“We were originally a platform provider, and of course, we still value our physical culture. Rather than completely abandoning that, we are currently challenging ourselves to shift towards being able to think about and act on the important aspects of digital in parallel.”

It is worth noting that Utsumi didn’t quite make a strong stance that would run counter to PlayStation’s plans for the future of games media. Rather, his note that Sega wants to continue thinking about physical and digital releases in parallel might indicate that, while it might have to give up on game discs for PlayStation once Sony ceases production, the company wants to continue making its physical releases an attractive way to buy games.

What physical copies after January 2028 would even mean remains to be seen, and we’re likely to still get physical releases that include a redeemable code for the game, in the vein of the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto 6 this year.

Sony’s announcement about the end of physical media for PlayStation came earlier this month, with the company saying that it wants to align itself with current trends in how consumers prefer to buy their games. Analysts, however, believe that the company might have a future-facing motive with this decision. Niko Partners’ Daniel Ahmad, for instance, compared the move with Apple’s decision to stop including disc drives in its computers back in 2008.

While he acknowledged that there were complaints at the time, Apple’s move has seemingly been the right one, since even by the mid-2010s, criticism of the decision had died down. Today, it’s difficult to find a PC cases that even have room for a disc drive. Similarly, Sony might be laying the foundations for how it ships media on the PS6 or even the PS7.

“If not for PS6, then PS7. Full game digital sales on PlayStation have gone from less than 10% before the release of the PS4 to around 80% today. On Xbox it’s already over 90%, and if anything, I’m surprised they weren’t the ones to do it first. Yes, these numbers include digital-only games, reflecting the current market environment, but they don’t include DLC, microtransactions, or subscriptions / free games.”

Kantan Games CEO, Dr. Serkan Toto, on the other hand, believes that all of the backlash about Sony’s decision ultimately won’t amount to much, and that the company is simply waiting for the “storm” to pass it by.

“I sympathize with physical media fans, but Sony will not reverse this decision,” said Dr. Toto. “They, of course, knew what the online reaction would look like, and they now wait for this storm to pass.”

Of course, there’s also that killer story that served as a worthy follow-up to Persona 3’s rollercoaster of a narrative. Well, in case you’ve missed playing P4 over the years, and might not get to do so before its February 18, 2027, launch, there’s a new story overview that’s going to be quite helpful in bringing you up to speed. It’s narrated by none other than the (new) English voice of Yosuke himself, Paul Castro Jr.

It covers all the salient points you’re going to want to know, but if you’re heading into this one blind, it’s a real doozy. The narrative can have you flitting between living as a high-school student in one moment and investigating some seriously baffling mysteries involving the Midnight Channel the next. The gameplay looks familiar yet fresh, although we’d have loved to see more of the “Send Flying” feature in action.

Those are probably being saved for the game’s Gamescom 2026 appearance, though, so stay tuned for updates.

First on the menu is Crazy Taxi: World Tour, which we’ve been pretty hyped about ever since it was announced. We’ve got good reasons, as the prospect of playing across several cities around the world sounds like a dream come true for those of us who can’t get enough of the franchise.

There’s also Persona 4 Revival, which we’ve been pretty eager to try out on account of its new voice actors. Total War: Warhammer 40,000 is definitely something we want to learn more about, given how the Marines and Orks are quite evenly matched on battlefields that let them make the best of their respective skill sets. Of course, there’s also Stranger Than Heaven, with that star-studded cast and an adventure that’s shaping up to be as complex as it is nuanced, to look forward to.

Oh, and let’s not forget about Alien: Isolation 2, a title we’ve been waiting for since its predecessor ended on quite the cliffhanger. We’ll tell you all about it when Gamescom kicks off on August 26th, though you can look forward to the usual announcements and world premieres on August 25th at Opening Night Live.

As the narrator notes, the video features gameplay from the Armageddon Theatre Campaign, which will feature many planetary systems, each one filled with multiple planets that have their own quirks and biomes. We then get a closer look at a Civilized planet that has come under threat of an Ork invasion.

