It would have delayed the launch.
Persona 3 Reload is en route to the Switch 2 later this month, and for anyone wondering about the chances of this remake getting a release on the original Switch, it’s probably not going to happen.
If this wasn’t already clear after the Switch 2 announcement in July, the Persona team has now confirmed this in a recent interview with Japanese outlet 4Gamer, while also providing some reasoning behind the decision.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
The new game launches later this month.
We’ve already been overloaded with a bunch of new games for Switch and Switch 2 in recent weeks, and soon Pokémon will be joining the fun with Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
“Bringing new characters and more”.
Ahead of the release of Dragon Ball: Sparking! ZERO on the Switch and Switch 2 next month, Bandai Namco has announced there’s more to come.
In addition to the already stacked roster, Dragon Ball fans can look forward to the “next DLC” which is now officially in the pipeline and will bring new characters and “more”. You can expect an update about this new content at some point in January 2026.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Crawl through dungeons and learn Japanese in Shujinkou.
2025 has been an absolutely stacked year for video games — Hades II, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Clair Obscur, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Split Fiction are just a few games that have picked up over a 90 average on OpenCritic. But until Hades II arrived, there was a game that stood head and shoulders above the rest, and you might not have even heard of it.
Shujinkou launched on PC via Steam and PS5 earlier this year and the Switch version is out today (2nd October) on the eShop for £26.99 / $29.99 (or your regional equivalent). The port was actually announced about a month ago, but given the craziness of September, it completely slipped by us!
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Videogame developers at Disco Elysium studio ZA/UM have founded what they’re calling “the first recognised workplace union in the UK games industry”, operating as part of the Independent Works Union of Great Britain. It’s yet another twist in the tale of a once-feted development studio who are now heavily associated with toxic layoffs, alleged fraud and diasporic feuding.
Bugs and UI issues also fixed.
Star Wars Outlaws is already one of the most-impressive ports on the Switch 2, and Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft are ensuring it maintains that title with today’s brand new update.
Switch 2 Title Update 2 generally focuses on graphical and visual stability along with a few bug and UI fixes. We won’t say no to that, especially just under a month since its release.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
After an exciting week of news and reveals from Call of Duty: Next, we’re capping it off with a Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Multiplayer and Zombies Beta! Over the next few days, you’ll have a chance to dive in and get hands-on with a handful of the new maps – as well as Zombies Survival. Read on for a full breakdown of the info you need to know to start playing today!
If you have pre-ordered Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 or you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you can jump into Early Access to the Open Beta starting Thursday, October 2 at 10am Pacific — you can find the Beta client here on the Microsoft Store. Also, if you’ve pre-ordered digitally, you’re automatically registered to participate in the Early Access period.
The Early Access will kick off with three maps and four modes playable during early access: The Forge, Cortex, Exposure, and Imprint. The available game modes will be Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint and Kill Confirmed. The brand-new game mode Overload and the classic mode Search & Destroy will also be added to the playlist with Overload being added on October 3 and Search & Destroy being added on October 4!
In Overload, teams will fight for control of the Overload Device, which they must pick up and carry into one of the enemy’s two control zones. The device’s position is shown via HUD and Tac-Map, and any Operator carrying it receives extra map intel.`
Once Open Beta kicks off on October 5, the doors will be open for players across all platforms to jump into the Black Ops 7 Beta. In addition to all the content available during Beta Early Access, Open Beta will unlock two new maps – Blackheart and Toshin.
For the first time ever, Zombies will be in a Call of Duty Beta! Zombies Survival, set on Vandorn Fam, will be available for a limited time starting in the Early Access to the Open Beta starting October 3. Survival is a focused, unfiltered Zombies experience with no quests or objectives — it’s just you and your squad surviving against the relentless undead for as long as you can. This is a bite-sized portion of what’s waiting for you in Ashes of the Damned, giving you a great opportunity to jump in and slay some zombies with no distractions.
