Bethesda has finally given us the tiniest morsels of information about The Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel, including the title and a few teasers about the lore. What are we to do with all this new-found excitement over the upcoming RPG? Well, Bethesda has a suggestion: you should probably buy a $35 T-shirt emblazoned with the game's logo.

Yes, the official Bethesda Gear store is now selling a Sentinel tee, which features the game's sparse logo on a black shirt. "Your next journey through Tamriel will be in The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel," the store page promises. "Show off your excitement with the official tee!"

I think I'm pretty excited about Sentinel, though admittedly Microsoft's willingness to simply discard veteran Bethesda talent has tamped down my giddiness a fair bit. Still, I count Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim among my favorite games of all time, and I'm very eager to know what the studio's next RPG will look like. I just don't know if I'm "$35 T-shirt" levels of excited, you know?

But hey, T-shirts aren't the only option. You can also spend $65 on the official Sentinel hoodie! Sure, that's more expensive than the shirt, but at least it'll likely survive a few more trips through the wash. And hey, there's even a Klarna finance option that'll allow you to pay $11 a month for the the thing, if you want to enter into minor debt for your mediocre video game merch.

I am by no means immune to the allure of spending too much money on video game memorabilia – I bought that Legend of Zelda Switch 2 despite already owning the console since launch, after all – but there's something vaguely annoying about selling merch for a game that we still haven't seen a single screenshot of. Especially when the merch in question appears to simply be a cheaply made, screen printed bit of apparel.

The Elder Scrolls 6 reportedly targeting a 2029 release – 18 years since Skyrim and 11 years since its own reveal

One of the most regrettable casualties of EA's decision to shut down treasured RPG maker BioWare – well bellow the dozens of people who lost their jobs – was Mass Effect 5, the long-awaited sequel that was revealed in 2020. The project was canceled alongside EA's latest round of layoffs, but a coordinated social media effort to rescue it has attracted the attention and support of a BioWare veteran, studio co-founder Trent Oster.

According to his LinkedIn, Oster was director of technology at BioWare by the time the first Mass Effect came around in 2007, and his about page says he helped "establish the practices that scaled RPG development into billion-dollar franchises like Mass Effect and BioWare." He's best known as one of the key architects behind the early BioWare RPGs, including Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights, the latter of which he directed, but he's definitely had his hands in the Mass Effect series as well. That makes this tweet from him, in which he seemingly throws his support behind the Save Mass Effect movement online, particularly noteworthy.

"I love seeing all the energy around #SaveMassEffect," says Oster. "I think there is a still a great thesis for a well-funded RPG developer who can deliver. Makes me want to get some of the original band back together."

I think I can speak for Mass Effect fans when I say the idea of rallying the original developers behind Mass Effect 5 revival efforts is incredibly exciting, but unfortunately I also am obligated to bring you all right back down to earth. EA still owns the rights to Mass Effect, and it would be out of character for it to sell the rights to another studio. That said, the organizers behind the #SaveMassEffect movement have started a petition on Change.org that's about to cross 300,000 signatures, and a separate petition from the same group seeking acknowledgment from the Canadian government just today reached a major milestone.

Whether Mass Effect 5 comes back from the dead or not, Oster isn't taking EA's shutdown of evidence that big-budget RPGs are going the way of the dodo. Quite the opposite, actually, as he seemingly agrees with a commenter arguing that there's an "RPG resurgence" happening right now. "Seeing BG3 sales numbers may have had an effect," Oster says about the current state of RPG development.

The Mass Effect series is "more valuable than Dragon Age," BioWare veteran says, and it's all thanks to its worldbuilding

A new survey from research firm Newzoo, "supported" by G2A, found that physical games represent upwards of 11% of games played by dedicated gamers, or even 30% of console games owned.

"Physical formats remain part of this landscape, despite predictions of their demise," writes Newzoo research director Alexis Pamboris.

The report collected responses from just over 6,000 "premium gamers" spread evenly across six markets: the US, UK, Germany, Poland, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. The fieldwork period defined is August 2026, which would notably be some time after Sony announced that it will end support for new physical games in January 2028.

The "premium gamer" group is defined as people "aged 18-55 who play on PC or a Gen 9 console at least monthly," and have played AA or AAA titles in the last year that were purchased or played through a paid subscription like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass. The average premium gamer, it turns out, plays about 13.3 games a year.

Among many other things, the report looks at how these games were accessed. 43% were owned, 19% were accessed via subscription, and 38% were free-to-play games.

In total, 11% of the games played by these 6,000 gamers were physical. However, if you only look at the 43% of owned games – that is, games people paid for individually – the physical component is just over 25.5%.

Console-only gamers reported 14% physical for total ownership against 32% digital ownership. Again looking purely at the ownership split and ignoring subscription and free-to-play, physical copies represent 30.4% of the paid-for console games played in this survey period.

"While this seems high, many of them were older releases and some will have been bought on disc or as a code in a box. Cartridges also remain common on Nintendo Switch," the survey says of the 11% base physical figure.

