Falcom has released a new trailer for Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter, its remake of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC. It showcases the opening cutscene, occurring several years before the game’s events. However, instead of a dialogue exchange with character portraits and sprites, it’s in full 3D. Check it out below. Joshua, who was recovered by Cassius Bright and brought home for treatment, is the focus. After he awakens, Estelle, Cassius’s daughter, barges in to check on him. Joshua isn’t too keen on the care, but Estelle is (aggressively) stubborn. Hijinx thus ensue, though this is the first of many beginnings for the story. We won’t dive into spoilers, but the 3D visuals excellently portray the emotions inherent in the scene. It should be interesting to see how Falcom approaches other notable events later in the story. Trails in the Sky 1st Chapter launches on September 19th for PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Head here for details on the English cast, featuring several returning actors from the original.

Capcom seemingly teased the next Resident Evil in a celebration video for Resident Evil 4 remake but has yet to confirm a reveal date or launch. According to known leaker AestheticGamer, aka Dusk Golem, on Twitter, the survival horror title is still set to be revealed this year. They doubt it will be delayed further, but it’s unknown if it will be unveiled at the upcoming Summer Game Fest showcase in June or The Game Awards in December. It’s still allegedly launching next year, though once again, whether within the current fiscal year ending March 31st, 2026, or in late 2026 is unknown. Time will tell, so stay tuned for updates. Aside from Resident Evil 7: biohazard director Kosha Nakanishi leading the sequel, very little is officially known about it. AestheticGamer previously reported that it would try new things and “100 percent” star Leon S. Kennedy as the protagonist. Jill Valentine was allegedly slated to have a “prominent role,” but plans seemingly changed. It's almost 100% for sure being revealed this year and releasing next year. Doubt they'll delay more. The question comes if its being revealed this summer or at TGA for example this year, & if its releasing this fiscal year (ending March 31st, 2026) or next fiscal year late 2026. https://t.co/NO9FOtoZ7Z— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) May 13, 2025

Fighting fans rejoice, the latest fighting collection is here and it’s no less impressive than their previous two outings. Capcom Fighting Collection 2 includes eight games: Capcom Vs. SNK 1 and 2, Capcom Fighting Evolution, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper, Power Stone 1 and 2, Project Justice, and Plasma Sword (or Star Gladiator 2 as it is called in Japan). Like previous collections, every game here is a port of their arcade versions, albeit with some small additional content and tweaks. A range of convenience features and bonus museum artwork is included as well, forming a competently made package containing cult-classics and fan-favorites from the early 2000s era. Unlike the first Capcom Fighting Collection, this one isn’t dominated by one long-dormant franchise, but has a balanced spread of titles. Let’s start with the basic features of the collection as a whole, most of which were present in the first Capcom Fighting Collection. All eight games have new training modes built into them that show button inputs and allow you to customize dummy opponents with a variety of parameters. The real highlight of training mode are the hitbox indicators on each fighter. However, hitboxes are exclusive to the four Street Fighter games. "The real highlight of training mode are the hitbox indicators on each fighter." The same suite of convenience features grace this collection as the previous one. Difficulty can be adjusted for each title by eight points, allowing newcomers to complete even the tougher games in the collection. And considering all titles included here are their arcade versions, they each have timers on the character select screens. Well, at least there’s an option to select between four countdown speeds in the settings. Still, it would’ve  been nice to have a ‘no countdown’ option as well. Other options include the max amount of rounds, attack power, game speed, the inclusion of secret characters, as well as other settings specific to each particular title. One returning convenience feature I’m slightly disappointed by is quick save. You’re only given one quick save total throughout the entire collection. So if you want to continue your Project Justice story mode while keeping your single player progress through the other games simultaneously, tough luck. One returning feature I’m not disappointed by, however, are one-button specials. Every title, with the exception of Power Stone 1 and 2, has one-button specials and one-button supers to streamline the rather intimidating combos. The Power Stone games don’t have a vast moveset like the other six in the collection, so it’s fine that those don’t get the one-button special treatment. Of course, for competitive players, one-button specials are omitted in ranked online play. Speaking of which, the online offerings with this collection are rather impressive thanks to the reworked rollback netcode. Online modes consist of casual, ranked, and custom matches. There’s even a high score challenge where players can climb the leaderboards with their skill. Unfortunately, a big disappointment with online returns from the first collection: there’s still no crossplay between platforms. You think after the criticism the first collection got, they’d figure something out for part two, but nope; you’re stuck playing online matches with others on the same platform. The good thing is that local multiplayer is as smooth as ever, with instantaneous drop in/drop out play on the same console.   "Extensive galleries return for each title in the collection within Museum mode." And for the longtime fighting game fans, extensive galleries return for each title in the collection within Museum mode. There’s an average of 100 pieces of art for each game included here, ranging from promotional posters to highly detailed design documentation and scene scripting. I’m a big fan of these kinds of legacy features in collections, but can’t help wanting a bit more when it comes to the presentation of the galleries. Maybe it’s asking too much, but providing textual insights and commentary on the characters and design docs would’ve been a stellar addition. That’s just one reason among many why Mega Man Legacy Collection remains my favorite collection of the past decade; the presentation of historical context with each gallery piece really got me invested into the series. Another little pie in the sky wish I have is the ability to download music tracks from the game to a flash drive. The in-game music player features full soundtracks of these games, which is awesome, but the potential is neutered a bit without a download option. Oh well. Adding to the nostalgia further are the inclusion of eight different filters that can be applied to any of the games. They emulate a wide range of CRT monitor types as well as pixel smoothing options and different resolution types. All in all, this collection provides a lot of legacy features for hardcore fans to get excited about. I just wish there was more commentary and explanation provided to better explain that rich history. Now on to the games themselves. This collection has slightly less niche titles than the first one, with cult classics like Power Stone and Street Fighter Vs SNK debuting on modern platforms for the first time. The previous collection included two more games than the eight featured here, and we still don’t get Street Fighter III included. Oh well, there’s always Capcom Fighting Collection 3 for the other bucket list games, right? All the games here are the arcade port versions featuring none, or very little, of the console additions and extras. As we’ll see, some games are affected by this more than others, with Project Justice, for example, retaining its robust Story Mode, but most ditching their console modes entirely. Though this collection features less games than Capcom Fighting Collection 1, what’s here is more substantial and beloved than the first collection’s offerings. I mean, CvS and Power Stone are well worth the price of admission alone for many fighting game fans. "The central mechanic that differentiates Capcom Vs SNK from other fighting games is the team-based ratio system." Capcom Vs SNK 1 and 2 are here in all their arcade port glory. Unlike, say, Power Stone, the original arcade versions of CvS have less input lag and load times than their console versions. The central mechanic that differentiates Capcom Vs SNK from other fighting games is the team-based ratio system. It’s quite fun to customize your team in these games. Think of ratios as power rankings, with four ratios being the max threshold for a team. This allows players to set up 1v1 matches by choosing a four-ratio fighter, or go all-in with a team of four one-ratio fighters across the two franchises. Capcom Vs SNK 2 has the more robust iteration of the ratio and groove systems but caps a team to three fighters instead of CvS 1’s four. Unlike CvS 2 fixed ratios, players get full freedom on how many ratio points to attribute to each fighter. What’s poetic about CvS 2 in particular is it was the first fighting game to feature supported cross-platform online play between the PS2 and Dreamcast with the use of KDDI multi-matching. Good luck convincing players that it was possible to have cross-plat support in 2001 but not in 2025 with this collection. What’s cool about CvS 2’s inclusion in this collection is the addition of the EO (easy operation) standard version. There’s also a lot of different EX settings to fiddle with including secret fighters like Evil Ryu and a newly remixed sound setup. Next up we have the black sheep of the collection: Capcom Fighting Evolution. For one, the load times in between bouts is noticeably longer than other titles in this collection. Another point of critique is the lackluster stage backgrounds and music. I admit that I find the game rather charming, especially regarding the different styles of play representing the fighters’ respective franchises. I mean, there are no less than six unique fighting styles represented here, which can lead to some chaotic, and broken, matches. Still, there’s no denying the level of quality is lower here than the masterful stage design and performance of the two Capcom Vs SNK titles. This collection adds two new playable fighters who were previously just bosses within Capcom Fighting Evolution, so that’s a neat addition specific to this collection. "Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper most represents classic Street Fighter out of the various games here." Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper (there’s a mouthful) is the last of the 2D fighting games in this collection. The unique mechanic with this game is the ‘ism’ combo styles, with X-ism being the more simplified Street Fighter 2 style of the three. There’s no double tap run or dodge at all here, which I admit impacted my enjoyment a tad. Since this is the arcade version, there’s no World Tour mode that the console versions enjoyed. What we do get for the first time are playable Shin Akuma and Final M. Bison fighters. Street Fighter Alpha 3 Upper most represents classic Street Fighter out of the various games here, so if you’re just seeking some old-fashioned 1v1 bouts, this game will satisfy. Now for something completely different, the two Power Stone games. If you’re totally unfamiliar, think 3D Super Smash Bros. and you have the right idea. Power Stone 1 is a ton of fun that gamers of any skill level can enjoy. The way you interact with the 3D stages really makes Power Stone stand out from other fighting games. You can pick up various props in the stage and just toss it at opponents, as well as use a litany of items from rocket launchers to swords. The namesake of the game is the transformations from collecting three power stones in the stages. Hitting your opponent hard enough ejects their stone and gets you ever closer to a devastating transformation. There’s not a lot of complexity with combo chains or super meters here. No, most of the strategy lies in how you use the environment acquire power stones. There is a notable drawback with this version, though. The arcade version lacks the Adventure Mode of the beloved Dreamcast version, but like other games in this collection adds two new fighters that were previously bosses. Now onto the sequel. Since this is the arcade version of Power Stone 2, there’s only the single mode available to play: the four-player ‘castle-climb’ set of matches. Even the training ‘mode’ hardly counts as truly separate since it’s just the training settings overlaid over the castle-climb matches. The console version’s item store and Adventure Mode are omitted here, completely negating all the money you accumulate through the castle. The silver lining is the bundle of non-arcade features like custom match rules and last man standing. But yeah, for me, the real drawback from Power Stone 1 is the forced four-player bouts. Power Stone just doesn’t work as good with more than two players because attacks track to the nearest fighter, which makes team play frustrating due to the friendly fire. Still, the arenas are far more dynamic than the first game with auto-scroll stages and obstacles like boulders and bosses dotting progression. Power Stone 2 is a very fun and frenetic game, but the arcade version’s lack of modes is disappointing. Project Justice is the only game in this collection with a full story mode, and it just so happens to be my favorite game in the collection. Each school team has their own storyline, portrayed through manga styled text boxes amid scene backdrops, and dynamic 3v3 team-based play featuring some truly zany squad attacks, many of which are uniquely tailored to the team you choose. There’s just a lot of polish in the animations and smooth controls here that make this a must-play game in the collection. And for the curious, no, this version doesn’t include the fighter creator from the Dreamcast version, but it does have pre-made fighters from the creator tools at least. "Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein is what happens when a fighter goes full sci-fi with their 3D fighters." The final game in this collection is another 3D fighter by the name of Plasma Sword: Nightmare of Bilstein. The emphasis on lightsabers…I mean, plasma weapons here is amusing, giving the game a Soul Calibur kind of flair. The game controls smoothly and features a wide range of combos and special attacks, lending it some good replay value. Though, the single-player Arcade Mode doesn’t have much of a story, it does have a cool opening cinematic and some neat sci-fi stages to fight through. Like the other games in the collection, two new fighters are playable for the first time here. All in all, Capcom Fighting Collection 2 is a substantive library of beloved titles in the fighting genre. They’re all optimized well and feature rollback netcode with online play accompanied by a suite of quality of life features. For those who enjoyed the first Capcom Fighting Collection, this second one is a no-brainer. The two Capcom V. SNK games and Project Justice offer enough quality team-based gameplay to make up for the collection’s other shortcomings. This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

