Tag: geek news

Geekly News: March 29, 2026; Sony Raises PS5 Prices by $100 Worldwide

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. Sorry about missing last week’s news post. We have new releases for board games and video games, but before we get to those, we have a few headlines to discuss first. The news this week was rough, but not as rough as the recent PlayStation 5 price hike.

Sony Raises PS5 Prices Worldwide

This Friday, Sony announced that it will raise its prices on PlayStation 5 consoles on April 2, 2026. Despite the proximity to April 1st, this is not an April Fool’s Joke. In the United States, the standard PS5 will increase to $649.99, up by $100. The digital game-only edition will also increase by $100 to $599.99, while the PS5 Pro will see a $150 increase to $899.99. The company cited ongoing economic pressures for this price hike.

Note: If you’re in the market for a PlayStation 5, you may want to purchase one before April 2, 2026.

“We know that price changes impact our community,” Sony said in a statement, “and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide.” Ongoing economic pressures indeed. While Sony mentioned the rising cost of memory chips (thank you, AI slop factories), a couple of other factors could’ve assisted Sony in making this decision: shipping costs may increase because of the closure of a certain strait in the Middle East, and tariff wars continue to add additional costs to companies conducting international business.

And there’s the next headline for this week: Sony has laid off a lot of its workforce by shuttering first-party developers. The climate looks dire at PlayStation.

Sony Shuts Down Dark Outlaw Games and Downsizes Mobile Game Development

2026 hasn’t been kind to Sony or its first-party developers. This past week’s announcement of Sony shutting down Dark Outlaw Games marks the second major Sony has shut down this calendar year, and the year isn’t that old yet. Dark Outlaw Games, a studio founded barely a year ago, was founded by Call of Duty veteran Jason Blundell. The company didn’t even get a chance to produce one game. In fact, Dark Outlaw only had working title for a new project that was “still in the early stages” (according to ResetEra user J-Soul, who first broke the story), when Sony Interactive Entertainment decided to close the fresh “incubation studio.”

Sony has made other cuts, including its mobile development and developers who primarily worked on virtual reality titles. These cuts may be in conjunction with the “ongoing economic pressures” mentioned in the previous story, and/or they could signal a pivot by Sony to traditional single-player titles. I wouldn’t mind more titles like the upcoming Wolverine. Many of the developers Sony has recently shut down have worked on live-service projects, which makes sense after the failure that was 2024’s Concord.

The overcrowded online game market has slowed down, even for giants like Fortnite. And hey, we have some news about Fortnite, too. Fingers crossed that the employees affected by these layoffs find work. Sony has maintained its commitment to producing great first-party titles. Let’s hope we’ll see Sony’s vision soon.

Epic Games Lays Off Over 1,000 Employees

Fortnite developer Epic Games has announced it is laying off 1,000 staff due to a “downturn in engagement” in Fortnite. “Today we’re laying off over 1,000 Epic employees,” Sweeney told Epic Games employees. “I’m sorry we’re here again. The downturn in Fortnite engagement that started in 2025 means we’re spending significantly more than we’re making, and we have to make major cuts to keep the company funded.” So much for Fortnite being an evergreen battle royale. But when in 2025 did Fortnite begin to see a sharp decline in sales? Epic Games controversially raised the price of the game’s lucrative V-Bucks in-game currency two weeks ago. This caused an outcry among gamers, but that only occurred two weeks ago. Should Fortnite have done something sooner?

Gamers have spent less money in recent months. That could contribute to Fortnite’s drop in sales, and the game has seen growth in the number of game modes it offers. Fortnite began as a player-versus-zombies game, until it added a battle royale component. The game has since added numerous game modes, several of which will get mothballed (like its Pysonix-made Rocket Racing mode). Fewer game modes, means fewer employees needed to maintain those game modes.

But Epic Games has known about Fortnite’s dip in sales for months (if not close to a full year), and it also controls the Unreal Engine. Surely, the company makes enough from that asset alone to finance 1,000 employees. Every game seems to use Unreal Engine 5. Epic does plan to unleash Unreal Engine 6 in the near future. But isn’t Unreal Engine 5 a few years old at this point?

Sweeney mentioned that the company has experienced a setback like this before when they moved from 2D to 3D with Unreal Engine 1 back in the Nineties. Honestly, I started singing the Bojack Horseman theme in my head when I wrote, Back in the Nineties, I was on a very famous TV… Nevermind. To his credit, Sweeney made it a point that “the layoffs aren’t related to AI,” he said, “to the extent it improves productivity, we want to have as many awesome developers developing great content and tech as we can.”

So does that mean Epic Games uses AI or not? The phrase “to the extent it improves productivity” is doing a lot of work in that statement. The illusion of increased productivity is what tempts employers to shift toward AI. Regardless of the company’s true reasons, Epic Games was believed to employ a little over 4,000 people, so this week’s layoffs impacted almost a quarter of the company.

Nintendo Suggests Cutting US Switch 2 Output

We’re just full of great news this week. Nintendo’s Switch 2 struggled in the United States during its first holiday period. The console’s sales numbers were down 35% in the United States when compared with its predecessor in 2017. As a result, Nintendo has lowered its US production for the quarter. According to sources, this decision is “driven by slower demand from consumers” over the holiday period, and not by wider economic factors affecting worldwide hardware production, like rising component prices. Thank you again, AI Slop Factories.

I can see why Nintendo’s Switch 2 would struggle this past year in the United States. It had few titles that sparked gamers’ imaginations. No new Zelda. No new Mario title. Not even a new Kirby title. The long-awaited Metroid Prime entry (in over a decade) bombed; Metroid Prime 4 was the lowest-rated game of the series. And Mario Kart World, the game that’s packaged with many Switch 2s, had stiff competition in the kart racing genre in 2025. Many critics and gamers believed Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds was the better game. The kart racing debate could come down to choice, but that’s the point I’m making. Mario Kart has always been unequivocally the best kart racing game to release each year it had an entry until last year.

But the Switch 2 has had some superb titles. Mario Kart World is still a fabulous game, and an excellent Donkey Kong game was released last year. DK doesn’t pull the same numbers he used to, but a great title in his line of games is a good sign. I am stoked for the recently released Pokémon Pokopia, which is a joint effort by the creators of Dragon Quest Builders 2, one of my favorite newer game series. Pokémon Pokopia has renewed interest in the Switch 2, moving 2.2 million units in its first four days. Yay! And we have an upcoming Yoshi video game to tie into the upcoming Mario Galaxy movie, releasing this summer. I would’ve thought Nintendo would have planned a major Mario release as a movie tie-in, but Donald Glover is voicing Yoshi. Glover’s stardom could elevate Yoshi to icon status. Stay Yosh!

Even with Nintendo reducing its United States production for the Switch 2, this may be a blip in the console’s life cycle. So, when is the Legend of Zelda getting another entry, Nintendo?

Chicken Fried Dice Launches on KickStarter

Order up! Become Top Chef at a Food Truck Festival by serving up delicious dishes to hungry customers. You’ll be chuckin’ and pluckin’ dice in this frantic, puzzly roll ‘n write for 1-5 players! Upgrade your truck to out serve your competition featuring dry erase customer cards and dual layer food truck player boards.

Operate your own food truck serving up delicious dishes to hungry customers. Each food truck is represented by a double-layer board with different food stations that help you feed customers. Upgrade your truck with dry-erase tiles to out-serve the competition. Insert tiles onto your truck to change the way each station works and make your job easier.

Pluck ingredients from the market before the other chefs get a chance. It’s a race to grab the ingredients you need each round.

Based on the description (provided by the publisher), I had to check and see if Chicken Fried Dice was a real-time. It is. Each player owns a unique food truck with various meal offerings. Customers have food desires, and the quickest chef to claim the appropriate number and colored die can serve the customer first. I have never played Chicken Fried Dice, but I love the concept and the game’s punny name.

Chicken Fried Dice is the first of a couple roll-and-write games (like Yahtzee) this week. It’s been on my radar for a few months now, and I’m excited to see it released. This title scored big at the PAX Unplugged Convention a year or two ago. If you’re interested in Chicken Fried Dice’s fast-paced roll-and-write action, check out its KickStarter page.

Brass: Pittsburgh Launches on GameFound

From Roxley and Gavan Brown, co-designer of Brass: Birmingham, comes Brass: Pittsburgh, which allows you to re-experience the explosive late 19th-century industrial boom of America’s Gilded Age in its northeastern “Steel Belt” region (1865-1913). Players take on the role of a ruthless industrial titan in the age of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, and Henry Frick as they build sprawling networks of railways, pipelines, steel mills, oil refineries, and more.

Built on Martin Wallace’s acclaimed Brass system, this standalone game introduces innovative new mechanisms and content, while maintaining the overall structure and strategic depth for which Brass has become known.

The description above comes from Brass: Pittsburgh’s publisher, Roxley. I’ve never played a game in the Brass board game series. Brass: Birmingham has dominated the BGG (BoardGameGeek) charts for years, and Brass: Pittsburgh is the latest game in the series. I have some familiarity with Pittsburgh, so the subject matter strikes a chord. But I’ve seen some Brass fans unhappy with this latest offering.

Above is a picture of a player’s tech tree in Brass: Pittsburgh’s. Yes. Games in the Brass series feature tech trees you can progress. You can see why I’ve been reluctant to play one of these games. But Brass fans have pushed back on Brass: Pittsburgh’s $125 price tag, and that doesn’t include shipping. And I’ll push back a little on those Brass fans by saying, Roxley does offer a Brass: Pittsburgh Essentials Edition. This stripped-down version of Brass: Pittsburgh will resemble the kind of copy you can pick up at retail for only $79, so I can see disgruntled Brass fans’ point. What’s the point in picking up the Brass: Pittsburgh Essentials Edition via GameFound if you can wait a few extra months and pick up the game at your local game store?

I’ve heard few people say negative things about Brass: Pittsburgh’s gameplay. By most accounts, it deserves the Brass name, and if the shift to the States, and specifically Pittsburgh, piques your interest and you want a stunning copy of the game, you could give Brass: Pittsburgh a shot. If you’re interested in Brass: Pittsburgh, check out its GameFound page.

Hyve Launches on KickStarter

Hyve puts you in control of a beehive. Each turn in, you roll dice equal to your population. These rolled dice represent your worker bees. Using these bees, you select actions you wish to perform. All of your remaining bees are then used to gather nectar, building you a very colorful Hyve. Struggle to stay alive against the constant threats of nature, and lead your colony from merely surviving to thriving.

Thank you for the description, Aerobellum Games. Roll and write–or in this case, roll-and-color–have had a moment in modern board gaming. These games scale well at large player counts, although the original Hyve release was strictly a one or two-player game. I love how most completed Hyve games look so colorful.

Aerobellum Games isn’t kidding about Hyve being a roll-and-color beehive simulator. The new KickStarter campaign aims to make Hyve a multiplayer experience. I wouldn’t mind having the option of pollinating extra player into this game. The new KickStarter even includes amber dice that look as if they’re made from honey. Ah. Gorgeous!

I don’t know why bee-themed games have become huge in the tabletop game space. Perhaps, they lend themselves to strategic planning and managing resources. We must have the pollen. There are too many pledge options for Hyve to discuss in this short write-up. I counted eight for typical customers (no retail store pledges) and at least a dozen add-ons. Yowza! Pledges do range from $38 to $149. And the add-ons range from $12-$15. Not a bad deal if you want more Hyve merch like colored pencils, playing cards, or a Hyve pin. If you’re interested in Hyve, check out its sweet as honey KickStarter page.

Galen’s Games Mint Tin Series 2 Launches on KickStarter

Bring on the mint tin games. Galen McCown, owner of Galen’s Games, is a four-time semifinalist in Game Crafter community contests, many of which included games that can fit inside a mint tin (like Altoids). Naturally, he publishes mini-board games that fit inside a mint tin. This year’s KickStarter campaign marks the second in Galen’s Games Mint Tin Series, and it includes four new games: Kickabout, Hard Drive, That’s An Order, and Mint Mechs. The four games in this series can be further broken down into two smaller bundles: Action and War.

Hard Drive is pictured above. Along with Kickabout, it belongs to the Action bundle. I like the variety in this bundle. Kickabout is a soccer-themed game, where players attempt to out-think their opponents, while Hard Drive plays more like a fast-paced Android: Netrunner. Gamers battle each other to be the first to hack a corporation. The War bundle has a couple of solid offerings as well. That’s An Order looks like a miniaturized Memoir ’44 in the best way. And who doesn’t love a good Mech battle?

Don’t worry if you missed the original mint tin games set. The KickStarter includes multiple options for gamers to pick up the previous series. Pledges range from $8-$230. The cheapest option is a print-and-play (gamers download and print their own game copies), while the most expensive option includes everything (Series 1 and 2, along with all their expansions). Galen’s Games Mint Tin Series offers a lot of games. You’re sure to find something that strikes your fancy. If you’re interested in Galen’s Games Mint Tins Series 2, check out its KickStarter page.

Crimson Desert Releases

Because we missed a week of Geek News, we’re a bit late with Crimson Desert. We’ll let publisher Pearl Abyss describe their game. Crimson Desert is an open-world action-adventure set on the continent of Pywel. Join Kliff on his journey to rebuild the Greymane faction and to save the land from a looming threat. From vast wilderness and cities to ruins and the mysterious Abyss, forge your path through battles and discovery.