The focus on games played and owned, not just new games purchased, also helps explain why PC-only gamers reported 6% physical ownership, which is likely explained by the enthusiast retro market. GOG may have something to say about that niche.

Physical ownership is also slightly higher than the base in specific markets. The US and UK clock in at 12% physical total – or 27.9% and 26.6%, respectively, looking only at physical and digital games owned.

Free-to-play games are the largest single market, to no one's surprise, averaging 38% across all markets and platforms.

"The older group is slightly likelier to have bought games than use a subscription, as well as play games from physical media," the report explains.

This leads nicely to why people said they buy physical games. Digital ownership is skewed toward convenience – instant access, a portable library, digital discounts, and digital-only games – but physical game buyers more equally specified a few reasons.

Reasons to buy physical games were "less nuanced" among people who owned less than 75% of their games digitally (again, that physical chunk brings us close to that 25 - 30% ownership figure). These reasons included (in descending order of weight):

• "Play without a stable internet connection"
• "I want to feel I own something physical"
• "Save storage space on my device"
• "For reselling, trading, or lending"
• "For special editions, box art, or other extras"
• "To display my collection of games"
• "In case games are removed, altered or restricted"
• "To buy pre-owned games at lower prices"
• "Avoid large downloads/installation times"
• "Play without a digital account/platform access"
• "Access to deals or retailer-specific pricing"
• "Earn store credit or loyalty points"
• "I can buy games in shops on shopping trips"

Sony's decision to walk away from physical games stoked fierce divide across the industry. Creators like Hideo Kojima are "really sad" to see discs phased out, and Kenzo Saruhashi, head honcho at JRPG house NIS, reckons Sony is "hearing the feedback from customers" amid still-burning backlash.

Like many executives, original PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi backs the company's decision to end discs, calling the backlash a "mentality issue" and arguing discs aren't "economically reasonable."

However, while it may immediately cut costs or increase per-unit profit, some analysts worry the end of discs may also push younger or casual players further into mobile, free-to-play, and PC, which are already eating a larger share of what used to be a very console-flavored pie.

PlayStation is ditching a $402 million market and destroying consumer "freedoms" by abandoning physical games, says major UK retail association

Macronix, the manufacturer Nintendo relies on to make Switch 1 cartridges, is phasing out production of the chips that power those games. That certainly sounds like another blow to physical media, and it may well be, but as it stands this news is unlikely to affect cartridges for Switch 2.

Macronix reports record profits in its latest quarterly financial period, and according to chairman Miin Wu, it does not expect to be able to expand its manufacturing capacity in order to fuel further growth. "Instead, near-term growth will be driven primarily by price increases," Wu says, as reported by Taipei Times.

Switch cartridges are powered by flash memory, which is the same type of tech that AI data centers are now eagerly gobbling at massively inflated prices. Chip manufacturers have found that they can make a lot more money selling their goods to data centers rather than makers of consumer electronics, leading to the global memory shortages that have presented us with the threat of next-gen consoles costing $1,000 or more.

Wu notes that demand for the chips "used in data centers is very robust," which is why it's emphasizing those while phasing out production of ROM chips, which are the ones that power Switch game cartridges.

However, Macronix does not manufacture Switch 2 cartridges – at least as far as we know. Details on Nintendo's manufacturing partners are poorly reported, but teardowns suggest that Switch 2 cartridges are primarily made by a separate company called Rohm, as well as another, unidentified manufacturer.

As noted by Nintendo Patents Watch, Macronix had apparently been trying to enter the Switch 2 cartridge business, but has seemingly never completed the R&D work necessary to get the ball rolling. If Macronix had entered the space, it might've opened the door to cheaper or higher-capacity physical Switch 2 games, which may have swayed some publishers away from game-key cards.

But that's pure speculation. As it stands, Macronix's exit from the ROM business won't affect the Switch 2 cartridge market. The effect on Switch 1 games is more difficult to measure, since that market is shrinking anyway – Nintendo itself has no more Switch 1 games on the horizon, though boutique publishers continue to put out physical games for the system.

Nintendo has recently reiterated that it has "no plans to ditch physical games," and it doesn't seem there's any reason to expect that to change with Macronix's pivot.

Nintendo "clearly revised" its messaging on physical media following PlayStation debacle, says ex-marketing lead

Channing Tatum says he's still fighting for his standalone Gambit movie... despite Disney pulling the plug back in 2019.

"We had three different directors that were signed up to do it, and the first one, the studio, Fox, they had a fallout, so that one didn't work out," Tatum tells ScreenRant. "The second one was just in development for so long with somebody that I was just like, 'We got to move to making this thing.' So we separated ourselves, and then the third one almost got going with Gore Verbinski, and then creatively all three of us, the studio, him and me, we started in the same place, and then as it developed, we just all grew apart."

