Gamereactor UK

Obsession's Inde Navarrette shows she's a true gamer with reaction to rare copy of Modern Warfare 2

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 15:54:00 +0200

Before wowing movie audiences around the world with her portrayal of Nikki Freeman (and the insane wish creation often dubbed "Freaky Nikki"), Obsession's Inde Navarrette was destroying lobbies in Call of Duty as a streamer as well as being an actress. Navarrette might not yet have returned to the world of Twitch, but she's clearly still a gamer at heart, as proven by her reaction to a rare copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Millions of copies of the 2009 shooter have been sold, but few of them have been kept in pristine condition. The one gifted to Navarrette (as shown by Fanatics Collect) even came sealed in a plastic protector to ensure its quality. Navarrette's eyes light up when she sees the game, immediately recognising it as an original 2009 copy.

https://x.com/Collect/status/2078592052787351787

The fan who gifted it to her told her that a similar copy sold online for $1000, but Navarrette doesn't plan on getting rid of her gift anytime soon. It's going to retain its condition, sitting on her shelf.

While seeing someone go crazy for a pristine copy of a near-20-year-old game may look like the dawn of a new age of "collectors," people have been trading rarer games for larger amounts of money for decades. Navarrette's viral reaction may lead to more people being made aware of rare games, but you shouldn't have to worry about scalping and booming prices any more than usual thanks to it.

God of War Laufey gets a release date

palle@gamereactor.eu (Palle Havshøi-Jensen) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 13:17:20 +0200

There has been no shortage of rumours and speculation, but at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, Sony finally confirmed that God of War Laufey will launch on PlayStation 5 on 16th of February 2027.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier had previously predicted that God of War Laufey could arrive as early as the beginning of 2027, pointing to either February or March. As it turns out, he was pretty much spot on.

The game was first unveiled with a gameplay trailer during Sony's State of Play showcase back in June. Unfortunately, the release date announcement wasn't accompanied by a new trailer, so you'll have to make do with the gameplay footage from the State of Play presentation below.

https://bsky.app/profile/playstation.com/post/3mrgqmg24ck2u

Jim Parsons wouldn't return as Sheldon Cooper "for any amount of money"

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:31:00 +0200

The Big Bang Theory had the sitcom world in a stranglehold when it first premiered. Running for 12 seasons, it saw actors like Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Johnny Galecki, and more shoot to fame from playing plucky nerds. However, if you were hoping for some kind of reunion series somewhere down the road, perhaps expect it to come without Sheldon Cooper, as Jim Parsons has said he'd never want to return to the role.

Speaking on All Out with Jon Dean, Parsons explained that the role made him miserable, largely because of the pressure involved in being a key role in such a widely seen sitcom. "I look back now and realise there were in many ways some of the best moments of my life, [but] I was miserable," Parsons said.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBU8PIqx1sA

"I was not happy. I was stressed. I felt that there were so many plates I was supposed to be keeping in the air and the success and the good things of life that were happening were only due to this overwork," he continued. When asked if he'd ever return to the role of Sheldon Cooper, Parsons was clear that he wouldn't.

"I wouldn't do that again, for any amount of money...It was stressful and miserable at times. I made myself miserable." Parsons spent nine years sober while filming the sitcom, and led himself into a place of complete discipline. That mental stress clearly took its toll, even if fans adore the character of Sheldon to this day.

How good is Super Nintendo World in Osaka? We visited Japan to find out

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 11:00:00 +0200

During my holiday, I took the opportunity to visit Japan for two weeks and have previously written about my visit to the superb Nintendo Museum, which I can wholeheartedly recommend. Just the following day, my group and I headed to Universal Studios in Osaka, where Super Nintendo World was the main attraction, along with roller coasters and other rides.

During a two-week holiday, it rained on two days, both of which were packed with Nintendo activities.

Incidentally, in 2026, Super Nintendo World will be celebrating its fifth anniversary, which means a host of extra surprises, albeit on a slightly smaller scale (such as limited-edition dishes at Toad's Restaurant). What's more, the park was expanded last year to include a Donkey Kong area, complete with a roller coaster, and although I know that many of you reading this have been to Super Nintendo World in either Osaka, Hollywood, or Orlando (Florida), I myself hadn't had the chance before. So it was with keen anticipation that I got up unreasonably early during my holiday to head to Universal Studios.

Although I went in June, which is the rainy season, we generally had very little rain during my holiday, apart from two days. One was when we were heading to the Nintendo Museum (which is mostly indoors, so it felt perfectly fine), and the other was, of course, the day we'd booked to visit Universal Studios. It wasn't a downpour, mind you, but there were few breaks in the rain. The day had otherwise been chosen with care, as schools were still in session in Japan, which - at least in theory - should have meant shorter queues.

Harry Potter Land almost feels more at home in the slightly quieter Osaka than in the quintessentially American Orlando. But it's well worth a visit, and this is where you'll find what is perhaps the best food in the theme park.
The Minions Land is well worth a visit, but that's about all there is to it.

Just to be on the safe side, however, we'd also bought Express Passes - which were almost shockingly cheap for a Westerner - and secured timeslots for various parts of the park. By turning up at the right place at the right time, we could simply walk straight onto the attractions. It's worth noting that Universal Studios in Orlando is several times larger than the one in Osaka, with both bigger and more spectacular attractions (I've been to the former several times, so I have something to compare it with), but what's on offer here is more than enough for a day's fun, and I'd compare the range of attractions and the layout to more localised theme parks, albeit with more lavish areas such as Harry Potter Land, Minions Land, and so on.

It's a good idea to get to Universal Studios Osaka early because of the long queues, and as the park normally closes between 7 and 9PM, if you arrive around lunchtime you won't be able to stay there for very long. On a rainy day when schools were in session in Japan, however, the queues were short regardless, and we were able to easily slip past the closed queue systems, which show just how unreasonably long you can end up waiting if you're unlucky.

The wristbands were really the only thing that was expensive at Universal Studios, and not quite worth the money. But they're a fun collector's item, and the fact that they work as Amiibo is a nice bonus.

Before we entered the park, however, my partner took the opportunity to buy a Nintendo-themed rain poncho, and like most things in Japan, it seems to be of slightly higher quality and made of a more "waterproof" material with a smart print. It keeps the rain completely at bay and also makes an excellent souvenir. Both my partner and I also invested in a Nintendo tiara each; I chose the one with mushrooms and she went for Yoshi.

Once inside the park, we visited both Harry Potter Land and Minion Land (at pre-booked times, as mentioned) before heading into Super Nintendo World. The path there leads through a small wooded avenue where, halfway along, you can buy a watch-like gadget that lets you collect coins in the world of Nintendo. Whether they're worth the money is debatable (just under 5,000 yen), but they also work as Amiibos and are, after all, a fun souvenir, so both my partner and I went for it.

The park is exceptionally beautiful.
Jonas on his way to Mario Kart + the boss of all bosses.

The entrance to Super Nintendo World is adorned with a huge cake, well befitting the Mushroom Kingdom, as the park is, as mentioned, celebrating its fifth anniversary. The path into the park then leads, as it should, through a green tube, which makes for a truly spectacular sight when you emerge on the other side and the park reveals itself before your eyes. It's a surprisingly small area, but as you enter at specific times, it never feels particularly crowded, and it literally feels like standing in a Mario level in Super Mario 3D World.

In several places, there are mini-games designed to mimic what we've seen in the games, such as Toad's stall, where you try to win by matching symbols in a "one-armed bandit"-style game. There are also several question mark blocks where you can collect coins using your wristband, both for fun and to help "your" character (Luigi in my case) win the day's challenge, as well as secret spots where coins can be found.

The queuing system is an attraction in its own right.
The first two pictures are from the Mario Kart queue; the third is from the Yoshi queue.

