Persona saw a big presence at Anime Expo last weekend, featuring a dedicated booth, panels, and merchandise to promote the series' 30th anniversary, as well as the upcoming Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6. The staff behind P4R was also giving press interviews, and one comment by General Producer Kazuhisa Wada has been drawing attention.

Speaking to Anime Corner, Wada discussed some changes would be made to parts of the game, particularly with regard to one specific character.

"We haven't changed anything core about the characters," says Wada. "But we've just sort of brushed up the kind of corners, to make sure it all fits and really is appropriate for the characters and for the age that we live in now."

"We haven't really changed anything about the story of the characters' thoughts or how they act," he continues. "We've just ... changed the way we express some of this a little bit, mostly with Yosuke really. He's a little bit insensitive in terms of how he treats outsiders sometimes. We wanted to lighten that up and make it a little more fitting for the world that we live in now." He goes on to confirm that other hot-topic social links for characters like Kanji and Naoto will not be altered "at base."

Yosuke has been criticized for being somewhat abrasive, with some of his comments and actions coming off to players as homophobic. While some players see his attitude and words as rather typical of a teenager struggling with themselves, others have found him to be repellent. It's understandable why the team might want to reign Yosuke in a little.

This wouldn't be the first time a Persona re-release toned down some more controversial material: for example, Persona 3 Reload altered a scene that was largely seen as transphobic from the original game. What makes this a bit more interesting is that fans have found unused character dialogue and voiceover on the original PlayStation 2 disc of Persona 4 hinting at the main character being able to forge a close--perhaps romantic--relationship with Yosuke. Whether or not this angle could be explored in the remake is still up in the air--Wada does confirm that some new content will be present in the game--but one thing's for sure: If Atlus does take this step, thousands of fan-fiction writers the world over will be ecstatic.

In response to Sony announcing that it will stop producing physical game discs for PlayStation starting in 2028, a lot of people have had a lot of things to say. One of those voices is Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, who offered a refreshing, if not brutal, reminder that your loyalty and love of PlayStation--or any other game console or franchise--means nothing to the corporate overlords controlling them. It's all about money, and it always has been.

"You can love your preferred video game ecosystem, franchise, or whatever all you want. You can think your years of customer loyalty should/will be reciprocated. But these businesses don't love you back. Same with your job, fwiw. You're a number on a spreadsheet," he said.

Piscatella also pointed out that, with forecasts for the PS6 and Project Helix to cost $1,000 or more (if they are ever released), console manufacturers like Sony and Xbox will "prioritize profitability" where they can. The thinking is that, if Sony can't convince as many people to buy a very expensive console, it can make up some of the difference by cutting out discs to improve margins.

As reporter Jason Schreier breaks down in a great video, a company like Sony would take home about $45.50 from the sale of $70 game sold at retail on a disc. With digital games, Sony keeps the full $70. It's not hard to see why Sony is shifting to an all-digital future.

Third-party games will go all-digital on PlayStation in 2028 as well, and this will help those publishers make more money (by way of improved margins), and Sony will make lots more money as well through collecting its platform fees.

"Digital is just too lucrative"

Dr. Serkan Toto of Kantan Games said Sony is not going to reverse its decision on killing off physical game discs because the money to be made in an all-digital world is too lucrative to ignore.

"I sympathize with physical media fans, but Sony will not reverse this decision," Toto told IGN. "They of course knew what the online reaction would look like, and they now wait for this storm to pass."

"Sony has over 120 million active PlayStation users," he added. "Around 50 million people subscribe to PlayStation Plus. As a thought experiment, let's say 500,000 cancel in protest, that would be just 1% of that business gone--of course not enough to Sony to start rethinking. Digital is just too lucrative."

The numbers

According to IGN's accounting, a first-party PlayStation game sold on a disc at retail would see Sony keeping about 65% of the sale price, with about 30% going to the retailer; the other 5% is for the manufacturing costs.

A third-party game sold on a disc at retail--say, a Call of Duty game from Activision--would provide Sony a licensing fee of about 15%.

For a digital game, a first-party game sold via the PlayStation Store would net Sony all of the revenue. For third-party games, Sony would collect its 30% cut as the platform owner. That works out to about $21 for a $70 game. When all games go digital in 2028, Sony stands to make significantly more money, as you can see.

What's next

For what it's worth, while Sony has confirmed plans to kill discs, Microsoft has not yet announced plans, but many are theorizing the next Xbox will be all-digital as well. After all, the numbers show that the share of digital game sales only continues to grow at Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, and third-party publishers.

Sony still sells many millions of physical PlayStation game discs annually, and there are many people who want to see physical media live on. There are also real game preservation concerns in an all-digital world. More than 225,000 people have signed an online petition calling on Sony to reinstate physical games.

The obvious enthusiasm for physical media is unlikely to change the calculus for Sony for the main reason Piscatella and Toto laid out: money.

