Happy July 4th weekend! Fireworks. Lemonade? Hot dogs. Scared pets? Sunscreen? A lake and/or beach. Heat? Sales at mattress and furniture stores. Some of those things I am certain are Fourth of July things. Others, I admit I am making some assumptions about your celebrations. But yeah, you won't be buying mattresses at a lake all weekend, right? There will be time for video games, as well, and we have some suggestions for what to check out this weekend... right after I share a few of our big stories this week.

Rhythm Heaven Groove, perhaps the last great Switch 1 game from Nintendo, is officially out and it is an infectious, goofy, music game that is easy to lose yourself in. In Game Informer's Rhythm Heaven Groove review, I wrote, "The series represents a wonderful and wildly unique collection of concepts that are not beholden to Nintendo’s history and make me happy, proud, anxious, and angry all in equal measure. Groove is not my favorite in the series, but it stands tall alongside the rest to earn permanent placement on my Switch hard drive."

One opinion I didn't dive into in my review is that all the Rhythm Heavens, Groove included, have the potential to become great meme generators with frequent instances of bizarre art and strange text. At least two of the games lean on stock photography showcasing construction workers and people drinking tea. It's weird. But none of the games have ever reached the level of cultural ubiquity necessary to make the sharing of GIFs and images from them become widely accepted online vernacular. Being on Switch and how easy it is to share clips and screenshots from the device makes me hope Groove will be the one to break through.

Every new installment of the Undertale pseudo-sequel Deltarune is a little holiday for those who have been following along, and the latest chapter certainly bolstered that festive feeling by centering on the town festival. Within minutes of starting the newest Deltarune chapter, I had already gasped, laughed, and been amazed by the swerves and twists Toby Fox and co. have been lining up for our intrepid party. Chapter 5 feels a little reminiscent of Chapter 3 to me, using mixed media and sudden style and genre-switching concepts to throw curve balls at the player. And the creeping sense of unease and dread, as the dark forces at work in the town make their moves, just adds to the tension of it all. It'll be at least a little longer until we see Deltarune reach its full conclusion, but I'm already more than happy with how this surprise follow-up to Undertale is coming along.

Originally released in 2025, Wanderstop is from the mind of Davey Wreden, best known for The Stanley Parable and The Beginner's Guide. Those games, in summary, are a little bit about the process of playing and appreciating a video game and what it means to have and give player choice. There is a lot more to them than that, but that's arguably the short version. By comparison, Wanderstop is more straightforward, but still makes plenty of room for the examination of video games as an entertainment medium.

In the game, you are Alta, a former adventurer/warrior who is attempting to take on a new life and manage a tea shop to address her overwhelming anxiety. But, in typical Wreden style, there is more to it than that. In Game Informer's Wanderstop review I wrote, "I admire the game for being able to use video game genre conventions to tell a pensive, funny, and surprising story set in a charming location with enjoyable characters. Watching Alta grow and accept her limitations will stick with me and make me reflect on my own inability to turn off and just relax. I appreciate any art that makes you think in that way, and Wanderstop is successful in that goal."

As of June 23, the game is available on Switch and Switch 2 and it's worth playing, even if you're not typically a fan of the wide-ranging "cozy" genre. Wredon is still making video games, but the studio, Ivy Road, that created Wanderstop has unfortunately been shuttered. But that's doesn't mean it didn't create a worthwhile video game worth experiencing.

If you have fond memories of video games like Shadow of the Colossus, boy, do I have the board game for you. Leviathan Wilds is a cooperative or solo game in which players work together to climb gigantic creatures, with the goal of destroying the corrupting crystals that make them dangerous, saving them in the process. Each session plays out on an open-page spread of the included spiral-bound book – so each time you play, you confront a different creature and its challenges.

The gigantic creatures reveal what they'll be doing and how they might attack through a card pull at the start of the round, and you can use your turn to slide, climb, rest, and use various powers to complete your mission. The art is beautiful, the theming and concept is brilliant, and the turn-to-turn action inspires lots of compelling choices. Designer Justin Kemppainen hit on something very clever here; this could easily become a staple play option for your gaming group.

At Game Informer, writing game reviews is one of our primary functions. As such, we cover hundreds of titles each and every year, hoping to turn you on to your next favorite game. However, within that field, a select few rise to the top as the games we most highly recommend. While you're always welcome to peruse our reviews page for the latest and greatest (and sometimes worst) games on the market, we've gathered our highest-scoring reviews of 2026 right here. 

