The next game from Gareth Damian Martin, the lead developer for Citizen Sleeper and its sequel, is a drastic shift away from playing as a sentient android desperately trying to survive while managing resources and relationships. Called Signet City, the first-person fungalpunk RPG sees you play as a sentient spore who must spread itself through a city by secretly infecting new individuals. As a spore, you become the new guiding psyche of those you infect, acting as a voice that influences how they feel, so you can then shape how they act, and ultimately direct how events play out in the city. Even if it doesn't work like how they do mechanically, narratively, it sounds like you're playing as the sentient skills in Disco Elysium or Esoteric Ebb--you're an outside perspective doing its best to guide your host to what you think is the best outcome.

"As a parasite, each day you choose which host to drop into and then you have a limited number of actions that day," Martin told me. "And each host kind of comes with a part of the city that they live in, like a little hub. I think it's better to think of it as more something like Dishonored where you have these little chunks of the city--you don't have a whole city that you can walk around."

"The key thing is the parasite feeds on emotion. And the skill system, the RPG aspect of the game, is all based on emotion. So let's say as the parasite, you want to get to this specific area of a [certain] hub. So you load in as that character and you're like, 'Okay, there's this door in my way. I'm going to have to find a way to get through it. One way that I could get through it is [kicking] it down, but if I want to kick it down, I [can] get a modifier increase if my host is angry. So I'm going to take him into the pub and I'm going to get him in an argument with somebody who's in the pub and that will get [my host] more angry and now I can [more easily] kick down this door.'"

Like both Citizen Sleeper games, you're still rolling a six-sided die in Signet City, so any choice you make can still fail thanks to the cruelty of chance. Martin talked about how, in the kicking down the door example, you could injure your infected host in the attempt. And that might lead you to try solving the same problem but with a different host. And since no two hosts are the same, the manner by which you can help them out is different. To push someone into a state of adrenaline, you might need to have them discover political posters of a person or policy they don't support, for example, or take them to the top of a skyscraper if they're afraid of heights. 

"In a weird way, there's a little bit of Firewatch to it in the sense that when you're one of these characters, you're walking around the space and you're kind of discovering it," Martin said. "And then when you find something that the character can do or react to, you find it by looking and then you hold the left trigger to then bring up the UI that relates to that."

What I find most interesting about this is how this type of storytelling plays with the concept of perception. As someone who plays a lot of tabletop role-playing games, I'm engaging in make-believe with other adults several times a week. And during those sessions, players often switch up how they refer to themselves and the character they're playing as. I'll always use first-person "I," when talking about myself, but I'll also use it when I'm pretending to be my character. But not always, though. I'll also say that my character does something as if I were a narrator directing them. So while I'm almost always using first-person, I'll sometimes use third-person, and even second-person on very rare occasions. 

In that same respect, Signet City is a game told in first-, second-, and third-person. The camera view is first-person, but the game refers to the parasite as "you," and then the various hosts are talked about in third-person. But it's still just you, the player, behind it all. When I spoke to Martin about it, they said that the relationship of perspective was the exact concept they wanted to explore in Signet City.

"The parasite is influenced by observing tabletop play and how when you're playing a character in tabletop role-playing games, sometimes you're using your name, sometimes you use [your character's] name," Martin said. "Sometimes you're like, 'Oh, it would be really cool if this really bad thing happened to my character right now, because that would be really interesting.' And sometimes you're more in their head and you're more like, 'Oh God, I really don't want this to go bad. I'd really, really like [a good roll] to just make this go well.' And I think that is a really interesting space. I think video games don't really get into that--they don't think about the player [as a conflicting perspective] that much. Maybe in Baldur's Gate [3], you get a bit of that when you do a Dark Urge playthrough. But that, for me, is a really exciting part of tabletop games, so that's something that I'm trying to get into."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO4uKabqRQo

"It opens up the writing because I have to try and figure out, 'How do I write this?' So the game is in second-person and third-person simultaneously because [when] I write what it's like to be the parasite, [I use] 'you, you, you,' and then I write what the host is experiencing. So, 'Sid does this, Sid does that, Sid feels this.' And so that is a really exciting and interesting space to play. And so for me, I find it interesting to set myself those challenges and those structures. And a lot of it is really based on things I found interesting in Citizen Sleeper, but that that form couldn't necessarily contain. But if I change the form and I do something a bit more out there [with Signet City], I can find space to do it.

Where these perspectives ultimately collide and begin to grate against one another is where Signet City seems to be delving into punk, creating friction and counterculture within its urban setting via the clashing perspectives of the city at large and the more personal battles between the fungal parasite and individual hosts.

"I think there are connections absolutely to authoritarianism, but there are also connections to revolution and radical ideas," Martin said. "And I think that's what really excited me about beginning to work on this, was that a parasite can represent both of those things simultaneously and you can engage with the idea." 

"If you are the most powerful being in [the city], then ultimately that's what you're growing to be. What are you driving the city towards and what do you see your role in it being? Are you a shepherd or are you a master? Do you instigate or do you control? Do you destroy, or are you like, 'Yeah, f**k the humans. They've destroyed ecology, ecology's coming for them now. They should actually die.' These are the things that I think you can really get into with having a protagonist like [a fungal spore] and having a structure like this game."

We'll have to wait a bit longer to get a better understanding of how Signet City will look and play, as only an announcement trailer for the game has been revealed so far. In my conversation with Martin, they said they're about midway through development, so there's definitely no chance of the game releasing this year.

As we creep closer to another generation of PlayStation consoles, Sony is exploring potential additions to its controllers that could set it apart in a similar way to the DualSense with the PlayStation 5. According to a new patent, that could include buttons that harden, or soften, according to what is happening on screen.

