Writer-director Neil Druckmann dropped out of HBO's The Last of Us TV show to focus on Naughty Dog's gaming output, including Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. In a new interview, he said Season 3--which, again, he had no direct involvement in, will "wrap up" the series. He also revealed that, unlike Seasons 1 and 2, Naughty Dog "did not have a creative role in the direction" of Season 3.

Druckmann said this to The Washington Post, confirming, "I wasn't involved in shaping this season's creative direction," nor was Naughty Dog involved. "So I can't personally speak to how production is progressing," he said.

The Last of Us ending after Season 3 would be no surprise, as HBO management said that would likely happen. Druckmann was very closely involved in Seasons 1 and 2; he co-wrote some of the episodes and directed two.

Druckmann went on to say that Naughty Dog remains "the steward of this IP" and even though the HBO show might be coming to an end, he teased, "We're not done with The Last of Us."

He went on to say, "There's a couple projects in the works that, when the time is right, I'm very excited to talk about."

Bella Ramsey as Ellie.

This isn't the first time that Druckmann has teased future The Last of Us projects. Earlier this year, he said there are "a few stops that remain on the road ahead" for the series.

Druckmann has heavily teased that a third The Last of Us game might be on the way. We also know that Naughty Dog has had at least two new games in development since 2023, one of which is Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet–the other is a mystery. Naughty Dog had significant resources dedicated to The Last of Us Online, but the project was ultimately canceled.

Troy Baker, meanwhile, who played Joel in the game series, said this year that, "I definitely know we've not seen the last of Joel."

With BlizzCon just a week away, there's new reason to believe that some kind of StarCraft news is on the way. Various visual elements on the official StarCraft website are now glitching out in a way that looks much more "hey fans, get excited" than "alert the engineering team that we've got a problem."

The glitches were flagged on Bluesky by John Carson, and they specifically appear on the section of Blizzard's website advertising 2017's StarCraft Remastered, rather than StarCraft II. The glitches see certain images and text become briefly distorted, though to my eye, there is nothing specific to glean from them. 

An example of the StarCraft site glitches

But this sudden marketing stunt feels noteworthy given that the StarCraft franchise has largely been dormant for years. 2026 has brought rumors that something is afoot: The publisher behind Arc Raiders was said to be working on a StarCraft shooter that would be revealed at BlizzCon. More recently, a report from The Chosun Daily claimed that Nexon was seeking the rights to develop a new RTS, possibly StarCraft III.

That anything is happening with StarCraft could come as welcome news to fans of the franchise. StarCraft II was released in three main components between 2010 and 2015, and other than the subsequent remaster of the original, no new games in the series have been released or even announced. As Blizzard's focus shifted to maintaining WoW and Diablo, as well as developing Overwatch, it wasn't terribly surprising to see its more niche real-time-strategy series fall by the wayside, but it was no less disappointing: The StarCraft games are among the best strategy games ever, and fans were already tortured through years of hoping the canceled StarCraft: Ghost spin-off would ever see the light of day.

StarCraft II did get a sizable update earlier this year, which might have been part of an effort to begin to revitalize interest in the franchise as Blizzard prepares to bring it back. Should that come solely in the form of the rumored shooter, that would come as a blow to those wanting to see Blizzard return to the strategy genre that it has otherwise abandoned (first with Warcraft, and then with StarCraft). Were that complemented by a new Nexon-developed RTS, it might soften the blow, though the lack of Blizzard's direct influence might undercut the excitement such an announcement would otherwise produce, but beggars can't be choosers, after all. 

BlizzCon's opening ceremony is set to take place on 10:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM ET on Saturday, September 12. If there's life in the StarCraft franchise, it feels like a sure thing that we'll see some sign of it there. If not, somebody call StarCraft's webmaster.

The D&D Icons initiative, led by actor and longtime D&D fanatic Joe Manganiello, brings today's Dungeons & Dragons game together with famous series creators of the past, like author R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt. But things aren't going to be strictly limited to classic fantasy settings, Manganiello has teased.

Speaking to GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell at Gen Con 2026, Manganiello stressed that modern-day settings could be part of the Icons program, too.

"There [are] also lots of other things that I want for Icons in the future," he said. "I think that there's a great present-day game that pushes genetics and military. We're moving at such a rapid pace, but I think there could be a game that takes place in our modern world. There are also some other worlds of D&D that I think could be revisited in new and exciting ways that weren't maximized their first time around."

Manganiello, whose official title is chief creative officer, is keeping specifics secret for now, but it sounds like, for fans of more modern fantasy adventures, D&D Icons could be for you. Could something futuristic like Halo or Horizon: Zero Dawn make sense for the D&D ruleset? Only time will tell, but it could open up the D&D experience to an even wider audience. Wizards has experimented with more modern content in the past, so it's not unprecedented.

