After touring the wastelands of extinction-level events in Death Stranding, what's next for Hideo Kojima? The veteran game designer is keeping busy with two projects that Xbox will publish, and one of them is a return to his roots of tactics, espionage, and action: Physint. Still years away, Physint is already building buzz ahead of its eventual release, with new details slowly trickling out as development continues. First revealed during the PlayStation State of Play January 2024 showcase, here's everything that we know about it so far.

Physint release date

Physint doesn't have a release date yet, and don't expect it to be out for quite some time. Kojima himself has said as much, as the earliest release window for the game could be as far away as 2030. Back in 2025, Kojima said he'd just started work on his horror game OD and that Physint was in a "conceptual" stage of development.

Physint platforms

With the game so far away, we could be looking at a next-gen release when it does eventually arrive. Now that Xbox has stepped in to publish and help develop it, it's a safe bet that it'll launch for PC and whatever form the next-gen Xbox console, Project Helix, eventually takes.

Physint cast Meet the cast of Physint

Death Stranding 1 and 2 saw Kojima team up with several famous faces to play characters in his post-apocalyptic world, and for Physint, he already has several big names attached to it. Swedish actor Bill Skarsgard (It, Boy Kills World) will play the lead role in the game, and he'll be joined by Charlee Fraser (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Don Lee (Train to Busan), and Minami Hamabe (Godzilla: Minus One).

"We are both longtime fans of each other's work, and we've decided to embark on this new adventure together," Kojima said in a press statement about the casting of Skarsgard. "The costume fittings, scans, and camera tests we conducted with Bill and Charlee earlier this year gave me tremendous confidence in the direction of the project."

Physint gameplay The first poster for Physint

So far, the only glimpse we've had of Physint to date is a teaser poster featuring the game's protagonist, cloaked in shadows. The tagline for the game is "here comes the feeling," and Kojima has teased that Physint will "break the barrier" between movies and games.

That's not an unusual approach for him to take, given that his projects usually have multiple lengthy cutscenes, and Kojima is aiming to push the limits of video game graphics to new heights. "If your mother walks in and sees you playing this game, she'll think you're watching a movie. I'm not sure how far we can take it yet," Kojima said in a HideoTube episode.

We also know that Physint will be a spiritual successor to Kojima's Metal Gear Solid series. The developer says that he was inspired to develop Physint after recovering from a severe bout of illness during the COVID pandemic; he wanted to respond to fan requests to create another Metal Gear. Having already proven that he could still create original experiences with Death Stranding and OD, Physint was born from a desire to respond to his fanbase.

Physint development https://youtu.be/NzzdyORdg80

Physint was originally being developed in partnership with PlayStation, but its parent company Sony later confirmed that it would no longer be working with Kojima Productions on it. The official statement never provided a reason why Sony decided to drop the game, but scuttlebutt from around the industry suggested that the Death Stranding games hadn't generated massive returns for the time and money spent on them. According to a Bloomberg report, people familiar with the project had expressed concerns about Physint’s development, as it had reportedly missed deadlines and was going over budget.

Fortunately, Xbox stepped in to save the project. "We're honored that Kojima-san has chosen Xbox to work with Kojima Productions on Physint," Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in a statement. "His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at Xbox."

Kojima assured fans that despite the change in publishers, development on Physint "is ongoing and will continue moving forward," even in its current early phase.

Microsoft has announced the next DLC for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and it's a plane that costs more than the game itself. The Airbus A380 is now in the game, and you can get it for $74.50. For comparison, the game itself costs $70.

It is a digital version of the "superjumbo," four-engine, wide-body airliner made by Airbus. For people who aren't up to date with this kind of the thing, the A380 is the world's biggest commercial passenger plane, with 10 airlines operating them, including Emirates, British Airways, Qantas, and Lufthansa. There are fewer than 200 in service around the world.

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

The developers worked with longtime partners iniBuilds to make the A380 for Microsoft Flight Simulator. It's part of the game's "Exclusive Series," which means it will only be available for three months.

According to the developers, the in-game A380 is a highly detailed, carefully crafted virtual version of the plane, featuring "full fight deck modeling" and "extensive interactive controls, displays, and aircraft systems."

The plane features a long list of details to mirror its real-life counterpart, even including "potable water and waste simulation." Here's to hoping the pee and poop simulation systems aren't too realistic. The plane also has "functional on-board showers" for its digital recreation in Microsoft Flight Simulator.

Check out the extensive blog post to learn more.

Rockstar Games has officially announced Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album. The 34-song collection includes original music from people like Keith Richards, Yung Lean, Morgan Wallen, Rauw Alejandro, and more. Rockstar is releasing the album in partnership with Atlantic Records.

In addition to a lot of brand-new songs, GTA 6 will feature famous licensed music as well. Check out GameSpot's rundown of all the songs rumored and confirmed for the game so far.

