Naughty Dog's first effort to adapt The Last of Us for the screen was not as an HBO TV show, but a movie, a fact that recently began doing the rounds again on social media. Like with many Hollywood productions, The Last of Us had a tumultuous, long development period as a movie before it was ultimately abandoned in favor of what is now a hit series. 

While not everyone agrees with the creative departures from the source material for the TV series on HBO, it's undeniably a success and one of HBO's biggest hits lately. Let's look back at how The Last of Us originated as a movie and run through the key developments that led to it becoming a TV show.

The original movie pitch

People across X recently discovered a post from Sony Pictures in 2014 declaring that The Last of Us was "soon to be a major motion picture." 

This was a real, studio-sponsored image, not a fan mock-up. There was officially produced key art, showing Ellie wielding a knife. There was a "secret panel" at San Diego Comic-Con that year featuring director Sam Raimi, who was originally attached to produce the movie, having already had huge success at Sony with his Spider-Man films.

https://twitter.com/sonypictures/status/492757891229552641?s=46

That The Last of Us was originally going to be a movie is not surprising given how many video game movies came before it and how many have been released since (with varying degrees of success). 

This was a year after The Last of Us came out in 2013. It was a hot property, as the game was a critical and a commercial success for Naughty Dog and Sony. With Sony also owning and operating its own film studio, all the synergies were there for Sony to make a Last of Us film.

Neil Druckmann, who directed The Last of Us game, confirmed in 2014 that the movie would adapt the story of The Last of Us, as opposed to branching off in some other way. At the time, Druckmann said the movie would "take into account the unique properties of film," but he stressed it was early days and the team hadn't yet mapped out how it would condense the game's story into a two-hour film. In 2015, Druckmann confirmed he had written a second draft of the movie's script, which he said contained "pretty big changes" from the source material.

It was also at this time that Druckmann said a table read had already taken place with "a bunch of actors," though he did not name any outright. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams was said to be a frontrunner to play Ellie, and many people said that casting was perfect. Williams herself confirmed she met with Druckmann and Raimi about it, but remarked at the time that there was no script or director at that point. Williams, who was 17 at the time, also joked at the time that she hoped Sony would make the movie quickly because, "If they make it in 30 years, they can't have a 40-year-old Ellie." Kaitlyn Dever was also considered for the role of Ellie in the film, and, spoiler alert: Dever would go on to play Ellie's adversary, Abby, in the HBO TV show.

Development Hell

Hollywood productions can take a lot of time to come together, and when the production process goes on for an extended period of time, that's known as "Development Hell." The Last of Us movie was yet another example of this unfortunate phenomenon.

In 2016, Druckmann said the movie hadn't progressed for "over a year" at that point. "It kind of entered development hell like these things tend to do," he said. The movie also never had a director signed on, nor was there a cast or a release date.

The Last of Us

This wouldn't be the last time a Naughty Dog film project was subject to development hell, as the Uncharted movie is a very infamous example of this, but that did eventually come together for release in 2022 after a decade of development.

The Last of Us "would have been awful" as a movie

Druckmann said in an interview with Sacred Symbols that movie executives told him to "make it bigger, make it more like World War Z," and he pushed back against this. "Go make World War Z. Why make The Last of Us? The Last of Us is not that," he said. Conversely, Druckmann said HBO boss Casey Bloys told him, "'Do as much action as you need to, and no more. Do as much violence as you need to, and no more. Here, we sell drama.'" 

Druckmann said he got the opposite notes when The Last of Us was envisioned as a feature film. It's not a stretch to imagine this is part of the reason why Naughty Dog opted for a TV show instead of a film, in addition to there being a more supportive and understanding team at HBO to produce and back the show.

Druckmann also said HBO approached the source material with "such reverence and artistry," ensuring Naughty Dog would be involved in the process too. This is not always the case, of course, as the Baldur's Gate TV series at HBO does not involve Larian Studios. Druckmann also mentioned that HBO was supportive of the many changes to the source material that Druckmann and writer/showrunner Craig Mazin made. 

Appearing on Logically Speaking in 2024, Druckmann said the movie version of The Last of Us "would have been awful." He said, "It would have been one of those bad adaptations had we finished that one." 

"You have two hours, max, and the feedback I got was, 'This will lead it down a bad path,'" he added.

In a recent interview with GamesBeat, Druckmann said he changed his mind about how to approach such projects. Whereas in 2014 he said The Last of Us movie would be an adaptation of the game, in 2016, he said Naughty Dog had "evolved our feelings" about adaptations. 

"As time goes on, we are not excited by a direct adaptation of a story for a game into a movie,” Druckmann said. “We have told that story well, cinematically. The idea for The Last of Us film was to be a direct adaptation. I don’t want that movie to be made."

Bella Ramsey as Ellie.

Druckmann indeed got his wish, and that movie was never made. The TV series with HBO, meanwhile, premiered in January 2023, and its first season--starring Bella Ramsey as Ellie and Pedro Pascal as Joel--was a huge success in terms of critical reception and viewership numbers. A second season aired in 2025, and was similarly successful, though not quite to the same degree. A third--and potentially final--season is in the works now, but Druckmann dropped out to focus on Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and other projects at Naughty Dog (maybe The Last of Us 3?).

A prolific Japanese game developer has finally addressed all that weird foot imagery in his video games. What? No, I'm not talking about Hideo Kojima (he's busy hanging out with The Backrooms director right now, anyway). I'm referring to Dark Souls and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki, who has finally addressed online speculation that he is a foot guy.

