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.

Ubisoft has confirmed that it will share what's next for Ghost Recon when it celebrates the series' 25th anniversary on August 6. This comes after several reports and rumors about upcoming Ghost Recon games emerged over the past month.

On July 20, Insider Gaming reported on a leak of the Ghost Recon: Wildlands Definitive Edition, a current-generation remaster of the 2017 game that will add a new mission, support 4K resolution, and run at 60 frames per second. It claimed that this is part of an "upgrade treatment" initiative within Ubisoft, and meant to tide players over until the next mainline Ghost Recon comes out.

Insider Gaming had previously reported that the newest Ghost Recon, codenamed Project OVR, cut features like helicopters and proximity mines after failing an alpha test earlier this spring. Ubisoft finally felt that these leaks and rumors were worth addressing, so it put out a brief message on the franchise's official X account, which has rarely posted over the last couple of years, to confirm when fans will learn more.

https://twitter.com/GhostRecon/status/2079234883713478979

The latest game in this Tom Clancy-inspired franchise is 2019's Ghost Recon: Breakpoint. A battle royale titled Ghost Recon: Frontline was announced by Ubisoft in 2021, but it was canceled less than a year later. As it has been nearly seven years since the series' last new game, it's understandable why Ghost Recon fans are itching to learn more.

Following Ubisoft's Creative House restructuring earlier this year amid layoffs, the Ghost Recon project fell under the purview of Creative House 2. Christoph Hartmann, who founded 2K Games and was VP of Amazon Game Studios, took over as Creative House 2's general manager earlier this month. Whatever Ubisoft announces on August 6 will be some of the first Creative House 2 titles under Hartmann's stewardship.

Paramount Skydance's plan to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery has hit yet another snag, as a judge has issued a two-week pause on its planned acquisition. After a coalition of 12 state attorneys--led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta--argued that the merger would violate federal antitrust law and potentially lead to higher film and TV prices, Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin placed a temporary pause on the merger.

The order could be extended from 14 to 28 days, and Paramount Skydance was originally expecting to close the deal on July 22 (via Variety). "Plaintiff States' showing at least demonstrates that serious questions going to the merits remain, weighing in favor of preliminary injunctive relief," Martinez-Olguin said. "Paramount and Warner Bros. will continue to operate as separate, viable companies competing in the marketplace while they wait for the Court to adjudicate this case."

Bonta labeled the ruling as a "critical first win" in the coalition's case (via NBC News), while Paramount Skydance has continued to insist that the lawsuit represents a "fundamentally flawed application" of antitrust laws. "With our lawsuit, we're fighting for a free and fair market and a thriving film and television industry that serves creatives and audiences alike. We have a full tank of gas, the law on our side, and look forward to continuing to make our case," Bonta said.

Paramount Skydance claims that acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery will allow it to better compete with the likes of Disney and Netflix, and in addition to all the film IP, studios, sports properties, and television networks it'll gain if the deal passes, it'll also take control of Warner Bros. Games.

This would mean that Paramount Skydance would become the new owner of valuable video game IP like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat, which could join its new in-house game development studio, Paramount Games Studio. The new arm of Paramount Skydance already has several projects in development, including a Star Trek horror game from Silent Hill 2 remake developer Bloober Team, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.

Originally, Netflix had planned to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery for $82.7 billion last year, but aggressive lobbying and a higher bid by Paramount Skydance saw the streaming giant pull out of the race.

Paramount Could Own All These Warner Bros. Game Studios Soon View Images

While Splatoon Raiders looks like a pivot from Nintendo's competitive multiplayer-focused franchise, a producer on the series confirmed that PvP gameplay in Splatoon will endure, even uttering the phrase "Splatoon 4" in an interview.

Nintendo's Ask the Developer feature (per Nintendo Life) included a question that straight-up asked producer Seita Inoue why a spin-off is the franchise's next entry instead of a proper Splatoon 4. Inoue clarified that though Raiders is a markedly different game, Nintendo will "continue to develop competitive gameplay going forward."

In short, the reasons for creating Raiders "as a spin-off and not as 'Splatoon 4'" came from Nintendo's desire to create "something with a slightly different approach to gameplay" and "a new entry point into the series," according to Inoue.

Citing the PvE Salmon Run mode from Splatoon 2 and 3 and the single-player story modes in all three mainline games, Inoue emphasized that the series "isn’t just about competitive play."

