I am sure the words “new” and “Ace Attorney game” have functioned as a sleeper agent’s activation words for some of you, and these are words that Capcom themselves have sort of put together, but let’s slow down before we get carried away. As spotted by Mega Man fansite Rockman Corner, Capcom have released their integrated report for 2025, which for the most part is boring, corporate nonsense. Here comes the but. But! It also appears to suggest that the developer is thinking about new ways it can further develop series like Ace Attorney, as well as Mega Man and Devil May Cry.
Following the cancelation of Perfect Dark and the dissolution of its dedicated studio, The Initiative, two of the project’s leads have found a new home at Take-Two Interactive, and more specifically at 2K.
As reported by Jason Schreier on Bluesky, Perfect Dark studio head Darrell Gallagher and director Brian Horton have been hired at 2K to start a brand new studio. No details have yet emerged as to what the new studio will work on, or if any other former Perfect Dark employees joined them.
When asked, a 2K spokesperson provided the following confirmation of the hire:
With a combined six decades of AAA game-making experience across franchises like Tomb Raider, Call of Duty, Destiny, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Hitman, Deus Ex, and more, we’re thrilled to confirm Darrell Gallagher and Brian Horton have joined 2K for their next all-new venture. We don’t have additional details to share at this time, but look forward to sharing updates on their work in the future.
While The Initiative was closed down upon the game’s cancelation, Crystal Dynamics had also been working on the project. Per Schreier’s reporting and corroborated by IGN’s own sources, leadership from both studio sides of the project spent two months after its cancelation shopping it around to publishers in an effort to save it. Take-Two Interactive allegedly was one of the interested parties, but the deal fell through, and Crystal Dynamics underwent layoffs (it’s second round of three this year).
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
Cassette Boy is a game that looks to follow in the footsteps of perspective puzzlers like Fez and Tunic, two games I bring up because of their explicit use of space to hide more, tantalizingly secret space. Out of the two, it’s much closer to Fez, being a 2D world you can rotate to gain new, three dimensional perspectives. Where Fez is a platformer that switches between different, still 2D planes, Cassette Boy lets you switch between front on and more isometric views, and in its world, anything that can’t be seen, doesn’t exist.
We already know that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is a technical showcase on Switch 2, and we’re sure many of you have spent the weekend exploring Viewros on the new console over the weekend. But for those of you who are still clinging on to your Switch 1 and wondering whether Samus’ brand new adventure holds up on the old system, fear not.
A Sneak Peek at “Samurai Space Opera” Sol Shogunate Coming to Xbox
Guy Costantini, CEO and Chaos Agent at Chaos Manufacturing
The team at Chaos Manufacturing is thrilled to announce our debut game, Sol Shogunate–what we call a “samurai space opera.” So, what does that mean? Sol Shogunate is a single-player third-person action RPG where you play as the ultimate samurai in an alt-future setting that pays homage to the majesty of feudal Japanese tradition.
The “space opera” part has two meanings. Space opera is a sci-fi subgenre that speaks to sci-fi universes filled with drama and adventure. But it’s also a nod to the strong musical component that is at the core of our game. We’re marrying combat, story, and music into an experience that we hope players will remember long after the credits roll.
A Lone Ronin Against the Sol Shogunate
In Sol Shogunate, players step into the role of Yuzuki, the last surviving heir of a once-powerful samurai family. Following her family’s massacre, she’s on a bloody quest for vengeance. Her story becomes far more than a personal vendetta, however, as she unearths the buried histories and lies underpinning the powerful shogunate that dominates the solar system.
Yuzuki’s adventure starts on our moon, where gleaming megacities have been constructed inside lunar craters, towering above sprawling industrial districts. These cities use artificial gravity to create the illusion of Earth-like environments, including neon-soaked entertainment hubs with high-speed rail lines that cut across the surface and space elevators that stretch into orbit.
