Teach a man to fish (with guns)

Hey readers,

In a fun twist, there’s a new “friendslop” game that topped the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta on the Steam charts. How to Fish is… an unconventional fishing game, let’s call it. How so, you ask? You can punch, shoot, or blow up the fish. With low-fidelity graphics, multiplayer, and a low price below $10, it’s no wonder that How to Fish has already sold over a million copies.

We’re in the middle of Gamescom, so let’s get to it.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. The GTA 6 leaker(s) remains at large

2. A whole lotta game trailers from Gamescom Opening Night Live

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Sony's live-service struggles, Riot cans 2XKO

   2. New Game Releases: An Aliens shooter and a new "bullet heaven" game

Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks show off violence, nudity

Image source: Rockstar Games

Who needs Netflix when you have suspicious memecoin hockersh?

A person (or persons) known as Cyberleek continues to post gameplay clips of Grand Theft Auto 6, and Rockstar Games is keen to catch the leaker(s). As of last week, Rockstar reportedly still did not know the identity of the perpetrator, and the studio’s parent company Take-Two filed subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord for records related to the sharing of GTA 6 leaks (though as of Monday, Discord said it had not been served yet).

It’s all very dramatic, but at least one former Rockstar developer thinks that these leaks are inconsequential, calling it a “tiny blip” compared to older GTA-related scandals, such as the Hot Coffee mod in 2004’s San Andreas. It took until the 26th for Rockstar to make a public statement, which stated that the leaks were “heartbreaking for the developers. The statement also includes a reminder that an official “extended look” of GTA 6 will debut on Netflix this Thursday.

How shady are these leakers?

Whoever is running this Cyberleek operation is also using the opportunity to promote a crypto meme coin, claiming that Cyberleek is “raising funds for a secret project” and that “this is not a cash grab.” In other words: trust me, bro.

Cyberleek’s “manifesto,” shared in the form of “commandments,” demands that game publishers end digital pre-orders, stop paywalling content already included in game discs, and guarantee offline versions of online games. There are some overlaps with the Stop Killing Games consumer movement, but the organizers of Stop Killing Games have condemned Cyberleek and its methods, urging players to “not send these people your money.”

Yet, people totally are sending them money, with Cyberleek using paid polls to determine the content of subsequent gameplay leaks. Cyberleek is even charging a $165,000 fee for ad space on its leaks, which sounds like a really bad idea.

What have the leaks actually shown?

I won’t link to any actual leaked footage, but GameSpot has a comprehensive timeline of the leaks. The leaked clips show moments like co-protagonist Jason Duval shooting hoops outside his house, using a taser on security guards, flying planes and driving cars, and, in classic GTA fashion, visiting a strip club.

Later clips also showed some sort of nudist town, a very densely crowded beach, and a GameStop-like retail store. One clip had Jason shooting the word “LEEK” into a wall, implying that Cyberleek has a fully playable build of GTA 6.

Here’s what Gamescom Opening Night Live showed off

Let’s try to summarize Geoff Keighley’s two-hour extravaganza

The world’s largest gaming event—especially after the discontinuation of E3—is Gamescom, which was established in 2009 and takes place in Cologne, Germany every year. And since 2019, The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest founder Geoff Keighley has hosted a stage show for Gamescom, called Opening Night Live.

This year’s Opening Night Live lasted over two hours, ending with a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Revelation and a new DLC story for The Witcher 3. I’ll list as many tidbits of info that came from the show as I can, but keep in mind that there was a lot more.

A shortlist of trailers and announcements from Gamescom 2026 ONL

• Nodusfall comes from Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail makers Hoyoverse, but it definitely looks more like Elden Ring than Genshin.

• The new Rainbow Six title is a turn-based tactics game in the vein of XCOM.

• PUBG Ded.Net looks like an edgier and punkier version of traditional PUBG, and it somehow has roguelite elements.

• The Mass Effect-like RPG shooter Exodus now has a release date of April 7, 2027, and one of your companions is a hyperintelligent octopus named Salt, who pilots a mech suit.

• Warlock is an official Dungeons & Dragons video game, but unlike Baldur’s Gate 3, it has real-time action gameplay and apparently follows a more focused and linear story.

• 1,001 Threads of Mizan is based on the Arabian Nights folklore, and it allows up to three co-op players to fly magic carpets and team up for hack-and-slash action.

• The anticipated sequel Metro 2039 now has a February 2027 release window.

• In what might be part of his apparent quest to appear in as many video games as possible, Snoop Dogg is featured in an upcoming Hitman mission as a target.

• The popular roguelike/cat-breeding simulator Mewgenics is getting a console port with a September 8 release date.

• Showa American Story looks like an eccentric satirical action RPG, taking place in an alternate history where Japan has economically and culturally colonized the United States.

• Stage Tour is a return to Guitar Hero and Rock Band-like rhythm games, complete with plastic instrument peripherals.

• The team behind city-building game Cities: Skylines 2 are making Lego Skylines, which seems like an excellent idea.

• One of the more unique titles shown was There Are No Ghosts At The Grand, which stars Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd as a sentient power tool restoring a hotel by day and hunting ghosts at night. It’s also a musical!

• The Witcher 3 is getting a remaster, which is free for owners of the original game. As announced previously, The Witcher 3 is also getting a new DLC expansion called Songs of the Past, and it’ll release in 2027.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Blood Dungeon. Image source: Messhoff

Other news hits

• The upcoming multiplayer spinoff in PlayStation’s Horizon series is getting a retool, according to a report. Playtest feedback is said to have been negative, so studio Guerilla Games is apparently stripping the game of its live-service elements and turning it into a more “traditional” multiplayer co-op game with a story and smaller scope.

  • It’s yet another mishap in Sony’s flailing live-service game strategy, which many are blaming for the lack of major PlayStation titles in the past few years.

• Closed playtests for The Duskbloods by From Software occurred over the weekend, even though connection issues marred the first session. The remaining test sessions happened as planned, and From Software claims that the network test had more applicants than a similar test for its previous multiplayer game, Elden Ring Nightreign.

  • Fans are already gravitating toward the character of Zork, who’s just a weird guy.

• Riot Games is abandoning 2XKO, its fighting game spin-off of League of Legends. The title released at the beginning of this year but struggled to find an audience, with Riot laying off many of its developers mere weeks after the game’s launch.

• Following the liberation of studio Compulsion Games from Microsoft’s corporate clutches, former Xbox-owned studio Double Fine Productions confirmed that it too was now fully independent. To celebrate, Double Fine is launching a Kickstarter to fund a game jam, which will determine what the studio’s next title will be.

  • For those unfamiliar with the studio by name, Double Fine made classic titles including Psychonauts, Brutal Legend, and last year’s Keper. They also remastered LucasArts titles Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango.

Big new game releases include…

• Anyone itching for another soulslike can check out Mortal Shell 2 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), which emphasizes exploration through Zelda-like temples. Critics already agree that it’s a vast improvement from its 2021 predecessor.

• Fulfill your fantasy of being a space marine with Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). The third-person shooter will have you in squads of four, gunning down the iconic Xenomorphs seen in the Alien movies.

• From the creators of Nidhogg comes a new “bullet heaven” game called Blood Dungeon (PC, Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). Taking mechanics popularized by the likes of Vampire Survivors and applying them to a 2D dungeon-crawling space, this crude-looking game promises to be hella addicting.

• Out in early access is 1666: Amsterdam (PC), an action-adventure game from the creator of the Assassin’s Creed series. It’s a story about the occult, and a demo is already available to play, but reception to the demo was rather mixed. Good thing it’s in early access, then.

We’ll be back next week with more news for your casual consumption, as always.

Keep on Keighley-ing on,
Chris Compendio

A couple of PSAs

Hey, readers; I’m starting this week’s issue with a few gaming PSAs that may be of interest.

First, Pokémon players should note that the Pokémon Bank service for Nintendo 3DS is going offline on February 27, 2027. That means that starting on that date, you can no longer store your Pokémon from Gen 6 (X/Y, Alpha Sapphire/Omega Ruby) and Gen 7 (Sun/Moon) in online cloud storage, and you won’t be able to transfer them onto the Pokémon Home cloud storage on Nintendo Switch and mobile. If you have any old ‘mons going all the way back from the GBA days you want to get onto your modern games, you have until February.

And speaking of Pokémon, Krispy Kreme is doing a limited-time promotion with Pokémon-themed doughnuts, but don’t expect them to be easy to get!

Meanwhile, the award-winning South of Midnight from Compulsion Games now appears to be self-published on Steam, meaning that publishing rights have presumably been fully transferred from Microsoft and Xbox to the studio itself. That’s good news for anyone who was looking to play this title, which is heavily inspired by Deep South folklore, but didn’t want to pay Microsoft for it (and there are plenty of good reasons to not). This change in publisher doesn’t appear to be reflected in the listings for the PlayStation 5 or Switch 2 versions yet, however.

Finally, some developers fired from Grand Theft Auto studio Rockstar Games are urging people not to boycott GTA 6, but to instead support the unionized workers who were let go from the studio in their legal battle against Rockstar.

Onto our usual news digest, along with the return of our interactive feature!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Here's a hint about the Elder Scrolls 6 subtitle

2. Yes, Kingdom Hearts 4 is real and out next year

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Oxenfree studio gets shut down

   2. New Game Releases: Throwbacks to Star Fox and Jak & Daxter

4. Fill Me In On Early Access

Asha Sharma tries Elder Scrolls amid worker protest

NEW: CWA union members have inflated a giant rat and deployed a wall of red flags representing laid off Xbox workers outside the Bethesda office in Rockville.

The protest was timed to coincide with a visit from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who is apparently at the studio today.

— Chris Kerr (@kerrblimey.bsky.social)
4:22 PM • Aug 11, 2026

Do you think she noticed the giant rat outside Bethesda HQ?

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma visited Bethesda Game Studios, later teasing on social media that she had hands-on time with Bethesda’s elusive sixth Elder Scrolls game. Sharma referred to the game as “The Elder Scrolls VI: ********”—seemingly confirming that the unrevealed subtitle has eight letters. Fans are already speculating on the game’s title.

Sharma also added about the game: “The scale and grandeur are incredible. The story is even greater.” I mean, I sure hope they are, for how long it’s been taking.

Meanwhile, the Bethesda Game Studios Union (OneBGS) and others from the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union protested outside of Bethesda’s HQ to coincide with Sharma’s visit. The union members set up a giant inflatable rat, known to various union organizations as Scabby. Flags were also placed outside the office building, each representing a game worker laid off by Microsoft. Sharma, Microsoft, and Bethesda did not issue any statements or responses to the display.

Rallies from OneBGS and CWA continued across the U.S. and Canada this week.

Kingdom Hearts 4 has a Coco world and a late 2027 release window

Image source: Square Enix press center

Disney’s “billion dollar franchise” is having a moment

Kingdom Hearts fans are used to absurdly long waits for crumbs of information, but new trailers and other tidbits coming from Disney’s D23 expo felt like a feast. Disney mentioned Kingdom Hearts when discussing the corporation’s “billion-dollar franchises” in gaming, later showing off trailers for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts 4 and holding a deep dive panel about the series.

A brief trailer revealed that the beloved Pixar film Coco will be featured as a world in Kingdom Hearts 4—Disney followed it up the next day with an extended trailer, which showed off some gameplay with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. The trailers also confirmed that Square Enix will release Kingdom Hearts 4 sometime in late 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, and PC.

The panel itself was a special affair, with Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura making a surprise appearance, and Sora and Riku voice actors Haley Joel Osment and David Gallagher staging a live reading of the final scene from Kingdom Hearts 2.

Can we trust that “late 2027” window? Will KH4 get delayed?

With how so many big games get premature announcements and eventual delays, and as Kingdom Hearts 3 infamously took a long time to release, it was easy for cynical fans and observers to predict that KH4 wouldn’t make it in 2027. But the lead creatives of the game want to assure everyone that they’re committed to a release for next year.

Nomura (via an interpreter) directly addressed talk from fans that a delay would happen, saying: “I want to set the record straight: That is not happening.” KH4 co-director Tai Yasue backed up this claim, declaring: “I can confidently say and promise that it will launch in 2027.” He added: "Schedule-wise, the development is very smooth. It's not like an 80%, 90%—it's a 100% thing. We'll be there in 2027 for sure.”

Should Square Enix make good on those promises, it’ll be good news for PlayStation 5 owners who want a physical copy of Kingdom Hearts 4, as Sony is phasing out disc support for all titles released in 2028 and afterward. We’re cutting it a little close, perhaps.

What other Kingdom Hearts news is there?

There’s a Kingdom Hearts animated series in the works for Disney Channel and Disney+, though there aren’t any other concrete details about it besides a piece of artwork that came with the announcement.

Tangential to all of the D23 news, Fortnite’s next season is starting this week, and it’ll feature characters from numerous video game franchises, including Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, and yes, Kingdom Hearts. If you’ve ever wanted to see Sora wield an assault rifle, Fortnite is the place to go.

Replay: What else happened?

An image from Duskfade. Image source: PlayStation Blog

Other news hits

• Actress Hayden Panettiere suddenly passed away at the age of 36. Best known for starring in the TV shows Heroes and Nashville, Panettiere’s video game work included voicing Kairi in Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 and playing Sam in Until Dawn.

  • IGN compiled a portion of the widespread tributes pouring in from former co-stars and fans.

• After the trailer for a game called Rideshare Stimulator was released, narrative designer Stella Sacco claimed on social media that she was the writer for the game before being fired by publisher Saber Interactive and replaced with ChatGPT “midway through development.”

  • Saber’s CEO released a flippant response, opening with: “Stella who? I had to ask Claude because I have never spoken to her or seen her.” He later apologized for his remarks.

• The PlayStation 5 hit game Ghost of Yotei is getting a full expansion, featuring a new story called Echoes of Sekigahara and even a roguelike mode called Most Wanted. It’s out on October 1 and comes with a "Complete Edition” of the game, but you can get the expansion for $15 if you already own the base game.

• Netflix has shut down two game studios, including Oxenfree developer Night School Studio. Founded in 2014, Night School was acquired by Netflix in 2021 as the streaming company looked to expand its gaming offerings. The studio released Oxenfree 2 in 2023 and had just launched an interactive horror game called Unhinged, which stars Zoe Kravitz and Sadie Sink.

• Roblox has long been a concern for parents, legislators, and really anyone paying attention to the platform due to child safety and monetization practices. A number of U.S. states have targeted Roblox for such reasons with class-action lawsuits, but Roblox is now under investigation by the U.S. Senate.

• Weeks before the planned “extended look” for Grand Theft Auto 6, apparent footage of the game, along with the game’s map, seems to have been leaked by a group called “Cyberleek.”

  • The group, which states it is “fighting for gamers’ rights” (lol), has a website with a list of demands (or “commandments” (also lol)) aimed toward major game companies, but it’s shadily prompting people to support a crypto meme coin. 

  • Rockstar Games has been issuing takedown notices for uploads of this footage, which seems to imply that the leaks are legit.

Big new game releases include…

• Like clockwork, EA’s annual football franchise is back with Madden NFL 27 (Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). The biggest addition this year is the Persona Engine, which has nothing to do with the RPG series of the same name, but rather a feature that gives players in Franchise Mode their own distinct personalities.

• Designed as a tribute to PS2-era action games, Duskfade (Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) lovingly throws back to titles including Jak & Daxter and Kingdom Hearts with its platforming, real-time combat, and imaginative setting. Critics certainly found flaws in the game, but admitted that it was quite charming.

• If you don’t have a Switch 2 to enjoy the new Star Fox game, then Wild Blue Skies (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) might scratch the itch. This indie game with anthropomorphic characters piloting spacecraft very obviously pays homage to Nintendo’s flight combat series, though critics might think the game is too close to the source of inspiration.

Fill Me In On Early Access

The phrase “Early Access” is increasingly becoming meaningless

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

A self-described “anonymous gamer without honor” wrote in this week with a question that most people who have played a modern video game have likely asked at some point:

It’s a difficult question to answer, because so many game makers have been using the term “early access” for whatever purpose suits them.

Very generally, the term “early access” is used by developers who release and sell a build of their game that isn’t necessarily “complete.” A release like this could be labeled as a beta version, which was famously the case for Minecraft—it released as a public beta in 2009 before a final 1.0 release in 2011. But these days, the early access label is thrown around more often.

Take Fortnite, probably the biggest example of an “early access” game. Fortnite’s initial PvE mode, now known as “Save the World” mode, released in the summer of 2017 in an early access form, but it was a game you could buy and play for several years afterward, until its “full release” in 2020. The same went for its more popular battle royale mode, which was in early access during the same years-long period. But even while in early access, Fortnite Battle Royale was a full game that you could play, with a shop and entire seasons of content.

What makes the early access designation more ridiculous is that these types of online games still go through constant updates and evolution in the months and years following the 1.0 release—so when is a live-service game like Fortnite truly “complete?”

More interesting cases are single-player-focused games that go into early access. Baldur’s Gate 3 and the two Hades games are prolific examples where being in early access benefited developers. Baldur’s Gate 3 released in early access in 2020, and it consisted of an unfinished version of the game’s first act, which was riddled with technical issues. But the revenue made from selling in early access helped to support the studio, and as we know, the game was highly acclaimed when it officially released in 2023.

The short answer to the question is keeping up with communications from the developers of that particular game, usually on the game’s Steam community hub (here’s what the Subnautica 2 one looks like, for example), official website, or social media pages. You’ll know that the game is “done” in the developers’ eyes when they finally put out some sort of “1.0.0” update, and all you’d be missing out on is the opportunity to try the game out early, and perhaps provide feedback that could impact the game’s “final” release.

The most you have to lose is wasting your time if the game simply isn’t there yet—maybe you might get a negative impression of the game that could impact whether you play the final release or not, or you can be one of the first players to get in on something that blows up later.

Thanks for joining us for a heavy news week. Just to issue a correction for last week’s issue, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has you form a team of four characters, not two—I must have conflated Marvel Tokon with Riot Games’ 2XKO. Apologies for the error, but know that you can build even more complex team compositions in that game!

May your heart be your guiding key,
Chris Compendio

Check out some other indie game websites

Hey readers,

Autofill is one of several independent newsletters, websites, and blogs featured in Warp Point, a directory “webring.” I recommend checking it out to find other cool written content about games! There are plenty of folks out there talking about niche topics and video game preservation, so Warp Point serves as a really helpful map to find them.

This week, we’ll go deeper on a news story we touched on last week before getting into some quick headlines and new game releases.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. EA's problematic new ownership

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Zelda movie casting, Sony gets sued

   2. New Game Releases: A capybara adventure and Pokopia DLC

EA is now owned by Saudi Arabia and Jared Kushner

The giant publisher no longer answers to shareholders

Electronic Arts (EA), the company behind Madden, Battlefield, The Sims, and many other franchises that you’re surely familiar with, announced that the $55 billion leveraged buyout of the publisher by an alliance of three business entities is complete as of last week. The company has been delisted from the stock exchange as it turns into a private company, and it takes on $18 billion in debt.

The consortium that now owns EA is made up of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a private equity firm called Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s investment firm Affinity Partners. PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners now reportedly own 93.4%, 5.5%, and 1.1% of EA, respectively. Before the buyout, PIF already had a 10% stake in EA. It’s the second-largest gaming-related acquisition, only below Microsoft’s $75 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard.

Announced back in September, the acquisition of EA has understandably raised major concerns due to the Saudi Arabian government’s human rights violations and restrictions on civil liberties for its citizens. The Saudi government has been accused of “sportswashing” its reputation with investments and acquisitions in mainstream sports and entertainment institutions, including the establishment of a new golf tour and the infamous Riyadh Comedy Festival.

In the video gaming sphere, Saudi Arabia’s government or other connected entities (particularly Savvy Games Group) made numerous investments or acquisitions, including Pokémon Go owner Scopely, publisher SNK, and the Esports World Cup. It even has smaller stakes in Nintendo, Capcom, and Take-Two.

Will this change in ownership lead to layoffs?

While it wasn’t explicitly said by EA that layoffs will occur, journalists have read between the lines and concluded that job losses are inevitable. According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier, EA told debt investors that it’ll cut “$700 million in annual costs,” a figure that includes $170 million in “organizational efficiencies.”

Of course, you can interpret that phrase in several ways, but none of the possibilities sound particularly good. Perhaps instead of (or alongside) layoffs, EA will sell off assets and entire studios. It’s hard not to be cynical and not assume that EA won’t be sold for parts after this acquisition.

How will this affect franchises like The Sims and Mass Effect?

There’s no official word or concrete evidence that anything will change for EA’s biggest properties under new ownership, but that hasn’t stopped fans from worrying. Franchises like The Sims are known for their inclusivity of different identities, and although creators and players are concerned that such values would be struck out by new management, an official blog post from Sims developers promised that no such changes would occur.

“Our Sims team’s creative control, guided by our values of inclusivity, choice, creativity, community, and play, has not changed,” Sims developers wrote. “These values inspire the decisions we make each and every day as we plan for today, tomorrow, and the future.”

Meanwhile, Trick Weekes, who was a writer for BioWare’s Dragon Age and Mass Effect from 2005 to 2025, expressed their belief that such an ownership will result in “no gay stuff” for future EA titles.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Agent 64: Spies Never Die. Image source: Agent 64 press kit

Other news hits

• Devolver Digital’s latest move is similar to EA’s but with markedly different motivations. The irreverent indie game-focused publisher has gone private (after going public in 2021), saying that doing so would allow the company to focus on the business’s long-term health and “less on satisfying the requirements of the public market, which have nothing to do with being a successful game publisher.” Pretty sound reasoning from the outside.

• We’re finally getting another look at Grand Theft Auto 6, but bizarrely, it comes in the form of a Netflix-exclusive “extended look” premiering on August 27. It’s unclear if this is just a long trailer or if there will be any behind-the-scenes deep dives of Rockstar’s anticipated game, but some have been calling this marketing move “unbelievably scummy.” This extended look will be officially released on YouTube six hours after the Netflix debut, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it leaked online in between.

• It seems like everyone in the games industry is struggling, but Nintendo posted some pretty positive results. Despite a decrease in year-on-year sales, Nintendo reported a 150% increase in operating profits—largely due to about $300 million in tariff refunds it received from the U.S. government.

