Bungie's latest, Marathon, has barely been out a few weeks, but the developer is clearly keen to keep the ball rolling and start carving out a space for its most hardcore players. To that end, the developer is launching Marathon's Ranked mode later this week, and we've finally got details about what exactly that'll look like.

First and foremost, Marathon's Ranked mode will be unlocked on March 21 at 10 AM PT / 1PM ET. To access the mode, you must first reach level 25. Moving forward, Ranked will only be open to play on the weekends, much like Destiny's Trials of Osiris playlist, and crews of all sizes will be able to play Ranked.

Every weekend, the Ranked playlist will run on a "different planet-side zone," like Perimeter, Dire Marsh, or Outpost. The first weekend, perhaps unsurprisingly, will take place on Marathon's beginner map, Perimeter. Curiously, the language on Bungie's post emphasizes "planet-side," which could mean that the game's forthcoming endgame zone Cryo Archive, which takes place on the titular Marathon ship, might also be available at the same time, though Bungie has not outright said as much at this time.

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Starbreeze has announced a new partnership to bring Payday to film and TV. The game studio has teamed up with Vice Studios to adapt the heist-themed game series beyond games. It appears the rights have changed hands, as Starbreeze previously announced a deal with a different company back in 2023 for a live-action adaptation of the franchise. Rights changing hands like this is not unusual.

"The parties will collaborate closely to ensure that future adaptations capture Payday's tone, characters, and high-stakes heist energy, while inviting new audiences into the franchise," Starbreeze said about itself and Vice Studios.

Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson said the goal is to make Payday a "fully entertainment platform." Vice Studios president Amy Powell said Payday has lots of potential for film and TV because the series has a lot of "mythology" to be tapped into.

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Starting today, select members of the Xbox Insiders program will be able to take several new "highly requested updates" for a test run before they become available to all Xbox console users.

These new features include the ability to create up to 10 Groups on Xbox Home (up from the previous two-Group limit), a custom UI color palette, visible profile badges when browsing player profiles via the Xbox Guide, and a feature that former Xbox Live director of programming Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb says he wanted to see implemented long before he left Xbox in 2023: a Quick Resume feature that can be customized on a per-game basis.

"Love this," Hryb said in an X post responding to Xbox's announcement. "I filed a feature request to make Quick Resume per title in 2021. Great to finally see it happen."

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For the last couple of years, PC users have been able to grab free games every week from the Epic Games Store. Epic's Free Games program offers a wide variety of titles to choose from, with the storefront mixing AAA hits with under-the-radar indies. This has helped grow the Epic Games Store over time, as well as shine a spotlight on games that people might have overlooked in an increasingly crowded market.

"In the early days of the Epic Games Store, the intent of the Free Games program was to keep giving players compelling reasons to come back every week as we built an audience and the catalog," Kyle Billings, director of strategy and business operations at the Epic Games Store, said to GameSpot. "We started monthly while we built up the programming and moved to weekly as soon as we could. In January 2025, we ran a very similar playbook with the mobile store when we launched."

"We know the Free Games program helps players discover new games or games that they never had a chance to play previously, and it continues to bring us around 8-9 million new users every year. This also helps developers continue to grow exposure for their games. In the end, we see the benefits to both players and the industry."

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Last year was a great time to be a fan of ninjas, thanks to the release of brand-new Ninja Gaiden and Shinobi games. It also looks like the year of the ninja isn't over yet, as Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is getting a new expansion next month that will pit master of the ninja arts Joe Musashi against his toughest enemies yet: Sega icons Death Adder (Golden Axe), Dr. Eggman (Sonic the Hedgehog), and the Mad Dog of Shimano, Goro Majima (Yakuza/ Like a Dragon).

Out on April 3, the Sega Villains Stage DLC also adds five new stages, two new Boss Rush modes, more ninpo arts, extra outfits, and new music tracks. The DLC will be available to owners of the Digital Deluxe Edition of Shinobi: Art of Vengeance or as a standalone purchase priced at $10. Alongside the DLC release, a free update patch for the game will go live, adding a "Hardcore Mode," combat system adjustments, updates to character outlines, and tutorial display features.

"Shinobi: Art of Vengeance has few equals when it comes to 2D combat," Richard Wakeling wrote in GameSpot's review, scoring the game 9/10. "It's a thrilling triumph, emblazoned by a striking art style that confirms Lizardcube is at the top of its game. After a prolonged absence, this is the perfect way to reintroduce the world to Shinobi and Joe Musashi, instantly revitalizing one of Sega's earliest heroes with his best game to date."

