Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Keeper, Grounded 2, and the ROG Xbox Ally (which will allegedly receive a release date) make up day one, as previously announced. However, you can also look forward to Cronos: The New Dawn, Hotel Barcelona, Invincible VS, World of Warcraft: Midnight, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dying Light: The Beast, Starsand Island, PowerWash Simulator 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Outbound, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants.

Day 2 is also just as packed. Previously confirmed titles include The Outer Worlds 2, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Overwatch 2, but Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Jurassic World Evolution 3, FragPunk, Mistfall Hunter, At Fate’s End and Age of Empires 4 are also present. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, My Hero Academia: All’s Justice, Silent Hill f, LEGO Voyagers, and High on Life 2 will also appear. If that wasn’t enough, you can expect to see Silent Hill f and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater in action.

Before all this unfolds, Gamescom Opening Night Live will take place on August 19th at 11 AM PDT and promises its own stacked lineup. Then there’s Future Games Show on August 20th, featuring Phantom Blade Zero and Little Nightmares 3. Stay tuned for live coverage throughout all this.

FragPunk occurs in a sleek futuristic setting where a mysterious reality-altering material called Glunite has been discovered and harnessed into Shard Cards. Activating cards can result in all kinds of effects, from flipping reality to changing the behavior of guns. As such, various mercenaries known as Lancers want to get their hands on this material to make more cards. To what end? The cinematic trailer does shine some light on this, but good luck trying to learn any of that in-game.

"At its core, FragPunk is more or less akin to Valorant. It’s 5v5, each player controlling a unique Agent – er, Lancer. You have the “Buy” phase, where you acquire primary, secondary and melee weapons."

And that’s fine. It provides enough reason to fight other Lancers, though I question the practice of using Shard Cards to obtain more material to make more Shard Cards. Perhaps there’s something about the endless cycle of battle for potentially limited resources.

At its core, FragPunk is more or less akin to Valorant. It’s 5v5, each player controlling a unique Agent – er, Lancer. You have the “Buy” phase, where you acquire primary, secondary and melee weapons. Each of your abilities has specific charges that won’t replenish mid-combat. The main mode is Shard Clash, where one team is in charge of planting a Shard Convertor while the other must defend. Play enough rounds, and both sides eventually switch roles.

The cards are at the heart of the experience. Before a round, each side can invest Shard Points into a card of choice, adding a modifier to tip the scales. Activating Big Head Mode for enemies, increasing the size of their head hitbox and allowing for easier headshots; deactivating healing for the enemy team; enhancing a random weapon in your arsenal; and one of my favorites, putting all of your reserve ammo into a single magazine and unleashing it all in one burst are some of the highlights.

Depending on the effect, players must invest more Shard Points into a card to activate it, and you can field multiple cards at once (or refresh a current option). It’s also possible to strengthen a card’s effect with more Shard Points, thus turning a relatively normal option into something far more potent.

"Otherwise, adding cards to this kind of competitive shooter format is…fine. They’re only active for that specific round and not the entire match – which is understandable to prevent things from falling into complete anarchy."

Shard Points are obtained from dealing damage, assists, kills, and whatnot. Thus, even if your team is curb-stomped in the first round or two, it’s possible to make a comeback using more potent Shard Cards from the points accumulated thus far. However, a more complex economy is notable only in longer Shard Clash matches.

For the regular Standard format, where it’s four rounds to victory, snowballs feel way more likely with little chance to turn things around other than raw skill. However, the same applies to a team that invests too many Shard Points when things are going well, potentially ending up on the back foot if your opponents turn things around.

Otherwise, adding cards to this kind of competitive shooter format is…fine. They’re only active for that specific round and not the entire match – which is understandable to prevent things from falling into complete anarchy. I did enjoy swapping out the tried and true SMG for an automatic shotgun once Dragon’s Breath became active, unleashing a swarm of hail and dealing ignite damage over time to an unlucky enemy. But these instances of drastically altering your overall setup felt few and far between. If anything, they’re fun modifiers which spice up the otherwise overtly familiar gameplay.

