Hearthstone is preparing to launch its 12th year with a new Core Set and new expansion, this time based on one of World of Warcraft's most iconic events. The expansion is called Cataclysm, named after the WoW expansion of the same name, but as usual Hearthstone is delivering a twist on what we've come to expect from the Warcraft lore. This time, the apocalyptic dragon aspect Deathwing wins. It will release on March 17.

In this story, Murozond pulled the victorious Deathwing into the Hearthstone universe, leaving its heroes to defeat the dragon. That effort will be led by Chromie and her Dragonflights, the dragon associated with protecting the timeline, who will pull heroes from across history to defeat this new version of Deathwing.

Appropriately, this expansion will bring Colossal minions back to Hearthstone. First introduced in 2022's Voyage to the Sunken City, these minions spread out their effects across multiple bodies with huge effects. Each class will get its own Colossal minion, and six of them are designated as Deathwing's lieutenants. Meanwhile, two new keywords will be introduced: Herald used by those allied with Deathwing with effects that stack the more Herald cards you play; and Shatter for the Dragonflights, which split into two halves to give you flexibility or the ability to combine them. There will also be powerful class-based Triumph and Last Stand spells associated with each class's hero.

Embark Studios is very intentional about the cosmetics it adds to its multiplayer shooter Arc Raiders, with the developer's CEO saying that any skins introduced to the game have to fit within its highly curated universe.

In a February 6 IGN interview, Embark Studios CEO Patrick Söderlund explained that while games like Embark's previous game, The Finals, and Fortnite can add whatever character cosmetics they want, Arc Raiders is a bit different. The difference, for Söderlund, is the game’s lore and world, which he described as being "more curated." This curation is what prevents Arc Raiders from putting, say, The Grinch or Sonic the Hedgehog in the game.

"First and foremost, we want to make sure that everything fits the fiction of Arc Raiders, and that it's something that sits well within the Arc Raiders universe," Söderlund said. "I mean, there are other games, very successful games out there--The Finals being one of them--in which the IP is designed so it basically happens to be very elastic. You can do whatever the hell you want, and people are like, 'That makes sense. It's completely plausible.' I can be a pink banana, and you can be whatever, and everyone's like, 'That makes sense. It fits the universe. No problem.' Arc Raiders has a more curated lore, curated world, so we have to stick within boundaries slightly to a different extent than maybe The Finals or Fortnite or another game in which Batman can shoot Bart Simpson."

Pirates of the Caribbean director Gore Verbinski has shared new insight into the BioShock movie he was planning to make before it all fell apart many years ago.

Writing on Reddit, Verbinski said he "loved" his vision for BioShock and said it was "getting close" to being made at Universal. Verbinski was planning to "dive deeply" into the "Oedipal aspect" and aim for a strong R rating, with the story set to embrace the kinds of choices players make in the game and also show them the consequences, Verbinski said. Intriguingly, Verbinski said he and writer John Logan (Skyfall, The Aviator) came up with an idea for the movie to have both of the game's endings.

"I was looking forward to bringing that to the big screen and really fucking with people's heads," he said, though the director did not elaborate as to how he would have gone about achieving this.

Arc Raiders has been a smash hit for developer Embark and publisher Nexon, and now Embark's top boss, Patrick Soderlund, has commented on the game's success and revealed that the studio has multiple new games in the works.

Speaking to IGN, Soderlund said, "Well, you don't have to be a math professor to realize that the game has done well for us and that we're obviously incredibly happy with the performance from a financial perspective. So, of course, it's been very profitable for us."

Arc Raiders, which sells for $40, has sold more than 12 million copies, and this includes copies sold when the game was 20% off for the holidays. The game makes money beyond unit sales, as Embark also offers various microtransaction items for Arc Raiders. Embark was previously planning to launch Arc Raiders as a free game, but later pivoted to a $40 price.

A newcomer to Overwatch's expanding roster is receiving scrutiny for her derivative character design, and the voice actor behind the hero took to the web to express their support for a redesign.

Anran is one of five new heroes joining the game for Season 1, hailing from China and sporting a moveset centered around fire attacks. She appeared in a cinematic last year that introduced her brother, fellow Overwatch hero Wuyang. But fans of the game pointed out that not only does her final in-game design differ from her previous look, but her face looks very similar to that of other characters like Juno and Kiriko.

Fareeha, Anran's English voice actor, spoke about the character's design in a social media video post. Addressing the "elephant in the room," Fareeha said they agree with criticisms while giving "grace" to the game's developers.

