Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give Valve's new Steam Controller is that in the week or so I've been using it, I haven't really thought about it much at all. With its heavily Steam-Deck-inspired design, it improves on the original Steam Controller in almost every way - and it's certainly vastly more convincing as an everyday controller - but the things it does best are specific enough that, even with those upgrades, it remains a bit of a niche proposition.
Look, let's be honest, Square Enix is a hard company to get behind right now. Between layoffs, peculiar restructuring plans, and a penchant for chasing the hottest controversial flavour of the month, there are many reasons to be sceptical of one of Japan's biggest publishers in 2026. But, for all the dubious business moves and articles about NFTs, there exists a publisher that looks like the Square Enix we remember from generations past; one that was keen to push technical limitations, to iterate on the boundaries of what video game RPGs look like, and that wanted to be at the bleeding edge of our bizarre little industry.
Surprise! From today, 28th April, you can download a free demo for Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on both the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. Any progress made during the demo will carry over when the full game launches for Switch 2 and Xbox on 3rd June. As an added bonus, if you have demo save data on your device when the full game launches, you will be able to claim a 'kupo charm' (for you Moogle fans) and 'survival set' featuring bonus healing items that'll be a boon during the opening hours of the game. The demo weighs in at 45GB on Nintendo Switch 2 and 91GB on Xbox Series X/S.
While the ongoing RAM crisis is preventing the Steam Machine and Frame's arrival, the new Steam Controller is launching next week, and we think it's pretty sweet, albeit a bit niche still. What about a potential Steam Deck 2 though? Is Valve working on that already?
Back in 1994, Luc Besson released a movie that not only introduced us to Natalie Portman in her feature film debut, but also - it turns out - inspired the name for one of gaming's most iconic characters: Leon Kennedy. That film was Léon: The Professional, and saw actor Jean Reno in the titular role of a milk-loving hitman who takes 12 year old Mathilda (played by Portman) under his wing.
Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, the popular Chinese Soulslike released in July 2025, has had its intellectual property rights fully acquired by Italian games publisher/developer Digital Bros for roughly €4m. Surprise! From today, 28th April, you can download a free demo for Square Enix's Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth on both the Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. Any progress made during the demo will carry over when the full game launches for Switch 2 and Xbox on 3rd June. As an added bonus, if you have demo save data on your device when the full game launches, you will be able to claim a 'kupo charm' (for you Moogle fans) and 'survival set' featuring bonus healing items that'll be a boon during the opening hours of the game. The demo weighs in at 45GB on Nintendo Switch 2 and 91GB on Xbox Series X/S.
Marathon's arrival in March hasn't made much of an impact on Arc Raiders' player numbers, but the player sentiment, at least on Steam, isn't exactly where it was a few months ago. That hasn't substantially altered Embark Studios' early 2026 roadmap, however, which culminates with today's Riven Tides update.
While we still have to wait and see for ourselves just exactly how Patrick Gibson does as James Bond in IO Interactive's upcoming origin game 007 First Light, one person already believes he is good enough to take the lead on the franchise's next live-action movie.
Following last week's flurry of Xbox news - which included word that new Xbox boss Asha Sharma hasn't yet ruled out the return of exclusive games - Sharma has been discussing the ongoing RAM crisis, acknowledging that memory shortages could lead to a price bump and limited stock where its next-gen console, Project Helix, is concerned.
There's always a lot to look forward to at Gamescom, but this year, the German games show has an extra surprise packed into its already stuffed programme: a special three-day Games Done Quick (GDQ) speedrunning event is taking place at the trade show between 28th and 30th August, 2026. Notably, this is GDQ's first-ever event hosted in Europe.
Insomniac reportedly once had an idea for Venom-centric DLC for Marvel's Spider-Man 2 as well as a spin-off game starring the aggressive symbiote, but it's claimed these plans changed following the death of actor Tony Todd.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has been a massive success in spite of its so-so critical reception, and the live-action Legend of Zelda adaptation is making good progress. But if a succession of recent reports are to be believed, there's a busy few years ahead in the world of Nintendo films, with Universal and Illumination seemingly set to release a new animated movie in 2028. That news comes amid suggestions a previously reported live-action Metroid might soon get the green light.
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Like it or loathe it, you can't argue with the success of Crimson Desert. Per a new report, Pearl Abyss' latest action-RPG has sold so well that the developer and publisher has reportedly given every employee a bonus that equates to about $3,400 USD.
Resident Evil Requiem's upcoming minigame is in the "final stages" of development, and will be based on the main game's combat, Requiem's director has teased. However, you'll need to have finished the main story to give it a go.
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