Also, GobbleGums will be available to use during the Zombies Survival which these will be complimentary during the Beta. Be sure to read the in-depth GobbleGums guide for more details.
Check out the official Call of Duty Blog for a full breakdown on the maps and modes that will be available to play this weekend.
If you need a refresher on Multiplayer, make sure you check out the Training Course – you can find this alongside the other Beta modes. Here you’ll get acquainted with the updated Omnimovement system as well as other traversal evolutions that Black Ops 7 has in store. It’s recommended to start your Multiplayer journey here whether you’re a new or returning player.
When you jump into your first game, you’ll find that there are a handful of weapons, Perks, Scorestreaks, and Equipment already unlocked and ready to use.In addition to that, you’ll have 30 levels of unlocks for you to progress through during the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Beta. Once you hit Level 4, you’ll gain access to Custom Loadouts and Weapon and Gear customization. Each level will unlock additional options for your Loadout.
You can also achieve Beta rewards that will transfer over to your Black Ops 7 inventory at launch:
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 launches November 14, 2025, for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Cloud – with support for Xbox Play Anywhere and day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass – as well as PlayStation 4 & 5, Battle.net, and Steam. Pre-order any digital edition or subscribe to select Game Pass plans and receive Early Access to the Open Beta (Terms), as well as the Reznov Challenge Pack and Guild Override Weapon Camo (Terms). Learn more here.
Activision Publishing Inc.
– Early Access is October 2nd – October 5th
– Open Beta access is available for all players from October 5th – October 8th
Experience your first taste of the cutting-edge combat in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 with the Black Ops 7 Beta.
– Map Variety: Jump into brand-new 6v6 Multiplayer maps coming at launch on November 14th, all combining a new level of visual fidelity along with refined Multiplayer design for the most engaging Black Ops MP ever.
– Near-Future Weaponry: Set in 2035, Multiplayer delivers an arsenal of new, near-future weaponry and gear, including a selection of Black Ops 2 inspirations.
– Overclocked Gear: Scorestreaks, Field Upgrades and Equipment can be upgraded with the new Overclock system, growing more versatile the more you use them. Every match becomes a step toward unlocking their full potential.
– Next-level Omnimovement: including Wall Jumps and a complete refinement of core movement, open-up creative possibilities and fresh dynamics to gameplay.
Earn in-game rewards including an Operator skin, weapon blueprint and additional cosmetic items for playing the Beta, which will be immediately available in the Beta once unlocked and playable in Black Ops 7 once the full game launches.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.
*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console.
**Actual launch date(s), time(s), and platform availability of Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. Game Pass Core subscription may be required for Beta.
Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.
Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.
Activision Publishing Inc.
– Early Access to the Open Beta*
— Early Access starts on October 2
— Open Beta access (available for all players) starts on October 5
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone
**:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo
The Vault Edition includes:
– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Xbox PC versions of the game
– BlackCell (1 Season)***
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)
In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite team on a covert mission to the sprawling city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.
Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience.
Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape.
Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.
*Actual launch date(s), time(s), and platform availability of Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. Game Pass Core subscription may be required for Beta.
**Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.
***BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.
Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.
Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.
Activision Publishing Inc.
– BlackCell (1 Season)**
— Includes: Battle Pass, 20 Tier Skips, 1,100 CP and more
– Operator Collection
— 4 Operator Skins: Harper, Karma, T.E.D.D. and Reaper EWR-3
– Mastercraft Collection
— 5 Mastercraft Weapons
– Ultra GobbleGum Pack for Zombies
— 8 GobbleGums of Ultra rarity for Black Ops 7
– Permanent Unlock Token for Black Ops 7 (available at launch)
*Requires existing ownership of the digital version of the Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7 – Cross-Gen Bundle on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC (sold separately), or active subscription to select Game Pass plans (Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console).
**BlackCell, Battle Pass, Call of Duty® Points and Tier Skips will be accessible in Black Ops 7 upon availability of the Season 1 Battle Pass in-game. Redemption applies to one Season of the Black Ops 7 Battle Pass only.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.
