It's no secret that the modern video game industry is in somewhat of an identity and budget crisis. Massive AAA publishers are sinking hundreds of millions of dollars and up to a decade of development time into hyper-polished blockbusters, many of which fail to recoup the ballooning costs. On the other hand, we have feel-good stories like this one about this year's breakout indie hit, Meccha Chameleon, which just announced it has achieved 15 million sales on Steam in less than a month.
What is Meccha Chameleon?
lemorion_1224lemorion_1224
Two indie developers in Japan reportedly spent two months, yes, only two months, slapping together this janky $5 party game about painting human chameleons, and it's done the impossible by capturing millions of players' attention.
Creator 'lemorion_1224' and programmer Haganeiro originally met in the Fortnite custom map creator community, and together came up with this wacky, extreme hide-and-seek concept.
Players have plain white bodies and must spray-paint themselves to match the textures of the walls and surroundings to hide from the seekers. I've even seen one environment that's modeled after the Backrooms, so it's a Gen Z clip-worthy beast of a game. It seems incredibly simple, but the trajectory of the game's success is every indie developer's dream scenario. It even utilizes free assets, for which the creator has expressed support for the game taking off.
Super stoked about the success that Meccha Chameleon is having, because it does feature my game assets 👀 pic.twitter.com/0uP27UyoU4July 5, 2026
Meccha Chameleon launched on Steam on June 9, 2026, for the modest price of $4.79, and took only 4 days to shatter 1 million copies sold purely by organic word of mouth and viral Twitch clips. It's the latest in a trend of 'friendslop' games, not a derogatory term, but meaning a game where the fun is made organically by playing with a group of pals (and tends to be a low-budget title). Think Schedule 1 as another example.
lemorion_1224lemorion_1224
As of June 26, they hit 10 million copies sold, and today they announced the milestone of 15 million copies just under a month after launch. At the game's peak, it reached 340,000 concurrent players and outperformed Overwatch and Apex Legends.
Now, as inspiring as Meccha Chameleon's success is, it's vital to remember that not everyone can be the next Balatro or Among Us. Tens of thousands of indie games flood Steam each year, and a heartbreakingly small percentage of those ever make enough money to sustain their creators. That said, when a game this cheap does strike lightning, it's something to be celebrated, and I'm going to download immediately and check the game out myself!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Sony's announcement that it will cease physical disc production by January 2028 has had a seismic impact on the gaming industry,. As players look forward to a disc-less future with the arrival of the PlayStation 6 (and the likelihood that Xbox Helix will follow suit), everyone has been weighing in on the debate at a volume I've not seen before.
Celebrities like comedian Trevor Noah have weighed in, and even fast food outlets like KFC and Dominos have jumped on the bandwagon, but now one of the industries most legendary creator, Hideo Kojima has weighed in.
Speaking at the Il Cinema in Piazza Film Festival in Italy, Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator Kojima expressed deep anxiety over the erasure of physical media. His translated remarks have been widely ciculated by Genki_JPN on X and we can be pretty certain the translation is correct given it's been reposted by Kojima himself.
"You don't actually possess the data"
Kojima, a notoriously devout cinephile and physical media collector, didn't hold back when asked his thoughts on the industry-wide push toward digital distribution.
"Since production is ending in 2028, this is about video games, but I grew up with physical media, so I find it really sad.
Currently, I’ve been buying up a lot of Blu-rays, such as various movies, and CDs too. The situation is different for games, as they are downloaded to the hard drive, that means the game data remains on your own hardware.
However, if things shift to streaming in the future, that won’t be the case anymore. With streaming subscription services, like Netflix or Amazon, there is a server somewhere, and you essentially just have the right to turn the tap, and when you do, the data flows out. That’s how movies work on these platforms, right? You don't download the data, you access it directly through a subscription.
And the consequence of that is that you don't actually possess the data yourself. There are companies that own these servers and let you 'turn the tap' for a monthly fee. However, with nations, politics and various ways of thinking, one naturally has to consider the possibility that if there is a change, the data inside will stop being distributed.
And if that happens you won’t be able to watch or play the movies and games you like. That is what is frightening. So, what is happening to video games in 2028, might also happen to movies. I’d like everyone to keep that in mind."
Hideo Kojima on the end of physical disc production for video games:"Since production is ending in 2028, this is about video games, but I grew up with physical media, so I find it really sad. Currently, I’ve been buying up a lot of Blu-rays, such as various movies, and CDs too.… pic.twitter.com/ivL989gOFdJuly 5, 2026
"We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved."
This isn't the first time Kojima has spoken out about the move to online-only access for entertainment. His posts from 2001 have been circulating again, when he had a very similar warning to us all:
"Eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative. Whenever there is a major change or accident in the world, in a country, in a government, in an idea, in a trend, access to it may suddenly be cut off.
We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved. I would be a have-not. That's what I'm afraid of. This is not greed."
Kojima's words directly mirror the concerns of today's gamers. When Sony first revealed the timeline within which it plans to kill off physical game discs, the immediate outcry centered around consumer choice and market control. Without a secondhand disc market, publishers gain total authority over pricing, forcing players to rely entirely on the PlayStation storefront sales. Whether you have already made the move to digital or not, this will impact the price of games for everyone.
We have already seen the consequences of the "turned off tap" that Kojima warns us of. Sony recently sparked fury by revoking consumer access to over 500 paid digital movies, proving that digital ownership is merely a temporary license.
While the PC ecosystem has safely transitioned to digital due to its open nature, community modding, and DRM-free options like GOG, consoles remain strictly gated communities.
How long will corporations acquiesce to gamers' wants and needs?
Microsoft's upcoming next-gen "roject Helix console is also highly likely to drop the disc drive, but they are building a bridge. New details regarding Xbox's "Positron" disc-to-digital program suggest a seamless system where physical discs can be permanently converted into digital licenses tied to your Microsoft Account.
But as Kojima heavily implies, these anomalies will soon become a relic of the past. When the servers go dark, and the corporate giants decide to twist the valve shut, players will finally realize the true cost of convenience.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and senior Xbox editor Jez Corden sit down to discuss the current state of Xbox, and where the business is headed.
It has been a wild month since Asha Sharma took the reins as Xbox CEO. While the team has been working to re-capitalize the brand and bring back some big-name exclusives, the narrative over the last week has taken a sharp negative turn. Between heavy rumors of Microsoft looking to sell off or close down certain first-party studios, console price hikes hitting shelves, and a massive rethink of what the next-gen hardware looks like, we wanted to figure out what’s actually going on with Xbox as a business.
