Author - Jerry Paxton

Offworld Celebrates 10 Years with Sale and Free Weekends for Squad 44 and Starship Troopers: Extermination

What started with a handful of developers coming together to build on the success of Project Reality—the critically-acclaimed mod for Battlefield 2—has evolved into a world-renowned independent studio committed to excellence and innovation. Offworld is proud to celebrate 10 years as one of Canada’s leading game developers. The studio is best known for creating one of the most beloved military shooters of the last decade, Squad, and is excited to announce that Squad 44 and—for the first time ever—Starship Troopers: Extermination will both be playable for free on Steam between July 31st and August 4th. Simultaneously, Offworld will host a publisher sale offering a 50% discount on its entire catalogue, including: Squad, Squad 44, Starship Troopers: Extermination, and Beyond the Wire.

Despite growing uncertainty in the gaming industry for the past few years, Offworld continues to thrive by focusing on the development of impactful new games, leveraging its vast expertise in the first-person shooter genre, fostering a dedicated community, and expanding on its flagship title, Squad, which will celebrate its own 5th anniversary later this year. A full migration to Unreal Engine 5 is planned for this summer, bringing significant performance and graphical upgrades that will lay the foundation for Offworld to continue supporting Squad for years to come.

“Over these past ten years, our studio’s work has been enjoyed by millions of players around the world,” says Vlad Ceraldi, CEO at Offworld. “This is largely due to the passion of the founders, past and current employees, our community, business partners, and Offworld’s dedication to bringing players unique and authentic FPS experiences.”

“Offworld was born from the passion of modders, a spirit we vowed to carry forward. As a founder and player,” says Norbert Rothermel, Co-Founder and Director of Technology at Offworld. “It’s profoundly rewarding to see that commitment thrive in Squad, where our modding tools empower a community that generates a considerable percentage of the game’s unique experiences. This anniversary isn’t just about us; it’s a celebration of every creator and every player who has shaped this incredible journey.”

Squad—Offworld’s flagship title—is a first-person tactical shooter with a strong emphasis on teamwork, communication, and authentic combat. With millions of players worldwide and a growing community of fans, modders, and content creators, Squad sets the gold standard for large-scale tactical shooters.

Coming up to the 5th anniversary of its full 1.0 release in September, Squad remains one of the most-played and most beloved multiplayer shooters on Steam. It is currently 50% off until August 3rd. More updates—including the game’s full migration to UE5—are planned for later this summer, with additional surprises coming throughout Q3 and Q4 2025.

Just Dance 2026 Edition Announcement Trailer

Today during Nintendo Direct, Ubisoft announced that Just Dance® 2026 Edition, the next installment of the beloved Music Video Game Franchise, will launch on October 14, 2025 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation® 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles.

Just Dance 2026 Edition is the best way to gather family and friends and spend the best time while home is turning into a dance floor. Featuring 40 exciting new tracks, from chart-topping hits to timeless classics, there’s something for everyone in Just Dance 2026 Edition, including:

  • APT. By ROSÉ & Bruno Mars
  • Houdini by Dua Lipa
  • Counting Stars by OneRepublic
  • Hung Up by Madonna
  • All Star by Smash Mouth
  • And many more!

In addition to the fresh new tracklist, Just Dance 2026 brings exciting gameplay options:

  • The Party mode that allows players to team up and cooperate for an unpredictable dance showdown,
  • and the Camera Controller mode for hands-free solo experiences. Using the Just Dance Controller app, players can turn their phone’s camera into a full-body motion recognition tool and try to reach higher levels of precision while dancing.

Local multiplayer is also available with up to 6 players and the most competitive dancers can prove who has the best moves in Challenge Mode.

Players who own all Just Dance Editions from 2023 to 2026 will have their content displayed together, so it’s easy to keep the party going. A one-month free access to Just Dance®+, the subscription-based streaming service, will also be granted with every copy of Just Dance® 2026 Edition.

For the latest information on Just Dance 2026 Edition, please visit justdancegame.com. Follow Just Dance on Twitter @justdancegame and use hashtag #JustDance2026.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure -Wheatflour Wonderland Announced

Moments ago, during Nintendo Direct, Sunblink and Sanrio announced Wheatflour Wonderland, the first-ever DLC for the critically acclaimed cozy life sim Hello Kitty Island Adventure. A massive expansion into a whimsical world, Wheatflour Wonderland launches September 18 for $14.99 on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam, free on Apple Arcade and coming soon to PlayStation 5.