The patent application, which was filed in November 2024 with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and published in May earlier this year (and found by Cheat Happens), details several different ways that buttons on a controller can have their physical properties changed. In one, the controller makes use a magneto-viscoelastic elastomer that alters how much force is required to push a button based on surrounding magnets. Another approach includes utilising fluid-filled membranes for the same effect, but you can probably imagine why this might not be a great idea for a controller's longevity.

One design showing a button harden around a player's finger.

The patent goes on to describe an alternative button effect where a player's finger can sink into it, before it hardens up around the finger afterwards. This is probably the strangest of the solutions, but could be used to simulate several scenarios where your character is stuck and requires more force to move or release. Whether you want your controller biting you is entirely subjective, however.

Experiments like these are what ultimately led to the current DualSense controller, which makes good use of adaptive triggers to simulate various context-sensitive actions, such as alternative fire modes in Saros or the tension of a web swing in Spider-Man 2.

With Sony expected to release a new PlayStation in either 2028 or 2029, patents such as these could give an indication of what might be included in the eventual DualSense successor. But, like several patents before it, its filing does not in any way mean that Sony will follow through with its designs.

Xbox's chief strategy officer has pushed back against claims that Microsoft could "reverse course" and alter its stance on exclusive games. At the same time, analyst Rhys Elliott of Anlinea Analytics tells GameSpot that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are being sent out to die on purpose.

Matthew Ball, who joined Xbox earlier this year, said the rumors saying Microsoft might "reverse course" are false. Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution "will stay exclusive," he said, adding that there are "no conversations and have been no conversations to 'reverse course.'"

Not only is Microsoft not changing its stance on exclusives, Ball reiterated that Microsoft plans to build on this and release "signature exclusives ... every year."

E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are not timed exclusives for Xbox, but full exclusives, Microsoft has said. The company said the same thing about Starfield, though, and it later came to PlayStation 5.

"Sacrificial Lambs"

Elliott told GameSpot that Microsoft will never succeed in the console space and promising fans exclusive games to help drive console sales is not going to make a difference. Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are basically being sent out to die, he said.

"Console as we know it is over for Xbox--and has been for a while. There’s no turning that ship. But they still need to pretend to care until they’ve transitioned to pastures where they can return to growth (if they succeed)," he said.

"A Gears console exclusive does not shift meaningful numbers of Series X units. Exclusivity as a hardware-driver is over for them, because the install base it would drive simply isn't responsive enough to justify the cost of building hardware at a 5x component premium. And those games are on Steam anyway," he added.

Elliott went on to say that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are "sacrificial lambs for hearts-and-minds, not economics."

"Xbox is pulling some games off PlayStation while keeping them on Steam, so they’re still adding to Steam's value proposition while adding almost nothing to their own console's," he said.

Elliott went on to say it's plainly obvious that there was a PS5 edition of E-Day in the works, and lots of evidence suggests this is true. Meanwhile, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's reported decision to pull a Halo trailer from the recent PlayStation State of Play event was "symbolic, relationship-damaging, and revenue-negative" for Xbox, he said.

"I’m not sure how worth it the exclusivity change is in the long term--and I expect there to be some backtracking once the revenue numbers come in," Elliott added. "If the data is any guide, the titles that stay Xbox-first or Xbox-only will mostly be the ones a sliver of the PlayStation audience would have bought anyway. So nobody is really losing sleep over that math."

Going forward, Elliott said he expects Microsoft to take the same approach it has for years with regards to exclusive games, and that is that Microsoft will pick these on a case-by-case basis. "Which is a polite way of saying symbolic where it's cheap, abandoned where it's expensive," he said.

"The spreadsheet wins the argument it always wins"

Elliott went on to say that the "tell" from Microsoft that its exclusivity plan is not working will be if the company announces future multiplatform releases for PS5, messaged to players that it was actually a "case-by-case" decision. In reality, though, Elliott said this was "always a hearts-and-minds gesture with a shelf life."

Elliott said he expects this to happen at some point over the next year, after the numbers come in and show that the math just does not work.

"I'd expect any backtracking to land after a quarter or two of revenue numbers, once the cost of walking away from 90M-plus PS5 owners shows up in a report someone has to present. That's the moment the spreadsheet wins the argument it always wins," he said.

Pain ahead

According to reports, Microsoft is going to lay off staff and close, or spin off, multiple development studios soon due to Xbox's financial struggles of late.

Just recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talked about how Xbox has been struggling for some time and that it is imperative that Microsoft finds a way to “turn [Xbox] into a sustainable business.”

The way Microsoft is apparently going to do this is by making drastic cuts to "reset" the Xbox business. Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Arkane, and Ninja Theory are all currently said to be negotiating with Microsoft to decide their fates. Double Fine reacted to the reports with the sweat smile emoji.

https://twitter.com/DoubleFine/status/2066719196944478636

In a blog post announcing what's to come for Xbox in the next 100 days, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma alluded to major changes, and difficult ones.

"For some of you, these realities will be surprising and even frustrating to discover," she told staff. "We won’t succeed by hiding hard truths, nor will we succeed by doing the same thing and expecting different results."

Legendary Star Wars actor Mark Hamill--Luke Skywalker himself--is joining Peacock's Twisted Metal TV show for its upcoming third season.

The InSneider was first to confirm Hamill's involvement, with Deadline subsequently backing up the report. Details about the character that Hamill plays follow the spoiler warning further below.

Hamill is just the latest big name to join Twisted Metal, as Anthony Carrigan came aboard for Season 2 as Calypso. Tiana Okoye, meanwhile, joined the show for its second season as Dollface. The show's two main characters are John Doe (Anthony Mackie) and Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz).

Twisted Metal has been a big success for Peacock, becoming the platform's second highest-reaching original returning scripted show.

Hamill in The Long Walk.

