Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced launched on July 9 and sold more than 2 million copies within its first 24 hours, according to Vantage Studios. The title reached 99,451 concurrent players on Steam on its launch day, a record for an Assassin’s Creed game on the platform.

The game is a remaster of the 2013 title Assassin’s Creed Black Flag, now overseen by Vantage Studios, the company that assumed management of the franchise.

Critics awarded the game an 84 on Metacritic, the highest score for an Assassin’s Creed title since 2013. GameSpot’s review gave it a 7 out of 10, noting that the remake expands on the original experience while also introducing new issues. Players have voiced concerns about the total cost of microtransactions, which amounted to about $85 for a $60 game. Ubisoft said it is reviewing the feedback and emphasized that all add‑on content is optional and not required to complete the game. Of the nine microtransaction items, eight are $10 cosmetic packs, one of which features a bright blue monkey with glowing eyes, and a $5 map pack that provides a special spyglass for locating collectibles. The studio added that the developers of Resynced were among those affected by recent cost‑cutting measures at Ubisoft.

Ubisoft indicated it will continue to monitor player input as the game’s post‑launch performance is tracked.

EA Sports announced it will remove paid progression options from the Road to Glory and Online Dynasty modes of College Football 27, effective July 11, 2026, after community feedback highlighted concerns about microtransactions. The game launched on July 6 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S and quickly received mostly negative Steam reviews. Players have criticized the inclusion of microtransactions that allow real‑money purchases to boost coach levels and player experience in offline modes. Content creator Bordeaux and other community members expressed appreciation for the decision and called for the return of in‑game XP modifiers. Steam data show that only 22% of reviews are positive, reflecting largely negative sentiment. EA said the upcoming patch will add new XP settings, including up to 1.5x experience in Dynasty and difficulty‑based earnings in Road to Glory. The company also pledged greater transparency and communication in future updates for College Football 28 and beyond. Many players continue to monitor how the changes affect gameplay.

Christopher Nolan said younger audiences quickly reject AI‑generated content in film, a stance he expressed during a recent interview as his upcoming adaptation of the Greek epic The Odyssey prepares for release on July 17, 2026.

Nolan, whose previous works include The Dark Knight trilogy and Oppenheimer, noted that young viewers have embraced low‑budget horror titles such as Backrooms and Obsession, which were praised for their practical effects and sets.

He said audiences can handle long, ruminative works despite claims that attention spans are too short, and observed that younger viewers can easily identify AI‑generated material because of their familiarity with online environments.

Nolan added that while not all AI is useless, its use in filmmaking comes at a time when there is renewed interest in tactile, real‑world storytelling, a view echoed by his children, who are in their late teens and early 20s and have been especially critical of AI content.

The Odyssey will feature practical effects, including a 60‑foot Cyclops puppet filmed in Psychro Cave, believed to be Zeus’ birthplace. In addition, Michael Caine’s voice was reproduced using AI for an audiobook version of the story.

The film’s release will test whether a traditional, effects‑driven approach can attract audiences in an era of rapid AI adoption.

Zeverland, a forthcoming open‑world zombie survival game for PC, announced it will shift from a player‑versus‑player‑versus‑environment model to a fully cooperative player‑versus‑environment experience after a closed alpha test. Quantum Quirks, the studio behind the title, said community feedback prompted the change, as noted on the game's Steam page.

The game originally resembled DayZ, featuring a massive multiplayer online framework and a buy‑to‑play survival‑crafting structure. Its distinctive chibi art style and emphasis on cooperative play were highlighted during the test.

The decision will alter gameplay mechanics, replacing competitive combat with cooperative survival tasks such as building, crafting and exploration. The developers noted that bicycles and cars are available for faster travel, and vehicles require fuel to operate.

While the aesthetic remains distinctive, the game aims to lower the difficulty curve for newcomers compared with similar titles. The experience still emphasizes survival elements—resource gathering, careful combat against undead, and extensive crafting options—without eliminating the challenge of hostile encounters.

The studio emphasized that the game is not targeted at younger players despite its approachable early hours. The updated focus on cooperative PvE may affect the game's reception and its place among titles such as Project Zomboid and State of Decay, with further details expected as the launch approaches.

Veteran anime creators gathered at Anime Expo 2026 to discuss the future of the industry after the announcement of Yoshitaka Amano's new series ZAN. Moriyasu Taniguchi was absent due to injury. The panel examined the history of mecha anime, referencing titles such as Armored Trooper Votoms and Fang of the Sun Dougram, and described challenges in rendering realistic military uniforms. Panelists included producer Hiroaki Ikegami, creator Ryōsuke Takahashi, producer Tatsuyoshi Matsumoto and mechanical director Tōru Yoshida. Takahashi recalled his early work on Votoms at age 22 and described a high degree of creative freedom. Yoshida discussed his involvement with Dougram, noting difficulties in visualizing wing movements and saying he now balances eight projects simultaneously. Matsumoto highlighted the influence of Takahashi and Yoshida on younger animators, naming Hiroyuki Okiura, Kazuchika Kise, Takahiro Kimura, Kazuaki Mōri, Masahide Yanagisawa, Seichi Nakatani and Asako Nishida as examples of artists trained under Taniguchi. He added that many of these creators remain unknown outside Japan. Takahashi reflected on the intensive schedules of the 1980s Golden Age, describing long hours that approached forced labor, and warned that excessive work can shorten lifespans, citing the early deaths of Tezuka, Ishinomori and Fujio at age 60. He observed that the number of anime series grew from four in 1963 to about 370 by year‑end, yet the total animator workforce has remained around 10,000, indicating a disconnect between production volume and staffing. Digitalization has made certain processes faster, but animators continue to spend similar time drawing, according to Yoshida, who said ZAN will emphasize hand drawing to demonstrate traditional techniques. Yoshida noted scheduling constraints, stating that he now works on eight titles rather than the fourteen he managed in his 30s. The speakers expressed concern that many young animators hesitate to pursue careers because of the demanding nature of the work, a view reinforced by a Japanese proverb linking passion to mastery. Yoshida advocated greater focus on drawing, whether hand or digital, while Matsumoto described the Golden Age as 1985‑1992, with Akira (1988) as a defining work that cannot be reproduced today. He added that the current generation of leading animators, now in their 40s and 50s, manages multiple titles, including the completion of ZAN, which Matsumoto finished while traveling on an airplane at 5 a.m. He said the project represents a final opportunity to bring together veteran creators and Taniguchi’s students for a collective showcase. The panel ended without a definitive outlook, leaving the industry’s future open as veteran creators prepare to present ZAN.

