Live Feed

Latest news

• Nightdive finds out‑of‑date Thief Dark Engine repo with 'E3 hack' comments

  Nightdive's team uncovered a very out‑of‑date version control repository for Looking Glass's Dark Engine while remastering Thief: The Dark Project. Engineer Josh Dowell said the repo contains developer comments and temporary fixes labeled as 'E3 hack' and 'Giant hack! Never replicate this! We must fix this before '98!', with some of those hacks persisting into Thief 2. The discovery explains oddities in the engine and highlights how rushed, team‑changed development produced technical feats in audio, AI and lighting that Nightdive must account for in the remaster.

• Kaiju No. 8: Five strongest characters and Kafka Hibino's hidden power

  A ranking identifies the five strongest characters in Naoya Matsumoto's Kaiju No. 8. The series is set in a Japan repeatedly struck by destructive kaiju and follows Kafka Hibino, whose body is hijacked by a parasite that grants him a humanoid kaiju form. Kafka conceals his condition and enlists in the Japanese Anti-Kaiju Defense Force to fulfill a childhood promise, shaping which fighters hold the most power and influence over the story's conflicts.

• Vapor World early access: AI-generated art triggers backlash despite 100,000 wishlists

  Vapor World: Over The Mind, a Soulslike Metroidvania from five-person Korean studio Alive Inc, launched early access on August 19 after a demo released in January 2025 and entered Steam with about 100,000 wishlists. Player attention shifted from the game's painterly visuals and parry-heavy combat to obvious generative-AI use in cutscenes and inconsistent character models, driving the game to a 'mostly negative' rating with 64 Steam reviews. The reaction matters because it cost a small indie significant launch goodwill and underscores how visible AI content can provoke strong community backlash even in markets with relatively low AI skepticism.

• Lanterns Episode 2 brings Sinestro and the Manhunters into a grounded Rushville mystery

  Episode 2 of HBO’s Lanterns introduces two major villains, Sinestro and the Manhunters, and closes on a cliffhanger. The show places Green Lantern in Rushville, Nebraska, and favors buddy-cop dynamics and a True Detective–style mystery rather than large-scale superhero action. Showrunner Chris Mundy and writer Vanessa Baden Kelly use the episode to deepen Green Lantern’s mythology, raising stakes for the series’ grounded approach.

• Justice League: War shows Batman removing Hal Jordan's ring strips Green Lantern powers

  In the 2014 animated film Justice League: War, Batman slips Hal Jordan’s ring off during their first meeting in Gotham’s sewers. The ring’s removal immediately erases Jordan’s green costume and powers, which return once the ring is summoned back to his hand. The scene takes place amid a Darkseid invasion that brings Superman, Wonder Woman, the Flash, Batman and Green Lantern together and highlights the ring-dependent limits of Green Lantern’s abilities.

• Broad vs. subtle comedy: Three Stooges' slapstick and British Office's cringe

  It's rare for a comedy outlet to master both subtle and broad humor. The Three Stooges exemplify unsubtle, violent physical comedy, while the original British The Office exemplifies subtle, cringe-based humor. This contrast explains why movies, sitcoms, comedy troupes, and individual comedians use very different techniques to get laughs.

• Marvel slows release pace and rethinks rollout after box-office hits and misses

  Marvel Studios is reshaping its release strategy after a mix of high-grossing successes and recent underperformers. Several recent MCU films failed to meet expectations while Deadpool & Wolverine and Spider-Man: Brand New Day each exceeded $1 billion at the box office. The studio has slowed the pace of new movie and TV show releases and is rethinking how it rolls out confirmed projects through 2029.

• Psychonauts 2 at five: Xbox funding finished the game; Double Fine is independent again

  Psychonauts 2 turns five years old this month. Microsoft funding allowed Double Fine to complete and release the game, but the studio later left Microsoft after internal Xbox decisions and brand mismanagement. Double Fine’s trajectory highlights a different, more creative approach to large-scale games that major platform holders have deprioritized, making the studio’s independence significant for the industry’s future.

• Coolio: Ancient loss drained energy, but I'm proud of our Paris run

  Hungarian coach Coolio said his team visibly ran out of energy after losing on the Counter-Strike map Ancient. He added he is "really proud" of what his players achieved in Paris. The remarks point to how a single map loss affected player morale during the Paris event.

• How to Fish sells 1M copies in two days; gun-and-gambling fishing sim goes viral

  How to Fish, a new indie friendslop title that combines fishing simulation with guns and gambling mechanics, sold over 1 million copies within two days of release. The game’s rapid sales underline continued player appetite for cooperative, physics-based party games. Its success follows a recent wave of viral friendslop hits built around quirky premises like golf, walking and ruthless capitalism.

