On the field, it's getting harder to complain about Madden as a series. A lot of the old, reliable criticisms don't really stand up to reality anymore, as the game has been solid or better for several years now. Introducing big changes for the better has been the recent MO for the Tiburon team. That was true for a short period even before the College Football team was resurrected, and it's only seemed truer since then, as that team has earned some influence over the direction of EA's football games as a duo.

One of the most notable ways is the greater control Madden puts in players' hands. For years, it felt like the series was focused on streamlining features in order to appease more casual players, but now the team better understands that depth is everything for the game's most avid players. In Madden 27, that renewed commitment to depth is best expressed on the field, before the snap. But it's those same changes that will have them fumbling around on their controllers at first.

That's because the team has completely overhauled and remapped the controls for pre-snap adjustments on defense. For years, I've had a number of pre-snap adjustments built into my head like true muscle memory. Without a controller in my hands, I couldn't easily tell you how to shade a WR inside, how to assign a blitzing linebacker to instead cover a flat zone, or how to get my CB to give that speedy wideout some extra cushion. Madden let me do all these things, and I frequently do so, but the button presses that made those changes were so complex that I learned to do them on autopilot and couldn't recall them button by button.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQtZ9xm_uI

This year, the Madden team (and College Football team) has not only added more adjustments but also cleverly remapped all of these inputs. In doing so, it's reduced pretty much any adjustment to just two buttons, down from four or more for most things before.

This helps in several ways. For one, it's just a plainer, simpler language for the game to use, and should raise the skill floor by inviting more players to take advantage of these tools. Then there's the fact that some of the adjustments are new to the game, like telling your defense to play conservatively, aggressively, or either of the two "ultra" versions of those. 

You'll pull up the coverage adjustments menu with the left trigger and then select one of 12 inputs to quickly enact the change you want to see. On the left bumper, several more two-button commands are easily performed to alter the front seven. No more Konami Codes. It's a beautiful thing. It will take some getting used to, but learning all of these new tricks will eventually prove extremely valuable.

Also new this year are custom adjustments that you can set in the game menus, then carry 20 (10 on each side of the ball) into games with you as "macros," sweeping adjustments you package together so you can call them in one go, like telling your defense to show a Cover 6 shell against bunch formations, while you're actually playing Cover 2 Man, letting the QB think he might have the open look on an RPO. Like the other changes, these adjustments can be done quickly and easily at the line, or you can even enact them in the huddle, if you see what the offense is coming out in and think you know what they're going to do with it. 

Last year's game was the best in a good while to my eyes, but as time went on and patches tweaked the game, defense utterly collapsed, leaving players with too few tools to stop the game's high-powered offenses. This year, the team has responded with a defense-first approach that adds several more pre-snap adjustments meant to give players the tools to get more creative. 

This should help cut down on the cheeseheads who like to abuse the game's broken plays before they're patched out. In leagues like mine, where we try to promote smart football and set boundaries meant to keep out those players, these new tools will deepen the chess matches we like to have, giving us something closer to the game we watch on Sundays.

Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy will reach its climax next year with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. As with its two predecessors, the third game pays tribute to the original Final Fantasy 7. However, the game's director Naoki Hamaguchi, has a surprising choice for his favorite part to remake for a new generation of players.

"There's just so many scenes, elements that are an homage to the original that it's so hard to choose," Hamaguchi told GameSpot. "But if I were to speak on one, I'd like to talk about the Weapons ... When you think about the Weapons, you have to think about, 'Are we going to show them at actual scale? How are we going to achieve presenting them in Revelation?' In the original, when we see them in the world map, it's just not that strange to see them at that size. But when we think about the remake series, we did have to address how best to represent them and present them in that way. I think the way that we chose to do so will be a great one and fun one to experience for the players."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2Uh0mAim8Y

In both the original Final Fantasy 7 and Revelation, the Weapons are five giant mecha-kaiju that are summoned by Midgar itself to defend the world against Sephiroth and Jenova. Diamond Weapon, Ultimate Weapon, Emerald Weapon, Ruby Weapon, and Sapphire Weapon are technically alive, but they don't seem to possess any ability to reason. The old "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" adage doesn't apply here because the Weapons unleash destruction on everyone in their path. Ultimately, that will force Cloud and his friends to face them as well.

During his interview with GameSpot, Hamaguchi also spoke about Revelation's new FITS system and whether there may be any additional stories set in the Final Fantasy 7 reboot universe after the new game comes to a conclusion.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will be released simultaneously on Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC in 2027.

Since Stardew Valley came along to reinvigorate the cozy farm sim, many games have tried to emulate the formula and add their own twists with varying degrees of success. In all that time none have come as close to matching or exceeding Stardew as Fields of Mistria, and it's coming out of early access with a big update on August 5.

The announcement details all the changes coming in the Mistria 1.0 update. Most notably it closes the loop on some quests and stories that have been dangling for early access players. You will be able to complete the Town Repair storyline that marks the major progression quest in the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SlKzf6oKQ4g

Less mission critical, but still pretty important for a Stardew-like, it will allow you to complete romances by reaching 10 Hearts with romanceable NPCs. At that level you'll be able to propose, get married, and have kids. The 1.0 update will also add more dungeon quests and rewards, furniture, cosmetics, mount skins, and other miscellany.