In this episode, we break down the brutal economic realities hitting the industry. From the "RAM apocalypse" destroying console profitability to how free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox have completely upended the old hardware subsidy model. We also look ahead at the next-generation "Helix" console, discussing whether Microsoft can actually deliver on its open Windows/Steam ecosystem vision if the hardware costs a grand, and what Sony's shift away from physical media means for the future of discs.
[03:17] The State of Xbox Leadership & Business Health A look at the whirlwind of changes under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, transitioning from the strategy of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, and balancing last year's record profits with the harsh reality of incoming corporate cuts.
[06:42] Microsoft-Wide Headcount Reductions & AI Capital Spending Discussion on how massive investments into Artificial Intelligence infrastructure are forcing headcount reductions and belt-tightening across all of Microsoft, including Azure, Surface, and Xbox.
[11:34] Studio Closures, Sales, and the Fate of Big IP Jez discusses rumors regarding potential studio sales or closures (such as Ninja Theory and Undead Labs) and how Microsoft is trying to find buyers to save projects like State of Decay 3 rather than flat-out canceling them.
[16:37] Is Xbox Becoming a Subsidiary? The hosts debate the pros and cons of Microsoft potentially spinning off Xbox into a more independent subsidiary, drawing comparisons to how LinkedIn and Skype were handled.
[22:55] 'Ramageddon' and the Broken Console Subsidy Model How skyrocketing RAM and component prices mean both Microsoft and Sony are losing hundreds of dollars per console. The hosts explain how the rise of casual, non-monetizing players on free-to-play games has broken the traditional model of selling hardware at a loss.
[28:32] The Death of Physical Media & Disc-less Futures Analyzing Sony’s shift away from physical disc drives and predicting whether the next-generation Xbox Helix will completely eradicate physical discs due to supply chain economics.
[30:54] Next-Gen Consoles: Power, Pricing, and Lifespans A realistic projection of what the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Helix will look like, predicting premium price tags ($1,000+) and a much longer cross-gen lifespan for the Xbox Series X/S.
[34:58] Xbox Helix: Open Windows Platform vs. Closed Box Jez outlines the original plan for Helix to function as an open Windows device supporting Steam, and how Microsoft's new Chief Strategy Officer, Matthew Ball, is rethinking that approach due to the financial risk of players buying the hardware but only spending money on Steam.
[43:31] Grandfathering the Series X/S Family Exploring the possibility of the next generation skipping clean architectural cut-offs, instead grandfathering the Series S and Series X as budget tiers alongside the premium Helix.
[52:12] The Unsustainable Cycle of AAA Game Development Zach and Jez express frustration over 6+ year development cycles, ballooning West Coast production budgets, and why smaller global studios (like Bloober Team) are building games more efficiently.
[57:35] Code Name 'Positron': Xbox Disc-to-Digital Tech Jez details a leaked upcoming platform feature that allows users to insert a physical disc once, permanently claim a digital license to their Microsoft account, and only lose it if that physical disc is registered by someone else.
[01:04:12] Redemption of the 2013 Xbox One Vision A retrospective on how the highly criticized 2013 Xbox One vision (all-digital, heavy DRM, licensing pools, multi-media focus) was actually correct, just poorly messaged and ahead of its time.
Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at [email protected]
Xbox is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year, something that's easy to forget within the deluge of seemingly bad news right now. While they've already announced the snazzy Xbox Series X25 as a homage to the original Xbox, I do wonder if there will be more for fans that doesn't include laying down a wedge of cash. Something not unlike the Xbox Year in Review but for our entire time with Xbox.
Well, we needn't wait to see if Xbox has such a thing in store, because the folks over at True Achievements have done it again with its #Xbox25 Milestones tool. Simply click here to be taken to True Achievements and link your Microsoft account, and you'll see all of your stats in one neat timeline and infographic from the start of your journey with the Xbox 360 (when achievements were first introduced).
A blast from MY past
See your history with Xbox, all on the Blades dashboard. (Image credit: True Achievements)
The True Achievements #Xbox25 Milestone infographic is displayed within an Xbox 360 Blades dashboard skin for maximum nostalgia, and is a really cool reminder of my own journey with the Xbox ecosystem.
I never actually owned an OG Xbox myself, and was staunchly PlayStation up until my 4-year-old (at the time) decided to put around 7 discs into my PlayStation 3 at once, rendering it overfed and useless.
My infographic reflects this: the Xbox 360 launched in 2005, but I didn't unlock an achievement on it until this incident in 2012. At the time, because the PS3 had a Blu-ray player, it was cheaper to get a second-hand Xbox 360 instead, and I never looked back.
I'm also reminded that the first game I 100% completed on Xbox was Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure in August 2013. So, obviously, I'll be among the many excited for this to become a backward-compatible title, if such a thing is possible! Would love to know your guys most interesting stats from the Xbox 360 era up until now, leave a comment below with your results or jump into our subreddit (link below) and share your own infographics!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
It's been a few days since PlayStation announced the end of physical games, and to say the reception has been bad would be an understatement. While we here at Windows Central also reported that Xbox's Project Helix is expected to drop the disc drive, we also covered fresh details on Xbox's disc-to-digital scheme, which could give players a way to preserve their physical game libraries while still enjoying the benefits of digital ownership.
Following those stories, we asked you one simple question: "How do you feel about PlayStation ending physical game discs?" The response was overwhelmingly in favor of one option. Of the 1,577 votes cast, 71% of you said you'll miss buying physical games, while just 13% said you're happy to embrace a fully digital future.
Windows Central poll (Image credit: Windows Central)
I also spent some time reading through the comments because, while the poll shows how you voted, the discussion reveals why. Concerns over ownership, game preservation, the rising cost of digital storefronts, and calls for optional disc drives all came up time and time again. There was also plenty of discussion surrounding Xbox's Positron system, so let's take a look at what stood out most from the community.
For many of you, it's about ownership
Sharing games on PS4 (Image credit: PlayStation)
Moving over to the comments, many of you echoed the results of the poll, saying you'll miss buying physical games, and to be fair, it's hard to blame you.
I've been guilty myself of embracing the convenience of the digital era, relying heavily on services like Game Pass. That said, when a game really means something to me, I still make the effort to buy a physical copy.
Halo: Campaign Evolved, which launches later this month, is a perfect example. I'll be picking it up on disc because, for me, it comes down to ownership. I want a physical copy sitting on my shelf, regardless of whether I also have access to a digital version.
That brings us nicely to our first comment, from Obi74 here on Windows Central:
“I'm not much of a gamer, so my opinions in this aren't strong. However, I have worked closely with product designers for many years and every time changes were made, we used to ask two questions:
What problem does this change solve for our customers?
