Similar to GTA 6, the anticipation for The Elder Scrolls 6 is so astronomically high that any firsthand information about it, no matter how granular, is relevant in the overall conversation surrounding the project. That's even more true when it's coming from someone as integral to production as Todd Howard, executive producer at Bethesda Game Studios and game director on The Elder Scrolls 6. Full disclosure: this one's very granular. Like, if The Elder Scrolls 6 release date is Santa Monica State Beach, this is a single grain of sand on the docks.

Talking to EW, Howard repeated some stuff we already know about the game, like the fact that it's the "biggest project" in the studio's pipeline, and that "the majority of the studio" is working on it. That said, he did touch on arguably the biggest controversy BGS is facing at the moment: the fact that its games are taking a really freakin' long time to make these days.

It's now been eight years since The Elder Scrolls 6 was revealed, and Xbox's new CEO, Asha Sharma, is reportedly keen on shortening development cycles at BGS, so Howard's comment is particularly timely.

"We know we need to get it right and it's been a long time," Howard says.

Thanks, Todd. It really has been a long time, and I ain't getting any younger. Obviously, Howard simply acknowledging the lengthiness of the game's development cycle doesn't do anything to shorten it, but it's nice to know the guy at the top is aware that people are starting to lose their patience.

The Elder Scrolls 6 was a no-show at this year's Summer Game Fest, meaning it'll likely be months until we get an update, possibly during this year's Game Awards in December. Xbox chief content officer Matt Booty recently confirmed that he's seen the game in motion and said it looks "amazing" and is "coming along well," adding, "we'll make sure to announce it and really reveal it at the right time."

Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer Bethesda "will be fine" as "they make all the money," but layoffs for the rest of ZeniMax "have begun," Duke Nukem co-creator says

My friends have finally come around to the idea of buying a Nintendo Switch 2.

I suspect the latest Nintendo Direct is to thank for them finally seeing the new handheld light, but either way, I'm happy. Any opportunity to play more games with friends is a plus, and I'd rather they get one sooner rather than later, especially before the price shoots up on September 1.

When they're ready to take the next-gen plunge, it's this UK-exclusive Nintendo Switch 2 + Pokopia bundle that I'm going to link their way. With the standalone console coming in at £395.99, and the game available digitally for £58.99, they'd be saving around £24.99 with this £429.99 (Amazon) deal - a bargain more than worth jumping on before the price increases ruin the fun.

That's £24.99 that could be put towards accessories for their new console, and they'd be able to get a few thanks to the Nintendo Switch Prime Day deals on their way. Or, that's £24.99 they could use to treat me to a coffee and a fancy treat after finding them such a good deal - I know which one I'd prefer.

Even when the standalone console is available for a little less than its £395.99 MSRP, this bundle is still a great deal, and that's all because of Pokemon Pokopia.

It remains a game that's pretty immune to savings, which makes sense as it's still pretty new. A standard physical copy is as high as £66.99 (Nintendo) at the Nintendo store, and £58.99 for a digital copy. Even with my years of game deal hunting, I can only find the game as low as £54.85 at ShopTo for a digital code, and that collective cost of that and the console is still more than this bundle.

Not to mention, it's the kind of game you'd really want to have digitally and so easily accessible on the Switch 2 at all times - especially in my friend's case. Easy access means they can easily jump in to help customize our little Pokemon town, which I will be insisting on starting the moment their handheld arrives at their door. I want to build a Scotland-themed town with a Pikachu statue with a cone on its head, and I want to build one with friends now!

If you haven't noticed, this new £429.99 Switch 2 bundle costs exactly the same as the Mario Kart World version, which launched alongside the console on June 5, 2025. If my friends would rather some Mario Kart World action, they can of course grab that instead, as there is some stock kicking around for £429.90 at Amazon, and it could even be susceptible to the upcoming Prime Day gaming deals this week.

However, I already own Mario Kart World, and it's the kind of game they'd only play when we're all together anyway. But with Pokemon Pokopia, we can create our own customized town together, and that honestly makes this bundle even more worthwhile.

View all Nintendo Switch 2 deals at Amazon

Just starting on your new Switch 2 journey? Check out our guides to the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch 2 cameras to complete your new Ninty setup.

The list of upcoming video game adaptations just keeps on growing, and Xbox is adding yet another to its roster with a live-action movie based on the action-adventure game Sea of Thieves.

Xbox announced the movie inside a pretty stuffed feature from Entertainment Weekly that details the studio's many upcoming projects. Per the article, Sea of Thieves is in the works in conjunction with Hisako Films, the production company that belongs to Spider-Man: Brand New Day director Destin Daniel Cretton. A director or writer has not yet been attached.

The game debuted in 2018, and sees the player control a pirate who completes various voyages in an open world setting. Players can play solo, duo, or in a group, and yes, there's a treasure map and a treasure chest... as well as a megalodon and a kraken. Oh, and you get to choose from a variety of cool weapons including cutlasses, blunderbusses, throwing knives, blowpipes, and harpoon guns.

"The main character of a Sea of Thieves game is actually the player and the community," Booty told Entertainment Weekly. "So if you sit down to think about Sea of Thieves, it's not, 'Who are the main characters? What's the plot?' It's a super social game, but there's a tone to Sea of Thieves. It's built on a very cooperative community, so you can start to sense what that's going to be like."

Xbox's ongoing slate of live-action projects includes Prime Video's Fallout TV show, Netflix's Gears of War movie, a TV show based on Wolfenstein, and Michael Sarnoski's Death Stranding movie.

Sea of Thieves does not yet have a release date. For more, check out the ever-growing list of upcoming video game movies.

There's a point in Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth where rookie Turks operative Elena takes a break from being a whiny firestarter and cools off with a stick of sea salt ice cream – a custardy, aquamarine treat featured throughout the Kingdom Hearts series also made by Square Enix. Reasonable fans therefore assumed Elena's frozen dessert was a sweet self-reference, but Final Fantasy 7 remake trilogy director Naoki Hamaguchi says no. Not at all.

