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Video Game Canon- Angry Birds, Dragon Quest, FIFA Soccer, and Silent Hill are the World Video Game Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
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- BAFTA Games Awards: All the Winners from 2003 to Today
- Clair Obscur Completes the Sweep by Winning “Best Game” at 2025-2026 BAFTA Games Awards
- Boss Fight Books to Get a New Look for Richard Moss’s “Age of Empires”
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Video Game Research Library- With Grand Theft Auto 6 poised to take over the world, I reached out to Jack Thompson and it did not go well – PC Gamer (2026)
- Vib-Ribbon: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- How a Second-Grade Teacher Revived a Beloved Video Game – The New York Times (2026)
- Spore: An oral history – Design Room (2026)
- Diablo IV PC Cooled With Real Human Blood Is Still Going Strong Two Years Later, Says Guy Who Won It – Aftermath (2026)
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New Retail Releases: Spider-Man, Dragon Quest XI, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, More

Summer is (unofficially) over and we’ve reached the fine month of September. But this calendar flip is also wrapped up in the very official start to the “Holiday Shopping Season” and game publishers have begun stocking store shelves with a bumper crop of new games this week. Ready? Because here we go…
Sony and Insomniac Games are starting things off in a big way with the long-anticipated release of Spider-Man. The PS4-exclusive aims to take the wallcrawler’s video game adventures in a new direction, and Sony is giving non-PS4 owners an easy in with the Limited Edition Spider-Man PS4 Pro 1TB bundle.
Another staltwart video game franchise will get a new lease on life this week, as Square Enix is gearing up to launch Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age for the PS4 (and digitally for the PC). The massive turn-based RPG will include (as always) dozens of hours of gameplay and artwork by Akira Toriyama.
Over on the Xbox One, Microsoft has teamed up with PUBG Corp to launch the “Full Product Release Edition” of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Unlike the earlier retail package for the battle royale game, this version includes a fully-updated copy of the game on a disc.
This Fall’s NBA season won’t tip off until the end of October, but 2K Games and EA Sports don’t want to wait. Both publishers will release their new basketball simulations, NBA 2K19: 20th Anniversary Edition for the PC (download-only), PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and NBA Live 19 for the PS4 and Xbox One, later this week.
A decidedly different kind of competition will take place in SNK Heroines: Tag Team Frenzy, but the one-on-one fighting game will launch for the Switch this week (and on the PS4 as a PS Store-exclusive). And Bungie will crank up the action in Destiny 2 with the game’s first major expansion for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, Destiny 2: Forsaken.
Finally this week, a slew of other titles will also be added to store shelves, including Hinterland’s The Long Dark (PS4, Xbox One), 704 Games’s NASCAR Heat 3 (PS4, Xbox One), Konami’s Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner – Mars (PS4), Monomi Park’s Slime Rancher (PS4, Xbox One), and Nicalis’s Blade Strangers (PS4, Switch). NASCAR Heat 3 and Blade Strangers will both also be available to download for the PC.
A full rundown of this week’s new retail release can be found after the break.
Shovel Knight: King of Cards will be released on April 9, 2019

Yacht Club Games originally wanted to release Shovel Knight: King of Cards a few years ago, but the expansion kept getting pushed back as they dug deeper into Shovel Knight’s world. Today, the developer is finally ready to confirm that Shovel Knight: King of Cards will be released for the 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Vita, Wii U, and Xbox One on April 9, 2019.
The developer is also bundling together the original Shovel Knight and all of its expansions (including Plague of Shadows, Specter of Torment, King of Cards, and the recently-announced Shovel Knight Showdown) in a new retail release for the PS4 and Switch. This Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove will also launch on April 9.
But wait, there’s more. The Amiibo 3-Pack featuring King Knight, Specter Knight, and Plague Knight will also make its debut in stores on April 9. The figures will unlock “exclusive armor sets, new Challenge stages, and the ability to summon fairy companions to accompany players on quests” in the games for the 3DS, Switch, and Wii U.
Finally, attendees at this weekend’s PAX West show in Seattle will get the chance to try out a playable demo of Shovel Knight: King of Cards at Yacht Club’s booth.
Shovel Knight’s Battle Mode will be known as Shovel Knight Showdown

All the way back in 2013, Yacht Club Games closed out Shovel Knight‘s Kickstarter campaign with the promise of three additional story expansions and a Battle Mode. More than five years later, we’ve almost reached the end of this bounty of post-launch content, and the developer has confirmed that Battle Mode will actually be known as Shovel Knight Showdown.
Like the previous expansions, Shovel Knight Showdown will be available as a free update to the Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove, as well as a standalone download. Players will be able to choose from more than 16 characters (including Shovel Knight, Shield Knight, Black Knight, The Enchantress, and every member of the Order of No Quarter) as they battle it out in four-player modes like Gem Clash and Showdown. A single-player Story Mode for every character is also in the works.
Those attending PAX West 2018 this weekend will be able to meet the developers and try out Shovel Knight Showdown at Yacht Club’s booth.
Shovel Knight Showdown will launch for the PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, and Xbox One on April 9, 2019, and a few more details about the game can be found at Yacht Club’s official website. The developer also produced an extended gameplay trailer for IGN, and it’s been embedded after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, Wii U, Xbox One
Tagged PAX West 2018, Shovel Knight, Shovel Knight Showdown
Sega is bringing demos of Team Sonic Racing, Total War: Three Kingdoms, Valkyria Chronicles 4, and more to PAX West 2018

