Gaming News Digest — July 14, 2026

Published: Jul 14, 2026, 12:00 PM

Top news

• Assassin's Creed Unity — Lead dev Jean Guesdon called it the most underrated game in the series, admitting the launch was a "huge ordeal" due to bugs. He highlighted the 1:1 scale Paris, new parkour system, and multiplayer that were overlooked. Now that bugs are patched, it's worth a second look.
• Palworld — A new mod adds Lumen ray tracing and dynamic shadows, activating UE5's full global illumination with hardware RT. It also brings crisp dynamic shadows for foliage and reworked LODs for far draw distances. Grab it on NexusMods.
• The Finals — The game got a full PvE mode with smart bots in Cashout tournaments, before ARC Raiders even received one. Fans of ARC Raiders are upset, as they've begged for PvE for nine months while Embark Studios dropped it in their other shooter first. The studio insists on PvP risks for ARC Raiders, with PvE only tested in China.
• Assassin's Creed Black Flag — Creative director Paul Fu recalled how fans initially hated Edward Kenway for not looking like a classic assassin, but the gamble paid off. However, gamers argue Black Flag was an instant hit, especially after the boring third entry. The remake Resynced shipped 2 million copies in 24 hours and broke the series' concurrent player record on Steam.
• Half-Life 2 — Valve designer Chuck Wilson rebuilt Ravenholm on Source 2 and was blown away by the engine's power. No more hours-long light baking, real-time shadows, procedural tools auto-stitch assets, and shaders instantly apply dirt, blood, and rust. His work is already out there to see.
• Hytale — After six months of silence, the devs broke it, admitting that keeping everything secret until launch backfired. Players started doubting any new content existed. Now they're changing tactics with a detailed preview of the first major update coming soon, focusing on LIVE workflows with no final graphics.
• Onimusha — CAPCOM is reimagining Onimusha on the RE Engine, ditching weapon swapping for a single katana with deep parry and counter mechanics. You play as Miyamoto Musashi modeled after Toshiro Mifune, slashing demons in a dark Kyoto. Expect a 20-hour linear adventure with exploration and no weapon swapping.
• League of Legends Classic — The mode launches July 29 at 18:00 MSK, bringing back the Season 3 vibe with classic map, UI, runes, masteries, and 60 old-school champs. It drops with patch 26.15, and the hero pool will expand based on player votes. Pure retro mayhem.
• Assassin's Creed Hexe — Fresh rumors from a credible insider say the game mixes classic AC movement with modern tech, overhauling animations to restore lost freedom. Set in a gothic cathedral with dark vibes and witches, an announcement is coming soon. Fans are hyped.
• Fallout: New Vegas — Josh Sawyer revealed why the game punished players who rushed in head-first: Obsidian ditched Fallout 3's enemy scaling. Danger depends on your destination, not level, inspired by the original Fallout. The Deathclaw Quarry was a lesson that not every path is safe.
• Silent Hill: Downpour — A fan is building a native PC port with a cut boss fight. Modder Psycho found an unfinished boss battle removed by Vatra Games and plans to fully restore it. The port will be a standalone Windows app with 4K, ultrawide support, and uncapped FPS.
• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis — Voice actress Alix Wilton Regan confirmed she finished the main recording for the remake of the original 1996 game. She started in 2022, a four-year marathon. Launch is February 12, 2027 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series, and Switch 2, with no Russian localization announced.
• PUBG — Patch 42.2 this July adds two graphics modes for consoles: 120 Hz priority or resolution focus. It also includes a revamped UI, adjusted hitboxes, and redesigned controls, while keeping classic settings for veterans. A big win.
• Ghost Recon OVR — A ton of features got cut, including the weapon workbench with crafting, helicopters, and NPCs executing hostages. Gun customization stays but is nerfed. The chopper was scrapped to keep the dev schedule. The game still hasn't been announced, even though the last Ghost Recon dropped in 2019.
• DOOM 4 — Dataminers leaked new concept art for the cancelled DOOM 4, scrapped in 2011. Users uncovered unseen models, environments, and a demon animation. Some assets were later reused in DOOM (2016). Meanwhile, id Software is going through layoffs and engine struggles, but word is they've started working on a new DOOM game.
• The First Descendant — A massive patch drops July 15 with a new difficulty mode, Void Intercept Battle: EXTREME. Serena, Ines, and Blair get major buffs, and weapons Divine Punishment and Final Masterpiece are reworked. Core, dodge, and revive fixes plus QoL improvements are included.
• Cyberpunk 2077 — Fans are demanding another major DLC after the game hit 100K concurrent players on Steam for the first time in three years. They question why The Witcher 3 still gets updates while Night City is left behind. They want answers about corporations and Mr. Blue Eyes, and are ready to pay.
• Obsidian Entertainment — Veteran Brandon Adler fired back at those burying the studio after 50+ layoffs, insisting the identity behind Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds stayed intact. Studio head Feargus Urquhart told Bloomberg that Grounded was a hit while Avowed underperformed, with restructuring at Xbox.
• Hollow Knight: Silksoul — A mod has grown into a full-blown fan game. The Pasta Modding team is rebuilding the 2021-era map with cut zones, enemies, and scrapped Team Cherry ideas. Expect Red Coral Gorge, Clover Grove, and the gloomy Gloom, all based on Ari Gibson's concept art. No release date yet.
• Ryse: Son of Rome — Crytek wanted to turn it into a franchise on par with Assassin's Creed, cutting 2/3 of content to meet the deadline. They dreamed of sequels set among Vikings and feudal Japan, but poor sales killed the plans. Crytek refused to sell the rights, and Ryse was shelved.
• Battlefield 6 — The game is cracking down on cheaters by warning players without TPM 2.0, testing on 1% for now, but later those rigs will be locked out of multiplayer. Season 4 drops July 21 with huge naval maps and a reworked wave system. After the XP-booster display scandal, the game is slowly redeeming itself.
• The Dark West — A diablo-like Wild West game drops a demo July 20. Devs thanked fans for patience during the forced offline period, saying they crushed bugs, boosted stability, and optimized performance. Love it when a team listens.
• Zenless Zone Zero — Version 3.1 "Long Goodbye" stream drops this Friday, July 17 at 14:30 MSK. Expect new agents Remiel and Sigrid, the truth about the Sealer, and mysterious guests with a huge surprise. Don't miss it.
• Total War: Warhammer 40,000 — Creative Assembly showed 6 minutes of gameplay at BiliBili World Shanghai, featuring a mission on Armageddon. Units include Cadian Shock Troops, heavy armor, and the Shadowsword tank. Water slows enemies, and the environment is fully destructible. Coming soon.
• Octopath Traveler — The duology hits Nintendo Switch 2 on October 1st with higher resolution and frame rate, but saves don't transfer and there's no paid upgrade. Each title costs $59.99, with a digital bundle available. Happy 8th anniversary.
• Nintendo Switch 2 — Nintendo might eventually give the Switch 2 its most-wanted upgrade, similar to the OLED model for the original Switch. Fans have been craving this for years, and the company isn't done leveling up.
• MECCA CHAMELEON — Update 2.7.0 adds a new Egypt map and random events in Penguin Hotel. Players can manually exclude arenas from rotation, and crossovers are off by default. Bug fixes on the HIKAKIN Museum map. Hide & seek just got real.
• Steam revenue — The first half of 2026 was a record-breaker for Steam, with $11.1 billion in revenue. Revenue grew nearly 5x over a decade, driven by China's expansion, higher game prices, and big publishers ditching their launchers. Top earners were Chinese studio titles.
• Warhammer 40K: Dark Heresy — Owlcat Games introduced a new companion, sanctioned psyker Saro. He dreamed of serving the Emperor but his powers got him the Inquisition's wrath. Now he's a capable pyromancer who kept his faith. The party RPG is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series, with a closed beta live for pre-orderers.
• The Finals — Season Galaxy Masters brought players back, with the shooter's peak concurrent count hitting 28K. The new Galaxy Estates map adds antigravity, while the ranked system, melee combat, and progression got a major revamp. Newbies can practice against AI bots.
• Lunarium — Action-RPG Lunarium drops July 29, featuring two badass girls in a dying world. Combat revolves around parries and dodges with resonance points for joint attacks. Price: $17.99 on PC via Steam. Hand-drawn locations and two endings based on your choices.
• Spyro — A new Spyro game drops early next year. The studio admits they kept chasing bold ideas, risking budget and deadlines, but experienced veterans helped cut the fat. Knowing when to stop is the real superpower.
• Steam Social Deduction Festival — The festival is live with massive discounts on games like Among Us, Project Winter, and Town of Salem. Ends July 16, 8 PM MSK. Best deals include First Class Trouble for 55₽ (90% off) and Project Winter for 64₽ (75% off).
• The Alters — A massive DLC called Last Variable has dropped, putting Jan Scientists front and center. It offers 20 hours of teraforming, underground base-building, and planetary threats. Playable on PC, PS5, Xbox Series with Russian subs.
• Kingdom Hearts — Disney is going deep on Kingdom Hearts at D23 this August 2026 with a huge look back at the legendary RPG's history. The long-awaited sequel is almost here, and this is a massive tease for what's next.
• Halo: Campaign Evolved — The game drops July 28th on Xbox Series X|S, PC, and for the first time on PlayStation 5. Veteran fans and new PS players alike will hit Alpha Halo in a fresh way this summer.
• Octopath Traveler Switch 2 pricing — The pricing tier makes zero sense. These games are the best reminder why we love turn-based RPGs, but the Switch 2 pricing is completely overthought.
• PS6 cooling — Sony patented a sealed liquid cooling system for the PS6, eliminating leak risks and keeping thermals in check. The console can sit both vertical and horizontal with zero issues. No more overheating drama.

