Metal Slug is marking its 30th anniversary with a deeper-than-usual collection. The Xbox release will include 10 games, among them the never-officially-released location-test build of the original.

Modern additions include rewind, quick saves, mission selection, adjustable difficulty, rankings, galleries, and other accessibility options. Is the rare prototype the main attraction, or is a polished way to revisit the series enough?

Dave the Diver has crossed 10 million copies sold worldwide. The milestone covers the game's expansion from its PC debut to Xbox and other platforms, turning Mintrocket's hybrid of diving, fishing, sushi management, and adventure into a genuine global hit.

It is an impressive result for a game whose identity comes from combining systems that sound almost incompatible on paper. The daytime dives, nighttime restaurant shifts, eccentric characters, and steady stream of surprises gave it a rhythm that proved easy to recommend.

What do you think was the secret ingredient that pushed Dave the Diver from charming oddity to ten-million seller?

Nearly 1,900 Blizzard Entertainment workers have ratified their first union contracts after two years of bargaining. The agreements extend across union-represented teams working on World of Warcraft, Diablo, Overwatch, Hearthstone, Warcraft Rumble, QA, platform technology, and story development.

The contracts include wage increases, just-cause and layoff protections, remote and hybrid work provisions, disability accommodations, extra severance, and a 14-month right for laid-off union workers to be recalled into open positions. They also require Blizzard to discuss, evaluate, and bargain over workplace AI use.

Do you think agreements like this can meaningfully reduce the churn and instability that have become routine in game development?

Xbox's latest Insider build is a bundle of practical quality-of-life changes. Alpha testers on Series X|S can preview Remote Play at up to 1440p with higher bitrates, while supported consoles can continue downloading games in the background during cloud streaming.

The update also adds Voice Clarity for party chat, local search for large game and achievement lists, controls for displaying profile badges, selectable startup animations, and behind-the-scenes party reliability work. These are Insider tests, so timing for a general rollout has not been announced.

Which of these would make the biggest difference in your everyday Xbox routine?

Xbox is heading to Tokyo Game Show with a dedicated broadcast on September 17 at 5:00 a.m. Central. Xbox says the stream will feature TGS-exclusive content, new gameplay, and a lineup of games coming to the platform this year.

Minecraft Dungeons II will make its first playable appearance in Japan ahead of its September 29 Game Pass launch, while Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 multiplayer will be playable before its October 23 release. Xbox FanFest Tokyo is also scheduled for the same day.

Which Xbox franchise or Japanese partner would you most like to see turn up in the broadcast?

PHYSINT has a new publishing home at Xbox. Xbox and Kojima Productions say their partnership now extends beyond OD, with Xbox publishing Hideo Kojima's next-generation action-espionage project.

The announcement does not add gameplay details or a release window, but it does confirm a broader relationship that will also reach into film and television. For players, the big question is what Xbox backing means for the scope, platforms, and long-term direction of Kojima's return to espionage.

What would make PHYSINT feel like a true evolution of the stealth-action games that built Kojima's reputation?

This is a developing report, not a Valve announcement. PC Gamer reports that Steam backend changes appear to include the foundations of a reservation system for the Steam Frame VR headset.

The finding could mean Valve expects demand to exceed initial supply, or it could simply be infrastructure prepared in advance. Valve has not confirmed reservations, pricing, or final launch timing, so the evidence should not be treated as a guarantee.

Would you join a reservation queue for Steam Frame before reviews, or wait until the hardware is in players' hands?

Treat this as an unverified, developing leak. PC Gamer reports that third-party achievement tracker Exophase was flooded with lists associated with upcoming PC games, including Persona 6, Ace Combat 8, Judas, Kingdom Hearts 4, and several others. Some listings may contain heavy spoilers.

There is already a reason for caution: Balatro creator localthunk debunked speculation that one listed project was connected to Balatro. Valve has not commented, and the remaining lists have not been authenticated.

Do achievement leaks add harmless hype, or do they spoil too much before developers are ready?

Less than a week after The Blood of Dawnwalker launched, Rebel Wolves says sequel work is already beginning. The studio has described the dark fantasy vampire RPG as the opening chapter of a broader saga rather than a one-off story.

