Latest Playstation, multi-platform Game News & Updates
☁ Playstation, multi-platform News
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PlayStation Plus Subscribers Have 9 Games To Finish Before August Ends
PlayStation Plus has gotten several new games throughout the month, but as expected, several of them are also set to leave the subscription service's Game Catalog for Extra- and Premium-tier subscribers. In total, there'll be nine games exiting PS Plus on August 18, so you've only got a few weeks left to check out a fun zombie apocalypse adventure, a JRPG with an elegant hand-drawn art style, and one anime-inspired game that knows exactly who its target market is. Here's the full list: PlayStation Plus Game Catalog games leaving on August 18 - Bomber Crew (PS4) - Clash: Artifacts of Chaos (PS5, PS4) - Dead Island 2 (PS5, PS4) - Earth Defense Force 6 (PS5, PS4) - Harold Halibut (PS5) - Onee Chanbara Origin (PS4) - Roki (PS5) - Space Crew (PS4) - Unicorn Overlord (PS5, PS4) Dead Island 2(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dead-island-2-review-eat-the-rich/1900-6418055/) is the highest-profile exit for next month, and if you haven't checked it out yet, then you've missed out on a fun sequel. Stuck in development hell for several years, it eventually released on PC and consoles in 2023. Surprisingly goofy, extremely violent, and full of a surprising amount of character buildcrafting, it's a fun experience that has a great balance of action and survival. The other game you'll want to check out is Harold Halibut(https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/harold-halibut-review-lost-in-its-own-deep-sea/1900-6418211/), especially if you've been craving an old-school point-and-click adventure. Harold Halibut wears that influence on its sleeve, and it also looks incredible thanks to the years of work that went into crafting its unique characters and world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GESXM0lVDp0 While those games won't be around for much longer, you can grab three games right now(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-plus-essential-free-games-for-july-2026/) if you're subscribed to any tier of PlayStation Plus--Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, For the King 2, and CrossCode. For members of PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium, the Game Catalog has already expanded(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstation-plus-extra-premium-games-for-july-2026-revealed/) with five games this month, including Rise of the Ronin, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, and Dying Light. Two more games are arriving on July 28--Sony now does weekly Game Catalog drops for US, UK, and Japanese subscribers--and Premium-tier subscribers can also download two PlayStation Classics next week in the form of Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy and Indigo Prophecy. Next week will also see Sony reveal the next batch of free games for all PlayStation Plus subscribers in August, so don't forget to check in to see what they are ahead of their arrival on August 4. Best Open-World Games On PlayStation Plus Extra And Premium !4035357-fallout4.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035357-fallout4.jpg?w=636) !4035366-assassin'screed4blackflag.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035366-assassin'screed4blackflag.jpg?w=636) !4035364-assassin'screedvalhalla.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035364-assassin'screedvalhalla.jpg?w=636) !4035363-assassin'screedtheeziocollection.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035363-assassin'screedtheeziocollection.jpg?w=636) !4035361-bloodborne.png(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035361-bloodborne.png?w=636) !4035360-thecrew2.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1601/16018044/4035360-thecrew2.jpg?w=636) !3576625-cyberpunk2077-punchit-en.jpg(https://www.gamespot.com/wp-content/uploads/original/1593/15930215/3576625-cyberpunk2077-punchit-en.jpg?w=636) View Images(https://www.gamespot.com/gallery/best-open-world-games-on-playstation-plus-extra-and-premium/2900-4329/)
Disgaea Creator Says Sony May As Well Scrap PlayStation Consoles If It’s Killing Game Discs
Sony's decision to stop producing PlayStation discs in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) has been a lightning rod for discussion across the globe, and Disgaea series creator Sohei Niikawa has weighed in, saying that the company might as well stop making PlayStation hardware as well. Speaking to Noisy Pixel(https://noisypixel.net/disgaea-creator-playstation-end-physical-games-hardware/) at Anime Expo 2026, Niikawa explained why he thinks physical editions of games are still so important, as he believes that they still create a connection between fans and developers. Not only that, but those games can become a sentimental keepsake for those who collect them, adding a personal layer of value, the former president of Nippon Ichi Software added. "They can also bring that physical game to an event like this and ask someone to sign it," Niikawa said. "Afterward, they can take it home, display it, and decorate their room with it. Physical games are important because they can carry that kind of meaning." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FatSqS3VYY While Niikawa said he understood the business reason for Sony shifting toward an all-digital future, he also explained that the decision was likely made by executives who "have probably never experienced" what it's like for a video game fan to approach a person with a physical game at an event and ask for an autograph. "I don't think they understand the feelings of those fans, and they may never have considered what physical editions mean to the people who value them," Niikawa said. "If they're going to go as far as eliminating physical packages, they may as well eliminate the hardware too. A television would be enough. Why would you need the console? If you're going to get rid of physical games, you may as well go all the way." Niikawa is likely referring to cloud gaming, an area that Xbox has made big strides in over the years. One of the big draws of Xbox Game Pass, cloud gaming has expanded to TVs, smartphones, and even VR headsets, while Sony has made it a key part of its PlayStation Portal handheld, as you no longer need to own a PS5 to play games on it. In 2025, the company mentioned that it's banking on hardware power(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/for-ps6-sony-is-betting-on-hardware-power-not-the-cloud/1100-6532420/) for its next-gen hardware, saying that the "local execution" of games remains in high demand by its players. But with the cost of components(https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomcoughlin/2026/04/16/ssd-storage-capacity-prices-are-over-20-times-hdd-storage-capacity-prices/) becoming increasingly unaffordable thanks to AI investments eating up all the available supply(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/crimson-deserts-ai-scandal-should-bother-you-more/1100-6539362/), it's looking highly likely that the PS6 is going to be an expensive purchase(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonys-no-more-discs-debacle-was-inevitable-but-the-worst-is-yet-to-come/).
