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PhasmophobiaGame UpdatesHorror Games

Phasmophobia's Quality of Life Update Arrives July 21 with 13 Willow Street Rework

Kinetic Games has confirmed that Phasmophobia's upcoming Quality of Life update will launch on July 21, 2026 across all platforms. The update brings a visual rework of the beloved 13 Willow Street map, which, like previous reworks, retains its original layout while receiving a full visual overhaul designed to give the location a distinct identity and atmosphere. The studio says it kept the familiar feel of those first steps inside the house intact, while making the space feel fresh enough to reward repeated playthroughs. Beyond the map, the update removes several animations introduced in the Player Character Update and adds new gameplay features aimed at improving the overall experience. To celebrate launch, Kinetic Games is running a Twitch Drops campaign from July 21 to July 28, letting players earn a Cool Cat ID Card and Badge by watching two hours of Phasmophobia streams, with an animated version exclusive to Kinetic Games Partner channels. A Sun Seeker ID Card and Badge set is also available by correctly identifying 50 ghosts on the new map's challenge.

Jul 14, 2026

Co-OpIndiePC

Dear Passengers Is a Chaotic Co-op Flight Sim Coming to PC in 2026

FLEXUS has announced Dear Passengers, a co-op party game in which players take on the roles of an airline crew tasked with getting passengers and cargo safely to their destination. One player pilots the plane while the rest handle cabin duties, serving food and drinks, keeping passengers calm, and managing whatever chaos breaks out mid-flight. The game is set to launch later in 2026 on PC via Steam. The core hook is a risk-reward system at the pre-flight stage, where players choose which passengers and cargo to bring aboard. Higher-paying loads tend to cause more trouble, ranging from unruly passengers and difficult cargo to turbulence and air pockets that send luggage flying around the cabin. Not every problem has a clean solution, and the game leans into that messiness as part of the fun. A Steam page is already live for wishlisting.

Jul 14, 2026

EA SportsMicrotransactionsCollege Football

EA Sports College Football 27 Removes Microtransactions After Player Backlash

Electronic Arts has reversed course on microtransactions in EA Sports College Football 27, removing them entirely following significant backlash from players and content creators. The decision marks a notable moment of accountability for the publisher, which has long faced scrutiny over its monetization practices across its sports game lineup.

Jul 14, 2026

Assassin's CreedUbisoftRemaster

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced's Censored Statues Divide Fan Base

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has stirred up controversy among fans after it was discovered that certain in-game statues have been visually censored compared to the original 2013 release. The changes, which appear to alter or obscure details on classical-style sculptures found throughout the game world, have sparked heated debate across social media and gaming communities.

Jul 14, 2026

layoffslabour rightsBuild a Rocket Boy

Build a Rocket Boy Workers Protest Lavish Fan Playtest Amid Mass Layoffs

Unionised former employees of MindsEye developer Build a Rocket Boy (BARB) staged a protest outside the studio's offices on July 13, 2026, after the company allegedly hosted an all-expenses-paid fan playtest event at the same time as widespread layoffs. The protest was organised by the IWGB (Independent Workers' Great Britain) union, whose members and supporters accused BARB of gross mistreatment, calling the extravagant event a direct insult to the workers who had recently lost their jobs. Signs and chants from the demonstration described the situation as "a kick in the teeth for the fired workers."

Jul 14, 2026

FPSRetro GamingPC Gaming

Agent 64: Spies Never Die, the Retro N64 FPS Homage, Launches in August

Agent 64: Spies Never Die, a retro-inspired love letter to Rare's beloved Nintendo 64 shooters GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, finally has a release date. The game is set to launch on PC in August 2026, giving fans of the classic N64 era a fresh dose of spy-flavored nostalgia. The announcement comes at a fitting time, as 2026 has already seen a modern take on the Bond formula with IO Interactive's 007 First Light earlier in the year.

Jul 14, 2026

Action RPGSoulslikeGame Freak

Game Freak's Beast of Reincarnation Is a Souls-Like Action RPG That Could Be Something Special

Game Freak, the studio best known for the Pokemon franchise, is gearing up to launch Beast of Reincarnation early in August 2026, and early hands-on impressions suggest the game could be a genuine breakthrough for the developer. Multiple outlets were given preview access, with at least one journalist playing through 90 minutes of content from the very beginning. The consensus so far is that the title is a combat-forward action RPG with clear Soulslike DNA, drawing notable comparisons to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice in its feel and rhythm.

Jul 14, 2026

Switch 2Octopath TravelerSquare Enix

Octopath Traveler I & II Coming to Switch 2 in October, No Upgrade Path

Square Enix has announced that both Octopath Traveler and Octopath Traveler II are heading to Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1, 2026, available digitally and physically worldwide. The releases coincide with the series' eighth anniversary, giving new and returning fans a chance to experience the beloved HD-2D RPGs on Nintendo's latest hardware.

