News and Reviews

Rockstar Games has released a significant new downloadable patch for GTA Online, aimed at smoothing out the experience following the recent "A Safehouse in the Hills" DLC. Released on January 27, 2026, this update serves as the second major patch since the content drop, targeting a wide array of bugs ranging from Mission Creator glitches to odd visual errors in the new Mansions. Update Overview & Download SizesThe update is available across all major platforms, with file sizes indicating a reasonably substantial patch for a maintenance release. PC users will see the largest download, while console players have a smaller footprint: PC Enhanced (Steam & Rockstar Lau…

In a move that could reshape how fans experience one of the most anticipated games in history, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) might skip physical disc copies at launch entirely. According to multiple reports citing a credible European game distribution insider, Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two Interactive plans a digital-only debut on November 19, 2026, primarily to prevent the kind of pre-release leaks that plagued past titles. The Leaker and the ClaimThe rumor originates from "Graczdari," a leaker with a strong track record in physical game distribution across Europe. This source previously nailed details like the PS5 release of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 and t…

Rockstar Games has deployed a new background update for GTA Online, continuing its efforts to refine the experience following the release of the "A Safehouse in the Hills" update. This latest patch, released server-side without requiring a download, specifically targets a series of exploits and glitches that have been affecting gameplay. Coming on the heels of the latest Event Week (running through January 28th), this update is the third patch released since the "mansions" DLC dropped. While previous updates have included downloadable content for bug fixes, this background patch focuses on immediate rectifications for fair play and game stability. Key Fixes and Patch Note…

Get your engines revving, because this week in GTA Online is all about the Auto Shop. Running from January 22nd through January 28th, 2026, the latest weekly update brings a host of rewards for tuners, double money opportunities, and some high-performance machinery up for grabs. Here is everything you need to know about this week’s event. Weekly Challenge & Rewards This week’s theme is heavily focused on the Auto Shop business. Weekly Challenge: Complete 3 Auto Shop Client Jobs to earn a bonus GTA$100,000. New Livery: Log in and visit any Vehicle Workshop to receive the Mosh Mosh livery for the Karin Everon RS. Bonus GTA$ and RP If you are looking to stack your Maze B…

As anticipation builds for Grand Theft Auto VI, reports have emerged suggesting the blockbuster title could face a ban in Russia before it even hits the shelves. According to a recent article from RockstarINTEL, Russian officials are raising alarms over the game's alleged "destructive content," claiming it violates the nation’s moral and spiritual values. The Allegations: "Poison of Corruption"The call for restrictions comes primarily from Mikhail Ivanov, a member of the Bryansk Regional Duma and Deputy Chairman of the World Russian People's Council. Speaking to Russian news outlets, Ivanov argued that GTA VI poses a significant risk to the moral health of society, specif…

Harbour Masters, the team behind such PC ports as Ship of Harkinian (Ocarina of Time), 2ship2harkinian (Majora's Mask), Spaghetti Kart (Mario Kart 64), and Starship (Star Fox 64), have today released a new project: Ghostship. A PC port of Super Mario 64, Ghostship currently promises to offer a simple install experience akin to their previous projects, as well as high refresh rate gameplay, a modern configuration UI, a debug menu, level select, and texture pack support. With the project still in its early stages, there's still more yet to come. The team also plan to add both custom model support and a randomizer to the title. Those interested can download it from th…

The latest week in GTA Online has arrived, bringing a high-stakes new mode to Los Santos. From January 15th through January 21st, 2026, players can break into luxury homes in the new "Mansion Raid" mode, enjoy massive quadruple rewards on Business Battles, and take advantage of deep discounts on Nightclub properties. Here is everything you need to know about this week’s update. New Mode: Mansion Raid Rockstar Games has introduced a brand-new Adversary Mode titled Mansion Raid. This multi-stage mission challenges teams of 4 to 8 players to infiltrate opposing mansions and steal from the vault. Bonus: Winning your first match grants a $200,000 bonus (delivered within 72 hou…

In a landmark shift for the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption modding communities, Rockstar Games—through its subsidiary Cfx.re—has officially launched the Cfx Marketplace. This new platform serves as a curated digital storefront where creators can sell their custom assets and scripts directly to server owners and fans. This move signals a major evolution in Rockstar’s relationship with the modding community, transitioning from a stance of cautious tolerance to active integration and monetization. What is the Cfx Marketplace?The Cfx Marketplace is described as the "Official Rockstar Modding UGC Marketplace for RedM & FiveM." It is designed to be a centralized h…