FragPunk tries other ways to change things, like a knockout system for weapons. If you’re defeated in a round, your previously chosen weapon is locked out, so you need to select another (or loot it from an enemy). The visual style is also super colorful, brimming with graffiti and effects that stop just short of feeling too overwhelming at times.

"Everyone has their quips and voice lines, even the announcer (to an annoying degree at times), but they otherwise come off as strangers to one another."

The shooting mechanics and overall weapon feedback feel enjoyable enough, even if they’re leaning away from your typical tactical shooter. The Duel is a substitute for overtime and pits teams in 1v1 battles until one side is completely wiped out, which is neat.

But they can’t hide FragPunk‘s most glaring problem in a nutshell – you’ve seen all this before, albeit in other, more compelling titles. This includes the slower, more methodical movement that encourages corner peaking and not simply rushing in, swapping to your melee weapon to move a bit faster. The maps with multiple sightlines and flanking routes, though they don’t feel as naturally integrated at times as Valorant‘s (even if they beat it in terms of sheer visual fidelity).

The various Lancer abilities are also nothing too out of the ordinary, ranging from your typical scanning, turrets and remote-controlled allies to detection beacons, camouflage and entering the void to avoid damage (but not being able to see enemy players). It all works well enough, though there are some periods of awkwardness, and very little feels non-derivative, which is a shame because of how cool the Lancers themselves look.

Then again, their sleek designs belie the lack of organic interactions between the characters. Everyone has their quips and voice lines, even the announcer (to an annoying degree at times), but they otherwise come off as strangers to one another. I would argue that this kind of approach to character interactions would make more sense in Valorant rather than FragPunk‘s more casual, over-the-top identity, but your mileage may vary.

When you’re bored of Shard Clash, you could try other modes like Team Deathmatch or Infection. The latter seemed promising but turns out laughable, given the lopsided advantage survivors have over the Infected and how annoyingly long the matches can last. Otherwise, you have the standard challenges and events, the latter focusing on completing additional tasks. Thus we arrive at the sheer amount of currencies and microtransactions inherent in FragPunk.

"Even without the sheer abundance of monetization, FragPunk is a solid if mostly “inspired” (in the nicest way possible) competitive shooter."

I get it – it’s a free-to-play game, it’s all cosmetic, Valorant charges plenty of exorbitant prices for their skins, and even Overwatch 2 brought back loot boxes. But even if you can justify all that, there’s no denying that FragPunk makes it needlessly difficult to navigate all of this. I still don’t know what Weapon Keys do, why soda cans are gacha, or even how we got to this point. Even if you ignore all the cosmetic nonsense, you still have to unlock additional Lancers with Gold or FragPunk Coins (acquired by spending real money). At least all the Shard Cards are free forever.

Even without the sheer abundance of monetization, FragPunk is a solid if mostly “inspired” (in the nicest way possible) competitive shooter. The bombastic style and gunplay can be fun, especially with the unpredictability that the cards add, but the real meat of tactics and depth of weapon mastery feel somewhat wanting. Whether it can evolve further and establish its own niche or fall behind its superior inspirations remains to be seen, but for now, it’s enjoyable enough.

This game was reviewed on PC.

It assures players they’ll be kept “in the loop with regular updates” with a release date and other details coming “as soon as they’re locked in.” The developer reiterated that console players will receive all rewards from Season 1’s start until the console versions launch alongside free in-game currency worth $10.

Cross-progression is also confirmed with PC players capable of transferring progress to the console versions. There will be a proper guide later so stay tuned.

Bad Guitar Studio also detailed the Battle Pass, including the Free and Ultimate tracks. The Free track grants 100 Weapon Skin Keys, 100 Lancer Skin Keys, and 3 Curiosity Pop Cans alongside charms, animations, and stickers.

