It’s come a long way since its not-so-humble beginnings, launching several expansions and new chapters. Everstone has chosen the perfect moment to tell us there’s a new update scheduled for next month, bringing Nvidia DLSS 5 support to the game. That means you’ll want to revisit all those stunning locales you’ve spent so many hours in, since neural rendering can give them a new look and feel when done right. It seems to be the case with Where Winds Meet, and the new trailer revealed with the announcement offers a look at various environments with DLSS 5 active.

The results are nothing short of stunning, and it should make Qingzhou, the new region launching next week, stand out even more. We’ll keep revisiting the trailer below until then, since we doubt those beautiful locations will grow tiresome anytime soon. Of course, we’ll also test it ourselves once the update drops, and spend more than a few hours clicking photos of the best vistas that catch our eye.

Among other things, Houser noted that Bully’s unique concept, which used a school as its primary setting, led to the team struggling quite a bit while developing it. While the team itself was unsure about whether or not Bully would turn out to be a good game, it ultimately “came together really well”.

“The development was hard. The game was in trouble all of the time. It was difficult. It was an out-there concept. We were struggling with it. I wasn’t sure it was going to be any good. We really wanted it to come together. It was really fun afterwards because it came together really well. The team did a great job. It was a sort of really strong game at the end. It kind of came together very late.”

Houser went on to talk about how creating a new IP was quite difficult for the studio that had become quite popular around the time it was working on Bully due to the critical and commercial success of games like Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This, along with the game’s controversial name, led to quite a bit of misunderstanding amongst the populace as well.

“So I think one of the challenges with that game was it never got the attention it deserved. We were too focused on trying to at least get people to stock it or to not protest it before it even came out.”

Rockstar Games was no stranger to controversy during the mid-2000s, thanks to releases like Manhunt and even the infamous Hot Coffee mod for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

“We had to spend most of 2006 diffusing it, so we couldn’t positively promote the game in the way we normally would’ve done. I think that didn’t help it. I mean, that was the same time as Hot Coffee, and it felt like things were imploding. It was very stressful. And just go to work each day, wonder who’s protesting you that day, and hope that things can shake out properly. I wasn’t directly involved. Luckily, I was just sort of right off to the side, and wasn’t directly involved in organizing most of that stuff. But it was really stressful for the people involved.”

Discussing how the core gameplay of Bully started to come together, Houser noted that members of the development team were still quite confused about what players would do in it, since it didn’t have things like guns and cars. Eventually, however, the project’s lead designer started adding concepts into the game like the school’s class schedule and lessons.

“Then, one of the designers put this thing where you could stick a Post-it note on the back of a character that said ‘Kick me’ on it. Then an NPC would run up and kick them. And just seeing that work, you’re like, that’s a great moment. So then you’re, okay, we’re starting to get somewhere. So I think that moment was probably when I always remember going, this IP that wouldn’t work in a GTA, obviously; it’s not interesting. But as a kid, and suddenly it was the scale of the school and the scale of a kid’s life, it started to feel really fun.”

Currently, Bully is playable on PC, PS2, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and the Nintendo Wii through various means. PlayStation users can grab it through the digital re-release, while Xbox One and Series X/S users can access it through backwards compatibility for the Xbox 360 version.

While few other details about the port have been revealed, it will also likely feature specially developed touch controls that make gameplay on smartphones and tablets easier. Along with this, it wouldn’t be too surprising to see the Android version of Replaced also get compatibility with gamepads, allowing for more refined control schemes even on mobile.

Replaced was released across PC and Xbox Series X/S earlier this year, and has a great critical reception, with its Metacritic rating sitting at 76. In our own review, we gave it a score of 7 out of 10 thanks to its gorgeous pixel art visual style that has been beautifully animated and well-lit, excellent world-building, and satisfying combat. Our only complaints revolved around the clunkiness of the Pickaxe in the game’s 2.5D plane and the slow pacing of its story.

Back in August 2025, Sad Cat Studios co-founder Igor Gritsay had revealed more details about why the team decided to go with the 2.5D art style that melds 3D assets with pixel art. He noted that the team wanted to make a visually striking game but lacked the budget to make a AAA-level title.

