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Arc Raiders climbs to new Steam peak of over 460,000 concurrent players, beating Helldivers 2's all-time record as the new extraction shooter from ex-Battlefield devs continues growing

New extraction shooter Arc Raiders is enjoying a particularly warm reception at the moment. Less than two weeks from launching fully, the game has managed to climb to another peak for concurrent players on Steam. From SteamDB, over the weekend, Arc Raiders managed to accrue a massive 462,488 players at once. That is pushing towards half a million concurrently, leaving the previous record around the 300,000 mark completely in the dust, and surpassing Helldivers 2's all-time Steam record of 458,709. Not only is the release from Embark Studios continuing to grow in players, viewership on streaming has been huge as well. According to Streams Charts, Arc Raiders was the most viewed launch of any game this year. Viewers on Twitch peaked at 374,333 for the weekend of launch, contributing to 35,618,301 of streams cumulatively watched. Arc Raiders launches to over 260,000 concurrent players and 88% positive early reviews on Steam, outdoing The Finals even at $40 Arc Raiders servers crash after hitting a peak of 337,000 concurrent players on Steam, and matchmaking may still take "longer than usual" while devs fix the extraction shooter After 30 million rounds and 816,162 rubber ducks, Arc Raiders celebrates successful Server Slam open beta with some prompt bug squashing: "We took immediate action" These are massive numbers, especially when you consider that Arc Raiders is a fresh IP and only the second project from Embark, who previously put out free FPS The Finals. Like it has for many other games, Arc Raiders has leapfrogged The Finals in terms of community already, despite coming with a $40 price tag. This is all before mentioning that Arc Raiders came out properly right after Battlefield 6 launched. Ironic given the dev team was founded by Battlefield alum, but they've created the ideal alternative for players who maybe aren’t so keen on the military FPS. Not resting on their laurels, the devs have two other concepts in the wings as well, once support for Arc Raiders evens out. Should Embark be able to hold onto this momentum, Arc Raiders might be a game we're playing well into the future. Arc Raiders already has an online market for blueprints, a rare one could cost you more than the game itself, and you might not even get to keep it

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Lego Fortnite 691-Piece Supply Llama Is Only $26 At Amazon

