As an extraction shooter, it's only natural that ARC Raiders would have a wipe mechanic. Most of the games in the genre do, and while it does it differently, Embark's game very much follows suit. But despite the fact that over a million people participated and wiped their accounts, I still struggle to figure out why you'd even do such a thing.

In other games like ARC Raiders, server wipes are global. A time comes when every player on a given server is Thanos-snapped into oblivion, forced to start from scratch. This resets the game's overall economy and progress, allowing everyone to catch their breath and begin anew. It's an interesting concept, since it removes the massive advantage power users had, putting the entire server on a relatively even playing field.

But ARC Raiders doesn't do that. It asks you to spend a tremendous amount of time gathering resources to be able to wipe, providing you few noteworthy rewards for doing so. Still, over a million people wiped (thanks PC Games N), despite the fact that they're making their overall experience less fun (the quests reset and have to be repeated, most valuable items are lost, etc.).

A lot is lost and not much gained, leaving those who participated at an abject disadvantage compared to everyone else who retained all their skills (now easily reset and redistributed), items, and everything in between.

At least in games like Hunt: Showdown, where the game's money system provides enough incentive to willingly wipe while others do not, there are proper reasons for wiping and "prestiging." That doesn't really exist in ARC Raiders, but Embark has acknowledged this and will introduce more benefits for Expeditions in the future.

I just hope they're tremendous enough that the majority of players will find them interesting, and that they'll start off by not including quest resets. If they do, at least make them different, more rewarding, or cooler for Expedition participants. The repetition ruins the fun.

The post One million ARC Raiders players wiped their accounts with Expeditions, but what’s the point of doing so? appeared first on Destructoid.

Spooky season is way past us, and the jollymaxxing hasn't ended yet (at least not in my very archaic Orthodox part of the world), but Phasmophobia never sleeps, and neither do its ghosts. The devs have now announced 2026 will be one of the game's biggest years yet, with the 1.0 release fast approaching.

As announced by the game's developers on X, Phasmophobia will finally launch in full in 2026, bringing its years-long early access program to a satisfying closure. Millions have already played the game, tested it, and helped develop it through their feedback, but more is coming ahead of the official 1.0 release.

This year will have many focuses, but key highlights are increased immersion, modernization, and better graphics. The game desperately needs the latter, and as you could tell from the outdated models, this was probably left for last. The atmosphere of each map and run is already top-notch, and these new finishes will just make the experience even better.

One of the most iconic maps, 6 Tanglewood Drive, is going to be reworked and brought in line with other reworked maps. A much-needed update will be given to the player models, which are frankly immersion-breaking at the moment. The new models will be significantly more realistic and pleasant to look at, which is always a plus.

Animations for both player characters and the first-person camera will be polished, updated, and refined to create a more immersive, grounded experience.

Though it wasn't mentioned in the plans, I sincerely hope some more attention is given to the ghosts and their AI. A lot of the game revolves around communicating with forces unseen, and I've been ghosted (pun intended) way too many times, making me dread a return to a game that doesn't respond. Demonologist drew me away because of that, even if it doesn't have as good a vibe and depth as Phasmophobia. It's just way more reactive, and I pray to see that improved by the time 1.0 comes around.

This update, aimed to release in the first quarter of this year, is a major step toward 1.0. The latter will also include the "reworked Horror update" once it arrives, bringing an end to what's been one of the most popular, fun, and interesting early access programs in the history of indie games.

After 1.0, a lot more could be on the way, given that the devs will have made the game feature-complete and ready for further expansion based on a solid gameplay foundation.

The post Phasmophobia promises that 2026 will be one of its best years—but here I am just hoping the voices in the dark will finally talk back appeared first on Destructoid.

The Steam Machine, announced in late 2025, is yet to make a proper price announcement, with Valve eluding that information since first mentioning the thing. Amid rising RAM costs, it's understandable that waters have been muddled, but recent leaks indicate the company is planning to sell the device at a ludicrous price, even with the current situation.

As per a Jan. 9 Reddit post, which showed a Czech retailer's listing for the Steam Machine, Valve's latest and greatest hardware release is allegedly going to cost between $950 and $1070 for the 512GB and 2TB models, respectively.

Even considering that this figure likely includes VAT (21 percent, indicating a $785 or $885 pre-tax price), this would put it leagues above the base PlayStation 5, which it rivals in terms of raw power, despite its advantages as a PC rather than a specialized console. At this stage, you can get yourself a used PS5 for around $300 in the second-hand market with no extra tax on top, making it more than twice as cheap as the Steam Machine, which can in no way compete even at the usual $499 retail price point.

The increased price is likely due to the steep jump in undiced DRAM prices lately that have affected not only proper RAM, but every single hardware module that uses memory, including storage, motherboards, graphics cards, and everything in between. It's an unprecedented market situation at the moment, worse than even those COVID years when Bitcoin mining ate through the entirety of the global GPU supply.

However, at this price, it's basically dead on arrival. No one who has any other options would settle for purchasing a frankly low-range machine for over a thousand bucks when that same money could be funneled into consoles or even a much better PC in the used (or on-sale retail) market.

