News
Releases, updates and announcements worth knowing, with the background explained.
, Grand Theft Auto VI
Justice's new single scores the Grand Theft Auto VI launch trailer
The Grand Theft Auto VI launch trailer debuts Justice's 'Flower in a Hurricane'. The game and its 34-track soundtrack album are due November 19, with the game listed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
, League of Legends
League Classic runs until January 6, 2027, with set queue hours in Korea from patch 26.21
Riot said on October 14 that League Classic will end its current run in January 2027, with a possible return as an event mode. From patch 26.21, queues in Korea and other regions open only at set hours, and Classic-only cosmetics are refunded in RP.
, Monster Hunter Wilds
A Switch 2 demo for Monster Hunter Wilds arrives October 20, ahead of the December 4 release
The free Prologue Demo reaches Nintendo Switch 2 on October 20. It covers character creation through Chapter 1-3 and allows saves to carry into the full game, provided the same user account is used and no full-game save already exists.
, Consumer protection
EU consumer authorities challenge how nine game companies sell in-game currencies
The EU's Consumer Protection Cooperation Network has opened coordinated actions against nine game companies, including Riot Games, Ubisoft and Mojang, over in-game currencies in games such as Valorant and Minecraft. National authorities may step in if the concerns go unaddressed.
, Forza Horizon 6
PS5 players get Forza Horizon 6 on January 26, 2027, with the first expansion five days earlier
Playground Games announced on October 8 that Forza Horizon 6 arrives on PS5 on January 26, 2027, and opened pre-orders. Premium Edition owners can start on January 21, the same day the first Premium Expansion launches on all platforms.
, Mabinogi Mobile
After 300,000 pre-registrations, Mabinogi Mobile sits at No. 6 on Japan's free App Store chart four days after launch
Nexon Japan launched devCAT's Mabinogi Mobile on October 7. Pre-registrations topped 300,000. On October 11, it ranks No. 6 for free games and No. 15 by revenue on Japan's App Store. The Japanese version is a separate app from the Korean version and supports PC cross-play.
, Squadron 42
Steam wishlists open for Star Citizen studio's single-player Squadron 42, due in Q2 2027
Cloud Imperium Games has opened Squadron 42's Steam page and revealed a new trailer and cast. It is due in Q2 2027 for Windows PC. Audio is English-only, with text and subtitles in 10 languages. Minimum specs: Windows 11, 16GB RAM and 150GB storage.
, Console market
January-August US console sales fell 33% for Xbox, 25% for PlayStation as average prices hit records
US retail data shared by Circana's Mat Piscatella on October 9 shows Xbox console unit sales fell 33% and PlayStation 25% year on year in January-August 2026. Average purchase prices reached US records of $529 for Xbox and $597 for PlayStation.
, ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE
The fastest million in the series' 30 years, announced a week after ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launched
On October 9, Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe said ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE had sold over one million copies, the fastest in the series' 30 years. It launched on October 2. Online Season 1 premium rewards require registration by the end of November.
, Battlefield 6
Three days after its first anniversary, Battlefield 6 joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass only
Xbox announced on October 7 that Battlefield 6 will join Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on October 13, playable via cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The same post said Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will leave Game Pass soon.
, Rainbow Six Mobile
11 months after its App Store release, Rainbow Six Mobile will shut down on January 15, 2027
Ubisoft's team announced Rainbow Six Mobile's shutdown on October 9 KST. The game is playable until January 15, 2027, with the next season due next week as planned. The notice gives no in-game purchase cutoff or word on refunds; more information is due in a few weeks.
, AION 2
How many players logged in on AION 2's global launch day?
NC says AION 2 topped 400,000 concurrent players after its October 5 global launch. Steam's October 6 (UTC) data shows a daily peak of 383,176 and a debut at No. 5 on Most Played. NC has not said whether its 400,000 figure includes PURPLE players.
, Escape from Tarkov
Six Prestige levels arrive in Escape from Tarkov's bot-only PvE
Battlestate Games rolled out Escape from Tarkov patch 1.2.0.0 on October 6. PvE Zone gains six Prestige levels with progression resets and rewards. PMC bot movement and faction relations changed. Near the end, the notes mention a new option to buy in-game roubles in PvE Zone.
, Monster Hunter Rise
Five and a half years after its Switch debut, Monster Hunter Rise passes 20 million sales
The official Monster Hunter Rise X account announced 20 million lifetime sales on October 6. It ranked third across Capcom's games at 19.3 million on June 30. The base game is 90% off at KRW 4,980 on Korean Steam until October 9 at 2 a.m. KST.
, Dokkebi-ui Segye
Two days before launch, Dokkebi-ui Segye tops Korea's free games chart and opens October 8 at 11 a.m.
Kakao Games opened pre-downloads for SuperCat's 2.5D MMORPG Dokkebi-ui Segye on October 6, and it reached No. 1 among free games on the Korean App Store that day. It launches October 8 at 11 a.m. KST, with paid currency bundles from KRW 3,300 to KRW 99,000.
