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• STALKER 2 expansion 'Cost of Hope' and free 2.0 update arrive Aug. 20

  GSC Game World announced that STALKER 2’s first major expansion, Cost of Hope, will release on Aug. 20. The base game will receive a large, free 2.0 update on the same date. Both releases are planned to go live simultaneously.

• Colorfire ME26A cat-themed PC case: 435 mm GPU clearance, tool-less panels

  Colorfire's ME26A is a compact, cat-themed PC case with subtle feline styling and a tactile 'toe bean' power button. It supports microATX and Mini-ITX motherboards, standard ATX power supplies, and GPUs up to 435 mm. The case accommodates nine fans or a 360 mm top radiator and offers tool-less dust filters and side panels. Pricing and regional availability have not been announced.

• Framework 13 Pro: upgradeable 13-inch with Core Ultra performance

  The Framework 13 Pro pairs a Panther Lake-based Core Ultra Series 3 mainboard with the company’s modular, repairable chassis. It’s fully backward compatible with past Framework 13 parts and offers Marketplace-upgrade options. The laptop delivers near-silent operation, long battery life and strong gaming performance, but lacks a premium display option and is more expensive due to LPCAMM2 memory.

• Neo Frontier 2.0 returns with Western Vandal, Shorty skins and lasso melee

  Neo Frontier 2.0 returns to VALORANT as a new skin collection. It introduces Western-style skins for the Vandal and Shorty and adds a lasso melee. Price and release date have not been confirmed.

• Pokémon Company to test facial-recognition in stores to deter TCG resellers

  The Pokémon Company says it will introduce facial-recognition technology in stores as part of efforts to curb reseller activity around Pokémon Trading Card Game releases. The move responds to long lines, high secondary-market prices and recurring thefts tied to new product launches. The company frames the measure as one of several stricter steps to protect customers and its family-friendly image.

• Blade and Magik lead usage in Marvel Tōkon beta Vibranium matches

  The Marvel Tōkon open beta showed Blade and Magik as the most-picked characters in high-tier (Vibranium+) matches. Data collected by creator AlietteFaye after the first 24 hours ranks Iron Man, Magneto and Black Panther next. The beta suffered PlayStation Network outages and reported PC performance issues; the usage snapshot reflects a small, early sample and may not predict launch meta.

• Pokémon stores in Japan to use facial recognition to curb scalping

  Nintendo will roll out facial recognition and new entry rules at Pokémon stores in Japan to limit repeat visits and scalper purchases. The system enforces a one-entry-per-day rule and will deny entry if it detects the same person returning or using multiple entry tickets. Children under elementary school age (up to six) are exempt. Acceptance of the system is required for entry and biometric data will be deleted after a set period.

• Rockstar's Dan Houser and Lazlow Jones weigh in on physical games debate

  Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser and longtime writer Lazlow Jones commented on the ongoing debate over physical video game releases. Houser said, “If people want that, companies should provide it.” The comments were reported by Eurogamer.

• Miyamoto: Players less focused on console specs; Nintendo prioritises unique gameplay

  In a new Eurogamer interview, Nintendo veteran Shigeru Miyamoto said players care less about graphics and raw performance than in past console generations. He said Nintendo aims to deliver gameplay experiences that only the company can create. Miyamoto framed this as a shift in consumer priorities away from hardware specs.

• Vatican's Click To Pray app exposed 700,000+ user emails via insecure API

  Pope Francis promoted the Click To Pray app in 2019. A flaw in its API let anyone retrieve user records by incrementing numeric IDs, exposing names, emails and other personal details. White-hat researcher BobDaHacker publicly disclosed the issue on July 24 after earlier inquiries went unanswered. The vulnerability has since been fixed.

• Redditor rigs Steam Deck with spiky case, camera and taser to deter family

  A Steam Deck owner on Reddit built a DIY security system to stop family members from using their handheld. The setup uses a 3D‑printed spiky side case, a Raspberry Pi with an object‑detection camera and speaker, and a taser mounted above the device that triggers after an audio warning. The builder says it’s meant as a deterrent and an experiment, and notes the solution is cumbersome rather than a practical lock.

• Micron, Meta test LPDDR5X SOCAMM2 modules that use ~1/3 the power of DDR5

  Micron and Meta trialled SOCAMM2, a modular LPDDR5X server memory module, using Meta’s DCPerf benchmark. Tests found it uses about one-third the power of DDR5 and accounts for under 7% of total system power. LPDDR5X’s lower voltage and advanced signalling deliver better bandwidth-per-watt. Wider adoption may be constrained by existing memory supply issues and potential diversion of DDR5 production.

