Quick Hits

• A Monumental Refund: Steam reportedly issued a full refund to a Battlefield 6 player who had logged a staggering 470 hours, following EA's quiet removal of the beloved Rush mode from Quickplay.
• Disaster Relief: In a heartwarming move, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company are offering free console repairs to players affected by the Kumamoto earthquake, providing much-needed relief amidst extreme heat complications.
• PlayStation on the Go: A new PS Plus cloud-streaming app playtest just dropped, allowing users to stream PlayStation games directly to their Steam Deck or Steam Machine without needing a PS5 or a PS Portal!
• Xbox's Golden Child: IGN reports that Blizzard Entertainment has officially become Microsoft's "top-performing" Xbox studio, driven by the massive successes of Overwatch and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred.
• DLC Delights: Reviews and first impressions for the first part of the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass are officially live, giving players a fresh look at the Bubbly Basin.

Pokémon & Nintendo

It’s a massive day for Nintendo and Pokémon fans! The reviews are officially in for Pokémon Pokopia: Bubbly Basin, the first part of the Pokémon Pokopia Expansion Pass. The community is buzzing with first impressions and diving into quests to restore the ruined area, including tracking down hidden Ocean Doors to construct massive new structures. On the hardware front, Nintendo is stepping up in a big way to support players affected by the Kumamoto earthquake, offering free repairs to damaged consoles.

In other Nintendo news, speculation is running wild over at Nintendo Life as fans try to figure out which developer is steering the highly anticipated The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake. We also got a massive recap of the THQ Nordic 2026 Showcase, featuring announcements for Reanimal DLC and Eternal Life of Goldman. Mojang is keeping busy, dropping fresh patch notes for Minecraft Bedrock Edition (bumping the title with gameplay improvements and Switch fixes) while confirming the game is heading to the Switch 2 this October. Finally, if you're looking to rep your favorite racer IRL, Uniqlo's sweet Mario Kart World t-shirts have surprisingly launched globally after initially only being announced for Japan!

The Pokémon community is absolutely thriving on Reddit today. Fans are showing off incredible creativity, from beginner graphic designers sharing awesome Pokémon Blue Game Boy posters and impressive Umbreon drawings, to some gorgeous summer-themed Pokémon nail art! Crafters are also experimenting with low-cost keychains and pendants for upcoming anime conventions. Hardcore collectors are trying to settle the age-old debate of holo versus reverse holo cards while piecing together a "Pitch Black" master set. Meanwhile, veteran trainers are trading tips on triggering the classic Ditto glitch in Victory Road, and music lovers are seeking out orchestral and piano covers of Johto and Sinnoh soundtracks.

Call of Duty

While the Call of Duty scene is a bit quiet today, the broader Xbox ecosystem is making major waves. Blizzard Entertainment is reportedly Microsoft's top-performing studio, with insane engagement from Overwatch and Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred cementing the World of Warcraft developer as Xbox's current MVP.

Steam & PC

PC gamers are seeing some absolute headline-grabbing moments today. In a shocking display of consumer support, Steam reportedly refunded a Battlefield 6 player with 470 hours logged after EA quietly pulled the popular Rush mode from Quickplay. In portable PC news, a brand-new PS Plus cloud-streaming app playtest means you can now stream PlayStation games directly to your Steam Deck without owning a PS5.

Over in the Epic Games ecosystem, players on PC are desperate to fix performance issues in Marvel Tōkon, with some claiming that opening the Epic Games Store before launch helps—though the community remains fiercely divided on the workaround. If you're looking for a new shooter, a free-to-play Division game just launched on Steam to highly mixed reviews, with one scathing take declaring, "Calling it slop disrespects actual slop."

Indie Games

Indie fans have a lot to be excited about this week! If you love cozy vibes, don't miss out on grabbing a 97%-rated cozy indie game that is currently on sale for its lowest price yet. PC Gamer's Week in Review also highlights a bizarre but deeply satisfying new Steam craze: games entirely dedicated to sorting thousands of mundane objects onto shelves. For some high-brow gaming inspiration, Her Story creator Sam Barlow took us on a fascinating tour of his Steam library, highlighting his love for roguelikes alongside his deep appreciation for minimalism and elegance in game design.

Gaming Roundup

RPG fans, brace yourselves! Square Enix dropped a slick new trailer for Final Fantasy Resonance, an HD-2D turn-based title coming to the Switch 1 and Switch 2. The new footage showcases the iconic Warrior of Light, encouraging players to "Resonate with his Vision within the Sanctum of Light." Furthermore, Eurogamer reports that we will be getting a "new look" at Final Fantasy 7 Revelation—the final chapter in the Remake trilogy—during Gamescom's Opening Night Live. It's a great time to be an RPG fan!