Tatum went on to say that Shawn Levy was interested in directing a previous script, but that he and his producing partner Reid Carolin just weren't ready yet (and keep in mind the year was around 2014). The actor says he's still "fighting" for the chance to make the film, and that he's waiting for a "very, very good director to realize it."

A standalone Gambit movie starring Tatum was greenlit in 2014 and ultimately cancelled in 2019 when Disney acquired Fox. Tatum's featured appearance as the card-wielding X-Men member in Deadpool and Wolverine made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, as I could only imagine how stoked Tatum must've been to finally put on the suit.

In a deleted Deadpool and Wolverine scene, Gambit escapes the Void (which is where Deadpool encounters all those Fox-owned X-Men characters in the first place), and is now set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday.

Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters in the UK December 16 and in the US on December 18. For more, check out our guides to the Marvel timeline and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.

The first trailer for Lords of War, a direct sequel to Nicolas Cage's 2005 crime thriller Lord of War, has arrived with Bill Skarsgard in tow.

Per the film's official synopsis, the movie sees Yuri (Cage) reunite with his son Orlov (Skarsgard), but as Orlov tries to right his father's wrongs rather than stop them he launches a mercenary army to fight America's Middle East conflicts. In the trailer, which can be viewed above, it doesn't seem like a happy father-son reunion as Orlov spends most of the brief clip chasing his father around with a gun.

Andrew Niccol returns to direct from a script he once again penned himself. The cast includes Laura Harrier, Sylvia Hoeks, and Greg Tarzan Davis.

The original film, inspired by the real-life events of Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout, premiered in 2005 to mixed-to-positive reviews, but failed to perform at the global box office. The cast includes Hawke, Jared Leto, Bridget Moynahan, Sammi Rotibi, Ian Holm, and Eamonn Walker.

A sequel was announced back in 2023, with Niccol excitedly stating: "There is so much more to explore with these characters. Plato said it best – 'Only the dead have seen the end of war.'" He also noted that Orlov is Yuri's "illegitimate son," but I guess we'll just have to watch the movie in order to find out what that means...

Lords of War hits theaters on January 22, 2027. For more, check out our list of all the exciting upcoming movies in 2026 and beyond.

Adding to discussion of Valve's handling of Steam's growing gen AI problem, Epic Games online services product director Alexander Rehm suggests the company's solutions to clone and slop games aren't enough for most people.

Rehm waded into the news on LinkedIn last week, just days before Valve announced a change to Steam's review process in response to a deluge of games evidently fueled, in part, by generative AI. However, this won't necessarily change the outpouring of slop on Steam, as Valve says it doesn't want to dictate what "tools" developers use even if Steam does call for AI disclosures in game store pages. In fact, the idea was to speed up the review process while also enacting new requirements.

At a recent event, Valve business team members affirmed that the company is still working to solve this problem and suggested developers focus on maintaining original, high-quality games that are difficult to clone.

Rehm says this "is a reasonable strategy if you've got the runway and team to do it, and not much use if you're one or two people who shipped a single clever mechanic." This camp, of course, is where a lot of the developers on Steam fall.

The same Valve staff also fielded reports of developers being extorted by AI users who'd threaten to clone a game unless paid off. "Valve also said it hasn't seen reports of developers being extorted over AI clones and that this is a job for law enforcement, not the storefront, which to me reads like a platform that still sees this as someone else's problem," Rehm says.

"If you're building anything indie sized right now, 'keep improving forever' isn't a moat, it's a tax only the well funded can pay," he concludes.

Rehm makes some of the counterarguments that Valve's response initially prompted. How long can Valve kick the can down the road? When will material solutions arrive? How can the creators of hotly anticipated games deal with copycats beating them to launch with identical or near-identical titles? Valve has, as evidenced by its review slowdown, not found the perfect answer, and this process deserves scrutiny.

The sticking point here is Epic Games' glass house, as some responses to Rehm's post argue. In the replies, you'll find former Valve dev Chet Faliszek, who reckons Epic Games, with its AI-first pivot, once AI-mandatory game jam, and "vibe coded" game launcher, doesn't really have a leg to stand on.

"What an absolutely dishonest read of mixing an off the cuff response in a Q&A with a written statement so you can say they see it as someone else's problem and that they aren't addressing it," Faliszek responds. "I love how you make sure to not to link to either... All the while Tim [Sweeney] screams it is a political act the same as revealing someone's voting record to have an AI disclosure... so explain - how does that work?"

Sweeney has repeatedly criticized Valve for Steam's AI disclosures, which aren't mirrored on the Epic Games Store even though Epic's Fab marketplace does mandate AI disclosures.

"This is a business to business marketplace," Sweeney says of Fab in an October tweet. "Many Fab customers are operating under contracts that require them to understand the providence of all content in their game (including Steam’s own contract that I’ve complained about) and they cannot buy assets without this info."

The CEO has also emphasized the gen AI features of Epic's Unreal Engine 6 – a game-making suite that, one video game lawyer told GamesRadar+, risks legal blowback by ignoring copycat potential.

