Year to Date Sales Comparison (Same Periods Covered)

Market Share (Same Periods Covered)

2023 - (January 2023 to May 2023)

2024 - (January 2024 to May 2024)

2025 - (January 2025 to May 2025)

2026 - (January 2026 to May 2026)

"Year to date" sales for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 sales are shown in series at the top of the table and then just below a comparison of 2026 versus 2025 and 2026 versus 2024 is displayed.  This provides an easy-to-view summary of all the data.

Total Sales and Market Share for Each Year

Nintendo

• Nintendo Switch 2
• 5.17 million units sold year-to-date
• Nintendo Switch 1
• 1.01 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 1,282,357 units (-56.0%)

Sony

• PlayStation 5
• 2.91 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 1,636,802 units (-36.0%)

Microsoft

• Xbox Series X|S
• 0.61 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 534,399 units (-46.5%)

Note: VGChartz 2026, 2025, and 2023 estimates through May includes 21 weeks, while 2024 estimates includes 22 weeks.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468311/2026-worldwide-sales-comparison-charts-through-may-switch-2-vs-ps5-vs-xbox-series-vs-switch/

The game will have a Psycho Tropical Vacation Package edition available for $139.99. It includes a copy of the game, clamshell-style outer box, Kidrobot Psycho Tropical three-inch Monokuma and Monomi figures, an RSVLTS reversible Psycho Tropical bucket hat, and the Danganronpa 2×2 original soundtrack.

Read new details on the game below:

Danganronpa 2×2 lets players experience Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair in two different modes. Players can choose between the revamped scenario in “Original” mode, which retells the story from the 2012 release with enhanced visuals and updated presentation for modern game systems, and “Slayhem” mode which features a new scenario based on Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, but completely different storyline. Both options are available from the start of the game.

In “Slayhem” a certain incident triggers a dramatically different chain of events with different victims, culprits, and tricks. Slayhem offers approximately 20 percent more content than Original mode.

World Map

The World Map has undergone a major update in Danganronpa 2×2. Whereas Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair featured a side-scrolling map for traveling between locations, Danganronpa 2×2 introduces a 3D World Map that gives players a clearer sense of the island’s layout. Players can navigate the island however they prefer, whether by freely running across the map or instantly traveling to a selected destination. The 3D map, when displayed from a first-person perspective, also evokes a tropical atmosphere

Characters

Character portraits will feature new illustrations. A portion of the revamped character images are shared below.

A Message from the Producer

To everyone who has supported Danganronpa 2×2,

While development has been progressing toward a 2026 release, we have decided to move the launch to early 2027. We will share a more specific release date at a later time.

We are continuing to work to bring you the best possible experience. We sincerely appreciate your patience as development continues, and we look forward to sharing further updates with you soon.

Shohei Sakakibara
Producer, Danganronpa 2×2

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468391/danganronpa-2times2-delayed-to-early-2027/

The user has what they are calling a "red line of death" on the front-mounted LED display that occurred after a GPU issue after they played No Man's Sky and performed a firmware update.

The use of "red line of death" is in clear reference to the "red ring of death" that many users of early Xbox 360 consoles dealt with that meant the console was broken and had to be sent to Microsoft for repairs or a replacement.

It isn't known if the "red line of death" means the Steam Machine is dead or if the problem can be fixed with software. 

The Steam Support website says a full red bar is due to the device overheating, a blinking red bar in the fourth quadrant is due to no RAM being detected, a blinking red bar in the second quadrant means no SSD detected, a blinking red bar in the first half is due to the memory training failed, and a blinking red bar on the right half means GPU failure.

The Steam Machine price starts at $1,049 for the 512GB version without a controller. The Steam Machine with 512GB bundled with a Steam Controller is priced at $1,128. This is $20 cheaper than the buying the controller separately. The Steam Machine with 2TB without a controller is priced at $1,349, while with bundle with a Steam Controller is priced at $1,428. These versions also come with two extra faceplates - red fabric and solid walnut.

Thanks, Digital Foundry.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468390/steam-machine-user-deals-with-red-line-of-death-after-gpu-failure/

This monthly series compares the aligned Europe sales of the Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch 1.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launched in June 2025 in Europe and the Nintendo Switch launched in March 2017. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do not lineup.

Switch 2 Vs. Switch 1 Europe:

Gap change in latest month: 31,221 - Switch 1

Total Lead: 870,844 - Switch 2

Switch 2 Total Sales: 4,608,393

Switch 1 Total Sales: 3,737,549

May 2026 is the 12th month that the Nintendo Switch 2 has been available for in Europe. During the latest month, the Switch 1 has outsold the Switch 2 by 31,221 units when you align the launches. The Switch 2 is ahead of the Switch 1 by 0.87 million units.

The 12th month for the Switch 2 is May 2026, while for the Switch 1 it is February 2018. The Switch 2 has sold 4.61 million units, while the Switch 1 sold 3.74 million units during the same timeframe.

The Nintendo Switch 1 sold 39.81 million units to date. The Switch 2 is currently 35.20 million units behind the lifetime sales of the Switch 1.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468308/switch-2-vs-switch-1-sales-comparison-in-europe-may-2026/

This figure is up from 35 million units sold as of November 2025, 30 million units sold as of November 2024, 25 million units sold as of October 2023, 20 million units as of September 2022 and 18 million units as of April 2022.

Cyberpunk 2077 released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in December 2020, for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in February 2022, and for the Nintendo Switch 2 in June 2025.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468389/cyberpunk-2077-sales-top-40-million-units/

The director opened up to Bloomberg in a new interview admitting the experience on the game drained him.

The game was designed to be live service from day one, however, early on parent company Warner Bros. and the studio agreed to be generous to players, so they wouldn't feel compelled "buy a bunch of crap to enjoy the game."

As the game was delayed again and again the executives were worried about making their money back as the budget grew. Executives during meetings would ask "How many players can we reach with this feature?" or "How can we twist this design into something that can be more replayable?"

Rydby was worried the game was losing its soul and he admits, "That's when I started feeling like I wasn’t making games anymore. I was following a spreadsheet, some elusive marketing-analysis spreadsheet that no one could present clearly. I kind of felt like this isn’t the gaming industry I wanted to work in."

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League released in February 2024 and flopped. Warner Bros. took a $200 million loss on the game.

Rydby would leave Rocksteady in 2025 to go independent. He is has partnered with former Rocksteady designer Johnny Armstrong on an RPG deckbuilding game called Secret of Circadia. The game is currently looking to raise  $11,404 on Kickstarter.

Armstrong also speaking with Bloomberg said he also felt burnt out after the experience of developing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. He had worked at Rocksteady since 2010. 

"We put all these hours in, but it didn’t feel like it was tangibly getting better," said Armstrong. "Everyone felt like they were having to run to stand still."

He added, "I felt everything drained from me. I said, ‘I can’t do this again. I don’t know if I’m done with the industry, but I’m done.’ I could feel myself coming apart at the seams."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468388/suicide-squad-director-i-started-feeling-like-i-wasnt-making-games-anymore/

The CEO of DADC Dietmar Tanzer speaking to Austrian news site ORF.at revealed about 50 percent of the discs it currently produces are for PlayStation with about 20 percent of that being for new orders. 

"PlayStation is currently about 50 percent of our volume and about 20 percent of that is new orders," said Tanzer. "We are talking about 10 percent of the volume in 2028."

The production plant has 300 employees and they were informed on Wednesday there will be a restructuring following Sony's decision. The plant has been expecting this change for sometime and recently around €30 million were invested for the production of optical microlenses at the plant.

Sony DADC’s head of Micro Optics Markus Streibl said the tech will become a new area of business for Sony.

"Micro Optics is a miniaturization of optical systems and elements and is used to focus and direct light in the smallest of spaces," said Streibl. "One application would be, for example, a car turn signal that is projected onto asphalt."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468387/sonys-largest-playstation-disc-plant-is-reassigning-staff-to-work-on-micro-optics/

View the trailer below:

Persona 4 Revival will launch for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass on February 18, 2027.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468386/persona-4-revival-gets-protagonist-sizzle-trailer/

View the announcement trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand delivers a standalone roguelite wave-defense experience for solo and cooperative play. Command and survive against fast-paced escalating enemy waves, intimidating bosses, and dynamic battlefield events. Are you ready to make your final stand?

Epic Wave Defense Gameplay

Company of Heroes 3: Final Stand introduces an all-new standalone wave defense experience, delivering thrilling, highly-replayable Company of Heroes gameplay. This standalone experience does not require you to own any previous Company of Heroes titles, making it easy for you to jump straight into the action and have fun, whether you’re a longtime fan or a new player.

