Microsoft finally announced its next Xbox, which is codenamed Project Helix. The upcoming console will be the first to play Xbox and PC games, but it's apparently not the first time that Microsoft has pursued that goal. A recently resurfaced report shows that Microsoft was pushing the idea of Project Helix--under that same name--for a decade or longer.

The Verge's Tom Warren called attention to a 2016 post by Kotaku, which noted that Microsoft had a plan "codenamed 'Project Helix' according to one source, to converge Xbox and Windows. For a while now Microsoft has been clear that they want their two prestige brands to work together ... Developer sources have told us that Microsoft’s new mandate is to release future games--including the flagship Halo series--on both platforms."

Former Microsoft vice president of Windows and Xbox Mike Ybarra also noted the familiar Project Helix codename when the new system was announced.

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During The 2025 Game Awards, Yakuza and Like A Dragon veteran Toshihiro Nagoshi's Nagoshi Studio unveiled its first game, Gang of Dragon. However, a new report suggests that the future of both the game and the studio are in question following NetEase's decision to pull its funding from Nagoshi Studio.

According to Bloomberg, the decision was made in part because Nagoshi Studio will need approximately $44.4 million to complete Gang of Dragon's development. NetEase also told Bloomberg that it will stop financing Nagoshi Studio in May.

Nagoshi is said to have come up empty so far in its search to find a new publishing partner, and a deal with NetEase to cover the game assets already created has yet to be closed. The report notes that "NetEase is only open to negotiations if the studio can pay its way out," and that it will have to pay "the corresponding costs if it wants to keep the assets or brand."

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Development on Microsoft's next console has begun, and in typical Microsoft fashion, the announcement was big on teases and light on details. Spinning out of this news was a report on a recent Microsoft town hall gathering and how newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma had been handed a "blank check" by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. A company representative has set the record straight and disputed those claims.

"'Asha Sharma has my full trust and has A BLANK CHECK to revive Xbox and the trust of the fans no matter the cost' was not said," Microsoft lead communications officer Frank Shaw posted on X in response to claims circulating online, adding that the words "blank check" were never said. According to Windows Central, Nadella did say that Microsoft is "long on gaming" and will continue to invest in it.

"Phil [Spencer], he's always talked to me about how gaming is the largest entertainment category--what is gaming in its most expansive form going forward? This doesn't mean we walk away from people are doing today--when we think about a AAA game on a console," Nadella said. "The question is about where else can we go to extend that. For me, we're long on gaming. We'll continue to invest, and we'll always do so. It's up to this team to show an excellence in execution, and creativity. Software always carries risk, but this is software with lots of creation risk. It's way different. But yet, we have to be the best-in-class at it."

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When Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger signed on to helm the next Resident Evil movie, it was described as "a revamp that will take the title to its horror roots and be more faithful to the initial games." Now, Cregger's script has reportedly leaked online, with details about the main character, setting, and tone.

According to Kotaku, the initial leak happened on 4chan, but it has since been scrubbed from the site. More intriguingly, spoilers that were subsequently posted on Reddit have also been pulled. But the spoiler-filled comments beneath the post are still up. We won't reveal many critical details in this post, but if you don't want any spoilers then you should stop reading now.

Cregger has previously said that his script "lives in the world" of Resident Evil 2 and 3. Assuming the leak is legitimate, the script backs that up by taking place in Raccoon City during the zombie outbreak from those games. It also establishes Austin Abrams' Bryan as the main character of the story as he attempts to find someone close to him during the fall of Raccoon City.

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Fortnite's next big crossover could be with another major Disney franchise. According to FNBRintel, Fortnite is getting a crossover with Pixar's Toy Story franchise, with the characters Woody, Buzzlightyear, and Zurg set to receive skins in the update.

Toy Story wouldn't be the first Pixar property to appear in Fortnite, as Epic Games previously added characters from The Incredibles. More recently, Fortnite just added Tom the lizard from Pixar's Hoppers to coincide with the movie's release on March 6.

The possible new crossover with Toy Story would make sense, given the upcoming release of Toy Story 5 this June. Beyond that, Disney is invested in Epic to the tune of billions of dollars to create a big Disney x Fortnite project, and we still don't know a whole lot about it.

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Voice actor Steve Downes, best known as the voice behind Halo's Master Chief, denounced a White House social media video that contained a clip of his character and glorified the United States and Israel's continued military campaign in Iran.

The video, shared by the White House X account, shows real-life war footage with snippets of popular television shows and films interspersed. Included in the montage of pop culture media is the ending of Halo 2: Anniversary, with Downes's Master Chief uttering: "Finishing this fight," immediately followed by footage from an airstrike. The post is captioned: "JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY."

