Konami is ushering in the spooky Halloween season with a free demo for Castlevania: Belmont's Curse launching on October 1st.

Castlevania has been slumbering like a sleepy vampire for far too long, but publisher Konami and developer Evil Empire (the Dead Cells support studio and The Rogue Prince of Persia maker) plan to shake the classic series awake, fangs bared, on October 15th of this year.

Konami today announced that fans can get a little taste test early. The upcoming demo contains the opening chapter of Belmont's Curse, and you'll be able to carry your progress over to the full game upon launch, as long as you buy Belmont's Curse on the same platform that you played its free demo.

"Certain features and content may be restricted in the demo version," Konami's announcement notes. "The full version must be updated to the latest version when transferring save data."

The Castlevania: Belmont's Curse demo will apparently run at a smooth 60fps on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S - the base Nintendo Switch version is instead running at 30fps, according to the publisher. There's currently no word on a potential, native Nintendo Switch 2 port, which I imagine the Metroidvania would be right at home on.

If you want a better look at the vampiric revival before its demo and full release, Konami hosted a lengthy livestream from Tokyo Game Show 2026 that dove deep into Belmont's Curse.

The developers have previously said Belmont's Curse is for people who love Metroidvanias, but are new to Castlevania, specifically. All you Hollow Knight fans may have something to tide you over until the Sea of Sorrow DLC, then.

Castlevania: Belmont's Curse brings on the Netflix show's Dracula and 1 other star from the TV series as part of the new game's English cast

Portal writer and Valve veteran Chet Faliszek says that one of the developers behind the 2007 puzzle game gem wanted it to be a tad more gory – something that the rest of the team, and Gabe Newell himself, didn't want to consider.

Faliszek reveals as much in a new video on YouTube (below), recalling how "someone had suggested we add gore to Portal – the original Portal." They weren't a small dev, either, although the former Valve writer doesn't clarify who it was. He does, however, make it clear that neither he nor anyone else was a fan of the thought.

As Faliszek puts it, "Somebody with enough oomph wants to add a bunch of gore and dead bodies all through Portal, and it's a horrible idea."

He continues, "The entire team thinks it's a horrible idea, but this person is being very verbal about it and calls a meeting and calls Gabe [Newell].

That's when Eric Wolpaw asked Faliszek to "just come into this meeting" and "just say no" – and point out "how stupid this is," because let's face it… Portal is no Half-Life, and gore just wouldn't fit into Aperture Science the way it slots into Black Mesa's own facilities.

"Other people didn't want to get in this fight with this person," Faliszek remembers – so he joins the meeting and breaks the hard news to the hopeful dev. "I'm like, 'Hey, so we're not going to add gore.' Like, I just jump to it. 'We're not adding gore. Just cut this out.'"

It's a bit amusing to listen to, honestly, as a fan of Portal myself. Hearing what Newell thought from Faliszek is brilliant, too, as the company head didn't hold back.

"Gabe's like, 'Why are we even having this meeting? This is the stupidest question ever. We shouldn't add gore to the game,'" as Faliszek says.

So, what happened? "The guy who proposed it kind of just shuffled off and that was it. It was like a five-minute meeting." I suppose no more needed to be said… and judging by comments, the majority of Valve isn't alone in finding gore ill-fitting in Portal.

As one reads, "Cannot imagine Portal with gore… It just doesn't fit with the thematic or expression of the game itself. So odd." Another adds, "Gore in Portal? That's crazy" – and, yeah, I can certainly see why they (and a whole lot of Valve) think so.

Backrooms director posts from Valve's office again, and Portal movie speculation is intensifying.

If you had asked me about all the bundles likely to see the light of day in 2026, a brand new Nintendo Switch 2 Lite one would not be on the list. Yet that's exactly what's coming to Europe.

Nintendo has announced (as discovered by GoNintendo) that a new Nintendo Switch Lite + Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream bundle will be available on October 28th later this year, packaged alongside a 30-day trial of Nintendo Switch Online. It's a bit of a bizarre revelation, especially given the console is seven years old, and the Switch 2 is the new big thing on the scene, but I'm not going to knock it. Well, so long as it sticks to a reasonable MSRP, we'll have to wait and see exactly how much this Nintendo Switch bundle is going to cost when it hits shelves this spooky season.

If you grabbed one of the brand-new Nintendo Switch 2 bundles, like the one that includes a copy of Switch Sports Resort for $529.99 at Nintendo US, you're likely not going to have much reason to pick up a Switch Lite.

Your new Switch 2 can play Tomodachi Life Living the Dream and pretty much most Nintendo Switch-only games just fine (with a few exceptions). Not to mention, having access to the new generation means you can actually play upcoming games like Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave and The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake. Yet for parents who may not feel quite comfortable putting the pricey Ninty tech in the hands of a small child, particularly after its recent price increase, a Switch Lite is a pretty valid alternative.

You can still grab a brand-new Turquoise Lite for £179 at Nintendo, which is far cheaper than the Switch 2's inflated £419.99 price in the UK. If anything were to happen to it, you'd still have access to warranty and Nintendo's repair service, but £179 is a lot cheaper to replace should it get in harm's way, and this bundle should be too if it sticks to a similar price point. Another handy fact is that the Virtual Game Cards system also works with the older console, so if you are a parent, you can still share digital copies of games from your newer Switch 2 (so long as it's a compatible game) to the Switch Lite - so there are plenty of pros to having one in this day and age.

Personally, I'm just happy to see any attention put on an older piece of hardware. I'm a firm believer that just because the new shiny tech has arrived doesn't mean we should ignore the older ones, particularly as not everyone can afford the next-best thing. In my ideal world, Nintendo would still be releasing brand-new Nintendo 3DS bundles so I could pick up a new one without having to resort to the scary inflated prices on second-hand sites like eBay.

Of course it all depends on the price, but with the Nintendo Switch Lite (Turquoise) + Animal Crossing: New Horizons set still sitting on the UK storefront for £199.99 (Nintendo UK), I highly suspect the Tomodachi Life will stick to a similar MSRP. Once we know more about its price and which exact European stores it's expected to drop at, I'll be sure to let you know as soon as possible.

• View all Nintendo Switch console bundles at Nintendo

Satisfied with your Switch 2? Check out our best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories guide, which includes the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers and the best Nintendo Switch headsets worth adding to your setup.

As we await the rest of the 2026 game flood, including the likes of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake and GTA 6, there's suddenly a new and very unexpected game of the year contender. That's Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, a new remake of a 20-year-old cult classic JRPG, which is launching to the best reviews of any game this year.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter officially releases tomorrow, September 17, but critic reviews are slowly trickling in. On Metacritic, the PC version has earned a 93 based on 10 reviews, while the PS5 version has gotten a 92 based on 13 reviews. Either score puts it as the best-rated new release of 2026. (The Switch 2 version is a fair bit lower at 84, but that score is based on fewer reviews.)

Over on OpenCritic, which puts all platform reviews into a single pool, Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter has earned a 92. Across either site, that puts the JRPG ahead of all the best games of 2026, from big publisher releases like Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem, and Pokemon Pokopia to indie breakouts like Mewgenics, Mina the Hollower, Titanium Court, and Big Walk.

For decades, developer Nihon Falcom's Trails series was something of an underground sensation – one for the hardcore JRPG sickos. But in recent years, the pool of sickos has either gotten much bigger, or the series has started to find a much larger audience. And with extensive world-building, robust combat systems, and memorable characters, it's no wonder the Trails fandom is growing.

Trails in the Sky 2nd Chapter, as the name suggests, is the second in a line of remakes that are reviving the series from the beginning. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter launched in 2025 to similar acclaim, and Falcom's president says the success has the company "hoping to continue the remakes for a while." Given the time investment it'd take to play through the entire Trails series at this point, these remakes might just be the jumping we all need.

These are the best JRPGs you can play today.

A few weeks ago, we learned that Terranigma would finally get a modern re-release, bringing the classic Super Nintendo JRPG out in North America for the very first time. Today, remaster dev Clear River Games has confirmed that the new edition of Terranigma will launch on January 14, offering a host of details on the in-game updates and the first look at a super-deluxe $200 collector's edition.

Terranigma was originally developed by Quintet, a now-defunct studio responsible for numerous SNES classics like ActRaiser and Illusion of Gaia. Like many of those games, Terranigma was published by Enix – now one half of Square Enix – and has seemingly been trapped in some kind of licensing limbo ever since. Now it's finally coming out of the vault in style.

The Terranigma remaster launches across PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG on January 14, with physical editions available for all current console platforms. You can put $200 into the Gaia Edition, if you're so inclined, netting you a Yomi figure, music box, art book, cloth world map, soundtrack CD, and more. Pre-orders are available through Limited Run Games in the US or straight from developer Clear River Games in Europe.

But for me, the real news today is the remaster itself. Terranigma will feature an "original mode" offering "untouched balance" and the "original save system" for the classic experience. Even in this mode, however, there's a new sidebar alongside the 4:3 game window that shows your current money and experience, as well as a new set of quick access controls letting you quickly swap equipped items.

You can also swap to the "arranged mode," which promises "enhanced progression" and "adjusted difficulty," along with modern retro gaming conveniences like quick saves and rewinds. Best of all is a new minimap that shows your position in the current location.

These are the kinds of features I wish Square Enix itself would invest in for games like the OG Final Fantasy titles. The Pixel Remasters have turned out to be decent ways to play the originals, but those games have aesthetic and gameplay "improvements" that are questionable at best, and even the upgrades don't go as far as Terranigma's minimap and new inventory controls do. Getting the option of going back to the original experience and game balance offers the best of both worlds.

I'd be happy enough getting an official US release of Terranigma in just about any condition, but the remaster devs here are clearly going above and beyond to make sure this will be worth the three-decade wait.

These are the best SNES games of all time.

Balatro creator LocalThunk has leaked a few substantial details about his poker deck-builder's upcoming 1.1 update, which he admits has gone way past its initial 2025 due date, assuming one can truly leak information about their own beloved game.

Let LocalThunk have this, though – "I'm going to give a real honest to goodness leak," he announced to Discord on September 14, "a proper 1.1 leak." Highlights include more Jokers, more vouchers, and a new voucher system fine-tuning how often Tier 2 vouchers appear. The developer apparently has "the current iteration of 1.1" downloaded on his phone, so he should know.

"If people will indulge me," he begins to say about his new voucher system. The current version of Balatro includes 32 total vouchers, half of which are considered strong Tier 1, while the other half is an even stronger Tier 2 that corresponds to the first type of card. So, "if you take a tier 1 vouchers in ante 1 (say, paint brush)," says LocalThunk, "you would have a 1 in 16 chance of finding the corresponding tier 2 in ante 2 (palette)."

But, "If I were to add 32 more vouchers (not a leak, for arguments sake)," the developer continues, "you'd have a 1 in 32 chance of finding palette in ante 2"

"NO BUENO," he continues. "So what if there was a system that kept track of all the tier 1 vouchers you’ve taken and it rolls an N in 16 chance (N being the number of tier 1 vouchers you have without their corresponding tier 2) to spawn the upgraded tier 2 voucher? That way, if you take paint brush in shop 1 you still have a 1 in 16 chance to get palette shop 2." Hm, what if!

As for what new Tier 2 vouchers will be available, LocalThunk gives only a tiny leak – a sprinkle. The developer shares art for the new Tier 2 voucher called Lunker, whose card is emblazoned with a powerful green fish flapping its tail while fighting off the hook stuck in its mouth.

"This fish is my proof of life, yes I'm still working on 1.1!" LocalThunk says. "I'm not leaking the effect btw." Similarly, the developer reveals a new blue stake – currently, the difficulty modifier enforces -1 Discard – but, "Dw I'm not leaking it."

Except, LocalThunk can't help himself from teasing, "It's pretty interesting, and there are some weird implications I would love to break into a blog post. I had to use the quadratic formula ona whiteboard to solve something to implement it." Ah, yes. I'll pretend to understand the implications of using the quadratic formula here.

More straightforward is the new "when card is drawn to hand" mechanic, which "also applies when you open tarot or spectral packs," says LocalThunk. There's a 1.1 content checkbox you can toggle so that 1.0 modders can retain their work, and LocalThunk says he'll "add a new branch on steam well ahead of launch for current 1.0 version."

This last piece of information made everyone on Discord freak out – "I thought [the] lunker was the big ticket item," says a confused LocalThunk – but LocalThunk has one more announcement before taking his last bow: "at least 4 new jokers in 1.1," he writes in a September 15 Discord post.

By now, you're probably frothing under your Joker mask with anticipation for the long-awaited 1.1 update, but you should grab a handkerchief and prepare for more sitting around. LocalThunk says, "I'm happy the leaks are going over so well," but "I never should have given a release window."

"I don't want this to be half baked and wreck Balatro," LocalThunk continues. "I love the game too and I want to play a fun game not a rushed botch job." At the moment, he can only promise more progress updates and the occasional leak or 15, and let you know he's grateful.

"This past year of dev has been probably the most fulfilling work I've ever done," LocalThunk concludes.

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 adds Balatro's Jimbo in a surprise new quest with a huge addition to the RPG's best minigame.

It's no secret that the video game industry isn't exactly being kind, even to the best of folks – including Kurt Kuhlmann, Bethesda Game Studios veteran and legendary Elder Scrolls "lore master" who worked on gems like the original Oblivion and Skyrim.

Although Kuhlmann hasn't been at Bethesda for quite some time now, having reportedly left over Bethesda's "bureaucratic" baggage, in his own words, and broken promises from Todd Howard about leading The Elder Scrolls 6.

He landed on his feet after leaving the company, however, moving on to work as a principal world designer at AAA studio Lightspeed LA… only to lose his role following a wave of layoffs earlier this summer.

Kuhlmann discusses his situation in a post on LinkedIn, putting into perspective just how difficult the industry is for developers right now – old and new.

"Along with most of the Last Sentinel team," he writes, alluding to his job at Lightspeed LA, "I was laid off in July, so I am back on the job market." He then flags potential employers: "If you know of anyone looking for a senior/principal/lead designer, please let me know or pass them my information."

It hits hard, honestly, seeing an industry veteran of his measure with literal decades of dev and leadership experience seeking work – but it's sadly not surprising.

Heck, just take a look at what's been happening all over, from the relentless layoffs at Xbox (which are ongoing, with Microsoft's plan to cut 3,200 employees at Xbox having commenced in July) to those elsewhere, even at indie companies, things aren't easy… anywhere, it seems.

And, as Kuhlmann proves, nobody is immune. He's got loads of know-how in the industry, and then some, as he lays out in his thread: "I spent the majority of my career at Bethesda Game Studios (BGS), and I've done pretty much every design-related thing for BGS games – narrative design and writing, world-building, combat balance, character systems, minigames, crafting, gameplay scripting, etc."

All of this and his time at Lightspeed LA. Kuhlmann concludes that he's "prioritizing jobs that allow remote work but I'm open to any opportunities that are a good match for my skills and experience" – and I sure do hope some come his way soon.

Fallout co-creator tells new devs terrified of layoffs they're "wrong" to expect making games to be a "stable job": "Art itself is inherently unstable."

