The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has finally been dethroned at the box office after finishing every weekend No. 1 since its release on April 1.

The hugely popular animated movie that has earned more than $830 million globally so far was finally beaten in the US this past weekend by the Michael Jackson biopic Michael. Jaafar Jackson, the nephew of Michael Jackson, plays the lead in the movie.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made another $21.2 million in the US for the April 24-26 weekend, its fourth in theaters. Michael, meanwhile, banked $97 million in the US for its opening weekend to land at No. 1, according to data from Hollywood news site Deadline.

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A former Naughty Dog developer who worked on the first The Last of Us and its sequel has discussed the controversial decision to kill off a major character in The Last of Us: Part II.

Major spoilers for The Last of Us: Part II and the franchise in general follow below.

Heather Cerlan, an environment and texture artist for both The Last of Us games, said on Kiwi Talkz that the studio was "pretty split" on the decision to kill off Joel. "It was controversially internally, too," she said, as reported by GamesRadar.

Joel's death leaked before The Last of Us: Part II was released, creating much hullabaloo online, as fans passionately weighed in on the shocking death of one of the franchise's core characters.

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The last couple of years have seen several new genres emerge, and this week, developers from across the world are looking to cement "Fake OS" games as the next big thing. These are the games that simulate operating systems, desktops, and mobile phones, using that digital canvas to tell engaging stories designed to thrill and mystify the user on the other end of the screen.

To get recognition for Fake OS games as a genre, more than 150 developers have teamed up to shine a spotlight on their games with a coordinated community push on Steam. All of these games will have the Fake OS tag during a week-long sale starting April 27 and running through May 4. A live showcase highlighting these games will be held on May 2 in the form of InterfaceX, and hosted by GameSpot's very own Lucy James and Kurt Indovina--they've always got you covered.

Fake OS Steam Sale

As for the sale that has just begun, nearly 100 games have been discounted. While this isn't an official Steam sale like Valve's other themed events, the core idea is a community-first approach designed to encourage players to tag these games on Steam and help define the genre from the ground up. There's precedent for this push as well, as back in 2024, Dwarf Fortress and Deep Rock Galactic developers managed to get Valve to greenlight a Dwarf Steam tag. To see how you can help, you can use the event's custom-built web app to help guide you through the tagging process.

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The PowerWash Simulator series is getting its biggest crossover yet, as developer FuturLab has announced a partnership with Lucasfilm for an upcoming Star Wars DLC pack for PowerWash Simulator 2.

The Star Wars Pack is coming this summer and allows players to clean a variety of Star Wars ships, including X-Wings. The DLC is set during the events of the original Star Wars trilogy, and lets players take on the role of the P0-W2 droid.

Wielding a power washer made specifically for the DLC, players will travel to six locations from the Star Wars universe to clean things off, including Hoth and Tatooine. The rest of the locations will be announced later.

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Actor Patrick Gibson plays James Bond in the upcoming video game 007: First Light, and he should be considered to play the part in the upcoming movie, according to First Light actor Lennie James.

"He's fantastic in our version of Bond, and I genuinely think he should be a candidate for the main role that they're trying to find someone for," James told Radio Times Gaming, as discovered and reported by GamesRadar. "I'm sure he's under consideration. The people in control would be mad not to consider him."

Gibson is known for his roles on The OA and Shadow and Bone, but he rose to a new level of fame and popularity with his starring role as a young Dexter Morgan on Dexter: Origin Sin.

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Ever since 2015's Until Dawn, I've been a big fan of Supermassive Games. From wincing as Rami Malek meets a grizzly end at the hands of a buzzsaw in Until Dawn, to fleeing an undead monstrosity in Man of Medan years later, the Guildford-based team has always excelled in delivering thrilling, cinematic scares that I enjoy. It's why I came into my preview session with high hopes for the studio's fifth outing, Directive 8020. Yet after finally going hands-on with Supermassive's first foray into sci-fi, my bizarrely brief demo left me feeling more underwhelmed than terrified.

Part of Supermassive's ongoing anthology series, The Dark Pictures, Directive 8020 sees the studio swapping teen slasher tales for eerie interstellar intrigue. A spaceship named the Cassiopeia is sent to survey a mysterious planet, Tau Ceti, as part of a routine resettlement mission, but a mysterious disaster occurs mid-orbit, causing the ship to violently crash on the planet's surface. Stranded and with no way to contact Earth, things only get worse as the crew quickly discovers they are not alone. As they encounter unsettling alien lifeforms that can mimic the appearance of their prey, the researchers find themselves stranded, not knowing who to trust.

