Latest Multi-platform Game News & Updates
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🎮 Multi-platformCiv 7's new updates convinced me the strategy game's future is bright
Firaxis' Civ 7 updates, including Test of Time, are starting the process of transforming the 4X game into a better version of itself
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox tests digitizing physical games ahead of Project Helix launch
Xbox is reportedly working on a way to make digital copies of your physical games. It's unknown whether or not Project Helix will have a disc drive.
🎮 Multi-platformThis Week In Games Was Bad, But Next Week May Be Worse
While it can seem like every week feels bad in the games industry, this past week felt especially awful. You're not wrong for thinking so, too, and the start of this week wasn't that great either. But what if I told you that it could get even worse? It doesn't sound possible, but trust me, it appears it definitely could. Let's look at what happened last week. A week to forget On June 22, news broke that Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot died in a plane crash(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ubisoft-co-founder-dies-in-plane-crash/) on June 19. His brother, Yves Guillemot, paid tribute to the late co-founder in a statement(https://news.ubisoft.com/en-us/article/3doewVFtdToOm979jdsJIL/a-message-from-yves-guillemot), saying that Claude "helped shape Ubisoft with an entrepreneurial spirit, curiosity, and unwavering optimism." This was quite unfortunate news to start the week. In the background of this announcement has been the drama surrounding Santa Monica Studios' upcoming action-adventure game God of War: Laufey, with gamers blaming "gender" for the game's narrative decisions(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/god-of-war-laufey-actor-says-the-games-story-is-not-about-gender/) despite the PlayStation-owned developer building toward Laufey for almost a decade now(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/god-of-war-has-been-building-toward-laufey-for-almost-a-decade/). You also had CD Projekt Red--the publisher, not the developer(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-witcher-company-cd-projekt-is-now-cd-projekt-red-not-to-be-confused-with-cd-projekt-red/)--talking about how its reputation still hasn't fully healed(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/cd-projekt-boss-says-reputation-not-fully-healed-after-cyberpunk-2077-catastrophe/) following the disastrous launch of Cyberpunk 2077, an Ocarina of Time fan project shutting down(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ocarina-of-time-fan-project-bows-out-before-nintendo-comes-knocking/) for fear of "Nintendo ninjas," and the announcement of the Steam Machine's $1,000 price tag--which the internet had a lot of thoughts about(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-internet-has-some-thoughts-on-the-steam-machines-1000-price/). June 23 came with some bombshell news. Alongside the confirmation that Lords of the Fallen II was delayed to avoid Grand Theft Auto 6's imminent release(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/lords-of-the-fallen-2-delayed-to-avoid-gta-6-and-get-more-enhancements/) and an EA executive saying that the company's embrace of AI saw a "real rise of creativity(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-exec-says-there-has-been-a-real-rise-of-creativity-after-developers-embraced-ai/)," Rockstar Games announced that GTA 6 won't ship with a physical disc at all(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-physical-copies-wont-include-discs-just-download-codes/). The internet wasn't too happy about this news(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-internet-has-some-things-to-say-about-gta-6s-price/), and some retailers said they're refusing to carry physical copies of the game now(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/some-retailers-are-refusing-to-carry-gta-6s-physical-release/). Things started to get particularly bad on June 25. News began circulating that the looming Xbox layoffs were about to start(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-reportedly-planning-big-layoffs-for-next-month/), with South of Midnight developer Compulsion Games reportedly being hit first(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-layoffs-appear-to-be-starting-with-south-of-midnight-dev-compulsion/). That same day, Bungie let go of "most" of the Destiny team and "some" of the Marathon staff(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-confirms-layoffs-most-of-destiny-team-let-go/) in a massive layoff. Justin Truman, the head of Bungie, also stepped down(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/bungie-studio-head-is-reportedly-stepping-down/) after less than a year on the job. And then, Microsoft announced that Xbox consoles will get a price hike in August(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-is-increasing-the-cost-of-xbox-consoles-again-starting-in-august/), and hinted at another increase coming in 2027 or 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-may-have-another-price-hike-up-its-sleeve-in-2027/)--capping off a bad day with worse news. Now fast-forward to the last couple of days. The bad news snowball On June 29, Activision began promoting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4--which drops on October 23--by reminding you that it won't launch on Xbox Game Pass(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/activision-promotes-call-of-duty-mw4-by-telling-you-its-not-on-game-pass/) during its first year. This isn't necessarily