steam Next Fest playtest. The event runs from 20 February to 1 March, rewarding viewers who watch streams in the game’s Twitch category. Players must link...
New 2XKO Tier List Released by Top Competitor for Dragon Ball FighterZ
Top Dragon Ball FighterZ competitor Inzem, fresh off victories at EVO 2024, CEO 2024 and a runner‑up finish at the 2024‑2025 World Tour Finals, released a new 2XKO tier list. The list places Yasuo and Ekko at the apex in the "Rulebreakers"...
Atelier Ryza Producer Says Says the "Plumpness" Of Reisalin's Design Was Based on Extensive Market Research
Gust’s Atelier Ryza producer Junzo Hosoi revealed that the protagonist’s “plump” figure was the result of extensive market research. The team analyzed global body‑type preferences and aimed to place Ryza in the middle of cultural and economic trends. This design...
Runescape Is Ditching Auras so You Can "Play on Your Own Terms" Without Suffering the Weight of Cooldown Anxiety
Jagex announced the removal of all Auras from Runescape as part of its Road to Restoration overhaul. Auras, time‑gated buffs tied to the loyalty subscription, forced players into hour‑long play windows and created cooldown anxiety. The company says the most...
Helldivers 2 Players Advised to Prepare for “Unjust Counter-Offensive” After Cyberstan Failure
Arrowhead’s Helldivers 2 staged the high‑stakes Operation Valid Pretext on Cyberstan, tasking players with overrunning massive Automaton cities using new gear like the explosive hammer and Bastion Tank. The mission failed after reserves ran out, prompting an in‑game tweet warning of...
$1 Million in Debt, Devs on Handheld Tony Hawk's Pro Skater Saved the Company by Pitching "Fake" Screenshots that Forced...
Vicarious Visions, teetering on the brink of insolvency, secured a $1 million loan and pitched a handheld Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater to Activision using fabricated screenshots. The studio overcame the Game Boy Advance’s storage limits by rendering 3D polygonal skaters at...
Sky: Children of the Light Players Can Share In-Game Creations Free Daily In Upcoming Update
The next Sky: Children of Light update introduces a streamlined user‑generated content (UGC) creation flow, allowing players to launch shared creations instantly from the Spells page. Each day, users can craft a message boat, shared memory, and shared space for...
Lords of the Fallen 2 Studio CEO Reaches Out to Bluepoint Games Developers: “We Have Multiple Roles”
Sony's unexpected shutdown of Bluepoint Games left roughly 70 developers seeking new roles. CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski publicly invited those talent to join the upcoming Lords of the Fallen 2 project, emphasizing multiple, some unlisted, positions. The outreach signals a...
Former Xbox President Sarah Bond Opens Up About Resignation: “The Right Time to Take My Next Step”
Microsoft announced a sweeping Xbox leadership overhaul as Phil Spencer retires, Asha Sharma steps in as Gaming CEO, and Matt Booty becomes Chief Content Officer. In the same wave, longtime Xbox President Sarah Bond resigned, citing personal and professional timing,...
Dragon Ball XenoVerse 3 Leaks as Mystery Game's Identity Is Revealed
Bandai Namco’s mysterious Dragon Ball project, previously codenamed AGE 1000, has been unintentionally identified as Dragon Ball XenoVerse 3 following a leak from the company’s Southeast Asia YouTube playlist. The playlist, titled “Dragon Ball XenoVerse 3,” displayed the initial reveal trailer before being removed after fans...
Tencent Closes TiMi Montreal Game Studio
The episode reports that Tencent has shut down its TiMi Montreal studio, which never released a game during its five-year existence. The closure was hinted at for weeks, confirmed by a programmer’s LinkedIn post, and reflects a broader retreat by...
Why Is Leon 50 in Resident Evil Requiem While Jill and Claire Don't Age?
Resident Evil Requiem, releasing Feb. 28, introduces an older Leon S. Kennedy while iconic heroines Jill Valentine, Claire Redfield, and Rebecca Chambers appear unchanged. The lack of aging for the women is explained by in‑universe lore that their exposure to various...
Monster Hunter Rival Wild Hearts Might Have Been Left to Die, yet I Can't Help but Love It
Wild Hearts, Koei Tecmo's monster‑hunting title published by EA, launched in February 2023 with high expectations but suffered severe performance problems on PC and later on the Switch. The game introduces a streamlined weapon roster and a unique Karakuri system that...
Nightingale Enables Cross-Platform Compatibility, Goes On Sale For $6 On Steam
Two years after its Early Access debut, Nightingale released a patch that adds cross‑platform multiplayer between Steam and Epic Games Store. The update uses a simple Join Code system, allowing players from both stores to join the same sessions. It...
