TECHMASH

Category: Gaming News

  • Sinner to Weapon: Meet Saro, the Inquisition’s New Sanctioned Psyker in Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

    Sinner to Weapon: Meet Saro, the Inquisition’s New Sanctioned Psyker in Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

    The Holy Inquisition of the Imperium has never been known for its mercy, but it certainly knows how to recycle a sinner.

    Owlcat Games has dropped a blazing new trailer for their highly anticipated grimdark cRPG, Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy. The spotlight this time shines directly on Saro, a newly revealed companion who perfectly embodies the cold, pragmatic philosophy of the Inquisition: if you can be used as a weapon for the God-Emperor, your sins can wait.

    Check out the trailer drop and everything we know about this volatile new ally below.

    The Soul of a Sinner, the Might of a Pyromancer

    In the bleak universe of Warhammer 40,000, psykers are a walking existential threat. Intuned with the terrifying currents of the Warp, they can snap and unleash Chaos at any moment. Most are hunted down and executed. The “lucky” ones? They get broken, rebuilt, and turned into living weapons.

    That is exactly the hand Saro was dealt. After undergoing a brutal and harrowing sanctioning process, he now serves the Tyrantine Cabal of the Inquisition.

    “Even though he is now deemed a sinner who will never be granted the blessed light of the God-Emperor, his iron will and fervent belief in the Imperium have helped him survive countless battles as well as the lure of the warp.”

    High Risk, Blazing Rewards

    If you like your tactical combat with a side of extreme danger, Saro is going to be your go-to companion.

    • The Power: In combat, Saro unleashes devastating pyromancy abilities. He is capable of conjuring massive firestorms that can incinerate heretics, mutants, and xenos alike in a single turn.
    • The Catch: Wielding the Warp comes at a heavy cost. Lean too hard on Saro’s psychic abilities, and you will cause catastrophic disturbances in the Empyrean. This can trigger volatile warp phenomena or accidentally summon literal daemons straight into the middle of your battlefield.
    • The Weakness: While his supernatural knowledge is invaluable for the game’s detective investigations and his destructive output is massive, Saro is a classic glass cannon. He lacks physical strength, meaning you’ll need to use the game’s revamped cover system to keep him safe.

    Play the Closed Beta Today

    Saro is just one of the ten distinct companions players will be able to recruit into their Inquisitorial warbands.

    Want to test his pyromantic firestorms for yourself? The Closed Beta for Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is officially running right now. You can gain instant access to Act 1 of the beta by purchasing one of the Founder’s Packs directly from Owlcat Games’ official website.

    The full game is currently available to wishlist on Steam and is slated to launch on Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

    Find out more here

    #WH40K #DarkHeresy #OwlcatGames #Grimdark #cRPG #GamingNews #Warhammer40k #ClosedBeta #GamesWorkshop #Techmash

  • Get Ready to Form Geppy-X! Bliss Brain Drops Hype Countdown Trailer Ahead of Worldwide Launch

    Get Ready to Form Geppy-X! Bliss Brain Drops Hype Countdown Trailer Ahead of Worldwide Launch

    Mecha fans and retro gamers, synchronise your watches! Bliss Brain has officially kicked off the final week of anticipation by releasing a spectacular 7-day countdown trailer for 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X.

    This cult-classic 1999 PlayStation treasure is finally breaking out of its Japan-exclusive vault. It is officially launching worldwide on July 16, 2026, bringing its high-flying, retro-infused side-scrolling shooter madness to every major modern platform.

    Check out everything you need to know about this fully remastered, playable anime broadcast before it drops.

    A Playable 70s Anime Experience Sourced From Master Tapes

    Geppy-X isn’t just a video game that takes style cues from old-school giant robots—it is structurally built like an authentic 1970s super robot television broadcast. When you play, you will experience the complete retro TV package: opening theme songs, commercial breaks, mid-episode eyecatches, and “next time on…” previews.

    Originally spanning a massive four discs back on the original PS1, this remastered edition from Bliss Brain and developer Implicit Conversions has been meticulously preserved.

    • Betacam Master Tape Audio & Video: Digitised directly from the original production tapes.
    • 24 Frames Per Second: The beautifully hand-drawn animations have been fully restored to their original broadcast fluidity.
    • Classic vs. Modern Toggle: In a massive win for video game preservation, you can seamlessly swap between the newly upscaled HD animation and the raw, untouched original movie versions.

