Lego has officially revealed its Donkey Kong Arcade set, a nostalgic throwback to one of the company's first big games. A tribute to the groundbreaking 1981 arcade hit--which starred Mario as Jumpman--the 1,371-piece set launches on August 1 and is priced at $200. It also comes with a gift in the form of an Animal Crossing kit featuring everyone's favorite landlord, Tom Nook, valued at $5, if preordered from The Lego Store.

• Amazon
• The Lego Store

Inside the box, you'll find all the pieces you need to build a nostalgic arcade cabinet. It features the original first stage of Donkey Kong, complete with scaffolding, ladders, and hammer details, and a mechanism to circulate the 21 barrels in a continuous loop. Other cool details include a function to move Jumpman with the joystick and make him jump by hitting the correct button. While you won't get any minifigures inside of it, there are pieces included to build pixel-accurate versions of Jumpman, Donkey Kong, and Lady.

Once it has been fully constructed, the set measures 15.5 inches tall, 10.5 inches wide, and has a depth of 5.5 inches. This is the latest in several Nintendo Lego sets released over the years, although several of them were recently discontinued. Last year saw the release of the Lego Nintendo Game Boy, a 1:1 scale replica of the iconic handheld that was extremely popular amongst fans.

Lego's line of Pokemon sets are also evolving, as the toy company recently announced several kits coming soon. The highlight of these new arrivals is the Lego Iconic Trainer Moments: Poke Ball, a cute replica of the signature tool used to catch Pokemon. Fans can also look forward to minifigures of Arcanine, Munchlax, and Rayquaza, as well as a scaled minifigure of Red, the original Pokemon trainer.

These will be joining several more Pokemon sets following the launch of its first three kits. Announced earlier this year, there'll be 12 sets launching with Smart Play compatibility, including Smart Play All-in-One projects like the $120 Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle display (751 pieces) and the $70 Training House Pikachu (400 pieces). Part of a new subline at Nintendo, Smart Play kits include interactive features through Smart Brick pieces, offering lights and sound interactivity.

Amongst the new releases are 10 "Smart Play Compatible" sets, which are compatible with Smart Brick pieces but do not ship with those advanced bricks like the All-in-One sets do. Some of the highlights here include the Charmander & Geodude Cavern Clash (198 pieces) and the Cubone & Gengar's Spooky Showdown (782 pieces) sets.

A new trailer for Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie has arrived, providing a new look at the scary video game adaptation.

In this new trailer, we see the medical courier Bryan (Austin Abrams) at a hospital where he takes on a new job where he must ferry organs to "Raccoon City General," a hospital "outside the zone."

The job pays double, so Bryan takes it. Then, well, everything goes badly as Bryan finds himself in a world of hell. Take a look:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNd1gb19A-c

Cregger's Resident Evil movie tells an "entirely original story" that takes place in the Resident Evil universe. Some fans have questioned this approach, saying they'd rather see one of the game's stories adapted and for the film to feature popular characters like Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine.

That's not going to happen, though, and Cregger thinks fans of the game will be happy with what he creates.

"When you watch it, you'll be like, 'This is very Zach.' It's just [that] it takes place in the Resident Evil world. I don't think fans of the games are gonna be bummed," he told Entertainment Weekly.

The Resident Evil movie comes to theaters on September 18. It stars Abrams as an "idiot" medical courier named Bryan who gets mixed up in a horrifying adventure that Cregger says is akin to The Lord of the Rings.

“Not that he’s stupid, but he’s not your typical game character, with no combat skills whatsoever and completely inept at survival. Bryan is very much an everyman who happens to be burdened with this kind of sacred mission that’s going to take him into the heart of everything. It’s kind of like Frodo going into Mordor," he said.

A new firmware update for PS5 consoles has been released, and as usual, it's not much to write home about. PS5 update version: 26.04-13.60.00 once again keeps things simple, offering a very incremental enhancement to the Sony-produced hardware.

"We've improved the messages and usability on some screens," the extremely brief update notes read.

The last major PS5 update was focused on the PS5 Pro, as it introduced an upgraded version of PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) for owners of the beefier machine. Beyond that, we've seen an improved Friends Activity widget, the option to check your PS5 console serial number, and a power saver mode added in older firmware updates alongside the usual rounds of stability improvements. Just in time for several highly anticipated games in August and September, like Control Resonant, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.

While these announcements are also usually brushed off, people online are using them lately to voice their displeasure with Sony's decision to kill PlayStation game discs in 2028. Every post by the company online has been met with a flood of negative responses calling on people to boycott the system or purchase the games on a different platform, as part of a campaign to persuade the company to offer some form of physical media option in 2028 and beyond.

Is it working? Probably not, as Sony and third-party publishers are weathering the storm of criticism, as a digital-only marketplace will be much more lucrative for them in the future.

