Gaming News — 2026-06-22#

Top Story#

Valve has officially launched the long-awaited Steam Machine, a living-room mini PC starting at a hefty $1,049. Despite the high price tag fueled by a global RAM shortage, our review confirms it’s an incredible, plug-and-play powerhouse that fits perfectly in your entertainment center, even if its graphical horsepower is slightly weaker than current base consoles.

News & Reviews#

God of War Laufey Planned Since 2018, Reveals Star Deborah Ann Woll · IGN Santa Monica Studio’s God of War Laufey might have shocked some fans by replacing Kratos with his wife Faye, but the project has been in the works since 2018. Deborah Ann Woll confirmed she’s known about the role for nearly a decade, promising a fresh perspective and major lore expansions running concurrently with the 2018 reboot.

It’s Finally Happened — You Can Play As Nicolas Cage in Call of Duty · IGN Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is embracing the chaos for its Season 4 Reloaded update by adding Hollywood legend Nicolas Cage as a playable operator. Despite past developer promises to keep goofy skins out of the modern entries, getting to face off as the Con Air star is exactly the kind of silly, blockbuster fun the multiplayer shooter needs right now.

Hideo Kojima Says Upcoming Xbox Horror Game OD Has a Special System for People Who Are Too Scared to Keep Playing · IGN Hideo Kojima wants to push the boundaries of terror with his upcoming Xbox exclusive OD, but he’s throwing a lifeline to cowards. Kojima teased a mysterious new system that will allow terrified players to keep progressing, ensuring the game’s unique scares don’t completely alienate the squeamish.

Zelda Fan Ditches Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine Remake After a Decade of Work · IGN A dedicated fan who spent ten years remaking The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time in Unreal Engine has officially pulled the plug on the project. The creator cited Nintendo’s recently announced official Switch 2 remake of the classic as the primary reason, fearing inevitable legal action from Nintendo’s notorious ninjas.

Bethesda Boss Todd Howard Saw Marvel’s Blade in May, Says Arkane ‘Doing a Really, Really Great Job’ · IGN Amidst recent Xbox studio closures and rumors of cancelation, Todd Howard confirmed that Arkane Lyon’s Marvel’s Blade is still in active development. While there’s no release window yet, Howard reassured fans that the team is doing a “really, really great job” with the Daywalker’s upcoming adventure.

Free Games & Deals#

Deals are heating up ahead of Prime Day. You can score the highly coveted Nintendo Switch 2 console for an unprecedented $399 at Woot using code “CHEAPSWITCH2” — perfect timing before the planned September price hike. On the games front, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’s Switch 2 Edition is already down to a historic low of $59.88 at Amazon. Hardware hunters should also check out Walmart’s ridiculous 50% off deal on the PlayStation Pulse Explore Wireless Gaming Earbuds, dropping the incredible planar magnetic buds to just $99.

Also Worth Knowing#

• Sea of Thieves Live-Action Movie in Development, Microsoft Confirms (IGN): Xbox’s swashbuckling pirate adventure is getting a live-action film produced by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton.
• Netflix’s Gears of War Movie Is an ‘Origin Story’ for Delta Squad (IGN): The upcoming live-action film will focus on the brotherhood and original formation of Delta Squad as they wage war against the Locust.
• Fortnite’s Popular Pokémon-Like Sprites Are Fueling a Player Surge — and 5 More Species Get Added This Week (IGN): Epic’s battle royale has seen a massive influx of 1.2 million concurrent players trying to hunt down rare, shiny “Sprites,” with five new species dropping this week.
• The Most Expensive Game on Steam Costs $1,000 and Lasts Just 10 Minutes (IGN): “Congratulations On Your Purchase” is a bizarre new $999.99 Steam title that offers zero gameplay, prompting users to demand Valve step in and remove it.
• GTA 6 ‘Vampire’ Ferris Wheel Sparks Tech Expert Investigation (IGN): Digital Foundry broke down why a ferris wheel in the latest GTA 6 footage lacks a reflection, attributing it to a ray-tracing optimization quirk rather than a visual bug.