    Three Forms, No Mercy: The Gameplay Breakdown

    At its core, Geppy-X is a fast-paced 2D arcade side-scrolling shoot-’em-up. To defend Earth from the invading Space Demon Empire, you will take control of three young pilots operating a transforming mecha. Success relies on switching between three distinct tactical forms in real-time:

    Mid-Season Evolution: True to the tropes of 70s anime, the machine will undergo a mid-game evolution into the devastating Geppy-XX, unlocking entirely new weapon sets!

    Modern Features Meet Legendary Voice Talent

    While the original arcade challenge remains intact, Bliss Brain has added essential modern quality-of-life upgrades to make piloting a breeze:

    • Rewind Function to fix minor slip-ups.
    • Quick Save and Rapid Fire options.
    • CRT Filters for that authentic, glowing cathode-ray tube nostalgia.

    To top it all off, the game features voice work from legendary late-90s voice actors (including Akira Kamiya and Sh? Hayami) and a roaring soundtrack with original recordings by classic anime theme artists like Hironobu Kageyama and Isao Sasaki.

    Launching Everywhere July 16!

    Whether you want to challenge the movie-style boss rush mode, unlock alternate timeline scenarios, or just blast through the campaign, the definitive version of 70s-style Robot Anime Geppy-X lands on July 16, 2026.

    You can grab it next week on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, the Microsoft Store, and PC via Steam.

    Are you ready to defend Earth? Let us know in the comments below which Geppy form you’ll be maining!

    Find out more here

    #GeppyX #BlissBrain #RetroGaming #MechaAnime #SuperRobot #GamingNews #Shmup #PlayStation #NintendoSwitch #Xbox #Steam

  • Return to the Skies: Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Has Officially Launched!

    Return to the Skies: Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok Has Officially Launched!

    Skyfarers, adjust your flight paths and prep your crews. Tokyo-based developer and publisher Cygames has officially dropped their highly anticipated action RPG expansion, Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok.

    Led by President Koichi Watanabe, the brilliant minds at Cygames have expanded the Zegagrande Skydom with a massive drop of fresh endgame content, new bosses, and deep combat mechanics.

    The best news? It is available right now as of July 9, 2026.

    What’s New in Endless Ragnarok?

    If you thought you had mastered the skies in the base game, think again. Endless Ragnarok ups the ante with a terrifying new apocalyptic threat: the Ragnalia—powerful monsters heralding the end of times.

    Here is what you can look forward to diving into:

    • The Conflux: An all-new, unpredictable solo mode designed to test your absolute limits with shifting challenges.
    • Master Traits & Summons: Push your favourite characters past their previous level caps and utilise powerful new tactical summons to sway the tide of battle.
    • High-Tier Co-Op Quests: Grab your friends (or trust your AI companions) to take on brutal new endgame boss tiers.

    Where to Play: Next-Gen Portability Meets Full Crossplay

    Cygames is making sure no one gets left behind on the dock. Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok has launched across an impressive array of hardware:

    • Nintendo Switch™ 2 (Featuring exclusive local wireless communication for on-the-go party grinds!)
    • PlayStation®5 & PlayStation®4
    • PC via Steam®

    TechMash Verdict: Thanks to robust crossplay support right out of the gate, you can team up with up to four players online regardless of whether they are playing on PC, PlayStation, or Nintendo’s shiny new hardware.

    Whether you are a seasoned captain or a fresh recruit looking to pick up the Ultimate/Special editions, the skies have never looked more dangerous—or more inviting.

    Have you jumped into Endless Ragnarok yet? Which platform are you playing on? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #GranblueFantasy #RelinkEndlessRagnarok #Cygames #GamingNews #NintendoSwitch2 #PS5 #PS4 #Steam #JRPG #TechMash

  • Every Knight Needs a Sword: God of War Veterans Unveil ‘Swordcery’ This August!

    Every Knight Needs a Sword: God of War Veterans Unveil ‘Swordcery’ This August!

    Every knight needs a trusty blade. But what happens when your sword is made of literal lightning, ancient magic, or… something entirely unimaginable?

