Depending on the day, if you asked me what my favorite game of all time is, I would tell you it's The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past. One of the greatest Zelda games and arguably the one that best nailed the classic formula, it holds a special place in my heart. Parts of it feel timeless, and I think for me, they always will. But if I'm honest, other parts are certainly products of their time and have not aged as gracefully. Combat in those early Zelda games was a means to an end, not the focus. So it's satisfying to find a game like Alabaster Dawn, which spiritually carries the inventive fantasy spirit and colorful characters and puzzle aspects that I love so much about Zelda--but also makes combat feel really, really good.

This isn't the first time that developer Radical Fish Games has impressed. Its 2018 release CrossCode was similarly a retro-styled action-RPG, and it has enjoyed a reputation as a standout indie game. Alabaster Dawn is an iterative step, but it feels like it takes lessons learned from that earlier experience to craft something that still feels fresh in 2026. This is a developer confidently hitting its stride in its sophomore effort, and even in early access, it looks and feels great.

With CrossCode, Radical Fish showed a knack for creating fantasy worlds that feel fully fleshed out and lived in, with lots of little details and sharp writing that lets you learn about the setting naturally, without overexplaining it. But where CrossCode was a sci-fi story set in the distant future, Alabaster Dawn is high fantasy, introducing its own spin on the genre's tropes.

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Star Fox fans had their hopes briefly raised today when Nintendo revealed a surprise Star Fox Direct, only to discover that the new game for the Switch 2 is doomed to be yet another remake of Star Fox 64. What's more, the uncomfortably realistic character redesigns have not gone down well with Star Fox's fanbase--but at least the meme game is on point.

The news of yet another Star Fox 64 remake has been met with some incredulity among fans, considering Star Fox will be the third remake Nintendo has made for Star Fox 64--which itself is a reboot of the original Star Fox. With only 10 total games in the franchise, half of them are now essentially the same game.

Recent leaks out of Nintendo had claimed a new Star Fox game was in development, giving fans hope that a sequel was on its way to refresh the long-neglected franchise. It's possible that a new game is still yet to be announced by Nintendo, but fans are starting to feel that the series will forever be haunted by the singularity of Star Fox 64.

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Take-Two is a powerhouse publisher behind a number of successful franchises like GTA, NBA 2K, Civilization, Borderlands, and BioShock, but not everything that Take-Two touches turns to gold.

In an interview with Game File, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company is unlikely to get back into MLB-licensed baseball video games because it's "too small a market" and Take-Two wants to place bets on games that are more likely to make money.

"We had a tough history with MLB," Zelnick said. "It's no secret there [that] we lost a great deal of money with them. And I don't like losing money."

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New entries in the BioShock series used to arrive at a fairly consistent rate ever since the first game was released in 2007, but ever since work on BioShock Infinite and its expansions wrapped up, the franchise appears to be in limbo. That's not for a lack of trying, as back in 2019, 2K Games established Cloud Chamber to lead the charge on new BioShock games. Since then, nothing has been seen of the project, while layoffs at Cloud Chamber saw the departure of studio head Kelley Gilmore and former Diablo boss Rod Fergusson taking over.

In an interview with Game File, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick spoke about being "deeply disappointed" about how Take-Two Interactive hadn't made a new BioShock game in over a decade, but he expressed hope for the future of the franchise.

"I think finding the right creative purchase was hard, as it turns out," Zelnick added when quizzed about current attempts to revive BioShock. "I think we, in retrospect, wasted a lot of time and money chasing down some creative alleys that turned out to be dead ends."

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Star Fox (Physical Edition)

$60 | Releases June 25

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Walmart Preorder at GameStop

Star Fox (Digital Edition)

$50 | Releases June 25

Preorder at Amazon

After nearly a decade, Nintendo's Star Fox series is making a big comeback next month on Switch 2. Preorders are now live for Star Fox--a remake of the classic N64 game Star Fox 64--and it'll be available either as a $60 physical edition or a $50 digital version. It looks like Walmart will have the best deal, as it's price-matching the physical edition with the $50 digital version, saving you $10 in the process.

Star Fox (Physical Edition) $60 | Releases June 25

A space combat game featuring Fox McCloud--who made a memorable cameo in the recent Super Mario Galaxy Movie--and his allies Falco, Slippy, and Peppy, Star Fox sees players leap into an Arwing fighter jet and defend the Lylat system from invading forces. Nintendo has described the remake as a modernized adventure that features a complete visual overhaul, and the game is also enhanced with all-new cinematic cutscenes, new and returning game modes, additional Switch 2-specific features, and more.

