franchise

AppWizard
April 25, 2026
The next installment in the Mass Effect series, referred to as "Mass Effect 5," was announced during The Game Awards in 2020, but updates have been limited over the past five years. Project director Mike Gamble confirmed that BioWare is currently focused exclusively on the game, despite concerns following EA's downsizing of the developer. He noted that the team is busy working on the project, which has resulted in a lack of teasers for fans. N7 Day on November 7 and The Game Awards 2026 on December 10 are potential opportunities for BioWare to share updates. Some fans express concern about the franchise's future and suggest that BioWare may need to explore new creative directions to regain its former success.
AppWizard
April 24, 2026
Amazon is offering Razer’s Minecraft Edition Cobra wired gaming mouse for .99, down from its original price of .99, marking a 33% discount and the most significant markdown to date. This is the first time the Minecraft variant has reached this price point. The mouse features a green-and-black design, Razer’s Gen 3 optical switches, an 8,500 DPI optical sensor, customizable RGB lighting, 100% PTFE feet for smooth gliding, and a flexible Speedflex cable. Additionally, the Pro Click V2 model is available for .99, reduced from 9.99.
AppWizard
April 24, 2026
Chessington World of Adventures will open a new PAW Patrol-themed land on May 3, 2026, marking the UK's first PAW Patrol area. The attraction will include four main rides: Chase’s Mountain Mission (a junior roller coaster), Marshall’s Firetruck Rescue (a rocking ride), Skye’s Helicopter Heroes (an aerial spinning ride), and Zuma’s Hovercraft Adventure (the UK’s first “Drifter” ride). Additionally, there will be three themed play areas, including Rubble & Rocky’s Play Zone and the Flounder Boat. The £50 million investment in this area is part of a broader initiative by Merlin Entertainments, which includes the upcoming Minecraft World set to debut in 2027. Chessington aims to attract young families and enhance its appeal as a family-friendly destination.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
The remake of Assassin's Creed Black Flag, titled Black Flag Resynced, is set to be released on July 9, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, priced at in the U.S. and £50 in the U.K. The game will feature enhanced combat mechanics, reworked stealth gameplay, new story scenes, three new recruitable crew officers, modern-day segments related to the Animus, ten new sea shanties, upgrades for ship weaponry, and the option to adopt a pet cat or monkey. The core story and original map will remain unchanged, and the game will not follow the RPG format of recent titles. However, it will not include multiplayer modes or recreate the original game's downloadable content.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced is set to launch on July 9. The remake features enhanced visuals and modernized gameplay, utilizing Ubisoft's Anvil engine for improved combat mechanics, including parries, blocks, and finishing moves. The parkour system has been updated for smoother movement, and the game eliminates the insta-fail tailing missions, offering players options to fight or negotiate. The world design allows for seamless exploration without loading screens. While some original content, such as DLC and multiplayer, has been removed, the focus remains on the single-player narrative. New features include three new officers with unique questlines, the option to adopt a cat or monkey as a ship companion, new shanties, and additional quests for Blackbeard. Preorders are available.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
PC CD-ROM drives led to the development of notable games like Myst, Star Wars: Rebel Assault, and The 7th Guest. Nintendo secured rights for The 7th Guest for a planned SNES CD add-on, which was never released. In 2023, The 7th Guest was re-released on the Nintendo eShop after three decades. Vertigo Games is remaking The 7th Guest, featuring reimagined puzzles and environments, with a scheduled launch on June 4th, priced at .99, available on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC, with a Nintendo Switch version expected later. Owners of The 7th Guest VR on Steam or PlayStation will access the remake for free, and those who purchase the remake on Steam or PS5 will receive The 7th Guest VR for free on Steam VR or PlayStation VR2.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era is set to launch in early access on April 30, 2026. This will be the first new entry in the series in over a decade. Community manager Bart Podress-Leszek stated that the early access strategy aims to foster dialogue with players and incorporate their feedback into the game's development. He acknowledged the complexities of the early access phase and emphasized the team's commitment to responsive development.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
Xbox has reduced the prices of its Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass services. The monthly fee for Game Pass Ultimate decreased from .99 to .99, and the cost of PC Game Pass was adjusted from .99 to .99. New titles in the Call of Duty franchise will no longer be available on the platform at launch but will be accessible approximately one year after their initial release. Existing Call of Duty titles, such as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, will remain available to subscribers.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
Valve has released a mini-patch for Counter-Strike 2 that adjusts camera motion due to recoil to more closely match CS:GO, aiming to reduce camera shake during gameplay. This change is expected to enhance the experience for players familiar with both games. Demonstrations indicate a smoother gameplay experience, and Valve assures that bullet trajectories will remain consistent with CS2. The patch also includes fixes for various Animgraph 2 bugs, improvements to ladder movement mechanics, and a resolution for a crash issue during halftime transitions.
AppWizard
April 23, 2026
Xbox Game Pass has reduced its subscription costs effective immediately: Game Pass Ultimate is now .99 per month, and PC Game Pass is .99, down from .49. The Premium and Essential tiers maintain their pricing from October 2025. Future releases of the Call of Duty franchise will no longer be available on Game Pass at launch, with new titles added nearly a year after their initial release, although existing titles will remain accessible.
Search