Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. has announced today that its popular game eFootball be hosting a major Manchester United-focused competitive campaign. Players around the world will have the chance to compete in order to become the official Manchester United representative in the eFootball Championship 2026.
For interested fans, the online qualifiers for the event are now live for the in-game Club Event “eFootball Championship 2026 Manchester United.” Participating in the event will give players the chance to represent the Red Devils on the global esports stage, which in turn determines the official Manchester United representative for the eFootball Championship 2026.
KONAMI says that in the previous season, 36.3 million players competed in Club Events, with the journey starting all over again this year. All players need to do to have a chance is download eFootball for free and enter the “Match” hub to potentially start your future eFootball legacy.
Two tournaments are slated for fans to compete in: the ’eFootballChampionship 2026 Open’ and the ‘eFootballChampionship 2026 Club Event.’ The former is for all users, and the latter is used to determine each eFootball partnered club’s number one fan. If you manage to succeed in these events, you will be able to compete for the title of ‘World’s Best eFootball player’ at the ‘eFootballChampionship 2026 World Finals’ expected for the summer of 2026.
Surpassing 950 million downloads, the game’s reach has been cemented since its days before its rebranding as PES. In celebration of that fact and to support the current campaign, eFootball has added the Manchester United Club Pack featuring the club’s starting XI, as well as legendary players from the club’s past. Big Time player George Best has been added, along with Epic’s Peter Schmeichel and Bryan Robson.
Spotify Camp Nou in the process of its renovation.
Players can also enjoy a fresh stadium, FC Barcelona’s newly renovated home, Spotify Camp Nou. The stadium is so far only available for mobile players, but PC and console players will soon be able to play a match in the Barcelona icon in a coming update. Using the new stadium, players can experience more of what the game has to offer by participating in the campaign, where daily log-ins and progressing through in-game events can unlock special goal effects and tickets offering the chance to win up to 1,000 in-game coins.
Compete, play, and enjoy yourself in eFootball’s newest campaign, and maybe even try to get that spot representing Manchester United.
Vince Zampella, known for co-creating the Call of Duty series, among many other roles, has died. Zampella, 55, died in a car crash in Los Angeles on Sunday. The fatal crash killed him, along with the occupant of his car.
Updates are now available across NFL Retro Bowl 26, Retro Bowl College and the original Retro Bowl, bringing a mix of new features and gameplay tweaks.
NFL Retro Bowl 26 adds Game Center Challenges, giving players a new way to compete against friends by chasing high scores. Challenges can be launched from the save select screen or directly through the device’s Games app with new challenges rotating in over time. This feature requires iOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later.
On the presentation side, helmet facemasks now display different colors during gameplay. A new Player Rosters option has also been added to Advanced Options when starting a career, allowing players to begin a season using team rosters as they stood after the trade deadline. Advanced Options are now accessible from the head coach creation screen as well, making it possible to adjust roster rules, practice squad players and player development settings before jumping into a Quick Start or selecting players.
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The original Retro Bowl receives a small but welcome customization update, as facemask colors can now be changed from the default gray through the Unlimited Version’s Team Editor. The update also includes a potential fix aimed at resolving control issues that could occur when releasing the screen to stop trucking.
Retro Bowl College mirrors the facemask customization change, allowing players using the Unlimited Version’s Team Editor to swap out the default gray facemasks for different colors.
Anyone who has grinded Franchise mode in Madden 26 knows that building a stacked roster is all about securing drafts, trading smart, and hoping your sim luck holds out. It doesn’t just end there; remember that your head coach and coordinators are just as important, not just sidebar hires.
Their abilities, playbooks, and upgrades shape your weekly strategy and can boost your team growth. So, to get the most out of it, picking the right staff is just as important as drafting your franchise QB.
Coach Creation And Archetypes Set The Tone
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In Coach Central, you get to mess around with custom looks with a variety of over 200+ heads, ~50 shirts, and ~40 shoes that let you customize your vibe however you like. You can then pick your archetype, whether you want to be an offensive guru, a defensive genius, or maybe even a development wizard.
Each archetype comes with a unique skill tree, which you can grind all the way to level 50: unlocking Gameday boosts (in-match edges) and Season Abilities (scouting/development perks). For instance, the Level 20 Guru unlocks a 20% red-zone boost.
Coordinators Step Up Big Time
Coordinators aren’t just filling rosters anymore; they’re running their side of the ball like mini-head coaches. Head Coaches like Sean McVay count on their defensive coordinators to keep things in check, just like in real-life NFL.
Veterans like Todd Bowles bring some great skills, like top-notch blitz reads and sharp coverage calls. On the other hand, the rookies start with a slow grind but pick up pace, earning XP by scoring goals like “force 3 turnovers”.
Their abilities progress or regress based on your performance on the field. So a slumping OC might drop your red-zone efficiency, while a hot DC masters shutdown plays. You can see real NFL coordinators in the game too, with schemes reflected in playsheets. Want to dial up the heat? Equip Mike Macdonald’s for aggressive fronts that swarm RBs all day.
Staff And Playsheet Loadouts
Each week, you jump into the Staff Loadout, where you can slot up to six abilities from your head coach or coordinators. You’ll see matchup suggestions like QB Pressure against pocket passers, but in the end, you decide how to patch up your team’s weak spots.
Then there’s the Playsheet Loadout, where you can swap up to four offensive/defensive schemes from your staff’s strengths. These schemes ride into the game with your base playbooks.
Maybe you want to channel Bowles or Reid, aggressive 4-3 looks and lots of offensive tempo. If you skip the loadout, you’re just missing out on potential boosts and a competitive edge.
These tie straight to sim results and user games. Sims factor in coach XP goals (which you complete for progression), while user play sees abilities affect fatigue, play success, and even morale.
Real Impact On Gameplay And Progression
If you want to see the impact in action, just step into Franchise mode and feel the difference right away. With a level 10 custom coach, you can equip “Development Boost,” which bumps young WRs’ XP 15% faster. Pair that with a Wizard archetype, and your rookies start to take off. Meanwhile, coordinators have their own goals, like hitting 30 rush attempts for team-wide run-block edges next game.
In head-to-head play or simulation games, Coach DNA holds its own weight. The bold ones gamble on 4th-and-2, which is sometimes all you need to turn a close game. On the other hand, if your staff is mismatched, you’ll notice that right out too. You start giving up yards, and your contender feels shaky. The simple fix is to start hiring smart or executing a well-timed trade to bring the balance back.
Community sim leagues buzz about it too, calling out how Wear & Tear abilities drain opponent stamina late, turning 4th-quarter leads into locks. There’s real weight to player progression; you can master abilities for permanent upgrades, or regress and hunt replacements.
So, Do Coaches And Coordinators Make A Difference?
Do they make a difference? Technically, yes. But despite all of this, a large portion of the Madden community remains unconvinced, and they’re not wrong to question it.