Upon the Nintendo Switch 2’s announcement, its official website briefly claimed that the console would feature support for Variable Refresh Rate (or VRR) in both docked and undocked modes, only for that information to be promptly and quietly removed. Now, Nintendo has offered official clarification on the extent of the feature’s support with the upcoming next-gen console. In a statement to Nintendo Life, Nintendo has confirmed that the Switch 2 will support VRR only in handheld mode, which means it won’t be supported in docked mode. The company says the aforementioned information on the website was published in error, as many have guessed since then, and apologized for the error. “Nintendo Switch 2 supports VRR in handheld mode only. The incorrect information was initially published on the Nintendo Switch 2 website, and we apologise for the error.” But does that mean VRR for docked mode could be added in as a feature with an update at some point in the future? Nintendo says it has “nothing to announce on this topic”- but it’s not a no, at least. The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch worldwide on June 5, with Mario Kart World releasing as its launch title. Nintendo recently also confirmed free Switch 2 enhancements releasing on the same day for several Switch 1 titles, including several Mario games, Zelda titles, and Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, among others.

There was never much hope that a game as technically and graphically intensive as Red Dead Redemption 2 would ever be able to run well enough on the aged hardware of the Nintendo Switch for Rockstar to even consider trying to make that happen, but the upcoming Switch 2 definitely is powerful enough- and sure enough, Rockstar’s title might be headed its way. That’s as per a Gamereactor report, which cites anonymous sources familiar with Rockstar’s plans and claims that Red Dead Redemption 2 is in development for the Nintendo Switch 2. Additionally, the Wild West epic allegedly also has native PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions in the works. Exactly when these versions will be official announced or when they will release is unknown. The report does vaguely offer details on the supposed enhancements, claiming the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions will tout graphics and performance improvements. A recent leak claimed that Rockstar Games has also had a current-gen version of Grand Theft Auto 4 in the works, along with plans of a Max Payne 3 remaster to go along with Max Payne 1 and 2 Remake, which is in development at Remedy Entertainment. Meanwhile, Grand Theft Auto 6 is, of course, due out on May 26 next year for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