Twisted Metal, which is based on the PlayStation game, hails from executive producers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick of Deadpool fame. Michael Jonathan Smith (Cobra Kai) was the showrunner for Seasons 1 and 2, but he dropped out for Season 3, replaced by David Reed (The Boys, Supernatural).

A release date for Twisted Metal Season 3 has not been announced.

The Twisted Metal show is produced in part by PlayStation Productions, the unit of PlayStation that helps lead the development on adaptations of PlayStation's games for film and TV. Future projects from PlayStation Productions include the Helldivers, Horizon, Days Gone, Bloodborne, and Ghost of Tsushima movies, along with The Last of Us and God of War TV shows.

STORY SPOILERS FOR TWISTED METAL FOLLOW BELOW.

Hamill will play Pope Charlie Kane in Season 3. He is the leader of the Eastern Sovereignty and Sweet Tooth's father. Sweet Tooth is portrayed physically by Joe Seanoa AKA Samoa Joe on the show, with Will Arnett voicing him.

Mackie, who is also an executive producer on Twisted Metal, said in a statement that he has admired Hamill for a long time. He said Hamill is a "true legend who’s influenced generations of actors."

After dumping five games from Xbox Game Pass on June 15, Microsoft has announced the next slate of eight removals for June, bringing the total number of games removed from Game Pass in June to 13.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass on June 30 include Payday 2, Tomb Raider, and Rise of the Tomb Raider. Slay the Spire, Ultimate Chicken Horse, Mecha Break, Volcano Princess, and Unpacking are also being sent packing.

As a reminder, if you’d like to keep any of these games, you can buy them at a discount, as Game Pass subscribers can save up to 20% before they’re removed from the service.

In terms of new additions to Game Pass in June, Microsoft is adding Call of Duty: Vanguard (June 17), EA Sports FC 26 (June 18), and Abyssus (June 25), among others.

Xbox Game Pass June 30 removals

• Mecha Break (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Payday 2 (Console)
• Rise of Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Tomb Raider (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Slay the Spire (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Ultimate Chicken Horse (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Volcano Princess (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Unpacking (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Among the flaws of the original Nintendo Switch, one long-standing issue has been the performance of the eShop. And no, I'm not talking about the lack of music in the vein of the Wii; browsing the store itself was always an exercise in frustration due to awful performance. And now, with the release of a new system update more than nine years after launch, that issue has suddenly been resolved.

The Switch 22.5.0 update patch notes don't lay out that specific change, instead just vaguely saying it has been "redesigned" and that dark mode--if that's what your system is set to--will be supported on the store. 

That's good news for those who don't want their eyes to get blasted with bright light when shopping, but the key thing is that you can smoothly browse through the store's offerings. For years, it's been input lag, images that take a long time to load in, and extended waits if you dared to scroll any distance down a given eShop listing page. Now, while it's not the most buttery-smooth experience, the updated eShop is a dramatic, night-and-day difference from how slow it used to be.

Troubling as the lag was, it's a problem that's only gotten worse as the eShop has become increasingly flooded with low-quality games, making you dig deeper into the store in order to find something you want to play. 

Resolving this exact issue was on our Switch 2 wishlist, and we were subsequently quite excited to find out it had been addressed. The glut of games remains an issue on the Switch 2 eShop, but at least it's no longer the only system in the Switch family that can let you scroll through a list of games without feeling like it's going to explode.

https://youtube.com/shorts/YBGT7-joYKE?si=Yl_7Q7c27XbrabEF Switch 1 22.5.0 Update Patch Notes

• The Nintendo eShop layout has been redesigned.
  • The Nintendo eShop color will now reflect the theme color if your theme in System Settings is set to “Basic Dark.”
• User-Verification PIN can now be used to confirm when “Accessing Nintendo eShop” and “Using Saved Payment Methods.”
• Added the ability to rewind 10 seconds/advance 10 seconds with the ZL and ZR Buttons when watching a full screen video in News or Nintendo eShop.
• General system stability improvements to enhance the user's experience.

The hugely popular TikTok account The School of Hard Knocks caught up with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick recently, and you better believe they asked about GTA 6's release date. In the on-the-street interview, Zelnick confirmed, once again, that GTA 6 remains on track for release on November 19.

Why is it taking so long, though?

"The team at Rockstar really does seek to do something that's never been done before. That's really hard and it takes a long time," he said.

https://www.tiktok.com/@theschoolofhardknocks/video/7651676011813260574?lang=en

Zelnick also offered up some business advice, saying people should never compromise on their integrity--he said he learned this the hard way.

"It's the only thing you have. I have flaws. There was a time I acted in a way that wasn't consistent with my views about integrity in business. It hurt me really badly, and I learned a powerful lesson. Never do that," he said.

Additionally, Zelnick said people looking for an overnight success in business are fooling themselves. "I think everyone is looking for an overnight success. My experience is that the only overnight successes are someone else's. Everything worth doing is hard and takes a long time," he said.

GTA 6 will be here somewhat soon.

Finally, Zelnick offered up a piece of advice for people with regards to their careers. "People should chase the intersection of what they're good at and what they like to do with emphasis on what you're good at. Do that thing and the world will probably open up to you," he said.

GTA 6 is coming to market with an enormous amount of hype behind it, and while it is expected to sell many millions of copies, the game is not going to help save the struggling AAA gaming industry overall.

The marketing efforts for GTA 6 are due to begin this summer, and with summer in the northern hemisphere kicking off on June 21, people are going to expect GTA 6 announcements, or a third trailer, any time now.

It's that time of the month once again, as Xbox has announced the second wave of games being added to Game Pass in June. While the first half of the month was pretty stacked in terms of new releases, the latter half of June is taking it easy with four more games arriving, and the first two games of July have also been confirmed. Here's a closer look at what's on the horizon.

