Patch Notes #53 - weekly gaming digest

Welcome to the 53rd edition of Patch Notes. Let’s get this bad boy going.

Dec 17, 2025

This edition will cover the week from 8 December to 14 December.

Important: please be aware that the format of this newsletter will change in future due to time constraints. It will focus on TLDR (a short one-line summary and a link) and biggest releases.

What caught my attention this week

Expedition 33 won big, happy for them, very well deserved.

Diablo 4 announced its new expansion, and I am happy.

TLDR

Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada says he’s leaving Bandai Namco this month
Microsoft Flight Sim head says bringing it to PS5 was his idea, believes it started the ‘avalanche of Xbox titles coming to PS5’
Yu Suzuki studio considering legal action over ‘fake’ Shenmue 4 trailer
Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma launches on February 13, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series
A Full Star Wars: KOTOR 2 remake was in development - report
Tomb Raider news confirmed for The Game Awards following remake leak
OD is completely different from a standard horror game, and Kojima doesn’t even know “if it will work out”
China esports market grows 6.4% in 2025, report finds
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has been listed on PEGI’s website
Now the PlayStation Store has accidentally revealed that a Resident Evil veteran will be coming to Requiem
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is now available on Nintendo Switch 2
Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut are now available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S
Star Wars KOTOR 2’s Restored Content DLC was canned as Aspyr could not give Disney a complete list of all the modders’ legal names
Boston Consulting: Games market to recover from pandemic slump in 2026, revenue to hit $350m by 2030
Fluxo and W7M merge to create Brazilian esports powerhouse
Major shareholder denounces Square Enix for ‘sluggish’ revenue and profit margins
Paramount bid for Warner Bros. backed by EA acquisition group investors
Warner Bros.’ game studios are “relatively minor” to Netflix, as acquisition reveals harsh reality of the business
iam8bit, Video Game History Foundation, and Mega Cat Studios team up to bring back lost NES game Xcavator
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 sales were significantly down from Black Ops 6 - report
Rockstar insists GTA 6 devs were fired for leaks, not unionizing
Tencent being “more assertive” with companies like Techland, Funcom and Sumo
Report: The Game Awards trailers can cost devs up to $1 million
Fortnite Championship Series returns in 2026 with $10m prize pool
Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is in development, directed by Casey Hudson
The first new Ace Combat game in seven years is coming in 2026
A new Mega Man game is finally coming in 2027
Larian Studios announces Divinity, its “’most ambitious title yet”
Nagoshi Studio reveals Gang of Dragon for PC via Steam
Diablo IV Lord of Hatred releases on April 28, 2026 with pre-orders including Paladin early access now
After Black Ops 7 disappoints, Xbox boss says annual Call of Duty releases are “really difficult”
New Tomb Raider games recast Lara Croft with a gaming veteran
Xbox boss highlights PlayStation success, talks bringing Halo to PS5
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 triumphs at The Game Awards 2025
Littered with falsehoods and disinformation - game workers union fires back at Rockstar’s “lawless attack” once again, after GTA 6 maker’s latest attempt to downplay controversial firings
Control Resonant sends Jesse’s brother, Dylan, to a perception-bending Manhattan at some point in 2026
Phantom Blade Zero launches September 9, 2026
Hogwarts Legacy goes free for the first time to kick off the Epic Games Store’s 2025 Holiday Sale
The new voice of Lara Croft is a veteran of Cyberpunk 2077, Lies of P, Dragon Age, Assassin’s Creed, and a whole bunch more
IEM returns to Rio de Janeiro in 2026
Apex Legends creators announce new PvP FPS game Highguard
Deus Ex Remastered delayed to unannounced date “in order to better meet fan expectations”
Doom Dev id software forms a “Wall-To-Wall” union
French President publicly congratulates Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, calling the Game of The Year win “a historic first”
Sledgehammer founder reflects on “bittersweet” changes at EA and Activision: “Watching them fade hits harder than expected”
Evo champion SonicFox signs with FlyQuest
Team Liquid shares fresh roster for 2026 VCT season
Prolific voice actor Jim Ward, whose credits include Knights of the Old Republic, New Vegas, Grim Fandango, and more, has died

Biggest news of the week

Tekken boss Katsuhiro Harada says he’s leaving Bandai Namco this month. VG Chronicles

Tekken series producer Katsuhiro Harada has announced he will be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025, timing his departure with the series’ 30th anniversary milestone. Harada, who has worked on Tekken since its inception and became a designer and director by Tekken 3, stated he has gradually handed over his responsibilities to the team over the past four to five years. He reflected that the loss of close friends and retirement of colleagues made him consider his remaining time as a creator, and he received guidance from former Sony CEO Ken Kutaragi in making this decision. Bandai Namco assured fans that Tekken 8 will continue receiving future content and that the series’ legacy will be upheld following Harada’s departure.