The soundtrack releases on November 19 alongside the game, and Rockstar is offering "multiple vinyl and CD" versions at retailers. So yes, GTA 6 will be on a disc, or at least the soundtrack will be. The game itself, though? That's a digital exclusive.

For now, Rockstar released six debut singles that can be streamed today. These include:

• Yung Lean - "That's It" (feat. Future & Metro Boomin)
• Travis Scott - "RHYNO" (prod. by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo)
• CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again.. & Etienne de Crécy - "Sexy Magic"
• Morgan Wallen - "Last Thing You Need"
• Rauw Alejandro - "Macacoa 2000"
• Keith Richards - "Bright Lights, Big City"

https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/0kRaNkRxpO16BjxJU0IQAL?si=wXY0s1lZS5KHmpEudqLJfA&utm_source=copy-link&nd=1&dlsi=07d37b60699447f2

You can preorder multiple versions of GTA 6: The Album now, including a limited-edition vinyl for $125, the standard-edition vinyl for $50, and on a CD for $20. The limited-edition vinyl offering comes with two transparent magenta discs "filled with blue liquid." As you can see in the image below, it looks great.

Rockstar also said fans can look forward to more music-related GTA 6 announcements to come soon. "Stay tuned for more details about the music of Grand Theft Auto VI, including the dynamic score, the next evolution of in-game radio, and more," the studio said.

The $125 limited-edition vinyl looks pretty snazzy.

The announcement of GTA 6's official soundtrack comes just after a number of famous artists posted teasers that suggested something was in the works.

Music has always been a big part of the GTA series, and that trend is expected to continue with GTA 6. The franchise is known for its numerous in-game radio stations featuring real, licensed music from world-famous artists.

It was previously rumored that GTA 6 will feature people like DJ Khaled hosting his own in-game radio station. Drake, meanwhile, may have his own station, too.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game is expected to be a huge hit, but anyone who bought stock in the company’s owner is hurting currently.

Bill Skarsgard has been cast in the lead role of Hideo Kojima's upcoming action-espionage game, Physint, Kojima Productions has announced. The project is being developed in partnership with Xbox after PlayStation stepped away from the game earlier this year.

Known for his roles in It, John Wick, and Boy Kills World, Skarsgard will take the role of the player character in the game alongside previously announced cast members including Charlee Fraser, Don Lee, and Minami Hamabe.

https://youtu.be/NzzdyORdg80

Kojima has previously described Physint as an action-espionage game that will blur the line between games and movies, bringing together talent from both industries. The game's title remains largely provisional, and details about its story and gameplay are still being kept under wraps. However, during the Xbox at Tokyo Game Show broadcast, Kojima also explained that the game is "unbound by any existing genres in digital entertainment."

Bill Skarsgard takes the lead role in Physint.

Physint was originally being developed with PlayStation, but PlayStation Studios withdrew from the project in June. Kojima subsequently spent around three months looking for a new partner before reaching an agreement with Xbox. The deal expands the existing relationship between Xbox and Kojima Productions, who are also working together on the experimental horror game OD.

Kojima Productions and Xbox have also said they intend to explore film and television projects together, expanding their collaboration beyond games.

There is currently no release date for Physint, but the game is expected to arrive after OD, which is further along in development.

Kingdom Hearts has officially landed in Fortnite, and as expected, the update has brought plenty of cosmetics and weapons to the game. The content includes the Kingdom Key, a weapon Epic says can be used to clobber opponents and call down a shocking bolt of lightning when you need to clear the battlefield. If you're running low on health and shields, you can also grab a Sea Salt Ice Cream to top them up for the battles that lie ahead.

But once you're underneath the heart-shaped moon on the ol' Fortnite island? That's when you can start using Kingdom Hearts Overrides to your advantage. Players can activate a Recovery Override to gain healing orbs whenever they eliminate another player equipped with a weapon, while the Level Up Override will spawn a Mythic Kingdom Key for each squad member at their current location.

Players can also take part in the Kingdom Hearts Power Hour, starting on Saturday, September 19. This will take place at the following times:

• 11 AM PT - 1 PM / 2 - 4 PM ET
• 6 - 8 PM PT / 9 - 11 PM ET

If you're looking to dress your Fortnite avatar up in some Kingdom Hearts threads, the new Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Roxas will be unlocked in the Fortnite Shop starting September 17 at 5 PM PT / 8 PM ET.  Each one comes with its own Back Bling, Pickaxe, and Lego Fortnite style. While Kingdom Hearts 4 will launch in 2027, it looks like Fortnite's crossover will help fill the gap until that long-awaited sequel finally arrives--plus, it's cathartic to see Kairi get a chance to kick some butt for once.

Ahead of Kingdom Hearts 4's launch, it looks like the game was recently caught up in a massive data breach. If you're not afraid of spoilers, you can click through to take a look at the list of worlds that players can probably explore--if the leaked achievements are correct--which includes Coco and a few other surprise IP in the mix.

