TECHMASH

Tag: #Xbox

  • Buggin’ Out! 90s Shmup Legend ‘Apidya Special’ Buzzes Onto Consoles and PC This August (Pre-Orders Open!)

    Buggin’ Out! 90s Shmup Legend ‘Apidya Special’ Buzzes Onto Consoles and PC This August (Pre-Orders Open!)

    Get your flight sticks and reflexes ready, retro fans, because one of the most unique shoot-’em-ups of the Amiga golden era is officially making a modern comeback!

    ININ Games has announced that pre-orders are now officially open for Apidya Special. Developed by Team Apidya, this modern revival of the beloved 1992 insectoid classic is set to swarm PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch on August 25, 2026.

    From Amiga Icon to Modern Marvel

    For the uninitiated, Apidya wasn’t your typical 90s sci-fi shooter. Instead of piloting a sleek starship through deep space to blast alien armadas, players were shrunk down and cast as Ikuro, a man transformed into a deadly honeybee on a fierce quest to save his bride from an evil sorcerer.

    You swapped lasers for stingers and fought through beautifully detailed, bio-organic worlds filled with hyper-aggressive wasps, giant spiders, and mutated pond life. It stood out for its incredible art style, tight mechanics, and a legendary, pumping chiptune soundtrack by Chris Huelsbeck.

    What to Expect in the ‘Special’ Edition

    While ININ Games is keeping some of the finest details under wraps, Apidya Special promises to bring the sting back with a host of modern upgrades:

    • Pixel-Perfect Enhancements: Beautifully preserved retro aesthetics optimised for modern 4K displays and handheld screens alike.
    • Quality-of-Life Features: Expect modern staples like rewind features, save states, and customizable controls to help you survive the brutal, old-school difficulty.
    • Cross-Platform Launch: Whether you prefer the portability of the Switch, the raw power of the PS5 and Xbox, or the classic feel of a PC setup, you won’t be left behind.

    Secure Your Nest: Pre-Order Details

    With the release date locked in for August 25, 2026, digital pre-orders are rolling out across the PlayStation Store, Xbox Game Store, Nintendo eShop, and Steam.

    If you’re a fan of classic Kaiko and Team17-era Amiga gems, or just a shmup enthusiast looking for a unique flavour of bullet-hell, this is one revival you don’t want to miss.

    Are you ready to buzz back into battle? Head over to your platform’s storefront to lock in your copy today!

    Find out more here

    #ApidyaSpecial #ININGames #RetroGaming #Shmup #AmigaClassic #GamingNews #IndieGames #NintendoSwitch #PS5 #Xbox #PCGaming #TechMash

  • Clearing the Air: How PUBG’s New Interactive Smoke Feature Completely Changes the Battle Royale Strategy

    Clearing the Air: How PUBG’s New Interactive Smoke Feature Completely Changes the Battle Royale Strategy

    For years, the humble smoke grenade has been the ultimate unsung hero of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG). Whether you needed to pull off a desperate revival in an open field, cover a risky bridge crossing, or loot a high-tier supply drop under the nose of an enemy squad, throwing down a wall of grey mist was your go-to safety blanket.

    But let’s be honest—traditional video game smoke has always been a bit static. Once that cloud bloomed, it sat there like an impenetrable, clipping brick wall until its timer ran out.

    Not anymore. PUBG is taking realism to a whole new level with its game-changing Interactive Smoke feature.

    The Evolution of the Screen: What is Interactive Smoke?

    The latest updates bring dynamic, responsive physics to PUBG’s environmental mechanics. Instead of acting as an unyielding visual barrier, smoke clouds now realistically interact with the physical chaos happening around them.

    Here is how the battlefield is shifting:

    • Bullet Trajectories: Firing a high-calibre weapon through a smoke cloud will now displace the mist. Bullets tear temporary physical pathways and viewing lines through the fog, meaning a spray-and-pray squad might accidentally give away their own positions—or expose yours.
    • Vehicle Disruption: Driving a vehicle directly through a smoke screen will part the cloud like Moses parting the Red Sea. The wake of a speeding UAZ or Dacia will leave a clear visual trail, momentarily exposing anyone hiding inside the mist.
    • Frag Grenade Shockwaves: Want to clear a smoke screen instantly? Toss a frag grenade into it. The resulting explosion creates a massive blast wave that temporarily disperses the smoke, blowing a giant hole in your enemy’s cover.

    Why This Reshapes Battle Royale Strategy

    This isn’t just a flashy graphical update to flex next-gen engine capabilities; it fundamentally alters high-stakes macro-strategy.

    Historically, smoke created a definitive “timeout” zone where players felt relatively safe to heal or reset. With interactive physics, that security blanket is gone. If an enemy team suspects you are reviving a teammate inside a smoke plume, they no longer have to guess your positioning. They can use vehicles to sweep the mist away or use heavy gunfire to carve out sightlines.

    It forces players to alternate between aggressive pushes and defensive adaptation far more fluidly, shifting the meta away from predictable “turtle” strategies in the final circles.

