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
Counter-Strike Doesn't Deserve This Weapon, and for Good Reason
Valve’s Counter‑Strike 2 features the M249 as the game’s most expensive gun at $5,200, yet its performance mirrors that of a $300 rifle. The machine gun delivers only $300 per kill, suffers a 5.7‑second reload, high inaccuracy, and a 22% movement penalty, making it a tactical liability. By contrast, the cheaper $1,700 Negev outperforms it in damage and DPS, and the M249 is hidden by default in the loadout menu. Professional players virtually never purchase it, treating it as a novelty rather than a viable tool.
Gudetama Month of Meh Returns to Hello Kitty Island Adventure
Sanrio’s Hello Kitty Island Adventure is launching its recurring "Month of Meh" event from May 1 to May 31, 2026, celebrating Gudetama and Nisetama‑san. The event introduces an Egg Shrine where players can trade collected yolks for new accessories, clothing, and furniture, and...
SNK's Mai, Kula Diamond Return in Dead or Alive 6 PS5, But You'll Need to Buy Them Again
SNK’s Mai Shiranui and Kula Diamond are back in the PlayStation 5 remaster of Dead or Alive 6: Last Round, but they won’t carry over from the PS4 version. Players who already own the characters must purchase them again as separate DLC. Koei Tecmo also...
The Final Fantasy XI 'Maiden's Rhapsody' Collab Event Returns To Final Fantasy XIV This Month
Square Enix has re‑launched the Maiden’s Rhapsody crossover event in Final Fantasy XIV from May 8‑25. The quest follows Iroha, a key figure from the original Final Fantasy XI, who awakens on La Noscea with amnesia, and rewards participants with the exclusive Amatsu outfit....
Dev Behind Creepy Shooter With A Brilliant Trailer Says ‘It Hurts To Be Sitting At 48% Positive Ratings After Putting...
Bleakmill’s long‑awaited sequel Industria 2 hit Steam on April 29, 2026 and immediately earned a 48% positive rating, far below the team’s expectations after four years of development. Players criticized the launch as buggy, unstable, and unfinished, labeling it “half‑baked.” The studio...
All Spell Combos and Interactions in Far Far West
Destructoid’s guide details every elemental spell combo and interaction in the indie shooter Far Far West. It lists how Acid, Cactus, Electric, Fire and Voodoo spells combine with other elements to produce explosions, tornadoes, thunderstorms and damage bonuses. The tables show specific...
Anbernic Launches Sub‑$100 RG Rotate Handheld with Rotating Screen for Retro Gamers
Anbernic announced the RG Rotate, a rotating‑screen handheld that starts at $87.99 for the polar‑black model and $107.99 for a premium all‑metal version. Preorders begin May 11, and the device runs Android 12 on a Unisoc Tiger T618 processor, promising PS1 and...
Nacon Sets Nacon Connect 2026 Showcase for Mid‑May Amid Insolvency Turmoil
Nacon announced that its Nacon Connect 2026 showcase will be streamed in mid‑May, with GamingBolt citing May 17 and VideogamesChronicle reporting May 7. The event will feature trailers for The Mound, Edge of Memories, Endurance Motorsport Series and Hunter: The Reckoning –...
Nintendo Direct Has Been Around for 15 Years — It May Not Last Forever
Nintendo Direct, the company’s flagship video‑announcement format that launched in 2011, may be nearing its end, according to former employees Kit Ellis and Krysta Yang. They argue that the increasingly complex production and shifting fan dynamics are prompting Nintendo to...
Star Wars and Fortnite Go for It
Epic Games announced that on May 1 a suite of Star Wars‑themed experiences will launch within Fortnite. The rollout includes multiple game modes, character skins, and iconic weapons from the franchise. Players can access the content directly through the Fortnite client, blending...
The Metal Gear Solid 2 HD Source Code Has Reportedly Leaked 15 Years Later
Source code for multiple versions of Metal Gear Solid 2 HD reportedly surfaced on 4chan, dated March 2007 and totaling 155.8 MB. The leak appears to include code for the PS3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, PC, and an undocumented Wii port of the Substance edition....
Far Cry 4 Director Pushes Back Against Far Cry TV Showrunner Calling Game Stories 'Pointless' And Executes a Drive-By on...
