Phantom Blade Zero Dated, Warren Spector Retires, Game Pass Wave 2
Phantom Blade Zero gets an October 29 release date for PlayStation 5 as Sony showcases its wuxia combat and story. Warren Spector announces his retirement after more than four decades in game development, while Microsoft expands Xbox Game Pass with its August 2026 Wave 2 lineup .
Phantom Blade Zero Gets October 29 PS5 Release Date
Phantom Blade Zero is set to launch on PlayStation 5 on October 29, with the latest State of Play deep dive covering its combat systems, story, Wulin setting, and involvement from kung fu star Donnie Yen . Developer S-GAME also shares new footage and details about the action RPG through the presentation
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The showcase does not announce the rumored PS5 demo, despite reports that a playable version had appeared on the PlayStation Store the previous week . For now, October 29 remains the confirmed release date, while a public demo remains unannounced
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Warren Spector Retires After More Than 40 Years in Game Development
Warren Spector announces his retirement after more than 40 years in the games industry, following a career that includes Deus Ex, System Shock, Thief, Ultima, and Epic Mickey . He says game development is no longer as much fun for him and that he feels he has accomplished what he set out to do
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Spector still has ideas for three games he would like to make, leaving open the possibility of a return if the right circumstances emerge . His most recent industry role is co-founder of OtherSide Entertainment
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Xbox Game Pass August 2026 Wave 2 Adds 10 Games
Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass August 2026 Wave 2 adds 10 games between August 18 and September 1, including the day-one release Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy . The incoming lineup also includes Vapor World: Over the Mind and Blood Dungeon, while Egging On is available today on cloud, Xbox Series X|S, handheld devices, and PC
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Five games are also leaving Xbox Game Pass in late August, including Another Crab's Treasure and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt . Subscribers therefore have a short window to play the departing titles before the next lineup takes over.
The Sinking City 2 Launches on PS5 With Survival Horror Focus
The Sinking City 2 launches today on PlayStation 5, with Frogwares shifting the sequel from the original game's open-world detective structure toward classic Lovecraftian survival horror . Investigation remains part of the design, even as the flooded version of Arkham becomes a more focused setting for creature encounters and exploration
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Early reviews are mostly positive, with some critics describing the sequel as a major improvement over the 2019 original . The change in direction is not universally settled, however, with previews still weighing whether abandoning more of the first game's investigative approach makes The Sinking City 2 better
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Rockstar Workers Reject GTA 6 Boycott and Ask for Union Support
Former Rockstar Games workers involved in a legal dispute over their firings ask fans not to boycott Grand Theft Auto VI, instead directing support toward union merchandise that helps fund their legal battle . The firings have been described in reporting as an alleged union-busting move, making the workers' appeal an attempt to challenge Rockstar without asking players to avoid the upcoming game
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