Why 2026 Was The Year To Bring Onimusha Back After A 20-Year Gap With Way Of The Sword
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/15/02c3ec7f/380onimusha24.jpg.webp) Onimusha: Way of the Sword(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha) is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer(https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/07/16/cover-reveal-onimusha-way-of-the-sword), and while the game has made quite a splash in the samurai-action scene, it’s easy to forget this is the first entry in the series in 20 years. Yes, we received remasters of the first and second games in recent years(https://gameinformer.com/interview/2025/04/22/onimusha-2s-director-on-remastering-the-playstation-2-game-and-the-state-of), and Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams (the fourth mainline game) is coming to PlayStation Plus’ Classics lineup next month, but Way of the Sword is the first new entry in two decades. That’s why, when it was time to interview the game’s director, Satoru Nihei, and one of its producers, Akihito Kadowaki, at Capcom’s Osaka, Japan, HQ for this cover story, my first question was: Why is 2026 the time to bring back Onimusha? !Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/06/02/211dfbee/onimusha01.jpg.webp) I half-suspected it was an issue of sales, considering the series has only sold 9 million copies, a far cry from Resident Evil’s 200 million, Monster Hunter’s 127 million, and even Street Fighter’s 59 million. The other half of me assumed Capcom had simply forgotten about Onimusha – after the first game, Onimusha: Warlords (which, after recently playing the remaster on Steam, I can confidently say still absolutely rips), launched in 2001, we received three sequels in the following five years. And that was it: Onimusha disappeared as fast as it arrived. Kadowaki tells me, however, that Onimusha’s departure from the action space wasn’t for lack of trying. “Whilst Onimusha was always well-received, there were, at Capcom at the time, other major series like Monster Hunter, Resident Evil games, and Street Fighter, but there were also up-and-coming developing titles,” he says. “And as development became more difficult, needing more time and more people, with all those people focused on those titles, it was very difficult to get a team together to make a new Onimusha game, despite wanting to internally for a long time.” Kadowaki says he personally wanted to have a hand in bringing the series back as a longtime fan of Onimusha. It took the RE Engine coming to fruition and a soft reset in 2020 for Capcom, as the publisher-developer looked at scheduling out the new/now-current generation of hardware and the games it intended to make for it, for Onimusha’s return. The team has been working on Way of the Sword for six years, and Kadowaki tells me that while Capcom paid attention to the action space and to what players expect of it, the team worked hard to ensure Way of the Sword retained everything that makes an Onimusha game an Onimusha game. He also specifically asked Nihei to direct Way of the Sword, aware that Nihei loved the games as a teen and wanted to make his mark on the series. Much to Nihei’s surprise, his opportunity to make a mark on Onimusha also became his first time as a director. !Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/15/28d3ca2e/380onimusha10.jpg.webp) When I ask Nihei where one even starts when making a new game in a series that’s been dormant for 20 years, he responds with one word: Issen. Present in every Onimusha game, the Issen is a powerful counterattack that players can perform by attacking just before an enemy attacks, often resulting in a critical hit. If you’re an Onimusha fan, it’s likely something you want to hear when it comes to this series’ return to the action space. “This was one of the critical parts of that satisfaction and the feel of the period action, and the Oni Gauntlet, the tactical elements of it in terms of soul absorption, kind of weighing when to use those abilities and when not to, and then also the elements of the historical ties to the real history of Japan,” Nihei says. “Obviously, the previous titles were set in the Sengoku period, so the Warring States period, but just mixing those historical elements with dark fantasy elements is the core of Onimusha.” This is just the first of many Onimusha: Way of the Sword articles I have planned for Game Informer’s month of coverage surrounding the game, and we’ll be publishing exclusive gameplay and behind-the-scenes videos (as well as a Rapid Fire Interview) on the Game Informer YouTube channel(https://www.youtube.com/@gameinformer) too. Keep the Onimusha: Way of the Sword coverage hub(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha) bookmarked so you don’t miss any of it! In the meantime, here’s some additional Onimusha: Way of the Sword reading for you: - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Cover Reveal(https://gameinformer.com/cover-reveal/2026/07/16/cover-reveal-onimusha-way-of-the-sword) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Digital Issue(https://gameinformer.com/Onimusha) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Summer Game Fest Hands-On Preview(https://gameinformer.com/preview/2026/06/12/a-thrilling-boss-battle-makes-for-another-strong-showing) - Onimusha: Way of the Sword Hub(https://gameinformer.com/product/onimusha-way-of-the-sword) What do you want to know about Onimusha: Way of the Sword? Let me know in the comments below and I'll see what I can cook up for you!