  • Nintendo also reports that around 38.5% of its game sales come from physical sales, in contrast to PlayStation's lower figures for physical games. Still, digital revenue is up for Nintendo.

• In an unpleasant reminder of PlayStation’s all-digital future, new PS5s appear to have warning labels about the platform’s abandonment of discs due to begin in January 2028.

  • Consumers in five countries are suing Sony for alleged anti-competitive concerns, with PlayStation’s scheduled shift to all-digital cited as a point for most of these lawsuits. The Stop Killing Games movement is joining one such legal effort in the Netherlands.

• Months after the release of its latest horror game, Until Dawn and The Quarry studio Supermassive Games let go “up to 75” employees. It’s the third round of layoffs for the studio since February 2024.

• According to reports, cast members in the live-action Zelda movie include Uli Latukefu (Young Rock) as Ganondorf and Dichen Lachman (Severance) as Impa. Reports also indicate that the late Sam Neill filmed a role for the film before his death, and Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck) will play a “queen” character; it could be a reasonable guess that Neill will play the king of Hyrule.

Big new game releases include…

• The hit lifesim Pokemon Pokopia (Switch 2) received its first DLC with Bubbly Basin, as part of the game’s Expansion Pass. Taking you into an underwater town, this update includes several Water-type Pokemon, along with new outfits and furniture.

• The latest title from the creators of Guilty Gear is the anime-inspired fighting game Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls (PC, PlayStation 5), which contains very striking reimaginings of characters like Iron Man, Captain America, and Spider-Man. Choose a pair of two characters to control in flashy fights, though do keep in mind that the PC version has been heavily criticized for technical issues at launch.

• Cozy game enthusiasts should check out Capy Castaway (PC, Mac), which centers on an adventure between a young capybara and a crow. Featuring two-player cooperative play, these two adorable creatures explore a mysterious island as part of a story inspired by a real-life zoo escape in Toronto.

• In a throwback to old console shooters like GoldenEye 007, Agent 64: Spies Never Die (PC) contains a 14-level campaign following secret agent John Walter. The polygonal art design and the added multiplayer modes definitely add to the retro nostalgia factor.

Thanks for joining us this week! Don’t forget to ask me any gaming questions through this form that you want answered in a future issue.

Bye for now,
Chris Compendio

A big week with a big review

Hey, readers!

This issue will be slightly different—its main focus will be a sort-of review of Big Walk, a new cooperative puzzle game. I’ve been playing it through a pre-release review code, and I have a lot of reasons for recommending it.

In the spirit of Autofill, I’ll start with a more informational and explanatory section before delving into my personal thoughts and experiences with the game. After the review, the issue will get into our usual news headlines and new game releases.

Enjoy!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Why I recommend getting Big Walk

   1. Big Walk FAQ

   2. Chris’s deeper dive impressions of Big Walk

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Xbox continues its spiral

   2. New Game Releases: Drive a truck for a buff elf girl

Big Walk should be your next big co-op experience

Image source: House House

Big Walk FAQ

What is Big Walk, and who made it?

Big Walk is a cooperative game for 2 to 12 players, and the gist is that you team up to solve puzzles around an open-world island. It comes from Australian studio House House, the makers of Untitled Goose Game, and publisher Panic.

What platforms is Big Walk on, and how much is it?

It’s available on PC, Mac, Switch 2, and PlayStation 5—I’ve personally been playing the Switch 2 version. It costs $19.99, but an introductory sale on Steam and Switch 2 has it at $14.99 until August 18. PlayStation Plus subscribers can claim the PS5 version at no extra cost until August 31.

What kind of puzzles do you solve in Big Walk?

I hesitate to describe any specific puzzles in the game, because doing so feels like spoiling the experience. But basically, you’ll be solving puzzles that require communication—not just through voice chat, but through non-verbal communication techniques like pointing and other gestures. In many scenarios, some players will have information that the other ones are lacking, and they’ll have to convey that info through creative means.

Puzzles can also involve timing, coordination, and motor skills in general. Teamwork is an absolute must in Big Walk. Think of some of the puzzles as team-building exercises or mini escape rooms. And for accessibility purposes, an option allows for puzzles to be skipped if need be. The game’s puzzles adjust depending on whether you have a two-player session, three-player session, or four- or more-player session.

Wait, is Big Walk a “friendslop” game?

Let’s set aside the fact that I loathe the “friendslop” moniker for games like Peak, Lethal Company, and Meccha Chameleon. While it has a few things in common with those games, Big Walk has a lot more in common with The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild than with Lethal Company.

Like some of the aforementioned games, Big Walk utilizes proximity chat, essentially meaning that you can only hear other players that are physically close to your character. Yes, the game centers on social interaction and has relatively simple character models, and yes, you can get up to silly things together. But I see “friendslop” as being associated with chaos, and Big Walk is a much more chill and wholesome time, from my experience.

The main reason I compare it to Breath of the Wild is that navigating the open world and the topography feels like its own macro puzzle. You’ll have to figure out your own routes and problem-solve to traverse hills, mountains, cliffs, and such. It’s somewhat comparable to Peak in that regard, but there’s no climbing functionality like in Peak or Breath of the Wild.

But unlike those games, Big Walk isn’t very punishing. There’s no health or stamina, and all you have to lose is time if you mess something up. There are also no emotes or anything of the like—just your base movement and gestures. But that’s still enough to get silly with it.

Image source: House House

Chris’s deeper dive impressions of Big Walk

I believe that we as video game players are naturally curious people, and Big Walk is specifically designed to satiate that sense of curiosity. When you start a session of Big Walk, you’re directed into a large room, ostensibly the “tutorial room.” But instead of holding your hand and guiding you through a linear path, it’s an open space, where you can look at the instructions (in wall poster form) at your leisure and in any order you’d like. There are doodads like cowbells and spherical lights to play with, and it becomes clear that this tutorial room is a microcosm of the larger world awaiting you.

Once you reach the great outdoors, it feels like the world is your oyster, and you can let your curiosity be your guide. As you traverse and run into puzzles and challenges, you realize that your character’s physical limitations—how much they can carry, for instance—and the nature of proximity chat are your largest obstacles.

You can point, raise your hands, crouch, sit down, jump, and even punt objects that you’re holding. And the game never tells you what these objects are or how they work; it’s up to you to experiment and play around with them. Your limited set of actions ultimately serves as your primary language, and as you get into puzzles that restrict your verbal communication or require you to convey information across long distances, you’ll have to start building your own languages and systems to interface with each other.

And that’s ultimately the source of the joy that I found in playing Big Walk. I’ve been playing with my fiancé, and it’s a marvel to watch us come up with our own shorthand on the spot, leading to those “aha!” moments of triumph once you feel like you’ve outsmarted a puzzle.

The one real-life challenge we’ve had is trying to comply with how Big Walk is designed to be played—because much of the game depends on players having limitations to their communications, you’re not supposed to be in the same room or Discord voice call while playing. As a result, we’ve come up with a set-up that has my fiancé in the living room and myself upstairs in the bedroom. A bit of a hassle, but worth it to get that pure experience.

We’ve gotten to the point where Big Walk really opens up. I’m told by various peers who have played the game all the way through that it took 15-16 hours to roll credits, and about 24 hours to see a true 100% ending. There’s still a good portion left for me to discover, but I’ve seen enough to know that I’m eager to get to the end.

Image source: House House

Any criticisms you have of Big Walk?

For some, Big Walk might be too big. It can get overwhelming when you realize how much there is to do on the island. I imagine that for many players, that volume of cooperative puzzle content is a big plus—but for others, that might be a complete turn-off.

Another mechanical gripe I have is how limited and heavy the jump function feels. Big Walk is certainly not a platformer, and I wouldn’t expect ascending rocky hills would be easy in real life. But some areas don’t really give you alternate traversal options, and several upward paths look correct but feel wrong as you struggle to jump onto stone steps, sometimes getting stuck between them and floating midair momentarily.

Finally, I can’t speak for the PC, Mac, or PS5 versions, but the Switch 2 version running at 30 FPS and with a massive amount of pop-in was disappointing. It’s not totally surprising, seeing how the game has a massive open world that has to render environments from far distances, but this might detract from the experience for some players.

Do you recommend Big Walk?

Hell yeah, I do. Big Walk reminds you of the purest essence of a video game: Play. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s the perfect sandbox to place people in and approach problems in the best ways that suit them. Big Walk allows you to create your own systems, routines, and languages, making for experiences that are wholly unique to you.

Big Walk is especially a wonderful way to connect with friends and family from long distances, and it lovingly recreates the experience of going on a little outdoor adventure together. Video games can make for stimulating and pleasant social interactions, believe it or not!

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! Image source: IGDB

Other news hits

• The acquisition of EA is due to close by the time of this publication. That means the publisher behind The Sims and Madden is now a privately owned company under a business alliance that includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners firm. The deal cost about $55 billion in total and gained regulatory approval despite heavy public scrutiny surrounding the Saudi Arabian government’s human rights violations.

• Microsoft’s latest financial results paint a particularly dire picture for Xbox, showing that revenue dropped for the Xbox division by $1.7 billion last year. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma made the ambitious prediction that the platform will “return to growth” by the end of the next fiscal year, which closes in June 2027. It’s also by that time that Xbox will have laid off at least 3,200 people.

• Speaking of Xbox, a report indicates that after beginning a backward compatibility program allowing original Xbox games to run on PC, Microsoft is planning to do the same with Xbox 360 games. According to a supposedly leaked memo, Microsoft will roll out 360 games on PC throughout 2027 and 2028.

• PlayStation owners haven’t relented in expressing their disdain for Sony’s planned phase-out of PlayStation discs, but don’t expect the company to back down. Despite “strong views” from consumers, Sony’s chief financial officer stated that the tech corporation doesn’t see “any negative impact” on its business as a result of the decision.

• Though Kingdom Hearts fans suspected that the box art in the upcoming game compilation was AI-generated (with supposed evidence including Donald Duck having too many fingers), Square Enix has denied that this is the case. According to the company, these were issues that “resulted from human error.” Whether you take Square’s word for it enough, it’s a head-scratcher that the original version of that art made it out in the first place.

• Palworld made its full debut last month, getting a version 1.0 update, but the monster-catching and crafting game is already getting a spin-off. Palworld Online will be an MMO for mobile devices, and it’ll take place in a new narrative setting. It’s coming out at a currently unspecified time later this year.

• Following the unfortunate news that the God of War TV series is recasting the role of Kratos due to actor Ryan Hurst’s on-set injury, reports indicate that Dave Bautista is in talks to replace Hurst as the show’s lead. It’s quite funny, seeing how Bautista has long been campaigning to star in a Gears of War adaptation.

Big new game releases include…

• Sometimes, a game’s title aptly describes its premise, and Truck-kun is Supporting Me from Another World?! (PC, Xbox) arguably does that. The latest from studio Strange Scaffold tackles the isekai genre by having you play as a truck driver who accidentally, uh, isekais (if you can use that as a verb) a businesswoman, who ends up becoming an elven warrior in a fantasy world. As the truck driver, you have to basically commit vehicular manslaughter to give this businesswoman/buff elf more monsters to fight in the fantasy world. It’s dark and hilarious.

• Pokemon studio Game Freak delved into different genres with Beast of Reincarnation (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), an action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic Japan. Protagonist Emma can manipulate plant life, and she’ll battle corrupt creatures alongside her trusty canine companion Koo. The visuals have been compared to Princess Mononoke, though critics are fairly mixed on how the game handles its Sekiro-like combat.

Thanks for reading, as always. Before wrapping up, I just wanted to point readers to this bundle of games on Itch.io supporting game workers who have been laid off. You can pay a minimum of $10 to get $127 indie video games, which is more than an excellent deal!

Happy August,
Chris Compendio

Our digital infrastructure is held by glue

It’s funny how it takes a Cloudflare or AWS outage to remind us en masse just how fragile our online infrastructure is. The gaming world had a couple of moments like this last week, and a stark reminder those were. Let’s get into our main story and contemplate how fleeting our digital “possessions” truly are.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. PlayStation and Xbox both went down at the worst times

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Atari is making movies, for some reason

   2. New Game Releases: New Splatoon and an Avatar fighter

PlayStation and Xbox somehow both suffer from separate outages

Image source: my living room

There goes the digital neighborhood

Many Halo fans were more than irked last week when they couldn’t play the newly-released Halo: Campaign Evolved, despite paying an extra $20 to access the game five days early. The cause appeared to be a disruption of Xbox online services, which lasted for a couple of hours. Funnily enough, despite Halo being Xbox’s premier franchise, this issue only affected the Xbox version of the game, and not the PlayStation 5 or PC versions.

But PlayStation was not immune to such troubles either. Just a day later, as the online beta for PlayStation-published Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls was starting up, PlayStation online services went down, thwarting any players from logging onto any of their online games. Problems with Amazon Web Services, which powers much of PlayStation’s network, were reportedly to blame for the outage, which lasted over 6 hours.

And just as you’d think that Xbox was past its predicament, it was hit with an even bigger outage a few days after! This one lasted for about a day, and it prevented many Xbox owners from starting up their digital and physical games. Xbox chief technical officer Scott Van Vliet issued an explanation and an apology, saying that “a licensing service that sits outside of Xbox, but which Xbox depends upon” began to fail, causing problems with sign-ins and “entitlement checks” in what was basically a snowball effect of technical failures. As a result, players couldn’t access their owned games because the system couldn’t determine whether or not they had the digital rights to them.

This is far from the first major outage that both platforms have suffered, and it’s doubtful that they’ll be the last. But as PlayStation (and likely Xbox too) are transitioning to all-digital platforms, these outages have naturally raised alarms.

How’s that all-digital future looking now?

These technical snafus are unpleasant reminders about the pitfalls of digital “ownership” and digital rights management. With many modern games requiring either a persistent online connection or at the very least an occasional online check—even some single-player games with no multiplayer functionality—losing access to your online account, or an outage such as the ones that occurred last week, will prevent you from playing those games.

The fact that Xbox’s major outage resulted in users unable to play some of their disc-based games is particularly egregious. As the industry seemingly phases physical media out, platform holders and publishers also appear to be lessening the functionality of discs by requiring online checks or partial downloads.

In theory, games can (and really should) implement offline modes—even platforms like Steam have such an option. But until such solutions are widely adopted (if they’re even possible with the way these platform infrastructures are built), the situation looks quite dire right now.

Replay: What else happened?

Image source: Xbox Wire

Other news hits

• PlayStation fans (and gaming fans in general) are still outraged about Sony’s plans to end support for physical disc games. The policy change, along with several other grievances, has prompted many to back a “blackout” of PlayStation products, calling people to unplug their consoles from August 23 to 30.

• Xbox is beginning to add PC backward compatibility support to original Xbox games, starting with four titles. If you own a digital copy of Blinx: The Time Sweeper or Fusion Frenzy, you’re in luck—not only are these and two other games back, but they’re also on Game Pass and with achievement support.

• In a move that’s reminiscent of Netflix and other video streaming services, Xbox has begun testing ad-supported game streaming. This feature would let players stream games that they own at no cost (usually, streaming your own games requires a Game Pass subscription), but with ads playing before the game session. These game sessions last for an hour at a time.

• After leaving the Xbox family and returning to independence, Double Fine Studios (Brutal Legend, Psychonauts) laid off 23 people, which is about 25% of its entire team.

• It’s no surprise that the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV port for Switch 2 would be a massive install for Nintendo’s console, but it’s measuring at a whopping 117.2GB. That’s almost half of the Switch 2’s storage capacity.

• If you’re somehow bummed that Kratos isn’t the star of the next God of War, despite him having at least nine of his own games already, then fret not. God of War Laufey (set for a February 16 release date) will immediately be followed by a Kratos-starring game that picks up the story where Laufey ends.

• We might be reaching the bottom of the barrel for video game movie adaptations, as Atari is teaming up with Universal and a company called Entertainment 360 (not to be confused with Entertainment 720 from Parks & Recreation) to bring 10 of its IPs to the big screen. Are you ready for movies based on Asteroid, Breakout, Missile Command, Pong, and more? Eh?

Big new game releases include…

• You can guess from the title, but Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game (PC, Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S*) is, well, a fighting game in the universe of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. It contains classic characters from both shows—Aang, Zuko, Korra, etc. It got solid reviews, but the launch has a weird asterisk attached, as the Xbox version was delayed by over a month at almost literally the last minute for unclear technical reasons.

• One of Nintendo’s freshest franchises got its first spin-off in Splatoon Raiders (Switch 2), a single-player game with optional four-player co-op. Instead of fighting against other players to ink your territory, you’re exploring dungeons, fighting off Salmonids and collecting loot. You can compare this game to Borderlands or Helldivers 2, but it’s distinctly a Splatoon experience. And fans seem to love it, raising the game on Metacritic as one of the highest user-rated games of all time.

• The Halo: Campaign Evolved (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) remake is finally here, reimagining the original game’s single-player campaign (with optional four-player co-op, like the above title). And yes, you read that correctly: this Halo game is on PlayStation as well; a real “cats and dogs living together” kind of moment.

That’s it for this week. See you in August!

Stay fresh!
Chris Compendio

The wishlist is growing

Hey readers,

There’s some chatter going around about an upcoming “friendslop” game (i.e.: a silly multiplayer game with proximity chat and low graphical specs with lots of hijinx, like Peak). This one is called Dear Passengers, which has you and your friends act as crew members for the “world’s worst airline.” As you can expect, the ragdoll physics that would come with a chaotic airplane game can lead to hilarity. There’s no solid release date yet, but you can bet that I’m keeping an eye on this one.

And despite my lack of experience with the Castlevania series, the new Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse looks like it kicks ass. The search action game, which comes from some of the folks who made Dead Cells, received glowing previews. It’s out on October 15, and it sure looks like it’ll scratch some similar itches as Hollow Knight and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown did for me.

This issue will highlight three indie games that came out last week, but let’s get to our one big story and various other headlines first.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Bethesda confirms more Fallout in the wake of Xbox layoffs

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Nintendo says no tariff refunds and God of War show recasts

   2. New Game Releases: Indies galore

A new Fallout game and some remasters are in the works

Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition on Switch 2. Image source: Nintendo Press Center

What’s old is new (Vegas)

Even with a successful live-action Fallout show, the Fallout video game series has been through a drought of new content, unless you count the live-service updates for Fallout 76. But seemingly out of nowhere, Bethesda Game Studios announced that there’s plenty in the works for the post-apocalypse RPG franchise.

It’s been an open secret that remasters of Fallout 3 and New Vegas were in development, and Bethesda finally confirmed that this is the case. Additionally, a Fallout 5 is in pre-production, and Bethesda verified reports that Obsidian is working on a new Fallout game as well. There’s also a new Fallout 76 expansion coming out next year called Raven Rock, and it’ll serve as a prequel to Fallout 3.

In addition to Fallout, The Elder Scrolls 6 is still cooking, and while we still have no idea when that’ll be out (or when we’ll even have a glimpse of what it looks like), you can likely expect it before Fallout 5.

Strangely, Bethesda boss Todd Howard dropped into Reddit to leave a comment right after the news drop, telling readers that the studio is “constantly listening” and encouraging fans to “keep telling [Bethesda] how to be even better.” He added: “You’d be surprised how many great ideas I get from Reddit. So upvote your favorite and we’ll do it. Maybe.” If Bethesda starts making even weirder moves to pander to the internet, you can track that down to this comment, I suppose.

Is this a smokescreen for all of the Xbox and Bethesda layoffs?

I wouldn’t blame anyone who finds the timing of this announcement (which is really lacking in concrete details) to be suspect. If you’ve read the last few issues of this newsletter, you’ll know that Microsoft, the parent company of ZeniMax and Bethesda, laid off 1,600 workers in one fell swoop, with 1,600 more people to be laid off within the current fiscal year. Bethesda, ZeniMax Online Studios, and Obsidian in particular were reportedly hit hard by these layoffs. You could speculate that this announcement was Bethesda trying to placate fans in the midst of terrible press.

Unsurprisingly, the union United Videogame Workers-CWA is labeling the announcement as a distraction. “How are they going to make these games when Bethesda and Obsidian collectively laid off hundreds?” reads a social media post from the union. “Don’t fall for it.” Also unsurprisingly are replies to Bethesda’s roadmap announcement on social media praising the company and the current Xbox executive regime led by CEO Asha Sharma.

It’s hard to ignore the cost of the livelihood of hundreds of workers when discussing the news. And even if one were to callously ignore that, it might be difficult to get excited over a few paragraphs from a big gaming company with no visuals, trailers, or dates to back these details up.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Denshattack! Image source: Fireshine Games

Other news hits

• Nintendo is seeking to dismiss a class-action lawsuit arguing that consumers should get a portion of any refunds that the company receives in the aftermath of the Trump administration’s illegal tariffs. Nintendo retorts that “those who bought Nintendo's products received exactly what they bargained and paid for.”

• It’s been a rough time for Bungie, as it wrapped up development on Destiny 2 and suffered from mass layoffs last month. On top of that, Marathon director Joseph Ziegler announced his departure from the studio. It’s unknown how this will affect ongoing Marathon development, if at all.

• Even independent studios are not safe from layoffs, with Disco Elysium studio ZA/UM letting go of 32 employees. The company launched its latest game, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, only two months ago. But tumult in ZA/UM is par the course, as the studio has quite a complicated history marked by project cancellations, firings, and lawsuits.

• What’s claimed to be a leak of a cancelled Kingdom Hearts mobile game called Missing-Link includes an intro video that features… astronauts wielding Keyblades? Even to longtime Kingdom Hearts fans, this looks super confusing. Missing-Link was apparently meant to set up Kingdom Hearts 4, so the info in this leak could have implications in the overall series lore.

• If you’re feeling silly and want to order some physical video games alongside your lunch from Panera’s, GameStop is now an official partner of Uber Eats. Get those physical discs delivered to your door while they’re hot.

• In an unfortunate development for the upcoming God of War live-action series, lead actor Ryan Hurst—who plays protagonist Kratos—was injured on set, reportedly tearing his bicep. Instead of waiting for his presumably lengthy recovery, the production is instead recasting Hurst’s part outright.

Big new game releases include…

• In what can only be described as Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater-meets-Jet Set Radio, Denshattack! (PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) is probably the coolest train video game you’ve ever seen. You’ll be driving a fast-as-hell train and pulling off sick flips and other types of tricks, all in colorful style.

