Gaming News — 2026-06-20#

Top Story#

The Xbox gaming division is reportedly facing another major restructuring, with leaks suggesting that beloved development studios like Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion are in serious danger of being shut down. While mainline giants like Halo and Gears of War remain safe, projects like Forza Motorsport and The Outer Worlds have unfortunately been cancelled entirely as Microsoft resets its core strategy.

News & Reviews#

Epic Games Store Roadmap Promises 5x Faster Boot Times, User Reviews, and More · IGN Epic Games has revealed a massive 12-month roadmap for its PC storefront, promising a ground-up launcher rebuild that aims to deliver a 5x faster cold start. Along with these essential speed boosts, the platform will finally add long-requested features like user-written reviews, third-party patch notes, and publisher-funded coupons. It’s a much-needed overhaul for a platform that has historically struggled to achieve feature parity with its main competitor, Steam.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Split-Screen Co-Op on PS5 Requires PlayStation Plus for Both Players · IGN In a baffling move that is already alienating the community, playing local split-screen couch co-op in Halo: Campaign Evolved on the PS5 will require two active PlayStation Plus subscriptions linked to Microsoft accounts. Fans are understandably outraged, as the original 2001 release offered this foundational couch co-op experience entirely for free, turning what should be a nostalgic triumph into a frustrating paywall.

Sea of Remnants Is Like a Puppet-Punk Persona at Sea | IGN Preview · IGN Sea of Remnants is shaping up to be a stunning open-world RPG arriving on PS5, PC, and mobile later this year, cleverly blending Assassin’s Creed Black Flag naval exploration with Persona-style turn-based combat. The game utilizes a charming, hand-crafted wooden puppetry aesthetic that recalls stop-motion films like Coraline, pairing its unique art style with dynamic weather and massive kraken boss fights.

Out of Words Is an Artistic, Handmade Breath of Fresh Air | IGN Preview · IGN Launching in early 2027, Out of Words is a meticulously handmade stop-motion co-op platformer where players must work together, akin to recent multiplayer hits like It Takes Two. The game follows two adolescents thrust into the mystical world of Vokabulantis, promising an emotional 10-hour adventure built entirely in the real world with physical mediums like clay and moss.

Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Dead at 69 After Plane Crash in France · IGN The gaming industry mourns the loss of Claude Guillemot, one of the five founding brothers of Ubisoft, who passed away tragically in a twin-engine plane crash in western France at the age of 69. Guillemot was the CEO and chairman of the Guillemot Corporation, and his visionary early work helped build Ubisoft into the global powerhouse behind mega-franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Rayman.

Free Games & Deals#

While there are no new weekly free games to claim from the Epic Games Store detailed in today’s announcements, the weekend brings some spectacular hardware and software discounts for savvy deal hunters. Over on Amazon, you can upgrade your handheld setup with 20% off the massive 201-inch virtual display of the RayNeo Air 4 Pro AR glasses, or grab the powerful AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT graphics card for a very solid $689.99. Nintendo Switch owners can score the outstanding platformer Donkey Kong Country Returns HD for $44.99 at Walmart, and movie buffs can pre-order the massive 4.5-hour 4K supercut of Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair for $39.99.

Also Worth Knowing#

X-Men Star Famke Janssen Thinks Marvel ‘Made a Mistake’ By Not Bringing Her Jean Grey Back for Avengers: Doomsday (IGN): The actress confirmed she will not appear in the upcoming MCU superhero team-up, expressing disappointment that Marvel did not invite her back despite the return of other legacy mutant actors.
Cheers Co-Creator James Burrows Dies at 85 (IGN): The legendary 11-time Emmy-winning director and writer, whose monumental career spanned thousands of sitcom episodes including Friends and Will & Grace, has passed away peacefully.
Lost Art: How CG Killed Hand-Drawn Animation at Disney (IGN): Former traditional Disney animator Aaron Blaise has released a spectacular hand-drawn short film called “Snow Bear” on YouTube, sparking a wave of nostalgia for 2D animation in an increasingly CG and AI-dominated world.
The 5 Coolest Handheld Gaming PC Accessories You Can Get This Month (IGN): If you’re struggling with hand cramps while playing your Steam Deck or ROG Ally, the Lycra-wrapped Mechanism Gaming Pillow acts as a hybrid pillow and monitor arm for comfortable support.