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
After Major Arc Raiders Exploit Ruins Games, Embark Knows Players Want "Fast Action" But Is Taking Its Time to Stay...
Arc Raiders, Embark Studios' fast‑paced multiplayer shooter, has been hit by duplication and infinite‑ammo exploits that threatened game balance. The studio identified a design flaw but is postponing bans to ensure accuracy and avoid wrongful penalties. Embark outlined a tiered response—from warnings and coin removal to week‑long suspensions—while rolling out upgraded detection tools. The move aims to restore player confidence and safeguard the live‑service economy.
Resident Evil 5 Remake Rumors Shot Down by Industry Insider
An ESRB rating for Resident Evil 5 sparked speculation of a remake, but industry insider DuskGolem clarified the rating relates to a remaster or anniversary port, not a new development. He emphasized that Capcom has never worked on an RE5 remake...
Weapons Director Had ‘Carte Blanche to Do Whatever He Wanted’ with Resident Evil Movie Reboot, Studio CEO Says
Zach Cregger, the writer‑director behind Barbarian and Weapons, has been given unrestricted creative authority to helm the upcoming Resident Evil reboot. Constantin Film’s CEO Oliver Berbin confirmed Cregger received "carte blanche" to reshape the billion‑dollar franchise, with a theatrical launch...
![Two Point Museum Reveals Zooseum DLC [Update: Out Now on Nintendo Switch 2]](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/52f849c1f72704848235ea9a47d78da7.webp)
Two Point Museum Reveals Zooseum DLC [Update: Out Now on Nintendo Switch 2]
SEGA and Two Point Studios announced the Zooseum DLC for Two Point Museum, slated for a winter 2025 release. The expansion introduces a wildlife‑focused museum where players rescue, heal, raise, and re‑wild a variety of creatures. It arrives alongside the...
The MongolZ Through to Playoffs over NAVI in Cluj-Napoca
The MongolZ clinched a 2‑1 victory over Natus Vincere to lock in a playoff berth at PGL Cluj‑Napoca. The series saw Natus Vincere dominate early on Inferno, but The MongolZ turned the tide on Nuke and sealed the match on Mirage. Cobrazera posted...
Earth vs Mars the Advance Wars-Like From Relic Entertainment Gets Steam Deck Verified
Relic Entertainment’s turn‑based strategy title Earth vs Mars has earned Steam Deck Verified status, confirming full performance and UI optimization for Valve’s handheld. The 1.2.0 patch, released last week, adds three new Splice‑O‑Tron hybrid creatures, nine commander passives, and two...
![[Industry News] G2 Esports and Theta Labs Launch AI Agent Sami](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/a.jpg)
[Industry News] G2 Esports and Theta Labs Launch AI Agent Sami
G2 Esports partnered with Theta Labs to launch Sami, an AI‑powered mascot that answers fan questions across League of Legends, Counter‑Strike 2, VALORANT, Rainbow Six Siege and Call of Duty. The agent runs on Theta EdgeCloud’s hybrid edge‑cloud platform, leveraging...
Monetisation, Player Retention and Communities on Discord: Top Tips Incoming at PGC San Francisco
Discord will showcase its Social SDK at Pocket Gamer Connects San Francisco on March 9, 2026, where senior developer Anthony Tešija will present strategies for acquiring, retaining, and monetising mobile gamers via Discord. He will outline how the platform’s community...
US Video Game Consumer Spending Predicted to Reach $62.8bn in 2026
U.S. video game consumer spending is projected to hit $62.8 billion in 2026, a 3% rise from the previous year, according to market‑research firm Circana. The growth is anchored by strong hardware demand for the Nintendo Switch 2 and the launch of...
How Inclusive Leadership Can Shape the Next Generation of Games
At Pocket Gamer Connects London 2026, Aurora UK Awards highlighted women and non‑binary leaders, featuring an interview with former Monument Valley director Jennifer Estaris. Estaris emphasizes designing inclusion into hiring, mentorship, and leadership culture, arguing it drives creative and commercial...
SCOPECREEP Is a Curious Mix of Tower Defense and Active Incremental Where You Collect Souls
SCOPECREEP, an indie title released on Steam, fuses tower‑defense mechanics with active incremental gameplay. Players guide a central creature to exorcise wandering spirits, converting captured souls into a resource for a sprawling upgrade tree. The loop repeats, adding layers such...
