![[Event News] Global Game Jam and Lagos Games Week Partner to Launch Pan-African Game Jam Ahead of Lagos Games Week...](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://mcvuk.com/wp-content/uploads/sanl.png)
[Event News] Global Game Jam and Lagos Games Week Partner to Launch Pan-African Game Jam Ahead of Lagos Games Week...
Global Game Jam and Lagos Games Week have partnered to launch the Pan‑African Game Jam 2026, a virtual competition running April 24‑May 11 with a $2,500 prize pool. The jam, themed “Play Without Borders,” invites developers from across Africa, requiring 75% of participants to reside on the continent. Winners will be announced May 25, and the top team will be showcased at Lagos Games Week in June. The initiative aims to boost cross‑border collaboration and raise Africa’s profile in the global games industry.
The Quinfall Reduces Crowd Control, Tweaks OP Classes and Weapons in a New Combat and Balance Update
The Quinfall received a major combat and balance patch aimed at tightening crowd‑control mechanics and encouraging skill‑based play. Developers reduced the Necromancer’s burst damage and bolstered its utility to curb frontline dominance. The Elementalist lost Meteor’s crowd‑control effect, creating clearer...
3.6 Persona 5: The Phantom X Update Adds Goro ‘Crow’ Akechi
Atlassian’s 3.6 patch for Persona 5: The Phantom X drops on April 16, 2026, introducing Goro “Crow” Akechi as a five‑star Sweeper unit with Almighty damage. The addition extends the Crossroads of Fate: Laboratory Arc storyline, continuing the quest that links Phantom X with...
Xbox CEO Called Game Pass 'Too Expensive for Players' In a Leaked Memo
Xbox’s newly appointed CEO Asha Sharma circulated an internal memo warning that the Game Pass subscription has become too expensive for many players. The memo follows two price hikes in the past 15 months that pushed the service to $15‑$30...
Xbox Reportedly Knows Game Pass Is "Too Expensive"
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass Ultimate tier jumped from $19.99 to $29.99 per month last year, prompting a wave of cancellations that even crashed the subscription site. A leaked memo from new CEO Asha Sharma, reported by The Verge, admits the...
Marathon Players See Different Colored Lobsters and Bungie Won’t Explain Why
Bungie's new title Marathon features lobsters that appear in different colors depending on the Runner Shell a player uses, with blue, red and green variants reported on the Dire Marsh map. When asked, principal producer Emanuel Rosu and marketing manager Nick Clifford...
Xbox CEO Says Game Pass Is “Too Expensive” And Needs Changes in Leaked Internal Memo
Xbox’s new chief Asha Sharma told staff that Game Pass pricing is too high and must be reworked. The memo follows a recent 50% price hike that lifted Game Pass Ultimate to $29.99 per month, prompting subscriber backlash. Microsoft is...
Overwatch’s Next Season Looks Dope Except For One Thing I Have To Yell About
Blizzard Entertainment is rolling out Overwatch Season 2 on April 14, introducing the 51st hero, Sierra, a drone‑based damage character, alongside map reworks, new skins, and a Diablo crossover. The update also restores post‑match accolades and adds a voice‑chat lobby, aiming to...
Meet Bellora, One of the Downbelow Tems in Temtem: Pioneers
Crema’s Temtem: Pioneers trailer unveiled Bellora, a new Downbelow Tem. Bellora is a Neutral/Nature‑type cow with green, flower‑adorned hair, spawning in meadow and forest biomes. While she looks pastoral, developers promise she will assist players beyond battling in the game’s...
Stop Killing Games Backs California Bill Supporting Clearer End-of-Life Rules for Online Games
California’s Protect Our Games Act (AB 1921) would force live‑service publishers to notify players 60 days before server shutdowns and either provide offline patches or issue full refunds. The bill, effective for titles released after Jan 1 2027, also requires clear in‑game and...
Hexenzirkel Character Nicole Heading to Genshin Impact
HoYoVerse has teased Nicole Reeyn, a Hexenzirkel member also known as N, as the next playable character in Genshin Impact. The voiceless angel‑mage is expected to launch as a five‑star Pyro unit, likely wielding a Catalyst, in the upcoming Luna...
Arc System Works Outlines Issues to Potentially Be Resolved in Future Updates After the Massive Guilty Gear Strive Version 2.00...