Jul 14, 2026

Games Done QuickSNKSpeedrunning

Games Done Quick Cancels SNK-Sponsored Stream Over Saudi Ownership

Games Done Quick (GDQ) has canceled a sponsored stream with SNK following swift community backlash over the developer's majority ownership by Saudi Arabia's crown prince. The stream, which was set to celebrate SNK's catalog, including the Metal Slug franchise, was pulled partway through after community members raised alarms about the ethical implications of partnering with a Saudi-backed company. GDQ issued a public apology, describing the partnership as "an oversight we deeply regret" and citing human rights concerns as the core reason for the cancellation.

Jul 14, 2026

Call of DutyAnti-CheatPlayStation

Call of Duty: Black Ops PS4/PS5 Ports Plagued With Cheaters and Exploits

The newly released PS4 and PS5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops have run into serious trouble almost immediately after launch, with players and outlets alike declaring the multiplayer experience "unplayable" due to rampant cheating, hacking, and exploit abuse flooding lobbies. IGN reports that exploits have effectively consumed multiplayer matches, leaving legitimate players with little recourse and widespread frustration across the community.

Jul 14, 2026

PlayStationPhysical MediaDigital Distribution

Sony's Plan to Kill Physical Discs Sparks Backlash from Fans, Retailers, and Politicians

Sony has announced it will stop supporting physical game discs beginning in January 2028, a move that has ignited fierce opposition from consumers, retail groups, and politicians alike. Critics argue the decision prioritizes corporate convenience over player rights, with a viral "Save the Disc" campaign rapidly gaining momentum and applying mounting pressure on the company to reverse course. A prominent Los Angeles commentator broke down what he calls a deliberate "5-step plan" by PlayStation to shift gamers toward a fully digital ecosystem, warning that the endgame is $100 games that players will never truly own.

Jul 14, 2026

DRMDigital OwnershipAssassin's Creed

Black Flag Resynced's DRM Meltdown Reignites the "We Don't Own Games" Debate

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced landed in hot water over the weekend after a DRM failure rendered the game briefly unplayable for a significant number of players. The technical breakdown, which locked paying customers out of a title they had purchased, arrived at one of the worst possible moments, with anxieties around digital ownership already running high across the gaming community. For many, the incident served as a stark, real-world illustration of the risks that come with modern DRM-dependent digital storefronts. The backlash was swift and pointed. Players took to social media and forums to voice frustration, with the outage becoming a rallying point for longstanding arguments about what it truly means to "buy" a game in the digital age. Critics noted that a purely physical release, or even a DRM-free alternative, would have been immune to the kind of server-side hiccup that caused the weekend's disruptions. As digital libraries grow and publishers consolidate, incidents like this continue to fuel calls for stronger consumer protections around digital purchases.

Jul 14, 2026

Dragon's Dogma 2CapcomDLC

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Aims to Win Back Fans With 25+ Hours of New Content

Capcom has officially detailed Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, an expansion designed explicitly to rebuild trust with fans who were disappointed by the base game's controversies at launch. Producer Naoto Oyama confirmed the DLC will offer more than 25 hours of content, with players who tackle both the base game and the expansion set to receive what he calls "a substantial experience." The announcement comes alongside two major updates to the 2024 RPG, including notable changes to its fast travel system, a reversal that signals Capcom is listening closely to community feedback after years of criticism surrounding performance issues and microtransactions.

Jul 14, 2026

Kingdom HeartsD23Square Enix

Kingdom Hearts Gets a D23 "Deep Dive" Panel for Its 25th Anniversary

Disney's D23 fan event, set for August 2026 in California, is shaping up to be a landmark moment for the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Square Enix has confirmed a dedicated "deep dive" panel celebrating the series' 25th anniversary, and fans are already buzzing about the possibility of major Kingdom Hearts 4 updates. The original Kingdom Hearts launched in 2002 as a crossover between Disney and Final Fantasy, and the franchise has grown into one of Square Enix's most beloved RPG properties over the past two and a half decades.

Jul 14, 2026

Compulsion GamesXboxIndependent Studios

Compulsion Games Goes Independent, Opens Doors to Collaboration Partners

Just days after parting ways with Microsoft as part of Xbox's sweeping mass layoffs in July 2026, Montreal-based Compulsion Games has wasted no time facing the realities of independence. The studio, best known for developing South of Midnight and We Happy Few, announced it is actively seeking collaboration opportunities with studios and companies across the games and entertainment industry. Rather than shutting its doors, Compulsion successfully negotiated a buyback of its independence from Xbox Game Studios, keeping the team intact and positioning itself for a new chapter.

Jul 14, 2026

UbisoftLayoffsAssassin's Creed

Ubisoft Barcelona Devs Laid Off Despite Black Flag Resynced's Success

Developers at Ubisoft Barcelona who worked on Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced are facing layoffs, even as Ubisoft publicly celebrates the game's success. Staff at the studio have spoken out against the decision, with one developer capturing the sentiment bluntly: "We will never see the fruits of our labour, and the reward for our hard work will be the loss of our jobs." The situation has drawn widespread attention and criticism, given the stark contrast between the company's triumphant messaging around the title and the treatment of the team that helped build it.

Jul 14, 2026