Powerful Bosses and Unique Events

Prepare to dig in, build layered defenses, and survive against escalating waves of enemy forces across 12 increasingly difficult rounds, including intimidating bosses and dynamic battlefield events unique to Final Stand.

Deep Roguelite Progression

Featuring a roguelite progression system, players construct a custom battlegroup from the ground up suited to their style of play. After each wave, choose between randomized units or abilities that persist for the duration of the run, ensuring that no two playthroughs feel the same.

Persistent upgrades like powerful perks and unique abilities will be unlocked between runs across faction-specific progression trees. These upgrades meaningfully change how each faction plays, encouraging experimentation, long-term mastery, and repeat play at higher levels.

Defend to the Last

Final Stand captures the classic Company of Heroes feeling of those pivotal moments where when faced with overwhelming odds, preparation, adaptability, and decisive command determine survival.

Key Features:

• All-new standalone Company of Heroes wave defense experience.
• Single-player and cooperative gameplay.
• Command four iconic factions: US Forces, Wehrmacht, British Forces, or Deutsches Afrikakorps.
• Roguelite progression and persistent upgrades present new strategic possibilities in every run.
• 36 boss units with special abilities and rewards.
• 18 dynamic in-game events.
• Eight difficulty levels from newcomer to veteran.
• Five battlegrounds designed for wave defense gameplay.
• Survive 12 escalating waves, or take on Endless Mode for the ultimate challenge.
• Faction-specific progression trees with impactful upgrades.
• Unlock four premium cosmetic skin packs (one per faction).
• Brand-new announcer voice-over performances bring your Final Stand to life.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468385/company-of-heroes-3-final-stand-announced-for-pc/

Year to Date Sales Comparison (Same Periods Covered)

Market Share (Same Periods Covered)

2023 - (January 2023 to May 2023)

2024 - (January 2024 to May 2024)

2025 - (January 2025 to May 2025)

2026 - (January 2026 to May 2026)

"Year to date" sales for 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 sales are shown in series at the top of the table and then just below a comparison of 2026 versus 2025 and 2026 versus 2024 is displayed.  This provides an easy-to-view summary of all the data.

Total Sales and Market Share for Each Year

Nintendo

• Nintendo Switch 2
• 1.02 million units sold year-to-date
• Nintendo Switch 1
• 0.17 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 318,857 units (-65.4%)

Sony

• PlayStation 5
• 0.90 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 503,309 units (-35.9%)

Microsoft

• Xbox Series X|S
• 0.12 million units sold year-to-date
• Down year-on-year 128,770 units (-51.3%)

Note: VGChartz 2026, 2025, and 2023 estimates through May includes 21 weeks, while 2024 estimates includes 22 weeks.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468307/2026-europe-sales-comparison-charts-through-may-switch-2-vs-ps5-vs-xbox-series-vs-switch/

“ONTOS is our most ambitious game to date, both in terms of its size and scale, and in the depth and layers of our story and gameplay," reads the announcement. "In order to deliver this vision, we have decided to push the release of ONTOS to 2027. We look forward to sharing more updates about ONTOS, our characters, and our world soon."

Read details on the game below:

Story

From the creators of SOMA comes ONTOS, a sci-fi adventure that takes you to the edge of reality. You are Aditi Amani, invited to the repurposed moon hotel Samsara by the cryptic legacy of your estranged father, a brilliant mind-turned-prophet. What begins as a search for answers quickly spirals into something far stranger. Samsara is no ordinary outpost, but a place where reality fractures, where truths are buried beneath layers of deception and obscurity. As you delve deeper, guided by fragments of your father’s past, you must confront disturbing revelations about the nature of existence - and your place in it.

Experiments 

ONTOS presents a gauntlet of chilling experiments and disturbing encounters that push the boundaries of both science and morality. Each test invites you to peel back another layer of a world that takes you one step closer to the ultimate truth. Confront existential questions that will make you question the nature of the soul, suffering, and the very fabric of reality itself. These trials are not just puzzles—they are provocations. Your choices echo forward, and you must be prepared to face the consequences. Foresight is paramount, but even what you judge to be the best moral actions can lead to devastating outcomes.

Gameplay

At its core, ONTOS is an immersive narrative with a tactile, systems-driven gameplay experience. Ingenuity and research are your greatest weapons. You’ll scavenge materials, manipulate intricate machinery, and engage with analog systems requiring careful calibration and hands-on interaction. Planning is key, choose wisely or suffer the consequences. There’s no ‘one solution’; instead, the goal is what you can make of a situation.

Exploration

The moon base Samsara is a vast, interconnected labyrinth built atop the ruins of a failed mining colony and an opulent hotel lost to time. Now, it’s a domain carved up by philosophical factions, where science bleeds into faith. Venture through repurposed spaces where the surreal becomes captivating; labs built in lavish casinos and dramatic theatre stages; experiments set up in emptied pools; strange machines built in ancient moon caves, and much more. Every corner of Samsara tells a story, and every story has something hiding beneath the surface, waiting to be found…

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468384/kepler-delays-ontos-to-2027/

The stock price for Sony rose 3.2 percent to 3,354.0 yen, according to Investing.com. This is in contrast with technology stocks on the Nikkei 225 index dropping by one percent. Sony stock on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has grown nearly five percent over the last week.

For the quarter ending March 2026, digital game sales accounted for 85 percent of all software sold on PlayStation consoles. This percent has grown significantly from just 13 percent when the PlayStation 4 launched in 2013.

Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino also recently stated, "it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases."

This suggests PlayStation is looking to protect its hardware profitability ahead of the upcoming launch of the PS6 sometime in the next few years.

Sony has increased the price of the PlayStation 5 multiple times with the Digital Edition going from $400 at launch up to $600 now, while the model with a disc drive has gone from $500 to $650. The PS5 Pro has increased from $700 to $900.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468383/sony-stocks-rise-following-announcement-it-is-ending-physical-game-sales/

"Despite a report this morning, I can confirm that Obsidian is *not* in negotiations to avoid shutting down," said Schreier. "Plenty of details are still up in the air surrounding the layoffs (picture will be clear on Monday) but Xbox is keeping Obsidian, according to people familiar with the situation."

This follows a report from The Game Business that named the studio alongside other previously mentioned studios at risk of closure that quickly spread over social media.

"Studios such as Compulsion, Ninja Theory, Double Fine, Obsidian, Undead Labs and others are deep in negotiation with Microsoft to avoid closure," read the original report.

Obsidian head Fergus Urquhart earlier this year told Bloomberg that Grounded 2 was a "big hit," but The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed failed to meet expectations. 

VideoGamesChronicle journalist Jordan Middler on social media after the original report broke revealed he had heard multiple times Obsidian was in the early stages of developing a new Fallout game.

"Been told multiple times recently they were early on a Fallout project, which is obviously dream stuff for fans," said Middler.

One of the biggest hits from Obsidian is Fallout: New Vegas, which is also one of the IPs Xbox leadership wants to get new entries out quicker. The last mainline entry in the series was 2015's Fallout 4, while the last entry was the live service game Fallout 76 in 2018.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468382/bloombergs-jason-schreier-says-xbox-is-not-shutting-down-obsidian-despite-report/

Circana Senior Director and Video Game Industry Advisor Mat Piscatella speaking with VideoGamesChronicle said Sony making this change will unlikely cause Nintendo to react. Though, another report says Xbox is testing a disc-to-digital feature.

"My gut says Nintendo does what Nintendo wants to do, and I don’t see them changing anything in their plans based on what Sony or Microsoft do on anything, really," he said. "Nintendo is going to be Nintendo, for better and/or worse.

"Retail has already leaned into Nintendo support more and more over the past few years (Nintendo also holds very strong share of physical software and hardware sales since the launch of Switch 2 in particular), so this could continue to increase, sure.

"It’s not like boxes on shelves will go away entirely with this change. There will be more codes in box, more merch, maybe more special editions with swag included, that kind of thing. But the change should also result in the continued decline in physical game retail spend.

"But yeah, we’re kind of in dartboard territory when it comes to things. The day is young (in the US at least). Anything could still happen today, tomorrow, surely Monday. It’s madness."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468381/analyst-says-nintendos-plans-will-remain-unchanged-despite-sony-killing-physical-games/

The remasters includes the second chapter in the saga Remothered: Broken Porcelain Remastered and the final chapter Remothered: Tormented Fathers Remastered.

Read details on Remothered: Broken Porcelain Remastered below:

Remothered: Broken Porcelain Remastered is the second chapter of the saga, with overhauled visuals, lighting, and presentation. Legacy bugs from the original release have also been resolved, delivering a smoother, more stable experience. The gameplay, mechanics, and tension you remember are untouched. Everything around them got a serious upgrade.

