If the debut trailer for NetEase's new AAA action title, Blood Message, didn't blow you away during Summer Game Fest, then the follow-up video may make a better impression. Developer 24 Entertainment Lin'an has shared an extended look at Blood Message's gameplay that reveals a greater cinematic flare for action that the initial footage failed to convey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSe_O_U5Gr0

The game takes place in Asia sometime in the ninth century during the Shazhou uprising. Players control Pei Changguan, a messenger who is sent on a mission to relay the news of the rebellion to Chang'an, the capital city of the Tang Empire.

For this level, Pei Changguan is joined by his brother, Arrati, as they discover atrocities committed by Tubo soldiers who are desperately looking for a letter with vital intel. Changguan and his brother are able to dispatch a handful of the hostile forces with stealth attacks and QTEs. But some of the fights become epic sword battles.

While a few of the enemies appear to hold back, it's refreshing that there are times when they attack players from multiple directions at once. The level appears to be heavily scripted, but the way the action unfolds should remind players of Uncharted and The Last of Us.

Pei Changguan's son, Ning, is also an important character in this game, although he's completely missing in this video. As shown at the end of the clip, Ning has made a choice that may greatly complicate his father's mission. The Tubo soldiers have seen Changguan and his brother, and they may be marked for death.

Blood Message will be released on PC and consoles, but it doesn't currently have a release date.

It's been a long time since Gears of War creator and original designer Cliff Bleszinski was guiding the franchise, but he eagerly watched the premiere of new footage of the latest game, Gears of War: E-Day, during the Xbox Games Showcase. And like a proud father, Bleszinski shared his enthusiastic response to what he saw.

"Loved the struggle with that one Locust, but it's weird how the other ones (not the 'naked' ones) went down so easy," wrote Bleszinski on X. "The tough one didn't seem to be drastically armored different to show that it's a badass. Great rescue and reveal, though."

Bleszinski also weighed in on the origin of the chainsaw lancer in E-Day.

"Thinking about 'em going with a straight up chainsaw pre-lancer," noted Bleszinski. "Gameplay wise-if they're going to go 'one hand chainsaw, one hand gun' mode and someone at some point saying 'why not put the saw on the f***in' gun already!?'"

The relative ease with which some of the Locusts were dispatched was something that Bleszinski took issue with, as he believes "Locust should have thick skin and armor and the game feedback loop should evolve to show that." But he seemed very pleased with other aspects of the game.

"Yes, there's that sweet destruction I was hoping for," said Bleszinski. "The longer glimpse of what the Coalition has been up to is exciting. Super low cover is a nice touch too ... Reavers and Seeders look GREAT. Love the legs on the Reavers and their wall climbing."

Following the presentation, Bleszinski summed up his thoughts.

"So yeah, E-day looks great, amazing feature set, great tech improvements-and, most importantly-looks like it has heart. On top of all sorts of insane violence and destruction."

Bleszinski announced his retirement from game development in 2018. However, he recently shared his ideas for a game he calls Hollow Point, which he described as “John Wick meets Carrie by way of Lovecraft Country.”

As for Gears of War: E-Day, it will be an Xbox console exclusive. It will be released on Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 6.

Today's Xbox Games Showcase was the first under the leadership of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who has pledged to consider making changes to Xbox's exclusivity strategy. Now, another Xbox executive, chief content officer Matt Booty, has clarified Microsoft's position on exclusives going forward.

He told Gamertag Radio, "Our big multiplayer games [and] live-service games are going to continue to be multiplatform."

So why isn't Gears of War: E-Day going to be on PS5, and is instead an Xbox console exclusive? The game has multiplayer, after all, and it's expected to get ongoing updates over time. Booty didn't say outright, but it might have something to do with how Microsoft never announced the game for PS5 in the first place. The game was reportedly planned for PS5, however, and was apparently canceled for Sony's console late in the game.

"If we promised something to players, we're going to honor that promise," Booty said. He added that when Microsoft announces a release date for a game, it will also announce the platforms, so players will "know what the choice will be."

All of this being said, Booty suggested Microsoft is not settled in its thinking here just yet. "We're going to keep thinking about this going forward," he said, adding that Microsoft will take a case-by-case approach to its new releases and what platforms they show up on. The idea is to make the "right decision, not the fast decision," he said.

