It still feels like a dream that Spyro the Dragon, one of my childhood favorite platformer games, is finally getting a true successor to the classic PlayStation One trilogy with Spyro: A Realm Beyond.

Fortunately, Toys for Bob is here to remind me that it's indeed real by showing off a sneak preview of Arcadian Vale, one of the first locales you'll explore in the game, as part of a special event celebrating Spyro's 27th anniversary called Spyro Community Day.

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As you can see from the concept art, the Acadian Vale is a lush and colorful locale that perfectly captures the childlike wonder you'd normally associate with Spyro games, complete with cascading waterfalls, ancient buildings, and cutesy critters running around (which I totally won't roast alive to spawn butterflies that will replenish my health like in previous games).

The art also implies that the Arcadian Vale will feature a fair degree of verticality, most likely to help players practice the new free-roaming flight mechanic that will allow us to fly anytime, anywhere instead of specific levels and boss fights like in previous games.

It's going to be a long, painful wait until we get to play Spyro, but in the meantime, you can celebrate Spyro's legacy by showing off fan art, appreciation messages, and other content for Spyro Community Day on social media platforms like X with the hashtag #HappyBirthdaySpyro.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set to launch sometime in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

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Capcom has released its 8th weapon showcase trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, and it covers all the changes coming to one of my all-time favorite weapon types of the entire Monster Hunter franchise: Gunlance.

The base game of Monster Hunter Wilds already did an amazing job giving this normally underpowered weapon type the explosive and defensive capabilities it deserved.

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But in this DLC expansion, Gunlance has been made even better with some insane new techniques while incorporating a mechanic change fans have been requesting ever since the Gunlance was introduced in 2006's Monster Hunter 2 (a.k.a. Monster Hunter Dos) on the PlayStation 2.

First off, Gunlance can now let you perform Boost Driver attacks that make you dash forward while blocking incoming attacks with the shield thanks to this DLC expansion's new Boost Bracer mechanic.

At the end of this Boost Driver dash, you can either impale the enemy with a drill launched from the Gunlance or perform a rising uppercut Offset attack that can counter an enemy's attack. The uppercut can also be followed up by a forward aerial divebomb attack to close the gap with enemies.

Once you activate the Boost Bracer's Boost Gauge, the Gunlance gains the following enhancements while it is active:

• Regular and Shelling attacks become faster.
• New combo attack paths,
• Reduced knockback while blocking attacks with a shield, so you can recover faster to counterattack.
• The ability to side-step while reloading your gunlance's ammo and block attacks simultaneously.
• Being able to mount a monster, pierce its body, and fire a Wyrmstake Cannon inside it for massive damage.

We finally have Elemental Shelling for Gunlance, dreams come do true

All these gameplay improvements are pretty awesome by themselves, but the biggest change I'm most excited for in Gunlance is that we're finally getting Elemental Shelling attacks! This is confirmed near the end of the trailer, where the player fires a cloud of icy wind at a monster, which is a special effect normally associated with weapons that deal Ice elemental damage.

This is HUGE because Monster Hunter fans (myself included) have been wanting the Gunlance's Shelling attacks to include elemental properties for years.

This is because in previous games, a Gunlance's Shelling attacks normally deal fixed amounts of damage with some additional but pitiful Fire-elemental damage. This forced players to stick to non-elemental Gunlances to get the most damage possible out of their physical attacks to compensate for the lacking Shelling damage (especially for Master Rank quests where Shelling damage falls off hard).

With this change, combined with the balance adjustment the base game made that allowed Shelling damage to scale with a Gunlance's raw attack power, Elemental Gunlances can finally be useful.

We can use the elemental Shelling attacks to deal extra damage to monsters that normally resist physical attacks but are weak to elements like Fire, Water, Thunder, Ice, and Dragon. Not to mention, it will open up so much build-crafting variety so we're not stuck using the same one or two Gunlances by the time we reach the endgame content.

I'm so happy Elemental Shelling is finally in Monster Hunter that it makes me wonder if Gunlances that deal Status effects like Poison, Paralysis, Sleep, and Blast will be able to apply them with Shelling attacks too now.

Either way, I can't wait to blow things up with Gunlance again once Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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SteelSeries, one of the world's leading brands for making the best Xbox accessories, has recently unveiled its latest creation – the SteelSeries Aeon Pro Controller.

This device features the world's first QuickSwitch Dock System for Xbox, PC, and Mobile devices (Patent Pending), which allows you to switch the controller's connection between platforms without the need for cables or re-pairing wireless connections.

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The SteelSeries Aeon Pro Controller also includes an Infinite Power System with dual hot-swappable batteries, so you never have to worry about losing power while gaming.

On top of that, the SteelSeries Aeon Pro Controller has fast and precise controls thanks to its first-rate triggers, mechanical switch buttons, and Hall Effect Thumbsticks, all of which can be customized, and their changes saved on user-made profiles using the controller's Onboard OLED Screen.

Its features don't stop there, as the SteelSeries Aeon Pro has a Modular Stick System that lets you swap out thumbsticks (with standard concave, tall concave, and short convex options), extra remappable Contoured Back Buttons, and a Wrap-Around Textured Grip to make it easier to hold.

Finally, this controller is compatible with the SteelSeries GG Software Suite app so you can customize every aspect of it, including its button and trigger inputs, rumble sensitivity, custom GG and Sonar integrations, and power settings on PC.

The SteelSeries Aeon Pro is now available (in black or white) at SteelSeries.com and select retailers worldwide for $259.99 | £229.99 | €259.99.

It's a very sleek Xbox controller rife with features to make your gaming life easier, but does its quality match up to its high listing price? Stay tuned to find out, as we're hoping to review it soon and let you know if the StreelSeries Aeon Pro is actually good and worth your money.

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Over the last few days, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance has released a slew of new weapon trailers showing off the new Boost Bracer mechanic's enhancements for the Hammer, Light Bowgun, Charge Blade, and Sword & Shield weapon types.

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Additionally, these trailers hint that some of these weapon types are receiving balance changes or even new mechanics unique to them (and not tied to this DLC expansion's Boost Bracer gimmick). Here's what we can gather from these trailers for one of my most anticipated Xbox games of 2027.

Hammer

First off, we have a new trailer for the Hammer, a simple yet effective weapon for cracking monsters' skulls open. In Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the Boost Bracer will allow you to jump across the battlefield or lift off into the air to perform rocket-powered spinning attacks with the Hammer.

Additionally, the Hammer's attacks will become faster and gain new combo paths once the Boost Gauge is activated.

Next up, we have the Light Bowgun, which has been given some drastic enhancements thanks to the Boost Bracer and possibly a balance change to one of its ammo types.

With the Boost Bracer, the Light Bowgun can fire bullets like an automatic machine gun via the Boost Driver attacks and phase through enemy attacks while the Boost Gauge is activated.

Additionally, while your Boost Gauge is active, you can jump on monsters to perform aerial shot attacks, you can side-step much farther after each shot, and even perform an Offset counter where you fire a grenade onto a monster.

On a side note, the trailer hints that we may be getting new Recoil mods for Bowguns. This is because the player is seen using Spread ammo (think of it like Shotgun ammo) at one point, and the recoil on it in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is very light compared to how it is currently in the base game, where using Spread ammo on bowguns will send you flying backward.

Next trailer on the chopping block is the Charge Blade, a complex weapon type that transforms from a sword and shield into a two-handed battle axe that explodes with every hit.

Charge Blade's main game plan revolves around building Phial energy by hitting enemies in sword and shield mode and unleashing that pent-up energy in axe mode. This normally slow playstyle is getting a massive speed boost in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, as the new Boost Bracer's attacks will let you build energy for axe mode in mere seconds.