What’s New in the Remastered Edition

Rebuilt from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5, the Remastered edition brings a substantial visual and technical overhaul to the entire game:

• Lumen Dynamic Global Illumination and Fully Overhauled Lighting – Lighting has been reconstructed using UE5’s rendering pipeline. Shadows and atmosphere now respond dynamically to the environment, turning every corridor into something genuinely oppressive, with stronger mood definition and greater visual consistency across every location.
• Reworked Environmental Assets – Props, architecture, and vegetation rebuilt with higher-resolution models, materials, and textures throughout the entire game.
• Upgraded Character Models – The full cast has been refined with improved fidelity and material quality, preserving the original artistic direction.
• Polished Cinematics – In-game cutscenes reworked to a modern production standard.
• Redesigned User Interface and Menus – Rebuilt for clarity, readability, and a contemporary look.

The gameplay, mechanics, balance, and feel of the original are completely untouched.

Key Features

• Psychological Horror With Real Stakes – The Remothered saga expands with new layers of lore: returning players will find answers; new players will find a story that stands on its own.
• Realistic Survival Horror – The Ashmann Inn is full of resources, but dangers lurk around every corner. Scavenge carefully, think ahead, and use what you find to stay alive.
• Stealth and Action on Your Terms – Slip through the shadows, create diversions, or confront threats head-on. The Ashmann Inn rewards players who stay smart, not just fast.
• Challenging, Grounded Puzzles – Nothing is arbitrary. Every puzzle is rooted in the world, with solutions that make sense within the logic of the Inn and its dark history.
• A Cast That Goes Deeper – Fan-favorite characters return alongside new faces, all drawing from the DNA of classic horror to build a roster that feels both familiar and unsettling.
• Real-Time Cinematics – Fully animated in-engine cutscenes bring the characters and world to life with a level of immersion the series had never reached before.
• Haunting Original Soundtrack – Music by Luca Balboni (Remothered: Tormented Fathers, Mine, Watch Them Fall) sustains the dread from the first corridor to the final confrontation.

Story

The truths buried in the Ashmann Inn will not be discovered easily: its many mysteries are intertwined and guarded by the looming threat of the stalkers, powerful hunters trapped in time and the confines of its walls.

Survival will take more than just quick reactions as a strategic and resourceful approach will quickly become critical in this haunting adventure. Be smart, as knowing the best time to sneak, flee or fight imminent dangers can quickly make the hunters become the hunted.

Read details on Remothered: Tormented Fathers Remastered below:

Remothered: Tormented Fathers Remastered is the first chapter of the cult survival horror saga, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 5 to deliver a new level of visual fidelity, atmosphere, and immersion, with legacy bugs resolved and everything you already loved left exactly as it was.

What’s New in the Remastered Edition

Rebuilt from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5, the Remastered edition brings a substantial visual and technical overhaul to the entire game:

• Lumen Dynamic Global Illumination and Fully Overhauled Lighting – Lighting has been reconstructed using UE5’s rendering pipeline. Shadows and atmosphere now respond dynamically to the environment, turning every corridor into something genuinely oppressive, with stronger mood definition and greater visual consistency across every location.
• Reworked Environmental Assets – Props, architecture, and vegetation rebuilt with higher-resolution models, materials, and textures throughout the entire game.
• Upgraded Character Models – The full cast has been refined with improved fidelity and material quality, preserving the original artistic direction.
• Polished Cinematics – In-game cutscenes reworked to a modern production standard.
• Redesigned User Interface and Menus – Rebuilt for clarity, readability, and a contemporary look.

Key Features

• Multiple Survival Approaches – The endless combinations of game dynamics make the experience available to every gamer: stealth, action, strategic, hide ‘n run. Deceive your stalker and block him in another area of the house. Attack your enemy and make your items more powerful. Carefully study your stalkers’ behaviors and their paths. Don’t get too close to your enemy: act like an unperceivable shadow, hiding yourself from his sight. Or just mix these dynamics together.
• Psychological Plot – Characters in the story are everyday people who turn themselves into scary monsters.
• Cinematic Direction – The game unfolds like a psychological thriller, with complex and humane characters and movie-like cutscenes.
• Audio Clues – Use the soundtrack and the 3D audio sound effects to understand when your stalkers are getting closer.
• No Health Bars – Your body is the only way to understand how you are doing.
• Realistic Puzzles – Environments and characters have been conceived to be realistic and credible.
• Haunting Soundtrack – Composed by Nobuko Toda (Final Fantasy, Halo, Metal Gear Solid) and Luca Balboni (Mine, Watch Them Fall).
• Real-Tme Loading – Explore the mansion without worrying about empty moments or boring loading times.

Story

Rosemary Reed, a sharp and determined 35-year-old woman, arrives at the isolated home of Richard Felton under false pretenses. She is there to uncover the truth about Celeste, a young girl who simply vanished. The nurse Gloria watches over the aging, ailing Felton. But the moment Dr. Felton realizes why Rosemary is really there, the hunt begins. What follows is a web of obsession, buried secrets, and psychological horror where the line between victim and monster is never where you expect it.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468380/two-remothered-remasters-announced-for-switch-2-ps5-xbox-series-and-pc/

The game is currently available for PC via Steam.

View the gameplay overview trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

Take command of a German Panzer platoon and lead your forces through the chaos of World War II in this gripping tank simulation that blends hardcore strategy with anime-inspired visuals. Engage in explosive third-person combat across the battlefields of Europe, where every round counts. Load specialized ammunition, target enemy weak points, and call in tactical support as you adapt to the ever-changing situation on the front line.

Between missions, assemble an elite tank crew by handpicking recruits with unique skills, and deploy a formidable arsenal of meticulously detailed tanks, each with their own characteristics, strengths, and vulnerabilities.

In a conflict where victory is achieved through cunning, adaptability, and precision, do you have what it takes to emerge triumphant?

Iconic Battles

Embark on an action-packed campaign, from the Battle of France to Operation Barbarossa. Smash through defensive lines, seize vital objectives, and repel ferocious counterattacks.

Explosive Tank Combat

Clash with Allied armor in high‑stakes skirmishes. Use the terrain to your advantage, load specialized shells, and exploit weak points to immobilize and destroy your targets.

Tactical Decisions

Manage your tank’s vital systems, deploy smoke screens, call in air support, and organize your platoon’s formation in real-time to gain the upper hand.

Crew Selection

Build an elite team from 30 eager recruits. Level up their skills, discover their backstories, and experiment with different loadouts to increase your combat effectiveness.

Extensive Tank Roster

Visit the garage to grow your arsenal. From the nimble ‘Panzer III’ to the mighty ‘Tiger I’, each tank features unique stats, armor profiles, and authentic camouflage patterns.

Flexible Gameplay Modes

Test your skills in challenging bonus missions to gain rewards for upgrading your crew and garage, or jump straight into the action with the customizable ‘skirmish mode’.

Bonus Tanks Included

Includes three additional bonus tank packs! Take command of the US army’s “M4-748 Sherman” and “M26 Pershing,” field the British “Churchill VII,” and “Valentine XI,” and deploy the Axis’s long-range tank destroyer “Elefant” and super-heavy “Panzer VIII Maus.”

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468379/panzer-knights-commanders-edition-launches-august-13-for-ps5-and-xbox-series/

"Cats in the Shell‘s detail-oriented, satisfying mech building and roguelike randomness will keep you on your toes," said Raven Studio director Alex Dong. "More than 1,000 modules provide near infinite choices in exhilarating combat instances. We have many more cutting-edge mechs and adorable cats to share later this year, so stay tuned!"

View the announcement trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

Cats in the Shell is a mech-building roguelike auto battler. Take the helm of giant combat machines as feline fighters!

Operate an intimidating metal beast to overtake a steel-clad battlefield! Choose from six distinct mech types, customizing each in a classic and satisfying roguelike progression system. However, a perfect machine shines brightest with a purrrfect pilot. Choose from whiskered helmsman, each with exclusive active abilities and strategic focuses.

Sharpen the mech’s proverbial claws by collecting more than 1,000 powerful equipment and component parts across random events. Arrange and combine parts in creative order to discover surprising combinations. Allocate each module into five slots, manage all components strategically by factoring in limited inventory space, then watch dynamic synergies play out in rewarding auto-battler sequences.

Challenge formidable foes in four futuristic biomes and confront towering bosses in the story campaign. Adapt new strategies to stand a chance against unexpected battle frames assembled by pilots from around the world in asynchronous player-versus-player battles. Refine loadouts after each fight, unleash devastating chain reactions, and conquer a gauntlet of 10 cumulative victories.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468378/mech-building-roguelike-cats-in-the-shell-announced-for-pc/

Medabots Card Robattle RB Kabuto Ver. / Kuwagata Ver. (NS) debuted in seventh place with sales of 4,114 units.