22cans, the Peter Molyneux-led studio, has revealed the launch date of the Early Access version of its upcoming game, Masters of Albion. It is a "God game" genre that blends strategy, simulation, town management, and real-time defense. A new trailer accompanied the announcement: “Masters of Albion is the culmination of my life’s work, a game that owes so much to titles like Dungeon Keeper, Black & White, and Fable,"Peter Molyneux said in a press release."It’s a totally unique game that we hope will delight players, a game that brings God Games into the modern gaming landscape and puts the genre firmly back on the map.” Features of Masters of Albion include: Mast…

Nintendo 64 decompilation projects have gained a lot of traction, and with tools like N64 Recomp available to the public, the process of creating a PC port and binary executable for any given Nintendo 64 decompilation project became easier thanks to it. While some games have proper PC ports yet to be made from scratch, other have seen the implementation of the Recompilation tool in order to be able to compile and create a running executable of the decompiled N64 game working in their computers, and the latest one to get a recompilation is the N64 exclusive RPG title, Quest 64. The recompilation project for Quest 64 by Rainchus is in very early stages, currently at v0.1,…

Back in the 90's, Nintendo and Sony made an agreement to work on a CD-like console, with the prototype for this collaboration being a Super Nintendo with CD capabilities, with said prototype being found some years ago. However, that collaboration between Nintendo and Sony fell through, as Nintendo ended up partnering with Phillips, leaving Sony aside, and eventually, leading to Sony creating their own console, which eventually became the very first Sony PlayStation, and a major rival to Nintendo in the gaming market. Out of that partnership between Nintendo and Phillips, came several Nintendo licensed video games for the exclusive Phillips console at the time, the CD-i, …

Decompilation projects not only open the doors for older and beloved video games to be ported natively to PC, but they also open the doors for those same decompiled games to be ported to other consoles, with developers tackling the special hardware of the specific target console and finding workarounds to bring the decompiled game's coding quirks to the new console's hardware. Such was the case for the debut and most iconic Nintendo 64 video game, Super Mario 64, and thanks to the initial and completed decompilation from years ago, developer jnmartin84 was able to finish a native port of the game to the SEGA Dreamcast, and while Super Mario 64 did have a Dreamcast port b…

The new month of GTA+ benefits has officially arrived for Grand Theft Auto Online, bringing a fresh wave of exclusive rewards for subscribers on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Running from January 8th through February 4th, Month 46 focuses heavily on Tuner culture, offering a brand-new exclusive vehicle, significant bonuses on Tuner contracts, and expanded utility for business owners via the Vinewood Club App. Here is everything you need to know about the latest rewards. Free Vehicle: Pfister Astrale The headline reward for this month is the Pfister Astrale, a new vehicle currently exclusive to GTA+ members. Availability: Members can claim this car for free at The Vinewood Car …

The fanmade remake of the cult classic, EarthBound, has gotten its second Video Relaxant update yesterday. The fan remake, titled Mother², is a remake of EarthBound for the SNES that's been in development for some years now, with trailers and video updates being released in either the Mother Direct events or on their own Mother² YouTube channel, with the first Video Relaxant update video being mode 2 years ago. The fan game is being developed on the Godot engine, and the artstyle for the game closely resembles that of Mother 3, with its more detailed sprites, maps and menus. The remake also adds a lot of Quality of Life improvements to the original EarthBound mechanics …

In less than a month's time, Square Enix will launch Dragon Quest VII Reimagined, the remake of 2000’s Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past. In anticipation of the release, the publisher aired two trailers: one for the opening movie and one showcasing the game's demo that is available today. The demo allows you to experience several hours of content from the beginning of the game, and rewards early players with an in-game “Day Off Dress” cosmetic for Maribel. Save data from the demo will be carried over to the full game when it launches. Dragon Quest VII Reimaginedlaunches on February 5 for Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC …

Happy New Year, outlaws! Rockstar Games is ringing in 2026 with a bang, dedicating the first month of the year to the lawless frontier's most lucrative profession: Bounty Hunting. Running from January 6th through February 2nd, this month-long event offers seasoned veterans and fresh-faced gunslingers alike the chance to rake in serious RDO$, Gold, and XP. Whether you are hauling in common criminals or legendary targets, it’s time to polish your badge and saddle up. Big Bonuses for Bounty HuntersThe core of this month’s event is a substantial boost to payouts for Bounty Hunter activities. If you've been looking to level up your role or pad your wallet, now is the time. 3X …