In Inoue's words, Nintendo has been "going full speed ahead for over 11 years since the series’ launch, developing and updating three titles along the way." Splatoon 3 was a sales hit when it launched in 2022, so making a fourth, traditional Splatoon game as a Switch 2 exclusive is an easy prediction to make. These comments from Splatoon developers only solidify the possibility further.

GameSpot's Splatoon Raiders review calls it "loads of fun," with "a single-player campaign that’s much more satisfying than its past attempts to inject a story campaign into the main games." The Switch 2 game releases on July 23.

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

Hasbro's ambitious plan to expand into video games appears to have hit an expensive snag, as the company has recorded a $56 million impairment charge related to its video games portfolio for 2028 and beyond, according to its second-quarter earnings results. For the uninitiated, an impairment charge is a sudden loss of value for an asset, making it worth far less than what a company originally paid for it.

"Over the last several quarters, we have reviewed our portfolio and updated our plans for Hasbro's digital future," Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks said to shareholders. "That work included canceling several games scheduled for release in 2028 and beyond and recording a $56 million non-cash write-down this quarter for related capitalized costs. The write-down reflects the standard we are applying to the portfolio. We are focusing our digital investment behind the franchises, platforms, and partners where we see the clearest upside and where Hasbro has the strongest right to win."

According to Cocks, Hasbro will have four priorities going forward for its video game projects--focus, cost discipline, ownable platforms, and partnership. The plan includes a new focus on "trading card games and role-playing games,"  a decrease in total digital spend, prioritizing its own IP, and finding the right partners for these projects. Cocks cited Scopely as a prime example, as the studio's work on Monopoly Go is expected to exceed a lifetime revenue of $8 billion later this year.

While Hasbro had big video game plans lined up, recent years have seen the company scale back and cancel several of its projects. It hasn't detailed exactly which games got cut, but it did mention that sci-fi adventure Exodus and its Dungeons & Dragons game Warlock are still scheduled to launch in 2027. While Atomic Arcade--the studio behind a new GI Joe game featuring fan-favorite character Snake Eyes--had layoffs earlier this year, Hasbro said that the developer's project still remains in development.

"The digital strategy is straightforward. We are taking lower-conviction-projects out of the portfolio, reducing our annual spend base and concentrating investment behind the places where Hasbro has the best chance to build durable digital franchises: Magic, D&D, owned platforms, partner-led economics, and a concentrated number of high-conviction owned titles," Cocks added.

Hasbro initially announced that it had formed six new internal studios in 2022, but since then, there have been some big changes behind the scenes. Baldur's Gate 3 and Monopoly Go were early hits for Hasbro, but in 2023, five of its game projects were canceled, and there were sweeping layoffs throughout its newly formed video game division. In 2024, head of digital product development Dan Ayoub said that Hasbro had invested $1 billion across its Invoke, Archtype, Skeleton Key, and Atomic Arcade game studios, and in 2026, Ayoub told The Game Business that not a single one of those projects was designed to be a game-as-a-service title.

In May, Hasbro confirmed that the single-player action-adventure title set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons and being developed by Giant Skull--the studio founded by Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and God of War 3 director Stig Asmussen--had been canceled.

After years of theories and speculation, World of Warcraft players may have finally uncovered the real endgame of its current main villain, Xal'atath.

Xal'atath has been Azeroth's big bad for the past several expansions, but aside from amassing power in her Dark Heart artifact, her exact motivations haven't been entirely clear. She doesn't seem to work for the Old Gods but for herself, though to what end has been up for debate.

Now, a datamined bit of dialogue from the game's upcoming 12.1 update may have just revealed her ultimate goal: one that will almost certainly spell doom for Azeroth and perhaps even the entire Warcraft universe.

Potential spoilers for patch 12.1 and future updates below.

As spotted by Reddit user rapunzel1213, a datamined (and likely subject-to-change) script from the game's 12.1 public-test realm looks to have revealed Xal'atath's true goal, and it's not to corrupt or destroy Azeroth. No, it's to become Azeroth herself.

https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/1v1pyas/spoilers_datamined_igc_scripts_show_xalataths/

For a little context, the last few expansions have built up the idea that within the planet Azeroth is a slumbering Worldsoul, essentially an unborn cosmic entity called a Titan. Azeroth, however, is not just any Worldsoul, but the Prime Worldsoul. It's for that reason Azeroth seems to be in many ways the center of the Warcraft universe. The Titans sought to protect Azeroth's Worldsoul, the Burning Legion sought to destroy it, and the Void aimed to corrupt it, knowing it would be the most powerful being in the universe were it to ever awaken.