A Katana Forged for the Future
Yuzuki is the ultimate samurai, genetically engineered to dominate the battlefields of tomorrow. The way of the sword in Sol Shogunate honors samurai tradition while embracing futuristic engineering possibilities. Players can infuse attacks with various types of energy to break through defenses, stagger enemies, and create tactical openings. This is an RPG, too, and players will experience progression including gene splice upgrades that allow players to tailor Yuzuki’s abilities, from enhanced perception to bio-ceramic armor–including the gold lacquered kintsugi effect you can see in our announcement trailer–that transforms her into a living weapon.
Intense Action Scored by Electric Sound
Music is at the heart of Sol Shogunate. We believe a great soundtrack can turn a thrilling action sequence into something more, experiences we hope players will find unforgettable. We are collaborating with Japanese rock acts like AliA to build major encounters that feel like interactive music videos, with every strike amplified by driving, emotionally charged tracks.
The Moon and Beyond
Sol Shogunate is our team’s love letter to Japan’s history, art, and culture, and each metropolis is inspired by a different era of Japanese history. Each biome holds secrets tied to the shogunate’s rule and to a long-forgotten war that set the stage for Yuzuki’s fate.
Exploration is built around verticality and discovery. To navigate these zones, players will traverse vertical districts using gravity assist gear, and even uncover hidden layers within each biome, discovering clues that will unlock mysteries about Sol Shogunate’s rich backstory.
Looking Ahead
Sol Shogunate is early in development and we’re going to release it only when it’s ready for you to unleash your inner Space Samurai. The team at Chaos Manufacturing is excited to share more with you in the future, so be sure to follow @SOLShogunate on X to follow along on our journey!
This comes from tweets both by The Game Awards creator Geoff Keighley and the official Tomb Raider account. As Keighley puts it, “As just revealed in our The Game Awards Vote in Fortnite map portal, tune in Thursday night for a look at the future of one of gaming’s most iconic franchises, Tomb Raider. This is one you won’t want to miss.”
So, what could be shown? There are a few possibilities. The first and most likely is that we’re about to see the Tomb Raider game that’s been in development at Crystal Dynamics for several years now. First announced in 2022, we have yet to actually see this game in action, though we did get a look at the Lara Croft redesign last year.
One could forgive Crystal Dynamics for being so quiet the last three years, though, as the studio has been through it. Shortly before the announcement, Embracer Group purchased the studio and the franchise from Square Enix. Then, it sold both off to Middle-earth Enterprises in 2024. Amazon is still publishing Tomb Raider, but Amazon has had its own issues with the struggles of its New World MMO, its Lord of the Rings MMO, and mass layoffs. Amazon said over a year ago that the game would reveal was “not too far away,” leading one to wonder what exactly was meant by that. Meanwhile, Crystal Dynamics has undergone three waves of layoffs this year, including 30 individuals last month, an unknown number of workers in August following the cancellation of Perfect Dark by Xbox, and 17 people earlier in the year, as well as 10 others back in 2023.
That’s the game side of things. On the TV side, we know there’s a live-action Tomb Raider series in the works at Amazon in partnership with Story Kitchen, starring Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner as Lara Croft. The show will, per Story Kitchen, “reinvent the franchise on a massive scale” and will interconnect “live-action television series and video games into a unified storytelling universe.”
But again, it’s been in the works for a while with no updates. We first heard of its development in January of 2023, and it was officially confirmed later that year. There were reports in April of this year that the TV show was “dead” in part due to Tuner’s busy acting schedule and in part due to Jennifer Salke, who greenlit the show at Amazon, being “booted” from her job. There were also allegations that a script hadn’t been provided yet. But then, in September, Amazon re-confirmed the Tomb Raider series was happening and would start shooting in 2026, with Turner still to star.
That’s…a lot going on! With all that background, it seems most likely we’re going to see the game, as the series hasn’t begun shooting yet. However, it’s possible we’re due for a look at Turner as Lara Croft. Given the vagueness of Keighley and Crystal’s tweets…why not both? In the meantime, at least we have the anime…I guess. We didn’t much care for the first season.
