Gaming News — 2026-07-20#

Top Story#

Microsoft’s Xbox division is undergoing a drastic restructure, laying off 3,200 employees and dropping highly creative studios like Double Fine and Arkane to double down on its aging legacy franchises. This marks a massive, and frankly concerning, pivot away from the Game Pass era’s focus on varied, experimental titles in favor of guaranteed bets like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.

News & Reviews#

Yoko Taro Mourns Death of Physical Media · IGN Nier creator Yoko Taro has joined the chorus of gamers mourning PlayStation’s highly controversial decision to end the production of physical game discs starting in January 2028. The industry-shifting move has sparked heavy online backlash and even antitrust lawsuits from consumer groups, but as a disappointed Taro lamented, it seems to be the inevitable “flow of the times”.

Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link Footage Leaks After Cancelation · IGN A stunning five-minute cinematic intro for the canceled Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link mobile game has surfaced online, leaving fans longing for what could have been. The high-quality footage looks strikingly similar to the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4, giving players hope that some of this lost lore and visual flair might be absorbed into the highly anticipated mainline sequel.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta Dates Confirmed · IGN Activision has finally unveiled the beta schedule for the highly anticipated Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, offering a substantial 19 weapons and the new “Kill Block” mode at launch. Early access kicks off August 21-25 for pre-orders on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, while the open beta runs from August 28 to September 1, finally adding Nintendo Switch 2 players to the crossfire.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Director Teases Post-Launch Support · IGN The game director for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced playfully begged fans to keep playing their beloved pirate epic even when the juggernaut GTA 6 launches this November. Ubisoft confirmed a New Game Plus mode is actively in the works, signaling a commitment to ongoing support while many other publishers flee from Rockstar’s upcoming behemoth.

New DC Mobile Tag Fighter Leaves Injustice Fans Disappointed · IGN Fighting game fans holding their breath for Injustice 3 were dealt a confusing hand when DC announced DCKO, an upcoming free-to-play 2v2 mobile tag fighter scheduled for 2027. While rumors still heavily suggest NetherRealm is actively developing a third Injustice game, this independent mobile project wasn’t exactly what the fighting game community was thirsting for.

Cliff Bleszinski Discusses LawBreakers Failure and Potential Return · IGN Former Epic Games designer Cliff Bleszinski has opened up about his past struggles with alcoholism, admitting it directly contributed to the downfall of his studio, Boss Key Productions, and its hero shooter LawBreakers. Now four months sober, Bleszinski is considering a return to game development, though he firmly stated he has absolutely no intention of returning to the competitive PvP space.

Free Games & Deals#

If you’re looking to upgrade your setup before the upcoming hardware price hikes, Woot is currently offering a Grade “A” Refurbished Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle for a stellar $439 ahead of the console’s official price bump to $499 on September 1. For PS5 physical collectors bracing for the 2028 disc phase-out, you can snag Crimson Desert for a record-low $49 at Amazon via a Lightning Deal. PC gamers can also grab the stunning 27" Samsung Odyssey OLED G5 180Hz Monitor for $299.99—a massive $200 discount that makes high-framerate shooters really shine.

Also Worth Knowing#

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV Necron CGI Trailer Released (IGN): Developer King Art Games dropped an imposing, aura-filled new cinematic trailer for the Necron faction ahead of the RTS game’s September 17 PC launch.
First-Person Horror Game Rehaunted Announced (IGN): A chilling new psychological detective horror game is coming to PC, challenging players to use UV tools and cameras to investigate a strange house where every clue feels slightly wrong.
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen Bumps eBay Ownership to 10% (IGN): GameStop continues its aggressive push to acquire eBay, with CEO Ryan Cohen nearly doubling his company’s stake to 9.8% after their initial $55.5 billion buyout offer was rejected.
Bethesda’s Todd Howard Solicits Feedback on Reddit (IGN): In a rare appearance, Todd Howard asked the r/Games community for ideas, prompting immediate fan requests for long-overdue patches to the bug-ridden The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.