He’s clearly trying to extract their memories against the wishes of his masters, and it’s going to be interesting to see if The Envoy can find enough reasons to pause and lend him a sympathetic ear during one of those “hunter becomes the haunted” missions. Outside of that, he’s shaping up to be a powerhouse, using his teleportation and decoy abilities to take on enemies with far more agression that we were used to in the base game.

We’re hoping that these shake-ups on the narrative and gameplay fronts will be enough to make this one a worthy addition to an already solid base game. Perhaps it can set the foundations for future additions to the IP if there’s the space for that kind of thing. Until then, though, the trailer’s below, and we think it’s definitely worth a watch ahead of Lazarus’s launch this Fall.

Explosions blossom from their sources with smooth, natural reflections all around, lighting up splinters of wood that are blown off by the accompanying force of impact. The Jackdaw’s cannons light up the night in one fight, while taking on a particular fort brought along a very welcome lore drop from one of our crew. That’s a detail we’re almost certain wasn’t part of the original release, and it immediately lent additional narrative relevance to an otherwise regular encounter.

Of course, all of the Jackdaw’s weapons are on board in this one, while choosing to board enemy ships feels like a whole new experience thanks to the reworked combat coming into play. It’s all so familiar yet feels fresh enough to make us want to dive into this one as soon as we can when it launches on July 9th.

Indeed, you could become your own worst enemy, and a credible threat to your allies if the forces you’re up against manage to pervade your mind, and trusting even yourself becomes a costly mistake your squad might not recover from. That’s as horror-focused a premise as any, and we’re expecting this one to be a morbid kind of hoot when it drops on current-gen systems. Excellent enemy designs and an appropriately creepy vibe have us interested, but be sure to keep a light on when experiencing them.

For more details on what the island has to offer, check out this gameplay overview. We’re kind of dreading that release date a little more than we’d like to admit, but in terms of co-op shenanigans, The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu could fill a decent space ahead of this Fall’s biggest releases.

The game was definitely a looker then, and the developer made good use of the hardware on offer to make it an experience that we couldn’t forget. Indeed, the story and gameplay on offer were probably why Resynced has managed to see the light of day amid a slew of other great titles in the franchise’s illustrious history. Of course, things are different now, and it looks like the developer is preparing to replicate the feat it achieved with last-gen hardware by making full use of what the PS5 and PS5 Pro have to offer.

If you’re thinking about sailing the high seas with Edward, Adewale, and the rest of the pirates on your PlayStation, we’ve got a few things you might like to keep in mind before you go ahead and pick up a copy of Resynced.

1. A Bunch of Graphic Modes For All Preferences

Beginning with what you’re going to find with respect to resolutions and frame rates on your consoles, Resynced is bringing quite a bit of flexibility to the table for both the base PS5 and the Pro.

Beginning with the PS5, you’ve got three options. There’s Performance, which targets 60fps with standard ray tracing for a smoother experience that keeps the resolution at an upscale 2160P. That’s a welcome option for those of us who want to make the most of the new combat system, which looks geared towards quick reactions to readable animations, a facet that this mode would serve very well.

There’s also Fidelity and Balanced, which deliver the same resolution as Performance, with extended ray tracing and target frame rates of 30 fps and 40 fps, respectively. We’d say that if you’re not going for Performance, Balanced is the clearly better option, although some of you might still prefer Fidelity despite the same resolution on offer.

The PS5 Pro is where things get interesting, though. We’ve got the same three modes on offer, with the same resolutions and target frame rates, but ray tracing is extended across the board. We’re diving into what that means in just a minute, as the differences are a crucial part of what sets the two consoles apart as far as this one’s concerned.

These are all factors that can work to make Resynced feel like quite a remake of the original version, which was limited by what the consoles it was played on could do back in the day.

2. Differing Approaches to Ray Tracing

It’s also important to know that while the standard ray tracing offers global diffuse lighting for the game world, extended ray tracing covers even reflective surfaces, which is sure to make a huge difference in a variety of locales where water, rain, and other factors necessitate the need for better reflections to make the entire experience more immersive as a result.

Diving deeper into what that means, the developer has elaborated on how ray-traced global illumination is going to work dynamically under the hood, ditching the original Black Flag’s precomputed lighting systems to let the Caribbean’s natural light react appropriately to factors like the weather, time of day, and the environments you’re exploring. Diffuse lighting makes light react more naturally to surfaces for better shading in various environments and once again adds a bit of realistic flavor to the entire game.