“You don’t see many of those games like Inside, maybe Little Nightmares and stuff, but those are far in between. And this is for a reason, because even if a game is fully 3D, it’s really difficult to compose everything in a cinematic way. But we shot ourselves in the leg with doing all the pixel art because, to do proper camera work so that you don’t break the illusion of sprites being 2D is a lot of work.”

Interestingly, Gritsay said that the team thought that going with the 2.5D art style would end up being easier, and ultimately concluded the discussion by saying: “spoiler alert, it was not.”

His statement was accompanied by a video that gave us a look at its gameplay. Replaced puts players in the shoes of an AI named R.E.A.C.H. as they explore the cyberpunk world to uncover deep secrets and webs of conspiracies. There is a heavy emphasis on exploration throughout the game, with several hostile encounters thrown in, allowing players to flex their melee and ranged combat capabilities.

The main setting of Replaced is a dystopian world that has a vast amount of income inequality, with an entire category of people being called “disposals”. These people were previously victims of corporations that have stolen their organs and thrown the survivors out of the city.

For more details about Replaced, take a look at our interview with Gritsay and director Yura Zhdanovich, where we discussed the studio’s inspirations, how the team managed to balance melee and ranged combat, and how exploration became one of the core gameplay pillars of the title.

While Haunted Chocolatier will certainly feature elements of living a life in a small town in the vein of Stardew Valley, Barone has said that there will be more of an emphasis on dungeon crawling, adventuring, and discovering new equipment that results in power boosts.

“It is still what I call a town game. But it’s more of an action RPG – the main focus is more about adventuring, finding equipment, and getting more powerful. There are monsters, there are boss fights. It’s for the people in Stardew Valley that go into the mines. That’s what I do, honestly.”

As for Haunted Chocolatier taking quite a bit of time to develop, Barone apologizes. Recalling the days of developing Stardew Valley when he didn’t quite have the fame afforded to him by the success of the life sim, Barone says that he misses a time when there wasn’t an audience, and expectations weren’t quite so high.

“I’ve been struggling with that because I really want to recapture that feeling that I had when I was making Stardew Valley. Back then, there was no audience, there was no precedent. Everyone’s watching me, and if I don’t do things a certain way, it might disappoint millions of people.”

Despite this, Barone is also adamant about not showcasing Haunted Chocolatier before it’s actually ready. “No one’s playing the game until I’m ready to show it. If you have a turkey in the oven. You’re not going to pull it out halfway and have the guests taste it, right? It needs to be done.”

While Haunted Chocolatier was announced all the way back in 2021, in the years since then, Barone has chosen to take frequent breaks from its development to instead work on brand-new content for Stardew Valley. In 2022, Barone said that players will need to wait for quite some time before they get to play Haunted Chocolatier, since it’s going to be “a big game”.

“I have a big, ambitious vision for it. It’s a little bit daunting, the amount of work that it’s going to be. But Stardew Valley took me four and a half years; I’ve been working on Haunted Chocolatier for about a year and a half or maybe two years now. I announced it a little bit over a year ago, but it’s still gonna be a while. But I think it’s going good. So far. There’s a lot of good things so far.”

In the meantime, Barone has kept up with support for Stardew Valley, bringing in a variety of new features and content to the game. He is also working on yet another update. Dubbed 1.7, he hasn’t revealed any details about it.

In the meantime, the company plans to continue supporting the title until it gets taken down, with its next season of content still slated for release in the coming week. When its servers are taken down, Rainbow Six Mobile will also likely end up being delisted from Google Play and the App Store since the title didn’t really feature much in the way of offline single-player content.

“One of the greatest parts of this adventure has been getting to experience it alongside you. We’ve loved seeing the memes, videos, strategies, tournaments, impossible plays, and all the countless moments that happened because you were here.

“While we are proud of what this team and community have built together, our team will move on to other long-term strategic projects.”

More details about the end-of-service for Rainbow Six Mobile will be revealed in the coming weeks, allowing players to better prepare for the game’s eventual shutdown. “Thank you for being part of Rainbow Six Mobile and for everything you have brought to this community. We are truly grateful to everyone who has played our game,” said the development team.