“It's not necessarily something I’m consistently aware of--maybe it’s something subconscious coming through,” Miyazaki told The Guardian in response to a question about all the hand imagery in his upcoming action-RPG, The Dusbloods. "Take a look online and there’s a rumor that I have a bit of a thing for feet, but I’m not honestly sure where this comes from."

Seriously, stop making it weird.

Though Miyazaki says he's not sure where the idea that he has a "thing for feet" comes from, it's something fans of his games have noticed for years. Whether we're talking The Maiden in Black from Demons' Souls or Priscilla (or Gwunevere, or Sister Friede, or Maneater Mildred) from Dark Souls, it's hard to ignore how many barefoot women are roaming Miyazaki's fictional worlds. Elden Ring's Malenia is rocking bare feet, too, although hers are metal prosthetics. The game's beaches even differentiate between barefoot players and those who are wearing footwear.

So what's with all the shoeless women in Souls games? According to Miyazaki, it's about depicting the human experience. Or something.

"I feel like I’m trying to depict some side of human nature or the human existence that is difficult to describe,” he elaborated.

But regardless of what fans might think, Miyazaki insists this is not a Tarantino situation. And to be fair, plenty of other games are even more foot-focused than Miyazaki's work--and far less subtle about it.

Xbox has announced a new partnership with TCL, which will see the Xbox app added to "select" models from the brand. This means that owners of those TCL TVs won't need to spend $500 on an Xbox Series S or $800 on an Xbox Series X, as they can instead take advantage of the cloud-based gaming features offered as part of a monthly Xbox Game Pass subscription--but only for a few hours per month, before they need to start coughing up some extra cash to buy more hours to play.

If your TCL TV is supported, all you'll need is a Game Pass subscription and an Xbox controller to start playing. Xbox Game Pass also offers a library of games to play, so you'll be good to go once you're signed up and logged in. As a reminder, you'll only get a few hours of cloud streaming depending on which tier of Game Pass you sign up for. The cheapest option, Game Pass Essential, will give you five hours of cloud streaming; Game Pass Premium doubles that number to 10 hours, and Game Pass Ultimate caps out at 15 hours. Pricing for top-up cloud streaming packages has not yet been announced.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN1JlrG2esw

This announcement also comes during a busy time for Xbox, as its next big first-party game is Gears of War: E-Day. It arrives after a busy year for the gaming brand, which saw 75 day-one releases through its subscription program. More Game Pass titles are also on the way in September, with Speedrunners 2 and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War headlining the first wave of new arrivals.

TCL TVs are typically positioned as budget-to-mid-range sets, which could potentially give Xbox exposure to millions of consumers who wouldn't normally buy one of their expensive consoles. The Azure servers that Xbox uses for streaming games belong to its parent company, Microsoft, and these have started to turn a tidy profit for the company. Microsoft recently reported $29.4 billion in Azure server sales for the last quarter, but Amazon Web Services still eclipses those numbers with $42.2 billion in quarterly revenue.

Not one, but two Nintendo Directs are coming next week. Nintendo has confirmed that a Legend of Zelda Direct will be held on September 8 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, and it'll be followed by a Nintendo Direct on September 9 at the same times. The Legend of Zelda: 40th Anniversary Direct will run for 30 minutes, while the Nintendo Direct is scheduled to run for 45 minutes. For a closer look at the games shown off, you can also tune in to a Nintendo Treehouse livestream after the Nintendo Direct, which will run for roughly 110 minutes.

Rumors of a Nintendo Direct began picking up earlier this week after Ubisoft announced that a new look at Just Dance: Decades of Hits was on the way. It's worth noting that the publisher announced it for September 10, but given how often Just Dance games appear in Nintendo broadcasts, it was assumed this would be the date of a Nintendo Direct. With Nintendo hosting a September Nintendo Direct almost every year for the past decade--with 2024 being an exception--it looked like it was only a matter of time before the broadcast was officially announced.

https://twitter.com/NintendoAmerica/status/2095874535740309635?s=20

As for what you can expect, Nintendo is keeping its lips zipped for now. Last year's September Direct was focused on several first-party games, smaller third-party titles, and the surprise reveal of a new Virtual Boy headset designed for Switch consoles, so we're guessing that it'll be more of the same for 2026. Following the release of the Switch 2 in 2025 and a steady stream of first-party games, 2026 has been slower by comparison, so here's hoping we get to see what new experiences Nintendo is working on. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is out later this month, so we'll probably get a new trailer for the turn-based tactics game.

When it comes to The Legend of Zelda, it feels like Nintendo has barely acknowledged that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the beloved hero in green, but this could be a prime time to show what's on the horizon. The remake of Ocarina of Time was announced several months ago, and there's also the upcoming live-action movie--so a teaser trailer wouldn't be unwelcome. If we're lucky, we might even get confirmation that The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker HD is finally coming to Switch consoles.

As the platform that gets the lion's share of PC game sales, Steam naturally makes a lot of money every year from commissions, publishing fees, and more through its storefront. But how much cash has it made so far in 2026? Unsurprisingly, enough dough to buy Valve co-founder Gabe Newell a few more superyachts. According to the head of market analysis at Alinea Analytics, Rhys Elliot, Steam has made $15 billion in 2026, and with a massive period of high-profile game releases around the corner, that number is likely to surge even higher before the year is over.

