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.
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By the numbers: Goldenpeak takes majority stake in Ampere Analysis
All Eyes on Prague in New Focus Pack for Hearts of Iron IV
Paradox Interactive is releasing a new Hearts of Iron IV Focus Pack titled "Peace for Our Time" on 22 April 2026. Developed with veteran modders Logan “Spicy Alfredo” Calkins, Abbus Fung and Marijn “marijn211” Vroegh, the DLC adds a complete national focus tree for Czechoslovakia with democratic, communist, monarchist and fascist paths. It introduces mechanics such as Divided Nation, Army Readiness Balance of Power, and an expanded arms industry, plus new 3D castle models, music tracks, and equipment graphics. The pack will retail for $5.99 (≈£4.99/€5.99).
Genshin Impact Lohen Release Date Speculation, Voice Actors, and Lore
Genshin Impact is set to introduce Lohen, a new Knights of Favonius character, in the upcoming version 6.6 update. Leaked information suggests he will be a five‑star Cryo polearm user, despite his banner title “Sharpened Arrowhead.” The character’s voice cast features...
New Tetris Board Game and Rubik’s Cube Revealed
Japanese toy maker MegaHouse unveiled two new Tetris-themed physical games, a board game and a Rubik’s Cube, slated for release in late April 2026. The Tetris Board Game retails for ¥4,620 (about $29) and accommodates up to four players, featuring...
The Secrets Update for Necesse Includes Collabs with Palworld, Rimworld, Core Keeper and Valheim
Necesse’s "Secrets" update (v1.2.0) launched on December 12, 2019, bringing a suite of new content and cross‑game collaborations. The patch adds creatures and structures from Palworld, Rimworld, Core Keeper and Valheim, alongside fresh incursion perks, ancient roots, and new crafting...
Storm's Special Ultimate Edition Costume for Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Shown Off in More Detail
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, slated for an August 6 2026 release on PlayStation 5 and PC, will ship with an Ultimate Edition priced at $100. The premium bundle adds five exclusive costumes, including a newly revealed punk‑rock outfit for Storm inspired by Uncanny...
Ubisoft and The Division Resurgence's Huge Mission to Run on over 100 Phones and Tablets
Ubisoft’s The Division Resurgence has been engineered to run on more than 100 Android and iOS handsets, from budget models to flagship phones. The game targets a baseline 30 fps, with an optional 45 fps mode on higher‑end devices. Executive producer Fabrice...
All Bite by Night Killers and Survivors
Bite by Night is a multiplayer horror title that repurposes iconic Five Nights at Freddy’s characters as killers and survivors. The current roster includes three active killers—The Rotten, The Project, and The Doppelganger—each with distinct stats, mode‑shifting abilities, and lore...
Bloodborne Is Going to Become a Very Bloody Animated Film
Sony Pictures announced an R‑rated animated film adaptation of the cult classic game *Bloodborne*. The movie will be produced by PlayStation Productions, Lyrical Animation, and popular YouTuber Jacksepticeye, who commands a 48‑million‑fan following. Sony promises the film will retain the...
Valve Updates Counter-Strike 2 Engine and Animation System to Cut CPU Load
Valve has pushed a beta branch that upgrades Counter‑Strike 2 to the latest Source 2 code and replaces its legacy animation logic with the Animgraph 2 system. The overhaul targets third‑person player models, movement readability, sound cues and map‑specific tweaks on maps such...
League of Legends and Menstrual-Cycle Research Opens a Player Welfare Conversation
League of Legends coach Tony Chau sparked controversy by publishing data from 147 ranked games that suggested his duo partner yuulu’s win rate fell from 57.5% to 52% during her menstrual cycle. The revelation that Chau had been tracking yuulu’s...
How Tilting Point and AN Games Are Taking on the 4X Strategy Space with Avatar: Realms Collide
Tilting Point and AN Games launched Avatar: Realms Collide, a mobile 4X strategy game built on the beloved Avatar franchise. In its first year the title surpassed 3.6 million installs and has a live‑ops team of roughly 60 members maintaining steady...
Supercell’s Titan Engine: Spanning Flagships to "the Cheapest, Oldest Android Handset" In the World
Supercell has unveiled details of its proprietary Titan engine, a mobile‑first game engine that runs on everything from the latest flagship smartphones to the oldest Android handsets still playing Clash Royale. The engine underpins all of Supercell’s titles, supporting 300 million monthly...