• Though it released on mobile devices almost two years ago via Netflix, Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit (PC, Switch 2, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox) is now on PC and consoles. This sequel to Cozy Grove is a wholesome life sim that lets you customize and maintain a camp on a haunted island.

• Detective Grimoire is back in The Mermaid Mask (PC, Switch 2, Switch, PlayStation 5), a point-and-click detective adventure. Search for clues, solve puzzles, and make deductions in this follow-up to the excellent Tangle Tower. Grimoire might not be as famous as, say, Hercule Poirot or Benoit Blanc, but he sure damn deserves to be so.

That’s it for this week. I’ll be deep into Splatoon Raiders once it releases on Thursday, so I might have some words on that in the next issue.

Stay cool,
Chris Compendio

Can Xbox stop making headlines for once?

If there’s only one thing that Xbox hasn’t failed to do in the past several years, it’s being in the news. Failures dating back to the Xbox One’s botched reveal in 2013 (arguably before that, when the Xbox 360 had its weird Kinect era) led to big swings later that decade, which in turn led to the never-ending spiral that Microsoft’s gaming division now finds itself in.

Even within the brief timeframe this newsletter has existed, so many issues have been devoted to chronicling Xbox’s troubles and missteps. We’re going to start and end this week’s issue with Xbox talk, and I won’t be surprised if we find ourselves talking about Xbox even more in the immediate weeks to follow.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. After Xbox layoffs, the status of some studios is unclear

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Minecraft adds sitting, Mario Kart Tour to shut down

   2. New Game Releases: Black Flag and College Football have complaints

3. Fill Me In On The Xbox Boycott

Did Xbox doom the studio behind Doom?

An image from Doom: The Dark Ages — Revelations. Image source: Bethesda

Questions remain after Xbox’s mass layoffs

Since Xbox began its planned 3,200 layoffs last week, conflicting information and narratives about how many and which employees are left at certain Microsoft-owned studios have permeated the web. The focal point in most of these discussions is id Software, the legendary studio that created Doom, Wolfenstein 3D, and Quake.

WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) filings indicated that over 90 people (another report suggests 136 people) were cut from id Software, with key positions and entire teams reportedly being cut entirely. One report even suggested that only one person was left to maintain the studio’s praised graphical engine, id Tech. However, Microsoft disputed this narrative, claiming that there are “dozens of people working on id Tech across multiple locations.”

The social media account for id Software even put out a statement addressing concerns that the studio was just a skeleton crew, saying that the company “still [has] the crew” needed to make and support its games and tech. The studio added that the current organization’s size is “about the same size” as the team that made the beloved 2016 Doom game.

Remember that this is all happening right after id Software released an expansion for Doom: The Dark Ages. Laid-off employees have described being burnt out from working on the expansion and being “blindsided” by the cuts. It’s said that ideas that the studio was playing around with included a John Wick-style action game, a Perfect Dark game, and a multiplayer Doom game. It’s unknown if any of those concepts can move forward at the studio’s current capacity or Microsoft’s new direction.

Who else is struggling after the Xbox layoffs?

Remember how they announced The Elder Scrolls 6 back in 2018? If you believe reporter Jason Schreier, that game is still at least two years away from being done. And with cuts affecting Bethesda, with at least 50 workers reportedly being let go, remaining employees expressed worry to IGN that they will be replaced by “cheaper, contracted labor” and that delays and crunch for The Elder Scrolls 6 will follow.

Morale has been low at Bethesda, to the point where “surviving” employees have set up vigils and memorials in offices to observe their laid-off colleagues. OneBGS, the union representing workers from Bethesda Game Studios, will stage protests this week outside of company offices in Montreal, Rockville, Austin, and Dallas.

It’s also said that Obsidian Entertainment, best known for Fallout: New Vegas and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2, lost about a quarter of its talent. Reports have come out that the studio is now pivoting to a new Fallout game led by New Vegas director Josh Sawyer, and a sequel to its recent fantasy RPG Avowed has been canned. One director at Obsidian fired off on social media, blasting “misinformation” from “cold take artists” that the studio is no longer what it used to be.

Meanwhile, The Elder Scrolls Online developer ZeniMax Online Studios is trying to assure fans that despite cuts, the studio is “now at the same size as it was” when it made two highly acclaimed expansions, and that new content was still in the works. It’s hard to figure out if all the reassurances from these studios are truly reality checks or desperate attempts at damage control.

Is there any disinformation about Xbox’s layoffs floating around?

The internet is often a very bad place, so it’s no surprise that preposterous and racist conspiracy theories revolving around these layoffs have emerged. Simply on the basis of the ethnicities of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, some “Great Replacement” nonsense has emerged from the dirtiest depths of the web and floated up to outlets like Fox News.

Microsoft’s communications lead addressed the disinformation in a social media post (and I suggest not reading the replies). Of course, the layoffs from Microsoft and Xbox still warrant scrutiny—remember that 1,600 more layoffs are set to occur over the company’s current fiscal year, which understandably has current employees on edge.

Replay: What else happened?

An image from Backyard Baseball. Image source: Steam

Other news hits

• Xbox CEO Asha Sharma was named an advisor to a U.S. Federal Reserve task force relating to “productivity and jobs,” a bold appointment for someone who just oversaw thousands of layoffs.

• The fallout of Sony’s stunning announcement that it’ll stop producing PlayStation discs beginning in January 2028 continues, with a UK trade organization condemning the decision and Mexican lawmakers planning to file a formal antitrust complaint. Unfortunately, we probably can’t expect any regulation or policies from the EU to stop Sony’s decision.

• Good news: Classic Call of Duty games Black Ops and Black Ops 2 have been ported to PlayStation 4 and 5! The bad news: They have pretty much no updates or graphical improvements, and Activision is already fighting against an influx of hackers. 

• Nintendo is shutting down another one of its mobile smartphone games, with Mario Kart Tour becoming inaccessible starting September 29. Unlike another Nintendo mobile game, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp, Mario Kart Tour won’t get a premium offline version. The situation prompted the social media account for the freaking Garfield kart racing games to dunk on Nintendo. 

• Minecraft has added the earth-shattering ability to sit down, which is now possible through a cushion item. Creative Minecraft players have already figured out ways to utilize the cushion as roof tilings, means to teleport short distances, and even dance floors. Let’s hope that the cushion doesn’t get nerfed.

• The upcoming Far Cry TV show adaptation by Fargo’s Noah Hawley and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s Rob Mac just cast Steve Buscemi, so now it’s impossible for this show to be bad.

Big new game releases include…

• The anticipated remake Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) received the best reviews for the series since… the original Black Flag game. But it comes with its share of controversies, such as complaints about microtransactions and layoffs hitting Ubisoft Barcelona, one of the studios that helped develop the game, right after the game launched.

• EA Sports recently launched College Football 27 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), but that release also had a scandal relating to microtransactions—ones that would have let players pay to progress faster. In response to the outcry, EA removed these shortly after launch.

• Fans of Pablo Sanchez can rejoice knowing that the “Secret Weapon” has returned in Backyard Baseball (PC and Mac, with console releases planned for later), a revival of the old-school kids-friendly Backyard Sports games from the late 1990s and early 2000s. The release took a lot of effort from a “strike force of superfans” of the original games, though keep its somewhat hefty $40 price tag in mind.

• Does Palworld (PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, Xbox) count as a new release? The crafting and Pokemon-with-guns game has been in early access since 2024, but the title is now sporting a full version 1.0 release with new features. And the new update gave the game a huge boost, with a peak of about 850,000 concurrent players on Steam.

Fill Me In On The Xbox Boycott

Has the BDS movement had any effect on Microsoft’s gaming division?

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

Dear reader Taryn wrote in with a timely question:

For those unaware, BDS is a Palestinian-led movement that advocates for boycotts, divestments, and sanctions against Israel. In short, the movement aims to apply pressure to the Israeli government and corporations that do business in Israel—or, in the case of Microsoft, partnering with the Israeli military.

BDS describes Microsoft as “perhaps the most complicit tech company” in Israel’s occupation of Gaza, as it provides Azure cloud and AI services to its military—a claim backed up by the United Nations Human Rights Council. With Microsoft having its hands on so many aspects of our technology infrastructure, organizers determined that boycotting Xbox is the best way to hit Microsoft where it hurts.

That means unsubscribing from Game Pass and boycotting Microsoft-owned games, which includes Candy Crush, Minecraft, Call of Duty, and everything under the Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, or Xbox umbrellas.

Documentarians People Make Games put out a comprehensive video in December 2025 explaining the boycott; former and current Microsoft employees organized the No Azure for Apartheid movement; and games industry workers and journalists have No Games for Genocide.

But has it actually worked? You can argue that the boycott did have a direct impact on Microsoft’s relationship with the Israeli military, though not to the degree that organizers probably want. In September 2025, Microsoft blocked the use of its technology for Unit 8200, Israel’s spy agency that is roughly the equivalent of the U.S.’s National Security Agency. Microsoft said that it accused Unit 8200 of violating terms of service, as the agency was using Azure to store surveillance data collected from millions of Palestinian civilian phone calls. It’s said that Unit 8200 planned to transfer the data to Amazon Web Services.

While BDS touted the news as a win for the movement, the boycott is still in effect due to Microsoft’s continuing relationship with the Israeli military at large. There haven’t been many major developments since then.

I have zero data to back this up, but I’d be curious if Xbox games that were published after BDS targeted Xbox were significantly impacted by the boycott—particularly, South of Midnight, Keeper, Hellblade 2, and The Outer Worlds 2. Some of those titles are said to have fallen short of Microsoft’s expectations, and the studios behind the former three titles are transitioning out of Microsoft’s ownership, while Outer Worlds studio Obsidian was hit hard by layoffs. Keep in mind, I’m connecting dots in my head with little evidence—but the BDS boycott surely didn’t help these games.

To end with a game recommendation, if you’re looking for a pleasant Sims-like game, maybe check out Paralives, which is currently blowing up (complimentary). That’s it for this week.

See you later,
Chris Compendio

Hang on to your discs

Hey, readers.

Last week’s newsletter was quite a glum one, and I’m sorry to say that the top stories for this week aren’t any better. I briefly mentioned in last week’s intro that PlayStation made plans to phase out physical game releases, and we’ll get deeper into that below. But it had me reflect on my physical game collection, and I look at it with far more significance and affection.

While I don’t foresee platform holders such as Steam, PlayStation, or Xbox rescinding access to most of the digital games I paid for any time soon, the fact that they technically can is alarming. Just being able to access all my games—even if I don’t plan on touching them in the near future—is super important. At the very least, they look great on a shelf.

Let’s dive into the nightmare that is the gaming industry.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. PlayStation is abandoning physical discs

2. Xbox's "reset" includes 3,200 layoffs

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Switch 1 phasing out in Europe

   2. New Game Releases: a quirky rhythm game and Doom DLC

4. More on Minecraft amidst the Xbox "reset"

PlayStation to ditch discs starting in 2028

Image source: PlayStation website

The industry shifts toward an all-digital future

Sony will not produce or sell discs for any new PlayStation games releasing on or after January 2028. In a PlayStation Blog post, Sony cited “consumer preferences” that trend toward digital games and away from physical releases. The announcement was shockingly short for what was a monumental change for the company, and the video game industry as a whole.

Reportedly, Sony told publishers that they can still place orders for discs after January 2028, but only for games that release before that cutoff date. It’s said that Sony’s biggest production plant for PlayStation discs is already transitioning to manufacturing other products, indicating that this shift has been in the works for some time.

Unsurprisingly, consumer reaction to this news has been largely negative. A “Don’t Kill the Disc” petition has amassed over 170,000 signatures, and pretty much every social media post from Sony—even ones about the completely unrelated upcoming Spider-Man movie—has attracted angry replies about PlayStation’s decision.

Game companies like Iam8bit and Limited Run Games, renowned for physical limited edition releases, expressed disappointment as well, though the Video Game History Foundation stated that it was already preparing for this inevitability, saying that “the vast majority of video games produced over the last two decades were not made for dedicated home video game consoles, let alone pressed to physical media.” It’s said that about 80% of game sales for PlayStation in the latest fiscal year have been digital.

Are Xbox and Nintendo going all-digital as well?

While plans for Xbox’s next console, codenamed Project Helix, remain under wraps, speculation and reporting point toward Xbox also abandoning physical formats. A report from Windows Central suggests that Helix will drop the disc drive from the console entirely. Reports also indicate that Microsoft is looking into a disc-to-digital feature, which would theoretically make the bitter pill easier to swallow.

Even amidst the possibility of an all-digital future for Xbox, the brand is still promoting its upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved remake (which is also set for a PS5 release) as having a physical disc edition. (I’m sure that social media post will age gracefully.)

Meanwhile, fans seem convinced that Nintendo will keep on with physical releases, and Nintendo’s controversial Game-Key Cards, which are physical cartridges that don’t contain the game itself (and instead have a key to download the game from the internet), have gone through an unexpected positive reevaluation. Unlike with purely digital games and codes, you can resell or lend Game-Key Cards.

It’s also worth mentioning that analyst and industry advisor Mat Piscatella believes that Nintendo will stay on its own track and likely won’t change its plans solely based on what PlayStation and Xbox are doing. In other words, Nintendo will keep Nintendo-ing.

What’s the best way to actually “own” your games?

While there are clear conveniences of buying digital games, such as being able to open any games you have installed without changing out discs, you ultimately just have a digital license to play that game rather than truly owning it outright.

For the most part, physical games have the game on the disc or game card itself—though you will see cases where discs might only have part of the game, and the rest of it is downloaded through the internet. And either way, modern PlayStation and Xbox consoles require you to install the entirety of the game onto your console memory, so that disc mostly serves as a key for you to access your game.

Still, it’s great to be able to resell physical games or lend them to your friends. There’s still a large secondary aftermarket for games, whether it’s from GameStop’s selection of used games or the countless local and online retailers out there.

On the digital end of things, storefront GOG reminded people in the wake of the PlayStation news that many of the games it sells are free of digital rights management, meaning that you download its digital games detached from any other ecosystem or online account and you can do with them as you wish.

Xbox is laying off 3,200 workers and divesting from five studios

An image from State of Decay 3. Image source: Xbox Wire

“Our business today is not healthy”

We’ve known for weeks that several studios owned by Microsoft were in precarious positions, and we now have a better picture of what Xbox’s organizational structure will look like going forward. To start with the worst news, Xbox is planning to lay off 3,200 people over the next year, with 1,600 of those cuts already taking place at the time of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma’s announcement.

Xbox is also parting ways with five of its studios. Double Fine Productions (Brutal Legend, Psychonauts) and Compulsion Games (We Happy Few, South of Midnight) are going fully independent, and the plan is for both studios to retain their properties and catalog. Meanwhile, Ninja Theory (Hellblade) and Undead Labs (State of Decay) “entered terms to join new ownership” under undisclosed buyers—their respective upcoming titles of Senua and State of Decay 3 are still in the works. Finally, Arkane (Dishonored, Deathloop) wasn’t able to begin talks on its future until this announcement due to French labor laws, but those discussions are now in the works. (Though the status of its Marvel’s Blade game is unclear.)

Additionally, former Minecraft franchise head Helen Chiang is now Xbox’s chief operating officer. In a bit of reorganization, Mojang Studios, the company responsible for Minecraft, will no longer report to Xbox Game Studios and its acting head, Matt Booty—instead, the company reports directly to Sharma. Similarly, King, the mobile game company behind Candy Crush, is being moved from Activision Blizzard and also now reports to Sharma. Minecraft and Candy Crush, as you might expect, are heavy-hitters for Microsoft in terms of active player counts.

On a wider scale, Microsoft eliminated a little over 2% of its entire workforce—that’s around 4,800 people. Those laid off from the Xbox division make up about 20% of the division, and they include members of the accessibility team, about a quarter of The Outer Worlds developer Obsidian, half of The Elder Scrolls Online team, and more than 90 people from Doom makers Id Software. And remember that this is only half of the planned layoffs at Xbox.

What was going wrong with Xbox?

On the surface level, it appears that Xbox’s multi-billion-dollar gambits on the Netflix-like Game Pass subscription service and its acquisitions of numerous studios and two big publishers (Bethesda/ZeniMax and Activision Blizzard King) haven’t paid off. Sharma’s message also partially lays the blame at the feet of Xbox’s multiplatform strategy.

In Sharma’s own words, Xbox is “operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses,” and all of its bets “did not grow at the pace [Xbox] expected.” In other words, Xbox’s attempts at growth and expansion caused the business to be unsustainable, and these layoffs (and all of the other Xbox layoffs that have happened in the past few years) are the human cost of those bets.

Subscription numbers for Game Pass reportedly fell by 4 million subscribers since 2024, with the current number being around 30 million subscribers. It’s said that Xbox had projected that 77 million would be subscribed to Game Pass this year, but the reality isn’t even close.

In her memo, Sharma also blames an overly complex management structure (claiming that “work passes through as many as 14 layers of management”) and fragmentation within its operations, hence the reason for appointing a new COO.

What’s next for Xbox?

It looks like that Xbox will focus largely on the bigger franchises, namely Halo, Gears of War, and Forza. Bethesda and ZeniMax will shift their focus to Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, along with Doom, Wolfenstein, and Quake. I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw fewer games like the acclaimed but niche Keeper or the award-winning South of Midnight. You can also expect more Xbox-exclusive games, with Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution being the first titles in this initiative.

One odd point that Sharma included in her memo was a desire for Xbox to be “one of the few companies that entertains more than a billion people each day.” It’s unclear what exactly that means or how she hopes to accomplish that.

Replay: What else happened?

An image from Rhythm Heaven Groove. Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Other news hits

• Regulation from the EU is resulting in Nintendo being required to make Switch 2 consoles and controllers with replaceable batteries, but it doesn’t seem like the original Switch will receive the same treatment. As a result, Nintendo of Europe will stop selling the Switch starting in 2027, though sales will continue in the rest of the world.

• A leak from a strange source—specifically, a listing from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice and Public Security—indicates that Nintendo is making a game apparently titled “Metroid Ravenous,” which fans speculate is a follow-up to Metroid Dread. Is a new Metroid a matter of public security in Brazil??

• Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has an official tie-in game in Roblox, which Homer himself could never have predicted.

• Accusations have come out from the union of Rockstar Games employees, alleging that the Grand Theft Auto studio has failed to address pay inequity while facilitating development crunch and “weaponizing” bonus payments against employees.

• After the otome game (in layman’s terms, a dating game about hot guys) Love and Deepspace announced and subsequently removed a love interest character—a werewolf named Valko—a noticeably large group of fans at Anime Expo paid tribute and created a real-life shrine to the character, demanding his release. You’d think that an actual person had died.

Big new game releases include…

• Nintendo’s cute and quirky rhythm game series is back with Rhythm Heaven Groove (Switch). Play around 80 singleplayer and 30 multiplayer minigames where you have to complete normally mundane or silly tasks based on the beat of the music. Critical reception has been largely positive, and there’s a free demo on the Switch eShop if you want to see if its brand of whimsy is for you.

• In what seems like the worst timing ever, the Doom: The Dark Ages — Revelations (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) DLC came out just as it was reported that what appears to be half of Doom developer Id Software was cut as part of Xbox’s mass layoffs. It might be hard to rip and tear as the Doom Guy with that in mind.

Addendum to “Fill Me In On Minecraft’s status while Xbox is on fire”

A couple of issues ago, I addressed a question from dear reader René: “With the cacophony of stuff happening at XBOX, have you heard anything about what could potentially happen with Minecraft?”

While there isn’t much to add, the news coming from Xbox this week confirms that Microsoft considers Minecraft to be a crown jewel. And as mentioned earlier in the issue, Mojang Studios now reports directly to Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, implying that she wants to have a closer eye on the Minecraft franchise.

Stephen Totilo’s Game File newsletter has some additional insight on this reorganization, saying that Sharma believes Minecraft to be “massively underinvested,” especially compared to Roblox. Totilo also says that Minecraft was “funding much of the rest of the Xbox gaming team.” In short, you could say that Minecraft was footing the bill for other Xbox projects while still operating independently, and Xbox wants to put more money into Minecraft itself

A report from Jez Corden of Windows Central adds that Sharma is exploring “direct integrations between Xbox and Minecraft,” though what that might entail is unknown. Corden speculates that Microsoft could add some exclusive content to Minecraft’s Xbox console versions and leverage the game somehow to sell its next console, but such moves theoretically wouldn’t degrade the Minecraft experience on other platforms.

What all of this will result in, good or bad for the series, is really your guess.

That’s all for this week, assuming nothing else catches on fire as I write this.

Keep cool,
Chris Compendio

Industry’s on fire, yo

Hey, readers.

I absolutely love writing positive news stories and trying to get people excited about what’s happening in the video games space, but that was a little harder to do this week.

A lot of tough news comes from PlayStation and Xbox, and updates regarding Xbox’s situation are developing at a pace where I’ve had to add such details to this issue at the last minute. Right before this issue is about to go out, Sony announced that it’s ending production of physical PlayStation discs in 2028 (more on that next week). And with Microsoft’s next fiscal year beginning today, there might even be more information about Xbox’s planned layoffs by the time this is in your inbox.

Needless to say, the tone of this week’s issue will be a little dour. We’ll talk about rising costs, union efforts, and where the industry might look going forward. Brace yourself.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. More layoffs, more price hikes

2. People have thoughts on GTA 6's $80 discless release

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Persona movie, Meccha Chameleon is a hit

   2. New Game Releases: Star Fox. DOA6, and Deltarune return

PlayStation guts Destiny team while Xbox prices rise (again)

Image source: Bungie.net

At a loss for words

We’ve talked about Destiny 2 wrapping up development of new content, but things have gotten worse at Bungie, the studio behind the long-running online shooter. Sony Interactive Entertainment, the parent company of PlayStation Studios and Bungie, cut a reported 292 jobs at Bungie, including “most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members.”

Sony shared its internal memo about the layoffs, and it’s riddled with the usual corporate speak of how it was “painful news” but “reduction was necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals.”

Meanwhile, in Xbox land, Microsoft has increased the price of four Xbox models and has phased one out entirely.

