Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1195) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PILLOW
• CRUISE
• UPPER
• STEP
• FLIGHT
• STAIR
• PLATTER
• LANDING
• ROUND
• STAGE
• TAKEOFF
• MEDLEY
• BRIEF
• BOARDING
• SAMPLER
• PHASE

NYT Connections today (game #1195) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: A part of the plan
• GREEN: A selection of small dishes
• BLUE: Stages of a journey
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “place”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1195) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: SEGMENT OF A PROCESS
• GREEN: ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD/DRINK
• BLUE: PARTS OF A FLIGHT
• PURPLE: ____ CASE

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1195) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1195, are…

• YELLOW: SEGMENT OF A PROCESS: PHASE, ROUND, STAGE, STEP
• GREEN: ASSORTMENTS OF FOOD/DRINK: FLIGHT, MEDLEY, PLATTER, SAMPLER
• BLUE: PARTS OF A FLIGHT: BOARDING, CRUISE, LANDING, TAKEOFF
• PURPLE: ____ CASE: BRIEF, PILLOW, STAIR, UPPER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I’ve not had the best of Connections weeks and struggled again today.

Falling for the very obvious trap I included FLIGHT instead of CRUISE in what became PARTS OF A FLIGHT.

That particular tile was my undoing later in the game. After getting SEGMENT OF A PROCESS, I decided that the third group must be about serving food so I had MEDLEY, PLATTER and SAMPLER locked in.

Unable to find a fourth tile, I gambled with PILLOW — which makes about as much sense as FLIGHT, although I now know, thanks to Google Gemini, that a food FLIGHT is a curated selection of three or more small-portioned sample items from a single menu category served together.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, September 17, 2026, game #1194)

• YELLOW: ELASTICITY: BOUNCE, FLEXIBILITY, GIVE, SPRING
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE UNDERGROUND: MINE SHAFT, SEWER LINE, SUBWAY STATION, WELL
• BLUE: HUGH JACKMAN MOVIES, WITH "THE": FOUNTAIN, PRESTIGE, SHEEP DETECTIVES, WOLVERINE
• PURPLE: LOVE ____: HANDLES, LANGUAGE, TAP, TRIANGLE

• Guild Wars 3 is the first game in the series to launch on both PC and console
• Studio head Colin Johanson says it will allow the game to "reach a much wider group of players" on PS5 and PC
• ArenaNet wants new players to take their first plunge into Guild Wars with the upcoming game

Guild Wars 3 will be the first game in the MMORPG franchise to launch on both console and PC, and ArenaNet thinks it will encourage newcomers to take their first steps into the Guild Wars series.

"With us bringing the game to console for the first time, [and] with us launching on Steam from day one on our own platform, we can reach a much wider group of players," said studio head Colin Johanson during a guided presentation TechRadar Gaming attended at Gamescom.

Speaking about the game's setting, which takes place 1000 years before the first Guild Wars game in the ancient land of Orr, Johanson explained that the game will appeal to hardcore fans who have been eager to learn more about the lore for years.

Exploring this highly anticipated era means ArenaNet could welcome new players with no Guild Wars experience, since the game is essentially a prequel and newcomers won't be required to play the first two games to understand what's going on.

"Everyone's going to learn it all together, and if you're a big Guild Wars fan, you'll know what some of the species are and some of the characters or some of the locations," the studio head said. "But for the most part, everybody is on equal footing."

The direction also means the studio could draw more players by launching the game on both PC and PlayStation 5; it's unclear right now whether the game could eventually get an Xbox release as well.

"We really wanted to have an invitation for everybody to come play Guild Wars 3 together and feel like this could be their first Guild Wars game that they haven't played before," Johanson added.

Guild Wars 3 is now in development and doesn't have a release date, but a beta is scheduled for Fall 2027.

• England and Chelsea midfielder Cole Palmer was temporarily banned on Twitch this week
• He was streaming the upcoming EA Sports FC 27 ahead of an agreed embargo
• He responded in a light-hearted manner on Instagram, asking the streaming service to “unban me pls."

Cole Palmer, everyone’s favorite straight-talking Chelsea and England midfielder who loves his chippy-chips and a basic builder’s tea, took to Twitch earlier this week to livestream the upcoming EA Sports FC 27. There was just one problem: he wasn’t supposed to be showing off the game this early and was given a temporary ban by the platform.

As spotted by ESPN, Palmer was given early access to the upcoming football sim and decided to livestream it on Tuesday afternoon to a fairly significant audience. However, he was supposed to wait until after an official EA Sports showcase took place later that evening.

After an EA rep popped up in the chat to remind Palmer, the stream ended, and his Twitch account page was updated to show that it had been suspended.

In response to the gaffe, Palmer characteristically posted on Instagram that, ”I was only giving the people what they wanted.” He followed that up with a simple request: “unban me pls.”

Genuine mistake or not, any potential leniency from EA probably wasn’t forthcoming after he started complaining about his rating in-game during the untimely stream. EA Sports FC 27 has given Palmer an overall score of 85 out of 99 in the latest edition. He was 87 in the previous entry.

"I need a word with EA. They took two ratings off me," Palmer said during the stream.

In fairness, he did call out that he spent a lot of last year out with various injuries, which he joked had effectively left him with “one leg for 10 months last season.”

His ego also took another small knock when he saw that long-time friend and Chelsea teammate Morgan Rodgers had been given a pace score of 76. Palmer's pace rating is listed at 75. Savage.

Fortunately, his account has now been reinstated, and he’s already been back streaming as if nothing had happened, bringing an end to another hilarious aside in the footballer’s career that's already been full of meme-worthy moments. This one is my new favorite.

EA Sports FC 27 officially launches on September 25, with early access starting September 18 for those who pre-ordered the Ultimate and Ultimate Plus editions.

• Take-Two Interactive says GTA Online support will continue after Grand Theft Auto 6 has launched
• The publisher's latest comments suggest that an online experience associated with GTA 6 is still a long way off
• Fans speculate that GTA 6 Online could be a separate, paid title

Take-Two Interactive has confirmed that Rockstar Games will continue supporting GTA Online after the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6, suggesting the title's rumored online experience could be a long way off.

During the Take-Two shareholder meeting on September 17 (via ResetEra), it was reported said that "GTA 6 is a single-player title and is due to release this November. We will continue to support GTA Online after GTA 6 release and beyond."

While we already knew GTA 6 is launching as a standalone single-player experience, it's speculated that the game will eventually receive an online mode, similar to how GTA Online released soon after GTA 5.

The language used during the shareholder meeting suggests fans shouldn't expect an online experience associated with GTA 6 anytime soon, if it indeed exists, as Rockstar will continue supporting its current money-making machine for the foreseeable future.

According to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier during a discussion about GTA 6's pre-order period and earned revenue, Take-Two "have not talked at all, and they are not planning to talk anytime soon, about what the new GTA Online will look like."

Despite Take-Two's avoidance of the topic, and the publisher's latest comments, fans believe this could mean GTA 6 Online could be a separate, paid service.

"Looks like the next variant of GTA Online is nowhere near ready as Schreier already reported," the original ResetEra poster said. "And it's a high likelihood they will launch it as a big standalone title, whether F2P or for like $30. They will want to give it all the resources and spotlight it will need and not be an "add-on" this time."

Others support the standalone concept, while others believe it could be another $70 experience.

"I wouldn't be shocked if it costs $70 or more lmao," one user replied.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S,

• Rockstar Games has announced 'Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album'
• The official soundtrack features 34 original tracks, and the first six can be listened to today on all major streaming services
• The 'Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album' - Limited-Edition Vinyl has already sold out, but a separate exclusive vinyl and CD are still available for pre-order

Rockstar Games has announced 'Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album', GTA 6's official soundtrack that will launch alongside the game.

The upcoming soundtrack album is now available to pre-save on all major music streaming services, and will be released on vinyl and CD, including three exclusives available only for pre-order here.

Featuring 34 original tracks that "capture the electric energy of Grand Theft Auto 6’s world of Vice City and Leonida", the album features "a genre-defying roster of the most exciting artists in the world", with tracks from artists like Yung Lean, Travis Scott, PinkPantheress, Morgan Wallen, Keith Richards, and more.

As a small teaser, Rockstar has also released the first six singles featured on the album. We'll list them below.

• Yung Lean – That's It (feat. Future & Metro Boomin)
• Travis Scott – RHYNO (prod. by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo) 
• CA7RIEL & Paco Amoroso, PinkPantheress, Fred again.. & Etienne de Crécy – Sexy Magic  
• Morgan Wallen – Last Thing You Need  
• Rauw Alejandro – Macacoa 2000  
• Keith Richards – Bright Lights, Big City 

Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album - CD costs £10.99 / $19.98, while Grand Theft Auto VI: The Album - Vinyl costs £44.99 / $49.98.

Then there's the more expensive Grand Theft Auto 6: The Album - Limited-Edition Vinyl priced at £108.99 / $124.98, featuring two transparent magenta discs filled with blue liquid, exclusive new artwork, and packaging designs.

Unfortunately, this edition quickly sold out after its announcement, and it's unclear whether more stock will be available. All editions are expected to ship November 20, one day after GTA 6 launches.

Rockstar noted that "exclusive vinyl disc colorways, each featuring unique new art" will also be available at Blood Records, Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, Urban Outfitters, and indie retailers.

"Stay tuned for more details about the music of Grand Theft Auto 6, including the dynamic score, the next evolution of in-game radio, and more," the studio said.

• The world of Umamusume: Pretty Derby is coming to a major motorsport event in a new collaboration
• Game art will be featured at the MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix
• Voice actor Tomoyo Takayanagi will also wave the chequered flag at some races

The viral horse girls of Umamusume: Pretty Derby will appear at the upcoming MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix thanks to a new crossover with publisher and developer Cygames.

The 2026 FIM MotoGP World Championship Round 16 MOTUL Grand Prix of Japan (to give it its full official title) is a motorcycle race set to take place from October 2 to 4 at Mobility Resort Motegi in Motegi, Japan.

Thanks to this collaboration, the course will be decorated with a gigantic 155-meter display decorated with eight popular characters from the game for fans to appreciate as the racing action unfolds.

There will also be a special display board at the Grandstand entrance featuring art of the game, as well as special character photo spots within the venue itself.

Those attending the Moto2 and Moto3 races will also be able to see voice actor Tomoyo Takayanagi in the flesh, waving the checkered flag at the end of the race. Takayanagi is known for her portrayal of the famous Japanese racehorse Oguri Cap in the media franchise.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is a hit mobile game where players train and compete in races as anthropomorphized horse girls that has been spun out into multiple anime and manga adaptations. The characters are based on real-life horses, past and present, and its popularity has been credited with reviving interest in the sport.

It's the first video game to become an official MotoGP Japanese Grand Prix event partner, but this is far from the only time Umamusume: Pretty Derby has crossed over with real-world events. Earlier this year, a special Umamusume livery appeared on a Pacific Racing Team BMW M4 GT3 Evo in Japan's Super GT racing championship.

Umamusume: Pretty Derby is available to download for mobile devices with the App Store and Google Play Store. You can also play it on PC via Steam.

• ArenaNet says Guild Wars 3's ancient Orr setting will interest longtime lore fans and newcomers
• Studio head Colin Johanson says the game is "very much for our fans" who are invested in the game's lore
• He adds that the game is also for new players, and they won't need to play the first two games to understand what's going on

ArenaNet has confirmed that Guild Wars 3 takes place 1000 years before the first Guild Wars game in the ancient land of Orr, which it believes will interest both hardcore fans and new players.

Speaking at an exclusive preview TechRadar Gaming attended at Gamescom, where we saw a guided presentation exploring the game's new momentum system, studio head Colin Johanson shared additional details about the game's setting, where players are a Veil Warden.

Johanson explained that much of Guild Wars' history and lore originates from ancient Orr, and he knows fans "care deeply" about it and have been asking ArenaNet for more, so it felt like a natural direction for the sequel.

"Some of the themes from Guild Wars 1 all tie back to moments in this timeline before the gods disappeared from the world," he said. "In Guild Wars 2, the ruins of Orr are raised from the bottom of the ocean by a giant undead dragon, and players get to visit the remains of what Orr was 1000 years in the future, and players have been asking us for over a decade to see what Orr was like before the gods left, before it was destroyed, and so this is very much for our fans to give them something to get excited about."

However, while Guild Wars' setting might seem lore-heavy, the studio head confirmed that "it's also for new fans" and that newcomers won't need to play the first two games to understand what's going on.

"This period of time has about two pages of recorded history that we've ever released outside of the studio," Johanson said. "We have a lot more internally that we haven't shared, but our fans have only seen a tiny amount of info about what actually happened in this timeline and setting, which means it's the perfect time for new people to come join the Guild Wars franchise because you don't have to have played Guild Wars 1 or Guild Wars 2 to understand what's going on in the story."

He continued: "Everyone's going to learn it all together, and if you're a big Guild Wars fan, you'll know what some of the species are and some of the characters or some of the locations. But for the most part, everybody is on equal footing."

Guild Wars 3 doesn't have a release date yet, but a beta is scheduled for Fall 2027. The game is launching on PC and PlayStation 5.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1194) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SPRING
• SUBWAY STATION
• PRESTIGE
• TRIANGLE
• TAP
• GIVE
• LANGUAGE
• FOUNTAIN
• WELL
• BOUNCE
• SEWER LINE
• HANDLES
• SHEEP
• DETECTIVES
• MINE SHAFT
• FLEXIBILITY
• WOLVERINE

NYT Connections today (game #1194) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Stretchy
• GREEN: Found down below
• BLUE: Films starring a well jacked man
• PURPLE: Compound words with added romance

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1194) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: ELASTICITY
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE UNDERGROUND
• BLUE: HUGH JACKMAN MOVIES, WITH "THE"
• PURPLE: LOVE ____

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1194) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1194, are…

• YELLOW: ELASTICITY: BOUNCE, FLEXIBILITY, GIVE, SPRING
• GREEN: THINGS THAT ARE UNDERGROUND: MINE SHAFT, SEWER LINE, SUBWAY STATION, WELL
• BLUE: HUGH JACKMAN MOVIES, WITH "THE": FOUNTAIN, PRESTIGE, SHEEP DETECTIVES, WOLVERINE
• PURPLE: LOVE ____: HANDLES, LANGUAGE, TAP, TRIANGLE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

My first mistake could have been a group of ways to access water — SPRING, TAP, WELL and FOUNTAIN — but drew a complete blank.

Thinking of a different meaning for SPRING helped me find the other words describing ELASTICITY, but I flopped again, adding TAP instead of WELL to the group that became THINGS THAT ARE UNDERGROUND.