Rainbow Six Siege was originally announced all the way back in April 2022. The title was described as featuring the same 5v5 PvP multiplayer as offered by Rainbow Six Siege, with teams being split into Attackers and Defenders depending on the map. Along with a large roster of playable Operators, Rainbow Six Mobile also featured maps with destructible environments, and during its announcement, Ubisoft had confirmed that fan favorites like Bank and Border would be making their way into the smartphone game as well.

The title got quite a bit of testing before its eventual launch earlier this year, allowing Ubisoft plenty of time to fine-tune its various gameplay mechanics and potential balance issues before the shooter was released to the millions of Android and iOS users across the world.

In 2022, the development team had even discussed Rainbow Six Mobile with us in great detail, revealing details about its various aspects like monetization plans, post-launch roadmaps, and even how the team decided on an appropriate control scheme.

As for PC and console, Rainbow Six Siege went through a rebrand, dubbed Rainbow Six Siege X, just last year. The rebrand came alongside the shooter going free-to-play, as well as Ubisoft adding a host of new features, visual improvements, and even a new game mode to the title.

More recently, Ubisoft has announced an expansion to the Rainbow Six franchise with Rainbow Six Tactics. The title was unveiled with a trailer in August and is slated for release in 2027. Not too many details about the turn-based tactics game have been announced yet, however.

While deep-sea diving and exploration aren’t exactly confirmed, it taps into other Wuxia fantasies. Ever wanted to challenge an old master on a series of moving rafts? Well, now’s your chance. It even adds some new abilities to Silkbind, from floating around and unleashing area attacks to seeking projectiles.

Of course, you’ll have enough new bosses to deal with. One boss seems innocuous enough with his dual sword strikes, but then drags you into a crimson realm and gains much more mobility, using chains to pull himself in close. Another boss relies on dual spears, even using them to move around in an unorthodox fashion.

But while the combat looks thrilling, Qingzhou doesn’t lack gorgeous sights, including stunning architecture and statues. In true Where Winds Meet fashion, we’re curious about the new activities, mini-games, quests and story threads that await when it goes live. As always, stay tuned for more details.

Where Winds Meet is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, iOS, and Android.

While plenty of games that are already out will be present, players can also look forward to a demo for Final Fantasy 7 Revelation. The development team behind Final Fantasy Resonance will also be present at TGS 2026 to discuss the upcoming title’s HD-2D art style and how it informed game design decisions. As for older titles, players can look forward to checking out the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Dragon Quest 11 S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition and Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined. For more details, check out the full list of what Square Enix is bringing to the event below.

Back in May, Bandai Namco had announced its own lineup of games for Tokyo Game Show 2026, which will include major upcoming releases like Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve, One Piece: Grand Gourmet, Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, and Bleach: Mirrors High.

Capcom has also confirmed that it will host its own showcase a day before Tokyo Game Show 2026 kicks off. The showcase will be 40 minutes long and will highlight many of the company’s upcoming releases, like expansions for Monster Hunter Wilds and Dragon’s Dogma 2 – Ascension and Dark Arisen, respectively. The company will also be present at the TGS show floor to showcase these games, alongside other titles like Street Fighter 6, Pragmata, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and Mega Man: Dual Override.

Tokyo Game Show 2026 is slated to be the largest iteration of the event so far, with the organizer – Japan’s Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association – celebrating the last year’s event and noting that the new iteration will feature more room for exhibitors and attendees to explore.

“This year, through reviewing exhibition hall layouts and dispersing large-scale booths in pursuit of maximizing and optimizing exhibition space, we are making it possible for even more companies to exhibit.”

Back in May, Tokyo Game Show 2026 got a video teasing the event, with visuals created by illustrator Zashikiwarashi. The organizers have also confirmed that this year’s event will be the longest TGS we’ve seen so far, with 5 days planned to celebrate the event’s 30th anniversary.