Esports Nations Cup Unveils 16-Game Lineup with 100 Nations Targeted
The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) has announced a 16‑title lineup for its 2026 debut, with qualifiers running throughout the year and a month‑long finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from Nov 2‑29. Organisers are targeting more than 100,000 players representing 100 nations,...
I Thought 2026 Could Mark the End of Gaming Phones, but It Seems Lenovo and Xiaomi Are About to Prove...
Lenovo and Xiaomi are set to revive the dwindling Android gaming‑phone segment with two new flagships. Lenovo’s Legion Y70 series, expected in May, is rumored to feature a top‑tier Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset and a 120 Hz display. Xiaomi’s Redmi...
Walmart Marks First Triple-A Game Integration with EA Sports FC 26 Campaign | Exclusive
Walmart is debuting its first brand integration inside a triple‑A video game by partnering with EA Sports FC 26. The retailer’s campaign, launched on April 16, centers on a two‑week “Full Throttle” in‑game challenge that awards Ultimate Team packs and other virtual...
Genesis War Brings Classic Tactical RPG Action to Mobile with Its Soft Launch in Select Regions
LINE Games has soft‑launched its new tactical RPG Genesis War on Android and iOS for players in Canada, Australia, and Indonesia. The title, a sequel to The War of Genesis, features turn‑based combat that emphasizes terrain positioning and elemental advantages....
Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream Was in Development for Almost a Decade
Nintendo confirmed that Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream has been in development for almost a decade, with work starting around 2017. Director Ryutaro Takahashi and veteran producer Yoshio Sakamoto decided to revive the franchise after feeling they had exhausted the...
Pickmon Rebrands as Pickmos Amid Pokémon‑Style Design Controversy
PocketGame announced that its upcoming creature‑collecting survival game Pickmon will now be called Pickmos, saying the new name better reflects its “ecosystem” and “cosmos” lore. The one‑letter tweak comes as the title faces intense backlash over designs that closely mimic...
League of Legends Won’t Get a Major Mid-Season Update This Year
Riot Games announced that League of Legends will not receive a major mid‑season gameplay update in 2026, opting for a lighter Season 2 anchored by the new champion Locke. The decision follows internal research indicating that frequent large patches alienate a...
New Counter-Strike Map Splinter Emerges as a Competitive Talking Point
The new Counter‑Strike 2 map de_Splinter launched on April 12 via the Steam Workshop, created by veteran mapper Shawn “FMPONE” Snelling, co‑creator of the classic Cache. Set in a Canadian Rockies sawmill, the Source 2 map emphasizes verticality, tight lanes, and dense visual...
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl ‘Sealed Truth’ Update Now Available
GSC Game World has launched the "Sealed Truth" update for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, introducing a new narrative‑driven mission set in the hidden X‑Lab. Players must help technician Diod gain access to the sealed lower levels of X‑18, promising high‑risk, high‑reward...
Idols Of Ash Review - a Terrific Spelunking Horror Game that Makes You Choose Between a Rock and a Giant...
Idols of Ash is an indie horror platformer that thrusts players into a sunken megastructure, forcing them to grapple‑hook down while evading a relentless giant centipede. The game’s atmospheric sound design and ash‑filled environments create a tense, claustrophobic mood. Its...
Discover How to Enter and Navigate China's Games Market in 2026 at PGC Summit Shanghai
The Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai on July 29, 2026 will serve as a direct gateway for international game makers to enter China’s massive market, which generates roughly 20% of global player spending. Attendees will meet regulators, publishers, and platform...
Graveyard Keeper's Mammoth Success Proves that Giving Games Away for Free on Steam Works
tinyBuild gave its indie hit Graveyard Keeper away for free over a weekend to promote the upcoming sequel. The promotion drove a record 46,305 concurrent players, pushing the title to #47 on Steam’s most‑played chart. Within days the publisher sold...
Find Out the Secrets Behind Sweden's Games Industry Success in Malmö on May 27th to 28th
Sweden’s games sector, powered by strong education, early internet adoption and government backing, has produced global hits like Minecraft and Candy Crush. The ecosystem combines major studios—Mojang, Paradox, King—and a vibrant indie scene supported by hubs such as Game Habitat and...
