Know What's Happening in Gaming
Know What's Happening in Gaming
Klei to unveil new Don't Starve title on April 9
Klei Entertainment announced that a brand‑new Don't Starve game will be revealed on April 9 at 9 am PDT during the triple‑i showcase. The reveal follows a cryptic ARG puzzle that displayed a fog‑shrouded logo on the Don't Starve Together site. Klei clarified the project is an original in‑house title, not the upcoming mobile port.
Also developing:
By the numbers: USA Esports raises $500k in sponsorships
Developers are raising alarms that Steam’s moderation system permits persistent bigotry, especially against transgender and LGBTQ+ creators. Reviews and curator campaigns targeting games with inclusive content can depress visibility and sales, while Steam’s response often labels removal requests as censorship. Valve’s small moderation team and opaque processes leave developers to fight harassment through public pressure or personal outreach. The issue underscores the risks of relying on a near‑monopoly platform for PC game distribution.
Microsoft announced that four titles will leave Xbox Game Pass on February 28, 2026. The departing games are Expeditions: A MudRunner Game, Injustice 2, Middle‑earth: Shadow of War, and Monster Train, all removed from console, PC, and cloud tiers. Until the removal date, each title will be offered with a...
Japanese indie developer Kairosoft has released Skyship Quest Story, a management simulation RPG that lets players build and pilot an airship across floating sky islands. The game features pixel‑art graphics, crew recruitment, ship upgrades, and combat against unique monsters in...
During Sony’s State of Play, Santa Monica Studio and Mega Cat released *God of War: Sons of Sparta*, a 2‑D retro‑style pre‑quel set in Kratos’ youth. Original creator David Jaffe purchased the $30 game and publicly denounced it, citing weak story...
The Call of Duty League’s Stage 2 Major kicks off Feb 13, running through Mar 29, with qualifiers, play‑ins and a double‑elimination playoff at DreamHack Birmingham. Paris Gentle Mates arrive as defending champions after their surprise Stage 1 victory, while OpTic Texas looks to...
The Droid Gamers guide breaks down the Scary Mary boss fight in Roblox’s Break In 2, detailing its two rotating phases – the Lava Phase and the Dance Phase. It explains how players must avoid red‑lit lava zones, dodge note‑cloud...
![[Industry News] Sands of Aura to Release on Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation 5 on February 26](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/SOA-keyart_logo_16-9-1024x576.jpg){kind=logo}
Chashu Entertainment and indie.io announced that Sands of Aura will launch on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on February 26, 2026. The action‑RPG is set in a post‑apocalyptic desert world where players defend humanity against undead hordes. The console version...
Bandai Namco and FromSoftware have launched the Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows DLC soundtrack on Spotify and Apple Music. The collection features twelve new compositions tied to the latest DLC. The DLC itself costs $15 for base‑game owners...
Genesis X3, held in San Jose, California, brought together a massive roster of esports competitors across a dozen fighting games. The event featured over 1,000 participants, with notable champions including LLD | Cody Schwab in Super Smash Bros. Melee, Sonix in Ultimate, and...
Why investors are concerned about price stability this year for Switch 2 and PS5 this year (+ why Steam's upcoming devices still have no price):
This is one of the most exciting features coming to the Verse language: reactive programming that “just works”!
Shutaro Ida, the creative director of the upcoming Bloodstained: The Scarlet Engagement, died at age 52 after a 1.5‑year battle with cancer, ArtPlay announced. Ida previously directed Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night and contributed to major titles such as Castlevania...
Insomniac Games publicly denied that any Spider‑Man title will appear on Xbox, labeling an Xbox port as "not likely" in a recent X exchange. The developer reiterated Sony’s historic preference for keeping its Marvel‑powered Spider‑Man games as PlayStation exclusives, a...
Season 1 of Year 11, titled Operation Silent Hill, launches on March 3, 2026 across PC and consoles. The update introduces Solid Snake as a full‑fledged operator with a unique Soliton Radar MKIII gadget, On‑Site Procurement ability, and two primary weapons. A...
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls director Kazuto Sekine confirmed that fan feedback from two closed betas is driving major gameplay tweaks. Assist moves will now retain each character's unique animations during combos and block strings, mirroring the feel of Marvel vs. Capcom....
