The Week in Gaming - Issue #12

Highlights of the Week

• If you’d like an opening night wrap up for Gamescom, several media outlets have you covered! Hit the links for a quick sampling and keep reading this newsletter for the major updates: Eurogamer, Rock Paper Shotgun, NAG

• Team Cherry has finally announced the release date for Hollow Knight: Silksong and fans don’t have to wait long! The title will be releasing on September 4. Nintendo Life

• The state of Louisiana is suing Roblox for allegedly facilitating the “sexual exploitation of Louisiana’s children”. The lawsuit claims that the company “does nothing to confirm or document that parental permission has been given, no matter how young a child is”, nor does it “require a parent to confirm the age given when a child signs up to use Roblox”. The lawsuit and content creator Schlep’s efforts to expose problems on the platform has reignited worldwide attention to Roblox’s lack of content moderation and effective child safety tools. Eurogamer, Houston Chronicle

Game News

• Path of Exile 2 will be free to play for the first time via a special event that starts August 29 and ends on September 1, across all platforms. Polygon Gaming

• Wargaming has announced the largest update in history for World of Tanks, dubbing it World of Tanks 2.0. The update rebalances tanks, adds new vehicles, matchmaking, and more and is coming on September 3. MMORPG.com

• Rockstar Games is giving 1 million (in-game) bucks to players for free if you play GTA Online between now and September 17. GTA+ subscribers get an extra million during this login period as well. ComicBook Gaming

Upcoming

• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds will have an Open Network Test for PS5, Xbox Series S|X, PC, and Switch starting August 29 and ending on September 1. Eurogamer

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 will release on October 21 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series S|X. Rock Paper Shotgun

• Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault will be releasing into Early Access via Steam on October 23. Eurogamer

• Anime-inspired Blue Star Protocol: Star Resonance, will be launching in October for mobile and PC, with preregistration available now. Pocket Gamer

• Grand strategy game, Europa Universalis V will launch for PC on November 4. MMORPG.com

• Satisfactory’s Xbox and Playstation release date has been confirmed as November 4. ComicBook Gaming

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will release on November 14. Eurogamer

• Open world Wuxia action RPG game, Where Winds Meet, will be launching on November 14 for PS5 and PC. PlayStation Blog

• Comedic FPS High on Life 2 from Squanch Games will be releasing on February 13, 2026. Eurogamer

• World of Warcraft’s latest expansion, Midnight, was unveiled at Gamescom with an official cinematic trailer. The expansion features player housing, new regions within Quel’Thalas, and a prey system to hunt (or be hunted by) tough bosses. The expansion is currently slated for 2026. Eurogamer

• Upcoming multiplatform ARPG Limit Zero Breakers is going to be making an appearance at the Tokyo Game Show. The title is a collaboration between VIC, Kadokawa, and publisher NCSoft. Pocket Gamer

• Tactical roguelite, Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, was announced at Gamescom this week and will be launching early 2026 on PC. Rock Paper Shotgun

• NCSoft announces its Destiny-like third-person tactical shooter MMORPG, called Cinder City. The title will release in the second half of 2026. MMORPG.com

• Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is coming to Switch 2 next year. Eurogamer

• A new Halloween video game will be launching for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026, developed by IllFonic. ComicBook Gaming

• Ghost of Yōtei Legends DLC is coming in 2026. PlayStation Blog

• Dark fantasy action RPG sequel, Lords of the Fallen II has been announced, with a 2026 release date and new cinematic trailer. PlayStation Blog

• Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM has announced their next title, Zero Parades, an espionage RPG. Eurogamer

• Team-based survival game Time Takers, developed by Mistil Games and published by NCSoft, will be released for PC and console devices next year. MMORPG.com

• Gravity Interactive’s modernized take on Ragnarok, Ragnarok M Classic Global, will launch on September 3 with no gacha elements and an emphasis on skill. MMORPG.com

• Lego Batman game, Legacy of the Dark Knight, is coming to PC and console platforms next year. Eurogamer

• Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War 4 has been announced, eight years after Dawn of War 3. The title is being developed by German studio KING Art Games. Eurogamer

• Game Science has announced the next game in the Black Myth franchise, Black Myth: Zhong Kui. The single player RPG title is a follow-up to Black Myth: Wukong. Eurogamer

