Riftbound, the League of Legends trading card game (TCG) from Riot Games, just saw the release of its fourth expansion Vendetta on July 31, the first set to achieve release parity among all of the game's available languages. We still have one more expansion to come in 2026, with Radiance dropping October 23, but today's State of the Game update detailed even more products players can get their hands on before year's end.

The biannual update also discussed the game's release roadmap for 2027, starting the the sixth set Legacy, launching January 29, which leads into the seventh set Reckoning in April. Sets 8 and 9 details are still under wraps, but the team did tease some details about each expansion's settings and themes.

2027 Release Roadmap Riftbound's 2027 set release dates.

The sixth set Legacy releases January 29, 2027 and is the game's largest set to date with 346 cards. It's also designed heavily around the draft format, which makes sense considering its larger-than-average amount of new cards. Legacy also sees the release of a second iteration of Proving Grounds, a collection of four preconstructed decks designed for new players. Compared to the first set (Origins)'s version of Proving Grounds, which had exclusive cards not found in the main set, Proving Grounds Second Edition features cards that can all be found in Legacy booster packs. Legacy brings 12 new playable Legends in to the fold, like Ashe, Garen, Heimerdinger, Illaoi, Karma, Lux, Tryndamere, and Vladimir.

On April 30, the seventh set, The Reckoning, comes out. Details on the 264-card set are still minimal, but the update article teases massive Champions and creatures are coming. The Reckoning introduces nine new playable Legends, including Aurelion Sol, Cho'Gath, Shyvana, Vayne, and Zilean.

Details for Sets 8 and 9 are virtually nonexistent, but the article confirms that Set 8 focuses on Bandle City, home of the Yordles, while Set 9 teases the importance of the Shadow Isles.

Many TCGs offer a wide variety of different products you can buy, from mainline booster packs to collector's sets, and Riftbound is no different. Radiance is the final mainline set of 2026, but there are still a handful of ancillary products players can buy that are filled with alternate art reprints of existing cards.

Secret Garden

Themed around Riftbound's third set Unleashed and the Legend card Ivern, Green Father, the Secret Garden kit is available only at select events, with last week's GenCon being the first. You can get your hands on this at the upcoming Regional Qualifier tournaments in Barcelone, Singapore, and Los Angeles, as well as at PAX West in Seattle the first weekend of September. You'll be able to get at other unannounced events as well. Here's what's inside of the $70 box:

• 3x Alt Art Cards
  • Alt-Art Ivern, Green Father
  • Alt-Art Lillia, Bashful Bloom
  • Alt-Art Ultrasoft Poro
• 5x Alt-Art Double Sided Tokens
• 2x Sleeves Pack
• 2x Full Art Postcards
• 3x Unleashed Boosters

Riftbound x T1 2025 Worlds Championship Collection

Similar to last year's Worlds Bundle, the T1 Worlds Champion Collection is a five-card alternate art collection of Champion cards you can use in game, each chosen by members of T1, that will cost $360. This also marks the first time Riftbound cards are getting serialized treatment, so demand is sure to be extremely high for the Signature Edition. These will be available to purchase from August 14 to August 17 through a drawing. The included cards and the T1 player who chose them are:

• Doran - Ambessa, The Wolf
• Faker - Galio, Indefatigable
• Gumayusi - Miss Fortune, Buccaneer
• Keria - Seraphine, Not Alone
• Oner - Xin Zhao, Vigilant

If you're after a more widely available product, the T1 Worlds Champion Player Bundle will run you $70 and includes the same five Champion cards with different art, as well as a collection of game accessories.

Gift of the Rift Bundle

This special box is designed to celebrate Riftbound's first year and includes booster packs of the TCG's first five expansions, seasonal accessories, and an alternate art Akali, Rogue Assassin Legend card. Akali is exclusive to the English-language version of the box, while Chinese printings contain an alternate Kennen, Heart of the Tempest Legend card. This comes out on December 4, 2026 and will be sold at mass retailers and at your local game store, but price hasn't been detailed quite yet. You'll receive:

• 16x Booster Packs (3x each of Origins, Spiritforged, Unleashed, and Vendetta, 4x of Radiance)
• 36x Runes - 6 of each Basic Runes with a Foil treatment
• 1x Alt Art Akali Promo 
• 100x sleeves of the Akali promo
• 1x 2000 card storage box 

Riftbound, Riot Games' League of Legends trading card game (TCG), recently celebrated its one-year anniversary on August 1 during GenCon. Since its launch late last year, the game's undergone dozens of changes, errata, rules updates, and even card bans. In its first of three State of the Game updates this week (and second overall this year), Riot broke down some of the biggest changes coming to Riftbound starting in January of 2027 with the release of the game's sixth set, Legacy.

Two State of the Game update articles were released today on Riot's site. One was an in-depth conversation with Riftbound brass Dave Guskin, Chengran Chai, and Nik Davidson, penned by the game's Editor-in-Chief Trick Jarrett, in which they discussed how they felt about the game one year in, and some of the biggest learnings the team has experienced in that time.

Regarding banning cards, Riftbound Game Director Dave Guskin explained that the team doesn't set out to ban cards, but will when absolutely necessary, citing the powerful "Miracle" package from Spiritforged. "I don’t regret making powerful things," he said. "We want you all to have cool stuff to experiment with! But as we learn the nuances of making Riftbound (which is something we are doing right alongside you all, our extremely intelligent players) we’ve learned there’s still room to grow in how we approach designing the six domains and gauging the true power of certain game mechanics."

