Hey, hey, Geekly Gang! Kyra Kyle here with another week of Geek News. We have some board game and video game new releases to geek out about, but first, let’s discuss the headlines from the prior week. It looks as if Sony has made news yet again. We waited to discuss Sony and its PlayStation DRM scandal until we received clarification. Well, we got that clarification, maybe. Let’s discuss Sony’s One-Time DRM Check.
Sony Confirms One-Time DRM Check After Fan Backlash
A little over a week ago, Sony said they would require an internet connection every 30 days for any digitally downloaded game to remain valid on a PlayStation 5. What was the reach of this policy? Would the server one purchased a game from matter? If the DRM (Digital Rights Management) check was built with a specific server in mind, a server may not exist the next time a gamer would want to access a game. You could lose access to the game. Sony dragged their feet answering gamers’ questions. And when they did answer questions, they let AI do the talking. If you’ve been reading these Geekly News posts for any time now, you know where I stand with AI. That was not the right move, Sony. Finally, after over a week of needling, Sony has clarified their One-Time DRM Check.
This check doesn’t affect games purchased before March 2026. If you purchased a game digitally from the PlayStation store before March 2026 and haven’t yet purchased one since, you’re safe…for now. The update applied to purchases made after March 2026 requires a one-time online license check, not recurring monthly validations. According to Sony, these measures are to combat a digital refund exploit. Evidently, some hackers can simulate a product key, never open the game with the key, and demand a digital refund, bilking Sony out of money. The percentage of people who do this must be small, but the number doesn’t need to be large. You just need a handful of crooks exploiting this policy.
While this makes sense from an anti-theft standpoint, Sony’s one-time DRM check still raises alarms. This check is a reminder that any game purchased digitally is not an owned game. A company can revoke your license at any time. And Sony hasn’t been subtle with its pushing of “digital-only” game purchases. The company’s announcement of a PlayStation 6 Lite, a less powerful version of the company’s next console, will most likely be a digital-only console. With the full version PlayStation 6 costing over $1000 and the Lite costing significantly less than that, Sony may intend to make game ownership a thing of the past or charge gamers extra for the privilege of owning a game. Sony will also make sure they get a bigger chunk of the pie up front, too.
Ironically, Sony won this generation of the console war because it refused to use any invasive DRM checks. We’re not like Xbox. We won’t ever include DRM checks. Well, they lied. And this could be a slippery slope. Sure, this policy is a one-time DRM check, but the next one could require a monthly check-in. It doesn’t help that Sony took more than a week to have a human respond to fan backlash. AI. Really?
Again, I may switch back to retro gaming. When you had a game cartridge or disc, you owned the game. And there might be something to the video game pirates abusing this refund exploit. I’m not condoning what they’ve been doing. They’ve illegally acquired someone else’s intellectual property. They should be prosecuted. Heck, these video game pirates may have set gamers on a path of getting screwed with oppressive DRM checks. But is it stealing when no one who purchased the game in that manner (digital download) ever owned the game in the first place?
We think this issue has been addressed. We’ll let you know if Sony changes their mind or if the AI starts its uprising.
River Valley Jewelcraft Launches on KickStarter
Return to the cozy town of River Valley! But this time, dig a little deeper. Glass is so last year.
Now, it’s all about the rare, radiant gemstones under our idyllic little town of River Valley. Miners, craftspeople, and artisans of all kinds have converged to make and sell the most beautiful jewelry in the land.
On your turn, roll dice to gather gems. Use your unique movement rules and player powers to explore the mine. Carefully lay tiles to improve your potential spoils. Finally, use your gems to craft exquisite jewelry to build a powerful scoring engine!
While River Valley Jewelcraft is a return to the setting and soul of River Valley Glassworks, it’s a completely brand-new game with completely unique gameplay and components.
Thank you to the publisher, All Play, for River Valley Jewelcraft’s description. I love River Valley Glassworks; it’s been in the Geekly rotation of games for a handful of weeks now. Needless to say, I’m interested in the follow-up River Valley Jewelcraft. The new game gives me shades of King Domino and potentially Machi Koro in the best ways. Players acquire rock tiles, which function like dominoes, from the market and place them on unique player boards. Then, the dice determine which numbers activate and produce resources. Interesting. Like I said, River Valley Jewelcraft borrows ideas from popular games, but it looks to make them its own. And I’m always happy to return to the town of River Valley. If you’re interested in River Valley Jewelcraft, check out its KickStarter page.
The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure Launches on GameFound
The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure is a LIFE-SIZED fantasy game experience for kids.
Using 36 giant cardboard tiles players will create a dungeon in their own home and act as the game pieces as they search for treasure, silly bad guys and stars.