You could literally buy a PS5 with two controllers, a 4K OLED, and probably a game to play on them for the same price as just the Steam Machine itself, which is a Linux-based, Steam-oriented PC coming with its own fair share of base limitations.

It just does not make sense to release the Steam Machine at this price, at least not if it's aimed at the average Joe and not corporations and their use cases, where Valve can't expect to make up for a loss leader strategy through game sales. However, as Valve usually sells its hardware through Steam and not retailers, it's safe to say that the price above also includes their cut, somewhat increasing the official listing. Even so, I don't believe it's a big factor, given how large the base price probably is. Soon, we will know for sure.

The post Pricing the Steam Machine at $1,000 would kill it before it even arrived appeared first on Destructoid.

Two days after Roblox introduced a new age verification process across all platforms, the results are creating problems for many users.

On Jan. 7, Roblox made "facial age checks" a requirement to chat on the game, requiring you to use a camera and scan your face to use any chat feature. It will then give you an age estimate based on what it sees, shaping your chat experience and defining who you can and cannot interact with.

One of the problems with the feature, at least at the outset, is that it seems to come to incorrect conclusions. In many cases, it's overestimating the age of children and then placing them into a bracket where they can chat with users deemed older than them.

"As the first large online gaming platform to require facial age checks for users of all ages to access chat, this implementation is our next step toward what we believe will be the gold standard for communication safety," Roblox said on Jan. 7. "It enables age-based chat, which promotes a positive, age-appropriate experience for all users globally, and limits communication between adults and children younger than 16."

Roblox said that "tens of millions of daily active users" completed an age check as the feature was rolled out in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in early December before being widely implemented this week. But the results since then are quite spotty.

One mother from the US told me that the game estimated her 10-year-old daughter was 16 years old. The new facial age check will overwrite whatever actual age the parent entered in the first place, and the information can only be corrected by then scanning some form of identification.

"Even if [my child] had an ID, I wouldn’t scan hers into their system to correct it," she told me. "The age verification process often resulting in young kids being placed in older age groups defeats the purpose of trying to keep them safe online."

And if you encounter similar errors or misidentification and want to try to correct the error via Roblox support, it then requires appealing through layers of AI agents before ever reaching a human who can fix it.

"I (37) like to play Roblox with my son (10) pretty frequently," another Reddit post said. "I just age-verified both our accounts and now I can't even chat to my own child in-game? Why the frick are Trusted Connections only available for 13-plus? We spend so much on this game over the years and now it takes away my ability to talk to my own child?"

Roblox has come under heavy scrutiny over the past few years for being a "breeding ground for predators," according to the Florida attorney general, among several similar probes. Last month, the game was completely blocked in Russia for "LGBT propaganda."

These new security measures look to be trying to keep children safe from nefarious users, but their implementation so far is leaving a lot to be desired for many, causing frustration for kids and parents alike.

I tried out the facial scan on a new account myself, and it correctly identified me as "21 or older." But the RobloxHelp Reddit page is overflowing with complaints from many who are reporting issues with the tech, which looks to be largely AI-powered.

Destructoid has reached out to Roblox for comment on this story.

Update on Jan. 9 at 1:35pm CT: Roblox has responded to the article stating that "users can appeal their age check not only with ID verification but also parental controls, which allow parents to update their child’s age."

More stories and complaints of facial age check issues have been steadily appearing on Reddit throughout the day.

The post Roblox is now scanning kids’ faces with AI to protect them from predators, and to no one’s surprise, it isn’t working properly appeared first on Destructoid.

As an extraction shooter, it's only natural that ARC Raiders would have a wipe mechanic. Most of the games in the genre do, and while it does it differently, Embark's game very much follows suit. But despite the fact that over a million people participated and wiped their accounts, I still struggle to figure out why you'd even do such a thing.

In other games like ARC Raiders, server wipes are global. A time comes when every player on a given server is Thanos-snapped into oblivion, forced to start from scratch. This resets the game's overall economy and progress, allowing everyone to catch their breath and begin anew. It's an interesting concept, since it removes the massive advantage power users had, putting the entire server on a relatively even playing field.

But ARC Raiders doesn't do that. It asks you to spend a tremendous amount of time gathering resources to be able to wipe, providing you few noteworthy rewards for doing so. Still, over a million people wiped (thanks PC Games N), despite the fact that they're making their overall experience less fun (the quests reset and have to be repeated, most valuable items are lost, etc.).

A lot is lost and not much gained, leaving those who participated at an abject disadvantage compared to everyone else who retained all their skills (now easily reset and redistributed), items, and everything in between.

At least in games like Hunt: Showdown, where the game's money system provides enough incentive to willingly wipe while others do not, there are proper reasons for wiping and "prestiging." That doesn't really exist in ARC Raiders, but Embark has acknowledged this and will introduce more benefits for Expeditions in the future.

