Nintendo has confirmed a roughly 30-minute Partner Showcase livestream for Thursday, Feb. 5, 2026, that will focus on upcoming third-party games for the Nintendo Switch and the new Switch 2. The company published the event via its Nintendo Today app; the stream will air globally on Nintendo’s YouTube and Twitch channels and in the app (6:00 a.m. PST / 9:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 p.m. GMT). Nintendo said the presentation will feature titles from publishing and development partners rather than Nintendo’s first‑party slate. Media and fans expect updates or release windows for delayed Switch 2 ports such as Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, new material on FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods, and appearances from major partners including Capcom and Square Enix (Resident Evil Requiem, Pragmata, Monster Hunter entries, and other ports have been suggested). Outlets also anticipate indie and smaller third‑party announcements. Nintendo is continuing a run of themed livestreams this year, with a separate Pokémon Presents planned for Feb. 27 to mark Pokémon Day and the franchise’s 30th anniversary.

On Feb. 4, 2026 Build A Rocket Boy rolled out Update 7 for MindsEye, calling the patch “a reset for the brand and the title.” The extensive update targets the game’s poorly received summer 2025 launch by clarifying campaign objectives, improving NPC AI and animations, fixing numerous bugs, refining audio and UI, and adding better companion drone controls for PC. Deluxe-edition owners received a new Silva E-Series street-circuit racetrack in Redrock. The studio also teased an upcoming expansion and a multiplayer mode delivered through the game’s Arcadia system. CEO and CTO Mark Gerhard said the team has “listened” to feedback and is committed to steady improvements. MindsEye was widely panned at release (OpenCritic top critic avg ~33/100) and Sony issued refunds after the launch. The title’s troubled roll-out has been further complicated by reporting that game director Leslie Benzies’ name appears in recently released Jeffrey Epstein documents; Benzies denies allegations. Early commentary and community reaction will be watched as the studio seeks to repair the game’s reputation and commercial prospects.

Square Enix’s Dragon Quest VII Reimagined launched in early February 2026, arriving on consoles and PC (including Steam) as a modern rework of the 2000 PlayStation classic and its 3DS remake. Developed by Square Enix with HexaDrive, the title replaces the original’s sprite-and-3D look with a handcrafted “diorama” visual style, introduces partial English and Japanese voice acting, and significantly trims the game’s famously slow opening and some scenarios to shorten total playtime to roughly 35–60 hours. Gameplay overhauls include the new Moonlighting vocation system that lets characters equip two jobs simultaneously, streamlined progression features (Career Sphere, quality-of-life shortcuts), and flexible difficulty and modifiers. Early critical response has been broadly positive — Metacritic sits in the low 80s and outlets praised the presentation and accessibility — though several reviews note a reduction in challenge that may disappoint series veterans. PlayStation trophy lists and guides indicate a 61-trophy structure with a comparatively achievable platinum, reflecting the title’s more approachable design.

Nintendo on Feb. 3, 2026 added two Game Boy titles — Yoshi (also known as Mario & Yoshi in Europe) and Balloon Kid — to its Nintendo Classics Game Boy app for Switch Online subscribers. Yoshi, a puzzle game developed by Game Freak, and Balloon Kid, a 2D side‑scroller, bring the West’s Game Boy/Game Boy Color library on the service to 43 titles. The additions are available to holders of the base Switch Online subscription; they do not require the higher‑tier Expansion Pack. Nintendo also confirmed a Virtual Boy: Nintendo Classics app is due on Feb. 17, with seven launch games and additional titles to follow; that app will require the Expansion Pack add‑on and an external Virtual Boy attachment for the Switch 2. The update continues Nintendo’s staggered roll‑out of legacy content across regional libraries and platforms as it balances nostalgia demand with subscription‑tier differentiation.

Koei Tecmo and Team Ninja’s Nioh 3 is due to release on PC (Steam) and PlayStation 5 in early February 2026, with regional Steam countdowns and launch times listing February 5–6 for many territories. A free demo — available on PS5 and Steam — carries progress into the full game; PS5 supports preloading while Steam does not. The new instalment moves the series to an open-world structure, retains Soulslike combat, and adds dual playstyles and upgraded systems, with early hands-on reports praising performance (including 120 FPS on high-end PCs) and deep loot and exploration incentives. A PlayStation trailer includes fine print stating Nioh 3 will not be available on other consoles “for at least 6 months” after its February 6, 2026 release, implying a potential window for Xbox Series X/S and possibly Nintendo Switch 2 ports around August 2026. Publisher Koei Tecmo has not confirmed additional platforms or exact port timelines; rumours and industry observers suggest this could mark the first entry in the franchise to appear on non‑PlayStation consoles if ports proceed.