This is essentially Supermassive's homage to Alien and The Thing, with a sprinkle of Event Horizon for good measure. Loading into the game a couple of hours in--with details of the crash and their first encounter still kept tightly under wraps--I join the crew of the Cassiopeia after the mysterious crash has awoken them from hypersleep, but seemingly before true Kurt Russell-worthy paranoia has hit.

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One of the upcoming Assassin's Creed game, Assassin's Creed codename Hexe, will continue development without its game director. Benoit Richer announced that he left Ubisoft Montreal after nine years to co-found his own company. Richer is just the latest big name to leave Hexe, following creative director Clint Hocking's exit earlier this year.

Writing on LinkedIn, Richer said, "This is the beginning of a new chapter." He will become game director at Servo Games, an independent studio in Quebec that is focusing on single-player "atmospheric experiences with top-tier visuals, industry-defining character animation, and meticulously refined controls." The studio is building games using Unreal Engine 5 and targeting current-generation consoles and PC.

Richer founded Servo Games alongside Alex Drouin, who started at Ubisoft Montreal when it opened its doors in 1997. He led the animation teams for Price of Persia: The Sands of Time and Assassin's Creed, and would later leave to start THQ's Montreal studio (which Ubisoft eventually acquired). The other co-founders at Servo include other former Ubisoft veterans Luc Tremblay and Dany Marcoux.

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Epic Games has confirmed that refunds will be available for cosmetics related to D4vd, the singer-songwriter connected to Fortnite who is accused of killing 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez. However, the cosmetics are not being removed entirely as many asked for.

On social media, the Fortnite Status account said, "We hear the concerns," adding that an update coming April 28 will allow people who bought a D4vd cosmetic to get an immediate self-service refund. You don't have to wait, though, as players who request refunds now can get one, it's just that the immediate self-service refunds won't be available until April 28.

Many online commenters are saying this doesn't go far enough and that Epic should remove the D4vd cosmetics entirely. This isn't the first serious issue with Fortnite cosmetics. Before this, Epic disabled and then modified a Peacemaker emote after fans pointed out the connections to Nazi imagery. Prior to that, Epic faced legal battles over its dance emotes.

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Michael Amazon-exclusive steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$35 | Release date TBC

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Michael Walmart-exclusive steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$35 | Release date TBC

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Michael Jackson was a musical force during the '80s and '90s, and it was only a matter of time before a big-budget autobiographical movie about the King of Pop was made. That film, Michael, has just hit theaters, and preorders for are already live for the upcoming Blu-ray, including unique steelbook edition 4K Blu-rays exclusively at Amazon and Walmart. An exact release date hasn't been revealed for Michael's home media release, but the exclusive 4K steelbook editions are priced at $35 and available to preorder now.

Michael Amazon-exclusive steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$35 | Release date TBC

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Amazon's exclusive steelbook edition features a stylized image of Michael Jackson (played by his real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson) in one of his iconic touring outfits. The slipcase cover can be removed to reveal more of the illustration's details. The rear cover shows images of Jackson throughout his musical phases, from Billie Jean to Thriller. Tech specs have yet to be confirmed, but the 4K release will likely offer Dolby Vision, HDR10, and Dolby Atmos support.

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Falling Down Limited Edition (4K Blu-ray)

$50 | Releases July 21

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Falling Down Limited Edition (Standard Blu-ray)

$40 | Releases July 21

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Everyone has had a bad day, but Michael Douglas had a rough time in 1993's Falling Down. The urban thriller is getting a new 4K release from Arrow Video. This limited-edition release follows the company's usual playbook: remastering the original movie in UHD, adding new interviews, and including several physical extras. You can preorder it now for $50 ahead of its July 21 release. A standard Blu-ray version will be released the same day, priced at $40.

Falling Down Limited Edition (4K Blu-ray) $50 | Releases July 21

Arrow Video's version of Falling Down offers a new 4K restoration approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, with Dolby Vision and HDR10 support. The film's soundtrack is a mix of newly restored lossless stereo 2.0 and DTS-HD MA 4.0 surround sound, and the movie comes with a collector's booklet featuring new essays by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Simon Ward.

Preorder at Amazon Falling Down Limited Edition (Standard Blu-ray) $40 | Releases July 21

The standard Blu-ray edition of Falling Down uses a scaled-down version of the 4K restoration and includes the same bonus materials and physical extras.

