All Stories

9 stories

HoYoverseGacha GamesGame Updates

HoYoverse's Expanding Universe: New Updates, Releases & a Steam Debut

HoYoverse is firing on all cylinders in mid-2026, delivering a wave of major updates and new ventures across its flagship titles while also branching out into entirely new territory. Zenless Zone Zero kicked things off with its Version 2.8 Special Program reveal, announcing a fresh gameplay mechanic set to shake up team compositions — and, perhaps most notably, confirming the beloved action RPG is finally making its way to Steam, dramatically expanding its potential player base. Shortly after, Genshin Impact unveiled its Luna 7 update, a landmark moment for the game as it introduces the first-ever playable member of the Hexenzirkel, the enigmatic witch council, alongside a new chapter in the ongoing Sumeru storyline. Meanwhile, Honkai: Star Rail is gearing up for Version 4.3, titled "The Lethe Below the Living," which dives deeper into the mysterious World in Canvas and makes the fan-anticipated Mortenax Blade a playable character at long last.

Jun 24, 2026

EALayoffsArtificial Intelligence

EA Hits Third Wave of Layoffs in 2026 as Saudi Sale Looms & AI Praised Internally

Electronic Arts is once again making headlines for all the wrong reasons, announcing a third wave of layoffs in 2026 as the company hurtles toward a reported $55 billion leveraged buyout by Saudi Arabia. The latest round of cuts — affecting an unspecified number of staff — follows two previous waves of job losses earlier this year, painting a troubling picture of instability at one of the industry's biggest publishers. The timing has raised eyebrows across the games industry, with many questioning whether the restructuring is being driven by the impending acquisition rather than any genuine operational necessity.

Jun 24, 2026

Steam MachineValvePC Gaming

Steam Machine Launches at $1,049 — More Than Valve Ever Wanted to Charge

Valve's long-awaited Steam Machine has finally arrived, but it's coming in at a steeper price than anyone — including Valve itself — had hoped. The new living room PC console carries a $1,049 price tag, a significant jump from the $789 target the company had originally set, a figure that mirrored the launch price of the Steam Deck. According to a Valve engineer, the higher cost is a direct result of today's brutal hardware and component market, though the company maintains that the machine still represents "good value" for what buyers are getting. Valve has openly acknowledged the awkward position this puts budget-conscious fans in, admitting the final price was "more expensive" than it wanted.

Jun 24, 2026

Josh Hubi I just wished it was a hundred bucks cheaper. $999 perhaps?

Film & TV AdaptationsMicrosoftXbox

Sea of Thieves, Halo & Gears of War: Microsoft Bets Big on Gaming Adaptations

Microsoft is doubling down on turning its biggest Xbox franchises into Hollywood properties, with a flurry of announcements revealing that Sea of Thieves is being developed as a live-action movie, the long-gestating Gears of War film has reportedly landed an actual plot, and the company is actively exploring a revival of the Halo TV series. The triple-header signals a renewed and ambitious push by Microsoft to bring its gaming IP to the big and small screen, following the mixed reception that greeted the Paramount+ Halo series before its cancellation.

Jun 24, 2026

Warhammer 40K: Rogue TraderOwlcat GamesPC Gaming

Owlcat Pulls Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader Launcher After 19-Hour Community Revolt

Owlcat Games found itself in the crosshairs of its own fanbase this week after the studio introduced a brand-new launcher for Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader — only to yank it back less than a day later following a fierce wave of community backlash. The launcher went live on June 22nd, 2026, but within just 19 hours, mounting player complaints had grown loud enough to force the developer's hand, making the entire rollout one of the shortest-lived software launches in recent memory.

Jun 24, 2026

Diablo 4Blizzard EntertainmentSeason Updates

Diablo 4's Season of Death Awakening: Blizzard Reverses Mythic Nerf & Warlock Trial Incoming

Diablo 4's next seasonal chapter, Season of Death Awakening (Season 14), is shaping up to be a far more player-friendly launch than it initially appeared. Blizzard had stirred up considerable backlash after announcing changes that threatened to significantly weaken Mythic Unique items — the game's most coveted and powerful loot tier. After a swift and vocal community outcry, the developer reversed course, scrapping the controversial adjustments and leaving Mythics largely intact. The turnaround has dramatically improved the outlook for Season of Death Awakening, which is now set to kick off next week and will include a free trial of the newly introduced Warlock class, giving players a taste of the dark spellcaster before committing to a purchase.

Jun 24, 2026

MarathonBungiePvE

Marathon's Mid-Season 2 Update Adds Experimental PvE "Vault Breaker" Mode

Bungie is shaking up Marathon's second season with a highly anticipated mid-season update that introduces an experimental PvE mode called Vault Breaker, set to arrive in July. The new mode lets solo and duo runners tackle the Cryo Archive location without the pressure of player-versus-player combat, offering a more accessible path into the game's extraction shooter loop for those who've found the PvP side of things a tough nut to crack. It's a significant shift for a game that has, up to this point, leaned heavily into tense player encounters as its core tension driver. There's a notable twist to Vault Breaker that sets it apart from a straightforward PvE experience: players won't be able to extract with their loot. The mode is designed as a purely skill-based, endgame challenge where the reward is the run itself rather than the gear you accumulate — a design choice that will likely spark debate among the community. Despite the no-loot-extraction rule, the mode is being positioned as a meaningful addition for players who want to experience Marathon's world and gunplay on their own terms, free from the anxiety of enemy runners hunting them down.

Jun 24, 2026

Hideo KojimaODXbox

Kojima Called 'Crazy' for OD: Why Xbox Was the Only Publisher That Believed In It

Hideo Kojima has revealed that his mysterious horror project OD was rejected by major publishers before Xbox stepped in to back it — because, according to Kojima, nobody else could wrap their heads around what he was trying to make. Speaking publicly following the PC launch of Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Kojima disclosed that big companies called him "crazy" for pitching OD, describing the game as "something that no one has ever seen before." The enigmatic creator's track record of genre-defying experiences clearly wasn't enough to convince the wider industry to take a chance on his latest vision.

Jun 24, 2026

Grand Theft Auto 6Rockstar GamesGaming Industry

GTA 6 Pre-Orders, Pricing Fears, Scam Sites & Industry Casualties: The Full Roundup

Grand Theft Auto 6 is dominating the gaming conversation as pre-orders are set to go live on June 25th, 2026, ahead of a November release window. The biggest question on every player's mind is price — leaked figures have sent analysts scrambling, with some calling a high launch price "penny-wise and pound-foolish." While Rockstar has yet to officially confirm a number, industry experts suggest the leaked placeholders of anywhere between £80 and £100 are "possible and plausible," reflecting a broader industry shift toward higher price points for blockbuster releases. With Prime Day deals conveniently arriving just in time, retailers and hardware makers are clearly positioning themselves to ride the GTA 6 hype wave.

Jun 24, 2026