We have obviously had quite a bit of Grand Theft Auto 5 over the last decade-plus, from multiple re-releases of the game to, of course, continued and consistent updates what many might call the meat and potatoes of the experience for the vast majority of its lifetime- GTA Online. But go back further in the series’ timeline by just one game, and you arrive at the completely contrasting circumstances of Grand Theft Auto 4. The 2008 open world title was obviously highly acclaimed as well – to the extent that, just like GTA 5, it still stands as one of the best reviewed game of all tine – while it’s also safe to say that it sold a ton of copies as well, even though it could obviously never hope to even come close to GTA 5’s commercial accomplishments. And yet, for all of its critical and commercial successes, once Rockstar Games was done with GTA 4 – which was after two post launch single player expansions, which of course is something that GTA 5 itself never got – Rockstar never looked back at the game again. Interestingly enough, however, recent rumblings have suggested that that could change at some point in the not too distant future. Known Rockstar Games insider Tez2 recently claimed on the GTA forums that a PS5 and Xbox Series X/S port of Grand Theft Auto 4 has been in the works for roughly a year at this point, and that Rockstar likely intends to release it at some point later this year- which of course means that it will release before Grand Theft Auto 6, which was recently officially delayed to May 2026 (and might not necessarily be done with delays, for all we know). Admittedly, this isn’t the first time we have had rumours or speculation about a re-release of GTA 4, and obviously none of them have ever amounted to anything up to this point- but given Rockstar’s recent history, there is precedent to suggest that GTA 4 could once again see the light of day. Rockstar has long been in the habit of outright ignoring its past releases, refusing to offer remasters or remakes or anything resembling a re-release even in the face of overwhelming demand. Until not too long ago, the original Red Dead Redemption was a similar case, but with the acclaimed 2010 Wild West epic having been brought to PC, PS4, and Nintendo Switch over the last couple of years, it now does feel likelier than it ever has that Rockstar might be looking to do something similar with Grand Theft Auto 4 as well. After all, that is another beloved title from that same era of Rockstar games that hasn’t seen the light of day in ages, which in turn has really ratcheted up the demand for the game to come back that much more. But if Rockstar does indeed decide to do a GTA 4 re-release, our hope is it’ll be much more than a simple port. One thing most will likely agree on is that the aforementioned Red Dead Redemption re-release should not serve as a yardstick for Rockstar to measure against, because the bar should really be significantly higher. The Red Dead Redemption port really was in almost all ways just a simply and straightforward port. It offered few upgrades, and the ones that it did were negligible at best. The resolution was upscaled, there were some light improvements to the picture quality, the UI saw some minor adjustments here and there- and that was pretty much it. There were no upgrades to the lighting, to the assets or the textures, or anything of note, really. Hell, there wasn’t even a performance mode- even when played on PS4 Pro or on PS5 via backward compatibility, the game remains locked at 30 FPS, which is just a crying shame, to put it mildly. To top it all off, Rockstar decided to price this re-release – which was deemed by many to be a low effort port of a game over a decade old – at a $50 point, which felt unreasonable, to say the least. Thankfully, the package did include the Undead Nightmare expansion for that price, so at least there was no additional fleecing being done on that front. The point being, of course, that Grand Theft Auto 4’s re-release, if it is indeed on the way, cannot take a similar approach. Looking at what the standard is for a number of high profile remastered releases in the current market, it’s impossible not to have higher expectations from a GTA 4 re-release. Just take a look at something like Ninja Gaiden 2 Black or The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, both of which are remasters that released this year and ended up impressing many with just how significantly upgraded and overhauled they were over the original experiences in spite of only being remasters on paper. Go back a little further, and look at, say, Metroid Prime Remastered, or Mass Effect Legendary Edition, or The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, all of which offered meaningful upgrades and improvements that you didn’t have to squint to even be able to notice. While a Grand Theft Auto 4 re-release doesn’t have to be quite on that same level as far as its upgrades are concerned, with standards and expectations for remasters being higher in general, a low effort port for GTA 4 will be quite a hard pill to swallow by many- as evidenced by the disappointment many felt with the Red Dead port. Rockstar has tried its hand at actual remastered releases in recent years as well, of course, though that sadly didn’t work too well. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition launched a handful of years ago on modern platforms and, as most would tell you, did an awful job of remastering and modernizing three gaming masterpieces. Though GTA: The Definitive Edition did definitely put in much more of an effort than the Red Dead port did, the effort that it did put in was lackluster, to put it mildly- and our hope is that Grand Theft Auto 4’s purported release for modern platforms will sidestep those errors as well. The thing with GTA 4 is, of course, that it remains a spectacular game with incredible impressive tech and visuals even today, a ridiculously immersive and authentic urban open world map to lose yourself in, one of the most gripping stories that GTA has ever told, told through who may very well be the series’ best protagonist ever. Grand Theft Auto 4 was an unabashed classic in every sense of the word, so to see it modernized and updated with the right amount of effort and thought put in could be incredibly exciting, not only for returning fans looking to experience Liberty City again, but also for new ones who never played the game when it first came out. Grand Theft Auto 6 will obviously likely up the ante in all those areas by quite some margin when it releases next year, but until then, an enhanced GTA 4 on modern consoles should serve as an excellent appetizer. Here’s hoping that actually does end up happening this time. Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Publisher Nexon has revealed that its recently-released action RPG, The First Berserker: Khazan, missed internal sales forecasts. During its recent earnings call (via Yahoo Finance), the company said that Q1 revenue for the game was under what the company was expecting of it. However, Nexon isn’t too disappointed with this, since the game did manage to get a fair bit of commercial success, and ultimately, helped in bringing more attention to the Dungeon & Fighter IP. “The game made its global debut on March 28 with strong ratings from both players and critics,” said the company in its earnings call. “While Q1 revenue was below our outlook, the game achieved our objective as a strategic first step in a multi-year plan to introduce Dungeon & Fighter IP to a global audience.” The Dungeon & Fighter franchise is around a decade old at this point. However, it has only really been known in east-Asian markets, thanks to MMO beat ‘em up game Dungeon Fighter Online. Nexon has previously tried to bring more global attention to the franchise with the release of games like DNF Duel, but had failed to spark interest in the IP until the release of The First Berserker: Khazan. Dungeon Fighter Online revolves around players taking on the role of characters dubbed Dungeon Fighters as they take part in various adventures across the world of Arad. The core gameplay revolves around fast-paced actions and dungeon crawling, where players can take on dangerous enemies and progress their character through level ups as well as by finding new equipment. The First Berserker: Khazan takes place in the same setting, and expands on one of the key time periods of the backstory. The action RPG revolves around the eponymous Khazan, who is saved from the brink of death by the Blade Phantom. A deal is struck between them, and they set off to investigate a mysterious force that is causing disruptions in the flow of souls from the northern parts of Arad. Developer Neople has continued to support The First Berserker: Khazan through post-launch update since its release. The most recent one, out earlier this week, brought with it two Boss Rush modes. Described as modes that offer the “Ultimate Challenge”, players can take part in what is essentially meant to be post-game content once they have finished the main story. The two Boss Rush modes are dubbed the Great General’s Crucible and Berserker’s Bloodshed. The First Berserker: Khazan is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. For more details about the action RPG, check out our review. And in case you’re stuck on some parts, check out our guides for all bosses and their locations, some of the most powerful gear sets, and how you can level mastery and earn skill points quickly. While The First Berserker: Khazan has been a critical and commercial success, Nexon also has another game in the Dungeon & Fighter world in the works. Dubbed Dungeon and Fighter: ARAD, the game is currently in development for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. It doesn’t yet have a release date, however.

FromSoftware’s latest trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign introduced us to the Guardian, a Pinionfolk Nightfarer skilled in tanking damage. A follow-up is available outlining his passive, Active Skill and Ultimate Art. Check it out below. If it wasn’t obvious already, the Guardian’s Passive is “Steel Guard,” a powerful stance that’s difficult to break, making him extremely good at defense. Whirlwind is his Active Skill, and not only does it take smaller enemies off their feet, but it can also repel light projectiles. Maybe don’t try it against breath attacks and beams. Finally, there’s his Ultimate Art, Wings of Salvation. The Guardian flies into the air, crashes down and deals damage in a large area. This can “protect allies,” though based on the trailer, it can seemingly revive them if they’re down. Six Nightfarers have been confirmed with the Wylder due next for a trailer. We’ve yet to learn anything about the remaining two, rumored to be the Executor and Revenant, so stay tuned for updates. Elden Ring Nightreign launches on May 30th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and PC.