Like several other first-party Sony games, Marvel's Wolverine relied on motion-capture work to draw an authentic performance from its cast. Spartacus actor Liam McIntyre plays the iconic mutant in Insomniac's new game, and in a recent interview, he explained how the role required him to dig deep to find the feral side of Wolverine that erupts from him whenever he enters a berserker state.

While McIntyre originally wanted to reference rabid dogs for inspiration--content "which is, first of all, very hard to find, probably for the best," he said to EW--his take on the character seeing red did terrify the team at Insomniac Games.

"I guess that's good, right? Being terrifying," McIntyre said. "But, suddenly, I was like, 'I'm really scared to go all out with this,' but they're such a good team that you feel safe. They will help me if it's not gonna work. They will tell me. They won't just let it happen. So I got to take some really huge swings with my character as a result of being able to trust them so much."

Marvel's Wolverine animation director Brian Wyser and narrative director Walt Williams added that McIntyre delivered not only the "raw" performance that the studio was looking for, but he also embodied the humanity of the character, who has spent decades being hurt by other people, inflicting that pain back on them, and has tried to bottle up his emotions. "You don't have that level of rage or pain if you don't have a genuinely deep yearning, caring heart inside of you," Williams said.

Out on September 15 for PS5, Marvel's Wolverine follows the mutant as he rejoins Team X to stop Sentinel creator Bolivar Trask from kidnapping mutants all across the globe. With the X-Men not yet formed, it's up to Wolverine to lead the charge by slicing and dicing his way through enemies like the ninja death-cult The Hand and the cybernetic mercenaries known as the Reavers. For more on the game, you can check out all the Easter eggs we spotted in the recent State of Play gameplay preview, every costume in the game so far, and why the game looks like it might be playing it safe.

Online gambling has been in the news a fair bit recently, with the ease of getting into online sportsbook betting becoming a hotly contested issue in the United States and popular prediction markets being subjected to increased controversy and government scrutiny. It's hardly limited to the United States, however, as illicit online gambling has wide appeal across much of Asia, despite local laws forbidding much of it.

South Korea in particular has seen an uptick in online gambling, particularly among youth, many of whom have gone to extreme lengths to obtain money to spend on gambling or cover their debts. To help combat the growing problem, the government has teamed up with one of the most famous figures in global esports, League of Legends prodigy Lee Sang-hyeok, better known by the handle "Faker."

As reported by the Seoul Economic Daily, Faker has been made an honorary police officer with the title of Senior Officer. The rationale behind this appointment is that "Lee is an esports player with high recognition at home and abroad and has consistently practiced the values of self-management and restraint throughout his long career, serving as a role model for young people." In this role, Lee will be producing public service announcements, such as videos and posters, to help promote South Korea's Youth Cyber Gambling Voluntary Reporting System, which aims to help youngsters with online gambling problems. As an added incentive to free themselves of gambling addiction, those who join the program may receive Faker's autographed uniform, which the article notes "will be delivered to young people who have overcome gambling addiction by faithfully participating in treatment programs, serving as encouragement for their healthy return to daily life."

This honor is hardly the first for Lee, who was the first Korean eSports athlete to receive the Cheongnyong Medal, a top honor for the country's athletes. He's also due to appear on South Korean postage and has recently debuted on a local Disney+ television program. Suffice to say, Lee is a broadly known public figure whose high profile might bring attention to the issue.

This all contrasts against the actions of League of Legends publisher Riot Games, who opened up sports-betting sponsorships for LoL teams a little over a year ago. Whether or not the South Korean government will actually take them to task for that is up in the air.

Gaming legend Shigeru Miyamoto, the creator of Mario and The Legend of Zelda, has spoken up to defend remakes. A lot of people embrace and enjoy remakes, while others say developers should instead spend more time and resources on entirely new games.

Miyamoto, for his part, said remakes are good, actually, because a lot of people might have missed out on a game when it was originally released. Beyond that, commercial success of a remake can lead to additional resources that a company can use to put into new projects, Miyamoto said.

“Some people might say there are a lot of remakes, but after five years, a lot of people have outgrown games and stop playing them. Young people today don’t have the opportunity to play games from 10 years ago, so remaking them to be more playable and releasing them again is a good way to meet the demand," he told Famitsu, as translated by Nintendo Everything. "Letting people know the original games also leads to future developments, so we’ve been actively pursuing that recently.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze-346WTsI0

Nintendo has released numerous remakes over the years, so it's not surprising to hear Miyamoto say what he said. The next big remake from Nintendo is The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time remake, which comes to Switch 2 this year.

Remakes are popular across the entire gaming industry. The next big remake is Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of the 2001 game (minus competitive multiplayer), and it launches in early access on July 23.

A study from 2025 found that nearly all gamers played a remake or remaster the previous year. Another report found that, in 2025, remakes and remasters reached more than 138 million downloads.