PGL Cluj-Napoca Cements Its Place on CS2 Calendar with 2029 Extension
PGL and the Romanian city of Cluj‑Napoca have extended their partnership through 2029, confirming the BT Arena as the permanent venue for the CS2 flagship tournament. Dates for the 2027 and 2028 editions are locked in for mid‑February, with the...
Protect the King Codes February 2026
Protect the King, a Roblox tower‑defense game, has released two active promotional codes—FREEGOLD (50 gold) and GOLD30 (30 gold). The article details step‑by‑step redemption, common troubleshooting tips, and notes that expired codes like HARBINGER no longer work. It also directs...
Hands-On: G’AIM’E 30th Anniversary Time Crisis Light Gun Game
G’AIM’E released a dedicated Time Crisis light‑gun console to mark the franchise’s 30th anniversary, offering a plug‑and‑play system that runs up to four classic arcade shooters on any modern TV via AI‑based screen recognition. Three pricing tiers – Basic ($99),...
PlayStation's New Strategy Is Going All in on Games for Younger Players
PlayStation announced a strategic shift toward younger gamers during its February State of Play, unveiling titles such as Kena: Scars of Kosmora, Horizon Hunters Gathering, and a T‑rated God of War: Sons of Sparta. Sony is publishing indie‑developed Kena directly,...
Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero Fan Adds John Dragon Ball From Project: Age 1000
A fan modder on GameBanana has introduced the meme‑born character John Dragon Ball, also known as John 1000, into the fighting game *Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero*. The mod replaces the game’s overpowered Beast Gohan with a custom model that mirrors the mysterious hero teased in the...
Before The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Arrives, You Can Spend $150 to Pat Yoshi at Home
Nintendo and Illumination have launched a new line of Super Mario Galaxy movie merchandise, headlined by the Hatchin' Yoshi interactive figure. The toy retails for $149.99 at Walmart in the United States and costs £59.99 (≈$80) in the United Kingdom starting April 1, 2026....
Sarah Bond Bids Farewell to Xbox Colleagues
Sarah Bond resigned as Xbox president and COO, coinciding with Phil Spencer’s announced retirement as CEO. Bond, who spent eight years in senior roles and served as the No. 2 executive alongside Matt Booty, is leaving the company. Matt Booty will...
Paper Mario Might Just Be the Craziest Character Mod Ever Developed for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
A fan‑created mod by Nanobuds and mRama introduces Paper Mario as a fully playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The mod features a unique partner‑wheel special that summons eight iconic Paper Mario allies, each usable up to three times per stock. Its...
Nioh 3 Player Beats The Final Boss In One Hit On New Game Plus
Within two weeks of its launch, a player known as Vikaluka defeated Nioh 3’s final boss Hiruko with a single hit on New Game Plus. The kill was achieved by stacking multiple strength‑boosting talismans and deliberately leaving gear slots empty to...
Review: The 'Nacon Revolution X Unlimited' Is A Fantastic-Feeling Xbox Controller, At A Cost
Nacon’s Revolution X Unlimited Xbox controller launches as a premium, Xbox‑Elite‑style pad with swappable sticks, rear paddles, a tiny customizable screen, and a full suite of accessories. Reviewers praise its chunky, comfortable feel and clicky button response, noting it competes directly with...
Xbox Fans Expect Gamer Expertise Despite Business Focus
I think it's obvious that knowing or liking games is not a necessary condition for being good at the business of making and selling games. But I also think it's the least surprising thing in the world that fans expect...
Shoutout to Fnatic Dragons, Meet Again Tomorrow
i have to shoutout the Fnatic Dragons aka the peanut gallery behind the desk 😆♥️ And drink some water ffs @FDS_Dragons Same time tomorrow guys? https://t.co/eg0a9p2izZ
Pokemon Fans Use 3-In-1 Lego Set To Create Omanyte, Horsea, And Reshiram Builds
Pokemon fans are sidestepping the steep price tags of official Lego Pokemon sets by repurposing the $49.99 Sea Animals: Beautiful Rescue kit to construct four fan‑designed Pokemon, including Omanyte, Horsea, and Reshiram. The official Pokemon Lego line launches with prices...
First AI-Powered Game Powered by Google's Genie 3
First AI video game with Google’s Genie 3! #aivideo #AIart #aigame #AI #gamer #game #ArtificialIntelligence @AlbertoEMachado @Eli_Krumova @postoff25 @Khulood_Almani @anand_narang @NutritiousMind @baski_LA @TanyaSinha_ @devaang @AlAmadi1 @jeancayeux @enilev @efipm @mvollmer1 @Nicochan33 @RagusoSergio @FrRonconi @Shi4Tech @sallyeaves @LaurentAlaus @Fabriziobustama @smaksked @MargaretSiegien @PawlowskiMario @gvalan @Ym78200...