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• Horses' large bodies, flexible joints and many gaits make them costly to implement

  Horses are difficult to recreate in games because their size, flexible joints and many distinct gaits create heavy animation and simulation demands. Many developers simplify or treat horses purely as transportation to avoid that extra work. Games that invest in deeper horse systems turn mounts into unique, meaningful gameplay elements, improving player experience. The development cost explains why horses are often absent or heavily simplified in titles.

• PC Gamer issue: world-exclusive Onimusha hands-on, Top 100 mini-mag and A1 poster

  PC Gamer's latest issue features world‑exclusive hands‑on access to Capcom's Onimusha: Way of the Sword, with play sessions at Capcom's Osaka headquarters and interviews with seven key developers. The coverage describes the game's sword combat as visceral, kinetic and intense and presents it as a potential game‑of‑the‑year contender. The issue also includes a 32‑page Top 100 PC games mini‑mag and an exclusive A1 Onimusha poster, plus previews and reviews of other titles. The magazine is available in print and digital editions with listed US and UK prices.

• Halo co-creator criticizes Campaign Evolved art as game posts weak PS5 sales

  Halo: Campaign Evolved launched to generally positive reviews but underperformed commercially on PS5, where Black Ops 1 and 2 ports outsold it by a 16:1 margin. The launch was followed by multiple contractor role terminations and public criticism from a Halo co-creator over the game's art direction. Players have also expressed anger at mechanical and artistic changes, raising concerns about the franchise's direction and ongoing support.

• Twitch will train generative AI on livestreams and make participation opt-out

  Twitch announced it will start using livestream video and audio from its gaming and IRL platform to train generative AI models. The platform will enable this by default and give creators an opt-out option rather than requiring opt-in. Twitch justified the approach by saying "nobody would opt in," meaning creators' broadcasts will be used as training data unless they opt out.

• Elden Ring's dog enemies remain punishing even to veteran players

  Dogs in Elden Ring are described as among the most frustrating enemies and continue to threaten players despite hundreds of hours of play. A single small mistake in a dog fight frequently causes severe setbacks and lost runes. To pinpoint why, an experienced player fought every dog enemy unarmed, including Monstrous Dogs and the Red Wolf of Radagon.

• Elden Ring adapts global myths into FromSoftware's iconic skeleton enemies

  FromSoftware showcases refined enemy design in Elden Ring by adapting skeletons drawn from myths around the world. Skeletons have been staple adversaries since tabletop Dungeons & Dragons era created by Gary Gygax, and Elden Ring updates that lineage with varied visual and behavioral designs. The result shapes the game's tone by mixing humorous enemy moments with genuinely challenging encounters.

• Speculation mounts that FromSoftware will revive its 17‑entry Armored Core series

  Speculation is circulating that FromSoftware, maker of Elden Ring, is preparing a revival of its Armored Core mech franchise. The Armored Core series previously spanned 17 entries and is known for challenging, mech-based combat. Gaming writer Clayton Ashley published a primer on the series to bring new or returning players up to speed ahead of a potential Armored Core 6. A revival would return a long-running, dedicated mech franchise to the spotlight.

• New Elden Ring trailer reveals many small grotesque creatures

  A new Elden Ring trailer showcases numerous small, malformed humanoids and other strange monsters. Design comparisons to previous FromSoftware titles are used to predict the creatures’ likely identities and roles. Those predictions imply a broader set of enemy types and worldbuilding details that could affect player expectations and theories.

• Elden Ring turns frequent deaths into environmental jokes

  Elden Ring pairs punishing difficulty with deliberate environmental humor that treats player deaths as comic beats. FromSoftware frames the recurring "You Died" moment as a punchline, using the world and encounters to generate ironic or funny outcomes. That approach reframes failure as part of the game's tone, making challenge itself a storytelling device.

• NetEase grants free Legendary upgrade to Storm’s Sacred Skies skin in Marvel Rivals

  NetEase Games announced a free Legendary upgrade for Storm’s Sacred Skies summer skin in Marvel Rivals that adds new animations and visual effects. Storm originally received an Epic-tier Sacred Skies skin in the latest summer skin batch and was the only character left without a Legendary option. NetEase made the change on Aug. 13 following player backlash, giving users the higher-tier cosmetic at no extra cost.

• Stop Killing Games joins Dutch lawsuit accusing Sony of PlayStation Store monopoly

  Stop Killing Games, an initiative that opposes publishers shutting down game servers without offering alternatives, has joined a consumer-rights lawsuit filed in the Netherlands against Sony. The lawsuit alleges Sony monopolizes digital game sales on the PlayStation Store, challenging how players buy and access digital titles on PlayStation consoles. The group's involvement brings a player-rights advocacy perspective to a legal dispute over digital distribution practices in the Dutch market.