BlizzCon 2026 is shaping up to be a major moment for the house World of Warcraft built, but even if you won't be in attendance, Blizzard will still let you buy all kinds of cosmetics to celebrate the occasion.

Though BlizzCon this year isn't until September 12, players can buy digital BlizzCon bundles for all of Blizzard's major live-service games right now. Those lucky enough to have a BlizzCon ticket will get every bundle for free. Each bundle individually costs $25 or $30, but snagging the BlizzCon Ultimate Collection bundle, which includes every individual bundle plus a few extras for each game, is $50.

If you sink a significant amount of time into more than one Blizzard game and are keen on buying at least two bundles, the Ultimate Collection definitely seems like the way to go. BlizzCon itself will be free to watch from home, and Blizzard is offering a 15-day co-op boost for StarCraft 2 and a new Heroes of the Storm Thrall skin as freebies to all players. The bundles will be available until September 28.

Below is a full breakdown of what is included in each available bundle:

• World of Warcraft BlizzCon Bundle ($30 USD): Rabbit’ath Flying Mount, Garb of the Dawnfire Phoenix Transmog Ensemble, and the Perch of the Dawnfire Phoenix Decor.

• Overwatch BlizzCon Bundle ($30 USD): Lich Queen Mei Legendary Skin, Frostmourne Ana Weapon Skin, Lichimari King Weapon Charm, and Lich Queen Mei Spray.

• Diablo IV BlizzCon Bundle ($30 USD): Streamsnout Pet, Indigo Cat Mount, and Escapeproof Armor Mount Armor.

• Diablo Immortal BlizzCon Bundle ($25 USD). Rimedarter Familiar Transmog, Seekers of Riddergrove (Violet) Portal, 20 Legendary Crests, 10 Telluric Pearls, and a Mother’s Lament 2-Star Legendary Gem.

• Hearthstone BlizzCon Bundle ($25 USD). Bloodmage Thalnos Signature Legendary Card, Blade of the Black Empire Card Back, and 5 Standard Card Packs.

• BlizzCon Ultimate Collection Bundle ($50 USD). Everything from the five individual digital bundles, plus a World of Warcraft Murk’atath Pet, an Overwatch Lich Queen Mei Player Icon and Name Card, Diablo IV Indigo’s Light Trophy and Indigo’s Master Trophy, a Diablo Immortal Astral Celebration Portrait Frame, and five additional Hearthstone Standard Packs.

Blizzard president Johanna Faries has said 2026 will be Blizzard's "biggest year yet," with BlizzCon having a major role to play.

"I have total confidence that the teams are going to come very, very big, both with the heart and soul of what I think our core-most fans long for in a BlizzCon, but also bringing some very new things to the table," Faries said.

What announcements are in store remains to be seen, but players can expect major news about the future of World of Warcraft, Diablo 4, and Overwatch. Persistent rumors have also pointed towards the reveal of a StarCraft shooter. If an alleged leak is to be believed, Blizzard could also surprise fans with new games and shows set in the Warcraft universe. 

With Halo: Campaign Evolved's early access period set to kick off on July 23, you may be wondering just how to enable cross-platform play so you and your fellow Spartans can kick grunt butt across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Well, the process is actually super simple, so let us break it down for you right here.

As outlined in a July 22 blog on the Halo Waypoint site, playing this Halo remake with your friends is easy. All you have to do is know their Gamertag or Username, search for and add it to your Xbox friends list--either on the Xbox site, from the Xbox Game Bar, or in the Xbox mobile app--then add them to your party from the "Cross-Platform Friends" list of the "Play Co-op" menu when they're online.

And just like that, you're playing Halo: Campaign Evolved with your friends on a platform other than an Xbox. Weird times we're living in, but it really is that simple.

It's worth noting that you don't get immediate access to Halo: Campaign Evolved's early access just by buying the game. As is customary with these sorts of things, you’ll need to preorder the $70 Premium Edition to get into the early access pool. If you have preordered the $50 Standard Edition, you can upgrade to the Premium Edition to gain early access, but that will run your wallet $20, bringing the total to the Premium Edition price. And if you got it via Xbox Game Pass, you can upgrade to the Premium Edition for $20.

Preordering either version nets you the Foundry Armory Pack, which comes with legendary looks for Master Chief's iconic Mark V Mjolnir armor. Opting for the Premium Edition comes with some extra goodies, though, such as a digital artbook and short story, as well as the game manual and five additional Master Chief armor skins and six weapon skins.

Halo: Campaign Evolved will launch on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S on July 28--and it's a day-one release on Xbox Game Pass. Be sure to check out the release times so you can be ready for when the game officially comes out.

Sony's decision to kill physical PlayStation games in January 2028 has, understandably, gotten under the skin of just about everyone. And while Disgea's creator says the company should just stop making consoles altogether if there won't be any more physical games, an analyst is sounding the alarm on how Sony's decision could be the death knell for brick-and-mortar gaming stores in the future.