Meanwhile, the Premium track contains 4 Superb weapon skins, two Superb Lancer skins, five Rare Lancer skins, and one Superb knife skin for 900 FragPunk Coins. It also provides 15 Curiosity Pop Cans, 400 Weapon Skin Keys, 250 Lancer Skin Keys, arm ornaments, charms, and more. There’s also the Ultimate Track for 1600 FragPunk Coins with even more cosmetics – head here for more details.

It also provided a helpful map of global release timings. New York gains access at 7 PM EST and London at midnight GMT on March 7th. Other regions like Berlin, Sydney, New Zealand, and Japan will have to wait till their local time tomorrow to go hands-on with the title.

FragPunk is a 5v5 competitive shooter with realistic firearms and multiple characters (known as Lancers), each possessing unique abilities. It’s much like Riot Games’ Valorant, but the twist is the Shard Cards. Players can create a deck of cards and play them during rounds with enough Shard Points.

These provide effects like big heads for enemies, allowing for easier headshots, flipping the stage upside down, and even generating a black hole to bunch enemies together. Check out our closed beta impressions for more details.

FragPunk is going live on PC at 16:00 PST, March 6th!

Wherever you are, we’ve got you covered—check for your local launch time!
And hey, keep your eyes sharp… you might spot something extra. 👀

Gear up, break the rules, and dive into the action—see you on the battlefield! 💥… pic.twitter.com/ckCaYONBqV

— FragPunk (@PlayFragPunk) March 5, 2025

The developer confirmed this is due to “unexpected technical challenges in optimization and adaptation.” Instead of “rushing the console release” and providing a “potentially poor user experience,” it’s delaying the console versions to ensure a “comparable experience” to the PC version.

On the bright side, the developer has prepared extensive compensation. Players who pre-ordered the Pioneer Bundle on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store will receive refunds alongside $10 worth of free in-game currency. Though a new pre-order isn’t planned, the bundle will become available again for a limited time after the console versions launch.

If that’s not enough, console players will receive all rewards earned in-game spanning the start of Season 1 until the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions go live. This includes currency, cosmetics and XP, with more details to be revealed later.

Check out our impressions of the closed beta for more details on FragPunk. It’s launching with even more cards, maps, and playable Lancers, so stay tuned for updates.

A message from FragPunk team about the delay of the launch on console platforms: pic.twitter.com/VZpvr70pdx

— FragPunk (@PlayFragPunk) March 4, 2025

FragPunk

Bad Guitar Studio’s free-to-play competitive shooter Fragpunk finally arrives on March 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC and caters to the Valorant crowd. That is if Valorant had an even more bombastic art style and cards that introduce modifiers, from larger heads to flipping the level upside down. As far-fetched as it seems, Fragpunk’s mix of abilities and cards is endearing – here’s hoping it’s also long-lasting.

Split Fiction

Better than It Takes Two (according to director Josef Fares) and promising to blow people away (again, according to Fares). Regardless of the signature hyperbole, Hazelight’s latest co-op adventure looks quite good. As Mio and Zoe, two writers stuck in a simulation, players venture across sci-fi and fantasy worlds with a ridiculous number of gameplay mechanics. Mechs, gravity changes, dragon-riding, spacewalks, even sausage making (turned terrifying) – it’s all here and out on March 6th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. And only one person needs to own a copy to play with a friend, thanks to the Friend’s Pass.

Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster

Launching on March 6th for all platforms, Suikoden 1 and 2 HD Remaster is exactly what it says – a remastered compilation of Konami’s first two award-winning role-playing games with updated effects and HD backgrounds. Quality-of-life features like a conversation log, auto-save and Fast Forward for combat should make the journeys to gather all 108 Stars of Destiny much smoother. If you enjoyed Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes and always wanted to experience its inspiration, now’s the time.

WWE 2K25

With Cody Rhodes finishing his story, the past year or so of WWE has focused heavily on the Bloodline. So it should come as no surprise that the new Showcase in WWE 2K25, out on March 14th, is all about the faction, incorporating past and present Samoan wrestlers while debuting a new social space called The Island for players to hang out. With over 300 wrestlers, a new unified MyRISE mode, online multiplayer for MyGM and new match types, there’s quite a lot on the card.

MLB The Show 25

The show never truly ends for Sony San Diego Studio. and this year, it’s looking to implement major improvements based on fan feedback. Road to Show is revamped, offering eight licensed teams while still following the Path to 99 progression. Diamond Dynasty dabbles with rogue-like mechanics, Storylines continue, and the gameplay has seen numerous improvements. MLB The Show 25 launches on March 18th for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, though unfortunately, not for Game Pass.

Assassin’s Creed Shadows

After months of delays, rumors, and extensive gameplay showings, Assassin’s Creed Shadows is poised for release on March 20th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Ubisoft is mixing up quite a bit with its dual protagonists, Naoe and Yasuke, but also returning to its stealth action roots while revamping the parkour and adding seasons. Between the base-building, scouting, loot, and late Sengoku era intrigue, there’s tons to unpack, but can it revive the publisher’s fortunes? That’s the million-dollar question.

Rise of the Rōnin (PC)

Insert a joke about playing a better open-world action RPG set in Japan. But in all seriousness, Rise of the Ronin’s PC version is worth looking forward to. It not only features ray tracing, up to 8K, 120 FPS, support for various upscalers and more, but it comes packed with all the post-launch updates, including more challenging missions and new loot. It arrives on March 11th via Steam.

Killing Floor 3

Killing Zeds in 2091, where Horzine has spliced the undead with cybernetic technology to craft new horrors. As a Specialist of Nightfall, it’s your job to resist, undertaking missions with up to five other players. All the tenets of Killing Floor are present, from highly customizable weapons and wave-based combat to modifiers on higher difficulties and Grindhouse levels of gore. The far future premise may turn some off, but after playing the closed beta, the full game may be the bloodiest of good times when it launches on March 25th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

Atomfall

Survival sandbox post-Windscale fire disaster set in and around an isolated village. A somewhat despotic military, cults, bandits, mysterious bunkers, mutants, and naturally, a voice in a telephone booth telling you to kill someone. Rebellion Developments’ Atomfall is certainly something, to the extent that even its lead designer is intrigued at how it may or may not work out. It launches on March 27th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC, so it won’t take long for us to find out.

The First Berserker: Khazan

When the Les Pollos Empire – and the world at large – faced disaster at the hands of the Berserk Dragon, it turned to one legendary general to save it. However, after being forsaken by his king, Khazan would be badly wounded and exiled…that is, until the Blade Phantom took up residence in his body, offering a path to revenge. Regardless of your connection to the Dungeon and Fighter lore, there’s no denying the brutal yet responsive combat or the stunning world design. The First Berserker: Khazan arrives on March 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Two Point Museum

If managing a hospital and a university wasn’t enough, Two Point Studios is dooming human culture further by placing you in charge of a museum. Organize exhibits and tours, manage guests, decorate the floor, and even send expeditions to garner artifacts. With five museum locations and a sandbox mode, there’s plenty of room – and challenges – to become the perfect curator. Two Point Museum arrives on March 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC.

AI Limit

Another Souls-like anime-style action RPG, this one offers a post-apocalyptic world not unlike that of Code Vein (minus the vampires). As a Blader arriving in mankind’s last standing city, Havenswell, it’s your job to repair the Branches. Be careful, as massive beasts, ravenous warriors, and terrifying monsters roam the city, seeking your end. Launching on March 27th, AI Limit will be available for PS5 and PC.

