Author - Jerry Paxton

Away From Life Launches in Steam Early Access

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Solo indie developer Cursor Games today announces that Away From Life, a first-person open-world survival adventure, launches on Steam Early Access today for $12.99 / €12.79 / £10.99 with a limited-time 25% launch discount.

After a devastating helicopter crash leaves you stranded across a remote and dangerous archipelago, survival becomes your only priority. With no rescue in sight, you must adapt to life as a castaway, scavenging for resources, hunting for food, crafting tools, and building shelter to endure the unforgiving wilderness. Every decision matters as you explore the islands, uncover hidden secrets both on land and beneath the waves, and carve a path back to civilisation.

From dense jungles to treacherous coastlines and the depths of the surrounding ocean, Away From Life challenges players to push beyond their limits. Danger lurks in every direction, from hostile wildlife to the environment itself. Establishing a safe haven is only the beginning, as true survival means mastering your surroundings.

The Early Access launch introduces a robust foundation for players to dive into, including:

  • Expansive island exploration across diverse environments
  • Deep crafting systems, including tools, vehicles, and base building
  • Multiplayer co-op, allowing up to 8 players to survive together
  • A living world filled with dangerous inhabitants, flora, and fauna
  • Hidden secrets and mysteries waiting to be uncovered

This is just the beginning. Away From Life will continue to evolve throughout Early Access, with future updates shaped directly by community feedback and ongoing development. The team has already been actively expanding the experience based on player suggestions, including new traversal and survival tools such as boats, rafts, and motorised watercraft, improving how players explore and survive the islands and surrounding waters. Players are encouraged to join the Discord, share their experiences, and help shape the journey ahead.

Players are encouraged to join the game’s Discord, share their experiences, and help guide the journey ahead.

Whether braving the wild solo or teaming up with fellow survivors, one thing is certain: nothing will be handed to you. There are no stores, no shortcuts, only your instincts, your ingenuity, and your will to survive.

Anno 117: Pax Romana Celebrates 1.17 Million Players

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Windows PC News

Today, Ubisoft announced that Anno 117: Pax Romana has crossed a significant milestone by reaching 1.17 million players since its release on November 13, 2025, making it the fastest-selling game in franchise history. This news builds on an exceptional launch, as the game has garnered critical praise for elevating the city-building genre to new heights.

Anno 117: Pax Romana’s latest achievement arrives just ahead of the release of its first DLC, Prophecies of Ash, on April 30. The DLC provides fans with a steady stream of fresh content they’ve eagerly awaited, including the largest Island in Anno’s history, a Vulcan deity, and a looming volcano, challenging players with its eruption phases.

“We are deeply grateful for the incredible support of our players,” said Stéphane Jankowski, Executive Producer on Anno. ‘Our team remains dedicated, continuously listening to feedback and striving to deliver the ambitious Year 1 content, starting with Prophecies of Ash, sure to keep our fans engaged in cultivating their Roman empire this year and beyond.”

Anno 117: Pax Romana will be hosting a free weekend from April 23 to 27, and Ubisoft is currently offering a friend referral up until May 17, allowing players to receive Fame Points for every individual they refer to the game. Key Content in Anno 117: Pax Romana’s Year One Pass includes:

  • Prophecies of Ash (April 30, 2026): In Prophecies of Ash, the region of Latium expands with new lands to settle on. Discover the largest island in Anno history, where a natural volcanic disaster will challenge the way you govern. By devoting your cities to Vulcan, a new deity. Devote your cities to Vulcan and boost your mines, set up new production chains, and trade obsidian for powerful new specialists.

  • The Hippodrome (August 2026) Build the Hippodrome – the grandest monument in Anno’s history, inspired by the famous Circus Maximus. Entertain your citizens with thrilling chariot races, welcome new specialists on your islands and gain powerful buffs for your cities.