Obsidian Entertainment--the developer behind Grounded, The Outer Worlds, and Avowed--will reportedly shift strategies to work on a new Fallout game. That means that a planned Avowed sequel and other unannounced projects will get shelved in the process, according to Bloomberg. 

It's unclear whether this new Fallout game from Obsidian will be Fallout 5 or a spin-off similar to New Vegas. Fallout 5 was reportedly "greenlit" a year ago, though there were no details about the lead developer. In 2023, Obsidian CEO Feargus Urquhart did express interest in the studio making another Fallout game. 

Best Fallout Games, Ranked View Images

Bloomberg adds that studio design director Josh Sawyer is set to lead this new Fallout project at Obsidian. Sawyer previously served as the director of Pentiment as well as Fallout: New Vegas. The report noted that Sawyer was in charge of another RPG at Obsidian with similarities to Fallout before being reassigned. Bethesda oversees the Fallout franchise and will be involved on this project.

Obsidian was just hit hard by Xbox layoffs this week, with up to  25% of the studio's workforce fired by Microsoft. This was part of an Xbox reset plan put in effect by Xbox boss Asha Sharma, which will lead to 3,200 jobs overall cut over this next year. Sharma also stated that no announced Xbox games were getting axed, but obviously, unannounced titles are being canned. 

In general, Xbox looks set on investing in its biggest franchises, such as Fallout. There have been rumblings about a Fallout 3 remake in the works, though nothing official has been announced. Meanwhile, the Fallout TV series on Prime Video just received 10 Emmy nominations for the show's second season. 

Best Games Like Fallout 4 To Dwell In For 2026 View Images

As Sony plans to kill all PlayStation disc production in January 2028, a Canadian retailer has done what everyone was probably thinking of doing: urging the company to change its mind with a petition that's garnered over 220,000 signatures.

PNP Games is an independent retailer based in Canada that started in 2005 by selling games on eBay. Since then, it opened three locations around Canada, becoming a budding business that supplies its customers with everything from home goods like art and drinkware to gaming products such as controllers and consoles. Think GameStop but make it Canadian.

On July 1, just as Sony announced its plans to end disc production of all new PlayStation games in 2028, PNP Games started a petition called Don't Kill the Disc. The mission statement is simple: "Sign to tell Sony to keep disc-based games alive beyond 2028, so the next generation can own the games they play, not just rent them," per the Change.org petition page. "If we do not speak up now, the disc disappears, and the choice goes with it."

Since starting the petition, over 220,000 people have signed the appeal, essentially telling Sony that physical media is important to not just gamers but entertainment enthusiasts as a whole. In a July 6 IGN interview, PNP Games CEO Jade Pearce spoke about how vital physical media is for businesses and consumers.

"Physical games support an entire industry that an all-digital future quietly erases: retailers, distributors, manufacturers, warehousing and logistics, the pre-owned and trade-in market, and the collector and preservation community," Pearce said. "That is thousands of jobs and countless small businesses. Ending physical media removes consumer choice, weakens local economies, and hands a few platform holders total control over how, and whether, you can access the games you buy."

This sentiment is echoed in the petition's messaging as well. PNP Games noted that the death of physical media is "about jobs" as much as it is about the disc being "a real game" that you own, share, resell, trade, collect, gift, and pass down to your kids. An all-digital future puts the very idea of ownership in a precarious spot, which is what PNP Games hopes to change Sony's mind on with the Don't Kill the Disc petition.

"We are not against digital," Pearce wrote on the petition's page. "We are against digital being the only option. A large and passionate community still wants a real, physical game they own outright, and Sony is about to take that choice away."

GameSpot has reached out to PNP Games for comment and will update this story when we hear back.

You can imagine what the comments have been on the petition. Many of the signatories said Sony's decision weighs heavily on whether they'll buy PlayStation products going forward. Others took to calling the company consumer-unfriendly, stating they feel like Sony is taking advantage of the goodwill it built over the years. And quite a few mentioned that, if we're being hurtled toward an all-digital future, they might as well buy a PC. The internet--and the signers of the petition--have a lot to say about what Sony's doing.

Xbox's big reset continues, as the company has targeted RPG icon Obsidian Entertainment, laying off about a quarter of its staff and cancelling a sequel to the underrated 2025 action-RPG Avowed.

According to a July 8 Bloomberg report, Obsidian Entertainment has cancelled "multiple projects" so that the California-based developer can focus on a bigger franchise: Fallout. As part of the cuts, Avowed was a casualty, along with 52 workers, per a July 8 Game File report.

As Bloomberg noted, progress on the Avowed sequel was "going well" and "on track" to be announced in the next year. Obsidian Entertainment had even hoped to build upon the original game by developing the sequel more quickly using the already-created world and technology. Unfortunately, the project didn't fit into Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's overall strategy for Xbox, according to Bloomberg's sources.

