Latest Xbox, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Xbox, multi-platform News
645 articles
🎮 PlayStation, Xbox, Multi-platform'The Blood Of Dawnwalker: The Art Of The Game' Arrives This November From Titan Books
!The Blood of Dawnwalker Dark Horse Art Book Cover Reveal(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/05/6acf130d/artdawnwalkerheader.jpg.webp) Game Informer can exclusively reveal that The Blood of Dawnwalker(https://www.gameinformer.com/product/the-blood-of-dawnwalker), the vampire RPG launching this September that's also our current cover story game(https://gameinformer.com/dawnwalker), is getting the art book treatment later this year. More specifically, The Blood of Dawnwalker: The Art of the Game will be published on November 24, just a couple of months after the debut game from Rebel Wolves launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on September 3(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/04/28/the-blood-of-dawnwalker-the-vampire-rpg-from-former-witcher-3-and-cyberpunk-2077-devs). Titan Books is publishing the art book, which is set to feature 192 pages of artwork, behind-the-scenes insight, and exclusive interviews exploring the creation of this new world. It's being authored by Matthew Pellett, a veteran magazine editor and gaming consultant whose writing contributions include bylines at Edge, PC Gamer, Official Xbox Magazine, Nintendo Gamer, and more. It will be published as a hardcover book for $50. Here's a look at the official cover for The Blood of Dawnwalker: The Art of the Game: !Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/05/f6dc92ab/blood-of-the-dawnwalker-sale-cover-003.jpg.webp) For the uninitiated, The Blood of Dawnwalker sees Rebel Wolves draw on their veteran experience and history working on RPGs like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 to deliver a vampiric story set in 14th-century Europe. As the Black Death plague spreads across the wartorn lands, vampires seize on the opportunity to leave the shadows and claim what they feel denied of for centuries: freedom and power. Other mysterious creatures of the night follow suit, and protagonist Coen, himself turned into a Dawnwalker – human by day, vampire by night – must fight against the clock to save his family. Uniquely, Coen will fight with a sword in unique directional-based melee combat by day, but can tap into his vampiric abilities and deadly claws at night. You can read plenty more about that in Game Informer's The Blood of Dawnwalker coverage hub, which includes all kinds of stories, such as: - Exclusive Details On How Romance And Infamy Are Handled(https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2026/05/15/exclusive-details-on-how-romance-and-infamy-are-handled) - Just how Choice-Driven Is Rebel Wolves' Debut Game?(https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2026/05/25/just-how-choice-driven-is-rebel-wolves-debut-game) - How The Combat Hopes To Keep You Immersed In The Action(https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2026/06/03/how-the-combat-hopes-to-keep-you-immersed-in-the-action) - A Choice-And-Consequence Playground Lives Up To The Witcher 3 Pedigree(https://www.gameinformer.com/preview/2026/04/28/a-choice-and-consequence-playground-lives-up-to-the-witcher-3-pedigree) "Go behind the scenes of Coen's journey in this book, featuring exclusive interviews and artwork exploring the creation of this intricate and dark world of monsters, characters, and scenery," a press release for The Blood of Dawnwalker: The Art of the Game reads. "Packed with hundreds of illustrations from concept art to final designs, this book is essential for anyone interested in video game art, especially medieval, fantasy, and supernatural settings." The Blood of Dawnwalker: The Art of the Game will be published on November 24. The game itself launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on September 3. Are you picking up this art book? Let us know in the comments below!