Kicking things off today is the release of Junkster, a 3D action platformer that also includes building mechanics. A day-one launch, the game puts you in the mechanical boots of a plucky little construction bot charged with repairing his spaceship and recovering human artifacts. On June 17, Call of Duty: Vanguard comes to Game Pass--it's the World War II-themed entry in the franchise that first launched in 2021.

In case you're wondering what all the fuss is about with that FIFA World Cup tournament, you can try out some soccer action for yourself on June 18 with EA Sports FC 26. While it's not an official FIFA game--the soccer body and EA split up a few years back--it still features official teams, players, and tournaments. To finish off the month, you can dive into Abyssus for a fast-paced roguelite brine-punk adventure on June 25, while RV There Yet combines the best video game title ever with a co-op camping experience. It'll be added to Game Pass on June 30.

Heading into July, Game Pass Premium subscribers can grab Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 starting July 2, and Winds of Arcana: Ruination brings some old-fashioned metroidvania fun to the service starting July 6. As for the games leaving Game Pass, eight titles in total will exit the service on June 30. The list includes fan-favorite Tomb Raider games and the delightful Unpacking.

Xbox Game Pass June Wave 2 Additions

June 16

• Junkster (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

June 17

• Call of Duty: Vanguard (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

June 18

• EA Sports FC 26 (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

June 25

• Abyssus (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

June 30

• RV There Yet? (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

July 2

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

July 6

• Winds of Arcana: Ruination (Xbox Series X|S, PC, cloud) – Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Amazon's massive Buy Two, Get One Free sale is back as an early Prime Day deal just in time to stock up your summer reading list. To take advantage of this deal, add three eligible books to your cart; you'll then receive a discount on the lowest-priced item at checkout. Most eligible books are also seeing big price cuts in addition to the B2G1 promotion, meaning you can save quite a bit while the deal is available. Dozens of novels, comics, art books, and other reading material are eligible for the discount, so we've compiled a list of some of our favorite books that are on sale, as well as some trending picks and bestsellers if you're looking for recommendations.

See all deals at Amazon

If you're looking to pick up a few of the titles we mentioned in our Books You Should Read Based On Your Favorite Video Game story, you'll find Tress of the Emerald Sea, Six of Crows, and Throne of Glass are all included. The first book in the popular LitRPG series Dungeon Crawler Carl is also part of this deal, as are as classic fantasy series like Lord of the Rings and newer sci-fi releases like Red Rising.

If you or someone special in your life is a Romantasy fan, several of the genre's most popular books and series are on sale. Sarah J. Maas fans can get the entire Throne of Glass box set right now for 43% off, dropping the price to $88 (normally $155), while From Blood and Ash, Fourth Wing, and The Knight and the Moth are all seeing steep discounts as well.

Speaking of steamy romances Game Changer, the first book in the spicy Romance series that inspired HBO's Heated Rivalry, is part of the sale, as well as several other titles that have seen recent or upcoming screen adaptations, such as Project Hail Mary and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, while those looking for a new non-fiction book might want to check out Lena Dunham's new memoir Famesick. Check out the list below for even more of our recommendations, or check out Amazon's full Buy Two Get One Free sale to browse all the options.

Game Changer, the first book in the spicy Romance series that inspired HBO's Heated Rivalry, is part of the sale, as well as several other titles that have seen recent or upcoming screen adaptations, such as Project Hail Mary and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

If you or someone special in your life is a Romantasy fan, several of the genre's most popular books and series are on sale. Sarah J. Maas fans can get the entire Throne of Glass box set right now for 43% off, while From Blood and Ash, Fourth Wing, and The Knight and the Moth are all seeing steep discounts as well.

Amazon Buy 2 Get 1 Free Book Deals

• Alchemised -- $20.36 ($35)
• Artemis -- $10 ($21)
• Atomic Habits -- $18 ($27)
• The Butcher's Masquerade (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $21.29 ($35)
• Carl's Doomsday Scenario (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $18 ($30)
• A Court of Mist and Fury -- $12.82 ($19)
• A Court of Thorns and Roses -- $14.24 ($19)
• A Court of Silver Flames -- $11.49 ($19)
• Crown of Midnight -- $10.16 ($19)
• The Dungeon Anarchist's Cookbook (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $17 ($30)
• Dungeon Crawler Carl -- $15 ($20)
• Dungeon Crawler Carl Graphic Novel -- $15 ($20)
• The Eye of the Bedlam Bride (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $21.28 ($39)
• Famesick: A Memoir -- $27 ($32)
• Fourth Wing -- $11.80 ($21)
• Game Changer -- $10.61 ($19)
• The Gate of the Feral Gods (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $20.73 ($30)
• Heated Rivalry -- $13 ($19)
• Iron Flame -- $11.87 ($22)
• The Knight and the Moth -- $14.59 ($20)
• A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms -- $15 ($20)
• The Lost Bookshop -- $10 ($19)
• The Martian -- $9 ($19)
• The Midnight Library -- $14.52 ($18)
• Murdle: Volume 1 -- $12.48 ($16)
• A Parade of Horribles (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $22.38 ($32)
• Project Hail Mary -- $14 ($22)
• Red Rising -- $10 ($18)
• The Road -- $9 ($20)
• This Inevitable Ruin (Dungeon Crawler Carl) -- $22.47 ($39)
• Tower of Dawn -- $10 ($19)
• Throne of Glass -- $10.70 ($19)
• Six of Crows -- $7 ($16)
• Sunrise on the Reaping -- $15 ($28)
• Starside (Deluxe Limited Edition) -- $21 ($34)
• Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow -- $10.16 ($19)
• Tress of the Emerald Sea -- $15 ($20)
• When the Moon Hatched -- $12.81 ($22)