Both of these are a part of the PS5’s offerings in Performance Mode, but both Balanced and Fidelity offer Specular Reflections, which influence wet wood, the spray from the ocean, metal, and a whole lot more to make the world feel more alive and responsive to your movements as a result. It’s probably going to be tough choosing between the two approaches, unless you’re on the PS5 Pro, where all of what we’ve outlined is going to be a part of your experience irrespective of the mode you pick.

3. No Compromises on The PS5 Pro

In addition to global illumination, diffuse lighting, and Specular Reflections making up a complete ray-tracing package across all of the three graphical modes on offer, there’s also the fact that Resynced on the PS5 Pro is going to be making full use of Enhanced PSSR, which is sure to make the upscaled image look a lot better than the PS5’s take on it.

The result is that the PS5 Pro could make the choice between Performance and the other modes a whole lot easier, and any differences between them are going to be quite hard to spot unless you’re actively looking for them. Of course, there are going to be a few things in favor of Fidelity Mode in case you’re wondering if there’s any reason to go for it in the first place, thanks to that 30 fps frame rate target. Well, we’ve got something for you to cheer about if that’s been on your mind.

But it’s quite clear that the PS5 Pro’s additional firepower is going to make Resynced feel very different from the Black Flag you know and love, and that’s good news considering how excited we’ve all been to get our hands on this one.

4. Strand-Based Hair

This one’s for the PS5 Pro and is probably a reason for you to choose Fidelity Mode if total immersion means more to you than better frame rates. Strand-Based hair tech is on board in Resynced, and is going to be working its magic on Edward across all three graphical modes on offer. That extends to the cinematics as well, and it’s going to be interesting to see Blackbeard’s take on a Black Flag in action with the new tech in action whenever he takes the stage.

However, Fidelity Mode extends that offering to NPCs in Edward’s vicinity, which could make for an interesting sight in situations where the wind works its magic, which happens quite a lot in this one, considering a significant portion of your time is spent on the Jackdaw’s deck at sea.

5. A More Focused Caribbean Simulation

The Anvil Engine was vastly improved in Shadows, and is set to bring all of what it achieved in that one and more to the table in Resynced. For starters, the weather is going to be quite dynamic this time around in comparison to Black Flag, as the system is going to work with several variables like temperature, humidity, wind, and the density of vapor coming off the ocean, making them play off each other to create the sort of unpredictable conditions that the seas are known for. That makes the seas behave more treacherously as you sail along them, just like they would in the real world.

The winds are going to make things on the shore just as dynamic, affecting the movements of clouds and causing storms both on the sea and land. They’re also going to affect the flora you find around you, which could make exploring dense forests a visual treat, while cloth, particles such as leaves, the sails of your ships, and your character’s hair are all going to be influenced by its passage.

There’s also the ocean to consider, and the developer’s water physics have been drawing a lot of well-deserved praise ever since Odyssey hit the shelves. Well, there’s a lot to like in Resynced as volumetric foam generation, dynamic bubble systems, physics-based water rendering, and new tessellation techniques allow the water to react to the wind, weather, and your own movements through it with a level of realism that the original game simply could not have managed. It’s very interesting stuff, and we can’t wait to see how it all comes together to make the world in Resynced feel as lively as Edward’s personality as he engages with it all.

And that’s about it for this one. While it’s clear that the PS5 Pro is bringing a lot of upgrades over the base console for Resynced, we’d say that even the PS5 is going to bring a new layer of immersion to the Caribbean. We’re certainly going to be diving into the experience on both consoles, and you can be sure we’ll be telling you all about what we find once we set sail on the Jackdaw when Resynced releases on July 9, 2026, for the PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 Pro.

Until then, let’s hope that the developer is looking at some favorable winds in what’s been a rather tough few years for it.

Well, it had its own flaws, but the follow-up to the original title is one that we revisit from a time, a rare feat considering that it’s been a decade since it was released. It had a unique vibe, feeling a lot more energetic and more fun overall than its predecessor, while it cemented the franchise’s identity in many ways. What made that the case? We’re glad you asked.

Join us as we take a look at why Watch Dogs 2 manages to keep us coming back to its take on San Francisco even after all this time.