  • Dawn of the Delta (November 2026): Dawn of the Delta unlocks a brand-new province featuring vast deserts and a fertile river delta. Govern new population tiers with unique needs and beliefs. Balance Roman ambition with Egyptian tradition and expand your influence by worshipping new deities, commanding new military units, and more.

Anno 117: Pax Romana is available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X | S, Geforce Now, as well as Windows PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Connect.

Global MapleStory Celebrates 21st Anniversary

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News

Nexon America announced that Global MapleStory officially marks a massive 21-year milestone today with the grand opening of the Maple University event. This sprawling anniversary celebration invites players to step onto a vibrant new campus to master unique skills, earn academic credits, and unlock a huge variety of 21st-anniversary rewards, all of which are live and playable starting today.

The Maple University: Event Highlights

The anniversary celebration introduces a variety of “extracurricular” activities and specialized progression mechanics:

  • Academic Progression (Campus Life & Graduation): Players can attend Basic and Special Lectures to earn Credits and Campus Points for exclusive rewards. Advancing through the semester unlocks powerful buffs and the “Rowdy Campus Life” skill for massive EXP gains.
  • The Monster Election: Join a team and show your school spirit! Collect Lightsticks through mini-games or defeating monsters to vote for your favorite candidate and unlock unique growth perks.
  • Enhanced Hunting (Rowdy Campus Life & Hasty Hunting MAX): Take the party to the field! The Rowdy Campus Life skill triggers automatically during combat to boost EXP, while Hasty Hunting MAX event provides massive hunting buffs and mission rewards.
  • Personalized Student IDs: Visit Dean Pink Bean to craft a custom Maple U Student ID. By collecting “Memories” from defeated monsters, players can customize their ID and unlock a variety of rewards.
  • Campus Mini-Games (Club Fair): From participating in 6 mini-games available at the Club Fair, players can reach point milestones to earn EXP and unlock exclusive rewards.
  • Mysterious Discoveries: Assist with campus research by exploring the Dimensional Tower or aiding Mano in Academic Capture to secure the Honor Student’s Scholarship Kit and special exploration buffs.

The semester has officially begun, but these festivities won’t last forever! Players can log in daily to claim their Summer Countdown rewards and make the most of the 21st anniversary celebration.

For full event details, visit the official website here and dive into the deep dive with our latest patch notes here.

Transport Fever 3 Getting Curated Mods Program

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
Geek News, News, PlayStation 5 News, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Modding has always been at the heart of the Transport Fever series. Urban Games is taking modding support to a completely new level with the introduction of the Curated Mods Program. The Program gives some of the best modders in the genre early access to the game, allowing for an exciting selection of high-quality, developer-supported mods to be available already on launch day. Urban Games is now accepting applications for new participants and will continue to expand the Curated Mods Program beyond release. Additionally, Urban Games announced today that confidential closed beta tests for consoles are starting soon, with a strong focus on overall stability and performance, to take even more community feedback on board.

With more than 15,000 individual mods currently available in the Steam Workshop from modding communities around the globe, Transport Fever 2 has long been known as an exceptionally modder-friendly game. Transport Fever 3 expands on this legacy by providing an even more powerful toolset for modders, with nearly every new feature developed having moddability in mind, and mods available cross-platform through the in-game mod hub. This time, Urban Games takes things further in order to ensure that players can tailor their experience from day one. A hand-picked selection of several dozen well-known modders from Transport Fever 2 and related titles has been working closely with the team on new content as a part of the Curated Mods Program since early 2026. Players can look forward to an international and iconic selection of mods available in the mod hub from day one of the game’s release later this year.

To incorporate even more community feedback, the first of these mods are already being tested in-game as part of Urban Games’ closed beta program, with the latest PC round concluding a few days ago and the first console beta just around the corner.

The Curated Mods Program allows the best modders to create mods in close collaboration with the Urban

Games development team. They receive dedicated support, get early access to the game and have the chance to influence the final part of modding-tool development with their feedback and expertise. At the same time, they are honoured by Urban Games with a financial grant and their mods will be specially marked in-game so that new and veteran players alike are able to spot these highest quality mods at first glance.