Finally, I did not know that I was collecting HUGH JACKMAN MOVIES, WITH “THE” but I knew that PRESTIGE, SHEEP DETECTIVES and WOLVERINE were all films and took a gamble that FOUNTAIN was too.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, September 16, 2026, game #1193)

• YELLOW: ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTS: LATIN, LONG JOHN SILVER, MARIGOLD, STEAM IRON
• GREEN: STARTING WITH U.S. COINS: DIMENSION, NICKELODEON, PENNYWISE, QUARTERBACK
• BLUE: POETS' MIDDLE NAMES: BARRETT, CARLOS, ST. VINCENT, WADSWORTH
• PURPLE: SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER: BORAT, CLINK, FRANK-N-FURTER, WIDENER

• Fable will have a 60fps performance mode on Xbox Series X
• Playground Games associate game director Craig Littler says it didn't want to compare the PC and Xbox versions
• However, he adds that "It will look great wherever you go"

Playground Games is being a bit cagey about Fable's graphics settings across PC and console, but has confirmed the Xbox Series X version will have a 60fps performance mode.

Fable has been in development for a very long time, but fans can finally expect the fantasy role-playing game (RPG) to launch on February 23, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

While there have been plenty of trailers and, most recently, new gameplay footage showcasing the game, Playground has yet to share the PC specs and how Fable will run on console.

However, during a Q&A session at Gamescom attended by TechRadar Gaming, associate game directors Will Kennedy and Craig Littler did reveal that the game will look "great" on all platforms.

"What we will say is that our approach to all platforms is really the same, in that we want the game to look great wherever you're playing it, and for it to be appropriate for the platform later on," Littler replied when asked to elaborate about the console edition graphics settings.

Without giving away too much, the developer then confirmed that the Xbox Series X version will offer a 60fps performance mode, but said, "I don't really want to get into the like in terms of what PC versus Xbox will be like."

"It will look great wherever you go," he added.

In the same interview, Playground also confirmed that Fable will take up to 20 hours to beat, but promises the game's life systems offer "limitless" replayability.

• Diablo 5 will tell stories of the past, present, and future, the latter of which Blizzard calls "terror forming"
• Players can visit biomes that are taken over by Diablo's Dread Commanders
• Narrative director Jennifer Hepler says these biomes can change depending on who's in charge, and "it's a whole new experience" every time you revisit them

Blizzard has confirmed that Diablo 5 will tell stories involving the past, present, and future of Diablo's takeover of Sanctuary, which will visually affect explorable biomes.

The next installment in the isometric dungeon crawler series has been announced and will find players back in the mortal realm of Sanctuary. However, humanity has fallen into an apocalypse and the land has been conquered and reshaped by Diablo and his army.

Speaking to TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon after the game's reveal, senior game director Joe Shely shared how different Sanctuary will look to players and said they will travel across the Western continent, seeing all different biomes that have been overrun.

Shely said Diablo 5 has "three stories that we're telling" within this changed world: the stories of the past, the time when Diablo took over and when he and his Dread Commanders emerged into Sanctuary, and the "desolation" of the present.

"There are no people around," he said. "There are very few survivors. Occasionally, you may find a human to add to your caravan, and they can bring something to support you."

There's also the future, which is being actively turned into an outpost of hell by Dread Commanders, something that the team has dubbed "terror forming."

"We call it terror forming because these Dread Commanders will actually transform the environment, transform the biome into a version of hell that relates to personal powers and powers at station," Shely explained.

Players will be able to revisit these occupied areas, and if a different Dread Commander is stationed there, "it's going to look totally different."

"The procedural world gives us a lot of levers to pull for that," added narrative director Jennifer Hepler. "You can go to a place, and it is under the control of the Dread Commander of Undeath, and it's going to be full of zombies and things like that. And then later in the game, you could return there, and it's either been reclaimed by humanity or taken over by a different Dread Commander, and the environment will be totally different as a result of that.

"So each time you go somewhere, it's a whole new experience and just constant new discoveries."

Diablo 5 is in development and is slated to launch in Spring 2029.

When I first saw the IKEA x Xbox collaboration at this year's Gamescom, I was struck by two conflicting ideas.

With its multi-functional side table, TV stand, and decorative controller box, this is some smartly made furniture with some genuinely helpful uses. Then, with a thumbstick stool and a D-pad cushion, it's also one of the silliest things I've seen.

Taken as a whole, you can see it's a mix of the playful and the practical. After I spoke to designers at both IKEA and Xbox at the show, it turns out that was the point all along.

"That was present throughout the journey because it's important," explained Philip Dilé, product developer for IKEA of Sweden. "Playing games is playful; it is fun. Solving people's needs connected to that can be very functional and practical. We tried to balance that, for sure.

"We wanted to make things that are relevant for people who play games. Something that reflects you, or that you feel allows you to express yourself...but the object itself is a beautiful piece of home furnishing."

It's a philosophy echoed by Carl Ledbetter, partner head of design at Xbox: "Just like when we design a console, it can be as quiet as people want it. They can put it back and let it recede into their environment. Or they can pull it forward and have it be very expressive. And I think some of those same qualities are in these products in the YXSTABY collection."

Ledbetter used the controller display box and the TV stand as examples of this. With the former, it's ideal for enthusiast gamers who like to collect controllers and show off their favorite designs in a dedicated gaming space. Meanwhile, with the latter, it serves a "dual life" — whether it's sitting in the corner while you're watching shows and movies, or wheeled front and centre for an intense gaming session.

"That was a big part of our philosophy: how do we make products that can adapt to how people want to use them? Either be as expressive as possible, or just be part of your world," summarised Ledbetter.

You can see that approach clearly in all of the more practical products from the collection.

Take the side table. Closed up and next to your sofa, it could be mistaken for another piece of clean and minimalist furniture you'd find in IKEA. Open up the sliding doors on the front, though, and inside there's space specifically designed to store controllers, headsets, and battery packs — plus the all-important cable management and power connectivity options you need to keep your tech charged between sessions.

"This came up time and time again: cable management, charging stuff — where do you put it when you're done? People don't want it all over the place," said Ledbetter.

And Dilé agreed: "We looked at it from the perspective of: what does gaming throughout the home look like? Because, of course, people play at their desks, in the living room, on the couch. In so many different ways. For us, it was important to cater for a lot of these different needs.

"And there's one never-ending challenge working for IKEA: cable management. It always comes up over and over again. I think it's a very real frustration for people.

"Take the TV stand, for example. Yeah, you need to have the console there; you need to have somewhere to charge the controllers, somewhere to put a headset. That was one of the benefits of working together with someone like Xbox that knows gaming, and the hardware, and the players. That made the brief really, really clear."

And even though designing for gamers was a big part of their brief, both teams were also well aware that they wanted products that a non-gamer would be happy to live in their home. This meant offering something that wasn't bedazzled with RGB lighting and garish colors.

"You need to cater for gamers, but also for non-gamers or people who are living with gamers, or people who want to have the functionality but still want to have a nice home," said Dilé.

"[We wanted to create] things that maybe your spouse or the people you live with also want to put in your home. These aren't just things that you accept because of your hobby. That was an important balance for us.

"There are so many people who play games, so it’s incredibly diverse. We really wanted to showcase that you can have that [gaming] experience and still have beautiful products that blend into your home to create a nice environment that you want to live in."

That led Ledbetter to reminisce about the first meeting between both parties, where they both discovered they shared very similar design philosophies and were keen to get both of their respective design teams together to bounce around ideas.

The result is this YXSTABY collection — nine products encompassing everything from stools, seats and cushions, to TV stands, storage and display cases — set to launch in October later this year. A weird and wonderful mix of items that speak to both the fun side of gaming and the practical needs in the home.

Ledbetter summed up his hopes for the collection as follows: "Think about it: we create these controllers, and we sell millions of controllers, but we're not in charge of the controller’s home. We make the controller, and then where does it go? We don’t know. So, now, there's this opportunity between IKEA and Xbox to build that home. It felt like a completion of that journey."

Indie games have arguably become a cornerstone of PC gaming, even more so with modern-day entries becoming huge hits such as Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and a superhero surprise from developer Adhoc, Dispatch.

In comes Blackwood, a cinematic third-person action indie, set in New York in 2012. You play as Anton Blackwood, an ordinary DVD store owner by day and an assassin by night, taking on contracts and dealing with the challenge of balancing two lives at once.

After playing two hours of Act 1 (the only one available so far) during my short preview at Gamescom 2026, I can see Blackwood's promise. It's quite evident what developer AttritoM7 Productions is aiming for with its gun-fu style gameplay, heavily focused on explosive, cinematic enemy takedowns, intense gun fights, and stylish maneuvers.

Blackwood is very clearly inspired by classic martial arts and gun-fu movies, notably John Wick, and even borrows elements from classic games like Dead to Rights and Max Payne. Players can either choose to challenge enemies in a gung-ho play style, rushing out and executing different takedowns you can pick before setting out on a mission.

A more tactical approach is also possible, staying in cover and strictly going for headshots only (fitting for a John Wick-styled game), which would perfectly suit the hardest game difficulty.

Blackwood nails enemy takedowns, which is easily the one aspect that will keep me coming back to replay missions I can once Act 1 is complete. (Video Credit: AttritoM7 Productions)

The takedowns swiftly shifting straight back into gunplay are where Blackwood absolutely shines, and I can't go without stressing how impressed I am with what AttritoM7 developers were able to pull off there. In so many sequences, I was instantly taken back to those iconic moments in John Wick movies, where Keanu Reeves pulls no punches.

Ultimately, what holds Blackwood back is jankiness in combat, especially during hand-to-hand encounters. During multiple scenarios, there are bugs and stiffness in certain animations from Anton and enemies that I couldn't ignore.

Controlling Anton can be a struggle sometimes, as certain button prompts are unresponsive while in cover, and since enemies can flank the player, that unresponsiveness can lead to some pretty frustrating deaths.

The weapon recoil feels great, and I can see that AttritoM7 designed Blackwood's gunplay to have players make every shot count — which is especially important, since preparing for missions requires you to purchase ammunition with dirty money earned from fulfilling contracts.

However, I set aim assist to its lowest level (minimal), and it felt like the reticle was fighting against my control of the joystick — and it also doesn't help that the ultrawide field of view resolution desperately needs adjusting.

The opening street shootout was a great way to kick the game off, and I very quickly learned that enemies are unforgiving, requiring the player to be wary of a gung-ho playstyle. (Video Credit: AttritoM7 Productions)

Some of the audio in both combat and some NPC dialogue feels a bit out of place too, particularly during one of the early contract missions in a subway station. There are many elements like this, especially involving animations (notably Anton's run and other NPCs' movements), that end up impacting immersion.

Fortunately, while Blackwood isn't launching in early access, its remaining Acts will be released later for free (for existing owners), with Act 2 planned for March 2027 and Act 3 in September 2027 on Steam. Hopefully, with the release of the following content, patches can be made to significantly tweak and adjust those pain points.

Blackwood is a very promising game and has plenty of opportunity to shine among some of the best indie games available. However, it's a little rough around the edges at the moment, and a few steps away from realizing its potential.

• The PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct airs this Sunday, September 20, at 9am PT / 12 noon ET / 5pm BST
• You can catch the show live on PC Gamer, YouTube, Twitch, Steam, and many more places
• It's going to be a 90-minute show with more than 10 world premieres and will feature more than 35 games

The PC Gaming show Tokyo Direct returns later this week and will feature a whole host of gaming announcements, reveals, and developer interviews.

Airing on Sunday, September 20, at 9am PT / 12 noon ET / 5pm BST / 1am JST (Monday), it will be presented by Frankie Ward.

There's a plethora of different places that you can watch the show online, with all of PC Gamer YouTube, Twitch, X, GamesRadar+, Steam, Bilibili, eCLUTCH, Ginx, ESR Network, Kuaishou, plus many more streaming the Tokyo Direct show.

You can use the YouTube link below to set a reminder — as well as bookmark it for later, of course.

In terms of what we can expect to see in the show, we already know that we'll see more than 35 games from the likes of Devolver Digital, Firefly Studios, The Game Bakers, Total Mayhem Games, Veewo Games, and WuselFaktory, and many more.

There's also going to be more than 10 world premieres, a new trailer for Firefly Studios' real-time strategy game Stronghold 4, a release date reveal of Virtue and a Sledgehammer from Devolver Digital, and a deep dive into New Blood Interactive's retro survival horror game Tenebris Somnia.

You can watch the trailer below if you want a visual teaser for the show, too!

It's time for TechRadar's annual tech awards, and this year we're doing it differently. For the first time, we have a complete set of categories where the winners are chosen 100% by you, the TechRadar readers.

The TechRadar Readers' Choice Awards 2026 comprises nearly 100 categories, but we know that not everyone is interested in voting in every one, so on this page you can vote in just our Computing and Gaming categories.

These include laptops, PC gaming peripherals, console accessories, monitors, gaming services and more. You can vote in the survey just below — or follow the links to see other specific categories, or to vote on the full list instead.

The shortlists were chosen by TechRadar's editors based on the best products we've tested or the most popular products of the year. You'll need to vote before 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026 for it to be counted.

• All categories
• Phones & Cameras
• TV & Audio
• Fitness & Home Tech

Once the deadline has passed at 00:01am PST / 03:01am EST / 08:01am BST on Wednesday October 7th 2026, we'll tally your votes to find the winners in each category.

We'll announce the winners in our big TechRadar Awards 2026 Week, starting Monday October 19th. We'll reveal the winners of the Reader's Choice Awards, as well as the winners of our TechRadar Product of the Year Awards, which are chosen solely by our expert judges.

How many products will do the double? We'll be curious to see — but right now, all you can do is vote for what you think should win, so vote away!

• Sony has revealed two new PlayStation headsets
• They're intended to supersede the previous PlayStation Pulse models
• There's no word on pricing yet

Sony has just unveiled the "next line of PS5 audio products" with two new PlayStation Pulse wireless gaming headsets.

Both models are intended to supersede the old PlayStation Pulse Elite, which was released in 2024. The new PlayStation Pulse Edge boasts custom planar magnetic drivers that deliver "studio-inspired" sound and has eight magnets under the hood.

It comes with a detachable boom mic offering AI noise rejection alongside a USB Type-C adapter and premium carrying case.

Major features include built-in volume controls that integrate with the console's operating system, a game audio and chat balance slider, and active noise cancellation.

The upcoming PlayStation Pulse, in contrast, is positioned as a more entry-level model. It cuts the number of driver magnets down to four, which likely means less bass and reduced clarity. There's no boom mic either, so you need to rely on an integrated microphone instead.

It also loses the game audio and chat balance feature, lacks active noise cancellation, and isn't bundled with any kind of case.

Sony has been quite cagey about pricing, with no word on how much either model will cost on the official PlayStation Blog. This makes it hard to determine whether this refreshed line will offer good value, especially given the abundance of excellent headsets currently offered by third-party brands like SteelSeries and Corsair.

We do know that both models will be available in both white and black, however, and will hit shelves early next year.

They will also connect to the PlayStation Portal out of the box, thanks to their native PlayStation Link compatibility.

Every now and then, a game comes along that doesn’t just entertain and engage me — it totally enraptures me. It stands as a pure work of art that reminds me of exactly why I love this medium and captures the essence of a book you just can’t put down. For me, that’s exactly what Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is — an engrossing experience that I simply can’t get enough of.

This Nintendo Switch 2-exclusive tactical JRPG offers a combination of excellent turn-based combat and rewarding exploration, alongside captivating storytelling and a great cast of characters. And its sheer scale cannot be understated — I’ve spent north of 200 hours in Fortune’s Weave, and there’s still so much more I have to see.

