Gaming - Page 13

Earlier this month, Xbox and Activision announced that the live-action Call of Duty movie was on track to hit theaters on June 30, 2028. The film adaptation of one of the most popular gaming franchises of all time is being developed in partnership with Paramount, with acclaimed writer Taylor Sheridan (Sicario, Yellowstone) penning the script alongside director Peter Berg (Friday Night Lights, Lone Survivor).

Although we don't know much about the movie beyond the above, it seems it's already sparked its first bit of controversy courtesy of an old interview. Back in 2013, Call of Duty's Peter Berg sat down with Esquire and shared some very unflattering words about video games, specifically shooters like Call of Duty.

"Pathetic," Peter Berg responds when asked about his thoughts on video games. "Keyboard courage. Can't stand it. The only people that I give a Call of Duty get-out-of-jail-free card to is the military. They're out there serving and they're bored and they want to entertain themselves? Okay, maybe. Kids? Uh-uh."

With Valve launching its new Steam Controller, its first hardware release for 2026, many are naturally wondering about the status of the upcoming Steam Machine and the inevitable Steam Deck 2 gaming handheld. As part of the new controller's debut, IGN sat down with Valve programmer Pierre-Loup Griffais to ask about the current status of the handheld sequel.

"We're hard at work on it," Griffais replied, confirming that the company is still very much all in on developing the highly anticipated Steam Deck 2. Although we didn't get any new information or details on hardware specs, a potential launch window, or any new features for the handheld, the good news is that Valve is treating its recent hardware push as a single ecosystem, where each device informs the others.

"If you look at our hardware projects over the years, you can draw a straight line from the original Steam Controller and Steam Machine to Steam Deck, to everything that we're announcing and shipping this year," Griffais adds. "We expect Steam Deck 2 will be a lot of the same, where a lot of what we're doing here will be learnings that build up to it."

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced has been officially revealed, and fans are ecstatic about exploring the golden age of piracy again. We covered a report earlier this month that another Assassin's Creed remake was supposedly in the works, with rumors pointing towards an earlier installment in the series. A new leak suggests that Ubisoft may be going all the way back to Damascus for the next remake.

The leak comes from @xjØnathan on X (formerly Twitter), stating that an Assassin's Creed I remake is in the works. There is not much else to go on here, but the leaker claims that the original source is someone within Ubisoft. However, this lines up with the earlier report from Insider Gaming's Tom Henderson, who claimed that another Assassin's Creed remake (after Black Flag) was already in the works.

Ubisoft also gave us an update on the roadmap of Assassin's Creed early last month. Head of Content, Jean Guesdon, stated that multiple projects were currently in progress, including the mainline game codenamed Hexe, a PvP multiplayer experience known as Invictus, and a AAA mobile game currently known as Jade. These projects are all moving at different speeds; however, as we recently saw with Assassin's Creed Hexe losing two directors in two months.

Following recent price hikes in the US, UK, Europe, and Japan, Sony has now announced new pricing for the PS5, PS5 Pro, and PS Portal across Southeast Asian markets. The new prices will bring these regions in line with global console pricing and will take effect May 1st, covering the PS5, PS5 Digital Edition, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal in selected markets.

The Southeast Asia update covers Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The biggest price jump is seen in Indonesia, where the PlayStation Portal will now sell for IDR 5,199,000, up 44.5% from IDR 3,599,000.

For consoles, the largest confirmed increase is in the Philippines, where the standard PS5 moves from PHP 30,790 to PHP 40,032, a 30% increase. Vietnam follows with a 27.1% increase for the standard PS5, from VND 13,300,000 to VND 16,900,000.

Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is the second major expansion for the game, and it's out later today with servers, new campaign content, and Season 13 set to kick off at 4:00 PM PDT, April 27. Ahead of the launch, we were able to go hands-on with the new campaign on a pre-release server, while also getting a first-hand feel for the new endgame and all of the big changes. As someone who has been playing since launch, it's safe to say that Lord of Hatred is a game-changer.

Not only in terms of presenting an engaging story that actually adds closure to all of the background Mephisto stuff from the main game, but also the cranking up of the stakes of the first Vessel of Hatred expansion, but in terms of where Diablo 4 might be headed next. Ultimately, the big stuff here plays off the new story campaign, which is set in the new region of Skovos, home to the Amazons.