That said, it appears there is actually a small chance the project could be un-canceled. According to Bloomberg, some of the remaining staff will continue working on the Avowed sequel with the hope that Xbox may see a reason for the project's existence in the future. But that's up in the air, despite reporting in February 2026 stating that Obsidian Entertainment would focus on more games in Avowed's universe, which it shares with Pillars of Eternity. (Pillars of Eternity is also in a state of limbo, with the last game, Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire, launching in 2018 and receiving little to no news since its release.)

It's bummer news for fans of Avowed. Although the game didn't meet the sales expectations set forth by Microsoft, the high-fantasy RPG still reviewed relatively well following its February 2025 launch. GameSpot gave it a 6/10 in our Avowed review, but it has a "mostly positive" rating on Steam and an 80 Metacritic score.

I personally just finished Avowed after sinking more than 70 hours into the game, and I thoroughly enjoyed its mix of gunplay and melee combat. The narrative, while simple and predictable, was still enticing, and exploration was rewarding even if the world felt devoid of combat encounters after you've completed everything. It really is a solid amalgam of everything Obsidian Entertainment does well in a new setting.

A sequel could've been something awesome. The narrative ends on a cliffhanger, so there's more than enough meat on the bone to dig into the game's storytelling. On top of that, the world itself is rich with characters and conflicts worth exploring. And the powers! I never enjoy magic in games, but the spellcasting in Avowed felt great. I mained a big sword and two pistols, but on the occasions that I whipped out my spellbook, I felt like a badass wizard of the Living Lands.

Unfortunately, with this latest news, it appears that any hopes of an Avowed 2 have been dashed. The game's former director, Carrie Patel (who left in May 2025 to join the Netflix-owned studio Night Dive), wants to see more Avowed, but Microsoft just isn't interested anymore.

Regardless of if you play the action-packed dating-sim or not, you've probably heard a bit about the intense controversy surrounding Love and Deepspace recently. And no, it somehow has nothing to do with its spicy content or gacha-style gameplay. Instead, it revolves around the introduction--and quick cancellation--of Valko, the game's sixth love interest.

There's been a new development in the ongoing drama, and it doesn't look good for all the fans who have been petitioning for developer Papergames to bring Valko back. Per Kotaku, Papergames has announced it is pulling Love and Deepspace's booth from BilliBilli World 2026, one of Asia's largest anime and gaming conventions. This somewhat makes sense considering how profoundly his absence was felt at last week's Anime Expo, in which an entire booth that was originally reserved for a Valko cosplayer was left vacant. However, the exact phrasing, written below by cross-referencing numerous translations, is concerning:

"Recently, the game Love and Deepspace has attracted widespread attention from all sectors of society, causing significant distress to all players and creating a negative impact. We are deeply remorseful. We have no excuses, and must profoundly reflect, confront our own issues, and take responsibility. We solemnly offer our sincerest apologies to everyone!

"We sincerely accept all criticism and corrections regarding the problems exposed this time, and will not shirk our responsibilities," Papergames continued. "We will conduct comprehensive personnel training, self-examination, and rectification, using reverence for history, protection of national sentiment, and inheritance of Chinese culture as our benchmark."

While this reference to protecting "national sentiment" and using Chinese culture as a "benchmark" seem innocuous--respectful, even--the story continues.

Since news of Valko's removal surfaced, a battle perceived as being between Chinese Love and Deepspace fans--who overwhelming do not want Valko in the game--and Western audiences, who do, has ensued. Across social media, Chinese fans have shared posts that seem to indicate there are primarily three reasons Valko should not be in the game: 1) He's taking away attention that desperately needs to be spent on the game's main story and already-existing love interests, 2) His appearance goes against Chinese beauty standards, and 3) Valko's promotion slogans, which included "What's wrong with letting a wolf into the house?" could be perceived as condoning trespassing and sexual assault.

Shortly after Papergames announcement it would not be attending BilliBilli World 2026, the Chinese government made its own post latching on to the third of these points.

"Recently, an online game targeting female players has sparked widespread controversy. The game features a storyline where the male protagonist breaks into a woman's home late at night, accompanied by offensive promotional slogans such as, "What's wrong with letting a wolf into the house?", packaging the illegal act of trespassing as a romantic encounter. This kind of entertainment-driven, traffic-driven creative work disregards public order and morality, crosses legal boundaries, and may ultimately endanger public safety," a representative from the Ministry of Public Security News and Media wrote.

The post went on to say that, "If a game packages such behavior as 'fun interaction,' it may be suspected of promoting and glorifying illegal and criminal methods, which is not only a disregard for the authority of the law but also a blatant transgression against the spirit of the rule of law." The writer then cited a 2018 case in which a 15-year-old "addicted to a violent video game" murdered his 23-year-old female neighbor as evidence that "online game content that crosses ethical boundaries can seriously negatively impact the healthy development of teenagers."

"As of now, all relevant characters and storylines in the game have been taken offline for rectification, a move that addresses public concerns," the post continues. "However, taking it offline is not the end; deeper reflection is needed. This incident serves as another warning to the industry: Any content production that deliberately blurs the lines of illegality, glorifies dangerous behavior, or undermines public safety will ultimately be subject to legal sanctions and public resistance."