    Mark your calendars for August 11th, because the world of Armorial is opening its gates. Swordcery, the highly anticipated hack-and-slash roguelite ARPG, is officially slicing its way into Early Access!

    From the Minds Behind God of War (2018)

    If you’re wondering whether the combat is going to feel absolutely spectacular, you can rest easy. Temple Door Games was founded by two brilliant cinematic artists who helped bring Kratos’ legendary 2018 Norse journey to life. They are bringing that same epic, cinematic weight and fluid combat expertise straight into the indie scene.

    In Swordcery, you’ll explore the vibrant but dangerous world of Armorial, a realm overflowing with cosmic power and deadly enemies.

    “Wait… Can That Be a Sword?!”

    Swordcery isn’t your average dungeon crawler. This is a game that fundamentally asks one hilarious and awesome question: what exactly can’t be a sword? As you fight your way through ever-changing roguelite runs, you will collect the most dangerous, bizarre, and reality-bending blades in gaming history. From sleek, traditional steel to cosmic anomalies that defy the laws of physics, your arsenal will be as unpredictable as it is devastating.

    The Roguelite Twist: No two runs in Armorial are the same. You’ll have to adapt to the swords you find, master their unique magical properties, and hack your way through hordes of enemies to uncover the world’s secrets.

    What to Expect on August 11th:

    • Weighty, Cinematic Combat: Built by developers who know how to make every swing feel incredibly satisfying.
    • An Unimaginable Arsenal: Dozens of unique, reality-defying swords to collect, loot, and master.
    • Infinite Replayability: A true roguelite loop with shifting environments, scaling challenges, and deep ARPG progression.

    Whether you’re a die-hard fan of action RPGs or just want to see how far the definition of a “sword” can be pushed, Swordcery is shaping up to be August’s must-play indie title.

    Prepare your loadout, knights. Armorial is waiting.

    Find out more here

    #Swordcery #TempleDoorGames #IndieGames #GamingNews #GodOfWar #ARPG #Roguelite #HackAndSlash #PCGaming #EarlyAccess

  • Dynasty on Delay: Why The Guild – Europa 1410 Pushing Its Early Access to September is the Right Move

    Dynasty on Delay: Why The Guild – Europa 1410 Pushing Its Early Access to September is the Right Move

    If you were polishing your blacksmithing hammer or practising your medieval political bribes in anticipation of The Guild – Europa 1410 dropping into Early Access next week, you might want to put down the ledger. THQ Nordic and Ashborne Games have officially announced that they are moving the game’s Early Access launch from July 16 to September 2026.

    While a delay right before the finish line is always a bit of a bummer, this is one of those times when a step back is actually a massive leap forward for the final product.

    The Power of the Public Demo

    The decision comes directly on the heels of Steam Next Fest, where The Guild – Europa 1410 absolutely crushed it. Out of more than 4,000 playable titles, it ranked as the 25th most-played demo. Tens of thousands of strategy fans flooded the historical streets of Kuttenberg to build up early businesses, and more importantly, thousands left detailed, constructive feedback.

    Instead of ignoring that wave of data and pushing a flawed build into the wild, the dev team is listening. To ensure the Early Access experience is smooth, stable, and satisfying right out of the gate, they are using the extra two months to polish the core loop.

    A Good Business Needs Patience: Originally, the content coming in September was planned as the game’s first major post-launch update. Instead, that content—plus a few extra community-requested features—will now be baked directly into Day 1 of the Early Access launch.

    What’s Being Added to the September Build?

    The extra dev time isn’t just for bug squashing; it’s bringing immediate tangible upgrades to the launch build:

    • A Brand-New Tutorial Area: A dedicated city section designed to help new players learn the ropes of complex medieval economics.
    • UI Improvements: Streamlining menus and data tracking to make running your criminal or mercantile empire much smoother.
    • Enhanced Animations: Better visual representation of what your workers are actually doing throughout the day.
    • Expanded Language Support: Adding more text options right at launch.

    Is the Roadmap Still Safe?

    Naturally, fans might worry that pushing the initial launch date cascades into delaying the rest of the game’s features. Thankfully, Ashborne Games has confirmed that the overall roadmap remains unchanged.

    Major features like multiplayer functionality (supporting up to 12 players), additional maps, extra professions, and deeper political/dynastic mechanics are all still locked in for post-launch updates as the game marches toward its targeted Summer 2027 full release.