Microsoft Flight Sim head says bringing it to PS5 was his idea, believes it started the ‘avalanche of Xbox titles coming to PS5’. VG Chronicles

Jorg Neumann, Head of Microsoft Flight Simulator, claims he originally pitched bringing the game to PS5 about two and a half years ago after deciding to drastically reduce the game’s file size from over 300 GB to an 8 GB thin client with cloud streaming, but Xbox initially refused the idea. According to Neumann, someone from Sony later proactively reached out to Microsoft’s president requesting a port, and Neumann believes this contact kicked off “a whole avalanche of Xbox titles coming to PlayStation.” The PS5 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is releasing today with PlayStation VR2 support planned for 2026 via a free update.

Yu Suzuki studio considering legal action over ‘fake’ Shenmue 4 trailer. VG Chronicles

YS Net, the studio founded by Yu Suzuki, has denied that a four-minute alleged Shenmue 4 trailer circulating on social media last week has any connection to the developer, stating the seemingly AI-generated video uses their company logo without permission. The studio clarified it has not released any trailers, footage, or promotional materials related to Shenmue 4 and considers the matter serious enough to prepare appropriate measures including potential legal action. YS Net apologized to fans for any confusion caused and emphasized it will continue to ensure proper dissemination of information.

Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma launches on February 13, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series. RPG Site

Marvelous USA has announced that Rune Factory: Guardians of Azuma will launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on February 13, 2026, following its June debut on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC Steam. The PS5 and Xbox versions will include all free post-launch update content from previous platforms in the base game, with digital editions priced at $59.99 (standard), $69.99 (Digital Deluxe), and $79.99 (Super Digital Deluxe), while a physical PS5 edition will be available for pre-order exclusively on Amazon. The game takes players to Azuma, an Eastern-inspired land where they play as an Earth Dancer using dance powers, sacred treasures, and new weapons to restore the blighted land, rebuild villages, and cultivate relationships with locals.

A Full Star Wars: KOTOR 2 remake was in development - report. GameSpot

A new report claims that Aspyr and Lucasfilm Games were developing a full remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II until at least March 2025. Codenamed “Juliet,” the project aimed to modernize the 2004 RPG with updated graphics and gameplay while preserving its story and characters. According to legal documents and depositions, the remake would have included restored content similar to the previously announced but unreleased DLC for the Nintendo Switch version. Development on the KOTOR II remake has since ceased, unlike the separate KOTOR remake, which is still in development.

Tomb Raider news confirmed for The Game Awards following remake leak. GameSpot

A Tomb Raider announcement has been confirmed for The Game Awards on December 11, with host Geoff Keighley teasing that “Lara Croft returns” during the show. The reveal follows recent reports claiming a remake of the original 1996 Tomb Raider is in development and set to be unveiled at the event. While details remain unconfirmed, Crystal Dynamics is also working on a new mainline Tomb Raider game to be published by Amazon. The announcement is positioned as a look at the future of the iconic franchise.

OD is completely different from a standard horror game, and Kojima doesn’t even know “if it will work out”. Eurogamer

Hideo Kojima has described OD as a project that is completely different from traditional horror games, admitting he doesn’t yet know if it will ultimately succeed. He explained that Kojima Productions is attempting to change the service model “from the ground up,” making the game particularly challenging to develop. Kojima also hinted that the latest trailer contains many clues about its true nature, though he remains deliberately vague. He characterised OD as a hybrid that exists between a game, a movie, and a new form of media, and acknowledged that some players may dislike it.

China esports market grows 6.4% in 2025, report finds. Esports Insider

China’s esports industry reached ¥29.331bn (~$4.02bn) in total revenue in 2025, marking a 6.4% year-on-year increase, according to data presented at the 2025 China Esports Industry Annual Conference in Beijing. Livestreaming dominated the revenue share at 80.81% of total industry income, while China’s esports audience grew to over 495 million users, with mobile esports titles commanding 58.6% of the market and shooters accounting for 28.3% of revenue by genre. The country hosted 142 non-exhibition provincial-level tournaments with professional players (up 18 from the previous year), with Shanghai leading at 19.2% of offline events, and China had 165 active esports clubs by year-end, with over half competing in just one esport title.

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced has been listed on PEGI’s website. VG Chronicles

A listing for “Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced” has appeared on PEGI’s website with an 18 rating and tags indicating violence, bad language, and in-game purchases, though no format details or written description have been provided yet. Ubisoft has not officially confirmed the remake’s existence despite two years of reports and rumors, including incidents where voice actor Matt Ryan hinted at the project before reportedly being threatened with legal action by Ubisoft. According to French publication Jeux Vidéo Magazine citing Ubisoft sources, the remake will reportedly remove parts of the original’s present-day sections and replace them with approximately four hours of extra pirate-era content, while incorporating more RPG-like mechanics similar to recent Assassin’s Creed titles.