Bandai Namco released the first gameplay footage for Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 this week, showing a mission and new combat mechanics.

The series has used a beat‑em‑up system since its debut, and earlier titles required players to charge a Ki meter before using special attacks.

In Xenoverse 3, the Ki meter has been replaced by a cooldown system, and transformations are not available at the start of a mission; players must fill an Awakening meter to activate a Super Saiyan or Kaioken boost. The UI shows a timer that changes the transformation icon, indicating a staged transformation process. The game also introduces Soul Assist and Soul Change, allowing players to summon or become characters such as Piccolo, Krillin, Trunks, or Vegeta, each with distinct skill cooldowns. Race‑specific transformations for Saiyan, Human, and Majin characters are listed.

The community on the Xenoverse 3 subreddit has expressed concerns that the changes limit transformation duration, with one top‑voted comment urging the community to pressure developers for a reversal. No official response has been received from Bandai Namco as of publication.

The game is scheduled for release in 2027 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled for release on November 19, and digital preorder begins November 12. Rockstar Games announced the timeline to allow players to begin downloading the game before launch. The digital version will be available for download starting November 12, while physical copies will be sold in stores on the same date but will unlock on November 19. The game’s file size has not been officially disclosed, but industry observers anticipate a size comparable to previous titles that exceed 100 gigabytes. Rockstar has not provided an exact launch time for the game, and updates will be posted as they become available. Consumers can purchase a physical edition that includes a download code for the digital version.

IGN’s review of Backyard Baseball 2026, a 2026 reboot by Mega Cat Studios, assesses gameplay changes after 10 hours of play. The series originally launched in the late 1990s, blending simple baseball mechanics with a nostalgic aesthetic. The review notes that hitting has become easier than in the 2024 re‑release, with many at‑bats resulting in home runs or line‑drive singles. A new timing mechanic for pitching adds a skill component, but the review states that overall pitching effectiveness is diminished because batters frequently make contact. Fielding appears less responsive; players fail to catch routine fly balls unless the ball is directly in their path, leading to frequent errors. The article mentions additional modes such as the Card Shop and Wiggle Ball, and a difficulty level called Backyard Legend that will be explored in future league matches. The reviewer plans to continue testing the Backyard Legend difficulty before finalizing a score later in the week.

At Anime Expo 2026, creators Dana Terrace and Kamome Shirahama participated in a Q&A session at Kodansha House, speaking with about 60 fans about their work. The session followed years of mutual admiration between the two fantasy creators, one known for The Owl House and the other for Witch Hat Atelier. Shirahama, who cosplayed as Iguin, described her six‑year development of Witch Hat Atelier, noting that she began drawing the first chapter a year after starting the project. She cited Western illustrators Arthur Rackham and Alphonse Mucha, manga artists Katsuhiro Ōtomo and Moto Hagio, and Studio Ghibli films, especially Princess Mononoke, as influences. She said she has played the flute for many years and enjoys stage and musical theater. Terrace, wearing a pointed cap, asked about Shirahama’s creative process and her interest in adapting her manga to anime. Shirahama said she is “nit‑picky” and worried that an anime production would be burdensome for her team. Terrace expressed interest in an anime adaptation and asked whether Shirahama would consider composing music; Shirahama responded that she admires composer Yuka Kitamura’s work. Shirahama explained that her story centers on possibilities rather than destiny, using the example that people learn to walk without being born with special ability. She described the main characters: Coco, who is curious and responsible; Agott, who seeks confidence; Riche, whose artistic nature makes her relatable; and Tetia, whom she said could serve as a producer for readers. When asked about creative ruts, Shirahama said deadlines force her to work through them, and she often apologizes to her editor and requests extensions; she finds walking and sleeping helpful for resetting. Both creators answered whether they envision a story’s conclusion from the start. Shirahama said she has two possible endings and will choose one, while Terrace said she aims to maintain a single guiding emotion throughout the narrative, which she believes can carry the story. When asked about their magic specialties, Shirahama said she would continue drawing, and Terrace said she would be a “magic animal whisperer,” adding that she would like to pet a dragon. Shirahama noted that a future story arc involves a dragon island and that she would draw a house for Terrace. During the session, Terrace asked about the difficulty of remembering spells and developing the Coven System, and Shirahama said remembering her own spell designs is the most challenging aspect. Regarding left‑handed witches, Shirahama said that magic seals are direction‑free and do not pose a problem, and that the circle shape works for all. On zodiac signs, Shirahama identified as a Taurus, noting her birthday is near that of the character Coco, while Terrace identified as a Sagittarius and said she knows little about astrology. The Q&A concluded with fan questions, and both creators indicated they will continue to share their creative processes at future events.