News
378 article(s)All the latest gaming news, announcements, updates and industry events.
Halo Studios: Contractors Out, Full-Time Staff Safe
Contractors at Halo Studios have lost their jobs in recent days. An internal Xbox source insists that no permanent employees were affected. The distinction may seem technical, but it reveals a widespread approach to workforce management in the industry—and a convenient one when headcount needs adjusting without triggering media alarm. What this says about the studio's actual state warrants closer examination.
Éric Baptizat Returns to Ubisoft to Lead Assassin's Creed
Three years after leaving Ubisoft to oversee the Dead Space remake at Electronic Arts, Éric Baptizat is back at the company where he directed AC Valhalla. This time, he's taking the helm of the entire Assassin's Creed franchise as brand Game Director. His return speaks volumes about Ubisoft's current state and the ambitions—or anxieties—surrounding the license.
Dead Cells at 8: The Strange Legacy of a Bordeaux Cooperative
On August 7, 2018, Motion Twin released Dead Cells in version 1.0 after a remarkable early access period. Eight years later, the Bordeaux roguelite remains a genre reference, cited alongside Hades and Risk of Rain 2 as a foundational pillar of a decade. But behind the finely-tuned game loop lies a question that has never truly been answered: how did a radically horizontal structure, without a project manager, produce one of the genre's most mechanically oppressive systems?
Ghost Recon Wildlands Returns with Surprise 2026 Update
Nine years after launch, Ghost Recon Wildlands is getting a free update with new content and visual improvements. At Ubisoft, which is pouring resources into Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, this move looks less like a planned comeback and more like a gesture to a loyal player base. The real question is what this concretely means for the game and what Ubisoft is actually trying to prove.
Halo Campaign Evolved: Layoffs Begin Before Launch Window Closes
Halo Studios has already cut contractor positions, including at least one producer who worked on the project since Halo Infinite. It's unsurprising in the Xbox ecosystem, but the speed of the move says something about how Microsoft manages headcount: ship the game, turn off the tap, never mind what's left to do.
Game Pass August 2026: Gears of War E-Day Beta Takes Center Stage
Xbox Game Pass's August 2026 lineup is headlined by the Gears of War: E-Day beta. But the timing is rocky: Xbox Series console prices just jumped in France, forcing a hard question about whether the subscription still delivers the value proposition it promises to gamers hesitant about hardware investment. Here's what this month really amounts to.
RTX 50 Blackwell: +30% Price Hike Slams PC Gaming Market
Nvidia's RTX 50 Series graphics cards, built on the Blackwell architecture, just hit consumers with price increases up to 30%. The RTX 5090 now exceeds $5,100 on certain Asian markets. This spike far outpaces typical industry inflation and raises a blunt question: who exactly is high-end PC gaming for in 2026?
Dave Bautista in Talks to Replace Ryan Hurst as Kratos in God of War Series
Ryan Hurst was set to play Kratos in Amazon's God of War series, but an injury forced him to exit the project. A replacement is already circulating: Dave Bautista, who broke through with Guardians of the Galaxy. This substitute casting raises serious questions about the adaptation's artistic direction and what Sony Pictures expects from this franchise on screen.
Batman & Robin PS1: 28 Years Later, the Disaster Endures
In 1997, Joel Schumacher delivered a Batman & Robin that became the poster child for superhero film catastrophe. A year later, Probe Entertainment and Acclaim doubled down with a PlayStation adaptation that never recovered from its reputation. Twenty-eight years on, the verdict is ruthless: this twin disaster remains the gold standard for synchronized failure between Hollywood and the video game industry.
Dawn of War IV: Necrons Enter the Arena, and Everything Changes
Relic Entertainment just unveiled a trailer dedicated to the Necrons in Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV. The mechanical faction returns to Kronus with its own gameplay mechanics and detailed unit architecture. This isn't a cosmetic showcase—it's a signal about the asymmetrical depth the studio intends to deliver. What Relic chooses to highlight first says a lot about its ambitions for the game.
God of War Series Recasts Atreus and Thrud for Season 2
The Amazon MGM Studios live-action God of War series is hitting turbulent waters. After Ryan Hurst's forced departure due to injury before season 2 filming even began, production has decided to recast the actors playing Atreus and Thrud as well. The stated goal: find older actors to reflect the characters' evolution. A double recast that raises questions about the project's stability and the adaptation's artistic coherence.
Age of Empires II DE: The Viking Sagas Brings Harald Hardrada to War
Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition heads north with The Viking Sagas, a new expansion centered on Harald Hardrada, Viking king and one of the 11th century's most turbulent historical figures. Three campaigns, three brand-new civilizations: after the South American arc, Microsoft Studios and World's Edge shift direction entirely. What this reveals about the Definitive Edition's support cadence is worth examining.