When Kuromi and My Melody spill a magical potion on a bunch of flour in Hello Kitty’s cafe, they open a secret portal to Wheatflour Wonderland, a whimsical world of waving grain, bright stained-glass castles, mysterious ruins and more than a little magic. Suddenly, Cogimyun appears with an urgent request: restore the Wheatflour Guardians and unlock the Ancient Citadel, where a great treasure resides!

Wheatflour Wonderland adds the largest new world since the game’s launch, new cooking and crafting opportunities, magical new friends and more secrets than you can wave a wand at. Key DLC features include:

  • New Friends – Cogimyun, the adorable wheatflour fairy first introduced by Sanrio in 2015, joins the island adventure. Cogimyun offers an unprecedented 35 levels of friendship that unlock new quests, new abilities, and a unique furniture set just for her. Plus, befriend Ebi Fry and Cogimyun’s brother Cogimyon, who unlock new mini-games where you can earn themed furniture and other prizes.
  • Fantastic Wands – Players can create and customize their very own magic wands to cast magic and transform into critters and items. Plus, new wands open the way to new puzzles and challenges; craft them all by finding gemstones and Jemmies throughout the land.
  • Magical Heroes, Assemble – Uncover tons of new outfits and accessories befitting magical heroes. With your friends assembled, transform into the Wheatflour Guardians of legend to help Cogimyun realize her dreams!
  • So Much to Explore – Find 100 Wheathearts around the world by using magic, solving environmental puzzles, and unearthing secrets. Exchange them at the Wheatheart Tree for themed rewards.
  • Slurp Up New Foods – Find Noodle Grass in Wheatflour Wonderland to craft new, noodle-based foods like instant ramen, spaghetti with meatballs and more.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure pioneers the “cozy adventure” genre, offering relaxed comfort activities like crafting and decorating within a massive explorable world of quests, platforming, puzzle-solving, and other “adventure” genre aspects. The title has garnered massive critical acclaim, earning Apple Arcade Game of the Year and a Webby People’s Voice award, plus nominations for Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2023 and Mobile Game of the Year at the 27th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards.

In Hello Kitty Island Adventure, Hello Kitty® invites you to join her and her friends at Big Adventures Park, where My Melody™ is opening a brand-new gift shop. Express yourself as an original, Sanrio-style avatar with a wide range of adorable customization options. Cook delicious food and decorate your space with hundreds of furniture items. Share gifts and complete quests to deepen your friendship with beloved characters. Invite other players to your island and complete multiplayer challenges or build beautiful vacation homes together.

Wheatflour Wonderland will be available for $14.99 USD for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, and free on Apple Arcade. For more information, visit the official website, join the official Discord server, and connect with Sunblink on X, YouTube, and Instagram. Find the Hello Kitty and Friends community on X, TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection – Announcement Trailer

During today’s Nintendo Direct presentation, Capcom announced Monster Hunter Stories™ 3: Twisted Reflection. This all-new adventure is the latest installment in the popular RPG series where Monster Riders embark on thrilling journeys across the vast world of Monster Hunter™. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection will soar onto Nintendo Switch™ 2, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam in 2026.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection tells the story of two nations on the path to ruin. Amidst the growing crystal encroachment facing the lands of Azuria and Vermeil, the discovery of a mysterious egg gives cause for hope. From the shell hatches a monster long thought to be extinct, a Rathalos. However, this glimmer quickly gives way to despair as a second monster emerges from the egg. The twin Rathalos share the same mark as the twin Skyscale Rathalos, portents of destruction that hearken back to a civil war waged 200 years ago. As the environment deteriorates and monsters face extinction, the flames of war once again begin to stir.

In this tale, players take on the role of the heir to Azuria. Blessed with special abilities leading them to become the leader of the Rangers and sole Rathalos Rider in the kingdom, the protagonist passionately performs their duties, protecting monsters and investigating egg quartz. However, a life-changing event soon drives them to investigate the strange phenomena threatening the world. In their search for the truth, they set out for the forbidden land beyond the northern Meridian.

The hero is joined in their quest by Eleanor, princess of Vermeil. Troubled by the worsening situation, she offers herself as a ‘hostage’ to Azuria in hopes of easing tensions between the two nations. Moved by the efforts of the Rangers, Eleanor and her cherished Monstie Anjanath come along for the ride, seeking to uncover the true intentions of her sister, the Queen of Vermeil. Bound together by the encroaching shadow of calamity, they step into the torrent of fate and venture into forbidden ground.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launches in 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. For the latest updates, visit the official website and follow Monster Hunter on Instagram, X (Twitter), and Facebook.

