Well, folks, there's a new StarCraft on the way. We've had an inkling about there being a new entry in the series thanks to rumors that have been circulating for weeks now, but during BlizzCon 2026's Opening Ceremony, the project was confirmed. It's an open-world shooter, former Far Cry boss Dan Hay is in charge alongside associate director AnaLee Haertling, and it's coming out in 2030. Yes, 2030.

I had the chance to sit down with Hay and Haertling after the announcement, and one of the first things I asked them was whether now was the right time to announce the new StarCraft considering it's still so early in development. "Absolutely," Hay said, defiantly.

"We've been working on this thing for a little bit. We're super proud of it. We feel good about it, and so it's important that we share," Hay says. "We think about the community. The community has been waiting for a long time, and we think about them. We think about what they want to say. So we said to ourselves, 'Is now the right time to start to show just an inkling of this story?' And the answer is absolutely."

A lot of StarCraft players, even diehard fans, are bristling at an announcement for a game that's still four long years away. With so much time between now and then, what are the odds that release window sticks as game development obstacles inevitably pop up? But in Hay's view, announcing the date so early is simply proof of the team's commitment to getting the job done on time.

"That shows that we're serious. That shows everyone that that's a date that we feel really confident about," Hay says. "And what I like about the team, I think we take that number and we put it on the wall. And somebody goes, 'so when is this thing going to ship?'" he adds, gesturing dramatically to a nearby wall for emphasis.

I do have to admire the new StarCraft team's gusto here. Surely, no one can be 100% confident that a project will ship on time so far in advance, but it's hard to deny the confidence. After all, the media-trained Hay could've easily deflected the question in a non-committal way that leaves open the possibility of a delay without outright admitting anything, but instead he chose to strongly double down, which should be somewhat encouraging for fans despite the disappointing wait.

Diablo is getting an animated Netflix series as Blizzard teases Overwatch and Warcraft adaptations

Blizzard has unveiled the first officially confirmed Diablo 5 classes, and they include a brand new class that's never been included in a Diablo game before: the Plague Knight, which sounds deliciously morbid in a way that's definitively Diablo.

ICYMI, Diablo 5! Yes, Diablo 5 was revealed in a surprise announcement during BlizzCon 2026. Although the game is still early in development and isn't due out until 2029, Blizzard dropped a surprising amount of details about the upcoming action RPG in a follow-up panel attended by GamesRadar+. One of those key details are confirmed classes, which include the returning Demon Hunter and Monk, as well as the aforementioned Plague Knight, which is new for the series.

Game Director Joe Shely said during the panel that the Plague Knight is a "heavily armored class" and a "walking death" that roams around the world "spreading disease and consuming it for power," which is about as dark as it gets and, I have to say, not very knightly. You're telling me this guy gives people the plague and then absorbs their death energy for his own power? That makes necromancers look downright friendly, but that's exactly what you want in a new Diablo game, and one I'll note already looks and sounds bleaker than any to come before it.

Not much is known about Diablo 5's story so far, but Blizzard confirmed during the initial announcement that it takes place in a world in which Diablo has won the battle against humanity, and "Sanctuary has fallen" to his evil will. That means there are no more towns or safe zones to take haven in, and that you're never truly safe.

Shely also announced that "Diablo 5 is going to launch with more classes than ever before," and clarified that, "I don't just mean more classes than another Diablo game at ship.

"I mean more classes total. And the thing about Diablo classes is that they're approachable. You can jump in; you can immediately have an exciting time playing them. But there's also deep ARPG mastery there, and a multitude of builds to explore."

Diablo 4 is finally getting its big final boss next week, new Amazon class coming 2027

After more than three years, Diablo 4 is finally getting its big, bad, final boss: Diablo himself is coming to the game next week in season 15, alongside familiar characters, locations, and items inspired by all eras of the APRG's history.

Diablo was a huge focus of this year's BlizzCon 2026, mostly headlined by the announcement of Diablo 5. Blizzard managed to keep the lid on Diablo 5 ahead of the event, so its reveal was quite the surprise indeed, but the studio made it very clear that it's not ready to abandon Diablo 4.

The game's next season brings everything full circle for the series' 30th anniversary with the long-awaited addition of Diablo, as well as the other two Prime Evils, Mephisto and Baal, as well as the iconic friendly character, Deckard Cain, and new Legendary items inspired by the series' past. Basically, it's one big Diablo birthday party, and it's all kicking off next week with the Season of Hell's Legacy, which launches on September 15.

Still haven't had enough? We also got the announcement of Diablo 4's next new class, the Amazon, which is of course a fan-favorite from Diablo 2 that I can't wait to see return in D4 in "the first half of 2027." The Amazon class wields a bow, naturally, but will also bring an entirely new weapon, the Javelin, which you can see being put to deadly use in the below gameplay footage:

Here are the best RPGs we recommend playing in 2026.

For months, World of Warcraft fans have been speculating that something is about to happen to WoW Classic. Blizzard Entertainment has now put those theories to bed and announced World of Warcraft: Forever - an all-new version of the MMORPG that lives alongside Classic and Vanilla. The best part? It comes out in seven weeks, on November 4.

Executive producer Holly Longdale revealed the game at tonight's BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony presentation, describing it as "a new beginning that never ends" and is set around the same time as WoW's Year One. Longdale even called it Classic Plus casually, if that makes it easier to understand.

A World of Warcraft: Forever beta begins this Thursday, September 17. The game is apparently "friendly [and] familiar" for both newcomers and oldheads alike, and it's aiming to return to what made WoW so iconic two decades ago. "There's no rush here," according to Longdale. "It's the journey that counts."

The upcoming MMO sounds seriously huge, so let's quickly list off everything it's promising. Four new zones including Mount Hyjal and Zephras Isle, which is intended to be a starting area of sorts. Zones from the original game that have now been expanded. New dungeons and new raids that accommodate 10-players or 20-players. New skills and talents, a new playable race called the Skyborne, over 1,000 quests, toggles for SD and HD character models, updated visuals, and so much more. Phew!

World of Warcraft fans were eating good even before the company got around to announcing Forever. BlizzCon's Opening Ceremony also revealed that WoW: The Last Titan is coming out next year, with Midnight: Eclipse giving us enough to chew on until then.

Blizzard takes rare World of Warcraft mount from players as the MMO's latest crack down on real-money transactions continues

The Worldsoul Saga comes to an end with World of Warcraft: The Last Titan, the MMO's next expansion that's heading our way in 2027. Blizzard Entertainment finally pulled the curtain back on The Last Titan at tonight's BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony stream, unveiling both a release window and a short teaser.

Blizzard first announced World of Warcraft: The Last Titan three years ago, alongside the two other expansions that make up The Worldsoul Saga's overarching trilogy - The World Within (2024) and Midnight (2026).

Senior game director Ion Hazzikostas told the crowd next year's expansion not only concludes The Worldsoul Saga, but it serves as "the culmination of over two decades of World of Warcraft." Don't expect The Last Titan to wrap up every storyline in a neat bow, though - Hazzikostas also explains it'll be "laying the groundwork for what comes next."

Well before we get our hands on The Last Titan expansion, the team will also be closing out its current storyline with Midnight: Eclipse, also known as patch 12.2. Eclipse will supposedly lead right into The Last Titan and follows antagonist Xal'atath as she stands before "her ultimate objective." Very ominous. Eclipse is the last major story beat of the Midnight era, and will introduce a standalone game mode, too.

The World of Warcraft: What's Next BlizzCon panel should dish out more info about next year's Remix later today, alongside whatever that standalone mode is. Big things happening across Azeroth, then.

Elsewhere during the ceremony, Blizzard Entertainment announced World of Warcraft: Forever, a new game that'll sit alongside both Vanilla and Classic. Diablo 5 is also coming in 2029.

WoW Classic players gang up to ban infamous PvP slayer on Twitch, immediately regret it after realizing they no longer know where in the MMO he's hiding

Diablo 5 is coming in spring 2029, Blizzard has announced.

Blizzard blew the lid off of BlizzCon 2026 with the surprise announcement that Diablo 4 is officially getting a full-blown sequel. It was widely expected that we'd see a new hero revealed alongside a new expansion, and we did see that, but Diablo 5 was truly unexpected. Naturally, we're still in the early development stages at this point, but we did get a brief cinematic trailer teasing a horrifying world where "Sanctuary has fallen, and Diablo has won."

"For the first time, you won't be fighting to stop Diablo from taking Sanctuary, you'll be entering a world where he already has," says Blizzard. "There are no towns or safe places to protect you."

It's particularly surprising to hear a new Diablo game is coming because Diablo 4, the most recent entry in the series, is only three years old, having released in May 2023. That said, there have been rumors and reports for a while now indicating Xbox is pushing its first-party studios to pick up the pace of new releases in beloved franchises, so this certainly seems to be evidence corroborating those claims. If it does release in 2029 as planned, that would be only six years between mainline entries, compared to the 11 years it took between Diablo 3 and Diablo 4.

A little while after the initial announcement, Blizzard unveiled Diablo 5's very first confirmed classes, and they include the Monk, Demon Hunter, and a first for the series, the new Plague Doctor, which sounds deliciously dark.

Diablo is getting an animated Netflix series as Blizzard teases Overwatch and Warcraft adaptations

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

After multiple credible rumors and a glitched out website, Blizzard Entertainment has finally revealed the return of StarCraft. The next game in the legendary sci-fi series is coming sometime in 2030, and unlike the strategy hits that made StarCraft a household name, this one's an open-world shooter.

Announced at BlizzCon 2026's Opening Ceremony, details on the new StarCraft game are light. It's called StarCraft, it's an open-world shooter, and it's being led by former Far Cry executive producer Dan Hay - but we did get a gorgeous, tone-setting debut trailer for the Blizzard project. Check it out below.

"We are here to make StarCraft, and it's about damn time," Hay said on stage.

StarCraft (2030) is the beloved series' first game since 2017's StarCraft Remastered and the first all-new experience since 2016's single-player DLC, StarCraft: Nova Covert Ops.

This isn't Blizzard Entertainment's first attempt at turning its traditionally strategy-based series into a shooter, however. The infamous StarCraft: Ghost was in development decades ago for PS2, OG Xbox and GameCube consoles and was set to be a stealth-shooter, but it was quietly canned. More recent reports indicate that publisher Nexon might be working on a different entry in the series, which seemingly separate from this upcoming StarCraft.

There's not much more information about StarCraft (2030), but you'll be able to stay updated over on the official website. The big news is simply that StarCraft is back, baby, and it's back in a huge way - if Far Cry is any indication, a really huge way. Despite years collecting dust, Blizzard's hoping it can return in style.

Blizzard suddenly remembers StarCraft exists, but only long enough to squeeze some Diablo 4 cosmetics out of it

Blizzard has announced a Diablo animated TV series coming to Netflix, and it's teasing similar adaptations for Overwatch and Warcraft as well.

Blizzard president Johanna Faries took the stage at BlizzCon 2026 and revealed the Diablo TV show as one of the big opening announcements, putting the emphasis on Blizzard Entertainment. The only confirmed TV show so far is Diablo, but Faries very explicitly said to watch out for news on adaptations of Overwatch and Warcraft as well.

"As a big Diablo player myself, and as someone who loves the indulgent darkness of Sanctuary, I am very excited to see this project come to life," Faries said.