Besides providing very interesting mods already on day one, Urban Games will also continue the Curated Mods Program after release to guarantee an even bigger stream of new mods and most important, to give back to the Community. The Curated Mods Program is not just focused on purely new vehicles and assets, but also on script-mods, savegames and even localizations. There will be a much bigger selection of mods for consoles, due to the fact that Transport Fever 3 is one of the very first games to feature a fully automated mod-approval system. This system has been developed in close collaboration with Sony and Microsoft, allowing for less restrictions and more creative freedom for mod authors.

In order to take part in the Curated Mods Program, modders must fulfill a selection of different criteria,

such as a proven track record of very well rated and popular mods for either Transport Fever 2 or similar

games in the genre. The exact specifications and a form to apply can be found here.

Urban Games’ community support does not just stop there. To gather and take on board even more feedback, several rounds of closed beta testing with thousands of invited participants have been held already, with a new one focusing on console players starting soon. The Transport Fever series has seen a big growth also in the console player fanbase, making it even more important for Urban Games to have the best possible product ready for the simultaneous day one launch for Computer (Windows, Mac, Linux), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Ecco the Dolphin: Complete Announced

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Windows PC News

A&R Atelier today announced Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, a comprehensive new package that takes players on a journey through time and through the history of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises. In Ecco the Dolphin: Complete, Ecco swims through time itself, from the 8-bit Master System era through the 16-bit Genesis/Mega Drive generation and into a brand-new contemporary game built for the modern era. This is the complete, definitive Ecco the Dolphin experience, created by the people who made the originals. A Remaster done as it should be.

Early Preview Access & Community

Ecco the Dolphin invites you for the Earth Day celebration at eccothedolphin.com. To participate in early access, preview Ecco content, and connect directly with the development team, visit EccoTheDolphin.com—the singular source of information and access to the team building the future of Ecco the Dolphin.

Made by the People Who Made Ecco

Ecco the Dolphin: Complete is built by original members of the Ecco development team, reunited after more than 30 years, and includes original creator Ed Annunziata along with members of the original composition, art, and programming teams. No one else can make this game. The people who created Ecco’s world, its music, its atmosphere, and its mysteries are the ones bringing it forward. This is not an outside studio’s interpretation. This is Ecco as it was always meant to be—realized by the minds that dreamed it into existence.

Every Version. Every Era. Every Ocean.

The package includes all versions of Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time, the original, immutable games from the early ’90s, preserved and freely explorable. Alongside the classics, a brand-new contemporary Ecco game extends the journey into the modern era, weaving the history of the franchise together into a single, unified experience.

Built for Players, Streamers, and Speedrunners

Ecco the Dolphin: Complete features built-in speedrunning support, achievements, and leaderboards. Meta quests span across the original games and the new contemporary title, creating challenges that thread through the entire Ecco universe. Custom courses let players and creators chart their own path through any combination of levels from any game in the franchise and share them with the community.

Ingrid Joins Street Fighter 6 and Shatters Reality on May 28

2026/04/23
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Today, the mysterious and powerful Ingrid entered a new dimension to show off her reality warping powers before she arrives in Street Fighter™ 6. Ingrid will be the fourth and final character coming to Street Fighter 6 Year 3 across PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch™ 2 on May 28.

