Live Feed

Latest news

• Holland, Bernthal and Batalon sit down to discuss Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal and Jacob Batalon joined a joint interview to answer fan questions about Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The conversation, published by Polygon, brought three actors associated with the Spider-Man films into the Brand New Day discussion and gave fans direct commentary from cast members.

• Cretton used video games and wingsuit fliers to shape Spider-Man: Brand New Day

  Director Destin Daniel Cretton drew on video-game camera and movement techniques plus real wingsuit fliers to design Spider-Man: Brand New Day. He applied those influences to the film’s aerial action and how the hero moves through New York. The approach aims to deliver more dynamic, authentic-feeling action as Spider-Man returns to the screen.

• Lego’s Pokémon Smart Play sets launch August 1

  Lego will release its Pokémon Smart Play sets on August 1. A hands-on demo occurred ahead of the launch, giving early access to the physical sets. The line is branded 'Smart Play' and focuses on Pokémon characters, marking a new licensed product release from Lego.

• Cooper Tomlinson makes ill-advised wishes as Obsession nears streaming release

  Cooper Tomlinson, a star of the film Obsession, was asked to make wishes in a promotional segment ahead of the movie's streaming release. He made several wishes that proved ill-advised and did not go as planned. The exchange functions as light promotional content tied to the film becoming available to stream.

• Take-Two CEO: commercial cloud gaming within 3 years, could 10x audience

  During Take-Two's earnings call, CEO Strauss Zelnick said rising GPU and console costs make hardware access a problem and that the company expects low-latency commercial game streaming within three years. Zelnick said streaming will let devices that aren't traditional gaming machines become game-capable and estimates it could increase Take-Two's potential user base tenfold. He cautioned a larger audience would not automatically produce proportionate revenue because the company's most avid customers already own high-end hardware, but streaming creates new opportunities for broadly appealing titles including Rockstar games.

• THQ Nordic showcase reveals Let's Sing 2027, ABBA pack, Pinball FX updates, Reanimal DLC

  THQ Nordic released a 2026 showcase of trailers that highlighted niche and indie-focused releases across its studios. Announcements included Let's Sing 2027 with a 35-song tracklist featuring artists such as Ariana Grande and Chappell Roan, plus a 32-track ABBA pack due November 3 for the 50th anniversary of ‘Dancing Queen.’ Zen Studios' Pinball FX collection was showcased with licensed tables including Peanuts and Star Wars, and Reanimal will receive new DLC titled The Prisoner that adds new environments to the Little Nightmares–inspired game. Several showcased titles are already in early access or are released with ongoing post-launch plans, underscoring the publisher's focus on specialized genres and IPs.

• Eternal Fire upset by NADE in EWC Open Qualifier opener

  Eternal Fire were upset by NADE in their opening match at the EWC Open Qualifier, ending their day-one run. The Eternal Fire lineup included jottAAA in the match. The loss leaves Eternal Fire without a day-one win and complicates their route to qualify for the EWC.

• Big Walk patch boosts quiet mics but keeps short-range proximity chat

  Developer House House released a patch that raises volume for players with quiet microphone setups, making voices louder at close and medium distances. The update does not increase how far voices carry or add separate voice/background audio sliders, preserving the game's short-range proximity chat design. This matters because limited voice range is a deliberate puzzle mechanic that forces players to use radios, arm signals, notes and signs to coordinate.

• Take-Two CEO: AI will boost creativity, not replace staff; GTA 6 launch unchanged

  Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick told investors the company will use AI tools to enhance creative work but does not intend for AI to replace employees. He said AI is unlikely to materially reduce development costs while it could meaningfully improve game quality. Zelnick confirmed Grand Theft Auto 6 remains on track for a November 19 release on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S and that preorders are unprecedented, positioning the title to drive a very profitable fiscal year.

• Japan asks US to stop using Mario, Pokémon and other game imagery in official posts

  Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has asked the US government to stop using images and clips from Japanese videogame franchises in official social-media posts. US agencies and the White House used game footage and characters across 2025–2026 — examples include a DHS montage with Pokémon clips, a Customs and Border Patrol dancing Pikachu video, and a White House tweet using Wii Sports footage tied to strikes on Iran. The Pokémon Company said those uses were unauthorized and distanced itself from the political messaging, while DHS said it would not stop. Japan's complaint focuses on copyright infringement and potential damage to global brands such as Mario and Pokémon.