The Tokyo Game Show kicked off this week, and Xbox is celebrating its presence with a new broadcast dedicated to showing off what its Japanese partners are up to. The Japanese market has been a tough nut to crack for Microsoft--especially with Sony and Nintendo enjoying a home-field advantage--but Xbox has had a presence there for the last 20 years.

Hosted by Misuzu Araki, this year’s Xbox TGS broadcast will offer exclusive content and new gameplay. It's also taking place at a very early hour, and we're betting that you might be sleeping through it. Fear not! As usual, we'll be covering all the announcements during the presentation, and you can scroll below to catch up on all the news and trailers. 

So, what can you expect from this year's livestream? Microsoft has confirmed that Minecraft Dungeons 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 will be on the show floor, so we wouldn't be too surprised to see new trailers for those games pop up. Gears of War: E-Day is also out soon, so that could be the focus of another trailer, and we're also expecting developers from across Japan and Asia to feature heavily in the broadcast.

This was something that Sony did recently with its September State of Play livestream, as it dropped a bunch of trailers for upcoming games such as Stupid Never Dies, WPCA: World Phasebound Control Authority, and SlashZero.

Gachiakuta

The show is kicking off with a new look at the Gachiakuta game. If you haven't seen it, it's a pretty cool anime series about the value of trash--no really--and the manga source material is even better thanks to its cool illustrations. It looks like this will be a faithful adaptation, with plenty of action to enjoy.

Crazy Taxi https://youtu.be/cL7btLB6YqA

A new Crazy Taxi trailer? Yeah yeah yeah yeah! This fresh gameplay video shows off the new Japanese map you can explore with reckless abandon.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgMsKUjMzyk

The next Call of Duty game is out next month, and once again it looks like we're in for conspiracies, action, and covert operatives spouting military jargon. Call of Duty campaigns are usually good for a weekend of popcorn action fun, and Modern Warfare 4 looks like it'll be a blast as this trailer dived deeper into John Price’s shadow operations.

The Xbox TGS cat finally has a name

And it really needs to become the brand's mascot! The black Xbox cat appearing in Tokyo Game Show branding is now Midori, as voted for by fans.

Persona 4 Revival https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAnVDKXBXwY&pp=0gcJCSQMAYcqIYzv

The next Persona remake, Persona 4 Revival, is out in February 2027, and it continues to look like a slick entry in the fan-favorite franchise.

Shape of Dreams

The action co-op roguelite Shape of Dreams is now on console, and if you have an Xbox Game Pass subscription, you can also access it as a day-one release.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember

Need some more Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember in your life? This new trailer showed off a ton of combat, a grueling boss battle, and a reminder that the game launches for PC and console in March 2027.

Hope in the City https://youtu.be/aeSj0-tQqxY

A game where you play through the eyes of an artist, Hope in the City is a narrative mystery game where you have to track down two missing parents. It launches for PC and console on November 10, and it'll also be available through Xbox Game Pass.

Bloomwalker

A heartfelt crafting adventure set in the fallen world of Luminoa, Bloomwalker will see players travel with a moving house, cleanse the pollution spreading across the land, and free Guardians to help save the day.

Faraday Blues

Vivarium publisher Serenity Forge showed off a new game, called Faraday Blues. A visual-novel adventure, it features striking art, branching paths, and multiple tales to explore.

Hype emanating from the reveal of Metroid Ravenous has translated into an onslaught of memes after a logo generator circulated online. If you're on Reddit or Bluesky, you may have seen the instantly iconic image of Samus Aran aggressively pinning down a mysterious enemy for consumption, but now accompanied by stupid text like "I ASKED FOR NO PICKLES" in the Metroid Ravenous font.

The Pixelframe Design website unveiled a tool that lets anyone input any text and style it to look like the grainy and jagged Metroid Ravenous logo, with four options for the image background. Pixelframe Design previously made similar logo generators for games like GTA 6, The Duskbloods, and famously, Pokopia.

https://bsky.app/profile/pixelframe.bsky.social/post/3mvlab7xqde2o

The apparent hook of Metroid Ravenous is Samus's need to kill and consume her enemies to survive. Naturally, that has led to food-related memes like a riff on the "55 burgers" scene from I Think You Should Leave, a reference to the viral concept of "girl dinner," or a simple but effective "Om Nom Nom" joke. Literally any wording you put into the generator will look more badass in this font.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Metroid/comments/1whfq4q/hungry_samus_thats_it_thats_the_joke/

It's also been amusing to see other video game titles like Hello Kitty Island Adventure in the Ravenous font face, and several other of these memes are just vulgar and gross enough to be hilarious. Don't expect any of this to become official Nintendo marketing material.

https://bsky.app/profile/gusbod.bsky.social/post/3mvlioodyv22v

The Metroid subreddit was briefly jam-packed with these images, leading to moderators creating a megathread devoted to the meme template. Hilariously, many of the top-upvoted comments are Ravenous memes dunking on the mods.

