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Every Major Way Subnautica 2 Improves on the Original

Posted on May 24, 2026 by faz_business

Blog | Feature

With its blend of deep-sea exploration, crafting, and survival sandbox gameplay, Subnautica quickly became a favourite among players when it launched in 2018. Now, Subnautica 2 from Unknown Worlds Entertainment builds on everything that made the original so memorable, adding a wave of fresh ideas to pull returning players back underwater.

As Subnautica 2 begins its Early Access journey, here is how it is already improving on the original experience.

Unreal Engine 5 Brings More Than Just Better Visuals

One of the biggest changes in Subnautica 2 is the move from Unity to Unreal Engine 5. While that shift obviously means a massive visual upgrade, the benefits go well beyond surface-level improvements.

Thanks to Unreal Engine 5’s Lumen lighting system, the ocean feels incredibly dynamic and atmospheric. Bioluminescence casts light convincingly across the environment, while sunlight filters through the water in a way that reacts naturally to movement on the surface. The result is an underwater world that feels richer, moodier, and far more immersive.

The water itself is also highly reactive. Dynamic currents push both players and vehicles around the environment, turning navigation into a much more active part of survival. In some areas, those currents act as a serious hazard rather than just background detail.

The engine also introduces fresh environmental threats, including Bloom zones. These infected areas are filled with thick, murky fog that limits visibility and makes exploration deeply tense, pushing Subnautica 2 closer to survival horror territory.

Multiplayer Co-op Is Finally Happening

For many fans, this is the big one. After years of requests, Subnautica 2 launches into Early Access with multiplayer co-op for up to four players.

What makes this feature especially impressive is how seamless it is. Players can start a world solo and open it up for friends to join later, without needing to build the whole experience around co-op from the beginning.

Shared progression is another major step forward. Blueprints, databank entries, materials, and recipes are all shared across the group, making teamwork feel meaningful rather than inconvenient.

Better still, players aren’t constantly forced to stay close together. Instead of imposing strict distance limits, Subnautica 2 gives co-op groups the freedom to split up, explore, and tackle tasks in their own way.

Base Building Looks Much More Flexible

Base building has received a major overhaul. The rigid modular construction of the first game is replaced by a flexible procedural building system that gives players far more control over how their bases look and function.

Rather than working within fixed room sizes and limited layouts, players can reshape corridors, rooms, and interiors freely. That opens the door to more personal, creative base designs and makes construction feel less restrictive overall.

There’s also more control over the finishing touches. Interior lighting can be adjusted in greater detail, including both colour and intensity, and a wide variety of window options make it easy to create bases that feel practical, stylish, or both.

Biomods Create New Progression Options

Character progression in the original Subnautica was mostly tied to gear upgrades. In Subnautica 2, that system expands in a much more interesting direction through Biomods.

By harvesting DNA from local wildlife and taking it back to a Biolab, players can unlock mutations that affect how their character develops. These upgrades sit within skill trees and offer active and passive benefits that go beyond simple stat boosts.

That means unlocking improved resistance to water pressure, faster swimming, or better visibility in hazardous areas like Bloom zones. It’s a layered progression system that adds another dimension to exploration and survival.

The Ocean Is More Dangerous Than Ever

The creatures of Subnautica 2 aren’t just threatening in appearance; they are highly advanced in how they behave.

New predators, such as the Collector Leviathan, provide large, intelligent threats that actively hunt players, attack vehicles, and flush explorers out of hiding spots. More broadly, the game’s fauna reacts to a wide range of factors, including prey relationships, water currents, and even the time of day.

This makes the world feel unpredictable and deeply alive – exactly what a game like Subnautica needs.

Meet the Tadpole

The original game’s Seamoth is replaced by a new modular vehicle called the Tadpole, and it is a massive upgrade in terms of flexibility.

Instead of relying on a single all-purpose design, players can swap out the Tadpole’s shell chassis depending on what they need for a particular expedition. A faster setup suits exploration, while a bulkier shell prioritises storage and endurance.

This level of customisation gives players complete control over how they approach each dive, making the vehicle system feel incredibly adaptable.

Final Thoughts

From upgraded visuals and smarter creature behaviour to co-op play, deeper progression systems, and more flexible base building, Subnautica 2 is a meaningful step forward rather than a simple follow-up. With all of these ideas already taking shape at the start of its Early Access journey, it is well on its way to becoming the sequel fans have been waiting for.

