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PS5 · Xbox · Switch · PC // October 2026 // checked Tue 13 Oct 2026

Platforms.

Video game news across all four platforms: what the industry did, what's out and how it reviewed, which patches matter, who's winning awards, what streamers are up to and the hardware underneath. Plus fight night in The Ring. Every item links to its source.

My streamThe_1_aXionon Twitch · press play on the site
My platform

The 808 Arcade

Card Fighter and Whack-a-Platform, played for quarters

A game about video games: load out a platform raccoon with a sidekick and a toy, bet your quarters, read the AI's cards and play yours. Game cards are this month's real review scores.

CARD FIGHTER808 ARCADE · 1 PLAYER VS AI

1 · Pick your raccoon

2 · Pick a sidekick

3 · Toys and tickets

4 · Bet and play

WHACK-A-PLATFORM808 ARCADE · MACHINE 2
5 games a round

How it works

Which platform is it on?

A round costs 25¢ (1 quarter) and shows 5 games, one at a time, each with a short synopsis. Eight platform raccoons pop up out of their holes: 2 PS5, 2 Xbox, 2 Switch, 2 PC. Whack a raccoon for every platform you think the game is on, then hit Lock in. You get one guess per game. Each right platform pays 25¢ (all 4 of 4 = $1); each wrong platform costs 50¢. Finish the round at $2 or more and win a $1 jackpot on top. No guess when time runs out? Take a hint for 12 more seconds, but right picks on a hinted game pay 25¢ at most.

    Platforms for each game come from the sources linked in Releases and Reviews (Switch includes Switch 2); synopses are paraphrased from the linked coverage. Members can win up to 60 quarters a day here; keep playing for fun after that.

    8-bit drop · #01/60 · CommonCheeky ChallengerThe Ring · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Fight Night

    the data scores it, you vote

    Games, platforms and services step into the ring. Every punch is a sourced number; the round goes to whoever the numbers favour, and members cast the crowd vote.

    THE RING808 ARCADE · FIGHT NIGHT
    Cloud Gaming
    Next-gen Hardware
    Cloud GamingNext-gen Hardware

    Cloud vs the next console · Cloud Gaming wins 3–0 on the numbers, 2 rounds drawn

    Game Pass
    PS Plus
    Game PassPS Plus

    Game Pass vs PS Plus · Game Pass wins 3–2 on the numbers

    Twitch
    Kick
    YouTube
    TwitchKickYouTube

    Twitch vs Kick vs YouTube · Twitch and Kick tie 2–2–1 on the numbers

    Switch 2
    PC handhelds
    Switch 2PC handhelds

    Switch 2 vs PC handhelds · PC handhelds wins 1–2 on the numbers, 2 rounds drawn

    Fight card // 2 fighters // 5 rounds

    Cloud vs the next console

    Streaming from a server farm, or a new box under the TV: which way is gaming going?

    • Cloud Gaming RTX 5080-class power on a monthly bill, with hour caps
    • Next-gen Hardware 2027 at the earliest, and today's boxes cost more than ever
    RoundCloud GamingNext-gen Hardware
    R1Price to playGeForce NOW Ultimate: US$199.99 a year at its regular price. winsPS5 Pro: US$899.99 in the US since 2 April 2026.
    Edge: Cloud Gaming. US$899.99 up front would pay for about 4.5 years of GeForce NOW Ultimate. Sources: TweakTown · Pure Xbox
    R2Price creepGame Pass Ultimate (it carries Xbox Cloud Gaming) rose 50% to US$29.99 in Oct 2025, then was cut to US$22.99 in April 2026: about 15% above where it started. winsPS5 Pro: US$699.99 at launch, US$899.99 since April 2026, about 29% higher.
    Edge: Cloud Gaming. A net rise of about 15% is smaller than about 29%. Sources: TweakTown · Xbox Wire · Gulf News
    R3Next-gen power: when?NVIDIA began rolling out RTX 5080-class GeForce NOW servers in September 2025, quoting up to 5K at 120fps. winsOn AMD's earnings call, Lisa Su said the next Xbox's chip will be ready to support a 2027 launch. Sony has not dated a PS6.
    Edge: Cloud Gaming. The cloud tier is rolling out now; the earliest next-gen console date on record is 2027. Sources: NVIDIA · Club386
    R4ReachMicrosoft said players streamed 140 million hours of Xbox Cloud Gaming in one quarter (Jan 2025). No user count is published.95.3 million PS5s shipped and 125 million PlayStation monthly active accounts (June 2026).
    Draw. Hours streamed and consoles sold measure different things. Sources: Windows Central · Thurrott
    R5The fine printFrom November 2026, Xbox caps cloud play at 5, 10 and 15 hours a month by Game Pass tier. GeForce NOW paid plans cap play at 100 hours a month.Valve's Steam Machine launched in June 2026 at US$1,049 for the base model, controller not included.
    Draw. Hour caps and the price of the box are different costs. Sources: Club386 · Xbox · VGC · PCWorld