    If you’re eager to see what they are cooking up, you won’t have to wait until autumn. The developers plan to drop an updated version of the Steam demo relatively soon, giving players a sneak peek at some of these incoming UI and animation adjustments.

    It takes a lot of backbone to delay a game days before launch, but for a franchise as beloved and complex as The Guild, ensuring the economic foundation is rock-solid is just good business. Stay tuned to TechMash for more updates as we get closer to September!

    Find out more here

    #TheGuildEuropa1410 #MedievalStrategy #SteamNextFest #GamingNews #PCGaming #TechMash

  • Anchors Aweigh: Hooded Horse Reveals Sci-Fi Roguelite ‘Rogue Carrier’

    Anchors Aweigh: Hooded Horse Reveals Sci-Fi Roguelite ‘Rogue Carrier’

    Strategy fans, it is time to map out a whole new set of logistical nightmares, because the indie genre-masters at Hooded Horse have just dropped an announcement that will have city-builder and roguelite enthusiasts instantly hitting that Steam wishlist button.

    Partnering with developer Wild Fields, Hooded Horse has officially revealed Rogue Carrier—a unique blend of deep colony management and tense roguelite progression set across the infinite, hostile oceans of a sentient alien world.

    If you have ever wanted to captain the ultimate floating megastructure while the planet itself tries to drag you into the abyss, this one is for you.

    The Premise: Survival on a Sentient Sea

    In Rogue Carrier, an interstellar scientific expedition goes catastrophically wrong, leaving your crew stranded on an unknown planet known as Keeling-IV. With your mothership destroyed, your new home is The Behemoth—a colossal, ocean-faring science carrier that acts as the physical foundation for your mobile colony.

    Your goals haven’t changed: you still need to explore the surface and analyse local anomalies. However, the stakes have drastically shifted from scientific discovery to pure, unadulterated survival.

    Unlike your typical static city-builder, you will be plotting waypoints across an expansive oceanic landscape, deploying recon craft, and harvesting resources from scattered islands.

    Key Gameplay Features

    • Build Vertically on Limited Deck Space: Space on The Behemoth is a premium resource. You will have to manage Tetris-like placement of over 80 building options—including solar panels, factories, crew housing, and R&D labs—to create powerful layout synergies.
    • Balancing the Ship (Literally): Poor layout planning doesn’t just hurt your production lines; an imbalanced ship will capsize more easily when hit by the planet’s erratic weather.
    • The Planet Fights Back: The world you are exploiting is fully aware and highly reactive. As you extract resources and pollute the ecosystem, the planet escalates its counter-attacks, throwing everything from severe storms to massive aquatic leviathans at your hull.
    • Die, Learn, Repeat: The destruction of your ship is not the end. Following true roguelite fashion, failed runs trigger a persistent loop. You will carry accumulated data and unlockable technologies across parallel universes, exploring 50 distinct scenarios and five potential endings.

    “Will you embrace polluting the world and arming your ship to the teeth to escape quickly, or will you try to balance survival with the temperament of a living world?”

    Why Strategy Fans Should Care

    Hooded Horse has a stellar track record for publishing complex, deeply engaging strategy titles (think Against the Storm, Manor Lords, and Terra Invicta). Seeing them back in a game that merges the high-stakes layout planning of a colony sim with the emergent storytelling of a roguelite oceanic expedition is incredibly promising.

    Rogue Carrier is slated to bring its deep production chains, tense naval combat, and multiversal progression system to PC soon.

    What do you think of Rogue Carrier’s unique blend of seafaring and colony management? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #RogueCarrier #HoodedHorse #WildFields #StrategyGames #ColonySim #IndieGames #PCGaming #Roguelite #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Silent Shadows: Raw Fury and Fool Moon Announce Wordless, Card-Based Mystery Hillthorn

    Silent Shadows: Raw Fury and Fool Moon Announce Wordless, Card-Based Mystery Hillthorn

    Indie gaming powerhouse Raw Fury has officially teamed up with Montreal-based developer Fool Moon to unveil their latest project: Hillthorn. If you are a fan of atmospheric, mind-bending thrillers that trust your brain to do the heavy lifting, you’ll want to put this one on your radar immediately.

