One of the biggest surprises of 2025 was Microsoft's push to bring even more of its games to PlayStation, its longtime rival in the console gaming space. Not only have those ports been well received, but they've also been best-sellers, and next year will see the arrival of Halo and Forza Horizon on PlayStation. In a new interview, Microsoft's president of game content and studios, Matt Booty, spoke about the success of Xbox games on PS5 and the reaction to Halo's announcement for PS5.

"We had a bit of a moment earlier in the summer from end of April to end of June, where we had six of the top 10 games on PlayStation were our Xbox games," Booty said to Variety. "I look at that as validation for the teams, but most importantly, it's an opportunity for more players to engage with our content, to come into our worlds."

Halo has long been considered the crown jewel of Xbox, and the next game in the franchise, a campaign-only remake of the original titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 in 2026. Booty said the announcement was well received and that Microsoft was really pleased with its efforts to bring its content to more people.

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One of the biggest pieces of news in gaming this year was EA's announcement that it was selling itself for $55 billion to investors including Saudi Arabia. The announcement of the deal has sent shockwaves through the gaming world, and now Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty has commented on the deal, saying the price tag reflects how big video games have come in the global media landscape.

"Games have really become a foundational part of entertainment," Booty told Variety. "And as such, I think we're seeing these valuations and transactions that really reflect their place in modern entertainment."

The price of the sale "reflects the value that exists in all of" the gaming IP that EA owns, including Madden, FC, and The Sims, Booty said.

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This hasn't been the best year for Call of Duty, with sales for Black Ops 7 faltering compared to 2024's Black Ops 6. Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty touched on this year's installment of the military shooter series, and although he didn't address sales numbers directly, he did acknowledge the hardships of the franchise's annual model.

Speaking to Variety, Booty said that "shipping a major franchise like clockwork every year is a really difficult task, and I’m really proud of what the team did to move the franchise forward in that way."

A new Call of Duty game has been released every year since the franchise's beginning in 2003, and it doesn't appear that Xbox-owned publisher Activision will stop this pattern any time soon. The only change to the release model is that the series will no longer release back-to-back installments of the same subseries, as Modern Warfare and Black Ops have both done.

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Microsoft has announced that the next Xbox Developer Direct broadcast is coming up in January 2026, but it won't have everything Microsoft plans to show next year for Xbox's 25th anniversary.

Speaking to Variety, Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty said, "We've got a lot of stuff that we're shipping" in 2026.

As for the January 2026 Developer Direct, Booty confirmed that fans can expect to see the new Fable and Forza Horizon 6. "But we'll have more stuff next year to ship than we can fit into one Dev Direct show in January, which is a good place to be," he said.

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A movie based on Activision's Call of Duty series is in the works now at Paramount, which is now led by billionaire and Call of Duty superfan David Ellison. Prolific writer and director Taylor Sheridan is writing the script for the film, with Lone Survivor director Peter Berg attached to direct.

Activision had been trying to make Call of Duty movies for years, so why is it finally happening now? Xbox boss Matt Booty told Variety that "a relationship came about" between people at Paramount and senior executives working on Call of Duty. "They felt like they found a partner who understands the game, people who play the game, and shared a vision of what it could be to bring that forward," Booty said.

Activision originally announced it would make Call of Duty movies through its Activision Blizzard Studios label that was formed in 2015, led by Hollywood producers Stacey Sher and Nick van Dyk, and charged with adapting Activision Blizzard's franchises for film and TV. A Call of Duty movie universe was planned at one point, but, as often happens in Hollywood, nothing ever happened.

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As announced at The Game Awards, Mega Man is officially making his comeback in a new game, Mega Man: Dual Overdrive. Since the franchise began in 1987, the evil Dr. Wiley has been creating robot bosses to challenge Mega Man and keep him from foiling whatever nefarious plans he had. Now, it's your turn to design a robot boss for Mega Man to fight in Dual Overdrive.

The Mega Man: Dual Overdrive Robot Design Contest has already begun, but there are some restrictions. Capcom already has a base design in mind for this boss, and it's looking for a Robot Master with a right arm that has "immense suction powers." Starting from the template shared by Capcom, players aged 13 and up are encouraged to put their own spin on this villain.

The full details are available on Capcom's site, and entries will be accepted from Japan, North America, South America, Europe, and Asia through January 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM PST. Contestants will have to follow the @Megaman account on X to submit their creations. Capcom's staff will narrow the designs down until they pick the six best entries, and the final winner will be chosen from that group.

