Latest Pc, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Pc, multi-platform News
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🖥 PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Multi-platformSteam Summer Sale features savings on some of 2026's best video games
The Steam Summer Sale features savings on a handful of 2026's must-play video games, including MIO: Memories in Orbit.
🖥 PC, Multi-platform$2.50 Steam Sale Has Everyone Smashing The Surveillance State
One of Ubisoft's most underrated games, Watch Dogs 2(https://www.gamespot.com/games/watch-dogs-2/), is on a super steep sale on Steam right now. So steep, in fact, that it seems to have inspired a new crop of folks to trawl through the technocratic world of digitized San Francisco to put an end to the surveillance state at a time when we're all under some sort of surveillance IRL. Over on the game's Steam store page(https://store.steampowered.com/app/447040/WatchDogs2/), you can pick Watch Dogs 2 for just $2.50 until Thursday, July 9. That's a 95% discount for a game that normally retails for $50. And that's just the base game! If you wanted to grab the DLC--which includes new cars, co-op adventures, outfits, weapons, world missions, and more--then you can snatch up either the Deluxe Edition for $3 or the Gold Edition for $4. Really, no matter how you look at it, this is a steal for the game. Likely as a result of this nearly five-finger discount for a game that launched in November 2016, Watch Dogs 2's player count has soared. According to player tracker SteamDB(https://steamdb.info/app/447040/charts/max), over 10,000 people are playing it right now, and it saw a 24-hour peak of over 16,000 people. These numbers are steadily encroaching on Watch Dogs 2's all-time concurrent high of 18,138 players. That's impressive for a nine-year-old game. The game's surging popularity also makes a lot of sense considering the themes it tackles. As the Oakland-native Marcus Holloway, you get racially profiled and wrongfully accused of a high-tech robbery. This incident causes Marcus, an up-and-coming hacker, to join the hacker group DedSec--an Anonymous(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anonymous(hackergroup))-esque collective hellbent on dismantling the technocracy ruling Ubisoft's San Francisco Bay Area. Through a series of hijinks, all meant to raise DedSec's clout, you confront the billionaires and the technology that's making life hell for the digital city's population. It's a riveting narrative with a protagonist that's very Black and very fun(https://www.avclub.com/the-importance-of-marcus-holloway-how-watch-dogs-2). There are a lot of debates around whether we're in a surveillance state(https://www.eff.org/nsa-spying) at the moment. However, given the rampant use of AI(https://www.aclum.org/publications/ai-powered-surveillance-is-turning-the-united-states-into-a-digital-police-state-now-is-the-time-to-stop-it/), the overreliance on systems that all communicate with one another--think of smart homes--and the infrastructure that makes all of this technology run, it's not hard to conclude that someone could be surveilling you. A cyberattack can occur in which a hacker gains access to, say, your webcam to watch you, making your "private" home much less so(https://www.aclu.org/issues/national-security/privacy-and-surveillance). In any event, it makes for good gameplay opportunities In GameSpot's Watch Dogs 2 review(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/watch-dogs-2-review/1900-6416578/), we awarded the game an 8/10, calling it an "effortless mix of covert and action-oriented gameplay with a likeable cast that knows how to have fun in their own way." That's exactly what you get when you play Watch Dogs 2, which is one of those games that's hard to put down despite some conflicting narrative decisions. Now's a great time to pick it up, especially if you hate the government surveilling you.