Last week's release of Riftbound's fourth set, Vendetta, brought along three preemptive bans in an effort for the team to get ahead of the set's release and ensure it has a healthy competitive meta on day one. The team also confirmed that they will continue to monitor powerful strategies and infinite combos going forward.

The other article detailed new products still to come in 2026, and offered a glimpse at the first half of 2027's set releases. What's most interesting from this article is Riot's breakdown of some big changes coming when Legacy launches on January 29. A few of these changes have been desired by the community for months (myself included), and Riot is making it a priority to listen to players and build the game with them. Riftbound will "continue to be reactive to player feedback as it grows," the article read. Guskin went on to explain that the team "will always try to clearly communicate as we improve our process and learn lessons we apply to the game in the future. Building this game together with the community is vitally important to us".

One of the biggest changes coming to the TCG affects booster pack contents. Usually, packs of Riftbound contain 14 cards; seven commons, three uncommons, two rare or higher cards, a foil card of any rarity, and a token or Rune. Legend cards, which are required to build your decks and play the game, have occupied a Rare slot since launch. Riot has said in the past that their goal is to make these cards very easy to come by, and that's been the case, but occupying the Rare slot means players miss out on more, actual rare (read: hard to find) cards. Starting with Legacy, Legend cards will be taking up a common slot, leaving room for the promised two rare or better cards, and bringing the amount of commons in a pack from seven to six.

The next big change has to do with the card templates and text itself, offering a clearer explanation of how cards and how they resolve. Also starting with Legacy, Riftbound will be introducing an arrow icon to signify the effect a triggered ability has.

Next, cards with specific targets will have that word set to a gray background to make sure it's obvious which word on the card is the intended target of a spell or ability.

Finally, one of the biggest changes is all about what the term "play" actually means. Since the game came out, "play" has always referred to making a token appear, placing a card on the chain, finalizing a spell, or resolving an ability. The article explains that these aren't exhaustive enough, so changes are being made to clarify that definition of "play." To start, finalizing a spell or playing a card from your trash pile is unchanged. But moving forward, cards that make tokens will swap "play" out with "create," and cards that say "when you play me" will be changed to "when I enter," meaning their effects are triggered when they resolve in play.

Today's articles kick off the first of three days of Riftbound's State of the Game updates, so expect more news and announcements throughout the week.

The Palworld series is expanding. Garena has announced Palworld Online, a new MMORPG for mobile, which the developer is making under a licensing deal with Palworld developer Pocketpair.

Garena will develop and publish Palworld Online for iOS and Android. The game aims to reimagine the "depth, freedom, and scale" of the main game for mobile. Palworld Online will have new, original story elements, along with MMO features like a "seamless, interconnected open world," Garena said. The game has cooperative and competitive elements, just like the main game does.

A first look at Palworld Online.

Garena president Terry Zhao said the company is "working closely" with Pocketpair on Palworld Online.

As for its mobile-first design philosophies, Garena said the game features a "streamlined, touch-friendly interface" with the option for one-tap controls.

Palworld Online is scheduled for release in 2026, with more details to be announced later. So far, just a single screenshot (above) has been released.

As for the main game, Palworld just recently launched its long-awaited 1.0 edition, and it's helped the game see a big surge in players. The game had more than 500,000 peak concurrent users on Steam alone this past weekend.

Hold on tight to the graphics cards you have, because those sitting on retailer shelves are about to get a lot more expensive, irrespective of whether you prefer AMD or Nvidia.

Last week, Nvidia GPUs were confirmed to be getting a substantial price hike, with anything between 20% and 30% being reported. That gave AMD the perfect moment to communicate a price increase of its own, with market analyst Harukaze571 reporting that the company had been waiting for Nvidia to make the first move.

The report, via PC Gamer, suggests that AMD was planning its own GPU price hike, but was worried about its effect on current stock, the price sensitivity of consumers, and more. Unlike Nvidia, however, AMD's increase seems mild by comparison, with the company aiming for "at least 10%" but falling short of specifying an upper limit.  Harukaze5719 added that, "price positioning is expected to be similar to that of the Nvidia series graphics cards," with the increases set to start taking place this week.

This increases are, notably, applying to partners, who then have to figure out how much to pass onto consumers. But given the thin margins that GPUs are currently sold at, it is unlikely that many, if any, will be able to absorb any part of the cost.

The increases across the board are attributed to the ongoing demand for memory, which is a core component for GPUs that requires large quantities of high speed modules. Samsung, which supplies a lot of memory for applications including and beyond GPUs, has already increased prices this year, and plans to hike them by a further 20% this month too. The company is expected to continue doing so until 2028 at the earliest.

These are all causing massive knock-on effects across the industry. The Xbox Series X and Series S had its new, increased prices go into effect at the start of the month, with Nintendo soon to follow with its announced Switch 2 price hike. Sony was forced to increase the price of the PlayStation 5 earlier this year, with all three companies likely looking at the possibility of further increases in the further should memory prices continue rising.

When Baldur's Gate 3 launched in 2023, it didn't take long for modders to add new camera options, including a third-person view. Now, a new third-person mod is expanding the view of Baldur's Gate 3 and allowing veteran players a chance to revisit the game from a fresh perspective.