I just hope they're tremendous enough that the majority of players will find them interesting, and that they'll start off by not including quest resets. If they do, at least make them different, more rewarding, or cooler for Expedition participants. The repetition ruins the fun.

The post One million ARC Raiders players wiped their accounts with Expeditions, but what’s the point of doing so? appeared first on Destructoid.

Spooky season is way past us, and the jollymaxxing hasn't ended yet (at least not in my very archaic Orthodox part of the world), but Phasmophobia never sleeps, and neither do its ghosts. The devs have now announced 2026 will be one of the game's biggest years yet, with the 1.0 release fast approaching.

As announced by the game's developers on X, Phasmophobia will finally launch in full in 2026, bringing its years-long early access program to a satisfying closure. Millions have already played the game, tested it, and helped develop it through their feedback, but more is coming ahead of the official 1.0 release.

This year will have many focuses, but key highlights are increased immersion, modernization, and better graphics. The game desperately needs the latter, and as you could tell from the outdated models, this was probably left for last. The atmosphere of each map and run is already top-notch, and these new finishes will just make the experience even better.

One of the most iconic maps, 6 Tanglewood Drive, is going to be reworked and brought in line with other reworked maps. A much-needed update will be given to the player models, which are frankly immersion-breaking at the moment. The new models will be significantly more realistic and pleasant to look at, which is always a plus.

Animations for both player characters and the first-person camera will be polished, updated, and refined to create a more immersive, grounded experience.

Though it wasn't mentioned in the plans, I sincerely hope some more attention is given to the ghosts and their AI. A lot of the game revolves around communicating with forces unseen, and I've been ghosted (pun intended) way too many times, making me dread a return to a game that doesn't respond. Demonologist drew me away because of that, even if it doesn't have as good a vibe and depth as Phasmophobia. It's just way more reactive, and I pray to see that improved by the time 1.0 comes around.

This update, aimed to release in the first quarter of this year, is a major step toward 1.0. The latter will also include the "reworked Horror update" once it arrives, bringing an end to what's been one of the most popular, fun, and interesting early access programs in the history of indie games.

After 1.0, a lot more could be on the way, given that the devs will have made the game feature-complete and ready for further expansion based on a solid gameplay foundation.

The post Phasmophobia promises that 2026 will be one of its best years—but here I am just hoping the voices in the dark will finally talk back appeared first on Destructoid.

Two days after Roblox introduced a new age verification process across all platforms, the results are creating problems for many users.

On Jan. 7, Roblox made "facial age checks" a requirement to chat on the game, requiring you to use a camera and scan your face to use any chat feature. It will then give you an age estimate based on what it sees, shaping your chat experience and defining who you can and cannot interact with.

One of the problems with the feature, at least at the outset, is that it seems to come to incorrect conclusions. In many cases, it's overestimating the age of children and then placing them into a bracket where they can chat with users deemed older than them.

"As the first large online gaming platform to require facial age checks for users of all ages to access chat, this implementation is our next step toward what we believe will be the gold standard for communication safety," Roblox said on Jan. 7. "It enables age-based chat, which promotes a positive, age-appropriate experience for all users globally, and limits communication between adults and children younger than 16."

Roblox said that "tens of millions of daily active users" completed an age check as the feature was rolled out in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in early December before being widely implemented this week. But the results since then are quite spotty.

One mother from the US told me that the game estimated her 10-year-old daughter was 16 years old. The new facial age check will overwrite whatever actual age the parent entered in the first place, and the information can only be corrected by then scanning some form of identification.

"Even if [my child] had an ID, I wouldn’t scan hers into their system to correct it," she told me. "The age verification process often resulting in young kids being placed in older age groups defeats the purpose of trying to keep them safe online."

And if you encounter similar errors or misidentification and want to try to correct the error via Roblox support, it then requires appealing through layers of AI agents before ever reaching a human who can fix it.

"I (37) like to play Roblox with my son (10) pretty frequently," another Reddit post said. "I just age-verified both our accounts and now I can't even chat to my own child in-game? Why the frick are Trusted Connections only available for 13-plus? We spend so much on this game over the years and now it takes away my ability to talk to my own child?"

Roblox has come under heavy scrutiny over the past few years for being a "breeding ground for predators," according to the Florida attorney general, among several similar probes. Last month, the game was completely blocked in Russia for "LGBT propaganda."

These new security measures look to be trying to keep children safe from nefarious users, but their implementation so far is leaving a lot to be desired for many, causing frustration for kids and parents alike.

I tried out the facial scan on a new account myself, and it correctly identified me as "21 or older." But the RobloxHelp Reddit page is overflowing with complaints from many who are reporting issues with the tech, which looks to be largely AI-powered.

Destructoid has reached out to Roblox for comment on this story.

Update on Jan. 9 at 1:35pm CT: Roblox has responded to the article stating that "users can appeal their age check not only with ID verification but also parental controls, which allow parents to update their child’s age."

More stories and complaints of facial age check issues have been steadily appearing on Reddit throughout the day.

The post Roblox is now scanning kids’ faces with AI to protect them from predators, and to no one’s surprise, it isn’t working properly appeared first on Destructoid.

