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• Latest news BioWare popularized romanceable companions; debate continues over necessity

  PC Gamer's Dungeon Master column examines whether RPGs need romanceable companions and finds the feature influential but not essential. BioWare codified companion romances starting with Baldur's Gate 2 and used them in Dragon Age and Mass Effect to shape story and character development. The piece notes that the prominence of romances has made their absence in modern games more noticeable and has pushed even non-RPG titles to address romantic options.

• Latest news Why some MMO grinds still work — relic progression, reward tracks and calming repetition

  A player describes enjoying a grind in Final Fantasy XIV where they farmed 600 crystal paste from low‑level dungeons to progress a relic weapon step and quickly catch up to new content. Grinds remain common in MMOs and have evolved into battle‑pass style reward tracks, seasons, world quests and relic progressions. Repetitive tasks can be relaxing and serve as deliberate slow‑burn goals in role‑playing games rather than being purely negative design elements.

• Latest news Ex-producer: Dragon Age remaster unlikely because originals use three different engines

  Mark Darrah, former Dragon Age producer, says a consolidated 'Champions Edition' remaster is unlikely because the three main Dragon Age games were built on different, incompatible engines. Dragon Age: Origins used BioWare's Eclipse/Aurora tech, Dragon Age 2 ran on the Lycium engine, and Dragon Age: Inquisition used DICE's Frostbite, creating major technical hurdles for a unified remaster. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition succeeded because that trilogy used Unreal Engine, a widely supported technology, while recent layoffs at BioWare and Dragon Age: The Veilguard's weak 2024 reception have reduced available expertise and commercial incentive.

• Latest news The Weeknd publicly obsessing over Persona games, photoshops Tae Takemi tattoo

  The Weeknd has been playing Persona 3 Reload and Persona 5 Royal and regularly posting about them on an alternate Instagram account. He has focused on Persona 5 Royal character Dr. Tae Takemi, photoshopping a tattoo of her on his arm, editing her face into his music-video clips, and sharing a mashup of his song "Popular" with the game's "Butterfly Kiss" clinic theme. His high-profile engagement is driving attention to the Persona series and highlights mainstream crossover between pop music and Japanese role‑playing games.

• Latest news Filming wraps on Alex Garland’s Elden Ring movie after six-month shoot

  Filming for Alex Garland’s live-action Elden Ring adaptation has finished following a roughly six-month shoot, announced via a now-deleted Instagram post from prop artist Sean Schofield. The post thanked cast and crew and included a sign-off from Garland and several production leaders. Kit Connor is attached as a star and the movie is scheduled to open March 3, 2028, moving into more than a year of post-production. This marks the transition from principal photography to post-production on a high-profile adaptation of the FromSoftware game co-created by Hidetaka Miyazaki with contributions from George R.R. Martin.

• Latest news Former Producer Says Dragon Age Trilogy Remaster Unlikely After Engine Knowledge Loss

  Mark Darrah, former Dragon Age executive producer, says remastering the original trilogy is unlikely because BioWare no longer retains expertise on the Aurora engine used for the first two games. A planned "Champion Edition" bundling Origins, Dragon Age II and Inquisition stalled due to cross-engine complexity—Inquisition runs on Frostbite while the earlier titles use Eclipse/Lycium variants of Aurora. Producing a remaster would require assembling a new specialist team to rebuild or port old technology, and the franchise faces commercial pressure after Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet EA's expectations even as Baldur's Gate 3 renewed interest in classic fantasy RPGs.

• Latest news WayForward portfolio lists 'Gemini', a rollback-driven Cyberpunk: Edgerunners brawler

  A former WayForward employee's portfolio includes material for a project codenamed 'Gemini' tied to the Netflix series Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Gemini was planned as a rollback-driven 2.5D beat-'em-up with rollback-safe architecture and online transport integration, indicating online multiplayer. Research and development ran from 2025 into 2026, but the project's current status is unclear. The title would be a small Cyberpunk spin-off while CD Projekt Red focuses on Cyberpunk 2 and The Witcher 4 and as Edgerunners Season 2 arrives this fall.

• Latest news Final Fantasy 14 on Switch 2 will require 117.2GB, underscoring storage costs

  Final Fantasy 14 launches on Switch 2 next month with a 117.2GB install that includes the base game plus five expansions. That file size consumes nearly half of the console’s built-in SSD, pushing many players toward buying microSD Express storage. microSD prices have jumped sharply—1TB cards now sell for roughly $350—because NAND flash shortages and AI demand have driven up memory costs. Large install sizes are already common for recent Square Enix releases such as Final Fantasy 7 Remake (90GB) and Rebirth (95GB).