Virtually nothing is known about the Diablo Netflix series other than the simple fact that it's happening, but there's no denying there's been a huge resurgence of video game adaptations for film and TV in recent years. For years, the stench of atrocious video game movies from the '90s (not naming names) seemed to have scared off Hollywood from wanting anything to do with gaming properties, but with massive success like Sonic, Mario, and Uncharted, it seems nearly everything's on the table these days. Genuinely, it's harder to parse which major video game IPs haven't been tapped for some sort of adaptation than it is to identify all of the ones that are being adapted.

Don't know what the heck I'm talking about? Just check out our exhaustive guide to the best video game movies you can watch and not hate yourself for having watched.

Saber Interactive had a breakout hit in the form of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, and you can attribute at least part of its success to the fact that it was not made in North America. The company's chief creative officer, Tim Willits, says it's been dramatically scaling down its operations in the region.

In fact, Saber has "no real development in North America any more," as Willits tells GamesIndustry.biz. The company is headquartered in Florida, and a handful of its subsidiaries are based in the US, but the vast majority of its development wings are spread across Europe.

Why the move? Well, it's gosh-darned expensive to make games in North America, where industry salaries are driven up by their placement in cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles. Make a game in countries where salary expectations are substantially lower, and the cost of development goes down dramatically.

"The problem is stuff like this: big North American development studios, they run about $2 million+ in burn rate a month," Willits says. "A month. SnowRunner, which has made hundreds of millions of dollars, costs us $6 million to make. That's literally three months of development time in California. So just run the math on that. If it takes [a big studio] five years to make a game, that's 60 months, that's $120 million just in salaries."

Cheaper game development means that publishers are free to take more risks, too. Back in 2024, Willits lamented that there are AAA projects that can't even break even if they don't sell five million copies. Saber seems more keen on building games for (relatively) smaller niches that might actually appreciate them.

"Sometimes I play these games – I won't mention the game – and I can just see the wasted money," Willits continues in the new interview. "I can see dollars falling out of the monitor. But I can tell you that the development cost for [Warhammer 40,000] Space Marine 2 was a third of a major game that just released not too many months ago from a big North American studio. It was a third, and it sold 11 million more copies. You don't need to spend $150 million to make a billion."

Unfortunately, Saber's business bets also include a big emphasis on AI, which came to a head when the publisher finally added an AI disclosure to Rideshare Stimulator amid CEO Matt Karch's public feud with a former writer who claims she was replaced by ChatGPT. Karch is further convinced that "Half-Life 2 of AI" will someday come along change everybody's minds about the tech. Me? I'll be happy if we just get more human hands making games like SnowRunner and Space Marine 2.

The Witcher 4 dev is "still predominantly using people" over AI in development, says CEO, but "everybody has to make those judgments on their own."

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.

Every day, another generative AI provider discovers that pretending something you stole was always yours to begin with is an idea that is fundamentally incompatible with many copyright laws. That's too bad for those generative AI providers, but, in this case, great news for Genshin Impact developer HoYoverse, which has just been awarded approximately $112,000 in a Shanghai court.

Automaton reports an unnamed "AI service provider" likewise located in Shanghai must now cough up 750,000 Chinese Yuan after wrongfully reproducing 63 Genshin Impact characters' voices. The provider was ruled to have sold AI voice packs with "nearly identical characteristics" to those gacha game characters, and it used modified images of those anime babes and boyfriends to promote its already copyright-flouting packs.

Therefore, the Pudong New Area People's Court of Shanghai decided the AI company was not only infringing on HoYoverse's in-game content, but also on its character designs. It's unjust competition, the court ordered, even though its voice packs seemed to have a much more intimate purpose than the average Genshin session – they appear to have presented slightly changed versions of Genshin characters as chatty virtual avatars.

In any case, HoYoverse has triumphed over delinquent generative AI this time around. However, its $112,000 reward is a much smaller payday than it was hoping for. The company behind Honkai: Star Rail and other anime wonders originally sued the AI company for 5 million Chinese Yuan, which totals to about $745,000, and it wanted an immediate injunction.

HoYoverse ended up with a smaller version of that punishment, but the People's Court of Shanghai also demanded the AI company immediately stop its infringing behaviors.

Recently, the AI company withdrew its appeal on this judgement, making its $112,000 payment inevitable. Hopefully Grok can explain to it what went wrong.

Why so many game developers don't want to use generative AI.

Since you're already thinking about how much Marvel's Wolverine disappointed critics, you might as well start reminiscing about the awful X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie in 2009. From there, you'll be led to the more pleasant memory about the unprecedentedly solid PS3 game with the same name, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which we now know is partly so great because of how relaxed its production was.

Its production was relaxed because – to satisfy our thought spiral and return to that terrible X-Men Origins movie that makes Hugh Jackman kill military operatives while fully nude – X-Men Origins: Wolverine was delayed a year. One of the tie-in game's developers, Allison Salmon, explains on Bluesky, "We had LOADs of time…"

"We actually never worked crunch on it cause the movie got delayed," Salmon says about the X-Men Origins: Wolverine game. Its matching movie was originally pushed back in 2007 because, apparently, Baz Luhrmann's 2008 drama Australia (which also stars Hugh Jackman) was hogging all the Fox sound stages. Then, Wolverine's Mexico release got shoved back again in 2009 because too many people were getting swine flu. Finally, the movie shone across theater screens on May 1, 2009. GamesRadar+'s original 3 out of 5 X-Men Origins: Wolverine review said it "sadly substitutes the bold ethnic cleansing subplot of the first three for a hackneyed Hulkstyle story of the military wanting better weapons." So. 3 out of 5.

The X-Men Origins: Wolverine game, however, has only earned goodwill in the years since it established that tie-in games – effectively, expensive advertisements – can also be thoroughly entertaining standalone experiences.

Even better, its developers didn't have to sleep in an office cot while proving it. Production crunch was virulent around 2009 – developers for major games like Red Dead Redemption and Dragon Age 2 have illustrated that with countless horror stories of sleep deprivation and red eyes at the computer. But X-Men Origins: Wolverine devs were protected from all of that and blissful. In fact, "I was on maternity leave for the beginning," Salmon remembers about the game's production, "came back and we still had time to goof around with making the unreal engine a deferred renderer (that we didn't use!)."

As you might have suspected, it seems creativity is best suited to free and encouraging environments. But the video game industry never learns that lesson.

Marvel's Wolverine was inspired by one of the few video game movie tie-ins that doesn't suck: "We had the same challenges as those devs."

Resident Evil director Zach Cregger says early test audiences loved the movie, but thought it was way too funny for a straight-up horror movie.

"I learned that people really liked the movie, but they thought it was too funny. So over the course of my testing, I stripped out as much of the jokes as possible," Cregger told The Hollywood Reporter. "I then found that not only did the audience enjoy the movie more, but I also liked the movie a lot more. A little bit of humor goes a long way in a horror movie, and there’s not a single joke I took out of this movie that I miss."

The trailers seem much more scary than funny, though it's worth noting that Cregger has a background in comedy and rose to fame with comedy collective Whitest Kids U'Know. The long-running TV show, which aired on both Fuse and IFC, got pretty dang dark with the humor... so it didn't surprise me as a fan when Cregger made the switch over to horror. His second movie, the Oscar-winning Weapons, even included a touching throwback to a WKUK sketch that featured the late, great Trevor Moore.

Resident Evil, based on the extremely popular horror video game series of the same name, stars Austin Abrams (Euphoria, Weapons) as a medical courier who is in the process of making a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital when an outbreak forces him to fight for his life. Cregger directs from a screenplay he penned with frequent Zack Snyder collaborator Shay Hatten. Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser also star.

Resident Evil hits theaters on September 18. For more, check out our guide to upcoming horror movies, or, check out the ever-growing list of video game movies.

With Sony fielding a class action lawsuit claiming its store terms suggest ownership but convey the licensing of digital games, aptly named consumer rights group Consumer Rights Wiki has seen PlayStation fans assemble an incomplete but in-depth list of PlayStation verbiage indicating that users do, in fact, "own" the games they buy.

The Consumer Rights Wiki has a freshly updated page dedicated to the "Sony PlayStation digital game ownership lawsuit," which hinges on a California law (per AB 2426) requiring digital vendors to clearly tell consumers that they are purchasing licenses, not purchasing products. Steam maker Valve seemed to adjust its own verbiage after the law's passage in 2024.

In a response to the lawsuit, Sony argued "reasonable consumers would not be misled" by its terms. This follows a serendipitous email reminder telling PlayStation users "software is licensed to you, not sold."

Sony's terms of service do clearly state this, but the PlayStation Network itself, where users actually make purchases, is filled with allusions to owning digital games. This goes for PlayStation Store product listings and myriad help pages, dozens of which have been collated by Consumer Rights Wiki contributors, with links to live versions of those pages and archived web snapshots available for each.

For example, the explainer for how to "Upgrade an eligible PS4 digital game on a PS5 console with a disc drive or PS5 Digital Edition console" specifies that you will need "an eligible digital PS4 game you already own."

On the main UK PS5 hub, now branded with a warning that PlayStation will abandon physical games in January 2028, Sony writes: "Track your PS5 journey with info on your total play time, games you own and more." This bit is tucked underneath a section showing the disc drive-equipped and all-digital PS5 consoles, but is less of an explicit reference to digital games.

A common PlayStation Store DLC blurb – here, dutifully represented by a $2 costume for Dead or Alive 5: Last Round – clarifies: "This costume was previously distributed by some retailers as a gift with purchase of DOA5LR. Be careful not to purchase content you already own."

Upgrade pages tell a similar story. The blurb for the Final Fantasy 7 Remake upgrade for PS4 version owners reads: "You are eligible to receive a free PS5™ digital version of FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE at no extra cost if you already either (i) own a PS4™ digital version of the game or (ii) own a PS4™ disc version of the game and also own a PS5™ console with a disc drive (you must insert the disc each time you wish you to download or play the PS5™ digital version of the game)." This includes a "digital application or game."

It doesn't get much more digital than cloud-streamed games, yet an explainer for "how do I use PS5 Cloud Streaming" notes that "Select games that you own can be streamed direct to your PS5 console or PlayStation Portal."

The list goes on and on. By my count, there are 34 examples of PlayStation pages mentioning, in some form, how players "own" games, many of them clearly defining digital games.

This may sound incredibly clear-cut, as AB 2426 prohibits "a seller of a digital good from advertising or offering for sale a digital good, as defined, to a purchaser with the terms 'buy,' 'purchase,' or any other term which a reasonable person would understand to confer an unrestricted ownership interest in the digital good, or alongside an option for a time-limited rental."

However, the bill also spells out exceptions: "unless the seller receives at the time of each transaction an affirmative acknowledgment from the purchaser, or the seller provides to the consumer before executing each transaction a clear and conspicuous statement, as specified."

It's here that Sony may argue its agreed-upon terms cover any store purchases, and its claims thus far echo this point. Sony has also bizarrely argued that people can't own digital games because then only one non-fungible digital copy could exist. But really, Sony just wants to kick this into arbitration, which resolves cases outside courts and historically leans toward the side of big companies.

Yet the bill also states "each transaction" must see user affirmation of terms of licensing, restrictions, and the risk that a digital purchase may be "unilaterally revoked"; or "a clear and conspicuous statement" informing users "in plain language that 'buying' or 'purchasing' the digital good is a license" and in some way links or embeds more detailed terms and conditions. All this talk of ownership and "buy" buttons may actually give plaintiffs some ammunition, even if class action gaming lawsuits don't have the best track record in, or making it to, court.