Ubisoft’s Far Cry 4 director Alex Hutchinson publicly rebutted TV showrunner Noah Hawley’s claim that video‑game stories are “pointless” and that cutscenes make games unsuitable for drama. Hutchinson argued that narrative elements—theme, setting, character—drive player engagement even when cutscenes are skipped. He...
Best New Xbox Game Pass Games to Play This Weekend (May 1-3)
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass added three fresh titles—Aphelion, Inkonbini, and Sledding Game—over the May 1‑3 weekend, expanding its catalog to more than 900 games. The additions arrive after the company lowered subscription prices and hinted at a reassessment of its exclusive‑first...
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced’s Map Is “A Little More Dense” With New Islands and Locations
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced keeps the Caribbean at 16 × 16 km but packs it tighter with new islands and hidden locations. The update adds three recruitable officers who unlock naval combat abilities after completing trust‑building quests. A new compass UI replaces...
Subnautica 2 System Requirements: Minimum, Recommended and Ultra++
Subnautica 2’s system requirements span four performance tiers, from a GTX 1660 or RX 5500XT for 1080p Low at 30 FPS to an RTX 5070Ti or RX 7900XTX for 4K Ultra++ at 60 FPS. The recommended tier calls for an RTX 3070‑class GPU and 16 GB RAM to run...
Double XP Returns To RuneScape Today, With Some Big Changes
RuneScape’s Double XP event has returned for a limited 48‑hour boost that players can activate or deactivate at any point until May 10. The promotion comes with three major tweaks: daily login incentives have been dropped, event tokens will now automatically...
‘Saros’ Star Rahul Kohli and Developer on How New PlayStation Game Connects to ‘Returnal,’ Gameplay Tips and Why Arjun’s Dialogue...
Sony released "Saros," a new PS5‑exclusive AAA title that builds on the bullet‑hell expertise of Housemarque and serves as a spiritual successor to 2021's "Returnal." The game stars actor Rahul Kohli as Arjun Devraj, and after initial recordings he re‑recorded almost every...
Gambonanza Is a Roguelike Chess-Builder with Gambits, Out Now
Sidekick Publishing and Stray Fawn have launched Gambonanza, a solo‑developed roguelike chess‑builder by Blukulélé, on Android, iOS, and Steam. The game replaces the classic 64‑square board with smaller, variable grids and shifts the win condition to capturing every opposing piece....
Nekomata Okayu Visual Novel Okayu Nyumu R Will Be in English
Entergram announced that the PC version of the Hololive Vtuber visual novel Okayu Nyumu R will launch on Steam with a full English translation. The game follows the original Okayu Nyumu, which received an English release on consoles in August...
Preview Update 7.9, 'Legacy Reborn' And Everything Coming to Star Wars: The Old Republic
SWTOR’s 7.9 "Legacy Reborn" update wraps up the long‑running Legacy of the Sith storyline with a multi‑character showdown on Kar Shian. The patch also introduces quality‑of‑life tweaks, a disabled companion terminal and clearer onboarding for the Dantooine intro mission. PvP Season 10...
Metro 2039 Has Been Wishlisted 1 Million Times
4A Games announced that Metro 2039 has been added to one million wishlists just weeks after its reveal, marking the fastest milestone for the franchise. The game is the first mainline entry since 2019’s Metro Exodus and will launch this...
There's Already a Way to Mount Your Smartphone to a Steam Controller
Mechanism is launching the Basegrip for Valve's Steam Controller on May 4, a contoured attachment that lets users mount the controller to a smartphone and other existing accessories. Priced at $9, the Basegrip retains clearance for the controller's magnetic charging puck...
System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Is Coming to Switch 2
Nightdive Studios confirmed that the System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster will be released for Nintendo’s upcoming Switch 2 console. The announcement was made via social media, but it provided no specific launch window or storefront link, and the eShop currently lists...
Roblox Shares Dive on Slower User Growth
Roblox’s stock tumbled after the company slashed its full‑year bookings outlook, citing short‑term user‑growth friction from newly introduced age‑verification and child‑safety features. Despite a strong quarter—bookings jumped 43% year‑on‑year to $1.7 billion—the rollout now covers only 65% of U.S. users, leaving...
