Gaming News — 2026-04-16#

Top Story#

The post-apocalyptic survival shooter series is back with the official announcement of Metro 2039, plunging players into an even darker, more psychological journey through the Moscow Metro. Arriving this winter on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, the game will feature a new protagonist, handcrafted levels, and a terrifying neo-Nazi faction known as the Novoreich.

News & Reviews#

Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Remake Reportedly Set for July Release Rumors are swirling that the highly anticipated pirate remake, Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, will officially launch on July 9. Ubisoft hasn’t explicitly confirmed the date yet, but a recent European PEGI rating suggests we are getting very close to setting sail once again.

Battlefield 6 2026 Roadmap Confirmed EA and BF Studios are trying to win back players by rolling out a massive 2026 roadmap that promises the return of persistent servers, larger maps, and naval warfare. Arriving this July, Season 4 will finally introduce aircraft carriers and water-based vehicles on a reimagined Wake Island map to deliver the “all-out warfare” the community has been begging for.

Starfield Nintendo Switch 2 Spotted Bethesda’s massive space RPG might be making the jump to Nintendo’s newest console, as a Taiwan ratings board listing just leaked a Switch 2 version of Starfield. While Bethesda hasn’t formally announced it, a Switch 2 release fully aligns with Microsoft’s recent strategy of porting former exclusives to other platforms.

Replaced Review Replaced offers a dazzling 2.5D sci-fi dystopia with jaw-dropping 16-bit pixel art that gorgeously updates classic retro adventures. Unfortunately, as stunning as the world is, the 11-hour adventure is frequently dragged down by unresponsive combat controls and tedious, uninspired sidequests that derail the pacing.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 Sales Update The Emperor protects, and clearly the players do too, as Space Marine 2 has blown past expectations by hitting a massive 12 million players. With the game still performing incredibly well, Saber Interactive is actively pushing out new content updates while quietly chipping away at Space Marine 3.

Ex-Sony Exec Comments on Game Pass Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden took a shot at Xbox Game Pass following a leaked Microsoft memo indicating the service has become “too expensive” for players. Layden suggested the subscription model is failing despite Microsoft’s best efforts “to will this into health,” calling for an industry-wide “post mortem”.

Free Games & Deals#

Over on the Epic Games Store, users can currently claim The Stone of Madness for free until April 23. The title offers intense real-time tactical stealth as you help five prisoners escape an 18th-century Spanish monastery. For hardware hunters, you need to grab a Meta Quest 3 or 3S immediately, as prices are jumping by $50 to $100 starting April 19 due to tariffs and AI data center demands. Meanwhile, Best Buy is offering Open Box Asus ROG Xbox Ally X units starting at $870, knocking $130 off the retail price of the market’s best Windows gaming handheld.

Also Worth Knowing#

• James Bond 007: First Light Title Track by Lana Del Ray: The upcoming 007: First Light video game from IO Interactive has secured pop icon Lana Del Rey for its official title track.
• Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play Show Announced: D&D is launching an official “actual play” series called Dungeon Masters, featuring Baldur’s Gate 3 fan-favorite voice actors Neil Newbon and Devora Wilde.
• Resident Evil Adult Mod Video Takedown: Capcom’s legal team is forcing YouTubers to delete hundreds of videos showcasing “adult-orientated” lingerie mods for Resident Evil Requiem.
• Hytale Dev Addresses Copycat: The developers of Hytale are pursuing legal action against a blatant knock-off game that somehow bypassed Nintendo’s vetting to appear on the Switch eShop.
• Opinion: The Epic Games Store Will Never Be as Good as Steam: Despite being nearly a decade old, the Epic Games Store still struggles with agonizingly slow load times and a lack of the community features that make Steam the undeniable king of PC gaming