Revealed during the September 2026 Nintendo Direct, Metroid Ravenous is a follow-up to 2021's Metroid Dread and a return to the 2D track of the franchise. While Nintendo hasn't officially commented on who is developing Ravenous, Dread studio MercurySteam hinted that it's behind the upcoming title on social media. Metroid Ravenous releases on January 28, 2027, and a special edition coming with a steelbook and Amiibo figure will also come out.

Resident Evil director Zach Cregger has revealed he was going through hell while making the movie, which is about a man going through hell.

He told The Hollywood Reporter that he had pneumonia for the first half of filming on Resident Evil. For the second half of production, he had Campylobacter jejuni. This causes diarrhea, and man, that sucks for anyone, but especially if you're trying to film a big-budget, highly anticipated film based on a property with legions of fans and great expectations creatively and commercially.

"So I was very, very ill for the whole production, and everything felt so barely in control because my body was failing me," Cregger explained.

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

Cregger said he credits his "wonderful, talented" department leads to help him through, while he also praised Resident Evil star Austin Abrams for going above and beyond. He said Abrams is "one of the most can-do, positive people I’ve ever met. I was spoiled by the people around me."

Not only was Cregger physically sick while making Resident Evil, he had to deal with freezing-cold conditions in the north of the Czech Republic where the movie was filmed. "We froze our asses off," he said.

This wasn't the first time Cregger was dealing with physical turmoil while making a movie. On his last film, Weapons, it was so hot and humid that he needed an IV and directed scenes remotely.

Resident Evil releases on September 18, and it's expected to have a huge, record-setting opening weekend. The movie stars Austin Abrams as a medical courier named Bryan who is an "idiot" everyman who finds himself in a world of pain.

The Resident Evil movie from Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger releases in theaters on September 18. Reviews from critics went live today, and the movie is earning high scores. GameSpot's Resident Evil review scored it an 8 and said it successfully captures the breathless terror of the games.

In fact, it's now the highest-rated video game movie ever. It boasts a mightily impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes from 71 reviews and an equally impressive 80 on GameSpot sister site Metacritic. According to Metacritic, Resident Evil is the highest-rated video game movie ever, well ahead of another 2026 movie, Exit 8, which has a 71 Metascore.

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

The six Resident Evil movies that Paul W.S. Anderson made did not score very high with critics, with 2016's The Final Chapter topping them all at 49% on Metacritic. The latest Resident Evil movie before Cregger's, 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City from director Johannes Roberts, scored a 44% on Metacritic.

After that movie came out, Constantin, which has owned the movie rights to Resident Evil since the '90s, intended to put the franchise on hiatus. However, Cregger, coming off the success of Barbarian, pitched Constantin on his new, original take, and Constantin loved it so much that they put it into production.

Video game movies had a track record of mediocrity at best for years, but the tide is turning in recent times. This could be for many different reasons, but some have theorized that part of what made video game movies of yesteryear poor in terms of reception was that, in large part, the game studios and creative minds behind them were not involved in the development process.

That's changed now. Oliver Berben, the CEO of Constantin, said that while his team didn't contractually need to consult with Capcom, the film studio did so anyway to ensure it was respecting and caring for the IP and its fans.

That might be a surprise to some gamers, as many have voiced their concerns and dislike for Cregger's take on Resident Evil, in part because he's telling a new story and not adapting any previous games or featuring any of its characters.

Cregger said in press interviews that he felt like he was on an apology tour instead of a press tour due to the fan blowback. He's also admitted that he was naive to think fans would embrace him and his ideas, but ultimately he made the movie he wanted to, and it's clearly resonating with critics.

Nintendo, meanwhile, went further than many have in terms of Hollywood adaptations. The company was not only creatively involved in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, but co-financed them. For 2027's The Legend of Zelda movie, Nintendo is putting up more than 50% of the funding, so it would seemingly get to call the shots.

This contrasts with the arrangement Take-Two and Gearbox had for the poorly received and commercial flop that was the Borderlands movie. Lionsgate funded it, not Gearbox or owner Take-Two, and it was the film company that paid the price for the flop, at least financially.

Resident Evil officially releases on September 18, but screenings begin on September 17. The movie is expected to have the biggest opening weekend ever for a Resident Evil movie.

The film stars Austin Abrams, who had a standout performance in Cregger's Weapons, as a medical courier who takes on a job that brings him to Raccoon City. Everything goes badly, of course, and Abrams himself nearly died for real making the movie.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight was a fun tribute to the Caped Crusader when it launched earlier this year, but if you're tired of saving Gotham, you can embrace chaos with two of the city's greatest villains: Harley Quinn and the Joker. The duo are headlining the game's Mayhem Collection expansion, and just like Batman, they're dressing in style with multiple outfits that you can unlock during their caper. GameSpot can exclusively reveal one of them: a classic costume for Harley Quinn, pulled directly from 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum.

And still one of Harley's best outfits.