Be sure to bookmark this page and check back frequently, as we'll continue to update it as more titles earn review scores on the top end of our review scale.

A masterclass in refinement and a tour de force of gameplay, Requiem is Resident Evil at its finest. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC Release Date: February 27, 2026

Cairn is more than a remarkably gripping mountain-climbing game. It's also a deeply affecting narrative of anguish, loss, and the steep cost of obsession. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC Release Date: January 29, 2026

Even for a series built on delivering approachable racing action that appeals to both newcomers and hardcore players, Forza Horizon 6 impresses at each turn, delivering one of the greatest racing games of this generation. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Release Date: May 19, 2026 (Xbox Series X/S, PC), 2026 (PlayStation 5)

Bungie’s excellent audio design and gunplay, paired with increasingly complicated level design borrowing from over a decade of expertise designing Destiny raids coalesce into something special. Marathon is proof Bungie is still at the top of its game. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Release Date: March 5, 2026

Moving, shooting, improving (both in stats and skill), winning, and even losing is an unequivocal joy, and I only wish I could write this final sentence faster so I can hurry up and get back to planet Carcosa and attempt another run. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5 Release Date: April 30, 2026

Super Mario Bros. Wonder was a joy to play through in 2023, and now, a few years later, it's even better. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2 Release Date: March 26, 2026

Thanks to superb gunplay, a compelling mystery, and terrific use of the roguelite formula, Deadzone: Rogue avoids getting lost in the crowded sci-fi shooter genre. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC Release Date: August 11, 2025 (PC), September 3, 2025 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), March 17, 2026 (Switch 2)

Mixtape's stellar writing, concise runtime, and inspired use of its licensed soundtrack make it an instant classic and a heartfelt trip down memory lane. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC Release Date: May 7, 2026

Nioh 3's consistently rewarding approach to open-world design, combined with its entertaining Ninja gameplay style, cements it as the best entry in the franchise. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC Release Date: February 6, 2026

Paranormasight: The Mermaid's Curse is a brilliant modern adventure game, filled with mysteries, delightful characters, and gorgeous art. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2, Switch, PC, iOS, Android Release Date: February 19, 2026

Despite minor complaints, Pokémon Pokopia sticks out as one of the best examples of a third-party developer using the Pokémon license to the fullest extent possible. Read review

Platforms: Switch 2 Release Date: March 5, 2026

Now more than ever, Azeroth feels like a home away from home. Read review

Platforms: PC, Mac Release Date: March 2, 2026

Fantastic storytelling that captures the fun of the classic spy hero helps this new adventure shine bright. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC Release Date: May 27, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC), 2026 (Switch 2)

Death Howl is a cohesive and well-crafted fusion of deckbuilders and Soulslikes. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, PC Release Date: December 9, 2025 (PC), February 19, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch)

High on Life 2 is the kind of game that you can put on, laugh at for a while, and forget what's troubling you, even though reminders might slip in through the pointed social commentary. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Release Date: February 13, 2026

Even with my dissatisfaction with stealth and some minor glitches, the latest LEGO Batman is a rain-slicked success. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, PC Release Date: May 22, 2026 (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC), September 18, 2026 (Switch 2)

Mina the Hollower looks like a nostalgic throwback, and it undeniably is, but its thoughtful design and larger sensibilities make it play and feel like a contemporary video game – one that has taken the right lessons from the medium’s history. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC Release Date: May 29, 2026

Taking cues from the likes of Hollow Knight and Ori, this punishing platforming and exploration game is well worth your time if you're up for a big challenge. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, PC Release Date: January 20, 2026

Lord of Hatred is an exceptional cherry on top of Diablo IV, further cementing the entire package as among the best action RPGs of the generation. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC Release Date: April 28, 2026

Nintendo may not know what to do with the Star Fox franchise, but Fur Squadron Phoenix makes a great case that the genre can still flourish in 2026. Read review

Platforms: Switch, PC Release Date: February 18, 2026 (PC), February 25, 2026 (Switch)

With a solid foundation built upon approachability and personality, Invincible VS is easy to recommend to both seasoned fighting games fans and Invincible enthusiasts. Read review

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Release Date: April 30, 2026

For more of our top reviews from recent years, head to our Top Scoring Reviews hub

Erosion was one of the most promising upcoming titles I checked out during Summer Game Fest.  Developed by a small team at Plot Twist (makers of The Last Case of Benedict Fox), the voxel-based game stars a nameless cowboy on a mission to rescue his kidnapped daughter; the twist is that time advances 10 years every time the father dies, meaning his daughter grows older. 

