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“Majority” of Bethesda is on The Elder Scrolls VI Says Todd Howard, More Starfield News Coming “Soon,” But There is no “Starfield 2.0”

A split image with 'The Elder Scrolls VI' title over a landscape, and below, a character in a spacesuit gazing at a ringed

Bethesda Game Studios boss Todd Howard spent an hour today talking about some of Bethesda's biggest franchises, including both Fallout and The Elder Scrolls, in an interview with Kinda Funny Games. While Howard didn't share too many details about upcoming projects, like refusing to elaborate beyond saying the team has "multiple" Fallout projects in the works, we did get some insight into how he prefers to approach game reveals, how the studio operates, and a tease that more Starfield news would be coming "soon." That said, Howard did add that there is no "Starfield 2.0" coming. Starting with The Elder […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/majority-bethesda-working-on-the-elder-scrolls-6-no-starfield-2-0-coming-todd-howard/

Global Video Game Content Sales Grew to $195.6B in 2025 While Private Funding Took a Massive Dip

Logos of PlayStation Studios, Xbox, Steam, and Nintendo Switch are displayed alongside game characters and a Nintendo Switch

The new State of Video Gaming 2026 Report from Matthew Ball, chief executive officer at Epyllion, is now available, and as usual, there are more than a few solid insights and takeaways to make note of. Like how software sales for the global video game market in 2025 rose by 5.3% to a staggering $195.6 billion, but at the same time, funding from private investors hit another major dip, dropping by 55%. Console software sales also hit an all-time high, recovering from the post-COVID slump to hit $41.6 billion in spending, a 2.3% increase compared to the highs of the […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/global-video-game-content-sales-grew-to-195-6b-in-2025-while-private-funding-took-a-massive-dip/

DayZ Creator Calls On Consumers to Help “Normalize Delaying Games” Following ICARUS: Console Edition Delay

A character in a spacesuit exploring a forested landscape with a large planet visible in the sky from the game ICARUS.

Earlier this week, developers RocketWerkz and GRIP Studios announced that the console release for the popular survival game, ICARUS, would be delayed by one month, from its initial February 26, 2026, release date to March 26, 2026. Along with announcing the delay, the studios also confirmed that the team would host a Reddit AMA on r/Survival Gaming, during which DayZ creator Dean Hall (who is also the creator of ICARUS) called on consumers to help "normalize delaying games." The statement doesn't come in the form of an answer from Hall, but rather as a preface before the AMA even kicks […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/dayz-creator-calls-on-consumers-to-help-normalize-delaying-games/

Ex-Highguard Staff Share Concept Art and Videos of Unreleased Characters, Raises More Questions About its Longevity

A character in 'Highguard' aiming a glowing weapon in a field.

Highguard has become one of the most talked-about games to kick off 2026, but all for the wrong reasons. After its maligned reveal at The Game Awards, despite its launch drawing 97K concurrent players on Steam alone, those players didn't stick around, and it lost the vast majority of its player base almost immediately. It was review-bombed on Steam, and barely two weeks after it had arrived on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, "most" of the team at developer Wildlight Entertainment had been laid off. After one of the laid-off developers took to X (formerly Twitter) to call out […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/ex-highguard-staff-share-concept-art-and-videos-of-unreleased-in-engine-characters/

New Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss Gameplay Trailer Debuted Ahead of Steam Next Fest Demo Release

An underwater scene from the game 'Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss' shows a diver in a helmet with tentacles and a monstrous face

Publisher Nacon and developer Big Bad Wolf have debuted a new gameplay trailer for Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss, just ahead of when players will get a chance to try out the game themselves when a demo is released as part of Steam Next Fest on February 23, 2026. The trailer digs into one of the game's core mechanics, investigations, as the player character Noah investigates an underwater mining station that, at least at first glance, seems to be abandoned. The trailer showcases the dark corridors of the mining station and shows Noah exploring the hallways, scanning and analyzing clues, before […]

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“Irresponsible and Offensive” Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Ad Banned in UK for Joking About Sexual Violence

A woman wearing formal attire and a tie stands under text reading 'Call of Duty Black Ops 7' and 'Airport Security.'