    Following in the eerie footsteps of Blue Prince and The Seance of Blake Manor, Hillthorn is a hauntingly dark, card-based investigation game where the ultimate challenge isn’t just solving the crime—it’s doing it without a single word spoken.

    The Setup: Silence on the Mountain

    The premise of Hillthorn drops you straight into an unsettling, isolated alpine nightmare. A child has gone missing along the treacherous, maze-like mountain trails of a secluded town. You play an outsider tasked with unravelling the truth, but there’s a massive catch: the tight-knit local community, known as “The Flock,” has absolutely no interest in talking to you.

    Instead of relying on heavy dialogue trees, text boxes, or voice-acted interrogations, the entire mystery unfolds through visual Clue cards.

    A World in Cards: Every unsettling detail, hidden motive, and environmental secret is physically represented as a card. Players must use pure logic and sharp intuition to Investigate, Explore, and—in some bizarre instances—”communicate” with these cards to piece together the narrative.

    Mechanics That Play with Time

    Finesse is key if you want to extract information from the highly suspicious locals, but you won’t have the luxury of taking your time. In Hillthorn, time is your most scarce resource.

    The clock actively ticks down with every action you take, forcing a stressful trade-off between being thorough and being fast. Interestingly, the developers have teased a mechanic that allows you to revisit untrodden paths, hinting at a loop structure where backtracking is possible—but it comes at a distinct, eerie cost.

    Why We’re Excited

    Raw Fury has a phenomenal track record for publishing games with distinct, unforgettable identities (Sable, Norco, Cassette Beasts), and Hillthorn fits perfectly into that curated lineup. Stripping away dialogue entirely places a massive emphasis on visual storytelling, environmental design, and player agency. It’s a bold mechanic that could make for one of the most uniquely immersive detective games in years.

    Watch the Announcement Trailer

    Check out the debut trailer below to get a first glimpse of the game’s striking, silent aesthetic:

    Hillthorn is coming to PC via Steam, and an updated demo is already live for players who want to start testing their detective skills right away. Head over to Steam to play the demo and add it to your wishlist today!

    Find out more here

    #GamingNews #IndieGames #Hillthorn #RawFury #FoolMoon #PCGaming #MysteryGames #CardGames #SteamDemo #TechMash

  • Tanks Can Fly Now: Indie Roguelite ‘DroneTanks’ Smash-Hits Its Way to Announcement

    Tanks Can Fly Now: Indie Roguelite ‘DroneTanks’ Smash-Hits Its Way to Announcement

    Forget everything you know about tank warfare. The days of crawling over muddy trenches at five miles per hour while squinting through a rigid iron cannon are officially over.

    Belgian indie developer Ludum Elite has officially pulled back the curtain on its debut PC project, DroneTanks, and it’s throwing the traditional military blueprint completely out the window. Instead of a sluggish war machine, this upcoming single-player roguelite puts you in the cockpit of a flying, superpowered, steel-plated hero that trades long-range sniper standoffs for devastating, up-close melee combat.

    If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to deliver a crushing hammer slam to an enemy scout drone from 50 feet in the air, this is the game for you.

    Heavy Armour Meets Superhero Agility

    At its core, DroneTanks reimagines the tank as an agile, mechanical superhero. Your flying tank moves with an aggressive, relentless pace, allowing you to soar through the skies, dodge incoming fire, and drop right into the middle of hostile robotic squads.

    Instead of just trading projectile fire, your primary tools of destruction include:

    • Devastating Uppercuts: Rocket-boost into oncoming aerial targets and launch them into orbit.
    • Crushing Hammer Slams: Bring the weight of a multi-ton flying tank directly down onto ground forces.

    The developers have paired this high-flying brawling with deep, real-time buildcrafting. During each run, you’ll unlock branching skill trees, buy shop upgrades, and mix-and-match powerful ability modules dropped by fallen enemies. Because you can combine these traits freely, Ludum Elite promises that you can craft absurdly overpowered, highly experimental “hero tank” builds, ensuring that no two runs ever play out the same way.

    The Mission: Step into the chassis of a mechanical hero on a rescue mission to save adorable, glowing “Gemlings” from the rogue security automation network originally built to protect them.