Originally planned as a prequel to Black Desert and another MMORPG, Pearl Abyss soon found that Crimson Desert worked better as a single-player open-world RPG. Yes, please. The publisher has no further plans to make Crimson Desert a multiplayer experience. Thank you. And Crimson Desert’s setting, Pywel, is based on Sicily. I am so there, and I think, Mrs. Geekly is, too. The only issue I can see Mrs. Geekly having is the reported boss difficulty spike. Combat works fine until a boss enters the battlefield. Eek! Crimson Desert is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Life is Strange: Reunion Releases

The saga of Max and Chloe, and the fate of Caledon, is yours to decide! Play as both Max and Chloe as an all-new story builds towards an epic climax. The fire will force Max and Chloe to make devastating decisions. Can they find a future together… Before everything burns?

We’re going back to Caledon. What? I loved the original Life is Strange. I even dabbled with the sequel that featured new characters, but I never played Double Exposure, the continuation of Max and Chloe’s story. After Life is Strange: Reunion’s release (the third game in the Max and Chloe’s trilogy), I may have some gaming to add to my growing TBP (to be played) pile. Unlike the original Life is Strange, Life is Strange: Reunion was released all at once, not in an episodic format. Okay. And you can play as Chloe. Yes! I added Life is Strange: Reunion to my wishlist. Max, Chloe, and I have some catching up to do. Life is Strange: Reunion is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Damon and Baby Releases

I know little about Damon and Baby and just discovered the game’s publisher, Arc System Works. This company has a knack for retro-style games. While most of their offerings use dated graphics (like the old Dodgeball video game from the 80s), Damon and Baby has updated cell-shaded graphics.

Damon and Baby‘s combat harkens back to Smash TV, the 80s video game where gamers play as contestants in a warfare game show, but Damon and Baby also features a large world to explore. From what I’ve gathered from reviews, Damon and Baby has some great ideas, but the execution doesn’t always land. This sounds like the perfect candidate to wishlist and wait for a sale. Or you can try out Damon and Baby’s free demo to see if it’s right for you. Damon and Baby is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: March 15, 2026; New Releases

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have quite a few new releases for video games and board games. We’ll mix things up a bit this week. We’ll skip a headline (we had two or three the past couple of weeks) and only go with new releases. Let’s get to this week’s new games.

Dusk Runners Launches on GameFound

Welcome to Dusk Runners, a cooperative roguelike deckbuilder, set in a torn-apart world of years-long days and nights ruled by death. Take up the role of Dusk Runners, survivors and explorers who stay a few steps ahead of the night. Gather forgotten technologies so powerful they look like magic, battle monsters in the night to get stronger, make allies or enemies of survivor factions and learn ancient secrets in order to defeat the ultimate threat of the darkness: the Nightstalker.

Thank you to Dragonmount Press for Dusk Runners’ description. Dusk Runners ticks a lot of boxes: cooperative, solo, deckbuilder, and roguelike. We have nothing but GameFound board games this week, so most–if not all–the games in this week’s roundup will be previews. We do previews for GameFound because the site does a great job with previews. Its “New” games aren’t always the newest games released. Since these are previews, we don’t have as much definitive information. I like deckbuilders. Check. I also enjoy cooperative games, and having a good solo option is a plus, especially if I can’t get everyone at the table. And roguelike means Dusk Runners should have plenty of variability. Score!

Dusk Runners’ one to three-hour runtime makes me a little concerned. Are most games one hour or three? It seems odd to have that much of a variance for a campaign-based board game. Usually, most scenarios clock in at about the same time, but I can see having more players could slow down the game. The theme has me intrigued, too. Explorers need to stay a few steps ahead of the night. How is the night portrayed in Dusk Runners? I love it when tiles disappear, and I hope that could be a mechanism in Dusk Runners. I’d like to know more. And if you want to know more, check out Dusk Runners’ GameFound page.

Apex: Carnivore Launches on GameFound

APEX: Carnivore is a fast, head-to-head evolution deckbuilder where both players start from the same Miacidae ancestor and branch toward one or more of three carnivore families: Felidae (cats), Ursidae (bears), and Mustelidae (weasels). Each trait you add reshapes how your species hunts, defends, and outmaneuvers its rival. The goal is to drive your opponent’s population to zero and become the apex carnivore.

Your deck is your species. Each round you draw a hand of traits and activate them. To activate a trait, or to evolve a new one from the shared pool, roll a d20 against its Difficulty Class. Succeed, and the effect triggers or the new trait mutates your species deck. There is no currency: your die and engine determine what you can activate and acquire. Active modifiers apply to every check that turn, rewarding timing and sequencing.

After both players have activated their traits, their species fight for survival. Compare total Power and Defense; any excess reduces the opponent’s population. Initiative may let you act first, while natural selection keeps decks lean and the game fast. Solo rules and 3–4 player free-for-all (with two copies) are included.

Thank you, OneStone Studios, for the Apex: Carnivore description. Apex: Carnivore has an interesting premise. I like the idea of creating my own animal species. This gives me Spore (the video game) vibes. The gameplay does remind me a little of Marvel: Legendary in a good way. In Legendary, one didn’t begin the game with a character, but would add cards to their deck, slowly revealing the two or three characters the player specialized in their deck. While having more than one character in one’s deck in Marvel: Legendary made little sense. Am I even playing a specific character? This concept makes way more sense in the context of building an animal. I’m making a half-bear, half-cat animal. Woo hoo!

Apex: Carnivore’s campaign features the game’s second printing and its first major expansion, Pack Instinct. Apex: Carnivore (2025) has received strong reviews. The Pack Instinct expansion features red panda pictures. We should expect animals of this ilk in the expansion. Fortunately, Apex: Carnivore has shared their pledge levels. This is rare for a GameFound preview. Gamers can pick up the base game (or just the expansion) for around $30 and the base game-expansion combo for just over $50. And of course, OneStone Studios offers a couple more pledge levels that include premium extras. Apex: Carnivore’s campaign launches in the next day or two. If you’re interested, check out its GameFound page.

The Realm of Silvanus Launches on GameFound

Enter a mystical land, powered by elemental crystals and the might of sacred beasts. In The Realm of Silvanus, players take on the role of explorers chosen by Silvanus to restore harmony, gathering animal allies and channeling crystal energy to rebuild the Three Temples of Power: Jade, Emerald, and Diamond. The Realm of Silvanus combines strategic board movement, card collection, and resource management. On each turn, players roll the dice to travel across the forest board, drawing Animal, Crystal, or Surprise cards depending on where they land. Animals inhabit your temples, while crystals enhance their strength and value. Surprise cards introduce unpredictable twists: blessings, curses, or clever opportunities to outsmart your rivals.

Balancing luck, planning, and timing leads to victory. The goal of The Realm of Silvanus is to complete all three temples or reach the end of the board, while earning the highest total points from your animal allies, crystal upgrades, and bonus rewards. Each decision (whether to advance swiftly or carefully fortify your temples) shapes your destiny in the realm.

Thank you to The Realm of Silvanus production team for the description. I have more than a few reservations about this board game, but I’ll discuss those in a minute. First, let’s talk about what I like about The Realm of Silvanus. Everything on the left two-thirds (in the above picture) I like. The artwork looks cool. I don’t yet know how filling in all 3 Temples works, but I’m down with Temples holding various powers. I also like the two ways The Realm of Silvanus can end: finish the three temples or reach the end of the Game Board. This is a GameFound preview, so I don’t have all the details for The Realm of Silvanus, but if I’m reading the description properly, it looks like one player could trigger the end game, and another player can win if they have the most points. If so, that’s dope.

But I have reservations. The Realm of Silvanus is the company’s first game. Not always a deal breaker. I like giving new designers and publishers a chance. The company is also named The Realm of Silvanus. Not the best move. If gamers don’t resonate with the first game a publisher produces, you don’t want your company’s name sharing that game’s name. It’d be difficult to distance oneself from that game.

And The Realm of Silvanus uses a roll, spin, and move mechanism for advancement on its Game Board. I don’t know how The Realm of Silvanus plans to use the roll, spin, and move mechanism. It sounds like the board can affect which cards or events occur and can trigger the endgame. If so, great. Roll, spin, and move isn’t inherently bad. Last year’s Magical Athlete and this year’s DC Breakout: Arkham Asylum are great examples of modern roll, spin, and move variants. Just don’t be another version of Monopoly. We’ve moved past that version of roll, spin, and move. I’m interested to see what updates The Realm of Silvanus shares in the coming days. If you’re interested in The Realm of Silvanus, check out its GameFound page.

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb Launches on GameFound

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb is a single-page, Print & Play, Roll & Write dungeon crawl inspired by classic D&D maps. Draw polyomino shapes to map a new dungeon every game. Uncover treasure in the form of coins, keys, and magic items. Face deadly guardians, like oozes, skeletons, zombies, golems, mimics, and the Mummy itself. Plan carefully, because defeating it is not for the faint of heart. Are you up for the challenge?

The game is played over the course of 20 rounds. At the end of the 20th round, all players tally up their fame points, and whoever has the most wins. If you’re playing solo, you’re trying to set the most points possible or Beat Your Own Score. There are also achievements that can be completed in both solo and multiplayer modes.

Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb offers a low-cost entry point for a Roll & Write dungeon crawl. I’m assuming Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb will not cost much because it’s a Print & Play. For those who don’t know what a Print & Play is, its name says it all. Players download a file and print off a copy of the game. The copy of Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb pictured above is also laminated, so one can use a dry-erase marker. That’s clever. I may have to try this.

I love Roll & Writes (a game type popularized by Yahtzee), and there are plenty of Roll & Write Dungeon Crawlers out there, like Paper Dungeons. Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb can offer someone a chance to test out whether they like Roll & Write Dungeon Crawlers before purchasing a more expensive game that will take up space on one’s shelf. I can’t be the only one who’s running out of room in my gaming shelf system. I may prefer Hidden Realms: The Mummy’s Tomb because it’s easier to store.

John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando Releases

Pick a character and team up with three friends, ‘cause it’s time to save the world. Experience intense FPS action as you obliterate hordes of terrifying monsters! You may not be on the best team of mercenaries, but you are a Toxic Commando!

John Carpenter throws his hat into the video game ring. That’s reason enough to check out John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando. But is it any good? Toxic Commando–we’ll refer to the game as Toxic Commando going forward–can be an enjoyable experience with a couple of friends. The game doesn’t kid when it says you’ll fight a horde of terrifying monsters. Zombies. The terrifying monsters are zombies or zombie-like. Emphasis on horde.

Look at all those monsters above. Yikes! From what I’ve heard, Toxic Commando is a competent first-person shooter you can play with three friends. This isn’t bad for an initial video game release for John Carpenter. But I have also heard that Toxic Commando doesn’t feel as great on console. In particular, the PS5 loses some of the scale a PC gives players. I interpret those statements (by other gamers and critics) to mean that consoles narrow the player’s field of vision, so most of what you can see are the handful of zombies–I mean, monsters–in front of your face. Toxic Commando also offers fun set pieces like tanks and other vehicles. I can be fun, mowing over these monsters, and Toxic Commando offers RPG-like looting.

The looting can add to the game’s survival elements. But I’ve also heard that while thematic, the looting can become tedious. Still, Toxic Commando sounds like it’s worth it on PC, and if it goes on sale, it could be worth a flyer on console. John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.

Solasta II Enters Early Access

In a Mana-infused land, a dark force led by the enigmatic Shadwyn threatens Neokos. Bring your party of adventurers together across perilous realms in this Turn-Based Tactical RPG based on the SRD 5.2 (the most recent Dungeons & Dragons release, which is actually 5.5 Edition) ruleset. You make the choices, dice decide your destiny.

The above description comes from Solasta II’s publisher, Tactical Adventures. I looked up SRD 5.2, so you wouldn’t have to do so. While Solasta II is a direct sequel to the first Solasta, it functions as a spiritual sequel to Baldur’s Gate 3. Gasp! I gasped for the folks who may have seen that last statement as blasphemy. Solasta II is another game I have yet to play. There actually is one that was released this week that I have played, but I’m saving it for last. The game has received good to great reviews, and that’s no small feat for a game in early access.

Solasta II looks pretty good. I can’t speak to the game’s story, but I have seen the character creation system. I can’t believe you can custom-make all of your starting party members. What? And designing your characters can get in detail.

It’s a small thing, but someone in my family loves creating characters, and the ability to create more than one in a single game will have them stoked. Solasta II has done well this past week. We’ll have to see if it has staying power to survive early access. So many video games leave early access or can spend near a decade mired in “early access.” Fingers crossed that Solasta II makes it to the other side and gets a full launch. Since Solasta II is in early access, it’s only available on PC.

Collector’s Cove Releases

All aboard! Collector’s Cove is a cozy farming adventure on the high seas. Sail with your animal friend to uncharted waters, cultivate your floating farm, and discover new islands, crops and fish on your quest to become a Named Collector!

Collector’s Cove sets Harvest Moon on the seven seas. This cozy game carries the usual trappings of a farm and chill game. From what I’ve gleaned from reviews, the gameplay loop resembles many others of this game type and is easy to pick up. I like cute farming sims. I’ve played Fae Farm, plenty from the Harvest Moon series, Kitaria Fables, and of course, Stardew Valley. So, Collector’s Cove is on my radar.

Like a lot of games in this genre, you’ll have plenty of missions (or quests) to progress the story, unlocking new abilities. Collector’s Cove offers a hodgepodge of game types (fishing, farming, sailing, decorating one’s quarters, and crafting). None of the individual activities is difficult to comprehend, because they can’t be. That’s not the point of these games. I wouldn’t mind floating on the ocean, exploring new islands (kind of like Animal Crossing: New Horizons), and sapping those islands dry for resources. Environmental conscience be darned.