Gundam Rogue Orbit is a break from tradition for Bandai Namco, as new entries in the franchise typically debut as an anime series first, then as a line of collectible model kits. But this Gundam is arriving first as a video game--one that was shown in more detail today during the September PlayStation State of Play broadcast. If you're a Gundam fan, fret not, because at least one part of the traditional Gundam experience is being kept intact if you buy the $160 Rogue Orbit collector's edition.

Gundam Rogue Orbit Collector's Edition

Like other special editions from Bandai Namco, Gundam Rogue Orbit combines a physical copy of the game with a few physical in-game goodies. It's the inclusion of a High-Grade model kit based on the new Gundam Helix mobile suit that could make this collector's edition sought after, as it will be exclusive to the game. Gundam model kits aren't usually hard to come by as Bandai Namco regularly keeps store shelves restocked with them, but the HG Helix model looks like a rare exception to that rule.

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

If you are planning to grab one, it's worth noting that HG Gundam model kits are 1/144-scale figures and are designed to appeal to casual builders with their moderate detail, minimal foil stickers, and durable design. You won't need too many tools to build one either, and the Helix design features a lot of panels and other mechanical details, so that could be a nice kit to build. The new trailer for the game also teased other shells that you can apply to the Helix to shake up its look, including an RX-78-2 skin and a red Zaku-inspired look that would make Char Aznable proud.

Aside from the model, you'll also get a poster, reversible cover art, a pack of five promo cards, a steel case for the game disc, and DLC that includes 14 different color patterns for the Helix in the game. You won't have to wait too much longer to play it, as Gundam Rogue Orbit launches on March 5, 2027, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Microsoft has made a big announcement about one of the big perks of Xbox Game Pass, cloud streaming, and the news is not great.

Starting in November, Microsoft will put limits on how many hours per month people can use the service, and then allow people to pay more to unlock more time. Below is a breakdown of how many hours you'll get included with the tier of Game Pass you're subscribed to:

• Game Pass Ultimate: 15 hours
• Game Pass Premium: 10 hours
• Game Pass Essential: 5 hours

Microsoft said it understands this is a "meaningful change," especially for those who use the cloud regularly for gaming. However, the company said it estimates that these changes will impact about 4% of Game Pass subscribers, though the company did not share any specifics on how it arrived at that projection.

A first look at the "cloud playtime remaining" UI on Xbox.

For people who want or need more monthly streaming hours, Microsoft will allow people to buy more--but pricing was not announced.

Additionally, Microsoft said that in November, for the first time, people will not need to have an Xbox Game Pass membership to stream games with the cloud. People outside of Game Pass will be able to buy cloud playtime through the Xbox Store, though, again, pricing was not shared. Microsoft said this option is meant to appeal to people who don't want to subscribe to a recurring membership like Game Pass and only want "occasional access."

"We’re introducing this model because the cost of providing cloud gaming grows as more people use it and play for longer. Moving to monthly limits allows us to keep offering the service while continuing to invest in its reliability and performance. We understand that for some players the practical result is a higher cost," Microsoft said. The company added that it will "listen closely" to player feedback and make adjustments if necessary.

Xbox's cloud gaming service runs on Azure servers, and the Azure business is booming. For the first time ever, Microsoft just revealed how much money it makes on Azure quarterly, and the latest numbers showed $29.4 billion in sales. As relayed by Reuters, that's behind Amazon's latest quarterly revenue for AWS of $42.2 billion but ahead of Google's $24.8 billion cloud business results.

Dungeons & Dragons is no stranger to crossovers with other IP, and a collaboration with Blizzard's World of Warcraft also already on the way. However, that may not be the only Blizzard crossover we get in D&D, as both Wizards of the Coast and Blizzard teased recently.

Speaking to GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell during Gen Con 2026, head of Dungeons & Dragons Dan Ayoub made it clear that he would love a StarCraft crossover.

"I will say this, since I am sitting here with [World of Warcraft VP] Holly Longdale, who is super persuasive and has cool stuff: I think StarCraft would be badass," Ayoub said. "As I said earlier today, I quite literally almost flunked out of university because of StarCraft. That one gives me the feels."

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

The two exchanged conspiratorial smiles before Longdale replied, “Hmmm. I think we should talk. I know a guy." Ayoub laughed, then added, "I think I know where to find you."

Blizzard was not giving any more details on a potential StarCraft crossover and at this point, it’s not clear if it’s even officially in the works. However, their coy nature discussing it has us very intrigued.

Prior to that, we'll get to see how D&D and World of Warcraft work together. D&D: World of Warcraft is out November 17, featuring 30 dungeon bosses, seven dungeons, 60 new spells, and more.