• Saber Games, Jurassic Park: Survival, brings a fresh take to the IP, with the title taking place the day after the original movie with brand new character that finds themselves stranded in the park and must survive threats in order to find a way back home. ComicBook Gaming

• Nintendo has announced that racing action game Kirby Air Riders is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. Eurogamer

• Mount and Blade 2's delayed War Sails expansion showcased a new trailer featuring expansive map exploration, fleet building, naval campaigns, and more. The expansion, initially set to launch in June of this year, does not yet have an official release date. PC Gamer

• Gallipoli is next historically authentic FPS title in Blackmill Games’ WWI Game Series. The game will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series consoles and will feature the Middle Eastern front as its setting. GamesBeat

Game Updates

• Dune: Awakening will receive a new paid DLC update on September 10, which features a new ground vehicle and cosmetics. Eurogamer

• PUBG Mobile is launching an asymmetrical PvP mode called Unfail with its upcoming version 4.0 update. The Dead by Daylight-like mode is built around a five-player showdown where one player predator hunts down four survivor players. Pocket Gamer

• Helldivers 2’s launch on Xbox Series X|S will include a new Halo-themed Warbond, available on all platforms. Eurogamer

• Capcom pleads with PC Monster Hunter Wilds players to wait until the free update this winter to get the next set of improvements for performance and stability. Eurogamer

• FFXIV producer Yoshi-P has revealed that Square Enix has had “positive discussions” with Nintendo over a possible Switch 2 port of the game. Video Games Chronicle

• Riot has confirmed that fighting game 2XKO will have characters unlocked through gameplay online and the whole roster will be available in offline (local PvP and training) modes. Shacknews

• In what fans deemed as a cash grab, Infinity Nikki developers Infold announced a crossover with Nikki and the world of Stardew Valley. The collaboration will arrive in version 1.9, set to launch on September 2. Pocket Gamer

• Fallout 76's major CAMP-building overhaul will go live on main servers starting September 2. The overhaul includes UI and construction menu improvements, a categorization system for items, loosened building restrictions, snapping toggles, and clipping/overlapping allowances. MMORPG.com

Game Tech

• Sony officially unveiled its Inzone range of gaming peripherals. They include an ANC-equipped gaming headset, the brand’s first keyboard, mouse, wired in-ear headset, and mousepads. Eurogamer

• Microsoft and Asus’ new Xbox Ally handhelds launch on October 16th. While pricing has not been revealed, leaks have suggested the Ally will debut around $699. The Verge Games

• Steam now has "language-specific" review scores, which is meant to assist in title scoring for different groups of customers, allowing for developers to “better distill the sentiment of those different groups”. Since the change, some games have seen a change in their scores for certain languages, including Wuchang: Fallen Feathers (increase), Palworld (increase), and Mortal Kombat 1 (decrease). Rock Paper Shotgun, ComicBook Gaming

• Playstation has confirmed a price increase of $50 for the base PS5, the digital PS5, and the PS5 Pro. ComicBook Gaming

Social Impacts

• Safe in Our World has launched Mental Health Star Accreditation, a program that awards companies that meet its criteria with an endorsement from the mental health charity. The accreditation is available to companies worldwide. GamesIndustry.biz

• Make-A-Wish has launched Infinite Wishes, a global initiative that aims to unite the video games industry to “help grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses”. The initiative aims to provide a flexible framework to allow game companies to grant gaming-related wishes and “make a meaningful impact, no matter an organization’s size or budget”. GamesIndustry.biz

• An anonymous developer at Arkane alleged earlier in the week that Microsoft has yet to issue any response to the studio’s open letter, which calls for an end to its reported relationship with the Israeli military. Microsoft responded to Game Developer media by restating that they plan to undertake a formal review into the report published by The Guardian that asserts Azure technology is being used by Israeli Defense Forces. Game Developer (1), Game Developer (2)

• Fallout season two releases on Amazon Prime on December 17. Eurogamer

• Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is getting an anime adaptation, heading exclusively to Crunchyroll. Eurogamer

• Devil May Cry: Netflix debuts its season 2 trailer, which will premiere in 2026. ComicBook Gaming

Till next week,

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