TCG Card Shop Simulator took Steam by storm when it hit early access back in 2024, offering players the thrill of collecting Pokemon-style cards without the burden of actually buying packs and keeping binders full of colorful cardboard. Now, after attracting millions of players and garnering overwhelmingly positive reviews, it's finally gone 1.0.

"TCG Card Shop Simulator was made because I was bored out of my mind after burning out from solo mobile game development back in 2023. I felt aimless and wasn't sure what to do with my life," developer Ding Shen Sia explains in a Steam news post. Having already built a TCG-themed game on mobile, the dev decided to expand the concept with a Steam game.

"From then on, I was a madman. I worked on it everyday and spent at least 90 hours every week for 6 months. And on 15 September 2024, I managed to launch TCG Card Shop Simulator on Steam Early Access, a month earlier than what I've planned. I had no big expectations or plans for it other than making the Steam Trading Cards work, but I would have been really happy if it sold 100,000 copies in a year (it somehow sold that amount in just 3 days!)"

As confirmed in a press release, the game has now reached 4 million players, and they've clearly found something to love. TCG Card Shop Simulator has nearly 50,000 reviews on Steam, and 96% of them are positive. Broadly, it seems that players are taken by the cozy vibes of running a small business – but some of the top reviews also thank the game for helping them kick their pack-ripping habits, so maybe there's a benefit there, too.

The biggest news in the 1.0 update is the launch of PS5, Switch, and Switch 2 versions of the game, alongside the existing Steam and Xbox Series X/S editions. But for existing players, the important part is that Tetramon TCG is no longer just a Pokemon-inspired theme for the products you're selling in store. It's now a real TCG that you can actually play in-game.

Nearly 2,000 new cards have been added in the 1.0 update, bringing the total up to 4,436, so there's at least plenty of variety to be found in the TCG. We'll see how much depth the game-within-the-game has soon enough, but for now, well… I bought my first Pokemon card packs in decades recently. Maybe I should check out TCG Card Shop Simulator myself before this new hobby gets out of hand.

Here are the best simulator games you can play right now.

Last week's Nintendo Direct showcase wasn't all that flashy, but it did unveil two new trailers for Professor Layton and the New World of Steam and Yo-kai Watch 2: Haunted Domain – two new trailers that a follow-up stream from developer Level-5 had folks suspecting the use of generative AI.

Suspicions were everywhere online, with many noting background inconsistencies and the like as to why they believed the recent Level-5 livestream featured gen AI… and, well, they apparently weren't wrong.

Akihiro Hino, the mastermind behind studio Level-5, Professor Layton, and Yo-kai Watch, confirms as much in a new post on Twitter (as machine-translated via auto-translation on the platform, DeepL, and Google).

The developer begins by explaining that the reason Level-5 used gen AI while creating its big showcase was simple: it wanted it to be flashier, more eye-catching, and, as the lead writes, "spectacular."

He does then follow up with an apology, however, noting that people felt uncomfortable as a result of the studio's AI use, saying, "I deeply apologize."

Hino also reassures fans that much of Level-5's work is "created by human hands."

This includes character designs, settings, and more. When it comes to where AI enters the picture, Hino says it's mostly for efficiency and to digitize creations already conceptualized by the devs, "for example, accurately converting original artwork into polygons and such."

He states that no AI-generated data is ever included in released games, describing how the team only started employing its use to speed up development time.

Hino details how Level-5 is "in the stage of trial and error" at nailing quicker production without sacrificing quality, but concludes that the backlash from fans – both in Japan and overseas – is a lesson the studio will carry forward for its next presentation.

As for how fans themselves feel about it all, comments show that they're still not thrilled AI ever came into play in the first place here, citing environmental concerns and more.

I understand myself, as someone who isn't exactly a fan of gen AI at the best of times – but I do wonder what Level-5 has in store for the future now, and how this debacle will affect what its plans were for both the new Yo-kai Watch remake and Professor Layton entry.

Searching for some other new games to look forward to? Browse through our roundup of the best upcoming Switch 2 games to wishlist right now.

Blizzard is making enormous changes to the ever-divisive Sombra in Overwatch Season 5, grabbing her from the DPS category and transforming her into a support hero instead, as game director Aaron Keller admits that she's been considered "anti-fun" for some time now.

Sombra was added to Overwatch all the way back in 2016, and for 10 years she's been one of the most frustrating heroes to face. Between her hacking abilities that prevent enemies from using their skills, the fact that she can turn invisible, teleport out of harm's way, and generally cause chaos from a comfortable distance – away from her team, at that – it's fair to say that she's not everyone's favorite.

Speaking to GamesRadar+ during an interview at Blizzcon, Keller admits that for anyone who's been keeping up with Overwatch, "it's probably apparent that we've had issues with Sombra for a while." Poor Sombra ends up sounding like an unloved child the way Keller describes her though – even if he's right on the money with what players have found frustrating, you can't help but feel a bit bad for her when even her own creators are calling her unfun. But I suppose if the shoe fits…

"We've tried multiple reworks on her, and they're all kind of centered around some of the same issues," he explains. "You know, like she can be described as unfun to play against, or her mechanics are anti-fun. She takes away buttons, or agency from players. The way that she can escape, I think, a lot of times can be frustrating to play against, and the way that she's sort of popping in and out or invisible for large portions of the match can be frustrating too. And it's not that any one of these things is a problem in and of itself, but when you start getting a lot of these sharp mechanics all in one character, it really exacerbates the problem."

Keller acknowledges that the frustration isn't just limited to the team facing Sombra, but also anyone siding with her. After all, if you're trying your hardest to push a payload and one of your allies is nowhere in sight, it can feel like they're not being a proper team player.

"As Sombra is doing her Sombra things, even if she's doing them well, sometimes your team might not realize it. She's just not there enough, and you get that with some other heroes in the roster, but never to the degree with a Sombra," Keller notes. "You know, like Tracer can disappear for a while, Wrecking Ball can disappear for a while, but they typically come back. Sombra will come back when she does her ult, you know, that's the moment you kind of see it."

This brings us to her latest rework, which will certainly offer the biggest changes to the hero we've seen so far. Keller tells us that the devs have tried to solve Sombra's issues "in a lot of different ways because our goal is for her to keep her identity," so it doesn't sound like she's going to be a complete shadow of her former self, though.

"We do want you to be able to do a lot of those same things with Sombra, and I think by moving her over to support, we're able to still allow her to do a lot of that," he continues. "It's just for a much more limited amount of time.

"So, as you put heals on your team, it does give you that opportunity now to go stealth, hit the back line for a bit, do the Sombra things that you're used to doing. But you have a limited duration to do it before you need to get back to your team, start supporting them with heals again, hopefully, for them to be happy with you as a teammate again."

As an Overwatch support main, I'm personally really excited to see what Blizzard does with Sombra next season – she was always conceptually one of my favorites on the roster, but I was never able to click with her (and felt maybe that was for the best if I was just going to annoy everyone around me). Blizzard is also making more changes to Roadhog which we'll see at the same time, alongside the introduction of new hero Doctrine.

Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred and Overwatch's resurgence reportedly drove Blizzard to its "first back-to-back years of growth" in almost 10 years.

Fortnite's Kingdom Hearts collab is finally arriving this week, and it looks like it's not just Sora joining Epic's battle royale.

Fortnite's current gaming-themed season, Override, kicked off last month, at which point it was confirmed via the official key art that Kingdom Hearts protagonist Sora would be added to the game soon with his very own skin. Almost a month into the season, folks were starting to wonder where he was, but Epic has now revealed that we can expect him to be added to the game "this week."

A new teaser video gives us our best look yet at Sora and his slightly Fortniteified Keyblade – you'll notice that the keychain attached to it that'd normally be a little Mickey Mouse head has been swapped for a Fortnite llama, instead.

Presumably this will be available to buy as a pickaxe, though it'd be very cool if it was added to the loot pool as a Mythic weapon, too – Epic hasn't confirmed this either way at this stage, though.

That's not all, though. The official Fortnite Twitter account has also posted a series of quotes from different Kingdom Hearts characters, suggesting that they might be joining the game too. After sharing a Sora quote, Epic also posted lines from Riku, Kairi, and Roxas, so it sounds like we could have a full squad joining the fray.

We're still waiting on a number of previously teased gaming collabs to get added to Fortnite this season – Persona 5's Joker was also shown off in marketing last month, but still isn't available yet, and CD Projekt Red has now confirmed that a Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Lucy skin is on the way, too. Epic previously said that Rebecca's Guns will be available as a weapon in the loot pool at some point, so presumably these will come at the same time.

As it stands, Fortnite Override is set to run until the end of October, so here's hoping fans won't be waiting too long for those other crossovers. In the meantime, let's just hope that Kingdom Hearts' already baffling narrative web doesn't get any more complicated with some Fortnite-exclusive lore that'll become inaccessible within a few weeks.

Be sure to check out our guide to Fortnite admin panel codes to get some free bonuses this season.

The Legend of Zelda is a video game as ritual. It's enlivened by ingenious variations from one game to the next, but Nintendo's adventures in the land of Hyrule remain absorbed in the pleasures of careful repetition. These games are curated as much as they are designed; they're gardens rather than wildernesses. And so, at the end of Breath of the Wild, the hero in green defeats Ganon, as he always does.

But wait. This is not quite accurate. At the end of Breath of the Wild - delivered via DLC - Link, the medieval adventurer, gets a motorbike. That was how this particular Zelda ended. And so that was the point at which Nintendo's designers had to decide: what comes next?

It's still hard to know what to make of that parting gift. Noisy, gravel-spitting, rebellious – a motorbike would be unthinkable in any other Zelda game. But then the very idea of DLC would be unthinkable too. How could any of these intricate clockwork worlds have room for even a single additional cog?

This was Breath of the Wild, though, the game that stripped away decades of gadgets and structural rhythms. Link may have defeated Ganon, but much of the rest of the tradition was suddenly scrambled. No more predictable plot beats. No more polite trek from one dungeon to the next, growing more powerful with each step.

Here instead was an open-world Hyrule where the dungeons were largely secondary to the one-shot puzzle or combat Shrines scattered across the earth like a dusting of sugar on a pie. Here was a world where weapons degraded, where beloved horses could be lost forever, and where that familiar trickle of cherished items – the boomerang, the hookshot – was replaced with a handful of new powers granted at the start, and which the game would then rely upon for all its subsequent fun.

What did this mean? Up until now, Zelda had been about containment. The first game was inspired by Shigeru Miyamoto's childhood cave explorations, certainly, but it was born in a moment in which the designer was opening and closing his desk drawers and imagining a garden snug within each. Zelda offers adventuring, but always within safe boundaries.

It's dangerous to go open-world

This approach lasted until Breath of the Wild, which left its players startled, unmoored. Then came the motorbike, and then things took a truly bizarre turn. Two years after the release of Breath of the Wild, it was revealed that the follow-up, Tears of the Kingdom, would reuse the same map and the same structure of Shrines, swapping out the older game's powers but otherwise offering what seemed to be more of the same. What should we make of this? Was all that reinvention just a recalibration, and would we now be back to the business of repetition and ritual again?

Tears of the Kingdom's answer to this question is fascinating, and it takes a while to become clear. On the surface, Link's latest adventure follows a traditional approach to sequels: the stuff you loved, expanded and refined. More Shrines, new powers, another, grander threat to Hyrule. But beware that phrase ‘on the surface'. Underground, Tears of the Kingdom is every bit as wilful and singular as the game it builds upon. Maybe even more so.

Trailers for Tears of the Kingdom at first suggested horror and then sun-baked, sky-minded wonder. You would explore Hyrule, but also an archipelago of ingeniously crafted islands floating overhead. This felt like a sensible approach, but there was a lingering strangeness in the trailers that invited conspiracy theories. Were we really playing as Link? Was this really Hyrule once more? Could things be as simple as they seemed?

Within this online chatter, the dialogue that has dogged almost all Zeldas continued. Since the 8bit days, each new Zelda game has been forced into a conversation with all the others: what's new, what isn't, what are the main reference points? Maybe Tears of the Kingdom was simply a chance for the ground to settle after Breath of the Wild. There's still a princess, a young hero, a landscape that extends to the rosy horizon. But there's something else, too. Something waiting beneath it all.

Something lurking down below

In retrospect, those new powers were an early clue to the true spirit of Tears of the Kingdom. Breath of the Wild offered you ways to engage with the game's physics and bodge your own solutions to the challenges you were presented with. At heart, its powers were abilities designed for manipulating in-game objects in thoughtful ways. They opened up a new, more expressive way of playing, driven by everything from mechanical curiosity to bored tinkering.

By Tears of the Kingdom, though, the powers have become a cross between real-world design tools and explicit hacks. Making use of Ultrahand, Fuse and Ascend, you can craft complex machines and ridiculous weapons, or slip through Hyrule's hidden geometries. Aren't these options that come from a sense of polite frustration with what's come before? Aren't these tools enabling a form of escape?

These powers, pushing at the boundaries of everything from the way the world is created to the way a puzzle can be solved, suggest that the problem with Zelda wasn't that it was becoming familiar, because it had traded in familiarity since the SNES. The problem was that its familiarity could make it slightly airless. That's a hard problem to solve. And so Tears of the Kingdom turned its focus somewhere entirely new, on the game's unseen bedrock, and it built something astounding down there. Something entirely unexpected.

Welcome to the Depths, the underside of Hyrule, far beneath the floating sky islands waiting to be neatly solved, far beneath the grass and sands of the open world itself. Accessed via ugly red-rimmed tears in the earth, the Depths are a vast underworld of darkness and danger. If it's hard not to feel that recent Zeldas are the work of a talented team that is quietly weary of the baggage Zelda brings, the Depths are a perfect response.

Granted, the series is no stranger to parallel worlds, yet the Depths remain very different from the puzzle-piece dimensions of Link to the Past and Ocarina of Time. Those were precise additions, printed circuits that slotted cleanly into place. The Depths connect with the land above them, but they're also filled with a sense of chaos, of being half-complete. They're pitch-black and claustrophobic and, tellingly for a Zelda game, they're frequently optional.

Even so, it feels like these spaces were crucial to the people who made them. Why? Because this is the place where this Zelda's eternal conversation with other Zeldas ceases. Immediacy. The chatter and speculation falls silent, and you are left to the unfolding moment.

What a moment. Deep in theatrical murk, the air around you feels thick and treacherous and alive with adventure. There's no vista to draw your eye with distractions, nothing up ahead to plan an idle five minutes around. Instead, you're exploring in order to survive, working to unlock a network of scattered Lightroots, treetrunk nodes that reach down from the ceiling. Trigger them and you get a pool of light and a matching pool of illuminated map. You get fast travel, the slightest sense of your bearings, and the feeling that you're reclaiming a little of this terrifying space.

There's a puzzle down here, and it leads to a useful reward, but for once in a Zelda adventure it's hard to focus on because you're so thoroughly stuck in the present. With the lights off, the landscape ceases to be earth and slopes and trees, instead becoming something mysterious, almost a form of enemy as it occludes the horizon. Actually, forget the idea of a horizon: everything seems to be looming close, tangling underfoot.