In short, things are not looking too good for Papergames, which seems to have found itself in a lose-lose-lose situation that is quickly intensifying. With the Chinese government weighing in on the issue--and considering the amount of power it has over the country's media--it seems increasingly unlikely that Papergames will tempt legal action and that Valko will ever resurface.

In fact, this raised awareness could lead to more scrutiny towards Love and Deepspace in general, as the game frequently showcases behavior and scenarios that could be perceived as problematic, to borrow one of the internet's favorite words. The game's fifth love interest, Caleb, locks up and interrogates the player's character at one point, while Sylus fulfils all the dark romance tropes we love as the violent head of a criminal organization. It's possible all this attention could have major ramifications for the beloved game, and although the petition to bring back Valko is nearing a 250,000 signatures, I wouldn't count on that being enough at this point.

The nominees for the next Emmy Awards have been announced, and Amazon's Fallout TV show scored 10. Season 1, for comparison, picked up 16 nominations in 2024, ultimately winning two.

For Season 2, Fallout's Emmy nominations included nods for Production Design, Costumes, Hairstyling, and Stunt Performance, but no acting nominations. Many think Walton Goggins was snubbed after he turned in another incredible performance as The Ghoul in Fallout Season 2.

Here are the 10 Emmy nominations for Fallout Season 2:

• Outstanding Production Design For A Narrative Period Or Fantasy Program—"The Wrangler"
• Outstanding Fantasy/Sci-Fi Costumes—"The Strip"
• Outstanding Period Or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Hairstyling—"The Strip"
• Outstanding Period Or Fantasy/Sci-Fi Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)—"The Strip"
• Outstanding Prosthetic Makeup—"The Demon In The Snow"
• Outstanding Sound Editing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)—"The Strip"
• Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series (One Hour)—"The Strip"
• Outstanding Stunt Coordination For Drama Programming
• Outstanding Stunt Performance—"The Profligate"
• Outstanding Emerging Media Program—"The World Of Fallout"

Fallout Season 3 is now in the works, with Goggins recently sharing a photo of himself getting back into character as production begins.

In the world of Fallout video games, it was recently reported that Obsidian is making a new Fallout game in collaboration with Bethesda Game Studios. There is no word on what this game is, however, or if it's separate from Fallout 5. Obsidian was one of multiple Xbox-owned studios that were hit particularly hard by the latest round of layoffs at Xbox, affecting about 1 in 4 developers there.

Microsoft recently announced mass layoffs affecting 4,800 people, including 3,200 at Xbox, and now US Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) has ripped the technology giant for cutting staff at a time when it's making massive profits.

Posting on social media, Sanders pointed out how Microsoft made more than $100 billion in profit in 2025, with CEO Satya Nadella getting paid $96 million. He also called out how US President Donald Trump's new tax plan would save Microsoft $12.5 billion.

"Please don’t tell me corporate tax breaks create jobs. It never trickles down," he said, calling out the Xbox layoffs and the Xbox console price hikes. The latest Xbox console price hike brings the Series X up to a whopping $800.

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/2074202502996582817

For the fiscal year that Sanders is referring to, Microsoft made $101.8 billion in profit (up 16%) on revenue of $281.7 billion (up 15%). Microsoft overall may have done well financially during the year, but Xbox was in a rougher spot, if commentary from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma is to be believed.

She has said the Xbox business is "not healthy" and that a variety of bets made by previous leaders Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond did not pay off. That's left Sharma in a position where Xbox's operating margins are 3-10x lower than what she said were "comparable platform and publishing businesses."

Sharma said Xbox was operating as a business with 3% margins, which means for every $100 made, the company spends $97 and keeps $3. A business operating at that margin level could be fine, but Microsoft's other business units have 40%+ profit margins.

Microsoft's stock price is down 19% so far this year and more than 22% over the past year. In fact, June 2026 was the worst month for Microsoft's stock price since December 2000.

Some of the bets that Xbox made that did not pay off as Microsoft envisioned included Xbox Game Pass, releasing games on rival systems, and buying up studios, Sharma said. For Game Pass, a recent report said some Xbox employees worried that the plan to launch new games into the service was not actually a smart move, but management proceeded anyway.

In addition to mass layoffs, Xbox is divesting of five studios. Double Fine and Compulsion are regaining their independence, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are being sold. Arkane Lyon is in the "consultation" process to determine its fate and the fate of the studio's upcoming game, Marvel's Blade.

Image credit: Bernie Sanders YouTube

Thomas Was Alone and Amberspire developer Bithell Games has announced its next project, a non-linear horror game in which the vampire King of England tasks you with assassinating his enemies. Set in an alternate timeline during the late '90s--so you're probably safe from hearing Hanson's MMMBop on repeat--Vampirium 1997 is billed as an immersive sim boiled to its essence by game director Mike Bithell.

