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

Fer: "I Can't Handle the Player Life Nowadays, so I Told Them I Could Practice for a Month and Play...
Veteran Brazilian CS2 player Fernando “fer” Alvarenga has signed a short‑term deal with Gaimin Gladiators to compete in the IEM Cologne Major, marking his first Major appearance since IEM Rio 2022. The roster has just over a week to practice before opening Stage 1 against BetBoom, and fer admits limited preparation hurt their recent BC Game Masters showing. He emphasizes burnout and a desire for a lighter player lifestyle, while noting the stark contrast between older pros’ schedules and the higher salaries enjoyed by younger talent. Fer hopes his experience can help the team punch above its weight despite the tight timeline.

Diablo 2 Season 14 Brings WASD Support and Warlock Nerfs Designed to Enhance "Mechanical Awkwardness"
Blizzard launched Diablo 2 Resurrected Season 14, reintroducing bindable WASD movement and overhauling the new Warlock class. The patch nerfs several Warlock abilities, adjusts damage scaling, and boosts health‑potion effectiveness, while also tweaking Terror Zones and polishing controller support. Players must adapt...
Riot's Vanguard Update Knocks $6,000 Cheat Hardware Out of Play
Riot Games rolled out a Vanguard anti‑cheat update that disables high‑cost Direct Memory Access (DMA) cheat cards used to hack Valorant. The move turns $6,000‑plus rigs into unusable paperweights, prompting both praise for its effectiveness and concern over hardware‑level enforcement.

The First Big Mewgenics Update Is Great News for Mages, with a Wealth of Balance Changes
The indie cat‑collecting strategy game Mewgenics has launched its first major overhaul, version 1.1, on Steam. The patch overhauls nearly every class, with Mage, Hunter and Tinkerer receiving the most extensive tweaks. Systemic changes include a nerf to inbreeding‑related defects...
Kyle Busch Unresponsive in Racing Simulator Before Death, Shocking NASCAR Community
NASCAR legend Kyle Busch was found unresponsive while testing a Chevrolet racing simulator at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20, was rushed to a Charlotte hospital and died the next day at age 41. The incident has sparked an outpouring...

Falcons Beat MOUZ in Shanghai to Make Second Consecutive Grand Final
Falcons clinched a spot in the CS Asia Championships grand final by defeating MOUZ 3‑2 across Mirage, Dust2 and Nuke. The win marks the Saudi‑backed organization’s second consecutive grand‑final appearance since hiring veteran captain Finn "karrigan" Andersen. Key moments included...

What Valve’s Leaks Reveal About the New Steam Frame VR Headset
Valve’s leaked Steam Frame VR headset, slated for a late‑2026 launch, will be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, promising high‑performance, low‑latency VR experiences. The premium device is expected to retail for under $800, positioning it between flagship and mid‑range headsets....

Coffee Talk Tokyo Launch Trailer – Cozy, Narrative-Driven Visual Novel Lands on Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch
Coffee Talk Tokyo, the latest entry in the indie visual‑novel series, launched digitally on Nintendo Switch and the newly announced Switch 2 this week. Set in a late‑night Tokyo café, the game lets players brew drinks for humans and yōkai while...
Exstetra's HD Remaster Launches on July 30 for Steam with English Support, PS5 and Switch 1/2 Ports Revealed
Japanese developer FuRyu announced an HD remaster of its 2013 RPG EXSTETRA will launch worldwide on Steam on July 30, 2026. The new version adds English and Chinese subtitles, bringing the previously Japan‑only title to a global audience. FuRyu also...
'피크민 블룸 저니 2026: 서울', 서울의 다양한 매력 알린다
Niantic used its Pikmin Bloom Seoul event to showcase how the AR walking game thrives on real‑world interaction and community‑driven word‑of‑mouth. Team members highlighted Korean players’ habit of sharing routes, exchanging postcards, and gathering in public spaces, which has propelled the...
Embracer's Empire Collapses, Shedding Limited Run Games
Reminder that Swedish roll-up Embracer even bought (and still owns) @LimitedRunGames. It's ironic how this house of cards crashed and is now "un-rolled" into multiple smaller parts. https://t.co/nf4LQxlKMu

Repair Tool Blueprint Locations in Subnautica 2
Subnautica 2’s Repair Tool is essential for fixing damaged Tadpoles and sealed doors, but its blueprint isn’t available from the start. Players must locate and scan three in‑world Repair Tools to unlock crafting. The article pinpoints three reliable spawn points near...
Take‑Two Confirms AI‑Generated Trailers for Upcoming Releases
Take‑Two Interactive announced that it has used artificial‑intelligence tools to create trailers for forthcoming games. The admission highlights a growing reliance on AI in game marketing and raises questions about creative authenticity and ethics.

