Another week, another round of gaming news that makes my backlog look like a loading screen. So, what’s the pulse of the gaming world? Grab your energy drink, crack your knuckles, and let’s hit this week’s highlights faster than a speedrunner skips a cutscene.

**Resident Evil Requiem Leaks: The Spoilerpocalypse Is Here**
Resident Evil Requiem isn’t even out until Feb. 27, but thanks to early copies dropping into the wild, the internet is now a minefield of spoilers. Entire plot reveals, villain fates, and ending mechanics are plastered all over Reddit and social media. Capcom’s attempts to contain the leak are about as effective as a wooden barricade in a zombie outbreak. If you actually care about going in blind, now is the time to avoid comment sections like they’re Mr. X in a narrow hallway.

**Big Moves for Xbox Game Pass (And a Little Flex for PlayStation Fans)**
Microsoft’s Game Pass February Wave 2 lineup landed with a *thwack*: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Complete Edition!) and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 are now available, alongside other treats like EA Sports College Football 26 and Towerborne. Oh, and Avowed is celebrating its anniversary with a massive update—and it’s coming to PS5. That’s right, another Xbox exclusive breaks ranks! Meanwhile, Sony continues to keep Spider-Man on a tight leash, with Insomniac dashing any hope of Peter Parker swinging to Xbox. Not likely, they say. (But hey, Helldivers 2 and Marathon are making the jump.)

**Bluepoint Games Gets the Axe**
In a move no one wanted but everyone feared, PlayStation shut down Bluepoint Games—those absolute wizards behind Shadow of the Colossus and Demon’s Souls remakes. After their rumored live-service God of War project got canned, Bluepoint couldn’t get a new project off the ground. Pour one out for one of the industry’s best remake studios. If you’re still mourning, just remember: nostalgia is cheaper than therapy.

**Crimson Desert: RPG or Not? And No Microtransactions, Period**
Pearl Abyss is adamant: Crimson Desert is an “open-world action-adventure,” not an RPG. No decision-based branching. No XP grind. You play as Kliff, you get artifacts, and you roleplay through headcanon, not stats. Oh, and in a rare bit of good news, the devs doubled down—there’s no cosmetic cash shop or microtransactions. You pay $69.99, you get a game. Full stop. That’s so retro, it’s practically charming.

**Arc Raiders and Highguard: The Live-Service Soap Opera**
Arc Raiders is serving up its Shrouded Sky update, and the next big thing is hurricanes. Literal ones. Your loot run just became a weather report. Meanwhile, Highguard’s website went dark, sparking fears of a shutdown, but the devs insist a new patch is in the works. Just another week in the chaotic world of live-service shooters—where exploits, layoffs, and “core groups” are the new normal.

**Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Goes Mega-Leaky**
Pokémon cards are hotter than ever. Logan Paul’s Pikachu Illustrator card sold for a record $16.49 million, and the next English Mega Evolution set—Chaos Rising, featuring Mega Greninja ex—is already leaking ahead of official announcement. If you’re into cardboard stock trading, keep your notifications on and your wallet ready.

**Riftbound and Magic: The Gathering: TCG Wars Continue**
Riftbound’s Spiritforged set is out, and single cards are already hitting four figures. Magic: The Gathering’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles set is right around the corner, with Play Booster Boxes dropping to $125.99 on Amazon (tubular savings, dudes). If you’re not buying singles, are you even trying to keep up?

**PlayStation Shuts Down Bluepoint, More Layoffs, and The Elder Scrolls 6 Update**
Bluepoint isn’t the only casualty. Layoffs and project cancellations are hitting across the industry. On the bright side, Todd Howard says Elder Scrolls 6 will be a “return to classic style” after Starfield and Fallout 76’s creative detours. Don’t hold your breath: it’s still years away, but at least it’s not another Fallout 76 expansion.

**IGN Fan Fest 2026 Teases, Monster Hunter Wilds Patch Drops, and Slay the Spire 2 Gets 4-Player Co-op**
IGN’s Fan Fest returns Feb. 25-26 with over 80 reveals and deep dives (Mortal Kombat II, Scream 7, and more). Monster Hunter Wilds dropped a chunky update with new monsters, events, and system tweaks. And the roguelike deckbuilder Slay the Spire 2 launches in Early Access March 5—with four-player co-op. Time to get the squad together and burn through your deck (and friendships).

**That’s the Week, Gamers**
From leaks to layoffs, from Game Pass wins to PlayStation losses, this week was a wild ride. Stay caffeinated, keep those spoiler filters on, and remember: in this industry, the only constant is change (and probably another Skyrim port).

Stay tuned, stay salty, and keep your Pulse on the Pixel.