Steam's top releases by gross revenue include AAA games and breakout indie hits, with Forza Horizon 6 leading the charge. The new racing game earned Steam $210.5 million in revenue, while Crimson Desert sales were responsible for $203.3 million, Resident Evil Requiem made just over $200.9 million, and Slay the Spire 2 brought in over $148 million. Rounding out the list is Subnautica 2 at $139.2 million and Meccha Chameleon at $89.8 million.

https://twitter.com/superhys/status/2095562045185822951

That's a lot of cheddar, but it only counts for 6.6% of the $15 billion that Steam has made so far. Elliot noted that the top 100 new games by gross revenue make up 15.9% of Steam's total 2026 revenue so far--around $2.4 billion. Crimson Desert is also doing a lot of heavy lifting, as it accounts for about 18% of all new-IP revenue in the top 100. "Of the new-game top 100, 63% were actually new IP, but 52.5% of the revenue ($1.25B) came from established IP," Elliot wrote. "But it’s worth noting Crimson Desert, with its $203M, accounts for about 18% of all new-IP revenue in the top 100. When we take Crimson out of the analysis, the 62 new-IP games make up only about 39%. So yeah, a lot of established IP is doing the legwork, as you'd expect."

Looking ahead, Steam's coffers can expect an influx of cash from highly anticipated releases like Phantom Blade Zero, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and Gears of War: E-Day, just to name a few. Valve gets a cut from whatever is sold on Steam, including the lucrative microtransactions and DLC that accompany most games these days. Elliot also spoke to GameSpot recently about what goes into a game price tag as part of our Cheap Week deep-dives.

What's the biggest question about Grand Theft Auto 6? Easily Rockstar's plans for GTA Online, and how it'll factor into the post-launch plans of GTA 6. Considering just how consistently popular GTA Online has been for the developer, it is strange that Rockstar has yet to publicly comment on the anticipated multiplayer mode, as it has so far only focused on talking about the "single-player experience" of GTA 6. And that could be a major problem for the franchise.

As Valve veteran Chet Faliszek pointed out, Rockstar might be caught between a rock and a hard place. GTA Online continues to be a big money-maker for Rockstar and its parent group, Take-Two Interactive, but moving people to a GTA 6 online mode is a challenging prospect. As Faliszek explained, a lot of GTA Online players are heavily invested in the game, and thanks to GTA 5 regularly going on sale--or being given away for free through various programs--access to it has been cheap and easy.

"What are they going to do? That's a mess. We can all look through recent history--without pointing fingers--and see some people who did it by total replacement. We can see people who tried to win people over, and when that didn't happen, shut down the other thing," Faliszek said.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/21mhuwI60Tk

Rockstar and Take-Two would likely want to move people over to the new GTA Online as soon as possible, but forcing people to make a fresh start could be an uphill battle. As people have pointed out, major updates for GTA Online could slow as Rockstar instead focuses on GTA 6, which would be a slow death for the groundbreaking mode.

Whatever choice Rockstar makes, it won't please everyone. There are a few approaches Rockstar could take--like making GTA 6 Online a separate experience that exists alongside GTA 5 Online--but there's no one-size-fits-all solution for this brewing problem. In other GTA 6 news, fishing and hunting has been radically changed for the game, there is such a thing as too much crime in the game, and the game is making big changes to how you steal cars. GTA 6 launches for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19.

Carjacking in Grand Theft Auto games has been, as the title denotes, a staple of the series. Up until now, it's largely been the same. While there have been more details and animations added over the years, the premise has remained that you'll walk up to a car, press Y or Triangle, throw the driver out, get in and drive away. If the car was parked, you'd execute the same button press to smash the window and steal it. With GTA 6, carjacking is getting a complete overhaul. Here, we've got all of the information we know so far on how to steal cars in GTA 6.

There are two ways to steal a car: taking one that's stationary, or taking one that someone's driving around in. However, there are more details that make GTA 6 feel more like true simulation gameplay now.

How to steal a parked car

As we saw in the GTA 6 extended look gameplay, when Jason approached a car, he had multiple options to choose from. The first option is a slim jim--a classic tool used to break into older vehicles. It slides down the window frame to adjust the lock, and in GTA 6, it seems like this is done via a lockpicking minigame. However, based on what we've heard so far, that won't work for every car. Depending on the year and model of the vehicle, you might not be able to use a slim jim.

However, newer and more expensive cars might not work with this method. On top of that, there are trackers, meaning that the police can track your location when you steal a car. This changes the whole carjacking aspect of Grand Theft Auto. Normally, if you'd steal a car, you might catch some heat; maybe a nearby police officer sees you and follows you, but it's pretty easy to get away cleanly. This time, that isn't the case.

If you do want to get away cleanly, you need an item to disable the tracking device. It seems like that item, along with the slim jim, is not something you start out with, meaning you'll need to progress through the story or complete side objectives to obtain them.

Another interesting thing about the tracker is that apparently if you drive fast enough, the cops won't be able to track you. That adds an extra element of tension, because if you slow down and try to play it safe, they'll know exactly where you are and you'll need to get moving right away.

Stealing cars isn't as straightforward as it used to be. How to steal occupied vehicles

In some cases, driven vehicles aren't locked, so you'll be able to just walk up and open the door. It seems like there's a quick time minigame to complete, which will wrestle the driver out of the car, and then you can drive away. If there is a passenger, they will also try to prevent you from stealing the car. However, just because you steal a car doesn't mean the cops can't track you--the tracker is still there and you will need to find a way to disable it.

Vehicle security and impound lots

How do you know what kind of security a given car on the street has? The app Waink allows you to scan vehicles, and it'll tell you the security systems on board as well as how much it'll cost to register it as your own vehicle.

One other interesting detail about registered vehicles that was in one of TGG's videos is that if you ditch one of your own cars while you are wanted, the police will set up a perimeter around your car so that if you return to it, in theory, they will be waiting for you. If you wait too long, they will impound it. This leads to some interesting gameplay implications. Perhaps you'll have to sneak into the impound lot to retrieve it, or if you have the money, you could show up and pay the fee before driving off.

