Overwatch game director Aaron Keller has stated that developer Blizzard has no intention of releasing AI-generated content in the game, with the company instead aiming for the hero shooter to have a "handcrafted" feel to it. At the same time, Blizzard president Johanna Faries outlined the company's overall approach to AI, saying the technology holds many possible benefits.

"We don't want to put AI-generated content out in front of players. That's just not something that we're comfortable doing. We want this to feel like a handcrafted universe, and it is a handcrafted universe," Keller told GameSpot.

Keller told Eurogamer that Blizzard does not use AI to "create characters or gameplay," at least not "right now," suggesting that could change in the future.

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Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club: Deluxe Edition (Switch 2)

$40 | Releases March 17

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Snoopy and the gang set out on a new adventure last year with the release of Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club. The family-friendly game earned solid reviews from fans, who praised it for its fun minigames, colorful art style, and a fresh perspective on the beloved Peanuts series. And on March 17, you'll be able to pick up a physical copy of Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club: Deluxe Edition for Switch 2. Along with some enhancements for Switch 2, the Deluxe Edition also comes with a few bonus items and exclusive minigames.

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Less than four years after its release, Overwatch 2 is dead.

Well. Kind of.

In all actuality, it's far more accurate and exciting to say that Overwatch--as both a title and promise--has been resurrected.

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As Overwatch 2 continues to evolve--even dropping the "2" entirely and just going as "Overwatch" from here on out--there's the question of what happens to its characters. Going forward, Overwatch plans on putting story first and foremost, and a big part of heroic fantasy is the conflicts between good and evil and how those conflicts lead to losses or setbacks on both sides. And while storylines like that may be in Overwatch's future, these developments won't ever reflect in the playable roster.

"There [are] no plans to remove any characters from the roster depending on what may happen to them," associate game director Alec Dawson told GameSpot. "But, I think, one thing that's really important to us is to be in lockstep with what's going on with the story throughout the year, whether it be our maps, whether it be events going on, whether it be our heroes, to make sure that they are reflected in what's happening there too."

This sounds in line with what we've seen in other hero shooters that have stories going on in the background of the matches--Rainbow Six Siege has gone through several large shifts, for example, moving away from its counter-terrorism narrative in February 2019 to tell a military simulation sport fantasy, and then returning to the original counter-terrorism throughline several years later. The playable roster of the tactical shooter only grew during those developments, but the framing of matches and the types of new Operators, maps, and skins added in each season dramatically transformed to reflect a new narrative direction.

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Several big changes are coming to Overwatch in what is easily the game's most substantial update so far. On top of a name change, an unexpected pivot to a narrative-driven format, a seriously adorable collaboration, major UI updates, and more, five new characters are coming to Overwatch to help kick off The Reign of Talon, Season 1 on February 10. That's right: Five.

Fortunately, this new lineup includes a tank, two support characters, and two damage characters, meaning every player will get the chance to test out a new hero (or nefarious Talon agent) if they so choose. That said, even game director Aaron Keller told GameSpot this large influx of characters will inevitably lead to balance issues--and that's without considering how overwhelming it can be to to play a new character you're unfamiliar with. With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of Overwatch's new characters--Emre, Domina, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat--to help you familiarize yourself with them ahead of their debut.

Emre - Damage

Let's kick things off with the most beginner-friendly hero of the group, Emre. Those of you who are tuned into Overwatch have probably been expecting Emre, as this Overwatch-turned-Talon agent has been teased and alluded to for literal years. After playing a match as him last week, I'm happy to report that he was well-worth the wait.

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If you've noticed Overwatch's characters getting progressively sexier over the years, you're not alone, though Blizzard said there is an explanation for it aside from thirsty gamers.

When Overwatch first launched in 2016, part of its appeal was its wide-ranging roster of characters of all shapes and sizes, ranging from a talking gorilla to a robotic monk. Characters like Zarya and Mei broke the mold of what many players were accustomed to seeing from female characters.