• 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.

• Pokemon Card Stores in Japan to Use Facial Scans to Curb Scalpers

  The Pokemon Company will require facial recognition for adult customers and children above a set age to enter official Pokemon Card Stores in Japan. Customers may only enter once per day; duplicate entries flagged by the system will be denied. Preschoolers can enter without a scan if accompanied by a guardian; the policy is aimed at reducing scalping and theft and currently applies only in Japan.

• HLTV Week 30: Counter-Strike short news roundup

  HLTV published its Week 30 Short News roundup for Counter-Strike. The piece compiles brief updates and developments from the scene. It’s presented in a bite-sized format for quick catch-up. Visit HLTV for the full notes.

• Player-collected data names surprise favourite from Marvel Tokon open beta

  Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls held a weekend open beta featuring Magik-al. A community member compiled character pick-rate data from the event. That dataset identified a surprising most-popular character among participants. The results reflect early player preferences from the beta test.

• 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.

• Malware found in user-made Meccha Chameleon Workshop maps; Discord hacked

  Some user-created Steam Workshop maps for indie hit Meccha Chameleon were reported to contain malware. The game's developer has responded to the report. The official Discord server was also hacked around the same time. Affected maps were available for download to any owner via the Steam Workshop.

• AI-generated GTA 6 clips rack up millions as fans wait for official trailer

  With GTA 6 scheduled for November, players are awaiting an official gameplay trailer. In the meantime, AI-generated and fake GTA 6 clips are going viral on social media, gathering millions of views. The trend underscores strong demand for official footage and the rise of AI content filling the gap.

• Xbox online services down, blocking play of digital and physical games

  Xbox's online services are currently down, preventing players from accessing both digital and physical games. The outage comes shortly after similar PlayStation Network issues last week. No further details were provided in the report.

• AM squad joins Nordic Partners Gaming

  Nordic Partners Gaming has signed the international AM squad. The team also recruited two new players to complete its lineup. These additions finalize the squad's roster.

• Stalker 2 expansion 'Cost of Hope' launches August 20

  Stalker 2's first major expansion, Cost of Hope, arrives August 20 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Players return as protagonist Skif, following a mysterious PDA signal as Duty and Freedom clash. GSC Game World says the expansion offers dozens of hours of new content and comes with a free Update 2.0 that includes a new Unreal Engine 5 version and other improvements.

• Stalker 2 gets Cost of Hope DLC and 2.0 UE5.5 update on August 20

  Stalker 2's first story expansion, Cost of Hope, arrives August 20. It's the first of two planned story DLCs and focuses on the Duty and Freedom factions. The launch coincides with update 2.0, which upgrades the game from Unreal Engine 5.1 to 5.5.4 and adds free features and content for all owners.

• Xbox Network experiencing widespread outages; engineers working on fixes

  Xbox Network is experiencing widespread outages affecting account and profile services, the store, games, and apps. Users report sign-in failures, disconnections, and missing storefront items. Xbox says engineers have identified the issues and are working on a solution but gave no ETA.

• Bethesda says The Elder Scrolls 6 development unaffected by Xbox layoffs

  Bethesda has stated that work on The Elder Scrolls 6 will not be impacted by recent Xbox layoffs. Microsoft announced 3,200 job cuts, about half of which have already occurred. Bethesda's comment aims to reassure fans after earlier reports suggested potential effects. The studio says the game's roadmap remains unchanged.

• Unlock Lord icon by maxing Hero Proficiency in Marvel Rivals

  Each character in Marvel Rivals has unique rewards unlocked by increasing Hero Proficiency. Champion is currently the highest Proficiency rank available. The Lord icon is a classic, sought-after reward shown during hero select.

• Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls — editions, pre-orders and launch date

  Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is available in three editions: Standard, Digital Deluxe and Ultimate. The game launches Aug. 6, 2026 for PS5 and PC. Pre-order bonuses are offered across all editions.

• 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.

• Marvel Rivals: 100+ achievements, rewards and costume customization

  Marvel Rivals features over 100 achievements to unlock, each offering rewards. The game includes a roster of more than 50 characters from across the multiverse. Some characters have alternate looks that can be changed using Costumes.

• Snap brings live Snapchat Lenses to Esports World Cup Paris arena screens

  Attendees at Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris can point their phones at arena video boards to interact with live Snapchat Lenses. Snap integrated its CamKit technology directly into venue screens, a first for the tournament and Snap's largest EWC activation to date. The partnership with the Esports Foundation covers the Paris event, which runs through August 23, 2026.