Dungeons & Dragons fans will soon be exploring the dangerous lands of Azeroth, as World of Warcraft is coming to the tabletop game. Wizards of the Coast (WotC) and Blizzard have gone all-out with this crossover, as not only does it feature multiple World of Warcraft classes and six additional subclasses, but also various specializations, spells, items, and enemies. That sounds like a dream pairing between two titans of the fantasy genre, but could we see Dungeons & Dragons make an appearance in World of Warcraft's digital realms?

WotC isn't saying anything official right now, but in an interview at Gen Con with GameSpot's Jessica Cogswell, Head of Dungeons & Dragons Dan Ayoub and VP of World of Warcraft for Blizzard Holly Longdale were certainly teasing something. "I cannot say at this time," Longdale said. "Not at this time. This is a grand experiment. I am really excited to see where it goes."

"As we exchange knowing glances," Ayoub added.

Dungeons & Dragons; World of Warcraft

If a reciprocal crossover is in the pipeline, then it'll most likely be revealed at BlizzCon later this month. Blizzard's big event for all of its games typically kicks off with a grand-opening ceremony--this year's one will be on September 12--and dedicated panels will be held over the weekend for its games. That same day, World of Warcraft will be in the spotlight, as Blizzard will host a 45-minute "What's Next" panel for the game on the main stage, which does suggest some big news. On September 13, that panel will continue on the main stage as the development team previews upcoming adventures, features, and updates.

World of Warcraft might not be the only Blizzard franchise coming to Dungeons & Dragons, as Ayoub teased that StarCraft would also be a dream addition to the tabletop game. "I know a guy," Longdale said in response. While WotC continues to introduce new IP to Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons, Ayoub also stressed that the core games won't be sidelined in favor of Universes Beyond crossovers.

Revealed during today’s State of Play presentation, Pearl Abyss has confirmed that Crimson Desert’s first major expansion will be launching in October. It not only adds a new region and plenty of new narrative surprises, but also gameplay features that pull from the most unlikely of places. If the reveal trailer is any indication, Crimson Desert could soon be a life sim that gives The Sims a run for its money. 

In Chartering the Unknown, players can expect underwater combat in which you pilot submarines, ride sharks, and use a jetpack to propel yourself through the beautiful ocean blue. In classic Crimson Desert fashion, it looks absolutely ridiculous, with no rhyme or reason to its mechanical intentions or oddball art design. But that willingness to try so many things, regardless of how they turn out, is part of what makes Crimson Desert so charming. 

Other unexpected additions coming to the paid expansion include Assassin’s Creed-esque naval combat, giant underwater dragons, and a new narrative threat that seemingly revolves around an unexplored location far beyond the Crimson Desert. Players can likely expect a new region dominated by a huge body of water, and a city in which abused workers are beginning to rebel against their leaders. Nothing about it makes sense, but players have come to expect that from Crimson Desert by now. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fQCPmH6kOg

But one of the most exciting things coming to the game as part of Charting the Unknown is the ability to construct your own buildings and fill them with whatever you like. The trailer is focused primarily on erecting what appears to be a massive castle outside the city, showcasing its evolution from a foundation in the ground to a formidable stone fortress. There is even plenty of scaffolding, which gives off the impression you will be able to climb buildings while they’re being constructed or perhaps help out with the assembly yourself. 

The trailer then transitions to the interior of a completely different building, where the player is using an interface to place walls just like you would in The Sims or Paralives. This isn’t just an open-world action-adventure game anymore; it’s a borderline life sim where you can construct a series of rooms, place furniture, and, thanks to the forthcoming update, start up a romance with one of the game's numerous NPCs.

Towards the end of the trailer, we see protagonist Kliff Macduff getting on his knees and offering a lovely bouquet of flowers to an NPC, suggesting that more robust romance options could soon be coming to Crimson Desert. If you’re adding all the other ingredients of life sims, obviously it makes sense to let our hero fall in love and settle down. 

It’s likely the expansion is hiding plenty of secrets we’ll have to wait until launch to discover. It also gives you the option to hire employees, each with different statistics and roles, so you might want someone with particular skills to run the castle kitchen or a smart-talking fella to act as your castle’s traveling merchant. The presence of attack and defense stats gives off the impression that there will also come a time to defend your castle from outside forces. It wouldn’t be surprising if the presence of a pirate ship also asks that players assemble their own crew, which could come from your castle, or vice versa. 

Crimson Desert: Chartering the Unknown

The Chartering the Unknown expansion follows in the footsteps of countless free updates that have utterly transformed the ambitious open-world game since it arrived earlier this year, with the most recent patch adding several narrative-focused cutscenes to its once lightweight main story.