Fields of Mistria is similar in many ways to Stardew Valley, including its pixel art and tile-based farming structures. But it also mixes in elements of magical upgrades to streamline some of the busywork, and its dungeon-crawling elements implement the magic into combat. It currently sits at an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam with more than 20,000 reviews.

Fields of Mistria 1.0 Update

Villagers & Romance:

• NPC Heart caps raised to 10 Hearts
• 10 Hearts Proposal & Wedding Events for romanceable NPCs
• Marriage & Children
• Stillwell & Zorel join the Saturday Market

Mines & Dungeons:

• Additional Dungeon Quests
• Additional Dungeon rewards

Town & Renown:

• Renown Level cap raised to 100
• Additional Town Repair Questline events
• Town Repair Storyline is completable
• Additional Requests added to the Request Board.
• Additional Museum sets and rewards.

Skills & Perks:

• Additional Skill Perks

Customization & Cosmetics:

• Additional furniture and decor
• Additional cosmetics
• Additional mount skins

Misc.

• Achievements
• First wave Localization Languages (Beta versions): Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), French, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish
• Balancing & Optimization
• …and more!

It's hard to believe, but after almost a decade, the Unknown Journey will conclude in Final Fantasy Revelation next year. Officially shown off at Summer Game Fest Live this week, Revelation is shaping up to be an exciting conclusion to the Final Fantasy 7 Remake saga, as well as a good-looking game on top of that.

That's hardly surprising, considering just how well-crafted Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth were on a graphical level, and if you don't believe us, then check out 22 new screenshots below of Revelation.

While the trailer and recent gameplay preview did a fine job at showing what the game looks like in action, these in-game screens allow you to really soak up the small details of the threequel, ranging from delicate particle effects in the air to stylish combat effects when Cloud and his companions jump into battle.

Additionally, they provide a closer look at the series big bad Sephiroth--now voiced by Critical Role's Tyler Willingham--the two FITS revealed so far for Cloud and Tifa, and the new playable characters Cid Highwind and Vincent Valentine. Kaiju fans can even take a closer look at how the iconic weapons of classic Final Fantasy 7 have been reimagined for Revelation, including the Godzilla-sized Diamond weapon that merges from the ocean as the planet activates its last line of defense against an incoming meteor attack from Sephiroth.

Finally, you can gaze upon the key art for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation:

The gang is all here.

You'll have to wait until 2027 to start taking your own snapshots in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, but you'll have more options for which console you play it on. After the previous two games were timed exclusives for PS4 and PS5, Square Enix has gone for a multiplatform release that includes PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on launch day. In more Final Fantasy 7 Revelation news, minigames will be more optional, and the new FITS system will allow for some wild character loadouts.

A new trailer for Halloween: The Game premiered today at the Future Games Show, and it's terrifying.

The new trailer focuses on the game's single-player mode, in which players take on the role of Michael Myers as they set out to terrorize the people of Haddonfield.

The game's campaign invites players to live out the story of how Michael Myers escaped from the Smith's Grove Sanitarium and the brutality that followed.

"Unlike the film’s protagonists, who desperately attempt to survive an encounter with The Shape, Halloween: The Game encourages players to embody pure evil and commit the horrors that occurred on Halloween Night in 1978 firsthand," reads a line from the game's description.

Check out the trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=563lX1eh_Hs

The game's story plays out through six chapters, one of which tells the story of how Myers came to acquire his now-iconic outfit and his kitchen knife. You can get a glimpse of this in the new trailer.

Halloween: The Game also has a multiplayer mode in which one player takes on the role of Myers and the other four are trying to survive.

Additionally, developer Illfonic announced that digital preorders for Halloween: The Game are available starting today, June 6. The standard edition is $40 and the deluxe edition is $60. The deluxe edition includes the Phantom Michael Myers skin and four-day early access to the game, starting on September 4.

The game unlocks for everyone else on September 8. Halloween: The Game is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Vampire Survivors developer Poncle Games had some big news to share at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase, starting with the announcement of a new chapter for its hit game. Called Legacy of the Bloodmoon, this new expansion will be released later in the Summer season, and Poncle has described it as an "evil twin" to the previously released Legacy of the Moonspell add-on.

The new DLC adds 10 new characters, 16 new weapons and evolutions, a new extra-large stage, and more music tracks. Legacy of the Moonspell will also be expanded with new content and will be available at a reduced price, and an upcoming patch adds a new stage, characters, weapons, and Darkanas. Rolling out to PC via Steam first, it'll go live for other platforms at a later date, Poncle says.

The other big news was the formation of Survivaton, a new label at Poncle dedicated to its Survivors-like projects, and a Japan branch of the studio. Short for "survive a ton," the label focuses on internal projects built on the foundation of Vampire Survivors, including collaborations like Warhammer 40,000: Survivors. "Each project will aim to introduce major gameplay changes, content expansions, or genre twists exploring ideas substantial enough to stand as their own games," Poncle said.