new news, as Microsoft announced in April 2026 that new Call of Duty titles won't hit the subscription service(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/game-pass-gets-price-drop-new-call-of-duty-games-no-longer-included/1100-6539523/) going forward. However, it's still a blow when the last two entries--Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7--both landed in the vault day-one. Now, if you want to play Modern Warfare 4 or any new Call of Duty, you either have to pay full price for the game or wait one full year if you have an active Game Pass subscription. It's odd, considering Microsoft acquired Activision--and Call of Duty--for $69 billion in 2023(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-officially-acquires-activision-nearly-two-years-later-bobby-kotick-resi/1100-6516016/), but the decision could be because putting the mega-hit military shooter on Game Pass came at a loss(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/call-of-duty-lost-300-million-in-sales-due-to-game-pass-report/1100-6535256/). On the same day, Sony tried to temper expectations for the PlayStation 6, clarifying that it won't sell hardware at a "significant" loss(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-sets-expectations-ahead-of-ps6-no-more-significant-hardware-losses/) anymore. Basically, the company is warning that the PS6 won't be cheap at all. On the other side of the coin, reports came out that the Xbox-owned studio Undead Labs, developer of the State of Decay franchise, is at risk of closure(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/state-of-decay-studio-undead-labs-reportedly-at-risk-of-closure/). (It's worth noting that several other Xbox Game Studios, like Double Fine and Ninja Theory, are also at risk(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/double-fine-ninja-theory-and-more-reportedly-trying-to-spin-off-from-xbox-game-studios/) unless a buyer is found.) Microsoft came with even more hits on June 30, as Hitman developer IO Interactive suffered layoffs after funding was pulled(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hitman-007-first-light-studio-begins-layoffs-as-its-fantasy-rpg-project-suffers-setbacks/) from the studio's in-development fantasy RPG. As if things couldn't get any worse that day, a report suggested that Microsoft may shutter the Blade developer Arkane Studios(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-could-cancel-marvels-blade-and-close-its-developer/) and cancel that project entirely. (Hideo Kojima's Xbox-exclusive OD is seemingly safe(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/hideo-kojimas-od-is-reportedly-safe-from-upcoming-xbox-cuts/), though.) While it's smaller potatoes in the wake of the biggest fishes, developer Papergames rescinded its decision to add a new love interest(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/love-and-deepspace-cancels-its-new-love-interest-after-fan-backlash/) to its action dating sim Love and Deepspace after fan outcry spilled over into the real world. And just today, July 1, Sony announced plans to end all physical disc production for PlayStation games in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/)--which could mean that the PS6 will be a digital-only console(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-sony-is-killing-disc-based-playstation-games-and-the-implications-for-ps6-and-beyond/). (Reports suggest Microsoft's next Xbox, codenamed Project Helix, may also be discless(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-gen-xbox-may-not-have-disc-drive-disc-to-digital-feature-coming-reports-say/).) The move sent the internet into a heated frenzy(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-disc-death-sends-the-internet-into-its-physical-media-defense-arc/), but Sony wasn't done yet, as the company also confirmed that the PlayStation Stores for both the PS3 and PS Vita will close in July 2027(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-to-end-playstation-store-support-on-ps3-and-vita/). Things get worse before they get ... worse? As you can see, the last week has been awful, and the last couple of days exacerbated that badness. But things aren't looking too great if we look ahead, either. According to a June 30 report by The Verge(https://www.theverge.com/report/959467/microsoft-xbox-cancel-blade-game-arkane-studios-closure?viewtoken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6Inp0bjNNQk1pVm0iLCJwIjoiL3JlcG9ydC85NTk0NjcvbWljcm9zb2Z0LXhib3gtY2FuY2VsLWJsYWRlLWdhbWUtYXJrYW5lLXN0dWRpb3MtY2xvc3VyZSIsImV4cCI6MTc4MzI3MDkyMSwiaWF0IjoxNzgyODM4OTIxfQ.pOFMRE5pUQgOYGX0scwb6LrEhrfZuecr50Fysx3fd8&utmmedium=gift-link), the looming Xbox layoffs will start on July 6. The full number of impacted staff is unknown right now, but rumors suggest that the aftermath could end with at least 1,500 laid-off employees. Ahead of these cuts, unionized Xbox workers are calling for protections to shield themselves(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-devs-call-for-worker-protections-ahead-of-likely-layoffs/) from these executive decisions. There's that ancient axiom: Things get worse before they get better. It's hard to believe that is true when, everywhere you look in the games industry lately, things just look more and more bleak as time marches forward. Maybe the industry will improve, and things will get better. There are, after all, a ton of games to look forward to--particularly in September(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/september-2026-is-packed-with-games-trying-to-avoid-gta-6/). But right now, the games industry is looking more like a wasteland than ever before.
