The name of Final Fantasy XIV's next expansion has officially been revealed. Announced during the Final Fantasy XIV North American Fan Festival's opening showcase, the next chapter in the game's Godless Realms Saga is titled Evercold, and will follow the player's Warrior of Light as they attempt to stop the Fourth Reflection from freezing over. However, according to game director Naoki Yoshida, the upcoming expansion was very nearly named something else.

In a press conference held by Yoshida following the showcase, the director explained that Evercold's original name was actually rejected by Square Enix--and it's not the first time that's happened, either.

"Before we settled on [Evercold], there was another name candidate that we had. But I mean, that's happened in the past as well," Yoshida explained. "For example, when we were trying to come up with a name for what became Stormblood, one of the names that came was Rebellion. Unfortunately that was rejected for various reasons, including legal reasons, so we couldn't choose that one. For Shadowbringers, we thought Darkbringers, but that was rejected as well. For Endwalker, the candidate was World's End, but that was not possible either."

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Final Fantasy XIV's North American Fan Festival is currently underway in Anaheim, California, and with it has come some huge announcements about the MMORPG's future. During the festival's two-hour-long opening showcase, game director Naoki Yoshida (referred to as Yoshi-P by the community) announced that XIV's next expansion, Evercold, is slated to release in January 2027, and brings with it two new classes and several major changes. But while Yoshida delivered a lot of exciting news on stage, the director had plenty to say about the game off stage, too.

Following the showcase, Yoshida met with members of the press to discuss both Evercold (which almost had a very different name, by the way) and Final Fantasy XIV as a whole. During this session, a reporter asked the director if he had ever considered creating a single-player Final Fantasy XIV--one more in line with the majority of the series' numbered titles. With zero hesitation, Yoshida replied, "Yes."

"There are still a lot of people out there who look at an online Final Fantasy and they say, 'Well, an online Final Fantasy isn't a real Final Fantasy," Yoshida explained. He mentioned that, despite working on XIV for well over a decade now, even bringing just one more person to the world of Final Fantasy XIV remains an important mission to him. Naturally, this includes those who feel that XIV "isn't a real Final Fantasy," and would potentially jump in if it was a single-player experience.

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In Frost Station, you land on a mysterious ice planet where temperatures are deadly and the landscape is endless. Your mission is simple: explore the frozen wilderness and discover every hidden location scattered across the planet. Traverse vast snowy plains, icy cliffs, and abandoned outposts as you search for places long forgotten. Each location you find reveals more about the planet!

Embark on a journey through snowy mountains, racing against rivals as you compete for rewards. Reach the base of the mountain first by dodging obstacles and keeping your momentum as you glide downhill. Meet charming characters, unlock new outfits, and enjoy this simple, cosy game for all ages.

Ratatan Standard Edition

$40 | Releases July 16

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Ratatan--a rhythmic roguelike action game from the creator of popular rhythm game series Patapon--is launching for PS5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC on July 16. Console players eager to pick up the upcoming game can preorder it on all platforms, including a $40 physical release available on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2 that comes with a special preorder bonus item. A Digital Deluxe Edition with even more exclsuive content will also be available on all platforms, though preorders aren't live just yet. That said, PC players who don't want to wait for the final release can grab the Early Access version on Steam right now for just $25.

Ratatan Preorder Bonuses

Preordering the physical version of Ratatan will unlock the Legendary Spirit Sword Banbansord in-game weapon. This extra item is included with the PS5 and Switch 2 physical editions. Developer Ratata Arts has also confirmed it will be a bonus for the upcoming Digital Deluxe Edition, though preorders for that version aren't live. It does not appear to be part of the Steam Early access release. We'll update this section if other preorder bonus information is announced.

Ratatan Standard Edition $40 | Releases July 16

The standard physical edition of Ratatan includes the full base game on Switch or PS5. The Switch 2 version appears to be a normal game cartridge, not a Game Key-Card like other third-party Switch 2 releases, meaning you're getting all the game data on the cart so you can play right out of the box with no downloads or internet connection required. Preordering this version also gets you the Legendary Spirit Sword Banbansword in-game item. You can secure your physical Switch 2 or PS5 copy for $40 at Best Buy. A $35 digital standard edition will also be available on all platforms, though digital preorders are not yet available. We'll be sure to update once listings go live at other retailers.

Preorder at Best Buy Ratatan Digital Deluxe Edition$40 | Releases July 16

Along with the standard edition, Ratatan is also getting a $40 Digital Deluxe Edition. Preorders aren't live yet, but you can expect listings to show up on PS5, Switch 2, and PC ahead of its July 16 release date. This version is $5 more than the digital standard edition and the same price as the physical standard edition, but packs in a few extra in-game items. Here's what you get in the Ratatan Digital Deluxe Edition:

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Splatoon Raiders (Physical Edition)

$60 | Releases July 23

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Splatoon Raiders (Digital Code)

$50 | Releases July 23

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It's been nearly four years since Nintendo launched Splatoon 3, but fans of the series finally have a new game to look forward to--Splatoon Raiders is confirmed for a July 23 release. The Switch 2 exclusive is quite different from its predecessors, as it's a single-player focused experience that sees you battling hordes of Salmonids as you search the mysterious Spirhalite Islands for treasure. A few friends can tag along for a cooperative experience, but no doubt it's shaping up to be a truly different kind of Splatoon. It'll launch exclusively for Switch 2, and preorders are now open ahead of its arrival. It's available in a $60 physical edition and $50 digital version. There's also some cool Amiibo arriving alongside the game--like most Amiibo, we're expecting this to be popular, so check them out while you can.