Like most Nintendo first-party releases, the complete Star Fox game will be included on the game cart.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Walmart Star Fox (Digital Edition) $50 | Releases June 25

If you're looking to save a few bucks and you don't mind ditching the physical cartridge format, you can grab a download code for Star Fox priced at $50.

Preorder at Amazon

This isn't the first time that Star Fox 64 has been remade, as Star Fox Zero reimagined the classic game for the Wii U console back in 2016. Like the N64 original, the new remake is a rail shooter game where you'll get to pilot the Arwing jet, unleash laser fire, and do a good ol' barrel roll to evade danger. The new Switch 2 features include added mouse controls, and a second player can hop into the Arwing gunner seat while you focus on flying.

One of the other additions to the game is a Battle Mode for head-to-head action against other players who take control of Star Wolf, challenge modes for an extra layer of replayability, and support for GameShare. Star Fox is one of several Nintendo first-party games on the way, as Yoshi and the Mysterious Book arrives on May 21 and Splatoon Raiders will be released on July 23.

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The Blood of Dawnwalker Day One Edition

$70 | Releases September 3

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy

The Blood of Dawnwalker Collector's Edition

$200 | Releases September 3

Preorder at Bandai Namco Store

A new game from former Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 developers, The Blood of Dawnwalker, launches soon for PC and console. Set in a dark fantasy world where vampires are real and plotting against humanity from the shadows, fans of swords and sorcery can pick up a stylish Day One edition of the game for $70 or a $200 Collector's Edition. Here's a closer look at what you'll find in each version.

The Blood of Dawnwalker preorder bonuses

Locking in your preorder for any edition of The Blood of the Dawnwalker will unlock the Sangoran Wayfarer's Armor set, protective gear adorned with an emblem of a nameless smith who traveled across the continent in pursuit of inspiration. This gear can also be acquired later in the game, but preorders will grant it to a player immediately, giving them an early boost when they start playing The Blood of the Dawnwalker.

The Blood of Dawnwalker Day One Edition

$70 | Releases September 3

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Later this month, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is going to mash-up aspects of the iconic hero's comic book, TV, and movie incarnations into a single story. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is also heavily referenced in the game, including a callback to the first film by Michael Caine, the actor who portrayed Alfred Pennyworth.

In 2024, Caine shared a Tweet that quoted Alfred's line from Batman Begins: "Why do we fall, sir? So we can learn to pick ourselves up." However, Caine mistakenly typed "Batman Begin" as the name of his film, and inadvertently created a meme. Both the quote and the typo have been retained for Legacy of the Dark Knight in a line spoken by Alfred himself.

DC comic book artist Marcelo Millicay was among the first to notice the in-game Easter egg for Caine's now-famous typo. Part of the game's story will actually explore Batman Begins' version of Bruce Wayne's origin, in which he was trained by the League of Shadows before ultimately rejecting their ways and becoming Batman.

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Pokemon Go's next week-long event, the Spring Marathon, doesn't kick off until May 12, but there's a new Timed Research quest to complete in the meantime. The Choose Your Path Timed Research is currently available until May 11, and it offers some enticing rewards, including a special bonus that will remain active for the remainder of the week.

However, the bonus you'll unlock will depend on which of the "paths" you choose when you begin the research. To help you decide, here's the full list of tasks and rewards for Pokemon Go's Choose Your Path Timed Research. And for a look at what else is happening in the game this month, be sure to check out our May 2026 events roundup.

Table of Contents [hide]

• Choose Your Path Timed Research

Choose Your Path Timed Research

Ends May 11 at 8 PM local time

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Stranger than Heaven has been garnering plenty of interest since its debut at 2024's The Game Awards as Project Century. While other short teaser trailers have been shown since, today we got our first look at the broader game in the Xbox Presents: A Special Look at Stranger than Heaven presentation. We now have a more concrete look at what Stranger than Heaven is, how it plays, what sort of story it tells, and how it potentially leads into the greater Yakuza/Like A Dragon series.

That last bit's not really a spoiler, either, considering that Yakuza's Tojo Clan is mentioned in the very first scene we saw.

Stranger than Heaven follows the life of Makoto Daito (voiced and modeled after actor Yu Shirota), a youth born to an American father and a Japanese mother. When his father passes away, he finds himself an outcast in early-1915 America. Makoto stows away aboard a vessel in a San Francisco harbor bound for Japan, where he believes he may be able to be accepted--beginning a saga that spans 50 years and five distinct periods in Japan's history.

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As part of a surprise Direct presentation aired on May 6, Nintendo officially confirmed a Star Fox game for Switch 2. Appropriately enough, it's called … Star Fox, and if you feel like you've played it before, you're not entirely wrong.