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The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development now at Bethesda Game Studios, and studio head and game director Todd Howard has said development should go more smoothly than Starfield for a key reason.

Speaking to GamesRadar, Howard said the team has done a "much better job" on The Elder Scrolls 6 as compared to Starfield based on the development tools specifically. Starfield was made using Bethesda's Creation Engine 2, and that was a "big change" from Creation Engine 1.

This led to challenges for the developers who were "doing things in tandem with old and new." A number of developers had concerns about this, and for The Elder Scrolls 6, the team is using an updated version of the Creation Engine--the Creation Engine 3.

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Hollow Knight: Silksong is getting its final substantial patch before developer Team Cherry focuses entirely on delivering the game's first expansion, which is still scheduled to launch this year. Thankfully, it brings with some very welcome balance changes.

The patch, which is out already for PC users and is coming to console versions soon, predominantly addresses one of Silksong's biggest shortfalls since its launch. Updated Traditional and Simplified Chinese translations are now available for the metroidvania, after Team Cherry was criticized for a poor effort at launch. The patch notes mention that Team Cherry worked closely with translators to "ensure lore accuracy throughout", which will hopefully preserve the game's world and atmosphere for more players to enjoy in their preferred language.

Other balance changes are making some bosses and traversal easier, if you've found specific gear. The Magma Bell, for example, now protects you from all types of fire-based damage instead of just specific types, which will come in handy for fights like The Savage Beastfly in Far Fields. That fight has also been addressed slightly, with the boss' minions now instantly dying if you're victorious rather than hanging around to sour the moment prematurely.

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After two successful launches and the creation of a burgeoning competitive scene, Riftbound--the trading card game based on Riot Games's League of Legends universe--is about to release its next expansion, Unleashed. This third Riftbound set focuses on the jungling aspect of League of Legends, with new legends, monsters, and mechanics framed about diving into the jungle and grinding for more power.

We have an exclusive reveal for one of the Legend cards arriving in Riftbound: Unleashed, and it's one that uses the new XP mechanic to give its controller consistent card draw. Here is Poppy, Keeper Of The Hammer.

• Poppy, Keeper Of The Hammer (Legend)
  • Colors: Body/Order (Orange/Yellow)
  • Passive Ability: Whenever you hold a battlefield, gain 1 XP.
  • Activated Ability: Spend 3 XP and exhaust Poppy to draw a card.

As a Legend, Poppy will serve as the base for your entire deck, and she is all about XP, both gaining it herself and serving as a place to spend earned XP for a benefit. In this case, any time you reach 3 XP, you can exhaust (or "tap" for those familiar with Magic: The Gathering) Poppy and spend the XP to draw a card. XP is tracked as a separate resource, and some packs of Riftbound: Unleashed will come with a token card that can be used to track earned XP during the game.

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The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is promising to be a big Easter egg hunt for longtime franchise fans, with Nintendo and Illumination teasing a cavalcade of Mario characters and references. But a new promo for the film contains a brief glimpse at some Nintendo characters from outside the franchise.

A social media video on the movie's official X account features a rapid-fire montage of many of the faces we'll see in the movie, including the familiar main characters and an entire rogues' gallery of Mario enemies and NPCs. If you pause at the exact right moment around 5 seconds in, you'll spot a yellow, red, and blue Pikmin.

They're ready for their close up. Don't miss The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, only in theaters April 1. pic.twitter.com/IDaOyBzfvJ

— The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (@supermariomovie) March 17, 2026

It's no secret that Mario creator (and producer of the Mario movies) Shigeru Miyamoto has an affinity towards Pikmin, also a property of his own creation. Pikmin are hidden throughout the Super Nintendo World theme park, and Miyamoto has expressed his desire for a Pikmin movie or series.

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The free-to-play shooter Highguard has officially shut down, and now players on PS5 are reporting that refunds are coming in for certain items they may have paid for and can now no longer use.

People are saying on Reddit (via Kotaku) that Sony is now giving refunds for microtransaction purchases. Some said they bought microtransactions specifically because they enjoyed Highguard and wanted to support the developers. "I honestly didn't care for a refund," one person said.

Some have theorized that Wildlight offering refunds for Highguard players on PS5 might be tied to some kind of mandated policy from Sony. It's unclear if refunds will go out on Xbox or PC.