I’ve played through each of the four Flame Lords’ paths and taken the battle to the demonic god Balor, and I’ve got a number of thoughts about gameplay, visuals, and narrative to share. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at why Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games you can play right now.

Four paths converge

I won’t get into the weeds of the premise in Fortune’s Weave, but to sum up, you’re able to play as four heroes, known as the Flame Lords, as they compete in a grand arena event known as the Heroic Games. The champion of the Games will be granted a wish of their choosing by Divine Sovereign, Solel, who rules over the land of Dagda and its capital, Dagsion.

After completing the brief prologue — which acts as a solid tutorial for newcomers — you can select any of the Flame Lords’ paths and play through them in any order you like from a central hub area. This approach works nicely, as you don’t have to replay the prologue each time you start a new journey, and you’re able to dip in and out of each story as you please.

This makes up Part I of the game, which was probably my favorite overall. Although some cutscenes and quests are the same across the four stories, they still feel distinct and gripping in their own right. Each pathway has a distinct tone and feeling to it, with each Flame Lord having a deeply personal ambition and a unique set of close allies. For instance, the vengeful and skilful Leda is joined by the womanizing bard Sirocco and protective warrior Buccar, whereas Dietrich is partnered with the excitable Esmeralda and bizarre and eccentric missionary, Fabio.

The core cast of characters is truly excellent, but you’ll also be able to recruit more allies as you progress the story, including foes you face in the Heroic Games and parties of interest across Dagsion. Many of these units can be recruited across all four stories, though their recruitment requirements often vary, which encouraged me to experiment with different characters across different stories.

What makes the multi-path system click is that you’ll uncover revelations in one story that answer questions — or even pose new ones — about events in one of the other paths. There are plenty of twists and turns — some perhaps more obvious than others — which change the way you perceive certain characters and add substantial depth to units that may seem less significant on some paths than others.

This cross-path storytelling is done really well, and the narrative is strong, more generally. I won’t spoil anything, but it’s got its fair share of shock instances, touching moments, and character development that help it to hit — and if not, exceed — the standards that the series has set thus far.

Gameplay-wise, things are kept pretty fresh too. Each Flame Lord has specific abilities that they can make use of on the world map and beyond, with Dietrich able to battle warriors and learn their combat arts, Leda capable of holding performances to unlock unique materials, Theodora able to recruit warriors to assign battalions, and Cai skilled enough to wrangle mounts for himself and his allies.

And luckily, all of this comes together nicely in the latter parts of the game. While Part I is more individually tailored to each Flame Lord and their journey through the Heroic Games, paths begin to converge in Part II, known as the War Arc. Again, I won’t spoil anything here, but Part II offers far less variation across each pathway, but there are still some interesting differences in dialogue, and the way you approach battles will likely change considerably.

I loved how the enormity of Fortune’s Weave came together in Part III, though. Here, you’ll be able to unite all of the Flame Lords beside the game’s true protagonist, you. It’s awesome that you’re able to make use of all of the heroes’ unique abilities and even re-recruit old units for the final battle against the demonic lord, Balor.

Being able to bring all of your units, inventory, and abilities into a singular, epic finale is incredibly rewarding and makes building the ultimate army even more enjoyable.

I see grids in my sleep

Let’s delve a bit more deeply into gameplay, which, as you’d expect, is outstanding in Fortune’s Weave.

For the most part, you’ll be battling on classic grid-based battlefields. Honestly, I’ve fought on these so many times I’m starting to see them in my dreams. It's that classic turn-based Fire Emblem that you know and love, with some returning features, like Combat Arts (which provide benefits in exchange for weapon durability) and gambits (in Theodora’s path), for instance.

But there are new mechanics too, like Blaze Arts, which are unique to specific units. By sacrificing HP, Blaze Arts enable you to deal more damage, move further, buff allies, and more. The health trade-off means they don’t feel like a cheat code, and they also fill a blaze gauge, which will burst at a certain point, forcing you to work with reduced HP for the rest of the map.

Standard battles feel brilliantly balanced, and I never felt that difficulty spikes were too severe or that I had to grind much to push past my opponent. When you do want to grind, though, you can enter into a skirmish against foes on the world map, or try your luck in a dungeon.

Dungeons work a bit differently, and you’ll move around a 3D area to face foes in Clash Battles. These are a bit different and combine light action segments with more traditional turn-based JRPG combat rather than tactical grid-based battles. I think that they’re a great option if you want a break from the usual maps and want a faster-paced method for gaining experience or class proficiency for your units.

That’s not to say that the standard maps aren’t engaging though; quite the opposite. There’s some excellent map variety, and some battles will ask more of you than just routing the enemy. In some cases, I had to defeat more giants than my opponents, rescue defenseless citizens from a huge serpent, or even collect missing cargo before thieves made off with it. Battlefields are also delightfully diverse throughout the heroic games, and become even grander as the stakes rise towards the back end of the game.

If at any point you’re struggling, you can make use of Blessings, enabling you to rewind to a previous turn, increase your strength, or reduce the cost of Combat Arts, for example. I kept usage of these to a minimum, as I was playing on the slightly more gracious Normal/Casual difficulty. But there’s also a Hard mode, and you can play Classic (where units are permanently lost when they fall in battle), where Blessings will likely feel a bit more necessary.

All in all, combat is incredibly addictive, varied, and offers impressive depth. Building a squad with the right balance in terms of classes and weapons is massively satisfying, and breaking things up with a bit of dungeon crawling keeps the experience feeling fluid and fun for the game’s full runtime. And given that we’re talking about a title that will take you well over 100, if not 200, hours to finish, that’s an impressive feat in itself.

Beyond the battlefield

Before I wrap up, I want to touch on my experience with Fortune’s Weave outside of battle. There’s quite a bit to do, both within the capital, Dagsion, and in the land of Dagda more broadly.

Dagsion has all of the stuff you’d expect. A training ground to boost your aptitude with specific weapons, a shopping district, an inn for viewing support conversations and restoring motivation (which is used for training and increasing your Blessings level), and an area where you can take an exam for whatever class you want to be.

A lot of your time in Fortune’s Weave will be spent using these facilities to increase your weapon levels, boost support with your allies, and acquire better equipment.

If I were to nitpick, I’d argue that the support grind can become a little tiresome for some units. If you want to recruit a new ally who requires a high support level, it can take quite some time to fill the gauge and add them to your team, though some are easier to add to your roster than others.

There are more things to do, though, like going to the Theater, taking a bath at the Thermae spa, and accepting subquests from distressed townsfolk. Perhaps the most unusual option, however, is Bird Time.

Here, you can feed the Pale Raven (the main protagonist in bird form) to increase your support level for later in the game. Is it a bit goofy? Yeah. Does it get a bit repetitive? Sure. But I kinda love the feeling of getting that sweet ‘perfect bird time’ message when you have a successful interaction with your ally.

Outside of Dagsion, you can enter the aforementioned dungeons, search for materials, enter into some smaller hub areas, and speak with wandering merchants. The world map is easy to navigate, but you’ll only have a set amount of time to explore before the day of the Main Quest arrives. This helps the game to maintain good pacing throughout, and while there’s a ton to explore, it’s broken up with main story goodness in healthy intervals, in my view.

On a technical level, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is pretty solid too. It keeps a lot of the enticing visual style seen in Fire Emblem: Three Houses, but being a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, there’s a clear step-up in terms of resolution, and character models look excellent too. Be it Fortuna, whose vibrant hair pops with eye-catching yellow, or the striking, rich reds of Bertrand, the White-Maned Demon’s clothing, I found myself impressed by the visuals pretty consistently.

Some background textures do look a bit basic, however, and while the game runs smoothly, it’s not targeting a silky 60fps (but this never bothered me, personally).

I also want to shout out the game’s excellent soundtrack, which is more eclectic than you may think. There’s the classic orchestral-style stuff, which creates a real sense of grandeur and high stakes, but there are also spacey, synth-led tunes in the temples, which create ambience and intrigue, as well as electronic music with pumping bass in some mysterious hidden areas.

On the topic of sound, the voice acting is exceptional in Fortune’s Weave. You feel each character’s unmistakable personality through just about every performance, and this only makes you feel more attached to your units. The perfect example is Fabio, whose voice acting is just as outlandish and unusual as you’d hope for the character, though he also has some authentic, impassioned emotional scenes that stole the show. Great stuff all round.

To conclude, then, Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave is a masterful tactical JRPG that has it all. Addictive, depth-filled combat, fresh mechanics, a well-paced, multi-layered story, and a likeable cast of characters. It hypnotized me from minute one, all the way to the end, and its careful balance of tight turn-based gameplay and exploration really worked for me. As things stand, I consider Fortune’s Weave to not only be among the best Fire Emblem games in recent memory, but also the best game on the Nintendo Switch 2 thus far.

Whatever you do, don’t skip this one.

Should you play Fire Emblem Fortune’s Weave?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility features

There are a handful of ways to customize your experience in Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave. You can make UI adjustments, like altering the size of the battle minimap, toggling the grid display on and off, you can personalize camera controls and sensitivity, and choose from a number of different subtitle languages.

There’s even an Enemy Masking mode that changes the appearances of insectile enemies if you have arachnophobia or entomophobia. There is no colorblind mode, or similar.

How I reviewed Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

I spent just over 200 hours with Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave, during which time I played through the main story (including each of the Flame Lords’ individual paths), completed just about every subquest, and recruited countless allies.

For the most part, I played in docked mode, with my Nintendo Switch 2 connected to my Sky Glass Gen 2 TV and Marshall Heston 120 soundbar. However, I did dip into handheld mode now and then, and usually had my Sennheiser CX 80U wired earbuds connected when playing on the go.

More generally, I’ve spent years reviewing gaming software, hardware, and accessories here at TechRadar, where I serve as a Senior Reviews Writer. I’ve covered all sorts of titles, from Switch 2 exclusives like Kirby Air Riders and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book to RPGs such as Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake and Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles.

I've also played a number of Fire Emblem titles, including Awakening, The Blazing Blade, and Three Houses.

• StarCraft general manager and creative director Dan Hay says the series' stories and characters are "remarkably topical" today
• Hay says StarCraft and the real world are both like a "frontier"
• He adds that while StarCraft is science fiction, its "themes and characters" are very similar to "the headlines in our world"

StarCraft general manager and creative director Dan Hay has compared real-world events to the series' stories and characters, calling them "remarkably topical."

In a sit-down interview with TechRadar Gaming following the reveal of StarCraft, a first-person, open-world shooter slated to arrive in 2030, Hay discussed the CGI trailer that debuted at BlizzCon and explained that the team wanted to portray the "tension" that will come with this new story-driven adventure.

The developer also said that building the "stakes" was just as important; he couldn't dive too much into the narrative details, but Hay touched on the series as a whole and its storylines that explore "imperfect" characters, suggesting the new StarCraft will examine similar topics.

"The way in which you are a hero is that you are going to learn how to become one," Hay said. "The way in which you are a hero is that you are going to learn how to become one. So it's not perfect, right? And that's the thing about StarCraft: a lot of the characters are not perfect; they're imperfect, and even the villains are.

"They have an idea of what you think they are at the beginning of the game, and then by the end of the game, you realize, oh, they were something completely different. And I think what's powerful about StarCraft."

Hay continued, saying that when you look at StarCraft's stories and the characters you meet, they're "remarkably topical" to the events unfolding in the real world.

"When you think about our world today, and you think about what is StarCraft? It's a bit of a frontier," he said. "It's obviously a frontier. There's asymmetry in terms of factions that don't agree with each other. There's brinkmanship going on where one faction is being used against another. [In] a lot of cases, it's just over resources.

"A lot of the cases there's politics, and there's intrigue, and there are people being left behind and betrayed, and when you look at that, and then you look at the headlines in our world, it's not super far [apart] in terms of how it feels sometimes. So you feel that tension, and you felt that tension in the teaser [trailer]."

Hay concluded: "I think what's remarkable about StarCraft is that it feels real, and it feels like it translates quite easily into today. And even though it's science fiction, and even though it has this sense of being in this other universe, it feels very close in terms of themes and characters and moments that you could experience today."

• StarCraft's first-person perspective will offer a new sort of "tension"
• General manager and creative director Dan Hay says the tension is "subtly different" from the original RTS game
• Since the game is in first-person, "You have to protect yourself"

StarCraft general manager and creative director Dan Hay has explained the process of designing a new game in first-person, revealing that "tension" was crucial.

Blizzard's next StarCraft game won't be a real-time strategy (RTS) title, but a story-driven, open-world first-person shooter, which will be a fresh direction for the beloved series.

Hay, who discussed the game's inspirations with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon, explained that because of the new perspective, this meant the team had to think carefully about how to manage a combat system, the world, and enemies of StarCraft in a new way, while still being faithful and familiar to the original RTS game.

"The combat has to feel very, very clean and dangerous and mean and dark," Hay said. "I think StarCraft does that well. The mood is dark, but also, in a strange way, hopeful."

Without giving away too many details, the developer said that the team has to make the enemies the player is fighting "feel real" while also balancing the challenge of what it's like being inside 10-foot armour that weighs 1000 pounds.

"It's because the thing that's out there is going to try and shuck me like an oyster," he continued. "The thing that's out there is going to try and just flay me open, and eat my insides. And so we have to build it in such a way that it all makes sense, which means when you move, when you attack, when you shoot, it has to feel real, and then whatever it is that's attacking you — which we all know what's probably going to be attacking you — it has to feel like it's an onslaught where you have to stem the tide, you have to figure out a way to stop that biomass from attacking you, and it has to feel real."

Hay said the "key" to designing this experience was "tension," which players got a glimpse of in the CGI trailer, adding that it's the same tension from the RTS "but it's subtly different."

In the RTS game, players would be confronted with a wall of Zerg enemies, and that would be the tension, but in StarCraft, a first-person experience, the top-down perspective is gone.

"Now your boots on the ground," Hay said. "We have to give you the tension of deployment, and you saw us actually do that in the teaser, and then we have to give you the tension of there not being a whole bunch of marines around that you can just go through. It's you. You have to protect yourself. You have to figure out how to fix your armor. You have to figure out how to push back against it.

"Every shot matters. Everything you do matters. So the tension feels even greater."

StarCraft is currently in development and is set to arrive in 2030.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember feels like a massive step up from its predecessor, purely from a combat standpoint. With a large variety of weapons to use, several character and weapon abilities to unlock, and armor to find while exploring, there's so much to look forward to at launch.

I played a demo of Koei Tecmo's upcoming title via the Xbox booth at Gamescom 2026, and was left thrilled by just how approachable Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember feels. As a soulslike, it can certainly be punishing, especially when fighting foes above your character's level.

However, Koei Tecmo has given players more than enough ways to battle, with different deflect combinations, standard blocking, and smooth movement for evading in and out of danger zones during combat.

Using the new nunchucks weapon felt like I was stepping into Bruce Lee's shoes, easily flying through standard enemies and deflecting their unblockable attacks. The finishers and overall speed of combat are very much PlayStation 2-esque, almost reminiscent of the stylish combos and animations in Capcom's God Hand.