• Arctic Haze returns in Destiny 2 as a 720 RPM Solar auto with PvE scorch synergy

  The Monument of Triumph update reintroduced all Europa-era weapons to Destiny 2, including Arctic Haze. Arctic Haze is a 720 RPM Solar auto rifle whose perk combinations strongly complement subclass builds that apply scorch, making it especially effective in PvE. The weapon has distinct recommended god rolls for both PvE and PvP to optimize scorch application and overall performance.

• Spanish captain alex says CRUC1AL will leave after this event amid org talks

  Spanish captain alex said the team is in discussions with other organisations and that the uncertainty is affecting the squad mentally. He revealed this event will be the last the team competes with player CRUC1AL, confirming an immediate roster change. The announcement removes CRUC1AL from the team’s active lineup after the tournament.

• D.Mon introduced as Season 4 tank — MEKA pilot with shield and sword

  D.Mon debuts in Overwatch Season 4 as a new tank hero. She pilots a MEKA-class mech similar to D.Va's but equipped with a deployable shield and a sword for close combat. Her kit includes a primary weapon, a passive, Perks that alter playstyle, and an Ultimate, offering a distinct frontline option for teams.

• MLB The Show 26 adds 99-rated Tarik Skubal card after Dodgers trade

  Tarik Skubal, a two-time Cy Young winner, was traded from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the MLB trade deadline. MLB The Show 26 released a 99-rated Tarik Skubal Diamond Dynasty card as part of its New Threads Trade Deadline program, dropping around 12 PM PT / 3 PM ET, alongside other high-rated cards. The card underscores how Skubal's arrival further strengthens an already top-ranked Dodgers rotation while MLB negotiations over an expiring CBA and a proposed salary cap could affect future rosters and player movement.

• Magisk moves to IGL role, teams with TaZ to break veterans' long-standing habits

  Magisk is adjusting to his role as his team's in-game leader and is working with veteran TaZ to introduce a formal team structure. They are implementing routines designed to remove entrenched play habits among older teammates. The leadership and structural changes are intended to improve tactical decision-making and match consistency going forward.

• Take-Two CEO says discs are largely obsolete as company is 'well over 90% digital'

  Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told investors on an earnings call that the company already distributes more than 90% of its business digitally and called physical discs unnecessary for big titles. Take-Two will sell Grand Theft Auto 6 as a digital-only release, and Sony plans to end disc production in 2028, intensifying the shift away from retail boxes. This matters because the change affects retailers and collectors and leaves consumers with slow or limited internet facing practical barriers to buying large downloads.

• Take-Two CEO says Rockstar tribunal won't affect GTA 6 launch

  Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said he is "not in the least" concerned that negative publicity from an employment tribunal alleging union‑busting at Rockstar will affect the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6. Rockstar is a subsidiary of Take‑Two and GTA 6 is a highly anticipated entry in one of the industry's largest franchises. Zelnick stated the controversy will not change the game's expected release or its commercial prospects.

• D.Mon: Overwatch’s new sword-and-shield mech is a unified tank built for stability

  Blizzard will add D.Mon as a new tank hero in Overwatch Season 4 next week. D.Mon is a sword-and-shield mech who functions as a single entity in code rather than as separate hero states, which required doubling animations but makes the hero easier to fix and support. Her kit includes an energy sword and shield, a shoulder-mounted machine gun for ranged damage, a directional dash that uses limited fuel, and a charge that knocks enemies back. Her ultimate, Limit Break, is a large whirlwind sword slash.

• Mecha anime spans Gundam’s war realism to Evangelion’s existential style

  Mecha anime covers a wide range of approaches, from grounded military drama to surreal existentialism. Mobile Suit Gundam explores mass-produced military hardware and the consequences of war, Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann delivers a stylized coming-of-age shonen spectacle, Macross fuses fighter-jet mechs with pop music, and Neon Genesis Evangelion frames mecha through abstract, adolescent existential themes. A 33-year-old mecha sci-fi masterpiece anticipated a disturbing element that later influenced the genre, underscoring the lasting impact of earlier works on mecha storytelling.