While Harley Quinn predominantly wore a jester's outfit throughout her appearances in Batman: The Animated Series and related comic books, Rocksteady's Arkham Asylum game saw her switch up her look dramatically for what can best be described as a doctor-themed dominatrix. Out with the spandex onesie, in with a repurposed doctor's outfit, leather corset, domino mask, and other elements that paid homage to her roots. In Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, this costume is described as having prankster pigtails and a "chaotic" corset.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2Gu8dw37ri4?feature=share

In case you missed it, the Mayhem Collection draws heavily from Batman: The Animated Series, with developer TT Games calling the expansion a love letter to the landmark '90s show that introduced Harley Quinn as the Joker's sidekick. Fans can find several references to the series in the Mayhem Collection, along with Easter eggs for other Batman shows, films, games, and comic book stories. There's even a nod to Harley Quinn's original voice actor, the late Arleen Sorkin, and the new story mission chronicles the first meeting between the Joker and Quinn, back when she was still the ambitious psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel.

The Mayhem Collection launches on September 18 for Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, one of the best games of 2026. It's also coming to Switch 2 on the same day, and it's also available for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Here we go again: A new Fire Emblem game is garnering glowing reviews, and I'm thinking this could be the one that finally clicks with me. Launching tomorrow on Switch 2, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave sits at a fantastic 89 metascore (at the time of publication) on GameSpot's sister site Metacritic. That's good enough to place it No. 13 currently on Metacritic's list for best games of 2026. 

In addition, GameSpot's Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave review says this is "the new high point to beat for future entries." As someone who didn't plan to buy the strategy RPG, I'm now second-guessing myself. I have a history of buying well-reviewed Fire Emblem games, trying them out for maybe five hours, and then bouncing off them for something else. That was especially true of Fire Emblem: Three Houses on Switch in 2019. 

Before that, my first foray into the series came in 2013 with Fire Emblem Awakening on the Nintendo 3DS, if you don’t consider me maining Marth in Super Smash Bros. Melee. This is a game I still have downloaded on my 3DS XL, which sits in the drawer of my bedside table. I've tried so many times to engage with the game, only to stop after a couple of hours. Once again, I don't dislike the turn-based action, but for some reason, it never fully connects. I'm obviously in the minority, because Fire Emblem Awakening basically saved the entire series. 

Those previous encounters with the Fire Emblem franchise had me ignoring Fortune's Weave, until now. I see the high praise for the Switch 2 exclusive and feel like I might be missing out on an amazing game. Sure, I'm currently in the middle of playing Blasphemous and have Final Fantasy 7 Remake waiting for me after picking it up on sale. But what if Fortune's Weave is the Fire Emblem game that finally, finally resonates with me?

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave launches tomorrow, September 17, on Switch 2. 

28 Best Nintendo Switch 2 Games To Play Right Now View Images

Veteran Call of Duty developer Treyarch is finishing up its work on Black Ops 7 and shifting to its next project, but what will that be? That remains to be seen, but Treyarch design director Kevin Drew said in a new Dev Talk video that it might not be what you expect.

Drew said Treyarch has "learned a lot" working on 2024's Black Ops 6 and 2025's Black Ops 7 and "tried a lot of things in our current era."

"But we're ready to make something new and something that nobody's ever experienced before," he said.

That sounds hyperbolic and extreme, and Call of Duty studios are definitely known for grandiose claims.

Treyarch created the Black Ops series, which debuted in 2010, and it remains one of the most popular brands within the franchise. In an unusual move, back-to-back Black Ops games came out in 2024 and 2025, and Treyarch itself admitted it did worry about franchise fatigue.

EA's Battlefield 6 outsold Black Ops 7 in 2025, with Black Ops 7 falling down to the No. 5 spot for the year, at least in the US. In another big shakeup for Call of Duty, and seemingly in a bid to sell more units, Microsoft announced that Call of Duty games will no longer be included with Xbox Game Pass at launch, beginning with this year's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4.

Infinity Ward is leading development on Modern Warfare 4, though, as usual, Activision's network of Call of Duty studios, including Treyarch, are expected to contribute to the game's overall development.

An interesting rumor making the rounds related to Call of Duty claims that Microsoft--which owns Call of Duty and Activision--is considering having a Call of Duty studio work on a Halo game. Another rumor said Microsoft could "put Halo under Activision" as part of a larger restructuring to help Halo regain its prominence in the FPS market.

The Fable reboot in development at Playground Games has been in the works for a long, long time, and part of what's "protected" the game during the lengthy development cycle was that the franchise is so closely associated with Xbox. That's according to Fable game director Ralph Fulton, who told The Guardian, "I genuinely think Fable is an important game."

"What has protected us over a long development cycle is that so many people within Xbox view Fable as vital to the DNA of the platform,” Fulton said. “I would go a step further and say it’s important to video games as a whole. It offers a combination of elements that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else.”