Long-running Franchise discussions on Reddit and forums regularly point out that coordinators often feel more like passive boost containers than living parts of the league ecosystem. Coaches aren’t consistently hired away, schemes don’t always create friction when staffs change, and there’s rarely a penalty for sticking with the same coordinators forever. Compared to older Madden titles, where staff turnover and progression felt more organic, today’s system can come off as shallow or inconsistent.
That gap between what the system promises and how it actually behaves is where frustration lives. Madden’s coaching mechanics do matter. But until the game fully commits to consequence, churn, and adaptation, many players will continue to feel like they should matter more.
Diamond Dynasty is widely considered one of the most extensive and rewarding card-collecting modes in any sports game. Fans of MLB The Show 25 really enjoy the mode with the current game, and it’s engaging enough that people have stuck with it year-round. However, after such a long cycle with the game, fans have various criticisms about the mode and how it can improve for MLB The Show 26.
The power creep issue is one of the main critiques, but there are other potential problems that you only learn by playing the game for a long period. With MLB The Show 26 just around the corner, here are some key improvements we want to see with Diamond Dynasty.
Overhaul Team Affinity
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Team Affinity was created to encourage themed squad-building with boosts related to specific MLB teams. But in The Show 25, there are quite a few aggravating points with this system.
One of the biggest problems with Team Affinity is the pre-locked lineups that are set a month before real-time roster changes. This makes the players feel trapped, as they are forced to grind on cards that become outdated almost instantly. The chapters are extremely long, and even dedicated grinders complain about how replacing outdated cards with powerful ones resets their progress, sometimes completely.
If the franchise wants player satisfaction, it should focus on resetting affinities every month and adding wildcard slots for upgrades. Also, to prevent the grind from becoming boring, the game could introduce boosts that scale with performance or affinity-specific events.
Cut The Offline Grind And Supercharge Online Rewards
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
The game’s structure puts players who have limited time on their hands at a constant disadvantage. Despite its fascinating elements, it suffers from inconsistent rewards and unlucky pulls that do not validate the investment.
In order to stay in the competition, you have to complete lengthy Conquest maps and Mini Seasons. This often requires you to play 50+ games just for one usable diamond card.
The online play has comparatively slow progression, and offline modes often feel insufficient in terms of scaling. This balance of power between players who don’t spend money and those who buy stubs is quite strange. To prioritize skill above all else, player progression needs to tie itself to online wins rather than total games played.
Stability And Balance Improvements
Image: Sony Interactive Entertainment
There’s a lot to talk about when it comes to overall gameplay and network stability. Major community complaints consist of frequent disconnects, mid-game freezes, and “DD not loading” errors. Every game can have unexpected glitches; that’s fair. But the real problem with MLB The Show 25 was that hotfixes arrived weeks later from when the issue occurred. This is extremely problematic for a game that is built around quick matches and events.
Another crucial topic is overpowered 99-rated cards being released too early, which makes later progression make no sense. If you feel the game is too easy for you and want to play on greater difficulties, there are other problems. Perfect inputs often result in weak contact, while somehow, late swings produce home runs.
MLB The Show 26 needs quick patches, a focus on prioritizing servers, and better overall netcode. To control the meta, early-game cards need a lower overall rating to balance the power curve.
It's been another strange, difficult, and yet somehow also brilliant year for video games in 2025. Triple-A releases have been sparse again, compared to the boom times of old, with a great big GTA 6-shaped hole left in the final few months of the year. And yet once again, every gap left by the established order has been filled twice over with something brilliantly new.
The world feels a little quieter today, and the screens we retreat to feel a little colder. On Sunday, December 21, 2025, the heartbeat of the modern shooter stopped. Vince Zampella—the man who spent three decades teaching us that a game could be more than just pixels, that it could be a visceral, heart-pounding extension of our own reflexes—passed away at the age of 55. As reported by Game Informer, this isn’t just the loss of a corporate executive; it feels like losing the captain of the ship. Zampella was the architect of our digital camaraderie, the man who understood that a “game” only works when it respects the player’s time, skill, and passion.
Vince Zampela tragicaly killed in car accident
The Midnight Silence on Angeles Crest
The tragedy that claimed his life is a jarring contrast to the high-octane worlds he built. According to primary reports from NBC4 Los Angeles and the California Highway Patrol, the incident occurred at approximately 12:45 p.m. in the rugged beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains. Zampella was driving a Ferrari 296 GTB on the Angeles Crest Highway when the vehicle veered off the road at mile post 62.70. The car struck a concrete barrier and was consumed by fire almost instantly.
Terrifying moment of Vince Zampella’s deadly crash. RIP:(. Beware of mature content
Zampella died at the scene, and a passenger—a soul whose identity remains shielded by the privacy of a grieving family—succumbed to their injuries later at the hospital. The Straits Times notes that while investigations are ongoing, the gaming community is less focused on the mechanics of the accident and more on the massive, hollow space his absence leaves behind. It is a cruel irony that a man who mastered the art of “controlled chaos” on our screens lost his life to the unpredictable reality of a mountain road.
Vince Zampella Died Battlefield.jpeg
The General Who Redefined the Frontline
Vince didn’t just make games; he set the tempo for an entire industry. His career began with a refusal to accept the status quo. At 2015, Inc., he gave us the storming of Omaha Beach in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, a moment so cinematic it felt like the screen was sweating. But he was just getting started. When he co-founded Infinity Ward, he didn’t just create Call of Duty; he created a language. The “hitmarker,” the snap-to-aim, the prestige system—these weren’t just features; they were the new DNA of interactive entertainment. As The Game Business highlights in their career retrospective, Zampella took the chaos of war and turned it into a finely tuned instrument. If you’ve ever felt the rush of a “Level Up” guitar riff, you were experiencing the mind of Vince Zampella.
The Resurrection of the Shooter
Perhaps the most inspiring chapter of his life was his “second act.” After a messy, public split from Activision in 2010 that would have broken a lesser creator, Vince didn’t retreat. He built Respawn Entertainment from the ashes. He gave us Titanfall, reminding us that we could touch the sky, and Apex Legends, a masterclass in surprise and precision. Even when he stepped into the Star Wars universe with the Jedi series, he treated it with the reverence of a fan and the skill of a master.
Most recently, he had become the “fixer” for Battlefield, leading the franchise back to its former glory. Just ten days before his passing, Zampella appeared at The Game Awards 2025, where Battlefield 6 took home the trophy for Best Audio Design—a final, poignant reminder of his obsession with quality. We didn’t know it was a farewell.
A Legacy Measured in Muscle Memory
To describe Vince’s impact through a clinical table of dates feels insufficient for a man who lived with such intensity. His 55 years were a relentless pursuit of the “perfect feel.” Born in 1970, he spent over thirty years evolving from a developer to the visionary leader of Respawn and the savior of Battlefield. He wasn’t chasing trends; he was the one the trends were trying to catch. His work earned him countless Game of the Year honors, but his real trophy is the muscle memory of millions of players worldwide.