Separately, Sweeney writes, "What does the law say on the copyright issues associated with training on content? The Anthropic court ruling found they were liable for copyright infringement when torrenting pirated content (as the article quotes me on), but they found that the training itself was fair use. Other courts have found that whether particular content produced by AI was infringing dependent on its similarity to the copyrighted work."

The rush to turn Fortnite into Roblox by way of Unreal Engine integration also calls into question how Epic Games would control a slop flood. Chalmers Robotics Society chairman Maximilian Ygdell tells Rehm, "Epic was fine with using AI trained on others' work, now the same technology is used to empower the people and suddenly it’s an issue? Am I missing something here?"

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney suggests AI could've saved Destiny 2 and will "enable games like Destiny to thrive!"

Union workers at Arkane Studios claim owner Microsoft has sabotaged the development of its Marvel's Blade game and used the resulting costs and delays as justification to close the studio.

A scathing new letter from the Syndicat des Travailleureuses du Jeu Vidéo (STJV) video game union worries "Arkane Studios might close without having ever seen failure." (Microsoft previously closed US dev Arkane Austin following the failure of Redfall, a live service game that the single-player-focused studio was evidently saddled with under Xbox leadership.)

"Our studio might get closed because, and only because, Microsoft decided to, even if that means sabotaging the game it funded," the union claims.

"Microsoft chose to close Arkane," the letter adds. "Microsoft chose to justify the closure on economic reasons. But Microsoft is actually why those economic reasons even exist. Because after freezing hiring for 19 months, which artificially caused delay and additional cost, Microsoft now use those same delay and additional cost as a reason to close down the studio."

The union claims Arkane is understaffed, underfunded, and unfairly assessed, and calls "the resources provided in the redundancy plan" proposed "outrageously low." The union is demanding employee representation and a say "in the discussion to choose a potential buyer," as well as "a protection fund for employees on the level of the PSE compensation in case workers get fired for economic reasons."

If Arkane does close, the union demands employee compensation "commensurate with Microsoft’s status as a corporation," which it tallies at "a redundancy payment of 200K€, two years’ redeployment support funded by Microsoft," and "shared resources for training and studio creation, with a residual bonus to enable all employees to look to the future with confidence."

The letter calls supporting Arkane staff the bare minimum that Microsoft can do "with a net profit of more than 133 [billion] dollars in the past years." In its latest quarterly report, Microsoft reported $36.6 billion in net income, an increase of 32% on a GAAP basis.

"Arkane cash pool is always low as any remaining cash is systematically funneled to the group through a cash pooling mechanic," the letter continues. Additionally, the union seems to say the books are stacked against them, arguing that Arkane's previous games, "which combined have sold [tens] of millions, aren't anywhere to be found in the company results."

"Arkane is profitable. Just not profitable enough for Microsoft," the union says. "So indeed, Microsoft is responsible for the situation Arkane is in today. Microsoft is responsible for the situation the workers are in today. So Microsoft has to take full responsibility here and act accordingly."

Importantly, the union also claims that "closing Arkane today would probably be more expensive than finishing the game." On top of closing costs, this is surely a nod to the added costs associated with France's strong labor laws. "Fortunately, French law gives Arkane Studios the opportunity to find a buyer," the letter notes.

The letter also indicates that Blade is close to completion, which aligns with some previous reports.

"Today, as work on Blade is going fine, and that the level of quality of the game to be expected is on par with what Arkane has accustomed its players [to], workers have to face the harsh reality," the union says.

"We want to finish Blade and release it to the players, as well as the many games the future holds for Arkane. This is our dearest wish. But let’s not deny what we know is [real]: we want a future for the studio that goes beyond Blade, not to continue no matter what the cost may be for the workers."

The letter reiterates that Arkane will have no choice but to close if no buyer can be found, cutting loose 217 employees. I've reached out to Microsoft for comment.

Just yesterday, it was reported that Ubisoft is among at least three companies that have bid on the studio. As the STJV notes here, the deadline to find a buyer was extended by one month by Microsoft – an extension which, the union says, came "after we warned the press about the situation."

Xbox says "two separate agreements" to save Hellblade developer Ninja Theory have fallen through

We're now four days into Fortnite's latest season, Treasure Hunters, and thousands of players have been taking that title very seriously with their attempts to unlock access to an enormous amount of cosmetics for free, thanks to a prize so desirable that they've been mapping out all the best ways to attempt to beat the extremely slim odds.

Fortnite's Pirate Shop Access tokens are undoubtedly the most exciting rewards that Epic has ever added to the game. Right now in the battle royale, there's a very small chance that when you open up a chest during your regular looting, you'll unlock two of these tokens, each giving you the ability to clear out the game's item shop (full of cosmetics like skins and emotes) for free for 14 consecutive days. One token can be used this year, and the other in 2027, for a total of 28 days of freebies for anyone lucky enough to find them. It's a prize that could, without exaggeration, save players thousands of dollars' worth of V-Bucks.