    TechMash Verdict: Interactive Smoke bridges the gap between pure shooter mechanics and ultra-realistic environmental simulation. It forces you to think twice before relying on a single piece of tactical gear.

    Are You Ready for the New Meta?

    PUBG continues to prove that the battle royale genre still has plenty of room for innovation. This feature adds a layer of spatial awareness and dynamic reactivity that rewards quick thinking and punishes lazy play.

    Next time you drop into Erangel or Miramar, don’t expect your smoke screen to do all the heavy lifting. Stay moving, watch your flanks, and remember: the fog is no longer your friend.

    What do you think of the new interactive smoke mechanics? Has it saved your squad or gotten you sent back to the lobby? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #PUBG #GamingNews #InteractiveSmoke #TechMash #BattleRoyale #PCGaming #Xbox #PlayStation #GamingCommunity #Esports #PUBGUpdate #TacticalGaming

  • The Fog Returns: For Honor Brings Back the Terrifying ‘Survivors of the Fog’ Dead by Daylight Crossover!

    The Fog Returns: For Honor Brings Back the Terrifying ‘Survivors of the Fog’ Dead by Daylight Crossover!

    If you thought the battlefields of Heathmoor were already stressful enough with light-spamming Orochis and unblockable heavy attacks, think again. Ubisoft has dropped a brand-new trailer confirming the return of one of the most unexpected, blood-pumping crossovers in the game’s history.

    Survivors of the Fog—the iconic Dead by Daylight collaboration—is officially back for a limited-time throwback run, and the trailer promises pure, unadulterated chaos.

    Check out the breakdown of what’s waiting for you in the mist from June 11th to July 2nd, 2026.

    Watch the Event Trailer

    The trailer sets a chilling mood: the familiar, eerie ambience of Dead by Daylight bleeds directly into For Honor’s Cinder Mill map. But instead of generators to repair while helpless, our battle-hardened Knights, Vikings, Samurai, and Outlaws are doing what they do best—fighting back. Well, trying to, anyway.

    The Trapper Hunts the Heroes

    For those who missed the event’s original debut, this isn’t your standard standard standard Dominion match.

    • The Mode: A frantic 4v4 PvP mode without the usual standard minions.
    • The Twist: Replacing the minion lane is The Trapper, Dead by Daylight’s signature poster-boy killer, controlled by a ruthless AI.
    • The Objective: Two teams compete for capture points while avoiding the Trapper’s bear traps and massive cleaver. He roams the map aggressively, attacking anyone in sight regardless of faction.

    Pro-Tip: If your team manages to take down the Trapper, you will earn a massive chunk of hard points to help push the enemy team into breaking—and the hero who lands the final blow gets a full health restore. But beware: he hits like a literal truck.

    Fresh Loot and Throwback Rewards

    It wouldn’t be a For Honor event without some incredible cosmetic drops. By playing during the event window, you can progress through a Free Event Pass to unlock:

    • Mask of Carnage (Elite Outfit)
    • Mask of the Oni (Mood FX)
    • Demonic Mask (Ornament)

    Even better, Ubisoft has updated the system so that daily orders in other game modes will also reward event pass points. So even if you need a break from the spooky atmosphere, you can still grind out that sweet, horror-themed loot.

    Perfectly Timed for Title Update 1

    The timing of this throwback event couldn’t be better. It perfectly complements the launch of the newest Sohei Hero Skin: The Oni’s Wrath. Stalking through the dark fog as a corrupted, demonic Samurai entity? Yes, please.

    Furthermore, this update brings a massive anti-gank rework with damage scaling adjustments, alongside balance reworks for Ocelotl, Jormungandr, Pirate, and Tiandi.

    Final Verdict: Face Your Fears

    Survivors of the Fog successfully blends the tension of a survival-horror game with the complex, mechanical combat of For Honor. Will you dominate the leaderboard, or will you end up caught in a bear trap while a Lawbringer top-heavies you into oblivion?

    Drop into the fog now—before the entity claims the Cinder Mill for good on July 2nd.

    Are you brave enough to take on the Trapper, or will you be sticking to Duels? Let us know your thoughts on the trailer in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #ForHonor #DeadByDaylight #SurvivorsOfTheFog #GamingNews #Ubisoft #HorrorGaming #TechMash #GamingCrossover #Sohei #Xbox #PlayStation #PCGaming

  • Siscia Games Reveals FARLANE: A New Sci-Fi Space Adventure Coming in 2027

    Siscia Games Reveals FARLANE: A New Sci-Fi Space Adventure Coming in 2027

    Space sim fans, take note. Independent developer Siscia Games has officially pulled back the curtain on FARLANE, an ambitious single-player sci-fi space adventure currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X|S.

    If the studio’s name or the game’s premise sounds like a perfect fit for deep space exploration, there’s a good reason for it. Siscia Games is helmed by solo developer Zeljko Kos, a co-creator of the acclaimed Starpoint Gemini series. After spending the last few years developing strategy and city-building titles (including Pompeii: The Legacy), Kos is officially returning to the cosmic, industrial frontier aesthetics where much of his career began.