, Monster Hunter Outlanders
Garena in Korea and Taiwan, Level Infinite in the US and Japan: Monster Hunter Outlanders arrives October 29
Monster Hunter Outlanders, licensed by Capcom and made by Tencent's TiMi Studio Group, launches on iOS and Android on October 29. Garena publishes it in Korea and Taiwan and Level Infinite in the US and Japan, with age ratings from 12+ to 16+.
, Nintendo Switch 2
For 4,000 yen more than the console alone, a Japan-only Switch 2 bundle lets you pick one of three games on November 12
Nintendo announced on October 6 that a Japan-only Nintendo Switch 2 Choose-a-Game Set will go on sale in Japan on November 12 for 63,980 yen. It includes a code for one of three games, among them Mario Kart World, and links only to Nintendo Accounts set to Japan.
, Game Industry Promotion Act
Overseas game firms ignoring odds correction orders may face network restrictions
South Korea's National Assembly amended the Game Industry Promotion Act on October 1. Overseas game companies that skip a domestic agent or ignore loot box correction orders can face network restrictions, and agents must first come from local entities such as subsidiaries.
, STAR WARS: Galactic Racer
From landspeeders to podracers: STAR WARS: Galactic Racer arrives October 6
STAR WARS: Galactic Racer, the first game from Fuse Games, co-founded by Burnout contributor Matt Webster, launches October 6 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Korean Steam prices are KRW 64,500 standard and KRW 86,000 deluxe, with Korean subtitles.
, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Special characters in the Documents path broke saves in The Witcher 3 Remastered, fixed two days later
CD PROJEKT RED's October 1 Steam PC Hotfix 5.00c for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered fixes save/load errors with special characters in Documents paths and Classic (1.32) launch errors. Consoles and Xbox PC got Patch 5.00b that day for DLSS and dark interiors.
, Astrae Oratio
Team raids debut in Astrae Oratio's five-day closed beta for selected players
NC's anime RPG Astrae Oratio runs a global closed beta on Android and iOS from October 2 to 6, with 3 main stories, 2 side stories, 18 characters and the first reveal of team raids. NC plans to incorporate feedback for a 2027 release.
, Gears of War: E-Day
PC players need a ray-tracing GPU for Gears of War: E-Day's October 6 launch
The Coalition's third-person shooter Gears of War: E-Day launches October 6 at 8 a.m. PT (15:00 UTC). Premium Edition early access began October 1. It joins Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass at launch. Steam (US) prices start at $69.99.
, PS5
AI upscaling comes to base PS5, starting with Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei
Sony announced QSSR for base PS5 on October 1. A lighter version of PS5 Pro's PSSR, it joined the graphics options in Marvel's Wolverine and Ghost of Yōtei via patches that day. Sony plans to make it widely available to all PlayStation developers.
, ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE
On Steam, The Belkan War needs ACE COMBAT 8 installed, and Bandai Namco has posted two PC notices before launch
ACE COMBAT 8 launches on October 2. Its Steam pre-order bonus, The Belkan War, requires the main game to be installed. During Deluxe early access, Bandai Namco has posted crash and online error notices covering drivers, 16GB of free SSD space and Windows clock synchronization.
, Price comparison
Three prices to check before buying a game: the base game, the upgrade and in-game purchases
We compared Korean storefront prices for Marvel's Wolverine, CONTROL Resonant and EA SPORTS FC 27 across the base game, upgrades and in-game purchases. The same game can cost different amounts, and offer different products, depending on the store.
, God of War Laufey
Kratos's wife takes the lead: God of War Laufey pre-orders open at $69.99
Santa Monica Studio's PS5 game God of War Laufey opened pre-orders on September 29 ahead of its February 16, 2027 launch. On the US PlayStation Store the Standard Edition is $69.99 and the Digital Deluxe Edition $79.99.
, Grand Theft Auto VI
More than 170 animal species and hurricanes too: Game Informer's first look at Leonida in Grand Theft Auto VI
Game Informer's September 29 cover story explores GTA VI's Leonida, with over 170 animal species, tropical storms and hurricanes, and a map twice the size of GTA V's. The game launches November 19.
, Warframe
Narin, the 66th Warframe, is out, and Banshee is free to claim until October 7
Digital Extremes released Warframe Update 44: Iceblade of Narin on September 23. It adds the new Warframe Narin and a new hub on Earth, and anyone who logs in by 11:59 PM ET on October 7 gets the fully reworked Banshee for free.
, G-STAR 2026
G-STAR 2026's main sponsor is Crack, and no agency has ruled on whether it counts as a game
Wrtn's AI character chat app Crack is the main sponsor of G-STAR 2026, the first company from outside the games industry to take the role. 47.8% of Crack's users are teenagers or younger, yet it is still unsettled whether Korea's game law treats chat apps like it as games.
, ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE
ACE COMBAT 8 lands October 2 with a three-tier season pass and no paid loot boxes
Bandai Namco's ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE launches October 2 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam at $69.99, with Deluxe pre-orders flying from September 28 at 22:00 UTC. Its ACE PASS has three tiers, and the FAQ rules out paid loot boxes.