Battlefield 6 Official Multiplayer Gameplay Trailer

Today, during a live global multiplayer reveal event, Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) and Battlefield Studios unveiled Battlefield 6™, the ultimate all-out warfare experience. Launching on October 10, Battlefield 6 is available on PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC (Steam™, EA App, Epic Games Store).

During the blockbuster event, Battlefield Studios provided a first look at new and returning multiplayer modes, a tantalizing sneak peek of the global scale blockbuster Single Player campaign and of course the evolution of Battlefield Portal.

The year is 2027. The world is on the edge of chaos. After a high-profile assassination shocks the world, major European countries have left NATO, while the US and its allies grapple with the fallout. A massive private military corporation unafraid to cross lines, with deep pockets and the latest tech, looks to fill the power vacuum. This army is PAX ARMATA. What’s left of NATO is in tatters, wounded and battered. This is the world of Battlefield 6.

Battlefield 6 introduces a host of new features, including the all-new Kinesthetic Combat System, which brings enhancements to movement and gunplay. This gives players an unprecedented level of mobility, offering new tactical options such as Drag and Revive to pull teammates out of danger and back from the brink, and mounting weapons on walls to reduce recoil.

The iconic class system returns better than ever, with Assault, Recon, Support, and Engineer, empowering players to define their role on the battlefield. The four roles have been enhanced, designed to empower players to push their team towards victory, each with class-specific gadgets, signature weapons and dedicated training. Destruction also returns, but enhanced to offer an unparalleled level of freedom, letting players transform the combat zone, to create new paths, flank enemies and dominate the battle.

Battlefield 6 will launch with a robust package of multiplayer modes and maps, taking the fight around the world from Egypt, to Gibraltar and the streets of New York. Each map features multiple combat zones, hand-crafted and tailored to suit specific modes, ensuring each fight is designed to compliment the player experience and provide a variety of play options. Fan favorite multiplayer modes return in Battlefield 6, with classic staples making an appearance, including Conquest, Breakthrough, and Rush. Players will also experience a host of fast-paced and intense first-person shooter staples, including Team Deathmatch, Squad Deathmatch, Domination and King of the Hill. While a brand new mode called Escalation sees two teams fight to capture strategic control points.

“We knew when we set out to create the future of Battlefield, we had to nail the fundamentals of what players have loved about the series for more than 20 years,” said Byron Beede, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Battlefield. “We’re back in our all-out warfare playground, with four world-class teams developing the game as a single squad known as Battlefield Studios. Criterion, DICE, Motive, and Ripple Effect have put their heart and soul into this next Battlefield and we’re thrilled to have shared our first look with you today and can’t wait to see you playing next weekend during the Open Beta.”

Battlefield 6 also launches with an all-new and improved iteration of Portal – the creative toolset that lets you redraw the lines of war. Portal is more powerful and streamlined than ever before, giving players brand new tools to create completely unique content called Community Experiences. Ambitious post-launch support will continue to add more modes, maps, weapons, and other features to the game on a consistent basis.

“I’ve worked on a lot of titles over the years and can confidently say that Battlefield 6 is something special,” said Vince Zampella, Executive Vice President. “We can’t wait to show more of Battlefield 6’s intense tactical combat and epic warfare in the months to come, leading up to its release on October 10.”

Battlefield’s biggest Open Beta ever goes LIVE for two weekends from August 9 through August 10 and from August 14 through 17. Fans will have the chance to join the Open Beta two days early on August 7, by watching some of their favorite streamers play the game. The beta allows players to experience several of the multiplayer modes and maps and is available across all available platforms. Visit the following link to find out more here.

Watch all the video content released during today’s reveal event at ea.com/news.

Visit us on Battlefield.com. Join the official Battlefield community channels over at discord.gg/Battlefield. Follow us on @Battlefield to stay informed on the latest updates, and @BattlefieldCom for the rollout of live updates.

