Patch Notes #47 - weekly gaming digest

Welcome to the 47th edition of Patch Notes. Let’s get this bad boy going.

This edition will cover the week from 27 October to 2 November.

Apologies for the delay, slight issues to handle. :)

What caught my attention this week

IOC, Saudi Arabia cancel 12-year deal to host Esports Olympics. ESPN

The IOC and Saudi Arabia have mutually cancelled their 12-year partnership to host the Esports Olympics in Riyadh, marking a rare setback for a Saudi sports project under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 modernisation program. The deal, announced before the Paris Olympics last year, had already seen its inaugural event postponed from this year to 2027, with concerns over shooter games like Call of Duty and Counter-Strike that conflicted with Olympic values. The termination came weeks after Saudi Arabia’s $925 billion sovereign wealth fund participated in a $55 billion buyout of Electronic Arts. The IOC stated it will develop a new approach and partnership model for the Olympic Esports Games, aiming to hold the inaugural event as soon as possible.

TLDR

• It’s not about cutting content’: Final Fantasy 7 Remake director explains ‘concise’ Part 3 comments

• It certainly looks like Stray is coming to PS Plus Essential next month

• Battlefield 6’s next patch will address the game’s most frustrating problem ahead of Season One’s release

• Honor of Kings: World releases in China for PC and mobile in spring 2026

• Krafton to undergo “complete” reorganization as it positions itself as an “AI-first company”

• Star Wars: Unlimited TCG gets its own Pokémon Battle Academy-style intro game

• Fortnite Simpsons live event: start time, rewards, and everything else to know

• Apple has been appointed to The Game Awards’ advisory board

• Microsoft’s CEO agrees Xbox’s competition isn’t other gaming platforms, it’s TikTok

• Amazon making ‘significant’ cuts to games business, moving away from MMOs

• We’re excited to have freedom’: MultiVersus directors form new studio in response to ‘complexity of AAA games’

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 trails far behind Battlefield 6 on Steam preorders

• Mafia co-dev Stormind Games announces investment to fund new projects

• Nintendo wants Mario to live past 100 years old

• Escape from Duckov has sold 2 million copies in two weeks

• Resident Evil Requiem is getting a Switch 2 Pro Controller, Amiibo, and coming to Fortnite

• New World is officially ending development, following huge Amazon layoffs

• CWA calls on FTC and CFIUS to “scrutinize” EA buyout and protect workers, consumers, and “the future of the game industry”

• Battlefield 6 players are dejected as the live service model arrives in force with Season One and the Redsec Battle Royale

• Monster Hunter: Wilds sales have plummeted, lagging behind even the last game’s DLC and a two-year-old Street Fighter game

• Remedy “not satisfied” with Q3 results

• Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity expansion now available

• Bandai Namco shares Tales of Xillia Remastered launch trailer

• Runescape’s future may be radically reshaped after fan vote

• Shantae 7 now in development

• NASCAR launches $100,000 Creator Series

• Game Pass, or fail

• Animal Crossing New Horizons’ free update will add Lego furniture and playable NES and Game Boy games

• Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and a huge free update

• Amazon’s Lord of the Rings MMO has reportedly also been cancelled

• US government says it’ll keep making video game memes, as Halo co-creator says ICE ad makes him ‘sick’

• Former Amazon dev suggests Lord of the Rings MMO cancelled following recent studio “gutting”

• The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian is now available worldwide for PS5, Xbox, and PC

• Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is now available worldwide alongside new Erdrick Trilogy Collection bundle

• Tales of Xillia Remastered releases a day earlier in Japan for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch

• Heart Machine lays off more staff for the second time this month, two weeks before launch

• Pokémon TCG Pocket reaches $1.3bn in first year, says AppMagic

• Street Racer Collection launches November 27 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC

• Nintendo wins lawsuit against player who kept streaming pirated Switch games and taunted ‘I can do this all day’

• Warframe for Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in 2026, new handheld gameplay shown with DLSS

• Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.4 “Into the Mist” launches on December 16

• PUBG creator Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene is about to release his next game, and it’s not what you’re expecting at all

• Arc Raiders passes 250,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, breaking records for the extraction shooter genre