, AION 2
AION 2 global opens without player-to-player trading: what to do before Advanced Access on September 30
AION 2's global version opens Advanced Access for Founder's Pack buyers from September 30 to October 4 and launches free to play on October 5. After the Launch Scale Test, NCSOFT disabled direct player trades as an anti-bot measure and added a priority queue for accounts in good standing.
, Apex Legends
Apex Legends on PC switches to EA Javelin Anticheat on September 29
Apex Legends moves its PC anticheat from Easy Anti-Cheat to EA Javelin Anticheat on September 29, with no Secure Boot step for now. The Street Fighter 6 crossover, with Fighter Form in Wildcard and eight Iconic skins, runs until October 13.
, Counter-Strike 2
Rush brings 3v3 to Counter-Strike 2, fought arena by arena toward a castle
Counter-Strike 2, Steam's most-played game, added Rush, a queued 3v3 mode through randomly chosen arenas, on September 23. The same update switched Premier to a pick-based map vote, added silent reloads and rebuilt crosshairs in pixel units; three Rush fixes followed in three days.
, Delta Force
A 5v5 bomb mode and 3,900 free tickets: what to pick up in Delta Force's 2nd anniversary update
Delta Force opened Detonation (Beta), a 5v5 bomb plant and defuse mode, at 01:00 UTC on September 27. Missions through October 25 pay out up to 3,900 Limited-Time Delta Tickets, and the two paid draws added alongside list no odds in the announcement.
, Genshin Impact
Two five-star banners, one shared pity: Genshin Impact 7.1 runs until October 13
Version 7.1, A Rekviem for the Underworld, went live on September 23 with Vesna and Vodyanitsa on parallel banners that share one pity counter, two Archon Quest acts, a new boss, and 300 Primogems of maintenance compensation to claim before 7.1 ends.
, Heartopia
Heartopia lets you stack and float furniture, and a White Snake collab starts September 30
Heartopia's September 23 maintenance added overlapping and floating furniture, unlocked above a 1,500 Home Evaluation score. Mid-Autumn events run to October 12, the New Legend of Madame White Snake collab runs September 30 to October 26, and a fix gift expires September 27 (UTC-5).
, Tokyo Game Show
Six unreleased games Korean publishers took to Tokyo Game Show 2026
Netmarble, Nexon and NCSOFT brought six unreleased games to a Tokyo Game Show cut short by a typhoon. Netmarble showed three, Nexon had the first playable build of Blue Archive studio's FAREIDOLIA plus Mabinogi Mobile, and NCSOFT's Astrae Oratio drew 30,000 visitors.
, Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals opens the God Quarry map, and ten swimsuit costumes leave the store in two waves
The September 24 Marvel Rivals patch added God Quarry, a Domination map with its own limited-time Quick Match until September 29. Seven Swimsuit Special costumes leave the store on October 16 and three more on November 20, and Galacta's Gift Vol.3 brings back Costume Coins until November 13.
, Minecraft Dungeons II
Minecraft Dungeons II swaps the pickaxe for a sword on September 29
Mojang's dungeon-crawling sequel launches September 29 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, Switch and Switch 2, and joins Game Pass on day one. It opens a new dimension called the Sift, supports online and split-screen co-op, and pre-order bonuses end September 28.
, Minecraft
The Sift, Minecraft's first new dimension in 14 years, arrives in 2027, and the next game drop goes into ice caves
At Minecraft LIVE on September 26, Mojang said the Sift, a fourth dimension, comes to Java and Bedrock editions in 2027. You can walk into it sooner in Minecraft Dungeons II on September 29. The next game drop adds ice caves where icicles and glowing ice crystals grow, with no date yet.
, Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2 goes free to play on December 11, and the Duelist comes with it
Grinding Gear Games will release Path of Exile 2 as version 1.0 on December 11 PST, when it switches from paid early access to free to play and adds the Duelist. It was also Steam Deck Verified on September 24, and full-release registrants now get at least two exclusive cosmetics.
, SILENT HILL: Townfall
Mixed on Steam and awaiting a patch: Silent Hill: Townfall's first three days
SILENT HILL: Townfall launched on PS5 and PC on September 24. By September 27 its Steam reviews were Mixed, with 1,901 of 2,923 positive, and Konami had announced a performance patch for the Steam version with no date yet.
, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
September 29 brings The Witcher 3 Remastered free to existing owners
CD PROJEKT RED ships The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered on September 29 as a free upgrade for existing owners on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Base-game owners also receive Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine at no extra cost, and the standalone expansions leave the stores.
, Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves 3.7 splits its install into three quality tiers, and PC defaults to HD
Version 3.7 arrives on September 30 with pre-download from September 28. It also starts a limited test that splits game files into UHD, HD and SD packages; PC players outside the test move to HD and lose the Ultra Quality preset for now.
, ARC Raiders
For one week from October 13, ARC Raiders will test matches where Raiders cannot hurt each other
Embark Studios will test a PvE matchmaking toggle in ARC Raiders from October 13 to 20. PvE sessions have zero player-to-player damage, lower loot value and no Night Raids or Frigate. The toggle goes away when the test ends, and Embark makes no promise of a permanent mode.