The true third-person mod was created and posted by Nexus mods user Relysia, who acknowledges that it builds upon the previously released native camera tweeks mod and retains its features. However, the new mod adds a way to toggle between an over-the-shoulder camera view and the normal view. Relysia also shared a video comparison between the earlier mod and the current one, as well as a broad overview of its features and options.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lg-0Y00Ipw

As originally used in the game, the camera was locked and didn't allow players to look up or down when using close view. The true third-person camera mod offers more leeway for players to move the camera with the touch of a button. It also keeps the camera "locked tight on your character" and adjusts the FOV when the player is running or crouching while also accounting for different heights for each character.

During combat and turn-based sequences, the mod auto-switches to distant view before reverting to close view. Relysia notes that the mod works best with a controller, but it can also be used with a keyboard. There are some known issues and bugs that remain to be worked out, but the "fix stuck camera" button should be able to help players out if they find themselves trapped in a bad camera angle.

Last year, a group of modders announced their plan to recreate the original Baldur's Gate in Baldur's Gate 3. Remakes of Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2 are rumored to be in the works, but they have yet to be confirmed by Wizards of the Coast. A Baldur's Gate TV series is also in development, but Baldur's Gate 4 may have more trouble coming to fruition. At least one developer passed on Baldur's Gate 4 after expressing a desire to avoid following up on the work created by Larian Studios.

Buying a new Xbox just got a lot more expensive in the US, Europe, and UK. The previously announced Xbox Series X|S price hikes are now in effect as of August 1, and people should expect to pay significantly more.

In the US, all 512GB Xbox models went up by $100, while the 1 TB systems are now $150 more expensive. All 2 TB models are discontinued. You can see all the new US prices below, and prices for other regions further down (via VGC).

• Xbox Series S 512GB - $500
• Xbox Series S 1TB - $600
• Xbox Series X 1TB digital edition - $750
• Xbox Series X 1TB with disc drive - $800

In Europe, the cheapest new Xbox--the 512GB Xbox Series S--is going up from €350 to €500. The system originally launched in 2020 at €300, so it's gone up by €200 since then. The 1TB Xbox Series S is now going for €600 (was €400).

Moving on to the Xbox Series X, the 1TB digital model is now €750 (was €550), while the 1TB disc version is a whopping €800 (was €600). That's the most expensive edition, and it works out to about $920 USD.

Xbox consoles are now more expensive globally.

The UK is seeing Xbox price hikes, too, where the cheapest Xbox--the 512GB Xbox Series S--is now going for £430 (was £300). The highest-end version, the 1TB disc version of the Xbox Series X, is now selling for £670 (was £500).

Microsoft previously raised prices in October 2025. The company said it hoped another increase would not be necessary, but "console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x, and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027."

A report from Windows Central said Microsoft was losing $150 per console sold.

Microsoft, along with Sony and Nintendo, are set to receive tariff refunds, and none of the companies have announced any plans to return any money to consumers who paid more.

Beyond the tariff-related impacts, the ongoing AI-fueled memory and component shortages are expected to continue, and another Xbox price hike could come in 2027.

In response to the new, higher prices for Xbox consoles, Microsoft rolled out new Buy Now, Pay Later and 0% APR financing options. Microsoft also sells certified refurbished Xbox consoles for lower prices.

As for other consoles, the PS5 got its latest price hike this past April, while the Switch 2 is getting a price increase in September.

Love and Deepspace just had its worst financial month to date, as the dating gacha sim's revenue has cratered. While it was pulling in around $30 - $60 million in revenue every month (per Sensor Data), July saw the game make a noticeably smaller amount of cash, to the tune of $10.3 million. That's a massive 73% drop when compared to June 2026 ($38 million), and the fall can all be traced back to the announcement--and subsequent cancellation--of Valko, who would have been the game's sixth love interest.

In comparison, top gacha games like Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero--all produced by HoyoVerse--continue to dominate the revenue charts, with ZZZ in particular rocketing up from 15th place to third place in July.

You'd think that revealing an occasionally furry love interest wouldn't result in a fandom being ripped apart, but you'd be wrong. Valko proved to be a polarizing figure, as the ruggedly handsome tech CEO and werewolf clan leader has half the Love and Deepspace community baying for his blood, while the other half is actively boycotting and petitioning for developer Papergames to officially add him to the gacha Otome game.

Valko dissenters have cited concerns that a new character will take developer attention away from the game’s main story and established love interests, while those for Valko argue Eastern beauty standards led to his swift dismissal.

Things got even worse for Papergames, as it decided to pull its booth from one of the largest anime and gaming conventions in Asia, BilliBilli World 2026. The Chinese Government has also gotten involved, taking aim at Valko's promotional slogans that could be perceived as problematic and promoting home intrusions and sexual assault. "What’s wrong with letting a wolf into the house?" the text for Valko reads, after he was shown

"This kind of entertainment-driven, traffic-driven creative work disregards public order and morality, crosses legal boundaries, and may ultimately endanger public safety," a representative from the Ministry of Public Security News and Media wrote. Since then, characters and storylines were removed and are in the process of being re-certified, as the Chinese government holds considerable power over what it allows in and out of the country when it comes to entertainment.