Needless to say, you can understand why seemingly everyone is currently going feral at the prospect of being one of the lucky few, and when some players have opened thousands of chests without finding what they're looking for, you can also understand why folks are trying to streamline the process. Beyond the general tip of searching in squads – a full team can search chests faster and all will be granted the reward if they're together when a lucky chest is opened, players have found – some have now mapped out the optimal routes to open as many chests as quickly as possible.

Content creator MacFNyt has suggested a few routes. The area just north of Plunder Port, for example, apparently contains between 11 and 23 chests for you to search in a neat loop, while the northwest of the map, containing Buried Treasure Island, reportedly boasts 30 chests in a fairly small area, meaning you can check loads very quickly.

Others have gone even further – Gatocarls15 has shared four routes you can use with your squad, so you're each able to split up and hit one each every match. It's all about optimization, folks.

Another popular chest-searching hotspot is, well, The Chest. That is, the enormous pirate chest POI on the map. The island it's sat on is covered in buried chests, which – as players have pointed out – you can dig up even faster if you equip the new Plundarrgh Sprite.

None of this will guarantee you actually finding any Pirate Shop tokens, of course. In fact, truth be told, I'm not seeing anyone in the replies to these tweets who've actually had real success with the methods. But, it tracks that the more chests you're able to open, then the more chances you have to roll the die, so they're still valid tactics.

There's been no official word from Epic on the actual chance of finding the Pirate Shop Access tokens, so it's really just a case of opening as many chests as possible and hoping for the best. As this is only a month-long season, though, time is ticking, but the dedication so many are showing to the grind even a few days in suggests that this may well be the incentive players need to keep pouring the hours in during a month that's otherwise set to be dominated by the Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake and, of course, GTA 6.

Fortnite is giving out more V-Bucks through its monthly subscription – but also ditching one of its main perks.

The studio behind Stellar Blade, Shift Up, appears to be dealing with a cyberattack. The PC version of a previous release from the outfit is currently under investigation as the company works to resolve the issue.

Today, November 4, the official account for Goddess of Victory: Nikke posted an update on what was going on. "We have identified an issue indicating that the PC launcher's script files may have been tampered with by a third party," reads the tweet.

"We are currently investigating the scope of the impact caused by this issue, and we will provide further details regarding follow-up measures in a separate notice," the team continues. An apology for any inconvenience is then provided.

It's often hard to assess the damage at a glance in these situations, but it looks like Shift Up has it under control for the time being. The studio potentially caught whatever was going wrong early enough to stop it from getting out of hand or compromising anyone's information.

Kim Hyung Tae, the founder of Shift Up, commented further. "We are currently experiencing issues related to the PC launcher," he says. "In collaboration with Level Infinite, we are dedicating all our resources to identifying a fundamental solution, and we are also preparing follow-up measures. We sincerely apologize for the concern and inconvenience this has caused you, Commanders."

Expect a little more friction in the coming days, at the very least. I wouldn't be surprised if Nikke suddenly now finds its way onto Steam, joining Stellar Blade, just to make sure this is extremely unlikely to happen again.

Zelda: Ocarina of Time was an unstable 20fps on N64, but the remake is a rock-solid 60fps on Switch 2

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake isn't even out officially yet, but critics have it pinned as one of the greatest games of 2026 – and, apparently, all time.

Reviews went live earlier today, marking the Ocarina of Time remake as this year's highest-rated game on Metacritic with a score of 96. For reference, the 1998 original has a near-perfect score of 99 on the platform, with the 3DS version falling behind at 94 – not a low number by any means, mind you.

Critics across various outlets (a whopping 81 so far, to be precise) praise the new remake as a behemoth.

So, where exactly does that leave the Ocarina of Time remake overall? Well, right in front of both Elden Ring and Skyrim, as per Metacritic's list of the best games of all time, in the 26th spot. Just ahead of it is visual novel The House in Fata Morgana and, perhaps unsurprisingly, Mass Effect 2.

It's a testament to how well Nintendo has managed to pull this remake off, I suppose – although, again, it still evidently doesn't touch its 90s predecessor.

The remake is intended to boast everything that made us fall in love with the OG some 28 years ago while also bringing new features to the table, from sidequests to dungeon tweaks and Breath of the Wild's option to turn off the UI for more immersion (and, for those up to it, more difficulty). Plus, you know, the jump button we've wanted for decades – if I'm not, erm, projecting myself here.

I can certainly see why it's already so highly regarded.

Fans will get to experience it for themselves tomorrow, come the Ocarina of Time remake's official release. I'm curious to see how the ranking may change by then, if at all.

Want to learn more about why we think that Nintendo's revamped gem is one of the best new games to come this year? Check our The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake review.

After eight long years of silence, Bethesda finally lifted the veil on The Elder Scrolls 6 and its official title, Sentinel, yesterday – which, of course, means that fans are running wild online with theories about the studio's next RPG.