In 2026, while there is still the occasional oddball character (like Venture or the upcoming Jetpack Cat), many of Overwatch's newer heroes, like Freja, Vendetta, Wuyang, and Juno, as well as many of the new heroes coming in Overwatch 2026 Season 1, are all what society would label as more conventionally attractive. Usually, they are tall, skinny, and fit.

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Overwatch 2, now renamed simply Overwatch, is undergoing some big changes, with a new seasonal model focused on telling continuous year-long stories. As part of the soft relaunch, Blizzard is coming out strong with five new playable characters, substantially increasing the roster much more than usual at one time. That is bound to have an impact on the meta-game, and Blizzard is well aware.

"It's going to upset the balance of the game. There's no getting around that. There's something very exciting about it though," Blizzard's Aaron Keller told GameSpot. "I think what we see with Overwatch is that our players do acclimate to change into new heroes fairly quickly. At the highest levels, it might just be a few days. They could have a handle on these new heroes that quickly and start developing metas for them."

Those five new characters include one new Tank (Domina), two DPS (Emre, Anran), and two Support (Mizuki, Jetpack Cat). That reflects the team-comp requirements in Overwatch 2, which is a major way that it differentiated itself from the looser restrictions of the first game.

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Overwatch is about to get a whole lot cuter, as adorable skins based on Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and Cinnamoroll will be the hero shooter's first collaboration for 2026.

The collab begins the same day as Overwatch 2026 Season 1 on February 10 and will last through the February 23. There are six skins in total, with many of the game's more popular female characters represented (plus Lucio). Despite Overwatch adding an actual cat hero, they are sadly not receiving a collab skin. The six skins and heroes receiving them are:

• Juno: Hello Kitty
• Kiriko: Cinnamoroll
• Mercy: Pompompurin
• D.Va: My Melody
• Widowmaker: Kuromi
• Lucio: Keroppi

While some Overwatch collabs see the game's heroes literally transform into iconic characters from another IP, these are a little less extreme. Juno, for example, is not literally Hello Kitty, but is rather wearing a Hello Kitty-themed outfit. Each skin is more inspired by their respective Sanrio character rather than being an exact copy of them.

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Overwatch 2026 Season 1 will introduce five new heroes, among them a jetpack-piloting cat more than 10 years in the making.

The matter-of-factly named Jetpack Cat is a new support hero joining the Overwatch roster on February 10, and they come with an impressive assortment of utility abilities.

The Lifeline ability transforms the jetpack into transport mode, allowing Jetpack Cat to tow and heal an ally. Purr activates a healing aura and knocks back enemies, while Frenetic Flight allows for increased acceleration. Jetpack Cat's Ultimate ability, Catnapper, sees the feline dive towards the ground, knocking down surrounding enemies and tethering the nearest opponent to the jetpack.

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Overwatch 2 is now just Overwatch, with Blizzard finally dropping the "2" it added to its hero shooter back in 2022.

Blizzard's shooter first launched in 2016, only to undergo a free-to-play transformation in 2022 that saw a 2 added to the name and a shift to a 5v5 format, alongside a visual refresh to its maps and heroes. While cosmetics and unlocks from the original Overwatch carried over to the "sequel," Overwatch otherwise ceased to exist, replaced by Overwatch 2.

The name change doesn't mean that Overwatch 2 is suddenly reverting back to the exact gameplay of the 2016 game. Instead, it coincides with the launch of Overwatch 2026 Season 1 and what Blizzard is calling a new "story-driven era,"--one defined by yearlong narratives. Overwatch's yearlong story will last six seasons, with a new story arc beginning in Season 1 of 2027.

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Sunderfolk remains one of the most underrated games from 2025, and we've now learned that Secret Door and Dreamhaven are making a roguelite spin-off titled Shadowstone.

Released in April 2024, Sunderfolk is a cooperative tactics RPG where players use their phones to guide a party of cute animal creatures through different combat encounters. While its release was drowned out by the launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and the fact that it required a phone to play, it's still a really good time for fans of digitized tabletop games. Now, Secret Door is remixing Sunderfolk's world and assets for a cooperative roguelite.