Fortnite fans can also grab the Durrr Burger Lego set for only $8.79 before it retires. Save big on Supply Llama, Durr Burger Restaurant, and more. Lego Fortnite building sets are on sale for terrific prices at Amazon. The most notable deal is the 691-piece Supply Llama model for only $26 (was $40). This is the lowest price ever for the budget-friendly model of the Fortnite mascot. For an even cheaper Fortnite Lego set, check out the 193-piece Durrr Burger for only $8.79 (was $15). The Durrr Burger is one of two Fortnite sets from last year's launch lineup that Lego is retiring soon. The other one is Peely Bone, which is selling for full price at the moment. The other two discounts are for Fortnite Lego playsets that released in June. The 546-piece Durrr Burger Restaurant is down to only $52 (was $65), while the 250-piece Peely and Sparkplug's Camp is up for grabs for $18.39 (was $23. The four largest Fortnite Lego sets are selling for full price at Amazon, including the recently released 2,503-piece Mecha Team Leader robot. That said, if you're interested in both the Supply Llama and the 954-piece Battle Bus, Walmart has restocked an exclusive Lego Fortnite 2-in-1 Bundle for $110 (was $140). Since the Battle Bus retails for $100, you're essentially paying $10 for the Supply Llama. Lego Fortnite Battle Bus & Supply Llama Bundle Amazon | Walmart | Lego Store | Target | Best Buy Here's the full Lego Fortnite series as of November 2025. We included a detailed breakdown for all eight Fortnite Lego sets available at major retailers below, and we'll continue to add to this roundup as more playsets and display models are revealed. With the exception of the Lego Store-exclusive BrickHeadz figures, all Lego Fortnite sets include a QR code on the instruction manual to redeem a free cosmetic for Lego Fortnite the video game. The four launch sets come with the same bonus--Operation Brite Starter Pack--but each of the four sets released this year includes a bonus that is unique to that product. If you also like Minecraft, you should check out Amazon's deals on popular Lego Minecraft sets, including the first-ever discount on The Creeper and the biggest discount yet on The Crafting Table diorama. The latter is the only Minecraft set designed for adults, and it's scheduled to retire soon. The Supply Llama has been Fortnite's main mascot since launch, and this set lets you piece together your own Llama Piñata out of Lego bricks. You probably don't want to smack it with a baseball bat or stick, though. The 691-piece Supply Llama Lego set is 9.5 x 3 x 6 inches and has a saddle compartment to store seven accessories: Grappler, Slurp Juice, Rough Ruby, Good Luck Charm, Slap Juice (two bottles), Dynamite, and Back Pack. The Supply Llama's mouth can move, too. The Supply Llama was a launch set, so you'll get the Operation Brite Starter Pack bonus. Even at its full $40 price, the Supply Llama is cheaper than many licensed sets with around 700 pieces. The current $26 deal price makes it an absolute bargain. The 546-piece Durrr Burger Restaurant launched in June as the first building from the world of Fortnite to be turned into a Lego set. The completed restaurant--well, it's more like a half-restaurant--measures 10.5 inches tall thanks to the buildable Durrr Burger attached to the restaurant's sign. It's 7 inches wide and 3.5 inches deep. Durrr Burger Restaurant includes four minifigures: The bonus in-game item for this set is a Beef Boss Outfit. This 193-piece build recreates the mascot from the in-game fast food restaurant. The Durrr Burger Lego set is 4.5 x 3.5 x 3.5 inches, so it's substantially smaller than most of the building sets in the Lego Fortnite lineup. That said, it's on sale for only $8.79 and includes Operation Brite Starter Pack. The Durrr Burger is one of two Fortnite Lego sets scheduled to retire soon. Peely & Sparkplug's Camp is a 250-piece set with a buildable workbench and campfire in the remnants of a destroyed structure. The main draw of this budget-friendly playset are the characters. It has a buildable wolf with posable legs, a small Supply Llama, and three minifigures with accessories: Peely with a sword, Skeleton with a pickaxe, and Sparkplug with a torch. The budget-friendly playset includes the Sparkplug rare outfit as a bonus in-game item. Mecha Team Leader is the most complex and detailed build in the Lego Fortnite lineup. The completed 2,503-piece figure is 17.5 inches tall and is chock-full of references to other characters and places in Fortnite. Just like in the game, the formidable robot is an amalgamation of five different styles. The robot's blue left leg features a Durrr Burger foot, while the right leg is inspired by Uncle Pete's Pizza Pit and ends with a Tomatohead foot. Mecha Team Leader's right arm is even more chaotic, as the Rex inspiration makes it look like a dinosaur is wielding the Sword of Singularity with its teeth. The left arm is modeled after the legendary fox Drift. The beautiful absurdity of the design is rounded out by the Cuddle Team Leader-inspired head and chest armor. Mecha Team Leader is basically a killer robot teddy bear. Sid from Toy Story would be impressed. The Lego version of Mecha Team Leader has articulated hips, arms, feet, and a rotating head. A hatch on the robot's chest opens to reveal a cockpit for the included Cuddle Team Leader minifigure. The figure can also be displayed next to the buildable name placard. The set includes two bonus outfits for Lego Fortnite the video game: Mecha Team Leader and Mecha Team Shadow. Despite Mecha Team Leader's many callbacks to Fortnite lore, this set probably has the broadest appeal of any in the lineup. It would probably look cool on a display shelf next to Lego's Optimus Prime Transformers build. Ironically, Mecha Team Leader launched the same day as Soundwave, the latest addition to the Lego Icons: Transformers lineup. Prior to Mecha Team Leader, the Peely Bone buildable statue was the elaborate build in the series. The 1,414-piece display model was one of the four building sets that launched the Lego Fortnite series last fall. Like Mecha Team Leader, Peely Bone is packaged in a black box, which means it's geared toward adult collectors and experienced builders. When fully pieced together and connected to the buildable stand, Peely Bone is over 14 inches tall and wields the Peely Pick Pickaxe and Paint Launcher. A Banana Bag Back Bling attaches to his back. The included stand with a placard on the front may make Peely seem statuesque, but you can move the figures arms and bend the wrists to create different poses. Peely Bone's half-skeleton, half-banana has a practical benefit here for those who enjoy dynamic builds, as you're working with entirely different pieces on each side. Plus, Peely Bone simply looks awesome, and the Lego replica is quite clever from a design perspective. Peely Bone, like all of the Lego Fortnite launch sets, includes the in-game Operation Brite Starter Pack bonus. At 1,414 pieces, the $100 build offers pretty great value, but as mentioned, Peely Bone is retiring soon. The Battle Bus is a 954-piece set that recreates the game's signature balloon-propelled flying bus. The detailed model of the Battle Bus is 11 x 11 x 5 inches. It wouldn't be the Battle Bus without players to drop on the battlefield, so the playset comes with nine Fortnite minifigures, each of which is armed with a weapon and can be seated in the bus: The cleverly designed balloon is actually an attachment that, along with the roof, can be removed from the bus when you want to access the interior seating. Accessories include Slap Juice, the Grappler, Slurp Juice, and several Pickaxes. The wheels turn, so the Battle Bus could join your next Lego Mario Kart or F1 race. The Battle Bus comes with the Lego Fortnite Operation Brite Starter Pack to redeem in the video game. Klombo is the largest Lego Fortnite playset so far at 1,084 pieces. Nearly all of the pieces in the box are used to build the six-legged creature that is essentially a dinosaur. It has an impressive number of interactive components. He's essentially an action figure, as he has the following posable features: Klombo is accompanied by two minifigures, Adventure Peely and Oro. You can connect the figures to Klombo's back, or they can feed the dino with the included Klomberry bush accessory with removable berries. The set includes the Island Adventure Peely in-game outfit as a bonus. Fortnite's Simpsons Update Led To A Huge Surge In Players, The Most In A Long Time You Can Express Anger At Fortnite About Sidekick Restrictions Through A New Survey Fortnite Chapter Seven Teasers Hint At Kill Bill Collaboration

