It was only yesterday I was writing about how the #SaveMassEffect petition had hit over 170k signatures ahead of plans for a billboard outside EA headquarters. Today I am elated to report that not only has the petition surpassed 216K signatures, but a billboard has officially reached the glowing screens of New York City.

Coordinated by the @WeAreMassEffect team and content creator Kala Elizabeth, the massive #SaveMassEffect billboard is now live in Times Square all day today.

The digital display is prominently located at 1560 Broadway, situated directly above the Pelé store in Duffy Square. Fans currently in the area can catch the advertisement running for 15 seconds at 35 minutes past every hour.

The words "Keelah Si'yah" is actually amusingly a typo. Kala has admitted on social media that this was supposed to be the iconic Quarian phrase "Keelah Se'lai" ("by the homeworld I hope to see one day")

Kala explained that their original billboard design was rejected over copyright issues, forcing a frantic redesign where she had to learn to animate in 10 minutes, leading to the accidental misspelling. Despite the rushed typo, it serves as a fitting tribute for a game and studio that fans are desperate to rescue.

If you are just catching up, this huge community campaign stems from EA’s recent decision to shutter BioWare and cancel the next game in the series. The campaign went into overdrive recently after a former developer leaked a pre-production trailer for the cancelled project, titled Mass Effect Universe. The leak revealed a highly ambitious RPG featuring a Galactic Cold War and deep choice-driven autonomy, showing players exactly the staggering potential of what was taken from them.

With their message now broadcasting to one of the busiest pedestrian intersections in the world, fans voices just got even louder. The WeAreMassEffect team have a Discord where they are discussing extending the billboard by way of crowdfunding, and perhaps expanding to other locations. Organisers have urged the community to "HOLD THE LINE!" as the grassroots campaign continues to gain remarkable momentum across social media.

If you want to pledge your support to the #SaveMassEffect campaign, don't forget to head to the Change.org petition here.

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Xbox has officially announced that Game Pass is heading to eligible T-Mobile customers in the U.S. starting this November. Through T-Mobile's new "T-Mix" plan perks, eligible subscribers will be able to pick Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or Premium as an included benefit, granting access across Xbox consoles, PC, Smart TVs, and cloud devices.

If you’re based in the UK, this announcement might seem like something of a nothing burger. EE has offered Game Pass Ultimate as an "Inclusive Extra" or an easy mobile bill add-on over here for absolutely years now. But across the Atlantic, this is actually the very first time a major U.S. wireless carrier has integrated Xbox Game Pass directly into its mobile plans.

Here's how T-Mix works

T-Mobile's new setup moves away from rigid pre-selected bundles and introduces a modular "Picks" system across three main plan tiers: Standard, More, and Loaded.

Depending on your plan tier and the number of lines on your account, you receive a bucket of monthly Picks to spend across partner streaming, tech, and gaming perks.

• Xbox Game Pass Premium: Requires 2 Picks.
• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: Requires 3 Picks.

For single-line accounts, T-Mix More starts at $75/month and includes 2 Picks which is enough to cover Game Pass Premium. If you want full Game Pass Ultimate access, you'll need 3 Picks, which comes included with a single line on T-Mix Loaded starting at $95/month (or through multi-line account allotments).

T-Mobile is also letting subscribers "remix" and swap out their chosen partner perks four times a year, so you aren't permanently locked in if your gaming or streaming habits change.

Why is this a big deal? UK have had this for ages!

For years, U.S. mobile networks have thrown free Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, or Apple Music subscriptions at customers to push plan upgrades. Yet despite Xbox pushing cloud gaming so heavily on mobile devices, game subscription services haven't made it into the mix.

When I wrote earlier this year that the Xbox Game Pass problem could be fixed without dropping the price, my main argument was that Microsoft needed to tackle subscription fatigue by letting us consolidate our monthly bills. Bundling in with mobile contracts is a fantastic way to do that, but Xbox shouldn't stop there. Bringing that same modular approach to the subscription itself, by letting players swap out unused extras like Fortnite Crew or EA Play for perks they’ll actually use, would instantly soften the blow of that monthly fee. Yes the price hike was ultimately reversed, but my point still stands.

Either way, T-Mobile’s November rollout of T-Mix is a long overdue one for the US audience. If Microsoft wants Game Pass to keep expanding beyond traditional hardware, partnering with major telecom providers to absorb that out-of-pocket cost is easily one of the smartest moves they can make right now.

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If you're still waiting for a reasonable price on next-gen consoles to upgrade for Grand Theft Auto 6, you'll be waiting a long time. That said, Argos have just made a surprise cut to the Xbox Series S 512GB model, taking it down to pre-RAMpocalypse prices of £299.99.

I can't believe I'm calling this a deal but at this point in 2026 with the current climate, it actually is the cheapest way to upgrade to current gen right now and I can't see stocks lasting much longer. In fact, I'd argue the even better deal is the 1TB model at £349.99, down from £519.99, as the extra storage is kind of essential nowadays.

This deal couldn't have come at a better time for UK consumers, given that Xbox stock is so dire right now that Xbox is begging lapsed users to trade in their consoles and make them available for new customers.

The Xbox Series S has always been the easiest and cheapest way to get into Xbox's eco system, and launched in November 2020 for £249.99 as an alternative to the beefier Xbox Series X, but it plays all of the same current generation games. I wrote a full Xbox Series S review if you want to read further, but I still love and use mine daily (and at current prices it will be a family heirloom.)

Those prices are now a thing of the past, and £299.99 is a bargain by current standards, with the price being recently hiked to a whopping £519.99. Thanks to Argos, we are now at a reasonable price point again, but that will be entirely dependent on your postcode and whether there are any in stock, so go fast!

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The fallout from Electronic Arts' (EA) decision to shut down BioWare continues to rage on as more about the planned Mass Effect Universe game has come to light in the passing days. The #SaveMassEffect petition has now surged past 170,000 signatures, and fans are escalating their efforts to get EA's attention, including talk of taking the message right to the publisher's doorstep.

Could fans manage to pitch a billboard outside EA HQ?

The push to "Save Mass Effect" has reached fever pitch following a devastating reveal that showed players exactly what they lost with the studio closure, a former developer released a pre-production trailer and gameplay details for the cancelled Mass Effect Universe, revealing a highly ambitious future for the franchise that will never see the light of day.

Channelling the community's frustration, passionate Mass Effect fan and lore content creator Kala Elizabeth took to X/Twitter to propose a fundraiser for a potential billboard outside EA's California headquarters to promote the #SaveMassEffect movement. The idea has quickly gained traction, with many prominent industry figures responding in support.

The movement shares a hashtag with the massive Change.org petition created by Joe Smith, but the billboard plans and additional upcoming initiatives are being coordinated exclusively by Kala Elizabeth and the @WeAreMassEffect team, completely separate from the petition's creator.

Kala confirmed that a coordinated effort is in the works, stating they are "working on a plan with multiple things for next week" and "won't let Mass Effect, Dragon Age and BioWare go down without a fight!"

Could Xbox #SaveMassEffect? Our sources say no.

A somewhat sour note has been added to the community's rallying cry by an unconfirmed rumour about BioWare's final days. According to a post by user @baundiesel, BioWare developers allegedly attempted to buy out the studio and the Mass Effect IP before the closure, but EA "showed no interest in a deal". While this claim should be taken with a heavy grain of salt, it wouldn't surprise me at all if the development team believed in the project they were building this much.