Michael Pachter, managing director of strategic planning at the LA-based financial services firm Wedbush Securities, spoke to CNBC on July 21 about the possible ramifications of Sony's choice. He said that the company's decision could save Sony some money, but it ultimately feels anti-consumer. Pachter then emphasized just how important the used-gaming market is for all consumers.

"Realistically, at least 1/3 of games have been sold historically as used, and the games that were sold used also provided currency to the gamer who traded them in as cash to pay for new games," he said. "Brick and mortar game retail is doomed."

This is in stark contrast to what GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen said on July 17. As the top man of one of the largest gaming retailers in the world, Cohen expressed how "totally irrelevant" physical games are to the company's overall business. It is true that software sales only make up 12% of GameStop's revenue, with collectibles (like Pokemon cards) accounting for 41.8% and hardware and accessories totaling nearly 40%. Gaming sales, new or used, are an ever-shrinking portion of GameStop's business, and there is data backing up just how little physical PlayStation 5 game sales contribute to Sony's business.

But the numbers haven't stopped hundreds of thousands of people from signing a petition urging Sony to change its mind and continue producing discs.

The internet also had thoughts on Sony putting physical games in a coffin, with many lampooning how play apparently does have limits. (This is a riff on Sony's common slogan: "Play has no limits.")

PlayStation Plus has gotten several new games throughout the month, but as expected, several of them are also set to leave the subscription service's Game Catalog for Extra- and Premium-tier subscribers. In total, there'll be nine games exiting PS Plus on August 18, so you've only got a few weeks left to check out a fun zombie apocalypse adventure, a JRPG with an elegant hand-drawn art style, and one anime-inspired game that knows exactly who its target market is. Here's the full list:

PlayStation Plus Game Catalog games leaving on August 18

• Bomber Crew (PS4)
• Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (PS5, PS4)
• Dead Island 2 (PS5, PS4)
• Earth Defense Force 6 (PS5, PS4)
• Harold Halibut (PS5)
• Onee Chanbara Origin (PS4)
• Roki (PS5)
• Space Crew (PS4)
• Unicorn Overlord (PS5, PS4)

Dead Island 2 is the highest-profile exit for next month, and if you haven't checked it out yet, then you've missed out on a fun sequel. Stuck in development hell for several years, it eventually released on PC and consoles in 2023. Surprisingly goofy, extremely violent, and full of a surprising amount of character buildcrafting, it's a fun experience that has a great balance of action and survival.

The other game you'll want to check out is Harold Halibut, especially if you've been craving an old-school point-and-click adventure. Harold Halibut wears that influence on its sleeve, and it also looks incredible thanks to the years of work that went into crafting its unique characters and world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GESXM0lVDp0

While those games won't be around for much longer, you can grab three games right now if you're subscribed to any tier of PlayStation Plus--Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, For the King 2, and CrossCode. For members of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, the Game Catalog has already expanded with five games this month, including Rise of the Ronin, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Dying Light. Two more games are arriving on July 28--Sony now does weekly Game Catalog drops for US, UK, and Japanese subscribers--and Premium-tier subscribers can also download two PlayStation Classics next week in the form of Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy and Indigo Prophecy.

Next week will also see Sony reveal the next batch of free games for all PlayStation Plus subscribers in August, so don't forget to check in to see what they are ahead of their arrival on August 4.

Best Open-World Games On PlayStation Plus Extra And Premium View Images

Backwards compatibility is finally coming to PC, with Xbox announcing the initiative with four original Xbox classics now available to download on your desktop or handheld PC of choice.

Starting today, you'll be able to download and play Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Fuzion Frenzy, Conker: Live and Reloaded, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge on PC. If you own these games already, or are subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, you'll automatically see them in your library via the Xbox app, as well as the option to purchase them if you don't. Xbox says that this is just the start of its backwards-compatibility efforts on PC, with the program still in an early-release phase.

The releases come with a variety of enhancements, including 4x resolution scaling, customizable graphics modes, fullscreen and windowed support, language settings, and more. In the future, Xbox says it plans to also introduce Achievements to this selection of games and those that release in the future.

Backaward compatibilty on PC is supported on most Windows hardware, including the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X. You'll need to meet the following hardware specifications if you plan to dive into Xbox's storied gaming history:

Minimum

• GPU: Nvidia GTX 950 or AMD Radeon RX 550 or Intel UHD 770 or Intel Arc A310  
• CPU: Min 4 Cores Intel Core i3-8100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or AMD Ryzen™ Z2 A Processor  
• RAM: 8GB  
• OS: Windows 11   
• Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026 

Recommended 

• GPU: Radeon RX 68005 or Nvidia GTX 1070 Ti or Intel Arc A770 
• CPU: 6 cores and 12 threads Intel Core i5-10400 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme 
• DirectX Version: DirectX12 API, Hardware Feature Level 11 
• GPU VRAM: 8GB 
• OS: Windows 11 
• Drivers and Versions: Latest Version as of January 2026 

Following Sony's announcement that it will end physical disc production from 2028, reports have suggested that Xbox is preparing a disc-to-digital program as it plans to ship its next-generation console, Project Helix, without a disc drive

Hasbro and Nintendo are teaming up for The Legend of Zelda toys, and the first have now been revealed as part of the start of San Diego Comic-Con.

