One of the stars of Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic The Odyssey thinks the director's mindbender sci-fi Tenet is underrated.

Himesh Patel plays Eurylochus in The Odyssey, but he also played Mahir in Tenet. Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Patel shared his assessment of the time-twister.

"Dare I say, I think Tenet is one of his underrated movies," Patel shared. "What I get with Chris is, he doesn't stop with the ambition. He just wants to keep pushing it and keep pushing it, and what's the next thing? What's the next thing we can do to to elevate the cinematic experience to put a marker down in cinematic history, you know?

"I remember the first time I watched Tenet and I didn't know how they were going to achieve all of the inversion and all that sort of stuff. It still does something to me when I watch clips from it, or if it comes up, and I just go, it does something weird to my brain when I'm watching it, more than any sort of CGI will ever do... He seems to understand some sort of alchemy," he added.

It sounds like The Odyssey will be another massively ambitious film, with early reactions saying it's some of Nolan's best work ever.

"It was a really weird movie for me personally in the sense that I had almost a nostalgic feeling the entire time I was making it, because it felt like the movies when I started working. And I know that that’s going away," Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, has said of the film. "I knew that this was the last chance I was going to have to do something like this."

The Odyssey arrives this July 17. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the most exciting upcoming movies of the year to plan your theater trips.

Amid serious layoffs going on at Xbox, there have been concerns over what'll happen at Blizzard, since it was acquired by Microsoft in a landmark deal in 2023. So far, it seems the studio behind World of Warcraft and Overwatch is safe from heavy redundancies, though an internal memo suggests there'll be more updates for the company further down the line.

Windows Central managed to get hold of an email from the desk of Johanna Faries, the president of Blizzard, who addressed concerns to staff. "While you can expect to hear more details regarding the day's events and what they mean for Blizzard in further communications, for now I simply want to acknowledge that today is a difficult day that impacts many people in a range of ways," the dispatch says.

"Please take care of yourself and others in this moment as best as possible," Fairies continues. "In light of today's news I want to thank everyone across Blizzard for moving with focus and creativity behind our strategic priorities, supporting our myriad communities and each other throughout."

Some 3,200 positions within Xbox, across multiple wings of the games divisions, have been impacted. This includes people at studios like id Software, Bethesda, and Arkane, among many others. This is all part of a "reset" Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and CCO Matt Booty has been mentioning for some time, in order to push the company towards financial sustainability.

For the time being, Blizzard seems largely untouched, at least compared to what's happened to other teams, but Microsoft has suggested we'll be seeing more restructuring in the months to come. Being the home of Diablo, Warcraft, and StarCraft, the legendary studio is within its own bubble to an extent, and would require particular attention for any kind of reshuffling or change-up. Besides the fact that these franchises all have huge, active fanbases and live-service infrastructures to consider, you've got BlizzCon, a massive international event that welcomes tens of thousands of fans each year it occurs.

But what happens in the months and years ahead is anyone's guess. It seems likely we'll at least see some fat trimmed off in the form of unannounced projects, and perhaps another push for Warcraft or Diablo to be adapted to the big or small screen. Either way, the only constant is change right now. We'll keep you informed.

Xbox parts ways with 4 studios, with South of Midnight and Psychonauts devs going independent as Arkane begins "required consultation" to "review potential strategic options"

As Bethesda is reportedly hit hard with layoffs from Microsoft, president Jill Braff has apparently told staff of the plan to focus on the company's strongest franchises going forward.

This week, Xbox announced its fifth wave of layoffs since purchasing Activision Blizzard, with this ongoing wave set to see 3,200 staff laid off over the next year. From the sounds of things, Bethesda is going to be one of the most affected targets of these layoffs, with former Bethesda project lead Jeff Gardiner reporting that 35 staff at Bethesda Game Studios are losing their jobs, while id Software is being gutted, reportedly losing 95 staff members.

On top of that, ZeniMax-owned studio Arkane is in the process of "beginning required consultation with its Works Council to review potential strategic options," while Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games have broken off from Xbox during this latest restructuring, with the latter two going independent.

The layoffs at id Software are a major surprise, as they come alongside reports that Bethesda is set to change focus to its biggest franchises, which reportedly features Doom and Quake – two franchises primarily developed by id Software – alongside the expected push for The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. While these were first reported by Bloomberg, an internal email from Braff acquired by IGN seems to back this up.

"These shifts also reflect the realities of our industry and business – and our responsibility to ensure Bethesda is operating from a more stable foundation." Braff says, adding: "To be successful in the future, we need to change course. We must strengthen our business, return to sustainable growth, and ensure we can continue investing in our franchises and our players."

She continues, "To best position Bethesda for future growth, we are shifting from a planning model primarily centered on what's next for each independent studio to one that focuses on our strongest franchises." Braff adds, "By working more closely across the organization, sharing expertise and capabilities, and focusing our investments on the opportunities with the greatest potential, we believe we can better support our franchises and IP with meaningful long-term potential."

Of course, one wonders why Microsoft took this long to shift Bethesda's focus and work on getting the next Fallout and Elder Scrolls games out as soon as possible. However, with a significant portion of the talent at id Software affected – which reportedly is focused on the coders working on the id Tech engine – it feels almost antithetical to the studio's plan to focus on its first-person shooter franchises, and evidence of the poor planning from Xbox management that has led us to this point.

A Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is inbound, and it plunges players straight into the beloved story by letting them create their own Section 9 agent.

Developed by Mantic Games (the studio behind wargames like Halo: Flashpoint) and due to launch on Backerit later in July, this Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is based on the manga by Shirow Masamune rather than the anime. It promises to be "the most authentic tabletop roleplaying experience ever created" for the franchise, and features a custom system put together by the legendary designer Alessio Cavatore (co-creator of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, Mordheim, Kings of War, and more) alongside Zak Barouh, an award-winning tabletop RPG writer.

It's still early days so we can't tell for sure how this system will compare to the best tabletop RPGs, but Mantic promises that it "combines fast-paced, narrative-driven mechanics with the philosophical depth and visual flair that define The Ghost in the Shell." Judging by the sneak-peek via DrivethruRPG, it appears to use different dice to represent your character's skill rather than static numbers that provide a bonus. They might use a d8 for reflexes but have a d12 for hacking, say.

A lot also seems to hinge on your character's "Synthesis Conflict" that represents an inner conflict they're fighting. This provides "a way to reflect character development through a personal story tied to each Player Character," and uses aspects like duty vs. family, humanity vs. technology, or tradition vs. progress.

Not that the Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is purely philosophical, of course; you'll need to arm up with cybernetic enhancements along with a host of weapons to battle corruption in this dystopian future, and it seems as though you'll be able to use miniatures for fights if you'd like.

We'll be able to find out soon enough. The Ghost in the Shell: Tabletop Roleplaying Game will launch on Backerit this July 28, and backers will immediately receive the full digital rulebook as a PDF after the campaign ends.

For more tabletop recommendations, why not drop in on the best board games? If you're planning a vacation this summer, it's also worth visiting our guide to the best travel board games in case there's something you can add to your suitcase.

The director of acclaimed fantasy anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End believes the aim for the upcoming Golden Land arc is to surpass the previous two seasons – which are widely regarded as some of the best anime in the past decade.

Speaking at Anime Expo 2026 (via Polygon), Tomoya Kitagawa – who described Frieren season 3 as an "epic and romantic" adventure – said, "we're going to do our best to surpass season 2." He added that the "mentality is always to do better every time."

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End roared onto the scene in 2023, instantly becoming the top-rated anime of all time on aggregator site My Anime List. Its second season was similarly successful, despite its truncated length leaving some fans feeling a bit short-changed.

Frieren season 3 is currently slated for release in October 2027, though Kitagawa says there is still some way to go before we see the finished product. He remarked that they are currently "creating the design, concept art, and storyboard for season 3."

The third season will adapt the manga's Golden Land arc, which sees mage Frieren and her companions Stark and Fern head to the city of Wiese. It's there where they encounter fearsome demon Macht, the strongest of all seven Sages of Destruction.

If it lives up to expectations, Frieren will join a collection of other highly-anticipated titles to release next year, including Delicious in Dungeon season 2. We can't rule out Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Demon Slayer all returning in 2027 either.

Need the lowdown on what else is on the way? Read our complete guide to new anime.

Razer's new Espeon and Umbreon Collection is fresh on my mind as it dropped on July 6. It's a new line-up of PC gaming accessories decked out in imagery of the two iconic Eevee evolutions, and I assumed the love for the Gen 2 Pokemon would stop there. Still, a brand-new Umbreon and Espeon Switch 2 controller from Hori has been spotted.

Originally shared by the X (Twitter) account Pokémon Deals, Restock and Alerts, the new controller hasn't officially been announced yet on Hori's official social media channels. However, its listing is live at Amazon US, which showcases a new version of the Wireless HORIPAD Turbo gamepad draped in a dark purple colorway and gold star details. Sadly, you can't buy it quite yet, but the moment it goes live, I'll be sure to let you know, so you can complete your hybrid Razer and Hori Espeon and Umbreon gaming setup.

I believe I've stumbled on this new Pokemon version of the controller a little early. It's currently listed as "Temporarily out of stock" despite never being in stock at all. This is very likely just a temporary state while Hori prepares to get its announcement in order, which could hopefully include even more Switch 2 accessories featuring this stunning Espeon and Umbreon artwork.

Hori is known to release accessories in waves, so I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up seeing this design on a Switch 2 case, a game card case, and even a wired headset. If you take the Kirby and Waddle Dee Collection by the brand as an example, it launched its own Wireless HORIPAD Turbo controller, alongside a Puff Pouch and Vault Case in the US. I'd be surprised if these weren't also on the cards for Umbreon and Espeon.

Regardless of what else might come of this new Hori and Pokemon collaboration, I'm glad we're getting a wireless pad over the alternative. As much as I adore the Hori Gengar and Mimikyu controller, its cute design does little to distract from the fact that its wired-only connectivity (over the HORIPAD Turbo's 33 ft wireless compatibility) feels very limiting.

Of course, this wireless support typically comes at a higher cost. While there isn't one listed alongside the new controller quite yet, judging from past officially licensed Wireless HORIPAD Turbo releases, you'll likely be looking at $64.99 for this stunning pad. But for that price, you should also be getting stick-drift-dying TMR sticks, and 10 hours of playback, which isn't too shabby.

So far, this stunning new Umbreon and Espeon controller has not appeared at Amazon UK or other retailers. However, the moment it does, I'll sound the alarm as I feel it's my duty to ensure Nintendo players have the cutest accessories possible. In the meantime, Pokemon fans can pre-order the Ditto Wireless HORIPAD Turbo for £54.99 at Amazon instead. It's not Eevee-related, but it's at least a purple Pokemon pad.

• View all Hori Switch 2 accessories at Amazon

Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases if you want to complete your new Ninty gaming setup.

One of the first Steam Machine "Red Line of Death" victims has made a miraculous recovery, and Valve didn't even have to step in. While the specific visual error code displayed originally signalled GPU failure, the early adopter says leaving it unplugged overnight has cleared the issue, and from my experience, that smells like a firmware glitch.

In an "anticlimactic and somewhat embarrassing" faulty Steam Machine update, Reddit user me_hill says they tried various power cycle lengths following suggestions. "I left it unplugged for about half an hour last night and then tried plugging it back in... and it didn't work." laments the mini PC's owner. "So I left it unplugged for a couple of hours and then tried it again before bed... and it didn't work. Same error light despite multiple power-cycling attempts."

In a last-ditch effort to revive the Steam Machine, me_hill says they then "left it unplugged overnight" before attempting to boot up the next day to experiment with BIOS shortcut keys. You could say the user was third time lucky, as after 24 hours, the box apparently "booted up immediately without issue."

Comment from r/steammachine

As someone who's been fixing, building, and writing about gaming PCs for decades, I want to assume me_hill that they shouldn't feel silly. The user admits, "I feel stupid about even posting this now, especially since it blew up a bit, but I was tired and irritable after a long day of work, and an ominous GPU error code wasn't exactly the seamless plug-and-play experience I had hoped for."

I'd feel the exact same if my $1,049 cube started making Xbox 360 red error codes at me, especially given Valve's guidance online. That said, this isn't remotely the first time I've encountered a device that ends up with nonsense floating around memory that prevents a boot, and I've previously had to power-cycle the Steam Deck OLED to get it working after a failed firmware update.

The now-happy Steam Machine user rounds off their update with the exact same advice I'd give: "If anyone encounters the same error, don't panic like I did, just let it sit for a few hours and it will somehow sort itself out." While I'm still seeing some comments suggesting they should contact Valve anyway, I suspect the mini PC maker is already on the case and will address it with its next SteamOS firmware update, and I'll be reaching out to my contacts to see if there's an official response to the error.

For now, at least, it looks like we don't have any serious Steam Machine "Red Line of Death" fiascos unfolding before us. It'd be naive to think this will be the last quirk with the box that makes its way online, but there's nothing to suggest there are any real hardware faults at hand, even if the cube does display a dreaded error code.

Check out the best Steam Deck docks if you're using the handheld as a Steam Machine alternative.

I have fairly large hands. For that reason, I've been waiting patiently for the current slate of gaming handhelds to reach the shelves. After a few years of these portable PCs being a hot commodity, manufacturers have finally realised that comfort is just as important as portability and power. Rounded grips, bulkier devices, and better button sizes are now being welcomed with open arms, but after going hands-on with the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, I think we've gone as far as we need to.

For context, I review controllers, and I'm an OG Asus ROG Ally X owner, so despite my excitement, I'm a little salty about the fact that Asus, Acer, MSI, and Lenovo have all launched updated versions of their handheld devices that have much, much more ergonomic grips. The ROG Xbox Ally devices have properly rounded grips, which fix the comfort woes I have with their predecessors. Acer and MSI have reworked their grip designs accordingly, giving things a much more curved, comfortable hold that spreads their weight and makes them so much more enjoyable to hold during longer sessions.