"Dracula is King of England. At his command, master your dark gifts to assassinate his enemies and secure his vampiric empire. Infiltrate locked-down locations, adapt and survive in living environments, and uncover your own unique methods of executing missions," the synopsis for the game reads.

Gameplay will see players carefully plan their way through each level, observing their surroundings, talking their way out of danger, and upgrading their vampiric powers along the way. Every action has a consequence, and with each environment designed to be a dynamic arena for you to consider which tactics you want to use--from covert bluffing to overt decapitations--you'll have to carefully consider each move you make.

It's an area of expertise that Bithell Games excels in, as the studio has released several cerebral and challenging games over the years--including an official John Wick game that was sadly delisted in 2025.

https://youtu.be/li_NCnbNiAQ

Vampirium 1997 will be launching in early access for PC, but there's no exact release date for it yet. To set the mood, players can explore the dark fantasy world of the game through a novella that was recently released and runs for eight chapters. Titled "The Last Portrait," the story follows the artist Hart after they're commissioned to create a portrait of England's monstrous monarch.

Earlier this year Paralives released in early access, and so far, things are looking good for the life-sim. The game has proven to be popular since its May launch; the cozy vibes have been praised, and the promise of free post-launch DLC and updates for the lifespan of Paralives continues to be a big selling point. In an industry focused on extracting the maximum amount of cash possible out of every player, it has become the norm--just look at how GTA 6 is locking in-game shops away from players who purchase the standard edition--Paralives' commitment to investing in its players feels refreshing.

"That plan is something that we had announced before the game was released, and our sales in the first week--the first day--confirmed that that was going to be viable," Paralive's communication manager Gab Boyer-Antoni said to GameSpot. "We're a very small team of 15. We don't plan on increasing that much, just a few senior positions, and we don't have any investors. We don't have to pay back anybody. The development so far has been fully paid for by our Patreons. And we're good. We can last years like this and make sure that we offer free updates and free DLCs to players and keep on working on the game."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdM39bSS-JY&pp=ygURcGFyYWxpdmVzIHRyYWlsZXI%3D

Another game that has become notable for its free content drops is No Man's Sky, as it has upgraded its universe of explorable planets and systems with substantial expansions. These often come out of nowhere and with very little hype, and most importantly, they've all been free. Developer Hello Games has released over 30 of these expansions at no extra cost to their players since 2016, and they're largely credited with helping the game find its redemption arc and attract new players, 10 years after launch.

Paralives has already seen several pieces of free DLC added to the Gilmore Girls-inspired life-sim since launch--including an adorable collaboration with Unpacking--and its first major content update is expected to arrive this fall. Players have also been instrumental in creating new content for the game through mods, and if you're looking to grab a few, you can check out our guide on the best Paralives mods to download.

Fans of life-simulator games have been eating well lately, as the dominance of The Sims 4 has been challenged by new kids on the block like InZoi and Paralives. While both of these titles are considered to be serious challengers in a cozy genre of living your best life, the team behind Paralives doesn't see itself as a "Sims-killer," preferring instead to view the game as another option in the genre. After all, competition in this field will ultimately benefit players by offering them more choice.

"I think having more than one life-sim game makes for such a better experience for players," Paralive's communication manager Gab Boyer-Antoni told GameSpot. "It helps games get better and improve, and we want to offer a great experience for players. So that aspect of competition is great to have. There shouldn't be just one amazing [life-sim]. Also, I feel like a life-sim game is three games in one and caters to so many types of players.

"Some people just want to build their cozy little bedroom, apartment, or house, and they don't care about the live mode. Some people are really into the stories, the challenges, and [creating] generations of Sims, Paras, or Zoi. There are so many types of players, and I think we need a lot of games to help cater to different needs. It's a lot to expect one game to [do everything]. In most other genres of video games, you have a lot of [titles]. If you think of shooters, there are so many huge games that have huge fan bases--it's really rare to have just one that somehow caters to everybody. I think it makes for a stronger ecosystem of games that they don't."

It's still early days for Paralives, but the game appears to be hitting its stride mere months after launch. Its creators are already confident that it can deliver years of free content to its players thanks to strong launch sales, and it's looking to carve out its own space in this genre as its early access journey continues.

Meanwhile, The Sims 4 is looking to turn things around after several turbulent months, starting with an overhaul of the Maker Marketplace that angered the game's community. 

After two and a half years in early access, the Pokemon-like game Palworld has reached 40 million players before its 1.0 release. Developer Pocketpair announced this milestone just days before the game's massive 1.0 update, which brings several major changes to overhaul the game.

"Palworld passes 40 million players," the developer said on social media. "Thank you all so much for your incredible support! Over the last two and a half years, Palworld has grown alongside our community."

Of course, hitting the 40 million mark doesn't necessarily mean Palworld has sold 40 million copies. Palworld often ranks high on Steam's top seller list, but the game is also included in Xbox's Game Pass subscription. Having 40 million is still a major accomplishment, and the player count is likely to surge even higher with the 1.0 launch on July 10.