Plus, the Booster Bracer will grant the Charge Blade a new Offset counterattack in axe mode, new combo paths, and an enhanced version of the weapon's ultimate attack, where it discharges all of its Phial energy into one massive yet swift explosion.

Finally, we have today's trailer, which covers the classic Sword & Shield weapon type, and it's the one I'm most excited for. The Sword & Shield is another simple yet effective weapon that slices enemies, blocks attacks with a shield, and bashes monsters' faces in with said shield.

This agile weapon is now even faster thanks to Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's Boost Bracer mechanic. With it, Sword & Shield can dash across the battlefield to smack monsters in the face, open up new combo attack paths, and grapple hook onto a monster's wounds to pop them just like the Clutch Claw mechanic from Monster Hunter World: Iceborne.

However, the most exciting change Sword & Shield is getting isn't related to the Boost Bracer; it's a brand-new attack called "Bladecoating Slash". This attack has you destroy one of your items with the weapon and coat its properties onto the blade to give it unique effects; for example, smashing a healing potion will give Sword & Shield the ability to restore a player's health with every hit.

Windows Central's Take

Out of all the changes I've seen from these trailers, the Sword & Shield trailer has got me the most hyped because its new "Bladecoating Slash" attack marks the return of the Oil Coating mechanic from 2015's Monster Hunter Generations.

It was an exclusive Sword & Shield mechanic where you coat the blade in oils to boost its attack, crit rate, or even grant it the ability to exhaust and stun monsters, kind of like The Witcher series.

It was so well received that fans have been begging Capcom to bring this mechanic back for Sword & Shield for nearly a decade because it was used in 2017's Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, and now their wish is finally being granted.

Sword & Shield was one of my most used weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds' base game, so I can't wait to see how this new "Bladecoating Slash" will drastically alter its playstyle (like potentially coating my Sword & Shield in Gunpowder to give it explosion attacks with every swing) when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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After releasing an epic trailer showing off its story and original monsters, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance has returned to uploading daily trailers showing off how this action-hunting game's 14 weapon types will be enhanced by the new Boost Bracer mechanic.

The third trailer in this series focuses on the improvements for Dual Blades, the fastest melee weapon type in the game, where you rip and tear monsters to shreds with a pair of daggers.

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The Dual Blades is one of the best weapon types in the game as they're extremely, do a lot of damage in short bursts, and can make the player briefly invincible if you dodge enemy attacks at the last second while using the weapon's unique "Demon Mode".

However, when paired with this DLC expansion's Boost Bracer mechanic, Dual Blades can the player into a monster. This is because the Boost Bracer grants Dual Blades, with what we can tell from this trailer:

• A new Boost Driver attack where you spin towards an enemy and knock them off their feet while they're attacking, as it counts as an Offset attack.
• The Boost Driver also fills up your Archdemon Mode gauge.
• Once you fill the Boost Gauge by hitting enemies with Boost Driver attacks, you can activiate it to double the attack speed of Dual Blades, have each strike deal multiple hits with increased range, and unlock new combo attacks that end in a nasty finisher where you hold both blades in one hand to deliver a savage uppercut.
• Additionally, activating the Boost Gauge will allow you to jump in the air during a Perfect Dodge so you can perform aerial attacks when you spin across a monster's body to rip them up with Dual Blades, without needing to use Focus Mode attacks or jumping off ledges and hills.

Windows Central's take

Dual Blades ended up being my main weapon of choice when I tackled the endgame content of Monster Hunter Wilds' base game, as its insane attack speed proved invaluable against tough monsters like Omega and Gogmazios.

After watching this trailer, I think I'm going to stick with Dual Blades in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance because it looks amazing and brutal to use with the Boost Bracer's enhancements.

I like how the Dual Blade's normally graceful movements are replaced with berserker-style claw swipes while the Boost Gauge is activated. It kind of makes you feel like the Marvel superhero Wolverine, which I wouldn't be surprised if that was intentional, considering Capcom spent decades making Marvel fighting games like the Marvel Vs. Capcom series.

Plus, considering we aren't getting Insomniac's Wolverine game on Xbox Series X|S and PC anytime soon, I'll take these newly improved Dual Blades as a suitable substitute when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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For a few years now, rumors have been spreading that Blizzard Entertainment's iconic StarCraft series is being revived with a new shooter action game, and very soon, those rumors may finally turn into reality.

This is because StarCraft's official legacy website has been 'glitching' out recently, with certain bits of the UI warping and turning into static in a very artistic way that doesn't look like real glitches.

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Curious to know what's going on, a Reddit user with the username u/RaiausderDose started digging into the StarCraft website via console commands to figure out what's wrong, and what they found was quite intriguing.

u/RaiausderDose discovered a lot of cryptic messages that resemble medical reports, cargo manifestos, and reports of a group plotting something illegal and nefarious.

Plus, the messages state that they were written in August 2575. Eagle-eyed StarCraft fans have noticed that this date is roughly 69 years after the events of StarCraft II's last expansion, Legacy of the Void, which was released over a decade ago on November 10, 2015.

With BlizzCon 2026 just over a week away, StarCraft's website glitching and hiding secret lore messages cannot be a coincidence. Blizzard Entertainment is definitely planning to announce some StarCraft news at the event.

But what could this announcement be? Is it the aforementioned rumored shooter, a new real-time strategy game, a StarCraft movie, or maybe Blizzard Entertainment is restarting development on the cancelled stealth shooter from the early 2000s, StarCraft: Ghost?

Either way, we won't have to wait much longer to find out when BlizzCon 2026 kicks off on September 12, 2026.

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Not content with just posting daily videos showcasing Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's new Boost Bracer mechanic, Capcom decided to kick things up a notch at the PlayStation State of Play (September 2026) with a new trailer for this DLC expansion.

The trailer gives players a glimpse at some of the locales they will be hunting in, the storyline that will immerse them in the rich setting of the Monster Hunter universe, and the monsters they will be hunting.

Capcom then provided fans with more written details on the storyline and monsters previewed in this trailer through the PlayStation State of Play Blog, and we will recount the most important details for you right now.

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First off, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascension's story takes place several years after the events of the base game. Our heroes have spent that time building a fortress to prepare for the return of Lao Shan-Lung, a colossal Elder Dragon that almost destroyed them years prior.

As the fortress is nearing completion, the player is tasked with investigating mysterious changes in the Forbidden Land's ecosystem and exploring a new region of floating islands known as the Skybound Eyrie to uncover what is causing it to defy gravity.

As for the monsters the players will encounter, Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascension will have the player go up against Elder Dragons from previous games like Kushala Daora and Lao Shan-Lung, and Monster Hunter Wilds' artificially made Guardian Monsters that are now spreading out across the base game's regions.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascension will also have brand new, original monsters to hunt like the Bird Wyvern, Araketa, which can soar through the air like a jet plane, and the serpentine Elder Dragon, Gundoraja, which can control storm clouds.

There's also a mysterious, unnamed new lizard monster feasting on other monsters from the inside out, and able to shapeshift its body into giant, gaping, horrifying mouths to swallow prey whole.

Windows Central's take

The more footage I see of Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the more my bad memories of its base game's miserable launch in 2025 are being cleansed away with glee.

The new monsters look stunning, the new storyline is actually somewhat intriguing (which is rare for a Monster Hunter game), and the new Skyboard Eyrie hunting locale looks so much fun to get lost in (though that's probably due to my bias love towards floating island locales in video games since 1994's Sonic 3 & Knuckles).