Lastly, Poncle Japan will oversee local development initiatives and strategic partnerships across the region, serving as a bridge between Poncle's global operations and Japanese players, creators, and industry partners under the guidance of studio head Sawaki Takeyasu.

Since its launch a few years ago, Vampire Survivors has become a massive success story in games. The early-access PC release became a huge hit thanks to its easy-to-learn gameplay and deep systems, growing with new expansions, and even crossing over with popular Konami IP like Contra and Castlevania. Earlier this year, Poncle released Vampire Crawlers, a survivor-like spin on roguelike deckbuilders that was also well received by players and critics.

While fans await the next mainline Hitman game, IO Interactive and Saber Interactive have announced that the original three games in the series are being remastered in a bundle called the Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered.

Specifically, Hitman: Codename 47, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, and Hitman: Contracts are included in the bundle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DnU7QV0Oi8

The game's have been "painstakingly rebuilt," according to the official announcement. The new versions of the original games include "upgraded character models, enhanced environments, and high-resolution textures."

The remaster bundle also includes the ability to toggle between classic and updated graphics and a photo mode.

An example of the improved graphics.

The Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered bundle releases in 2027. It's coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

It's just the latest project from Saber, as the company is also working on Jurassic Park: Survival, Stuntman: Hollywood, and a new John Wick game.

IO Interactive's latest release, meanwhile, was the popular James Bond game 007: First Light. The studio is eyeing multiple sequels, and has also pledged to return to Hitman someday.

In other Hitman news, IO Interactive announced at Summer Game Fest that the latest Elusive Target for Hitman: World of Assassination is the rapper Wiz Khalifa. The mission is available now through July 5.

Additionally, World of Assassination got a new update this week that added the "World Champions" DLC, which is themed around the World Cup.

When the Unknown Journey continues in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Cloud and his companions are going to embark on it while debuting some fashionable new combat gear. Revelation introduces a new gameplay mechanic called FITS (Function Integrated Tactical Suitware), which is inspired by the jobs system of classic Final Fantasy games. Using new suits, Cloud and the rest of the cast can wield new skills in battle that you might not normally associate with them.

Each character in Revelations has four FITS, and when they don one of these suits, they'll gain new skills while retaining their core stats. So far, Square Enix has shown off the Warrior (enhanced offensive abilities) and Black Mage (spell-focused combat) FITS suits, and series director Naoki Hamaguchi revealed a few more details on how this new gameplay mechanic was developed for Revelation.

"This was in discussions with Teruki Endo (Revelation's battle director)," Hamaguchi said to GameSpot (via a translator). "And when we were discussing what kind of combat system we wanted for the third title, we do think that completely omitting something and putting in something entirely new may not sit well, or it may not be fun for players who have really enjoyed the prior combat systems leading up to this title."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ3KTw0ow1M

"From really early on, we didn't want to decide on building upon the existing foundation, but evolving on what we have currently created. We looked at characters like Cloud, characters that have a certain characteristic that the players are aware of. And then usually, we'll look to customize those abilities by adding Materia and such, but for Revelation, we really wanted the ability to customize and be able to play a character--as a player wishes--to be a large part of the game. And that would make the experience much more fun as well." 

"So in that way, the job system is included for players who want to be able to take a character like Cloud--for example, you may think of him as a warrior type--but he might not be able to be a black mage on top of that. With his action abilities in battle, that unleashes other possibilities."

In other Final Fantasy 7 Revelation news coming out of Summer Game Fest, Sephiroth has a new voice actor, and minigames won't be tied to crucial character development or items in the threequel. Final Fantasy Revelation launches in 2027 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2.

Final Fantasy Revelation is the third game in the remake trilogy that kicked off with Final Fantasy Remake back in 2020, promising to conclude the epic tale that has been significantly added compared to its PlayStation original. But with Revelation capping off Cloud and company's adventure, is there space for more stories within this universe?

That's a question GameSpot posed to Final Fantasy Revelation director Naoki Hamaguchi, who confirmed that Revelation will definitively conclude the story. However, he did leave the door open to more character-specific stories in the future.

"So in terms of the Final Fantasy Remake series itself, it does conclude with Revelation," explained Hamaguchi via a translator. "We have had a lot of voices from fans wanting to explore the stories, or side stories, of other characters and other parts of the story as well. That is something that is interesting."

It doesn't seem, however, that those are projects that Hamaguchi and his team have actively started working on. "We did want to bring the third conclusion that everyone has been waiting for as soon as possible, so we really focused our efforts on bringing Revelation as soon as we could," he concluded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEhujmFOBDE&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamespot.com%2F

An expansive side story is something that Hamaguchi explored with Final Fantasy Intergrade, which featured an entirely new chapter focused exclusively on Yuffie and how she would eventually join the party in Final Fantasy Rebirth. The second entry in the series never received any similar DLC in order for the team to focus on fast-tracking Revelation, but with it behind them it would be great to see additional chapters focused on other members of the growing party.