Sony has topped a generational run of self-owns: abandoning Hideo Kojima's next Metal Gear right as Marvel's Wolverine falls flat.

After the reveal of the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake, Nintendo has issued an update to the official Zelda timeline that makes an already head-spinning history even more complex. The update appears to confirm a fan theory that's been around since Tears of the Kingdom launched a few years ago: there are, in fact, two different Hyrules.

The official Zelda timeline splits into three different branches from the end of Ocarina of Time. All three branches eventually come to a dead end where Link and Zelda's stories fade into myth. Then comes Breath of the Wild – a unifying tale set amid Hyrule's ruins where a new story begins.

But then we got Tears of the Kingdom, where Zelda is flung back in time to witness the founding of Hyrule. But that set off a question for fans: was this the beginning of the Hyrule we'd known in the previous games, or the foundation of a new Hyrule? In other words, is the kingdom we see in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom entirely disconnected from the one that had come before?

As noted in a new lore video by Zelda specialist Zeltik, there's a revamped version of the timeline on the official Japanese Nintendo website. The broad strokes of the timeline are the same as ever, but there's a notable addition: an entry for the founding of Hyrule just ahead of the events of the flashbacks in Tears of the Kingdom. This is presented entirely separately from the founding of Hyrule in the earlier part of the timeline.

That's probably as close as we're ever going to get to an official confirmation of the refounding theory. So yes, we should probably be operating under the assumption that there are two different Hyrules. But things might actually be even more complicated than that.

In the video above, Zeltik goes on to note that the Ocarina of Time remake is full of minor visual references to the Breath of the Wild era. Some of the Kokiri kids now have tattoos matching those Queen Sonia sports in the Tears of the Kingdom flashbacks. There are also now Sheikah patterns matching those in the modern Switch games.

What's that mean? Heck, man, I don't know. Maybe the Ocarina of Time remake will be subtly altered to fit into the Breath of the Wild era of the timeline. Maybe these are just small design flourishes ensuring that the remake feels in line with the visual language of the modern games. It's fun thing to consider, but I wouldn't expect any concrete answers when the remake launches in November.

Interconnecting lore rarely gets a direct reference in the actual games, and while Nintendo has apparently kept an official timeline since 2003, it was never "that important" to Shigeru Miyamoto. Still, ever since that timeline was made public in 2011, Nintendo has dutifully updated it for each new game, while leaving plenty of room for fans to develop their own theories. It's just as well – the theories are usually more fun than the answers, anyway.

32-year Nintendo and Zelda veteran reacts to the Ocarina of Time remake, suggesting Shigeru Miyamoto's love of puppet shows influenced the art style.

Avengers: Endgame Encore is almost upon us... but what is it? And do you really have to go see it before Avengers: Doomsday?

Below, you'll find a mini guide that explains what the re-release is, how it leads into Avengers: Doomsday, and if it's required viewing before the newest Avengers movie hits theaters on December 18.

For more, dive into the Marvel timeline and our guide on the best way to watch The Odyssey in theatres.

What is Avengers: Endgame Encore?

Avengers: Endgame Encore is the theatrical re-release of Avengers: Endgame, which acts as a refresher for audiences prior to the December release of Avengers: Doomsday. It comes with four minutes of bonus footage, a new post-credits scene, and an exclusive sneak peek at Avengers: Doomsday (in certain select showings). The re-release is also color-graded and has a confirmed runtime of 185 minutes.

It'll be shown in IMAX and Infinity Vision, the latter of which is the Disney and Marvel certification for screens of a certain size (45 feet wide or more) with Dolby 7.1 surround sound and requisite brightness.

Do I need to see Avengers: Endgame Encore if I've already seen Avengers: Endgame?

In short? Yes. The Russo brothers have said that Encore is "required viewing," as the re-release acts as a narrative bridge between Endgame and Doomsday.

"It's gonna connect the story of the two movies," Russo told Fandango. "There's a natural progression from Endgame into Doomsday, which is also inclusive of all the other stories that have been playing out. I think it's required viewing for following the story in Doomsday."

I, for one, haven't seen Endgame since it was in theaters in 2019, so I personally need the refresher. You might need it, too!

How will it set up Avengers: Doomsday?

We don't know exactly how it'll set up Avengers: Doomsday, other than what the Russos have said about the re-release bridging the narrative gap between the two films. We can assume that the brand-new post-credits scene will lead directly into Doomsday, and that the exclusive look at Doomsday will give us more info on what's to come (since we still don't know much about it... I mean, how the heck did Steve Rogers come back from the past?)

Avengers: Endgame Encore hits theaters on September 25. For more, head on over to our guide on how to watch the Marvel movies in order and all the new Disney movies on the way.

The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary edition of the Switch 2 was pretty and sold out – in other words, a prime target for scalping. But don't let the scalpers win. Nintendo just confirmed it's restocking the fancy Zelda Switch 2 in the UK.

Worldwide, unscrupulous resellers have been driving up the special console's price on sites like eBay up to $850 and more, which is dangerously close to double its $520 sticker at official Nintendo retailers. So the developer has added a banner (spotted by Nintendo Insider) to the Zelda handheld's online listing on at least Nintendo Store United Kingdom and Ireland websites clarifying that, "The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary collection is currently sold out. We will announce when stock is replenished via the Nintendo Store app."

As of writing, Nintendo doesn't include the same reassuring banner on its US site, where the Zelda console is also sold out ahead of its October 29 launch date. This doesn't necessarily mean US fans need to start preparing a nice outfit and getting their hair done before being scalped, though. The Zelda Switch 2 isn't limited edition, and, anyway, it seems Nintendo's physical stores in New York and San Francisco will have it in stock at launch, too. In fact, Nintendo's store locations in New York and San Francisco will be the only places you can purchase the anniversary Switch 2 Pro Controller with its matching display stand in person.

"They're treating it like they did the TOTK OLED console," one sage Reddit commenter says in a related thread. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom OLED console was, like the Zelda anniversary console, a special edition, though plentiful stock made it so you can now purchase the sold-out handheld for under its asking price on certain resale sites – despite some scalpers' best attempts to flip the $360 machine for $600.

So lock your wallet in the freezer. You won't be needing it while you wait for the special Switch 2 to inevitably come back into your life.

Take a look at our list of the best Zelda games of all time.

The new military shooter hotness is here in the form of Wardogs, from developer Bulkhead. Playing similarly to a popular Arma 3 mod, it puts an intense spin on King of the Hill, and after several successful betas, it has just entered early access. I wouldn't advise jumping in right now, though, because there's a substantial queue.

Joe Brammer, the CEO of Bulkhead, posted on Twitter yesterday that over 135,000 players had been let into the FPS thus far. "This is how many people are through the queue," he writes, with a screenshot. "We are letting people through in waves."

He admits he's "gotta take the 'L' on this one guys, we've got it but it's on me." The actual concurrent peak player count is 340,171, per SteamCharts. This is a popular game, and sadly, the backlog of people trying to get in has led to a surge in review-bombing on Steam.

Wardogs now sits at "Mostly Positive" on Valve's store, but was as low as "Mixed" due to an onslaught of fans deriding the online infrastructure and apparent "preferential treatment" given to streamers.

"It is absolutely ridiculous that streamers and other influencers are given preferential treatment by being allowed to skip the login queue," reads one negative review with over 13 hours on record.

"If you are a regular paying customer, do not buy this game," reads another frustrated review. "I paid full price on launch day expecting to actually play the game. Instead, I bought a full-priced login queue simulator. I have been stuck waiting in queue positions for hours, watching the numbers barely crawl, only to get an authentication error and be booted to the back of the line."

That's an annoying experience, to be sure. It should be noted Bulkhead has denied giving video makers any kind of fastpass for access. "These issues are affecting players across the board," Greg Medlin, senior community manager at publisher Team 17, says in a Steam comment. "Streamers aren't receiving preferential access; it's simply more visible when they're able to get into a serve because they're broadcasting it."

To be frank, this just seems par for the course for a smaller developer launching a big live-service game. There will be structural issues for some time until the servers stabilize. Give the devs a little space here, because maintaining games like this is always harder than it looks.

If you're wondering when Wardogs on PS5 and Xbox is happening, we've got bad news for you. Otherwise, here are more of the best FPS games you can play right now, if you're looking for something to do while waiting in a queue.

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.

If you've been sitting there feeling sorry for yourself that you missed out on the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 Pro controller, you'll be happy to know Hori has an Ocarina of Time pad of its own on the horizon.

Hori Japan has unveiled on its official X (Twitter) page that a new official Ocarina of Time remake controller and a batch of Switch 2 accessories inspired by the upcoming game are now available to pre-order in Japan. As a Horipad Turbo, the controller will be missing some of the premium features of Nintendo's first-party pad, like its NFC-reading tech, but the wireless accessory is still a pretty sight to behold. Particularly for Zelda fans who love spying the Hylian crest (and a tiny silhouette of Link and Epona) on all their Ninty peripherals.

As the new 8,980 yen (approx $58.48) controller is a Horipad Turbo device, you'll have TMR sticks at your disposal if you pre-order this pad, along with some mappable back buttons like all existing versions of this wireless accessory. While that's all well and good, the battery is a bit lackluster, especially when compared to the Switch 2 Pro Controller's 40-hours. Instead, Hori states you can manage 10 hours of playtime per charge, which I imagine will be pretty easy to achieve once the Ocarina of Time Remake releases later this year.

However, as is always the case with these officially licensed accessories, the importance is less on specs and more on design, and this is a great-looking Zelda peripheral. The white and gold colorway looks as prestigious as the Princess herself, and I love that the faceplate seems to feature a marbling effect. The small Link and Epona sihoulette, however, is my favorite detail, and it can also be spotted on the back of the Game Card Case. Unlike the controller, this case can be imported for $11.59 via Amazon Japan and includes space for what appears to be up to three physical games.

The Link and Epona motifs don't stop there, as they're also a fixture of all three cases, which make up the rest of this set. It's found on the exterior of the $29.16 (via Amazon) Slim Hard Pouch, alongside a faded version of the map of Hyrule.

The leather-like texture of the case lends itself to this map imagery, as it makes the entire accessory look like a worn-out item from Link's massive arsenal of weapons, rather than a simple Switch 2 case. The interior lining looks just as spectacular, as seen in the photos available on the official Hori online store, it features a Link-tunic green colored fabric that I adore.

There's no clear sign whether this lining is found on the matching $32.43 (Amazon) Shoulder Pouch or the $35.67 (Amazon) All-in-One Storage bag, but one can only hope. Talking of which, there's no sign any of these accessories will officially make their way to the US or UK Amazon storefronts either, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If you're okay with importing, you can expect them to launch on November 30, 2026, a little after the game.

With the hype of the Ocarina of Time Remake growing by the day, I suspect this won't be the only collection of accessories in store for Zelda and Switch 2 fans.

• View all Hori Nintendo Switch 2 accessories at Amazon

Obsessed with Ocarina of Time? Check out Hasbro's new electronic Master Sword and the new Lego Link and Epona set and the best Legend of Zelda merch while you're here.

Among the additions coming in the upcoming The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past DLC is a new kind of weapon for Geralt, a big old chain he uses to whip and lasso enemies. It's a cool, nifty piece of equipment, and something CD Projekt Red has had in its back pocket since making the original game, over a decade ago.