Book Box Set Deals

• The Bloodsworn Saga Boxed Set -- $38.48 ($55)
• Crescent City Hardcover Box Set -- $64.88 ($99)
• George R. R. Martin's A Game of Thrones Five-Book Boxed Set (Leather Bound) -- $45 ($85)
• The Hunger Games Four-Book Paperback Box Set -- $33.30 ($62)
• J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set -- $28 ($36)
• Mistborn Boxed Set -- $23 ($35)
• The Stormlight Archive Boxed Set, Books 1-3 -- $25 ($39)
• Throne of Glass Box Set -- $88 ($155)

More Deals And Preorders

• Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Is Getting A Collector’s Edition
• All Three Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Editions Are Up For Preorder
• Lies of P: Complete Edition Switch 2 Preorders Include Some Cool Collectibles
• Preorders For The Minecraft Dungeons 2 Deluxe Edition Are Live
• Star Wars Zero Company Preorders Are Live: Here’s What’s In Every Edition
• Persona 4 Revival Preorders Are Now Open, Including A Massive Collector’s Edition
• Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Preorders Include An Alucard-Themed Bonus Costume
• Rayman Legends Retold Preorders Include Bonus Costumes Based On Rayman 3
• Where To Preorder Control Resonant
• Silent Hill: Townfall Preorders Emerge At Amazon And Best Buy
• Fable Premium Edition Preorders Include 5-Day Early Access To The Full Game

More Deals And Preorders Links (7)

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Earlier today, word broke that Microsoft is reportedly planning to close Compulsion Games--the studio behind South of Midnight, We Happy Few, and Contrast--as part of a larger round of layoffs and studio closures. Now, there's word that a handful of Xbox Studios' smaller developers are taking some steps to avoid that fate.

Bloomberg is reporting that Compulsion, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and "several other studios" have started negotiations with Microsoft to spin off their companies from Xbox Studios and avert full studio closures. Potentially, this would give the studios a chance to buy out Microsoft's stake in their companies or allow them to find financial backers who could become the new owners.

However, that may not be enough to save every developer at the affected studios. Bloomberg notes that "many employees will likely lose their jobs as a result" of going independent. Consequently, employees at some of the studios have reportedly been cleared to begin looking for other work. It appears this process may be further along at Ninja Theory, with The Verge reporting Microsoft has already opted to close the studio.

The scope of the potential layoffs isn't clear, and there have even been reports that Microsoft is considering spinning off Xbox itself into a new standalone company. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently stressed the need for the Xbox gaming division to pull its financial weight.

Ahead of any big changes to Xbox itself, Craig Duncan, the head of Xbox Game Studios, has left the company after a 15-year stint with Microsoft. Duncan's chief of staff, Louise O’Connor, is also leaving Xbox.

Filmmaker Curry Barker is on top of the world right now thanks to the success of his horror movie Obsession. It's made more than $220 million against a reported $750,000 budget, and everyone wants to know what he's going to do next.

He is making a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, and plans to expand Obsession into possible sequels and a TV show, but what else?

A video game movie, perhaps.

He told Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast that while he is not a big gamer himself, he would be open to making a video game movie one day. Asked if there was a specific game that he would jump at the chance to direct, if asked, he said, "Yeah, probably. I feel like video games are sometimes really good concepts for movies, and I'm like, 'Ah, man, I wish that was a movie.'"

"I'm not a huge gamer, so I don't know. But Five Nights at Freddy's ... I probably would have went a different direction with it. But that would have been something cool [for me to do]," he added.

Curry also talked about how he had dinner with Zach Cregger (Weapons, Barbarian) and he thinks Cregger is being really smart with his idea for Resident Evil and making a movie in the spirit of the games but not an adaptation of a specific title.

Barker and Cregger have had similar career trajectories in some ways, having both started out with sketch comedy (That's A Bad Idea for Barker and Whitest Kids 'U Know for Cregger) before transitioning to making horror/psychological thrillers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J61DU21Q_N4

Barker also revealed his own personal favorite video game, calling out Naughty Dog's Uncharted--though he did not single out a specific entry. That movie was already adapted for a film starring Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg.

Another director with a breakout movie this year, Kane Parsons (Backrooms), said he is also interested in making a video game movie, and it could be an adaptation of Valve's Portal.

World of Warcraft developer Blizzard is seeking legal action against yet another WoW private server, accusing the creators of Ascension WoW of copyright infringement, racketeering, and having earned millions of dollars illegally. 

In a court document submitted on June 12 in California, Blizzard cited many of the same offenses it used against the creators of Turtle WoW in a lawsuit last year. Blizzard alleges the makers of Project Ascension have infringed on its WoW copyright on a "massive scale" by distributing illegal copies of the game, using copyrighted materials, and accepting donations, in effect operating an entire business built on the "large scale, egregious, and ongoing infringement" of Blizzard's intellectual property. 

"Through Project Ascension, Defendants have found a lucrative way to exploit and profit from the popularity of the WoW game experience," the document states.

Blizzard alleges the creators of Project Ascension are well aware of their illegal activities, and have taken "extraordinary steps" to conceal their identities and safeguard against takedown notices or court judgements. The document states Blizzard believes Project Ascension's servers are hosted by the Russia-based Aeza Group, an organization that, according to the US Department of the Treasury, is known for "enabling cybercriminals and technology theft" and was sanctioned by the US government in 2025. Blizzard notes that Project Ascension's choice to work with such a "criminal enterprise" signals "intent to engage in unlawful activity." 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt7ebNzc5zM

Unlike in its case against Turtle WoW, many of the named defendants in Blizzard's lawsuit against Project Ascension reside in the US, but have allegedly masked their involvement through multiple shell companies that have no offices or employees. These companies are used to hide assets in an effort to avoid US tax liability, Blizzard alleges. The lawsuit goes on to state Blizzard is "informed and believes" Project Ascension has earned the two main people behind the private server, Derek Powell and Bryan Thomas Mannion, millions of dollars.