Embrace the depths

Life feels clumsy and precarious in the dark. With the lights on, it's often even worse. With crimson pools of heart-sapping Gloom splattered across the ground and up the walls, this is Hyrule as crime scene. There's something gleefully cruel to the design itself: all alone, resources dwindling, unseen enemies pacing around you. Zelda has always made you feel like you're walking in the footsteps of the designers, perhaps to a fault. No more. In the Depths, the designers seem to have moved on far ahead, and they remain out of reach. Instead you must light your own path, all thoughts of the landscape above forgotten.

Endless jostling horror! But it's almost always a choice for you. Above the Depths there's still a story of rescue and reclaiming to be had, albeit one of the oddest the series has ever told. Ancient evil can still be defeated and the land saved. More crucially, Link's story up there is still built of moments of kindness as he explores Hyrule, solving strangers' problems.

But the Depths, that huge, unprecedented, non-understandable id, are down there all the while. Optional or not, it's theme-stating on a geological scale. The Depths are meant to destabilise. Here, at the very bedrock of the game that every Zelda team has to make, is the game they seem to have actually wanted to make this time.

The inchoate nature of the Depths suggests the designers were following their own path in search of what a Zelda game could be, instead of what it should be. And so Tears of the Kingdom advances the eternal conversation about Zelda and ritual and repetition not by upending things like Breath of the Wild, but by having the courage to ignore the conversation entirely. Down here, a new route forward takes shape, one Lightroot at a time. In the shifting darkness, Tears of the Kingdom opens its eyes.

This Tears of the Kingdom article was first published in issue 400 of Edge Magazine. To get more like this delivered straight to your doorstep (or digital device) consider subscribing to Edge.

BlizzCon 2026 brings big news for reigning hero shooter champ Overwatch. Season 5 will introduce a new "cool vampire" hero called Doctrine, it'll finally rework Roadhog to become less annoying, and in a very surprising turn, Sombra will become a support hero.

First things first, Doctrine. Game director Aaron Keller introduced the crowd to the game's upcoming support hero with an animated trailer that shows him joining forces with bad guy Doomfist and his entourage. He can apparently heal and dish out damage with a sceptre, rush across maps "shrouded in darkness," and utilize drones to buff allies. Keller also made mention of mechanized bats. Very cool...

BlizzCon attendees can try out Doctrine on the show floor, while players at home should have access to his 'Hero Trial' in-game that'll stay live through September 14. He'll properly end his slumber and stalk into the roster next month when Season 5 goes live.

As for next season's reworked heroes - or re-reworks, I should say - Roadhog will become much less annoying from here on. The developers say his signature hook and one-shot kill combo will be retired, and the chunky tank will finally be able to help out his team in a more meaningful capacity.

Overwatch's other super divisive hero, the sometimes invisible hacker Sombra, is getting an even bigger revamp. The DPS hero will become a support hero starting next season, rather surprisingly. Both heroes' new skill kits are under wraps, but we should see more as BlizzCon 2026 chugs on throughout the weekend.

Overwatch's huge "battle pass revamp" is out tomorrow and makes things a lot more complicated but, seemingly, better

Take a deep breath, because Touhou Koumakyou: New Classic - the Embodiment of Scarlet Devil came to Steam on September 9, some 24 years after its original Japanese release. In the days since, it's amassed an impressive 2,958 user reviews sitting at 98% positive, making New Classic (as I'm calling it) one of the highest-rated Steam releases of the entire year. It's also available on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2.

The original Embodiment of Scarlet Devil was actually the sixth game in the Touhou Project series by creator ZUN, but it was the first one made for Windows after a string of PC-98 releases. It put in a lot of work turning Touhou into an icon of underground doujin games, quickly becoming the series' best-seller and cementing it as a pillar of Japanese shoot-'em-ups and bullet hell.

New Classic is exactly what it sounds like: a more polished version of the original game. Alliance Arts has worked to preserve the original as much as possible – so much so that New Classic "can only be purchased as part of a bundle" on Steam.

"The price is the same, and the Classic version is included," the studio clarifies. Classic doesn't actually have English support on Steam, but it's still a fascinating, fairly navigable trip through time. The base bundle is $17.99 for both games, and the pricier $24.63 bundle also includes the New Classic soundtrack.

The Steam blurb for New Classic reads: "Dodge the barrage, defeat the enemies, and brave the Scarlet Mist Incident. The Embodiment of Scarlet Devil returns with fresh music and graphics. Control the shrine maiden Reimu and the magician Marisa, weaving between bullets that fill up the screen. The soundtrack has been fully remade by ZUN."

Touhou overall is a bit tougher to explain. The layman's evaluation isn't far off: a bunch of magical girls, or anime girls who'd pass as magical girls, fend off supernatural incidents in Gensokyo, sort of a mythological mirror to the real world.

For our purposes, the important thing to know is that Touhou has spawned a bunch of kickass games, several of which are also on Steam. I especially recommend Touhou Luna Nights, a 2D bullet hell Metroidvania from the immaculate Team Ladybug and in the same vein as Rabi-Ribi. I'm less familiar with it, but I believe Touhou Mystia's Izakaya, a cute restaurant sim, is the highest-rated Touhou game on modern platforms (and is only $6 at base on Steam).

Aggregate tools like Steam250 put New Classic among the top seven best-reviewed Steam releases for the past month, and (rapidly rising) in the top 50 for all of 2026. If your company is a modern classic like Valheim (a lovely Viking survival game fresh off its 1.0 update) and a surprise hit like How to Fish (a very normal game about fishing), you're doing pretty well.

Here are the biggest new games of 2026 and beyond.

Nintendo is celebrating a legal win against Switch mod devices. A Dutch court has ruled in the company's favor against an online retailer of Mig Switch Cards in the Netherlands, ordering the seller to stop offering the devices.

"The Defendant operated what is often known as a 'dropshipping' delivery system," Nintendo says in a press release, "where products ordered by consumers on websites targeting European consumers, including those in the Netherlands, are delivered directly from Asia, primarily China. The Court ruled that, by offering and selling circumvention devices marketed as 'MIG Switch Cards' and 'MIG Switch Dumpers' for Nintendo Switch on several websites (r4switch.nl, ther4card.com, and r4switch.co.uk), the Defendant acted unlawfully [and] respectively infringed Nintendo’s copyrights."

Mig products are often listed as a way for players to back up the Switch games they already own. The dumper devices create backup versions of game cartridges, while the main flash cartridge devices allow those backups to be booted on an unmodded console. Of course, Mig cartridges are far more often used as pure piracy devices, since there's nothing preventing you from just downloading game files from the internet and using those on your Switch.

"The District Court of The Hague followed the reasoning set by the highest European Court (Court of Justice of the European Union) closely and recognized that the primary purpose of these circumvention devices is to circumvent the security measures protecting Nintendo video game consoles and authentic video games, thereby enabling the use of unauthorized copies of Nintendo video games," the publisher continues in its press release.

Nintendo adds that its action against these devices is taken "not only on its own behalf, but also on behalf of the many video game developers globally that depend on legitimate sales of Nintendo video games. Nintendo promotes and fosters game development and creativity and strongly supports the game developers who legitimately create new and innovative games."

There are legitimate uses for flash cartridges, like booting homebrew software, but Nintendo's lawyers always seem to come knocking when piracy becomes their primary purpose – especially when it starts to affect a platform that's still a current commercial concern. The company won a similar legal case in the Netherlands against R4 cartridges for the DS back in 2010, and has seemingly even gone to the trouble of bricking consoles for Mig users.

But despite several legal victories against the makers and sellers of R4 devices in courts around the world, similar cartridges are trivially easy to get hold of today. They're even on Amazon at this point. Maybe the same will be true of Mig carts someday in the future, but for now, Nintendo is keen to make it as hard as possible to get ahold of them.

Unfortunately, these sorts of cartridge backup devices are also essential for future game preservation. There are thousands upon thousands of old games that have only been preserved and made accessible to modern players because of a decades-long legacy of piracy devices like the Mig cards. Here's hoping that preservationists get better ways to do their work in the decades to come, but so far the law has not been on their side.

These are the upcoming Switch 2 games you need to know about.

A couple of weeks ago, Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 provided us with our first look at both The Witcher 3 Remastered and CD Projekt Red's brand-new expansion for the RPG, Songs of the Past – an expansion that wouldn't have happened without the remaster.

Or, at least, that's what CD Projekt Red says in a recent interview with BBC News over on YouTube.

As Jakub Rokosz, game director behind both The Witcher 3 and now Songs of the Past, recalls, "the stars had to align and the conditions had to be just right to make this [the new expansion] happen." And right they became, as "the story of Dandelion's past and homeland came into our spotlight" at the perfect time.

Right when "CD Projekt Red started talking to us about about doing it," other "work on the remaster" was underway – "and those two things are intertwined in a way that the realization of Letten, Dandelion's hometown, wouldn't be possible without the remaster upgrades."

As Rokosz concludes, "there are a few things that had to click together" to make Songs of the Past "possible." And, thankfully, those things did indeed click.

Considering the sheer scope of Songs of the Past, I'm honestly not too surprised to hear Rokosz say that The Witcher 3 Remastered was practically necessary to make the expansion work.

After all, the original RPG from CD Projekt Red launched way back in 2015, leaving over a decade of technological advancements between then and now. Plus, it sounds like the remaster will be quite the overhaul, also.

We've got everything from "improved combat" to massively reworked visuals to look forward to, at times making it sound more like a remake than a remaster, honestly.

It's one heck of an undertaking for developers, undoubtedly, anyway, considering all of the other upcoming CD Projekt Red games, too. Coupled with Songs of the Past – which Rokosz makes seem huge as well – we Witcher stans have a lot to be excited about.

After 20 years voicing Geralt, The Witcher 3 star Doug Cockle says revisiting his character for Songs of the Past is "like slipping into a warm bath"

Nintendo announced Switch 2's $450 price tag with the threat of looming tariffs under US President Donald Trump. That price tag held after the tariffs were implemented, and still remained the same once they were declared illegal. Nintendo got $300 million back in refunds on those tariffs, but it's been very clear that it has no plans on passing the cash back to consumers. Instead, the company is offering a two-week-long Customer Appreciation sale.

"The Customer Appreciation Sale is our way of saying thank you to Nintendo players for their continued support and is made possible in part by tariff-related refunds," the company says in its announcement. "While Nintendo absorbed most tariff-related costs, the refunds helped make promotions like this one possible."

The sale, which will be available at the online Nintendo Store and the company's retail locations, runs from September 12 at 9pm PT until September 26 at 8:59pm PT. Nintendo calls it "one of our largest promotions ever," and promises "30% off dozens of Nintendo Switch digital games and bundles, plus savings on select physical games, downloadable content, accessories, amiibo, and apparel."

There are no more specific details on which items will be discounted, but official first-party Nintendo sales are pretty rare things, and this will be a unique opportunity to get Nintendo products at less than MSRP. Still, I doubt that giving more money to Nintendo is going to take the sting out of the Switch 2 costing so much.

The Switch 2's high price compared to previous Nintendo consoles is only partly due to the tariffs. Certainly, you can more directly attribute the recent price hike to $500 to the global RAM shortage being caused by AI data centers. But those tariffs are a factor, and despite threats of class action lawsuits, Nintendo has resolutely refused – just like Sony and Microsoft – to offer direct refunds to consumers.

If you missed yesterday's showcase, here's everything announced at the Nintendo Direct for September 2026.

SEGA announced last June during the Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary festivities that two game collections were heading to the Nintendo Switch, and now they're finally available to pre-order.

The Classic Sonic Collection and Modern Sonic Collection are available for $49.99 / $49.99 at Best Buy each, and are expected to launch in October later this year. The collections provide exactly what they say on the tin - a collection of old-school and modern Sonic games in two physical releases, something that can please both types of fans. Though don't expect them to include every game in Sonic's massive 35-year lifespan.

Most notably, my personal 'modern' favorites, Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, are missing from the Modern Sonic Collection, which is a bit of a bummer. Instead, modern fans can find Sonic Forces, Sonic Colors Ultimate, and Sonic Frontiers all on one cartridge. Meanwhile, old-school fans can take Sonic Mania, Sonic Origins, and Sonic Superstars for a spin, and you can find the best pre-order links for these below.

While these collections aren't as complete as they could be, Sega has thrown in a 35th Anniversary Logo Patch and reversible coversheet. There's no sign of what these actually look like, as we've only got the small mention of them on both games' box art to go off on. However, I'm always going to be an avid supporter of finding physical extras with my physical games.

As you've also likely surmised, these collections are for the Nintendo Switch and aren't exclusive to the Switch 2, so you'll still be able to play them even if you haven't invested in Nintendo's newest handheld. However, if you have forked out the now $499.99 MSRP for the console, it's worth noting that you can also grab the new Sonic Frontiers Definitive Edition.

It's also available for $49.99 at Best Buy today and doesn't just include the base game, as found in the Modern Sonic Collection. Instead, you've also got the extra 'The Final Horizon' story campaign and extra content updates, alongside a digital art book and mini soundtrack to enjoy. The only thing better than Sonic the Hedgehog is even more Sonic the Hedgehog.

View all upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 games at Best Buy

Love physical Switch games? Check out our Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake pre-order and Fire Emblem Fortune's Weave pre-order pages while you're here.

It's almost become tradition at this point: the announcement of a new release with massive historical significance gets buried within a sizzle reel in a Nintendo Direct. Today, we got a shadowdrop for Dragon Quest Heroes: Torneko's Mystery Dungeon Classic HD. This Super Famicom roguelike went untranslated for 33 years, despite building a massive following in Japan and laying the blueprint for the expansive Mystery Dungeon series.

Torneko's Mystery Dungeon is available today for $25 across Switch, Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. It is a roguelike in the most traditional sense – as in, it's a lot like the original Rogue. This is a top-down dungeon crawler where every step you take is a turn. You delve into a massive dungeon, grab as much treasure as you can carry, and build up your experience to survive into the deepest levels. If you die, you start back at the very beginning.

That concept will be intimately familiar to modern gamers, but the roguelike boom was decades away when this game was first released. Developer Chunsoft took the bones of a fiddly PC game, stuck a familiar Dragon Quest character into the role of protagonist, and suddenly had a hit on its hands. But with the then-limited success of JRPGs in general and Dragon Quest in particular outside of Japan, an English release never actually happened.

Despite that, the Mystery Dungeon series would ultimately develop a global legacy. Chunsoft would spin it off into an original IP with Shiren the Wanderer, and we'd eventually get other licensed takes like Pokemon Mystery Dungeon and Chocobo Mystery Dungeon, which themselves would spin off into entire series of their own.

The Classic HD version of Torneko's Mystery Dungeon seems to mostly stay true to the original's old-school sensibilities, with a lightly upgraded look putting it in line with Square Enix's modern HD-2D games. But the devs do have one big modern tweak in mind – at least for the Steam version. This edition offers a free bit of streamer-focused DLC that allows viewers to influence "mysterious events" that occur throughout the dungeon. It's not a feature that the vast majority of players will ever engage with, but I'm at least interested to see what kind of chaos it adds to the adventure.