Hamaguchi tells The Gamer in a new interview, "It might be disappointing to hear this, but Elena's ice cream isn't a homage to Kingdom Hearts."

Now, if you've suddenly started to hear a thousand distant howls, know that it isn't the wind. It's the lonely cries of Kingdom Hearts fans around the world realizing the franchise they constantly fret about being dead is more comatose than they first assumed.

Still, Kingdom Hearts is not dead dead. Sure, it would have been lovely to live in the world where Elena's salty ice cream is a sign that Square Enix loves Kingdom Hearts – in which Cloud-like champion Sora gets to shake hands with Donald Duck – just as much as its other children. However, Square Enix has devoted itself to something better than a measly sign. Kingdom Hearts 4 is definitely in production, the developer confirmed earlier this month, seven years after Kingdom Hearts 3 launched.

I understand, though, that it's hard for some people to feel soothed by that fact when there's still no release date for the action RPG in sight. That's too bad, Hamaguchi suggests. He continues to tell The Gamer that Elena's ice cream simply introduces audiences to the popular Japanese "soda-flavored popsicle called Garigari-kun, which we've actually referenced quite a bit during development." This pop has a mascot that's a hungry schoolboy with a concerningly red mouth, and he shoves Gargari-kun's blue, shaved ice filling into the gaping hole.

"As such, it's closer to say we were envisioning a slightly nostalgic popsicle, reminiscent of the summer," Hamaguchi concludes. Right. Well, now that I've stopped looking at the Gargari-kun mascot's gigantic, hypnotic mouth, I'm thinking you could also say that Kingdom Hearts – whose first installment released in 2002 – is also a slightly nostalgic confection, right?

Final Fantasy 14 boss Yoshi-P has "many game ideas" tucked away that he'd like to do something with, one being a "game design that combines AI and servers."

The increasingly rare times I get to play online games with friends happen solely because of me, because of my efforts alone, no thanks to the other members of my friends group who usually refuse to abandon the latest Helldivers 2 Major Order to play one of my weird co-op horror games or Sea of Thieves, even for a few precious moments with their old pal Jordan. Multiplayer games these days, particularly those of the live-service variety, have a way of pulling players in and making them feel like nothing else is worth playing, and that's precisely why so many new ones fail, according to one of the foremost authorities on the matter, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney.

I can't imagine the amount of people who can relate to my experience with an analog of their own that replaces Helldivers 2 with Fortnite, one of the most enduring live-service games of the last decade. How could you ask your friends to play the criminally underrated co-op horror game Devour when they've almost got the new John Wick skin from Fortnite's latest battle pass? Well, maybe you should get yourself some more adventurous friends, because maybe if more people were willing to try new things, games like Highguard and Concord wouldn't be rotting in the dirt.

"Users tend to enjoy games with their actual friend groups, and it is nearly impossible to move that entire group of friends from an existing game to a completely new one," says Sweeney in an interview with South Korean publication Inven Global (thanks, Automaton).

"Only the massive mega-hits that appear once every few years succeed in this community migration," he continues. "This is the decisive reason why many multiplayer new releases have failed one after another recently. Users have already formed solid human networks in Fortnite, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and Apex Legends; there is no reason to leave friends behind and go to a new game alone."

There are undoubtedly other factors at play in the failure of any game, and Sweeney cites "many complex factors" including exorbitant budgets and development cycles that have simply become "too long," but multiplayer games specifically face the additional "unique barrier" of friends groups being too stubborn to try new games. In seriousness, the ubiquity of seasons, paid battle passes, and microtransactions is specifically designed to make players feel invested, financially or otherwise, in a specific live-service game and thus less willing to abandon that investment to start fresh somewhere else. That's capitalism in action folks.

Here are the best online games to play in 2026.

Look, I don't want to slap your hand away from expensive handheld PCs this Prime Day, but I will. I can envision some of you out there seeing the price of the freshly released MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, thinking other portables are cheap since they're not $1,800, and subsequently ending up spending over a grand. Please don't do that, pretty please? I promise there are still options for less.

The big, nasty problem with handheld PCs we face as Prime Day gaming deals roll out is obnoxiously high prices. I don't want to be too harsh on device makers that have hiked prices, as even my knight in affordable armor, the Steam Deck OLED, now costs a grand for the 1TB version.

However, I can't imagine a situation where it'd be acceptable to pay $1,800 for one of the best gaming handhelds today, as the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ could be outshone in 12 months. Plus, while it's Intel Arc G3 Extreme should boost fps compared to last-gen models, I really don't think it needed 32GB RAM considering the climate. Simply put, the tech giant hasn't really helped its pricing situation, and I reckon you should look to cheaper alternatives, even if they lack the same oomph.

Keeping gaming handheld costs reasonable in 2026 requires a bit of creativity. Personally, I don't like feeding the beast that is tech price inflation, so in an effort to signal to retailers and portable PC makers that today's price tags are not okay, I like to check out open-boxed and refurbished options.

Opting for "second-hand" devices doesn't come with the grimy caveats you'd think. Having previously worked in a tech retail environment in my youth, stores will check any returns and grade them appropriately (provided they're doing their job right). So, when the likes of Best Buy say it has a ROG Xbox Ally with $100 off in "excellent" condition, you'll find it stays true to its word, and the result is getting the same flagship Ryzen Z2 Extreme handheld for a bit less.

I also love doing some virtual dumpster diving and finding old models that by rights should be long gone, but are somehow still on the "shelves". This time around, the handheld in question is the lowest spec original MSI Claw A1M with an Intel Arc 135H chipset. At full price, it's laughable since it only manages to just keep up with the Steam Deck, but for under $400? It's actually going to provide you with a decent Windows handheld experience for a chunk less than the other last-gen chumps.

I should also give kudos to Asus and Microsoft's duo of current-gen handhelds, as both the Xbox Ally and Ally X have managed to resist price hike temptation. I'm hoping that means there's still room to give current inventory a nice Prime Day cut to get some stock shifted, even if that comes with the risk of retailers replenishing with higher-priced units. Ideally, we'll see $100 come off the price of the flagship and lower-spec white version, with the latter serving as this year's sub $500 star.