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Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that it would start charging $80 for new games, beginning with The Outer Worlds 2. The company backtracked on those plans, however, opting to sell the game for $70 and cancelling plans for other $80 games in the future. What happened here? And what does Microsoft think about pricing for its games going forward?

Head of Xbox Game Studios Matt Booty told Variety that the decision to roll back prices from $80 to $70 came about from listening to player feedback and trying to deliver "player value."

"We've reacted in the last year and I think for us, the real focus is going to be ... meeting people where they are. I think there's going to be less of a focus on what's that top line price of a game, as people start to engage in different ways with games," he said.

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CRKD Nitro Deck 2

Releases Spring 2026

Smokey Black White

The Switch 2 is a fun console, but one of its shortcomings is that it's not the most ergonomic device for handheld play. That's where CRKD is looking to switch things up, as the company has announced the Nitro Deck 2 for Switch 2 consoles. Even better, it's compatible with the Switch 1 and is scheduled to launch in Spring 2026 in two colorways: White and Smoke Black. Pricing for these have not yet been revealed.

CRKD Nitro Deck 2 Releases Spring 2026

Like the original Nitro Deck, the Nitro Deck 2 is designed to be an all-in-one add-on to the Switch 2. The cradle uses a retractable locking mechanism to ensure a tight fit with Switch consoles, and it replaces the Joy-Cons on the sides. The built-in controllers are contoured to fit more naturally in your hands, and they feature an offset right thumbstick for a more ergonomic feel. The console tablet is now held in place with a retractable locking dial located on the rear. It also comes with a legacy adapter for Switch 1 and Switch OLED consoles, as well as another adapter to enable low-latency wired handheld play.

The capsticks on this model aren't Hall Effect sticks, but CRKD claims they can deliver ultra-responsive control, adjustable resistance, and immunity to magnetic interference thanks to a zero-contact design. Programmable back buttons can also be found on the rear of the Nitro Deck 2, which have been expanded to include L2 and R2 buttons. You can also customize the joysticks with swappable tops, and the triggers have been upgraded to tactile Digital Triggers. The cradle is rounded off with a durable metal kickstand and motion control compatibility.

When not in use with a Switch console, it can be used as a wireless or wired controller for PC, mobile devices, and smart TVs.

Smokey Black White CRKD Nitro Deck 2

If you're looking to get something right away for your Switch 1 console, the current CRKD Nitro Deck and Nitro Deck+ come highly recommended. These are priced from around $50 - $60 each, and they come in a wide variety of colors like black, PAL grey, and a retro-inspired purple. The regular Nitro Deck features full-size Hall Effect analog sticks and triggers, a conventional D-pad, four remappable back buttons, motion controls, rumble, turbo function, curved handles, and is compatible with both the standard and OLED Switch models.

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The Dead Zone: Limited Edition Steelbook (4K Blu-ray)

$32 (was $45) | Amazon Exclusive

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Stephen King fans can get the Amazon-exclusive Steelbook Edition of The Dead Zone on 4K Blu-ray for its best price yet. Released in June with a $45 list price, The Dead Zone Limited Edition Steelbook is on sale for only $32. Up until this week, the biggest discount had been a few bucks, so the 30% price cut is by far the best deal since launch. The steelbook case features artwork inspired by the the 1983 film's eerie promotional poster.

Adapted from King's classic 1979 novel, the 1983 sci-fi thriller was directed by David Cronenberg and features a stellar performance from legendary actor Christopher Walken. The Dead Zone is one of the few Stephen King adaptations that is as good as the book--and the book is really good.

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It was almost a foregone conclusion, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 absolutely crushed it at The Game Awards this year, taking home little polygonal statues for a record-setting number of categories it was nominated for. When the game's director, Guillaume Broche took the stage, he thanked a number of individuals, but he ended his speech by giving a very special thank you to us, the players, not with a speech, but with a rather sizable update for the game that dropped the second he walked on stage to accept the award.

Dubbed "The Thank You Update", this is no mere costume/weapon set, though there's over a dozen each of those to go find too. This is an all-encompassing update that brings everything from quality-of-life updates--a Picto/Lumina filter, a long-overdue photo mode, and an option to escape from battles, to a completely new area called "Verso's Drafts," with a bunch of new story content, mostly about Verso's childhood, and the final music tracks written by Lorien Testard for the game.