• Overwatch unveils D.Mon, new MEKA Squad hero and former esports champ

  Blizzard released first gameplay for D.Mon, revealing her as Overwatch's newest hero. D.Mon is the second playable member of Korea’s MEKA Squad and, like D.Va, is a former esports champion who pilots a mech. Her addition expands Overwatch's roster of mech pilots and increases representation for Korea's MEKA unit.

• Firewatch leaving Xbox Game Pass on Aug. 15

  Firewatch, the 2016 narrative adventure from Campo Santo, will be removed from Xbox Game Pass on Aug. 15. The game takes roughly four to six hours to complete and earned five Game Awards nominations. Its short runtime and critical acclaim make it a high-priority play for subscribers before it leaves the service.

• Marvel Tōkon launch hit by low framerate, rollback, PSN login and Linux blocks

  Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls launched on Steam but is facing widespread technical problems that have driven a Mixed user rating. Steam reviews and community posts list low framerates, high CPU usage, rollback spikes in online play, a kernel‑level Easy Anti‑Cheat implementation that prevents Linux play, and a mandatory PlayStation Network login. These issues matter because fighting games require stable framerates and responsive netcode, and the problems are hurting player experience at release.

• Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 (2026) impresses on specs and battery but is hamstrung by high price

  The 2026 Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is a well-built 16-inch gaming laptop with a 240 Hz OLED screen, strong portability and excellent battery life, and it can beat the MSI Stealth 16 AI+ in some gaming benchmarks. However, flagship configurations are very expensive: a 64 GB DDR5 model with an RTX 5080 is listed at $4,800 and a 32 GB/1 TB variant at $4,400. A similarly equipped Razer Blade 16 with the same Intel Panther Lake chip and RTX 5080 is $400 cheaper, and ongoing memory shortages are keeping prices high. That price gap makes the G16 hard to recommend until it appears at lower sale prices.

• Eight teams, including BC.Game and BIG, advance to EWC open qualifier playoffs

  Eight teams secured spots in the EWC open qualifier playoffs after winning two quickfire series. BC.Game and BIG are among the first clubs to advance. Advancing puts these teams into the playoff bracket and moves them closer to qualifying for the event's main stage. These results conclude the opening phase and set the playoff matchups.

• Fields of Mistria: full fish list and how to catch every species

  A comprehensive guide compiles every fish in Fields of Mistria and explains how to catch them. It flags which species fulfill town residents' requests and which count toward the in-game museum. The guide consolidates locations, methods, and tips to reduce the difficulty of finding rare catches and to help players complete quests and collections.

• Take-Two: GTA 6 preorders helped drive $1.39B in quarterly revenue

  Take-Two Interactive recorded $1.39 billion in revenue for the fiscal quarter from April 1 to June 30, a total that includes the first five days of preorders for Grand Theft Auto 6. The parent company of Rockstar Games says GTA 6 preorders contributed substantially to the quarter’s receipts, alongside sales from other franchises. This shows strong early consumer demand ahead of GTA 6’s launch and bolsters Take-Two’s near-term financial position.

• Final Fantasy VII: Revelation to be showcased at Gamescom Opening Night Live on Aug. 25

  An extended look at Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will air during Gamescom Opening Night Live on Aug. 25. The segment offers another in-depth preview of the next Final Fantasy title. The showcase is scheduled to appear slightly ahead of a new GTA 6 trailer, placing it in a high-profile summer games slot.

• WoW Midnight’s first major patch raises world boss difficulty

  World of Warcraft’s Midnight expansion received its first major patch, which increases the difficulty and changes how world bosses behave. World bosses are high-level, non-instanced enemies that roam zones and commonly draw large groups of players whose fights fill the screen with particle effects. The change matters because it alters a long-standing open-world encounter type and will affect how players locate, coordinate on, and defeat these bosses.

• One character is quietly changing how Star Wars defines the Force

  A single character is prompting a subtle shift in Jedi canon that reframes how the Force is understood. Star Wars has spent 50 years with creators and fans offering multiple, conflicting explanations of the Force. That matters because the Force’s definition determines how Jedi and Sith behave, influences storytelling, and affects franchise continuity.

• Sam Neill to appear in live-action The Legend of Zelda film; Ganondorf casting revealed

  Sam Neill, who recently died, will appear in the upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda film, making it likely his final on-screen role. Producers have also announced the actor cast as Ganondorf, the franchise’s primary antagonist. These casting updates show the production is actively assembling its principal cast and will shape expectations for the Nintendo adaptation.