ARC Raiders' apparent cheater problem has warranted a response from the devs, and it appears that action is coming.

Not one multiplayer game is immune to hackers and cheaters. And in a game like ARC Raiders, where it's all about winning your fights to take home your loot, it's becoming prevalent with numerous hack providers popping up with cheats for things like aimbot, wallhack, and speed hacks.

"We’ve seen the discussion around the topic of cheaters in ARC Raiders," Embark Studios community manager Ossen said on the game's Discord. "Please know that we are taking this issue very seriously and are listening to, and acting on your feedback."

The topic of cheaters and hackers ramped up over the holiday season and into the beginning of the year, with streamers complaining about the subject a lot over the past few weeks. Shroud, Ninja, and Nadeshot are just a few who brought attention to the problem.

"Over the next few weeks, we are implementing significant changes to our rulesets and deploying new detection mechanisms to identify and remove cheaters," the studio said. "This includes updating our Anti-Cheat systems for improved detection and bans, as well as applying client-side fixes specifically addressing the 'out of map' glitch."

Embark's CEO Patrick Söderlund mentioned recently that the game will attempt to match you with those who play similarly, meaning if you engage in PvP more often, you will likely find others who do the same. This likely exacerbates the situation, and streamers like Nadeshot have been vocal about their experience of late.

“My experience on ARC Raiders over the last week has been hell,” Nadeshot said in a post on X/Twitter. “Just to be clear, I love this game and think it’s already moved in to my personal top 10 all time. But the egregious amount of cheating genuinely might be worse than peak Call of Duty. I’m not trying to bring negativity to the game because I know this type of dialogue can spread on socials like a disease but I genuinely cannot get through an entire raid without a Steam profile that is level 0 or an account that has multiple game bans and VAC bans on record.”

Embark also mentioned it will be "introducing tools for streamers to help mitigate stream sniping" soon as well, so hopefully, problems like all of the above will come to a head soon.

The post ARC Raiders devs acknowledge cheating issues, promising updates over the next few weeks to combat hackers appeared first on Destructoid.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's first event pass is set to hit this afternoon to coincide with the Season One Reloaded update, and its Fallout TV show theme has players quite excited and impressed with what it offers.

Yes, the premium track of the pass costs 1,100 CoD Points (about $10), but even the free rewards are pretty awesome. Players can unlock a total of 10 items simply by playing the game without putting in any investment.

The free track of the event pass includes two Vault Dweller operator skins, a Vault Boy weapon charm, Vault-Tec weapon camo, and the new Sturmwolf 45 SMG. So, if you're even remotely interested in BO7 at this point, it'll definitely be worth playing to unlock everything.

But the premium track is also quite nice, especially for the price compared to other store bundles that clock in at around $20 or more. It has operators and skins for both The Ghoul and Maximus, three weapon blueprints and other cosmetics. And CoD fans are genuinely digging what they see so far.

"That one is ACTUALLY worth spending the money on the premium track... nice!" said one player on X/Twitter, while another remarked that it's "100 times better than any of the garbage BO6 event passes we had." A lot of the same sentiment can be seen across multiple social media channels.

CoD Points are given as part of the battle pass each season on top of being able to purchase them with real money, so if you play BO7, this seems like about as good a value as you'll find. While many others and I rightfully scoff at the pricing of some bundles (the Lucy MacLean Fallout bundle is not included in any of the freebies or event pass), this event seems like it's worthwhile if you're a CoD player in 2026.

The Fallout collab is also introducing multiple limited-time modes and even a reskin of Nuketown called Vault Town, where the iconic location is decked out in Vault-Tec scenery. But personally, I'm most looking forward to the Zombies mode, where you can fight the Bethesda franchise's terrifying Deathclaws.

I have some CoD Points accrued in my account that I'll probably be using for this event pass, but even if I end up deciding against that, the free rewards will have me in the game for the first time in weeks. Oh, and Fallout season two is currently airing on Prime Video and is quite good, too, so the vibes around everything in this update (at least so far) are positive.

The post CoD players have a lot of praise for Black Ops 7’s Fallout event: ‘Actually worth spending the money on’ appeared first on Destructoid.

The gaming year of 2026 begins in earnest in just a few weeks, Xbox announced today, confirming the date for its first Developer Direct showcase.

While today's New Game+ Showcase will show off many games coming in 2026, Microsoft is bringing out its big guns for the first Developer Direct of 2026, including two of its "big four" for the year: Fable and Forza Horizon 6.

Fable has seemingly been in development for ages, and Forza will always bring in a lot of hype. But for me, the third game of the showcase is the one I'm most interested in learning more about. Beast of Reincarnation, the action RPG first revealed last year, will finally get some more of the spotlight.

Beast of Reincarnation is a new title from Game Freak, a studio synonymous with the Pokémon franchise. But this looks to be something entirely new and different, and I have high hopes for whatever there is to show in a couple of weeks.