The piece reminds readers that GTA 6 remains unreleased and could face additional delays. It criticizes the gaming community’s meme‑driven obsession with the wait, suggesting it eclipses other quality titles. By referencing Half‑Life 2 and Cyberpunk 2077, the author argues that patience often...
Eterspire’s latest bi‑weekly patch adds Sunscar Canyon, a high‑level region for players level 120‑127, complete with a new town, NPCs, and a guiding quest from Stonehollow port. The update also introduces the Isle of the Fallen Stone dungeon, targeting end‑game...
The weekly Indie MMO Spotlight highlights a flurry of updates across the genre, with Foxhole’s Airborne update 63 now live and a 15 % discount on its Supporters Edition. Several titles—including BitCraft, Broken Ranks, Eldramoor, and Fractured Online—are actively recruiting QA...
Sasha Alexandrov, former head of media at G2 Esports, announced his appointment as director of content and fan marketing for the Esports World Cup Foundation (EWCF). Alexandrov brings experience from Apple, The Guardian and other agencies to the Saudi‑funded EWCF,...
Crimson Capes launches as a 2D hand‑drawn soulslike, blending Dark Souls‑style parry combat with fluid rotoscoped animation. Players control Milon the Tempest or three other hunters, each offering unique weapons and progression paths. The game features over 25 bosses, dynamic...
Even YouTuber @markiplier had a nice #ValentinesDay at US #BoxOffice, after his own #MarkiplierStudios’ R-rated game adaptation #IronLung grosses STRONG 3.5M on 3rd 3-day weekend, just a -49.4% drop from last weekend (vs #ReturntoSilentHill’s 116k, -88.2%, #UntilDawn’s 2M, -49%, #ResidentEvil’s...
Edwyn Mesman captured the Masters title at the 2026 Pokémon Trading Card Game European International Championship, defeating Britain’s Drew Stephenson in the final. The victory marks Mesman’s best result to date, upgrading his previous regional top‑four finish. He walks away with...
Secretlab has been named the official chair and desk partner for PGL's Counter‑Strike 2 tournament in Cluj‑Napoca 2026. The partnership supplies competitors with Secretlab chairs and desks and introduces a limited‑edition Titan EVO Edition chair bearing PGL branding. The event runs Feb. 9‑22,...
On February 15, 2026 Pocket Tactics released two new Playground Basketball codes—UPDATE4 for 4,500 coins and 25MVISITS for 7,500 coins—while also listing a set of expired codes. The article explains how to redeem the codes, emphasizing the need to like...
Pikachu, Pokémon’s #025 Electric‑type mascot, appears across every main series game and countless media platforms. It boasts a 35.2% catch rate, evolves from Pichu to Raichu or Gigantamax, and offers a fast 90‑Speed stat line. Nintendo leverages Pikachu’s iconic status...
Capcom Cup 12’s group draw was streamed on February 15, confirming twelve groups of four from the 48 qualified players. The tournament runs March 11‑15, 2026, with a $1 million first‑place purse. Each group uses a miniature double‑elimination bracket, sending two players onward while...
Hideki Sato, the engineer who designed virtually every Sega console, died at 77. He joined Sega in 1971, led the R&D team that created the Master System, Genesis/Mega Drive, Saturn and Dreamcast, and served as company president from 2001 to...
Spanish player Marín “P4T0M4N” Torres defended his crown, winning back‑to‑back Pokémon Go European International Championship. He beat Dutch competitor Colin “CoIin6ix” Spa in a best‑of‑five final that stretched to five games. The tournament, the largest EUIC ever, grants the champion an...
The number of internet randos lecturing a Housemarque artist on what's easy and hard in game development
Bloober Team unveiled Layers of Fear 3 during a 10th‑anniversary livestream, celebrating a decade since the original 2016 release. The teaser revealed no platform or launch date, emphasizing the title’s continuation rather than specifics. CEO Piotr Babieno highlighted the series’ focus...
Can natural language replace scalar rewards in reinforcement learning? A new paper from researchers at Stanford, UMD, Netflix, and Microsoft Research presents a formal structure for utilizing natural language as feedback in a reinforcement learning setting they call Learning from Language...
BLAST has renewed its global partnership with Ubisoft to run Rainbow Six Siege esports through the 2028‑2029 season, extending the three‑year deal first signed in 2023. The agreement confirms major events for the 2026‑2027 circuit in Salt Lake City, Japan...