    Low-Poly Charm Meets Rhythm-Driven Chaos

    Visually, DroneTanks boasts a highly stylised, cartoonish low-poly aesthetic brought to life by expressive, punchy animations that give your armoured avenger a distinct personality.

    But don’t let the clean, vibrant art style fool you—the game features a brilliant, rhythm-driven twist during major encounters. The game’s audio engine is dynamically tethered to its boss fights. For instance, when facing down the notorious “Disco Boss,” the soundtrack directly dictates the enemy’s movement patterns and bullet-hell attacks. To survive, free the captured Gemlings, and win the day, you’ll have to time your dashes, uppercuts, and hammer drops perfectly to the beat.

    Playable This Summer!

    While DroneTanks is launching first as a feature-rich, high-replayability single-player roguelite, Ludum Elite has already noted that they have long-term plans to introduce a chaotic multiplayer mode later in development.

    Can’t wait to test out your aerial boxing skills? You won’t have to wait long. Ludum Elite has confirmed it will be debuting a fully playable build of DroneTanks at Gamescom 2026 in Cologne. Attendees will be able to check out the campaign tutorial, explore three distinct biomes, experiment with the skill tree, and go head-to-head with the rhythm-based final boss. Find them at the “Home of Indies” booth in Hall 10.2.

    Keep your eyes on TechMash for more updates as we get closer to the showcase, and get ready to wishlist it on Steam soon!

    Find out more here

    #DroneTanks #IndieGames #GamingNews #PCGaming #Roguelite #LudumElite #Gamescom2026 #TechMash

  • Ready to Ascend? Bonfire Studios Drops Arkheron Closed Beta This July!

    Ready to Ascend? Bonfire Studios Drops Arkheron Closed Beta This July!

    The wait is officially over for one of the most anticipated competitive action games of the year. Bonfire Studios—the heavy-hitting independent developer headed by former Blizzard Chief Creative Officer Rob Pardo—has announced that the Closed Beta for Arkheron will officially kick off on July 15, 2026.

    If you managed to get a taste of this fast-paced, isometric PvPvE brawler during Steam Next Fest back in February, you already know how chaotic and thrilling it is. For everyone else, get ready: you have exactly two weeks to jump into the Tower, test your builds, and experience a massive wave of post-playtest upgrades.

    What is Arkheron?

    If you haven’t been keeping tabs on it, Arkheron is a unique blend of team-based MOBA dynamics, battle royale tension, and action RPG mechanics. Teams of three fight their way up a surreal, shifting Tower constructed from fragmented memories.

    The big twist? There are no fixed heroes or classes. In Arkheron, your items are your heroes. You loot, combine, and adapt your abilities mid-match on the fly. What you carry defines your playstyle, allowing you to completely pivot your strategy to counter rival teams as you scale the floors.

    What’s New Since Steam Next Fest?

    Bonfire Studios hasn’t just been sitting on its hands since February. They’ve taken a ton of player data and community feedback to overhaul the core experience. Here is what to look out for in the Closed Beta:

    • Massive Performance Optimisation: The engineers went deep under the hood to parallelise GPU rendering simulation and rewrote the VFX system. Translation? Smoother framerates, zero stutter, and much better performance on your GPU.
    • Introducing “Spires” (3v3 Arena): A brand-new mode built around pure combat and build creativity. You’ll load into a ready room, select your gear, battle it out in a best-of-three, and see how high you can climb before your run resets.
    • Learning Spires: Totally new to the game? This onboarding mode lets you fight bots in a step-by-step introduction to the complex item system, giving you the space to learn without getting instantly obliterated by veterans.
    • Ascension Mode: The peak competitive, multi-team experience where 15 teams battle to ascend the Tower is back with upgraded pacing, better UI, and sharper gameplay clarity.

    How to Get Into the Beta

    The Closed Beta runs from July 15 to July 26, 2026.

    TechMash Tip: If you get an invite via Steam, check your library—the “Arkheron Playtest” will automatically convert to the “Arkheron Closed Beta.” Even better? Being invited automatically grants you three extra Steam friend invites so you can assemble your squad right away.

    Servers will be live 24/7 for the Spires mode, while the hardcore Ascension queue will be open during peak regional windows (7 PM – 11 PM BST for UK and European players) on select days.