Giant Adventure features the same award-winning mechanics as The Quest Kids board game, but in a new, one-of-a-kind immersive experience.
Thank you, Treasure Falls Games, for the description. My kids are far beyond playing a game like The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure, but I wished a game like this existed when they were younger. We would’ve played the heck out of this game. And knowing my kids, they probably would’ve played this game a lot on their own. The large tiles put kids in the game. Literally. Kids use themselves as their pawns. The ruleset is easy enough for children five years old and older to learn. The tiles are sturdy enough to play The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure outdoors. That’s where I imagine my kids playing. LOL If you’re interested in The Quest Kids: Giant Adventure, check out its GameFound page.
Flockers Launches on GameFound
The sharp chill of winter means it is time to fly south. But be vigilant—predators and decoys dot the landscape.
In the tactical card game Flockers, you will build a flock of snow geese that is best suited to swiftly navigate the terrain below.
Playing cards might add to the flight path, advance your flock token, or allow geese to graze so they have the vitality to continue south.
Fly south the furthest and the fastest to win. Let’s fly!
Thank you, Odd Bird Games, for the description. Many recent board games have used a bird theme, but few tackle the idea of migration. Players fly their flock of snow geese southward for the winter. Love the theme. And I love the geese playing pieces. The Flockers‘ name stops just shy of something naughty. Love it. The artwork looks amazing. Look beneath the snow goose playing piece. Are those cards depicting a topographical map? Wow! If you’re interested in Flockers, check out its GameFound.
Invincible VS Releases
Ever want to recreate the brutal fights in Invincible? Invincible VS has you covered in a new 3v3 tag fighting game set in the Invincible universe. Battle to the death as a team of fan-favorite characters in iconic locations. Invincible VS is a solid showing for first-time developer Quarter Up. It has received mixed to positive reviews and does a good job of capturing the vibe of the show.
Invincible VS has just enough blood to warrant its intellectual property. The gameplay follows the Street Fighter/Injustice formula. Sure. The intellectual property does a lot of heavy lifting here, but if you’re interested in fighting games (I stink at fighting games, by the way), and you want to play in the world of Invincible, you may want to give Invincible VS a try. Personally, I’d wait for it to go on sale. Invincible VS is available on PC, Xbox Series S/X, and PlayStation 5.
Saros Releases
Saros features a haunting story of a lost off-world colony on Carcosa under an ominous eclipse. You play as Arjun Devraj, a powerful Sotari Enforcer, who will stop at nothing to find who he is looking for. Thank you, Housemarque, for the description. Saros has received great reviews. It combines bullet hell, a third-person shooter, and roguelite elements into an engaging game. With Saros, Housemarque has built on their success with Returnal.
We may still be in the first half of 2026, but Saros makes an early push for the Game of the Year. Sony’s acquisition of Housemarque made Saros possible. And Saros fits well within Sony’s catalogue of character-driven, single-player adventure games like The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted, and the Spider-Man video game series. But gamers who own systems other than a PlayStation 5 will have to wait for Saros, or it may not arrive on another system at all. Recently, Sony canceled Ghost of Yotei’s PC release. Ghost of Yotei, too? Sony has been on a roll.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era Releases
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is the official prequel, hailing back to the origins of the genre-defining, critically acclaimed series of turn-based strategy games. Raise grand armies and wield devastating spells to overcome your foes in both solo and multiplayer. I have a spotty history with Heroes of Might and Magic. I’ve enjoyed every game I’ve played of this long-running series, and it looks as if Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is another game in this series that I’ll have to check out. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era has countless downloads and has gained near-universal acclaim.
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era features plenty of game modes to pique many gamers’ interest. Critics and gamers alike claim this is a good continuation of the series with “deep and complex gameplay” and it contains an “overwhelming sense of nostalgia.” This is a game that pays tribute to the games that came before it in the series, but presents a path forward. Yep. It’s only a matter of time before I play Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era. I have a lot of games on my to-play list. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is available on PC.
Constance Releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch
Constance is a 2D hand-drawn action adventure featuring a paintbrush-wielding artist, striving to escape from a colorful but decaying inner-world, created by her declining mental health. Yes! We have a quirky, Metroidvania game releasing this week. Thank you, Constance and btf Games. I’m always down for a quirky video game.
And look at those gorgeous graphics. Constance taps into the soul of those classic side-scrolling games. I love the theme. It works for the month of May, Mental Health Awareness Month. The titular character, Constance, battles mental health issues. The use of a paintbrush to reframe one’s inner-world rings true and presents a healthy way to combat mental health struggles. I know Constance was released on Steam in November of last year, but I love that a wider audience has a chance to play. Constance is available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, and Nintendo Switch.
That’s all the Geek News we have for you this week. Thank you for reading, and wherever you are, I hope you’re having a great day.
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