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Starting off Gamescom's Opening Night Live, Gearbox Software has officially announced Borderlands 4! While it was widely expected, the confirmation is finally here. Take a look at the teaser trailer below. Although it doesn’t show any gameplay, the sight of the official logo on the screen is enough to get fans excited. We hope more details about the game will be revealed soon. What we do know is that it’s scheduled for release in 2025, likely for both consoles and PC.

The highly anticipated action RPG, Black Myth: Wukong , has achieved tremendous success right out of the gate. The game has already pre-sold over 4.5 million copies across multiple platforms, including Steam, WeGame, Epic, and PlayStation, setting a new standard in the gaming industry. According to the China Game Bestsellers List, Black Myth: Wukong not only secured these impressive sales numbers but also generated a staggering 1.5 billion yuan in revenue (approximately $210.4 million USD). The game’s performance on Steam has been particularly noteworthy, with over 3 million units pre-ordered, earning it a 95% favorable rating. A significant portion of these sales and reviews—around 90%—come from the Chinese market, showcasing the game’s massive popularity in its home country. Black Myth: Wukong  also claimed the top spot on Steam’s best-seller list and reached a peak of over 2.2 million concurrent players. This makes it one of the most successful day-one launches in recent memory, rivaling other major titles in the industry. With such a strong debut, Black Myth: Wukong  is poised to become one of the year’s best-selling games.

Square Enix has finally announced the release date for the PC version of Final Fantasy XVI : September 17th, 2024. Originally launched on PS5 in June 2023, this single-player RPG has since expanded with two DLC chapters: Echoes of the Fallen  in December and The Rising Tide  in April. Pre-orders for Final Fantasy XVI are now open on both Steam and the Epic Games Store. Complete editions, which include both DLCs, are also available for preorder. Additionally, a demo is available on both platforms, and any progress made in the demo’s opening section will carry over to the full game. Since its initial release, Square Enix has rolled out several updates for Final Fantasy XVI , addressing bugs and adding quality-of-life improvements, such as a “quick complete” function for easier quest turn-ins. The PC port of Final Fantasy XVI  was first announced by producer Naoki Yoshida last September.

Black Myth: Wukong has taken the gaming world by storm, surpassing all expectations. Souls-like games, particularly those from genre pioneers like FromSoftware—known for titles such as Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne—are immensely popular. However, Game Science's debut in this style has set new records, outshining even these iconic games. Game Science announced on X that Black Myth: Wukong has sold 10 million copies across all platforms since its release on August 20th. The game also achieved over 3 million concurrent players on PC and PS5, with over 2 million on Steam alone, propelling it to the second most played game in history, only behind PUBG. This remarkable achievement positions it as one of 2024's best-selling games, rivaling titles like Helldivers 2, Palworld, and College Football 25. With the game still in its early days, there’s potential for it to claim the top spot as excitement continues to build in the coming weeks and months. The game's popularity has been so overwhelming that it led to a PS5 shortage in China, with players rushing to get their hands on the console to experience the new Souls-like adventure.

The long-awaited PC release date for Final Fantasy XVI is set for September 17, and the game’s director, Hiroshi Takai, believes it's "possible" and "likely" that future entries in the series could launch on PC from day one. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Takai discussed the decision to release Final Fantasy XVI's PC version separately from the PS5 version, and whether this might change in the future. When asked if future Final Fantasy games might have a simultaneous PC release, Takai said, "I think it's possible—probably even likely," but clarified that the decision ultimately lies with each project's team, making this just his personal opinion. Takai's perspective aligns with Square Enix's broader strategy. Throughout the year, the company has emphasized a shift from "quantity to quality" while aggressively pursuing a multiplatform approach, as highlighted in its financial briefings. Given the more than year-long gap between the PS5 and PC releases of Final Fantasy XVI, Takai was asked if there were concerns about waning interest from PC gamers or if the team was confident that the wait would be justified by the quality of the port. Takai responded that the time spent optimizing the game for PC was well worth it. "Naturally, we wanted to get the PC version into players' hands as quickly as possible," Takai said. "We don't gain anything from delaying its release, but I don't think there was much more we could do to speed up the porting process. Looking at the results, I believe the time spent was justified." Reflecting on Square Enix’s recent history with PC ports, which has seen both successes like Final Fantasy 15 and challenges like Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade and Forspoken, Takai noted that the company is always attentive to player feedback. "We want as many players as possible to enjoy our game, so we made sure to address any potential issues," he said. "We consider feedback from FFXVI and other games as well." Final Fantasy XVI will launch on PC on September 17, including both DLCs. Additionally, a demo is now available on Steam.

After a lackluster beta phase, Firewalk Studios' new intergalactic shooter, Concord , has had an even more disappointing launch, with an alarmingly low player count. According to SteamDB, Concord peaked at just 622 players—a dismal figure, especially when compared to Tactical Breach Wizards, a single-player, turn-based indie game that debuted on the same day and reached 3,414 players as of writing. While expectations were already dampened by the game's underwhelming open beta, the current player numbers have raised even more concerns, with some fans expressing surprise that they "didn’t expect it to be this low." Adding to the disappointment, Firewalk Studios' lead character designer, Jon Wesinewski, shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Concord  had "been in development for around 8 years." Coupled with its $40 price tag, this puts additional pressure on the co-op shooter to succeed. The extended development period suggests a substantial investment of time and money from Sony, heightening the need for a stronger performance from the new release.