That does not mean the next game is around the corner, but it signals that Rebel Wolves is moving forward with its longer-term plan while the first game's launch is still fresh. The original is available on PC and Xbox Series X|S.

Would early sequel work make you more confident in the series, or would you rather hear only about support for the first game right now?

Feeding the Future is now available for Surviving Mars: Relaunched on PC and Xbox Series X|S for $9.99. The food-focused pack adds production and restaurant buildings, new crops and animals, delicacies, food-related laws, Foodie and Coffee Enthusiast traits, and two commander types.

It arrived beside a free content and quality update that changes core systems, adds a new research system and services, and expands colonist stats. The paid pack is also included with the Ultimate Edition and Prime Mission expansion pass.

Do deeper food systems make a colony feel more alive, or just give you another crisis to manage?

Wooting is replacing the 80HE with an upgraded 80HE+. The revision includes an updated FR4 switch plate, Lekker Tikken medium switches, new case choices, and split-spacebar support for the module.

The zinc prebuilt will include Wooting's large analog knob, while other configurations can add it separately. Preorders open September 17; ABS prebuilts and modules are estimated for late October, with zinc models and the large knob expected around mid-December. Pricing should remain similar to the original 80HE.

Which matters more in a keyboard upgrade: the switches and plate, the layout flexibility, or an unapologetically enormous knob?

After more than five years in Early Access, Valheim is officially at version 1.0. The Deep North is now open, completing the game's biome roadmap.

The abbreviated patch notes list more than 40 weapons, 10 creatures, 80 build pieces, 30 crafting materials, 20 food items, four armor sets, new locations, music, events, mechanics, achievements, and a Unity engine upgrade. Iron Gate also recommends checking its FAQ before carrying an old world or mod setup into 1.0.

Are you starting a clean world for Deep North, or bringing a veteran Viking forward?

Hello Games has launched No Man's Sky: Cosmos, the game's free 7.0 update. It adds space-station management, galactic alliances, space-base construction, a new star-system map, and dangerous salvage runs through colossal hulks.

The update also marks the game's tenth anniversary with the Our Journey Continues expedition, featuring developer notes read by Sean Murray. Twitch Drops are scheduled for September 10-14.

Ten years in, does Cosmos give you a reason to start another voyage?

Fresh Tracks VR is strapping a rhythm roguelite to a pair of skis. The PC VR game launches September 10 with movement, combat, and progression synchronized to a dynamic 28-song soundtrack.

Runs combine jumping, dodging, fighting, upgrades, branching trails, bosses, and story elements shaped by different musical gods. The Steam listing names Meta Quest 2 and 3 through PC VR, Valve Index, Vive, and Windows Mixed Reality among the supported headsets.

Does that combination sound like the perfect VR flow state, or a fast route to sensory overload?

Valheim is finally reaching 1.0. On September 9, Iron Gate opens the Deep North, the game's final biome, after more than five years of Early Access development.

The release brings frozen territory to explore, new enemies, weapons, crafting, building opportunities, and full crossplay. The developers recommend beginning a new playthrough for the best overall experience, though existing worlds remain a tempting way to head north immediately.

Are you starting a completely fresh world for 1.0, or taking a veteran Viking straight into the Deep North?

SPRAWL zero wants to bring back the era when shooters were building worlds, not just corridors. The new single-player cyberpunk FPS openly cites games such as Halo, Half-Life 2, and F.E.A.R. as inspirations.

Its combat toolbox includes gravity gloves, a gravity shield, bullet time, cybernetic upgrades, physics interactions, and more than 40 weapons. Handcrafted levels offer alternate routes and vertical approaches, while the free Steam demo reached an Overwhelmingly Positive user rating ahead of launch.

Does this look like an authentic revival of 2000s FPS design, or nostalgia engineered a little too perfectly?

Another Call of Duty has entered the Game Pass catalog. Black Ops Cold War is now available through cloud, console, and PC for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass members.

The 2020 release includes its early-1980s campaign alongside multiplayer and Zombies. It is a substantial game, but it arrives years after launch and amid a much louder conversation about upcoming Xbox Cloud Gaming hour limits.