Hamaguchi also explained how minigames in Revelation are being changed to become more optional based on feedback to Rebirth, as well as how the FITS system adds a job system to the game that will drastically change how progression and combat work.

Final Fantasy Revelation capped off a stacked Summer Game Fest Live presentation, which included reveals for Resident Evil Veronica, Alien Isolation 2, and many more. Catch up on any big announcements you might have missed in our roundup of the entire showcase.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth's minigames were polarizing when they were first introduced, and for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Square Enix has reworked how it will "deliver" them to players. One of the main complaints with Rebirth's minigames was the sheer volume of them and how completing them was mandatory to unlock rare Materia or Gold Saucer dates with certain characters.

Speaking to GameSpot, series director Naoki Hamaguchi confirmed that while minigames will return, most of them will be optional and they'll offer items for character customization as rewards instead of items that buffed characters in combat, like in Rebirth.

"We did notice the variety of feedback that we received about the minigames and their quantity, and we were aware of that," Hamaguchi said via a translator. "At the same time, the remake series is a sort of homage to the original Final Fantasy 7 game. When we set upon creating Revelation, it was really never our intent to produce or decrease the number of minigames, and we were more so thinking how can we best deliver these games to the players today."

"And we felt that if the minigames were optional, yet they were heavily tied to character growth, and that you would have to play them in order to let your character grow some more, it would feel less optional. So in Revelation, we took care to lighten that necessity a bit more, to make it easier for players to play the minigames of their own will. So it might be tied more to characters, and players who want to customize the characters more--and are more interested in that part of the gaming experience--can feel free to engage more in the minigames. Whereas people that might want to kind of strengthen and delve more into the battle experience, we have more of that specifically tied to the battles."

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

Not only was there a first look at Final Fantasy 7 Revelation at Summer Game Fest Live this week, but we also got to see plenty of the game in action when Hamaguchi and Vincent Valentine's voice actor, Matthew Mercer, showed off a preview of the game.

Square Enix has built on the foundation of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, but this time, players can experiment with the new FITS gear to unlock unique abilities and expand their strategic options when taking on powerful foes. One other big change is Sephiroth himself, as the primary antagonist of Final Fantasy 7 has a new actor breathing life into him.

Throughout the original God of War trilogy and its spin-offs, Kratos left a lot of dead gods in his wake. Some of those late deities may come back to haunt Kratos's wife, Faye, in the upcoming title, God of War Laufey. While Kratos is still among the living, Ariel Lawrence--the director of God of War Laufey--hinted that one of his first foes could return.

"We’ve been killing gods for a really long time," Lawrence told GameSpot. "So we’ve been thinking about this question. Since Ares died, we were like, 'Okay, great. Does he go to the underworld?' We asked that question. 'Where did he show up after Kratos killed him?' I think this has been really bubbling around for like 20 years."

Kratos killed Ares--the Greek god of war--in the first game in 2005, which marked the former's ascension to godhood. In the subsequent games, Kratos murdered several additional gods, including Zeus, Athena, and almost the entire Greek pantheon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLMX2w3cwuE

Laufey's story will unfold in the Everywhen, which Lawrence describes as a place that "is a return for all magic. So it’s not just gods, but magical creatures and all sorts of things. Magic is pulled to this place."

Ares didn't appear in the game's debut footage, but the Mongolian and Egyptian gods of war--Begtse and Sekhmet--made their debut as a villainous duo. It remains to be seen which gods Faye will encounter as she explores this strange new land.

The good news for Faye is that she doesn't have to face these gods alone. She will be joined by a sentient ribbon companion called Rue and a talking gelatinous cube named Pharanque, who was our pick for the breakout character of State of Play.

God of War Laufey will be released on PlayStation 5, but it doesn't have a release date yet.

With Rockstar's GTA 6 set to "blot out the sun" when it arrives on November 19, numerous developers are purposefully avoiding releasing their games near it. In fact, there are basically no other major games set for release in November at all as of now.

Now, a report from the reputable leaker Dealabs Magazine says a remaster of Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee is releasing on November 3, just ahead of GTA 6.

The report said Atari is bringing back the 2002 GameCube game for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2, with original developer Pipeworks handling production. The game will reportedly have a new online multiplayer mode, better graphics, and other updates. A sequel, Godzilla: Save the Earth, was released in 2004.

Atari may not be the only company releasing a game near GTA 6's release, or on the same day, as Devolver has pledged to put out a new game alongside GTA 6.

With most developers steering clear of November 2026 for their new games, September 2026 is looking like an extremely stacked month for games. Some of the high-profile games set for release this September include The Blood of Dawnwalker, Marvel's Wolverine, Control Resonant, Silent Hill Townfall, Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV, and Dune Awakening for console.

This year's Call of Duty game, Modern Warfare 4, is set for release on October 23. One game no longer coming this year is the Fable reboot, which was delayed to February 2027. Microsoft's official word was that it wanted to give the game a window where it had the best chance to succeed. Prior to the delay being announced, a report said Microsoft had concerns about releasing close to GTA 6.