Minecraft Creators Want Roblox-Style Brand Deals — and See Xbox’s New Chief Strategy Officer as an Opening
Minecraft’s creator community is rallying around Xbox’s new chief strategy officer, Matthew Ball, hoping his metaverse‑focused background will loosen the game’s restrictive brand‑integration policies. At UGCon, five leading Minecraft studio heads praised the appointment as a signal that Microsoft may prioritize...

The ESO Team Talks Update 50, Night Market Feedback, and Previews Upcoming Crimson Veil Trial and High Seas Event
The Elder Scrolls Online team reviewed Update 50 PTS feedback, adjusting Challenge Mode difficulty by cutting Seasoned damage 50% and Master damage 65% before the June 8 launch. Players criticized the Night Market’s difficulty, prompting tweaks that coincided with record group‑finder usage. Upcoming...

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Dev Apologizes For Grueling Platinum
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth’s Platinum Trophy has proven exceptionally brutal, with only 12.31% of players—about 13,511 gamers—achieving it. Lead developer Naoki Hamaguchi publicly apologized, acknowledging that the requirement to perfect every game element was excessive. He indicated that the upcoming third installment...

Former Bungie Dev Says 'You'd Be Surprised How Many Times' Expansions Were Pitched for a Fan-Favorite Destiny Archvillain Who's Now...
Bungie announced that Destiny 2 will cease live‑service development and has not greenlit a Destiny 3, leaving major story threads unresolved. Former senior narrative designer Robert Brookes revealed that the fan‑favorite Hive god Xivu Arath was pitched repeatedly for a dedicated expansion, yet never...

Katsuhiro Harada Says His New VS Studio Is 'Overflowing' With Top Recruits and Will Keep Them Busy the Rest of...
Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada has launched the newly‑created VS Studio, an independent game development outfit backed by SNK and the Saudi‑owned Electronic Gaming Development Company. He announced that recruitment for elite core members is already fully booked through December,...

How to Get a Rebreather in Subnautica 2
Subnautica 2’s survival hinges on oxygen management. The guide explains that acquiring the Rebreather—a legacy item from the original game—significantly boosts oxygen efficiency, allowing virtually unlimited deep dives. Players must locate a scan point early, then craft the device using Fiber...

Best New Xbox Game Pass Games to Play on Memorial Day Weekend
Xbox Game Pass delivered a strong week in May, adding three headline titles for the Memorial Day weekend. Forza Horizon 6 arrives with a vibrant Japan‑inspired open world and new Easter‑egg content. Luna Abyss offers a single‑player, bullet‑hell shooter set on...

‘Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight’ Developer on Bringing Together Caped Crusaders From Christopher Nolan, Matt Reeves and More...
Traveller’s Tales has launched “Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight,” a sprawling Lego‑style adventure that lets players swing through Gotham as every major Batman incarnation—from the 1966 Adam West hero to Robert Pattinson’s Dark Knight. The game boasts more...
Embracer Founder Frames 2023 Restructuring as Lifeline for Remaining Studios
Embracer Group’s founder and chair Lars Wingefors told shareholders that the 2023 “large adjustment” was designed to let a select group of studios and IPs prove themselves, not a blunt US‑style layoff. The comment comes as the conglomerate splits into Embracer...

'We Know that Fans Will Love Them' — Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Creative Director Says Ubisoft Changed the Music's...
Ubisoft confirmed that Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced will launch on July 9 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, featuring a refreshed soundtrack. Creative director Paul Fu revealed the team has re‑engineered the original score and composed new sea‑shanty‑style tracks for key...
Meiji Tokyo Renka Otome Game’s Twilight Kiss Sequel Appearing in English
After a decade‑long wait, the otome visual novel Meiji Tokyo Renka: Twilight Kiss is set for a worldwide English release on Nintendo Switch and PC in 2026. The sequel builds on the 2015 Japan‑only PSP title and follows the first...