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Games Done Quick will host its first ever event in Europe

Games Done Quick, the charity video game speedrunning series, is making its European debut in a live event at Germany’s Gamescom this summer. GDQ’s marathon event will run for the duration of the three-day show in Cologne, starting August 28-30, and will feature popular runners and an on-site live audience. The event will be broadcast on Twitch and YouTube, with programming kicking off at 4am ET (one for all you early risers) daily and running until 2pm. "We’re thrilled to expand Games Done Quick globally and to bring a live event to gamescom in Germany, an opportunity that’s incredibly meaningful to our team," said Ashley Farkas, Games Done Quick’s Owner and Business Director. "This partnership not only supports an amazing initiative, but also creates space for more runners to participate, especially those who haven’t previously had the opportunity to travel to the US." Games Done Quick was established in 2010 and has since raised more than $60 million for charities worldwide. Its first event of this year took place back in January, and featured live speedruns of Super Mario Sunshine, Hades II and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, to name a few.

Valve's Steam Controller costs $99 and arrives May 4

Valve's Steam Controller will hit the market on Monday, May 4, for a going price of $99 in the United States. The Steam Controller does precisely what it says: It communicates with anything running Steam or the Steam Link app, so this includes PCs, Macs, mobile devices and the Steam Deck. Eventually, the Steam Controller will connect to the new Steam Machine console and Steam Frame VR headset, but neither of these products have solid release dates just yet. They were originally slated to come out in early 2026 alongside the Steam Controller, but we're nearly five months into the year and only a third of that promise is poised to be fulfilled. Valve in March said it hopes to ship in 2026, dropping the "early" bit. As noted in our review, the Steam Controller is a solid gamepad, especially for the price. It feels and looks a lot like a Steam Deck, complete with two trackpads beneath a pair of TMR thumbsticks and a standard face array. It's reactive, ergonomic, and comes with a cute little charging and connection puck that snaps onto the bottom of the gamepad. Just note that the Steam Controller is not a PC controller: It works with Steam, and only Steam. You'll have to add games with their own launchers like Overwatch, Valorant, Minecraft or Fortnite to your Steam library before playing them with Valve's proprietary controller. How convenient — for Valve, at least. Worldwide, Steam Controller prices are as follows: US: $99 Canada: $149 CAD EU: €99 UK: £85 AUD: 149 PLN: 419