• Roblox has already paid out a billion dollars to creators in 2025

• Roblox records “better than expected” Q3 results

• Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection pre-orders now available

• Fall Guys veterans establish new studio Panic Stations

Biggest news of the week

‘It’s not about cutting content’: Final Fantasy 7 Remake director explains ‘concise’ Part 3 comments. VG Chronicles

Final Fantasy 7 Remake director Naoki Hamaguchi has clarified his previous comments about Part 3 being “more concise” than Rebirth, explaining it’s about improving pacing rather than cutting content. Hamaguchi told VGC that while he’s satisfied with Rebirth’s pacing, he’s focused on making Part 3’s story developments “move forward in a fairly speedy manner” to achieve greater immersion, emphasizing “it’s not about cutting out content, it’s making sure that it feels right.” He added he’s “very confident” about Part 3 and hopes to deliver it in the “not-too-distant” future.

It certainly looks like Stray is coming to PS Plus Essential next month. EuroGamer

According to reliable leaker Billbil-kun on Dealabs, Annapurna’s cat adventure game Stray will be added to PS Plus Essential Tier on November 4, available across all tiers (Essential, Extra, and Premium) alongside two other unannounced games. The third-person adventure game, available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch, was recommended by Eurogamer two years ago for capturing “the essence of being a cat” while delivering a deeper journey through a dying cybercity with exploration, climbing mechanics, and a touching story about longing for freedom.

Battlefield 6’s next patch will address the game’s most frustrating problem ahead of Season One’s release. EuroGamer

Battlefield 6’s update 1.1.1.0 launches tomorrow ahead of Season One, addressing weapon dispersion issues that have frustrated players since launch by causing bullets to spread from where they’re aiming down sights. The update will rework weapon dispersion to “better align accuracy and handling with each weapon’s intended design and performance over range,” fixing inconsistencies like dispersion not properly settling after sprinting. Additional improvements include core movement animations, lighting and visibility, audio overhaul, UI updates, map fixes, and new features like uphill leaping and parachute customization.

Honor of Kings: World releases in China for PC and mobile in spring 2026. RPG Site

Tencent Games announced via a BiliBili stream that Honor of Kings: World will launch for PC and mobile smartphones in Spring 2026 in China. While the company previously released a trailer at Gamescom 2025 and hinted at worldwide availability, global social media accounts have not made the same announcements, suggesting the Spring 2026 timeframe currently only applies to Mainland China.

Krafton to undergo “complete” reorganization as it positions itself as an “AI-first company”. GamesIndustry

PUBG and Subnautica 2 publisher Krafton is positioning itself as an “AI-first company” with plans for a “complete” reorganization, prioritizing AI as “a central and primary means of problem-solving” to increase productivity and accelerate corporate value growth. The company will invest $69.7 million in a new GPU cluster for “sophisticated reasoning and iterative planning” and $20.8 million to retrain its workforce in AI tools. CEO Kim Chang-han stated Krafton will “fully implement an AI-centred management system where members focus on creative activities and complex problem solving.”

Star Wars: Unlimited TCG gets its own Pokémon Battle Academy-style intro game. GameSpot

Asmodee has released Intro Battle Hoth, a $20 standalone Star Wars: Unlimited TCG experience designed for new players, similar in concept to Pokemon TCG: Battle Academy and Disney Lorcana: Gateway. The head-to-head game for two players takes approximately 20 minutes and includes two pre-built 50-card decks themed around the Battle of Hoth, with Princess Leia’s Rebel Forces defending Echo Base from Darth Vader’s Imperial Army. The box contains 104 cards, an illustrated game board with labeled card spots, 57 damage counters, 2 Epic Action counters, 1 Initiative counter, a rulebook, and an info sheet.

Fortnite Simpsons live event: start time, rewards, and everything else to know. GameSpot

Fortnite’s Simpsons-themed season finale live event takes place Saturday, November 1 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET, three hours earlier than usual, with the new Simpsons season starting later that day at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET after approximately five hours of maintenance. The event will be the only available mode and is being teased with a video showing Simpsonized versions of Jonesy and Hope being abducted by Kang and Kodos, expected to take place at the Treehouse of Horror on the island. The new season will bring a Simpsons-themed battle pass and map takeover, with participants likely receiving free rewards though nothing has been officially announced.