If the DLC expansion can fix the problems I had with the base game of Monster Hunter Wilds and make sure its monsters are tough enough to warrant their Master Rank status, then we're in for one heck of a hunting adventure when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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The end of Final Fantasy VII's Remake trilogy draws near as Square Enix announced on Sony's State of Play (September 2026) that Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will launch on April 8, 2027, for Xbox Series X|S (with Xbox Play Anywhere support), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

Additionally, Square Enix has released a ten-minute gameplay deep dive showcasing the game's combat and exploration systems, with some quality-of-life features.

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In this deep dive, it shows that the player will now be able to travel across the entire world by riding the massive airship known as the Highwind.

When exploring the open world on land, you will be able to ride a Chocobo mount named Piko, who can help you traverse the environment and aid you in combat, and use a grappling hook to scale tall buildings like the ones in the new town, Wutai.

Speaking of combat, the deep dive also gives a players a closer look at Final Fantasy VII: Revelation FITS system. This system bestows your party members with the abilities of Job classes from previous Final Fantasy games to lay waste to your opponents, as demonstrated by Cid who is using the Knight FIT to protect allies while Vincent is using the Summoner FIT to burn enemies to ashes by summoning the fire demon Ifrit.

Additionally, Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will feature quality of life improvements like being able to choose who is the player-controlled character out of combat and choosing which party members take on certain side quests (which can alter the story outcomes of certain events and scenarios).

Square Enix announces that Final Fantasy VII: Revelation is now available for pre-order across all platforms, with several editions and pre-order bonuses that will net you Summon Materia of Mecha-Chocobo and Moogle up for grabs.

The editions are as follows (as taken from the official Final Fantasy VII: Revelation press release):

• Physical - PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
  • Standard ($69.99)
    • Day 1 Editions available at several retailers include Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Final Showdown Promo Card*
    • Amazon Day 1 Edition includes folded poster
  • Deluxe ($99.99)
    • Mini-Soundtrack
    • Artbook
    • Day 1 Editions available at several retailers include Magic: The Gathering—FINAL FANTASY Final Showdown Promo Card
    • Steelbook case
  • Collector’s Edition ($349.99) - SQUARE ENIX Store Exclusive
    • All “Deluxe Edition” contents, plus…
      • Premium statue (featuring Cloud, Zack and Sephiroth)
      • Story Expansion Pass**, granting access to two story-centered DLCs planned for later release***
        • Includes in-game accessory Reclaimant Choker
        • Includes Survival Set of useful in-game consumable items
      • In-game equipment Armor: Nymphwing Bracelet
      • In-game equipment Accessory: Risk Taker’s Choker
      • In-game item: Summon Materia: Mecha-Chocobo & Moogle
      • In-game item: Summoning Materia: Polydroid Alexander
  • Digital - PlayStation 5, PC, XBOX Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2
    • Pre-order incentive (all editions): Summon Materia: Mecha-Chocobo & Moogle
    • Standard ($69.99)
    • Premium ($99.99)
      • Story Expansion Pass*, granting access to two story-centered DLCs planned for later release**
        • Includes in-game item Accessory: Reclaimant Choker
        • Includes Survival Set of useful in-game consumable items
      • Early Access, which allows for access to the game 24 hours before release
    • Premium Plus ($109.99)
      • All “Premium Edition” contents, plus…
        • Digital Mini Soundtrack
        • Digital Artbook
        • Summoning Materia: Polydroid Alexander
        • In-game equipment Armor: Nymphwing Bracelet
        • In-game equipment Accessory: Risk Taker’s Choker

On top of that, players can digitally pre-order the Final Fantasy VII Remake Series Trilogy Edition ($84.99) so they can gain access to all games in the trilogy and the pre-order bonuses.

Lastly, Square Enix has announced that Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will receive two DLC storylines between the Winter of 2027 and the Spring of 2028. The first DLC will focus on Sephiroth, while the second DLC will focus on Vincent and the Turks.

So, if you have been waiting years for the entire Final Fantasy VII Remake series to be completed to marathon it, then April 8, 2028 will be the best time for you to finally give it a go. I know I certainly will.

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The road to Tokyo Game Show 2026 begins in earnest as Sony kicks it off with a massive State of Play livestream showcasing many trailers for several upcoming PlayStation games that are also making their way to Xbox and PC platforms.

To save you time determining what's not a PlayStation 5-exclusive, we've rounded up all Xbox and PC games showcased during this livestream for your perusal.

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Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance

First off, we have a new trailer for Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, a large-scale DLC for the latest entry in Capcom's action-hunting Monster Hunter series, Monster Hunter Wilds.

This trailer features a glimpse at the new locales players will explore, the new weapon moves granted by the Boost Bracer, and several new monsters and returning monsters to hunt, like Kushala Daora and Lao Shan-Lung.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Metro 2039

Next up, we have the world's first look at the gameplay of Metro 2039, an upcoming First-Person Shooter where you are struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic version of Moscow, Russia, to save the soul of Metro.

Metro 2039 is set to launch on February 4, 2027, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Maneater 2

Maneater 2 is a sequel to the cult, open-world action-RPG from 2020 where you wreak havoc as a man-eating shark. This time you will be terrorizing the holiday-goers of a seaside theme park while battling mutated predators looking to make you their next meal.

Maneater is set to launch in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown

The popular open-world action-adventure game, Crimson Desert, is getting a DLC expansion called Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown. This expansion will let you explore new locales on land and sea, master powerful new moves, and take on gigantic boss monsters to earn sweet rewards.

Crimson Desert: Charting the Unknown is set to launch on October 15, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.

Final Fantasy Resonance

Final Fantasy Resonance, the first HD-2D entry in the iconic Final Fantasy series, has announced through its latest gameplay trailer that it's releasing a playable demo today ahead of its October 22, 2026 launch on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 1/2, and PC via Steam.

Additionally, the trailer confirms that one of the bosses you'll face in this game is Final Fantasy VII's legendary villain, Sephiroth.

Gundam Rogue Orbit

Gundam Rogue Orbit is an upcoming single-player action game with an original take on the iconic anime mecha franchise, Gundam.

In this game, you will pilot the customizable Gundam Helix to wage war against hordes of enemies and towering bosses, master over-the-top weapons and techniques, and experience an epic campaign with drama, action, and tragedy that will serve as the perfect entry for newcomers while paying tribute to longtime fans.

Gundam Rogue Orbit is set to launch on March 5, 2027, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Rhapsody in Scarlet

Rhapsody in Scarlet is a brand new action game by Konami coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

In this game set in 1920's New York City, you play as Ellie Myers, a magus moonlighting as a lounge singer. Your goal is to save the world from invading demonic creatures by wielding powerful magic and summoning hordes of elemental beasts to do your bidding.

Final Fantasy VII: Revelation

The main event closes out with a new trailer and an extended gameplay deep dive for Final Fantasy VII: Revelation, the final chapter of Square Enix's action-RPG remake series of Final Fantasy VII.

The trailer shows off footage of its combat, cinematic story, and, most importantly, a release date. It confirms that Final Fantasy VII: Revelation will launch on April 8, 2027, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

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Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, the upcoming DLC expansion to the latest entry in Capcom's action-hunting Monster Hunter series, has released its second trailer showcasing how its new 'Boost Bracer' mechanic will change every weapon type.

This trailer focuses on the Boost Bracer's changes to Bow, the classic ranged weapon type where you pierce enemies with a rain of arrows tipped with poisons or, in this DLC expansion, explosives.

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From what we can tell in this trailer, the Bow will gain a new Boost Driver that lets the user perform an Offset counterattack, firing explosive arrows at enemies to knock them over while flying backwards.

