GAMING NEW & UPDATES

Major Game Announcements & Releases

• • Splatoon Raiders: Nintendo has announced a new single-player Splatoon spin-off titled Splatoon Raider for the upcoming Switch 2 console. Set in the Spirhalite Islands, players will team up with the fictional pop group Deep Cut to solve a mystery. The release date is yet to be confirmed.

• • MindsEye: Former Lizzie McGuire star Jake Thomas enters the gaming world as Marco Silva, an eccentric billionaire, in the cinematic action-adventure game MindsEye. Released on June 10 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, the game boasts advanced motion-capture technology for a realistic experience.

• • 007: First Light: IO Interactive’s upcoming James Bond game, 007: First Light, was unveiled during Sony’s State of Play on June 4. Set to release in 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the game offers an original Bond origin stop.

• • Gears of War: Reloaded: The original Gears of War (2006) is being remastered as Gears of War: Reloaded using Unreal Engine 5. Scheduled for release on August 26, 2025, it will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, marking the franchise’s debut on PlayStation platforms.

Esports & Industry News

• • SAG-AFTRA Strike Nears End: The nearly year-long video game actors’ strike may conclude soon following a tentative contract agreement with major video game companies. The deal includes protections against AI misuse in voice acting.

• • Blast.TV Austin Major 2025: The third Counter-Strike 2 Major Championship is underway in Austin, Texas, featuring 32 teams competing for a $1.25 million prize pool. The tournament runs from June 3 to June 22, 2025.

• • PUBG Mobile Super League CSA Spring 2025: Starting June 12, 20 teams from Central and South Asia will compete in Kazakhstan for a $200,000 prize pool and three qualification slots for the PUBG Mobile World Cup 2025.

Summer Game Fest 2025 Highlights

The Summer Game Fest 2025, held from June 6 to 9, showcased over 50 new game announcements, including:

• • Resident Evil 9: Requiem: The final installment in the trilogy that began with Resident Evil 7.

• • Death Stranding 2: On the Beach: Hideo Kojima’s sequel to the 2019 hit.

• • Code Vein II: The sequel to the popular anime-inspired action RPG.

• • Atomic Heart 2: The next chapter in the Soviet-era sci-fi shooter series.

• • LEGO Party!A new family-friendly party game.

Game Updates & Features

• • League of Legends: Patch 25.06 introduces visual updates to Nexus, Turrets, and Inhibitors, alongside a Noxian-themed battle pass and skins.

• • Assassin’s Creed Shadows: The upcoming title will require at least 102 GB of storage on PS5, with potential for larger updates post-launch.

• • Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3: Officially in development, this sequel follows the success of Space Marine 2.