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• Destiny 2: Weekly Ascendant Challenges in Dreaming City rotate for loot

  Ascendant Challenges in Destiny 2 rotate weekly and are tied to the Dreaming City’s three-week curse cycle. There are six challenges that send players into the Ascendant Plane to hunt treasure. They’re a primary source of Dreaming City gear and periodically reissued weapons like Waking Vigil, Tigerspite, and Twilight Oath.

• Rockstar accused of gender pay gaps, enforcing crunch and weaponising bonuses

  A Game Developer report says multiple Rockstar staff allege the company failed to address gender-based pay inequity, promoted crunch in its UK offices, and used bonus payments as leverage. The allegations come as employees move to seek official union recognition following several high-profile sackings in 2025. Rockstar has not been quoted in this brief. The claims are part of ongoing workforce disputes at the studio.

• Counter-Strike Week 26: Short news roundup

  HLTV offers a Week 26 short-news roundup of Counter-Strike developments. The brief provides bite-sized updates to quickly catch up on the scene. Visit HLTV for full articles and detailed coverage.

• Luminosity return to CS2 with Monte core and lux signings

  Luminosity Gaming have officially re-entered Counter-Strike 2. The organization signed the Monte core and added player lux to the roster. The new lineup will make its debut at the XSE Pro League.

• Battlefield 6 XP Booster wording changed then reverted after studio error

  Battlefield Studios changed the in-game language describing how Battlefield 6 XP Boosters work, then reversed the edit and said it was made in error. This is the second time in a month the wording has been altered and rolled back. Players reported increased frustration over the mistake and how the change was communicated.

• Netflix developing live-action Persona series; Picard, 9-1-1 writer to showrun

  Netflix is developing a live-action adaptation of the Persona RPG series. A writer known for Star Trek: Picard and 9-1-1 is attached as showrunner. The announcement comes alongside upcoming game projects including Persona 4 Revival and Persona 6. No release date or casting details have been shared yet.

• Xbox drops funding for IO Interactive's Project Fantasy; studio faces layoffs

  Xbox has pulled out of a deal to fund and publish Project Fantasy, an online fantasy RPG developed by IO Interactive. IOI, the studio behind Hitman and 007 First Light, is facing layoffs as a result of the funding withdrawal. Details were reported by Eurogamer.

• Ubisoft Barcelona developers strike after publisher layoffs

  Developers at Ubisoft Barcelona have gone on strike in response to Ubisoft's latest round of layoffs. The Barcelona studio works on Rainbow Six: Siege following recent company restructuring. The work stoppage follows sweeping cuts announced by the publisher.

• Mother Askani: X-Men '97 Season 2’s key mysterious time-travel figure

  X-Men '97 season 2 continues the franchise's long-running use of time travel. The series draws on the 1981 Days of Future Past storyline by Chris Claremont. It introduces Mother Askani as a central, enigmatic character. The article examines her role and origins within the show's time‑travel framework.

• Haven update adds gender-swap option that reframes its lead romance

  Eurogamer revisits Haven after the RPG introduced a gender-swap option for its two protagonists. The feature, added two years after launch, lets players experience the central romance as a same-sex relationship. Writer Kaan Serin explores how that change gave the story new meaning as part of Eurogamer's Pride Week coverage.

• Microsoft reportedly considering closure of Arkane Studios

  Microsoft is reportedly considering closing Arkane Studios, developer of Dishonored and the upcoming Blade, according to The Verge. The studio is said to be one of five Microsoft-owned teams under review as part of a wider restructuring. The Verge cited unnamed sources; there has been no public confirmation from Microsoft.

• Sony begins phased rollout of new PS5 system software for PS5 and PS5 Pro

  Sony has started deploying a new PS5 system software update for both the base PS5 and the PS5 Pro. The update is being distributed in a phased rollout, similar to previous monthly updates. Users should see the update appear gradually in their regions; Sony has not published detailed patch notes yet.

• magixx 1v4 spray added to Mirage market; Falcons champion stickers released

  Spirit captain magixx's 1v4 quad-kill spray has been added to the Mirage in-game market. Falcons champion stickers have also been released. Both items are now available for players to obtain and use in-game.

• Oblivion Remastered on Switch 2 Aug 11; PC build still has bugs

  Bethesda will release Oblivion Remastered for the Switch 2 on August 11, with motion controls, touchscreen support and the full game on cartridge. The PC remaster received some post‑launch patches but continues to exhibit performance issues and visual bugs. Community members and outlets have suggested a PC patch timed with the Switch 2 launch to address remaining problems. Some players currently recommend a modded original for a better PC/Steam Deck experience.

• Total War: Warhammer 3 adds End Times endgames, Vampire Counts rework, Nurgle champions

  Creative Assembly revealed new End Times endgame events, a Vampire Counts rework, and Nurgle champions during its What's Next livestream. The update introduces three cinematic endgame crises (a Vermintide variant, a Nagash event tied to the Lords of the End Times DLC, and an Archaon-focused finale) and shifts many midgame crises to power up factions. Archaon’s finale includes special mechanics like a large ward save, lieutenant-based weakening, razing effects, and broader confederation ability. Siege rework is planned for patch 9.1; patch 8.1 and Neferata remain in development.

• Wallpaper Engine to remove executable wallpaper app after malware findings

  Wallpaper Engine will permanently remove the app component that allowed executable (.exe) wallpapers after security concerns. Users have until Monday, July 6 to back up any wallpapers from the affected app. Security reports say malware dating to late 2025 could hijack accounts, run crypto miners, or encrypt data; the FBI is investigating.