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

While Fable may have been "protected," other Xbox games and studios cannot say the same. Throughout Fable's development period, Xbox shuttered studios, canceled games, and laid off staff. The latest round of cuts came this year, with Microsoft trimming 1,600 jobs, with another 1,600 layoffs still to come. Another dormant Xbox franchise, Perfect Dark, attempted its own reboot, but Microsoft canceled the game and shuttered its developer.

Microsoft acquired Playground in 2018. The studio worked on Forza Horizon racing games exclusively, and Fable is the studio's first non-Forza game.

Playground created a second team internally to work on Fable, and Fulton said, "Building a team from scratch is the hardest thing you can do in video games."

Playground is taking over for Lionhead, which previously developed the Fable games until Microsoft shuttered the studio in 2016. The main series has been dormant since 2010's Fable 3, so fans have been waiting a long time for a new one.

Also in the interview, Fulton teased the ending to Fable's story, saying it "really challenges you to think about who you are, with a real personal cost to weigh against the outcome." He said Playground "relentlessly pursed quality" for the game's ending, despite industry metrics that suggest only a relatively small percentage of people who start a game actually finish it.

The Fable reboot was originally scheduled to release this year, but was delayed to February 2027. Fulton said the delay to 2027 helps avoid a "chaotic" window, and that's for sure a reference to staying out of the blast zone of GTA 6.

It never rains, but it does pour for Bloodborne fans holding out hope for some news on From Software's beloved game. Fortunately, you can take some shelter from that storm of disappointment with an official Bloodborne umbrella, and a few items for anyone wanting some souls-like couture in their wardrobe.

Announced by the SuperGroupies fashion label, the Bloodborne collection includes an umbrella, necktie & tie clip set, card holder, laptop sleeve, and book cover. The "Childhood's Beginning" umbrella features illustrations of the Caryll Runes on the exterior and a silhouette of the Moon Presence floating in front of the red moon over a field of white flowers on the interior. Even though it's the most pointless piece of clothing ever designed, if you really need a necktie, you can get the Lady Maria-inspired tie and gaze at patterns inspired by the fan-favorite hunter. The matching tie clip is modeled after the lumenflower brooch from her cravat.

For the Bloodborne accessories, you can round out your look with a book cover that reflects the Vileblood Register, a card holder embossed with Caryll Runes, and a laptop sleeve that features a flap shape and studs that subtly reference the iconic Hunter Hat. Preorders start on September 15, and these items are expected to ship out in mid-April 2027.

Here's a breakdown of how much they'll cost:

• Childhood's Beginning Model Umbrella -- $126
• Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower Model Necktie & Tie Clip Set -- $126
• Vileblood Register Model Book Cover -- $96
• Hunter Model Card Holder -- $136
• Hunter Model Laptop Sleeve -- $156

While a Bloodborne remaster or sequel still looks unlikely for now--and could be for strategic reasons on Sony's part--fans can look forward to an "R-rated" animated feature in the future. YouTuber and gamer Seán McLoughlin, who goes by the name JackSepticEye, is on board as a producer, and he says he's approaching this film as a passion project that faithfully replicates the cult-classic game.

As for From Software, the developer has been busy throughout the 2020s with its Elden Ring series, expansions, and spin-offs. Its next release is a Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods, a PvPvE multiplayer action game that has no confirmed release date yet but is still expected to launch in 2026.

Director Zach Cregger's latest movie, Resident Evil, hits theaters this week, but if there were to be a movie based on Resident Evil Village, who should play the game's popular Lady Dimitrescu character?

That's the question that Pedestrian TV put to Cregger recently. He said his choice would be Christina Hendricks. "That feels about right to me," he explained.

Lady Dimitrescu, a tall vampire woman, was one of the most popular characters in Village. She was based on Morticia Addams and other wicked women. The developers at Capcom have spoken about her design, saying they wanted to avoid making her look too much like a Gothic vampire.

Hendricks is best known for playing Joan on AMC's Mad Men, for which she received multiple Primetime Emmy nominations. Hendricks is also known for playing Beth in NBC's Good Girls. She is an accomplished voice actor, too, having portrayed Gabby Gabby in Toy Story 4 and Cherie in Solar Opposites.

Lady Dimitrescu.

Hendricks has one video game credit to her name, and that's the role of Sam Harper in 2011's Need for Speed: The Run.

In Resident Evil Village, Lady Dimitrescu is portrayed by Maggie Robertson. She won the Best Performance award at The Game Awards for her performance.

It remains to be seen if Lady Dimitrescu could be featured in a movie one day, but the latest Resident Evil movie comes to theaters this Friday, September 18. The film does not feature any characters from the games, though there will be Easter Eggs and nods to the series for fans to obsess over, co-writer Shay Hatten said.

At BlizzCon, Blizzard announced a partnership with Netflix for an animated Diablo TV show. The announcement caught some by surprise, but Blizzard president Johanna Faries said in an interview that it makes sense for the studio because many people simply don't have the time to invest meaningfully in Blizzard's games, but still might watch a Diablo TV show.