The government is also treating Love and Deepspace as a warning to other game studios, saying that any content that "deliberately blurs the lines of illegality, glorifies dangerous behavior, or undermines public safety" will face removal. The writing might be on the wall for Papergames, as it looks like its community is ready to break up with Love and Deepspace.

An 18-year-old from New Hampshire released a game called This Game Costs $200 earlier this year as a joke--but a lot of people bought it. The game generated $1.3 million in sales, but creator Michael Major didn't get anywhere near that big of a payday.

He told WMUR that he set the price at $200 because that was the maximum a game could be listed for on Steam, and he expected no one to buy it. When he saw revenue of $1.3 million, he "almost died," Major said. To be sure, there are games on Steam that cost more than $200--there is a $1,000 game, for example.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlKPZxn7RF4

The developer only walked away with $2,000, however, in part because of mass refunds. Major also said it's curious that the majority of sales came from China.

"I'm not joking. I have heard of expensive games on Steam being used for money laundering. I have no idea. I could be on a hit list right now," he said.

Steam sales data shared in the video showed that the game sold 6,717 units, but 6,707 people got refunds, meaning 99.9% of sales were refunded. The lifetime gross revenue for This Game Costs $200 was $1.38 million, but Major walked away with $2,045 after all the refunds.

The Steam page for This Game Costs $200 describes it as "the swindle to end all swindles."

"This game is also a psychological experience, where I try to convince you that this game truly does cost 200 dollars," reads a line from its description.

The game takes place in the world of Schizopia and has players walking around a map full of cases of beer and packs of cigarettes.

The game has one review, from someone who played for 0.6 hours and said they recommend it. They said they made a lot of bad decisions in their life, like eating a toilet water-soaked sandwich straight from the bowl. But spending $200 on This Game Costs $200 was not the worst decision they ever made, they said.

This Game Costs $200 is a sequel to This Game Costs $10.

A famous poet once said, "Work sucks; I know." That timeless truth is the backdrop for HR: Human Remains, an upcoming first-person horror game in which demons have taken over the world, but you're still clocking in for your desk job. 

Today, GameSpot can exclusively reveal the release date; it's coming to Steam on September 22. Check out the brand-new release date trailer below for more.

With an aesthetic reminiscent of the original PlayStation era, HR: Human Remains has a darkly humorous tone, but is still very much a horror game.

In it, you'll be stuck as an office clerk, interacting with co-workers and your extra-horrible bosses while uncovering a story with multiple endings to experience based on your choices.

There are Sunday Scaries, and then there's whatever this guy has got himself into.

You'll need to solve puzzles to explore hidden places, while also collecting items with which you can decorate your break room. To me, it sounds sort of like three parts Hellraiser and one part Office Space, and I can surely dig that. 

The game is on the way from developer DennisCorner and publisher Black Lantern Collective, which specializes in indie horror games. You can check out HR: Human Remains on Steam.

30 Best Horror Games To Play In The Dark In 2026 View Images

A new Nintendo Direct has been announced, and this time, the focus is on Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave. If you're interested, you can tune in at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on August 4 to watch the broadcast. Nintendo says that you can expect "roughly 20 minutes" of new information about the game.

One of several big first-party games from Nintendo scheduled for launch this year, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is the first game in the longrunning tactical-RPG series to be developed exclusively for Switch 2 consoles. The last time it was in the spotlight was during the June Nintendo Direct, where a few more details about the game were revealed.

The game will feature four characters competing to win the Dagosian Games--a high-stakes tournament--with combat taking place inside of an arena. This is a departure from the battlefields of previous Fire Emblem games, but outside of the tournament, there'll still be opportunities to explore new locations and deal with bandits who are hoarding treasure.

Each of the four main champions also possesses a special crest that can grant them special abilities in combat, and it looks like there'll be social events to take part in when you're not fighting for glory.

Launching on September 17, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave enters a stacked month of new releases as several games are attempting to hit the ground running before heavyweight titles like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 and GTA 6 descend.

Preorders are open for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, with the standard edition priced at $70 - $80 depending on whether you want a physical version or a download code. You can also pick up the Special Edition of the game for $120, which includes the full physical edition of the game and a selection of collectibles.

Marvel's Wolverine is finally slashing its way onto PS5 next month, and ahead of its release, it looks like the game is going to earn its Mature 17+ rating with blood and ass. According to the Entertainment Software Rating Board, the game contains blood, gore, drug references, strong language, and "partial nudity," but it's not specified whose gluteus maximus is on display.

"A handful of sequences briefly depict a character's exposed buttocks," the ESRB rating reads. That's a pretty vague description, but we'd wager that we could see Wolverine's butt paraded about, given the character's habit of being occasionally transformed into a naked and feral mutant weapon by shadowy organizations like Canada's Department H. Read the comics if you don't believe us!

It's a scene that has been adapted into live-action media as well, with longtime Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman's butt briefly appearing in alternate cuts and near-misses during several scenes across multiple movies. He infamously refused to wear a modesty sock during the filming of his adamantium implants in X-Men: Origins - Wolverine, and in 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past, audiences got a full look at his backside during the '70s hotel room scene.

Other characters in the game include Jean Grey, Sabretooth, Mystique, and Lady Deathstrike, but we're guessing that they won't be around for scenes requiring them to get cheeky.