Blackish House ←sideZ -Retour- (NS) debuted in eighth place with sales of 4,114 units.

Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (NS) is in second place with sales of 28,543 units, Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 (NS) came in third place with sales of 6,483, and eFootball Kick-Off! (NS2) is in fourth place with sales of 6,483 units.

Pokemon Pokopia (NS2) is in fifth place with sales of 5,870 units and Mario Kart World (NS2) is in sixth place with sales of 4,521 units.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (NS2) is in ninth place with sales of 4,077 units and Minecraft (NS) is in 10th place with sales of 3,353 units.

The Nintendo Switch 2 was the best-selling platform with 24,879 units sold. The PlayStation 5 sold 9,896 units, the Switch 1 sold 7,068 units, and the Xbox Series X|S sold 361 units.

Here are the best-selling games in Japan:

1. [SW2] Star Fox (Nintendo, 06/25/26) – 41,680 (New)
2. [NSW] Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream (Nintendo, 04/16/26) – 28,543 (1,410,570)
3. [NSW] Powerful Pro Baseball 2026-2027 (Konami, 06/11/26) – 16,950 (146,335)
4. [SW2] eFootball Kick-Off! (Konami, 06/03/26) – 6,483 (41,508)
5. [SW2] Pokemon Pokopia (The Pokemon Company, 03/05/26) – 5,870 (1,069,925)
6. [SW2] Mario Kart World (Nintendo, 06/05/25) – 4,521 (2,979,306)
7. [NSW] Medabots Card Robattle RB Kabuto Ver. / Kuwagata Ver. (Imagineer, 06/25/26) – 4,348 (New)
8. [NSW] Blackish House ←sideZ -Retour- (Edia, 06/02/26) – 4,114 (New)
9. [SW2] The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales (Square Enix, 06/18/26) – 4,077 (27,751)
10. [NSW] Minecraft (Microsoft, 06/21/18) – 3,353 (4,229,124)

Here is the hardware breakdown (followed by lifetime sales):

1. Switch 2 – 24,879 (5,965,379)
2. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – 8,797 (1,332,982)
3. Switch OLED Model – 4,030 (9,597,288)
4. Switch Lite – 2,553 (6,984,496)
5. PlayStation 5 Pro – 832 (365,206)
6. Switch – 485 (20,302,623)
7. PlayStation 5 – 267 (5,920,949)
8. Xbox Series X – 180 (328,017)
9. Xbox Series S – 133 (342,607)
10. Xbox Series X Digital Edition – 48 (32,503)

Previous week - Week 25, 2026

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468377/star-fox-debuts-in-1st-on-the-japanese-charts-switch-2-sells-25k/

The game is currently available for the Nintendo Switch 2, box Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC via Steam and Microsoft Store.

View the release date announcement trailer below:

Read details on the game below:

In this prison-escape-themed RPG, crime, conspiracy, and hidden traps intertwine, while the relationships between characters grow increasingly complex. Step into the role of an animal inmate, survive the harsh realities of prison life, explore, grow, and plan your escape.

Stay sharp—fight to prove your innocence, uncover the schemes lurking behind rival factions, and battle not just for your own freedom, but for the future of the city itself.

Meet a cast of unforgettable characters and experience an epic story in Back to the Dawn.

A Hardboiled Story Straight Out of the Movies

In a city of animals torn apart by corruption, play as a wrongfully convicted journalist or an undercover investigator forced into a brutal prison system. With allies working from the outside, gather evidence, follow every lead without leaving a trace, and fight to save yourself—and the city.

A Fully-Fledged RPG Packed with Content

Choose between two protagonists, each with a main story exceeding 20 hours of playtime. Encounter three powerful gangs, 47 uniquely crafted inmates, dozens of memorable NPCs, and take on over 100 intricately designed quests. With multiple escape routes, richly branching endings, and a script of over one million characters, this is a one-of-a-kind RPG experience.

Uncover the Prison’s Hidden Conspiracies

Though the prison appears orderly, dark secrets lurk beneath. A suspicious figure loiters in the shadows, strange noises echo from the kitchen’s back door, and a locked door at the end of a corridor has never been opened.

Gather scattered clues, trade information, and sneak out during lights-out to uncover the secrets and conspiracies festering within the prison—before time runs out.

A Deeply Immersive Virtual Experience

Blend seamlessly into prison life, follow the rules when you must, and make your mark when opportunity calls. Explore unfamiliar environments and take on a wide range of challenges.

Will you spend your days as a model prisoner in peace, or cause chaos as a notorious troublemaker? The choice is yours.

A Colorful Cast

Meet a colorful cast of inmates in your prison, each with an interesting story to tell. You can either make them your friends or fight, bully and rob them into submission. Will you be part of a gang or a cunning lone wolf? Pick a side!

Open Character Growth System

Are you a tough guy who lets his fists do the talking, a thief who hides in the shadows, or perhaps a smooth talker who manipulates the scene? Develop your skills, craft tools to suit your style, and climb your way from “new fish” to “top dog.”

Plan Your Prison Escape

In a place built to break you, your sharpest weapon is your creativity and cunning. Every inch of Boulderton Prison might hold the key to your escape, from your prison cell to the infirmary, to the sewers and even the rooftops. Can you break free?

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468376/back-to-the-dawn-launches-october-22-for-ps5/

The game is currently available for the Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store.

Read details on the game below:

You are an engineer thrust into the strange and mysterious Void, a world with its own history, rules and future. Build and upgrade your own train, craft powerful weapons, fight various enemies and survive the surreal landscapes of the Void alone or together with friends.

Pre-Order Downloadable Content “Tour de Void”

Includes a new mechanic that allows Rofleemo to travel with you temporarily as tourists, so they can reach their desired station and stay there safely. Build a Tourist Stand, place tourist seats, and welcome Rofleemo passengers aboard. During their journey, they will offer tasks and challenges. Complete them to earn tickets, which can be exchanged at the Tourist Stand for a wide range of rewards: including new rail skins, character items (skins for bracer and hammer), train decorations, useful perks, upgrades, and even trophies for your train.

Explore the Void

Explore a vast ever-changing world full of mysteries and unique places. Discover floating islands with puzzles and dangerous fauna. Make your way through minefields and visit depots. Meet adorable Rofleemo and make them part of your crew. The Void has much to offer for those seeking adventure, so get ready to accept its challenges!

Build Your Train

You won’t simply expand the train, but you’ll build it yourself from scratch. Start with an empty trolley and develop it into a proper train with multiple wagons and an advanced engine. Customize the look of your train and fill it with all sorts of objects: from storages and workbenches to decorations and tables for mini games.

Fight to Survive

The Void is a dangerous place, and you’ll face a variety of enemies on your way: from regular soldiers to bloodthirsty sharks. Craft and customize your weapons and equipment, escape from being chased, stand against multiple enemy waves in the arenas, clear outposts and be prepared to constantly fight for your life.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468375/voidtrain-launches-july-30-for-ps5/

This monthly series compares the aligned US sales of the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

The PlayStation 5 launched in November 2020, while the PlayStation 4 launched in November 2013. This does mean the holiday periods for the two consoles do lineup.

PS5 Vs. PS4 US:

Gap change in latest month: 52,104 - PS4

Gap change over last 12 months: 998,605 - PS4

Total Lead: 397,754 - PS5

PlayStation 5 Total Sales: 29,656,033

PlayStation 4 Total Sales: 29,258,279

May 2026 is the 67th month the PlayStation 5 has been available for. In the latest month, the gap grew in favor of the PlayStation 4 when compared to the aligned launch of the PlayStation 5 by 52,104 units.

In the last 12 months, the PS4 has outsold the PS5 by 1.00 million units. The PS5 is currently ahead of the PS4 by 0.40 million units.

The PS5 has sold 29.66 million units in 67 months, while the PS4 sold 29.26 million units. Month 67 for the PS5 is May 2026 and for the PS4 is May 2019.

The PS4 crossed 30 million in month 71, 32 million in month 74, and 34 million in month 86. The PS4 sold 34.93 million units lifetime in the US. The PS5 is 5.27 million units behind lifetime PS4 sales in the US.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468305/ps5-vs-ps4-sales-comparison-in-the-us-may-2026/

View a deep dive presentation on the game below:

Read details on the game below:

Attack on Titan 3 is an action game that depicts the story of Attack on Titan from beginning to end.

With new upgrades and improvements to the omni-directional mobility gear battle system, and brand-new encounters against enemies like the Nine Titans, exterminating the titan scourge has never been this acrobatic or intense.