    Our scorecard

    Cloud Gaming wins 3–0 on the numbers, 2 rounds drawn.

    Each round goes to the side the numbers favour (cheaper price, bigger audience, earlier date). When the numbers can't be compared, the round is a draw. Facts were checked on 13 Oct 2026.

    The crowd

    Members vote: one vote per fight, and you can change it. Enlist free to vote.

    8-bit drop · #02/60 · CommonSleepy KnockoutThe Ring · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Fight card // 2 fighters // 5 rounds

    Game Pass vs PS Plus

    Two subscriptions, two philosophies. Which is the better deal right now?

    • Game Pass Cut its top tier in April and still puts big games in on day one
    • PS Plus Cheaper at the top, and the bigger subscriber count at last check
    RoundGame PassPS Plus
    R1Top tier priceGame Pass Ultimate: US$22.99 / C$25.99 a month since 21 April 2026 (was US$29.99 / C$33.99).PS Plus Premium: US$19.99 / C$24.99 a month. wins
    Edge: PS Plus. PS Plus Premium is US$3 a month cheaper, and C$1 cheaper in Canada. Sources: Xbox Wire · MobileSyrup · PlayStation · MobileSyrup
    R2Entry tier priceGame Pass Essential: US$9.99 / C$13.99 a month. winsPS Plus Essential: US$10.99 for new subscribers since 20 May 2026; C$13.99 in Canada.
    Edge: Game Pass. Game Pass Essential is US$1 a month cheaper; the two cost the same in Canada. Sources: Pure Xbox · Shacknews · Shacknews
    R3Day oneUltimate and PC Game Pass promise new games on day one. Exception: future Call of Duty games arrive about a year after launch. winsPS Plus promises monthly games and a catalogue of 'hundreds of games', with no day-one launches.
    Edge: Game Pass. Only Game Pass officially promises new games on launch day. Sources: Xbox · Xbox Wire · PlayStation
    R4Cloud streamingEvery console tier includes cloud play, capped from November 2026 at 5 (Essential), 10 (Premium) and 15 (Ultimate) hours a month. winsCloud streaming comes only with Premium, the top tier, on PS5 and PlayStation Portal.
    Edge: Game Pass. Game Pass includes cloud play from its cheapest tier; PS Plus only in its most expensive one. Sources: Xbox · PlayStation
    R5Subscribers34 million: the last official figure, from February 2024.47.4 million at the end of March 2023, before Sony stopped reporting it. wins
    Edge: PS Plus. PS Plus's last official count is 13.4 million higher, though both figures are old. Sources: TechRadar · Appuals

    Our scorecard

    Game Pass wins 3–2 on the numbers.

    Each round goes to the side the numbers favour (cheaper price, bigger audience, earlier date). When the numbers can't be compared, the round is a draw. Facts were checked on 13 Oct 2026.

    The crowd

    Members vote: one vote per fight, and you can change it. Enlist free to vote.

    8-bit drop · #03/60 · CommonZippy ChallengerThe Ring · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Fight card // 3 fighters // 5 rounds

    Twitch vs Kick vs YouTube

    A three-way brawl for live streaming. Who owns the stage?