Preorder at Amazon Falling Down Limited Edition special features

For the new bonus materials, screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith and composer James Newton Howard sat down with Arrow Video to talk about the cult-classic movie, and there's also a short featurette that revisits the real-life Los Angeles sites used in Falling Down. Rounding out the selection is an archival commentary track with director Joel Schumacher, Douglas, and several more people, the film's original trailer, and an image gallery.

• Collectors' booklet with new essays by film critics Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Simon Ward
• New 4K restoration approved by cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak
• Man on the Edge; A new interview with screenwriter Ebbe Roe Smith
• At War with the World: A new interview with composer James Newton Howard
• Going Home: Revisiting the real-life LA shooting locations of Falling Down
• Archival audio commentary with cast and crew
• Deconstructing D-Fens: Legacy interview with Michael Douglas
• Original trailer
• Image gallery

Falling Down follows unemployed defense engineer William "D-Fens" Foster (Douglas) after he abandons his vehicle one evening in the middle of a Los Angeles traffic jam during a sweltering summer day. Determined to get to the home of his estranged wife so that he can celebrate his daughter's birthday, D-Fens finds his route blocked by a series of obstacles until his frustrations boil over into a trail of violence. Meanwhile, Martin Prendergast (Robert Duvall), a veteran cop up for retirement, finds himself tracking down D-Fens to stop his brutal crime spree. It's considered one of the most polarizing movies of the 1990s, earning mixed reviews; on one hand, critics and audiences praised Douglas and Duval's performances, while others criticized its violence and racial undertones, while others have praised it as a notable work examining the mental effects of economic hardship and poor work-life balance.

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The name of Final Fantasy XIV's next expansion has officially been revealed. Announced during the Final Fantasy XIV North American Fan Festival's opening showcase, the next chapter in the game's Godless Realms Saga is titled Evercold, and will follow the player's Warrior of Light as they attempt to stop the Fourth Reflection from freezing over. However, according to game director Naoki Yoshida, the upcoming expansion was very nearly named something else.

In a press conference held by Yoshida following the showcase, the director explained that Evercold's original name was actually rejected by Square Enix--and it's not the first time that's happened, either.

"Before we settled on [Evercold], there was another name candidate that we had. But I mean, that's happened in the past as well," Yoshida explained. "For example, when we were trying to come up with a name for what became Stormblood, one of the names that came was Rebellion. Unfortunately that was rejected for various reasons, including legal reasons, so we couldn't choose that one. For Shadowbringers, we thought Darkbringers, but that was rejected as well. For Endwalker, the candidate was World's End, but that was not possible either."

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Final Fantasy XIV's North American Fan Festival is currently underway in Anaheim, California, and with it has come some huge announcements about the MMORPG's future. During the festival's two-hour-long opening showcase, game director Naoki Yoshida (referred to as Yoshi-P by the community) announced that XIV's next expansion, Evercold, is slated to release in January 2027, and brings with it two new classes and several major changes. But while Yoshida delivered a lot of exciting news on stage, the director had plenty to say about the game off stage, too.

Following the showcase, Yoshida met with members of the press to discuss both Evercold (which almost had a very different name, by the way) and Final Fantasy XIV as a whole. During this session, a reporter asked the director if he had ever considered creating a single-player Final Fantasy XIV--one more in line with the majority of the series' numbered titles. With zero hesitation, Yoshida replied, "Yes."

"There are still a lot of people out there who look at an online Final Fantasy and they say, 'Well, an online Final Fantasy isn't a real Final Fantasy," Yoshida explained. He mentioned that, despite working on XIV for well over a decade now, even bringing just one more person to the world of Final Fantasy XIV remains an important mission to him. Naturally, this includes those who feel that XIV "isn't a real Final Fantasy," and would potentially jump in if it was a single-player experience.

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Ratatan Standard Edition

$40 | Releases July 16

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Ratatan--a rhythmic roguelike action game from the creator of popular rhythm game series Patapon--is launching for PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on July 16. Console players eager to pick up the upcoming game can preorder it on all platforms, including a $40 physical release available on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 that comes with a special preorder bonus item. A Digital Deluxe Edition with even more exclsuive content will also be available on all platforms, though preorders aren't live just yet. That said, PC players who don't want to wait for the final release can grab the Early Access version on Steam right now for just $25.

Ratatan Preorder Bonuses

Preordering the physical version of Ratatan will unlock the Legendary Spirit Sword Banbansord in-game weapon. This extra item is included with the PS5 and Switch 2 physical editions. Developer Ratata Arts has also confirmed it will be a bonus for the upcoming Digital Deluxe Edition, though preorders for that version aren't live. It does not appear to be part of the Steam Early access release. We'll update this section if other preorder bonus information is announced.