Do our customers see this problem as important enough to be solved?
I can't come up with answers that make sense when I apply those questions to removing disc drives on consoles.
It's not a Microsoft issue. It just shows how those corporations moved from serving customers to mostly serving themselves.
Not a trend I like.”
Whilst Obi74 looked at it from the perspective of whether removing disc drives actually benefits consumers, Floyd Smertnitch took things a step further by looking at why Sony might be making the move in the first place. They wrote:
“The decision doesn't just make sense from the perspective of preventing reselling. There's also the 30% margin to consider: Sony takes 30% from every transaction made through the PlayStation Store. This is not the case for physical game sales. Sony takes a cut, but it is often smaller, and retailers can negotiate directly with publishers”
Whatever Sony's reasoning may be, a recurring theme throughout the comments was trust, or rather, the lack of it. Many of you worried about what happens when everything is tied to a digital license, with reader Goose UK sharing their own experience:
“They can still pull your rights whenever they feel like it... I prefer my media to be on a disk somewhere, and then digitized if possible, as I've had digital rights pulled in the past (including from a disc based game I currently own).”
That comment really sums up what many of you were saying throughout the discussion. It wasn't necessarily digital gaming that worried you; it was the thought of losing ownership and putting even more trust in platform holders to safeguard your purchases for years to come.
Many of you aren't against digital gaming
Xbox Store
One thing that actually surprised me while reading through the comments was just how many of you weren't completely against digital gaming, especially given the outrage over Sony’s decision to end physical media. Like myself, it seemed as though quite a few readers admitted they'd already made the switch years ago, but still didn't want physical games to disappear altogether.
Reader RagingTyga summed it up rather well, saying:
"It's unfortunate but I've been mostly all digital for nearly 3 generations now, starting with the PS3, and now the Xbox Series."
They went on to argue that Microsoft's original Xbox One vision, despite being heavily criticized at the time, could have offered "the same benefits of Play Anywhere and Digital convenience WITH the preservation and collection aspect of Physical."
Looking back, Xbox may well have been ahead of its time in some respects (a common theme for Microsoft), but in typical Xbox fashion, they completely fumbled the messaging. Fast forward to today, and many of us seem to be heading towards that same digital future anyway, only now we run the risk of getting far fewer of the benefits that were originally promised.
Judging by both the comments and the poll, the issue doesn't seem to be digital gaming itself. It's the loss of choice. Many of you have embraced digital purchases for years, but that doesn't mean you want physical ownership to disappear entirely.
The community wants a compromise
Physical Games on Life Support (Image credit: Windows Central)
Perhaps that's why one of the most common suggestions wasn't for Xbox or PlayStation to abandon digital or whatever, but to meet somewhere in the middle.
Several of you suggested optional external disc drives, multiple console SKUs, or Xbox's reported Positron disc-to-digital system as ways of preserving physical collections without giving up the convenience of digital gaming.
Reader Xirathi put it simply:
"Why not just sell an external drive for dirt cheap?"
Others shared similar ideas, with fatpunkslim suggesting Helix could launch with "an optional external reader," while GraniteStateColin argued Microsoft could offer an external USB disc drive for those who still wanted one, rather than forcing every buyer to pay for hardware they might never use.
Looking back at the poll, I actually think that ties in quite nicely with the 16% of readers who said they were still undecided and simply wanted more options. Rather than choosing between an all-digital future or sticking entirely with physical media, many of you seem to believe the industry can, and perhaps should, support both.
Interestingly, each social platform had a slightly different take on the news. Here on Windows Central, the discussion largely centered around ownership, game preservation, and consumer choice.
Over on X, many of you were more interested in the technical side of Xbox's reported Positron system, asking how it might work with older Xbox discs, backward compatibility, and lending games to friends. Reddit, meanwhile, was far more divided. Some argued physical media is no longer relevant because most people already buy digitally, while others felt the real issue wasn't the disc itself, but losing consumer choice and giving platform holders even more control.
The community's message is clear
Windows Central and Xbox Logo's (Image credit: Windows Central | Edited with Gemini)
No matter where the discussion took place, one thing stood out to me. This debate was never really necessarily about the plastic disc you purchase. It's about ownership, preserving the games we buy, and having the freedom to choose how we play them.
Personally, I think it's a sad direction for the industry. Whether you actively buy physical games or not, having fewer options is rarely a good thing. As the industry continues shifting towards digital ownership, we're placing more trust in platform holders to maintain access to the games we've paid for, and that's something I don't think should be taken for granted.
Thank you to everyone who took part in our poll and joined the discussion here on Windows Central, as well as over on X and Reddit. It genuinely means a lot to us. If you have any more thoughts on the future of physical games, be sure to share them in the comments below:
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
I imagine that Sony knew its recent announcement that it's ending physical disc production in 2028 would cause backlash, but not likely to this extent. Indeed, the amount of pushback from gamers and game historians is astounding, and the debate is spilling out into adjacent communities.
Browsing the r/pcmasterrace subreddit last night, I came across one thread basically asking "what the point of a console is becoming" now that Sony is going digital-only and Xbox might not be far behind.
That's an excellent question, and one that I've also been pondering for some time. If consoles no longer have a physical library of media that can be owned, shared, and resold, what's the main appeal?
A mid-range PC-esque device that's locked down to one store? That requires subscription fees just to play online? Running software you can't control? Sounds fun!
I know, I'm not exactly being fair to consoles. As the top reply to OP's subreddit question about the point of consoles, it's "ease of use and low barrier to entry" that remain the selling points of Xbox and PlayStation.
Are consoles as appealing if discs disappear forever?
Those are good points, but the foundation on which they're built is also quickly eroding.
Microsoft's Xbox Mode for Windows 11 effectively turns your PC into a console experience, exactly as the name suggests. SteamOS, Valve's custom Linux effort that runs on the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and increasingly other devices, is as smooth as any console UI I've used.
Next-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony won't likely be affordable, at least not in the traditional sense. Nearly all components that make up a "PC" are far more expensive than they used to be, and the crisis isn't likely to see any easing AT ALL until early 2028, never mind a complete return to normal.
Unless something miraculous happens, I can't imagine next-gen consoles launching for less than $1,000. You might be effectively paying PC prices for console problems like license revocations, store closures (in the case of PS3 and PS Vita), and other overarching issues with game preservation.