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Recently at GTC 2026, Nvidia announced DLSS 5, a new AI-powered tool for developers. Aspects of DLSS 5--including the eerie-looking facial features--have been the subject of public ire. Now, billionaire Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has responded, telling gamers they are "completely wrong."

Tom's Hardware asked Huang at a Q&A at GTC for his thoughts on the criticism of DLSS 5 so far, and Huang said, "Well, first of all, they're completely wrong."

"The reason for that is because, as I have explained very carefully, DLSS 5 fuses controllability of the geometry and textures and everything about the game with generative AI," Huang said.

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Subnautica 2 is officially heading to early access in May.

As reported by IGN, Unknown Worlds studio head Steve Papoutsis sent out a message to his employees that Krafton approved Subnautica 2 for early access last week, and that it will be arriving with "more story chapters, built new creatures, and created new biomes along with many other features."

This news arrived after the ongoing legal battle between Subnautica 2 developer Unknown Worlds' ousted leaders and publisher Krafton took a major turn when a judge ruled in favor of the former and ordered former CEO Ted Gill to be reinstated to his role.

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In a recent interview, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that he has absolute faith in Grand Theft Auto 6, and isn't worried about players who are new to the franchise being unwilling to engage with it. In fact, he says he can't think of any reason a grown adult with a console wouldn't purchase Rockstar's upcoming game.

"I think we're gonna have a lot of 17-year-olds playing GTA 6," Zelnick said (via The Game Business.) "I don't think there's any risk of [them] being like, 'Oh, I didn't play [GTA] 5, or 4, or 3, or 2, or 1, I'm not showing up [for 6].' To the contrary, I think we'll be able to engage every appropriate individual in GTA 6."

GTA 6 will almost certainly be rated M for Mature (intended for ages 17 and up) by the ESRB, so the 17-and-up age group is Take-Two's target demographic, and Zelnick says the game will have no problem cornering the market. In fact, he can't imagine a world where an adult with access to a console wouldn't want to play GTA 6.

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Arc Raiders and The Finals developer Embark Studios has announced the departure of co-founder and CCO Rob Runesson after he faced allegations of sexual misconduct towards a female streamer who frequently played The Finals. Although Embark notes that an outside investigation didn't substantiate the accusations, Runesson and the company have "mutually agreed to part ways," as shared in a statement to IGN.

The original accusations were shared on Reddit and other forums, in which a third party claimed that Runesson pressured an unnamed female streamer into having a romantic and sexual relationship. The accuser contends that the streamer felt uncomfortable with the topic, but was unable to push back because her streams of The Finals made her financially dependent on being able to continue doing them.

IGN reached the female streamer in question, who declined to answer any questions on the record. The only thing she did say is that the allegations noted above were presented in a misleading way or out of context. Beyond that, no further details were shared.

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Starfield Standard Edition (PS5)

$50 | Releases April 7

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop

Starfield Premium Edition (PS5)

$70 | Releases April 7

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop

Bethesda's massive space-faring RPG epic, Starfield, is launching on PlayStation 5 on April 7, and preorders are now live. There are two versions available: a $50 Standard Edition and a $70 Premium Edition that includes the base game, all DLC, and plenty of other digital bonuses. Launching alongside the PS5 version of Starfield is the game's largest update since launch, which includes a breadth of new features and systems that will offer a deeper experience. An important detail to keep in mind is that, regardless of which version you decide to go for, an internet connection is required to access all the content, including the base game.

Starfield PS5 Preorder Bonuses

All physical and digital preorders of Starfield on PS5 included the Old Mars Skin Pack, a collection of in-game bonus skins. Here's everything you'll get:

• Laser Cutter
• Deep Mining Helmet
• Deep Mining Pack

Starfield Standard Edition (PS5) $50 | Releases April 7

This is the base version of the game, which includes the full base game and access to the Free Lanes update upon launch. The Free Lanes update will include new party members to recruit, a new home space station, improvements to fast travel, a new land vehicle called the Moon Jumper, and more. You can purchase both the Shattered Space and Terran Armada expansions separately with this version.

