Following the recent announcement that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 would be getting a remake for console and PC in October 2026, Infinity Ward, the studio behind the remake, took to social media to reveal that "Every aspect of Modern Warfare 4 is anchored in the game's narrative," and that "every feature, every decision needs to feel authentic to what Modern Warfare is, and that includes cosmetics and collabs." The studio then went on to ask for player feedback regarding what they wanted to see in the new game, and many of the replies from gamers in the ensuing X thread had to do with cosmetics and skins, with some asking for filters to enable and disable skins and collaboration filters and others pleading with the studio to forego such collaborations entirely.

Shortly after the original post asking for community feedback, two separate official Call of Duty accounts confirmed that there would be no cosmetic collaborations that might ruin the game's immersion or conflict with the overall aesthetic. The Call of Duty Community Management (CallofDutyCM on X) account said, in response to someone challenging the original feedback post: "No Lady Gaga. No Omni-Man. No Teletubbies. No SpongeBob. Keep the receipts." Meanwhile, the official Call of Duty account responded to similar criticism with: "We got the feedback. No BS. This is all about staying true to Modern Warfare. No clowny skins for launch and seasons beyond." Fans are seemingly still sceptical, with many comments implying that the financial pressure of such collaborations would eventually see those skins return to the game, despite reassurances that these skins would not be included in the game at launch or in later seasons.

Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, an innovative tactical video game inspired by one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises of all time, will immerse you in a tense, ever-changing roguelite-style fight for their fleet's survival when the game launches May 11. Publisher Dotemu (Absolum, MARVEL Cosmic Invasion) and developer Alt Shift (Crying Suns) in collaboration with Universal Products & Experiences announced the launch date today, via an all-new gameplay trailer featuring a fresh look at the Cylons, Battlestar Galactica's iconic sentient robot antagonists and the fearsome force striving to hunt you down in Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes.

In Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, every decision matters as you manage your fleet in the shadow of relentless Cylon pursuit. Allocate your crew's time wisely between critical repairs, internal conflicts and exploration, where new resources, items, and survivors may tip the balance. But danger is never far—hidden Cylons and mounting crises threaten your fleet from within.

During today's Future Games Show Spring Showcase, developer and publisher Nordcurrent revealed Defender of the Crown: The Legend Returns. The beloved 1986 strategy experience is coming to PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, and will include three modes: Retro Mode, Classic Mode, and Kingdom Mode. An Amiga hallmark, the title has been rebuilt to bring the Saxon-Norman conflict to a new audience with modernized visuals, refined mechanics, and an ambitious expansion of its classic formula.

England is a land of chaos where the crown has been stolen, and the King is dead. Players must step into the boots of a Saxon lord to outmaneuver rival Normans, raise armies, and reclaim the throne. This remake preserves the design of the original, while updating the experience with cleaner systems and meaningful quality-of-life enhancements.

NACON and the Spiders studio are pleased to announce that the narrative RPG GreedFall: The Dying World is now available on PC (Steam), as well as for all owners of the digital Deluxe Edition on consoles. A new video also shows players everything they need to know in under two minutes. The title will be officially released on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S this Thursday, March 12.

The story of GreedFall: The Dying World takes place three years before the events of the first opus. The Old Continent of Gacane is in agony, ravaged by a mysterious disease and incessant conflicts. Torn from your native island of Teer Fradee and taken prisoner, you must navigate this world of rival factions to regain your freedom. Use cunning, diplomacy, or combat, explore vast lands, and forge alliances with companions who can become friends, lovers, or rivals. Your choices will shape the course of your adventure and seal the fate of two worlds.

Two Cakes Studio announced that Tactical Turn-based RPG Fight Life: Vanguard in a pixel-art dark fantasy world developed by StartImpulse, is coming on Steam April 10, 2026. In honor of this, the final playtest is launching with expanded content and invites players to participate. The playtest will be available until April 1, 2026.

This playtest will include the latest demo build, additional content, and a continuation of the story of the squad that accepted the challenge of a powerful Necromancer, offering 60-90 minutes of gameplay. This gives you enough time to master the combat system, experience the tactical depth, develop strategies around character abilities, and get genuinely invested in the story.