Square Enix’s Tokyo Game Show 2026 Lineup:

• Dissidia Duellum Final Fantasy (iOS, Android)
• Dragon Quest VII Reimagined (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, PC) (Family Game Park)
  • Demo – Try Dragon Quest VII Reimagined from the beginning.
• Dragon Quest X Online (PS4, Switch, PC)
• Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age – Definitive Edition (Switch 2)
• Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, PC)
  • Fluffy Meet and Greet – Meet Fluffy, a mysterious creature that appears in Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World, and take a photograph together. All visitors who participate in the meet & greet can receive an original Fluffy & Slime sticker.
• Dragon Quest Smash/Grow (iOS, Android)
• Final Fantasy VII Revelation (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC)
  • Demo – Play through a section of Final Fantasy VII Revelation.
  • Photo Spots
    • Final Fantasy VII Remake – Strike a pose with the Buster Sword as you strike down the Scorpion Sentinel!
    • Final Fantasy VII Rebirth – Pray to the planet in the forgotten capital while Sephiroth descends from above.
    • Final Fantasy VII Revelation – Hop on the Hardy-Daytona and face off against the Diamond Weapon!
  • Final Fantasy XIV Collaboration Bag – Only available on general admission days.
• Final Fantasy XIV: Evercold (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PS4, PC)
  • Character Meet and Greet – A Moogle and Alpha are coming to Tokyo Game Show.
  • Final Fantasy VII Revelation Collaboration Bag – Only available on general admission days.
• Final Fantasy Resonance (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, PC)
  • Panel Pixel Art – A massive panel featuring pixel character art from Final Fantasy Resonance will be on display. Attendees can also participate in the spot-the-difference online campaign by snagging a pamphlet at the Square Enix booth and comparing the art inside with the art on the panel.
• Kingdom Hearts Collection [I ~ III] (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC)
• Kingdom Hearts IV (PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, PC)

The cutscenes are then followed up by some gameplay footage that showcases the protagonist making his way across ruined structures while simultaneously avoiding the assassin’s attempts to stop him with ranged attacks. On reaching the assassin, the hero gets into a boss fight, with fast-paced action that one would expect from a game that draws so heavily from Wuxia influences.

Eventually, the fight heads to a strange arena that is littered with mirror images of buildings far into the horizon. This is also when the assassin unleashes more of her strength, and in the process, turns her clothes and hair completely white. The hero, however, is able to withstand her onslaught and eventually knocks her down, culminating in an incredibly flashy kill animation.

As the encounter ends, more insidious things seem to be at play, and the assassin was also seemingly being used as a pawn in some larger game. This leads to a larger invasion by another force, all while the city atop the Hidden Mountain comes under threat of collapse.

Chapter 3 of Hidden Mountain will come to Where Winds Meet as part of a free update on September 10th. Along with this, Everstone Studio is also celebrating the fact that it has more than 100 million players worldwide.

Throughout the trailer, we get to see a variety of in-game activities, ranging from stealth to parkour-based delivery jobs, and even using advanced tools to rip open the doors of trucks. Rather than gameplay, however, this trailer has a heavier emphasis on two cities that serve as the game’s setting – Nova City and Lingyun City.

Players will have to assemble their own squads throughout their adventures across both cities, and in the process, uncover some hidden truths. Aside from the story, players will also get to partake in day-to-day life, and there are a number of traversal options available ranging from simply running around to skateboarding or riding bikes.

Ananta revolves around the adventures of A.C.D. agents who are working to keep both cities safe. The title’s combat system also looks like it will take some cues from cult classic game Sleeping Dogs, with an emphasis on well-timed combos, counters, and dodges. Melee weapons also seem to be encouraged, with the protagonist being able to pick up things like tennis rackets and sledgehammers to dish out some pain.

Ananta was originally announced all the way back in 2023, and at the time was known as Project Mugen. In 2024, NetEase officially announced that its title is Ananta.

Well, that’s since been compounded in light of new information that’s been dropped in an announcement of all the stuff to expect when it goes live after a rolling update scheduled today between 5 AM to 10 AM UTC. The biggest draw for us is the chance to fight that massive, mechanical serpent from last week’s trailer, which is something we anticipate is going to take us a while to achieve. Of course, if you’ve been diligent about all the questlines that Hidden Mountain has brought to the game, you’re going to find the next steps to progress them all added in once the update is all done.

There’s also the Cloudtop Ascent event, which has you joining all the other Wanderers on your server to build the stairway to Heaven’s Threshold, exploring along the way for the chance to uncover blueprints left by wanderers past that could speed up progress. You’ve got a bit of ferrying to do aside from everything else in a long list of additions, all of them very intriguing options. We’re certainly going to be a little spoiled for choice when this one goes live.