~Gaming

Pokémon Pokopia just took the Grand Award at the Japan Game Awards 2026 — Japan’s top game-of-the-year honor — announced today (Sep 15) by CESA ahead of Tokyo Game Show. The life-sim sandbox from The Pokémon Company / Game Freak / Omega Force also landed an Award for Excellence, while the Pokémon franchise itself won the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Award during Pokémon’s 30th-anniversary year. Eligible titles shipped in Japan between June 1, 2025 and May 31, 2026, putting Pokopia up against heavyweights like Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Ghost of Yotei, Resident Evil Requiem, and Pragmata. Per Polygon, Pokopia has sold more than 5 million copies since its March launch and is the Nintendo Switch 2’s second-best-selling game behind Mario Kart World. Official launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zpr21HzJ9Q Source: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-pokopia-goty-game-of-the-year-japan-game-awards-2026/ Does Pokopia deserve Game of the Year for you, or would you have given it to something else on that Excellence list?

Bulkhead Interactive’s tactical FPS Wardogs just crossed 2 million copies sold — less than a week after its Steam Early Access launch on September 10. The studio posted the milestone on X: “2 MILLION COPIES SOLD. Thank you all. Beyond humbled. We made a game we wanted to play with friends. Watching you play it with yours has been the best.” That lands on top of a massive first-weekend peak of 428,666 concurrent players on Steam (SteamDB), with Steam reviews sitting at Very Positive. It’s a huge jump for Bulkhead, whose previous high-water mark Battalion 1944 sold just over 250,000. Wardogs launched PC Early Access via Team17; console versions for PlayStation 5 and Xbox are planned for 2028. Official launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpQnZgZCIo8 Source: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/in-less-than-a-week-wardogs-sells-2-million-copies-and-achieves-over-400k-concurrent-players/ 2 million in days and nearly 430k concurrent — breakout hit, or Early Access honeymoon?

Microsoft just dropped its late-September / early-October Game Pass wave — and the headliners are day-one AAA. Gears of War: E-Day lands October 6 on Xbox Series X|S, PC, handheld, and cloud in Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one. The Coalition prequel puts you with Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago 14 years before the original as the Locust Horde erupts on Emergence Day. Minecraft Dungeons II follows September 29, also day one on Ultimate and PC Game Pass (cloud, console, handheld, PC) — a new dungeon-crawler trip into the Sift with fresh gear customization. Other big adds on the slate: • Today (Sep 15): RuneScape: Dragonwilds • Sep 17: Ninja Gaiden 4 (Premium now; Ultimate/PC soon) + day-one Kernel Hearts • Sep 22: Dune: Awakening • Sep 25: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Premium now; Ultimate/PC soon) • Oct 2: Keeper Leaving September 30: Atomfall, Sifu, Little Nightmares 2 Enhanced Edition, Sworn, and more. Official Adagio trailer for E-Day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkWRKJ20gF0 Source: https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/15/xbox-game-pass-september-2026-wave-2/ Also: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/game-pass-adds-dune-awakening-minecraft-dungeons-ii-gears-of-war-e-day-and-more-in-late-september-to-early-october Day-one Gears plus Minecraft Dungeons II — enough to renew, or still waiting on something else?

Valve has finally put Steam Frame on sale for reservations — years of Deckard rumors ending in a real queue. The wireless SteamOS VR headset starts at $1,059 / £889 for 256GB and $1,299 / £1,089 for 1TB. Every unit includes Half-Life: Alyx (ported to run natively on the headset as well as via PC streaming). Specs include Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 16GB LPDDR5X, 2160×2160 per eye LCD (72–144Hz experimental), up to ~110° horizontal FOV, inside-out tracking, Wi-Fi 7 on-device, and optional Wi-Fi 6E PC streaming via dongle. Sign-ups run through September 17 at 10am PT, then Valve randomizes the list. Lottery winners get purchase emails around September 18 with a 72-hour checkout window; everyone else can join the waitlist. Accessories are separate: ergonomic kit $59, replacement kit $49, PSU $29 (charger not included in the box), plus a $149 third-party Arcturus color passthrough camera. Steam Frame is the last piece of Valve’s 2026 hardware trio after Steam Controller and Steam Machine — delayed from early 2026 amid the RAM crunch. Official hardware announcement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmKrKTwtukE Reserve: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/steamframe Source: https://www.theverge.com/games/994376/valve-steam-frame-vr-headset-price-release-date Also: https://www.gamesradar.com/hardware/vr/at-long-last-valve-launches-the-steam-frame-vr-headset-which-comes-with-half-life-alyx-bundled-in-for-usd1-059-gbp889/ Steam Deck moment for VR, or still too pricey for a niche?