Epic — free & deals

• Together After Dark — Free on Epic Games Store. [No link]
• Cyberpunk SFX — 95% off on Epic Games Store. [No link]
• Swords Fantasy: Battlefield Bunny Hopper — 94% off on Epic Games Store. [No link]
• The Red Exile: Survival Horror — 75% off on Epic Games Store. [No link]
• My name is Tang Sanzang — 70% off on Epic Games Store. [No link]

Spotlight

• Warhammer: Chaosbane (Steam) — In a world ravaged by war, you are the last hope for the Empire of Man against Chaos hordes. Solo or co-op with up to 4 players, choose from 5 character classes with unique skills. It's the first hack and slash set in Warhammer Fantasy with a new story by Mike Lee. Details
• Blacksmith Master, Level Cap Mod — Level Cap Mod lets you set custom max levels per staff class in Blacksmith Master. It comes with higher default caps for extended progression and extra skill points. A must-have for players. Details
• Neca Bride of Chucky doll — The Living Dead Dolls series adds another piece for the collection. Available on Aliexpress. Details
• Hover Hazard (Steam) — Navigate your spaceship inside a deadly arena, dodging bullets, saws, and lasers. Survive alone or challenge friends in Shared Screen Multiplayer for 2-4 players. Features a singleplayer campaign and shared screen mode. Details
• Shinobi Warfare (Steam) — Create and customize up to six shinobis, strengthen them with skills, weapons, and accessories. Compete in Clan Wars, Live PVP, and Offline Arena. Recruit friends and fight together. Details