The Best Games that Feature Darth Maul
Disney+ launched the first four episodes of *Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord*, putting the former Sith Zabrak front‑and‑center for the first time in a major series. While no new Star Wars games coincide with the debut, the show sparked a...
Solo Japanese Indie Strategy RPG Balorizon Releases for PC via Steam This May
Japanese solo indie developer Renka has announced Balorizon, a new strategy RPG slated for a May release on Steam. Players assume the role of a colony ruler, juggling domestic affairs, diplomacy, and expansion wars to shape a fantasy nation. The...
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness Launches May 28
Necrophosis: Full Consciousness, a weapon‑free horror title from Dragonis Games, launches on May 28, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam. A physical PS5 edition bundles the bonus game The Shore, while the console releases also include the...
OneState RP Feels Like a True Social Roleplay Experience on Mobile, Now Globally Available
OneState RP, ChillBase's social action‑adventure role‑play game, launched globally on Android and iOS with its Version 1.0 update. The release adds a reworked Los Angeles‑inspired open world, parkour mechanics, and expanded RP systems. The title has already surpassed 10 million downloads and sits...
The First Descendant’s New Mode Is Destiny 2’s Onslaught with a Few Extra Steps
Nexon's *The First Descendant* announced an Onslaught‑style mode debuting as a beta on April 16, with a full launch scheduled for May 21. The mode tasks solo or squad players with defending a target against waves of enemies, building and upgrading sentry...
![[Industry News] ESL FACEIT Group and KICK Announce Strategic Global Partnership to Accelerate Esports Growth and Audience Expansion](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/kick.png)
[Industry News] ESL FACEIT Group and KICK Announce Strategic Global Partnership to Accelerate Esports Growth and Audience Expansion
ESL FACEIT Group announced a strategic partnership with livestreaming platform KICK to broaden its distribution beyond traditional broadcasters. The deal will stream all major English‑language Counter‑Strike and Dota 2 events, including IEM, ESL One and the ESL Pro League, on KICK’s...
Animal Crossing's 25th Anniversary Is Here, and All We Got From Nintendo Was This Lousy Leaf
Nintendo marked Animal Crossing’s 25th anniversary with a modest in‑game leaf statue and a playlist of 158 original tracks on Nintendo Music. The leaf, a glowing green item, offers little aesthetic value for many players, and no major game re‑releases...
Tekken 8 Competitor Showcases New Tier List for Season 3 that Places Two Characters Above the Rest
Trojan, a top‑10 Tekken 8 competitor, published his early‑impressions tier list for Season 3. The list crowns Nina and Law as the sole S‑tier characters, while an A‑tier features Anna, Dragunov, King, Clive, Heihachi, Alisa and Lili. Twenty‑five fighters fall into the...
14 Tons of Steam Controllers Appear to Have Just Arrived in the US, Hinting at Imminent Release Date
A massive shipment of 12,970 kg of "wireless PC controllers" has arrived in the United States, likely destined for Valve. Based on an average controller weight of 300 g, the cargo could contain more than 40,000 units, suggesting a near‑term launch of...
Windrose Gets Off to an Early Access Flyer as Reborn Pirate Game Sets Sail on the High Seas
Windrose, formerly the PvP‑focused Crosswinds, relaunched as a PvE‑driven pirate adventure in Early Access. The redesign has resonated, earning a “Very Positive” Steam rating and drawing more than 25,000 concurrent players. While still PC‑only, the strong launch suggests the title...
Memolith: Forsaken by Light Full Version Releases for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on April 27
Webzen and Black Anchor announced that Memolith: Forsaken by Light will launch worldwide on Steam and the Epic Games Store on April 27 (US Pacific) and April 28 in Korea and Japan. The turn‑based tactical RPG has been in Early Access since...
Analyst Report: Applovin Corp
AppLovin Corp received a new BUY rating as Argus launched coverage, with senior analyst Joseph F. Bonner highlighting the firm’s mobile advertising platform. The company’s core real‑time ad auction helps game developers, publishers, and advertisers monetize global audiences. AppLovin went...
