Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated the Golden Joysticks, sweeping six major categories and earning Sandfall Interactive Studio of the Year. Silksong snagged PC GOTY and Best Indie Self-Published, Blue Prince took Best Indie, and Peak won Best Multiplayer. Check the rest here.

Epic and Unity have struck a new deal letting Unity-built games publish directly inside Fortnite. Creators get access to Fortnite’s discovery and payouts, opening the door for more UGC and a bigger, stranger cross-engine ecosystem.

Valve has finally unveiled its next wave of hardware for early 2026, led by the new Steam Machine (billed as ‘six times more powerful than the Steam Deck’). It launches alongside an updated controller and a new VR headset, all optimised for SteamOS.

At UK studio Rockstar North, around 40 employees - all organisers for the emerging Rockstar Games Workers’ Union - have been dismissed suddenly and without formal process, as they approached the legal threshold for recognition. The company claims “gross misconduct,” while the union says it’s blatant union-busting. Worker protests, legal claims and community mobilisation are in full swing. You can support them here.

Heart Machine has cut staff as Hyper Light Breaker wraps, citing funding shifts and industry uncertainty. A January update is still coming, while Possessor(s) still launches 11 Nov. The studio thanks its team and community as it continues with a smaller crew. No good.

Marvel’s Wolverine closed out State of Play with a brutal gameplay showcase and a “Fall 2026” release window. Liam McIntyre stars as Logan, with teases of Mystique, Omega Red and a Sentinel. Insomniac says we’ll see more in “Spring 2026”.

Nioh 3 has a new trailer and a release date: 6 Feb 2026. IGN’s preview suggests it’s shaping up to push the series further, building on what the first two games did so well. Keen.

More on ZA/UM’s Zero Parades - For Dead Spies: playing as Hershel, you’ll navigate paranoia, betrayal and failure, with new systems like dramatic encounters and “failing forward.” Launches 2026.

Housemarque opened State of Play with Saros, a new game (not a Returnal sequel) starring Rahul Kohli as Arjun Devraj on the shifting world of Carcosa. With ‘eclipse-powered’ weapons, abilities like Soltari Shield and Second Chance, and more brilliant bullet-hell, it launches 20 March 2026.

Death Stranding: Mosquito (working title) is an animated project from Hiroshi Miyamoto and Aaron Guzikowski. With a unique hand-drawn-to-digital style and Studio Easter (Dandadan) on backgrounds, it follows a new protagonist with a strange ability tied to the mosquito theme.