NBA 2K26 Official Gameplay Trailer

Today, 2K announced new NBA 2K26 gameplay improvements and features underscoring a giant leap forward on PlayStation®5 (PS5®), Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and Nintendo Switch™ 2. ProPLAY, 2K’s revolutionary technology that translates actual NBA footage into immersive gameplay and realistic animations, is evolving in NBA 2K26 further matching the real-life action of the NBA. Players will now experience more authenticity, personalization, and renewed focus on skill-based gameplay with an all-new dynamic Motion Engine, enhanced Rhythm Shooting, new advanced controls on Offense, and much more. Watch Gameplay Director Mike Wang and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton break down the biggest Gameplay updates in the first NBA 2K26 Courtside Report.

Gameplay, powered by ProPLAY, brings new innovations including:

  • All-New Dynamic Motion EngineLeveraging machine-learning technology, ProPLAY powers an all-new Motion Engine in NBA 2K26, making actions feel more lifelike and realistic across all on-court movement. Dynamic lower-body pose matching adjusts the exact positioning of players’ legs and feet on the fly and ensures they launch, plant and cut realistically. The new Motion Engine is the biggest change to player movement since NBA 2K21 offering a fresh and authentic feeling.
  • Enhanced Rhythm Shooting: Enhanced Rhythm Shooting in NBA 2K26 gives players full control over every aspect of the shot. Players who take advantage of the Rhythm Shooting mechanic will experience more responsive jumpshots that resemble true lifelike shooting motions. With these improvements to Rhythm Shooting, NBA 2K26 features a more skill-based environment that blends authenticity with competition for a more rewarding experience.
  • Authentic Offense: Just like in the modern NBA, big men will be able to leverage all-new Signature Go-To Post Shots, including shimmy floaters and up-and-unders. Players can also now mix and match advanced layup styles from their favorite athletes around the league to create their own custom layup packages. To emphasize skill-based gameplay on higher difficulty levels, Green or Miss Shot Timing will be universal while Layup Timing is permanently enabled.
  • Defensive Improvements: Improvements to defense include new body-ups and collisions, redesigned Interior Defense and new Rebound Timing Feedback. System-driven technology, powered by ProPLAY, generates player-to-player collisions that are more reliable than previous motion-captured animations. This, plus new dynamic motion, brings fresh freedom to the movements of both dribblers and on-ball defenders. Meanwhile, Interior Defense has been redesigned to make it easier to put a body on shooters when they’re finishing around the rim and make body-to-body contact in the air.
  • New and Revamped Controls: New and revamped controls provide a more intuitive, deliberate, and free-flowing gameplay experience. Overall game speed rewards players with fast decision-making and quicker reaction times. Additional improvements and features include a Quick Protect mechanic so ball handlers can shield themselves from steals, no-dip catch-and-shoots, slow motion Eurosteps, dedicated controls for wrap passes, randomized button selections when attempting alley-oops on higher difficulties and directional screen setting.
  • AI & Coaching: Enhanced AI adapts strategically to a player’s every move on both sides of the ball. A new intelligence module enables offensive AI to actively look for scoring opportunities through drive-and-kick plays to generate offense outside of standard plays. Other defensive improvements and additions include enhanced double team defensive logic, improved AI defenders logic, expanded playbooks, AI difficulty improvements and AI Shot Timing Ability in Play Now and MyNBA, allowing players to separately adjust how skilled AIs are at timing jumpshots and layups.
  • Learn 2K: NBA 2K26 offers new Intermediate Tutorials that bridge the gap between our existing tutorials and drills for fundamental and advanced techniques and offers the ability to learn more about different types of layups, dunks, pick-and-rolls and more.

For an in-depth breakdown of Gameplay innovations check out the Courtside Report blog. Visit the NBA 2K26 official website for a full breakdown of the SKU details, availability, and more information. Stay tuned for additional announcements about the latest on NBA 2K26.

Creepy Jar Extends StarRupture Single-Player Playtest to Aug 4 and Opens it to EVERYONE

Featuring exciting single-player content, the StarRupture playtest puts players firmly into the treacherous world of Arcadia-7. While StarRupture is a co-op game at heart, where up to four players work together, the developers also want to ensure that the game is exhilarating and engaging for those who play solo. This playtest introduces players to the core tenants of StarRupture, ranging from base building and exploration to survival and combat.

The StarRupture playtest features over three hours of gameplay split between an early slice of the game, a welcome tutorial, and a free play option. It’s not the full opening experience, as there are map and progression restrictions, but it’s a first taste of the fun that awaits in StarRupture. The Playtest supports English VO and interface localisation and the full list of supported languages for StarRupture’s launch in Early Access is available on the game’s Steam Page.