A New Stage And Actors

That take on San Francisco is our first stop, and we think it’s quite an upgrade from Chicago. The Bay Area was immediately brighter and livelier than the world from the first game, making it automatically feel like a world that was more inviting and explorable. There was more color, a better tech-focused undercurrent to the world you were exploring, and the sense that it was more than just a grim urban sandbox for us to let loose with our hacking skills. For an open-world game like it, this was a world that supported the fantasy it was selling, and even facilitated it in many ways. It made the standard set of activities feel more inviting, as a result.

Speaking of hacking skills, that’s where Marcus Holloway comes in. On the personality front, we found him instantly more likeable than Aiden from the first game, who came across as a little too somber for somebody with a skill set like his. Yes, his frustration at the situation he was in should be considered as a factor, and perhaps a strong narrative pillar for his lack of a sense of humor, but there are ways to add layers to characters like him. Sadly, Watch Dogs used none of them.

Marcus, in comparison, was then a welcome breath of fresh air. He was more willing to make a joke even in serious situations, for starters, and a whole lot more expressive about the situations he was in and how they made him feel. That made him a relatable protagonist who was still shouldering a heavy burden from the narrative, but didn’t let it get him down to the point where he became too much. It was a solid balance which helped him give the story a human center, while being a better flag bearer for the rebellious hacker character that it was hinged on.

Of course, there was DedSec, and his interactions with the hacker organization could feel a tad too exaggerated at times. The game tried too hard to sell a sort of loyal bond between the two parties, akin to Marcus joining a modern-day Assassin Brotherhood, even. Those parts were a little too cringe for our taste, but hey, we did say that the game had flaws right up top, didn’t we? While we’re on the subject of DedSec, we see it as a great way to bring in characters new and old into the story, but boy, was some of the writing around them awkward.

Clashing personalities and a differing sense of humor across a cast of characters working towards a common goal aren’t necessarily a good thing if the way those characters are interacting doesn’t justify that variety. In Watch Dogs 2’s case, that was a problem that came up too frequently with DedSec. There was humor, the hacker culture that they brought to the table, memes, and that undercurrent of youthful rebellion that was a reflection of their ideals and unwavering convictions, all of which didn’t come together well enough for the group to not feel a tad awkward.

But on the other hand, that awkwardness gave the organization a distinct flavor that worked very well to make them an interesting faction in the story and a crucial pillar of Marcus’s adventure. DedSec might have been occasionally cringe, but they definitely weren’t boring, commanding a presence in the game that might not have worked in some instances but rooted the organization as a key player in San Francisco’s hacking scene.

Well, we’ve talked about the stage, the setting, and the people. It’s now time to look at what they got up to in the game and why that’s a factor in keeping it relevant even today.

One Hack At A Time

Marcus didn’t just bring a dash of personality to the table in Watch Dogs 2. He brought a whole damn arsenal of tricks that made our time in San Francisco, his working relationship with DedSec translating to a gameplay loop that gave you a lot of versatility in potential approaches to a variety of situations. It was a hacking/stealth loop at its finest, and it’s one of the reasons we like to boot this one up from time to time and just cut loose in the city.

It worked best when you played it like it was intended, trying to avoid combat or gunplay as much as possible in a gameplay loop that was clearly built around you diving into the hacker fantasy and doubling down on that style of play. Of course, the option to just brawl it out was always there, but it clearly felt like it was merely a tool to try and get out of sticky situations. The combat is the weakest part of another otherwise solid chain, mainly because it clashed with the kind of character Marcus was presented as, while also clashing with the overall tone of the experience the developer was trying to sell.

We couldn’t help but feel like the game should have pushed nonlethal solutions over violent ones harder than it actually did. This was a game that had a brains-over-brawn approach baked into its very foundations, and failing to double down on that certainly cost it dearly in hindsight. With that being said, for those who embraced the nonlethal way, things were infinitely more entertaining than the first game and continue to be so even after subsequent additions to the franchise’s lineup.

The mission design is another aspect that really shines through in certain areas, the open-ended infiltrations being a great example. There were also hacking puzzles, and a fair share of objectives that were creative enough to have us delighted to take a crack at them. However, they were let down by predictable enemy patrols and control zones, more than a bit of repetitive mission structure, and the general feel of checking things off a list that had already begun to be a problem for the developer’s big releases.