The Bow's Boost Driver attack can be charged for extra damage and transition into other special attacks like the Dragon Piercer (which fires a super-fast rocket-powered arrow) or the Thousand Dragons technique (which fires a bunch of arrows in a single burst at close range).

The Boost Driver attack also fills up the Boost gauge, which, when filled, can be activated to enhance the Bow's attacks and unlock new attacks.

These boosted features include making your arrows fire faster with explosive damage and allowing you to perform enhanced evasive jump maneuvers to avoid attacks while staying on the offensive.

Windows Central's take

I'm not much of a ranged user in Monster Hunter games, as I prefer getting up and close with melee weapons. Although I do make exceptions whenever ranged weapons with explosive ammo builds are viable enough to use because I love blowing monsters up.

So it's kinda cool to see Bow essentially turn into an explosive shotgun thanks to the Boost Bracer's enhancements, and I'm willing to give it a go in the DLC expansion because of it.

However, the most interesting part of the trailer for me is the gear the player is using, as it's a reward for hunting Lao Shan-Lung.

For newer players who never heard of it, Lao Shan-Lung is a colossal Elder Dragon from the original Monster Hunter game back in 2004. It's appeared in a few other games like Monster Hunter Dos, the Monster Hunter Freedom sub-series, and Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate (which is where I fought it), and now it's coming back in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, as confirmed in its reveal trailer.

I'm personally dreading fighting Lao Shan-Lung again, not because it's difficult but because it's notoriously one of the most boring boss fights in the entire franchise. This is because Lao Shan-Lung is a glorified punching bag that takes forever to kill, and it spends its time VERY SLOWLY running away from the players rather than actively fighting them.

So I'm really hoping this game will make Lao Shan-Lung actually interesting to fight this time (or at least make it actually fight the player instead of being a coward) so farming for its classic gear will be worth the time and effort because it has some slick-looking gear in

We will have to wait to find out when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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Today is the day Dragon's Dogma 2 fans have been waiting years for, as Capcom has finally rolled out Title Update 3.2 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.

This update features the long-requested performance patch to fix its originally subpar framerates, and tons of gameplay changes to its character vocations, save system, Dragonsplague mechanic, and more.

Additionally, Capcom dropped a new trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2's upcoming Dark Arisen DLC expansion, which reveals how its new Relic loot system will work to provide players with a satisfying gameplay loop to keep them engaged beyond fighting monsters and experiencing its epic story.

Here's everything you need to know about this massive update.

Dragon's Dogma 2 — Title Update 3.2 performance and gameplay changes

First off, let's cover Dragon's Dogma 2's Title Update 3.2 since that's the biggest announcement here. It is a gigantic patch worth 67GB that completely changes nearly facet of the game beyond simply boosting its framerates.

In fact, it's so big that Capcom had to change the PC version's spec requirements, which you can see below via Dragon's Dogma 2's official X account. ⬇️

The official post also reveals the updated framerate settings for the Xbox Series X|S versions. It shows that Dragon's Dogma 2 can now reach 60fps max with the FSR Upscaler on the Xbox Series X, while the game can only reach 45fps max with the FSR Upscaler.

Details regarding the performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 version will be revealed at a later date.

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As for its gameplay changes, there is a dragon's hoard worth talking about. The major highlights include multiple save files being added, multiple new weapon skill slots, balance changes for every character class Vocation, a new item to cure Dragonsplague from Pawns, and many adjustments for Pawns to make them more useful.

Here are the full patch notes for Dragon's Dogma 2's Title Update 3.2 for its console and PC versions, as confirmed on the Dragon's Dogma 2 website.