As part of the lawsuit, Blizzard is seeking the handover of all copies and materials that infringe on Blizzard's IP (including the game's modified client), the shutdown of Project Ascension, monetary relief, and the full accounting of "any and all monies" collected in connection with Project Ascension. 

Project Ascension is widely seen as the last large private server still operating following Blizzard's takedown of Turtle WoW and Stormforge in April. According to its website, it offers multiple ways to play, including a "classless" version of WoW where players can mix and match abilities as well as a version with 21 "new" classes "inspired deeply by Warcraft lore."

The court sided with Blizzard in its action against Turtle WoW back in April, with the two parties soon after reaching a private settlement. A few weeks later, Stormforge announced it would soon shut down after receiving a cease and desist from Blizzard. 

Blizzard's recent actions against private servers have some fans wondering if a new version of WoW Classic is just around the corner. Prior to this year, the last time Blizzard shut down a high-profile WoW private server was Nostalrius back in 2016, only to announce WoW Classic a year later.

That has led to speculation Blizzard could be poised to unveil what fans call "Classic+" at BlizzCon in September--a version of original WoW that in theory would receive new content and changes without progressing through the game's various expansions. Blizzard has not yet officially announced what's next for WoW Classic, but did tease Classic players "have a lot to look forward to" during a 2026 State of Azeroth presentation. 

What To Expect From WoW In 2026: Housing Updates, Labyrinths, And Surprises View Images

Microsoft is reportedly going to close the Canadian developer Compulsion Games, which is known for Contrast, We Happy Few, and South of Midnight.

According to Kotaku, the cuts could affect more than 90 people.

Another report, from Mike Straw of Insider Gaming, said Arkane is also set to be closed as part of Microsoft's "reset" of the Xbox business.

GameSpot has contacted Microsoft seeking comment on the reports.

Microsoft acquired Compulsion in 2018 and took ownership of Arkane following its buyout of Bethesda owner ZeniMax. Arkane Austin was closed in May 2024. Arkane Lyon, meanwhile, is developing the upcoming Marvel's Blade game.

As for Compulsion, the studio's latest release was the highly celebrated, Peabody Award-winning game South of Midnight.

A recent report said Microsoft will cut staff and potentially close studios in July, following the end of the company's fiscal year on June 30. Xbox Games Studios boss Craig Duncan, and his chief of staff, recently left the company.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, meanwhile, recently made headlines for talking about making changes to Xbox to improve its economic stability.

In a blog post announcing what's to come for Xbox in the next 100 days, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma alluded to major changes, and difficult ones.

"For some of you, these realities will be surprising and even frustrating to discover," she told staff. "We won’t succeed by hiding hard truths, nor will we succeed by doing the same thing and expecting different results."

Streaming might be the new standard for watching movies at home, but nothing beats a physical film collection. If you're looking to stock up your Blu-ray library, Amazon is running a limited-time promotion ahead of Prime Day that lets you bundle three 4K Blu-rays for just $11 each, which adds up to $33 total. That's a pretty good deal considering most Blu-rays normally cost around $20. To get the deal, add three (or more) eligible 4K Blu-rays to your cart, and the discount will automatically kick in before check out.

See all deals at Amazon

So what's worth picking up in the sale? If you're feeling lucky, Dirty Harry is still considered an all-time great, or for something goofier, National Lampoon's Animal House and Vacation are comedy classics. Throw in Smokey and the Bandit, and you'll be eastbound and down for some great entertainment.

On the modern side of cinema, we also recommend 1917 for a gripping war movie, while the 2021 Candyman is a spine-chilling update of the original horror film, and Sherlock Holmes for Robert Downey Jr.'s memorable turn on the classic detective.

Those are just a few of the dozens of 4K Blu-rays eligible for Amazon's promotion, so we've picked out a few more of our favorites in the list below. You can also browse the full sale to see everything on offer.

Amazon 4K Blu-ray Sale:

Bundle three eligble 4K Blu-rays for just $33

• 8 Mile -- $11 ($17.10)
• 1917 -- $11 ($15)
• ET: The Extra-terrestrial - 40th Anniversary Edition -- $11 ($14)
• Backdraft -- $11 ($13)
• Batman Forever -- $11 ($13)
• Batman: Mask of the Phantasm -- $11 ($17)
• The Big Lebowski - 20th Anniversary Edition -- $11 ($13)
• Candyman (2021) -- $11 ($19)
• Casino -- $11 ($13)
• Dirty Harry -- $11 ($20)
• Dune -- $11 ($15.32)
• ET: The Extra-terrestrial - 40th Anniversary Edition -- $11 ($14)
• Fast X: Collector's Edition -- $11 ($17.63)
• Godzilla -- $11 ($17.15)
• Howard the Duck -- $11 ($14)
• National Lampoon's Animal House -- $11 ($15)
• National Lampoon's Vacation -- $11 ($14.79)
• Sherlock Holmes -- $11 ($13)
• Smokey and the Bandit -- $11 ($15)
• Smokin' Aces -- $11 ($19)
• Waterworld -- $11 ($15)

3 for $33 Movies on 4K Blu-ray

Get popular movies on 4K for only $11 each while supplies last.

See at Amazon

More Deals And Preorders

• Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave Is Getting A Collector’s Edition
• All Three Xenoblade Chronicles Switch 2 Editions Are Up For Preorder
• Lies of P: Complete Edition Switch 2 Preorders Include Some Cool Collectibles
• Preorders For The Minecraft Dungeons 2 Deluxe Edition Are Live
• Star Wars Zero Company Preorders Are Live: Here’s What’s In Every Edition
• Persona 4 Revival Preorders Are Now Open, Including A Massive Collector’s Edition
• Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse Preorders Include An Alucard-Themed Bonus Costume
• Rayman Legends Retold Preorders Include Bonus Costumes Based On Rayman 3
• Where To Preorder Control Resonant
• Silent Hill: Townfall Preorders Emerge At Amazon And Best Buy
• Fable Premium Edition Preorders Include 5-Day Early Access To The Full Game

More Deals And Preorders Links (7)

Microsoft's next big game is Halo: Campaign Evolved, which launches at the end of July for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. Ahead of that, Microsoft has published the official release times for the game, which begins with early access on July 23.