The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) announced that Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege will join its roster of 16 titles for the inaugural 2026 edition. The tournament will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from November 2‑29, featuring 24 national teams...
Atari has revived the Intellivision brand with the new Intellivision Sprint, a dedicated retro console that bundles 45 classic titles. The device connects via HDMI, includes two wireless controllers, and uses physical overlays to accommodate each game’s unique control scheme....
PlayStation announced a packed lineup of new titles for the week of February 16‑22, ranging from indie platformers to major RPG releases. Highlights include Obsidian Entertainment’s fantasy RPG Avowed, which receives an Anniversary Update with new races and gameplay modes, and...
The episode recounts the author’s experience at the DICE Awards in Las Vegas, where they introduced a new backstage photo challenge for award winners, asking each to capture the most interesting image in the green room. The segment highlights the...
Kena Bridge of Spirits is now 50% off on steam until 18/19 Feb (timezones lol) Now is the PERFECT time to get it if you haven't played it already coming off the announcement of Kena Scars of Kosmora Or...be like me and...
This was a very interesting session on creativity for writers at the Dice Summit from the lead writer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. I also interviewed Jennifer Svedberg-Yen on video after one of the game's wins at the Dice Awards....
Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game will hold a global closed alpha from February 27 to March 1, expanding beyond its initial North and South America test. Registration is open until February 20, with previous participants automatically re‑invited. The PC‑only Steam test will feature...
Hey everybody, guess what just showed up on the shiny new Switch 2 video game system? https://t.co/B4LVWiDEcu
Happy Cauldron opened sign‑ups for Fractured Conquest's first pre‑alpha test, receiving hundreds of applications each day. About one‑third of applicants are newcomers to the franchise, while the rest are seasoned MMO, survival, and sandbox players. Respondents highlighted frustrations with grindy...
Konami announced the April 2, 2026 launch of "Darwin’s Paradox," an octopus‑themed side‑scrolling adventure developed by French indie ZDT Studio. A free "Tactical Octopus Action" demo, blending Metal Gear Solid stealth mechanics with unique underwater movement, is now live on Switch, PC,...
Rivalry Corp., a TSXV‑listed esports betting operator, announced it will dramatically scale back operations while evaluating strategic alternatives. The board approved immediate cost reductions, including a significant workforce cut and a pause on player activity with withdrawals permitted. Rivalry is...
The Simcalibur, a legendary sword in The Sims 4 Royalty and Legacy, is hidden in the Verdemar district of Ondarion’s main square. To claim it, a Sim must reach Swordsmanship level 8 and hold the Champion of the People status, which requires...
World Models vs Game Engines -- Who Wins? Gaming stocks had a bloodbath after Google's Genie 3. Unity down. Roblox down. Nintendo down. Unity down 35%. Unity's CEO posted a whole thread. Tim Sweeney weighed in. They're both saying the same thing...
Nintendo has launched a SEGA/Atlus sale on both the Switch 2 and original Switch eShops, slashing prices on dozens of titles. Flagship discounts include Sonic Origins at $8.99, the Etrian Odyssey HD series under $16, and Persona 3 Reload at $41.99. The promotion...
Ahead of Honkai: Star Rail's version 4.0 update, Crypton and HoYoVerse unveiled official crossover artwork featuring Hatsune Miku and the game's conductor Pom‑Pom. The piece, drawn by Vocaloid specialist KEI, blends the Planarcadia aesthetic with both characters in mirrored poses....
EA announced Battlefield 6 Season 2 will drop on February 17, unveiling a three‑phase roadmap that adds new maps, limited‑time modes, and a Battle Royale duos experience. Phase 1, Extreme Measures, introduces the Contaminated map and a hallucinogenic VL‑7 smoke mechanic. Phase 2, Nightfall, delivers an...
CI Games’ creative strategist Ryan Hill explains that Lords of the Fallen 2 will not merely imitate FromSoftware’s formula. The studio is redesigning heavy attacks to break enemy guards and create meaningful combat choices. Director James Lowe emphasizes micro‑loops, enemy‑first tempo,...
Blizzard previewed Silvermoon City, the central hub for the upcoming World of Warcraft expansion Midnight. The rebuilt city will host both Horde and Alliance players, with roughly one‑third reserved for Horde‑only activities. A dense network of profession trainers, vendors, portals,...