You could call highlighting handhelds that aren't over a grand handheld hopeium, but it's all we can do when pricing is this bananas. I also need to keep my spirits high, seeing as the Steam Machine just barged onto the scene today with a $1,049 starting point, and that particular pickle has me thinking about using Steam Link to beam my rig to the living room instead. Sigh.

• Gaming handhelds at Amazon
• Steam Deck accessories at Amazon

Sticking with the classics? Check out the best retro handhelds for Game Boy clones and powerful emulators.

The Steam Machine is now available for pre-order under what some are acknowledging as the shocking starting price of $1,049, partly because Valve says this is the cost that best reflects its core values.

Company spokespeople tell The Verge in a new report that Valve isn't interested in subsidizing the cost of its Steam Machine and selling its hardware at a loss the way other companies do, since "it doesn't align with our beliefs about how healthy ecosystems are built."

Valve explains in its statement, "If there's anything we're religious about at Valve, it's our belief that open systems are better in the long run, for ourselves and customers. The openness of the PC ecosystem in particular has enabled it to be the primary driver of hardware and software innovation, because anyone with an idea for a way to do something better was able to take a shot at it.

"When companies sell their hardware under cost for competitive advantage, or buy exclusive content for it, they're doing that to build a more closed system, one where you don't get to choose what software you want to use." In its announcement post for the Steam Machine's launch, however, Valve instead bemoans the fact that "our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable" due to factors like RAM shortages and the US' constantly shapeshifting tariffs.

So "the prices we're sharing today reflect the state of the world for manufacturing," says Valve, "or, more accurately, it reflects the price of the components as we've secured them over the past 6 months." This official statement suggests Valve is mournfully selling the Steam Machine for as much as it costs to produce it, and Valve Steam Deck developer Pierre-Loup Griffais confirms to The Verge that, "We're being more aggressive with margins and things to be as close to cost as possible now."

That's not an unreasonable decision for Valve to make; it still isn't necessarily whipping up a profit on the Steam Machine, after all. But it argues in a more confident tone in its statement to The Verge, "When companies sell their hardware under cost for competitive advantage, or buy exclusive content for it, they're doing that to build a more closed system, one where you don't get to choose what software you want to use."

This is the kind of company-first speak I'm skeptical of. Subsidized hardware prices may obscure manufacturing costs, but should manufacturing cost be my concern as a consumer?

We've had games industry experts warning us for months now that console prices could pass the $1,000 mark. Well, now they're right, and inflation around the globe is also impacting everything from gas prices to a dozen eggs. It feels like the burden of change keeps getting placed on the individual buyer, or worker, rather than the big, expensive company. The people who make up the games industry keep getting barbecued by mass layoffs, for example, and yet the industry itself has just soared past the historic $200 billion in revenue, a 9.1% year-on-year increase.

With this in mind, I can accept that the $1,049 Steam Machine (not including accessories) is part of Valve's beliefs. But it certainly doesn't represent mine.

The Steam Machine just landed for an eye-watering $1,049, so I'm tempted to build a modern Shuttle XPC that looks like my compact 2000s rig instead.

Tom Holland has sorta kinda unleashed another spoiler, and this time it's about the spell that made the entire world forget Peter Parker.

"I think no one remembers that I'm Spider-Man apart from one," Holland said during an interview with IGN when asked if any of the Avengers remember that Spider-Man is Peter Parker. He starts to say "person" before Zendaya quickly cuts him off and says, "Nobody remembers that you're Peter Parker. They know Spider-Man. Spider-Man is Peter Parker."

Holland continues: "They know Spider-Man. They just don't know... one person [knows]." You can watch the clip below.

Naturally, my guess is Doctor Strange given he's the one who did the spell that made everyone forget in the first place, and quite possibly the only one who can reverse it. It did look like Holland was about to spill the beans on exactly who before Zendaya swooped him and stopped him... which is on par with his long history of accidental Marvel spoiler reveals.

His crimes include revealing that Spider-Man: Homecoming would be turned into a trilogy, accidentally sharing the Avengers: Infinity War poster on Instagram live, and telling a packed audience that Spider-Man gets blipped at a screening for Infinity War. He also apparently spoiled all of the Avengers movies for Zendaya, which doesn't surprise me, either.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31. While we wait, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies or our breakdown on how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order.

Amazon is busy getting ready for its Prime Day deals this week, but Newegg isn't letting them get away with it. The retailer is running its very own set of savings and anyone in the PC space should be heading here instead. Listen, the online giant is great for your PS5 and Nintendo Switch gadgets, it can even come in handy for a game deal from time to time, but when it comes to gaming PCs, gaming laptops, and components, Newegg is your go-to.

While shortages and surges in demand mean a lot of these prices aren't where I'd like them to be this summer, Newegg is still staying competitive against the rest of the market. Super-bargain PCs and laptops might be a thing of the past, but if you do need to use Prime Day PC deals or Prime Day gaming laptop deals to upgrade, it's well worth taking a stroll down these virtual aisles.

That's exactly what I'm doing this week. I've already found 12 offers worthy of your attention this morning and I'm continuing my hunt right now. You'll find all my top picks from the sale so far just below and live updates with new treasures further down the page.

Quick links

• CPUs: Intel from $86
• RAM: 16GB DDR4 from $79.99
• Motherboards: ATX from $97.73
• GPUs: RTX 40-Series from $249
• Cooling: Liquid cooling from $67.99
• SSDs: 1TB from $131.99
• PCs: RTX 50-Series from $899.99
• Mini PCs: from $219.99
• Laptops: HP from $859.79
• Handhelds: Refurbished from $539.99
• Monitors: MSI from $84.99

Today's best anti-Prime Day deals at Newegg

Live updates

Hungry for gaming laptops? MSI is the order of the day

Newegg primarily stocks gaming laptops from Lenovo, Gigabyte, and MSI but it's the latter that's seeing the widest range in this week's anti-Prime Day deals. These are frequently some of the most value-minded offers on the site whenever major sales hit, and - while gaming laptop prices are surging at the moment - we're still seeing some decent offers on the shelves.