1. Evolved ODM-Gear Action

The ODM Gear action has been tweaked and improved to recreate the thrill of omni-directional battle against titankind. Titans have an arsenal of new and terrifying attacks and behaviors that will have you constantly on your toes.

New Casual Mode allows fans of all skill levels to live the heart-pounding Scout Regiment experience!

2. Create and Lead Your Squad

Build your own Survey Squad from a wide cast of characters with different skills and abilities. Lead your squad on missions outside the Walls.
Construct supply bases, take down dangerous titans, and expand humanity’s domain!

The world outside the Walls is a dangerous place, infested with man-eating Titans. Don’t attack them head-on: use your environment to your advantage and survive the onslaught!

3. Interact with Attack on Titan Characters

Join the Attack on Titan story as your very own Scout: An engineer enamored with the outside world, selected to lead the 104th Cadet Corps after proving themselves to Command.

Interact and fight with Eren, Mikasa, Armin, and the rest of the Attack on Titan cast, and build your relationships to unlock new battle abilities and special cutscenes. You can also customize the player character’s appearance!

New Opening Animation Made by MАРРА

The animation will be directed by the Attack on Titan anime series’ action scene animator, storyboard artist, and key animator Arifumi Imai! Now in production! (Not included in the base game, will be added in an update.)

“We’re so excited to be creating the opening animation for Attack on Titan 3,” the MAPPA team said. “We’re working hard to create an intro movie that fans will love and get everyone excited to dive into the world of Attack on Titan. We can’t wait to show you the finished animation. Thank you for your patience and support!”

Anime Expo 2026

We’ll be at Anime Expo in Los Angeles, July 2 to 5! The game will be featured at the amiami booth!

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468374/attack-on-titan-3-launches-this-winter-for-switch-2-ps5-xbox-series-and-pc/

"We are delighted to bring Onimusha: Way of the Sword to you earlier on September 4, 2026," announced Capcom.

The game will launch for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store.

Read details on the game below:

Onimusha: Way of the Sword slashed its way into the show with director Satoru Nihei revealing a fearsome new foe players will duel in the highly anticipated swordplay action game when it launches.

The footage provides a first look at Dohatsu-ten, a terrifyingly fast and bloodthirsty Genma. After carving its way into the mortal realm, this winged warrior from the depths of hell locks blades with protagonist Miyamoto Musashi in an intense boss battle.

Pre-orders for Onimusha: Way of the Sword are available now and include the “Sealed Curse” sword skin and “Lion Dog” charm as bonuses. Players can also experience the game’s satisfying action today by downloading the Onimusha: Way of the Sword demo now.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468373/onimusha-way-of-the-sword-release-date-moved-up-3-weeks/

Sources familiar with Microsoft's plans say Xbox employees have been testing a disc-to-digital feature, which works with Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs. Xbox 360 and original Xbox discs are not supported. At least during the testing phase. An update for the Xbox PC app in May of this year did reference "enable Disc2Digital."

In order to get a digital copy of a game all a user needs to do is insert a compatible disc into a drive, install the game, and play it. A Microsoft account on an Xbox console is required in order to use digital entitlement for physical games. The digital entitlement is tied to the specific disc and will move from account to account if you swap the physical game with a friend or log in to a different Xbox profile and try to play a disc-based game.

This new feature works similarly to buying a digital game from the Microsoft Store. If the game is available on Xbox Cloud Gaming and you have a Game Pass subscription, you will be able to stream the game. If it is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, you will be able to access it on PCs and handhelds.

Game discs that come bundled with a console and multi-disc titles will also work with the Xbox disc-to-digital feature. However, some Xbox One discs might not work.

"It all depends on how and when the disc was manufactured and it may not have the features we need for this program," Microsoft reportedly told internal testers.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468372/xbox-reportedly-testing-disc-to-digital-feature/

The production year is listed as 2026 with Nintendo of America listed as the producer, creator and distributor.

Read details from the rating below:

• Title in Brazil: Metroid Ravenous
• Original Title: Metroid Ravenous
• Country of Origin: United States
• Production Year: 2026
• Producer(s) / Creator(s): Nintendo of America
• Distributor(s): Nintendo of America
• Proposed Rating: Not recommended for children under 10
• Assigned Rating: Not recommended for children under 12
• Content Descriptor(s): Violence
• Interactive Element(s): Not applicable
• Process Number: 08017.001246/2026-7

Thanks, Gematsu.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468371/metroid-ravenous-by-nintendo-rated-in-brazil/

The PlayStation Plus monthly games are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III for PS5 and PS4, For the King II for PS5 and PS4, and CrossCode for PS5 and PS4.

Read details on the games below:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III – Cross-Gen Bundle | PS5, PS4

Call of Duty returns with an all-new campaign, modernized versions of classic Multiplayer maps and an open-world PvE Zombies experience. The campaign, a direct sequel to the record-breaking Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II, sees Captain Price and Task Force 141 face off against ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov as he extends his grasp across the world. In Multiplayer, the 16 maps that launched with Modern Warfare 2 in 2009 return with upgraded graphics, new modes and innovative gameplay features. In Modern Warfare Zombies, team up with other squads for the first time ever as you work together to survive in the largest Zombies map yet.

For the King II | PS5, PS4

Once beloved by her people, Queen Rosomon has turned against her subjects, casting them into servitude in the darkness of Fahrul’s mines whilst building alliances with sinister and malevolent forces. Gather your party in four player co-op or adventure alone through Fahrul as you risk everything to fight the tyrannical queen and bring an end to her oppressive reign. From the creators of For The King, the much-loved RPG that blends roguelite and tabletop gameplay comes a new chapter in Fahrul’s history, designed on an updated engine bringing innovation and gameplay refinement for returning heroes and new adventurers alike.

CrossCode | PS5, PS4

This retro-inspired 2D action RPG might outright surprise you. CrossCode combines 16-bit style graphics with butter-smooth physics, a fast-paced combat system, and engaging puzzle mechanics, served with a gripping sci-fi story. CrossCode is all about how it plays! Take the best out of two popular genres, find a good balance between them and make a great game. That’s what CrossCode does. You get the puzzles of old school Action Adventure dungeons and are rewarded with the great variety of equipment you know and love from RPGs. During the fast-paced battles you will use the tools you find on your journey to reveal and exploit the enemies’ weaknesses and at the same time will be able to choose equipment and skills for a more in-depth approach in fighting your enemies.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468370/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-july-2026-announced/

The three people are accusing Rockstar failing the people responsible for developing Grand Theft Auto VI, which is expected to have one of the largest video game launches in history.

They have claimed a lack of transparency around pay and bonuses, and a decent portion of compensation packages for employees are in the form of bonuses that fluctuate wildly. This means the compensation received will often fall below the market rate when compared with adjacent industry work. 

"When the bonus is particularly good, it can be a windfall, but often the bonus is disappointing and one can end up being paid considerably less than expected for the year. The reasoning given for this is often nebulous, inconsistent between departments, even inconsistent between team members within the same department, and sometimes hinges on completely subjective or retroactive criticisms," said one source. 

"The main problem is that [bonuses and progression are] all completely discretionary for the company, and they are under no obligation to show their working. Employees want good pay, and if literally anything they do that year could affect it, they will naturally feel they have to be as pliable as possible to their boss's whims. Imagine [how you might feel if] a fifth of your salary could be withheld without any justification or based on a single surprise factor."

The sources claim the median gender gap pay has actually increased at Rockstar and any effort to address it have been scrapped. It was also claimed that nightshift employees no longer receive any extra benefits to offset their unsociable hours. 

One source added, "There are those [within Rockstar and Take-Two] with hundreds of millions of pounds, there are those receiving excellent pay for their work and are grateful, and there are certainly those that are woefully underpaid for their effort and the incredible profits gained. Especially when you consider that the company gets hundreds of millions in tax breaks for their UK workers."

Rockstar has also attempted to normalize crunch, according to the sources. 

"Crunch is prevalent enough that the company built into our contracts, as standard, an opt out of the Working Time Regulations [a UK employment right that can be voluntarily relinquished by employees] that stops your employer being able to ask you to do more than about 10 hours extra each week," said one source. 

"The union successfully ran a campaign to inform people they could opt back in to the regulations at any time, which resulted in Rockstar management simplifying the process and removing the obligation to meet with HR. Part of the problem with crunch is that there is not an agreed definition, and now it seems the company thinks that offering specific and limited compensation as an incentive for overtime means it no longer qualifies as crunch."

Another sources stated, "For us workers, we have no say in who our superiors are. We must try to work with them regardless and hope that they are more interested in engaging with their employees to build some mutual trust moving forward."

"If it seems like a big risk to unionize, it is worth remembering that plenty of non-union members lose their jobs unfairly every year, the difference is that it happens with no scrutiny. And if you think organizing will not make a difference, it already has," said a source.

