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Blizzard Announces Diablo 5, StarCraft Shooter, Nintendo Switch 2

Sep 7, 2026 — Sep 14, 2026

Blizzard Entertainment dominates the week with distant but ambitious plans for Diablo 5 and a new StarCraft shooter, while Nintendo turns the Nintendo Switch 2 into the center of its upcoming release calendar EurogamerGamesIndustry.bizEurogamer. The industry’s optimism is tempered by closures at Polyarc and mounting uncertainty at Don’t Nod, showing how major publisher announcements coexist with continued pressure on smaller studios Game DeveloperVGC.

Blizzard Announces Diablo 5 and a StarCraft Open-World Shooter

Blizzard explains why it's revealing StarCraft and Diablo 5 release dates so far away: "We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest bets"Blizzard announces Diablo 5 for 2029 releaseEurogamerVGC

Blizzard Entertainment announces Diablo 5 for spring 2029 and a new StarCraft open-world shooter for spring 2030 at BlizzCon 2026 EurogamerGamesIndustry.biz. Diablo 5 takes place a century after Diablo IV in a post-apocalyptic world without heroes, while Blizzard does not yet reveal its platforms or an exact release date VGCNintendo LifeGematsu.

The StarCraft project marks a major departure from the franchise’s real-time strategy roots, becoming an open-world first-person shooter inspired in part by the western series Deadwood GamesIndustry.bizRock Paper Shotgun. Blizzard describes it as closer to a traditional boxed release than a live-service game, with the company using the distant 2029 and 2030 windows to signal confidence that both projects can ship EurogamerVGC.

Blizzard also confirms World of Warcraft: Forever as its Classic+ project, while a preview build’s gamepad support renews speculation about console plans EurogamerPure XboxIGN. Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 alongside Season of Hell’s Legacy, and Diablo 4 is not scheduled to receive another expansion before Diablo 5 EurogamerEurogamer.

Nintendo Switch 2 Builds Its Biggest Release Calendar Yet

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake launches November 5 this year. Gameplay and additions revealedGallery: Here's A Closer Look At Zelda: Ocarina Of Time On Switch 2Automaton WestNintendo Life

Nintendo Switch 2 receives a wave of major announcements, led by The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake launching on November 5, 2026 Automaton WestEurogamerGematsu. Nintendo’s 40th Anniversary Direct provides the first extended gameplay look at the remake, while a special-edition Switch 2 console and Pro Controller launch on October 29 Nintendo LifeNintendo LifeVGC.

Nintendo then sets Metroid Ravenous for January 28, 2027, as a Switch 2 exclusive, and confirms Capcom’s Monster Hunter Wilds for December 4 with local co-op, cross-platform play, and all existing updates included EurogamerNintendo LifeIGNNintendo Life. Stellar Blade: Complete Edition also arrives on Switch 2 on November 5, while native Switch 2 versions of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Resident Evil 4 launch on October 16 Nintendo LifeIGNNintendo LifeGematsu.

The platform’s wider lineup includes Kirby and the World Beyond in spring 2027 and Professor Layton and the New World of Steam on December 10 for PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2 EurogamerNintendo LifeAutomaton WestGematsu. Nintendo also uses the Zelda anniversary to announce a live-action The Legend of Zelda film for April 30, 2027, and a concert tour across Japan, North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom Automaton WestVGCVGC.

Polyarc Closes as Don’t Nod Warns of Possible Shutdown

Life is Strange studio Don’t Nod says it may have to lay off 90 staff, warns it may not last beyond JanuaryMoss developer Polyarc has shut downVGCGame Developer

Don’t Nod, the French developer behind Life is Strange, considers cutting up to 90 jobs and warns of “material uncertainty” over its ability to continue operating beyond January 31, 2027 VGCGame DeveloperRock Paper Shotgun. The studio says it needs external financing as negotiations with employee representatives begin, making the layoffs part of a broader effort to remain in business VGC.

Polyarc, the Seattle developer behind Moss and Moss: Book II, closes after nearly 12 years and winds down active development shortly after releasing Moss: The Forgotten Relic Game DeveloperGamesIndustry.bizRock Paper Shotgun. Worker-run studio KO_OP also confirms that it eliminates 13 roles, extending a difficult week for independent and VR developers Game Developer.

There is some movement toward stronger labor protections elsewhere in the industry. Nearly 1,900 unionized Blizzard workers ratify the studio’s first contract with Microsoft, securing protections around layoffs, remote work, recall rights, and negotiations over generative AI GamesIndustry.bizEurogamerGame Developer.

Generative AI remains contentious at Level-5 after CEO Akihiro Hino confirms its use in the company’s digital showcase and apologizes for the backlash EurogamerVGC. Hino says the criticism will serve as a lesson while continuing to defend the technology’s role in game development Nintendo Life.