The industry tributes have been a tidal wave of grief. Electronic Arts (EA) confirmed the news to PEOPLE, calling it an “unimaginable loss,” while long-time friend Geoff Keighley spoke of a man who gave developers the “freedom and confidence to be great.” But for the players—the ones who feel the weight of his absence every time they fire up a console—the tribute is simpler. We play on. We defend the points he designed, we master the movement he perfected, and we remember that the light on the gaming horizon is a little dimmer today.
Rest in peace, Vince. You didn’t just change the game; you became the standard.
Last week, Warframe’s hotly anticipated Old Peace update launched, kicking off a saga that digs into the very foundations of the nearly 13-year-old game’s lore. Of course, like clockwork, servers immediately took a tumble, resulting in crashes, outages, and chat issues. But why has this pattern become so predictable with online games? Especially when developers are well aware that a storm of their own making is on the horizon?
During a Game Awards-adjacent event celebrating The Old Peace’s launch last week, I asked creative director Rebb Ford.
"You've gotta spin up capacity,” she told Aftermath, referring to the practice of paying money to a distribution partner for additional servers ahead of or during moments when many players will be trying to access content. “You're allowing so many connections. We're an always-online game, right, so every time a player does something, there's a server call. There's something that needs to be verified server and client side. … Login, mission complete, anything that needs to talk to us to say 'You did this, you did that’ – it happens to us at a volume level that's very hard to account for."
In The Old Peace’s case, Digital Extremes was ready for a stampede the moment it opened the gates, but not quite ready enough.
"We actually didn't fall over as much as I thought we would,” said Ford. “That's when we realized 'Oh, we didn't think this was gonna be bigger than TennoCon [Warframe’s annual convention that often drives record player numbers].' We spun up IRC servers, we spun up things just to deal with volume. But sometimes you just cannot be prepared enough when you didn't predict it to be the third-best day in the history of the game. That was an error on our part, but it's not so much a tech error; it was an anticipation error. We fixed it very quickly."
The ability to quickly rectify server issues is also the result of preparation – in some cases years of preparation.
"One of our most important things to do is make sure people can get the content as fast as possible,” said Ford. “With Warframe, when we have the build or the update, we release it to our distributing partners, and we do something called a pre-heat of our CDN, or content delivery network – which is basically us saying 'People shouldn't all be fetching the game data from one node.' Because that will take forever. It'll get congested. So we distribute it, and this is through years of network partner shopping, working with really good network partners. We have content servers in 16 or 17 central population hubs."
The pre-heat, Ford explained, ensures that the whole network doesn’t hinge on a single point of potential failure.
“So sometimes you'll be going in the Philippines instead of being routed to our deploying headquarters, which is Ontario,” she said. “We pre-heated our server structure across the globe so that people can fetch [new content] quicker, and that takes a lot of load off.”
But that’s only one stair in what Ford characterized as a winding staircase of individual, overlapping needs.
"So that's the first point of failure: Can you download the game at all?” she said. “Second point of failure is: Can you login at all? When that happens, that all comes to us through login capacity. That one, you just have to spin up more capacity. Then you have the question of 'Can people play missions?' So you can kind of see the staircase: Can you download the game? Can you login to the game? Can you play the game? And each one of those is a slightly different sector of stability."
In Warframe’s case, elements can function independently, but if they’re not all working in conjunction, players quickly begin to see the seams.
“A lot of people can be logged into the game, and that's cool, but if you can't play, [then there's a problem],” said Ford. “It's like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Can you chat? You don't need chat to play the game, but chat servers run independently. Those were hit the hardest [on Old Peace launch day], and we fixed it fairly fast by spinning up more capacity."
Games are complicated, as is the process of distributing them to millions of different computers with as many hardware configurations as there are stars in the sky. You will not be surprised to learn, then, that many other things can also go wrong.
“We have issues where we release new code in this build, and then maybe one piece of code fires every second on a heartbeat,” Ford said. “And sometimes we find these heartbeats, and we're like 'What is pinging the servers every second on the second,' and we're like 'It's the new title system we put in,' for example. ‘It's checking against server-client to issue you a title, but it's doing it in a way where we were unsure because it's checking all this indexed stuff.’"
Warframe has been around for over a decade and regularly pulls in tens – or in Old Peace launch day’s case, hundreds – of thousands of concurrent players. Nonetheless, said Ford, Digital Extremes still frets about The Ramifications as though it were a much smaller company.
"We still feel very young and scrappy, and we're like 'Can we even afford $600 more per month in capacity?'” she said. “That's the kind of question we ask ourselves on launch day. And then we're like 'Just do it! Just do it!'"
Warframe’s servers weren’t quite able to withstand the sheer weight of years’ worth of anticipation on launch day, but Ford was relieved that they didn’t go down for “hours and hours,” which would’ve necessitated a suitably less jubilant speech at the launch event in LA.
"It's exciting. It's thrilling. Everyone did an amazing job,” she said. “We asked our team to do the impossible with this update, so even though those little hiccups happened, we had two speeches prepared – funeral or the celebration – and we undoubtedly got to do the celebration."
Welcome to Next Week on Xbox! In this weekly feature we cover all the games coming soon to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass! Get more details on these upcoming games below and click their profiles for further info (release dates subject to change). Let’s jump in!
Get behind the wheel and become a professional bus driver! This amazing bus simulator will allow you to transport passengers across three different cities (Rio de Janeiro, Munich and Los Angeles) using various bus models with realistic physics and graphics. Play this bus simulator in single player with career and freeride modes.
You’re an indebted angler, trapped in a vicious cycle of borrowing and desperation. One dark, endless night at sea you haul up something unnatural: a talking fish named Cagliuso. It promises you riches — but its bargains come with terrifying strings. In Loan Shark, the nets you cast bring more than fish. They pull you toward sacrifice, secrets, and a deadline you may never meet. The “loan shark” isn’t just metaphoric — something is stalking the waters, your time is running out, and every deal you strike pushes you deeper into the unknown.
SimRail is a new era of railway simulators. Realistic driving physics, the environment generated on the basis of geodetic data and an extensive multi-player mode are just some of the elements that game includes. Visit about 500 km of real routes created with all details. Choose present European high-speed, long-distance and suburban tracks, or travel back in time to 1980 and drive steam train at sand railway of Upper Silesia, Poland: the socialist land of coal and steel.
Tavern Manager Simulator is an exciting process of rebuilding, expanding and improving a tavern. Take different approaches to running an establishment and meet the challenges of the outside world to create your own unique story.
A game inspired by old arcade games, where waves of bricks make the climb to the top increasingly difficult. Adding to the challenge are minions and bosses, who will put us to the test. Ask your friends for help, playing as a duo, or go head-to-head to see who’s the best. If you think you’re the best of the bunch, then get ready to prove to the rest of the world that you’ve got what it takes via the online leaderboards.