Whether a billboard in California, or whatever else the community plans, will be enough to sway fatcat executives remains to be seen, but Mass Effect fans are making it clear they won't go quietly. As the campaign grows momentum, many are discussing if another publisher could step in and save the day, earning infinite brownie points with the gaming community in the process. Theories are heavily circulating that Xbox could step up to the plate. A hope not too out of the realm of possibility, given they recently swooped in to save Hideo Kojima's Physint after it was unceremoniously dropped by PlayStation. Brownie points aside, acquiring and funding a new AAA entry would be a considerable financial risk for Xbox, and I'm not convinced they have the appetite for risk right now. Our sources at Windows Central suggest that Microsoft is not going to make a bid for BioWare or Mass Effect.

Alternatively, CD Projekt Red is being touted as the perfect replacement to help, with fans hoping the RPG masters could give the Mass Effect universe the meticulous treatment and attention to detail it deserves.

If another studio were to swoop in and save Mass Effect, who do you think would be the best choice? Let me know in the comments below, and don't forget to visit #SaveMassEffect and pledge your support if you care at all about this legendary IP.

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Xbox is ramping up to its 25th Anniversary celebrations on November 15th, but it’s looking even further ahead to the holidays. Hallmark has just dropped a brand new Christmas tree decoration honoring the holy grail of retro hardware: the original Halo Special Edition Xbox console.

It just went live on Amazon for $27.99, and if it's anything like the rest of the anniversary drops, it's going to sell out notoriously fast.

Deck the halls with merch from Xbox fa-la-la-la-laaa

Hallmark has made some awesome Xbox and gaming-related baubles before, including the original black console and this adorable mini Master Chief, but this one is the best I've seen so far because it's the transparent console everyone is reminiscing about right now (and unlike the Series X25 you can actually buy it.)

Even better, it plays the console startup sound and music from "Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix" from Halo 2.

Shockingly, it actually includes the batteries too and doesn't make you buy them separately (I hate it when that happens). I love Hallmark's decorations, and would love to make a whole gaming-themed tree, (Xbox ROG Ally at the top maybe, but at $27.99 a pop I may have to rethink my ambitions (or buy them on sale in January)

If you're hunting for more nostalgic merch, you can find a bunch of other collectible items to grab over on our full Xbox 25th Anniversary item roundup.

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Electronic Arts (EA) is officially closing the doors of BioWare, creators of Dragon Age and Mass Effect, as reported by Jason Schreier at Bloomberg. This comes as part of a corporate restructuring that will cut 400 jobs. The lay offs representing about 3% of EAs total workforce and include roughly 50 jobs at BioWare.

Rest in peace Bioware :(

BioWare, founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007 leaves behind a profound legacy in the role-playing genre. Its future has been on shaky ground given the reception and well-reported behind-the-scenes issues surrounding its most recent title, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which missed sales expectations. This followed the failure of the overhyped Anthem. However, I was one of many hoping for redemption with the promise of an upcoming Mass Effect 5 that was in early development. Unfortunately, that has now been cancelled.

According to an internal letter from EA Chief Operating Officer David Tinson and Chief Studios Officer Cam Weber, the publisher is taking a "hard look" at its operations. The cancellation of Mass Effect 5 is included in a bunch of cancelled projects, as well as a planned The Sims game code-named Project Lotus, shifting focus instead to a venture called Project Evergreen.

These sweeping cuts follow EA's transition to a private company in August, prompted by a $55 billion leveraged buyout led by Saudi Arabia’s investment fund. The acquisition placed nearly $18 billion in debt on the publisher's books, triggering a directive to slash up to $700 million in research and development costs.

Despite the closures, EA reaffirmed its commitment to its sports portfolio, Apex Legends, and upcoming action-adventure titles, including the next Star Wars Jedi game and Marvel’s Iron Man. EA will also continue developing Skate, though the team behind it will be downsized.

Additionally, the Battlefield franchise will continue, with Respawn and DICE collaborating on a new project rumored to be another entry in the Star Wars: Battlefront series.

"These games became so much more because you played them."

BioWare have put out a heartfelt statement on social media reminding us of all the great games they've worked on, from Baldur's Gate to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. BioWare were truly legendary and this loss will be felt acutely across the community.

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I've reviewed loads of controllers in my time, but one particularly memorable one was the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra as it was the first I'd seen with an in-built screen. Today Turtle Beach have announced a sequel in the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra 2 and I'm intrigued on how they can improve on the previous model.

I originally walked away thoroughly impressed by how premium the OG version felt with its clicky micro-switch buttons. Still, the companion software was buggy at launch and the social notification capabilities felt a bit gimmicky and worse, kind of useless. Ironically, while the promo art looks like it was yanked straight out of a GTA 6 trailer, Turtle Beach seems to have dropped the social gimmicks entirely. So instead of replying to your real-life girlfriend on your gamepad, you can just focus on Lucia in peace.

The Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra II High-Performance Wireless Controller is available for pre-order today at $199.99 / £179.99 / €199.99 ahead of its November 12, 2026 launch, and Turtle Beach seems to have focused on some serious, meaningful hardware upgrades this time around.

TMR sticks and a 8kHz polling rate

The biggest change that stands out to me is the addition of TMR thumbsticks. The original had Hall Effect, which is perfectly fine, but TMR (tunnel magnetoresistance) sensors will be more precise and have improved power efficiency and I'm always glad to see manufacturers moving ahead with this tech (while Xbox still haven't adopted Hall Effect...) Competitive players also get an upgrade with the pad now supporting up to an 8 kHz wired polling rate and up to a 1 kHz wireless polling rate for ultra-responsive input tracking.

As for the Connected Command Display on the controller, it's making a comeback, but with some far more practical on-the-fly adjustments (meaning less fiddling with that software). From the screen, you will now be able to tune audio profiles, trigger modes, Pro-Aim focus sensitivity, button remapping, and RGB lighting. The list goes on. Turtle Beach seems to have pivoted away from phone notification gimmicks altogether and toward pure, functional controller customization.

Rounding out the package, you get tactile microswitch face buttons, adjustable trigger stops, four mappable back buttons, Bluetooth support for Android and Smart TVs, and up to 12 hours of battery life out of the box (extending to 34 hours in Eco mode).

Pre-orders are live today ahead of its November 12, 2026 launch. At $199.99 / £179.99 / €199.99, it remains an investment strictly for the hardcore crowd, but just like the first model, it comes bundled with a Rapid Charge Dock and a hard-shell charge-through travel case, which helps make the premium price tag that much easier to swallow.

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This year marks Xbox's 25th anniversary on November 15th, and over the last 6 months, we've seen more marketing from the brand than I've seen in the past decade. From a completely unexpected IKEA collaboration to the return of the Xbox Gear Store, Microsoft and third parties have teamed up to tempt Xbox fans with their hard-earned cash for some nostalgic goodies, as well as touring the globe with Xbox Fanfest.

I can't really complain, as there is some fantastic stuff available right now or for pre-order. Well, unless you wanted the limited-edition Xbox Series X25, of course, which got scalped in minutes. On the bright side, plenty of awesome collectibles won't cost you $900 buckaroos. Here’s everything worth checking out to help celebrate Xbox's 25th anniversary.

Even if you missed out on the $900 console, you can still get your hands on the official Xbox Series X|S Controller (X25 Edition) ($79.99). I’ve been practically begging Microsoft for an official transparent green gamepad ever since the Cipher series hit store shelves in Blue, Red, and White, but predictably, Xbox held out until the anniversary for the iconic Team Green aesthetic. Units start shipping on October 20, and like standard Xbox pads, it offers full cross-platform compatibility across PC, Android, and Xbox consoles.