There's also precedent for this when it comes to PS5 games, as Ghost of Tsushima and its sequel Ghost of Yotei both featured brief scenes where you could see the uncovered rears of their respective protagonists. If the Ghost of Tsushima film ever enters into production, actor Daisuke Tsuji said that he's prepared to show some skin.

Beyond seeing exposed hams, the ESRB also noted that Marvel's Wolverine will allow you to tear enemies apart and that the game features some naughty language.

It's not long to go now, as Marvel's Wolverine launches on September 15 for PS5. For more on the game, you can check out all the Easter eggs we've spotted so far, every costume revealed for Marvel's Wolverine, and 13 new details we learned at San Diego Comic-Con about Logan's adventure.

Every Upcoming Superhero Game To Look Out For In 2026 And Beyond View Images

Bruce Straley, the Naughty Dog veteran who worked on the Jak, Uncharted, and The Last of Us franchises before leaving to start his own studio, is asking his followers why they are excited for GTA 6.

Posting on social media, Straley said he's asking this question out of genuine curiosity, and not simply to stir the pot. "No shade, just curious," he said.

Straley said he's unsure if he's interested in playing GTA 6, so he was asking followers to share the reasons why they are excited for Rockstar's next big game.

"What do you hope is new in GTA 6 you haven’t already experienced in its predecessors? OR simply, Why are you gonna play GTA 6? Because I don’t know if I’m interested & I’m not sure if I’m an outlier," he said.

https://twitter.com/bruce_straley/status/2083992004137259228

Straley ended his post by reminding people that he worked in "the sausage factory a long time," which is likely a reference to Naughty Dog.

Straley got a lot of responses to his post. Someone said they are looking forward to whatever Rockstar is cooking up in terms of new dynamic weather events, and Straley said he's excited about the possibilities here.

"Using that crazy [Red Dead Redemption 2] weather tech to create dynamic events sounds sick. I can’t imagine that would be their priority at all, but that got me excited! Someone AAA should do that," he said. Someone else suggested a surfing system in GTA 6, and Straley said that would be fun.

Another person said if GTA 6 has nonlinear missions that offer the player multiple solutions to one task, that would be compelling. Straley concurred.

"I think this is why I’m not very interested (yet?). RD2 looked awesome--maybe the best, but the systems themselves weren’t very deep. I was disappointed everything boiled down to 'follow the yellow line,'" he said.

Another person said "deep [gameplay] systems don't have mass appeal," and Rockstar makes mass market games. Straley pushed back, saying, "Having deeper systems would allow for more varieties of players to play in their own style. And it feels like the potential of 'open world' should come with a payoff of 'open approaches' to gameplay. Just my opinion," he said.

Straley worked at Naughty from 1999 to 2017, and he co-directed The Last of Us and Uncharted 4 during his time there. As for why he left, he said 18 years was "a long time for anybody to be anywhere," and he wanted to find "new problems to solve" and "new creative outlets."

He said Naughty Dog was the "pinnacle" of game developers, going on to note that he didn't want to join another AAA studio because he didn't want to deal with "a whole different bureaucratic or cultural system."

Straley is now heading up Wildflower Interactive, which is making a game called Coven of the Chicken Foot. Microsoft was set to publish the title before the company backed out. Wildflower found other funding to keep going.

As for GTA 6, Rockstar's long-awaited open-world crime game launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Some are expecting further announcements this week tied to parent company Take-Two's next earnings report on August 7.

Inde Navarrette reached a new level of fame this year after starring in Curry Barker's horror movie Obsession. She's also a big fan of video games. She's now revealed that she's been offered roles in games, and that she loves Shrek.

"Yes, and I'm starting my journey with that soon," she told Variety when asked if any studios had come calling to ask her to be in a video game. "I want to try something smaller to test the waters and then later, different. Video games are, obviously, a big interest of mine."

She is a big fan of Resident Evil, adding that she would "die inside" if she got the chance to have a role in one of the games someday.

Navarrette did not name the companies that have pitched her or what games she could appear in.

Inde Navarrette in Obsession.

Also in the interview, Navarrette talked about some of her earliest memories with video games, and her comments are highly relatable. She said one of her favorites from yesteryear was the Shrek game for PS2, Shrek Super Party. In particular, she said she's a fan of the characters' big heads in the game.

Navarrette went on to say that Call of Duty is another favorite gaming series of hers. She's mentioned this before, and Activision obviously took note, hiring her to appear on a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 panel in July.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnvlSfoB0Fw

Navarrette is a gamer who, like any reasonable person, watched Henry Cavill videos to help build her gaming PC. She also formerly hosted Twitch streams for Call of Duty.

Obsession, meanwhile, was made on a reported $750,000 budget and has earned more than $470 million worldwide, making it a huge success. Prior to Obsession, Navarrette starred in Netflix's 13 Reasons Why.

Summerslam weekend saw several new champions emerge, but Cody Rhodes wasn't one of them. While the American Nightmare failed in his bid to dethrone CM Punk as the WWE Undisputed Champion, at least he managed to turn heads with his ring outfit, which went all in with Street Fighter influences. Rhodes--who plays Guile in the upcoming Street Fighter movie--hit the ring with a mask that captured the absurdity of Guile's signature hairdo and M. Bison's Shadaloo organization.