• Meccha Chameleon sold over 10M copies after two-month development, estimated ~$60M gross

  Meccha Chameleon has sold more than 10 million copies since its June 9 launch, according to reporting. The game was reportedly developed by two creators in about two months and sold at a $5.99 list price, implying roughly $60 million gross before Steam fees, discounts and taxes. The launch included an early discount and regional pricing, so net revenue will be lower. Developers said they spent no money on promotion; strong sales may qualify the title for a reduced Steam fee rate.

• Papergames cancels Valko love interest in Love and Deepspace

  Papergames has cancelled the planned Valko love interest and halted further development and launch. The studio said it introduced Valko prematurely and will instead focus on the game's five existing love interests. The move follows significant fan backlash, mass unfollows in China and hostile real‑world deliveries to the developer. Players had complained about lack of new story content and monetization/farming issues.

• Full Stride: jockey racing sim reimagines umamusume as real horses, launches July 16

  Blue Bullet will release Full Stride on Steam on July 16, 2026. The game is a jockey racing simulator that replaces the anime-style "umamusume" horse girls with ordinary horses. Races focus on pack positioning, timing moves, and managing horse stats like stamina, sprint aptitude, pace, and preferred distance. It also includes a photo mode and is available to wishlist on Steam now.

• SAW in talks to re-sign core quartet from IEM Cologne 2024

  Portuguese organisation SAW is reportedly in discussions to bring back the four players who formed the core of its lineup at IEM Cologne 2024. The group made a deep run at the event, and SAW aims to reunite that core. No official announcement or contract details have been released.

• Diablo 4 Season 14 adds Pandemonium Ruptures, mythic revamp and new mode

  Season 14 centers on Pandemonium Ruptures — portals appearing across Sanctuary as the barrier to Pandemonium thins. The update introduces a revamped mythic system and a new mode for experiencing the campaign and endgame. It also brings a range of new activities and gameplay changes.

• Xbox leadership shakeup prompts branding, pricing and hardware shifts

  Microsoft's Xbox division saw major leadership changes in February, with Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond exiting and Asha Sharma and Matt Booty stepping in. The new team quickly ended the "This is an Xbox" ad campaign and cut Xbox Game Pass prices after a prior 50% hike. They confirmed new high-end hardware (Project Helix), rebranded the organization as XBOX, and ran a June 7 showcase with translucent Series X giveaways.

• Ex-Sony boss Shawn Layden questions PlayStation's pullback from PC

  Shawn Layden, former SIE Worldwide Studios chair, says Sony's recent retreat from releasing PlayStation games on PC doesn't make sense. He argues PC ports were intended to broaden awareness of PlayStation intellectual property for films, TV, comics and merchandise, not primarily to sell consoles. Layden also notes that timed PC windows (e.g., an 18-month delay) can mitigate concerns about devaluing the brand while reaching new audiences.

• ESA Lobbyist Says Some Minecraft, Call of Duty Community Servers Are Illegal

  California's Protect Our Games Act was voted down in the State Senate. ESA VP Jennifer Gibbons told lawmakers community-run Minecraft and Call of Duty servers are "illegal," calling them piracy and citing two pending lawsuits and a USTR report. Reporters and critics say she conflated servers targeted for subscription circumvention with ordinary community servers, some of which are linked from Minecraft's official site. Advocates behind Stop Killing Games say they will pursue similar bills in other states.

• Sandy Petersen says piracy crippled studios, cites high Doom and AoE piracy rates

  A nostalgia post on X asking if people pirated games drew a lengthy reply from designer Sandy Petersen. Petersen said piracy killed companies including Atari, Amiga, Cinemaware and 3D Realms, and claimed 70–90% of Doom players and about 50% of Age of Empires players pirated copies. He rejected the "try before you buy" defence, noting both games offered free content to sample.

• Man sentenced to over 10 years for $21,000 Pokémon card theft

  A 36-year-old man from Wilmington, North Carolina, was sentenced on June 29 to more than 10 years in prison after pleading guilty. He admitted to stealing $21,000 worth of Pokémon cards in a January heist. The sentence resolves the criminal case.

• Fans spot possible bodybuilding system in GTA 6 screenshots

  Fans say new GTA 6 screenshots show main character Jason with varying muscle definition, prompting speculation about an in-game fitness or bodybuilding mechanic. The theory is supported by a trailer clip of Jason bench-pressing and by GTA San Andreas' similar workout system. GTA 6 releases Nov. 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; physical editions include a code, not a disc.

• Legacy part ways with IGL Lux, linked to move to Luminosity

  Legacy have announced the departure of Brazilian in-game leader Lux. Multiple reports tie him to a transfer to Luminosity. The move has been reported but not yet officially confirmed.

• Kojima’s Xbox-exclusive OD reportedly safe amid Xbox studio cuts

  Hideo Kojima’s console-exclusive horror game OD is reportedly still in development and will be published by Xbox, according to IGN. The project remains at Kojima Productions and involves actors Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer and the late Udo Kier, with collaboration from Jordan Peele. No release date has been announced; the update arrives as Xbox undergoes reported studio changes and funding shifts.

• New Star Wars book uncovers four major secrets about Coruscant

  A new Star Wars book reveals four previously unreported facts about Coruscant. The planet is central to the prequel era — home to events like Anakin Skywalker's fall and Padmé Amidala's senate motion. The revelations add new detail to a world long described as the Jewel of the Core Worlds.