Apple has been appointed to The Game Awards’ advisory board. VG Chronicles

Apple has been appointed to The Game Awards’ Advisory Board, becoming the 14th member alongside companies like Activision, EA, Epic Games, Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. The Advisory Board “helps guide and advance the mission of The Game Awards” but isn’t involved in selecting nominees or winners, learning results at the same time as the public. Apple has renewed its gaming push this year by launching Apple Games, a dedicated iOS app for game libraries and Apple Arcade, and made its first video game developer acquisition this summer.

Microsoft’s CEO agrees Xbox’s competition isn’t other gaming platforms, it’s TikTok. VG Chronicles

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella echoed Xbox leadership’s view that the company’s gaming competition isn’t other platforms but short-form video like TikTok, stating “gaming’s competition is not other gaming, gaming’s competition is short-form video.” Nadella emphasized Microsoft’s Windows gaming business as its biggest and discussed plans to bring the next Xbox console closer to PC, with reports suggesting it will be a hybrid system capable of playing PC games from stores like Steam and Epic Games. He explained Microsoft built the console to create “a better PC” for gaming and wants to “revisit some of that conventional wisdom” about consoles and PCs being separate, while highlighting Microsoft’s post-Activision strategy to be “everywhere, on every platform.”

Amazon making ‘significant’ cuts to games business, moving away from MMOs. VG Chronicles

Amazon is making “significant” cuts to its video game business, eliminating more than 14,000 corporate jobs with many affecting game development and publishing, particularly moving away from MMO development. The San Diego and Irvine studios responsible for MMOs New World and an untitled Lord of the Rings game have seen major reductions, with Amazon halting “a significant amount of first-party AAA game development work – specifically around MMOs.” Amazon will continue working on projects including the next Tomb Raider game with Crystal Dynamics, Maverick Games’ open world driving game, and Montreal studio’s March of Giants.

‘We’re excited to have freedom’: MultiVersus directors form new studio in response to ‘complexity of AAA games’. VG Chronicles

MultiVersus production director Justin Fischer and technical director Brock Feldman have formed Airlock Games, a self-funded independent studio created as “a deliberate response to the increasing complexity of developing AAA titles.” Their first game, What the Stars Forgot, is a “sim management horror game inspired by Star Trek and The Terror” featuring 16-bit graphics, launching into Steam early access later this year with Kickstarter support. The pair stated they “missed the wonderful, reckless creativity of more focused games” and are “excited to have the freedom to take creative risks” that aren’t feasible for AAA productions.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 trails far behind Battlefield 6 on Steam preorders. GamesIndustry

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has sold under 200,000 pre-order copies on Steam 18 days before launch compared to Battlefield 6’s nearly one million during the same timeframe, according to Alinea Analytics, though the full picture is more complex due to Call of Duty’s own PC launcher, day-one PC Game Pass availability, and annual release cycle discouraging wishlists. Analysts note Call of Duty has twice as many Steam followers (658,000) as Battlefield 6, with Alinea’s Rhys Elliott suggesting that while Battlefield 6 has passed 10 million copies sold and won over PC players, Call of Duty’s “entrenched global audience” and Warzone integration ensures it will likely outsell Battlefield overall. Elliott believes Battlefield could become a serious threat if EA successfully delivers on its roadmap including battle royale and UGC-focused Battlefield Portal that could attract “the TikTok crowd and streamers.”

Mafia co-dev Stormind Games announces investment to fund new projects. GamesIndustry

Stormind Games, the Italian studio behind the Remothered series and co-developer of Mafia: The Old Country’s Sicilian location, has completed a new investment round to fund development including a project tied to a Hollywood IP. The investment was led by Marsa Holding, which took a 10% stake, with support from Italian finance institutions Intesa Sanpaolo and Mediocredito Centrale. CEO Antonio Cannata stated the partnership will enable the studio to scale production capacity and co-finance major projects while maintaining its independence and Italian identity.