The Steam Machine is pricey, but the perks are worth it
The Steam Machine costs more than current-gen consoles, but it also offers plenty of additional perks. (Image credit: Future | Valve)
The running joke in the PC gaming community is that we'll spend anything just to keep playing, and there's definitely some truth in that. This willingness to spend has kept the PC market going through recent rough times, and it's why it feels like Valve gets a bit of a pass when it comes to the Steam Machine's pricing.
Launching at $1,049 for the base model, it's a refined gaming PC that offers a console-like experience for the living room. Valve straight out said the price is caused by component shortages and a lack of subsidies that are found in the console market, and it still sold out immediately.
An example of a very expensive gaming PC ... there are plenty of affordable alternatives out there. (Image credit: Future)
Free online multiplayer. Access to any storefront you want. Deep sales on games, old and new. Freedom to use the device as a regular PC. Excellent emulation abilities to play old games. I could go on, but I'm sure you see the perks of a PC compared to a console.
It's no wonder that the Steam Machine has already spawned a new market of $1,000-ish compact gaming PCs and custom SFF projects. There's a real audience for this sort of thing, and I expect it will only continue to grow as jaded console gamers make their exit.
Even if a game vanishes from the GOG storefront, it never leaves your library.Exactly as digital ownership ought to be.July 1, 2026
Even if you dislike Steam for its own digital ownership rules (or lack thereof), other PC game stores like GOG make it clear that you own whatever you buy, forever. Besides, there are plenty of ways to get your Steam games working without Steam.
Is this the beginning of the end for the console market?
The next Xbox had better be incredible if it wants to compete with PC. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
I understand that there's a lot of anger right now regarding game preservation and the overall state of the console market. There are probably going to be a lot of console gamers making a switch to PC in the near future.
However, that doesn't mean I think the console market is going anywhere anytime soon. Sony and Xbox are going to sell a ton of consoles between now and the next generation, and whenever that next gen arrives, it had better be an incredible piece of hardware with some can't-miss exclusives that draw gamers in.
I think that's the right move forward, but whether it can actually pull it off remains to be seen. Many will claim that exclusives are still the point of consoles, but if Project Helix is "like a PC," how exclusive will those games really be?
When the physical disc market disappears, and console exclusives increasingly end up on PC anyway, the argument for buying a closed box rather than an open box gets tougher to make.
Why buy a device that will only work while a corporation keeps the servers running? Who wouldn't want to own something you can build, upgrade, and keep going as long as you'd like?
Am I way off the mark here? Am I overlooking other perks of consoles not mentioned here? Let me know in the comments section below!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
The Verge reported that one of those studios up for negotiations was Arkane Studios, currently working on Marvel's Blade. Arkane is known for Dishonored and Death Loop, but has struggled to find its footing arguably under Microsoft. Blade was a chance to change that, but The Verge's reporting suggested that Microsoft was actually considering closing the studio.
This latest update suggests that Microsoft may have found an alternative path.
The leadership change was spotted by Timur222 on X early this morning. (Image credit: @Timur222 on X)
Spotted by Timur222 on X early this morning, it seems that MachineGames co-founder and studio director Jerk Gustafsson has taken over leadership of Arkane Studios. Arkane's president, Leonard Bendel, has resigned. The leadership change over happened a few days ago, on June 30th, according to a legal notice on French enterprise information site Pappers.fr.
Indeed, at least from my end, I've heard there's no plans to actually end development on Blade, although there's clearly some major potential restructuring going on here.
Arkane is based in France, with MachineGames based in Sweden. Microsoft is investing in MachineGames following the success of Indiana Jones, but also on the basis of the popularity of the Wolfenstein franchise. Indeed, Microsoft is actually developing a TV show based on Wolfensteinwith the Fallout TV producers for Amazon — which fits heavily into Asha Sharma's trans-media vision for Xbox. Wolfenstein 3 is in production to that end, according to our sources, with the goal of the TV show and game complimenting each other Fallout TV-style.
What this leadership change means for Arkane overall remains to be seen. Xbox is expected to join Microsoft in general with broad cuts from as early as Monday next week. Every studio and team is likely to be impacted in some form, as are teams across Windows, Azure, and so on more broadly.
Could this leadership change signal that Arkane is going to merge with MachineGames to forge a bigger overall studio? Is Jerk Gustafsson being promoted across with the intent of the studios remaining separate? It's hard to say for sure right now. Given the holiday weekend in the United States, I doubt we'll be able to get comment from Microsoft in the near term.
In any case, I'm choosing to take this as a positive sign for Blade and Arkane, despite rumors of its potential closure.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
I’m sure most Xbox fans, especially those who go as far back as the Xbox 360, remember the absolute tragedy that was the Red Ring of Death. Millions of Xbox 360 consoles made their way into homes, only to later overheat and fail, leading many owners to come up with all sorts of weird and wonderful DIY fixes.
In the end, it cost Microsoft more than $1.15 billion, though despite the disaster, it didn't stop the Xbox 360 from becoming Xbox's most successful console generation to date. So, how does Valve's new Steam Machine fit into all of this? Well, the Steam Machine has a front-facing LED light bar that serves a variety of purposes, including indicating downloads and hardware status.
Over on the Steam Machine subreddit, though, user me_hill reported what appears to be the system's first "Red Line of Death." According to the user, they were playing No Man's Sky, installed a system update, and the machine was subsequently bricked. According to Valve's own Steam Support page, it appears the user has experienced a GPU failure.
Given that the GPU is soldered to the motherboard, it's not something the average user can repair. To add insult to injury, some Reddit users joked that they were "beta testing" the hardware for everyone else.
Fortunately, this appears to be an isolated incident for now, and hopefully it stays that way. It would be a real shame for Valve's $1,000 mid-powered device to suffer anything resembling the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death fiasco.
Believe it or not, I actually really want a Steam Machine. That said, stories like this make me glad I'm waiting, even if my biggest reservation is still the price. I just can't justify spending $1,000 on the hardware, and while I know it's probably unrealistic, I'd be much more tempted if it were closer to the $500 mark.
Hopefully Valve can get the affected user back up and running with a replacement or repair. With that said, let me know whether stories like this put you off buying a Steam Machine, or if you're still keen to get your hands on one. Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
CD Projekt Red has announced on X that Cyberpunk 2077, its open-world dystopian sci-fi RPG, has hit a new sales milestone of selling over 40 million copies worldwide, whether individually or as part of its Ultimate Edition bundle.
Night City population: 40 million dreamers 🌃Thank you all for helping us reach this amazing milestone! 💛 pic.twitter.com/ZdrnbnbLfnJuly 3, 2026
Other factors that helped redeem Cyberpunk 2077 were constant post-launch updates that removed all the game's bugs and balance issues and an epic DLC expansion that added tons of new content while rebalancing the base game.