If all of this sounds familiar, it's because former Xbox executives Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond said similar things. Addressing the exclusivity situation, they both said Microsoft would make decisions around exclusivity on a case-by-case basis.

Bond, for her part, appeared on stage in 2021 in front a banner that said Starfield would be an "Xbox exclusive." In 2023, Bethesda's Todd Howard said Starfield was a better game because it's on Xbox and not PlayStation. Then in April 2026, Microsoft released Starfield on PS5. This history has made some people question Microsoft's commitment to its statements. That's not out of the ordinary, though, as many companies regularly pledge to do one thing, then do another, in response to changing landscapes or for any number of other reasons.

Things have changed at Xbox.

At the Xbox Games Showcase this year, Microsoft announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution would be exclusive on console to Xbox. No other games were announced as Xbox console exclusives, however.

A blog post from Microsoft celebrating the Xbox Games Showcase touted a "return to exclusives." The statement went on to stress that E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are not "timed exclusives," suggesting they may never come to any console platform other than Xbox. The statement went on, "Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan--we’re committed to investing in and growing Xbox both on console and beyond."

Sharma has said she wants to "reset" the Xbox business and that Microsoft "must" have exclusive content to help revitalize Xbox. That all may be true, but Microsoft's messaging around exclusives is just confusing right now, as Alessandro Barbosa wrote for GameSpot.

The announcement of a new Spyro the Dragon game in more than two decades during the Xbox Game Showcase is aiming high with the confirmation that it will feature "true dragon flight" gameplay for the first time. Speaking of the challenge of introducing this mechanic to the dragon's core kit in an interview with GameSpot, the developers at Toys For Bob hint that it's unlike anything from any other game.

"One of the big challenges was that, as we were thinking about what other games even broach this kind of verticality and this freedom of flight, there's not that many," Toys For Bob studio head Paul Yan said. "Maybe the ones that come closest to mind are flight simulators ... or maybe flying as an Ironman type of character, but it's very, very different than trying to get the physicality of a dragon, and also the nimbleness of a small but mighty dragon like Spyro."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjMh8exEIQ

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"It's challenging and that there's nothing out there to compare against, but it's also a huge opportunity for us because this is a key differentiator for Spyro in this space and being able to move this way."

Creative director Lou Studdert added that it was important that flying as Spyro felt like flying as a dragon. "He's not a jet. He's not a paper airplane. He is a dragon. It's wing flap. It's feeling the way you soar is very important to Spyro as a whole."

Compared to past Spyro games that were primarily 3D platformers with gliding and a few linear flight levels, Spyro: A Realm Beyond is then promising the freedom of true flight, which means greater verticality in the level design.

"It's opening up a new dimension to how we build the play space for Spyro," says Studdert. "It's really about making sure that the whole play space engages you with it, and it's engaging you to interact with it and to have that augment or sustain or boost your flight ... It's still going to be engaging on the ground, but it is now adding that additional dimension to it, and how we make sure that we sustain that fluidity movement that is so core to a Spyro experience."

Spyro: A Realm Beyond also sees voice actor Tom Kenny returning to voice Spyro after the devs decided to reach out to the voice of Spongebob Squarepants himself.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond will be coming in Spring 2027 to Xbox Series X/S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Microsoft and Playground Games have announced the preorder bonuses for the Fable reboot, and wouldn't you know it, one of the perks is a chicken suit.

For anyone just catching up, the Fable franchise is basically obsessed wth chickens, so it's fitting that one of the preorder perks is a chicken suit. The "legendary" costume includes a beak, feathers, and "questionable dignity," according to the item's official description.

In addition to the chicken suit, people who preorder Fable get the Wild Flower Bouquet to help with romantic endeavors, a toy chicken, and a picnic hamper. "Bestow them wisely to shape how others see your Hero, improve your reputation, and unlock relationships that may or may not end in true live," reads a line from the description of the items.

The Fable reboot also continues the franchise's tradition of allowing you to kick chickens.

Game director Ralph Fulton said if NPCs in the world see you kicking chickens, you’ll begin to earn a reputation as a “Chicken Chaser."