Two developers, Jakub Rokosz, game director on Songs of the Past, and Despoina Anetaki, senior quest designer at CDPR, discussed the subject with BBC News. "We were talking about implementing the chain even during the original The Witcher 3," Rokosz recalls.

"It was impossible to do at the time for various technological reasons and challenges," he continues. "A few things had to click together, and we were able to address those challenges and issues during the remaster, so then we were able to implement a weapon that feels just natural and very fluid."

He says it "realizes a fantasy" you may have if you've read the Witcher books, since Geralt wields a chain regularly in the novels from Andrzej Sapkowski. Further connectivity between the source material and the games is good to see, and having more combat options makes Songs of the Past even more appealing, since this is a real late-game addition.

Anetaki explained a little more about why it made sense to include the chain now. "It fits with the narrative theming of the Songs of the Past," she says. "It fits with all the new enemies that work with the chain. We were able to do crowd control with the swarmions, that swarm you and you have to keep them away from you."

She points out it's a "cool weapon" for people "who might be sick of the crossbow by now." More versatility is always welcome, and considering there are players who'll have put in hundreds of hours over the years, it's especially so here.

The Witcher 3's Songs of the Past expansion wouldn't be "possible" without the RPG's remaster, says CD Projekt Red: "The stars had to align."

It seems only right that GTA 6 would go heavy on advertising in Miami, Florida, since the game's location, Leonida, is based on the city. Plans for some discreet advertising there passed the city council but just barely, amid concerns over the violence therein.

On September 10, the City of Miami Beach voted 4-3 to allow for Rockstar's proposed campaign to roll out across the area. The exact extent of what's planned is unknown, but the ensuing debate revealed a few details.

There'll be umbrellas and beach chairs from Boucher Brothers, a supplier of beach equipment, emblazoned with the VI symbol from the game's logo. Rockstar's total investment is expected to come in at $3 million across the entire advertising rollout, which will run from October 15 through to the end of 2026.

The time period certainly makes sense, since it pushes the release around the holiday period for Christmas presents and such. From the sounds of things, it seems like the idea will be to make GTA 6 fully synonymous with Miami Beach by placing logos and symbols around the city in less immediately noticeable ways.

Or at least, that's my guess from the outset. Rockstar could just as easily be planning a massive boat race. Nonetheless, there was a back-and-forth between the commissioners on the council over the appropriateness of associating with the game, which can be viewed in full on YouTube.

"You can't spend years telling the world that Miami Beach has changed, imposing some of the toughest Spring Break restrictions we've ever had, to change our brand and our image," commissioner David Suarez says. "And then turn around and voluntarily promote the very image we're trying to leave behind."

He then showed a GTA 6 clip of the various violent crimes you can commit. In response, Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas points out that she's a fan of the series. "I played it in 1997, when it first came out; I played it in 2002 when it came out, the Vice City version, and I'm going to play it again when this one comes out," she proclaims.

"It's a video game; it's fake. We can be who we are and make a nod to this video game without endorsing it," she argues. "This won't affect our brand. This is a win for gamers, and gaming nerds, such as myself."

The adverts won't touch city property, nor will they be part of Art Basel Miami, an annual art fair that happens in the first half of December.

GTA 6 fans track down real-life nudist resort featured in leaks just to write unflattering fake reviews that are driving its owner to madness: "A nudist resort DENYING exposure?"

IKEA just released something I never imagined in all my years investing in the brand's elaborate flat-packed furniture - a Skryim mod. No really, Kallax Storageborn (via YouTube) is a legitimate mod that you can download from the Bethesda Creations website that allows you to adventure throughout Tamriel with a white shelving unit as your companion.

For years now, I've been using the $79.99 (via IKEA) Kallax (and versions of it) to store and display my favorite game merch, so it feels entirely apt to see it get a Skyrim cameo. However, I'd have sooner expected the Kallax to be nothing but an in-game piece of furniture designed to declutter your homestead instead of also being a companion character fully voiced by Matt Berry.

Unfortunately for me, my real-life Kallax doesn't sound like Laszlo from What We Do in the Shadows. Regardless, the real deal is a fixture of my gaming room, and IKEA's bizarre yet hilarious new mod has reminded me just how much I cherish the versatile piece of storage.

If you stumble into any gaming nerd's room, you're likely to come across a range of IKEA furniture. My office and gaming space is so overrun with flat-packed pieces that you could mistake it for one of the example rooms on the store's showroom floor. While typing these very words, I'm sitting at a Linnmon corner desk, while a Billy bookcase and old Detolf glass cabinet are sitting behind me, displaying my ever-growing physical video game collection.

Some people may be bothered by the sterile modern aesthetic of too much IKEA furniture in one place, but I don't mind it as they're affordable and most importantly pretty versatile. But no piece of IKEA furniture is just as versatile as the Kallax. At the moment, I have the very same Kallax as featured in the Skyrim mod sitting right to my left. I use it as both a room divider and a way to display an assortment of my precious video game merch, and I adore it. The 39 cm deep squares can store plenty, as you can clearly see from my vast selection of Persona goodies in the image below. There's a wealth of items in there, from artbooks, figures, and even a little Morgana plush, all of which I'd struggle to squeeze into another brand's similar-sized unit.

My absolute favorite thing about the Kallax isn't that its shelving is deep, but that you can buy accessories for it. While these seemingly don't feature in the Skyrim mod, you can pick up $25 (IKEA) drawer units or a $30 (IKEA) insert with a glass door. The latter is my absolute favorite addition to the Kallax, as it can allow you to transform it into a perfect display piece for video game collectibles.

Glass displays help keep out dust and prevent merch from accidental damage, and they used to be IKEA's bread and butter. Just about every collector I know has had the brand's Detolf cabinet in their gaming space at one moment or another. Sadly, these were discontinued, but with these inserts, you can tailor your existing Kallax display to your liking and add more glass displays into your setup.

If you want to try out the Kallax Storageborn Skyrim mod, you can download it for the PC and Xbox version of the game via the Bethesda Creations website. According to the official FAQ as found on the official IKEA website, PlayStation players will have to wait a while longer to experience some Kallax-fueled adventures of their own.

If you're feeling impatient, there's nothing stopping you from picking up a real-life Kallax and dragging it around. Just be warned it won't sound like Matt Berry, and just as the manual recommends, you should lay down a carpet first to avoid ruining any precious hardwood flooring.

• View all display shelving at IKEA

Love video game collectibles? Check out the best Lego sets and the best Legend of Zelda merch worth adding to your Kallax shelves.

A new report sheds more light on why Sony and PlayStation dropped Hideo Kojima's action-espionage game, Physint, in a high-profile announcement that saw the project handed to Microsoft and Xbox.

Bloomberg, citing several people familiar with the game poised to become the successor to Kojima's Metal Gear series, reports that Physint had missed production deadlines and is on track to go "well over budget" as it still needs years of work.

With Sony tightening development milestone check-ins after numerous live service games fell through, left gaps in the PS5 release schedule, and even consumed entire studios, this excess has come at a time of increased fiscal stringency, the report adds.

Further financial concerns stem from the sales and relationship PlayStation saw with Kojima's two Death Stranding games, which reportedly missed Sony's targets. With the Death Stranding games ultimately coming to PC at a time when Sony is purportedly backing away from the platform to double down on console exclusivity, a similar timed exclusive deal for Physint is less appealing.

Additionally, Bloomberg notes that many of the PlayStation executives and leaders who'd previously worked closely with Kojima have left the company in recent years, severing a chain of relationships that may have kept Kojima's work in Sony's good books.

One clear example would be Andrew House, who, in 2015, first announced PlayStation's exclusivity deal with Kojima Productions. Physint itself was revealed in 2024 during a PlayStation State of Play showcase.

House left PlayStation in 2017, not long after that deal was struck. If he and others like him were still at PlayStation, conversations and arrangements around Kojima's games may be quite different and Physint may still be greenlit, if not more heavily centered as a tentpole PlayStation game.

As news of the split broke, Kojima said "we unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios that they would cancel the PHYSINT project," sending him and Kojima Productions seeking a new partner to salvage the game.

It found one in Xbox, with new CEO Asha Sharma happy to pick up Physint in "a big moment for Xbox" and in the latest reversal for two platform holders which have long had a clear market winner. The PS5 remains far ahead in console sales compared to the Xbox Series X, but Sony seems hellbent on giving Microsoft every opportunity to recover.

A Microsoft spokesperson tells Bloomberg that "betting on Kojima-san is an easy call."

Microsoft was already working with Kojima on OD, which it has backed since the game's 2023 reveal during The Game Awards. Kojima said the pitch for OD was "crazy" and Xbox, then led by Phil Spencer, was basically the only receptive client.

Sharma, Spencer's replacement, has said OD is a "deeply moving game" and "represents another kind" of experience.

Sony has topped a generational run of self-owns: abandoning Hideo Kojima's next Metal Gear right as Marvel's Wolverine falls flat.

It'd be silly of me to deny the hype for GTA 6, as like it or not, it'll likely be the game of the decade. The thing I'm struggling to process is the fact that, in the grand scheme of things, the sandbox formula hasn't really changed that much. In fact, Rockstar is gearing up to bring back some of its more realistic features, which has me wondering why I wouldn't just stick with my PS2 and the biggest GTA game from the 2000s.

I'm naturally talking about Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, an open-world romp that has players scrambling for how to play PS2 games to this very day. It's easy to see why once you get a feel for what the GTA Vice City sequel is all about, as it trades the glitz and neon glimmer for the institutionally corrupt Los Santos and CJ's struggle to clear his family name and take on rival gangs.

Here's my big confession: I've never been that big into GTA as a franchise. Therefore, when it became clear that the latest entry would take us back to modern-day Vice City, I really wasn't too enthused. If anything, the fact that it's set to drop the '80s vibes that enticed me to drop into Leonida adds to that, and while my ears perked up upon hearing it will bring back a fan-favorite San Andreas mechanic, I reckon many of us should still just plug back in our PS2.

Play a GTA you actually own

Before you rush to the comments, I know full well a retro console from 26 years ago won't remotely provide the same absurd GTA experience as a new system. That is to say, if you're financially barred from playing the new sandbox, which is exclusive to the PS5 and Xbox Series X, you'll naturally want to reach for good old GTA V as a modern-day alternative.

At this stage, though, anyone who's hyped for GTA V has likely drained it for every piece of open-world novelty it can provide. It's for that reason that I reckon it's high time we pitched back up the PlayStation 2 in our living rooms, and not even just because I reckon fresher-faced players probably missed out on the third 3D entry.

Here's the thing: GTA 6 is arriving during one of the worst periods in history to buy new video games. Sony is rightfully coming under fire for choosing to end physical PS5 disc support in 2028, and Rockstar has already chosen to shove its sandbox in an empty box. This has prompted some anger from fans, with a rather unorganised collective attempting a "blackout" last month, but I reckon if you really want to make a punch via a protest, you should go completely offline just as GTA 6 lands.

I know there's no talking anyone who's got GTA 6 pre-ordered into passing it up for an offline PS2 experience. Therefore, I'm largely speaking to those of you who can't afford it or are choosing not to play, as if everyone who's not venturing into the sandbox switches back to the PS2, it could be enough to catch Sony's attention this time around.

As for how you're going to do that, there are really cheap ways to get the old PlayStation 2 up and running today. It largely becomes a question of how to connect retro consoles to modern TVs and monitors, and having spent the weekend testing a pretty cheap HDMI adapter, I can confirm it's a decent place to start.