John-Paul Jones

Scribbling about videogames since 2005, John-Paul Jones first stoked his love for the industry with the Atari 65XE at the age of four before proceeding onto the ZX Spectrum, Amiga and beyond. These days, he finds himself unreasonably excited about Sega’s Yakuza franchise, foreign cinema and generally trying to keep his trio of sausage dogs from burning his house down. Clearly, he is living his best life right now.

Best Sci-Fi and Horror Games Like Directive 8020

Posted on May 17, 2026 by faz_business

Blog | Games Like

Directive 8020 brings Supermassive Games’ signature brand of cinematic horror into a more action-heavy, survival-horror-flavoured space. The studio has always had a knack for tense choices, grisly consequences, and making you deeply suspicious of every dark corridor, but this time, that familiar formula is heading into sci-fi territory.

So, we’ve rounded up the best games like Directive 8020, from choice-driven horror stories to sci-fi scares, lurking threats, and games where everything can go horribly wrong very, very quickly.

1. Silent Hill f

Silent Hill f is an exceptional entry in one of horror’s most beloved series, and a great pick if what you’re after is lurking terror, unsettling imagery, and a story packed with twists and turns. You take control of Hinako as she explores her hometown, now swallowed by a strange fog that has warped everything into something deeply unpleasant. It’s eerie, stylish, and deeply unnerving, which makes it an easy recommendation for anyone after a strong dose of psychological horror.

Perfect For: Players who want psychological horror, unsettling storytelling, and the constant feeling that something is very, very wrong.

2. Alien Isolation

Alien: Isolation is the perfect game if you want to spend every waking second fearing for your digital life. You play as Amanda Ripley, skulking through dark corridors and trying to survive while a relentless Xenomorph stalks you from the shadows. The game uses plenty of clever tricks to make sure you never feel safe for long, and while you’re desperately trying to stay alive, you’re also uncovering the truth about what happened to your mother. Lovely stuff, really, if your idea of lovely is constant terror.

Perfect For: Anyone who wants sci-fi horror, ruthless enemies, and the horrible knowledge that hiding under a desk might not actually save you.

3. The Quarry

The Quarry is all about trying to keep yourself and a group of teenage counsellors alive in the very classic horror setup of a summer camp gone horribly wrong. It’s packed with choices, grisly outcomes, and the kind of “please don’t go into the dark woods alone” moments that make Supermassive’s games so much fun. It’s also playable with others, which adds a nice bit of chaos to the whole thing. Really, this is our stand-in for Supermassive’s wider catalogue, because if you want something like Directive 8020, it makes sense to start with another game from the same developer.

Perfect For: Fans of cinematic horror, branching choices, and trying very hard not to get a full cast of characters killed.

4. Resident Evil Requiem

Resident Evil Requiem is another strong choice from a long-running survival horror series, and it delivers that familiar mix of tension, action, and deeply unpleasant monsters. This one puts you in control of Grace Ashcroft and Leon S. Kennedy as they try to survive the horrors connected to the Umbrella Corporation. It’s a great pick if you like your horror with a bit more firepower, a lot of stress, and the occasional moment where you realise you probably should have saved those bullets.

Perfect For: Survival horror fans who want action, tension, iconic characters, and plenty of reasons to regret wasting ammo.

5. Prey

Prey fits the bill nicely because it’s creepy, clever, and set in space, which is a pretty good starting point when looking for something in the same general orbit as Directive 8020. It’s also just a stunning game all-around, with a fantastic concept and loads of ways to approach its many problems using your growing set of strange tools and abilities. Also, sometimes mugs come to life and try to eat you, and frankly, there just aren’t enough games willing to commit to that bit. Then again, almost anything in Prey could be an alien, so you’re better off trusting absolutely nothing.

Perfect For: Players who like sci-fi horror, immersive problem-solving, and being suspicious of every single coffee cup in a room.

6. Detroit Become Human

Quantic Dream games can be a little divisive, and Detroit: Become Human has moments where it lays things on a bit thick, but it’s still an excellent game if you want choice-driven storytelling with a sci-fi edge. It explores advanced androids, personhood, and what it means to be alive, all while giving you plenty of decisions that can send the story in different directions. It’s also a beautiful game to explore, and if you want to feel like every choice you make matters, this is still one of the better options out there.