Arc System Works released the version 2.00 patch for Guilty Gear Strive, delivering a sweeping balance overhaul and introducing the new DLC fighter Jam Kuradoberi. The update removed the Wild Assault mechanic and adjusted every character’s toolkit. Post‑release, the studio identified four lingering...
PowerWash Simulator's Free FF7 and Tomb Raider DLC Is Getting Delisted Soon
FuturLab announced that the Final Fantasy 7 and Tomb Raider DLC packs for PowerWash Simulator will be delisted on May 19, 2026. The add‑ons are free and will remain playable for anyone who has already claimed them on Switch, PlayStation, PC, and Xbox....
Should You Form An Alliance With Gortash Or Orin In BG3?
Baldur’s Gate 3’s Act 3 presents a pivotal choice: ally with the ruthless Gortash or side with Orin. Aligning with Gortash eliminates one major antagonist and grants safe passage through the city, but it costs Karlach approval and locks several side quests....
All FC 26 Ultimate Gauntlet 15 Rewards and Tasks
EA Sports FC 26 has launched Ultimate Gauntlet 15 as part of the Trophy Titans promotion. The mode features ten distinct tasks, of which players must complete any nine to unlock the full reward set. Rewards range from multiple Rare Gold player packs...
Retro RPG The Concrete Sutra #1 Announced
Indie developer yeo, known for Friends of Ringo Ishikawa and Fading Afternoon, unveiled The Concrete Sutra #1, an episodic action JRPG starring a post‑apocalyptic biker gang. The game targets Windows PC via Steam with a planned launch in March 2027. It...
New Sonic and Friends X Sanrio Merchandise Arrives in May
Sega announced a new line of Sonic and Friends × Sanrio merchandise launching in Japanese arcades on May 22, 2026. The collection includes six chibi Sonic characters dressed in iconic Sanrio mascot hats, offered as sub‑three‑inch acrylic standees and slightly larger button‑badge pins. The...
GTA 6 Ransom Negotiations Fail: Hacker Threatens Leak, Rockstar Downplays Impact
ShinyHunters claimed to have stolen authentication tokens that gave it access to Rockstar Games' Snowflake cloud environment and demanded a ransom. After negotiations stalled, the group warned it would publish the stolen data after an April 14 deadline. Rockstar acknowledged...
Retro Handheld Maker Anbernic's Latest Device Has a Swiveling Display
Anbernic unveiled the RG Rotate, a retro‑gaming handheld with a square 1:1 display that swivels on a proprietary ultra‑thin alloy hinge, reminiscent of the classic T‑Mobile Sidekick. The device runs Android, sports an aluminum alloy frame, and will be offered...
Overwatch Season 2 Reign of Talon Patch Notes
Blizzard’s Overwatch 2 launches Season 2, titled “Reign of Talon,” introducing the DPS hero Sierra and a three‑week Grand Mesa event that ties into her backstory. The update also reworks the Antarctica map, adds new Mythic skins for Soldier 76 and Genji, and...
Overwatch Landing on Switch 2 with Better Visuals, and a ‘Better, Crisper’ Experience
Overwatch is set to launch fully on Nintendo Switch 2 alongside Season 2: Summit, bringing upgraded visuals and a stable 60 fps experience in both docked and handheld modes. The upgrade leverages the new hardware to deliver crisper graphics while introducing the new...
Capcom Strikes Gold with New IP? 'Pragmata' Earns Critical Acclaim (Metacritic: 85)
Capcom’s new sci‑fi shooter Resident Evil – Pragmata has earned strong critical praise, posting Metacritic scores of 85 on PS5 and Xbox, 88 on PC, and a standout 90 on the Nintendo Switch 2. Reviewers highlighted the game’s polished art direction, immersive combat...
RuneScape's Aura Overhaul Is Here, Along With a New Monthly Marketplace Drop
Jagex has launched the long‑awaited Aura Overhaul as part of the Road to Restoration. Most auras have been removed and their bonuses migrated into skill‑based unlocks such as Farming’s Greenfingers or Hunter’s tracking boost. The change aims to simplify progression...
Warhammer Classics Announced, 20+ Re-Releases From 90s Onward
SNEG and Games Workshop have launched Warhammer Classics, a Steam‑based program that re‑releases more than 20 classic Warhammer video games from the 1990s onward. Seven titles make their Steam debut while twelve return, each patched for modern hardware and original...