During a recent earnings call (courtesy of IGN), Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said that he was “reasonably sure” that the company wouldn’t be affected by the US tariffs on imported goods. He attributed this to the fact that there has been quite a bit of confusion owing to the tariffs being issued and then withdrawn. Despite this confusion, however, he said that the fiscal guidance for Take-Two Interactive has been decided for the coming year. He also noted that, despite the tariffs, Take-Two already has a solid base of customers on all platforms except for the Nintendo Switch 2, which is slated for launch on June 5. Taking this into account, the company will likely not be affected by any changes to tariffs, according to Zelnick. “Our guide is for the next ten months, essentially, that’s the part of the fiscal year that hasn’t elapsed yet, and it’s very difficult to predict where tariffs will land, given how things have bumped around so far,” said Zelnick when asked about the tariffs. “We feel reasonably confident that our guide wouldn’t be meaningfully affected, unless tariffs ran off in a very different direction than we currently expect. In any case, there’s already a very substantial install base for all of our target platforms except Nintendo Switch 2, which is pre-launch. So we have, I think, enough insight that we wouldn’t be affected by any changes.” In its earnings report, the company has reaffirmed that it will be releasing a host of games on different platforms, such as Borderlands 4 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch 2, and Mafia: The Old Country on PC and current consoles. There are also games that are slated for release that don’t have confirmed platforms yet, including NBA 2K26 and WWE 2K26. With this in mind, it can be easy to see why Zelnick isn’t too concerned about the tariffs affecting the publisher. Leading up to the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, Zelnick said that he was feeling “great optimism” about Take-Two’s relationship with Nintendo. In the same earnings call, Zelnick mentioned how well Nintendo has been supporting third-party publishers to ensure that the Switch 2 has a strong line-up of games. “We’re launching four titles with Nintendo Switch 2, and that’s I think a bigger array of releases than we’ve ever offered before with a new Nintendo platform,” said Zelnick. “Historically, being a third party in the Nintendo business has been a bit challenging. I think Nintendo has been very forthcoming in addressing that. And we’re stepping up too, because we have great optimism for the platform.” In an interview with IGN right before the earnings call, Zelnick also spoke about how the decision to push the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 back from Fall 2025 to May 26, 2026 pained him, but that it will ultimately be worth it to give developer Rockstar Games more time to work on the game. “I feel really good about how fiscal 26 looks sitting here today,” he said. “And while of course, delays pain me — how could they not? — the most important thing to do is to support your teams in their search for perfection.”

As Bungie gets ready for the September 23 release of its PvPvE extraction shooter Marathon, the studio has found itself embroiled in a new controversy. A visual artist, going by Antireal, has taken to social media platform X accusing Bungie of stealing the artistic style and design elements from projects she had worked on back in 2017. In her post, Antireal said, “the Marathon alpha released recently and its environments are covered with assets lifted from poster designs I made in 2017.” She went on to say that, while Bungie wasn’t obligated to offer her a job for her design work, the company outright stealing her ideas without appropriate attribution or compensation wasn’t a good thing. “Bungie is of course not obligated to hire me when making a game that draws overwhelmingly from the same design language I have refined for the last decade, but clearly my work was good enough to pillage for ideas and plaster all over their game without pay or attribution,” wrote Antireal. “I don’t have the resources nor the energy to spare to pursue this legally but I have lost count of the number of times a major company has deemed it easier to pay a designer to imitate or steal my work than to write me an email.” “In 10 years I have never made a consistent income from this work and I am tired of designers from huge companies moodboarding and parasitising my designs while I struggle to make a living.” Antireal’s posts are accompanied by a host of images showcasing some of her work, which does bear a striking resemblance to the overall design language we’ve seen from the various trailers and artwork released for Marathon over the last couple of years. Some elements from Antireal’s art seem to be outright lifted and pasted into Marathon, including words like “Aleph” which feature prominently in the artist’s work. In response, Bungie took to X to confirm that Antireal’s work was indeed seemingly used during the development of Marathon. However, the studio notes that this issue was unknown for its art team, and that it is taking investigating how this kind of slip up could happen. Bungie has referred to the use of Antireal’s work in Marathon’s textures an “unauthorised use of artist decals.” “This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred,” wrote the studio. “We take matters like this very seriously. We have reached out to [Antireal] to discuss this issue and are committed to do right by the artist.” “As a matter of policy, we do not use the work of artists without their permission.” Bungie has also said that, moving forward, it will be conducting a thorough review of its in-game assets to ensure that there are stricter checks to document artist contributions. “We value the creativity and dedication of all artists who contribute to our games, and we are committed to doing right by them,” it wrote. “Thank you for bringing this to our attention.” Marathon is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and is currently undergoing playtests. bungie is of course not obligated to hire me when making a game that draws overwhelmingly from the same design language i have refined for the last decade, but clearly my work was good enough to pillage for ideas and plaster all over their game without pay or attribution. pic.twitter.com/G3FbPtbPJD— N² (@4nt1r34l) May 15, 2025 This issue was unknown by our existing art team, and we are still reviewing how this oversight occurred.We take matters like this very seriously. We have reached out to @4nt1r34l to discuss this issue and are committed to do right by the artist.— MarathonDevTeam (@MarathonDevTeam) May 16, 2025 To prevent similar issues in the future, we are conducting a thorough review of our in-game assets, specifically those done by the former Bungie artist, and implementing stricter checks to document all artist contributions.— MarathonDevTeam (@MarathonDevTeam) May 16, 2025

Following the latest Title Update, Star Wars Outlaws’ second story DLC, A Pirate’s Fortune, is now available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. The story follows Kay Vess as she teams with Hondo Ohnaka to hunt for treasure. Of course, the journey is far from easy, as they must explore Kephi Tomb and deal with the Rokana Raiders and their leader, Stinger Tash. The DLC introduces new quests in the Khepi System, the Miyuki Trade League (which offers rewards for the Trailblazer upon smuggling cargo), and much more. Even without the DLC, Title Update 1.6 is worth checking out since it added new passive systems with gameplay-enhancing benefits for the Trailblazer, free-aiming when on a Speeder, and several improvements to combat and enemy AI. You can also claim a free cosmetic set based on Star Wars: Skeleton Crew. For more details on Star Wars Outlaws, check out our review. You can also read our thoughts on the first story DLC, Wild Card. Star Wars™ Outlaws: A Pirate's Fortune is available now! Team up with legendary pirate Hondo Ohnaka and face off against Stinger Tash and her Rokana Raiders as you infiltrate the Khepi Tomb to uncover the secrets and hidden treasures it holds. pic.twitter.com/94tvfy1K57— Star Wars Outlaws (@StarWarsOutlaws) May 15, 2025

Even with Grand Theft Auto 6 delayed to next year, Rockstar’s previous efforts continue to sell years later. Parent company Take-Two Interactive revealed its financials for Q4 of fiscal year 2024, ending March 31st, 2025, and confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 5 has sold over 215 million copies. This is up over five million units from the previous quarter, bringing the series’ total to almost 450 million sales. Red Dead Redemption 2 has sold over 74 million sales thus far (up four million from the last quarter) and over 100 million sales for the franchise. Grand Theft Auto 5 launched in 2013 and has been available for three console generations, with the Expanded and Enhanced arriving for Xbox Series X/S and PS5 in 2022 (and more recently for PC). Red Dead Redemption 2 is equally impressive, maintaining steady sales growth despite the lack of a current-gen upgrade. Grand Theft Auto 6 is out on May 26th, 2026, for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Check out the latest details here.