Perfect For: Players who want cinematic sci-fi, branching narratives, and the pressure of knowing one bad decision can change everything.

7. Sherlock Holmes The Awakened

We’re finishing up with probably the biggest curveball on the list. Sherlock Holmes The Awakened comes from Frogwares, which means there’s plenty of investigating to do, a story that pulls you along, and, in this case, a thick layer of horror and tension. You take control of Mr Holmes himself as he dives into a mystery far stranger than his usual cases, with the Cthulhu Mythos creeping in and making everyone involved question absolutely everything they know. It might not seem like an obvious match at first, but if you’re here for mystery, dread, and a story that keeps getting weirder, it absolutely earns its place.

Perfect For: Players who want investigation, cosmic horror, and a mystery that becomes much stranger than anyone reasonably asked for.

Jason Coles

Jason likes to focus on roguelikes and co-op games; in a dream world he’d make a living writing about Dark Souls. As well as being a writer he also does personal training and accounting and can occasionally be seen on other people’s streams. Being a big fan of fluffy things means he has two cats, both of whom refuse to let him sleep, but at least they are cute.

Battle, Explore, and Survive with the Team17 Collection Bundle

Posted on April 1, 2026 by faz_business

Blog | Store

Fight, explore and survive across a world of unforgettable adventures with the Team17 Collection Bundle. This collection of eight standout games challenges you to battle through dark fantasy realms, master co-op missions, uncover strange new worlds and more. From intense strategy to creative exploration, every title offers something distinct – making this a bundle packed with variety and discovery.

Even better, every purchase helps support Save the Children, contributing to the vital work they do for young people around the world. By diving into these incredible experiences, you’re also helping make a real-world difference.

Eight Standout Adventures. One Great Cause.

The Team17 Collection brings together a diverse lineup of experiences, each offering its own unique challenge:

Sworn: Brave a corrupted Camelot in this dark fantasy action experience where danger lurks around every corner.
Heroes of Hammerwatch II: Descend into perilous dungeons, battle fearsome enemies, and grow stronger with every run.
Amber Isle: Restore a charming community as you rebuild shops, befriend locals, and bring life back to a vibrant world.
Operation: Tango: Team up in a two-player co-op spy adventure where communication and coordination are key to success.
Heavenly Bodies: Take on zero-gravity challenges in a physics-based experience that’s as rewarding as it is unpredictable.
CONSCRIPT – Director’s Cut: Endure the brutal realities of war in this atmospheric survival horror set during World War I.
Warcana: Command armies and outthink your opponents using strategic, card-driven gameplay.
Scarlet Tower: Survive relentless gothic hordes in a dark, fast-paced action experience filled with upgrades and chaos.

Gaming That Gives Back

Every purchase of the Team17 Collection supports Save the Children, helping fund essential work across more than 100 countries. The organisation focuses on ensuring children stay safe, healthy, and able to learn—whether that’s through emergency aid in crisis zones, access to education, or protecting children from harm and exploitation. By picking up this bundle, you’re not just expanding your library – you’re helping give children the chance of a better future.

Instant Access. Endless Adventure.

As with all Green Man Gaming bundles, your keys are delivered instantly so you can jump straight into the action. You’ll also receive an extra 3% off voucher for your next PC game purchase, keeping the adventure going. Be quick, though, the Team17 Collection is only available for a limited time. Don’t miss your chance to experience this diverse collection of standout indie games while supporting a great cause.

Green Man Gaming

The Green Man Gaming Staff account represents the voices of the team behind Green Man Gaming, bringing you the latest in store news, industry insights, and curated gaming recommendations.

Slay the Spire 2 Mini-Review: Familiar Foundations, Fresh Co-Op Brilliance

Posted on March 27, 2026 by faz_business

Blog | Review

At first glance, Slay the Spire 2 in Early Access feels like a slightly expanded version of the original. You start with Ironclad again, and most of the launch roster features familiar faces, with only two of the five characters being new. Those new additions bring dramatically different playstyles, which helps a lot, but the overall experience can still feel a little too familiar early on. It can even seem somewhat basic when you compare it to the many games that have built upon the formula since the first game was released.

