But what about those who seek a tougher challenge? Director Kento Kinoshita and producer Naoto Oyama said that Hard Mode was under consideration, but in a new Steam Q&A, they confirmed that it’s indeed in the works.

“We’re working on a Hard Mode that will provide a satisfying challenge for seasoned players whose stats have reached, or are approaching, the level cap,” said the former. The latter added, “Please stay tuned for further updates regarding the details of Hard Mode and its release window.”

This indicates that it won’t be available when the expansion launches, as expected. That said, Kinoshita said that aside from the new difficulty, the team is also “adjusting the balance so that everyone can enjoy the experience—whether they’re just starting their adventure, still progressing through the game, or have already completed multiple playthroughs.”

But don’t take that to mean that your journey through the new region will be easy. “Even in Normal Mode, the difficulty gradually ramps up as players progress through the expansion content, with enemy encounters becoming increasingly challenging along the way. As players reach the middle and later stages of the content, we’ve balanced it so that even those who have already hit the stat cap can still enjoy a meaningful level of challenge,” he noted.

Whether Dark Arisen will offer a meaningful endgame remains to be seen, but the story and new dungeons should offer more than 25 hours of new content. It’s an especially meaty experience for those who haven’t played the base game, which has since received a permanent price drop. A major update is also coming in August with even more improvements, including 60 FPS Performance Mode on current-gen platforms, so stay tuned for more details.

Arc System Works acknowledged problems at the time and offered some workarounds while promising to investigate further. It’s since offered an update, thanking players for joining the beta.

“This is exactly why we run these: to get the game in your hands and find what we can make better before launch. To our PC players, message received. The team is already hard at work on the performance you deserve, with improvements lined up for day one.”

These include reducing CPU usage, fixing lag and frame rate drops, improving OBS and Discord compatibility, and fixing a startup issue that caused unnecessary shader compilation. It will also address issues with rollback netcode and cross-platform play while fixing a “number” of other issues.

Whether this covers everything in time for launch remains to be seen. None of this includes any potential balance changes for fighters, especially with Blade, Black Panther and Magik dominating the meta. Time will tell, so stay tuned.

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls launches on August 6th for PS5 and PC. Check out our latest feature for more details, including the first DLC character coming this Fall: Phoenix Cyclops. Three other characters are planned for the Year 1 Characters and Stage Pass alongside more result screen character poses, but this is apparently only the start, with Arc System Works wishing for 10 years of support.

Spotted by Resetera and confirmed on Xbox’s official site, the Xbox Series S (512 GB), previously retailing for €349.99/£299.99, is now €449.99/£429.99 while the 1 TB model costs €599.99/£519.99 (previously €399.99/£349.99). The Xbox Series X’s 1 TB digital is now €749.99/£619.99 (from €549.99/£449.99) and the same model with a disc drive costs €799.99/£669.99 (from €599.99/£499.99).

It’s a significant jump across the board, though not unexpected because of ongoing memory shortages. Reports indicated that console supplies would struggle to keep up with the demand for Grand Theft Auto 6 later this year, and while Sony offered some reassurance for the PS5, Xbox seemingly can’t offer the same.

Of course, you also have to wonder how this will affect the company’s recent exclusivity strategy, with Gears of War: E-Day slated to launch as an Xbox console exclusive on October 6th (alongside PC). With a reported budget of $400 million (if not more), one has to wonder how it will ultimately pan out sales-wise. Stay tuned for more updates, and in the meantime, check out our preview of Horde Siege here.

And in case there’s any confusion, he responded to another tweet about GTA 6 updates with, “It’s August. In due time we’ll get the update people seek.”

While some are already joking about what “due time” could mean, there’s also that part about “the update people seek.” One would think that Trailer 3 is on the way, but perhaps Rockstar will do one even better and drop a proper gameplay showcase. Maybe it’ll actually tell us more about the story, and what Leonida has to offer. That’s always the hope, of course – whether it delivers on that front is an entirely different story.

Thankfully, we won’t have to wait much longer for Grand Theft Auto 6’s launch. It’s out on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Pre-orders reportedly topped $260 million in sales in the first week, and even if it ends up on the low end of estimates, it’s expected to sell 37 million in its launch week if momentum continues. Unfortunately, even with no disc, the physical version will be region-locked. Head here for more details.

However, the recent discovery of a Story Expansion Pass on the Epic Games Store database and director Naoki Hamaguchi’s own statements indicate potential DLC to carry things forward. Thankfully, he’s clarified that that’s not quite the case. “The story will be concluded within the main game,” he told Automaton-Media. “We’re serious about concluding the series with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, and we’re proceeding with development with that goal in mind.”

That said, if any DLC happens, then the team will focus on creating “a kind of spin-off focused on a specific character that depicts their untold stories.” “So, in case we do end up considering making a DLC, this is the kind of thing that we’d likely attempt to do.” If you’ll recall, that’s exactly what Episode INTERmission for Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade is, since it follows Yuffie’s mission in Midgar.

It’s worth noting that Hamaguchi didn’t outright confirm plans for additional content, despite apparent evidence for the same. “I feel that, at this point, both the media and the fan community are expecting a DLC to come. That being said, things haven’t crystallized yet, so we can’t certainly say.”

And while he wheeled out the line about considering an expansion if there’s a demand, it almost seems a given at this point. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t be surprising if the team wants to get the game out before focusing its energy on any DLC.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is available in Spring 2027 on Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2.

For example, a trading post that requires some effort to reach by wagon will yield higher profits. Selling a lot of goods in one place will also result in price changes, and you’ll now see more profits from trading overall. Royal trading posts are set to become much more valuable as well, since their prices have been increased fourfold, and you’ll be more encouraged to deliver to them since wagons won’t disappear after deliveries.