There's certainly something deeper going on with the Grand Theft Auto mechanics we've known for years. Supposedly, when you start the game you won't have access to a lot of these tools. You won't be able to instantly steal cars; you'll have to progress to that point. It seems like better vehicles will slowly be introduced throughout the game.

You'll have to pre-plan your robberies a little more.

If you want better vehicles, you'll have to work for them, whether that's through stealing or more legitimate means. This also leads to interesting repercussions when it comes to robberies and other activities. You'll want a fast getaway car--previously, you could just acquire the nearest suitable one, but in GTA 6 you'll have to plan ahead. If a nearby car is parked, you might not have the equipment to stealthily steal it. Even if you do, maybe you don't have the gear to remove the tracker, which will bring more heat on you.

This means that robberies need to be pre-planned. Perhaps Jason or Lucia will be on watch with a vehicle, so the other character can run out, hop in, and drive away. Maybe you'll choose a vehicle as your getaway car early on, steal it, park it nearby, and then complete the robbery knowing you have a method of escape.

GTA 6 is bringing about many more changes for the series. While many thought Jason and Lucia would be in a romantic relationship, it turns out that's not actually necessary. The game has also removed the need to button mash to sprint--something I've been desperate for.

Writer-director Neil Druckmann dropped out of HBO's The Last of Us TV show to focus on Naughty Dog's gaming output, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In a new interview, he said Season 3--which, again, he had no direct involvement in, will "wrap up" the series. He also revealed that, unlike Seasons 1 and 2, Naughty Dog "did not have a creative role in the direction" of Season 3.

Druckmann said this to The Washington Post, confirming, "I wasn't involved in shaping this season's creative direction," nor was Naughty Dog involved. "So I can't personally speak to how production is progressing," he said.

The Last of Us ending after Season 3 would be no surprise, as HBO management said that would likely happen. Druckmann was very closely involved in Seasons 1 and 2; he co-wrote some of the episodes and directed two.

Druckmann went on to say that Naughty Dog remains "the steward of this IP" and even though the HBO show might be coming to an end, he teased, "We're not done with The Last of Us."

He went on to say, "There's a couple projects in the works that, when the time is right, I'm very excited to talk about."

Bella Ramsey as Ellie.

This isn't the first time that Druckmann has teased future The Last of Us projects. Earlier this year, he said there are "a few stops that remain on the road ahead" for the series.

Druckmann has heavily teased that a third The Last of Us game might be on the way. We also know that Naughty Dog has had at least two new games in development since 2023, one of which is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet–the other is a mystery. Naughty Dog had significant resources dedicated to The Last of Us Online, but the project was ultimately canceled.

Troy Baker, meanwhile, who played Joel in the game series, said this year that, "I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel."

With BlizzCon just a week away, there's new reason to believe that some kind of StarCraft news is on the way. Various visual elements on the official StarCraft website are now glitching out in a way that looks much more "hey fans, get excited" than "alert the engineering team that we've got a problem."

The glitches were flagged on Bluesky by John Carson, and they specifically appear on the section of Blizzard's website advertising 2017's StarCraft Remastered, rather than StarCraft II. The glitches see certain images and text become briefly distorted, though to my eye, there is nothing specific to glean from them. 

An example of the StarCraft site glitches

But this sudden marketing stunt feels noteworthy given that the StarCraft franchise has largely been dormant for years. 2026 has brought rumors that something is afoot: The publisher behind Arc Raiders was said to be working on a StarCraft shooter that would be revealed at BlizzCon. More recently, a report from The Chosun Daily claimed that Nexon was seeking the rights to develop a new RTS, possibly StarCraft III.

That anything is happening with StarCraft could come as welcome news to fans of the franchise. StarCraft II was released in three main components between 2010 and 2015, and other than the subsequent remaster of the original, no new games in the series have been released or even announced. As Blizzard's focus shifted to maintaining WoW and Diablo, as well as developing Overwatch, it wasn't terribly surprising to see its more niche real-time-strategy series fall by the wayside, but it was no less disappointing: The StarCraft games are among the best strategy games ever, and fans were already tortured through years of hoping the canceled StarCraft: Ghost spin-off would ever see the light of day.

StarCraft II did get a sizable update earlier this year, which might have been part of an effort to begin to revitalize interest in the franchise as Blizzard prepares to bring it back. Should that come solely in the form of the rumored shooter, that would come as a blow to those wanting to see Blizzard return to the strategy genre that it has otherwise abandoned (first with Warcraft, and then with StarCraft). Were that complemented by a new Nexon-developed RTS, it might soften the blow, though the lack of Blizzard's direct influence might undercut the excitement such an announcement would otherwise produce, but beggars can't be choosers, after all. 

BlizzCon's opening ceremony is set to take place on 10:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, September 12. If there's life in the StarCraft franchise, it feels like a sure thing that we'll see some sign of it there. If not, somebody call StarCraft's webmaster.

The D&D Icons initiative, led by actor and longtime D&D fanatic Joe Manganiello, brings today's Dungeons & Dragons game together with famous series creators of the past, like author R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt. But things aren't going to be strictly limited to classic fantasy settings, Manganiello has teased.

Speaking to GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell at Gen Con 2026, Manganiello stressed that modern-day settings could be part of the Icons program, too.

"There [are] also lots of other things that I want for Icons in the future," he said. "I think that there's a great present-day game that pushes genetics and military. We're moving at such a rapid pace, but I think there could be a game that takes place in our modern world. There are also some other worlds of D&D that I think could be revisited in new and exciting ways that weren't maximized their first time around."