That feeling starts to shift as you spend more time with it. You gradually unlock features that add more depth and variety to each run. New paths open up, relics introduce fresh ideas, and builds become far more interesting. The game also mixes in different level types alongside the standard progression, which helps keep things feeling varied. These additions make runs feel much fresher overall, though there are still features many players would like to see added. It’s still Early Access, though, so there’s plenty of room for that to happen.

The co-op mode is what really makes the game shine. It changes how you approach every run and adds a new layer of strategy. You and your teammates need to think carefully about how your characters and builds interact, which leads to some fantastic moments. You’re not just playing side by side – you’re actively supporting each other throughout. At rest sites, you can choose to heal a teammate instead of yourself, and some builds focus heavily on supporting others.

You can also share your block with another player, letting them go all-in on offence instead. This adds an entirely new dimension to the game, and each additional player deepens that complexity even further. It opens the door to creative strategies and leads to some memorable wins and losses along the way. If this is the game at its earliest stage, then Slay the Spire 2 has the potential to become something truly remarkable by the time it’s finished.

Jason Coles

Nomori’s Ghibli-Inspired Aesthetic Belies a Mind-Bending Portal Puzzler

Posted on March 21, 2026 by faz_business

If you love games that challenge your perception and reward thinking outside of the box, upcoming physics puzzler Nomori may be right up your alley. At the recent ID@Xbox event at GDC, I was able to play through the demo and chat with Studio Director Marnix Licht, who leads Enchanted Works’ small remote team distributed across the Netherlands.

In Nomori you play Kiko, a young girl who, in classic folktale form, gets sidetracked on the way to her grandmother’s house. Soon she finds herself lost in a whimsical spirit world of floating islands populated with friendly mushrooms, giant talking cats, and the like. It’s all drawn from Japanese folklore, particularly via the beloved work of animation legend Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, like “Spirited Away” and “Princess Mononoke.”

That extremely cozy and inviting surface belies a much trickier puzzle design, however. Licht told me that one of their core observations at the start of development was that often a game with gentle vibes has similarly gentle puzzle mechanics. They supposed that many people might like a game with a cozy aesthetic, but far trickier and more nuanced underlying gameplay, akin to Portal, which is a comparison that will shortly become obvious.

Initially the challenge is simple navigation and platforming, making your way across a series of floating islands that are connected by fixed portals. The first twist comes when you find that portals maintain orientation, so the direction of gravity when you enter will be the same for you wherever you exit. So, for instance, you can step through a portal at the bottom of a cliff face and emerge through a perpendicularly oriented portal onto that cliff as your new ground.

“If Portal is all about conservation of momentum, Nomori is about conservation of orientation,” Licht told me. He also brought up the work of surrealist illustrator M.C. Escher as a big and obvious inspiration for this relativistic relationship to space.

The next major element introduced is a large, friendly gelatinous cube with bunny ears called a Slimebun. You can pick it up and telekinetically move it around with your Wind Grasp ability to use as a mobile platform and as a key to open the door to the next island. Invoking Portal again, Licht called it “the ultimate companion cube.” Eventually, you can also reverse its direction in time, scrubbing it back and forth along its previous path like with Link’s Recall ability in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, creating a moving platform for your traversal.

The moment that really made me lean forward and recognize what this game has cooking was when Kiko could start rotating the portals in 90-degree increments, changing the orientation at which you came out (and thus the direction of gravity when you did). I’d been breezing through the introductory puzzles to this point, but suddenly I had to start rotating the space in my mind like a Rubik’s Cube and just ended up doing a lot more experimentation.

The Slimebun has a sloshing layer of liquid on its bottom and bunny ears on top, which are important cues for making its orientation obvious. This is crucial because Wind Grasp lets you send it through portals without you, bringing it out nearby with a different direction of gravity than you, for instance turning it falling down into your elevator ride up. This gets even more complicated with moving it back and forth in time, since its path (helpfully represented in the world with a dotted line) retains orientation to the Slimebun and not the environment, so you can use that in conjunction with rotating portals to do some tricky things.

By grounding the world in consistent (but interesting) physics and giving you a growing array of open-ended tools, Nomori increasingly allows for multiple solutions to its problems as it goes on and grows in complexity, which can give you that delicious feeling that you’ve outsmarted the game for coming up with something that doesn’t seem intended. Licht and team have rewarded this directly by placing Kodamas (collectible spirits) based on spots their playtesters have managed to reach that they hadn’t initially intended to be accessible.