These include Zelda, Link, and Ganondorf figures, based on their designs from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The Zelda and Link figures are six-inch scale figures with 20+ points of articulation.

The Zelda figure includes a Decayed Master Sword and interchangeable sword grip hand. The Link figure, meanwhile, includes a Hylian shield, Master Sword, and interchangeable Zonai power hand. Both are $28, with preorders starting today, July 22, at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET.

The Ganondorf figure ($43) is also inspired by Tears of the Kingdom. He stands 7.5 inches tall and also has 20+ points of articulation. The Ganondorf figure also comes with the Gloom Sword, scabbard, and interchangeable sword grip hand. Like the Link and Zelda figures, the Ganondorf figure goes on sale today.

You can see the store pages for each figure through the links below.

• Ganondorf ($43)
• Link ($28)
• Zelda ($28)

As for the game series, the next entry in the franchise is a new remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which is coming to Switch 2 this year.

In addition to the Ocarina of Time remake, there is a live-action The Legend of Zelda movie coming in 2027 from Sony Pictures and Nintendo. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth plays Link, with Bo Bragason portraying Zelda. Wes Ball (The Maze Runner, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) is directing, and the film shot at the same locations in New Zealand where Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings franchise also filmed.

Sony's decision to stop producing PlayStation discs in 2028 has been a lightning rod for discussion across the globe, and Disgaea series creator Sohei Niikawa has weighed in, saying that the company might as well stop making PlayStation hardware as well.

Speaking to Noisy Pixel at Anime Expo 2026, Niikawa explained why he thinks physical editions of games are still so important, as he believes that they still create a connection between fans and developers. Not only that, but those games can become a sentimental keepsake for those who collect them, adding a personal layer of value, the former president of Nippon Ichi Software added.

"They can also bring that physical game to an event like this and ask someone to sign it," Niikawa said. "Afterward, they can take it home, display it, and decorate their room with it. Physical games are important because they can carry that kind of meaning."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY

While Niikawa said he understood the business reason for Sony shifting toward an all-digital future, he also explained that the decision was likely made by executives who "have probably never experienced" what it's like for a video game fan to approach a person with a physical game at an event and ask for an autograph. "I don't think they understand the feelings of those fans, and they may never have considered what physical editions mean to the people who value them," Niikawa said. "If they're going to go as far as eliminating physical packages, they may as well eliminate the hardware too. A television would be enough. Why would you need the console? If you're going to get rid of physical games, you may as well go all the way."

Niikawa is likely referring to cloud gaming, an area that Xbox has made big strides in over the years. One of the big draws of Xbox Game Pass, cloud gaming has expanded to TVs, smartphones, and even VR headsets, while Sony has made it a key part of its PlayStation Portal handheld, as you no longer need to own a PS5 to play games on it. In 2025, the company mentioned that it's banking on hardware power for its next-gen hardware, saying that the "local execution" of games remains in high demand by its players.

But with the cost of components becoming increasingly unaffordable thanks to AI investments eating up all the available supply, it's looking highly likely that the PS6 is going to be an expensive purchase.

The internet's hearts have been stolen by yet another mammal, but instead of a small baby hippo named Moo Deng, it's a short-spined raccoon dubbed "Jimothy."

About a week ago, 33-year-old marketing specialist Kiana Hall posted an Instagram Reel of a creature that looks straight out of The Lord of the Rings--like Gollum's cousin or something. This creature, though odd-looking, was a raccoon with a round, stocky body. It's giving furry ham with legs, and the internet lost its collective mind.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DayHOfryG7Z/

Since this post went viral, Jimothy the raccoon has become an internet superstar because of his condition. According to veterinarians who spoke to Smithsonian Magazine on July 20, he appears to have a congenital spine condition called "short spine syndrome" that also affects dogs. Although it's difficult to diagnose from videos alone, the rare disorder causes an animal's vertebrae to remain as pliable as cartilage instead of hardening into bone, resulting in the spine compressing, fusing, and shortening. This gives the animal that "no neck" or "hunched over" look.