Ubisoft has finally dropped a trailer for that Assassin's Creed: Black Flag remake

Ubisoft has finally given us some real details about Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced, after confirming the remake earlier this year. It's set to release on July 9 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. There's a trailer and it looks absolutely gorgeous, with graphics resembling recent entries like Assassin's Creed Shadows. This is a real-deal remake, and not a port. This version seems to feature a fair amount of new content, but still stars protagonist Edward Kenway. There's a new weather system and an upgraded underwater exploration system. Combat has been refined to closer match new entries and, thankfully, the stealth mechanics have been updated. Getting spotted doesn't always end the mission, like the original. The remake even has new crew members, including a cat, that accompany you during the exploration segments. Here's one interesting tidbit. The trailer only shows scenes set in the Caribbean during the 1700s, and none of the modern day segments. This tracks with rumors that the remake would scrap the Montreal bits entirely. We'll have to wait and play the game to see if this ends up being true. The original Assassin's Creed: Black Flag is considered one of the most beloved entries in the franchise. Here's hoping the remake does it justice. We're still waiting on news regarding the next mainline entry in the franchise. Ubisoft is currently developing it under the name Codename Hexe and it's being described as "a unique, darker, narrative-driven Assassin's Creed experience set during a pivotal moment in history."

Control: Ultimate Edition is out for the iPhone and iPad

Control is one of my favorite adventure games of the last decade or so, a mind-bending trip through an ever-changing building where you get to use telekinesis to battle some pretty freaky enemies. It was a graphically-demanding game when it was released in 2019, but a lot can change in less than six years: Control: Ultimate Edition is now available on the iPhone and iPad for a mere $5, following its announcement last October. It’s a universal purchase, which means if you buy it it’ll work on the iPad, iPhone and Mac as well. Developer Remedy promises that it’s the full Control experience, with the DLC episodes included. Remedy rebuilt the UI and controls to make it work on touchscreen devices; the company says that it has tweaked aiming and the various puzzles to make them work better for the iPad and iPhone. But naturally, the game also works with controllers. If you’re serious about having the best experience with the game, finding a way to play with physical controls is probably a good idea. The game will run on iPhones with at least an A17 Pro chip. That includes the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, as well all of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 series. Plenty of iPad models can run the game, as well — any iPad with an M-series chip or the A17 Pro will work. That means the current basic iPad, with its A16 processor, is left out of the fun. But any iPad Air or Pro from the last four years or so should be good to go. I tried a test version of Control when I reviewed the new iPad Air recently and, unsurprisingly, the tablet’s M4 chip was more than powerful enough to make for a smooth experience. My main gripe is that when sprinting, you have to hold down the L3 button the entire time you’re running rather than just click it once, which is how it works on other platforms. Otherwise it looks and plays smoothly, though I can’t vouch for how it’ll perform on hardware older than the M4 from 2024. Control marks the latest “AAA” title to hit the iPad and iPhone. Apple has aggressively courted developers for its platforms in recent years, and while most games don’t hit the Mac or iOS when they launch, more and more are showing up eventually. There are multiple recent Resident Evil titles for the iPad, and other games like Death Stranding and Assassin’s Creed Mirage have been ported recently as well. There are others on the Mac as well, including demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Lies of P. Apple’s platforms aren’t going to be an avid gamer’s first stop still, but having high-profile games to supplement the many indie titles available helps round out the options for Apple users.