Ingrid’s first Terran vacation occurred in Capcom Fighting Evolution in 2004, before she quickly tore through the fabric of reality again to appear in Street Fighter™ Alpha 3 MAX in 2006. While Ingrid has never been shy about using her magical maneuvers to put the hurt on her opponents, her latest gameplay trailer shows the whole new bag of tricks she’s bringing to Street Fighter 6:

  • Sun Crests: Ingrid infuses herself with the power of the sun up to four times to imbue her attacks with additional hits, range, and follow up options.
  • Sun Shot: Ingrid shoots a dazzling ball of light in front of her that briefly pauses before launching at a different angle or speed depending on the button pressed and how long it is held.
  • Sun Flare: Ingrid shoots a beam of light forward with both heavy and light versions that respectively spend or gather Sun Crests for combo options.
  • Solar Burst: A downward beam of light Ingrid projects diagonally while in the air. Like Sun Flare, the light version stores a Sun Crest and the other versions use Crests for amplified properties.
  • Sun Rise: A spinning attack with light, medium, and heavy variants that can open up powerful combo opportunities.
  • Sun Veil: A counterattack that nullifies incoming damage and knocks the attacker down. While it can absorb projectiles, it won’t stop Super Arts or any attacks that hit multiple times.
  • Vanishing Sun: A short-range teleport with three different destinations to confuse opponents while attacking or create distance on defense.
  • Shining Sun: Ingrid’s Level 1 Super Art Sun where she attacks with a series of magical kicks.
  • Order of the Sun: Ingrid’s Level 2 Super Art allows her to fire a beacon of light into the sky and depending on the button pressed, a shower of solar power rains down upon her foes.
  • Cosmic Ray: Ingrid’s Level 3 Super Art gives a glimpse of her ultimate power as she fires an energy beam capable of reaching opponents even on the other side of the screen.

Ingrid will be unlocked and ready to shine on May 28 for players who own or purchase the Year 3 Character Pass or Year 3 Ultimate Pass. Ingrid’s Outfit 1 showcases her new look while travelling the dimensions, while Outfit 2 reflects her classic appearance complete with purple school uniform.

Ingrid rounds out the previously released characters Sagat, C. Viper, and Alex coming to the Street Fighter 6 roster in Year 3. As the final character of Year 3, Outfit 3 for all four characters will arrive at the same time.

About Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6, having sold more than six million units since launch, is available now and represents the next evolution of the Street Fighter series with a combo of unique fighting game innovations, brimming with content across three brand new game modes – Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. Players around the world can get their hands on all the hard-hitting Street Fighter 6 action now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC via Steam.

Razer Celebrates Earth Day 2026 With World’s First Platinum-Rated Gaming Peripherals

2026/04/22
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Peripherals News

Razer™, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced that the Razer Viper V3 Pro has officially become the first product in the world to be awarded the UL 2702 Recycled Content Certification with a Platinum rating, the highest possible tier for use of recycled content in consumer electronics, from UL Solutions.

UL Solutions has also certified the Razer Viper V4 Pro and Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini to ECOLOGO UL 2710, a certification framework for the sustainability of electronic and electrical products, which evaluates products against multiple environmental and human health criteria, including materials, manufacturing, energy use and end-of-life considerations.

By securing these certifications, Razer becomes the first hardware manufacturer to confirm both the high-concentration of recycled materials (UL 2702) and the comprehensive life-cycle impact (UL 2710) of its flagship competitive gear.

“Earth Day 2026 is about the power of innovation to protect our planet. For Razer, that power is reflected in the Viper V3 Pro,” said Kenneth Ng, Global Sustainability Lead at Razer. “Securing the world’s first UL 2702 Platinum rating and our recent CDP ‘A’ score proves that the most demanding hardware in the world can also be the most sustainable. We are not just advancing towards our 2030 goal of incorporating recycled materials across all our major product lines; we are defining the quality standard for those materials at a global level and leading the gaming industry into a new era of accountability.”

“As recycled-content scrutiny rises, UL Solutions’ recycled content certification helps brands earn trust with independent, science-based verification,” said Josh Warren, vice president and general manager of the UL Solutions Retail and Consumer Products group. “It gives the gaming industry a credible way to substantiate sustainability, while helping manufacturers measure impact and demonstrate responsible design as performance evolves.”