With Acer's new Predator Atlas, I loved how much inspiration was taken from the best PC controllers. The handheld just felt broader, and like the ergonomics had been given just as much attention as the new Intel APU innards.

The MSI Claw handhelds were always a bit beefier since they have larger displays - or at least, that's been the case since the original Claw A8, which I tried out at IFA a few years ago. With the latest iteration I demoed out at Computex, the grips had a curve on their backs, as well as an expanded drop at the bottom to provide room for your pinkies. The controls felt really premium, and F1 2025 ran like an absolute dream, but I was actually finding myself struggling to make the reach from the palm of my hand up to the top of my index finger to work the triggers - which is a first for me.

Maybe it was due to the fact I was holding a very expensive prototype model in an overly crowded exhibition booth, maybe it was the fact I was holding it extra carefully, and maybe it was because I was playing a game that relied on my use of the triggers to accelerate and brake on a moment's notice. But for one of the only times in my hardware-reviewing career, I found myself thinking, "Man, this thing is actually uncomfortably large for my hands".

Like I said at the beginning of this article, I consider myself part of the big-hand gang when it comes to gaming peripherals. I tend to enjoy controllers that have been designed with broader, bigger builds in mind. The only time I felt a controller was too big for me was maybe the Thrustmaster eSwap line, and even then, I could still use it pretty comfortably. While trying to grip the Claw 8 EX AI+, I struggled to keep my hands positioned over the face and back buttons, while also reaching up to the triggers and bumpers.

I'm all for more comfort, but making things too big also increases the risk of you dropping your very pricey portable PC. Prices definitely come into things with this generation of handheld PC, but more on that in a bit.

If the size of this thing is an issue for me, I expect it to be an almost prohibitive problem for anyone who considers their hands to be on the smaller side when using modern gaming gear. It makes me think that the design of the latest claws hasn't just been about combating the comfort levels of the Xbox Ally X, but that potentially the larger display size has actually gotten in the way.

The latest Claw sports an 8-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, which is slightly larger than the 7.4-inch size on the Xbox Ally. Interestingly, the Predator Atlas 8 has a similar 8-inch display, but it didn't feel like quite the same stretch for me to use, so there are definitely subtle differences between the two devices, despite their shared processor.

So the real toss-up, in my opinion, is how much power you want versus something that's not too unwieldy. The Claw certainly has the beefy innards you need to play games like F1 2025 at smooth frame rates with really surprisingly clear visual fidelity. I wasn't able to access performance monitor details during my hands-on test, but MSI claims you can get a 66% higher frame rate in F1 using 1200p / Medium settings / XeSS3 + MFG over last gen.

Of course, the elephant in the room here is that the Claw will let you back well over a grand on either side of the Atlantic, and beyond its size being a prohibitive factor for some gamers, its pricing is even more so.

Elsewhere, there's an 80Whr battery for 5 hours of play, an Intel Arc G3 Extreme processor running the show, Hall effect thumbsticks, and hyperflow cooling. I'd argue it's the smoothest performing handheld I've gone hands-on with, but based on how much work my hands had to do to use it and stay comfortable, I think I'd take the similar specs of the Acer Predator Atlas 8 instead.

Once again though, affording either of these PCs will be the real struggle since they cost more than the controversially pricey Steam Machine.

Still here? You might also be interested in the best TMR controllers, the best gaming PCs, and the best retro handhelds.

We've been waiting a long time for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, but the latest update is a very promising sign that the movie is inching closer.

The film was originally set to be released in 2024, but is now set for a 2027 release instead.

"We are deep, deep in it," producer Christopher Miller told Empire magazine during an appearance on The Empire Podcast with co-producer Phil Lord.

The film is also being released in IMAX, and Miller added that they would soon be previewing the footage in that expanded aspect ratio. "We're actually going today to the IMAX headquarters to see what the footage looks like at scale, and make sure that it has the resolution that it needs to look gorgeous," he explained.

"We're chugging away in the edit room with the team, and it's coming together really well. It's a lot of movie, and a lot to do," he added.

Naturally, it sounds like quite the undertaking. "You got to keep doing something that hasn't been done before. That's all you got to do," he joked. "Easy!"

Across the Spider-Verse released back in 2023, and it ended with quite the brutal cliffhanger: Miles Morales is in the wrong universe, facing off against a Prowler version of himself.

"We put the most pressure on ourselves," Miller said earlier this year. "There's no one that puts more pressure on us than ourselves, wanting to outdo ourselves each time and see things that you haven't seen before and make it feel like something you've never experienced before. And so, trying to get something that is as worthy as the previous two has been the driver."

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse arrives on June 18, 2027. While you wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies worth getting excited about this year.

As news of Microsoft cutting 3,200 employees at Xbox continues to make headlines, CEO Asha Sharma explains that it's been a long time coming, as the company couldn't weather its growing storm.

In a new statement to Fortune following news of the Xbox layoffs, Sharma provides a bit of insight into what she dubbed "the most significant restructure in Xbox history."

She explains, "In order to grow, we made a bunch of bets… and as we did that, we inherently didn't focus on the core business. The number one measure of your strategy is what you put your resources behind, and we simply spread ourselves too thin."

Part of this new restructuring plan includes Xbox reeling itself back into focusing on its own flagship console – one the company has arguably placed on the sidelines in lieu of Game Pass and other hopeful undertakings – and removing various management layers for more centralized teams.

Overshadowing all this is also the surging cost of hardware – the company announced yet another price hike for its consoles late last month, noting that "console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027." Interestingly, though, Sharma notes that Xbox potentially could've gotten through this rough patch… had it been "healthy" beforehand.

"A healthy Xbox could weather the shock of the hardware crisis," she admits. "With an unhealthy Xbox, it becomes really challenging, and it accelerates a lot of the changes we need to make."

That's understandable – as per her own words, Xbox sees three to 10 times lower margins than "comparable platform and publishing businesses," after all. Those aren't great numbers for what was once a leading name in hardware, to say the least.

Sharma says that turning Xbox back to its former glory will take time, however. According to her, executives are toying with new business models for the company's hardware, too, like expansions to consumer programs that lower financial barriers (think "buy now, pay later") and making Xbox more available on mobile and PC to reach a wider breadth of players.

She concludes, "Our core has to be healthy, and that will be necessary but not sufficient."

Here's hoping Microsoft and Xbox in particular manage to turn things around. Plenty of folks – and studios – depend on it, and it's not difficult to see that Sharma's right about the health of the company.

Xbox parts ways with 4 studios, with South of Midnight and Psychonauts devs going independent as Arkane begins "required consultation" to "review potential strategic options."

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is an epic in all senses of the word – and now it has first reactions from critics to match its towering ambition.

Our own entertainment editor Jordan Farley wrote, "#TheOdyssey is monumental filmmaking, its interpretation of Greek mythology electrifyingly uncanny. Staggering scale, thrillingly staged action, rich emotional throughlines." Better still, "the cyclops and Circe sequences are among the best of Nolan’s career." It's time to get very excited.

Elsewhere, the praise is as effusive as you might come to expect from a director of Nolan's caliber. Writer Douglas Greenwood was among several critics and audience members to pile on the praise, stating The Odyssey is "gutsy, and absolutely the work of a visionary."

He added, "There are a handful of set pieces so viscerally realised that watching them feels like flirting with death. Aims for the heart and plunges its dagger a few inches lower than it would like to, but otherwise excellent."

Others point towards Nolan's use of IMAX – already at a world-class, pioneering level – as another string to the movie's bow.

Erik Davis tweeted, "Christopher Nolan's #TheOdyssey is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here. The production design is incredible, the action is breathtaking, and the scale is unlike anything he's done before."

Even those who haven't warmed to Nolan's work can count themselves as a convert in The Odyssey. Critic Clarisse Loughrey said, "As someone who has always been obsessed with the ancient world but has never had particularly strong feelings about Christopher Nolan… i am genuinely gobsmacked at how good THE ODYSSEY is."

Collider's Perri Nemiroff took time to sing the praises of Tom Holland, who plays Odysseus' son Telemachus in the sweeping epic.

Nemiroff wrote, "I’m often wowed by his work, but there’s something about seeing him jump from scene partner to scene partner in The Odyssey that had me in awe of his screen presence, his chemistry with his co-stars, and how clearly he’s able to elevate scenes in a unique way with each and every one of them."

Journalist Erin Mussett felt "Anne Hathaway and Samantha Morton are the absolute stand-outs", with others predicting Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, and Zendaya could all be netting Oscar nominations early next year.

The Odyssey hits cinemas on July 17. For more, check out the rest of 2026's biggest movie release dates and our current ranking of the best Christopher Nolan movies.

Arc Raiders' 1.36.0 update is here, bringing with it a big matchmaking change that should make the shooter much more pleasant to play if your playstyle varies between solo, duo, and trio games.

In today's patch, Embark outlines a key change to solo, duo, and trio matchmaking. Specifically, thanks to feedback logged by players during May's matchmaking survey, one of the "most requested matchmaking features" has been added – from now on, "we now track your playstyle separately for Solo, Duo, and Trio rounds, and match you accordingly."

Essentially, if you tend to take a more aggressive, PvP-focused approach to Arc Raiders when you're playing with your friends, but a friendlier one when you're playing solo, the new matchmaking feature should acknowledge this and give you your best match no matter what, rather than constantly pushing you into more aggressive lobbies even in solo, for example.

"Now, there's no overlap," explains Embark community lead Ossen. "You'll be able to go from friendly questing and plant-picking in Solo rounds to adrenaline-fueled PvP Trio games (if that's how you usually play in those respective cases) by simply changing your squad size. The same holds for Duo – all three are tracked on their own."

Alongside a bunch of bug fixes, Embark has also "significantly increased the value of loot dropped by ARC Turbines" to make them more rewarding to take down. Speaking of which, ARC Turbines can no longer randomly disappear right after spawning in, so happy hunting.

Embark acknowledges its recent anti-cheat efforts ("we are continuously getting more effective at identifying & acting against cheaters," the post says), as well as the action it's taken against duplication exploits.

Going forward, the devs also plan to expand on the "No Free Loadout" requirement introduced in patch 1.33.0 for Close Scrutiny and Night Raid. "We are looking into expanding 'No Free Loadout' to more map conditions and investigating other opportunities to further improve the experience overall," says Ossen.

"When Arc Raiders was at its peak," Embark was burning 30 terabytes of data per day tracking every single bullet fired: "We want to know who shot first."

Vacations are looming and time off is all anyone can think about, so the only thing left to do is clear some space in your suitcase for the best travel board games. No matter whether you're taking a break with family, friends, or your partner, these portable favorites will brighten up the trip. Personally speaking, my family and I adore trying to outdo each others' high scores over the course of a holiday.

Where should you start, though? I've been writing about and reviewing the best board games on GamesRadar+ for almost eight years now, and that means I've got plenty of recommendations. These are the best travel board games our experts and I make a beeline for when we head on vacation, so they'll hopefully add a little sunshine to your trip as well. Bananagrams always finds its way into my suitcase because of how replayable it is, for example, while Hive is an excellent choice if you want to play something compact on plane or train tray tables.

These choices span a range of interests and costs, so there should be something to suit you regardless of your budget!

Quick list

Best travel board game overall

Countless fans (and our own writers, no less) swear by Scout, and honestly? I can't argue with them. It walked away with the industry's most prestigious game of the year award in 2022, and it continues to be highly recommended by the community now.

For starters, it travels exceptionally well due to coming in a small box while only using a few cards and tokens. That means you've got a lot of entertainment crammed into one small space.

Secondly, it's dead easy to learn but has a hidden depth that should keep you coming back. Your aim is to create sets of the same number or sequences of a higher value than the last one laid down, but you can't change the order of the cards in your hand. That means you've got to be clever in the way you gather and play new cards, giving plenty to think about. As our Scout review notes, "its emphasis on speed and uncertainty makes for an addictive 'just one more match' feeling that's hard to beat."

Best travel board game for families

Looking for a game everyone can enjoy, regardless of whether they like board games or not? Try Bananagrams. It's a high-speed crossword that anyone can understand, and it also travels brilliantly. For one thing, it's all stored in a single soft case that's easy to find room for. Next, it can be played anywhere with a flat surface.

The idea here is to use up all the letter tiles in front of you to create your own crossword, with words that all connect to one another. Each time you use up the supply, you shout "peel" and everyone must grab a new tile. Play then continues until every single tile is gone. It can become incredibly speedy once everyone gets the hang of things, and what may have sounded like a dry word game becomes a frantic race to the finish.

Enjoy competitive challenges? This will very much be your jam. It's a test of speed, skill, and flexibility, because rearranging your crossword when progression becomes impossible is key. While that can be overwhelming if you fall behind, there's no better feeling than outsmarting your rivals - particularly if you've gone from the back of the pack to pole position. You'll be dining out on that high for a while if you win.

Best travel board game for friends

There's nothing better than a hidden role game, if you ask me - and this one streamlines the mechanics of my favorites, including Unfathomable (which I said was brilliant but took too long to play in my Unfathomable review).

The aim is to take the gameplay excellence of those fan-favorites and condense them down into a 20-minute experience that's easy to understand and even easier to play. One side are pirates, while a small number take on the role of mutineers (the number of which varies depending on how many players there are). The pirates are trying to build up the value of their treasure chest and meet a specific goal, like 11 points in total. Meanwhile, the mutineers are trying to reduce that chest's value. To do this, everyone places a card from their hand into the chest each turn - and these cards have a value of +1, 0, or -2. If you're a pirate, you'll want to add as many +1s or 0s as possible. If you're a mutineer, it's all about those 0s or -2s. Once a pirate thinks the required goal has been met, the game ends and you check the chest... but you won't know if you've succeeded until you flip the cards over.

Things get interesting because you're encouraged to play fast and loose with the truth as a mutineer. You're meant to discuss what you've put into the chest each round, and mutineers can obviously lie. "Oh," they say after slapping down a -2 in secret, "me? I put in a +1. Definitely, yes sir." A pirate's only defence is to give anyone they're suspicious of three 'walk the plank' cards and banish them from the game, though they can also use ability cards to turn the tide.