Preorder Fable on Amazon

However, different people will take this reputation to mean different things. “Kicking chickens isn’t objectively good or objectively evil in a way everybody will agree on,” Fulton said. “It comes down to the unique worldview of the NPC [and] what they think of you because of it.”

As announced previously, Fable will also have giant, scary chicken enemies to fight, like the one in the screenshot above. Fable releases on February 23, 2027, but the premium edition unlocks five days earlier.

A story expansion for Fable, Order of the Hero, has been announced and is coming sometime after launch.

During the Gears of War: E-Day Direct, which took place after a packed Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest, we got a good look at some of the big changes The Coalition is bringing to the Gears of War formula established nearly two decades ago. In short: Marcus can jump.

Gears of War has been defined by its big, brutish protagonists who look and walk like tanks. It was the series that helped define waist-high cover when cover-based shooters were taking off, and hasn't really strayed much from that. With Gears of War: E-Day, traversal is getting its biggest revamp yet, with different heights and types of cover, a new sense of verticality afforded by jumps, and much faster movement in and out of cover.

If you were keeping an eye on the gameplay that opened the Xbox Showcase, you might have noticed that Marcus was able to take cover behind some upended tarmac on a street, nearly laying down to avoid bullets. This is one example of different types of cover you can now use. Later in the same demo, Marcus vaults over a shelf that is several meters taller than he is, again showcasing how much more choice you have when exiting cover.

https://youtu.be/y85lNvF3kVQ?si=Hzu7MCcAwTo_TSgt

In the Direct, The Coalition says that this will give you more choices to make during combat, and more ways to use the crumbing city around you to survive. Sprinting is still here, but can now be combined with a slide that can give you an advantage around corners, or allow you to slide beneath a small piece of cover (like below a truck) and surprise an enemy on the other side.

These are drastic changes to Gears of War's standard sprint, cover, roll, and vault that have defined the feel of the gameplay throughout its history. These changes should provide more interesting ways to get around in the campaign, but will make the PvP multiplayer feel entirely new in some ways.

Gears of War: E-Day launches exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 16, 2026.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is the first new Spyro game, not associated with the Toys to Life Skylanders spin-off, in years. In the intervening time the definitive voice of Spyro, Tom Kenny, has become one of the biggest names in the business thanks to voicing the mega-hit SpongeBob Squarepants. But despite the success, Kenny wasn't too big for his square britches. Spyro creative director Lou Studdert told GameSpot he was game for returning and still loves the character.

"We started a normal VO casting process, but for us, when looking at Spyro, it wasn't, 'let's open a casting call,'" Studdert said. "We want Tom. Let's reach out to Tom. Let's see how it goes. And his enthusiasm was right there. He loves the franchise, he's been an absolute pleasure to work with. And as I mentioned, just instantly embodies the character. He's instantly back in it. He has a love for it. He was remembering his lines from the original and doing them in session with us. It's been a total blast to work with."

While Kenny is considered the definitive voice of Spyro, he's far from the only actor to take the role. Carlos Alazraqui voiced the character in the original game, after which Kenny took over in 1999. Frodo Baggins himself, Elijah Wood, provided the voice in the Legend of Spyro trilogy, and Josh Keaton voiced him throughout the Skylanders spin-off games. But Kenny has been considered the real Spyro in the hearts of many fans.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is coming in 2027, as the first new game since Toys For Bob regained its independence. It subsequently penned a deal with Microsoft to develop a new Spyro game in the style of the originals. This version of Spyro will be a little older than the kid dragon from the classics, and the studio is touting flight as a major feature of his return. This time Spyro will have much more freedom of movement by taking to the skies.

For more, check out all the news from the Xbox summer showcase.

Microsoft and Playground Games showed off the Fable reboot at the Xbox Games Showcase, but the event didn't include all of the big announcements.

After the showcase ended, Playground announced the game's first expansion, Order of the Hero. Described as a "story-driven" expansion, Order of the Hero will launch sometime after Fable releases, but a specific date was not confirmed.

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

Order of the Hero takes players to a "brand-new region" of Albion where they will encounter "danger, wonder, and whispers of long-buried power."

"As you explore, your deeds earn the cultist’s admiration, and you rise to become their latest (and greatest) celebrity overseer," reads a line from the expansion's description.