Manganiello, whose official title is chief creative officer, is keeping specifics secret for now, but it sounds like, for fans of more modern fantasy adventures, D&D Icons could be for you. Could something futuristic like Halo or Horizon: Zero Dawn make sense for the D&D ruleset? Only time will tell, but it could open up the D&D experience to an even wider audience. Wizards has experimented with more modern content in the past, so it's not unprecedented.

Gundam Rogue Orbit is a break from tradition for Bandai Namco, as new entries in the franchise typically debut as an anime series first, then as a line of collectible model kits. But this Gundam is arriving first as a video game--one that was shown in more detail today during the September PlayStation State of Play broadcast. If you're a Gundam fan, fret not, because at least one part of the traditional Gundam experience is being kept intact if you buy the $160 Rogue Orbit collector's edition.

Gundam Rogue Orbit Collector's Edition

Like other special editions from Bandai Namco, Gundam Rogue Orbit combines a physical copy of the game with a few physical in-game goodies. It's the inclusion of a High-Grade model kit based on the new Gundam Helix mobile suit that could make this collector's edition sought after, as it will be exclusive to the game. Gundam model kits aren't usually hard to come by as Bandai Namco regularly keeps store shelves restocked with them, but the HG Helix model looks like a rare exception to that rule.

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

If you are planning to grab one, it's worth noting that HG Gundam model kits are 1/144-scale figures and are designed to appeal to casual builders with their moderate detail, minimal foil stickers, and durable design. You won't need too many tools to build one either, and the Helix design features a lot of panels and other mechanical details, so that could be a nice kit to build. The new trailer for the game also teased other shells that you can apply to the Helix to shake up its look, including an RX-78-2 skin and a red Zaku-inspired look that would make Char Aznable proud.

Aside from the model, you'll also get a poster, reversible cover art, a pack of five promo cards, a steel case for the game disc, and DLC that includes 14 different color patterns for the Helix in the game. You won't have to wait too much longer to play it, as Gundam Rogue Orbit launches on March 5, 2027, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Microsoft has made a big announcement about one of the big perks of Xbox Game Pass, cloud streaming, and the news is not great.

Starting in November, Microsoft will put limits on how many hours per month people can use the service, and then allow people to pay more to unlock more time. Below is a breakdown of how many hours you'll get included with the tier of Game Pass you're subscribed to:

• Game Pass Ultimate: 15 hours
• Game Pass Premium: 10 hours
• Game Pass Essential: 5 hours

Microsoft said it understands this is a "meaningful change," especially for those who use the cloud regularly for gaming. However, the company said it estimates that these changes will impact about 4% of Game Pass subscribers, though the company did not share any specifics on how it arrived at that projection.

A first look at the "cloud playtime remaining" UI on Xbox.

For people who want or need more monthly streaming hours, Microsoft will allow people to buy more--but pricing was not announced.

Additionally, Microsoft said that in November, for the first time, people will not need to have an Xbox Game Pass membership to stream games with the cloud. People outside of Game Pass will be able to buy cloud playtime through the Xbox Store, though, again, pricing was not shared. Microsoft said this option is meant to appeal to people who don't want to subscribe to a recurring membership like Game Pass and only want "occasional access."

"We’re introducing this model because the cost of providing cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer. Moving to monthly limits allows us to keep offering the service while continuing to invest in its reliability and performance. We understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost," Microsoft said. The company added that it will "listen closely" to player feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

Xbox's cloud gaming service runs on Azure servers, and the Azure business is booming. For the first time ever, Microsoft just revealed how much money it makes on Azure quarterly, and the latest numbers showed $29.4 billion in sales. As relayed by Reuters, that's behind Amazon's latest quarterly revenue for AWS of $42.2 billion but ahead of Google's $24.8 billion cloud business results.

Dungeons & Dragons is no stranger to crossovers with other IP, and a collaboration with Blizzard's World of Warcraft also already on the way. However, that may not be the only Blizzard crossover we get in D&D, as both Wizards of the Coast and Blizzard teased recently.

Speaking to GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell during Gen Con 2026, head of Dungeons & Dragons Dan Ayoub made it clear that he would love a StarCraft crossover.

"I will say this, since I am sitting here with [World of Warcraft VP] Holly Longdale, who is super persuasive and has cool stuff: I think StarCraft would be badass," Ayoub said. "As I said earlier today, I quite literally almost flunked out of university because of StarCraft. That one gives me the feels."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yMOZlYqsnY

The two exchanged conspiratorial smiles before Longdale replied, “Hmmm. I think we should talk. I know a guy." Ayoub laughed, then added, "I think I know where to find you."

Blizzard was not giving any more details on a potential StarCraft crossover and at this point, it’s not clear if it’s even officially in the works. However, their coy nature discussing it has us very intrigued.

Prior to that, we'll get to see how D&D and World of Warcraft work together. D&D: World of Warcraft is out November 17, featuring 30 dungeon bosses, seven dungeons, 60 new spells, and more.

Dungeons & Dragons fans will soon be exploring the dangerous lands of Azeroth, as World of Warcraft is coming to the tabletop game. Wizards of the Coast (WotC) and Blizzard have gone all-out with this crossover, as not only does it feature multiple World of Warcraft classes and six additional subclasses, but also various specializations, spells, items, and enemies. That sounds like a dream pairing between two titans of the fantasy genre, but could we see Dungeons & Dragons make an appearance in World of Warcraft's digital realms?