The new James Bond game, 007 First Light, has passed 3 million sales, according to IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak, who also pushed back against the claim that the game cost $200 million to develop.

He told IGN that it's true that First Light is "by far" the most expensive entertainment product to ever come out of IO's home country of Denmark. However, $200 million covers much more than the game's development budget, including returning some money to developers in the form of bonuses.

“We give big fat bonuses to our teams if they do hit a few goals,” Abrak said. “There's some bonuses in there to be paid out in the future. There's marketing in there and whatnot. So it's not the actual cost of the product. But we'll come up with all that. It's by far the most expensive one, but it's not like for the game itself, not $200 million.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOceRj8nR5A

In any event, Abrak said he feels "very confident" that First Light will make a profit, adding that the game is tracking "well above" internal forecasts.

"By all measures it’s freaking successful,” Abrak said.

Given the critical and commercial success of First Light, people are naturally wondering about the possibility of a sequel. IO's deal for First Light was made prior to Amazon buying MGM and the James Bond series, with IO handling both development and publishing for First Light.

Amazon will publish a potential sequel, and an executive's comments led some to believe IO might not be involved. It remains to be seen what will happen, but Abrak said "there will be information about" what comes next between IO and Amazon soon.

Should IO get to make a First Light sequel, Abrak said he expects costs to come down. He said 2016's Hitman cost $78 million to make, while its sequel cost $48 million and was made two years after. The third one, meanwhile, was developed in 20 months and cost $19 million. Abrak said some developers increase scope and ambition with sequels, but IO has a different plan in place.

"Ambition is not necessarily that it's more expensive. Ambition is, the platform you build, how do you keep giving amazing experiences from that and how do you iterate on a sequel from that in a smart way, where it's retroactively maybe lifting the first one as well, like we did with World of Assassination? Some of this approach to concept and ambition, one could think could be applied to Bond as well," he said.

In other news, First Light is set to expand further this year with a Switch 2 edition this summer and lots of new content.

Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra has not been seen or discussed in some time, prompting people to wonder about its fate. And while it remains in development, it's not coming out this year as was expected.

Shawn Kittelsen, a senior executive at the newly formed Paramount Games Studio, told IGN that the game is real ("it's on my hard drive right now") but it's taking so long because producer Amy Hennig is pushing for quality.

"We're continuing development on it, but Amy and the team have big ambitions for the level of quality that they want to hit. They are a relatively small team considering the AAA quality that they're delivering," he said. "What you've seen in previous footage is what the game looks like, and we're making it with a fraction of the resources that you see on other AAA games of the same type, and really trying to push a new development model that's a lot more responsible and sustainable.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_T0j_rKZhT0

The game is in development at Skydance New Media, but now that Paramount owns Skydance, the company is putting that studio under its new Paramount Games Studio umbrella.

Kittelsen said one of the challenges for Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra was building a studio and a game at the same time, and doing so during the pandemic.

"I think there were really ambitious timelines set for that game, but they didn't take into account all of the things that can disrupt production and that can make you spend more time working on it," he said.

He said the team chose to "focus on the quality" as opposed to attempting to "push the game out as quickly as possible."

"So we're giving them the time to cook. We believe in Amy and the whole team there and supporting them, and that game will come out when it's ready. But it is very real and we are continuing to invest in it," he said.

Hennig is also leading development on a new Star Wars game with Lucasfilm. This game remains in the works, but Kittelsen said the plan is to finish Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra first before talking about the Star Wars game.

Rise of Hydra takes place in Occupied Paris during World War II, featuring Captain America partnering with Black Panther to take down Hydra.

Hennig is an industry veteran, having worked on games for decades. She is perhaps best known for her time at Naughty Dog, where she worked on the Uncharted franchise.

Sephiroth is up to his old tricks in Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, but one thing that has changed about the enduring villain is his voice. Tyler Hoechlin previously voiced the One-Winged Angel in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and its first sequel, Rebirth, but Revelation features anime veteran Travis Willingham as the voice of the antagonist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ3KTw0ow1M&pp=0gcJCSgLAYcqIYzv

Following an interview with game director Naoki Hamaguchi, streamer Maximilian Dood confirmed that Willingham had stepped in to replace him. Due to a scheduling conflict, Hoechlin couldn't return to voice Sephiroth. As for Willingham, he has numerous credits in anime series, having provided the voices for fan-favorite characters like Roy Mustang in Fullmetal Alchemist and Portgas D. Ace in One Piece. Willingham has a long history in video games, having recently provided the voices for Thor and Dr. Doom in Marvel Rivals.

His name might also ring a bell for tabletop fans, as he has been a cast member of Critical Role since 2015, the Dungeons & Dragons web series that Vincent Valentine's voice actor, Matthew Mercer, served as Dungeon Master on for its first three campaigns.