The MSI Katana and Cyborg are your budget models, prioritizing component value over high-end displays and fancy chassis'. You'll find cheaper keyboards and build qualities overall here, though they're often the most affordable RTX 5060 or RTX 5070 configurations on the market.

At the other end of the spectrum we have the MSI Raider. This is the brand's chonkiest machine, unless you're going real mad with the Titan. It's your RTX 5090 powerhouse, just without the insane 4K price tag of older generations.

PSA: Watch out for marketplace prices

Newegg sells some of the gadgets on its shelves itself, but otherwise relies on a marketplace system. The majority of these sellers are perfectly fine to purchase from, but you'll need to be savvy here.

Inflated price tags, low user ratings, and dodgy configurations can sneak onto the shelves (and with the current state of component shortages the former is particularly rampant). Always check your reviews, price check your MSRPs, and remember - if a deal is too good to be true it usually is.

Keep an eye on our top CPU pick this Prime Day

The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is the best CPU for gaming we've tested overall, so it's well worth keeping an eye on across Newegg's anti-Prime Day deals. The 8-core chip demonstrated reliable, stable performance across gaming tests in our review. Its price-to-performance ratio balances heavily in AMD's favor compared to Intel's competing chips, while the 3D V-Cache pushes for a larger L3 cache for quick-access data.

It's not the newest and it's not the highest specced in AMD's lineup, but it's certainly our go-to for value and performance all rolled into one.

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | $388 at Newegg

Bought something off Newegg recently? Check the Price Protection

Newegg's FantasTech sale comes with an asterisk you won't find on Amazon's Prime Day deals. The retailer has been running its Price Protection scheme on certain discounts between June 15 and June 21. That means anyone who purchased an offer on Newegg in the lead up to this week's sale should be keeping an eye on its current prices. Should a covered item you purchased drop cheaper between today and July 8 you'll automatically get a refund of the difference.

Don't fall for 8GB RAM in a gaming laptop

Newegg's guilty of shipping gaming laptops with, let's say, less than favorable spec lists. With current RAM shortages raging war on our price tags, many machines are hitting the shelves with half the memory we recommend. There's no getting around it - 8GB simply won't cut it anymore. I always recommend keeping your expectations firmly set around the 16GB mark at the lowest.

RAM sacrifices keep this RTX 5060 gaming PC under $900

The current component shortage has hit the best gaming PCs hard, which is why you'll find far fewer sub-$1,000 gaming PCs on Newegg's shelves this week. They're still out there, but they often make one sacrifice to keep that price low - not in the amount of RAM (like the gaming laptops below), but in its generation.

DDR4 hasn't seen the same kind of increases as DDR5, and the slower sticks are holding out in budget-minded rigs for those willing to take a step down in speed under a harsher budget. If you're working with a four-figure ceiling machines like this RTX 5060 Stormcraft represent a solid stepping stone while we wait for memory prices to stabilize over the next few years.

However, if you've got the cash to hold out for a DDR5 discount it's worth taking the dive on a $1,200 - $1,500 rig.

Stormcraft RTX 5060 prebuilt | $971.99 $899.99 at Newegg

Keep an eye on those game prices

I don't exactly run to Newegg for its digital game discounts, but if you're restocking that backlog it's worth keeping watch over that download section. There are some decent savings already live, mostly on older and smaller games. However, Newegg often bundles its digital titles in with select components or PC brands over the course of major sale events as well.

Should you buy RAM in Newegg's anti-Prime Day deals?

It's tough out there for anyone in need of a stick of RAM. 2026 has seen memory prices surge into the stratosphere - what used to cost a hundred bucks at the top end of the spectrum can now run you $400, $500, or even $600. In short - this isn't a simple upgrade anymore, I'd urge you to really consider just how badly you need those sticks before heading to checkout.

So when you really need to upgrade your RAM? If you need a fresh set of sticks to make the PC play the game. Say you've finished a build with everything other than memory, say your machine really won't do anything in its current state - that's when I'd recommend taking the memory plunge.

If your current system still runs, hold onto it.

A sub-$500 Mini PC to tackle light gaming

If the Steam Machine's price has you reconsidering your priorities, the Brenuc Mini PC could realign them. For $499 (was $599) at Newegg, you're getting a compact box with AMD's Ryzen 7 7840S (and Radon 780M graphics), 16GB DDR5 RAM and a 512GB SSD. Lighter titles at 1080p are easily achievable here, but this is also a solid workstation.

Brenuc Mini PC | $599 $499 at Newegg

If you absolutely need 4TB, this isn't too terrible an offer

Ok, ok, the way SSD prices are going pretty much every anti-Prime Day deal on storage is pretty terrible by last year's standards. This is the situation we find ourselves in, though. If you absolutely need 4TB of M.2 storage, this is the discount I'd recommend.

Team Group's T-FORCE G50 drive is undercutting most 4TB drives with the help of an extra $50 promo code at Newegg. Use FTTF462 to drop that $449.99 sticker price down to $399.99. It's not going to be as fast as more expensive models, but it will bolster your storage and still offer up 5,000MB/s read / 4,500MB/s write for a little less than 2026 has traditionally offered.

Team Group T-FORCE G50 4TB SSD | $519.99 $399.99 at Newegg

An RTX 5070 gaming laptop under $1500

That's not something you come across every day, especially not these days. The Asus TUF A18, however, is renowned for stuffing excellent component value into a cheaper shell, and this AMD build proves it.

You're saving $400 on the original $1,899.99 MSRP here, scoring the Ryzen 7 260 / RTX 5070 model for $1,499.99 all in. That's with a 240Hz QHD+ display (and a big'un at that), 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD.

Asus TUF A18 | $1,899.99 $1,499.99 at Newegg

What does $100 get you in the gaming monitor world these days?

