Sony just presented its financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, including the fact that the majority of PlayStation game sales are digital. Of course, this comes as no surprise since digital sales overtook physical between 2018 and 2019, in the PS4's midcycle.

When the PlayStation 5 launched with an option to have no disc drive at all, it was evident the digital era had become king. Now, Sony has reported a record-breaking 85% of PlayStation game sales were digital in Q4 of its last full fiscal year.

That's a 2% increase from 2024, where Q1 and Q4 reported 80% of sales were digital. Its sales in gaming overall remained "essentially flat," contributed to positively by the impact of foreign exchange rates, an increase in sales from network services, and an increase in sales of non-first-party titles.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

After writing $204 million off Bungie's value in November last year, Sony has recorded another $565 million impairment loss against the studio--resulting in a total $769 million being wiped off Bungie's value in the last financial year.

While Sony gaming's FY2025 results are generally pretty strong considering the challenging market conditions, the company listed the $769 million loss against Bungie's value as the biggest negative factor impacting its operating income. The write down, which represents over 20% of the $3.6 billion Sony paid for Bungie back in 2022, doesn't look good for Bungie, or either of its ongoing titles.

The loss may turn out to be another nail in the coffin for Marathon, which has been slowly losing players since it launched in March. While the game has a small but loyal playerbase who appreciate its unique style and aesthetics, no one seems particularly optimistic about Marathon's longevity at the moment.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Amid pressure from investors, Nintendo has announced that it will be increasing the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 to $500 from September 1, 2026. The new pricing is a $50 increase from the Switch 2's current $450 price point.

Nintendo announced the price hike in today's earnings release for the 2026 financial year, where ongoing hardware pressures continue to impact the company's bottom line. The pricing changes are being implemented "in light of changes in market conditions, and after considering the global business outlook," Nintendo said in a press release.

The $50 price increase is at the lower end of the range anticipated by analysts. Multiple regions are set to receive a similar price bump on September 1, including the US, Canada, and Europe, however Japanese consumers will be the first to be impacted, with the local price for the system set to increase from May 25.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Set in a living ecosystem, 'Everything is Crab' is a cute, challenging, highly replayable action roguelite. Make animal inspired evolutionary choices to concoct your own unique creature every run, both mechanically and visually. It's Spore meets Modern Roguelites

Unless it's Mario or Zelda, there seems to be no guarantee that a Nintendo franchise will remain a constant presence in the company's portfolio. Take it from the heartbroken and frustrated fans of Nintendo properties that have lain dormant for years--decades, even. Until very recently, Star Fox was perhaps the most notable example of this.

The grand return of Fox McCloud and the crew came with little warning, with the reveal of Fox in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and news of the upcoming Switch 2 game blowing up the internet like a Smart Bomb. But while Star Fox devotees celebrate these developments, I'm left contemplating why this series came back--and why others aren't getting a similar treatment.

I've long been under the impression that Nintendo sidelines properties that it simply doesn't have any new ideas for. That was famously the reason why a Metroid game never materialized on Nintendo 64, with Shigeru Miyamoto saying that developers "couldn't come up with any concrete ideas or vehicle at that time." Star Fox itself skipped the Wii era, with Miyamoto recalling that Nintendo "didn’t find an idea that really brought that together for the Wii."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

The Entertainment Software Association is opposing new legislation in California that would require developers of online games that are shutting down to give lengthy notice beforehand, offer refunds, and make their games playable offline.

Introduced by Democratic Assemblymember Chris Ward, Assembly Bill 1921 would require game developers to "communicate specified information to purchasers and prospective purchasers of a digital game 60 days before the operator ceases to provide services." Once that server-closure day arrives, the studio would have to offer "an alternate version of, a patch or update to, or a refund for, the game."

Its aims generally align with the goals of Stop Killing Games, an online game preservation movement that has gained traction over the past year. It also comes in the wake of high-profile live-service game failures like Concord and Highguard, which were abruptly taken offline and delisted shortly after launch.

Continue Reading at GameSpot