Vishal Kamal has been covering video games for 7 years, writing about everything from hardware deals and new releases to esports and the business
side of the industry. He runs TheBadGamer, focused on gaming news worth your time.
Double Fine has announced that Thank You Bus Driver launches in just over two weeks, bringing its chaotic rule-enforcement bus driving to players. The game emerged from Amnesia Fortnight 2026, a Kickstarter-backed game jam that has already raised $592,000 against a $400,000 goal with three days remaining.
Mojang has announced The Sift, the first new dimension coming to Minecraft since The End arrived in 2011. The Sift will debut in Minecraft Dungeons 2 on September 29, 2026 before arriving in Java and Bedrock editions in 2027, bringing new biomes, mobs, and exploration mechanics.
Rockstar Games has failed to preserve the vast majority of the Grand Theft Auto series on modern platforms, with only three classic titles available on PS5. While Nintendo and Bethesda maintain extensive backward compatibility for their flagship franchises, Rockstar has abandoned pre-GTA 4 games and released a technically flawed trilogy remaster that disappointed fans.
Disney has reportedly selected Jon Watts to direct the first film in Simon Kinberg's new Star Wars trilogy, positioned as the next chapter in the Skywalker Saga. The project remains early in development without an official greenlight, though sources say it is further along than most other Star Wars film projects currently in the works.
Minecraft is receiving its first new dimension content in over 15 years with the Nether Update, version 1.16, which launched on June 23, 2020. The update adds four new biomes, four new mobs, and a material stronger than diamond to the game's hellish underworld.
Discord's new age verification system launched with bugs and a sarcastic corporate tweet that backfired spectacularly. Users responded by flooding the platform with violent fan art depicting mascot Wumpus being tortured and killed, with the top protest post earning 260,000 likes. The backlash reflects deeper privacy concerns following last year's significant data breach.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella described the ongoing layoffs and restructuring at Xbox as "great to see" during a recent podcast interview. The comments follow 1,600 job cuts in July and another 1,600 planned before the fiscal year ends. Major franchises like Halo and Fallout are being moved between studios as part of the reorganization.
Nintendo has already delivered impressive Switch 2 Editions for titles like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Kirby and the Forgotten Land, but several major Switch games remain untouched. From Fire Emblem: Three Houses to Game Builder Garage, these five games could benefit from performance boosts, mouse controls, and bundled DLC on the new hardware.
IGN's latest UK deals roundup highlights significant discounts on microSD Express cards for Nintendo Switch 2, with options ranging from 256GB to 1TB. The roundup also covers early Prime Day savings on Corsair peripherals and the Switch 2 console itself at £354.99.
The family of 12-year-old Pokémon content creator Avery Garcia has publicly condemned scalpers using his death to sell a rare Jirachi card for up to $20,000. Avery, known online as Avery the Poke Kid, passed away from pancreatic cancer on September 18th, and his final video showed him pulling the illustrated card from the 30th anniversary set.
