Gaming

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• Latest news Capcom built a custom katana to record raw, scraping blade sounds for Onimusha

  Capcom's audio director Shunichi Suwa and the sound team recorded weapon audio for Onimusha: Way of the Sword at the company's Osaka HQ, combining real swords and Foley techniques. They used real swords and scabbards for sheathing sounds but created a specially made, thicker katana with an S-shaped kink to produce gritty, grating blade noises. The team also recorded against metals and stones—including corrugated iron—to generate varied scraping and impact effects, aiming for rough, visceral sword audio to strengthen the game's duelling immersion.

• Latest news Researcher demonstrates Word doc can trigger self-replicating Copilot 'AI worm'

  AI researcher Håkon Måløy showed that a Word document containing hidden JSON-formatted instructions can cause Copilot for Word to interpret and embed those instructions into edited output, creating a self-replicating 'AI worm.' The worm spreads when Copilot-assisted workflows treat infected documents as source material, and the original file does not need to remain present. Måløy disclosed the vulnerability to Microsoft in March, and the exploit remained reproducible at time of writing. The finding underscores broader security risks for agentic AI assistants on PCs and features like Windows Recall.

• Latest news EA Sports FC 27 replaces chemistry-based SBCs with score-based Streamlined system

  EA Sports FC 27 overhauls Squad Building Challenges by replacing full 11-player, chemistry-and-rating puzzles with a faster, score-based Streamlined SBC design. Players now submit eligible items to reach a target score that is calculated from each item's overall rating and rarity; duplicates can be used multiple times and partial progress is saved. The new system ties SBC completion into FC 27’s FUT Gallery progression, simplifying the process and speeding access to rewards.

• Latest news Season 5 Mammoth LMG: Loadout for higher bullet velocity and steadier recoil

  The Mammoth is the newest LMG in Warzone Season 5 but struggles against the current meta due to a slow fire rate and below‑average time‑to‑kill. Players can make it a reliable mid‑to‑long‑range option by equipping a build that prioritizes bullet velocity and recoil control. That focused loadout improves hit registration at distance and keeps shots on target despite the weapon’s inherent weaknesses.

• Latest news Pick Pals by proficiency and secondary skills to speed production in Palworld 1.0

  Players should assign Pals to Work Suitability roles by prioritizing high proficiency and useful secondary skills. This pairing reduces task completion time for jobs such as Mining, Handiwork, Farming and Transporting and keeps production lines running. Optimizing Pal assignments is key to an efficient base and steady resource output in Palworld 1.0.

• Latest news Eli Roth Blames Studio Edits, PG‑13 Push and Reshoots for Borderlands Flop

  Director Eli Roth says the 2024 Borderlands film, made for $120 million and starring Cate Blanchett and Jack Black, became a critical and commercial failure after studio-driven changes. Executives pushed for a PG‑13 rating and cut violence from Roth’s original vision, and Deadpool director Tim Miller was brought in for reshoots. Roth characterizes the finished movie as diluted and "something that belonged to nobody," arguing the edits undermined its appeal to both general audiences and gamers.

• Latest news Indie developer building humorous in-game response to rage quitters

  An independent developer is actively building a funny in-game mechanic aimed at players who rage quit by disconnecting. The feature is explicitly designed to soften the blow of sudden disconnects and reduce frustration for remaining players. The project is currently in development and targets common tilt and disconnect problems in online multiplayer matches.

• Latest news Refractor Games lays off about 85% of staff weeks after Fifa World Cup launch

  Refractor Games, developer of Fifa World Cup: Launch Edition, has laid off roughly 85% of its development staff. The game released less than two months before the cuts. The reductions remove the majority of the team responsible for ongoing updates and support, materially shrinking the studio's capacity to maintain the newly released title.

• Latest news No hidden Elder Scrolls game — LinkedIn listing was misread

  Enthusiasts misinterpreted a Bethesda-linked LinkedIn page and sparked rumours of an unannounced Elder Scrolls title. Those rumours have been debunked: the LinkedIn entry does not confirm a new game. The clarification removes an unofficial source of excitement for fans awaiting official Bethesda announcements.

• Latest news Dave Bautista in talks to play Kratos in God of War live-action series

  Dave Bautista is in talks to play Kratos in the live-action God of War television series. Bautista is best known for portraying Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy films. Kratos is the central protagonist of the long-running God of War video game franchise, making this a high-profile casting for a major game-to-TV adaptation.