"In post-apocalyptic Japan, humanity’s last hope may rest with Emma and her loyal canine companion, Koo," the game's description says. "Explore what it means to be human in Beast of Reincarnation, an expansive one-person, one-dog action RPG built around demanding, technical combat. What awaits at journey’s end?"

Xbox teased that Game Freak will "reveal details of our protagonist Emma’s innovative plant manipulation actions and gameplay with her canine companion," so we should have a more concrete idea of what the game truly is like and about ahead of its launch sometime later this year.

A small peek at the game's gameplay from last year showed a glimpse of action combat and some of the aforementioned flora changes, and it certainly looks gorgeous and potentially full of promise. Add it to the list of 2026 games we can look forward to.

The January 2026 Developer Direct takes place on Thursday, Jan. 22 at 12pm CT on all of Xbox's channels.

The post Xbox’s first 2026 showcase will finally show more Fable, plus Forza and one very interesting-looking RPG from former Pokémon devs appeared first on Destructoid.

Have you ever run into a hacker in ARC Raiders? The biggest multiplayer game of the moment has an issue with cheating, apparently.

I personally haven't found any cheating players. At least, I've never suspected anyone of being a hacker. But my social media timelines lately have been filled with players complaining about facing hackers in the extraction shooter, and the complaints have been getting more frequent of late.

An explanation for this may be that ARC Raiders uses a sort of "aggression-based matchmaking," according to a recent GamesBeat interview with Embark CEO Patrick Söderlund, so the game will match you up with players based on how likely you are to engage with others.

I'm generally a pretty peaceful Raider (unless I am feeling quite devious), moving about the map trying to do my quests or pick up loot for whatever the current goal may be, so I doubt I'd be the kind of player who'd end up running into a cheater. But for those who sweat it up in trios and chase down "goop" with their friends, or other sweaty streamers, it appears that you're more likely to run into others who are hacking or cheating.

Thankfully, ARC Raiders has a mechanic where you will sometimes be given back loot that you lost if you lost to someone who is found to be cheating in some way. Still, though, according to players like Ninja or Nadeshot, the hacking is out of control.

"My experience on ARC Raiders over the last week has been hell," Nadeshot said in a recent lengthy post on X/Twitter. "Just to be clear, I love this game and think it’s already moved in to my personal top 10 all time. But the egregious amount of cheating genuinely might be worse than peak Call of Duty. I’m not trying to bring negativity to the game because I know this type of dialogue can spread on socials like a disease but I genuinely cannot get through an entire raid without a Steam profile that is level 0 or an account that has multiple game bans and VAC bans on record."

Is this just streamers whining to whine, or is there a legit hacker problem in ARC Raiders? According to one commenter on the YouTube video below from Ninja, the content creators are not alone in these specific struggles.

"Thank god you're making a video on this," they said. "The game is literally unplayable if you're half decent cause you get queued with hackers at least 1/3 games."

Have you seen any cheaters in your ARC Raiders games? Let me know in the comments below, because I'm curious to see if any issue is as widespread as some are making it out to be, or if it's just a loud minority on socials.

Update on Jan. 7 at 12:45pm CT: Shroud has echoed the sentiments of other streamers, saying the hacking situation is "really really bad" and opining he may take a break until something is fixed.

The post ARC Raiders has a hacker problem, according to streamers who actively seek out PvP at every turn appeared first on Destructoid.

I generally don't like discussions surrounding daily active player counts, but the dev of one struggling title has responded to "recent Steam charts conversations," so here we are.

Remember Splitgate 2? It was released last year and made 2025 one to forget for those involved after making headlines for several unfortunate reasons. First, the game's studio's CEO appeared on stage at Summer Game Fest in June with a "Make FPS Great Again" hat and later apologized for it, attempting to also drum up hype for its 1.0 launch.

Not long after, on July 22, the studio announced that it was rolling Splitgate 2 back into its beta phase after a round of layoffs, and brought the game offline as the remaining team went "heads down" on rebuilding it.

And now, after re-launching on Dec. 17 as Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, things are looking bleak. According to Steam Charts, the game peaked at just over 2,200 players on the platform and has dropped to just under 1,000 concurrents at any given time since.

And so, today, 1047 Games put out a new statement, remarking that "Steam Charts don't measure fun." And sure, I agree, but given the game's track record, it's just not looking all that positive at the minute. Still, the studio persists.

"[Steam Charts] show one number, on one platform, at one given moment," the statement on Twitter/X said. "They don't show the full picture or what it feels like to actually play, and they definitely don't capture the community that's actively helping shape what Arena Reloaded is becoming (including upcoming content like Arena Royale). Over the past six months, we rebuilt Splitgate from the ground up because we believe in the game, our team, and our community. The 1047 team remains committed to delivering the best version of Splitgate possible."

I personally hadn't seen any discussion surrounding the game's Steam charts, but then again, I didn't really see any discussion about the game at all since last month, so I suppose the statement is doing its job in garnering some attention.

Splitgate 2 topped out at over 25,000 players on Steam during its launch last June, and while I do agree that player count stuff is overblown, and the discussion around it is annoying, it's hard to feel positive about its future.

