I have watched professional wrestling since I was four years old. My first autograph came from Hacksaw Jim Duggan. Ted DiBiase interrupted the signing to tell Duggan he was going down later that night. I have lived through countless eras and grew up watching wrestlers whose children now thrive in the industry. After four decades as a fan, I had a first-hand experience unlike any before, stepping inside WWE headquarters to attend the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest.
At 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 19, I boarded a bus alongside more than 100 fellow creators and members of the press, with two buses making the trip from Manhattan to Stamford, where WWE’s headquarters is located. A large championship belt display and the prominent WWE logo stand out among the otherwise sterile office buildings that surround the facility. I felt a giddiness rooted in childhood and adolescence as I stepped into the building.
We entered the building via a red carpet set up for the day’s events. The atrium is massive, featuring an impressive mural of the larger-than-life Andre the Giant that stands more than four storeys tall. An LED wall, similar to one of WWE’s stage entrances, flashed images of the WWE 2K26 cover, while walkways on every floor were lined with gaming stations for attendees to try the game.
“After four decades as a fan, I had a first-hand experience unlike any before, stepping inside WWE headquarters to attend the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest.”
As organizers reviewed the rules for the day, “The Oracle,” Paul Heyman, made a surprise appearance to trash-talk the rules themselves. It was an early sign of the energy and spectacle to come. We took our seats and launched our copies of the game, capture cards ready, eager to experience the new features WWE 2K26 promised to deliver.
I began with standard matches to acclimate myself to any gameplay changes from the previous instalment. The differences were subtle but intuitive. Chain wrestling largely functioned the same, and the mechanics for kicking out of pins and reversing manoeuvres remained responsive. There are now more options available before a match begins. Players can trigger additional entrance effects, choose face or heel reactions while walking to the ring and decide whether to start the match with a handshake, a cheap shot or a classic stare-down.
I began with an Extreme Rules match to give myself more freedom to explore without the risk of an early loss. I also wanted to try one of the new weapons: thumbtacks. Scattering them across the ring and slamming an opponent onto them produces a visceral reaction. Each individual tack remains visible in the wrestler’s skin, with light reflecting off the metal. The detail makes the moment feel as impactful as it does in a live event.
I cycled through a wide range of WWE 2K26 wrestlers while browsing the expansive roster. I did not want to spend too much time deciding who to select, though I made sure to try a few favourites, including Cody Rhodes, CM Punk and Kane, to see their entrances. Choosing a classic Kane character model for the return of the Inferno Match struck a nostalgic chord. The updated Inferno Match mechanics, which involve building the flames and forcing an opponent into them, were particularly enjoyable.
The Three Stages of Hell match also returns in WWE 2K26 and provided one of the standout moments of Creator Fest. A 2K26 tournament took place during the event, though I opted not to participate. The final was a Three Stages of Hell match, structured as a best-of-three series with each fall contested under a different stipulation. The competitors were so evenly matched that the bout ran long enough to make the return bus schedule feel uncertain.
The Dumpster Match closely resembles a Casket Match in structure but references a specific period in WWE history during the Attitude Era, when Cactus Jack and Terry Funk, competing as Chainsaw Charlie, faced The New Age Outlaws. The inclusion of the “I Quit” match, in which the referee checks on a competitor while players use button combinations to avoid conceding, also recalled the brutal encounter between Mankind and The Rock.
“With limited time and frequent trips up and down the stairs to catch another superstar’s entrance or grab a quick bite, I managed to sample each of the available game modes.”
It was during a test run of the “I Quit” match that the unpredictability of the event revealed itself. The LED wall shifted, and the entrance music for Trish Stratus hit as she made her way out. Numerous wrestlers were in attendance, including Oba Femi, Joe Hendry, Iyo Sky, Penta, Jacob Fatu, Paul Heyman, Undisputed Champion Drew McIntyre and World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, who also serves as the cover athlete for WWE 2K26. Many others were present to promote and discuss the game.
In addition to the performers, WWE SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett, one of the voices featured in WWE 2K26, attended the event. I also caught a glimpse of longtime WWE executive Bruce Prichard, whom I first knew as “Brother Love.” Wherever you looked, today’s top stars were either conducting interviews or playing the game alongside creators, which made it hard not to feel a little envious of those stationed on the main floor.
With limited time and frequent trips up and down the stairs to catch another superstar’s entrance or grab a quick bite, I managed to sample each of the available game modes. A deep dive into any single mode was not realistic given the schedule, so I opted for breadth over depth.
WWE 2K26’s 2K Showcase: Punked focuses on the career of CM Punk, guiding players through key moments with specific in-match objectives. Progressing through the mode highlights different eras of Punk’s presentation, from his earliest appearances to the version audiences see weekly on streaming platforms.
The Island is the mode furthest removed from traditional WWE presentation. In this setting, your created wrestler — built using a robust creation suite too expansive to detail here — enters “The Island,” joins one of three factions and competes for dominance in a semi-post-apocalyptic environment.
MyRise, the story mode in WWE 2K26, centres on a comeback narrative. Players step into the role of a wrestler returning after a long injury layoff. Each decision shifts your character between fan favourite and rule breaker, allowing for multiple story paths and varied experiences on subsequent playthroughs.
My preferred modes are those that put players fully in control, and MyGM delivers exactly that. Draft wrestlers, book matches — including intergender bouts and contests featuring up to eight competitors — and assign talent to promotional segments. There is added strategy involved, as an injured wrestler will be unable to appear for a scheduled promo. The objective is to build the most successful WWE brand within the company.
The day concluded with what I previously would have described as a 14-year-old version of myself’s dream scenario. We were given a behind-the-scenes tour of WWE headquarters, where bronze statues of legendary performers line the halls. Displays featuring full costumes and props from The Undertaker’s career were highlights, and although photography was not permitted, it took considerable restraint not to reach for my phone.