Enemies often spam unblockable attacks, but the great thing is the attack patterns are very well designed, as they're easy to react to without unfair or nearly indecipherable movements — which is an issue I've had with most soulslike games over the years.

Similar to many soulslike games, though, Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember encourages players to build a build that caters to a specific play style, specifically based on which weapon one decides to use.

Levelling up different elements like wood, fire, water, earth, or metal virtues increased specific base character stats, element abilities, and ultimately improved proficiency with particular weapons.

Since I used wooden nunchucks throughout my playtime, I chose to upgrade the wood virtue, which aided me with more damage against enemies.

If you're fast enough at deflecting, Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember features some of the most satisfying back-and-forth combat against regular enemies and mini-bosses, and that's right up my alley. (Video Credit: Koei Tecmo)

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember carries the levelling system from its predecessor and builds upon it, but the additional aspects to combat elevate it to a far more exciting level.

I never finished the first entry, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, but I was already very impressed by its fast-flowing gameplay and accessibility, which Koei Tecmo looks to be doubling down on in this sequel.

Story sequences were kept short in my preview, but honestly, gameplay is where the focus is with Koei Tecmo's upcoming entry. If my short demo is anything to go by, I can only expect Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember to deliver for stylish combat fanatics like me when it launches early in 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1193) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• FRANK-N-FURTER
• LATIN
• CLINK
• PENNYWISE
• WADSWORTH
• NICKELODEON
• BORAT
• LONG JOHN
• SILVER
• ST. VINCENT
• STEAM IRON
• WIDENER
• DIMENSION
• QUARTERBACK
• CARLOS
• MARIGOLD
• BARRETT

NYT Connections today (game #1193) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Metallic final
• GREEN: Begin with currency
• BLUE: Middling wordsmiths
• PURPLE: Hot dogs etc

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1193) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTS
• GREEN: STARTING WITH U.S. COINS
• BLUE: POETS' MIDDLE NAMES
• PURPLE: SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1193) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1193, are…

• YELLOW: ENDING IN METAL ELEMENTS: LATIN, LONG JOHN SILVER, MARIGOLD, STEAM IRON
• GREEN: STARTING WITH U.S. COINS: DIMENSION, NICKELODEON, PENNYWISE, QUARTERBACK
• BLUE: POETS' MIDDLE NAMES: BARRETT, CARLOS, ST. VINCENT, WADSWORTH
• PURPLE: SAUSAGES PLUS A LETTER: BORAT, CLINK, FRANK-N-FURTER, WIDENER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Fail

This is the first game of Connections I’ve lost in months, so hopefully I wasn’t the only one to find it confusing.

The main reason for my downfall was the actor Tim Curry, as I knew that he had starred as Dr FRANK-N-FURTER in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and as PENNYWISE in Stephen King's It. After three attempts at forming a Tim Curry group (I have subsequently discovered that he also played a character called WADSWORTH in the film version of Clue) I changed tack and spotted STARTING WITH U.S. COINS.

With just eight tiles left I should have got over the line. Alas, utterly in the dark, I connected four random tiles and accepted my loss.

Kudos if you completed this very hard game.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, September 15, 2026, game #1192)

• YELLOW: INSTRUCT: COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN
• GREEN: PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE: HANDLE, LID, SPOUT, WHISTLE
• BLUE: UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE: ASSET, MOLE, PLANT, SLEEPER
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END: CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE

• Diablo 5 will have features inspired by Diablo 2 and Diablo 2: Resurrected
• Senior game director Joe Shely says the team was able to look at Resurrected for modern inspiration because it's so recent
• He says the team can "look at it through today's lens"

Diablo 5 senior game director Joe Shely has said that the success of Diablo 2: Resurrected has enabled Blizzard to use the game as modern inspiration for the upcoming sequel.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon following Diablo 5's announcement, Shely shared how previous games helped the team find modern inspiration for Diablo 5.

Instead of going back 20 years and just looking at Diablo 2, the team used its 2021 remaster, Diablo 2: Resurrected, for ideas. The developer said the game was brought to life thanks to the passionate fanbase, and the continued work on it has benefited Diablo 5's development.

"Certainly we've been very happy with the response to Diablo 2: Resurrected," Shely said. "The reason that Diablo 2: Resurrected exists is because of the continued passion of players in the first place, because of the continued passion of players for Diablo 2, and so both the honor of having a game that players love and the ability to add new content to it has given us the opportunity to look at it in terms of inspiration."

Resurrected's itemization system, from weapons, loot, and armor, is one of the core features that Blizzard used as inspiration; Shely also said the game's modern features were just as important because it was created and released so recently.

"Because Diablo 2: Resurrected exists today alongside Diablo 4, we can look at it through today's lens, and not just have to go back to, you know, 20 years ago, and think about how to bring lessons forward from 20 years ago. We can bring lessons from D2, but lessons from today."

Diablo 5 is in development and launches in Spring 2029.

• StarCraft general manager says that approaching the concept of scale was one of the biggest challenges in switching to the shooter genre
• The shift from real-time strategy to an open world also introduced a huge change in perspective
• But one of the biggest individual challenges was simple

The next StarCraft game will shift to an entirely new genre, jumping from real-time strategy (RTS) to an open-world shooter. The change led to some broad development challenges — as well as some very specific ones.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon 2026, when asked about the development challenges in taking the RTS to another genre, StarCraft general manager Dan Hay gave one very particular example: "Was there a specific challenge? Doors."

Yes, doors. Literal doors.

"If you're 10 feet tall and you're wearing something that weighs 1,000 pounds, doors are a challenge, and we had to figure out how to make our doors [work in] that perspective," described Hay. "It's like, how does it all work?"

Hay went on to say that devs need to make "sure that the world feels logical" and that it "doesn't feel weird" to players.

Hay added: "You've got to be able to play with that perspective, and so from the standpoint of building the world and making sure that the world was logical, and that when I walked up to a door it [opened] and also worked for somebody who's in armor or not".

Beyond the simple challenge of doors, however, Hay did add that size and spectacle were a sticking point: "I think you got to think about scale, right? Because the moment you adjust a perspective, [everything] looks completely different to us".

Annalee Hartling, associate manager of development operations for StarCraft, went on to talk about the sense of scale being very impactful.

"When I saw the trailer, the most impactful portion of it for me was the barracks. The barracks flying in and seeing it from the perspective of every nook and cranny, not looking at it from above.

"I'm not seeing just the top of it. I'm looking at it from the point of view of it landing landing [in front of me], and those jets are going to come out, and the feet are going to come out, and they're going to they're going to touch the ground."

That sense of perspective and scale in an open-world shooter game was "incredibly powerful for a player," said Hartling. "It's emotional, it's fascinating, and it's beautiful," they continued.

StarCraft is set to launch in 2030.

Update - Discord now says that it has implemented a fix and that services are recovering. The rest of the story remains as originally published below.

• The gaming chat service Discord appears to have gone down
• Users are reporting that the app is not loading
• Discord says there are problems affecting availability right now

Popular gaming chat service Discord appears to have gone down, with many users reporting that they are currently unable to access the app on social media.

It's unclear which regions are affected right now, but here in the UK, I can no longer open the desktop application. The mobile app seems to be functioning properly, though, and I am able to both send and receive messages for the time being.

Those in the US also appear to be having problems, with many taking to X in order to voice their frustrations.

"Discord went down as soon as I was about to text somebody," wrote one user in a post that has already racked up hundreds of likes.

Another quipped: "This is devastating for people who don't take showers."

At the beginning of this apparent outage, the official Discord status page reported that all servers were operational. It has since been updated to report an issue with "session availability" and states that the team is currently investigating.

It's unclear how long these issues will last, though I would recommend using alternative chat services for the time being until service has been fully restored.

This story is developing and will be updated shortly.

• IGN asked Valve if the RAM crisis would impact the Steam Deck 2
• Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais said "not really", but added: "It's just a matter of looking at the current conditions and seeing how and when we can deliver"
• This is effectively saying that the spec won't be compromised, but the release timeframe might slide

Valve is sticking with its plan for the Steam Deck 2 in terms of ensuring that the sequel will be a proper generational leap compared to the existing handheld.

IGN interviewed Valve engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais (along with Jeff Leinbaugh) and brought up the subject of whether the RAM crisis – which appears to be intensifying in an unpleasant manner as this year rolls on – would affect the Steam Deck 2.

When asked if the memory supply shortage had changed Valve's plans for the sequel of the Steam Deck, Griffais said "not really", adding "We've talked before about how we want to make sure there's a very delineated performance improvement for something like a future Steam Deck, and I think we're still looking at it in the same way."

Griffais continued: "It's just a matter of looking at the current conditions and seeing how and when we can deliver something like that. But from what we're working on, as far as the user experience goes and what the product that we're trying to build goes, it's very similar goals."

In other words, Valve still wants to make the Steam Deck 2 a major leap in handheld performance, and the only thing that pricier components (not just system RAM, but other elements of the device) will mean is that the "when" of the delivery timing might be altered.

So, I read this as essentially hinting that the release timeframe could be pushed back, but ultimately the spec of any Steam Deck sequel is not going to be messed with due to any component price rises.

Analysis: value is more important than timing

I think this is a sensible stance. Having clearly laid out its stall from the get-go, shortly after the launch of the Steam Deck, in terms of making the sequel a considerably more powerful handheld, Valve can't go back on that really.

Well, it could, but it wouldn't be a good look, and I think this is basically what Griffais is getting at with that key "how and when we can deliver" comment. The Steam Machine being released at a less-than-ideal price hasn't done Valve's reputation any favors, and a lot of gamers have been seriously disappointed with the end result in terms of value there. I don't think that Valve can take the risk of a repeat performance with the Steam Deck 2, as that'd further erode the goodwill of gamers.

Personally, I'd prefer Valve to wait until after the RAM crisis has (mostly) blown over before introducing the Steam Deck sequel – even if that means a long delay, and the memory shortage continues for the rest of this decade (as some are predicting). I'd rather have a performant handheld with a palatable price tag – and wait however long that may take – than something that's expensive arriving sooner.

It sounds like Valve is very much thinking along those same lines, perhaps not surprisingly given that RAM-driven price hikes have reportedly had quite a negative impact on Steam Deck sales in recent times.

• PUBG: Dednet was revealed at Gamescom 2026
• The upcoming shooter has roguelike elements and crazy abilities
• Creative director Dave Curd says the game is meant to bring the franchise "to an audience that hasn't historically connected with it."

Upcoming PUBG: Battlegrounds spinoff Dednet is intended to bring the franchise to a whole new audience. Revealed at Gamescom 2026, Dednet is a multiplayer shooter with a smattering of roguelike elements.

Speaking to TechRadar Gaming at the show, creative director Dave Curd explained how Dednet fits into the wider battle royale franchise.

"We're already getting into what PUBG is as an IP and what makes PUBG, PUBG," he said. "For me, it's not necessarily a closing circle or a level three helmet. PUBG is desperate survival. It's a dark sense of humour. It's survival of the fittest.

"Dednet is kind of my attempt at spreading the gospel of PUBG to an audience that hasn't historically connected with it."

Curd also said that the game is being "developed console first" with matches that unfold at a much faster pace. "We're faster, leaner, and meaner, taking more fights and coming back."

Persistence is an important part of the formula too, with each match progressing you in a way that carries forward into the next.

He continued: "Between every match, you're gaining crazy abilities like sliding like a snake or having blade hands, and you're also gaining funny injuries like fumbling your weapon or sneezing in smoke. All on your way to chase a perfect build."

He described the team's overall mission as "to create an unhinged, f***** up adult sandbox" that allows "players [to] tell interesting stories."

In the same interview, the creative director also touched on how the '90s-inspired multiplayer shooter stands out with its zany abilities and unique style.

Although there's no official release date yet, players can pre-register for the closed beta now for an early taste of the action.

• StarCraft will have the same "gritty" vibes as the original real-time strategy (RTS) game
• General manager and creative director Dan Hay says the game was also influenced by the "interstellar western" of the original
• Associate manager of development operations Annalee Hartling says watching the trailer was "emotional"

StarCraft will adopt the same "gritty" atmosphere of the original real-time strategy (RTS) game, according to Blizzard Entertainment.

If you missed it, a new StarCraft game was announced at BlizzCon 2026, but unlike its predecessors, the title will take a new turn for the franchise and is a story-driven open-world shooter.

Speaking to TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon, StarCraft general manager and creative director Dan Hay discussed the action-packed CGI trailer that debuted at the event and revealed the team's inspirations for the sequel.

"What I loved about StarCraft, the original, was that it was gritty, that it felt like it was on a frontier," Hay said. "It felt like a western. It felt like an interstellar western. That's what it felt like to me."

He continued by reminiscing about his time playing the original RTS game, explaining that he wanted to adapt the experiences he had in the new StarCraft, including the music, characters, and lore.

"From the music, to the characters that I met, to the people that I ran into, to the moments that I had, to the entire lore of it, it felt like a gritty, sometimes dirty, [and] not ] perfect world, and it made the asymmetry of the different factions feel even better because it felt very real. Because our real world has asymmetry to it.

"And so I think leveraging that and putting that into this world was key for us."

Associate manager of development operations Annalee Hartling also shared her reaction to the trailer, saying that the moment you see the barracks flying in and touching down, not from a top-down perspective, but a more intimate angle, was "the most impactful portion of it" for her.

"Living that moment was like my childhood, you know?" Hartling said. "My early days of gaming had come alive. I'm like, 'This is what I've been waiting for.' I wanted to see that and have that emotion of, like, this barracks hitting the ground and then opening up, and I'm able to walk out and look. Oh my goodness, that is incredibly powerful for a player.

"I think, at least from my point of view, it's emotional, it's fascinating, and it's beautiful. So having that perspective of being boots on the ground down there, seeing it all happen, and then whatever else happens to be outside those doors when you come through the barracks."

StarCraft is slated to launch in 2030.

• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis experience director Jeff Adams confirms "no old code exists" for the original 1996 game
• This meant Crystal Dynamics had to build the game from the ground up on Unreal Engine 5
• Adams says the engine also allowed the studio to create its own custom tech for the "reimagining" of the classic title

Crystal Dynamics has explained why it chose to build Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis from the ground up, instead of doing anything close to a remake of the 1996 game, revealing that no source code exists.

In a Q&A at Gamescom following an exclusive presentation that TechRadar Gaming attended, experience director Jeff Adams discussed what he's previously called a "reimagining" of the original Tomb Raider game and what it meant for the development team, who built the game from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5.

"We are in Unreal Engine 5," Adams said, "no old code exists. We are basically taking it and remaking it, or not remaking, reimagining it. We are bringing it from the ground up."

When asked to talk about how effective Unreal Engine 5 has been for the team, Adams explained that it enabled them to "have our own custom implementation for physics in the engine," which means engineering their own features, custom physics, and general upgrades; this made Legacy of Atlantis a true, modern reimagining.

"Unreal creates a really great sandbox platform for building a game, but when we're making a specific type of experience, we're going to have things that we really want to target and get to a right fidelity level where we're happy with it," the developer continued.