Now the PlayStation Store has accidentally revealed that a Resident Evil veteran will be coming to Requiem. VG Chronicles

A pre-download screen on the PlayStation Store for Resident Evil Requiem has accidentally revealed an image showing protagonist Grace Ashcroft alongside a large background image of Leon Kennedy, with multiple pre-order customers and IGN confirming the image’s appearance. The leak suggests Leon Kennedy, who has been playable in Resident Evil 2, 4, and 6, will return in the game, though his exact role—whether fully playable, partially playable, or as a supporting character—remains unclear. Earlier today, GameStop also listed extra outfits for Rosemary Winters (daughter of Resident Evil Village’s Ethan Winters) in the Deluxe Edition description, leading to uncertainty about whether the game features multiple playable characters or if some are non-playable assist characters, with a potential trailer reveal expected at The Game Awards on Thursday.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is now available on Nintendo Switch 2. RPG Site

Bethesda has launched The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 today, with the edition being free for existing Switch Anniversary Edition owners and available as a $19.99 upgrade for base game owners or $59.99 standalone for newcomers as a 53GB digital-only install. The Switch 2 version includes enhanced technical features such as improved resolution with DLSS anti-aliasing, faster load times, optimized performance, mouse control support, motion controls, and Amiibo support. The Anniversary Edition includes the base game, three official expansions (Dawnguard, Dragonborn, and Hearthfire), hundreds of Creation Club items, and exclusive Nintendo content inspired by The Legend of Zelda including the Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and Champion’s Tunic.

Yakuza Kiwami, Yakuza Kiwami 2 and Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut are now available on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. RPG Site

Sega has launched Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut, Yakuza Kiwami, and Yakuza Kiwami 2 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as part of the series’ 20th anniversary celebration, with all three titles now supporting French, Italian, German, Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Russian text for the first time. Yakuza 0 Director’s Cut features newly added cutscenes, an online co-operative ‘Red Light Raid’ mode, English and Chinese voice-over, and the previously excluded theme song “Bubble,” with digital owners of the original versions able to upgrade for $14.99 versus the $49.99 standard price. Upgrade pricing varies for Yakuza Kiwami ($1.99 for those who purchased by December 8th versus $19.99 everyday price) and Yakuza Kiwami 2 (free for eligible digital owners), though save data does not carry over and offers don’t apply to subscription services or physical versions.

Star Wars KOTOR 2’s Restored Content DLC was canned as Aspyr could not give Disney a complete list of all the modders’ legal names. GamesIndustry

Aspyr has explained that the promised Restored Content DLC for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 on Nintendo Switch was cancelled because it could not provide Disney with a complete list of all contributing modders’ legal names. Disney had approved collaboration with the modding community only if all rights and credits could be fully verified, but Aspyr was unable to secure permission from all 22 contributors. As a result, Lucasfilm declined to proceed, and the DLC was ultimately shelved after being promised to players. The situation later led to a false advertising lawsuit, which was reportedly settled out of court.

Boston Consulting: Games market to recover from pandemic slump in 2026, revenue to hit $350m by 2030. GamesIndustry

Boston Consulting Group predicts the global games industry will recover from its post-pandemic slump in 2026 and reach $350bn in annual revenue by 2030, driven by mobile in-app purchases, cloud gaming, and the rise of user-generated content (UGC) and AI-assisted development. Mobile purchases are expected to account for 37% of 2025 revenue due to higher margins from alternative app stores, while cloud gaming revenue could soar from $1.4bn to $18.3bn within five years, supporting multi-screen, subscription-based experiences. BCG also highlights that AI is already used in 20% of recent game launches, with UGC attracting players across all ages, signaling that gaming is becoming increasingly accessible, participatory, and central to consumer leisure time.

Fluxo and W7M merge to create Brazilian esports powerhouse. Esports Insider

Brazilian esports organizations Fluxo and W7M have merged to create Fluxo W7M, aiming to combine Fluxo’s competitive edge and community strength with W7M’s structure and management excellence across League of Legends, Counter-Strike 2, Rainbow Six Siege X, Free Fire, EAFC, and Kings League. The merger builds on past collaborations including a joint League of Legends team operation for over a year and W7M’s acquisition of Fluxo’s R6 Share 2025 spot in January 2025, with W7M CEO Felipe Funari stating the goal is to elevate Brazilian esports to a new level of excellence. Fluxo brings dominance in Free Fire (winning World Series Global Finals in 2023 and 2024), while W7M is known for being the first team to win back-to-back BLAST R6 Majors (Copenhagen 2023 and Atlanta 2023), with the combined organization expecting more partnership opportunities and exposure through its larger portfolio.

Major shareholder denounces Square Enix for ‘sluggish’ revenue and profit margins. Game Developer

3D Investment Partners, a Singapore-based investment firm holding a 14.36 percent stake in Square Enix, has released a 112-page presentation criticizing the company’s “sluggish” revenue growth and profit margins, calling for constructive dialogue to enhance corporate value. The firm critiques Square Enix’s three-year business plan announced in May as lacking concrete vision, specific KPIs, quantitative targets, or execution plans to address issues like dispersed development portfolio and poor platform selection, while also criticizing insufficient synergy between gaming and non-game businesses. After presenting concerns to Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu in October, who replied only with a brief email stating the current plan was sufficient, the firm is now urging other shareholders and outside directors to engage in frank dialogue, while including comparisons to other Japanese gaming companies and highlighting recently released titles that received harsh criticism.