    Planned for a 2027 release, FARLANE promises to combine spaceflight, tactical management, and open frontier survival. Here is everything we know about the reveal.

    Life on the Edge of a Fading Empire

    FARLANE drops players far beyond the wealthy core worlds of a crumbling galactic empire. You are cast as the captain of a Nomad-class Frontier Runner, operating in a dangerous, lawless frontier where space stations are scarce, resources are tight, and the old “farlanes”—the vital hyperspace trade routes—are slowly collapsing into oblivion.

    To keep your ship flying and your crew fed, you’ll have to take on a variety of freelance contracts across unstable star systems. Siscia Games has confirmed a massive variety of mission types, including:

    • Bounty Hunting & Combat: Defending your haul and hunting targets in deep space.
    • Salvage & Recovery: Scavenging derelict wrecks and abandoned stations.
    • Asteroid Mining & Cargo Hauling: Extracting and transporting resources through unsafe territory.
    • Rescue & Escort Operations: Helping stranded independent crews survive where civilisation ends.

    Your Ship Is Your Home

    What sets FARLANE apart from a standard space shooter is its intense focus on your vessel and the people inside it. The Nomad-class Frontier Runner isn’t just a vehicle—it’s a living, fully explorable space.

    A True Captain’s Experience: While your ship travels through the void on autopilot, you can completely step away from the pilot’s seat. Players can walk through the fully modeled ship interior in real-time to review incoming contracts, manage systems, interact with their crew of four, or prepare for the next drop.

    Furthermore, maintenance is a hands-on job. When systems fail or take heavy damage during combat, not everything can be fixed from the comfort of the cockpit. Players will need to don a spacesuit and initiate EVA (Extravehicular Activity) operations, venturing out into the harsh environment of open space to manually repair hull damage and restore critical components.

    What’s Next?

    Because the game is in an early stage of development, Siscia Games notes that the initial reveal footage and screenshots represent the project’s conceptual direction rather than its final visual polish. However, we won’t have to wait until 2027 for more answers; the developer has already promised a major gameplay showcase planned for late autumn 2026.

    For those playing on PC, the game is already available to wishlist on Steam, and console players can look forward to its arrival on Xbox Series X|S.

    Are you ready to captain a crew on the edge of the galaxy, or does the thought of open-space EVA repairs give you vertigo? Let us know your thoughts on the FARLANE reveal in the comments below!

    Source – https://s.team/a/4738820

    #SisciaGames #FARLANE #scifi #PC #Xbox

  • Enter the Multiverse: Active Matter’s Hardcore Console Demo is Live on Xbox Series X|S!

    Enter the Multiverse: Active Matter’s Hardcore Console Demo is Live on Xbox Series X|S!

    Extraction shooter fans, grab your gear. Gaijin Entertainment and developer Team Matter have just dropped a massive surprise for console players. Active Matter, the highly anticipated, mind-bending hardcore tactical shooter, officially has a playable console demo live right now on Xbox Series X|S!

    The demo arrives as a headline feature of Xbox’s Indie Selects Demo Fest, giving console players their first hands-on taste of this brutal, physics-defying multiverse.

    Here is everything you need to know about the limited-time demo, how to play, and what makes Active Matter a dark horse contender to disrupt the extraction shooter genre.

    The Details: When and How to Play

    You won’t have to wait to jump into the quantum anomalies, but you do have a ticking clock.

    • Availability: From now until June 30, 2026.
    • Platforms: Exclusively on Xbox Series X|S for this event.
    • The Best Part? An Xbox Game Pass subscription is NOT required. The demo is completely free to download directly from the Microsoft Store for anyone with a Series X or Series S console.

    Keep What You Earn: Cross-Progression Confirmed

    Usually, demo progress gets wiped into the void, but not here. Gaijin has confirmed that all progress earned during this Xbox demo will be saved and automatically carried over to the full version of the game when it officially launches on consoles.

    While character development is capped at Level 4 and Monolith progression is limited to Delta level for the trial, everything you unlock, hoard, and extract will be waiting for you at launch.

    What is Active Matter?

    If you took the tactical, high-stakes gear fear of Escape from Tarkov, crossed it with the eerie, post-Soviet anomalous atmosphere of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and threw in a heavy dose of mind-bending SCP-style cosmic horror, you’d get Active Matter.

    You play as an operative trapped in a perpetual time loop, constantly waking back up at your base after every brutal death. Your goal? Venture into unstable quantum zones to harvest Active Matter—the most valuable, universe-altering, and lethal substance in the multiverse.