Platinum Performance: A Circular Economy Breakthrough

Razer Viper V4 Pro

The UL 2702 Recycled Content Platinum rating for the Viper V3 Pro serves as a definitive validator for Razer’s #GoGreenWithRazer ten-year roadmap. As of 2024, Razer successfully transitioned its manufacturing lines to ensure that at least 65% of its annually shipped products comprise recycled materials. The Viper V3 Pro represents the “North Star” of this initiative, meeting the ultra-stringent UL 2702 requirements for:

  • Maximum Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Content: Utilizing high-performance recycled plastics without compromising the 54g ultra-lightweight structural integrity required by professional athletes.
  • Supply Chain Transparency: Rigorous third-party auditing of material sources and environmental management systems.

The UL 2710 Lifecycle and Biocompatibility Validator

To complement the material-specific focus of UL 2702, Razer also pursued the UL 2710 ECOLOGO Standard for Portable Electronics. This ISO Type 1 ecolabel assesses the full life cycle, from carbon-efficient manufacturing to end-of-life recyclability.
Crucially, as part of this rigorous certification process, Razer fan-favourite products undergo dermal biocompatibility testing to ensure that materials remain non-sensitizing and have no adverse effects on the skin, even during the prolonged, high-intensity contact typical of professional esports play.

Corporate Leadership: A Global “A” List Benchmark


Razer’s product-level breakthroughs are backed by elite-tier corporate accountability. Recently, Razer was awarded an “A” score in the latest CDP Climate Disclosure, placing the company within the prestigious CDP A-List. This rating recognizes Razer as a global leader in environmental transparency and action, a distinction shared by only a small fraction of the 20,000+ companies scored annually. This “A” rating reflects Razer’s sophisticated climate governance and its industry-leading role in driving the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Future of Competitive Play

Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini

The certification of the Viper V4 Pro and Huntsman V3 Pro Mini represent the vanguard of a movement where “Green” is a performance specification as critical as DPI or polling rate.

Lucasfilm to Host Mandalorian and Grogu Special Look Event at Select IMAX on May the 4th

2026/04/22
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, Movie News, Trailers / Videos

On May the 4th, the Ultimate Star Wars holiday, Lucasfilm will host special look fan events for “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” at select IMAX® theaters around the world. Each event will showcase more than 25 minutes of exclusive, never-before-seen footage, special fan giveaways, including a brand-new, exclusive poster, and other fun surprises. For ticket information in the U.S. and a list of IMAX theaters in the U.S.: http://fandan.co/Maythe4thIMAXSpecialLookEvent

“Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” opens exclusively in theaters May 22, 2026. Advance tickets for the all-new Star Wars film directed by Jon Favreau, starring Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, and Jeremy Allen White, are currently available for purchase at Fandango or wherever tickets are sold.

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu. Directed by Jon Favreau, “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” is written by Jon Favreau & Dave Filoni & Noah Kloor, and is produced by Jon Favreau, p.g.a., Kathleen Kennedy, p.g.a., Dave Filoni, p.g.a., and Ian Bryce, p.g.a., with Karen Gilchrist, John Bartnicki, and Carrie Beck serving as executive producers. The music is composed by Ludwig Göransson.

 

Dead Island 2 Celebrates Third Anniversary

2026/04/22
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

Deep Silver and Dambuster Studios today mark a major milestone for the Dead Island franchise, as Dead Island 2 reaches its third anniversary. To celebrate the occasion, the team has prepared a few killer initiatives:

Dambuster Studios have partnered with Brigada Games and Devolver Digital to launch a free Dead Island 2‑themed update for Quarantine Zone: The Last Check on Steam.

The update brings a slice of HELL‑A into Quarantine Zone: The Last Check, allowing players to encounter – and embark on – unique missions on behalf of fan‑favourite Dead Island 2 survivors, including Amanda Styles, Burt Michaels, Curtis Sinclair, Rikki Rex, and Roxanne Kwon.

The Dead Island Series Bundle (previously exclusive to Steam) will be coming to Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 for the first time, giving long‑time fans the perfect excuse to revisit the entire series in one bite – and newcomers the chance to dive into the Zompocalypse back-to-back for the first time, on their platform of choice.

