Buckle up, gamers – this week in video games was pure chaos, and I mean that in the best possible, controller-throwing, wallet-endangering way. Sony's mammoth State of Play dropped more reveals than your average E3, Blizzard's Overwatch pulled a Lazarus and stormed back onto the charts, Metal Gear Solid 4 finally escaped its PS3 purgatory, and the trading card scene? Forget it, Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon are minting cardboard millionaires and draining bank accounts everywhere. Let's get into the highlights, lowlights, and deliciously messy drama.
Sony showed up and chose violence (of the hype variety) in this week's State of Play. We finally got confirmation that Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is real and, more importantly, MGS4 is coming to platforms that don't require an archaeological dig for a PS3. Old Snake is back, baby, and you can finally stop pretending you enjoy those dusty cell processors.
The show was a buffet of reveals: God of War Trilogy Remake is official, and a surprise 2D spin-off, Sons of Sparta, is out now (Indies carrying the AAA torch, am I right?). Ember Lab dropped jaws with a sequel, Kena: Scars of Kosmora, and Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is bringing stylized 2D vampire slaying back to the mainstream. Oh, and Rayman 30th Anniversary Edition launches tomorrow – it's like Ubisoft remembered they own more than just Assassin's Creed NFTs.
Elsewhere, Beast of Reincarnation got a summer date, Star Wars: Galactic Racer confirmed the glorious return of Ben Quadinaros (deep cut for the real podracing sickos), and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls dropped its release date—plus a pile of new X-Men. Even Koei Tecmo's Dead or Alive 7 is coming, and a DOA6 Last Round re-release is here for the foot fetishists and frame-data nerds alike. If you missed the show, just know your 2026 backlog is already crying.
Remember when everyone thought Overwatch was cooked? (Okay, me included, and I have receipts.) Well, Blizzard just cracked the defibrillator: Overwatch's "new era" update has doubled its Steam player record and given the game its best weekend in a year across all platforms. Ten new heroes are on the horizon, and the narrative reboot is so ambitious it might actually keep people around for more than a battle pass or two.
The fresh batch of heroes includes Domina, who's got all the tank energy (and, let's be honest, the thighs) to make D.Va mains reconsider their life choices. Oh, and Anran's design controversy? Even the voice actor called for a redesign, and Blizzard listened—proving that, on rare occasions, yelling on social media actually works. If you were waiting for a reason to reinstall, this is it. Just be ready for the meta to implode on itself like a black hole made of lootboxes and snark.
Gamers of a certain age (read: anyone who remembers 480p as "HD") had a field day this week. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is finally breaking out of PS3 jail thanks to Master Collection Vol. 2, alongside Peace Walker and even Ghost Babel. Meanwhile, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remastered was announced, complete with lost levels, bonus content, and a playable demo of the canceled sixth game, The Dark Prophecy. If you were waiting for a sign to start hoarding old franchises like a dragon with nostalgia issues, this is it.
Also, Fatal Frame 2 Remake is shaping up to be a terrifyingly faithful modernization, and Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is swinging into 2026 with stylish 2D goodness. The retro renaissance is real, folks, and your Steam Deck just got a little heavier.
If you thought the cardboard crack economy was cooling off, think again. Magic: The Gathering dropped a mountain of discounts on upcoming sets like Marvel Super Heroes, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Secrets of Strixhaven—preorders are live, prices are dropping, and Collector Boosters are flying off Amazon faster than you can say "reserve list buyout."
Pokémon TCG's Ascended Heroes ETBs are surging in value at TCGplayer, making scalpers and speculators foam at the mouth. Meanwhile, Pokémon Go is prepping the return of Mewtwo for Go Fest (cue the stampede), and TIME Magazine is dropping three different 30th anniversary covers dedicated to our pocket monster overlords. If your wallet survived this week, congratulations: you're either a monk or lying.
It wouldn't be a week in games without some turbulence. Remedy announced former EA exec Jean-Charles Gaudechon as its new CEO after a rocky period, while Highguard studio Wildlight confirmed layoffs just two weeks after launch (yikes). Riot Games also cut dozens from the 2XKO team, despite a solid launch for the fighting game.
And in the "wait, what?" department: Norwegian retailer Komplett is giving away free copies of GTA 6 to anyone who gives birth on launch day—because nothing says "parental leave" like sleepless nights and a digital Miami crime spree. Good luck, new parents. You're going to need it.
The industry is firing on all cylinders, the backlog is a hydra, and the hype train has no brakes. Whether you’re a legacy franchise diehard, a digital card shark, or just someone who wants to see what Kojima and Zampella would’ve cooked up together, there’s something for everyone. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go preinstall MGS4, FOMO-buy forty Magic packs, and consider having a Norwegian baby. See you next week, pixel junkies.