    Key Features Packaged in the Demo:

    • The Full Experience: The demo includes every single game mode planned for the full version. You can experience the tension of PvPvE extraction raids solo or in small squads of up to 4 players.
    • PvE-Only Option: Not feeling the sweaty PvP encounters just yet? You can opt to launch into Isolated Raids with your squad to focus purely on learning the maps, fighting eerie mutated creatures, and surviving environmental hazards.
    • Grounded but Glitched Gunplay: Despite the sci-fi premise, the weaponry is deeply rooted in real-world military tactics and physics. However, Active Matter timeline glitches mean you’ll be fighting through gravity-reversing anomalies and space topology shifting right before your eyes.
    • Eerie, Massive Maps: Explore decaying Soviet industrial complexes, rusty shipyards, and cryptic science labs that feel completely frozen outside of time.

    Why You Should Download It Today

    The extraction genre can be incredibly intimidating, but Active Matter balances its hardcore tactical mechanics with phenomenal atmosphere and smooth optimisation built natively for next-gen Xbox hardware. Running at 4K Ultra HD on the Series X, the environmental detail—from the shimmering quantum tears to the bleak industrial backdrops—is incredibly immersive.

    Furthermore, this is a massive community test. By jumping in before June 30, your gameplay data and feedback on social media will directly help Team Matter tweak weapon feedback, UI, and economy tuning ahead of the full multiplatform launch later this year.

    Head to the Microsoft Store Now!

    Don’t let the loop close on you. Head over to the Microsoft Store on your Xbox Series X|S, search for the Active Matter Demo, and start your raids today. Don’t forget to add the full game to your Xbox Wishlist so you’re notified the second the final version drops.

    Have you braved the quantum unstable zones yet? Are you running solo or squad-filling? Let us know your thoughts on the gunplay and the anomalies in the comments below!

    Source – https://activematter.game/

    #GaijinEntertainment #ActiveMatter #onlineshooter #Xbox #IndieSelectsDemoFest

  • From Mobile to Major Leagues: War Robots Explodes Onto PlayStation and Xbox!

    From Mobile to Major Leagues: War Robots Explodes Onto PlayStation and Xbox!

    Mobile gaming giants, brace yourselves. One of the biggest tactical PvP shooters on the planet is officially breaking out of your pocket and taking over the big screen.

    MY.GAMES has officially announced that War Robots, the smash-hit mech-battler developed by their in-house studio Pixonic, is expanding to consoles. As of today, players can jump into the cockpit and pilot their massive steel beasts on PlayStation®4 and PlayStation®5, with Xbox versions locked, loaded, and set to follow shortly.

    The Evolution of a Mobile Titan

    For over a decade, War Robots has been a dominant force in the mobile gaming landscape, racking up hundreds of millions of downloads and maintaining a fiercely loyal player base. But Pixonic was never going to stop at touchscreens.

    This console launch is the next major step in a gradual, calculated rollout across major gaming platforms, by bringing the game to PlayStation and Xbox, MY.GAMES isn’t just porting a mobile title—they are unleashing a fully optimised, high-fidelity tactical shooter tailored for the console experience.

    What to Expect on Console

    If you thought managing 6v6 tactical warfare was intense on a 6-inch screen, wait until you experience it on a 4K display with a controller in hand. Here is what console players can look forward to:

    • Immersive Big-Screen Battles: Witness the gritty, metallic chaos of mech warfare with enhanced graphics and smooth performance optimised for modern hardware.
    • Precision Control: Swap touch controls for the tactile precision of the DualSense or Xbox controller, making every aimed missile volley and defensive dash feel incredibly satisfying.
    • A Massive Universe from Day One: Console newcomers are stepping into a rich, deep ecosystem featuring dozens of customizable robots, hundreds of weapon combinations, and deep tactical meta-strategies developed over years of live-service evolution.

    The Rollout Strategy: PlayStation First, Xbox Next

    The launch strategy ensures that the game scales perfectly to its new environments:

    1. PlayStation 4 & PlayStation 5: Available right now. Head over to the PlayStation Store to download it for free and start dominating the battlefield today.
    2. Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One: The development team is putting the final polish on the Xbox versions, which are scheduled to deploy shortly.

    The Verdict: This move proves that the line between high-end mobile games and console experiences is officially gone. War Robots has earned its spot on the big screen, and the console community is about to get a whole lot louder.

    Are you downloading War Robots on PlayStation today, or are you holding the line for the Xbox release? Let us know in the comments below!

    Find out more here

    #GamingNews #WarRobots #PlayStation #Xbox #SciFi

  • Bulwark Studios and Kasedo Games have officially launched Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II.

    Bulwark Studios and Kasedo Games have officially launched Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II.

    Strategy fans and cybernetic worshippers, rejoice. Nearly eight years after the original game took the tactical world by storm, Bulwark Studios and Kasedo Games have officially launched Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II.

    Dropping right in the middle of the Warhammer Skulls festival celebrations, this highly anticipated sequel is available right now for Windows PC, PlayStation®5, and Xbox Series X|S. If you loved the atmospheric, cog-spinning tension of the first game, you are going to want to clear your schedule for this one.

    The Machine vs. The Immortal: Two Playable Campaigns

    The biggest upgrade in Mechanicus II is that you are no longer confined to just the perspective of the cybernetic Adeptus Mechanicus. As war erupts across the mysterious world of Hekateus IV, players can dive into two fully fleshed-out narrative campaigns, fighting from both sides of a brutal technological war.