The Nintendo Switch 2 Star Fox is based on Star Fox 64, as was the Wii U's Star Fox Zero. The visuals have been completely overhauled, and the classic team of Fox, Slippy, Falco, and Peppy all make a return. The stage layouts are just as you remember from Star Fox 64, and though the dialogue between characters is a little different than the original version, it should be recognizable to longtime players.

While the Nintendo 64 version had very limited cinematics, there will be many additional cutscenes in this new version, including new mission briefings. During combat, you'll be right at home with the Arwing, which is capable of firing lasers and charged shots, as well as performing somersaults and the classic barrel roll. If you want a more PC-like experience, you can use the mouse controls on the Switch 2, and you can also hand a second player a Joy-Con 2 controller to act as the gunner while you fly the Arwing. Oh, and if you want a really classic experience, the game even supports the Nintendo 64 controller.

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Sunset Visitor's upcoming game Prove You're Human bears an ominous title. Its debut trailer is just as provocative as its name lets on, and introduces us to Mesa, a seemingly rogue AI who has dreamt of her body and needs irrefutable proof that she is not human. The upcoming title from the developer behind 2024's critically acclaimed sci-fi narrative 1000xResist purports to address a growing anxiety around the notion of human performance and things that try to pass for us.

Elsewhere, a late-night worker at a gas station must check IDs and reference a database filled with the specific characteristics that make each customer who walks through its doors an individual. A person. As the only clerk on the midnight shift, they are tasked with distinguishing friend from foe, person from nonperson. And when the time comes to defend themself, they are encouraged to blast anything that would harm them or impersonate any real human. At least, that's the way of the world in the upcoming game Shift at Midnight, which has become a viral hit before it's even released thanks to a spate of demos and glowing coverage from popular gaming personalities, like Iron Lung director Mark "Markiplier" Fishbach.

Shift at Midnight features creepy skinwalkers that stalk the gas station.

I don't think Prove You're Human will suddenly become a guns-blazing first-person shooter, nor will Shift at Midnight begin waxing philosophically. Yet despite taking different tacts and centering distinct forms of mimicry, these titles are in conversation and represent the future, both near and far, of a trend I've noticed: the sounding of an alarm.

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Borderlands 4 on Switch 2 has been delayed indefinitely after developer Gearbox announced that it had paused development on the game. But a pause is all it is, claims Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick. Fans fearing that the Switch 2 edition has been canceled can seemingly breathe a sigh of relief.

Zelnick told Game File that the decision to pause development on the Switch 2 came down to Gearbox wanting to first address the issues with Borderlands 4 on PC.

"We've been addressing those challenges, and we want to make sure that we've fully addressed Borderlands 4 from a consumer's point of view before we bring it to more platforms," he said.

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A trio of famous TV show moms are coming to Fortnite, Epic Games has announced.

Lois Griffin from Family Guy, Peggy Hill from King of the Hill, and Linda Belcher from Bob's Burgers are all headed to Fortnite on May 8. That's just a couple days before Mother's Day on Sunday, May 10.

"The Moms deserve a little vacation," Epic Games said. Each mother will have their own Fortnite bundle that includes the skin, along with extras like backbling, a pickaxe, and emote.

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GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen is trying to acquire auction site eBay for more than $50 billion, and now the billionaire has listed several GameStop-related items on the platform to help, he says, pay for the buyout.

Cohen is known for trolling and shenanigans, and this is just the latest example. Cohen is seemingly poking fun at the people saying he cannot possibly fund the massively leveraged deal proposal.

"I'm selling stuff on eBay to pay for eBay," Cohen wrote. Later that day, he said his eBay account was permanently suspended. However, his page and all three-dozen listings are still up.

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Diablo 4's Lord of Hatred expansion brings a conclusive end to the storyline started in the base game of Blizzard's live-service ARPG, but already players are wondering what comes next. According to those following Diablo 4's lore, it might not be Diablo himself.

Spoilers for Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred below.

Mephisto's defeat in the expansion brings an end to the Age of Hatred, wrapping up the storyline that started in 2023 with Diablo 4's release. Lilith is gone for the time being, having been defeated in the base game, and her connection to the player-character severed in Lord of Hatred. Mephisto is sent into the Void, from which he can't reform in hell.

That leaves a bit of a power vacuum in Sanctuary, and while many fans would likely love to see the franchise's namesake appear as the next big bad of Diablo 4, the more likely candidate is Baal, the Lord of Destruction.

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There's a reason games from smaller developers have increasingly embraced roguelite mechanics. The repetitive core progression allows lots of gameplay to be wrung out of the same or similar level structures while still giving players the feeling of progression and empowerment. Huntdown: Overtime, coming soon in early access, is the latest to graft roguelite hooks onto a familiar genre. This time, it's a new take on the classic arcade run-and-gun shooter. And similarly to Absolum, the combination works well, even if I am admittedly starting to feel some roguelite fatigue.