Here are the upcoming Switch 2 games you need to know about.

Elden Ring players were happy to discover there was a glitch that made the game's new $5 Tarnished Pack DLC appear in their multiplayer kingdom, even if they hadn't paid for it. But developer FromSoftware has speedily issued a patch stopping players in their path.

"Patch 1.17.1 has been released for #ELDENRING," says the official Elden Ring account on Twitter. "This update fixes an issue in multiplayer where, under specific conditions, DLC-specific items could be obtained when not normally eligible. No additional content is included. Thank you for your support, Tarnished."

After Patch 1.17 introduced new, paid content that comes included with Elden Ring's fresh Switch 2 edition – the $5 pack contains the Idus Knight and Heavy Knight starting classes, plus more weapons and glamorous horse armor – a helpful bug made it so players with DLC items would automatically spawn copies of those items as pick-ups when entering a multiplayer game with someone who didn't have the DLC. It was the Lands Between's equivalent of dollar bills raining from the sky.

But Patch 1.17.1 smacks players' wrists and tells them to get their own $5. While Elden Ring fans can still trade DLC items with each other, including with people who don't own the Tarnished Pack, they can no longer enjoy a bounty of doubles. And they are not happy.

One exasperated Twitter reply says to the official Patch 1.17.1, "In other words someone found out how to get the $5 Tarnished DLC stuff for free. It should have been free anyway, guys. Charging $5 for a few pieces of gear is the biggest L From Soft has taken in a long time."

"I'll get downvoted for this, but it's crazy they released a whole patch for something as harmless as this," another player reacts in a Reddit thread on the topic, "but they can't bother to give us more balance or QoL changes. You know stuff that would actually improve the game's experience?"

"People love to claim that From soft is somehow beyond criticism," says another Reddit comment in the same thread, "but this was clearly a financial decision. They want more money from people. Simple as that."

As much as it pains me to agree as a hardcore FromSoftware fan (I've played all the games more than once, I've watched a total of at least 100 hours of lore videos), I do. The Tarnished Pack DLC is the developer's first experiment with something close to "microtransactions," and I have to try hard not to see it as the first ember in a house fire. Usually, I fail. But it's clear from Patch 1.17.1 that FromSoftware has the opposite reaction – if $5 DLC is an ember, it wants to keep it glowing.

Deep in FromSoftware's sicko arc, Elden Ring and Dark Souls boss Hidetaka Miyazaki says "you can't make anything that's as fun" just by following the same old rules.

Pokemon can't stop outdoing itself. It keeps setting new records across its profit, having already made $3.4 billion in net sales so far in 2026.

That number is a 29% increase from last year, according to a June report from Japan game industry consultant Dr. Serkan Toto. The figure was recently republished by Japanese news site Denfaminico Gamer, which game update account Genki translated for a September 8 post that explains, "The Pokémon Company sales revenue has increased by 4.4 times in the last 5 years."

"In fiscal year 2026 sales reached 531 billion yen ($3.4 billion) up from 120 billion yen ($769M) in fiscal year 2021," Genki says based on Denfaminico Gamer's report. Machine translation suggests Denfaminico Gamer also notes that The Pokemon Company has increased its net income by 13.6 times since 2018, and it's projected to earn more than 120 billion yen (about $770 million) at the end of the 2026 fiscal year – an explosive increase from 8.8 million yen in 2018.

These money bags are probably at least partly a gift from major 2026 hits like Pokemon Pokopia, which sold five million copies only five months after its launch, and Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen re-releases for Switch, whose four million sold copies solidified the GBA classic as one of the best-selling Pokemon games ever.

It's all flattering, but Toto says on Twitter that The Pokemon Company is "very likely not happy [these stats] are out there." Kanpō, the Japanese government's gazette, reports them automatically, despite The Pokemon Company being privately held. "Ironically," Toto adds, "we would not get this data if TPC was integrated into Nintendo as a studio (like Kadokawa does not reveal From's data separately)."

But The Pokemon Company has nothing to be shy about. It's consistently growing with every new release – which will hopefully include Pokemon Winds and Waves one day. Though, The Pokemon Company has earned the right to take too long.

Pokemon Center cancels countless reseller orders, but TCG fans seem to have been burned as well.

September is one of the most exciting months for Switch 2 and Switch owners, as we have a new Nintendo Direct on the way, hot on the heels of the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. That's right: we have two back-to-back Directs, folks. However, while I personally love all things Zelda, when it comes to new upcoming Switch 2 games potentially being announced, I'd say the main September 2026 Nintendo Direct is the one you really don't want to miss.

The upcoming presentation will be focusing on Switch 2 games launching this winter. And considering how there are still some big titles releasing this year without firm dates (looking at you, The Duskbloods), I'm expecting it to be a show with a slew of important reveals. Then, of course, there's a high chance of even more new games being announced for Ninty's hybrid console too, be they long-awaited ports or some surprising indie games.

We will be reporting live for the main showcase following the Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct. But if you want to tune in to the presentation and watch it for yourself in real-time here is everything you need to know about how to watch the September 2026 Nintendo Direct.

What time is the September 2026 Nintendo Direct?

The upcoming Nintendo Direct presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, September 9, 2026, and will be approximately 45 minutes long.

Below, I've listed all the start times per region:

• 7:00am PT
• 10:00am ET
• 3:00pm BST
• 4:00pm CEST

After the Nintendo Direct, there will also be a Nintendo Treehouse: Live presentation, where you'll have the chance to look at some gameplay from a select number of titles that will appear in the main showcase. We don't know how long this Treehouse will be yet, but it can run from 20 minutes to over an hour. So I'd plan your time accordingly.

Where to watch the September 2026 Nintendo Direct

The Nintendo Direct for September 2026 will air live on Nintendo's YouTube channels simultaneously on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. So, all you need to do is pick the region that works best for you.

What to Expect From the September 2026 Nintendo Direct

We know that the Nintendo Direct for September 2026 will be focusing on Switch 2 games launching this winter. So I'm guessing that we will see some new looks at Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Switch 2 Edition at the very least, since both of those have December release dates.

There are also a handful of big titles that still only have a 2026 release window that need to be slotted into the calendar, so I'm guessing we will also finally get release dates for the likes of The Duskbloods, the 007 First Light Switch 2 port, and Professor Layton and the New World of Steam.

Like with most Directs, it is also a safe bet to assume that we will be getting some fresh game announcements. Nintendo's November and December calendars are currently a bit bare in terms of releases, so there is plenty of room for some exciting indies to grab the spotlight.

For more Nintendo goodness, check out our list of the best Switch 2 games to play right now

If there's one thing to know about me, it's that I can't resist a creature-collecting RPG. Despite that, the Dragon Quest Monsters spin-off series has somehow always managed to pass me by. But, with less than an hour played of Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, I already know that I'm not going to let myself miss out for any longer come its December launch.

Dragon Quest games are never lacking in charm, and The Withered World is immediately full of it. Guided by a cute companion creature known as Fluffy, I'm quickly acquainted with the concept of befriending and battling with monsters and given a personality quiz to determine my first ally. Fluffy decides I'd be a perfect match for a Woebergine – the name speaks for itself. Not sure how I feel about that, to be honest, but it sure is cute, so I'll take it.

Befriend 'em all

After this, I make quick work of recruiting all the nearby monsters I can – I've completed too many Pokedexes in my career to waste time here. You can attempt to 'scout' a monster at any time during battle by using a 'show of force,' but as genre veterans will expect, it's more likely to work if you've weakened them first. I also find out the hard way that failing to scout a monster can leave you unable to try again in the same battle – you can't approach it like Pokemon where you can just toss as many Pokeballs as you like until one works – something I'm glad I discovered in the game's opening section rather than later on when a rarer, more desirable monster was on the line.

I say 'more desirable,' but right from the start, there are plenty of loveable creatures to encounter. I can't overstate how delighted I am to encounter a Fat Rat, who – you're not gonna believe this – is a rather rotund rodent. Very early on, I also run headfirst into a battle with a 'super strong enemy' – a Drakularge (shocker, a big dragon) – which immediately one-shots my entire team. Clearly, some things are meant to be returned to later.

With over 500 monsters to tame, you're not just limited to scouting new allies in battles to expand your collection, either. In a different section of my hands-on, I'm given free rein of The Withered World's synthesis system. A returning feature, synthesis allows you to merge two of your monsters together to form a new one, allowing you to pass on things like abilities in the process – think breeding for perfect IVs and Egg Moves in Pokemon.

Before synthesizing, you're shown what monster you're going to get, including whether or not they'll be a special monster. Some of the pairs and their outcomes make more sense than others – blending a Slime and Platypunk gives me a special Mottle Slime, for example, which half tracks, unlike my Skeleton and Platypup producing a Guaardvark – but I know the countless combinations here are going to have me constantly coming back for more to see what possibilities my monsters hold.

While it'd be difficult to form a real bond with anything in under an hour – especially with the knowledge that I'll be leaving it behind me in a room at Gamescom, never to be seen again – my main takeaway from my time with Dragon Quest: The Withered World is that I'm going to adore whatever my team of monsters ends up being. The punny names, the cute designs, the fact that your ragtag team follows you around as you explore the world – everything is designed to be as endearing as possible, and by god, it's working. I will do whatever it takes to raise my Cruelcumber to be a strong, reliable ally, and fight proudly by their side – whatever The Withered World's story has in store for me, well, that's just a bonus.

On your own quest to play more like this? Check out out best JRPGs ranking, or our games like Pokemon recommendations!

Nintendo has confirmed that two Nintendo Direct presentations will air this week, with the first focusing on The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake is Nintendo's biggest game for the remainder of 2026, and one we know next to nothing about. Will it be a full-blown remake in the vein of Resident Evil or Final Fantasy 7's recent outings? Or will it be a glorified remaster, just a prettier version of the exact same game with some quality-of-life improvements? Thankfully, all will hopefully be revealed today as we're getting 30 minutes of Zelda news in The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct.

The rumor mill has placed Xenoblade Chronicles studio Monolith Soft as the studio behind this remake. Meanwhile, a leak from the Australian Nintendo store seems to suggest it'll be priced at $60 alongside Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, meaning it's more expensive than the likes of Star Fox 64's remake, but not quite as much as premium Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza.

As for what else to expect from this show, given we got our first look at The Super Mario Galaxy movie during last year's Super Mario Bros 40th Anniversary segment, I'd wager we'll see footage from The Legend of Zelda movie. Perhaps a duo of remasters like The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD could be thrown to Switch 1 owners, and in a stunning display of copium, I'm going to put it out into the world that we get a teaser for the next mainline Zelda game.

How to watch the The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct

The Legend of Zelda 40th anniversary Nintendo Direct will air live on Tuesday, September 8 at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST and air for 30 minutes.

And don't forget, we'll be getting another Nintendo Direct this week, with a regular Nintendo Direct set to air tomorrow, September 9, 2026, at 7am PT / 10am ET / 3pm BST, which will last 40 minutes. And on top of that, after tomorrow's show wraps up, we're getting a Nintendo Treehouse Live stream with 110 minutes of gameplay, with Zelda being a likely candidate to show up.

Watch the Nintendo Direct stream here

The show will air live on Nintendo's YouTube channels simultaneously, so just pick whatever region suits you best!

Following one Pokemon Champions lead's suggestion that the RPG series' turn-based combat could see more changes over time, another co-director has doubled down on the idea that the company's new home of competitive battling will allow for that traditional system to be "preserved" forever.

Although Pokemon has experimented more with its battle system in recent years – with Pokemon Legends: Arceus and Z-A offering variations between the former's Strong and Agile-style moves and the latter's real-time combat – the main generational releases and remakes (see the likes of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet and Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl) have stuck closely to the turn-based format. However, Champions co-director Kazumasa Iwao recently noted that "there is the possibility that this rule could change little by little."

He went on to say that Game Freak wants to "challenge ourselves by doing new things" – raising the question of what battle system could be planned for Pokemon Winds and Waves – before adding that the development of Champions began with the idea that "it would be good to put the battle system we've constructed into one game that you can keep playing." Now, in an interview with VGC, fellow co-director Masaaki Hoshino has reiterated this concept.

Noting that he loves Pokemon battles to the point that they're "part of the reason why I joined The Pokemon Company" in the first place, Hoshino says: "I would love to keep turn-based battles around like forever, regardless of other Pokemon battle styles out there. From that standpoint, I believe that as long as Pokemon Champions is around, turn-based battles will be kind of preserved and will continue forever."

"Forever" is a word that keeps coming up when it comes to Pokemon Champions. In a group interview with Hoshino attended by GamesRadar+ earlier this year, the lead stated that "we're planning to keep Pokemon Champions going far into the future – basically forever, as long as the Pokemon series is continuing." Now that Champions is the game that official VGC tournaments are set to take place in at events such as the Pokemon World Championships, this is more than a PvP spin-off; it's the lifeblood of the competitive scene, so I certainly hope this is the case.

Pokemon Gold and Silver keep getting referenced by official accounts, and I'm willing myself to believe the classic DS remakes are coming to Switch.

One of the most unique things about Pokemon has always been the ability to transfer your pocket monsters between different hardware generations and across 30 years of games. Now, with Pokemon Bank's impending shutdown next year, one modder has created a working adapter to move creatures from the GBA to the Switch.

The Pokemon Company recently announced that Pokemon Bank is ending service on February 26, 2027. That means several life-long Pokemons could be permanently stranded on the Nintendo 3DS in a few months time - five Pokemon will also be completely unobtainable - but not if modders have anything to say about it.

On Twitter, modder and game dev Drewworks showed off their very impressive homebrew solution in the form of a working GBA-to-Switch trade adapter. "Still plenty of work ahead, but seeing a real GBA communicate and trade with the Switch is pretty incredible," the modder writes. (Good spot, GoNintendo.)

The video above even shows the GBA actively interacting with a Switch 2 console, while Drewworks trades creatures across two different generations of Nintendo hardware. That one random Pokemon NPC was right, technology is incredible.

Cooking up a DIY GBA-to-Switch adapter won't be an easy solution for most players who want to keep bringing older Pokemons into the modern era, of course, but I imagine quite a few hobbyist modders might jump aboard the trend in the coming months.

In other news, Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen's Switch ports will become compatible with Pokemon HOME next year as well. Pokemon Winds and Waves is also set to come out sometime in 2027.

Pokemon Winds and Waves might not have turn-based battles as Game Freak veteran hints the combat system "could change" thanks to Pokemon Champions

The first of September was a dark day for prospective Nintendo Switch 2 buyers, with the console's MSRP jumping from $449.99 to $499.99. Those who missed out on the previous rate will be glad to know there are ways to get around that new $500 ticket price, though, and Labor Day Nintendo Switch deals are offering some sturdy discounts two months before Black Friday.