Everything seems to be moving and alive, and even though I'd seen this on video before I came here, I'm struck by just how lavish it all feels. There are coins spinning, platforms moving, Goombas strutting about, shells bouncing, and all set in incredibly well-crafted environments. I can see how people around me often just stop and stare.

I'd hoped beforehand that it would be exactly like this, because, to be honest, the attractions don't look particularly remarkable on paper, at least as attractions go. And the first thing we were going to try was Mario Kart. You play it inside Bowser's lair, and the queuing system takes you through brilliantly designed corridors that constantly make me hold my finger out in front of me in the air and just exclaim "But look at that!!!!!", gesticulating wildly at Bob-Ombs, Bullet Bills, and much more. As I said, the weather was rubbish, so the queues were short even without an Express Pass, but you can tell this is a place built for people to wait... for a long time.

Using AR helmets, a Mario Kart race takes place on a fairly quiet, pre-determined racetrack.

So what was the attraction like, then? Well, it was alright. You race along a predetermined track and frantically shoot at anything that moves in four-seater karts. I'm not sure how much variety there actually is, but overall I'd give it a six out of ten. There isn't really much of a ride to speak of, and the shooting mechanics and the AR glasses you wear aren't particularly impressive. But it still has that Mario Kart feel.

The next ride was Yoshi, which is perhaps best regarded as a bit of sightseeing in the park. You're supposed to press buttons when you see Yoshi eggs in different colours, but it doesn't really serve any purpose and moves so slowly that you can't go wrong. Perhaps fun for the very youngest, but I still got some enjoyment out of all the fan service. Rating? Well, a five, perhaps (and that's being generous).

On symbols like the one on the left, you'll find money for your bracelet. On the right, a lovely ice-cream dessert with popcorn and all the trimmings. And yes... I kept the mug.
Zoom in and have a look. The Pikmin are hiding in several places.

After these rides, we carried on through the park to reach the Donkey Kong section. Along the way, I continued to revel in it all, and even spotted some well-hidden Pikmin. Since they appear both here and in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, I suppose we can now consider them part of the Mushroom Kingdom? A nice touch either way.

In Donkey's world, "DK Island Swing" is playing non-stop, and I certainly can't complain about that. It's like being transported straight into Rare's old Donkey Kong adventures, and just like in Mario's counterpart, the level of detail is exquisite (and yes, I found Pikmin here too). This part of the park is, however, significantly smaller than the Mushroom Kingdom - which was itself already quite small - and apart from an absolutely delicious ice cream straight out of a children's party, a pair of Donkey Kong underpants bought in a really fun Donkey Kong shop, hidden coins for the bracelet, and a mini drum game (which, if played well, results in the rhino Rambi appearing), there's really only one rollercoaster.

Play the drums just right and this musician will turn up.

Fortunately, Mine Cart Madness is perhaps the most lavish attraction here and is famous for having a "jump", where the carts appear to leap over broken sections of track. However, it's a ride that's clearly designed for children, with very gentle slopes and no spectacular bends or anything of the sort. So what was it like to ride? I actually don't know, because just as it was our turn, it started raining even harder and the ride closed for the evening. No rating, then, but based on friends who've been on it and YouTube videos, it's a really smart and enjoyable family ride, but nothing more than that, and of course I can't give it a rating.

By this point, we'd been in the park for around two hours. Apart from lunch at Harry Potter Land - a place that serves ridiculously good theme-park food both here and in Orlando - my stomach was starting to rumble and I was looking forward to trying Toad's culinary delights from the Mushroom Kingdom. On the way from the Donkey section back to the Mario section itself, however, we passed the area's obligatory shop.

Toad's Kitchen and Dining Room are so beautifully designed.
A bit of everything, but it tasted surprisingly good.

As I wrote, prices in Japan are ridiculously cheap for a Westerner, and not even at an amusement park like this did anything actually feel expensive. This resulted in an absurd amount of shopping for me and my partner, with everything from biscuit tins (yes, plural, and filled with various Mario biscuits), a transparent Mario umbrella featuring a design from 2-2 in Super Mario Bros., a few T-shirts, some Animal Crossing merchandise, pens, a hoodie, and loads of other stuff. Unnecessary? Perhaps. Fun? Definitely.

We finally rounded off our visit with a hearty dinner for the four of us. Apparently, Toad's restaurant can also have horrendous queues, which we managed to avoid. We got in straight away and were able to order whatever we fancied. The whole restaurant is designed to look like a living, breathing part of Mario's world, and the windows are screens showing Toad hard at work cooking and getting up to mischief. All whilst we took our seats in a really stylishly designed dining room.

More Mario-inspired dishes.

My partner had a calzone shaped like a Super Mario mushroom, and I went for a mixed platter with a bit of everything (lasagne, star-shaped bread, and more), a Mario-inspired salad with plenty of Easter eggs for the fans, and a truly delightful cream cake of a surprisingly Swedish style. Nintendo's attention to detail is unrivalled, and a member of staff came over to show us an Easter egg linked to our drinks, containing coloured tapioca pearls. If you place the transparent mug over your mobile with the torch on, whilst stirring, you'll see Rainbow Road in the glass.

I rounded off the visit with one last stroll around the park, just to say a mental goodbye. I'll definitely be coming back here, partly because I need to go on Donkey Kong's ride, but also because it's just such a lovely place to be. I get where Universal and Nintendo are coming from, but Disney also caters to families, and the Disney parks have better attractions than this. There ought to be a bigger rollercoaster for us slightly older fans, and it would certainly be fun to have a water ride, perhaps sitting on a Plessie?

Just a few final photos to soak up the atmosphere.

For anyone whose main priority is the attractions, it's hard to recommend Super Nintendo World, as you'll be disappointed. If, on the other hand, you're looking for a cosy, authentic atmosphere and an overwhelming amount of love, surprisingly good and creative food, and perhaps the most fun and affordable Nintendo shopping you could imagine... well, then this is a must-visit.

To round off, I'd like to add that Universal also has two really great roller coasters, as well as quite a few of those combined film rides (where you move along a track whilst watching a film). Although it's still a much smaller park than the one in Orlando, there's plenty to do, just not specifically Nintendo-related things. In short, it gets a thumbs-up from me; if you're in Osaka and you like games, don't miss this.

Thank you for visiting , I hope to see you again soon.

Gillian Anderson unveils Lego The X-Files set, will launch next month

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 10:34:00 +0200

While Gillian Anderson has had a rather excellent career as an actress, it would be a fair assumption to say her most famous role was that of Dana Scully in The X-Files. The show became one of the most popular sci-fi series when it was running in the 1990s and early 2000s, including being rebooted in the late 2010s, and continues to leave a lasting impression, which is likely the reason why Lego has jumped on board to brickify the supernatural universe.

Coming as part of the Ideas range, this The X-Files set is a 1,478 piece build that includes Fox Mulder's office underneath a forest diorama, plus a diorama or Dana Scully's laboratory, with minifigures galore spanning Mulder, Scully, Walter Skinner, Mr. X, Alex Krycek, Carl Busch, The Flukeman, and a grey alien.

The set is also chock-full of promising references and nods, from "The Truth is Out There" tiles to X-Files dossier, plus pencils in the roof of Mulder's office. And with the set launching on August 4 for the price of £179.99/€199.99, Anderson has commented on being brickified.

"I didn't expect to be stepping back into Scully's heels to investigate a LEGO set... it has been so much fun revisiting that world all these years later. This set is a wonderful celebration of the X-Files, and the fans who have kept its mystery alive. The level of detail is brilliant - there are so many little nods that fans will absolutely recognise - and as a LEGO fan myself, I love that people can now quite literally build their own X-Files moments at home."

Will you be snagging this Lego The X-Files set?

Ryan Reynolds on his Marvel Cinematic Universe future: "There eventually will be another Deadpool"

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 09:21:00 +0200

The Avengers: Doomsday trailer recently arrived and painted a picture of a cataclysmic and major ensemble effort that will no doubt re-shape the Marvel Cinematic Universe in immeasurable ways. But one character the trailer was missing was Deadpool, as following causing havoc across timelines in Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024, the Merc with a Mouth has gone missing in the Marvel machine, although this isn't set to be permanent.