Well, if you go right to the top of that budget you'll find this Asus TUF 24-inch 1080p model, with a solid 240Hz refresh rate. If you're working with a lower-end RTX 40-Series of RTX 50-Series card - you're pretty sorted with that. It's not got the fastest response time in the world, at 0.3ms, but for $99.99 it's difficult to find reasons to complain here.

Asus TUF 24-inch | $139.99 $99.99 at Newegg

Gaming mice with these features don't get much cheaper than this

The Razer Basilisk V3 is one of my absolute favorite gaming mice. It's not faster or lighter than the premium flagships you'll find elsewhere, but it does serve up fantastic value - especially when the sales have kicked in.

Newegg's anti-Prime Day deals have the Basilisk V3 down to $34.98 this week, the usual price I find myself recommending whenever discounts hit the shelves. For a wired rodent built around comfort and additional controls you really can't go wrong there.

Razer Basilisk V3 | $69.99 $34.98 at Newegg

Also got a Switch handy?

Just in case you've got a Switch or Switch 2 parked up next to your PC, I thought I'd shout out this gift card offer. It's a hefty one, but you can claim $25 off a $200 eShop code at the site right now (use promo FTTF6934). While perhaps not quite cheap enough to warrant a splurge, anyone also looking to make the most of some digital discounts this week can score some extra cash in their pocket.

Nintendo eShop $200 gift card | $200 $175 at Newegg

If video game royalty Hideo Kojima is to be believed, Kojima Productions' upcoming single-player horror game OD is going to scare you so much that you'll contemplate quitting, but the game is designed in such a way to help you persevere.

If that all sounds incredibly vague and confusing, don't blame me. Kojima tiptoed around the topic of OD in an interview with Entertainment Weekly for Xbox's 25th anniversary. He's been tightlipped about the project since its reveal back in 2023, and it doesn't help that he's previously described it as "a new form of media" that "explores the concept of testing your fear threshold, and what it means to OD on fear." What exactly that means still isn't clear, but Kojima says there's a whole new system that'll help you navigate the horror if OD happens to go beyond your threshold for fear.

"I wanted to go beyond the limit of the 'scariness' that other games had reached," he says. "It's a single-player game, and I wanted to make it as scary as possible.

"But for those that might stop playing when it gets too scary, I have thought of a system that will allow them to keep going. I can't say much more, because it'll give too much of a hint on the system, and I could get in trouble for saying too much!"

As a self-professed scaredy cat, who just happens to love horror games much to the detriment of my blood pressure, I'm cautiously reassured by this. Kojima is responsible for one of the scariest games I've ever played in PT, and if that "playable teaser" was any longer than an hour or so, there's no way I would've been able to beat it in one sitting. I'm relieved to hear Kojima and co. are considering wimps like me while developing OD, but it's hard to feel completely comfortable until we know the details of this new system.

Capcom tackled the issue of fear thresholds masterfully in Resident Evil Requiem, which frequently bounces between the unbearably tense Grace Ashcroft sections and the cathartic, action-packed Leon Kennedy sequences, offering much-needed breaks from the tension that you don't get in Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, which director Koshi Nakanishi has admitted was "possibly too scary." Hopefully we'll learn more soon about Kojima's plans to keep sissies like me from tapping out while playing OD.

Hideo Kojima recommended Norman Reedus his "favorite" anime, and it sounds like The Walking Dead actor wants to turn it into a live-action movie.

Now, I'm not so sure everyone will be diving into Prime Day looking for a new Sega Dreamcast controller. However, I like to cater to the niche needs of my retro-loving readers, so I thought I'd highlight my favorite modern, wireless gamepad for the system and its six-button sibling that'll better fulfil the needs of all you fighting game fans out there.

I've spent the first half of 2026 picking out the best retro controllers for every console I own, and the Retro Fighters StrikerDC is a solid Dreamcast contender. I'm waiting for it to get in the Prime Day spirit, as it's still going for $64.99 at Amazon, but the D6 version that serves as a fighting pad is sitting pretty at $39.95, and while it's not technically a Prime Day gaming deal, it has dipped just in time for the sale.

Ultimately, you're getting a pretty sensational wireless gamepad solution for the Dreamcast regardless of version. Retro Fighters has nailed the age-old problem of cutting the cord while retaining compatibility with Sega's VMU (Visual Memory Unit), as both come with a docking station receiver that links the pad via a 2.4GHz connection.

Whether or not to go for the StrikerDC or D6 purely comes down to genre preferences. I personally use Sega's last hardware hurrah as a Neo Geo AES alternative since it boasts plenty of ports of that expensive system's games. If, like me, you're planning on mainly playing a bunch of King of Fighters entries, or even some of Capcom's romps like Street Fighter Alpha, Third Strike, or Marvel vs Capcom, grabbing the versions with a superior disc d-pad and six-button layout is a no-brainer.

Naturally, that means you'll be losing the single hall-effect analogue stick and triggers that are mandatory for 3D classics. The blue blur won't be going anywhere without the former in Sonic Adventure, and while you could make a case for using the D6's d-pad for Resident Evil: Code Veronica, a more conventional layout will save you from being munched.

It's a good job that both Retro Fighters' Dreamcast controllers are pretty great, as there aren't many alternatives out there. You could go down the route of grabbing a Blueretro Bluetooth adapter, like this one for $30, but most controllers aren't going to feel quite right on Sega's system. The closest pad in terms of layout I can think of is the single-stick 8Bitdo N64 controller, but even then, it's got those abnoxiously big A and B buttons that only make sense on Ninty's first 3D machine.

Therefore, I do think sticking with the Retro Fighters duo is the right call. I'll be swinging right back here with an update if the StrikerDC drops during Prime Day this week, but if you're a brawller, that D6 pad is already down to its lowest price. There's always a risk that deals without the branding will leap back in in price during the event for whatever reason, so keep that in mind if you're eyeing it up right now.

• Retro controllers at Amazon
• Retro consoles at Amazon

Planning to play on the go? Swing by the best retro handhelds for remakes, emulation systems, and more.

