Gaming News Digest — July 3, 2026
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Top news
Against the Storm — The developers at Eremite Games, a team of just six people, revealed they are working on a survival game set in the same universe as Against the Storm. First screenshots are out but are placeholders and will change. The original game is getting the Over-haulers update on July 8 and is on sale for $3.99 on Steam.
Quests and diplomacy — The latest patch for ENDLESS Legend 2 revamps story chains for the Kin of Sheredyn and Necrophage, reduces unnecessary clicks in dialogues, and makes AI diplomacy more logical, with easier peace treaties. Bulk trade operations and new illustrations have also been added.
Once Human — A pre-anniversary campaign has begun, leading up to the game's second birthday. From July 9 to 30, a new Dreamy Rift mode lets 1-4 players fight enemy waves for random deviations. A reward track, limited-time deviations, contests, and gifts for new and returning players are also available.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword — Capcom moved the release date up from September 25 to September 4, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This strategic shift avoids the late-September hype and aims to boost sales.
Kord Breach — Fans spotted a female figure in combat gear in a teaser for Kord Breach, sparking speculation about female models in Escape from Tarkov. However, the chances are slim, as the game has been out for nearly 10 years with female operatives only appearing in merchandise.
«Zemsky Sobor: The Decisive Choice» — Cyberia Nova announced a new action game starring Kirsha, set during the Time of Troubles. It features third-person gameplay, stealth or brute force options, tense melee combat with combos, new ranged weapons, and expanded battle fury mechanics.
Zenless Zone Zero — Fresh promo codes for July 2026 offer freebies like polychromes, energy modules, and Dennies. Codes include ZZZSTEAM, ROSCAELIFER0617, ZZZSEASON3, and ZZZ30BANGBOO, redeemable in-game before they expire.
Bungie basically admitted there won't be any real bug fixes for Destiny 2 anymore, even in the last DLC 🙃 — Mass layoffs have removed the developers who handled fixes, and the next patch has been delayed. Community trust is at an all-time low.
Honkai: Star Rail promo codes — Promo codes for July 2026 are still redeemable, offering Stellar Jade, fuel, and other items. Codes include VS3Q5VK9CMFP, QS395DJQU4HK, SilverWolfLV999, OMEGA, CREATIONNYMPH, FAREWELL, IFYOUAREREADINGTHIS, and STARRAILGIFT.
Genshin Impact — Promo codes for July 2026 are available, including LEGEDILJKSGM, LCXGEA5SX65L, CODENAMEK, NMI20MAJGIBP, MageNicolesPuzzle, PFY1S40I88T9, and GENSHINGIFT, offering Primogems, Mora, and other rewards.
Ashlands — Windrose developers revealed details of a massive new update called Ashlands, adding a fourth biome with volcanic wastelands, new enemies, resources, and a unique boss. New factions, story content, expanded naval and building features, a mercenary system, improved enemy AI, and balanced wind mechanics are also included.
Disc2Digital — Xbox is testing a feature to rip disc games to digital, allowing players to install and launch without reinserting the disc. The license binds to the disc itself, not the account. It works with Xbox One and Series discs, but not with old-gen or some One discs.
Ubisoft hires ex-2K boss — Christoph Hartmann, former president of 2K, now leads Creative House 2 at Ubisoft, overseeing The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. He previously held top roles at Amazon Games and Take-Two.
Attack on Titan 3 — Gameplay was revealed, showing smarter Titan AI and more dynamic battles with improved ODM gear. Players can build their own Scout squad and explore beyond the Wall. The opening anime by MAPPA will come in a later update.
Tiny Bookshop — The cozy bookshop-on-wheels sim is coming to iOS and Android on July 9. Touch controls allow one-handed play, and a single purchase unlocks everything.
second wind — Watch Dogs 2 received a 95% discount on Steam, dropping the price to $2.49 and boosting the player count from 400 to 16,000, nearly matching launch-era highs. It is now outselling Watch Dogs Legion.
SMITE 2 — A new hero, Chronos, with time-rewind abilities, and a global rebalance of the entire roster, health, defense, and items have been added. The meta is shifting with weaker minions and lower survivability.
Fishing Update — The first major Fishing Update for Outbound is live, allowing players to craft and upgrade fishing gear, catch dozens of species across biomes, and cozy up their mobile home. Over 250,000 players have joined since May 2026.
The Blood of Dawnwalker — Eight minutes of gameplay were shown, featuring exploration of ruins and a fight with a forgotten guardian. The clip is slow-paced, leading to criticism. The game releases September 3 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
DOOM: The Dark Ages — A story DLC called Revelations launches in a week, offering 10-12 hours of gameplay across six locations, a purgatory hub, and Metroidvania-style progression. A new chain spear weapon and an Archvile that summons demons are included.
Elite Dangerous gets a big Operations update — The update adds squad missions with six high-intensity scenarios delivered by a new Operations Runner ship. The highlight is the Nomad, a compact shuttle for rugged planetary landings with a 2nd-gen biological scanner.
secret duck death scene — Deltarune fans discovered a secret death scene in Chapter 5 where a slow but brutally violent duck kills the player if they deliberately lose to the worst attack in the game.
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV — Fifteen minutes of gameplay were shown, featuring Space Marines vs. Orks. The RTS launches with four factions and a secret DLC faction in spring 2027. Release is September 17 on PC via Steam.
