Once Human first launched two years ago, initially just on PC, with a mobile version following in 2025. Now, finally, it's coming to console after a period of beta testing.

Once Human is officially set to launch on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 on August 25, 2026. Additionally, it will be coming to the Xbox app on PC on the same date.

It's not Xbox Play Anywhere, but it doesn't need to be, since it's a free-to-play game. It does have full cross-play and cross-progression, though, including account linking if you've previously played on PC or mobile.

Additional goodies include keyboard and mouse support on console, and while it is free to play, there will be a couple of paid packs you can buy if you so wish with some premium items in to help you on your way.

"Survive in a supernatural apocalypse where reality has fallen apart. As a Meta-Human, explore a vast, Stardust-infected open world where monsters are threat and key to your survival. Every expedition is risk and resource. Gather materials and build your ultimate territory, but be prepared to defend your home against relentless sieges."

Two years is a pretty long wait, and Once Human now is not Once Human as it was. But it's an interesting idea. There are aspects of looter games mixed with survival elements and both PvE and PvP gameplay, with the latter being an opt-in rather than forced upon players.

The console version doesn't appear to be up-to-date with the existing PC and mobile versions, at least at first. A Q&A on the Once Human website states that "in the future, the console version will catch up with the progress of other platform versions, and it is expected to remain consistent."

That all seems fair, at least for launch. For one, it's more important to get it out there and make sure it's actually all working as intended. Two years is a lot of content and updates, and I think it's a smart move. It should be less overwhelming, if nothing else.

The one thing that isn't listed in the Xbox version right now is any sign of achievements. For two years this has been a frustration of the Steam release, with multiple threads referencing the fact that the developers haven't added any.

Xbox console games should have achievement support, so maybe it's just an omission from the early listing. Conversely, maybe the launch on console may finally help bring achievements to Steam. In any case, we don't have long to wait and find out.

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The Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 ports for the PS4 and PS5 were received to much hype and excitement. But guess what? They're a mess. Who possibly could have guessed?

Only everyone who's ever tried playing the backward compatible versions on Xbox consoles in recent memory. Collectively, it's an "I told you so," because we knew it would happen.

The only difference is that the 'shiny new' ports on PlayStation seem to be getting some kind of active support from Activision. Because Black Ops has had some of its playlists deactivated while "issues" are investigated.

The issues are simple: hackers. You think Black Ops 7 has a bad rep for hackers? Without modern anticheat technologies, the old games are like the Wild West.

It's taken absolutely no time at all for the new ports to be compromised, which really does show just how lazy they are. We're not just talking about wallhacks, either, though those are bad enough.

Players are being inundated with lobbies packed with players running exploits. Some are instantly max prestige, everything unlocked, ridiculous statistics, and perhaps worst of all for legitimate players, it's been reported a "negative XP" hack is dropping players back to level 1.

I love both of these games, but from the get-go, I saw nothing but a quick cash grab, cashing in on player nostalgia for the old games we loved so much, especially in a year when the new Call of Duty hasn't had the best reception. But they're not 'new,' are they? They're just the same old games we've been able to play on Xbox all along.

I saw a question on Reddit where, potentially linked to the recent hype, an Xbox player was asking if it was worth them buying Black Ops 2. At full price, the only answer is no. If you want to enjoy multiplayer, I'd also say the answer is no. If you can get a cheap disc to enjoy the campaign and Zombies? Sure.

But props at least to Activision for seemingly offering support on these ports. How long it'll last and how far they'll go, I guess we'll find out. But it's more than we've seen on Xbox with the existing versions in a long time.

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The idea of not owning our games and media to do as we wish with has flared up again in recent weeks, thanks to Sony announcing the death of discs for PlayStation. Now it's Ubisoft's turn to remind us that we are but a slave to the system.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced launched just last week, and by all accounts, it was a success. It's reviewed pretty well across the board, with a high rating on Metacritic for both press and users, and Ubisoft reported 2 million sales on launch day.

But then over the weekend Ubisoft left players with a stark reminder of the perils of an all-digital future, especially where DRM is concerned, when the game's offline mode flat out stopped working on PC (via Eurogamer).

The issue stemmed from a Ubisoft Connect outage. No matter where you're buying from, Ubisoft requires Connect in order to function. Console games aren't quite so beholden to it, but on PC, Ubisoft Connect acts as a DRM tool.

Resynced is supposed to require a solitary online connection to validate, and then you'd expect to be able to use the offline mode, right?

Wrong.

The Ubisoft Connect outage didn't last long, but the duration isn't the issue. The fact that this outage took down the offline mode is. For players who have already validated their copy of the game, a Ubisoft Connect server problem should still allow folks to play offline.

Players quickly voiced their frustrations on Reddit and Steam's forums and with good reason. A game with an offline mode should not be taken down like this. Ubisoft promised to make an offline mode for The Crew 2 after the outrage when it shut down the original game in the series, but is this what we're going to expect to deal with?