For context, I usually use a dedicated upscaler like the GBS Control, as it takes an RGB signal via SCART, upscales things to 1080p, and deals with any funky, wobbly deinterlacing nonsense. However, I decided to give an adapter similar to the versions you see for $13.99 at Amazon a shot, and it got the job done with zero visual nonsense.

If you really want your consoles to look the part, you'll want to invest in either a GBS-C or an OSSC, as that will provide you with upscaling, retro scanline settings, and other perks that'll help things look crispier. But, I get that the whole deal here is acquiring an old GTA game to play in protest to the industry at large when you potentially don't have any gear already, so a passive HDMI adapter is a perfectly acceptable way to play.

On that note, you can pick up GTA San Andreas on PS2 for around $20 these days, and if you've not got an old console to play it on, you can grab one for under $80. Effectively, you can grab an old Grand Theft Auto and the hardware to play it on for potentially less than GTA 6 Ultimate Edition, which Sony claims you won't actually own.

You could say statements like that are fuelling my decision to revisit San Andreas rather than think about GTA 6. I get that it's completely cynical of me to say both games feature the same core mechanics of automobile theft, gunplay, and law-breaking missions, but really, Rockstar's whole shtick has remained the same for 30 years.

Old crime caper, new controller

I recently had the same conversation of "you should just re-play San Andreas on the PS2" with a friend. They initially fought me on the basis that they didn't want to use a wired DualShock 2 in the living room, so like some sort of spiv, I opened my metaphorical jacket to reveal a bunch of relevant gadgets.

I know for a fact some of you will be scrambling to say "just play the Definitive Edition on PC." Okay, yes, you can do that for a quick fix, but if you also want this project to double up as a light protest over the state of things, you should stick with an OG PS2. You can still help the old system feel nice and fresh by learning how to use new controllers with retro consoles, as if you grab an 8Bitdo Retro Receiver for $24.99, you can sync up a DualShock 4 or even the DualSense to your 26-year-old machine.

Will using a PS5 controller to play San Andreas feel authentic? Nah. Will it help cut the cord and make the setup feel discrete and slick? Absolutely. I absolutely understand that not everyone wants janky old ensembles cluttering their play spaces, and while I'll normally choose an OG pad as an enthusiast, I also test the best retro controllers made today in an effort to put together modern-feeling setups.

A bit of San Andreas inspiration

The initial reason San Andreas ended up on my mind amid GTA 6 is admittedly the mechanical links. The new sandbox is set to borrow the realistic lifestyle routine elements of the PS2 caper, with weight fluctuation and sleep requirements ready to become a part of the formula again. Both of those features were first introduced in 2004, and if it's part of the reason to buy the latest entry, then I'll choose to go backwards.

I should note that you don't have to specifically replay San Andreas to protest by playing other GTA games. Now is a pretty good time to revisit the OG romps like GTA 3, Vice City, or even some of the spin-offs like Liberty City Stories. If you get a base PS2 setup in place, you'll have access to those outings while the modern industry has its very expensive moment, and if you really have no interest in Grand Theft Auto, there are over 4,000 OG PlayStation 2 games that'll save you paying for anything new.

• PS2 adapters at Amazon
• PS2 controllers at Amazon

Swing by the best retro handhelds if you'd rather play classic GTA on the go.

Metroid Dread developer MercurySteam has seemingly confirmed that it is the developer behind Metroid Ravenous.

Nintendo has generally been a bit peculiar compared to most major publishers for as long as it has existed. But one of the strangest things the company has done as of late is its complete reluctance to announce who is actually developing its games. You'll typically have to wait until the game releases or, at the very least, reviews release to find out what studio is behind the title; for example, Xenoblade developer Monolith Soft may be behind the upcoming The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake.

Take Metroid Ravenous, clearly the best announcement from this week's Nintendo Direct. The game looks very similar in style to Metroid Dread, which was developed by MercurySteam and instantly became one of the most beloved games in the franchise, so the idea of this developer returning would clearly excite players, right? Well, the trailer came and went without a mention of MercurySteam, but we may have confirmation that the developer is returning to the series.

Over on Twitter, MercurySteam quoted a post of the trailer with two emojis: a ninja and a heart. Some have taken this as a soft confirmation that the developer is secretly attached to the project, or that it may be related to the group of assassins pursuing Samus throughout the game.

Regardless, it's nice to see MercurySteam is back on Metroid, especially after the studio's latest game, Blades of Fire, seemingly underperformed, resulting in layoffs at the company. But I can't help but think signalling to players explicitly 'hey the team who made the best 2D Metroid game not named Super Metroid are back for this new entry' could've only helped further the hype for this game.

Check our list of the best Metroid games of all time, and catch yourself up before Ravenous comes out.

Are women in games still reduced to roles like damsels in distress, femme fatales, or dead wives? That's the discussion for this week's episode of the G+RLS podcast.

Serena, Emma-Jane, Ashley, and myself set to work debating whether women's roles have truly come a long way - but the TL;DR answer is yes. We touch on games like God of War Laufey and GTA 6 that are both on the way, but also the games that have done really well representing women over the years.

And of course all the ways the games industry still has room to improve, and the ways its failed so far. It's a complicated subject as you'd expect.

You can watch the brand new episode above, and do let us know what you think in the comments!

If you're new here, G+RLS is the GamesRadar+ podcast that tells the stories of women who game and the games they play. We have a new episode every other Friday, alternating between team chats discussing the issues we've faced, and the thoughts and concerns we have about the games industry, and interviews with creators, developers, voice actors and more.

Join us for a new episode every other Friday and let us know what you'd love to hear us talking about. We're available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Deezer, and Amazon Music.

You can also watch the fifth episode below!

Atlus has announced a broadcast celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Persona series, and speculation is already rampant about whether we'll see Persona 6.

After almost 10 years since Persona 5 first released, we finally got our first look at Persona 6 earlier this year during the 2026 Summer Game Fest Xbox showcase, and we now know… pretty much as much as we did the moment Persona 5 released (I mean we all knew it would be green by process of elimination anyway). Well, that was until Steam seemingly leaked all the game's achievements, but as for official news, we don't know much.

That being said, the game is rumored to release sometime next year, backed by confirmation of a PS5 physical copy, which puts it before the January 2028 cutoff Sony gave before abandoning discs. Not to mention an M rating, which typically implies a game isn't too far off.

Atlus has announced that it'll be hosting a Persona 30th anniversary celebration stream on September 20, 2026, featuring guest appearances by actors and musicians from the series' past, as well as Persona series producer Kazuhisa Wada, with discussions, live performances, and merch announcements confirmed.

Naturally, everyone is wondering whether Persona 6 will make an appearance, but few are hopeful. A Resetera thread about the event included a poll, in which only 20% of respondents believe we'll see Persona 6 gameplay, with the rest being somewhat realistic. One response reads "I want to vote for gameplay, but I know in my heart it won't happen," while another adds "You'll get Atlus/Persona branded soap, and you'll like it."

Elsewhere, others generally agree that Persona 6 won't be shown at all until after Persona 4: Golden releases. This would somewhat match the releases Persona 3 Reload and Metaphor ReFantazio, which released the same year in 2024, with the latter not getting much in terms of trailers until after the Persona 3 remake was released.

Persona 4 Revival is the best-looking Persona to date, and after 1 hour playing, I'm already desperate to return to Inaba.

Good Smile Company is getting in on the Crash Bandicoot 30th Anniversary festivities by re-releasing his cute and chibi Nendoroid figure, and my inner '90s kid is frothing at the mouth.

The $53.99 (via Good Smile Company) toy features Crash in all his orange-colored, jeans-wearing glory, and like the rest of the Nendoroid line-up, it includes swappable parts so you can recreate your favorite scenes and poses. You've got extra arms, and even a spare eye and tongue to play around with, but most importantly, Good Smile made sure to include Crash's iconic pal, Aku Aku.

Aku Aku does not make the iconic "ooga-booga" sound when you slap him on Crash's face, but he still looks absolutely adorable in Nendoroid form. Just beware that if you want him, and a little posable Crash to keep amongst the best Crash Bandicoot merch in your collection, the pre-order window closes on October 20 next month.

I don't know about you, but as someone who remembers clutching the original gray PlayStation controller in their hand and looking longingly at the screen as Crash typhooned his way through crates and skunks, I feel like I'm turning into a pile of dust acknowledging his 30th anniversary. Yet this re-release of the incredibly detailed figure is giving me reason to stay on earth and not disappear off into the wind.

Sculpter toytec D.T.C has really outdone themselves with this toy, as Crash looks like he jumped straight out of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. While I would have preferred if they took more inspiration from the original PS1 games, the details are glorious. From the 3D tufts of hair on Crash's arms to the markings on his gloves, this is probably one of the best depictions I've seen of the iconic game mascot in toy form.

Of course, what makes any Nendoroid special is not just how adorable these chibi-inspired toys look, but what you can do with them. As I mentioned earlier, you can attach Aku Aku to Crash's face just like in the game series. While that doesn't grant this toy a short stint of invincibility, as a neat detail, the figure includes an additional stand so you can pose the sentient mask next to Crash instead.

That detail alone is what has me hammering to pre-order this Nendoroid while I still can. Aku Aku was such a prominent part of my PlayStation-playing childhood, and I love that Good Smile thought to allow you to pose him on or alongside Crash. Again, the only thing that'd make it sweeter would be if Good Smile packaged in a polygonal version of the iconic sidekick, but maybe we'll get a PS1-looking Crash toy in the future.

If you want a little articulated Crash Bandicoot for yourself, you can pre-order him now from the US or UK Good Smile Company online stores. Just be warned that while the pre-order window closes on October 20, he won't arrive at your door until between April 1 to June 30, 2027. It's a long time to wait, but the pure, nostalgia-fueled detail on display should make it worth it.

• View all Good Smile Company Nendoroid toys at Amazon

For more cool collectibles, check out the best Lego sets.

In the prestige TV streaming era, it's not uncommon for new seasons of the biggest shows to take upwards of two years to hit screens. And a new report has confirmed what we all knew deep down: lengthy delays between new TV seasons leads to massive drops in viewership.

The report comes from data analytics company Luminate (h/t DiscussingFilm), who crunched the numbers on several of the biggest streaming releases, including Stranger Things season 5 and Wednesday season 2. The report concludes that "long breaks between seasons usually leads to audience shrinkage for hit series." A long hiatus is defined by Luminate as anything over 18 months between seasons.

Among the hardest hit shows, according to Luminate, were The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2, which saw a 57% dip in viewership when it landed two years after its debut season; Wednesday season 2, which saw a 59% drop upon releasing 2.75 years after the first season; and even Stranger Things season 5, which, despite being the final season, saw audience figures drop 23% when it finally arrived 3.5 years after season 4. In contrast, The Pitt season 2 saw viewership soar 132% when it released 12 months after its initial run, but that was a critically acclaimed breakout series.

The long breaks between seasons can sometimes be attributed to behind-the-scenes turmoil (which seems to have been the case with Severance season 2, though that turned out OK), but more often than not it's simply the reality of producing big-budget shows in the prestige TV era, with audiences now expecting movie-quality visuals that require movie-length production timelines. This is particularly acute for effects-heavy shows like The Rings of Power and Stranger Things.

The binge release model can also have a deleterious effect, as despite inflating first-week numbers, Luminate points out that "binge-release viewership tends to decay quickly, whereas a weekly-release hit can remain on the charts week after week." There is a silver lining in the long breaks between seasons for streamers, though. Luminate's numbers point to long delays "supercharging" catch-up viewing, as audiences capitalize on the extra time to watch (or re-watch) previous seasons, ahead of new episodes.