Like a lot of publishers, Sega’s presence at PAX West 2018 will look very similar to the slate of playable demos they brought to last week’s Gamescom show. This year, the prolific publisher is going all-in with Sonic’s latest racing adventure, two dance-heavy Persona spinoffs, and the latest entry in the Valkyria Chronicles franchise.
Here’s a sneak peek at the full lineup of games scheduled to appear in their PAX West booth (#2513):
Placing First: Team Sonic Racing
First off the blocks as always is the blue blur himself. Team Sonic Racing, developed by the award-winning studio Sumo Digital, combines the best elements of arcade and fast-paced competitive style racing experience, featuring your favorite characters from across the Sonic Universe. Visitors at PAX will have the opportunity to race on the newly revealed track Ice Mountain, and play as Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Rose, or Team Vector.Get Ready for Total War
The latest in Creative Assembly’s legendary Total War series, Total War: Three Kingdoms is set to showcase some exciting content of its own. The hands-on demo will give players the opportunity to explore the exotic lands of ancient China in a campaign map flythrough before being thrust into the midst of a night-time ambush battle. Sun Jian’s army, led by Sun Ren and Sun Quan, face either a desperate defence against waves of incoming heroes and warriors or a gruelling fight to escape with what remains of their forces, and live to fight another day.Japanese Games Galore
As if that wasn’t enough, Sega is bringing a whopping four games to the show floor! With tactical RPG Valkyria Chronicles 4, frantic action/adventure Fist of the North Star: Lost Paradise, and the hugely anticipated rhythm games Persona 3: Dancing in Moonlight and Persona 5: Dancing in Starlight, they will be hosting a collection of some of the hottest Japanese IP on the planet. Make sure you leave yourself enough time to play everything!Last but by no means least is Shin Megami Tensei Liberation Dx2 which after a successful initial release in Japan, has just launched worldwide in English so that all fans of the Shin Megami Tensei series from Atlus can finally play the renowned post-apocalyptic RPG on their mobile devices. Swing by the Sega booth’s presentation stage for a chance to see one of the daily appearances by Producer Norio Furuichi, who also previously worked on Virtua Tennis series and Cyber Troopers Virtual-On Force.
Sega is also inviting fans to learn about “previously untold secrets and nuanced details about how Japanese games are localized and published for the western audience” in the a panel (“A Sega Perspective: Bringing Japanese Games to the West”) scheduled for Saturday, September 1, at 4:30 (Pacific Time).
If you can’t make it to Seattle for this year’s PAX West, you can view the full panel at home through Twitch.
Capcom will bring playable demos of Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 2, Mega Man 11, and Street Fighter V to PAX West 2018

The annual PAX West expo kicks off in Seattle later this week, and game publishers have begun to talk about what they’ll have on display at the big show.
Capcom has shown off a quartet of upcoming titles at E3 and Gamescom, and a similar set of demo kiosks have will be lined up at their PAX West booth (#2109)… Devil May Cry 5, Resident Evil 2, Mega Man 11, and Street Fighter V.
According to the Capcom-Unity blog, the publisher will also host “The SSStylish Gameplay of Devil May Cry 5,” a panel with Director Hideaki Itsuno, Producer Michiteru Okabe, and Producer Matthew Walker.
You can learn more about all of Capcom’s playable demos at PAX West 2018 after the break. (more…)
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Devil May Cry 5, Mega Man 11, PAX West 2018, Resident Evil 2, Street Fighter V
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice wins “Best of Gamescom” at Gamescom 2018

Gamescom 2018 closed its doors for the last time today, and From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice slashed its way towards the coveted “Best of Gamescom” award.
There were a wide range of winners at this year’s expo, with all three consolemakers predictably winning “Best Game” on their respective platforms. In case you were wondering, those awards went to Spider-Man (“Best PS4 Game”), Ori and the Will of the Wisps (“Best Xbox One Game”), and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (“Best Nintendo Switch Game”). Nintendo’s fighter also collected the audience-voted award “Most Wanted Consumer Award.”
Other platform-specific awards were claimed by Ubisoft’s Anno 1800 (“Best PC Game”) and Madfinger’s Shadowgun War Games (“Best Mobile Game”).
The complete list of nominees and winners can be found after the break. And it’s never too early to start planning for next year’s expo. Gamescom organizers announced that next year’s show will begin on August 20. (more…)
Posted in Mobile, News, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One
Tagged Battlefield V, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, Destiny 2, Divinity: Original Sin II, Farming Simulator 19, FIFA 19, Forza Horizon 4, Gamescom 2018, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Spider-Man, Super Mario Party, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Team Sonic Racing, The Dark Pictures: Man of Medan, Total War: Three Kingdoms
Epic Games will add “robust competition system” to Fortnite this Fall