Best travel board game for 2 players

It's impossible to discuss the best 2-player board games without Hive being mentioned. This is an utterly stone-cold classic that's been going strong since 2001, and there's a good reason for that. Despite being very accessible and portable enough to be used anywhere (be it a plane tray or a beer garden table), there's enough strategy powering it to keep you coming back.

Basically, Hive is like an easier-to-understand version of chess. Your aim is to surround and trap your opponent's queen, but all your tiles have to be connected to something else - you can't have bugs out on their own. Because they all move in different ways, you have to cleverly outmanoeuvre your foe whilst keeping you queen safe, all as they try to do the exact same thing. It's a shame only two people can play at once, but hey; it's good enough to make up for that shortcoming.

Enjoy competitive games or head-to-head challenges? Make sure this is in your collection.

Best strategy travel board game

If you want a travel board game that'll make you think but isn't going to stretch your gray matter too far out of shape, Catan: On the Road is a great choice. Actually, I started recommending this travel game to everyone after playing it once. That's the highest praise I can give.

This on-the-go spin-off condenses everything brilliant about the original (which our Catan review calls a must-have) into a streamlined version that takes between 15-30 minutes to play. Your aim? Build up seven Victory Points by settling the island of Catan. How players do that is up to them, though - you can increase your score through building cities, constructing the longest road, or gathering the largest army. Each path offers advantages that may tip the scales in your favor, so choose wisely. Cities allow you to draw extra resources every turn, for example, while knights protect you from Robber cards that may steal your goods.

When you throw in wrinkles like trade (which provides a short-term boost but may nudge your opponent one step closer to their goal), Catan: On the Road provides more nuance than you might expect. It's not perfect by any means, and those with an early advantage may run away with the game. However, it's just as easy to catch up if you've played your cards right... and there's something deeply satisfying about leap-frogging your foe into first place.

Best travel board game for kids

Even though it isn't just for kids (everyone can have a great time with this vacation board game), Sushi Go is particularly good when travelling with younger family members. On top of an inviting cartoon style, it's very easy to get the hang of and only lasts 15 minutes or so per session. It also comes in a hard-wearing metal tin, so can be taken pretty much anywhere.

Your aim is to create the most delicious sushi menu around, and you do that by choosing cards from a deck that's being passed between players. Each card scores differently, so you've got to choose wisely; they either provide points straight away or can be combined for a more powerful combo if you collect enough of an item. That gives plenty of options, but it also risks you winding up with nothing if you (literally) don't play your cards right. When multipliers, sets, and 'puddings' that only count at the end of the game are added to the mix, this straightforward game shows that it's got more than enough to chew on.

Honestly, Sushi Go is one of my ride-or-dies in terms of travel games; it goes with me everywhere.

For more recommendations, don't miss the best tabletop RPGs.

Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Avowed, The Outer Worlds, Pentiment, and Grounded, has reportedly been impacted by Xbox's latest round of layoffs.

Several Obsidian developers took to social media to share the news that they too had been let go as part of Xbox's brand "reset" that cut 1,600 jobs today and will ultimately result in 3,200 cut jobs by the end of fiscal year 2027, according to CEO Asha Sharma.

"I and a good number of very talented game devs were laid off by Obsidian as part of the Microsoft sacrificial rituals this morning," reads a Bluesky post from narrative designer Jay Turner, who has credits on Avowed as well as older BioWare classics like Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2. "If you or anyone you know is looking for a Senior Writer/ND with more than two decades' experience in titles like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, please let me know!"

Prior to Xbox's announcement, there were rumors and unconfirmed reports that Obsidian was actually one of several Xbox Game Studios negotiating with Microsoft to avoid full-on closure. Bloomberg's Jason Schreier debunked those rumors last week, but unfortunately it seems the beloved RPG studio wasn't able to escape Microsoft's wrath completely unscathed. The exact number of laid-off developers isn't clear, but reporting from Kotaku indicates that around 60-70 people, or roughly 25% of the studio, was cut.

Kate Dollarhyde, a narrative lead at Obsidian who's written for Avowed, Pentiment, The Outer Worlds, and Pillars of Eternity, said on Bluesky that "many excellent developers" at Obsidian lost their jobs today."

An animator at Obsidian said on Bluesky that they were among "dozens" of developers who had lost their jobs. "Incredibly privileged to have landed my dream job right after school. Obsidian was an amazing place to work," they said.

Up until now, Obsidian had been among the more resilient studios under the Xbox Game Studios umbrella, but as layoffs hit tentpole developers like Bethesda and Zenimax Online, it seems no one's safe right now.

Bethesda union blasts Microsoft as Xbox layoffs hit the Fallout and Elder Scrolls studio, too: "When will this cycle of cuts in pursuit of ever-greater profits end?"

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a generational historical RPG that deserves every ounce of praise it's gotten, and in my opinion was every bit as deserving of GOTY 2025 as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but apparently the actor behind one of its main characters hasn't been able to share in its success.

In conversation with Firezide Chat, Luke Dale, the charming face and voice behind Hans Capon in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, says he turned to streaming after becoming recognizable as Hans Capon, a role you'd think might open up a lot of professional doors for an actor.

"I wish I could say that Kingdom Come 2, the work I've done and the fact it's been played by millions of people led to more work, but it didn't," Dale says.

"I was hoping it would, but I always hedge my bets because I don't think the industry has been particularly kind to me. Warhorse have been absolute gems. They're so supportive and really believed in me the whole way through. But the industry at large has never really given a fuck."

As the games industry rushes to replace humans with AI on the payroll, and as seemingly unending layoffs make work more competitive, there's no denying that it's a hard time for everyone right now, actors and voice actors included. That said, Dale has managed to accumulate an impressive 72.2 thousand followers on Twitch and 177 thousand YouTube subscribers, which is likely at least in part thanks to his role as Hans, so it's not like his post-Kingdom Come professional life has been entirely thankless.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 lead designer says "friction is intentionally" in the RPG because when "you overcome the friction, you feel better about yourself"

Yuri web comic-turned-manga The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy at All is getting an anime adaptation in January 2027, as Crunchyroll announced at Anime Expo. Among its sterling credits is an endorsement from Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters singer Dave Grohl, who reckons late Nirvana singer, songwriter, and guitarist Kurt Cobain would've loved the series.

Nirvana's song Breed will serve as the opening theme of the anime, which stars two Japanese high school girls who frequent a music shop and share a love of Western rock music. One ends up infatuated with the other without realizing that the rock-savvy boy of her daydreams is in fact her female classmate in a punk getup, and the two unavoidably grow closer. The series' neon green motif, a sharp highlight in a sea of black-and-white panels, has earned it the nickname "green yuri" among English fans, with yuri referring to women-loving-women stories (complementing yaoi, men-loving-men).

Though many mainstream rock and pop bands have been featured in countless anime openings and endings, Nirvana is an extraordinarily rare type of license for an anime studio to pursue, let alone secure. Aniplex, parent to CloverWorks, the animation studio which will adapt the series, released a short interview with Grohl, conducted by series author Sumiko Arai, who discussed the song Breed and his thoughts on the series.

"Breed was always my favorite song to open a show with," he recalls. "We did it a few times, I think. The last time that Nirvana performed together with me and [Krist Novoselic] and Pat Smear, we performed for this benefit concert in Los Angeles after the fires. And we were trying to think of what song to begin with ... I think it's a great way to start the show."

With a physical volume of The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy at All in his hands, Grohl says, "I think that Kurt definitely would've loved this." Arai, or perhaps an interpreter, seems to ask, "Really?" in response.

"Oh my god, yeah, of course," Grohl adds. "This is exactly – it seems like the same message, aesthetic, and the vibe. It's cool." It's a fair read. After all, Cobain was staunchly supportive of the LGBT community, famously saying, in early print liners of Nirvana's 1992 album Incesticide, that, "If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of different color, or women, please do this one favor for us -- leave us the fuck alone! Don't come to our shows and don't buy our records."

Reviewing a list of songs that will be used in the anime, Grohl adds, "These are amazing. What? Wow. Oh my god, this is a good playlist. This is incredible. Oh my god, it's so good, you have really good taste in music."

The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy at Allwas part of our list of the top 10 manga of 2024. I stand by my thoughts at the time, with the small caveat that the series' central relationship was a little less clear in early volumes, and look forward to the anime.

Delicious in Dungeon season 2 release plans help set up 2027 to be one of anime's best years ever.

Delicious in Dungeon season 2 finally has a release window, which means 2027 is shaping up to be a big year for new anime.

Netflix shared a new poster for Delicious in Dungeon season 2, adding that we can expect it to hit the streamer in October 2027. You can check out the poster below.

Blue Eye Samurai season 2, another Netflix anime original, also has a 2027 release window, with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End season 3 to follow suit on Crunchyroll. Chainsaw Man season 2, Jujutsu Kaisen season 4, and Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle are all also expected to arrive in 2027... making it a pretty stacked year.

Delicious in Dungeon debuted in 2024, with a second season officially announced in June, shortly after the season 1 finale aired. A trailer was also released in 2024, with an initially speculated release date of 2026. There hasn't been much by way of news until now, with Studio Trigger initially announcing the release window at Anime Expo.

The first season centered on the hunt for Falin (voiced by Saori Hayami and Lisa Reimold), the sister of adventurer Laios (Kentarô Kumagai and Damien Haas), who was eaten by a red dragon during a dungeon raid gone wrong. The second season does not yet have an official synopsis, though we can expect it to adapt the Dwarf City Ruins arc from chapter 56 of the manga.

While we wait, check out our complete guide to 2026's remaining new anime, as well as our essential best anime movies selection.

If you're looking for how to watch USA vs Belgium in the 2026 World Cup, all the streaming details are here.

USA vs Belgium promises to be pretty exciting: both teams are very closely matched, with the US men's team delivering impressive wins against Paraguay and Australia. After a slightly sluggish start Belgium were on top form in an explosive five-goal victory over New Zealand, followed by a 3-2 win over Senegal. Neither team has won a World Cup before, and the odds are slightly in Belgium's favor: the team is ranked 9th in the FIFA rankings with the US at 17.

This is the third time the US and Belgium have played against each other in a World Cup: their first ever match was at the first ever World Cup in 1930, and the US won 3-0. In their 2014 rematch Belgium won 2-1 in extra time.

If you're a fan of sports betting it seems that the bookmakers expect a USA win this time around: FanDuel gives the US team +155 to win against +165 for Belgium and +250 for a draw.

This game is taking place amid a growing controversy over a red card decision: the US team's top scorer, Folarin Balogun, was given a red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Referees' judgements are final and that meant Balogun would be suspended for at least this match in a major blow for the US. And then President Trump intervened, and FIFA reversed the decision. Trump publicly thanked FIFA for "reversing a great injustice."

The reversal hasn't gone down well, especially with Belgium: the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was "astonished" by FIFA's move. The organization is "investigating all potential options". However, at the time of writing Balogun will now play in this match.

As with other World Cup matches, different broadcasters and streamers have the broadcast and streaming rights in different countries, and in the UK the rights are split further with the BBC getting some games and ITV others. If there isn't a free stream in your country you may be able to get a free trial instead, or connect via a VPN.

Here's how to watch USA vs Belgium when it kicks off at 8pm Eastern Time on Monday 6 July.

How to watch USA vs Belgium free around the world

You can stream the World Cup for free in many countries. In the UK this match is being streamed by the BBC, so you can watch in the BBC iPlayer app. In Ireland you can stream for free with the RTE Player, and in Australia the free streaming is delivered via SBS On Demand.

Free streaming is often geo-blocked, so if your device appears to be located in a different country the stream may not play. There's an easy solution to that, though: you can use a VPN app to stream the match from wherever you are.

Free streams available in:

• UK: BBC iPlayer
• Australia: SBS On Demand
• Ireland: RTE Player

How to watch USA vs Belgium in the US

It's a shame that USA vs Belgium isn't streaming for free in the US, but free trials mean you can still catch the match without spending any money – or at least, you can if you haven't previously signed up for the trials.

At the moment we think the best free trial is the one offered by ouTube TV, which is a very long 21-day free trial. If you don't cancel at the end of the trial the first three months are discounted to $54.99 a month for the first three months, giving you ESPN, TNT and the NFL Network too. That's called the Sports Plan.

If you'd like or don't mind Spanish-language commentary you can experience the match in both Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision on Peacock, thanks to its deal with Telemundo. You'll need to be a premium Peacock subscriber or a Walmart Plus member, as Walmart bundles Peacock as part of the subscription. The free trial for Walmart Plus is currently down to just $1 for 30 days. Peacock Premium is $10.99 a month.

Fubo is offering full English-language Fox and FS1 World Cup coverage on the Sports+News package. That package usually costs $55.99 a month but you can sign up for a five-day free trial.

Fox One is once again streaming this match in pin-sharp 4K on the $19.99 per month plan. The free trial for that one is very short: Fox is currently offering three days free.

The USA vs Belgium game starts at 8pm Eastern Time.

How to watch USA vs Belgium in the UK

UK viewers have to split their World Cup viewing between two broadcasters and streamers: some matches are broadcast and streamed by the BBC, and others by ITV. The USA vs Belgium match is a BBC one, so the free stream is on BBC iPlayer. The kick-off time is 1am BST on Tuesday the 7th of July.

If you think you'll be away from the UK during the match you can still access iPlayer streams with Norton VPN, which enables you to tune into streams even when you're not home.

How to watch USA vs Belgium in Canada

The TSN+ streaming platform will be streaming USA vs Belgium live from 8.00PM ET.

If you're traveling outside Canada while this match takes place you might be geoblocked when you try to stream the fixture. You can get around that with Norton VPN, which enables you to stream normally from anywhere.

How to watch USA vs Belgium in Australia

The USA vs Belgium match is another morning match for Australian viewers: kick-off is 10am AEST on 7 July. SBS on Demand will be streaming the match live.