It goes on: "With your newfound authority, you’ll guide their rituals and shape the cult into your own heroic vision, whether noble, nasty or just plain weird. But becoming the new boss does beg a darker question. If the cult has a vacancy for a new Heroic leader … what happened to the last one?"

Order of the Hero is included with the $100 Fable premium edition. Presumably it will be available to buy separately as well, but pricing was not announced.

The Fable premium edition also provides access to the game five days early, so people who pay more can start playing on February 18, while everyone else can jump in beginning February 23.

The Fable reboot was originally lined up to release this year before Microsoft pushed it to 2027. It's coming to Xbox and PC, as well as PS5. At the Xbox Games Showcase, it was confirmed that Marvel actor Hayley Atwell will play the game's main villain. The next gameplay reveal for Fable is coming on June 10.

Gears Of War: E-Day's big showing at the Xbox Games Showcase was primarily focused on single-player, but the game will have a multiplayer mode, too.

While more details on multiplayer are being saved for later, Microsoft did confirm that an open beta for the multiplayer element is coming this August. Here's everything we know.

Gears of War: E-Day releases on October 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC. A PS5 version was reportedly going to happen, but got canceled as part of Microsoft's renewed focus on exclusives.

Also at the Xbox Games Showcase, Microsoft confirmed that E-Day will reveal the origin of the chainsaw-fitted Lancer and include new mobility features. 

When is the Gears of War: E-Day open beta?

Gears of War: E-Day will have multiple open beta weekends, beginning August 6.

A product page on Xbox.com for the multiplayer beta confirms there will be two weekends for the beta.

How to get into the Gears of War: E-Day open beta

The Gears of War: E-Day beta is an open beta, so anyone can access it. However, people who preorder Gears of War: E-Day can access the first weekend early. This applies to preordering any version of the game. Alternatively, Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass subscribers can get in early as a perk of their membership.

More specifically, early access will be August 6-10, so you need to preorder or subscribe to Game Pass to play then. A second weekend will follow sometime later.

You can preorder Gears of War: E-Day now.

See at Amazon What's in the Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer beta?

Unfortunately, that's something we don't know yet. Microsoft has not shared any details about the content of the multiplayer beta, but it's expected to have a sampling of the game's maps and modes to give players a taste of what to expect when the game releases in October.

Sega has disclosed that Crazy Taxi: World Tour is using AI-generated content, according to the game's Steam page.

The corporation states, "We use generative AI as a support tool for developers, aiming to provide better content to our users and enable developers to focus more on creative tasks." It goes on to clarify that AI has not been used in reference to the performers in the game.

It is the first major game from Sega's upcoming slate confirmed to be using generative AI, since executives stated that it would "leverage" the technology where appropriate, during a Q&A session after the company’s Q2 financial results presentation.

The first game from Sega confirmed to use generative AI was free-to-play title Sega Football Club Champions released earlier this year, which currently sits with "Mostly Negative" reviews on Steam.

Sega is far from the only company to declare its use of generative AI, which remains a controversial subject in the industry. Other Japanese studios, like Square Enix and Capcom, are enthusiastically embracing the technology. Capcom did however previously state that it would not use any AI-generated art, following the backlash to Nvidia’s new AI-powered DLSS 5 rendering of Grace from Resident Evil Requiem.

Gears of War: E-Day depicts the earliest days of the war between humanity and the Locust Horde, but if you thought that meant the famous chainsaw-equipped Lancer rifle wouldn't make an appearance, you will be pleasantly surprised.

As shared during the Gears of War: E-Day Direct that followed the Xbox Games Showcase, the origin of the chainsaw-fitted Lancer will be shown during the campaign. Following a massive battle in a grocery store that saw survivors use a regular chainsaw as an improvised weapon, the cogs appeared to start turning in the heads of Marcus Fenix and his squad. Thus, the original chainsaw Lancer is born.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFk4bL3a8I8

In order to match the sound of the original Lancer from the first Gears of War game, developer The Coalition sourced the exact chainsaw model it had used back in 2006. The result should be a very familiar-sounding chainsaw, and the sounds of flesh and bones ripping and breaking should be appropriately disgusting.