Steam Users Have Until May 25 to Claim 2025 Game Completely Free of Charge
Steam is running a week‑long free‑games promotion that includes two bunny‑themed titles. "Bunny Hurling" is free until May 25 at noon CST before returning to its $2.99 price, while "Bunny Guys" remains free through May 29. The storefront also lists other freebies...

How to Get All Movie Batsutis in LEGO Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight
LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight now lets players wear every live‑action Batman suit ever seen on film, from Adam West’s 1966 costume to Robert Pattinson’s 2022 iteration. Each outfit is unlocked through specific chapter missions, cache openings, or...

Physical Copies Of A Remake Of A 25-Year-Old RPG Are Unplayable Without A Day-One Update
Physical copies of THQ's upcoming Gothic remake will not launch playable without first downloading a roughly 5 GB day‑one patch. The requirement was flagged by the Does It Play account after early‑distributed discs produced an error demanding an internet connection. THQ...

FH6: Airfield Takeover Danger Sign Guide (Festival Playlist)
Forza Horizon 6’s Summer Festival Playlist adds the Airfield Takeoff Danger Sign challenge, requiring a Japanese‑made A‑Class car with a performance index of 700 or lower. Players typically tune a 2022 Toyota GR86 to boost its Launch stat, enabling a 756.9‑foot...

Hela "Animals Deep Dive" And "Relaxing Forest Sounds" Videos
Hela, a third‑person adventure starring magical mice, is slated for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. The developer released a new trailer and an ambient “Relaxing Forest Sounds” video to showcase the game’s Scandinavian setting and calming audio. Hela offers single‑player, split‑screen...

New Dungeon Crawler on Steam Is Basically Hades 2 with Monster Girls and a Unique Boss Mechanic
HellHeart Breaker, an indie action roguelike slated for a Q1 2027 Steam release, mirrors Hades 2’s polished combat while adding a dating‑simulation twist. Players join one of seven clans, explore seven worlds, and wield 35 weapons, but rejected monster‑girl lovers become unique...

EVE Is Dying And So Are We: Words To Live By - EVE Fanfest 2026
At EVE Fanfest 2026, CCP unveiled the opening lines of the Capsuleer Edda, a foundational poem crafted by Icelandic poets Andri Snær Magnason and Jonas Renner Gunnarsson. The piece boldly declares “EVE is dying, and so are we,” a phrase approved by the game’s...
Hear Persona, Persona 2, and Persona Q Soundtracks on Sound Station
Atlus will broadcast a 30‑hour live stream titled Persona Sound Station Volume 2 on its YouTube channel from 2 a.m. PT on May 29 to 8 a.m. PT on May 30, 2026. The marathon will showcase music from the original Persona, both Persona 2 titles, and...

"I Regard It as a Great Missed Opportunity": Former DOOM Dev Reveals New Details About Xbox's Canceled Halo 'Titan' MMO...
Microsoft’s Xbox division cancelled the ambitious Halo‑set MMORPG “Titan” in 2007, ending a project that had been in full development since 2004 under Ensemble Studios. Former Ensemble and DOOM designer Sandy Petersen recently disclosed that the game featured pre‑Forerunner lore,...

1 Forza Horizon 6 Achievement Takes Longer to Unlock Than It Does to 100% All Other Forza Horizon Games
Forza Horizon 6 introduces a "Maxed Out" achievement that averages about 1,000 hours to earn, eclipsing the total time needed to fully complete all previous Forza Horizon titles combined. The grind centers on reaching level 100 in Horizon Play, the game’s multiplayer framework,...

Last Epoch Wants You to Rank The Worst Item-Related Pain Points In Latest Feedback Poll
Last Epoch’s developer Eleventh Hour Games has opened a community poll focused on item‑related pain points, running until Monday, May 25 at 11 am CDT. Players must rank four problem areas—stat/modifier errors, unique or set item effect failures, affix glitches, and item loss...

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Fans Already Hate Animal Damage Sponges
Ubisoft’s upcoming remake *Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced* reintroduces animal hunting, but the new combat treats wildlife like regular enemies. Early gameplay clips show boars and jaguars with inflated health, forcing players to parry and shoot repeatedly. Fans on social...

Adventures of Elliot Pre-Order Bonuses, Collector's and Deluxe Edition Details Revealed
Square Enix and Team Asano are set to launch The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales on June 18 for Switch 2, PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X. The game offers a $69.99 Deluxe Edition that adds three exclusive accessories and pre‑order bonuses...

