PlayStation Exclusive Ghost of Yotei Gets Official Popcorn Bucket Inspired by a Traditional Japanese Rice Bucket

We’re now used to outlandish popcorn buckets for Hollywood movies. Who can forget the Deadpool & Wolverine popcorn bucket from last year, which let people eat out of Wolverine’s head? Speaking of popcorn bucket heads, The Fantastic Four: First Steps’s Galactus head is a gargantuan $80.

Now it’s time for video games to get in on the act. Upcoming PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei is getting its own official popcorn bucket as the video game crosses the divide into blockbuster movie territory.

Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is working with Sony to showcase five classic samurai films inspired by Ghost of Yotei on the big screen in a programming series called Way of the Samurai, and as part of that it will launch a custom Ghost of Yotei-themed menu featuring appetizers, desserts, and cocktails “crafted to complement the mood and mythology of the films.”

But the big draw is the exclusive, 100-ounce Ghost of Yotei popcorn bucket modeled after a traditional Japanese rice bucket. The popcorn bucket launches today, July 17, at AlamoMart.com and will be available in theaters from August 2 to September 4.

The special Ghost of Yotei menu will be available at Alamo locations nationwide during the Way of the Samurai screenings.

The movies are:

  • LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973, dir. Toshiya Fujita) – A blood-soaked tale of revenge that
  • influenced KILL BILL and countless others.
  • LONE WOLF AND CUB: SWORD OF VENGEANCE (1972, dir. Kenji Misumi) – A
  • brutal, beautiful saga of a disgraced samurai and his infant son on a path of vengeance.
  • THE TALE OF ZATOICHI (1962, dir. Kenji Misumi) – The first installment of the
  • legendary blind swordsman series.
  • 13 ASSASSINS (2011, dir. Takashi Miike) – A modern epic of strategy and sacrifice that
  • redefined large-scale action.
  • RAN (1985, dir. Akira Kurosawa) – The master's sweeping tragedy of power, madness,
  • and betrayal.

As for Ghost of Yotei, Sony recently revealed more information on the game during a dedicated State of Play. Ghost of Yotei launches October 2, 2025 on PS5.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Random: We’re Big Fans Of This Switch 2 Summer Gaming Solution

USB-C what we did there?

Summer! It’s hot. It’s ‘close’, as they say round here. And when you’re already hot and bothered, sometimes turning on your Switch 2 console in portable mode for a quick session, well, it’s not gonna make you any cooler, let’s put it like that.

And so, we’ve been delighted to see one gamer over on Reddit coming up with a very silly tip for hot days spent playing Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, or whatever else it is you’ve got on the go (this writer is all over The Hundred Line: Last Defense Academy right now, FWIW).

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

Unfinished Business: How Nacon Created RoboCop’s Most Difficult Assignment Yet

Unfinished Business: How Nacon Created RoboCop’s Most Difficult Assignment Yet

RoboCop: Rogue City - Unfinished Business Key Art

Summary

I’m going to do that thing people don’t like, where I remind you about the inevitable passage of time. If that’s the sort of thing that does about as much damage to you as failing to comply when ordered by ED-209, then look away now. Today marks 38 years since RoboCop’s debut and what better way to celebrate than with a double feature.

On the surface, “RoboCop” might feel like a gratuitous action flick, but that would be ignoring the deep worldbuilding, themes, and characterization explored across these movies. It’s also deeply satirical and not afraid to have fun, with some iconic jokes, gags, and one-liners.  

These were a must when it came to building RoboCop: Rogue City, a first-person shooter that launched at the end of 2023 and is available today with Game Pass for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC! As RoboCop, you can hit the streets, interrogate witnesses, and complete objectives in alignment with your moral compass. If you’ve still not checked out Rogue City, now’s the perfect time.

Rogue City was a fantastic success for us, and that’s down to the passionate fans. Their support also gave us the opportunity to work on a follow-up, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business.  If Rogue City is a little more about downtime, exploring Old Detroit, and experiencing the life of RoboCop, then Unfinished Business can be considered playing a high intensity RoboCop movie.

Unfinished Business begins with a group of mercenaries tearing through the Metro West Precinct, bodies and bullets left in their wake. With components stolen from RoboCop’s chair, their objective is clear: the OmniTower. Combine these with the technology at the top, and they can seize control of all OCP technology, including RoboCop. The stakes are high and since the OmniTower is outside the Detroit Police Department’s jurisdiction, it means RoboCop is going in alone.