"Since October, there have been unprecedented average wage increases in represented studios, for the first time ever there is actually some financial incentive for crunch, and several other policies are changing after years of frustration. The timing is not coincidental—organizing works."

A Take-Two Interactive spokesperson provided the following statement, "We strive to make the best games possible by giving our talented teams world-class work environments and ongoing career opportunities. We have fostered a culture which is focused on teamwork, excellence, and kindness, and where we support and reward the team across all levels of the business through competitive compensation and benefits policies. 

"We are proud that as a result, our employee retention is well above the industry standard. We have received a request from a union seeking to discuss voluntary recognition. We value an open and constructive dialogue with all stakeholders and will arrange to meet."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468369/gta-vi-devs-accuse-rockstar-of-gender-pay-gap-mandating-crunch-and-no-bonus-transparency/

"It is safe to now assume that both PlayStation 6 and Project Helix will be digital only devices," said Circana Senior Director and Video Game Industry Advisor Mat Piscatella in a statement sent to Kotaku.

He does believe Nintendo will continue to produce physical cartridges for Nintendo Switch software, at least through the end of the Nintendo Switch 2 lifecycle.

"Physical media in video games will only last so long as the console manufacturers allow it to, and we’re now one step closer to its death," he said. "It’s a sad day in the world of video games."

Kantan Games Dr. Serkan Toto is in agreement with Piscatella saying, "Would anybody be surprised if XBOX now did the same as PlayStation with their next hardware?"

Niko Partners Director of Research and Insights Daniel Ahmad added, "This move guarantees that the PlayStation 6 will ship without a disc drive and Sony is embracing an all digital future. I think many expected Microsoft to make this announcement first, but Sony has beaten them to the punch."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468368/analysts-say-ps6-and-project-helix-will-almost-certainly-be-digital-only/

Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill has told Bloomberg he is stepping down as part of the settlement. He was first fired in summer 2025 following a dispute over a $250 million incentive bonus and the two companies become entangled in litigation that saw a judge force publisher rehire Gill as CEO in March.

"We mutually agreed to part ways," Gill said. "New leadership is the best way for the studio to move forward."

Gill revealed the developers for Subnautica 2 will be "compensated significantly more" than was called for under the original acquisition agreement and will receive "further incentives" as the game continues to be updated and supported.

The original bonus agreement was structured to compensate the top three executives at Unknown Worlds and any employees that were at the studio during the 2021 acquisition. The new agreement sees everyone at the studio getting a payout.

"We’re all super excited about Subnautica 2 and its tremendous success," said Gill.

Subnautica 2 released in Early Access for the Xbox Series X|S, PC via  Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, and Xbox Game Pass on May 14. It has gone on to sell over four million units.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468367/krafton-agrees-to-pay-bonuses-to-entire-staff-of-subnautica-2-dev-unknown-worlds/

Starting in January 2028, all new games release on PlayStation consoles on the PlayStation Store and at retailers will be in digital formats only. 

"As consumer preferences and the broader entertainment industry continue to shift away from physical discs to digital, physical game disc production for all new games releasing on PlayStation consoles will be discontinued starting January 2028," said Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications Senior Director Sid Shuman.

"Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only. This transition has no impact on games that already released, or will be releasing, prior to January 2028 in disc format.  

"This is a natural direction for Sony Interactive Entertainment to adapt to consumer trends as the general preference for digital media significantly outpaces physical discs. This transition will enable us to align more closely with how most of our community prefers to access and play games today.  

"We’ll continue to prioritize our resources to drive innovation in how players can access games and provide choices as to where players prefer to purchase new games, whether that’s at retailers or PlayStation Store. We remain committed to delivering a world-class gaming experience to our fans and we thank you for your continued support."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468360/playstation-ending-physical-game-discs-in-january-2028/

Fans were largely pleased with the distinct locales in past FH entries, though the latest installment truly excels on this front, edging a bit past my previous favorite setting of the colorful, multi-seasonal UK in FH 4. The various well-crafted elements — among them a plethora of diverse race and off-road tracks, and the changing seasons/conditions which affect your driving mechanics — return stronger than ever here. But the notable major addition has to be the dense, gorgeous Japanese landscapes, which yield a wide range of landmasses, awe-inspiring landmarks and mountains, organic-feeling wildernesses, and (relatively) bustling cityscapes — all crammed into a truly huge, seamless biome that dwarfs even the Mexico setting of the prior game.

Whether coasting through the hilly, snowy regions of the north, zipping across coastal highways towards the firework-spouting Horizon festival at night, or swiftly delivering food to customers through vibrant and tight Tokyo streets, there was scarcely a moment I wasn't entranced by the thick sense of atmosphere and stunning visuals that seemed to pop right through the screen. I even had to slow my lightning-quick speed at times to take them in. As much as the game brings an exhilarating supercar sim(cade) ride, it also approximates a virtual Japanese tour and spectacle, complete with a detailed photography mode to drive this point home.

The game showcases historic landmarks and structures from the lavish Hirosaki Castle to the towering Mount Fuji. Between these awesome sights and little details sprinkled in (often interwoven into the gameplay, a-la region-specific smashable relics), the environment is just dripping with culture, history, and character. It seems to present a new surprise around almost every corner, and vast expanses of nothingness, while still present, are fewer here. Indeed, there's much to see, and more to do. One moment you'll stumble upon a neat retro car via Barn Find nestled in a thick bamboo woodland, and the next you'll come upon the quaint Edo-period fishing Village of Ine and Shirakawa-go, or find a tempting million-Credit mansion to save up for.

Of course, this enriching experience can't be complete without a top-notch soundtrack, and for the most part Playground Games delivers here, too. Staple favorites like the foot-tapping club, techno, electro, and EDM music of Horizon Base Arena and Pulse set the fast-paced party vibe, with artists like Calvin Harris and Ninajirachi taking center stage. Being a hard rock and metal fan, I was also pleased to see the game's definitive rock station excel with hits from Poppy, Spiritbox, Coheed and Cambria, the cute-meets-hardcore Babymetal, and a recent genre-bending discovery Passcode.

I also like tuning into Horizon Wave to accompany the scenic, chill tone at night, led by Mitch Murder or Lazerhawk. Synthwave has become a favorite for background tunes in particular - in fact, I'm jamming out to some as I write this - and it's particularly fitting in this game, especially when coasting along in, say, an '85 Toyota Sprinter Trueno. There's even a local station with Japanese tunes to further drive home the local themes and culture. And, of course, there are the lovely Classical melodies of Horizon Opus to complement the epic vistas surrounding you as you explore and search for the next fun activity.

Coupled with this is a deeper, more authentic sound design at large, with each car bringing unique, more pronounced noises and engine sounds that add to their distinct feel. This well-crafted audio extends to the environments and types of terrain, yielding a more dynamic sound that blends with different locales and, coupled with some very pretty lighting and particle effects, brings the area to life. This holds up, whether it's the more compressed, reflecting sounds of the city streets, the gritty crunch of large truck tires plowing through gravel roads, or my howling wolf car horn echoing through tunnels.

Recent FH games tended to have a sometimes-messy hodgepodge of separate events that didn't quite feel like they were working toward a collective progression. While I usually favor the sense of freedom sandbox romps offer over a more rigid linear style, Playground Games draws a few more bits that work from the "linearity" camp while applying them to the open-world, making the sandbox dynamic feel more cohesive and rewarding than ever. FH 6 strikes a nice balance here, yielding a playground (pun intended) of events everywhere that coax you to venture out and explore, while keeping a throughline that feels neater and grants a more tangible sense of progression. 

The notable addition here is the new "endgame" content of Legend Island, which offers bigger and tougher events requiring higher-tier car builds. This tempting unlockable is a smart inclusion, as it entices players to press onward and notch their coveted gold wristband to gain access. But even beyond this, everything just feels a bit more streamlined, pointed, organized, and as a result, more rewarding as you progress. Things tend to feel more "earned" here in various ways; even the Wheelspins, which you're no longer showered with en masse. Menus and interfaces are cleaned up somewhat and easier to navigate, adding to the tighter, more cohesive feel, while several customizations and car/event tweaking options still exist.

The bulk of the campaign is divided into two main categories. The first is Festival Events, which feature the three main racing types, as well as stunts and epic Showcases; a major milestone bout that grants you a new wristband, which opens up the next tier of events. You must knock out several events to earn enough XP, which triggers each Showcase, where your new wristband awaits. Rinse and repeat. It's a fairly simple and more streamlined system that I'm into. Some Showcases include the usual several-minute stints of launching off cliffs while queuing action slow-mo to emphasize the epic moment of an airplane zipping by as you're airborne. Still, there are a few refreshing twists here, including navigating a tight, industrial obstacle course, and a comically out-of-place giant mech scramble. These unapologetically bombastic moments wavered from recognizable to freshly absurd, but overall, I was there for these "virtual ride" vibe shifts from the frequent competition and exploration. 