Downes, in his own X post, condemned the video and its message, stating that his work was used without permission. "It has come to my attention that there is at least one propaganda video circulating that was either produced or at the very least endorsed by the White House that uses images of Master Chief and uses my voice to support the war in Iran," the statement reads. "Let me make this crystal clear: I did not participate in nor was I consulted, nor do I endorse the use of my voice in this video, or the message it conveys."

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The last time the Harlem Globetrotters were in a video game was in 2006 when Harlem Globetrotters: World Tour debuted on Game Boy Advance, as well as a DS version in 2007. Two decades later, the iconic exhibition basketball team is making their video-game return in Super Basketball Classics Featuring the World-Famous Harlem Globetrotters, an upcoming title from Acclaim.

Unlike the Globetrotters' last game, Super Basketball Classics will play up the team's trick shots and showmanship flair. In other words, the alley-oops, the half-court bombs, and other cheat-code-style stunts are all part of the game. This arcade throwback title is part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Globetrotters. It will feature a full-season mode and tournament options, as well as head-to-head co-op play and even the ability to join forces with other players as members of the same team.

"The Harlem Globetrotters are synonymous with basketball and entertainment," said Acclaim's CEO Alex Josef in a statement. "This game celebrates that spirit while honoring the classic arcade basketball experiences fans grew up loving while building a whole new generation of fans, for years to come. With tight controls, big personalities and instant pick-up-and-play action, Super Basketball Classics brings the Harlem Globetrotters legacy to gamers and sports fans around the world."

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A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Six

$22 | Releases October 27

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Barnes & Noble Preorder at Bookshop.org

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Seven

$27 | Releases January 12, 2027

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Barnes & Noble Preorder at Bookshop.org

A Court of Thorns and Roses Five-Book Boxed Set (Books 1-5)

$50

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Author Sara J. Maas’ wildly popular fantasy romance saga, A Court of Thorns and Roses, is getting two new entries this upcoming fall and winter--and you can already pre-order them. The as-yet-untitled Book Six launches October 27 and is available to preorder for $22, while Book Seven (which is also awaiting its final title reveal) drops January 12, 2027, and you can preorder it for $27. Note that final cover arts for both books have not yet been revealed either. Alongside the two new entries, you can also score the full A Court of Thorns and Roses Books 1-5 boxed set at a reduced price from Amazon, perfect for getting caught up on the steamy story so far.

A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Six $22 | Releases October 27

The next installment in the ACOTAR series, Book 5, is still a bit of a mystery. We don’t actually have an official title just yet, and for plot details, you’ll have to dig into fan wikis and Reddit threads for hints (which could be completely wrong!) that fans have teased out or put together since the release of Book 5: A Court of Silver Flames.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Barnes & Noble Preorder at Bookshop.org A Court of Thorns and Roses Book Seven $27 | Releases January 12, 2027

We know even less about Book Seven than we do about Book Six, but we can confidently say it’ll continue the sprawling and delightfully steamy romantasy saga that started with Feyre Acheron’s journey into the fae world of Prythian. Things you can definitely expect to see: politics, court intrigue, and at least a little bit of bodice-ripping romance.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Barnes & Noble Preorder at Bookshop.org A Court of Thorns and Roses Five-Book Boxed Set (Books 1-5) $50

With two more entries in the series on the horizon, now is the time to get yourself (and your friends) caught up on the A Court of Thorns and Roses series. This boxed set includes books one through five – A Court of Thorns and Roses, all the way through A Court of Silver Flame.

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The series began with A Court of Thorns and Roses, which hit store shelves in 2015 but gained massive popularity on TikTok during the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020. The series blends romance with high fantasy and court drama, weaving together a story of ancient magic, rival fae courts, ever-shifting alliances, and soulmates bound together by powerful magic. It also gets pretty hot and heavy.

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Co-op games hold a special place in my heart, they’re some of the most fun, collaborative, and memorable games on the market but they’re sadly few and far between. Thankfully, Green Man Gaming has a new bundle of six co-op-focused PC games like Cat Quest II, Moving Out 2, and more. You can pick up the Better Together Bundle for just $12, which saves you a whooping 90% off the $125 the combined suggested retail prices if you bought the games separately.

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Included in the bundle is Moving Out 2, the sequel to the chaotic couch co-op classic. It’s a lot more fun than helping your friends move, and comes with considerably less back pain. The game is physics-based, and you work with your teammates to navigate obstacles without breaking anything (yourselves included).