Given that the Street Fighter film was one of Summerslam's sponsors, it wasn't too surprising to see Rhodes geared up to help promote the upcoming movie. Just before he appeared, the PPV featured a character select screen in the same style as Street Fighter 2, with WWE performers like Seth Rollins, Danhausen, and Becky Lynch subbing in for Capcom's brawlers. You can see the entrance for yourself, in the timestamped video below:

https://youtu.be/ZgFWYMrAnNQ?t=279

In the ring, Rhodes' costume consisted of tights that mixed white with camouflage patterns similar to what Guile wears in his default Street Fighter costume, and on his entrance coat, you could spot Rhodes' name stitched on in the familiar Street Fighter font. Sadly, the former WWE champion didn't use a single Sonic Boom or Flash Kick attack against Punk. It's worth noting that Street Fighter wasn't the only video game-related sponsor for Summerslam, as Gears of War: E-Day was also prominently displayed on the ring mat.

Rhodes--and the rest of the ensemble cast--will hit theaters soon when Street Fighter arrives on October 16. Ahead of its release, the marketing for Street Fighter has begun to start up, and last week saw a sneak peek at one of the film's fight scenes. In case you missed it, you can click the link to see an imprisoned Ryu (Andrew Koji) take on a beastly incarnation of Blanka (Jason Momoa).

Street Fighter Movie Cast Revealed, Including An Unexpected Eric Andre Role View Images

Stellar Blade: Blood Rain is being promoted with an AI-slop music video created by developer Shift Up, and it's all about as soulless as you might expect.

The video, which looks to be completely AI generated, features protagonist Evie singing an "original" song titled "Wanna be in Love" as she explores the dystopian cyberpunk city seen in the game's official announcement trailer that debuted as part of Summer Games Fest.

At one point while wandering the city, Evie picks up a KPop Demon Hunters keychain. Towards the end of the video, there is "behind the scenes footage" of Shift Up developers "on set" with Evie, giving her direction, doing her makeup, and high-fiving members of the team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Ncuote9ADo

An entirely AI-generated video serving as the first major piece of marketing for the Stellar Blade sequel following its reveal is certainly a choice, though it's more than a little concerning Shift Up somehow decided this was a good idea.

It is, however, not all that surprising. Shift Up CEO and Stellar Blade director Hyung-tae Kim earlier this year said (as translated by Automaton) during a South Korean "Economic Growth Strategy" briefing he believed AI to be an "essential tool for going up against large competitors like China on a global level." He also said AI will not result in people losing their jobs, even though it will enable "one person" to perform the "work of 100 people." South Korea as a whole is doubling down on AI, with the country set to invest nearly $14 billion in AI and related infrastructure.

The Stellar Blade franchise is no stranger to controversy, ranging from having to patch out unintentional racial slurs to the culture war over the appearance of main character Eve and her revealing outfits in the first game. Stellar Blade: Blood Rain is proving to be no exception, with some criticizing the sexualization of Evie, who appears more childlike in appearance, even as Shift Up promises "more appealing" outfits.

In an interview with IGN, Kim was asked whether he was worried about using a younger-looking character for Blood Rain, and how that may be perceived by players. He said Evie is indeed younger and smaller in size than Eve, but largely dodged the question.

"If you actually play the game, you will not think that," Kim said.

Stellar Blade: Blood Rain does not yet have a release date. However, the original Stellar Blade is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 later this year. 

World of Warcraft is getting the Dungeons & Dragons treatment, with the iconic tabletop roleplaying game set to translate developer Blizzard's popular MMORPG into a proper pencil-and paper-experience this November. 

D&D: World of Warcraft is bringing a lot to the table, with everything a dungeon master might potentially need to create an Azeroth campaign. For starters, all 13 WoW classes will be playable, with six additional subclasses, three modified ones, and over 40 class specializations to choose from. The expansion additionally adds 11 WoW races (or species, as they are called in D&D), including tauren, draenei, forsaken, and trolls, along with WoW-specific rules for existing D&D races like humans, dwarves, goblins, orcs, and elves.

"From Azeroth's ancient races to newcomers from distant realms, these species bring a wide range of histories, cultures, and perspectives to your adventures," Blizzard writes in its announcement. "Your choice of species can even grant a starting Renown Score with one of Azeroth's factions--so whether you ride out 'For the Horde! or 'For the Alliance!', your allegiance is baked into your origin."

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

Blizzard's MMO is filled with iconic spells, items, and enemies, and D&D: World of Warcraft includes those as well. There will be over 60 new spells added as part of the expansion, as well 25 new magic items that include mounts and companion creatures. 

D&D's spin on WoW even attempts to replicate some of the gameplay and systems longtime players of the MMO are all too familiar with. The expansion adds 10 WoW professions to choose from, allowing players to spend their downtime crafting items or improving their gear. There are even 25 different factions that players can grind out Renown with. Just like in WoW proper, increasing Renown with a faction will grant perks and rewards for those who the climb ranks.

On the monster front, 50 new monsters are being added as part of the setting alongside 30 dungeon bosses. Seven of WoW's most iconic dungeons will be playable, including the Deadmines, Onyxia's Lair, and the Scarlet Monastery. An optional Icecrown Citadel Adventure Map Pack will also be available--one that will carry players level 16-20 from the lower spire of the citadel to the Frozen Throne and a confrontation with the Lich King himself.