The systems in place were strong, but neither the campaign nor the rest of the experience used them to their full potential. The result is a game that could have, and perhaps should have, been greater than it is, but is still a very entertaining experience nonetheless. Despite its flaws that stemmed from a clear lack of balance between its best features, Watch Dogs 2 managed to feel authored, bringing a specific mood that its cast sold very well, and its own cultural identity that was an important part of a world that was fun to exist in.

It’s fun in a way that even current-gen games that are bigger in their ambition and scope and cleaner in their execution fail to be as memorable as San Francisco with Marcus in it. But that’s exactly where the Watch Dogs franchise as a whole might have shot itself in the foot. While the first game felt too serious, this one went another way while paving the path for future titles to further distil the strong identity that the franchise came with and the specific experience that it was trying to sell.

The developer should have looked to double down on what made Watch Dogs click, refining it into a hacker-stealth game that didn’t need clunky melee and ranged combat. Yes, the first game had potential, and we’d say that it crawled so that the rest of the franchise could fly to whatever heights it could manage. Legion did do interesting things with DedSec’s London chapter, although the lack of one protagonist and a muddled approach to parkour and its cover mechanics were drawbacks.

Nevertheless, Watch Dogs 2 stands out as a title that was arguably the cleanest version of that formula. It may not be a masterpiece, with its uneven tone and gameplay not working in its favor, while the combat and dated open-world design further dilute its value proposition.

But look past its flaws, and you see a game with a vision that had a very vibrant energy to it, with systemic freedom and a whole lot of personality that make it stand out today. And that’s an achievement in a gaming world where there have been several takes on hackers that are now at our disposal.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

In fact, we may learn about Undead Labs’ new owner this Summer. Interestingly, despite Xbox funding the development of State of Decay 3, the studio’s new owner is reportedly “not obligated” to make it a day one Game Pass release. It’s an unorthodox dynamic to be sure, and we’re interested to see how this could impact sales on Xbox.

Also, it seems that Xbox hasn’t cut Game Pass funding for third-party developers. Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Shams Jorjani claimed that “loads of people” were in “advanced discussions” for deals on the service before having the “rug pulled out from under them.” Granted, both can be true at once, especially given Xbox’s shifting priorities and lack of growth in Game Pass.

Perhaps the most curious part of Totilo’s report is that CEO Asha Sharma allegedly believes the company has “massively under-invested” in Minecraft. Despite some disappointing spin-offs, from Minecraft: Story Mode to Minecraft Legends, there’s been some success with Minecraft Dungeons. The sequel is out on September 29th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.

Nevertheless, with the blockbuster success of A Minecraft Movie, it makes sense that Sharma would believe even more could be done. Mojang, alongside Candy Crush developer King, will report directly to her, so stay tuned for more updates on the IP’s future.

In a post titled “Resetting Xbox”, Sharma has said that the division’s management layers will see reductions to a maximum of five layers, and where possible, the company will only have 3 layers for its various studios. Through this “flatter organization built around makers (individual contributors focused on building), player-coaches (leaders who remain deeply involved with the work while developing their teams), and directly responsible individuals (DRIs) who own key decisions and outcomes,” Sharma wants to streamline the company’s overall workflow. This will include having a cleaner code base, shared services, and vendor spend being reduced by 50 percent.

The reasoning behind this was the fact that Xbox sometimes had 14 layers of management between the studios and the decision makers. Along with this, the company also suffered from ballooning team sizes, with platform teams being 40 percent larger than they were when Xbox Series X/S launched, despite a decline in player base and play time. “That complexity has slowed decisions, blurred accountability, and made it harder to deliver for players,” said Sharma. “As we reset Xbox, we will simplify.”

Another core part of the future of Xbox is the appointment of a new chief operating officer (COO), who will have end-to-end profit and loss responsibilities across content, hardware, platform, and services. The role is being taken up by Helen Chiang, who has previously worked on building up Xbox Live and Minecraft developer Mojang. Chiang’s appointment means that former COO Dave McCarthy is retiring after having worked at Xbox for 17 years.

“She will bring our businesses together under one operating model, making sure we make clear investment decisions, learn from our successes and failures, and hold ourselves accountable for results,” said Sharma about Chaing.

Sharma went on to note that the aim of these changes is to make sure that Xbox has a “bigger future” going forward, and “not a smaller one.”

“The next decade of gaming will be larger, more global, and more creative than anything we’ve seen before. This year, we’ll invest as much in Xbox as we ever have, but we’ll invest with greater focus, greater discipline, and greater clarity, all in service of making Xbox where the world plays and creates.”