"So while things like Nanite and Lumen [UE5's technologies that offer realistic graphics capability] allow us to make a beautiful game environment, there might be some things that we're saying, 'Hey, we wish it could do this a little bit better.' That's when we'll break out and say, our engineers will create something custom that helps solve that issue, so that we can make sure that we're delivering an authentic Tomb Raider experience on Unreal."

He added that Lara Croft's long braid, which reacts to her movement, is "a perfect example of that."

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis launches on February 27, 2027, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1192) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PLANT
• COACH
• WHISTLE
• DESSERT
• HANDLE
• CABOOSE
• DECEMBER
• SLEEPER
• DIRECT
• TRAIN
• LID
• ASSET
• SPOUT
• MOLE
• EPILOGUE
• GUIDE

NYT Connections today (game #1192) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Tell someone what to do
• GREEN: Used to boil water for tea
• BLUE: Secret agent
• PURPLE: Tagged on

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1192) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: INSTRUCT
• GREEN: PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE
• BLUE: UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1192) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1192, are…

• YELLOW: INSTRUCT: COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN
• GREEN: PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE: HANDLE, LID, SPOUT, WHISTLE
• BLUE: UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE: ASSET, MOLE, PLANT, SLEEPER
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END: CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I knew that CABOOSE is the car at the back of a train, but it took me three guesses to get the other three tiles for THINGS THAT APPEAR AT THE END.

My error was including LID and HANDLE instead of DECEMBER. Obvious when you see them all together.

Anyway, I was delighted to score my 54th 'Purple first' despite the struggle to get there.

The other groups were then easier to put together — my lifelong tea addiction and current Slow Horses binge being in my favor with PARTS OF A WHISTLING KETTLE and UNDERCOVER OPERATIVE.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, September 14, 2026, game #1191)

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL
• GREEN: INFORMANT: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW
• PURPLE: ____GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT

• Apple is reportedly working on Beats-branded game controllers for iPhones
• Mark Gurman says Apple has been working on them for almost a year
• Gurman suggests the Beats team is leading on both 'product engineering and conception'

Apple seemingly continues to show its devotion to gaming with something that's in the pipeline for iOS gamers.

As reported by PC Mag, macOS 26.7 code references two unreleased iPhone game controllers, and Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggests Apple has been working on them for almost a year. More importantly, though, Gurman says these controllers could launch under the Beats brand.

The controllers are codenamed T6502 and T1057 according to MacRumors (which discovered the references), with different haptic designs alongside a standard game controller's features. Beats, which was acquired by Apple in 2014, is a brand often used for its own popular audio products (of course), but also for USB-C cables and some iPhone cases.

Now, it appears as though Beats may well represent gaming accessories for Apple going forward, and Gurman claims these controllers are being led by Beats executives in both "product engineering and conception".

It's a potential move that comes at a convenient time for iPhone owners intrigued by gaming, as the RAM crisis continues to impact the PC hardware and games console market. Gurman observes that Apple sees gaming accessories such as those for phones as a "growing market and wants in".

Game controller and speaker hybrid?

If this does indeed happen, it seems somewhat bizarre to have Beats producing game controllers, as it's quite a switch from the traditional audio products. Fortunately though, it opens the door to some surprising designs, and I'm thinking specifically of the audio side of the equation when connecting the purported controllers to an iPhone.

Maybe Beats could look to do something similar to Asus and its ROG Phone AeroActive Coolers, which feature shoulder buttons for gaming alongside a built-in subwoofer for a significant boost in bass and audio quality. No, these ROG peripherals aren't full game controllers, but they effectively illustrate what could be realized with a hybrid speaker and controller combo.

Based on the brief design description from the references found in macOS, alongside Gurman's report, it's hard to say that the rumored peripherals will be anything other than simple controllers. But there are presumably opportunities for clever design twists, particularly given the Beats branding.

If this Beats rumor turns out to be true, it's clear that Apple is looking to serve a market that is growing amid the RAM crisis, and hoping to leverage the accessibility that comes with iPhones for gaming.

• Krafton announced PUBG: Dednet at Gamescom this year
• The '90s-inspired shooter features some bonkers abilities
• "We're kind of finding our own way here," explains game director Dave Curd

Players slithering along the ground like snakes, swords for hands, a tiny doll wielding a power drill driving in a toy car — some of these wild sights seen in the debut trailer for PUBG: Dednet seem completely at odds with the realistic and reserved approach the defining battle royale series is known for. When I bring this up to the game's creative director, Dave Curd, he tells me that is entirely the point.

"If you want to excite and delight people, you have to give them something fresh," he says me in an interview at Gamescom. "If you want a cool, stoic, mil-sim, take your pick; they're everywhere. But what everyone else can't do, and maybe they don't want to, is my take on this world, this lore, these characters, these abilities."

Curd explains that the tone of PUBG: Dednet is like "my version of the 90s filtered through a meatgrinder," and you can certainly see that from the debut trailer. It's zany, over-the-top, and drenched in color, with gunfights taking place in arcades, car chases through rural towns lit up by neon signs, and a grungy, punk vibe throughout. Safe to say, it stands out.

"The audience will forgive almost anything but being bored," suggests Curd. "So, I think this trailer will get a lot of love and hate.

"As long as they're feeling something passionately, I think we've done a good job," he continues. "But if people look past that and their eyes glaze over, then that would be worrying."

While Dednet is still effectively a battle royale, pitting multiple teams of three against each other in a contest to be the last ones standing, it continues to mix things up not just in the tone and character abilities, but also in how your game progresses over time with several roguelite elements.

It starts with the concept of runs, where you might nominate how many wins or placements you can achieve before you hit a certain number of losses. Win or lose, at the end of a match, you're presented with choices that can alter or upgrade your chosen character's abilities and play style.

Perhaps you'll lean into more of a support role to assist your teammates with heals or protection with a riot shield made out of a car door? Or maybe you'll take that aforementioned doll, who can ride on your back into battle or stealthily sit on your opponent's shoulder and be a nuisance.

"I'm pretty confident this isn't going to be in this year's Battlefield update," jokes Curd, when explaining how they came up with abilities like this for the multiplayer shooter. "I think our internal test is: does it make us laugh? Does it sound like an interesting challenge? And do we think about it the next day? We're kind of finding our own way here."

That neatly summarises how Dave Curd and the team are experimenting for PUBG: Dednet to create something unique and interesting in the space. It definitely caught my eye during this year's Gamescom, and if it got your attention too, you can pre-register for the closed beta now.

• Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons has a smaller spell set, each with multiple uses, for controller accessibility
• Invoke studio head Dominic Guay says this also means the combat won't slow down if there were a spell wheel
• He says there's also a bit of "resource management" to spells, and players will need to blend melee and magic combat

Invoke Studios has confirmed that Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons has a smaller spell set, with each spell offering multiple uses, rather than a large variety, mainly for controller accessibility.

That's according to studio head Dominic Guay, who told TechRadar Gaming in an interview at Gamescom that a smaller spell set opened up new playable opportunities, making combat more approachable on a controller while also keeping the action fast-paced.

This meant abandoning a classic spell wheel and narrowing its spell options, so they're all accessible on the gamepad.

"The breakthrough for us, it started with making direct access to these spells on the controller," Guay said. "A lot of games in the past where you had powers or spells, you had a lot of stuff to select from, and that's cool, and that was even our first reflex. But when you do that, you slow things down, and there's a limit to going through a wheel and choosing powers. There's a limit to that."

He added, "By making everything accessible on a controller, we started playing with our spells a lot more."

During the same interview, Guay explained why the team chose a warlock protagonist, saying "creative magic" was central to the story and gameplay.

The studio head also said it was a challenge to manage the game's magic system because, when you consider Dungeons & Dragons, "it can do everything," and Invoke needed to pick its spells wisely.

"Instead of adding like 100 spells, we thought, let's have less, which makes sense for a warlock also," he continued, "and let's make them more multiple-use cases, connect them, one to another. Connect them with some enemies. The way these enemies behave in a challenge."

Spells, which are anchored to magic objects, tomes, monsters, and more, also have their own upgradeable skill trees and can be used alongside melee combat. This creates a "rhythm," with Guay explaining that players can't just stick to long-range spells and will need to go into close quarters with enemies, which works well for protagonist Kaatri, a warrior-turned warlock.

Players can use spells to set up enemies, giving them an "advantage" for critical hits, and there are various ways to do this with different types of enemies.

"There's a bit of resource management too. You can't just do spells forever," Guay said. "There's a point where you're going to be low on ability to cast spells, so you're going to have to get in there at some point."

Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons launches in 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.

• StarCraft is making a shift from the real-time strategy genre to the open-world shooter genre
• The development team realised during early discussions that "we weren't talking about a game from above"
• According to StarCraft general manager Dan Hay, "it was boots on the ground every time" when the team was talking about the game

The process of StarCraft shifting from real-time strategy to open-world shooter emerged naturally from repeated team discussions about "the story we wanted to tell," as well as in-game moments, armor, exploration, discovery, and the desire to experience the world from ground level, according to the game's general manager, Dan Hay.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim, Hay went on to describe the process that will see the series' perspective change entirely in the next StarCraft game: "Every time we drew a picture or every time we talked about it, it was boots on the ground every time."

These conversations then snowballed, gathering up other game features and elements, it seems, which kept the direction of travel going towards taking StarCraft into being a shooter. "We started to talk about perspective and how that's going to work; we started to talk about the armor, and we started to talk about what could attack that armor and how it could rip it apart if it needed to.

"We would talk about things with the characters [too], and we started to very quickly realize we weren't talking about a game from above; we were talking about a game down on the ground where you felt every inch of the game," described Hay.

He added, giving a nod to the narrative in store for players when StarCraft releases, that it was obvious that the game would be "down on the ground, and that just made sense for the story."

But as well as changing the player's perspective from looking down to looking out and around, the team looked at this change for the series to embrace the open-world exploration and discovery aspects of the upcoming game.

"[We wanted to] make sure that there is an opportunity to explore. Make sure that there's an opportunity to discover. See a thing off in the distance and go — 'is that something that I saw from the first game? Is it?' And then head off to it."

StarCraft was teased with a cinematic trailer at BlizzCon 2026 and is slated to release in 2030.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• STRAW
• CRAB
• COOT
• LEMON
• BLUE
• CANARY
• TEAL
• RAT
• LOON
• BAG
• WHEAT
• CUTLERY
• SNITCH
• GOOSE
• STIRRER
• STOOLIE

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Aquatic fowl
• GREEN: Tell-tale
• BLUE: Disposable things
• PURPLE: Add a green word

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS
• GREEN: INFORMANT
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS
• PURPLE: ____GRASS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1191) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1191, are…

• YELLOW: WATERBIRDS: COOT, GOOSE, LOON, TEAL
• GREEN: INFORMANT: CANARY, RAT, SNITCH, STOOLIE
• BLUE: COMMON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ITEMS: BAG, CUTLERY, STIRRER, STRAW
• PURPLE: ____GRASS: BLUE, CRAB, LEMON, WHEAT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

This was a really difficult game for me, although thankfully the frustration didn’t extend beyond the first group.

Seeing COOT and GOOSE I automatically knew we were looking for bird-themed tiles, but I didn’t see that we were looking for WATERBIRDS and kept on trying to include CANARY. I got there eventually though, after remembering that TEAL was a type of duck.

From here, I completed the other groups in difficulty order — although after looking at the four groups afterwards, purple seemed the easiest of the lot.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, September 13, 2026, game #1190)

• YELLOW: LACKING IN FIRMNESS: DROOPY, FLACCID, SAGGING, SLACK
• GREEN: U.S. PRESIDENTS: CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT, MADISON
• BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS: EMPTY, EXCESS, KEWPIE, ODIE
• PURPLE: ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS: DOUBLESPEAK, HEATHCLIFF, PARAMOUNT, PORRIDGE

Drakong Challenger: One-minute review

The Drakong Challenger takes aim at the budget controller market by offering a basic but high-performing pad. On the style front, the Challenger is very much a case of function over form. You’d be hard-pressed to tell it apart from your run-of-the-mill Xbox controller, although the green rings around the thumbsticks are one notable point of difference.

Just like that controller, the Challenger is very comfortable in the hand. It’s also surprisingly well-made, with a solid shell and planted buttons. What’s more, it’s pleasingly light, making it easy to use for long periods. All this makes it one of the best Xbox Controllers at the budget end of the sector in terms of construction.

Although there’s no software to accompany the Challenger, you can assign the back buttons quite easily using the M button. A rumble notifies you when your assignments have been confirmed, which is a useful indicator.

The Challenger impresses in action. The triggers and sticks are as smooth and precise as you would expect from their Hall Effect technology, while the D-pad and face buttons are satisfyingly damped and quick to respond and rebound. The back buttons are a little less tactile, but they suffice nonetheless.

Given how inexpensive it is, you’d seriously have to consider the Challenger over a standard Xbox controller or any other, for that matter, so long as wireless connectivity is something you’re willing to sacrifice.

Drakong Challenger review: Price & availability

• $34.99 (about £25 / AU$50)
• One month of Game Pass Ultimate included
• Good price-to-performance ratio

The Drakong Challenger costs $34.99 (about £25 / AU$50) and is available now. It comes with a USB-C cable, as well as a code for a one-month free trial of Game Pass Ultimate.

The Challenger is cheaper than the official Xbox Wireless Controller, although that gamepad has the advantage of wireless connectivity. However, it doesn’t include a rechargeable battery as standard, nor does it have customizable back buttons.

If you want something a little more feature-packed, but don’t want to spend a huge amount, the Turtle Beach Pacific Skyline is a good alternative. It has companion software that can be used to remap buttons, as well as adjust vibration intensity and thumbstick dead zones. Also, the controller itself is far more vibrant than the Challenger — and many other controllers, for that matter.

Drakong Challenger review: Specs

Drakong Challenger review: Design

• Classic Xbox controller design
• Light yet solid construction
• No accompanying software

As far as looks go, the Challenger barely departs from the traditional Xbox design. It has the same shape, size, and layout, with the only additional flourishes being green rings around the sticks and a subtle outline around the two halves of the pad. There’s no RGB lighting, despite what those aforementioned stick rings may lead you to believe.

However, all this isn’t to say the Challenger has a disappointing construction. After all, to many gamers, the Xbox controller form is comfortable and practical. And despite the plastics not feeling particularly premium, the Challenger is surprisingly solid and pleasingly light at the same time, which is always a winning combination.

What’s more, the sticks and buttons are well fitted with no play in them at all, which isn’t something that can be said about most budget controllers. The back of the handles is textured for added traction, but the improvement is marginal given how subtle this texture is.

There’s no software available to customize the Challenger, but there are two mappable back buttons. I couldn’t find information on how to map them anywhere, but thankfully it’s a fairly simple process to figure out. You simply press the M button and a back button simultaneously until you feel a rumble, then press the button you want to assign and another rumble will confirm its activation.

The Challenger has no wireless connectivity, which is a shame but understandable at this price point. The included USB cable is quite long, but it isn’t finished in a braided fabric, which is something you often find on the best gaming mice to improve flexibility and reduce drag. It does at least seem quite durable, and the connection at either end was solid in my experience, despite the small amount of superficial wobbling at the controller end.

