Long before the Switch changed everything, I found myself more drawn to handheld gaming than the home console. I remember feeling more passionate about my Game Boy Advance library than the PlayStation 2. So it didn't come as much surprise to me when the Switch, and then the Steam Deck, captured so much of my attention and gaming time. The Steam Deck has since become my primary gaming device, due to its level of adaptability and wealth of cheap games on Steam. But even as a devoted Steam Deck acolyte, the ROG Xbox Ally X made an impression on me. There's a lot to be seen about the quasi-Xbox handheld, but it may even make a convert out of me.

I was able to try the ROG Xbox Ally X briefly at the Xbox showcase adjacent to Summer Game Fest. The presentation was mostly hands-off, with a brief period in which we were allowed to play Gears of War: Reloaded on it. So my impressions are a mixture of practical experience and big promises, but so far I like what I've both seen and heard.

For starters, the actual ergonomics of the device feel very nice by default. I've equipped both my Steam Deck and my Switch 1 with third-party grips, increasing their bulk in exchange for a better feeling of holding it. The ROG Xbox Ally X cuts out the middleman and just includes the more substantial handles from the start, making it a little larger and weightier than competing devices, but no more than I've already been doing for myself with add-ons. As someone who primarily plays handheld systems at home or while traveling, I usually have a place to rest my arms while I play, so the increased weight won't be a problem.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Bungie's live-service shooter Marathon is not coming out on time. The developer has confirmed that Marathon will miss its September 23 release date and has been delayed to an unspecified point in the future.

"Through every comment and real-time conversation on social media and Discord, your voice has been strong and clear. We've taken this to heart, and we know we need more time to craft Marathon into the game that truly reflects your passion. After much discussion within our Dev team, we've made the decision to delay the September 23rd release," Bungie said in a blog post.

Bungie added that the Marathon alpha test gave the studio a chance to "calibrate and focus the game on what will make it uniquely compelling."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Battlefield 2042 was released back in 2021, but it's still getting new DLC, and the newest batch of add-on content is a crossover with another popular EA franchise: Mass Effect.

The Galactic and the Scoped & Dropped bundles are now available to purchase in Battlefield 2042. They include new cosmetics that make your character look like a soldier from the Mass Effect series. These items came to Battlefield 2042 as part of the 8.9.0 update that arrived today, June 17.

The Galactic bundle costs 1750 BFC and the Scoped & Dropped bundle is priced at 2,000 BFC. Alternatively, players can buy them together in the Citadel bundle for 3,000 BFC, which represents a savings compared to buying them individually. BFC can be purchased with real money or earned by progressing through Battlefield 2042's battle pass.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Dark Horse Direct and Naughty Dog present another addition to their budding The Last of Us collectibles and statues. This statue features Ellie and Joel as they were when they ventured into the University of Eastern Colorado near the end of the original game.

This colossal statue is available for preorder and will ship sometime in Q2 2026.

"Ellie rides atop Callus, wearing her signature striped hoodie and backpack complete with her iconic pins. Callus is brought to life with stunning details from the worn saddle to the reins, to even the branded 'J' on their leg from Jackson County," the official synopsis reads. "Joel walks alongside them, grounded in his rugged gear, rifle gripped in hand and pistol secure in his holster."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

One of the Switch 2's features is a much-improved kickstand, providing a more sturdy and durable way of propping the screen up in comparison with the original Switch. Some Switch 2 owners have realized that this kickstand can essentially be used as a mounting arm, leading to the creation of ways to attach the consoles to increasingly ridiculous places.

Some of these mounting methods are genuinely cool and useful, such as clamping the kickstand in between a tray table and a seatback in an airplane seat, as shown by r/NintendoSwitch2 user Lokeze. While many people will have no problems using the Switch 2 on a tray table, having the screen higher up and further away might be slightly more comfortable.