Of course, the biggest factor was fans who never gave up on the game, whom CD Projekt Red thanks in its message for their support in helping Cyberpunk 2077 reach this sales milestone.
CD Projekt Red isn't finished with the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, however, as it gears up to prepare a sequel while developing Witcher 4, both of which will be released sometime in the far distant future.
What do you think of Cyberpunk 2077 selling over 40 million copies? Do you think the game deserves this accolade, and are you still playing Cyberpunk 2077 in 2026 if you played it at launch?
If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll, the comments section, or our Reddit community.
Fight, kill, and survive the dystopian nightmare of Night City and become a legend in the hit open-world RPG, Cyberpunk 2077. The Ultimate Edition combines the base game with its Phantom Liberty DLC into one definitive package.
Minecraft is probably the most iconic game in the world. It's the one with all the blocks, where creativity comes alive. For a long time, though, players on Minecraft's Bedrock Edition were missing one of the game's most important accessibility features, despite it having been available in Java Edition for years.
In fact, as a Java player, I had no idea it hadn't already made its way to Bedrock. I'm talking, of course, about the new closed captions.
For those unfamiliar, they're an accessibility feature that provides both text and visual cues for sounds happening around you. Whether it's footsteps, a door opening, or that dreaded creeper sneaking up behind you, closed captions help you better understand your surroundings without relying solely on audio.
To enable closed captions in Minecraft Bedrock Edition:
Go to Settings.
Open Accessibility.
Enable Closed Captions and adjust the settings to your liking.
I'm all for accessibility features like this. They don't negatively affect anyone who chooses not to use them, but they can make a huge difference for players who are deaf or hard of hearing, process audio differently, or simply need a little extra help enjoying the game. Features like these allow more people to experience games without barriers, and that's only ever a good thing.
I haven't actually played Minecraft in a while myself, although the annual two-week Minecraft phase seems to come for all of us eventually. Not too long ago I covered a fan-made Halo modpack for Minecraft, and as a lifelong Halo fan, that definitely caught my attention, so I might jump into that soon.
That said, there are so many great games releasing lately that it's hard to stick with just one, let alone go back to Minecraft. Even so, it's a game I've been playing since the early beta days, long before Microsoft owned the franchise, so I know it's only a matter of time before I end up jumping back in.
Enough about my thoughts, though. I'd love to hear what you think about this feature and whether it'll make a difference to the way you play Minecraft. Let me know in the comments below, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll below:
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
For horror game fans, Bloober Team is here to provide that good news, as it has revealed a new gameplay dev diary trailer for Cronos: Lazarus, an upcoming DLC expansion for its hit survival horror game, Cronos: The New Dawn.
In this expansion, you get to play as the Warden, a mysterious character who aided the player throughout the base game with new tech and clues for the story's mysteries.
The Warden deploying a Decoy to distract enemies. (Image credit: Bloober Team)
Cronos: Lazarus will take you on a journey where you will get to experience the Warden's past while taking on a secret mission the Collective organization does not want you to complete, even if it has to kill you to prevent its secrets from being uncovered.
According to the dev diary trailer, the DLC expansion will be a lot more action-based than the base game, which played out like a classic survival horror game where you had to carefully manage your resources and check around every corner for enemy ambushes.
As the Warden, you will be granted a host of powerful weapons to blast enemies into bits with and new abilities to improve your chances of survival, like teleportation to avoid incoming attacks or deploying holographic decoys to distract enemies.
Don't take this to mean the DLC will be easy, however. Thanks to these new toys, enemies in Cronos: Lazarus will be more numerous and aggressive to deal with than in the base game, and underestimating them will get you killed fast.
To make matters worse, the Collective has dispatched a hunter to eliminate you similarly to Mr. X from Resident Evil 2, so you will need to master the Warden's arsenal quickly if you hope to live to see another day.
Our long-time survival horror fan, Jez Corden, even gave Cronos: The New Dawn a perfect 5/5 review for its insane story filled with twists to the sci-fi genre, gameplay that was satisfyingly panic-inducing without making your character feel too incompetent or too overpowered, and sublime art direction and performance.
With this new DLC that looks to be taking inspiration from more action-oriented horror titles like Resident Evil 4, we can't wait to jump back into the horrifying world of Cronos and finally learn the history of one of its most memorable characters when Cronos: Lazarus releases during Fall 2026 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
World Update 22 for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024was first revealed during the Xbox Showcase at Summer Game Fest, due for release on July 4, aka America's 250th birthday.
It made total sense since it's a very American update, but even better is that it's already live in advance of the holiday weekend.
World Update 22: US National Parks is a free update to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 for all players on Xbox, PC, and PS5. To get it, simply make sure you've got the latest version of the simulator and grab the World Update 22 package from the marketplace.
World Update 22 brings with it 30 new locations focused on national parks across the United States, from the Grand Canyon to the Rocky Mountains, Yellowstone to Mount Rushmore, and many, many more.
There are also three new guided tours to take in, at Bryce Canyon, Grand Teton, and the Grand Canyon. Not only do we get the stunning new locations, but the Goodyear Blimp is also added as a new free aircraft to fly.
This is probably one of the most visually impressive updates to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 to date, showing off some of the most stunning parts of the United States.
It's been some years since I saw the Grand Canyon for real; now I can fly over it in my home. (Image credit: Windows Central | Richard Devine)
Personally, I can't wait to check out the Grand Canyon Guided Tour. It's been a long time since I saw it in person (it's not exactly local for someone living in the UK) but to date it's one of the most awe-inspiring things I've ever seen. Cliche, perhaps, but I remember being actually speechless walking up to it for the first time.
Exploration like this is one of the things I enjoy the most about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 as well. Flying planes is a lot of fun, but so is where you fly them. Thanks to the detailed recreations in the simulator, it's as close as many of us may ever get to the real deal.
As for the Goodyear Blimp, it'd be rude not to fly it over a stadium, right?!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Almost every gamer under the sun is angry about this decision, and companies in and out of the video game industry have responded with satirical content mocking Sony.
However, this controversy has escalated so quickly that it's even garnered the attention of politicians such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon. This man, who is running for President of France, responded to this event, as well as Grand Theft Auto 6 being digital-only, by citing the dangers of gaming going digital-only with this (translated) proclamation:
"With GTA 6 without a disc in 2026 and Sony's announcement of the end of physical disc sales for games in 2028, the question arises of how we view these products. Tomorrow, you will pay without ever owning anything. No loan, no resale, no guarantee of keeping what we've paid for."