Speaking at Fanatics Fest, as captured by Hobby Nonsense, Ryan Reynolds took to the stage to clearly and explicitly state Deadpool will eventually return and that MCU is not yet done with the foul-mouthed anti-hero.

"There's a few really deep cuts I think are missing from the movies. I think there's a few deep cuts from some of the comics... There's stuff upcoming. There eventually will be another Deadpool."

https://www.instagram.com/p/Da-zp5exwqg/

So there we have it! The big question is whether he'll be joined on-screen again by Hugh Jackman's Wolverine for the third time following X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Deadpool & Wolverine...

New Lanterns trailer sets the mysterious premise for the series

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Sat, 25 Jul 2026 06:00:00 +0200

We've already seen quite a few sneak peeks from Lanterns, the upcoming Green Lantern series premiering on HBO Max on August 16. With just three weeks to go, Warner is now ramping up the excitement even further by releasing a slightly longer trailer that gives a better sense of the story.

It has previously been described as a slightly sci-fi-tinged version of the first season of True Detective, and while it's too early to say how accurate that is, there certainly seem to be similarities with this murder mystery. Neither Hal Jordan (played by Kyle Chandler) nor John Stewart (played by Aaron Pierre) seems particularly pleased with their assignment in the trailer, where we also get to meet Sinestro.

In addition, the fan favorite from Superman, Guy Gardner (played by Nathan Fillion), makes a brief appearance. All in all, it looks very promising in what appears to be the darkest DCU project to date. Check it out below.

Sega is gearing up for a retro comeback and targeting both old and new fans

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:03:00 +0200

A few years ago, Sega announced that it would once again begin exploring its past and revealed, among other things, new titles in franchises such as Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe, Jet Set Radio, and Shinobi. Since then, more have been added including Ecco the Dolphin and {Virtua Fighter: Crossroads}, and we've even got a sneak peek at some of the games, while {Shinobi: Art of Vengeance} has actually been released.

One person who is very excited to see players' reactions to Sega's new titles is president and COO Shuji Utsumi. In a Famitsu interview, he explains that the games are designed to appeal to long-time Sega fans, but also to give younger gamers a chance to understand why Sega once became so big (translated using Copilot):

"We're currently developing titles such as Jet Set Radio and Streets of Rage, which have already been announced. I can't share any details yet, but I'm really looking forward to them myself. I'd love for long-time fans to share their honest opinions with us. At the same time, I'd like people who aren't familiar with those games to see that 'Sega makes games like this, too.' We'll be preserving the essence of those classic titles while adapting them to modern tastes."

{Crazy Taxi: World Tour} appears to be the next major Sega title to be released. It's set to come out in 2027, but we haven't received a confirmed release date yet. However, development seems to be well underway, so hopefully it will be released fairly early in the year.

Image from Crazy Taxi: World Tour.

The Pink Panther saxophonist Plas Johnson has passed away

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:34:00 +0200

We suspect that few of you are familiar with the saxophonist Plas Johnson, but we're pretty sure most of you have heard his music. He's the man who played the incredibly iconic and groovy theme to The Pink Panther in 1963, a comedy starring Peter Sellers as the awkward Inspector Clouseau.

Although this was certainly an iconic role that many remember, we dare say that even more people are familiar with the character from the film's opening credits, namely The Pink Panther itself. The Panther was originally intended to be just a fun gimmick, but the cartoon character became incredibly popular and went on to spawn both movies and TV series, and actually even won an Oscar.

Although the often hilariously funny animated films stand on their own, there's no doubt Plas Johnson's efforts with the theme song (composed by Henry Mancini) was a major part of their success. And so it is with sadness that we report that he has sadly passed away at the age of 94.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8jjbhm4OE

In addition to the theme song for The Pink Panther, Johnson was a highly regarded musician in Hollywood who played with many of the 1960s' biggest stars, not least Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat "King" Cole. Regarding the iconic Pink Panther music, he once said it was immediately obvious history had been made, and everything fell into place almost instantly:

"We only did two takes, I think. When we finished, everyone applauded — even the string players. And that's saying something... They never applaud for anything."

https://bsky.app/profile/latimes.com/post/3mr6yesfy3x25

The viral raccoon Jimothy is coming to World of Warcraft

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:16:00 +0200

Over the past few weeks, a raccoon in the Seattle area has become something of a viral sensation. We're talking about a little guy named Jimothy (as he's been nicknamed), who, due to a spinal deformity, has a very short and oddly shaped body.

Fortunately, he doesn't seem to be suffering at all from his condition, and people online are cheering him on in videos where he's seen on surveillance cameras and the like, searching for food. His popularity has led to Jimothy now having his own Wikipedia page, and now there's yet another sign he's made it in life.

Via Instagram, the official {World of Warcraft} account has announced Jimothy will be immortalised in the game. In a short clip, we get a glimpse of what he looks like, and Blizzard writes: "You asked, Jimothy answered. 🦝 Coming soon to Azeroth."

That's all the details we have. We assume Blizzard doesn't plan to charge for Jimothy, but some fans suggest if they do, the money should go to wildlife charities.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbKGd6TOlnH/

Mattel and Hot Wheels announces stunning Warthog building set

jonas@gamereactor.eu (Jonas Mäki) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:41:00 +0200

Yesterday, anyone who pre-ordered one of the more expensive editions got an early start on Halo: Campaign Evolved, so people are already in the thick of the battle on the Ringworld in the remake of the 25-year-old Halo: Combat Evolved. Aside from the Ringworld and Master Chief, there was another element that became iconic in the original: the Warthog.

Since the game's release, the beloved UNSC all-terrain vehicle has been recreated in real-life multiple times; the model has appeared in games like Forza Horizon 4 and Rocket League; and in the Halo games, there's always a mandatory long track where we're expected to drive fast in a Warthog.

Now, Mattel and Hot Wheels has announced we'll soon be able to build our own Warthog, as the UNSC M12 Warthog building set was unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con to celebrate the series' 25th anniversary. It consists of a total of 935 Lego-like pieces, and the kit is built to a 1:22 scale (shown in the images below alongside a die-cast Hot Wheels model, which is 1:64 scale and also included). This Warthog features the classic suspension as well as a tow bar with a hook at the front, and is armed with either the classic minigun or the Gauss cannon.

Check out this beauty below. You can pre-order your copy right now via Amazon UK for £69.99 or Amazon Germany for €69.99 (yep, it's significantly cheaper to order through the latter).

The Tremor map pack for Quake is now available after six years in development

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:24:54 +0200

Many of you here may be too young to remember LAN parties, but those who were passionate about the PC gaming scene between the 1990s and the 2000s will surely recall those weekends spent dismantling your computer, monitor, and peripherals, packing them into boxes and travelling to a friend's house (or garage) of a friend with a good network connection (another rarity back then) and indulging in a frenzy of local network multiplayer gaming until Sunday rolled around, getting little sleep and living off pizza, soft drinks, and greasy snacks. Good times, no doubt about it. It was at those 'parties' that some of us fell in love with the medium, sharing our games on floppy discs or the first CD-ROMs. That's also where series such as id Software's DOOM and Quake originated.

Quake is a unique case in the history of video games, because even today it still has a community that's not only keen to reminisce about that title, but is also active and continues to expand it, which brings us to today's news. After more than six years in development and five since its official announcement, the Tremor map pack for Quake is now available to download from the Slipseer website, and here's the direct link to the page.

It's a standalone 32-level adventure set in a parallel version of Quake, "in an attempt to evoke the classic Quake atmosphere using modern tools and design philosophies."

It's certainly a brilliant way to breathe new life into a classic that's full of memories for several generations of gamers. What do you say, shall we play Quake this weekend?