The only odd thing I’ve seen (in other people’s reviews) is that Collector’s Cove has a limited cast of characters. You’ll mostly interact with your family. This doesn’t tarnish Collector’s Cove; it’s just odd. Most games like this have a robust cast of characters. But there must be a Harvest Moon release here or there that only includes a handful of NPCs. I can’t think of any. Still, I put Collector’s Cove on my wishlists, waiting for a sale. Collector’s Cove is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection Releases

The third entry in the Monster Hunter Stories RPG series is here! Twin Rathalos, born in a twist of fate. Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is an RPG series set in the Monster Hunter world, where you can become a Rider, raising and bonding with your favorite monsters.

Yes! We finally reached the game I picked up this past week. I’ve only played Monster Hunter Stories 3 for around three hours–it was released a day and a half ago as I’m writing this–and I’m hooked. Monster Hunter Stories 3 is the first of this series I’ve played, so I can’t speak to how it rates against the previous two entries. The story is ridiculous. But that’s to be expected in the mainline Monster Hunter series. One doesn’t play Monster Hunter for its story. You play it for the titular monsters. And I love making monster besties, or monsties, in Monster Hunter Stories 3.

Most of the popular monsters in the Monster Hunter series make an appearance in Monster Hunter Stories 3. Heck, you begin the game with a Rathalos. The story overview (first paragraph in this write-up) mentions Twin Rathalos, and I’m certain the other Rathalos factors into Monster Hunter Stories 3’s storyline. Again, I couldn’t care less about the story. The voice acting is over-the-top. Characters sport the JRPG-styled mannerisms. And the ultimate attacks (for each of the monsters) play out like a summon spell in Final Fantasy VII, but at least you can skip the animation if it’s the one millionth time you’ve seen it. I like the shake-up the Monster Hunter Stories series gives the typical Monster Hunter gameplay formula.

Speed, Power, and Technique Attacks play out like a Rock-Paper-Scissors style of combat. Add this to an additional layer of elemental type (which also plays out like Rock-Paper-Scissors), and Monster Hunter Stories 3 prompts players to collect ’em all. You’ll need monsters with a Fire, Water, or Lightning (and others) element and each of the three attack types. This dual-layered game of Rock-Paper-Scissors adds plenty of complexity. And it’s fun collecting eggs and watching them hatch.

Did I mention you can ride your monsters? Flying on my Rathalos rules. But so does riding my Tobi-Kadachi up wall faces. Yes! I haven’t yet found (or built) a monster I can reliably ride on while they swim, but I’m working on it, and when that happens, I’m certain that’ll be a blast.

I’m enjoying my time with Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection so far. Customization is fabulous. One can easily change their appearance at a Catavan. I’ve been trying as many looks as I can, and I’ve considered purchasing some of the DLC. It’s a Monster Hunter title, so there are plenty of paid cosmetics available. But there are also plenty of armors and weapons to craft. I still lack plenty of the ingredients (only five hours played), so I have countless hours of crafting ahead of me. Monster Hunter Stories trades the realistic and intimidating graphics of the mainline Monster Hunter games for a softer color palette and a younger demographic. And yet, Monster Hunter Stories is very much a Monster Hunter game. I may have to pick up the other titles in this series.

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Those are all the new releases we have for this week. Which game sounds the most interesting to you? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: March 8, 2026; Xbox Announces Next Gen Console

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang. Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have plenty of board games and video games new releases, but before we get into those, let’s discuss our headline for this week. Xbox revealed its plans for a next-generation console. What? Project Helix is on the way, and the details we’ve seen have made us the most excited for an Xbox console in several years.

Xbox Reveals Plans for Project Helix

Xbox announced its next-generation console, following the Xbox Series X/S (sometime in the next few years, possibly as soon as late Fall 2027). Even though Xbox has pivoted to software over hardware, Codename: Project Helix confirms Xbox hasn’t left the console race. The official Xbox X account shared the project name “Project Helix” and a new logo (pictured above) that blends the classic Xbox logo with a DNA double helix. Xbox’s new CEO, Asha Sharma, shared more details in her own post, claiming the system will “lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games,” which marks a major shift in Xbox’s approach.

Since the new Xbox machine will be capable of playing Xbox and PC games, it will challenge the upcoming Steam Machine. Talk about a new console generation. Xbox has hinted that its new system will run on Windows, which should allow players to download third-party software like Steam, GOG, and Epic. This has me excited. And one quick note on the name, Project Helix. Typically, tech companies use a working title for their consoles. Xbox Series X/S was nicknamed “Project Scarlett,” while Nintendo used “Project Revolution” for the Wii. While the name Helix may change, I could see Xbox keeping the double helix design in some capacity.

We should hear more news about Xbox’s upcoming console in the coming weeks. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma promises to meet with shareholders next week. While most details discussed during this meeting should remain confidential, fans may get a few tidbits of information in the coming days. We’ll keep you posted if we hear anything.

While this announcement occurred after Sharma assumed the CEO position, plans for “Project Helix” had to have been started during Phil Spencer’s tenure. But this could be a shift in direction after Spencer’s departure. Either way, “Project Helix” looks to shake up the video gaming console landscape, and we’re all for it. I may need to buy a new big-screen TV.

Botany: Floral Dragons Launches on KickStarter

In Botany: Floral Dragons, players assume the role of a botanist, travelling the world in search of fame, fortune, and the coveted honor of floral dragons. As you travel the globe, you’ll need to manage your expedition funds, experience thrilling events, and acquire support. Each player begins the game with a set of randomized goals. Players can use these coins to traverse the globe and gain crew members and items, improving their odds of surviving the unknown. However, there is danger in spending too freely. Players must have coins to return with their specimens intact. Whenever you return to your estate, you’ll add new floral dragons and build new garden features. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins.

We paraphrased Dux Somnium Games’ description for Botany: Floral Dragons. Thank you for the write-up. Botany: Floral Dragons features amazing graphics and artwork. Gardening games have grown–pun intended–in popularity over the past decade or so, and dragons are always a welcome addition. Botany: Floral Dragons’ combination of themes reminds me of Cretaceous Rails (dinosaurs and trains). Why hasn’t anyone combined these two themes before Botany: Floral Dragons?

Botany: Floral Dragons should build off of Dux Somnium Games’ 2025 release, Botany: A Victorian Expedition, and that game received good reviews. Dux Somnium Games always delivers with high-quality components, and I like that every game in their catalogue features similar art and graphics. Botany: Floral Dragons has the same vibe as previous Dux Somnium Games. Of course, this company is known for offering multiple pledge levels for their crowdfunding campaigns, too. Pledges range from $49 to $599. Wow! A lot of the extras included with the $599 are nice things to have, but unnecessary to play the game. Still, Dux Somnium Games are ones I can see some gamers wanting top-notch, upgraded pieces. If you’re interested in Botany: Floral Dragons, check out its KickStarter page.

The Old Ones of El Dorado Launches on KickStarter

The Old Ones of El Dorado is a hand management and drafting game in which the cards form a closed economy of actions. You can play a card into one of four action rows and perform both the action of the space and the action on top of your card. However, the next player may choose to play into the same row, if there’s space, gaining them the action on their card, your card, and the action associated with that row. Each card offers two actions to choose from, but once played, the orientation becomes fixed.

Throughout The Old Ones of El Dorado, you’ll gather resources to construct temples, craft sacred masks, and raise shrines. You’ll make dark sacrifices to the Old Ones and send cultists into the village to obtain knowledge and goods. These efforts will earn you points and bring you closer to immortality as promised to you by the Old Ones of El Dorado… but is it a blessing or a curse?

Another good description by publisher, Dranda Games, and another great mash-up of themes. Plenty of games have a setting of El Dorado, but even more have used the Cthulhu Mythos as a theme. I like The Old Ones of El Dorado’s use of meeples. And the 3D elements on the board grant life to the setting. My only issue may be the cardboard Cthulhu, First Player Marker. I’d love to see that as another wooden meeple. I need some Cthumeeple in my life.

The different meeples function as different workers. I like this concept in Worker Placement Games. The Old Ones of El Dorado looks to bring the Cthulhu Mythos to a heavy Euro game. That’s something else that doesn’t happen too often. Cthulhu-themed games lend themselves more to highly thematic games. I’d like to see how The Old Ones of El Dorado’s different meeple types function with the game’s 3D elements. The Old Ones of El Dorado offers multiple pledge levels: $47, $54, and $99. It looks as if the higher levels add more value for not as much money as one might think. If you’re interested in The Old Ones of El Dorado, check out its KickStarter page.

Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter Launches on KickStarter

Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter is an asymmetric 1 versus 1 fighting game, fueled by a marble puzzle system. Input your attacks each turn by clearing connected matching marbles from a 3 x 5 grid. Your attack corresponds to number and color marbles you cleared. The more marbles you clear, the bigger the attack. Every move changes the board state for what you allow your opponent to clear, and you can only clear from 2 of the 3 lanes, so every move has immediate consequences.

Deal damage to your opponent’s 3 health bars, each corresponding to a different color of attacks: Red, Yellow, and Blue. Breaking a health bar forces your opponent to spend a quarter to keep playing, and disables that color of attacks from being used. But be careful, a broken health bar turns those corresponding marbles into WILD connectors, allowing them to launch even more powerful attacks with their remaining colors, not to mention each cleared WILD marble restores health to that broken health bar, bringing it back into play.

Thank you, Brother Ming, for the description. Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter has an undeniable toy factor. Look at the central marble puzzle piece. I don’t care for the game’s name. Why isn’t it Rematch instead of Re;Match? But this game earns that moniker, Rematch. From what I’ve seen, Rep;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter matches last between 15-30 minutes. That’s short enough for a series of rematches. And players can choose between multiple combat styles (asymmetric powers). The DJ, Chef, Trickster, and Psychic have various playstyles. You’re bound to find one you like best.

Brother Ming Games is best known for its Genshin Impact line of game peripheries (like dice and playing cards). I’ll glad to see them stretching their wings in the tabletop game space. Since Brother Ming has experience with game production, I trust Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter will use good quality materials. The acrylic standees I’ve seen in Re;Match’s pictures are in line with board game standards. A lot of games are switching to acrylic standees, and these look good. But who am I kidding? That marble puzzle element slays. Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter offers pledge levels ranging from $99 – $300. If you’re interested in Re;Match: Marble Puzzle Fighter, check out its KickStarter page.

The Glasgow Train Robbery Launches on GameFound

The Glasgow Train Robbery is a co-operative game for two players inspired by one of the most infamous crimes in British history. Set in 1960s Scotland, you and your partner take on the roles of two key members of a criminal crew determined to intercept and rob a high-value train — without getting caught. Over the course of the game, you’ll work together to plan the heist, gather the right equipment, mislead the authorities, and finally execute the robbery in a high-stakes finale. Communication is limited, tension is high, and every decision counts. Will you manage to synchronize your actions, stay ahead of the investigation, and escape with the loot? Or will a single misstep derail the whole operation?

The Glasgow Train Robbery challenges players with unexpected twists and a constantly shifting landscape. The game is played over an undetermined number of turns, ending successfully if you manage to complete all five plan cards before the train reaches London, with the Coordinator needing to complete the first four, and the Operator the final one. Fail to complete the plan in time, the police will catch you. The Glasgow Train Robbery is the first title in a new series of games inspired by legendary historical heists. With a focus on historical flavor, immersive gameplay, and tight teamwork, this series invites players to step into the shoes of infamous criminals to see whether they can outsmart the law.

That was a great description, Salt and Pepper Games. I love The Glasgow Train Robbery’s theme and the fact that Salt and Pepper Game intends on making this an ongoing board game series. Yes! I can’t wait to play other famous heists throughout history. The Glasgow Train Robbery has been on my radar for several months. The look. The theme. The fact that Salt and Pepper Games is an up-and-coming board game publisher. Yes to all.

I’m a sucker for The Glasgow Train Robbery’s art. I also love wooden pieces in board games. Look at those uniquely shaped meeples. It makes the game look classic and unique. Salt and Pepper Games also has a knack for producing history-based board games. They’ve published Watergate, Resist!, and Skulls of Sedlec. I can’t wait to see what they’ll do with this new series of history-based board games. If you’re interested in The Glasgow Train Robbery, check out its GameFound page.

Marathon Releases

Marathon is a first-person multiplayer extraction shooter set in the same universe as the Destiny series. Yes. Bungie has returned to the Destiny universe, and the publisher takes a swing at the extraction shooter genre, a genre growing in popularity after the battle royale boom about a decade ago. Players deploy into a shared environment, search for loot, and attempt to successfully extract (either an item or non-combatants) from the region before getting eliminated by enemy players or environmental threats. While Marathon’s core gameplay focuses on player-versus-player (PvP) encounters, the game offers ample player-versus-environment (PvE) game options and hazards within PvP encounters.

Multiplayer extraction shooters await a smash hit (like Fortnite or Apex Legends), and Bungie has plenty of experience delivering fantastic video games. Marathon might be what this game genre needs to truly take off. Marathon is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse Releases

Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is a Metroidvania x Roguelite where you journey with the aid of a cursed hat. Use a variety of magic or possess your enemies to reach the dungeon’s lowest levels. Bring back loot, build new facilities in your village, make a living, and strengthen yourself for the next battle. While you can play Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse as a solo experience, the game supports up to 4-player multiplayer.

