Browsing: Gaming

Earlier this week, it was reported that Microsoft has entered negotiations to shut down, or grant independence to, acclaimed action-game studio Ninja Theory just a mere eight days after the studio revealed its newest title, Senua, at this year’s Xbox Games Showcase. While the potential dismantling of a tenured studio is always tragic, Ninja Theory leaves behind a legacy that goes beyond video games, ultimately shaping Hollywood films that perhaps would not have been made without the studio’s ambition. Founded in 2000 under the name Just Add Monsters, Ninja Theory built itself upon a promise of delivering high-octane action games…

Popular pop singer Olivia Rodrigo claims that some of her most dedicated fans are wearing diapers so they can lock down the spots nearest the stage. And uh, well, some of these people are making use of those diapers, and the singer says she has been able to smell them during some performances. As spotted by NME, during a recent interview with Kiss FM, hosts Tyler West and Chloe Burrows asked about the worst place she’s been forced to use the restroom. Instead of sharing a story about herself, however, she talked about the times she has seen people wear…

A sequel to the live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas is in development, with director Ron Howard and star Jim Carrey in talks to return, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This comes despite Carrey nearly quitting the first film amid panic attacks and even enlisting a “torture” expert to help him endure filming of the 2000 original. The Grinch sequel will reportedly reunite Carrey, Howard, and producer Brian Grazer. The sequel’s script is being penned by Alec Berg (Barry), Jeff Schaffer (The League), and David Mandel (Veep), THR said. All three of those writers also worked on Seinfeld and Curb…

At the State of Unreal showcase this week, Epic Games revealed more details on Unreal Engine 6 and how it uses Generative AI to create in-game assets for titles like Fortnite. Epic described the use of GenAI as an “art concepting process” in a new video, detailing how it takes a handcrafted design–using digital tools like Blender and Photoshop–and then uses the technology to block out how it will look as a 3D in-game model. https://youtu.be/ZR2xbcf3Xyw Epic stressed in the video how GenAI is used to modify an idea that the company’s artists have created themselves, with the caveat that AI can…

Epic Games doesn’t just operate Fortnite, Rocket League, and a PC gaming storefront. It’s also the caretaker of Unreal Engine, a set of tools powering everything from The Witcher 4 to the next Halo. CEO Tim Sweeney spent his time on stage during Unreal Fest 2026 this week in Chicago pitching Unreal Engine 6 as the alternative to a gaming ecosystem dominated by closed platforms like Roblox. Sweeney said traditional AAA gaming is facing a “time of both crisis and opportunity” as the old ways of doing things fail. “We’re seeing often hundreds of millions of dollars of dev costs followed…

All the major consoles have undergone price hikes, but compared to PC gamers, console owners have been relatively sheltered from the rise in tech component costs. If you’re a PlayStation 5 user who is looking to upgrade your console’s memory storage, though, the artificial intelligence-driven component shortage is about to feel more real than ever. SanDisk just announced the Optimus GX PRO 850P NVMe, which is the PS5’s officially licensed storage option formerly sold under the WD_Black label. Here’s the price breakdown for the new SSD: 1 TB — $379.99 2 TB — $759.99 4 TB — $1,499.99 8 TB…

After launching on Switch and Switch 2 earlier this year, Pokemon Champions has gone mobile this week with its official release on iOS and Android devices. It’s a free-to-play title on mobile, and there’s a valuable in-game freebie available for players on all platforms who join in now. Starting from today, June 17, until Wednesday, September 2, Pokemon Champions players on both mobile and consoles will get Raichu and the Raichunite X and Raichunite Y stones by checking their in-game mailbox. With the Mega Stones, players have the option to evolve Raichu into more powerful forms, including Mega Raichu X…

It’s Next Fest yet again, and Steam’s Wishlist-tempting festival of demos grows ever more unwieldy. This time, among the 8,764 demos included in the week-long event, we also have the miserable chore of weeding out the AI-riddled drivel, alongside the cavalcade of nonsense. But fear not, for I have plunged myself deep into the piles of sludge to pluck out some true gems! Below you’ll find eleven demos for games you’ve likely never heard of before, but will immediately rise to the top of your radar. Can radars have tops? Try not to think about it, and instead delve into…

The final episode of Widow’s Bay season 1 is cheekily titled, “We Hope You Enjoyed Your Time!” For anyone foolish enough to fall for Mayor Tom Loftis’ (Matthew Rhys) scheme to turn his cursed island town into a tourist hot spot, the answer is most likely no. (Between the cults, the sea hags, and the Michael Myers-esque slasher, this hasn’t been a very chill summer.) But for audiences watching Apple TV’s new horror-comedy show from the safety of their homes, the response is an undeniable yes. Widow’s Bay is a clear contender for best new show of 2026, and its…

Lego K-Pop Demon Hunters: Derpy Tiger and Sussie Bird (825 pieces) $70 | Releases August 1 Preorder at Lego Store It’s been about a year since KPop Demon Hunters made its big debut on Netflix, and it’s hard to say what people love more: the songs, the visuals, Jinu’s bad boy vibe, or Rumi’s moment of truth when she embraces who she is for the first time. One of my personal favorite highlights is Derpy the tiger and his magpie buddy Sussie, and now Lego has announced a new set featuring the dynamic duo launching August 1. Fans can preorder…