🖥 PlayStation, PC, Multi-platformFormer PlayStation Exec Is Less Than Impressed With Steam Machine
The Steam Machine is slowly making its way into the wild, with some folks getting their hands on Valve's not-a-console console(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machine-is-not-a-console-valve-says/). One of those people is former SIE Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida, who called the device "meh" in some recent social media comments. Yoshida took to X on July 2(https://x.com/yosp/status/2072582164898787363) to give his early impressions of the Steam Machine. In a long post, he not only called its performance "meh," but he also said that it's "hard to recommend" because of its high price tag. https://twitter.com/yosp/status/2072582164898787363 "The system recommends to default to 1080p--am I going back to PS4 days?" Yoshida pondered. "Some games take a looooooong time to boot. What is it doing?" He clarified that he'd only been playing it for "a few hours"--he posted his thoughts in the early morning on July 2--but ultimately concluded that the device just doesn't live up to its $1,000+ retail price(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-internet-has-some-thoughts-on-the-steam-machines-1000-price/). It's not all bad for Yoshida, though. He did say(https://x.com/yosp/status/2072582535847313898) that the Steam Machine's "small form factor and quietness" are good while commending the device's changeable faceplate, easy-to-use UI, and the ability to play Steam games on the living room TV. That last fact alone makes it "reason enough" to keep the Steam Machine, but these features appear to be where the positives end for now, as overall, Yoshida just isn't quite buying what Valve is selling. The Steam Machine has begun shipping out to folks following its June 29 launch. It's very possible, though, that you may have to wait a while for yours, especially considering how confusing the preorder emails Valve started sending out were(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machine-preorder-emails-are-super-confusing/). You could always check out eBay, but be warned: You'll likely pay double the price(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machine-preorders-are-about-to-begin-so-of-course-theyre-already-on-ebay/).
🖥 PlayStation, PC, Multi-platformFinal Fantasy 7 Revelations datamining has fans hopeful for DLC
Director Naoki Hamaguchi has teased expansions for Dirge of Cerberus and Advent Children, now a new datamine supports Final Fantasy 7 remake DLC.
🖥 PC, Multi-platformEven The End Of Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Isn’t Actually The End, Leak Suggests
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-7-revelation-release-date-gameplay-and-everything-we-know/) wraps up a story years in the making when it launches in 2027, but beyond that? The Unknown Journey might continue a little longer, as one store listing for the game mentions an expansion pass. As seen on the Epic Games Store(https://epicdb.org/sandbox/a2c630e6aab44a2d90e56d7e3237af1c/items) (via IGN(https://www.ign.com/articles/final-fantasy-7-revelation-getting-story-expansion-pass-store-leak-suggests)), Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will have plenty of downloadable content and a "Story Expansion Pass" for purchase. It's not clear yet what these items are for--or if the titles are using placeholder text--but the Story Expansion Pass item does suggest that Cloud and company could venture into new territory. The Final Fantasy 7 lore certainly allows for this--the animated film Advent Children and the spin-off game Dirge of Cerberus took place after the original game--while game director Naoki Hamaguchi hinted at possible character-specific(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-revelation-is-a-definitive-conclusion-but-could-make-way-for-side-stories-in-the-future/) stories in the future. "We have had a lot of voices from fans wanting to explore the stories, or side stories, of other characters and other parts of the story as well. That is something that is interesting," Hamaguchi said to GameSpot last month at Summer Game Fest. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/FF7-Story-pass.jpg?w=1024) What lies beyond the Unknown Journey? Square Enix had previously expanded on the Final Fantasy Remake trilogy with Intergrade, a post-launch expansion for the first game focused on Yuffie. Oddly, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth didn't receive an expansion after launch, as Square Enix opted to instead focus on developing Revelation. One of the big changes with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is that it won't be available exclusively on PlayStation when it launches. Square Enix is aiming for a multiplatform release, as the game will arrive on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on the same day as PS5. For more on the game, you can check out how minigames will be more optional(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-7-revelation-wants-minigames-to-feel-like-a-choice-again/), what the new FITS system(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-7-revelations-new-fits-system-lets-you-turn-cloud-into-a-black-mage/) brings to the table, and why Revelation's director believes that streamers are contributing to an RPG crisis(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/final-fantasy-7-revelation-director-says-streamers-might-be-contributing-to-rpg-crisis/). The Best Final Fantasy Spin-Offs !4191097-3953138-strangerofparadise.jpeg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191097-3953138-strangerofparadise.jpeg?w=1024) !4191098-4014027-chocobo-1.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191098-4014027-chocobo-1.jpg?w=1024) !4191099-4155597-chocobogpcover-1038x576.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191099-4155597-chocobogpcover-1038x576.jpg?w=1024) !4191100-4072008-20220812cutscene02(1)-h8jbu5b8d.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191100-4072008-20220812cutscene02(1)-h8jbu5b8d.jpg?w=1024) !4191101-3348571-dis1.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191101-3348571-dis1.png?w=1024) !4191102-3545682-crystalchronicles.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1585/15855271/4191102-3545682-crystalchronicles.jpg?w=1024) !4641140-clipboard01-26-202601.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1532/15327795/4641140-clipboard01-26-202601.jpg?w=1024) View Images(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/the-best-final-fantasy-game-spin-offs/2900-4856/)
🖥 PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Multi-platformPersona 5 spinoff adding Persona 3 Reload's most requested feature
The Persona 5 mobile title will get a visit from Kotone Shiomi, the beloved character from Persona 3 Portable.