See at Amazon

Gears of War: E-Day releases for Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 6, with an open beta coming in August. It is never coming to PS5.

Microsoft announced new 25th-anniversary edition Xbox Series X model--aptly dubbed the Xbox Series X25--and a matching Xbox Wireless Controller during the Xbox Games Showcase. 

Pricing was not announced, but it's expected the system will cost a pretty penny given its special design and the global macroeconomic environment that's driving up prices on most products these days.

The console and controller both sport translucent "OG Green" chassis emblazoned with "X25" logos. The new Xbox Wireless controller X25 Special Edition also features glossy, colored face buttons and the bumpers are now white and black in an homage to the classic Duke gamepad's colorful inputs. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-INYU6FLgI

The console includes 1TB of storage, and in a nod to the original Xbox, the "X" lights up green when you power it on.

The devices launch in November and will be available in a bundle that includes the console and controller. The controller will also be available separately. Xbox says preorder information will be shared at a later date.

As mentioned, 2026 marks the 25th anniversary of Xbox, and Microsoft said the company has even more announcements to come regarding further celebrations.

As part of the Xbox Games Showcase, developer inXile showed off its upcoming action-shooter Clockwork Revolution, and confirmed that the game is releasing in 2027 as an Xbox console exclusive. It'll also release on PC.

It's the second Xbox console exclusive that Microsoft confirmed during its Xbox Games Showcase, joining Gears of War: E-Day under that designation.

A new trailer for Clockwork Revolution debuted at the Xbox Games Showcase event, showing off the steampunk city of Avalon and the main character, Morgan Vanette. The trailer also provides more details on the flying automaton Prentice, who is "part observer, part companion."

We also meet Lady Ironwood, who "rules Avalon with ruthless precision."

"She’s been using time travel to keep her grip on power, reshaping the past to make sure her future stays exactly the way she wants it. She knows what’s at stake, and she’s not giving up control without a fight. Once you start uncovering what she’s done, her Industrial Secret Service agents will be on your heels," reads a line from the game's description.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6B5NUd6B9I4

Head to the Xbox Wire to read more new details about Clockwork Revolution.

Following a series of leaks earlier this week, Sega and Atlus have officially revealed Persona 6, the next mainline entry in the long-running RPG series.

The trailer was incredibly sparse on details, showing only a dark, ominous environment that looked a lot like a cemetery, bathed in green light. The color is important, as green has been associated for Persona 6 rumors for years now. For reference, all mainline Persona titles have a color attributed to them, with red for Persona 5, yellow for Persona 4, and blue for Persona 3. Little else was revealed in the trailer, outside of confirming that the game will launch for Xbox Series X|S and PC.

https://youtu.be/9lwef2jan-Q?si=i227oDItpjSm9DdY

Persona 6's reveal comes during a momentous time for the franchise, as it celebrates its 30th anniversary. While there hasn't been a new mainline game since 2016's Persona 5, the series has grown tremendously since then. Persona 5 received a massive overhaul in 2019's Persona 5 Royal, and Atlus has released several spin-off games in the last decade, including rhythm games, a dungeon-crawler for the Nintendo 3DS, a crossover with Dynasty Warriors, and even a well-received remake of Persona 3: Reload.

Additionally, Atlus is also working on a Persona 4 remake, which the company says will remain faithful to the original story while also being updated visually and mechanically for the modern age. It launches on February 28, 2027, with a new trailer debuting during the Xbox Games Showcase. If you're looking to see what all the JRPG fuss is about, Persona 5: Royal will be added to the Xbox Game Pass library on June 9.

As part of the Xbox Games Showcase, Sega officially unveiled Crazy Taxi: World Tour, a reboot of the classic arcade game. It will be coming to Xbox Series X/S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.

The brief gameplay teaser indicates that a lot of familiar elements from the original game will be returning, from a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge that confirms San Francisco as a location, Axel, one of the series' original drivers, who is also seen driving a passenger with a spiky punk hairdo. It's also soundtracked to the The Offspring's 'All I Want', an iconic song that featured in the original game.

But as the title, and a previous developer interview, hints, this new entry will also reportedly feature online multiplayer elements set in an open world. While that is not explicitly shown in the this teaser, it does however end with a new driver parking up next to Axel and connecting with him via smartphone.