If you aren't going to be in Australia that morning but still want to stream the match on SBS, we'd recommend Norton VPN: it's rock-solid and delivers smooth streaming.

We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

As Microsoft officially drops layoffs on Xbox in its biggest restructuring ever, developers from beloved studios are reacting with shock, frustration, and in the case of the Bethesda Game Studios Union, solidarity with employees being made redundant.

The BGS Union says it's tired of workers on the ground paying for the mistakes of the top-level executive suite, time and time again.

"In what is becoming a stressful annual routine, Microsoft has decided to lay off thousands, including MANY of us at Bethesda Games Studios. With over 10k developers already cut from previous rounds, those at the top have deemed that insufficient in fixing their mistakes," reads a Bluesky post from the workers union.

"Today we say goodbye to many of our friends and colleagues and to hundreds more across Xbox, including folks that have worked at Bethesda Games Studios for decades. When will this cycle of cuts in pursuit of ever-greater profits end?"

In an anticipated but nonetheless upsetting announcement, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma today revealed her big "reset" plan for Microsoft's long fledgling gaming branch: all in all, 3,200 jobs are being cut over the course of fiscal year 2027, 1,600 of which have been made immediately redundant.

Meanwhile, at least four studios are splitting off, with Compulsion Games and Double Fine going independent and Ninja Theory and Undead Labs entering "terms to join new ownership." Finally, the broadest overview of Xbox's big downsizing involves "potential strategic options" for Dishonored and Deathloop studio Arkane, words I'm sure are providing utmost comfort to the developers working there.

In her reasoning for Xbox's latest layoff blitz, Sharma points to weak operating margins, an overstuffed portfolio of AAA and indie studios and acquisitions that didn't pay off, and lower than expected returns on Game Pass and multiplatform investments.

Because of our One BGS union, we have the right to negotiate over the impacts of these layoffs, helping secure stronger severance packages and better support for those leaving the company.We will do everything we can to make sure our friends are properly taken care of.

— @bethesdaunion.bsky.social (@bethesdaunion.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-07-06T20:13:11.556Z

The question of when will enough truly be enough is on the minds of millions of game developers, journalists, and fans growing increasingly weary of studio closures, layoffs, and game cancelations in one of the most turbulent periods the games industry has ever faced. Although it can be hard to think of a major video game developer, publisher, or hardware manufacturer that hasn't seen cuts in the last few years, the latest 20% reduction in Xbox's overall workforce stands out as one of the most egregious in recent memory.

The workers being forced to leave Bethesda Game Studios are in the comparatively advantageous position of being protected by a union contract, which can often stipulate more favorable severance terms relative to a non-union job being made redundant – yet another argument for organized labor in the industry.

"Because of our One BGS union, we have the right to negotiate over the impacts of these layoffs, helping secure stronger severance packages and better support for those leaving the company," the union adds. "We will do everything we can to make sure our friends are properly taken care of."

Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake will reportedly join Fallout and Elder Scrolls as Bethesda owner ZeniMax switches focus to its largest franchises amid Xbox restructure

Today's Microsoft layoffs jogged the memory of Halo veteran and freshly laid-off Marathon designer Dan Callan, who says former Xbox boss Don Mattrick demonstrated how gaming executives "just live on different planes of reality" compared to people making games.

In a Bluesky post, Callan recalls demoing Halo 4, on which he was a mission designer, to Mattrick. "I was showing off my mission and when the Mantis showed up with its new cool intro vignette he raised his hand and said to the group, 'Has anyone here played... Diablo 3?'"

Perhaps you've guessed where this was going. Mattrick suggested that Halo 4 "should copy their idea of a real money auction house for campaign mech skins," says Callan.

You may recall that Diablo 3's auction house was, ahead of a bird's nest of server issues, the single biggest problem with that game at launch. This invasive form of monetization obliterated all game integrity, invited toxic market manipulation, and was ultimately removed by Blizzard. It is, perhaps, not the best feature to emulate.

After Mattrick's suggestion, Callan says "every single human being around him reacted like this was an amazing groundbreaking idea while simultaneously realizing this was the stupidest shit imaginable since everyone with a brain had seen how hard that blew up in their face and the game was 90% done."

Nevertheless, Callan says "they still had to act like it was a good idea and make the pretense that they were making action items and shit," as if to placate the higher-ups.

Callan concludes: "So yeah game execs remain stupid detached money grubbing idiots."

In a reply, he clarifies, "I just want proper accountability wherever we can get it, and I just don't believe most of the people being laid off were responsible for the decisions that necessitated them." This sentiment has been echoed

In a follow-up post, Callan adds, "This isn't even the dumbest thing that was said that day but I'll let other people tell those stories. But it's so much worse."

Halo seems to be one of the few projects that's at all safe under Xbox, yet it's also emblematic of Microsoft's inconsistent strategy: the next Halo game is coming to PS5 even as new CEO Asha Sharma insists on a return to exclusive games that can prop up the struggling platform.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a better summary of today's games industry: a designer, who was just laid off by the company that made Halo after mismanagement buried its flagship game following a $3.6 billion acquisition, alleging executive incompetence, and a proposed repeat of Diablo 3's famously disastrous monetization scheme, at the company which just laid off thousands of people and previously acquired the makers of Diablo in a deal nearing $69 billion.

Xbox parts ways with 4 studios, with South of Midnight and Psychonauts devs going independent as Arkane begins "required consultation" to "review potential strategic options."

Following the film's surprise box office takeover, Obsession star Inde Navarrette has been meeting with some pretty interesting directors... and we could be seeing her in the MCU.

In an interview with Nylon, Navarrette said she met with Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier, who is set to helm the MCU's first standalone X-Men movie, and even Michael Mann – who is currently busy with Heat 2. When asked if she would star in a Marvel movie, Navarrette simply said, "I would."

The actor is in high demand after Obsession, an absolutely stellar horror movie about a dude who sucks and decides to use a magical knick-knack to get a woman to love him instead of just asking her out, earned over $400 million at the global box office against a budget of just $750,000. Navarrette has been praised for her acting chops, with many scenes going viral online, and this is definitely just the beginning of what's about to be a very long career.

"I really want to prove that Obsession wasn’t just lightning in a bottle," Navarrette added in the same interview. "This is something that I really love and want to continue doing, but of course that’s going to take time. I want people to take that time to trust that I have that capability."

Navarrette can be next seen in the thriller Invertigo, which just wrapped filming. Marvel's untitled X-Men movie is set to arrive sometime in 2028. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way, as well as everything you need to know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

If all of last week felt like waiting for the other shoe to drop at Xbox, today feels like wading through the rubble from a 7.0 magnitude earthquake. Microsoft's gaming division is officially undergoing its largest restructuring ever, which will result in the loss of 3,200 jobs by the end of the 2027 fiscal year. 1,600 of those cuts happened today to kick off what CEO Asha Sharma has been calling a "reset" for the brand.

It's been apparent to anyone watching that Xbox has been navigating an identity crisis for years now following an acquisition blitz and several subsequent restructurings, culminating in the dramatic departure of longtime Xbox boss Phil Spencer and president Sarah Bond. In the months since Sharma, who was previously president of Microsoft's CoreAI product, was announced as Spencer's successor, she's been frank about Xbox's struggles and has warned of an impending mass company reset. Today, that plan was unveiled in a company email shared to Sharma's official Twitter account.

"Our business today is not healthy," Sharma writes. "We are operating at margins that are 3–10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses."

That statistic is new and eye-opening even within the context of Xbox's challenging position in the hardware business. It does little to soften the profound human toll of such a fundamental restructuring, but it does underscore just how unsustainable the Xbox business model had become under previous leadership, especially when you consider the ongoing RAM shortages and the catastrophic economics of gaming hardware ahead of the next console generation, not to mention Microsoft's historic affinity for healthy margins.

In her letter to employees, Sharma speaks candidly about some of the specific strategic failures that drove Xbox into the hole it's desperately trying to claw its way out of now.

"We entered Gen 9 with a smaller install base and a higher cost structure. To grow, we bet on Game Pass, multi-platform, and a broader portfolio of content," she says. "While those businesses have created meaningful value, they did not grow at the pace we expected."

"As that happened, our core business weakened, and we added more teams, more investment, and more time, hoping for a better outcome. And now the industry is facing the most severe hardware crisis in its history. We must reset XBOX."

The cuts to Xbox's workforce are part of a downsizing that'll split off four studios: Compulsion Games and Double Fine are going independent, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are being sold to new, currently undisclosed owners. Meanwhile, Sharma says Xbox is looking at "potential strategic options" for Dishonored studio Arkane, whose future was uncertain as Marvel's Blade reportedly struggled in development.

Arkane founder asks Xbox CEO "how much" Microsoft wants for the studio: "I'm asking for a friend"

Raphael Colantonio, the original founder of Arkane Studios, wants to know how much Xbox might take for the studio as it rushes to shed developers in new cost-cutting measures.

As part of sweeping layoffs and studio spinouts at Xbox, Microsoft has begun talks, as part of required consultation, with leadership of Dishonored maker Arkane Studios about "strategic options" ahead of the studio's expected divestment. If Arkane is divested, it would be the fifth severed studio in this wave of cuts, joining Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.

A Twitter post from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma shares the statement sent to Xbox employees this morning. In a cheeky reply, Colantonio says, "Regarding Arkane… how much? I’m asking for a friend". A good old-fashioned tongue-out squinting face, the hallowed XP, seals the deal.

We – and by we, I mostly mean the ravenous, understandably hopeful fans replying to Colantonio's post – obviously should not treat this Twitter reply as a serious business proposal, but Colantonio's voice is an interesting one amidst cascading Xbox cuts.

Colantonio was president of Arkane for 18 years but left in 2017 to form WolfeEye Studios, creator of delightful action RPG Weird West. He's been critical of Microsoft's handling of Arkane in the past, calling the decision to shutter Arkane Austin post-Redfall "stupid."

Colantonio has also questioned Xbox's broader gaming strategy. Last year, he argued Xbox Game Pass is an "unsustainable model" that has been "damaging the industry for a decade."

"Subsidized by MS’s 'infinite money', but at some point reality has to hit," he said at the time. "I don’t think GP can co-exist with other models, they’ll either kill everyone else, or give up."

Game Pass deals have enabled, bailed out, or otherwise funded many games, but the service is demonstrably running into issues within Microsoft. In her statement today, Sharma admits bets on Game Pass, multiplatform releases, and "a broader portfolio of content" led to "meaningful value" but those businesses did not "grow at the pace we expected."

Xbox acquisitions have been a disaster: "In a typical year, we lost 64 cents for every dollar we invested."

The fact that physical copies of GTA 6 won't actually exist, because there won't be discs in the box, means Rockstar has reached the zenith of selling plastic tat. You're just paying for a regular case and a print out of the cover art! The publisher's genuinely having the last laugh here, because there's a sticker in one of the available images associated with the upcoming blockbuster embracing the bare naked truth at the heart of unregulated capitalism.

As posted on Twitter by GTA 6 Countdown, an official picture of Grand Theft Auto 6, in the art-style of the cover, contains the sentence, "Buy more useless shit." It's included in a bar code sticker that's stuck on the counter of a clothes shop, with a young woman standing in front of it.

You're not likely to spot it right away, but since actual materials related to the game are few and far between, people have been poring over every tiny detail to understand more about Rockstar's next epic. Thus, someone eventually caught this little titbit.

It's probably worth noting it comes from the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition as well. That version costs $100 and includes some digital goodies, but nothing that impacts gameplay any, and certainly no real life collectibles. I am suddenly filled with nostalgia for the days of Big Daddy statues and the like, standard in any limited edition release of a game.

That was then, and this is now, and Rockstar would like to encourage you to invest in its non-tangible goods as heavily as possible. Of course, financial decisions are yours to make, and if the Ultimate Edition will bring value to your life, go right ahead. But if you just want the base game, the standard version will do just fine.

I do hope we're getting the third trailer soon. People were analyzing Jason's muscles the other day. Players are getting a little stir crazy, and I don't blame them. It's a new month, and only four months until GTA 6 arrives. Come on Rockstar, give us something to really look at.

GTA 6 shipping without discs "feels unfair to studios still backing physical," Lords of the Fallen 2 boss says, and Sony's certainly not helping

New Lego Pokemon sets seem to have leaked, and honestly? I think they're a real step up from what we've had so far.

Not content to leave it at last month's slew of Smart Play kits that had our inner 10-year-old losing it, the toy-maker appears to be working on three new Lego Pokemon sets for adults – Rayquaza, Munchlax, and Arcanine. These are all display pieces rather than playsets, and Rayquaza actually comes with the first Pokemon minifigure to date (Zinnia, who first appeared in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire).

I've not seen official PR info or listings at Lego yet, but these sets are being touted as confirmed by our friends over at The Gamer in a post dishing details alongside various Reddit threads like this one from Amiibofan101. Both sources suggest these models will all arrive on August 1, 2026, and they won't be throwaway novelties; Arcanine rivals some of the best Lego sets at 1,190 pieces, while Rayquaza is 1,083 and Munchlax weighs in at 757. Meanwhile, it looks as though they'll hover around the $100 mark; Rayquaza will apparently cost $129.99, Munchlax sits at $79.99, and Arcanine is $99.99.

First look at Rayquaza, Arcanine & Munchlax Pokémon LEGO Sets Releasing August 1st from r/pokemon

So, are these real? I have no doubt that they are. Both Rayquaza and Munchlax have been rumored for a long time, and leaked images matching the current ones have been circulating on reddit for a while. They also perfectly line up with Lego's own preferred layout for product listings,

Either way, I think they look fantastic. I've been a little mixed on the Pokemon range thus far since it was announced (we were wondering what they'd done to Pikachu when it was first shown off, for example), and the new Smart Play line has divided us at the GamesRadar+ office. However, these figures lean into what made the likes of Lego Eevee and the three starter evolutions so great. Unlike Charizard and co, not to mention Lego Pikachu, they're also far more affordable.