Prime Video has confirmed that Callum Vinson (Chucky, The Night Agent) will play Atreus in the upcoming God of War TV show.

It's a key piece of casting news, as the TV series--like the recent games--will follow the father-son story of Kratos and Atreus. Sons of Anarchy's Ryan Hurst will play Kratos.

The cast also includes Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Max Paker as Heimdall, and Mandy Patinkin as Odin.

Developer Sad Cat Studios has confirmed that players can get an early taste of the cyberpunk-thriller Replaced, as a demo for PC will go live starting February 11. Set in an alternate version of America in the '80s, the 2.5D platformer puts players inside the gumshoes of Reach--Research Engine for Altering and Composing Humans--an AI that finds itself trapped inside a human body and on the hunt for answers.

While the game focuses on exposing the sinister secrets of Phoenix Corporation, Replaced also features plenty of action with a free-flow beat-'em-up combat system inspired by Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham games.

Players can also explore the dystopian environments, and Reach will have to deal with unfamiliar human instincts, emotions, and themes of identity on their mission. Sad Cat Studios has also highlighted the game's hand-crafted design in previous previews, combining pixel-art with modern visual effects and a synth-driven soundtrack to set the mood.

Microsoft will reportedly partner with other computer companies like Asus for a variety of next-gen Xbox systems. Obviously, this isn't new territory after launching the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, but it would be groundbreaking on the home console front. The strategy also seemingly echoes Valve's original vision for Steam Machines from over a decade ago, in which they talked about teaming up with a dozen companies for different hardware options.

According to Windows Central, Microsoft is looking at making a premium system that could retail for as much $1,000. However, Windows partners could then offer more price-friendly models of the next-gen Xbox, giving people various options to jump in. Speaking of Windows, the report adds that Windows will be powering the device, as the "Xbox Ally platform from Asus is a hint at a very early version of the next-gen Xbox console formula."

Last year, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella noted that the next-gen Xbox could be like a PC. Windows Central reaffirms that direction, with Microsoft possibly marketing the system as one that can play games and serve as a "coding station" or a "music production studio."

Nintendo fans are witnessing something unusual with the Switch 2: Quality ports of big blockbuster games are actually releasing for the platform, and quite frequently. Switch 2 versions of Cyberpunk 2077, Star Wars Outlaws, and Final Fantasy VII Remake have impressed players, and 2026 presents Nintendo with an opportunity to solidify a streak of third-party support.

This year's release calendar has Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, 007 First Light, Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, and a couple of Xbox darlings (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and South of Midnight) all landing on the Switch 2. Though more game announcements for the platform are assuredly coming, it's already a strong line-up of non-Nintendo games.

For the longest time, many have begrudgingly bought Nintendo machines because they were the only ways to play franchises like Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon. But because of the relative lack of power of Nintendo's consoles as compared to those of Sony and Microsoft, players who also wanted to play major releases like Call of Duty or Assassin's Creed games needed other machines. But if Switch 2 continues receiving excellent third-party ports and equal treatment with other platforms, it could be more than a "Nintendo-exclusive machine" and become the top console for a lot of players this generation.

French president Emmanuel Macron has clarified his statements on banning video games in his country, explaining that although no ban has been put in place yet, he's not opposed to it or other restrictions should there be enough scientific research to warrant them.

Macron took to LinkedIn on February 7 to defend himself against potential critics who, as he said, "misunderstood" the intentions of his recent statements. According to French newspaper Le Monde, Macron supports the games industry--he congratulated French studio Sandfall Interactive for the massive achievement that is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33--but still wants to have a "serious debate" about the health impacts that excessive gaming can have on young people.

"Parents observe that some young people spend their days and sometimes their nights playing video games. It has also often been reported that games rated PEGI 18 are being played by children," Macron wrote. "This is a major public health, education, and responsibility issue. For physical health, eyes in particular, and mental health, when a young person no longer goes outside at all because they are playing excessively, of course this is worrying, and we must address it."

Between the construction of a Not-A-Death-Star and the subsequent theft of plans for this symbol of planetary destruction/peace, things have been busy in Helldivers 2 as players prepare for the invasion of Cyberstan starting February 10. The homeworld of the Automatons has also been preparing for the arrival of Super Earth's finest, and when the Helldivers touch down, they can expect to be met with an old foe: Cyborgs fueled by "rage and socialism" as they march on troops.