An ad for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been banned in the UK after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) deemed that it was "irresponsible and offensive" for centring around humour that was "generated by the humiliation and the implied threat of painful, non-consensual penetration" of a man in the ad. Spotted by the BBC, the ad in question is part of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's 'Replacers' ad campaign, which featured Hollywood actors like Terry Crews, Nikki Glaser, and Peter Stromare. While there are several 'Replacers' ads, the one that got banned depicts Glaser and Stromare's characters […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/irresponsible-and-offensive-call-of-duty-black-ops-7-ad-banned-in-uk-for-joking-about-sexual-violence/

“We Just Need a Few More Weeks”: Sad Cat Studios Long-Awaited Cyberpunk Platformer REPLACED Gets Delayed Once Again

Dystopian scene with neon cityscape, futuristic train, and mysterious figure under REPLACED text.

REPLACED, the 2.5D platformer from Sad Cat Studios that we've been waiting for since 2021 has been delayed once again, though it seems like this delay will be its last one ahead of its release. Now, instead of arriving on its previously set March 12, 2026, date, it'll hit PC and Xbox Series X/S on April 14, 2026. Earlier this month, ahead of the upcoming demo-fest of the year's first Steam Next Fest, Sad Cat Studios put out a demo for REPLACED (which you can still go play now), and according to the studio's statement, part of this delay is […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/replaced-delayed-a-few-more-weeks-sad-cat-studios-cyberpunk-platformer/

Battlefield 6 Season 2 Is Now Live, Drives Highest Concurrent Player Count on Steam for the Month So Far

Characters in military gear holding rifles in an intense, fiery battlefield setting from the video game Battlefield 6.

Season 2 of Battlefield 6 is finally live after an unexpected month-long delay, something that, according to Battlefield Studios, won't happen again. The new season went live with the introduction of the new Contaminated map, several new weapons, and the introduction of a new limited-time mode featuring a new gameplay mechanic, VL-7 hallucinogenic gas. The new season's arrival has driven the game's highest concurrent player count on Steam so far in February 2026, with the game currently sitting at 90,265 players at the time of this writing. If the concurrent count is able to break 100K, it'll be the first […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/battlefield-6-season-2-now-live-drives-highest-steam-concurrent-count-this-month/

Weapons Director Zach Cregger Had “Carte Blanche” to Make the Upcoming Resident Evil Film His Own

A close-up of a zombie character with bloodied face and decayed features, set against a dark background.

We first heard that Capcom would be looking to reboot the Resident Evil film franchise all the way back in 2020, with a less-than-impressive first outing with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City. That was followed by another less-than-impressive TV series, which was canned after one season. Now, there's another new film coming, but with a lot more pedigree behind it, with Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger leading the charge. Last September, we learned from Cregger that this upcoming film would be an original story, one that wouldn't feature iconic Resident Evil characters like Leon Kennedy (who will feature […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/zach-cregger-weapons-director-had-carte-blanche-with-resident-evil-movie/

Bungie Shows Off More Marathon Gameplay in New Impressive Trailer Ahead of Open Preview Server Test Weekend

Characters in futuristic armor engage in a standoff with rifles in a forested area and water in the video game Marathon.

Bungie's upcoming first-person extraction shooter, Marathon, is out on PS5 and PC in a little more than two weeks' time from the time of this writing. Despite it having a rough road to launch, now that we're so close to it, the game looks more impressive than ever, and its new 'Death Awaits' trailer ahead of its open preview server slam test next weekend is the latest example of just how solid it looks. The server slam test will give Bungie the chance to let the servers get pushed to their limit right ahead of launch, as the test will […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/bungie-marathon-gamelay-new-impressive-death-awaits-trailer/

Embark Studios Will Hand Out Suspensions to Players Who Took “Severe” Advantage of ARC Raiders Coins Duplication Exploit

A soldier character in 'ARC Raiders' stands in a misty forest with the text 'Recent Exploits and Corrective Actions'

Embark Studios has just issued a statement regarding a major glitch in ARC Raiders that players have been exploiting recently, which allowed players to duplicate their coins, essentially destroying the in-game economy and allowing players to buy their way back to full strength and then some, if they lost their gear while Topside. Whether the statement will apply to you or not depends on how much you took advantage of the exploit. For "severe cases," the players who took huge advantage of it will be suspended from the game. How long those suspensions last is currently unclear, but that is […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/embark-studios-suspend-arc-raiders-players-severe-cases-coins-duplication-exploit/