We know a few things about the game already (or, well, there are a few things we can assume after seeing Bethesda's new teaser). First, there's the setting: Sentinel. In other words, the oh-so long-theorized Hammerfell. Then, there's the potential time period.

The new teaser includes a quote from Yazar, Moth Priest of High Queen Iradne of Hammerfell, in 4E 206 – that's just five years after the events of Skyrim.

The quote itself? "The scroll offered only a shimmer, a veil thinly lifted to my eyes. A future lost. A victory undone. Sands of time scattered by fate."

Everything in between remains a mystery, however – a mystery that fans have taken to like flies. Over on Reddit, for example, folks have spotted Bethesda's official Spanish social media accounts alluding to "sailing," and are asking, "Did this Bethesda page just confirm sailing in the game?"

Others shoot this theory down, saying it can translate to a less literal meaning of "set sail" – as in, starting your adventure rather than literally sailing.

Over on X, fans are suggesting that we'll see NPCs from Skyrim in Sentinel since the possible times align so closely, like Erik the Slayer. After all, he mentions traveling to Hammerfell to "see what work I can get there."

Hammerfell is, evidently, where The Elder Scrolls 6 will take us.

There's more, too. While most of the teaser consists of sand and a glimpse of an Elder Scroll, the "rings" surrounding the Sentinel logo seem important – and, unsurprisingly, are reminding fans of Elden Ring in the process.

A separate post showcases as much, with its creator stating the rings have to "hold some significance," but "it's so vague it's hard to know where to start to connect the dots." One response suggests the Eye of Magnus.

Another simply leaves a screenshot of the Elden Ring logo, which, of course, features its own set of rings. The Eye of Magnus theory holds pretty well, though, if you ask me – it's even spurred a different thread comparing the artifact's pattern to the rings surrounding Sentinel… and, yeah, they look similar enough.

What could that mean? Some Psijic Order shenanigans? It's all up in the air until we get more word from Bethesda, sadly.

And, uh, that could be literally whenever. The Elder Scrolls 6 is reportedly targeting a 2029 release, apparently, which is a good 18 years after Skyrim and 11 years after Bethesda first unveiled its sixth Elder Scrolls RPG at E3 in 2018.

Sigh.

Bethesda immediately brings our Elder Scrolls 6: Sentinel hopes back down to earth – "It'll be some time before we're ready"

It's a day ending in 'Y' because members of the wider World of Warcraft community are annoyed about Blizzard's decision-making. This time, it's a number of fans of the Shaman class, who feel the latest attunement in World of Warcraft: Forever undermines their beloved elemental spellcasters, with a prominent Discord server literally locking itself down in response.

The Shaman is among the classes affected by the latest patch for the World of Warcraft: Forever beta. There are various tweaks and fine-tuning ahead of today's public release, and they aren't going down well with Shaman fanatics.

Yesterday, the Classic Shaman Discord server announced it would close its doors indefinitely because of "how the developers are approaching all Shaman specs in World of Warcraft: Forever," according to a moderator announcement reposted on social media. "Community feedback gets completely ignored and class fantasies are getting destroyed," the statement continues.

"With this we intend to give them a sign and show them, that the community is not okay with how they approached our beloved class," the mod finishes.

The relationship between Blizzard and World of Warcraft players has been colorful since the MMORPG first launched. Antics like this are not unusual, and whether it yields any results is up in the air.

This move isn't going down well among other fans, either. "The WoW community has some of the most hysterical man-children in gaming," says one tweet. "As if Blizzard even cares about the class discord servers."

Another on Reddit sees the debacle as a blessing. "The more of these types of players decide not to play the game, the healthier the game will be," says a commenter. If you decided to give Forever a look, I can tell you one class to avoid, at the very least.

With World of Warcraft: Forever, Blizzard promises "our aim in class design is not perfect numerical equality"

God of War Laufey, the next entry in Sony Santa Monica's Norse series, has been delayed.

In a tweet, developer Sony Santa Monica announces that God of War Laufey will no longer release on February 17 as originally planned. Instead, it'll come out about three months later on May 20, 2027. As usual with big-budget releases, the reasoning is vague, but it sounds like the game just needs a little more time in the oven.

"Since the reveal of God of War Laufey in June, we've been deeply grateful to see so much excitement for Faye's journey through the Everywhen," Sony Santa Monica says. "We don't take for granted the trust placed in the studio to make an extraordinary experience worthy of the passion and dedication of our fans ... "We will make the most of each moment until then by putting in the finishing touches and pushing the game to its fullest potential."

God of War Laufey, a PS5 exclusive, marks a major shift in the series that started with 2018's God of War and continued in 2022 with God of War Ragnarok. Up until now, we've been playing as the God of War himself, Kratos, and his son, Atreus, but in God of War Laufey you'll take control of Kratos's late wife and Atreus's mother, Faye, as she navigates the brutal world of fallen gods in the afterlife.

Gameplay-wise, the action looks much faster-paced, with jumpier, spinnier, more acrobatic animations. Laufey actor Deborah Ann Woll has described the character's combat as "spinning and whipping and flipping, and it's in the air, and we can show that there are so many ways to be a warrior."