Phaser vs Kaplay vs Excalibur: Which 2D Web Game Framework Wins?
Developer JSLegendDev rebuilt a Sonic‑themed infinite runner in three popular npm 2D game frameworks—Phaser, Kaplay, and Excalibur—to compare performance, stability, and developer experience. Phaser emerged as the clear winner, especially on Safari, and uniquely supports headless mode for server‑side multiplayer....
All Bite by Night Emotes
The Bite by Night event introduces a fresh roster of in‑game emotes for both killers and survivors, including four new killer moves and nineteen survivor dances. Two planned emotes—Final Arc and Mesmerizer—were removed before launch. Players can unlock these cosmetics...
Government Pledges £28.5m for UK Games Fund to Boost Industry
The UK government announced a £30 million (≈$37.5 million) Games Growth Package, allocating £28.5 million (≈$35.6 million) to the UK Games Fund. The fund is divided into three tracks—Entry (£20 k/~$25 k), Emergent (£100 k/~$125 k), and Expansion (£250 k/~$312 k)—to support studios at different stages. Additionally, £1.5 million (≈$1.9 million) will...
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commandos Gets a Public Test Build for Insane Difficulty Setting Feedback
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is rolling out its first major content update via a Public Test Server (PTS), giving players early access to the upcoming Insane difficulty. The PTS runs a separate Steam client, and all characters are unlocked at...
Epic Games Store Struggles with Retention as Steam Breaks User Records
Epic Games launched its store in 2018, using free games and exclusives to attract tens of millions of users, but retention remains weak as many revert to Steam after promotions end. Steam recently set a record with over 42 million concurrent...
MicroProse's Next Game Is Flight Simulator Legendary Pilots
MicroProse, revived in 2018 by entrepreneur David Lagettie, announced Legendary Pilots, an indie flight‑sim/management hybrid launching on Steam April 21, 2026. Developed by two‑person studio Berkbox, the game mixes regional airline management with accessible flight mechanics. Its pixel‑art and stylized 3D graphics...
Dosa Divas: The Kotaku Review
Outerloop Games' latest title, Dosa Divas, is a turn‑based RPG that mixes elemental combat with cooking mechanics. The game’s vibrant art, strong writing about family and corporate food culture, and solid battle system earn praise, but its cooking minigames feel...
Bunny Garden Producer: Making Games with “Very Restrained Expression Wouldn’t Make Anyone Happy”
Bunny Garden 2, the sequel from qureate, is slated for release on April 16 for Windows PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch 2. Producer Yujiro Usuda told Famitsu that balancing sexual content with marketability forces developers to walk a tight line, as overly...
The Last of Us Online’s Cancellation Was a Good Decision, Says Xbox Founding Member
Microsoft Game Studios co‑founder Laura Fryer defended the cancellation of The Last of Us Online, calling it a prudent move that avoided the sunk‑cost trap. She highlighted the seven‑year development stretch and the lack of early planning for a live‑service...
Fruit Ninja-Fame Halfbrick Studio Launches Jetpack Joyride Racing on Mobile
Halfbrick Studios finally released Jetpack Joyride Racing on Android after several delays, turning the iconic endless‑runner franchise into a fast‑paced multiplayer racer. The game supports real‑time races for up to six players, offers a Party Mode for friends, and features...
Microsoft Will Reveal Metro 2039 at Xbox First Look on April 16
Microsoft announced its inaugural Xbox First Look digital broadcast, scheduled for April 16, to unveil Metro 2039. The event will feature developer 4A Games and publisher Deep Silver, offering a world‑premiere look at the next entry in the acclaimed post‑apocalyptic shooter...
Sara Veal's Framework for a More Sustainable and Supportive Games Industry
Sara Veal, chair of GamesAid and founder of Huhbub, outlined a people‑first framework for a sustainable games industry during Games London’s Ensemble 2026 showcase. She stresses that genuine wellbeing initiatives must be built on direct developer feedback, with leadership modelling...
Xbox Tries To Shut Down Rumors Of A GTA 6-Fueled Fable Delay
Xbox publicly dismissed speculation that its flagship RPG Fable will be pushed to 2027, confirming an autumn 2026 release window. The rumor stemmed from concerns that a late‑2026 launch could clash with Rockstar’s highly anticipated GTA 6 in November, potentially cannibalizing sales....