Over a week ago, GPD seemingly jumped the gun with their announcement of forthcoming official Bazzite support—specifically destined to roll out on their range-topping Win 5 handheld gaming PC. Within a day or two—following wider news coverage of GPD's bold declaration, issued via their own subreddit—Bazzite leadership and community managers stepped in. Currently, GPD's AMD Ryzen AI Max+ "Strix Halo" APU-powered gaming device can run the Fedora-based Linux distribution, albeit in an unofficial manner. User feedback—stretching back to last autumn—outlines system crashes, inconsistent delivery of game audio, control input problems, and more. In theory, a proper GPD + Bazzite Org collaboration would lead to a much more stable release of this well-regarded gaming OS.

The Bazzite team has vehemently refuted GPD's recent claim(s) over the past week, but in a fairly scattered manner across Discord, Reddit, and other community discussion hubs. As of yesterday, a definitive statement has been published by Kyle Gospodnetich. On Universal Blue, the Bazzite creator and maintainer stated: "recently, GPD made a statement that an 'official adaptation' of Bazzite is happening for the GPD Win 5, and that we (the Bazzite team) have received hardware from them. I want to make clear that not only have we not received hardware from them, (plus) we have (had) no recent contact with GPD, of any kind. A GPD representative appears to be directing their users to a Discord other than our own for support as well. The Bazzite Team will never ask you to go to a Discord server other than our own for support. Please exercise caution, whatever they're working on is entirely unofficial and out of our control, and will not be supported by us in any way. We ask (that) GPD cease using the Bazzite name, logos, or other intellectual property until this matter is resolved."

Behind the scenes the team here at Bungie has been incredibly hard at work on Marathon, our brand-new PvPvE extraction shooter—where the dark sci-fi world of Tau Ceti collides with tense survival FPS gameplay. In Marathon, players scavenge the lost colony of Tau Ceti IV as a bio-cybernetic Runner while surviving against hostile UESC security forces, rival Runners, and unpredictable environments to seek their fortune. Today's ViDoc shares a new look at Marathon's gameplay and immersive sci-fi setting. The team also explores updates since Alpha, like improved visual fidelity, proximity chat, solo play, and a new Runner shell: Rook.

On Tau Ceti, death is the first step
Your journey begins in the proving grounds of Perimeter, where you'll get your cybernetic legs under you and learn the basics of how to extract alive. Then, the anomaly-scarred Dire Marsh ups the ante and takes you to the remains of the human colony that's filled with more danger and bigger rewards. As you grow your vault and survival skills, you'll make your way to Outpost, the UESC's forward base of operations with patrols, locked rooms, and loot that will have you tempting fate at each turn.

Blue Dot Games have just unveiled the latest in their Developer Tapes series showcasing different aspects of '83, their upcoming 40v40 squad-based tactical first-person shooter set in an alternate 1983 where the Cold War escalated into an all-out conflict. This latest video offers an overview of its two core game modes: Frontlines and Assault. Both demand coordination, communication, and tactical play, but with very different objectives and rulesets.

'83 Developer Tapes #5 - Frontlines & Assault
Frontlines is a dynamic two-way mode where players fight to control a linear sequence of objectives stretching across the map. Each team has a fortified home base on opposite ends of the battlefield, operating as primary spawn points for infantry and vehicles. As each team pushes their territorial control forward in real-time, it affects where their squad leaders and commanders can deploy spawn points. Should one of these fall behind enemy lines, it will be removed. Each team starts with a fixed number of respawn tickets, though roles like Squad Leaders or Commanders cost additional tickets. Once a team runs out of tickets, they can no longer respawn.

Hi everyone. It's been a few months since our first dev log. We're balancing time between working on the game and sharing our progress. Today, we wanted to give you a look at the creative process with some key members of the development team who have shaped the game.

Creating a "Judas Simulator"
People often think our games start with the story, but we pretty much always start with a core design element. In BioShock, it was the Big Daddy and Little Sister bond. In Infinite, it was the companion character, Elizabeth. In Judas, it's the dynamic narrative. We asked ourselves, "How do we tell a fully realized story where the characters can respond in real time to even the smallest choices the player makes?" Figuring out how to do that on a systemic level took many years. Eventually, the pieces formed around our main character, Judas.