Deformed or not, the internet became smitten with this plump furball. So much so that not only are there gaming memes tying Jimothy to various worlds--like Runescape and World of Warcraft--but he even has his own browser-based game that's an 8-bit supermix of OG Donkey Kong (from the '80s), Frogger, and others.

https://twitter.com/TheSims/status/2079322914705281419 https://twitter.com/wbgames/status/2079709451280588899 https://twitter.com/Wizards_DnD/status/2079657674170413089 https://twitter.com/QuiteDan/status/2078630815903121637

Artist and entrepreneur Chris Pirillo created a four-level game based around Jimothy's adventures. From dodging traffic to raiding garbage to escaping paparazzi to climbing ladders, the NES-style games are easy, fun, quick, and can be played either on desktop or mobile. I played them on my laptop and, aside from getting run over maybe five or so times, I completed each level on the first try. They're not meant to be challenging. Instead, they're just capturing the zeitgeist that is Jimothy.

https://twitter.com/ChrisPirillo/status/2078936904486322633

There is speculation that the Seattle-based plumper could live a short life due to his condition; however, veterinarians believe that Jimothy's shorter spine isn't holding him back. In fact, he remains spry as a cat, which is a testament to his resilience in the face of adversity.

Maybe we all could be more like Jimothy.

Circana, formerly NPD, has released its latest monthly sales report for the US video game industry, and one key takeaway was that Xbox was the only console platform to grow in sales during the month.

Xbox Series X|S unit sales grew by 86% compared to June 2025, and June 2026 was the best month so far in 2026 for Xbox Series X|S sales, Circana said.

In June 2025, Xbox Series X|S sales were negatively impacted by the price increase that was put into effect in May 2025, Circana's Mat Piscatella added.

The Switch 2, meanwhile, saw its unit sales fall by 78% in June 2026 compared to June 2025. The drop off was expected, of course, because June 2025 was when the Switch 2 launched, and it saw big sales out of the gate that would make a year-over-year comparison difficult.

PS5 unit sales in June 2026 fell by 43% compared to June 2025, Piscatella added.

In terms of dollar sales, Xbox Series X|S sales more than doubled, Circana said, with Switch 2 hardware spending falling by 79% and PS5 dipping by 19%.

Xbox's year-over-year gains in June 2026 were not enough to offset the declines from PlayStation 5 and Switch 2, with total spending on hardware in the US dropping a mighty 62%, falling to $383 million.

The Switch 2, despite its lower sales and revenue volume in June 2026 compared to June 2025, was June 2026's best-selling platform ranked by unit and dollar sales. Additionally, the Switch 2 is 2026's best-selling platform overall by those measurements, with PS5 ranking second and Xbox Series X|S third.

In terms of game sales, UFC 6 was the No. 1 best-selling game in the US during June 2026, while Resident Evil Requiem remains 2026's best-selling game overall so far.

Amazon MGM Studios has officially greenlit production on a new RoboCop TV series. Based on the classic 1987 movie directed by Paul Verhoeven, the series has already recruited Peter Ocko (Lodge 49) as its showrunner, while The Conjuring's James Wan will serve as one of its producers.

"I've been a massive fan of RoboCop forever, so getting to help bring this world to television is a dream," Wan said in a press statement (via Deadline). "What Paul Verhoeven created in 1987 was decades ahead of its time, and its questions about technology, identity, and who corporations really serve have only grown more urgent. With Peter's distinctive vision and bold approach to storytelling, and alongside Ed Neumeier, co-creator and our partners at Amazon MGM Studios, we're working to honor what made the original iconic and highlight its relevancy in this modern, tech-driven world, while building something unmistakably new for a global audience."

This isn't the first time that RoboCop has hit the streets of Old Detroit on TV, as following the release of the first film, an animated series debuted in 1988. Two more film sequels followed--and failed to recapture the magic of Verhoeven's first movie--and there was even a live-action series in 1994 that ran for 21 episodes. RoboCop would return in 1998 for the Alpha Commando animated series, and following the TV miniseries Prime Directives, the IP went dormant until the release of the underrated RoboCop remake in 2014, starring Joel Kinnaman as the exact philosophical opposite of Karl Havoc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO0UYzA4EbI

Other than a RoboCop guest fighter appearance in Mortal Kombat 11, the series was back on hiatus until the release of RoboCop: Rogue City in 2023. Developer Teyon produced a surprisingly faithful take on RoboCop, pulling inspiration from the first two movies in the series to recreate Old Detroit in all its dystopian glory. Reviews were generally warm, and while the game is a complete break from the fast-paced action games that currently dominate the first-person shooter genre, the attention to detail, downtime between missions, and satisfying gunplay make it a worthy successor to the RoboCop legacy.

In 2025, Teyon released a standalone expansion that pitted RoboCop against an army of mercenaries, and also included flashback missions that allowed players to step into the shoes of Alex Murphy before he was given a ballistics makeover.

