Gaming News

Top Story

The gaming and entertainment worlds are in mourning following the tragic passing of actress Hayden Panettiere at age 36, whose iconic performances as Kairi in Kingdom Hearts and Sam in Until Dawn left an indelible, cherished mark on millions of players worldwide.

News & Reviews

Kingdom Hearts IV Targeting Late 2027 as Series Surges on Steam · IGN Extended gameplay footage and a late 2027 release date confirmation for Kingdom Hearts IV at D23 have sparked massive fan excitement. The hype has propelled the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5+2.5 ReMix compilation to the second spot on Steam’s U.S. best-sellers list amid an ongoing 70% off franchise sale. It’s a huge moment for fans who are eager to experience Sora’s adventures again before the sequel arrives.

Mortal Shell 2 Review: Creepier, Crazier, and Aggressively Better · IGN Mortal Shell 2 is a gratifying step up from the 2020 original, expanding the body-swapping shell roster and introducing a stamina-free combat system tied to active Resolve. While it suffers from finicky stick controls and end-game balance issues, its dense, landmark-rich world of Fallgrim and nightmare-inducing enemy designs make for a wonderfully dark adventure. If you loved the first game’s scaled-down approach, this sequel proves that bigger can indeed be better.

Shuhei Yoshida Warned Expedition 33 Devs to Avoid “Turn-Based” Stigma · IGN Former PlayStation indies boss Shuhei Yoshida revealed he advised Sandfall Interactive not to market Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 as a “turn-based RPG” due to negative stigmas surrounding the genre being outdated. The publisher pivoted to “reactive turn-based battles,” paving the way for the game’s massive critical acclaim, Game of the Year wins, and commercial success. It’s a fascinating look at how branding can make or break a masterpiece in today’s market.

Star Citizen Dev Stream Backfires Catastrophically with Live Bugs · IGN A CIG live stream meant to demonstrate fixes for Star Citizen went horribly off the rails as developers repeatedly encountered critical glitches like inventory failures and weapon-swapping issues live. The broadcast ended with passive-aggressive team banter and an abrupt sign-off, severely damaging player morale. For a game 15 years in development with over $1 billion in funding, this was a brutal watch that has left fans deeply frustrated.

US Army Battalion Supposedly Offers GTA 6 Release Leave for Reenlisting · IGN A recruitment flyer from the 9th Engineer Battalion at Fort Stewart, Georgia, is reportedly offering soldiers a four-day pass to play Grand Theft Auto VI this November in exchange for reenlisting. While the Army has not officially verified the memo, military veterans note that the service has used similar hype-driven campaigns to boost retention in the past. It’s a wild, modern incentive that shows just how colossal the hype for Rockstar’s next sandbox has become.

HBO’s Lanterns Premiere Shocking Death Twist Outrages Green Lantern Fans · IGN The series premiere of HBO’s Lanterns ended with a shocking twist: flashing forward a decade to show the corpse of iconic Green Lantern Hal Jordan. While showrunner Chris Mundy defended the off-screen death as a necessary emotional catalyst to drive the show’s “True Detective with superheroes” mystery, outraged fans have criticized the cynical portrayal and boycotted the series. It’s a bold, highly divisive creative choice to launch James Gunn’s new DCU.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 Preview: A Glorious, Tense Bug Hunt · IGN Our four-hour hands-on with Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 reveals a sequel that beautifully nails the claustrophobic tension, audio design, and resource management of the legendary film. Rolling with a squad of four (including helpful CPU-controlled androids) and experimenting with the custom-class “Specialist” makes this a perfect “lazy Sunday” co-op shooter. If you want to blast Xenomorphs with friends, this is definitely one to keep on your radar.

Free Games & Deals

While there are no free game giveaways to claim this week, deal hunters have plenty to celebrate. Woot’s Summer of Gaming Sale has slashed Nintendo Switch 2 and PS5/Xbox game prices by an extra 20% with code GAMER20, bringing Metroid Prime 4 Beyond and Pokémon Legends Z-A down to an unbelievable $31.99. Best Buy is also celebrating its 60th anniversary with massive discounts on hot titles like Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for Switch 2 (down to $34.99).

Also Worth Knowing

• Cancelled Star Wars: Magellan Action RPG Gameplay Leaks Online (IGN): Leaked artwork and gameplay footage have emerged for Star Wars: Magellan, a cancelled AAA action RPG once in development at Echtra Games.
• DoorDash Adds Digital Video Game Purchases to Its Delivery Menu (IGN): DoorDash now allows users to purchase digital video game codes for PC, Switch, and Xbox directly through the app, with deliveries of physical accessories and food arriving in as fast as 30 minutes.
• YouTube to Count Views Instantly from the Very First Frame (IGN): Starting August 24, YouTube will count views the very instant play is pressed, standardizing metrics across VOD, Shorts, and Live formats.
• Fortnite Locks Exclusive Star Wars Skin Behind Disneyland Visits (IGN): Completionists are reeling as the rare “Forsworn Trooper” skin is currently only available to players who link their accounts while visiting Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run at Disneyland.
• Batmobile Arrives in Glasgow as Filming Begins for The Batman: Part 2 (IGN): Robert Pattinson’s iconic muscle-car cruiser has been spotted on the streets of Glasgow as production officially begins for The Batman: Part 2.

💸 With several major hardware and game discounts in today’s news, I could compile a dedicated, side-by-side deal tracker to help you compare the biggest savings on consoles, games, and TVs.