• Latest news New third‑person camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3 sparks player debate

  A community-created 'true third-person camera' mod for Baldur's Gate 3 on PC has gained rapid popularity. The mod revives an ongoing debate about whether a built-in third-person mode is desirable. Discussion is heightened by Larian Studios' current focus on the Divinity series rather than adding such features.

• Latest news FF6, 8 and 9 would need multi-part remakes, Naoki Yoshida says

  At the Final Fantasy Fan Festival in Berlin, FF14 director Naoki Yoshida said remaking Final Fantasy 6 — and likely 8 and 9 — would require multiple releases. He estimated a remake could need four or five installments due to those games' scale and complexity. Yoshida also flagged modern production challenges, including the need for large, sustained development teams, citing the Final Fantasy 7 Remake as an example.

• Latest news Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold scheduled for January 2027 release

  Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold is the game's sixth expansion and is scheduled to launch in January 2027. Square Enix announced the expansion at the Anaheim Fan Festival. An extended trailer and further details were shown at the Berlin Fan Festival.

• Latest news Larian says it’s not involved in Baldur's Gate 3 spinoff after Karlach comic

  Larian Studios clarified it is not involved in any Baldur's Gate 3–related projects after Dark Horse announced a Karlach comic and tagged Larian and Wizards of the Coast. The studio posted on X that it’s not participating in BG3 spinoffs and is focused on its Divinity work. Larian previously confirmed it will not develop Baldur's Gate 4 and has described its split with Wizards as amicable.

• Latest news God of War Laufey dated for Feb 16, 2027; next game returns to Kratos

  Sony Santa Monica announced at San Diego Comic-Con 2026 that God of War Laufey will release on February 16, 2027. Director Cory Barlog confirmed the game will ship on physical discs and that it continues Faye’s story while setting up a new Kratos-led sequel. The game was first shown with 20 minutes of gameplay in June 2026 and now joins a crowded February 2027 release window.

• Latest news Star Wars Zero Company cast revealed — Baker and Lanter among voices

  StarWars.com revealed the main voice cast for Star Wars: Zero Company ahead of Comic‑Con. Dee Bradley Baker and Matt Lanter will reprise their Clone Wars roles; other cast members include Vic Michaelis, Alex McKenna, Judy Alice Lee and D.C. Douglas. The squad‑tactics game from ex‑Firaxis XCOM developers mixes cinematic storytelling with tactical gameplay and is due August 27.

• Latest news Former Disney CEO says he doesn't recall approving Kingdom Hearts

  At an event, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner told reporter Stephen Totilo he did not recall approving the original Kingdom Hearts. Totilo said reminding Eisner the pitch was a Disney/Final Fantasy crossover in Tokyo only partially jogged his memory; former Disney exec Shuji Utsumi says he remembers pitching the game and Eisner replying 'Keep at it, and do it right.' The Kingdom Hearts I-III Collection is due in October and there is no release date for Kingdom Hearts IV.

• Latest news Hasbro scales back gaming push after $56M loss; some projects spared

  Hasbro is reducing its video game ambitions following a $56 million loss tied to heavy investment during the Baldur's Gate 3 era. The company — which planned in 2022 to grow into a major games publisher — has cancelled several projects and cut developer roles. Certain titles, including Warlock and the Mass Effect-like Exodus, are reported to be continuing. Hasbro remains owner of Wizards of the Coast and its IP-driven game strategy is being reassessed.

• Latest news Blizzard sells BlizzCon 2026 digital bundles; Ultimate Collection $50

  Blizzard has put digital BlizzCon bundles for five live-service games on sale now. Individual bundles cost $25–$30 each; the BlizzCon Ultimate Collection, which contains every bundle plus extras, is $50. Ticket holders receive all bundles for free, and BlizzCon will be free to watch from home. Bundles are available through Sept. 28; Blizzard is also giving a 15-day StarCraft II co-op boost and a new Heroes of the Storm Thrall skin to all players.

• Latest news Hasbro records $56M impairment after multiple game cancellations

  Hasbro reported a $56 million non‑cash impairment in Q2 tied to the cancellation of several games that were expected to release in 2028 and beyond. The charge reflects a write-down in asset value, not an immediate cash loss. Hasbro previously invested heavily in videogames—citing over $1 billion in development after Baldur's Gate 3's success—but did not name which projects were written down. Several high‑profile projects have been reported as canceled or troubled, and no Baldur's Gate 3 follow-up has been announced.