Just like its predecessor, Planet of Lana II's story is told in a made-up language, and without subtitles. We want players to think of the narrative as another puzzle to be solved and allow them their own interpretation of the characters, their relationships and motivations. But in this article, we thought it would be fun to invite Xbox Wire and other readers to learn a bit more about how Novo itself has changed since the first game, and what to expect ahead of landing on this beautiful, beleaguered planet this time around.

A Changing Planet
The first Planet of Lana followed 11-year-old Lana on a heartfelt rescue mission after her sister and village were taken by cold, mysterious machines. With her adorable companion Mui at her side, she crossed a world filled with danger and discovery to protect their beautiful planet, Novo. But what she uncovered was only the beginning of a far bigger story…

Welcome to the second week of November, which is another week with a couple of big releases. This week's major release might involve something fishy, but also colourful pew-pews and zombies. As for the rest of this week's new releases, we kick off with some Mars colonisation, followed by a psychic toddler and a very different take on the survival game genre that's very much family friendly. Next up is a much awaited Roman Empire strategy game and we end the week with an open world action-adventure RPG set in ancient China.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 / This week's major release / Friday 14 November
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite JSOC team on a covert mission to the sprawling Mediterranean city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won't just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts. Steam link

If you ever tried the infamous "Update and shut down" option in any Windows build, it often leads to a reboot instead to an actual shutdown. Now, Microsoft has finally fixed this issue starting with Windows 11 25H2 Build 26200.7019 (or 26100.7019 on 24H2). According to the Windows Latest, Microsoft has shipped this broken functionality way back with Windows 10, and has never fixed it since. However, the Windows teams working behind the update have finally managed to ship a working solution with a note stating in Windows 11 experiences that the new build: "Addressed underlying issue which can cause "Update and shutdown" to not actually shut down your PC after updating."

Microsoft has not disclosed the exact cause of the failure, but Windows Latest speculates it might be due to a race condition or an issue within the Windows Servicing Stack. When a user selects "Update and shut down," the operating system must complete two sequential tasks: applying all pending updates and then shutting down the computer. This process isn't straightforward because Windows needs to reboot into an offline servicing phase to replace locked system files, as indicated by the "working on updates" message. After this phase, the machine should power off, but instead, it returns to the login screen. The most likely explanation is that the Servicing Stack either fails to save or never receives the shutdown instruction, with the directive possibly getting lost during the reboot due to a timing conflict or interference from features like Fast Startup.

Indie game development studio Warborne Studios announces that Lords and Legions, a medieval fantasy battle game, is now available in Early Access on Steam. Lords and Legions is a medieval fantasy warfare game where strength, steel, and strategy determine survival. Players lead legendary heroes, command massive armies, and wage war across dynamic campaigns and large-scale battlefields, blending hero-driven combat with a living sandbox world.

In Campaign Mode, you begin as a lone hero with only a small purse of gold. Each victory brings resources to recruit soldiers and strengthen your army, but enemies grow increasingly powerful. Defeat forces you to rebuild, while Hardcore mode removes second chances entirely, making every choice carry the weight of survival.

Red Square Games S.A., an independent studio founded in 2020 by game industry veterans, proudly announces the upcoming release of: Twilight Imperium Digital, the official adaptation of the legendary 4X board game.

Twilight Imperium Digital brings the galaxy-spanning conflict and deep political intrigue of the classic board game to life like never before - streamlined for the digital space but retaining the depth, complexity, and iconic feel fans love. Whether forging alliances, launching full-scale invasions, or battling for control of Mecatol Rex, players will now be able to immerse themselves in the Twilight Imperium universe at any time, from anywhere.

Today, Electronic Arts Inc. and Battlefield Studios unveiled the reveal trailer for Battlefield 6, providing the world's first full look at the ultimate all-out warfare experience. The trailer offers a first look at Pax Armata, a Private Military Corporation bankrolled by former NATO states whose agenda threatens to throw the world into global conflict. This sets the scene for what players can expect on the battlefield - both in multiplayer and the return of the series' single player campaign.

In Battlefield 6, the series' incredible blend of visceral combat, epic warfare, and player freedom returns. Blow through walls and bring down buildings for a tactical advantage or take to the skies in white-knuckle dogfights. Take part in a war filled with tanks, fighter jets, and sweeping combat at a grand scale but remember: the deadliest weapon is your squad.