The other major category, Discover Japan, is home to collectible-gathering tasks, sightseeing, and story-mode content. Under this category, you'll find the "Crazy Taxi-lite" feature I touched on, in which you must rush in a clunky, slow truck to deliver food, along with a car restoration-focused "Yuji's Auto", and the return of Drift Club. A few more competitive, intense (and frankly out of place) bouts like Street Racing are also included here. But this is mainly where you'll find more passive events, those that delve more into the cultural lore and "soul" of the game, as well as small bits of actual story development or notable dialogue.

This more linear progression extends to other areas. Fast-travel is now tied to a fog-of-war implementation where you can teleport to anywhere on the map free of charge — but only once you've driven there on the map. While you can purchase pricey hypercars anytime you wish, assuming you can gather the wealth (the game does offer countless ways to do so, at least), the sleeker, more potent supercars and higher-class tunings are restricted for later-game events. It's a welcome change that keeps momentum going and quickens the pace as you advance. Of course, different collectibles and other points of interest like XP boards are still scattered everywhere, and make for nice, simple tasks while aimlessly exploring.

Along with the Barn Finds, players can now send and receive gift cars to other players, find discounted cars on the side of a road, and scout out Treasure Cars using only a vague image and a hint provided. The latter tended to be tricky and even frustrating for me, but on the rare occasion I did locate one, it made for a satisfying pickup. I enjoyed these creative little ways to add to your car collection, as they mix things up from the usual (often expensive) Autoshow car buys. Though, given its massive lineup of over 600 cars, with more undoubtedly on the way via seasonal content and DLC, you'll surely be buying many from there. These scavenger hunts and other collect-a-thons, while more secondary, add to the game's entertainment value and sense of accomplishment in subtle ways. It's certainly thrilling flying down the highway in your newly-purchased Koenigsegg Jesko, but something about driving in an obscure Treasure or Barn Find vehicle that's been restored brings an extra layer of value as you actively sought it out.

For those who want to fully embrace the player creation or creativity angle, FH 6 brings several creation features back and often expands on them. These include custom paint jobs, manual car tuning, and player-made online events and convoys. Gamers can now even collaborate to create tracks and various events, adding to the seamless, elaborate community sensibility. A stand-out inclusion is the ability to build and decorate personal garages and estates. It feels far more keyboard-and-mouse-friendly than using a controller to drag around each little asset, which can feel clunky and limiting, but it's an amusing diversion in the short-term.

As in past entries, the game offers a deep, multi-tiered system of difficulty to accommodate most players. Of course, many factors can play into how tricky or simple a race is even within a specified parameter — as everything from sharp turns and uphill climbs, to weather-battered terrain, to your car's capability on a given track, plays a role in performance. Particularly in the more rugged Dirt and Cross-Country races, control can quickly escape even more seasoned Forza Horizon players like myself. Some of these narrow, rocky, or elevated roads can be unforgiving, especially when adding rain or snow into the mix.

Added to this, FH 6 boasts a more refined physics system, weather effects, car-specific mechanics, and (relatively) capable and tailored AI "Drivatars". These nuanced features set the stage for a realistic, immersive feel that can be quite engaging. Cars feel a bit more weighty, solid, and tactile as a whole, and respond more to their environments. Yet all these deeper mechanics can also produce unexpected outcomes and sudden spikes in difficulty if you don't prepare. FH 6 still stresses the "arcade" side of the "simcade" subgenre to be sure, with its many swift cars, wild ways of racking up your Skill Score (which can also now link or combine with other players' scores), and large mech showdowns. Still, "sim" elements feel a bit more prominent here than prior games, as it can be less about sheer speed — though there's plenty of that too — and more about sharpness and technicality at times. 

Thankfully, you're granted progress/rewards simply from finishing an event, with added perks when coming in first, and the seamless rewind feature ensures you can win without much of a grind as long as you pick a decent car and navigate the course. I found my sweet spot to be in the "Highly Skilled" level, while dabbling in "Expert" when speeding through an easier track, rocking a top-tier car, or just craving more challenge. While there's flexibility in the toughness, FH 6 can feel erratic when it comes to difficulty spikes. I've had races where I managed to win on Expert level comfortably, and other flawless performances where I barely edged out a photo-finish win on Above Average. I even handily won a few aptly-named "Unbeatable" matches. The AI could be weirdly forgiving or relentlessly rubber-bandy all in one match.

The game's slew of online offerings bring ample fun — albeit some tough or unpredictable moments. You can take part in several random or player-made racing options with varying rules, including the typical Road, Dirt, or Cross-Country races. Rotating seasonal playlists are prominent, giving players a chance to snag exclusive cars and pumping up replay value. Top-of-the-hour Stunt Party (formerly Horizon Arcade) events return, generating a spot for players to meet up and take on unknown challenges together for Credits. Co-op options are expanded upon, and PvP races are made a bit more user-friendly with implementations like car ghosting to avoid devastating collisions.

Even so, I made more than a few of my own driving blunders that saw me quickly near the back of the pack with little chance to catch up. Be warned — while you may have mastered greater difficulty tiers against Drivatars, real people online can bring a wildly new level of challenge with their souped-up cars, at least in my experience. I found I'd typically end up well behind 75% of players, while most of the remaining 25% would lag laughably far behind me. The skill gap is still prominent, apparently. I did find myself enjoying FH 6's iteration of the Battle Royale mode "Eliminator", which meshes well in the wooded, elevated biomes of Japan. I also got a kick out of the chaotic Hide & Seek game, where several players must disperse and locate a lone hider, who may choose to blend in with traffic or take cover in the wilderness. 

Aside from occasionally spotty online gameplay and some inconsistent difficulty spikes, I'm hard-pressed to find many gripes with this latest rendition of Forza Horizon. The game shores up, expands upon, and refines many of my (rare) issues with past titles, and most of its additions, even parts of the estate-decorating feature, are net positives. I didn't even really miss the 90% dialing back of Wheelspins, and in fact, felt more rewarded in the few major prizes I won from them. While I don't wish to dive much into the minutia of nitpicking, I did find Tokyo and other town regions of the map to be a bit lacking in both scope and bustling traffic, as it tended to clash with the otherwise vibrant, epic environments surrounding them.

Does FH 6 take more of a half-step in the recognizable FH formula rather than a revolutionary leap? Perhaps in some ways. Yet, the game brings a solid balance of mostly-honed prior elements that work while sprinkling in just enough novel bits so as not to feel stale. The Japan setting comes alive and brings everything together so nicely for the most part, and is chock-full of things to do. Playground Games brings something for just about all types of racing fans — whether coming from the Mario Kart arcade-style camp like myself, a GT sim aficionado, an online gamer, a creative type, or even a Japanese history/geography buff. With its dozens of hours of "blow your hair back" entertainment, Forza Horizon 6 is easily worth its credits, and is especially worth giving a spin if you have Game Pass.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468358/forza-horizon-6-xs/

"First of all, the games don't go on PC for like a year or whatever it is. It's not day and date," said Layden (via VideoGamesChronicle).

"And if they think that a game coming out 18 months after its launch on another platform somehow stopped a sale from happening 18 months ago in the hardware business, I would like to see how they can prove that thesis.

"You can feel that is true [but] I don't happen to feel that's true. If someone’s waiting 18 months for something to come on PC, we didn't lose a sale to them. They weren't going to buy the hardware anyway."

It was under Layden that PlayStation started to port some of its games over to PC. He defended this decision.

“There's been a lot of misunderstanding about my decision to put games on PC," he said. "I think exclusivity is very important to a platform business. That's how you differentiate. If you want Zelda, you go to Nintendo. If you need Mario, that's where you go, that's where you find it.

"And at the PlayStation business, we did exclusivity throughout PS1, PS2, PS3, that was just the standard of the day. We had Japanese companies who would be exclusive to the PlayStation platform, through our relationships with them. And so that became the standard way you sold the platform."

He added, "Moving into PC or multi-platform releases is really about two things. The PC thing, in my mind anyway at the time, was not to make money, frankly, it was how do I get my intellectual property in front of people who wouldn't normally see it?

"How do I get the world of Horizon to be seen by people who aren't in the PlayStation world? Not necessarily because they're going to buy a PlayStation, I wasn't that crazy. I didn't think that was going to happen.