Offline mode needs to be exactly that. Fully disconnected, no issues playing without a connection, and definitely not affected by DRM or proprietary clients going down. A one-time activation should do what it says. Ironically, there are comments that suggest pirated versions of the game weren't affected by the outage.

It's becoming increasingly attractive to skip these types of games entirely and spend time and money on titles that are DRM-free from somewhere like GOG. Software licensing has always been a thing, but there are other ways.

I recently bought a copy of Project Motor Racing that gave me the entire game's installation files directly from GIANTS Software to install offline, no questions asked.

This Ubisoft Connect debacle just leaves everyone with a bad taste in their mouth.

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iRacing makes much more than just its flagship sim racing platform these days, and hot off the heels of the first official NASCAR 26 news, we now finally have some information on its IndyCar project.

We've known of its existence for some time but little more. Now, we finally have something concrete to go on, as well as a tentative launch window that will, sadly, miss the previously hoped-for 2026 window.

IndyCar Racing The Game is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PC via Steam, and PS5, in "early 2027."

That makes the most sense right now, given that NASCAR 26 is already on track to launch this September. Any time after this is a terrible time to launch a game, given that the entire planet's attention will be fixed on GTA 6.

Or Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered.

“This is a project our team has been passionate about for a long time,” said Tony Gardner, iRacing president. “We’re bringing everything we know about authentic, immersive racing to consoles and PC, and creating an experience worthy of the INDYCAR name. 2027 can’t come soon enough.”

Other than early 2027, all we know is that IndyCar Racing The Game will "launch in the countdown to the 2027 Indianapolis 500." Next year's race is scheduled for May 30, so right now we can expect to see the game sometime before then.

Being made by iRacing means that, like NASCAR 25 and 26, the IndyCar game will be able to leverage some aspects of the sim while being built like a more traditional racing game. It uses an in-house engine, not Unreal as NASCAR 26 does, previously used in ExoCross.

There hasn't been an official IndyCar game in over twenty years, so fans have certainly had a drought. IndyCar has largely been ignored beyond iRacing, so it's certainly a long overdue but extremely welcome arrival.

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As the arcade racing video game genre is absolutely flying, EA, it seems, wants no part in it any longer. At least that's how it appears if you read between the lines of a recent report from IGN at the studio responsible for much of the series, Criterion.

UK-based Criterion is hitting a big milestone: its 30th birthday. While it hasn't just been responsible for Need for Speed over the years, racing is responsible for some of its biggest hits. Lest we also forget the monumentally fun Burnout series.

But as Criterion celebrates its birthday, there's a stark reminder that the future for these two beloved franchises looks as non-existent as it could be. It's now "Criterion: A Battlefield Studio."

This is such a boneheaded move, but then, this is also EA we're talking about. Thanks in large part to XBOX's Forza Horizon franchise, the thirst for arcade racers has never been higher.

Ubisoft's The Crew is on its third outing, with Motorfest still going strong and getting plenty of fresh content. Forza Horizon 6 has just arrived on the scene and will continue to draw players for years to come. Ex-Playground Games wizards went off and did their own thing and are due to drop Clutch in 2027.

Whether you think the most recent Need for Speed games were any good or not isn't the point. EA is a steward to one of the most famous brands in the space and seems content to leave it on the shelf.

I'm pretty mad, which doesn't usually take much doing from EA these days. I wasn't thrilled when the company gobbled up another British studio making racing games, Codemasters, which had itself previously acquired Project Cars maker Slightly Mad Studios.

EA has under its ownership the F1 franchise, Dirt's library of rally games alongside EA WRC, Need for Speed, Burnout, Project Cars, and Grid. Right now, only one of those is alive.

Development on any future rally titles is on hold; Project Cars is dead; Grid is soon to be dead, with the servers on Grid Legends being shut off later this year. Burnout hasn't seen any life since 2018, and now the studio that has most recently been looking after Need for Speed is all-in on Battlefield.

F1 25 is all that really remains with its live service platform in tow. All that greatness in the locker, and EA is chasing a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow it will never reach.

Battlefield 6 is fine; I don't really enjoy it, but it's doing well, and it's a perfectly good game. But I feel like EA is sacrificing some much-loved franchises to help chase that Call of Duty money. Which just isn't going to happen.

Everything has to be live service from the biggest publishers with the biggest budgets these days, and that's fine, too. It's not going away, so we may as well accept it. But Forza Horizon 6 and The Crew Motorfest are living proof that the model works for arcade racers and that generally we're happy and enjoying it.

PlayStation players jumped on Forza Horizon 5 in massive numbers. A game that was, at the time, four years old. The newest one is flying on Xbox and PC right now, and we're looking forward to Clutch. But I don't understand why Need for Speed, especially, has been put on the shelf.

In the golden age of The Fast and the Furious, Need for Speed: Underground arrived, and it was all my friend group was talking about. My 180mph orange Corsa packed with a ludicrous body kit and neon lights was just pure joy. EA could do anything with this franchise.

We are lucky that there are still studios out there making amazing games we can enjoy, but all of this is just another notch on the belt of ongoing disappointment I'm feeling with gaming as a whole of late.

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