The latest news from games, film, technology and digital culture. The stories that matter, without the noise.
Horizon Steel Frontiers is a new online action RPG being developed by NCSoft in partnership with PlayStation. The project brings to life Guerrilla Games’ original concept conceived during the development of Horizon Zero Dawn. Jan-Bart van Beek, the creator of the series’ original idea and the current head of PlayStation Studios Europe, responded to the...
Not every Dying Light concept reached release. The original Dying Light launched in 2015 and Dying Light 2: Stay Human arrived in 2022, but several intermediate ideas were explored — one of which would have represented a dramatic shift for the series’ fans. Between 2016 and 2017 Techland ran a series of experiments on Dying...
Bandai Namco is lining up a release-heavy 2026, highlighted by the return of the Code Vein franchise. The sequel is poised to fill the gap left by Dark Souls and Elden Ring while FromSoftware focuses on an exclusive for the Nintendo Switch 2. The new entry in this “vampiric soulslike” franchise appears confident and could...
An enthusiast set out to diversify the voice acting in Bethesda’s game. A new voice pack for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was released recently. The project’s author opted not to use AI tools for its production and instead enlisted professional voice actors. spdude explained that, while the original voice work is solid, he wanted...
Call of Duty has long been seen as one of the industry’s flagship franchises, but the series is currently going through serious trouble. The recently released Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was met with immediate criticism from players. The single-player campaign lacks a pause feature, the narrative increasingly feels like a poorly written fanfic,...
Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott believes the new offering could do more than unsettle the industry — it might redefine how people think about gaming. He stresses that success will depend on two crucial factors: price and genuine audience interest. Elliott reminds us that a significant share of Steam users still rely on older components...
The launch from Battlestate Games hit some bumps. The full 1.0 release of Escape from Tarkov arrived recently. Its rollout was far from flawless, and the hiccups drew the attention of developers from another extraction shooter. Observers noted that the team behind Arena Breakout Infinite seemed to be taking a playful dig at their industry...
Fans spoke up about the characters they liked most. Once again, a distinctive rivalry unfolded between the heroines of Final Fantasy VII. The results of a poll conducted by the Japanese gaming outlet DenFamico were recently released. Participants were asked: “Which game heroine did you most want to cheer for? (felt compelled to support)”. The...
Employ modern technologies throughout development. Anno 117: Pax Romana was released recently, and players are gradually exploring its content. Some users have voiced dissatisfaction upon discovering AI-generated artwork in the launch build. Developers noted on Steam that they make use of AI tools in their workflow, while stressing that “the final product reflects the work...
Reports circulated through the industry claiming that Ubisoft’s cancelled rival to Call of Duty had supposedly been preceded by work on a new Splinter Cell title. The account sounded serious and gave the impression that the publisher was intent on reproducing Call of Duty’s success at any cost. The outcome proved harsh for the company:...