• Control Resonant: Standalone sequel turns Control into melee-focused action RPG

  Control Resonant is a standalone sequel to 2019’s Control that shifts the series from a third-person shooter to an action-adventure RPG emphasizing fast-paced melee combat similar to Devil May Cry. The game abandons the Oldest House setting for a sprawling, shape-shifting warped Manhattan. Narrative focus moves to Dylan Faden as the central protagonist while Jesse Faden remains a looming presence, marking a clear change in both gameplay and story direction for the franchise.

• Overwatch World Cup 2026 returns; group stage kicks off in Busan

  The Overwatch World Cup returns in 2026 after multiple years of downtime, with the main event's group stage beginning in Busan. Preparations for the event took place throughout the year. The tournament brings top national teams from around the world and coverage includes the schedule, participating teams, format, and standings.

• Dota 2: The International 2026 in Shanghai — 16 teams, Team Falcons defend Aegis

  The International 2026 gathers 16 top Dota 2 teams in Shanghai, China to compete for the Aegis of Champions. Seven teams earned direct invites and nine teams qualified through regional events. Defending champions Team Falcons are pursuing a title defense against a field that includes TEAM VISION (PARIVISION), Team Liquid, Team Spirit, Iron Wing and Aurora Gaming. The tournament will decide the next world champion of Dota 2.

• Saber CEO denies AI wrote Rideshare Stimulator story, attacks ex-writer Stella Sacco

  Stella Sacco posted that she was the lead writer on the upcoming driving sim Rideshare Stimulator and was fired in favor of ChatGPT; Saber Interactive says the claim is false and that the game's story was written entirely by people. Saber confirms it used generative AI in parts of development but had not yet disclosed that on the game's Steam page and plans to update the page once features are finalized. CEO Matt Karch called Sacco a confidentiality violator, said he did not know her until consulting an AI chatbot, and asserted she was replaced by another writer; he framed AI use as a consumer benefit for the lower-priced title.

• Combolands blends Balatro-style roguelike combos with Cities: Skylines placement

  Crux Games released Combolands as a Steam demo, a roguelike city-builder that combines Balatro’s combo-driven mechanics with strategic placement and tile management reminiscent of Cities: Skylines. The demo delivers an absorbing, satisfying play loop and avoids the superficial or unethical design choices used by some Balatro imitators. This hybrid design creates a distinct gameplay niche by pairing combo-based roguelike progression with spatial city-planning.

• Pokémon Go gives free maxed Mewtwo, moon background and Mega Y boost for 10th anniversary

  Niantic is gifting all players a free Mewtwo with maxed-out stats and a moon-themed capture background for Pokémon Go’s 10th anniversary. The gift package also includes a major boost toward Mega Mewtwo Y. The event follows a summer that introduced Mega Mewtwo X and Y and a Times Square raid where more than 1,500 Trainers defeated Mega Mewtwo Y. This matters because the high-stat Mewtwo and Mega boost speed up players’ competitive strength and Mega Evolution progress.

• Big Walk maps Wilsons Promontory with LIDAR; devs embrace friends focus, reject 'slop'

  Big Walk is a co-op-only online puzzle game from House House that centers on hanging out with friends while solving environmental puzzles. The development team based the game's island directly on Wilsons Promontory National Park in south‑east Victoria, using a LIDAR heightmap and populating it with native plants and the park's granite. Developers welcome the emphasis on social play but object to the pejorative 'slop' in the term 'friendslop', arguing the label understates how thoughtfully the games are made.

• Xbox players can try co-op RPG Sunderfolk for a limited time

  Xbox players can play the cooperative RPG Sunderfolk for a limited period. Tabletop role‑playing games typically require a group of willing players, a person to run the game, a working knowledge of many rules, and a night when everyone is free. Those scheduling and coordination demands help explain why a time-limited digital co‑op release is notable for players who struggle to organize physical sessions.

• Big Walk review: co-op island puzzle game that teaches non‑verbal teamwork

  Big Walk is a first-person, co-op-only puzzle game from developer House House and publisher Panic that emphasizes non-verbal communication between players. Teams explore a large island to solve environmental puzzles using emergent gestures—a single motion like wiggling both arms can convey multiple meanings. The reviewer played for roughly a dozen hours; the game launches August 4, 2026 for $20/£16 and is verified on Steam Deck. Its relaxed, exploration-first design removes explicit tutorial endpoints and directional prompts, making teamwork and communication the core gameplay loop.