Shadowstone features a hexagonal grid, card-based abilities, and cooperative play like Sunderfolk, and takes place in its Sunderlands setting. Unlike Sunderfolk, it's structured as a run-based roguelite where players fight through tactical encounters, upgrading their spells along the way. It also has a generally darker aesthetic and tone.

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Development on the Switch 2 edition of Borderlands 4 has been "paused" for the foreseeable future, but if you're aiming to play it on the go, the Steam Deck might just be the best option. Developer Gearbox has announced that Borderlands 4 is now Steam Deck Verified, which, according to Valve, means that the game will work on the handheld gaming PC without a user needing to fiddle with manual settings--but you still can, if you want.

Digging deeper, this means that Borderlands 4 meets several requirements from Valve to be Steam Deck Verified, including a default resolution of 1280 x 720 and full controller support. Valve doesn't list performance as a factor beyond a brief mention of "good" default settings, but overall, Borderlands 4 should run similarly to its Windows counterpart.

It's worth noting that games that have received a Steam Deck Verified label can still run poorly on the handheld, with notable examples being Mortal Kombat 1 and God of War shortly after release. These games still run well most of the time, but they do suffer from performance issues.

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Valve's second attempt at launching its Steam Machine is still set to happen in early 2026, according to AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su.

In an AMD earnings call, Su specifically mentions support for Valve Steam Machine, which will make use of an AMD processor. "From a product standpoint, Valve is on track to begin shipping its AMD-powered steam machine early this year," Su states, stopping short of giving an exact timeframe.

Early 2026 does align with what Valve suggested during the announcement of the Steam Machine, but since then, the company hasn't provided any updates on availability or pricing. The PC hardware landscape has, however, drastically changed since, with RAM and storage pricing exponentially increasing and potentially having an impact on numerous hardware launches for the foreseeable future.

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A new twist in the ongoing saga of Helldivers 2 has emerged, as the Automatons have managed to steal the plans for Super Earth's Not-A-Death-Star space station. With the planet at risk of being annihilated by a replica of the planet-destroying symbol of peace, players are being mobilized to head to the home planet of the Automatons, Cyberstan. Do you want to know more?

Fortunately, players will be getting some much-needed heavy firepower for when they return to the planet: the new Bastion Tank, which is teased in the trailer below. The assault vehicle is capable of carrying up to four Helldivers, and the 120mm cannon packs a punch. Each seated player has a role to play--driver, gunner, and two passenger seats to cover the flanks--so teamwork is essential. Even if you run out of ammo, you can use it as a makeshift Automaton-flattening machine for as long as its thick armor holds up in battle.

There's also a new Premium Warbond to unlock weapons from this month, so a combination of laser-firing shotguns, sphere-shields, and explosive hammers will give Helldivers a fighting chance on the Automaton's home planet. Cyberstan was introduced in the very first Helldivers game, and this is one of several nods to the 2015 top-down shooter that has surfaced in Helldivers 2.

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Do you have a disregard for people? Are you willing to use cutthroat tactics to climb the corporate ladder and temporarily satisfy shareholders by burning through employees? Then you might have what it takes to become a CEO--or at the very least--a winner in Manifesto. Developer Breakpoint Games describes it as a management sim that's all about "burnout, layoffs, and making sh*tloads of money."

Just like the real world of Big Business, Manifesto will challenge players to put aside their feelings and become the problem as they work to survive corporate culture. The game has a very on-the-nose feature: It revolves around hiring employees, working them to the bone, and then burning them out to make extra profit as you chase increasingly impossible sales targets. Fortunately, you can juice the numbers with unlockable power-ups and by making unethical decisions to keep the sales flowing.

Gallery

Breakpoint Games says that Manifesto is merely a video game and that people shouldn't read between the lines because there's "zero chance" that it's a commentary on the mass layoffs that have regularly hit the gaming industry over the last couple of years. While the PC game doesn't have a release date yet, you can try out a demo for it on Steam.