Avec GTA 6 sans disque en 2026 et l'annonce de Sony de la fin des ventes de disques physiques pour les jeux en 2028, la question de savoir comment on considère ces produits se pose.Demain, vous paierez sans jamais rien posséder. Ni prêt, ni revente, ni garantie de conserver ce…July 2, 2026
Jean-Luc Mélenchon then states that he is willing to support gamers' right to own the games they purchase by saying, "Video games are not mere merchandise; they are cultural assets, and the law in force must apply to them. We will open the project in 2027. Players have rights too!"
This isn't the first time Jean-Luc Mélenchon has stood up for video games, as, according to @L'insoumission on X, he described them as a "total art that breaks with previous forms of art" in 2022, and has been advocating for them since 2017.
🔴 Depuis 2017, Jean-Luc Mélenchon considère les jeux vidéo comme un sujet politique Contrairement à ce que prétendent certains commentateurs, Jean-Luc Mélenchon n’en est pas à sa première expression publique à propos des jeux vidéo.En 2022, il les qualifiait d’ « art total… pic.twitter.com/2pQquQVfBlJuly 3, 2026
With this controversy reaching mainstream attention, will games going purely digital in 2028 cause other politicians or even world leaders to chime in with their thoughts on the subject?
We surely won't have to wait long for further developments regarding one of the biggest shake-ups in recent gaming history.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Halo Studios is back with another community Q&A on Halo Waypoint, and unlike last time, it's packed with genuinely positive news about Halo: Campaign Evolved. Following recent reports that PlayStation is ending physical releases for new games and our reporting that Xbox's Project Helix won't include a disc drive, it almost feels like physical media has been put on life support. Thankfully, Halo Studios has some welcome news for collectors.
If you pick up a physical copy of Halo: Campaign Evolved on Xbox or PlayStation from a retailer, you'll actually get a game disc in the box. That might sound like a small detail, but in an industry that's increasingly replacing discs with download codes, it's a refreshing commitment to players who still value physical ownership, as dwindling of a fanbase as we are.
Halo Studios have also addressed concerns over the game's AI, as in some previews the enemy AI was awkward to say the least. Luckily, it seems Halo Studios has heard our concerns and clarified: "Over the last few weeks, the development team has been polishing and improving elements of the game, including enemy AI behaviors".
Another nice-to-know is that handhelds are addressed, and Halo: Campaign Evolved apparently is optimized enough for Windows handhelds and Valve's Steam Deck.
Last time Halo Studios published a Community Q&A, I ended up going on quite the rant over some of the features I felt were missing, with Theatre mode sitting right at the top of that list. Unfortunately, we're still not getting a proper Theatre mode, but Halo Studios has announced what is probably the next best thing: Machinima mode.
Machinima mode lets players detach into a free camera, lower their weapon, and even continue controlling their Spartan while using the freecam. Better yet, it's available to everyone from the start and isn't locked behind finding a Skull.
It's not quite the full-featured Theatre mode I'd still love to see make a return, but it's a decent compromise, and one that should make creating Halo videos and screenshots much easier than what we were expecting.
Halo: Campaign Evolved (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
As someone who grew up watching and enjoying Halo machinima, whether it was Red vs. Blue or Arby 'n' the Chief, machinima was once a core part of Halo's identity.
It's nice to see Halo Studios providing some extra clarification ahead of launch, and I'm still incredibly excited to finally get my hands on Halo: Campaign Evolved. I'll certainly be doing my best to 100% the game over the coming months, and hopefully these new details help put some fans' minds at ease.
Whether they do or not, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll below:
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
This decision has been met with universal vitriol from gamers, mocking the company for what they feel is ultimately Sony shooting themselves in the foot while making funny jokes about it on social media.
Sony & Microsoft every week 😭😂 pic.twitter.com/bf4oW6HZ7HJuly 1, 2026
Even some of us here at Windows Central are baffled by Sony's decision, asking, "What's the point of a console without discs?" as PC gaming offers more ways to preserve games and allow players to own games they buy without DRM restrictions via GOG, for example.
In fact, it's garnered so much attention that big-brand companies in and outside of the gaming industry have started making various responses to Sony on social media, making fun of the company while supporting gamers who prefer physical media.
First off, we have Domino's Pizza, of all things, making this humorous response mocking Sony's decision on X, stating that they'll be "ceasing production of physical pizzas and shift to production of digital pizzas only" and saying that "Consumers will be able to download our full range of delicious pizza codes, and using the power of imagination, enjoy them in an entirely virtual sense."
One of Domino Pizza's biggest rivals, KFC, also made a similar response on its Spanish X account, saying via translation, "BREAKING NEWS: KFC will stop offering its physical format starting today. Its products can only be consumed through its app in fake PNG format."
It will send smart employees to your current location to help with FAQs and tech support, and mail encrypted letters, among other funny services meant to mock Sony's decision.
The cybersecurity firm, Malwarebytes, has made a similar joke announcement on X, by stating that starting on April 1st, 2028, it will dispatch a member of its team with an 'M' suit to a customer's house and escort them to their doctor's appointments to stay clean of viruses.
Malwarebytes also stated it will "microwave any fish in the office of any company that leaks your personal data."
OFFICIAL STATEMENTPhysical trophies are no more. pic.twitter.com/on7KAt65TwJuly 2, 2026
Other companies within the video games industry have made similar comments online. For example, Esports Awards made fun of Sony's decision by stating that it will no longer produce physical trophies for Esports winners starting in 2028, while saying that winners will be able to download their trophies as JPEG or PNG images to be put on virtual displays.
The gaming chair manufacturer, RESPAWN, also made a similar joke announcement on X, stating that it will stop producing physical chairs and switch to making digital chairs only, which will be distributed to customers via premium chair codes.
Not all responses are entirely satirical, however. The online rental retailer, GameFly, took to X to announce its disappointment in Sony's decision to axe physical PlayStation games.
It believes in the power of physical entertainment media and will continue to support gamers and collectors who prefer physical media by proclaiming, "We are committed to renting physical media, be it games or movies until they pry the discs from our soft, moisturized hands".
The gaming collectible and vinyl retailer, iam8bit, expressed similar disappointment in Sony regarding this decision on X. iam8bit states that physical games are a vital part of game preservation, ownership, and consumer choices, values which the retailer has believed in for a decade and will continue to do so while proudly shouting "Long live physical media".
Official Evercade Physical Game Sharing Instructional Video pic.twitter.com/Ufb3eLmBpTJuly 2, 2026
Other retailers like Evercade, which specializes in selling consoles compatible with retro games stretching back to the 1980s arcade era, made a parody video of Sony's "Used Game Sharing Instruction" advert from 2013, which has now aged incredibly poorly.
