franchises

AppWizard
April 23, 2026
NBC Sports has announced its schedule for the 2026 WNBA regular season, marking the league's return to NBC after over 20 years. The season will debut on May 17, 2026, with a game featuring the Las Vegas Aces against the Atlanta Dream. A total of 22 regular-season games will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN. The season will include all 15 teams, with the addition of the Portland Fire and Toronto Tempo. Key matchups include the Dallas Wings hosting the New York Liberty on May 24 and a rematch between the Fever and Aces on July 12. NBC Sports will also cover the WNBA Playoffs, including the Semifinals and Finals. The production team includes notable figures like Sue Bird, Cheryl Miller, Maria Taylor, and LaChina Robinson, with the "Roundball Rock" theme incorporated into the coverage.
AppWizard
April 22, 2026
PC gamers can download the horror game The Whispering Valley for free on the GOG platform, thanks to a tip from Twitter user Wario64. The game is a folk horror point & click adventure that involves exploring a remote village and solving complex puzzles related to guilt and depression. It has a rating of 3.9 out of 5 on GOG based on eight user reviews and is rated "Very Positive" on Steam from a total of 157 reviews. Players can claim the game for free until April 28, 2026, after which it will cost £9.99. Games on GOG are DRM-free, allowing players to own the installation file and play across multiple devices without restrictions.
AppWizard
April 22, 2026
Microsoft has reduced the price of its Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription to .99 per month, following a significant price increase of 50% in October 2025. The PC-only plan is now priced at .99, while a more basic version is available for .99. This price adjustment reflects an effort to make gaming more accessible amid economic pressures on gamers. The service, launched in 2017 and fully rolled out in 2019, has seen increased costs due to acquisitions and content delivery. The recent changes come as Phil Spencer stepped down and Asha Sharma took over, aiming to restore confidence in the brand. However, the removal of new releases from franchises like Call of Duty raises concerns about subscriber retention.
AppWizard
April 22, 2026
The term "free-to-play" was not common in gaming until the late 2000s, when major publishers began exploring free versions of their flagship franchises. Battlefield Heroes was a significant experiment as a PC-exclusive spin-off that marked a high-profile franchise's entry into the free-to-play model. EA's senior producer Ben Cousins described it as a substantial risk that needed unprecedented popularity to be profitable. The game featured a real-time feedback development philosophy and introduced daily challenges, which became common in the shooter genre. Initially, players could only purchase superior weapons with in-game currency, but by late 2009, EA shifted to a pay-to-win model. Battlefield Heroes had a six-year lifespan before being discontinued in 2015.
AppWizard
April 21, 2026
11 Bit Studios is developing two new games: a new installment in the Frostpunk series and a reimagining of This War of Mine. The Alters has sold 545,000 copies, and Frostpunk 2 has sold nearly 880,000 copies. CEO Przemysław Marszał stated that the upcoming titles will not be remasters but will offer modern takes on the narratives. Creative director Michał Drozdowski emphasized the studio's commitment to unique artistic vision in its games. The reimagining of This War of Mine is particularly significant given its themes in the current global climate. 11 Bit Studios plans to launch Moonlighter 2 in 2026, with new downloadable content for Frostpunk and The Alters, while Frostpunk 1886 is expected to release around 2027 or 2028.
AppWizard
April 15, 2026
Metro 2039 is the next installment in 4A Games' post-apocalyptic train-riding series, confirmed with a title announcement. The full reveal is scheduled for April 16. Author Dmitry Glukhovsky has indicated that this installment will be "seriously dark" and potentially darker than previous games. Glukhovsky has remained involved with the Metro series, contributing to past titles. The gaming community is eagerly anticipating the official unveiling and the storyline's developments.
AppWizard
April 7, 2026
Starfield's rating on Steam is approximately 57%, with recent reviews improving to about 67%. The Terran Armada DLC, the first major expansion since September 2024, introduces a new faction claiming to be the "true" descendants of Earth, unsettling robots, and a new companion named Delta. The Free Lanes update adds a cruise control feature for ships, an X-Tech upgrade system for refining weapons and gear, new enemy tiers, and the Moon Buggy vehicle. The Terran Armada DLC is priced at .99 / £8.99, and players can start the questline after reaching Akila City. Starfield is now available on PlayStation 5.
AppWizard
April 5, 2026
Five years after the debut of Strixhaven: School of Mages, a sequel set titled Secrets of Strixhaven is being released. This sequel revisits the characters and faculty of Strixhaven following a multiversal conflict. Secrets of Strixhaven will be available on Arena starting April 21 and in tabletop versions on April 24.
AppWizard
April 3, 2026
Sony's entry into the PC gaming market generated 0 million in revenue over three years, as disclosed in 2023. The company is reconsidering its strategy for first-party singleplayer games on PC, potentially reinforcing PlayStation exclusivity. Jerry Liu, a former planner in Sony's PlayStation division, reported that he managed operations for the PS PC group, which grew from zero to 0 million in net revenue over three years. Sony's earnings from PC games for fiscal years were as follows: FY20: million, FY21: 0 million, FY22: 0 million. The surge in FY22 revenue was largely due to the acquisition of Bungie and the release of nine first-party titles on PC. The reported figures reflect net revenue, while actual gross revenue for FY22 was approximately 0 million. This discrepancy indicates that Sony's quarterly reports represent gross revenue, while segment briefings reflect net revenue. Focusing on PlayStation exclusivity may help Sony balance gross and net revenues and avoid revenue sharing with platforms like Valve.
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