Yoshi and the Mysterious Book preview: A choose-your-own-adventure even adults can love

Yoshi's solo titles have always been a product of contrasts: lovingly crafted art styles belying somewhat thin gameplay meant to appeal to a younger audience. But after getting the chance to preview Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, it feels like Nintendo has created a cozy side-scroller that retains the accessibility of earlier titles while adding extra depth and replayability for gamers of all ages. As you'd expect from Nintendo's lovable green dino, Yoshi's moveset consists of familiar techniques like his signature ground pound, egg toss, extendable tongue and jumping flutter kicks, the latter of which now last longer than ever before. Seriously, if you get enough height, you can float across entire levels. However, one new mechanic is that Yoshi now also possesses a tail flick that allows him to toss certain enemies onto his back. Not only is this a nice twist after years of often being treated as a beast of burden by Mario and co., it also allows Yoshi to use whoever he's carrying to interact with other elements in the stage. By flicking a Crayzee Dayzee (one of the new flower characters) into his saddle, Yoshi can make plants bloom to earn stars and uncover secrets, for example. Instead of simply remixing the gorgeous textile-inspired visuals we saw in Yoshi's Woolly World and Yoshi's Crafted World, Nintendo opted for a treatment that looks like a children's bedtime story. The game looks hand-drawn, while also featuring a cell-shaded effect that adds extra depth and impact to characters and backgrounds. Animations have a sort of hitch (which I initially mistook for a bug) that gives them a stop-motion effect, as if you're seeing the pages of a flipbook whiz by instead of frames being refreshed on a digital display. But the biggest change in Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is that it's not a traditional side-scrolling format. In many ways, this title plays like a mix between an adventure game and a platformer. Instead of just running to the right as fast as possible, the game encourages you to explore, experiment, backtrack and see what kind of new hijinks Yoshi can discover. Don't do what I did and mindlessly run around and eat up every enemy you see, because there's a good chance they are more valuable alive instead of being turned into an egg. It's almost like Nintendo applied a similar approach to subverting expectations in Super Mario Bros. Wonder, but builds on that style of gameplay even more here. To really drive home the children's storybook conceit, Yoshi and the Mysterious Book gives you greater control over how you unlock and explore new levels. Instead of linearly moving from one stage to the next, you actually select stages by moving a magnifying glass over a new character, allowing you to learn who they are experientially. Collect enough stars from quests and you can decide where you'll go and who you'll meet next, while spending tokens found throughout each level allows you to reveal hints about how to find and complete specific objectives. Then, once you finish a stage, Mr E. (who is both the titular book and acts as the game's narrator), allows you to name each new character whatever you like. The one thing that may rub old-school sidescroller fans the wrong way though is that Yoshi doesn't take damage — for all intents and purposes, he's invincible. This is great for kids because they don't need to worry about running out of lives or looking for coins to heal. But after playing through a couple of chapters, I found that the game can still be quite challenging — the learning process is just a bit more forgiving. One objective required me to bounce off the heads of a series of Croakaokes (the chubby amphibians that make sounds when you jump on them) to the tune of "Mary had a little lamb" while trying to reach a high-up platform. If you play a note out of order or miss a jump, it's not game over, but you will need to start over from the bottom. And even without damage, enemies like Bunchabees will still chase you around and disrupt your adventuring if you try to ignore them. Yoshi's latest adventure might not be a super traditional side-scrolling platformer, but it offers a fresh take on the genre while also providing a new level of exploration and adventure for gamers of all ages. But I suppose the real test will be if it gets my own kid's seal of approval. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is available for pre-order now for the Switch 2 before official sales begin on May 21 ($70 for a physical copy or $60 for a digital download).

Ubisoft will officially reveal the Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake on April 23

It's happening. Ubisoft has scheduled a livestream for April 23 at 12PM ET to discuss the long-awaited Assassin's Creed Black Flag remake. The showcase will be available to watch on the company's YouTube and Twitch pages. It's officially called Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced and has been rumored to be in development for years. Ubisoft ended speculation by announcing the game last month. We don't know anything about how the game will play or look, as Ubisoft has only dropped some promotional art featuring protagonist Edward Kenway lounging on a boat. The livestream should feature a trailer that will answer many burning questions. For instance, rumors have been swirling that this is a total top-to-bottom remake and not a simple port. That makes sense given the continued popularity of Black Flag. It's also been rumored that this new version will cut out all of the modern day gameplay sections, with a total focus on pirate-themed action. We don't have that long to find out. Maybe the livestream will also give us some information about that upcoming mainline franchise entry, which is currently being developed under the moniker Codename Hexe. Ubisoft has promised it will be a "unique, darker, narrative-driven Assassin's Creed experience."