• Gamescom 2026 set to be biggest year yet, opens with Opening Night Live

  Gamescom 2026 is shaping up as the largest edition yet and is being positioned as the summer’s main gaming expo after E3's demise. The event will open with the Opening Night Live showcase, which will feature new game reveals. Gamescom’s robust public component, unlike Summer Game Fest’s press-and-creator-only Play Days, gives fans broader access to demos and announcements.

• Randall Munroe's xkcd quote still resonates 18 years later

  A line from Randall Munroe’s webcomic xkcd remains vivid in a reader’s memory 18 years after it appeared. xkcd produces both silly strips like “Alternate Energy Revolution” — a mashup of War of the Worlds and Don Quixote — and extra-large comics that map the scale of time and space or dramatize climate-change impacts. The lasting recall of the quote underscores xkcd’s cultural impact, even as some readers feel they could engage more deeply with the series.

• AG.AL wins Esports World Cup 2026 Club Championship, takes $7M

  AG.AL International clinched the Esports World Cup 2026 Club Championship after Gwendal “Gwen” Duparc’s Trackmania victory pushed the organization past Team Falcons on the final day. AG.AL finished the seven-week competition with 5,300 points and a $7 million first-place prize. Team Falcons placed second and earned $5 million, denying Falcons a third straight Club Championship; Team Vitality finished third and received $4 million.

• Esports World Cup MVP donk says he and Spirit still have room to improve

  Donk won MVP honors as Team Spirit captured the Esports World Cup title, but he says he still sees many areas where his own play can improve. He also believes the team can make further gains despite the championship. The comments signal a focus on development from both Spirit and their standout player going forward.

• FUT meet Spirit in Esports World Cup best-of-five final in Paris

  FUT and Spirit faced off in the Esports World Cup grand final in Paris in a best-of-five series. The matchup was presented as a David-versus-Goliath clash, with FUT positioned as the underdog against Spirit. Live coverage tracked the maps and scoreline as the final unfolded, deciding the tournament champion.

• Russian star donk wins Esports World Cup MVP with 1.50 tournament rating

  donk, a Russian player, was named MVP of the Esports World Cup after posting a tournament rating of 1.50. The performance returns him to the top of the competitive scene and highlights his decisive individual impact on the event.

• ISO Nightshade close-range loadout for Modern Warfare 4 beta

  The ISO Nightshade SMG in the Modern Warfare 4 beta excels at close-to-mid-range thanks to a fast fire rate, strong mobility and controllable recoil. The recommended build fits FSS Crackdown muzzle, Demo STP-1 rear grip, GL-80 Milspec Stock, Schlager VisiV-5 laser and 9mm Parabellum Frangible ammo to boost handling and sustained-fire control. This setup favors aggressive play and objective modes by improving recoil management and aim recovery after sprinting.

• Spirit defeat FUT 3-1 to claim Esports World Cup

  Spirit defeated FUT 3-1 to win the Esports World Cup. The match was the teams' first meeting and featured three tightly contested maps before Spirit pulled away on Nuke to clinch the title.

• Streamer sues Twitch and Amazon in class action over AI training of streams

  A Twitch streamer filed a proposed class-action lawsuit naming Twitch and parent company Amazon, alleging his broadcasts and those of numerous other creators were used to train Amazon’s generative AI without consent or payment. The complaint seeks class status to represent other Twitch creators. The case challenges the platforms’ use of live-streamed content for commercial AI training and centers on creator consent and compensation.

• Bethesda artist: Microsoft-era brought yearly layoffs, union holds Save Our Devs rally

  Last week the Communications Workers of America and the Bethesda Game Studios OneBGS union held Save Our Devs rallies across the US, Canada and on Twitch to protest layoffs and demand fair first contracts at Microsoft-owned studios. Bethesda artist Alex Nguyen says layoffs began occurring yearly after Microsoft’s acquisition, eroding institutional knowledge and morale when small specialist teams are cut. Nguyen warned that repeated cuts prevent long-term support projects like Fallout 76 and Elder Scrolls Online from maturing into fan favorites. The comments come amid industry upheaval that included about 1,900 layoffs after Xbox’s acquisition of Blizzard and public statements from Xbox leadership about protecting creative teams.

• Final Fantasy X at 25: 'Suteki Da Ne' still defines its emotional core

  Final Fantasy X turned 25 and its soundtrack—especially the vocal piece 'Suteki Da Ne'—remains a defining element of the game. 'Suteki Da Ne' plays over the Macalania Woods scene where Yuna and Tidus share their first romantic kiss while Yuna struggles with her summoner duty that will cost her life. The score mixes rock ('Otherworld'), ethereal themes ('Besaid') and the melancholic 'To Zanarkand', a genre blend that appears again in later Final Fantasy titles like Final Fantasy 13-2.