This backdrop, inspired by Greek myth, introduces a new major city and hub called Temis. For Diablo 4 fans, it's the best locale and hub to date, offering quick access to all of the game's existing and new features. From the return of Kanai's Cube to Talismans, the Pitt, Undericty, and War Plans, there's a lot, so here's a quick breakdown of what's in store in Lord of Hatred.

It's no secret that Valve's Steam Machine went from being one of the most highly anticipated gaming hardware releases of early 2026 to being missing in action. The reason for this comes down to the ongoing memory crisis that has exponentially increased the prices of consumer memory and storage. Valve has officially confirmed this and stated that it still plans to ship both the Steam Machine and the Steam Frame headset in 2026.

According to a new report from Insider Gaming's Mike Straw, "Valve is getting closer to confirming everything" when it comes to the Steam Machine. Apparently, pricing is the big issue, with Valve actively debating whether it's willing to "take a loss" in the short term. This would mean Valve would lose money on every Steam Machine sold, with the idea being that it would recoup costs through users buying games on Steam.

Although we don't have a ballpark figure for any of the prices Valve is considering, a recent leak suggesting the Steam Controller will cost $100 makes it likely that the Steam Machine price will still be much higher than expected. Even if Valve is willing to take a loss or break even.

Recent rumors suggest Intel is rebranding its next-gen PC gaming handheld chips, with the Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme set to be formally unveiled at Computex 2026. Although these new Panther Lake chips haven't been officially announced, Robert Hallock, Intel VP and GM of its enthusiast channel, has seemingly inadvertently confirmed the 'Arc G3' branding.

The confirmation arrived via the German outlet PC Games Hardware, which posted its full interview with Robert Hallock. When asked about the Arc G3 Series launch and PC gaming handhelds, he responded with, "I actually don't work on Arc G3 all the time." So yeah, instead of a "no comment" like response, we got Robert Hallock simply stating that he's not deeply involved in the Arc G3 Series and that mobile technology and chips have a much longer marketing cycle than desktop processors.

Now, this could mean that the Intel Arc G3 Series is still a lot further out than expected and needs more development time for hardware and software to come together, that is, dedicated handhelds from Intel partners like MSI, which has support for mobile Arc Graphics with its Claw series. Still, per our previous reporting, we do have information on the specs for the upcoming Arc G3 Series.

Assassin's Creed Hexe has been in the works since late 2022 as part of the Assassin's Creed Infinity project. Ubisoft announced the game as the next mainline installment in the series after Assassin's Creed Shadows, but very little information has been coming out about the game since its announcement. However, we have a new development that might explain the apparent lack of information about the title.

According to a LinkedIn post, the game director for Assassin's Creed Hexe, Benoit Richer, is leaving the project. He is departing to cofound an indie studio of "industry veterans" and is seemingly no longer attached to Hexe or Ubisoft in any way moving forward. What's interesting is that this is the second high-profile departure from the Assassin's Creed Hexe team within two months.

Clint Hocking, the creative director for Hexe, left the development team during a tumultuous time at Ubisoft. He was replaced by Jean Guesdon, who is known for his work directing both Assassin's Creed Black Flag and Origins. Benoit Richer was previously the director of Assassin's Creed Valhalla and also directed Batman: Arkham Origins before joining Ubisoft in 2017.

Microsoft's next-generation console, codenamed Project Helix, may be facing turbulence before it even reaches store shelves. The console was first teased by Asha Sharma, Xbox Gaming's newly appointed CEO, who took over from longtime boss Phil Spencer earlier this year. In an interview with The Game Files, Sharma and Chief Content Officer Matt Booty discussed the broader state of Xbox, touching on hardware ambitions and the company's plans for Project Helix.

The pair were notably cautious about committing to specific timelines or price points for upcoming hardware, citing the unpredictable nature of the current market, and for good reason. The global memory market is experiencing what analysts are calling a structural crisis, driven by a permanent reallocation of silicon wafer capacity toward high-margin AI infrastructure.