• Latest news The Witcher 3 expansion 'Songs of the Past' to be revealed at Gamescom

  CD Projekt Red will show The Witcher 3 expansion Songs of the Past during Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 25. The expansion is co-developed with Fool’s Theory and has been described as closer in size to Blood and Wine. CDPR says it is a "proper big expansion" and has scheduled the release for 2027, with hints of additional Witcher 3 content.

• Latest news Witcher 3 expansion 'Songs of the Past' to premiere at Gamescom Opening Night Live

  The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt expansion Songs of the Past will be shown during Gamescom’s Opening Night Live in late August. The broadcast, hosted by Geoff Keighley, will provide the first major public look at the DLC.

• Latest news KOTOR remake reportedly could be re-revealed this year

  A Eurogamer report says the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake may be re-revealed this year. The project was first announced in late 2021 and later changed development studios. The remake has had an on-again, off-again development history.

• Latest news Jennifer English exits Tides of Annihilation lead role to focus on health

  Jennifer English, known for playing Shadowheart in Baldur's Gate 3 and a BAFTA-winning performance in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has withdrawn from the role of Gwendolyn in Tides of Annihilation to prioritise her mental and physical health. Developer Eclipse Glow Games said she notified them in June and they respected her decision. The studio added English helped with the transition and identifying potential replacements. Tides of Annihilation remains in development and is among the top 50 wishlisted games on Steam.

• Latest news The Blood of Dawnwalker will let you carry saves into future games

  Developer Rebel Wolves and publisher Bandai Namco confirmed that The Blood of Dawnwalker will allow players to carry save files into future Dawnwalker titles. The game is a medieval vampire RPG. The feature enables continuity across entries in the series.

• Latest news PC Gamer explores what makes great summer-themed videogame tracks

  PC Gamer's Critical Hit looks at how videogame music evokes summer moods. Many scores use tropical instruments like ukulele and steel drums for obvious beach vibes. The piece argues subtler tracks can better capture late‑summer nostalgia. Examples include Kingdom Hearts' Destiny Islands, Stardew Valley's Ginger Island and Final Fantasy XIII-2's New Bodhum.

• Latest news Jennifer English withdraws from Tides of Annihilation to focus on health

  Actor Jennifer English has withdrawn from Eclipse Glow Games' action title Tides of Annihilation. She said the decision is to 'look after her mental and physical health'. English is an award-winning performer known for roles in Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur.

• Latest news Diablo 4 removes crafted-Mythic equip limit, boosts Mythic drop rates

  Blizzard removed the Season 14 restriction that limited players to one equipped crafted-Mythic in a surprise patch on July 16 for PC and July 17 for consoles. The update also increases Mythic and Iconic Mythic drop rates from the seasonal Lair Boss. Changes to the Horadric Cube's Mythic Upgrade are planned but delayed until Season 15; developers say player feedback informed the decision.

• Latest news Disney D23 2026 to include games preview, Kingdom Hearts and Dreamlight panels

  Disney's D23 runs August 14–16, 2026 and will feature an "exclusive preview" of video games on the first day. Confirmed panels include a 25th‑anniversary Kingdom Hearts celebration and a Disney Dreamlight Valley session with a sneak peek at new content. The showcase could also highlight multiple Star Wars projects; Insomniac's Wolverine is due in September but is not expected to be a major D23 focus.

• Latest news Gerard Way hasn't played Baldur's Gate 3 but talked about it with fans

  My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way says he has not played Baldur's Gate 3. During a recent concert he made time to discuss the game with fans. Baldur's Gate 3 remains widely popular as players await any news on a potential Baldur's Gate 4.

• Latest news Blood of Dawnwalker director: delayed next-gen consoles would help studios

  Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Blood of Dawnwalker and former Witcher 3 director, said a delayed next generation of consoles would be "better" for studios like his. He commented as ongoing price rises continue to affect the games industry. Tomaszkiewicz suggested a delay could ease development and cost pressures for teams.

• Latest news PC Gamer lists nine standout videogame tracks from 2026 so far

  PC Gamer's Critical Hit column rounds up nine videogame tracks and soundtracks that have defined the first seven months of 2026. The piece highlights memorable audio moments from recent releases, including Milestone's racer Screamer. The writer notes a personal focus on other games but says the soundtracks still stood out and invites readers to share their own favorites. The list is framed as early-year highlights with more releases still to come.