A giant cat has made an (otherwise) peaceful village its napping spot! Can you find all the hidden cats scattered around the chaos? Explore four illustrated comic pages, search for hundreds of felines, and complete relaxing jigsaw puzzles. Cats Around Us: Giant Cat combines hidden-object gameplay with storybook art, offering a cozy, creative experience for cat and cartoon lovers alike!
Hop your way through the dangerous swamps as you face the trials of your master the Wise Toad! Direction Quad is a 2D action-adventure presented in top-down pixel art style. Take the role of young Quad as he hops through the swamp in any diagonal direction, collecting coins and bugs along the way. The objective is to get Quad from his starting lily pad to the finish line of each stage without colliding with the terrain or any treacherous traps.
A collectors dream! A compilation consisting of the original DreadOut and DreadOut: Keepers of the Dark. DreadOut is a third person supernatural horror game where you play as Linda, a high school student trapped in an old, abandoned town. Equipped with her trusty smartphone and an SLR camera, she will battle against terrifying encounters and solve mysterious puzzles which will ultimately determine her fate. DreadOut: Keepers of the Dark is a new standalone horror game that takes place in the DreadOut universe. In this missing chapter, you will help Linda face the challenges of the DreadOut world with even more dangers lurking within.
They say the path to immortality is paved with hardship. But in your case, this hardship happened to take the form of seven dangerously beautiful women. You are Lin Fan, the chosen one of the Crane Illusion Sect. Born with a Pure Yang Lineage, you are destined to ascend to the heavens. However, no matter how hard you train, fate sends yet another challenge in your way…temptations in the shape of an unreliable master, a strict senior sister, or a saintess who seems far more interested in testing your heart rather than your skills. Can you survive the thousand tribulations of love, jealousy, and thunder? Or will your heart fall just before your heavenly ascension?
The Last Case of John Morley is a first-person narrative adventure set in the 1940s. You play as an experienced detective faced with a case long buried by time. After months in hospital, John Morley receives an unexpected visit from Lady Margarette Fordside, an aristocrat haunted by the murder of her daughter twenty years earlier. Though the police closed the case, she believes the real killer was never found. What begins as a quiet look into an old case becomes a haunting investigation into forgotten places and long-hidden truths that refuse to stay buried.
Ninja Nightfall is a fast-paced platformer where you are the last silent guardian—an elite ninja battling a city overrun by hostile AI. Conquer 10 intense stages filled with deadly robots, hidden zones, and high-security relics. Master stealth, speed, and precision as you navigate neon-lit rooftops and evade traps.
Is the moon there when nobody looks? Einstein once asked this famous question about quantum mechanics. This game takes that idea and turns it into a mysterious puzzle RPG, where the world itself only exists when you see it.
Disco Simulator is a tycoon game focused on managing your own nightclub. Start from scratch, build walls, arrange furniture, hire staff, plan events, and invite artists to perform on stage. Create the ultimate place for music, dance, and fun!
Two years after waking from her coma, Laura believes she’s free from nightmares. But the Sandman, who once held her soul captive, is back for revenge. A relaxing trip to a snowy mountain resort turns tragic when Tim falls from a cliff and slips into a coma. Bound by her vow not to use her Power for personal gain, Laura can’t save him herself. Desperate, she turns to an old friend (the player) and enters Tim’s subconscious, now under the Sandman’s dark influence. Explore haunting dreamscapes, solve intriguing puzzles, and face the shadows before the Sandman claims his next heir.
When Kejora realizes that her peaceful village has been reliving the same day over and over, she and her friends seek out to try and uncover the origin of the mysterious time loop cursed on her village There’s a mystery hidden behind this peaceful village, unknown to its inhabitants, who carry on with their daily lives. Kejora features hand-drawn art and animation, environmental platformer puzzles, and party-based inspired gameplay with 2 supporting characters with unique skills to help Kejora in her exploration and journey.
In Mel The Space Cat, you’ll guide Mel, a courageous cosmic cat traveling across alien planets in search of safety even if that means escaping from energy traps, laser cannons, hazardous landscapes, and the mysterious alien Theo! Across 40 handcrafted space levels, your reflexes and timing will be pushed to the limit in a journey filled with charm, danger, and zero gravity surprises.
The story of a real event: in 2009, two young girls living in Apartment No 129 in Turkey performed satanic rituals with candles late at night. According to allegations, the girls, who lived on the top floor of the building, mysteriously lost their lives that night. Apartment No 129 is a single-player, first-person horror and thriller game.
Stack all kinds of mouth-watering baked goods, from croissants to cookie hearts and everything in between! Grab your spatula, lift the baked goods out of the oven, and put them on display so that customers can buy them! With a steady stream of hungry customers waiting in line, it’s up to you to deliver their orders quickly and efficiently!
Battle Puzzle 2048 – Queens of the Abyss brings a spellbinding twist to the classic 2048 puzzle game! Slide tiles to combine matching numbers, build powerful combos, and take on a colorful array of supernatural foes. Face off against crafty witches, playful vampires, and adorable girly demons, each armed with unique abilities like hexing tiles, draining health, or summoning chaos on the grid.
BrokenLore: Unfollow is a first-person psychological horror game that dives into the dark side of social media and its effect on mental health. You play as Anne, a young woman haunted by the trauma of bullying, trapped in a surreal nightmare where she must confront her past and uncover a buried truth.
In Grimoire of Domance, the natural order has been shattered. You are a high mage of a Mage Order, the only one capable of wielding the power of the legendary Grimoire to stop Bahg’Val, an ancient entity that has possessed your master and threatens to consume the world. In this 2D action-platformer, your magic comes from dominance. You are what you defeat.
Milo is a very brave, smart, and playful dog! Only he can defeat the cruel King Big Flea and his evil henchmen who are terrorizing the fairy kingdom. Explore four magical branching locations, solve challenging puzzles, defeat dangerous enemies, and collect dog bones to earn special new abilities. Playing solo or together with local co-op multiplayer, only you can help Milo in his all-important quest!
The world has fallen to a ruthless artificial intelligence determined to erase mankind. Cities lie in ruins, the skies swarm with machines, and the future hangs by a thread. You are John Veyron, a soldier reborn through brutal experiments, stripped of his past but armed with unbreakable resolve. With only steel and firepower at his side, John must march through hostile strongholds, confront merciless AI champions, and take the fight straight to the heart of the machine.
Zumba – Marble Candy Rush invites you into a delectable marble-shooter kingdom ruled by the Candy King! Select a level, aim your candy-cannon mouth, and fire to match three or more identical candy marbles before they spill past the sugar gate. Create explosive combos, clear waves swiftly, and earn up to three stars per level.
HIGH Charming. Nostalgic aesthetic, fresh mechanics.
LOW Rookie mistakes. Uninspired combat, stale boss fights.
WTF Did they really need to make that dude’s butt jiggle sound like that?
When I first saw the email from Tastie Games with “bossavania” in the subject line, I cocked my head in puzzlement and was curious to know what that meant exactly, so I took a look.