With all these price increases, I would be incredibly surprised if the handheld itself took any material savings come November. However, refurbished devices have been holding the fort for other platforms, and the same is true for Ninty this holiday weekend. You'll find the Nintendo Switch 2 back at its original $449.99 rate (albeit refurbished) at Woot this Labor Day weekend, while those looking to (practically) halve their costs can scoop up the Nintendo Switch OLED for $269.99 at Best Buy instead.

Even with two new Nintendo Switch 2 bundles on the horizon, this weekend's offers are still looking pretty sweet. Of course that's not all Labor Day Nintendo Switch deals are providing this weekend. I'm also seeing some solid prices on blockbuster releases like Metroid Prime 4: Beyond and Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild as well as heavier discounts on cheap controllers and grip cases as well.

You'll find all the Labor Day Nintendo Switch deals you need to know about just below and my top picks further down the page.

Quick links

• Amazon: accessories from $0.99
• Best Buy: up to $130 off renewed handhelds
• GameStop: extra savings for Pros
• Walmart: games from $4.05
• Woot: controllers from $14.99

The best Labor Day Switch game deals

The best Labor Day Switch deals

We're also rounding up all of Best Buy's Labor Day sales as well as the best Labor Day PS5 deals available this weekend.

Nintendo has announced that two Nintendo Direct presentations will air next week, with one focusing on The Legend of Zelda's 40th anniversary.

September is one of the typical months for a Nintendo Direct, so naturally the rumor mill was packed to the gills as soon as September 1 hit, and of course, it was on the money. With The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake coming this year alongside the series' 40th anniversary, some were expecting a repeat of last year's September Nintendo Direct, where the opening half was dedicated to the Super Mario Bros' 40th birthday, while the rest was a typical showcase.

And while Nintendo is dedicating time to an anniversary again, this time it's getting an entire Nintendo Direct of its own. Announced on the Nintendo Today app, a 30-minute The Legend of Zelda 40th-anniversary Nintendo Direct will air on September 8, 2026 at 7am PT | 10am ET | 3pm BST.

The following day, on September 9, 2026 at 7am PT | 10am ET | 3pm BST, a standard Nintendo Direct presentation will air and run for 45 minutes. And after that Direct wraps up, Nintendo will host a Nintendo Treehouse Live stream with 110 minutes of games featured in the show.

Obviously, the Zelda-focused Nintendo Direct will almost certainly feature a substantial look at The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake as its main event. Given we got our first look at The Super Mario Galaxy Movie during last year's anniversary segment, I'm very much expecting to see our first look at The Legend of Zelda Movie before it's release next May, too. Plus, there's always copium we'll hear about ports of The Wind Waker and Twilight Princess HD.

The Nintendo Direct itself however, who knows. A new Metroid game has been part of the rumor mill for a while, and the person who leaked the Zelda remake in the first place says a new 3D Mario is pegged for next year, so perhaps that could be the show's closer this time around.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake's mystery developer may be a veteran studio that a Nintendo lead wanted to see "play a central role" in the series moving forward

Hideo Kojima has explained why the Japanese box art for the original Metal Gear Solid was written vertically, but says some retailers didn't get the memo.

Metal Gear Solid is a series synonymous with banger box art, with most entries in the series featuring some gorgeous artwork from series artist Yoji Shinkawa – in Japan and Europe that is, the US typically got 3D renders (with worse box art for the US being a tradition Konami is continuing to this very day). However, Europe won out with the original Metal Gear Solid, getting Shinkawa art, as both the US and Japan got a blank white cover with the game's title on it. However, there were differences: the US copy had the title in red, while the Japanese copy had the title on its side.

When asked why the title was intentionally misplaced on the Japanese cover, Kojima explains, in a post on Twitter, "When you placed [it] on a shelf, I intentionally designed the package to make customers wonder, 'Why is it vertical?!' and pick it up to see what it is, leading them to the game information from there!"

However, Kojima adds that this didn't exactly work out as planned, as "some stores, perhaps trying to be helpful, turned the package sideways and displayed it horizontally instead of the way I intended."

Doing something weird with the cover to pique players' curiosity isn't unique to Metal Gear Solid, mind you; the most obvious example is the space shooter Phalanx on the SNES. The European and Japanese covers featured a shot of a spaceship flying away from various explosions, while the US cover consists of an old fella playing the banjo with a tiny spaceship flying past in the background. And it's definitely the only reason I remember that game off the top of my head.

91.8% of Metal Gear Solid 4 players immediately got the achievement for ripping a statue's privates clean off.

People have been inflicting the cruel colors and harsh lines of Nvidia's DLSS 5 on games that were normal before they were forced to look like AI-enhanced Love Island, and Hello Games' stylized space explorer No Man's Sky is the latest victim. A popular fanmade clip showing No Man's Sky looking more unnaturally crisp than a hangnail reveals plenty of people actually want DLSS 5 – but that developer Hello Games probably won't give it to them.

The original post from Twitch streamer Oskar1up has over 6,000 likes and 1.8 million views on Twitter as comments commend the dramatic peach sunset and glassy ocean waves DLSS 5 gives the otherwise subtly beautiful game from 2016. The post ultimately caught Hello Games engine programmer Martin Griffiths' attention, but not for entirely innocent reasons.

Another Twitter user says of Oskar1up's DLSS 5 experiment, "No Man's Sky is like the perfect game for DLSS 5, no human faces so no weird uncanny valley, and tons of natural and space scenes can use the realism boost." But Griffiths doesn't seem convinced by this claim that DLSS 5 has no downsides when applied to environments.

"It would probably fall to me to implement DLSS 5 in No Man's Sky, since I coded our DLSS support," Griffiths writes on Twitter. "But adopting it isn’t really a technology decision – it's much more an art-direction choice."

On this note, GamesRadar+ learned during our early hands-on time with DLSS 5 at Gamescom 2026 that the tech that applies a 2D generative AI filter to images is "only" made for photorealistic games, as Nvidia insisted. So, it shouldn't apply to No Man's Sky, which was carefully crafted to be its own soft rainbow galaxy.

That said, Nvidia's intentions are irrelevant when it comes to the unruly desires of curious gamers, who've crafted their own DLSS 5 button with files from NBA 2K27. It's this bootleg that is making No Man's Sky look like it's been deflated and then stuffed with clear jelly.

Personally, I think it looks awful – generic and unmotivated. To add DLSS 5, Griffiths says, "The question isn't whether we can do it. It's whether it enhances the image, or starts to subtract from No Man's Sky's own unique look and feel."

So, could Hello Games litter their beloved game's universe with AI? Sure. Should the developer do so? I hope no one actually believes that.

Nvidia says it's only targeting "photorealistic" games with DLSS 5, but am I the only one who thinks "realistic" visuals are worse?

As much as I enjoy the high-fidelity visuals and real-time combat available in Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Rebirth, I'll always be a sucker for a pixel-art, turn-based RPG. Clearly, Square Enix also understands this timeless appeal because the publisher is on course to release Final Fantasy Resonance this year and, after playing it at Gamescom, it's now my most anticipated new game this year.

With its HD-2D aesthetic blending 2D sprites with 3D environments, Final Fantasy Resonance brings to mind games like Octopath Traveler, and instantly feels familiar if you're well-versed in classic RPGs. You roam around the world before the screen shatters and a battle begins, inputting commands and watching them play out in a sequence as you whittle down enemy health bars. However, Resonance isn't without a unique twist.

An RPG with Vision

The party I get to play with is made up of four original characters, with a variety of skills and elemental affinities, including Rain who deals melee damage with vigor, and Fina who boasts great healing spells. However, I'm most struck by the fact each hero has a Vision; a spirit character who supports them by sharing powers in combat. I'm told some Visions are new while many others are familiar faces from the Final Fantasy franchise, which makes sense as I'm staring at Cloud Strife from FF7.

These spirit friends, reminiscent of the Stands from JoJo's Bizarre Adventure and the equipable characters in Fire Emblem Engage, can be unlocked by beating in-game dungeons known as Sanctums. Once selected, they diversify each party member's repertoire by adding new spells, increasing your options in battle.

Visions are most noteworthy when performing Resonance attacks – special moves that can be used once all enemies are staggered (denoted by a separate gauge to their health). Once their postures are broken, you can hit them with the titular flashy attack for huge damage.

However, if your character's Vision gauge is full, you can perform a Sweeping Resonance for even greater effect. I start off using Cloud's jaw-dropping Sweeping Resonance, the HD-2D graphics giving way to gorgeous, fully-rendered 3D models as Cloud furiously slashes through enemies.

Similarly, when The Warrior of Light from the OG Final Fantasy manifests in full 3D and brings destruction upon my enemies, I feel a giddy thrill that appeals to my inner child more than an ice-cold glass of Dr Pepper.

The combination of visual styles isn't the only way Final Fantasy Resonance so lovingly blends old and new. Being a classic-style RPG, the developer hasn't shied away from grinding as an in-game mechanic. That might put some players off, but you can toggle the speed of encounters to effectively half the time required to level up your party and Visions. It's a simple feature, but the difference it can make should not be underestimated.

In addition, my preview's dungeon comes complete with useful checkpoints for fast travel and resting, which are modern staples that I always appreciate. It also helps that the item names are all instantly recognizable to Final Fantasy veterans, from Hi-Potions to Phoenix Downs, creating a sense of familiarity that maintains momentum.

This isn't to say that nostalgia is vital to enjoying Final Fantasy Resonance. The turn-based combat is layered and exciting, and the pixel art shimmers like a California sunset. But to those of us of a certain vintage (old enough to have played those older pixel RPGs at launch, as well as catch the Jamiroquai reference in the last sentence), this game channels the era when Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 6 captured our hearts while still keeping our feet firmly planted in the here and now. It's a masterstroke and only Square Enix could have managed it.

Resonate with this preview? Then check out our best Final Fantasy games ranking or our best JRPGs list for more to play next!

Nintendo's surprise update for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on Switch 2 turned out to be a wrecking ball for the game's existing world records, implementing a sweeping speed increase that makes everyone – regardless of kart and racer – faster by a substantial measure.

As highlighted in a viral video being shared across social media in the wake of the update, Mario Kart 8 race, player speed has been increased across the board "by the equivalent of one coin," according to the official patch notes. In case you're unfamiliar, players pick up speed in Mario Kart 8 when they collect coins, with each coin adding an equal speed boost up until 10 coins, at which point full speed is reached. This update raises the baseline speed up to what was reached by collecting one point in previous versions of the game.

You might've glossed right over this change considering the surprisingly chunky Mario Kart 8 – yes, not Mario Kart World – update's other additions, which include "clearer" visuals, better load times, 5-8 player multiplayer support, and GameChat support. Essentially, the update brings Mario Kart 8 up to par with Mario Kart World in terms of Switch 2 compatibility, which is really a peculiar move from Nintendo considering Mario Kart World was the Switch 2's big launch title.

Anyway, as you might expect, Mario Kart 8 world record racers are scrambling to make sense of a world where every racer is suddenly considerably faster than before. Naturally, existing world records are just waiting to be smashed, and likely already have been at the time of writing. As one "friendly neighborhood Pokemon New Yorker" put it on Twitter, "RIP every MK8D World Record in the last 5 years."

You get the idea. To you and me, a marginal baseline speed increase might not seem like the Earth-shattering news that it is for Mario Kart speedracers, but if you're rightfully proud of clearing a map faster than literally anyone else in the world, well, if you're a glass-half-full type of person, you could see this as an opportunity to prove your drifting precision and red turtle shell dodging abilities to the internet once more. We live in a post-4.0 Mario Kart world (not that Mario Kart World) now, so you better keep up.

Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto never wanted to compete with other game devs: "I view the Rubik's Cube as my eternal rival"

Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope says he'd still love to work on the series, but pitches for its return have been turned down over the years.

Banjo-Kazooie is probably the game series with the biggest being dead to huge fanbase ratio (that or Mother). It's coming up on two decades since Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, which divided fans for not being a platformer despite being a great game in its own right. So, for most, it's been closer to 25 years since the last Banjo-Kazooie game, and despite appearances in Super Smash Bros. and re-releases of the original games, it doesn't look like there's much going on with the series.

Speaking to FRVR, Kirkhope reckons the chances of a return are higher than they've been in some time, saying "I used to always say there's zero chance of another Banjo-Kazooie game and right now I feel there's a slight chance." And that if such a game were to happen, he'd "absolutely" want to be involved in it. Kirkhope previously returned to create a new arrangement of his music for the duo's Smash Bros. appearance in 2019.

Kirkhope notes that the lack of a new Banjo isn't down to a lack of interest, at least outside of Rare itself. He explains that he knows of "like three companies" that have pitched to either Microsoft or Rare "about making another Banjo-Kazooie game, and I don't think anyone was successful." Kirkhope claims "Rare just typically say no to everything," saying that the likes of cartoons were rejected by the company over the years.

As for who could make a new Banjo game, Kirkhope says "Rare would never do it because they're too busy," but reckons the developers of Bradley the Badger – which he is composing the music for – Day 4 Night Studios, would be a good fit for the job. Spyro developer Toys For Bob is also reportedly interested in taking on the franchise, however it is currently working on Spyro: A Realm Beyond.

New Banjo-Kazooie releases are "native ports," so devs could add cut content and "bonus features" to the N64 classics.

Last week, Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 provided us with our first look at both The Witcher 3 Remastered and CD Projekt Red's new expansion for the RPG, Songs of the Past.

The expansion marks the return of Geralt's voice actor, Doug Cockle, who is taking on the role of the game's silver-haired protagonist once more… a role he's now been familiar with for over 20 years, since the original Witcher game.

How does Cockle feel stepping back into Geralt's boots for Songs of the Past, though? Well, he tells GamesRadar+ at Gamescom 2026.

"It's always a thrill to step back into Geralt's shoes," Cockle admits. "He is a character I know very, very well, so it's always a pleasure to revisit him, and it has been for Songs of the Past as well."

It's comforting, too, as per the actor's words – sort of like… taking a hot bath at the end of a tough day, apparently? "I always describe it as like slipping into a warm bath," as Cockle puts it. "It's just very comfortable, very easy."

Acting is "still work," however, as he goes on to say – "but it's work that is very comfortable for me to to move back into, and it's always a pleasure." That makes sense.
After all, "I've been voicing Geralt since 2006, I think it is," Cockle recalls, "so over 20 years now, and as long as CDPR keeps asking me to come back…" he will. Yes, even if he's "like 80 years old," he'd still be willing to voice the beloved witcher.

John Schwab, voice of Dandelion, largely feels the same. He tells GamesRadar+ that he "got more excitement stepping into the booth because I was returning to the character."

So The Witcher RPG series is one its actors are not only comfy with at this point (and then some), but also one that they genuinely enjoy being a part of. As a fan myself, as much is made obvious by their observable talent.

Nobody was more surprised by The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past than Geralt and Dandelion's actors: "They announced the expansion pack before we knew what we were doing."

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Nintendo's upgraded take on the 2014 Wii U game, just got a new update for the Switch 2… while Mario Kart World, its more recent entry in the racing game series, sits stagnant.

As per Nintendo's official patch notes, Version 4.0.0 is here for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with plenty for Switch 2 players to look forward to.