After over 8 years of waiting, Styx will soon be back for some new stealth adventure in Styx: Blades of Greed. Ahead of its release, NACON and Cyanide Studio have revealed details of the gameplay in a 9-minutes trailer: Styx: Blades of Greedwill be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) on February 19. View full article

Are there some Japanese exclusive games from days gone by that you always wish you could've played? Did your favourite obscure franchise get a game release in Japan but never saw localization or a fan made translation hack? Well it's your lucky day. Interpreter is a new project that can live-translate Japanese text in retro games, all offline and without a required internet connection. The application is optimized for retro games that use traditional pixel-based fonts and uses MeikiOCR. The tool offers two overlay modes - a simple banner overlay as seen above or by replacing text directly over the original Japanese text at OCR-detected positions. Windows, macOS and Lin…

As 2026 kicks off, the gaming world has its eyes locked on one massive event: the release of Grand Theft Auto VI. After a recent delay pushed the highly anticipated title to November 2026, anxiety has been high among fans fearing another slip into 2027 or a rumored sky-high price tag. However, new predictions from a reputable industry insider suggest gamers might finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief. No More Delays?Tom Henderson, the editor-in-chief of Insider Gaming and a source with a strong track record for industry scoops, has shared a surprisingly positive outlook for the game's launch. In a recent video breaking down predictions for the year, Henderson stated…

A surprise to ring in the New Year was the discovery of what could potentially help lead to developments in the PlayStation 5 hacking scene. Internal files from Sony have leaked onto the internet, which includes "Level 0 BootROM keys" for the PS5. These keys are instrumental in understanding how the PlayStation 5 operates, and could also be used to decrypt the PS5's bootloader. As it stands, since they exist on a hardware level, there's nothing Sony can do to patch away the vulnerability of the keys being readily available online. However, while useful to have, PlayStation scene member Jose Coixao stressed that this by no means guarantees an easy hack for the PS5, since t…

Dual-screened gaming has been thrown back into the spotlight in the past six months thanks to the combined efforts of AYN, AYANEO, and Anbernic. Offering what could be the best emulation experience for 3DS and DS games, these systems have been relatively well-received. Running Android under the hood however, finding the best way to organise and interact with your emulated library may be a challenge. With the most popular frontends being designed for single-screened handhelds, you're left with an awkward experience that doesn't take advantage of everything your device has to offer. Seeing this as a problem, ES-DE developer RobZombie9043 has come up with an interesting sol…

After eight months of development, Pokemon White 2 ROM hack Blinding White 2 has been released. Going beyond what we usually see from fifth generation hacks, Blinding White 2 revamps the game with modern Pokemon, new item systems, a number of new rival fights, and a whole heap of quality of life updates. Trainers around the region will now sport much more varied teams to keep you on your toes, with a Hardcore mode available for people who really want to challenge themselves. Though there are still more updates to come in the form of OST changes and postgame rematches, the hack is currently complete in its main story content, making this as good a time as any to give it a…

The new year is upon us, and with it comes new ways to play an almost 30 year old game! Released just a few hours ago, Ocarina of Time has yet again been revamped, this time featuring the mask transformations from sequel Majora's Mask. Created by ROM hacker Aegiker, you can now reexperience one of Link's most iconic journies as a Deku Scrub, Goron, or Zora, with the powerful Fierce Deity transformation also included for good measure. All abilities and interactions are preserved from the original Majora's Mask implementation, with a few niceties thrown in there for good measure, like the Goron transformation's punches acting as the Megaton Hammer. If you want to give this…

Romhacking veteran Marc Robledo and graphic artist NiO107 have given Ninja Gaiden fans quite a surprising and outstanding gift in preparation for the holidays, with their collaborative colorization project of the original Game Boy title, Ninja Gaiden Shadow. Marc Robledo (also known as @marc_max), in collaboration with NiO107, who is currently working on an original homebrew Game Boy game titled Cosmo Knight ZiON, released today "Ninja Gaiden Shadow DX", a brand new colorization romhack for Ninja Gaiden that remasters the original Game Boy title into a fully colorized title, fully compatible with emulators and real Game Boy Color hardware. Marc's polish and qualit…

Decompilations have opened up all kinds of possibilities and technical wonders when it comes to porting games to other devices that they weren't officially designed for, and one of the most impressive and notorious examples of this are the ports to the SEGA Dreamcast of both Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which took some major reworks and technical prowess to achieve them, and much more so to get them running at playable framerates. But there are times when porting a game goes beyond video game consoles, and sometimes it gets ported to the most interesting of places, with the latest being browser port of Vice City, meaning the game runs entirely th…