15 years after 'Video Games,' Lana Del Rey has an actual video game song

The James Bond franchise has a long history of getting pop stars to record its theme songs (perhaps most memorably with Live and Let Die), and it looks like that tradition will now extend to video game adaptations about the fictional spy. IO Interactive has announced that Lana Del Rey co-wrote and performed the theme for 007 First Light, the developer's playable James Bond origin story. "First Light" is written and performed by Lana Del Rey and composer David Arnold, and like the moody and abstract opening credits released alongside the song, could vaguely gesture at the themes of the game. IO Interactive has previously said that its game focuses on a young, inexperienced and more reckless Bond, before he developed his trademark cool. The developer is also integrating the stealth mechanics it perfected in Hitman into the upcoming game. Del Rey's personal gaming experience may begin and end with her hit "Video Games," which was apparently written about a former boyfriend's love of World of Warcraft, but the artist does know how to write a song with Bond in mind. Lana Del Rey shared in 2024 that her song "24" from the album Honeymoon was originally written for 2017's Spectre, one of several songs that were cast aside in favor of Sam Smith's "Writing's on the Wall." 007 First Light is coming to Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC on May 27, 2026. A Nintendo Switch 2 version of the game is now coming out this summer.

Panic says the Playdate Catalog won't accept games made with generative AI

Panic, the company behind the tiny and excellent Playdate console, is taking a stand on generative AI. The company has published an AI disclosure that says as of this month, the Playdate Catalog “will no longer accept titles that use ‘Generative AI’ for art, audio, music, text, or dialog.” Panic does allow for developers to use AI assistance for coding, but also says that “we will flag any title as such and specify the extent that it was used (for example, “Lua debugging”) so the customer can decide whether to support it or not.” This comes a day after Panic announced that Playdate season three was happening and would arrive later this year. For those who don’t recall, the Playdate includes a “season” worth of games when you buy it, 24 titles in total with two revealed every week. Season two came out last year with 12 games — but, as Game Developer notes, one of those games used generative AI for writing and coding. On Bluesky, someone asked Panic if it would disclose what games in season three used AI, and the company confirmed that it was a requirement for season three that developers not use AI for art, music, writing or coding. Specifically, Panic says you can’t use large language models like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, AI image generators like Stable Diffusion or audio generators like MuseNet and Suno. Previously-approved games with generative AI will be allowed to stay on the catalog with a disclosure that indicates what exactly AI was used for. The company says these guidelines are “under constant discussion and is subject to change at any time.” I recall seeing AI disclosures on games in the Playdate Catalog in the past, but it makes sense to be up-front and clear on exactly what Panic allows and what it will reject. That said, it’s fairly easy to sideload games onto a Playdate, so anyone who wants to use generative AI to make a game isn’t entirely out of luck — though distribution and discovery for Playdate owners will obviously be harder.