A content creator known as “Blurbs” has transformed Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 into a Pokémon-style, creature-catching RPG via a high-profile mod showcased in videos and developer streams this week. The modification lets protagonist Arthur Morgan capture and nickname wildlife using makeshift “Arthur balls,” build a party, and engage in turn-like trainer battles against NPCs — including members of the Van der Linde gang repurposed as gym leaders. Blurbs rebuilt core mechanics from scratch, created retro-style battle menus layered over RDR2’s realistic graphics, and implemented custom types, movesets and “legendary” beasts drawn from the game’s fauna. The mod was developed rapidly and relies on streaming software (OBS) for some UI and sound integration; the creator says a public release is planned after cleaning and simplifying the code. Blurbs also intends to avoid using original Pokémon music or assets to reduce intellectual-property risk, though he acknowledges potential legal scrutiny from rights holders. The work has been widely covered across gaming outlets since early February 2026.

Multiple reports from Feb. 2–4, 2026 indicate Blizzard is ramping up Diablo 4 content ahead of the Lord of Hatred expansion due April 28, 2026. Dataminers on the 2.6.0 PTR have surfaced concept art and filenames (reportedly including “2DUI_Expansion2_Info_Page_01_WarlockUpdate_0”) suggesting the expansion’s unrevealed second class may be a Warlock or a blood-themed fighter similar to Diablo Immortal’s Blood Knight; other theories point to a return of Witch Doctor-like mechanics. Blizzard has already made the Paladin available as a pre-order bonus. Separately, Season 12 (PTR Feb. 3–10; live from March 10 until the expansion launch) will introduce several systems and items: killstreaks (five tiers with XP and reputation bonuses), Bloodied gear and Sigils that raise endgame difficulty and rewards, a slate of general Uniques usable across multiple classes, and other endgame tweaks (Horadric Cube return, War Plans and the Echoing Hatred arena). Blizzard will present more Diablo news during a Feb. 11 showcase. Developers note Season 12 is a focused bridge to Lord of Hatred, designed to test new mechanics and broaden build diversity before the expansion arrives.

Cairn, a mountain-climbing survival game from indie studio The Game Bakers, sold more than 200,000 copies across PlayStation 5 and PC in its opening weekend after launching on Jan. 29. The developer said roughly 100,000 of those sales occurred in the first 24 hours. The single-player title peaked at nearly 15,000 concurrent players on Steam, sits inside global top-seller charts and high wishlist activity, and has garnered strong critical and user response (Metacritic around the mid-80s and Steam reviews showing roughly 94% positive). Available on multiple PC storefronts (Steam, GOG, Epic) and on PS5, Cairn’s realistic climbing mechanics, resource management and a rewind feature have drawn praise. The Game Bakers, known for Furi and Haven, self-published with a modest marketing push; there has been no official confirmation of releases on other consoles.

Bandai Namco has announced Tekken 8 Season 3, promising a “back to basics” approach to balance and a roadmap of four new characters and content rolling out across 2026. The Season 3 Pass goes on sale in early February (launch windows reported as Feb. 9–10) and kicks off a second-anniversary campaign running into mid-March. The season will add Kunimitsu in late spring, Bob in summer, Roger Jr. in autumn and a yet-to-be-revealed winter fighter plus a new stage. A major balance patch—framed as a refined, more conventional adjustment that will tweak the contentious Heat system and other mechanics—is scheduled for mid-March (patch windows cited as March 16–17) and will include rank resets. Bandai Namco has signalled a change in direction after widespread player backlash over Season 2’s offense-forward meta; details such as early-access bonuses, an Aurora outfit pack (44 costumes) and 120 hours of early access for pass buyers were also announced.

Embark Studios has increased the frequency of Arc Raiders’ Bird City map condition after players in many time zones complained they were locked out of the event. On Feb. 3, 2026 the studio pushed a server-side update — announced on the game’s official Discord by community lead “Ossen” — restoring map events that had briefly disappeared and expanding Bird City’s daily slots (reports indicate the modifier rose from about three one‑hour windows to as many as nine). Bird City, introduced in the Headwinds update, temporarily populates the Buried City with flocks, extra trinkets and rare collectible rubber ducks; its original rigid schedule often put the event during standard work hours for European players. Embark said no client download was required but urged players to restart the game, and pledged to “keep revising” the rota to give all time zones a chance. Coverage also notes outstanding player requests for shared map tools, claims of item‑duplication exploits and a planned patch and wider Shrouded Sky update coming later in February.