Wreckfest 2

Through various trials and tribulations, Flatout’s spiritual successor Wreckfest underwent four years of early access before releasing to strong critical praise. It’s finally getting a sequel in the form of Wreckfest 2, which is also going the early access route on March 20th. Overhauled physics, more “intense” crashes – Bugbear promises it all and then some, including a forthcoming revamp of career mode. There’s a lot of content coming later, but at launch, it should be yet another smash hit.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone

If you had to order someone to dimension-hop and steal the precious MacGuffin-like Chernobylite, who else to send but Cole Grey, even if he does get stranded? Though the sequel embraces more action RPG-esque combat and multiple classes, you’ll still have to gather materials and survive across irradiated landscapes, with or without companions. With about 30 percent of the full game, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone will launch on March 6th for PC via early access.

As noted in our closed beta impressions of FragPunk earlier this year, Shard Cards allow players to add modifiers to an ongoing match. These can provide benefits like Big Head, which results in easier headshots, but the opposing team can do the same. Some newer Cards include Small Head, which reduces head size and makes it tougher to get headshots.

However, you can flip levels entirely, turn weapons into turrets, unleash ricocheting explosive ammo, and much more. There are over 100 cards to unlock at launch for free, with more coming later. Stay tuned for more details on FragPunk and a potential open beta before launch.

FragPunk’s closed beta will kick off on October 10, and is going to run until October 21. Confirmed to support cross-play, registrations for the beta are open now. In terms of content, it looks like it’s going to be a meaty one, with six modes and maps each, 12 playable characters, and a total of 17 weapons to use. Of course, a handful of Shard Cards – the core mechanic that FragPunk is built around – are also going to be featured. 

A new trailer for the game has also been released, showcasing gameplay and offering further details, including on its beta. You can check it out below. 

FragPunk is in development for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and is due out sometime in 2025.

Interestingly enough, the company has revealed that it will be unveiling two games at Gamescom that have yet to be announced. Additionally, NetEase Games will also bring previously announced titles to the show, including FragPunk, Shadows of the Damned: Hella Remastered, and Marvel Rivals, as well as the recently released survival game Once Human.

NetEase says information on the two aforementioned titles is going to be unveiled at Gamescom Opening Night Live on August 20, and that all of the games that it is bringing to the show are going to be playable at its booth.

Several companies have also confirmed their Gamescom presence, including Microsoft, Ubisoft, and THQ Nordic, though others like Sony and Nintendo have confirmed that they will not be attending.

I had a chance to go hands-on with the recent playtest and was pleasantly surprised at its bombastic presentation and responsive gunplay. Here are ten new details you should know, including what sets it apart from the competition.

5v5 Hero Shooter

At its core, FragPunk is a 5v5 shooter. You match up with four other players, each selecting a hero known as a Lancer (no duplicates allowed, at least not traditionally) and choosing weapons. The selection is decidedly more grounded than fantastical, and depending on the mode, your team attacks or defends the objective. Of course, slaying out and eliminating the opposing team before the time expires is also an option.

Is This Just Valorant?

When you first hop into FragPunk, the Valorant similarities are undeniable. Sure, there are differences – you can sprint, ability uses refresh each round, and instead of buying weapons with money, each has a set number of uses. Run out, and that weapon is no longer available for the rest of the match. There is an economy to keep track of, but this type of weapon selection is more free-form.

Otherwise, much of what you’ve seen (and probably loathed) of Valorant applies here: Carefully peeking and even camping lanes to shoot any enemies that approach, planting and disarming the bomb (known as the Convertor), creating barriers to seal off potential flanking routes, the list goes on. The gunplay feels pretty good and deceptively deep – you’re well-advised to hop into training to figure out each weapon’s spread pattern and recoil.

Playable Lancers

That “We have Valorant at home” connotation may persist when looking at certain playable heroes. Broker uses a rocket launcher and cluster grenades like Raze, but can also throw down some smokes to obscure sightlines. Nevertheless, there’s a robust set of options here inspired by one hero shooter or another.

Zephyr’s cloaking and assassination skills bring the Spy from Team Fortress 2 to mind, but she can also teleport via dagger beacon. Kismet’s detection is similar to Sova’s Recon Bolt, but she can also Rift Walk, a risk/reward endeavor since you can’t see other Lancers or their gadgets while it’s activated. Some Lancers are better based on pure utility alone, while others, like Nitro, could use fine-tuning. They’re an eclectic bunch, with unique designs aided by the over-the-top art style.