Sporting a blend of twin-stick shooting, dozens of wacky weapon upgrades and abilities, dungeon crawling, and a highly reactive open world that changes based on your actions, Erosion is full of ambition. We spoke with Plot Twist creative director Bartłomiej Lesiakowski to better understand Erosion's reactive nature, how the passage of time affects the world and players' strategies, the game's thematic inspirations, and its philosophy for creating consistently entertaining combat. 

Game Informer: How long has Erosion been in development, and what inspired the idea?

Bartłomiej Lesiakowski: We're in our second year of development, and the idea actually came from a story. We thought of the story, and since a lot of guys on our team are actually young dads, so the story resonated quite well from the get-go. And we were tinkering with it, and simultaneously, me and my buddy, who is the concept artist in Plot Twist, we also experimented with voxels as an art style, so those two things jump quite well, and given the story, it came kind of naturally that the game also became a role, right?

Erosion almost feels like almost like two different games, because you have the twin-stick shooting and almost roguelike structure with the abilities that you can gain, on top of the progression of the main plot of rescuing your daughter and having her age every time you fail. How did that particular mechanic come to life? 

Lesiakowski: The technology of voxels and the approach that we took with it allows us to create assets extremely, extremely quickly for such a small team, so we wanted to flex a bit. And we thought that, 'Hey, this could be our strength in this project, so let's think about how we could use it.' So we can destroy things, that's one, so the combat should revolve around that. And by saving the daughter and going into the dungeons, we will surely die, right? So, what could we do to make the deaths meaningful? So let's join those two things together. So, if we die, let the daughter age, and also when we die, let the world change, and by following this path, we basically created the whole concept.

For the daughter's aging, how far does that system go? How old can she get? Is it possible for her to pass away from old age? And if so, what happens?

Lesiakowski: We don't want to spoil too much, but let me say that there is a chance we won't be able to even meet her.

I assume there are different endings, and if so, are the endings tied to when you're able to rescue her, or what age she happens to be at the time that you rescue her? Does that affect how the game concludes?

Lesiakowski: The true ending for the story is one ending, but due to how the world is constructed, the timelines and the questlines themselves, as you recall, can veer off completely differently, so [the] story of each location in each variant can end quite differently.

How feasible is it to only focus on rescuing your daughter? I was talking to a rep at the event, and they kind of implied that, technically, everything else in the world is sort of optional in an almost Breath of the Wild way. If I wanted to try to only focus on rescuing her, could I do that with whatever my starting equipment is? And has anyone on the team been able to pull that off, if it is possible to do that?

Lesiakowski: It is possible. The world is technically optional, but this would be a challenge for some hardcore players. Right now we're still in the balancing act, so there's no chance to do that, but we are sure – and we, by the way, see it already in our telemetry from the playtest that has just begun that the players are already better at the game than we are, so I wouldn't be surprised if somebody else would manage to do it.

How big is the world overall? What is the scope of this game, if you had to describe it?

Lesiakowski: That's always a pretty tough question, because one thing is the geographical size, and the world, for what the game is, is pretty vast, actually. And the other side is that it's also multiplied through every timeline, so it's this certain amount of geographical space times X, basically. So this is why Erosion is so hard to measure in the traditional terms. I think that players will be surprised how much of a game is there, apart [from] the dungeons.

I was also shown during the demo a timeline that you can pull up, where you can see not only what you decided to do but all the possible outcomes. Can you explain how that works exactly? Because I believe the demo implied that you can jump between eras sometimes, but I wasn't totally clear on how that worked exactly.

Lesiakowski: Yes, yes, exactly. So by playing, players naturally do certain actions, and whenever [the] game recognizes an action that actually will influence the future, they have a prompt, and players can check the timeline view to see what action caused the effect. And only after they will jump to the next timeline and explore the location, they will see what action caused what effect. So in the end, they will be able to see which resolutions for a quest can result in different outcomes for certain locations, so this will mean that in the end the players will be able to strategize, as well, because as you saw, also the new states of locations are connected to weapon and item unlocks, so they will be able to figure out what path they want to take, and later on they will just have to decide whether they are morally inclined to to follow the path as well.

So if I do a mission a certain way, can I immediately go back in time and do that same mission a different way, just to see the other way it could have gone?