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The initial contracts you receive in Marathon are mostly fetch quests that don't require a ton of effort on your part. These contracts are either for CyberAcme, or they're the Liaison Contracts for new factions that you can join once you complete the "Welcome to Tau Ceti" contracts. However, after you've dipped your toes in some of the new factions, you'll start to get more challenging contracts.

One of these contracts is called Data Reconstruction, and it's required to progress the NuCaloric faction in Marathon. While Data Reconstruction sounds simple enough on paper, it's not as easy as you might think. There are three separate objectives, and you'll need to visit specific locations on a couple of maps. If you're struggling with Data Reconstruction or want to get it done quickly in Marathon, take a look at the full contract walkthrough below.

All objectives in Data Reconstruction

Data Reconstruction is divided into three separate parts, each featuring its own objectivesrt45. The first part of the contract takes place entirely on the Perimeter map and has three different steps.

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In early February, Valve confirmed that Steam Machine's launch was pushed out of its early 2026 release window due to the ongoing RAM shortages. At the time, Valve expressed confidence that a 2026 release was still on the table. But the latest word from Valve seems a little less confident that it's going to drop this year.

Valve has shared it's Year In Review 2025 report, and addressed the arrival of Steam Machine, the new Steam Controller, and Steam Frame with the following statement:

"We hope to ship in 2026, but as we shared recently, memory and storage shortages have created challenges for us. We'll share updates publicly when we finalize our plans!"

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Square Enix has yet to unveil Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3, which will conclude the remake trilogy that began in 2020 with Final Fantasy 7 Remake. However, director Naoki Hamaguchi has shared some specifics about which locations will be featured in the finale, including at least one that wasn't in the last game.

While speaking with Bloomberg, Hamaguchi strongly hinted that Rocket Town will be in FF7 Remake Part 3 after being excluded in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. With Rocket Town on the way, Hamaguchi broadly teased that a trip to space will also be in the cards. He also went on to stress the importance of including Yuffie's homeland.

"[Wutai is] one of the main locations," said Hamaguchi. "Yuffie's made a very prominent appearance, stating her case about her homeland. So if Wutai's not featured, I think the fans are going to yell at me."

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A major part of the gameplay loop in Marathon is interacting with the various factions that make up a large part of the game's lore. There are six total factions in Marathon, and each one offers unique upgrades, Armory purchases, and contracts that you can take on for extra loot and credits.

By default, you only have one faction unlocked, with the other five remaining locked and inaccessible. If you want to unlock those other factions so you can start taking on more contracts and unlocking better upgrades in Marathon, take a look at the guide below.

Unlocking all factions in Marathon

The six factions in Marathon are: CyberAcme, NuCaloric, Traxus, MIDA, Arachne, and Sekiguchi. When you start Marathon, you'll immediately have the CyberAcme faction unlocked, and it serves as your introduction to the entire system. You'll learn how contracts work, which upgrades you have access to, and where to spend your credits.

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When you're playing an extraction shooter, your inventory is one of the most important elements that you need to manage. The main goal of most drops is to acquire as much loot as possible, and if you have a small inventory, then you can't take a ton of loot with you when you go to extract from the map. The same is true in Marathon, and the default backpack you're given to start the game doesn't hold an overwhelming number of inventory slots.

So, sooner rather than later, you're going to want to increase the overall size of your backpack's inventory. However, that's easier said than done in Marathon, as it all comes down to good, old RNG. Below, we'll walk you through how to upgrade your backpack and increase your inventory capacity in Marathon.

How to increase inventory slots in Marathon

While it might sound a little counterintuitive, the only way to increase your inventory size in Marathon is to equip a backpack. By default, your loadout comes with a standard backpack that's able to hold eight inventory slots. This default backpack is equipped on your loadout at all times, even if you die, so you'll always have at least eight slots in your inventory.

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Pokemon Pokopia is all about building habitats and discovering new Pokemon. After completing the starting area called Withered Wastelands, you'll be able to advance through a gate and explore Bleak Beach. In this guide, we'll walk you through all the objectives for Bleak Beach, which asks you to "Brighten Things Up" and restore the lighting around the beach and rebuild the Pokemon Center.

Here are all the steps you need to know to complete the "Brighten Things Up" questline in Pokemon Pokopia.

• Help Professor Tangrowth by building a bridge to the Pokemon Center.
• Use blocks around the fountain to block water flow and stop flooding.
• Finish the questline to improve Meowth's home:
  • Requires Torchic and Piplup
• Fix other flooded areas.
• Build more habitats and attract new Pokemon:
  • Mareep
  • Trubbish
  • Pawmi
  • Makuhita
  • Gloom
• Speak with Professor Tangrowth, and you'll be instructed to build a home. I'd recommend choosing the Sand Den because the materials are readily available.
• Complete Trubbish's electricity tutorial request.
  • Restore lighting using an electric Pokemon such as Pawmi to power up street lamps.
• Continue restoring power to the beach. This will help you reach your current goal and some later steps as well.
  • Return water to the watermill and add missing power poles to the tower above it.
  • Replace power poles at the windmill.
  • Connect the electric oven to the right of the windmill and add fuel. Lumber works well here.