It’ll be difficult for a side-scrolling Roguelite to stand out in this year’s market. 2026 may only have a dozen or so weeks under its belt, but it’s already produced stellar games of this type. Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse has received mixed reviews (as of this post), but it offers a multiplayer option that few Roguelite games released this year have. Roguelites don’t tend to support multiplayer, but a few levels might be fun. Never Grave: The Witch and The Curse is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch.

Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf Releases

Sequel to the stellar 2023 puzzle-platform game Planet of Lana, Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf trades a heroic rescue for a darker story of revenge. While the game’s mechanisms are inspired by cinematic platform puzzlers like Inside, Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf takes its visual inspiration from Studio Ghibli.

So pretty. And from what I’ve seen in early reviews, Planet of Lana II has a banger story with a compelling ending that will stick with players for ages. I never got around to playing Wishfully’s original Planet of Lana, but I may dive into this haunting world. Can you help Lana rescue her planet’s soul? Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Pokémon Pokopia Releases

The Pokémon series finally gets a crossover with Animal Crossing–of sorts. Pokémon Pokopia is a life simulation game, and since Game Freak teamed up with Omega Force (developer of Dragon Quest Builders 2), I believe Pokémon Pokopia will share similarities with Dragon Quest Builders 2. If that’s the case, Pokémon Pokopia will be awesome. I love Dragon Quest Builders 2. Players navigate a day-night cycle and cultivate different biomes. This sounds so much like Dragon Quest Builders 2. I can’t wait.

Players control Ditto, who imitates a human. Players can customize Ditto’s appearance, including skin color, hair color, and clothing. Pokémon Pokopia features crafting and building mechanics that players use to befriend new Pokémon, who, in turn, can teach Ditto new moves to interact with the environment. Ditto can perform various tasks like creating bushes, watering dry plants, cutting debris, and smashing rocks. Pokémon Pokopia is only available for the Nintendo Switch 2. Whenever I pick up a Nintendo Switch 2, I know this game will be one of my first.

Slay the Spire 2 Enters Early Access

Yes! The sequel to the iconic roguelite deckbuilder, Slay the Spire, entered early access this past week. What did I say about roguelites being a crowded market this year? Wow! Within months of Hollow Knight: Silksong, Slay the Spire 2 drops. Late 2025 to 2026 has been insane.

If you liked the original Slay the Spire, you’ll undoubtedly like Slay the Spire 2. According to some reviews, Slay the Spire 2 plays a lot like the original in the early game. But after a few rounds, the sequel throws in some welcome wrinkles to the award-winning formula. So far, Slay the Spire has received universal praise.

Peak concurrent users hit 217,932 gamers during the sequel’s launch, nearly quadrupling the original game’s lifetime record. The surge to purchase Slay the Spire 2 was so great, it temporarily paralyzed Steam’s payment servers for 30 minutes. If you tried to make a purchase on Steam during this 30-minute window and couldn’t, blame Slay the Spire 2. But hey, Slay the Spire 2 is a fantastic game and worth the hype, so far. Slay the Spire 2 is available on Steam.

That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: March 1, 2026; Seismic Changes at Xbox

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have another weekly round-up of new game (board games and video games) releases, but before we get into those, we have some headlines to discuss. We missed last week, because I was on a romantic getaway with my spouse, so some of these headlines may come from the previous week, and we begin with a doozy. Xbox Gaming CEO Phil Spencer retires, and Spencer’s mentee Sarah Bond resigns. Woah! What is happening at Xbox? Let’s find out.

Xbox Gaming Changes Leadership

After nearly 40 years with Microsoft Gaming, Xbox CEO Phil Spencer retires. While Spencer will stay on in an advisory capacity later this year (2026), advisory roles are more symbolic. I don’t imagine Spencer having much input into Xbox’s future–if Xbox even has a future, but more on that in a little while. What muddies the water further is that Sarah Bond, who Spencer prepared to take over as CEO in the event of his leaving Xbox, resigned her position. Undoubtedly, Spencer and Bond are subject to a non-disclosure agreement, so we may need to wait numerous years before they share why they left the company, and Xbox/Microsoft hasn’t expanded on why the pair left. Talk about chaos.

But we’re not done yet. Microsoft Gaming/Xbox has named Spencer’s replacement: Asha Sharma. Prior to joining Microsoft in 2024, Sharma was chief operating officer of Instacart and previously vice president of product at Meta. Her role within Microsoft was within its CoreAI division. Uh, oh! Artificial Intelligence. Sharma immediately addressed gamer concerns with Microsoft/Xbox potentially leaning further into AI. She made the following statement: “Xbox will commit to the ‘future of play,’ and that Xbox would not focus on ‘soulless AI slop.'” There’s a lot to unpack with Sharma’s brief statement.

What does “Future of Play” mean? Sharma is saying the right things. She wants to return Xbox to its early days. She wants to focus on games. I’m all for better games. And Xbox has acquired a ton of developers. Fingers crossed that many of the better ones survive a potential reorganization or that the developers who do get let go can re-establish themselves as independent publishers. We’ve heard rumblings that Xbox could be disbanded. “A focus on games” could mean Microsoft has no interest in consoles, and to be fair, consoles don’t always garner huge revenue. And then, there was the bombshell dropped by Xbox co-founder Seamus Blackley during a Gamesbeat interview earlier this week. “I expect that [Sharma’s] job is going to be as a palliative care doctor who slides Xbox gently into the night.”

If the Xbox Series S/X is Microsoft’s final console, it may be a fate Xbox has been heading toward for years. I never bought Phil Spencer’s claim that a tablet can be an Xbox. Your phone can be an Xbox. I can be an Xbox. If anything can be an Xbox, doesn’t that mean that nothing is an Xbox? Microsoft Gaming could’ve been heading toward becoming a game developer/publisher and dropping the console producer for years, and it may not even be Sharma’s doing. Spencer’s past comments may have hinted at this shift.

But Sharma’s background in AI makes the “Future of Play” comment sound ominous for a different reason. While I like Sharma addressing the issue of soulless AI slop, this may be corporate speak. Gamers received their first impression of Sharma as head of Xbox this past week. Again, she’s saying the right things, but she has an extensive history with AI development. There are levels to AI integration. Most people don’t want AI slop, and Sharma may make good on her promise of not including AI slop, but I wouldn’t discount Xbox leaning heavier into higher levels of AI integration. Could we see AI voice acting, AI graphics for background assets (or even foreground graphical assets, because building character models is hard), or AI writing for side quests? Time will tell. This is a developing story.

Paramount Increases Its Offer for Warner Bros.

Guess who’s back. We’ve been following the Warner Bros. Sale for several months, and we may have several more months before the final deal goes through. Paramount offered $108 billion That would’ve been about $30 per share, but Warner Bros. declined, deciding to go with Netflix’s offer, but that was only for HBO Max and the Warner Bros. movie studio. Last week, Paramount upped its offer to $31 per share. Paramount wants all of Warner Bros. Discovery, which includes CNN, TNT, TBS, and other assets.

I had written this piece before Netflix responded to Paramount’s offer. I thought Netflix might increase its offer. Earlier in the week, there was a chance Warner Bros. could still accept Netflix’s offer. If Warner Bros. sold its two assets to Netflix, it would still have enough remaining assets to sell to another buyer, like Paramount. But Paramount’s offer was too tempting. The streaming giant Netflix has rescinded its offer. Paramount has acquired all of Warner Bros. Discovery. Even though both sides have agreed to the deal, it must go through regulatory agencies before being approved. We’ll see what the future holds.

This deal makes me wonder about CNN. Last year, Paramount appointed Bari Weiss as CBS News’ Editor in Chief. The hire was questionable at best, in large part because Weiss seldom fact-checks. That doesn’t work so well for a news network. Big changes may be on the horizon. We’ll keep you posted.

AI-Fueled Memory Chip Crisis May Delay Next Gen Consoles

It’s no secret that the current generation of gaming consoles has suffered setbacks due to the pandemic and unfair tariffs. We’ve discussed the tariffs, and let’s not relive the pandemic, but the rise of AI has also impacted the PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. And AI may just impact the next generation of gaming consoles, too.

We haven’t heard official word that Sony or Microsoft plans to delay their next consoles. We haven’t even heard definitively if Nintendo plans to raise the price of the Switch 2. But there are rumors. These rumors began late last year in various articles by Reuters and Forbes. The AI boom has led to tech companies (specializing in AI) gobbling up memory chips. One also needs memory chips to produce gaming consoles. With AI’s demand for memory chips rising, there may not be enough memory chips for gaming consoles. This raises the price of memory chips. More expensive memory chips raise the price of gaming consoles. And new consoles like the PlayStation 6 and whatever Microsoft plans to name their next console–if they even make another console–get delayed by years. The industry’s current guess is 2028 or even 2029.

Again, Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have made no formal plans to delay console releases and/or increase console prices, but all of those outcomes are on the table if the AI-fueled memory chip crisis continues. This is yet another developing story. We’ll keep you posted.

Perch: Birds of Play Launches on Kickstarter

In Perch, players fight for control of locations by commanding birds of their own and other players’ flocks. Earn points and command woodland creatures by having the most birds on a location, pushing your foes off the perch, and breaking ties to take the lead.

Each round, players add their birds into a shared bag. Players then draw birds of their own, and other players take turns stacking birds on location tiles. Each location tile will award variable points for majorities and sometimes grant players a unique ability. The game ends after five rounds, and the player who has earned the most points wins.

With a modular tile configuration and a variety of woodland creatures to control, each game will present a new tactical challenge.

Thank you for the stellar description, Inside Up Games. Perch: Birds of Play is the first major expansion to Perch. If you don’t have the base game, don’t worry. Perch: Birds of Play offers multiple pledge levels to accommodate those who are new to Perch. I would be one of those Perch newcomers. I’ve heard plenty of great things about this title, Perch: Birds of Play intends to add to Perch’s winning formula.

From what I’ve heard, Perch can get intense. Players fight each other for control of tiles. In short, Perch may share a theme with Wingspan (birds), but it feels more like a fist fight. If you have the base game, players can pick up Perch: Birds of Play for $24. If you’d like the base game and the expansion, the pledge level is $58. And there are other options for upgraded bits like the 3D birds pictured above. If you’re interested in Perch: Birds of Play, check out its KickStarter page.

The Old King’s Crown’s 2nd Printing and New Songs of Home Expansion Launches on GameFound

The Old King’s Crown is a game of card-driven conquest, where you play as heirs to a vacant throne, vying for control of an ancient, overgrown kingdom. Wield unique abilities and leverage your followers’ traits to best outwit your opponents across a map that stretches from the teetering heights of the castle to the dappled light of the necropolis.

As leader of your faction you will be staking claims with Heralds openly as well as positioning your forces in secret, hoping to claim the locations that fit your designs. However, keep an eye on your rivals, as they too have agents and agendas, poised to undo your best laid plans.

Royalty, rebels or ruses. What crown will you wear?

Another great description by the publisher. Thank you, Eerie Idol Games. Love the company name. The Old King’s Crown is yet another game I’ve heard great things about. It has a solid rating on BoardGameGeek, but it does skew toward the heavier side. One look at the game above cues one in about The Old King’s Crown’s complexity. But it looks as if it has plenty of iconography, and the board has a pleasant layout. This gives me the impression of a game that has a lot of moving parts, but it’s easy enough to understand once you get the flow.

The New Songs of Home expansion adds two new factions. Each faction has its own asymmetric gameplay, so two new factions are welcome news. The expansion also expands on The Old King’s Crown’s world. Another plus. The Old King’s Crown can be played competitively, cooperatively, or solo. That’s always a plus. As of this writing, we don’t have details of The Old King’s Crown’s pledge level costs, but if you’re interested in The Old King’s Crown, check out its GameFound page.

Hair Band Launches on KickStarter

Rock the stage and Rule the Strip!

In Hair Band, you’re an upstart 80’s glam metal band vying for Hollywood’s next record deal. But to get it, you’ll need to convince the label you’re the next big thing – get awesome, get fans, perfect your show, and complete your demo to sign on the dotted line.

Each round, you’ll place your dice-as-rockers around Hollywood to write, rehearse, promote, gig, and party all night. But watch out! Musicians can be a reckless and unruly bunch. So, you’ll need to choose wisely to steer clear of drama that can derail your ambitions. The first band to complete 3 of the 4 record label requirements gets the deal and wins the game.

Rock on, Frown Clowns Games with that fun write-up for Hair Band. We’ve seen a few rock-inspired board games over the past year or two, but I’m a sucker for any dice-placement game. And the act of rolling makes sense for a rock-inspired game. Rock and “Roll.” Hair Band appears to capture the glam band vibe. The art above may come from Board Game Arena or Tabletop Simulator (a virtual board game), but the final product looks great. I chose to use a virtual board game picture to show more of the game. Vector graphics are more likely to maintain their crispness. But look at the dice. I choose pink.

I have yet to play Hair Band, but I’ll quote Alex Wolf (of Spielcraft Games, the publisher of the superb Cretaceous Rails), “(Hair Band) is a light, thematic strategy game where you lead your hair metal band to practice, play shows, and complete albums, and of course navigate the challenges that come with a rock and roll lifestyle.” Yep. I may have to try Hair Band. If you’re interested in Hair Band, check out its KickStarter page.