Activision Publishing Inc.
– Early Access to the Open Beta**
— Early Access starts on October 2
— Open Beta access (available for all players) starts on October 5
– Items for immediate use in Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty®: Warzone***:
— Reznov Challenge Pack – unlock the SOG Reznov Operator Skin. Plus, get access to unlock the Stalingrad Reznov and Memory Reznov Operator Skins
— Guild Override Weapon Camo – unlock the Guild Override dynamic Weapon Camo
Includes:
– Cross-Gen Bundle of Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7
— Includes Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Xbox PC versions of the game
In Call of Duty®: Black Ops 7, Treyarch and Raven Software are bringing players the most mind-bending Black Ops ever.
The year is 2035 and the world is on the brink of chaos, ravaged by violent conflict and psychological warfare. David Mason leads an elite JSOC team on a covert mission to the sprawling Mediterranean city of Avalon. While there, they discover a sophisticated plot that won’t just plunge the world into chaos, it will pull them into their own haunting pasts.
Squad up or go solo in an innovative Co-Op Campaign that redefines the Black Ops experience. Take on high-stakes challenges across a wide spectrum of environments, from the neon-lit rooftops of Japan to the Mediterranean coast, and even into the deepest corners of the human psyche.
Multiplayer explodes out of the gate with 16 electrifying 6v6 maps and two 20v20 maps at launch. From futuristic Tokyo vistas to the frozen, unforgiving wilds of Alaska, every environment is brimming with danger and opportunity. Master a cutting-edge arsenal and outmaneuver your enemies with an evolved Omnimovement system.
In Treyarch’s legendary Round-Based Zombies mode, the nightmare begins where reality ends. Trapped in the heart of the Dark Aether, the crew is thrust into a vast, ever-shifting hellscape. This isn’t just survival. It’s a descent into madness.
Game requires a Game Pass Core subscription (sold separately).
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot required for PC, other security measures may be enforced. Learn more at https://support.activision.com/tpm.
*Requires active subscription to Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass PC, or Game Pass Console. Subscribers must login to Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC by November 14, 2025 to redeem the Reznov Challenge Pack.
**Actual launch date(s), time(s), and platform availability of Beta subject to change. See www.callofduty.com/beta for more details. Minimum Open Beta duration is 2 days. Limited time only. Internet connection required. Game Pass Core subscription may be required for Beta.
***Call of Duty®: Black Ops 6 or Call of Duty®: Warzone on Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Xbox PC required to redeem. Sold / downloaded separately. Must be redeemed by November 14th, 2026.
Content, features, services, online play, and support not available in all regions, and may vary, change, or terminate.
Requires an Activision account and acceptance of the Activision Software License and Services Agreement. A mobile phone number linked to your Activision account may be required to play Black Ops 7.
Additional storage space may be required for mandatory game updates.
For more information, please visit www.callofduty.com.
©/TM/® 2025 Activision Publishing, Inc. This product contains software technology licensed from Id Software (‘Id Technology’). Id Technology © 1999-2025 Id Software, Inc.
The post How to Start Playing the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Multiplayer and Zombies Beta appeared first on Xbox Wire.
It’s time to see which PS5, PS4, PS VR2, and free-to-play games topped last month’s download charts. September saw sports rise to the top again as NBA 2K26 led the league in the US, while EA Sports FC 26 took charge in the EU charts for PS5, with Borderlands 4 and Hollow Knight: Silksong also performing strongly. Meanwhile, Dragon Ball Gekishin Squadra found success on the free-to-play charts in both the US and EU.
Check out the full listings below. What titles are you playing this month?