Crimson Desert has proven itself to be quite polarizing since its release, with critics arguing it does too much mechanically and far too little narratively. However, this throw everything at the wall attitude also makes it impossible to look away when an expansion like this comes around. Nobody expected it to suddenly transform into a life sim where you can make a castle and fall in love, yet here we are.

The Crunchyroll Game Vault is expanding, as the anime brand has announced several new additions to its collection of mobile games. Available as a membership perk for Mega and Ultimate Fan subscribers, the Game Vault will now offer more than 100 games free of ads and in-app purchases, with new arrivals like Baki Hanma: Blood Arena and ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs being added to the service.

For fans of cozy experiences, ReStory is a delightful game where you run an electronics workshop and spend the day restoring old tech to working order while listening to some chill lofi beats. Designed to be satisfying and relaxing, it's a nostalgic look back at retro gaming hardware, cellphones, and other essential gadgets. Other upcoming games being added to Crunchyroll's vault include the stylish psychological-horror adventure Little Goody Two Shoes, the elegantly designed adventure Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley, and Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, which reimagines the spade-wielding hero's quest as a roguelike with puzzle elements. Rounding out the arrivals is Streets of Rage 4, which is still one of the best beat-'em-ups ever made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiYNNGR4uLo

Crunchyroll also added a few more games recently, like the 2D brawler Baki Hanma: Blood Arena, a monster-hunting adventure where you cook what you catch in Battle Chef Brigade, and Beyblade X Xone for fans of the blade-spinning anime and toy franchise.

If you're unfamiliar with it, the Crunchyroll Game Vault offers a curated library of premium mobile, indie, and anime-inspired games on iOS and Android devices. Available at no extra charge to Mega and Ultimate Fan members, this means that you're getting dozens of games on top of access to all the anime series and films through the streaming platform. Many titles also support Bluetooth gamepads (Xbox, PlayStation, or mobile controllers like the Backbone One) on mobile devices, so you're getting a traditional gaming experience if you have this hardware.

You can find this section in the Crunchyroll App, and it already includes several great games, such as Dungeons of Hinterberg, Pepper Grinder, and Metal Slug Tactics. If you're interested, the full list of games is below.

Considering how video game hardware is more expensive than ever before, Crunchyroll's Game Vault is a pretty solid deal considering how most people have access to smart devices. GameSpot recently took a look at how you can save some cash during Cheap Week, and if you missed it, you can check out our features on the best games for under $10, game subscriptions you might already have, and why the future is friendslop.

Crunchyroll Game Vault games

• 9 Years of Shadows
• 10 Second Ninja X
• Ao Oni
• Ariana and the Elder Codex
• Asdivine Saga
• Baki Hanma: Blood Arena
• Battle Chasers: Nightwar
• Battle Chef Brigade
• Battle Suit Aces
• Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery
• Beyblade X Xone
• Black Lily's Tale
• Blossom Tales II: The Minotaur Prince
• Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions
• CATO: Buttered Cat
• Classroom of the Elite
• Connectank
• Corpse Party
• Crypt of the NecroDancer (includes Hatsune Miku DLC & SYNCHRONY)
• Dawn of the Monsters
• Destiny's Princess: A War Story, A Love Story
• Dungeons of Hinterberg
• Evan's Remains
• ExZeus: The Complete Collection
• Eternights
• Fishing Star World Tour
• Fruit Mountain
• Freshly Frosted
• Gift
• Grisaia Phantom Trigger Series (Vol. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 6, 7, 8)
• Gungrave G.O.R.E.
• Hidden in My Paradise
• Hime's Quest
• Horror Hop
• inbento
• Kardboard Kings
• Kawaii Kitchen
• KinnikuNeko: SUPER MUSCLE CAT
• Kitaria Fables
• Last Time I Saw You
• Lock's Quest
• Lost Words
• Lunar Lux
• Magical Drop VI
• Metal Slug Tactics
• MMC KENKEN Math
• Moonstone Island
• Patch Quest
• Pepper Grinder
• Phantom Breaker: Battle Grounds Mobile
• PictoQuest
• Pikuniku
• Ponpu
• Princess Maker 2 Refine+
• PSYCHO-PASS: MANDATORY HAPPINESS
• Pub Encounter
• Raging Loop
• River City Girls
• River City Girls 2
• Roto Force
• RWBY: Arrowfell
• Sailor Cats 2: Space Odyssey
• Shantae and the Seven Sirens
• Shin chan: Me and the Professor on Summer Vacation – The Endless Seven-Day Journey
• Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town
• Shogun Showdown
• Space Crew
• Spidersaurs
• Spin Rhythm XD
• STEINS;GATE
• Sushi for Robots
• Sweet Sins 2
• Tengami
• The Amazing Shinsengumi: Heroes in Love
• The House in Fata Morgana
• The Men of Yoshiwara: Kikuya
• The Men of Yoshiwara: Ohgiya
• The Star Named EOS
• Thunder Ray
• Tokyo Dark Remembrance
• Two Strikes
• Umiro
• Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
• White Day
• Wolfstride
• Yohane the Parhelion
• Ys I Chronicles
• Ys II Chronicles
• Yuppie Psycho

