NGB Live Desk - Level 8
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Mandate Order Reveals Why City Resources Alone Don't Guarantee War Readiness
Mandate Order's latest update highlights that food, population and weapons are not enough to prepare a city for war-true readiness depends on how well resources can be mobilised without crippling the settlement's economy
Target Arcade brings connected darts gaming to venues in August 2026
Just Add Water and Target Darts have announced Target Arcade, a new suite of interactive darts games using connected hardware, set to debut with Target Dartzone venues across the UK from 24 August 2026
Cut Zombies Mode Uncovered in Call of Duty: Black Ops PS4 Port
A previously unknown Zombies tower defence mode has been discovered in the PlayStation 4 port of Call of Duty: Black Ops, offering a rare look at an abandoned experiment from the franchise's early days
Space Engineers Prosperity Update adds new encounters and Prototech tech
Keen Software House has released the Prosperity Update for Space Engineers, introducing new enemy encounters, Prototech technology, economy changes and quality-of-life improvements for all players
Garfield - Escape from Monday reveals first gameplay and release date
Microids has published the first gameplay footage for Garfield - Escape from Monday, confirming a 24 September 2026 release on Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, and offering a detailed look at the platforming adventure's opening level
Duet Night Abyss update adds Ada and new summer content across all platforms
Pan Studio has released the Paradise Prelude update for Duet Night Abyss, introducing the Hydro character Ada, new summer outfits, limited-time events and progression improvements for players on Steam, Epic Games Store, iOS and Android
Xbox Game Pass Strategy Backfires as Subscriber Numbers Stall
Microsoft's ambitious Game Pass subscription was meant to revitalise Xbox, but mounting losses, missed targets and studio sell-offs now raise questions about the future of the service and the platform itself
Marvel Fighting Games: From Arcade Origins to Tokon Fighting Souls
Arc Systemworks has revealed Marvel Tokon Fighting Souls, the first 4v4 Marvel fighting game, marking a new chapter for the franchise after nearly a decade without a major release
Stormlight: War for Roshar Board Game Announced by Brotherwise Games
Brotherwise Games has officially revealed Stormlight: War for Roshar, a large-scale board game based on Brandon Sanderson's Stormlight Archive, with a Kickstarter campaign planned for later this year
Final Fantasy 14's Switch 2 Release Demands Nearly Half the Console's Storage
Square Enix has confirmed Final Fantasy 14 will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 in August, but the MMO's install size will occupy almost half of the console's 256GB internal memory, raising questions about storage management for new players
GTA 6 Physical Editions in Japan Will Expire 170 Days After Launch
Rockstar has confirmed that physical copies of Grand Theft Auto VI in Japan will only include a digital code, which must be redeemed within 170 days of launch due to local regulations
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Beta Sets New Steam Record Ahead of Launch
Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls has broken open beta records on Steam, with Magick and Blade dominating player picks despite technical issues for PC users. The game is set for release in August, with strong interest in its character roster
Ubisoft Offers Select Xbox Game Owners Free PC Versions via Ubisoft Connect
Ubisoft has announced that Xbox players who own certain titles will receive free PC versions through Ubisoft Connect, provided their accounts are linked. The offer covers major releases and highlights a growing focus on cross-platform access
Dragonkin: The Banished adds cross-play and new mode in free update
NACON has released the Dracomundus Purgatory update for Dragonkin: The Banished, introducing cross-play, a new timed challenge mode, and a weapon reinforcement system across PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S
Kill the Shadow detective RPG launches on Steam 5 August 2026
Shadowlight and Phoenix Games have announced Kill the Shadow, an atmospheric detective RPG set in Dark Tide City, will release for PC via Steam on 5 August 2026, featuring crime-scene reconstruction and player-driven narrative choices
TIGA Games Industry Awards 2026 nominations deadline extended to 29 July
The TIGA Games Industry Awards 2026 nomination window has been extended to 1pm on 29 July, giving UK developers, publishers and industry partners more time to submit entries for this year's event
Road Diner Simulator Prologue launches free on Steam for PC players
DRAGO entertainment has released the free Prologue chapter of Road Diner Simulator on Steam, bringing fast-paced cooking and management gameplay to PC within the Gas Station Simulator universe
Stalker 2: Cost of Hope Expansion and 2.0 Update Arrive August 2026
GSC Game World has set 20 August 2026 for the release of Stalker 2: Cost of Hope, the game's first major story expansion, alongside a significant 2.0 update for all platforms, promising new content and technical improvements
STARCULT demo launches on Steam with up to 15 dialogue options per scene
Not a Cat Studios has released the public demo for STARCULT: Night Twisted Age, a dark fantasy visual novel on Steam. The demo introduces an Emotion Palette system that can unlock up to 15 dialogue choices in a single conversation
Sente Release Date Set for 11 August with Full Single and Multiplayer
Oxobox Games has confirmed Sente will launch on Steam on 11 August, offering simultaneous-turn strategy for 1-6 players, a single-player story, puzzles, challenges and extensive board customisation
Baldur's Gate 3 Third-Person Mod Ignites Debate Over Game's Core Identity
A new third-person camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3 has gone viral, dividing the community over whether such features enhance or undermine the classic cRPG experience. The discussion raises questions about player choice and the future of Larian's design philosophy
Pokémon Card Stores in Japan Introduce Facial Recognition to Tackle Scalping
The Pokémon Company has announced that facial recognition will become mandatory at official Pokémon card stores in Japan for all customers of elementary school age and above, aiming to address persistent scalping and security concerns
Xbox Outage Disrupts Sign-In and Game Access Ahead of Major Release
Microsoft has confirmed a widespread Xbox outage affecting sign-in, game library access and game launches, with engineers working to restore normal service as players report ongoing issues across the platform
Grand Theft Auto's Most Memorable Missions Ranked and Explained
From high-stakes heists to iconic story moments, Grand Theft Auto's mainline entries have delivered hundreds of missions. Here's a breakdown of the standout missions that shaped the series and why they matter to players
Superkid X1 brings arcade street football demo to Retrocon 2026
Fogo Games will showcase a playable demo of Superkid X1, an arcade football game inspired by Brazilian street matches, at Retrocon 2026 in São Paulo, with a focus on fast-paced action and a vibrant urban style
Dan Houser Urges Studios to Offer Physical Games if Players Demand Them
Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser has weighed in on the debate over physical versus digital game releases, stating that companies should provide physical editions if players want them, as the industry faces major shifts in distribution
Final Fantasy 14 Sets Nintendo Switch 2 Launch for August 2026
Square Enix has officially confirmed that Final Fantasy 14 will arrive on Nintendo Switch 2 on 4 August 2026, with preorders opening soon and a free subscription period planned for the first month
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation Targets Bigger World Without Losing Direction
Square Enix has confirmed Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will feature a larger world than Rebirth, but the team is focused on avoiding open world fatigue by providing clear player guidance and structure throughout the expanded experience
God of War Laufey Release Date Set for February 2027
Sony Santa Monica has officially announced that God of War Laufey will launch on 16 February 2027, following confirmation at San Diego Comic-Con 2026. The release will include a physical disc edition ahead of PlayStation disc production ending
Shujinkou adds Steam Trading Cards, avatars and new community items
Rice Games Inc. has introduced Steam Trading Cards, badges, emoticons and avatars for Shujinkou, with a major leaderboard update planned for version 1.46 and further support confirmed
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