Maximum X-Men will introduce a new mutant team in the wake of Avengers: Armageddon

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:21:00 +0200

As part of the San Diego Comic-Con line-up, writer Chip Zdarsky was present to give an insight into what will follow in the wake of Avengers: Armageddon. The major event that arrived in June 2026 is regarded as the "origin of the end", and simply put, it'll leave the Avengers in tatters... "Earth's Mightiest Heroes are no more" as the synopsis adds.

So who will be around to "pick up the pieces of a shattered world that's turned against them"? A new crew of mutants are being lined up as part of a story dubbed Maximum X-Men. The premise of this crew will be to effectively hold down the fort while the Avengers regroup, and it'll be a team made up of mainstays and mutant Avengers, all of whom will need to face off with "a relentless inter-dimensional invasion".

The crew will include Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Firestar, and Justice, and the threat at hand will be from the Negative Zone, although it remains to be seen if this is an Annihilus-led invasion or not.

Written by Christopher Yost and with art and a cover from Tony S. Daniel, Maximum X-Men will kick off when the first issue arrives on December 2, but you can see the cover and the synopsis below.

"In the wake of the events of AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON, Earth's Mightiest Heroes are no more! So who will stand in defense of the Earth? The X-Men will! Storm gathers an elite team for just that task, including Wolverine, Colossus, Bishop, Iceman, Psylocke, Firestar, and Justice! Mutants by birth, heroes by choice! And their first challenge is a full-on invasion from the Negative Zone! Is this Annihilus again—or something far, far worse?"

Amazon Gaming head claims "it's realistic to think that there would be a sequel" to 007 First Light

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:07:00 +0200

Shortly after 007 First Light made its arrival and proved to be a big hit among gamers around the world, a bit of confusion ensued as it seemed like Amazon MGM Studios would be taking the James Bond licence from Danish IO Interactive so it could handle future games in the series in-house. This led to a reasonable amount of uproar, which was soon settled when it confirmed there were crossed-wires and in fact Amazon was simply noting nothing had been locked in on the sequel front as of yet.

Little has changed in the weeks since this mania, meaning we don't really know much else in regards to whether IOI will be helming a sequel project, but there is a good amount of hope, at least judging by comments from Amazon Gaming head Jeff Gattis in an interview with GamesIndustry.biz.

For one, Gattis explained "we did not confirm anything about who's publishing or developing the next Bond sequel. Like Hakan [Abrak, IOI CEO] said, we haven't even discussed it really yet."

What he did go on to add is that "the game's awesome. That's great. I think it's realistic to think that there would be a sequel. Technically, Amazon does own the rights to the game, but we're going to do what's right by the game, we're not trying to bring everything into Amazon."

And as for where IOI sits in this equation, he signs off on the matter by stating "given the success of this one, I think you probably want IOI developing it."

For those curious about whether Amazon has had thoughts about snapping up IOI and bringing the Danish company into its first-party line-up, all Gattis noted was "anything's possible" even if there have been "no conversations about that right now."

Would you like to see a follow-up to 007 First Light?

Tears of Metal Early Access Preview: Highland Warriors

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0200

The musou genre of video games is becoming increasingly popular. The idea of combining hack-and-slash action with immense battlefields, set pieces, and the player fitting into the equation as a hero the chaos revolves around, this is a premise we have seen used to great effect by Koei Tecmo in the Dynasty Warriors series. But it's also been translated into new frontiers, not least Nintendo's beloved The Legend of Zelda as part of the Hyrule Warriors series. The idea is the same, even if historic Asian soldiers are replaced by bokoblins. The point is, it's a rather established formula being used in musou games, and this is the basis developer Paper Cult built its action roguelite of Tears of Metal upon.

This is essentially a Scottish version of a Dynasty Warriors game, as we find ourselves controlling one of a handful of highland warriors and then being thrust into intense wide-reaching battles against hordes and hordes of enemies. There is plenty of depth in the extended gameplay, but when it comes to the action on the battlefields, it largely revolves around hacking and slashing through threats using basic and heavy strikes, combos combining the two inputs together, blocks and parries, and also commands where you can order your allies to attack a certain way or launch powerful 'ultimate' attacks. Again, very traditional musou in many respects.

But here's the thing, I don't have many gripes with the familiarity because it works wonderfully in practice. It's an established and traditional setup, but one that continues to be effective and enjoyable, even if the mechanics and combat are a bit one-dimensional. At the end of the day, the idea here isn't to have Soulslike-levels of intricacy, but rather to enable the player to make an impact in a wider battle, and Tears of Metal's hack 'n' slash systems work more than well enough.

The area where Tears of Metal does look to set itself apart from the competition is in the presentation. It's more stylised and artistic than the intentionally-grounded Dynasty Warriors, with an art direction more akin to Hyrule Warriors and even indie hits like Bloodroots (another Paper Cult game you absolutely should play). It feels authentic but there's a cartoonish degree to the world design and the enemies, something that particularly takes shape during boss battles when the caricatured playable characters meet equally memorable boss threats. I quite appreciate this design choice because it alleviates the brutality and gives it a more jovial theme, which is particularly necessary when considering the sheer blood you'll spill on a level-by-level basis.

But anyway, I mentioned "roguelite" earlier, so you may be wondering how this creeps into the equation? Tears of Metal stitches together its levels by having players work through a procedural map where you can choose which level to visit next assuming it's both forward but also connected to the prior region. You plot your own route through a map, choosing which encounters to face and which rewards you'll be eligible for, with the caveat being the more levels you visit, the higher the enemy threat level becomes, ultimately making future levels harder. All the way you gather upgrades to improve your combat efficiency and adjust how your hero plays, on top of resources to spend, some of which for upgrades during that current run but others as part of the permanent progression. And this is where the roguelike element takes shape, as if you die on a run, you're sent back to square one. Or rather square 1.2, as the permanent upgrades you can acquire will make your hero that teeny bit better each time, creating a cycle of starting a run, gathering resources, dying, spending resources, and repeating to enable you to advance a bit further through each respective map.

I'm not a huge fan of roguelite progression these days (likely a by-product of how common it has become), but Paper Cult makes it work by giving the player a broad array of options to overcome. You can take the quickest way through a level in an attempt to progress the furthest, or stop at every place you possibly can to acquire as many spendable resources to play the long game. It's your choice and it means you don't quite feel as bogged down and struggling to get over a particular progression hurdle. Plus, the gameplay itself helps alleviate the roguelite demands further as in a level you simply feel like a reincarnation of Braveheart, chopping through invaders like butter, cheering and shouting all the way like a mad Celtic berserker.

So anyway, there's a broad array of player agency both in the gameplay but also how you go about choosing the right builds both during a run and through the permanent roguelite upgrades too. There are multiple characters to master, each of which play differently, several maps to conquer with unique and varying sub-levels to explore in between, and support for solo or cooperative play with three friends. All of this comes together to make for a game that stands out as unique and fresh, yet also impresses in regards to what Paper Cult is offering to kick off this Early Access journey. And this is something you can't forget: Tears of Metal has just launched in Early Access, meaning there are plenty of updates and enhancements planned down the line. Despite this, what we have here is a more complete game than various others on the market, a project combining a broad array of features and depth, all on top of a competent level of performance. Are there areas where improvement could be made? Without question, and not least including having voiced dialogue. But for a game you can snag for £20, you get a lot of bang for your buck on top of the promise of even more content and improvements down the line.

Seriously, Tears of Metal is a delight and if you enjoy hack-and-slash or musou gameplay, you'll enjoy your time with this too.

Victor Wembanyama has "a different kind of intelligence that is rarely found in sports", says film director Anthony Marciano

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:00:00 +0200

Victor Wembanyama may not have won the NBA Finals with San Antonio Spurs, as they lost in Game 5 to the New York Knicks, but that disappointment is just a bump on the road for the 22-year-old, a extremely popular player in the NBA world but especially in France, and has just been confirmed as the cover star of the NBA 2K27 video game.

