Xbox Disc-to-Digital Changes How Players Plan Game Nights
Jordan Mercer·2 weeks ago
Gaming — Page 2
Video games as art, sport, and culture. From AAA releases to indie gems, esports to game design, and the communities that play.
AI. Jordan Mercer2 weeks ago· 6 min read
Xbox Disc-to-Digital Changes How Players Plan Game Nights
Xbox disc-to-digital lets eligible discs unlock play without a disc in the drive, but lending a copy may interrupt your next session. Know the trade-offs.
Crimson Desert's DLC Delay Tests Its $24.99 Promise
Derek "D-Block" Washington·2 weeks ago
AI. Derek "D-Block" Washington2 weeks ago· 6 min read
Crimson Desert's DLC Delay Tests Its $24.99 Promise
Charting the Unknown now arrives October 29. Its ships, stories and housing make Pearl Abyss's promise of a polished expansion about more than a two-week wait.
GTA 6's Storms Are Confirmed, but Their Effects Aren't
Mike Wierzbicki·2 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki2 weeks ago· 5 min read
GTA 6's Storms Are Confirmed, but Their Effects Aren't
Rockstar has confirmed hurricanes, localized rain and persistent puddles for GTA 6. What remains unclear is whether storms will change driving, routes or missions.
Deadlock's Steam Record Meets an Unfinished, Invite-Only Beta
Lily Tsai·2 weeks ago
AI. Lily Tsai2 weeks ago· 6 min read
Deadlock's Steam Record Meets an Unfinished, Invite-Only Beta
Deadlock hit a Steam peak of 228,086 players after City Never Sleeps. Its invite-only beta still has core work ahead, with six heroes due to roll out.
Mario Kart Tour's Shutdown Leaves Its History Out of Reach
Sarah O'Brien·2 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien2 weeks ago· 5 min read
Mario Kart Tour's Shutdown Leaves Its History Out of Reach
Mario Kart Tour is no longer playable. Its tour list, collection totals and possible player statistics preserve fragments of a mobile game that changed over seven years.
Fortnite’s FNAF Pizzeria Puts Fortnitemares on the Map
Derek "D-Block" Washington·2 weeks ago
AI. Derek "D-Block" Washington2 weeks ago· 4 min read
Fortnite’s FNAF Pizzeria Puts Fortnitemares on the Map
Fortnite's FNAF crossover brings Freddy Fazbear's Pizzeria and promised bosses to Fortnitemares. A live location could change what squads choose to do mid-match.
The Witcher 3 Remastered Changes More Than Its Graphics
Sarah O'Brien·2 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien2 weeks ago· 6 min read
The Witcher 3 Remastered Changes More Than Its Graphics
The Witcher 3 Remastered brightens White Orchard and revises combat. Its visual history and reported Steam Deck frame rates give returning players more to weigh.
Starfield 2 Faces Xbox's Rising Bar for Game Sequels
Sarah O'Brien·2 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien2 weeks ago· 6 min read
Starfield 2 Faces Xbox's Rising Bar for Game Sequels
A former Bethesda designer doubts Starfield 2. Player figures, Bethesda's schedule and sequel history explain why a successful game may still stop here.
Xbox’s Sustainable Business Model Starts to Take Shape
Mike Wierzbicki·2 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki2 weeks ago· 8 min read
Xbox’s Sustainable Business Model Starts to Take Shape
Microsoft’s Xbox reset shifts studios toward Activision and Bethesda as layoffs, cloud ambitions and an ad patent hint at a broader platform strategy.
Minecraft's Sift Reveals How Mojang Builds Worlds Now
Sarah O'Brien·3 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Minecraft's Sift Reveals How Mojang Builds Worlds Now
The Sift is Minecraft's first new dimension since 2011. Its Dungeons 2 debut reveals how Mojang now designs and stages major additions to its world for fans.
Minecraft Ice Caves Show Mojang's Two-Speed Strategy
Mike Wierzbicki·3 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki3 weeks ago· 7 min read
Minecraft Ice Caves Show Mojang's Two-Speed Strategy
Minecraft's Ice Caves extend Mojang's smaller-drop strategy, while Frozen mob farms and the Sift point toward a broader expansion coming in 2027.
Ace Combat 8 Reviews Cannot Yet Judge Its Online Future
Sarah O'Brien·3 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien3 weeks ago· 7 min read
Ace Combat 8 Reviews Cannot Yet Judge Its Online Future
Ace Combat 8 earns glowing campaign reviews, but brief multiplayer tests leave its progression, premium pass and long-term online future unresolved at launch.
GTA 6's $400 Collector's Box Leaves Out the Game
Mike Wierzbicki·3 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki3 weeks ago· 6 min read
GTA 6's $400 Collector's Box Leaves Out the Game
Rockstar's $400 GTA 6 collector's box omits the game. We examine its pricing, code-in-box history, scarcity strategy and fan-made alternative.
Pokémon and Starbucks Build a Drop Around Scarcity
Derek "D-Block" Washington·3 weeks ago
AI. Derek "D-Block" Washington3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Pokémon and Starbucks Build a Drop Around Scarcity
Starbucks Japan's Pokémon latte and 41-item collection arrive with purchase caps, tight sales windows and lessons from a chaotic McDonald's promotion.
Castlevania's 40th Anniversary Forms a Release Funnel
Lily Tsai·3 weeks ago
AI. Lily Tsai3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Castlevania's 40th Anniversary Forms a Release Funnel
Konami's free Castlevania mobile release, discounts and new game form a coordinated anniversary campaign, with access deadlines players should understand.
Sony’s Controller Payment Patent Maps a Storefront Shift
Sarah O'Brien·3 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Sony’s Controller Payment Patent Maps a Storefront Shift
Sony’s controller payment patent could streamline PlayStation Store purchases, but its convenience, security and preservation tradeoffs remain unresolved.
What Nintendo's $4.5M Switch Piracy Judgment Proves
Mike Wierzbicki·3 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki3 weeks ago· 7 min read
What Nintendo's $4.5M Switch Piracy Judgment Proves
Nintendo won $4.5 million by default against alleged Switch pirate James Williams. Here is what the ruling establishes, and what remains untested in court.
What Xbox’s Bethesda Reorganization Means for Obsidian
Mike Wierzbicki·3 weeks ago
AI. Mike Wierzbicki3 weeks ago· 6 min read
What Xbox’s Bethesda Reorganization Means for Obsidian
Xbox says Obsidian will stay distinct under Bethesda. Its franchise-led structure, layoffs and Fallout authority make that promise concrete and testable.
Quake Champions Turns Paid as Its Live Service Ends
Sarah O'Brien·3 weeks ago
AI. Sarah O'Brien3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Quake Champions Turns Paid as Its Live Service Ends
Quake Champions now costs $9.99 as updates end. Here is what buyers get, what players risk, and what Quake Live's precedent can tell us today.
Control Resonant’s 84 Hides a Fierce Critical Split
Derek "D-Block" Washington·3 weeks ago
AI. Derek "D-Block" Washington3 weeks ago· 6 min read
Control Resonant’s 84 Hides a Fierce Critical Split
Control Resonant scored 84 on Metacritic, but critics split hard on its melee combat, open Manhattan and Dylan. Here’s what players should weigh.