Lesiakowski: Not immediately. There is some form of time control in our mind, but we also don't want to give too many details about that.

Does time only advance when you die, or is it advancing slowly? Like, if I go a long time without dying, I don't have to die just to see the outcome of everything I've done?

Lesiakowski: It still revolves around the specific timelines, as we call them. So the player either has to die three times, which we call the trice [...] or they can initiate the jump manually.

What fascinates me about Erosion is that time plays such a big part and that it's thematically a western. I don't know why; I love that this is specifically a western story. Why is it a western? Was there any specific Western media that the team was inspired by?

Lesiakowski: That's a good question. Actually, when I tried to backtrack the idea for the Western itself, I remember a point when we threw around a few references, and the idea that, in the first biome, the pillar will be surrounded by the desert, was from the get go, and we did want to have the setting be reminiscent of United States type of deserts and wastelands, and so on. So it kind of naturally veered into the cowboy and western setting. But the mix actually came from, I think, one of our biggest inspirations, the Adventure Time cartoon, which we absolutely love, and there are so many wacky and different and unique things about it. So we also wanted to create something with our twist on it, so there will be cowboys, but there will also be ghosts and robots and aliens, and you name it.

I noticed when I was jumped to like a save state where my loadout was a lot more impressive I had laser beams and drones and all kinds of stuff. I saw that you are touting over 100 different abilities and weapons and a crazy amount of combinations. Are you still creating more weapons and abilities? Is there such a thing as having too much in this game, or are you just shooting for the stars and making however many you can come up with?

Lesiakowski: Surely there is a limit, but it's far, far off on the horizon. We're so far from the limit, I think, so we are still creating, and we are still finding the technical limits, I guess. And also exploring the possibilities is just so much fun that probably till the very last moment [...] we will add more and more items and weapons.

What's the rule for adding a new weapon or ability? Is there such a thing as an idea being too stupid or outlandish for this game?

Lesiakowski: Too stupid or outlandish? No [laughs]. Maybe sometimes we tend to over-complicate solutions, so we have to have [a] few rules that we impose on ourselves like 'Okay, this item can do only those two or three things at once. If you want more, let's figure out another item that will be also interesting that can have this kind of ability attached to it.' So in terms of weapons and modifiers, we started with [a] basic pool of items that will have a very classic roguelike gameplay controls, and after certain points, when we were sure that the basis is solid enough, now was the time to start creating the synergies. So, whenever we add now, first we identify the items that will have the most amount of synergies with existing items, and then we have like a crazy, crazy huge graph with the synergies, and we identify, 'Okay, these types of builds are lacking right now, so what can we do? Can we create a weapon? Can we create a active skill, or passive modifier that will help improve the synergies in that region,' for example. And all in all, of course, the fun is the main factor. So it has to be fun, and we remove the most passive and the most boring combination.

Are there any other major factions, like in the vein of the cultists I ran into in the demo?

Lesiakowski: Oh yeah. Dozens, actually.

How far does the faction gameplay go? Is it going to be a thing where if you side with one, you can't side with another if they're directly feuding? Can you change allegiances at will, or even join multiple factions at the same time?

Lesiakowski: Not at will, and depending on how the quests go, sometimes you create enemies for good, for example. But if your reputation with certain factions goes bad, because, for example, they caught you cheating at the poker table, there are also ways to regain reputation by, for example, questing for the opposite faction, like killing the opposite faction, or doing the quest for the faction that you lost some reputations with. So there is some room to play, and there will be certain factions that start with negative reputation, and it will be very, very hard, but not impossible to at least get neutral with them.

How do you communicate your current reputation? Is it something visible, like a meter, or is it more just the way people react to you that communicates, 'Oh, they don't like me.'

Lesiakowski: That's something we're actually still experimenting with. We have both solutions ready, and during different testing sessions, we try some stuff out, and we are still not sure, because certainly, to some players, it's super cool to explore, to guess, and to experiment on their own. But certain players like to strategize and want to see exactly what they do, so we have to play a bit more with both solutions, and I'm sure we will pick the most fun one.

Who kidnapped the daughter, anyway? I don't think I got a sense of who the main villain is in this game.

Lesiakowski: You need to play the playtest because the Summer Game Fest [demo], the game didn't have the prologue, and the latest version already does, and there you will learn a bit more about the lieutenant and his henchmen; so the evil bunch, the daughter. But in the full game, the player will get to know a lot about them through the gameplay, especially through the dungeons, because they will play a big role in the overall story.