As for Teyon, the studio's next game isn't a Rogue City sequel, but Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish. A new action game set in the World of Darkness, it was officially revealed during the Xbox March 2026 Partner Showcase. The game follows a team of hunters on a mission to take down a dangerous vampire, and it'll be out in 2027. A new RoboCop game might also be in jeopardy, as Nacon, the publisher of Rogue City, recently filed for insolvency.

EA Sports has announced the cover star for FC 27's Ultimate Edition, and it's none other than superstar Kylian Mbappe. His national team, France, may have lost to Spain in the World Cup semifinals this year, but Mbappe scored a tournament-best 10 goals, earning himself the Golden Boot award.

Mbappe was also on the cover of FIFA 23 in 2022; that was when EA and FIFA were still in business together prior to the name change to FC.

EA Sports will share more details on FC 27 on July 27, so be sure to check back soon for more.

https://twitter.com/EASPORTSFC/status/2079582337264726271

Mbappe, 27, said in a statement that it is a "very special moment" and an "honor" to continue partnering with EA for its professional football series.

"Kylian’s achievements for both club and country have established him as one of the defining players of his generation," EA Sports VP Jeff Sharma said, as reported by VGC.

Mbappe plays for Real Madrid, where he makes many millions of dollars as a salary, not to mention his lucrative off-pitch endorsement deals.

The FC series is known to have multiple cover stars for its different editions, so it's unclear who may grace the cover of FC 27's standard edition.

FC 26 featured Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the cover of its Ultimate Edition, along with Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala gracing the cover of the Standard Edition together.

In other news, EA's World Cup simulation correctly predicted Spain to win this year, and the simulation has not been wrong since 2006.

The campaign season is heating up, and by now, you're probably used to politicians making grand promises that won't be fulfilled. Across the pond in England, at least one "independent space warrior" is making a push to get Sega fans on his side, as Count Binface's bid to be elected the new MP of Clacton has seen him call on Sega to reopen its beloved West End Arcade and get Shenmue 4 into production.

"I need to say a galactic hello to Sega, on behalf of the Shenmue fans," Count Binface said in a new video that was shared by the fansite Shenmue Dojo. "I've got a little bone to pick with you, because the fans would like to campaign for an update from you, Sega, about Shenmue 4. They can't leave you guys on another cliffhanger for years! Yes, I wonder whether Sega needs to be nationalized along with Adele. What do you say? Should we harness the power of the Shenmue to ensure that there is no delay with updates ever again? I'd quite like to reboot Sega World in London's Trocadero and have old Sonic the Hedgehog back in his prime. Oh, that would be wonderful."

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4Fya52XGinQ?feature=share

Count Binface ended the video with a LetsGetShenmue4 hashtag, and as spotted by Metro, this was likely a Cameo video commissioned by Shenmue Dojo to campaign for the game a while back. The intergalactic politician hasn't shared the video on his social media platforms, but as far back as 2021, when he was running to be the next mayor of London, he did include plans to resurrect the beloved Trocadero arcade in his manifesto, fondly remembered as the SegaWorld arcade that could be found in London's West End. A fixture since its opening in 1996, it sadly closed down in 2011 as Sega faced a decline in its arcade business.

While Count Binface probably wouldn't have the power to resurrect that iconic arcade, he probably has earned a few new voters by expressing his passion for gaming, along with other policies revolving around cheap ice cream and nationalizing the singer Adelle. The Count will be facing off against Reform's controversial leader Nigel Farage--and dozens of other candidates--in the Clacton-on-Sea by-election, which will be held on August 13.

Meanwhile, Shenmue fans recently had the rug pulled out from under them when a fake Shenmue 4 trailer went viral earlier this year. Ys Net, the studio founded by Shenmue creator Yu Suzuki, condemned the trailer and said that it was considering legal action against the creator of the video. While there's no word yet on Shenmue 4 getting the green light, Virtua Fighter Crossroads and its focus on story-driven action should be a fine substitute.

Honestly, I thought I could no longer be surprised by the off-the-wall collaborations between Fortnite and various other IPs. At this point in Fortnite's very lucrative lifespan, the general rule of thumb seems to be, "If it's popular, it's gonna end up in Fortnite." Damn near every Marvel Cinematic Universe character has made an appearance, countless musical artists have held in-game concerts, and Epic has always been very good at making sure that whatever the internet is obsessed with at any given moment ends up tied to the game in one way or another.

The problem is that the internet is currently obsessed with Curry Barker's wildly successful horror film, Obsession. Epic Games and Blumhouse Productions apparently thought this would be a good time to release a collaborative ad for both Fortnite and Barker's film, which just hit streaming services after an extended theatrical run. The one-minute ad features various "jump-scare" moments from Obsession, but replaces the film's female lead, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), with a Galaxy Zero Point Sprite (the rarest collectible Sprite in Fortnite, with a drop rate of roughly 1 in 300 million). Instead of using a One Wish Willow as he did in the film, main character Bear (Michael Johnston) is shown snapping a "One Llama Luck" stick in half, causing the Sprite to become obsessed with him.