WotC isn't saying anything official right now, but in an interview at Gen Con with GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell, Head of Dungeons & Dragons Dan Ayoub and VP of World of Warcraft for Blizzard Holly Longdale were certainly teasing something. "I cannot say at this time," Longdale said. "Not at this time. This is a grand experiment. I am really excited to see where it goes."

"As we exchange knowing glances," Ayoub added.

Dungeons & Dragons; World of Warcraft

If a reciprocal crossover is in the pipeline, then it'll most likely be revealed at BlizzCon later this month. Blizzard's big event for all of its games typically kicks off with a grand-opening ceremony--this year's one will be on September 12--and dedicated panels will be held over the weekend for its games. That same day, World of Warcraft will be in the spotlight, as Blizzard will host a 45-minute "What's Next" panel for the game on the main stage, which does suggest some big news. On September 13, that panel will continue on the main stage as the development team previews upcoming adventures, features, and updates.

World of Warcraft might not be the only Blizzard franchise coming to Dungeons & Dragons, as Ayoub teased that StarCraft would also be a dream addition to the tabletop game. "I know a guy," Longdale said in response. While WotC continues to introduce new IP to Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, Ayoub also stressed that the core games won't be sidelined in favor of Universes Beyond crossovers.

Revealed during today’s State of Play presentation, Pearl Abyss has confirmed that Crimson Desert’s first major expansion will be launching in October. It not only adds a new region and plenty of new narrative surprises, but also gameplay features that pull from the most unlikely of places. If the reveal trailer is any indication, Crimson Desert could soon be a life sim that gives The Sims a run for its money. 

In Chartering the Unknown, players can expect underwater combat in which you pilot submarines, ride sharks, and use a jetpack to propel yourself through the beautiful ocean blue. In classic Crimson Desert fashion, it looks absolutely ridiculous, with no rhyme or reason to its mechanical intentions or oddball art design. But that willingness to try so many things, regardless of how they turn out, is part of what makes Crimson Desert so charming. 

Other unexpected additions coming to the paid expansion include Assassin’s Creed-esque naval combat, giant underwater dragons, and a new narrative threat that seemingly revolves around an unexplored location far beyond the Crimson Desert. Players can likely expect a new region dominated by a huge body of water, and a city in which abused workers are beginning to rebel against their leaders. Nothing about it makes sense, but players have come to expect that from Crimson Desert by now. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fQCPmH6kOg

But one of the most exciting things coming to the game as part of Charting the Unknown is the ability to construct your own buildings and fill them with whatever you like. The trailer is focused primarily on erecting what appears to be a massive castle outside the city, showcasing its evolution from a foundation in the ground to a formidable stone fortress. There is even plenty of scaffolding, which gives off the impression you will be able to climb buildings while they’re being constructed or perhaps help out with the assembly yourself. 

The trailer then transitions to the interior of a completely different building, where the player is using an interface to place walls just like you would in The Sims or Paralives. This isn’t just an open-world action-adventure game anymore; it’s a borderline life sim where you can construct a series of rooms, place furniture, and, thanks to the forthcoming update, start up a romance with one of the game's numerous NPCs.

Towards the end of the trailer, we see protagonist Kliff Macduff getting on his knees and offering a lovely bouquet of flowers to an NPC, suggesting that more robust romance options could soon be coming to Crimson Desert. If you’re adding all the other ingredients of life sims, obviously it makes sense to let our hero fall in love and settle down. 

It’s likely the expansion is hiding plenty of secrets we’ll have to wait until launch to discover. It also gives you the option to hire employees, each with different statistics and roles, so you might want someone with particular skills to run the castle kitchen or a smart-talking fella to act as your castle’s traveling merchant. The presence of attack and defense stats gives off the impression that there will also come a time to defend your castle from outside forces. It wouldn’t be surprising if the presence of a pirate ship also asks that players assemble their own crew, which could come from your castle, or vice versa. 

Crimson Desert: Chartering the Unknown

The Chartering the Unknown expansion follows in the footsteps of countless free updates that have utterly transformed the ambitious open-world game since it arrived earlier this year, with the most recent patch adding several narrative-focused cutscenes to its once lightweight main story.

Crimson Desert has proven itself to be quite polarizing since its release, with critics arguing it does too much mechanically and far too little narratively. However, this throw everything at the wall attitude also makes it impossible to look away when an expansion like this comes around. Nobody expected it to suddenly transform into a life sim where you can make a castle and fall in love, yet here we are.

The Crunchyroll Game Vault is expanding, as the anime brand has announced several new additions to its collection of mobile games. Available as a membership perk for Mega and Ultimate Fan subscribers, the Game Vault will now offer more than 100 games free of ads and in-app purchases, with new arrivals like Baki Hanma: Blood Arena and ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs being added to the service.

For fans of cozy experiences, ReStory is a delightful game where you run an electronics workshop and spend the day restoring old tech to working order while listening to some chill lofi beats. Designed to be satisfying and relaxing, it's a nostalgic look back at retro gaming hardware, cellphones, and other essential gadgets. Other upcoming games being added to Crunchyroll's vault include the stylish psychological-horror adventure Little Goody Two Shoes, the elegantly designed adventure Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, and Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, which reimagines the spade-wielding hero's quest as a roguelike with puzzle elements. Rounding out the arrivals is Streets of Rage 4, which is still one of the best beat-'em-ups ever made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiYNNGR4uLo

Crunchyroll also added a few more games recently, like the 2D brawler Baki Hanma: Blood Arena, a monster-hunting adventure where you cook what you catch in Battle Chef Brigade, and Beyblade X Xone for fans of the blade-spinning anime and toy franchise.