As Nintendo Soup reported, though, there are also some people coming up with downright dangerous places to mount the console. One player figured out how to attach it to a car steering wheel--leading to a "setup" that, if driving, is almost certainly illegal throughout the United States and is definitely not something to try. I can imagine that it might be useful if you find yourself sitting in the driver's seat while parked for a long period of time, such as waiting in an airport cell phone lot... But be 100% certain that the car is not moving if you decide to check this out.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The arcade staple Golden Tee is heading to consoles and Steam for the first time in a new collection coming this July. Players can enjoy Golden Tee 3D Golf, Golden Tee 97, Golden Tee 98, Golden Tee 99, Golden Tee 2K, and Golden Tee Classic exactly as you remember them from your days tossing quarters away, trying to get the perfect shot.

Golden Tee Arcade Classics features six Golden Tee games, but also Shuffleshot and World Class Bowling--just in case you need a break from golf. Check out the announcement video below.

When you pre-order, your game will ship with exclusive Golden Tee mini arcade marquees available only during the preorder window.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Microsoft has announced a "strategic, multiyear" partnership with AMD to power its next-generation devices, including the next Xbox home console.

Xbox president Sarah Bond made the announcement today. She said Microsoft and AMD will work together to "co-engineer silicon across a portfolio of devices, including our next-generation Xbox consoles. In your living room and in your hands."

Working with AMD, Bond said Microsoft will be able to allow for a "deeper level of visual quality" with "immersive gameplay" and "enhanced" with the power of AI.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

After everyone spent the last couple weeks believing the headlining artist for Fortnite Festival Season 9 would be Deadmau5, the reality ended up being something completely different: Bruno Mars will be the actual new Festival Icon when Season 9 launches on Wednesday.

Bruno Mars is an interesting choice because he's already in Fortnite. The Silk Sonic set, which included skins for both Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak, was released way back in 2022. None of the eight previous Festival season headliners had been added to the game as skins prior to their respective seasons.

The new Fortnite Festival Season will come with a new Music Pass, which will be available for 1400 V-Bucks or via Fortnite Crew. The highlight is the Die With a Smile Bruno skin, which is based on the singer's look in the video for his and Lady Gaga's track Die With a Smile. That skin unlocks instantly when you purchase the pass, and you can gain XP across any Fortnite experience to progress the pass from there. Also included with the paid pass is a guitar, a drum kit, and jam tracks for Bruno-San's Theme Song, Silk Sonic's Leave the Door Open, ABC by tThe Jackson 5, and Mun Ra by Sabotage. There are free rewards as well for those who don't buy the pass, including instruments, auras, and four jam tracks.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

As part of Prime Gaming's early Prime Day 2025 promotion, members can get the Amazon Luna Wireless Controller for a steep discount right now. Normally $70, the Bluetooth controller for PC, Mac, iOS, and Android is discounted to only $40. If you're a Prime member who has never tried Luna+, you can get a one-month subscription along with the $40 controller at no extra cost.

Amazon Luna Wireless Controller for PC & Mobile $40 (was $70)

The Luna controller features all the normal buttons and triggers you'd expect, and it uses the offset thumbstick layout similar to what you'd find on Xbox and Switch Pro Controllers. However, since it's an Amazon device, it includes built-in Alexa support, including a mic you can use for voice commands like launching Luna games or controlling other connected devices. Along with PC, Mac, Android, and iOS, the controller works with Amazon Fire TVs, Fire tablets, and Chromebooks via Bluetooth wireless or wired USB connections.

See at Amazon

Amazon Prime Day 2025 (July 8-11)

Early deals are available now for Prime members.

See at Amazon

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Remember the creepy children's puppet show from Control? FBC: Firebreak's launch trailer isn't nearly as creepy, but it's continuing the puppet show idea that Control started, at least.

Remedy's launch trailer for their first multiplayer game doesn't feature gameplay of any type. Instead, it leans into the narrative element of the entire Remedy universe.