"But as we take our intellectual property across other media, whether it's into films or it's in television or in comic books or into merchandise you need to have as many eyeballs that are aware of this character, of this story."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468366/former-ps-boss-shawn-layden-speaks-against-sony-no-longer-releasing-single-player-games-on-pc/

"First, we believe this almost certainly guarantees that the PS6 won’t arrive until 2028 at the earliest," he said (via VideoGamesChronicle). "Ampere's current expectation is that the console will launch at the end of 2028."

He believes the PS6 will now "at a minimum" not include a physical disc drive. However, a disc drive add-on could be made available in order to play backwards compatible games.

Harding-Rolls added, "Sony will be looking for all the ways it can reduce the cost of its next-gen console, and this is an easy win. It's possible that an add-on disc drive could be made available to play older PS4 and PS5 games on disc."

"It may be too impractical or too complex, but some process of transferal for older physical media to a digital license could alleviate some of these issues," he speculated. 

Starting in January 2028, all new games release on PlayStation consoles on the PlayStation Store and at retailers will be in digital formats only. 

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468365/analyst-predicts-ps6-to-launch-in-2028-at-the-earliest-following-sony-killing-physical-games/

The PS Store on PS3 will first close in Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua in August 2026, in additional Latin American and Middle Eastern countries in late 2026, while the PS Store for PS3 and PS Vita will be shutdown worldwide in July 2027.

Players are still able to download previously purchased content after the closing date for the foreseeable future. But will no longer be able to make new purchases once the PS Store is shutdown on the PS3 and PS Vita.

"We know this news may be disappointing to PS3 and PS Vita players who hold a special place in their hearts for this generation of gaming," said Sony Interactive Entertainment Content Communications Senior Director Sid Shuman. "PS3 and PS Vita represent an important era in our PlayStation history, so this was not an easy decision for us to make. 

"As we continue to expand the PlayStation experience on newer devices that most of our users are playing on today, we need to focus more resources on delivering the best gaming experiences on these platforms as we look ahead towards the future.

"To our amazing players, we want to give our heartfelt thanks for your ongoing passion and support, which has helped inspire us to shape PlayStation into what it is today. We are excited for the future ahead as we continue to push the boundaries of play. We look forward to having you on this journey with us as we explore new game worlds and new adventures that have yet to come."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468361/playstation-store-for-ps3-and-ps-vita-to-close-in-july-2027/

The update adds Bob-omb Blast as a Battle mode, adjusts the performance of Bullet Bill and of the boomerang, adjusts the probability of items that can be obtained from item boxes during races, and more.

View a trailer of the update below:

Read the patch notes below:

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468362/mario-kart-world-update-adds-2-new-routes-to-knockout-tour-new-stickers-for-photo-mode-more/

View a trailer of the game below:

Read details on the game below:

They chose to fight out rather than give up.

T.R.A.G.: Tactical Rescue Assault Group – Mission of Mercy was released by SUNSOFT in 1998 for a 32-bit home console.

This action game puts you in the role of a special commando unit member, tasked with rescuing scientists held captive in the Togusa Building, which has been occupied by an armed group.

Your only resources are your own physical strength and honed skills.

The Console Archives series is designed to bring classic games originally released on home consoles to modern gaming platforms.

In Console Archives series, features such as customizable button layouts, rapid-fire settings, multiple save points, and for some titles, a rewind function have been added, to support players in completing these classics.

Additional options include screen layout adjustments and filters that recreate the the nostalgic atmosphere of CRT TVs back in the day, allowing players to customize the visual experience to their preference.

Whether it’s a title you played long ago or one you’re experiencing for the first time, we hope you’ll find a favorite and enjoy the game your way.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468364/console-archives-trag-tactical-rescue-assault-group-ndash-mission-of-mercy-launches-july-2/

Arcade Archives 2 Lady Bug is priced at $9.99 / 1,100 yen, while Arcade Archives Lady Bug is priced at 7.99 / 837 yen An upgrade will be available for $2.99 / 330 yen.

View a trailer of the game below:

Read details on the game below:

Lady Bug is an action game released by Universal in 1981.

Control the Lady Bug and avoid pursuing enemies while making your way through the maze and collecting all the dots. Since only the Lady Bug can pass through the revolving doors, they are effective for avoiding enemy attacks.

Collect the bonuses marked with letters or hearts skillfully and aim for a high score!

The Arcade Archives series is developed with the concept of faithfully reproducing classic arcade games, staying true to its original.

In Original Mode, you’ll find a variety of convenient features that make revisiting these classic titles even more enjoyable. These include difficulty and display settings, button remapping, rapid-fire options, the ability to create multiple save files at any time, and even a rewind function to undo your last move. Some titles also offer special settings that recreates the nostalgic atmosphere of CRT TVs back in the day. In addition, in Hi Score Mode and Caravan Mode, you can compete for the best scores with players around the world through Online Rankings.

Arcade Archives 2 series introduces a brand-new mode called Time Attack Mode, in addition to the Original Mode, Hi Score Mode, and Caravan Mode from Arcade Archives. Time Attack Mode focuses on how quickly you can complete the game, regardless of the score you achieve.

What’s more, with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) support, the gameplay can be reproduced even more accurately, closer to the original arcade experience.

Please enjoy these iconic arcade games that defined an era with the Arcade Archives series!

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468363/arcade-archives-lady-bug-launches-july-2-for-switch-2-ps5-xbox-series-switch-and-ps4/

Thousands of employees are expected to be laid off across the company with cuts expected at sales and consulting, as well as the previously mentioned Xbox division.

The overall number laid off will be smaller than the previous couple of years with less than 2.5 percent of the company's total workforce of 220,000 employees. That would put the total number laid off at below 5,500 across the company. 

The sources are expecting Microsoft to announce the layoffs next week, however, the exact timing might change. Some of those laid off will be offered new roles immediately.

Microsoft laid off around 15,000 employees in 2025 with 6,000 let go in May and another 9,000 in July.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier previously reported Ninja Theory, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games were all facing potential closure and were in talks with Microsoft to go independent. GameBeat's Dean Takahashi this week reported State of Decay 3 developer Undead Labs is in the mix of possibly being shut down. The Verge is also reporting Arkane might be facing closure as well.

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468357/microsoft-reportedly-plans-to-lay-off-under-25-of-total-workforce/

Multiple people in the call said the layoffs were unnecessary in the first place. Arce pointed to the recent Xbox Series X and S price hikes and said, "the money is there, leadership is simply choosing where it goes and who pays."

United Video Game Workers representative Sherveen Uduwana pointed to the $96.5 million dollar salary Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella make last year. Diablo IV senior environment artist Mahreen Fatima also mentioned the billions of dollar Microsoft has invested in artificial intelligence over the last few years and demanded proof the company was short on money.

There are multiple unions across different studios at Xbox. Some CWA members even mentioned the World of Warcraft union bargaining team made positive movement on layoff protection from management. However, Zenimax union members have stated Microsoft have sat on their proposal for layoffs protections for months with no response. One Activision Publishing union member said their bargaining group had 20 proposals and are waiting on a response from Microsoft for all of them.

The people in the call emphasized they want layoff protections cemented for all workers at Xbox and not just the ones unionized. This includes  advanced notice of layoffs, two years of recall rights, and hiring freezes to give existing employees chances to find new opportunities across Xbox.

Activision Publishing QA tester Andrew Snell said, "We’re done paying for executives’ failures."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468351/cwa-union-says-xbox-employees-will-not-be-treated-as-disposable/

"With live-service games, it’s important to keep providing something on an ongoing basis," Nishino said (via VideoGamesChronicle). "The genre itself is relatively new, and I imagine many people are trying out various approaches, so we intend to continue taking on new challenges within that context."

He added, "We view live-service games as content that attracts users on a global scale, so we intend to continue revitalizing the market through both first-party and third-party content. We are looking beyond simply promoting new titles and are considering what can be done with older titles over the medium to long term."

PlayStation announced in 2022 it had plans to develop 10 live service games, however, there have been issues since then. Concord launched in 2024 and was pulled just two weeks later, while several live service games were cancelled before release. This included ones at Bend Studio and the now shut down Bluepoint Games.

Sony acquired Bungie for $3.6 billion in January 2022 and the studio has since stopped supporting Destiny 2 and its latest release, Marathon, has not managed to meet expectations. The studio this week laid off "most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members."

A life-long and avid gamer, William D'Angelo was first introduced to VGChartz in 2007. After years of supporting the site, he was brought on in 2010 as a junior analyst, working his way up to lead analyst in 2012 and taking over the hardware estimates in 2017. He has expanded his involvement in the gaming community by producing content on his own YouTube channel and Twitch channel. You can follow the author on Bluesky.

Full Article - https://www.vgchartz.com/article/468329/playstation-ceo-says-it-isnt-done-with-live-service-games/