    • The Adeptus Mechanicus: Command the orthodox voice of the Omnissiah, featuring the return of fan-favourite leader Lector-Dogmatis Videx. Bring the cold, calculated fury of the Imperium’s tech-priests to bear.
    • The Necrons: For the first time, take control of the awakening Necron dynasties. Command the ancient, undying legions under leaders like Obasis—known as ‘The Shield’—as you fight for the resurgence of your empire.

    Adding even more tension to the narrative, the Leagues of Votann enter the fray as a third-party force. While not directly playable, this faction will be pulling strings behind the scenes, creating a much more volatile and unpredictable planetary war.

    Fresh Mechanics and Dynamic Environments

    Mechanicus II isn’t just a visual upgrade; it completely overhauls how you interact with the battlefield. Faction identity heavily influences your tactical options, especially when it comes to the environment:

    Play to Your Strengths: If you’re playing as the Adeptus Mechanicus, you’ll need to carefully maneuver your forces and utilize the terrain for cover. Playing as the Necrons? You don’t need cover—you can simply destroy the environment to flush out your enemies.

    Combined with a more dynamic narrative system where your strategic choices carry severe consequences across the campaign, every battle feels like a high-stakes chess match of cold metal hatred.

    Soundscapes of the Far Future

    You can’t talk about Mechanicus without talking about the music. The first game’s soundtrack is legendary in the gaming community for its hauntingly brilliant mix of church organs, heavy bass, and industrial synth.

    Thankfully, composer Guillaume David returns for the sequel, delivering 10 brand-new atmospheric tracks. If you pick up the Omnissiah Edition (£34.99 / $39.99 / €39.99), you’ll get the base game, a digital artbook, the new soundtrack, and an in-game legacy soundtrack DLC that lets you roll back the audio to the original game’s tunes.

    Available Now

    Whether you are a PC purist or playing on next-gen consoles, the grim darkness of the far future has never looked—or sounded—this good.

    Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus II is available to download today on Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Grab your plasma weapons, awaken your tomb worlds, and let us know in the comments which faction you’ll be conquering Hekateus IV with first!

    Find out more here – https://www.mechanicus40k.com/

    #KasedoGames #Warhammer40000MechanicusII #gamesworkshop #turnbased #tactical #PC #PlayStation #Xbox #WarhammerSkulls #gamingnews #videogames #games #gaming #gamers

  • Astroneer Universe Expands: STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions Launches on June 11th

    Astroneer Universe Expands: STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions Launches on June 11th

    Astroneer fans, it’s time to dust off your space suits and prep your terrain tools. Developer System Era Softworks, teaming up with indie publishing powerhouse Devolver Digital, has officially announced STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions.

    This isn’t just a standard DLC expansion; it is a brand-new, fully standalone game set within the massive Astroneer universe—a universe that already boasts an impressive player base of over 11 million explorers.

    Best of all? You won’t have to wait long to jump in. STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions is scheduled to blast off into Early Access on June 11.

    A New Frontier: What is STARSEEKER?

    While it is set in the same vibrant, stylised universe we know and love, System Era has made it clear that STARSEEKER is not Astroneer 2. Instead, it’s a completely fresh experience built from the ground up with a heavy focus on discovery, cooperative team-based expeditions, and camaraderie.

    Players will board the ESS Starseeker, an ever-evolving mobile space station that serves as the central hub for your adventures. From here, you and your crewmates will plan high-stakes expeditions, upgrade your tech, and hang out with other players before deploying to uncharted planets to tackle massive, planet-wide objectives.

    Key Gameplay Features to Expect:

    • Action Sandbox Mechanics: Face off against the unknown perils of deep space, including hazardous alien flora, fascinating local creatures, and mysterious environmental forces.
    • The ESS Starseeker Hub: A social space where you can upgrade your gear, interact with eccentric crew leadership, and watch the game’s ongoing narrative unfold.
    • True Co-Op Exploration: Work closely with friends using cutting-edge technology and an advanced toolset designed specifically for group expeditions.

    Launch Platforms & Cross-Play

    System Era and Devolver Digital are ensuring no space explorer gets left behind. When the game enters Early Access on June 11, it will be available across an impressive lineup of current-gen hardware, including a highly anticipated next-gen handheld:

    • PC (Steam)
    • PlayStation 5
    • Xbox Series X|S
    • Nintendo Switch 2

    The Early Access launch will feature fully playable cross-platform multiplayer and cross-progression, meaning you can team up with your friends seamlessly, regardless of what platform they are playing on.

    What’s Included in Early Access?

    System Era Softworks has a stellar track record when it comes to open, community-driven development (a major reason why the original Astroneer was such a massive success).