Hoechlin's Sephiroth was a big hit during his appearances, as, similarly to George Newbern's spin on the character, he provided a calm, cool, and collected performance. Both actors have also portrayed Superman in various forms of media, with Newbern providing the voice of the character in various DC animated series and movies, while Hoechlin played the Man of Steel in the CW's live-action Supergirl series and Superman & Lois. Before either actor landed the role as Final Fantasy 7's big bad, NSync's Lance Bass was the original voice actor for Sephiroth.

After its reveal at Summer Game Fest Live this week, Square Enix confirmed that Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth won't be a PlayStation timed exclusive when it launches in 2027. It'll also be available on PC, Switch 2, and Xbox Series X|S the same day. The final chapter in the Remake saga picks up shortly after the events of Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, and it follows Cloud Strife and his companions on their quest to stop Sephiroth from attaining godhood.

God of War Laufey marks the first time in the franchise that you'll be playing as anyone other than the Ghost of Sparta, Kratos. Instead, you'll play as Faye, his late wife whose death kicked off the events of the God of War reboot in 2018. It's a big change for the series that has rubbed some fans the wrong way, but Laufey's director sees that as a good thing.

GameSpot spoke to God of War Laufey's director, Ariel Lawrence, who explained why fans who are skeptical of the new direction, and even those angry with it, show that they care about the series deeply. And it's those people that Sony Santa Monica hope come along for this new ride.

https://youtu.be/upjpP54xDIc?si=deP9cGIx3gHclwJD

"I’m so thankful that we have the fans that we have. I’m so thankful that we have people who care," Lawrence explained. "And whether or not they care, they’re upset, or they think we should do something that’s different, I would rather they care. So we’re arms open, ready to show them Faye’s journey and have them fall in love with her like we have. That’s the exciting part for us."

Asked whether the negativity fueled the team in any way, Lawrence explained that the team instead felt challenged to show those who are skeptical what it was capable of, in the same way that it has in the past. And that, contrary to assumptions, this isn't the end for Kratos' story.

"I understand everybody’s reservations and hesitations and I know that it comes from a good place," Lawrence concluded. "They have been on that journey with Kratos as long as I have, right? And it means something to them and I hope that this is more of a 'yes and' for expanding. We’re not leaving anybody behind. We’ve got plenty more Kratos coming. This is really just a place for adventure to go beyond what we had."

You can read our full interview with Ariel Lawrence, which dives into the changes to God of War's combat, how it lines up with the timelines of previous games, and what fans might expect from Kratos and Atreus, should they appear.

Geoff Keighley's annual showcase of new game trailers and reveals has come to a close, and this year's edition of Summer Game Fest Live was easily one of the best so far. Focused purely on video games--we're hoping the Muppets Statler and Waldorf will return to heckle Keighley in December--Summer Game Fest Live was firing on all cylinders last night. If you missed out on the lengthy event and you want a highlight reel of its best trailers, we've compiled them into a digestible video below for you to watch, which boils it all down to 48 minutes. So grab a seat, a bowl of popcorn, and your remote and enjoy every big reveal, right below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F26g5SSslCU

If you're looking for specific trailers, we've also dropped a list below of them. Some of the standout reveals last night include a new Stellar Blade game that swaps swords for robo-knuckle action, a fresh look at the upcoming racing game Clutch, and the rumors were true because Final Fantasy 7's Tifa is indeed headed to Street Fighter 6. Speaking of Final Fantasy, SGF dropped a massive look at the final chapter of the remake trilogy, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation.

Not only did we get a closer look at how Cloud and the rest of the gang are doing following the events of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, but there was also a deep dive into the gameplay and its new features, a preview of how new party members will synergize with the crew, and confirmation that the game won't be a timed exclusive for PS5 when it launches in 2027. There was also the first look at the Resident Evil Veronica remake, The Blood of Dawnwalker continues to look impressive in action, and we're going to be keeping an eye on the vents when Alien Isolation 2 arrives.

Don't forget, there's also the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7, which should have its own fair share of new gameplay trailers and reveals.

Summer Game Fest Live 2026 trailers

• Alien Isolation 2
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin
• Gen Atlas
• Crossfire
• Gundam: Rogue Orbit
• Guild Wars 3
• Virtua Fighter Crossroads
• Stranger Than Heaven: Tupac and cast reveal
• Star Wars Zero Company
• The Blood of the Dawnwalker
• Among Us Story: On Guard
• Clutch
• Street Fighter 6: Year 4 Character Reveal feat. Tifa
• Final Fantasy 7: Revelation
• Final Fantasy 7: Revelation - Gameplay overview
• Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance
• Stellar Blade: Blood Rain
• Resident Evil Veronica

Until now, Kratos was the primary star of every God of War game. However, his late wife, Faye, is taking the spotlight in God of War Laufey. But when Faye picks up her sword, veteran God of War fans may recognize the influence that the original Greek trilogy had on her fighting style.

"I think that because we started with the idea, like we knew it was going to be a Faye game, we had a Faye model. We couldn't just put Kratos animations on her," God of War Laufey director Ariel Lawrence told GameSpot. "It just wouldn't make sense. Her body wouldn't move that way. But I think being able to look back to the Greek era [where] Kratos had a little bit more of an acrobatic nature [helped]."