If you’re looking for a slightly more budget-friendly route, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller ($59.99 at Best Buy) is a stellar alternative. While it does require a wired connection when playing directly on Xbox consoles, it connects wirelessly to PC and Android, and it comes bundled with a charging dock right out of the box. It looks gorgeous on a desk setup, especially if you're pairing it with other retro-styled PC accessories.

Speaking of docks, the standalone 8BitDo Ultimate Charging Dock for Xbox Controllers (X25 Special Edition) ($39.99 at Amazon US) solves a very specific pet peeve of mine. I was so annoyed when my green 8BitDo controller originally shipped with a plain black charging cradle, so seeing them release a matching translucent green wireless dock for official Xbox Series X|S pads feels like a personal victory. Built specifically for official Xbox controllers, you simply drop your gamepad onto the magnetic contact points and charging begins automatically.

While not created strictly for the 25th anniversary, this green version of the 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard (Xbox Edition) $94 at Amazon matches the Team Green aesthetic too well to ignore. Since it’s been on the market for a while, you can often catch it on sale. It sports a matte finish, very clicky Kailh Box Jellyfish switches, and 8BitDo’s iconic programmable Dual Super Buttons that let you map custom shortcuts.

If you’re grabbing the keyboard, pairing it with the matching 8BitDo R8 Wireless Mouse (Xbox Edition) ($59.99 at Amazon US) is a no brainer. The big advantage here over competitor options is that it comes bundled with its own magnetic charging dock right out of the box. Its design leans heavily into chunky 2001 retro vibes too, just like the keyboard.

For gaming on the go, PowerA has created a delightful leatherette PowerA Xbox Sling Bag ($39.99 at PowerA) that’s custom-built for handheld PC gaming, and specifically sized to fit an ROG Ally. It would easily fit a Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion Go though, so pick your poison. There are four storage compartments, internal cable pass-throughs for charging, and 25th-anniversary green accents. It’s currently showing as out of stock on PowerA’s site, as it hasn't officially gone up for sale yet, but it should be available very soon (we've reached out to confirm an exact date because I want it!).

Razer has delivered some of the absolute best-looking gear for Xbox’s 25th Anniversary (see our hands-on with them), and predictably, some of the priciest, but hey, it's Razer, and you're worth it. The translucent green Razer BlackWidow V4 75% ($209.99 at Razer) is stunning and serves as a tactile, much quieter alternative to 8BitDo’s loud, chunky retro board. Thanks to the clearer finish across the keycaps, the Razer Chroma RGB lighting shines through with a neater glow. Pre-orders will officially ship from October 20 onward.

If you're looking for a matching mouse, the Razer Basilisk lineup has long been hailed as one of the best gaming mice in the business, and the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K ($179.99) now comes Xbox-flavored. Beyond the shell, it packs up to 140 hours of wireless battery life, the customizable HyperScroll tilt wheel, and plenty of that all-important Razer Chroma RGB.

I wasn't completely sold on the concept of dedicated gaming earbuds initially, but having a lightweight pair for gaming, whether plugged into the Xbox or connected to my ROG Ally, has totally won me over. I'm currently using the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds, but these Razer Hammerhead V3 X HyperSpeed for XBOX ($119.99) look the business. They have up to 35 hours of total battery life (10 hours on the buds plus an extra 25 from the charging case) and offer seamless multi-platform compatibility across Xbox, PC, and mobile (oh, and PS5 if you like)

Backbone was one of the first to ever hit the mobile controllers market, making them a natural fit for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Rather than sticking purely to translucent green, the Backbone Pro XBOX 25th Anniversary Edition ($179.99) comes in the real deep cut throwbacks like Halo Orange, Smoke Blue, and Crystal White. It’s an awesome nod for those of us old enough to remember. The catch is they are in blind boxes, and you have no way of knowing which color you will get!

Then onto GameSir, which makes some of my absolute favorite handheld controllers. They are seriously hard-wearing, ridiculously good value for the price, and come packed with drift-resistant Hall Effect sticks to boot. The GameSir X5 Lite for XBOX ($44.99) wraps all of that into an anniversary special edition.

Finally, the IKEA x Xbox "YXSTABY" collaboration has some surprisingly tasteful gaming chairs and more in-your-face gear-stick stools to wall-mounted controller shelves. But if you just want a small, fun piece of memorabilia without redecorating your whole living room, the XBOX x YXSTABY D-pad cushion ($17.99 at IKEA) is an easy win. It’s cheap and adds a subtle splash of gamer flair to any couch.

The Xbox Gloss Sweater ($59.99) is just one highlight from the official Xbox Gear Store, which features a surprisingly understated line of official 25th-anniversary apparel. Alongside minimalist sweaters and graphic tees, there’s even a bona fide "throwback" bucket hat if you really want to embrace early-2000s fashion. While a few popular sizes have already sold out, remaining stock is expected to ship by the end of October.

Over on Culture Kings, streetwear label 73 Studio has dropped its own collection, offering a broader and much more imaginative lineup of anniversary gear. My personal fave is the 73STUDIO X XBOX 25th Anniversary Console T-Shirt ($39), featuring a graphic of the original 2001 Xbox console across the back alongside the chonky Duke controller. Unlike pre-order drops, 73 Studio’s collection is available to buy and ship right now.

Another pick from me is the 73STUDIO X XBOX 25th Anniversary Play More Zip Hoodie ($95), which might be the ultimate cozy gaming hoodie for Fall.

Could there be more in store?

Now that's a hell of a lot of merch to choose from, and with the anniversary itself just around the corner on November 15th, it makes you wonder if Xbox still has a surprise or two up its sleeve for the big day. We've just had the Xbox Nano Controller drop (but only in white, boo!), but what else could be in store?

My money is on a long-awaited Xbox Elite Controller Series 3, which would make fans thrilled regardless of whether it comes in translucent green. I’d also be happy if they just sorted out proper Xbox Gear Store shipping to Europe (shakes fist)! Either way, I'm pretty sure we're in for at least one more unexpected drop when the big day finally arrives.

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In news that absolutely nobody saw coming (ok well the skeptics among us), the new Call of Duty game has launched to overwhelmingly positive reviews.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 kicked off its campaign early access yesterday ahead of the full lunch on October 23, and the online reception has been nothing short of glowing. Considering the feedback for the franchise recently has been that story modes have felt rushed and an afterthought as Warzone and Zombies have seemingly took priority, critics are calling Modern Warfare 4 one of the best campaigns the series has seen in years.

Steam reviews are looking great

Over on Steam, early access user reviews are currently sitting at an unprecedented 82% "Very Positive" rating. Meanwhile, major review outlets like IGN are praising Infinity Ward for delivering a focused, brutal, and genuinely emotional conclusion to the rebooted Modern Warfare saga.

Our own Call of Duty virtuoso, Cole Martin has published her spoiler free first impressions, and while she's held fire on a final review score until the full game is available, she's full of praise for the campaign "I repeatedly found myself gasping at every turn, surprised by the hows and whys that led up to the events of this blockbuster finale."

RELATED: 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4' story campaign is truly a cinematic masterpiece — a BIG return to form (spoiler-free impressions)

Social media reaction has been equally surprised.

Long-time players who have been following the series since 2003 have commented that the game feels like a genuine technical and narrative evolution rather than the standard annual production line approach.

Infinity Ward seems to have pulled off the unthinkable: making Call of Duty fans happy.