God of War Laufey proves women are still gaining ground in gaming, and I'm thrilled Kratos is sitting this one out

Fortnite is making big changes to its Crew subscription from next month, and while it's good news for longtime, loyal subscribers, it also means losing one of the main perks going forward.

As announced in a blog post today, starting on December 5, the base amount of V-Bucks granted by the monthly Crew subscription is going back up to 1,000. This was the case for most of Crew's existence, but earlier this year it fell to 800 per month following Epic's V-Buck price increases.

It doesn't stop there, though – from then on, Epic will also reward longtime subscribers with more V-Bucks based on how long they've been paying for Crew. If you've been subscribed for at least 3 consecutive months, you'll receive 1,200 V-Bucks per month. After six months, that number increases to 1,400, and from 12 months onward, it'll cap out at 1,600 monthly V-Bucks. More to spend on skins, emotes, and the like is nothing to be sniffed at.

Current subscribers will be designated a 'tier' (bronze, silver, or gold) based on how many consecutive months they've been subscribed for in the last year come December 5, and lapsed subscribers who resubscribe between December 5 and 31 will see their starting tier "reflect your most recent continuous subscription period over the past 12 months," Epic says.

With the price of Fortnite Crew remaining the same, this is good news for everyone – especially for those who are already subscribed. Another extra perk is on the way, too – faster XP gain. Crew subscribers will now earn 20% more XP than non-subscribing players, but those not paying for the service will still earn a 10% bonus if they're on the same team as someone who is.

There's really only one downside to the changes, but it's a pretty big one. After December, Crew subscribers will no longer be getting a monthly skin as part of their perks. There were some genuinely great skins offered this way in the past, and they could be an enormous incentive to subscribe, since, up to now, they've never been offered any other way (such as in the regular item shop).

At the very least, all remaining Legacy Styles – alternate, selectable color styles for certain Crew skins, their back blings, and pickaxes that you'd unlock over the course of several months of subscription – will be unlocked for everyone who owns those cosmetics in December, regardless of whether they're subscribed or not. So even lapsed subscribers will see some benefit when these changes are rolled out.

Otherwise, things are remaining the same – Crew subscribers will continue to have access to the Battle Pass, Music Pass, and Lego Pass without having to purchase them separately, in addition to Rocket Pass Premium.

As GTA 6 looms, Fortnite breaks the emergency glass – almost unlimited free skins, emotes, and more for 14 days, but you'll basically have to win the lottery to get them.

Reviews for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake are here, and its Metacritic score suggests that it's the best game of 2026. Fans will likely spend years picking apart their feelings on the remake's art style and gameplay changes – hi, it's me, I'm fans – but if there's one objective, unassailable improvement in the Switch 2 game over the N64 original, it's the frame rate.

Despite it being lauded as the best N64 game ever made and one of the greatest games of all time, it's fair to say that Ocarina of Time does not meet modern standards for performance. Nintendo capped the original game at just 20fps, and as Digital Foundry demonstrates in a video breaking down the remake's technical evolution, it can dip into the 16fps range in larger environments.

"Most other N64 games ran far less consistently," Digital Foundry argues, and I've spent enough time playing N64 games with frame rates dipping into single-digit numbers in recent months (hello, Star Wars Episode 1 Racer) to know that's true. But from a modern perspective it's tough to get over the idea that we ever settled for frame rates this bad, especially when a handful of other N64 classics, like Super Mario 64, were running at a much more playable 30fps.

The 3DS remaster of Ocarina of Time would bring the frame rate to 30fps, but the Switch 2 version achieves the dream: 60fps. It's a consistent 60fps, too, as Digital Foundry's analysis says it's "very stable" outside of "very tiny loading hiccups." The game supports variable refresh rate displays, but that's "mostly useless" when performance sticks to the target frame rate so well.

The remake's success isn't just about the frame rate, either. In our full Ocarina of Time remake review, Anna says it's "pure magic" and succeeds at "blending the charm and whimsy of the original with more digestible gameplay and stunning visuals." The fact that it does so at 60fps is really just a bonus.

There's still time to get your Ocarina of Time remake pre-orders in, if you're so inclined.

Timothée Chalamet says director Denis Villeneuve turned the third and final installment of his Dune trilogy into "its own thing."

"Absolutely," Chalamet replied, when Jason Momoa asked him if the ending felt satisfying (via The New York Times). "It didn't feel like the bar dropped at all, Denis just changed the location of the bar. This movie is its own thing."

Dune 3 takes place some 19 years after Paul gains control of the Imperium. As he lives out his days as a power-hungry emperor, he is suddenly faced with the consequences of his reign... and a freaky-looking Robert Pattinson, who plays a genetically engineered shapeshifter who is one of the many people working behind the scenes to take him down.

Added Pattinson: "You got to be kind of crazy if you're going to be picking fault with this one."