Meeting rooms were decorated with vintage ring skirts from classic pay-per-view events. One hallway displayed nearly every championship belt in the company’s history. We also toured a large production studio capable of shooting content in a fully virtual environment, including the cold open delivered by Triple H during the 2026 Royal Rumble. A full-sized ring served as an unconventional meeting space, positioned beneath a towering mural of wrestlers created for the Netflix launch.
Setting aside the excitement Creator Fest generated for creators and journalists — no easy task — my enthusiasm for WWE 2K26 stands on its own merits. I spoke with Creative Director Lynell Jinks of Visual Concepts and noted that, despite the warm reception to last year’s instalment, the team could have opted for only minor updates and still satisfied much of the audience. Instead, they chose to expand and refine the experience. This year, it appears the winners are the players.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer, Fuse Games' take on offroad speeder rushes in a galaxy far, far, away, sounds more and more up my alley every time I hear about it. That's no different in a freshly published interview with Fuse founder Matt Webster and creative director Kieran Crimmins, which sees the pair chat about boost mechanics which sound a lot like the environmental temperature-sensitive system from PS3 racer Motorstorm: Pacific Rift.
The pair also made some interesting points when asked why they went for a more traditional track racer rather than an open world one with this game, and whether the latter's reached a point where it's a bit of a stale concept.
Mark Frost's The Greatest Game Ever Played tells the story of golf's most legendary amateur, Francis Ouimet, whose victory in the 1913 U.S. Open stands as one of the most notorious upsets in the sport's history.
Legendary as it might be, that game was probably boring, that book is probably boring, and the Disney movie based on it is also probably boring. Let me be clear: I do not care about anything unless there's lasers in it.
Thankfully, Super Battle Golf just arrived to save the sport from its own mundanity with lasers and rockets aplenty. Its unique approach to golf, where players race across the fairway to sink the ball as fast as possible while sabotaging their buds in multiplayer, is turning heads: developer Brimstone announced in a Steam community blog post that it sold 100,000 copies in just 48 hours.
The post reads, "WOW. OK. THANK YOU!!! That is just so absolutely amazing and I am filled with so much joy. Reviews are sitting at 97% Overwhelmingly Positive, and we've been reading every review, forum post, message board taking in all your amazing messages and feedback!"
It's certainly an impressive turnaround given that, as the post states, the game was thrown together in just "4.5 months." I'm not quite sure if it counts as friendslop given that it's competitive rather than cooperative—maybe partyslop or tourneyslop is more accurate—but its combination of inexpensive thrills and inebriation-friendly multiplayer make me think it's striking the same chord with people.
Super Battle Golf seems to be just another example of how videogame golf, like minigolf, improves upon the venerable, ecologically deleterious, and often exclusive sport by breaking down the barrier to entry and distorting its rules as if through a funhouse mirror. If you'd like to hit the links yourself, the game is available on Steam.
Skate's free-to-play resurrection hasn't had a smooth ride in early access. While it attracted millions of players at launch, it slumped to an early "Mixed" rating on Steam, and the following months of trudging through microtransaction muck and technical troubles haven't done much to improve player sentiment.
This week, EA seems determined to test how much more room to fall its player reception still has, revealing plans for Skate's Season 3 content rollout that includes a new map area that requires payment for unrestricted access—something that, before launch, Skate's developers explicitly said they wouldn't pursue.
(Image credit: EA)
In a Season 3 preview blog post, EA revealed a reworked Isle of Grom: an upgraded version of Skate's tutorial zone "expanded with a ton of new spots to skate and explore," like "hillbombs, massive gaps, cool transitions, and some Skate 2 and 3-inspired spillway action."
Sounds nice! Until you scroll down a little bit further to see the details for who can access the Isle of Grom and when.
Initially, the Isle of Grom will only be available from March 10 to April 14 for players who've purchased the Skate Pass, which costs 1,000 San Van Bucks (which costs roughly $10). Then, the Isle of Grom will have an "open access" period from April 14 to May 5, in which "all players can skate Isle of Grom during a special multi-week event."
Finally, after May 5, the Isle of Grom will once again require Skate Pass Premium—but players will also have the option to rent access to the new area with in-game currency by paying 500 earnable Rip Chips (we have strayed perilously beyond the light of divinity) for a 24-hour Isle of Grom Water Taxi day pass.
(Image credit: EA)
Even if I think we can all understand the logic of asking players to pay for a new region in a free-to-play game, it becomes a lot less palatable when access to it is presented with a conditional, three-stage flowchart while the game is already submerged inches-deep in microtransaction slurry. But what makes Skate's rollout of a new map area locked behind a paywall feel particularly foul is the fact that, in a July 2022 video published before launch, Skate's developers said there would be "no map areas locked behind a paywall" as a "hard ground rule."
On X, the official Skate account has been attempting to implement damage control by responding to players who are understandably frustrated by the game doing the thing it specifically said it wouldn't.
"Launching in Early Access meant we were going to work on the game in public while players played," the Skate account replied with near-palpable exhaustion to a frustrated player. "We want to build this game to last, and it means we will need to make changes as we go sometimes. It also allows us to make improvements like updating our characters, lighting, adding tricks and other things we've changed since September. This change was made to ensure this game sticks around for the long haul."
Elsewhere, the Skate account said that "sometimes plans have to change. That's part of the deal when you're building in public. We're here, we're listening, and we're going to keep shaping Skate together."
Nothing reassures me about the future of skateboarding like pacifying corporate pseudo-acknowledgment. If you want to join in shaping Skate together, EA has published an updated development roadmap for Season 3 and beyond. You can get tattoos soon. So, you know. Pretty cool.
NBA 2K26 is an AAA game, but if you buy PS5 sports games, you cannot do better than this one, and you cannot leave it any year behind - I always upgrade. It is full of gameplay moments that are Instagram-worthy.