Sky Empire Launches on GameFound

In the skies over planet Dopheus, players will take on the role of a Doppler, a salamander-like creature with one mind and two bodies, in a quest to find the crystals and reactivate the monolith defense to thwart the invasion from the evil sentinels! Take part in this epic adventure, in more than 40 different airships, to find the crystals and stop the invasion – and become Emperor over all of Dopheus!

Sky Empire takes place over several game rounds, where players place their Dopplers either in the Council to take Council actions, or on the board for character unique abilites. Or both! You have two bodies! To take actions on the map you activate the tiles with an initiative token, and that allows you to move to this tile, explore, produce, construct and/or battle opponents!

To win the game, you must collect the four crystals, activate a monolith, and ascend to the position of the Emperor of Dopheus!

Yet another great description. Thank you, Greymarsh Games. I said it before, but publishers know their game a lot better than I do with these write-ups. I love it when a publisher provides a good description. That leaves me the opportunity to go into how great those miniatures look. Minis aren’t everything, but great-looking minis can enhance a theme. And a 4X Steampunk board game is one heck of a theme. Sky Empire is another complex board game–we got a couple of them on the list this week–and it plays over two and a half to six hours. Yowza! Sky Empire may just be the steampunk equivalent of Twilight Imperium.

While I’m not the biggest fan of six-hour-plus board games, I’d be willing to try Sky Empire. It looks stunning. I love the theme. And Sky Empire offers a solo mode. What? I can’t imagine purchasing a game as well-produced as Sky Empire for only the solo mode, but a solo option is great for a game I may struggle to find others willing play. That’s always something to consider. At the time of writing this post, we don’t have any details about Sky Empire’s pledge levels, but if you’re interested in Sky Empire, check out its GameFound page.

Resident Evil: Requiem Releases

Resident Evil: Requiem may be the perfect way to celebrate the horror survival franchise’s 30th anniversary. Acclaimed Resident Evil 7: Biohazard’s director Koshi Nakanishi returns in this title, and Resident Evil: Requiem’s narrative centers on the Raccoon City incident and the Umbrella Corp’s activities. Sure. Resident Evil: Requiem introduces a new protagonist, FBI analyst Grace Ashcroft, but fan-favorite federal agent Leon S. Kennedy returns. Yes!

And players can shift from first-person to third-person. I love Resident Evil: Requiem’s customization. Does the game live up to the hype? We aren’t sure. I started writing this post early in the week, and reviews weren’t available. But Nakanishi’s return to the series, the focused story, and the ability to shift points of view make Resident Evil: Requiem a game to keep on one’s radar. Resident Evil: Requiem is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Tales of Berseria Remastered Releases

I have yet to play a title in the long-running Tales series. Honestly, I don’t know where to begin. Tales of Berseria is the sixteenth title in the series, and it was released almost ten years ago. Smaller gaps exist between original releases and video game remasters. Is ten years long enough to warrant a Tales of Berseria remaster? Again, I’m unsure. I’ve heard great things about this title, but I’ve also heard that, in terms of story, Tales of Berseria ventures from the mainline Tales series. Perhaps this tale of revenge is the Tales game I should try first.

Tales of Berseria Remastered looks stunning, but so did the original. For context, the original Tales of Berseria was a launch title for the PlayStation 4. Tales of Berseria features unique combat, and the remaster looks to retain this stellar combat and perhaps build upon it. Tales of Berseria is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

That’s all of the geek news we have for this week. Which game are you the most excited to play? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: February 22, 2026; New Releases

Published on by Kyra2 Comments

Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. I’ll be away this weekend. My spouse and I are celebrating Valentines Day a weekend late to avoid the crowds. We’ll skip a headline story this week, but should have a major MCU update for next week’s Geek News. We have a lot to discuss with Marvel. Until then, enjoy these board game and video game new releases.

Forage and Honeypot by Flatout Games Launch on KickStarter

I love the Flatout Games creative team, Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin, and Shawn Stankewich, behind the Point Salad series of games. They’ve had a few other hits like Propolis. Each one of their games is a joy. Well, they’re back at it with Forage, and the designer of Fantastic Factories, Joseph Z. Chen, joins the party with his latest offering, Honeypot. Yes! AEG/Flatout Games are known for their combo releases on KickStarter and the pairing of Forage and Honeypot looks to be another great.

Forage is a puzzly tableau-building roll-and-write game for 1-6 players with gorgeous artwork by Beth Sobel! It is designed and developed by the team that brought you the Calico, Cascadia, and Point Salad series of games!

Rules are simple: Roll the forage dice and reveal a unique journey tile each round. Choose a combination of dice and carry out one of the actions: exploring, storing, or gift-giving. As you carry out actions, you’ll earn bonuses that allow you to power up your future actions or make additional moves to complete your goals! Use your time wisely–there are several journeys you can take to collect knowledge, experience, and prestige. Once you have completed your turn, you’ll choose one of the three types of cards to draw and add to your tableau giving you more ways to combo and complete goals!

The previous was a description provided by Flatout Games. Thank you for the great write-up. While the description continues, I figured I would leave it at about a short hundred words. Forage doesn’t need much more of an introduction; I’m hooked. I’m a sucker for roll-and-writes (Yahtzee-style games), and Forage gives me strong Cascadia roll-and-write vibes. One of the members of my game night owns a copy of the Cascadia roll-and-write, so I may pick up Forage. Games of this ilk can accommodate several players at once. Heck, they may be better with more players. And Flatout Games has a strong history of delivering on simple concepts with fun twists.

And art by Beth Sobel (of Wingspan fame) is always appreciated.

Flatout Games challenges AllPlay for those small box board games that feel like instant classics. Honeypot may just be another fantabulous game, by a designer (Joseph Z. Chen) who, despite being a new game designer, has an impressive resume.

Honeypot is a quick and simple I Stack, You Choose game for 1-6 players with delightful artwork by Kwanchai Moriya!

In Honeypot, players take on the role of secret agent bears trying to gather the best intel and spy supplies without getting stung! Players arrange secret caches for their opponents and carefully sift through the secret caches passed to them. The question is: how far to dig for valuable intel and spy supplies? Have your opponents passed you the sweetest honey, or a swarm of bees? In this thrilling game of setting traps and trying to avoid them, only the agent with the best instincts will capture the best set of items to come out on top!

Again, great description, Flatout Games. Honeypot is another game that looks to play great at higher player counts. Its solo mode intrigues. I can’t wait to dive into a game or two of solo Honeypot, because I love the I Cut, You Choose game mechanism. Remember what I said about Flatout Games giving familiar game mechanisms fun twists? Honeypot looks to do that with I Stack, You Choose. I always thought more games should use the I Cut, You Choose game mechanism. I can’t wait to try an I Stack, You Choose game. Yes, please.

Honeypot and Forage are available with pledges of $19 apiece, or one can buy both at $35. Flatout Games offers a handful of other pledge options, but I’ll let you discover those on your own. If you’re interested in Forage or Honeypot, check out their KickStarter page.

For the Gods! Launches on KickStarter

Watch out! Players are building monuments during this visually arresting game, For the Gods! The following pictures will feature For the Gods!’s prototype. I can only imagine what the final product will look like. Before I share my thoughts on this game, let’s hear from the publisher, Mighty Boards, and their description.

As a seafaring builder in ancient Greece, in For the Gods! you’ll navigate the archipelago, constructing towering monuments to the gods and vying for control of sacred islands.

For the Gods! is a tactical area majority game in which every stone shapes your path to victory. The rules are simple: Sail the seas to establish new temples or elevate existing ones. Along the way, collect God stones and unleash their divine powers at the right moment. With twelve unique God powers, each game offers fresh strategies and dynamic gameplay, ensuring high variability.

For the Gods! has table presence. I don’t know if players will be able to build the Greek islands. Look at the space where the columns stand. Those look like potential puzzle pieces. Yes! I’d play the heck out of For the Gods! for the column pieces alone. The God tiles, which offer unique abilities to players on their turns, curve to match For the Gods!’s interior board. You can’t walk past For the Gods! during a convention or a game night without doing a double-take. And publisher Mighty Boards has a strong history of delivering great games. I’m glad that the game is area majority as opposed to “dudes on the map.” I prefer area majority. And with the play area being this small, there should be some impressive battle for supremacy.

For the Gods! offers a $65 basic pledge. If you’re interested in For the Gods!, check out its KickStarter page.

Quest & Request Launches on GameFound

Quest & Request is an easy-to-learn dungeon crawler arena (learnable in 10 minutes) where gamers take the roles of anti-heroes. That’s right. Quest & Request goes dark. Players won’t be playing heroes. According to the publisher, they’ll be looting and killing a world full of innocent monsters, controlled by a benevolent wizard. A role reversal like this could be a hoot.

Unlike a lot of other dungeon crawler board games, set up appears to be quick in Quest & Request. I’m a little confused by the game’s description of a 4 v 1 Cooperative Game. That makes me wonder if Quest & Request can be played as a fully cooperative game or if one player can play as the wizard and monsters. Either way, I’m interested in any game of this type that has an easy setup and teardown. As of writing this post, we don’t have details on Quest & Request’s pledge levels, but if you’re interested in Quest & Request, check out its GameFound page.

Labyrinth: Chronicles Launches on GameFound

Once upon a time, there was a Labyrinth, a magical place full of wonders and mysteries. Adventurers who returned told unbelievable stories of its ever-changing walls and shifting corridors, a mind-boggling challenge indeed that only the bravest could tackle. But it was worth it, they say, as the dark nooks of the Labyrinth hide real treasures. The Labyrinth waits for you. Are you brave enough to enter?

Labyrinth: Chronicles brings a new Co-op Campaign mode to one of the best-selling board games ever. Enter the mysterious Labyrinth, now with a stunning 3D board and graphic design from Awaken Realms, to gather the resources required to help a nearby faefolk village. But beware! Inside dwell grasping goblins who want to snatch valuables before you! As you progress, you will rebuild the damaged village, meet new friends, unlock new skills, and many more!

Yes! That was another great description by the publisher. I don’t know how Ravensburger and Awaken Realms managed to turn the classic tile-shifting game, Labyrinth (1986) into a cooperative narrative campaign. What? Labyrinth is one of those titles that I thought could never receive the campaign treatment, but Labyrinth: Chronicles appears to have done just that. And look at the board above. Again, the picture is of a prototype. I can’t imagine how insane the final product will look. But what else would one expect with an Awaken Realms release. They’re known for over-the-top productions.

As you can guess, Labyrinth: Chronicles will cost around $105. Higher price tags are another Awaken Realms hallmark. Even if Labyrinth: Chronicles was a prestige printing of the original Labyrinth, I’d still be interested. I always enjoyed the original. The fact that Labyrinth: Chronicles shakes up the original’s gameplay makes $100 not seem like that much money. If you’re interested in Labyrinth: Chronicles. If you’re interested in Labyrinth: Chronicles, check out its GameFound page.

Cloud War Tales: Nuvitrum Launches on GameFound

What lies beyond the clouds that shroud the peaks of Nuvitrum? What mysterious power does Croconium hold—an amber mineral hidden deep within the mountains?


Explore the kingdom and develop your faction to uncover the truth. Nuvitrum is a tactical, asymmetrical deck-building game for 1 to 4 players, playable competitively, cooperatively, or even solo through a narrative campaign that reveals the world’s forgotten history.

Choose your faction, strengthen it, and engage in battle using unique mechanics. Excavate the mountain to unearth rare metals as a Deepdelver, master powerful spells as an Ambathean, or tame monstrous beasts as a Greenblood. Reveal your faction’s core to claim victory!

Alright! Deck-builders are always a fun time. Cloud War Tales: Nuvitrum adds player factions to the concept. Usually, players begin with small decks and choose how they will build those decks, but Nuvitrum starter decks look to have a unique flavor from the start. Throw in some interesting movement and combat, which looks like it may take a page from Summoner Wars, the ability to play Cloud War Tales: Nuvitrum competitively, cooperatively, or solo, and this could make for a versatile deck-builder with legs. As of writing this post, we don’t have pledge values, but if you’re interested in Cloud War Tales: Nuvitrum, check out its Gamefound page.

Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown Releases

Don’t look now, but the Star Trek universe receives a major video game release. Last week, I mentioned how Rogue-Lites are having a moment. With the release of a Rogue-Lite, survival strategy video game based on Star Trek: Voyager, that trend continues. The player takes control of USS Voyager and manage the starship, including systems and resources, as well as the crew. Can you lead Voyager across 12 sectors of the Delta quadrant. Battle ship-to-ship. Send your away team on missions. And since Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown contains narrative rogue-like elements, each playthrough varies.

Sure. Star Trek: Voyager may not be a Trekkie’s first choice for a Star Trek video game, but Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown sounds amazing. As of writing this post, I have yet to play Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, but don’t be surprised if it makes a future Whatcha Playing, Geekly post. Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Demon Tides Releases on PC

Race across open oceans and uncover a kingdom’s dark secrets. Expressively platform your way across dozens of locales, upgrading your gear and modifying your move-set every step of the way! The previous description comes from the publisher. While I don’t know what “expressively platform” means exactly, Demon Tides’ videos shows multiple ways your character can traverse Demon Tides’ world. 3D platformer games may play better on console–we could see a future Demon Tides console release–but the game looks interesting enough for me to give it a go. Can you even customize your character? You may. Talk about expressively platforming.

Early reviews for Demon Tides have been positive. The Gamer suggests that Demon Tides should be on every platformer fan’s radar. Check! I may even check out Demon Tides’ demo on Steam. Demon Tides is available on PC.

Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse Releases

Usually, we don’t cover visual novels in our video game new releases, but we’re making a rare exception for Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse. The Mermaid’s Curse is a direct sequel to the well-received Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo. Only, this time around, Paranormasight trades in the scares for some emotional depth.

That doesn’t mean that Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse isn’t without its share of horror. Season is our writer who usually plays visual novels, but I may make an exception for the Paranormasight franchise. I may have to go back and play the original, too. Paranormasight: The Mermaid’s Curse is available on PC and Nintendo Switch (yes, the original Switch).

Styx: Blades of Greed Releases

Styx returns for a third installment with Styx: Blades of Greed. I always liked the idea of playing as a goblin. Styx: Blades of Greed allows players to go full goblin mode. While the Styx series has had its ups and downs, it’s one of the better recent additions to the stealth video game genre.

Explore the dizzying heights of the Iserian Continent and cunningly eliminate your enemies. Thanks to your Quartz powers, you are freer than ever. Be creative. Never has it felt so good to be greedy. The wisecracking Styx is always fun to play. There just aren’t enough great stealth games to play. The Styx franchise is one of those great stealth games. Skye’s a huge fan of games like Hitman, so Styx: Blade of Greed might be a great alternative. Heck! I may enter goblin mode soon, too. Styx: Blades of Greed is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.

That’s all the geek news we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: February 8, 2026; Obsidian Entertainment Cancels Plans for The Outer Worlds 3

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geekly News. This week saw plenty of new releases for board games and video games, but before we get into those, let’s get into this week’s headline. Obsidian Entertainment made a sizeable announcement this past week. The Fallout: New Vegas developer announced that they may need to go in a different direction with their games. Obsidian cancelled any plans for The Outer Worlds 3 and an Avowed sequel.

Obsidian Entertainment at a Crossroads

Honestly, I may be more in tune with Obsidian Entertainment because I just finished an Obsidian Entertainment Video Game History, slated for a May 2026 release. Thank you, Obsidian. I may need to alter the final two segments of that piece. But Obsidian Entertainment dropped a bombshell this past week. Obsidian President Urquhart announced that Obsidian Entertainment needs to reduce the development time of their games, which means titles like The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed will not receive sequels.

Obsidian Entertainment has a penchant for developing brand-new game engines with each of its large titles. Despite The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed releasing within months of each other, both games have different game engines. This increases the development time for games that will already have massive development times. The Outer Worlds 2 took six years to develop, while Avowed had a development time of seven years. Yikes! Less-than-expected sales for both titles has led Obsidian Entertainment to cancel plans for any future games in these series.

Several factors led to The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed selling fewer copies than expected. The Outer Worlds 2 suffered backlash with a proposed $80 price tag. Obsidian/Microsoft reverted to a $70 price tag before launch, but the damage was done. Gamers lost faith in the series. And then there’s Avowed. Avowed is more of a straight fantasy open-world RPG, and that is a tough market to crack into with a new title. Yes. Avowed is set in the popular Pillars of Eternity universe, but it functions as a new game in a new series. It also doesn’t help that Obsidian wasted a couple of years trying to turn Avowed into what Urquhart dubbed “Skyrim meets Destiny 2.” Obsidian could never get the multiplayer gameplay (the Destiny 2 portion) to work and turned Avowed into a single-player RPG experience. But that led to Avowed’s seven-year development window.

Video games work a lot like films. Many modern films flop even when they earn well over $500 million at the box office because producing them costs so much. A video game, like Avowed, that has a seven-year development will need to bring in a lot more money than a video game that takes three to four years to develop, like Obsidian’s other 2025 release, Grounded 2, or even Obsidian’s 2022 indie-like Pentiment. Even though Pentiment had a niche market, it didn’t cost Obsidian much to make the game, and smaller games like Pentiment and Grounded 2 may become the developer’s new business model. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of large open-world RPGs from Obsidian, but the developer may reduce the number of those games it releases.

Bitewing Games Launch Gold Country and Totally Human on KickStarter

Bitewing Games delivers one heck of a one-two punch this week with Reiner Knizia’s Gold Country and Kasper Lapp’s Totally Human. Gold Country is a new California Gold Rush strategy game created by Reiner Knizia and gorgeously illustrated by Beth Sobel, the same Beth Sobel who provided Wingspan’s art. While the design is inspired by a cult-classic Knizia game called Spectaculum, it has undergone extensive redevelopment by Reiner Knizia (closely collaborating with Bitewing Games) to become the ultimate stock market manipulation game. It features a completely reworked core game, all-new maps, exciting tactical abilities, and the lush landscapes of California.

Gold Country looks great on the table. I’ve never played Spectaculum, but heard great things. And this is a Reiner Knizia game. Knizia has been on a roll. And then there’s Kasper Lapp’s Totally Human. Lapp had a hit with Magic Maze. In Totally Human, players are given hidden identities (human or alien) and must answer three multiple-choice questions as “human-like” as possible, but aliens don’t understand human culture completely and face restrictions on how they can respond.

Totally Human gives me strong Spy Fall and Ferret Out vibes. Players take on hidden roles and must try and figure out who’s an alien in disguise. When done well, this concept can be a ton of fun. I’ve had more fun with Ferret Out than Spy Fall because players (including the ferret) don’t know who’s the odd one out. Based on Totally Human’s description, I don’t know how exactly the game plays. But I’ll give it a try. You can back Gold Country or Totally Human separately, but backing them both gives gamers a discount. If you’re interested in Totally Human and/or Gold Country, check out their KickStarter page.

Logic & Lore Launches on KickStarter

In Logic & Lore, rivals race to be the first to align their hidden stars, numbered 1-9. Each player has dragons and mice working together to organize the cosmos: they send their dragons out to gather information and the mice stay back to take notes and make conclusions based on the knowledge brought back by their dragons. Players each start with their set of cards face-down and shuffled. The game ends when either one player aligns all of their cards correctly OR a player chooses to reveal all of their cards. If the cards are correct, they win; otherwise, their opponent wins.

I like Logic & Lore’s description of a competitive logic game that stays cozy. And I think Logic & Lore gains its cozy designation based on its theme. What could be cozier than aligning the night sky? I dig the theme and the game’s look. Logic & Lore has a great score on Boardgamegeek. If you’re interested in backing Logic & Lore’s second edition, check out its KickStarter page.

Astra Imperium Launches on GameFound

Covering the monthly Solo Game of the Month has become a tradition for Geekly. This month’s title, Astra Imperium, sounds incredible. Astra Imperium offers the complexity of a Euro game in a ten-minute playtime. That’s perfect for a solo game. Usually, I can’t justify long setups and plays of solo games. I don’t need to worry with Astra Imperium.

As usual, Solo Game of the Month offers great production value. Astra Imperium’s resource management has me intrigued, and as you can tell with the picture above, there’s minimal setup and tear down for what looks to be an engaging solo game. Perfect! If you’re interested in Astra Imperium, check out its GameFound page.

Jump Masters! Launches on GameFound

Publisher Chip Theory is known for their amazing production value. At the time of writing this post, we have few images of Chip Theory’s latest game, Jump Masters!, but the game sounds fun. Jump Masters! combines dice placement (where the dice are unique characters with abilities) with Chinese Checkers. I love this concept.

Taking advantage of their character abilities, players try to dominate the board. Take advantage of positioning and terrain to best your opponent in this light-hearted, cute-throat game. Not gonna lie, I favorited Jump Masters! while researching it. Again, we have few images, other than the ones above. But I trust Chip Theory to produce a fantastic-looking game. If you’re interested in Jump Masters!, check out its GameFound page.

The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham is a story-driven Lovecraftian board game of investigation, madness, and cosmic horror, designed for 1–4 players. Fully cooperative, rich in narrative, and steeped in creeping insanity, it invites you to descend into a world where every choice matters—and madness is never far behind. Step into the role of investigators unraveling a series of eerie mysteries in 1930s Arkham, each told through branching narrative chapters filled with meaningful choices, unique events, and escalating dread. As you read the story, your decisions shape the course of the game, leading to different outcomes and consequences. Each creature you encounter is governed by its own distinct set of rules and behaviors—not a single generic AI system in sight. Every monster feels unique, each one changing how you fight, think, and survive.

The above description comes from The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham’s publisher. It is tough to stand out in the Cthulhu board game space. The phrase “not a single generic AI system in sight” must be a knock against Mansions of Madness. Honestly, The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham reminds me a lot of a streamlined Mansions of Madness. But while Mansions Second Edition features an app that helps build the world, The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham goes old school with an included storybook. From what I’ve seen of The Void Unveiled, it strikes me as a mixture of Mansions of Madness and Sherlock Holmes: Consulting Detective. If that’s the case, I’m interested. Since The Void Unveiled is another GameFound campaign, we have little information during its prerelease. But if you’re interested in The Void Unveiled: Echoes of Arkham, check out its GameFound page.

The Stone of Madness Dicefall Launches on GameFound

The Stone of Madness Dicefall is a cooperative tactical stealth board game for one to five players. Players jointly control five prisoners confined within an isolated monastery ruled by the Inquisition. Each prisoner has distinct abilities, restrictions, and mental conditions. The game is played in structured rounds where players assign actions to the prisoners, move them through the monastery, and interact with rooms, objects, and objectives. Actions are resolved using dice. Dice represent uncertainty under pressure and are tightly linked to the character performing the action and the current situation.

Stealth is the core of the experience. Many actions create noise, which increases tension and causes Inquisition patrols to react and reposition. Patrol movement and behavior respond to player decisions and accumulated alerts, turning the monastery into an active threat rather than a static board. Avoiding detection requires coordination, timing, and restraint.

I love it when a publisher includes a good description for their game (like the one we included above). The Stone of Madness Dicefall is a cooperative stealth board game? Count me in. That’s an amazing premise. There aren’t enough stealth board games, and most of the ones that exist are hidden movement games, where players take opposing sides. I have no idea how The Stone of Madness Dicefall intends to make stealth cooperative. Color me intrigued. If you’re interested in The Stone of Madness Dicefall, check out its GameFound page.

Ancient Empires Launches on GameFound

Ancient Empires is an action-programming, area-control, civilization game of expansion, conquest, and cunning decisions. In just a small box, it packs the feel of an epic empire-building experience. Players take the role of rising civilizations, competing for dominance across a modular map divided into regions rich with resources, settlements, and natural wonders. Through clever programming of action tokens, players expand their armies, establish cities, harvest resources, and challenge rivals for control of key territories. The game is divided into three Ages. During the Stone Age, the players will play as roaming tribes, establishing villages and expanding their reach. In the Bronze Age, the players will choose one of the available Civilizations to play with, gaining unique abilities. Finally, in the Iron Age, the players will be able to construct their Wonders.

We are three for the last three with great publisher descriptions of their games. Seriously, it makes covering games a lot easier. I love the tightness of Ancient Empires’ board. The three ages intrigue me. Transitioning from one age to the next could get intense. I’m unsure if players draft which empires they may choose, or if they gain an empire during the Bronze Age if they achieve certain benchmarks during the Stone Age. Either way could be fun. Ancient Empires looks to pack a lot of game into a small box. Most 4X (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) games take up a much larger footprint. And 4X games tend to take copious amounts of time. Ancient Empires suggests it plays in 1-2 hours. That’s lightning fast for a game with three distinct ages. If you’re interested in Ancient Empires, check out its GameFound page.

Dragon Quest VII Reimagined Releases

Dragon Quest VII doesn’t get a remake. It receives a reimagining. This is an important distinction. The original Dragon Quest VII was unruly. It didn’t hold players’ hands and show them where to go next. In short, it was easy to get lost in the original Dragon Quest VII. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined makes the classic JRPG approachable.

The graphics look stunning in Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. And this title may be a great place to start for gamers who never played the original, but fans of the original may be a little disappointed. SquareEnix streamlined the heck out of Dragon Quest VII Reimagined. It truly earns the title Reimagined. Similar to games like Ni No Kuni, you won’t even need to battle overworld enemies if your level far exceeds theirs. That’s amazing. If you’ve played JRPGs, you know how much of a time sink grinding can be. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined fixes that issue.

Despite cutting out islands from the original, Dragon Quest VII Reimagined improved on the game’s formula. I just wished another version of the game was available with the Reimagined version. Players could begin with Reimagined, the most approachable variant of the game, and progress to one of the other versions. But that’s a nitpick. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is a must-play if you’ve never played the original. Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is available on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Nioh 3 Releases on PC and PlayStation 5

While Nioh 2 functions as a prequel to the original game, Nioh 3 takes place after the events of the other two games. A true sequel at last. Yay! Unlike previous installments, gamers will have large spaces to explore. And players will have the option of playing as a samurai or ninja. The samurai playstyle resembles gameplay from previous Nioh installments. It has a focus on parrying. But the ninja playstyle is faster and features evasion and aerial attacks. This should increase Nioh 3’s replay value.

Nioh 3’s graphics look incredible. The game has received stellar reviews. I can’t wait to get my hands on this title. I’ll most likely play the ninja playstyle first and then play a second round as a samurai. How about you?

That’s all the Geek News we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: February 1, 2026; Martian Manhunter in the DCU

Published on by KyraLeave a comment

Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have plenty of new board games and some video game releases to discuss, but first, we need to discuss the DCU. Over the past week, James Gunn has been dropping bread crumbs as to who may soon join the cinematic universe. And I’m hyped.

