Gait Games

A fresh report has shed light on what played out behind the scenes last week as Microsoft laid off around 1600 people and parted ways with a number of studios. While news of the various affects the cuts have had on specific studios still under the Xbox banner since that pint, the report also paints a damning picture of the effect these layoffs and the ones which still loom have had on the mindset of remaining workers, with unclear goals having contributed to a situation whereby staff feel they’re disposable regardless of what they make.

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### PlayStation Plus July Additions: A Summer Gaming Guide

As summer progresses, a lot of gamers are searching for shelter indoors to avoid the intense heat. For those holding a PlayStation Plus membership, July introduces an exhilarating selection of games to keep participants entertained. This month’s lineup features a major Ubisoft open-world title, a distinctive firefighting simulation, and a collection of eccentric classics from the PS2 generation.

#### Major Releases

On July 15, PlayStation revealed the latest entries to the PS Plus Extra and Premium game roster, akin to a Netflix-style offering. The standout highlights of this month’s selection are two eagerly awaited open-world titles: **Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora** and **Rise of the Ronin**.

**Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora** is a visually breathtaking journey set in the world envisioned by James Cameron. Initially received with a range of opinions at its debut, numerous players, including some who revisited the game afterwards, have commended its immersive landscapes and captivating gameplay mechanics, comparing it to the Far Cry series but without its more aggravating aspects.

Conversely, **Rise of the Ronin** offers a different adventure, resonating with action RPG aficionados through its compelling narrative and vast area to explore. Both games guarantee extensive gameplay, filled with countless quests and undertakings, ensuring players have plenty of content to enjoy during the summer.

#### The Classics Collection

This month also features two captivating PS2 classics – **Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy** and **Indigo Prophecy**. These titles are noteworthy for their innovative gameplay mechanics and storytelling, providing a nostalgic journey for players who appreciate supernatural elements. While neither game is deemed a top-tier title, they present distinctive gameplay seldom found in the current gaming world.

#### Accessing the Games

To access these fresh offerings, players must maintain a valid PS Plus Extra or Premium subscription. Those at the Essential level will lack access to the entire game catalog, and it’s important to remember that if a subscription expires, access to these games will also terminate until it is renewed.

#### Release Dates

It’s important to keep in mind that not all games will be available right away. Each title has a designated release date, enabling players to organize their gaming plans as needed:

– **Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora** (PS5) – July 21
– **Rise of the Ronin** (PS5) – July 15
– **Firefighting Simulator: Ignite** (PS5) – July 21
– **Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Rita’s Rewind** (PS5, PS4) – July 28
– **Dying Light** (PS4) – July 28
– **Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector** (PS5) – July 28
– **Snow Bros. Wonderland** (PS5) – July 28
– **Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy** (PS5, PS4) – July 21 (Premium)
– **Indigo Prophecy** (PS5, PS4) – July 21 (Premium)

#### Conclusion

With the summer heat driving many inside, PlayStation Plus offers a fantastic variety of gaming opportunities for subscribers throughout July. From expansive open-worlds to cherished classics, this month’s additions promise to keep players engaged as they carve their own paths within these captivating experiences.

“For the longest time, we went one by one,” Ata Sergey Nowak, co-founder of Torpor Games, the studio behind strategy game Suzerain, tells me, explaining the four year gap between the game’s release and its first DLC. “Our games take a long time, our staff was very limited, and our financing was very project-to-project.” So it was a little surprising he was also telling me Torpor are today announcing not one but three new projects – two DLCs and a spin-off. All of which are due to be released before their next flagship title, The Conformist.

Each of the three newly announced projects will take you deeper into the world of Suzerain, and let you see its states and people from new perspectives. But, Torpor aren’t only making these games to expand Suzerain, they’re also using it as a defence against a punishing industry.

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**The Status of Overwatch: An Examination of Stadium and Its Prospects**

Since its debut, Overwatch has been in a constant state of adaptation, bringing forth thrilling mechanics to its experience. A significant advancement in recent times has been the advent of Stadium, a MOBA-inspired game mode that permits players to formulate custom hero kits over multiple rounds. This mode encourages distinctive and tumultuous gameplay, challenging the limits of the established “hero fantasy” linked to each character.