The Last Variable — A gameplay trailer dropped for the 20-hour expansion to The Alters, launching July 13, 2026. Players assemble a crew of specialized Alters to solve the Oasis mystery before time runs out.
Valheim — Valheim leaves Early Access on September 9, with a price increase from $20 to $30. Achievements arrive, but old ones won't count. The 1.0 update focuses on the Deep North biome. A 50% discount is available on Steam.
Path of Exile 2 — Developers showcased a Frogmancer build that uses exploding frogs to attack enemies. The build relies on the Doedre's Undoing support gem, creating cursed ground zones that spawn Witchtoads.
Hearts of Iron V — PDS Gold bosses revealed in an interview that they are first wrapping up HOI4 with a 35-person team. Switching to the modern Clausewitz engine would fix optimization issues, but balancing old and new mechanics is tricky.
trolls — Bethesda released a physical cart ad for TES 4: Oblivion Remastered on Nintendo Switch 2, mocking Sony's move away from physical media. The ad jokes about material treasures in Cyrodiil.
for two years — Nikita Buyanov stated that Fragmentary Order is not Escape from Tarkov in space but tougher. The game has been in development for two years by a team of 130 at Rant Gaming, set in the Solar System with a sci-fi, cyberpunk extraction shooter focus.
Obsidian — Jason Schreier debunked rumors that Obsidian might be shut down, confirming the studio is not on the chopping block. Bloomberg's insider says Obsidian is definitely not closing.
Stellaris — A resource slider at galaxy generation is being added, from scarcity to absolute abundance. Beta patch 4.4.5 Pegasus also adds flexible ship automation, new Voidlure modules, and QoL fixes.
Silver Palace — A new gameplay trailer showcases the female protagonist in detail ahead of the closed beta. Apply for the beta by July 16, 2026.
Rules of Engagement: The Grey State — The tactical looter-shooter is coming to Android and iOS, with Russian language confirmed. Closed beta sign-ups are coming soon.
$1049, $1349 — Former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida tested the new Steam Machine and was not impressed, citing mediocre graphics and slow loading times. Valve walked back promises from 4K 60 fps to up to 4K using FSR 4.1.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced — The game is now officially verified for Steam Deck, with full compatibility confirmed. Launch is July 9, 2026, featuring ray tracing, dynamic weather, and a rebuilt Caribbean.
Level-5 — The Japanese studio is paying staff bonuses for being good at its games. Internal exams on its own titles lead to salary boosts regardless of rank or tenure, as deep game knowledge speeds up decisions.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine Master Crafted Edition — The remaster might be coming to PS5 and Switch 2, despite a rocky launch. The ESRB briefly listed the platforms. The remaster was criticized for being overpriced with few upgrades.
Jan explores the Oasis — A gameplay trailer for The Alters: Last Variable shows Jan the Scientist leading a clone team in the Oasis. The full-sized DLC drops July 13 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series.
007 First Light — Developers released a video showing how young Bond's style was created, involving the costume designer from No Time to Die and designers from Orlebar Brown. Every outfit detail captures classic Bond vibes.
Splinter Cell and Ghost Recon just got a new boss as Ubisoft navigates its ongoing crisis 🎯 — Ubisoft's restructure into five creative hubs and cost cuts have led to fresh leadership for both iconic series.
Mat Piscatella — Analyst Mat Piscatella says Sony's move to drop discs won't affect Nintendo's Switch 2 plans. Starting January 2028, new PlayStation games go digital-only, leaving Nintendo as the last major console maker selling physical games.
Remothered: Tormented Fathers — Stormind Games is remastering Remothered: Tormented Fathers and Broken Porcelain in Unreal Engine 5, with revamped lighting, models, textures, cutscenes, and UI, but original mechanics remain. A third game, the Remothered remake, is also in development.
Phoebe Bridgers — Indie icon Phoebe Bridgers released an Itch.IO game to celebrate her new single, offering fans a unique interactive experience.
Epic — free & deals
Epic Games discounts for today — Discounts include -85% on Mass Effect 2 (2010 Edition), -80% on Populous 2: Trials of the Olympian Gods, The Survivalists, Poly Plaza 2, Chrono Stranded, and -70% on Lost in the Hole.
Spotlight
Secret of Mana (Steam) — Save the world of Mana in a full 3D remake with modern graphics and controls. Features include a rebuilt world in vivid 3D, new interlude episodes, local three-player co-op, voiced characters, and a newly arranged musical score. Details
Fade to Silence, Infinite Stamina mod — Grab the Infinite Stamina mod for Fade to Silence to never run out of breath, enabling unlimited sprint and exploration. Details
Capcom Figure Builder Creator's Model Monster Hunter Wilds Shining — A collectible figure of the Shining Thunder Wyvern Rey Dau from Monster Hunter Wilds is available for pre-order. Details
SUPER DRINK BROS. (Steam) — A high-speed 3D action game where trained cans fight to decide the world's best drink. Features include designing your own can, a wide range of special moves, and strategic combat. Details
Splash (Steam) — Play as an alchemist searching for potion ingredients across dangerous lands, using splash damage to fight monster hordes. Explore exotic locations, craft potions, and push through to your objective. Details