    • Twitch The champ, still on top but losing ground
    • Kick The challenger, with a record average audience in September
    • YouTube The giant, with the biggest single-stream peak of 2026
    RoundTwitchKickYouTube
    R1Hours watched4.52B hours in Q2 2026, down 8.3% year on year. wins1.34B hours in Q2 2026, up 36.7% year on year. 773.8M in September, up about 15.65% on August.1.79B hours on YouTube Gaming in Q2 2026, down 18.9% year on year.
    Edge: Twitch. Twitch's 4.52B is about 2.5 times YouTube Gaming's and 3.4 times Kick's. Sources: Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet · Streams Charts
    R2Average viewers2.07M average concurrent viewers in Q2 2026. wins1.09M average viewers in September 2026, its first month over 1M.No comparable total published.
    Edge: Twitch. 2.07M is almost double Kick's 1.09M (different periods, so treat it as a guide). Sources: Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet · Streams Charts
    R3Viewers per channel7.94M channels, about 22.6 viewers each (Q2 2026).807.7K channels, about 85 viewers each. wins878K channels, about 78 viewers each.
    Edge: Kick. Kick's roughly 85 viewers per channel is the highest of the three. Sources: Streamlabs & Stream Hatchet
    R4Creator cut50% standard; up to 70% through the Plus Program.95% to the creator. wins70% of channel membership revenue.
    Edge: Kick. 95% beats the best 70% on Twitch or YouTube. Sources: Insider Gaming · StreamScheme · YouTube
    R5Biggest stream (H1 2026)663,302 peak viewers: VirginiaTV, Rio Carnival.840,610 peak viewers: westcol.1,920,822 peak viewers: IShowSpeed. wins
    Edge: YouTube. 1.92M is more than double Kick's best and almost triple Twitch's. Sources: Streams Charts

    Our scorecard

    Twitch and Kick tie 2–2–1 on the numbers.

    Each round goes to the side the numbers favour (cheaper price, bigger audience, earlier date). When the numbers can't be compared, the round is a draw. Facts were checked on 13 Oct 2026.

    The crowd

    Members vote: one vote per fight, and you can change it. Enlist free to vote.

    8-bit drop · #04/60 · CommonMighty ChallengerThe Ring · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Fight card // 2 fighters // 5 rounds

    Switch 2 vs PC handhelds

    Nintendo's hybrid against Steam Deck, ROG Xbox Ally and Legion Go 2. Which handheld rules?

    • Switch 2 US$499.99, 23.68M sold, Mario Kart World
    • PC handhelds Bigger screens and about 30,000 Steam games, at a higher price
    RoundSwitch 2PC handhelds
    R1PriceUS$499.99 / C$679.99 since 1 September 2026. winsCheapest here: ROG Xbox Ally at US$599.99 (launch price). Steam Deck OLED 512GB: US$789 / C$1,129.
    Edge: Switch 2. Switch 2 costs at least US$100 less than the cheapest PC handheld listed. Sources: VGC · Gematsu · Game Informer
    R2Units sold23.68 million worldwide as of 30 June 2026 (Nintendo).Valve, ASUS and Lenovo don't publish lifetime totals.
    Draw. There is no PC handheld figure to compare. Sources: Nintendo IR · PC Gamer
    R3Screen7.9-inch LCD, 1920x1080, up to 120Hz with VRR and HDR10.Best here, Legion Go 2: 8.8-inch OLED, 1920x1200, 144Hz. wins
    Edge: PC handhelds. Legion Go 2's screen is bigger, sharper and faster (Steam Deck OLED alone would lose this round). Sources: Nintendo · Notebookcheck
    R4BatteryNintendo claims about 2 to 6.5 hours.Valve claims 3 to 12 hours for Steam Deck OLED. wins
    Edge: PC handhelds. Valve's claimed range is longer at both ends. Sources: Nintendo · Valve
    R5LibraryMario Kart World has sold 15.39M; 58.17M Switch 2 games sold in total (30 June 2026).About 30,000 Steam games are Verified (8,964) or Playable (21,083) on Steam Deck.
    Draw. Copies sold and compatible games measure different things. Sources: Nintendo IR · PC Gamer

    Our scorecard

    PC handhelds wins 1–2 on the numbers, 2 rounds drawn.

    Each round goes to the side the numbers favour (cheaper price, bigger audience, earlier date). When the numbers can't be compared, the round is a draw. Facts were checked on 13 Oct 2026.

    The crowd

    Members vote: one vote per fight, and you can change it. Enlist free to vote.