Coming soon

• Little Goody Two Shoes
• ReStory: Chill Electronics Repairs
• Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
• Streets of Rage 4
• Snufkin: Melody of Moominvalley

Pre-Registration & Upcoming Titles

• Bananya Buddies (Pre-registration)
• Call of Boba
• Cuisineer
• Gato Roboto
• Little Goody Two Shoes
• Mythic Love: Iberian Legends

CD Projekt joint-CEO Michał Nowakowski has commented on how the studio thinks about artificial intelligence when it comes to developing games.

Speaking during CD Projekt's latest earnings briefing, the executive said AI is "definitely becoming a thing in games development." However, he stressed that the Polish developer is still "predominantly using people" to make games.

"AI, if anything, is a tool like many others that's helping in places that can maybe become more helpful in the future but we're not planning to rely on AI making complete games," he said, as reported by PC Gamer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54dabgZJ5YA&rco=1

Nowakowski said CD Projekt makes "very complex games," and using AI would not be "the right or ethical path to follow."

At the same time, Nowakowski said every studio--or at least its management--will decide for itself how it wants to use, or not use, AI.

"So whether this is true for the whole industry, I'm not the person to make those statements. I think everybody has to make those judgments on their own," he said.

The Witcher 4 is set for release in 2028, and it kicks off a new trilogy of games. CD Projekt is also working on Cyberpunk 2 and a multiplayer Witcher game.

After its liberation from Microsoft's ownership, the newly independent Double Fine Productions has been quite busy. At the September 2026 State of Play, PlayStation revealed that Double Fine's surreal adventure Keeper is shadow-dropping on PS5, and the studio added that the acclaimed game is getting some intriguing updates.

Along with the surprise PS5 release, Keeper is also getting a "Psychedelic Mode," which is probably exactly what it sounds like. Considering how much bizarre imagery is already in the game, an even more "wild new way" to play the game should be a treat. And Double Fine wants to sweeten the deal with a price cut, which the studio implemented with its other recent title, Kiln.

https://bsky.app/profile/doublefine.com/post/3mummzhp4ws2f

Keeper launched in 2025 at a $30 price point and now sells for $20. Kiln, which released earlier in 2026, cost $20 for the base game, with a $30 deluxe "Fired Up" edition; those are now $8 and $10, respectively. Unlike Keeper, Kiln launched on PS5 along with Xbox and Steam.

Meanwhile, Double Fine revived its Amnesia Fortnight game jam and already exceeded its crowdfunding goal of $400,000 for the project. The game jam, a tradition for Double Fine since 2007 (and was halted while it was under Xbox's ownership), will result in the studio's next title.

But the loftiest stretch goal in the crowdfunding campaign is the promise of a Brutal Legend 2 should it reach $100 million. It's a huge ask, and one that likely won't be met pending intervention from any moguls who are big Jack Black fans.

Keeper was beloved by critics, with GameSpot's Keeper review calling it a "visual feast." Since Double Fine's spin-off from Xbox, purchases of its games will directly support the studio. The split from Microsoft occurred in July, but the studio unfortunately cut 25% of its staff as a result.

The most exciting part of a video game showcase is when developers shadow-drop something immediately after announcing it. Today's State of Play had a few such announcements. Demos for a new Final Fantasy game and anime-inspired action titles, as well as a port of a Double Fine game that was previously Xbox exclusive, are out now.

Final Fantasy Resonance Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZvZYwQdXN8&pp=0gcJCRoMAYcqIYzv

Final Fantasy Resonance is an HD-2D game based on the narrative of Brave Exvius, a game previously only available on mobile. This demo will give you a taste of the game's first chapter and all of the throwback pixel art and Final Fantasy character summons that come during that. Progression will carry over to the full game too, which is out on October 22. Although only the PS5 version was mentioned during the stream, the demo is also out now on PC, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S.

Keeper's PS5 Port https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PilyJu1DDEo

Keeper was released by Double Fine in October 2025 and is the latest title from Headlander and Stacking designer Lee Petty. It's a surreal, visually stunning game where you explore a decrepit world as a lighthouse and its fantastical bird companion. It flew under the radar last year, so it's great to see it come to PS5 now that Double Fine is independent once again. It got a price drop and new psychedelic mode today too.

Stupid Never Dies Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_33MQFuVEY

Stupid Never Dies is a quirky new action game from Hiroyuki Kobayashi, a producer best known for his work on series like Dino Crisis and Dragon's Dogma at Capcom. You can get a taste of its flashy action from this new demo, which lasts two hours and lets you transfer progress once Stupid Never Dies launches on October 21.

