Gaming

Modern Warfare 4 open and closed beta dates announced, including for Switch 2, alongside the return of Call of Duty: Next

• Modern Warfare 4 beta runs 21-25 August (pre-order) and 28 August-1 September (open)
• Switch 2 version joins for the open beta weekend; pre-orders start 26 August
• Call of Duty: Next returns 21 August as an online-only global event

Activision has confirmed dates for the Modern Warfare 4 beta and the return of Call of Duty: Next, giving fans their clearest picture yet of the run-up to the game's launch. Next, the annual event traditionally used to unveil multiplayer gameplay, will take place on 21st August as…

What time does Splatoon Raiders release in your time zone?

• Splatoon Raiders launches on Switch 2 on 23 July 2026
• UK players can access it from midnight BST
• Preloading is available after pre-order; no US pre-order bonuses offered

Splatoon Raiders, the first spinoff in Nintendo's Splatoon series, launches for Switch 2 on Thursday, 23 July 2026. The game sends players to Salmonid-infested islands to hunt for treasure, and can be completed solo with the help of in-game characters such as Big Man and Shiver, or cooperatively…

Nintendo Music Updated With More Mario Kart World ‘Free Roam’ Songs

• Nintendo Music received an update adding 'Free Roam' instrumental versions from Mario Kart: Super Circuit and Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
• The service continues expanding its catalogue, with recent additions from New Super Mario Bros. games and the Donkey Kong Bananza soundtrack (229 tracks, 8+ hours)

Featuring music from Super Circuit and Double Dash!! Since the arrival of the Mario Kart World album on Nintendo Music last month, Nintendo has released multiple "Free Roam" songs from the game. This week's update for the app adds Free Roam songs based on Mario Kart: Double Dash!!…

Stellar Blade Has Been Rated For The Switch 2

• Stellar Blade receives ESRB 'M' rating ahead of Switch 2 release.
• Rating cites blood, gore, violence and suggestive themes.
• No release date confirmed yet for the 2026 Switch 2 launch.

Stellar Blade, the action-adventure game previously exclusive to PlayStation 5, has received an ESRB rating for the Nintendo Switch 2, confirming preparations are underway for its previously announced 2026 release. The rating follows last month's Nintendo Direct, which surprised fans by revealing the Korean-developed title was heading to…

Leon Kennedy Voice Actor Says Metallica, Nirvana Helped Shape His Performance for the Resident Evil Character

• Leon Kennedy actor Nick Apostolides shared his character-prep music choices
• Nirvana inspired RE2 Leon, Alice in Chains inspired RE4 Leon
• Classic Metallica shaped his performance in Resident Evil Requiem

Nick Apostolides, the voice actor behind Leon Kennedy in Capcom's Resident Evil remakes, has revealed that heavy metal and grunge music helped shape his portrayal of the character across different games in the series. Speaking in a Cameo video to a fan in July 2026, Apostolides explained that…

10 Greatest Batman Games of All Time

• Collider ranks the 10 best Batman video games ever made
• Batman gaming history dates back to 1986's Amstrad CPC release
• List includes Batman Begins, Brave and the Bold, and LEGO Batman 2

Collider ranks the 10 greatest Batman video games, spanning nearly four decades of the character's presence in gaming since his 1986 debut on the Amstrad CPC. The list highlights how Batman has become one of gaming's most enduring superhero franchises, with more than 30 titles released across computers,…

Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link Leak Has Fans Wishing Square Enix Hadn’t Canceled Its Mobile Spinoff

• Leaked intro footage from cancelled mobile game Missing-Link spreads online
• Nearly five-minute clip shared across social media, unverified by Square Enix
• Fans speculate footage's ideas may resurface in Kingdom Hearts 4

Nearly finished intro footage from Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link, a mobile spin-off Square Enix cancelled in 2025 after years of development, has leaked online, sparking a wave of reaction from fans. The clips first surfaced via 4chan over the weekend before a fuller version, reportedly running almost five minutes,…

Cheap build aside, the $600 AOC GAMING Q27G4ZD low-key OLED star

• AOC GAMING Q27G4ZD: $600 QD-OLED gaming monitor with 240Hz/1440p performance
• Delivers strong visual quality but undermined by budget build quality, minor noise issues, and limited connectivity options

Pathogenic game Parasites tier list: Best ones to use

• Destructoid ranks Pathogenic's playable parasites into S, A and B tiers.
• Amoeba and Helminth are rated the strongest, S-tier choices.
• Diatom requires two co-op players; Nanobot remains unranked/unlocked.

This Destructoid guide ranks the playable parasites in the indie game Pathogenic, where players control a microscopic organism attempting to overrun the human body and reach the brain for the "true ending". The author sorts available parasites into S, A and B tiers based on how easily they…

Mini Review: 70’s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X (PS5) – Zany PS1 Shooter Is a Real Treat

• Push Square reviews PS5 remaster of obscure 1999 Japan-only shooter Geppy-X.
• Gameplay is average, but presentation is exceptional and lovingly restored.
• Over 8,000 remastered video clips recreate a full parody anime experience.

Push Square has reviewed 70's-style Robot Anime Geppy-X, a PS5 re-release of a Japan-only PS1 scrolling shooter from 1999 that the outlet's editor had never previously heard of. The remaster, produced by Implicit Conversions (the studio behind PS Plus Premium's emulated catalogue), is praised less for its combat…