• PBE assets point to Caps as LoL Hall of Legends inductee and Tristana skin

  A recent update to League of Legends' public test realm (PBE) exposed Hall of Legends assets referencing G2 Esports mid laner Rasmus “Caps” Winther and an Immortalized Legend Tristana skin. Riot Games has not officially confirmed the induction, but an official Hall of Legends announcement is scheduled for August 17, 2026. If confirmed, Caps would be the third inductee into the Hall of Legends and receive the themed Tristana skin.

• My Hero Academia creator Kohei Horikoshi publishes horror one-shot in Weekly Shonen Jump

  Kohei Horikoshi, the creator of best-selling My Hero Academia, released a new one-shot manga titled Quit Laughing, Shijima in the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Jump. The story is advertised as horror but reads as a supernatural adventure featuring teenage protagonists and unsettling creatures. The release marks Horikoshi’s return to original manga work and demonstrates his move into horror-adjacent material, though it does not reach the highest standards of manga horror.

• Warner Bros. Discovery Announces Hogwarts Legacy 2

  Warner Bros. Discovery has announced Hogwarts Legacy 2, a sequel to the 2022 open-world Harry Potter prequel. The original Hogwarts Legacy sold more than 22 million copies in its first year in the U.S., outselling 2022’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, and has reached over 40 million copies sold overall. The game’s high sales make the franchise a significant revenue driver for Warner Bros. Discovery and explain the company’s decision to greenlight a sequel.

• Take-Two withholds GTA 6 preorder numbers, calling demand 'unprecedented'

  Take-Two is not disclosing raw Grand Theft Auto 6 preorder figures because CEO Strauss Zelnick says the volume is unprecedented and could be misleading for forecasting. Zelnick said the preorder surge might represent a pull-forward of sales that would otherwise occur after launch, so established forecasting methods may not apply. GTA 6's next major milestone is a gameplay reveal to debut on Netflix on August 27 and then on Rockstar's YouTube channel six hours later; the game currently has no PC release date.

• Twitch is using streamer content to train Amazon AI models and defaults users in

  Twitch is using live-stream content to train generative AI models across Amazon and has left the training program turned on for all streamers by default. The rollout was revealed indirectly via a Twitch Support post and the platform's chief product officer said on a livestream, "If it was opt-in, nobody would opt in." Streamers can disable the feature by toggling "Training for Generative AI" in Security & Privacy, but the change has sparked strong community backlash. This matters because streamers' content is being harvested for corporate AI training unless they take action to opt out.

• Scan Grounded 2's pond jockey drop to unlock an underwater weapon

  Players must find and scan the pond jockey's single drop in Grounded 2 to progress underwater exploration. The pond jockey NPC itself is not notable and only provides one drop. Scanning that drop unlocks a new weapon built specifically for underwater combat, making underwater encounters easier.

• Helldivers 2 adds wretch and crusher enemies in Devoid of Liberty update

  Arrowhead Game Studios released the Devoid of Liberty update for Helldivers 2, adding two new Illuminate melee enemies — the wretch and the crusher — while the previously teased Cultist unit did not appear. The update centers on a void opening in Illuminate space and introduces designs clearly inspired by Dead Space (wretch) and Silent Hill (crusher). Wretches sprint faster than players unless their legs are shot, pivot to avoid line of sight and try to flank from behind; they are vulnerable to head and limb shots and are often countered with shotguns. Crushers are large, slow brutes that wield clubs, wear a protective helmet that must be removed to expose the head, and have no ranged attacks, shifting how players must manage close-quarters threats.

• Paris Gentle Mates target Chris 'Simp' Lehr — multi-time CDL champion and MVP

  Paris Gentle Mates have identified Chris "Simp" Lehr as their primary target ahead of the upcoming Call of Duty League season. Simp is a United States player with multiple league championships and multiple MVP awards. His signing would significantly strengthen Paris Gentle Mates' roster and could alter the CDL's competitive balance.

• Ira Parker is working with George R.R. Martin and outlined hopes for future seasons

  Ira Parker, showrunner of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is working directly with George R.R. Martin to develop future seasons. Parker discussed his hopes for those seasons and the show's creative direction. Martin's involvement keeps the original author's influence on the series' development.

• Wes Fenlon lists favorite games, gear and reads — urges playing Ace Combat 7

  PC Gamer writer Wes Fenlon published a permanent list of personal favorites spanning games, movies, gadgets, recipes and life tips. He recommends buying and playing 2019's Ace Combat 7—preferably on sale—and suggests it as a primer for Ace Combat 8. He endorses a Ceptics travel power adapter to avoid bulky all-in-one plugs and shares personal gaming details and curated PC Gamer reads.