I wish the team luck in bringing in the players and revenue it needs to keep the game going.

The post Splitgate devs say ‘Steam charts don’t measure fun’ as less than 1,000 daily players log on for its re-launch effort appeared first on Destructoid.

Is a new remaster of an all-time classic Fallout game just a few weeks away? Probably not, but that's not stopping some from clinging to a dream.

I'm all for baseless speculation, hopium, and copium (Bloodborne 2 is real), but there's actually at least some reason to believe a big announcement for Fallout is coming within the next few weeks. And it's all thanks to season two of the Fallout show on Prime Video.

I'm actually a few episodes behind on this season, so I've been avoiding discussing it, but gamers online have been quick to point out that the website for the show currently has a countdown running, and it's a mystery what lies at its end.

The countdown, shown above in the top right of the image, ends right about when the season two finale arrives on Feb. 4. But we know that it's coming, as all episodes for the season along with their titles and air dates have been announced. Why would it need a countdown? This must mean that something else is coming, surely, and people like me and some others are starting to convince ourselves it's a long-awaited and rumored Fallout 3 remaster.

And you know what? I'm in. Screw it. It's early January, the game releases are slow to start out the year (as always), and I am once again choosing the hype. I blame Bethesda, too, because the company literally just shadow-dropped a long-awaited remaster last year with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, so why not? Let's do it.

Fallout season two is currently taking place in New Vegas, so it's also entirely possible that that game could be the one getting the treatment. Personally, I'm partial to Fallout 3 as it was my first title in the series and my favorite thus far. But imagine if it's somehow both 3 and New Vegas at the same time? Okay, let's not get ahead of ourselves, but it is fun to dream.

Based back in reality now for a second, I realize this is probably not what's going to happen. At least not yet. I don't know what the countdown will end with, but I want to get absolutely merked by Super Mutants with the Washington Monument in view again, so I'm huffing the hopium, and I hope you all join me.

The post Gamers are theorizing another Bethesda remaster shadow drop like Oblivion is coming very soon, and I’m buying into the hype appeared first on Destructoid.

If the title didn't already give it away, My Summer Car, a small indie by developer Amistech Games, has reached its all-time peak on Steam after spending over eight years in early access and a full year of release.

The full game was officially launched in Jan. 2025 and certainly attained some success over the years of early access. But it wasn't until a year later that it breached 7,000 concurrent players on Steam, a new record for this one-of-a-kind game.

This is presumably due to the success of My Winter Car, the sequel. The games are also available in a bundle, making the pair among the most affordable gaming options in 2026 so far. This, naturally, has also helped boost the player base of both games.

My Winter Car peaked at over 24,000 concurrent players, and some of those, at least, have gone back to see where it all started.

But does the original hold up? Well, if you're into goofy, surprisingly difficult games, then it'll probably be worth playing for another 20 years, at least. It's a real gem, the likes of which weren't all too common back in 2016, when it launched into early access. Given the lengthy development cycle of almost nine years, there's a ton of stuff to do in this game, from picking strawberries to emptying septic tanks and even winning rallies (the car kind).

I'm super happy that this little game is getting the love it's always deserved. If you haven't yet, make sure to check out both games. I haven't played My Winter Car just yet, but I'll definitely be checking it out in the near future.

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Rainbow Six Siege X has apparently been breached again (see what I did there?) following a previous hack that took place over the holidays, with players reporting unwarranted and lengthy bans from it.

On Dec. 27, the free-to-play FPS was taken over in a massive server breach that saw the hackers reward players with billions of paid currency for free, along with spamming the in-game messaging system. The game had to be taken down to fix the issue, but now, it appears to be suffering some similar issues from hackers who are memeing once more.

This time, the hackers are issuing 67-day bans to players. Yeah, it's the annoying six-seven meme again, following us into 2026 because nothing is sacred anymore. Players began to post about the bans yesterday, and the issue has continued into the new week, causing some serious concern.

Ubisoft's server status page for the game shows "some issues" that are "being investigated," including Connectivity listed as "Degraded" while Authentication, In-Game Store, and Matchmaking are listed with an "Outage" across all of the game's platforms. Yikes.

So far, there has been no update from Ubisoft's support account nor the official accounts for the game, but the issues with the servers appear to be related to whatever is happening now with the hack. And judging by how the company addressed the last issue from December, which included bringing the game offline to fix the problems, it appears to be another breach.

December's hack was allegedly a diversion to steal info from the publisher, so if this is yet another breach that's affecting the game and its players so quickly after, there may be some big repercussions behind the scenes.

For now, I'd say maybe take a break from the title for a while until its security is improved, because two substantial breaches in the course of a couple weeks is pretty scary.

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It's no secret to any gamer in the know these days how fun and popular ARC Raiders has become, but some new numbers to back up that fact today surprised even me.