In Q1 2026 alone, consumer RAM prices inflated by as much as 110%, with SSDs surging even further, triggering a widespread scramble among PC manufacturers to secure supply. CPU chips are also beginning to face shortages, as fabrication capacity is increasingly prioritized for server-grade components. The combined pressure from skyrocketing component costs and limited availability is creating a perfect storm for console makers, who rely on a stable and predictable bill of materials to lock in specifications and production schedules.

Xbox's CEO says the games division is not growing as fast as Microsoft hoped, which is supported by recent financial performance. It's possible that Xbox has hit a slow point following its $70 billion Activision buyout.

Microsoft has big plans for Xbox: A new console PC hybrid is on the way, Game Pass is getting adjusted, there's a ton of games in development, and the new CEO is promising affordable games, hardware, and services. But there's just one glaring issue; Xbox still isn't growing. What we're seeing now is Microsoft planting the seeds for change, and those are already materializing in the form of new games, surprise Xbox console updates, and even a major Game Pass shakeup.

This revitalization comes at a time when change is sorely needed at Xbox. Microsoft's holiday console revenues just hit a 12-year low through 2025, and the last two quarters delivered the lowest revenues since Microsoft acquired Activision Blizzard King.

The team at Xbox has been hard at work recently trying to revive the brand and clean up its image. Ever since the new boss, Asha Sharma, took over from Phil Spencer in February, there has been a wave of changes at Xbox. Part of it may be the hiring of a new reputation manager, but the new branding and logo have quickly become a fan favorite. Sharma has also changed the "Microsoft Gaming" branding back to Xbox.

Perhaps the most interesting change in Sharma's short tenure as CEO has been to Game Pass, with the Ultimate edition receiving a price cut to $22.99 a month. Moreover, a Discord partnership has been leaked with a cross-subscription model between Discord Nitro and Xbox Game Pass Starter Edition.

To expand on the future of Game Pass, Xbox Executives Asha Sharma and Matt Booty gave an interview to The Game File on the 23rd of April. Sharma said that the recent price drop of Game Pass Ultimate was the first step towards attracting a long-term player base. The team at Xbox is apparently considering making Game Pass more affordable and evaluating how value looks in today's gaming scene.

Original Bungie dev shares quick details about a behind-the-scenes Halo Reach prototype that never made it into the final game.

Like any game, Halo is full of cut content and went through many changes throughout development. Some of this is documented in Bungie's excellent Vidocs, but other info kind of gets lost to time. Unless, of course, the people who made these classics continue to openly talk about them.

In a recent Twitter thread, OG Bungie dev Niles Sankey talks about an interesting battle sequence prototype for Halo Reach. The game's so-called global battles (seen here at the 1:32 mark) show a more widespread and open theater of war, with banshees soaring the skies and scarabs stomping the ground.

Sony's live service plans haven't worked out according to plan, and former exec Shuhei Yoshida shares his thoughts about the company's current position.

It's 2026, and Sony originally wanted to have 10 live games out by this time. So far, Sony has only released a handful of games, one of which is now synonymous with total failure (Concord). Others, like MLB The Show 26, become #1 best-sellers by revenue in the US at launch. Marathon, the latest extraction shooter from Bungie, seems to be doing okay too, at least sales-wise; it was #4 in the US and estimates put it at 1.2 million copies sold. Helldivers 2 has also become one of the most popular and fastest-selling PlayStation games of all time, leading the live service charge with single-title sales exceeding 12 million copies on PS5 and PC in just 3 months.

Concord's crash and burn was very costly for Sony, however, and the company has since cancelled multiple live service games, including The Last of Us Online, which was said to be mostly complete before it was scrapped by management. Sony has also shut down some teams, including Concord developer Firewalk, and more recently, Dark Outlaw Games. Other groups like Bluepoint, who made the highly-regarded Demon's Souls remake, were also shuttered.

South Korea's prime minister has acknowledged Crimson Desert's success, saying the game is having a profound effect on the country's cultural representation in the interactive entertainment space.

Crimson Desert's wild success has reached the highest point of South Korea's government, prompting Prime Minister Kim Min-seok to make public comments praising the best-selling console game.

"I sincerely congratulate the success of 'Crimson Desert,' which has elevated the status of the South Korean gaming industry on the global stage," the South Korean prime minister said at a recent press event, as per Inven Global.

The price of Valve's new Steam Controller may have been accidentally leaked, with the device believed to cost $25 more than a PS5 controller at launch.