, Castlevania
Get the original Castlevania free before October 24 and keep playing after the offer ends
For the series' 40th anniversary, Konami is giving away the original NES Castlevania on the App Store and Google Play. The offer runs until 23:59 JST on October 24, and anyone who downloads it in that window can keep downloading and playing it after the promotion ends.
, Layoffs
96% of 2026's games job losses hit North America and Europe, while Nintendo, Konami and Capcom keep 97% of staff or more
Amir Satvat, who has tracked games industry layoffs since 2022, told Edge that Japanese studios cut fewer jobs because teams are smaller, they skipped the live-service rush and executives earn $2-3 million, not $30 million. His tracker puts 96% of 2026's lost jobs in North America and Europe.
, Dokkebi-ui Segye
Dokkebi-ui Segye opens four hours of one-character name reservations tonight
Name reservations for SuperCat's 2.5D MMORPG Dokkebi-ui Segye open at 20:00 KST on 22 September. Until midnight, one-character names such as 해 (sun) are allowed; from 11:00 KST on 23 September the minimum is two characters. Launch is targeted for 8 October.
, Destiny 2
Vaulted Destiny 2 campaigns and raids are coming back, and Bungie has not said when
Bungie's new leadership said on 21 September that vaulted Destiny 2 campaigns, destinations and raids will return for all players, with no dates attached. It also admitted Marathon reached fewer players than hoped and pointed to a reset on 6 October and the Symbiosis update on 8 December.
, Tokyo Game Show 2026
Four days, 257,642 visitors: Tokyo Game Show 2026 lost its fifth day to a typhoon
CESA called off the in-person fifth day of Tokyo Game Show 2026 on 21 September as Typhoon No. 25 approached. The four days from 17 to 20 September drew 257,642 visitors, 5,459 fewer than last year's four. Tickets for the 21st are being refunded.
, WARDOGS
Two million copies in, WARDOGS sets Season 2 for 15 October
BULKHEAD announced on Steam that WARDOGS Season 02 starts on 15 October, sharing only the date and a teaser video. The game entered Early Access on 10 September, reported two million copies sold five days later, and was still fifth on Steam's most-played chart on 21 September.
, Xbox
Activision will make the next Halo, and Ninja Theory faces a proposed closure
On 22 September Xbox announced 268 role cuts and a studio reorganisation. The next Halo will be built by a new Activision team kept separate from Call of Duty, Obsidian moves under Bethesda, and Ninja Theory enters consultation on a proposed closure after two deals fell through.
, Call of Duty
Cheat subscriptions average $40 a month, and Activision says one cheater can spend more than $1,000 a year
Activision's RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team broke down the cheat-selling business on the Call of Duty blog on September 18. Citing Intorqa, it put cheat subscriptions across 15 games at about $3.5 billion a year and the wider economy at $8.5 billion, and reported over 70,000 hardware bans last month.
, PUBG MOBILE
Saitama, Genos and Garou arrive in PUBG MOBILE as character sets, and the One-Punch Man tie-in runs for one month
KRAFTON has announced a limited-time PUBG MOBILE tie-in with the anime One-Punch Man: character sets for Saitama, Genos, Terrible Tornado, Hellish Blizzard, Watchdog Man and Garou, plus vehicles, weapon skins, emotes and voice packs. The Korean release ends it October 20, the English one October 19.
, CESA
CESA asked developers for the first time, and six in ten said they use it daily
CESA published the preview edition of its 2026 game industry report on 17 September with two first-time surveys inside. 85.8% of developers said they use generative AI at work and 63.0% said they use it daily. There is no prior year to compare against.
, Monster Hunter Wilds
Redoing your hunter's face costs $6.99 today. From 2027 it costs nothing
Capcom is retiring Character Edit Vouchers. Sales end on all platforms on December 3, 2026, and the update that day drops 10 hunter and 10 Palico vouchers into every account. Unlimited free editing arrives with the Ver. 2 update that ships alongside Ascendance in 2027.
, Crimson Desert
Pearl Abyss puts a ship in Crimson Desert's first DLC, live 15 October at 22:00 UTC
Pearl Abyss announced Charting the Unknown, the first DLC for Crimson Desert, on 3 September. It hands players a ship, uncharted islands and sunken ruins, and an upgraded housing mode. It goes live worldwide at 22:00 UTC on 15 October and costs 27,800 won on the Korean Steam store.
, Dragon Quest
Forty years in, Dragon Quest has passed 100 million units
Square Enix said on September 16 that Dragon Quest has passed 100 million units in physical shipments and digital sales combined, with digital counted from April 2015. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World follows on December 3, and monsters from its demo carry over.
, BlizzCon 2026
The furthest-off release BlizzCon 2026 announced is spring 2030, and it is a StarCraft shooter
At the BlizzCon 2026 Opening Ceremony, Blizzard dated Diablo V for spring 2029 and a new open-world StarCraft shooter for spring 2030. Closer in, a new Warcraft III: Reforged campaign went live the same day, and World of Warcraft: Forever launches on November 4 after a beta that starts September 17.