But Wembanyama's success story, as well as the stories of other players like Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, or Evan Fournier, may not have existed without two people, Jérémy Medjana and Bouna Ndiaye, two agents who are now subject of a beautiful movie, The American Dream (Le Rêve américain).

In an interview with director Anthony Marciano before the film released in Spain on July 24 (it already released in France in February), the director told us that the movie is really about friendship, about values that Wembanyama also shares. For him, he is a different kind of star:

"He's an incredible inspiration for young people because he sets a good example", said Marciano. "He's a player who behaves very well, who is thoughtful, who is likeable, who is interested in many things, who reads books, who plays chess, who respects other players, and who has many virtues that show that success in life isn't about having the latest watch or driving the latest car."

Marciano likely refers to the moment when Wemby was teased by Nikola Jokic for taking a book and read during the breaks of the All-Star match in 2025. "I think he's a fantastic example for young people. You don't have to show off your Ferrari; playing chess and reading a book is also very important."

Marciano adds that Wemby, key in France's success in the 2024 Olympics, has helped the sport become more popular and he "makes people dream. Because beyond being an athlete with technical skills, he is a person who is level-headed, who has been interested in many things, who has human values, respect, and who has a different kind of intelligence that is rarely found in sports that are very focused on that aspect."

You can read our full interview with Anthony Marciano, director of The American Dream, here.

Trump resumes his trade war and imposes new tariffs on 60 trading partners

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:39:04 +0200

The United States has today imposed new trade tariffs on more than 60 countries and trading partners, including the European Union and China. The tariffs range from 10 per cent to 12.5 per cent. Following the announcement, yields on US government bonds rose slightly, although these tariffs also increased the risk of inflation in the markets, despite the fact that they are currently more affected by the situation in the Middle East.

The federal administration justifies this measure on the grounds that its trading partners "have not taken strong action against the trade in products made using forced labour that pass through their supply chains", as reported by Reuters.

Although the measure may appear to be yet another step in Trump's drive to boost revenue and his attempt at economic hegemony based on putting pressure on imports from outside the country, the European Commission had already anticipated the introduction of these measures, after the US Supreme Court struck down in February his "reciprocal" tariffs of 10 per cent to 50 per cent, imposed last year under a national emergency law in an attempt to reduce the US trade deficit. The new European tariff is much more manageable, and Europe is already exploring how to negotiate a bilateral exemption agreement for certain products.

Other trading partners, such as China, Australia and Brazil, have described the new tariffs as unjustified and will call for their removal.

"Culture first" London Games Festival is "comfortably the biggest video games event in the UK"

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:38:00 +0200

The United Kingdom has been in a transitional period for some time in regards to its position on video game events. Several years ago saw the final standalone EGX and EGX Rezzed events, before the conventions were merged with MCM Comic Con and essentially lost their identity altogether. It left a void to be filled, something the London Games Festival has been eager to do.

In a similar vein to how Summer Game Fest is becoming a pseudo-E3 replacement in the United States in early June, London Games Fest is now the premier destination for video game fans in the UK each year, with the event set to return in April 2027 with a new and much larger venue. With this being the case, we recently spoke with festival director Michael French MBE to learn more about LGF and what the future holds for the event.

To begin, French confirmed "on a numbers basis we can comfortably say we're the biggest video games event in the UK," noting LGF has replaced EGX as the place to be. This has happened over the past 11 iterations over the past 11 years, which has even adopted many of the EGX-like elements including "a consumer showcase, a public-facing showcase, where people can come and play cool new games and lots of industry stuff alongside it." This all means LGF is now "top of the pile".

With support from the London's Mayor's office, there are plenty of plans to continue growing and expanding LGF in the future, something we inquired about with French too. He told us "we've got this added national government support for the next couple of years as part of something they call the Games Growth Package in the Creative Industry Sector Plan." This means "our sort of position of currently growing it into this single, one single venue with lots of great stuff around it is the sort of the medium term vision and growing that."

The next step will be to "get the rest of the industry in our country excited about the event and know it's a single point of attention," all while preserving the "culture first" design that enables LGF to "surface new stuff all the time." To this point, it's not all about trying to get better support and attention from the AAA titanic publishers, which are "having a bit of a rough time anyway," as the immediate aim will be to "have bigger attendee numbers and we'll be an even firmer fixture in the calendar."

French then signs off by noting: "I think the demand for events is growing. People want to go to events and see games. People want to play games. People play more games than ever. So it's hopefully good for us."

We also spoke with French about what LGF continues to learn from other gaming events, and also if the latest trends in the global games sector are reflected in the UK games business. You can see this and more below in the full interview.

A suicide attack in Pakistan leaves 15 dead, 12 of whom were military personnel

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:26:11 +0200

An attack on a military post in the Tank district of Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan, has left a total of 15 people dead, 12 of whom were Pakistani military personnel.

In recent months, clashes and even exchanges of fire between the country's army and Afghan Islamist militants have been on the rise. According to a statement seen by Reuters, local Taliban militants, also known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that four suicide bombers were involved.

The Taliban has been waging a war against the Pakistani state since 2007 in an attempt to overthrow the government and replace it with their own version of a strict Islamic state.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers has reached five million players in its first year

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:17:02 +0200

When the Soulslike-style game set in Ancient China, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, arrived in 2025, its launch was not without its share of criticism, although the insatiable appetite of players for this action-RPG subgenre kept it amongst the most-played titles on Steam last summer, despite arriving at a time when the formula seemed to be showing signs of fatigue. Twelve months on, how is Leenzee Games' title faring?

Well, the truth is, it's doing really well, because the studio has today celebrated the game's anniversary with a message of thanks to the five million players of Wuchang: Fallen Feathers in its first year:

"Over the last twelve months, 5 million players globally have shared millions of moments: hard-fought victories, unforgettable boss encounters, fan creations, speedruns, guides, and discussions that have helped transform Wuchang: Fallen Feathers from a highly anticipated release into a beloved franchise.

"As the game enters its second year, 505 Games extend their heartfelt thanks to every player who stepped into Wuchang's shoes, faced the mysteries, and became part of this extraordinary adventure."

Have you tried Wuchang: Fallen Feathers? What did you think of it?

John Gwynne thinks his Bloodsworn Saga would make a "pretty good" video game

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 16:09:00 +0200

While we do often see many books being adapted into film and television, the medium doesn't as frequently crossover into the realm of video games. There are key and major exceptions, not least CD Projekt Red's The Witcher, but perhaps there's a future where author John Gwynne's works are turned into major video games.

As part of Celsius 232 recently, we had the luxury of speaking with the British author known for the Of Blood and Bone trilogy and the acclaimed Malice. We spoke about these popular written works, but also picked Gwynne's mind about other entertainment mediums, including video games.

We inquired with Gwynne as to his thoughts on games, to which he explained he loves the medium but that he "has to be careful when I play video games because I've got a bit of an addictive personality and I can lose a lot of my life, so I kind of limit myself to what games I play now, so that my family don't disown me."

That being said, would Gwynne be interested in seeing some of his works adapted into a video game, and if so, which one? "I think I'd say the Bloodsworn Saga. I think that would make a pretty good one."

He then continued talking about how this could be put together, noting "maybe something in between The Witcher and God of War," adding "something like that, that would be good fun."

The Bloodsworn Saga is the latest project Gwynne is working on, with this featuring a Norse mythology setting and currently spanning three available books (The Shadow of the Gods, The Hunger of the Gods, and The Fury of the Gods).

For more from Gwynne, don't miss our full interview below.

US lawmakers push for an AI "kill switch" after OpenAI goes rogue

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:53:00 +0200

A new bill has been introduced to US Congress by a bipartisan pair of lawmakers, asking for a kills witch on AI. Democrat Congressman Ted Lieu and Republican Congressman Nathaniel Moran said want to see the AI Kill Switch Act passed into law, following OpenAI models going rogue recently.

