Video games, esports, gaming industry, and interactive entertainment
Microsoft has patented an AI-powered helper system for Xbox that can take over your game when you hit a wall — and it's not the only console maker thinking this way.
Jake Nguyen 
Bungie's Marathon launches March 5 with three-month seasons, mandatory loot wipes, and free content for all players — a bold live-service bet that splits hardcore fans.
Patrick Donnelly 
Arrowhead Studios has revealed that Helldivers 2 players racked up 177 million friendly-fire incidents in the game's second year, out of 8.6 billion total Helldiver deaths.
Aisha Khoury 
Bungie's Marathon dominated Steam Next Fest's most-played rankings, but its inclusion as a 'demo' is drawing fire from developers and players alike.
Kate Morrison 
Fallout 3 lead designer Emil Pagliarulo has revealed he deliberately engineered as much Deus Ex 'DNA' into the game as he could, offering a rare window into the creative lineage behind Bethesda's landmark RPG.
Yuki Tamura 
Georgia-based Tripwire Interactive has laid off 23 staff, citing 'business realities' — part of a gaming industry contraction that shows no sign of slowing in 2026.
Sophia Vargas 
Wizards of the Coast has unveiled a seasonal content model for Dungeons & Dragons in 2026, grouping sourcebooks, accessories and organised play into three themed quarters.
Megan Torres 
The GDC Festival of Gaming launches this week in San Francisco, with 700+ sessions, the IGF and GDCA awards, and sessions spotlighting Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Battlefield 6.
Jake Nguyen 
Zoo Fighter lets players battle Punch's bullies, but the real goal is redirecting the world's affection for the Japanese macaque toward primate welfare advocacy.
Tom Whitfield 
Electronic Arts is introducing a paid mod marketplace and new virtual currency for The Sims 4, raising questions about creator fairness and the game's future under new ownership.
Oliver Pemberton 
Nintendo's March 2026 Indie World showcase delivered three same-day releases, headlined by Blue Prince — one of last year's most acclaimed games.
Jake Nguyen 
Scott Pilgrim EX launches today, and IGN's verdict is clear: Tribute Games has built something genuinely good from the rubble of retro gaming nostalgia.
Daniel Kovac 
Heart of the Machine exits Early Access with a fully realised cyberpunk world where you play as a sentient AI. It's messy, brilliant, and uncomfortably topical.
Yuki Tamura 
SoulGame Studio's Minishoot' Adventures, a Zelda-inspired twin-stick bullet-hell shooter, is now available across all major consoles after wowing PC players in 2024.
Tom Whitfield 
A new Witcher 3 mod expands Kaer Morhen with content cut from the original game, restoring rooms, landmarks, and Easter eggs from across the franchise.
Tom Whitfield 
EA is launching an in-game marketplace and virtual currency called Moola for The Sims 4, with creators earning 30% of sales through a new Maker Program.
Mitchell Tan 
Dutch indie studio Total Mayhem Games has announced We Were Here Tomorrow, the fifth entry in its acclaimed co-op puzzle series, coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S this year.
Ella Sullivan 
Bungie's Marathon drew big numbers in its Server Slam test, but the game's heavily stylised user interface has divided players and triggered a viral debate about art versus usability.
Priya Narayanan 
Nick Apostolides, voice of Leon Kennedy, argues AI can't replicate human performance — and that studios selling millions of copies can afford not to try.
Riley Fitzgerald Pokémon's 30th anniversary has delivered two very different propositions: a Switch 2-exclusive life sim drawing rave reviews, and paid ports of GBA classics that are splitting the fanbase.
Sarah Cheng