Xal'atath, it seems, is looking to become the ultimate power in the universe by somehow merging with Azeroth's Worldsoul. The datamined script looks to be part of patch 12.1's Epilogue, setting up the events of patch 12.2. In it, Arator and Orweyna arrive to deliver an urgent message to Blood Elf leaders Lor'themar and Liadrin.

"Xal'atath has reached the Worldsoul," Arator says. "We have to move now. We have to find a way down there, blast open the coreway, anything."

Liadrin asks if they don't make it in time if Xal'atath will consume Azeroth.

"No," Orweyna replies. "Xal'atath will become her."

Other datamined information, like a new Renown faction called the Radiant Core, does indicate players will indeed be heading to the Worldsoul chamber as patch of 12.2. Content creators like Bellular have done a great job putting all the pieces together, if you want more context.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuTl3jdD874

Plus, there's the whole fact that Blizzard is calling this current expansion trilogy (of which Midnight is the second act) the "Worldsoul Saga." It would certainly be weird if players didn't confront the Worldsoul-sized elephant in the room at some point during this expansion. 

If Xal'atath does become Azeroth, that certainly raises some questions about the game's next expansion, The Last Titan. Is Xal'atath the titular last Titan? Or will players defeat her, cleansing Azeroth of her influence and ushering in a new age? Players will have to wait to find out, but it's clear WoW's narrative stakes have never been higher, and fans are eager to see how it will all play out.

As players ponder Xal'atath's endgame, many are still trying to wrap their heads around WoW's latest lore reveal involving the Haranir. And for those wondering what's next for the Warcraft franchise, an alleged leak may have revealed new games and shows set in Blizzard's fantasy universe.

A handful of filmmakers have begun testing the waters of AI-generated movies, and this week, Gran Turismo director Neill Blomkamp showed off a 14-minute short that was made entirely with the technology. Could the famed director of cult-classic movies like District 9 and Elysium be one of the first people in Hollywood to use generative AI in a way that wasn't met with overwhelming negativity? Probably not, as the comments for Blomkamp's latest project have ranged from apathetic to hostile, with pleas for the filmmaker to make a District 10 film instead.

Blomkamp's project, Nightborne, features 32 AI characters based on real actors, according to him. Clocking in at around 14 minutes, the short film follows a helicopter pilot who has been resurrected into a zombie super-soldier. "I've been experimenting with AI for a couple of years, and it's now at the point where I want to tackle a full feature in this format. This is a 13-minute test start," Blomkamp said online.

https://youtu.be/8Wbtt2JxP7g

Like other AI-generated films, Nightbourne suffers from several technical issues. Characters and assets are hamstrung by various inconsistencies--from injuries to pocket pens--wooden acting, and the overall production having a very uncanny-valley vibe to it. Comments have been less than kind, with celebrated comic book creator Stjepan Seijic dropping a barb of note:

https://twitter.com/stjepansejic/status/2079235069881819626

Negative comments aside, Blomkamp seems intent on producing a feature-length movie with generative AI, and he announced that he had created a studio dedicated to the project called Barley Studios. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan's Greek epic The Odyssey has gotten off to a strong start at the box office and is being hailed as one of the best movies of the year. While Nolan has once again emphasized how important the human factor is in making a film like The Odyssey, other opportunistic companies are attempting to ride his coattails by making their own version of an ancient story with generative AI.

While production company Fountain 0 and director Ash Koosha have admitted that their AI-generated project, Odysseus: The Fall, won't be on the same level as Nolan's movie, the people behind it are hoping it'll start new discussions on how AI can be used to make movies.

Xbox Game Pass is teaming up with another subscription service this week, albeit one that appeals to a niche section of gamers. Facebook parent group Meta and Xbox have announced that a starter edition of Xbox Game Pass is now available to Meta Horizon+ subscribers, giving them access to over 50 games via cloud streaming. Games can also be downloaded directly from the cloud and onto a Meta Quest headset, and the starting lineup includes a mix of AAA hits and classic indies. One thing to note is that cloud-streaming games do have a time limit of 10 hours per month through this subscription, and a high-speed internet connection is also required.