Star Citizen's DefenseCon May Very Well Be Replacing This Year's Big Free Joy Ride Event
Star Citizen’s Drake Interplanetary is reviving its DefenseCon event from May 14‑27, directly overlapping the franchise’s traditional Invictus Launch Week. The launch week this year is set in the unplayable Sol system, making it inaccessible to most players, while DefenseCon promises...
Hades II - Behind the Music at Abbey Road Studios Video Showcases Four Songs
Supergiant Games released a new "Behind the Music" video filmed at Abbey Road Studios, featuring four tracks from the upcoming Hades II. The showcase includes "Mountain of the Gods," "Olympus Aflame," "Father of All Monsters," and the end‑theme "Time Belongs to...
Total War: Warhammer 40,000’s Hive Waste World, Battle Maps Showcased in Livestream
Creative Assembly unveiled new details for Total War: Warhammer 40,000 in a recent livestream, presenting the first in‑game view of a hive waste world. The title will feature four biomes—arid, temperate, ice, waste—and a range of planetary civilizations from frontier...
Top-Down Action Adventure Game Magical Blush Launches This Summer for PC, Later for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and Switch
Magical Blush, a top‑down action‑adventure from Alkacer Game Studio, is set to launch on PC via Steam and GOG this summer, with subsequent releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and the original Switch. The game combines fast‑paced elemental combat with...
Rivendell Housing Is Here in The Lord of the Rings Online
Standing Stone Games introduced Rivendell housing to The Lord of the Rings Online, making 15 neighborhoods available for purchase. Players can choose from standard, deluxe, or kinship homes, with kinship rank 7+ granting a shared home for the entire kinship. Demand...
Hear Me Out: What if James Bond Just Shouldn't Be in Videogames?
Joshua Wolens argues that James Bond, a character built for cinema, struggles to translate into a compelling video‑game protagonist. He cites recent play‑through of *007 First Light* and the broader history of Bond titles, noting that many rely on style and one‑liners...
Battlefield 6 Season 3 Completely Transforms Vehicle Damage and Repairs, in the Name of "Calculated Risks"
Battlefield 6’s Season 3, launching in May 2026, overhauls vehicle gameplay with a suite of balance and UI tweaks. Anti‑tank weapons now require three hits to destroy a tank, while damage variance is reduced for more predictable outcomes. Repairs start strong but...
How Artificial Agency’s AI Companion Puts Personality in the Hands of the Player
Artificial Agency showcased its AI companion platform in the "Stranded" demo at GDC, allowing players to program robot personalities that directly affect gameplay outcomes. The company, fresh from a $16 million funding round in July 2024, unveiled an AI engine designed...
Best Players for FC 26 Cut In, Say Less Evolution
EA Sports has launched the Cut In, Say Less Evolution in FC 26 Ultimate Team, a new upgrade path for right‑midfield and right‑wing cards. The evolution costs 100,000 in‑game coins and applies to players with a maximum overall of 90, PlayStyle...
Massive Valve Shipment Rumor May Hint at the Steam Machine's Launch Window, but I Have My Doubts
A rumor circulating on X suggests Valve has received a large shipment of "Game Consoles" to its U.S. distribution warehouse, which some interpret as a sign that the long‑awaited Steam Machine could launch soon, possibly aligning with Valve's early 2026 target....
Battlefield 6 Season 3 to Launch on May 12 with Railway to Golmud the Headline Act
Battlefield 6’s Season 3 arrives on May 12, headlined by the massive Railway to Golmud map—four times larger than Mirak Valley—and a fresh round of core combat tuning. The update refines hit registration, responsiveness and netcode while overhauling mortar balance to curb long‑range...
This New Deep-Sea Roguelike Turns Mining Into a Survival Horror Grind
Yogscast Games' new title The Subminer turns underwater exploration into a tense roguelike set on Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. Players control a bio‑droid that alternates between a heavily‑armed submarine and a tethered diver to scavenge resources from procedurally generated, breakable...