    At launch, the Early Access version will include the fully playable online multiplayer sandbox, hundreds of missions and tasks, dozens of items to earn and craft, and the game’s initial planet, Tephra. The team plans to remain in Early Access for roughly a year, rolling out monthly updates that introduce new planets, characters, end-game challenges, and narrative arcs.

    Are you ready to join the crew of the ESS Starseeker this June? Let us know in the comments below which platform you’ll be playing on!

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/1454370

    #SystemEraSoftworks #DevolverDigital #STARSEEKER #AstroneerExpeditions #EarlyAccess #PC #PlayStation #NintendoSwitch #Xbox #gamingnews #videogames #games #gaming #gamers

  • Milestone launches free demo for Screamer, the arcade racing game

    Milestone launches free demo for Screamer, the arcade racing game

    If you miss the days of high-octane, loud, and unapologetic arcade racers, Milestone has some fantastic news for you. The Italian developer—mostly known for their simulation heavy-hitters like Ride and MotoGP—has officially released a free playable demo for Screamer, its neon-soaked, anime-infused combat racing game.

    Whether you play on console or PC, you can jump into the cockpit right now. The demo is available across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via both Steam and the Epic Games Store).

    What is Screamer?

    For the veteran gamers out there, the name might ring a bell. Screamer is a radical modern reboot of the classic 1995 MS-DOS arcade racer. However, Milestone has ditched traditional retro styling in favour of a gorgeous, futuristic 1990s anime aesthetic (with cutscenes handled by the legendary Polygon Pictures) and mixed it with heavy vehicular combat.

    Set in the cyberpunk-esque city of Neo Rey, drivers compete in a brutal tournament where cars are fitted with something called the ECHO system. This mysterious tech turns racing into a literal fight, forcing players to juggle offensive and defensive mechanics while drifting around corners at breakneck speeds.

    What’s Included in the Free Demo?

    Milestone isn’t just giving us a simple time-trial. The free demo gives players a meaty taste of the early events of the main Tournament mode. Here is what you can expect:

    • Welcome to Neo Rey: Take your first laps through the bright, neon-lit streets of the Neo Rey tracks.
    • Single & Team Races: Experience both traditional solo placement matches and the chaos of Team Races, where protecting your allies and taking down rivals is just as important as crossing the finish line first.
    • The ECHO Combat System: Get hands-on with the game’s core mechanics. You’ll manage Sync to trigger your Boost and Shields, build up Entropy to unleash violent, combat-style Strikes, and max out your meters to trigger Overdrive—giving you temporary invincibility and instant-KO power on contact.
    • The Twin-Stick Handling: Test out Screamer’s unique handling model, which uses the left stick to steer and the right stick to drift, allowing for highly tactical, aggressive slides.

    Please Note: Only a select handful of characters, modes, and tracks are accessible in this trial version. Additionally, Milestone has confirmed that save data from the demo will not transfer over to the full game, so treat this purely as a proving ground to test your skills!

    Where to Download

    The Screamer demo is live right now. You can grab it directly from your platform’s respective digital storefront:

    • PlayStation 5: PlayStation Store
    • Xbox Series X|S: Xbox Games Store
    • PC: Steam / Epic Games Store

    If you’ve been looking for a game that plays like a glorious cross between WipEout, Blur, and a late-night Crunchyroll marathon, this is definitely one demo you shouldn’t pass up. Download it today and see if you have what it takes to survive the tournament!

    Have you taken the Screamer demo for a spin yet? Let us know your thoughts on the twin-stick drifting mechanics in the comments below!

    Find out more here – https://bit.ly/PLAION_UK_YT

    #Milestone #freedemo #Screamer #arcade #racinggame #PlayStation #Xbox #PC #Steam #techmash #gamingnews #videogames #games #gamers #gaming

  • ARK: Survival Ascended Drops Premium ‘Fantastic Tames Season 1’ Pack alongside Free Spider TLC

    ARK: Survival Ascended Drops Premium ‘Fantastic Tames Season 1’ Pack alongside Free Spider TLC

    Survivors, get ready to expand your stables. Studio Wildcard has officially launched Fantastic Tames Season 1, a brand-new premium creature pack for ARK: Survival Ascended.

    The pack is available right now across PC (Steam & Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S for £8.39 / $9.99.

    Rather than just dropping a single dinosaur, this premium pack introduces three highly unique, mythical anomalies that defy nature to give your tribe game-changing tactical abilities. Here is everything you need to know about what’s available today and what’s coming later this year.

    Meet the Burrowbuck (Available Today!)

    Bounding into the game first is the Burrowbuck, a swift, rabbit-like creature designed entirely around guerrilla warfare, map control, and brilliant misdirection.

    If you are a solo player or part of a small tribe looking to stay off the radar, this is your new best friend. Key abilities include:

    • Underground Dens: Carve out hidden, bunker-like underground sanctuaries to hide your base or gear.
    • Gateway Tunnels: Open temporary portals for rapid, long-distance travel to quickly reposition or escape a bad fight.
    • Dust Clouds & Hazards: Kick up blinding dust clouds to disorient pursuers and leave behind concealed hazards for anyone foolish enough to follow.