Styx: Blades of Greed and Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown Launch with NVIDIA DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Gen Support

An NVIDIA DLSS promotional graphic highlights games 'Battlefield 6,' 'Norse: Oath of Blood,' 'Star Trek Voyager: Across the

Just as every week brings another GeForce NOW Thursday, we also get an NVIDIA DLSS 4 Tuesday, with a new batch of games adding support for NVIDIA's DLSS 4 with Multi-Frame Generation technology. This week, two games are launching with support for NVIDIA DLSS 4: Styx: Blades of Greed, the return of the stealth-driven action adventure, and Star Trek: Voyager - Across the Unknown, a new strategy management game where you have to try to manage the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager and get the ship out of deep space and back to Earth. Both games also arrive with support […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/nvidia-dlss-4-multi-frame-gen-styx-blades-of-greed-star-trek-voyager/

Hasbro has Reportedly Shut Down G.I. Joe Snake Eyes Game Makers, Atomic Arcade [Update]

A close-up of a character holding a katana with a partial digital display on the blade and the text 'Atomic Arcade' in the

Update 16/02/2026 6:00pm ET: Following the publication of this story, a representative from Hasbro sent this statement to Wccftech: "The Snake Eyes game is not cancelled. The team is currently taking time to evaluate the path forward for the game. While decisions haven't been finalized, we're committed to providing updates as soon as we're able." Original Story 16/02/2026 4:43pm ET: Atomic Arcade, the Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast-owned studio that was making a game based on the iconic G.I. Joe character Snake Eyes, has reportedly been shut down. The news broke from one of the former team members, gameplay […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/hasbro-wizards-of-the-coast-reportedly-shut-down-g-i-joe-snake-eyes-game-makers-atomic-arcade/

Engine Maker Unity Focusing on “AI-Driven Authoring” to Allow Devs to “Prompt Full Casual Games Into Existence”

The Unity logo is displayed against a vibrant, abstract background with pink and blue hues.

Generative AI (GenAI) has been one of the most controversial topics in the video game industry in recent years, and will likely continue to hold that spot for the foreseeable future. Whether you think GenAI has a place in game development or not, what's clear from game engine makers like Unity is that users who want to use it in the process of making their games will have that option. Spotted by GameDeveloper, in Unity's recent earnings call for its fourth quarter financial report, not only does Unity claim that "AI-driven authoring" is a "major area of focus" for the […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/engine-maker-unity-focusing-on-ai-driven-authoring-to-allow-devs-to-prompt-full-casual-games-into-existence/

“No One Is Safe on the Platform”: Developers Call Out Valve’s Lacking Moderation of Abuse and Bigotry on Steam Forums and Reviews

Steam logo on a collage of video game covers including Gears 5, Cyberpunk, and Stardew Valley.

It's well known that user reviews on Steam are a mixed bag, to say the least. You'll get everything from actually thoughtful reviews to snap reactions based on less than an hour spent with the game, and often see a slew of negative reviews that are clearly part of a review-bombing campaign of players complaining about a singular issue, regardless of that issue factoring in on the game's quality. A new report from The Guardian delves into another aspect of Steam's user reviews and forums, with developers and even some content creators speaking out about the abuse and bigotry that […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/valve-lack-of-steam-user-reviews-forums-moderation-called-out-by-developers/

ICARUS: Console Edition Delayed to Next Month for More Polish Time, “Rather Than Launch With Known Issues”

A character with a bow and arrows stands in a lush forest environment beneath the title 'ICARUS CONSOLE EDITION'.

Last month, developers RocketWerkz and GRIP Studios announced that the popular survival game, ICARUS, would be making its console debut on February 26, 2026. Now, less than three weeks after that announcement, the studio has confirmed that ICARUS: Console Edition has been delayed by one month and will now arrive on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles on March 26, 2026. In a statement sent to Wccftech, the studio says that while the game is "in a strong and stable state," the delay will add enough time for the team to add further polish, "rather than launch with known issues." […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/icarus-console-edition-delay/

Battlefield 6 Season 2 Hands-On Preview – Is An Emphasis on LTMs Enough to Reinvigorate EA’s 2025 Hit in 2026?