SlashZero Demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrJuL3XSLTc

SlashZero is a fast-paced action roguelike with an anime aesthetic where players control a time hacker trying to kill something called "Hieros-I." While the game won't be out until sometime next spring, a limited-time demo was released on PS5 today.

Following Nintendo, both Sony and Microsoft have now argued in court that they are not obligated to provide refunds to consumers who paid more for a price-hiked PlayStation or Xbox console related to US President Donald Trump's controversial tariff plan. The tariffs were deemed illegal, prompting companies to seek refunds. The companies getting those refunds are largely keeping them, though there have been some exceptions and outliers.

In July, Sony said it was projecting to get $508 million back in refunds from the US government over the tariffs, and "most" of that money was owed to Sony's gaming division. Sony is facing a lawsuit that claims Sony should disperse refunds, at least in part, to consumers who paid more for a PS5.

Sony's legal team, however, says Sony will keep all the money and you'll get nothing back.

"Paying fair market price for voluntarily purchased consumer goods is not a legally cognizable injury in fact," the lawyers said in a memo seeking to dismiss the class-action suit, as reported by Game File.

Microsoft's own legal team took a similar approach, saying in court, "There is nothing unjust about plaintiff purchasing an Xbox at an advertised price and getting exactly what [they] paid for..."

Sony's argument in court added that the class-action lawsuit brought by gamers does not provide evidence that tariffs were to blame for the PS5 price hike implemented in August 2025, calling the claim "speculative and illogical." In announcing the price hike, Sony said it was raising PS5 prices in response to a "challenging economic environment," but not mentioning tariffs specifically.

Sony's legal team said things like "inflation, currency fluctuations, component costs, logistics, competitive dynamics, or demand" could have also contributed to the PS5 price hike. Indeed, beyond tariffs alone, the AI-fueled demand for components and memory--the same equipment needed to make PS5 consoles--has led to shortages and increased costs for Sony and others in the market.

No refunds.

Sony went on to cite its own additional PS5 price hike in March 2026--following the Supreme Court deeming the tariffs illegal--as proof that the hikes are not attributable to tariffs.

"If tariffs were the cause of the price increases, one would expect SIE to lower prices once the tariffs were eliminated--not raise them again. Instead, the timeline confirms that the pricing of PlayStation consoles includes a diverse and dynamic set of input costs," Sony's lawyers said.

Microsoft took a similar stance, saying the class-action suit fails to provide "pricing differential attributable to tariffs..."

For Sony, its refusal to provide tariff refunds to players is just the latest public relations issue the company is facing. The company also announced plans to end support for physical PlayStation game discs in 2028, and a lot of people dislike that decision.

Not every gaming company is taking such a hard line on this topic. Panic, the company behind the Playdate gaming handheld, said it will pass its own refunds on to customers who paid more. People should get about $12 back.

“It’s just not our money to keep, and it felt really good to give it back,” Panic’s Cabel Sasser told Game Developer. “That’s an easy way to know you made the right decision.”

Many companies received major tariff refunds, and they are handling refunds differently. For example, Wamart and Home Depot have said they will use the cash infusion to lower prices on a variety of products, but not directly refund anyone..

“At the end of the day, a product is worth what somebody’s willing to pay for it, and there is a lot of choice in this marketplace,” Bryan Eshelman, a managing director at consulting firm AlixPartners, told CNBC.

This may be true, and Sony may have no legal obligation to pass along refunds to consumers, but that doesn't mean it's sitting well with everyone. People are loudly voicing their opinions on social media, with many posting the Jeremy Irons quote from the movie Margin Call where his character says, "We are selling to willing buyers at the current fair market price."

The latest gaming-related price hike came from Nintendo, which increased the price of the Switch 2 from $450 to $500 on September 1. Historically, console prices came down over time, but the world is different today.

With the release date of Final Fantasy VII Revelation confirmed as April 8 during today's PlayStation State of Play, it seems Steam is jumping the gun on what comes after, as two downloadable story expansions have appeared on the digital storefront.

Each expansion features specific characters, with the first called "Sephiroth" and the second called "Vincent and the Turks." Both are listed as release "between Winter 2027 and April 2028. No other information is included with the listings.

The news comes alongside an extended look at Final Fantasy VII Revelation during the State of Play, with nearly ten minutes of gameplay exploring the open world, side missions in Yutai and Gongaga, side activities like Queen's Blood, and more.

Series producer Naoki Hamaguchi introduced the gameplay demo, as well as a new Trilogy Edition which combines all three parts of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy into one package.