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

Editor's note: The following includes major spoilers for Obsession, and also contains references to sexual assault.

If you haven't seen the film, the video reads as a silly little nod to how obsessed Fortnite players are with the extremely rare Sprite. If you have seen the film, this entire ad spot is baffling at best and offensive at worst. In Obsession, Nikki loses her autonomy after Bear wishes that Nikki "loved [him] more than anyone in the f***ing world." Bear gets his wish, but it quickly becomes apparent that the real Nikki is trapped inside her body, unable to control it as she has been possessed by whatever magic lies within the One Wish Willow. Even after it becomes painfully clear that the version of Nikki that "loves" him isn't the real Nikki, Bear continues to act as if she is his girlfriend, repeatedly raping her and pretending they have a normal relationship, despite the fact that the real Nikki occasionally claws her way to the surface and begs him to free her.

In short, Bear is the villain, but he's not the sort of villain the audience is meant to like or relate to. He is dangerously obsessive, dishonest, and manipulative, and consistently makes the most selfish move every time he's presented with a choice. He's also, y'know, a rapist. Obsession's "twist" is the fact that, despite her horrific behavior while possessed, Nikki is the victim, and Bear is the aggressor. By the time the film ends, Nikki has regained her autonomy but is all alone, surrounded by the corpses of the people she once called friends--one of whom turned out to be a rapist, and two of whom Nikki killed against her will while possessed. The credits roll not to the tune of an outro song, but to the sound of Nikki's horrified sobs. How anyone watched this film and came to the conclusion it would pair well with a humorous Fortnite ad is beyond me.

The ad completely misses the point of Obsession: Bear is the monster. Nikki's only "scary" because she's possessed, and whatever entity is controlling her doesn't know how to human quite right (plus the real Nikki is trapped inside, fighting it every step of the way). This leads to strange behavior that freaks Bear out, as seen in the ad. But putting this cutesy Sprite in Nikki's place, framing it as, "Oooh, the adorable sprite is so menacing, haha!" and playing it for laughs is frankly disgusting. 

I get the joke; it's just not funny.

I get that players are "obsessed" with the Sprites. But an ad that puts the playerbase into Bear's shoes--you know, the shoes of a rapist and all-around asshole--as if to say, "Your obsession with these sprites is cute and harmless, just like Bear's obsession with Nikki!" is wildly inappropriate and off-putting. It really feels as though Epic pounced on the chance to associate a popular film with its game, without considering the content or context of that film at all.

Even if Epic had considered the context of the film and somehow managed to make a slightly less offensive ad, it would still feel out of place (and out of touch). Fortnite's playerbase tends to skew younger, with Epic's own materials stating the target demographic is 13- to 26-year-old players, and Obsession is an R-rated horror film about the nuances of rape culture. Fortnite has run into trouble with its crossovers before, and this one maybe won't cause a stir in part because it's apparently only an ad meant to drive Peacock subscriptions and not represented in the game itself. But it points to a startling lack of foresight and empathy on the part of Epic Games, which cannot seem to comprehend the fact that not every popular film IP is appropriate fodder for the ever-growing world of Fortnite, especially if the marketing team is going to miss the point this badly.

Red Hook Studios surprised Darkest Dungeon fans by announcing new DLC for the first game years after a sequel was already released. It's titled The Fire's Edge and will be out in August.

Darkest Dungeon exited early access in 2016 and last received DLC in May 2020. In the six years since, Red Hook launched a sequel that builds on the strong foundations of the first game and has supported it with DLC. That's why it's a bit surprising to see the developers return to the game that started it all.

The decision makes a little more sense when you learn that The Fire's Edge will bring some Darkest Dungeon 2 concepts into its predecessor. Namely, The Duelist and The Runaway heroes from the sequel will make their way back to the original. The Duelist benefits from moving around the party and switching between aggressive and defensive stances, while The Runaway will have access to the unique Burn damage type.

Darkest Dungeon: The Fire's Edge

To mix up Darkest Dungeon's roguelike runs even more once these new characters arrive, The Fire's Edge is adding new mechanics to equippable trinkets and the Academie Duello, Craftworks, and Archaeological Base Camp Hamlet districts to explore. If you've only been playing the sequel in recent years, this DLC looks like it'll give you a good reason to come back.

The developers have confirmed that The Fire's Edge will be paid DLC, although we have not learned how much it will retail for yet. Red Hook also explained that it is trying to make sure this DLC won't break existing mods and that an "improved mod manager" for the original Darkest Dungeon is in the works.

Darkest Dungeon: The Fire's Edge will be released on PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch on August 18. If you're worried about the fact that Darkest Dungeon 2 isn't getting any love from Red Hook right now, the series' X account confirmed that DLC for the sequel will follow in 2027.