Video games, esports, gaming industry, and interactive entertainment
Some Marathon players who shared gear during the beta are finding it waiting in their inbox on launch day, giving them an unintended advantage in Bungie's new extraction shooter.
Tom Whitfield 
Blizzard is giving players a week to try the Paladin class for free starting March 11, a calculated move to generate interest in its April 28 Lord of Hatred expansion.
Jimmy O'Brien 
Nearly a decade after the original, Ruiner returns with co-op support for up to three players and a fresh shell system that lets you switch between combat bodies mid-fight.
Priya Narayanan 
Bungie's sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon arrives with a clear monetisation split: all gameplay power is free, but cosmetics carry premium prices comparable to free-to-play competitors.
Yuki Tamura 
From Angry Birds to League of Legends, the World Video Game Hall of Fame's 2026 ballot reveals just how diverse gaming culture has become. Public voting is now open.
Jake Nguyen 
Microsoft has officially confirmed Project Helix, its next-generation Xbox console arriving in 2027, which will play both Xbox and PC games. The announcement signals a dramatic shift in how the company plans to compete against Sony and Nintendo.
Tom Whitfield 
Fallout: New Vegas players are getting a chance to experience post-game dialogue that was originally cut due to time and storage constraints. A beta build discovered in November has enabled modders to restore conversations that would have acknowledged player choices after the final mission.
Aisha Khoury 
As Assassin's Creed Shadows approaches its first anniversary, Ubisoft has confirmed it will enter final support phase and officially teased a Black Flag remake, signalling a major shift in franchise strategy.
Mitchell Tan 
Marvel Rivals is structuring its entire 2026 around MCU tie-ins, with special events tied to Avengers films and new characters rumoured ahead of the December movie release.
Jake Nguyen 
Marathon launched March 5 to modest success and positive reviews, but faces an uncertain future in a genre plagued by high-profile failures.
Yuki Tamura 
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has unexpectedly returned to Steam as a standalone game, even as Valve faces a major lawsuit over alleged illegal gambling mechanics in its shooter franchises.
Yuki Tamura 
Jackbox Games has announced its first major venture into third-party publishing, signing Australian indie studio Toot Games to publish the absurdist heist game My Arms Are Longer Now.
Jake Nguyen 
Sony is stepping back from releasing major PlayStation games on PC, ending its push to bring console exclusives to personal computers and marking a significant shift in gaming industry strategy.
Tom Whitfield 
Control Resonant moves the series spotlight to Dylan Faden as Remedy redesigns combat around aggression, dialogue choices, and dynamic ability synergies.
Helen Cartwright 
After crafting grief-driven and horror-focused games, Surgent Studios is pivoting to cooperative chaos with FixForce, a six-player robot repair game launching in early access on March 12.
Helen Cartwright 
Bungie's Marathon launches today with a refreshingly consumer-friendly monetisation model, avoiding the predatory tactics common in live-service games while maintaining cosmetic revenue streams.
Jake Nguyen 
Reports suggest Sony Santa Monica is developing a new franchise within the God of War universe. The move shows creative studios are learning to maximise returns without overextending resources.
Darren Ong 
Pokémon Pokopia launches on Nintendo Switch 2 with strong critical reception, blending life simulation with a real-time clock system that changes how players experience the franchise.
Darren Ong 
Myrient, a 390TB retro game archive, shuts down March 31 as AI-driven hardware costs crush its finances. Volunteers are racing to save it all.
Tom Whitfield 
Bungie's sci-fi extraction shooter Marathon hits PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC this week, with Australian players able to jump in from 5am AEST on Friday, March 6.
Sophia Vargas