🎮 PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Multi-platformNintendo’s next Direct showcase is on June 9th
Summer Game Fest may be over, but the flood of gaming news isn't. Nintendo just announced that it'll be holding its next Direct showcase event on June 9th at 10AM ET. The stream, which you can find here, will be followed by a Treehouse Live event, and it sounds like it'll be pretty lengthy. "The &8230;
🎮 PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Multi-platformNintendo Direct Announced For Tomorrow, June 9, And It Will Be 50 Minutes Long
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2025/04/02/12807291/switch2preorder.jpg.webp) Nintendo has announced it will host a Nintendo Direct presentation tomorrow, on Tuesday, June 9, at 7 a.m PT/10 a.m. ET. It was announced in the Nintendo Today app, and Nintendo says it will run for approximately 50 minutes, followed by a 95-minute Nintendo Treehouse presentation. It's been a jam-packed week of reveals(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/05/19/the-2026-summer-showcase-schedule) for publishers and developers alike across various showcases, like last week's PlayStation State of Play(https://www.gameinformer.com/round-up/2026/06/02/heres-everything-shown-during-the-june-2026-playstation-state-of-play), Geoff Keighley's Summer Game Fest showcase(https://www.gameinformer.com/sgf-2026/2026/06/05/heres-everything-announced-during-the-summer-game-fest-2026-showcase), and the Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2026/06/07/heres-everything-announced-during-the-2026-summer-xbox-games). Fans have been clamoring for news from Nintendo about a suspected Direct, and it's finally happening. As for what to expect, there's still a lot we don't know about 2026 and the Nintendo Switch 2, like the release dates for Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave(https://gameinformer.com/href), FromSoftware's The Duskbloods(https://gameinformer.com/href), and more, not to mention the impending release of Splatoon Raiders(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/04/21/splatoon-raiders-gets-new-trailer-and-july-launch-date). The Nintendo Direct will air on the company's YouTube channel here.(https://www.youtube.com/live/PvUPDSDZg1k) In the meantime, check out Game Informer's reviews for the Switch 2's biggest releases of the year so far, including Mario Tennis Fever(https://www.gameinformer.com/review/mario-tennis-fever/running-hot), Pokémon Pokopia(https://www.gameinformer.com/review/pokemon-pokopia/a-pleasant-paradise), and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book(https://www.gameinformer.com/review/yoshi-and-the-mysterious-book/low-stakes-charm). What do you want to see at this Nintendo Direct? Let us know in the comments below!
🎮 PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, Multi-platformXbox exclusives are back and more complicated than ever
Two years ago, when Microsoft first revealed that it was bringing four Xbox-exclusive games to the PS5 and Nintendo Switch, it made the announcement far more complicated than necessary. That's not likely to improve anytime soon. In fact, things now seem more confusing than ever as the company tries to appease both fans and the &8230;
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformHellblade Studio Ninja Theory Has Officially Canceled Experimental Horror Game Project Mara
!Project Mara Senua Hellblade Ninja Theory Experimental Horror Game(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/08/6f58e29a/Project%20Mara.jpg.webp) Hellblade(https://www.gameinformer.com/review/senuas-saga-hellblade-ii/conquering-old-demons) studio Ninja Theory announced its next project, an action-adventure game called Senua(https://www.gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2026/06/07/senua-is-an-action-adventure-game-in-the-hellblade-universe), set in the Hellblade universe, at yesterday's 2026 Summer Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gameinformer.com/xbox-games-showcase/2026/06/07/heres-everything-announced-during-the-2026-summer-xbox-games). In a new interview posted on the Xbox Wire blog(https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/06/07/senua-ninja-theory-details-interview-action-adventure-xbox-games-showcase-2026/) about Senua, studio head Dom Matthews has revealed that the experimental horror game Project Mara(https://www.gameinformer.com/product/project-mara), announced(https://gameinformer.com/href) in 2020(https://www.gameinformer.com/2020/01/22/ninja-theory-announces-experimental-exploration-of-mental-terror-called-project-mara), has been canceled. In the interview, Matthews explains that smaller teams at Ninja Theory worked on the first two Hellblade games, but notes that the entire studio is working on Senua. And if everyone is working on Senua, nobody is working on Project Mara, something Matthews immediately addresses. "And with the fact that we have the entire team working on this game, I suspect some people might ask what's happened to Project Mara a previously announced horror title – I took the decision to not work on that any further," Matthews says in the interview. "These decisions are never easy, but I did so to take the opportunity to have all the talent and expertise in the studio, all 85 creatives, working together to realize the potential of what Senua can be." This isn't necessarily surprising – since that 2020 reveal, we've heard basically nothing about Project Mara – but it's nice to have the official confirmation, so those who might have been excited about it won't wait around for something that was never going to appear. For more, read Game Informer's round-up of every announcement from the 2026 Summer Xbox Games Showcase, and then read our reviews for Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice(https://www.gameinformer.com/games/hellblade/b/playstation4/archive/2017/08/08/hellblade-senuas-sacrifice-game-informer-review.aspx) and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II(https://www.gameinformer.com/review/senuas-saga-hellblade-ii/conquering-old-demons). What did you think of the Senua reveal? Let us know in the comments below!