    Head over to the Arkheron Steam Page right now to request access and secure your spot in the Tower.

    Find out more here

    #Arkheron #BonfireStudios #GamingNews #PCGaming #Xbox #ClosedBeta #PvP #IndieGames #SteamNextFest #TechMash #Gaming

  • The Unknown Is Coming: RIFTSTORM Drops Jaw-Dropping New Teaser Ahead of August Early Access Launch

    The Unknown Is Coming: RIFTSTORM Drops Jaw-Dropping New Teaser Ahead of August Early Access Launch

    The cosmic horror and high-octane co-op action of the Mythic Protocol universe is officially creeping closer. Confiction Labs has just unleashed a brand-new teaser trailer for their highly anticipated PvE action game, RIFTSTORM, and it’s safe to say the hype train has officially left the station.

    Titled “The Unknown Is Coming,” the eerie and action-packed teaser serves as the perfect appetiser for what’s shaping up to be one of the most thrilling co-op experiences of the year.

    Check out what we know so far and why you’ll want to rally your squad ahead of its Steam Early Access launch on August 11, 2026.

    What is RIFTSTORM?

    For the uninitiated, RIFTSTORM is a co-op top-down action RPG (with serious looter-shooter vibes) that casts players as Mythic Operatives. Your job? Defend the world from occult threats, cosmic monstrosities, and anomalies breaking through the fabric of reality.

    Think high-mobility combat, deeply customizable character builds, and intense threat management where teamwork isn’t just encouraged—it’s mandatory for survival.

    “The Unknown Is Coming” — Breaking Down the Teaser

    While Confiction Labs is keeping some of their cards close to their chest, the new teaser nails its mission statement: atmosphere and adrenaline. The trailer leans heavily into the signature sci-fi-meets-occult aesthetic of the Mythic Protocol universe. It showcases glimpses of the reality-bending threats players will face, dropping cryptic hints about the lore while promising chaotic, fast-paced tactical gameplay. It’s clear that “The Unknown” isn’t just a catchy tagline; it’s a warning of the massive, unpredictable boss fights and procedural challenges awaiting operatives.

    Why we’re hyped: Confiction Labs has consistently emphasized community-driven development. With the game heading into Early Access, players will have a direct hand in shaping the game’s evolving meta, weapons, and narrative rifts.

    Mark Your Calendars: August 11, 2026

    We don’t have long to wait to jump into the rifts ourselves. RIFTSTORM officially hits Steam Early Access on August 11, 2026.

    If you and your gaming crew have been looking for a fresh, challenging PvE grind to sink your teeth into this summer, this is absolutely one to wishlist immediately.

    Are you ready to face the unknown? Let us know in the comments if you’ll be dropping into RIFTSTORM next month!

    Find out more here

    #Riftstorm #ConfictionLabs #MythicProtocol #CoOpGaming #PvE #PCGaming #SteamEarlyAccess #GamingNews #TechMash

  • Arcane Fantasy Beckons: ‘Utopia: Birth of the Heroes’ Lands on Steam Early Access This Month!

    Arcane Fantasy Beckons: ‘Utopia: Birth of the Heroes’ Lands on Steam Early Access This Month!

    Indie gaming fans, it’s time to expand your wishlists. Mana Core Game Studios has just dropped a major announcement regarding their highly anticipated debut title. The Monterrey-based studio has officially revealed that Utopia: Birth of the Heroes will launch on Steam Early Access on July 27!

    If you’ve already played through the gripping five-chapter demo currently available on Steam, you know exactly how captivating this world is. Starting later this month, you’ll finally be able to dive much deeper into this dark, beautifully crafted arcane fantasy realm.

    What is Utopia: Birth of the Heroes?

    Developed by a passionate two-brother team (Dante and Daniel Arjona), Utopia: Birth of the Heroes is a character-driven, choice-heavy visual novel. Set in a war-torn medieval fantasy realm, the narrative doesn’t follow your typical “good vs. evil” tropes. Instead, it revolves around three distinct protagonists—Frederick, Diomedes, and Eskil—each driven by their own conflicting, intense vision of what a “perfect society” should look like.

    The Early Access Deal: Diving into Early Access gives you immediate access to Chapters 0 through 17, which covers the entire first half of the game! That translates to roughly 8 to 10 hours of rich, narrative-driven gameplay. Even better? Everyone who jumps into Early Access will automatically receive the full game upon its official launch.