Added Features and Adjustments for all platforms

• Save System Adjustments
  • Expanded the number of save slots where adventure data can be saved for each Arisen from one to three.
  • Each save slot now holds three different types of saved data: Autosave, Interim Save, and Last Inn Rest Save.
  • Loading from your last inn rest will no longer delete your autosave or interim save.
  • The date and time of your last save will now be shown on the save screen.
• Dragonsplague Adjustments
  • Added an item to cure Dragonsplague: Dragonsbaulk Draught.
    *Added pawn dialogue related to Dragonsbaulk Draught.
• UI Adjustments
  • Added equipment filters.
  • In Equipment Enhancement, you can now check the required materials for future steps in the process.
  • Added an icon that will display when you can grab hold of an enemy.
    *Also added the option to toggle this on/off.
  • Added an option to favorite equipment.
  • Added an option to prevent meat items used at campsites to be consumed via item shortcuts.
  • Changed the max amount of an item that can be given to a pawn when dismissing them to 99 (some special items excluded).
  • Added the number of times the Eternal Ferrystone was used to the Adventure Logbook.
  • Improved the Button Mapping screen layout.
  • Added a control type for keyboards that allows weapon skills to be activated with a single button.
  • Added a control type for keyboards that allows weapon skills to be switched with a single button.
  • Added functions so that when changing equipment as a Warfarer, you can now unequip weapons, change weapon order, and swap/compare equipped weapons from the list of equipped weapons.
  • If only a shield is equipped, shield stats will now be shown when changing the order of equipment as a Warfarer.
  • Added the ability to cancel and redo item selection on the item delivery selection screen when turning in an item for a quest.
• Added a function to skip the opening part of the story when replaying the game.
• Pawn Adjustments
  • Added the pawn command Explore that can be used by holding the Go command button.
    *Also added the option to toggle this on/off.
  • Added the pawn command "High Five!" that can be used by holding the "To Me!" command button.
    *Also added the option to toggle this on/off.
  • Pawns can now grapple enemies and draw their attention.
  • Pawns can now interfere with enemy attacks when the Arisen is downed.
  • Pawns can now protect the Arisen when they are unable to move.
  • Pawns can now suggest using large boulders when enemies are grouped together.
  • Pawns can now lure enemies to areas where the environment can be used.
  • Pawns can now perform follow-up attacks on enemies knocked back by the Arisen.
  • While grappling a large enemy, pawns can now pull the Arisen up and make them jump higher.
  • Pawns are now more likely to prioritize enemies targeting the Arisen when the player is using a ranged vocation.
  • When carrying an incapacitated pawn, pawns will now act based on the situation, such as putting down the pawn being carried if they are in danger.
  • Pawns will now act more quickly to attack or provide support.
  • Pawns will now avoid or guard against attacks more effectively.
  • Pawns are now temporarily invincible when being revived by the Arisen.
  • Pawns will now have a shorter hitstop when landing a charged attack as a Warrior.
  • Pawns will now more easily catch the Arisen after they have fallen from a great height during battle.
  • Pawns afflicted with Dragonsplague will now be able to stun large enemies by attacking their legs.
  • Pawns afflicted with Dragonsplague will now be able to attack smaller enemies without consuming stamina for a limited time.
  • Pawns afflicted with Dragonsplague will now be able to make enemies more susceptible to being thrown off balance by attacking them while they are already stunned.
  • Pawns afflicted with Dragonsplague will now accumulate the loss gauge at a slower rate.
  • When a tome to learn a specialization has been used or discarded, it will now be available at the Scrap Store.
  • Your main pawn will now bring back items dropped by enemies they defeated while in another world.
• Text/Tutorial Display Adjustments
  • Added a tutorial for save system changes.
  • Added a tutorial for item screen filters.
  • Added a tutorial for Dragonsbaulk Draught.
  • Added a tutorial for expanded pawn commands.
  • Changed the explanations for skills that have been adjusted.
• 【Archer】
  • Changed the explanation for Front Kick.
• 【Mage/Sorcerer】
  • Added a tutorial for magick barrier.
• 【Warrior】
  • Added an explanation for how to knock back enemies.
• 【Trickster】
  • Added an explanation for Buoyant Brume.
• Other Adjustments
  • Improved NPC behavior when they use a ballista alone.
  • Improved camera behavior when the Arisen interacts with a ballista.
  • Adjusted the party position and camera angle after warping to a Portcrystal making it easier to find one's bearings.
• ◆ Action Adjustments
• Expanded the number of assignable weapon skills from four to six.
• You will now be less likely to flinch for a period of time after having flinched from being attacked.
• Enemies are now less likely to target you if you are crawling.
• Being attacked while downed will now cause you to get up right away.
• The effects of a stamina recovery item used while exhausted will now be instantaneous.
• Extended the period of invincibility when being revived with a wakestone.
• Vocation Adjustments
• 【Fighter】
  • Adjusted the behavior of Deflect when used against ranged attacks.
  • Made it easier for Blink Strike to hit enemies.
  • Adjusted the timing window for Tusk Toss so it's less likely to fail to cast if the charge is complete.
  • Adjusted the timing for some attack skills to connect more smoothly with Tusk Toss.
  • Adjusted Counter Slash to prioritize the enemy that just deflected the attack.
  • If other enemies are close by when using Riotous Fury, the direction of the attack can now be adjusted on the fly with the control stick.
  • Adjusted the final upward strike of Riotous Fury to slightly lift enemies up into the air.
  • Increased the distance of the first attack of Riotous Fury to make it easier to connect.
  • Enemy attacks are less likely to cause the target to flinch.
• 【Archer】
  • Increased the speed to nock an arrow when using Exploding Shot, Drenching Shot, Tarring Shot, or Blighting Shot.
  • Increased the damage of Dire Arrow.
  • Changed Front Kick and Leaping Punt so that the user is launched backwards even when performed on the ground.
  • Changed Front Kick and Leaping Punt so that the user is launched backwards by performing a button input.
  • Changed so that when the Arisen touches the ground after using Front Kick or Leaping Punt, they will face the enemy they kicked off of if no controller stick input is given.
• 【Thief】
  • Increased the stamina consumed when using Formless Feint.
  • Pressing the Vocation Action button during Formless Feint will throw off the balance of the attacking enemy.
    *Throwing the enemy off balance with good timing will temporarily disable continuous stamina consumption. Perfect timing will reduce stamina consumption for weapon skills.
• 【Mage/Sorcerer】
  • Added the core skill Magick Barrier.
    *Pressing the Vocation Action button will erect a magickal barrier shielding you from enemy attacks. Stamina consumption varies depending on the weapon.
  • Increased the maximum movement speed of the camera when casting Flagration.
• 【Mage】
  • While Anodyne is active, you can now cancel the motion by button input.
• 【Sorcerer】
  • Extended the incantation speed for Prescient Flare.
  • Extended the grace period for Prescient Flare's magickal orbs to explode, while also reducing the time to explode once the orbs have reached their maximum state. (A different sound effect was added for when the orbs explode at their maximum state, making it easier to tell the difference.)
  • Increased the value required to amplify Prescient Flare's magickal orbs and extended the time until the orbs fade if not attacked.
  • Prescient Flare's magickal orbs will no longer amplify if hit with another cast of Prescient Flare.
  • Adjusted the camera direction when casting Seism.
• 【Warrior】
  • The charged state of Mighty Sweep can now be maintained when using Barge.
  • Forward movement when using an airborne Stonesplitter has been reduced, making it easier for attacks to connect.
  • The light attack input timing for Chain of Blows as been made more consistent, making it easier to use.
  • The forward reach of Mighty Sweep and Stonesplitter attacks has been increased.
  • Increased the speed of light attacks when clinging to a foe.
  • Adjusted the hitstop for strong attacks when clinging to a foe to increase the feeling of satisfaction.
  • Changed the motion for powerful successive strikes against large enemies.
  • Adjusted the timing for damage reduction while charging Skyward Sunder, Rending Sweep and Knoll Breaker to be more consistent across the skills.
  • Adjusted the knockback distance and height for attacks that knock enemies into the air, making them easier to connect with other attacks.
  • Increased the damage of Savage Lash.
  • Adjusted the window for counterattacks for Tidal Fury, making it possible sooner.
  • Reduced the recovery time after a counterattack fails when using Tidal Fury.
  • The forward reach of charged Mighty Sweep, Skyward Sunder, Rending Sweep, and Savage Lash attacks has been increased.
• 【Mystic Spearhand】
  • Adjusted the timing window for Redouted Bolt so it's less likely to fail to cast if the charge is complete.
  • Increased the button input window for Scatering Bolt → Quik Fot, making it easier to use in combos like Forbeding Bolt → Scatering Bolt, Forbeding Bolt → Quik Fot and Forbeding Bolt → Scatering Bolt → Quik Fot.
  • Increased the damage of Magike Cut, Seching Blade, and Magike Sperepelote when used against enemies bound by Forbeding Bolt or Scatering Bolt.
  • Increased the damage of Skiedragoun's Fangtooth.
  • Adjusted the targeting of Wild Furie to prioritize nearby enemies after the first attack.
  • Adjusted Magike Sperepelote so that the camera's center point doesn't shift during attacks.
  • "Changed Mirour Vesture so that it can now be charged and cast.
    If it is not charged the magickal barrier will only affect the Arisen. If it is charged, it will affect the Arisen and party members. A charged cast will also perform an attack that causes nearby enemies to flinch."
  • Added durability to the magickal barrier of Mirour Vesture, the barrier will dissipate when it reaches zero.
  • Greatly increased the time the magickal barrier of Mirour Vesture is active. However, it will quickly dissipate when not in combat.
  • Increased the range in which the magickal barrier of Mirour Vesture can be applied to pawns.
  • Increased the stamina consumed by Mirour Vesture, decreased the natural stamina recovery rate while the magickal barrier is active.
• 【Magick Archer】
  • Adjusted so that when you consecutively use offensive weapon skills without aiming, you will continue targeting the first enemy targeted as long as they are within a certain distance.
  • Adjusted so that when you aim and use a weapon skill, the input for the skill activation button will be accepted from the moment you start aiming.
  • Reduced the range of magick arrows when not locked on to a pawn when using Vimtaking Arrow.
  • Reduced the damage of magick arrows when not locked on to a pawn when using Vimtaking Arrow.
• 【Trickster】
  • Added the core skill Buoyant Brume.
    *When jumping, press the jump button again to float for a period of time.
  • When using Effigial Incense, the simulacrum's Health reduction when it strays too far from the caster has been decreased.
  • When using Fickle Floor, wolf-type enemies (excluding some, like Garms) that enter the illusion will now flinch.
  • When using Dragon's Delusion, Golems will now flinch.
  • Archer, Mage, and Sorcerer pawns can now attack enemies through the illusory walls created by Delusory Screen.
  • Adjusted the camera direction when casting Dragon's Delusion.
• 【Fighter/Thief/Warrior/Mystic Spearhand】
  • When using some skills that can be used mid-air, you can now adjust your position in the air with the control stick.
• 【Fighter/Thief/Warrior/Mystic Spearhand/Unarmed Combat】
  • Adjusted the camera direction when performing powerful successive strikes.
• 【Fighter/Warrior/Unarmed Combat】
  • Adjusted the blowback of enemies when using Gouging Skewer as a Fighter or when performing powerful successive strikes as a Warrior or in unarmed combat.
• Other Adjustments
  • Added Dash Attack and Charge Attack to unarmed combat.
  • The timing until you can grab an enemy again after jumping and releasing the grab has been shortened.
  • Reduced the recovery time for unarmed weak attacks while clinging to or pinning down an enemy.
  • Made it easier to draw attention from a large enemy when grabbing them.
• Enemy Adjustments
  • Adjusted the accumulation value of the blighted debilitation caused by enemy attacks.
• 【Goblin/Hobgoblin/Chopper/Knacker/Saurian/Asp/Serpent】
  • Improved the quality of jump actions.
• 【Goblin/Hobgoblin/Chopper/Knacker/Saurian/Asp/Rattler/Magma Scale/Serpent】
  • Adjusted the tracking of some attacks to make them easier to avoid.
• 【Goblin/Hobgoblin/Chopper/Knacker/Saurian/Asp/Rattler/Magma Scale/Serpent/Skeleton】
  • Changed the way the Arisen reacts when hit by attacks, as some attacks caused situations that were difficult to recover from.
• 【Saurian/Asp/Rattler/Magma Scale/Serpent】
  • Made it easier for attacks to hit the tail.
• 【Slime/Ooze/Sludge】
  • Adjusted pawns so that they attack from a position suitable for their vocation.
  • Attacks are now more likely to hit.
• 【Skeleton/Stout Undead/Phantom/Phantasm/Specter】
  • Increased the damage of holy attacks.
• 【Minotaur/Goreminotaur】
  • Added expressions to make it clearer when the enemy hits an obstacle while dashing.
• 【Drake】
  • Adjusted the frequency of using specific attacks when health is low, as it led to a situation where recovery was difficult.
  • Changed the targeting so that it's easier to aim for parts other than the heart when the heart isn't exposed.
• ◆ Bug Fixes
• Vocations
• 【Archer】
  • Fixed a bug where using Dire Arrow when mid-sized or larger enemies were downed would result in the enemies jumping back up as soon as the arrow was released.
• 【Thief】
  • Fixed a bug where using Twin Fangs in midair would cause the player to teleport instantaneously to enemy locations within a certain distance.
• 【Warrior】
  • Fixed a bug where damage was not dealt when using Goring Lunge on small enemies against a wall.
  • Fixed a bug where the opponent was not blown back when attacked with powerful successive strikes.
  • Fixed a bug where the camera would clip into the ground when using a powerful successive strike while mounted on an enemy.
• 【Mystic Spearhand】
  • Fixed a bug where enemies hit by Forbeding Bolt while airborne would gradually move rather than remain stationary.
• 【Magick Archer】
  • Fixed a bug where Bartizan's counterattack would cause enemies to fall down instead of being knocked back.
  • Fixed a bug where an enemy's appearance would become unnatural after Sagittate Downpour hit.
• 【Trickster】
  • Fixed a bug where using Espial Incense on an oxcart while keeping the simulacrum stationary would cause crude polygons and the ground below to appear.
• Pawns
  • Fixed a bug where the main pawn would not respond to a support pawn's question, resulting in the end of conversation.
  • Fixed a bug where a pawn's gaze would point in extreme directions, causing their eyes to turn white or their pupils to appear to pierce through their eyelids.
  • Fixed a bug where a pawn would not gain quest knowledge after completing the quest Tensions on the Highroad.
  • Fixed a bug where pawns would not help when using a ballista against dragons.
• Enemies
• 【Harpy/Venin Harpy/Gore Harpy/Succubus】
  • Fixed a bug where facial expressions were not moving.
• UI
  • Fixed a bug where stat boosts from rings equipped by support pawns were not reflected on the status details screen.
  • Fixed several inaccuracies in the in-game descriptions displayed within the pause menu.
  • Fixed a bug where the map location of the Portcrystal in Harve differed from its actual location.
• Quests
  • Fixed a bug in the quest Mercy among Thieves where Hugo's movements and the camera's timing were out of sync.
  • Fixed a bug in the quest Mercy among Thieves where the NPC Thor sometimes remained at the entrance to the hideout after the quest was completed.
  • Fixed a bug in the quest Monster Culling where dialogue from Harve Village soldiers fighting in the cave would sometimes play while the player is above ground.
  • Fixed a bug in the quest Every Rose Has Its Thorn where the interact button would display even when peeking through the peephole in the wall will not progress the quest.
  • Fixed a bug in the quest Dreams Apart where the quest log did not accurately reflect quest progress when conditions preventing progress were met.
• Text
  • Fixed an issue where the direction of double quotation marks was incorrect in some text.
• Other
  • Fixed a bug where Threshing Blaze caused lower than expected damage when used by characters with low magick.
  • Fixed several visual glitches that occurred when equipping the Intrepid Scalecoat.
  • Fixed a bug where equipping the Burgundy Coat would cause the waist to bulge.
  • Fixed a bug where equipping the Blessed Waistcloth or Spellweaver's Waistcloth would cause the base of the body armor to bend.
  • Increased the quantity of Lantern Oil obtained by combining Rotten Tideswimmer and Oily Slime from one to three.
  • Fixed a bug where oxcarts would repeatedly move forward and backward.
  • Fixed a bug where performing certain actions on an oxcart would cause the player to float and sit in mid-air.
  • Fixed a bug where loading your last inn rest save after resting at the lodgings at the Borderwatch Outpost would cause the NPC Warrick to be on high alert.
  • Fixed a bug where some floors were being recognized as cliffs inside buildings.
  • Fixed a bug in the character creation screen where selecting a beastren and changing the eye height and eye width would cause the surface of the eyeball to look unnatural.
  • Fixed a bug where Portcrystals could be placed in some restricted areas.
  • Fixed a bug where Seeker's Tokens placed in Vernworth or around a griffin's nest would, under certain conditions, float in mid-air and become unobtainable.
  • Fixed a bug where certain shaved hairstyles would not render properly depending on the viewing angle.
  • Fixed a bug where Brant would sometimes return to his room and sit down in a chair after the first time meeting him.
  • Fixed a bug where the pose of the Arisen or pawns would become unnatural immediately after being thrown by a large enemy.
  • Fixed a bug where the toenails of beastren characters would sometimes stop displaying after unequipping certain leg armor.
  • Fixed a bug where shields carried on the back could clip through cloaks.
  • [PlayStation 5 / XBOX Series X|S Exclusive changes]
  • ◆ Added Features and Adjustments
  • UI Adjustments
    • Added Resource-Intense Effects Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.

Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 exclusive added features and adjustments

• UI Adjustments
  • Added Resource-Intense Effects Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.

Steam exclusive added features and adjustments

• UI Adjustments
  • Added Volumetric Fog Resolution to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Cloudscape Resolution to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Foliage Density to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Terrain Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Ray Tracing GI Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Ray Tracing GI Shading Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Effect Reflections to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added CPU Saving Mode to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added NPC Culling to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Added Swaying Grass Quality to the Graphics section of the Options menu.
  • Graphics Memory will now be shown in the Graphics section of the Options menu.
• ◆ Bug Fixes
• UI
  • Fixed a bug where a mouse could not be used to select the last party member in a shop's checkout screen.
  • Fixed a bug where the confirmation screen for saving changes did not appear when exiting the options screen after changing key bindings.
  • Fixed a bug where WASD keys could not be assigned to the Trickster's Ascend (as spirit) and Descend (as spirit).
• Other Fixes
  • Fixed a bug where, at high framerates, the wheels of an oxcart would appear to keep spinning and stopping while the oxcart continued to move.
  • Fixed a bug where, at high framerates, the cargo section of an oxcart would slowly rotate while the cart is stationary.
  • Fixed a bug where, at high framerates, the sensitivity of the controller's motion sensor would fluctuate.
  • Fixed a bug where the values for graphics memory usage and processing load included values for disabled features.

Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen — Relic system

Next up, we have a new gameplay trailer for Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, which reveals new details regarding its unique Relic Expedition mechanic.

While exploring the dark caves and snowy fields of this DLC expansion's exclusive Norgan region, you will frequently come across Relics hidden in treasure chests or obtained upon killing dangerous foes like the sasquatch-like Norgan Giants.

You can also employ the services of a Norgandian direwolf named Freki to help you search for these Relics more easily for the price of meat and pets.

Once you find these relics, you can have them appraised by an NPC named Jiera within the Norgandian Settlement, which will then transform them into new weapons or armor pieces.

Your newly appraised gear won't just offer better stats, they can also grant you and your Pawns brand new abilities or refine ones you already have learnt to help you survive better in battle.

Windows Central's take

The new Relic systems sound interesting, but the best news for me is Dragon's Dogma 2's Title Update 3.2 with its much-needed 60fps performance boost to Xbox consoles.

I've tested its performance boost briefly on my Xbox Series X during my lunch break and can confirm Dragon's Dogma 2 now runs at a consistent 30fps or 60fps depending on the newly added graphics settings.

This is a MASSIVE improvement from when I briefly played it back in 2024 to make my Thief Vocation guide, which constantly dropped below 30fps whether I was casually exploring or getting into fights.

Granted, the resolution quality takes a bit of a hit, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if it means I don't have to worry about nauseating framerate drops that caused the game to look like a PowerPoint presentation or having low framerates delay my inputs during fights with trolls and drakes anymore.

Dragon's Dogma 2 now feels so nice to control thanks to this patch. With the addition of this patch, the Title Update 3.1 patch, which made fast-travel less of a headache, and the removal of annoying pay-to-win microtransactions, it's time I give this game a proper playthrough and see why my colleague, Jez Corden, loved Dragon's Dogma 2 so much.

Dragon's Dogma 2's Dark Arisen DLC expansion is set to launch on October 9, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

After two months of relative calm, Xbox's live services are once again suffering a major outage as of this writing.

This is confirmed by the official Xbox Status website, which states that Xbox's "Account & Profile" and "Games & Gaming" are currently unavailable.

Xbox Support's X account also confirms through an official announcement post that people are reporting they can't sign into their Xbox profiles, create new accounts, or play games that require a profile login.

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Xbox Support states they are aware of the situation and are currently investigating this issue to find a fix as soon as possible.

We'll keep you posted on the case and let you know when Xbox's online services are fully fixed and operational again.

In the meantime, let's hope this Xbox outage isn't as bad as the last one, which lasted over 15 hours straight and disabled nearly all of Xbox Network's services.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

With the 2026 Tokyo Game Show drawing near, Capcom is metaphorically and literally putting on the turbo boost for revealing new gameplay for Monster Hunter Wilds' Ascendence DLC expansion by showing off the new 'Boost Bracer' mechanic.

The Boost Bracer is a special gauntlet designed to give each of the game's fourteen weapon types new, exciting ways to play them.

Here's how the Boost Bracer will function in Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance, which is scheduled to launch in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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From what we can tell from Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's 'Boosted Actions' trailer, the Boost Bracer has a special 'Boost' gauge that needs to be filled up by hitting enemies with 'Boost Drivers', which are new super moves that will be added for every weapon type in the DLC expansion.

Once the gauge is filled up, your weapon will be powered up with new moves, combos, and properties for a limited time before it needs to be filled again with successful Boost Driver attacks, which appear to have cooldown timers similar to the 'Wirebug' mechanic from Monster Hunter Rise.

The Boost Bracer's features shown so far include unlocking new moves and combos, enhancing a weapon's pre-existing moves, boosting a weapon's survivability by improving its guard capabilities or allowing its wielder to run with the weapon unsheathed, and more.

For the next two weeks leading up to Capcom's Tokyo Game Show Showcase on September 17, 2026, the developers will be releasing daily gameplay trailers showcasing how the Boost Bracer will alter each weapon type, starting with the Great Sword.

For the Great Sword, the Boost Bracer will allow the user to chain multiple Offset Attacks, sprint while the weapon is unsheathed to perform running Offset attacks, and perform enhanced versions of its charge slashes (including a super version of the iconic True Charged Slash).

Windows Central's Take

My first impression upon seeing the Boost Bracer in action is that it reminds me HEAVILY of Nero's 'Exceed' mechanic from Capcom's Devil May Cry series, where you rev up the character's 'Red Queen' weapon like a motorcycle to enhance its attacks to absurd degrees that make you feel like a superhero.

I feel somewhat conflicted because, on one hand, I'm afraid that these Boost Bracer attacks are going to make fighting enemies a trivial task even in Master Rank when combined with Monster Hunter Wilds' already overpowered Wounds and Focus Mode mechanics (which, by the way, I hope get nerfed along with other changes I hope Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascension brings to make the base game more challenging).

On the other hand, I can't deny it looks cool and fun to use in motion, and I'm curious to see how it will improve my favorite weapon types in the game, like Gunlance and Sword & Shield.

Plus, it really makes me miss Devil May Cry, as we haven't seen a new game for the series since 2019's Devil May Cry 5, so Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance is probably the closest follow-up we're going to get right now.

Stay tuned for more as we keep an eye out for the rest of the Boost Bracer showcase trailers in the lead-up to the 2026 Tokyo Game Show, where Capcom will show off a gameplay demo for Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance featuring the new mysterious, unnamed flying wyvern from the debut trailer and the return of a classic Elder Dragon.

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BlizzCon 2026 is almost here, and Blizzard Entertainment is getting fans prepared for the event with a step-by-step tutorial of its programming guide, floor plan map, viewership guide, and more on the official BlizzCon website.

So whether you're attending the event in person or watching the announcements at home via streaming, here's what you need to know about how BlizzCon 2026 will work when it opens its doors on September 12 to September 13, 2026, at the Anaheim Convention Center, California, USA.

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BlizzCon 2026: Programming Schedule

First off, here's a gallery of the full BlizzCon 2026 programming schedule, including the Opening Ceremony; developer updates for World of Warcraft, Overwatch, and Diablo; insider interviews with the developers; Overwatch and Hearthstone tournaments; and more.

The schedule also includes the main halls where each event will take place at the venue.

BlizzCon 2026: Viewership Guide

If you can't make it to BlizzCon 2026 in-person, you will be able to watch the announcements at home for free on Blizzard Entertainment's following platforms:

• YouTube
• Twitch
• Battle.net

Additionally, you will be able to earn special rewards by watching BlizzCon streams on YouTube/Twitch or attending BlizzCon 2026 in person by linking your BlizzCon Pass to your Battle.net account before September 18, 2026.

For more details, check the BlizzCon 2026 Viewership Guide.

BlizzCon 2026: Show Floor Plan

If you're attending the event in person and need to know where to go, here's a Show Floor Plan for BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim so you don't get lost.

Are you ready for the epic comeback of BlizzCon?

Tons of new game announcements for Warcraft, Diablo, and Overwatch won't be the only reason to attend BlizzCon 2026, as it will be jam-packed with fun recreational activities for fans to partake in, such as cosplay competitions, the Darkmoon Faire, buying merch at the BlizzCon Merch Store, Community Night, March of the Murlocs, and more.

Plus, Blizzard Entertainment is offering a metric ton of in-game bundle collections for its games for a limited time until September 28, 2026.