The fact that the planet has come under siege is visible directly from what looks like the campaign map, with the planet’s orbit featuring Imperium and Ork ships that undoubtedly have many soldiers waiting to battle each other. The Orks in question are from the Deff Makerz faction, while the Imperium’s ship is providing support through orbital bombardment.

Zooming further into the planet, we get a look at the actual battle, with a regiment from the Astra Militarum marching into battle against the Orks. Despite the Militarum’s focus on sheer numbers, however, the narrator notes that it can’t hope to survive a continuous onslaught by Orks thanks to their superior raw strength. This means that the Imperium player will have to rely on tactics.

As you would expect from a Total War game, smaller units can be sent ahead to scout out the battlefield while a larger force waits for its chance, hidden from the enemy. The Imperium player also makes sure to position a few of their troops at vantage points where they wouldn’t be immediately visible until the soldiers started their engagement.

Siege weapons also have their place in battle, and tanks have been set up on one side of the battlefield to discourage Ork forces from crossing a bridge that would allow them to flank the soldiers.

To deal with this, the Orks have quite an impressive arsenal of their own, including powerful machinery like the Killsaw, the Power Klaw, and the Kombi-Skorcha. Staying true to its tabletop roots, the Ork faction relies on a combination of melee strength and powerful ranged weapons to win engagements, while also using units like Stormboyz using their jetpacks to charge in at opportune angles and even flank some platoons.

One of the most notable things about the entire video is just how detailed Total War: Warhammer 40,000 already looks. Despite still being in development, the title shows an impressive level of polish, with varying levels of zoom showing off not only individual character details but also the vast amount of destruction caused by the battle. Along with this, the title also seems to feature plenty of terrain that, while acting as cover for infantry units, can be destroyed quite easily with the use of heavy artillery.

Total War: Warhammer 40,000 is being developed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. While it doesn’t yet have a release date, Creative Assembly kicked off closed beta sign-ups last month.

Eurogamer reported on how the game was briefly rated for the two new platforms, before the page was modified to remove them pretty quietly. The working idea is that the board may have jumped the gun on an official announcement and quickly worked to rectify the mistake, but it could also be just an error with nothing more to read into.

We can’t wait to solve this particular mystery, but it’s going to take a little patience. We wouldn’t mind diving back into a new playthrough of Space Marine, though, and the Master Crafted Edition is definitely our best option for you if you’re thinking of joining in the fun. That’s because it was quite faithful to the original title while remaining fresh throughout its runtime. It’s also worth seeing the story that preceded Space Marine 2, so that’s a bonus.

For those who already conquered the original version, the sequel still has new content incoming, including a massive patch for its second anniversary and a new Class in Year 3.

Cielo and Pai Chan pursue him, but when the latter enters a pitched battle and knocks away his mask, she’s shocked at his identity. While we don’t get a look at his face, the fighting style does all the talking, employing Wushu for some high-impact strikes. At one point, he even slams Pai into the ground without mercy before showcasing what seem to be Fu Jow Pai techniques.

Some speculate that he may be Lau Chan, which would be impossible given the character’s age. Others believe this is Lei Fei harnessing similar moves, but seemingly falling into darkness. Perhaps the Bakunawa Killer is just a brand new character with ties to both. Time will tell, but he’s playable in Versus Mode as well.

Virtua Fighter Crossroads launches next year, and thus far, this kind of storytelling really leans into producer Riichiro Yamada’s description of an “open sandbox RPG.” Besides Cielo’s journey, players will control other characters, each with their own respective tales. Of course, fighters from previous titles also figure, especially in the side content, which is touted as more grounded than, say, Yakuza. Head here for more details.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a large game. In fact, studio head Masayoshi Yokoyama notes that the story ended up longer as the team continued development. Speaking to Automaton Media (translation via DeepL) about the overall scope, he said, “We haven’t measured it precisely, but I think it’s turned out to be quite substantial. The main story, in particular, is very extensive. It just ended up getting longer as we were developing it.”

However, when compared directly to the Yakuza series, he said the maps are “roughly the same scale.” “We didn’t artificially make the maps for each historical era larger or smaller, so they each have their own distinct size. The number of buildings with interior spaces you can actually enter has increased compared to the Yakuza series. However, given the historical setting, there are no skyscrapers or similar structures. Therefore, I believe the overall scale remains comparable.”