Palworld's big update was first revealed at Summer Game Fest with a cinematic trailer, and the developer also announced several major changes. These updates include several new Pals to catch, an improved combat system, and overhauled raid mechanics. Players can also expect revamped quests and main storyline missions to learn more about the world.

It seems the developer was initially considering a price hike for its creature-catching game, but it has now announced that Palworld's price will remain the same beyond early access.

"After much thought, we have decided not to raise the price of Palworld following the 1.0 release and will keep it at $29.99," the developer said. "We are incredibly proud of how far Palworld has come. Thanks to the amazing support of our players, it has become a success beyond our wildest dreams."

Palworld is currently available on PC, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. The game is not available on either Switch platform, as Nintendo sued Pocketpair in 2024 on patent-infringement accusations. Palworld was updated in 2025 with altered game mechanics due to the legal matter.

If you've been watching the World Cup or soccer in general, you're surely familiar with Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, and now he's provided a deeper window into his life and specifically his gaming habits.

In a "day in the life" video on his YouTube channel (via PureXbox), Haaland began by saying he's a big fan of Xbox, so much so that he even owns the Xbox minifridge and it's not just for show. As you can see in the video, he has it stocked with MTN Dew and Coke. "One day, Xbox, I want them to sponsor me," he said. Now might not be the time, though, as Xbox is facing its own string of major issues.

For what it's worth, there was also a DualSense controller sitting on his gaming table, so he seemingly plays games on PlayStation as well.

Haaland also showed off his gaming space where he has LAN parties with friends. Additionally, he singled out 2009's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 as one of the top three games ever. He said he's also a big fan of Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto, calling both of those his "desert island" games. Naturally, Haaland also talked about how excited he is for GTA 6. "I can't wait for the new one," he said.

In a fun moment from the video, Haaland showed that one of the games in his Xbox library is FC 24, which features... himself on the cover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtH_oTKk9iM

The next Norway World Cup game is a big one, as Haaland and his squad will face off with England on July 11 in a quarterfinal matchup that should be exciting.

A new update coming to Minecraft is adding something the game has never had in its 17-year history and it's something everyone loves to do: sit down.

In a new video, producer Gustav Höglund confirmed that there will finally be a "straightforward" way to take a load off, and that's with a new craftable cushion that players can sit on. As Höglund noted, people have found creative ways to sit down already by way of plopping down in a boat, a mine cart, or by riding an animal. But that's not true sitting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agmsdgyj_8M

"Now there is finally this straightforward way of just putting down a cushion and sitting down. I think the cushion opens up so many new possibilities for building. I won't even try to get guess what the players are going to end up doing with them," he said.

There are 16 different cushion colors to choose from, as you can see below. The cushions can be crafted using wool slabs, which are also new to the game.

Sitting is nice, and soon you can do it in Minecraft.

The announcement of the new update for Minecraft comes at a tumultuous time at Xbox, which owns the franchise and developer Mojang. The Swedish studio was among the teams impacted by layoffs. Additionally, it was confirmed that Mojang--along with Candy Crush studio King--will now report directly to Xbox CEO Asha Shamra. She said Mojang and King are Xbox's "largest" units ranked by monthly active players. Another Minecraft-related change as a result of the Xbox "reset" is that Minecraft studio head Helen Chiang has been promoted to become the chief operating officer at Xbox.

"She will bring our businesses together under one operating model, making sure we make clear investment decisions, learn from our successes and failures, and hold ourselves accountable for results," Sharma said.

Minecraft has sold hundreds of millions of copies, and that doesn't count spinoff games like Minecraft Dungeons. The sequel, Minecraft Dungeons 2, launches in September. Outside of games, A Minecraft Movie was a huge hit in 2025 and a sequel is set for release in 2027.

Pokemon Winds and Waves won't be out until 2027, but it looks like a few Poke-leaks are already surfacing. The Switch 2 exclusive is the next mainline entry in the series, and like previous games before it, it'll introduce a whole new region populated with unique Pokemon. Just how many new Pokemon will there be? According to one report, we could be looking at hundreds of new critters to collect.

Traditionally, each new mainline Pokemon game introduces around 100 new Pokemon--Generations 6-9 were the exception here--and we've already seen the starter Pokemon for Generation 10--Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua. According to the usually reliable Centro Leaks, Pokemon Winds and Waves will have around 300 new Pokemon and forms in the game, and that's an important distinction. If the trio of starter Pokemon follows the usual pattern of having two evolutionary forms, then that's nine Pokemon right off the Zubat. Throw in brand-new pocket monsters--including challenging Legendary Pokemon--and the number climbs even further.

https://twitter.com/CentroLeaks/status/2074524693269266509

But as mentioned above, this number also includes Pokemon forms. That's a broad term, but usually, it includes regional variants of existing Pokemon, transformed versions based on a game-exclusive gimmick like the Gigantimax gameplay mechanic, and new evolutions for older Pokemon. Combine all that, and it's not unfeasible for Pokemon Wind and Waves to reach that reported number of 300 new Pokemon. "An important note is that the only aspect we've been able to verify that multiple sources have heard independently is about the number of 300 new Pokemon placeholders," Centro Leaks added.