1. The First Possession Where Footwork Actually Mattered
The first time NBA 2K26 felt different wasn’t a poster dunk or a green release. It was a half-court possession where I couldn’t just turbo past my defender.
I was running a slashing guard build in MyCareer, used to bullying weaker AI with speed boosts and a well-timed snatchback. In 2K26, defenders slide less and plant more. When I tried my usual crossover into a blow-by, the on-ball defender cut off the angle, forced me into a gather animation, and suddenly I was picking up my dribble near the elbow with nowhere to go.
It forced me to slow down.
The new foot planting and momentum system makes size and weight feel more tangible. Bigger wings don’t recover as quickly. Smaller guards feel twitchier but can get bumped off their line if you mistime your drive. It’s subtle, but over a full game it adds up. You can’t spam left-right cheese and expect the same bailout animations.
That first possession ended in a reset to the top of the key and a kick-out assist. Not flashy. But it felt earned.
2. A Fourth-Quarter Run That Swung on Fatigue
Fatigue systems have been in 2K forever, but in 2K26 they’re more visible in how players move, not just in a shrinking stamina bar.
I was playing a tight MyNBA game, tied heading into the fourth. I’d ridden my starting five hard in the third to claw back from a deficit. By the eight-minute mark of the fourth, I noticed something: my star wing’s first step wasn’t exploding the same way. His defensive closeouts were a half-beat late. Shots that had been automatic from the corners started rimming out.
It wasn’t RNG. It was wear.
Meanwhile, the CPU subbed in a fresh bench unit and started pushing pace. Transition buckets piled up. I had to call a timeout, adjust my rotation, and actually trust my second unit for a few minutes instead of squeezing every second out of my 92 overall.
That swing felt organic. Not scripted. Not cheesy.
2K26 finally makes rotation management matter beyond just avoiding injuries. If you’re playing on higher difficulties and ignoring stamina, you’ll feel it in the final stretch. And when you sub smart, stagger minutes, and see your starters close strong, it’s satisfying in a way older entries didn’t quite capture.
3. A Green Window That Wasn’t Guaranteed
Shooting always defines the meta in 2K. And in 2K26, the green window feels tighter—especially off movement.
I had a moment in Rec where I came off a high screen, created what looked like clean separation, and pulled up from the hash. Timing felt perfect. Release animation was smooth. I expected that familiar splash.
Clank.
The shot feedback showed slight movement penalty and light contest influence, even though visually it looked open. That forced me to reassess how I was hunting threes. You can still shoot lights out, but you need to be more deliberate about your feet being set and your stamina bar being healthy.
Standstill catch-and-shoot attempts feel more reliable. Off-dribble fades and deep pull-ups are riskier unless your build is specialized for it. That shift changes how offenses flow in both MyCareer and online modes. Ball movement matters more because pure iso into stepback three isn’t as forgiving.
When I finally hit a deep green in crunch time after working the ball around and forcing a defensive scramble, it felt earned. Less arcade, more simulation.
Not everyone will love that. But it’s a noticeable change.
4. A Defensive Stop That Didn’t Rely on a Steal Animation
Defense in 2K often devolves into fishing for steal animations. You spam reach, hope for a bump steal, and live with the foul calls.
In 2K26, one of my favorite moments was a stop that had nothing to do with a highlight.
I was guarding a shot-creating forward who’d been cooking all game. Instead of gambling, I focused on cutting off his preferred drive side and shading him toward help. The improved body-up interactions made it harder for him to phase through me. He tried to spin baseline, got forced into a pickup, and had to throw a bailout pass late in the clock.
Shot clock violation.
No flashy block. No intercepted pass. Just positional defense.
It felt like the game finally respected staying in front of your man as a skill. Lateral movement ratings, strength, and timing on contests all matter more now. If you’re disciplined, you’re rewarded. If you mash steal and miss, you’re out of position and cooked.
That balance makes multiplayer less chaotic and more strategic—at least when you’re running with teammates who actually rotate.
Conclusion
NBA 2K26 shines in small but meaningful gameplay shifts and gets even better now than before: footwork and momentum that punish reckless dribble spam, fatigue that visibly impacts fourth-quarter performance, a tighter green window that rewards set shots over wild pull-ups, and defensive systems that value positioning over steal fishing.
It’s not a total overhaul. The core 2K formula is intact. But the edges are sharper, and the simulation lean is stronger this year. If you’re the kind of player who enjoys managing rotations, building specialized archetypes, and winning possessions through discipline rather than animation hunting, 2K26 has moments that genuinely feel a step forward. And if you just want highlight plays every trip down, you can still get them—you’ll just have to work a little harder to earn them.
This is a transcript excerpt covering the score awarded to Cairn on the So Videogames Podcast, Episode 473. For further coverage and a second take on the game, please see Ryan Nalley’s official GameCritics review.
Brad: [Following the review with Game Bakers creative director Emeric Thoa] So we’ve talked about it quite a bit. There’s a lot of this game that I don’t want to spoil, especially. But again, just to recap, Cairn is the third person mountain climbing game which has more to it than just mountain climbing. it took me all together about 15 hours. I fell about 200 times. and I did roll credits before the game launched, so I had the pre-release experience.
God, what do you even say about a game like this? It’s really hard to say. the mechanics, I think, are great. It really does approach mountain climbing in a way that I have not seen done in any other game of this kind. And strangely, there have been a few mountain climbing games recently. It’s been kind of a popular sub sub sub subgenre recently. but it’s not. I almost feel like it’s not even really about that. I mean, it is about that, but it’s not about that, because as I mentioned a little bit in that interview, it was really also kind of an adventure game, which was really, really surprising to me. And it also even more surprising was the time that we spend with Ava, the main character.
in that sense, it’s like those three things done at the same time and each of those builds on the other. I think every leg of that stool helps support the overall experience, and I think it would be lesser without any one of those pieces.
let’s talk about the mechanics for a second. I think the mechanics are really good. I think the individual control of each limb is unique, and it does feel good in general. Now, I definitely needed all of the assistance. I turned on the visual feedback and I turned on the time rewind. Visual feedback is when you get a “good” grip. A little white square appears around your hand or foot to let you know. Yeah, this is a pretty solid grip. without that feedback, I wouldn’t really know if my grip was good or not. I don’t think there’s enough feedback there. I’m a pretty, I don’t know, fact-oriented kind of guy. I want to play a game like this and I really want to know exactly how much stamina do I have? Exactly how much strength do I have exactly? You know, how much time do I have before my hand slips or whatever? And this game doesn’t doesn’t really do that. Like they don’t really play it that way, which I think is fine. That’s a legit way to go.