We're less than a day into FBC: Firebreak's lifespan and the three-player cooperative shooter already has a mostly negative rating from players on Steam. Many reviews have less than an hour of playtime, meaning they either didn't spend much time in the game, they bounced off of the gameplay quickly, or some combination of both. Other reviews give positive feedback while calling other reviews disingenuous. In GameSpot's FBC: Firebreak preview, Mark Delaney called the FPS "a defiant, punk rock take on co-op shooters."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

We're rapidly approaching the launch of Death Stranding 2: On The Beach, and it's shaping up to be one of the year's most anticipated titles. However, Kojima Productions came close to axing the project, due to several difficult obstacles affecting both the studio and Hideo Kojima himself.

In an interview with Dexerto, Kojima described how the early days of development on Death Stranding 2 were fraught with overlapping personal and global crises. First, the studio was attempting to get work on the sequel off the ground right as the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak, forcing Kojima and his team to coordinate actors while working remotely and unable to meet face-to-face. "I had all the cast decided, but during the pandemic, I thought I couldn't pull it off," Kojima explained.

The challenges presented by the pandemic were magnified by Kojima's own battle with illness that made him question his future as a developer. He discussed how this combination of factors almost doomed the game altogether: "Staff were all remote... I became sick as well, I thought it was the end of the world. I've been creating games throughout my years, but Death Stranding 2 was the most difficult challenge yet."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

While GTA 6 is delayed, Rockstar Games continues to expand the events and features found in GTA Online. The new Money Fronts expansion is live, which lets players take control of a massive money-laundering operation.

GTA Online offers players several ways to increase their income, and the latest revenue stream comes from working for the head of San Andreas' biggest money-laundering network. In Money Fronts, players start out by taking over the Hands On Car Wash in Strawberry to clean some dirty money. Purchasing the Hands On Car Wash will then unlock the ability to purchase two other money laundering locations: Smoke on the Water dispensary and Higgins Helitours.

Owning these new business fronts allows access to unique Money-Laundering missions. Earnings from these laundering operations are stored inside the player's duffle bag found in the car wash bedroom. To celebrate the launch of Money Fronts, Rockstar says that missions launched from the Hands On Car Wash will pay out 2X GTA$ and RP this week.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

PlayStation: The Concert will bring music from popular Sony franchises to cities across the United States and Canada starting in October 2025 and running through April 2026. Pre-sale for tickets begins on June 18 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET.

"This is Coachella for game music," said PlayStation: The Concert composer Chad Cannon in a video preview of the event.

The interactive performance will feature four chapters that focus on the music from The Last of Us, God of War, Ghost of Tsushima, and Horizon: Zero Dawn. The concert will also feature music from Bloodborne, Uncharted, Astrobot, Helldivers 2, and Journey.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Acer K2 Wireless Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile

$34 (was $50)

See at Amazon

It's never a bad idea to have a spare headset, and right now at Amazon, you can grab a big discount on Acer's wireless gaming headset for PS5, PC, Switch consoles, and mobile devices. Normally $50, it has been discounted to $34 at Amazon. You'll want to move fast, as this is a limited-time deal, and in case the red accents on it aren't to your liking, the headset is available in a variety of other colors for $40.

Acer K2 Wireless Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile $34 (was $50)

Since this is a budget headset, it's not exactly going to offer a sound quality that'll make an audiophile smile. Acer's 50mm drivers provide a robust soundscape for the price, so it's a solid option for a travel headset or for casual and younger players shopping on a budget. Most impressively, the headset can run for up to 100 hours on a full charge.

It's also versatile thanks to 2.4GHz Wireless and Bluetooth support. On PlayStation consoles, you'll need to connect the wireless receiver to your console's USB port to establish a connection. PC players can sync wirelessly via 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, with the latter also providing compatibility for Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Steam Deck, mobile, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. A wired connection is available with the included, detachable 3.5mm audio cable. The microphone for chat has built-in noise-canceling tech, but it's worth mentioning that the mic will not work with Nintendo Switch consoles.