Welcome to the second week of June and boy is it a crowded week of big new releases after a week of mainly Switch 2 games. It's almost as if every game publisher out there decided that this is the week to release a new game and it all kicks off with a dusty game full of worms for this week's major release. First out in the regular line-up is a retro top down arcade game, followed by a futuristic third-person shooter, an MMORPG, a long time coming Korean ARPG and a sci-fi survival game. Make sure to check out the additional release this week as well.

Dune: Awakening / This week's major release / Tuesday 10 June
Dune: Awakening is an open world, multiplayer survival game on a massive scale. More than just survival, Dune: Awakening offers a large-scale, persistent and highly immersive world with social hubs bustling with other players, server-wide politics and intrigue, and a cinematic storyline that will leave you at the edge of your seat. The Fremen have vanished. Paul Atreides was never born. Lady Jessica obeyed the Bene Gesserit and gave birth to a girl. Duke Leto Atreides survived the assault on Arrakeen and is now locked in a brutal conflict with the Harkonnen over Arrakis and its precious spice. Steam link

Plunge into a chilling sci-fi horror experience deep beneath the Atlantic Ocean in Submersed 2: The Hive. Developed by Spanish studio Main Loop Videogames, this first-person action-horror adventure has surfaced on Xbox One and Xbox X|S Series (also available on PC/Steam, Switch and PlayStation platforms). In Submersed 2: The Hive, you are Celeste Brody, a woman who awakens in a strange and seemingly abandoned underwater facility. Stranded and surrounded by unimaginable dangers, Celeste must uncover the hidden secrets of the mysterious station and survive the threats lurking in the depths.

Celeste Brody facing some inhabitants of The Hive
In Submersed 2: The Hive, survival is a constant battle. You'll need to carefully manage your inventory, where every item, weapon, and bullet counts. With resources scarce and dangers lurking around every corner, making smart, strategic decisions is key to staying alive in the depths of the ocean.

What if survival meant facing the versions of yourself you never became? The version of you who chose family over going to college? The version of you who chased down your high school sweetheart and made her your wife or the version of you who lost her? In The Alters, the upcoming sci-fi game from 11 bit studios (makers of This War of Mine and Frostpunk), where survival has never been so personal, the path to salvation begins with a question as old as humanity: What if I had chosen differently? Revealed today as part of the 2025 Triple-I Initiative, 11 bit studios announced that The Alters will launch on June 13, 2025, arriving on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and day one on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.

Stranded on a hostile planet and racing against a deadly sunrise, Jan Dolski's only chance of survival is to create "alters"—alternate versions of himself shaped by roads not taken. Each Jan comes with unique skills, personalities, and memories tied to a different life choice. But they also come with conflict, doubt, and emotional baggage. Managing the mission means managing yourself—literally. Players must maintain a mobile base, make time-critical decisions, build relationships with their Alters, and confront the consequences of their own past lives.

Kaiserpunk, the highly-anticipated grand city-builder, from Overseer Games and co-published by Elda Entertainment, is now available on Steam for $29.99. Kaiserpunk challenges players to build thriving cities, maximize industrial power, and lead military campaigns across an alternate-history Interbellum Era (1918-1945). Combining large scale city-building, deep production chains, and global conquest, Kaiserpunk offers a unique blend of creativity and strategy. Players can shape their empire through military might or diplomacy—creating a city-state that will rise from the ashes of war and leave its mark on history.

"Kaiserpunk has been a journey of ambition and passion," said Danijel Mihokovic, game director on Kaiserpunk and co-founder of Overseer Games. "We set out to create a city-builder that not only lets you construct a metropolis but also challenges you to shape its destiny on a global scale. We're beyond excited to see players dive into the world and make history their own."

Hello everyone, we shared with you—earlier this month—that we wanted to tell you more about the status of our team and our future; so what better opportunity to do so as a celebration of Metro's 15th anniversary. In honor of the incredible 15 years of Metro, we've created a video to celebrate our journey throughout the tunnels of the metro system, made possible by our devoted community—always supporting us along the way. This is our thanks to you, the players.