You can watch the trailer for it here, but, really, we're very sorry, this is a Jack from Lost situation now; you're gonna have to go back and play. The Thank You Update/patch 1.5.0 is available right now on all platforms. The full patch notes are below:

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Each year The Game Awards sees its fair share of viral moments both cringe and heartwarming, but none have persisted through the years quite so much as orchestra member Pedro Eustache--better known as "Flute Guy." Fittingly, Flute Guy once again got his moment in the spotlight this year, showing off his strangest flute variant yet.

Ever since he went viral in 2022 for enthusiastically playing the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 medley on a strange-looking tenor flute, Eustache has been a regular feature of The Game Awards. Each year he seems to get more dedicated airtime during the orchestral section, playing bigger and more unusual flutes.

Pedro Eustache playing a strange new flute during the Clair Obscur tribute

2025, of course, is no different, with Eustache even getting his own announcement video on The Game Awards' social media pages in the lead up to the show. His appearance in the orchestral section didn't disappoint, with his flute part highlighted through the Death Stranding 2 arrangement, and his part in the Clair Obscur section played on a strange new flute that appears to be made out of PVC pipe.

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Nex Playground - The Active Play System

$199 (was $249) | Limited-time deal

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Nex Playground Complete Family Gaming Bundle

$290.37 (was $358) | Deal ends Dec. 12 at 5 PM PT

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The Nex Playground, a motion-controlled video game console for players of all ages, is back in stock at Amazon and on sale for a limited time. Normally $249, the incredibly popular family-friendly console is discounted to $199 at Amazon and Best Buy. The Nex Playground remains sold out at Walmart, Target, and on the manufacturer's website.

Amazon also has a limited-time bundle deal as part of its Game Awards 2025 Sale. From now until December 12 at 5 PM PT--or until it sells out--Prime members can get the Nex Playground Complete Family Gaming Bundle for $290.37 (was $358).

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Of all the new games announced at The Game Awards, the Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive Orbitals might just be the most charming thanks to its retro anime aesthetic.

Orbitals is a two-player co-op adventure, where players step into the roles of Maki and Omura to save their home from a supernatural cosmic storm. Aside from showing off the game's gorgeous '80s anime-inspired visuals, Orbitals' debut trailer also highlights how Maki and Omura will traverse space and work together to solve puzzles.

In one example of how the game's co-op will work, the trailer shows one character piloting a spaceship while another operates the ship's turret. Another portion of the trailer highlights one of the duo using a levitating beam to help transport some important piece of a puzzle, while the other navigates a series of dangerous platforms.

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RDS Game Traveler Deluxe Switch 2 Full System Case

$35 (was $40) | Deal ends Dec. 12 at 5 PM PT

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Mario Kart World Game Traveler Deluxe Travel Case

$20 (was $25) | Deal ends Dec. 12 at 5 PM PT

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Nintendo Switch 2 owners can save on the most popular full system travel case for the first time at Amazon. Officially licensed by Nintendo, the RDS Industries Game Traveler Deluxe Full System Case is discounted to $35 (was $40). For a more compact travel case, the Mario Kart World Game Traveler Deluxe is on sale for $20 (was $25). Both of these deals are part of Amazon's Game Awards 2025 Sale and are only available until December 12 at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET.

The Full System Case is similar to the sold-out $85 All-in-One Case made by Nintendo--just with a far more reasonable price. The Mario Kart World-themed Game Traveler Deluxe is comparable to Nintendo's $40 case.

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As The Game Awards 2025 came to a close, we got one more surprise: Wildlight--a team of devs led by folks who previously worked on Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends--announced its new game: Highguard. Not only that, the game will be playable in a few weeks.

A gameplay trailer showcased that Highguard leans into Apex Legends' hero shooter formula but takes it in a different direction, opting for an objective-based raid shooter as opposed to a kill-or-be-killed battle royale. The narrative direction of the game is different too, opting for something that looks more high fantasy (like horses, magic, and pet familiars) while still maintaining that science-fiction flair when it comes to the various characters' abilities and firearms.

On Steam, Highguard is described as a "PvP raid shooter where players will ride, fight, and raid as Wardens, arcane gunslingers sent to fight for control of a mythical continent. [Players will battle] rival Warden crews for possession of the Shieldbreaker, then break into and destroy the enemy base to secure territory in this all-new breed of shooter."