• Xbox Series X – 1TB (disc drive) – $650 to $800

• Xbox Series X – 1TB (digital) – $600 to $750

• Xbox Series X – 2TB (disc drive) – discontinued

• Xbox Series S – 512GB (digital) – $400 to $500

• Xbox Series S – 1TB (digital) – $450 to $600

In case you lost track, this is the third time Xbox prices have risen since May 2025. An official Xbox Wire blog mentions how “console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x” since the last price hike in October, and the company expects “another doubling by the fall of 2027.” It’s a situation so bad that Microsoft is promoting its “Buy Now, Pay Later” options for paying in installments, if you want to make your Xbox purchase feel like buying a freaking car.

To make matters worse, May 2026 was the worst month for Xbox hardware sales in the history of the brand. With how much Microsoft has pushed for and invested in AI, and how AI companies are largely responsible for the spiking costs of memory components, you can say that the corporation wrote this fate for itself.

Has Xbox begun its own layoffs?

We’ve previously talked about reports that Xbox studios Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games were in precarious positions, with talks over potential closures or spin-offs—either would result in layoffs at those studios. An unknown number of employees have already left Compulsion, the Peabody Award-winning studio behind South of Midnight, in anticipation of impending layoffs.

Since then, reports have suggested that State of Decay studio Undead Labs is in the same position as the aforementioned three studios, and a separate report says that Arkane may face closure and cancellation of its game based on Marvel’s Blade. It’s also claimed that the Blade game is overbudget.

And while IO Interactive, the studio that made Hitman and the recent 007 First Light, is not an Xbox-owned studio, it’s undergoing its own layoffs after Microsoft pulled out of a partnership with IO. Xbox was initially going to publish IO’s new IP, a game codenamed Project Fantasy. Despite the cuts, IO insists that it will continue development of this mystery game.

There’s still a lot of uncertainty surrounding Xbox’s “reset” as I write this. In response to everything, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) held a joint press conference with the members of unions representing Xbox employees demanding layoff protections and declaring that Xbox workers “will not be treated as disposable.”

One has to wonder what the new management’s vision is, and who internally will even be left to make the games that Xbox purports to want to make.

Let’s talk more about that GTA 6 price and physical edition

Image source: Rockstar Games

Some argue the full GTA 6 experience costs $100

In last week’s issue, we briefly touched on the price point and release details for Grand Theft Auto 6, as they came to light shortly before that issue went out. To summarize, that’s $80 for the base game and $100 for an “Ultimate Edition,” while the physical release of GTA 6 will not include a disc, but rather just a code in a box.

We’ve had a week to mull over this information, and generally, people aren’t happy about any of this. The internet has been in a fearmongering spiral about it, believing that GTA 6 will set a norm for video games at an $80 price point (Mario Kart World was arguably the first shoe to drop, though) and the beginning of the end for physical media.

Another criticism is that the Ultimate Edition includes access to in-game shops and character customization options, leading many to view this as GTA 6 locking essential features behind a $20 paywall. It’s normal for big video games to have these types of deluxe editions, but it’s unclear how GTA 6 will handle this until we actually get our hands on the game itself.

Despite the hand-wringing, analysts say that the move to a digital game makes sense, seeing how sales for physical games have been declining over the years. Reports and claims floated the possibility (based on language from a Rockstar support ticket) of a proper disc release for GTA 6 coming in the future, but another report disputes this. We’re left questioning what the value of owning an empty GTA 6 box is, besides being able to display it on your shelf.

Is GTA 6 going to have the huge record-breaking sales people think it’ll have?

If you believe researcher and University of Virginia professor Anthony Palomba, GTA 6 may have already generated $1 billion in pre-sales in the first hour of preorders alone. I’m skeptical of that exact claim, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the negative talk surrounding GTA 6 did very little to hamper the game’s success.

A poll from IGN’s readership indicated that those within the outlet’s audience are pre-ordering GTA 6 on PlayStation 5 over the Xbox Series X/S version in an 8-to-1 ratio. The statistic picked up enough traction that Xbox itself commented, saying that it’s had “record orders” and that people should wait for “real data.” 8-to-1 sounds pretty extreme and unbelievable, but it’s claimed by one analyst that, in general, the PS5 captures between 75-80% of the audience for multiplatform games compared to Xbox. And the same will certainly apply with GTA 6, with the PS5 version being heavily promoted over the Xbox version, presumably the result of a marketing deal between PlayStation and Rockstar Games.

While the launch of GTA 6 is still likely to be huge, the concern from at least one retailer is that stores might not be able to meet demand for consoles this holiday season (for reference, GTA 6 launches on November 19, a little over a week before Black Friday).

Didn’t Rockstar Games fire a bunch of employees fairly recently?

In late 2025, Rockstar Games terminated 31 workers, with the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) accusing the studio of firing them over their union involvement.

Rockstar disputed accusations of union busting, claiming that these workers were “found to be distributing and discussing confidential information in a public forum.”

As we move closer to the release of GTA 6, a group of Rockstar employees known as the Rockstar Game Workers Union (RGWU)—a subsidiary of IWGB—is seeking voluntary recognition before the game’s launch. Should the union succeed, it would be the second recognized video game worker union in the UK.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot of Star Fox’s multiplayer. Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Other news hits

• Not to be outdone by the console manufacturers, The Sims and Madden publisher EA laid off an unknown number of workers. The company is currently positioned to go private and be acquired for $55 billion by a consortium that includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and an investment firm owned by Jared Kushner.

• In a hearing over California’s Protect Our Games Act, a representative from the ESA, which is the video game industry’s trade association, declared that private servers for games like Minecraft and Call of Duty are illegal, which is an absolutely absurd take.

• The hidden object game Meccha Chameleon, which was made by two people over two months, has become a genuine phenomenon. It’s claimed that it already sold 10 million copies in half a month, and people are “playing” it in real life by hiding cute little figures around in public places. 

• Netflix appears to be developing a Persona live-action series, though details are sparse. Reportedly, the showrunner attached is Christopher Monfette, who worked on 9-1-1 and Star Trek: Picard, two shows that are really nothing like Persona.

• You may have heard that Comcast is spinning off NBCUniversal into its own entity, and a report indicates that the latter is interested in getting into the video game business. Whether that involves acquiring other game companies or starting a new publishing label, as Universal did in the 1990s, is anyone’s guess, so be ready for speculation bait like “COULD NBC BUY XBOX?” to run wild.

Big new game releases include…

• Do you like Star Fox 64? Well, they remade it again, and it’s just called Star Fox (Switch 2). As covered in this very newsletter, it’s a gorgeous remake by Velan Studios, with tight controls and detailed cinematic cutscenes in between missions. If you have a USB camera, you can also get up to some hijinx with its VTuber-like avatar system.

• Another re-release in the form of Dead or Alive: Last Round (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) is out now, but fans of the fighting game series aren’t happy with it. Basically, the original game came out in 2019, and this $40 reissue, while containing some updates, doesn’t include some DLC characters and requires players to purchase them again. That doesn’t seem great!

• What does seem pretty great is the release of Deltarune Chapter 5 (PC, Mac, Switch, Switch 2, PS4, PS5), the latest episodic installment of Toby Fox’s RPG. There’s not much I can say about this one since it’s part of an ongoing narrative—you’re either deep into the story already or not.

That’s all for this week. July is set to have some exciting game releases, but I’m not expecting the bad news to slow down anytime soon.

See you next issue,
Chris Compendio

New friendslop just dropped

Hey, readers. As I write this, I’m trying to figure out what game to play with a friend as we catch up tonight. I’m eyeing Crashout Crew from Aggro Crab, but I’m being pointed toward a recent release called Meccha Chameleon, a hide-and-seek game where you paint yourself to try to blend in with the environment.

Unsurprisingly, it’s already a hit on Steam. Let’s call it another “friendslop” game in the vein of Lethal Company and Peak—something affordable, streamer-friendly, and low in graphical detail that you can play with friends. Personally, I wish we had avoided the pejorative “slop” term, but unfortunately, it’s become ubiquitous regardless of quality.

In other news, I’m checking out previews of Star Wars: Galactic Racer, which should be fun not just for Star Wars fans but racing game enthusiasts in general. It’s getting a lot of comparisons to Burnout, and it has a surprisingly deep roguelite single-player story mode. I’m already looking at a day one purchase for this one myself. Those podracer sound effects are big dopamine sources for me.

We have just one main story focused on the Steam Machine today, but we have another installment of our “Fill Me In On_____” interactive segment!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. That Steam Machine sure looks pricey

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: GTA 6 cover art, Nic Cage, and Xbox movies

   2. New Game Releases: A gorgeous JRPG set in... "Philabieldia"

3. Fill Me In On Minecraft's survival amidst Xbox's implosion

The Steam Machine is out soon, but is it worth the cash?

Image source: Valve (YouTube)

The not-console that looks like a console

Let’s cut to the chase: Valve is releasing new gaming hardware that can plug into your television, and people have been wondering since its announcement how much it’ll cost and when it’s out. The Steam Machine is actually coming out real soon, releasing on June 30, and pricing is as follows:

• 512GB without a Steam Controller: $1,049

• 512GB with a Steam Controller: $1,128

• 2TB without a Steam Controller: $1,349

• 2TB with a Steam Controller: $1,428

Basically, the Steam Machine is priced more like a PC than a console. Despite its GameCube-like form factor, Valve insists that the Steam Machine isn’t a console, but rather “an extension of PC gaming.” The company also says that the high demand for memory and storage components—mainly brought on by AI companies—made it so that the company’s “original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable.”

Even with its high price, the Steam Machine will still probably be a chore to obtain. Valve is letting you sign up for a list to purchase the device, and based on randomization, those on the list will either be put in a reservation queue or on a waitlist.

How much was the Steam Machine supposed to cost?

You’ll probably never hear an exact figure from Valve itself, but Valve engineers told IGN that the Steam Machine’s price increase was “probably similar” to the Steam Deck’s recent price hike. That was about a 35% increase, so IGN estimates that the Steam Machine was originally set for a roughly $750 price point.

Performance will vary by title, but the Steam Machine runs more or less similarly to the Xbox Series X (starting at $600) and the PlayStation 5 (also starting at $600). Unlike consoles, the Steam Machine won’t be subsidized—usually, devices like the PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch are sold at a loss, with revenue made up by software and subscription sales, but Valve isn’t following this business model, instead sticking to the “open ecosystems” of PC gaming.

Of course, if you don’t want to shell out on what Valve fans are colloquially calling the “GabeCube” (after Valve CEO and superyacht owner Gabe Newell), you can always just build your own Steam Machine-like PC.

What do reviewers think of the Steam Machine?

The common points I’m seeing in reviews are that the Steam Machine is indeed a beautiful little box, and it’s a solid way to play PC games on the television. But with its high price, it’s hard to see casual players who are into console gaming purchasing one of these over a PlayStation or an Xbox for less money. All in all, it’s a more niche device than it might look like from the outside.

It’s cool and quiet, and the interchangeable faceplates add numerous customization possibilities. But in some cases, the hardware will underperform compared to a PS5 or Xbox Series X. It might be better viewed as an entry-level PC than the next evolution in console gaming.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from The Adventures of Elliot. Image credit: Square Enix Press Hub

Other news hits

• Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 begin on June 25, and Rockstar Games unveiled the cover art for the game. Yes, there’s a helicopter in the top left corner, like in the covers for most of the GTA games. The game will cost $80, with a $100 Ultimate Edition that includes skins, weapons, and vehicles. Notably, the physical release of GTA 6 won’t include a disc—just a download code.

• In what seems like an ill-timed profile, considering how dire Xbox’s business is right now, Entertainment Weekly ran a lengthy story about Xbox’s forays into movies and television, which touched on a Gears of War prequel movie in the works and a Sea of Thieves live-action movie produced by Shang-Chi and Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton.

• A French video game worker union called Le Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) is calling on the “entire video game sector” in the country to strike on June 25, in what it calls “Summer Greve Fest.”

• Call of Duty is adding a Nicolas Cage skin to Black Ops 7. That’s the whole story.

• Kingdom Hearts is getting a complete collection releasing on Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S this October, but fans have debated about what looks like AI-generated cover artwork for the release. It was recently spotted that Square Enix appeared to stealthily update the box art, which many will probably take as a confirmation that AI was indeed utilized.

Big new game releases include…

• Fans of Japanese RPGs might want to check out The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC) from Square Enix. It utilizes the gorgeous “HD-2D” art style seen in Octopath Traveler and features a real-time combat system for those into Zelda-like action adventures.

  • Reviews are pretty solid, but I’m pretty fixated on the fact that this game takes place in a magical land called “Philabieldia.” The name comes from the Japanese word for “firebird” with a “-dia” suffix, and Philabieldia is just how the translation came out. But that hasn’t stopped Square Enix from putting up signs in Philadelphia International Airport promoting the game and stating “Welcome to Philabieldia!” Good on you, Square Enix marketing department.

  • If you want to try the game yourself, there’s a free downloadable “prologue” demo, and your progress in that demo will carry over to the full game if you end up buying it.

Fill Me In On Minecraft’s status while Xbox is on fire

An image from the Minecraft Dungeons II trailer. Image source: Minecraft (YouTube)

Is Mojang safe from layoffs and closure?

(I aim to address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers in every issue! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

Dear reader René wrote in with a question in response to last week’s news story about Xbox’s troubles:

The short answer: I haven’t heard anything, but I think they’ll be fine.

These days, it feels like much of the game industry is scrambling to respond to the rise of player-created experiences like Roblox among younger audiences, and I often hear Minecraft being mentioned alongside Roblox as an attention-sucker to compete with.

Minecraft studio Mojang was founded in 2009 and acquired by Microsoft in 2014; while it’s hard to say for certain if Minecraft has thrived or declined under Microsoft’s management, I do think that the longevity of Minecraft speaks for itself. I can’t speak for the internal changes made in Minecraft itself, but the game is widely accessible on pretty much every modern gaming platform, and not counting the several versions of Tetris, Minecraft is the best-selling video game of all time. Not to mention, last year’s Minecraft movie made nearly a billion dollars at the box office, with a sequel already in production.

Microsoft must be super thankful to have Minecraft in its portfolio. As long as it owns the trifecta of Minecraft, Call of Duty, and Candy Crush, you can bet that Microsoft will stay in the gaming business even though its console ventures have been struggling as of late.

Though as a part of Microsoft, wider layoffs that occur within the corporation may affect Mojang Studios to some degree. My understanding is that some of the Microsoft layoffs in July 2025 hit Mojang’s QA department. My question would be what would happen to Mojang if Microsoft gave up on Xbox and spun that division off. Would Microsoft want to keep Mojang? Would Mojang want to spin off on its own? Or would it stick with the Xbox family?

All in all, Microsoft’s larger trajectory in the gaming business is hard to predict, but I’d guess that the only issues that Minecraft has to deal with are whatever minutiae there is to debate about the game today.

Thanks for reading this week’s issue! Don’t forget to tell your friends about this newsletter—the more people I can keep up to date, the better.

Bye for now,
Chris Compendio

After a week of new games, here are more games

Hey, readers.

The week after not-E3 is usually a quiet one, from my experience. It’s the week when media embargos start to lift and previews from the various outlets get published, so it’s a slow roll of information about games that the public learned about the week prior.

If you want to know more about games like Alien: Isolation 2, Resident Evil Veronica, Stranger Than Heaven, or Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, there’s some excellent coverage out there.

Fun fact: The June 2026 Nintendo Direct was the most-watched presentation from Summer Game Fest week! Even with all the debates around the Ocarina of Time remake trailer, Nintendo still does the numbers.

And speaking of upcoming games, Steam Next Fest has returned, so if you aren’t overwhelmed by choice, you can try literally thousands of demos for upcoming Steam titles. Browse around and see if any games you’ve never heard of pique your interest!

We’ll only be doing one big news story today, because it’s a big one. And remember, you too can participate in this newsletter by submitting any questions about video games and the games industry for me to explain to you in a future issue!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Several Xbox studios face potential closure

2. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: in-game ads and hardening controllers

   2. New Game Releases: the sequel to a beloved co-op railroad building game

The fates of three Xbox studios are in the air

Microsoft’s gaming brand seems to be on fire (again)

Image source: Xbox Wire

Not even a week after Microsoft was celebrating the “return of Xbox” in its summer showcase, CEO Asha Sharma and COO Matt Booty sent out an ominous memo to employees—a memo that has been shared by the Xbox team publicly. Long story short, revenue from the Xbox division has declined by about $500 million per year, and in the executives’ words, “this cannot continue.”

You didn’t need to be an industry expert to read between the lines of the memo and surmise that layoffs and studio closures were inevitable, as Sharma and Booty wrote about reassessing its business and describing the company’s forthcoming initiatives as a “reset.” If I had to guess, heads were probably spinning within Xbox’s several internal studios, with people wondering if they’ll still have a job soon.

What followed in the subsequent week was utter confusion and panic revolving around everything Xbox. Reports initially claimed that Compulsion Games, the studio behind South of Midnight (an acclaimed game that takes place in the Deep South and just won a Peabody Award), would be closing down.

Reports were amended to add that Compulsion, along with Hellblade studio Ninja Theory (which just announced its new game Senua) and Double Fine, the beloved studio behind Psychonauts, Brutal Legend, and last year’s Keeper, are at risk of closure and in negotiations with Microsoft about their fates. The possibility that any or all might spin off might sound like good news, but such a move would likely still result in massive job losses.

Who knows what is happening to these studios at this point, but amidst the messaging chaos, Double Fine’s social media team at least put out a tongue-in-cheek post consisting of a single emoji, if that means anything.

Can things get any worse for Xbox?

Around the same time, it was reported that Xbox Game Studios boss Craig Duncan and his chief of staff, Louise O'Connor, both departed the company. Duncan was only in that position for less than two years; he previously acted as studio head at Rare (another Microsoft-owned developer).

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also spoke pretty openly about Xbox’s troubles in a recent talk, saying that the corporation has to turn the Xbox brand “into a sustainable business” and even remarked that “there's more monetization of Xbox games happening on YouTube” than at Microsoft.

Another report even claimed that one option that Microsoft is considering is spinning off Xbox entirely, and that one of Sharma’s initiatives is to ramp up production on new entries on Xbox’s blockbuster franchises of Halo, The Elder Scrolls, and Fallout.

Is there ANY reason to even consider getting an Xbox at this point?

In 2026, buying a new Xbox Series X or Series S doesn’t seem like a worthy investment, if you ask me. A Series X ranges from $650 to $800, depending on storage capacity, and the highest tier of Xbox Game Pass—probably the only tier of that subscription worth having if you want to play trending games—is $23 a month (and that’s after the price got slashed).

Pretty much every big game you can play on Xbox is playable on PC, PlayStation 5, or even Switch and Switch 2. In what looks like a desperate attempt to boost its brand, Xbox is once again putting out exclusives, namely Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Evolution, but that might be too little and too late.

There are a ton of reasons not to get into Microsoft’s ecosystem. If you’re a Windows user, you’re probably already tiffed (at the very least) toward the corporation’s relentless forays into AI. Microsoft has also received backlash for its role in providing cloud and AI services for the Israeli military, leading to BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) targeting Xbox.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Unrailed 2. Image source: Steam

Other news hits

• Not to be outdone by Microsoft, Ubisoft initiated another round of layoffs and closed two studios located in Winnipeg and Belgrade. It’s also restructuring its Barcelona studio. All in all, it’s an estimated 380 people losing their jobs, reports say. And this isn’t even the first time this year Ubisoft has laid workers off.

• The digital eShop on the original Nintendo Switch is infamously sluggish, but after more than nine years, a new firmware update finally fixes it. It actually runs like a respectable storefront now.

• In case you forgot that we’re in late-stage capitalism, EA has launched a “platform” to help big-name brands advertise within their games. If you thought that ads in Madden, EA Sports FC, and The Sims were annoying enough, brace yourself.

  • Honestly, this kind of feels like a throwback—remember those weird in-game Obama campaign ads back in 2008 and 2012? No? Probably for the best.

• Patents for new consumer technology have a good chance of never seeing the light of day, but this patent for PlayStation controller buttons that harden and soften based on gameplay is too interesting to ignore. There are obvious jokes to be made, but you won’t read them here.

• There’s a Dead by Daylight movie in the works by Blumhouse, and it found a director in Thordur Palsson. He’s an Icelandic filmmaker whose credits include the Netflix show The Valhalla Murders and a 2025 movie called The Dammed. No, I haven’t heard of either of them, unfortunately.

Big new game releases include…

• One game I particularly enjoyed during the early days of the pandemic was Unrailed, a co-op construction game that tasks you and your friends to build a railroad for a constantly moving train. It almost felt like Overcooked with trains for me. Almost six years later, Unrailed 2: Back on Track (Switch, Switch 2, PC, PS5) is out, and it brings new biomes, a map editor, bosses, a competitive mode, and a lot more to ensure some railroad madness.

Check in with us next week for more gaming news! Cross your fingers that it won’t be as dire.

Take care,
Chris Compendio

The Super Bowl for video games

Hello, gaming fans!

At least, I presume you enjoy video games if you’re reading this. The past week or so has brought us Summer Game Fest and a whole smorgasbord of video game showcases and reveals. Seriously, there were so many showcases that someone should make a showcase previewing all of these showcases (original idea, do not steal).

So this is a special edition of Autofill! There is a lot of text and many, many bullet points, so to sift through this issue easily, just scroll around and see which game titles or showcases in bold catch your attention and suit your personal interests.

If you have any friends who are out of the loop of what upcoming games they should look forward to, send them a link to the web version of this issue, and tell them to subscribe!

Just a note that I’m skipping last week’s PlayStation State of Play, as I briefly touched on that in last week’s issue. Without further ado, let’s talk about what Summer Game Fest is and what we learned from the past week of game showcases!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Your explainer of what Summer Game Fest is!

   1. Here's a list of the near-endless numbers of showcases!

2. Replay: Showcase highlights

   1. Summer Game Fest 2026

   2. Xbox Games Showcase

   3. Nintendo Direct

What the heck is Summer Game Fest?

E3, my beloved, where are you?

Image source: Summer Game Fest

For nerdy kids like myself, the most exciting part of summer break was E3—the Electronic Entertainment Expo. The annual trade show, held in Los Angeles, was an explosion of game reveals, trailers, and demos. But after more than 20 years, E3 faded away into extinction, for too many reasons—the shifts to streaming media over in-person press conferences, the industry’s general waning interest in the event, and, of course, the pandemic.