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformHere’s What Gears Of War’s Original Designer Thinks About E-Day
It's been a long time since Gears of War creator and original designer Cliff Bleszinski was guiding the franchise, but he eagerly watched the premiere of new footage of the latest game, Gears of War: E-Day(https://www.gamespot.com/games/gears-of-war-e-day/), during the Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-showcase-2026-all-the-biggest-announcements-so-far/). And like a proud father, Bleszinski shared his enthusiastic response to what he saw. "Loved the struggle with that one Locust, but it's weird how the other ones (not the 'naked' ones) went down so easy," wrote Bleszinski on X(https://x.com/therealcliffyb/status/2063670009008705933). "The tough one didn't seem to be drastically armored different to show that it's a badass. Great rescue and reveal, though." Bleszinski also weighed in on the origin of the chainsaw lancer(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-includes-the-chainsaw-lancers-origin-story/) in E-Day. "Thinking about 'em going with a straight up chainsaw pre-lancer," noted Bleszinski(https://x.com/therealcliffyb/status/2063676631076556941). "Gameplay wise-if they're going to go 'one hand chainsaw, one hand gun' mode and someone at some point saying 'why not put the saw on the fin' gun already!?'" The relative ease with which some of the Locusts were dispatched was something that Bleszinski took issue with, as he believes(https://x.com/therealcliffyb/status/2063678547483402315) "Locust should have thick skin and armor and the game feedback loop should evolve to show that." But he seemed very pleased with other aspects of the game. "Yes, there's that sweet destruction I was hoping for," said Bleszinski(https://x.com/therealcliffyb/status/2063688085800472684). "The longer glimpse of what the Coalition has been up to is exciting. Super low cover is a nice touch too ... Reavers and Seeders look GREAT. Love the legs on the Reavers and their wall climbing." Following the presentation, Bleszinski summed up his thoughts(https://x.com/therealcliffyb/status/2063693070441324583). "So yeah, E-day looks great, amazing feature set, great tech improvements-and, most importantly-looks like it has heart. On top of all sorts of insane violence and destruction." Bleszinski announced his retirement from game development(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-designer-explains-why-hell-never-make/1100-6463340/) in 2018. However, he recently shared his ideas for a game(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-creator-lays-out-vision-for-a-new-game-and-it-sounds-intriguing/1100-6539873/) he calls Hollow Point, which he described as “John Wick meets Carrie by way of Lovecraft Country.” As for Gears of War: E-Day, it will be an Xbox console exclusive(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-version-canceled-report-says/). It will be released on Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 6.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformStudio Ghibli and Stardew Valley fans need to wishlist Xbox's Vivarium
The biggest cozy life sim reveal of Summer Game Fest and the 2026 Xbox Showcase deserves attention from anime fans
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformXbox Clarifies Its Exclusivity Strategy Moving Forward, Wants You To Buy An Xbox
Today's Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-showcase-2026-all-the-biggest-announcements-so-far/) was the first under the leadership of Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who has pledged to consider making changes to Xbox's exclusivity strategy(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/microsoft-gaming-is-dead-to-be-replaced-by-return-to-xbox-branding-report/1100-6539586/). Now, another Xbox executive, chief content officer Matt Booty, has clarified Microsoft's position on exclusives going forward. He told Gamertag Radio(https://youtu.be/iWLmhs0nmyc?si=S8655ThWGMxq7Xu9), "Our big multiplayer games and live-service games are going to continue to be multiplatform." "We want people to have a reason to get on board with Xbox," he added. "We want them to have a reason to buy an Xbox." So why isn't Gears of War: E-Day going to be on PS5(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-version-canceled-report-says/), and is instead an Xbox console exclusive? The game has multiplayer, after all, and it's expected to get ongoing updates over time. Booty didn't say outright, but it might have something to do with how Microsoft never announced the game for PS5 in the first place. The game was reportedly planned for PS5, however, and was apparently canceled for Sony's console late in the game(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gears-of-war-e-day-ps5-version-canceled-report-says/). "If we promised something to players, we're going to honor that promise," Booty said. He added that when Microsoft announces a release date for a game, it will also announce the platforms, so players will "know what the choice will be." All of this being said, Booty suggested Microsoft is not settled in its thinking here just yet. "We're going to keep thinking about this going forward," he said, adding that Microsoft will take a case-by-case approach to its new releases and what platforms they show up on. The idea is to make the "right decision, not the fast decision," he said. If all of this sounds familiar, it's because former Xbox executives Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond said similar things. Addressing the exclusivity situation, they both said Microsoft would make decisions around exclusivity on a case-by-case basis. Bond, for her part, appeared on stage in 2021 in front a banner that said Starfield would be an "Xbox exclusive." In 2023, Bethesda's Todd Howard said Starfield was a better game because it's on Xbox and not PlayStation(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/starfield-is-a-better-game-because-its-exclusive-to-xbox-and-not-on-playstation-todd-howard-says/1100-6517512/). Then in April 2026, Microsoft released Starfield on PS5. This history has made some people question Microsoft's commitment to its statements. That's not out of the ordinary, though, as many companies regularly pledge to do one thing, then do another, in response to changing landscapes or for any number of other reasons. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-07-at-5.12.26-PM-1.png?w=1024) Things have changed at Xbox. At the Xbox Games Showcase this year, Microsoft announced that Gears of War: E-Day and Clockwork Revolution would be exclusive on console to Xbox. No other games were announced as Xbox console exclusives, however. A blog post from Microsoft celebrating the Xbox Games Showcase touted a "return to exclusives."(https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/06/07/xbox-games-showcase-2026-recap-everything-announced/) The statement went on to stress that E-Day and Clockwork Revolution are not "timed exclusives," suggesting they may never come to any console platform other than Xbox. The statement went on, "Games already announced for multiplatform releases will stick to that plan--we’re committed to investing in and growing Xbox both on console and beyond." Sharma has said she wants to "reset" the Xbox business and that Microsoft "must" have exclusive content(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-must-have-exclusive-content-ceo-says/) to help revitalize Xbox. That all may be true, but Microsoft's messaging around exclusives is just confusing right now(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xboxs-showcase-wanted-exclusives-to-be-a-big-deal-but-made-everything-more-confusing/), as Alessandro Barbosa wrote for GameSpot.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformSpyro Devs Don’t See Many Comparisons To Its Flying, Except Iron Man Or Flight Sims
The announcement of a new Spyro the Dragon game(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/spyro-the-dragon-returns-after-20-years-and-hes-finally-taking-flight/) in more than two decades during the Xbox Game Showcase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-showcase-2026-all-the-biggest-announcements-so-far/) is aiming high with the confirmation that it will feature "true dragon flight" gameplay for the first time. Speaking of the challenge of introducing this mechanic to the dragon's core kit in an interview with GameSpot, the developers at Toys For Bob hint that it's unlike anything from any other game. "One of the big challenges was that, as we were thinking about what other games even broach this kind of verticality and this freedom of flight, there's not that many," Toys For Bob studio head Paul Yan said. "Maybe the ones that come closest to mind are flight simulators ... or maybe flying as an Ironman type of character, but it's very, very different than trying to get the physicality of a dragon, and also the nimbleness of a small but mighty dragon like Spyro." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjMh8exEIQ T(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYjMh8exEIQ) "It's challenging and that there's nothing out there to compare against, but it's also a huge opportunity for us because this is a key differentiator for Spyro in this space and being able to move this way." Creative director Lou Studdert added that it was important that flying as Spyro felt like flying as a dragon. "He's not a jet. He's not a paper airplane. He is a dragon. It's wing flap. It's feeling the way you soar is very important to Spyro as a whole." Compared to past Spyro games that were primarily 3D platformers with gliding and a few linear flight levels, Spyro: A Realm Beyond is then promising the freedom of true flight, which means greater verticality in the level design. "It's opening up a new dimension to how we build the play space for Spyro," says Studdert. "It's really about making sure that the whole play space engages you with it, and it's engaging you to interact with it and to have that augment or sustain or boost your flight ... It's still going to be engaging on the ground, but it is now adding that additional dimension to it, and how we make sure that we sustain that fluidity movement that is so core to a Spyro experience." Spyro: A Realm Beyond also sees voice actor Tom Kenny returning to voice Spyro(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/how-the-new-spyro-is-handling-the-big-name-options-for-its-lead-voice-actor/) after the devs decided to reach out to the voice of Spongebob Squarepants himself. Spyro: A Realm Beyond will be coming in Spring 2027 to Xbox Series X/S, PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformFable’s Chicken Obsession Goes Even Deeper Than We Imagined