    8-bit drop · #05/60 · CommonWobbly ComboThe Ring · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Industry news

    studios, deals, layoffs, showcases // 7 items
    Acquisition

    Skydance merges Paramount and Warner Bros. game divisions

    • All platforms

    After the $110bn Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery merger closed, Paramount Games Studio is being combined with Warner Bros. Games' internal studios, including Rocksteady, NetherRealm, Avalanche and TT Games. Tony Driscoll, head of Paramount Games Studio, will run the merged games business.

    Source: VGC

    8-bit drop · #06/60 · CommonMighty RumourIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Layoffs

    Supermassive Games lays off more than 70 staff

    • All platforms

    The UK developer of Until Dawn and The Dark Pictures Anthology has completed layoffs of more than 70 people, two months after announcing the plan in August. It is the studio's second major round of cuts, after more than 30 developers were made redundant in July 2025.

    Source: VGC

    8-bit drop · #07/60 · CommonBouncy Studio HeadIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Layoffs

    Ninja Theory starts layoffs as Xbox moves to close the studio

    • Xbox
    • PC

    Developers at the Hellblade studio have begun posting that they have been made redundant or are at risk, after two separate deals to sell Ninja Theory fell through. Xbox has started consulting staff on a proposed closure, which puts Senua's next game, announced in June for 2027, in doubt.

    Source: VGC

    8-bit drop · #08/60 · CommonShy Earnings CallIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Business

    Digital Bros cancels Armed Fantasia and two more games

    • All platforms

    505 Games owner Digital Bros cancelled the Kickstarter-funded Wild Arms successor Armed Fantasia, along with Directorate Novitiate and a Battle Island sequel, citing changing market conditions. It took a non-cash impairment of 18.7 million euros, 17.6 million of it in write-offs for the dropped projects.

    Source: Gematsu

    8-bit drop · #09/60 · CommonGloomy KeynoteIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Layoffs

    Xbox cuts 268 more jobs and hands Halo to Activision

    • Xbox
    • PC

    Microsoft announced a second round of Xbox cuts this year, with 268 roles going at Halo Studios, and said Activision will build a new team to develop the next mainline Halo. In the same restructuring, Playground and Turn 10 merge into one studio for Forza and Fable, and Obsidian moves under Bethesda to work on a new Fallout game.

    Source: Forbes

    8-bit drop · #10/60 · CommonMighty Earnings CallIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Showcase

    Ocarina of Time remake leads Nintendo's two September Directs

    • Switch

    On 8 September, a Zelda 40th Anniversary Direct revealed an Ocarina of Time remake for Switch 2, launching 5 November, plus a 30 April 2027 date for the live-action Zelda movie. A general Direct the next day announced Metroid Ravenous for 28 January 2027 and an open-world Kirby game for spring 2027.

    Sources: Nintendo Life · GamesRadar+

    8-bit drop · #11/60 · CommonLucky PublisherIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Showcase

    State of Play dates Until Dawn 2 and FFVII Revelation

    • PS5

    Sony's September State of Play gave Until Dawn 2 a 28 January 2027 release date and set Final Fantasy VII Revelation for 8 April 2027. It also showed a GTA VI limited-edition DualSense, which launches alongside the game on 19 November 2026.

    Source: Game Informer

    8-bit drop · #12/60 · RareFuzzy LeakerIndustry · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Release radar

    out now and coming, by date // 9 items
    6Oct
    Out now

    Gears of War: E-Day

    • Xbox
    • PC

    The Coalition's Gears prequel, built on Unreal Engine. It launched on Xbox, PC and Xbox Cloud after Microsoft dropped earlier plans for a PS5 version.

    Source: Engadget

    8-bit drop · #13/60 · CommonGrumpy SpeedrunnerReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    24Sep
    Out now

    Silent Hill: Townfall

    • PS5
    • PC

    A new Silent Hill from Screen Burn Interactive, published by Konami and Annapurna Interactive. It is set in the island town of St. Amelia.

    Source: Gematsu

    8-bit drop · #14/60 · CommonRusty Pre-OrderReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    24Sep
    Out now

    Control Resonant

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    Remedy's sequel to Control, which the studio calls its biggest game yet. You play Dylan Faden, fighting the Hiss and a new resonance that is warping Manhattan.