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The chances of an upcoming Xenoblade announcement just leveled up, thanks to a listing by the voice actor for KOS-MOS in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. Caitlin Thorburn apparently updated her Spotlight page with a credit for a Xenoblade Chronicles game in 2026.

The Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit highlighted Thorburn's possible spoiler for a new Xenoblade game, which was first spotted by Famiboards. Thorburn's page notes her role as KOS-MOS once again for "Xenoblade Chronicles." This could mean Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is receiving a Definitive Edition--similar to the Xenoblade Chronicles X remaster that was released last year. Before that, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition arrived in 2020 for Switch. Considering it's been almost nine years since Xenoblade Chronicles 2 launched, it obviously wouldn't be new to see Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft revisiting the RPG.

However, Thorburn's listing is vague enough that it's possible a new entry for Xenoblade Chronicles is on the way--whether that's 4 or a sequel to X. There's always the possibility that it's for a crossover game like Xenoblade Warriors or just a mistake entirely by the voice actor, too. Last but not least, KOS-MOS also appears in the Xenosaga series, so something new with that franchise could be in play.

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The February 2026 Humble Choice lineup is quite impressive, giving you a chance to play the iconic Resident Evil Village and social media darling Squirrel With A Gun as part of your membership. There are eight games in total for you to redeem--and even if you cancel your subscription, these games will remain in your library forever.

Sign up for Humble Choice

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The second season of Amazon's Fallout series concluded yesterday, and with it the mystery behind the countdown timer on the show's official website. And as you might expect, it's not led to anything as exciting as some were hoping for.

There was strong speculation online that the countdown would end with the announcement (and in some more hopeful corners, the release) of remasters for either Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas, neither of which transpired yesterday evening. Instead, fans of both the games and show were treated to recreation of one of New Vegas' most iconic locations: the Lucky 38 casino penthouse, home to Robert House, before the bombs dropped.

Like other markers on the map on the official site, this is a simple but interesting interactive look at some of the popular locations from the show, with Vault 33 and Caswennan featuring previously. It's not clear why this location in particular warranted a countdown for several weeks, especially since it's a location that debuted in the show several episodes ago already.

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While playing Virtual Boy games on Nintendo Switch Online will require a pricey peripheral, you may already have something that lets you play them. More specifically, the Nintendo Labo VR Kit has gotten new functionality nearly seven years after its release.

Nintendo Treehouse staff member Corey Olcsvary revealed this to GamesBeat at a recent press event. He explained that Nintendo isn't promoting this functionality as it's no longer selling new Nintendo Lab VR Kits. It's the cheapest way to experience this new Nintendo Classics catalog, at least if you haven't thrown out or given away your Nintendo Labo products.

If you don't remember Nintendo Labo VR Kit, it was part of a line of funky peripherals Nintendo released early on in the Switch's lifespan. They were all made of cardboard, had to be put together by the player, and had functionality with some exclusive games.

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The topic of affordability is a much-discussed issue in the world of video games, and many other business sectors, with prices for products and services going up and creating an environment in which richer households now make up the majority of gaming hardware buyers. As part of Take-Two's latest earnings briefing, top boss Strauss Zelnick responded to the "affordability picture" for its fans ahead of the launch of GTA 6 in November.

To play GTA 6, you will need a gaming console, and those are getting more expensive, even five-plus years into their lifecycles, due in part to the impact of tariffs and other economic factors. Zelnick said "consumers do expect to pay" to be able to play compelling games, but the executive was more focused on talking about the affordability of games as opposed to hardware.

Zelnick said his aim continues to be to "deliver way more value than what we charge" with its games, so consumers feel like they got a good deal out of paying for a new game. "I think we're known for that," he said. The executive went on to say that Take-Two does not see itself as being "in the business of creating revenue," but instead that Take-Two is a company that entertains people, with the revenue following as a result. This is corporate speak, to be sure.

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