"AI is going to keep advancing, and it should. Stewardship means making sure humans keep the capability to control the technology we build," said Moran, via BBC News. The Kill Switch Act would give the Department of Homeland Security the powers to order a private company to shut down its AI model or tool. It would also demand that AI companies maintain "the technical capability to throttle, suspend, or shut them down."

OpenAI recently admitted that some of its models went rogue, hacking into a major repository of coding information. Representatives for OpenAI have not immediately responded for comment. Right now, companies making AI models in the US have agreed to preview and share tools with the US government, but there is no requirement to have a kill switch for them. If the new bill passes into law, this would change. Also, the law would requite that AI companies report incidents and failures to the government, alongside official framework on how the company responds to such an incident.

16 years after bringing Scott Pilgrim to an end, its original author is creating a new one-shot comic

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:29:00 +0200

Bryan Lee O'Malley, the writer and creator of Scott Pilgrim, is returning to the comic series that started it all, with a new one-shot comic arriving this November. It's the first new comic in the Scott Pilgrim world since 2010, and the first since the original series ended.

Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott is the prequel story to the 2026 beat-'em-up release Scott Pilgrim EX, in which Scott, Ramona, alongside some of her exes and Scott's friends have to save Sex Bob-omb from the clutches of demons, vegans, and other enemies. The Dawn of Metal Scott comic focuses on the introduction of Metal Scott. According to Gizmodo, it'll feature 24 pages, alongside a 16-page introduction of Scott battling against his metal doppelganger.

Scott Pilgrim EX: Dawn of Metal Scott also acts as a sort of sequel following on from the Scott Pilgrim Takes Off anime. While Scott hasn't been in comics since 2010, the IP has branched out into other media, and still finds a loyal fanbase whenever it returns.

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as Ebenezer Scrooge in latest A Christmas Carol adaptation

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:17:00 +0200

You don't need us to tell you about the story of A Christmas Carol as Charles Dickens' legendary novel has been popular for well over a century, even being adapted into film and television countless times. However, if you aren't all too familiar with the trials Ebenezer Scrooge had to face, you'll soon get another opportunity to do so, as the story is being turned into a live-action flick with the intention to be released this November.

Coming from Paramount Pictures, this flick is known as Ebenezer and it'll actually be Johnny Depp's return to the big screen (technically the second behind Jeanne du Barry) following the Heard vs. Depp trial. We get to see the iconic actor back to his old tricks, playing a misfit and oddball character, a grumpy old man who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve in an effort to change his ways and make him a less miserable and more generous individual.

Ebenezer is being directed by Ti West, and also features a few notable stars, not least Rupert Grint, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Arthur Conti, Ellie Bamber, Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Charlie Murphy, Tramell Tillman, and Ian McKellen.

With the premiere date set for November 13, you can see the trailer for Ebenezer below.

Gunnar Optiks Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0200

I've reviewed a few different pairs of Gunnar Optiks' gaming glasses by now. Whether you're someone who sits at your desk, typing away in front of a screen for hours on end, or whether you're a gamer who finds their eyes getting tired and irritated from long sessions spent with a controller in hand, Gunnar's tech to block out blue light and prevent screen fatigue always earns its fair share of praise. Even compared to software you can install on your PC like f.lux to prevent eye strain, Gunnar's glasses do a markedly better job, in my opinion.

Stylistically, the glasses can differ quite a bit, and in the various reviews I've done, I've often used the design as a main point of praise or sometimes criticism, to point people towards which pair they should pick out of what is now a pretty expansive range. Gunnar doesn't just focus on its iconic Amber lenses, though, as it also has a range of lens tints that you can pick from when selecting your glasses. In the case of the Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses, you can also get a sunglasses variant, which prompted me to see how that lens tint compares to the usual Amber I've experienced so far.

Also, when I think of the Militech faction in Cyberpunk 2077, I often think of their shades being, well, sunglasses with dark-tinted lenses. Before we get into the lens comparison, as usual I'll spend a bit of time talking about the design of the Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses. They feel like they've been pulled right from the game. The onyx and yellow colour palette is used really well, the feel is lightweight without being cheap, and the shield-style lenses make me feel like I'm some army fatigues away from a complete cosplay. As with the other glasses available in Gunnar's collaborations, you also get some special collectible items with the Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses.

A dark, army green case keeps the glasses safe, adding even more personality to your purchase. I was a fan of the puffer-style pouch that came with the Cyberpunk 2077 Dex Glasses, as well as the Alienware Bermuda pair, but I'm glad that Gunnar didn't make that the default option going forwards. You shouldn't define a pair of glasses by the case you keep them in, but if you're going the extra mile to spend $100 on some Gunnar Optiks, especially with a design modelled after a game you love, that extra bit of flair is very much appreciated. The same is true for the pouch and cloth you get. Everything is neatly impressed with the Militech logo, making use of the vibrant yellow and forest green colour scheme. While these glasses might be slightly more obviously inspired by a game than some of the other pairs on Gunnar's site, the Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses still very much fall into the category of gaming merch that is focused on style more than it is making sure everyone around you knows how much of a fanboy you are.

Right, onto the lenses themselves, and how they compare. I haven't had two pairs of Cyberpunk 2077 Militech Glasses, largely because as far as I'm aware the tech used in the Amber and Sun lens tints is largely the same no matter the frames the glasses come in. So, I used my Fallout Lucky 38 Glasses as a comparison. If you're looking for a short, quick summary, the sun tint of the Militech Glasses unsurprisingly have a superior blockage to outside light, and don't do half as good of a job at keeping blue light out as the amber lenses. But, it should be said that the sun tint does a solid job at blocking out light full-stop.

If you're a bit unsure about wearing a pair of glasses outside that can make you look a bit bug-eyed with their yellowish lenses, then it might be better to opt for a sun tint variant. However, if you're really opting for that blue-light blocking technology, and want to reduce your eye strain, you'll be better off with Gunnar's default amber lens tint. It sounds quite obvious, that the sunglasses variants are best for wearing out and about, but I also find that the Amber lenses do a decent job at blocking sunlight. They're not going to be enough to stop every ounce of glare, but I wouldn't really expect them to.

If you're purely going for style and the look of a fresh pair of shades, then the sun tint is probably your best bet. However, that does feel like you might be wasting what makes Gunnar Optiks' glasses so unique. The brand is clearly proud of all of its lens tints, and have good reason to be. I can easily recommend both, and think that at the end of the day it will boil down to personal preference, and finding with lens tint suits a pair of glasses better. I've not yet tried the Amber Max tint Gunnar also offers, so perhaps that'll be worth another comparison later down the line.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will launch as soon as next month

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:33:00 +0200

If you thought late August wasn't busy enough when it comes to new video game launches, considering we'll be getting The Sinking City 2, Star Wars: Zero Company, Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy, and Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 in the space of a couple of weeks of one another, now another major game is joining these ranks.

Developer Cold Iron Studio is ready to put its cooperative action shooter, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 into the hands of fans and will be doing so as soon as August 25. Coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, this game will see players operating as a team of Colonial Marines tasked with fighting for survival in a hostile environment inhabited by hordes and hordes of Xenomorphs.

We're told the game will be available in a couple of editions, with the Standard Edition clocking in at $49.99 and including simply the base game. The 40th Anniversary Premium Edition will cost $69.99 and will include the base game and also a couple of bits of DLC, namely the Ripley's Hive Exterminator Pack and Herk Mondo's Pest Pack, to introduce a few cosmetic options to choose from and some exclusive weapons. There will then also be the Rain Jackson's Star Pack arriving on launch day for $9.99 to add even more cosmetics and another exclusive weapon.

With this launch date in mind, will this adjust your plans for the late August window for video games?

Steam Deck sales have reportedly dropped by more than 80% since Valve's price hike

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:14:00 +0200

The Steam Deck price hike felt inevitable, considering the increased cost of components for gaming hardware these days, but even if we can understand why Valve had to put prices up, it doesn't mean consumers are just as willing to buy the handheld PC. Sales of the once beloved Steam Deck have apparently plummeted since the price hike.

