Today's Gaming Pulse
Xbox Game Pass trims eight titles as it adds new releases
Xbox Game Pass will remove eight games from its library on June 30, including several titles that have been on the service for months. At the same time, the subscription adds fresh entries such as EA Sports FC 26, RV There Yet?, and Winds of Arcana: Ruination in late June and early July.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Sirius Game raises $1.4M in fundraising
Free Play Days Features Four Free Xbox Games This Weekend
Xbox’s Free Play Days returns this weekend, offering four titles—Lynked: Banner of the Spark, Age of Wonders 4, NHL 26, and Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream—at no cost to Game Pass subscribers. The promotion runs from February 12 to February 15 with no playtime restrictions, allowing unlimited access until Sunday night. Each game features exceptionally low TrueAchievements completion rates, indicating deep content; Age of Wonders 4 alone can require up to 100 hours to finish. The lineup targets both strategy and sports fans, expanding the value proposition of Xbox Game Pass.
All FC 26 Knockout Royalty Team 1 Players and Release Countdown
EA Sports has confirmed the Knockout Royalty promotion for FIFA 26 Ultimate Team, releasing a leaked roster of 26 active stars and legends alongside four still‑secret Heroes. The promo will drop on Friday, Feb 13, 2026, immediately after the Future Stars campaign...
Peter Molyneux Loved The New Fable Trailer, But Says The World Looks Too Clean
Playground Games is developing the first mainline Fable entry since Lionhead’s 2016 closure, using Unreal Engine 4 and Forza Tech. The new trailer earned praise from series co‑founder Peter Molyneux, who said he will be among the first to play the game...
Sky: Children of the Light Kicks Off 2026’s Days of Fortune: Year of the Horse
Sky: Children of the Light launches its 2026 Days of Fortune: Year of the Horse event from February 13 to February 26. Players start by helping Spirits clear debris, earning Event Tickets that unlock a carousel on February 16, which...
Blumhouse Games Tells Crisol Reviewer To Play The Game More
Blumhouse Games, the publishing arm of horror studio Blumhouse Productions, pushed back against a negative YouTube review of its new survival‑horror title Crisol: Theater of Idols. The reviewer, DSPGaming, based his criticism on just three and a half hours of gameplay,...
What Parts To Upgrade First In Ride 6
Ride 6’s garage lets players fine‑tune their bikes for quick‑mode races and multiplayer. The guide recommends upgrading the exhaust first, followed by tires, brake kits, camshaft, piston, and carburetor, while rims are a low‑priority add‑on. An exhaust from Yoshimura or SC...
Live Service Games Stuck in Inescapable Death Spiral
The live service game death spiral is a bleak one. It's difficult to avoid and all but impossible to escape. Here's what the heads of Specter Divide (remember that) said about the dead game stench back in 2024. https://t.co/keUaQlgBVX https://t.co/xepsE2x5QW
FOKUS Enter CS with International Lineup Coached by Kuben
German esports organization FOKUS announced its entry into Counter‑Strike by fielding a brand‑new international roster assembled by former Virtus.pro and ENCE coach Jakub “kuben” Gurczyński. The five‑player line‑up features Swedish IGL Erik “ztr” Gustafsson, Romanian “volt”, Bulgarian AWPer Georgi “Jorko”...
Voice Actor Kenichi Suzumura on a Break for Health Reasons
Veteran voice actor Kenichi Suzumura, famed for roles such as Zack Fair and Shinn Asuka, announced on February 12, 2026 that he will pause his work due to an adjustment disorder diagnosis. His agency Intention said the break is indefinite...
Ubisoft Beats Forecast, Rainbow Six Mobile Hits 18M Pre‑Regs
Ubisoft in Paris just reported its Q3 + sounded pretty happy, beating their forecast. No Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake announcement yet, but they did confirm Rainbow Six Mobile has 18M pre-registrations and is due out worldwide on Feb 23. Call with...
ShipShaper Is a Chill Boat Builder with a Demo You Can Use to Make Sleek Sloops or Beastly Barges
ShipShaper is a sandbox ship‑building demo from Tomas Sala, the creator of The Falconeer and Bulwark. The tool lets players pull, push, and drag hull sections to craft anything from modest fishing boats to massive ironclads, without grids or preset...