Nevertheless, the latest announcements from Blizzard reveal that Stadium won’t undergo further growth regarding new characters or maps. Game director Aaron Keller shared this conclusion in a Director’s Take blog post. The reasoning behind this decision arises from player engagement statistics, which indicated that both ranked and unranked Stadium matches make up only around three percent of Overwatch’s daily player count. Keller mentioned, “We’ve judged it a more efficient allocation of resources to redirect those team members to other areas of the game,” highlighting the development team’s attention towards the more favored dimensions of Overwatch.

In spite of this information, Keller assured supporters that Stadium will continue to receive seasonal balance updates, rank resets, and fresh rewards. This brings comfort to those who value the mode, even though the future lacks the assurance of new heroes or maps. The greater time commitment needed to engage in Stadium might play a role in its limited audience, as players frequently opt for modes with faster gameplay cycles.

Blizzard’s statistics mirror player inclinations within Overwatch:
– **Unranked Role Queue 5v5**: ~54% of daily participants
– **Ranked Role Queue 5v5**: ~37%
– **Unranked Open Queue 6v6**: ~19%
– **Ranked Open Queue 6v6**: ~8%
– **Unranked Mystery Heroes 6v6**: ~4%
– **Stadium Ranked**: ~3%
– **Stadium Unranked**: ~3%

Stadium has welcomed 33 heroes into its ensemble, with each character undergoing notable adjustments for custom builds and abilities that suit the mode. The final ensemble for Stadium comprises:

**Tank Heroes:**
– D.Va
– Doomfist
– Hazard
– Junker Queen
– Orisa
– Ramattra
– Reinhardt
– Sigma
– Winston
– Zarya

**Damage Heroes:**
– Ashe
– Cassidy
– Freja
– Genji
– Junkrat
– Mei
– Pharah
– Reaper
– Sojourn
– Soldier: 76
– Torbjörn
– Tracer
– Vendetta

**Support Heroes:**
– Ana
– Brigitte
– Jetpack Cat
– Juno
– Kiriko
– Lúcio
– Mercy
– Moira
– Wuyang
– Zenyatta

In conclusion, while the creation of new content for Stadium may have concluded, Blizzard’s dedication to upholding the mode’s balance and rewards promises that it will continue to be a part of the Overwatch landscape. Aficionados of the mode can still relish its distinctive mechanics and chaotic gameplay, even as the wider player base gravitates towards more conventional gameplay types.

Last week, to mark its 30th anniversary, EA rebranded Criterion as Criterion: A Battlefield Studio. The storied studio that created Burnout and in recent years has shepherded the Need For Speed series, as well as working on the rebooted Star Wars: Battlefront, will become just one of the four studios supporting EA’s fresh Battlefield push.

This isn’t the first time Criterion have contributed to Battlefield, the Guildford studio have been involved since 2015’s Battlefield 1, but the rebranding marks an end to working on other projects.

Or is it?

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# Upcoming Modifications to Pokémon’s World Championship

Pokémon’s yearly World Championship is poised to make its comeback next month in San Francisco, where top-tier players from all over the world will assemble to vie in video games and the Trading Card Game (TCG) for the prestigious trophy and international acclaim. Nonetheless, considerable modifications are anticipated for the 2027 season, particularly regarding one well-known game: *Pokémon Unite*.

## The Exit of Pokémon Unite

In a recent disclosure from The Pokémon Company, it has been announced that *Pokémon Unite* will no longer participate in the World Championships beginning in 2027. Although the game, a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) launched in 2021, has not reached the same heights of popularity as other spin-offs like *Pokémon Go*, it has preserved a loyal player community and has received consistent updates over the last five years.

Despite the initial excitement surrounding the game, Joe Merrick, the manager of the fan site Serebii, speculates that aspects such as low participation and streaming viewer statistics may have impacted the choice to eliminate *Pokémon Unite* from the Championship Series. For reference, the video on demand (VOD) of last year’s *Unite* stream attracted roughly 135,772 views, which is significantly less than the viewership numbers for the *Pokémon Scarlet and Violet* finals.

Though it may be leaving the Championship Series, *Pokémon Unite* will continue to host a competitive scene with a standalone live event planned for Japan. This event will cover travel expenses for qualified teams, and additional information is anticipated to be shared on the official Pokémon UNITE website.

## Modifications to Pokémon Go and Other Games

The realm of competitive Pokémon will also experience changes apart from *Pokémon Unite*. The structure for the *Pokémon Go* World Championships will see alterations in 2027. The tournament will transition to a 3v3 team format, enabling players to compete in teams drawn from a selection of qualified participants. The qualification processes for individual players will remain intact.