The Steam Controller may cost $99.99 at launch, making it a more expensive peripheral and double that of Valve's original Steam Controller ($49.99) that was released over a decade ago.

The pricing was outed via a recent review from a tech YouTuber that accidentally broke Valve's embargo date, and while the review was ultimately taken down, users grabbed screenshots and recordings of the info before the review went offline.

After winning tons of awards and selling millions of copies, Clair Obscur is one of the most successful games in recent memory and proves the AA market is prime for expansion.

Following the humdrum and predictable cycles of AAA games and live service titles, Indies are finding a new foothold. AA games are attracting new users in droves, and some of the most popular best-sellers of the last two years have been independent titles. Clair Obscur was a leader in the space when it broke the mold, amassing 1 million copies in just 3 days thanks to powerful online buzz and word of mouth. Now it's been revealed the game has crossed the 8 million sales milestone, fortifying Clair Obscur as a bonafide franchise for developer Sandfall Interactive.

"We're so thrilled, and honestly still quite overwhelmed, to announce that Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 has officially reached 8 MILLION copies sold," the developer wrote on Twitter. "Thank you so so much to every single person who has played, created art, shared, streamed, discussed, and supported this game!!"

Developer Virtuos inadvertently highlights why Forza Horizon probably won't ever return to Xbox as an exclusive series.

In 2024, Microsoft broke exclusivity, and a year later the company saw its biggest cross-platform success with Forza Horizon 5. While official numbers are light, analyst firm Alinea Analytics estimated that FH5 had sold 5 million copies on PS5 in a triple-five news headline. Now it looks like these numbers could be legit, or at the very least Virtuos, the game developer who helped with the PS5 port, is using Alinea's figures to highlight the game's cross-platform success.

"Forza Horizon 5 was one of the best-selling titles on PlayStation 5 in 2025, surpassing 5 million copies sold on the platform and earning widespread acclaim with a 92 Metacritic score. Praised for its stunning visuals, immersive open-world environments, and finely tuned gameplay mechanics, the game set a new benchmark in the racing genre," the developer writes on its website.

Arrowhead keeps the 1990s macho chaos evolving with Helldivers 2's new warbond, adding in two new mechs into the digital pass for the first time ever.

Helldivers 2's latest warbond continues the franchise's penchant for overpowered satirical military warfare by adding in two new playable exo mechs that are capable of unleashing unique havoc.

The Exo Experts warbond includes the EXO-55 Breakthrough, a shield-toting sci-fi phalanx shieldbearer made specifically for defensive measures, and the EXO-51 Lumberer with its anti-tank cannon and explosive flamethrower. Arrowhead was obviously a fan of the old Mech Warrior games and the classic Exosquad cartoon from decades ago.

Capcom's development team inadvertently reveals another big sales figure for the latest Resident Evil game.

Available since the early days of modern 3D consoles, Resident Evil is Capcom's best-selling franchise of all time. The latest game continues this sales spree, pushing total series sales to 180 million+. It's now been revealed that Resident Evil 9 Requiem has sold over 7 million copies worldwide on all platforms, a feat that was achieved in 56 days since the game's original launch.

The update was spotted by Resident Evil expert Aliex Aniel, with Aniel noting that Requiem game director Koshi Nakanishi had shared a celebratory post on Instagram that highlighted the sales figure. Capcom has yet to formally announce the sales figure, and that might happen in the coming days. We've updated our Resident Evil 9 Requiem sales trends chart to give an idea of how well the game has performed since launch--spoilers, things are going very well for the game.

Assassin's Creed Resynced looks to be gaming's next major AAA hit as the game is currently the #1 top pre-ordered game on multiple global PlayStation Stores.

Following the success of Assassin's Creed Shadows, Ubisoft could have another best-seller on its hands with the upcoming Black Flag remake. The game might be a seasonal success, at least on PlayStation, as Black Flag Resynced has become the #1 top pre-ordered game on eight of nine tracked PlayStation Store geographies.

At the time of writing, the game is the #1 pre-ordered game in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and even Hong Kong. The only region in our pool of tracked countries where Black Flag Resynced wasn't #1 was in Japan, a somewhat fickle market with wide degrees of varying tastes.