“We have so much fandom around Blizzard that doesn’t always necessarily translate into hardcore gaming time,” she told The Los Angeles Times. “This is another way to deepen the relationship with our Diablo community and expand and broaden the conversation with our fans and potentially attract new fans, who may not have the time ... to be able to devote hours to the gameplay, but certainly can devote hours to being engaged in this new form of storytelling."

Faries went on to say that Blizzard will be "very involved" with the Diablo show. This isn't always the case for transmedia adaptations, as Naughty Dog recently confirmed it will have no creative involvement in The Last of Us Season 3 on HBO. Additionally, Larian is not involved in the upcoming Baldur's Gate show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1Tpajd58o8

Lydia Bottegoni, the executive vice president of story and franchise development at Blizzard, said bringing Diablo to Netflix part of an effort aimed at "meeting people where they are."

"The franchises themselves and the characters in the worlds have a lot of depth and a lot that we can share," Bottegoni said.

It is still early days for the Diablo TV show, and there is no word yet on the story, cast, or release date. It won't be the first Blizzard property to be adapted in Hollywood, as Blizzard and Legendary worked together on the 2016 Warcraft movie. It made just $47 million in the US, but brought in $225.5 million from China alone, finishing with more than $400 million globally.

Plans were prepared for sequels, but the domestic box office being so poor contributed to why those never materialized.

As for the Diablo game series, Blizzard just recently announced Diablo 5, but it's not coming for some time.

After a successful rebrand earlier this year, the mood around Overwatch has been far more positive recently. Speaking to GameSpot at BlizzCon, associate game director Alec Dawson attributed the recent success to ditching the fear of changing core systems--such as the introduction of a Perk system that fundamentally alters hero capabilities--embarking on a year-long narrative, and actively working to break player expectations.

"Being able to continue to surprise people is really important," Dawson said. "We've heard a lot from players, like what they're looking for in the game, their return to narrative, and also, more heroes. But at the same time, we're going full-force to those things, but we also want to continue to say, 'Okay, where else can we push? Where else can we actually innovate?' We're just excited to continue to surprise people, and the community's been really receptive to everything we've been doing this year."

"It's really about not being fearful of our changes. We have this sense of, 'Okay, we're going to come in and actually expand what your idea of what Overwatch is.' I think that actually, some of the things we've done in the past two years have been at the core of that. The Perk system, in particular, is a brand-new gameplay system for Overwatch, and it changed a lot about what heroes were capable of. We want to continue to push in those things, and look at Overwatch and say, 'Hey, we're going to continue to make the best competitive shooter, but we're also going to do some things that are unexpected, and maybe even mess with the formula a little bit.'"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJBAvuK1y2I

Keller added that Overwatch's first narrative arc spanning an entire year--focusing on Vendetta and Doomfist’s power struggle for Talon--has also been a big draw for players, as they can't wait to see how this storyline concludes. Combining massive mechanical shifts with heavy world-building story arcs appears to be a winning formula for the game, and Blizzard's gamble to drop five new heroes at once earlier this year also helped ease player toxicity in Overwatch. More changes are on the horizon, including a big rework for two legacy heroes, Roadhog and Sombra.

Following the release of Zero Parades in May, developer ZA/UM Studio has announced a Director's Cut version, and it's coming soon as a free update for everyone, while the game's console edition is launching in November.

The Director's Cut will release on October 1, while the PS4 version will release on November 3. The game has not been confirmed for Xbox or Switch, however.

Coming soon.

Representing the end of post-launch support on PC, the Director's Cut is free for all existing owners of Zero Parades, featuring "substantial new material" that the developer says makes the game feel "tangibly different" from the OG release.

The centerpiece of the free Director's Cut update adds the Quisach Roundabout, which is a new Dramatic Encounter for Zero Parades.

"Hershel Wilk and her old friend Ramses find themselves stoned out of their minds, behind the wheel of a hijacked tuk-tuk and seemingly unable to escape the Quisach Roundabout late at night. The objective seems simple enough. Take the right exit and head home," reads a line from the game's description. "Fail to do so, and well… things might get existential. And possibly fatal."

The Director's Cut includes about 40,000 words of new material.

Also coming in the Director's Cut is the "Backstage," which allows players to experience earlier versions of select levels from Zero Parades. Players will be able to explore these locations and see how they changed for the finished game. The Backstage will also highlight examples of the "technical steps and creative processes" behind the changes the studio made during development.

Backstage will also allow players to interact with "in-game orbs" that feature audio stories and commentary from developers about the game's development. The content is narrated by art director Kaspar Tamsalu, who will explain how Zero Parades was made. These orbs will also provide insights into what ZA/UM cut from the game.

Beyond all of this, the Director's Cut update makes changes to how Zero Parades sounds and plays, featuring re-recorded English voiceovers. Additionally, new outfits and clothing are coming to Zero Parades in the update, along with new death screens and more visual and atmospheric features.