Physical edition preorders are available for $50 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. Digital preorders are also available on the PlayStation Store.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop Starfield Premium Edition (PS5) $70 | Releases April 7

Starfield Premium Edition includes the base game, all existing DLC and story content, as well as the upcoming Free Lanes and Terran Armada expansion at no additional cost. And for physical collectors, the game case sports unique artwork not available with the Standard Edition. Below is everything included in the Starfield Premium Edition for PS5:

• Starfield base game
• Unique cover art
• Terran Armada Story Expansion
• Shattered Space Story Expansion
• Constellation Skin Pack (includes Equinox Laser Rifle, Spacesuit, Helmet, and Boost Pack)
• Digital Artbook
• Digital Soundtrack
• 1,000 Creation Credits

You can preorder PS5 copies of Starfield Premium Edition for $70 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. A digital edition is also available at the PlayStation Store.

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Starfield takes Bethesda's signature first-person open-world gameplay fans know and love from The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, and gives it a sci-fi twist. Originally released in 2023, it takes place in the Settled Systems, a vast expanse of space comprised of dozens of planets that you can actually travel to and explore. The sheer scale of Starfield's explorable areas is undoubtedly impressive, if a bit underwhelming in terms of things to do. Michael Higham gave Starfield a 7 out of 10 in his review at launch, citing shallow mechanics and a vision of space exploration that left a bit to be desired. Since launch, the game has seen numerous updates, including a large story DLC in Shattered Space, which offered a much more traditional RPG experience that fans had been asking for.

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After over five years of development, Crimson Desert is just days away from its debut. And if the early numbers from Steam are any indication, Crimson Desert is on course to have a very big launch. According to Alinea Analytics, Crimson Desert is currently tracking even higher than Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at the same point in their release cycles.

As reported by Alinea, Crimson Desert has sold approximately 400,000 pre-launch copies on Steam, which at $70 per game, would come close to $20 million in revenue three days before its release. By comparison, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had $5.2 million in pre-launch sales on Steam three days before its release, while Expedition 33 had only $2.4 million in the same period.

However, both Expedition 33 and Deliverance 2 enjoyed sustained success on Steam, with $95.5 million and $101.3 million earned respectively after 120 days. There's no guarantee that Crimson Desert will be able to match those numbers, since it's going to come down to how players receive the game and whether word of mouth will carry it forward to even higher sales.

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Remedy Entertainment has introduced a Friend's Pass for its multiplayer Control spin-off, FBC: Firebreak, as it ceases new content updates for the game.

The studio revealed that new content updates would end in the Steam blog post celebrating the launch of the "Open House" update. Although Open House introduces new arenas for the Endless Shift mode and a perk system rework, its most notable additions prepare the game for its future now that Remedy no longer plans to actively support it.

In addition to a permanent price drop to $20, people who haven't purchased the game can now download the Friend's Pass version of FBC: Firebreak on Steam or the Free Trial version of it on consoles to play the game with someone who owns it. While Friend's Pass players can't start games or create lobbies, they'll have access to the full game once they connect with someone who bought it.

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Bethesda's Todd Howard has once again commented on the decision to announce The Elder Scrolls 6 all the way back in 2018. The game was announced at E3 that year alongside Starfield, and just after Fallout 76 was revealed in May 2018.

The timing of those reveals played a key role in why The Elder Scrolls 6 was announced around the same time. Fallout 76 was the franchise's first stab at online multiplayer, while Starfield was a brand-new IP. Announcing The Elder Scrolls 6 at the same time was a purposeful decision to help core fans understand a more traditional Bethesda game was coming ... eventually.

Howard would not have done it this way if he got to decide, however.

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Bethesda boss Todd Howard has commented on the departure of Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer, saying in an interview he was "really, really sorry" to see his good friend Spencer retire.

Spencer worked at Microsoft for 38 years before he announced his retirement from the company earlier this year. He's staying on the through the summer to help with the handover to new CEO Asha Sharma.

According to GamesRadar, Sharma hasn't visited Bethesda Game Studios as of yet, but Howard said "everybody has talked virtually" already. Discussing the new CEO, Howard said Sharma is "great" and that, for now, people are feeling "really optimistic" about her taking over for Spencer.

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Hitman developer IO has announced that the planned Hitman mission in the controversial and poorly received game MindsEye is no longer going ahead.

IO published MindsEye through its IOI Partners program, but the Danish developer has announced the conclusion of the publishing deal with MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy following numerous controversies related to the game.

"Both IOI Partners and Build A Rocket Boy recognize the anticipation this collaboration generated among the community and express their appreciation for the support shown by the players," IO said.

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