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To probably no one's surprise, Sandfall Interactive's turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Game of the Year at this year's The Game Awards (as well as GameSpot's Game of the Year accolade), and the team delivered a heartfelt thank you to "the unsung heroes of this industry," YouTubers. Hold on, let me explain.

Game director Guillaume Broche took to the stage at the end of The Game Awards to accept the GOTY trophy on behalf of the team at Sandfall Interactive. While commenting that the outfit--a traditional French garb replete with a black-and-white striped shirt and a red beret--started as a joke and thanking the team, publisher Kepler Interactive, and the cast, Broche had a couple more people in mind to give special thanks to.

"And also, I want to extend [my] thanks to the unsung heroes of this industry," he said during his roughly five-minute speech. "The people who make tutorials on YouTube on how to make a game because we had no idea how to make a game before. So, thank you."

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Mega Man is one of the few icons of the NES era that's still beloved four decades after his peak, but Capcom's hero is finally making his comeback. At The Game Awards, the first look at Mega Man's next game was revealed. It's called Mega Man Dual Override, and its retains the side-scrolling action of the original games with updated visuals that pop off the screen.

Mega Man Dual Override will arrive in 2027, which dovetails with the 40th anniversary of the original Mega Man that debuted in 1987. The title character is a heroic robot who is able to steal certain powers and abilities from bosses he defeats, allowing him to use them against the other bosses. The games even let players strategize which bosses to go after first to determine the enemies who were vulnerable to his newfound weapons.

Six Mega Man games were released on the NES before the series went to the SNES with Mega Man 7 in 1995. The spin-off series, Mega Man X, also debuted on the SNES, and the franchise continued in various forms through 2018 and the debut of Mega Man 11.

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After breaking The Game Awards' record for the most nominated game of all time, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has shattered yet another record, officially becoming the most award-winning game in the award show's 12-year history. After securing 13 nominations, the debut title from Sandfall Interactive took home nine awards, including Game of the Year. Expedition 33 also received awards for Best Narrative, Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music, Best Independent Game, Best Debut Indie Game, Best Performance (Jennifer English), and Best RPG.

Prior to Expedition 33, The Last of Us: Part II held the record for the most The Game Awards wins in one night. Naughty Dog's revenge-fueled, action-adventure game took home seven during 2020's The Game Awards, as well as the award for Most Anticipated Game back in 2017. Other big The Game Awards winners include God of War: Ragnarok and Baldur's Gate 3 with five wins each, and Overwatch and Astro Bot, both of which secured four in their respective release years.

Of course Expedition 33 wasn't the only winner at 2025's The Game Awards--though it certainly felt close. Other winners include Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Donkey Kong: Bananza, Battlefield 6, Doom: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, and No Man's Sky.

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Upcoming gacha-RPG game Arknights: Endfield will release on January 22, 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and mobile, as revealed in a music-video trailer at The Game Awards 2025. The Arknights spin-off features action-RPG gameplay in a semi-open world, mixed with elements of factory simulation like Satisfactory--and, of course, plenty of anime girls for its gacha system.

The release date was dropped at the end of a trailer, which also doubled as a music video, revealing Endfield's title track Give Me Something for the very first time. The track is performed by American band OneRepublic, who also appeared in the trailer alongside Endfield's cast of launch characters.

Endfield is a spin-off from tower defense game Arknights, moving away from the franchise's origins with more traditional action-RPG mechanics. Setting it apart from the many other anime-style gacha RPGs that spawned from Genshin Impact's success, Endfield also includes elements of strategic management, with factory-simulation mechanics similar to Factorio or Satisfactory.

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At The Game Awards, developer S-Game has released a new trailer for its upcoming action game, Phantom Blade Zero, confirming a release date of September 9, 2026 on PC and PlayStation 5.

The trailer was pretty epic, starting with some CGI of a martial artist crossing swords with some thugs while carrying a baby in some Death Stranding kind of way. We then cut to some actual gameplay of our protagonist, the elite assassin Soul, as he travels around various environments, enters various cutscenes, and engages in various battles. It's not quite a souls-like, but based on combat encounters and enemy designs, you'd think it was one. Actually, it looks like a cool mix between Where Winds Meet, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

First announced back in 2023, Phantom Blade Zero is one of several high-profile games inspired by '80s and '90s Chinese Wuxia action movies. Phantom Blade Zero features a seamless map with interconnected regions for players to explore. This aspect of the game was inspired by classic Dark Souls, while combat revolves around fast-paced offense and even quicker blocks against your usual cannon-fodder enemies and tougher bosses.

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