Ratatan Standard Edition $40 | Releases July 16

The standard physical edition of Ratatan includes the full base game on Switch or PS5. The Switch 2 version appears to be a normal game cartridge, not a Game Key-Card like other third-party Switch 2 releases, meaning you're getting all the game data on the cart so you can play right out of the box with no downloads or internet connection required. Preordering this version also gets you the Legendary Spirit Sword Banbansword in-game item. You can secure your physical Switch 2 or PS5 copy for $40 at Best Buy. A $35 digital standard edition will also be available on all platforms, though digital preorders are not yet available. We'll be sure to update once listings go live at other retailers.

Preorder at Best Buy Ratatan Digital Deluxe Edition$40 | Releases July 16

Along with the standard edition, Ratatan is also getting a $40 Digital Deluxe Edition. Preorders aren't live yet, but you can expect listings to show up on PS5, Switch 2, and PC ahead of its July 16 release date. This version is $5 more than the digital standard edition and the same price as the physical standard edition, but packs in a few extra in-game items. Here's what you get in the Ratatan Digital Deluxe Edition:

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Splatoon Raiders (Physical Edition)

$60 | Releases July 23

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Splatoon Raiders (Digital Code)

$50 | Releases July 23

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It's been nearly four years since Nintendo launched Splatoon 3, but fans of the series finally have a new game to look forward to--Splatoon Raiders is confirmed for a July 23 release. The Switch 2 exclusive is quite different from its predecessors, as it's a single-player focused experience that sees you battling hordes of Salmonids as you search the mysterious Spirhalite Islands for treasure. A few friends can tag along for a cooperative experience, but no doubt it's shaping up to be a truly different kind of Splatoon. It'll launch exclusively for Switch 2, and preorders are now open ahead of its arrival. It's available in a $60 physical edition and $50 digital version. There's also some cool Amiibo arriving alongside the game--like most Amiibo, we're expecting this to be popular, so check them out while you can.

Splatoon Raiders (Physical Edition) $60 | Releases July 23

As mentioned above, Splatoon Raiders is launching with a $60 physical Edition on Switch 2. While there are no preorder bonuses or special editions, the physical version appears to include the full game data on the cartridge--which is also true of most other first-party Nintendo Switch 2 physical releases.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop Splatoon Raiders (Digital Code) $50 | Releases July 23

If you want to save a few bucks, the digital version of Splatoon Raiders is just $50. Of course, the tradeoff here is you won't have a physical copy of the game, but otherwise, the digital version is identical to the physical. Digital preorders are available at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, and the Nintendo eShop.

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Along with the game itself, Nintendo also unveiled a trio of Splatoon Raiders Amiibo figures based on characters from this new entry in the Splatoon series. The three figures include Frye, Shiver, and Big Man, all of whom are part of the in-game musical group Deep Cut, which the player will join up with during Splatoon: Raiders' single-player campaign. Nintendo has yet to reveal what sort of content these Amiibo will unlock when scanned into Splatoon Raiders. We'd expect them to get you some sort of consumable items or useful in-game gear, but nothing official has been announced. Expect to learn more in the coming weeks. Until then, the Splatoon: Raiders Amiibo line launches the same day as the game, July 23. Preorders are available for $25 apiece at Best Buy. Keep in mind that most of the existing Splatoon Amiibo are sold out (or listed with inflated prices), so we're expecting the same to happen for these upcoming releases.

Splatoon Raiders: Frye Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

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Splatoon Raiders: Shiver Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

Preorder at Best Buy

Splatoon Raiders: Big Man Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

Preorder at Best Buy

If you haven't yet played Splatoon 3, it's currently on sale for just $47 (was $60) at Amazon and Walmart. Our review gave it a 7/10, noting its fun single-player campaign and fun online multiplayer modes, though some online connectivity issues and lack of enemy variety held it back from greatness. Still, it's a fun family-friendly romp, and it's certainly worth checking out now that it's priced under $50.

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Although Final Fantasy XIV's time on the PlayStation 4 might soon be coming to an end, the critically acclaimed MMO RPG will soon show up on a new console: the Nintendo Switch 2. But while the prospect of grinding through raids and dungeons from the comfort of your own bed is certainly enticing, it turns out that this port comes with a strange caveat.