Epomaker G84 HE Gaming Keyboard Review: Magnetic Switches on a Budget, Kinda
The Epomaker G84 HE brings Hall‑effect magnetic switches to a budget‑friendly price point of about £80/$85. Its switches allow users to tweak actuation height and enable rapid‑trigger modes typically reserved for premium keyboards. The board offers versatile connectivity—Bluetooth, USB‑C, and 2.4 GHz...
High On Life 2′s Intro Is One Of The Best Video Game Openings Ever
High On Life 2 launches with a kinetic, comedy‑driven opening that thrusts players into a 1,000 MPH montage of monster fights, talk‑show bits, and obstacle courses. The sequence doubles as an interactive tutorial, teaching movement, combat, and grappling while recapping the 2022 predecessor. Technically,...
Wild Pokémon Rumor Claims FireRed And LeafGreen Are Coming To Switch 2 And Fans Aren’t Sure How To Feel
Leakers Khu and Centro Leaks claim Nintendo will announce Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen for the upcoming Switch 2 on Pokémon Day, February 27. The rumor suggests the classic Game Boy Advance remakes will be sold as standalone eShop titles rather than part of Nintendo Switch Online, with a...
The International Heads to Shanghai This Summer
Valve announced that The International 15 will be held in Shanghai from August 20‑23, 2026, at the Oriental Sports Center. The indoor arena can accommodate up to 18,000 fans depending on configuration. Sixteen teams will vie for the title after...
Resident Evil 4 Remake Slammed On Steam For New DRM That Makes The Game Run Worse
Capcom replaced Denuvo with Enigma DRM in the Resident Evil 4 remake on Steam, triggering a noticeable performance decline. Frame rates fell from over 140 fps to the low 90s, and Digital Foundry measured a 1.9 ms CPU overhead translating to roughly a...
Preview: Monster Hunter Stories 3 Tonal Shift Suits Its Situation
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection marks a clear tonal shift for the franchise, moving from its youthful shonen roots to a mature narrative that tackles war, environmental stewardship, and political intrigue. Players assume the role of a royal Ranger...
FaZe Vegas Names Capriotti’s Its Official Sandwich Partner
FaZe Vegas, a top Call of Duty League franchise, announced a partnership with Capriotti’s Sandwich Shop, naming the chain its official sandwich partner. The deal includes jersey branding, curated social‑media content, and fan‑perks that unlock special rewards after each team victory....
Mewgenics Has Its Own Resetti Who Will Destroy Your Run If You Save Scum
Mewgenics, the cat‑breeding tactical roguelike from Tyler Glaiel and Edmund McMillen, recouped its entire development budget within three hours of its February 10 launch and set a new Steam concurrency record with 83,956 players on February 11. Within the first day, players...
Unsurprisingly, Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined Is a Massive Hit in Japan
Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined became Japan’s best‑selling physical game last week, moving 456,552 units across three platforms. The PS5, Switch 2, and Nintendo Switch each secured a top‑three spot, underscoring the title’s cross‑platform appeal. By contrast, the next‑best seller, Nioh 3, sold just...
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Rogue Point Aims to Prove Old School Is the New Cool with a Back-to-Basics Shooter
Crowbar Collective’s Rogue Point entered Early Access as a retro‑style co‑op shooter that deliberately shuns the grind‑heavy design of modern FPS titles. The game offers eight short missions for four‑player teams, runs under 10 GB, and uses peer‑to‑peer networking to keep...
Gothic 1 Remake Gets a June Release Date
THQ Nordic announced that Gothic 1 Remake will launch on June 5, 2026, bringing the 2001 RPG to modern standards. The remake promises current‑gen graphics, a revamped combat system, and over 50 hours of gameplay. Developers emphasize preserving the original’s gritty atmosphere while...
SwinGo Cup 2026 Results
The SwinGo Cup 2026, an online esports tournament hosted in China, concluded with 2G|Blaz claiming the title after a flawless 5‑0 final over Scarz|Kincho. The event featured a mix of invited Asian talent and players who qualified via leaderboard points,...
Nexon Revenue Rises 6.5% to $3.1bn in 2025, Driven by Ongoing Success of Arc Raiders
Sega Sammy reported nine‑month results ending December 31, 2025, with net sales up 4% to ¥335.2 billion but operating income plunging 55% YoY to ¥19.8 billion. The company recorded a ¥30.4 billion ($198.6 million) impairment on Rovio, the Angry Birds developer it bought for ¥776 million in...