Mellow Launches Indie Launchpad to Support Game Studios
Contractor management platform Mellow has introduced Indie Launchpad, a support program for independent game studios. The initiative offers eligible teams of up to 15 developers six months of full access to Mellow’s platform and its AI Scout freelancer‑matching tool, with...
The Hidden Costs of Self-Publishing on Consoles
Indie developers are increasingly opting to self‑publish on consoles, bypassing traditional publishers. While the DIY route eliminates revenue sharing, it introduces substantial hidden expenses, including costly devkits, legal entity formation, and extensive technical work such as controller integration, save‑system adaptation,...
WWE 2K26 Dev Interview Breaks Down Universe and Creation Changes
Visual Concepts revealed that WWE 2K26 will overhaul its Creation Suite and Universe Mode ahead of the March 2026 launch. The new engine drops the long‑standing 60‑layer cap, allocating 40 layers for body/head and 60 layers for ring and entrance attire,...
In a Triple-A World, Fable's Peter Molyneux Just Wants His New God Game to Bring "Joy"
Peter Molyneux’s upcoming god‑game *Masters of Albion* is being positioned as a antidote to the seriousness of modern AAA titles. In a candid interview he repeatedly stresses that the core experience should be pure "joy," emphasizing playful freedom over cinematic polish....
Team Vitality Partners With French Retailer E.Leclerc
Team Vitality announced a strategic partnership with French retail giant E.Leclerc, naming the retailer its main partner across all competitive divisions. The E.Leclerc logo will be featured on Vitality’s League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League and Chess team jerseys. Both...
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition Is Coming to Xbox Game Pass Premium and Ultimate on Thursday
CD Projekt Red announced that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition will arrive on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and Premium this Thursday, covering both Xbox One and Series consoles. The bundle adds the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine...
Aurora Beat B8 to Reach 2-2 Pool in Romania
Aurora defeated B8 in a two‑map series at PGL Cluj‑Napoca, winning Overpass 13‑10 and Mirage 16‑13 in overtime. The Turkish squad’s strong defensive play, especially from Ali “Wicadia” Haydar Yalçın, secured a 2‑2 pool spot and a chance to qualify...
The Razer Viper V3 Pro's Price Just Dropped $45, Hinting at Impending Viper V4 Pro
Razer has slashed the Viper V3 Pro’s price by $45, with Amazon listing it at $114.99 and Razer’s own store offering it for $129.99 after a $30 discount. The mouse, launched at $159.99 in May 2024, is praised for its lightweight...
HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×SURVIVOR, a Roguelike Title, Launches on Android
Japanese publisher Bushiroad has launched HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×SURVIVOR, a roguelike spin‑off of the popular manga, exclusively on Android via Google Play. Developed by WonderPlanet, the game blends Nen‑based combat with survivor‑style action, offering random skill builds and party combos for each...
Pocket Gamer Connects Wishes You a Prosperous Lunar New Year
Pocket Gamer Connects announced the 2026 PG Connects Summit in Shanghai for July 30, positioning the event as a gateway to ChinaJoy and the Chinese games market. Early registrants receive a 10 % ticket discount and access to the MeetToMatch platform for...
Escape: Immersion Is a Story-Driven Underwater Horror Adventure Where Every Second Counts, Arriving on Mobile and PC This July
Royal Games announced Escape: Immersion, an indie horror adventure set in a collapsing underwater military base, slated for mobile and PC release in July 2026. Developed by AzDimension over four years, the title draws inspiration from atmospheric titles like Inside...
VALORANT Patch 12.03 Notes: Masters Santiago Pick’ems, New LTM, and Gekko Changes
VALORANT’s Patch 12.03 rolls out ahead of the VCT 2026 Masters Santiago, re‑introducing Pick’ems with tiered rewards for accurate brackets. A new 2v2 Skirmish limited‑time mode debuts in matchmaking, stripping agents and economy to spotlight pure gunplay. Gekko receives a longer ability‑reclaim...
Sandshrew | Pokémon Guide
The guide details Sandshrew, Pokédex #027, covering its Kantonian Ground form and Alolan Ice‑Steel variant, including abilities, catch rate, and EV yield. It outlines evolution to Sandslash at level 22 (or via Ice Stone for Alolan) and lists its extensive locations...