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformPS5 fans are in total shock over Sony putting an end to physical game releases
Sony fans have lots of strong feelings about PS5 games going all digital in 2028, especially after PlayStation executives mocked Xbox a decade ago
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformNext-Gen Xbox May Not Have Disc Drive, Disc-To-Digital Feature Coming, Reports Say
Following Sony's announcement that it will not support PlayStation discs starting in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) and conjecture that the PS6 won't have a disc drive(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-sony-is-killing-disc-based-playstation-games-and-the-implications-for-ps6-and-beyond/), it's now been reported that Microsoft's next-gen Xbox, Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/next-xbox-release-date-specs-display-price/1100-6525379/), won't have a disc drive either. Jez Corden of Windows Central reported today(https://www.windowscentral.com/gaming/playstation-kills-physical-games-as-xbox-and-sony-continue-making-poor-decisions) that Project Helix will not have a disc drive. The report did not include any further details, but this would not be a surprising development given the increasing percentage of games sold digitally compared to physical, along with existing precedent. The Verge(https://www.theverge.com/report/960173/microsoft-xbox-disc-to-digital-feature-physical-game-collection?viewtoken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6IjRmOEljak1IR1IiLCJwIjoiL3JlcG9ydC85NjAxNzMvbWljcm9zb2Z0LXhib3gtZGlzYy10by1kaWdpdGFsLWZlYXR1cmUtcGh5c2ljYWwtZ2FtZS1jb2xsZWN0aW9uIiwiZXhwIjoxNzgzMzU5Njk2LCJpYXQiOjE3ODI5Mjc2OTZ9.oIfTRukq2XbJkjjtGK4EYmJ6Qm5KXSejNZwdcWqWf9U&utmmedium=gift-link), meanwhile, reported that Microsoft has not decided yet about if Project Helix will have a disc drive. The report also said Microsoft is working on a disc-to-digital feature that would allow users to transition their physical games to digital ones. This feature, which Xbox employees are now reportedly testing, will allow users to convert Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S discs to digital copies; there will apparently be no support for Xbox 360 and original Xbox discs. "Getting a digital copy of a game works simply by inserting a compatible disc and installing and playing the game. This will require a Microsoft account on an Xbox console and will grant a digital entitlement for physical games," the report said. "This digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc, and it will move from account to account if you swap the physical game with a friend or log in to a different Xbox profile and try to play a disc-based game." Not all existing discs will be supported, though, the report said. Supported discs for the disc-to-digital program will continue to work as discs even after being digitized, the report said. However, the entitlements are tied to specific consoles and the entitlements will end if people give away their discs. . !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Helix.jpg?w=1024) Project Helix may not have a disc drive. Microsoft already offers a digital-only version of the Xbox Series X, while all Xbox Series S consoles do not have disc drives. Microsoft has been plotting a future for consoles with no disc drives for more than a decade, as the company considered doing away with the disc drive for the Xbox One.(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-considered-xbox-one-with-no-disc-drive/1100-6416883/) While many millions of games continue to be sold physically on discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/), the share of digital games compared to disc-based games sold continues to grow in favor of digital. Sony had its highest-ever quarterly digital game sales period(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-just-reported-a-new-record-breaking-high-figure-but-its-unsurprising/1100-6539856/) just before it announced it was abandoning discs. Companies like EA, Capcom, Nintendo, and others have reported increased shares of digital game sales, too(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/). Sony said it was ending support for discs because the majority of its users buy games digitally, and that's likely true for Xbox as well. Sony publishes this data in its quarterly reports, but Microsoft is much more secretive and doesn't share much in the way of concrete data for how its Xbox division is performing. Not much is known about Project Helix, apart from Microsoft touting it as a system that will "push the boundaries of rendering and simulation." At Summer Game Fest recently, Xbox's Matthew Ball said Microsoft remained committed to releasing Project Helix(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/is-xbox-fixable/), despite ongoing concerns about component and memory pricing due to the AI craze.
🎮 Multi-platformPragmata was called disappointing by Capcom in early internal reviews
Alongside Resident Evil: Requiem, the sci-fi glad dad game has contributed to an amazing 2026 for Capcom
🎮 Multi-platformKrafton settles with Subnautica 2 developer after drawn-out dispute over $250 million
After a lengthy legal dispute, Krafton has settled with its subsidiary Unknown Worlds Entertainment, which is developing Subnautica 2, and will pay bonuses to the studio's staff, Bloomberg reports. The dispute began last year after Krafton pushed out Unknown Worlds' cofounders, Charlie Cleveland and Max McGuire, and its CEO, Ted Gill, ahead of a potential &8230;
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox testing disc-to-digital feature that digitizes a physical game collection
Microsoft will likely soon follow Sony and stop the production of physical discs for Xbox games. But instead of leaving physical discs behind entirely, sources familiar with Microsoft's plans tell me the company has quietly been working on a disc-to-digital feature that will allow Xbox owners to digitize their existing physical game collections. Xbox employees &8230;
🎮 PlayStation, Multi-platformPlayStation's PSP Go was the first time Sony tried to go all-digital
17 years ago, Sony tried to go all digital with the PlayStation PSP Go. It didn't work out well for the company.
🎮 Multi-platformWho are Apocalypse's new Horsemen in X-Men 97 season 2?
The Final Horsemen make the leap from a 2011 comic onto X-Men '97 season 2.
🎮 Multi-platformKingdom Come: Deliverance board game announced by Czech Games
Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come: Deliverance is getting a new release in 2027 with a board game from two award-winning designers.
🎮 PlayStation, Multi-platformPlayStation Plus July 2026 free games lineup announced, including Modern Warfare 3
July 2026's PS Plus Essentials games have a release date and full lineup.