Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, the Switch 2 port of From Software’s fantastic 2022 game (that Game Informer and many others awarded game of the year honors), is releasing August 28. The port was set to release last year, but was delayed back in October for “game performance adjustments”. Those adjustments are apparently complete, or at least will be in August.
This Switch 2 port will include the original Elden Ring as well as the 2024 expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. It will also includes new armor and customization features for the player and Torrent.
The added content will not be exclusive to Switch 2. From Software shared that The Tarnished Pack DLC will also launch on other platforms on August 28. It’s unclear if the DLC will be free or paid on non-Switch 2 platforms.
Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve has locked onto a release date, and our resident ace pilot Eric Van Allen flew out to see what Bandai Namco’s Ace team has been working on for the next installment of its flying-action series.
Join Eric and rookie wing-man Charles Harte on a brief tour of the three missions available, highlighting plenty of tense aerial battles, breakneck bombing runs, and at least two wipe-outs. It’s easy to get lost out there in the big blue.
Look for more on Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve as we approach its release date of October 2, 2026, and keep an eye out for the upcoming issue of Game Informer (both digital and physical) for an extended feature, including quotes from series director Kazutoki Kono.
The Blood of Dawnwalker thoroughly impressed me when I visited Rebel Wolves’ studio in Warsaw, Poland, in April. Though much of my excitement was centered on the heavy reliance on choice-driven mechanics and the way NPCs react to the protagonist, Coen, based on how you interact with others in the game, I would be remiss to not mention that the combat system also feels like a step up from other similar titles. And in speaking with the seasoned game-development veterans at the nascent studio, they seem to feel that way as well.
In The Blood of Dawnwalker, players participate in similar combat as other action/role-playing titles where you can attack, block, or parry an incoming attack. Even The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, a game directed by Rebel Wolves founder and The Blood of Dawnwalker game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, used a variation of this system. However, by adding a layer of directionality to the existing foundation, Rebel Wolves hopes to introduce new layers to the tried-and-true formula.
Now, instead of just needing to rely on timing for your parries, but also the direction from which it’s coming, as indicated by the icon on the enemy. You can use omni-direcitonal blocking similar to the standard parry-based combat, but it consumes more stamina than a concentrated directional block or parry. Through this system, Rebel Wolves hopes to avoid the feeling of detachment from the action, as, in those other games, players can sometimes become so good at the rhythm of the combat that they almost zone out during fights. With this directional approach, players must remain focused on where the attacks are coming from. Additionally, as I saw in one miniboss fight against The Forgotten Guardian, some more capable foes can deliver unblockable attacks, which you must dodge.
Though the studio has landed on a combat system it’s proud of, it took a long way to get there. After all, this is Rebel Wolves’ debut title, so much like its protagonist’s journey in said game, each choice carries great magnitude. “There were different iterations of it throughout the years; I think it went quite a long way to reach the point where it is,” creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz says. “At some point, we reached the conclusion it would be really nice to experiment with directional combat. At the same time, we’re aware of all of the controversies around it, like worries that some players have about it being too complex or too difficult. It was a balancing act to get to the point where it feels easy to learn but hard to master, and just enjoyable overall. We did a lot of playtesting with all kinds of players – more casual players, very hardcore players – to get it to the point where it’s enjoyable for everyone.”
And according to Rebel Wolves, the feedback from those playtests has yielded positive reinforcement. “Together, we tried to create combat which is for everyone, but also have this directional component,” Konrad Tomaszkiewicz says. “People who already played the game from the outside are saying that because you focus on directions, what’s happening in the combat, you feel that you are inside the combat, not that you are watching it from a far distance. I think it’s a really good achievement, because in RPGs, the most important [thing] is immersion. And immersion is, when you are inside, what you are seeing all the time, and if the combat is not really good, and you are just pressing buttons and watching what’s happening on the screen, then there are moments when you come out from it. What we’re trying to do is keep you in the world we created.”
But that’s not all, as Coen features two distinct combat suites: one for his daytime human form, and one for his nighttime vampiric form. As a vampire, Coen grows claws and fangs, so he doesn’t need to rely as much on swords. However, if he so chooses, he can draw a sword to take down enemies. Additionally, as Coen’s adventure progresses, he can level up to learn new abilities. In his vampire form, he learns vampire abilities. While I only see traversal-based powers during my hands-off demo, Coen eventually learns vampire abilities he can use in battle. “It evolves while you’re playing,” Konrad Tomaszkiewicz says. “We’re adding new possibilities, new actions for your opponents, and new skills you can use to fight with whole groups of opponents.”