If that August 1 release date is accurate, it's gonna be a busy month for fans; the Pokemon Smart Play kits are due to arrive then alongside the first KPop Demon Hunters model, a newly revealed ET figure, and more. We have reached out to Lego for confirmation.

For more cool collectibles, why not check out our guide to the best toys? As for other pocket monster-themed goodies, don't miss the best Pokemon merch.

Razer has dropped the third of its Pokemon collaborations, this time giving Eevee evolution fans something to get excited about with the new Espeon & Umbreon Collection.

Launching in partnership with The Pokemon Company and coincidentally a few months before the Pokemon 30th Anniversary, the Espeon and Umbreon line-up is made up of a stunning Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless gaming keyboard, Razer Cobra gaming mouse, Razer Gigantus V2 mouse mat, and a wired Razer Kraken V4 X gaming headset, all decked out with art of the two Gen two Pokemon. However, unlike Pokemon Gold and Silver, there's no special requirements to grab them besides logging onto the official Razer store and parting with your hard-earned cash.

Where to pre-order the Razer Espeon & Umbreon Collection

• Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless - $119.99 at Razer / £119.99 at Razer
• Razer Cobra - $59.99 at Razer / £59.99 at Razer
• Razer Gigantus V2 Medium - $29.99 at Razer
• Razer Kraken V4 X - $109.99 at Razer / £109.99 at Razer

Just like the Razer Gengar Collection, purple is the color of choice for the entire collection, which is actually a clever decision on Razer's part. Not just because Espeon is known for its pretty purple color palette, but grabbing any of these new PC gaming accessories would tie in nicely with the Gengar ones, should you already have them in your setup.

In fact, the Gengar Collection doesn't have a keyboard, which makes this new Espeon and Umbreon Edition Razer Ornata V3 Tenkeyless ($119.99 at Razer) even more intriguing. It's the same gaming keyboard that you can buy without the Pokemon branding, sporting low-profile keys and the brand's Mecha-Membrane switches, but the board is coated in this stunning dark purple colorway, which shines when the Razer Chroma-powered RGB lighting is set to a matching light purple-pink, as seen in the official marketing images.

The two Eevee evolutions can be spotted hiding around the directional keys and are hard to ignore as they sit dead center on the accompanying wrist rest. While the Pokémon theming is a bit more subtle than I personally prefer, the little star designs and the UV-painted keycaps should help this keyboard shine amongst your setup, as would the matching Razer Cobra gaming mouse.

At $59.99 it's one of the cheapest additions to this new collection, yet it's also one of the cutest. Espeon and Umbreon can be found on the left and right keys, and Razer has gone for a slightly different design this time around. Instead of just re-using the same depiction of the sitting Pokemon as the keyboard, Espeon is giving a cheeky wink as Umbreon stands guard. The palm rest of this Razer Optical Mouse with Gen 3 switches also plays host to a swarm of stars that surrounds an RGB Chroma-powered Razer logo, which is a nice touch.

I would have preferred to see a glowing Pokeball instead, but it makes sense that Razer would want to keep its branding intact. Especially as it mirrors that of the Gengar Edition Razer Cobra gaming mouse. At least the Razer branding is minimal on the matching Espeon and Umbreon Razer Gigantus V2 mouse mat ($29.99). The medium model remains the cheapest item in the set, and features a textured micro-weave cloth surface that showcases the two Pokemon as they appear on the gaming keyboard.

Last but not least, the Razer Espeon and Umbreon Collection is rounded off with a new version of the Razer Kraken V4 X headset. As the hardware team's best gaming headset connoisseur, this is the accessory that has most caught my eye, though I'm disappointed to see that Razer played it a little safe with this new Pokemon release.

While the Gengar Kraken Kitty V2 headset went all out by replicating the Pokemon's ears and hair tufts with a pair of cups that I'd easily incorporate into a cosplay if I still made costumes, this new Kraken V4 X headset has none of that. Don't get me wrong, it still looks great with its light and dark purple color palette, and the Espeon and Umbreon illustrations that are peeking from inside the earcushions, but I was hoping for a design that felt a bit more elaborate.

I was also hoping that Razer would take an existing wireless headset like the Razer Kraken Kitty V3 Pro and use it as the basis for its next Pokemon collection, as the Kraken V4 X is limited by its wired connectivity. However, at least it's a pair that's got the brand's TriForce 40 mm audio drivers in tow, so while you won't have Bluetooth or 2.4GHz to play around with, it should still sound pretty grand.

The entirety of this new Razer Espeon and Umbreon Collection is available now from the official Razer online store. However, if you aren't a fan of these old-school Eevee evolutions, you could always grab the Gengar Collection starting from $59.99 at Razer instead.

Check out our guides to the best PC gaming headset, the best gaming keyboard, and the best gaming chair if you want to catch all the best accessories for your PC gaming setup.

Turns out there's an appetite for Commodore's Callback flip phone, and the so-called "dumbphone" has apparently matched the C64 Ultimate in first-month sales. That's quite the feat given that we're talking about a device that used to cost $500 before being reduced to $400, but the microcomputer lover in me has an eyebrow firmly raised at the company's reaction to the achievement.

In a post to X, the Callback 8020's pre-order stats are described as "The biggest moment in Commodore's modern history!" (thanks, Time Extension). Don't get me wrong, I actually think the flip-phone has the potential to help people avoid the horrors of social media while still being "connected", but I can't help but feel bad for the machine that marked the brand's resurrection.

Yes, you could argue that if it weren't for the Commodore 64 Ultimate, the brand would be stuck back in the '80s, serving as an immortalised alternative to the best retro consoles. At the same time, releasing things that aren't just microcomputers makes sense when it comes to the overarching "grow Commodore" battle plan.

Still, I am worried about the underlying taste the Callback 8020 is potentially leaving in the mouths of retro gaming fans. Again, I am looking forward to seeing what a flip-phone that's anti-doomscrolling can deliver to those of us looking to escape our aggressive social media rectangles, but at the same time, it's getting off on the wrong foot with some of its marketing tactics.

For starters, Commodore seems to have a nasty habit of using AI for its Callback 8020 promotional videos. That's certainly a guaranteed way to get my back up, even if it claims to use the tech "sparringly". It's also coming under fire for creating a garish crossbody holster for the flip-phone that feels more like a gag than something you'd pay $24 for, not to mention you can grab very similar accessories on AliExpress for half the price.

I'll still be looking to try out the Callback 8020 if I can, as I do think it's important to see if Commodore's additional tech boasts the same quality as its microcomputer range. Plus, while the brand is currently raving about its phone, I'm sure it's aware that most of its fan base is eagerly awaiting the C64C Ultimate variant, and maybe, just maybe we'll see something Amiga-shaped in the future too.

Swing by the best retro handhelds for ways to take your classic collection on the go.

In the wake of Pragmata's success, Bayonetta and Devil May Cry creator Hideki Kamiya credits Capcom's success to its willingness to create new franchises.

After the last decade, I don't think it's a stretch to say Capcom has become one of the best AAA publishers on the planet. Since the release of Resident Evil 7 in 2017, the publisher has effectively been releasing a game of the year contender every single year – or multiple games, in the case of 2019, 2021, 2023, and, so far, 2026.

This has translated to sales success: every single game in the company's all-time top 10 best-selling games list was released since 2017. 2012's Resident Evil 6 is the first pre-2017 entry and comes in at 12th place.

Kamiya – who is now working with Capcom on Okami 2 after leaving the company back in 2007 – was asked by a fan on Twitter how Capcom is able to release hit after hit. Kamiya says (via machine translation) Capcom has a lot of talented staff under its banner. However, he also notes that Capcom management has a proactive approach to creating new series, like Pragmata is leading to good results.

While other new IP attempts like Exoprimal or Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess haven't exactly set the world on fire, Pragmata was a hit for Capcom receiving critical acclaim and positive fan reception, as well as selling over two million copies within 16 days of launch.

Capcom has also said it will "consider the possibility" of developing the sci-fi shooter into a series going forward, as well as saying it will continue making new IP.

Pragmata director Yonghee Cho told us in May that he would "of course" love to make a sequel to the game.

In a games industry dominated by safe bets, Capcom keeps getting weird with it.

Despite rumors that he'd join the cast as Two-Face, Sebastian Stan has seemingly been spotted with a brand-new look while filming The Batman 2... and now DC fans think he might be playing Victor Zsasz in the upcoming sequel.

Here's the thing: The Batman 2 is indeed currently filming, but it hasn't been verified yet that this is a photo from July 2026 (and you can see it for yourself below). Stan shaved his head bald for Fjord, a legal thriller drama that was shot in 2025 and premiered at Cannes in May 2026. If this is a recent photo, that means Stan isn't playing Harvey Dent aka Two-Face after all... and there's some truth to the June 2026 report from The Insneider that claims Stan is playing sadomasochistic creepazoid Victor Zsasz, and that Brian Tyree Henry is playing Harvey Dent.

Though you may not be familiar with Zsasz, we've already seen him three times in live-action form: Tim Booth plays a version that works as an enforcer for Carmine in Batman Begins; Anthony Carrigan played him in the TV show Gotham, and Chris Messina portrayed him as a killer-for-hire who works for Black Mask in Birds of Prey. Zsasz first appeared in Batman: Shadow of the Bat #1 back in 1992, and is known for carving a tally mark into his skin to represent each of his victims.

One fan shared an alleged screenshot from Stan's stylist Michael Fisher, in which he seems to have posted a fan-made photo of Stan as Harvey Dent in response to the clean-shaven photo... so I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

The Batman 2 is set to hit theaters on October 1, 2027. For more, check out our list of all the upcoming DC movies and shows.

I'm not one of those collectors who needs to have their amiibo as pristine as possible, but sometimes I just appreciate how they look in the box.

The only issue that can arise from keeping them looking brand-new is that Nintendo's packaging tends to weather pretty fast. I have plenty of unopened amiibo that have been sitting untouched for years, and yet the packaging has started to degrade and curl. So you can bet I was over the moon to discover that plastic box protectors, like the ones I see stacked up amongst Funko Pops at my local comic book shop, exist but for Nintendo amiibo instead.

I cannot lie that I felt a bit like Comic Book Guy's 'The Collector's alter ego from The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror as I slide poor plastic Sora from Kingdom Hearts into his plastic protector prison, but it's for a good cause. Sora's Super Smash Bros amiibo release is one of my favorite additions to the amiibo line-up to date, as I adore Kingdom Hearts with all my heart. Please excuse the pun. And I want to keep him and his packaging looking as good as I can for as long as I can.

Fortunately, the protectors are pretty easy to set up, so this shouldn't be an issue when I start to bag up more than just Sora. The protector (or at least the one I bought) arrived flat through the post, and all I had to do was fold along the lines and slide Sora inside, where he'll inevitably remain for the future. Sorry, pal. Donald Duck's likely going to have a harder time attempting to cure you now.

The protector was so easy to put together that I'm already eyeing the rest of my boxed amiibo that could do with some extra protection. At the moment, my figures like the Super Smash Bros Joker amiibo and Shovel Knight are sitting in their boxes, being subject to general wear and tear and the worst property of damage of all, dust. Yet hopefully, by picking up more of these plastic put-it-together-yourself boxes, I should be able to keep them safe and sound.

If you're considering grabbing some for yourself and are worried about the costly investment of buying multiples for your many amiibo, don't be. While I purchased mine for £6 from eBay Store Gaming Crave, and I've listed a 10-pack above for $20, multiple stores on AliExpress list them for as low as 99cents /99p per protector.

I have a feeling that these AliExpress listings could be where a bulk of other stores are sourcing their protectors, so grabbing them from the source yourself is going to be the cheapest option. These sellers also list larger protectors for any of you with the Pyra & Mythra amiibo double pack or the Alterna Set (Callie & Marie) double pack, so you've got more options than you'll find at mainstream retailers like Amazon, alongside the lower prices.

Before I go to inevitably pick up more for myself, do be aware that those protectors are still dependent on how well you look after them. They're pretty thin and are best for combating against dust and little knicks and abrasions. If your amiibo were to fall from a great height, it could still be subject to damage. So please don't start using them as an excuse to hurl your Nintendo toys around the room. I don't think any of you hurl amiibo in your free time, but you can never be too sure.

If you're on the hunt for more amiibo, I've pulled together all the upcoming 2026 amiibo releases in one handy dandy place.

I'm no stranger to Stardew Valley and all of the cozy farming sims it's inspired since its 2016 release – but Moonlight Peaks might just be my favorite in concept yet.

In case you've not heard of it yet, Moonlight Peaks is a wholesome farming and life sim that takes everything I love about games like Stardew Valley and gives it a Monster High-esque twist. It ticks all of the genre boxes – bug-catching, cooking, farming, fishing, questing, and, of course, romance – but also adds a bit of morbid magic. There are vampires (whom you play as yourself), mermaids, werewolves, witches… what more could a girl want?

The town itself follows a unique nighttime schedule, too. You don't wake up in the early morning to farm through the day in Moonlight Peaks. Instead, you rise out of your coffin at the turn of the night and take care of your daily tasks before sunrise… because, well, you are a vampire.

Visually, it's appealing, to say the least – but it also adds an extra "cozy" layer to the game, in my opinion, with all of the purple-y blue visuals.

Moonlight Peaks boasts an adorable aesthetic overall, honestly. I'm sold thanks to the Animal Crossing: New Horizons-esque designs and cute itty-bitty beasts (is that a three-eyed cat?) – it's a nice cartoon-y change of pace from the pixel-y style other recent genre gems like Fields of Mistria have opted for.

The whole mystical, magical side of the game from indie developer Little Chicken is what really has me hooked, though. From potion-making to spell-casting, there's no shortage of witchy, whimsical vibes to be found in Moonlight Peaks. The devs even tease mystical crops – whatever that might mean. It's spooktacular, but not in a legitimately frightening way that would break the cozier immersion we farming sim stans crave. The game is, as Little Chicken so aptly puts it, "a sweet and spooky journey."