Unfinished Business follows on from Rogue City, and both games sit between “RoboCop 2” and “RoboCop 3” on the timeline. This gives us a lot of lore to draw from, it means we can introduce new enemies, like the katana wielding androids (those don’t look like OCP tech), or jetpack users, who rain fire down from above. These threats turn each level of the OnniTower into a puzzle that needs to be solved.  How will you navigate the turrets, drones, and the small army of heavily armored mercs standing between you and the summit.

One of the most important things for players is that they feel the power of being RoboCop, we’ve kept the option to toss enemies and objects with ease, but we’ve also added powerful environmental finishers where the camera pulls back and see RoboCop in action. This was in response to feedback from our players who wanted to see more of the iconic hero.

Another thing we wanted to do with Unfinished Business is to dive deeper into the man in the machine. Humanity has always been a core theme in this series, and while the bulk of the story takes place in the OmniTower, levels that put you into the shoes of different characters present new gameplay styles that serve as a change of pace throughout the campaign.

When playing as Alex Murphy back when he was a beat cop, players will need to alter their playstyle without RoboCop’s powerful armor serving as a shield. Ammo counts become important when you can’t fall back on the Auto-9, but more than that, it’s an opportunity for us to build on Murphy’s story. The link between Murphy and RoboCop was a crux in the films, something that Peter Weller was known for doing so well, and the reason we needed to get him back for the standalone — welcome back to Old Detroit, Murphy.

It’s a great day for RoboCop fans! RoboCop: Rogue City is available today with Game Pass and the action-packed standalone follow-up, RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business, is available now for Xbox Series X|S!


Xbox Play Anywhere

RoboCop: Rogue City – Unfinished Business

Nacon


12

$29.99

ROBOCOP IS BACK ON DUTY TO SETTLE UNFINISHED BUSINESS

FIGHT YOUR WAY TO THE TOP FLOOR
Following RoboCop’s decisive victory over Detroit’s gangs, a new chapter unfolds in this standalone extension set after the events of RoboCop: Rogue City.

The New Guy in Town has been defeated, but the streets are still riddled with crime. A spark of hope comes from OCP’s latest project: OmniTower – a massive housing complex designed specifically to provide for the needs of the residents of Old Detroit.

But when a group of highly trained mercenaries armed with cutting-edge weapons takes control of the building and turns it into their deadly fortress, RoboCop must take action to put a stop to their plans and uphold the law.

FACE A DEADLIER CLASS OF CRIMINALS
Prepare to take on a new breed of enemies: OmniTower is packed with high-tech threats.

From flying drones to exploding bots and anti-personnel turrets, every floor is riddled with deadly traps, and heavily armed elite troops. Expect to face minigun-toting armoured squads, special forces equipped with jet packs or even katana-wielding foes who look more machine than man.

RESTORE ORDER WITH JUSTICE SERVED COLD
When it’s too late to shout “freeze”, you can rely on RoboCop’s arsenal to to cool down enemies’ ambitions. Choose from a wide range of powerful weapons to serve Justice, including the iconic Auto-9 or the all-new Cryo Cannon.
Unleash RoboCop’s unmatched strength to deliver devastating finishing moves – whether smashing an opponent’s skull against a concrete wall or into the nearest drinks vending machine.

PLAY AS ALEX MURPHY AND ED-209
Experience unique missions with familiar faces which reveal more of the storyline of Unfinished Business.

Before becoming RoboCop, he was plain old police officer Alex Murphy, brave and resolute, but all too vulnerable on the beat in Old Detroit. Discover a different side of the legendary law enforcer, voiced by Peter Weller.

Step into the big boots of ED-209 and make the mercs know the efficiency of the iconic urban pacifier in action. This time, criminals won’t have 20 seconds to comply.


Xbox Play Anywhere

RoboCop: Rogue City

Nacon


365


$59.99

$47.99
PC Game Pass
Xbox Game Pass

Become the legendary part man, part machine, all cop hero and bring justice to the dangerous, crime-ridden streets of Old Detroit.

Uphold the law by any means necessary:
With your powerful Auto-9 or one of the other 20 weapons available, eradicate criminals throughout this explosive first-person adventure. Your cyborg strength and cybernetic abilities can be upgraded as you progress, to make you an even more formidable law enforcement officer.