First and foremost are "clearer visuals," as the update finally adds "support for the Nintendo Switch 2 display and high-resolution TVs" – something I've personally been looking forward to since I upgraded to a 4K television myself. There are some nice performance tweaks, too.

The new version has "shortened the loading time before races and battles begin," as Nintendo writes, and "added CameraPlay support" for all you GameChat enjoyers.

That's not all, though – Mario Kart 8 Deluxe supports five to eight players in multiplayer mode now, allowing folks to connect with up to seven Nintendo Switch controllers on their Switch 2. In other words, prepare for downright chaos with your pals.

There are some other changes as well, as Nintendo has "increased player speed during races by the equivalent of one coin" and made it so that "players will not slow down while using Boo to become invisible, even when entering an offroad area."

People with access to the $24.99 Booster Course Pass will also see "96 Races" in the "VS Race" rule settings now, too. All in all, it's a pretty nice little Mario Kart 8 update, if you ask me.

What about Mario Kart World? Well, it did get two new Knockout Tour routes at the start of July, but it still undeniably feels unfinished when compared to its predecessor – an entry that's increasingly beginning to feel like Nintendo's favorite child.

Who knows, though… we might see a new Mario Kart World update surface for Switch 2 stans soon, even if Mario Kart 8 has historically outsold its successor (because, let's face it, it's the series GOAT).

The "greatest speedrun accomplishment of all time" is in sight as two legendary Super Mario Bros runners compete for a time that once seemed impossible.

CD Projekt Red's games – think banger RPGs like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3 – perform quite well on consoles… and even though such platforms have hit a bit of a wall costs-wise with the RAMpocalypse and what have you, the studio isn't worried.

Michał Nowakowski, joint CD Projekt Red CEO, explains as much in a new interview with The Game Business, describing how he believes console brands like Xbox and PlayStation will live on despite RAM shortage struggles and other roadblocks – and his own company's games' potential performance on such platforms in the future is not a concern at this point.

"I'm not worried," as Nowakowski says. "Consoles are still necessary to broaden the audience on the casual or semi-casual level. It's important to have easy to plug in and enjoy gaming."

I suppose he's right there. Although I'm more of a PC gamer myself, I can appreciate the moments I kick back to play on my Switch 2 for a change. It's a matter of convenience – and, yes, price… even if consoles are hiking their own price tags.

Regardless, Nowakowski doesn't see them going anywhere.

"I'm a big believer that they're going to weather the storm," he admits, going on to say he's aware of the "the objective challenge" that is pricing – and the rumors of next-gen consoles being delayed.

I mean, Sony's CEO couldn't give a release date for the PS6 last month, and the ongoing shortage of hardware components isn't helping settle consumers' concerns. But, does it really matter either way?

Nowakowski thinks not.

"How we reach gamers is a little irrelevant. Content is the king. And if the content is right, people will find a way to play it," the CD Projekt Red lead says. "When we launch, if PS5, Xbox Series X/S is what people are playing, we're going to be there. We're going to find a business model that’s going to work for us, that's going to be fine for players, and that's it."

Sounds pretty good, if you ask me… deliver to the players, wherever they may be.

"If the next-gen gets delayed, it could be the case that some ideas are put on a shelf for the future," Nowakowski concludes. "We'd have to adjust. We're not worried on the commercial side. Consoles are here to stay" – and, you know, something tells me he's right.

The Witcher 3 Remastered won't scrap saves or achievements from the OG RPG as CD Projekt Red confirms it'll all carry over

Not quite made the leap to the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller but still eyeing up those back buttons? JSAUX's latest launch might be for you.

The brand teased its Voidjoy Elite Extender alongside its new controller wing last month, and the brand has just made the $39.99 accessory available for purchase today. It's essentially a hug for your original Switch Pro Controller. A wraparound buddy that sits on the main body of the gamepad, adding 1,800mAh of extra battery life and a suite of additional controls to the best Nintendo Switch controller on the market.

Two back buttons are positioned between the grips, with additional shoulder clackers up top as well. The brains of the operation also handles button remapping, turbo, and up to 42-step macros, with support for Android Touch Mapping for all those gaming phone fans as well.

It's a risky move, releasing a brand new accessory for the previous-generation controller (this one's for OG Switch Pro Controllers, rather than the newer Switch 2 model), but when prices are climbing as they are, gadgets that breathe new life into old tech are quickly growing in popularity.

While the same kind of mobile functionality, shoulder triggers, and battery boost would have been appreciated on the newer Switch 2 Pro Controller, then, I'm keen to see how the Elite Extender does in the wild. Ninty's official gamepad comes in at a whopping $89.99 - a fifth of the price of the handheld. Yes, it's the best Nintendo Switch 2 controller on the market, but those after some newer features no longer need to abandon old faithful.

At first glance, it doesn't look like those back buttons are going to feel as buttery intuitive as the ones on the official Switch 2 Pro Controller. They're positioned right on the back panel of the gamepad, after all, whereas Ninty's full release has them neatly tucked in under your fingers on the grips. It's a necessary repositioning to make sure everything sits on the same panel, but it might take some getting used to.

Competitive players will be keen to get their hands on the sturdy macro controls, though, while racing fans will be eyeing up those analog triggers up top instead. These detachable paddles want to bring your Switch Pro Controller to the PC, with pressure-sensitive actuation offering a wide range of movement down the stem compared to the stock triggers on the gamepad itself.

So who is the Voidjoy Elite Extender for? If you're only interested in those back buttons for Switch and Switch 2 play, just know that they come with an (admittedly currently unseen) caveat. We'll know a lot more about how these buttons perform once we get them in-hand, but at first glance they look just a tad more fiddly than the built-in options on Ninty's grown-up pad. However, anyone looking to outfit their original gamepad with some new features, whether it be for more sophisticated Switch controls, or to migrate their hardware to PC and mobile, should be investigating the brand's new gadget further.

That's not all JSAUX launched today either. The Voidjoy SkyLark S1 Pro is a full TMR controller with optical triggers, a compact form factor, and quick-switch pairing. The pocket-sized clackers are up for $49.99 at JSAUX's official site.

• See all Nintendo Switch controllers at Amazon

We're rounding up all the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories on the market, including the best Nintendo Switch 2 cases and best Nintendo Switch headsets as well.

Last week's Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 showcase saw the reveal of The Witcher 3 Remastered, a reworked take on CD Projekt Red's original 2015 RPG – and excited fans don't need to worry about losing their decade-old progress, apparently.

Developers reveal as much in a new post over on X, explaining that all of our saves from The Witcher 3 will, in fact, carry over to the remaster coming later this month.

"We've seen your questions about The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered," it reads. "Good news: your current saves will work with the upgrade, so you can get back on the Path right where you left off."

Good news indeed, especially for those of us with hundreds of hours clocked in-game.

That's not all, either. Apparently, all of our unlocked achievements (or trophies, for all you PlayStation 5 enjoyers) will still be unlocked in The Witcher 3 Remastered – no need to spend ages grinding Gwent cards and the like again.

As CD Projekt Red says, "Your unlocked achievements and trophies will carry over too!" I'm thrilled, personally, and I'm evidently not alone, with folks commenting that this is "great to hear."

Some people, however, do wish they could redo it all – because of course they do. As various other replies highlight, a lot of fans want to "100%" The Witcher 3 once more… which makes sense, I suppose, when you consider just how good the original RPG is.

As grueling a task completing everything again might be, I can see why players would want to. Heck, I have nearly 1,000 hours in the game on PC alone myself.

Regarding what The Witcher 3 Remastered brings to the table that we've not yet seen, there's everything from "improved combat" to overhauled visuals to look forward to.

There's also CD Projekt Red's new DLC for the RPG, Songs of the Past, and, of course, The Witcher 4, to anticipate. It's a better time than ever to be a fan of the Polish studio's lineup of games, I'd say – I know I certainly am, and I can't wait for it all to release.

After avoiding game-key cards with Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red says The Witcher 3 Remastered's Switch 2 physical edition details will come "when the time is right"

It's always nice to see devs revisit classic games to make spiritual successors for them, especially if the baseline mechanics and ideas have fallen out of vogue. Just recently, we saw a team doing this for Morrowind, and 14 years ago, Legend of Grimrock did this for Dungeon Master. The result is something that Path of Exile co-creator Chris Wilson is still raving about.

He made a YouTube video providing his thoughts, because Dungeon Master was a landmark release in his enjoyment of the medium. "While I'm not going to claim that it was the very first dungeon-crawler with a first-person perspective," he says. "It was the one that brought this particular style of RPG to a wide audience at the time."

You had to guide a four-character party through a dark, menacing set of tunnels, all mapped like a grid. The puzzles are largely environmental, and rely on lateral thinking based on the items you have and what you can see in the room in front of you. "It was a huge step up in terms of immersion," Wilson explains.

He goes so far as to say he found it "terrifying, in a good way," when he was younger, presumably because you were facing mummies and you had to improvise to make everything work. I can relate, because I used to find similar games, like the Heroes of Might and Magic series, daunting for similar reasons.

"But people stopped making games like this," he laments. "Once Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Quake came out, 90-degreerotation gave way to full 3D environments. And then Diablo 1 came along and totally changed how people saw real-time RPGs."

Since Wilson himself helped make the Diablo-like Path of Exile, you can see why he gravitated toward what Almost Human is doing in Legend of Grimrock. They're all devs who're refusing to get some aspects of the past die, even if they require traversing dimly lit dungeons.

CD Projekt Red offers to help after police reports are filed at Gamescom over stolen dev equipment: "We'll check the Arasaka hardware archives"

Metal Gear Solid 4's new re-release in Master Collection Vol.2 appears to reference a fan-made Metal Gear Online project in its files, suggesting Konami relied on the project for DLC.

Back in the days of the Xbox 360 and PS3, it felt like every game had a multiplayer mode, even if it didn't need it. Nonetheless, this trend resulted in some shockingly great multiplayer experiences like Naughty Dog's Uncharted and The Last of Us online modes, Capcom's forgotten Bionic Commando reboot, and Bioshock 2.

Then, though Metal Gear Online debuted with Metal Gear Solid 3 Subsistence on the PS2, it took the Metal Gear Online 2 featured in Metal Gear Solid 4 to make the series' multiplayer a legendary experience. That brings us to the SaveMGO project, which allows players to play Metal Gear multiplayer to this very day.

Officially, Metal Gear Online went offline in 2012. However, SaveMGO has played a vital role in Metal Gear Solid 4's enduring appeal.

Now, it seems like Konami is acknowledging fan efforts. The SaveMGO Twitter account (via Time Extension) recently shared SaveMGO member Marko's reaction to a post in the Discord community for the project, in which someone shares references to SaveMGO in Metal Gear Solid 4's new port files.

The working theory among fans is that Konami used SaveMGO to access some of the now-deleted DLC for the game which consisted of camouflage patterns for Snake. Marko says, "That is awesome! So the only way they could get that stuff is thanks to the preservation potential of SaveMGO." SaveMGO says in its own tweet, "The original DLC might only exist today because SaveMGO kept it available all these years," adding that the team is "feeling proud."

While it wouldn't be the end of the world if DLC camo were missing from Metal Gear Solid 4, Konami's possible reliance on SaveMGO proves the importance of preservation, and more specifically, fan-made preservation projects. Because it's fantastic that I can still use cool Metal Gear Solid 4 camo, but it's even better that I can still play Metal Gear Online almost a decade-and-a-half since the servers shut.

91.8% of Metal Gear Solid 4 players immediately got the achievement for ripping a statue's privates clean off.

A massive archive of games and unreleased builds uploaded to Steam from 2003 to 2013 has leaked online, and it includes never-before-seen versions of Portal 2 and many other games, alongside materials that could be related to the Half-Life 2: Episode Three that never saw the light of day.

The 12TB leak was spotted by GabeFollower earlier this week, who says it features "internal builds and game assets" that stretch over the course of a decade. The materials include in-development builds of classic Valve games - Portal 2, Left 4 Dead, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive - alongside materials related to unreleased games, such as the Portal prequel called F-Stop and "potentially" information on Half-Life 2: Episode Three.

The Steam Terraleak doesn't seem to have been the result of a hacker, but Valve's now-retired content-delivery pipeline that was replaced more than a decade ago. "There has been no hacking. This is 100% Valve's fault," YouTuber Scolcer tweets online. "The Steam Teraleak was obtained from a site that was 100% accessible to the public. It was there for everyone to download. No passwords. Nothing. Hidden in plain sight, but with no protection whatsoever."

Different Portal 2 builds have already surfaced, showing off levels and gameplay ideas that never made it into the final game. Notably, a 'bullet time' mechanic that slowed down time mid-air seems to have been scrapped sometime before release.

Since the huge Valve leak contains almost everything uploaded to Steam over a decade, it's said that a large amount of third-party content is also floating around. Games made outside of Valve's offices could be similarly affected, then. Aesthetic Gamer tweets that beta builds for Alan Wake, Sonic 4, American McGee's Alive, and Fallout New Vegas could be part of the files. Pre-release content related to Dragon Age: Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum might also be kicking around.

GabeFollower does mention that it will take days, at least, for fans to comb through the entire 12TB of information. We probably won't get a full picture of everything hiding in these Steam leaks for a while, so don't get too excited about the prospect of Half-Life 3 news just yet.

"This has been the most humiliating and surreal experience in 20+ years of game making": Dev pleads with Valve as Steam brands his PEGI 12 game as pornography

What would Pokemon look like if the series borrowed from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33's combat system? The question is so unlikely that it wouldn't usually be worth dwelling on, but it is today, because one fan has created a gorgeous proof of concept video.

Earlier this week, BelmontesArt posted a clip to their YouTube channel with a self-explanatory title: "What if Pokémon had the Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 battle system?" What follows is a minute-long, fan-made animation showing Decidueye, Charizard, and Greninja battling against Ultra Necrozma, complete with the Clair Obscur-isms you'd expect.

There are timing-based prompts for parrying and blocking attacks, HUD elements that pop in and out of view, a dynamic camera that zooms and sways for maximum dramatic effect, and a turn order stuck to the side of the screen. But our battle-tested Pokemon mechanics aren't forgotten about either - moves can be super effective, and Charizards X/Y Mega Evolutions are actually snuggly mapped to the X and Y buttons. Chef's kiss.

"I really like how cinematic the gameplay of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 looks, so I thought it might be a cool experiment to mix it with Pokémon," BelmontesArt wrote in the video's description. The animation was apparently made in Blender using modified character models and sound effects ripped straight from Pokemon and Clair Obscur.

While it's unlikely we'll ever see The Pokemon Company so directly pull from the parry-forward combat of Sandfall Interactive's GOTY-winning hit, there's clearly a ton of interest in the concept. The fan animation was viewed over 400,000 times on YouTube in less than a week, and it travelled just as far across multiple social media channels, too.

Next up is Pokemon Winds and Waves, coming sometime in 2027. A series lead developer recently hinted that its combat system "could change" after Pokemon Champions' release, so who knows? Perhaps Pokemon: Expedition 33 isn't such a far off fever dream.