You can usually tell which blocks need a power pole. There is a darker circle at the center where the original pole once was, as shown in the image above. You don't have to place the poles here, but it will be the easiest placement and avoid objects blocking the wires. It also ensures you have them placed at the right distance to provide connection.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 doesn't arrive until this November, but Jogo Games has announced a GTA-like game that you can play very soon in Fortnite. The game is obviously riffing on GTA 6, as evidenced by the key art showing two characters sitting on a car like the official GTA 6 art depicting Jason and Lucia.

Grand Heist City, as it's called, launches on March 14. Andre "Typical Gamer" Rebelo's Jogo Games developed the game with the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN). He told Variety that Grand Heist City is his "most ambitious" game so far, featuring what he says is the "chaotic energy" of GTA. The game will allow players to explore an open map and do whatever they want, while they can also take on missions and heists. There is multiplayer support as well.

Grand Heist City was funded in part by an Epic Mega Grant. The cinematic announcement trailer (see below) is full of GTA-inspired action, including car chases and explosions. We haven't seen any actual gameplay yet, however.

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Streaming services might offer convenience, but when it comes to reliability and instant access, you can't beat having a physical copy of your favorite film on hand. If you're looking to build your library of movies, then you'll want to check out the March Madness sale happening at Gruv right now. The retailer has hundreds of Blu-rays in stock, and it's offering a killer discount on them. You can pick up three 4K Blu-rays for just $39, or if you're fine with a lower resolution, you can grab three standard Blu-rays for just $20. Beyond the bundle deals, Gruv is also offering deep discounts on plenty of other Blu-rays and DVDs across a wide variety of categories, like BBC shows, DC Universe animated series, and more.

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4K Blu-rays -- 3 for $39

Gruv's sale is pretty comprehensive, and for fans of 4K, there are several great movies to choose from. Films like The Batman, The Matrix, and Watchmen look great in ultra-high definition, and you can also pick up quite a few classics in this section. Shaun of the Dead is still one of the greatest zombie movies ever made--and the first chapter in Edgar Wright's legendary Cornetto Trilogy--Zack Snyder's Justice League reimagines the heroes of the DC Universe as mythic figures, and Goodfellas is a highly rewatchable gangster movie.

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South of Midnight will be the latest Xbox game to come to a rival system when it lands on PS5 and Switch 2 on March 31. The release date was confirmed today, following the previous announcement that South of Midnight was headed to PS5 and Switch 2 in Spring 2026.

Developed by the Microsoft-owned Compulsion Games, South of Midnight launched in April 2025 for PC and Xbox Series X|S. The game is set in the American Deep South and follows the character Hazel, who, along with her mother, is preparing for a huge hurricane.

Numerous other Xbox games have landed on rival platforms before this, and one of the next big ones is Halo: Campaign Evolved later this year. It will mark the mainline Halo franchise's debut on a platform other than Xbox or PC.

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World of Warcraft's new Midnight expansion is in full swing along with its long-awaited player-housing system, and it didn't take long for Blizzard to begin selling some pricey microtransactions related to the feature.

It was just a few weeks ago that the only decor available for purchase using WoW's new Hearthsteel premium currency were two plushies for 100 Hearthsteel (or roughly $1) each. Flash forward to now, and there's a number of new decor items available on the shop, including two $25 item bundles that have raised some eyebrows. The new decor items even got their own trailer.

The limited-time bundles available until April 23 include a variety of spring-themed and garden-decor items, all of which can also be purchased separately. Some of those items, like the Spring Blossom Tree, are giving players some serious sticker shock.

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Earlier this week, Microsoft announced its next Xbox, which is codenamed Project Helix. Aside from its ability to play Xbox and PC games, there haven't been many details released about it. But according to analyst and Kantan Games founder Dr. Serkan Toto, the price for Project Helix could be $900 or even higher.

"The PS5 Pro is $750 in the US, while the Xbox Series X with 2TB is [$800]," Toto told GamesRadar. "There is absolutely no reason to expect Project Helix to be cheaper, so a base model could be priced at $900 and a more premium version at even more than that."

Toto believes that the RAM crisis could be over by the time Project Helix is put into production, but he added that "fans should brace for an expensive machine in any case."

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