Paramount bid for Warner Bros. backed by EA acquisition group investors. Game Developer

Paramount is launching a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery valued at $108 billion ($30 per stock), competing against Netflix’s $82.7 billion offer, with backing from investors including Affinity Partners (owned by Jared Kushner), Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, and investing groups from Abu Dhabi and Qatar—several of whom are also part of the group acquiring Electronic Arts. According to an SEC filing uncovered by Axios, these partners have agreed to forgo governance rights including board representation, while Chinese conglomerate Tencent was apparently a previous financial partner in Paramount’s offer. Paramount’s bid, which aims to acquire all of Warner Bros. Discovery rather than just the studio assets, follows the company’s recent merger with Skydance that involved political concessions to the FCC and a $16 million settlement payment for President Trump over a CBS interview dispute.

Warner Bros.’ game studios are “relatively minor” to Netflix, as acquisition reveals harsh reality of the business. Eurogamer

Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros., valued at $82.7bn, reveals that gaming is not a major focus for the company, with co-CEO Gregory Peters describing Warner Bros.’ game studios as “relatively minor” and stating they were not factored into the deal’s value. Despite past successes like Hogwarts Legacy, which sold over 34 million copies, Warner Bros. has faced declining revenue, cancellations, and layoffs in 2025. Peters acknowledged the studios’ potential and popular IPs but clarified that gaming is not a priority in Netflix’s strategy, leaving the future of projects like Rocksteady’s new Batman game uncertain, especially as rival offers for Warner Bros., such as from Paramount, emerge.

iam8bit, Video Game History Foundation, and Mega Cat Studios team up to bring back lost NES game Xcavator. Gematsu

iam8bit has partnered with the Video Game History Foundation, Mega Cat Studios, and Retrotainment Games to release Xcavator 2025, a long-lost 1991 Nintendo Entertainment System game originally developed by programmer Chris Oberth at Incredible Technologies Inc., with pre-orders available now for $100 and shipping expected in Q2 2026. After the original source code was donated by Oberth’s family to the Video Game History Foundation and Incredible Technologies donated the intellectual property rights, the game was rebuilt using the same tools that would have been used in 1991, staying true to Oberth’s original vision. The premium physical release includes a classic gray NES cartridge and a 14-page manual authored by the Video Game History Foundation, with 100 percent of profits supporting the Foundation’s video game preservation mission.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 sales were significantly down from Black Ops 6 - report. GameSpot

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 experienced a significant sales decline compared to Black Ops 6, with Steam sales dropping from 2.3 million copies in the first 26 days (Black Ops 6) to just 401,000 copies (Black Ops 7). Daily active users also fell dramatically from 36 million in December 2024 to 18 million in November 2025, with Steam concurrent players estimated between 50,000-100,000 compared to over 300,000 for its predecessor. Video Game Insights characterized this as “a significant departure from historical performance” rather than normal launch fluctuations, potentially caused by franchise fatigue, shifting preferences, or misalignment with player expectations. While Activision acknowledged Black Ops 7 fell short of expectations, Microsoft announced Call of Duty was 2025’s top Game Pass franchise, though it’s unclear if Game Pass offset the standalone sales decline.

Rockstar insists GTA 6 devs were fired for leaks, not unionizing. GameSpot

Rockstar Games maintains that over 30 workers in the UK and internationally were fired for breaching company policy by discussing “specific game features from upcoming and unannounced titles” and confidential information in a public forum, not for unionizing efforts. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) counters that the fired staffers were involved in unionization and calls this “one of the most blatant and ruthless acts of union-busting in the history of the games industry,” noting UK workers have statutory rights to private union conversations. The situation has escalated to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called it “deeply concerning” and emphasized workers’ rights to join unions, while over 200 Rockstar employees have demanded reinstatement of the fired workers. A report suggests the firings were related to Discord messages about Rockstar’s revised Slack policies, and the issue remains unresolved as Rockstar prepares for GTA 6’s November 2026 release.

Tencent being “more assertive” with companies like Techland, Funcom and Sumo. GamesIndustry

Tencent’s games division CEO Michelle Liu says the company is taking a more assertive role in strategy at studios it owns, including Techland, Funcom, and Sumo Group, while maintaining it stays away from creative intervention. At Techland (acquired for $1.6 billion in 2024), Tencent embedded staff on-site and helped determine Dying Light: The Beast’s pricing strategy, while at Funcom it urged focus on Dune: Awakening over other projects, leading to staff cuts and studio closures. Tencent also steered Sumo Group away from original IP development back toward contract work, resulting in successful collaboration on Warframe content. Liu emphasized that “creative people do not always know how to do finance or production or hiring,” positioning Tencent’s involvement as strategic support rather than creative control.

