Supermassive Layoffs, Gears of War: E-Day Beta, Wolverine PS5
The Coalition’s Gears of War: E-Day beta is giving Xbox Series X|S players an early look at an Unreal Engine 5 showcase, even as reports point to some shaky performance. Supermassive Games is also beginning a third round of layoffs, while Sony unveils limited-edition Marvel’s Wolverine PS5 hardware for the game’s September 15 release.
Supermassive Games Begins Third Layoff Round With Up to 75 Jobs at Risk
Supermassive Games, the UK studio behind Until Dawn, The Quarry, and The Dark Pictures Anthology, begins a redundancy consultation that could affect up to 75 employees. The company says the cuts are necessary to ensure its sustainability.
The announcement comes three months after the release of Directive 8020 and represents Supermassive’s third round of job losses in three years.
Gears of War: E-Day Beta Tests Unreal Engine 5 on Xbox Series X|S
The first of two Gears of War: E-Day multiplayer betas is complete after running on Xbox Series X|S and through the Xbox PC app, with the Early Access test reaching seventh place among Xbox’s most-played games. The beta gives players an early look at The Coalition’s upcoming Xbox and PC release before its October 6 launch.
The analysis describes E-Day as a standout example of what Unreal Engine 5 can achieve on consoles, combining ray-traced visuals with a 60fps performance target, though Xbox Series X|S performance is not consistently stable. Player discussion also centers on whether the game’s wall-bouncing movement is too demanding for newcomers, reviving a familiar debate around Gears multiplayer.
Marvel’s Wolverine Gets Limited-Edition PS5 Hardware Ahead of Launch
Sony reveals a Marvel’s Wolverine Limited Edition PS5 bundle, DualSense controller, and console covers featuring Battle Yellow and metallic adamantium-inspired colors. The accessories include covers for both digital and disc-drive PS5 models, while pre-orders begin next week.
Marvel’s Wolverine launches exclusively on PlayStation 5 on September 15, and Insomniac confirms the physical release is fully playable from the disc without requiring a download to start the game.
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North Returns in a Surprise Shadow Drop
Aspyr announces and releases The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition for PS5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC. The 2011 action RPG is listed at $19.99, although the European Switch eShop version is delayed until August 18.
The re-release adds an auto-save feature and bug fixes, while local co-op and 60fps gameplay are unavailable on the original Nintendo Switch model.
Alan Wake 2 Passes 3 Million Sales as Remedy Prepares Control Resonant
Remedy Entertainment says Alan Wake 2 exceeds 3 million copies sold as the studio increases its focus on Control Resonant. Control Resonant has collected 1.5 million wishlists across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, and Remedy calls it a “must-have day one purchase” for its September launch.
The update comes alongside reported revenue declines for Remedy in the second quarter and first half of 2026, while the company says it made a deliberate decision to keep Control Resonant attractively priced.