The press release included stills, accolades and a brief description of the new genre, stating “It combines the strategic, puzzle-like boss fights of games like Punch-Out!! with the freedom and exploration of a metroidvania.”
While there aren’t quite enough novel ideas to say that it truly did establish a new genre, the devs clearly put a lot of love into it, and I enjoyed many aspects of their work.
The premise is centered around a girl who belongs to an underground-dwelling society and must endure a rite of passage which involves collecting medals from four area captains. Along the way she’ll encounter a plethora of curious life forms in different biomes and a colorful cast of idiosyncratic NPCs with authentic humor.
Tonally, it seems cheery, but underneath the charming retro aesthetics and upbeat chiptune soundtrack lies a darker social commentary regarding the reason why her people are living underground — they don’t have much of a choice, if there ever was a choice, and this situation is explained by unearthing intriguing lore nuggets that help fill in the blanks.
Gameplay-wise, I found Mole Maiden to be engaging thanks to tight controls and a novel approach to platforming. While some abilities and powerups will be familiar to platforming fans, its drilling mechanic is the most unique, as it allows the player to reach new areas by digging, flying around and leaving bombs in their wake.
There’s a bit of a learning curve to controlling it effectively, but once the player gets the hang of it, drilling through a section of sand or rock and then launching into another is a blast, especially as the level design becomes more elaborate and offers more opportunities to reach a previously-inaccessible upgrade or rare item.
I also liked how the devs tied this drilling to health — attacking hostile NPCs loads the player’s drill with fuel, which they can then use to replenish their life. However, while this reward mechanic worked for me, Mole Maiden‘s combat, as a whole, lost its charm quickly.
While it’s possible there were some abilities or powerups I hadn’t yet unlocked, most of my time in combat amounted to little more than dodging and mashing the attack button — and for a self-proclaimed “bossavania,” the bosses of Mole Maiden feel gimmicky and ultimately underwhelming.
During my first boss fight, I was frustrated by the sluggish pace as I exchanged blows with the enormous butt-jiggling King B. who I defeated simply by getting behind him and wailing on his rear end over and over until he had a tantrum, and then I would get out of the away until he was finished — wash, rinse and repeat.
Maybe I’ve played too many soulslikes, but I found the movesets of every boss or miniboss that I faced so predictable and easy to telegraph that I barely felt any satisfaction when I won and progressed to the next area.
I was also disappointed to find that the devs structured things so that there was a linear order to what bosses and areas needed to be cleared before advancing — although that’s essentially consistent with traditional metroidvanias, games like Hollow Knight have shaken up the formula in that they adopted a more open approach so that there are multiple avenues to acquiring different powerups needed to advance.
Finally, there were a few glitches that weren’t gamebreaking, but did feel a bit amateurish. The most glaring oversight that I came across early on was the “thank you for playing” message from the developer which appeared mid-boss fight and caused me to die.
I assume it exists because a demo version would let the player try for a certain amount of time before it triggered the message, but I was playing the full version of the game. Or maybe they kept it in intentionally? Either way, they shot themselves in the foot, as a message shouldn’t pop up and cause the player to be defeated because their view is obstructed.
Other glitches were fairly commonplace, like various camera issues, and there was one recurring miniboss who would sometimes start sliding across the screen and get stuck attacking into a corner, making it cake for me to beat him.
Some glitches were just plain weird, like the occasional sound effect that would sometimes linger following a defeat. Most memorably, it happened with the first boss whose squishy butt-jiggling sound effect persisted even after the screen faded to black.
Maybe after the devs squash the bugs and make a few other changes I’ll want to come back and dig some more, but in its current state, Mole Maiden doesn’t feel like it’s quite ready to surface.
Disclosures: This game was developed and published by Tastie Games LLC. The game is currently available on PC. It was obtained via publisher and reviewed for PC. Approximately 3.5 hours were devoted to the campaign mode. The game was not finished. There is no multiplayer functionality.
Parents: This game is not rated by the ESRB but has only cartoon violence and crude language, so the equivalent of a “T” may be appropriate.
Colorblind Modes: There are no colorblind modes available.
Deaf & Hard of Hearing Gamers: This game features text-based dialogue with some audio in Japanese or gibberish dialogue to give it flavor, but doesn’t have any audio cues that impact the gameplay in any significant way. As such, this game is fully accessible.
Remappable controls: The controls cannot be remapped.
Coming to Xbox Game Pass: Star Wars Outlaws, Resident Evil Village, and More
Megan Spurr, Senior Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass
Welcome to the new year, friends! Happy to be back with more games and more fun. Let’s get to it!
Available Today
Brews & Bastards(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Brews & Bastards is an intoxicating, twin-stick shooter, overflowing with action-packed combat, potent brews and outlandish bosses. Select from a group of inebriated heroes and descend, drink, and destroy your way through hordes of drunken demons in search of the stolen Brew Stone.
Rediscover the dark whimsical tale of Little Nightmares, now enhanced in stunning 4K and 60 FPS. Play as Six, a lone child trapped in The Maw, a massive vessel inhabited by monstrous, distorted versions of adults. Sneak, hide, and survive in a world where your childhood fears come to life.
Coming Soon
Atomfall(Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) – January 7 Now with Game Pass Premium
A survival-action game inspired by real-life events, Atomfall is set five years after the Windscale nuclear disaster in Northern England. Explore the fictional quarantine zone, scavenge, craft, barter, fight and talk your way through a British countryside setting filled with bizarre characters, mysticism, cults, and rogue government agencies.
Lost in Random: The Eternal Die blends dynamic real-time action, tactical combat, and risk-reward dice mechanics for thrilling second-to-second battles. Unravel an original stand-alone story as Queen Aleksandra, the once great ruler of Random on a mission for vengeance and redemption.
Rematch(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 7 Now with Game Pass Premium
Step onto the pitch in Rematch, a third-person, team-based football game where every pass, volley, and tackle matters. Designed for 5v5 online play, Rematch puts you in full control of one athlete, with no offsides, no fouls, and no downtime. Pass smart, play with purpose, and win together.
Step into the armor of a relentless Space Marine and use a combination of lethal weaponry to crush overwhelming Ork forces. Immerse yourself in an intense and brutally violent world based on the richest science fantasy ever created. Enhanced for a new generation, this edition brings quality of life and graphical improvements.
Final Fantasy– (Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) – January 8 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
“Earth, fire, water, wind… The light that once shone within the four Crystals was lost. Become the Warriors of Light, restore power to the Crystals and save the world.” A remodeled 2D take on the first game in the world-renowned Final Fantasy series! Enjoy the timeless story told through charming retro graphics. All the magic of the original, with improved ease of play.
Star Wars Outlaws(Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 13 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Experience the first-ever open world Star Wars game, set between the events of “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” Explore distinct locations across the galaxy, both iconic and new. Risk it all as scoundrel Kay Vess, seeking freedom and the means to start a new life, along with her companion Nix. Fight, steal, and outwit your way through the galaxy’s crime syndicates as you join the galaxy’s most wanted. If you’re willing to take the risk, the galaxy is full of opportunity.