🖥 PC, Multi-platformExisting Unauthorized Steam Machine Companion Cubes Are Being Destroyed After Release Fiasco
The unlicensed Companion Cube engineered, illegally, for Valve's Steam Machine will never go on sale again, with those who preordered already being refunded. But what about the handful that made it out of the door and into the hands of journalists, influencers, and content creators? Instead of becoming collector's items, it seems they're all being destroyed. The fate of the existing Companion Cubes wasn't covered in the lengthy statement describing the entire fiasco, which was published by manufacturer Dbrand earlier this week. But it seems that the company is requesting existing samples to be sent back to them so that they can be destroyed, mimicking the fate of many of the cubes across both Portal titles. At least that's what's happening to the sample sent to The Verge(https://www.theverge.com/games/959890/dbrand-companion-cube-photos-hands-on), who captured the entirety of the cube's design and elaborate packaging before it was ripped away. The detailing, from the Portal iconography to the actual reproduced cube itself, shows exactly why Valve would've been extremely irate at a company making money on one of its IP without consent. Dbrand admitted that it made a mistake(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machines-unlicensed-companion-cube-canceled-dbrand-owns-up-to-huge-mistake/) attempting to sell the Steam Machine accessory without explicit permission from Valve, but also didn't do itself any favors with the cube's advertising, which even hints at a non-existent Half-Life 3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfITSn5pcrQ The Steam Machine launches next week for those lucky enough to have secured the chance to throw lots of money Valve's way, with the base 512GB model without a Steam Controller starting at $1,050(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/portable-steam-machine-gets-price-and-release-wind/1100-6429623/). Valve says this is much more than it originally wanted(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-steam-machines-original-price-wouldve-given-valves-machine-a-much-better-shot/) the compact computer to cost, and cannot promise that it'll come down in the future, either.
🖥 PlayStation, PC, Multi-platformThe cube was a lie: up close with our Dbrand Companion Cube before it gets destroyed
Dbrand is the company that shipped a product that told Nintendo's legal team to "go fuck yourself," and the company that had a second set of lawyer-dodging PS5 plates ready when Sony threatened to sue over the originals. But on June 29th, the company finally ate some serious humble pie, canceling its Portal-themed Companion Cube &8230;
🖥 PC, Multi-platformPopular Steam Wallpaper Program Removes App Over Malware Concerns
Wallpaper Engine has been a popular wallpaper tool on Steam for the better part of a decade since its release. However, the tool's application wallpaper was apparently hijacked by bad actors months ago who used it to infect users' machines with malware as the desktop wallpaper program ran in the background. Now, Wallpaper Engine's application is going to be permanently removed from the program over those malware concerns. In a statement on Steam(https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/431960/view/699894448411116924), the program's developers stated that users have a limited time to back up any wallpapers used from the application before the app is removed on Monday, July 6. The devs also note that removing the app only affects "0.5% of all wallpapers with actual user numbers being much lower than even that." "The reality is that executable files cannot be reliably secured with automated systems," reads the statement. "There will always be blind spots and ways for people to bypass them. As many of you know, we recently saw people trying to use this old feature to spread malware. At the end of the day, keeping a feature around that lets anyone easily share random .exe files on the Workshop is a risk we are no longer willing to take." A report on Securlist(https://securelist.com/dozens-of-malicious-wallpapers-found-on-steam-workshop/120186/) published earlier this month brought this issue to light and contends that malware had been inserted in the Wallpaper Engine's application as far back as late 2025. The malware could reportedly hijack Steam accounts, cripple hard drives, insert hidden crypto miners, or use ransomware to encrypt important users' data. There have been a handful of games removed from Steam over similar malware issues, including Beyond the Dark(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/another-steam-game-gets-removed-over-malware/1100-6540044/) last spring. The issue has even drawn the attention of the FBI, which announced an investigation(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fbi-launches-investigation-into-games-removed-from-steam-over-malware-concerns/1100-6538786/) into multiple infected titles on Steam.