• Newzoo: Epic's launcher overhaul promises faster store and tailored recommendations

  Epic Games has spent much of this year promising a launcher overhaul that includes a faster client, a redesigned storefront, tailored recommendations and quicker ways to browse. A Newzoo analyst warned the package might be "too little, too late." The overhaul targets core user experience and discovery features that directly affect player retention and the store’s competitive position.

• EverQuest Legends devs: new classes and races possible long-term, unlikely by Kunark

  Developers from Daybreak Games and Game Jawn discussed adding new classes and races for EverQuest Legends during a Twitch stream. Daybreak executive producer David Youssefi said another class is unlikely to appear with the upcoming Kunark expansion but would not be ruled out for the game's longer-term vision, a view echoed by Game Jawn CEO Eda Spause. Lead content designer Eric Wellman emphasized the decision depends on how much work is required and whether it’s worth that work. The change would expand playable options beyond the game's current roster and original kerran race in the multiclass ARPG remix.

• Ray Chase: 1,000 hours in Slay the Spire and a 'smell build' in KCD2

  Voice actor Ray Chase — who plays Cyclops in X‑Men '97 and voiced Noctis in Final Fantasy XV — has logged about 1,000 hours in Slay the Spire and is using a self-styled 'smell build' in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, equipping perfumes and a 'fancy boy' outfit in combat. Chase co-founded Sassy Chap Games, the studio behind 2025's Date Everything, which just received a major update and is being expanded into a new chapter currently in the pitching stage. He grew up on DOS shareware, is playing Deltarune Chapter 5, and is recording season four of X‑Men '97 after season two aired. His long playtime and simultaneous roles as performer and developer underline his active engagement across gaming and game production.

• Big Walk is a co-op puzzle-adventure that enforces proximity chat

  Big Walk is a multiplayer puzzle-adventure that supports up to 12 players but is most practical with three or four. The game forces use of its built-in proximity voice chat and controls when players are allowed to speak instead of letting teams use external apps. Limited in-game gestures and camera movements are the primary nonverbal tools, which led to a memorable miscommunication where an arm-flail used for both celebration and “no” required frantic camera-shaking to clarify. Those design choices directly shape how teams find and solve puzzles and create emergent social moments.

• Eternal Fire sign soulfly, make jottAAA permanent in double transfer from Aurora

  Eternal Fire completed a double transfer from Aurora, signing soulfly and converting jottAAA's loan into a permanent contract. Both players join Eternal Fire's active roster. The moves finalize roster changes for Eternal Fire and bring two former Aurora players into the team ahead of upcoming events.

• Team Spirit beat TEAM VISION 3-2 to win TI 2026; first organization with three Aegises

  Team Spirit defeated TEAM VISION 3-2 in a five-game grand final at the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai, China. The decisive Game 5 delivered Team Spirit their third Aegis of Champions. This victory makes Team Spirit the first organization in Dota 2 history to win The International three times, setting a new tournament record.

• Astarion-focused 6-hour Baldur's Gate 3 mod adds 4 endings and 6 companions

  A Dream of Silence ReVamped is a fan-made, six-hour Baldur's Gate 3 mini-campaign that places players inside Astarion's mind as they fight a Bastellus nightmare. The three-act mod was assembled from acts released over the past year, includes four distinct endings and six new companion characters, and is built by modder lizardphunk from a text game by Abigail Corfman. The mod introduces varied act structures—Act One is dialogue-heavy, Act Two adds new mechanics and combat—and is downloadable on Nexus Mods. It demonstrates what Baldur's Gate 3's modding tools can do at a time when the developer is not expanding the game further.

• Gunstoppable is a fast, head‑empty action roguelike with grappling and dual‑wielding

  Gunstoppable is an action roguelike that emphasizes high‑speed mobility and combat—players grapple, slide, and wall‑run through maps while killing robots. The protagonist fights to save their family and topple a billionaire CEO who turned them into a killing machine, with Gabriel’s voice actor providing voice work. Combat supports dual‑wielding (rifles, knives, rocket launchers) and randomized weapon upgrades, offering a muscle‑memory, adrenaline‑focused alternative for players who enjoyed Ultrakill.

• Legacy overcome map concession to beat FURIA for EWC third place

  Legacy defeated FURIA to secure third place at the EWC. Legacy conceded their own map pick during the match but recovered to win the deciding series. The result leaves FURIA in fourth and gives Legacy a podium finish at the event.