Nintendo wants Mario to live past 100 years old. GameSpot

Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka discussed Mario’s future in a new Nintendo Museum book, expressing hopes for the plumber to remain relevant through his 100th anniversary in 2085. Miyamoto emphasized “Super Mario will constantly evolve by incorporating new digital technology” while maintaining “Mario’s prime point--running and jumping,” noting they’re working in visual fields like movies while keeping content “interactive and digital.” Tezuka acknowledged “different times bring different kinds of fun” and noted how Mario’s capabilities have changed significantly since the NES era.

Escape from Duckov has sold 2 million copies in two weeks. Game Developer

Escape from Duckov has sold more than 2 million copies in two weeks since launching on October 16, 2025, developer Team Soda and publisher Bilibili announced on Steam. The top-down PvE indie survival RPG, which asks players to scavenge for resources to build a safe haven for their waddling yellow avatar, launched on Steam, Epic Games Store, and MacOS with a 12 percent introductory discount ending October 30. The game has amassed almost 3,200 overwhelmingly positive user reviews on Steam at the time of writing.

Resident Evil Requiem is getting a Switch 2 Pro Controller, Amiibo, and coming to Fortnite. VG Chronicles

Resident Evil Requiem is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller launching February 27, a Grace Ashcroft Amiibo releasing in Summer, and a Fortnite collaboration with special items for Epic Games Store purchasers. Pre-orders are now available with the standard game at $69.99 and Deluxe Edition at $79.99, which includes 5 costumes (including a Lady Dimitrescu outfit), weapon skins, screen filters, and in-game charms. The game releases February 27 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, with a showcase planned for early 2026.

New World is officially ending development, following huge Amazon layoffs. VG Chronicles

Amazon Games has confirmed it’s ending development of MMO New World, with Season 10 and Nighthaven serving as the final content release, though the game will remain online through 2026 with six months’ notice before any changes impact playability. The announcement follows Amazon’s layoffs affecting at least 14,000 jobs including significant cuts at developer Amazon Games Orange County. Amazon stated “it is no longer sustainable to continue supporting the game with new content updates” after four years, though the game remains available for purchase and download for PlayStation Plus subscribers.

CWA calls on FTC and CFIUS to “scrutinize” EA buyout and protect workers, consumers, and “the future of the game industry”. GamesIndustry

Communications Workers of America president Claude Cummings Jr. has called on the FTC and CFIUS to comprehensively review Electronic Arts’ $55 billion buyout by an investor group comprising Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Cummings cited risks including labor market competition from industry consolidation, national security concerns over foreign access to American consumers’ personal data and EA’s AI technology, and competition issues from cross-ownership. He stated the deal is “about handing control to a small group of powerful investors” and urged regulators to “protect American workers, consumers, and the future of the video game industry.”

Battlefield 6 players are dejected as the live service model arrives in force with Season One and the Redsec Battle Royale. EuroGamer

Battlefield 6 received its Season One update and Redsec battle royale mode yesterday, but many players are unhappy with the influx of microtransactions, colorful cosmetics, and weekly battle pass challenges that can push players toward battle royale mode they may not be interested in. The battle pass requires BP points earned through weekly challenges and XP, with some challenges forcing players into battle royale that can’t be avoided if rerolled. The monetization includes multiple separate bundles (Starter, Advanced, Rogue Ops, and Pro Packs) plus an in-game store requiring Battlefield coins, marking a shift from the “pure FPS experience” that attracted players.

Monster Hunter: Wilds sales have plummeted, lagging behind even the last game’s DLC and a two-year-old Street Fighter game. EuroGamer

Capcom’s financial report reveals Monster Hunter: Wilds has sold 637,000 units in the first half of this financial year, lagging behind Monster Hunter: Rise’s 643,000 units, marking a drastic sales decline attributed to substantial technical issues and expensive PS5 pricing. Despite Wilds’ struggles, Capcom reported strong overall performance with “highest-ever total and catalog unit sales for a H1 period,” driven by Devil May Cry 5 (10.78 million lifetime sales), Street Fighter 6 (1.085 million additional units), and Resident Evil Village. The company achieved revenue and profit growth year-on-year across all segments despite the underperformance of its latest Monster Hunter title.

