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July 17, 2026

Marathon game director leaves Bungie just 4 months after launch: ‘I’ll be heading to something new, somewhere else’

Joe Ziegler, the game director of Marathon, has left Bungie and the game effective immediately, just four months after its release. Del Chafe III will take over Ziegler's role, working with creative director Julia Nardin. Ziegler expressed gratitude to fans in a message on X and hinted at new opportunities ahead. Marathon's player counts on Steam have not matched those of Destiny 2, and the game faces challenges in establishing itself in a competitive market. Ziegler joined Bungie in 2022 and became the leader of Marathon two years ago. His departure, along with that of Lars Bakken, former design lead for Marathon, raises concerns about Bungie's stability and future direction.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

Doom director Hugo Martin says id Software is fine, and anyway, ‘what matters the most is that the games are good’

Recent layoffs at Xbox have raised concerns about id Software's ability to develop new games and maintain its idTech engine. However, id Software stated that its current workforce is comparable to that of a decade ago, during the development of the 2016 Doom reboot. Studio director Hugo Martin refuted claims that the studio has been significantly downsized, asserting that reports of having only 50 employees are false. Despite layoffs affecting the Frankfurt office, where the team was reduced from 12 to 6 employees, Martin's comments aim to reassure fans and stakeholders about the studio's stability.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

Bethesda confirms Fallout 3 and New Vegas remasters, makes Obsidian collaboration official, and says Fallout 5 is in ‘pre-production’

Bethesda Softworks has announced a new Fallout game in collaboration with Obsidian Entertainment, with Fallout 5 identified as a long-term goal and multiple projects in active development. Remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are also planned, although release dates are not yet available. Additionally, a new expansion for Fallout 76, titled Raven Rock, is set to launch in 2027 as a prequel to Fallout 3. Bethesda is committed to ongoing updates for Starfield and hinted at future developments for The Elder Scrolls Online.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

Fallout 5: Everything Todd Howard Has Said About Bethesda’s New Game

Bethesda Game Studios has confirmed that Fallout 5 has officially entered pre-production. Todd Howard, the director of Bethesda, hinted at the game's existence in 2021 and stated that Fallout 5 will be released after The Elder Scrolls 6. The Fallout show on Prime Video's crew is aware of Fallout 5's development, and Howard has ensured that the show's narrative will not interfere with the game's storyline. The game is expected to remain set in the United States, in line with the franchise's tradition. Howard has expressed a desire not to rush the development of Fallout 5, emphasizing the importance of creating a meaningful single-player experience. He reassured fans that Bethesda is actively developing new content, even as the timeline for Fallout 5 remains uncertain. The events of the Fallout show will influence the game's narrative. Fallout 5 is being developed on the Creation Engine 3, and it is too early to determine if it will be an Xbox exclusive.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

‘Lord Of The Rings’ and ‘Minecraft’ inspired Au/Ra’s alt-pop debut

Alt-pop artist Au/Ra has released her debut album, ‘Heartcore,’ inspired by her childhood experiences and escapism into fantasy worlds. The album reflects her journey of healing from childhood traumas, which she began addressing through therapy. Growing up between Ibiza and Antigua, she found solace in video games and creative writing, particularly influenced by titles like Final Fantasy 15 and The Lord Of The Rings. Au/Ra debuted with the track ‘Concrete Jungle’ at age 14 and faced challenges with her label, Sony, which affected her music release. Despite these obstacles, she maintained a connection with her fans through gaming and community engagement. The first song she wrote for ‘Heartcore’ was ‘Blah,’ expressing her feelings of betrayal and abandonment, which helped her gain clarity for the album's creative process.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

PC RTS Game Game of Thrones: War for Westeros Slips to 2027 as PlaySide chases a Higher Quality Bar

PlaySide Studios has announced a delay in the release of Game of Thrones: War for Westeros, moving it from 2026 to early 2027 to maintain quality standards. Players will choose from four factions: House Stark, House Lannister, House Targaryen, or the Night King's Army. Each faction will feature iconic heroes with unique abilities that influence combat. The game will focus on enhanced physical feedback and unit behavior, allowing players to command squads that react dynamically to orders. Skirmishes will take place across various locations in Westeros, including a new map called Ashemark, designed for competitive 1v1 battles. Players can add the game to their wishlist on Steam.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

The best Mario Kart game gets free PC port, includes 200 tracks

Mario Kart Wiicompiled, an unofficial port of the original Mario Kart Wii, is set to be released next month by YouTuber Patchzy. This adaptation is designed for PC and features both controller and keyboard controls, moving away from the original's motion controls. Players will have access to all 32 classic tracks from Mario Kart Wii and over 200 additional tracks through the Retro Rewind feature. The port aims to maintain the original's graphics while allowing for potential enhancements, supporting uncapped framerate and 4K resolution. Mario Kart Wii was originally released in 2008, received a Metacritic score of 82/100, and sold over 37.38 million copies, making it one of the most successful titles on the Wii.

AppWizard

July 17, 2026

The follow-up to one of last year’s best detective games is off to an ‘overwhelmingly positive’ start on Steam after just 2 days

In early 2025, the puzzle game Blue Prince won PC Gamer's 'best design' Game of the Year award. Another notable title, The Roottrees are Dead, offered a narrative-driven mystery through a computer interface, inspiring similar projects. Developer Evil Trout released The Incident at Galley House, which received over 600 reviews on Steam with 97% approval. The game was developed by William Rous and Johnson, who enhanced the experience with design elements, coding, and game development. The team was inspired by the free mystery game Type Help, recognized for its captivating narrative. The Incident at Galley House features a visual novel-style presentation, 2D illustrations, a 3D interface for exploring memories, and voice acting. It is priced at £17.75 on Steam with a 10% launch discount until July 21.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

Infinity Ward aims to make MW4 even ‘more immersive,’ and it’s already proving divisive: ‘Mouse and keyboard is OFFICIALLY DEAD’

The upcoming release of Modern Warfare 4 by Infinity Ward aims to refine the game rather than reinvent it, focusing on addressing community concerns from previous installments. Players have expressed dissatisfaction with visual recoil, which affected gameplay in Modern Warfare 2. Infinity Ward plans to monitor player feedback during the beta release to improve the game. Community reactions include frustration over visibility issues and concerns that changes negatively impact PC gamers. The developers are aware of past criticisms and are working to enhance immersion and realism in the game.

AppWizard

July 16, 2026

Forget Black Flag Resynced, the best pirate game of 2026 might be a logistics-heavy city builder

Corsair Cove is a city-building game by Limbic Entertainment that offers a logistics-driven approach to pirate life, diverging from traditional high-seas action. It draws inspiration from Tropico 2: Pirate Cove and features vertical city building, resource management, and pirate management. Players must gather and allocate resources, construct a thriving settlement, manage their crew, and navigate the complexities of pirate life to build a prosperous pirate haven.