    Why You Should Keep an Eye on This One

    • Morally Grey Dilemmas: Your choices ripple across kingdoms. A heroic decision from one protagonist’s perspective might just be an absolute tragedy for another.
    • Massive Replayability: With branching paths, multiple perspectives, and numerous distinct endings, your choices genuinely dictate the fate of the world.
    • Stunning Atmosphere: The game features gorgeous hand-drawn artwork and an incredibly atmospheric, emotionally charged score composed by Peter Reid Jones.
    • Community-Driven Polish: Mana Core is using this Early Access period to actively collaborate with players, refining the narrative pacing, UI, and localisation before the 1.0 release.

    Alongside the release date announcement, the studio also unveiled a brand-new character spotlight trailer for Eskil Ilhamy, giving fans a closer look at the steady, calculated perspective of the game’s third playable hero.

    Mark Your Calendars!

    The journey to find out what you’d sacrifice for a perfect world begins in earnest on July 27. Head over to Steam right now to check out the 5-chapter demo and add Utopia: Birth of the Heroes to your wishlist!

    Find out more here

    #UtopiaBirthOfTheHeroes #ManaCoreGameStudios #VisualNovel #IndieGames #SteamEarlyAccess #PCGaming #FantasyGaming #IndieDev

  • Make a Splash! Aquapark Tycoon Drops Highly Anticipated Early Access Release Trailer

    Make a Splash! Aquapark Tycoon Drops Highly Anticipated Early Access Release Trailer

    If the summer heat has you daydreaming about massive water slides, lazy rivers, and endless wave pools, indie developer Boxelware has the perfect digital antidote. The team has officially dropped the Early Access Release Trailer for Aquapark Tycoon, locking in a launch date that is just around the corner.

    Grab your virtual trunks: Aquapark Tycoon is officially making its splash onto Steam Early Access on July 22, 2026.

    Dive Into the Chaos (With Friends!)

    The brand-new trailer showcases exactly how far the game has come since its initial demos. While it retains that cosy, playful aesthetic tycoon fans love, the depth of the building tools looks incredibly robust.

    Here are the biggest highlights revealed in the trailer:

    • Unhinged Slide Editor: The absolute star of the show. You have full creative control to engineer towering, twisting water slides. Want a practical family ride? Easy. Want a vertical drop that sends your guests hurtling through the air at questionable speeds? Go right ahead.
    • Deep Pool Customisation: You aren’t just placing pre-baked assets. You can customise swimming pools by their exact shape, depth, temperature, and even water type.
    • Co-op Multiplayer: One of the biggest surprises in the trailer is the confirmation of online co-op. You can team up with friends to build a massive resort together—or just mess up each other’s carefully planned layouts.
    • Wellness & Saunas: It’s not all adrenaline. You can construct luxury saunas, setting custom infusion schedules and choosing essential oils to attract guests looking for a peaceful retreat.
    • Streamer-Ready Features: The game will launch with built-in Twitch integration, letting your live viewers pop into your park as guests. Watching your chat get swept down a chaotic waterslide is bound to be top-tier entertainment.

    Packed with Content at Launch

    Boxelware isn’t skimping on the Early Access content. When the gates open on July 22nd, players will have access to 45 different pools, slides, and saunas, alongside 18 unique shops for food and merchandise.

    If you like structure, the game includes 13 objective-driven scenarios to test your management mettle against seasonal changes and financial strain. Prefer to just build? The Free Play sandbox mode spans 8 different biomes and 4 themed worlds (Pirates, Fantasy, Tropics, and Antiquity) with zero financial restrictions.

    Watch the Trailer & Try the Demo

    The trailer perfectly captures the lighthearted chaos of running a park that may or may not meet standard safety regulations. If you want a taste of the action before the July 22nd release, a free demo is currently live on Steam.

    Check out the trailer, add it to your wishlist, and get ready to build the ultimate aquatic paradise.

    Are you ready to build the ultimate water park, or are you just going to launch your guests into orbit? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #Gaming #AquaparkTycoon #TycoonGames #IndieGames #SteamEarlyAccess #PCGaming #Boxelware #SimulationGames