Following another 2-year break between seasons, The Rings of Power season 3 returns this November and is set to tackle one of Middle-earth's biggest moments: the forging of the One Ring. The Rings of Power season 4 is reportedly already in the works, perhaps in an effort to speed up production and reduce the the wait for new seasons.

For more, check out our guide to the best Netflix shows, or look ahead to the new TV shows hitting screens this year.

If you ever want to keep a secret, Rockstar Games is a good place to go for advice. The developer managed to keep a lid on GTA 6 for years, defending itself against some outlandish attempts to leak parts of the game.

The company is currently facing an employment tribunal over the dismissal of 34 employees late last year under contentious circumstances. Rockstar argues it was for gross misconduct, whereas those impacted say it was part of a concerted effort to quell unionization and they weren't given appropriate due process.

During the proceedings, as several outlets report, Rockstar revealed the kinds of security risks it has faced while making the new Grand Theft Auto game. Attacks are regular, according to the publisher, and they come in a variety of creative ways.

Hacker groups have attempted to blackmail the company as recently as the last few weeks, according to testimony from Rockstar. This stands to reason, since there were an unfortunate number of leaks in the run-up to the extended look on Netflix. The anomalous group Cyerleeks was responsible for those clips, putting out over a dozen GTA 6 clips in motion, though it's unknown if they're the same ones who attempted to extort the studio.

Meanwhile, Rockstar had to employ specific protections on its own buildings to stop drone fly-bys. People were apparently using the hovering cameras to try to take screenshots or record in-progress builds of the upcoming crime sandbox, leading to privacy film being put over some windows.

This is the last hearing and will last five weeks, concluding in mid-October. We'll see what emerges in the coming days.

GTA 6 wasn't "fully formed" when Trailer 1 released, Rockstar boss says, but the Tom Petty song it used was a "mission statement" of where it was going.

The Neo Geo AES+, a remake of the at-home arcade console by SNK, has been delayed by almost a year. While retro console maker PLAION hasn't quite provided an exact reason as to why the re-engineered system is now landing in September 2027, component shortages and prices are once again to blame.

In a statement, PLAION prefaces its news by saying, "we know many of you have been looking forward to receiving your NEOGEO AES+ this year," before lamenting that the "worldwide release will now take place on 16th September 2027." That means the resurrected best retro console contender will be showing up ten months later than originally announced, as it was meant to emerge this November.

Again, a direct reason for the Neo Geo AES+ delay isn't given, but PLAION does mention "global component supply constraints." Whether that means the availability of the specific ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) chips used to replicate the original parts is limited, or factories are too busy dealing with AI data centre demand, is unknown, but the company claims it is trying to fortify its production.

"Rather than launch with severely limited availability, we're taking extra time to explain production, secure the components we need, and invest in an even bigger future for NEOGEO AES+," explains PLAION. In the same breath, it reassures players who have already pre-ordered that reservations "remain secure" and that "there is no price increase and no action is required."

Those of you who did choose to pre-order a Neo Geo AES+ are apparently getting a "Founding Supporter Bonus," a free wireless controller if you reserved the standard or anniversary editions. Ultimate Edition buyers will get 30% off at PLAIN REPLAI's online store, which includes consoles like The Spectrum, versions of the Atari 2600+, and the upcoming Amiga A1200 remake.

The Neo Geo AES's grand return is off to a pretty chaotic start, especially since SNK's ties to Saudi Arabia and the country's human rights record are deterring many fans from supporting the console. While the delay is being framed as productive, I'm already seeing many players who pre-ordered the $1,000 bundle question why they wouldn't just wait until it lands, as there's still lingering skepticism over whether its re-engineered ASIC chips will truly deliver hardware perfection.

Part of me also wonders if PLAION realized that November 2026 is now a pretty terrible time to even launch anything gaming-related. Yes, players who pre-ordered the machine regardless of anything would have happily tucked into King of Fighters, Shock Troopers, and other arcade classics in a few months' time, but the majority of the scene will be preoccupied with the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake or GTA 6, both of which require a Switch 2 or PS5.

All that aside, we'll need to wait the best part of a year to see what the Neo Geo AES+ is really all about. Again, the fact that Saudi Arabia holds a majority stake in the SNK Corporation is already having an effect on appeal, and technical enthusiasts will need to see some gameplay before dubbing it a true 1:1 recreation with added HDMI.

• See more retro consoles at Amazon
• See all Neo Geo consoles at Amazon

Swing by the best retro controllers for authentic pads with modern console tricks.

Henry Cavill has something of a history of playing spies. Despite not landing the James Bond role 20 years ago, the actor has gone on to appear as an agent in Mission: Impossible – Fallout, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Argylle. Now it looks like he's suiting up once again for a new comedy movie.

Set pictures showing the former Superman star on a motorcycle have emerged from filming on the untitled project. Directed by Charlie's Angels helmer McG, the film reportedly stars Cavill and Hart as two rival spies who meet in a Lamaze class. After their wives (played by Justine Lupe and Aja Naomi King) become fast friends, their lives become intertwined in some unexpected ways.

The White Lotus star Jason Isaacs also appears in the movie, while Hart, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy are all down to produce.

Cavill previously ruled himself out of playing Bond after he was one of the finalists up against Daniel Craig the last time the auditions came around. Speaking to Heat Magazine earlier this year, he was asked if he ever wanted to play 007.

"I didn’t turn the role down – it just wasn’t the right time," he said. "What actor wouldn’t love to be Bond? But at 42, I’d probably be considered a bit old to start now. I would love to be a Bond villain, though. If it was the right character, I think that would be fascinating to explore."

Rumors around who is taking on the role next have started to heat up, with one man in particular gaining traction. Slow Horses actor Jack Lowden has been hinted at by his co-stars, and Gary Oldman even teased that he knows James Bond has been cast.

Next up for Cavill is Highlander, and he's still hard at work adapting Warhammer 40,000. For more upcoming movies, check out our breakdown of 2026 movie release dates.

Following Sony dropping Hideo Kojima's next project, analysts report that the Death Stranding series just about broke even in sales.

Despite making a massive deal out of its exclusivity when it was announced – it being the finale of a State of Play presentation – Sony reportedly wanted to cancel Kojima Productions' Metal Gear spiritual successor, Physint. Pretty soon after, Xbox announced it's now publishing both of the upcoming Hideo Kojima games, with OD still on the way, leaving many perplexed as to why Sony would drop one of its most anticipated titles amid a whirlwind few months of bad press for the PlayStation brand.

Some speculated that the Death Stranding games had underperformed, leading to Sony's decision; however, from the sounds of things, the series didn't flop, but it didn't do much more than its budget. Anilea Analytics reports that the first Death Stranding did pretty well, selling 5 million copies by the end in the same time it took Death Stranding 2 to sell around 2.5 million copies.

Death Stranding has reportedly made about $243 million, with a rumored budget of around $100 million, while Death Stranding 2 has made about $129 million on a rumored budget of somewhere between $150-200 million. Anilea reports the franchise has definitely broken even with its $413 million made across both games, "but not by much," with "an estimated return on investment of 18% to 38%."

The development of Metal Gear Solid 5 reportedly going over budget is part of what caused the rift between Konami and Hideo Kojima, so the idea of Physint development being expensive isn't too surprising to hear. And with Sony releasing a string of high-profile misses as of late, with the likes of Marathon, Saros, and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls having pretty low-profile launches, and of course Sony sinking a ton of money into failed live service projects that end up canceled mid-dev (or after release in Concord's case), the publisher being more stingy is not entirely surprising.

However, Sony built its way back from the PS3's failures by being known for its high-quality releases. The Last of Us, the Horizon series, and so on fed into the prestige-publisher look Sony maintained until it decided to chase a live-service hit and stopped releasing games as often. And even then the Wolverine reviews seem to indicate the PlayStation first-party formula may be losing its shine a bit.

I can't think of something with more prestige than Hideo Kojima doing a new Metal Gear-like game, which not only would probably sell better than Death Stranding did on that basis alone, but even if it only broke even, it's the type of game that gets people in who will eventually pick up the next game. But hey, PlayStation's loss is Xbox's gain, unless it also decides to cancel the title.

Sony has topped a generational run of self-owns: abandoning Hideo Kojima's next Metal Gear right as Marvel's Wolverine falls flat

The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time only received its pre-order status earlier in the week, but Amazon is already discounting limited-edition textured foil physical versions. Today, the $69.99 MSRP of the full cart and that gorgeous cover dropped to $59.88 when added to cart; that's impressive considering this is a blockbuster Nintendo first-party release.

Those kinds of games barely see any discounts even after launch, so a saving this chunky this early is well worth celebrating. Remember, that textured cover is only up for grabs while initial Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time pre-order stock lasts. Ocarina of Time remake launches on November 5 for Nintendo Switch 2.

Walmart is also taking part in this $10 discount, with both stores launching the promotion seemingly out of nowhere. It's difficult to believe the saving has come from lack of interest, the title has been at the top of the news desk since we received that full gameplay walkthrough in Nintendo's 40th Anniversary Zelda Direct on Tuesday - even if fans are divided on Link's new look. In fact, accompanying Legend of Zelda Switch 2 pre-orders sold out almost immediately when they went on sale this week.

Ocarina of Time has been completely rebuilt for modern consoles for this year's release, with brand new textures, jump and camera systems, and use of the Switch 2's built-in microphone. One of Link's most famous quests to save Hyrule, Ocarina of Time (in its many platforms) currently comes third behind Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom for best-selling Zelda titles. In other words, it's firmly on the classics list.

Nintendo is making a big deal of its franchise's 40th anniversary, then, and it's partnered with a number of toy and merch brands to accompany Ocarina of Time Remake. Hasbro's electronic Master Sword pre-orders have also sold in the blink of an eye and we've got a bunch of (frankly) cursed Amiibo heading our way as well.

• See all Legend of Zelda deals at Amazon

We're also rounding up the best Legend of Zelda merch and taking a closer look at the new Lego Link and Epona set. If you're still without a Switch 2, though, take a look at the latest cheap Nintendo Switch bundle deals.

There's less than a month till the first animated Avatar series in almost 12 years drops on Paramount Plus. But despite initial concerns that all 26 episodes would release on the same day, Paramount Plus has clarified the show's release plans. And while it's not an absurd binge, it's not a weekly release either.

After taking the slot that once belonged to animated movie Avatar Aang, Avatar: Seven Havens is set to release on October 9. That much we knew already from the Avatar: Seven Havens trailer that debuted at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. What was unclear from the SDCC panel, however, was how many episodes we'd get at once, with confusing press release language leading some to worry that both planned 'books', totalling 26 episodes, would all release on the same day.

Thankfully, that's not the case. Instead, Avatar: Seven Haven's first 13-episode book will release in 3 episode batches across October, with a final tranche of four episodes dropping on October 30. Given episodes of The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra typically clocked in at 23 minutes, three episodes at once feels like a good amount of Seven Havens to get week to week. And, hey, it worked well for Andor season 2, which unfolded across a series of mini-arcs, so perhaps there are narrative reasons to release multiple episodes of Seven Havens at once.