Shortly after Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu announced Final Fantasy XIV would be coming to Switch 2 during the game's North American Fan Festival, Kiryu launched into an explanation of how subscriptions will work on the console. Whereas PC, Xbox, and PlayStation will all work with a standard Final Fantasy XIV subscription, the Nintendo Switch 2 requires players have a distinct subscription for just that console. Thankfully, players will not need a Switch Online subscription to play--though Kiryu did add that Final Fantasy XIV subscribers can get one for 50% less. Additionally, those with an active PC, Xbox, and PlayStation subscription will get 50% off a Switch 2 subscription.

"After discussions with Nintendo, it was decided that the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV would require a separate subscription," Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida added. "This was decided after many months of discussions with Nintendo and we understand this is different to how we've done things before."

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Like all of your favorite pieces of technology, the next-generation Xbox console is feeling the impact of memory shortages, according to newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma.

Sharma's statement on the impacts of the memory shortage crisis comes from an interview with Game File, in which she was asked about the release timeline for the next-generation Xbox and how the memory shortage impacted the transition beyond Xbox Series X|S.

"All of these things are an equation. Memory costs will impact pricing, will impact availability. As we think about being where the world plays, we will take that into consideration. So we're not ready to share a launch timeline right now. The world's pretty dynamic. My number one focus, though, is to focus on what's in our control, build a great console to play great games, including your PC games."

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Despite its age, Valve's Steam Deck is still one of the best ways to play PC games away from your desk, with developers continuing to tweak their games specifically for the portable device. That involves some clever optimization, from launch and through post-release support, with Valve introducing new tools to ensure Verified games specifically retain this certification.

Detailed in a blog post, Valve has launched two new tools that developers can leverage to better gauge the current performance of a game on Steam Deck. The first collects frame rate data from all players that opted to allow data collection, showing a rolling 30-day average that can help identify if a recent patch or Proton update has negatively affected performance. This tool is only available to games that are already certified as Verified, but will open soon to those with the lower "Playable" certification, where is likely to be more useful to help clean up overall performance.

The second will give users who play more than 10 minutes of a game during a single session the ability to send feedback to a developer and Valve directly regarding a game's Verified certification. Users can dispute whether a game should be listed under that category, and leave critical feedback regarding issues that should necessitate a re-evaluation. This includes various factors, such as in-game text legibility, performance, stability, and more.

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Final Fantasy XIV is joining forces with Evangelion to launch a 24-person raid series, Ghosts of Desire. Director Naoki Yoshida revealed the upcoming collaboration at the annual Final Fantasy XIV North American Fan Festival, as well as with several other game-changing announcements.

According to Yoshida, a self-reported “huge Evangelion-otaku,” Evangelion studio Khara Inc. will be heavily involved in the raid’s creation. While the studio shared a brief teaser trailer for the upcoming raid, full details and a release date remain under lock.

As part of Final Fantasy Fan Fest today, Square Enix's Naoki Yoshida reminded fans that the end is nigh for the PlayStation 4 version of the long-running online game Final Fantasy XIV, with Yoshida joking that people should start saving now for a PS5.

"While Sony has allowed us to 'limit break' certain requirements, we're quickly approaching the physical limit," Yoshida said on stage. "You have two years to save up for a PS5."

The PS5 just went up in price, rising all the way to $900 for a PS5 Pro for those who want the highest-end experience possible. The cheapest PS5 you can buy now is the $600 digital edition, and that's $200 more than what the system cost when it launched. Sony attributed the price hikes to the "global economic landscape."

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Baldur's Gate 3 released nearly three years ago, but the fandom continues to be rabid for new stories featuring their favorite characters. As it turns out, they'll be getting exactly what they want very soon, as a new publishing program from Penguin Random House is bringing a number of Baldur's Gate 3 books to shelves this year and beyond.

By far the biggest of these is Baldur's Gate 3: Astarion, a prequel novel planned for release on September 29. The novel is written by T. Kingfisher (Hemlock & Silver, Swordheart), who worked in collaboration with game writer Stephen Rooney to ensure "authenticity within the game's world and lore," according to the official announcement. The story will see Astarion serving under Cazador Szarr prior to the events of Baldur's Gate 3, and if you've played the game, then you likely remember that name well. And you certainly remember Neil Newbon--Astarion's actor--who will narrate the audiobook version.

Prior to the launch of the Astarion book, we'll also get some other, very different books. Baldur's Gate 3: The Necromancy of Thay is a real-life version of the book from the game, and The Official Baldur's Gate 3 Coloring Book includes 40 images of different characters and settings from the game. The former arrives July 21, with the latter releasing on August 11.

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