Believe me when I say I'm itching to get my hands on a Steam Machine, but my bank account says no to its $1,049 price tag. Sure, everything gaming-related is upsettingly expensive right now, and Valve's 512GB model MSRP isn't even a worst-case scenario amid RAMageddon. However, it's still high enough to put my tiny living room cube aspirations on the back burner right now, and the situation has prompted me to revisit an 11-year-old Steam feature.

Those of you into gaming PCs over a decade ago will no doubt remember the first Steam Machines. They ultimately crashed and burned due to the limited abilities of Linux at the time, a lack of one singular first-party system, and price points that make the new SteamOS-powered cube look semi-reasonable. While the original idea fizzled away, though, it did arrive alongside Steam Link, a service that lets you stream your games locally to a bunch of lower-spec devices.

In the early days of Steam Link, the service was in fact baked into a tiny TV box with the same name. The gadget packed a Marvell DE35-A1 single-core processor, 256MB RAM, and 4GB storage, but that was more than enough to ping games to your screen at 1080p 60fps over Ethernet or Wi-Fi.

These days, the feature exists as a standalone app that works on various devices, ranging from affordable gaming handhelds to mini PCs and a bunch of other Android and Apple devices with access to the Play Store.

It's frankly staggering how many gadgets you potentially already have at home that can mimic a Steam Machine. That's thanks to the fact that Steam Link puts your PC into Big Picture Mode and lets you control your rig using a controller via a streamed image. Yes, you'll need a pretty solid internet connection, especially if you opt for a Wi-Fi-only device like a retro handheld. But the interface is going to look nearly identical to the new Steam Machine since SteamOS uses the same console-inspired design.

I'll admit that I'm not the biggest fan of streaming games, be it locally via Steam Link or using a cloud service. In the past, I've instead proposed grabbing a Steam Deck OLED or an alternative Windows portable alongside a Steam Deck dock. However, Valve's powerhouse and its rivals aren't really financially approachable right now, and since Prime Day gaming deals are happening this week, you could grab something that'll let your desktop rig enter the living room for a fraction of the price.

You're probably wondering just how little you can spend and still beam your gaming PC from afar to your living room. The Steam Machine's big arrival had me asking the same, so I powered up some of the portables and gadgets I had to hand to see what they could do.

Perhaps the most surprising "Steam Machine alternative" I have kicking around here is the Anbernic RG ARC-D, a Sega Saturn-inspired handheld that can dual-boot into Linux and Android. The latter OS support is vital, as it means it has access to the Steam Link app, and you won't even need a dock since it has mini HDMI at the ready, not to mention it'll happily connect to PC controllers via Bluetooth.

Effectively, you could spend well under $100 on the RG ARC-D, pair it with a Bluetooth gamepad (or even an actual Steam Controller if you're not on the new waiting list), and tap into a faux Steam Machine experience using Steam Link. You could even get away with just using your gaming phone if you've got the means to connect it to your TV, and some Google-powered screens even have the app built in already.

The catch is that, depending on the device you use and the quality of your Wi-Fi connection, you may have to stick to 1080p. Don't get me wrong: you don't need a powerful compact rig, or even something like the Ayaneo Mini PC AM02, to hit 4K 60fps, but cheaper Android doodads will be limited due to their floaty light specs.

The drum I'm trying to bang here is that while I'm sure we'd all love a remarkably small console-alternative that locally runs big PC games supposedly at 4K 60fps, there are ways to get a Steam Machine taster. I'm sure Valve's new box is swell, but I know at least some of you out there will have a rig that's capable of running the latest romps and will happily buddy up with smaller devices to deliver a couch experience.

What's that? Are you playing at your desk? Well, then you're in luck, as traditional rigs exist. Okay, I'll stop being facetious and simply say that if you're not too fussed about size, you could find a system within this year's Prime Day gaming PC deals that will blow the Steam Machine out of the water for a little more than Valve's asking price.

• Mini PCs at Amazon
• Gaming handhelds at Amazon

Building your own Steam Machine alternative? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and the best RAM for crucial components tested by our team.

After 10 years of work, the creator behind the internet's most famous unofficial Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake project has laid down their sword, stating that "the best move would be now to move forward."

If you're a Zelda fan who's had any level of access to the internet over the last decade or so, there's a very good chance you've come across Giuseppe "CryZENx" Macula's Ocarina of Time Unreal Engine remake. The creator first began posting videos recreating parts of the original 1998 game with shiny new visuals back in 2016, and it's only grown from there. Progress has been steady, with fans even able to play through their work, but the journey ends here (thanks, Time Extension).

"I think I have made history with my Remake," CryZENx writes in a Patreon post celebrating the announcement of the official Switch 2 Ocarina of Time remake, noting that they don't want to "step" on Nintendo.

"The best move would be now to move forward" with a new project, the creator believes, "because im sure nintendo will do it this time the right way."

They've followed this up with another post to clarify that their project has now officially "stopped." They're still keen to make more content, and have been asking fans for suggestions about what they might like to see them recreate next, but don't expect more Ocarina of Time.

To be clear, in none of CryZENx's posts has the creator indicated that Nintendo had gotten in contact with them to request that they stop working on their remake, so it seems this was a decision made purely out of respect.

We've not actually seen much of the official Switch 2 Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake yet, but funnily enough, the glimpse we saw of Link actually matches up with the more realistic-looking vibe CryZENx has been aiming for for all these years pretty well. Clearly, the modder is happy, too: "Finally after 20 years we got a real remake with a high budget."

Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake more like the 1998 original than Breath of the Wild, fans theorize after digging up now-removed details from Nintendo.

Despite its status as a Destiny competitor, the devs behind Warframe are lamenting the news of Destiny 2's final update.

While speculation over Bungie's performance has been rampant for years, the seemingly out-of-nowhere announcement that development on Destiny 2 would be coming to an end was a massive shocker when it dropped a month ago. While the game had definitely seen better days, many expected it to remain a priority at Bungie, especially when Marathon isn't exactly lighting the world on fire in a way I'm sure Sony hoped it would. However, given Sony announced earlier that same month that it had reported a $765 million impairment loss on the studio in the last financial year, drastic moves felt inevitable.