Weapons

The variety of weapons is also pretty solid all-around, with nine categories in total – Shotgun, Submachine Gun, Assault Rifle, Light Machine Gun, Marksman Weapon, Sniper Rifle, Pistol, Utility Gun and the de facto melee weapon. Each fits its niches, though the Assault Rifles, SMGs and singular sniper tend to take precedence. The Utility Guns are interesting, allowing any team member to deploy smokes and other gadgets, while the melee weapon supports charged attacks that deal more damage.

Maps

Four maps were available during the playtest – Naos, Tundra, Tulix and Outpost. Between the corridors, corners, boxes and doorways, you probably know what to expect with the sightlines and layouts. However, they each have some unique properties that add to the strategy. Tulix, for example, are ruins with overgrowth and crumbling walls. It’s possible to flank opponents through these openings or even crouch in the tall grass. Will the latter save you from eagle-eyed players? Probably not, but it may provide a few milliseconds to get the first shot off.

Shard Clash

As the “Competitive” mode, Shard Clash functions much like Valorant’s Spike Rush. One team picks up the Convertor and has to plant it at one of two locations while the other has to stop them. The first to win four rounds is the victor. What sets it apart is the use of Shard Cards. Before each round, you’re dealt three random cards – the team can then spend points to activate them.

Depending on the options, it may be difficult to activate all three at the outset, but you can also choose not to activate anything and save those points for later rounds. Alternatively, you can spend Shard Points to change a card into a more suitable choice. There is some potential counterplay, especially since you can see the opposing side’s cards.

Shard Cards

Shard Cards add all kinds of fun – and painful – modifiers to a match. You could gain +1 to all skill usage on kills, acquire HP regeneration when close to your allies, increase movement speed by 20 percent, double jump, and even make all weapons free for a round. It’s also possible to mess with the enemy team, enabling big head mode for (presumably) easier headshots, removing their healing and even swapping attacking and defending sides.

As you level up, more Shard Cards become available, and while the stronger ones demand more Shard Points, they can be game-changing, like shotguns dealing extra fire damage or activating a Blaze sword to deflect shots above the knees. Some Shard Cards also have effects that can be strengthened as you pour more Shard Points into them.

Duels

A match of Shard Clash ends when a team reaches four round wins, but what happens if both teams are tied up, 3-3? This is when the Duels begin. Players engage in 1v1 gunfights – take down an opponent to fight the next in queue, though your health carries over between duels. Die, and your teammate is next in line. Each player can decide their place in the queue, and it’s genuinely enthralling to watch, especially when arriving at the last player who is scared witless at having to clutch.

Arcade Modes

Outside of Shard Clash, you have Arcade Modes like Team Deathmatch and Scrimmage. As the name implies, the former sees two teams battling to reach 100 kills first. There are no restrictions on weapon choices, and abilities recharge over time. Scrimmage is like Free-For-All Deathmatch, and you can drop in while queued for some quick action. Once again, there are no restrictions on weapons, but abilities are absent, so it’s all about gunplay. If you’re keen on practising Shard Clash with other players, a playlist against AI bots is also available.

Shooting Range and Solo Training

The Shooting Range is a must in titles like this to refine your aim and master the recoil and spread patterns of different weapons. FragPunk’s Shooting Range is pretty well-equipped, with options for stationary and moving bots, aerial targets, time restrictions, etc. You can also shoot targets from five to 40 meters to improve accuracy and measure how precisely you should tap the trigger for some weapons.

Those who want to 1v5 against bots, with no restrictions on Shard Cards can try out Solo Training. You must still plant and guard the Convertor, but each side has respawns available. As you complete matches successfully, additional difficulty options unlock, further bumping up the AI’s awareness. It may not be the best for encouraging teamwork, but Solo Training provides a decent live firing environment before hopping into Shard Clash.