    Source: Remedy Entertainment

    8-bit drop · #15/60 · CommonSleepy Final BossReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    15Sep
    Out now

    Marvel's Wolverine

    • PS5

    Insomniac's PS5-exclusive Wolverine game, from the studio behind Marvel's Spider-Man, with Liam McIntyre voicing Logan. The studio has said it is going for a darker, more mature tone than Spider-Man.

    Sources: TheSixthAxis · GameSpot

    8-bit drop · #16/60 · CommonMega Day OneReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    23Oct
    Coming

    Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC
    • Switch 2

    The campaign follows a large-scale North Korean attack, with a South Korean soldier lead and Captain Price returning. It launches with 12 maps, is not on Game Pass on day one and skips PS4 and Xbox One; a Switch 2 version comes later.

    Source: Thurrott

    8-bit drop · #17/60 · CommonRowdy Day OneReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    29Oct
    Coming

    Phantom Blade Zero

    • PS5
    • PC

    S-Game Studio's long-in-development action game finally gets its launch on PS5 and PC. Martial-arts film star Donnie Yen is involved with the game.

    Source: Shacknews

    8-bit drop · #18/60 · CommonGrumpy Side QuestReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    5Nov
    Coming

    The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (remake)

    • Switch 2

    A Switch 2 remake of the 1998 N64 classic. It adds a dedicated jump button, a fully explorable Hyrule Castle Town and a new Threads of Time progress menu.

    Source: VGC

    8-bit drop · #19/60 · CommonSpicy SpeedrunnerReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    19Nov
    Coming

    Grand Theft Auto VI

    • PS5
    • Xbox

    Rockstar's next GTA has already been delayed twice, from fall 2025 to May 2026 and then to November. Take-Two says it remains on track for 19 November on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

    Source: GameSpot

    8-bit drop · #20/60 · CommonRusty Final BossReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar
    2027TBC
    Delayed to 2027

    Kena: Scars of Kosmora

    • PS5
    • PC

    Ember Lab has pushed the Kena: Bridge of Spirits sequel from 2026 into 2027, with no exact date yet, to polish a bigger game.

    Source: Game Informer

    8-bit drop · #21/60 · CommonTurbo Day OneReleases · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Reviews

    critic scores: OpenCritic Top Critic Average // 10 items

    OpenCritic Top Critic Average, checked 13 Oct 2026. Scores move as more reviews land.

    87/100
    Review

    Gears of War: E-Day

    • Xbox
    • PC

    92% of critics recommend · 98 reviews

    Praised: a strong campaign, a deep multiplayer suite with an evolved Horde mode, brutal cover shooting. Criticized: a campaign that drags, dull open areas, familiar waist-high-cover fights.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #22/60 · CommonRusty EmbargoReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    87/100
    Review

    Star Wars: Galactic Racer

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    96% of critics recommend · 94 reviews

    Praised: fast, good-looking racing and a roguelite campaign that turned out to be fun. Criticized: repetition from reusing a small set of planets.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #23/60 · CommonChill VerdictReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    86/100
    Review

    Onimusha: Way of the Sword

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • Switch 2
    • PC

    96% of critics recommend · 184 reviews

    Praised: weighty sword combat, an engaging story, a confident series revival. Criticized: padded pacing, weak connecting story sections, an uninspired semi-open world.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #24/60 · CommonShy VerdictReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    85/100
    Expansion

    Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • Switch 2
    • PC

    93% of critics recommend · 46 reviews

    Praised: a big new region, a better-structured story, rewarding exploration, a Switch 2 version that runs well. Criticized: chaotic combat with little tactical depth.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #25/60 · CommonZippy CriticReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    84/100
    Review

    The Blood of Dawnwalker

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    94% of critics recommend · 162 reviews

    Praised: well-written characters, inventive powers, a dark tone, choices that matter. Criticized: repetitive combat, rough performance, ideas not fully followed through.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #26/60 · CommonBouncy CriticReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    84/100
    Collection

    Kingdom Hearts Collection [I-III]

    • Switch 2
    • PS5
    • Xbox

    90% of critics recommend · 31 reviews

    Praised: a huge, good-value package and a great way in for newcomers, with solid Switch 2 ports. Criticized: little new for veterans, frame-rate dips in Kingdom Hearts III.

    Sources: OpenCritic · Nintendo Life

    8-bit drop · #27/60 · CommonDizzy Hot TakeReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    83/100
    Review

    Control Resonant

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    87% of critics recommend · 123 reviews

    Praised: Remedy's strange, inventive world, punchy combat, deep skill trees. Criticized: combat that wears thin, a conventional story, confusing maps.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #28/60 · CommonLoud VerdictReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    81/100
    Review

    Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    82% of critics recommend · 156 reviews

    Praised: presentation, performances, new close-range combat and puzzles. Criticized: experiments that only partly work, a grim second half some found excessive.

    Source: OpenCritic

    8-bit drop · #29/60 · CommonSilly Hot TakeReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    81/100
    Review

    Silent Hill: Townfall

    • PS5
    • PC

    79% of critics recommend · 129 reviews

    Praised: dense Scottish atmosphere, psychological horror, puzzles and the CRTV device. Criticized: weak combat and stealth.

    Sources: OpenCritic · Gagadget

    8-bit drop · #30/60 · CommonMighty VerdictReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar
    78/100
    Review

    Marvel's Wolverine

    • PS5

    64% of critics recommend · 152 reviews

    Praised: the performance as Logan, gory finishers, cinematic set pieces, a tight campaign. Criticized: repetitive combat, thin enemy variety, a predictable story, heavy hand-holding.

    Sources: OpenCritic · Dot Esports

    8-bit drop · #31/60 · CommonWobbly Review CopyReviews · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Major patches

    updates worth downloading // 6 items

    Fortnite: v42.30, Fortnitemares 2026

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • Switch
    • Switch 2
    • PC

    Starts Fortnitemares with a Five Nights at Freddy's tie-in and other Halloween crossovers, including Freddy Krueger. It also adds a free event skin and Halloween Overrides across modes.

    Sources: FRVR · TheSixthAxis

    8-bit drop · #32/60 · CommonRowdy Day-One PatchPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Helldivers 2: Patch 7.1.0

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    A balance and fixes patch based on community feedback. Enemy spawns now account for where each player is, Evacuate High-Value Assets is harder, and the One-Two and LAS-13 Trident get buffs.

    Sources: MP1st · FandomWire

    8-bit drop · #33/60 · CommonLucky MetaPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Black Ops 7 and Warzone: Season 06, The Haunting

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    Adds the multiplayer maps Quantum and Bloodstead, the Tenshu Zombies survival map and Doom crossover content. Warzone gets Haunted Hollow, a night version of Haven's Hollow, and a Giant Infected mode.

    Source: PlayStation Blog

    8-bit drop · #34/60 · CommonFuzzy ChangelogPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Marvel Rivals: Season 10, Butcher's Blasphemy

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • PC

    Adds Gorr the God Butcher as a new Duelist hero, plus a new battle pass and balance changes. More events followed on 18 and 24 September.

    Source: Massively OP

    8-bit drop · #35/60 · CommonJolly MetaPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    No Man's Sky: Cosmos (Update 7.0)

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • Switch
    • Switch 2
    • PC

    A free 10th-anniversary update with a new Star Map, salvageable space hulks, asteroid belts, free-floating orbital bases and space stations players can own. Players can also form alliances that compete on leaderboards.

    Source: Hello Games

    8-bit drop · #36/60 · CommonTiny BuffPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Overwatch: September 8 patch

    • PS5
    • Xbox
    • Switch
    • PC

    A large balance pass that nerfs D.Mon and Mauga, buffs Baptiste's Immortality Field and changes Brigitte's health and armour split. It also starts the Junkrat's Loot Hunt event and tunes Stadium powers.

    Source: Blizzard patch notes

    8-bit drop · #37/60 · CommonTurbo ChangelogPatches · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Awards

    the season, the shortlists, the winners // 8 items

    Every item here covers all platforms.

    Upcoming

    Golden Joysticks Ultimate GOTY shortlist lands 26 October

    The shortlist for the Golden Joysticks' Ultimate Game of the Year is announced on 26 October, after voting in the other categories closes. The 20 Most Wanted Game nominees include The Witcher 4, Persona 6, Fable and Kingdom Hearts 5.