The news arrived alongside a fresh trailer and confirmation (via Polygon) that the new series is set some 225 years after the events of The Legend of Korra and 300 years after The Last Airbender. The latest trailer gives us the best look yet at the animated sequel series, which is set after an apocalyptic event, seemingly caused by Avatar Korra in the past. Drawing on South Indian culture, it sees the return of the Avatar in the form of a young Earthbender named Pavi. Hunted by the ruling forces who still see the Avatar as a threat to life, Pavi is reunited with her twin sister Nisha, who may or may not be an Avatar herself, as the trailer's final moments want you to think (though pay close attention, and you'll notice that Nisha clearly isn't the one Earthbending).

It's been a big year for Last Airbender fans. Earlier this year, the much-improved second season of Netflix's live-action adaptation released, just as filming wrapped on Avatar: The Last Airbender season 3 – the live-action show's final season. Animated movie Avatar Aang, shockingly, leaked in full online seven months ahead of schedule, and was eventually released early on Paramount Plus. But as our Avatar Aang review explains, it was worth the wait. And now, a brand new animated series is set to hit screens in less than a month, from original creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko.

At Comic-Con DiMartino and Konietzko also revealed exclusively to GamesRadar+ that while there are no further Avatar movies currently in development, a secret, unannounced TV project is in the works. "There's stuff in development, just TV shows in production, but not features at the moment," DiMartino said. "We have another secret thing in production, but yeah, it's on the series side," added Konietzko. "To be clear, we're series people, so that's okay to us. Features is a new thing to us."

Avatar: Seven Havens releases on Paramount Plus from October 9. For more, check out our guide to all the best new TV shows heading our way.

It's been 10 years since the release of Captain America: Civil War, and it seems like Chris Evans might be having a change of heart. The closest The Avengers have ever come to splitting came in Captain America 3 when Tony Stark and Steve Rogers fell on two separate sides following the events of Age of Ultron.

It all stems around the big question of whether superheroes should be controlled and supervised by the United Nations. On one side, you had Stark, wrecked with guilt with over his role in the destruction of Sokovia, in support of them. Meanwhile, on the other, you had Cap, concerned with what agendas these government bodies will bring to the table, potentially hindering their ability to act when they need to.

Reflecting on the film in the new Countdown to Avengers: Doomsday podcast, host and Ms. Marvel star Iman Vellani asked Cap star Chris Evans about whether his thoughts on the two sides had changed.

"You know, as the character I stand by Team Cap's position," he replied. "Me personally? You know, I might be Team Iron Man. I know that's probably controversial to say, but you know?" It's a pretty big swing from Evans, but the world has changed a lot in the 10 years since Civil War released, and so has Captain America.

The actor is returning soon to the MCU, appearing in Avengers: Doomsday as Steve once again. This version of the character follows the Nomad storyline, disillusioned with representing one country, he becomes a man without a country. It's not clear yet how this will work into the Doctor Doom storyline, but we don't have too long to wait before December 18.

For more Marvel, check out our guide to upcoming Marvel movies and shows as well as how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

It looks like Final Fantasy 7 Revelation boss Naoki Hamaguchi has plenty on his plate at the moment – not only is he working to get Part 3 of the Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy out the door, he's also "pushing" Kingdom Hearts 4 "forward."

As part of the latest media rounds for FF7: Revelation, Hamaguchi has been speaking to the press once more – you can read our own Final Fantasy 7 Revelation hands-on and interview here. As part of all of that chatter, Hamaguchi delves into what next year looks like for Square Enix, and it's a busy one.

"In terms of Square Enix and 2027, our President, Takashi Kiryu, says that next year is the big fight back for us, where everything turns around," he tells Deadline. "And obviously, between Final Fantasy 7 Revelation and Kingdom Hearts 4, those are massive titles that are going to push that. And both are being developed in my own studio, Creative Studio 1. So yeah, I’m really pumped up now for that. That’s really all on my watch now, so I’m going to be the guy who’s pushing all that forward."

Hamaguchi doesn't offer much more than that, though it's interesting to hear that Kingdom Hearts 4 is on his watch and that he's "pushing" it forward. Announced back in 2022, we haven't seen much of the beloved Disney spin-off until recently. The wait was worth it, however. Not only did we get a release window of next year, but Tetsuya Nomura was quite confident it wouldn't be delayed.

Interestingly, it was only recently that Final Fantasy 14 boss Naoki Yoshida praised Hamaguchi at Fan Fest Berlin for his ability to run and organize a team well – no wonder so many fans want him on Final Fantasy 17. Whether or not Hamaguchi's talent for management lends to Nomura's confidence over the Kingdom Hearts 4 release window is hard to say, but the broader picture is encouraging.

Another thing to add that may please fans is that, while researching this article, I came across another interview with Hamaguchi in which he reportedly said he would like Kingdom Hearts 4 to get a physical edition, too.

He doesn't add much there, though he's spoken about physical media a few times lately and his thoughts on it. Back at Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest, actually, I spoke to him about whether Square Enix had plans to offer a physical version of Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. We have since learned that they will, though his thoughts given at the time still seem relevant.

"Personally, here at something like Fan Fest or at community events for games that I've worked on, I really think that people bringing up things, asking for autographs – I think that's lovely," he said at the time. "I think it's a wonderful culture and it would be a shame to lose that. I want that to remain."

What a year 2027 might be for Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy fans.

Steam is seemingly responsible for one of the biggest leaks in years: Persona 6, Kingdom Hearts 4, Fable, Metro 2039, and over 70 other games see achievements spill online.

DCU show Lanterns returned to HBO this week with its fourth episode, bringing us back to Rushville, where the mystery of the Manhunter was brought to light. However, in the midst of the chaos, you may have missed Aaron Pierre's accent slip-up.

During a tense interrogation scene, Pierre's John Stewart asks, "Who are you?" slamming his hand on the table, then, in the most prominent South London accent, he shouts, "Speak up!" The clip has since gone viral on Twitter. Pierre had so far been able to keep Stewart's Detroit accent steady, but fans seem to be celebrating the added hint of English nonetheless.

Although the slip-up may be a little embarrassing for Pierre, HBO Max UK is seeing the funny side of the situation. The streamer posted a 'fan edit' of Pierre on Instagram containing the scene in question followed by Stewart's most iconic moments. The caption reads, "You can take Aaron Pierre out of Croydon, but you can't take the Croydon out of Aaron Pierre." Check out the post below.

It should come as no surprise that fans are loving the edit. "The Green Mandem'" commented one fan, and another added, "Brightest day, darkest night innit." Many are praising how HBO has handled the slip-up, with one pointing out, "You have to admit it's next level marketing for a streaming company to make memes of a flaw in the actor's performance rather than hoping people ignore said flaw."

The slip-up doesn't change the fact that Pierre has done an amazing job in bringing Green Lantern trainee Stewart to life alongside Kyle Chandler's Hal Jordan. The DCU Chapter One show debuted to a near-perfect 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has become one of HBO's most successful shows ever behind House of the Dragon and The Last of Us. In our Lanterns review, we awarded the show 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Lanterns continues to release weekly. See our Lanterns release schedule for exact timings. For more, check out our breakdown of how to watch DC movies in order, and keep up with upcoming DC movies and shows on the way.

In the wake of Spider-Noir's cancelation, the showrunner has shared some insight into what a second season would have looked like. Oren Uziel says that while they hadn't started writing a follow-up for the Amazon MGM show, the ending of season 1 did give him some ideas.

"If I had my druthers, it would be probably another location," he told Variety. "There are so many L.A. noirs we could have dove into. There are European noirs we could have dove into. There are other places to go. You're starting in 1933. Where is that heading? It's heading toward just a most cataclysmic time – World War II. There was a lot of storytelling that could have happened there."

However, Uziel says he's pleased that they didn't leave Spider-Noir on a cliffhanger. "We made a very closed-ended show," he continued. "There's a reason we were honoring these old noirs. The story begins when the client comes into the private detective's office, and it ends when they solve the case. So, it was nicely buttoned up."

An official reason hasn't been given for the cancelation of the series, but reports from Deadline suggest that Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television were hoping for bigger streaming numbers. This was especially the case given the reported budget was about $400 million.

However, the release schedule for Spider-Noir was pretty unconventional. It aired on MGM Plus before arriving all at once on Prime Video, rather than the usual weekly release schedule.

Uziel isn't the only one who's reacted to the cancelation. Nicolas Cage also shared a very classy reaction to the news, sharing that "one season was perfect".

You can stream Spider-Noir on Prime Video now. For more of what to watch, check out our guide to the best Amazon shows of all time.

While Sony cites "consumer preferences" for digital games as the core reason for its decision to abandon physical PlayStation releases, the numbers presented in a new report tell a different story. Games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 are still making a ton of money on disc, according to Rhys Elliot of Alinea Analytics, and Sony's decision to end discs is much more about controlling the overall market for PlayStation games.

Marvel's Spider-Man 2 earned $1.2 billion in gross revenue, according to the estimates in Elliot's latest newsletter, 35% of which was made up of physical unit sales. Ghost of Yotei made $400 million, with 37.6% physical. Astro Bot hit $275 million with 46.8% physical. Death Stranding 2 made $129 million, with 41.8% physical.

Why are these numbers so much higher than we've seen from other sources, including Sony itself? For one thing, many of the previous numbers have been counting unit sales, not revenue. For another, Alinea's numbers are about revenue generated, not units sold. And, of course, here we're talking purely about "prestige single-player" games, whose audiences are more likely to buy physical.

"Physical revenue is huge in the prestige single-player games Sony is getting more cautious about," Elliot argues, noting that "a disc dollar is worth less to Sony than a digital one, as there’s the retailer cut, manufacturing and distribution." Certainly, Sony would prefer if it were able to keep 100% of the revenue from these games, and it's betting that whatever players it loses by ditching physical releases will be offset by increased net profits.

So, Elliott argues, "the disc decision was largely about margins, control, and killing the secondhand market," rather than a recognition of consumer trends. We all likely could have guessed as much, and these factors are exactly why I've argued that PlayStation killing discs is bad for everyone, but there's some vindication in seeing the thought backed up by market analysis numbers. That doesn't make the prospect of an all-digital PS6 any less annoying, though.

Sony has topped a generational run of self-owns: abandoning Hideo Kojima's next Metal Gear right as Marvel's Wolverine falls flat.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was a tornado while developer Sandfall Interactive was anticipating more of a pleasant breeze, selling a total of over 8 million copies, and helping reset expectations for how hard a AA game is supposed to make you cry. You might think this enormous reception would make publishers more eager to invest in AA and find their very own, relatively inexpensive blockbuster, but fellow mid-tier developer One More Level game director Radek Ratusznik says this isn't the case.

Publishers are squeamish about AA – it's as if all the warm thoughts of berets and fresh baguettes that French JRPG Expedition 33 inspired disappeared as soon as they started reaching for their checkbooks. So Ratusznik, who is leading what I hope will be another AA masterpiece in the zombie Soulslike Valor Mortis, believes the industry needs more unprecedented bestsellers.

It would be nice, wouldn't it? Both for players looking to experience creative risks that usually only small teams are willing to take, and for developers, who could use the encouragement. In any case, Ratusznik tells GamesIndustry.biz at this year's Gamescom, "We had this enormous success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but still publishers find the AA segment quite risky."

The director continues, "We probably need a few more Expedition 33s to just prove them wrong. Maybe one Expedition is not enough. There are also so many companies who can deliver very good titles in the AA scope and budget, not just spending hundreds of millions."