If you're just as obsessed with cute monster people and farming games as I am, you can grab the game over on Steam, Nintendo Switch, or Switch 2 when it unlocks tomorrow.

Searching for more to look forward to? Browse through our roundup of the best new games coming this year and beyond for other great titles to wishlist.

It's hard to nail down a fair refund policy for video games, beyond hardware issues, because so much comes down to taste. Steam's, which relies on playtime and purchase length, is decent, but there's an inherent flaw for shorter works that an indie dev is pointing out on Twitter, in the wake of tens of thousands of lost sales.

The game in question is Paddle Paddle Paddle, a quirky bit of friendslop in which you guide two people downstream on a raft. One person controls the paddle on one side, another on the other - or you can do both yourself, for a bit of Qwop-type chicanery.

It looks fun, and it's quite short, clocking in at under two hours to complete the whole thing as is. As that's the threshold for Steam refunds besides owning the product for two weeks, you can guess the predicament this has created for solo developer Zoroarts.

"This should not be possible Steam," he says in a Twitter post. "Would be cool if you could finally do something about your refund policy. Got dozens of reviews like that and 21% refund rate even though the reviews are 90% very positive."

He includes a screenshot of a review calling Paddle Paddle Paddle a "Great game," but notes that it was completed in less than two hours, so the person refunded it. Zoroarts goes on to say that the grand total of refunds comes in at "over 55,000," though it provides no graphs or other evidence of this claim.

Nonetheless, it's an uncomfortable quandary for a release like this. It's a small project, designed to be played in an afternoon, and then replayed after for better times and such, but because of Valve's blanket policy, someone can take it back without question after a single play-through.

There's a fundamental dissonance at work, and it's costing small teams genuine sales. If this has you curious, Paddle Paddle Paddle is currently 40% off. Just don't return it if you actually like it.

Valve's Gabe Newell continues spending his billions on an undersea armada, adding an $800 million deep sea vessel to the one he already had in the works

Anne Hathaway's audition story about The Dark Knight Rises is going viral again... and it'll always be iconic.

"Here's the thing that worked in my favor: she's a chameleon," Hathaway said in a new interview with Josh Horowitz during press for The Odyssey, which can be viewed below. "So, I knew I was auditioning for... I was meeting with Chris [Nolan] for the female role in the Batman trilogy, the next installment. I thought that I'd gamed it out, because I was just like, 'It can't be Catwoman because Michelle Pfeiffer was so iconic... [gasp] It's going to be Harley Quinn!'"

There are a few villains in The Dark Knight Rises, but none of them are The Joker (as Heath Ledger's untimely passing led to the introduction of Bane and Ra's al Ghul in the third and final installment). Though times have changed and it wouldn't be weird to introduce Harley Quinn as a solo character in 2026, it wouldn't have made much sense back in 2012. Still, Hathaway's reasoning that there's no way they could introduce Catwoman does make some sense...

"So, I spent a week developing demonic Harley Quinn energy. I was wearing weird jester flats and a striped top. And then, about two hours into our conversation, Chris is like, 'So, the part's Catwoman,' and I was like, 'Transform!' So, I just then decided that I was like, 'Well, this top is very sensual.' And I was going to be very... like a psychopath. I changed personalities like a psychopath."

Zoe Kravitz is the newest live-action Catwoman, having starred as Selina Kyle in Matt Reeves's The Batman. Margot Robbie famously played Harley Quinn in the last few DCEU projects. The newly rebooted DCU, however, has yet to cast its new Batman, Catwoman, or Harley Quinn (as the Reeves projects live in what's called Elseworlds, a separate universe that runs in tandem with the new DCU).

Hathaway can be seen next as Penelope in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, which hits theaters on July 17. For more, check out our list of all the upcoming DC movies and shows.

As if Persona 4 Revival couldn't get any more exciting, it's now been confirmed that anime powerhouse MAPPA – the studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Attack on Titan's final season, and more – is producing all of the JRPG remake's animated cutscenes.

That's right, from the animators who brought you Satoru Gojo's ethereal blue eyes and many of Attack on Titan's most explosive scenes, we can now get ready for Persona 4 Golden's cutscenes to be brought to life in a new way.

We've already seen some of these in action from the remake's trailers and promotional videos – like the snippet of protagonist Yu Narukami awakening to his first Persona, Izanagi, in the game's pre-order trailer.

From what's been shown so far, they look incredible.

MAPPA's involvement in Persona 4 Revival was announced during Anime Expo 2026 over the weekend, where it was also revealed that Rise (the game's navigator, like Persona 5's Futaba and Persona 3's Fuuka) will be voiced by Abby Trott in the English dub, replacing The Last of Us Part 2's Abby actor, Laura Bailey. This isn't Trott's first Persona role, as she also voiced Tae Takemi in 5 Royal.

The new cast might take some getting used to for veteran fans, but it'd be hard to fault the new performances, from what we've heard.

I always thought that Persona 3 Reload looked great, but I've got to say that Persona 4 Revival is already looking like an even more impressive remake from what we've seen. MAPPA is only handling those anime-style cutscenes, but even the regular in-game cutscenes look super expressive, too.

There's still quite a wait before Persona 4 Revival's February 17, 2027, launch, but at least we'll have something to tide us over until Persona 6 eventually releases.

It's real, it's green, and it's looking a bit sinister, but that's about all we know about that one right now.

One Persona 4 Revival actor shared her "hardcore manifestation" to get into the JRPG remake over 2 years ago, and it clearly worked: "Dreams really do come true."

I'm not sure I've ever had more fun listening to a game developer than when I watch Kenji Kanno introduce Crazy Taxi: World Tour to a small room full of journalists and content creators at Summer Game Fest. He's rocking long, gray hair that paints him as a rock star graced by the wisdom of age, and he speaks with such enthusiasm about the game that it's tough not to get on board with him.

Sega's reasons for bringing back Crazy Taxi are fairly boring – part of an effort to revitalize legacy IP to bring in a new generation of fans. For Kanno? "My biggest personal reason," he tells us via translator, "is that I really wanted to put out a game that can make people happy, that can make people smile as they play and express themselves in their own way."

Time to make some crazy money

Kanno softly sings "yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah" – the line from the opening of The Offspring's All I Want that's burned into so many Crazy Taxi fans' heads – as he demonstrates the basics of World Tour. It instantly looks familiar, offering the same blue skies and wild stunts that made Sega's arcade classic so memorable in the first place.

It looks doubly familiar since the map I'm seeing is a recreation of the original game's vaguely defined west coast city area. The Crazy Rush mode offers the classic experience of trying to deliver as many passengers to their destinations as you can in as short a time as possible. But there's a whole campaign this time, too, and the map is populated with all sorts of additional activities.

In one mission, you'll drive a pizza chef (confusingly named Cheeseburger) on deliveries, while trying to avoid disturbing the comically huge stack of pies. There's even a fishing mini-game, where you cast out a line from your cab and do a backdash to reel it in. It's all delightful stuff, especially with the promise that we'll be visiting five different countries over the course of the game – though Kanno laughs that "some of the marketing people will get mad at me if I say what countries they are."

I'm desperate to love Crazy Taxi: World Tour, both because Kanno's enthusiasm is infectious and because I'm always going to root for an old-school revival to succeed. But there's a lot here squarely in 'too early to tell' territory. There are clearly some changes to the core gameplay, especially in how you can just power through oncoming traffic and take advantage of a newly-introduced nitrous boost. It's also not immediately clear how old techniques like the backdash and drift work. In the original game, you had to master shifting between drive and reverse in order to pull these techniques off, but just watching somebody else play the game makes these techniques look much simpler than that.

Kanno offered a brief Q&A after the demonstration, but he responded to many of the questions posed by nervously glancing at the PR reps in the room and apologizing profusely for the fact that he couldn't actually answer just yet.

We saw Axel in the demo, but are there other playable characters? Can't say anything beyond "we won't betray your expectation." Does the soundtrack vary between locations? "Sorry," he can't say. There were an array of licensed shops and restaurants in the demo, just like the original game, but Sega emailed me shortly after to ask me not to publish any of them because they're "not yet final."

Most of my time at Summer Game Fest was spent on the ground, so I didn't have much time to see the internet's reaction to the event's announcements – including the revelation that World Tour was built, in part, using generative AI. The difference in vibe between the room where I watched series creator Kenji Kanno pledge to make the world a happier place and the community's actual reaction to the game has been pretty stark, and I've been having a hard time reconciling my own feelings in the month since I've seen the game. The goofy vibes and retro arcade sensibilities speak deeply to my tastes, but without actually playing it I have no idea how good it's going to feel with controller in hand.

What does Kanno have to say to fans who've been desperate for a return to Crazy Taxi for years? "Sorry to keep you waiting," is his simple message. "Crazy Taxi has a very special place in my heart as well. The fact that so many old fans are waiting for it – and so many people know about it right now, and even within the company so many people are very excited and want a new Crazy Taxi – it makes me feel very happy."

Final Fantasy Resonance is almost my dream FF game, but its link to Square Enix's mobile games leaves me cold

Despite rumors that Xbox was looking to have Bethesda owner ZeniMax focus on Fallout and Elder Scrolls, the company will reportedly also be working on other franchises as part of an overhaul amid Xbox's major restructuring.

While Xbox is considering "potential strategic options" for Arkane, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have been purchased by currently unknown buyers, while Double Fine and Compulsion Games are going independent. As part of its ongoing wave of layoffs which will see 3,200 staff laid off over the next year (the company's fifth wave of layoffs since the purchase of Activision Blizzard) – Bethesda owner ZeniMax is reportedly also going through an overhaul to see it focus on the biggest franchises under its banner.

Last month, rumors emerged that Xbox is reportedly pushing the company to get the likes of The Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5 out sooner, but other franchises are reportedly set to be worked on alongside them. As reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, ZeniMax will apparently pivot to focus on its biggest franchises, including Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, alongside its iconic FPS trio Wolfenstein, Doom, and Quake, amid a significant overhaul.

Notably, Quake and Wolfenstein haven't had new entries in around a decade, since Quake Champions and Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus released in 2017 (although two Wolfenstein spinoffs did release in 2019 to a negative-to-mixed reception).

However, despite the news that these franchises will be developed, Schreier reports that Quake and Doom developer (as well as one-time Wolfenstein developer) id Software will be cutting "a significant number of staff" today alongside ZeniMax Online Studios – which faced a game cancellation alongside layoffs almost exactly a year ago.

It's unclear whether the franchises will be worked on by other studios under the ZeniMax banner, however Wolfenstein developer Machine Games is seemingly unaffected by today's wave of layoffs.

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Shop the collection

Shop the collection

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  1

  Warner Bros.

  Prop Replica the Crown of King Viserys Targaryen

  $314.99$349.99
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  Warner Bros.

  Fire Made Flesh Women's Crop Top

  $28.75$31.95
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  Warner Bros.

  Dance of the Dragons Bomber Jacket

  $66.60$185
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  Warner Bros.

  Sherpa Blanket, Sigil of House Targaryen

  $44.95$49.95

Warner Bros. official site has been holding itself a little sale this past weekend, but today's your last day to take advantage of 10% off House of the Dragon's official merch. Promo code FOURTH will net you savings with varying degrees of potency, from a few cents off a holographic sticker to additional savings on already-discounted varsity jackets, pin box sets, and more.

With House of the Dragon season 3 nicely underway, Warner has plenty of swag to see the penultimate run through, with some new additions to the roster for this year's instalment. A prop relica of King Viserys' crown is a highlight, though it comes in at a lofty $349.99 by itself. That promo code will set you back down to $314.99, but this is still one for power-fans.

Thankfully there are plenty of cheaper options on these shelves, from stickers for just over $6 to a light-up dragon egg for a whisker under $15. I've rounded up all my top picks from today's House of the Dragon merch sale just below - but hurry, offers end soon.

In a statement announcing thousands of layoffs at Xbox, CEO Asha Sharma spells out just how poorly Microsoft's acquisition-heavy approach to gaming has gone.

Sharma was appointed CEO amid the departure of Phil Spencer, whose time at the Xbox helm was defined by Xbox Game Pass pushes as well as a spending spree that absorbed multiple studios and companies, most recently including Activision Blizzard. All of those purchases have caught up with the company, it seems.

"Since 2018, we have aggressively expanded our studio portfolio while the number of games created each month across the industry now outpaces the last ten years combined," Sharma reflects. "We now find ourselves competing not only with the largest publishers, but also with smaller independent studios. It is neither possible nor desirable to own every great independent studio."

Sharma admits, with a staggering figure, that "we have also learned that we are not the best home for every type of studio; in a typical year, we lost 64 cents for every dollar we invested. As we reset Xbox, we will help independent creators succeed by providing open development tools and audiences to realize their vision."

Hence the equally aggressive reductions and resets hitting Xbox now. This includes multiple studio exits – although in a marked improvement from Xbox's established acquire-then-close pipeline, these studios are not shutting down outright.

Instead, South of Midnight's Compulsion Games and Psychonauts' Double Fine will go independent, while Hellblade's Ninja Theory and State of Decay's Undead Labs have secured buyers. Dishonored maker Arkane is also in discussions to "review potential strategic options" with Microsoft ahead of its expected divesting.

Some of the studios Xbox retains may also be "shifting investment to focus on higher priority projects," though Sharma says "these changes vary in size across Activision, Bethesda/ZeniMax, Blizzard, King, Mojang, and XBOX Game Studios." This follows reports that Sharma has put Bethesda's feet to the fire over The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, though emerging reports suggest the studio will also continue work on the likes of Doom and Wolfenstein.

Fantasy meets reality: Why turmoil at Xbox is impacting IO Interactive and Project Fantasy.

There's a relatively high chance Valve co-founder Gabe Newell and Hollywood director James Cameron are at least friendly. How do I know? They both partake in the hilariously ridiculous rich person hobby of investing in submarines.