Huntdown: Overtime is a sequel to 2020's Huntdown, a stylish dystopian shooter modeled after classic arcade shooters like Contra, ESWAT, or 1988's Robocop. Huntdown used a traditional level-based design, which makes an easy comparison between the two. I may still prefer the original approach for this genre, but the homage to arcades softens its more repetitive nature. Whereas plunking in quarters to play the first stage or two over and over was commonplace in arcades, it doesn't feel all that dissimilar in a roguelite.

Like the original, Overtime takes place in a gang-infested, neon-soaked hellhole of a future. It's a vision of the future where all of the big hair and fashion excesses of the 1980s got even more amped up. As a child of the '80s, this is very effective on me: a kid who thought of "gangs" as groups of ruffians with gaudy themes and baseball bats. Overtime nails this aesthetic not only in its visual style, but also in the way it captures this vision of the future that was actually presented in arcade games in that era. Faceless, pixelated mobs of goons prowl the streets, but this time they're accented by a vast array of animations that make them feel more reactive. At one point I kicked a thug away, only to have their body half-hang limply off a fire escape. That attention to detail is a lot more than I had come to expect from a shooter like this and shows a clear focus on modernization.

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The next big video game movie is Mortal Kombat 2, and it comes out on May 8. But how much money is it expected to bring in? The studio behind the movie, Warner Bros. Discovery, is projecting $35 million from North America, but that's likely a conservative estimate.

Tracking data unaffiliated with Warner Bros. projects Mortal Kombat 2 will bring in $40 million to $45 million during its opening weekend in North America where it's being shown in 3,400 theaters.

Mortal Kombat 2's main competition this weekend is The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is expected to earn between $38 million and $42 million for its second weekend. Exhibition sources told Variety that Mortal Kombat 2 and The Devil Wears Prada 2 could push higher, closer to $50 million each. That could happen for Mortal Kombat 2 if word of mouth is strong and if Mother's Day has the expected impact for The Devil Wears Prada 2, the report said.

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Amid rising industry costs and a declining stock price, Nintendo may face shareholder pressure to increase the price of the Switch 2 console.

A Bloomberg report notes that Nintendo's upcoming financial earnings release--scheduled for May 8--comes at a challenging time. While the company's shares have declined for several months, its first-party game releases, theme park attractions, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie have all performed well. However, the Switch 2 console is being sold at a loss globally.

The Switch 2 is priced at $450 in the US and $318 for the region-locked Japanese version. While sales have been strong overall--despite a lukewarm Christmas period--investors believe Nintendo should reduce losses or achieve profitability per unit. This may prompt Nintendo to follow Microsoft and Sony by raising the Switch 2 price by at least $50. Unlike the original Switch, which launched at a profit, Nintendo has opted to absorb costs on the Switch 2 and focus on profits from games and accessories.

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GTA 6 is marking another milestone, as today, May 6, marks the one-year anniversary of when the game's second trailer was released in 2025. This was the latest sad milestone for GTA 6 this year, as February 4 represented the fourth anniversary of the game's original unveiling in 2022. It's sad because fans were hoping to have seen or learned more about GTA 6 in the past year, but almost nothing came.

Trailer 2 for GTA 6 (re-watch it below) provided the best look yet at Rockstar's hugely anticipated open-world action game, showcasing more of the environments that Jason and Lucia will explore in Vice City. The trailer also revealed that Rockstar and Sony were working together on the game, as DualSense-like controllers and a PS5-looking console were spotted in the trailer, which was captured on PS5.

It was also in May 2025 that Rockstar published a GTA 6 website featuring lots of images and new details about the game.

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Next week, your Xbox Series X|S will be a little different when booting up the Microsoft home console. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has revealed a new intro sequence for the system on X, with the new green Xbox logo featured front and center. The sound effect also seems slightly altered from the original animation that launched in 2020 with the console.

Sharma stated that the new boot-up should arrive May 13 for Xbox Series X|S owners. The green logo replaces the white-on-black animation, and it goes textless when previously "Xbox" was written out on screen. There was a soft hint of green on the original sequence, but this new one doesn't hold back from the color associated with the Xbox brand.

New boot up coming next Wednesday. Sound on! pic.twitter.com/9HHrZHwjpH

— Asha (@asha_shar) May 6, 2026

This comes just a day after Sharma announced that the AI assistant named Copilot won't be coming to Xbox after all. Though, coincidentally, Sharma has just brought on a handful of her former CoreAI colleagues to help lead Xbox going forward.

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