If you're unfamiliar with it, the Crunchyroll Game Vault offers a curated library of premium mobile, indie, and anime-inspired games on iOS and Android devices. Available at no extra charge to Mega and Ultimate Fan members, this means that you're getting dozens of games on top of access to all the anime series and films through the streaming platform. Many titles also support Bluetooth gamepads (Xbox, PlayStation, or mobile controllers like the Backbone One) on mobile devices, so you're getting a traditional gaming experience if you have this hardware.

You can find this section in the Crunchyroll App, and it already includes several great games, such as Dungeons of Hinterberg, Pepper Grinder, and Metal Slug Tactics. If you're interested, the full list of games is below.

Considering how video game hardware is more expensive than ever before, Crunchyroll's Game Vault is a pretty solid deal considering how most people have access to smart devices. GameSpot recently took a look at how you can save some cash during Cheap Week, and if you missed it, you can check out our features on the best games for under $10, game subscriptions you might already have, and why the future is friendslop.

Crunchyroll Game Vault games

• 9 Years of Shadows
• 10 Second Ninja X
• Ao Oni
• Ariana and the Elder Codex
• Asdivine Saga
• Baki Hanma: Blood Arena
• Battle Chasers: Nightwar
• Battle Chef Brigade
• Battle Suit Aces
• Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
• Beyblade X Xone
• Black Lily's Tale
• Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince
• Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions
• CATO: Buttered Cat
• Classroom of the Elite
• Connectank
• Corpse Party
• Crypt of the NecroDancer (includes Hatsune Miku DLC & SYNCHRONY)
• Dawn of the Monsters
• Destiny's Princess: A War Story, A Love Story
• Dungeons of Hinterberg
• Evan's Remains
• ExZeus: The Complete Collection
• Eternights
• Fishing Star World Tour
• Fruit Mountain
• Freshly Frosted
• Gift
• Grisaia Phantom Trigger Series (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8)
• Gungrave G.O.R.E.
• Hidden in My Paradise
• Hime's Quest
• Horror Hop
• inbento
• Kardboard Kings
• Kawaii Kitchen
• KinnikuNeko: SUPER MUSCLE CAT
• Kitaria Fables
• Last Time I Saw You
• Lock's Quest
• Lost Words
• Lunar Lux
• Magical Drop VI
• Metal Slug Tactics
• MMC KENKEN Math
• Moonstone Island
• Patch Quest
• Pepper Grinder
• Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Mobile
• PictoQuest
• Pikuniku
• Ponpu
• Princess Maker 2 Refine+
• PSYCHO-PASS: MANDATORY HAPPINESS
• Pub Encounter
• Raging Loop
• River City Girls
• River City Girls 2
• Roto Force
• RWBY: Arrowfell
• Sailor Cats 2: Space Odyssey
• Shantae and the Seven Sirens
• Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation – The Endless Seven-Day Journey
• Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town
• Shogun Showdown
• Space Crew
• Spidersaurs
• Spin Rhythm XD
• STEINS;GATE
• Sushi for Robots
• Sweet Sins 2
• Tengami
• The Amazing Shinsengumi: Heroes in Love
• The House in Fata Morgana
• The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya
• The Men of Yoshiwara: Ohgiya
• The Star Named EOS
• Thunder Ray
• Tokyo Dark Remembrance
• Two Strikes
• Umiro
• Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
• White Day
• Wolfstride
• Yohane the Parhelion
• Ys I Chronicles
• Ys II Chronicles
• Yuppie Psycho

Coming soon

• Little Goody Two Shoes
• ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs
• Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
• Streets of Rage 4
• Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Pre-Registration & Upcoming Titles

• Bananya Buddies (Pre-registration)
• Call of Boba
• Cuisineer
• Gato Roboto
• Little Goody Two Shoes
• Mythic Love: Iberian Legends

CD Projekt joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski has commented on how the studio thinks about artificial intelligence when it comes to developing games.

Speaking during CD Projekt's latest earnings briefing, the executive said AI is "definitely becoming a thing in games development." However, he stressed that the Polish developer is still "predominantly using people" to make games.

"AI, if anything, is a tool like many others that's helping in places that can maybe become more helpful in the future but we're not planning to rely on AI making complete games," he said, as reported by PC Gamer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54dabgZJ5YA&rco=1

Nowakowski said CD Projekt makes "very complex games," and using AI would not be "the right or ethical path to follow."

At the same time, Nowakowski said every studio--or at least its management--will decide for itself how it wants to use, or not use, AI.

"So whether this is true for the whole industry, I'm not the person to make those statements. I think everybody has to make those judgments on their own," he said.

The Witcher 4 is set for release in 2028, and it kicks off a new trilogy of games. CD Projekt is also working on Cyberpunk 2 and a multiplayer Witcher game.

After its liberation from Microsoft's ownership, the newly independent Double Fine Productions has been quite busy. At the September 2026 State of Play, PlayStation revealed that Double Fine's surreal adventure Keeper is shadow-dropping on PS5, and the studio added that the acclaimed game is getting some intriguing updates.

Along with the surprise PS5 release, Keeper is also getting a "Psychedelic Mode," which is probably exactly what it sounds like. Considering how much bizarre imagery is already in the game, an even more "wild new way" to play the game should be a treat. And Double Fine wants to sweeten the deal with a price cut, which the studio implemented with its other recent title, Kiln.

https://bsky.app/profile/doublefine.com/post/3mummzhp4ws2f

Keeper launched in 2025 at a $30 price point and now sells for $20. Kiln, which released earlier in 2026, cost $20 for the base game, with a $30 deluxe "Fired Up" edition; those are now $8 and $10, respectively. Unlike Keeper, Kiln launched on PS5 along with Xbox and Steam.