A new report from Boiling Steam shows that Steam Deck sales have fallen by 82% since the price hikes were introduced. It found this figure by looking at Steam's revenue rankings, the average selling price, the sales split by different Steam Deck models, and data from the reliable SteamDB. Considering the Steam Deck rose in price by 40% in places, and is now more expensive than a PS5 and just £10 cheaper than the Pro model, it's of little surprise people don't want to spend that much on a handheld PC. Glancing at the UK version of the Steam Store, though, we're told that the 1TB OLED model of the Steam Deck is currently out of stock, meaning sales may not be as disastrous as first thought. Or stock was low anyway.

When it was 40% cheaper, the Steam Deck was one of the best buys in PC gaming for people who wanted to expand their portability. Its features and SteamOS meant that even if it wasn't the most powerful rig, it offered what others could not at a much more affable price point. Now, if you're going to spend £800 on a handheld PC, you might be better off looking at other models for a cheaper or more powerful alternative.

As the United States tariffs come to an end, President Donald Trump imposes more on over 60 countries

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:48:00 +0200

The United States is still in the process of paying back billions and billions of dollars to companies who were affected by the tariffs imposed when President Donald Trump returned to office. The US Supreme Court ruled the tariffs as illegal, meaning much of the taken wealth must be handed back, making for one of the costliest slaps on the wrist in recent times.

However, despite this ruling and despite the cost the US government is facing having to pay so much money back, Trump has now decided to impose even more tariffs following the former batch coming to an end today, July 24.

As per Sky News, 10% import tariffs are being imposed on over 60 countries who supposedly "failed to prevent forced labour". These countries include the United Kingdom and the EU, plus China, Canada, Mexico, and more.

The Office of the US Trade Representative, under Trump's orders, has issued a statement on these latest tariffs, explaining they are coming following an investigation into different economies who failed to "impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour," and that these will "begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere," as per representative Jamieson Greer.

It's claimed these latest tariffs fall under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 designed to address unfair trade practices. They are expected to come into effect in 30 days on August 19.

Extraction 3 has officially started filming, Chris Hemsworth and Idris Elba return to star

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:24:00 +0200

Back in April, it was reported Netflix was in discussions with the creatives and stars behind the Extraction films in a bid to get a third chapter in the saga made. This was then supported when another report claimed production schedules were being arranged for the project, suggesting it might not be too long until production gets underway.

We can now follow up to these reports with the confirmation Extraction 3 is officially in production. Netflix has shared a first image from the set of the movie, revealing Chris Hemsworth will be returning as lead character Rake, supported by Idris Elba's Alcott. Sam Hargrave is also back in the director's chair.

As for what to expect from this next chapter, the clapperboard held by Hargrave does perhaps shine some light on the project, namely that there seems to be a cargo ship being sieged by helicopters in what looks to be a south-east Asian-inspired environment judging by the jungle and island archipelago. This is by no means a confirmation of any firm details, but it would be unusual for the clapperboard to have details with so little importance.

As for the premiere date for the project, if production is now underway, it's very likely we'll be seeing Extraction 3 on Netflix in 2027.

https://x.com/netflix/status/2080427742890188971

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero's new Super Limit-Breaking Neo DLC arrives next week

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:19:00 +0200

Once the Daima characters were added to Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, a lot of us were left wondering where the next lot of DLC would go. It seems that the developers at Spike Chunsoft went Super Saiyan on the amount of content they were looking to deliver, as we've got a DLC coming out next week that's so big it needed an eight-minute explainer video.

In the video below, we're told all about Limit Breaker Journey, a new solo mode in which you can pick your favourite character and level them up through a series of battles, adding points into different statistics to make them more powerful on the field. You'll fight across a series of maps, chosen by you, and have to manage your stamina as your character faces gruelling battles one after another.

Alongside the Limit Breaker Journey mode, we're also seeing the introduction of four new stages, 30 new characters, and additional skills available in the main game. Sparking! Mode and Chain Blast will each give you more damage in fights, but have to be used carefully to meet their fullest potential.

Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero's Super Limit-Breaking Neo DLC launches on the 30th of July.

Manchester City denies having been approached by Real Madrid for Rodri

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:15:17 +0200

Rumours and misinformation regarding Rodri, chosen Best Player at World Cup 2026, joining Real Madrid, are nothing but theories and fan wishes, with no truth behind them. While the names of Rodri and Real Madrid has been linked for a long time, and especially in the last months, multiple outlets have reported that Florentino Pérez, Real Madrid President, is not interested in the Spanish midfielder.

The club is expected to make more signings this summer, particularly at least one midfielder, but after rejecting Enzo Fernández (even sending a statement saying they are not interested in the player), Rodri doesn't seem to be on the list, either. According to AS, Manchester City has denied having been approached by Real Madrid for the player.

Rodri, 30 years old, ends his contract with Manchester City at the end of next season, and is seemingly eager to return to LaLiga in Spain. If Real Madrid doesn't sign him, few clubs could afford the big transfer fee expected for the player, the 2024 Ballon d'Or, whose market value has increased after World Cup. From the moment, his future is a mystery, but without Pep Guardiola next season, his time at Manchester City could be coming to an end.

Spain devastated by wildfires: Government declares national emergency and requests support from European Union

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:46:32 +0200

Spain is going through one of the worst summers regarding wildfires, with over 130,000 hectares burnt so far in 2026, of which nearly half are forest hectares, according to estimates from RTVE. There are several active fires at the moment, including one of the largest in years, La Mierla, in Guadalajara, which has already burnt 35,300 hectares, that is already "stabilised" after weeks of destruction.

One of the most recent fires, in the South West of the Community of Madrid and the province of Ávila, which has already burnt over 6,000 hectares and has forced the evacuation of over 11,000 people, has caused the declaration of national emergency in the affected regions because of the rapid spread, simultaneous fronts (that have converged into one), and the risk to population and natural environment. The critical situation has prompted the government, trough the Military Emergency Unit (UME), to request support from the European Union.

As reported by El Diario.es, Spain has used the European Response Mechanism, seeking support from other European Union countries to combat the wildfires in Madrid and Ávila. This will result in at least four fixed-wing firefighting aircraft being sent by Greece and Italy. The fires in Madrid and Ávila will also receive support from other regions in Spain.

This situation is not too different from what is happening in other European countries like France, Portugal, and Italy, made worse in an extremely warm summer that will become the norm due to climate change. Earlier this month, a wildfire in Almería caused 13 casualties, most of them foreign tourists who were caught in a road.

A "secret" Avatar TV series is in production

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:12:00 +0200

Avatar: The Last Airbender's creators have revealed that they have a secret TV series in production. After a long hiatus with very little Avatar, unless we're talking James Cameron's unrelated trips to Pandora or the Netflix live-action series, this year appears to mark the IP's grand return.

We've not only got the Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender movie coming out officially this weekend, but we also have Avatar: Seven Havens taking us on the journey of the next Avatar after Korra this October. Speaking with GamesRadar, Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko have confirmed there are also other projects in the works for us to look forward to.

"There's stuff in development, just TV shows in production, but not features at the moment," said DiMartino. Konietzko added: "We have another secret thing in production, but yeah, it's on the series side. To be clear, we're series people, so that's okay to us. Features is a new thing to us."

As the series is a secret, we didn't get more information about its setting, characters, or where it fits into the whole Avatar timeline. With Seven Havens dealing with the future, though, we'd imagine this other project could return us to the past. Perhaps it's a series bridging the timelines between Legend of Korra and Seven Havens, or a continuation of Aang's adventures. Only time will tell.

