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.
Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman return to Krynn with Dragonlance: War Wizard, a prequel novel exploring the early friendship of Huma Dragonbane and Magius during the Third Dragon War. The book launches August 4, 2026 from Random House Worlds, and we have an exclusive excerpt revealing the magical persecution that shaped their bond.
House of the Dragon Season 3 Episode 5 tightens the screws on every major player as paranoia curdles into violence across Westeros. Criston Cole embraces a death wish on the muddy roads to Stony Sept while Daemon Targaryen returns to find his Gold Cloaks butchered in a grotesque message. The episode proves the Dance of the Dragons remains as gripping as Game of Thrones ever was.
Developer Mike Wing has launched Call of Duty Ambience, a free website that streams simulated 2010-era lobby voice chat from Modern Warfare 2, Black Ops, and Black Ops 2. The site recreates the Xbox 360 dashboard aesthetic complete with period-accurate gamertags and runs 24/7 for anyone seeking a very specific kind of white noise.
An unofficial PC port of Gears of War 2 called Hollow has surfaced, built from a leaked 2008 development build that includes the Road to Ruin DLC. The project by modder xHeliosx focuses on single-player campaign play, though multiplayer remains untested and required files are currently difficult to obtain.
Game Rant reports that a new official Ghost Recon release is confirmed for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The announcement marks the franchise's return to current-generation consoles after several years without a mainline entry.
PC Gamer writer Mollie breaks down the most memorable summer-themed tracks in video games, comparing tropical classics like Destiny Islands with ethereal standouts like Final Fantasy 13-2's New Bodhum. The piece highlights how different composers capture seasonal atmosphere through instrumentation and vocal work.
Final Fantasy 10 launched on PlayStation 2 in 2001 and introduced voice acting, fully 3D environments, and the sphere grid progression system to the franchise. These innovations marked a decisive break from the PlayStation 1 era and established the template for every mainline entry that followed. Twenty-five years later, the game remains a pivotal reference point for the series' modern identity.
A new Grand Theft Auto 5 roleplay mod overhauls Bolingbroke Penitentiary with processing, sentence timers, lockdowns, and Shawshank-style escape mechanics. The mod transforms a simple timeout into a persistent simulation where guards react to trouble and prisoners plan elaborate breakouts.
Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier revealed on the Triple Click podcast that Xbox studio leadership "absolutely detest" Game Pass, believing the subscription service has destroyed the value of their games. Industry veterans including Raphael Colantonio, Michael Douse, and Shawn Layden have echoed concerns about the model's long-term sustainability and its impact on game development economics.
Matt Damon has confirmed he is actively developing a sixth Jason Bourne film with director Edward Berger, best known for All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave. The actor emphasized the creative team wants the new entry to match the quality of the original trilogy. Damon acknowledged the difficulty of continuing a linear story after a ten-year gap since the last film.