As part of the layoffs hitting Xbox, Sharma had also confirmed that four studios – Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, Double Fine Productions, and Undead Labs – are being released. While Double Fine and Compulsion Games will be going independent, retaining their IP in the process, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are being sold. Microsoft hasn’t yet revealed any details about which company is acquiring the two studios, and whether the games they are working on – Senua and State of Decay 3 – will see the light of day.

As it turns out, quite a bit. Version 1.13 adds new armor sets, but not just any, and Damiane and Oongka have seen their functionality increased further. New crafting recipes abound – including for items that really tie the room together – and even the dying system has received some enhancements. Without further ado, let’s dive into ten new features you need to know, starting with.

Oongka and Damiane In the Abyss

If you’ve ever played Oongka and/or Damiane, and scoffed because the floating isles of the Abyss were effectively closed off, the latest update fixes that problem. Both characters are now free to enter the previously Kliff-only world – a much-welcome change, especially if you’re using the isles to explore from the sky. Of course, this has resulted in some bosses (like the Clockwork White Horn and Draven, the Crowcaller) having their positions changed when challenging them to a rematch, but it’s worth it.

Boss Armor Sets

Perhaps the biggest new addition with Ver 1.13 is boss armor. Yes, you read that right, and it’s not even just a handful. Gregor’s Knight of Carnage armor, split across five pieces; five pieces of Tarandus the Ashen’s sick outfit (antlers and all); even two pieces from Demeniss’s grand general armor are available to equip for Kliff and Oongka (the latter now able to equip most of the former’s outfits). Lest you think Damiane would be left behind, she gets two outfits and one piece of the Masked Liberator armor. Granted, some sets (like Goyen’s) are remaining, but the developer has made some pretty great progress.

Dozens of New Equipment Pieces

And that’s not all, as 16 new pieces of armor and three pieces of headgear separate from the new boss armor have been added for Kliff and Oongka while Damiane gets eight new pieces. In total, there are 39 new pieces of equipment to hunt down. The developer says you can obtain them through quests, Achievements, shops and “other sources,” and if you’ve progressed enough through the story, some should appear as unlocked rewards. You can even stop by your friendly Back Alley Vendor to find a few pieces. Suffice it to say that the fashion game, aka the true endgame, is even bigger than ever.

Kuku for Kuku Gear

But if you need even more options for Damiane and Oongka, they can now equip Kuku sets previously meant for Kliff. That includes Marni Laser Helm, the Breeze-Step Boots (which means Meteor Kicks for days in your hand-to-hand combat as Damiane) and Rishi’s Boots alongside the Lightning-Resistant, Flame-Resistant, and Ice-Resistant armor sets. Besides more build variety, the inclusion of the latter three means you can shore up any resistances during specific boss fights.

Crafting Recipes for Elemental Armor

Remember the Frostcursed Plate Armor that every YouTuber and their mother was including in Crimson Desert thumbnails for the first month or so (and for good reason because it looks absolutely sick)? You can still run around and find it on your own, but you can now craft it courtesy of a new recipe. In fact, the Scorchflame Plate Armor and Lightning Bolt Plate Armor have also received crafting recipes. While not quite as fashionable, the fact that you can more easily access them for higher resistances, especially when mainlining as Kliff, is a welcome addition.

Hiding the Minimap and Status HUD

Among all the new additions and changes, especially for the user interface – which has come a long way since launch – it’s interesting how the developer never added an option to hide the minimap or your status. It may have taken months, but lo and behold, you can now fully immerse yourself in the boots of Damiane, Oongka and Kliff by turning off both. Head into Settings, then Other and the Gameplay tab to do so. And while it may seem counterintuitive, not all who wander are lost, especially with the sheer amount available to discover in Pywel.

New Special Attacks for Certain Enemies

Of course, if we’re talking about changes that weren’t exactly on the tippy-top of fan requests, there have been new special attacks added for specific enemies. We’re talking about the Flame Knight, the Wyvernflames, the Savage Fangs, and the Goldenscale Bandits. Why? Maybe it’s to provide even more variety when tackling re-blockaded forts, ruins, quarries and whatnot while upping the challenge. Or to surprise those who thought they would have an easy time disposing of them. Either way, be careful.