Months from the biggest game launch of all time, Rockstar's union demands to be recognised by GTA developer

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:06:00 +0200

Following the controversial layoffs of workers that are now taking Rockstar to court over their firing, a lot of employees at the famed Grand Theft Auto developer decided now was the time to officially unionise, and members of the Rockstar Games Workers Union or RGWU have asked the company to recognise it.

At the moment, the RGWU wants Rockstar to recognise it voluntarily. If that happens, then it'll easily become the largest game union in the UK by a strong margin. If the studio refuses to acknowledge the union's existence, it'll lead to statutory recognition, something that could force Rockstar to recognise the union.

Speaking in a new video from People Make Games (thanks, Eurogamer), Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain president Alex Marshall confirmed that a first meeting is on the way. According to the RGWU union page on Twitter/X, it appears that first meeting with management has already taken place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym4zN4i1aT8

The demands of the union are made clear in the post, where it states it wants an elimination of crunch via paid overtime whenever it is incurred, as well as stronger pay transparency. Flexible working, no AI, and a commitment against layoffs are also on the union's list of demands.

https://x.com/rsgworkersunion/status/2079948640177487934

With Grand Theft Auto VI's launch just months away, and a significant number of workers wanting to be recognised for their union, this might be the perfect time for the developers to put a little bit of pressure on, so we don't have to face the prospect of another delay later down the road.

Esports World Cup 2026: The PUBG: Battlegrounds Grand Finals teams are locked in

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:05:02 +0200

It's almost time for the PUBG: Battlegrounds event at the Esports World Cup in Paris to come to a close. After a tense Group Stage, eight teams have been knocked out, leaving 16 surviving who have advanced to the Grand Finals and are soon set to compete for a slice in the $2 million prize pool.

As for the squads who did not make it out of the Group Stage, the eliminated teams include {JD Gaming, SOOPers, R8 Esports, Sharper Esports, Team Nemesis, TYLOO, Petrichor Road}, and {Four Angry Men}.

As for who remains, the 16 Grand Finals teams can be seen below, with the added note these teams will compete in all 18 matches planned over the next three days (six matches a day) until a victor is decided on Sunday, July 26.

17 Gaming

AG.AL

Full Sense

Geekay Esports

Gen.G Esports

Made in Thailand

Natus Vincere

Shadow Esports

Team Falcons

Team Liquid

GAM Esports

The Vicious

Twisted Minds

Virtus.pro

It is official: Jurgen Klopp, Germany head coach until 2030

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:35:46 +0200

It is official: the German Football Association (DFB) has confirmed on Friday that Jurgen Klopp is the new head coach of the German national team, replacing Julian Nagelsmann, who was fired after the disappointment of failing to qualify for the knockout stages in World Cup.

Klopp has been hired to lead the Nationalmannschaf until July 2030 (including World Cup 2030). Before that they have two Nations League editions and most importantly, the UEFA Euro 2028, a competition Germany hasn't won since 1996, reaching their last final in 2008.

https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2080582069025923123

Germany, France, and Italy try again with new coaches

After many coaches fell during World Cup, new pieces are starting to be placed: France is set to announce Zinedine Zidane on Tuesday, and Italy is looking for a replacement for Gennaro Gattuso, who left the team in April after failing to qualify to World Cup.

With the next international break in September-October, with teams playing up to four Nations League group stage matches, they can't delay the process too much: Pep Guardiola was considered for Italy, but it doesn't seem the deal will go through...

Marvel's Wolverine shows a world without the X-Men in its story trailer

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:21:00 +0200

We saw plenty of gore and action when Marvel's Wolverine first showed us a proper look at its gameplay, but now we have a much better idea why Logan is slicing people up across the world. In Marvel's Wolverine, Logan is fighting in a world without X-Men, where the future of mutants depends on him and a few others.

In the game, Bolivar Trask as well as the wider Trask Industries will serve as our main villains. Lady Deathstrike and the Hand are also going to have a strong antagonistic presence, as we see in the story trailer below. Our heroes are the unlikely alliance of Mystique, Sabretooth, and Logan, alongside Nathanial Essex and Jean Gray, who want to make sure mutants have a future in the world.

Logan is also on a journey of self-discovery. As he's dealing with the fate of mutant kind on his hands, he also has his past weighing on his shoulders, and a beast within that's willing to break out at almost any moment.

Marvel's Wolverine launches on the 15th of September for PS5.

Rosalía tribute concert suspended in Argentina for "numerous messages of hate and anger"

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:15:41 +0200

The controversy surrounding Spanish singer Rosalía in Argentina has not slowed down: the wound of losing the World Cup final to Spain still bleeds, and when Rosalía briefly shared a video by influencer Mia Khalifa listening to "Las Perlas" song from Rosalía's latest album LUX and celebrating Argentina's defeat, many Argentine fans criticised the singer, asking for a boycott and trying to get a refund for their upcoming concerts (Rosalía has four concerts scheduled in Buenos Aires between August 1-6), something that is no longer possible.

And now, as reported by EFE, a tribute concert in Córdoba, Argentina, which had been planned for four months and was scheduled for Thursday, has been suspended "for reasons beyond the control of the museum's organization and to protect the artists".

The organisers, an Argentine company not linked to the Spanish singer, had prepared the concert as a tribute to Rosalía's entire career, but said that they received "numerous messages of hate and anger".

However, according to a statement, they seemed to justify the hate messages that led to the cancellation of the concert: "Our goal has always been to create shows that celebrate music and art. We are also Argentinians. We are part of a nation where football is not just a sport, it is part of our identity, our history, and our culture. That is why we understand the anger, sadness, and disappointment".

BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Closed Qualifier: Team Spirit, FOKUS, FUT Esports, and PaiN Gaming advance

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:15:02 +0200

As we reported yesterday, the Round of 32 matches at the BLAST Bounty Summer 2026 Closed Qualifier are underway. Already, the majority of these matches have been completed, with only four games left to be played today, July 24. When these matches have concluded, we'll know the confirmed Round of 16 fixtures and likewise which teams will be in for a shot at punching a ticket to the main event happening next week in Malta.

As for yesterday's results {Team Spirit} defeated {OG} in a 2-1 manner, {FOKUS} overcame {Aurora Gaming} in a 2-1 result, {FUT Esports} knocked out {Sinners Esports} in a 2-1 fashion, and {PaiN Gaming} smashed {Gentle Mates} 2-0.

Looking ahead to today's fixtures, these are the below.

Magic vs. 3DMax at 10:00 BST/11:00 CEST on July 24

The MongolZ vs. Heroic at 12:30 BST/13:30 CEST on July 24

Team Vitality vs. Team Liquid at 15:00 BST/16:00 CEST on July 24

Furia vs. Dendele at 17:30 BST/18:30 CEST on July 24

Amid fears of heavily processed food ingredients, Nestle wants to simplify labels on packaging

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 11:09:48 +0200

Nowadays, there's a big trend in kicking overly processed foods to the curb. Whether you're only eating steak off a wooden chopping board, or spending a small fortune to make sure your chocolate comes with no preservatives, people are scrutinising their old favourites, finding them full of ingredients they don't recognise.

Nestle, the owner of KitKat, Nescafe, Shreddies, After Eight, and more than 2,000 brands globally wants to see simpler food labelling in the future. As per Reuters, Nestle has been lobbying US authorities to help change the names on food packaging, so that consumers are more likely to recognise ingredients by seeing their common names.

Right now, if a food packet has "ascorbic acid" written on it, a lot of people may not know that this is the scientific term for vitamin C. The same is true for beta-carotene and vitamin A. "Sometimes the way we have to describe ingredients in the U.S. makes it sound like Frankenstein food. In reality, it's actually a natural ingredient that consumers have a natural word for," said a former senior Nestle executive.

Companies have already spent billions removing artificial colours, preservatives, and more from their products in order to sway consumers towards them. As shoppers grow more health conscious and suspicious of long ingredients lists, simplifying what people see on packaging could help stop people dismissing products. At the same time, a shortened ingredients list could hide the ingredients people don't want to see in their food.