Earlier this month, AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su said that Valve was on track to release its Steam Machine in the early part of 2026. That could still happen, but Valve has now confirmed that Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller have all been delayed.

In a post on Steam, Valve notes that it had originally planned to release pricing and launch dates for all three products by now. Those plans were scuttled because of "the memory and storage shortages you've likely heard about," wrote Valve. The company reiterated that it still plans to release these products in the first half of this year, but it hasn't been able to "land on concrete pricing and launch dates that we can confidently announce."

Valve also shared that it will be sharing faceplate CAD, specs, and details with fans and manufacturers so that they will be able to make their own. The company added that Steam Machine's SSD (NVMe 2230 or 2280) and memory (DDR5 SODIMMs) "are both accessible and upgradeable."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

For the better part of three decades, Charles Martinet was Nintendo's official voice for Mario. While Martinet has since stepped back from playing the iconic character, he has shared how his approach to the role helped him land the part of a lifetime.

While speaking with GamingBible, Martinet recalled that he crashed Nintendo's audition for Mario without knowing anything about the character or the Japanese video game publisher.

"I was simply told to start talking, and when you run out of things to say, that's your audition," said Martinet. "I didn't want to do an Italian plumber sounding gruff, mean and nasty or scary to children, like a Mafia member. I didn't know whether the audience would have children in it, but I have a principle of comedy of always being kind. I thought to myself that I'll do something much more silly and fun. I didn't know anything about video games, so I just made things up about food and started talking."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist

$40 | Releases April 3

Preorder at Amazon

Developer Binary Haze Interactive has made a name for itself with its elegantly gloomy games, and you won't have to wait too much longer for the physical edition of 2D action-RPG Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist. The standard edition launches for PS5 and Switch on April 3, and you can preorder it now on Amazon for $40.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Highguard is a first-of-its-kind "PvP raid shooter" that, unfortunately, showcases why a concept like this has to be perfectly executed for it to work as a standalone game mode. Highguard's developer, Wildlight Entertainment, published this odd MOBA and team-based hero-shooter hybrid. The idea is to bypass the time spent building a base and push towards the final fight at enemy bases, which is the most fun aspect of MOBAs. However, Highguard fails to capture the thrills of either and instead delivers an experience that's more confusing than exciting.

Base-raiding isn't a new concept and is built into PvPvE games like 7 Days to Die, Conan Exiles, Rust, and Ark: Survival Evolved. However, their PvP base-raiding element is just a portion of the overall survival crafting gameplay loop and doesn't rely on that one specific objective having to be the most entertaining of all.

The fantasy setting for Highguard works really well for depicting battles featuring characters with magical abilities and animals you can ride into battle. Reminiscent of oil paintings, the soft and bright art style is gorgeous and has a specific stylization that makes it stand out from other FPS titles. While it may look good, Highguard, as of now, doesn't play well. In fact, it feels like a beta, and one that's chasing after too many ideas, which in turn makes it difficult to enjoy.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Nioh 3 feels like an amalgamation of Team Ninja's work over the past nine years. It's still quintessentially Nioh, but also draws on elements from two of the Japanese studio's most recent games, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Rise of the Ronin, applying and repurposing aspects of them to fit Nioh's distinctive style. The end result is a studio hitting its stride with evident confidence: a team galvanized and inspired after taking time away from the series to explore new ideas before returning in triumphant fashion, lessons learned. Nioh 3 is Team Ninja firing on all cylinders, expanding and refining combat systems that were already sublime, while introducing more exploration and discovery through its shift to a rewarding "open field" design.

Nioh has always fallen under the souls-like umbrella; there are bonfire equivalents, "souls" you lose on death, stat-scaling, a punishing difficulty, and level design centered around shortcuts. However, with its fast-paced, stance-switching combat and historical Japanese setting, Nioh pulls more from fighting games and the likes of Ninja Gaiden, Tenchu, and Onimusha than From Software's output, effectively differentiating the series with its own idiosyncratic flavor. Nioh 2 built upon the first game's strong foundations, and now Nioh 3 takes things a step further. It's bigger and better, broader and more complex, yet oddly more approachable than its predecessors--without losing any of its bite.