As mentioned, the cheapest model at the moment is black with red accents on the headband and exterior earcups, but there are other accents as well as two models with a white base color. All models come with plush earcups and a cushioned, plastic headband. Keep in mind that cheap headsets tend to wear down faster than pricier models due to material quality.

Acer wireless headset deals

• Red -- $34 ($50)
• Pink -- $40 ($50)
• Blue -- $40 ($50)
• Green -- $40 ($50)
• Orange -- $40 ($50)
• Pastel Pink -- $40 ($50)
• White -- $40 ($50)

See at Amazon

If you are in the market for a new headset in the $100 range, SteelSeries has just launched a new wireless model in its popular Arctis Nova range, the Arctis Nova 3 Wireless. This makes use of several features from last year's Arctis Nova 5, as the multiplatform headset offers support for over 200 EQ presets via the Arctis App and the option to swap between multiple connected devices with a single button press. It utilizes SteelSeries' unique headband design that reduces tension on your head and has plush earcups wrapped in breathable fabric.

SteelSeries Arctis Nova 3 Wireless Gaming Headset

$110

See at Amazon

The Arctis Nova 3X is compatible with PS5, PS4, Xbox, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, and it's very reasonably priced at $110.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

At an event like Summer Game Fest, where demos and trailers are coming from every direction, the really special experiences are the ones that stay with me long after my demo time has ended. Whether it's the game I try, or the conversation surrounding it, the games I continue to think about days or weeks afterward are the ones I most heartily recommend others explore as well.

For SGF 2025, that game was Ambrosia Sky, the first project from Toronto-based Soft Rains Studio. The brief demo I played seems like a "clean-'em-up" style game like Powerwash Simulator, but the underlying story surrounding those cleanup missions is so interesting and introspective that it has stuck with me ever since. There is a respect and reverence paid to the dead in Ambrosia Sky that video games routinely lack, and I think that respect is going to lead to a very emotional story when the game is complete.

Playing Ambrosia Sky is pretty straightforward: I control a woman named Dalia, who holds the role of "Scarab"--this world's version of a "mortician." She's someone who is tasked with disposing of bodies, collecting mushroom samples around those bodies, and testing them to try and find a way to rid the universe of the invasive fungus. As Dalia, I enter a cluster colony near the rings of Saturn, as I've been assigned a recently deceased man to examine.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Most Nintendo fans are familiar with Totaka's Song: a short, 19-note melody that composer Kazumi Totaka famously hides in every game he's ever worked on. K.K. Slider once crooned it to a villager in Animal Crossing, while Luigi's Mansion and Pikmin 2 both play the song if you sit on a certain menu screen for too long. Now, the melody has surfaced in Mario Kart World, which makes for the 25th confirmed instance of the melody being hidden in a Nintendo game.

As reported by VGC, a Reddit user by the name of "charizardtelephone" found the song in the latest Mario Kart's character-select screen. By moving the cursor to Yoshi and leaving it there, the cute little dino starts humming the familiar tune.

This is not the first time the song has appeared in a Mario Kart game, nor is it the first time Yoshi is the one singing it--in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, if you move your kart close to a Yoshi watching the race, you'll hear Yoshi's voice singing the tune there as well. Fittingly, Totaka himself has provided the voice of Yoshi since Yoshi's Story in 1998.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Casper first haunted theaters in 1995, and to celebrate its 30th anniversary, a new Casper 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook 4K Blu-ray is launching later this year. The steelbook edition will include plenty of bonus features offering a closer look at the production of the supernatural family film. While we don't know the specific release date yet, preorders are now open for $35 at Amazon.

Casper 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook $35 | Release Date: TBA

The Casper 30th Anniversary Limited Edition release includes 4K Blu-ray, standard Blu-ray, and digital copies of the film packaged in a steelbook with new cover art depicting Casper and his uncles floating above Whipstaff Manor. It’s a pretty cool design, especially when you compare it to the standard Casper Blu-ray. As mentioned above, there's a long list of special features, which we've outlined below.