Bird of Prey (and Gathering)

The Iron Eagle and Phoenix can equip the Sigil of Valor, which means they can now attack your enemies. But even more intriguing is the Hunter’s Sigil. Ever wanted to gather items or retrieve specific prey from afar with your bird? This allows you to do that. Perfect for larping as a hunter on a casual shooting/meat-gathering trip.

Dyeing Disguises, Weapons and Secondaries

Even with its sheer selection of dyes and recoloring elements, Crimson Desert was missing a few notable options. Rejoice, for you can now dye certain disguises, even if it breaks the overarching lore and purpose of not drawing attention. But even better is the majority of weapons and secondaries can also be dyed, further increasing the number of fashion options.

Slideshots with Muskets and Pistols

Beyond the usual fixes – like an issue where you couldn’t use sliding attacks with specific gear loadouts – muskets and pistols have received a much-needed quality of life change. They can now be fired while sliding, and while it might not seem like a massive overhaul, it adds another mobility option for ranged fighters, especially when low on Spirit. Besides, the sheer style of sliding towards enemies while shooting them in slow-motion is tough to deny.

There are so many other improvements, like Oongka now being able to complete puzzles with Scatter Shot, new crafting recipes for four types of carpets, and, perhaps most adorably, summoned pets now resting in bed with your character. You also don’t need to worry about Focused Aerial Roll constituting a crime near NPCs, so if you want to harass the local populace without any consequences, now’s your chance.

However, it’s worth noting that Version 1.13 has affected performance, especially on the base PS5, even if you turn off chromatic aberration, depth of field, and whatnot. It seems to vary during certain sections – exploration seems better than the cities – but Xbox and PC players should also beware of potential performance hits. The issue has yet to be acknowledged, but given the development team’s quick turnaround, it should probably be fixed in the next patch, if not sooner.

It’s a shame given how much the current patch has added, but also somewhat expected, given the sheer number of variables, systems and whatnot. What else could be added, especially since the current roadmap ends in September (besides story improvements)? Your guess is as good as ours, but we’re excited all the same.

Now that Deep Rock Galactic: Rogue Core is out in Early Access, what has surprised you most about how players are approaching its roguelite structure?

One of the biggest surprises after launch has been how many people came in wanting and expecting Rogue Core to play exactly like Deep Rock Galactic. This wasn’t a sentiment we saw so much during the Closed Alpha, so it really did come as a jolt when we launched. Since then, it’s been a big challenge for us to see how we can meet those players where they’re at, while not compromising on our own vision and wish for the game. Update 1 was part of that process, but we’ll get more into that down below.

We were also surprised to see how many people didn’t want to play with the timer, or found the presence of a timer too oppressive. When we ran the Closed Alpha, we saw enough discussions that we knew it would be a divisive game mechanic, same as the shared upgrade negotiations. But we decided to go with it anyway, because we saw that most of the problems felt like theorized problems, rather than actual frustrations people experienced for themselves during gameplay. We knew these features wouldn’t be for everyone, but that’s part of making a new game. We’ve just got to try our best to find the right balance.

"One of the biggest surprises after launch has been how many people came in wanting and expecting Rogue Core to play exactly like Deep Rock Galactic. "

Rogue Core is a very different kind of game from Deep Rock Galactic. How has that changed the way you think about future content, updates, and balancing?

In terms of content and updates, we’ve never been long-term planners. We develop this on a rolling basis, based off what we think is most exciting, important and interesting, and of course what we’re hearing from our players. We probably won’t do a ‘seasons’ model like with Deep Rock Galactic, as I think it’s more realistic for us to deliver smaller updates on reasonable intervals.

Another thing to keep in mind is that Rogue Core is in Early Access, while DRG is a fully released game that’s been getting more content updates for over half a decade. With DRG, our choice to do seasons only came after our 1.0 launch, once we saw how people played and responded to it. Back when DRG was in Early Access, its update pacing was pretty similar to where Rogue Core is now.

As far as balancing goes, our intent is to always have Rogue Core be a more challenging, intense experience compared to Deep Rock Galactic. So any future balances (as well as future content and updates) will be committed to that, to help support this faster-paced game experience. We think that’s a key part of maintaining Rogue Core’s own identity as a standalone title.

How does Rogue Core fit into the broader narrative and setting of the Deep Rock Galactic universe?