Blizzard just made Overwatch’s best mode much worse

While I dabble in other Overwatch modes, I spend the vast majority of my time there in Mystery Heroes, a casual mode in which you load in as a random character and automatically switch to another one when you respawn. It's by far my favorite way to play Overwatch (which I do a lot!), since it helps me switch off and relax. Others play it as a warmup for competitive action. It requires a particular skillset, as players need a working knowledge of all 51 heroes to help them coordinate with teammates and know what the opponents have on deck. But with the arrival of the new Overwatch season this week, Blizzard changed Mystery Heroes, and made it much less fun to play. The developers say they modified Mystery Heroes "to help keep the mode's casual pace intact while mitigating some of the more extreme pain points it's had in the past." That might have something to do with how the mode handled perks. In other modes, players earn perks (upgrades to their existing tools or entirely new abilities) throughout a match. In Mystery Heroes, they load into a round with random perks already equipped. That's fun! I love the chaos of Mystery Heroes and trying to make things work with whatever hero and perks I have. Now, perks are gone from Mystery Heroes. I kind of get it. Nixing them helps players clock what's going on a bit faster — they won't feel the need to quickly check which perks they have when they're racing back to the action when the time is running out. Perks were only added to Overwatch a little over a year ago and they've helped make the game more enjoyable. Removing them from Mystery Heroes diminishes it compared with other modes, especially given that some heroes are now more oriented around their perks. The other major change in Mystery Heroes is a switch from teams of five players to 6v6. I'm fine with 6v6 in other game types, but it makes Mystery Heroes much worse. In other 6v6 formats, you typically have two tanks, two supports and two damage heroes. In Mystery Heroes, the defense might load in with four tanks and two supports (teams are limited to three heroes from any class after respawns). While tanks generally have lower health pools in 6v6 modes, that's still an oppressive composition to run into. Attackers lack the agency to switch to other characters that can counter such a setup. For instance, if the attackers don't spawn in as heroes that can get behind a chokepoint and take out those supports, they might never break through. That doesn't make for a fun round. Trying to keep five other players alive as a solo support isn't exactly a blast either. I’m not the only one who’s disappointed with these changes. In every single Mystery Heroes game I’ve played since the update, other players have lamented the loss of perks (the reaction to the 6v6 switch is more mixed). They're protesting on Reddit and the Overwatch forums too. It’s not like I’m averse to change. Blizzard has made a ton of updates to greatly improve Overwatch over the last few years. It added the big Stadium mode in 2025 and the game recently had a soft, successful relaunch. Even in this season, there are lots of positive tweaks, including some welcome hero updates (and some that are less welcome) and the return of post-match awards. New damage hero Sierra is rad too. The Mystery Heroes changes, though, are a step in the wrong direction. I dearly hope Blizzard reverses course on those soon.

A first look at Metro 2039 shows how its Ukrainian developer turned the darkness up to 11

If the real world isn’t grim enough for you, Ukranian developer 4A Games has your back: Metro 2039 has been announced and is scheduled to arrive this winter. And based on the developer’s first look at the title, Metro 2039 looks to be an even darker affair than previous titles in the series. A tall order, but the real-world turmoil that has enveloped 4A Games since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sounds like it has turned into a painful inspiration for the developer. The lengthy cinematic reveal, which also contains a brief bit of gameplay at the end, doesn’t give much of the story away. But it does serve to place you right in the ruined, terrifying world of the Metro series. Metro 2039 arrives about 25 years after a nuclear apocalypse wiped out most life on the planet. The series focuses on survivors who live in Moscow’s ruined metro system. 4A says that this time out, the different underground factions have been united by a group known as “the Novoreich,” complete with a new ruler, the Spartan known as Hunter. Despite Hunter promising “salvation and a new life” for the survivors left on the surface, things aren’t exactly rosy underground. As you might expect, this supposedly “united” society is still a complete disaster, with propaganda, authoritarian rule and violence the hallmark of the regime. The Metro series is based on novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky, a Russian author who has been in exile due to his public denouncement of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 4A Studios says that while this new game isn’t based specifically on one of his works, they worked in collaboration with Glukhovsky on the story for Metro 2039 “shaped by shared values of freedom and truth, and informed by the harsh realities of the world today.” In statements from the studio, 4A directly acknowledges the conditions that Metro 2039 was created under. “Many developers continue to work from multiple locations, facing daily challenges never anticipated,” the studio says. “Through power outages, reliance on generators, and disruptions from missile and drone attacks, development has continued – driven by resilience, shared support, and a commitment to the work.” It goes on to state that: “The war has directly shaped the development of Metro 2039, with its story focused acutely on choices, actions, consequences, and the cost of securing a future. While told from a distinctly Ukrainian perspective, Metro 2039 remains an authentic Metro story.” While the Metro series has been unfailingly bleak, it’s not hard to imagine how Russia’s invasion could have influenced the storytelling coming out of a Ukranian studio with an exiled Russian being part of the story team. But the limited bit of the game we’ve seen so far doesn’t make anything too explicit. The trailer shows off the new player-character known as The Stranger, the first voiced protagonist in the series (though we don’t hear him do anything but scream in the preview). The Stranger has apparently been surviving in the above-ground wasteland but is forced to return to the metro. The little bit of gameplay we saw was the standard first-person shooter view of The Stranger heading underground to be immediately ambushed by a pretty horrific monster that he barely escapes from — he’s then dragged to “safety” by a group of survivors who just get the doors to their shelter shut before being overrun by a larger horde. Creepy stuff. The rest of the preview largely feels like a dream (or nightmare) sequence — but while it’s hard to put together what is going on, there’s no doubt that the detail in the environments and characters is top-notch. Given that the last metro game, Metro Exodus, was released way back in 2019, it’s fair to say that we’re getting a more graphically impressive rendering of ruined Moscow and the tunnels beneath it. There’s no exact release date yet, but 4A Games says Metro 2039 will arrive this winter for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC.