The Nintendo Switch 2, slated for launch on June 5, might not have hardware reviews on launch day. According to The Game Business, editors for several publications were told by Nintendo that, because of a big day-one firmware update for the console, the company will not be sending out review units of the Switch 2 until just a little bit before launch day. This has prompted quite a few editors to talk about their frustrations about the situation, with one pointing out that getting a Switch 2 so close to launch will also cause extra pressure on the publication because it will also be covering Summer Game Fest. “It’s really frustrating,” said the editor. “We will need to cover Switch 2 while also working across Summer Game Fest. How are we supposed to do that?” Another editor brought up the fact that the few lucky people out there who can get their hands on a Switch 2 early thanks to some retailers breaking street dates will end up with an advantage in this regard. This problem will also be further amplified by the fact that there will likely be stock shortages for the Switch 2 on launch, preventing many from legitimately getting their hands on the console. “Anyone who can get hold of a console early from a dodgy retailer will have a head start in terms of coverage,” they said. “I know the console will be sold out at launch, but what about all the other games?” Gaming development and publishing companies are also not happy about industry critics not getting the console early, since it will prevent them from benefiting from releasing “something special” in time for the console’s launch. Described as being something for Switch 2 players that might “want something else in addition to Mario Kart [World]”, the head of a PR department mentioned that “the lack of a independent critical validation is going to make it very hard for us. Maybe we would have been better off waiting a few weeks.” During Nintendo’s earnings report earlier this month, president Shuntaro Furukawa revealed that the company is predicting that it will sell 15 million Switch 2s over the year. Along with this, Furukawa also said that the company forecasts 45 million sales of software units. He also spoke about the relatively modest sales forecasts for the console, saying that the company’s focus is to “quickly popularise” the Switch 2 first. At this time, the top priority is to quickly popularize the Switch 2 hardware,” said Furukawa. “If the assumptions regarding tariffs change significantly, we would like to consider what price adjustments we should make and implement them after considering various factors.” In a Q&A part of the earnings report, Furukawa also revealed that the modest sales forecasts come down to the fact that the Switch 2 and its games will be more expensive when compared to the console’s predecessor. “Since the Switch 2 is priced higher than the original Switch, we recognize that there will be considerable hurdles in achieving the console’s widespread adoption in the early stages,” he said.

It’s been a long wait for Ghost of Yōtei, the sequel to Sucker Punch’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful Ghost of Tsushima. Set over 300 years later, this time in Ezo (later known as Hokkaido), the narrative is about Atsu, who seeks revenge after the Yōtei Six slaughter her family. As with Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch is aiming to “deliver a feeling of authenticity and believability to our fictional story.” On the PlayStation Blog, game director Nate Fox reveals that the team settled on Hokkaido because it’s “unbelievably beautiful.” “In 1603, it was the edge of the Japanese empire. Back then, it was called Ezo, a mysterious island to the north, sparsely populated by Wajin (Japanese) people bold enough to build a life for themselves in the cold wilderness. This combination of beauty and danger spoke to us.” Fox believes it’s the “perfect place to tell Atsu’s tale; a warrior so driven by revenge that locals start to believe she’s an onryō walking the land. If you’re going to tell a ghost story, do it in a dramatic location.” The development team undertook two trips to gather references, one to Shiretoko National Park, where the “natural beauty” of the ocean and cliffs coexist with predators like bears. “Suddenly we had to split our attention between gazing up at the beautiful snowcapped mountains and looking down at the nearby bushes in case there was a predator nearby. “That experience was magic! A perfect marriage of beauty and danger, that was the exact feeling we wanted for our game.” It’s ultimately what made Fox believe that the location was “the right choice” for the game. The second trip saw the team encounter the titular Mt. Yōtei or the “Female Mountain” as the Ainu called it. Fox felt that it was a “symbol of Hokkaido” and for Atsu, “It’s a symbol of home and of the family she lost. This process of being there, talking about the game with locales and then synthesizing new ideas is what made the trip so fulfilling.” Fox teased that the developer spoke to a “wealth of knowledgeable individuals and visited important cultural sites” to learn more about Japanese culture but that more will be revealed later. Stay tuned for updates in the coming weeks. Ghost of Yōtei launches on October 2nd for PS5, with pre-orders now available. Check out the latest trailer or learn more about how it’s Sucker Punch’s biggest map yet.

Stormteller Games’ Lost in Random: The Eternal Die, the sequel to Zoink’s Lost in Random, is out on June 17th. Published by Thunderful, it will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch and PC for $22.49 if you pre-order. It’s also available on Game Pass at launch. Check out the latest gameplay trailer below. The story follows The Queen from the previous game, fallen from grace and now going by Aleksandra. Joined by Fortune, they must navigate Mare the Knight’s Black Die and try to escape. There are four different weapons and over 100 Relics for players to utilize. The four worlds are randomly generated with over 30 enemy types and bosses to fight. Lost in Random: The Eternal Die also has a Premium Edition, discounted to $24.64 until June 17th, which offers four days of early access. You can also avail a digital art book, cosmetic DLC, and a soundtrack. Stay tuned for more details en route to its launch.

While it is no secret that the impending June 5 launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 will be a pretty big deal for the industry, video game industry analysis firm DFC Intelligence believes that the new console might just be the most important console launch that the industry has seen so far. According to WCCFTech, the analysis firm believes that Nintendo will end up selling 16 million units of the Switch 2 by the end of 2025. According to the firm’s report, its confidence in the Switch 2’s hardware sales comes in light of Grand Theft Auto 6 getting pushed back from its Fall 2025 launch window to May 26, 2026. This, coupled with the fact that Nintendo itself also tends to be fairly conservative in its own forecasts of hardware and software sales, has led DFC Intelligence to think that the console will end up doing quite well this year. For context, Nintendo’s sales forecasts for the Switch 2’s first year is to sell 15 million units. As for dubbing the Switch 2’s launch as the most important console launch in the industry, the firm puts this down to the fact that GTA 6 won’t be out this year to help push sales of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S hardware. Because of this, DFC also believes that console sales for Sony and Microsoft will see more decline as the year goes on. The Japanese market is expected to perform well according to DFC, with console game sales forecasts coming in at a 25 percent rise. The firm credits the fact that there is a region-specific Japan-only SKU of the Switch 2 available in the country at a considerably lower price than the region-free version which has all the languages available. Looking at the industry for the coming year and beyond, DFC does believe that GTA 6’s eventual release will boost console sales by quite a bit, calling it a new phase of growth for the gaming industry. By the time the year 2029 rolls around, the analysis firm believes that more than 100 million units of the Switch 2 will have been sold, making Nintendo’s platform the main one for third-party partners as well. During a recent shareholder Q&A, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa had noted that, while the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 is currently locked in at $449.99, the company might have to raise the price in the future depending on how the situation with the US tariffs on import plays out. He also notes that the company’s forecast of selling 15 million units of the Switch 2 doesn’t stem from production issues. “This sales projection was not determined based on limitations in our production capacity,” said Furukawa. “The situation with US tariffs and concerns about economic downturn have also not affected our forecast. In order to achieve the target of 15 million, we will need to manufacture even more units than that.” Nintendo has also confirmed that, while the Switch 2 will be a big deal for the company, it will continue to support the original Switch with more games as well.