Since 2020, The Game Awards producer Geoff Keighley has tried to fill in that void with Summer Game Fest, a big stage show filled with world premieres and game trailers. And the rest of the industry has largely coalesced around SGF, scheduling their own showcases and trailer montages around this event, essentially creating what many of us call “not-E3.”

So let’s get into what we learned from Not-E3 2026.

Any general takeaways from this summer of video game reveals?

Two trends that personally stood out to me are: 1) this September is getting really crowded, and 2) remakes, remasters, and revivals are very in.

As most big publishers are trying to avoid the release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (set for a November 19 launch), a lot of big game releases have been scheduled around its epicenter. That seems to have inadvertently led to a high influx of games coming out this September alone, including Marvel’s Wolverine, Control Resonant, Silent Hill: Townfall, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, Minecraft Dungeons 2, Orbitals, Phantom Blade Zero, Screenbound, Halloween, and probably more that I’m forgetting.

Quite frankly, it’s ridiculous, and this fall looks like an absolute bloodbath. I’d be curious if any of those games end up moving their release dates as a result of the crowded schedule. The only game brave enough to face Grand Theft Auto 6 in November appears to be a compilation of retro Barbie games called Barbie Rewind.

And then there are the endless remakes, remasters, and such announced and shown off in the past week. Nintendo is putting out a Star Fox 64 remake and a “reborn” The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, while Xbox has Halo: Campaign Evolved. Others include Rayman Legends: Retold, The Wolf Among Us Remastered, Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered, Final Fantasy VII Revelation, Persona 4 Revival, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, Resident Evil: Veronica, and a lot more.

What other game showcases have there been?

The death of E3 has led to a free-for-all land grab of trailer showcases and game reveal events in early June. Of course, the big three of Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo had their own shows, but outlets and other organizations have put out their own showcases with specific framings.

These are game showcases that highlight certain communities and cultures, so I highly recommend you scroll down this list and find a game showcase that might interest you. I think the titles for all of these speak for themselves:

(Also, a lot of these videos begin with a countdown, so be sure to skip that to get to the actual games.)

• Black Voices in Gaming Summer Showcase 2026

• Women-Led Games Showcase

• Latin American Games Showcase 2026

• Day of the Devs (indie showcase)

• Access-Ability Summer Showcase 2026 (games developed with accessibility features in mind)

• Story-Rich Showcase 2026

• Wholesome Direct 2026 - Indie Game Showcase (cozy games, crafting games, etc.)

• Southeast Asian Games Showcase

• Gayming Pride Parade (LGBTQ+ games)

• Future Games Show: Summer Showcase 2026

• Frosty Games Fest 2026 (games made in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand)

• PC Gaming Show 2026

• Green Games Showcase (nature-focused games)

• Deutsche Indie Showcase

• India Games Showcase 2026

Replay: What are some highlights from the big showcases?

An image from Resident Evil Veronica. Image source: Capcom Press Center

Summer Game Fest 2026

• A full remake of Resident Evil - Code: Veronica—simply titled Resident Evil Veronica—is coming out in 2027 on PC, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

• The last chapter of the Final Fantasy VII trilogy is called Final Fantasy VII Revelation, and it’s releasing in the spring of 2027 on PC, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Square Enix (with the help of Matthew Mercer) showed a gameplay deep dive on stage.

• They’re making a Guild Wars 3 for PC and PS5! That’s pretty much all we know about it.

• The bizarre crime game Stranger Than Heaven from the makers of Yakuza/Like a Dragon has an extensive cast that includes several prolific Japanese performers, along with… Snoop Dogg… and Tupac?? Is that allowed?

• A full sequel to Cuphead is in development, but until then, players can look forward to the 8-bit spin-off Mighty Cuphead Adventure.

• We’re finally getting Alien: Isolation 2 to scare the crap out of us! It’s coming to PC, Switch 2, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, but there’s no announced release date yet.

• Veterans from Naughty Dog are making the new Crossfire game, a third-person shooter that promises to change how cover systems work.

• The creator of Assassin’s Creed is making a very witchy game called 1666: Amsterdam, and you can actually play a “prologue” of the game right now.

• The next installment of Sega’s Virtua Fighter finally has a title: Virtua Fighter Crossroads. Speaking of fighting games, Tifa from Final Fantasy VII will be a guest character in Street Fighter 6’s Year 4 DLC.

• Among Us is getting a story-based standalone game called Among Us Story: On Guard, and an animated Among Us show is streaming on Paramount Plus right now.

• Too much to get into! Here’s the link to the whole Summer Game Fest show.

A screen from Gears of War: E-Day. Image source: Xbox Wire

Xbox Games Showcase

• Prequel game Gears of War: E-Day kicked off the show and got its own separate video presentation. It’s out October 6 on PC and as an Xbox console exclusive—though it looks like a PS5 version may have been planned at some point.

• Though the upcoming Fable reboot was delayed to February, it still got a new trailer, featuring a villain portrayed by Hayley Atwell.

• The Halo: Campaign Evolved remake (which is coming to PS5) will have three new story missions, and it looks like you’ll participate in some space battles.

• In Persona news, the Persona 4 Revival remake is out on February 18, and a Persona 6 is confirmed to be in the works after alleged leaks for the game released.

• It’s been a long time coming for State of Decay 3, which was announced all the way back in 2020, but the zombie survival game finally has a 2027 release window.

• A follow-up to the Hellblade games called Senua (after its protagonist) is in the works, and developer Ninja Theory says it’ll have a more action-adventure focus. Strangely, despite Xbox’s new focus on exclusives, this first-party title is coming to PS5 when it comes out in 2027.

• Spyro is back! The purple dragon returns in Spyro: A Realm Beyond, a multiplatform game set for a spring 2027 release.

• Crazy Taxi returns with Crazy Taxi: World Tour, but its vibrant Offspring-infused trailer was overshadowed by complaints that generative AI was used to some degree in the production of the game.

• The new Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse from the makers of Dead Cells is coming out on October 15 for PC, Xbox, and PlayStation, but the Switch release window is an annoyingly ambiguous “2026.”

• If you can afford it, they’re making a translucent Xbox Series X called the Xbox Series X25. It looks cool, but probably expensive. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma gave out free Xboxes to audience members like she’s freaking Oprah.

• Xbox has a recap video of the showcase, but you can watch the full show through this link.

A screen from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time reveal trailer. Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Nintendo Direct

• They finally confirmed The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2! It’s coming out at an unspecified time this year, but the reveal trailer showed… almost nothing, other than the image you see above.

• All three Kingdom Hearts collections (1.5+2.5, 2.8, and 3+ReMind) are coming to Switch 2 on October 8. Plus, Kingdom Hearts 4 will be on Switch 2! The Direct featured a new trailer, but predictably, there’s no release date yet.

• The delightful Pokémon Pokopia is getting both a free update and paid DLC, with a trailer for the Expansion Pass showing off a new underwater biome.

• Wii Sports Resort is getting a proper successor with Nintendo Switch Sports Resort, coming to Switch 2 on October 22. There are 12 sports included, but the presentation was weirdly fixated on the new Thumb Wrestling game.

• FromSoftware’s multiplayer soulslike The Duskbloods doesn’t have a release date yet, but there will be a closed playtest of the game sometime this summer.

• The three main Xenoblade Chronicles games are getting Switch 2 Edition upgrades, and a new entry called Xenoblade Genesis is scheduled to release on Switch 2 in 2027.

• We saw a little more of the single-player Switch 2 game Splatoon Raiders, which comes out July 23. It’ll have its own presentation on June 30.

• The amazing-looking retro anime-inspired co-op game Orbitals finally got a release date of September 3! It’s very much cut from the same cloth as It Takes Two and Split Fiction, with some developers from those games working on this Switch 2 exclusive.

• Four protagonists star in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, which comes out on Switch 2 on September 17.

• The creators of Untitled Goose Game have been working on the co-op hiking adventure Big Walk, and it’s also coming to Switch 2 when it releases on August 4.

• A trailer for the previously announced Switch 1 game Rhythm Heaven Groove revealed that there will be multiplayer games included, along with a turn-based rhythm RPG-like mode.

• Ports of Devil May Cry 5, Dragon’s Dogma 2, Lies of P, Metaphor: ReFantazio, Stellar Blade, and Minecraft are also coming to Switch 2.

• There is too much other news! Here’s the link to the full Nintendo Direct if you want to catch everything.

We’ll be back next week with a (hopefully) normal edition of the newsletter!

Happy gaming,
Chris Compendio

The State of our Play is strong

Hey, readers.

Late yesterday, Sony streamed a “State of Play” presentation, showing off several big games coming to PlayStation 5. I already had this issue all planned out before the stream, so I won’t go too deep into what was shown off. But here’s a summary of some of the highlights:

• Marvel’s Wolverine, the next game from Spider-Man developer Insomniac Games, looks hella bloody (and Logan’s arms look ridiculously hairy)

• Until Dawn 2 will feature a new cast and premise from the first game, though keep in mind that an entirely different studio is making this

• God of War Laufey was announced, and it’ll star Kratos’s wife Faye as she fights her way through an afterlife filled with gods from various mythologies—it also stars a gelatinous cube voiced and mocapped by Jack Quaid(!)

Now, let’s hit the news of the week, and don’t forget to submit any questions for me to answer if you have any “What’s the deal with [insert gaming topic here]”-type curiosities.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Modern Warfare 4 gives CoD a new setting

2. Players want lawmakers to intervene on games being shut down

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories: Steam Deck price hike, Fable delay, and another Minecraft movie

   2. New Game Releases: James Bond, fast forklifts, and a whip-wielding mouse

The next Modern Warfare has the Korean Peninsula as a battleground

Image source: Call of Duty Blog

War sometimes changes.

Regular as clockwork, a new Call of Duty is due to release in the fall. Series creator Infinity Ward is taking the reins this year, and the studio is taking the franchise to a new locale. Modern Warfare 4 follows a unit of young South Korean soldiers on the frontlines when North Korea launches a surprise attack. (Infinity Ward seems particularly interested in exploring South Korea’s policy of mandatory military service in the story.)

It’s not a particularly original premise, but it’s been a while since a Call of Duty game put you in the boots of a grunt instead of some super-experienced special ops dude. That being said, you’ll still also be playing as legacy character Captain Price, who’s on the run after the events of Modern Warfare 3. The storylines will converge, probably in explosive fashion, per series tradition.

On the multiplayer side, Modern Warfare 4 promises some improvements with movement fluidity and gunplay, with techniques like slide-canceling in the mix. The studio promised that it wouldn’t add any stupid crossover skins that would break immersion, which is hugely disappointing for anyone hoping to play as Beavis and Butthead in Modern Warfare 4.

The game is out on October 23, avoiding the wrath of Grand Theft Auto 6. For the first time in over a decade, the series is skipping PlayStation 4 and Xbox One (Warzone is leaving those platforms, too). Additionally, Modern Warfare 4 will have a Switch 2 version, being the first Call of Duty game on a Nintendo platform since 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts.

How has Call of Duty been doing recently?

Like any long-running franchise, Call of Duty has had its ups and downs, but the military shooter series has had some fairly low lows recently. 2023’s Modern Warfare III, which was primarily overseen by Sledgehammer Games, had a controversially short, unstructured, and unceremonious campaign.

While Treyarch’s Black Ops 6 was a decent return to form (at least, in my personal opinion), last year’s Black Ops 7 (which I skipped) was poorly received for its always-online campaign, nonsensical story, and use of AI-generated assets. The sales figures reflected that, with Black Ops 7 underperforming compared to usual Call of Duty fare.

Wait, didn’t they already make Modern Warfare 4?

Okay, let’s take a step back. In 2007, Infinity Ward released Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, which was the first Modern Warfare game, but the fourth overall mainline Call of Duty entry. Then, they made Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in 2009, and co-developed Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in 2011.

Where things get complicated is when Infinity Ward decided to reboot the series, with a game simply called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare in 2019. The sequel to the reboot, released in 2022, was titled Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (with Roman numerals!), and it was immediately followed up with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III a year later. Modern Warfare 4 is the sequel to that 2023 game.

Ergo, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (2026) are totally different games. And people think Kingdom Hearts titles are ridiculous. I mean, they are still, but you know what I mean.

“Stop Killing Games” movement reaches California legislature

A screenshot from The Crew. Image source: IGDB

The name of the movement says it all.

Nothing lasts forever, and that’s especially true of online multiplayer video games. But advocates for game preservation and irate consumers (there’s probably overlap between the two) have been rallying against the practice of companies shutting down online games. That “Stop Killing Games” movement, which originated in Europe, has made its way stateside.

The California State Assembly passed a bill called the Protect Our Games Act, which “require[s] video game companies to give players advance notice before shutting down server-dependent games” and to keep purchased games playable in some state, whether it be through an offline mode or private servers.

The bill moves on to the California State Senate, and the Stop Killing Games movement called the development a “big update for game preservation.” Of course, there are a few caveats: For one, such a measure would only apply to paid games and not free-to-play titles like Fortnite. And should the bill pass the State Senate, it would only apply to games published in California released on or after January 1, 2027. Still, given the large foothold the games industry has in the state, it would still be quite a big deal.

Regardless, there’s an evident outcry for preserving online games—I’m sure that anyone reading remembers a beloved online game from their past that they can no longer access or play.

How and where did “Stop Killing Games” start?

The Stop Killing Games movement began in 2024 when a YouTuber named Ross Scott criticized Ubisoft for its shutdown of The Crew, a 2014 racing game. Though The Crew had single-player capabilities, it was a game that required a constant internet connection, and the game not only had its servers taken offline, but it was removed entirely from storefronts.

Scott then launched a campaign website, and petitions to the United Kingdom Parliament and the European Union asking lawmakers to intervene grew in traction, even garnering a (mostly non-)response from the UK Parliament.

Publishers and trade groups like the Entertainment Software Association have mostly been opposed to the movement, arguing that discontinuing online games “must be an option for companies when an online experience is no longer commercially viable” and that restrictions would “curtail developer choice by making these video games prohibitively expensive to create.”

There are spirited debates to be had, but none can be worse than some Slovakian member of the European Parliament arguing that “woke ideology and political correctness” is what’s killing games. Yeesh.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from the game Crashout Crew. Image source: Aggro Crab

Other news hits

• The good news is that the Steam Deck was back in stock! The bad news is that prices increased by over 40%. The 512GB OLED Steam Deck now goes for $789, and the 1TB model is a whopping $949. With the costs of memory chips (and subsequently, most consumer electronics) rising, don’t be surprised if Valve’s Steam Machine asks an arm and a leg from you.

• Fortnite will have a collaboration in the game’s new season that is questionable at best. The battle royale game has featured real-life creators in the game before, but the latest addition is a VTuber named TheBurntPeanut, who seems to love using slurs on his streams. It’s quite a choice for Fortnite to highlight a dude who yells the f-slur during Pride Month.

• The upcoming Fable reboot from Forza Horizon studio Playground Games has been hit with yet another delay, moving from an unspecified late 2026 window to February 2027. The Xbox team insists that it’s to give the RPG its own time to shine. The game will be able to avoid the impending release of Grand Theft Auto 6, but it’s a bummer for Xbox fans who wanted a new Halo, Gears, Forza, and Fable all in the same year.

• It’s not often that a single-player game that came out over a decade ago gets an expansion, but that’s the case with The Witcher 3. Titled “Songs of the Past,” the new adventure starring Geralt of Rivia comes out in 2027 and is presumed to connect to the upcoming fourth Witcher game. As a reminder, studio CD Projekt is not only working on The Witcher 4, but also a remake of the first Witcher and a multiplayer game set in the universe.

• Production of A Minecraft Movie Squared, which is the title of the Minecraft movie sequel, has begun, whether you like it or not. Jack Black returns as Steve, and he’ll be joined by Kirsten Dunst as Alex. The movie threatens is set to release on July 23, 2027, so theater workers better prepare.

Big new game releases include…

• Hitman studio IO Interactive finally released 007 First Light (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2¹ ), a modern-day take on the origins of James Bond. Combining some of the open-ended mission structure of Hitman and the third-person shooting and close-quarters combat of games like Uncharted and Batman: Arkham, critics dug First Light (as did I!), and it’s already a sales hit.

• The co-developers of Peak put out another multiplayer game called Crashout Crew (PC, Xbox Series X/S), which has you and up to three other friends drive forklifts at unreasonable speeds to carry out warehouse tasks in the messiest ways possible. It’s only $8, but you can nab it this week for less than $5 to celebrate its launch.

• The makers of Shovel Knight launched their newest property, the Zelda/Castlevania/Souls-like Mina the Hollower (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, Switch 2). It sports a Game Boy Color-like aesthetic, and the game will have you playing as a whip-wielding mouse exploring a cursed island. It’s a hard game for sure, but it has some of the highest reviews for any game this year so far.

Thanks for reading this week’s issue! As you might have noticed, I’m skipping my usual “On Deck” backlog diary (I originally planned a blurb about Kena: Bridge of Spirits for this week). I’m contemplating a tighter newsletter and stripping out any content that feels like a personal blog and isn’t focused on the news.

But let me know how you feel about that. Is it interesting to hear which old games I’ve been playing, or do you prefer quicker news digests?

Peace out,
Chris Compendio

Help Autofill grow!

Hey, readers! Thank you all again for continuing to read Autofill, and for all of the kind and helpful comments you’ve provided over the past several weeks.

It’s been immensely fun planning and realizing this project, and I’ve really enjoyed getting in the habit of compiling and summarizing all of these news pieces week after week.

My hope is that Autofill will continue to grow in subscription numbers and scope, and I’ll need help from everyone reading to accomplish that. Many times when describing the premise of Autofill to people, they’ll say some variation of: “Oh, that sounds like it’s just for me.” There are plenty of folks who enjoy video games to some degree who would probably love this too, so please let your friends know about this newsletter!

I’m also fresh out of questions for the “Fill Me In On _____” interactive segment, so if you have any burning curiosities about your favorite game franchise, something you feel out the loop with, or just something you’re straight up confused about, shoot me a prompt on this Google Form!

And now, as per usual, the news.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Destiny 2 is done, rather abruptly

2. Unreal Engine 6 was announced, rather prematurely?

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. Finally, the delightful tech startup satire in Going Under

Development of new content for Destiny 2 is ending

Layoffs at Bungie are reportedly due to follow

Destiny is dead—at least, for now. After more than eight years, Destiny 2 will wrap up on June 9 with the Monument of Triumph update. The online social shooter will still be playable afterward, but that’ll be the end of studio Bungie’s long-running story that began in 2014 with the original Destiny.

Roughly every year since Destiny 2’s launch, the game has added a massive story expansion, followed by seasonal content. The June 2024 expansion, titled The Final Shape, wrapped up what Bungie called the Light and Darkness Saga. But even after closing the 10-year-long story arc, Bungie had plans to continue the story in the Fate Saga. Two expansions launched in 2025: The Edge of Fate and the Star Wars-themed Renegades.

While more expansions were in the works for 2026, those won’t be happening anymore. And to add insult to injury, reports indicate that layoffs at Bungie are planned. It’s also claimed by some that most employees at Bungie were unaware of the news until it was publicly dropped.

Since 2022, Bungie has been under the ownership of Sony after a $3.6 billion sale. The studio has undergone mass layoffs more than once since then, and Sony recently reported that underperformance from Bungie led to a $765 million impairment loss—basically, Sony’s acquisition hasn’t paid off.

Will there be a Destiny 3?

Bungie’s announcement mentioned that the studio will “begin work incubating” its next game projects, but reports indicate that a third Destiny game isn’t actively in the works. 

Destiny fans expressed frustration that work on a Destiny 3 didn’t begin right after The Final Shape, and players (along with some ex-Bungie employees) have pointed the finger at former Bungie CEO Pete Parsons for alleged mismanagement of the company and the Destiny franchise.

For now, it looks like Bungie (or whoever will be left at the studio) will continue work on its recently released extraction shooter, Marathon.

How are the Destiny fans taking it?

Unsurprisingly, long-time players are mourning the news, lamenting the apparent end of the fictional universe that had lasted for nearly 12 years. Players have been reflecting on the communities they built, friends they made, and memories they forged through Destiny over the years.

But several irate Destiny players have taken to Steam to review bomb Marathon, blaming Bungie’s new (and reportedly underperforming) title for the demise of Destiny. We seem to be at the “anger” stage of grief.

Over a hundred thousand people have signed an online petition asking Sony to greenlight a third Destiny game, but it’s hard to imagine that moving the needle given Bungie and Sony’s financial predicaments.

Unreal Engine 6 announced

Image source: IGN/YouTube

It’s real, alright.

During a Rocket League esports event, Epic Games briefly mentioned the next iteration of its Unreal Engine, which is ubiquitous among game developers. Unreal Engine 6 will soon power Rocket League, though it’s unclear when the engine will launch and when the “new era” of the car soccer game will begin.

In case you don’t know much about what a game engine is, it’s basically the software framework or platform in which games are made. While many companies and studios have their own proprietary engines (EA has Frostbite, Capcom has the RE Engine, etc.), Unreal Engine and Unity are two of the most popular engines widely used by developers. If you want to get into game development, those are the two engines to learn.

In other words, Unreal Engine getting a new update is a big deal, but it’s surprising that Epic Games chose Rocket League as the vehicle for this instead of its big moneymaker, Fortnite.

For context, Rocket League is developed by the studio Psyonix, which Epic Games acquired in 2019. Rocket League came out in 2015, and it runs on Unreal Engine 3, so perhaps the game will be the poster boy for UE6 just to show off how big a jump it’ll be.

Isn’t Unreal Engine 5 still pretty new?

Unreal Engine 5 became widely available to developers in 2022, and it’s powered popular games like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Marvel Rivals, and Split Fiction, just to name a few.

While it’s been widely adopted by developers, many UE5 games have been criticized for poor performance and issues such as stuttering. UE5 has garnered complaints from developers and players alike, though Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney infamously laid the blame on the developers themselves. Whoever’s to blame, fingers crossed that Unreal Engine 6 will be smoother for devs to work with.

Replay: What else happened?

Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Other news hits

• Take-Two confirmed that GTA 6 is not getting a delay from its November 19 release date. Marketing will begin this summer, which is good for the impatient fans who were thoroughly convinced that preorders were to begin last week (they did not).

• While the next Call of Duty game hasn’t been officially announced yet, developer Infinity Ward has openly talked about the upcoming title, saying it’ll be the “definitive Modern Warfare” game. That’s something that should hopefully excite CoD fans, unless, of course, you’re looking for an escape from the real modern warfare conflicts of today.

• French studio Quantic Dream is shutting down its first multiplayer game. But the studio, better known for narrative-driven games like Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human (and for allegations of a hostile workplace), swears it’s still working on a Star Wars game that was announced years ago and still hasn’t been seen since.

• Speaking of games announced years ago, Sega reminded everyone that it’s still working on a new Crazy Taxi game. It’s one of many classic Sega franchises that the publisher plans to revive, along with Jet Set Radio, Streets of Rage, Golden Axe, and Shinobi.

  • Sega will need those—the company recently canceled what it called the “Super Game,” which would’ve been a big (and expensive) online-driven experience that we presume would have competed against the likes of Fortnite.

Big new game releases include…

• Fans of immersive sim games like Dishonored might want to check out Thick as Thieves (PC), which comes from Thief and Deus Ex creator Warren Spector. It’s a stealth game you can play cooperatively with friends, with short and highly replayable missions. And it’s a steal too, costing only $5.

• Surprisingly, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book (Switch 2) isn’t a traditional platforming game. Instead, think of it as a cozy experience about exploration and curiosity, with the game having Yoshi jump into a storybook to study and play around with cute little creatures. It also sports a gorgeous hand-drawn art style.

• The Lego video games are legendary and nostalgic, but Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2¹ ) takes some new and interesting approaches to the formula. This open-world game takes combat from the Arkham games and remixes story elements from comics, movies, and shows to create a new and entertaining story celebrating the famous DC character. Expect deep cut references and childish gags.

On Deck: Going Under

Image source: Aggro Crab

Dismantling tech startups, one dungeon at a time

As fascinated as I am with roguelike games, I’ve never considered myself to be good at playing them. I occasionally find myself in phases of obsession with certain games of the genre, beating my head over them with a few runs before putting them down indefinitely. But Going Under stuck with me, and I gave in to the obsession—perhaps because it was an uncanny simulacrum of our current society.

Going Under came out in 2020, but its satire of the tech industry is still timely and very much resonant in 2026. The main character is Jackie, a new intern at a startup, and she’s tasked with exploring the basements (i.e., the game’s “dungeons”), riddled with the remnants of failed startups. There’s a gig economy service run by goblins, a crypto company controlled by the undead, and a dating app managed by literal demons.

Your job, as the player, is to beat the living hell out of everything you see in these dungeons. You’ll go from room to room, picking up anything from swords to office supplies to use as your tools of destruction. Meanwhile, every room, every piece of flavor text, every tool tip, even every loading screen, is brimming with irony and disdain aimed at business lingo and corporate cliches. The bonkers combat and the scornful satire complement each other extremely well, and as fantastical and absurd as it was, Going Under somehow became the most accurate reflection of modern workplaces since Office Space.

Yes, like most roguelikes I’ve played, I was also beating my head over it repeatedly. Going Under reminded me, though, that the strategy with roguelikes isn’t just to brute force every run and hope to get a different result by the end, but rather to commence your runs with purpose—have a goal each time that builds up to your larger objective. It’s a lesson that maybe we can take in real life, especially in a hellish economy and job market.

Catch you next week for another gaming news digest. Hopefully, I’ll have plenty of hours of 007 First Light by then.

Peace out,
Chris Compendio

Not all games need to be finished

Hey, readers! We got some heavy hitters at the end of May. A super cute Yoshi game is coming out later this week on Switch 2, followed by a new Lego Batman game and a James Bond game from the studio behind Hitman.

With Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight nearing launch, I thought I’d revisit 2022’s Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and see if I could wrap that up. I previewed that game all the way back in E3 2019, and I even interviewed some of the developers behind it. Needless to say, I was quite excited for the game. But since owning that game, I’ve had sparse play sessions with it, and I think I figured out why after all these years.

I simply don’t like playing that game. (Sorry, devs.)

I won’t get too deep into why, but I’ll say that I stopped playing and uninstalled it. I assume I’m not the only person in the world who has trouble stopping myself from finishing a game out of a sunk cost fallacy, but this felt like an important lesson to respect my own time. Sometimes you have to recognize when something isn’t worth it.

Here’s hoping that Lego Batman game is more my speed—based on reviews, it just might be! We’ll touch on that next week, but for now, let’s get into this week’s headlines.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Epic wants you to care about Fortnite returning to iOS

2. Xbox sort-of-but-not-really rebrands

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

4. What's the deal with these dual-screen retro consoles?

5. Finally, finishing up the GoldenEye 007 campaign

Epic Games continues its crusade against Apple

Image source: Epic Games

The Battle Bus returns to iPhones and other Apple devices

Fortnite is back on the Apple App Store (almost) everywhere in the world, with Australia the lone exception. It’s the latest development in a years-long dispute between Fortnite studio Epic Games and Apple that stems from the iPhone maker’s policy of taking a 30% cut of revenue made from mobile games.

As Epic Games infamously has its own store, the company naturally didn’t want Apple to take such a large chunk. When Epic added an in-app purchase option, Apple pulled the popular battle royale game from its platforms.

It’s a corporate feud that has gotten the ear of the U.S. Supreme Court, which recently denied a request from Apple and basically kicked the matter back to the lower courts. According to Epic, Apple signaled to the Supreme Court that its App Store fee structure for territories outside the United States will come to light during the case, which apparently made Epic Games confident enough to put Fortnite back on the App Store worldwide. Australia is an outlier because of what Epic calls “unlawful” developer terms from Apple.

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney on X called this development “a critical moment in the battle against the App Store empire to win freedom for all developers and consumers,” seemingly framing this as a David vs. Goliath scenario when it’s really just two giant, self-serving corporations in a petty squabble.

Wait, when was Fortnite taken off of Apple devices?

As mentioned, Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store when Epic Games added a purchasing option in-game to circumvent Apple’s own store fees—that happened all the way back in 2020. Google also followed suit with the Android version of Fortnite.

And that’s when Epic launched its “Free Fortnite” campaign, which sought to mobilize Fortnite players against Apple and Google. Epic even produced a parody of Apple’s famous “1984” advertisement as part of its campaign to weaponize its fanbase against what the company saw as an “App Store Monopoly.”

It took until 2024 for Fortnite to return to iOS in European Union territories in compliance with the EU’s Digital Markets Act, which regulates digital platform “gatekeepers” like Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. Then, Fortnite came back to Apple devices in the U.S. in May 2025 after a court ruling.

Xbox (sorry, “XBOX”) has the silliest rebrand

Image source: XBOX Wire

Microsoft left Caps Lock on

Sometimes, a big company will do something so minuscule that it doesn’t seem worth covering. But said company will make such a deal out of it that the press can’t seem to ignore it. Enter the latest news from Xbox, which is rebranding to… XBOX.

The bold and brash decision seemed to originate from what looked like a joke social media poll that Xbox CEO (I really don’t want to type “XBOX CEO” like I’m screaming at you) Asha Sharma posted on X. The all-caps fans had it, so Microsoft appeared to hit “Find and Replace” for every “Xbox” on social media to turn them into “XBOX.” Earth-shattering stuff.

Other than changes covered in previous editions of this newsletter, such as lowering the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Xbox also… changed the console’s start-up animation and sound. This new Xbox regime seems eager to listen to fans, even about the most mundane aspects of the brand.

Meanwhile, reporters and journalists like myself are content to entirely ignore “XBOX” in our copy and style guides.

What other feedback is Xbox taking from fans?

As previously reported, Sharma has openly discussed how the Xbox team is currently reevaluating the company’s approach to exclusive games. And in what appears to be an effort for transparency and dialogue with fans, Microsoft launched the “XBOX Player Voice” platform, where just about anyone can chime in with general feedback and vote on other suggestions to raise visibility.

At the very top of the stack are a plea from fans to bring back Xbox-exclusive games, a refocus on Xbox’s backward compatibility efforts, and a request to make online multiplayer access free of subscription fees.

Replay: What else happened?

Image source: Xbox Wire

Other news hits

• The cost of a PlayStation Plus subscription, which is required for online multiplayer, is getting a slight increase. Starting May 20, one month of PS Plus Essential costs $11 a month (up from $10), with the three-month plan rising to $28. Other PS Plus plans are unaffected—for now, at least.

• Seemingly confirming reports that PlayStation will stop porting its own games to PC, PlayStation executive Herman Hulst apparently told employees in a town hall that the company’s single-player games will be PlayStation-exclusive. It’s bad news for anyone who was hoping to play Saros or Marvel’s Wolverine on Steam, but it’s doubtful those folks will want to buy a PS5 just for them.

• Two different unreleased Xbox controllers seem to have leaked, with one being a new Elite Series 3 gamepad, and another being a smaller and oddly rectangular controller ostensibly designed for cloud gaming.

• Nintendo loves to announce strange games at strange times, dropping a trailer for a mobile game called Pictonico in the middle of the evening. It appears to be a WarioWare-like game that takes your photos and turns them into silly microgames. But it won’t be free, with its two “volumes” of games costing $6 and $8 each when it comes out May 28.

• The upcoming live-action Zelda movie has been nudged forward, now set for an April 30, 2027, release. It was originally scheduled for a March 2027 release before being delayed to May 7, 2027, so this is the third date the Sony and Nintendo-produced movie has had. Make a wish to the Triforce that this one will stick.

Big new game releases include…

• It’s been a long time coming, but Forza Horizon 6 (PC, Xbox Series X/S) finally places the open-world racing franchise in Japan. Players will explore a condensed and stylized version of Tokyo, participating in street races, mountain-set touge battles, and even races against mechs.

• Out in early access is Subnautica 2 (PC, Xbox Series X/S), an underwater survival game that has players exploring the depths of the ocean on an alien planet to encounter bizarre sea creatures. The game launches after some messy drama with co-publisher Krafton, which deposed the CEO of Subnautica studio Unknown Worlds, but was ordered by a judge to reinstate him. Amidst the calamity, Subnautica 2 has been killing it with high player counts.

Fill Me In On DS Lookalikes: Is that allowed?

Image source: AYANEO

Emulation is a tricky topic.

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

Dear reader Em (happy birthday!!) writes in with a question that delves into a whole other world in the video gaming space:

Chances are you’ve seen Instagram or TikTok ads promoting these dual-screen gaming devices, some with claims that sound too good to be true. The short answer is that many of these machines are legit—but actually getting those name-brand games on there is a whole different story.

I can’t speak for every one of these devices that are advertised, but there are plenty of these retro gaming handhelds that work just fine. These are machines (usually single-board computers) meant to resemble a Game Boy, DS, or perhaps a PSP, that can emulate games from a variety of different platforms.

I’ve only held one or two of these in my hands before, but plenty of niche retro gaming sites would have a few emulators to recommend, such as the Retroid Pocket, AYN Thor, and AYANEO Pocket DS.

But is this legal? Basically, emulator devices themselves are okay, while actually obtaining the games to play on them usually isn’t. That’s to say that if you get one of these devices, many of which run on Android, you’re gonna have to do some extra (and legally dubious) work to have a decent library. Obviously, I’m not going to outline this process or point you in that direction, and I’d guess that any advertisement claiming it has brand-name games pre-installed is a huge red flag.

Image source: Analogue

This is a bit of a tangent, but one company I’ve been curious about from afar is Analogue, which makes gaming hardware meant to replicate older consoles. Instead of utilizing emulation, Analogue’s devices actually play the original games. For instance, the Analogue Pocket plays Game Boy games, with adapters letting you put in Sega Game Gear, Atari Lynx, and even Neo Geo Pocket games.

And the Analogue 3D, which came out last year, plays Nintendo 64 cartridges, with Analogue arguing that its device plays those games better than Nintendo’s own software emulation on the Switch.

Retro gaming and emulation, in particular, is a wide rabbit hole to fall into, so I’d advise anyone interested in that realm to find people and resources they trust and to do proper research for themselves. I’m certainly no expert—I’m old-fashioned, and I’ll want to play on original hardware (or other official first-party means) when possible.

Or maybe I’m just too much of a goody two-shoes.

On Deck: GoldenEye 007

Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Is GoldenEye 007 still fun? “Yes. Considerably.”

The first original James Bond video game since 2012 is out this month, and I’m sure that anyone working on that project will tell you that it’ll be the best Bond game ever. I’m likely giving IO Interactive’s 007 First Light a purchase when it releases, but I found this to be an opportune time to revisit what many consider to be the best Bond game: GoldenEye 007.

I had played the Wii remake back in 2010—a game that I found quite fun, despite arguably being closer to Call of Duty than GoldenEye. But my only experience with the Nintendo 64 classic was toying around with it when it came out on Xbox Game Pass a few years ago, and playing a little bit of splitscreen at a retro games convention. As legendary as the title was, its aged visuals and design put me off from seriously engaging with it.

But minutes into booting it up on the Nintendo Switch 2 N64 app (and using my official N64 controller!), I had a newfound appreciation for Rare’s classic. It’s easy to dismiss an old console FPS after growing up with games like Halo and Modern Warfare, which had splitscreen multiplayer experiences that undeniably owe it to GoldenEye 007. Looking at the single-player campaign, it was hard not to be impressed by some of the finer details, like how enemies flinch and react depending on which part of the body you shoot them.

It was also refreshing to play a shooter with open-ended levels and an objective-based mission structure. Modern games as a whole make it arguably too easy and thoughtless to progress, with waypoints and map markers taking away any effort and creativity. If I had to knock GoldenEye on something, it would be that the objectives could be too esoteric—steps like hacking a computer and such are unclear without enough prompting, and it’s hard to find anything when all of the rooms in a level look the same.

Surely, there must be a middle ground. But there are cases in games where being lost instead of having your hand held all the way through is a lot more exciting.

That’s all for this week’s gaming news digest. Until then, throw some more gaming questions my way!

Bye-bye for now,
Chris Compendio

The news never waits for you

Have you ever been out of the house on an errand, and you get a notification on your phone that ends up distracting you for the rest of said errand? That happened to me last Wednesday, when I was out grocery shopping and Nintendo decided to pull a fast one.

Hours after sending out a newsletter that included a bit about the rumored Star Fox Switch 2 game, Nintendo confirmed its existence in a very Nintendo-like way, putting out a video livestream at 6 pm Eastern, revealing the game—about 10 minutes after announcing the stream. Needless to say, it sidetracked my grocery run and stalled my search for the canned vegetables.

As annoying as it was to be unable to report the news after hours, it’s hard not to be amused by Nintendo’s unpredictability. Immediately upon returning home (and after unloading the groceries, of course), I fired up the Nintendo 64 app on my Switch 2 and gave Star Fox 64 a spin. I’ve been on a retro N64 game kick since then.

We’ll definitely get into some Star Fox talk in this issue. Once again, I have to skip the “Fill Me In On _____” segment this week due to an absurdly busy schedule, but rest assured, I’m working on it!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Star Fox gets a long-awaited reboot

2. Nintendo Switch 2 gets more expensive (soon)

   1. Are there at least any good deals for a Switch 2?

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. Finally, barrel rolling in Star Fox 64

The new Star Fox is happening, and it’s a remake of a classic

Image source: Nintendo Press Center

The response to the new character designs are… mixed, though.

Anyone who’s ever held a Nintendo controller in their hands has surely heard of the Star Fox series, even if only through the Super Smash Bros. games. Nintendo’s space flight combat simulator starring anthropomorphic animal pilots is back, 10 years after the previous game in the franchise.

The new Star Fox game—simply titled “Star Fox”—is a remake of the 1997 classic Star Fox 64, set for a June 25 release exclusively on Switch 2. But nearly 30 years of technological advancement later, the graphics, art style, and designs of characters like Fox McCloud have never looked so crisp and realistic—for better or worse.

Nintendo is clearly going for a more cinematic and photorealistic vibe in this new Star Fox. The story told in Star Fox 64 will be expanded with extra cutscenes and dialogue, and the characters sport traits closer to the animals they’re based on—just look at Falco’s chicken legs (respectfully) for proof.

Of course, with any major change, there will be tons of arguments about whether this is the right direction for the series or not. The more “real” animal designs in Star Fox are already attracting a ton of memes and comparisons to Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and “Ugly Sonic.”

What’s special about this new Star Fox game?

Quite frankly, the fact that there is a new Star Fox game is pretty special, considering how the franchise appears to have been ignored by Nintendo for the past decade. The previous title was Star Fox Zero (which was also a reimagining of Star Fox 64) on Wii U, a controversial entry due to its unconventional and clunky control scheme.

Star Fox appears to be the pet project of creator and producer Shigeru Miyamoto (who you know better as the creator of Mario and Zelda), and this new game looks like a reboot that’ll hopefully give the franchise a fresh start. Younger audiences may have been first introduced to the Star Fox property when Fox McCloud showed up in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with a rather sizable role.

In terms of the game itself, there isn’t anything groundbreaking that Nintendo has revealed so far. It’s a back-to-basics game where you’ll fly an Arwing fighter and shoot baddies, with branching paths in the campaign depending on your gameplay performance. Besides the new cinematic cutscenes and much-improved graphics, there’s also 4v4 online multiplayer, optional mouse controls, and the bizarre ability to basically be a Star Fox VTuber via camera filters.

What other big Switch 2 games from Nintendo are coming out soon?

There’s roughly one notable first-party Switch 2 game coming from Nintendo every month—coming up in May is the adorable Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, while July will give us the single-player-focused Splatoon Raiders spin-off game. Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is out sometime this year, though Nintendo hasn’t announced a specific launch window. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves will release in 2027.

Nintendo also promised that games it hasn’t announced yet are coming later this year as well. But if you want to play these games and you don’t have a Switch 2 yet, you might want to consider getting one this summer.

Switch 2 will be hit with a price hike in September

Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Get one while they’re hot.

Analysts—along with anyone with a sense of how the economy is these days—predicted that Nintendo would raise the price of the Switch 2 this year, and these predictions have been realized. In the United States, the Nintendo Switch 2 will get a price hike from $450 to $500, effective September 1.

Nintendo cited “changes in market conditions” and “the global business outlook,” and you can bet that the global shortage of memory chips onset by demand from AI data centers is part of the blame. The company also lowered its sales forecast for the coming 12 months, expecting to sell 16.5 million Switch 2 consoles—that’s down from the 19.86 million Switch 2 units Nintendo has sold since launch.

On the company’s part, Nintendo offered an apology to customers “for the considerable inconvenience and trouble this will cause,” though it promises to make up for it with “robust software line-up.”

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa stated that the price hike won’t even “fully account for all cost increases” that the company incurred—probably his way of saying that the price increase could have been worse.

Are there at least any good deals for a Switch 2?

Perhaps to soften the blow of the impending price hike, Nintendo is offering a $500 bundle deal that some might find enticing. You can choose one of three Nintendo-published games to be bundled with a Switch 2: Mario Kart World (which is $80 standalone), 2025 Game of the Year contender Donkey Kong Bananza, and the hit cozy game Pokémon Pokopia (the latter two are $70 standalone).

It’s unclear how long the offer will last—I’d guess that if the bundle is still available after September 1, that price will go up. But if you want to save some cash from buying a Switch 2 and a new game for it, this is a good way to get more out of $500.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Mixtape. Image credit: Annapurna Interactive

Other news hits

• Yeah, so that attempted acquisition of eBay by GameStop didn’t exactly work out, with eBay calling the $55.5 billion bid “neither credible nor attractive.” It wouldn’t be a surprise if the whole ordeal was a stunt from GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen, who was straight up selling random memorabilia on eBay, joking(?) that it was to fund his bid.

• The upcoming racing game Forza Horizon 6 leaked online, and Xbox has been banning any players illegally playing the game before its May 19 release—specifically until December 31, 9999. Long story short, don’t play an online game that you just pirated.

• In what I assume is Fortnite’s bizarre way of celebrating Mother’s Day, the battle royale game added cartoon moms Lois Griffin (Family Guy), Peggy Hill (King of the Hill), and Linda Belcher (Bob’s Burgers) as skins.

• Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul is enough of a Fallout fan that he’ll be starring in season 3 of Prime Video’s Fallout TV show. His role is unknown as of now, but let’s hope it goes better than the last time he was in a video game adaptation.

• Movie adaptation Mortal Kombat II is now in theaters, and reviews are as split as a kombatant that just got sliced in half by Kung Lao’s hat. Chances are that you’ll like the movie if you’re into the games. Funnily enough, a producer for the film publicly lashed out at critics for negative reviews.

Big new game releases include…

• Narrative adventure Mixtape (PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) has made quite a splash, earning perfect review scores from outlets including IGN. The game aims to invoke nostalgia, depicting a coming-of-age tale about three teenagers, set to a soundtrack that includes Devo, The Smashing Pumpkins, and other popular artists.

• If you’ve ever had the fantasy of living in a camper van out in the beautiful wild, cozy game Outbound (PC, Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) is one to look at. Set in a utopian future, you’ll explore gorgeous environments in a van “powered by the sun, wind, and water.” In other words, this game is basically Future Hippie Simulator.

• From the makers of Until Dawn and The Quarry comes sci-fi horror game Directive 8020 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), the next installment of developer Supermassive Games’ The Dark Pictures anthology series. Starring Hollywood’s Lashana Lynch, the story follows astronauts dealing with a shape-shifting alien on a colony ship—The Thing in space, for you horror aficionados.

On Deck: Star Fox 64

Image source: Nintendo Press Center

Have you tried a somersault?

That’s right, we’re beginning and ending this newsletter issue with Star Fox. As I mentioned in the intro, I hopped on the Nintendo Switch Online N64 app right when I got home and jumped right back into Star Fox 64, a game that I’ve always admired, but admittedly never really got into myself.

While I’m still not the biggest Star Fox fan ever after rolling credits on this game, my admiration and respect for it grew. The flight controls were super easy to wrap my head around, and I think its biggest strength is its replayability.

In case you haven’t played a Star Fox game, most of the entries in the series have a unique level structure: You’ll complete a mission, and depending on your performance, you’ll progress through the story through one of many branching paths. That’s to say that every playthrough of the game might have you playing different missions, so there’s an incentive to go back and try to improve your scores, shoot down more enemies, take alternate paths, and so on.