Overwatch Players Are Selling Out The Cause For Lootboxes
Blizzard’s Overwatch soft reboot introduces a faction‑based seasonal mode where players align with either the heroic Overwatch organization or the villainous Talon. Progression in the mode rewards participants with lootboxes and a faction‑dependent Echo skin, incentivizing repeated play. Early data...
Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds' Free Super Monkey Ball Update Available Now on PS5, PS4
SEGA released Free Update #5 for Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds, introducing Super Monkey Ball’s mascot AiAi and his Banana Cruiser vehicle. The update launches a limited‑time Super Monkey Ball Festival from Feb 12 to Feb 15, during which World Match is disabled. SEGA also teased two more...
CCP Teams up with Sui on Eve Frontier Hackathon with $80K Prize Pool
CCP Games has partnered with the Sui blockchain to launch the Eve Frontier × Sui Hackathon 2026, offering an $80,000 prize pool. The online competition runs from March 11 to March 31 and challenges participants to build mods for Smart...
How to Get Purple Fruit Fallen From a Mad Tree in Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Canine Cuisine quest requires a single Purple Fruit that drops from a mad tree. The fruit is located exclusively at the Cheshire Cat’s tree, which appears wherever the player has placed the Cat’s house. Because the house...
10 Chambers Co-Founder Departs After a Decade
Hjalmar Vikström, co‑founder and chief development officer of 10 Chambers, announced his departure after ten years leading the studio that created the cooperative horror shooter GTFO. He guided the team from a nine‑person early‑access effort to the full 1.0 release in...
Investors Need Massive User Base, Causing Game Sector Exit
You would need like 100 Mewgenics to satisfy the returns these types of investors in games are looking for which is why they are abandoning the sector.
How Many Dudes Does It Take to Beat 1 Horse-Sized Duck and 75 Duck-Sized Horses? This Game Answers Your Dumb...
How Many Dudes? is an auto‑battling roguelike from indie studio Butterscotch Shenanigans, known for titles like Crashlands. The game pits a growing roster of “dudes” against increasingly absurd foes—from duck‑sized horses to hordes of toddlers—while players collect relics and consumables...
Crisol: Theater of Idols Is A Tremendously Spanish Affair, and A Halfway Decent Survival Horror Game
Crisol: Theater of Idols, developed by Madrid’s Vermila Studios, blends survival‑horror mechanics with a distinctly Spanish aesthetic rooted in folklore and telenovela drama. The game follows soldier Gabriel on the rain‑soaked island of Tormentosa, where he wields blood‑infused weapons against...
Develop:Star Awards Submissions Open
Develop's Star Awards for 2025 open submissions, running until 3 April 2026. The ceremony will be held on 15 July at the Brighton Dome, showcasing 18 award categories, including the newly added Best Ongoing Game. Entry is free and studios of any size...
Dartsee Helps Players Level up with New Darts Class Game
Dartsee, a leader in interactive social gaming, has launched Darts Class, its 13th game designed to let players practice and improve their dart skills. The new mode offers three difficulty levels and two gameplay modes, with targets that shrink and...
All Upgrades in Mewgenics and How to Get Them
Mewgenics features a tiered upgrade system tied to seven NPCs, each requiring specific cat submissions such as zone‑progress cats, injured felines, or retired adventurers. Upgrades range from inventory expansion and house enlargement to specialized breeding data and item recovery. Players...
Abyss Money Farm Guide – Best Gun & Tube Progression
The guide outlines a step‑by‑step money‑farming roadmap for Roblox’s Abyss, starting with Diver Delivery quests and progressing through Ancient Sands, Spirit Roots, and whale hunting. It pairs each income source with the optimal Gun and Tube upgrades, emphasizing early acquisition...
![[Industry News] Masters of Albion First Look Gameplay Released](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/maxresdefault-19.jpg)
[Industry News] Masters of Albion First Look Gameplay Released
22cans released a six‑minute gameplay trailer for Masters of Albion, Peter Molyneux’s new God‑game. The trailer demonstrates the game’s day‑and‑night cycle, building, crafting, exploration, and combat systems working together. The title launches in Early Access on PC via Steam on...