For WoW players who aren't keen on sitting down at the table, there are still a few reasons to take notice. Preordering certain editions, including the D&D: World of Warcraft Ultimate Bundle or Collector's Edition, unlocks D&D-themed items in WoW, including a Black Dragon mount, Gazer pet, Mimic chest toy, and Mimic chest housing decor. The cheapest option for snagging the in-game items according to the official D&D Beyond website appears to be by preordering the $80 physical and digital combo edition.

D&D: World of Warcraft will release November 17, with early access beginning November 3. In other WoW news, Blizzard will be adding the viral Jimothy to the MMORPG in the game's next update, while a Blizzard employee was recently fired for allegedly helping a group of players cheat in a Mythic+ dungeon.

US tariffs may have forced Sony to increase the prices of its PlayStation hardware, but the company is now benefiting from those tariffs being refunded. As part of the company's latest earnings report, it noted an increase in operating income can be attributed in part to tariff refunds--refunds it seems unlikely to pass onto consumers who paid those higher prices.

Those refunds were issued earlier this year after the US Supreme court declared tariffs implemented by President Trump to be unlawful. Sony's Q1 2026 earnings (covering April through June) call out tariff refunds as one of the positive contributors to a 37% increase that its Game & Network Services business saw.

Shortly after the tariffs were first implemented, Sony raised the price of its PS5 consoles in August 2025, and again in May 2026. The company has not issued an official statement regarding any potential passing of the refunds back to consumers, and earlier this year, a class-action-complaint was filed. The plaintiffs are arguing that Sony passed the cost of its price hikes onto consumers, and if the nationwide class suit is successful, Sony would be required to pay an undisclosed sum to anyone who purchased a PlayStation console from August 1, 2025.

Although Sony has not explicitly said it will not share tariff refunds with consumers who paid higher prices, we've already seen Nintendo and others retain those refunds for themselves. Sony calling out the positive impact on its operating income also suggests no plan to pass along those refunds.

It's worth noting that Sony has never mentioned the US tariffs as the sole reason for the console price hikes, as it referenced "pressures in the global economic landscape" as the reason for the last price increase. The ongoing RAM shortage driven by large-scale investment in AI and data centers has also been a key factor in console price increases.

Xbox manufacturer Microsoft explained that it had to enact another price hike in June because console storage and memory prices had more than doubled, and it also expects another doubling of component prices in 2027, suggesting more price hikes will follow soon after.

This probably sounds familiar, as a class action lawsuit was filed in April 2026 on behalf of Nintendo consumers. The plaintiffs are arguing that Nintendo had an obligation to refund customers who purchased its products, following its decision to claim refunds on the tariffs.

In a reply, Nintendo disputed the claims and said that customers were never forced to make a purchase and that it didn't raise the price of all of its products. "Those who bought Nintendo's products received exactly what they bargained and paid for: a console, game and/or accessory at a price to which both parties agreed," Nintendo wrote.

In more Sony news, the ratio of physical-to-digital game sales increased last quarter, PS5 console sales are slowly creeping toward the 100 million lifetime sales mark, and Sony has broken its silence over its decision to go all-digital with game sales in 2028.

Suspicions are arising among Legend of Zelda fans that the Ocarina of Time remake will launch in mid-November--just within spitting distance of Grand Theft Auto 6. The theories revolve around an apparent pattern of Nintendo's Amiibo releases, and it's hard to blame anyone for buying into them.

Per Kotaku, fans claim to have spotted a November 11 release date (adjusted to November 12 with the correct regional system clock settings) for a pair of Kirby Air Riders Amiibo figures (Sword Kirby and Noir Dedede) on Nintendo UK's store--though those listings have since been removed. And fans have observed that Nintendo generally releases Amiibo figures on the same day as its first-party game launches, whether the Amiibos tie into those launches or not.

Two Kirby Air Riders Amiibo figures are set to release in November, according to apparent listings on the Nintendo UK store.

For instance, the Mineru's Construct Amiibo for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is coming out on September 17, the same day that Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave releases on Switch 2. Earlier this year, the King Dedede & Tank Star Amiibo launched simultaneously with Rhythm Heaven Groove on July 2, and the Meta Knight & Shadow Star Amiibo coincided with Pokemon Pokopia on March 5.

That all leads many to the conclusion that Nintendo is releasing something in mid-November. With Nintendo firm on a 2026 release window for the Ocarina of Time remake, taking a prime November spot appears logical.

Of course, Ocarina of Time would be facing off against the most anticipated video game launch in recent history with GTA 6, which is set for a November 19 launch. Pretty much every other gaming company has scrambled to avoid being near the epicenter of GTA 6's release, leading to an awfully crowded September. Nintendo seems like the one big player (if you don't count Atari with its Barbie game re-releases, or Devolver with whatever it's planning for GTA 6 day) willing to poke Rockstar's upcoming blockbuster with a stick.

Presuming this prediction becomes reality, it'll be a fascinating example of counter-programming. Zelda (especially Ocarina of Time) and the GTA franchise are heavy-hitters with different audiences, and with GTA 6 not on Switch 2 at launch, the Ocarina of Time remake will give Switch 2-only players something to get their hands on in November. Both titles would have the opportunity to thrive despite occupying the same space on the calendar.