Fans can also enjoy a freshly carved piece of artwork by Roberto Ricci, alongside a new anniversary infographic showcasing the impressively gory numbers and habits from their journey through HELL-A.

Across the blood‑soaked streets of HELL‑A, Dead Island 2 has delivered tactile, bone‑crunching zombie‑slaying mayhem for fans around the world. The anniversary celebrations are a thank you to the passionate community for keeping the island alive since launch and a reminder that the Zompocalypse is far from over, with plenty of life still left in the undead.

Rules of Spycraft Trailer Unveiled for 007 First Light

2026/04/22
Jerry Paxton
News, Geek News, PlayStation 5 News, Trailers / Videos, Windows PC News, Xbox Series X News

IO Interactive, the award-winning developer and publisher behind the globally acclaimed HITMAN franchise, and Amazon MGM Studios revealed a new trailer for 007 First Light, with a new look at the game’s key features. The new Rules of Spycraft trailer for 007 First Light pulls back the curtain on what it means to operate as a modern MI6 recruit. The 007 number will have to be earned, with players set to go on a reimagined origin story, where every encounter can be navigated with stealth, bluffing, or full-on action, depending on how you read the room. 007 First Light is set to release on May 27, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and in Summer 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-orders are available now*, and players who pre-order 007 First Light will get upgraded to the 007 First Light – Deluxe Edition for free, granting a 24-hour Early Access**, as well as exclusive in-game skins and outfits.

Watch the Rules of Spycraft Trailer for 007 First Light here

The brand-new trailer unveils how 007 First Light puts creativity front and center through its Creative Approach gameplay. Built on IO Interactive’s spy-thriller expertise and designed to let players tackle objectives their own way, powered by quick-thinking improvisation:

Spycraft: Infiltrate spaces by reading your surroundings and staying one step ahead, eavesdrop to pick up intel, identify opportunities to access your objectives, then use bluffing and social stealth to move through guarded areas without raising alarms.

Gadgets (Q Branch): Build a mission loadout around tools that enable stealth, distractions, and creative problem-solving. In 007 First Light, James Bond will have access to the Q‑Lens (highlights useful information and hackable devices), the Q‑Watch (activates gadgets and interactions to divert attention or neutralize threats), the Laser Strap (can daze enemies, open up new paths, or create distractions using the environment), the Dart Phone (quietly moves enemies out of the way), the Smoke Pod (blocks visibility at short range), the Flash Mine (produces a burst of light to momentarily stun opponents) and more.

Combat: When stealth breaks, fight smart. Players can use the environment for close-quarters takedowns, rush their enemies before a shootout breaks out, or make use of their Focus to slow the moment for precision disarms and targeted takedowns. Weapons are flexible tools too; players can throw their weapon when ammo runs out to daze an enemy.

Players will also be able to enjoy the Tactical Simulation mode to improve their skills after each mission. Tactical Simulation is a replay-focused mode that unlocks after completing Bond’s training. Set in an exclusive MI6 space, spearheaded by Dr. Selina Tan (portrayed by Gemma Chan), with interactive consoles and an in-world display of collectibles, TacSim offers multiple missions that unlock as you progress through the story and challenges you to continuously improve your performance as an agent. Each mission is scored via the Agent Score and supports global and friends’ leaderboards. Completing TacSim missions earns XP and Intel: XP increases your Clearance Level to unlock new sets of skins for the weapons and gadgets, as well as cosmetics, while Intel will enable players to acquire these new skins and cosmetics.

007 First Light is scheduled to launch on May 27, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, and Summer 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. Pre-order now* and get a free deluxe upgrade, including a 24-hour early access**. All details can be found at https://ioi.dk/007firstlightgame.

*Pre-orders on Nintendo Switch 2 are limited to physical editions

**24-hour early access limited to digital editions only