Read on to find out exactly when Halo: Campaign Evolved release where you live. The game is having a global launch, Microsoft said, which suggests the game will arrive in all regions at the same time.

Halo: Campaign Evolved early access release times

July 23

• 8 AM PT
• 11 AM ET
• 4 PM GMT

July 24

• 12 AM JST
• 1 AM AEST
• 3 AM NZST

Halo: Campaign Evolved global release times

July 28

• 8 AM PT
• 11 AM ET
• 4 PM GMT

July 29

• 12 AM JST
• 1 AM AEST
• 3 AM NZST

To get the five days of early access, people need to buy the game's $70 Premium edition or the $200 collector's edition--however, the CE is currently sold out.

There is no word yet on preloading or the file size for Halo: Campaign Evolved, but keep checking back with GameSpot for more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPrm70EK2f0

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a remake of the 2001 original Halo: Combat Evolved, and it's releasing this year for the franchise's 25th anniversary. It's coming to Xbox Series X|S and PC, as well as PlayStation 5, marking the franchise's debut on a PlayStation platform after more than two decades of exclusivity on Xbox.

See at Amazon

In addition to better graphics and updated features, Halo: Campaign Evolved includes Operation: Meteorite, which is a set of three prequel missions. For more, check out GameSpot's Halo: Campaign Evolved buying guide.

Craig Duncan, the head of Xbox Game Studios, is leaving the company after 15 years at Microsoft, and so is his chief of staff. The changes come ahead of reported layoffs and possible studio closures at Xbox under the leadership of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who has vowed to "reset" the Xbox business.

Duncan was the longtime studio head at Sea of Thieves developer Rare before he got promoted to overall Head of Xbox Game Studios in November 2024. He took over that position from Matt Booty, who was himself promoted to executive vice president and chief content officer at Xbox.

Prior to his tenure at Xbox, Duncan was a development manager and director of product development for Codemasters. He also worked on the executive team at Midway Games until its closure in 2009. He then went to Sumo Digital before starting at Rare in 2011.

Duncan's departure from Xbox came just 48 hours after he posted on LinkedIn about how excited he was about the future of Xbox Games Studios and its many upcoming projects.

Additionally, Xbox Game Studios chief of staff Louise O'Connor is on the way out from Xbox. She had been with Rare since 1999, starting there as an animator before working up to Head of Animation and then Art Director. She became chief of staff for Xbox Game Studios in August 2025.

In a memo to staff obtained by The Game Business, Duncan said, "I’m proud to say we delivered many flawless launches that drove business success for the company." Addressing O'Connor, Duncan said she "consistently championed the craft and supported our studios with clarity and care."

Just recently, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella talked about how Xbox has been struggling for some time and that it is imperative that Microsoft finds a way to "turn [Xbox] into a sustainable business."

In other Xbox news, it was recently reported that Microsoft could spin off Xbox and accelerate the development of the next Halo and Fallout games.

We're halfway through 2026, and so far, Capcom is on a roll. Resident Evil: Requiem, Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, and Pragmata have all been hit games, while other titles like Street Fighter 6 continue to do well with post-launch content. So what's Capcom's secret? According to the company itself, having a team-first mentality instead of auteur-driven games is one of its keys to success.

"In the game industry, when a title becomes a series, it often ends up depending heavily on a particular developer, becoming what you'd call an individual-driven title," COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto and Capcom founder Kenzo Tsujimoto said to Famitsu (via Automaton). "If that person doesn't make one, there's no next installment. The direction of the series becomes tied to the ideas of a single creator," Tsujimoto said.

According to the COO, this was the case for many years at Capcom, but as it started to examine its responsibilities to its shareholders, things began to change for the company. After talking to central figures behind its franchises, Capcom abandoned individual-driven development in favor of team-driven projects. "What we came up with instead was the idea that every title should essentially be rebuilt from the ground up. We didn't mind even if sales temporarily declined as a result, and by switching to a team-based approach to game development, Capcom changed dramatically," Tsujimoto added.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjm4G7s-ELI

Capcom had a long history with its games having big names behind them, like Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry), Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil), and Hideaki Itsuno (Dragon's Dogma). The Capcom renaissance--which is largely considered to have started when Resident Evil 7 was released in 2017--has seen the company move forward with this shift toward team-driven games. 

The risk with creator-driven games is that not every title is guaranteed to be a hit, with notable examples being Peter Molyneux's Godus or Tomonobu Itagaki's Devil's Third. Recently, former Yakuza game series director Toshihiro Nagoshi appears to have run into trouble at his self-named studio, Nagoshi Studio. Reports of publisher NetEase pulling financial backing and the studio's YouTube channel vanishing-then-reappearing quietly emerged in May, and since then, it has been nothing but radio silence for Gang of Dragon.

Meanwhile, gaming's most-famous auteur, Hideo Kojima, is as busy as ever with various game projects and dismissing rumors of there being trouble in paradise with his longtime pal, Geoff Keighley.

While the new Xbox leadership team under CEO Asha Sharma has been on a charm offensive lately--while also promising a "reset" for the division that suggests layoffs are on the way--Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got down to brass tacks recently. During a panel at the New York Times Hard Fork event, Nadella spoke about how Xbox will have to find a way to become more profitable as it enters a new era.

"No one can accuse Microsoft of not having invested for the last 25 years," Nadella said. "And now we have to turn this into a sustainable business that delivers what is fundamentally one of the best sources of entertainment. The challenge we have is that we've not been monetizing that entertainment. In fact, if anything, we've been subsidizing that entertainment. There's more monetization of Xbox games happening on YouTube than at Microsoft.