Valve's iconic first-person shooter series may finally see its long-awaited third installment, as rumors suggest that Half-Life 3 not only exists but will feature a semi-open world design. In a recent YouTube video, content creator Gabe Follower delves into the developmental hurdles and prospective direction of the Half-Life franchise, placing particular emphasis on the enigmatic Half-Life 3 and other related Valve projects. Gabe Follower reveals that during a confidential video conference in October 2020, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell discussed the significant challenges the company faced while working on a comprehensive sequel in the Half-Life series. The primary obstacle stemmed from the underdevelopment of the Source 2 engine, which struggled to support a project as ambitious as Half-Life 3. These technical limitations led to repeated dead ends, causing frustration among the development team and resulting in members departing the project. Divergent opinions emerged, with some developers advocating for a switch to alternative game engines like Unreal or Unity, while others preferred to enhance Source 2 before resuming work. The successful release of Half-Life: Alyx served as a pivotal test for the engine's capabilities, providing Valve with the confidence to pursue further improvements and future developments. In 2021, Follower cites information from a reliable insider that corroborated earlier leaks about Valve's projects. This intel led to a video release detailing "Neon Prime" and offering insights into a project known as HLX, which is believed to be a direct sequel to Half-Life: Alyx and potentially Half-Life 3. Initially intended for VR platforms, the project has since shifted towards a non-VR format. Development reportedly commenced shortly before the announcement of Half-Life: Alyx, particularly during the crafting of its ending that connects to Half-Life 2: Episode Two. To support this ambitious project, Valve is said to be developing several advanced technologies and mechanics for the Source 2 engine. These innovations include environmental gravity manipulation, introducing new gameplay dynamics; sophisticated AI systems that enable NPCs to respond more realistically and expressively to player actions; and enhanced procedural animation techniques for more lifelike speech and facial expressions. Additionally, Half-Life 3 is expected to feature a semi-open world environment complete with dynamic weather patterns, day-night cycles, and improved vehicle mechanics. Further fueling speculation, actress Natasha Chandel's online resume references a Valve project codenamed "Project White Sands." Content creator Tyler McVicker speculates that this project is, in fact, Half-Life 3, adding more intrigue to the anticipated sequel's development narrative.

Square Enix has announced that Foamstars , its Splatoon-inspired competitive multiplayer shooter, will be dropping its premium price and transitioning to a free-to-play model this October. In an official post, Square Enix confirmed that on October 4th, the game will switch from its existing regional pricing to a free-to-play format. Additionally, a PlayStation Plus subscription will no longer be required to play Foamstars on PS5 or PS4. If you purchased Foamstars  before this transition, you'll receive a "Legacy Gift" that includes twelve exclusive Bubble Beastie color variant skins, a unique Slide Board design, and the Legacy title. Square Enix also mentioned that details on how to claim the Legacy Gift will be shared via its social media channels in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out if you’re a long-time player. The publisher did note that the pricing changes "may not immediately take effect" after the update, so players are advised to "confirm that the price has been updated" before downloading the game to avoid purchasing it just before it goes free. Though Square Enix hasn’t officially stated why Foamstars  is going free-to-play, it's likely an attempt to boost interest as player numbers may be declining. Whether this strategy will succeed remains uncertain, but come October, you'll be able to try out Foamstars  without any cost. So if the premium price deterred you before, October will be the perfect time to dive in. It’s hard not to draw comparisons between Foamstars  and another PlayStation shooter, Concord , which launched under similar circumstances. Both are hero shooters entering an already crowded free-to-play market with mixed reviews. Whether Concord  will follow the same path as Foamstars  is yet to be seen, but for now, Foamstars  will be free to play on October 4th on PlayStation.

Sony Interactive Entertainment is reportedly developing a new project related to FromSoftware’s action RPG, Bloodborne . According to the latest update from Twitter/X influencer and writer DanielRPK, Sony is working on either a remaster or a sequel, though he’s uncertain which direction the project is taking. The insider did not provide additional details, but a remaster seems plausible given the long-standing fan demand. The release of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree in early June 2024 sparked a significant increase in Bloodborne's player base, with a 57.77% rise on PS5 and PS4. This uptick suggests that fans of FromSoftware are keen to revisit Bloodborne. Unlike other FromSoftware titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Dark Souls Remastered, Bloodborne continued to see increased interest even after the Elden Ring expansion, with an additional 11.61% growth in players by the end of June 2024, making it the 65th most-played PlayStation game for that week. Streamer Kai Cenat recently played through Bloodborne  on stream, urging Sony to consider a remaster or remake. Cenat emphasized that Bloodborne  is one of the most requested games for such updates and a PC version, pointing out that both PlayStation and FromSoftware are well aware of the demand. Currently, Bloodborne  is available exclusively on PS4 and can also be played on PS5 through backwards compatibility.