    The Rest of Season 1 (Coming Later in 2026)

    Purchasing the Season 1 pack also guarantees you access to two massive frontline and stealth tames dropping later this year:

    • Cerberax (Q3 2026): A monstrous, three-headed frontline beast built for coordinated multi-rider combat. Up to three passengers can control individual heads, chaining together elemental attacks (fire, electricity, and corrupting force) into massive combo attacks.
    • Enigmasaur (Q4 2026): The ultimate master of disguise. This shadow-veiled creature can observe nearby animals, steal their forms, and instantly mimic their exact appearance and unique abilities.

    Free Bonus: The Araneo TLC Update Is Live!

    Even if you aren’t picking up the premium pack today, everyone gets a massive upgrade. Voted into development by the community during the Extra Life charity livestream, the classic Araneo spider has received a complete overhaul.

    No longer just a minor nuisance skittering on the cave floors, the Araneo is now the ARK’s premier ambush predator:

    • Wall & Ceiling Climbing: Fully revamped animations allowing spiders to scale walls, ceilings, and naturally spawn clinging to high ground.
    • Web-Line Descents: Drop vertically from shadows onto unsuspecting prey.
    • Web Ziplines & Grappling: Create traversable web paths across terrain or use web tethers to pull smaller targets into your jaws (or pull yourself toward larger ones).
    • The ‘Webbed’ Buff: Ranged attacks can toggle between damage or Torpor focus, applying a stacking debuff that cripples enemy movement, slows attack speeds, and stops sprinting/jumping entirely at maximum stacks.

    TechMash Verdict: ARK: Survival Ascended continues to make great use of Unreal Engine 5’s tech, and adding entirely unique gameplay mechanics like underground tunneling and multi-passenger elemental combat breathes fresh air into the meta.

    Fantastic Tames Season 1 and the free Araneo TLC patch are live right now. Grab your gear, update your client, and go claim the high ground!

    Find out more here – http://playark.com

    #StudioWildcard #FantasticTames #ARKSurvivalAscended #PC #Steam #PlayStation #Xbox #playark #techmash #n5dave #games #gaming #gamers #videogames #gamingnews

  • Back to the Boroughs: The Division 2 Drops Hype ‘Battle for Brooklyn’ Celebration Teaser

    Back to the Boroughs: The Division 2 Drops Hype ‘Battle for Brooklyn’ Celebration Teaser

    Agents, lock and load. It is time to secure your gear and head back to where the collapse originally began—well, almost.

    Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft have just unleashed a surprise “Battle for Brooklyn” Celebration Teaser Trailer for Tom Clancy’s The Division 2. Marking exactly one year since the game’s highly anticipated Brooklyn DLC expansion dropped in May 2025, this anniversary event promises to breathe some chaotic new life into the tactical looter-shooter.

    Whether you’re a hardened veteran who has been farming exotics for years or an agent looking for a reason to reactivate, here is everything you need to know about the upcoming celebration running from May 21 through June 4.

    What’s Packed into the Celebration Event?

    The new teaser trailer gives a fast-paced look at a city still very much on the edge, teasing fresh endgame challenges and plenty of tactical loot. Far from just a simple retrospective, the celebration brings tangible changes and rewards to the map.

    Here is the breakdown of what is dropping over the two-week event:

    1. The Brooklyn Celebration Event Pass

    Running for the duration of the event, a brand-new, Brooklyn-inspired Event Pass will be active. All agents can progress through the pass naturally by simply playing the game and earning Season XP.

    • The Loot: You’ll be able to unlock exclusive cosmetics, including outfits inspired by notorious New York bosses and factions like the LMB Boss, Danvers, the Cleaners Boss, and the infamous Rat Queen.
    • Premium Track: If you have 1,000 Premium Credits burning a hole in your stash, you can opt into the premium track for extra cosmetic rewards.

    2. A Deadly New Threat: The Phoenix Hunter

    Think Brooklyn is safe just because you cleared the mini-campaign last year? Think again. The teaser confirms that starting May 26, strange audio anomalies and new enemy activity have been detected beneath the city streets. Agents who dare to investigate will come face-to-face with a terrifying new Stalker: the Phoenix Hunter. Defeating this threat at the climax mission will reward players with the brand-new Whiplash Exotic Pistol, complete with a unique custom skin.

    3. The “Corrosive Shell” Global Event

    Starting May 26, things are going to get highly volatile. A new Global Event called Corrosive Shell will take over, fundamentally changing how you engage hostile factions:

    • Enemy factions will be protected by a purple aura called a Corrosive Shell, which deflects standard bullet damage.
    • To shatter the shell, you must hit them with Status Effects (Bleed, Burn, Blind, Ensnare, or environmental hazards).
    • Breaking the shell triggers a corrosive explosion. If you land the finishing blow on a corroded enemy, you will trigger Corrosive Momentum, granting a massive buff: +50% Weapon Damage, +25% RPM, +25% Status Effect speed, and +50% Reload Speed for 10 seconds.