It shows Evercade's employees sharing physical retro games, while promoting their new Evercade Nexus gaming handheld, which uses physical game cartridges to play games instead of relying on digital copies, and it currently supports over 700 classic games including Banjo Kazooie, Tomb Raider, Broken Sword, and more.
There's no doubt that many more companies will respond to Sony regarding this industry-changing decision, both satirical and serious in the weeks to come.
Stay tuned to find out as we keep on further developments regarding whether more companies make similar responses to Sony's decision and what Sony plans to do next.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 is a fantastic game, and I’ll go one further: that’s an understatement. Now, I’m personally not too heavily invested in the Warhammer universe. Unlike my older brother, I just never really got into it; instead, I was a massive Halo fan.
Now, of course, you can absolutely be both, but my brother often reminds me that Master Chief wouldn’t survive in the Warhammer universe, something I completely refuse to believe. I’m not here to settle that debate, though. Instead, I want to highlight an incredible community-made mod by Skykiller, using Halo Reach Sangheili models gained via Draken Warlord, that lets you experience Space Marine 2 from the perspective of one of Halo's most iconic species.
The mod itself, called Sangheili Campaign, adds Halo Reach Elite models to the Space Marine 2 campaign, complete with modified textures, materials, and visual effects to better fit the game's world. In fact, it goes far beyond a simple character swap, replacing nearly every weapon with Halo Reach equivalents, including the Plasma Pistol, Carbine, Needle Rifle, Plasma Repeater, Plasma Rifle, and plenty more. And yes, before you ask, the Energy Sword is there too.
I’d like to say it’s surprising how well this all fits together, but it really isn’t. As a huge Halo fan, and I’m sure many others feel the same, I’ve long believed the franchise has been underutilized. Feel free to disagree with me, but even a former Bungie employee, Niles Sankey shared similar sentiments.
When Halo Wars launched, I was genuinely excited because it felt like the beginning of Halo expanding beyond first-person shooters. Since then, though, we’ve had very little outside of Halo Wars and Halo: Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike. I even loved the look of the canceled Halo Mega Bloks game, and seeing this mod only makes me wish we'd gotten an official Halo game in a similar vein to Space Marine 2. Sadly, we haven't, and I think that's a real shame.
Still, I’d love to hear what you think. Would you want to see Halo branch out into more genres like this, or do you think it should stick to what it knows best? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Hideo Kojima, I'm sure, needs no introduction. He rose to fame as the creator of the Metal Gear Solid franchise before leaving Konami to establish his own independent studio, Kojima Productions, which has since gone on to create Death Stranding.
Fortunately, according to a new report from IGN, Kojima's OD is still safe. We actually heard about the game quite recently following the Xbox Games Showcase, when Entertainment Weekly published a full page of interviews and details regarding all things Xbox, and within that, it also included some words from Kojima that gave us a few fresh details. Nothing major, mind you, but enough to confirm the game is progressing well, and perhaps more importantly, that Xbox CEO Asha Sharma remains fully behind the project.
Kojima's OD (Image credit: Entertainment Weekly | Kojima Productions | Xbox)
We've also heard reports that Xbox isn't actually reducing its overall investment in games. Instead, it's becoming far more selective about where that money goes. Here's what Xbox told Bloomberg:
"[Xbox is] taking a fresh look at where we invest so we're focusing on our highest priorities... We're not reducing our overall investment in games. We expect to invest about the same in content as we did last year. What's changing is where we're investing and the kinds of projects we're backing."
Despite being a bit of a wimp when it comes to horror games, I'll definitely be keeping an eye on OD. It is Kojima after all, and I'm glad it's reportedly managed to survive the Xbox funding chopping block. With that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments below, and as always, be sure to take part in our poll!
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
American Truck Simulator's map keeps getting bigger, and one of the next confirmed DLC packs takes things north of the border into Canada.
It's the first time American Truck Simulator has officially left the United States, and the new British Columbia DLC will tag onto the upper-left side of the map.
There's still no confirmed release date, and it's unlikely to be soon since Illinois hasn't even been here a month. But some new information has been released by SCS Software, and it details locations that will be part of British Columbia.
American Truck Simulator: British Columbia cities listed (so far)
I'll admit the only location I expected to see was Vancouver because my geography is awful, and, well, that's not on the list. At least right now, anyway, but it more than likely will be.
Instead, based on the locations we have been given, there's a spread right across the southern part of British Columbia, from Vancouver Island in the west, all the way across close to the border with Alberta.
Oh, Canada. (Image credit: SCS Software)
Here are all of the confirmed cities for American Truck Simulator's British Columbia DLC.
Grand Forks
Creston
Sparwood
Invermere
Golden
Princeton
Campbell River
SCS teases on its blog post that there's more to come:
"These are just a few of the many cities and communities you'll be able to discover throughout British Columbia. Our teams are working hard to capture the unique character, industries, and landscapes that make this province such an exciting destination for truckers."
The initial selection does give us an idea of the scale, though, and how it'll integrate with the existing map. It looks like routes will be drivable into Washington, Idaho, and Montana.
Following British Columbia, the next two DLCs are already public, with South Dakota and the recently revealed Indiana.
All this comes just days after the first gameplay was shown off for "Project Road Trip," adding regular vehicles into American Truck Simulator.
In the video above you can see the work-in-progress on the Ford F150 pickup, which will be part of the upcoming, but as yet undated, Ford Car Pack DLC.
I'm a recent convert to American Truck Simulator, but right now it's one of my favorite games to play. Nothing beats hitching the trailer and hitting the open road at the end of a long, tiring day in the real world.
I'm just wondering if there will be accurate border controls when the British Columbia DLC drops. I sure hope so.
"Experience legendary American trucks and deliver various cargoes across sunny California, sandy Nevada, and the Grand Canyon State of Arizona"
As the dust settles after the Xbox Showcase and Summer Game Fest, I began reflecting on the games I checked out. One thing became increasingly apparent to me over the past few weeks: the game I found myself thinking about most is Remedy's upcoming Control Resonant.
The Control franchise forms the core of the 'Remedyverse,' which shares canon with Alan Wake, FBC: Firebreak, and potentially Quantum Break too (if Microsoft ever gives up the IP ...).
The original Control passed me by somewhat. I felt like it started a bit slow and for whatever reason, the game never gripped me. But after playing Resonant, I went back to Control and its DLCs, and played it religiously to completion in a single weekend.