Currently, the record for new additions to a Pokemon game belongs to Pokemon Black and White, which saw 156 new Pokemon added to the franchise. Other rumors circulating around Pokemon Winds and Waves claim that MMOs will inspire the game and will have a deep focus on communication. Post-launch DLC for the game is also said to be in development already, and one of the new battle gimmicks is reportedly based around the concept of weather, with Pokemon like Arcanine, Pikachu, and Kecleon getting special forms based on the conditions around them.

In case you missed the initial reveal for it, you can check out an orchestral behind-the-scenes video for Pokemon Winds and Waves' first reveal trailer.

Pokemon’s Most Disturbing Pokedex Entries View Images

It's nesting season for ducks in Poland, and one mallard mom chose CD Projekt Red's office in Warsaw to lay its eggs, the studio recently shared. For anyone scared that this story does not have a happy ending, fear not. It's safe to read on.

The Polish developer said the duck laid eight eggs at an open-air part of the impressive-looking modern office. The momma duck "cared for them attentively throughout the nesting period," and CD Projekt Red staff gave her plenty of room to sit on the eggs in peace as she waited for them to hatch.

https://twitter.com/CDPROJEKTRED/status/2074811707763880017

They hatched in June, as you can see in the adorable photos shared by CD Projekt Red. The entire family was relocated to one of Warsaw's parks in cooperation with Warsaw's Municipal Guard Eco Patrol.

In their new home outside the CD Projekt campus, they can "continue their journey in a more natural setting," the developer said.

But why did the mother duck choose to lay her eggs there in the first place? Only she knows, but the office has a nice rooftop space with plenty of greenery; in fact, the office has the "largest green wall in Poland," featuring 40,000 plants.

CD Projekt Red's new office space in Warsaw was nominated for an architecture award this year, and while it did not win the top prize, it did win the "residents' award."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEEdC9j9TEA

CD Projekt also has offices in the Polish cities Krakow and Wroclaw, along with international outfits in Vancouver and Boston.

The Witcher 4 is one of multiple upcoming projects at CD Projekt. The studio is also making Cyberpunk 2, a game made in partnership with Saudi Arabia, a Witcher 1 remake, and a multiplayer Witcher game.

Nintendo has announced that it will shut down Mario Kart Tour on September 29, ending its seven-year run on mobile devices. Originally launching in September 2019, Mario Kart Tour was one of several games released for mobile devices as Nintendo made a push into that space. Most of those games have since been shut down, but Mario Kart Tour proved to be a lucrative spin-off of the main series, employing controversial gacha game mechanics to keep players invested the racer.

"We sincerely thank the many players who have loved and supported the game since service began so long ago," Nintendo wrote in an update. "Thank you for playing Mario Kart Tour."

With its shutdown looming, Nintendo has now suspended the sale of the premium Ruby in-game currency, and subscription perks will be made freely available to players in the remaining months of Mario Kart Tour. Once the servers are turned off, Mario Kart Tour will be unplayable as Nintendo has no plans to offer an offline version of the game. In comparison, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp's final update made the game playable offline after its online service ended. 

This leaves only a handful of mobile Nintendo games still in service, as Pikmin Bloom--which is run by Pokemon Go developer Niantic--Super Mario Run, and Fire Emblem Heroes still remain active. While it's the end of the road for Mario Kart on mobile, the main series is still in action. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is still Nintendo's best-selling game of all time, and last year saw the release of Mario Kart World, currently the best-selling Switch 2 game with 14.7 million sales as of March 31, 2026.

Following a drought of content after it launched alongside the Switch 2 last year, it looks like fans can hop back into their karts to burn some rubber as two Knockout Tour routes were recently added.

The 26 Best Mobile Games Available For iOS And Android View Images

With Final Fantasy VII Revelation set to complete the remake trilogy soon, fans have been eagerly revisiting FFVII's various releases and spinoffs in anticipation, speculating about what the future might hold for the finale. Unfortunately, one of those spinoffs, the live-service game Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis, now has a Doom timer attached to it--meaning you'll need to play it as quickly as possible before it shutters if you want to see what it has to offer.

Released on December 2023, Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis is a free-to-play downloadable title for mobile and PC. The game recreates the events of Final Fantasy VII--as well as spinoffs like Crisis Core, Dirge of Cerberus, and the feature-phone exclusive Before Crisis--while giving new spins on established story beats, serving as a sort of alternative remake. It also features an all-new story about a group of SOLDIERs with a young Sephiroth. Many of the original staff, including original writer Katsushige Nojima and creative director Tetsuya Nomura, were also heavily involved in Ever Crisis's creation, lending it more clout as more than just a generic mobile spinoff.