One of the central figures behind Half-Life and Steam, Newell is already a relatively big player in ocean exploration, since he owns Inkfish, a research firm dedicated to learning about the ocean depths. He footed the bill on a new vessel known as RV6000, a 100-meter-sized project that recently started construction at a shipyard in Romania, and now he's taking his investment even further

Per Boat International, RV6000 is being put together by Vard, a Norwegian company, and once the outer hull is finished in Romania, it'll be sent to another shipyard in Norway to be finished. It's a state-of-the-art undertaking, described as "one of the most modern research vessels the world has seen" by Vard.

Here's the kicker: it's being handled by Oceanco, a manufacturer of high-end boats and the like Newell actually acquired himself last year. Let it never be said he does anything in half measures. He's following in the footsteps of James Cameron, who famously became infatuated by oceanic research while making 1997's Titanic, and is now a bona fide and highly qualified expert in the area.

The RV6000 costs €200 million (around $228 million) and now Newell's greenlit a second wave of investment, to the sum of €700,000,000 – or just shy of $800,000,000 – for the RV11000. This hulking mass comes to a total size of 162-meters, and it's expressly designed to go farther than most other deep sea vessels ever could.

The RV11000 will be able to hold 130 crew, and it's expected to follow the same pipeline as the RV6000. The latter should be finished in 2028, whereas the former is projected to be operational in 2030. Think of them when you're convincing your friend to buy a Half-Life bundle for $1 in the next Steam sale.

Uh-oh, the Steam Machine is having its own Xbox 360 "Red Ring of Death" moment, and Valve's lightbar codes point towards GPU failure.

Overwatch has had a turbulent history on Steam, launching as the storefront's lowest-rated game in 2023 and only rising out of the "Overwhelmingly Negative" depths a couple of times – but now, things might just be turning around for Blizzard's hero shooter.

It's no secret that Overwatch hasn't performed well review-wise over on Valve's platform. Heck, even game director Aaron Keller himself has commented on the negative reception, stating earlier this year that he's "not sure what it would take for us to move up to a positive score at this point" – but, what do you know, Overwatch no longer has a negative rating attached to it on Steam at all. Now, it's actually "Mixed."

This applies to both its recent and overall reviews, as a new influx of more positive feedback has seen the previously "Mostly Negative" rating rise.

Sure, there are still plenty of comments on the game being disappointing. One amusing review (with 1,467 hours in-game, mind you) describes its writer's time in Overwatch as a "toxic relationship that needs to end." Others criticize performance, gameplay, and, yes, microtransactions.

Folks bring up microtransactions and in-game purchases quite a few times, unsurprisingly – I mean, we are talking about that game that recently charged nearly $100 for a cosmetic bundle that introduced a new skin rarity, after all.

As for the more positive reception the game has received recently, reviews range from amusing ("hot girls," y'all… hot girls) to informative, with some players feeling that Overwatch has made a comeback this year.

"In 2026, we finally got back to just Overwatch," reads one such review. "The new characters are fun with interesting kits, the battle pass is good value, there's a lot of chances to get loot boxes, which means free cosmetics, the paid cosmetics have been really good, and overall the game has a lot to offer everyone."

Another adds, "I never thought I'd be writing a positive Overwatch review again, but here we are. Character development, apparently."

Character development, indeed. This does beg the question, could Overwatch rise up even more on the Steam ladder and perhaps see some variation of a positive review rating? I'm not keeping my fingers crossed for "Overwhelmingly Positive" or anything, but I do wonder…

Uncharted 3 co-director and The Dragon Prince co-creator joins the Overwatch team, once again reigniting hopes for an animated show.

Nintendo has confirmed that production of original Nintendo Switch consoles will end in February 2027, just under a decade after the original version launched.

In a post about the upcoming European revision of the Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo confirmed details about the console and various accessories that will be affected by this revision. While there's not too much to report, aside from some weight differences and a 16% smaller battery for the Pro Controller, the big news was hidden at the bottom in a FAQ titled "What does that mean for Nintendo Switch consoles in Europe?"

While Nintendo says the Nintendo Switch – alongside the Lite and OLED models – will continue to be manufactured throughout 2026 and "should be widely available in Europe all year," production will end in 2027. The post reads, "From mid-February 2027, almost ten years after Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017, Nintendo will no longer sell to retailers hardware in the Nintendo Switch family of systems – specifically Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch Lite and Nintendo Switch – OLED Model. Sales of Nintendo Switch hardware on Nintendo Store will also end in mid-February 2027."

While the headline "What does that mean for Nintendo Switch consoles in Europe?" does only mention Europe, however, the answer doesn't mention Europe. It's unclear if production of the Nintendo Switch and its other models will come to an end worldwide at this time. We have reached out to Nintendo Europe for comment and will update if we get a response.

While this could be seen as Nintendo cutting its losses instead of creating unique Switch hardware to comply with EU laws, it also could just be a situation where it's no longer worth producing the console thanks to the ongoing global RAM shortages compounded by AI slop farms, which have seen the prices of tech skyrocket over the last year or so.

Still, what a run the Nintendo Switch had. Super Mario Odyssey and Zelda: Breath of the Wild in its first year was enough to cement it as an all-timer, but since then it's blown up and made people forget just how dire things were for Nintendo in the first half of the 2010s by comparison.

For now, it looks like Rhythm Heaven Groove is set to be the console's final first-party game too, which would be an excellent way to go out – unless any of those rumored things we've been hearing about forever like Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD, Kirby: Planet Robobot, or Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War remake emerge in the next year.

And now, Nintendo has just over half a year to sell about 5 million consoles for the Switch to beat the PS2 to become the best-selling console of all time. Although the Switch doesn't have God Hand, so can it ever truly beat the PS2?

Nintendo promises to keep "aiming for unique entertainment that only we could produce" as it shouts out its continued "originality" following recent fan vote

Xbox layoffs have begun. CEO Asha Sharma announced that 1,600 roles will be eliminated today, July 6, as part of a staff reduction plan that will see approximately 3,200 people cut throughout the 2027 fiscal year.

Sharma describes the plan as "the most significant restructure in Xbox history." After previous layoffs, these 3,200 cuts represent roughly 20% of Xbox altogether.

"I recognize that a year-long restructuring creates additional challenges," Sharma adds. "Unfortunately, it is not possible to make all the necessary changes in a single day, and I wanted to be direct about the scale."

These 1,600 people will exit the company alongside four studios: Compulsion Games and Double Fine will operate independently, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have "entered terms to join new ownership."

Additionally, Xbox is reviewing "potential strategic options" with Dishonored maker Arkane, which was rumored to be on the chopping block amid Marvel's Blade production obstacles.

Sharma outlines dire conditions for Xbox: 64 cents of "every dollar we invested" was lost on average, the brand's operating margins – a metric downright revered at Microsoft – are "3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses," and major bets on studio acquisitions, Xbox Game Pass, and multiplatform releases have not seen expected returns.

So, Xbox is cutting thousands of people amid other moves to "reset" and right the brand. "Today’s decisions do not reflect their talent or dedication," Sharma adds.

Broader initiatives include streamlined leadership, with Helen Chiang, an Xbox veteran of nearly 20 years, appointed as chief operating officer as Dave McCarthy retires after 17 years at Xbox. Sharma also seeks to reduce the layers of management involved in approvals from as many as 14 in some areas to as few as five or three.

"In addition, Mojang and King will now report directly to me," Sharma explains. King, the mobile arm of the Activision Blizzard King deal, sits alongside Minecraft house Mojang as Xbox properties that "have increasingly become platforms and are our largest by monthly active players."

Sharma insists "these changes are about a bigger future for XBOX, not a smaller one," reiterating plans to invest "as much in Xbox as we ever have," but with "greater focus, greater discipline, and greater clarity."

PlayStation's disc-less future could "heavily influence" Xbox and Nintendo's approach to physical games, former Sony boss says, calling the decision "dramatic".

It's been confirmed that four Xbox-owned studios are breaking free from Microsoft ownership amid the "most significant restructure in XBOX history," while "required consultation" begins with management of Arkane.

In a memo sent to Xbox staff today, CEO Asha Sharma reveals that South of Midnight studio Compulsion Games and Psychonauts developer Double Fine are both going independent. Meanwhile, Senua studio Ninja Theory and State of Decay dev Undead Labs will be getting new owners, while management of Marvel's Blade studio Arkane is "beginning required consultation with its Works Council to review potential strategic options."

Sharma writes: "Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions will return to management and transition to independent studios with their IP, catalog, and runway for their next games. Ninja Theory and Undead Labs have entered terms to join new ownership with funding to complete and grow Senua and State of Decay 3."

In the memo, Sharma admits that from 2018, "we have aggressively expanded our studio portfolio while the number of games created each month across the industry now outpaces the last ten years combined." Acknowledging that the company is competing "not only with the largest publishers, but also with smaller independent studios," Sharma says "it is neither possible nor desirable to own every great independent studio."

All this comes as Sharma outlines plans to "reduce our team by approximately 3,200 throughout FY27," with around 1,600 members of staff being laid off today. "We are also making reductions across other units, and in some cases, shifting investment to focus on higher priority projects," she continues. "These changes vary in size across Activision, Bethesda/ZeniMax, Blizzard, King, Mojang, and XBOX Game Studios. None of our first party publicly announced games or projects are being cancelled as part of these reductions."

Responding publicly to the news, Compulsion Games has issued a statement clarifying that it will "retain the rights to Contrast, We Happy Few, and our award-winning South of Midnight," and adding that it's "grateful for the years we spent with Xbox." It says: "As an independent studio, we're excited to continue building the distinctive games that define Compulsion while taking the next steps in our journey."

Furthermore, Compulsion is "confident in the future" of the studio "and look forward to this next chapter where one thing will remain constant: we will create unique games that tell important stories, all with the goal of touching the hearts and minds of our players."

Double Fine similarly shares its thanks to Xbox in a statement, both for its support over the years and "for working with us to reach an outcome which preserves our history and culture, and returns ownership of our games to us."

An important update from Compulsion Games.

— @compulsiongames.bsky.social (@compulsiongames.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-07-06T14:29:37.785Z

All this comes following weeks of whispers that studios including Double Fine and Compulsion were under threat of closure. It was reported that Microsoft was already planning its split from Ninja Theory when its next game, Senua, was revealed at the Xbox Games Showcase only weeks earlier. For those three studios – as well as Undead Labs, which is set to release State of Decay 3 at some point next year – this outcome is quite a relief. Though undoubtedly still unsettling for staff – a number of Compulsion Games employees announced that they were looking for work only a couple of weeks ago – at least the studios aren't closing their doors.

Things are less reassuring when it comes to Dishonored and Deathloop studio Arkane. Clearly, there'll be more news on its fate to follow, but "potential strategic options" doesn't immediately inspire confidence that the devs will be able to continue as normal. It was only a few weeks ago that lead concept artist at the studio, Jean-Luc Monnet, reassured fans that Marvel's Blade is still in development, but a report from The Verge last week which claimed that Microsoft was considering cancelling the game or selling the studio obviously wasn't so comforting.

As reported last week, Obsidian Entertainment appears to be safe from closure amid the Xbox restructuring.

Donkey Kong is turning 45 this week. As an old-age gaming pensioner, I'm trying to comprehend that bananas news, but July 9, 2026 marks 45 years since our favorite tie-wielding ape first landed in arcades and changed the scope of gaming as we see it. Of course, he didn't have a tie back then and was more concerned with hurling barrels at Jumpman (aka Mario) than looking sharp, but he's come a long way.

There's been a hoard of DK-flavored goodies released in those 45 years, including the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, which feature Donkey Kong and friends. From a lenticular 'moving' Switch 2 case, plenty of amiibo, and Switch 2 Joy-Con covers, it's not too difficult to show off your love for the 45-year-old ape with your handheld, and I've gathered these a-peel-ing accessories down below.

With the Switch 2 still being pretty new, there aren't as many DK-themed Switch 2 goodies as I had hoped. With that in mind, I've thrown in some older amiibo and accessories that are compatible with the new handheld, so you've got plenty plenty of choices which are ripe for picking.

My personal top Donkey Kong Switch 2 accessory picks

Donkey Kong Turtle Beach PlayTrek Switch 2 Travel Case

The Donkey Kong Switch 2 Case remains one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases available today as far as design goes. I reviewed the 'Mario Bricks' version earlier this year and was instantly swayed by its lenticular design, which is also featured on this model. Instead of a piece of hidden Super Mario art that reveals itself depending on your view angle, glancing at this Donkey Kong version makes the foliage behind DK and Diddy Kong's silhouettes appear to be moving.

The design is much more subtle on this version, and the case includes all the same amenities that I adored in the Mario version. You've got space for your Nintendo Switch 2 console, a small fabric mesh pocket for small accessories, and a dedicated space for storing up to 12 physical games, all for $29.99 (Amazon), and even less when there are sales inbound.

Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo

I love a good amiibo and have almost 200 of the Nintendo toys-to-life figures in my collection. Yet, the Donkey Kong and Pauline amiibo remain one of my favorites from the entire line due to the sheer detail that's on display. For one, the $29.99 (Best Buy) collectible has one of the most unique bases out there, featuring a smashed-up terrain that feels entirely on brand for Donkey Kong Bananza.

Secondly, the amiibo is of a much higher quality than your run-of-the-mill figures. A closer inspection of little Pauline will reveal her tiny painted freckles, and even the denim texture of her jeans has been sculpted for this release. Talking of Pauline, tapping it on your right Switch 2 Joy-Con also unlocks one of her cutest outfits in the game (Pauline's Diva Dress) early, alongside destructible KONG letters which come in handy when you need to destroy a bunch of terrain at a pinch.

Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases if you want to make your Ninty setup completely bananas.

With these Gakuran codes, you can reroll your character's stats, but also their hair, outfit, and more. So, whether you're one of the people playing Gakuran as it was intended, as a school life simulator, or you're just fighting your way through the halls like most, you can pick and choose how you spend these rerolls.