Take the magic of friendship to new heights in a mystery adventure for one or two ponies. Playing as Sunny, Hitch, Izzy, Pipp, Zipp, or Misty, use your special abilities to stop the unstable magic that’s sending Zephyr Heights out of control! And have tons of fun with hilarious minigames and countless pony customizations.
Resident Evil Village(Cloud, Console, and PC) – January 20 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
Resident Evil Village is the eighth main entry in the Resident Evil series. Set years after Resident Evil 7 biohazard, players follow Ethan Winters into a haunting European village, fighting for survival against brutal enemies as danger and mystery lurk around every corner.
MIO: Memories in Orbit (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – January 20 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Available on day one with Game Pass! A hand-crafted metroidvania set within a vast, decaying world reclaimed by nature and robots. Play as Mio, a nimble android exploring labyrinthine environments, battling rogue machines, and uncovering lost memories in a richly atmospheric adventure filled with secrets and danger.
Leaving January 15
The following games are leaving the Game Pass library soon. Jump back in to tie up any loose ends, or save up to 20% off your purchase to keep the fun going!
Flintlock The Siege of Dawn (Cloud, Handheld, PC, and Xbox Series X|S)
Neon White (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
Road 96 (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Ascent (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
The Grinch Christmas Adventures (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC)
I hope your last year treated you well with lots of high scores, achievements unlocked, and GGs. We’ll be back soon with even more games so keep it tuned here, or with us on social for Xbox and Xbox Game Pass. Talk soon!
Note: Games with a ‘Handheld’ designation represent those that are optimized for handheld play.
I wanted to jot down an idea I’ve been working on, it’s a story concept about
a basketball player who isn’t a superhero, but has an uncanny ability that
makes him feel almost superhuman… for one quarter at a time. I’m writing this
as a reference for myself, so I can come back to it later.
The Protagonist
Height: 5’4”
Personality: Quiet, observant, highly focused.
Special Ability: Called “Winning Time”.
He can anticipate every movement on the court, see the paths of players
and the ball almost like time slows down, and act with perfect precision.
Limits:
Only lasts one full quarter per game
Can only use it once per day
Avoids dribbling to conserve stamina
Still human, short, not physically dominant, can’t carry an entire
team
Backstory / Discovery
The ability was discovered during a scary incident with his younger sister.
She ran into the street and almost got hit by a car. In that instant, his
senses flared, time seemed to slow and he could see everyone’s movements
clearly. He saved her instinctively.
After that, he experimented with his quirk in small ways: predicting
movements, catching things before they fell, and eventually playing
basketball.
He gravitated toward basketball because he was a huge fan of
Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and the sport’s timing
and flow mirrored the burst of awareness he felt during that first
incident.
Streetball Discovery
One day, he was playing streetball. He didn’t dribble much (to save energy)
but managed to steal balls and make perfect catch-and-shoot threes.
The crowd was amazed.
A local coach watching from the sidelines realized his potential and
thought he could be a “secret weapon” for a real team.
Game Structure
The story focuses on a single official game:
Pre-game: Teammates doubt him because he’s short, but the
coach explains he only needs to focus on one quarter.
First quarter: Team struggles without him, missed shots,
turnovers, and physically stronger opponents dominate.
Winning Time quarter:
He enters the game and everything shifts.
He anticipates passes, steals, and hits multiple catch-and-shoot
threes.
His height and stamina limit him from doing everything, and the team
can’t always capitalize fully.
Aftermath: Exhausted, he sits out the rest of the game.
The team may win, tie, or lose, showing his limits.
Resolution: He reflects:
“I can help… but I can’t do everything. My quarter is just a chance,
not a promise.”
Why This Story Works
Human stakes: He isn’t invincible. He can’t save everyone
or win every game.
Strategy matters: He must choose when to use his ability.
Teamwork: Even with Winning Time, basketball is still a
team sport.
Emotional depth: His ability is tied to protecting
others, passion for basketball, and personal limits.
Irony of “Winning Time”: The ability doesn’t guarantee
victory; it only gives a temporary advantage.
Themes I’m Exploring
Greatness is temporary and fragile
Talent alone cannot replace teamwork
Responsibility and choice matter
Human limits make extraordinary moments meaningful
Final Thoughts:
I love the idea of a character who is almost superhuman, but still
very much human. His ability is impressive, but the rules, one quarter, once a
day, human limitations, keep the story grounded. Even though he can make a
huge impact, he doesn’t always guarantee victory, and that’s what makes him
relatable and compelling.
In Brief
End of an Era: BoomLand announces its closure after exploring all possible options to stay operational.
Temporary Game Access: Hunters On Chain remains accessible for another 12 months before server shutdown.
Asset Utilization: Players can continue to use in-game assets and the BOOM token during the remaining operational period.
BoomLand, a once-thriving gaming company, has officially announced it will cease operations. The decision follows exhaustive efforts by the company to find viable solutions to continue but ultimately, sustainability could not be achieved. The announcement described this outcome as "one of the most difficult messages" the team has had to convey, signaling the end of their journey in the gaming industry.
https://twitter.com/BoomLandGames/status/2009281821041701277
Hunters On Chain Remains Live Temporarily
In a slight reprieve for gamers, BoomLand confirmed that their flagship game, Hunters On Chain, will continue to be operational for the next 12 months. During this grace period, players will be able to engage with the game as usual. This includes the utilization of in-game assets and the BOOM token within the existing ecosystem. However, once this period concludes, the servers will be permanently deactivated, marking a definitive end to the game.
Closing the Chapter
The closure of BoomLand highlights the challenges faced by gaming projects in maintaining sustainability in a volatile market. Expressing gratitude, BoomLand thanked their community, players, partners, and early supporters for their belief, time, and patience throughout the project's duration. The company acknowledged the disappointment this decision brings but remained thankful for the community's involvement and proud of what they achieved during their operational years. By keeping Hunters On Chain live for an additional year, BoomLand hopes to allow players to fully enjoy the game and utilize their assets before the final shutdown.
In Brief
Launch Countdown Initiated: MetaSpace has begun the countdown to its NFT staking launch set for January 10, 2026.
Earning Opportunities: Players will be able to earn $MLD by staking their NFTs, with early stakers receiving the most substantial rewards.
Awaiting Further Details: Specifics about reward rates and other staking details will be announced closer to the launch date.
MetaSpace, a leader in the digital blockchain gaming sector, has officially announced the commencement of their NFT staking feature which will begin in just two days. This feature enables players to earn $MLD, the platform's native cryptocurrency, by staking their digital assets. Emphasizing urgency, MetaSpace is rallying its user base to prepare their NFTs for staking to maximize returns, particularly for those who participate early.
https://twitter.com/metaspace_verse/status/2008138905837863297
How Staking Works
MetaSpace has been actively engaging with its community, highlighting the importance of being ready for the launch. While full details on annual percentage rates (APRs), reward tiers, and schedules remain under wraps, the company has been strategic in creating anticipation and ensuring its user base is well-informed and prepared for the upcoming feature. The platform encourages new and existing players to "grab your NFT now" to take full advantage of the staking capabilities once they are live.