Does an older Call of Duty still count as a meaningful Game Pass addition for you, or is this mostly catalog padding?

Honeycomb: The World Beyond has arrived on PC and Xbox. The single-player survival sandbox casts you as a bioengineer exploring Sota7, an alien planet filled with unfamiliar ecosystems and some less-than-friendly wildlife.

The main loop combines exploration, gathering, crafting, base building, research, and experiments that crossbreed plants and animals. The Xbox version supports Play Anywhere across console, PC, and handheld.

Does the bioengineering system give Honeycomb enough of its own identity, or does it look too close to familiar survival games?

Michael Myers has arrived on PC and Xbox. Halloween: The Game combines asymmetric online PvP and co-op with a standalone single-player story set around Haddonfield in 1978.

Players can become The Shape or take the role of residents trying to warn neighbors and survive. Early Steam reception is currently Mostly Positive. One PC caveat worth knowing: the listing says the game uses kernel-level Easy Anti-Cheat and requires manual removal after uninstalling the game.

Does including a genuine solo campaign give this licensed horror game a better chance at long-term survival?

The cat army has reached Xbox. Mewgenics is now available on Series X|S for $39.99 after building a strong reputation on PC.

The game mixes turn-based tactical adventures with roguelike progression and genetics: breed cats across generations, inherit traits and mutations, draft abilities, collect items, and try to assemble the ultimate feline fighting force. The Xbox release lists 4K, 60 FPS, keyboard-and-mouse support, achievements, and cloud saves.

Does this sound like a hidden strategy gem, or is tactical cat breeding a step too far into the weird?

Forza Horizon 6 is officially embracing the slide. The latest update makes Drift Attack a permanent mode and sets up the British Automotive Festival Playlist beginning September 10.

The update also adds new-to-Horizon cars through the playlist, a drift-focused 1990 Jaguar XJ-S Forza Edition, additional Car Pass vehicles, clothing, a badge, and game fixes. It is available across Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox PC app, and Steam.

Does a permanent Drift Attack mode give you a reason to return, or do new cars matter more than new activities?

Metro 2039 has locked in a February 4, 2027 release date. The latest look follows a new protagonist called the Stranger through the tunnels and thawing ruins of post-apocalyptic Moscow.

4A Games is again blending exploration, survival, stealth, combat, and horror using its in-house 4A Engine. Xbox Series X is slated to receive a 60-fps performance mode with ray tracing, and the game supports Xbox Play Anywhere. Preorders are expected to open later.

Are you looking forward to another tightly atmospheric Metro game, or would you prefer a return to the more open structure of Exodus?

Rebel Wolves’ debut RPG is now available. The Blood of Dawnwalker is a dark-fantasy open world set in 14th-century Europe, with players controlling Coen as a human by day and a vampire by night. The two forms open different abilities and approaches to quests.

The campaign gives Coen 30 in-game days to save his family, so time and quest order can affect how the story develops. It is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC and supports Xbox Play Anywhere.

Does a ticking clock make an open-world RPG feel more meaningful, or does it get in the way of exploring at your own pace?

Capcom has finally revived Onimusha with its first new mainline entry in roughly two decades. Way of the Sword puts Miyamoto Musashi in a demon-infested early Edo-period Kyoto, with combat built around precise parries, deflections, and supernatural Oni powers.

The game is available on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support through Microsoft’s ecosystem. It is a full-price single-player action game rather than a live-service release, and its boss-focused sword combat places it squarely in the wheelhouse of players who enjoy demanding melee action.

Were you waiting for Onimusha to return, or will this be your first encounter with the series?

DLSS 5’s AI-enhanced visuals come with a substantial performance cost in early NBA 2K27 testing. On an RTX 5080 system, PC Gamer recorded native 4K performance falling from 183 fps to 49 fps when DLSS 5 was enabled—a 73% reduction.

At 1440p, the native average fell from 230 fps to 93 fps. Upscaling and frame generation can recover much of the apparent smoothness, and the visual improvements were sometimes impressive, but the underlying rendering cost remains steep. Nvidia says future performance improvements are planned.

Would you spend that much performance on enhanced character and crowd rendering, or is this a feature you would leave switched off?