Remedy's worldbuilding is second to none, and while Control itself wasn't perfect, Remedy is once again taking some unexpected risks with its sequel, Resonant, by completely flipping the gameplay style.
I didn't want to write this preview until I had the context of the Control universe in full. The rabbit hole runs incredibly deep in this world of parallel dimensions, quantum phenomena, and warped aberrations. Mysterious conspiracies, fourth-wall bending tropes, and hefty Twin Peaks, SCP, and X-Files inspirations made Control an unexpected hit with myself.
It's with humility that I admit I underestimated Control Resonant's potential. After going hands-on and getting myself immersed in the harrowing responsibilities of the Federal Bureau of Control, Resonant is now one of my most anticipated upcoming Xbox games.
The main character of Control is Jesse Faden on paper, but I would argue that really it's the Federal Bureau of Control itself in a lot of ways. The FBC is a secret U.S. organization that tracks, researches, and contains anomalies. Fans of the X-Files and SCP Foundation will find familiarity immediately here, but Control's mysteries tend to revolve around extra-dimensional phenomena and entities above all.
In the base game, Jesse arrives at the FBC headquarters to find her brother, taken by the organization when they were children. As she arrives, she finds their HQ on lockdown, with hundreds of agents driven violently insane by a mysterious extra-dimensional signal.
Without giving away too much for those who haven't played, very early on, Jesse ends up as the director of the Federal Bureau of Control, and becomes endowed with a variety of telekinetic powers and extra-dimensional weaponry. Jesse also finds her brother, Dylan, although it's hardly what you'd call a happy reunion.
The Federal Bureau of Control has been effectively destroyed. (Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)
Indeed, in Control Resonant, you take command of Dylan Faden, almost directly after the events of the previous game — and the threats are bigger than ever.
The mysterious signal that drove the Bureau's agents violently insane has spread beyond The Oldest House HQ and into Manhattan proper. Known as The Hiss, it turns regular folk into disturbed, murderous shadows of their former selves. And in Resonant, it seems to stronger and more deadly than ever.
CONTROL Resonant works incredibly well with action RPG elements
In Resonant, you play as Dylan Faden, wielding telekinetic powers and a variety of transforming melee weapons. (Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)
Change of central protagonist meets change of central gameplay style in Control Resonant.
The Faden siblings were experimented on and researched by the FBC for their Parautilitarian powers, which essentially gives them command of some of the Control universe's extra-dimensional physics. They're super heroes in short form, and their abilities make up the basis of gameplay in both titles.
The original was similar to Quantum Break with its physics-bending abilities mixed with gunplay. Resonant leans far more heavily into kinetics and melee combat, giving Dylan a variety of close-quarters capabilities that, to me, felt more intuitive in motion than Resonant's predecessor.
Dylan wields an aberrant tool which can transform into a variety of melee weapon forms. In the demo, I only had access to a couple of abilities, but more unlock as you play much like in the original. The basic hack n' slash horizontal slashery felt good, but not as good as the two-handed heavy hammer which can flatten enemies into paste — although the wind up can leave you vulnerable.
Manhattan has been destroyed by The Hiss ... it's unclear what, if anything, the remaining FBC agents will be able to do. (Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)
It's hard to say for sure how Control Resonant will play out across the course of its campaign. I wonder how Resonant will approach aspects of the original proved controversial with some critics. I loved getting lost in the dimension-breaking mind-fuckery that was The Oldest House, but some felt the map layout was confusing and convoluted, hurting the game's pacing.
Resonant takes place in Manhattan, warped and decimated by The Hiss signal. Dylan Faden can platform and hover from the outset, making for rapid city traversal almost reminiscent of games like InFamous or Prototype, albeit in a more linear, focused fashion. Indeed, this isn't a sandbox title, but the urban spread makes for a wider playground than its predecessor's oft-claustrophobic office-style haunts.
My demo concluded with a boss battle against a gigantic (and rather haunting) disembodied head. It wasn't quite soulsian in delivery as so many melee-oriented action games seem to want to emulate these days. It felt old school hack n' slash to me, in a good way, with well-telegraphed attack patterns that were easy to follow even on the higher difficulties. It also felt like a marked improvement from some of Remedy's previous attempts at boss battles, that's for sure. It makes me wonder just how many of them will pop up throughout the campaign.
It'll be interesting to see how Control Resonant handles its full map. (Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)
I didn't expect Remedy to be able to pull off this type of gameplay so confidently. No guns in sight, slashing and hammering enemies into particulates felt effortlessly fun, but what really grips me about Resonant and Control in general is Remedy's painstaking approach to world-building and strong character treatment.
Dylan is an interesting character. We don't see too much of him in the original overall. But growing up as a lab rat in a nightmare-inducing Federal black hole is going to make for uniquely interesting hang-ups.
Also, Control already left several dozen (or more) unansered questions in its wake. Who or what is The Board? What is The Hiss, and what does it want? If indeed, anything at all? Jesse and Dylan's relationship doesn't seem as clear cut as being mere siblings either ... and the very nature of the Federal Bureau of Control itself is dripping with intrigue and conspiracy.
And I love it.
Control represents one of the most immersive universes I've gotten into in recent years. I know I'm late to the party, and regret that my attention-addled brain couldn't push through the slower-paced early segments sooner. Control Resonant was the perfect antidote — thrown head-first into apocalyptic chaos from the outset, in a world dripping with as much mystery as it is style.
Do not sleep on CONTROL Resonant
(Image credit: Remedy Entertainment)
Control Resonant is launching in a very busy month, with lots of high-profile games in its orbit. Onimusha, Blood of the Dawnwalker, Wolverine, Silent Hill: Townfall, Minecraft Dungeons 2 ... just to name a few.
I'm surprising myself to say that Control Resonant will be the first of the September heavy hitters I intend to play this year.
If you like the look of it, I implore you to give Control and its DLC expansions a real go beforehand. The world building for me is what really makes Control a standout title, even if some other aspects of it aren't quite at the level you might want from a fully priced title. As an X-Files kid, there's just so, so much to love here, and the clandestine Federal agency angle remains a timeless trope that really sparks the imagination. Whether you grew up with Twin Peaks, the X-Files, or SCP, or even creepypasta in recent years — Control is at its best when it taps into that contemporary mythos.
Resonant may give Control's industry-leading worldbuilding the gameplay it deserves to match.
CONTROL Resonant launches on September 24, 2026 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC with Xbox Play Anywhere, PS5, and PC via Steam.
Control Resonant launches on September 24, 2026 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PS5. The game will also sport Xbox Play Anywhere.
Connexion