"We still have folks in the studio who've worked on those games," added Lawrence. "So I think this was, 'What if we did this, but this is the person we have executing this, and how would that work and what things could we borrow, what things could we expand on?' That's the fun part of development--just seeing where it can go."

As seen in the first footage from the game, Faye won't be alone as she explores the Everywhen, the hostile afterlife of the gods. She will be joined by a talking gelatinous cube named Phranque, as voiced by The Boys’ Jack Quaid. Faye's other companion is Rue (Perlina Lau), a ribbon that is attached to her new sword. Daredevil: Born Again's Deborah Ann Woll is reprising her role as Faye from God of War: Ragnarok.

Although God of War Laufey doesn't have Kratos in the lead, Sony Santa Monica has promised that there will be more stories about him in the future.

God of War Laufey will be released on PlayStation 5, but the game doesn't have a release date at this time.

Each year, Day of the Devs hosts a showcase around Summer Game Fest to highlight some of the wildly creative indie games in development around the world. The organizers of Day of the Devs revealed to GameSpot that the non-profit received over 1,700 submissions for this year's Summer Game Fest showcase. That massive list of submissions was ultimately narrowed down to 20 titles, diverse in genre and developers, that make up the showcase.

Titles included range from a Yooka-Laylee racing game to a hilarious friendslop game about fighting zombies while boating down a lazy river. We also got release dates for highly anticipated indies like Screenbound and the 1.0 launch of 33 Immortals.

If you missed this year’s show live, we’re here to help. Here’s everything that was featured at Day of the Devs: Summer Game Fest 2026 Edition in order of appearance.

Blood Dungeon

Messhof, the indie studio behind Nidhogg and Wheel World, kicked off the showcase by revealing Blood Dungeon. It’s a fantasy dungeon-crawling platformer take on Vampire Survivors. In Blood Dungeon, players scurry around constantly shooting at enemies as they explore levels and unlock new weapons and improvements. It features one of the funniest run cycle animations we’ve ever seen in a game, and it’s out later this summer.

Tenebris Somnia

Argentinian developer Saibot Studios and New Blood Interactive appeared next to show off Tenebris Somnia. This survival horror game blends pixel art action with spooky live-action FMV scenes. Saibot proudly declared it didn’t use any generative AI during production, leaning into practical effects for many of its live-action scares. Faith developer Airdorf also played a critical part in the game’s development as executive producer. Tenebris Somnia is set to release on October 16.

Mr. Records

Hot off the heels of Mixtape comes another amazing-looking music-driven game. In Mr. Records, gameplay is split into two parts. In one, players are transported to a different world while listening to a record and have to make their way through platforming challenges to the rhythm of the music. In between those levels, players manage a record shop. It’s basically Moonlighter by the way of Rhythm Heaven. Mr. Records will be released in Q1 2027

33 Immortals

Thunder Lotus Games launched 33 Immortals into Xbox Game Preview in March 2025. Since then, it has been building on the game, in which teams of up to 33 players can team up to fight their way through the action-roguelike. Thunder Lotus sponsored this year’s event and used it as an opportunity to confirm a June 10 release date for 33 Immortals’ 1.0 launch. When it releases, it’ll be available through Xbox Game Pass on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Dreadmoor

Kyrgyzstan-based developer Dream Dock Studio revealed Dreadmoor, a fishing game with supernatural elements. In it, players must maintain a fishing boat as they sail through a post-cataclysm fantasy world, encountering eclectic characters and creatures as they do. Based on our first look at the game, fishing will be a particularly involved process in Dreadmoor, as the bait, line material, place where you cast all impact what you reel in. Dreadmoor will be released on Steam in Q4 2026.

Threads of Time

Retro enthusiasts will be happy to know that we got another look at Riyo Games’ Threads of Time during the showcase. The latest trailer showed off The Needle, a “timeship” that players use to explore different eras, Chrono Trigger style. They also confirmed that you can prevent the extinction of dinosaurs in the past to see how the creatures evolve in the far future as a result. This turn-based RPG still lacks a release window on PC or Xbox Series X|S.

N Plus Infinity Times Two

Metanet Software announced a successor to its N+ series of platformers, which sports the ridiculous name N Plus Infinity Times Two. While the gameplay is similar to previous N+ titles, this one focuses on competitive multiplayer across five modes. There will still be a single-player campaign where players can get a feel for the game’s mechanics, though. N Plus Infinity Times Two will be released in 2027.

Into the Unwell

Those who like the rubberhose-inspired animation of Mouse: P.I. For Hire should take note of Into the Unwell from She Was Such A Good Horse and Coffee Stain Publishing. It’s a co-op action roguelike that leans into the over-the-top animation style of classic cartoons as they fight and claw their way through a difficult roguelike. Into the Unwell will launch on Steam next year.

Bub

One of the most personal games shown off was Paperfrog’s Bub. It’s a love letter to New York City and the personal journeys artists go through. It also reflects one of the developer’s own struggles after they were diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis mid-development. Bub will launch sometime in 2027.