Splatoon Raiders (Physical Edition) $60 | Releases July 23

As mentioned above, Splatoon Raiders is launching with a $60 physical Edition on Switch 2. While there are no preorder bonuses or special editions, the physical version appears to include the full game data on the cartridge--which is also true of most other first-party Nintendo Switch 2 physical releases.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop Splatoon Raiders (Digital Code) $50 | Releases July 23

If you want to save a few bucks, the digital version of Splatoon Raiders is just $50. Of course, the tradeoff here is you won't have a physical copy of the game, but otherwise, the digital version is identical to the physical. Digital preorders are available at Amazon, Best Buy, GameStop, and the Nintendo eShop.

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Along with the game itself, Nintendo also unveiled a trio of Splatoon Raiders Amiibo figures based on characters from this new entry in the Splatoon series. The three figures include Frye, Shiver, and Big Man, all of whom are part of the in-game musical group Deep Cut, which the player will join up with during Splatoon: Raiders' single-player campaign. Nintendo has yet to reveal what sort of content these Amiibo will unlock when scanned into Splatoon Raiders. We'd expect them to get you some sort of consumable items or useful in-game gear, but nothing official has been announced. Expect to learn more in the coming weeks. Until then, the Splatoon: Raiders Amiibo line launches the same day as the game, July 23. Preorders are available for $25 apiece at Best Buy. Keep in mind that most of the existing Splatoon Amiibo are sold out (or listed with inflated prices), so we're expecting the same to happen for these upcoming releases.

Splatoon Raiders: Frye Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

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Splatoon Raiders: Shiver Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

Preorder at Best Buy

Splatoon Raiders: Big Man Amiibo

$25 | Releases July 23

Preorder at Best Buy

If you haven't yet played Splatoon 3, it's currently on sale for just $47 (was $60) at Amazon and Walmart. Our review gave it a 7/10, noting its fun single-player campaign and fun online multiplayer modes, though some online connectivity issues and lack of enemy variety held it back from greatness. Still, it's a fun family-friendly romp, and it's certainly worth checking out now that it's priced under $50.

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Although Final Fantasy XIV's time on the PlayStation 4 might soon be coming to an end, the critically acclaimed MMO RPG will soon show up on a new console: the Nintendo Switch 2. But while the prospect of grinding through raids and dungeons from the comfort of your own bed is certainly enticing, it turns out that this port comes with a strange caveat.

Shortly after Square Enix CEO Takashi Kiryu announced Final Fantasy XIV would be coming to Switch 2 during the game's North American Fan Festival, Kiryu launched into an explanation of how subscriptions will work on the console. Whereas PC, Xbox, and PlayStation will all work with a standard Final Fantasy XIV subscription, the Nintendo Switch 2 requires players have a distinct subscription for just that console. Thankfully, players will not need a Switch Online subscription to play--though Kiryu did add that Final Fantasy XIV subscribers can get one for 50% less. Additionally, those with an active PC, Xbox, and PlayStation subscription will get 50% off a Switch 2 subscription.

"After discussions with Nintendo, it was decided that the Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy XIV would require a separate subscription," Final Fantasy XIV director Naoki Yoshida added. "This was decided after many months of discussions with Nintendo and we understand this is different to how we've done things before."

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Like all of your favorite pieces of technology, the next-generation Xbox console is feeling the impact of memory shortages, according to newly appointed Xbox CEO Asha Sharma.

Sharma's statement on the impacts of the memory shortage crisis comes from an interview with Game File, in which she was asked about the release timeline for the next-generation Xbox and how the memory shortage impacted the transition beyond Xbox Series X|S.

"All of these things are an equation. Memory costs will impact pricing, will impact availability. As we think about being where the world plays, we will take that into consideration. So we're not ready to share a launch timeline right now. The world's pretty dynamic. My number one focus, though, is to focus on what's in our control, build a great console to play great games, including your PC games."

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Despite its age, Valve's Steam Deck is still one of the best ways to play PC games away from your desk, with developers continuing to tweak their games specifically for the portable device. That involves some clever optimization, from launch and through post-release support, with Valve introducing new tools to ensure Verified games specifically retain this certification.

Detailed in a blog post, Valve has launched two new tools that developers can leverage to better gauge the current performance of a game on Steam Deck. The first collects frame rate data from all players that opted to allow data collection, showing a rolling 30-day average that can help identify if a recent patch or Proton update has negatively affected performance. This tool is only available to games that are already certified as Verified, but will open soon to those with the lower "Playable" certification, where is likely to be more useful to help clean up overall performance.

The second will give users who play more than 10 minutes of a game during a single session the ability to send feedback to a developer and Valve directly regarding a game's Verified certification. Users can dispute whether a game should be listed under that category, and leave critical feedback regarding issues that should necessitate a re-evaluation. This includes various factors, such as in-game text legibility, performance, stability, and more.

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