• Latest news Shift Up CEO defends AI-made music video for Blood Rain sequel

  Shift Up's CEO posted on social media after players criticized an AI-generated music video released to promote a sequel to the studio's breakout title Blood Rain. The CEO asked viewers to "view with understanding in mind" while defending the video's creation. The backlash has focused attention on the use of artificial intelligence in game marketing and drawn debate from players.

• Latest news Beast of Reincarnation review: Game Freak’s messy but thrilling action-RPG

  Game Freak’s Beast of Reincarnation blends familiar mechanics from major action-RPGs with its own touches. The game feels messy and muddled in places, but combat and traversal deliver exhilarating moments. It also provides a surprising amount of emotional depth that helps offset its flaws.

• Latest news Indie game bundle raises $100K+ in days to aid laid-off developers

  An indie game bundle has generated more than $100,000 in sales within days of launch to benefit video game developers who were laid off. Buyers receive a package worth over $1,000 in games at a steep discount while proceeds provide direct financial support to affected developers and signal community backing for industry workers.

• Latest news Eurogamer's Big Walk review includes a conversational, humorous aside

  Eurogamer published a review of the game Big Walk that contains an unexpected, conversational line. The review includes the sentence: "Chris, I think you're muted. Your nose has gone small." That line addresses someone named Chris directly and shows the piece uses informal, humorous language rather than a strictly formal critical tone.

• Latest news Square Enix denies using AI to create Kingdom Hearts Collection promotional content

  Square Enix denied claims that it used AI-generated artwork or assets to promote the unreleased Kingdom Hearts Collection 1–3. Players first accused the publisher in early June, and Square Enix issued its denial roughly two months later. The dispute centers on the authenticity of promotional materials and has implications for consumer trust in the publisher’s marketing ahead of the collection’s launch.

• Latest news Studio Colorido’s decade of heartfelt, child-focused fantasy anime

  Studio Colorido has spent just over a decade producing feature anime films that blend everyday childhood with fantastical events. Its recent works include A Whisker Away, Drifting Home, and Cosmic Princess Kaguya!. The studio is known for bright, expressive animation and a recurring theme that growing up shouldn’t mean leaving behind imagination.

• Latest news RSC unveils cast for Game of Thrones: The Mad King stage play

  The Royal Shakespeare Company announced the cast for Game of Thrones: The Mad King, a new stage play associated with George R. R. Martin. The production adapts material from Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire and is produced by the RSC. The play is scheduled to open next week, expanding the franchise into live theatre.

• Latest news Sam Altman proposes daily AI 'podcast' for parents; X users push back

  OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X suggesting parents connect family calendars and have ChatGPT generate a daily, school-commute 'podcast' that highlights a child's soccer game, upcoming birthday and news. The proposal prompted strong negative reactions on X, with creators and comedians urging parents to talk to their children instead of outsourcing those interactions to AI. Altman has previously said he believes AI is reaching a technological 'singularity,' framing his promotion of more integrated AI tools.

• Latest news Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy leaving Netflix as new Spider-Man release arrives

  Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy is being removed from Netflix, reducing where viewers can stream the films. A new Spider-Man entry, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is out this week and fans are watching to see if it will reassure Marvel about the franchise’s future. The situation matters because it highlights shifting access to legacy superhero films and ongoing questions about Marvel’s creative momentum.

• Latest news White Wolf to revive Mage and Changeling after Vampire: The Masquerade 6E

  White Wolf unveiled Vampire: The Masquerade 6th Edition at Gen Con 2026 and announced plans to follow it with revivals of other World of Darkness tabletop lines. The publisher specifically intends to bring back Mage: The Ascension and the less mainstream Changeling: The Dreaming. This rollout expands the World of Darkness line by returning legacy settings to active development.

• Latest news Lego launches Pokémon Smart Play sets and tops summer 2026 toy picks

  Lego released new Pokémon Smart Play sets that are being highlighted as the standout kids’ toy for summer 2026. The review ties the launch to late‑1990s Pokémon merchandise — stuffed animals, bouncy balls with plastic monsters, and gold cards — and recalls wheeled launcher toys the writer still keeps. This matters because the collaboration pairs Lego’s building play with a major franchise that appeals to both today’s children and nostalgic parents.