However, he reinforced that Stranger Than Heaven is a “completely new title” with UI, controls, and combat that are “entirely different.” That also extends to the kind of experience fans would typically be used to. For instance, side stories will play out differently, perhaps hinting at their more serious nature.

Play Spots return, but once again, they’re rooted in the specific era. “Elements like ‘Play Spots’ are fewer in number, reflecting the historical setting. After all, we haven’t done any corporate tie-ins like in the Yakuza series,” says Masayoshi, laughing.

Launching on January 15th, 2027 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, Stranger Than Heaven is about Makoto Daito, who stows away on a ship to Japan after the death of his mother. Along the way, he meets the likes of Orpheus (played by Snoop Dogg) and Yu Shinjo, whom he’ll have continued run-ins with throughout the era, especially when they get into the music business together.

However, when you look at the single-player campaign, it looks much closer to a Yakuza, Like a Dragon or Judgment (albeit with fights adhering to the series’ usual format). That’s because producer Riichiro Yamada considers it an “open sandbox RPG” instead. Speaking to GamesRadar, he revealed that many were “kind of against” a Virtua Fighter revival when he pitched it.

As for the narrative, it seems he says that newcomer Cielo’s story, described as a “kung-fu movie,” isn’t the be-all, end-all. There are other protagonists (which you can likely spot here) with their own unique narratives, from “very dark and gritty” to investigative. Of course, there’s also a “lot of side content,” including “side quests with the legendary old cast,” and mini-games, though these won’t be as over-the-top as Yakuza.

For Crossroads, the development team “wanted to really ground it in this world,” noting IP like Watchmen as an inspiration. Yamada “really felt and loved about Watchmen was how the world – even if they’re dressed as superheroes – it feels so believable.”

But don’t be fooled into thinking the studio is developing another Yakuza with the Virtua Fighter name. Yamada said that “player choice really matters” with different decisions influencing the story. Rather than something like, say, Yakuza: Like a Dragon with its linear narrative, he likens it more to Detroit: Become Human “and stuff that, where you really change the story. Depending on how you play, it becomes a whole different game.”

It’s definitely an alluring prospect and could open up the title to an audience that favors a strong single-player component. Granted, we still need to see much more of Virtua Fighter Crossroads – and learn about its platforms – but RGG Studio is seemingly on the right path.

If you never looked into the 3D platformer when it launched in November 2022, it’s a somewhat open-world approach to the series’ traditional formula. Arriving on the Starfall Islands by chance, Sonic works to free his friends by exploring the mysterious Cyberspace and taking on the Titans. The latter represent some of the most spectacular boss fights – and arguably the best power fantasy – in the series yet. Check out our review for more details.

Sega would expand on it in various ways, including The Final Horizon, which added a “true” final boss. You could also partake in a celebration of Sonic’s birthday, time trials in Cyberspace and Battle Rush to take on all threats, one after another.

Of course, if you’re picking up the physical version on Nintendo Switch 2, beware – it ships on a Game-Key Card, which means having to download all the updates. With this out of the way, it remains to be seen whether we’ll finally hear about that sequel rumored back in 2024.

Meanwhile, we get to see newcomer Cielo venturing through the city, shadow-boxing one moment and taking on real fighters in the next. Of course, for all his prowess in striking, grappling and ground-and-pound, he’s not much of a match for Pai Chan, the legendary fighter from previous titles.

Other fighters are teased throughout, both new and returning, like Hawk. There are even chase sequences featuring Cielo as you vault over objects and attempt to escape. Given RGG Studio’s experience with the same in Yakuza and Judgment, and its pedigree in melee combat systems, we’d say they’re a strong fit for the title.

Virtual Fighter Crossroads launches next year, but Sega has yet to announce its platforms. We know that it will offer two match types, Standard and Uprising, alongside a deep story, as the team aims to make it a Game of the Year-worthy title. Whether it succeeds or not, you can’t deny that Crossroads is looking mighty slick.