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| NBA 2K26 | EA Sports FC 26 |
| Borderlands 4 | Hollow Knight: Silksong |
| EA Sports FC 26 | Borderlands 4 |
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | NBA 2K26 |
| EA SPORTS Madden NFL 26 | Dying Light: The Beast |
| Dying Light: The Beast | Grand Theft Auto V |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Forza Horizon 5 |
| NHL 26 | Minecraft |
| SILENT HILL f | Ready or Not |
| EA SPORTS College Football 26 | SILENT HILL f |
| Ready or Not | No Man’s Sky |
| HELLDIVERS 2 | Assassin’s Creed Shadows |
| Forza Horizon 5 | Hogwarts Legacy |
| Minecraft | NHL 26 |
| METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER | Mafia: The Old Country |
| Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds | UFC 5 |
| No Man’s Sky | METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER |
| Gears of War: Reloaded | Hell is Us |
| FINAL FANTASY TACTICS – The Ivalice Chronicles | Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot |
| Hell is Us | It Takes Two |
*Naming of products may differ between regions
*Upgrades not included
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | EA Sports FC 26 |
| Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition | Red Dead Redemption 2 |
| Batman: Arkham Knight | Hollow Knight: Voidheart Edition |
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | Batman: Arkham Knight |
| Grand Theft Auto V | Hollow Knight: Silksong |
| EA Sports FC 26 | Grand Theft Auto V |
| Need for Speed Heat | Assassin’s Creed Origins |
| Minecraft | The Forest |
| Mortal Kombat X | A Way Out |
| The Forest | Assassin’s Creed Odyssey |
| Call of Duty: Black Ops III | Mafia: Trilogy |
| Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – Game of the Year Edition | Need for Speed Heat |
| A Way Out | Minecraft |
| Mafia III: Definitive Edition | Kingdom Come: Deliverance |
| Assassin’s Creed Odyssey | Unravel Two |
| Assassin’s Creed Origins | Mortal Kombat X |
| STAR WARS Battlefront II | Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice – Game of the Year Edition |
| Mafia: Trilogy | Hogwarts Legacy |
| Psychonauts | Mafia II: Definitive Edition |
| NBA 2K26 | Descenders |
*Naming of products may differ between regions
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| Alien: Rogue Incursion VR | Alien: Rogue Incursion VR |
| Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition | Creed: Rise to Glory – Championship Edition |
| Beat Saber | Horizon Call of the Mountain |
| GORN 2 | Beat Saber |
| Job Simulator | Job Simulator |
| Vampire: The Masquerade – Justice | Metro Awakening |
| Arizona Sunshine 2 | Arizona Sunshine 2 |
| Among Us 3D: VR | Moss: Book II |
| Pavlov | Pavlov |
| Arken Age | Ragnarock |
*PlayStation Store purchases only. Game upgrades or games bundled with hardware not included
| US/Canada | EU |
|---|---|
| DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA | Delta Force (F2P) |
| Delta Force (F2P) | Roblox |
| Fortnite | skate. |
| Marvel Rivals | Fortnite |
| Roblox | DRAGON BALL GEKISHIN SQUADRA |
| Call of Duty: Warzone | Call of Duty: Warzone |
| skate. | Rocket League |
| Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X – Free Access | Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege X – Free Access |
| Rocket League | eFootball |
| Fall Guys | Marvel Rivals |
OpenAI’s Sora 2 generative video app has gone live, and immediately it’s been used to create countless videos featuring licensed characters, such as Mario, Pikachu and an array of other Pokémon.
While videos featuring Pikachu in Saving Private Ryan, or Mario in Star Wars, might look surprising, a statement from OpenAI earlier this week suggested the company knew exactly what people would be getting up to when Sora 2 arrived — and what the company’s own algorithms had apparently been trained on.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, OpenAI has already begun contacting movie studios and other intellectual property owners to discuss next steps — and offer them the chance to retroactively opt out of their fictional characters being available within Sora 2’s AI videos.
But, for now, it’s open season on Pikachu and his pals, as these initial results from Sora 2 demonstrate (thanks, Nintendo Life):
“The Dark Knight” pic.twitter.com/2Hk0vlJBKJ
— Justine Moore (@venturetwins) October 1, 2025
And finally – “The Titantic” starring Pikachu and Eevee pic.twitter.com/63HjZC9toy
— Justine Moore (@venturetwins) October 1, 2025
Ever wondered what Pikachu would sound like if he could actually chat away in human speech (and wasn’t secretly Ryan Reynolds)? Well, wonder no longer — though you may regret listening to this.