Ubisoft has pushed Rayman Legends Retold from October 1 to December 3, 2026 — even though the team says the game has already gone gold. The remake from Ubisoft Montpellier and Milan is still planned for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, and PC (Steam, Epic, Ubisoft Store). Ubisoft says the extra time is to polish every detail; a Game Overview trailer and creator/press hands-on are scheduled for September 22. Reveal trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_7BQ9hLGkk Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/rayman-legends-retold-delayed-to-december-3 Smart dodge of the pre-GTA VI pileup, or a worrying slip after gold?

Marvel's Wolverine is out today on PS5 — and it's landing as Insomniac's softest-reviewed original in years. The game sits around 77 on Metacritic (OpenCritic top-critic average ~79): generally favorable, but a clear step down from Spider-Man 2's 90 and among the lower-rated Sony-owned studio releases this generation. Critics praise the combat and performances; common knocks include a more linear, hand-holdy structure (including heavy scent-trail guidance), a story that doesn't fully land, and a shorter ~10–15 hour scope. On launch day, Insomniac community director James Stevenson posted that the team has been "100% listening" and "cooking hard today in response to some of the feedback" — a wink at the scent-trail complaints — hinting day-one / early patches may address the loudest issues. Wolverine was already a high-stakes PS5 exclusive in a packed September, arriving after mixed industry headlines for Sony. Source: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/action/marvels-wolverine-dev-insomniac-has-been-cooking-hard-in-response-to-negative-feedback-we-have-been-100-percent-listening/ Also: https://kotaku.com/marvels-wolverine-scent-trails-insomniac-patch-reviews-ps5-2000734575 Buying day one, waiting for patches, or skipping — where do you land? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G62QQ42Ewwg

Insomniac Games' single-player action title unlocks globally at 12 a.m. ET, with preloads already live (about 79 GB). The standard edition is $69.99. PlayStation has been rolling launch trailers and feature deep-dives through State of Play ahead of day one. Launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G62QQ42Ewwg Sources: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/08/28/marvels-wolverine-details-on-logans-mutant-abilities-game-features-and-more/ · https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2026/09/14/marvels-wolverine-unlocks-soon---heres-the-exact-release-time/ Playing at midnight, or waiting for day-one word?

Netflix and Sega have locked a multi-title deal spanning three very different corners of Sega's catalog. First up: a live-action comedy film based on Crazy Taxi, written by Dan Gregor and Doug Mand (The Naked Gun 2025 reboot) and produced by Neal H. Moritz and Toby Ascher (the Sonic movies) with Sega's Toru Nakahara. Also in development: a live-action crime drama adapted from RGG Studio's upcoming Stranger Than Heaven (Like a Dragon / Yakuza team; game dated January 15, 2027), plus a new animated Sonic the Hedgehog series aimed at upper preschoolers — described as high-voltage, comedic, and emotionally grounded. No release dates for the screen projects yet. Crazy Taxi: World Tour is separately lined up for consoles and PC in 2027. Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/netflix-and-sega-announce-crazy-taxi-and-stranger-than-heaven-films-sonic-the-hedgehog-animated-series Also: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/crazy-taxi-movie-netflix-sega-sonic-stranger-than-heaven-1236861148/ Which of these adaptations are you most curious to see first?

IO Interactive has pushed the Nintendo Switch 2 version of 007 First Light to March 2027. The studio says the extra time is for polishing Switch 2 performance so the port meets the quality players expect. An exact calendar date will come later. This is the second delay for Bond on Switch 2: the game launched May 27, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC, while the Switch 2 edition slipped from day-one to a summer/fall 2026 window — and now into next March. A demo is still playable at Tokyo Game Show this week. Official launch trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfRZRwu4aEc Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/007-first-light-for-switch-2-delayed-to-march-2027 Also: https://nordic.ign.com/project-007/112850/james-bond-game-007-first-light-delayed-until-2027-on-nintendo-switch-2 Worth the wait for a stronger Switch 2 Bond — or frustrating after two slips?

Nintendo closed its September Direct with a big one for Dream Land. Kirby and the World Beyond is a brand-new 3D adventure for Switch 2, due Spring 2027 — timed for Kirby’s 35th anniversary. It’s the next full 3D Kirby platformer after Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Per Nintendo: freely explore an expansive world with powered-up Copy Abilities — bomb jumps, sword climbs into trees, high-speed field rides, and more. You’ll rescue a mysterious girl from King Dedede, then confront a peculiar wall blocking the way. What’s waiting on the other side is the titular World Beyond. Announce trailer (Nintendo Direct): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K26SUaTOSEs Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/kirby-and-the-world-beyond-announced-for-switch-2 Also: https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/kirby-and-the-world-beyond-is-an-all-new-kirby-3d-adventure-coming-in-spring-2027/ Open-world Kirby era — are you in for Spring 2027?

