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.
Protecting Play: The Defense Matrix of Overwatch 2
Chelsea Leah, Blizzard Entertainment
Summary
Overwatch 2’s Defense Matrix includes features and policies to help ensure fair, fun, and welcoming matches for all players.
This includes expanded support for mouse and keyboard on consoles, group matchmaking improvements, and robust anti-cheat and chat moderation tools.
With over one million cheaters banned, the Overwatch team is always pushing for higher levels of competitive integrity and inclusivity.
Even on a hopeful future Earth, a little extra vigilance is needed to help ensure unwanted elements are kept at bay. That’s why there’s the Defense Matrix, Overwatch 2’s comprehensive suite of player protection and integrity systems designed to safeguard the fairness and quality of every match.
The goal is simple: make Overwatch 2 as fun, fair, and welcoming as possible for everyone. From fresh gameplay updates to robust anti-cheat measures, we’re committed to fostering a community where everyone can thrive. Let’s look into a few of the biggest initiatives we’ve rolled out since the launch of Defense Matrix.
Of Mice and Keyboards: A New Era for Console Players
A much-requested update for those of you on console introduced native Mouse and Keyboard support, allowing you to join a new Competitive environment and test your skills on an even playing field. Anyone using Mouse and Keyboard on console will now join the Mouse and Keyboard Pool (formerly the PC Pool), while those sticking with controllers remain in the Controller Pool.
To ensure fairness, those using Mouse and Keyboard must switch to the appropriate pool, or their inputs will be disabled for gameplay. Additionally, aim assist is disabled in the Competitive Mouse and Keyboard Pool, even if a controller is used. These changes aim to maintain competitive integrity while giving you the freedom to choose your preferred peripherals.
Overwatch’s Aim Assist working behind the scenes.
For anyone on console sticking with controllers, aim assist remains available in Cross-Play matches with PC friends. Plus, coming up in Season 20, new settings will allow you to fine-tune aim assist strength, window size, ease-in, and smoothing to better suit different play styles and heroes.
Level Up Your Competitive Play Squad
Overwatch 2 has always been a game best enjoyed with friends, but Competitive Play hasn’t always made it easy to group up if your ranks were too far apart. Enter Wide Groups, a feature that allows you to queue for Competitive matches with your friends, no matter their rank.
Wide Groups are defined by the skill gap between the highest- and lowest-ranked players in the group. For example, groups with Diamond or lower players that are more than five Skill Divisions apart, or groups with Masters players more than three Skill Divisions apart, are considered Wide Groups. Any group with a Grand Master or Champion player is also classified as a Wide Group, regardless of the skill gap.
Additionally, a new Modifier will adjust skill progression for Wide Groups, ensuring lower-ranked players aren’t unfairly boosted by higher-ranked teammates. Solo players and Narrow Groups will remain unaffected, as they’ll only be matched with others in similar situations. This change aims to reduce the need for alternate accounts and make Competitive Play more accessible for friends of all skill levels.
Chat Check: Filtering Out the Disruption
Disruptive chat and gameplay behaviors have no place in Overwatch 2. That’s why we’ve implemented Real-Time Text Moderation, a system that hides potentially harmful messages from the lobby. Anyone can choose to view and report these messages if necessary. This technology (which is also deployed in World of Warcraft) aims to make Overwatch 2 a friendlier place to play.
Our machine-learning technology continues to improve, identifying and addressing harmful behaviour in both text and voice chat. Those who engage in disruptive behaviour can expect corrective actions, including silences, suspensions, and bans. Your reports play a crucial role in building a safer environment—if you witness disruptive conduct, please take a moment to report it through the in-game tools. Every report, no matter how small, helps us uphold our commitment to a welcoming community for all players. Any offensive behaviour is still subject to strict enforcement of Blizzard’s In-Game Code of Conduct.
Swinging the Ban Hammer: Over 1 Million Cheaters Banned
Cheating undermines the competitive integrity of Overwatch 2, and we’re proud to announce that over 1 million accounts have been banned for cheating since the game’s launch. This includes players using aimbots, wallhacks, and other cheats, as well as those grouping with known cheaters. Our efforts to combat cheating are ongoing, with even more anti-cheat technologies in development to detect and block hacks more effectively.
The Overwatch team is steadfast in its mission to ensure that every match is as fair and as inclusive as possible. We’re here to help ensure that every match is determined by skill and teamwork, not unfair advantages.
Stay up to date on all of our Defense Matrix initiatives and more on the Overwatch 2 news site. Our work to safeguard fair and welcoming play is never finished; we’re constantly striving to enhance our technology, policies, and community tools in multiple ways. As we push each other and the game ever higher, we remain committed to keeping our community informed about the latest improvements—so stay sharp, remain respectful, and join us as we set new standards for competitive gaming together.
Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.
Overwatch 2 – Season 19: Haunted Masquerade
Masks, Mythics, and mayhem descend as Season 19 gets spooky with a Haunted Masquerade!
Season 19 creeps in… ambitious and cloaked in mystery! The Haunted Masquerade event introduces a spooktacular mode where mystical masks grant buffs, twisting every battle into a spectral spectacle. Then Stadium transforms under the eerie moonlight, unveiling new Heroes, a cursed map, fresh features, and match-defining Gadgets forged in shadow. Across the season, the festive spirit of Halloween stretches wide as Mythic cosmetics rise from the crypt, and a treasure trove of twisted tricks & treats awaits those brave enough to claim them. Welcome to the Haunted Masquerade, ENTER IF YOU DARE
Fortnite is thawing out the Infinity Blade, arguably the game’s most controversial weapon ever, for an appearance in the next season of its OG battle royale mode.
Beginning this Thursday, December 11, Fortnite OG will shift to Chapter 1 Season 7, and let players experience the game’s beloved retro season where all the snow turned up and we got to fly around in planes.
It was a brilliant season, though one that will go down in Fortnite history as one of the most divisive — as Epic Games also introduced the Mythic-quality Infinity Blade sword that was notoriously overpowered. Only one Infinity Blade spawned each match, and lobbies turned into an absolute mess over who nabbed the game-breaking item first.
I remember enjoying the brief disruption to the game’s meta, which was turned on its head and has never seen anything quite like it since (perhaps for good reason). Because, after significant outcry, the Infinity Blade was made unplayable and literally frozen into its pedestal after only a few days, never to be used again — until now.
Epic Games has not said when it intends to unvault the Infinity Blade, or for how long. It’s possible the weapon will be offered at full strength for a brief period, or it could have been rebalanced — for now, players have been left to speculate.
For now, at least, players can expect everything else the original Chapter 1 Season 7 featured to arrive later this week, including items such as balloons and the ability to redeploy your glider, negating fall damage, as well as the fan-favorite X-4 Stormwing planes. Fresh areas of the map include Polar Peak — home to the Ice King, the cheery Happy Hamlet and the Frosty Flights airbase.
Remixed outfits include the feline-tailed Lynx (later the love interest for swole cat Meowscles), onesie-wearing character Onesie, and Fortnite’s battle-scarred take on Father Christmas himself: Sergeant Winter. Is the game really giving up its opportunity to reskin The Ice King? For now, it seems so — though rumors have suggested we may be seeing more of him in the near future.