Lazy River

Fans of silly co-op games might want to keep an eye on Lazy River, a new video game from Secret Hitler creator Mike Boxleiter. It takes place in a space water park and tasks players with building a raft and fighting zombies as they make their way along the cosmic lazy river and scavenge for supplies. It’s exactly the kind of quirky co-op game that has been all the rage lately, so keep an eye on Lazy River when it begins early access on Steam in 2027.

Prove You’re Human

2026's Day of the Devs showcase also provided us with another look at Sunset Visitor’s sci-fi game Prove You’re Human. Its segment mainly focused on Mesa, the AI personified by a giant head who believes they’re human. We got a look at the impressive animation and programming work required to make Mesa as expressive as they are, which is critical as Mesa is such an important character in the game. Prove You’re Human is in development for PC and has no release window.

Ithaca

French studio Pixel Hunt debuted Ithaca, a narrative-focused RPG that follows an environmental rights lawyer who decides to drive to Ithaca after kidnapping the boss of a large oil company. From there, players have a lot of narrative-impacting choices to make as they uncover what’s going on. A Kickstarter campaign for Ithica has begun, with Pixel Hunt hoping to release the game sometime in late 2027.

Screenbound

Cresent Moon Games’ Screenbound previously went viral for its clever gameplay conceit, which sees players simultaneously playing a 2D game on a handheld console as they move through a 3D world. At Day of the Devs, we saw both a platformer and a The Legend of Zelda-style adventure game split between 2D and 3D. We also learned that it will launch on September 10 and that a new demo is now on Steam.

Shot One Figthers

Just as Absolum explored what a classic beat ‘em up would be like as a roguelite, Shot One Fighters asks the same question of fighting games. It got a new trailer at Day of the Devs, highlighting the different combos and special moves players can unlock as they play through the game. This game doesn’t have a release window, but its Kickstarter is coming soon.

Apple Crumble

German developer Happy Broccoli Games revealed Apple Crumble. It’s described as a “creepy, cozy walking sim” in which players must figure out who’s trying to murder their grandma at her 84th birthday party. Apple Crumble will be released on Steam sometime later this year.

Slap Out Of It!

Turbo Button, a studio previously known for VR games, announced a new PC and console game featuring Ben Starr. As you can probably tell from the title, you have to slap anything and everything you see to solve puzzles and progress through the game. Slap Out Of It will be released sometime next year.

Super Yooka-Laylee Kart

Playtonic Studios revealed the next Yooka-Laylee game, and it’s not quite what you’d expect. Rather than another platformer, it’s a kart racer clearly inspired by Super Mario Kart, Diddy Kong Racing, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit that features characters from across the Yooka-Laylee games. It looks like a fun back-to-basics kart racer in comparison to Mario Kart World. Currently, Super Yooka-Laylee Kart is only confirmed for PC and has no release window, although Playtonic announced it will hold online playtests for the game prior to launch.

Into the Fire

Polish studio Starward Industries provided another look at Into the Fire, its survival extraction game where players rush into a city decimated by a volcano and demons to search for and save any survivors. Into the Fire is set to enter early access on Steam before the end of 2026, although you can also sign up for pre-release playtests right now on Steam as well.

Trine 6: Together In Time

Frozenbyte revealed Trine 6: Together in Time. It’s the latest in a long-running series of co-op 2D puzzle-platformers set in a fantasy world. If you enjoyed previous games in the series, it looks like this sequel will continue to deliver on that same formula. Trine 6: Together In Time will release on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on September 25.

When Sirens Fall Silent

The final game featured in this June’s Day of the Devs showcase was When Sirens Fall Silent, a new game from Italian developer LKA Studios. This psychological thriller follows a rookie police officer investigating a serial killer, and the game eventually escalates to feature supernatural elements while also addressing serious topics like addiction and human trafficking. When Sirens Fall Silent also features a branching narrative that changes depending on how players solve cases. When Sirens Fall Silent will come out in 2027.

Just like Mario and Donkey Kong before it, the Yooka-Laylee franchise is expanding to a new genre: kart racing. Playtonic Games announced Super Yooka-Laylee Kart during the Summer Game Fest as part of Day of the Devs 2026. 

A debut trailer showed off the racer, which looks very similar in style to classic kart racers like the original Super Mario Kart, Mario Kart 64, and Mario Kart: Super Circuit. That means pixel-art character sprites racing on 3D tracks for a cool retro style. Within that visual structure, though, Playtonic promises a modern racing experience, including up to eight-player local split-screen multiplayer, online multiplayer, a deep story campaign, and the ability to create custom races and tournaments with tons of toggles.

https://youtu.be/CslH_nwqIxo

The trailer also teases a central mechanic in Super Yooka-Laylee Kart: a Rage meter that builds throughout a match and enables big swingy payback opportunities. Coins collected during races also have a tactical element, as they can be spent between races for perks or saved for other advantages. 

Playtonic says it is planning a series of beta tests for Super Yooka-Laylee Kart's online modes, and encourages would-be racers to follow the studio for news on sign-ups. Currently the game is planned for release on PC, with other platform announcements to come.