But you do fall a lot and the game is really difficult. And so I think the physicality of being on a mountain, and you know, quick side note, like I mentioned earlier, I have done some rock climbing. Not much, because I’m scared, but it’s tough. It’s really hard. It’s grueling. You know, you feel things on the mountain and there’s a lot of that feeling you just don’t get in a game. And so in my mind, the way to compensate for that is having enough information. And I don’t mind having it be optional. You know, maybe people want the purest experience so they can turn off all the meters and all the numbers and just look at the screen and look at Ava’s, the main character’s feedback. But for me, I want more. I want more stuff. So I felt like the stamina system was a little bit too opaque for me. I felt like the climbing mechanics were also a little bit too opaque. Without the visual feedback, I wouldn’t know the difference between a good handhold and a bad handhold. And sometimes that’s… I mean, that is the difference between falling and not falling. So I felt like I needed all the assistance the game could give me. And even with everything turned on, it was still an incredibly difficult experience.
it’s hard and slow to get anywhere. You’re fighting for every inch of the climb, and so that’s the thing that you have to contend with. It’s really tough. I think in, in some ways it’s kind of analogous to a game that came out recently, baby steps, in that nothing in the game is easy. You have to really, like master the physics. You have to really think about where you’re going. You can’t just jump around and do things. So it’s it does ask something of the player that I think is quite different than what we’re used to. So in that respect, I think it stands out. I don’t think it was entirely successful because I do think there were some times when I just felt like I was in a good position and my stamina wore out with, you know, with, with no warning or at least not if warning for me. And so I did fall a couple times. There’s definitely some sections that are tougher than others. As we covered in the interview, there’s different routes. You can take, certain parts you can, you know, that are optional. You can choose to do these or not. so and also there was a few times when it felt like things would just get really wonky all of a sudden. I would never want to play Iron Man mode in this game because I don’t think it’s reliable enough. It’s like reliable like 90% of the time, but then 10% of the time something goofy unexpected would happen and I’d be like, you know, fall or something, and I’d be really, you know, like, ah, man, I can’t believe that happened.
So that’s that’s the thing. I would like to see a little bit more specificity, a little bit more granularity, but I can see how that is in contrast to the vision that the game bakers were, were after. And I think them adding the accessibility options that they did really did make the difference for me. As I said in that interview, I don’t think I would have gotten through this game if it wasn’t for the time rewind and for the the grip indicator, I just don’t. I think it would have been too frustrating, and I’m not sure that it would have hung in there. So I’m glad that they did that and I wouldn’t mind a few other options just to make it a little bit more playable, I think a lot of people are going to bounce off of this game, but, you know, it was like Emeric said, this game isn’t for everyone. Not everybody is gonna enjoy this game. And I think that’s absolutely true. Even though I really do enjoy this game, I think it’s pretty monumental. It’s not something I would just recommend willy nilly. I would have to really know that person.
I would have to know what they liked, what they didn’t like, and I’d have to, you know, consider how good a friends we were. Friendship might be tested, if I recommend this one, but to the right kind of person, I think it’s going to be pretty amazing. So I think the climbing is really unique and I think it’s good. I’m not trying to slag it or anything. I think I have some quibbles with it, but I think overall it is quite compelling and feels very satisfying when you do something. And, you know, uh, Emeric mentioned that they, they plotted out routes, but then people would always try to do their own route. And that was true for me as well. Like, I mean, some places were pretty obvious they wanted you to go that way. But there was a few times when I’m like, well, I’ve got enough, uh, pitons, pitons, pitons, pythons — I’m not sure how to pronounce that — in my backpack. And I see a place and I don’t see another way to go. I’m just going to go for it. I mean, in one part of the game, I was, um, crossing a bridge and there was a big statue underneath the bridge, but it was like under an overhang. And I’m like, how the hell do I get down there? I don’t understand, And so I just tried screwing around a little bit. I would crawl over and try to, you know, climb down under the overhang. And at one point I’m like, fuck it. I just put in a piton or a python and rappelled down, and I kind of swung to get like into that area. And I made it and I was like, oh my God, I made it. I can’t believe I didn’t die. I don’t even know if that’s how you’re supposed to get down here, but like, it totally worked. And like, it was like a real thrill. So I think there’s definitely some mechanical thrills to be had for that, for sure.
talking about the other aspects of the game, I think the adventure section is a big surprise. I was really surprised at how much adventure elements there are in here, how much it does feel like a Tomb Raider game. It feels like you’re finding this disappeared civilization. You’re finding relics. You’re finding rooms, artifacts, ruins, uh, notes left behind. It’s pretty compelling stuff. And I’m not like, you know, I’m not a guy that reads every notebook entry. I don’t listen to the audio logs, but in this game, I did feel like they were spaced apart. They were all pretty significant. They all helped paint the picture. They weren’t like overly done. A lot of that too, was just environmental storytelling where you see a scene, you see what people left behind, or you find the people themselves. You find their dead bodies sometimes and you just see this stuff and it’s just really great. And I don’t want to spoil anything. But you were not alone on the mountain, which I think even saying that in itself is a little bit of a spoiler. So I’m not going to say anything else, but you’re not alone on the mountain, so when you have those interactions, they’re really surprising and they’re really compelling and they really lean into those, uh, those interactions very well. And I’m trying really hard not to spoil anything. I’m sorry. Um, but like that was a really compelling part also where I just felt like, wow, I feel like this game has so many more elements to it than I was expecting. Not like I was expecting it to be super shallow, but I was. I was here for like, mountain climbing, you know, I figured that was what it was going to be about. But there’s way more to it than that. And I think unraveling the culture that lived on this mountain and how it influences the rest of the area, how it integrates to the surrounding areas was really fascinating, really compelling, like just really, really masterfully done. There weren’t too much, there weren’t there weren’t too many instances. There weren’t not enough instances. I felt like it was just right.