Report: The Game Awards trailers can cost devs up to $1 million. Game Developer

According to a Kotaku report citing sources familiar with this year’s show, submitting a trailer to The Game Awards can cost developers up to $450,000 for a 60-second trailer and over $1 million for a three-minute trailer, with some major publishers receiving “earned editorial placements” at no cost while smaller studios face what one source called “an unattainable goal.” Multiple developers from indie and triple-A studios told Kotaku that nominated studios reportedly receive only two tickets to attend the ceremony, forcing some like Sandfall Interactive (whose Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 received a record 12 nominations) to purchase additional tickets at around $300 each, while reseller tickets reportedly ranged from $600 to $1,000. The report also notes that The Game Awards has discontinued its Future Class program after two years without announcing a new cohort and removed the program’s page from its website, which former honoree Malek Teffaha said “honestly hurt.”

Fortnite Championship Series returns in 2026 with $10m prize pool. Esports Insider

Epic Games announced the Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) will return in 2026 with a $10 million prize pool, reverting to a duos format after using trios in 2025. The season features three Majors (April 6-26, July 20-August 9, and September 21-October 11) with competitions starting from an FNCS Trial on January 31st that divides players into divisions, followed by Divisional Cups where duos compete for Major spots. Each Major includes Play-In, Heat, and Finals stages, with the top 150 duos in NAC/EU and top 100 in other regions advancing through heats, and Major winners receive prize money plus the in-game Axe of Champions 3.0 pickaxe. The season culminates with a Major One Summit LAN event in May 2026 ($1 million prize pool) and the FNCS Global Championship in November 2026 ($2 million prize pool) featuring 50 teams competing over two days.

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is in development, directed by Casey Hudson. VG Chronicles

Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic has been announced at The Game Awards as a new single-player narrative-driven action RPG and spiritual successor to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, directed by Casey Hudson who directed the original KOTOR and the Mass Effect trilogy. Developed by Arcanaut Studios in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games, the game is described as an epic interactive adventure across a galaxy on the brink of rebirth where every decision shapes the player’s path towards light or darkness. Hudson called working on the original KOTOR one of the defining experiences of his career and stated the new game tells a completely new story crafted with everything the team has learned since, while Jay Ong of Disney Games Group praised Arcanaut Studios’ vision as the kind of ambitious, high-quality experience they want to deliver.

The first new Ace Combat game in seven years is coming in 2026. VG Chronicles

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Thieve has been announced as the first new entry in the series in seven years, set to release in 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC using Unreal Engine 5 to create the most visually detailed Ace Combat title to date. The game features a single-player Campaign mode where players take on the role of an ace pilot called the Wings of Theve in the fictional world of Strangereal, fighting alongside three new fighter pilots to help the Federation of Central Usea reclaim their homeland from the Republic of Sotoa, as well as multiplayer dogfight modes. Series director Kazutoki Kono teased the announcement in June during the series’ 30th anniversary, stating “everything is in place” and it was time to take flight toward greater heights, with the previous entry Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown (2019) having sold over three million copies as the best-selling game in the series.

A new Mega Man game is finally coming in 2027. VG Chronicles

Capcom has announced Mega Man: Dual Override, a new entry in the classic action platforming series set to release in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, and PC. The brief trailer shown at The Game Awards revealed the game will feature classic 2D Mega Man gameplay with a cel-shaded art style, where players will “override challenges and blast down legions of robots while springboarding across a new array of futuristic frontiers.” The announcement aligns with Capcom president and COO Haruhiro Tsujimoto’s recent statement that the company plans to build Mega Man, Devil May Cry, and Ace Attorney up to the status of “core IPs” like Resident Evil, Monster Hunter, and Street Fighter through new releases, remakes, and ports to reach their target of selling 100 million games in a year.

Larian Studios announces Divinity, its “’most ambitious title yet”. RPG Site

Larian Studios has announced Divinity during The Game Awards 2025, describing it as the studio’s “most ambitious title yet” built by the team behind Baldur’s Gate 3 and set in the world of Rivellon. While the game is a brand new entry that doesn’t require experience with previous Larian titles, players who have experienced Divinity: Original Sin and Divinity: Original Sin 2 will be able to enjoy greater understanding and continuity. Founder and game director Swen Vincke stated this is their first game actually titled “Divinity” and represents the culmination of everything they’ve done previously, with more breadth, depth, and intimacy than anything they’ve created before, describing it as “the Divinity we’ve always wanted to make.”

Nagoshi Studio reveals Gang of Dragon for PC via Steam. RPG Site

Nagoshi Studio has revealed Gang of Dragon, a new action-adventure game at The Game Awards 2025, with a Steam page confirming PC as the first available platform. The game, created by former Sega and Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio director Toshihiro Nagoshi after he joined NetEase Games in 2021, features gameplay similar to the Yakuza series up until Yakuza 6 but takes place in the real Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, Tokyo, starring South Korean character Shin Ji-seong (portrayed by actor Ma Dong-seok). The game features third-person combat centered on Shin’s overwhelming physical power, including hand-to-hand strikes, blade attacks, gunplay, and vehicle action, with full Japanese and English voice support plus subtitles in Korean, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Traditional and Simplified Chinese.