Drakong Challenger review: Performance

• Solid and responsive buttons
• Precise and tactile triggers and sticks
• Easy connectivity to Xbox and PC

The Drakong Challenger might be a budget controller, but that’s not something you’ll notice when gaming with it, as every input is smooth, solid, and precise. The face buttons are also well damped and very responsive, rebounding quickly to allow for easy spamming when needed. The same goes for the D-pad, and despite its traditional four-pronged hat, it felt comfortable in my thumb, even when performing rolls and frantic inputs in Tekken 8.

On the shoulder buttons, the texture is subtle but noticeable, and feels quite nice on the fingers, although I’m not sure it provides much in the way of traction. The Hall Effect triggers are light but offer a surprising amount of control, which was especially helpful when accelerating and braking in Assetto Corsa. The Hall Effect thumbsticks were accurate and responsive when steering, too, as well as when aiming in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. I also appreciated their soft, grippy coating and textured rims for added purchase and feedback.

The two back buttons are easy to reach, but they don’t feel quite as tactile as the other inputs, lacking depth of travel and dampening by comparison. Also, I found them quite easy to trigger accidentally, even when I didn’t have a particularly tight grip on the pad.

Surprisingly for an inexpensive controller, the Challenger features a headset jack. The cable connection is solid, and I didn’t notice any loss in audio quality relative to connections made elsewhere.

As for the pad itself, I had no issues connecting it via the USB cable to either an Xbox Series X or to my PC, being just as easy to use with the latter as the best PC controllers.

Should I buy the Drakong Challenger?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Drakong Challenger review: Also consider

How I tested the Drakong Challenger

• Tested for several days
• Played a variety of games
• Experienced with many other gamepads

I tested the Challenger for several days, using it for a variety of games and on both PC and Xbox.

I played Assetto Corsa to test the triggers, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl to test the precision of the sticks. I also played Tekken 8 to test the responsiveness and comfort of the D-pad and face buttons.

I’ve been gaming for decades and have used a wide variety of systems and controllers in that time. I’ve also reviewed a range of them, from simple budget-friendly affairs to feature-packed premium offerings.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: September 2026

• ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson has offered a deep dive into Guild Wars 3's momentum system
• The feature offers "fluid" transitions between movement and combat, which Johanson says is a "first" for the MMORPG genre
• Players can build momentum as they move around the world and in combat to deliver powerful attacks

ArenaNet has revealed more about Guild Wars 3's newly introduced momentum system, a mechanic that blends all actions and combat abilities to ensure constant "fluid" movement.

During an exclusive presentation TechRadar Gaming attended at Gamescom, ArenaNet studio head Colin Johanson showcased the studio's action-adventure MMORPG and offered a deep dive into the game's story and open world, the combat system, multiplayer design, and more.

Johanson also touched on the game's new momentum system, saying Guild Wars 3 will be the first MMORPG to offer smooth transitions between movement and combat.

"If you can picture with me for a second, movement in an MMO, you're riding through the world on your mount, and you get off your mount, and your character immediately stops moving," he explained. "And then you start moving again, and you go to glide, and you stop gliding, and your character immediately stops moving. Then you go into combat, and you use an ability, and then you move, and you'll stop moving again."

He continued: "There are no fluid transitions between movement and combat in MMOs, and Guild Wars 3's momentum system introduces the first MMO that has truly fluid movement across the entire world."

With this system, Guild Wars 3 players will be able to jump off a mountain, deploy a glider, dive, fly, or wall-run, all while carrying momentum, "creating a seamless sense of movement you'd expect to see in an action game, rather than an MMORPG."

Momentum is also part of combat; we previewed a warrior class that has a unique ability that uses their momentum and modifies their attacks when they come down from the sky. This increases damage output and the radius of attacks "based on his velocity or how much downward momentum" the warrior carries. The class can also run up walls and slam back down on enemies, delivering huge amounts of damage.

"Momentum also impacts battlefield control," Johanson said, adding that the faster the player is moving, the more momentum they have.

The environment, Johanson said, is also "part of the experience," and enemies can be knocked into walls to be stunned and damaged by building up momentum in combat, explaining that players will need to use their environment, whether it's the battlefield or terrain, to their advantage.

"This is another first for the MMORPG genre," he said.

Guild Wars 3 doesn't have a release date, but a beta is scheduled for Fall 2027. The game is coming to PC and PlayStation 5.

• Diablo 5 devs confirmed a new class for the game at BlizzCon 2026
• The Plague Knight will spread and then consume disease across the battlefield to their advantage
• Two returning classes are already confirmed as well

Three Diablo 5 classes have already been confirmed, and the developers behind the game have even shed light on a brand-new one coming to the game during the Diablo 5 — Forging the Next Era panel, which we watched at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim.

"The Plague Knight is the first new class that will be joining Diablo 5," said Joe Shely, game director. "This is a heavily armored class; it's a walking death."

Adding more detail, Shely said, "You're going to be roaming the battlefield, spreading disease and consuming it for power." This sounds incredibly deadly, poison-y, and downright unclean.

As well as confirming that the Demon Hunter and Monk classes will be returning for Diablo 5, Shely also added that "Diablo 5 is going to launch with more classes than ever before, and I don't just mean more classes than another Diablo game at ship. I mean more classes total."

The returning classes are likely to be very well received by the community

Finishing the description of the classes, Shely reinforced the key characteristics of Diablo classes, saying that "they're approachable. You can jump in; you can immediately have an exciting time playing them. But there's also deep ARPG mastery there, and a multitude of builds to explore."

I expect more classes and more class info to drop in the coming months as we hear more about the game in the long run-up to its release in Spring 2029.

• Devs say that they're "really doubling down on darkness" with Diablo 5's setting
• This will build on Diablo 4's bleakness and darkness
• And continue to contrast the relative vibrancy of Diablo 3

After the somewhat vibrancy of Diablo 3 that some fans raised an eyebrow at, the bleak darkness and misery of Diablo 4 was a welcome change of vibes and atmosphere for many players — and it sounds like the developers are going to continue this into Diablo 5.

During the Diablo 5 — Forging the Next Era panel, which we watched at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim, some of the game's devs spoke openly about the dark and bleak setting that Diablo 5 will have.

"I think that's really the tone, the atmosphere," said John Mueller, senior art director. "We're really doubling down on darkness, and what this means for the art team is we really get to explore all of what we learned from Diablo 4 and expand on it further. You know, that desolation that we're going to see in the world is really the setting for the survivors of this story [in Diablo 5]."

This is something that I'm absolutely here for; Diablo games thrive and are at their bleakest best when they embrace a dark and miserable tone and atmosphere, and help to cement the sense of place Sanctuary has, as well as the overarching richness of the story and narrative.

This doubling down, to the extent of embracing a setting of defeat and one where Sanctuary has fallen, already makes for a compelling starting point that I can't wait for.

However, narrative director Jennifer Hepler went on to add that in the process of "making Sanctuary so, so dark, [and] trying to double down on this darkness of Diablo winning in this apocalyptic setting; we still need to make Sanctuary a place that's worth defending."

So there's a balancing act in play here, then, with the darkness and hopelessness of the setting being somewhat offset by the devs still wanting to make Sanctuary a "place that you want to save."

This narrative conflict and tension is something I'm really looking forward to properly and fully when the game releases in Spring 2029.

• Total War: Warhammer 40,000 battle product owner Dave Petry says it was important to implement player customization in the game
• He says it was a "big deal" to bring those customization options from the hobby forward to the game
• Petry adds that it was "awesome" to bring in the "core" features from the hobby

Total War: Warhammer 40,000 offers plenty of player customization options, which Creative Assembly has now revealed was an essential feature it wanted in the game from the start.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom, battle product owner Dave Petry, alongside lead designer Joy Dey, said player customization in all aspects was always a "must-have," as the studio wanted to simulate the same experience for fans of the tabletop Warhammer game and beloved hobby.

"The second we picked this up, we knew we had to make a big deal of being able to tell your own story within this universe to bring in your own identity and get to be part of all of it," Petry said.

The developer also told TechRadar Gaming that it worked closely with Games Workshop to ensure the player experience was as "authentic" to the tabletop game as possible. This included simulating the tabletop's combat the way that fans are familiar with.

"We're trying to create an authentic sense of the lore and the kind of combat that's there, but the love for the tabletop absolutely is present," Petry said.

As for customization, Petry told us that it was "awesome" to bring in the "core" features from the hobby, and teased aesthetic unit personalization, loadout customization, and late-game progression.

Petry also confirmed that the game will feature the actual real-life paint colors used by Games Workshop too, so fans will be able to use the same ones they know and love and recreate their real-life armies or favorites in the game.

"In terms of what you can do, not just the aesthetic customization, colors, etc, etc," he went on, "but being able to specialize your units throughout a campaign and, over that campaign, take your intercessors, specialize them towards using, say, like bolt rifle, auto bolt rifles, or stalkers, leveling them up, kitting them out in different ways, and you know potentially ultimately getting them to be like stern guards.

"All of that sort of stuff is absolutely part of that core hobby that you experience this way."

Total War: Warhammer 40,000 launches in 2027 for PS5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

• Diablo 5's player character is the Heir of Westmarch, a fugitive from the forces of hell
• Not much is know about them apart them having a "unique bond with Diablo"
• This bond will apparently give us an "insight" into the big bad Diablo

During the Diablo 5 — Forging the Next Era panel, which we watched at the conference, Diablo 5 devs revealed a couple of key details about the player character.

Instead of stepping into the shoes of another Wanderer or similar protagonist archetype, we now know you'll play as a character known as the Heir of Westmarch.

Not much is known about the Heir, aside from them being a fugitive on the run from the forces of hell, but what is particularly interesting and exciting is that the Heir will have a "unique bond with Diablo that you find out over the course of the game, why and how it came to be", according to Jennifer Hepler, narrative director.

This will allow the Heir of Westmarch to have some form of "insight into him [Diablo], but also a unique vulnerability to what he can do to you," which will apparently give us the chance to "spend the game defining yourself in opposition to the Lord of Terror." Does this imply there's some sort of mental connection between Diablo and our hero? Or some kind of means of direct communication or even control?

To make it even more intriguing, and provide possible insight into the closeness of this connection, Hepler added, "Can you resist his influence? Can you turn his powers against him? That's what the story and the gameplay are going to let you answer." Color me curious.

Also, according to Hepler, "the story really begins when you find out that you can enter the terror realm and survive."

This paints the portrait for a really interesting starting point for the player character, and I can't wait to find out more in the run-up to the game's release window of Spring 2029.

• Diablo 5 developers confirm that Sanctuary is overrun by hell in the upcoming game and has become an "outpost of hell"
• Humanity has fallen and "some humans have been corrupted or raised to become dread commanders"
• Diablo 5 was revealed at BlizzCon 2026 with a Spring 2029 release window

After the reveal of Diablo 5 in the BlizzCon 2026 opening presentation, developers of the upcoming action role-playing game took to the stage to discuss several aspects of the game. The picture of Sanctuary that the devs painted in this Diablo 5 — Forging the Next Era panel that we watched live at BlizzCon 2026 was not cheery at all.

"All of it [Sanctuary] has been overrun. It's become an outpost of hell," said Joe Shely, game director. "There are hardly any humans who haven't bowed or become cultists." But wait, it gets worse, as "some powerful humans have been corrupted and raised to become dread commanders. They have the power of the Dukes of Hell, and anyone who has resisted gets put into a soul cage or pulled into the terror realm."

Make no mistake, the narrative and setting for Diablo 5 isn't one that's built around the risk of the forces of evil entering Sanctuary, or the danger of the spread of evil: Sanctuary has fallen, and everything is on fire.

The official Blizzard blog post describes the world further by saying, "This is not Sanctuary waiting for the apocalypse. It is already living through one. In Diablo V, humanity has fallen into ruin," and that it's a "haunting, desolate land shaped by despair, resilience, and the few survivors fighting to endure another day."

This full embrace of defeat, darkness, loss, and misery as the starting point for Diablo 5 is really interesting, and extends the aforementioned doubling down on the darkness of Diablo 4, and makes for a deeply compelling setting, and one I can't wait to explore when it releases in Spring 2029.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1190) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PORRIDGE
• GARFIELD
• DROOPY
• EMPTY
• HEATHCLIFF
• EXCESS
• GRANT
• SLACK
• ODIE
• PARAMOUNT
• SAGGING
• MADISON
• FLACCID
• KEWPIE
• CLEVELAND
• DOUBLESPEAK

NYT Connections today (game #1190) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Squishy
• GREEN: American leaders
• BLUE: Double characters
• PURPLE: Geographical endings

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1190) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: LACKING IN FIRMNESS
• GREEN: U.S. PRESIDENTS
• BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS
• PURPLE: ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1190) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1190, are…

• YELLOW: LACKING IN FIRMNESS: DROOPY, FLACCID, SAGGING, SLACK
• GREEN: U.S. PRESIDENTS: CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT, MADISON
• BLUE: WORDS THAT SOUND LIKE TWO LETTERS: EMPTY, EXCESS, KEWPIE, ODIE
• PURPLE: ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS: DOUBLESPEAK, HEATHCLIFF, PARAMOUNT, PORRIDGE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

Not being as knowledgeable about US presidents as I should be, it took me until I had just eight tiles left to connect CLEVELAND, GARFIELD, GRANT, and MADISON.

Earlier, I had assumed the GARFIELD in question was the cartoon cat and we were looking for a quartet of comic strip felines — HEATHCLIFF is another and I took a punt on DROOPY and CLEVELAND.

The silver lining to my error was that it made me notice “cliff” at the end of HEATHCLIFF and I was able to spot the four tiles that made up ENDING IN ELEVATED LANDFORMS, thus snagging a relatively early purple group.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, September 12, 2026, game #1189)

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER

In quite a big surprise at BlizzCon 2026, Blizzard has confirmed Diablo 5 is in development and is on for a Spring 2029 release.

And not content with simply maintaining the previous game's darkness, threat, and edge-of-apocalypse vibes and setting, Diablo 5 looks to go fully bleak, fully miserable, and fully void of hope.

We're on the ground at BlizzCon 2026 in Anaheim and watched the teaser trailer live, which was full of fire, death, and bleakness, as you can see below, and has already set the tone for the next game.

Diablo has always had a specific brand and type of darkness, and almost always soaks its world and settings in a tangible sense of misery, darkness, dread, and hopelessness. And that's one reason why I love the games.

I'm not just being gloomy. That edge-of-apocalypse threat and sense of darkness give the Diablo games an excellent atmosphere and complement the universe's rich lore, as the place of Sanctuary in the battle of good vs. evil.

Diablo 3 received a little pushback when it came out due to it being a bit colorful and vibrant (literally), and while Diablo 4 brought a strong sense of bleakness, death, and darkness to Sanctuary, this early look at Diablo 5 seems like it's doubling down on that original darkness and bleakness to return the series to its roots — as well as welcoming back the series' big bad bossman.

This seems true in both the setting and story. The trailer shows a world on fire, heroes being murdered and their bodies being gruesomely displayed, and, as Blizzard describes the game, instead of continually being on the edge, this is the first time that "players will enter a Sanctuary where Diablo has triumphed, and its heroes have been defeated."