And every time I needed a mental break, or every time I needed to get off a cliff face or something, there was something nearby or something to shoot for. And whenever I did those things, almost always I felt like they were worthwhile in some way or another. Maybe I got a reward. Maybe I learned something that was pretty interesting. Maybe I just got some more water and it just it just was really worthwhile. So I think the adventure part is really well done. I loved the adventure aspects of it. It just enriched the entire thing so much.
and then finally the last leg is, as we discussed, was the character development. It was super, super compelling. Ava, the main character, is just she just feels like a real person. She feels broken and she feels unbalanced, but she also feels fully formed and she feels complete and she feels like real in many ways that I just don’t find in other games. And you had to go on this journey. Like if you just watched the cutscenes, it wouldn’t really it wouldn’t hit the same, you know, kind of like the same thing with the ending. Like again. The ending. Fucking tremendous ending. So emotional. Literally crying like tears and just feeling. Feeling everything that happens at the end. The voice actor like an amazing job. The voice actor fucking leans into that shit so hard and it’s just, like, impossible not to feel the emotion that actor’s putting out.
And that in combination with the last 15 hours of gameplay, of climbing up the mountain, every inch that you fought for, every time you, you, you went for the hard decision, every time you tried to get somewhere and you made it. I mean, it just all came together. Everything the game bakers try to do here, I feel almost all of it just came off, like, flawlessly, which is really an achievement. it just really came together in a way that was just so memorable. I felt like. Like I was climbing that mountain. Like I was suffering right along with Ava. You know, I almost wanted to put some tape on my fingers because I’m like, man, I surely have blisters after all the climbing I just did.
This is really tough. it just was so, so amazing to go through this, this very carefully curated, very measured experience that just really hit me unlike anything else that I can think of in recent years. Like I just was so invested in the physical struggle of like, actually holding the controller and climbing up these incredibly difficult, you know, these steep inclines and also just thinking about who Ava was and how she grows and changes, who she meets, who she talks to, and then just spending time in this mountain, which was like, really a pretty amazing, pretty amazing environment.
Mount Kami is pretty fucking cool, just the way that it looks and the way that it it articulates with all its secrets and pockets and nooks and crannies and everything. So everything here has just been just really fabulous. I had a wonderful time. there’s just so much to say and do and feel and think. And I just it just really kind of blew me away. yeah. I mean, this is this is going to be on my Top ten list at the end of the year for sure. Like it’s a lock, it’s a lock. And I feel like, um, this is just a real achievement. It’s a real achievement.
I really want to do extend my my heartfelt congratulations to the team. I think they’ve really done something special here. And, again, Cairn isn’t going to be for everybody. I imagine that a lot of people will be put off by the difficulty or how grueling it can be — sometimes it just does not give you an inch — so I felt the tension and the triumph, and it felt like I, personally, was going through this journey in a way that just landed so hard. I just really enjoyed every aspect of it, every minute of it. And again, when you get to the end of that journey, what man, what a finish. And it just was a perfect encapsulation of everything that had been leading up to that moment physically with Ava, in terms of character, spiritually, everything about it, everything about it. Just fucking fucking fantastic. I love this game so much.
so I guess that’s it. I feel like I’m blathering. I feel like I need to heap more praise on it, but I don’t know what to say other than stuff I’ve already said. And I don’t want to spoil anything, so let me just end with a score. Final. So videogames official score ten out of ten, ten out of ten. I would give it an 11 if that made sense. But mathematically, the numbers don’t math, so I’m going to have to settle for a ten out of ten.
Folks, I think Cairn is as perfect an experience as one could possibly hope to produce. It doesn’t mean the game is perfect or flawless, but it reached for something beyond what other games reach for and achieved more than others have achieved. It had a vision and a strength. It had a voice. It went places confidently, assuredly and correctly, and it got there in a way that very few could have pulled off. So it’s a ten out of ten — I just don’t think you can do better than this. This is going to be absolutely a high watermark for the year for me. And, that’s that’s the best I can do. That’s the best I can do. Top marks.
And y’all know I don’t give out tens very often. I think I hand them out on an average of like once every five years or so. So here’s here’s my one for this year. And I guess you’re not going to get another one for another four years. So congratulations to Cairn and congratulations to the game bakers.
SVG Score: 10 out of 10
Disclosures: This game is developed and published by The Game Bakers. It is currently available on PS5 and PC.This copy of the game was obtained via publisher and reviewed on the PS5. Approximately 15 hours of play were devoted to the single-player mode, and the game was completed. There are no multiplayer modes.
Parents: According to the ESRB, this game is rated M and contains Strong Language, and Use of Drugs. While there is no direct violence in this game, the player character often falls from a great height in a ragdoll fashion. Arms and legs can twist in the process, leading the character’s body to become contorted. These falls are physics based and do not feel gratuitous, or violent in nature. Though there is no gore, the character’s fingers can suffer cuts and will bleed from climbing, requiring players to bandage them, and her feet will show spots of blood if her health is low. The player character will occasionally scream profanity when falling, including most four-letter words. At one point in the narrative, two characters consume an old bottle of alcohol resulting in a hallucination. Additionally, alcohol can be consumed during play, although I did not personally come across it during my playthough.