What Is the Video Gaming and Esports Industry?>
The global video gaming market is projected to reach $188.8 billion by 2025, serving an audience of roughly 3.6 billion players. Business models have shifted from one‑time purchases to ongoing in‑game spending, extending revenue lifecycles. Esports adds a spectator dimension, generating sponsorships,...
Toph Gameplay Trailer for Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game Coming February 12
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game is set to release a Toph gameplay trailer on February 12 at 8 p.m. PT, marking the first visual of the blind earthbender’s combat style since the project’s revival. The trailer follows the game’s resurrection after a...
Wildlight Cuts Staff, Retains Core Team for Game
Update: Wildlight confirms big layoffs but says core group will remain. "Today we made an incredibly difficult decision to part ways with a number of our team members while keeping a core group of developers to continue innovating on and supporting...
Toronto KOI Renews Partnership With SCUF Gaming
Toronto KOI, OverActive Media’s Call of Duty League franchise, has renewed its partnership with controller maker SCUF Gaming for a seventh straight year. While financial terms remain undisclosed, the agreement ensures SCUF will equip KOI players with elite‑level controllers and...
Jin Saotome and Blade of Scion Added to Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Community Edition with Cool Trailers Showing Off...
The Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Community Edition mod has been updated with two new fighters, Jin Saotome from Cyberbots and Blade of Scion from Red Earth. Jin brings his signature Blodia punch and a mech‑piloting Hyper Combo, while Blade of Scion...
How to Get the Crimson Wolf Weapon Variant in Overwatch
Overwatch’s latest seasonal update introduces the Crimson Wolf weapon variant, a high‑tier cosmetic for Widowmaker. Unlocking the skin costs 3,000 Competitive Points, a currency earned through Competitive and Stadium matches. Players receive 10 points per Competitive win, five for draws,...
![Highguard In Trouble After Most Of The Studio Laid Off Just Weeks After Launch [Update]](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://kotaku.com/app/uploads/2026/01/highguard-1200x675.jpg)
Highguard In Trouble After Most Of The Studio Laid Off Just Weeks After Launch [Update]
Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind the newly released not‑hero shooter Highguard, announced layoffs affecting most of its staff just weeks after the game's January 26 launch. The title received a lukewarm response and struggled with concurrent player numbers, prompting the...
ENASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series 2026 Season Detailed
iRacing and NASCAR unveiled the 2026 eNASCAR Coca‑Cola iRacing Series, expanding to 24 rounds and a $500,000 prize pool. The season splits into an 11‑round Qualifying Series featuring all three NASCAR national‑series vehicle classes, followed by a 13‑round Championship with...
"Vince Was the Real Deal." Gaming Leaders Mourn Vince Zampella in Las Vegas
The DICE Summit in Las Vegas featured a heartfelt tribute to the late Vince Zampella, a visionary game developer behind Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, Respawn’s hits, and Battlefield 6. Industry leaders like EA’s Laura Miele, Geoff Keighley, Phil Spencer, Todd Howard, and...
Daily Active Users Metric Inflates by Cherry‑picking Peak Days
The daily active users is especially useless because it just takes the highest one-day peaks from across the year.
Horror Hit Iron Lung Gets a PS5 Launch Trailer, But It's Been Available for Months
Iron Lung, the atmospheric first‑person horror game, finally received a PlayStation 5 launch trailer despite being on the console’s store since October 16 2025. The trailer’s release coincides with the recent Markiplier‑produced film adaptation, which has reignited public interest. Originally a 2022 PC title,...
How Gaming Can Foster Personal and Professional Change | Boss Mode with Dr. Marie-Claire Isaaman
The Boss Mode interview with Dr. Marie‑Claire Isaaman explores how video games can drive personal growth and professional development. Isaaman argues that interactive play cultivates problem‑solving, resilience, and leadership skills transferable to the workplace. She highlights initiatives by Women in...
PUBG Global Series 2026 Partnered Teams Revealed
PUBG Esports unveiled the 12 global partner teams for the 2026 PUBG Global Series, including notable organizations such as Gen.G, Natus Vincere, and Virtus.pro. The partner program grants guaranteed entry to all PGS events, exclusive revenue‑sharing skin releases, and annual financial...