The cast sees Zendaya return as Chani, with Florence Pugh as Princess Irulan, Anya Taylor-Joy as Alia, Josh Brolin as Gurney Halleck, Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica, Javier Bardem as Stilgar, and Momoa as Duncan Idaho.

Though the film franchise is coming to an end, Dune: Prophecy, a spin-off series that focuses on the Bene Gesserit, is expected to return for a second season on HBO Max (though we don't yet have a release date).

Dune 3 hits theaters on December 18 (the same day as Avengers: Doomsday). Dune: Prophecy season 1 is streaming now on HBO Max. For more, check out our guide to all the upcoming movies in 2026 and beyond.

If you thought you'd have to wait till next March to see Sonic the Hedgehog at the theater again in Sonic 4, boy do we have good news: the blue blur will appear in this December's animated sequel Angry Birds 3 for, er, no particular reason we can discern.

The surprise appearance is revealed/spoiled in the movie's second official trailer, which features a very brief shot of Sonic running at super-speed alongside yellow canary Chuck (voiced by Josh Gad in the movies). Other than that, there's zero context for why Sonic is suddenly a part of the Angry Birds franchise despite not having appeared in the first two movies. Check it out below.

The top comment on YouTube right now sums up the general feeling: "WHAT IS SONIC DOING HERE THIS FEELS LIKE I'M HAVING A FEVER DREAM."

The truth is likely that this is just a bit of corporate synergy. Sega bought Angry Birds studio Rovio back in 2023. It stands to reason that they might want to give Angry Birds 3, which is arriving 7 years after the last movie and long after the mobile game's peak, a boost given Sonic's big-screen popularity. We don't yet know if either 'live-action' Sonic Ben Schwartz or animated Sonic voice actor Roger Craig Smith will reprise their Sonic roles for Angry Birds 3.

Angry Birds 3 will see Red (Ted Lasso star Jason Sudeikis) take on his biggest challenge yet: fatherhood, to three little birds who don't even seem all that angry from the trailer. The movie will face stiff competition in theaters, as it's releasing alongside Jumanji 3, and hot on the heels of Avengers: Doomsday and Dune 3.

The Angry Birds Movie 3 releases in theaters on December 25. For more, check out our ranking of the best video game movies.

The first Crimson Desert DLC, Charting the Unknown, is here, and it's causing a stir. As reviews are published, a lead developer on Palworld is defending the fantasy sandbox, arguing that people continually underrate the game.

"Crimson Desert is one of the most technically ambitious games we’ve seen in the last decade, but because it isn’t another linear narrative RPG with the illusion of freedom, it just keeps getting underrated," John 'Bucky' Buckley, head of publishing and communications at Pocketpair, writes on Twitter.

"The technical wizardry that goes into making a game this mechanically massive is insane," he continues. "You don’t have to like every part of it, but surely the sheer ambition deserves some recognition?"

He calls this reflex "frustrating" and believes it's emblematic of a cultural trend in which people appear to want more creativity, but then "we turn around and reward the same safe, conventional AAA games over and over and over and over," in his mind.

"Crimson Desert isn’t perfect, but I’d much rather see developers attempt something genuinely ambitious and occasionally fall short than just keep making the same games we’ve been playing for the last 15 years," he adds.

He got into the subject by quote-tweeting a slightly middling review of the DLC, but in the comments he mentions he finds this to be a wider issue. "There’s endless tweets moaning about Crimson Desert all over the timeline this week," he says.

Steam reviews for Charting the Unknown aren't wholly positive. Right now, the DLC has a score of 72%, with criticisms that "none of it feels finished" and it all "needs a ton more work."

Crimson Desert is a strong piece of work, but given the sales and community, I'm not sure it's really getting undersold in any forum. That said, The Game Awards are coming up, and if it's not nominated for Game of the Year, I imagine this conversation will stir back up with even more vitriol.

Crimson Desert players are sharing their best money-making grinds after the new DLC added a ship that costs more than Kliff's soul

GamesRadar+ Replay is a show made by you, collecting together all the amazing clips you send in. From lethal Arc Raider selfies to a killer fire hydrant in GTA, I've gathered together the best bits from October to showcase the funniest, strangest and most amazing things that have happened to you in the last month.

Elsewhere in Round Up #8 there's Battlefield 6 looking the cutest it's ever been, a killer truck on the hunt for helicopters in Wardogs, a Stalker 2 clip that's quiet literally flying, a horrific monster in Gears of War E-Day you won't have seen before, as well as Control, Dune Awakening, Galactic Racers and more.

If you want to submit your own clips and get involved then there's a big orange button below that will let you do just that. There are £/$250 Amazon Vouchers to be won each month for the best videos and you can send in any clips for any game, doing anything as long as it's attention grabbing or memorable in some way.

By submitting your clip, you agree to the Terms and Conditions.

If you need a helping hand, here's how to record gameplay on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Switch/Switch 2 to save your highlights.

Now let's take a look at the latest Replay clips: