“Since joining 31st Union, it’s become clear that changes need to be made to our team in order to realize our goals. Our success is dependent on our ability to work more quickly and nimbly. To do that, we’ve made the difficult decision to scale back our team to better align with where we are in development, which unfortunately means parting ways with some valued colleagues today.” As the site pointed out, he described the title as a “skill-based PVP roguelike experience” rather than a roguelike hero shooter, and you have to wonder if that means a significant shift in direction.

You might be forgiven if you’re wondering what we’re talking about. It’s been a while since there’s been news (remember that it was revealed back in October 2024). Following the radio silence, the need to “better align with where we are in development” has led the studio to let go of a portion of its team. What that entails for a title that seems rather confused about what it aims to be remains unclear, but Brinkman expressed measured optimism in his carefully-worded statement.

It isn’t the first time we’ve talked about the studio letting go of staff members, though, and we can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness for those who surely worked hard to bring the title to its current state, which the studio has “never been confident in.” Let’s just hope that this one turns out well to honor their contribution, and that it doesn’t hit any more snags along the way.

After all, the year has already seen some high-profile PvP failures, including the ill-fated Highguard, which lasted all of two months before it and developer Wildlight Entertainment shut down.

But what about Borderlands 4 on the Nintendo Switch 2? Well, an interview with Game File has shed light on why it isn’t happening anytime soon, after development on the port was paused earlier this year. Zelnick has elaborated on the reasons, citing optimizations on existing platforms as a priority.

“We want to make sure that we’ve fully addressed Borderlands 4 from a consumer’s point of view before we bring it to more platforms.”

Zelnick is referring to the PC version, a facet of the experience we even commented on in our review of the release build, where we called performance a mixed bag. Ironing out those kinks seems to be keeping the developers occupied at the moment, although Zelnick remains firmly optimistic that a Switch 2 port is “doable”.

Well, there’s still a lot of content and new additions from a very extensive 2026 roadmap to look forward to if you’ve not been able to get enough of the latest addition to the franchise. Let’s hope that it eventually makes it to the Switch 2 and brings a whole new bunch of players to the table as the year goes by.

In a recent interview with GameFile, Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two, explained that the team found it hard to work around EA’s exclusivity deal with the NFL and make a non-simulation title that would appeal to player tastes. It “didn’t work out creatively”, but Zelnick asserted that 2K would like another go at it “if the opportunity presents itself”.

We didn’t think that things were as challenging as they were, but as Insider Gaming’s Mike Straw reported back in 2023, it seems that the game’s development has bounced around quite a bit, leaving only a jumbled mess to show for it. Well, we’ll look on the bright side and call it a smart decision not to move ahead with a title that wasn’t going to do it for football fans, who are quite a discerning lot to begin with.

In the meantime, at least EA’s usual yearly iteration in the Madden NFL series should be coming this year. Whether that’s good news or not for fans who have long waited for an alternative remains to be seen.

The story sees the Vault Hunter working with Ellie as they venture into The Whispering Glacier in search of an “alien monolith” to find the titular Vault of the Damned. A “cosmic entity” that wants to ruin Kairos is apparently within, and the duo are keen to prevent that. Alongside the return of Mancubus, there’s Pickle and even Crazy Earl.

The Whispering Glacier holds plenty of secrets, including new areas hidden by massive flesh grows and an alternate dimension where a random World Boss awaits. Aside from the various bosses and mini-bosses (which include Scavs, Kraggons and even the DAHL Legion), players can look forward to 11 new Legendaries and three Pearlescent weapons. There are also 28 new cosmetics to unlock.

Of course, to access the content, you’ll need to have finished “A Lot to Process” in the base game, which means being level 13 or higher, or starting a new character and skipping straight to the DLC. A full reveal of C4SH’s gameplay and even a new cinematic short will be released next week, so there’s plenty to help with the wait.

Borderlands 4 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Its Switch 2 version was originally in development, but has since been paused, allegedly proving a challenge for the team.

Bounty Pack 2’s release later this month will be accompanied by a major update for Borderlands 4 that brings with it a new tier of loot rarity—Pearlescent. This new tier has been described as being “superior to even Legendary gear”, and will be available to all players regardless of which DLC they may or may not own. Bounty Pack 2 players will also get their own exclusive Pearlescent-tier gear.

Story Pack 1 will introduce an entirely new region to the game, complete with new story missions and the first post-launch Vault Hunter addition—C4SH. The character was teased back in September, giving us hints about his various abilities. C4SH is themed as a gunslinger, along with slight nods towards potential necromantic abilities. The tease was accompanied with a look at C4SH’s kit, which includes a pair of revolvers and some strange-looking artefacts.

Legend of the Stone Demon is the second of five planned post-launch Bounty Pack DLCs. It can be picked up as part of the Bounty Pack Bundle, or as part of the Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions of Borderlands 4. Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned, on the other hand, is the first of two planned Story Pack DLCs, and can be picked up individually, as part of the Vault Hunter Pack, or as part of the game’s Super Deluxe Edition.

Initially, Gearbox had also planned to bring Borderlands 4 to the Nintendo Switch 2. However, poor performance of the title on PC led to the studio pushing back the Switch 2 launch in favor of ironing out its technical issues on other platforms. While things had largely been quiet since then, earlier this week, Take-Two Interactive spokesperson Alan Lewis had confirmed that development on the port had been paused.

“Our focus continues to be delivering quality post-launch content for players on the ongoing improvements to optimize the game,” said Lewis. “We’re continuing to collaborate closely with our friends at Nintendo. We have ‘PGA Tour 2K25’ coming out and ‘WWE 2K26’ [for Switch 2], and we’re incredibly excited about bringing more of our titles to that platform in the future”

A follow-up report has indicated that development on the Switch 2 port had been “paused for a couple of months.” According to notable leaker NateTheHate, the port has “proven to be a challenge and has likely crossed over into the realm of investment/time needed to port it well being too high in comparison to sales potential.”

In the meantime, Borderlands 4 is still available on other modern platforms, and Gearbox has recently unveiled an updated roadmap for its post-launch content plans. Also check out our review for more details on the co-op looter shooter.

With the news that the Nintendo Switch 2 version has been paused, one must wonder about its future (the recent 2026 roadmap notwithstanding). Speaking to GamesIndustry, Zelnick said, “We’re still supporting Borderlands. We’ll have new content coming, we have updates coming, and we still are very optimistic about that title.”

This follows president Karl Slatoff stating that, “Gearbox Software will continue to support Borderlands 4 with new content and updates, and we expect the title to achieve strong sell-through over its lifetime” in Take-Two’s latest earnings call (transcription via GamesRadar).

That’s pretty much in line with everything we already know, but what about long-term content plans? Will Gearbox deliver everything on its current roadmap, which includes a new Bounty Pack and two story expansions, before moving on? Or can we expect even more content beyond Q3 2026?

Time will tell, but for Standard Edition owners along for the ride, the looter shooter will receive new Pearlescent rarity items next month, followed by a new Invincible boss and the first Takedown in Q2 2026. Gearbox has also promised performance improvements, a level cap increase, balance updates, new endgame activities, limited-time events, and my most-wanted feature, Shared Progression.

It essentially means that all collectibles unlocked on your first playthrough, including Fast Travel kiosks, Vault Key Fragments, and more, will be available for all future characters. No more needing to hunt them down again. Unfortunately, there’s currently no ETA on its arrival.

Lewis did mention, however, that Take-Two Interactive is still continuing to work with Nintendo to bring its games to the Switch 2, including upcoming releases like WWE 2K26.

“Our focus continues to be delivering quality post-launch content for players on the ongoing improvements to optimize the game. We’re continuing to collaborate closely with our friends at Nintendo. We have ‘PGA Tour 2K25’ coming out and ‘WWE 2K26’ [for Switch 2], and we’re incredibly excited about bringing more of our titles to that platform in the future.”

What he means by the development being paused is currently unknown. It might be an outright cancellation for the platform, since the recent quarterly earnings report for Take-Two Interactive doesn’t have any mention of Borderlands 4’s Switch 2 release.

Another report had indicated that Gearbox and Take-Two Interactive might be aiming for a February 27 launch of the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4, with the alleged date being listed by a Portuguese retailer. The description of the physical release indicated that it would be a Game Key Card, which would require players to download the files to play.

Gearbox had announced that it was delaying the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4 back in September, noting that it was making sure that it could deliver “the best possible experience to our fans.” Along with optimization improvements, the studio was also working on features like cross saves. “We do not take this decision lightly, but are committed to ensuring we deliver the best possible experience to our fans, and the game needs additional development and polish time to do that,” said Gearbox through the Borderlands Twitter account.

Thankfully, Nintendo’s eShop policies have meant that those who pre-ordered Borderlands 4 on the Switch 2 wouldn’t lose any money. Rather, all digital pre-orders were cancelled, and refunds were automatically initiated. It is worth noting that some work had been done on Borderlands 4‘s Switch 2 port, with a trailer being released back in July showcasing the platform-specific gameplay.

Borderlands 4 is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, and Gearbox has continued to provide post-launch support for the co-op looter shooter. In a new roadmap, the studio confirmed that Bounty Pack 2: Legend of the Stone Demon will be released in February, and Mad Ellie and the Vault of the Damned will come out in March.

The second Invincible boss is also slated to debut alongside the game’s first Takedown in Q2 2026. Gearbox has described it as an “extremely challenging gauntlet where players will have to battle their way through a new area, taking on hordes of enemies and new boss encounters.”

For more on Borderlands 4, check out our review.

According to the report, there have been a total of 71 million games sold in 2025 across PC and consoles in Europe, which marks a 6 percent drop over the same period from 2024. This data accounts for sales having taken place up to July 28. Of the 71 million game sales, 52 million were digital copies, while 19.7 million were physical copies. These are 3 percent and 9 percent reductions over the previous year, and around 74 percent of games sold this year in Europe have been digital, which, when it comes to percentages, is a 2 percent rise from 2024.

The best-selling game in Europe in 2025 has been EA Sports FC 25. The title was released back in 2024, and taking it into account, Assassin’s Creed Shadows currently sits in the number 2 spot for game sales overall in Europe across PC and consoles. The top 20 sales chart, which you can check out below, also include other games released this year, including The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, Elden Ring: Nightreign, and Nintendo Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World. It is worth noting that digital sales data for Nintendo games hasn’t been revealed.

The data, coming from official European charts company GSD, also interestingly omits Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It was noted as being missing because publisher Kepler Interactive hasn’t shared sales data for the game with GSD. An analyst from GSD, Sam Naji, also revealed some details about how game spending has changed for PC and consoles over the year.

In his analysis, Naji said that the first 19 weeks of 2025 saw spending drop by 2 percent compared to 2024, down to €1.33 billion, while the number of copies sold dropped by 9 percent. He attributed this to the average price of games having gone up by around 8 percent, with gamers spending an average of €29 per game, when compared to 2024’s average of €27 per game. He also noted that digital spending had gone up by 8 percent compared to a 6 percent drop in number of units sold, attributing it to a 15 percent rise in average price for digital games – €22 to €25 per game.

Best Selling Games in Europe for 2025 Across PC and Consoles:

1. EA Sports FC 25 (EA)
2. Assassin’s Creed Shadows (Ubisoft)
3. Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)
4. Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)
5. Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros)
6. Split Fiction (EA)
7. Monster Hunter Wilds (Capcom)
8. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Activision Blizzard)
9. Mario Kart World (Nintendo)
10. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (Plaion)
11. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered (Bethesda)
12. Star Wars Battlefront 2 (EA)
13. Elden Ring: Nightreign (Bandai Namco)
14. It Takes Two (EA)
15. Grand Theft Auto Online (Rockstar)
16. NBA 2K25 (2K Games)
17. F1 25 (EA)
18. Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege (Ubisoft)
19. Mario Kart 8: Deluxe (Nintendo)
20. Battlefield 1 (EA)

“If you are playing on the Switch 2 you won’t be able to upload or view custom images from other platforms,” 2K explained in an FAQ for the game. The publisher then went on to say that “Nintendo Switch 2 players will not see Image Uploader-based Community Creations from any platform or be able to upload their own.”

While this means that custom-made wrestlers that were created using only the in-game tools would be fine to share, those that were made on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, or by making use of the Image Uploader tool provided by 2K for the creation of custom textures will not be available. When it comes to community creations, the ones made using the Image Uploader tend to be the most detailed and popular.

Fans of WWE 2K games on social media have not been happy about this announcement, with one fan even noting that the Nintendo Switch version of WWE 2K18 supported the feature just fine.

“Ended up going to Nintendo support to get a refund,” posted one player on Reddit. “Have the game on PS5, only double dipped for a portable universe mode with custom creations.” They went on to confirm that Nintendo allowed a refund and that it “didn’t take too long.”

Some players are speculating about whether the lack of Image Uploader support on the Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 comes down to restrictions placed by Nintendo. One player wrote about their frustrations with this decision, wishing that Nintendo would trust the users of its consoles to make use of the parental control tools available rather than restricting content like this.

“Wait.. so custom images are forbidden by Nintendo?” they wrote. “I really wish Nintendo would tell us their target audience. Why does Nintendo have to be like YouTube? You have parental controls for a reason, stop hindering grown adults’ fun by protecting kids. Yall ain’t their parents. The parents are.”

The Switch 2 version of WWE 2K25 was announced earlier this month alongside a new trailer that featured various members of the WWE roster, including LA Knight, Finn Balor, and Raquel Rodriguez. The trailer also provided a look at the wrestling title’s gameplay.

Pre-ordering the Switch 2 release would have gotten players access to the Wyatt Sicks pack. Those who decided not to pre-order, however, can still get their hands on the DLC pack by picking up the Deadman Edition or the Bloodline Edition of WWE 2K25.

Aside from the Nintendo Switch 2, WWE 2K25 has been out on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S since March. For more details, check out our review, where we gave it a score of 7 out of 10.

In the preview, IGN noted that developer Hangar 13, according to president Nick Baynes, had similar opinions about Mafia 3 as the players did in hindsight, namely the fact that an open-world game in the vein of the Grand Theft Auto franchise didn’t suit the Mafia franchise. Baynes also suggested that the positive reception of the more linear Mafia: Definitive Edition might have led Hangar 13 to making Mafia: The Old Country a linear title as well.

The preview played by IGN involved three chapters of Mafia: The Old Country – chapters 3, 4 and 5. According to the publication, Hangar 13 has been seemingly quite successful at recapturing the general mission design structure that made the original Mafia and its first sequel beloved. The game focuses a lot more on its narrative rather than saddling players with side-quests and collection missions in an open world.

Earlier this month, Hangar 13 had also released a new trailer for Mafia: The Old Country, giving us an extensive look at its gameplay. The trailer involved protagonist Enzo Favara having a meeting with Ton Torrisi before heading out on a mission. However, before leaving for the mission, Enzo also has to prepare by picking out his ideal gear in order to infiltrate a villa. The trailer gave us a look at both stealth-based gameplay, as well as some more action-oriented segments.

Before this, Mafia: The Old Country had also gotten a trailer during Summer Game Fest 2025 back in June. The trailer gave us a look at some of the upcoming title’s story scenes, as well as some gameplay. According to the trailer, a core theme of Mafia: The Old Country will be the idea of revenge, and how it “can only come from someone else”.

According to Hangar 13, authenticity has been a major priority for the studio when it comes to portraying early-1900s Sicily in Mafia: The Old Country. A developer diary from back in May featured quite a few of the developers, including game director Alex Cox, lead writer Matthew Aitken, and art director Steve Noakes, among others.

“When it comes to something like the knives in the game, there’s very little reference that’s available for that. Right?” said Noakes. “And so really we had to dig very deep. We went into some tiny little backwater of a machine shop where this guy and his son were still crafting knives by hand, imbuing them with their particular regional styles, known for their thumbprints, if you like, of their particular approach to building knives. We just wouldn’t really experienced that any other way.”

Mafia: The Old Country is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on August 8.