Speaking to Eurogamer, Warframe community director and live ops lead Megan Everett talks about the end of Destiny 2, saying, "Truthfully, it's heartbreaking. It's earth-shattering. I never thought I'd ever see the day where I'd read an article from Bungie about Destiny 2 essentially shutting down."

Despite Warframe being somewhat of a competitor to Destiny, Everett stresses: "I'm speaking personally, but I know people would echo it as well. No one is celebrating the fact that this has happened to Destiny, and its players and that story."

She adds, "I know that people have obviously compared us in terms of being 'direct competitors' and stuff like that. But I think a game is healthy when you have competitors, and [Destiny's developers] have done such an amazing job at trying to grow that story regardless of whatever situation they were in." Furthermore, Everett says, "To live in a reality where they're gone isn't a positive one."

Everett also acknowledges the outpouring of support Destiny 2 received following the announcement of its end of development, saying, "I think what's unfortunate and sad is they announced this was happening, and suddenly people are showing all this support for them. They've been getting a lot of negativity for all this time, and it's like, where was all this love!" She adds, "People need to put the hate away and show the love, because they could have really used that. I know it was there, but it wasn't as vocal as maybe some of the negativity."

Former Destiny 2 devs say working at Bungie was a "toxic, dysfunctional experience," describe leaders who "forgot that people play games for fun."

As the wait for new Final Fantasy 14 expansion Evercold drags on, the MMO's community is finding fresh ways to spice its time in Eorzea up… including via a Tinder-like add-on.

Yes, you read that correctly. We can all try and score our very own Limsa baddies in-game (a girl can dream, right?) thanks to AetherLove – a Dalamud plug-in that adds matchmaking to Final Fantasy 14.

I'm not promoting third-party tools or anything here, but should you be intrigued by the concept, AetherLove apparently functions much like Tinder does… albeit in-game, of course. It's all contained within a convenient mobile (tomestone) window.

All you need to do is set up your profile – you know, include all of the essentials like your favorite music and Final Fantasy character – and et voilà! You can swipe left or right on fellow Warriors of Light, depending on how you feel about their Miqo'tes and what have you.

Do be warned, you'll see a lot of modded outfits (and perhaps more NSFW gpose pictures than you've bargained for). In other words, AetherLove is exactly what it sounds like.

As one might expect, fans are already going wild over the unofficial Final Fantasy 14 Tinder equivalent. It's Lovebringer all over again, except now as a handy add-on – and I can't get enough of the chatter online (and admittedly, in my own Free Company chat) about it.

Heck, just take a peek over at X for AetherLove profile screenshots, ratings, and, of course, drama. It wouldn't be Final Fantasy 14 without some drama, eh?

From the bunny boys looking for sugar mommas to the cat girls seeking their one true love, it's all certainly something to behold. Just how long will it last before Square Enix cracks down on it, Mare Synchronos-style, though?

I do hope it stays up at least a bit longer so that I can continue browsing through the chaos on social media, if I'm honest… but I'm not brave enough to dip my toes into AetherLove's digital dating myself.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have amusing screenshots to share among my FC pals – and various new AetherLove profiles to judge.

Final Fantasy 14 boss Yoshi-P has "many game ideas" tucked away that he'd like to do something with, one being a "game design that combines AI and servers"

Deltarune Chapter 5 will release later this week, on June 24, a year after developer Toby Fox's last installment of his episodic role-playing game, though some people believe this new one could be more earth-shattering than anything Fox has done before. The fact that Fox has now revealed he's including a song in Chapter 5 he first wrote a decade ago helps this fan theory – though it doesn't aid Fox in earning his mother's respect.

"10 years ago I made a song that sounded like this," Fox writes in a Twitter post about a peacefully plaintive instrumental illustrated by Asgore's seven rainbow flowers, one of Deltarune fans' favorite subjects to speculate about. Encouraging more theories, Fox shares that his twinkly piano song is "called 'The Sunset of 7 Suns,' and "this is the hope for Chapter 5 from 10 years ago." Also, his mom doesn't love it.

"When I played this on the piano, my mom said 'you know, usually songs do more than just repeat…'" Fox recalls in a follow-up Twitter post. "Sorry Mom. Anyway, the version in-game sounds very different. Don't be surprised."

"Mama Fox would hate House music," one Deltarune fan accurately deduces. In any case, Deltarune sleuths are more preoccupied with analyzing every aspect of the song snippet Fox posted rather than interested in simply enjoying it with an afternoon tea and biscuit.

Some people are noting with fright that Fox's 10-year-old song sounds a bit like 'Finale,' a fan-favorite, optimistic melody from Deltarune 2015 companion game Undertale. Other Deltarune players are less interested in what 'The Sunset of 7 Suns' sounds like than they are in wondering why it was written a decade ago.

"Toby drops 'from 10 years ago' and everything else," nervously says one popular Twitter post. "Is this gonna be the most important chapter in the game."

It's certainly possible – but June 24 is arriving quickly, so try not to work yourself up with any more theories. We'll have our answers soon.

Toby Fox says Deltarune Chapter 6 is "developing well" and Chapter 7 may begin development "before the end of the year."

Thatgamecompany, the studio behind gems like Journey and Sky: Children of the Light, has always expressed itself through more zen video game experiences, it seems – or, at least, co-founder Jenova Chen certainly has.

Chen recalls when his game-making journey began back in 2005 in a new interview with GamesIndustry.biz, explaining that he needed money for his tuition… and the University of Southern California was offering a gaming innovation grant for a pitch "that was the opposite of what the mainstream media was condemning after the Columbine shooting."

In other words, the polar opposite of Rockstar Games' beloved Grand Theft Auto series.

The Thatgamecompany lead says as much. "I was like, 'What is the opposite of Grand Theft Auto San Andreas?'" The opposite was Cloud – a wholesome game revolving around a boy dreaming of flying while stuck in a hospital bed.