NVIDIA RTX Steam Machine Build : AMD GPUs Run SteamOS More Smoothly
Iceberg Tech’s guide walks through building a compact Linux‑gaming PC using the ASRock DeskMeet X600 case paired with an NVIDIA RTX 5060 GPU. While the RTX 5060 brings DLSS performance, the article highlights persistent driver instability on Linux, making AMD GPUs a...
Gaming’s Identity Crisis: Matthew Ball Highlights Industry Fragmentation in New Presentation
Analyst Matthew Ball released a new report describing a growing identity crisis in video games, noting that the industry has become increasingly fragmented over the past year. He points to divergent business models, platform silos, and shifting consumer habits as...
Microsoft Quietly Increases Rewards Points Price for Xbox Gift Cards
Microsoft has quietly raised the points cost for Xbox gift cards in its Rewards program, roughly a 5.3% increase in the US and UK. The change affects all denominations and varies by region, with users reporting higher point requirements for...
Counter-Strike Player ZywOo Becomes L’Équipe Cover Star
French Counter‑Strike star Mathieu “ZywOo” Herbaut will appear on the February 18 cover of L’Équipe, marking the first CS2 player to headline the nation’s historic sports newspaper. The 25‑year‑old AWPer, a three‑Major winner with Team Vitality, has helped his squad...
PS6 Report Suggests Next-Gen Consoles Could Still Be a Long Way Off
AI‑driven demand for memory is inflating chip prices, tightening supply for console makers. Sony is reportedly considering pushing the PS6 launch to 2028 or 2029, while Microsoft’s best‑case target for its next‑gen Xbox is 2027 but may also slip. Both...
Best Bow Build in No Rest for the Wicked
The recent Together Co‑op update for *No Rest for the Wicked* makes bows a top-tier option, highlighted by the Lacquered Bow infused with ice. The guide recommends a dexterity‑heavy stat spread (Dex 52, Health 25, Stamina 27) and specific enchantments...
The First True Mirror Match in Street Fighter History Was Due to a Bug and Could only Be Played Against...
The original 1987 Street Fighter was essentially a single‑player title where players could only choose Ryu or a functionally identical Ken, creating a de‑facto mirror match. Street Fighter II expanded the roster and shifted focus to competitive 1‑on‑1 play, deliberately blocking...
Fan Group Makes Unreal Tournament 2004 Available to Play for Free and in 4K, with Epic’s Permission
OldUnreal, a fan preservation group, received Epic Games' blessing to release Unreal Tournament 2004 as a free download. The team launched an auto‑installing Windows installer that pulls the original disc image and applies a new patch, the first in over two...
Ahead of The Witcher Remake, the Witcher 1's Lead Story Designer Has Just Wrapped up a 26 Episode Dev Commentary
Lead story designer Artur Ganszyniec has finished a 26‑episode developer commentary that walks through CD Projekt’s 2007 Witcher 1 over the past six months. The YouTube series revisits key narrative moments, shares behind‑the‑scenes anecdotes, and notes that Geralt was not originally...
Where To Cook Onsen Eggs In Heartopia
During Heartopia’s Winter Frost Event, players can collect cracked eggs and receive a recipe for the Onsen Egg, a unique dish that requires only a single egg purchased from the vendor Massimo. The egg must be cooked in the hot...
Parivision and FaZe Clan Headline PGL Bucharest 2026 Invitations
PGL has released the invitation list for its Bucharest 2026 Counter‑Strike tournament, scheduled for April 4‑11. FaZe Clan and Parivision headline a 12‑team main event, while several top‑ten VRS teams declined to prioritize IEM Rio 2026. Their spots were filled...
Twisted Minds Wins OWCS Pre-Season Bootcamp
Saudi‑based Twisted Minds captured the Overwatch Champions Series 2026 Pre‑Season Bootcamp in Seoul, defeating Crazy Raccoon 4‑1 in the final and pocketing $15,000 of the $25,000 pool. The victory follows their Stage 3 EMEA win and the 2025 OWCS World Finals...
Game Manager Lutris v0.5.20 Released with Proton Upgrades, Store Updates and Much More
Lutris released version 0.5.20, overhauling its Proton‑GE handling by adopting the umu launcher as the default. The update adds native Wayland support, integrates the ZOOM Platform store, and refreshes EA App and Itch.io APIs. Numerous runners received upgrades, and new features like...