Square Enix has also detailed the Deluxe and Collector's Editions of Revelation, which will include both DLC packs found on the Steam page. Details for each edition are below:

• Physical - PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
  • Standard ($69.99)
    • Day 1 Editions available at several retailers include Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Final Showdown Promo Card*
    • Amazon Day 1 Edition includes folded poster
  • Deluxe ($99.99)
    • Mini-Soundtrack
    • Artbook
    • Day 1 Editions available at several retailers include Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Promotional Card
    • Steelbook case
  • Collector’s Edition ($349.99) - Square Enix Store Exclusive
    • All “Deluxe Edition” contents, plus…
      • Premium statue (featuring Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth)
      • Story Expansion Pass**, granting access to two story-centered DLCs planned for later release***
        • Includes in-game accessory Reclaimant Choker
        • Includes Survival Set of useful in-game consumable items
      • In-game equipment Armor: Nymphwing Bracelet
      • In-game equipment Accessory: Risk Taker’s Choker
      • In-game item: Summon Materia: Mecha-Chocobo & Moogle
      • In-game item: Summoning Materia: Polydroid Alexander

• Digital - PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
  • Pre-order incentive (all editions): Summon Materia: Mecha-Chocobo & Moogle
  • Standard ($69.99)
  • Premium ($99.99)
    • Story Expansion Pass*, granting access to two story-centered DLCs planned for later release**
      • Includes in-game item Accessory: Reclaimant Choker
      • Includes Survival Set of useful in-game consumable items
    • Early Access, which allows for access to the game 24 hours before release
  • Premium Plus ($109.99)
    • All “Premium Edition” contents, plus…
      • Digital Mini Soundtrack
      • Digital Artbook
      • Summoning Materia: Polydroid Alexander
      • In-game equipment Armor: Nymphwing Bracelet
      • In-game equipment Accessory: Risk Taker’s Choker

Epic Games has announced that it's going to make it easier than ever to hang out and talk with friends across different platforms by launching Epic Parties. This voice chat service will work across Fortnite (on all supported platforms), the Epic Games Store launcher (PC, iOS, and Android), and the Epic Games app (iOS and Android).

For example, you can start a voice party from your phone or PC launcher, ring up a friend who is busy playing Fortnite on their PlayStation, and even transfer that call from your phone to your PC when you get back to your desk. This means that you can sit in on a voice call through the Epic PC Launcher while playing completely different games from your Epic library. Other benefits include a seamless approach to grouping friends together, as Epic says that if you're in a voice party with friends and everyone decides to open Fortnite, then the game will automatically drop you all into the same lobby together.

This new feature is competing directly with Discord, which has been the go-to third-party app for users for several years. Epic's built-in alternative aims to let users bring their social list, voice channels, and digital avatar with them across multiple platforms and from game to game, whether you are on iOS, Android, PC, or console. Epic has also hinted that these voice and avatar systems will be integrated directly into Unreal Engine 6, and the tools will be offered to other developers in time. For now, it's currently rolling out to Fortnite, and Epic Parties will be available in Rocket League next year.

According to Epic's year-in-review stats, over $1 billion was spent in the store in 2025, and it reached an all-time record of 78 million monthly active users on PC. Earlier this year, Epic spoke more about its plans to further improve its digital storefront. "Our goal is to keep building a storefront and launcher that players want to engage with and use to grow their game library, but we need to be able to connect players with the game they want to play at the time they want to play it," Kyle Billings, director of strategy and business operations at the Epic Games Store, said to GameSpot.

During today's State of Play broadcast, Sony announced that two limited-edition Grand Theft Auto 6-themed DualSense controllers will be released.

They'll come in black or white and feature distinctive Leonida-themed graphics and coloring. Both have pastel pink icons on the buttons, with a blue-purple shift that sparkles along the bottom of the controller.

You can get the controller in black or white.

On the rear of the controllers, the Grand Theft Auto logo is embossed, while the grips maintain the standard PlayStation icon texture.

Elsewhere, the GTA 6 logo is etched on to the touchpad, and palm-tree-like shapes are embossed on the controller grips.

Both controls launch alongside GTA 6 on its release date, November 19. Surely there's no better way to experience the biggest gaming release of the decade so far? They'll set you back $85 each.

At least you'll no longer have to mash the X button on your new controller, as it's been confirmed that there's a new mechanic for sprinting in GTA 6. In other GTA 6 news, you won't have to tend to Jason and Lucia's romantic relationship if you don't want to.

Rockstar Games has confirmed new details about how fishing and hunting work in GTA 6, and it's probably not what you would expect.

Speaking to YouTuber TGG, Rockstar North's Rob Nelson confirmed that fishing in GTA 6 is limited to catch and release--players cannot keep any fish. Why? "It didn't fit this game," Nelson said, adding that fishing in GTA 6 is mainly for fun. Players can also complete fishing-related challenges and amass collectibles.