Chen (and fellow students) hoped to create a peaceful experience out of Cloud… which wasn't exactly common in the era of Assassin's Creed, Half-Life, Halo, Resident Evil, and, of course, GTA.

Nor was it popular – at least not with Valve, the mastermind company behind the likes of Half-Life 2 and the Portal games. Not according to Chen, anyway, who actually tried to pitch Cloud to the house of Steam himself.

"We pitched to pretty much every publisher you can imagine, including Valve," he admits. "Back in 2005, Valve was like, 'We only publish games with guns, our players like to shoot.'" Sounds about right for the time, honestly.

It's important to note that Cloud did end up finding its way to the public, and you can still download it for free online. As for Valve… well, it's still known best for shooters like the Counter-Strike and Half-Life series, but I'd say there's nothing quite as out there as GTA under its belt.

And, as it stands, games with a violent edge continue to prove popular – heck, just take a look at all of the hype surrounding GTA 6 and its upcoming launch.

That's not to say that cozy games – like Thatgamecompany's own lineup – haven't found a home in today's world. They're bigger than ever before, with roughly 80% of my own Steam library being some shape or form of relaxing experience.

GTA 6 trailer 3 hopes soar as YouTube jumps back into Rockstar's last trailer to tease it's going to be "busy" on pre-order day, but I think we already have our explanation.

Daredevil actor Deborah Ann Woll has revealed that God of War Laufey was already planned before the 2018 game was released.

God of War Laufey was announced earlier this month as the finale to the Summer Game Fest season's PlayStation State of Play, with 20 minutes of footage being shown off from the upcoming PS5 game. While rumors of an Egypt-focused God of War have been around for a long time now, it turns out Faye's scraps with Egyptian gods – and gods of all pantheons, it turns out – have been in the works for a while.

In a panel at Game Con Canada (via CGMag), Woll is asked about the upcoming game, and says: "I've known about this for nearly ten years, and I haven't been able to talk about it." Woll explains that she found out in 2018, but it was planned even before then, as she adds: "When Cory [Barlog] brought me in to talk about doing Ragnarök and show me the 2018 game, he already had a poster for the Laufey game with me and a cube. A cube that's been there since the beginning. It's deeply a part of the lore."

Woll calls the role as the face of a new God of War title a "privilege," adding: "I feel nothing but gratitude and responsibility." She says, "I pinch myself that I get to be a part of this and that I get to lead the charge for a little bit of this kind of new direction. The other direction is going to continue going forward. But we're going to put a little time and focus on expanding this world and really trying to say, this is us doubling down on the world of God of War.

"We want this to be huge." Woll continues. "We want you to feel like there's such an untapped universe. And this is just the beginning of a step into some of that."

God of War Laufey's Faye allowed Sony Santa Monica to merge the series' old and new eras: "Can I have chocolate and peanut butter together?"

It feels as though we're in danger of melting into a puddle and/or spontaneously catching fire thanks to the latest heatwave, and that means it's past time we broke out some water guns. That's why I've rounded up some of my favorites here.

I've spent a lot of time going hands-on with the best water guns for our buying guide, so I can recommend enough blasters to fill a small armoury. The Hydro Frenzy is great if you just wanna cause chaos thanks to its twin jets that flail around unconnected hoses, for instance, while the Dunk-Fill 2-Pack gets you back into the action as quickly as possible - you don't need to wait at the tap like most water guns.

A lot of these, including some of the most popular water guns, are now on offer for Prime Day. (You can get plenty under £10, like the Super Soaker Twin Tide for £9.99 at Amazon.) In other words, now's a good time to dive in; besides saving you cash, these should arrive in time to take advantage of the full heatwave later this week.

Naturally, there are a lot of other blasters I'd recommend looking at; I just didn't have time to reference them all here. Another great place to start your search would be the Spyra range, because these sci-fi water guns make it feel like I'm playing a real-life FPS. While the best can be pretty expensive, the company offers a more affordable version that still boasts many of the same tricks: the SpyraGo, which you can find for £44 at Spyra.

At the other end of the spectrum, the cheap and cheerful XShot range (which is mostly on offer via Amazon) is also worth investigating. These are direct rivals to Super Soaker and provide many of the same features, often for less... but without sacrificing quality.

No matter what you choose, I hope you're able to stay cool in the heat!

• See all today's water gun deals at Amazon

Looking for other discounts on toys? Don't miss the best Prime Day Lego deals. As for something else you and the family can enjoy outside, be sure to check out the best Nerf blasters.

House of the Dragon season 3 is back – and after the Battle of the Gullet kicked things off to a massive start, it looks like things are only going to get bloodier as the season continues.

A brand new trailer dropped after the premiere, teasing everything else that's still to come in season 3. Spoilers for episode 1 follow…

In the Battle of the Gullet, Rhaenyra's oldest son and heir, Jacaerys Velaryon, was tragically killed. In the trailer, which you can watch below, we see the fallout of his untimely death, with Rhaenyra mourning her son and accusing her allies of betraying her.

We also see more of James Norton's Ormund Hightower, and it sounds like he's not a fan of Rhaenyra. Then, there are flashes of more battles to come, more dragonfire, and Rhaenyra in the Red Keep.

At the end of House of the Dragon season 2, Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra struck a deal: Alicent would allow Rhaenyra to take King's Landing to end the war, though Aegon would have to die. However, Aegon has fled with Larys Strong, which could cause issues for a grieving Rhaenyra…

As for the Battle of the Gullet, that particular clash made some major changes from the book, including the absence of Rhaenyra's youngest sons, Aegon and Viserys. How the rest of their story plays out remains to be seen, since they are currently absent – along with Joffrey Velaryon, the new heir.

House of the Dragon season 3 continues weekly on HBO in the US and HBO Max, Sky, and NOW in the UK. You can keep up to date with our House of the Dragon season 3 release schedule. For even more, read our House of the Dragon season 3 review.