Highguard, a free-to-play “raid shooter” from Wildlight Entertainment, launched Jan. 26, 2026 and briefly peaked at about 97,000 concurrent players on Steam, according to tracker SteamDB. PC reporting and game outlets say the Steam concurrent player count plunged into the low thousands within a week (with figures as low as roughly 5,000 reported on Feb. 3), though console activity is not fully captured by Steam data. After a weekend experiment in late January/early February, Wildlight announced on Feb. 2 that a 5v5 Raid Mode — added in response to player feedback — will be permanent alongside the original 3v3 queues. The move coincided with rapid post-launch patches and a modest recovery in Steam user sentiment from “Mostly Negative” toward “Mixed”; community engagement and review counts (reported at over 35,000 user reviews, with roughly 15,000 positive) have risen. Studio head and game director Chad Grenier said in a Polygon interview the developer prioritises creating a game that players “love” over chasing raw player-count milestones. Wildlight has published a 2026 content roadmap of episodic updates it plans to roll out.

Pahdo Labs, the indie studio behind anime‑styled action RPG Starlight Re:Volver, announced it is closing after failing to secure further investment despite raising roughly $17.5 million. The studio entered Steam Early Access in November and faced mixed reviews and a declining player base; updates were halted and about half the team was previously laid off. CEO Daniel (Dan) Zou said a follow‑up prototype, Edge of Divinity — a 1–4 player P2P roguelite — was developed as a demo to attract new funding but did not succeed. Zou stated the majority of the funds were spent on market‑rate salaries, art and content production, with slightly more than half allocated to Starlight Re:Volver and the remainder to experimental projects such as Halcyon Zero. Starlight Re:Volver will remain playable in its current, single‑player state and the Edge of Divinity demo is available on Steam, but both projects are effectively cancelled as the company winds down operations.

A long-time Doom fan under hospice care in Toronto is spending his final weeks playing Doom: The Dark Ages after hospital staff procured a PS5 and setup so he could play from bed, Reddit posts and subsequent reporting show. The user, known on Reddit as Wanderingreader123, said he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022 and that the disease progressed in 2026 to a point where doctors have given him “possibly weeks” to live. His post, shared at the end of January, reached developers at id Software and publisher Bethesda, prompting public responses from Doom director Hugo Martin, franchise co-creator John Romero and community manager Joshua Boyle. In messages pinned to the thread the developers praised the fan’s devotion, offered words of comfort — “You are not alone in that hospital room” — and said the studio was reaching out privately to help. The story has been widely shared across gaming outlets and social media; reporting notes id Software has discussed doing what it can for the fan, and that additional game content scheduled for May 15, 2026, is something the player hoped to see.

Chinese retro-hardware maker Anbernic this week teased two PlayStation Vita–inspired emulation handhelds, the RG Vita and RG Vita Pro, in a short video released Feb. 3–4, 2026. The reveal emphasises Vita-like aesthetics—oval grips, button layout and multiple colourways—while leaving specifications, pricing and a release date undisclosed. Gaming outlets note the Pro may include rear features reminiscent of the original Vita, but Anbernic has not shown the device backs or confirmed touchpad or camera hardware. Observers warned native PS Vita emulation remains limited—Vita3K and other projects are not yet broadly playable—so the new devices are expected to prioritise retro and PSP/PS2-era emulation rather than full Vita compatibility. Anbernic, known for producing GBA, GBA SP and DS-style replicas, has a track record of stirring interest quickly but sometimes drawing criticism over performance; community reaction to the RG Vita teasers has been cautiously mixed.

Creator Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone has revealed details of Stardew Valley’s next major update, 1.7, in a wide-ranging interview ahead of the game’s 10th anniversary. Barone confirmed the patch will add two new marriage candidates — identities to be revealed on February 26 — and teased changes intended to make in-game children “a little more interesting.” He also floated larger additions being considered for 1.7, including a farm map editor and social-sharing features, though he did not commit to their inclusion. Barone said he has expanded his team and is acting more as Stardew’s creative director so he can continue work on Haunted Chocolatier; that project is “coming along” but progressing slower than he’d like, with prior comments indicating a long-term timetable. Barone reiterated he once began work on a full sequel and remains open to Stardew Valley 2, but cautioned fans the franchise will continue evolving through updates. He also explained why he has been reluctant to license Stardew for TV or film adaptations.