Head of DCU James Gunn Posts Pictures of Chocos

What can pictures of a snack prove? It depends on the snack. Known for having fun with fans on social media, head of DCU James Gunn posted multiple pictures of Chocos, which most DC Comics fans will know is the favorite snack of Martian Manhunter. Gunn refuses to say anything definitive about Martian Manhunter’s future in the DCU, but Chocos showing up so often on social media can only mean that fans won’t need to wait long to see a proper cinematic version of everyone’s favorite green-skinned member of the Justice League.

Supergirl is the DCU’s next film, but it’s unlikely Martian Manhunter will appear. I’m not ruling out a Martian Manhunter appearance. I’m excited to see him in the DCU. But Martian Manhunter may be better served in the Man of Tomorrow, 2027’s follow-up to last year’s Superman. Regardless of when we’ll see him, I can’t wait for J’onn J’onzz to make his big-screen debut.

Lodge Launches on KickStarter

Players compete with each other to build the coziest lodge. Draft room tiles from a sliding display and place them on matching floors to attract guests to your lodge. Gain bonus points for placing those guests on their preferred floors and by constructing amenities to keep them happy. Lodge’s spatial puzzle gives the game a unique feel. I love the look of the sliding display tray. Great touch!

Lodge builds on ideas started with Cascadia and Tiny Towns, so if either of those games scratched an itch, you may like Lodge. Even if you haven’t played those games, Lodge settles into this casual weight game with plenty of strategic choices. It’s easy to teach to non-gamers, but can keep “true gamers” engaged. And the look is incredible. Lodge offers a couple of pledge levels: $39 and $69. But you can get a super special version at $119. If you’re interested in Lodge, check out its KickStarter page.

Stamp Showdown Launches on KickStarter

In Stamp Showdown, you’re battling for the win of a high-profile stamp competition. Each round, all players secretly choose a stamp to trade with the market, then reveal together. In ranking order, each trade reshapes the market by pulling in all matching suits and ranks before joining it. Will you strengthen your own collection, or block your opponents at the perfect moment? After seven tense rounds, the final showdown begins, and only the most dazzling poker-style stamp collection will win!

I love the recent trend in card games, where the game can function as a classic deck of cards. This diminishes the risk for investing in the game. Even if you don’t care for Stamp Showdown, you’re still left with a stunning deck of cards. The classic card suits also aid with identifying cards and their potential abilities. One of my biggest gripes with Stamp Swap was that I didn’t know which sets stamps belonged. You won’t have that problem with Stamp Showdown. Stamp Showdown offers a couple of pledge levels at $18 and $35. If you’re interested in Stamp Showdown, check out its KickStarter page.

Red Leaf University Launches on KickStarter

Red Leaf University is a 1–4 player worker placement game where you’ll recruit a team of bright young students and send them to specialized campuses to expand their knowledge, earn academic credits, and chase the ultimate honor: becoming Valedictorian! Red Leaf University delivers a streamlined euro-style experience: with your students, you’ll explore a university divided into six specialized campuses (Art, Business, Science, Architecture, etc.). Each campus allows players to recruit or upgrade a student of its discipline or engage in a unique minigame tied to its specialty.

Love the art. Love the theme. Love the worker placement mechanism–always. And it appears Red Leaf University takes worker placement in exciting new places. With a pledge level of $38, Red Leaf University offers a lot of game. I’ve loved Grail Games since Doughnut Drive-Thru and the reprint of Reiner Knizia’s Circus Flohctai (Flea Circus). They are known for high-quality games in small packages. Red Leaf University looks to continue that trend. If you’re interested in Red Leaf University, check out its KickStarter page.

DeckHand: Race for Infamy Launches on GameFound

Ahoy! DeckHand: Race for Infamy features pirate mayhem in a condensed card game. Over five quick rounds, you’ll trade rum, gather weapons, and tame wild creatures in your quest for infamy! Each round has two key phases: drafting cards to plan your strategy, then building to expand your fleet and compete for Infamy cards. Every card you build strengthens your fleet, unlocking new opportunities and expanding your reach. Simultaneous play keeps games fast and lively, even with up to five players. DeckHand: Race for Infamy promises little waiting around for other players. It doesn’t take long to learn, but offers plenty of strategy.

Closed drafting, multi-use cards, and tech-trees? Sign me up. DeckHand: Race for Infamy sports a few twists on familiar game mechanisms. It looks to combine these game mechanisms in fun and inventive ways. And I’m down for that. With pledges costing $28, DeckHand: Race for Infamy may be worth a look. If you’re interested in DeckHand: Race for Infamy, check out its GameFound page.

Queen Games to Launch New Stefan Feld City Collection on GameFound

Every so often, Queen Games offers Stefan Feld’s City Collection. Feld is one of the most respected board game designers, and his City Collection is a treasure. Yes. Feld is one of those designers who adheres to point salad–earning points through multiple ways–but none of the cities in this series feel the same, and Queen Games does an amazing job with their production. Feld’s City Collection looks great on the shelf. These ten games–yes, 10 whole games–look like prestige books on a shelf. As of the writing of this post, we know little about the project besides Marrakesh getting a new expansion or three. And the games use a new “Folded Space” storage system. I can’t wait to see that. If you’re interested in the Stefan Feld City Collection, check out its page on GameFound.

Highguard Releases

Highguard is a PvP raid shooter where players will ride, fight, and raid as Wardens, arcane gunslingers sent to fight for control of a mythical continent. Team up, secure your base, then ride out across vast uncharted lands to loot, harvest resources, and upgrade your arsenal as you face off against a rival Warden crew looking to claim your territory as their own. Battle for possession of the legendary Shieldbreaker in the open field; fight to carry it to the enemy base to bring down their shields—then raid to destroy their base before they can destroy yours.

Highguard plans to right the wrongs made in Apex Legends. What? That’s right. While Highguard is Wildlight Entertainment’s debut title, most of the dev team got their start at Respawn with Apex Legends. They always felt Apex Legends floundered because it didn’t know where it wanted to go. They insist Highguard will fix that. Check out their road map.

Everything above should be up for change–you never know what the future may hold–but I like that Wildlight Entertainment has a clear vision. I have yet to play Highguard, but the graphics look amazing. It is free-to-play, so I have downloaded it. Who knows? You may find me in Highguard. Or at least you may see an upcoming Highguard F2P review in the future. Highguard is available on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.

Dark Auction Releases

Noah lives with his eccentric father, who’s obsessed with Dictator X. When he joins a strange auction at a castle, he must work to solve mysteries hidden in the exhibits and uncover his father’s secrets. Risk everything to win—but what truth awaits?

Typically, we don’t cover visual novel games, but we’ll make an exception for Dark Auction. I love the vibe and the mystery the game presents. We may need Season–who plays the most visual novels–to check out this title for a review. Let us know in the comments if you’d be interested in a Dark Auction review. Dark Auction is available on PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.

I Hate This Place Releases

I Hate This Place is a craft-based, isometric survival horror game with twisted monsters and warped reality. Scavenge and build to survive terrifying days and nights while using stealth and noise to fight enemies that stalk by sound. All styled with bold comic art and an ’80s horror vibe. Honestly, my first thought was that I Hate This Place reminded me of a solo-player experience of Eternal Return. The one thing I loved about Eternal Return was wandering around, scavenging items, and building gear. I Hate This Place looks to scratch that itch. And its graphics are amazing.

Early reviews for I Hate This Place are mixed. The most recurring complaint for I Hate This Place was it’s doesn’t maintain a consistent framerate and there a bugs. Like a Bethesda’s worth of bugs. I put I Hate This Place on my wishlist. Maybe, after a few patches, it could fix a handful of things. Love the idea. If you want to give I Hate This Place a try, it’s available on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.

The 9th Charnel Releases

A first-person psychological survival horror game, The 9th Charnel is filled with a rich and frightening atmosphere. While exploring the many mysteries of this world, you must survive, whether by stealth or by using weapons. I always like the option of using stealth or combat. The 9th Charnel has yet to receive too many reviews. But I may have found one of my favorite reviews in a while by User Májkül. “I like this place. I would love to live here.” What? That’s like saying you’d love to live in Raccoon City or Silent Hill. Love it.

Fear not for The 9th Charnel’s lack of reviews. It offers a free demo. If The 9th Charnel sounds like something you’d like to try, it’s available on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.

Catherine O’Hara Passes Away at Age 71

News of Catherine O’Hara’s passing came as a shock. The beloved comic actor died in her home after a “brief illness” on January 30, 2026. Our writers have been rewatching some of our favorite O’Hara performances. Schitt’s Creek, Home Alone, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas have dominated our screens these past few days. Our thoughts go out to O’Hara’s family and friends. Thank you for the memories.

That’s all we have for this week’s Geek News. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News CMON Games

Geekly News: January 25, 2026, CMON Games Breaks Silence

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! We have another week of Geek News to discuss. Rejoice! CMON (Cool Mini Or Not) Games broke its months-long (almost a year) silence and gave gamers a roadmap to when they intend to ship most–if not all–the board games they have yet to ship on Gamefound. We’ll have this and new video game and board game release on this week’s Geekly News.

CMON shares 2026 plans to deliver outstanding Kickstarters “no matter what.”

CMON suffered $7 million in 2025. The struggling board game company had at least a dozen outstanding crowdfunding projects prior to 2025. They’ve sold off properties like Cthulhu: Death May Die and Zombiecide, which also had crowdfunding projects that have yet to be fulfilled. Layoffs took place, and CMON froze production on newer board games while it focused on delivering on its promises.

Things weren’t looking good for a once-powerful board game company. For better or worse, CMON was the one who pioneered crowdfunding. This week, CMON provided updates on several, though not all, of its outstanding projects. Dune: Desert War will be packed and ready for pickup in the first quarter. By the third quarter, production will have begun on Masters of the Universe (hopefully we’ll see this project ship shortly after the movie releases). The fourth quarter features mold making and core box production for DCeased, DC Super Heroes United, and God of War: The Board Game. Other projects, like Massive Darkness, A Song of Ice and Fire Tactics, Super Fantasy Brawl Reborn, and The Dead Keep, have been pushed back to 2027.

CMON continues exploring further IP sales (like the ones for Cthulhu: Death May Die and Zombiecide) or licensing opportunities. It also plans to deliver in batches, so retail sales “help fund the manufacturing of remaining products in the line.” If you’re like me and you backed one or more of CMON’s outstanding crowdfunding projects, you’ll be happy to hear that CMON will not be asking existing backers for additional money. That’s music to my ears. I was worried about those pesky tariffs.

CMON asks fans for “patience as we work through fulfillment in a way that ensures completion rather than risking further setbacks. We will continue to share updates as milestones are reached and as plans become firm enough to communicate responsibly.” I’m good with better communication. I heard few DC Super Heroes United updates in almost nine months. Yikes! Communication like this week’s announcement is welcome.

Knave! Launches on KickStarter

Knave! combines elements Slap Jack with Rock-Paper-Scissors. Take up your guards in hand and set a rhythm with your opponent. Each guard beats only one type of guard, so keep an eye out for when you might be able to strike. Or if you’re fast enough, throw up a block before your opponent strikes. Knave! attempts to simulate the frantic and sudden nature of swordfighting.

Knave! marks publisher, Foggity Whims Press’s–great name by the way–first game. The artwork matches the theme, and at $11, Knave! may be worth a shot as a quick, small card game. If you’re interested in Knave!, check out its KickStarter page.

Beetle Battle Launches on Gamefound

Something must be in the air because Beetle Battle is our second Slap Jack-inspired card game. Only this time, Slap Jack combines with combos. What? Players chain beetle abilities, trying to connect colorful beetles, and unleash mischievous chain reactions. But beware of the Cockroach. If you see a Cockroach, you must squish.

While I like the streamlined nature of Knave!, Beetle Battle includes numerous game modes and could offer plenty of replayability. We don’t have information for Beetle Battle’s pledge levels, but that shouldn’t stop you from following Beetle Battle. If this game sounds interesting, check out Beetle Battle’s GameFound page.

Dicequest Launches on GameFound

Dicequest is a dice pool builder. You have my attention. I’ve loved the concept of a dice pool builder ever since Quarriors and its spiritual successor, Dice Masters. We know little about Dicequest’s gameplay. Fingers crossed for a playthrough soon. But the game’s page reads as follows, Gather Your Party, Level Up, and Choose Your Path. Dicequest states that one can play it solo, cooperatively, and competitively. It sounds like the game will have plenty of game modes.

I like the trend of neoprene playmats, and Dicequest features one. Yay! Again, I have my fingers crossed for a playthrough. Dicequest sounds like a game that’s in my wheelhouse. With each game session taking about 45 minutes, it doesn’t appear to outstay its welcome. Since Dicequest has yet to launch (as of writing this post), we have no details on its pledge levels. But if you’re like me and you’re interested in Dicequest, check out its GameFound page.

2XKO Releases

Alright, video game new releases heat up this week. We have a few interesting games. Our first is the free-to-play 2XKO from Riot Games. Yes. 2XKO is set within the League of Legends’ universe, but it takes the franchise in a new direction: a 2v2 tag-team fighting game.

As of writing this post, I have yet to play 2XKO, so my comments will be conjecture. But I’m getting strong Street Fighter meets Brawlhalla vibes with 2XKO. Brawlhalla (a Super Smash Bros clone of sorts) has a 2v2 fight mode. I always wondered what could happen if someone applied Street Fighter mechanisms and graphics to a game like Brawlhalla (or the maligned Multiversus). I may have to give 2XKO a chance. 2XKO is available on PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Mio: Memories in Orbit puts gamers in the role of an agile robot named MIO that explores a forgotten ark spaceship named The Vessel. The Vessel’s AI caretakers, known as Pearls, have stopped working, and you must explore the vegetation and survive the machinery to revive The Vessel’s memories, preventing a shutdown.

