Pokémon & Nintendo — new reveals, game updates, Nintendo Direct news, Switch content, Pokémon announcements

It’s the beginning of the end for the competitive MOBA scene, as Pokémon Unite has officially been dropped from the 2027 Pokémon World Championships lineup. The free-to-play title has had a great run since 2021, but it seems official competitive support is winding down.

Speaking of the Pokémon brand, the highly anticipated Pokémon TCG 30th Anniversary release is apparently shaping up to be an even bigger mess than usual. Scalpers and supply chain chaos are turning those celebratory Pikachus into an absolute nightmare for collectors.

Switch 2 owners are eating incredibly well this month! Frontier Developments officially revealed that Jurassic World Evolution 2: Complete Edition will be launching on the hybrid console on July 30, 2026, bringing full dinosaur park management to your fingertips.

If you prefer rolling things up into a giant ball, Once Upon A Katamari is officially heading to the Switch 2 later this year on October 8, 2026. Bandai Namco is bringing the chaotic charm we all know and love, alongside some brand new DLC!

From Software's mysterious new project, The Duskbloods, is gearing up for its network test on Switch 2 next month. Applications are opening next week, so make sure you don't miss your chance to jump into this intriguing new multiplayer experience early.

If you're craving monster-collecting RPGs, the Digimon Story Time Stranger review for Switch 2 calls it a superb RPG that finally sets the franchise apart from its long-time rival.

In other Game Freak news, the studio is stepping outside their comfort zone with Beast of Reincarnation, and a brand new 90-minute exclusive gameplay breakdown has us incredibly hyped for this ambitious new action-RPG direction!

Fortnite — season updates, collabs, new skins, map changes, competitive scene

Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey film is making massive waves, and now Matt Damon’s Odysseus has officially joined the Fortnite Item Shop. It's the blockbuster crossover Homer always dreamed of, and you can grab the skin right now to conquer the island Ancient Greek style!

Gotham has officially arrived on the island! Fortnite Chapter 7, Season 3 is live, bringing Batman and an array of iconic characters to the map. You can now track down the highly secretive Batcave and find the elusive Batman Sprite to complete your seasonal challenges.

Call of Duty — Warzone/Black Ops updates, new seasons, weapons, competitive

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 just dropped a slick teaser for "Kill Block," an ever-changing multiplayer arena assembled from hundreds of different environments. The full multiplayer gameplay debut is happening later this week, and we cannot wait to see how this dynamic map system actually plays.

In a surprisingly confident move, Infinity Ward's studio head confirmed they aren't sweating the looming release of GTA 6 this November. However, cross-platform players might be a little annoyed, as leaks suggest Modern Warfare 4 will visually look its absolute best on the console that costs the most.

Indie Games — notable releases, hidden gems, devlogs, Steam Next Fest picks

The GoldenEye-inspired retro FPS, Agent 64: Spies Never Die, has finally locked in a release date, and it's surprisingly right around the corner! It looks set to scratch that classic N64 nostalgia itch perfectly without feeling miserable to actually play.

Pocketpair's viral sensation Palworld has officially hit its 1.0 milestone, and the full release is completely winning over skeptics who couldn't stand the jank of early access. The movement, pal-catching, and overall polish have reportedly been vastly improved.

In a much darker turn of events for the scene, developers are facing a massive wave of anxiety as bad actors are using AI tools to quickly clone and publish in-progress games. It's a terrifying reality that independent devs are having to fight against just to protect their original ideas.

Steam & PC — top charts, big sales, Steam Deck compatibility, major PC releases

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced is currently enjoying the absolute best Steam launch of any Assassin's Creed game to date! A recent patch stopped unexpected mutinies triggered by ship shopping trips and even forced the skies to be sunnier—though PC fans did note that a few iconic combat mechanics were left behind due to being "lower priority."

Great news for handheld tinkerers: Valve is shipping more Steam Deck LCD batteries to iFixIt, with official replacements coming back in stock next week!

If you're looking to forward-plan your backlog, Valve has officially revealed all the upcoming Steam sale dates and themed events for the first half of 2027 so you can budget your gaming funds accordingly.

In a brilliant display of PC modding ingenuity, a Redditor fashioned a physical "game cartridge" system for their Steam library using cheap SATA SSDs. Additionally, two utterly unique and long-lost 1990s PC horror classics have finally been exhumed and are heading to Steam soon!

Gaming Roundup — other notable news, trailers, industry moves

Dead Space creator Glen Schofield has officially announced his retirement from the "day-to-day work" of making video games. It marks the end of an incredible era for a legendary developer who heavily shaped the survival horror genre.

A former Rockstar producer shed some light on why GTA 6 isn't hitting PC at launch, suggesting it's "always better to start with the constraints" of console hardware before scaling up.

In a melancholic farewell, Scopely's mobile title Looney Tunes: World of Mayhem is officially shutting down soon. It's always sad to see another live-service game's servers go dark, so make sure to get your final matches in while you still can.