Diablo IV Lord of Hatred releases on April 28, 2026 with pre-orders including Paladin early access now. RPG Site

Blizzard has announced Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred, the game’s next expansion launching on April 28, 2026, with pre-orders now live that include early access to the Paladin class and instant access to the Vessel of Hatred expansion. The expansion features a new campaign against Prime Evil Mephisto, two new classes (Paladin available immediately with pre-purchase, and a second unannounced class coming at launch), and the ancient region of Skovos as a new playable area, the birthplace of the firstborn civilization and former home of Lilith and Inarius. Major updates include skill tree reworks with new skill variants for all eight classes, level cap increases, a new Loot Filter, set bonuses through the new Talisman system, an overhauled endgame with War Plans for custom progression and the Echoing Hatred activity, plus fishing mechanics, with three editions available (Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate) offering various cosmetics, mounts, character slots, and platinum.

After Black Ops 7 disappoints, Xbox Boss says annual Call of Duty releases are “really difficult”. GameSpot

Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty acknowledged that “shipping a major franchise like clockwork every year is a really difficult task” in response to Black Ops 7’s sales struggles compared to Black Ops 6, though he stated he’s “really proud of what the team did to move the franchise forward.” Despite the shortcomings, Booty noted Black Ops 7 remains “one of the most-played games on Xbox” and emphasized that Call of Duty’s success isn’t “just about the launch” but also about ongoing seasonal content like the recently released Season 1. The annual Call of Duty release pattern that has continued since 2003 will persist, with the only change being that back-to-back installments of the same subseries (Modern Warfare or Black Ops) will no longer occur. Xbox also reported that Call of Duty was the top franchise on Game Pass in player-count and hours played, though this encompasses the entire series rather than just Black Ops 7.

New Tomb Raider games recast Lara Croft with a gaming veteran. GameSpot

Alix Wilton Regan will voice Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider games, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Tomb Raider: Catalyst, replacing Camilla Luddington who voiced the character in the latest trilogy. Wilton Regan is known for her roles as Samantha Traynor in Mass Effect 3, the female Inquisitor in Dragon Age: Inquisition, and Aya in Assassin’s Creed Origins. Legacy of Atlantis is a remake of the original Tomb Raider with modern visuals and expanded storytelling releasing in 2026, while Catalyst is a new Unreal Engine 5 entry described as the “most expansive entry yet” coming in 2027, both for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.

Xbox boss highlights PlayStation success, talks bringing Halo to PS5. GameSpot

Microsoft’s Matt Booty highlighted the success of Xbox games on PlayStation, noting that between late April and June 2025, six of the top 10 games on PlayStation were Xbox titles, which he views as “validation for the teams” and an opportunity for more players to engage with their content. Halo: Campaign Evolved, a campaign-only remake of the original game, will launch simultaneously on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 in 2026, with Booty stating the announcement was well received. In the interview, Booty also discussed Microsoft’s reversal on $80 game pricing, suggesting a more dynamic approach to monetization, and addressed Call of Duty: Black Ops 7’s disappointing reception and the challenges of annual releases.

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 triumphs at The Game Awards 2025. GamesIndustry

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated The Game Awards 2025 with nine wins out of 12 nominations, including Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Art Direction, Best Score and Music (composer Lorien Testard), Best Independent, Best Indie Debut, Best RPG, and Best Performance for Jennifer English as Maelle. Other notable winners included Hades 2 (Best Action Game), Hollow Knight: Silksong (Best Action/Adventure), Nintendo’s Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World in family and sports categories, and No Man’s Sky (Best Ongoing Game). The ceremony featured major game announcements including a new Divinity from Larian Studios, Control: Resonant from Remedy Entertainment, two Tomb Raider games from Crystal Dynamics, Resident Evil: Requiem details, two Star Wars games, and Mega Man’s return.

“Littered with falsehoods and disinformation” - game workers union fires back at Rockstar’s “lawless attack” once again, after GTA 6 maker’s latest attempt to downplay controversial firings. Eurogamer

The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) described Rockstar’s latest statement on firing 34 employees as “littered with falsehoods and disinformation” and an attempt to “reverse engineer a rationale for the dismissals,” accusing the studio of giving multiple conflicting reasons for the terminations. Rockstar claims employees distributed confidential information about upcoming games in a public forum and denies the firings were union-related, while a People Make Games report stated the conversations occurred on an invite-only Discord for employees and union members discussing salaries and HR issues protected under the Equality Act of 2010. The situation has gained international attention with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer calling the firings “deeply concerning” and promising parliamentary investigation, raising the issue twice in parliament as the Labour government pushes its employment rights bill through the House of Lords. The IWGB characterized Rockstar’s actions as a “lawless attack on the people who make them their billions,” while protests have occurred in the UK and abroad supporting the fired staff.