The problem is, some publishers already know this. What they're looking for is more than a lean team that knows what it's doing – they want a miracle, too. Ratusznik explains, "It's not like we can make the game in one year without any trouble. The game still needs proper time to be published and properly tested. I doubt that we can squeeze it that much, as probably some of the publishers would like to."

Unaware of the tribulations of being AA, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Valor Mortis' demo at this year's Summer Game Fest. It's a strange 19th century French battle for moral greyness – which, you know, now that I'm saying it, almost sounds like another Expedition 33. Valor Mortis might be leading the change Ratusznik wants to see.

Ghostrunner devs abandon parkour for Valor Mortis, a first-person soulslike that might explain why the rest of the genre follows Dark Souls' lead.

VisionQuest showrunner Terry Matalas says we'll see plenty of Ultron in his scary robot form throughout the new Disney Plus show, but that it was more important to showcase James Spader and Paul Bettany's complicated father-and-son chemistry.

"It's funny, people say it's a budget thing, it's not, it's a James Spader thing," Matalas tells Polygon. "I love James Spader. Who doesn't love James Spader? I just want to see James and I want to see Bettany. You'll get plenty of robot action in the show. The show is very much inspired by that last scene in Age of Ultron between the two of them," he continued. "But watching Spader and Bettany chew up the scenery was something I saw in my head from the very beginning."

Of course, Ultron and Vision won't be the only robot we see in human form: the cast includes Orla Brady as FRIDAY, Emily Hampshire as EDITH, and James D'Arcy as JARVIS (yes, that Jarvis). You might recall that FRIDAY is the AI who was there in the final moments of Tony Stark's life (which is something the show will indeed explore).

It's also worth noting that it's Vision who requests that the AIs each take a human form while living under his roof, in order to make for some "happy home" vibes. It'll be interesting to see how happy of a home it can be with Ultron just running around in there.

Adds Matalas: "It is prohibitively expensive to do a CGI robot 24/7, but I also don't want to see a CGI robot. It's not going to be able to emote and do the things that James Spader can do with just the twitch of an eyebrow. So that's pretty much the main reason."

VisionQuest arrives this October 14. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows for everything else that's on the way.

Asa Germann has been cast as Angel in the MCU's upcoming X-Men movie, and this is the best casting choice thus far.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Germann initially auditioned for Scott Summers aka Cyclops, which ultimately went to Heartstopper star Kit Connor.

Germann is best known for his role as Sam Riordan in The Boys spin-off Gen V, which centered on a group of young Supes at a Supes-only university. Sam was not among the student population, but was kidnapped and experimented on by the people in charge of the university in order to help create a virus that would kill all Supes.

Germann's performance as Sam is captivating, and he brings so much vulnerability, raw intensity, and a dark psychological complexity to the role. That's exactly what it takes to play Angel, who was quite literally introduced on-screen in X-Men: The Last Stand as a child cutting off his own wings. Marvel really hit the nail on the head with this one, and I am so ridiculously stoked.

The rest of the cast includes Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Adam Driver as Mister Sinister, and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, respectively. Sadie Sink made her debut as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

X-Men hits theaters on May 5, 2028. For more, check out our guide to everything announced at D23 2026. We've also rounded up all of the upcoming Marvel movies and shows on the way in 2026 and beyond.

Stellar Blade is coming to Switch 2 on November 5, and it's being released both digitally and physically. Even with the furor over game-key cards dying down while collectors point their anger toward Sony's efforts to end physical games altogether, Shift Up has committed to ensuring that Stellar Blade will offer a complete experience on the cartridge.

Shift Up details what to expect from the Switch 2 version of Stellar Blade: Complete Edition in a new blog post. The package will include all previously released DLC and update content, alongside some minor Complete Edition specific bonuses, which have already appeared on other platforms. The November 5 launch will include four Bayonetta-themed costumes for Eve, which will also come to PC and PS5 in a free update on the same day.

"We also understand the importance of physical media," the devs add, "and so we have made sure that Stellar Blade is 100% on cartridge!" A graphic breaking down the contents of the game even specifies that it's a "32GB game card," which is apparently big enough to hold the game in full. Hopefully that means all the DLC is on the cart, too.

In 2024, Stellar Blade launched on a PS5 disc that also contained a completely playable build, but physical releases on Switch 2 are a whole different ballgame. Rumors have long suggested that the cartridges are substantially more expensive to produce than discs, and that they might not load data fast enough for some games, particularly open-world titles.

But those issues weren't enough to dissuade Shift Up from grabbing the PR win that comes with making sure Stellar Blade hits Switch 2 on a proper cartridge. Now if only the studio would realize the effects its AI use is having on fan goodwill…

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation's physical disc still requires a download because Square Enix "didn't want to make any compromises."

The People Vs. Gorilla Grodd, a mockumentary based on the DC comic of the same name, has begun filming and set leaks are abound. Some DC fans, however, aren't convinced that the gorilla we've seen in the photos is the titular gorilla on trial.

There have been many leaked set photos, from a gorilla in some '80s-style garb to that same gorilla in a graduation gown to even dancing in a tuxedo. Reactions to the first look at the film have been mixed, to say the least, but one fan posited a theory that the costumed gorilla may be the DC character King Solomon instead.

The fan pointed out that King Solomon frequently wore clothes, something that Grodd does not do in the comics, and that James Gunn has already mentioned the specific comic starring King Solomon on social media, going so far as to call it a direct influence on Superman and DC overall. The on-set gorilla also appears to be wearing the exact same outfit King Solomon wore in the comics.

"I think they're two random Gorillas who know Grodd, and were called to participate in the documentary, talking about him," another fan posited.

"I think either Grodd hired Solomon to fill in for him in public or Solomon is a symbol of gorillas coming into society," said another.

In my opinion, it's highly likely that modern day audiences don't want to see a naked gorilla on screen and that putting Grodd in regular clothes humanizes him just a bit... but only time will tell.

The People v Gorilla Grodd does not yet have a release date. For more of what's on the way, check out our guide to upcoming DC movies and shows.

It turns out the magic ingredient to having a strong viewership on a developer showcase is to focus on remaking one of the most beloved games ever. Simple enough for Nintendo, whose viewership for the recent Zelda Direct revealing new The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake clips dwarfed Sony's last State of Play, and even showcases from stalwart conventions like Gamescom.

Per The Game Business, figures gleaned from game marketing analyst LevelUp indicate the Zelda Direct focused on the Ocarina of Time remake peaked at 2.1 million viewers. That's a solid amount of fans, and it stands high above several recent showcases of similar weight.

It passes clean over the 2 million viewers who watched Gamescom's Opening Night Live, and it's more than double both the last PlayStation's September State of Play and Nintendo's focused Mario Kart World direct from April 2025, which respectively had 1 million and 930,000 viewers at peak.

But unfortunately, the Master Sword likely can't rise up to the might of GTA 6, since the game's extended look on Netflix preview managed to hit 31.1 million views after four days. After two days, the Zelda Direct only has 6.9 million views on YouTube. It's hard to topple what's projected to be one of the biggest video game releases ever, especially when it's collaborating with the one of the best streaming services, but the Ocarina of Time remake tries its hardest.

Maybe Nintendo should sort out a Netflix deal for the next mainline 3D Mario game next?

32-year Nintendo and Zelda veteran reacts to the Ocarina of Time remake, suggesting Shigeru Miyamoto's love of puppet shows influenced the art style

With an endless stream of content hitting platforms on a daily basis, it can be hard to know what to watch. Scroll no longer, as we've got you covered with our carefully curated list of the best shows and movies hitting streaming this weekend.

From a superhero blockbuster to the return of a beloved Australian comedy, there's plenty of variety on offer, with options on a range of streaming services. So, whatever you're subscribed to, there should be something to watch.

Below you'll find recommendations from HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV, Paramount Plus and, of course, Netflix. And, while we don't have any specific Disney Plus or Prime Video recommendations this week (once you've caught up with the latest episode of Reacher, which features a very funny Tom Cruise reference, anyway), we do have guides to the best Prime Video movies and the best Disney Plus shows. For our very latest streaming recommendations, head below.

Supergirl

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: HBO Max

Supergirl didn't exactly soar at the box office; in fact, it made less than notorious flops Joker 2 and Morbius. But don't let that put you off, as Supergirl has much to recommend, not least a spirited performance from Milly Alcock as Kara Zor-El.

The second movie in James Gunn's DCU Chapter One, Supergirl takes place ahead of Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, and it's essential viewing ahead of next summer's DC offering. Plus, who can pass up more time with good boy Krypto?

Keep the watch party going with our list of the best HBO Max movies.

The Paper season 2

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Peacock (US), Sky One/NOW (UK)

The second season of this surprisingly charming spin-off of The Office (US) is out to binge in full, with all 10 episodes now streaming. Set in the newsroom of a local newspaper in terminal decline, it mirrors much of what made The Office great: goofy characters, sharp gags and a classic will-they-won't-they romance.

We'd be lying if we said this comes close to The Office, despite the involvement of US Office creator Greg Daniels, but it's an enjoyable enough facsimile, and Domhnall Gleeson is a terrific comedic centerpiece as editor Ned Sampson. Plus, Office supporting character Oscar Martinez appears in the show, so you never know who might make the trip over from Scranton one day.

Fill out your watchlist with our look ahead at the new TV shows to come in 2026.

Last Seen

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Apple TV

This riveting thriller is Apple TV's first Australian original. Set in a fictional port town, it stars Patrick Brammall (of Colin From Accounts fame, see below) as former chief of police Ian Ridely, who turned to operating emergency phone lines after the disappearance of his 3-year-old daughter 11 years prior. After her body is seemingly unearthed following a mudslide, Ian answers an emergency call from a young woman he believes to be his now-teenage daughter, setting him off on a quest to find the daughter he thought lost.

Based on a page-turner novel and directed by The Crown's Christian Schwochow, it's one of those shows where you'll lament the weekly wait between episodes. But the good news is, the first two dropped at the same time, with new episodes set to air weekly on Wednesdays.

Once you've devoured the first two episodes, check out our list of the best Apple TV shows.

Call My Agent! The Movie

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Netflix

It's been five years since comedy series Call My Agent! came to an end with the fourth and final season, and now the former ASK talent agency team are back for a sequel movie. Set in real time, half a decade after the closure of ASK, Andréa is now directing a movie. But when disaster strikes and the lead actor drops out, the former team reunites to save the project.

It's funny enough on its own merit, but one of the treats of Call My Agent! was seeing which famous French actors cameoed across the series (Sigourney Weaver even popped up). We won't spoil them here, but there are some big-name Hollywood cameos to watch out for in the movie.

Looking for something else? Here's our list of the best movies on Netflix.

Colin From Accounts season 3

Available: US/UK
Where to watch: Paramount Plus (US), BBC iPlayer (UK)

The third and final season of this delightful Australian comedy show is now out in full, perfect for a weekend binge. Gordon (Patrick Brammall) and Ashley (Harriet Dyer) are the ideal mismatched couple, brought together by their injured dog, Colin From Accounts (the name will make sense when you watch it). But after seemingly breaking up for good following a failed proposal at the end of season 2, can their undeniable connection bring them back together?

Alongside the winning leads and a sky-high gag rate, Colin From Accounts is such a treat because Gordon and Ashley are a perfectly messy pairing. Brammell and Dyer are married in real life and, despite their characters being all wrong for each other in many ways, you can't help but hope it works out for them.

For more great shows, check out our list of the best shows on Paramount Plus.

Need more? Check out our guide to the best shows on Prime Video.