Is SchoolGirl House the Next Game From Royal Match Maker Dream Games? (Probably Not)
Dream Games, the creator of the hit match‑3 title Royal Match, now has an unexpected early‑access listing on Google Play for a game called SchoolGirl House: Runaway Game. The app is riddled with ads, rough graphics and AI‑generated screenshots, suggesting...
007 First Light Spoiler-Heavy Footage Leaked by Indonesian Ratings Board
The Indonesian Game Rating System accidentally released a spoiler‑heavy video of IO Interactive’s upcoming James Bond title *007 First Light*, revealing the game’s ending and key plot beats. The leak also exposed footage from Bandai Namco’s *Echoes of Aincrad* and...
Tundra Esports Brings in V-Tune as Stand-In for PGL Wallachia Season 8
Tundra Esports will compete in the group stage of PGL Wallachia Season 8 with Alik “V‑Tune” Vorobey standing in for Ivan “Pure” Moskalenko, who is delayed by visa processing. The Romanian tournament runs April 18‑26 and offers a $1 million prize pool. Tundra...
Riot Games Apologises to Karmine Corp and Kyeahoo After Broadcast Chat Incident
Riot Games publicly apologized after an offensive observer‑chat message referencing Karmine Corp’s player Kyeahoo was mistakenly aired during the LEC match between Karmine Corp and Team Heretics on April 12, 2026. The slip‑up sparked immediate backlash from fans and on‑air...
GTA-Maker Rockstar Games Hacked Again but Downplays Impact
Rockstar Games suffered a second breach in three years after the teenage hacking group ShinyHunters accessed limited non‑material data on a third‑party cloud platform. The company told the BBC the incident has no impact on its players or operations, contrasting...
GTA-Maker Rockstar Games Hacked Again but Downplays Impact
Rockstar Games suffered a second cyber‑breach in three years after hackers infiltrated servers hosted by a third‑party cloud provider. The group, calling itself ShinyHunters, demanded a ransom and warned they would publish the stolen material online. Rockstar told the BBC...
Pragmata’s Combat May Be Its Biggest Surprise Yet
Pragmata introduces a dual‑character combat system that pairs the armoured spacefarer Hugh’s firepower with Diana’s grid‑based hacking. The game discards traditional freeze‑frame mechanics, forcing players to lock, hack, expose weak points, and fire in real time. Hacking nodes act as...
NODWIN Gaming Partners with Runestone to Boost Esports Integrity
NODWIN Gaming has teamed up with Prague‑based Runestone to embed real‑time match data tracking, integrity monitoring, and fan‑facing analytics into its esports events, starting with the Counter‑Strike 2 Clutch Series. The partnership targets Tier 2 competitions, where limited resources often leave tournaments...
Brecon Esports Club Wins Back-to-Back Welsh Esports Titles
Brecon‑based S.E.A. Dragons clinched the Welsh Esports League Club of the Season award for a second consecutive campaign, finishing first overall in WEL #10. The club entered five of the six game titles and secured top‑three finishes in every division,...
I Hated AI Until I Saw What It Could Do to My Favorite Retro Games
AI‑generated texture packs are breathing new life into retro titles, turning 1990s graphics into 4K‑ready visuals. Projects like RE:Enhance and the Resident Evil HD Remaster 4K mod combine neural upscaling with human curation to deliver crisp assets on modern displays....
Pragmata: All the Ways the Shelter Expands Gameplay and Story
Pragmata, Sony’s PS5 third‑person hacking shooter set on a lunar base, centers gameplay around the Shelter—a multifunctional hub where players upgrade Hugh’s suit, unlock weapons, and fast‑travel across the Cradle. The Firmware Updater enhances health and firepower, while the Unit...
FUT Esports Crush Astralis to Win PGL Bucharest 2026 Title
FUT Esports captured the PGL Bucharest 2026 Counter‑Strike 2 title, beating Astralis 3‑1 in the grand final and pocketing $200,000 from a $1.25 million prize pool. The Turkish squad opened strong on Mirage, rebounded after a single map loss on Nuke, then...
Albion Online's Radiant Wilds Update Is Live, Overhauling the Game's Visuals and Improving Performance
Albion Online’s Radiant Wilds update launches with a complete visual overhaul of every biome, adding new textures, dynamic lighting, and environmental effects. The patch also introduces the Armory system, which offers data‑driven build suggestions, and new PvP modes including a...