The Director's Cut update also introduces ultrawide support for 2:19 and 32:9 displays, along with controller remapping, inventory sorting, and a new Photosensitivity Mode. Additionally, players who want more spy features are getting them with the ability to obscure parts of previous conversations with redaction bars "because even your own history should feel classified," ZA/UM said. More accessibility, audio, control, and interface improvements are in the Director's Cut update, too, along with expanded colorblind options and Steam Deck settings. These will be further detailed on a Steam post before launch.

GameSpot's Zero Parades review scored the game an 8/10.

"This is ... an excellent RPG, with varied and mostly well-defined characters, a fully realized setting encompassed by insurmountable depth, and an endlessly captivating narrative that offers myriad ways to maneuver through its fantastic twists and turns," reviewer Richard Wakeling said.

For years, Overwatch had an infamous player toxicity problem. A few years after its successful 2016 debut, the problem became especially bad whenever a new hero was added to the game, and that was an issue Blizzard wanted to solve. How did it do that? By simultaneously dropping five heroes into the game earlier this year, as part of Overwatch 2's rebuild.

Alongside the game's first year-long story arc, The Reign of Talon, this gamble paid off when Blizzard discovered that toxicity within the player community dropped significantly as users focused more on curiosity and experimentation.

"[At the] start of 2026, we announced 10 heroes, and five of them launched in Season 1," game director Aaron Keller said to GameSpot at BlizzCon. "People were like, 'how do you how do you play all these heroes, you know, like what's this game, what's the meta going to be, what's it going to turn into?' We even saw toxicity went down measurably in the game when those five heroes went in, because people were just having fun trying to experience all of that.

"This year also we're releasing a new hero every single season, so you get that moment again where there's a little bit more to learn. [The] start of this year, we had a big moment. We have these little ones over the course of the year, and then we're going to do it all again at the start of 2027, and we're just going to like keep going that way in the future."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RAY6jF8DoI

Overwatch's next hero, Doctrine, was revealed during the BlizzCon opening ceremony. Described as a techno-vampire from Zimbabwe who wields a scepter, he can heal players, buff them, and unleash a swarm of bat drones to push back enemies. For more on Overwatch, you can read up on how Tracer almost had a completely different design, which heroes are considered to be the best in Overwatch according to Blizzard, and how two veteran heroes are being overhauled.

A new PS5 firmware update has arrived, and it's upgrading the console with more than just extra stability. Firmware update version 26.06-14.00.00 offers a new tweak for the PS5 Pro console, voice chat improvements, and tweaks to longstanding features. Here's a breakdown of everything.

For PS5 Pro owners, the update will now see the option for enhanced PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) turned on by default. When this is active, it will allow games to run with sharper, smoother visuals, and it also works with games that support the previous version of PSSR.

If you're feeling social, you can also see who's talking when a voice chat group is active--which should come in very handy for games like Big Walk. You'll need to turn this option on, but it's easy to do, and the instructions are listed below.

Additionally, new widgets have been added to the home screen. These include a trending tab for new game releases or games with major content updates, as well as multiplayer games and popular multiplayer modes. Bluetooth features for PS5 consoles have been changed depending on which country you reside in, and to cap things off, system software performance and stability have been further improved.

This is easily the biggest PS5 firmware update since March, when PS5 Pro consoles received the enhanced version of PSSR. This week's enhancements arrive ahead of a very busy gaming season, as the PS5 exclusive Marvel's Wolverine has launched and other big games on the horizon include Control Resonant, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and Grand Theft Auto 6.

PS5 Version 26.06-14.00.00 Update Notes

We've turned on Enhance PSSR Image Quality as a default setting. When you update the system software, this setting automatically turns on. When you enable this feature, enhanced PSSR is used even for games that support the previous version of PSSR, so you can enjoy a sharper and clearer visual experience. 

• To turn off this setting, go to Settings > Screen and Video > Video Output > Enhance PSSR Image Quality. 
• This feature is available only on PS5 Pro. 

You can now see who’s speaking while you’re in a voice chat. 

• To show the speaker indicator, go to the voice chat card in the control centre. Select More > Display Who’s Speaking and turn on Display Names. 
• To choose where the speaker indicator appears on your screen, select Position. 

We’ve added the Community Activity widget to your Welcome Hub. You can switch between the following views. 

• Trending Now displays ten multiplayer games or multiplayer modes that are surging in popularity. Look here for new game releases or games with major content updates. 
• Top 10 displays the ten most popular games in the last week for your country or region. Look here to see what games have a large community of players you can join.

We’ve changed the following features for PS5 consoles and PS5 Pro consoles in certain countries or regions. 

• If you go to Settings > Accessories > General > Advanced Settings and select Turn Off Bluetooth, your console does not enter rest mode and HDMI Device Link does not function. 
• The Turn Off Bluetooth function is for managing controller connections at esports venues and similar locations. Do not use this feature for any other purpose. 
• We've improved system software performance and stability.