Epic Games hand-delivered the “August 2018” development update for Fortnite earlier today on their official website. The communique from the development team includes new information about weapon balancing and building effectiveness, as well as the first statement about the battle royale’s recent launch on Android platforms.
But the real meat of this announcement can be found under the Competitive heading, which is where Epic announced that a “robust competition system” is coming to the game this Fall:
We are aware of a strong desire from competitive players for more opportunities to compete directly against one another within the same match. Development recently began for a robust competition system which will allow for all players to compete with one another and be recognized for their accomplishments. The first version of this feature is expected later this Fall.
Ideally, this new scoring system will help Fortnite transition into the full-fledged esport that Epic hopes it’ll be.
In addition to the new competition system, the developer also confirmed that “the ability to completely remap your gamepad to exactly your preference” will also be added to Fortnite this Fall.
Call of Duty: WWII’s final expansion, the Shadow War DLC Pack, will be released for PS4 on August 28
Activision has announced (via the PlayStation Blog) that the fourth, and final, expansion for Call of Duty: WWII will be available to download for the PS4 beginning next week. The Shadow War DLC Pack will contain three new multiplayer maps, a new War Mode Mission, and the last chapter of Nazi Zombies.
Two multiplayer specialists from Sledgehammer Games discussed a few details about the new maps:
Multiplayer Map: Airship – Set in a secret enemy base high in the Alps, Airship takes the battle to new heights. Fight for control of the docked zeppelin, or take your chances running along a treacherous cliff, where one slip up can lead to an unfortunate trip down the mountain that will end in a respawn.
“I like trying to control the blimp,” Greg Reisdorf, [Multiplayer Creative Director] Reisdorf said. “But if you notice your opponent is kind of owning the airship, there’s a couple of sneaky vantage points you can utilize that are from either spawn.”
Multiplayer Map: Chancellery- The enemy forces have taken hold of a French Chancellery, but they won’t expect a chaotic firefight in the middle of the night. Wrest control of the stronghold’s main courtyard, while covering your team from the flanking pathways to the map’s main area for this epic night-time brawl behind enemy lines.
“It’s all about the windows,” Reisdorf said. “Being able to hold those two buildings across the courtyard is a lot of fun if you can get up there with a buddy, or plant a deployable, to watch your back.”
“And you can get in those trucks in the courtyard too,” [Multiplayer Development Director Adam] Iscove added. “There are always people who will run to the courtyard, and likely not checking the backs of those trucks. So, if you’re in there, you can surprise them.”
Multiplayer Map: Excavation – In an Algerian mine, the enemy stockpiled priceless art and gold from their European conquests. The battle will ensue around these pillaged goods, the dunes of a tank graveyard, and rock outcroppings scattered around the map.
“There is hole in the middle of the map where you drop onto this pile of gold coins and valuable fine art,” Iscove said. “There’s always somebody either coming or going that way, so it’s a fun place to drop in and surprise people, or crouch and wait for them to come down.”
I’m sure plenty of “Excavation” players will imagine themselves fighting alongside the Flying Hellfish, but the new War Mode Mission strikes a different pop culture chord, and focuses on Hitler’s well-documented obsession with the occult:
War Mode: Operation Arcane – On top of these Multiplayer experiences, there is also Operation Arcane, a new War Mode Mission that will take players deep within a secret enemy research facility in the Austrian mountains. Allied Forces players will be tasked with infiltrating this lab, stealing enemy secrets and schematics and finally destroying whatever classified technology remains in a hanger full of UFOs.
Of course, being that it is a research facility, there are a few clandestine weapons, such as the Tesla Gun, and mysterious super soldier serums that players can use to help turn the tide of battle.
And speaking of the occult, the final Nazi Zombies map takes place within the Lost City of Thule:
Nazi Zombies: The Frozen Dawn – Shadow War also includes Frozen Dawn, the final chapter to the epic Call of Duty: WWII Nazi Zombies story. In this experience, we rejoin Marie, Drostan, Olivia and Jefferson as they try to stop an incredible evil once and for all.
Acquiring the Sword of Barbarossa has not put an end to the undead threat. A darker and more powerful threat lurks in the depths of Thule. In the unfathomable depths of a lost city, our heroes are humanity’s last hope of ending the cult of Thule. Luckily, they will have a few secret weapons to help put the ancient rulers of the world to rest.
Call of Duty: WWII’s Shadow War DLC Pack will be released for the PS4 on August 28. As usual, PC and Xbox One owners will be able to download it roughly four weeks later.
Posted in News, PC, PS4, Xbox One
Tagged Call of Duty: WWII