Metro turns 15
The legacy and success of Metro over the past decade and a half is something we at 4A Games are incredibly proud of. It actually started 20 years ago when 4A Games was founded, and inspired by Dmitry Glukhovsky's then online novel, we began to work on our inaugural title of the same name, Metro 2033. Our partnership has continued, and he is working with us on our next Metro title, but more on that later. Many of the development team here at 4A Games have seen Metro evolve over the past 15 years. It is amazing to see the advancement from the pages of a novel, into a fully-realized game, through ever-improving sequels, and now into a global franchise with millions of players. We have loved being able to grow and foster an incredible community which has gone from strength to strength along with us. What we are achieving now was a far distant dream all those many years ago, and we are lucky to have so many dedicated, talented developers who are as passionate about the series as you, the players.

Overseer Games, an independent developer, announced a partnership with Elda Entertainment—a new publisher with a vision to deliver the world's best management games—to bring Kaiserpunk, a grand city builder, to players on March 21. Blending production-focused city building with the world conquest of strategy games, Kaiserpunk will be available on Steam for $29.99. Elda Entertainment is co-publishing the game alongside Overseer Games.

Set in an alternate Interbellum Era (1918-1945), Kaiserpunk challenges players to build their own city-state, fuel industrial expansion, and wage strategic warfare across land, sea, and air to forge an empire. With deep production chains, grand-scale city building, and global conquest at its core, Kaiserpunk blurs the lines between city management and global warfare.

The wait is finally over. Play Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii now, and embark on an over-the-top, modern-day pirate adventure with an ex-yakuza, now pirate captain and his crew. A new legend begins as you step into the steel toe boots of Goro Majima, a man who has lost his memory and reinvents himself as a pirate on the open sea.

PIRATE YAKUZA ADVENTURE AHOY!
Goro Majima, a notorious ex-yakuza suddenly finds himself shipwrecked on a remote island in the Pacific. Unable to remember even his own name, he sets sail in search of clues to his lost memories, accompanied by a boy named Noah who saved his life. Before long, they're caught up in a conflict between cutthroat criminals, modern-day pirates, and other scoundrels over a legendary treasure.

The wait is finally over. This is Yang Bing, as the creator of Lost Soul Aside, I couldn't be more excited to share some big news—our action RPG will officially launch on PlayStation 5 and PC on May 30, 2025! What started as a one-person dream (me, a computer, and endless late nights) has evolved into a sprawling adventure full of breathtaking visuals and adrenaline-pumping combat. Let me take you behind the scenes to explore the heart, soul, and sweat poured into this game. Whether you're here for the stylish combat or the gripping story, there's plenty to dive into. Let's get started!

A world that lives and breathes
Creating the world of Lost Soul Aside was like painting with imagination on a sci-fi fantasy canvas. You'll traverse landscapes that feel alive: sunlit plains, mysterious ancient ruins, and alternate dimensions that buzz with energy. This world isn't just eye candy—it's filled with secrets, monsters, and unpredictable events that keep you interested. But let's talk about what really defines the experience—combat.

Welcome to the last week of the month of November, which is a weak week for new game releases. The biggest release this week combines steampunk with magic in a fantasy world. This is followed by some sin slaying, some neon coloured blood, a Japanese inspired shop, a scary enigma and finally some parkour in an unexpected environment.

New Arc Line / This week's major release / Tuesday 26 November / Early Access
Take a stand in the eternal conflict between Arcane Magic and Steampunk Revolution and tip the uneasy balance between sorcery, elves, dwarves and mysterious monsters on one side and steampunk gadgets, zeppelins, and tesla guns on the other in this single-player, party-based, story-rich RPG. Steam link

Welcome to the middle of October and a slight shift in pace, as this coming week has multiple big releases, albeit no AAA launches. Our top pick for this week involves strapping yourself into a massive, walking machine of destruction in a franchise that kicked off all the way back in 1989. This is followed by some galaxy conquering, a friendly wolf and its human friend, you starting up human civilization on a new planet, a Roman style city builder, silence please and something unknown that's waking up.

MechWarrior 5: Clans / This week's major release / Thursday 17 October
In MechWarrior 5: Clans, players take on the role of a newly graduated pilot from the Smoke Jaguar cadet program, thrust into the heart of the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere during Operation Revival. This pivotal moment in the MechWarrior universe sees players leading a five-mech "Star" squad across numerous planets with diverse biomes, engaging in an expansive campaign filled with immersive gameplay and intricate combat encounters. Armed with customizable BattleMechs featuring cutting-edge technologies, players explore a wealth of tactical options and strategic possibilities. Steam link