Celebrating the Community: Introducing Windows Central REPLAY, a New Way to Win Prizes and Share Your Wildest Gaming Moments
Windows Central has launched REPLAY, a new hub where gamers can submit 30‑second clips of memorable moments and compete for a monthly $100 Amazon gift card (about $127 for UK entrants). The program welcomes content from PC, Xbox, ROG Ally and...

Honkai: Star Rail Version 4.3 Update Is Bringing a New Character in Mortenax Blade with Multiple Collaborations on June 1,...
Honkai: Star Rail’s Version 4.3 drops on June 1, 2026, introducing the 5‑Star Fire Nihility character Mortenax Blade. The update adds the Inkford Hermitage map, which bridges the World in Canvas with reality. A second Fate/stay night collaboration arrives in July, featuring free‑obtainable Rin Tohsaka and Gilgamesh...
Road to Empress II Release Date Set
New One Studio announced that its FMV adventure *Road to Empress II* will launch on June 9, 2026 for PC, Android, and iOS. The sequel builds on the 2025 title, letting players issue edicts, manage court politics, and receive a...

Red Dead Redemption 2 Is Still Killing It in 2026, and Nobody Realizes It
Take‑Two Interactive disclosed on its earnings call that Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold over 85 million copies, marking its strongest annual sales year since launch and cementing it as the third‑best‑selling game of all time. The title’s performance helped the publisher...

Kunimitsu's Official Starter Guide Released for Tekken 8 Ahead of Next Week's Launch
Bandai Namco released the official starter guide for Kunimitsu, Tekken 8’s first Season 3 DLC character, ahead of her May 27 launch. The guide emphasizes her high mobility, dash and teleport tools, and outlines essential moves such as Rising Moon Slash, Blazing Fire Lilies,...

'Red Hood Gang' Red Brick Location in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight
The “Red Hood Gang” mission in Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight hides a red brick that unlocks the “Toxic Waste” modifier, turning a character’s outfit yellow‑green. The brick sits inside a glass pipe behind large windows, accessed by...

Once Human Releases Details on Next Week's Combat Balance Changes
Once Human announced a combat balance patch slated for May 27. The update targets newer gear such as the Compound Bow – The Burden of Betrayal, the AUG – Electron Cloud, and Glide Pants, tweaking damage multipliers, stamina costs, and weapon flexibility. These adjustments aim...

Arknights: Endfield Update “Sketches of Lost Heirlooms” Launches in June
Gryphline and Mountain Contour will roll out the "Sketches of Lost Heirlooms" update for Arknights: Endfield on June 5 across PC, PS5, iOS and Android. The patch adds a new Talos‑II region, two story‑driven operators—Mi Fu and Camille—and the Contingency Contract hardcore...

LEGO Batman 4: Legacy of The Dark Knight Guide – How To Unlock All 112 Suits And Costumes
LEGO Batman 4: Legacy of The Dark Knight offers an extensive wardrobe of 112 suits and costumes across seven characters. The guide details each outfit’s unlock method, ranging from story progression and puzzle completion to purchases with in‑game Studs. Certain...
Indie Game Tormentum II Launches July 23, 2026 After 7‑Year Delay
Tormentum II, the long‑awaited sequel to the 2015 cult hit Tormentum: Dark Sorrow, has confirmed a July 23, 2026 launch, seven years after its original 2019 target. The game’s developers emphasize that every one of its 150 locations is hand‑painted, positioning the title...

Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes Vs. Villains Gets Slight Delay
Ubisoft and Behaviour Interactive announced that Monopoly: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains will launch on June 30, 2024, pushing back the originally slated June 11 date. The digital board game blends the classic Monopoly format with a team‑based, Star Wars‑themed twist, featuring iconic...

While You Wait for Forza Horizon 6, Try One of PS5's Most Unique Racing Games with Free Playable Demo
Milestone released a free playable demo for its PS5 arcade racer Screamer, arriving as gamers await the upcoming Forza Horizon 6 launch. The demo covers the early single‑player tournament events, showcasing the game’s anime‑styled story, drift‑focused controls, and boost‑powered combat. Reviewers...
4.3 Honkai: Star Rail Update Adds Mortenax Blade Alt Next Month
HoYoVerse confirmed that Honkai: Star Rail's 4.3 update will launch on June 1, 2026, introducing the five‑star Nihility fire character Mortenax Blade and extending the Planarcadia storyline. The patch also brings a second Fate/Stay Night crossover, UGREEN merchandise, and a...