Aside from other improvements such as shifting trade goods to and from your wagon and mount, or being able to sell a single good, 24 high-value trade good types and four new regular good types have been added alongside seven wagon workshops. Check out some of the patch notes below and full details here.

Of course, there’s even more to come with Pearl Abyss committing to more support in August and September, including story improvements. It has yet to confirm a release window for the game’s upcoming DLC or what it will offer, so stay tuned for updates.

Patch Notes Version 1.16.00

New Additions

Improved trading-related contents

Trading Posts

• Added 133 new trading posts, including the merchant at the Pailune Trading Post.
  – New trading posts will appear after progressing quests related to
• Adjusted the overall types and quantities of goods sold at trading posts.
• You can make higher profits by trading at a post that is hard to reach by wagon.
• Improved the trading system so that trade good prices change when too many are sold at a single location.
• Increased the overall amount of profit earned through trading.
• Wagons no longer disappear after delivering trade goods to a royal trading post.
• Quadrupled the prices of trade goods at royal trading posts.

Trade Goods

• Added 24 new types of high-value trade goods and 4 new types of regular trade goods.
• Packaged trade goods can now be stacked up to a maximum of 10 or 100, depending on their price.
  – Improved trade items stored in the inventory to be stacked up to 5 or 50 per slot, even when unpackaged.
• Improved the trading system so that even a single trade good can now be sold.
• Improved the trading system so that you can now move trade goods between your wagon and your horse.
• Increased the amount of trade goods lost when retrieving your horse or wagon, or when destroying your wagon.

Wagon Workshops

• Added 7 wagon workshops across Pywel that can serve as intermediate trading posts.
  – Hernand, Demeniss, Delesyia, Pailune, Tommaso, Urdavah, Varnia
• You can package and load trade goods at wagon workshops.

Quality of Life Improvements

• When riding a wagon, wagon routes are now displayed on the minimap.
• Added a “Trade” tab to the map.
  – You can see trading posts, royal trading posts, wagon workshops, and wagon routes from the Trade tab.
  – You can use filters to find trading posts that sell the trade goods you want.
  – You can check market prices of all goods by viewing the details of a trading post.
• The average buy price for trade goods is now displayed.
• Added a feature that allows you to register items to the map item filter when focusing on a packaged trade good in horse inventory, wagon inventory, trade shop buy/sell UI, or storage UI.
• Improved the map so that checking trade goods also displays their quantities on horses and wagons.
• A special marker is displayed in the Trade tab for merchants who buy or sell items affected by trade-related events.

Improved bank-related contents

• Adjusted the maximum number of gold bars gained or lost through bank interest to 40.
• Added the “Claim Bank Strongbox.”
  – Depositing 10 or more bonds allows you to start investing.
  – Bonds can be exchanged for 10 Gold Bars.
  – Added the “Bond Shop”, where you can buy rare items with bonds.

There are some changes to the menus and Ultimate Teams for starters, both of which were areas we believed could use some improvement in our Madden 26 review. But that’s not all. Improved defending, better ways to handle short yardage, more precise catching mechanics, better player coverage, and other additions are all set to make every match feel more involved than ever. The stadiums feel livelier, although we’ll wait for the full game before forming a complete opinion on the broadcasting and presentation.

We’re quite curious about the new Superstar G.O.A.T. Career Journey and how it’s going to make us feel the pressure and glory of the NFL, but we’re quite confident that it’s going to be a great journey when this one comes out on August 13th for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The new trailer is below if you want a closer look at the new additions.

Changes to OVRs mean ratings will fluctuate between individual matches, with several parameters calculated to ensure that every member of your team brings their best to the table. There are also changes and expansions to the Transfers part of things, and you’ll have to keep a variety of factors in mind to make the most of a gameplay loop that seems vastly different this time around.

Of course, better teammate behavior and a few other changes were quickly highlighted, with the promise of more detailed information yet to come. We’re particularly interested in learning about the new option to create custom challenges, a feature that we’re sure a lot of us are going to use to give each other creative ways to pull off crazy stunts in games that might come with high stakes.

EA Sports FC 27 is out on September 25th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Advanced access is also available on September 18th with the Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Edition Plus.

Well, it’s broken now, with Nintendo bringing a more-or-less faithful port of the original 2002 game, ensuring that the entire Nintendo 64 collection is now all playable in one place. That’s music to the ears of any Mario fan, and if you’re like us, you’re probably humming the same tune in your head.

But this new version brings upgraded visuals and built-in save states to help make it more palatable to modern tastes. However, you can expect all the original’s flaws (and triumphs), right down to the secret levels without FLUDD. It’s out on August 13 and could be a great one to dive into if you’re subscribed to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.

A trailer accompanies the announcement, and it’s a perfect showcase of what made Super Mario Sunshine as memorable as it was back in the day.

It seems that the PS5 is going to have enough supplies for the end of the year, with Sony managing to grab enough RAM to keep making its iconic current-gen beast up until the end of fiscal year 2027 per its planned manufacturing schedules. That’s good news in what’s looking like an otherwise bleak time in the near future due to the response its decision to go all-digital has invoked, despite supporting evidence and data on its side.

With a high-profile exclusive on the way thanks to Marvel’s Wolverine, Grand Theft Auto 6 in November, and another year of games, the PS5 continues to hold strong despite a rather troublesome time for the gaming industry at large. It even has to carry the torch for Sony a while longer than usual if the global memory crisis doesn’t resolve itself in time.

Time will tell how things pan out, but it looks like the PS5 at least won’t be out of reach over the holidays if you’re thinking of a new console despite some markedly higher prices.