Nomori is charming and thoughtful, and I’m now very excited to see all the directions its relativistic portal puzzling goes across the whole game when it comes to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC later this year, with support for Xbox Play Anywhere.

I tried Lenovo’s wild modular ThinkBook at MWC, and now my laptop feels outdated

Posted on March 2, 2026 by faz_business

Lenovo has a long-standing habit of showing up to MWC with at least one laptop concept that makes you stop in your tracks and double back for a closer look. Usually, those concepts are eye-catching but clearly something that makes you go – “cool, but never happening.” The ThinkBook Transparent Display Laptop we saw back in 2024 was one such futuristic laptop, but at MWC 2026, things felt different.

It’s not the kind of thing you just admire behind glass; it’s actually something you can see yourself using.

Lenovo showcased its new ThinkBook Modular AI PC concept, and surprisingly, it felt very normal. Don’t get me wrong; this is a good thing. This means the laptop is not the kind of thing you just admire behind glass; it’s actually something you can see yourself using in real life, albeit with some minor tweaks and refinements.

From the front, the ThinkBook Modular AI PC concept looks like any other 14-inch touchscreen business laptop. It’s thin, clean, and professional. There’s nothing about it that instantly screams “concept.” But then you walk around to the back, and that’s where the real story slowly starts to reveal itself.

Firmly attached to the rear lid via pogo pins is a second 14-inch display. It sits flush, almost invisible until you actually see it, and one use case that comes to mind almost immediately is sharing your screen with someone sitting across from you. Instead of awkwardly swiveling your laptop or having people huddle around your screen, you can just have one screen facing you, while the other faces the person across the table. Neat, right? But that’s not all…not by a long shot.

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That secondary display at the back isn’t fixed. In fact, it’s magnetic and detachable, and Lenovo clearly designed it to be more than a gimmick. Pop it off, and you have a whole other portable display that can be mounted using a kickstand. You can use the secondary screen both vertically and horizontally, though it does need power from a separate pogo pin adapter.

Adamya Sharma / Android Authority

Things get even more interesting once you start rearranging the core pieces. The keyboard itself is removable, and you can swap it out for that second display, using the keyboard wirelessly with what’s now a dual-screen workstation.

The way all of this just works didn’t feel like I was using a concept laptop; it felt like I was using a laptop that just happened to be way more flexible than usual.

Then there are the brilliantly removable and swappable ports. The IO modules can physically shift from left to right (and vice versa) depending on how your desk or setup looks that day. USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI are all modular and move for your convenience. There’s even a small case that stores the removable ports, so you don’t lose them once they are out of the laptop.

The ThinkBook Modular AI PC feels more like Lenovo is testing what it should do next.

Under the hood, the ThinkBook Modular AI PC gets an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H processor, 32GB memory, and 1TB of M.2 PCIe SSD storage. There’s a 33Wh battery powering the whole thing, which is quite unfortunate, but then again, the story here isn’t the specs. This is a concept laptop, and one that Lenovo can always refine and upgrade if it ever becomes a reality. We may never see the whole laptop release as is, but parts of its modular design could very well show up in Lenovo’s retail units in the future.

Lenovo has shown ambitious modular ideas before, and several of them have quietly turned into shipping products over the years. Similarly, the ThinkBook Modular AI PC doesn’t feel like Lenovo is showing off what it can do; it feels more like Lenovo is testing what it should do next.

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AMD may have just made these high-end handhelds obsolete after only two and a half years

Posted on February 24, 2026 by faz_business

Nick Fernandez / Android Authority

TL;DR

Reports from users and comments from hardware manufacturers suggest that AMD may have discontinued support for the Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU.
This would mean that several high-end PC gaming handhelds running Windows 11, like the ASUS ROG Ally, will no longer receive new drivers.
As a result, these handhelds could miss out on day-one optimizations for major game releases, which could lead to performance issues.

The handheld PC gaming market is full of options to choose from, be it the Steam Deck, MSI Claw, Lenovo Legion Go, and so on. If you’re thinking about picking one up for yourself, you may want to avoid any handhelds with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU. Troubling reports cast serious doubt on the longevity of these devices.