One of Nioh 3's most significant new additions is the introduction of two distinct combat styles: Samurai and Ninja. Each one is essentially its own build, with unique weapons and armor attached, and you can instantly switch between them on the fly to chain combos, poise-break your opponent, and whittle down their health. Samurai is Nioh as you know it, emphasizing deflects; stance-switching; heavier weapons such as katanas, switchglaives, and spears; and the series' signature Ki Pulse, where hitting R1 after attacking will instantly recover some lost stamina. There are new techniques at your disposal, too, such as an Arts Gauge that charges when attacking and guarding against enemy attacks, allowing you to unleash enhanced versions of both strong attacks and Martial Arts (customizable combat maneuvers you can unlock), dealing extra damage without consuming any Ki.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch game director Aaron Keller has stated that developer Blizzard has no intention of releasing AI-generated content in the game, with the company instead aiming for the hero shooter to have a "handcrafted" feel to it. At the same time, Blizzard president Johanna Faries outlined the company's overall approach to AI, saying the technology holds many possible benefits.

"We don't want to put AI-generated content out in front of players. That's just not something that we're comfortable doing. We want this to feel like a handcrafted universe, and it is a handcrafted universe," Keller told GameSpot.

Keller told Eurogamer that Blizzard does not use AI to "create characters or gameplay," at least not "right now," suggesting that could change in the future.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club: Deluxe Edition (Switch 2)

$40 | Releases March 17

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop

Snoopy and the gang set out on a new adventure last year with the release of Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club. The family-friendly game earned solid reviews from fans, who praised it for its fun minigames, colorful art style, and a fresh perspective on the beloved Peanuts series. And on March 17, you'll be able to pick up a physical copy of Snoopy & The Great Mystery Club: Deluxe Edition for Switch 2. Along with some enhancements for Switch 2, the Deluxe Edition also comes with a few bonus items and exclusive minigames.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Less than four years after its release, Overwatch 2 is dead.

Well. Kind of.

In all actuality, it's far more accurate and exciting to say that Overwatch--as both a title and promise--has been resurrected.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

As Overwatch 2 continues to evolve--even dropping the "2" entirely and just going as "Overwatch" from here on out--there's the question of what happens to its characters. Going forward, Overwatch plans on putting story first and foremost, and a big part of heroic fantasy is the conflicts between good and evil and how those conflicts lead to losses or setbacks on both sides. And while storylines like that may be in Overwatch's future, these developments won't ever reflect in the playable roster.

"There [are] no plans to remove any characters from the roster depending on what may happen to them," associate game director Alec Dawson told GameSpot. "But, I think, one thing that's really important to us is to be in lockstep with what's going on with the story throughout the year, whether it be our maps, whether it be events going on, whether it be our heroes, to make sure that they are reflected in what's happening there too."

This sounds in line with what we've seen in other hero shooters that have stories going on in the background of the matches--Rainbow Six Siege has gone through several large shifts, for example, moving away from its counter-terrorism narrative in February 2019 to tell a military simulation sport fantasy, and then returning to the original counter-terrorism throughline several years later. The playable roster of the tactical shooter only grew during those developments, but the framing of matches and the types of new Operators, maps, and skins added in each season dramatically transformed to reflect a new narrative direction.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Several big changes are coming to Overwatch in what is easily the game's most substantial update so far. On top of a name change, an unexpected pivot to a narrative-driven format, a seriously adorable collaboration, major UI updates, and more, five new characters are coming to Overwatch to help kick off The Reign of Talon, Season 1 on February 10. That's right: Five.

Fortunately, this new lineup includes a tank, two support characters, and two damage characters, meaning every player will get the chance to test out a new hero (or nefarious Talon agent) if they so choose. That said, even game director Aaron Keller told GameSpot this large influx of characters will inevitably lead to balance issues--and that's without considering how overwhelming it can be to to play a new character you're unfamiliar with. With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of Overwatch's new characters--Emre, Domina, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat--to help you familiarize yourself with them ahead of their debut.