Physical PS5 Game Sales Are Weaker Than You Might Expect
In the wake of Sony announcing that it will end support for physical PlayStation game discs in 2028(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sonys-no-more-discs-debacle-was-inevitable-but-the-worst-is-yet-to-come/), new data has come to light that speaks to the growing decline in physical PlayStation game sales in the US. Mat Piscatella of Circana released new data recently(https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3mr3tijrlts2w) that reveals that only two PlayStation games sold more than 10,000 physical units in the US for the week that ended on July 11, 2026. And only 7 have sold more than 100,000 physical units so far in 2026. Piscatella also remarked that people should use their voice to comment on how much they might not like Sony's decision to kill physical discs. "But commenting is cheap," he wrote(https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3mr3tm3r5jk2w). A former community manager for MyDearest, Imran Khan, replied to Piscatella, saying that people may be wasting their breath by speaking out to challenge Sony's decision to end support for discs. "It doesn't filter up to decision-makers. Frankly, half your job is making sure it doesn't. There's no threshold of abuse or numbers where they have to send all of it in an Excel document to the CEO," Khan said(https://bsky.app/profile/imrankhan.bsky.social/post/3mr3tripi5s2s). Piscatella also re-shared data from May 2026 that showed spending on new physical games--across the entire industry--has been on a steady downward trajectory since 2009. https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3mr5my6cnrk2k Piscatella added: "The console manufacturers have all the data on sales and play that take place on their platforms globally in mind-boggling detail." "Yes, physical currently matters far more in some places than it does in others, and digital isn't a great an option in some places. The console mfgs know all that." The data has shown for years that physical game sales are declining at most major publishers(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/playstations-disc-based-game-sales-have-dropped-dramatically-in-recent-years/), so Sony's switch to an all-digital world is not surprising. It is unfortunate for those who want to see physical media continue, and hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition to encourage Sony to change its mind(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/over-220000-people-petition-sony-not-to-kill-physical-playstation-game-discs/). This petition and other efforts will not work, experts have said, because making more money and tightening control of marketplaces(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/why-is-sony-killing-discs-its-all-about-profitability-and-control-expert-says/?thumbnailid=1807886) are the main motivations here. The biggest game of 2026, GTA 6(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/grand-theft-auto-6-everything-we-know/1100-6503729/), will launch as a digital-exclusive game. People can buy a copy of GTA 6 at physical retailers, but they only get a code in the box(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-is-not-releasing-with-a-disc-and-that-just-makes-sense-in-2026/). Rockstar stands to make more money from GTA 6 and have greater control over it as a digital-exclusive game, so it's not hard to see why it opted for this, even if it will upset some people. While Sony has announced plans to stop supporting physical game discs/cartridges, Microsoft and Nintendo have not made any announcements about their own plans.
The PlayStation replica ornament is an homage to a great, yet fragile console
You probably know the signature PlayStation boot sound. Did you know that it's technically a multi-part chime? There's the synthy section where "Sony Computer Entertainment" shows onscreen with a white background. You only get to the next screen with the echo-y chimes and the color-filled PlayStation logo if your console recognizes the disc. How badly &8230;
The modern Final Fantasy era began 25 years ago, with one fan-favorite game
A quarter of a century later, one great Final Fantasy game serves as the dividing line that began a series of more unique Final Fantasy games.