The Crazy Taxi series has been effectively on ice for years, but during its glory days in the early 2000s, it was one of the premier arcade "racers," if you can call it that. It was famous not just for its delivery-based gameplay and distinct art style, but also for its soundtrack, which featured tunes from punk-rock legends Bad Religion and The Offspring.

A reboot of Crazy Taxi was first announced back at The Game Awards 2023 with a trailer from Sega that also indicated that reboots for its other classic, dormant IP was coming, including Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, and Golden Axe. Of the games announced in development, Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is the only to have been released so far. Sega has however confirmed that these projects are still in development, despite the cancellation of its Super Game.

Crazy Taxi: World Tour will be coming to Xbox Series X/S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027.

The first new Spyro game in over 20 years was officially revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase today. Developed by Toys for Bob, Spyro: A Realm Beyond sees the iconic purple dragon return in 2027, along with longtime Spyro voice actor Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants).

With it being a long time since Spyro officially headlined his very own game, Toys for Bob has chosen to age the dragon up a little, as well as give him free rein to fly amongst the clouds, not just glide through them or be constrained to a handful of flight levels. The studio is promising "true dragon flight" in A Realm Beyond, as well as "expanded exploration" and new gameplay in a "brand-new world."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjMh8exEIQ

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is a big moment in the history of Toys for Bob, following the studio regaining its independence from Activision Blizzard back in February 2024. Shortly after it broke away, Toys for Bob announced later that year that it had struck a deal with Microsoft to develop a new game similar to what the studio had previously worked on in the past. The studio had dropped a big hint in its announcement post, as fans were told to "keep their horns on" regarding future announcements.

First introduced in 1998, Spyro's first run on consoles saw the purple dragon star in several games and spin-offs, and the IP was eventually acquired by Activision in 2008 following its merger with Vivendi.

Now in the hands of Microsoft following its own acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Spyro games were later added to Xbox Game Pass. Lying dormant for a while, Spyro would return in the Skylanders series of toys-to-life games and would make a bigger splash in 2018's Spyro Reignited Trilogy, remakes of the original games produced by Toys for Bob.

Since then, Spyro went back into hibernation, but with Activision reviving some of its old IP like the Tony Hawk Pro Skater series, it was only a matter of time before the popular purple dragon made another return.

A new game premiere at the Xbox Games Showcase gave us serious BioShock vibes, set against a world of Houdini-era magic. The first-person shooter swaps out chemicals for trick cards, and naturally, the devil is involved. Magicians: The Devil's Deal is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox in 2027.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8b2Jd-2y54

The trailer also included a mention that it will come to Xbox Game Pass.

Magicians: The Devil's Deal is coming from Uppercut Games, a studio composed of BioShock vets, so the similarities are no coincidence. And like the BioShock games, this is very grounded in a particular historical era, but turn-of-the-century magic definitely gives it its own flavor.

During the Xbox Games Showcase at Summer Game Fest, id Software revealed an expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages titled Revelations. Taking the Doom Slayer to hell and swapping out Dark Ages' distinctive shield for a spear, the DLC launches soon, on July 7 for all platforms.

The spear is the star of the show here, acting as a big change to the shield that was a permanent part of your loadout in the main game. You'll be able to launch the spear at foes from a distance but also use it as a grappling hook. The footage shows the Doom Slayer using the spear for platforming and, more importantly, yanking himself towards demons before unloading several shotgun shells into them.

https://youtu.be/UKkd02ZEBOU?si=4bdYvTUrCG5AU9UB

Narratively, it seems the Doom Slayer is being stripped of his armor and plunged down into hell, which might be the first time he finds himself there given The Dark Ages' placement in the Doom timeline. There's some suggestions too that we'll get glimpses of the first Doom in Revelations too, but it's unclear if these are just neat callbacks, like those in the 2016 release of Doom, or more substantial story beats.

Doom Eternal received numerous DLC expansions, but id Software hasn't indicated yet if Revelations will be the only one for The Dark Ages.

Getting a new gameplay trailer and release date during the Xbox Games Showcase today, Join Us is an upcoming co-op game for up to four players, and sees you take the role of a cult leader hellbent on securing the safety of your followers.