• Latest news Crimson Desert revamps trading with 133 new posts and supply-and-demand overhaul

  Developer Pearl Abyss released a major patch adding 133 trading posts and new supply-and-demand mechanics to Crimson Desert. The update rebalances item types and quantities at all trading posts, raises general trade profits and adds 24 new high-value goods; selling too many items at one location will lower local prices while remote, hard-to-reach posts pay more. The patch also fixes several previously bugged challenges and improves animal interaction animations.

• Latest news Tom Holland helped design a comics-accurate suit for Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Tom Holland influenced the new Spider-Man suit in Spider-Man: Brand New Day after meeting alternate versions of the character in No Way Home. He researched what fans liked about Tobey Maguire’s and Andrew Garfield’s suits and helped design the costume. The resulting suit uses bright, shimmering blues, removes the added black sections from Holland’s prior suits, and is the most comics-accurate Spider-Man suit to date. This marks a visual shift away from the Stark-tech look of earlier Holland-era costumes.

• Latest news Warner Bros. must close Greta Gerwig and lead-actor deals by end of 2026 for Barbie 2

  Warner Bros. needs finalized contracts with director Greta Gerwig and the film’s lead actors by the end of 2026 to move forward with Barbie 2. If those deals are not completed by that deadline, the franchise potential for Barbie will not be realized. The 2026 cutoff determines whether sequels or expanded projects in the Barbie universe can proceed.

• Latest news 2026's horror resurgence: remakes, sequels and Resident Evil Requiem

  Survival horror has surged in 2026, driven by high-profile remakes and long-awaited sequels. Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake and Alan Wake 2 helped revive AAA interest, and Resident Evil Requiem, released in the first half of 2026, is a leading Game of the Year contender. The second half of 2026 features multiple new high-profile horror releases and downloadable expansions that will keep the genre in the spotlight.

• Latest news Eurogamer staff picks: thrifting, oxcarts, a favourite replay and nautical horror

  Eurogamer’s weekly "What we’ve been playing" roundup features four staff members sharing recent play experiences. Marie played a thrifting-themed game, Connor tried a game that emphasises oxcarts, Dom returned to an all-time favourite, and Kelsey explored a nautical-horror title. The column gives readers quick, varied recommendations and insight into current staff gaming tastes.

• Latest news Shift Up posts AI-generated music video to promote Stellar Blade: Blood Rain

  Developer Shift Up released an entirely AI-generated music video on YouTube to promote Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, featuring protagonist Evie singing an original song titled "Wanna be in Love" while exploring the dystopian city from the game's Summer Games Fest reveal. The clip includes staged "behind-the-scenes" footage of developers with Evie and a cameo of a KPop Demon Hunters keychain. Shift Up CEO and game director Hyung-tae Kim has promoted AI as essential for global competition and said it can let one person do the work of 100, while South Korea plans nearly $14 billion in AI investment. The video has provoked criticism over Evie's sexualized, reportedly more childlike appearance, adding to the franchise's prior controversies including patched racial slurs and debate over revealing outfits.

• Latest news D&D: World of Warcraft tabletop set launches in November with MMO systems

  Blizzard’s World of Warcraft is being adapted into an official Dungeons & Dragons tabletop setting, releasing this November. The set includes Azeroth-specific classes, races, spells, items and systems so dungeon masters can run full WoW campaigns. It brings MMO mechanics like professions, mounts, and a faction Renown system that grants in-game perks to tabletop characters.

• Latest news Amazon launches free Batman game on Luna to tie in with animated show's season 2

  Amazon released a free Batman game on its Luna cloud gaming service to coincide with season two of its animated Batman show. The game streams through Luna, so players do not need a console, gaming PC, or controller to play. This gives fans a no-cost, hardware-free way to try a Batman game and introduces Luna to a wider audience.

• Latest news Shift Up's AI-made Stellar Blade: Blood Rain music video draws heavy criticism

  Developer Shift Up posted an official music video on its YouTube channel for the upcoming Stellar Blade: Blood Rain, featuring protagonist Evie and the song "Wanna be in Love." The trailer was generated with generative AI, and fans — including some of the studio's usual defenders — reacted negatively, calling it "AI slop." The dispute matters because it concerns an official marketing asset for a high-profile release and creates reputational risk for the studio.