A Practical Guide to Indie Comms: How Studios Can Build Visibility without Burning Out
Rebecca Attard‑Phillips, co‑founder of Boost, offers indie studios a practical communications roadmap that replaces noisy, omnichannel marketing with a realistic focus on clarity, consistency, and connection. The guide introduces three messaging pillars—emotional fantasy, signature mechanic, and world tone—and shows how...
Rocket League Is Adding Easy Anti-Cheat, Psyonix Say Linux Will Still Be Supported with Proton
Rocket League will integrate Easy Anti‑Cheat (EAC) in April, giving players the choice to run the game with the anti‑cheat on or off. EAC must be enabled for online matchmaking, private matches and tournaments, while offline modes and training can...
3DMAX and paiN Gaming Eliminated From PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
French squad 3DMAX and Brazilian organization paiN Gaming were the first teams knocked out of the PGL Cluj‑Napoca 2026 CS2 tournament after failing to earn three group‑stage victories. 3DMAX lost all three best‑of‑three matches, dropping 2‑0 to Team Falcons, 2‑0...
Games To Teach Budgeting Or Money Management For Adults
A growing number of board games and digital apps are being used to teach adults budgeting and money‑management skills. Titles like Monopoly, Cashflow, Payday and the Budget Challenge app let players experiment with cash flow, debt, savings and passive‑income concepts...
Mewgenics Xbox Release Might Be in the Works After Wild PC Success
Mewgenics, the tactical cat‑breeding roguelite that recently topped Steam's most‑popular premium games chart, is being eyed for a multi‑platform launch. Co‑developer Edmund McMillen hinted the title could enter development for "all systems," including the current‑gen consoles such as Xbox Series...
20 Most Anticipated Open-World Games of 2026
The article spotlights the 20 most anticipated open‑world games slated for 2026, with Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto 6 leading the pack. GTA 6 promises a meticulously crafted Vice City, featuring dynamic NPC routines, reactive law enforcement, and unprecedented environmental detail. The game...
Zillow for Warcraft Is a New Way to Explore World of Warcraft Homes
Zillow has teamed up with Blizzard Entertainment to launch "Zillow for Warcraft," a dedicated microsite that showcases a curated collection of player‑owned homes in World of Warcraft. The launch coincides with the long‑awaited player housing feature going live in the...
Crimson Desert Is Going To Make My Wait For GTA 6 Easier
South Korean studio Pearl Abyss’s upcoming action‑RPG Crimson Desert is set for a March 2026 launch, offering a sprawling open world called Pywell with five distinct regions and diverse traversal methods. The game’s design mirrors Rockstar’s formula—multiple playable protagonists, a...
BlazBlue Entropy Effect X Review – The Truth of the World
BlazBlue: Entropy Effect X is a free console update that bundles all prior DLC, introduces new characters and the Extreme Zone, and expands the rogue‑lite mechanics of the 2024 early‑access title. The expansion deepens tactical customization through Legacy Tactics, elemental...
Nintendo’s Virtual Boy App Is Now Available on Switch Online, with Seven Games at Launch
Nintendo has introduced the Virtual Boy Classics app for the Switch, debuting with seven titles from the ill‑fated 1995 console. Access to the games requires a Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription and a physical Virtual Boy accessory, available as a $100...
King and Yahoo Games: Filling a Bite-Sized "Appetite" With Candy Crush Crushable
King has launched Candy Crush Crushable, a daily bite‑sized puzzle exclusive to Yahoo Games in the United States, while international players can access it via a dedicated website. The game is designed around a single‑puzzle‑per‑day format that emphasizes clarity, fairness...
ZeroHunter Launches Open Beta on Android in Select Regions with Anime-Style Side-Scrolling RPG Combat
ZeroHunter, an anime‑style side‑scrolling RPG, entered open beta on Android in several Asian markets, including Japan, China, Malaysia, and Singapore. The game blends free exploration with fast‑paced combat, offering extensive gear combos and skill synergies. Players assume the role of...
Baldur's Gate 3's Latest Patch Is Causing Performance Issues
Larian Studios rolled out a surprise 200 MB patch for Baldur's Gate 3 aimed at reducing VRAM usage and improving performance on PC, Mac, and Steam Deck. Shortly after release, players across PC and consoles reported severe frame‑rate drops, with FPS falling...