New Pokemon series from Wallace and Gromit animation studio Aardman is coming exclusively to Disney Plus, alongside Ash's first anime run

Metal Gear Solid 4 players on PC have earned one specific achievement right away, and all I can say is that poor statue.

Metal Gear Solid is an incredibly silly game series. The series features some of the greatest stories in gaming, with the best Metal Gear games still hitting like nothing else, even after multiple replays.

But yeah, those games can get dumb as hell.

There's a recurring character whose characterization revolves around his chronic IBS, which turns out to be a family trait, as his ancestor found in Metal Gear Solid 3 also can't stop dropping ass on a near-constant basis.

But aside from Mr. Poop, the games themselves are filled with silly little moments and interactions throughout the world. For example, you can slip on the bird droppings at the start of Metal Gear Solid 2, or the fourth-wall-breaking dialogue about the PS3 (which has been changed). One of these comes at the start of Metal Gear Solid 4, where you can pose next to statues to blend in, but if you go to the well one too many times, Snake accidentally rips off the statue's genitals.

Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2 features an achievement for doing so, called "Handle with Caution," which rewards you if you "broke off the most important part of a statue". And yesterday, once the game launched on Steam, BlueSky user Columbologist took a peek at the achievements list and discovered something. Frankly, they put it better than I ever could, with their post reading: "91.8% of players, having waited nearly 20 years for MGS4 to be playable on anything other than PS3, booted the game and immediately made a beeline for a statue's dick."

While the number is at a much lower 21.4% at the time of writing, the fact remains that mere hours after Metal Gear Solid 4 launched on PC, 91.8% of players had already pulled the statues' genitals straight off. Just as Hideo Kojima intended.

The Nintendo ports of Metal Gear Solid 4 replace the iconic PS3 and PSP in-game consoles with generic variants

With the release of Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol 2, it's been confirmed that Nintendo editions of Metal Gear Solid 4 have removed PlayStation references from the game.

Metal Gear Solid 4 was famously a PS3 exclusive until this week, and the game itself made that clear. Throughout the game you could see a PS3 console on Snake and Otacon's plane, Sunny could be seen playing the PSP, and Snake used a Dualshock 3 controller to control the Metal Gear Mk. 2. On top of that, there's the famous scene where Otacon recounts how great the PS3 and Blu-Ray discs are.

We already knew that line had been changed to whatever platform you're playing on, but fans noticed Konami's online manual seemingly removed the console from the Switch versions, before Konami changed the image to show the PS3 again. But now the collection is out, fans have revealed that yes, Nintendo players won't see a PlayStation console.

On the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC versions of Metal Gear Solid 4, you'll still see the PlayStation controller and consoles, but for Switch 1 and 2 the DualShock and PSP have been changed to generic versions, while the PS3 console has a Kerotan frog from Metal Gear Solid 3 in its place.

There hasn't been an official statement about the change, but given that both the PC and Xbox versions have the PlayStation kit, many are assuming this was a call from Nintendo itself. Although, weirdly, the PlayStation seen in Metal Gear Solid is still present in the Switch version of the first collection, albeit in a very low-poly form. Still, if it's the price to pay to get Metal Gear Solid 4 on more platforms, I suppose it's not the biggest deal.

Speedrunner turns one of Metal Gear Solid 4's biggest bosses into a total pushover using the power of Master Collection Vol 2's enhanced framerate

Puppeteered by a hacker or hackers of unknown origin, one of Pokemon's official social media accounts was briefly trying to get fans to invest in a crypto memecoin - on top of the Krispy Kreme donuts and endless merch the account usually peddles, that is.

As spotted by NintendoEverything, Pokemon's Twitter (X) account made quite a strange post last night. "Celebrate 30 years of Pokemon in a whole new way," the now-deleted tweet said alongside a contract address. "Introducing $POKEMON, the official Pokemon memecoin."

Of course, The Pokemon Company quickly regained control of its internet airwaves after around half an hour of the crypto ad going live, just in time for the 2026 Pokemon World Championships that kick off today.

The Pokemon stewards explained what went on in a statement to the outlet: "The @Pokemon handle on X was temporarily compromised earlier for ~30 minutes. We're aware that our X account was accessed without authorization and used to publish posts promoting a cryptocurrency.

Those posts were not created or approved by Pokemon and have been removed. We have secured the account and are investigating the incident. We're sorry for the confusion and appreciate your patience."

There's no word on who was behind the hacks or how exactly the ordeal happened, but here's hoping any kids ravenous for more Pokemon stuff weren't blindsided by the scheme.

If I had a memecoin for every hacker who used a massive gaming franchise to push their crypto nonsense this month alone, I'd have two good-for-nothing digital tokens, funnily enough. Earlier this month, a leaker known online as CyberLeek leaked tons of in-development footage from GTA 6 online, using the clips as a backdoor to promote and sell their own memecoin, though the scheme seems to be over now. Pokemon's run-in with a crypto schemer was thankfully much less dramatic.

Pokemon Winds and Waves might not have turn-based battles as Game Freak veteran hints the combat system "could change" thanks to Pokemon Champions

Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy overlord Naoki Hamaguchi can't believe he got to share the Gamescom stage with his hero, Geralt of Rivia – in spirit, at least, since developer CD Projekt Red used Opening Night Live 2026 to announce its unexpected The Witcher 3 refresh and expansion. And The Witcher 4 lead level designer Miles Tost feels the same way.

"The pleasure was ours," Tost writes in an August 26 Twitter reply to Hamaguchi. "Final Fantasy, especially 7 have a special place in my heart and I'm so happy I get to relive that through your and your team's hard work!"

Originally, Hamaguchi wrote on Twitter after Opening Night Live (ONL), "Sharing the final spotlight at ONL alongside The Witcher 3, one of my favorite games of all time, was a truly special moment for me.
It was a great honor to stand on the same stage as a game that has inspired me for so many years."

It's rare that you see developers as seemingly untouchable as Square Enix's Hamaguchi show that, in the cocoon of their living rooms, they're still fans who feel that knot of excitement forming each time a certain title screen comes up. It's nice!

Hamaguchi has always been generous in sharing his love for The Witcher franchise, though, spending the past few years emphasizing that The Witcher 3 is one of his major Final Fantasy 7 remake inspirations. In 2024, Final Fantasy producer Yoshinori Kitase even told fans that, while watching that year's Witcher 4 trailer at The Game Awards, "Hamaguchi was so excited when Ciri removed her hood, he almost stood up!"

So I'm especially glad for him to be at Gamescom this year, where he was also recently able to meet CD Projekt Red joint CEO Michał Nowakowski and show him some of Square Enix's upcoming Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. Hamaguchi says on Twitter about the experience, "It was a great honor to have Michał Nowakowski, Joint CEO of CD PROJEKT RED, stop by the Square Enix booth.

"Sharing the stage at ONL alongside The Witcher 3, one of my all-time favorite games, was already a special moment. Having Michał come by in person made it even more memorable.

"I was also very happy to tell him directly that The Witcher 3 continues to be one of the biggest inspirations for me as a game creator." Let us pray, now, for Hamaguchi's sake, that the new The Witcher 3 expansion Songs of the Past is just as sweet as he probably thinks it is when it launches in 2027.

Keep up with the entire Gamescom 2026 schedule.

A couple of days ago, Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 provided us with our first-ever look at both The Witcher 3 Remastered and CD Projekt Red's new expansion for the RPG, Songs of the Past – an expansion the voice actors didn't even know was happening.

Well, not at first, anyway. Geralt actor Doug Cockle and voice of Dandelion John Schwab reveal as much in a new live stream with CD Projekt Red, explaining that they had no idea why the studio wanted them back in for more lines.

In fact, Schwab wasn't even in the loop at all until after Songs of the Past was public knowledge. "They announced the expansion pack before we knew what we were doing," he admits.

"So, I was like, 'They've announced it, I haven't got called… oh well, it was fun being Dandelion – good luck to whoever does it now!"

Thankfully, Schwab did indeed return as everyone's favorite bard. On the other hand, Cockle says he did know he's be coming back to voice more Geralt… but he wasn't sure why he got the call. "I had a little bit more of a headstart on John," as the actor describes.

"I got a little heads up from someone at CDPR – they were like, 'Are you available around these times for something that might be happening?' So, that's kind of how I found out… but I didn't know exactly what it was until it was actually announced officially on social media."

That's honestly amusing and, well, a bit mind-boggling, seeing as Songs of the Past was first unveiled online in May of this year.

Even more interestingly, CD Projekt Red first conceptualized Songs of the Past "years" ago, only for Fool's Theory to step in and breathe life back into it later on down the line.
As for when it's set to release, though, Songs of the Past is coming sometime in 2027.

Excited for The Witcher 4? Be sure to browse through our roundup of all the upcoming CD Projekt Red games for even more to look forward to.

Having some Metal Gear Solid 4 tips to hand will stand you in good stead, whether you're returning to the battlefield or checking out Guns of the Patriots for the first time. After being a PS3 exclusive for over 18 years, the 2026 port that's also included in the Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 has opened the game up to a brand new audience, so you may be looking for some pointers for how to get started in Kojima's epic stealth adventure. With that in mind, here are seven essential MGS4 tips to help you guide Old Snake to his destiny.

If you're looking for more assistance, then we also have a Metal Gear Solid 4 boss guide to help with those tough encounters, and a Metal Gear Solid 4 walkthrough to lead you through each act.

1. Remember to use OctoCamo and Disguises

In automatic mode, Snake’s OctoCamo suit will adapt to mimic the color and texture of his immediate environment. Team it with the OctoCamo mask (won by defeating Laughing Octopus) and Snake’s camouflage rating can get close to the magic 100%, making him virtually invisible. To change OctoCamo, Snake must be either lying down, or pressed up against the wall or structure you want him to blend into.

The OctoCamo suit can also be set to predefined patterns, or to patterns you have saved to its memory. In practice, though, you’re much more likely to leave OctoCamo set to ‘automatic’. In addition to OctoCamo, some of MGS4’s acts give you access to a specific disguise, such as the militia disguise in the Middle East section of the game. Rather than literally hiding Snake, these enable social stealth, freeing him to move around with impunity in certain areas of the game.

2. Pay attention to the Drebin Store and War Economy

Weapons launderer Drebin gives you valuable assistance, and an interesting dilemma in the game. With nanomachine technology giving guns ‘fingerprint’ access only, Drebin must launder new weapons that you find for a small fee if you want to use them. Doing this also means that Drebin will automatically buy any identical weapons that you subsequently pick up, for Drebin Points that you can then use to buy ammo or specialist, new weapons. However, the amount of money you earn for each weapon depends on the War Economy.

It works like this: if you’re employing stealth all the time, there are fewer shootouts and fewer shootouts means demand for Drebin’s stock is low, meaning you get less money. However, if you take the shooty approach, demand goes up and you get more DPs to spend on bigger and better guns. So what’s it going to be? Stealth, all-out war, or a little of both? Oh, one more thing – watch out for Drebin’s occasional sales. It’s not unusual for him to take 20% off rifles, say, for one day only. And be warned, before the final act Drebin has a half-price sale on everything, so it pays to keep those special purchases back until then.

3. Watch your Stress, Psyche, and Life levels

In MGS4, Snake’s Stress, Life, and Psyche gauges are all linked. The Life gauge is self-explanatory, and can be topped up by Regain energy drinks, rations, and noodles. It will also slowly replenish itself if Snake lies low or seeks cover – a valuable bit of knowledge if you find yourself low on rations during a set-piece battle.

Taking a day’s break from playing MGS4 will also have an effect, giving you a 20% hike in life force. Psyche is represented by the four-part gauge below the Life gauge and represents Snake’s mental wellbeing. If he’s too hot, too cold, overloaded with kit, or feeling his age – because of an aching back from crouching for too long, say – this will affect his Psyche gauge, making it harder for Snake to aim accurately and generally affecting his performance.

Removing the problem will help the gauge to replenish itself, as will smoking (although this whittles away at Snake’s Life gauge) and looking at ‘gentleman’s literature’ (which doesn’t appear to make him go blind, Mum). Linked to Psyche is Snake’s Stress level. Presented as a percentage, Stress increases with sustained combat, unpleasant surroundings, and by carrying too much equipment.

When Stress exceeds 50% Psyche starts dropping, so it’s important to try and help Snake chill out when this happens. Combine a high level of Stress (80%) with the need to fire a weapon for a sustained period and Snake enters a ‘combat high’. While this lasts his Psyche does not decrease and the damage he sustains from enemy fire is reduced. However, when the ‘combat high’ ends, Snake’s body will crash leaving him very vulnerable for a while, so make the most of it while it lasts.

4. Use your Solid Eye to full effect

Snake’s Solid Eye enhanced vision system combines binoculars (Binos), night vision (NV), and normal settings, and is a lifesaver on more than one occasion (see the boss battle against Crying Wolf). When equipped it shows tags that reveal basic info on enemies, neutrals, and friendlies, color-coded red, gold, and blue respectively. This can be particularly useful during the Middle East’s frenetic shootouts, and it also highlights special items that you might otherwise miss. Night vision mode can be used to reveal people’s footprints, enabling you to track enemies and allies.

5. Keep an eye on your Threat Ring

The Threat Ring is a clever device that replaces the earlier games’ Soliton Radar, depicting threats in Snake’s vicinity. This translucent ring encircles Snake while he lies down, crouches still, or moves forward in a stealthy hunch. The circumference of the ring fluctuates depending on the relative location and size of a nearby threat. It’s a brilliant piece of design that’s worth its weight in gold. Be warned, though, that when Snake is stressed the reliability of the Threat Ring drops, so keep your wits about you.

6. Send Metal Gear Mk.II to scout and sneak attack

This remotely controlled robot drone is new to MGS4 and an essential item if you’re planning on using stealth over brute force to ace the game. With its stealth camo enabled – press X to turn on – the Mk.II is invisible to all but infrared sensors, but since Snake can be attacked while he’s controlling the Mk.II it’s important for you to find rock-solid cover before you send the drone out. While the Mk.II has a limited range and will drain its battery very quickly, it can be used to scout new areas, stun guards with its electric tentacle – hold L1 then press R1, disable traps, toggle light switches, and act as a decoy to draw guards away.

7. Stealth is key

MGS4 has the most refined stealth gameplay of any Metal Gear game, so initially you may fall foul of its subtlety. Sound is of massive importance, so if you can hear Snake’s footfalls (however faintly) then, potentially, so can the enemy. Even your equipment can give you away – the Solid Eye’s night vision mode makes a telltale hum, for example – so stay vigilant and use your ears. Equally, listening out for environmental clues given by enemies pays dividends wherever you are.

Entering a new area? Use the Mk.II to get the lie of the land and to identify potential threats. Find a good vantage point, get a good OctoCamo rating and just watch the world before you. This way, you reduce the risk of steaming into the path of enemies and having to ‘go loud’. Keep your tranq pistol equipped, as not only will it enable you to take down enemies silently (and non-lethally), but it also enables you to use Close Quarters Combat (CQC) moves on enemies to subdue them without raising the alarm.