Remedy “not satisfied” with Q3 results. GamesIndustry

Remedy reported a Q3 operating loss of €16.4 million with revenue down 32% to €12.2 million, overshadowed by FBC: Firebreak’s underperformance that resulted in a €14.9 million non-cash impairment and CEO Tero Virtala stepping down after nine years. Interim CEO Markus Mäki stated “We aren’t satisfied with our recent financial performance, but we remain confident in our ability to create great video games,” while noting strong increases in game sales driven by Firebreak subscriptions, Alan Wake 2 royalties, and steady Control sales. In-development projects Control 2 and Max Payne remakes continue progressing according to plan despite the setback.

Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity expansion now available. RPG Site

ArenaNet has launched Guild Wars 2: Visions of Eternity, the MMORPG’s sixth expansion priced at $24.99 (standard), $49.99 (Deluxe), and $74.99 (Ultimate), featuring two explorable maps (Shipwreck Strand and Starlit Weald) with two more coming later. The expansion includes new elite specialisations for all nine professions, improved skimmer mount with underwater combat and sonar abilities, new 10-player raid encounters, and an updated Homestead system with a shipwreck beachside plot and shareable layouts. ArenaNet plans to release additional content at no extra charge throughout 2026 including quality of life enhancements and legendary gear.

Bandai Namco shares Tales of Xillia Remastered launch trailer. RPG Site

Bandai Namco Entertainment has shared the Tales of Xillia Remastered launch trailer ahead of the game’s October 31 release on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam. The remaster will be available in standard and Digital Deluxe Edition formats, featuring protagonists Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell working together to destroy a world-altering device and restore balance.

Runescape’s future may be radically reshaped after fan vote. GameSpot

Jagex has launched an online poll allowing RuneScape players to vote on whether to remove the Treasure Hunter feature, which has been part of the game since 2014 but is resented by some as a pay-to-win mechanic. If 100,000 players vote for removal by November 12, Treasure Hunter and 225 related XP items will be deleted, leaving only Bonus XP with capped limits and cosmetics as purchasable items. Jagex promised a “year-long Integrity Roadmap” addressing UI, onboarding, and combat issues if the vote succeeds, with nearly 40,000 players already voting for removal.

Shantae 7 now in development. Gematsu

WayForward has announced that a seventh entry in the Shantae series is currently in development, according to chief corporate officer Matt Bozon during the LRG3 2025 broadcast. Bozon stated “we’re currently hard at work on a brand-new, seventh entry in the Shantae series” but noted “we won’t have anything to share in a while.”

NASCAR launches $100,000 Creator Series. Esports Insider

NASCAR and entertainment company Night have launched the NASCAR 25 Creator Series, featuring eight streamers competing for a $100,000 prize pool plus $20,000 in performance bonuses across four events from October to February using the iRacing Studios-developed NASCAR 25 title. Participants include TimTheTatman, CouRageJD, YourRAGE, Emiru, ExtraEmily, Agent00, RayAsianBoy, and StableRonaldo, with NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar as a guest for the first event. The initiative follows NASCAR’s reported significant gaming and esports growth, with the eNASCAR Coca-Cola iRacing Series recording 35% year-on-year viewership increase and NASCAR’s Twitch channel seeing 30% growth.

Game Pass, or fail. Superjoost

Xbox made its third major Game Pass overhaul in two years, locking Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 behind a new $30-per-month Ultimate tier (50% increase from $19.99) as infrastructure costs don’t align with pricing and heavy users consume disproportionate resources without proportional revenue. Antenna data shows weekly signups trending downward with growth primarily driven by specific content releases rather than the subscription model’s appeal, though research from University of Washington and Erasmus University found differentiated tiers increase player value by 16% and enhanced console revenue without significantly cannibalizing game sales. Microsoft is shifting from growth-at-all-costs to a sustainable segmented approach where consoles are no longer the economic center of gravity, deliberately passing costs through to consumers and decentralizing hardware while transforming Game Pass into a profitable distribution model.