The description goes on to say, "At the heart of Diablo V lies a defining question: what must you become when the world has already fallen?"

It sounds, frankly, awful, full of sorrow, sadness, and relentless bleakness. I can't wait.

Switch 2 players finally get to go to hell

Alongside the Diablo V confirmation and teaser, Blizzard also confirmed the long-running rumor that Diablo 4 is indeed coming to Nintendo Switch 2 — and will do so on September 15, just a few days from now.

In one of gaming's worst-kept secrets in recent times, Blizzard confirmed that the game will come to the handheld in the form of a new edition: Diablo IV: Age of Hatred Collection, that bundle in the base game along with the Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred expansions.

It's a natural fit, with the Diablo 3: Eternal Collection arriving on the original Nintendo Switch and proving a great success and a fantastic way to play the game.

The article contains spoilers for Returnal.

I’ve always been a fan of roguelike games. One of my first PlayStation Plus downloads was an indie known as Tower of Guns, where you blast your way through the titular tower, only to start again each time you die. It hooked me immediately — I spent pretty much an entire summer holiday shooting through the tower’s many floors, only to get kicked back down to the start with each defeat.

That type of cyclical gameplay loop just scratches a deep itch in my brain. I’m the kind of player who plays carefully and hoards items for moments that may never appear. However, the high stakes of roguelike games have always given you focus, while the temporary nature of your loadout, abilities, and progress encourages experimentation.

In most story-driven games, player deaths have few consequences – dying in God of War or Control might set you back a few minutes, but you’ll typically carry on as if nothing happened. In contrast, the roguelike genre is defined by hard resets with each death. The issue is that it’s hard to tell an engaging story when you’re constantly sending the player back to square one.

But what if dying was part of the story? That’s the question at the centre of Returnal, the 2021 roguelike third-person shooter from Finnish developer Housemarque that launched as a PS5 exclusive before making its way to Windows. Crucially, Returnal makes its cycle of death and reawakening the central theme of its dense, mysterious narrative.

This summer, about a decade after downloading Tower of Guns, PS Plus delivered me another unforgettable roguelike experience with Returnal – and while I had heard some high praise for its gameplay, I wasn’t prepared for just how much its story would affect me. Keep reading for my take on why Returnal is worth returning to.

Life on loop

Returnal follows space-farer Selene Vassos, an astronaut and explorer who crash-lands on the uncharted world of Atropos. After emerging from the wreckage of her ship, Helios, players guide Selene through the jungles and ruins of Atropos, fighting through rooms of alien animals and humanoids to track the ‘White Shadow’ distress beacon she hopes to use to escape.

In theory, you can do this all in one life – but Returnal quickly makes it clear that everything on Atropos wants to kill you. And unless you’ve got the reaction times of an Olympic gymnast, something on Atropos is going to kill you. When you do eventually fall to one of the planet’s many hostile creatures, the game flashes through a series of visions before Selene wakes up at the crash site, which becomes the starting point for each subsequent run. In fact, the screen displays the message ‘Helios Abandoned’ each time you leave camp, to really set the mood.

On these follow-up attempts, you’ll come across corpses – your own corpses. Versions of Selene that didn’t make it to the White Shadow are dotted around Atropos, sometimes accompanied by voice recorders that begin to explain the planet’s war-torn history.

The core gameplay of Returnal is that of a competent third-person shooter with light movement mechanics. It’s Dark Souls meets Titanfall meets Resogun after three cups of coffee – you move quickly, shoot quickly, and dodge dozens of on-screen projectiles. The controls are tight; the game feels incredibly responsive, fast but never floaty.

Various gameplay aspects come together to make Returnal feel addictive and alive. The game offers ten satisfying weapons, each with a few dozen modifiers, and carefully designed combat rooms that are rearranged with a dash of random number generation (RNG) on each new run. About a third of the way through the game, you unlock the best grappling hook in gaming since Just Cause 3, which is naturally a huge plus.

And while Returnal can be punishingly hard – looking at the PlayStation trophies reveals just under a third of players have beaten the first boss – it’s always incredibly fun to play. Even after beating the main game, I spent a few weeks scaling the Tower of Sisyphus, the endless mode added with a free DLC in 2022.

Our Returnal review has a more detailed breakdown of the game’s mechanics, but it’s the game’s story that, in my opinion, makes it a must-play.

I was quickly hooked by Returnal’s enigmatic premise. It takes a relatively small idea – making the gameplay loop an essential part of the story – and runs with it, filling every spare moment with symbolism and intrigue.

An impossible Apollo-era astronaut stalks Selene around Atropos; Selene’s house appears in the overgrowth, seemingly plucked from its place on Earth and becoming a doorway to surreal cutscenes, and all the while Selene’s visions become infected with robotic beings and eldritch tentacles.

Mystery and mythology

Being a fan of games like Outer Wilds and Firewatch, Returnal’s approach to scavenging lore and building your own interpretation of the narrative really clicked with me. The game has a Nolan-esque way of revealing its story (only with much better female characters). Its twists and turns work their way through the player’s expectations like the tentacles that plague Selene’s post-mortem hallucinations, and many of the big twists are hinted at from the beginning.

The first comes halfway, when Selene finds the White Shadow escape signal, is rescued and returned to Earth, lives a normal life, passes away, and wakes up… back on Atropos. The second comes at the end of the game, when it’s revealed that, back on Earth, Selene crashed into a lake after seeing the Astronaut that follows her around Atropos on a bridge, her own ‘white shadow’. In the back seat, a young boy is trapped – Helios, abandoned.

YouTube essayists and Reddit commenters have spent the last five years analysing this game to Atropos and back – some theories suggest that the planet is a manifestation of Selene’s guilt over the crash, while others point to the ghostly astronaut as an avatar of her emotionally distant mother, Theia.

Others point to Returnal’s layered Greek mythology references – Selene and Theia are named for the goddesses of the Moon and sky, with Atropos being the goddess of destiny. If you’re a lore-obsessive like me, now’s a great time to explore.

To me, Returnal is a fundamentally abstract piece of art that allows its themes to resonate with one another beyond the confines of a rigid narrative structure – at times, it feels like a sort of conceptual web, tying up ideas of motherhood, trauma, ambition, and release with no prescribed interpretation. Not bad for a shoot-em-up.

In fact, I found Returnal genuinely moving. In the second half of the game, as you fight through frozen wastelands and infinite ocean depths, Selene goes totally mad, talking only in prayer and prophecy. Actor Jane Perry does a phenomenal job of making her character seem both tragically lost and genuinely enlightened. Late-game cutscenes and lore drops put the focus on how much Selene gave up to become an astronaut, again tying this story to roguelike gameplay as Housemarque links sacrifice to pushing forward.

Housemarque released its latest game, Saros, earlier this year. Like Returnal, Saros offers Housemarque’s iconic third-person bullet hell gameplay and cryptic environmental storytelling – the difference is I won’t be waiting 5 years to play it.

Boulies Master Rex (2026): One-minute review

The Boulies Master Rex (2026) follows up on the previous model with a few tweaks and some new additions, all in the name of improving comfort and versatility.

Just like its forebear, the 2026 version is a rather understated affair. The dark gray colorway of my review unit made it look all the more austere, although the lack of brash accents and branding help to impart a more professional veneer; this is a gaming chair that wouldn’t look out of place in an office.

The fabric finish of my review unit (there’s also a PU variant) seemed durable yet was soft to the touch, lacking the scratchy feel of cheaper examples and aligning more closely with the fabrics adorning the best gaming chairs. The stitching was very precise and strong, too.

The head pillow feels less premium, with its relatively meagre padding and elastic strap in place of a magnetic attachment as seen on more upmarket chairs. However, it was fit for purpose and provided sufficient comfort and height adjustments.

As for the seat, it’s firmer than the previous model’s, and the front edge has a more prominent lip, which can dig into the underside of your thighs uncomfortably. The seat height has a fairly decent range, although it’s not the largest.

The Master Rex offers plenty of other adjustments, though. The back rest reclines all the way to 165 degrees and there’s also a rocking function, although this is quite stiff even on its loosest setting.

There’s built in lumbar support as well, which is adjustable for both height and prominence. However, the former lacks range, and didn’t go as low as I would’ve liked. What’s more, the dials for both settings require far too many turns, making them a chore to use.

For me, the standout feature of the Master Rex, though, is its 6D armrests. These provide all sorts of positions, thanks to their series of pivots and rotations. However, I struggled to find a benefit to their tilt function, and they still couldn’t go low enough for my liking — although admittedly this is a problem I have with many gaming chairs. Their padding is harder than on the previous model’s, too, and they can wobble around, although thankfully they remain stable during normal use.

The footrest is a far more basic affair that you simply pull out and flip. The cushioning is sufficient, but it doesn’t extend very far; I found that it supported my calves rather than my feet.

I managed to build the Master Rex without help. It was a relatively straightforward process, although attaching the tilt mechanism to the seat base was frustrating, since this heavy piece requires a very delicate placement to avoid moving the spacers out of place.

The Master Rex is reasonably well priced considering its build quality, adjustments, and integrated footrest. Its seat may be a little too firm for some, and the clever armrests aren’t without issues, but all things considered it makes for a compelling choice at this corner of the market.

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Price and availability

• $479.99 / £409.99 (about AU$670)
• Seen with significant discounts
• Good price given its quality and features

The Master Rex costs $479.99 / £409.99 (about AU$670) and is available now. It comes in fabric and PU finishes, with black, grey, and green colorways optionable.

For a gaming chair of this caliber, it’s well-priced. Better yet, we’ve seen it with a considerable discount already, which only sweetens the deal. But even at its base price, the Master Rex is considerably cheaper than the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen, a chair that has less adjustments to its armrests and lacks an integrated footrest.

Its 6D armrests are also a selling point; not even Secretlab’s Titan Evo has these, and the base model of that chair is still more expensive than the Master Rex. However, the Titan Evo is a stalwart in the gaming chair market and one of our favorites. It has a superior build quality to the Master Rex and more premium flourishes, such as the magnetic head pillow, but again lacks an integrated footrest as standard.

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Specs

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Design and aesthetics

• Muted looks
• Solid build quality
• Armrests can wobble

The Master Rex has a fairly smart and stoic appearance. There’s hardly any branding, save for a small Boulies logo on the back and on the head pillow, and the muted colorways only serve to further downplay its presence (the dark grey finish of my review unit was probably the most dour of the bunch). Some small suede patches provide a marginal amount of interest, but hardly add much panache. Personally, though, I’m glad it has a smarter and perhaps broader appeal than the cliched ‘adolescent gamer’ aesthetic.

I was also thankful for the quality of the materials. The fabric upholstery is pleasingly soft, devoid of the nasty scratchiness of cheaper examples, and the stitching is also impressive, with its perfect alignment and durable feel. On top of this, the metal wheel base is sturdy and a cut above the plastic units of less premium gaming chairs. I also appreciated the curved edges of its spokes, dampening the impact of knocks with your heels.

Conversely, the construction of the armrests are a little disappointing. They appear to be made from a low-grade plastic, and there’s a fair amount of play to them, lacking the stability I would’ve expected. Thankfully, no wobbling occurs during normal use, but regardless it doesn’t speak well of their overall quality.

The head pillow also lacks the premium feel of those adorning more upmarket gaming chairs. It attaches via a basic elastic strap rather than magnetically, and it doesn’t have much padding inside, although it’s still fit for purpose and the outer material is soft if not velvety smooth.

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Comfort and adjustability

• Firm but comfortable seat
• Difficult lumbar adjustments
• Mixed 6D armrests

The Master Rex is a comfortable chair to sit in. Its seat is sufficiently padded, although it’s noticeably firmer than the previous model’s, which might prove divisive. There’s also a more prominent lip to the front edge that rises upwards, something that can definitely be felt underneath your thighs. While this didn’t cause me any issues, I can imagine others finding it uncomfortable.

The seat height can be adjusted, although the range is somewhat disappointing. I found the minimum height low enough for my needs (I’ve sat in many gaming chairs that aren’t), but the maximum may not be high enough for taller users. Neither will the relatively short backrest; Boulies recommends the Master Rex for users who are 5’11” and under, and currently there are no larger variants.

As is standard on many gaming chairs, the Master Rex features a rocking mechanism. However, it’s stiffer than many others, even on its loosest setting, meaning it takes quite a bit of effort to rock it backwards from an upright position. Naturally, this becomes easier as you recline the backrest, as your weight provides more leverage.

Speaking of which, the recline function itself is easy to use. The lever only requires a relatively light pull to release, and adjustments are quite smooth. However, the notching can feel a little rough, which can make locking certain positions in place a little awkward. Also, the notches seem quite far apart, so you can’t dial in a precise angle — something that won't be ideal if you’re particularly picky about your backrest position. It can recline all the way to 165 degrees, which is reasonably far and is the same angle the Secretlab Titan Evo can achieve.

The backrest itself is comfortable, thanks to its relatively thick padding. I appreciated the soft edges of the bolsters too, so they’re not uncomfortable if you knock your elbows against them.

Given it saves the need for an additional cushion, I also welcomed the integrated lumbar support. This is adjustable via two dials either side of the backrest: one for height and one for depth. I found them quite easy to reach and twist while seated, and they provide good feedback via their clicky notches. However, they require far too many turns to make meaningful adjustments, and what’s more the height range is limited, with the bar failing to go low enough for my liking.

The 6D armrests are perhaps the centerpiece of the Master Rex. They can be rotated 360 degrees at two points, with one on top of the other. Since the mechanism for the lower point is offset, adjusting it alters not just the angle of the rests, but also how far apart and far forward they are when used in combination with the upper point. This means they offer far more possible positions than 4D armrests.

Despite this impressive showing, they’re not perfect. I wouldn't ever use the tilt adjustment for angling the armrests upwards or downwards, given that it lacks increments; you only get a binary choice between flat and what seems like 45 degrees, or close to it.

What’s more, the armrests don’t go low enough for my liking, although I concede this is an issue I have with many gaming chairs. And while they’re comfortable to lean on, they have less padding than those on the old Master Rex. Some of the various adjustments can also be unduly stiff, too.

A retractable footrest is also featured on the Master Rex. This operates smoothly and easily enough, requiring a gentle tug to slide it out. It doesn’t extend that far, though, with the result that it provided more of a rest for my calves than my feet. Still, there’s enough padding to use it comfortably for long periods.

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Assembly

• Reasonably easy to assemble solo
• Frustrating tilt mechanism attachment
• Light backrest

Assembling the Master Rex was a relatively easy process, even by myself. The instructions are clear and the various parts are well labelled. Most of the various bolts and screws were easy to affix using the included tools, too.

However, attaching the tilt mechanism block to the seat base frame is needlessly difficult. Not only is the block very heavy, but the four plastic gaskets you have to place in between it and the frame are prone to moving out of place with the merest touch.

This means it’s all but inevitable they’ll fail to align with the bolt holes once you place the block on top of them — and thus require some slender fingers to realign them while holding the block (did I mention how heavy it is?) overhead. Oh, and you’ll have to pray the gaskets don’t move out of place so much that they fall off the frame altogether and into the tangle of webbing below. This process is as fiddly as it sounds, and not one I’ve encountered when assembling chairs from other brands. It’s a frankly baffling design choice from Boulies.