When I ask Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz about his favorite new abilities, he touts a powerful move that I saw one of the enemy vampires use in a cutscene. It turns out Coen will eventually be able to unlock and harness this power. “You have a bunch of these abilities from special sword techniques to blowing up people with magic so they explode in a pool of blood,” he says. “That’s my favorite, personally, and I really enjoy it. But generally speaking, there is a lot to look forward to with these abilities. They’re pretty exciting, and they make these different playstyles also feel very different from one another.”
You can also customize the experience across various parts of the game, including combat, with difficulty settings for Story, Normal, Duelist, and Nightmare modes. “I hope that when people have fun with the combat, they will try the higher difficulty levels,” Konrad Tomaszkiewicz says. “In them, we turn off these indicators, and you won’t have U.I. showing in which direction you should fight, but you’re observing your opponents and reacting to what’s happening on screen. It’s a really cool and unique experience.”
It’s safe to say that The Blood of Dawnwalker skyrocketed up my list of most anticipated games of 2026 after my extended demo. It’s clear that Rebel Wolves has the vision and experience to pull off something special like the early hours indicate this might be, but we’ll need to wait until September 3, when The Blood of Dawnwalker arrives on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, to see if the studio can deliver on all of this potential.
The trend of being able to pay more for a game to jump in a couple of days early is already disappointing and annoying, preying on the very-real FOMO some players experience in such an online connected landscape (not to mention a fear of spoilers that might appear online) – last month, Xbox charged a whopping $120 to jump into Forza Horizon 6 a few days early, and it’s one of the most egregious examples of early access premiums. Now, Remedy is only charging $69.99 for the Control Resonant Digital Deluxe Edition, which is the full price of most triple-A games these days, but to amplify an already frustrating tactic, the company has made this option exclusive to PlayStation 5 players, as reported by PushSquare.
When asked by a fan on X, Remedy communications director Thomas Puha confirmed that this edition and getting into the game 48 hours early are exclusive to the PS5 version of Control Resonant.
In an ideal world, none of this pay-extra-to-play-a-couple-of-days-early stuff exists, but if you’re going to prey on FOMO, at least make it something all players excited for your game, regardless of platform, can access. It’s a frustrating trend made even more frustrating by actions such as this, and one we’ll likely continue to see more of.
Pokémon Campions is the new home for competitive Pokémon VGC, but its launch earlier this year left out some key parts of what we expected from the product. Today, we learned when two of those gaps are getting filled – on June 17, Champions comes to mobile, and the newly introduced Mega Raichu X and Y will be launching alongside it.
One of Champions’ original selling points is that it was coming to both console and mobile, with crossplay between the two platforms. Ideally, you can play on your Switch at home to get the best visuals, but you can take the game in your pocket to play a quick battle while you’re out and about. The mobile port is finally launching just over two months after the console version’s launch, so that concept will soon be a reality.
Mega Raichu X, as seen in Pokémon Champions
The other missing piece from Champions’ launch was the absence of Mega Raichu’s two forms. Pokémon Legends Z-A introduced the new variation of Pikachu’s less famous older sibling, so it felt like a no-brainer to include in Champions’ starting lineup, but it was notably absent. Yes, there are hundreds of other Pokémon left out of the roster in Pokémon Champions, but Raichu is present and mega stones are present, so it wasn’t irrational to assume Mega Raichu would also be on the way. Seeing it announced now makes perfect sense, however – The Pokémon Company was holding it back for this announcement, to make the mobile version make a bit more of a splash.
To make it even more appealing to jump back in, it sounds like all players will get Raichu and both its mega stones for free, just by signing in. According to a press release, “From Wednesday, June 17, 2026, to Wednesday, September 2, 2026, players can receive Raichu, Raichunite X, and Raichunite Y by checking their in-game mailbox. These rewards will be available in both the Nintendo Switch and mobile app versions of the game.”
To keep things fresh in the VGC scene, there’s a regular rotation of Pokémon allowed in competitions at any given time. Mega Raichu X and Y will usher in Pokémon Champions’ second-ever set of viable Pokémon, and we’re curious to see how much it shakes up the battle system.
If you’re interested in downloading the mobile version, you can pre-register on Android and iOS devices starting today. For more Pokémon Champions, check out our review, where we praised Pokémon’s tried and true battle system, but made clear that the package surrounding it can feel thin and inconsistent.
AI has become a problem for the games industry in more ways than one. Not only is it leading to countless layoffs at studios and publishers around the world – with companies shortsightedly believing AI generation can replace the work done by real human hands – but it’s also led to a RAM shortage in computing parts, leading to PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and even Steam to raise prices for their respective hardware. Whether you’re someone affected by layoffs or struggling to enjoy the hobby because of rising prices, it can be a disappointment to see a game you’re excited about utilize generative AI technology. Case in point, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis.