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According to Tom’s Hardware, reports from handheld users and hardware manufacturers alike suggest that after two and a half years, AMD may have discontinued support for the Ryzen Z1 Extreme APU. This affects several high-end handheld gaming PCs that run Windows 11, including the ASUS ROG Ally, ROG Ally X, Lenovo Legion GO, and GO S. If this is true, then these devices may no longer receive driver updates going forward.

Reportedly, a Korean Lenovo community support representative told one user that there were “no more plans” to issue new drivers for the original Legion Go. Multiple users on Reddit also report that their devices have not received new drivers for several months.

So what does this mean for gamers who own affected handhelds? You’ll still be able to play games on your device, but the experience will suffer. Since you’re not receiving new drivers, you’ll miss out on day-one optimizations for major game releases. As a result, the likelihood of crashes and poor performance will be greater.

If you’re concerned about the longevity of your handheld gaming PC, you could try swapping out Windows for a Linux-based OS, like SteamOS or Bazzite. These operating systems use open-source drivers that don’t depend on AMD’s support.

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Stardew Valley 10th Anniversary: How One Indie Game Defined the Cozy Genre

Posted on February 16, 2026 by faz_business

Blog | Editorial

It is nearly impossible to discuss the ‘cosy’ or ‘wholesome’ genre without thinking of Stardew Valley. Released in February 2016, the game quickly became the gold standard for the genre. Its accessible, charming slice-of-life style created a blueprint that countless titles have since tried to follow. Now celebrating its tenth anniversary, this indie darling has effectively reinvigorated an entire genre and changed how we think about video games at large.

A Solo Labour of Love and Consumer Respect

I don’t know what Eric Barone (better known as ‘ConcernedApe’) has in his morning cereal, but I need some. Consider the staggering scale of Stardew Valley. Every element—from the code and pixel art to the music and dialogue—was created solely by Barone while he worked as a theatre usher just to keep the lights on.

This dedication translates into a level of consumer respect that many modern “AAA” publishers have forgotten. In an era of pointless battle passes and predatory microtransactions, Barone has delivered massive new content—including multiplayer and new regions—entirely for free. Ultimately, Stardew offers a world defined by the player’s choices rather than the size of their wallet, earning the developer tremendous goodwill.

The Addictive “One More Go” Rhythm

Each 24-hour day in Stardew Valley lasts about 14 minutes of real time. This finite window to finish activities before the next cycle begins naturally fuels a “one more go” loop. You keep playing to catch an elusive fish, finish a farmhouse upgrade, or plant one last vegetable patch. There is always something more to achieve, yet it never feels like a forced chore. It’s a masterful modernisation of the formula established by the Harvest Moon series on the Super NES, which Stardew Valley naturally inherited and updated for a new generation.

Deep Social Bonds and Seasonal Secrets

The beating heart of the game is its deep social dynamics. With over 30 unique NPCs, the game reveals a cast with distinct personalities and needs. This is best shown through ‘Heart Events’—special cutscenes that reveal emotional struggles like depression or family trouble. The game invites you to share in these virtual lives in ways that can be truly detrimental to your real-world free time.

Beyond the village bustle and seasonal festivals, Stardew Valley hides a massive cache of secrets. You might find forest spirits that help restore the town, strange capsules from rare events, or a sewer filled with mysterious shadow people. There is never a shortage of mystery outside the core farming routine.

Infinite Growth Through a Dedicated Community

A major reason for the game’s popularity is the passionate modding community. Because the game is so open-ended, players have created thousands of mods. These allow you to extend the game indefinitely by adding new crops, villagers, and even entire new towns to explore. This community-driven content ensures that even veteran players always have something fresh to discover.

A Decade of Support: The Road to Update 1.7

While many games from 2016 have long been forgotten, ConcernedApe is still releasing free updates. The most exciting is the forthcoming 1.7 update, timed to match the 10th anniversary. This substantial update brings expanded social content, new marriage candidates, and more reactive personalities for children. While the pace of these updates is steady rather than fast—expected for a solo creator—each one is crafted with the same care and attention that has defined the game since day one.

John-Paul Jones

Overwatch: The New Year-Long Narrative, Explained

Posted on February 4, 2026 by faz_business

Summary

Overwatch narrative lead Miranda Moyer tells us more about The Reign of Talon: the first complete, year-long story arc for Overwatch.
The new narrative launches with immediate global conflict as Talon challenges Overwatch, and will introduce 10 new heroes, each woven directly into the unfolding story.
Get ready for an Overwatch story that keeps you at the edge of your seat, with non-stop action, evolving characters, and plot twists.