We'll be covering the event here at Windows Central for its biggest announcements, so stay tuned when BlizzCon 2026 commences its opening night ceremony on September 12, 2026. Here's hoping the rumors of StarCraft making a comeback with a shooter turn out to be true.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Xbox has revealed the next batch of games for its vaunted Xbox Game Pass service coming soon in the first half of September 2026 (via Xbox Wire).

Sadly, there isn't much to write about this batch, as it mainly contains indie titles and lesser-known AA titles like RuneScape Dragonwilds and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage, with the main headliner being Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War.

The worst news of this wave is that the hit sandbox RPG, Cyberpunk 2077, will be leaving Xbox Game Pass on September 15, 2026.

Here's the full list of Xbox games coming to and leaving Xbox Game Pass.

Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (September 15)

• Commandos: Origins (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Cricket 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Cyberpunk 2077 (Cloud and Console)
• Dead Cells (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Deep Rock Galactic Survivor (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Frostpunk 2 (PC)
• Mullet Madjack (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Spiritfarer (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Superliminal (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Train Sim World 5 (Cloud, Console, and PC)

Windows Central's take

The biggest highlight of this batch is Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, a first-person shooter set during the height of the Cold War in 1981.

My former colleague, Samuel Tolbert, reviewed Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War back in 2020 and gave it a mixed score of 3.5 out of 5 stars.

While he enjoyed its thrilling campaign mode, meaningful gameplay changes, and immersive sim-lite levels, he criticized it for having a weak multiplayer mode compared to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, poor technical performance during Zombies mode, and low-quality gunplay and audio design.

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It was a hard sell at launch, but now that it's on Xbox Game Pass, it may find newfound appreciation among Call of Duty fans now that they don't have to pay full price for it, especially if they enjoy espionage thrillers set during the Cold War.

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Amidst the many new reveals at Gamescom 2026, there was one announcement that went under the radar that deserves more coverage for how important it is, especially for indie game developers.

Razer, one of my personal favorite world-leading manufacturers of gaming accessories and laptops, has launched a new program developed with Razer's WYVRN gaming development kit, and it's called the Razer Indie Lab.

This free program is designed to help indie developers create their games at AAA quality with improved quality control while reaching out to a wider audience by providing the developers with a plethora of advanced technology and tools normally available to larger-scale gaming studios.

Some of Razer Indie Lab's features include:

• Razer Gold — Razer’s exclusive digital credit platform which offers local payment options, and access to additional sales, distribution, and co-marketing opportunities so developers can reach out to more audiences and monetize their games better.
• RAZER GAME SERVICES — services and solutions that improve marketing games.
• RAZER QA COMPANION-AI — an AI assistant designed to detect gameplay issues during testing, capture contextual data automatically, and assist developers in cataloging bug reports more efficiently without a dedicated QA team.
• RAZER'S SUITE OF IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES — these are a collection of tools that developers can use to improve the immersion of their games, which includes Razer Chroma RGB, Razer Sensas HD Haptics, and THX Spatial Audio+.

For those unaware, Razer Sensa HD Haptics improves immersion by altering the haptic feedback of a game's sound design (from sound effects to music) to make you feel as if you're there in the action.

Chroma RGB lights up gaming accessories with flashing lights that change depending on the situation in-game, and THX Spatial Audio+ vastly improves the soundscape quality of a game without the need for expensive, advanced spatial audio speakers.

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Several big-name games like Battlefield 6, Marvel Rivals, Borderlands 4, and Dune: Awakening are already enjoying the benefits of these tools.

However, with the release of Razer Indie Lab, indie developers will now have an easier time producing higher quality games without being forced to turn to cruel AAA publishers so they can get the tech they need to fulfill their passion projects, before being laid off for their efforts (which is sadly become a reoccuring, horrible trend in gaming).

As huge fans of Razer's products here at Windows Central, we're happy to see Razer lending a helping hand to indie developers during this chaotic time in gaming with thousands of people being laid off, hardware prices skyrocketing, and RAM shortages due to AI.

So, if we can help spread the word about this altruistic contribution to gaming, we'll be happy to do so.

If you're an indie developer interested in using Razer Indie Lab for your projects, you can sign up for it for free at www.wyvrn.com/indielab.

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The memory crisis continues to get worse, driving the price of gaming laptops to ridiculous extremes while scaring people into buying them despite the price hikes out of fear that their prices will worsen before they get better.

Thankfully, retailers will always continue to offer brief respites from this crisis with generous discounts for the best gaming laptops.

For example, one of our top-rated gaming laptops, the ASUS ROG Strix G16, has had its steep listing price of $2,299.99 brought down to $1,749.99 at Best Buy until the end of Best Buy's Labor Day Sale on September 7, 2026.

Why buy the ASUS ROG Strix G16 gaming laptop (AMD)?

Of all the best gaming laptops we've personally tested, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 remains one of the finest for those who prefer to outfit their desktops with AMD hardware.

As noted in our 4.5 Star Review of the ASUS ROG Strix G16, it delivers exceptional performance, capable of running graphically demanding games like Cyberpunk 2077 at 69 fps or over 140 fps thanks to its NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 TI graphics card, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor.

In addition, this laptop features an LED, FHD, IPS display capable of rendering images and videos at vibrant and colorful 1600p resolutions with refresh rates of 165 Hz and a max brightness of 300 nits.

Combine these specs with a comfy keyboard with extra buttons, and you've got a powerhouse gaming-on-the-go machine that will let you play your favorite games with sublime graphical details and smooth-as-butter gameplay input responsiveness.

So, if you don't mind a laptop with a mostly plastic design and prefer using AMD processors rather than Intel ones, then the ASUS ROG Strix G16 gaming laptop that's now $1749.99 at Best Buy won't steer you wrong.

I know it certainly pleased my former colleague, Zachary Boddy, when he said, "The ROG Strix G16 isn't trying to compete with the most premium devices from Razer or Lenovo, and instead offers a lot of power in a solidly built chassis, paired with a fantastic keyboard and a comfortable display. It could be the underdog of the premium gaming laptop segment."

FAQ

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After splitting off from Microsoft in the aftermath of the controversial Xbox 'reset', Double Fine Productions announced a new Kickstarter Campaign for "Amnesia Fortnight 2026, Indie Reboot".

This project will feature sessions where the developers get together to pitch ideas that will eventually be turned into prototypes for new games (of which four will be chosen by the Kickstarter backers).

What's most interesting about this project is that Double Fine Productions will finally start developing Brütal Legend 2 if it hits a stretch goal of $100,000,000.

If you hadn't heard of the original Brütal Legend, it was a 2009 action-adventure game where you play as Eddie Riggs (played by Jack Black), a roadie on a quest to save the world from monsters called the Tainted Coil by blowing their minds with Heavy Metal.

It was a flawed but enjoyable Xbox 360 game that paid loving homage to all things heavy metal while taking players on a wild ride where they roasted their brains with guitar solos, led armies in pseudo-real-time strategy battles, and explored lands that looked like heavy metal album covers come to life.

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I've wanted a big-budget Xbox sequel to Brütal Legend for years that would build upon the hidden potential of its heavy metal-themed universe, and I was hoping it would finally happen after experiencing how awesome Psychonauts 2 was.

Alas, Double Fine Productions was never given the green light and budget by Microsoft to make Brütal Legend and spent the rest of its tenure under Microsoft making smaller-scale games like Kiln and Keeper, and, as Tim Schafer himself puts it, "forced to make propaganda pieces to support our parent companies."

Hopefully, now that Double Fine Productions has regained independence and if enough people pitch in towards the Kickstarter, we'll finally see Brütal Legend 2 become a reality and see the awesome potential of its predecessor fully realized with next-gen Xbox hardware.

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