Ubisoft’s latest financial reports are available and detail its full fiscal year performance. However, it also outlined the company’s guidance for the fiscal year 2026, which ends on March 31st, 2026, confirming that titles like Anno 117: Pax Romana, Rainbow Six Mobile, and The Division Resurgence will launch during this time. Of course, other titles will be announced “at a later stage,” but the most interesting release of the line-up is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Remake, which the publisher said would launch in 2026. Fans can essentially look forward to it releasing in the first quarter of next year, i.e. between January 1st and March 31st, 2026. Unless there’s a delay in the coming months, this is the most concrete release window that the remake has had since its announcement in 2020, which drew extensive criticism over its visuals. After numerous delays, Ubisoft Montreal would take over the project in May 2022 and revealed that development was “progressing forward” in November 2023. Additional updates have since confirmed redesigned levels and combat alongside an overhaul to Farah’s character. Will it be at Ubisoft Forward typically held in June? Time will tell, so stay tuned.

Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link, a mobile action RPG announced in 2022, has been cancelled. Originally planned to be released last year, it faced several delays. Square Enix said recently on Twitter that it “worked hard on developing and adjusting the game in the hope that it would be enjoyed by lots of players.” However, it eventually realized, “It would be difficult for us to offer a service that players would find satisfactory over a long period, leading us to the decision to cancel development.” The development team is “hard at work” on the next installment in the series, Kingdom Hearts 4. Announced in April 2022 along with Missing-Link, the sequel is developed on Unreal Engine 5. Further information like platforms, a release window, and so on remain unconfirmed. Though the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts: Missing-Link may be surprising, Square Enix has a reputation for launching mobile titles and shutting down support soon after. These include Echoes of Mana, Bravely Default: Brilliant Lights, and Final Fantasy 7: The First Soldier. As for the future of its business, Square Enix recently announced a three-year reboot plan focusing on a new R&D division for AI-focused development tools. It also reemphasized its multiplatform approach and will continue cancelling projects that aren’t progressing at the desired rate. Head here for more details. An important announcement regarding KINGDOM HEARTS Missing-Link. pic.twitter.com/pXL2ULBV8k— Official KINGDOM HEARTS Missing-Link (@KHMLink_NA) May 14, 2025

It looks like developer Arrowhead Game Studios isn’t content with just having released its latest major update for Helldivers 2. The studio is seemingly planning a bigger event where the fate of Super Earth might hang in the balance. A now-deleted post made by the official PlayStation social media account for the Czech Republic has indicated that May 20 will see the release of an event dubbed Heart of Democracy. “Super Earth is in danger,” posted the PlayStation account, as spotted by X user Iron_S1ghts (translation via Google). “All Helldivers must report to their Hellpods immediately. The battle for humanity itself begins! The big update ‘Heart of Democracy’ is coming out on May 20.” The post was accompanied by a warning image boasting of a “Galactic Emergency” along with the text “Calling all Helldivers.” While the post has been deleted and was likely posted early by accident, the supposed ‘Heart of Democracy’ update will be a big follow-up to the major update Helldivers 2 earlier this week. The update brought with it a host of new content, and revolves around the Illuminate invading Super Earth. Among other things, the update brought with it new enemies, like the Stingray and the Crescent Overseer, as well as new gameplay features. Core among these new features is the ability for players to now level up most of their primary weapons. By simply playing Helldivers 2 and completing objectives, players will be able to unlock customisation options for their primary weapons, including under-barrel attachments, magazine types and muzzle attachments. Rather than simply being cosmetic additions, these attachments add functionality to the player’s weapon of choice. Later this week, Arrowhead Game Studios will also be releasing the Masters of Ceremony Warbond. Included in the Warbond are a host of new weapons, like the R-2 Amendment rifle that also features a bayonet for quick melee attacks, a new melee weapon in the form of the CQC-2 Sabre, as well as the new G-142 Pyrotech Grenade, which can be used to set enemies on fire. Along with new weaponry, the Masters of Ceremony Warbond also includes a host of new armour pieces that give players the Reinforced Epaulettes perk that allows them to last longer in fights without having to worry about broken limbs. The upcoming Warbond comes two months after the previous one, and the studio was well aware that it hadn’t released a major update for Helldivers 2 in quite some time. Earlier this month, the studio took to social media to apologise for the gap in Warbonds and overall silence when it comes to major updates. “We know it’s been a while since our last update, fear not—we are cooking,” posted the studio. “You may have noticed that the gap between our major updates and Warbond releases is a little longer this time. But we’re happy to say we’ll be announcing our next Warbond on May 8, and there will be more exciting news to come not long after.” Helldivers 2 is available on PC and PS5. Official Playstation account for the Czech Republic dropped info on the next title update. "Heart of Democracy" – May 20th#Helldivers2 pic.twitter.com/gelJbnYMqR— IronS1ghts (@Iron_S1ghts) May 13, 2025

NetherRealm Studios has revealed Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, which contains the 2023 fighting game and all content released post-launch, like Kombat Pack 1, the Khaos Reigns expansion, and more. Check out the launch trailer below. Retailing for $69.99, the Definitive Edition also includes Shang Tsung, six Kameo Fighters (including the recently released Madam Bo), the MK2 Movie Skin Pack, and the Tournament Liu Kang skin. You also get six Premier skins, instant unlocks for the Kameo Pack and Havik, and 1250 Dragon Krystals. The base game’s price has also dropped to $49.99. A paid upgrade option for the Definitive Edition is also available. Mortal Kombat 1 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Though director Ed Boon promised extensive post-launch support, rumors indicate that Khaos Reigns sold poorly. A second story expansion and Kombat Pack 3 were also allegedly cancelled. As for what’s next for the studio, stay tuned for updates.

After promising to release a demo “soon” for Blades of Fire, MercurySteam has confirmed that it will be available on May 15th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. According to the developer on BlueSky, it includes the first few hours of the hack-and-slash action RPG. Your progress will also transfer to the game when it launches next week, which means this is based on the final product. Blades of Fire is available on March 22nd for consoles and PC and focuses on Aran de Lira as he embarks on a quest to defeat Queen Nerea. The latter ascended the throne after her father’s passing and has been on a reign of terror, cursing the kingdom’s steel into stone. Wielding a mystic Forge hammer, Aran can create his own weapons to fight back. The blacksmithing portion is more than just a crafting exercise. It’s a full-fledged system that deeply influences combat and tactics. Head here for more details and check out our feature on the tile. ⚔️ Things to know about our upcoming demo! ⚔️🔥 We're launching on May 15th!🔥 We've packed a lot in! Experience the first few hours of #BladesofFire.🔥 Your save data and progress will carry over to the main game at launch! 💬 We can't wait to hear what you think. #ForgeYourLegend— Blades of Fire (@bladesoffire.bsky.social) 2025-05-13T16:03:54.413Z

Sony has revealed the next wave of titles that will be added to its Game Catalog for PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers. Subscribers can enjoy titles like Sand Land, Five Nights at Freddy’s: Help Wanted – Full Time Edition, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy, Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Humankind, and Gloomhaven Mercenaries Edition for PS4 and PS5. PS5-exclusive titles include Soul Hackers 2 and Story of Seasons: A Wonderful Life, while those only on PS4 avail of Battlefield 5. As for PlayStation Classics exclusive to Premium, there’s Battle Engine Aquila, a 2003 title for PS2 and Xbox developed by Lost Toys. It’s a first-person shoot/mech simulation where the titular Battle Engine can fly or transform into a walker with multiple weapons available. All of these titles will be available starting on May 20th. Those subscribed to Essential can claim free titles like ARK: Survival Ascended, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun, and Balatro until June 2nd.