Today, Blizzard’s Overwatch Spotlight announced the start of an exciting new story‑driven era for Overwatch, highlighted by a year-long narrative arc called The Reign of Talon, all‑new UI/UX design, and much more. Be sure to check out the full video for all of the details. As an extra treat, we’re joined by Lead Narrative Designer Miranda Moyer to dive deeper into what this new story‑driven chapter means for Overwatch.

For the first time in Overwatch’s history, we’re telling a complete story.

I don’t say that lightly. Over the past decade, Overwatch’s narrative has been about possibility – introductions, hints, and setups. We’ve met heroes, discovered conflicts, and learned just enough to know there was something bigger happening beyond the edges of the screen. But this year, we’re doing something we’ve never done before: telling a story with a clear beginning, middle… and yes, an end.

That means things move. When something happens in the world of Overwatch now, it doesn’t sit untouched. Objectives are set, and met. You’ll see outcomes unfold across seasons. We’re finally seeing payoff for parts of the Overwatch world that you’ve maybe wondered about for years. This evolving story will be brought to life through a variety of mediums – including Hero Trailers, motion comics, and more – so you can experience each chapter in unique ways. All these pieces will be available on our dedicated narrative viewer, organized in chapters that guide you through the year’s epic narrative.

At the center of this year’s Overwatch narrative is a global conflict that’s impossible to ignore. Vendetta has seized control of Talon, overthrowing Doomfist and rejecting the clandestine nature in which he operated. Where Talon once skulked in the shadows, Vendetta believes in acting loudly, decisively, and without restraint. Her goal is explicit: she wants the world, and she believes Overwatch is the only force standing in her way. Because of that, we’re not winding up to conflict: we’re starting with it. Talon strikes early, attempting to remove Overwatch from the equation.

What’s fresh about the way we’re telling this story is how deeply our heroes are embedded in it. Every new character plays a direct role in the narrative. Those new faces are also a great vehicle to continue the stories of established ones. We’re touching so many parts of the world of Overwatch, and the more stories we develop, the more opportunities we’ll have to progress the journeys of heroes both new and longstanding.

One of the biggest highlights for Overwatch this year is the introduction of 10 new heroes. In Season 1, which begins February 10, you’ll meet five of them at once: each with their own narrative thread which helps set the tone for what’s to come.

Domina operates on the edges of Talon’s chaos, not publicly aligned with Vendetta (for fear of unsavory headlines), but more than willing to profit from the destruction she causes.
Emre is caught in a far more dangerous position, coerced into cooperation under the threat of catastrophic loss.
Mizuki finds himself torn between old obligations and the people who have become his family.
Anran enters the fight on Overwatch’s side, driven and connected to the story in deeply personal ways.

And then there’s Jetpack Cat, a long-running meme turned mobile support. She’s worth keeping an eye on, both for the future of her curious tale (tail?), as well as to make sure she isn’t knocking anything off counters.

This year’s narrative is about convergence—threads coming together, tensions peaking, and long-running questions colliding in ways that matter. Both established and new heroes will see movement in their stories, evolving amid this conflict. For Overwatch, this is the most ambitious narrative we’ve taken on. Each piece builds on the last, pushing characters and conflicts forward.

Join us on this new journey, and jump into Season 1 on February 10 and see it unfold for yourself.

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Xbox One X Enhanced

Xbox Game Pass

Overwatch 2 is an always-on and ever-evolving free-to-play, team-based hero shooter game set in an optimistic future, where every match is the ultimate 5v5 or 6v6 battlefield brawl featuring new heroes and maps, different ways to play, and unique cosmetics! Lead the charge, ambush your enemies, or aid your allies as one of Overwatch’s 40+ distinct heroes. Team up with friends, take them into battle across 25+ futuristic maps inspired by real-world locations, and master multiple unique game modes.

Overwatch 2 – Season 20: Vendetta

Give the Gift of Vengeance

Embrace the season in a flurry of festivity with a new DPS Hero, Winter Wonderland modes, holiday event, merry Mythics, and more!