Colorblind Modes: There are nocolorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game offers subtitles. The subtitles can be resized with three available options – small, medium, and big. Additionally, an optional background is available. While most audio cues are accompanied by a visual component, one glaring omission is in Aava’s breathing. During play, I found myself relying on changes in her breathing to indicate when her stamina was low, and these elements are not subtitled, nor are they visually indicated. Though there are other visual indicators for Aava’s stamina, her breath was often the first sign that her energy was low, and I found it more difficult to assess her condition when playing without sound, and for that reason, this game is not fully accessible.
Remappable Controls: Yes, this game offers fully remappable controls.
EA Play: Bring Glory Home in EA Sports College Football 26, Available February 19
Juliet Niczewicz, Senior Director, Corporate Communications, EA
Bring glory home in EA Sports College Football 26. Get unlimited access with EA Play, then score a Supercharge Pack in Ultimate Team by March 20.
Rep your colors with unlimited access to all the new explosive gameplay and feature updates.
Members can blitz for days with unlimited access to all the new explosive gameplay and feature updates.
EA Sports College Football 26 is available on the Play List on February 19.
Play with Xbox Cloud Gaming or Game Pass Ultimate with EA Play.
Members can also score a Supercharge Pack in Ultimate Team, available from February 19 – March 20.
Game Pass Ultimate members can get unlimited access today, as well as 10% off EA digital purchases including College Football Points.
Snag your Supercharge Pack, filled with 10 91-93 OVR player items, simply by entering Ultimate Team before March 20. Get a head start on building your roster so you can take on Challenges, face other players in H2H, and more.
Take your career from high school recruit to Heisman or coach your team to the top. With thousands of new plays, players, and upgraded abilities, there are more ways than ever to Bring Glory Home.
February Member Rewards
Love is in the air, along with a fresh batch of member rewards for EA’s hottest games. Celebrate the love of gaming by claiming special items for your favorite titles.
Apex Legends
Pick up the Gold Fortune Cat Weapon Charm, available through March 2.
EA Sports F1 25
Get a 5,000 XP Boost, good for unlocking tiers of the Podium Pass, available until February 28.
EA Sports FC 26
Play Clubs mode by March 12 to grab a special membership reward that’ll help you compete in style.
EA Sports Madden NFL 26
Keep building your dream team with a Madden Ultimate Team EA Play February Pack (available until February 28) & EA Play Supercharge Pack (available until March 6).
EA Sports NHL 26
Score 2 Season Pass Multiplier Tokens & 3,000 CHEL Coins by March 12.
EA Sports College Football 26
Available until March 20, grab an EA Play Supercharge Pack, which comes with 10 91-93 OVR Players.
Battlefield 6
Equip yourself with the Season 2 EA Play Pack, available until May 11
Membership for EA Play is included with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscriptions at no extra cost.
Whether you’re scoring an unbelievable hat-trick in the EA Sports FC franchise, showing no mercy on suburban battlegrounds in the Battlefield series or timing a perfect hit to dominate the gridiron in the Madden NFL franchise, you can feel the thrill with EA for just $5.99 a month. Membership unlocks unlimited access to a collection of top titles, trials of select new games, in-game member rewards and more. Members also save 10% off EA digital purchases — including game downloads, points packs, and DLC.
For more details on all the EA Play member benefits this month, visit: EA Play Member Benefits
Conditions, limitations and exclusions apply. See EA Play Terms for details.
A few years back EA Sports and FIFA, who had collaborated for decades on the globe-conquering FIFA series of video games, split. EA now makes its own series, EA Sports FC, and FIFA--when not engaging in blatant corruption and cronyism with some of the worst people on Earth--had to find a new partner if they wanted to make some money in the video game space (which they do, all FIFA cares about is making money, see earlier comments).
Late last year, it was announced they'd found one! As I said in December:
Earlier today Netflixannouncedthat Delphi, a company you've likely never heard of (they're relatively new, and their only public credit is as support on IO's upcoming 007 game) will be both developing and publishing a new FIFA game.
"Delphi has evolved into a full-fledged developer and publisher," [executive producer] Tang-Peronard says. "We believe in a lean, highly experienced core team, supported by best-in-class co-development and outsourcing partners." For FIFA, that includes Refactor Games, based at Delphi's LA headquarters, part-owned by Delphi and backed by venture capital giant A16z's Speedrun fund. Founded in 2021, it launched physics-heavy American football title Football Simulator into Early Access in 2022. The studio employs alumni of VR dev Survios and blockchain dev N3TWORK.
None of that guarantees anything! For all we know a new FIFA could turn out to be the sleeper hit of the decade, a true middle finger to complacent AAA sports gaming, a rebirth of the FIFA brand and a reward for the millions of gamers exhausted by EA's near-monopoly on the sport.
Or, you know, it could show FIFA have no idea what they're doing, and they're going to get exactly the game they deserve for it.
The Fantasy FC promo is now live in FC 26, and it has introduced several live cards to Ultimate Team.
All cards released as part of the promo will be eligible for upgrades in the near future. The upgrades will depend on how the players perform in real life. Moreover, the performances of their respective clubs will also be considered.
This guide will help you keep track of all incoming upgrades as they roll out.
It's important to understand how the upgrades will be applied. The system is slightly different for Heroes (more on that later).