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The various Metal Gear Solid 4 boss fights can be particularly challenging, with each pitting you against a unique enemy that you need to defeat before you can progress further through the act. Also, with this being a Hideo Kojima game you often need to think outside the box, as you won't get far going into each battle with an all-guns-blazing approach. To help you out, we've got loadout advice and pointers to help you beat every boss in Metal Gear Solid 4.

If you're looking for further assistance, we also have some Metal Gear Solid 4 tips to get you on the right track, plus a complete Metal Gear Solid 4 walkthrough to steer you through every act.

Act Two Boss: Laughing Octopus

Equip – Solid Eye (Night Vision), MK 2 Tranquilizer pistol, M4 Custom
Special item prize – OctoCamo facemask

The claustrophobic South American showdown against tentacled mistress of disguise Laughing Octopus is Snake’s first encounter with MGS4’s unsettling Beauty and the Beast unit, and a master class in the series’ classic brains and brawn approach to set-piece duels. Playing out in an enclosed, prefab research station comprising of interconnected rooms, Octopus’ initial tactic is to use her full-body camouflage to hide out and taunt you before revealing herself suddenly to panic you into fatal errors.

Blending into oil paintings, wooden slatted walls, ceiling rafters, and stock room shelves, she’s visible with the naked eye if you’re sharp – but a better tactic is to use the Solid Eye’s night vision mode that lights Octopus up like a Christmas tree. Wear down her health and she starts to get more brazen, barreling after you, firing homing darts your way, and crashing through windows to send you flying. Remember to pick up rations and ammo whenever the coast is clear, and clamber up onto furniture if she starts rolling after you.

Ever the tricksy one, she alternates camouflage with a series of disguises. Are you sure that’s Dr Naomi Hunter unconscious on the floor? Where did that Haven Trooper’s body come from? Why does that medical scanner have a new, extra thick cable running up to the ceiling? And how come the Metal Gear Mk. 2 is here? If it seems wrong, it’s probably Octopus. Stay sharp, stay calm, stay alive, and eventually Laughing Octopus will be gone, replaced by the tragic beauty beneath the grotesque hardware. And she wants a hug – what could be the harm in that, right? Not so fast. Let Laughing Beauty (as she’s now known) embrace you and she’ll suck the life right out of you.

So while it feels wrong, you’re going to have to take her down a second time, but you’ve got two choices here. Kill her outright if you like, but if you quick equip Snake’s Mk.2 tranq gun and wear down Laughing Beauty’s stamina instead, you’ll leave her alive and on the road to mental and physical recovery. And for this display of mercy you’ll receive a special item from her – in this case it’s Laughing Octopus’ OctoCamo facemask, which will come in very handy later on.

Act Three Boss: Raging Raven

Equip – MK.2 Tranquilizer pistol, M4 Custom, P90, RPG-7, Javelin
Special item prize – MGL-140 Rapidfire grenade launcher, Raging Beauty facemask

While the boss battle against Laughing Octopus was all about tension-soaked cat and mouse tactics, Raging Raven’s big fight is full-on shock and awe. Taking place in and around a substantial stone tower in MGS4’s mist-draped interpretation of Prague, you must tackle not only the missile firing winged harridan herself, but also squadrons of automated attack drones circling the skies with her.

With Raven pounding chunks of masonry out of the tower, you have to navigate between an enclosed ground floor and two balconies circling the structure, picking off the drones until Raven is enraged enough to draw near and give you a good shot with your heaviest weapons. This process can be a bit of a slog, so be sure to keep moving (to avoid becoming a sitting duck for your opponent's crippling mini-missiles) and buy in a heap of ammo for your best SMG, rifle, and grenade launcher/missile launcher.

It’s not a bad idea to equip auto aim while tackling the drones. This way you can stick with rifles and keep your heavy weapons for Raging Raven herself. As soon as she gets close, swap to either the Javelin or RPG-7 and try to get off at least two shots before she retreats. The Javelin will home in on Raging Raven so is good over distance, but if she’s getting close, the RPG-7 has a quicker reload so it’s your best bet there.

Wear her down and – as with all the members of the Beauty and the Beast unit – eventually you get the opportunity to offer the beautiful woman beneath the armored exoskeleton release or redemption. Use your Mk.2 tranq gun to send her into a dreamless sleep and you'll earn her kickass MGL-140 grenade launcher as your reward.

Act Four Boss: Crying Wolf

Equip – MK. 2 Tranquilizer pistol, M4 Custom, MGL-140 grenade launcher, SVD Sniper rifle
Special item prize – Rail Gun, Crying Beauty facemask

This brilliant sniping level cleverly updates the classic confrontation against Metal Gear Solid’s best boss, Sniper Wolf. You must navigate the exterior of the base while a stinging snowstorm reduces visibility almost to nil. Complicating your attempt to locate and take down the feline mech form of Sniper Wolf are squads of elite Haven Troopers.

Taking them down is hard enough, and with Crying Wolf capable of tracking you when you’re downwind of her, finding a safe vantage point from which to scope the area using your night vision is the real challenge here. First thing to do is make a sweep of the area and acquaint yourself with it, taking down any Haven Troopers you see as you go. The reason for this is that, as Crying Wolf tracks you, you’ll briefly be able to see through her eyes. Learn the location’s landmarks and when this happens you’ll be able to figure out where she is in relation to you and aim at her before she opens fire or stamps your face into the snow.

If you’re running low on rations and Regain, the best tactic is to equip a sniper rifle and full OctoCamo (face and body), scale one of the two towers and lie low, scanning the area for signs of Crying Wolf. She often prowls around the distant tree line, so keep looking there. Even if you can’t actually see her with your eyes, the Solid Eye night vision will reveal her nanomachine marker tag if your crosshairs pass over her. Spot her as she temporarily emerges from her armored exoskeleton to draw a bead on you and you can score maximum damage.

However, if you’re feeling bullish and have a lot of rations, you can forgo the stealth, equip Raging Raven’s MGL-140 grenade launcher and go hunting for Crying Wolf instead. Keep thinning out the Haven Troopers and it won’t be long before she comes at you. If you’re quick you can knock her off her feet and get a good three to five shots in before she recovers. Then it’s just a case of retreating, reloading, and repeating, but be warned – if the battery in your Solid Eye runs down, you’ll be forced to fight blind. Show Crying Wolf mercy and you’ll earn yourself her awesome Rail Gun.

Act Four Boss: Vamp

Equip – MK. 2 Tranquilizer pistol (for CQC), M4 Custom, P90, Mp5-SD2, Rail Gun, Syringe
Special item prize – N/A

Having shot Vamp in the forehead twice (once in MGS2 and once in MGS4’s South American level) before this final showdown in the shadow of MGS’ shattered Metal Gear REX in Alaska, it’s hard to imagine how you’re going to be able to kill the seemingly immortal boss. And sure enough, shooting him silly with conventional weapons will take him down, but only temporarily. This fight requires lateral thinking.

As revealed by Dr Naomi Hunter, Vamp’s incredible healing ability is down to the nanomachines in his blood. And since Snake is carrying syringes full of a cocktail that will suppress nanomachine activity, all you have to do is temporarily incapacitate Vamp using regular weapons. Since Vamp pings and bounds all over the shop before charging at you, it’s not a bad idea to toggle auto-aim on for this first bit. That way you can unload clip after clip into him wherever he leaps. When he finally goes down, get behind him. After that, the moment he gets up you can grab him in a CQC chokehold and use the nanomachine syringe to make Vamp mortal again. Piece of cake, right? Yeah, well, you’re not done yet.

You may have softened Vamp up, but he’s not dead yet. With a seemingly endless squad of special Gekko Metal Gear mechs programmed to self-destruct entering the chamber, Raiden shows up to tackle Vamp while you deal with the mechs, and Otacon tries to hot-wire the Metal Gear REX for your use. In this part of the battle you have to use the Rail Gun to thin out the Gekkos just long enough for Otacon to start up the REX.

There are two tactics that will save your bacon here. Firstly, retreat to a position underneath the REX. You’ll be protected from most shots, and you can get a clear shot at the Gekkos no matter which direction they come from. Secondly, aim for the very top part of the Gekkos’ ‘heads’ as it’s a surefire method to take ‘em out. Perfect your aim and you can become a one-shot master.

Act Four Boss: Metal Gear RAY

Equip – N/A
Special item prize – N/A

It’s taken many years but finally you get to pilot your very own Metal Gear REX in this brilliant mech-based boss battle against Snake’s nemesis, Liquid. Set in the dockside area on Shadow Moses island (after a cool tutorial level that sees you fighting off scores of Gekkos on the route out of the hangar), you have to use all of REX’s weaponry – cluster guided missiles, Gatling gun, chemical laser, and a mean, mech sweeping kick – to defeat Liquid’s technologically superior Metal Gear RAY.

In a brilliant departure from the usual floaty, style-over-substance mechs that appear in games, Snake’s REX feels massively solid and weighty. Use that heft to your advantage, and after softening Liquid’s RAY up dash in close (by double tapping X) and use the REX’s chunky leg sweep to do your opponent some serious damage. Score enough damage and you’ll get a special action prompt. Hit it and you’ll perform a devastating special move that will knock a good chunk off RAY’s health bar. It’s then important to retreat – use the buildings as cover to get some safe distance – before repeating the tactic.

At distance, try charging the chemical laser to full power and using that, as a direct hit will score massive damage. Missiles are good if you can aim long enough to get multiple lock-ons, while the Gatling gun is best for taking advantage of sudden clear shots when they arise. Whatever you do, don’t let RAY get too close, or you’ll risk a crippling stomping. If it charges, double tap X plus a direction to side-step or retreat. This fight has been a long time coming, but it is definitely worth the wait.

Act Five Boss: Screaming Mantis

Equip – Syringe, M4 Custom, AK102, MK.17, P90
Special item prize – Sorrow Doll, Psycho Mantis Doll, Screaming Beauty facemask

The final member of the Beauty and the Beast unit is also its leader, keeping them and anyone she chooses to in check using her terrifying psychic powers. Just like her Metal Gear Solid namesake, Psycho Mantis, Screaming Mantis is a master of manipulation, and as such, defeating her using conventional means is impossible without first shaking yourself free of her mind control.

Initially her tactics involve manipulating ally Meryl’s body like a marionette, along with the corpses of the Haven Troopers lying around the Ark’s control room. However, soon she ups the ante, using her puppeteer skills to prevent you from aiming at her body and even resorts to sneaky misdirection – at various points the screen goes black, with only green TV channel text top right reading ‘Hideo 2’ revealing that your console hasn’t, in fact, crashed. Mantis also flashes up the Kojima Productions logo, but look closely and you’ll see it actually reads ‘Kojima Protection’ instead. Don’t hit reset! You’re being messed with!

So how do you take her down? It’s easier than it, at first, appears. First things first – to free yourself from her control, use the nanomachine syringe on yourself. This effectively cuts Screaming Mantis’ strings, freeing you to aim at her. You may have to repeat this tactic, so keep the syringe equipped. But wait, before you tackle Screaming Mantis herself you need to deal with Meryl, as while under Screaming Mantis’ control she’s a liability to both you and also herself. To prevent her from killing you or putting her gun to her own head, equip the Mk.2 tranq gun and wear down her stamina to knock her unconscious.

This enables you to turn your attention to Screaming Mantis herself. Rather than trying to shoot her, aim at the strings attached to either one of her puppets – The Sorrow or Psycho Mantis – and, in time, it will be cut loose and fall to the ground. Now sprint over, pick it up, equip it and you can use it against Psycho Mantis. Score a direct hit with its ethereal ‘rounds’ and suddenly you have physical control over the master manipulator. Now all you have to do is shake her to defeat with a violent flourish of the controller. Brilliant. Completists should try and get both dolls, but if you’re running low on health then concentrate on the Psycho Mantis doll. It’s more effective – you’ll see why as soon as you’ve taken down Screaming Mantis’ ‘Beauty’ form.

Act Five Boss: Liquid Ocelot

Equip – N/A
Special item prize – N/A

After all the shooting, raging techno war, cyborg mechs, and nanomachines, this is what it all comes down to – a one-on-one fistfight between Snake and Liquid on the deck of the Patriot’s Ark. And while two ageing men slugging it out like tramps in a park would be an anti-climax, series creator Hideo Kojima uses this brutal punch-up as a summation of decades of Metal Gear, incorporating music, health bars, gestures, and even, fleetingly, character models from earlier games as the weary pair stubbornly leather each other until nothing is left on display but pure force of will and a lot of liver spots.

It’s an incredible fight to the finish. Stamina is what counts here, so keep circling Liquid until you’re happy you can get the punches in. When you do, keep at it. Eventually you’ll get a special move prompt and it’s this that will really whittle down Liquid’s health. One last piece of advice – keep away from the edge of the arena. You don’t want slip and go out like a sucker with total victory just within your grasp, do you?

Final Boss: The End Credits

Equip – Comfy socks, chair
Special item prize – Having all the answers

This is it: the final gauntlet. Sorry to say there aren’t really any tactics we can give you on how best to make it through MGS4’s marathon movie ending. True, you could skip the ending of an epic story that’s taken decades to tell, but you wouldn’t be about to do that now, would you? So our advice is simple – get comfy, sit back, and enjoy every last second of it. Oh, and do wait for the credits to end, as there’s a moving final message that’s well worth the wait.

Want to read more? Then here's why MGS4's final scene is more powerful than we ever realized.

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Earlier this week, Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 gave us our first look at The Witcher 3 Remastered and as CD Projekt Red's huge new DLC for the RPG, Songs of the Past – an expansion that's apparently existed in theory for quite some time now.

Fool's Theory, the studio partnering with CD Projekt Red for the expansion's development, reveals as much in an interview with Eurogamer, explaining that The Witcher 3 team had in fact conceptualized Songs of the Past "years" ago – but "had to put it aside for various reasons."

How did the original developers feel about that, though? Well, according to quest designer Philipp Weber, it wasn't easy for them to do.

"Good things take time," however – and that's precisely the case with Songs of the Past.

As he goes on to write over on X in response to Fool's Theory's words on the expansion's "age," if you will," it was still tough. "At first, we were heartbroken when our story disappeared in the vaults."

But, then, Fool's Theory swooped in and came to the rescue… breathing life back into The Witcher 3, 10 years after its last expansion, Blood and Wine.

"Imagine the wonderful surprise when years later, our good friends at Fool's Theory would take the bones of this story and developed it into the Songs of the Past," as Weber recalls.

It's a bittersweet memory, I'm sure – helping think up what might end up standing as one of the greatest Witcher 3 expansions, having to scrap it for a good while, and then seeing it come back into the limelight with the help of fellow devs at another studio.

Songs of the Past itself takes us to Letten, home of everyone's favorite bard, Dandelion, as Geralt journeys to find the whereabouts of his musically talented friend. From Belleteyn to silver chains as a weapon, the expansion will let us experience many series firsts as the snowy-haired protagonist… and I, for one, cannot wait.

Between that and The Witcher 4, I'm honestly not sure what I'm more excited about.

It's a good time to be a Witcher fan, eh? Be sure to browse through our roundup of all the upcoming CD Projekt Red games for even more to look forward to.