All additional information regarding the playtest and an FAQ is available in the Steam news section of the game.

In StarRupture, you are a prisoner serving your sentence on a faraway planet where danger lurks at every turn. Tasked with building a factory and gathering resources for global corporations that don’t care if you live or die, not only will you have to defend your base from bloodthirsty enemies, but so will you have to prepare for your most terrifying threat; the planet’s very own life-giving—and taking—star, Ruptura.

Featuring an electrifying mix of base building, exploration, combat, mystery, and survival, StarRupture is an out-of-this-world experience that is launching in Steam Early Access this Fall.

Besiege VR Meta Quest Launch Trailer

The wait is over: Besiege VR launches on Meta Quest! Starting Thursday 10:00 PST, you can grab it in the Meta Store for $19.99 and experience the ultimate physics-based building sandbox like never before — now fully reimagined in immersive VR.

Build wild war machines, crush castles, and conquer a 55-level campaign with intuitive VR controls, haptics, and 3D audio.

💥 Preorder now and get 4 exclusive skin sets!

🔗 Preorder on Meta Store

Let Them Trade Launch Trailer

Publisher ByteRockers’ Games and developer Spaceflower are excited to announce that their charming tabletop city-builder Let Them Trade is available now on PC via Steam! Let Them Trade is a relaxing city builder, where you build settlements from the ground up, establish trading routes, and manage your small wooden kingdom. And the twist? Your cities will also trade and manage their needs independently of you! Play and build at your own time without looming threats and enjoy a small wooden kingdom in the middle of your living room.

In order to expand your kingdom, you need to acquire the various resources scattered around the map, and trade them within your cities. Each city manages your citizens’ needs autonomously and possesses their own unique budget and resources. If citizens in a given city are happy then they will pay higher taxes, ensuring that your city is not only more wealthy but also more generous in trade with your other cities. On the flip side, if a city’s citizens are unhappy they will negatively impact not only their hometown but also the resources being traded to others. It’s all about balance!

Being successful isn’t without its drawbacks, as wealthy cities are more prone to attacks by bandits and robbers. Thankfully, you can hire knights in order to protect your precious citizens and their chiseled wooden features. You can also purchase goods through the castle and strategically trade goods for profits, or store them for when harder times strike. Let Them Trade features various scenarios with different challenges for dynamic gameplay, and its charming boardgame-like visual style combined with immense replayability will keep you hooked!

MicroProse to Publish Satirical Tycoon Game Car Park Capital

MicroProse, the veteran publisher behind genre-defining strategy and simulation games, is proud to announce a partnership with Hilkojj Interactive to publish Car Park Capital: a gleefully satirical tycoon sim about paving the way for a brighter, oilier future.

🎯 What Is Car Park Capital?

In Car Park Capital, players are hired by Big Auto to reshape quiet towns into sprawling concrete kingdoms – one parking lot at a time. Using a potent mix of real-time strategy, urban development tools, and tongue-in-cheek propaganda, players will bulldoze houses, raise towering asphalt cathedrals, and convince citizens that life is better with more cars (and fewer opinions).

The game blends classic tycoon gameplay with razor-sharp social commentary about car dependency, urban sprawl, and the subtle art of turning convenience into ideology, all in glorious simulation.

✨ Key Features

  • 🚗 Real-time simulation with hundreds of vehicles and (bald) citizens, all bustling around your growing parking empire.
  • 🏗️ Build the dream: Demolish homes, buy land, and design massive parking lots, flat or vertical, with 3D construction tools.
  • 🧠 Mind reading tech: Tap into any citizen’s thoughts. Are they buying in? Or just angry about your oil rig next to their child’s school?
  • 📣 Propaganda tools: Convert skeptics into carbrains with megaphone slogans, billboard campaigns, and majestic car-themed statues.
  • 🎡 Appease the people: When traffic hits critical mass, distract them with your glorious Ferris Wheel for cars.
  • ✊ Anti-car resistance: Outsmart protesters before they tank your approval ratings.
  • 📊 Stat-o-matic: Track every number a proper tycoon craves. Higher fees? Bigger oil consumption? That’s progress!
  • 🛢️ Drill, baby, drill: Because a full tank is a full heart.
  • 🚆 Fight public transport: Who needs trains and walkability when every inch of the map can be asphalt?
  • 🛠️ Moddable: Tinker under the hood with Lua support for content and script modifications.