PlayStation Plus April catalog adds include Horizon Remastered, Squirrel with a Gun and Frank Stone

The Crew Motorfest, Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, Warriors: Abyss and Wild Arms 4 will hit PS4 and PS5 consoles, while the rest of the month's additions are PS5 only. In the case of Horizon, PS4 players will receive Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition, rather than the PS5 remaster. Horizon, The Crew and Football Manager are self-explanatory at this point in gaming history, but here's a quick rundown of the more underground titles on April's list: Warriors: Abyss is a hectic hack-and-slash roguelite from Koei Tecmo; Squirrel with a Gun is a silly yet competent third-person shooter from a two-man indie team; Monster Train is a much-loved demonic deckbuilder from Shiny Shoe and Good Shepherd Entertainment; and Wild Arms 4 is a PS2-era RPG from Japanese studio Media.Vision. The Casting of Frank Stone is what PlayStation Plus was made for, in my estimation. It comes from Supermassive, a campy-horror studio that I'm quite fond of, but it's a crossover with Dead by Daylight, a game I've never played, despite a latent interest in its vibe. For whatever reason, Frank Stone never eclipsed other titles in my to-play pile and in the harsh light of 2026, I was on the verge of forgetting all about it. Now that it's free and being shoved in my digital face (complimentary), I'm ready to give it a go. And who knows, maybe it'll be a gateway into the rich world of Dead by Daylight. Most of the games on this month's list can fit this description to some degree — minus the Dead by Daylight hook, unless you really squint at Monster Train — so it feels like a quality batch.

Sony Inzone's latest monitor boasts a blazing 720Hz panel for competitive gamers

Super fast gaming displays have grown in popularity recently following the release of several new models back at CES. Now Sony is hopping on that bandwagon with its latest display featuring a tandem OLED panel from LG that offers the choice of either 540Hz or 720Hz refresh rates. That said, priced at $1,100, the new 24.5-inch Sony Inzone M10S II is only for the most dedicated and deep-pocketed gamers. In normal use, the monitor offers a 540Hz refresh rate at QHD (2,560 x 1,440). However, in competitive situations where that still might not be enough, the display can go even faster by reducing its resolution to 720p while boosting its refresh rate all the way up to 720Hz. On top of that, to help make visuals clearer, Sony added a new Motion Blur Reduction algorithm with Black Frame Insertion that boosts brightness while still delivering a response rate of just 0.02ms. Elsewhere, a new Super Anti-Glare film helps reduce reflections. The company also used feedback from pro gamers to create a stand with a smaller footprint and a wider range of tilt adjustability (from -5 to 35 degrees). For those worried about the panel's long-term performance, the Inzone M10S II comes with a three-year warranty and OLED protection features like a custom heat sink. Aside from its new monitor, Sony is also releasing a pair of open-back wired headphones in the Inzone H6 Air. Priced at $200, they are based on the company's well-known studio monitor headphones — the MDR-MV1 — but with some additional tweaks for gaming. Not only is it really light at just 199 grams (not including its detachable cable and boom mic), it also features a dedicated RPG/Adventure profile designed to improve clarity and environmental details. The one caveat is that to access this mode, you need to use Sony's USB-C Audio box, which offers additional features like virtual 7.1 surround sound and support for 360-degree spatial audio. Finally, while they aren't brand new, Sony is releasing a translucent Glass Purple version of its Inzone wireless gaming earbuds that conjures up nostalgic memories of Nintendo’s Atomic Purple N64, along with Fnatic Editions of its Mouse-A, Mat-F and Mat-D peripherals. All of Sony's new gadgets are available today, aside from the Inzone M10S II monitor, which is due out sometime later this year.