Arrowhead Games revealed that players will have three new classes of enemies to take on when they land on Cyberstan: The Agitator, the Radicals, and the Vox Engine. The Agitator is equipped with heavy armor and will take control of Automaton units, effectively coordinating their movements. The Radical is an engine of destruction, hellbent on closing the gap and delivering a roundhouse kick to your Helldiver. Meanwhile, the Vox Engine is a weaponized mobile propaganda platform armed with lasers, rockets, and programmed to spread undemocratic lies on the battlefield.

Cyborgs were introduced in the first Helldivers game--portrayed as anti-democratic dissidents who illegally left Super Earth--and Helldivers 2's Automatons are seen as their successors. Naturally, Super Earth's current war on every non-human intelligent species has left the Cyborgs feeling a bit miffed. The return of the Cyborg legions was first teased on Arrowhead's social media, after the studio was "hacked" to broadcast a message by the Automatons. Uploaded in binary, the video message reads:

Starting in March, all Discord users will be switched to a "teen-appropriate experience" unless they can verify that they're an adult. The social platform is implementing age verification protocols that may ask users for facial scans or identification documents, a policy tested in the United Kingdom and Australia beginning last year.

A press release from Discord explains that the age verification process may be required to "change certain settings or access sensitive content," including "age-restricted channels, servers, or commands and select message requests." The global rollout of this protocol will arrive months after a hack affected millions of Discord users and exposed age verification-related data. Discord said that it partnered with a different third-party vendor for age verification after the data breach.

Discord will soon be expanding teen safety protections worldwide including teen-by-default settings and age assurance designed to create safer experiences for teens.
We’re also launching recruitment for Discord's first Teen Council, creating a space for teen voices to help shape… pic.twitter.com/CW7G4sO38R

On Discord's end, the company promises that its "age assurance" approaches will protect user privacy, saying that video selfies, which AI will use to estimate a user's age, will never leave their device, and that any identity documents users submit will be deleted immediately after their age is confirmed.

The Walt Disney Company recently named a new CEO, Josh D'Amaro, and now it's been reported that the months-long search to find a new top executive disrupted plans for gaming.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the plans for leadership change at Disney "made it difficult to make consequential decisions about Disney's future." This apparently impacted Disney's gaming plans specifically.

"In recent months, executives have discussed potential partnerships with game companies, but shelved the topic until a new CEO started," the WSJ reported, citing a source with knowledge of the situation.

After some rumors in the past couple of weeks that it was in the works, the first PlayStation State of Play of 2026 has been confirmed for February 12 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET.

Official PlayStation social media accounts have confirmed not only the date and timing of the event, but also that it will include "60+ minutes of news, gameplay updates, and announcements from game studios across the globe." No word on what that 60+ minutes will include has been confirmed by Sony nor by any third-party developers.

A new State of Play airs February 12.
Tune in for 60+ minutes of news, gameplay updates, and announcements from game studios across the globe: https://t.co/wz6dklBvoa pic.twitter.com/VRStSNZ6RM

PlayStation's first-party portfolio for 2026 already includes MLB The Show 26, Saros from Housemarque, and two Marvel projects in Insomniac's Wolverine and Arc System Works's Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. Last week, Guerrilla Games also announced Horizon Hunters Gathering, a co-op multiplayer project set in the Horizon universe.

Overwatch is dropping the "2" from its name and rebooting for a new era of story-driven gameplay, and already the refresh seems to be drawing players back. Overwatch hit a peak of almost 70,000 concurrent players on Steam over the weekend, the highest the sequel has seen since its all-time peak on its Steam launch day.

According to Steam charts, Overwatch (which still retains the 2 on Steam for the time being) hit a peak of 69,881 concurrent players over the weekend--shockingly close to its launch day high of 75,608, and higher than it has been in the two and a half years since. The peak in players even saw Overwatch creep past Call of Duty and Battlefield 6--though neither of them are particularly dominant on Steam.

Overwatch has not had a great history with Steam, where its lifetime reviews are only around 27% positive, and concurrent players quickly dropped off after peaking on release day. It's a surprise to many to see player numbers picking up on the platform, when the game's first rebooted season hasn't even launched yet--though a limited-time trial for new hero Anran is currently active.

Pokemon turns 30 this year, which is a fact that may turn many older gamers (the writer of this article included) into dust. The Pokemon Company is gearing up for a big year of celebration, which has officially begun with a 60-second ad that aired during tonight's Super Bowl 60.