    Source: TechRadar

    8-bit drop · #38/60 · RareLoud JuryAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Nominees

    Esports Awards 2026 goes to Miami on 17 November

    The Esports Awards are held in Miami for the first time on 17 November, with fan voting closing on 10 November. Esports Personality of the Year finalists include Faker, Caedrel and Magnus Carlsen.

    Source: Dot Esports

    8-bit drop · #39/60 · CommonZippy GOTYAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Upcoming

    The Game Awards 2026: 10 December, Peacock Theater

    Geoff Keighley confirmed The Game Awards 2026 for Thursday 10 December at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. No date has been announced for the nominees reveal yet; it has usually come in November.

    Source: Insider Gaming

    8-bit drop · #40/60 · CommonTurbo GOTYAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Voting open

    Golden Joystick Awards 2026: voting open in 21 categories

    Public voting for the 44th Golden Joysticks is open until 23 October, and winners are revealed on 11 November. Console Game of the Year nominees include 007 First Light, Forza Horizon 6, Resident Evil Requiem, Saros and Pokémon Pokopia.

    Sources: TechRadar · KitGuru

    8-bit drop · #41/60 · CommonCheeky NomineeAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Winners

    Pokémon Pokopia takes the Japan Game Awards Grand Award

    Pokémon Pokopia won the Grand Award at the Japan Game Awards 2026, which opened Tokyo Game Show. Pragmata won the Breakthrough Award, and Awards for Excellence went to games including Ghost of Yotei, Silent Hill f and Resident Evil Requiem.

    Source: My Nintendo News

    8-bit drop · #42/60 · CommonRowdy StatuetteAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Winners

    Gamescom Award 2026: CD Projekt Red and Sega win three each

    Tides of Annihilation won Most Epic at the Gamescom Award 2026. Sega's wins included Best PC Game for Total War: Warhammer 40,000, and CD Projekt Red won three awards tied to its Witcher 3 announcements.

    Source: Inven Global

    8-bit drop · #43/60 · RareNifty StatuetteAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Upcoming

    BAFTA Games Awards set for 14 April 2027

    The 2027 BAFTA Games Awards are in London on 14 April 2027, with the longlist due 8 December and nominations on 11 March. Entries close 6 November for games released between 1 August and 19 November 2026.

    Source: BAFTA

    8-bit drop · #44/60 · CommonMega PlatinumAwards · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Winners

    Last year's sweep: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33

    Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025, one of nine wins from 12 nominations. It also won Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards.

    Sources: TechRadar · Pure Xbox

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    Streamers

    Twitch, YouTube, Kick and the numbers // 6 items

    Every item here covers all platforms.

    Kick

    Kick passes 1 million average viewers in record September

    Streams Charts says Kick hit a record 773.8 million hours watched in September 2026, its first month over 700 million. Average viewership was about 1.09 million, its first month above 1 million.

    Source: Streams Charts

    8-bit drop · #46/60 · CommonSneaky EmoteStreamers · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Data

    Twitch watch time dips in September; GTA V leads

    Streams Charts counted about 1.47 billion hours watched on Twitch in September 2026, roughly 5.9% lower than August. Grand Theft Auto V was the top game with 76.7 million hours, and Asmongold's zackrawrr channel led with nearly 10 million.

    Source: Streams Charts

    8-bit drop · #47/60 · RareShy LurkerStreamers · collect it for your portal and avatar
    YouTube

    Nintendo Direct tops YouTube Gaming peaks in September

    Streams Charts says Nintendo's Japanese channel peaked at 1.66 million viewers in September, the highest on YouTube Gaming. Among streamers, TheBurntPeanut led watch time with 8.77 million hours and IShowSpeed had the highest peak at 162.7K.

    Source: Streams Charts

    8-bit drop · #48/60 · CommonRowdy RaiderStreamers · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Twitch

    Twitch is using AI to match streamers with brand-safe ads

    Twitch CEO Dan Clancy said on a podcast that Twitch uses AI to transcribe live speech, and has recently begun using it to flag streamers who may not suit a particular brand. The system builds on creators' existing content labels.

    Sources: Tubefilter · Dexerto

    8-bit drop · #49/60 · RareSparky StreamerStreamers · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Record

    Final ZEvent raises a record of about 32.9 million euros

    The tenth and final ZEvent charity marathon on Twitch, held in Montpellier in early September, raised 32,891,874 euros for 22 associations. Streams Charts reports Mastu's channel peaked at 495,000 viewers during the event.