It’s up to you to decide how to fulfil your prime directives:
Explore open areas and complete your objectives according to your own sense of justice. Finding evidence, interrogating suspects and maintaining public order are just some of your daily tasks as a police officer. But don’t take decisions lightly: your choices can determine the fate of citizens and the result of your mission.

An original story set in the world of RoboCop:
The city of Old Detroit has been hit by a crime wave, with a new enemy threatening the peace and order. Your investigation leads you right into the heart of a shadowy conspiracy in an original story that takes place between RoboCop 2 and 3, with striking locations to explore and familiar faces to meet. Peter Weller, the original RoboCop actor, is even back on duty to voice the cybercop.

Get ready to…

PROTECT THE INNOCENT AND UPHOLD THE LAW


RoboCop: Rogue City – Alex Murphy Edition

Nacon


924


$69.99

$6.99

The ”Alex Murphy” Edition throws you into the thick of the action for an even more exhilarating experience. It includes:
– The base game
– The ”OCP Shotgun” side arm
– The hero’s damaged armour, taken from the first RoboCop film (cosmetic)
– The ”Prototype” version of the Auto-9 gun (cosmetic)
– Early access to the game, 48 hours before the official launch
– The digital artbook containing 100 pages of images, with comments from the game developers


The post Unfinished Business: How Nacon Created RoboCop’s Most Difficult Assignment Yet appeared first on Xbox Wire.

Julian LeFay, ‘Father of The Elder Scrolls,’ Steps Back From Game Development Due To Cancer

Julian LeFay, former chief engineer at Bethesda and co-founder of OnceLost Games, is stepping back from game development due to his ongoing battle with cancer, the company announced yesterday.

In a video from OnceLost Games, producer Victor Villareal announced the news. “Our technical producer Julian LeFay, who I’m sure needs no introduction, has been fighting a battle with cancer for the last several years,” said Villareal. “He’s fought bravely and strongly, but it seems he doesn’t have very much time left. He has stepped away from the project to spend that remaining time with his family and loved ones.”

LeFay is often referred to as the “father of the Elder Scrolls” series, as he joined Bethesda Softworks after its founding in 1987 and led the company as Chief Engineer through games like The Elders Scrolls: Arena, The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall, and Battlespire. Julianos, the God of Wisdom and Logic, and one of the Nine Divines in The Elder Scrolls, is named after LeFay.

Dabbling in various projects over the years, LeFay co-founded the studio OnceLost Games in 2019 with former Bethesda colleagues Ted Peterson and Vijay Lakshman, to work on a Daggerfall spiritual successor called The Wayward Realms.

Peterson penned a statement, released in the description of the announcement video from OnceLost games, tracing his history with LeFay.

“I could talk stories about our friendship and how we’ve worked together recently with our team on Wayward Realms as creative and technical directors, but I need to come to the point of this,” wrote Peterson. “Julian has been courageously battling cancer. His doctors have informed us that his time with us is limited, and we are preparing to say goodbye to a true legend of the industry.”

Peterson invited fans to share thoughts, prayers, well-wishes, memories, or simply the impact LeFay’s life and work has had on them.

“To me, this is deeply personal, and I regret every second I didn’t spend with one of the most charming, smart, funny, and interesting people I’ve ever met,” wrote Peterson. “It’s also a spur to action for me: I will not let down his legacy.

“That said, a final quote from the eminently quotable Julian LeFay,” he continued. “He said this at our last team meeting, and I believe it represents him and his beliefs well. ‘It is personal. And if it’s not personal, then you’re just doing work for hire and you’ll never have the motivation to accomplish a significant goal.'”

Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.

Mixtape is a suave and syrupy retro music love-in with a useful undertow of hustle

Mixtape isn’t entirely the retro 90s nostalgia piece you might be expecting from trailers – it’s also a playable job application. Protagonist Stacy Rockford is enjoying one last night in their east US hometown with childhood friends Slater and Cassandra, before Rockford sets off to chase a music supervisor gig in New York City. Mixtape is both a going-away celebration and, on some level, Rockford’s portfolio project, edited together from teenage flashbacks and waiting to be thrust into the hands of a distant producer.

Read more

Pass Man: My doomed attempt to play Rematch as a support class

Fantastical football sim Rematch has, we’re told, a passing problem. Specifically, no-one is doing it. While I suspect this dearth of teamplay is exaggerated in the darkness of upset Steam forum posts, I definitely remember a lot of ballhogging going on in the third person booter’s open beta.