So far, the list includes games like Fallout 76, Fallout 4, Overcooked 2, Grounded, DayZ, Deep Rock Galactic, and Snowrunner. Meta says that players will soon be able to use their Meta Quest Touch controllers to emulate an Xbox controller, or if you already have one, you can pair it with the headset to play games. If you're unfamiliar with it, Meta Horizon+ is a subscription service similar to Xbox Game Pass and PlayStation Plus, as it offers users a library of VR games, deals, and a few freebies for an $8 fee every month or $60 annually.

If you'd prefer a bigger library, you can also access Xbox Game Pass Ultimate via the dedicated Xbox app on the Meta marketplace, and use cloud streaming to access those games. This is a separate--and pricier--subscription, and to ensure lag-free gaming, a 5Ghz internet connection is recommended.

This isn't the first time that Meta and Xbox have teamed up, as last year, the companies unveiled the Meta Quest 3S Xbox Edition that featured a carbon black color scheme, matching Touch Plus controllers, an Xbox controller, an Elite Strap, and a three-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass. That version of the virtual- and mixed-reality headset is designed to be a smaller sibling to the older Quest 3 headset, and in a nutshell, its lenses aren't quite as impressive in comparison. It does have slightly improved battery life, and it is cheaper, but the price of these headsets recently increased by $50-$100 each.

Meta said that the current global memory shortage led to price increases, but it pledged to keep Quest headset accessories at their current prices. Both of these headsets are popular as entry-level devices, as they're fairly powerful and they're completely wireless, while the game library includes well-received titles like Batman and Deadpool VR games.

The Best Xbox Game Pass Games In 2026 View Images

Nintendo is just one of many companies that has been claiming refunds on the tariffs it was forced to pay on goods entering the United States from August 2025, but says it doesn't have to, and won't, pass these onto customers.

In August 2025, Nintendo increased the price of the original Switch console in accordance with ongoing tariffs at the time. These were deemed illegal but a US court in February 2026, with Nintendo suing the US government in an attempt to get their tariffs (and associated interest) refunded. A class action lawsuit, filed in April 2026 on behalf of Nintendo consumers, argued that Nintendo had an obligation to refund customers who purchases products at the inflated price.

Nintendo, in the latest reply to the lawsuit, argues against that logic, saying that customers were never forced to make a purchase in the first place. The documents, highlighted by Game File, also show that Nintendo is attempting to have the case dismissed.

"Nintendo or one of its retailers set a price for each product, and consumers decided whether that price was worth paying," the new filing reads. “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 argues that it also didn't raise the price of all of its products, implying that it didn't completely benefit from passing on some tarrif costs to customers.

“Instead, Nintendo imposed modest and selective price adjustments, and it chose to bear the costs of tariffs on some of its most popular products of 2025, including its flagship console, the Nintendo Switch 2," the filing continued.

Nintendo closes its opposition by stating that consumers have always been free to seek out alternatives if they deemed its price increases to be too extreme. “If a consumer did not want to pay the advertised price, they were free to abstain from purchasing the product or seek out competing products," the filing concluded.

It's unclear yet if the class action lawsuit will go to trial, but it's evident Nintendo has no plans to refund anyone should it receive all of its tariff expenditure back. That might help it weather the ongoing memory crisis for a little longer, perhaps avoiding another Switch 2 price hike that is scheduled for later this year.

Writer-director Hideo Kojima, famous for creating Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding, has commented on how he would like to die.

During a recent event, Kojima said he would like to die in a movie theater, and he even knows when, exactly, he'd like to pass away. "I like the time before the movie starts the best. Enter the movie theater, the lights turn off, the commercials and trailers play, then just before the movie starts is when I want to pass away," he said.

https://twitter.com/Kojima_Hideo/status/2079486124133900651?s=20

It's a morbid comment, but it's not altogether surprising to hear Kojima say this. He is, after all, a huge fan of cinema. His social media bio says he is a game creator whose body is 70% made of movies.

Kojima is known for his one-sentence movie reviews and regularly comments on the latest films and the wider movie industry. He's also friends with a number of famous Hollywood directors, including Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro and Nicolas Winding Refn.

He's working with another Oscar-winner, Jordan Peele, on his new horror game OD.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sMNtH21-JU

Kojima was asked to direct the Death Stranding movie, but he declined because he thought he would give too many notes. Instead, Michael Sarnoski (Pig, A Quiet Place: Day One) is directing the Death Stranding movie.