Gaming News — 2026-06-17#

Top Story#

Nintendo has officially teased a highly-anticipated, ground-up remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the upcoming Switch 2 console. While the brief teaser only revealed a realistic new art style and Link snoozing without his iconic cap, industry speculation indicates this will be a massive, seamless reimagining of the 1998 classic rather than a simple 1:1 remaster.

News & Reviews#

Microsoft’s Exclusivity & Studio Closure Controversy · IGN Fans are rapidly losing trust in Xbox as reports emerged that Microsoft planned to shut down or spin off Ninja Theory mere days after announcing their new game, Senua. Microsoft allegedly used the game reveal to draw investor interest, leaving studios like Double Fine and Compulsion to scramble for buyouts to avoid total closure. In response to the massive backlash, Microsoft executives insist they won’t reverse course on exclusives like Gears of War: E-Day, but players remain intensely skeptical.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Review · IGN Square Enix’s first HD-2D action-adventure game essentially asks what it would look like if they made A Link to the Past, and the result is a beautiful, compelling 20-hour adventure. Featuring impressive build customization via equipable Magicite, tight combat, and a clever time-travel mechanic, it’s a nostalgic trip that successfully mimics classic Zelda. While its dungeons lean on the simpler side and enemies lack variety across eras, the highly emotional multiple endings make this a must-play for retro fans.

Unreal Engine 6 Will Let Fortnite Skins Carry Over to Other Games · IGN Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney revealed that Unreal Engine 6, entering early access in late 2027, will focus heavily on an open games ecosystem. This framework will allow players to use cosmetic items, like Fortnite skins, interchangeably across different games built on the engine. Epic hopes this interconnected approach will incentivize microtransactions in smaller multiplayer titles and ultimately save the bloated AAA gaming industry.

Luna Abyss Entire Dev Team Laid Off Post-Launch · IGN Despite earning critical praise and an 81 on Metacritic, the entire nine-person development team behind the shooter Luna Abyss has been laid off just a month after launch. Kwalee Labs CEO Hollie Emery stated the decision was out of their control, which is tragically unsurprising given the game peaked at a mere 317 concurrent Steam players. It’s another brutal blow in a summer already plagued by widespread industry layoffs.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword Preview · IGN Capcom looks poised to deliver another massive hit with this brilliant revival that models its hero, Musashi, after legendary actor Toshiro Mifune. The gameplay shines through deliberate, defense-focused combat where chaining perfect parries and deflects feels absolutely incredible. It might be a bit too easy for hardcore action junkies right now, but the foundation of this action game is undeniably exceptional.

Nintendo Acknowledges Employee Data Breach · IGN Nintendo confirmed an internal data breach involving employee information stemming from a compromised third-party survey service, TinyPulse. A hacking group dubbed ShadowByt3$ is currently demanding a $2 million ransom, threatening to leak bank records, survey feedback, and performance details. Fortunately, Nintendo clarified that their own internal systems remain secure and no customer or game development data was compromised.

Free Games & Deals#

Rockstar is throwing a bone to last-gen players by offering free digital current-gen upgrades for Grand Theft Auto V to all PS4 and Xbox One owners. With GTA 6 arriving this November, this is the perfect excuse to revisit Los Santos with 60 FPS performance. Over on the racing front, Forza Horizon 6 players can grab 10 free cars, including the 1988 Lamborghini Countach and 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT R, by completing events in the new Series 2 ‘Horizon Decades’ playlist running until July 16. Finally, if you haven’t played Persona 3 Reload yet, the highly-rated Switch 2 version is currently 50% off ($29.99) at Best Buy.

Also Worth Knowing#

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Coming to Switch 2 (IGN): The next installment in the blockbuster shooter franchise drops on October 23, marking the series’ highly anticipated debut on Nintendo’s new console.
• GTA Online Adds The Kortz Center Heist (IGN): Players will need to purchase a mansion to plan a massive art gallery heist dropping this July.
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows Gets Final Update (IGN): Ubisoft capped off the game’s post-launch support with the “Black Tides” update, pivoting back to deep Templar lore to satisfy fan complaints about the base game’s narrative.
• Gabe Newell Buys $70.8M Super Mansion (IGN): The Valve billionaire purchased a sprawling 20,000-square-foot estate in Florida equipped with an actual underground tunnel connecting the home to the ocean.
• Death Stranding Movie Targeting 2027 (IGN): Director Michael Sarnoski confirmed the film will feature an original story with overlapping characters from the Kojima games, and he hopes to shoot next year in Iceland.