Here’s what the disclosure says:
“AI-assisted tools were used during development to support some early exploration and temporary development content. Any AI-assisted assets were either replaced or refined by humans in order to maintain the creative and artistic vision of the development team.”
It’s nice to see that AI assets have at least been replaced or refined by humans, but it’s still a shame to see that generative AI technology was used at all, especially when you consider that the various generative AI models out there are largely reliant on scraping existing human-made work on the internet. For now, we’ll have to take the word of developers Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog on the AI content in the game.
Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on February 12, 2027.
How do you feel about this AI content disclosure? Let us know in the comments below!
No Rest For The Wicked, the next game from Ori and the Blind Forest/Will of the Wisp developer Moon Studios, is nearing the end of its Early Access roadmap. A new trailer that debuted during today’s PlayStation State of Play reveals the game is finally launching in 1.0 form this October.
The game first entered Early Access in April 2024, meaning it’s been growing and changing based on player feedback for over two years. No Rest for the Wicked, which was featured on the cover of Game Informer Magazine in 2024, is a dark fantasy action RPG inspired by games such as Diablo, Dark Souls, and the town-building genre that can be played alone or with up to three other players in four-player co-op. Its story centers on an island afflicted by a deadly plague that turns its citizens into monsters.
Players control a holy warrior who arrives on this cursed isle to rid it of this pestilence, slaying monsters, while uncovering myriad secrets across the large explorable regions and gradually rebuilding the primary city using resource gathering mechanics.
The game’s 1.0 release will feature all 15 regions, a new class and progression system, a persistent multiplayer that allows co-op players to share progress in their private realms even when a teammate is offline, the conclusion to the main story campaign, new endgame content, and cross-play/cross-save between PC and PlayStation 5.
No Rest For the Wicked launches in October for PlayStation 5 and PC. The game is also coming to Xbox Series X/S and Switch 2, but Moon Studios did not provide an update on these versions. You can read several behind-the-scenes features chronicling the game’s development in our cover story hub.
The latest PlayStation State of Play has come and go, and it was jam-packed with new reveals, release dates, and more. Without looking it up to confirm, it’s arguably the biggest State of Play the PS5 maker has put on in a minute.
We covered a ton of it on Game Informer, as our illustrious and beautiful front page would indicate, but if you’re looking for some bite-sized recaps of everything shown, from Marvel’s Wolverine to God of War: Laufey and all the games in between, look no further.
Every Game Shown During Today’s PlayStation State Of Play
You can watch the entire presentation above, but that’s not what you’re here for! So, we’ll list each of the games shown below, in order of appearance during the show, alongside the key details you need to know and the trailers for them, too. Without further ado…
Sony revealed today during the 2026 Summer PlayStation State of Play presentation that Until Dawn 2 is on the way. Supermassive Games has made plenty of Until Dawn follow-ups as part of its Dark Pictures Anthology series, but this will be a proper numbered sequel to Until Dawn. And its coming from developer Firesprite.
The game follows a new group of young people in a vacation location (a tropical one this time) who are ghost hunters working on creating a television show. While making the show, they will have to contend with the ancient evils established in Until Dawn and decisions will happen that will put the fate of the cast into question. The trailer of the game promises that “everyone can live and everyone can die”.
Until Dawn 2 arrives next year, but Firesprite creative director Stu Tilley says they will offer more details ahead of release.
Control Resonant is a game we’re hungry to get more information about. It’s a sequel to a beloved action game from 2019 (which took home our Game of the Year award), but it’s a significant shift, as this sequel is a melee-based action game starring the first protagonist’s brother, Dylan Faden. And given that Remedy is known for its surreal, absurd game worlds, there’s a change this game is even more bizarre than we’re prepared for. For those reasons – and because the game just looks sick – we’re very excited about the new trailer, which you can watch below:
From the story details we see here, the Federal Bureau of Control, the first game’s fictional branch of government, is trying to support Dylan and his journey through a shifting New York City, despite the messy history he has with the organization. Dylan has also got to figure out how to get back in touch with his own humanity in the process, and given how much supernatural power he’s wielding, it seems easier said than done. Finally, while we don’t know how present she’ll be in the story, we also get a glimpse (which you can see in the thumbnail of the video above) of Jesse Faden’s return.
The trailer ends with a release date reveal: Control Resonant is out on September 24, just a little under 4 months from today. For more on the game, check out our preview from earlier this year.