Now time will only tell if the multiplayer and Warzone integration will maintain this goodwill and upward trajectory for the franchise when the full game drops on October 23. But for now, the Modern Warfare saga looks to be going out on a high note.

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I love doing interviews, chatting to developers and such, but I absolutely hate having to transcribe them afterwards. Not because of my company, of course, but the prospect of listening to my own voice on recording fills me with a dread I still haven't got over in my grand old age. Not only that, but transcribing is a painstakingly tedious process that, before suitable programs came in to help us, we used to do by listening to said recordings at half speed and trying to pick out suitable quotes. Now, there are plenty of tools to help, including the Comu Action Pro, a sleek device that records and transcribes audio on the fly.

Transcribing is the perfect task for AI

While there are plenty of reasons to curse AI, handling banal tasks such as this for me is one of its genuine godsend use cases and something I've been using Otter.ai for, for quite some time.

Now Otter.ai is fantastic, but it's also bloody expensive. You get 3 free audio imports, and that's it; after that, you have to cough up $16.99 a month (or pay $100-ish for the year). Well, guess who was on her 7th burner email address and forgot to cancel her "free trial"? This person right here.

To make this mistake sting even more, I was introduced to the Comu Action Pro not long after the yearly, yes, YEARLY Otter.ai fee had left my bank account. Alas, I had the opportunity to really test them against each other, so every cloud has a silver lining and all that.

What is Comu Action Pro?

The Comu Action Pro (also known as the less catchy Comulytic TN20) is a sleek, credit card-sized device which slides right into your pocket or bag. It does cost $169.99, and I know what you're thinking: damn, that's expensive, and you were just complaining about the Otter subscription. However, it's a one-off up-front spend for something that will then transcribe unlimited audio files for you, with no subscription required. Despite my hefty payment to Otter, I am still limited to 10 imports a month, which soon got swallowed up with an event like Gamescom.

Spec-wise, for such a tiny, unassuming-looking device, it packs a 6-microphone adaptive array, a live AMOLED waveform display, USB-C charging, real-time translation across 113 languages, and a massive 60+ hour battery life.

To be upfront, there are optional premium subscriptions for extra AI magic you can use with Comu, like automatic slide generation and generating meeting minutes, but I'm not interested in that; I just wanted the core transcription, which it handles beautifully and without ongoing subscription fees. Yes, $169.99 is a mighty hefty upfront cost, but it’s the price I pay for having a personal assistant without being locked into a recurring monthly fee.

What's free and what isn't

If you want to use the Comu Action Pro to its full AI potential, here's a breakdown of what is free and what requires a subscription (but to be clear, I haven't used the latter because I was trying to find an alternative to subscriptions!).

Using the Comu to make my work much easier

I've put the Comu through its paces at both Gamescom and Blizzcon this year, and it's safe to say it's earned its keep. I haven't had to worry about upload caps, and I'm not constantly fiddling with my phone on a busy show floor trying to launch the voice recorder app. The Comu is a simple hit-a-button device: hit the button to record; hit it again to stop. The recording then uploads to the app and transcribes to my phone. It's been a huge relief for me rushing between developer appointments.

The included software with Comu has also been a win for my colleagues. I wasn't sure I could use it for audio not recorded on the device, but it works just as well with files sent to me from other people's phones and has handled them with an impressive degree of accuracy, even though they were recorded in less-than-perfectly staged environments. It's certainly more accurate when picking up audio with its own mics, but given the deafening background noise at conventions, I've been impressed by how few words it has messed up. Plus, I actually had the conversation myself; you would hope I could spot and correct myself when something is relayed not quite as what was said!

Ultimately, the Comu Action Pro has quickly become an essential part of my travelling gear bag. It spares me hours of manual transcription and delivers reliable, local-first audio capture without locking me into a subscription. There are various extras you can use and pay for if you are interested, but I didn't have a use case for testing them in this review; I prefer to keep AI for the boring tasks rather than the creative ones.

If you do a lot of in-person reporting and hate transcribing as much as I do, this little card is worth checking out.

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It seems like 2026 is the year of the achievement overhaul. Just as Xbox continues to revamp its achievement system, streamlining the experience across PC and Xbox and adding Mythic Achievements into the mix, Valve is also getting in on the action and rolling out Steam Achievement Sets.

Currently live in beta, this new achievement system completely changes how games handle base achievements versus post-launch DLC expansions, as well as season updates and new game modes. Completionists who have had headaches with these systems for decades can rejoice!

So what are Steam Achievement Sets anyway?

So you've poured 80 hours into a game to hit the 100% achievement mark, then merrily moved on to another game. Only to come back later and see your shiny 100% completion is now 80%. The game released new DLC, and you are now compelled to play it to get that 100% back.

Anyone who's played Vampire Survivors or the RE4 Remake can attest to this pain, though I don't really mind and enjoy the new challenge. Valve, however, is solving this issue with a new system that lets developers group achievements into distinct "sets."

Base game achievements are kept seperate from post-launch DLCs or extra mode, meaning if you 100% the base game you keep your base game completion ribbon regardless of what is added later on.

Beyond seperating DLCs, Valve is ontroducing a few other quality of life upgrades to it's achievement system.

• Archived Achievements: Developers can now officially archive dead, broken, or retired achievements. Archived achievements remain visible on the profiles of players who unlocked them, but won't block new players from achieving a 100% completion badge.
• Separating Campaign from Multiplayer: Developers can split single-player and co-op/multiplayer into separate sets. This is a massive win for titles like Portal 2 or Ghost of Tsushima, where dead servers or tacked-on online modes have blocked solo players from earning completion badges for years.
• Sub-ribbons & cleaned-up UI: Unlocking full sets earns distinct sub-ribbons, making massive achievement lists (like Payday 2 or Master Chief Collection) far less laborious to navigate.

Some notable concerns

Overall, the changes have been received positively, but developers could add seasonal or time-limited event sets to games that embrace FOMO mechanics, though I think the archiving feature Valve is proposing mostly solves this. As long as the event is archived after the fact, latecomers can still 100% the game without being walled off.

The update also removes overall Average Game Completion % from profile showcases, a metric many hardcore completionists have built up over the years. Completed game counts have also been replaced with completed sets, meaning a game with 16 sets, such as Team Fortress 2, that has a whopping 520 achievements could artificially inflate a profile's stats compared to a game with just one set. Hopefully these are issues that can be ironed out or addressed during the beta phase.

Will Developers actually use the new achievement sets?

Because Steam has historically given developers total freedom and few rules, Achievement Sets' success relies on studios manually opting in via Steamworks. Fortunately, smaller developers are already praising how easy it is to set up. The founder of Arcen Games (Heart of the Machine) has already noted on Reddit that categorizing 100 achievements into a DLC set took less than 10 minutes.

Titles like Against the Storm, Age of Wonders 4, DREDGE, PowerWash Simulator, and Modern Warfare 4 have already adopted the feature during the beta. There is full list on the Steam announcement page here.

How are you feeling about the update to Steam Achievements? Do you welcome the new structure to our virtual trophy cases, or could you not care less once you complete a game? Let me know in the comments!

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A World of Warcraft player has a bunch of kind internet strangers offering her support right now, she shared her sad story on Reddit. This poor user believes her husband is secretly logging into her account and destroying her hard-earned Mythic+ gear to punish her for making social plans without him.

"I was so frustrated I wanted to cry."

The post is going viral after being shared in the Girl Dinner Diaries subreddit (where women share unconventional, low-effort meals and vent).