Before I could finish wiping the crust from my eyes after my winter break (it was restful other than a pesky head cold, but I thankfully avoided the game's frostbite mechanic), Alinea Analytics posted a new report on just how big ARC Raiders has become, and how it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Alinea's head of market analysis, Rhys Elliot, posted the image above to showcase that the company estimates that ARC Raiders has sold over 12 million copies across Steam, Xbox, and PS5 in just over two months since it launched. Not only that, but the game reached a new record for daily active users just yesterday, Jan. 4, with over 3.2 million players across all platforms.

The company estimates that ARC Raiders has generated over $350 million in revenue, but it's unclear if that includes in-game microtransactions or not. Either way, the extraction shooter has been a huge success for Embark Studios, and what feels like one of the biggest new IP in quite some time.

Elliott remarked that "daily copies sold started to stabilize by early December, but a well-timed 20 percent discount across all platforms – and the holiday boost – reversed that." And so now, heading into 2026, gamers everywhere are waiting to see what's next to pop up on the roadmap for the live-service title.

After last month's Cold Snap update, the team at Embark likely headed home for some well-deserved rest, but players thirsty for more missions, weapons, ARC enemies, and potentially new maps are holding on to see when and what to expect from the title that's been captivating multiplayer gamers since it dropped in October.

Are you still enjoying your time in ARC Raiders? I took a hiatus from gaming over the vacation (something much-needed in this lucky profession of mine), but I've heard calls to join topside expeditions from my casual gaming friends, and that's how I really know how big this title has become.

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Embark Studios is one of the most community-oriented development teams out there, focusing on what the general player base wants instead of only listening to so-called "authority" figures.

Streamer Ninja, who in some other live-service circles would be considered as one such figure, is now fully advocating for ARC Raiders' continued "casual" focus.

"Cater to the f**king casuals, pro play is secondary," Ninja said in a recent stream (thanks CDL Hater Central). He highlighted how the game is primarily casual in nature, and stated that it's these players who are "spending money and playing the game," whereas pros are in the minority. He added that he formerly advocated for more focus on professional play, which he thought would lead to more balance overall, but has since changed his mind.

I think ARC Raiders and any online shooter out there should genuinely always focus on the casual side of things. Professional play is entirely separate and exists on a plane far removed from the one everyone else is on. The builds are never the same, neither are the strats and tactics, and no matter how much casuals try to mimic pro players in casual environments, it'll never result in the same kind of gameplay.

These two categories are so separate that they should never mix, and some developers understand this well. Pros play on standalone servers, have tight-knit queues and environments to operate in, and are kept largely separated from casuals, who make up the vast majority of each game.

What's more, ARC Raiders is an extraction shooter, and its potential as a huge esport isn't so great. Sure, you can form a competitive scene around the game, but it's not a team-based title like Counter-Strike 2 or League of Legends, which serves to drive the "casual" point further. Casual play is at the very heart of the experience, and so it would make no sense as to why Embark should ever cater to this small minority of so-called professionals.

A lot of voices are, unfortunately, advocating for the latter, but Embark has maintained good communication with the broader community so far, catering to its needs and woes, instead of ignoring them and only listening to a gatekept clique of streamers and pros.

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After several incredible releases, big-name titles, and surprise hits, 2025 in gaming is rapidly coming to an end. It's time to look forward.

Below, we've gathered just some of the games we're looking forward to playing in 2026. Make sure to let us know what you want to play, which games you're curious about, and which ones you'll pre-order the moment it's possible.

And you know what the best part is? These are just scratching the surface. There's a whole calendar of 2026 titles to look forward to, plus plenty more surprises that will drop and take the gaming world by storm.

Most anticipated 2026 video games

Grand Theft Auto 6

It starts and ends with GTA 6 in 2026. It's currently slated to finally launch on Nov. 19, and is not just the most anticipated game of 2026, but probably of all time. It's got impossible expectations, and its pricetag will be a point of discussion up until it's finally out (will they actually charge $100 for it?), but everyone in the industry and world is waiting for this one to drop.

Resident Evil Requiem

First-person? Check. Survival horror? Check. Third-person? That too. Action gameplay? You got it!

Leon S. Kennedy and newcomer Grace Ashcroft take the stage in what's being described as the end of an era in the Resident Evil franchise for its 30th anniversary. Whatever comes next will be different, but for now, RE9 is looking and sounding like the best of both distinct identities the series has had.

Marvel’s Wolverine

Get ready, bub, because Insomniac Games' follow-up to its Spider-Man games is finally coming in the fall of 2026. The action-adventure game promises lots of rage, even more blood, and a whole lot of mutants and X-Men cameos.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight

Imagine a LEGO Batman game that's based on several different movies and appearances of the character (like The Dark Knight and more), but with the open-world, action combat gameplay of the Batman Arkham games. We can't wait to visit LEGO Gotham in this one.

The Duskbloods

From Software's next title is a Switch 2 exclusive that features both PvP and PvE in multiplayer fashion. It's still unknown what this game truly is all about, but Elden Ring: Nightreign has shown that the Dark Souls maker is venturing into full-fledged multiplayer a bit more.

Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis

Lara Croft is officially back in 2026, with a "reimagining" of her original 1996 PS1 classic. Crystal Dynamics promises some surprises in this remake-that's-not-a-remake, so franchise fans everywhere will be booting this one up with excitement and curiosity.

Marathon

This one may turn some heads, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Marathon accomplishes as a new extraction shooter when it drops in March. Will the game be good? Will it matter, after months of bad PR? Will ARC Raiders' popularity have a negative or positive effect?

After months of feedback and testing, once the game was delayed, it's looking and sounding like a better title than what players experienced in last year's closed alpha. It remains to be seen just how the game will feel on day one.

The post Destructoid’s most anticipated games for 2026 appeared first on Destructoid.

I like a good isolated gaming experience as much as anybody, but sometimes, the real joy is the friends you make along the way.

That's where multiplayer games come in, and in 2025, there were plenty of awesome ones across the gamut of genres available. Whether you like co-op or competitive, FPS or third-person shooters, or maybe climbing a mountain with friends, there was a lot to choose from.

Here's what we think were some of the best multiplayer games in 2025.

Best multiplayer games from 2025

ARC Raiders

We may look back on this as the game that really ignited the extraction shooter genre. There have been plenty of similar titles before it, but ARC Raiders' ability to capture a wide berth of players, both hardcore and casual, is an achievement by Embark Studios. Now, the game begins its live-service schedule with updates coming to add more content and keep players engaged.

Each match is an adventure. Do I go solo? Do I group up with others? Do I betray them? Do I try to fight the massive spider robot? Do I leave once I completed a task? Do I stay and try to get more loot? It's all part of the excitement that is ARC Raiders.

Monster Hunter Wilds

Monster Hunter is simply one of the best co-op experiences out there. Grouping up with buddies to hack, hammer, and slash away at giant creatures so you can chunk away their body parts to build new gear sounds morbid, but it's always a blast.

Battlefield 6

The Battlefield series' triumphant return offers some incredible multiplayer gaming experiences, and the free-to-play REDSEC battle royale component only extended that just a few weeks after launch. Tons of vehicles, big maps, and large squad counts create a hectic experience that is the series' expertise in the FPS genre.

Split Fiction

Josef Fares' Hazelight Studios has perfected the two-player co-op experience in Split Fiction with wild setpieces and varied gameplay sequences, and the Friends Pass that allows you to enjoy it with someone who doesn't have to buy the game themselves. The concept is amazing, and the execution was even better.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

Whether it's the campaign, new Endgame mode, Nuketown pub-stomping, or new Zombies maps, the entirety of Black Ops 7 is multiplayer-enabled and chock full of content for players to enjoy.

Elden Ring: Nightreign

What do you get when you combine From Software's iconic Soulslike gameplay, friends, and a battle royale-like experience? A good amount of fun. Nightreign is far from perfect, but still a very enjoyable game and a likely indication of where the studio's direction is heading. And it already got its first of presumably multiple expansions to continue the journey.

PEAK

One of 2025's biggest surprise successes, PEAK is the peak of the "friendslop" genre that's popped up over the past few years. Whether you want to work together or just troll your pals, it's always a good time. And it's just $8 on Steam, which is wild.

The post The best multiplayer games in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

Russian gamers are now without Roblox, according to reports coming out of the country where access to the popular kids gaming platform has now been blocked.

According to Reuters, Russian media regulation outlet Roskomnadzor released a statement through Russian news agencies, saying that Roblox is full "inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children."

"Children in the game are subjected to sexual harassment, intimate photos are tricked out of them, and they are coerced into committing depraved acts and violence," the statement continued, also claiming the game promotes "LGBT propaganda." In Russia, LGBTQ people are often disapproved of and support for their rights is sometimes deemed "extremist" in nature.

Roskomnadzor's main function is the monitoring and controlling of mass media in Russia, and has been responsible for censoring several other forms of online content throughout the years, such as Twitter/X, Meta, Google, TikTok, and even Chess.com after the website published articles critical of the country's invasion of Ukraine.

Roblox has come under fire in recent years for becoming a game that, the Florida attorney general says, "has become a breeding ground for predators." In October, Roblox put out a statement in response to the AG, saying his "claims about Roblox are false, and the suggestion that illicit image sharing is happening on Roblox demonstrates a lack of understanding of our platform’s functionality."

More of a social platform than a game, Roblox allows creators to make and monetize their own mini games and modes within it. It has become immensely popular with children, making it a natural target for predators. Earlier this year, the state of Louisiana also filed a lawsuit against Roblox, saying it has allowed such predators to "thrive," so the company and game continue to remain under heavy scrutiny of late.

Destructoid has reached out to Roblox for comment on today's news out of Russia.

Update on Dec. 3 at 8:07pm CT: A Roblox spokesperson has supplied the following statement to Destructoid:

“We respect the local laws and regulations in the countries where we operate and believe Roblox provides a positive space for learning, creation and meaningful connection for everyone. We have a deep commitment to safety and we have a robust set of proactive and preventative safety measures designed to catch and prevent harmful content on our platform.”

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