A soldier in tactical gear aims while advancing on rocky terrain as a helicopter labeled N425TX hovers above with an armed

When Battlefield 6 launched in October 2025, I couldn't help but be enamoured with it. I have years of memories in previous Battlefield games, and I was happy to see the series return with a very solid military shooter. It was, for the most part, exactly what I wanted out of a modern Battlefield game. I was one of the millions of players jumping into Battlefield 6 constantly during those opening weeks, especially with the arrival of Season 1, with three new maps, the new battle royale REDSEC mode, and new weapons, gadgets, and vehicles to earn. I was also […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/battlefield-6-season-2-hands-on-preview-is-an-emphasis-on-ltms-enough-to-reinvigorate-eas-2025-hit-in-2026/

“This Is Not God of War”: Original Creator Doesn’t Know “What the F***” SSM Was Thinking With New 2.5D Sons of Sparta Game

Two characters wade through a shallow stream under the text 'GOD OF WAR: SONS OF SPARTA' in a landscape featuring mountains

Last week, after a long period of silence following the release of the final piece of DLC for God of War Ragnarok, during Sony's first State of Play of 2026, we finally got a small update as to what Sony Santa Monica has been working on. Along with a remake of the original trilogy, we learned that the studio had teamed up with Mega Cat Studios to deliver a 2.5D game featuring Kratos titled God of War: Sons of Sparta. There have been a lot of rumours circulating for years about an upcoming 2.5D God of War game, so its […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/god-of-war-creator-doesnt-know-what-sony-santa-monica-was-thinking-with-sons-of-sparta/

Rainbow Six Siege Adds Solid Snake to its Operator Roster, New 1v1 LTM, and More Coming in Year 11 Roadmap

A character from Metal Gear Solid holding a weapon is shown alongside soldiers with gas tanks in the background from Rainbow Six Siege

Over the weekend, Ubisoft hosted the Rainbow Six Siege Six Invitationals tournament in Paris, where it also took the opportunity to reveal what players can expect in Year 11 of Rainbow Six Siege, starting with Season 1: Operation Silent Hunt, which arrives on March 3, 2026, and adds an iconic stealth-action hero to its Operators roster: Metal Gear Solid's own Solid Snake. The collaboration between Konami and Ubisoft means we can finally have two of the video game industry's most well-known stealth icons work together, between Solid Snake and Splinter Cell's protagonist, Sam Fisher. Which is exactly what Ubisoft showcases […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/rainbow-six-siege-metal-gear-solid-ubisoft-konami-solid-snake-sam-fisher/

ARC Raiders – A First Foothold Quest Guide

A character named 'SlyBowser' in the game 'ARC Raiders' stands on a rooftop overlooking a mountainous landscape, with a backpack

Quests in ARC Raiders often don't ask you to complete complicated tasks in your runs Topside. They're usually just asking you to bring a specific item back, or some just want you to look around in a specific area. But the quests, specifically the ones you get as you unlock new maps, are doing more than just asking you to bring something back. They're helping you acclimate to the new map, and teaching you about its more important areas. That's exactly what the 'A First Foothold' quest is doing when you first unlock the Blue Gate map. Speranza's gadgets and […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/how-to/arc-raiders-a-first-foothold-quest-guide/

Former Highguard Dev Calls Out Players for “Slandering” the Game Before They Played It

A character in 'Magic: The Gathering' holding a glowing staff in a dusty, ancient setting.

Highguard is the latest free-to-play first-person shooter to hit the market, and if things keep going the way they are now, it'll also be the latest free-to-play first-person shooter that was shut down after being unable to break through as a massive hit right at launch. After its trailer at The Game Awards failed to land with players, and the weeks of silence that followed did nothing to help, when it arrived, before players even made it through the tutorial, they were leaving negative reviews on Steam. Even though it had over 97K concurrent players on Steam when it launched, […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/former-highguard-dev-calls-out-players-for-slandering-the-game-before-they-played-it/

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