Rumors circulating online suggest that the PlayStation 5 Pro may come with 2TB of storage. During the latest episode of the Broken Silicon podcast, Moore's Law is Dead claimed to have seen a PS5 Pro devkit, which reportedly includes 2TB of storage. While the final retail version could have less storage, the fact that Microsoft is launching an Xbox Series X with 2TB suggests Sony might follow suit for its high-end gaming system. The PlayStation 5 Pro is expected to be a quiet and cool-running console. Moore's Law is Dead mentioned that the devkit uses the same power connector as the base model, indicating that Sony isn't planning to increase the power draw significantly. Combined with a boost in transistors over the base model, this should result in a system that runs quietly and efficiently. The PlayStation 5 Pro has become one of 2024's worst-kept gaming secrets. After months of speculation, we’ve heard from a game developer that the console will offer better performance on Unreal Engine 5. Multiple sources have also confirmed that the system is real and on its way. According to Jeff Grubb, it's still scheduled for release this year, though the exact reveal date remains unclear. The PlayStation 5 Pro has yet to be officially announced.

The team behind the popular emulation tool EmuDeck has announced an exciting new development: their very first hardware product, the EmuDeck Machine, which is set to launch before the end of 2024 after spending the first half of the year in development. The EmuDeck Machine is a retro emulation mini PC, crowdfunded and running on Bazzite, a Linux-based system akin to SteamOS. In an exclusive interview with Overkill, the EmuDeck team described their new device as a "plug and play, no drivers, no hassle" solution. Users simply connect the Dreamcast-inspired PC, log into their Steam account, and start gaming. For retro gaming enthusiasts, EmuDeck has also added special features to enhance the experience on this device. The primary motivation for EmuDeck's entry into the hardware space is straightforward: they want to simplify a process that can be challenging for the less tech-savvy. "Getting a new PC can be a hurdle if you're not tech-savvy. I've been using an ITX build as my gaming rig for so long, trying to find that console-like experience. Now we can get that with Bazzite," explained dragoonDorise, EmuDeck's project lead. The decision to use the Linux-based Bazzite OS was "an easy one," largely due to dissatisfaction with what was called a "clunky" Windows experience. The integration of Bazzite and EmuDeck should be seamless, as both teams have collaborated closely on the project. The EmuDeck Machine will be available in two models: the EM1, powered by an Intel N97 APU, and the EM2, featuring an AMD Ryzen 8600G. While both models are designed primarily for emulation, the AMD-based EM2 is capable of functioning as a console-like PC. The team has put in custom work to optimize performance, achieving 47 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 on a stable system, or 60 FPS with FSR enabled, compared to the default 32 FPS. Specs for both EmuDeck Machine models have been revealed, and they will come with a Gamesir Nova Lite controller and EmuDeck preinstalled. Additionally, all available Decky plugins will be preloaded. The EmuDeck team has hinted at further developments if their crowdfunding campaign is successful, including a docking station for the EM2 that would upgrade the graphics to an AMD Radeon 7600 desktop GPU, allowing for 160 FPS in 1080p on games like Cyberpunk 2077. This ambitious project could make the EM2 not just a compact, console-like PC, but also a potential gaming PC replacement. Pre-orders for the EmuDeck Machines are now open via an Indiegogo campaign, with prices starting at around €299 (£257, $322) and shipping expected in December 2024—just in time for the holidays.

NetEase, a Chinese video game company, has reportedly laid off most of the staff at Ouka Studios, the developer behind Visions of Mana , and plans to close the studio entirely. According to sources cited by Bloomberg, the studio, which was established in 2020, will continue to operate with a small team until its final projects are completed. However, Ouka Studios' closure is said to be part of a broader shift by major Chinese companies like NetEase and Tencent, who are moving away from a focus on the Japanese market. Bloomberg also reported that Tencent is re-evaluating its investments in Japanese video game developers, having already withdrawn from several funding deals. For instance, it secured the rights to develop and publish the mobile version of the anime-inspired game Blue Protocol, but on August 28, Bandai Namco announced that Blue Protocol would be shut down entirely, with its global release, which was to be managed by Amazon Games, canceled. One insider noted that the success of Black Myth Wukong , a game from a smaller Chinese developer that sold 10 million copies in just three days, has motivated NetEase and Tencent to focus more on domestic investments. These companies reportedly found their visions to be increasingly misaligned with those of the Japanese developers they had initially sought to partner with. When asked for comment, NetEase told Bloomberg it had "nothing to announce" about Ouka Studios' closure, while Tencent stated it is "always making necessary adjustments to reflect market conditions." The video game industry has seen widespread layoffs over the past two years, with major companies like Microsoft, Sony, and the troubled Embracer Group not only cutting jobs but also closing entire studios. In May 2024, Microsoft shut down Arkane Austin, the developer of Redfall , along with Tango Gameworks, the studio behind Hi-Fi Rush  and Ghostwire Tokyo . Similarly, Embracer Group closed Saints Row  developer Volition in 2023, and Sony shut down its London Studio in March 2024, affecting 900 employees across the PlayStation division.