Animal Crossing New Horizons’ free update will add Lego furniture and playable NES and Game Boy games. VG Chronicles

Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ free 3.0 update launching January 15, 2026 will add Lego furniture available through Nook Shopping and a new pier-side hotel with a souvenir shop selling retro Nintendo products including consoles like Famicom, NES, and Game Boy that players with Switch Online subscriptions can actually play games on. The update adds amiibo collaboration features unlocking Zelda-themed items and characters Tulin and Mineru, plus Splatoon content with new characters Cece and Viché. Additional Lego items include beds, workbenches, fireplaces, plants, sofas, and outfits alongside classic Nintendo toys like Ultra Hand and Love Tester.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition and a huge free update. VG Chronicles

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is getting a Nintendo Switch 2 Edition on January 15, 2026 for $64.99 (with a $4.99 upgrade available), featuring enhanced resolution, Joy-Con 2 mouse controls, a Megaphone item using Switch 2’s microphone, expanded 12-player online support, and Switch 2 Camera support. A free Version 3.0 update for both Switch and Switch 2 adds a new pier hotel, home storage upgrades to 9,000 items, Slumber Island for creating up to three custom islands, and collaborations with Lego, Zelda, and Splatoon plus playable retro consoles requiring Switch Online. The update marks a return to major support after Nintendo ended it in 2021, just 18 months after release of the nearly 50 million-selling title.

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings MMO has reportedly also been cancelled. VG Chronicles

Amazon’s planned Lord of the Rings MMO has reportedly been cancelled as part of this week’s massive layoffs, according to a LinkedIn post from a laid-off Amazon Games worker stating they were let go “alongside my incredibly talented peers on New World and our fledgling Lord of the Rings game.” The cancellation comes as Amazon Games steps away from MMO development and ends New World support following layoffs affecting at least 14,000 jobs with significant cuts at Amazon Games Orange County. The Lord of the Rings MMO was announced in 2023 as a partnership with Embracer, described as a “persistent open-world MMO adventure” spanning The Hobbit and LOTR trilogy.

US government says it’ll keep making video game memes, as Halo co-creator says ICE ad makes him ‘sick’. VG Chronicles

The US Department of Homeland Security has stated it will continue using video game imagery in its social media posts despite criticism from game developers, after posting AI-generated images of President Trump as Halo’s Master Chief and a Halo screenshot encouraging people to join ICE to “destroy the Flood.” Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto called the ICE recruitment post “absolutely abhorrent” and said it makes him “sick,” while designer Jaime Griesemer described using Halo imagery to call for destroying people based on immigration status as “despicable.” DHS defended its approach, saying it will use content from Halo, Pokémon, Lord of the Rings and other media to reach people, though The Pokémon Company previously stated it did not give permission for its intellectual property to be used in a similar DHS post.

Former Amazon dev suggests Lord of the Rings MMO cancelled following recent studio “gutting”. EuroGamer

Amazon Game Studios has reportedly cancelled its Lord of the Rings MMO following significant layoffs across the company’s games division, with former senior gameplay engineer Ashleigh Amrine suggesting the game will never be released in a LinkedIn post. The cuts came after Amazon announced it was halting “significant” first-party AAA game development, specifically MMOs, as part of 14,000 company-wide job cuts, impacting both the New World and Lord of the Rings MMO teams. This marks the second Lord of the Rings MMO to be cancelled under Amazon, following a previous 2019 project that was scrapped amid a reported dispute with Tencent. Amazon has confirmed New World will no longer receive updates but will remain playable through 2026 with at least six months’ notice before any changes to availability.

The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian is now available worldwide for PS5, Xbox, and PC. RPG Site

The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian Entertainment has launched worldwide across PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC platforms including Steam, Microsoft Store, and Battle.net. The game had an early unlock for Premium Edition owners last week before becoming available to all players this week. The Premium Edition includes The Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Prize Pack, a digital artbook and soundtrack, and a DLC Pass for two future story expansions.

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake is now available worldwide alongside new Erdrick Trilogy Collection bundle. RPG Site

Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake has launched worldwide on consoles, with the Steam version set to release in approximately 12 hours. Square Enix has also released the Dragon Quest - HD-2D Erdrick Trilogy Collection bundle priced at $99.99, which includes both Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake and Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake (each sold separately for $59.99). The bundle is available digitally on PS5, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox, and will launch on Steam alongside the individual Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake release.