Epic Games Store’s 2025 year-in-review, published in early February 2026, shows the platform reached new commercial highs while promising a major technical and social overhaul in 2026. PC players spent $1.16 billion on the store in 2025 (up 6%), including $400 million on third‑party PC games, a 57% year‑on‑year rise. The catalogue now lists more than 6,000 games; Epic reported 78 million monthly active users in December (67 million average MAU) and 317 million+ total PC users. Total gameplay hours across the store fell to 6.65 billion (-14%), but third‑party playtime rose to 2.78 billion (+4%). Epic’s Free Games Program delivered 662 million claimed titles in 2025 and, the company says, produced an average 40% lift in concurrent players on Steam while titles were free. Epic highlighted developer-friendly terms — developers keep the first $1 million per product before an 88/12 split and can use their own payment systems — and new initiatives such as Web Shops, a Fortnite-tied marketing program, and plans to rebuild the launcher (targeted May/June 2026) and add forums, profiles, avatars, private messaging, voice chat, cross-platform libraries and regional storefronts.

Blizzard will host an Overwatch Spotlight livestream on Feb. 4, 2026 at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. GMT) across its official Twitch and YouTube channels to preview the game’s next chapter. The developer confirmed Twitch Drops for viewers: the Epic “New Era” Zarya skin (short watch threshold) and an Epic loot box (approximately one hour of qualifying viewing), available only by watching a curated list of featured creators with linked Battle.net and Twitch accounts. The broadcast is widely expected to set up Season 21, due around Feb. 10, and to address recent lore and UI stunts tied to the antagonist faction Talon — including a temporary Talon-themed takeover of menus — and the debut of recent hero Vendetta. Community speculation also centers on a potential rebrand (dropping the “2” from Overwatch 2) and announcements of new maps, modes, or crossovers. Blizzard’s showcase follows a year of substantial post-launch changes that revived player interest and will likely outline gameplay, narrative and monetization plans for 2026.

EA and Battlefield Studios released update 1.1.3.6 for Battlefield 6 on Feb. 3, 2026, delivering several technical fixes and minor cosmetic tweaks that have drawn fan criticism. The patch addressed player movement edge cases — notably excessive sprint-jump momentum — plus fixes for REDSEC Battle Royale insertion and parachute behaviour, Eastwood map lighting artefacts, and various UI, audio and stability issues. Two contested cosmetics were adjusted: the Objective Ace skin received a slimmer redesign with additional details, while the Winter Warning player-card sticker remained effectively unchanged. Developers said the patch note timing was incorrect and that Winter Warning will be reworked when Season 2 launches on Feb. 17, 2026. Fans remain dissatisfied, citing concerns that Objective Ace closely resembled Call of Duty: Ghosts branding and that Winter Warning appears to include generative-AI artefacts. The game, which was among the best-selling shooters of 2025, has faced recent player backlash and a drop in population amid controversies and competition from rival franchises.

Wizards of the Coast is rolling out a seven-part Dungeons & Dragons-themed Secret Lair “Roll for Initiative” Superdrop next week featuring reprints tied to the Forgotten Realms and characters from Baldur’s Gate 3, including dedicated Shadowheart and Gale packs. The drops will be sold in foil and non-foil editions (standard pricing reported at $29.99 non-foil and $39.99 foil) with three bundle options for complete sets (reported bundles at roughly $199, $269 and $465). Wizards has advised customers to enter a pre-queue an hour before the planned 9 a.m. PT launch to be randomly assigned a spot in line. The release follows a separate “Prints Charming” Secret Lair that showed up on Wizards’ site with multiple simultaneous price listings (non-foil from about $10–$50 and foil $20–$50), an experiment that sold out quickly and prompted community criticism. Critics say the moves reflect an industry shift from print-to-order to limited runs and aggressive pricing tactics; Wizards says the Chaos Vault label is intended to test unconventional offers.

Open-source emulator ScummVM released version 2026.1.0 at the end of January, adding support for 12 new engines and roughly 194 titles, a jump its developers call potentially the project’s largest single update. New compatibility covers a wide range of classics including Dark Seed, Heart of China, The Last Express, Penumbra: Overture, Tex Murphy: Martian Memorandum and multiple Nancy Drew releases. The update integrates authoring-tool engines such as WAGE and SLUDGE, which together account for over 160 legacy WAGE-era games. Beyond engine and game additions, the release improves text-to-speech (desktop platforms), expands keymapper support, and delivers numerous engine overhauls (SCUMM, ZVision, Private Eye, Humongous Entertainment subengine) plus platform upgrades for Android, iOS and legacy ports (Atari, DS, PS3). The project announced a change to version numbering and a plan for more frequent releases. Release notes and downloads are published on scummvm.org, with mobile builds appearing or soon to appear in app stores.