This Roblox experience is set in a Japanese high school and has some serious customization options - though it is all randomized. Just some of the options you can change with the Gakuran codes below include your height, your fight style, your clothing accessories, and your face model. With them being random, though, the more rerolls the better, so here are the codes you need.

If you're after some more general rewards that can be used in all of your experiences, then we've got the current Roblox promo codes covered too.

All Gakuran codes

These are the Gakuran codes you can redeem right now:

• GAKURAN - 10 Rerolls new!
• 15REROLLS - 15 Rerolls new!

As you can see, Gakuran codes offer a bunch of free rerolls for you to use on any character stats you choose. You can buy them in 50s, but it's better to get as many as you can for free, which is where these codes come in handy.

How to redeem Gakuran codes

To access Gakuran, you first need to join the group and have five friends. Once you meet the criteria, you can launch the game and open the menu by clicking on the arrow to the left-hand side of the screen. From the main menu, click on the Codes button, enter your code, and hit Redeem.

Expired Gakuran codes

• There are no expired codes yet.

While no Gakuran codes have expired yet, we're certain that they will, so be sure to redeem them as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Nintendo has responded to being voted the favorite developer of readers of Japanese magazine Famitsu, speaking of its past and future.

Famitsu celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, and to mark the milestone, the magazine published the results of a massive survey (thanks, Nintendo Everything) of readers which saw over 5,000 people vote on a ton of topics about games.

These included people's first ever game, which unsurprisingly saw Super Mario Bros. in first, with Mario also being people's favorite character (just above Cloud and Tifa from Final Fantasy 7). Meanwhile, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild won out in the "game to play again if you lost your memory" and "favorite game to recommend to others" categories. Kirby and Super Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai was dubbed "favorite creator" while Nintendo itself was voted "favorite developer."

After being voted the top developer, Nintendo shared a message to its fans (via Nintendo Everything, with translation provided by SatsumaFS and Simon Griffin). "Thank you for choosing Nintendo as the No. 1 'Game Developer I Like,'" the message reads, adding: "We are also extremely happy that Mario and The Legend of Zelda have been received favorably."

Nintendo adds, "Ever since the Famicom (NES) was released in 1983, we have created chances for many to give video games a try, and we are grateful to Famitsu for keeping customers excited and supporting us across those 40 years.

"During these 40 years, technology related to game development has evolved, and the environment has changed as well, but we have continued to keep 'originality' as our central theme going through trial and error and learning many things while creating entertainment with the goal of putting smiles on customers' faces." The company says: "If this 40-year-long path has become a part of everyone's memories, there is nothing that would make us happier."

Looking forward, Nintendo says it will "continue to challenge various things, aiming for unique entertainment that only we could produce, and work hard towards that goal. We shall continue to be in your care from now on." And, given the absolute scenes we're seeing at Microsoft and Sony right now, hopefully Nintendo continues to focus on what makes games good. Even if there are some missteps here and there, we're thankfully not seeing layoffs out of Nintendo every other week.

Super Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai sometimes "sounds exactly like Goku," ex-Tekken boss says: "A Saiyan who genuinely believes he's just another ordinary human."

If anyone deserves a nice, safe retirement away from the horrors inflicted by a variety of viruses, it's Leon Kennedy. To say the poor guy has really been through it in the Resident Evil series over the years is an understatement. When he's not being attacked by infected dogs, stalked by a hulking, hat-wearing tyrant, or dealing with men wielding chainsaws, he's rescuing the president's daughter, uncovering a conspiracy, and returning to a place of great trauma.

Isn't it high time that after all that, he gets to kick back and take it easy? This isn't me saying I want the iconic action man to step away from the limelight after Resident Evil Requiem. On the contrary, I want to experience the retirement Kennedy deserves, and to do that, I need Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya's joke conceptual pitch to be anything but a joke. The pitch in question? A cozy life sim starring a retired Leon fishing, baking, and having barbecues with old pals. Now that idea is in my head, I can't let it go. And as a scaredy cat who loves Resident Evil from a safe distance, I'd give just about anything for Capcom to actually make it into a reality.

Home over horror

Just like Kamiya, I'm definitely not a horror fan. Even so, I've always had a great fondness for Resident Evil. I love the over-the-top silliness, corny one-liners, and lore of the infected world, but I'll be the first to admit I still find it too scary to play myself. So how do I enjoy it if I'm not playing? Well, the way in which my relationship began with the series kickstarted how I would go on to experience it from then on: by watching others play.

Witnessing my dad play through Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube way back when is one of my favorite gaming memories. I loved Resident Evil 4 (and its bingo line) so much I even attempted to try it for myself, but I quickly came to the conclusion I just couldn't handle the creepy zombie villagers and scary atmosphere upfront. By watching someone else play, I could enjoy the story and action and put some distance between myself and the horror.

But what Kamiya jokingly pitched would deservedly put some distance between the horror for Leon, too, and better yet, it would bring to life a game set in the Resident Evil universe I could actually play. In the words of Kamiya, "it'd be a game where a retired Leon spends his days in the countryside fishing, gathering wild vegetables, baking bread, walking his dog, tending to his garden, driving 50 kilometers to the nearest general store, inviting his old friends over for barbecues, fixing his elderly neighbour's oven, and selling homemade lemonade at the local festival."

The sweet concept sounds like a laidback life sim with ingredients plucked right out of games like Stardew Valley, and as an avid player in the cozy game scene, that's really speaking my language. Not only could it bring a whole new audience into the world of Resident Evil, but Capcom could tap into the genre in such a novel way for longtime fans by bringing to life a cozy life sim experience led by an established character with such a rich history.

Handy man

Just think of all of the references they could pack in, with framed pictures and belongings dotted around Leon's retired abode in the countryside that nod to past encounters and meaningful moments. Not to mention cameos from other familiar faces who pop over for barbecues. I also love how the pitch so perfectly captures Leon Kennedy. He'd never be content to rest on his laurels completely, and I could see him getting very involved with the little neighboring communities. It's easy to picture quests, for example, that make him go out of his way to help others in more day-to-day ways.

After all, you don't have to fight zombies and put a stop to the schemes of a dastardly corporation to be a hero. I'm sure Leon is just as much of a hero to the elderly neighbor whose oven gets fixed as he is to Ashley Graham in Resident Evil 4.

Kennedy is easily my favorite character in the Resident Evil universe, and imagining him stepping into one of my favorite game genres sets my heart on fire. I mean, who wouldn't want to kick back in the countryside with the retired action man and sink into a relaxed routine of dog walking and bread baking?

I know I'm letting my imagination run away from me, and this is just a joke from Kamiya. Even so… what I wouldn't give for it to be made into a reality. Sure, Resident Evil has brought us many of the best survival horror games over the years (and will no doubt continue to do so with the likes of Resident Evil Veronica on the way), but I would love to see a spin-off that goes in a wildly different direction. And when it comes to a cozy life sim, there's undoubtedly a market for it. So, this is my open letter to Capcom: please bring to life an idyllic retirement for Leon Kennedy so we can both get a break from the scares.

Look back over the series' highlights with our ranking of the best Resident Evil games.

The latest episode of House of the Dragon season 3 is all about Rhaenyra ruling – and it has fans wondering if the show has forgotten about a crucial (and bloody) season 2 plot point.

The season 2 premiere depicted the horrific Blood and Cheese, a moment that saw the young prince Jaehaerys decapitated in a scheme set up by Daemon meant to kill his nemesis Aemond, after Aemond killed Rhaenyra's son Lucerys in the season 1 finale.

"Why T.F. Does No One Acknowledge Jaehaerys?!?!" asks one fan on Reddit. "WTAF is wrong with these writers? THE BLACKS SAWED OFF THE HEAD OF A 6-YEAR OLD LITTLE BOY IN FRONT OF HIS MOTHER AND NO ONE WILL ACKNOWLEDGE IT. I will not be gaslit! Complaining about the loss of her sons in front of the mother and grandmother of the innocent little boy who was decapitated on orders from her prince-consort, just…. Unfathomably shit writing."

In the new episode, Rhaenyra does indeed pointedly reference the death of her sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, in conversation with Alicent and Helaena. Neither of the green women bring up Jaehaerys.

"Rhaenyra sarcastically going, 'Well I couldn't imagine…' as if Helaena wasn't right there? Like at least your sons died in battle or on assignments, her son was a literal baby in his bed and on top of that Helaena literally had to watch her son be killed," points out one fan.

"It's funny outside of Aegon only Rhaenyra for one episode was mad at Daemon about it and unlike her Helaena and Alicent still do not know the details of how it was an 'accident,'" says another person.

"Memory loss, it's the only way this story makes sense," jokes someone else. "Remember how characters like Ned haunted the narrative for like YEARS? Or Elia and her children? Rhaegar? Lyanna? Remember when death mattered? Not in HOTD. Babies get beheaded and everybody just forgets," says another fan.

"Lmao they paraded Jaehaerys' body through the streets, hanged rat catchers and nobody in KL remembers Rhaenyra as a child killer. This show is beyond bad," says someone else.

"Is insane. This type of stuff will follow a character for the entirety of Game of Thrones. And here they were [like], oh sorry there's rats because Aegon killed all the rat catchers. I guess he just did it for the love of the game, not other reason whatsoever," says another fan. Aegon did this because the killers posed as rat catchers.

House of the Dragon continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. Keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule.

For even more, check out our House of the Dragon season 3 review or our guide to all the upcoming Game of Thrones movies and TV shows.

The Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced release date is rapidly approaching, with pre-loading for consoles and PC also coming to help you get ready for launch. It's almost hard to believe that one of gaming's worst-kept secrets is finally arriving into port, but it's not the simplest of launches, with Black Flag Resynced having multiple preload and release times to be aware of, depending on what platform you'll be playing on. Here's everything you need to know about the pre-install and release times for Black Flag Resynced.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced release time for PC

Black Flag Resynced has a global simultaneous release for PC platforms of 2PM UTC on July 9. That means you'll be able to start playing this piratical adventure via Steam, the Epic Games Store, Ubisoft Connect, and cloud gaming platforms (GeForce Now and Blacknut) from the following times depending on your region:

• US Pacific: 7AM PDT on July 9
• US Eastern: 10AM EDT on July 9
• UK: 3PM BST on July 9
• Central Europe: 4PM CEST on July 9
• Eastern Australia: 12AM (midnight) AEST on July 10
• New Zealand: 2AM NZST on July 10

Pre-loading for AC Black Flag Resynced also begins from 2PM UTC on July 7, 48 hours before the full release, so make sure you get it installed early if you want to hop in right away – Steam's requirements say you'll need about 65GB of free space!

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced release time for PS5 and Xbox Series X

As for consoles, Black Flag Resynced has a much simpler release schedule as it launches at midnight local time on July 9 in your region.

Like on PC, you can preload the game on PS5 and Xbox Series X, but pre-installing will become available at different times:

• PS5: Preload from midnight on July 7 in your region (48 hours before launch)
• Xbox Series X: Available to preload now

A regional midnight release schedule for consoles also means the classic New Zealand trick can be used to potentially play the Black Flag remake several hours early, depending where in the world you are – just bear in mind that it's much easier to execute on Xbox compared to PS5!

Xbox Series X players can alter their console's region to New Zealand within the 'Language & location' menu (this is within the 'System' tab of Settings). Assuming you've also pre-ordered and pre-installed the game, you'll be able to start playing as soon as it reaches midnight on July 9 in New Zealand (that's 12PM UTC on July 8) with this trick.

However, for PS5 users, the only way to benefit from this trick is by purchasing the game through a New Zealand-based account, letting you access the New Zealand version of the PlayStation Store.

While you wait for launch, make sure you brush up on all the changes in Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced so that you know what's new and different compared to the original.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Over the weekend, I saw multiple outlets stating that the official Sony Disc Drive product page on PS Direct had added "due to high demand, there is a limit of 1 per order" to its small-print in response to Sony's announcement that it was ceasing the production of physical games starting January 2028.

A quick search of the Way Back Machine shows the text was actually added as far back as January 18, 2026, well before Sony's July 1, 2026 announcement. However, if you were worried about getting your hands on the $79 (PS Direct), now is probably the best time as re-sellers are already starting to list them on second-hand sites like eBay for above their MSRP in the US and UK.

I never like to advocate someone invest in a PS5 accessory purely just in case stock starts to disappear, but I can't pretend I don't have fears that re-sellers are going to take full advantage of Sony's recent announcement in the near future. A quick glimpse at ebay.com already shows listings for sealed boxed copies of the PS5 accessory starting from $109 (eBay),which is $30 more than its $79 MSRP in the US, and current price on the official PS Direct online store.

In the UK, I've spotted some listed starting from £100 (eBay), despite the fact that stock on this side of the pond is also plentiful. As is stands, both the US PS Direct and UK PS Direct online stores still have listings for the official Disc Drive for its $79 / 69.99, so you don't have to give in to those inflated prices.

However, do remember that if you pick one up you won't be able to play any brand-new physical releases after January 2028 as there simply won't be any. While the "due to high demand, there is a limit of 1 per order" text was not new, the bolded text stating that "From Jan. 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only" included on the Disc Drive product page most definitely is.

It's why, I don't in all conscious recommend investing in the $80 PS5 add-on if you're intention is purely to have access to all latest PS5 games going forward, as you won't once physical discs cease production.

However, if you want to take advantage of all the cheap PS5 game deals while you still can, go right ahead. The PS5 Disc Drive is compatible with both the digital PS5 Slim and PS5 Pro, and you have six-years worth of physical releases to pick up and play in the meantime. Not to mention, there's still over a year of physical PS5 releases to go until Sony calls it quits, and having a disc drive will allow you to play 4K Blu-rays and DVD discs, which would be otherwise impossible on a digital-only console.

• View all PS5 accessory deals at Amazon

Check out our guides to the best PS5 controllers and the best SSDs for PS5 if you still want to make the most out of yourSony console.