Keep in mind that we’re still waiting on a specific release date for this new Limited Edition Steelbook release, though the launch window is for sometime this year. Preordering at Amazon means you won’t be charged until the item ships, and you’ll be eligible for any discounts between now and launch.

Preorder at Amazon Casper Limited Edition SteelbookCasper 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Steelbook Bonus Features

Along with the original film in three different formats (4K, Blu-ray, digital), this Anniversary Limited Edition is packed with bonus features. Pick up the exclusive item to enjoy the following:

• 7 Casper The Friendly Ghost Original Theatrical Shorts
  • Casper’s Spree Under the Sea
  • Once Upon a Rhyme
  • Boo Hoo Babby
  • Too Boo or Not to Boo
  • Boo Scout
  • Spooking with a Brogue
  • Penguin for Your Thoughts
• Revealing Casper
• Feature commentary with director Brad Silberling
• Deleted scenes

Casper follows paranormal therapist Dr. James Harvey (Bill Pullman) and his daughter Kat (Christina Ricci). A wealthy heiress, Carrigan Crittenden (Cathy Moriarty) hires Dr. Harvey to exorcise the poltergeists haunting Whipstaff Manor--but instead of spooky spirits, they find the friendly Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson), who befriends Kat. However, Casper’s mischievous ghost uncles don’t take kindly to humans and scheme to scare the team out of the home for good.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will almost certainly be one of the 2025's contenders for game of the year, but the title's developer Warhorse Studios may have even bigger ambitions. A cinematic cut of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is set to debut at a film festival next month.

The Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Cinematic Cut will get its premiere screening on July 9 during the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Czech Republic. The announcement (via The Hollywood Reporter) doesn't say how long the cinematic cut will be, but it will follow the narrative of Henry of Skalitz, a blacksmith's son who sets out to avenge his family and protect Sir Hans Capon during a diplomatic mission gone wrong.

Daniel Vávra and Petr Pekař are both credited as the director of the cinematic cut. Vávra wrote and directed both Kingdom Come games, while Pekar is Warhorse's cinematic director and led the team of animators who created five hours of cutscenes for the sequel. It's unclear if Warhorse Studios intends to screen the cinematic cut outside of the film festival, but CEO Martin Frývadlský expressed his eagerness to see the game's story get its due.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fortnite is getting a third official Lego mode on Wednesday, in the form of Lego Fortnite Expeditions, a four-player co-op mode that allows players to team up on a variety of action-adventure missions. For those Lego fans who have asked for a Lego Fortnite mode that recalls the many different story-based Lego adventure games, like Lego Star Wars, Expeditions is the one you've been waiting for.

Lego Fortnite Expeditions is the first official Lego mode in Epic's metaverse that doesn't involve building stuff--the purpose of this game is to battle enemies and solve puzzles alongside your friends. But don't worry--you won't be stuck using only the same sorts of weapons and items you can find in Lego Fortnite Odyssey, because Expeditions has character classes with unique abilities that you can upgrade as you complete missions.

Each of the three classes–Hunter, Shadow Caller, and Rift Ripper--has its own unique main power and movement ability. The Rift Ripper, for example, can use rifts to get high ground or travel, or to drop crystal on the heads of baddies, while the Hunter can mark and make enemies more vulnerable to damage with its Bulls-eye Blade. If you wanna get weird, try out the Shadow Caller class, which can turn into a flock of ravens in an instant to escape any bad situation.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Pokemon Go is now owned by Scopely, which itself is owned by Saudi Arabia-owned Savvy Games. What's the day-to-day impact on Pokemon Go based on its new ownership? Not much, according to Pokemon Go's game director.

Michael Steranka told IGN that he understands why people are skeptical. After all, there are countless examples of a new owner coming in and making major changes.

"I think people who are skeptical will remain skeptical," Steranka said. "The biggest thing that we can do is just prove over time that this actually is a great direction for the game to go. But I do think that... I've definitely seen people have a little bit more optimism for the future. It's healthy skepticism, but optimistic, regardless."

Continue Reading at GameSpot