Expedition 33, Baldur's Gate 3 star Jennifer English cancels next role over health concerns
Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 actress Jennifer English will no longer play Gwendolyn in Eclipse Glow Games' Tides of Annihilation
Physical Games Are “Irrelevant” To GameStop’s Business, Says CEO
In a games industry that is increasingly shifting to digital, amplified by PlayStation phasing out physical game discs(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/sony-confirms-playstation-disc-production-will-end-in-2028/) starting in 2028, where does a brick-and-mortar chain like GameStop fit into this future? GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen appears to have no concern for this monumental shift whatsoever. When asked by Bloomberg(https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-16/cohen-calls-physical-video-game-sales-irrelevant-to-gamestop) about how Sony's digital policy would affect GameStop's business, Cohen responded: "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all." While his answer appears flippant and preposterous on the surface (the word "game" is in the company's name, after all), the company's financial reporting appears to support his stance that the potential decline of physical games, new and used, would impact GameStop. "Software--it mattered in the past. Software today makes up less than 12% of the business, and collectibles make up over half the business. So it's totally, totally irrelevant," Cohen said. https://youtu.be/G3fCkeo2kY8?si=0cZ6O9FzWL9oER1&t=983 GameStop's stock price was largely unaffected(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-is-not-hurting-after-sony-kills-discs-and-there-is-a-good-reason-why/) by Sony's bombshell announcement about its plans to abandon physical media--in fact, the company's share price jumped up. According to GameStop's financial reports for the first quarter of 2026, collectibles, such as Pokemon cards, made up 41.8% of the company's total revenue, with hardware and accessories making up nearly 40% of its revenue. Gaming software is by far the smallest portion of GameStop's business today. Bloomberg also brought up Rockstar Games' plan for Grand Theft Auto 6's discless release(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gta-6-wont-be-on-a-disc-not-at-launch-or-months-after-report-says/) having no resale value for a retailer like GameStop. Cohen pivoted the conversation hard, saying he wanted to "go back and talk about eBay," referring to his ongoing push to acquire the famous online marketplace(https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gamestop-ceo-came-up-with-plan-to-buy-ebay-on-the-toilet-wants-it-to-become-re-seller-of-digital-gaming-items/) and turn a combined eBay-GameStop entity into a "$1 trillion business." How Cohen hopes to achieve such a feat is unclear. What is clear, however, is Cohen's apathy toward the medium that built GameStop's business in the first place.
20 years ago, Persona 3's social stats changed how we think about video game characters
Released in 2006 by Atlus, Persona 3 transformed the future of JRPGs by establishing a new way to design characters with its social stats.
Marvel's Wolverine trailer shows off Lady Deathstrike, Sabretooth, and more
Marvel's Wolverine is Sony's next big PlayStation 5 exclusive. A new trailer, showing with The Odyssey, confirms a classic Marvel villain.
The Open Beta For Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Starts Next Week
!Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/16/0b2b7450/marveltokonfightingsoulsopenbetatrailer0-7screenshot.jpg.webp) Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, the superhero-themed fighter from Arc System Works, is still a few weeks away from its release on PlayStation 5 and PC, but if you want to jump into the action early, you'll get a chance next week. From July 24 to July 26, the open beta will be available to play for free on PC and PS5. You can check out the details for yourself in the image below (or by reading the paragraph that follows it). !Game Informer News(https://www.gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/bodydefault/public/2026/07/16/48ccbe87/marveltokonfightingsoulsopenbetatrailer1-32screenshot.jpg.webp)(https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/nocompression/public/2026/07/16/48ccbe87/marveltokonfightingsoulsopenbetatrailer1-32screenshot.jpg.webp) The action begins at 12 a.m. PDT, 7 a.m. UTC, and 4 p.m. JST. Once it's live, it will run for 72 hours. You also don't need to register – you can simply head to the digital store and download the game, according to the PlayStation Blog(https://blog.playstation.com/2026/07/16/everything-you-need-to-know-about-marvel-tokon-fighting-souls-open-beta/). You also won't need a PlayStation Plus account to play, but you will need an internet connection and a PlayStation account to access the game on both PS5 and PC. The beta includes 15 of Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls' 20-character launch roster: Captain America, Iron Man, Black Panther, Storm, Magik, Wolverine, Danger, Spider-Man, Ms. Marvel, Star-Lord, Peni Parker, Ghost Rider, Blade, Doctor Doom, and Magneto. You'll also be able to play on six stages: Marvel's New York (day and night versions). Savage Land, X-Mansion, Knowhere, and Wakanda. The open beta will have ranked and casual matches, as well as a practice mode, an explorable open lobby, and three episodes of the Amazing Guardian story campaign. Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls comes out on August 6 on PS5 and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. For more Marvel news, check out today's new trailer for Wolverine(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/07/16/lady-deathstrike-faces-logan-in-new-marvels-wolverine-cinematic-trailer) and the details about the newest season of Marvel Rivals(https://www.gameinformer.com/2026/07/07/massive-marvel-rivals-update-reworks-black-widow-and-overhauls-the-team-up-system).
PlayStation Summer Sale best deals: Resident Evil Requiem, Saros, and more
The PlayStation Summer Sale is here, and it features some nice discounts for some of 2026's best games.