Microsoft and Playground Games have announced the preorder bonuses for the Fable reboot, and wouldn't you know it, one of the perks is a chicken suit. For anyone just catching up, the Fable franchise is basically obsessed wth chickens, so it's fitting that one of the preorder perks is a chicken suit. The "legendary" costume includes a beak, feathers, and "questionable dignity," according to the item's official description(https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/fable-pre-order-content-pack/9ND1BNR616JV/0010). In addition to the chicken suit, people who preorder Fable get the Wild Flower Bouquet to help with romantic endeavors, a toy chicken, and a picnic hamper. "Bestow them wisely to shape how others see your Hero, improve your reputation, and unlock relationships that may or may not end in true live," reads a line from the description of the items. !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Screenshot-2026-06-07-at-3.53.39-PM.png?w=1024) The Fable reboot also continues the franchise's tradition of allowing you to kick chickens(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-fable-keeps-series-tradition-of-kicking-chickens-alive-and-youll-be-judged-for-it/1100-6537589/). Game director Ralph Fulton said if NPCs in the world see you kicking chickens, you’ll begin to earn a reputation as a “Chicken Chaser." Preorder Fable on Amazon(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0H42LQ817/tag=gamespot-preorders-20?tag=gamespot-buybutton-20) However, different people will take this reputation to mean different things. “Kicking chickens isn’t objectively good or objectively evil in a way everybody will agree on,” Fulton said. “It comes down to the unique worldview of the NPC and what they think of you because of it.” !(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/fablechicken.jpg?w=1024) As announced previously, Fable will also have giant, scary chicken enemies to fight, like the one in the screenshot above. Fable releases on February 23, 2027, but the premium edition unlocks five days earlier. A story expansion for Fable, Order of the Hero,(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fable-reboot-story-expansion-announced-8-months-before-the-game-even-releases/) has been announced and is coming sometime after launch.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformGears Of War: E-Day Is Drastically Changing Movement For The First Time In The Series
During the Gears of War: E-Day Direct, which took place after a packed Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/xbox-game-showcase-2026-all-the-biggest-announcements-so-far/), we got a good look at some of the big changes The Coalition is bringing to the Gears of War formula established nearly two decades ago. In short: Marcus can jump. Gears of War has been defined by its big, brutish protagonists who look and walk like tanks. It was the series that helped define waist-high cover when cover-based shooters were taking off, and hasn't really strayed much from that. With Gears of War: E-Day, traversal is getting its biggest revamp yet, with different heights and types of cover, a new sense of verticality afforded by jumps, and much faster movement in and out of cover. If you were keeping an eye on the gameplay that opened the Xbox Showcase, you might have noticed that Marcus was able to take cover behind some upended tarmac on a street, nearly laying down to avoid bullets. This is one example of different types of cover you can now use. Later in the same demo, Marcus vaults over a shelf that is several meters taller than he is, again showcasing how much more choice you have when exiting cover. https://youtu.be/y85lNvF3kVQ?si=Hzu7MCcAwToTSgt In the Direct, The Coalition says that this will give you more choices to make during combat, and more ways to use the crumbing city around you to survive. Sprinting is still here, but can now be combined with a slide that can give you an advantage around corners, or allow you to slide beneath a small piece of cover (like below a truck) and surprise an enemy on the other side. These are drastic changes to Gears of War's standard sprint, cover, roll, and vault that have defined the feel of the gameplay throughout its history. These changes should provide more interesting ways to get around in the campaign, but will make the PvP multiplayer feel entirely new in some ways. Gears of War: E-Day launches exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC on October 16, 2026.
🟩 Xbox, Multi-platformFable Reboot Story Expansion Announced 8 Months Before The Game Even Releases
Microsoft and Playground Games showed off the Fable reboot at the Xbox Games Showcase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fable-release-date-announced-with-a-look-at-new-and-old-villains/), but the event didn't include all of the big announcements. After the showcase ended, Playground announced(https://www.fablethegame.com/en-US/news/fable-order-of-the-hero) the game's first expansion, Order of the Hero. Described as a "story-driven" expansion, Order of the Hero will launch sometime after Fable releases, but a specific date was not confirmed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuJjIgntefE Order of the Hero takes players to a "brand-new region" of Albion where they will encounter "danger, wonder, and whispers of long-buried power." "As you explore, your deeds earn the cultist’s admiration, and you rise to become their latest (and greatest) celebrity overseer," reads a line from the expansion's description. It goes on: "With your newfound authority, you’ll guide their rituals and shape the cult into your own heroic vision, whether noble, nasty or just plain weird. But becoming the new boss does beg a darker question. If the cult has a vacancy for a new Heroic leader … what happened to the last one?" Order of the Hero is included with the $100 Fable premium edition. Presumably it will be available to buy separately as well, but pricing was not announced. The Fable premium edition also provides access to the game five days early, so people who pay more can start playing on February 18, while everyone else can jump in beginning February 23. The Fable reboot was originally lined up to release this year before Microsoft pushed it to 2027. It's coming to Xbox and PC, as well as PS5. At the Xbox Games Showcase, it was confirmed that Marvel actor Hayley Atwell will play the game's main villain(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/fable-release-date-announced-with-a-look-at-new-and-old-villains/). The next gameplay reveal for Fable is coming on June 10.