While EA Motive has been quiet about its ongoing development of a game based on the Iron Man franchise, a new job listing has been spotted on EA’s jobs website that indicates that single-player will be a major component of the game. The job listing is for a Level Designer that would be in charge of designing “major singleplayer levels”. Along with designing levels, the responsibilities for the job posting include bringing the levels through every phase of development, from concept all the way up to polishing. The level designer will also need to incorporate feedback from research and playtest data, while also communicating with the rest of the team when it comes to feedback on the levels they design. According to the posting, the position requires a potential level designer to have experience with single-player action RPG titles, as well as creative skills when it comes to conceptualising and designing environments. The posting also requires familiarity with Epic’s Unreal Engine. The last time EA Motive spoke about Iron Man was with general manager Patrick Klaus revealing that the team in the studio working on the game had hit a major internal milestone. In his update, Klaus mentioned that the project, led by Olivier Proulx and Ian Frazier, has laid “a robust foundation for the journey ahead.” The major internal milestone would likely have to do with the pre-production phase of the development of Iron Man. Back in October 2023, Klaus had revealed that EA Motive was still in the early stages of the game’s development, having started work on the title after wrapping up the Dead Space remake earlier that year. “Since [Dead Space’s launch], our focus has switched to the Iron Man project, giving us the opportunity to work (and play!) with another extraordinary property,” Klaus wrote back then. “We’re still early in pre-production and taking our time to make sure we set the best possible foundation for development. But already, we’re finding so many opportunities to explore story, design and gameplay with Iron Man, and it’s exciting to see the fantasy start coming alive.” While we don’t yet know too much about the Iron Man project, back in 2023, author Ryan North had announced that he was joining the writing team for the game. Nolan, who has worked on a host of comic books (Jughead, Adventure Time, The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl) as well as 2022 video game Lost in Random, said that “You are not ready for how amazing this game is going to be.” Owing to the general silence regarding the game, EA had confirmed that development on Iron Man, along with another project based on superhero Black Panther, hadn’t been cancelled. The statement came in light of lay-offs at the time affecting 670 employees throughout the company. Currently, no further details about EA Motive’s Iron Man game have been revealed, including what platforms it would be coming to, or even a potential launch window. Going by EA’s general multiplatform release strategy, however, the title is likely being made for PC and consoles.

Microsoft has announced that it will be laying off around 3 percent of its employees across all departments, teams, and regions. According to a report by CNBC, this round of layoffs will affect around 6,000 employees from the various teams across Microsoft. Considering the far-reaching net cast by these layoffs, it is likely that employees from various game development studios under the Microsoft umbrella will also be affected to some extent. “We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,” said a Microsoft spokesperson in a statement, who also said that one of the reasons for the layoffs was so that Microsoft could cut down on some of its layers of management. Microsoft hasn’t yet confirmed which of its teams is being hit by these layoffs, or whether its efforts to remove some of the layers of management across its divisions will also affect game development studios. This announcement of Microsoft is only the most recent round of layoffs that is hitting the games industry this year. Earlier this month, racing game developer Codemasters had announced a round of layoffs which it described as being done for the sake of “eliminating roles.” The announcement came alongside the fact that development on EA Sports WRC was ending, and work on future rally racing games was being paused. “As a business, we are constantly evolving to meet the growing needs of our players and driving greater focus across our portfolio,” a Codemasters spokesperson said. “This has led us to look at reducing some roles, while we redeploy as many as possible against our strategic priorities.” Back in April, EA had announced a round of layoffs affecting 300 employees across multiple teams, including Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi developer Respawn Entertainment. In its statement announcing the layoffs, an EA spokesperson said that the decision was being made in order to “align teams and allocate resources in service of driving future growth.”

While Square Enix has been largely quiet about Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate since its original announcement all the way back in 2021, the team working on the game has ocassionally popped up every now and then in order to assure fans of the franchise that development on the game is still going on. Speaking to GameReactor during Comic Con Napoli, Series creator and Dragon Quest 12 director Yuji Horii once more repeated that work on the game was still continuing, apologising for more concrete news. “Yes, indeed, I can’t say anything, I apologise,” said Horii when asked about development progress on Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate. “I am making it, putting lots of work into it”, he insists in the video below. “I can only say that the next work will be great too, working really hard. Please look forward to it, is the only thing I can say.” Horii also spoke about the potential of releasing Dragon Quest 12 on the Nintendo Switch 2. While he didn’t give any concrete answers, his response did indicate that there might be plans to bring the RPG to Nintendo’s upcoming console. “Yes, I believe it could be compatible with Switch 2 as well,” he said. Horii’s answers came just a few months after he assured fans of the series that work on the game was still continuing. Back in February, during a livestream, Horii assured fans that Square Enix was still “working hard on Dragon Quest 12.” More details, however, including a release window weren’t revealed. Rather, Horii said that the plan was to reveal more information about the game “little by little.” The Dragon Quest 12 director has been accutely aware of how much anticipation is building up for the game. Back in May 2024, he had taken to social media to apologise for the overall lack of communication from the developers about the game. In his post, Horii wrote about wanting to ensure that the title would be a worthy tribute to series composer Koichi Sugiyama, as well as art director and character designer Akira Toriyama. Sugiyama, for context, had passed away back in 2021, while Toriyama had passed away earlier in 2024. “Thank you so much to everyone for all the congratulations,” Horii wrote. “I’m sorry for the worry about Dragon Quest 12, but I was just having a meeting about it. I can’t say much yet, but I want to make something worthy of the posthumous work of the two people who passed away. I’ll do my best!” Dragon Quest 12: The Flames of Fate was announced during the Dragon Quest 35th Anniversary Special livestream back in May 2021. The title, in development using Unreal Engine 5, was revealed with a teaser trailer. It is slated for a simultaneous worldwide release. Square Enix, however, hasn’t yet confirmed what platforms the game will be coming to. Considering the series’ tradition, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the RPG on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC when it finally comes out.