Control Resonant sends Jesse’s brother, Dylan, to a perception-bending Manhattan at some point in 2026. Eurogamer

Remedy announced Control Resonant, the sequel to Control, which will feature Dylan Faden (Jesse’s brother) as the protagonist wielding a shapeshifting melee weapon called the Aberrant as he navigates a perception-bending Manhattan overtaken by supernatural threats. After years of confinement by the Federal Bureau of Control (FBC), Dylan is deployed to combat a mysterious cosmic entity altering reality while searching for his sister Jesse and trying to contain dangers that have escaped the Oldest House. Creative director Mikael Kasurinen promises an “expansive, reality-warping playground” that’s accessible to newcomers and pushes scale beyond Remedy’s previous work, with the game planned for release in 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam and Epic), and Mac. The announcement follows Remedy’s recent challenges including CEO Tero Virtala stepping down after 11 years and a profit warning due to weak sales of the multiplayer Control spin-off FBC: Firebreak.

Phantom Blade Zero launches September 9, 2026. Gematsu

Developer S-GAME has announced that action RPG Phantom Blade Zero will launch for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store on September 9, 2026. The game, built in Unreal Engine 5, follows Soul, a warrior framed for his master’s death and left with only sixty-six days to live as he navigates shifting loyalties and conspiracies while being hunted by former comrades. The game features over thirty weapons including more than twenty unique “Phantom Edges” to customize playstyles, blends traditional Wuxia storytelling with fantasy and folk horror elements, and introduces “Kungfupunk”—a style inspired by Hong Kong’s Golden Age of martial arts cinema that combines fierce martial arts with machinery, utilizing state-of-the-art motion capture to recreate authentic kungfu techniques.

Hogwarts Legacy goes free for the first time to kick off the Epic Games Store’s 2025 Holiday Sale. PCGamer

Hogwarts Legacy is available for free on the Epic Games Store until December 18 as part of the platform’s 2025 Holiday Sale, marking the first time the game has been given away since its 2023 launch. The game remains popular with over 18,000 concurrent Steam players nearly three years after release and still sells at its original $60 price point, though it remains controversial due to author JK Rowling’s anti-trans politics and her profiting from the game despite not being involved in development. The Holiday Sale includes 17 total free games, discounts, 20% back on purchases, and the newly launched gifting feature (seven years after Epic Games Store’s debut), along with “Epic Extras” like cosmetic packs and in-game currency throughout the sale period.

The new voice of Lara Croft is a veteran of Cyberpunk 2077, Lies of P, Dragon Age, Assassin’s Creed, and a whole bunch more. PCGamer

Alix Wilton Regan will voice Lara Croft in both upcoming Tomb Raider games (Legacy of Atlantis and Catalyst), bringing what Amazon describes as “fresh spirit and depth” to mark “a new era in the Tomb Raider franchise.” Regan is a prolific voice actor with an extensive resume including Aya in Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Alt Cunningham in Cyberpunk 2077, the Inquisitor in Dragon Age, Lea in Lies of P: Overture, Tasi Trianon in Amnesia: Rebirth, and roles in Mass Effect 3, Return to Monkey Island, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, BioMutant, and Trine 2.

IEM returns to Rio de Janeiro in 2026. Esports Insider

ESL has announced that Intel Extreme Masters (IEM) will return to Rio de Janeiro in 2026 with a Counter-Strike 2 event taking place from April 13th to 19th. The event marks the first Tier 1 CS2 tournament in Brazil in two years and will feature 16 teams competing for a $1m prize pool, along with ESL Grand Slam progress and Valve Regional Standings points. ESL also revealed a partnership with the State of Rio de Janeiro and the Rio de Janeiro Esports Federation (FERJEE) to support the event and deliver unique on-site experiences. IEM Rio 2026 is part of the broader 2026 ESL Pro Tour, which includes events across multiple global locations.

Apex Legends creators announce new PvP FPS game Highguard. Esports Insider

Wildlight Entertainment, a studio founded by former Respawn developers, revealed its new PvP first-person shooter Highguard at The Game Awards 2025. The free-to-play raid shooter launches on January 26th, 2026, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5, and features teams of Wardens battling to capture territory by breaching enemy bases. Highguard combines elements such as mounts, Warden abilities, and a blend of medieval and modern weapons, and is the studio’s debut title after four years of development. While the game shows potential for competitive play, Wildlight has not yet confirmed any plans for an esports scene.

Deus Ex Remastered delayed to unannounced date “in order to better meet fan expectations”. RPG Site

Aspyr has announced that Deus Ex Remastered has been delayed indefinitely, with no new release date confirmed. The remaster was originally scheduled to launch on February 5, 2026, for PC and consoles. According to Aspyr, the delay was made to better meet fan expectations following mixed-to-critical feedback, particularly regarding changes to the game’s visual style. The studio also confirmed that all existing preorders will be fully refunded.