Season 20 carves a cold path with Vendetta, the ruthless new melee DPS villain fueled by ambition and revenge. But it’s not all frosty edges—celebrate the holidays in the return of Winter Wonderland! Make some merry Mischief & Magic on a whimsical new wintery map, with a midway mode twist where the props fight back in Mischief & Magic Wonderland. Earn Winter Tokens through the Winter Wonderland event to unlock festive holiday skins for Tracer, Junkrat, and Torbjörn, then step into Stadium for a fresh map with new Heroes, updates, and prizes. Top it all off with Mythic Divine Desperado Cassidy and Orisa’s Mythic Capsule Cannon packing a cascade of cheer, plus more frosty skins as you jingle all the way through Battle Pass tiers. ‘Tis the season to deck your enemies’ halls, claim your vengeance, and unwrap your rewards!

Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village, and More

Posted on January 6, 2026 by faz_business

Welcome to the new year, friends! Happy to be back with more games and more fun. Let’s get to it!

Available Today

Brews & Bastards (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Brews & Bastards is an intoxicating, twin-stick shooter, overflowing with action-packed combat, potent brews and outlandish bosses. Select from a group of inebriated heroes and descend, drink, and destroy your way through hordes of drunken demons in search of the stolen Brew Stone.

Little Nightmares Enhanced Edition (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Rediscover the dark whimsical tale of Little Nightmares, now enhanced in stunning 4K and 60 FPS. Play as Six, a lone child trapped in The Maw, a massive vessel inhabited by monstrous, distorted versions of adults. Sneak, hide, and survive in a world where your childhood fears come to life.

Coming Soon

Atomfall (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – January 7
Now with Game Pass Premium

A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) – January 7
Now with Game Pass Premium

Lost in Random: The Eternal Die blends dynamic real-time action, tactical combat, and risk-reward dice mechanics for thrilling second-to-second battles. Unravel an original stand-alone story as Queen Aleksandra, the once great ruler of Random on a mission for vengeance and redemption.

Rematch (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 7
Now with Game Pass Premium

Step onto the pitch in Rematch, a third-person, team-based football game where every pass, volley, and tackle matters. Designed for 5v5 online play, Rematch puts you in full control of one athlete, with no offsides, no fouls, and no downtime. Pass smart, play with purpose, and win together.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine – Master Crafted Edition (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 7
Now with Game Pass Premium

Step into the armor of a relentless Space Marine and use a combination of lethal weaponry to crush overwhelming Ork forces. Immerse yourself in an intense and brutally violent world based on the richest science fantasy ever created. Enhanced for a new generation, this edition brings quality of life and graphical improvements.

Final Fantasy – (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – January 8
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

“Earth, fire, water, wind… The light that once shone within the four Crystals was lost. Become the Warriors of Light, restore power to the Crystals and save the world.” A remodeled 2D take on the first game in the world-renowned Final Fantasy series! Enjoy the timeless story told through charming retro graphics. All the magic of the original, with improved ease of play.

Star Wars Outlaws (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 13
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game, set between the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Explore distinct locations across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as scoundrel Kay Vess, seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.

My Little Pony: A Zephyr Heights Mystery (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – January 15
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Take the magic of friendship to new heights in a mystery adventure for one or two ponies. Playing as Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, or Misty, use your special abilities to stop the unstable magic that’s sending Zephyr Heights out of control! And have tons of fun with hilarious minigames and countless pony customizations.

Resident Evil Village (Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 20
Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass

Resident Evil Village is the eighth main entry in the Resident Evil series. Set years after Resident Evil 7 biohazard, players follow Ethan Winters into a haunting European village, fighting for survival against brutal enemies as danger and mystery lurk around every corner.

MIO: Memories in Orbit (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 20
Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass

Available on day one with Game Pass! A hand-crafted metroidvania set within a vast, decaying world reclaimed by nature and robots. Play as Mio, a nimble android exploring labyrinthine environments, battling rogue machines, and uncovering lost memories in a richly atmospheric adventure filled with secrets and danger.

Leaving January 15

The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Jump back in to tie up any loose ends, or save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!

Flintlock The Siege of Dawn (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Neon White (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Ascent (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Grinch Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)

I hope your last year treated you well with lots of high scores, achievements unlocked, and GGs. We’ll be back soon with even more games so keep it tuned here, or with us on social for Xbox and Xbox Game Pass. Talk soon!

Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.