"And so that doesn't mean we go do things that are unnatural. We want us to do what is really our job, which is to build great games, build great hardware, but we've got to do it in an economically sustainable way. I think Asha is really, 100 days in, and she put out a post saying in the next 100 days, she's going to take a fresh look and make sure we deliver on what our fans expect of us both on the hardware side or on the publishing side."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqEZyHkXgh0&t=276s

With gaming consoles and hardware experiencing a major spike in prices due to various global factors and hardware shortages, partly driven by the rampant investment in AI technologies, Nadella also remarked how Microsoft will have to find a way to "deliver the games in which it is economically relevant" to customers, although the Microsoft CEO didn't have a solution for the dilemma.

Recently, Sharma confirmed that Xbox's accountability margins only amount to a 3% profit, which isn't exactly great considering how Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in acquiring studios and publishers over the last couple of years. The return on investment is not looking good, especially when games are becoming more expensive and are sold to a much smaller playerbase when compared to the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, while recent Game Pass price hikes saw millions of people cancel their memberships.

So what are Microsoft's options to extract more profit from Xbox? One report claims that Xbox could be spun off into a separate company or a "wholly owned subsidiary" that would no longer operate as a Microsoft division. Microsoft is also said to be planning to increase investment in its biggest Xbox franchises--like Halo, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout--and speed up development on new titles.

The Best Xbox Game Pass Games In 2026 View Images

In an announcement that is sure to unsettle players but please investors, Electronic Arts has announced a new program to bring in-game ads to its games in ways that EA claims won't "disrupt" the player experience.

EA Advertising, as it's called, is a new platform that EA says advertisers can use to reach EA's network of 120 million monthly players. That's indeed a massive scale, and some people in the video game industry have been surprised that this kind of program hasn't happened sooner given how much money there is to potentially be made. Recently, Xbox's chief strategy officer Matthew Ball talked about advertising in gaming, while a former BioWare boss said product placement could help improve the viability and sustainability of gaming. Not everyone agrees, of course, as there has been significant player pushback to the idea of in-game ads, and one top executive, Strauss Zelnick of Take-Two, has said in-game ads for full-price games are not fair to the consumer.

For EA Advertising, it's coming at a time when EA is trying to sell itself to an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia for $55 billion. This is a leveraged buyout--the biggest LBO in history--and it comes with significant debt. Given that, people are expecting major cuts at EA and new revenue streams, like EA Advertising, to help service the debt.

An example of an ad already in EA's FC series.

EA, of course, has tried in-game advertising before (as have other companies). When pause-screen ads came to EA Sports UFC 4, players revolted, and EA cut the program swiftly. Years earlier, EA announced in-game ads for Battlefield 2142, Need for Speed Carbon, Madden 08, Skate, and others--EA has been on a mission to bring more in-game ads to games for decades.

EA Advertising is the company's latest attempt at the market, but it's also not exactly new, as plenty of EA games already feature in-game ads. EA Advertising is the new banner under which this program will operate and potentially expand.

EA said brands will be able to "integrate directly into gameplay through dynamic, real-time placements, from stadium signage to custom in-game content, designed to enhance, not disrupt, the player experience."

EA went on: "In these interactive gameplay environments, brands become part of the game itself, reflecting how players engage with advertising in real-world contexts. Brands can activate across live environments, tailoring placements to meet campaign objectives, and update campaigns with ongoing optimization informed by aggregated engagement insights."

EA is selling multiple types of ads as part of EA Advertising. This includes brands creating "custom integrations designed for specific games and audiences" through things like in-game challenges, "interactive moments," and vanity items. For EA's sports games, EA said it will sell native ad units for things like digital ad boards, scoreboards, and brand broadcast overlays, not unlike the kind of advertising people see when they watch a sports game on TV.

What's more, EA said it is offering advertisers "advanced targeting" for their ads by way of a new proprietary ad server and SDK. Finally, EA said it's launching an EA Sports Partner Program within EA Advertising for a "select group of official partners" to team up for live events like the Madden Bowl, the annual Madden ratings reveals, and "social play experiences."

Some of the first partners for EA Advertising are Visa, Lowe's Red Bull, Xfinity, Peacock, and Mountain Dew, which are already running ads in EA's catalog of sports games.

Experts tend to agree that the AAA video game business is unhealthy and unsustainable, due in part to rising development costs and prices for new releases generally staying the same. Ball and others have said advertising could be a way to help companies make more money to avoid raising prices. However, there is no reason to believe companies like EA and others would not launching in-game ads while also raising prices to $80 or more, along with a further acceleration of things like DLC, battle passes, and microtransactions.

Dead by Daylight is officially 10 years old, and as well as announcing a ton of upcoming content, Behaviour Interactive is offering a massive 10 million free Bloodpoints for every player to redeem.

The huge giveaway was announced just before the developer's 10-year anniversary stream, surprising players who had predicted that the studio would not be overly generous with anniversary freebies.

https://twitter.com/DeadbyDaylight/status/2066174177900462318

Bloodpoints are one of DBD's various in-game currencies, used to level up characters through the Bloodweb. With the number of Survivors and Killers that have been added since the game first launched--and even more coming soon--the hefty injection of Bloodpoints will be a welcome gift. Players have calculated that the freebie should be enough to add around six Prestige Levels in a character's Bloodweb.

Behaviour has revealed a massive amount of incoming content in its 10th anniversary stream, including new licensed characters, new original characters, visual reworks, a new map, and plenty more. The studio is investing in the 10 year old game for the long haul, warning players not to hold out for a sequel.

Players have until July 16 to redeem their free Bloodpoints using the code DBD10BIRTHDAY. Dead By Daylight is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.