Two days out. Nintendo's next Fire Emblem — Fortune's Weave — lands exclusively on Switch 2 on September 17. Digital is $69.99, physical $79.99, and the Dagdan Collection (SteelBook, art book, character cards, Dagda map) is $119.99. You guide four intertwined heroes through the Heroic Games in the Dagdan Empire: Cai (save his imprisoned father), Dietrich (hunt stronger foes), Theodora (fulfill her homeland's dream), and Leda (revenge). Between matches: recruit in Dagsion, train, bond at inns, delve dungeons, then fight turn-based with Blaze Arts and god Blessings. Lore hook for Three Houses fans — Sothis and Fortuna show up on the official page. NA digital typically unlocks 9:00 p.m. PT on Sep 16 (midnight ET Sep 17). Estimated size ~29.5 GB. Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/06/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-launches-september-17 Also: https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-switch-2/ Launch times: https://www.vice.com/en/article/fire-emblem-fortunes-weave-release-date-launch-times/ Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rl5_C4sc5zk Day-one Classic Mode only, or diving straight into the four-route weave?

The Remake trilogy finally has an end date. Square Enix dated Final Fantasy VII Revelation — the finale after Remake and Rebirth — for April 8, 2027 on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam, Epic, Xbox on PC). Standard is $69.99; Premium ($99.99) adds Early Access plus a Story Expansion Pass (two story DLCs planned), and Premium Plus sits at $109.99. New footage shows open-planet exploration on the Highwind, chocobo Piko as mount and combat ally, playable Cid and Vincent, the FITS combat uniforms (Warrior, Knight, Black Mage, Summoner), grappling-gun traversal, and on-the-fly party switching. Pre-orders are live (Switch 2 digital pre-orders open later). Source: https://press.na.square-enix.com/FINAL-FANTASY-VII-REVELATION-RELEASES-APRIL-8-2027-ON-PHYSICAL-AND-DIG Also: https://blog.playstation.com/2026/09/03/final-fantasy-vii-revelation-launches-on-ps5-april-8-2027/ Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpugeKC14bw Day-one buy for the finale, or waiting for the DLC roadmap first?

Nintendo just dropped a brand-new 2D Metroid. Metroid Ravenous was revealed in the September 9 Nintendo Direct and launches exclusively on Switch 2 on January 28, 2027. Samus is marooned on an unfamiliar moon after an ambush, navigating labyrinthine ruins and using newly awakened Metroid instincts to devour foes — beams, missiles, and aggressive melee included. Digital standard is listed at $59.99 (physical $69.99). A Metroid Ravenous amiibo lineup (Samus + Chozo Statue) lands the same day, with a Special Edition bundling a Samus (Metroid Suit) amiibo and steel case. Source: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/metroid-ravenous-announced-for-switch-2 Also: https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/09/metroid-ravenous-announced-for-switch-2-release-date-confirmed Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ku-vSTDNsT8 Day-one buy after Dread, or waiting for more gameplay first?

Big clarification from BlizzCon: Blizzard’s new StarCraft open-world shooter is not a seasonal live-service title. In an Inven Global interview, GM and Creative Director Dan Hay called the 2030 project a “box product” — a narrative-driven open-world shooter where you create and name a character, follow a story with a beginning, middle, and definitive ending, and explore at your own pace between intense missions. “At the very least, what we are building right now is not a seasonal game,” Hay said. The setting jumps ~70 years after StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void; Terran, Zerg, and Protoss all remain in play. Source: https://www.invenglobal.com/articles/25886/the-starcraft-shooter-is-a-single-player-boxed-game Also: https://wccftech.com/blizzard-starcraft-shooter-rejects-live-service-dan-hay/ Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eQUtOQXYgQ Relieved it’s a proper single-player campaign, or still hoping for an RTS someday?

Hell hits Nintendo hardware tomorrow. Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on September 15, 2026. The $69.99 / £62.99 / €69.99 bundle includes the base game plus Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred, with eight classes (including Paladin and Warlock), cross-play, and cross-progression. The same day, Season of Hell's Legacy begins rolling out at 9:30 a.m. PT — Diablo's 30th-anniversary season bringing back the Prime Evils, Deckard Cain, Nightmare Rifts, and era-spanning rewards. Official details: https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/article/24301509/diablos-next-era-revealed-at-blizzcon-2026-opening-ceremonies-recap Also: https://www.gematsu.com/2026/09/diablo-iv-age-of-hatred-collection-coming-to-switch-2-on-september-15 Season trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L55dgNzpQ8 Booting Sanctuary on Switch 2 day one, or waiting for reviews?