Entertainment time, best to hear Pokémon Pikachu complaining about Sora 2 😬 pic.twitter.com/WlFqqEnpoy
— Skyla Vtuber 幻萍 VTuber (@skyla_vtuber) October 2, 2025
While characters are fair game, OpenAI has previously said that real-life people, whether that’s users of the app or the those seeking to use the likeness of celebrities, will need to have manually opted in to having their appearances generated. Of course, OpenAI boss Sam Altman has allowed for his likeness to be used — so here he is having a lightsaber battle with Pikachu:
Pokemon don’t sue me 🥲 Sora 2 is insane pic.twitter.com/dInl6EysJl
— Pm Prod (@PMProdResearch) October 2, 2025
Alongside Pokémon, Nintendo’s own Mario characters have been getting plenty of use. And then there’s the final clip below, which mashes together Valve’s Portal and Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (and also Twin Peaks).
Sora 2 just broke the Internet yesterday.
Reimagine famous movies
100% AI parody
1. “Star Wars” but starring Mario & friends pic.twitter.com/t9QqOT8RnG
— Min Choi (@minchoi) October 2, 2025
This is my favorite Sora 2 generation I’ve made so far.
It can seamlessly combine the disparate gameplay elements of Portal and Tony Hawk Pro Skater and then slip in a Twin Peaks reference… and generate in 1.5 minutes.
Unreal. pic.twitter.com/C3XUEzgHsH— 🌟twinstar🌟 ଘ(✿˵•́ ᴗ •̀˵)੭🧁 (@1ketaminepatch) October 1, 2025
Is any of this legal? “In short, we don’t have a definitive answer yet,” business lawyer and creator of the Virtual Legality podcast Richard Hoeg told IGN today. “There are indications in some quarters that training on protected materials is likely going to be deemed legal so long as the materials themselves were acquired for some lawful purpose (and not pirated). But on the output side, the Disney/Dreamworks lawsuit makes some good arguments for why/how the law should expect these platforms to police prompts for infringing requests, especially if they are already policing for something else (porn, bigotry, etc.). But all of those are still just arguments, not settled law..
Hoeg continued: “The law moves slowly, far slower than technology, which is why you see these tech companies racing ahead of it a bit. My best guess is that OpenAI is probably going to be okay long term on the training sets they used (assuming they weren’t pirated), and that the ‘opt out of training’ option therefore won’t do much of anything. Where they really need to concern themselves is on the output side and/or if they are marketing their software’s abilities with protected content themselves.”
IGN has contacted Nintendo and The Pokémon Company for comment.
Last week, the famously litigious The Pokémon Company formally responded to the use of Pokémon TV hero Ash Ketchum and the series’ theme tune by the Department of Homeland Security, as part of a video showing people being arrested and handcuffed by law enforcement agents. “Our company was not involved in the creation or distribution of this content,” a spokesperson told IGN, “and permission was not granted for the use of our intellectual property.”
But while The Pokémon Company may not begin legal action over that usage, the firm is still keenly battling on against Palworld developer Pocketpair in its claim that the game infringed upon multiple patents. Earlier this week, former Capcom designer Yoshiki Okamoto sparked a backlash in Japan after suggesting that Pokémon and Nintendo’s legal action against Palworld was justified, since Pocketpair’s game had “crossed a line that should not be crossed.”
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
It must have been a stressful few days for Microsoft. Game Pass changes nobody likes, admitting the first Xbox-branded handheld costs a thousand bucks, having to tell the Israeli military that they need to see other people. Yeesh. No wonder they’re so intent on blowing off steam by taking a scythe to Windows 10 security updates this month, a move that will effectively end official support for the operating system.