, Borderlands 4
A level cap of 70 comes free in Borderlands 4 Version 1.10, while Loveless the Hacker is paid DLC
Gearbox Software and 2K released Borderlands 4 Version 1.10 on September 10, raising the level cap to 70. Loveless the Hacker and Story Pack 2, out the same day, are paid DLC. The Steam Free Play Weekend ends September 14 at 10 a.m. PT; the 50% anniversary sale runs to September 24, 10 a.m. PT.
, No Man's Sky
No Man's Sky 7.0 Cosmos is a free update aimed at the empty space between planets
Hello Games released Cosmos, the No Man's Sky 7.0 update, free to existing players on September 9. It adds space station directorships, player alliances and orbital bases that can be built anywhere in space, and its tenth-anniversary expedition runs for about six weeks.
, Valheim
Clear the snow before you build: Valheim 1.0 opens the Deep North
Iron Gate took Valheim out of Early Access with the 1.0 release on September 9, adding the Deep North biome and more than 40 new weapons. Early Access owners do not need to buy it again. As of the September 11 hotfix post, crossplay between Switch 2 and other platforms is not supported.
, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
October 29 for the console, November 5 for the game, April 30, 2027 for the film: the Zelda anniversary calendar
Nintendo ran the Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct on September 8 and published a round-up the same day. The Ocarina of Time remake is dated November 5, a Triforce-patterned anniversary system arrives a week earlier on October 29, and the live-action film opens worldwide on April 30, 2027.
, WARDOGS
Four days before it goes on sale, WARDOGS sat sixth on Steam's most-played list
The entry holding sixth place was not the game but WARDOGS Playtest, with a peak of 245,118 concurrent players listed beside it. Early Access opens on September 10 at $39.99, and the developer has written on the store page that the price will go up later.
, Xbox
Cloud gaming gets a monthly clock in November, and Ultimate's reads 15 hours
Microsoft said on 3 September 2026 that Xbox Cloud Gaming moves to monthly playtime limits in November. Ultimate gets 15 hours a month, Premium 10 and Essential 5, with extra hours sold separately. The same announcement opens a way to buy streaming hours with no subscription.
, FINAL FANTASY VII REVELATION
"The Remake series, at last complete," Square Enix writes, filling in the date and the prices it left blank in June
Final Fantasy VII Revelation ships April 8, 2027 on six platforms. The Japanese release lists seven editions, from 9,900 yen for the standard version to 77,777 yen for the boxed three-game set. The 11,330 yen trilogy edition is a pre-order price, and nothing outside Japan has a price yet.
, Ghost of Yōtei
Ghost of Yōtei: Jin Sakai joins Most Wanted as its fourth playable character
The September 3 State of Play made Ghost of Tsushima's protagonist playable in Ghost of Yōtei's new roguelike mode. Most Wanted and the Echoes of Sekigahara expansion both arrive October 1 inside the paid Complete Edition, and the only free piece is a photo mode, Beauty of Yōtei.
, Gran Turismo 7
Two circuits, twelve cars and a December Family Mode in Gran Turismo 7's free Spec IV update
Polyphony Digital's September 3 post splits the free Spec IV update into an October half and a December half. Sportsland SUGO comes first, Autumn Ring and Family Mode follow in December, and 12 cars are spread across both. Which cars, and which days, wait for an October 3 event in Singapore.
, Grand Theft Auto VI
Pre-orders open September 10 for two limited Grand Theft Auto VI DualSense controllers, and the colors sell through different channels
Sony's September 3 PlayStation.Blog post fixes pre-orders to September 10 at 10 a.m. local time and the release to November 19, the same day as the game. Both the white and black editions are limited quantities at $84.99, and the black one is sold mainly through direct.playstation.com.
, SILENT HILL: Townfall
If September 19 is your day at Makuhari, the ninety minutes Konami set aside for SILENT HILL: Townfall begin at 14:30
Konami's Tokyo Game Show 2026 microsite lists seven of its own titles, four in Family Game Park and more than twenty partner titles, plus ten streaming programs across the five days. Both the new Silent Hill and the new Castlevania carry Streaming labels; only two rows read Demo alone.
, Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds kept its hunts on the ground. Ascendance takes them to ruins floating above the clouds
A trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance ran during the September 3 State of Play. The setting is the Skybound Eyrie, and the two named new monsters are Araketa and Gundoraja. Release is set for 2027 with no price given, and Capcom's site names three platforms where the blog post names one.
, Nintendo Switch 2
From September 1, the US price of the Nintendo Switch 2 is $499.99
Nintendo of America announced the revision on May 7 and it took hold on September 1, moving the console's suggested retail price from $449.99 to $499.99, a rise of $50 or about 11 percent. The original Switch keeps its price, and Latin American pricing has not been announced.
, Rhapsody in Scarlet
"We will have more to share in the future": Konami's new IP Rhapsody in Scarlet arrives without a release date
Konami announced Rhapsody in Scarlet on September 3, an action game set in 1920s New York and an original property rather than a sequel to an existing series. Konami's own product page lists PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Steam. The release date and price fields are both empty.