Of course, your enjoyment of Star Fox 64 will depend on which types of missions you find to be fun. Star Fox usually has your flight on rails, but I found myself a little frustrated in levels where you can freely fly around—objectives got a little messy, and dogfights were repetitive. But who knows—maybe if I keep improving through multiple playthroughs (this game is pretty short, after all), I’ll finally get the hang of it and appreciate those missions even more.

Check in next week for another gaming news catch-up!

Good luck,
Chris Compendio

Going rogue(like)

Hey, readers! We’re in for a good month of new gaming releases. I’m particularly excited for Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight and 007 First Light coming out near the end of May. The hardest part will be choosing between the two games, given my limited budget.

In the meantime, I’ve been chipping away at some roguelike and roguelite games—I’m finally making good progress in Hades 2 and Going Under, and I’m currently obsessed with Returnal. As you can guess, I got into the latter due to the recent release of Saros, which we’ll get into later.

Just a heads-up, but due to time constraints in the past week, I’m skipping the “Fill Me In On _____” segment this issue. I have a great topic planned, but that’s going to involve a lot of research that I haven’t had time for.

Otherwise, enjoy the rest of your usual Autofill programming below!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie teased

2. GameStop makes a bizarre bid for eBay

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. And, Indian food and gay romance in Thirsty Suitors

Zach Cregger goes from Weapons to Resident Evil

Image credit: IMDb

The onslaught of game-to-movie adaptations continues

Hollywood is trying yet again with the Resident Evil property, but this upcoming take on Capcom’s survivor horror series looks like the most promising attempt. Zach Cregger, who has sketch comedy roots with The Whitest Kids U’ Know, made a name for himself as a horror filmmaker with Barbarian and especially last year’s Weapons. His Resident Evil movie comes out this year on September 18.

To come out of the gate with a video game adaptation is a surprising move, but based on the first teaser trailer for the film, we might be getting something special. The teaser video introduces us to the film’s protagonist, Bryan (Weapons’ Austin Abrams), and he seems to be going through a bad time. As a medical courier tasked with a delivery in Raccoon City—just as a virus outbreak causes pandemonium—he’ll be facing zombies and all sorts of messed-up creatures.

Cregger’s take is fairly unique when compared to other game-to-movie or TV show adaptations, with this movie lacking any of the familiar characters that fans of the games are already used to. But the teaser—along with words from Cregger himself—indicates that the director very much respects and understands the source material.

Do I have to have played the games to watch this movie?

From what we’ve seen and heard about this movie, Cregger’s Resident Evil looks to be a totally standalone entry that can be enjoyed by itself. Bryan is an original character, and though Cregger says he imagines the events of his movie take place parallel to the T-virus outbreak depicted in Resident Evil 2, don’t expect any sort of crossover.

Instead, this is an original movie that Cregger made to replicate his experience of playing the games, with the filmmaker citing Resident Evil 4 as his favorite in the series. Specifically, Cregger is aiming to capture the relentlessness of the games: The narrative momentum, the desperate search for resources, changing locales, horror-action setpieces, and increasingly terrifying monsters encountered over time.

There are a few nitpicks that picky fans (i.e., me) have pointed out, like the depiction of snow, even though it wasn’t snowing in RE2, along with Bryan sporting an anachronistic smartphone in one shot (RE2 took place in September 1998, for reference). But hey, let’s not get hung up on creative liberties.

What else do we know about Cregger’s RE movie?

Other than Abrams, cast members include Zach Cherry (Severance), Paul Walter Hauser (Black Bird), and Kali Reis (True Detective: Night Country). None of these actors appear in the trailer, but reports suggest that they’re members of the Umbrella Corporation from the games.

The whole movie is said to take place over the course of one evening, and Cregger promised some easter eggs for devoted fans to spot in the background. It’ll also have an IMAX release.

GameStop wants to buy eBay (and not the other way around)

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Is this proposed takeover just for the memes?

Remember those little GameStop stores in that mall you used to go to? Well, that company is still around, and it wants to buy eBay. Why, exactly? And how? It’s really unclear, but it’s a fascinating development (and potential disaster) at the very least.

GameStop made an unsolicited offer to acquire eBay for $125 per share, valued at about $55.5 billion. The gaming brick-and-mortar retailing company is said to be currently valued at around $11 billion. I’m no financial expert, but judging from my math, that’s less than $55.5 billion.

The company says that the offer will be funded by “cash and liquid investments on GameStop’s balance sheet” (about $9.4 billion) and the vague promise of “third-party acquisition financing,” which includes $20 billion of financing from TD Securities. That still isn’t enough.

Speaking on CNBC, GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen dodged inquiries about the shortfall, with wise answers such as: “We’ll see what happens,” and “I don’t understand your question.” I’m starting to think that Cohen is just as good at finance as I am, or he’s doing this for the “lolz,” as one might say.

What the hell is up with GameStop these days?

You might remember that GameStop became a “meme stock” in 2021, something that bros in your orbit probably kept talking about. It put platforms such as Robinhood and /r/wallstreetbets on the mainstream stage, and the event spawned documentaries and the Paul Dano and Seth Rogen-starring film Dumb Money.

Despite renewed interest in the brand, it really seems like GameStop has been hanging by a thread for the longest time. With consumer trends shifting toward digital sales of video games, GameStop now mostly focuses on physical goods like Pokémon trading cards. The company even briefly dabbled in NFTs for a couple of years.

Its lineup of executives has been shuffling frequently, with Cohen—the co-founder of online pet food retailer Chewy—ascending to the chairman role at GameStop in 2021 and taking the CEO role as well in 2023. Since then, he’s railed against “wokeness and DEI” as one of the touchstones for his vision of the company.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Saros. Image credit: PlayStation Blog

Other news hits

• To follow up on last week’s PlayStation DRM confusion, Sony finally confirmed that, yes, there is an online check-in for newly purchased PlayStation games, but it’s a one-time check-in. It took them long enough to address the issue, but long-term digital rights concerns remain.

• Xbox CEO Asha Sharma shook up Xbox’s leadership, bringing in veterans from Microsoft’s CoreAI division and her former employer, Instacart. While you’d think that this means Xbox is going all-in on AI, Sharma announced immediately after that Microsoft is ending development of Copilot on the Xbox mobile app and consoles. Even so, expect Xbox to integrate AI in different ways, like “enhancing real-time graphics.”

• Take this rumor with a plasma grenade-sized grain of salt, but one report claims that remakes of Halo 2 and Halo 3 are “definitely happening” and in “active development.” There’s already a full, Unreal Engine 5-powered remake of the original Halo game’s campaign coming out this year on Xbox Series X/S, PC, and PlayStation 5(!), but it lacks competitive multiplayer.

• Speaking of unconfirmed rumors, the Star Fox community low-key crashed out after the reported new Star Fox game didn’t get an announcement, even though noted leaker NateTheHate claimed initially that such an announcement would come in April. He’s still sticking to his story that the game exists, though.

• The official Call of Duty X account confirmed that the next entry in the series (rumored to be Modern Warfare 4) will not be on the last-generation PlayStation 4 (and presumably the Xbox One). The series has been on those consoles since 2013’s Call of Duty: Ghosts and continued to release on those platforms half a decade into the current PS5/Xbox Series X generation.

• After going on sale on Monday, Steam Controllers are already sold out, with many customers experiencing website issues when trying to purchase one. Scalpers are already doing their thing on eBay, unsurprisingly.

Big new game releases include…

• While it’s not a direct sequel to Returnal, Housemarque’s newest game Saros (PlayStation 5) sure feels like one. This third-person bullet-hell roguelite shooter puts you in the shoes of protagonist Arjun Devraj as he explores the dangerous planet of Carcosa. Unlike Returnal, this game lets you permanently upgrade your character in between runs. Featuring arresting cosmic horror imagery, the Lovecraftian monsters you face in Saros are no joke.

• Fans of the Invincible animated series on Prime Video might want to check out the fighting game Invincible VS (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). It’s a 3v3 tag fighter in the vein of Marvel vs. Capcom and features the same brutal violence as the show. Most voice actors reprise their roles, and there’s even a new character voiced by rapper Tierra Wack. Experience a new story through the game, though critics thought the campaign ended rather abruptly.

On Deck: Thirsty Suitors

Image source: Outerloop Games

Turn-based battles of emotions

When I started playing Thirsty Suitors, several obvious points of comparison came to mind. The turn-based RPG, which also features skateboarding gameplay and cooking minigames, came off as a Scott Pilgrim vs. The World-like story with elements of Night in the Woods, but it has a very unique identity bolstered by its inspirations and references to South Asian culture.

Thirsty Suitors, developed by Outerloop Games for PC, Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation, puts you in the role of Jala, who returns to her hometown and moves back with her parents after ending a three-year relationship. Dealing with family drama, including her estranged sister’s wedding and the impending visit of her grandmother, the bulk of the game has Jala dealing with her many exes.

Her confrontations with this diverse cast come in the form of turn-based combat, with the characters talking through their emotional baggage. This is a game where you literally inflict emotional damage on each other. It’s amusingly exaggerated, but surprisingly mature and heartfelt. The concept of arguing through RPG combat and reaching a state of understanding and solidarity is novel, something to be seen and experienced to truly grasp.

I’m a huge fan of games that heavily incorporate cultural elements from the creators, and many should be pleased by the cooking minigames that have you preparing some spicy real-life dishes (that, of course, can be used as healing items in combat). Thirsty Suitors has a smart script and memorable characters, and it’s also gay as hell. But above all, I’m just heartened by a game that depicts emotional honesty and maturity. We can all learn a lesson from Jala’s trials and tribulations.

Thanks for reading this week! Remember to keep your questions coming so I can answer them in this very newsletter.

Laters,
Chris Compendio

Nostalgia reigns supreme

Hey, readers. I rolled credits on Pragmata this past weekend, and I found it to be a quick and satisfying new release to chew on. That being said, I’m now stuck in a retro game vortex (if you consider games from the late aughts to be “retro.”)

After writing about Portal 2 for GameSpot, I got the bug to replay the first Portal game—specifically, Portal: Still Alive on Xbox 360. From there, my nostalgic rampage included both Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection and BioShock: The Collection, where I’m playing Assassin’s Creed 2 and the first BioShock (both games I never finished back then).

Maybe when more new titles come out in May, I’ll round back to playing something with the zeitgeist. But for now, I’m content pretending like I’m back in my middle school and high school days playing old-ass video games.

We’ll talk about some concepts from the past emerging in the present in this newsletter, and as always, please tip through Ko-fi if you enjoy reading this!

This issue will fill you in on:

1. The reviews are in for the new Steam Controller

2. The Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake sets sail

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. Fill Me In On Modern MMOs

5. Finally, Is This Seat Taken?

The new Steam Controller is out next week

Meanwhile, the new Steam Machine is MIA

Valve finally confirmed that its new controller for Steam is out on May 4 for $100. It looks a bit different from controllers you may already be used to, featuring two touchpads very much like the ones on the Steam Deck.

Promising a 35-hour battery life and full customization, the new Steam Controller is part of Valve’s new hardware lineup, which includes the aforementioned Steam Deck and the forthcoming Steam Machine console-like device and Steam Frame VR headset.

You might remember that Valve released a controller in 2015, one that placed a round trackpad where a right analog stick would otherwise have been. Having bought one myself (at a deep, deep discount when that product was on its way out), I can say that it works fine in certain situations, but it’s largely an ugly product that isn’t any better than the controllers I already own.

But this new controller looks quite promising, if you ask me.

Is this controller worth the $100?

That probably depends on how much you play games on your PC or if you’re planning to buy a Steam Machine down the line. If you already have a Steam Deck and you like its button and trackpad layout, you’ll probably like the Steam Controller as well, as the trackpads act as an excellent alternative to using a mouse.

Early reviews praise the ergonomics and overall quality of the controller, along with the ease of connecting it to PCs. It isn’t the slickest-looking controller, but it’s quite functional.

An ask of $100 is a big one, though. The Steam Controller is probably only worth it for PC players who want a “pro” controller experience, especially those investing in Valve’s hardware endeavors. Casual players are likely better off sticking with whatever Xbox or PlayStation controllers they already own, but the new controller might be perfect for the Steam Machine.

Where’s the Steam Machine, by the way?

Valve is quite insistent that the Steam Machine—the cube-like device that will run SteamOS—is launching sometime in 2026. Originally announced for an early 2026 release, Valve signalled that the launch will be further down the line due to the ongoing RAM and memory shortage crisis. In other words, your guess is as good as mine, but some reporters think that Valve is close to landing on a final release date and price internally.

When asked why the Steam Controller is coming out before the Steam Machine, Valve engineer Steve Cardinali said the obvious: the Steam Controller “doesn't have RAM in it, and it's not as complicated to start getting out the door.”

The Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag remake is real

Image source: Ubisoft

The gaming industry’s worst-kept secret

The beloved 2013 pirate adventure game Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is getting a remake, but pretty much everyone remotely tuned into general gaming news has been long aware of this. After over a year of leaks and rumors, Ubisoft finally rolled back the curtain on Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag Resynced, releasing July 9 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

If you aren’t huge into Assassin’s Creed, know that Black Flag is a massive fan-favorite, namely due to its open-world and for heavily featuring naval combat. Taking place in the Golden Age of Piracy, players take the role of Edward Kenway (voiced by a charismatic Matt Ryan, aka TV’s Constantine) and cross paths with figures like Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet—though you can guess that they’re depicted quite differently than they were in Our Flag Means Death.

Critics at the time opined that Black Flag was a better pirate game than an assassin game, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. If you’re looking to sail the seas and you’re either fond of Black Flag or have never played it before, Resynced might be the experience for you.

What’s new in this remake?

Roughly 13 years of technological and graphical advancement since the original release will do Black Flag Resynced some good, with the game being completely rebuilt with Ubisoft’s newest version of the Anvil engine. In other words, it’s going to look a lot better.

Combat will be a lot faster and more strategic, with a heavy emphasis on parrying enemy attacks. Players will also have more parkour and stealth-related movement options. Additionally, there will be new characters on Edward’s ship, along with new storylines involving Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet (which is already giving me false hope for references to Our Flag).

Most importantly, you can now have a pet cat or monkey on the ship! Oh, also, those pesky missions where you have to follow someone from a distance and instantly fail if they spot you have also been totally reworked, so they’ll be so much less frustrating. But also, pets!

What’s going on with the Assassin’s Creed series lately?

The most recent mainline title in the series is Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which released last year on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2. Set in Feudal Japan (a highly requested setting for the series), the game had a dual protagonist structure, focusing on young shinobi Naoe and samurai Yasuke, who is based on a real historical figure.

As for what’s on the horizon, the next entry is hitting some speed bumps. Codenamed “Hexe,” the next AC game is rumored to focus on witchcraft. There’s not a lot of information out there about the game, but the project just lost its director. You might see this departure as an ill omen, as the game’s previous director left just two months prior. Maybe this game was cursed by real witches.

Netflix is also filming an Assassin’s Creed television show in Rome, taking place in the year 64 AD. Surely anything they do will be better received than that 2016 Michael Fassbender-starring Assassin’s Creed movie.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Kiln. Image source: Xbox Wire

Other news hits

• Xbox is hoping to stage a brand comeback, with Xbox bosses Asha Sharma and Matt Booty outlining their plan in a “We are Xbox” manifesto. It’s… not very specific, but lowering the price of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate last week was one such step towards its goal of making Xbox “where the world plays,” and the company is reevaluating its stance on Xbox-exclusive games.

• PlayStation owners are increasingly suspicious that Sony has implemented digital rights management (DRM) that requires PS5 and PS4 players to be connected to the internet to play their digital games, with an online check-in every 30 days. Adding to consumer misgivings is the total lack of an official statement from Sony thus far.

• While Nintendo is suing the U.S. government for refunds from tariffs declared illegal by the Supreme Court, two customers are suing Nintendo, arguing that any refunds the company receives should go back to consumers. They assert that since Nintendo raised prices on Switch hardware last year, the company is poised to unjustly profit from any tariff refunds.

• In a bizarre tie-in with gaming, the alleged shooter from last weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner is an indie game developer. After tons of (mostly unfunny) joke reviews for his game pelted its listing on Steam, platform owner Valve pulled the game from sale.

• Not to be outdone by the upcoming Call of Duty movie, Battlefield is also getting a film adaptation, with Mission: Impossible writer-director Christopher McQuarrie and Oscar-winning actor Michael B. Jordan attached. McQuarrie has been pitching the movie to various studios and streamers, but the project is reportedly aiming for a theatrical release.

Big new game releases include…

• The ever-popular Vampire Survivors has its first spin-off in Vampire Crawlers (PC, Switch, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5), a roguelike deck-building game—or as developer poncle calls it, a “turbo wildcard” game. Despite being a totally different gameplay genre from Survivors, some reviewers found Crawlers just as addictive.

• Psychonauts and Brutal Legends studio Double Fine has a new IP, and it’s a pottery-themed multiplayer brawler called Kiln (PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5). Create weird little ceramic guys and make them beat the living heck out of each other in this party game sporting Double Fine’s distinct art style.

• Think of Snap & Grab (PC) as a more vibrant (and less violent) Hitman. Plan out heists by taking photos of the scene, then executing said plan in stylish fashion. The first of five episodes of the game is now out, and familiar talent involved includes Justin McElroy voicing a “gaudy penthouse owner” and writing from Brian David Gilbert.

Fill Me In On MMOs: Why aren’t there any good new ones?

Image source: Final Fantasy XIV Twitter/X account

Is the genre out of new hits?

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

Dear reader Jimbo writes in with a question about an evergreen gaming genre:

We’re, of course, talking about massively multiplayer online games, but the space is mostly dominated by MMO role-playing games (MMORPGs). You know, stuff like World of Warcraft. And it’s a sound point, the fact that there haven’t been any new MMOs introduced in the past decade that have endured as long as the classics, many of which are still alive and strong today.

If you ask most MMO players today, the biggest games in the genre include EVE Online (2003), WoW (2004), Guild Wars 2 (2012), Final Fantasy XIV (2013¹ ), Black Desert Online (2014), and even Runescape (2001).

Meanwhile, Amazon took a big swing with the MMO New World, but despite making waves after its 2021 launch, it failed to stand out from the competition, and it’s getting shut down in 2027. Amazon also has the MMO Lost Ark, which is getting by—for now. Several MMOs are dying off, with some being canceled before release. Most recently, Ashes of Creation was removed from Steam, causing a legal fiasco I can’t even begin to explain.

A screenshot from New World, due to shut down in 2027. Image source: Amazon Game Studios

There are a few reasons why this might be happening, and they overlap somewhat. Conventional wisdom is that MMOs are hella expensive to make and maintain. Game development budgets are already ballooning, and with the games industry more or less still having an affair with live-service gaming (which we touched on last week), making an MMORPG, which would almost certainly be more esoteric and less approachable than, say, a Fortnite-like game, is a risk publishers wouldn’t want to take.

Also, the prospect of competing with the likes of WoW and FFXIV is daunting. Those games have had years to build their community, and with players’ attention being split in so many ways these days, plus the economics of it all, it’s hard to build a new playerbase these days. Players have repeatedly proven that they're happy to stick with older MMOs as long as they’re still getting new content and support. Heck, Final Fantasy XI, which came out in freaking 2002, is still active enough today that it has server overpopulation issues.

Times have changed, as have many facets of video game development. It’s hard to make a new MMO today that would stray away from the tenets established by EverQuest and WoW, but if you make a new game that plays just like that, why bother playing it when WoW is still thriving?

That still isn’t stopping developers from trying, with upcoming projects including Soulframe (already playable in pre-alpha), Chrono Odyssey, and whatever League of Legends MMO that Riot Games is cooking up. Good luck to all of them, I suppose.

On Deck: Is This Seat Taken?

A wholesome puzzle game with too many stinky characters

Looking at the video games I’m currently playing or have played recently, I think almost every single one of them involves violence in some form. Even Mario has you mercilessly stepping on Goombas. So maybe that’s why I subconsciously decided that a lovely puzzle game by the name of “Is This Seat Taken?” (on PC, mobile, and Switch) would be my cooldown game on most nights.

Developed by Poti Poti Studio and published by the appropriately named Wholesome Games, this puzzle game has you placing and arranging people (who take the form of adorable little shapes) based on their preferences. In a bus level, for example, one person might prefer to sit by the window, but they also might be playing loud music, while another bus passenger can’t stand loud music. You’ll have to do some thinking and shuffling around to make everyone happy.

Is This Seat Taken? proved to be a real brain scratcher. I’m proud of the fact that I completed most of the game without any external guides, but I will admit that one level had me stumped. I suppose you could finish a level without every shape satisfied, but I was too determined to never let that happen.

All of my gripes with the game are nitpicks, such as the relatively short length (I could do these puzzles forever) and some repeating scenarios (i.e. seating at a soccer game or a movie theater) got repetitive. What probably bothered me the most was that there were always shapes in every level who hadn’t showered in forever, causing me to upend my arrangements several times to accommodate those who hate bad smells. Take showers, people!

That’s it for this week. Next week, we’ll talk about Saros and what else is happening in May!

Sayonara (Wild Hearts),
Chris Compendio

Good video games are out!

Hey, readers. It’s been a good week for video gaming, with a handful of noteworthy new releases to talk about!

I’ve been careful not to buy too many new video games, especially with such a hefty backlog to get through. But I have to admit that I caught the hype bug for Capcom’s new title Pragmata, and as I write this, I’m over halfway through that game already. We’ll talk a little more about that later in this issue!

As always, tell your friends about Autofill and don’t forget to send me any questions or curiosities about the games industry you wanna be caught up on. You can also tip me for my work on Ko-fi through the link below.

Our top two stories relate to two different CEOs in the gaming space—one who aims to begin her tenure with some goodwill, and the other who appears to be a totally unhinged dude.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Xbox Game Pass gets a price change (with a twist)

2. This CEO is out of his Mind(sEye)

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. Fill Me In On Live Service Games

5. Finally, revisiting Ocarina of Time 3D before the inevitable remake

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate lowers price (in this economy?)

Image source: Xbox Wire

But there’s a big Call of Duty-shaped footnote too.