The poster shared that the couple usually play WoW together, but her husband has been struggling with severe depression and refusing to leave the house. While trying to maintain her own social life, she occasionally goes out on her own when he refuses to go with her, including to a concert with friends. It was after reminding him of this upcoming outing that the first incident happened.

A high-value crafted staff vanished from her inventory, something that likely took took either 100 hours+ of grinding or £50 worth of mats to create. Staffs don't just 'disappear' in WoW; you need to manually drag the item away and type DELETE to confirm you want to get rid of it. Evidence that it had been destroyed was found in her item restoration menu.

Other incidents leading up to the concert included Great Vault rewards going missing and other gear disappearing from her character or showing as sold to vendors. After another disagreement, all gear from one character was outright destroyed.

The poster doesn't say whether she has confronted her husband about this yet, but her husband has her passwords and she often leaves the PC logged into Battle.net. Additionally, she filed a support ticket with Blizzard, which said there is no suspicious activity on the account and no other IPs have been logging in.

"The call is coming from inside the house," one top commenter noted, pointing out that actual account hackers would drain gold or steal items to trade, rather than calculatingly deleting soulbound gear out of spite. The gaming community has also told her that destroying digital items a partner cares about may seem petty, but they are valued nonetheless and have taken time and effort to obtain. This could be a massive red flag for domestic abuse and controlling behaviour. Fellow players have urged the poster to change all her passwords, enable 2FA and reevaluate her marriage.

She has since changed all her Battle.net credentials and added security without telling her husband, and plans to test whether things still go missing the next time she's away from home. Personally, I would have already gone scorched earth and fed him his scrotum, but it takes all sorts.

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Today's news about Xbox establishing Division XP, a dedicated new team to take Xbox franchises beyond and into other entertainment revenues has me dreaming of the most outlandish possibilities. We already know we are getting a dedicated Minecraft theme park land at Chessington World of Adventures in 2027, and I'm I know the Diablo Netflix animated show I've always wanted is now coming to pass. But what if- stay with me here- what if Blizzard World from Overwatch could finally become a real thing?

Hear me out, Blizzard World could be the real deal

For those who haven't played Overwatch, Blizzard World is a hybrid map set inside a fictional, massive amusement park. It’s a fun love letter to all of Blizzard’s iconic universes and a parody of Disney World. It's split into themed zones from across Blizzard's IP. It's got everything from the Hearthstone Tavern, a StarCraft rollercoaster and even a Diablo-themed area.

It was meant to be a fun, tongue-in-cheek level, but every time I spawn into that map, I can't help thinking: why hasn't Blizzard just built this money maker yet?

I know a real-life Blizzard World sounds completely outlandish on paper. But having attended BlizzCon this year alongside over 35,000 other die-hard fans, I’ve seen firsthand the sheer passion and deep pockets of the Blizzard community. Not only that, many of us are aging millennials who can bring kids along for the ride.

I saw the queues at the Blizzcon merchandise store and Darkmoon Faire, and while I accept that this was just a weekend event, as Blizzard no doubt grows, so will demand. A Blizzard World would be a more accessible way for fans to meet than clamouring to attend the one event a year (or two).

Blizzard has one minor demographic issue: outside of Overwatch (where the audience skews a bit younger), many of its staple franchises appeal heavily to the 35-and-over crowd. While the rampant furore and appetite for classic nostalgia bait like WoW Forever will print money, it doesn't necessarily capture the younglings Blizzard needs to stay as successful as it is. That younger generation is a goldmine ripe for merchandise, and they happen to have millennial parents practically forcing them to sit down and watch them play Blizzard titles like "the good old days."

Obviously running a massive standalone convention like BlizzCon in Anaheim probably barely breaks even nowadays, even with the eye-watering cost of entry tickets. Putting on massive temporary events is ridiculously expensive. But look at where BlizzCon happens, right down the road from Disneyland. Families who already shell out a small fortune to travel to California for BlizzCon (between flights, tickets, and hotels) would gladly pay out double to take their kids to an actual Blizzard-themed destination.

It wouldn't even need to be its own standalone, multi-billion-dollar resort right out of the gate. It could easily start as a dedicated expansion land inside an existing destination, exactly how Mojang and Merlin Entertainments are adding Minecraft World to Chessington.

All of this to say: Do I think this will actually happen? Absolutely not. Am I trying to manifest it into existence? Perhaps. But if it was completely outside the realms of possibility before, this new announcement signals to me that it's just one tiny bit less impossible a dream. Xbox, Blizzard, you have the IP. I really just want to ride on a Diablo Rubber Dinghy Rapids, bro!

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Xbox is about to celebrate its 25th Anniversary, and while there have been numerous brand collaborations to mark the occasion, the 8BitDo Xbox collection has actually been in circulation since November 2024. Inspired by the OG Xbox, the collection is a transparent-green dream consisting of a chunky keyboard, numpad, mouse, and even a controller.

I only got my hands on the set this year, which feels fitting with the Xbox anniversary about to be in full swing. While 8BitDo has just added a gorgeous Gears of War edition to the lineup, I'm firmly sticking with my bleed-green setup, which I've been using every day for around four months now.

The TL;DR of this review is that I absolutely adore this chunky, obnoxiously green keyboard, and I can't see myself using anything else, but read on if you need a little more swaying.

DEAL ALERT: This keyboard is currently 25% off thanks to Amazon Big Deal Days

8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition: Price, availability and specs

The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard (Xbox Edition) retails for $119.99 in the US and £99.99 in the UK. However, it frequently sees discounts and at the time of writing, it is on sale for $89.99 on Amazon US.

Out of the box, the keyboard includes 8BitDo’s iconic Dual Super Buttons, a pair of massive, programmable arcade-style macro buttons that plug directly into the back of the board via 3.5mm jacks without needing extra software configuration.

If you are a sane person who enjoys using a Numpad, rejecting all minimal keyboard ideology, then 8BitDo also offers a matching standalone Retro 18 Mechanical Numpad (Xbox Edition), which retails separately for $44.99 / £39.99.

The main tech specs you need to know are:

• Layout: 87-key Tenkeyless (TKL) with top-mount design
• Switches: Kailh Jellyfish X linear/clicky switches (Hot-swappable PCB, full N-key rollover)
• Keycaps: Double-layered ABS with a matte UV coating
• Connectivity: Tri-mode (2.4GHz wireless via magnetic dongle, Bluetooth 5.0, wired USB-C)
• Battery: 4,000mAh rechargeable Li-ion (rated for up to 280 hours on 2.4GHz / 300 hours on Bluetooth)
• Lighting & controls: Customisable RGB backlighting, dedicated volume dial, and connection mode knob
• Included extras: Dual Super Buttons module, USB-C charging cable, 2.4GHz dongle, and 1 month of Xbox Game Pass for PC
• Dimensions & weight: 376.6 x 169.6 x 46.8 mm; 1,100 g
• Software support: 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2 (Windows & Android)

8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition: What's good

Unboxing this was an experience in itself; the box was roughly twice the size of any keyboard package I’ve opened before. Coming from the Roccat Vulcan I’d been rocking (or should I say Roccing hur hur), I expected it to be chunky, and while it was different for sure, I'm kind of loving that 8BitDo has embraced the maximalist approach. To be honest, as I get older, I’m really appreciating the larger keycaps and moving away from that classic all-black "squint at the keys" aesthetic.

The green design is unabashedly Xbox of course, but with a lot of small, thoughtful touches. Like the A/B/X/Y colored arrow keys that mirror the OG controller and the glowing Xbox home button (which matches the look on the new 25th Anniversary Series X console.) This is a hell of a lot cheaper than that console too!