, State of Play
How much of the September 3 State of Play can you actually play this month?
PlayStation ran State of Play and State of Play Japan back to back on September 3, and more than 30 titles went past. Six of them land inside September, among them Keeper, out the same day, Marvel's Wolverine on the 15th and the Rematch collaboration on the 24th.
, Tokyo Game Show 2026
3,300,000 yen for six gold medals and three days of Tokyo Game Show, with orders closing September 8
Tokyo Game Show turns 30 and runs five days for the first time, September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe. Premium and Fast tickets are sold out as of September 3, leaving the 3,000 yen day pass and the 3,300,000 yen anniversary set. Nothing is sold at the door.
, Until Dawn 2
If you want the Dr. Hill pre-order bonus, September 10 is the date that matters. Until Dawn 2 arrives January 28, 2027 on PS5
Sony gave Until Dawn 2 a release date and a pre-order date on September 3. The setting is Akishima Island, and the cast is Dead True, a channel of fake ghost hunters who stage their own hauntings. Pre-orders open September 10, and Dr. Hill returns played by the same actor as before.
, Elden Ring
From September 1 to December 28, Elden Ring adds up what everyone plays
Bandai Namco announced Elden Ring's Community Quests on September 2. Four questlines run to December, pooling every player's progress toward totals that unlock commemorative artwork and Twitch chat badges. Nothing to sign up for or buy, and the only tracker is the official Discord.
, G-STAR 2026
A September 15 deadline for G-STAR's Indie Showcase 2.0: Galaxy, and four days behind the booth for whoever gets in
The G-STAR Organizing Committee posted the call on September 1 and opened applications the next day. One Google Form closes at 16:00 Korea time on September 15, judging runs September 16 to 18, and the exhibition itself takes four days, November 19 to 22, in Hall 2 of BEXCO in Busan.
, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
Two weeks to pull Drake as NIKKE's GREAT VILLAIN UNION version goes live on September 3
Level Infinite's September 1 release puts the new version live after the September 3 maintenance. Drake, an existing Nikke back in a stronger form, sits on a special recruitment that shuts at 04:59:59 on September 17, Japan time. No price and no version number appear in the release.
, Palworld
Can you vote in Palworld's global popularity poll without an account?
Pocketpair opened the Palworld Global Popularity Poll 2026 on September 1. No account is asked for, the ballot carries 288 Pals and 16 human characters, and a submitted vote cannot be edited. Voting closes at 01:00 UTC on September 28.
, Arknights: Endfield
Liino's rate-up closes with the next maintenance in Endfield 1.4
Version 1.4 'Homecoming' split its two 6-star operators into back-to-back windows. Arcane's banner shut on August 9; Liino's opened the same hour and runs until the next maintenance. A Steam wishlist campaign has been running alongside since August 13.
, Wuthering Waves
Wuthering Waves 3.6 splits its two new Resonators three weeks apart
Version 3.6, 'Lamplight in Mirage, Sword's Resolve in Heart', opened August 20. Qingxiao, an Aero main DPS, headlines Phase 1; Jingran, a Fusion carry on Broadblade, arrives September 10.
, Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero's anniversary patch adds a brand-new attribute
Version 3.1 'The Long Goodbye' opened July 29 as the game's second-anniversary update. Remielle debuts the Lumiflux attribute, Sigrid follows as an S-Rank Ice agent, and a 25-minute extraction mode called Operation Bagel joins permanently.
, Zenless Zone Zero
"Main Story Season 3 Chapter 3 drops on September 9" is the only date on Zenless Zone Zero 3.2 so far
HoYoverse gave September 9 to Version 3.2 "Their Secret Histories" in an August 29 post. Claret arrives as an Agent of a brand-new Specialty and Roxy comes with her, but as of September 3 the update announcement carrying banner windows and maintenance times has not been posted.
, Blue Archive
Blue Archive's double rewards leave Bounty for Commissions on September 7
Nexon Games put the whole month into one notice on August 28. The activity paying double changes hands every Monday evening, and account EXP is split off into two weekend-only windows instead of a full week.
, hololive Dreams
hololive Dreams: Ver.1.1.0 adds Shadowbound Chase, a 10-player minigame, five weeks after global launch
COVER and QualiArts shipped Ver.1.1.0 on August 28, and the Steam announcement runs four lines. The first names Shadowbound Chase, a minigame that splits ten players seven against three inside a night-time Dream Park. Unlocking it means clearing the new Area Quest the version brings.
, 2XKO
2XKO has kept part of its roster locked; patch 1.3.1 on September 8 opens all of it
Riot's August 27 pre-preview sets out what ships on September 8: every champion unlocked, an Ultimate Bundle of all skins at $39.99, Lux as the new champion, two stages and a 39-player private lobby. The post also calls 1.3.1 the last major balance patch, with 1.3.3 still to come.
, CookieRun: Crumble
September 23 closes the 60chicken event mode, the only dated item in CookieRun: Crumble's August update
Devsisters' August 27 release adds a TSSR cookie, introduces a guild boss mode and stretches the main campaign out to stage 248-30. One line in the whole document carries an end date, and it belongs to the chicken brand collaboration.