Thankfully, installing the backrest is much easier, given how light it is. It still requires some effort to push it down far enough to align the bolt holes with the brackets, but this isn’t too difficult in my experience.

Should I buy the Boulies Master Rex (2026)?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Boulies Master Rex (2026) review: Also consider

How I tested the Boulies Master Rex (2026)

• Tested for several days
• Used for gaming and other tasks
• Plentiful gaming and reviewing experience

I tested the Boulies Master Rex (2026) for several days, during which time I used it for gaming and working, as well as general browsing and relaxing. I made sure to try out all of its various adjustments, and assembled it myself following the included instructions and using the included tools.

I’ve been PC gaming for over a decade, and have used a variety of chairs during that time, from office and productivity-focused offerings to those designed for gaming. I’ve also reviewed a variety of them across a range of brands, and have also reviewed the previous generation of the Master Rex.

• Read more about how we test
• First reviewed: August 2026.

• Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis has three difficulty-scaling options
• Players can switch between hardcore, medium, and easy across combat, puzzles, and traversal
• Flying Wild Hog creative director Michał Kuk says players can individually tweak each setting for a personalized experience

Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog have confirmed Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis will feature difficulty-scaling levels, offering players a personalized experience.

During a Q&A attended by TechRadar Gaming, following an exclusive presentation at Gamescom, experience director Jeff Adams and Flying Wild Hog creative director Michał Kuk discussed how the game was built from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5 and the game's modern features the developers were able to implement.

Legacy of Atlantis won't be a simple remake or remaster of the classic 1996 game, but a "reimagining" for current-gen platforms, which means all-new upgrades and features that weren't available in the original.

Among these are three difficulty levels across three core aspects of the game: combat, puzzles, and traversal; players will be able to individually scale each setting to their preference, giving them more control over their experience.

"With difficulty levels, we have prepared it in a way that I'm pretty sure everyone can set it for their own pleasure," Kuk said.

He explained that players can, for example, set the puzzle difficulty to hardcore if they want something more familiar to the 1996 game, or switch combat to easy or medium, and traversal, personally, to medium.

"You can adjust the game basically however you want," he added.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis is set to release on February 27, 2027, for PS5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

• Alien Deathstorm head of design Ben Fisher says the game's engineer protagonist "felt like a natural fit" in the game's environment and narrative
• He says Rebellion wanted to match an interesting character with "interesting mechanics" and landed on an engineer
• Producer Martin Willingham says "the motive was making the player feel immersed in the experience and exposed"

Rebellion has revealed the influences behind Alien Deathstorm and explained why it chose an engineer protagonist for its first-person survival horror game.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom, producer Martin Willingham and head of design Ben Fisher shared that the team was, of course, inspired by the iconic Alien movies, but also looked at the broader influence of "90s cassette futurism" to create "that gritty, grounded sci-fi atmosphere."

"A lot of the tone came from our own 2008 comic series as well," Fisher said. "That kind of broad, pulpy, accessible sci-fi storytelling."

When discussing the intention behind having Deathstorm's protagonist be a protagonist instead of a typical soldier, Willingham explained that the studio wanted to find an interesting character that matched "interesting mechanics," and an engineer "felt like a natural fit."

The perspective also enabled Rebellion to "explore the elements of the sandbox gameplay," and an engineer working to diagnose the problems within a dangerous environment surrounded by monsters worked well.

"So part of the motive was making the player feel immersed in the experience and exposed," Fisher said, "because if you're an engineer trying to survive in that situation, you're less trained than a space marine or something like that [or] some kind of future soldier.

"You're going to feel more at threat. So it amplifies that feeling of being isolated, doing the best in a difficult situation."

While that's one aspect, the developer also said that the other is the added "moments of anticipation" that come with the engineer role, like the build-up you get in a horror experience while trying to complete your objective.

"You've got to slow down and observe the space, so you're not just rushing to the next objective," he added. "You're actually getting immersed in the experience, and that means that when you start hearing the roar of a distant alien, that split of attention builds up a whole load of anticipation and a load of fear."

Alien Deathstorm launches in Spring 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S, and PC.

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - today's words

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TURN SIGNAL
• WEATHER
• POSTER
• BUMPER STICKER
• VANITY PLATE
• CURSOR
• SPOILER
• TROLL
• SMOKE DETECTOR
• FUZZY DICE
• SPAMMER
• NERD
• RED
• EYELIDS
• HOOD ORNAMENT
• LURKER

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Vehicle adornments
• GREEN: Chatroom characters
• BLUE: Flickering on and off
• PURPLE: Add a word that means “be aware”

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #1189) - the answers

The answers to today's Connections, game #1189, are…

• YELLOW: WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE
• GREEN: PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL
• BLUE: THINGS THAT BLINK: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL
• PURPLE: ______ ALERT: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I missed the chance of completing the groups in difficulty order (yellow-green-blue-purple) by getting ___ ALERT ahead of THINGS THAT BLINK, but this was already a far from perfect game.

My two mistakes were logical, in my mind, as I tried SPOILER for both WAYS TO PERSONALIZE A CAR and PEOPLE IN AN ONLINE FORUM.

Speaking of bumper stickers, I recently spotted a niche one at a music festival that featured a picture of David Byrne with a speech bubble saying “How do I work this?” and “How did I get here?” and the legend “Keep honking — I have found myself behind the wheel of a large automobile” — lyrics from the Talking Heads classic Once in a Lifetime.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, September 11, 2026, game #1188)

• YELLOW: PEOPLE HIRED FOR AN EVENT: BAND, FLORIST, PHOTOGRAPHER, PLANNER
• GREEN: INTERNALIZE: ABSORB, DIGEST, PROCESS, TAKE IN
• BLUE: WAYS TO PRACTICE SELF-CARE: EXERCISE, JOURNAL, MEDITATE, UNPLUG
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT ARE PUSHED METAPHORICALLY: AGENDA, ENVELOPE, LIMITS, LUCK

• Blaze Entertainment says it found hidden features in Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie's source code when developing the Evercade Nexus ports
• Head of communications Sean Cleaver says Blaze worked closely with Rare, which handed over the game's original code
• The team uncovered "loads" of unreleased features, including unreleased tracks and a level editor

Blaze Entertainment has revealed that it uncovered hidden features in the source code for Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie while developing the Evercade Nexus ports.

Earlier this year, the hardware company, which works to revive retro gaming, announced it was expanding its physical ecosystem with a new handheld console that handles physical game cartridges, the Evercade Nexus.

The new iteration is expected to launch on October 30 and comes with the new Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack, which includes both Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, and has been customized for the Evercade Nexus with "all the authenticity and playability of the originally released titles, as well as performance and graphical improvements.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom, head of communications Sean Cleaver also discussed the Evercade Nexus - Doom Edition, also releasing on October 30, and said that Blaze worked closely with iD Software to give the game new life on the handheld.

Cleaver said there were no barriers between the companies and "They were really, really passionate about their product and their history," and "working with them has been great."

Blaze also worked closely with Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie original creators, Rare, and shared more about their working relationship, revealing the studio handed over the original code for the N64 versions of both games, which had hidden features the team implemented in the Evercade Nexus ports.

"Working with Rare has been awesome," Cleaver said. "They shared the source code. We found a load of stuff that they didn't even know was in the source code, like old unreleased tracks, there's a level editor, and we put it all in. [Plus some] little unlockable bonuses, so it gives something new to people as well."

He elaborated, saying Blaze worked internally and with a few contracted people who are familiar with the nature of the work, and discovered "really, really cool things" in the code.

"So there's a lot of public knowledge about what is in the games, but that's decompiling against what's been released, not the source code," Cleaver explained. "So when you actually get the source code, the whole thing's open. You just go through it and find the little strands and the little nuggets."

The Evercade Nexus and the bundled Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack is priced at £169.99 / $199.99 / €199.99.

• CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory say there were narrative challenges when developing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past
• The expansion is about Dandelion, but they didn't want him to "steal the show" from Geralt
• There was also "pressure" to live up to the "legacy" of The Witcher 3's previous expansions, but "pressure is what makes us better"

CD Projekt Red and Fool's Theory have said that developing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's third expansion, Songs of the Past, came with some narrative challenges and pressure to deliver.

In an interview with TechRadar Gaming at Gamescom, where Jakub Rokosz, CEO of Fool's Theory and game director on Songs of the Past, and senior quest designer Despoina Anetaki offered new details about the upcoming expansion, the pair revealed the process of developing a new story about Dandelion without stealing the spotlight from Geralt.

Songs of the Past will be The Witcher 3's final expansion and centers on Dandelion, Geralt's best friend, as the monster slayer unravels a new mystery within the bard's homeland of Letten.

Rokosz and Anetaki discussed how the expansion will "complete" The Wild Hunt's story by giving Dandelion the spotlight he deserves, a chapter that CDPR felt was missing from the base game; however, it came with some challenges in how best to center the bard without losing the focus on Geralt as the protagonist.

"The narrative challenge of Songs of the Past was the biggest challenge; we knew we wanted to do an expansion about Dandelion, but he cannot steal the show, right? Because it's a game about Geralt," Rokosz said.

"So, all of us, straight away, we discarded certain ideas because they were too overwhelming. But then, at the same time, if it's a game about Geralt, there is a very fine line between when it's about Geralt and Dandelion and when it's about you just running around Dandelion's home, right?"

The former Witcher 3 senior quest designer also said that the narrative approach was something his team at Fool's Theory spent "absolute days and weeks discussing."

He added, "So there was a very big effort put into this fine balancing of the narrative, where you are there for your friend, but it's still your adventure. But it is about him and his family's matters, you know. And your relationship with Dandelion as well."

Anetaki said another big narrative challenge was "living up to the legacy" of The Witcher 3 and its critically acclaimed expansions, Hearts of Stone and, "especially," Blood and Wine.

"It's difficult to make something that is just as good or, if not better, right?" the developer said. "So it was really important for us, if we were to make an expansion, to make sure it's a compelling story, right?"

While Anetaki acknowledged that this came with a lot of pressure, "pressure is what makes us better."

"It's motivating," Rokosz continued, "we always try to outdo ourselves, both Fool's Theory and CDPR. When you're working on a AAA game, there's always something that you want to improve, right? Even if you release a very good AAA game like The Witcher 3, you know there's something we'll improve 11 years later in it, right?

"So we always try to outdo ourselves," he added, before referencing Songs of the Past's demo, which premiered at Gamescom and showcased the many visual and technical improvements.

"Everyone always tries to improve their own discipline, right?" Anetaki said. "Cinematics. A lot of them [developers] have a background in movies, and they try to hone their craft as the years go by, make it better. Same for quest design. We never rest on our laurels. We try to always improve our craft, make stories more nonlinear, more compelling, more memorable for our players.

"Writers have a background. A lot of them have published books, so they're excellent at what they do. They always try to tell amazing stories together with the quest designers and the cinematic designers. Art always tries to push the boundaries, tries to make everything fit the narrative and look as beautiful as possible.

"There are technical challenges that we always try to overcome, so it's always a journey upwards, right? We always try to push the quality."

Songs of the Past is scheduled to launch in 2027.

Mobile card game Vampire: The Masquerade Clans of London understands the value of a funny character name.

Where competitors like Marvel Snap let you unlock big hitters such as Luna Snow, Blade, and Spider-Man, Clans of London treats you to a barrage of veritable DeviantArt OCs with titles ranging from the gloriously alliterative Sid Scabies and Cathy Carmine to the positively pedestrian Helen Lloyd or Ms Harriot.

Rather than illustrations or CGI art, the Clans of London developers opted to use photographs of real-life actors in makeup and costumes to represent the vampires on cards, too. The shots are all heavily Photoshopped, with wildly varying levels of believability, but demonstrate a level of care that you’re hard-pressed to find elsewhere in the mobile space. It’s hard to imagine other developers would take the time to organize real-life shoots, especially given the proliferation of sloppy AI assets on the platform.

There’s just something so gloriously amusing about whipping out a card of some dude named Robert Cavendish and throwing it down like he’s some sort of established superhero, especially when it’s adorned with an image of someone who looks like an office worker you’d pass on the street.

Bloody battle

I’ve been playing every day for a week, and each new card that I unlock is an absolute treat to behold, but the game’s appeal extends far beyond its aesthetic. The roughly five-minute-long competitive online matches are perfect for breaking up my commute and offer a genuinely engaging tactical challenge.

Two players go head-to-head on either end of a board with 15 card slots that are split down the middle by a shared central row of three. The first row is for your pawns: ideally, low-level cards with simple effects you place early to support your hand later on. You might start by slapping down Abir, for example, a low-level vampire perfumer who automatically buffs the strength of the next card you deploy.

Above it are the rook slots, a good place to put some more powerful characters to defend against your foe if they start trying to set down cards in your territory. Allied cards can generally receive reinforcements from those adjacent to them in combat, adding their power levels together. As the highest number wins a fight, filling out these slots wisely can pay dividends later on when you contest the valuable middle row, which is home to two knight slots and one prince.

The prince slot is by far the most valuable space on the board, as it awards its occupant a smattering of victory points determined by the number of cards they have in play at the end of each round. The knight slots are less significant, but possessing them still awards two victory points apiece — that’s a total of four if you control both, which often clinches a close win.

Naturally, placing cards requires a resource, blood, so you can’t just put down your entire hand right away. It’s in short supply in the first few rounds, forcing you to think carefully about how to use it.

As any unused blood is discarded at the end of each round, you can’t just sit back and steadily accumulate it to spam powerful cards in the final rounds either. There are only seven rounds in a match, so things move very quickly, and you risk being left behind if you sit around twiddling your thumbs.

Build your coterie

Mechanically, it’s very Marvel Snap, but the overall theming smartly reflects Vampire: The Masquerade lore.

Fans will recognize the prince title as the one given to a powerful vampire controlling a specific domain. The game is set in modern-day London, a city that, in-universe, is still recovering from a massive vampire purge, so having different figures fighting over positions like this makes a lot of sense.

Many of the different vampire factions and types are represented too, often with appropriate special card effects to differentiate them from other cards in your deck. I’ve been focusing predominantly on Ventrue — a powerful clan embedded in the upper echelons of society — cards whose status effects center on buffing other Ventrue characters, leading to a highly satisfying domino effect of boosts and bonuses that makes it easy to steamroll later rounds.

More cards are unlocked for free as you win online matches, and I would recommend frequently trying out new combinations, as a lot of them come together in really interesting ways. There’s a cool ‘make me a deck’ button that automatically creates a fairly decent setup out of any card you fancy, taking the stress out of having to think too much about the way everything interacts.

It almost goes without saying that there’s a battle pass with both free and premium tiers to work through as well, plus daily and weekly challenges, so there’s something to chase every time you log on, even if you don’t want to part with any cash.

The whole formula is an awful lot of fun, and I expect that I will be playing for months to come. If you’re interested in giving it a go, you can download Vampire: The Masquerade Clans of London for free via the App Store or Google Play Store.