The Game Awards will take place on Thursday, December 11, at 5pm PT/8pm ET. Here’s our guide on what else to expect at the show.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
The Alters update! Get your The Alters update! Fresh, hot and ready to download, it’s got some quality of life bits, some new features and base things like a “gamer’s den”, distressingly, a photo mode, and a number of other things. And now, for your pleasure, I will relay unto you in detail what these things are.
Management sim Esports Manager 2026, from developer Neurona Games and publishing platform indie.io, just released a new demo on Steam that gives an in-depth look at the systems that will be present in the final game.
As you could probably guess from the name, the game puts you in the role of a manager of an esports organization and challenges you to lead it to victory. The demo focuses on the three key systems that define the gameplay: talent acquisition, management of staff and players, and match simulation.
You can create your own organization from scratch or take control of a real esports organization, like EternalFire, Copenhagen Wolves, M80, and GamerLegion, and additional teams will be added when the game fully releases. And with the Transfer Module, you can scout, buy, and sell players, including real-life players like @neLendirekt,@BanKsEsports,@PiNGCasts,@bit1, and many more.
Each player has ratings in several different categories. Some define their technical gaming ability, like their skill with different weapon types or how clutch they are. Others define their personality, like leadership, amicability, and loyalty. And still others define their physical attributes, like eyesight, reaction time, and endurance.
You’ll be competing with other organizations for their services, negotiating contracts and building a roster that best aligns with your current goal. Timing and market conditions will affect these negotiations, so your strategy might need to change as circumstances do. And you’ll need to balance your income, expenses, and sponsorships to keep your organization from going bankrupt.
Once you’ve built your team, you can use the Talk Module to communicate directly with your players and staff members to manage their growth, morale, and relationships. You set training plans to improve players’ skills, but you also need to keep an eye on their well-being and how they’re feeling. You don’t want to overwork them or wear them down. You’ll also need to monitor how your players and staff members feel about each other and resolve any conflicts that might come up. It’s all part of the nitty gritty of running an organization; it’s not always sunshine and rainbows.
Of course, it wouldn’t be an esports team without the actual esports. Using the Simulation Module, you’ll take the team you’ve built into tournaments, where you can watch it perform in semi-3D simulated matches. Will all your hard work pay off in a tournament win? Or will it be clear you need to develop your team more? There’s no way to know until you actually see them in action. And with the Tactic Creator, you can design and test strategies that you can use during simulations.
These systems make up the core gameplay loop of Esports Manager 2026, and about 70% of the final systems are present in the demo. The demo doesn’t limit the real-life amount of time you can play it, but it is limited to one in-game month. That’s plenty of time to go through the full process of creating your manager profile, choosing a team, building your roster, communicating with players, signing up for a tournament, and going through simulated matches.
While most of the core gameplay is there, the developers have also made it clear that more is on the way. In particular, match simulations will be significantly expanded and more complex, with added options for tactical control and in-game events. And, of course, everything that’s present in the demo will be further balanced and polished between now and release.
Like the full game, the demo is meant to be replayed to test out new strategies and experience more of what it has to offer. And it should give you a pretty accurate idea of the scope of the final game. The demo is available to download on Steam now, and if you want to get the latest updates, you can follow Esports Manager 2026 on Twitter or Discord.
Earlier this week you may have seen what was framed as a leaked trailer for Shenmue 4. Admittedly, thanks to Dwitter compression and supposedly being a recording of a screen rather than direct capture, it looked convincing enough, as long as you don’t look too hard at it. There’s that pesky thing called “Ay Eye” going around these days though, so you should never trust something right off the bat these days. Now, as confirmed by Shenmue developer Ys Net, it turns out that that footage has nothing to do with them, and may even lead to legal action.
Playtonic and PM Studios have today released a free Switch 2 demo for the throwback platforming remake Yooka-Replaylee, giving you a chance to try before you buy.
You’ll find the new demo on the Switch 2 eShop right now, and, you’ll be pleased to hear, all the data carries over to the full game — so there’s no time wasted if you choose to go all-in on the full release afterwards.