If the Xbox Duke controller were a keyboard and mouse, this would be it.

Even before typing a single sentence, the convenient design details impressed me. Having a dedicated magnetic compartment built into the base to store the 2.4GHz receiver is a godsend; I’ve lost count of how many wireless dongles I’ve misplaced over the years.

Connectivity is versatile, offering 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, or a wired USB-C connection. I wouldn't normally dedicate a sentence to a cable, but 8BitDo even made the braided wire matching Xbox green. Talk about attention to detail!

The board itself feels incredibly hefty, solid, and durable on the desk. That robust build quality is a major plus for me: regardless of how gentle I may be with the keyboard, my son also loves gaming at my desk and is considerably heavier-handed. This chassis easily withstands the enthusiastic key-slams of a kid navigating mods in Wobbly Life. The physical dials at the top for adjusting volume and switching connection modes feel equally premium and far from flimsy.

The box includes 8BitDo’s famous Dual Super Buttons. At first, I had no idea what to do with them other than getting my cat to play the bongos, but they plug in via a 3.5mm jack on the rear. You can map them on the fly directly from the board without software, though downloading the 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2 is essential if you want to set up complex macros or multi-key shortcuts.

While I didn't get overly creative with my bindings, mapping the giant "A" button to instantly grab screenshots is super handy during streams.

If you love RGB backlighting, the board comes packed with bright lighting modes and a full spectrum of color profiles. I usually keep the backlighting on boring white as I think having multi-colours looks a little 'busy' through the green casing, but the customization options are there if you want a full rainbow light show (I do not, and prefer less visual noise).

The stock switches deliver a wonderfully satisfying clickety-clackety feel (that’s a technical term), offering great audio and tactile feedback. I also didn't note any input lag even over wireless. For tinkerers, the PCB is fully hot-swappable if you ever want to pull the stock switches and experiment with custom ones later on. Finally, if you opt for the matching standalone numpad, it snaps flush against the side of the board with a deeply satisfying magnet click, just another detail that makes this feel pretty premium.

8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition: What's bad

As I said, I love this keyboard, and I'm hard-pressed to find anything I don't like about it, but if I had any criticisms at all, I'd start with the fact that I have to clean it more often!

The super-matte, double-layered ABS keycaps tend to show finger oils and shine much faster and more noticeably than keycaps on previous boards I’ve used. I find myself wiping the keys down more often, but that's a small price to pay for how good the setup looks on my desk.

Second, while I appreciate that 8BitDo made the matching Numpad an optional extra, it's a bit frustrating that both the keyboard and the numpad require their own separate 2.4GHz USB dongles. USB ports on my dock are always at a premium, so I’ve ended up running the main keyboard wired most of the time. Given that the keyboard sits stationary on my desk anyway, it’s hardly a dealbreaker just a minor setup niggle to keep in mind if you are beholden to getting the Numpad too.

8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition: The competition

You'll only be reading this if you're already interested in grabbing a very in-your-face Xbox fan-themed keyboard, in which case, it's worth mentioning that Razer have released the Xbox 25th Anniversary Collection just recently, and within that, a Black Widow V4 75% keyboard.

At $209.99 / £199.99, it carries a distinctly "Razer price tag" compared to 8BitDo’s accessible $119.99 MSRP.

However, that higher price tag gets you a sleeker, smaller frame and quieter tactile switches.

If you prefer a more subtle, understated tribute to the original Xbox without the chunky retro footprint (and don't mind waiting for pre-orders to ship on October 20), the Razer option is a gorgeous alternative. But for that loud, unapologetic early-2000s green Duke-style aesthetic at nearly half the price, 8BitDo is a no-brainer for me.

8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want a nostalgia-packed OG Xbox aesthetic

This board is certainly cheaper (and easier to buy) than the Xbox Series X25, and it nails the retro 2000s theme

✅ You love big keycaps and clicky switches

The keyboard is just as loud as the design

✅ You want versatile wireless options and handy extras

With built-in magnetic dongle storage, 2.4GHz/Bluetooth toggles, a dedicated volume dial, and programmable Dual Super Buttons, it’s packed with great quality-of-life details.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want a silent, low-profile keyboard

The stock switches are loud and proud, and the chunky retro frame takes up a good chunk of desk space.

❌ You need a built-in numpad without extra dongles

It’s a Tenkeyless layout, and while 8BitDo sells a matching separate numpad, taking up two separate USB ports for two wireless dongles can quickly clutter up your hub or dock.

The 8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard Xbox Edition is just perfect for anyone who holds a soft spot for early 2000s gaming tech, translucent and chunky. I can't wait to sink many hours of WoW Forever on it and live my millennial retirement home dreams.

It looks like a collectors edition item without the price tag you would normally expect, while managing to also be built to last and something I want to keep on using (not just take pretty pictures of for Instagram). If you want a desk setup that brings a smile to your face every time you sit down to type or game, this obnoxiously green and thicc beast is worth every cent.

The long awaited Xbox x IKEA YXSTABY collection has officially hit stores today, so you can either head to your local branch or order the pieces online.

It's part of Xbox's 25th Anniversary celebrations this year (who knew they could do marketing) and is actually an impressive bunch of furniture and accessories combining Scandanavian minimilism and some more of the subtle Xbox branding that would work in most living rooms. I like that the collection doesn't look like it belongs in a teenagers bedroom like many other gaming adjecent furniture collections.

Here's the list of everything you can get and prices.

Everything in the Xbox x IKEA YXSTABY gaming collection

You can grab everything on the US Site later today, and for my UK friends, the collection is available right now.

Seating & Furniture

• YXSTABY Gaming Lounge Chair: $119.99 / £89
• YXSTABY Thumbstick Stool (Green or Black): $49.99 / £35
• YXSTABY Gaming TV Stand on Castors (White or Black): $149.99 / £99
• YXSTABY Gaming Side Table on Castors: $179.99 / £115

Desk Setup & Accessories

• YXSTABY Monitor Stand: $39.99 / £25
• YXSTABY Laptop Support with Storage: $34.99 / £19
• YXSTABY Controller Display Box (White or Black): $29.99 / £15
• YXSTABY D-Pad Cushion: $17.99 / £12
• YXSTABY Stainless Steel D-Pad Platter: $17.99 / £12

For those eyeing the YXSTABY Gaming Lounge Chair, I got to sit in it at Gamescom, and it's ridiculously comfortable despite its minimal look. One in the Xbox business booth saved my legs many a time!

It's an upgraded version of an IKEA chair I've owned before, but Xbox has improved this new iteration by adding handy built-in pockets perfect for stashing your controller or handheld.

The controller display boxes are probably my second favorite thing in the collection and I'm considering a couple for above my desk area to display those controllers that are just too pretty for me to actually use.

Everything is live on IKEA's site and in physical stores now. Are you planning to grab any of the thumbstick stools or storage pieces for your gaming corner?

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Gears of War: E Day arrives today on Xbox and PC if you are lucky enough to have Early Access. To celebrate the launch, 8BitDo has expanded its Xbox partnership accessory line to include this incredibly sexy limited-edition mechanical keyboard and mouse set.

Dripping with rugged Gears visual flair, this red-and-black set will be a must-have for Gears fans jumping into the campaign on PC. Unfortunately, it won't ship until October 30th, but pre-orders went live today at $119.99 for the keyboard and $59.99 for the mouse.

8BitDo has been really killing it with the Xbox accessories recently

I'm always impressed by 8BitDo's unusual and creative approach to designing Xbox-themed accessories.