Rogue Core takes place at the same time as the events of Deep Rock Galactic. The DRG Corporation has dug deeper into Hoxxes in pursuit of the newly-discovered wunder-mineral Expenite — and these new excavations seem to have triggered some planetary calamity. There’s been a massive energy wave, akin to an enormous EMP blast, that has shut down all these Expenite facilities and cut them off from the outside world. In other words, the core of the planet has… gone rogue. And the Company can’t meet quotas if these mines are offline, so we need to take them back.

In Rogue Core, you play as the Reclaimers, who are a sort of in-house paramilitary security force employed by Deep Rock Galactic. They’ve got their own traditions and culture, separate from the mining crews of DRG, and of course they’ve got access to a fancier range of tech and gadgetry. But they’re still dwarves, so at the end of the day you’re still Rocking and Stoning, honoring Karl, and returning home for three dozen beers after a mission.

The Reclaimers already offer a range of different playstyles. Based on early feedback, what kinds of future additions to the roster are you most interested in exploring?

I don’t think we’re ready to share anything on this right now! We’ve got ideas, but nothing that’s taken shape to the point where we’d want to tease it. Sorry.

"In Rogue Core, you play as the Reclaimers, who are a sort of in-house paramilitary security force employed by Deep Rock Galactic."

Has working on Rogue Core given you any new ideas for mechanics, systems, or content that could eventually influence Deep Rock Galactic itself?

We get asked this a lot. A big reason we chose to develop Rogue Core as a standalone title is because it gave us the creative freedom to explore new game mechanics and systems that weren’t constrained by the frameworks we’d set up with DRG. Porting all sorts of stuff from Rogue Core into DRG is a fun idea in theory, but in practice, we feel that it’d just end up diluting both games’ identities. We don’t wanna end up in a place where we’ve got a standalone game that doesn’t feel different from the title it came from.

We’d rather see Deep Rock Galactic get more original content that’s exclusive to that game, its world, and its mechanics and systems. Realistically, any influence from Rogue Core on DRG would likely be more on the level of QoL features or easter eggs.

What has early player feedback focused on the most so far, and has any of it already changed your priorities for future updates?

Early in June we released our big Update 1, which was in large part a response to the early player feedback we got right after launch. We changed up our whole Early Access roadmap so we could prioritize fixes and additions that addressed what players were asking for.

We focused on fixing frustrations, which were centered on the “big three” of the shared upgrades process, the mission timer, and ammo shortages. We locked in these past couple of weeks to come up with some ways to address these issues, and then get it all implemented. These features are pretty central to our vision of the game, so we didn’t want to scrap them entirely — but I think we found ways to adjust them that keep the benefits of these mechanics, while also tightening them up and accommodating different preferences for how to play the game.

It’s been really awesome to see the feedback on Update 1 so far, especially regarding these issues. People seem very happy, and our impression is that we’ve pretty successfully fixed the major sources of negative feedback, while still staying true to what we want Rogue Core to be. I think we’ve struck a happy medium here.

On top of those feedback points, Update 1 also introduced a ton of new stuff, which I’ll get into right down below. I think the game’s already much stronger than it was just a few weeks ago, which is a great feeling. Player feedback helped us figure out what needed fixing the most, and what new stuff we could add that would be most fun and most engaging. I think we’re on the right track here, and I’m already excited for the next big update.

"It’s been really awesome to see the feedback on Update 1 so far, especially regarding [timer] issues."

With Early Access potentially lasting a long time, how much larger do you expect Rogue Core to become by the time it reaches 1.0?

We’ve got a really big to-do list on the road to 1.0. More enemies, more side objectives during missions, new bosses, more weapons and weapon upgrades, more player upgrades, more variety in cave biomes and the cave generation system, more cosmetics, more options for timing and difficulty, stuff like that. We’ll also be working to polish and develop the Gauntlet challenge mode, which is Rogue Core’s answer to Deep Dives. It’s currently in the game as a very rough draft, but we intend to sharpen that experience up a lot too.

It’s probably easiest to direct you to our Early Access Road Map for more details. This isn’t the exclusive or exhaustive list of stuff we’ll do before 1.0, but it’s a good place to start.

The run timer has been one of Rogue Core’s more distinctive systems. What are some ways you are exploring to let players influence, extend, or push back against that timer?

With Update 1 we introduced a new mechanic called ‘Assault Pace,’ which essentially allows you to choose the tempo of your mission. You select your pace on the same screen you choose a mission. It’s got three paces: Cautious (which is a slower, more forgiving tempo), Standard (which is the current, unaltered pace) and Reckless (which is even faster and more high-pressure). Mission rewards are adjusted accordingly to your selected tempo too.