Complete Walkthrough for Life Is Strange: Reunion
Life is Strange: Reunion, released in April 2026, picks up a year after Double Exposure and lets players control both Max and Chloe. The game introduces legacy choices that shape relationships, romance routes, and achievement unlocks, while Max’s rewind powers...
Subnautica 2's Steam Page No Longer Lists Krafton as Publisher, and some Weird Tags Have Been Removed
The legal battle between Krafton and Unknown Worlds over Subnautica 2 has culminated in a court order restoring co‑founder Ted Gill full control of the early‑access launch and the Steam backend. Following the ruling, Krafton’s name was removed as publisher from...
Clicker RPG Tap Tap Loot Is Now Available for PC via Steam
Irox Games has brought its new clicker RPG Tap Tap Loot to PC via Steam, expanding the title beyond mobile platforms. The game blends mouse clicks and keyboard typing to advance a hero through six biomes, offering more than 200...
UK Games Market Hit Record £8.8bn in 2025
The UK video‑games market reached a record $11.2 bn in 2025, expanding more than 7% year‑over‑year. Digital software accounted for $6 bn of that total, with console sales alone hitting $3.2 bn, while physical game sales dropped to $405 m. Hardware contributed $2.8 bn, buoyed...
Firestar73 Challenges Pokémon GO Orlando Regional Ruling, Calls Penalty a “Clear Mistake”
Top Pokémon GO player Firestar73 has appealed a game‑loss penalty imposed after his post‑match celebration at the Orlando Regional 2026 finals. Tournament officials deemed his headset‑throwing and cheering unsportsmanlike, overturning his victory and costing him the title and prize money. In...
Roblox Rolls Out Age‑Based Kids and Select Accounts to Tighten Child Safety
Roblox announced the June launch of two new account tiers—Roblox Kids for ages 5‑8 and Roblox Select for ages 9‑15—paired with mandatory age verification, tighter developer checks and a $4.99 monthly Plus subscription. The move aims to address mounting lawsuits...
Capcom's Pragmata Shines with Innovative Hack‑Combat on PS5 at $59
Capcom’s new sci‑fi shooter Pragmata launched on PlayStation 5 at a retail price of $59 and is being lauded for its distinctive hack‑and‑shoot combat system. Reviewers highlight the bond between astronaut Hugh Williams and the child‑like android Diana as a narrative...
Roblox Mandates Age Verification for Users 9+, Impacting 144 M Daily Players
Roblox announced a mandatory age‑verification process for anyone 9 or older, introducing tiered Kids and Select accounts that restrict content and chat. The change, affecting its 144 million daily active users, aims to meet tightening global child‑safety regulations and will be...
Capcom's Pragmata Earns Praise for Innovative Hack‑and‑shoot Gameplay
Capcom’s new sci‑fi shooter Pragmata has drawn acclaim across multiple reviews, with critics highlighting its distinctive hacking mechanic, tight combat pacing and the bond between protagonist Hugh and android companion Diana. The game retails for $59 and is being positioned...
Bloober Team Expands Leadership, as Studio Steps up to Seven Horror Titles in Active Development
Bloober Team, known for the Silent Hill 2 remake and Layers of Fear series, has added three senior executives from Activision, CD Projekt and Klabater to its leadership team. The studio will continue running two core single‑player horror projects while co‑developing five...
FC Mobile Confirms PlayStyles Beta: Here’s Everything You Need to Know
EA Sports has confirmed that the PlayStyles system will arrive in FC Mobile via a limited beta rollout slated for around April 20, 2026 in select regions. PlayStyles expand on the existing Traits mechanic by triggering dynamic actions that mirror real‑world player...
Roguelite Action RPG Clockfall Announced for PS5, Xbox Series, and PC
Radical Theory and Rever Games announced Clockfall, a roguelite action RPG for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The title will debut in Early Access on Steam for PC later in 2026 before a full launch across consoles. Clockfall combines...
Mongil: Star Dive Pre-Downloads Now Available on Mobile and PC via Standalone Launcher and Epic Games Store
Netmarble has opened pre‑downloads for Mongil: Star Dive a day before its worldwide launch, letting players fetch the game on PC via the Epic Games Store and Netmarble’s own launcher, as well as on Android and iOS. The official launch...