Emre - Damage

Let's kick things off with the most beginner-friendly hero of the group, Emre. Those of you who are tuned into Overwatch have probably been expecting Emre, as this Overwatch-turned-Talon agent has been teased and alluded to for literal years. After playing a match as him last week, I'm happy to report that he was well-worth the wait.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

If you've noticed Overwatch's characters getting progressively sexier over the years, you're not alone, though Blizzard said there is an explanation for it aside from thirsty gamers.

When Overwatch first launched in 2016, part of its appeal was its wide-ranging roster of characters of all shapes and sizes, ranging from a talking gorilla to a robotic monk. Characters like Zarya and Mei broke the mold of what many players were accustomed to seeing from female characters.

In 2026, while there is still the occasional oddball character (like Venture or the upcoming Jetpack Cat), many of Overwatch's newer heroes, like Freja, Vendetta, Wuyang, and Juno, as well as many of the new heroes coming in Overwatch 2026 Season 1, are all what society would label as more conventionally attractive. Usually, they are tall, skinny, and fit.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch 2, now renamed simply Overwatch, is undergoing some big changes, with a new seasonal model focused on telling continuous year-long stories. As part of the soft relaunch, Blizzard is coming out strong with five new playable characters, substantially increasing the roster much more than usual at one time. That is bound to have an impact on the meta-game, and Blizzard is well aware.

"It's going to upset the balance of the game. There's no getting around that. There's something very exciting about it though," Blizzard's Aaron Keller told GameSpot. "I think what we see with Overwatch is that our players do acclimate to change into new heroes fairly quickly. At the highest levels, it might just be a few days. They could have a handle on these new heroes that quickly and start developing metas for them."

Those five new characters include one new Tank (Domina), two DPS (Emre, Anran), and two Support (Mizuki, Jetpack Cat). That reflects the team-comp requirements in Overwatch 2, which is a major way that it differentiated itself from the looser restrictions of the first game.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch is about to get a whole lot cuter, as adorable skins based on Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty and Cinnamoroll will be the hero shooter's first collaboration for 2026.

The collab begins the same day as Overwatch 2026 Season 1 on February 10 and will last through the February 23. There are six skins in total, with many of the game's more popular female characters represented (plus Lucio). Despite Overwatch adding an actual cat hero, they are sadly not receiving a collab skin. The six skins and heroes receiving them are:

• Juno: Hello Kitty
• Kiriko: Cinnamoroll
• Mercy: Pompompurin
• D.Va: My Melody
• Widowmaker: Kuromi
• Lucio: Keroppi

While some Overwatch collabs see the game's heroes literally transform into iconic characters from another IP, these are a little less extreme. Juno, for example, is not literally Hello Kitty, but is rather wearing a Hello Kitty-themed outfit. Each skin is more inspired by their respective Sanrio character rather than being an exact copy of them.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch 2026 Season 1 will introduce five new heroes, among them a jetpack-piloting cat more than 10 years in the making.

The matter-of-factly named Jetpack Cat is a new support hero joining the Overwatch roster on February 10, and they come with an impressive assortment of utility abilities.

The Lifeline ability transforms the jetpack into transport mode, allowing Jetpack Cat to tow and heal an ally. Purr activates a healing aura and knocks back enemies, while Frenetic Flight allows for increased acceleration. Jetpack Cat's Ultimate ability, Catnapper, sees the feline dive towards the ground, knocking down surrounding enemies and tethering the nearest opponent to the jetpack.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Overwatch 2 is now just Overwatch, with Blizzard finally dropping the "2" it added to its hero shooter back in 2022.

Blizzard's shooter first launched in 2016, only to undergo a free-to-play transformation in 2022 that saw a 2 added to the name and a shift to a 5v5 format, alongside a visual refresh to its maps and heroes. While cosmetics and unlocks from the original Overwatch carried over to the "sequel," Overwatch otherwise ceased to exist, replaced by Overwatch 2.