And if you're a fan of both franchises, November could be the opportunity to eat two entire cakes to yourself, which could be a fun, albeit possibly overwhelming and time-consuming feat.

Nintendo’s Top-Selling Switch 2 Games Of All Time View Images

Developer Bellring Games' extraction brawler Mistfall Hunter is finally out after a handful of betas, and following its July 29 release, the developer has already dropped an update that made one of the game's best classes even better.

Launched on July 30, this new update makes some important balance adjustments to the newest class, the Withered Knight. During the beta, the hallowed sentinel only wielded a greatsword. But now that the full game is out, the Withered Knight gets a second weapon like the five other classes: a polearm and shield. It's this set of weapons that saw some improvements, with Bellring Games boosting the damage of some of its attacks to make the Withered Knight even more deadly in combat.

Despite sitting in the B-tier on GameSpot's class rankings, what makes the Withered Knight such a lethal class is its ability to apply constant pressure, its heavy burst damage thanks to the Wither skill (which explodes after afflicting a character or monster), and its chase-down potential with its dash attacks and grappling hook. It's a perfect mix between a flanking assassin and an aggressive brawler, making the Withered Knight scary to face head-on.

The July 30 update also fixes a plethora of issues that've cropped up. This includes things like adjusting the visual discrepancies with the Sorcerer's Flameblade, addressing connection problems for console players, ironing out game crashes, and fixing unresponsive keys when quickly closing the guide UI.

They're all very welcome fixes for a game that has the potential to expand the extraction genre. At the time of writing, almost 30,000 people are playing the game on Steam, suggesting that there's a possible desire for more games in the genre that aren't just shooters.

You can check the full patch notes for Mistfall Hunter's July 30 update below.

Mistfall Hunter's July 30 Update Patch Notes

Class Balance Adjustments

• Withered Knight — Polearm and Shield:
  • Charged Dash: Energy drain during the shield-raising charge phase has been slightly reduced, and the turning performance of a Tier-1 charged dash has been slightly improved.
  • Basic Attack: Damage of the 1st and 3rd thrust hits has been slightly increased.
  • Spear Barrage: Damage multiplier slightly increased.
  • Rainbow Piercer: Energy cost slightly reduced, and cooldown slightly reduced.
  • Block: Energy cost reduced.

Key Bug Fixes

• Fixed incorrect key prompts in the Sorcerer's spellcasting tutorial in the beginner guide for certain languages.
• Fixed a mismatch between the visual effect range and actual damage range of the Sorcerer's Flameblade.
• Fixed an issue where repeatedly entering and exiting the area around a Soul Tree while summoning an extraction point would incorrectly consume an extra Soul of Return.
• Fixed an issue where items could not be split via the secondary menu.
• Fixed an issue where some matches on console platforms could not reconnect after a disconnect.
• Fixed an occasional impassable-area anomaly in the "General Harald" challenge.
• Fixed an issue where some keys would occasionally become unresponsive when the guide UI was closed very quickly.
• Fixed a game crash caused by moving the cursor to specific regions with the stick on the Seasonal Leaderboard screen while using a controller.
• Fixed an issue where equipment could not be unequipped from the Loadout system while using a controller.
• Fixed an issue where certain gem slots could not be selected via the D-pad in the Auction House while using a controller.
• Fixed an incorrect pop-up shown when exiting the game on the Xbox PC platform.
• Fixed an occasional display anomaly on the deck screen on PS5--the issue can be resolved by restarting the game.
• Fixed an issue where the public Training Room settings could not be opened while using a controller.
• Fixed missing audio for the Execution Animation: Execute--Voidflame Requiem.
• Fixed an incorrect description for the Sorcerer talent Chant Guard. The correct description reads: Increases Chanting Speed for Stardust spells. When chanting Stardust spells, the first attack received will not interrupt chanting (Stardust Torrent's casting phase also benefits from this effect). This effect has a cooldown.

August is shaping up to be a fun month with the release of games like Beast of Reincarnation and Pro Jank Footy, and if you're a fighting game fan, you can also grab Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Officially out next week, physical copies of the game have managed to break their street date, and naturally, there are plenty of spoilers online.

While we won't be listing them here, please start fine-tuning your filters for specific keywords. From what we've seen online, details include various game secrets, trophies, story details, and more. A lot of these details had been kept under wraps--and even managed to escape being data-mined during the recent open beta--but a few people who got their hands on the game early have wasted no time in spoiling those surprises for everyone else.

Posts detailing the secret content are being taken down as quickly as they go up, but you can't unsee a leak before that happens. It's a pity, because developer Arc System Works has crafted some pretty good narratives for its fighting games--like Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ--and the single-player campaign for Marvel Tokon was penned by award-winning comic book writer Kieron Gillen.

If your spider-sense can help you dodge the leaks, then you won't have to wait too much longer to play the game. Marvel Tokon officially launches on August 6 for PC and PS5. So far, 2026 has been a great year for fighting game fans with all of the high-profile releases in the genre. Invincible Vs kicked things off in April with some brutal brawling, Avatar Legends has been a hit with fans of the series despite the high skill ceiling needed to master it, and Street Fighter 6 has continued to add new characters to its roster.

If you're on PC and looking to grab a bargain, you can preorder Marvel Tokon for just $54 at Fanatical, a nice little 10% discount.

Disclosure: GameSpot and Fanatical are both owned by Fandom.