It sounds to me, then, that Rematch is suffering from the same issue you get in low-ranked Dota 2 lobbies: everyone wants to be the superstar, the one who ends the match with the biggest numbers next to their name, oblivious to how few instances of the letter ‘I’ occur in the word ‘Team’. It’s very few, people. Clearly, what’s needed is someone willing to do the dirty work as a passing-focused support character, and today, that would be me. I’d score no goals and seek no glory, only defending, distracting, and most importantly, promoting the redistribution of stitched leather orbs.

Read more

Despite Laying Off 270 Staff, Development Studio Virtuos Remains ‘Fully Committed’ to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered, Cyberpunk 2077, and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered development studio Virtuos has said it remains “fully committed” to ongoing work on the game, as well as its contributions to Cyberpunk 2077 and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, despite shedding up to 270 staff.

In a statement today, Virtuous said it was “evolving to meet the changing needs” of its partners and the wider video games industry by cutting several hundred staff members, predominantly from its Asian workforce.

Describing the job losses as a “rebalancing of roles across our studios and geographies,” Virtuos said its changes would impact 200 roles in Asia and a further 70 roles in Europe.

Still, the company has made clear that its team behind the recent, well-received Oblivion Remastered is not among those hardest hit. “Fewer than 10” roles will be impacted in France, Virtuos continued, “where the core team working on Oblivion Remastered is located.” Oblivion Remastered update 1.2 will soon be released widely.

Ongoing work on Cyberpunk 2077 — which only today received its latest patch — will continue, Virtuos assured. The same is also true of its team working on Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, due out on August 28.

Discussing its staffing changes in more detail, Virtuos said the company’s focus had shifted over the past 12 months after acquisitions of teams in North America and Europe, and it was now “selectively exiting service segments where demand is weakening.”

“We are grateful for the contributions of those impacted,” Virtuos concluded. “We are providing separation packages, career transition assistance, and opportunities for redeployment across our global network where possible. The company’s immediate focus is on managing this transition with care, transparency, and respect.”

Headquarted in Singapore but with studios across the world, Virtuos employed 4,200 staff before these latest layoffs. The company is a renowned co-development partner that has contributed to a laundry list of recent blockbuster games, from Hogwarts Legacy to Call of Duty, and Horizon Zero Dawn to Mortal Kombat 1.

Virtuos’ Cyberpunk 2077 Update 2.3 is available today for all platforms and adds new vehicles, jobs and a photo mode to CD Projekt’s futuristic open-world, while CD Projekt itself is busy building Cyberpunk 2.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

The Drifter review

The Drifter is sometimes quite silly in ways I don’t think are intentional, and it managed to yank me right out of the experience more than once. You obviously have to be in a thing to get yanked out of it though, which is my way of saying that The Drifter is good, although I will be taking the piss out of it later. It’s stylish, moody, and pulls off the point n’ click adventure game two-for-one: characters worth caring about, and also characters worth irritating by fiddling with their stuff.

Mostly though, it’s just got a great eye for an arresting scene or setpiece. Some of my favourite parts did end up being its more complex multi-scene puzzles, but mainly because these are used sparingly in a story with bloody-minded dedication to anxious forward momentum.

Read more

Review: Shadow Labyrinth – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition – Sometimes ‘Good Enough’ Is Just That

For Puck’s sake.

Pac-Man, as iconic as he is, has felt like he’s been in a bit of a rut in recent years. The rather delightful PAC-MAN 99 aside, there’s an undeniable sense that the series has simply been unable to break away from its core concepts. So, regardless of what gimmicks are chucked in to justify a new entry — Battle Royale in Chomp Champs, endless runner in Pac-Man 256, co-op in Championship Edition 2 Plus — I often come away thinking, ‘Yep, it’s definitely Pac-Man.’ This might be enough for some, but more than 40 years after its arcade debut, many are hoping for a bit of a shake-up.

Enter Shadow Labyrinth. Developed at Bandai Namco Studios, this side-scrolling adventure is worlds apart from what you’ve likely come to expect from the pill-muncher. Set in a quiet, foreboding landscape with various biomes, the closest comparison that came to mind was Hollow Knight. Indeed, Shadow Labyrinth takes many cues from Team Cherry’s masterpiece, including the precise way that currency scatters on the ground from fallen enemies, hot springs to recover health, an eccentric merchant lurking underground, and a stylish, almost hand-crafted art style.