Mio: Memories in Orbit features stunning art. Since it’s a Metroidvania-style video game, its gameplay reminds me of Hollow Knight. And developer Douze Dixièmes has indie game street cred. Mio: Memories in Orbit has my attention if only for its graphics. Those are some pretty pixels. It’s received generally favorable reviews and is available on Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

Escape from Ever After Releases

Our first two video games had stunning graphics, but Escape from Ever After looks adorable. Be prepared to dive into storybook worlds packed to the brim with colorful characters and locales. But beware of electrifying secrets. Escape from Ever After borrows from Lovecraftian horror and that piques my interest.

Escape from Ever After’s graphics remind me of Paper Mario and Cat Quest in the best possible way. Players can build and customize their party; every character has unique skills that can be equipped and upgraded. You even get to decorate your office as you climb the corporate ladder. But my favorite feature may just be Escape from Ever After’s big-band soundtrack. Not enough video games use big band music. Escape from Ever After is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

Nested Lands Enters Early Access

We conclude this week’s new video game releases with yet another intriguing entry: Nested Lands. Holy cow! Nested Lands is an RPG, survival, village-building, and social management game in a medieval setting. I don’t know if Nested Lands leans more toward Ark Survival, The Elder Scrolls, a combination of several games in various genres, or does something different.

Gather (plague) survivors, build a settlement, craft, master your skills, survive, and endure alone or in online co-op. Yes! Nested Lands sounds like it may scratch several itches. And yes, I wishlisted it on Steam, and if I have time, I may play the demo. Nested Lands is available on PC (with GOG, Steam, and Epic Games).

That’s all the geek news we have for this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: January 18, 2026, Spider-Man License Update

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have more video game and board game releases to discuss, but first, let’s discuss another angle of the MCU’s future. The Spider-Man license between Sony and Marvel/Disney may soon change.

Rumors of a New Spider-Man License Deal

Almost three decades have passed since Marvel Comics sold the movie rights to Spider-Man and other characters within Spider-Man’s universe (Venom, Carnage, Kraven, and others). Since the deal, Sony has done what it can to hold onto every character it can. The last couple of years we’ve seen Madame Web, Kraven, Morbius, and Venom: The Last Dance release to less than stellar responses. Let’s be real. Most of those movies stunk. I don’t blame any actor, director, or anyone else involved in those movies for their quality or for being involved in those movies. Some of them— like the Venom movies — made money, but audiences and critics didn’t rate them highly. But change could be in the air. According to trusted industry insider DanielRPK, Sony’s Spider-Man embargo may soon come to an end.

Why is Sony open to a new deal? We don’t know for certain. The aforementioned Venom: The Last Dance concluded the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise. Even if Sony chose to relaunch, reboot, or rework the franchise, Venom actor Tom Hardy has retired from the role, and Venom was the franchise’s biggest box office draw. Then, there’s the news that the Black Cat solo film has been cancelled, and the fact that Sony has begun cancelling films within the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise raises red flags.

According to Nerd Tower (via Twitter/X), Black Cat has been in production since at least 2021. Here’s what Nerd Tower recently shared: “There was a Black Cat movie in production, I saw storyboards and in a specific sequence, she was dressed as a goth at a costume party, cries in the bathroom, smears her makeup and makes the ‘mask,’ BAMMMM Black Cat ready for action. It was awful.”

True. That origin for Felicia Hardy/Black Cat sounds awful. But it’s not the worst storyline Sony’s Spider-Man Villain movie franchise has released. The less said about Madame Web, the better. Change must be on the horizon if Sony heard a movie pitch they didn’t like for Spider-Man or his villains. We don’t yet know what this means for the MCU’s Spider-Man or if a deal will happen with enough time for it to affect Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Negotiations between Sony and Marvel/Disney are ongoing and predate Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s development. There’s a chance we could see Venom, Carnage, Kraven, or the Sinister Six in the MCU.

But I wouldn’t hold my breath. Unless a deal occurred under the table, the best Spider-Man: Brand New Day could do is hint at the Spider-Man Villain movie franchise characters joining the MCU. But the next Spider-Man film could feature any number of these characters. I’d love to see a Sinister Six movie.

Mountain Goats: Legacy Launches on KickStarter

In Mountain Goats: Legacy, players battle each other for top spot on the mountain. Each turn, roll and combine dice to race up the mountain. Get to the top to score, but don’t get knocked off! If you roll the goat symbol, activate new abilities—powers that rotate every mission. As your story progresses, you’ll unlock even more powerful abilities and face tougher challenges. The mountain itself might even transform beneath your feet.

I’ve never played the original Mountain Goats, but I’ve heard great things. I’m unsure how Mountain Goats lends itself to a Legacy game, a game that can be played over multiple gaming sessions, and the game changes after each session, but I’m here for it. I saw the original Mountain Goats when it was first released at Origins and have been kicking myself for not trying it out during the convention. But I didn’t get much of a chance. Gamers flooded the tables where Mountain Goats was on display. Mountain Goats: Legacy is among the highly anticipated games for 2026 on most other board review sites. You can back Mountain Goats: Legacy for $39-88. There’s even an Enchanted Ivy, a dedicated solo variant of Mountain Goats for $19. If you’re interested in Mountain Goats: Legacy, check out its KickStarter page.

Small-Time Heroes Returns to GameFound

Small-Time Heroes is another title I haven’t had the chance to play yet. It’s received high marks on BoardGameGeek. In this cooperative deck builder, you’ll take on the role of one of the Small-Time Heroes and work together to defend the town. With each battle, you’ll build up your deck of cards, choosing from a variety of cards that represent your hero’s unique abilities. As your power builds, you will defeat waves of minions and end with a final boss battle. Defeat the boss before they defeat you!

I love publisher Solo Game of the Month’s mission. Produce high-quality and accessible solo board games each month. Small-Time Heroes continues this trend. The original Small-Time Heroes is available for $39, and so is its first major expansion. Small-Time Heroes’ GameFound page offers several other add-ons, too. If you’re interested in Small-Time Heroes, check out its GameFound page.

Boktor Launches on GameFound

Boktor is a cooperative adventure game for 1 to 6 players, blending dungeon-crawling, tactical combat, and character progression in a world where elemental chaos threatens to consume everything. Each game is a self-contained mission in which players take on the role of legendary heroes sent to explore a dynamically generated dungeon. Their goal: survive waves of enemies, gather powerful abilities, and confront the final Tyrant before the Vortex obliterates the land. I like Boktor’s idea of quick level-ups for your heroes. Too often, dungeon-crawlers like these take too long for the leveling to happen.

I’m getting Betrayal at House on the Hill vibes from Boktor’s map, and that’s a good thing. I always liked Betrayal’s exploration, and Boktor looks to include exploration. And the biggest issue with dungeon-crawling board games is the time it takes to learn and play them. Boktor boasts a 5-minute teaching of the rules and 60-minute game sessions. If that’s true, sign me up. We don’t know Boktor’s price point as of this write-up (it will release early next week), but if you’re interested in Boktor, check out its GameFound page.

What you can’t see… doesn’t exist. Cassette Boy is a puzzle action RPG where you control the game’s perspective to change the world you see. Rotate a 2D pixel-styled 3D world, using disappearing obstacles and newly appearing paths to uncover the mystery of the vanished moon. Honestly, I knew little about Cassette Boy before researching for this post, but the premise has me hooked.

Cassette Boy’s aesthetic channel slightly beefed up GameBoy graphics, but no one’s planning on playing this indie game for its graphics. Cassette Boy’s gameplay may be one of the better puzzle action RPG conceits since Katamari Damacy. It builds its story through gameplay, and that has me stoked. And for its listed price of less than $15 dollars, Cassette Boy may be worth a look. Cassette Boy is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon Releases

I sense a trend with the games (board games and video games) on this list. I’ve never played a game in the Trails series and have been meaning to for some time. If anyone knows where best to begin the series, let me know in the comments. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is not only a continuation of the Trails series of video games, but it’s the direct sequel to 2022’s The Legend of Heroes: Trails Through Daybreak II. Okay. I may not begin Trails with this title, but look how pretty.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon looks like a game I’d enjoy. It features an updated combat system–from the rest of the Trails series. Mechs play a large role. Yes, please. And the previous games from this series within the larger Trails series have received favorable reviews. The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon is available on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2.

That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. If you’ve made it this far, you’re fantabulastical. We all know it. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.

Geekly News: January 11, 2026, MCU X-Men Reboot Updates

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Happy Sunday, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with the first Geekly News of the year. The year is still ramping up, so we only have a few new releases. We’ll get to the new board games and video games, but first, let’s check in with the MCU and the upcoming Mutant Saga. There’s a lot to discuss.

MCU Reveals Its Blueprint for The X-Men

We’ve been radio silent about the MCU for a while, not because the MCU had few updates, but because those updates didn’t feel large enough. Black Panther had a recasting rumor. We still don’t know for sure if Shuri (Letitia Wright) will remain as the Black Panther beyond Avengers: Doomsday. Heck, a new Black Panther could reveal themselves during the next Avengers film. Ryan Reynolds is working on a new Deadpool or Deadpool and Wolverine movie. Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine for at least the next Deadpool film and potentially a new Wolverine solo film. But the biggest MCU news may be Marvel’s direction for the X-Men.

According to trusted industry insider Daniel RPK, Marvel will release solo projects for the core X-Men members, leading up to an X-Men team movie. Marvel wants to avoid the errors they made during the Multiverse Saga. Going back to what made people care about the Avengers during the MCU Phase One is a step in the right direction. Unlike Avengers actors (who were in their forties and fifties), Marvel intends to cast younger actors in X-Men roles, even a younger Wolverine. Speaking of Wolverine, rumors suggest he won’t be included in the first X-Men film. That may be for the best.

We still don’t know how Marvel plans to introduce the upcoming X-Men characters. My guess is that we may see more Marvel Studios Special Presentations. Disney/Marvel will want to cash in on The X-Men as soon as they can, and some sources suggest the first MCU X-Men film will release a year or two after Avengers: Secret Wars. That doesn’t leave the studio too much time to introduce these characters. Several 1-hour specials could help.

And speaking of Marvel Studios Special Presentations, the Punisher Special will build off of the second season of Daredevil: Born Again and should also tie into Spider-Man: Brand New Day. This news, added with the rumors of upcoming X-Men character solo projects, makes it appear that the MCU may require viewers to–once again–do some small homework in preparation for upcoming movies and shows. I’m torn. I’ve liked the MCU’s recent trend of not requiring a lot of homework ahead of watching a movie or show. On the other hand, I’d love to see more Special Presentations. And there was a time when Marvel fans didn’t mind doing a little homework. Hopefully, the X-Men will find a good balance.

Yokai Forest Duel Launches on Gamefound

Bring on the games. Two to eight players face off in fast-paced tournaments or league-style matchups. Outsmart your rivals through clever strategy, deduction & bluffing with mind games as you fight for victory in intense best-of-three duels. Be careful though: investing too much time in your current match and your opponent might crush you before you even reach the finals.

Yokai Forest Duel’s concept reminds me of a character-driven version of Challengers!, and if that’s the case, Yokai Forest Duel will be loads of fun. Godot Games claims Yokai Forest Duel can be learned in under three minutes but offers plenty of strategic choices. Again, this reminds me of Challengers!. Yay! The artwork and game graphics differ, and so does the fact that players assume the role of a specific character. I don’t know how any of the characters work, but Yokai Forest Duel features eight different 80-card decks. Yokai Forest Duel’s pledges range from $27 to $74. If you’re interested in Yokai Forest Duel, check out its Gamefound page.

The Last in the Woods Launches on GameFound

Forget comfort. The Last in the Woods is about survival. You’ll have no safety net. As the game’s name suggests, you’re handed a few tools, and you compete against the other players to be the last in the woods. I’m unsure if The Last in the Woods includes direct player versus player combat. Typically, I don’t care for direct combat between players. But I love the idea of a competitive survival game, and if that involves a little PVP combat, I’m all for it.

Variable player powers (like the one for George, who only needs one stone to craft a knife, pictured above) should give The Last in the Woods a little spice. But this isn’t the only element The Last in the Woods uses to shake up the gameplay of each game. Random events and equipment allow for diverse strategies during each playthrough. As of writing this post, The Last in the Woods hasn’t listed their pledge rates. I can’t imagine the game costing more than $40. It could cost as little as $20. We’ll see. If you’re interested in The Last in the Woods, check out its GameFound page.

Code Violet Releases on PlayStation 5

During Code Violet, players uncover the secrets of the Aion colony, who use time travel technology to kidnap women in the past. These women are then used as surrogate mothers in an attempt to save humanity from destruction. I love this hook. Code Violet combines story elements of Children of Men and The Handmaid’s Tale with a time-travel twist. Excellent! Add in the fact that Code Violet is a third-person action-horror game and the spiritual successor to Dino Crisis, and Code Violet may be a PlayStation 5 title to place on your radar.

And that’s a great thing because Code Violet is our only new video game release for this week. I wasn’t kidding when I mentioned 2026 hasn’t yet fully launched. Plenty of great board games and video games are on the horizon. We just may need to wait another week or two. Or even a month or two.

That’s all the geek news we have for you this week. Which MCU project are you the most excited for? Let us know in the comments. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.