While the game is free to download, it used the popular gacha system as its means of monetization, with players being able to spend money to buy in-game crystals to use to draw random gear. We say that in the past tense, because Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis has been confirmed to be shuttering on October 6th, giving players around 3 more months to enjoy the game before it goes offline. All real money transactions have been suspended as a result of the impending shutdown.

In a Producer's Letter published alongside the shutdown notice, Shoichi Ishikawa details the reasons for the shutdown. "While we recognize that many people are playing EVER CRISIS, it has become difficult to find a balance between production costs and the demand for character weapons and gear," he writes.
"At the same time, delivering satisfying equipment visuals remains a priority for us as it’s something players see the characters wearing, and we understand how passionate the community and fans are about the FINAL FANTASY VII characters.
Ultimately, however, striking an ideal balance between visual quality and development costs, while also maintaining gameplay balance that encouraged greater party diversity, presented ongoing challenges."

The shutdown comes at a rather awkward time, as a characters introduced in Ever Crisis, like Glenn Lodbrok, have crossed over into the remake games, and Ever Crisis's shutdown means that players won't have an easy way to dig deeper into their lore once it's offline. We can only hope that Square-Enix might take inspiration from the recent Final Fantasy Resonance and find some alternative way to bring Ever Crisis's unique stories to players in the future

To kick off July, Sony made the surprising announcement that it plans to end support of physical discs for PlayStation games at the beginning of 2028. In the week since that news, Sony kept quiet on social media. Now, Sony has attempted to start a new conversation with gamers, but it's not going well so far.

In the message seen below, Sony touts the FlexStrike wireless fight stick. Under normal circumstances, this product could have been positively received on its own terms. Unfortunately for the team behind controller, their announcement has been met by lingering anger and resentment from fans over the decision to kill physical discs.

https://twitter.com/PlayStation/status/2074478664805212593

Some of the responses are a little too profane to share here. There may be support for Sony, but if so, it's been largely buried on social media. Most of the messages have been angry, satirical, or both.

https://twitter.com/jchip/status/2074479131077624268 https://twitter.com/balefulspook/status/2074480356460249307 https://twitter.com/Septic_Sauce/status/2074499339062243733 https://twitter.com/haffs_abu/status/2074481096142553558 https://twitter.com/algorusty/status/2074484273671815509 https://twitter.com/SeptimoCieloPod/status/2074488491451244857

Companies like iam8bit and GameFly have already shared their disappointment in Sony's move away from physical discs. Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott has suggested that Sony made this decision to exert greater control over pricing and distribution. Eliminating physical discs effectively kills the used games market and makes Sony's online store the only outlet that can sell its titles outside of code-in-a-box games like Grand Theft Auto 6.

There are also concerns that Sony's experiments with dynamic pricing will charge some players more than others while keeping prices artificially high. To further underscore the lack of permanence in the digital marketplace, Sony has also shared its plans to close the Play Station 3 and Vita online stores.

The latest Arc Raiders update is out now, and alongside the opening of the Expedition 4 window and an upcoming crossover event with Embark's first-person shooter The Finals, the extraction game is getting a matchmaking overhaul that fulfills one of players' biggest wishlist items.

Starting today, Arc Raiders offers separate matchmaking buckets for solo, duo, and trio queues. This means that players who may prefer to express different playstyles depending on their team size can now find lobbies that suit their needs.

Arc Raiders' "aggression-based matchmaking" has been a story surrounding the game since it debuted last October, with players debating how it should work and, initially, whether it truly existed at all. We've since learned that your affinity for PvP does, in fact, influence which other players you're matched with when you hop into a round, but today's changes let players wear different proverbial hats for different occasions. 

It's a particularly welcome addition for someone like me. I love to play Arc Raiders as a PvE-only medic, running around the map, chasing down flares of other raiders in a tough spot, and ensuring they escape safely. It took me 120 gameplay hours before I even killed another player, and only because that ne'er-do-well left me with no other choice. 

My preference to consider only the ARC robots as enemies has made it hard for me to play with my much more bloodthirsty brother. He's gotten me into trouble before, where his itchy trigger finger would ultimately kick me out of my utopian solo queues. But this change means I can return fire in duos with him without sacrificing my beloved solo rounds where we defib each other and essentially end rounds with a chorus of Kumbaya. Now, "us versus them" lives alongside "we're all in this together."

Along with this much-requested change, Embark's two live-service games are hosting another crossover event. Starting on July 9 and running until the 30th, players can hop into The Finals and complete specific challenges to unlock Azimuth outfit and Archeologist backpack bundle for use in Arc Raiders for free. You can see that new skin below and decide whether it's worth your time. 

Arc Raiders Azimuth outfit

For what it's worth, The Finals is a slick, destruction-based shooter that feels a bit like Battlefield reimagined in an arcadey context. Like Arc Raiders, it would be better if it didn't rely on generative AI, though. 

9 Best Games Like Arc Raiders View Images