Read the full article on nintendolife.com

All Caps on Deck. BattleCap Sets Sail Today on Xbox

All Caps on Deck. BattleCap Sets Sail Today on Xbox

Summary

  • Find out what makes BattleCap so addictive.
  • A deep dive into the physics behind this chaotic couch co-op.
  • Learn how to customize your warships and heat up the competition.

Ahoy, Captains!

Ruizhao Chen here, designer of BattleCap – the naval combat party game that transforms your living room into a bottle cap battleground. After years of sweat, laughter, and way too many “last rounds” with our dev team, I’m thrilled to announce: BattleCap launches today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One!

Why our Team Couldn’t Stop Playing

During development, our golden standard was simple: If our team didn’t get hooked during testing, players wouldn’t either. We’d promise “one last match” only to keep hitting “Start Game.” This obsession shaped every decision:

  1. Team-wide enjoyment: We refined mechanics until programmers and artists loved them – not just designers.
  2. Accessible depth: Simple controls hide strategic depth. Kids to grandparents can enjoy it.
  3. Perfect session length: Matches fit a lunch break but deliver maximum laughter.
  4. Social chaos: Backstabs and comeback victories make players “scream, laugh, and stomp.”
BattleCap screenshot

Physics: our Biggest Challenge and Triumph

BattleCap’s soul is its real-time physics simulation. Every interaction follows physical rules:

  • Elastic Warships: Connect bottle caps with bubblegum adhesive. Attacks make ships wobble and deform. Clever players exploit this to steal enemy caps mid-battle by breaking connections.
  • Environmental Strategy:
    • Ride wind currents to dodge or chase.
    • Avoid deadly whirlpools that pull ships toward destruction.
  • True Projectile Physics:
    • Cannonballs arc with gravity.
    • Lasers pierce targets.
    • Flamethrowers have short range.
  • Smart Enemies: Foes use line-of-sight physics. Hide behind obstacles to ambush them!

Months of tuning ensured these systems feel intuitive yet strategically rich.

BattleCap screenshot

What Awaits on the High Seas

🛠 Build Custom Warships

Collect scattered bottle caps to assemble multi-functional warships that deform, extend, or split apart. Adapt your strategy on the fly!

🌊 Conquer three Battle Zones

  • Mysterious Ruins: Navigate ancient hazards.
  • Stormbreaker Bay: Harness tactical winds.
  • Devil’s Whirlpool: Lure enemies into the maelstrom.

⚔ Choose Your Combat

  • Four-Player Local PVP: Compete in chaotic “triple-match championships” across dynamic maps.
  • Roguelite PVE: Team up against sea monsters! Collect random blessings and relics (like Tidal Shields) to upgrade your ship each run.

Set Sail Today!

BattleCap delivers fresh naval combat where physics rules and bottle caps reign. Perfect for:

  • Chaotic couch co-op nights.
  • Strategic shipbuilders.
  • Players seeking “easy to learn, hard to master” depth.

👉 Grab your crew. Fair winds, Captains!

BattleCap

E-Home Entertainment Development Company Ltd


$11.99

$9.59

The naval combat party game “BattleCap” is now available! This innovative party game, supporting 1-4 players, will take you into an exciting naval battle. Here, you can use various bottle cap modules to create your own unique warship, engage in intense battles with friends, or team up to challenge powerful sea monsters. The unique flexible physics engine makes every ship collision dynamic and fun, offering a refreshing combat experience!

In the game, players will find themselves in three major themed combat zones, ranging from mysterious ruins to the devil’s whirlpool. Each map is filled with tactical changes and mechanical challenges. By collecting scattered bottle cap modules, you can assemble multi-functional warships that can deform, extend, or even break apart. Adapt your strategy flexibly in battle and enjoy the unique fun of ship assembly. The game also features rich Roguelite elements, allowing you to strengthen your warship with randomly dropped blessings and relics.

Whether you want to compete with friends in party mode or team up to fend off angry sea monsters in cooperative mode,”BattleCap” has something for you. The local PVP mode offers a tense and exciting triple-match championship, while the PVE mode is filled with strategy and teamwork, challenging your operational and tactical limits.

Join BattleCap: Clashing Wars now and embark on a new and fun naval battle experience with your friends! Build your custom warship and face endless adventure and challenges!

The post All Caps on Deck. BattleCap Sets Sail Today on Xbox appeared first on Xbox Wire.