In February, Epic Games announced plans to enhance the Epic launcher, aiming for a five-fold increase in startup speed by June, along with improvements to the storefront, such as personalized game recommendations and easier access to categories and patch notes. Market analyst Emmanuel Rosier expressed doubt about Epic's ability to compete with Steam, noting that players often collect free games without engaging with them. He suggested that Epic has overextended itself by competing on multiple fronts but acknowledged positive developments in Fortnite, particularly its integration of characters from other franchises and new gameplay elements focused on collection. Despite these advancements, Rosier remains skeptical about Epic's recovery in the marketplace.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is set to launch in late 2027, as announced by Square Enix at Disney's D23 fan event. The game will feature a vibrant world inspired by the animated film Coco, where players will navigate the land of the dead and engage in battles. Sora's friends, including Mickey, Goofy, and Hades, will be on a quest to find him after his disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. The new installment will introduce the Lost Master Arc, primarily set in Quadratum, a realm similar to Tokyo, while still exploring various Disney worlds. Series director Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that development is progressing smoothly. Disney has recognized Kingdom Hearts as one of its "billion-dollar franchises."
The villain's monologue is a common trope in video games, often replaced by musical performances from antagonists in some titles.
In Middle-earth: Shadow of War, The Singer is an orc who sings operatic verses about battles, enhancing the experience.
In Hades 2, Scylla's performances are humorously interrupted by a witch, contrasting her siren songs with Melinoe's indifference.
The Joker in the Arkham series incorporates musical interludes, including a haunting rendition of "Only You" during the credits of Arkham City.
In Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel, Teh Earworm is a creature that plays catchy tunes, leaving players with memorable melodies.
GLaDOS's song "Still Alive" from Portal has become a cultural touchstone, reflecting her personality and enhancing her character's narrative.
Total Distortion features guitar warriors, where failure results in a memorable game-over song, integrating music into gameplay.
Conroy Bumpus in Sam & Max: Hit the Road offers a satirical country song, critiquing the big-game hunter archetype.
In Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, Satan sings with Broadway flair, adding humor and depth to his character.
Ursula in Kingdom Hearts 2 showcases her villainy through song, providing comedic relief with her playful references.
I.M. Meen opens with a song that sets the tone for a game blending education and entertainment.
In Cuphead, King Dice performs a jazzy number in "Die House," enhancing the stakes and his flamboyant personality.
Kingdom Hearts IV was featured in a recent Nintendo Direct, revealing a new gameplay trailer that showcased the game's visuals and confirmed its launch on multiple platforms: Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The game is set in modern-day Tokyo, with action-packed combat sequences in Shibuya, and presents a more realistic art style. The release date has not yet been announced.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy return in Kingdom Hearts 4, set in the city of Quadratum, with a release planned for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Kingdom Hearts Collection [I ~ III] will be released on October 8, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2. Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen will launch on October 9, 2026, introducing a new region and challenges. Final Fantasy Resonance, featuring an HD-2D art style, is set for release on October 22, 2026. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Withered World will be available on December 3, 2026. Jujutsu Kaisen Rumble: Survivaton is expected in 2026, while Atelier Karia: The Kingdom of Night and the Signpost of Reminiscence is slated for early 2027. Tales of Eternia Remastered will launch on October 16, 2026.
Square Enix released a new 90-second trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 during the latest Nintendo Direct, marking the first update since its announcement in 2022. The trailer features Sora in a scene with a gigantic Heartless in Quadratum, reminiscent of Tokyo's Shibuya district, showcasing his signature moves with a keyblade. Tetsuya Nomura shared artwork of Sora in the same attire earlier this year for the franchise's 24th anniversary. The game will be multiplatform at launch, available on Steam, Epic Games, Xbox, and consoles.
Google is developing a feature for the Google Play Store that will notify users about "dead" apps—those that have been removed from the store and will no longer receive updates. This feature is part of a strategy to improve the Android ecosystem and is indicated in the upcoming Play Store build, version 51.4.19. The APK teardown revealed code strings that suggest users will receive alerts when an installed app is no longer listed in the Play Store. Currently, Google already informs users about potentially harmful apps, but details about the dead app warnings feature are still limited, and its release timeline is uncertain.
Google has launched Veo 3.1 Lite, an AI video generation model for professional developers, priced at five cents per second for 720p video and eight cents per second for 1080p video. It is only available to paying users of Google AI Studio and does not support 4K video. Clip lengths are limited to four, six, or eight seconds, and formats include landscape (16:9) and portrait (9:16). Additionally, Google has reduced prices for the existing Veo 3.1 Fast model, effective April 7, with new rates of 10 cents per second for 720p (down from 15 cents), 15 cents per second for 1080p (down from 18 cents), and 35 cents per second for 4K (down by five cents). Comprehensive developer documentation is available for the new model.
Sora, an AI program for generating short video clips from user prompts, launched in December 2024 and became available in the UK in February 2025. OpenAI announced the discontinuation of the Sora app on March 24, 2026, citing a strategic pivot towards projects focused on real-world tasks. The decision includes the termination of a content partnership with Disney, which allowed users to create videos featuring Disney characters.