A Date With Death 2 Dating Sim Kickstarter Already Fully Funded
Two and a Half Studios launched the Kickstarter for *A Date with Death 2: Remnants* on April 30, 2026, seeking $28,783. Within a day, more than 2,300 backers pledged over $184,000, guaranteeing full funding when the campaign closes on May...
Feature: 25+ PS5, PS4 Games to Buy in PS Store's Weekend Offer Sale (Europe)
Sony’s European PlayStation Store launched a limited‑time Weekend Offer sale that runs through 4 May 2026. The promotion slashes prices on more than 25 PS5 and PS4 titles, with discounts as deep as 90% and some games priced under $5. Highlights include...
Where to Find All Bells on Far West in Far Far West and Unlock Bell Shot Joker
Dot Esports details the secret mission on the Far West map in *Far Far West*, where players must locate three glowing purple bells and restore the great bell at the church. The bells are positioned near the northern water, a central hill,...
Controversial but Promising: Nongshim RedForce Needs Diable to Become a Top Team in the LCK
Korean ADC Nam “Diable” Dae‑geun left BNK FearX for Nongshim RedForce (NS) after being demoted to the Challengers roster for missing a fan meet. The move, finalized before the second round robin, saw NS trade its former ADC Kim “Taeyoon”...
Pac-Man to Get Animated Shorts and More for Pac-May Celebrations
Bandai Namco Entertainment America is marking Pac‑Man’s 45th birthday with a month‑long Pac‑May celebration. The kickoff includes the animated short series “Pac‑Man: Snack Breaks,” debuting on the official Pac‑Man YouTube channel on May 22, produced with Cartuna. Live fan experiences span...
'Hogwarts Legacy' Is Free Again to Mark 25th Anniversary of Harry Potter Films
Epic Games Store is giving away the PC version of Hogwarts Legacy for free through May 4, marking the 25th anniversary of the Harry Potter films. The promotion follows a similar giveaway last December that overwhelmed servers, offering fans a second...
Subnautica 2's Early Access PC System Requirements Are on the Punishing Side
Unknown Worlds announced Subnautica 2’s early‑access PC specifications, and they are unusually demanding. The low‑preset minimum calls for 12 GB of RAM to achieve 1080p at 30 fps, while the recommended tier bumps that to 16 GB RAM and an 8 GB graphics card. Pushing...
Black Ops 7 Season 3 Reloaded Debuts with Terry Crews
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 3 Reloaded has arrived and with it comes Terry Crews. https://t.co/VWqjxUPAO3
Microsoft Rolls Auto SR Upscaling to Xbox Ally X Handheld for Docked Play
Microsoft has started previewing its Automatic Super Resolution (Auto SR) feature on the Xbox Ally X handheld, letting players boost frame rates and visual fidelity when the device is docked to a TV. The move extends Auto SR from Windows...
Paste Games: Crucial Safe Haven for Smart Critics
Hard to overstate the significance of Paste Games as a safe house for smart writers and big swing criticism, especially during the 2010s digital media boom. https://t.co/OoQK58qP1c
Fortnite Unlocks Star Wars Creative Islands via Unreal Editor, Launching May 1
Epic Games and Lucasfilm announced that, starting May 1, Fortnite creators can use curated Star Wars assets in Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) to build their own Star Wars‑themed islands. The rollout includes three flagship islands—Galactic Siege, Droid Tycoon and Escape...
Steam CCU Charts Weaponized by Toxic Culture Warriors
My two cents on this is that while modern players are on average way too CEO-brained these days, weaponizing Steam CCU charts on main is almost uniformly a sickness of online culture warriors pushing toxic agendas.
Camelot Unchained Opens Weekend Session With New Archetype and Updated Spring Roadmap
Camelot Unchained’s early‑access team released an updated spring roadmap, introducing the Devout archetype and two new crafting tradeskills—Alchemy and Cooking. The Devout melee‑fighter/healer combo debuted in the weekend play session, while a Scout archetype is slated for June. Additional patches...
Nintendo's Latest Viral PSA Could Be the Difference Between Your Switch 2 Living or Dying
Nintendo issued a viral public‑service announcement urging Switch 2 owners to charge the console at least once every six months. The guidance targets lithium‑ion batteries, which can become permanently unusable if left fully discharged for extended periods. The advice mirrors the...