Meanwhile, Double Fine revived its Amnesia Fortnight game jam and already exceeded its crowdfunding goal of $400,000 for the project. The game jam, a tradition for Double Fine since 2007 (and was halted while it was under Xbox's ownership), will result in the studio's next title.

But the loftiest stretch goal in the crowdfunding campaign is the promise of a Brutal Legend 2 should it reach $100 million. It's a huge ask, and one that likely won't be met pending intervention from any moguls who are big Jack Black fans.

Keeper was beloved by critics, with GameSpot's Keeper review calling it a "visual feast." Since Double Fine's spin-off from Xbox, purchases of its games will directly support the studio. The split from Microsoft occurred in July, but the studio unfortunately cut 25% of its staff as a result.

The most exciting part of a video game showcase is when developers shadow-drop something immediately after announcing it. Today's State of Play had a few such announcements. Demos for a new Final Fantasy game and anime-inspired action titles, as well as a port of a Double Fine game that was previously Xbox exclusive, are out now.

Final Fantasy Resonance Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvZYwQdXN8&pp=0gcJCRoMAYcqIYzv

Final Fantasy Resonance is an HD-2D game based on the narrative of Brave Exvius, a game previously only available on mobile. This demo will give you a taste of the game's first chapter and all of the throwback pixel art and Final Fantasy character summons that come during that. Progression will carry over to the full game too, which is out on October 22. Although only the PS5 version was mentioned during the stream, the demo is also out now on PC, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.

Keeper's PS5 Port https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PilyJu1DDEo

Keeper was released by Double Fine in October 2025 and is the latest title from Headlander and Stacking designer Lee Petty. It's a surreal, visually stunning game where you explore a decrepit world as a lighthouse and its fantastical bird companion. It flew under the radar last year, so it's great to see it come to PS5 now that Double Fine is independent once again. It got a price drop and new psychedelic mode today too.

Stupid Never Dies Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_33MQFuVEY

Stupid Never Dies is a quirky new action game from Hiroyuki Kobayashi, a producer best known for his work on series like Dino Crisis and Dragon's Dogma at Capcom. You can get a taste of its flashy action from this new demo, which lasts two hours and lets you transfer progress once Stupid Never Dies launches on October 21.

SlashZero Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrJuL3XSLTc

SlashZero is a fast-paced action roguelike with an anime aesthetic where players control a time hacker trying to kill something called "Hieros-I." While the game won't be out until sometime next spring, a limited-time demo was released on PS5 today.

Following Nintendo, both Sony and Microsoft have now argued in court that they are not obligated to provide refunds to consumers who paid more for a price-hiked PlayStation or Xbox console related to US President Donald Trump's controversial tariff plan. The tariffs were deemed illegal, prompting companies to seek refunds. The companies getting those refunds are largely keeping them, though there have been some exceptions and outliers.

In July, Sony said it was projecting to get $508 million back in refunds from the US government over the tariffs, and "most" of that money was owed to Sony's gaming division. Sony is facing a lawsuit that claims Sony should disperse refunds, at least in part, to consumers who paid more for a PS5.

Sony's legal team, however, says Sony will keep all the money and you'll get nothing back.

"Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact," the lawyers said in a memo seeking to dismiss the class-action suit, as reported by Game File.

Microsoft's own legal team took a similar approach, saying in court, "There is nothing unjust about plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what [they] paid for..."

Sony's argument in court added that the class-action lawsuit brought by gamers does not provide evidence that tariffs were to blame for the PS5 price hike implemented in August 2025, calling the claim "speculative and illogical." In announcing the price hike, Sony said it was raising PS5 prices in response to a "challenging economic environment," but not mentioning tariffs specifically.

Sony's legal team said things like "inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand" could have also contributed to the PS5 price hike. Indeed, beyond tariffs alone, the AI-fueled demand for components and memory--the same equipment needed to make PS5 consoles--has led to shortages and increased costs for Sony and others in the market.

No refunds.

Sony went on to cite its own additional PS5 price hike in March 2026--following the Supreme Court deeming the tariffs illegal--as proof that the hikes are not attributable to tariffs.

"If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated--not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs," Sony's lawyers said.

Microsoft took a similar stance, saying the class-action suit fails to provide "pricing differential attributable to tariffs..."

For Sony, its refusal to provide tariff refunds to players is just the latest public relations issue the company is facing. The company also announced plans to end support for physical PlayStation game discs in 2028, and a lot of people dislike that decision.

Not every gaming company is taking such a hard line on this topic. Panic, the company behind the Playdate gaming handheld, said it will pass its own refunds on to customers who paid more. People should get about $12 back.

“It’s just not our money to keep, and it felt really good to give it back,” Panic’s Cabel Sasser told Game Developer. “That’s an easy way to know you made the right decision.”

Many companies received major tariff refunds, and they are handling refunds differently. For example, Wamart and Home Depot have said they will use the cash infusion to lower prices on a variety of products, but not directly refund anyone..

“At the end of the day, a product is worth what somebody’s willing to pay for it, and there is a lot of choice in this marketplace,” Bryan Eshelman, a managing director at consulting firm AlixPartners, told CNBC.

This may be true, and Sony may have no legal obligation to pass along refunds to consumers, but that doesn't mean it's sitting well with everyone. People are loudly voicing their opinions on social media, with many posting the Jeremy Irons quote from the movie Margin Call where his character says, "We are selling to willing buyers at the current fair market price."

The latest gaming-related price hike came from Nintendo, which increased the price of the Switch 2 from $450 to $500 on September 1. Historically, console prices came down over time, but the world is different today.