Impact on the MetaSpace's NFT Economy
Within the MetaSpace ecosystem, players interact with a gaming environment where characters, weapons, and equipment are all represented as NFTs. The upcoming staking feature is anticipated to integrate seamlessly, allowing players to earn while they engage actively with the game or passively through staking. This approach not only enhances the gaming experience but also enriches MetaSpace’s in-game economy, potentially impacting trading behaviors and the overall value of assets in secondary markets.
Looking Forward
With the imminent launch, the community and stakeholders are eager to receive more detailed information regarding the staking model. This includes conditions such as asset lock periods and how $MLD will function within the game post-launch. MetaSpace has hinted that more updates will be available near the launch date, focusing on the primary advantage of early participation and the associated benefits of earning $MLD starting from January 10, 2026.
In Brief
Historic Prize Pool: BLOCKLORDS introduces a remarkable 500,000 $LRDS prize pool for Season 4 of Battleborne and Region Wars.
Strategic MMO Gameplay: This season focuses on regional and collective strategies rather than individual achievements alone.
Diverse Leaderboards: Players can excel on global, regional, and personal leaderboards, reflecting contributions on various levels.
BLOCKLORDS has unveiled the fourth season of its Battleborne series, coupling it with Region Wars, which introduces a deep strategic layer and a massive 500,000 $LRDS prize pool—the largest in the game's history. Through this innovative season, the game transitions into a format that supports more interconnected gameplay, encouraging players to operate within a grand strategy context.
https://twitter.com/BLOCKLORDS/status/2008698988023742836
Leaderboard Logistics
Season 4 breaks from traditional gameplay by employing a multi-tiered leaderboard system that registers contributions across different scopes:
Global (Region) Leaderboard: Captures the performance of whole regions, playing a pivotal role in reward distribution.
Regional Rankings: These track the impact and activity of individual players within their specific regions.
Season 4 Personal Leaderboard: Monitors contributions across the season aside from regional performance.
This structural approach to leaderboards fosters a competitive environment where both individual prowess and regional collaboration are essential for climbing the ranks and reaping significant rewards.
Strategic Gameplay Importance
The strategic essence of Region Wars is embedded within the gameplay, encouraging a shift from solo play to coordinated regional efforts. This requires players to focus on optimizing timing, judiciously allocating resources, and planning collectively with regional allies. Such dynamics enhance more than just the game mechanics; they enrich the interactive and narrative layers of BLOCKLORDS.
Competition Dynamics
To thrive in this enhanced competitive environment, players must adhere to several strategies:
Consistent Region Allegiance: Maintaining loyalty to one region throughout the season could improve cumulative scores.
Coordinated Efforts: Synchronizing activities within a region can lead to more efficient contributions and better regional standings.
Focus on Dual Leaderboards: Excelling on both personal and regional fronts maximizes reward potential.
BLOCKLORDS is promoted as a player-centric medieval grand strategy game where every action—from farming to ruling—shapes the game’s universe. The introduction of region-based strategic play complements the game's political and narrative dimensions, propelling players not just to demonstrate tactical skills but also leadership and strategic foresight. With the record prize pool and revamped competitive format in Season 4, BLOCKLORDS is poised to offer an engaging and dynamic experience for all players involved.
In Brief
Divestiture of RTFKT: On December 17, 2025, Nike sold its digital products subsidiary RTFKT, accentuating a strategic emphasis on its core sports and apparel business.
Undisclosed Sale Details: The buyer and the financial specifics of the transaction were not revealed.
Converse Challenges and Legal Woes: As Nike faces a 30% decline in Converse revenue and ongoing litigation concerning its NFT practices, the company shifts focus back to traditional product lines.
In a significant shift of business strategy, Nike has divested its digital products arm, RTFKT, as confirmed on December 17, 2025. This move comes amid a broader realignment towards Nike’s foundational sporting goods operations. The decision follows statements made by CEO Elliott Hill in late 2024, detailing a pivot towards amplifying the core sports offerings and enhancing wholesale partnerships.
Despite reporting a marginal 1% increase in Nike’s overall revenue, achieving $12.4 billion in the quarter ending November 30, 2025, the company observed a sharp 30% revenue downturn in its Converse brand during the same period. This backdrop of fluctuating financial health illustrates the motivations behind shedding the digital collectibles subsidiary.
Continued Legal Challenges
The separation from RTFKT does not mark the end of challenges for Nike in the digital sphere. The company faces ongoing legal hurdles, as highlighted by a class-action lawsuit filed on April 25, 2025. The litigation, hosted in Brooklyn federal court, claims damages above $5 million, stemming from the marketing practices of Nike’s NFTs and other digital products. This case, Cheema v. Nike Inc, emphasizes the lingering complexities and risks associated with digital assets and blockchain technology.
Cultural Impact of RTFKT
Under Nike's stewardship, RTFKT branched beyond mere digital goods sales into an influential entity within the collectibles culture and virtual economic systems prevalent in gaming. Initially acquired to spearhead innovative digital storytelling, the sale of RTFKT could reshape this niche market, depending on the strategies of its new owners.
Looking Ahead
With the divestiture of RTFKT finalized and the public announcement made on January 7, 2026, the industry watches keenly to see how the new proprietors will influence the evolving dynamics of digital collectibles. Meanwhile, the proceedings of the ongoing lawsuit will likely cast a long shadow, underscoring the profound and persistent implications of Nike’s foray into the challenging terrain of NFTs and digital marketing.
In Brief
New Gaming Integration: UFOs Farm by Crypto UFOs is now playable with support from Solana Mobile and PlaySolana, marking a significant development in the game’s distribution.
Game Dynamics: The game allows players to earn $UFOS tokens through various in-game activities which fuel the game’s economy.
Platform Synergy: The involvement of PlaySolana aims to leverage their infrastructure to introduce the game to a broader audience, potentially increasing user engagement through streamlined game discovery and participation.
Expanded Game Access
Crypto UFOs, a project on the Solana blockchain, recently announced that their game, UFOs Farm, is now accessible via Solana Mobile and PlaySolana platforms. This move is seen as a crucial step for the game in reaching a wider audience, particularly those already engaged with Solana-native games. The integration with these platforms is intended to simplify the process for gamers to discover and engage with UFOs Farm, thereby enhancing player immersion and interaction within the game.
UFOs Farm Gameplay
UFOs Farm operates as a farm game where players engage in activities such as resource farming, entering raffles, and competing in leaderboards. The gameplay revolves around using NFTs (non-fungible tokens) within the game to earn $UFOS tokens. These tokens can then be used for further in-game transactions or to participate in raffles where players can win more NFTs, tokens, and other rewards. It represents a typical Solana-based game design that combines idle gaming with economic elements to maintain player interest over time.