, Gamescom
What Nvidia brought to Gamescom was not a game but a way of drawing one
DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction shipped the same day it was announced, on 25 August 2026. A path tracing update lands in 007 First Light on 15 September, and the same technology goes into Gears of War: E-Day and Control Resonant.
, Elden Ring
FromSoftware buffs 23 Elden Ring shields and starts selling the paid Tarnished Pack
The patch notes posted on August 27 raise guard boost on 23 shields, cut the weight of 15 and improve parry. The $4.99 Tarnished Pack that followed adds two starting classes, three Torrent skins and two NPC invasions, one of which never fires on a save that has reached the Ashen Capital.
, Genshin Impact
September 1 to 22: Genshin Impact 7.0's second phase runs Flins and Ineffa on one shared pity count
HoYoverse posted the phase on August 27 and it went live September 1. Flins and Ineffa headline separate banners, but the guarantee count carries across both. All three wishes close at 14:59 on September 22.
, Stellar Blade
Shift Up puts Stellar Blade's Switch 2 build in front of the public at Tokyo Game Show before the game ships
A press release dated August 27 sends the Complete Edition's Switch 2 build to the Sega/Atlus booth at Makuhari Messe from September 17 to 21. Director Kim Hyung-tae takes the stage on September 20, streamed on Sega's Japanese YouTube. The release window is still the second half of 2026.
, Arknights: Endfield
A week of sign-ups left for Arknights: Endfield's Steam Pioneer Test
Gryphline opened recruitment on August 26 for a limited-time test running before the Steam version launches. One survey completes the application, and the window shuts on September 10 at 13:00 UTC+8. Slots are capped, only some applicants get in, and selection arrives by email.
, Genshin Impact
September 14 closes Genshin Impact's Great Expeditionist Challenge, where Diona is a ranking reward
HoYoverse announced the event on August 26, and it ends at 03:59 server time on September 14. Clearing its four game modes earns Tournament Points, and only a high enough rank invites "Kätzlein Cocktail" Diona (Cryo), along with Primogems and a Crown of Insight.
, AION 2
AION 2: the global launch is October 5, and two other dates come first
NC confirmed at gamescom Opening Night Live that AION 2 launches globally on October 5, on PC through Steam and PURPLE. The base game is free to play. A Launch Scale Test runs September 17 to 18, and a Founder's Pack starting at $24.99 opens the world five days early on September 30.
, Xbox
What does $899.99 buy in the XBOX 25th Anniversary Collection?
Microsoft opened pre-orders on August 26, 2026. The XBOX Series X25 Limited Edition console is $899.99, ships November 13, arrives individually numbered and carries a full-game download of Halo: Campaign Evolved. The controller sells separately on October 20, one collection per customer.
, Honkai: Star Rail
Which Honkai: Star Rail warp gets your Stellar Jade before September 12?
Version 4.5's first-phase warps close on September 12 at 11:59 server time. Robin • Summeretto debuts on one banner and Hyacine headlines the other, and the two draw from a single shared five-star counter.
, Time Takers
72 hours from 17:00 UTC on September 4: Time Takers opens a global Steam playtest, and access has to be requested first
NC announced the test on August 24. It runs from 17:00 UTC on Friday, September 4 to 17:00 UTC on Monday, September 7, open around the clock, on servers in North America, Europe and Asia. Anyone who requests access on the Steam store page can join, and the pre-download went live September 3.
, Stellar Blade
August 24 brought a Stellar Blade Switch 2 trailer, and the only new feature in it is Joy-Con 2 motion control
Shift Up published the first Nintendo Switch 2 trailer and key art on August 24. The only new feature named is Joy-Con 2 motion control support, and the Switch 2 release is a Complete Edition holding the base game plus everything added after launch. No date, no price.
, 2XKO
Riot ends 2XKO development and refunds every purchase
Riot Games said on August 20 that work on its League of Legends fighting game stops at the end of 2026, that everything spent up to that date is being refunded, and that the servers stay switched on afterward.
, The Duskbloods
The Duskbloods' first network test never got past the login screen
The opening session went live on August 21. Most of the invited players could not reach the servers, and FromSoftware closed the day well before its four hour window ran out. The sessions after it went ahead as scheduled.
, Elden Ring
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition reaches Switch 2 on August 28
Bandai Namco's Switch 2 bundle packs the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree and two new starting classes; owners on other platforms get the same additions as a 4.99 euro pack.
, Elden Ring
Miyazaki says single-player is not going anywhere, after The Duskbloods
In an interview with IGN, FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki pushed back on the idea that Nightreign and The Duskbloods signal a shift toward multiplayer, saying the work only made him want to make a single-player game again.
, gamescom
What gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 has already confirmed
Geoff Keighley's showcase streams on August 25 at 8 p.m. CEST, with Final Fantasy VII Revelation, a Witcher 3 expansion, a Silent Hill trailer and a Game of Thrones RTS on the slate.
, Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact 7.0 opens Snezhnaya, Teyvat's seventh nation
Version 7.0 went live on August 12 with the frozen nation of Snezhnaya, a Cryo Traveler, a third-person shooter mode and two new characters, one of them free.
, Honkai: Star Rail
Honkai: Star Rail 4.5 heads to Astropolis on August 26
The next update lands August 26 with summer variants of Robin and Aventurine, a racing event, a Divergent Universe refresh and a long-requested dialogue speed toggle.
, Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 arrives August 27
Konami's second compilation brings Metal Gear Solid 4 off the PlayStation 3 for the first time, alongside Peace Walker and Ghost Babel, at $49.99 on five platforms.
, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
NIKKE's Persona crossover runs through September 10
Queen, Yukiko and Aigis join Goddess of Victory: NIKKE in the 'PERSONA ON FRONTLINE' event that opened August 13; one of the three is a free login reward.
, Astrae Oratio
Noon on September 21 is the last minute to verify an email for the Astrae Oratio closed beta
NCSOFT said on August 21 that Astrae Oratio, its unreleased subculture RPG, takes a dedicated booth at Tokyo Game Show 2026, held September 17 to 21 at Makuhari Messe. Signups for the closed beta shut at noon on September 21. Neither the booth programme nor the test dates have been announced.
, Wuthering Waves
If you want the 1,200 Astrite, Wuthering Waves closes its combat event on the morning of September 29
The limited-time 'Resonance Sim Realm' event opened August 22 and shuts on September 29. The official notice puts the end at 11:59 rather than 23:59, which means logging in on the last evening is too late.
, LIMIT ZERO BREAKERS
The LIMIT ZERO BREAKERS Frontier Test runs September 10 to 14, and applications close four days before it opens
NC announced a second closed test for LIMIT ZERO BREAKERS on August 20. Sign-ups close at 11:00 KST on September 6 and the test runs five days from September 10. The Steam notice dates the same window in Pacific time as September 9 to 13. Three story chapters and a new raid are in the build.
, Wuthering Waves
Two hashtags, 2,000 Astrite and a September 17 deadline in the Wuthering Waves Battle Rush
Kuro Games opened its official combat-video contest on August 20. Posting a clip publicly with both required hashtags is the entire entry process, and the Astrite goes to entries that clear judging rather than to everyone who posts. Works made with AI assistance sit on the exclusion list.
, Blue Archive
Blue Archive: Main Story Act 2 is open, and the event exchange closes September 8
The August 18 maintenance on the global English service opened Main Story Act 2 with three new stories. The Niko and Kurumi banners already ended on September 1, and what is still live is the Lore Pursuit exchange window and a five-student rerun banner, both closing September 8.
, Monster Hunter Wilds
Ver.1.042.00.02 answers the frame rate drops that followed Monster Hunter Wilds' previous patch
Capcom's August 14, 2026 patch note carries a single bug fix line: measures being taken against frame rate drops reported after Ver.1.042.00.01, which shipped exactly one week earlier. The same notice warns about AMD Radeon drivers 25.10.2 and higher on named cards.
, Slay the Spire 2
If you are waiting on the next Slay the Spire 2 beta patch, that time is going to an alternate Act 2 and a new character
Mega Crit used its August 14 newsletter to say updates will be spaced further apart for a while. The biweekly beta patch gives way to larger pieces of content, and the studio wrote that nothing new reaches the beta branch for at least a month.
, Slay the Spire 2
"There may be a longer wait": Slay the Spire 2's beta branch has not moved since August 14
Mega Crit shipped beta patch v0.111.0 with Indonesian localization, low-HP idle animations and reworked cards across eight character sets, then used the same post to say the next patch would take longer than usual. Twenty days later it is still the newest build on the branch.
, Marvel's Wolverine
The $649.99 Battle Yellow PS5 bundle goes on sale September 15, the day Marvel's Wolverine ships
Sony's August 11 post packs a PS5 Digital Edition console, a matching DualSense and a Marvel's Wolverine game code into a $649.99 box. Pre-orders opened August 19; the hardware goes on sale September 15 in limited quantities. Eleven countries order direct from Sony, everywhere else via retailers.
, Nintendo
23.68 million consoles and 58.17 million games, and neither figure counts what players actually bought
Nintendo's August 6 material puts Switch 2 at 23.68 million hardware and 58.17 million software units as of June 30, 2026, and the footnote under the table calls that sell-in, meaning what Nintendo sold outward. For anyone pricing a console, the sharper line is September 1, when prices rose.
, AION 2
AION 2 had no Chinese name. It now has one, 永恒之塔2, and still no China launch date
NCSOFT and Shengqu Games signed a strategic cooperation for AION 2's China launch in Shanghai on July 30, and Shengqu opened a Chinese site that day under the local service name 永恒之塔2. The release names no launch date, no pre-registration schedule and no publishing licence.
, Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Capcom moved Onimusha: Way of the Sword forward three weeks to September 4
An investor-relations release dated July 2, 2026 shifted the swordplay action game from September 25 to September 4, twenty-one days earlier. Capcom gave no reason for the change, and the date has not moved since.