Just last year they dropped the Xbox green translucent keyboard and mouse, which I'm actually the proud owner of (and really need to get my butt moving on the review, but it's fantastic).

The build quality and typing experience of their keyboards is some of the best on the market, and they are pretty reasonably priced when you compare to similar products from other brands.

The Retro, chunky aesthetic also pleases my aging millennial hands, and I've been enjoying the larger mouse a lot more than I expected.

This new E-Day run of the range has the exact same rock-solid engineering tailored specifically for Gears fans. I actually must prefer the design of these to the Xbox Gears Controller, which is a little "busy" looking for my tastes.

If you're gearing up (hehe) to play E-Day on PC, 8BitDo has knocked it out of the park yet again.

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Most game developers have adjusted their release schedules, moved launch dates, or cleared entire launch windows just to avoid being anywhere near the new Grand Theft Auto release. But Coffee Stain North isn't most developers.

While everyone else has seemingly run for cover Goat Simulator 3 knows who the real GOATS of gaming are and they have announced today that the third major expansion for Goat Simulator 3, titled Ticket to Dizzyworld, is set to launch on November 19, 2026.

Yes, that's the exact same day Rockstar Games is set to launch Grand Theft Auto 6. And Coffee Stain couldn't care less; in fact, they have turned it into a marketing tactic all in itself.

"We launched Baadlands on November 19th last year, and we are releasing Dizzyworld on the same date this year. And we dare anyone to put a game out on the same day. You’ve been warned!"

— Santiago Ferrero, Creative Director at Coffee Stain North

Move over Lucia and Jason: Pilgor the Goat is back and bringing the carnival.

Welcome to Dizzyworld: Rollercoasters, river rapids and bumper cars

Following up on last year's post-apocalyptic Baadlands: Furry Road expansion, Ticket to Dizzyworld swaps the rusty sand-pocalypse for an unregulated theme-park sandbox playground.

The expansion drops players into a massive new map filled with amusement rides, carnival games, and new opportunities to torment unsuspecting NPCs. Some of the standout features coming in the DLC include:

• Custom rollercoaster construction: Create your own physics-defying, health-and-safety-violating rollercoasters for the ultimate theme park experiment.
• First-Goat perspective: Experience rollercoasters, river rapids, and bumper cars directly through Pilgor's eyes.
• New Goat Gears & collectibles: Packed with new physics-warping carnival gear to cause maximum havoc, alongside collectible Dizzy Tokens scattered across the park to redeem for rewards.

The real kid-friendly GTA

Now there's a genuine irony to this showdown of the titans: while my partner queues up his GTA 6 download, my son will be fighting for the TV screen because he wants to play this DLC as soon as he finishes school. He absolutely loves sandbox games, and Goat Simulator 3 is one of his favourites. He's logged hundreds of hours in the game on multiple platforms at this point.

In many ways, Goat Simulator is like Grand Theft Auto with more Goats and less gun crime, and watching Pilgor ride a bumper car in first-person view will beat a Vice City car chase in this house, hands down.

When and where can I get my hands on Goat Simulator 3: Dizzyworld?

Goat Simulator 3: Dizzyworld launches on November 19, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4 and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store) and Coffee Stain North has also announced that there are future plans to bring the game to Nintendo Switch 2.

Will Pilgor dethrone GTA 6? Probably not, but in this house it certainly will and I commend the nerve.

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Tomorrow sees the re-launch of a decade-old game that every RPG released since is still compared to: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The Witcher franchise is a universe very close to my heart. Prior to 2015, I didn't have any interactions with it, but The Witcher 3 brought it crashing into my periphery, and I've never looked back.

In 2015, I suffered a family bereavement that resulted in me being signed off work sick for a number of weeks. In those weeks, I holed up in a room, didn't get dressed, and fired up this new game everyone was raving about... The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and completely lost myself in it. So began a new obsession; I went back and played The Witcher 2, and I ordered and devoured all of the books, even downloading translations of later ones that hadn't been translated into English yet.

I was utterly transfixed by the world of Geralt, Ciri, and Yennefer, and really used my obsession to completely distract myself from the real-life breakdown I was having. It was like therapy (and probably much cheaper), and since then I've had more than just a normal love of the game, as I genuinely credit it for dragging me out of a dark period of time.

I was more than a little emotional when Songs of the Past was announced, as it gives me an opportunity to go back to this world once more. Well, I say an opportunity; I've had multiple playthroughs of The Witcher 3 over the years and seen the various updates it's gone through, way up to 4.04, and now we are blessed with a whole damn remaster.

The original game was an effortless 5 out of 5 at launch. If I could rate this new Version 5.0 remaster higher than a 5, I would in a heartbeat. But you didn't come here to read my blithering diatribe on why I love The Witcher franchise so much; you want to know what's actually new with the remaster and whether it’s worth diving back onto the Path. Well, let's get down to it.

The following thoughts are based on a playthrough on the Xbox Series X console.

Fluid combat and a modernized progression system

The biggest criticism of the original Witcher 3 was the combat system, and it’s a criticism I never really shared with the masses anyway. I have always liked it, jank and all, but I think CDPR has done a good job with introducing smoother swing connections and subtle animation tweaks. Geralt practically pirouettes with grace while swinging his sword and I find the dynamic camera the most noticeable improvement here as it swings much more naturally during large encounters.

We also get brutal new Sign-integrated execution animations (like explosive Aard finishers) that make moment-to-moment skirmishes feel infinitely more interesting. The fire effects on Igni alone have made using signs feel more impactful.

Character progression has received a shake-up too. The core skill tree remains structurally familiar but with subtle adjustments that make individual abilities feel much better suited to the faster tempo of modern action-RPGs. It's been simplified so you don't have to choose exclusively between strong or fast attack builds, for example.

Toxicity, mutations and bomb skills have all moved into Alchemy with some cool poison scaling options I've yet to try out but once I get my hands on the Viper set I'll give them a whirl.

Transmogrification is finally here too. Abeit you have to 'unlock' it later in the game in Skellige. You can map the visual appearance of any piece of armor or weapon onto your preferred stats, meaning you no longer have to sacrifice fashion for function. Modders have been doing this for years, mind you, but us console peasants can finally look as stylish as we like.

The visuals and technical overhaul

If you thought the 2022 next-gen update was the ceiling of how good this old game could look, Version 5.0 blows that out of the water. Powered by heavy optimizations, path tracing, and ray reconstruction, the lighting and environmental fidelity surpassed my relatively low expectations. Character models and the bouncing torchlight off faces in particular look great during the night cycles.

Environmental assets are starkly improved, something most visible when looking at the foliage around you. Surface textures have more detail than before, and distant mountains have been completely rebuilt to an incredible standard. Stepping into Velen or Novigrad almost feels like a brand-new setting with the reworked lighting and asset density.

Now it's not all perfect; there are some areas in the game that seem either a little too washed out or too dark following the visual upgrade, but we were told in the preview phase that we would encounter occasional visual issues or inconsistencies, as well as some minor gameplay bugs. These had been reported to the dev team and should be fixed ahead of launch, fingers crossed.

Quality of life and UI upgrades

The UI has also gone through an overhaul, transforming into something far more compact and intuitive that fits a modern RPG release rather than a decade-old classic. Menu navigation has been improved, and you open back up to whatever tab you were last looking at. Loot now merges, too, so you can just loot a bunch of corpses at once rather than one at a time.

