Gaming News — 2026-07-11#

Top Story#

Sony’s controversial push to eliminate physical PlayStation discs by 2028 is officially unstoppable, as the European Union has formally declared it is powerless to intervene on behalf of angry gamers. While fans are fiercely protesting by canceling their PlayStation Plus subscriptions en masse, Sony is standing firm to protect its incredibly lucrative 100% digital profit margins.

News & Reviews#

Warframe’s Massive Tau Expansion Unveiled · IGN Digital Extremes used TennoCon 2026 to reveal the highly anticipated Tau expansion for Warframe, effectively doubling the size of the game by adding an entire second solar system for players to explore. The massive update introduces an alien cyberpunk-style hub called the Forax, a poker-inspired card game named Portau, and Brysko, a gunslinger Chimera Warframe voiced by critical role star Matt Mercer. This is a monumental and necessary leap for the 13-year-old action RPG, ensuring it has enough new content to keep players grinding for years to come.

EU Says It Can’t Stop PlayStation From Killing Discs · IGN Despite a massive petition nearing 300,000 signatures and a social media campaign fueled by canceled PS Plus subscriptions, Ireland’s EU Commissioner confirmed that consumer protection laws cannot prevent Sony from ending physical disc production. Analysts assert that Sony expected the backlash and simply won’t care, as the shift to digital secures them drastically higher profit margins per game sold. However, there is a small silver lining for collectors, as upcoming first-party titles like 2027’s God of War Laufey and Marvel’s Wolverine will still receive physical disc releases.

Ryse: Son of Rome Almost Became Xbox’s Assassin’s Creed · IGN Crytek’s gorgeous but mechanically shallow 2013 Xbox launch title, Ryse: Son of Rome, was originally meant to launch a massive, globetrotting historical franchise. Developers had pitched ambitious, God of War-style sequels set in feudal Japan, the Viking era, and the Ottoman Empire, featuring more open-ended level design and advanced military tactics. Unfortunately, the promising franchise was quietly shelved after Microsoft demanded ownership of the IP, which the fiercely independent Crytek refused to sell.

Free Games & Deals#

While we don’t have new Epic Games Store freebies to announce in today’s digest, there are some incredible discounts on heavy-hitting games for deal hunters. You can snag a PS5 copy of the critically acclaimed Nioh 3 (which earned an impressive 9/10 review score for its phenomenal open-world structure) for just $47.49. Shooter fans can grab a physical copy of 2025’s multiplayer hit Battlefield 6 for only $29.99, while action RPG enthusiasts should check out Ys X: Nordics - Deluxe Edition marked down to $39.99.

Also Worth Knowing#

Soulframe Gets Dark Magic and Mounts: The upcoming “Warsongs” update for Soulframe introduces rideable wolf mounts, a relaxed “Vegan Fishing” mini-game, and a “Vadagar pact” that allows players to adopt darkside corruption powers.
Massive Criterion Collection Movie Sale: Barnes & Noble is currently hosting a massive 50% off sale on Criterion Collection 4K Blu-rays, making it the perfect weekend for cinephiles to build their physical media libraries.
Trails in the Sky Remake Discounted: In anticipation of the 2nd Chapter releasing later this year, the excellent remake of Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter is currently on sale for $44.99.
Premium LEGO Set Discounts: Master builders can save $60 on the massive 3,893-piece LEGO Technic McLaren P1 (now $379.99), or grab the beautiful LEGO Ideas Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night set for $136.