Xbox Takes Over Hideo Kojima’s Physint From Sony

Physint to be published by Xbox Game Studios as Sony Interactive Entertainment steps away [Update]Hideo Kojima’s Physint has jumped from PlayStation to Xbox, after Kojima says Sony tried to cancel itGematsuVGC

Xbox takes over publishing Hideo Kojima’s Physint after Sony Interactive Entertainment steps away from the action-espionage game GematsuXbox Wire. Physint was originally announced as a PlayStation Studios partnership, but Kojima Productions says Sony informed it in June that the project would be canceled before Microsoft expanded its relationship with the studio GamesIndustry.bizVGC.

Reports attribute Sony’s withdrawal to concerns over missed deadlines, rising costs, profitability, the project’s lack of permanent exclusivity, and the sales performance of the Death Stranding games EurogamerIGNPush SquareGematsu. Xbox’s broader partnership also includes Kojima Productions’ horror game OD and potential film and television projects Push SquareIGN.

The week also brings a possible consolidation of Electronic Arts and Savvy Games Group. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is reportedly considering combining EA with Savvy shortly after a PIF-led consortium completes a reported $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts, although no merger is announced EurogamerRock Paper ShotgunThis Week in Video GamesGamesIndustry.biz.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Marketing Expands as Rockstar Faces Scrutiny

Miami Approves 'Discreet' GTA 6 Marketing Campaign So the City Can Fix Its Football FieldRockstar had a mole in the union worker Discord server "for over two and a half years", GTA 6 company reveals during legal battleIGNRock Paper Shotgun

Grand Theft Auto 6 receives approval for a possible real-world marketing campaign in Miami Beach, with the proposed arrangement allowing discreet advertising in exchange for millions of dollars and local funding IGNEurogamer. The campaign emerges as Rockstar Games faces a tribunal over the dismissal of 31 employees connected to union activity Rock Paper ShotgunEurogamer.

Legal filings also appear to publicly acknowledge a planned 32-player format for Grand Theft Auto 6’s online mode, although the multiplayer feature remains in development Rock Paper Shotgun. Separately, Sony stops an unofficial PC multiplayer mod for The Last of Us Part 2 after its creator says the project receives a request not to launch IGNEurogamer.

Marvel’s Wolverine Gets Mixed PS5 Reviews as Final Fantasy VII Revelation Grows

Review: Marvel's Wolverine is a superbly crafted adventure that plays well on PS5, but best on PS5 ProWolverine on the PS5 goes back to a simpler (and bloodier) style of action gameDigital FoundryThe Verge

Marvel’s Wolverine launches on PlayStation 5 to strong technical praise but a more divided critical response, earning a 77 on Metacritic after reviewers criticize aspects of its combat and mission design Digital FoundryPush SquareThis Week in Video Games. Insomniac Games’ single-player adventure still receives recognition for its visuals, narrative moments, and set pieces, while PS5 Pro is recommended for the best presentation Digital FoundryThe Verge.

Early previews for Final Fantasy VII Revelation describe Square Enix’s concluding remake-trilogy entry as a huge RPG with strong combat, a large explorable world, and prominent character work VGCTechRaptor. Previewers also warn that the open-world scale and volume of side content may become overwhelming, with the game scheduled to launch on April 8, 2027, including Nintendo Switch 2 EurogamerIGNNintendo Life.

Steam Leak Exposes Persona 6 and Kingdom Hearts IV Details

Apparent Steam Leak Reveals Persona 6 and Kingdom Hearts 4 Achievements, Unannounced GamesSpoilers for Major Upcoming Games Made Public in Achievements LeakIGNPush Square

An apparent Steam API leak exposes achievement lists connected to unreleased games including Persona 6, Kingdom Hearts IV, Fable, Control Resonant, and Silent Hill: Townfall IGNGamesIndustry.bizRock Paper Shotgun. Some lists reportedly contain story spoilers and details about game worlds, while the wider leak may also include canceled projects Push SquareEurogamerVGC.

Bungie Delays Marathon PvE Update as New Games Find Audiences

Marathon's Future Questioned as Bungie Delays Big Update and Scraps Seasonal ScheduleMarathon Delays Next Major Update, Puts Focus on PvE, and Moves Away from Seasonal Content Amidst Bungie StrugglesPush SquareIGN

Bungie delays Marathon’s next major update from September 22 to December 8, pushing back the extraction shooter’s permanent PvE mode Push SquareEurogamer. The studio is also moving away from a strict seasonal schedule and placing more emphasis on less frequent, larger updates and PvE content Push SquareIGN.

Other releases show stronger immediate momentum. Valheim finally launches version 1.0 after five years in Early Access, completing its world with the Deep North biome and reaching a five-year Steam player high GamingOnLinuxEurogamer. Bulkhead’s Wardogs sells more than one million copies and exceeds 350,000 concurrent players in Steam Early Access, with a PlayStation 5 version planned after its unusually large debut EurogamerPush Square.

Hello Games marks No Man’s Sky’s tenth anniversary with the free Cosmos update, adding orbital bases, space-station ownership, new alliances, and direct flight toward the sun GematsuPlayStation BlogEurogamer. Valve also launches the Steam Frame standalone VR headset at $1,059 in the United States and £889 in the United Kingdom, with every headset including a native ARM64 version of Half-Life: Alyx Ars TechnicaEurogamerThe Verge.