Whether you're making difficult decisions on who to sacrifice, focusing on building your base, turning tractors into killing machines, commandeering a pig mount, or growing a vast collection of military-grade weapons, there's a role for everyone in the cult.

https://youtu.be/52sHCWHzYLc

Join Us was originally announced back in September 2025, and has had a small handful of trailers since. It was originally slated for a release this fall, but that window has now shifted to March 2027.

You can choose to play solo or with up to four friends, and as the leader, your aim to get your cult members safely through the apocalypse. Every character in the game is a potential future cult recruit, and you'll need to win them over by spreading propaganda and making your cult seem appealing to join.

Followers have strengths and weaknesses, but can also be used as farmers, doctors, and other important roles. Be warned though: If they're unhappy, they'll leave, and there's no cult without any followers.

Similarly, the police, other locals, and the government don't really like cults, and will try to put a stop to your hard work. You can use weapons and even a gun that shoots live snakes to bring their sabotage to a stop.

Wolf Haus Games has announced that Join Us will be released in March 2027.

During Summer Game Fest, Xbox unveiled what's coming to Microsoft's console in 2026 and the immediate future during its Xbox Game Showcase. Among the announcements was a surprise reveal trailer for the next Hellblade game, which is just called "Senua," instead of Hellblade III.

"The title of just Senua really reflects that this is something fresh and new and different," Ninja Theory studio head Dom Matthews said in an interview for Xbox Wire. "It is a different style of game. I think [Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice] and [Senua's Saga: Hellblade II] had an intention that we delivered on--but this is a different intention. I think of it as being additive--we're taking all of that goodness and adding the types of things that people expect from a premium action-adventure game."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91LAY9B6lUc

Senua seems to be leaning a little bit harder into the "action" part of action-adventure. While Matthews says that the game will still feature a character-driven story and environment-driven puzzles, the team is taking the feedback for Hellblade II into account.

"I did spend a lot of time looking at what players said--you know, user reviews and reading forums--and understanding what people loved and what they’d like more of," Matthews said. "And the resounding feedback there, frankly, was that people loved the presentation, the story, the tone and the atmosphere that we achieved, but they’d just love to be able to engage with Senua at a deeper level, with more gameplay, with more agency, right?"

He continued: "[Senua is] not a combat-action game--people shouldn't expect that this is like two-thirds combat. We're really thinking about it as being a fairly even split between combat, traversal, and puzzle solving. The way I think about it is really about studio potential, looking at our expertise and allowing the team to go and do their best work in this game--and so much of that experience comes from the likes of DmC, Enslaved, and Heavenly Sword as well as the Hellblades."

As seen in the new trailer, protagonist Senua has a bit more tools at her disposal in Senua. Normally only relying on a shortsword, Senua is seen in the trailer wielding a short axe, even dual-wielding it alongside her usual weapon. She also seems to possess more abilities that her mind translates into magic.

"Throughout the journey, Senua develops beliefs and understandings, and that gives her the ability to change her reality," Matthew said. "That manifests in Focus Abilities that the player can use as and when they wish, across traversal, puzzle solving and combat. One of the things that you see in the trailer is her ability to shatter reality. She can do that to unlock spaces in the world, but you can also use it within combat--particularly when there's multiple enemies in the same space--to really do some of that crowd control, buy some time, push some enemies back."

Matthews goes on to talk about how Senua (the game, not the person) will have an interconnected world that's composed of a series of large, explorable spaces, and Senua (the person, not the game) will possess new traversal abilities to better navigate those larger spaces. The game is still a linear story though, so it's not an open world adventure game or a metroidvania. The whole experience sounds most akin to something like God of War or God of War Ragnarök, but smaller in scope.

"This game takes place after the events of both Hellblade I and Hellblade II--and it's set in Purgatory," Matthews said. "It's Senua's vision of purgatory, which is a vision of her childhood homeland. So in one sense she's returning home. She's trapped between life and death on a quest to reach the afterlife and be reunited with the ones that she's loved and lost. Her belief is that by healing the wounds of her life, she can find the peace that is the key that unlocks the gate to the afterlife."

Senua is set to launch in 2027. The game will launch for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one.