🖥 PlayStation, Xbox, PC, Multi-platformArkane Studios and its Blade game may be shuttered as part of upcoming Xbox layoffs
Xbox is gearing up for a massive wave of layoffs that may include Dishonored developer Arkane Studios, which is currently working on Marvel's Blade.
🖥 PC, Multi-platformLG’s 27-inch Tandem OLED gaming monitor is cheaper than ever
The price of LG’s UltraGear 27GX700A-B 1440p gaming monitor that came out last August has dropped to nearly its best price yet. You can grab it at Amazon for $484.99 or at LG for $499.99 (originally $599.99). That’s a great deal considering this is one of LG’s Primary RGB Tandem panels built with fourth-generation WOLED &8230;
🖥 PC, Multi-platformSteam Machine’s Unlicensed Companion Cube Canceled, Dbrand Owns Up To Huge Mistake
Dbrand, a consumer electronics accessories company that has stumbled into its fair share of controversy over the years, finds itself in that position once again. The Canadian company has announced(https://www.reddit.com/r/dbrand/comments/1uivg8m/ripcompanioncube/) that its $100 Companion Cube-style wrap for the Steam Machine has been canceled, and anyone who already preordered one will get a refund. This is happening because Dbrand never asked Valve for permission in the first place. "We made the Companion Cube without a license from Valve," the company said. Dbrand also shared some behind-the-scenes details about how it got into this situation in the first place. On the day the Steam Machine was announced on November 12, 2025, the company published a concept render and a sign-up page for the Companion Cube. More than 15,000 people signed up for notifications, and Dbrand "built the idea into something real." But at the same time, it did so "without ever asking Valve if we could." "We’re going to regret that decision for a very long time," it said. Dbrand said it spent more than 1,000 hours working on engineering and industrial design to create the Companion Cube, creating 44 sets of injection modeling tools for each of the cube's sub-components. "The entire product was redesigned from scratch more than once, just to get the way it cradles the console exactly right. We literally rented out a university campus to film the launch video," Dbrand said. "This had turned into a passion project for the entire organization." "Unfortunately, being proud of the thing we made did not give us the right to make it," it added. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/companion-cube.jpg?w=1024) RIP Dbrand started taking people's money for the Companion Cube on June 22. The Companion Cube was extremely popular for Dbrand, becoming the second-fastest selling product in its 15-year history, trailing only the Switch 2 Killswitch. "Shortly after, Valve’s legal team reached out. They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which Dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout," the company said. "We took everything down and made an appeal. We asked Valve whether there was any way to keep the project alive: properly licensed, with their blessing, on their terms. They said no. Given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer." The company added: "We made something a lot of people were excited about, then incinerated our shot at bringing it to market. It’s a hard lesson to learn publicly. It goes without saying, but we’ll say it regardless: Valve didn’t do anything wrong here. They built a game franchise a lot of people love and they alone get to decide how it’s used." Dbrand sent some Companion Cube units out to influencer types, and those will likely become highly valuable collector's items. What this situation seems to show is that there is clearly major demand for a Companion Cube-style wrap, but it remains to be seen if Valve would ever work with a company on an licensed unit or make one itself. The Steam Machine has a built-in customization option in that its front plate is attached by magnets so you can swap alternate ones in. Dbrand previously courted controversy for making fun of someone's name in comments deemed to be racist, offering them $10,000 as recompense(https://tech.yahoo.com/general/articles/dbrand-offers-customer-10-000-232210231.html). Sony, meanwhile, sent Dbrand a cease-and-desist order over PS5 skins(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-threatens-legal-action-against-custom-ps5-plate-company-that-asked-for-it/1100-6497163/). Additionally, Dbrand's Killswitch Switch 2 case was roasted by some for having design flaws(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/dbrand-responds-to-switch-2-owners-experiencing-joy-con-2-issues-with-its-killswitch/1100-6532709/). For those who were lucky enough to be granted access, Steam Machine preorders are open now(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machine-price-and-release-date-officially-confirmed-by-valve/) for the device that starts at $1,050. Early impressions of the Steam Machine say the system does not make complete financial sense(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/steam-machine-impressions-a-tiny-box-with-big-trade-offs/).