When Rockstar Games talks about the next Grand Theft Auto, the entire games industry stops what it’s doing to pay attention, and recently, the company dropped a new trailer for the upcoming and long anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6. It wasn’t necessarily a lengthy trailer, but it was certainly a packed one, showcasing glimpses of various characters (including the two protagonists), several locations, gameplay footage, bits and pieces of the story, and more. As is often the case with Rockstar trailers, each shot felt carefully picked, offering exciting insight into the upcoming open world crime epic’s world. However, it did so without feeling like it was overplaying its hand. Rockstar has a knack for crafting trailers that feel restrained and manage to hold a lot of information back even with all of the things that they do show, and Grand Theft Auto 6’s trailer felt no different. And though that wouldn’t ordinarily be an issue with the marketing cycle for any other game, knowing how Rockstar operates, it likely won’t be long before the thirst for more info sets in for many. Grand Theft Auto 6’s second trailer arrived well over a year after its reveal trailer did, which is very much part for the course for a Rockstar marketing cycle- just like at how the company handled Red Dead Redemption 2, for instance. That, of course, means it’s very likely going to be a while before we get the next trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6, especially because, as Rockstar confirmed shortly before the second trailer went live, that the game had been delayed from its previously planned Fall 2025 launch to a May 26, 2026 release. That GTA 6 would likely get delayed was something that many had already made their peace with the moment a Fall 2025 launch window was announced, so the delay didn’t necessarily come as a shock- though it does mean that Rockstar now has more time to deliberately and carefully pick the timing for when it wants to show more of GTA 6… and Rockstar, as we know, is a company that likes to take its time. And why is that going to be frustrating, other than the plain and simple fact that the wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 is continuing to stretch on even now, twelve years on from its predecessor’s release and seven years after Rockstar’s last major game, Red Dead Redemption 2, came out? Well, perhaps it’s because of the fact that, at this point, a little over a year out from GTA 6’s release, there’s still so much that we just don’t know about the game. With its two official trailers so far, Rockstar has officially confirmed several crucial details – from the game being set in Vice City and its surrounding regions to Lucia and Jason starring as the game’s leading duo in what’s looking like a modern Bonnie and Clyde-inspired story – but in classic Rockstar fashion, the company has kept its cards pretty close to its chest. It has very carefully chosen what to show and what to confirm, and deliberately left out what at this stage feels like a lot. We do not, for instance, know how the world is structured. Grand Theft Auto 4 and 5 completely reimagined and redesigned their settings of Liberty City and Los Santos respectively, when compared to their past renditions, and GTA 6 is of course doing the same with Vice City and other locales in the state of Leonida. Details on a number of these locations have emerged alongside the game’s second trailer, but there’s much of the world that we haven’t seen even now. What should we expect from the environmental diversity? What kinds of different activities will the world offer up across its many locations? How different (or not) will some of these locations be to what we remember from Vice City’s past iteration? And that’s not all by any means. We do not, for instance, know much about the leading pair of Lucia and Jason even now. Both trailers for GTA 6 have given us a cursory look into the pair, yes, but much of their backstories and their history together has been left untouched, while we haven’t really seen much more than a few glimpses here and there of the game’s cast of secondary characters either. We also don’t know what to expect from the mission structure and design- is Rockstar going to stick with the story of cinematic, highly scripted missions that it has always been known for, something that it did start drawing some criticism for with Red Dead Redemption 2, or is GTA 6 going to shake things up a little bit? Beyond that, what are the customization and progression mechanics going to look like? What should we expect from GTA 6’s roster of vehicles and weapons? Will the character switching work the way it did in Grand Theft Auto 5? Will the game continue to play with choice and consequence mechanics the way both Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 did in their own unique ways, and to varying degrees? And of course, above all else, many are still also pondering on the big question- what will GTA 6’s online component be like? Presumably, the game won’t launch with its own version of GTA Online- so when will it arrive, and how will it up the ante on GTA 5’s online component? All of this isn’t to say that Rockstar hasn’t done well with the two gameplay trailers that it has put out for GTA 6 thus far. On the contrary, both of its trailers have generated massive buzz and excitement, as evidenced by the massive viewership numbers they’ve both touted (the second trailer in particular broke all viewership records for a new video launch, according to Rockstar Games). The frustration comes not from Rockstar not having shown anything exciting, but from the incredible potential that’s on display, which in turn leaves us desperately wanting for more, which we know we’re not going to get for a while because Rockstar is Rockstar and GTA 6 is still a little over a year away. Our hope is that the next trailer, whenever it arrives, will offer a deeper look at the gameplay, at some of the finer aforementioned mechanics that will comprise the overarching gameplay loop, at Vice City and its surrounding regions, and of course, at the leading duo of Jason and Lucia. Of curse, we’re expecting Rockstar to do things on its own terms, because that it is how it has always done things- and really, at this point, the power of the Rockstar brand and the GTA brand is enough to justify that sort of an approach. While most (if not all) other games and companies would likely require marketing cycles that were significantly less passive to generate the sort of hype and excitement they needed to generate, Grand Theft Auto 6 can do that simply by virtue of existing and being on the horizon- and Rockstar is perfectly aware of that fact. What that means is that it’s likely going to be a while before we see more of GTA 6– but at this point, we can also probably be sure that whenever we do, it’s likely going to be worth the wait. Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

A little over a year ago, Nintendo, Universal Pictures, and Illumination announced, surprising no one, that they were following up on the stupendous success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie with a sequel that was due out in 2026. Details on the movie have been scarce since then, but a crucial tidbit has seemingly now emerged. On the official NBC Universal website, a report was published highlighting the lineup of titles shown off at the recent NBCUniversal’s 2025-2026 Upfront showcase event, and mentioned among several upcoming movies is Super Mario World. In case you were wondering, no, that isn’t a title that has been officially confirmed for the animated film so far. “An exciting range of films from Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination were presented, including Megan 2.0, Nobody 2, Bad Guys 2, How to Train Your Dragon, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, Black Phone 2, HIM, The Phoenician Scheme, Super Mario World, Shrek, and Minions,” the website reads. In October last year, actor Keegan-Michael Key, the voice of Toad in the Mario movies, said of the sequel that it will be “a little broader in scope” and that it will “widen out the universe.” A title such as Super Mario World would certainly fit with that kind kind of scope, while it would, of course, also be a great way to exploit the nostalgia of fans of the beloved SNES 2D platforming classic of the same name. For now, we’re going to have to wait for official word on what the next Mario movie will be called and what it’ll bring to the table, but hopefully the wait won’t be too long. Stay tuned for more updates.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has emerged as one of the biggest critical hits of the year, surpassing what had already been high expectations in the lead up to its release, though it seems like developer Sandfall Interactive and publisher Kepler Interactive may still have more plans in store for the JRPG.  Spotted by Nintendo Life, in a recent interview with YouTube channel mistermv, when asked about whether Expedition 33 could make its way to the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 at some point, though Sandfall Interactive CEO Guillaume Broche expectedly didn’t offer any concrete details, he did suggest that it was certainly a possibility. “Yeah, it’s definitely something that could be interesting,” Broche said. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has been a huge success already, having sold over 2 million units worldwide in under two weeks, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sandfall and Kepler Interactive looking to capitalize on that success by capturing a substantial audience on Nintendo’s platform as well. Hopefully, it turns into something concrete at some point.  Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. Read our review of the game through here.

Sony has shared updated sales figures for the the PlayStation 5 in its most recent quarterly fiscal report, and the console now stands at 77.8 million units shipped worldwide as of March 31, which was the end of FY 2024-25. That’s up from 75 million worldwide shipments as of the end of 2024. In the final quarter of the FY, running from January to March, Sony shipped 2.8 million units of the PS5 worldwide (down from 4.5 million shipped in Q4 of the previous fiscal year), while total shipments for the console across the entirety of the FY arrived at 18.5 million units worldwide (down from 20.8 million units in the previous FY). Though hardware sales saw a year-on-year decline, PlayStation did gain ground in terms of software sales. PS4 and PS5 collectively sold 76.1 million software units in Q4 of FY 24-25 (up from 72.6 million in Q4 of FY 23-24). Total software sales for the FY stood at 303.3 million units, up from 286.4 million units the previous fiscal year.

The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch with a couple of some pretty major heavy-hitting games in under a month’s time, but at the same time, its launch lineup is also going to boast several third party ports and re-releases. One of those is going to be Hogwarts Legacy, for which a new gameplay trailer has been uploaded to offer glimpses of how much better its visuals are on the Switch 2 compared to the Switch.  The trailer showcases a number of shots of the game, showing both indoor and outdoor environments, and the difference is, quite frankly, massive. From the lighting and the reflections to the density and detail in the environments and the draw distances, the open world action RPG is looking like a significant technical and graphical leap over the game’s Nintendo Switch version. Check out the comparison gameplay trailer below.  Hogwarts Legacy is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5.