Developer GFA Games announced that its ambitious post-apocalyptic open-world MMO first-person shooter, PIONER, is releasing in Early Access on December 16^th. Both a Standard and Deluxe Edition with some extra in-game goodies will be available on release.

PIONER features a Soviet era 50 square-kilometer open world (sounds big) filled with a blend of story-driven campaign missions, PvE missions, and PvP modes for those looking for it. A unique progression system lets you increase your influence by completing quests, and the more well-known you are, the more likely vendors are to sell you better items.

This isn’t just an FPS, however, as there are also side activities such as fishing, and a card mini game with collectible decks and its own reward system and ranked matches. PIONER also features survival mechanics and a deep crafting system, requiring you to carefully manage hunger, rest, and your inventory.

There’s a lot going on here, and what I’ve seen so far looks great. Check out a new trailer below:

Look out, there’s another cozy life sim incoming, and while they may be a dime-a-dozen nowadays, this one has caught my attention. It’s called Starsand Island, and the latest trailer from Indie Live Expo posits it as a Ghibli-inspired “pastoral fairytale for grown-ups”. The two-minute video shows that Starsand Island is absolutely packed with things to do and people to meet.

You can farm crops, raise livestock, ride your livestock into town, build houses, play arcade games, drive vehicles, go on dates, have pets, fish, skateboard, rollerblade, hang out with friends, ride jet skis, catch bugs, and…fight bosses. Not too cozy then, is it?

Check out the new trailer below or try out the free demo available on Steam. Starsand Island launches February 1^st, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.

Well that was out of nowhere. No marketing for this at all? I couldn't even find a trailer for this. In any case, yeah, the incredible Silent Hill 2 Remake is now available on Xbox. 

The game is also on sale for $34.99 and there is also a bundle which includes both Silent Hill f and Silent Hill 2 that's on sale for $79.99

Here is the launch trailer for Playstation 5 since I don't have an Xbox trailer to put here. Uhhh well I assume the game is pretty much the same so just imagine the Playstation logos are Xbox logos.

D&D Beyond held a contest where five lucky winners received a Hellfire Club bomber jacket, and the latest Stranger Things bundle.

I'm furious with myself for letting this opportunity pass. Why? Because I'm a Stranger Things fan who loves Dungeons & Dragons—but alas, it slipped through my fingers and the closest I get is to writing about it!

You know what? I'll take it.

Our friends at D&D Beyond recently held a contest for the TTRPG community in honor of the recent launch of Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club, a Stranger Things-inspired starter set that I'm in the process of reviewing as we speak.

Contestants were challenged to use the home brew tool in D&D Beyond to create their own magic item submission, while encompassing the magic that is The Hellfire Club. Check out the winners below and click on their links to see what magical items they came up with.

• aston452 — Sweatbands of Strumming 
• Lanaken — Shirt of the Defiant 
• Richard40567 — Devil Horn Rings 
• kevtori — Flip-Up Shades 
• Iggisnilmor — Collar of the Goodest Boy 

Rad, huh? What's even more rad is that each winner scored a Stranger Things x RSVLTS Class of '86 reversible bomber jacket and a copy of the Welcome to the Hellfire Club Ultimate Bundle. Righteous!

So, if you haven't yet, check out the latest drop of the Stranger Things: Welcome to the Hellfire Club ultimate bundle, and start prepping for your newest campaign with the help of Eddie Munson himself. Interested in learning more about the game from yours truly? Be on the lookout for my review!

Even if you didn't ask for it, Dotemu has delivered. Marvel Cosmic Invasion will have a physical release, and a Deluxe Physical Release, and it's coming for all consoles, and no, there are no Game Key Cards. So stop it. The standard version will run you $39.99, while the Switch 2 Standard version will run you $49.99

The Deluxe edition is where it's at though. For $59.99 ($69.99 for the Switch 2), you get the game with a special edition deluxe box, a steel book case, a 21 X 13" poster, 15 holographic art cards, with each fighters move set on the back of them, and a sticker sheet of the characters in the game. 

Though the Physical editions don't release until March 13, 2026, Marvel Cosmic Invasion release on December 1st. Gaming Nexus will be covering the review of the side scrolling 4 player beat-em-up here in the next few weeks. You can pre-order the physical edition at "your preferred retailer", or salivate over the pics we got from the Dotemu press release! 

The Golden Joystick Awards were live earlier this morning, and it definitely feels like a preview to come. Though I personally was rooting for Adriyan Rae (Hazel Flood, South of Midnight) to win best lead performer, it was Jennifer English (Maelle, Clair Obscure: Expedition 33) who took home the crown. Grand Theft Auto VI took home two awards, one for best trailer, and one for most anticipated game. Host Maggie Robertson (Lady Dimitrescu, Resident Evil Village) even quipped that GTA VI won an award before we got GTA VI.

Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 took home SEVEN awards, including Ultimate Game of the Year. Multiplayer romp Peak took home 2, and The Sims was inducted into the Golden Joystick Award Hall of Fame. Hollow Night Silksong took best PC game. Ghost of Yotei took home best console game, and Donkey Kong Bananza took home the Critics Award. Here's the full list of categories and awards, as well as the full presentation, if you want to see it for yourself. Of course, I tacked on my interview with Adriyan Rae, because yes. 

Best Storytelling: Clair Obscure: Expedition 33

Best Audio: Ghosts of Yotei

Best Multi-player: Peak

Best Visual Design: Clair Obscure: Expedition 33

Best Game Expansion: Lies Of P: Overture

Best Indie Game (Self Published): Silksong

Best Indie Game: Blue Prince

Studio of the Year: Sandfall Interactive (Clair Obscure)

Best Early Access Game: R.E.P.O.

Best Soundtrack: Clair Obscure: Expedition 33

Best Game Trailer: GTA6

Best Ongoing Game(Mobile): Pokemon GO!

Best Ongoing (PC and Console):  Minecraft

Streamer Award: Peak

Best Remake: Oblivion 

Best Breakthrough : Schedule 1

Best Hardware: 9950X3D CPU

Best Adaptation: Arcane Season 2

Best Supporting Performer: Ben Starr (Clair Obscure Expedition 33)

Best Lead Performer: Jennifer English: (Clair Obscure: Expedition 33)

Hall of Fame: The Sims

PC Game of the Year: Hollow Knight Silksong

Console Game of the Year: Ghost of Yotei

Critics Award: Donkey Kong Bananza

Most Wanted Game: Grand Theft Auto VI

Ultimate Game of the Year: Clair Obscure: Expedition 33

There’s nothing better than a classic arcade action game. Tons of bullets, endless action, and sprite-based graphics are where it’s at! Those looking to get their fix based on those credentials don’t have to look much further than Neon Inferno!

The game looks great and is a ton of fun. Think Contra meets Wild Guns, as you take down enemies both in your playfield and through the background, breaking the standard 2D feel. It’s super-fast paced and I have been having a ton of fun with it over the past few weeks.

Neon Inferno is now available on PC, Switch, Xbox S}X, and PlayStation 5. We’ll have our full review posted soon, but until then, check out the launch trailer:

The crossover we’ve been waiting for is finally here: Demeo X Dungeons & Dragons: Battlemarked is now available! Now is your chance to take your roleplaying in VR just a little bit further with official DND adventures. Available on Meta Quest, Steam, and PS5, this new version of Demeo lets you team up with friends and journey through official takes from the world of DND.

Demeo has been one of our favorite multiplayer games, and we’re all frothing at the mouth to try this new version. You can pick it up today and check out the newly released launch trailer below:

After a year of Xbox exclusivity, GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is now available on PlayStation 5, with PlayStation 5 Pro enhancements. Additionally, the PS5 launch coincides with a major quality-of-life update for all platforms.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 takes players inside the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, a dangerous open world filled with mutants, strange phenomena, dangerous humans, and, of course, radiation. Playing as a stalker named Skif, you must fight for survival while navigating the Zone, its enemies, and the politics of various factions, as every choice you make matters in its non-linear story.

Running on Unreal Engine 5, including photogrammetry from real site visits to Chornobyl, the game looks stunning, which you can see for yourself in the new PS5 launch trailer below. In addition to its beauty, you can expect S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 to take advantage of PS5-specific features such as adaptive triggers and haptic feedback, Tempest 3D audio, and gyro aiming. On PS5 Pro, it enjoys enhancements like improved resolution, shadow quality, enhanced global illumination, better reflections, improved volumetric fog, and enhanced cloud rendering.

The folks at publisher Tripwire and developer Arctic Hazard have announced that Viking-era tactical turn-based RPG, NORSE: Oath of Blood, will release on February 3^rd, 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. I had been hoping it would make it this year, but the first week of February sounds like a mighty fine time to live out a Viking fantasy.

In a new developer diary, the studio takes us behind the scenes to look at how they used motion capture for heightened realism, and it also introduces us to some of the actors. NORSE: Oath of Blood puts players in the boots of Gunnar, a young Viking warrior whose father was betrayed and usurped. Gunnar seeks vengeance by building his own warband from the ground up. You will build your settlement, recruit allies, train, and battle in turn-based combat as you gun (see what I did there?) for the head of Steinarr Far-Spear, the traitor who murdered your Father.

A demo is available now on Steam, and you can check out the latest dev diary below. February 3rd cannot come soon enough.