    Sources: HelloAsso · Streams Charts

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    Event

    TwitchCon San Diego runs 13 to 15 November

    TwitchCon San Diego 2026 is at the San Diego Convention Center from 13 to 15 November, and CEO Dan Clancy will share product news at the opening ceremony. Twitch Rivals, Creator Camp and Glitch Theater return.

    Sources: Net Influencer · PocketGamer.biz

    8-bit drop · #51/60 · CommonSnappy SubscriberStreamers · collect it for your portal and avatar

    My stream

    twitch.tv/the_1_axion

    Loads Twitch's player here. When I'm live you'll see the stream; when I'm not, Twitch shows the channel's offline screen. Twitch receives your IP address and may set its own cookies once you press play.

    8-bit drop · #52/60 · LegendaryDizzy Main CharacterMy stream · collect it for your portal and avatar

    Platforms + hardware

    consoles, firmware, PC and OS // 8 items
    Hardware

    Steam survey: 32GB RAM now most common, RTX 5070 top GPU

    • PC

    In Valve's September 2026 Steam Hardware Survey, 32GB of RAM overtook 16GB, at 42.22% against 37.82%. The RTX 5070 became the most common GPU at 5.86%, ahead of the RTX 5060 at 4.20%.

    Source: WindowsForum

    8-bit drop · #53/60 · CommonFancy Dev KitHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Firmware

    PS5 update turns on enhanced PSSR by default on Pro

    • PS5

    PS5 system software 26.06-14.00.00 turns on Enhance PSSR Image Quality by default on PS5 Pro. It also adds a speaker indicator in voice chat and a Community Activity widget with trending and Top 10 games.

    Source: MP1st

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    Hardware

    Valve prices Steam Frame from US$1,059 (C$1,529)

    • PC

    The Steam Frame VR headset costs US$1,059 or C$1,529 for 256GB and US$1,299 or C$1,859 for 1TB, with no power supply included. Buyers entered a randomized draw that closed on 17 September; winners get 72 hours to buy.

    Sources: GamingOnLinux · Dexerto

    8-bit drop · #55/60 · RareMighty Joy-ConHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Firmware

    Switch 2 update 23.0.0 adds VRR in TV mode

    • Switch

    System update 23.0.0 turns on variable refresh rate when Switch 2 is docked, after a separate dock firmware update. It also adds Switch 2 to Switch 2 system transfer.

    Source: FullCleared

    8-bit drop · #56/60 · CommonShy GPUHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    OS

    Xbox Disc to Digital starts testing with Insiders

    • Xbox

    Put an eligible Xbox One or Series X disc into a compatible console and run it, and the game is added to your account as a digital copy that works with Play Anywhere and Cloud Gaming. Insiders got it from 31 August; there is no date for everyone else.

    Source: Game Developer

    8-bit drop · #57/60 · CommonChill GPUHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Sales

    Switch 2 passes 23.68 million units sold

    • Switch

    Nintendo says Switch 2 had sold 23.68 million units by 30 June 2026, including 3.82 million in the April to June quarter. It kept its full-year forecast of 16.5 million Switch 2 consoles; the original Switch reached 156.59 million.

    Source: VGC

    8-bit drop · #58/60 · CommonShy Dev KitHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Price

    Xbox prices rise again and the 2TB Series X is dropped

    • Xbox

    From 1 August 2026, US prices are $499.99 for Series S 512GB, $599.99 for Series S 1TB, $749.99 for Series X Digital and $799.99 for Series X. Microsoft also discontinued the 2TB Series X, including the Galaxy Black edition.

    Source: FullCleared

    8-bit drop · #59/60 · CommonNifty Joy-ConHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar
    Sales

    PS5 shipments reach 95.3 million

    • PS5

    Sony shipped 1.6 million PS5 consoles in the quarter to 30 June 2026, taking the total to 95.3 million. That is 0.9 million fewer than the same quarter last year; PlayStation Network had 125 million monthly active users.

    Source: Gematsu

    8-bit drop · #60/60 · CommonJolly GPUHardware · collect it for your portal and avatar