Jason fishing in GTA 6.

In Rockstar's last game, 2018's Red Dead Redemption II, players could catch a great assortment of fish and then cook and eat them. That made sense given the time period of the game, that being 1899. GTA 6 is set in modern times, and main characters Jason and Lucia, like you and me, have access to numerous food options at any given time. Eating food in GTA 6 will make you gain weight, and players can use the excess calories to bulk up at the gym.

As for hunting in GTA 6, Nelson said the game's hunting system is one of many ways in the game that players can make money. The hunting system is unlocked through a friend that knows Jason, but TGG theorized that this person has not been shown yet in any GTA 6 footage so far.

In addition to catching fish and killing animals, players will be able to "inspect" the creatures, borrowing a system from Red Dead Redemption 2. GTA 6 also has dogs that you can pet, scold (you monster), and inspect.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. At the State of Play event on September 3, Sony and Rockstar announced a GTA 6-themed DualSense controller.

Final Fantasy VII Revelation finally has a release date: April 8, 2027. Square Enix confirmed the news today during the PlayStation State of Play livestream, along with nearly 10 minutes of new footage.

The release date was confirmed via a trailer highlights all eight playable characters in the main party: Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Red XIII, Yuffie, Cait Sith, Vincent, and Cid. We also see gameplay of the team in action, including team-up abilities like Vincent's Galian Beast form rushing a group of enemies with Red XIII, and Tifa and Yuffie attacking from above with a dive kick/spinning shuriken combo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YHP48v7vyg

From there, FF7 director Naoki Hamaguchi introduced an extended look at raw gameplay, which focused on traveling the massive world map. Invoking the original game's PlayStation 1 roots, the Highwind flies over the world of Gaia, and players can pilot it wherever they wish. Once they reach a location of interest, they can choose a party from any of the eight playable characters, and then parachute down to the surface instantly.

The demo then dives into a side quest in Gongaga featuring Sotetsu, a character featured in a FF7 Rebirth side quest. Yuffie, knowing Sotetsu from that side quest, has a special interaction with him, implying that some missions may play out differently depending on the characters brought to complete them.

Along with the news of Final Fantasy VII Revelation's April 8 release date, the Steam page for the game dropped a few hints on what is coming after launch, with listings for story expansions featuring two key characters.

As part of the September 3 State of Play event, Sony announced more games for the PlayStation Plus catalog.

Devolver's customizable looter-shooter Mycopunk is launching directly into the PlayStation Plus Premium and Extra tiers in October 2026, the company said.

https://twitter.com/devolverdigital/status/2095505751632453905

Additionally, more PlayStation "classics" are coming over the next few months for Premium subscribers, including Mega Man X Command Mission, Dino Crisis 2, and the 2002 original Ratchet & Clank.

While PlayStation Plus members have to wait a bit longer for these games, the latest PlayStation Plus games are out now. These include Sniper Elite: Resistance, MLB The Show 26, Chained Echoes, and Wobbly Life.

For more, be sure to check out GameSpot's rundown of all the big announcements from State of Play.

Today, during the PlayStation State of Play livestream, Sucker Punch offered a look at Ghost of Yotei's upcoming roguelike mode, Most Wanted. The mode will feature four playable characters, and Yotei's Atsu, Oyuki, and Nagato will be joined by a familar face from the past: The Ghost of Tsushima, Jin Sakai, will officially return.

Most Wanted, which the trailer calls a "combat survival mode," lets players choose one of the four samurai, each with their own weapons and abilities, to take them on a hunt for one of the Yotei Six. Each of the Six, if defeated, will offer a reward of coins that can then be spent to upgrade the samurai for future runs.

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

A new post on the official PlayStation Blog further explores the new mode, saying that the core of the mode lies in its Perks system. "As you progress through a run, you’ll frequently select between new perks including weapon mastery, gear loadouts, summons, parries, survivability, and more," the blog says. "These are the cornerstone of crafting the perfect build and lead to some of the most exciting surprises as you find the challenge or unexpected value that comes from mixing and matching perks.

This new mode marks the first time Jin Sakai returns as a playable characters since his starring role in 2020's Ghost of Tsushima. The PS Blog post says that the development team made sure to "take his Ghost of Tsushima model and keep it faithful while also applying upgrades for Ghost of Yōtei," as he can use all four of his fighting stances from Ghost of Tsushima, as well as sticky bombs, the Dance of Wrath, and his Ghost stance.

Ghost of Yotei's Echoes of Sekigahara expansion, as well as the Most Wanted roguelike mode, launch October 1. Players who own the base game can purchase a Complete Edition upgrade with the extra content, while new players can purchase Ghost of Yotei: Complete Edition with all content in one package.