Xbox Game Pass was seen as Microsoft’s attempt to build a “Netflix for games” subscription service. It was a steal at first, containing hundreds of titles for a monthly fee, but multiple changes to its pricing plans and models slowly made what was once gaming’s best deal more complicated, bloated, and expensive.

But the top tier of Xbox Game Pass, called Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, just got a price cut, which is rare in any industry these days. Ultimate subscribers only need to shell out $23 a month instead of $30 a month—that’s $276 annually, or a saving of $84 if you subscribe for an entire year.

The catch is that future installments of Call of Duty, which is published by Microsoft-owned Activision, won’t be on Game Pass Ultimate when they launch—instead, they’ll be added to the catalog “during the following holiday season,” so about a year after they release.

These changes are the result of “a lot of feedback,” and they come just a week after new Microsoft Gaming CEO Asha Sharma reportedly said that Game Pass became “too expensive for players” in an internal memo. It’s easy to see this price cut as one of several calculated moves by Sharma’s new regime to regain trust from Xbox’s fanbase.

What did Xbox Game Pass cost before?

Game Pass launched in 2017 at $10 a month, with only one tier and a little over 100 games. In 2019, Microsoft introduced Game Pass Ultimate, which also included online multiplayer access and eventually added cloud gaming, all for the price of $15 a month.

In subsequent years, prices rose and Microsoft added more tiers. By October 2025, Game Pass had over 800 games, but it was split into a $10 per month “Essential” tier, a $15 per month “Standard” tier, and a whopping $30 per month for Ultimate. As you can imagine, the response was not great.

Perhaps the new price cut makes Game Pass Ultimate a better deal, but observers are still worried about further “enshittification” of the service. Reports that Microsoft is toying with an ad-supported tier of Game Pass aren’t helping.

Why is Call of Duty on Game Pass such a big deal?

The Call of Duty series is its own separate beast. It’s an annual franchise, and each game consistently is at the top (or near the top) of sales charts every year. And it’s a big enough deal that it prompted Microsoft to rethink the calculus on Game Pass pricing.

While including new Call of Duty games was a boost for the service, it might not have made much sense from a business perspective for Microsoft and Activision. The move cut into game sales, with one report claiming that the corporation lost an estimated $300 million as a result of putting new Call of Duty games on Game Pass. That’s a lot of money!

Going forward, you’ll have to pay the full $70 to purchase a new Call of Duty game—but at least that’s less than the $84 you’re saving from the Game Pass Ultimate price cut.

Executive paranoia and employee revolts: the story of MindsEye

Image source: Build a Rocket Boy

This is the textbook definition of a “hot mess.”

If you haven’t heard of the video game MindsEye, you’ve been missing out on a lot of drama. I’m skipping over a lot of backstory behind the game and its studio (the horribly named “Build a Rocket Boy”), but just know that this game is a fairly generic third-person shooter that bombed with critics when it came out last summer. Also, the game’s director is former Grand Theft Auto producer Leslie Benzies, who was named in the Epstein files. Yikes.

In the lead-up to its release, Build a Rocket Boy co-CEO Mark Gerhard (who shares the role with Benzies) made unfounded claims of a “concerted effort” to “trash” the game before it was out. Such accusations continued after the game launched with a negative Metacritic score of 39, with Benzies doubling down and Gerhard insisting he had “overwhelming evidence” that “organized espionage and corporate sabotage” led to the game’s failure.

Layoffs ensued, and unsurprisingly, employees at Build a Rocket Boy laid the blame on the company’s leaders, alleging crunch and mismanagement at the studio. The Independent Workers of Great Britain union even sued Build a Rocket Boy over its treatment of employees and handling of the dismissals.

And now the union is taking additional legal action against the studio for alleged data privacy violations. Earlier this year, employees at the studio noticed that their computers were slower than usual, leading them to discover that management had installed Teramind monitoring software without their knowledge.

Uh, is there actually any corporate espionage going on?

It’s hard to know without any concrete evidence whether or not this “sabotage” is legit, but Gerhard claimed that “a very big American company” spent over €1 million to commit “criminal activity” against the studio. According to Gerhard, this company paid an influencer agency, a handful of journalists, and internal Build a Rocket Boy employees to damage the studio.

But in what might be the world’s weirdest attempt at a flex, Gerhard announced that an upcoming mission to be added in MindsEye will feature real-life evidence of this alleged sabotage. According to Gerhard, parts of the mission will include the actual names of some of the supposed perpetrators “for our own fun.”

I’m going to editorialize a little bit here to say that that’s freaking nuts.

How bad was this MindsEye game, really?

I haven’t played the game myself (I’d rather save the $60), but even Gerhard himself said that MindsEye had “the worst launch in history.” The game was riddled with bugs, along with possibly the worst CPR minigame in any video game. 

Even without the glitches and launch issues, what you’re left with is a paper-thin story set in a lifeless game world. Streamers literally paid to play the game couldn’t keep a straight face when promoting it. 

IO Interactive, the company that made Hitman and published MindsEye, ended its collaboration with Build a Rocket Boy earlier this year. And even around the game’s launch, IO flatly denied any conspiracies of sabotage.

Replay: What else happened?

A screenshot from Mouse: P.I. For Hire. Image source: PlaySide Studios

Other news hits

• Lana Del Rey is the singer for the theme song of 007 First Light, the upcoming James Bond game by Hitman studio IO Interactive. You can watch a lyric video or the game’s title sequence on YouTube if you want to hear the song.

• Remember how good the music in Halo is? Well, the original composer behind that series is, uh, running for U.S. Congress as a Republican. Marty O’Donnell is running in Nevada’s 3rd district, and he just nabbed an endorsement from Donald Trump, despite calling him an “idiot” back in 2016. Vying for the approval of a disastrous president sure is a strategy.

• There’s plenty of game-to-movie adaptation news this week:

  • The trailer for the new Street Fighter movie looks as colorful and quirky as the games themselves, possibly to a fault. With a wacky cast and an unabashed admiration for the source material, this’ll either be a campy classic or a total wreck.

  • A24’s Elden Ring movie from Ex Machina and Civil War director Alex Garland has a March 3, 2028 release date. It’s reported to be A24’s “largest” (and probably most expensive) project, and cast members include Kit Connor, Ben Whishaw, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman, and many more.

  • There’s a Call of Duty movie in the works, and it now has a release date of June 30, 2028. Attached to the project are Peter Berg (Lone Survivor) as director and Taylor Sheridan (Yellowstone) as writer. It’ll probably be exactly as “patriotic” as you’d predict based on the talent involved.

  • The cinematographer for The Legend of Zelda movie shared (and subsequently deleted) some behind-the-scenes set photos, and they seem to hint that the live-action movie will take inspiration from several games in the series.

Big new game releases include…

A screenshot from Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. Image source: Nintendo Press Center

• You’ve probably never seen a game like Mouse: P.I. For Hire (PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), which is a first-person shooter with an old-timey black-and-white Steamboat Willie cartoon art style. Think of it as Cuphead with the gunplay of Doom, with a little bit of LA Noire-like detective work.

• Populate a world with your funniest and weirdest jokes in Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Switch), a life simulator game that is already producing some of the looniest clips ever. Create Miis and have them build relationships with each other, which can often produce hilarious NSFW verbal exchanges in robotic text-to-speech. That’s probably why Nintendo unfortunately restricted sharing features for this game—but where there’s a will to share on social media, there’s a way.

• Capcom is on a roll this year, and the company’s latest is the third-person shooter Pragmata (PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). The story follows engineer Hugh, who is trapped on a moon base and must team up with android Diana to make it back to Earth. Gameplay has you control both characters simultaneously, shooting as Hugh and hacking as Diana—it’s Multitasking: The Video Game, with some wholesome dad moments.

Fill Me In On live service games: What happened to them?

An image from the ill-fated online shooter Highguard

Chasing that “forever game”

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)

Dear reader Jess asked for a refresher for “really hyped games that were supposed to have a long lifespan and what happened to them,” and not just games that “immediately died like Highguard.”

First off, let’s catch everyone up on some of the names and terminology from that last paragraph!

A live service game, or “games as a service” (which has the unfortunate abbreviation of “GaaS”), basically refers to a game built on continuing monetization, bringing in and retaining players by offering new content over time.

You can track this type of game back to MMOs like World of Warcraft, but modern live service games are in the vein of Fortnite, which popularized many live service mainstays, such as battle passes, a free-to-play model, and a store with rotating items.

An image from the infamous live-service flop Concord

Naturally, the success of games like Fortnite led to a land grab by big publishers and studios, with many greenlighting and releasing games that would theoretically be cash cows indefinitely. That’s how you get some successes like EA’s Apex Legends and infamous bombs like PlayStation’s Concord, which shut down just a couple of weeks after its August 2024 release. 

Highguard is one of the more recent and prolific live service failures—it launched in January after its reveal trailer generated skepticism and shut down in March after low player counts and middling reviews. Despite the pedigree behind the game (coming from original developers of Apex Legends), it failed to build a playerbase for various reasons.

There’s a growing list of games suffering the same fate as Concord and Highguard—personally, I grieve the loss of Knockout City and XDefiant. And with even Fortnite undergoing financial troubles, the idea of a “forever game” is now looking like a myth, perhaps demonstrating that the financial model isn’t sustainable.

Most of the popular live service games are still going relatively strong—I’m thinking of Destiny 2, Apex Legends, Rainbow Six Siege, Grand Theft Auto Online, Warframe, No Man’s Sky, Valorant, Sea of Thieves, and Genshin Impact, just to name a few. Of course, every fanbase is hard to please, and mismanagement is inevitable, so most or all of these titles probably have their own problems to deal with.

But some attempts like Square Enix’s Foamstars barely made a splash and ended update support, while others like The Finals and FragPunk are still slowly chugging along despite relatively lower player counts. Meanwhile, people are oddly obsessed with player counts for the recently released Marathon, because they’re either dreading or actively rooting for its demise. We’ll see how much longer game studios can sustain these “forever games,” but as I wrote in the past, “forever” is running out.

On Deck: The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

Image source: IGDB

Time is a fickle thing.

With reports that an Ocarina of Time remake is coming this holiday, I decided to revisit the 3DS remake of the original. I had started a save file over a decade ago and got maybe halfway through it (do you see an ongoing theme with this “On Deck” segment?), so I thought it was finally time to roll credits on this classic.

Having played subsequent Zelda games, it was easy to track the lineage from this to what came after, but Ocarina surprisingly held up well. The dungeons were fun head-scratchers (even the infamous Water Temple!), and I felt content with the experience overall after defeating Ganon.

The big problem for me was Navi. You know, that little fairy that constantly interrupts you to shout, “Hey, listen!” As someone annoyed by overdone tutorialization in modern games, the trend that began with Navi is one I wish had fizzled out. You know all those times in games like God of War where characters blurt out puzzle solutions? I blame stuff like that on Navi. What makes Navi more infuriating is that when you actually need a hint or some help, she’s utterly useless.

I remain curious and cautious about what an Ocarina of Time remake in 2026 would look and play like, but I have one item at the top of my list of stuff I hope gets fixed.

Thanks for sticking with Autofill for your gaming news!

Keep on gamin’,
Chris Compendio

Slow and steady

Hey, readers. It’s a little funny to me that, as exciting as the launch of Autofill has been, it comes during a decidedly unexciting period in the games industry. It’s been an annoyingly slow news week, but I do relish the challenge of curating some compelling stories regardless.

As always, please share Autofill with your friends, and encourage them to submit their own questions and curiosities about the games industry for me to explain. And please consider tipping me a couple of dollars through Ko-fi so I can continue to grow Autofill!

I’m pumped for some anticipated games releasing in the weeks ahead, and we’ll be getting closer to showcases from the big gaming companies. For now, let’s get to it.

This issue will fill you in on:

1. Pokémon Champions had a really strange launch

2. There's one less place to play Doki Doki Literature Club

3. Replay: What else happened?

   1. Quick News Stories

   2. New Game Releases

4. Fill Me In On Minecraft

5. Finally, let's chat about Red Dead Redemption 2's epilogue

The new Pokémon battling game has the weirdest problems

Image source: The Pokémon Company press center

It isn’t the very best

Another Pokémon game has launched, but while the cozy life sim Pokopia on Switch 2 was undoubtedly a success, the newly released Pokémon Champions for the original Switch had a more mixed response. It’s a free-to-play (or “free-to-start”) game entirely focused on competitive battling, and you can bring in your ‘mons from the main games through the Pokémon Home cloud service.

There are a good number of fans enjoying it, and it’s a solid entry point for casual Pokémon fans with any interest in competitive play and optimizing their battle teams. But others say it’s missing too much content, and some absolutely bizarre glitches and errors have run rampant.

Complaints include the game’s relatively paltry roster of 200 Pokémon (there are over 1,000 in total), the omission of several competitive items, the lack of 6v6 battles, and some moves not working as intended. There was also a major error that led some players to lose access to some of their Pokémon, and another that inadvertently birthed a trans icon in Gallade. 

Perhaps the most baffling bug has Champions not displaying the correct resolution on a TV when playing on Switch 2, with the solution being to remove the console from the dock and putting it back in. On their part, the developers apologized for the issues and promised bug fixes. Unfortunately, that includes taking trans Gallade away.

Who is Pokémon Champions for?

There are many ways to get invested in Pokémon, from playing the card game to truly trying to catch them all in the main games, but Champions is specifically for those who love battling. In fact, it’s now the main video game for the Pokémon World Championships.

But if you want to get the most out of Pokémon Champions, you’ll probably have to spend some dough. Hardcore players can get a subscription with perks like a higher number of Pokémon they can store and more Pokémon teams they can form. And like a lot of online competitive games these days, there’s also a paid battle pass with rewards.

Is there a “real” Pokémon game coming out soon?

For those looking for a more traditional monster-catching Pokémon RPG, you’ll have to wait next year (and invest in a Switch 2) for the next mainline title in the series. Pokémon Winds and Pokémon Waves will release exclusively on Switch 2 sometime in 2027—Nintendo and The Pokémon Company have yet to give an exact time frame.

The trailer looked quite promising to fans, showing off a new region ostensibly based on Southeast Asia and graphics that are improved from recent Pokémon games like Scarlet and Violet. While you’re waiting, you can decide which of the three starter Pokémon of Browt, Pombon, and Gecqua you’ll choose.

Google’s store removed the most interesting game you’ll read about today

Image source: ddlc.moe

Doki Doki Literature Club is a cult classic that’s hard to explain

Many words have been used to describe Doki Doki Literature Club: subversive, controversial, iconic, disturbing, etc. Google apparently has a different word: delisted.

The satirical and horror-infused take on visual novels has been removed from the Google Play Store, meaning you can no longer download and play the game on Android devices. According to the game’s publisher Serenity Forge, Google explained that “the game's content violates their terms of service in its depiction of sensitive themes."

Serenity Forge vowed to find a path toward reinstating the game, which was ported to mobile devices in December. The publisher also defended Doki Doki Literature Club, saying the title “is widely celebrated for portraying mental health in a way that meaningfully connects deeply with players around the world, helping them feel heard, understood, and less alone on their journey.”

Okay, I’ll bite: what is Doki Doki Literature Club, and why does this matter?

It might not look like it from the official screenshots, but Doki Doki Literature Club is a psychological horror released in 2017 that attempts to deconstruct cliches seen in anime and interactive dating simulators. Dan Salvato, a modder best known for his work on the Super Smash Bros. Brawl mod Project M, conceptualized the game based on his “love-hate relationship” with anime.

It’s difficult to describe exactly how and why Doki Doki Literature Club is so impactful and contentious without spoiling the whole experience, but let’s just say that it’s full of unexpected and unpleasant surprises that will creep into your brain. Full of fourth-wall breaking and meta elements, Doki Doki truly is a unique beast with dark and heavy themes, including suicide. It’s not a game that utilizes jump scares, but rather one that uses surrealism and disconcerting scenarios.

While it has only been pulled from one of many storefronts, its removal strikes a nerve due to fans’ undying admiration (and somewhat obsession) with the game. It’s been streamed by several prolific creators and inspired loads of memes, cosplay, and merchandising. If it’s any indication of how fascinated people are by the characters, each of them has their own Wikipedia page.

Are there still other ways to play Doki Doki Literature Club?

You can still download the original version of the game on Steam, itch.io, or the Apple App Store for free, while a paid expanded version of the game called Doki Doki Literature Club Plus is on Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and iOS.

Replay: What else happened?

A gameplay screenshot of People of Note. Image source: Annapurna Interactive

Other news hits

• Overwatch straight-up rebooted a character’s face. After complaints that Anran suffers from “same face syndrome,” this week’s update to the game includes a new look for the Hero that fits her character better. It’s a win for fans—including the voice actor for Anran, who publicly campaigned for the change.

• Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead company Rockstar Games was hacked, with the perpetrators threatening to release data unless a ransom was paid. The stolen info, released before the ransom deadline, turned out to be revenue figures for GTA Online and Red Dead Online—no GTA 6 leaks here.

• As speculation about a potential Disney purchase of Epic Games, a report claims that Epic is making an extraction shooter in the vein of Arc Raiders that stars Disney characters, purportedly for a November release.

• It’s a big news week for game-to-movie adaptations:

  • The Legend of Zelda movie has wrapped filming, while Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is gearing up for his Helldivers adaptation.

  • Weapons and Barbarian writer-director Zach Cregger unveiled the first look at his Resident Evil movie at CinemaCon 2026, though no trailer has been publicly released yet.

  • We’re really getting an animated R-rated Bloodborne movie co-produced by JackSepticEye before we get a Bloodborne sequel or remake.

  • The Metal Gear Solid movie adaptation is back on track, with Final Destination: Bloodlines directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein attached to the Sony production.

Big new game releases include…

• In a unique twist for turn-based RPGs, People of Note (PC, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S) basically makes every combat encounter into a musical performance. Time your attacks to the music in this colorful game that reviewers were charmed by, though some thought it eventually lost steam.

• The side-scrolling cyberpunk game Replaced (PC, Xbox Series X/S) has been a long time coming, finally releasing after an almost comical number of delays. Set in an alternate version of 1980s America, the game follows an AI in a human body and centers around melee combat and platforming.

• Those yearning to live the pirate’s life can try out Windrose (PC) in early access. A survival adventure game, Windrose supports up to four players in a crew, but it’s also playable solo and offline. Its demo made a huge splash, with many loving its Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag-like ship action and Dark Souls-style combat.

Fill Me In On Minecraft: Why are there so many ways to play it?

Image source: IGDB.com

Here’s the latest lowdown on everyone’s favorite tree-punching game.

(Every week, I’ll address a question or curiosity about gaming from readers! Submit your inquiries through this Google Form and read my explainer in a future newsletter!)s

Dear reader René wrote in with a succinct question about Mojang’s famous block-building game:

Let’s start by defining the two main versions of Minecraft: Java and Bedrock. Minecraft was created in 2009 and fully released in 2011 for computers, and as it grew in popularity, things started to get complicated when mobile devices and consoles got involved.

What’s now known as Bedrock Edition started as Pocket Edition in 2011 for Android and iOS, written in the C++ programming language rather than Java. Meanwhile, practically every console at the time received its own bespoke “Edition” of Minecraft, leading to separate versions on (takes deep breath) Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, New Nintendo 3DS, and even Fire TV and Apple TV. There was also a separate version specifically for Windows 10.

Sometime after Microsoft acquired Mojang in 2014, the appropriately named “Better Together” update in 2017 tried to sort this mess. Pocket Edition, Windows 10 Edition, and Xbox One Edition merged into Bedrock Edition, which supported cross-platform play. Eventually, Bedrock replaced the versions on Switch and PS4, with the other editions kicked to the curb.

Image source: Mojang

Essentially, Java Edition is the original Minecraft, while Bedrock is a console and mobile-friendly version that unifies audiences on all platforms. It’s not entirely clear why these versions remain separate, but two things are evident: 1) there are still major differences between the two, and 2) Microsoft is trying to get feature parity between the two versions as close as possible, even bundling them together on the Windows Store.

For one, Java Edition supports mods, while Bedrock doesn’t—likely due to its different codebase and restrictions on the varying platforms. Bedrock also has an entire item marketplace and tons of DLC. If you’re looking for a pure Minecraft experience and you have a Windows, Linux, or Mac machine, the Java Edition is probably the one for you. But Bedrock is the only real option for groups who play across different platforms.

In an ideal world, Mojang and Microsoft would combine the two editions, but that sounds like a technical nightmare. Maybe they aren’t “better together.”

On Deck: Red Dead Redemption 2 epilogue

Image source: Rockstar Games

I’ve yee’d my last haw.

When I played Red Dead Redemption 2 back in 2018, it didn’t strike me the same way it did for so many players. I admire its graphical prowess, gorgeous visuals, and immense attention to detail (though this all came at a human cost), but its attempts at immersive systems, stiff mechanics, and focus on cinematics (article by yours truly) didn’t make an impression on me—in fact, they all made the game rather annoying to me.

I was still somewhat satisfied getting through Arthur Morgan’s story (even as I was already exhausted by yet another story about the American frontier), but I never actually rolled credits. I played a bit of the epilogue where you play as Red Dead Redemption 1 protagonist John Marston, but I eventually left the game untouched for years, despite my affinity for the original game back in my high school days.

It was probably from my brief return to Grand Theft Auto 4 that sparked my revitalized interest in Rockstar Games’ works, but I booted up RDR2 yet again to finish this epilogue once and for all. Eight years removed from the game, I found the remainder of RDR2 a breeze. It filled some holes between the two games in ways I found underwhelming, but there was the occasional wholesome moment, like John Marston building a house with his buds to a corny country song.

Even after rolling credits, I still found myself looking up character backstories, reading up on the development history of these games, and watching a ton of YouTube videos showcasing some of the wacky hijinks and glitches in the game’s open-world sandbox. While Rockstar fell short of fully immersing me, I’ve been immersing myself in the game in an entirely different way. I guess the world resonated with me in a sense, while the story and mechanics didn’t.

I only wonder how the developers and writers will land with Grand Theft Auto 6 and whatever cursed things it has to say about American culture in this day and age. It’s a tall order when it feels like political satire is dead.

A few exciting games are releasing this week and next, so we’ll have plenty to dig into then!

Buh-bye,
Chris Compendio