Club gets six points in the next four matches: +1 overall rating and all Role++ in every position
Club scores 10 goals in the next four matches: One face stat randomly upgrades to 99
Player scores (for attackers and midfielders) or keeps a clean sheet (for goalkeepers and defenders) in the next four matches: +1PS+ (if 2 PS+, then only PS) and +1 PS
Player gets six attacking contributions (attacker/midfielder) or 12 defensive contributions in the next four matches (defender/goalkeeper): Five-star weak foot or Five-star skill moves
Player Name
Club
Club Points
Club Goals
Goals, Assists or Clean Sheets
Contributions
Rating
Morita
Sporting
3/6
3/10
0/1
0/6
87
Lavogez
Real Sociedad
3/6
2/10
0/1
2/6
87
Freeman
Villareal
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/12
87
Kaplan
Nijmegen
1/6
1/10
0/1
5/12
87
Scamacca
Atalanta
3/6
2/10
0/1
2/6
87
Francisco Moura
Porto
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/12
87
Larsen
Crystal Palace
3/6
1/10
0/1
1/6
88
Schlotterbeck
Augsburg
3/6
3/10
0/1
5/12
88
Giovane
Napoli
0/6
1/10
0/1
0/6
88
Kogel
Bayer Leverkusen
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
88
Simon
Bayern Munich
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
88
Leuchter
PSG
3/6
3/10
3/1
4/6
88
Aleix Garcia
Bayer Leverkusen
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
89
Malen
Roma
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
89
Cancelo
Barcelona
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/12
89
Catley
Arsenal
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/12
89
Lang
Galatasaray
0/6
0/10
0/1
1/6
89
Ricardo Horta
Braga
3/6
3/10
2/1
4/6
89
Chilwell
Strasbourg
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/12
89
Diaby
Al Itihad
1/6
1/10
0/1
1/6
90
Douglas Luiz
Aston Villa
1/6
1/10
0/1
5/12
90
Unai Simon
Bilbao
3/6
2/10
0/1
1/12
90
Undav
Stuttgart
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
90
Semenyo
Manchester City
3/6
2/10
0/1
3/6
90
Salma Paralluelo
Barcelona
3/6
2/10
0/1
1/6
91
Lewandowski
Barcelona
3/6
3/10
0/1
2/6
91
Endrick
Lyon
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
91
Joao Felix
Al Nassr
3/6
4/10
1/1
5/6
91
Bruno Fernandes
Manchester United
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
92
Cole Palmer
Chelsea
1/6
1/10
0/1
3/6
92
Rafa Leao
AC Milan
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
92
Koulibaly
Al Hilail
1/6
1/10
0/1
6/12
88
Joao Cancelo
Barcelona
3/6
3/10
1/1
5/12
89
Nelson Deossa
Real Betis
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
87
Luis Henrique
Inter Milan
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
87
Tyrique George
Chelsea
0/6
0/10
0/1
0/6
88
Heroes
Since Heroes are former players, they have slightly different rules for upgrades.
Club gets six points in the next four matches: +1 overall rating and all Role++ in every position
Club scores 10 goals in the next four matches: One face stat randomly upgrades to 99
Name
Club
Club Points
Club Goals
Rating
Rosicky
Borussia Dortmund
1/6
2/10
88
Noor
Al Ittihad
0/6
0/10
88
Brolin
Leeds United
1/6
1/10
89
Jill Scott
Manchester City
0/6
0/10
89
Clint Dempsey
Tottenham Hotspurs
0/6
0/10
89
Gervinho
Arsenal
3/6
4/10
89
Paulo Futre
Porto
0/6
0/10
90
Al Owairan
Al Shadab
3/6
3/10
90
Stam
Ajax
1/6
1/10
91
Yaya Toure
Manchester city
3/6
2/10
92
Antonio Di Natale
Udinese
0/6
0/10
92
Additionally, all cards will get one extra PlayStyle+ if their club wins a domestic cup. They will also gain +1 OVR (extra) if their club wins the domestic league at the end of the season.
The 1 of 3 88+ Encore Icon Player Pick SBC can be your direct ticket to a guaranteed Icon in FC 26 Ultimate Team.
EA Sports has improved the Icon casino challenge we received last week. We are now entitled to three cards, and keep the one that we like the most. Let's look at all the available cards in the pool of rewards before you choose to invest your fodder. Unlike the previous iteration, TOTY Icons have been added to the list of rewards.
Complete FC 26 1 of 3 88+ Encore Icon Player Pick SBC rewards
The 1 of 3 88+ Encore Icon Player Pick SBC features Icons from the following promos: Base, Thunderstruck, Unbreakables, Winter Wildcards, Champions, and Time Warp. Only cards rated 88 or higher are included.
Fantasy FC League is live in FC 26 Ultimate Team, and with it comes some amazing rewards.
The rewards on offer are excellent and include some brilliant evolutions and promo cards. However, obtaining all the rewards won't be as simple as you'll need to win a specific number of games. Let's look at all the available rewards and the tasks that you need to complete to get them.
How to get the Fantasy FC League rewards in FC 26
The Fantasy FC League has 20 different tasks to complete. The table below has all the relevant information that you'll need to unlock the rewards.
Task
How to Complete
Rewards
Win 1
Win 1 match in the Fantasy FC League to earn an EVO Consumable.
Evolution
Win 2
Win 2 matches in the Fantasy FC League
5 83+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 3
Win 3 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Evolution
Win 4
Win 4 matches in the Fantasy FC League
7 83+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 5
Win 5 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Deossa Fantasy FC item
Win 6
Win 6 matches in the Fantasy FC League
4 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 7
Win 7 matches in the Fantasy FC League
5 84+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 8
Win 8 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Evolution
Win 9
Win 9 matches in the Fantasy FC League
4 85+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 10
Win 10 matches in the Fantasy FC League
3 86+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 11
Win 11 matches in the Fantasy FC League
3 87+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 12
Win 12 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Luis Henrique Fantasy FC
Win 13
Win 13 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Cosmetic
Win 14
Win 14 matches in the Fantasy FC League
3 88+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 15
Win 15 matches in the Fantasy FC League
5 88+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 16
Win 16 matches in the Fantasy FC League
7 87+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 17
Win 17 matches in the Fantasy FC League
6 88+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 18
Win 18 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Evolution
Win 19
Win 19 matches in the Fantasy FC League
10 87+ Rare Gold Players Pack
Win 20
Win 20 matches in the Fantasy FC League
Victor Ibarbo Fantasy FC Hero
Completing the full set also grants you a 10 86+ Rare Gold Players Pack and an interesting evolution. Overall, the Fantasy FC League is certainly worth completing thanks to the rewards on offer. If you manage to complete some of the tasks, the rewards are still going to be immensely helpful. Hence, try to win as many games as possible to get close to the 20-wins mark.