Tales of Xillia Remastered releases a day earlier in Japan for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch. RPG Site

Tales of Xillia Remastered has been released a day earlier in Japan on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch, following Bandai Namco’s standard release pattern of launching console versions in Japan on Thursday before the global Friday release that includes the PC Steam version. Bandai Namco has published multiple trailers on the official Tales of YouTube Channel to commemorate the Japanese release, including a launch trailer, cast messages from voice actors Tsubasa Yonaga and Miyuki Sawashiro, and a narrated video about the game’s world landscapes.

Heart Machine lays off more staff for the second time this month, two weeks before launch. GamesIndustry

Heart Machine has conducted a second round of layoffs this month, with at least four developers announcing their departures on social media just 12 days before the November 11 launch of their game Possessor(s). One community and PR team member noted that by the game’s release, they don’t know if anyone who worked on it will still be at the company. This follows previous layoffs at Heart Machine in November 2024 and October 10, 2025, both related to their early access title Hyper Light Breaker, contributing to an estimated 4,400 developer job losses in 2025 alone.

Pokémon TCG Pocket reaches $1.3bn in first year, says AppMagic. GamesIndustry

Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket has generated $1.3 billion in its first year, surpassing Pokémon Go which reached just over $1 billion during its launch year, according to AppMagic estimates. The game’s peak spending month was November 2024 with $229.3 million in revenue, and it generated more than $12 million in its first four days after launching on October 30, 2024. The highest single-day spend was $11.2 million on February 1, 2025, following the Space-Time Smackdown expansion release.

Street Racer Collection launches November 27 for PS5, Xbox Series, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. Gematsu

QUByte Interactive will release Street Racer Collection on November 27 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC via Steam, featuring the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Mega Drive, and MS-DOS versions of the 1994 racing game. The collection includes up to 27 unique tracks, eight cartoon characters with special attacks, and multiple game modes including Practice, Head-to-Head, Championship, Rumble Mode, and Soccer Mode (not available in MS-DOS version). The game combines arcade racing with fighting game mechanics and supports local multiplayer for up to four players on the SNES, Mega Drive, and MS-DOS versions.

Nintendo wins lawsuit against player who kept streaming pirated Switch games and taunted ‘I can do this all day’. VG Chronicles

Nintendo has won a lawsuit against streamer Jesse Keighin, who streamed at least 10 pirated Switch games before their release more than 50 times since 2022 while taunting the company that he had “a thousand burner channels” and could “do this all day.” A Colorado federal court ordered Keighin to pay $17,500 in damages after he failed to respond to the lawsuit by the deadline. The judge rejected Nintendo’s requests for permanent injunctions to destroy circumvention devices and involve unnamed third parties, with Nintendo choosing to only seek damages for the latest infringement rather than the potential $100,000 for all ten games listed.

Warframe for Nintendo Switch 2 to launch in 2026, new handheld gameplay shown with DLSS. RPG Site

Digital Extremes revealed that Warframe for Nintendo Switch 2 will launch in 2026 and showcased handheld gameplay footage with DLSS enabled during their latest Devstream. The studio also announced The Old Peace narrative chapter arriving in December alongside The Devil’s Triad side story, which introduces three new Protoframes (Wisp, Harrow, and Uriel) with an expanded romance system and a new game mode called The Descendia featuring 21 randomly generated floors. Additional announcements included Gyre Prime, Focus School Expansion with new ultimate abilities, graphical remasters for Operator and Drifter, a Warframe x Starfinder TTRPG collaboration, and a closed beta test for Warframe on Android coming in November.

Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.4 “Into the Mist” launches on December 16. RPG Site

Square Enix has announced Final Fantasy XIV Patch 7.4 “Into the Mist” will launch on December 16, 2025, with The Arcadion: Heavyweight Tier (Savage) following on January 6, 2026. The patch includes new Main Scenario Quests, a new dungeon (Mistwake), new trial (Hell on Rails), The Arcadion: Heavyweight raid tier in Normal and Savage modes, a new Variant Dungeon (Merchant’s Tale), and the Tsukuyomi’s Pain Unreal trial. Additional features include a major glamour system update removing level/class/job restrictions on gear appearance, three new Phantom Jobs for Occult Crescent, PvP Series 10 with a new Frontline map, a new Cosmic Exploration planet (Oizys), and various UI and Gold Saucer updates.