Roach still occasionally fights pathing or handles awkwardly on sharp turns which is frustrating during the race quests, but traversal overall feels much cleaner, and hey I love Roach being a little awkward, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Also, thank the lord we now actually have Xbox Play Anywhere. Cross-progression was always pretty good between platforms via the Red launcher, but I don’t have to switch launchers anymore when playing on Xbox and then switching to my ROG. I can just switch between Xbox PC and console now without fiddling with passwords.

What I will say though is where the 4.04 version worked perfectly on my Xbox ROG Ally X, the Remaster stutters considerably and some floor textures just refuse to load. I think many of these issues will be solved with an early patch, as previously mentioned, but I'm going to hold off on playing the upgrade on my handheld until these fixes are implemented.

So do you really need another 100 hours in The Witcher 3?

For repeat visitors to The Continent like me, it's a great excuse to fire up the game again and refresh my knowledge of the story not long before Songs of the Past arrives next year — and of course it's completely free if you already own it.

What really gets me, though, is the sheer level of respect behind it all. CDPR didn’t really need to spend a fortune or break a sweat on this release. Given the game’s self-sustaining popularity, they could have just pushed out the update on a Tuesday and let word-of-mouth do its thing. Instead, they’ve poured resources into an enormous presence at Gamescom, hosted panels at BlizzCon, and handed out early review access to a massive wave of creators, large and small.

I really think it’s commendable to see a studio treat an 11-year-old game like a major tentpole launch simply because they know how much their community still cares about it. Let alone just giving out two massive expansions (Heart of Stone and Blood of Wine) for free. If I could give this a 6 out of 5, I would!

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It's that time of year again. A chill in the air, pumpkin lattes on repeat, and Minecraft Live, of course! Today we got a first look at new Minecraft content, including Minecraft Dungeons 2, launching on September 29.

Here's everything announced at this year's Minecraft Live.

Deep dive into Minecraft Dungeons 2

Ahead of next week's launch, the development team gave us an extensive look at what is coming in Minecraft Dungeons 2. The sequel features a bigger, interconnected world with expanded combat, deeper character customization and better multiplayer.

The segment also spotlighted the Sift, a mysterious new dimension with distinct environments, inhabitants, dangers, and gameplay. Developers shared insights into the creative process of designing and introducing an entirely new dimension to the universe.

The Fourth Dimension: The Sift coming in 2027

The Sift isn't just for Minecraft Dungeons 2 players, it's officially coming to Minecraft Java and Bedrock editions in 2027.

This will be a huge milestone for Minecraft as it's the first new dimension added in over 14 years joining the Overworld, The Nether and The End as places for the player to discover and explore.

Yep, that statement made me feel ancient too, and I felt like the Nether was much more recent, but it was actually added in 2010 and just updated in mid-2020. This is legitimately the first brand new dimension in over a decade!

Ice Caves, new zombies and new combat mechanics

Mojang teased the next upcoming vanilla game drop too, as we were shown around the Ice Caves, an all-new, rare underground extension of cold biomes filled with glowing ice crystals.

The ice crystals can be placed both vertically and horizontally for building and decoration, or even as just a light source.

We also got a whole new mob! The frozen zombie if encountered will apply a stacking freezing affect to the player with melee attacks, and he throws ice balls that deal knockback. Normal zombies can also become Frozen variants if exposed to powder snow.

Ice balls are dropped upon the death of a Frozen Zombie, or can be crafted by players and used as a weapon to deal damage and knockback, or brewed into an ice cold freezing potion!

Minecraft coming to Nintendo Switch 2

Such an absolute no brainer I'm surprised it isn't already there, but Minecraft is officially launching on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27, 2026 with enhanced performance and visuals.

Merlin Entertainment revealed the Minecraft Hotel and Rollercoaster

I've been excited about the upcoming Minecraft-themed park in the UK since it was announced, but beyond some concept art, we haven't seen much detail, especially given its 2027 opening date.

Well today Minecraft Live showed us something to really get excited about, with these two major additions to the Chessington World of Adventures based park. There's going to be a Minecraft Hotel, and the official name of the resort's new rollercoaster is "Escape the Nether."

I'm planning to be there the minute this place opens, as my son is going to lose his mind, and we missed out on the London Minecraft experiences. I've got high hopes for this theme park; don't let me down, Merlin!

Sound effect packs and new creator platform

During the stream, Jens Bergenström (Chief Creative Officer at Mojang Studios) announced a new initiative to build a richer, more accessible, and more diverse Minecraft experience through an evolving creator platform.

Additionally, Mojang introduced Sound Effects Packs for the Minecraft Marketplace, giving players brand-new tools to customize their worlds and bring their creations to life later this year.

And that's a wrap on Minecraft Live 2026

Minecraft fans should be happy with all of those updates, but if not, let me know what you were hoping for in the comments below!

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When I first laid eyes on Tarae: The Unbound, it was hard not to think I was looking at a carbon copy of Sanctuary.

Developed by Boundary and published by Krafton, this upcoming dark fantasy action RPG hits all the familiar genre notes at a glance: the isometric camera angle, the frantic screen-clearing mob fights, and the loot-driven progression loop feel intensely reminiscent of Diablo.

Walking into my Gamescom appointment behind the scenes, I’ll admit I was deeply skeptical. The market is endlessly releasing isometric ARPG clones trying to chase Blizzard's crown, and my immediate thought was that this was a classic case of Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V on the Diablo formula I know and love.

I got to sit with the developers and have a go at the game myself while chatting with the minds behind it, and actually the game has enough to differentiate it than I first thought. While the mechanical foundation is deeply familiar, Tarae is rooted deeply in Eastern mythology and Buddhist cosmology, and its lore alone sets it apart from traditional Western medieval fantasy.

Moving beyond the Western medieval tropes

The team behind the game explicitly set out to escape what they describe as the tired, overdone aesthetic of Western medieval Europe. Instead of knights, gothic cathedrals, and, well, other things you'd expect from European folklore, Tarae drops players into a world spanning the 15th to 17th centuries, shaped entirely by Eastern visuals and traditions.

The story follows a crew of seekers trying to stop Agasa from completely breaking the wheel of rebirth. Instead of a basic good-versus-evil setup, the whole universe pulls heavily from Buddhist cosmology and the Six Realms of Rebirth. You are dealing with realms like the Asuras, Hungry Ghosts, and Hell, all tied together by karma, fate, and Yin-Yang mechanics.

A familiar foundation but distinctly it's own thing

You can choose from six classes, all built around historical Eastern jobs. You’ve got a Samurai who swaps stances on the fly, a Tiger Hunter who throws down traps and blasts away with guns, and a Manshin who draws on Korean shamanic traditions.

Where it really starts feeling different from Diablo, though, is how it handles bosses and progression. The team crammed over 80 unique bosses into the game, and they aren't just stat sponges; they are multi-phase fights tied directly to old folklore that force you to actually learn their attack patterns. I will say it's also considerably more difficult than Diablo at least in early game, I died in front of the developers an embarrassing amount of times taking the Samurai for a spin, but after a few humbling deaths I got the hang of it.

Once you beat the campaign with one class, you unlock the rest for the endgame, so you don't have to grind through the whole story again with every single alt.

Not just another Diablo afterall

I went into my appointment expecting a knockoff, a good looking and glossy knockoff, but a knockoff nonetheless. Thankfully I left with the realisation that a genuinely distinct lore and aesthetic can completely change how a familiar genre feels. When it drops in 2027, Tarae: The Unbound might actually prove it's way more than just another ARPG clone.

Tarae: The Unbound is scheduled for a 2027 release, and will be on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Steam.

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