Later down the line, there’s a possibility that we explore other mechanics related to the timer, like a “time extension” side objective or something. Who knows. We’re not looking at it right now, though. We’ll wait to see what players think of this new Assault Pace mechanic, and work on other stuff in the meantime.

Are you looking at adding more layers of meta progression over time, and how careful do you have to be to keep progression meaningful without weakening the roguelite tension?

Yes. The systems in place now are what we think is the bare minimum needed, and we’ll add more as the game evolves. Part of Update 1 was polishing up the existing metaprogression system, like making it easier to stack and swap out the Enhancement Chips you can use to boost your starting stats. We’ll see what future additions to this system look like — as you say, we don’t want the meta progression to make the roguelike aspect redundant.

"I don’t expect there would be any major changes between a console and PC version."

Since Rogue Core is currently focused on Steam Early Access, what are your current priorities for PC optimization, performance, and Steam Deck compatibility?

Optimization is an ongoing process for us. We’re always open for new ways to make what we’ve got run better — and often, new content means new challenges for optimization. Steam Deck compatibility is also on the to-do list, but it’s hard to say exactly when or how that’ll take shape.

Deep Rock Galactic has a strong console audience. How are you thinking about a potential console version of Rogue Core down the line, and what would need to happen before that becomes a focus?

We’d like it to happen at some point, but we can’t commit to it right this minute. Our full focus is on getting the game to a great place for the 1.0 version, and taking on a console port project would divert a ton of resources away from that goal. Having done it before, we’re more aware of just how much technical nitpicking and certification processes are involved — it can be a demanding and tedious process. So it’s something that we’ll first have the bandwidth for once Rogue Core hits 1.0.

If Rogue Core eventually comes to consoles, would you want the experience to be fully in line with the PC version, or are there platform-specific changes you would consider?

I don’t expect there would be any major changes between a console and PC version. With Deep Rock Galactic we try to keep the game experience the same across platforms, so nobody feels like they’re missing out. Early Access and modding are the two big exceptions here, as these are a lot trickier to do on consoles. But if Rogue Core ever came to console we’d likely follow the same playbook as with DRG, which is to say same updates, same features and mechanics, same events, all that.

“While development has been progressing toward a 2026 release, we have decided to move the launch to early 2027,” said producer Shohei Sakakibara in a statement. “We will share a more specific release date at a later time.”

“We are continuing to work to bring you the best possible experience. We sincerely appreciate your patience as development continues, and we look forward to sharing further updates with you soon.”

While Danganronpa 2×2 was always slated to be a revamped version of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair, its Slayhem mode is going to offer players an entirely new way to experience the story. Players will have the ability to pick between it and “Original mode”, which is essentially just the original story with more modern visuals. Slayhem, on the other hand, is an entirely new story based on Goodbye Despair, but with new elements.

The story of Slayhem will revolve around a specific incident that sends all of the characters spiralling into an entirely new plot thread, with all victims, culprits, and tricks being changed up. Gemdrops has noted that it will feature 20 percent more content than the “Original” mode.

Danganronpa 2×2 is also bringing in a major change to the world map. While the original Danganronpa 2 featured a side-scrolling map, 2×2 will bring in a 3D world map that gives players a better idea of the layout of the game’s island setting. It will also allow players the choice between manually running across the map and simply traveling to their destination instantly. The 3D map also includes a first-person mode that gives players a new way to experience the island.

The remake was unveiled back in September 2025 with a trailer giving us a quick glimpse at its updated visual style. At the time, Spike Chunsoft also confirmed that it will feature gameplay improvements alongside the layer of polish added by the new visuals. However, the company hasn’t revealed any details about what these improvements might be yet.

Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair was originally released back in 2012. Rather than featuring the same cast of characters as Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Goodbye Despair instead focuses on an entirely new set of students attending Hope’s Peak Academy. Players take on the role of Hajime Hinata, who, on his first day of attending the school, falls unconscious.

Waking up in a strange classroom alongside 15 other students, Hinata is greeted by a doll named Usami, who claims to be their teacher. Things quickly start going off the rails when Usami reveals that, rather than being in an actual classroom, the group of students is instead stranded on the tropical resort island of Jabberwock. To escape, the students must work together to find Hope Fragments.