PUBG creator Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene is about to release his next game, and it’s not what you’re expecting at all. EuroGamer

Brendan “PlayerUnknown” Greene, creator of PUBG, is releasing his next game Prologue: Go Wayback! in early access on November 20, and it’s a combat-free survival game focused entirely on orienteering and braving harsh weather conditions. The game is procedurally generated at every level and serves as the first step toward Greene’s ambitious goal of creating entire procedurally generated worlds through his new studio PlayerUnknown Productions. Players navigate forested terrain using paper maps and compasses while managing hunger, thirst, warmth, and shelter maintenance, with weather serving as the primary threat rather than just a backdrop.

Arc Raiders passes 250,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, breaking records for the extraction shooter genre. EuroGamer

Arc Raiders has surpassed 250,000 peak concurrent players on Steam just one day after release, making it the most popular Steam launch for a PvP extraction shooter to date. The game attracted over 130,000 concurrent players in its opening hour, beating the Steam releases of Dark and Darker, Delta Force, Arena Breakout: Infinite, and Hunt: Showdown 1886. This sets a high bar ahead of Escape from Tarkov’s upcoming Steam release on November 15, which will be a major competitor in the extraction shooter genre.

Roblox has already paid out a billion dollars to creators in 2025. GamesIndustry

Roblox has paid out $1 billion to creators through its Developer Exchange program in 2025, surpassing the $923 million total from 2024 and marking the first time this figure has been reached in a single calendar year. The company reported that Q3 creator earnings totaled $427.9 million (an 85% year-over-year increase), with the top 1,000 creators earning an average of $1.1 million each. Roblox also increased its Robux-to-dollar conversion rate by 8.5% to $0.0038 per earned Robux, while stating that 47% of creators wouldn’t earn income without the platform and 74% work solo.

Roblox records “better than expected” Q3 results. GamesIndustry

Roblox reported “better than expected” Q3 results with revenue rising 48% year-over-year to $1.35 billion and bookings jumping 70% to $1.92 billion, surpassing both its top and bottom line guidance. Average Daily Active Users grew 70% to 151.5 million, with hours engaged increasing 91% to 39.6 billion, while the company recorded net losses of $257 million compared to $240 million in the same quarter last year. User-created experiences like Grow a Garden, which set a record with almost 22 million concurrent players, drove significant engagement growth, particularly among users aged 13 and older (up 89% in DAUs and 107% in hours engaged). Roblox raised its full-year guidance to $4.82-$4.87 billion in revenue and $6.56-$6.61 billion in bookings, with the Asia-Pacific region showing the strongest growth.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection pre-orders now available. Gematsu

Capcom has opened pre-orders for Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, launching March 13, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The game is available in three editions: Standard ($69.99), Deluxe ($89.99 with additional side story and special outfits), and Premium ($99.99 with Deluxe Kit plus extra downloadable content), all including a pre-order bonus layered armor for Eleanor. A new story trailer was released showing the protagonist’s journey to understand the Crystal Encroachment threatening habitats worldwide, alongside companions like vice-captain Gaul, Ogden, and Kora, as they travel to locations like the village of Sheparden and face the Elder Dragon Yama Tsukami.

Fall Guys veterans establish new studio Panic Stations. Game Developer

Former Fall Guys developers have established Panic Stations, a new UK studio focused on creating co-op multiplayer games that bring friends together through “chaos, laughter, and shared moments.” The studio is the first member of Skeleton Crew, a new collective of game companies founded by Mediatonic co-founder Paul Croft that aims to build and empower small creative teams. The founding team includes Paul Croft, Josh Tarrant, Steve Taylor, Dan Huang, Joe Walsh, and Oliver Hindle, all of whom worked on Fall Guys before Mediatonic was acquired by Epic Games in 2021 and later heavily impacted by Epic’s 2023 layoffs that cut 18 per cent of its workforce.

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