The commercial features international celebrities like Trevor Noah, Lady Gaga, Blackpink's Jisoo, and Puerto Rican rapper Young Miko, all sharing their favorite pocket monsters from across Pokemon's 30-year history. Lady Gaga notably chooses Jigglypuff, and then proceeds to sing the Jigglypuff lullaby right in the middle of the ad--adding "Lady Gaga sings the Jigglypuff lullaby" to the list of things we thought we'd never see.

While this Super Bowl ad doesn't reveal any specific projects or products, The Pokemon Company has confirmed two anniversary-themed events for fans to look for throughout the year. The What's Your Favorite? Fan Photo Creations event in Pokemon Go will let players use a new camera feature to post photos of their favorite Pokemon.

Helldivers 2 doesn't give its players much of breather before throwing another invasion or intergalactic threat at them. Players across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC have a new reason to be wary, now that Arrowhead Studios CEO Shams Jorjani has been teasing the potential return of an old enemy faction.

On the Helldivers Discord channel, Jorjani wrote the following message in binary code: "01011001 01101111 01110101 00100111 01110010 01100101 00100000 01100111 01101111 01101110 01101110 01100001 00100000 01110011 01101000 01101001 01110100 00100000 01111001 01101111 01110101 01110010 00100000 01110000 01100001 01101110 01110100 01110011."

According to GamesRadar, that code translates to English as "you're gonna s*** your pants," which is part of a long-running joke that Jorjani first used last year.

Yazuka Kiwami 3 director Ryosuke Horii justified the controversial casting of actor Teruyuki Kagawa as Goh Hamazaki in a recent interview, saying, "We tried to think of someone who makes you go, 'This guy's a creep.'"

Horii spoke to Japanese outlet GAME Watch (independently translated by IGN) about the casting, which has drawn criticism because Kagawa has been accused of sexual assault. Horii said the team made their decision based on what performance they would most like to see in the game.

"Hamazaki is a sleazy, persistent, and militant yakuza, right?" Horii said. "Since he isn't an explosive character like Kanda, when we tried to think of someone who makes you go, 'This guy's a creep,' naturally it was Kagawa--that was the main factor. Kagawa's acting is fun to watch. Even when he's chopping a pig's feet off with a chef's knife, it has a slimy feel. That feeling permeates his performance, so it brings a freshness to the scene and made it feel really fun."

Fallout season two recently wrapped and while the first season eased viewers into the dystopian wasteland created by Bethesda's video games, the show's second season dove deeper into the world in unexpected ways. From introducing the highly popular location of New Vegas, to bringing in popular factions such as Caesar’s Legion and the NCR and introducing some of the game’s strangest creatures, season two felt like an expansion in all the right ways. Yet this wasn't all Fallout season two accomplished; season two also laid the foundation for the franchise going forward by introducing a location new to the franchise: Colorado. Recently I was given the opportunity to travel to Las Vegas to sit down with the cast and crew to talk about this season’s biggest reveals and what’s next for Fallout in season three.

One of the most satisfying elements this season was getting status updates on factions such as the Legion and the NCR post-Fallout: New Vegas, which last saw them squaring off in a faction war known as The Battle for the Hoover Dam. The show sets up perhaps the largest faction war the franchise has ever seen, with all these forces marching onto the New Vegas strip for an all-out war. Showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet had this to say about what viewers can expect to see during the incoming conflict:

“It’s interesting that a lot of these factions have been sort of dormant. One thing we talk about as a show is our excitement to see new civilization start to blossom again. But whose version will flourish in Vegas now that the Deathclaws are gone? It’s a big question that we hope fans are as curious about as we are.”

Nintendo and Illumination are clearly delving deeper into Super Mario lore with the latest Super Mario Galaxy Movie trailer. The footage leans hard into Super Mario Galaxy-style visuals to show this isn't just more Mushroom Kingdom shenanigans. We have warp-star travel ripped straight from the Wii classics, as well as the mysterious Rosalina stepping into the spotlight--all building hype for the film's April 1 release.

It delivers trippy moments like Yoshi eating Kamek and more of Bowser Jr.'s chaotic gremlin energy, all the while Mario and Luigi join up with new alliances, fend off new rivalries, and explore a much bigger cosmic playground.

All of this builds on the massive success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which became one of the biggest animated movies of all time, grossing more than $1.3 billion worldwide and breaking records for video game adaptations.