This year’s World Championships in San Francisco will be the inaugural instance of *Pokémon Champions* being prominently showcased in the competition, although it is unclear if the 2027 event will encompass the forthcoming titles *Pokémon Winds* and *Waves*. With the Generation X games set to launch on Switch 2 next year, additional details regarding their inclusion in the competition are still awaited.

## Conclusion

As the 2026 Pokémon World Championship draws near, the competitive landscape of the franchise is shifting. The exclusion of *Pokémon Unite* from the series’ main event signifies a transition in focuses and addresses trends in player involvement and viewership. With new structures emerging for existing games and the incorporation of upcoming titles, the future of Pokémon competitions is poised to be dynamic and thrilling. Enthusiasts eagerly look forward to the upcoming event in San Francisco and the adjustments set for the 2027 season.

I fear I’ve authored some kind of Boy Who Cried Wolf situation, vis à vis Denshattack. It’s shown signs of greatness ever since its reveal last year, but in hindsight, I wonder if my enthusiasm for its silly side – it is undeniably a game about trains doing skateboard-style flips and grinds, sometimes while chased by giant baseballs – ever contributed to an impression of it as a mere novelty. A joke game, disinterested in anything beyond breakneck wackiness.

I hope not. Because Denshattack is utterly and genuinely brilliant, and not just because it lets you blow up an AI data centre by ploughing a locomotive through it.

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**Weekly Shonen Jump 2026 Issue 33: The Target of Scalpers and Its Effects on Fans**

Issue 33 of *Weekly Shonen Jump 2026*, the renowned manga compilation from Shueisha, is currently experiencing an unusual situation: an overwhelming sell-out across bookstores in Japan, mainly due to scalpers focusing on its release. This edition is notable as it contains a “29th Anniversary Edition” promo card for the popular *One Piece* Trading Card Game, resulting in a spike in demand not necessarily for the magazine itself but for the card contained within.

While the initial accusations were directed at internet personality Logan Paul—known for his past interactions with various fan communities—reports suggest that the scalpers’ intent lies solely with the collectible card rather than the extensive manga content included in the issue. As reported by *Oricon*, these resellers have partaken in bulk acquisitions of the magazine to profit from the promotional card, leading to concerning trends where individuals have been seen sharing images of trunkloads of *Weekly Shonen Jump 2026* issue 33.

In parallel, second-hand market prices have soared, with resellers demanding over $60 per issue on platforms permitting such transactions. In comparison, a single copy of *Weekly Shonen Jump* generally retails for around 300 yen (approximately $2), highlighting the gap between retail and resale prices.

A particular tweet from user @yurupanda2019 captured the grievances of regular readers, illuminating the absurdity of collectors and resellers monopolizing access to the magazine that devoted fans of series like *Hunter x Hunter*, *Sakamoto Days*, and *One Piece* eagerly await. For many readers, this issue holds even more importance as it features chapter 250 of Kouji Miura’s *Blue Box*, marking the series’ culmination after its serialization commenced in 2021.

The scenario becomes even more bewildering for collectors since the 29th Anniversary Edition *One Piece* card is not exclusive to this issue. It can be pre-ordered independently via Bandai Namco’s website, featuring a collection that includes both foil and non-foil versions of the same card. Additionally, second-hand retailers in Japan have indicated a willingness to buy these cards for a maximum of 1,000 yen (around $6), suggesting a market value that provides little profit for resellers after accounting for purchasing and selling expenses.

This ongoing scalping crisis not only exposes the often frustrating junction of fandom culture and speculative commerce but also acts as a reminder of how community experiences can be impacted by opportunistic actions. Fans of *Weekly Shonen Jump* are left dealing with the consequences of this phenomenon, as the card’s availability escalates both demand and dissatisfaction among readers who simply wish to enjoy the latest installments of their beloved series.

I’m so sane.

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The wait for GTA 6 on PC lasting past this November’s been a foregone conclusion for a while now, but if you’re interested in a bit of developer perspective as to why Rockstar opt to do things that way, a former producer at the company’s offered some. Essentially, it’s a matter of it being less of a headache to scale up after initially getting a game working on hardware with stricter limitations than it would be to strip back an all-singing, all-dancing PC port for consoles.

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