    A Perfect Excuse to Re-Enter the Dark Zone

    When the Battle for Brooklyn expansion originally launched, it brought a lot of nostalgic charm but faced a somewhat mixed reception on Steam due to punishing solo balancing. This anniversary celebration looks like Massive’s way of refining the experience, offering powerful gameplay-loop modifiers like Corrosive Momentum to give players an absolute power trip.

    Alongside the in-game event, Ubisoft is also running a Twitch Drops campaign from May 21 to May 28, meaning you can score extra vanity items just by watching your favourite Division 2 streamers take on the new content.

    TechMash Verdict: With The Division 3 confirmed to be somewhere on the horizon, updates like this prove Massive Entertainment isn’t letting D.C. or New York fall anytime soon. Grab your squad, stack your Status Effect builds, and go hunt that Phoenix.

    The Division 2: Battle for Brooklyn Celebration event is live right now across PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One (playable on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S via backward compatibility).

    Are you ready to face the Phoenix Hunter, or has your Agent permanently retired from the field? Let us know your builds for the Corrosive Shell event in the comments below!

    Find out more here – https://www.ubisoft.com/en-gb/game/the-division/the-division-2

    #TomClancy #TheDivision #MassiveEntertainment #Ubisoft #PC #PlayStation #Xbox #techmash #n5dave #gamingnews #gamers #videogames #games #gaming

  • Kusan: City of Wolves coming to PC and Consoles July 30th

    Kusan: City of Wolves coming to PC and Consoles July 30th

    If you’ve been itching for a high-octane top-down shooter caked in neon, synth, and absolute brutality, lock your calendar for July 30, 2026.

    Publisher PQube and Korean indie developer CIRCLEfromDOT have officially announced that Kusan: City of Wolves is launching digitally for PC (Steam), PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch. For collectors who prefer their carnage tangible, physical boxed editions will also be hitting store shelves for the PS5 and Nintendo Switch.

    The Plot: A City-Grade Atomic Threat

    Set in the rain-soaked, neon-noir underworld of Kusan, players step into the combat boots of Jin, a former soldier turned veteran gun-for-hire. Jin’s latest job has just elevated from high-risk to catastrophic: he must protect Haru, a young girl who has been fitted with a city-grade atomic weapon.

    To save her and stop a conspiracy that threatens to reduce the entire metropolis to ash, Jin will have to cut a bloody swath through the city’s most ruthless, corrupt factions and criminal enterprises.

    [The Premise] -> Jin (Ex-Soldier) must protect Haru (Girl with an atomic weapon) 
              -> Fight through the corrupt neon-noir underworld of Kusan
              -> Launching July 30, 2026

    Gameplay: Hotline Miami Meets Cyberpunk Martial Arts

    At first glance, Kusan: City of Wolves wears its Hotline Miami inspirations proudly on its sleeve—complete with an anthropomorphic flair (featuring a panther-man protagonist with a robotic fist) and a blistering top-down perspective. However, Kusan differentiates itself by stepping up the mechanical depth.

    Rather than relying purely on scavenged weapons and one-hit-kill luck, Kusan gives players an incredibly versatile toolkit designed for aggressive, stylish performance.

    Key Combat Features:

    • The Quantum Blade & Prosthetic Fist: Dash through tightly designed arenas and slice through foes with lightning-fast sword strikes, or turn them into paste with your heavy-hitting mechanical arm.
    • Precision Gunplay: Chain gunfire seamlessly into your melee combos. Every bullet counts in this universe, and precision is rewarded over blind spraying.
    • Parries and Split-Second Dodges: Deflection and high-speed movement are core to survival. Time your parries perfectly to turn an enemy’s aggression against them.
    • 54 Hand-Crafted Stages: The game features 54 intense stages across multiple story chapters, each filled with skill-based challenges and environmental puzzles.

    A Sizzling Graphic Novel Presentation

    What truly makes Kusan: City of Wolves stand out is its aesthetic. The story is told through beautifully illustrated comic book cutscenes that boast heavy hip-hop energy and raw graphic novel grit.

    Better yet, these cutscenes don’t break the pacing. They transition seamlessly back into the top-down gameplay, keeping your adrenaline pumping as the electronic soundtrack pushes you from one arena to the next.

    Are you ready for the challenge? Perfectionists and high-score chasers can look forward to mastering the game’s ranking system, aiming for those elusive, flawless S-Ranks on every single stage.

    Play the Demo Today

    Can’t wait until July 30? You don’t have to go into the underworld completely blind. A free playable demo is currently available right now on PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox, allowing you to test your reflexes and sharpen your blade ahead of the mid-summer launch.

    Kusan: City of Wolves drops on July 30, 2026. Keep your eyes on TechMash for our full review closer to launch!

    Find out more here – https://s.team/a/1714510

    #CIRCLEfromDOT #PQube #KusanCityofWolves #PC #PlayStation #Xbox #NintendoSwitch #techmash #n5dave #gamingnews #games #videogames #gamers