The name change doesn't mean that Overwatch 2 is suddenly reverting back to the exact gameplay of the 2016 game. Instead, it coincides with the launch of Overwatch 2026 Season 1 and what Blizzard is calling a new "story-driven era,"--one defined by yearlong narratives. Overwatch's yearlong story will last six seasons, with a new story arc beginning in Season 1 of 2027.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Sunderfolk remains one of the most underrated games from 2025, and we've now learned that Secret Door and Dreamhaven are making a roguelite spin-off titled Shadowstone.

Released in April 2024, Sunderfolk is a cooperative tactics RPG where players use their phones to guide a party of cute animal creatures through different combat encounters. While its release was drowned out by the launch of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, and the fact that it required a phone to play, it's still a really good time for fans of digitized tabletop games. Now, Secret Door is remixing Sunderfolk's world and assets for a cooperative roguelite.

Shadowstone features a hexagonal grid, card-based abilities, and cooperative play like Sunderfolk, and takes place in its Sunderlands setting. Unlike Sunderfolk, it's structured as a run-based roguelite where players fight through tactical encounters, upgrading their spells along the way. It also has a generally darker aesthetic and tone.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Development on the Switch 2 edition of Borderlands 4 has been "paused" for the foreseeable future, but if you're aiming to play it on the go, the Steam Deck might just be the best option. Developer Gearbox has announced that Borderlands 4 is now Steam Deck Verified, which, according to Valve, means that the game will work on the handheld gaming PC without a user needing to fiddle with manual settings--but you still can, if you want.

Digging deeper, this means that Borderlands 4 meets several requirements from Valve to be Steam Deck Verified, including a default resolution of 1280 x 720 and full controller support. Valve doesn't list performance as a factor beyond a brief mention of "good" default settings, but overall, Borderlands 4 should run similarly to its Windows counterpart.

It's worth noting that games that have received a Steam Deck Verified label can still run poorly on the handheld, with notable examples being Mortal Kombat 1 and God of War shortly after release. These games still run well most of the time, but they do suffer from performance issues.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Valve's second attempt at launching its Steam Machine is still set to happen in early 2026, according to AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su.

In an AMD earnings call, Su specifically mentions support for Valve Steam Machine, which will make use of an AMD processor. "From a product standpoint, Valve is on track to begin shipping its AMD-powered steam machine early this year," Su states, stopping short of giving an exact timeframe.

Early 2026 does align with what Valve suggested during the announcement of the Steam Machine, but since then, the company hasn't provided any updates on availability or pricing. The PC hardware landscape has, however, drastically changed since, with RAM and storage pricing exponentially increasing and potentially having an impact on numerous hardware launches for the foreseeable future.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

A new twist in the ongoing saga of Helldivers 2 has emerged, as the Automatons have managed to steal the plans for Super Earth's Not-A-Death-Star space station. With the planet at risk of being annihilated by a replica of the planet-destroying symbol of peace, players are being mobilized to head to the home planet of the Automatons, Cyberstan. Do you want to know more?

Fortunately, players will be getting some much-needed heavy firepower for when they return to the planet: the new Bastion Tank, which is teased in the trailer below. The assault vehicle is capable of carrying up to four Helldivers, and the 120mm cannon packs a punch. Each seated player has a role to play--driver, gunner, and two passenger seats to cover the flanks--so teamwork is essential. Even if you run out of ammo, you can use it as a makeshift Automaton-flattening machine for as long as its thick armor holds up in battle.

There's also a new Premium Warbond to unlock weapons from this month, so a combination of laser-firing shotguns, sphere-shields, and explosive hammers will give Helldivers a fighting chance on the Automaton's home planet. Cyberstan was introduced in the very first Helldivers game, and this is one of several nods to the 2015 top-down shooter that has surfaced in Helldivers 2.

Continue Reading at GameSpot