Doom Dev id software forms a “Wall-To-Wall” union. GameSpot

id Software’s 165-person studio in Richardson, Texas has formed a “wall-to-wall” union under the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 6215, which Microsoft has recognized. The union aims to protect employees from AI while negotiating for benefits like remote work, with organizing committee members emphasizing that remote work is “a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs” rather than just a perk. Producer Andrew Willis noted Microsoft is pushing AI use but expressed concerns it’s not being implemented carefully enough to benefit game creation, while also criticizing that many executives are “Ivy League MBAs” with “zero game experience” who don’t genuinely enjoy or play games. The organizers believe unionization will help developers stay in the industry and ensure workers have control over workplace decisions, with senior VFX artist Caroline Pierrot stating “more unions means more power to the workers and a real shot at shaping the future of the industry for the better.”

French President publicly congratulates Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, calling the Game of The Year win “a historic first”. Eurogamer

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly congratulated Sandfall Interactive on Instagram for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s record-breaking nine wins at The Game Awards, calling it “a historic first for a French title” and expressing “great pride for Montpellier and for France.” Some commenters reminded Macron of his 2023 statement suggesting video games “poisoned” young people’s minds during riots, though he later clarified he only condemned violence trivializing on social media using “video game codes,” not games themselves, praising them as “a culture, an entertainment, a spectacle” and “a ground for artistic experimentation.” The game won Game of the Year plus eight other awards including best narrative, score and music, art direction, game direction, RPG, independent game, debut indie game, and best performance for Jennifer English as Maelle, with Macron previously congratulating the studio in May for being a “shining example of French audacity and creativity.”

Sledgehammer founder reflects on “bittersweet” changes at EA and Activision: “Watching them fade hits harder than expected”. Eurogamer

Former Sledgehammer and Striking Distance founder Glen Schofield described the sale of EA as a “bittersweet moment” reminiscent of Activision’s sale to Microsoft, expressing sadness that “the two publishing giants who shaped the last 20+ years of our industry have both entered new eras.” Schofield, who spent roughly a decade at each company during their primes, praised EA as “buttoned-up, disciplined, and structured” with intense franchise reviews, while describing Activision as having “loud, passionate, borderline chaotic” meetings with sharp questions aimed at improving games. Despite calling it “tough to watch these companies step back from what they once were,” Schofield acknowledged a “bright side” where new leaders, studios, and publishers can now “take that mantle” and hopefully lead and invest in talent similarly. Schofield previously expressed interest in making Dead Space 4 with EA’s new owners and recently hinted he may have directed his last game after failing to secure financial backing for his latest project following The Callisto Protocol’s 2022 flop and his 2023 departure from Striking Distance.

Evo champion SonicFox signs with FlyQuest. Esports Insider

Dominique ‘SonicFox’ McLean, one of the most accomplished fighting game professionals, has signed with esports organisation FlyQuest as announced on December 12th. FlyQuest highlighted SonicFox’s eight Evo championships across five different games in a hype-focused announcement video, with the player expressing motivation to achieve “more” with the organisation. While no specific competitive plans were detailed, the signing has sparked speculation about SonicFox competing in additional fighting game titles. SonicFox brings over a decade of top-level success and recent experience in newer games such as 2XKO to FlyQuest.

Team Liquid shares fresh roster for 2026 VCT season. Esports Insider

Team Liquid has revealed its new VALORANT roster for the 2026 VCT season, featuring returning players nAts and kamo alongside newcomers MiniBoo, purp0, and wayne. Head Coach Ivo ‘LohaN’ Albino said the roster was built around passion, creativity, and player autonomy, aiming to reduce reliance on coaching direction during matches. The three new players were chosen for their professionalism, discipline, regional insight, and ability to contribute fresh ideas to the team. Fans have responded positively to the announcement, expressing optimism for Team Liquid’s 2026 campaign.

Prolific voice actor Jim Ward, whose credits include Knights of the Old Republic, New Vegas, Grim Fandango, and more, has died. PCGamer

Voice actor and radio personality Jim Ward died at age 66 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease, as announced by Stephanie Miller (host of The Stephanie Miller show where Ward was once co-host) on December 10. Ward’s extensive videogame career began in the 1990s voicing Spider-Man and Venom for Sega Genesis and included iconic roles such as Captain Qwark in Ratchet & Clank, Hector LeMans in Grim Fandango, Jack Krauser in Resident Evil 4, Aleksandr Granin in Metal Gear Solid 3, Dr. Klein in Fallout: New Vegas’ Old World Blues expansion, and Trask Ulgo in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (the first voice heard in one of the first fully voice-acted RPGs). His final videogame credit was as the Ranger in Quake Champions, and fans have shared memories celebrating his work, with one noting Ward’s performance as Qwark “played a big part in shaping my humor.”

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