Strategic Importance of Solana Mobile and PlaySolana
The collaboration with Solana Mobile and PlaySolana is not merely about changing game mechanics but is focused on reducing barriers for players to enter the game. These platforms serve as primary points of discovery and engagement for Solana-based games. By positioning UFOs Farm within this ecosystem, Crypto UFOs aims to enhance visibility and streamline the gaming experience, thereby potentially attracting a non-crypto-native audience.
The Role of PlaySolana
PlaySolana positions itself as a comprehensive hub aimed at introducing the next wave of gamers to blockchain-based games. It combines elements like hardware support, in-game assets, and a rewarding system through its own token, $PLAY. For games merging into this setting, it offers a robust framework where gameplay and player rewards enhance each other, facilitating smoother discovery and retention.
Future Developments to Watch
While Crypto UFOs has not outlined a comprehensive integration plan following their announcement, the strategic move into Solana’s gaming platforms suggests a focus on expanding reach and enhancing player engagement. The future steps are likely to emphasize refining the game’s integration with broader ecosystem incentives and continuously evolving the gameplay to maintain player interest.
Overall, the collaboration holds potential to boost both player base and engagement for UFOs Farm, by leveraging the specialized gaming environment provided by PlaySolana and Solana Mobile.
In Brief
$10,000 in Rewards: Powday Farm announces a $10,000 reward pool for early participants in its open beta, featuring competitions across Top PvE and Top Pow Mining leaderboards.
Daily Earnings through Lucky Star: Players have a chance to win daily through the Lucky Star feature, enriching the gaming experience beyond competitive leaderboards.
Exclusive Access with Multiple Passes: Different tiers of passes, such as NFT Powday Pass and Super Prime Pass, offer strategic resources and competitive advantages for early gamers.
Powday Farm, a web3-based game built on the Solana blockchain, unfolds a new phase in its journey with the launch of its open beta. The game integrates elements of farming, crafting, and PvE battles into a dynamic player-driven economy, aiming to captivate a robust gaming community.
Rewards and Competitive Edge
The open beta brings with it a hefty reward pool of $10,000. Players can engage in intense competition across two primary leaderboards: Top PvE and Top Pow Mining. Additional rewards up for grabs include valuable in-game assets such as $gSOL, $gEVA, OG Badges, high-rarity crates, and equipment.
For those not at the leaderboard's summit, the Lucky Star feature keeps the spirit of winning alive by randomly selecting four winners daily, enhancing the gameplay with regular reward opportunities.
Access and Passes
To facilitate smooth entry into its early access phase, Powday Farm offers several pass tiers. The NFT Powday Pass provides substantial initial resources, while the Super Prime Pass caters to those eyeing the top 10 leaderboard spots with more exclusive benefits. A more accessible Pioneer Pass is marketed at 0.55 SOL, still presenting high potential for lucrative outcomes. Additionally, players can apply the code “CATI” for a 30% discount on in-game purchases, all accessible via the Magic Eden marketplace.
Engagement Through Discord
In conjunction with the game's beta phase, Ponday Farm enriches player engagement through an Airdrop Grind Event on Discord. Here, players accomplish daily tasks to accumulate points correlating to $EVA, already disbursing over 150,000 points among 200 active participants. Those leading the scoreboard at the event’s conclusion can expect to receive a variety of rewards, including NFT Premium Passes, further incentivizing participation.
Economic Foundations and Gameplay
Leveraging the robust Solana blockchain, Powday Farm’s gameplay fosters an economically interdependent environment where each player's activities directly influence one another. Previous test phases highlighted features like mining the in-game POW token, engaging in PvE combat, and item crafting, all designed to create a comprehensive and interconnected economic landscape.
Looking Forward
While the exact launch date of the open beta remains under wraps, Powday Farm encourages potential players and enthusiasts to gear up using the available rewards, passes, and game mechanics introduced. Having concluded a successful alpha phase on November 20, 2025, Powday Farm is set to evolve continually, promising an enriching and expansive web3 gaming experience for its community.
In Brief
Enormous Prize Pool: From January 8 to January 22, guilds in RavenQuest will compete in a Guild Expeditions contest vying for over 1,500,000 $QUEST and $100,000 worth of Soulbound Land.
Generous Top Prize: The victorious guild will seize 500,000 $QUEST along with a Soulbound Fort, marking their supremacy in this prestigious event.
Revamped Rules for Integrity: To enhance fair play, Jewels required for leaderboard ranking can only be counted when obtained, preventing guilds from manipulating standings through last-minute member switches.
RavenQuest’s sandbox MMORPG is set to host an exhilarating Guild Expeditions tournament starting January 8, where guilds will delve into challenging dungeons to gather Jewels and ascend the leaderboard. The event, lasting two weeks, encourages close collaboration and outstanding individual performances, offering substantial rewards that underscore the competitiveness of the gameplay.
Strategic Rule Changes for Integrity
This year introduces a significant update to the leaderboard calculations concerning Jewels, the pivotal items for guild rankings. In prior tournaments, players could alter the competition's outcome by switching guilds just before it concludes, adding their Jewels to the new guild’s total. To curb this and ensure a fair competition reflective of consistent team effort, Jewels will now contribute to the score of the guild that the player belongs to at the time of acquisition. This rule aims to maintain the integrity and fairness of the entire tournament.
High Stakes and Rewarding Team Effort
Reflecting on the tournament’s rewards, the winning guild stands to gain not only prestige but also a top-end prize of 500,000 $QUEST and a desirable Soulbound Fort. The broader prize pool also includes over $100,000 worth of Soulbound Land, enhancing gameplay by integrating aspects of territorial acquisition and asset accumulation, significantly benefiting guilds in building their influence within the game world.
The Significance of Guild Expeditions in RavenQuest
Guild dynamics are central in RavenQuest, making Guild Expeditions more than just a competition—they are vital events that test each guild’s strategy, unity, and resilience. These tournaments are pivotal for player engagement, ensuring continuous activity and loyalty towards the guilds, and providing substantial rewards that enhance the guilds’ standing and resources within the game’s ecosystem.
Reflecting on Past and Evolving Competitions
Looking back at preceding events, such as the August 2025 leaderboard challenge, enables appreciation of how competitive dynamics have continually evolved within the RavenQuest community. Players and guilds have previously contested for 2.8 million $QUEST over a four-week period, highlighting the game’s emphasis on challenging, rewarding gameplay. Each event lays out specific participation requirements, ensuring fairness and upheld standards throughout the competitive process.
A Pivotal Event in the Gaming Calendar
As the RavenQuest community anticipates this engaging and strategic tournament, the preparations and ensuing competition are expected to bring fervor and dynamic gameplay. This Guild Expeditions event not only highlights the game’s objectives of fostering a vigorous community but also sets the stage for intense competition and strategic gameplay over the two weeks of the event.