The Bronze Glow Up Evolution has arrived in FC 26, and you can upgrade two Bronze items in Ultimate Team.
While the evolution doesn't turn your chosen cards into outright superstars, you can improve them further as part of chains. The evolution can be used twice by spending 20,000 coins each time. Here's how you should approach it.
Here are the requirements of Bronze Glow Up Evolution in FC 26.
Overall: Max 64
Not Position: GK
FC 26 Bronze Glow Up Evolution upgrades
The evolution has five levels of upgrades, each with certain conditions to fulfill.
Level 1 upgrades
Overall: +40|84
Pace: +60|82
Finishing: +60|84
Interceptions: +60|82
Short Passing: +60|85
Level 2 upgrades
Heading Acc.: +60|80
Jumping: +60|80
Long Passing: +60|84
Penalties: +60|80
Positioning: +60|82
Reactions: +60|82
Level 3 upgrades
Ball control: +60|84
Curve: +60|83
Def. Aware: +60|82
Shot Power: +60|82
Stamina: +60|84
Vision: +60|84
Level 4 upgrades
Agility: +60|82
Crossing: +60|83
Dribbling: +60|85
Long Shots: +60|80
Stand Tackle: +60|84
Strength: +60|82
Level 5 upgrades
Aggression: +60|80
Balance: +60|82
Free Kick: +60|82
Slide Tackle: +60|84
Volleys: +60|80
Composure: +60|82
Level 1 upgrade requirements
Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO player in game.
Level 2 upgrade requirements
Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO player in game.
Level 3 upgrade requirements
Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO player in game.
Level 4 upgrade requirements
Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.
Level 5 upgrade requirements
Play 1 match in Squad Battles on min. Semi-Pro difficulty (or Rush/Rivals/Champions/Live Events) using your active EVO Player in game.
Best players to use in Bronze Glow Up Evolution
Here are some of my best recommendations for inclusion in the evolution.
Adaramola
Quinton
Theo Bergvall
Noah Darvich
Allan Arigoni
Oscar Thorn
Joel Ndala
Elias Manoel
Maxime Soulas
This evolution is one made up for a chain. Once evolved, your card will be improved to an 84-rated Fantasy FC player with decent stats. You'll need to immediately put the card into another evolution for further improvements. While the Glow Up evolution itself feels nice, it should have been offered for free.
The Fantasy Staple Evolution is now live in FC 26, and you can add some notable upgrades to two items of your choice.
Available for free, the Fantasy Staple Evolution offers some amazing boosts in terms of stats, roles, and playstyles. While the stat caps are slightly demoralizing, you can make the evolution part of a new chain. Let's look at the best choices for the evolution based on the requirements and offered upgrades.
I miss boxing - not that I ever did it. It used to be a kind of combat-sport backbone running through the country. I remember sleeping at a friend's house when Frank Bruno was fighting Mike Tyson in 1989, and us kids were listening to the fight on a radio upstairs while our parents listened to it on a radio downstairs. Their cheers led ours. Boxing matches were big deals, they were moments where everyone seemed to turn around, but where are they now? Lying on the canvas alongside Jake Paul.
Match of the Day football commentator Guy Mowbray has revealed he gave EA permission to create an AI voice clone of himself in order to assist with some of the more onerous aspects of recording commentary for EA Sports FC.
One of the best racing horses in the modern era of the sport will be coming to Umamusume: Pretty Derby, according to a statement from the horse's owner.
If you were watching last week's Sony State of Play, you'll have surely seen the latest trailer for Star Wars: Galactic Racer. Hectic chases through exotic planets, tense moments between the drivers, and… Wait. Hang on. That crash, it looked a lot like a Burnout crash? Was that real, or some cinematic sleight of hand aimed at getting 2000's arcade racing fans overly eager?
Yesterday was a big day for new video game trailers, courtesy of the Sony State of Play. But a little earlier, away from the limelight, came another lengthy showcase of an especially cool looking game you might have missed.
EA Sports has revealed the much-anticipated Ultimate Team of the Year cards for the 2025/26 season, including a slew of meta favourites from the likes of the evergreen Virgil van Dijk, super-fast Kylian Mbappe and unplayable queen of FC 26 Claudia Pina.
Ubisoft stated the following to MobileSyrup regarding the dismissals:
“This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected. Our priority now is to support them through this transition with comprehensive severance packages and robust career placement assistance.”
The Show Goes On
Image: Ubisoft
Ubisoft Toronto houses the people working on the upcoming Splinter Cell Remake, for which development plans were announced back in 2021. The company promised a game built entirely from scratch, with better visuals, atmosphere, and gameplay. They also promised that the gameplay will be linear, not open-world like Ubisoft’s more recent IPs.
Ever since then, it has been a constant flurry of confusing back-and-forth reports. We heard reports that the game was getting a new story, then some early concept, and then reports that the game had been delayed “indefinitely.”
Ubisoft has insisted several times since 2021 that the game is coming, and they are doing so once again now. Keep in mind, we have yet to see any form of gameplay footage, and it’s been five years. It’s strange, isn’t it? On one side, we get consistent annual releases from Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and sports games like EA FC without issue. But the moment there is gritty work to be done for new IPs or meaningful remakes, we have these delays.
That’s not a shot at the developers or the individuals working on these games, far from it. In fact, it just highlights how frequently resources are mismanaged and ignored until it’s crunch time. We don’t know how accurate the reports are from employees about how they are treated by publishers like Ubisoft, but when 1,200 of your employees decide on a three-day strike across different countries, something is definitely not right.
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