Does the protagonist have a name? Is there any sort of background that you can give me on him?

Lesiakowski: He’s just Pop.

Just Pop?

Lesiakowski: Just Pop for his daughter.

Was there any Clint Eastwood inspiration here, like in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, where he's also a nameless outlaw?

Lesiakowski: For sure, he's like a stoic demeanor, and he's not talkative, that's for sure. But we'll leave it to the players to find if he says anything at all, or if he will be like the quiet protagonist for the whole time.

How big is the team exactly?

Lesiakowski: There's 30 people at the studio, but we are currently creating two games. One is Erosion, and one is unannounced, and the Erosion team at the moment is 17 people.

Because of just how ambitious it sounds, is this the biggest game that you've ever tackled in your career?

Lesiakowski: Yeah. We tend to dabble in ambitious projects. We constantly like to remind ourselves that, 'Yeah, maybe next time the next game will be simpler,' and we always end up with something more and more ambitious.

What would you say has been the most challenging aspect of developing Erosion so far for you?

Lesiakowski: There are so many unique aspects to the game that probably the hardest part is not having like clear references for many things. There are here and there parts that we can figure out based on what other people did, but in most cases we end up in a tough spot, because some aspects of the game are too different from everything there was, so we just have to figure it out and playtest as much as we can, and follow the fun, basically, and see what is most attractive to the players. And previously, probably in our previous project, when we were creating a metroidvania with a surprising amount of puzzle elements, it was slightly easier, so I think this is the most challenging part with Erosion.

On the flip side, what's been the most enjoyable aspect of developing the game so far?

Lesiakowski: Both the aspect of working with voxels, especially with our approach, and with how many steps that usually are needed to create assets for the game, the development is very agile. So we can figure out the character, basically like creating it from Lego, and few hours later it's already an animated character in the game. So it's a very freeing feeling to have as a developer, that it doesn't have to follow all of the steps that usually are connected to creating assets.

And the second thing is that we put so much time into make sure that the base and the moment-to-moment gameplay is enjoyable, that the testing itself is also enjoyable as an effect. I remember when we started implementing destruction, and there was almost no possibility to open the game and not destroy something just for the sake of destroying, just to have some fun, to see the voxels spread around. It's a very rewarding feeling.

Last question: What's your favorite Adventure Time episode?

Lesiakowski: The hardest question is the last one. Maybe ["Jake the Brick"]? When Jake became a brick. It's such a cozy and out-of-the-box idea. Probably this one, yeah.

Erosion launches in 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. 

The Blood Of Dawnwalker has one simple goal at the center of it: storm the castle, save your family. And not long after completing the introduction, protagonist Coen - and by extension, you - are let loose in the world to figure out how best to accomplish this task.

As we learned during our cover story trip, this means a great deal of The Blood Of Dawnwalker could be optional, tackled at different times, and even missed in one playthrough. NPCs can be affected, and even killed, due to Coen's actions. So we talked with some of the leads behind Dawnwalker to understand the vision behind these choices and consequences, and how they feel it shapes their approach to role-playing in their fictional 14th century world.

September, particularly its last week, is packed with big releases, and Capcom has seemingly recognized this by adjusting the release date for Onimusha: Way of the Sword. The game was set to launch on September 25, but has been moved up to release during the first week of the month.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword will now launch on September 4 – 21 days earlier than planned. Although the game still rubs shoulders with The Blood of Dawnwalker, which arrives on September 3, that’s probably better than when it was launching one day after Control Resonant and Silent Hill: Townfall. 

We’ve played Onimusha: Way of the Sword on two occasions and have been impressed with its modernized take on the series’ signature swordplay. You can read our first hands-on preview from last August here and our most recent impressions from Summer Game Fest 2026 here. When the game launches on September 4, it will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. 

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed crash related to wearables leaking when weapons are dropped (community fix from Sean McGeehan)

An update has been released for Left 4 Dead:- Fixed several exploits that could be used to crash servers or remote players.

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Fixed an issue where players could impersonate TF2 system messages by exploiting color control codesFixed a bug where certain custom maps would not load assets correctly on LinuxFixed some crashes relating to singleplayer TF2 SDK modsFixed a memory leak on long running servers related to dynamic modelsFixed client crash related to invalid D3D texture flagFixed hearing teleporter spin sound when carried (community fix from Brandon Little)Fixed objects sometimes using the incorrect activity when being placed (community fix from Brandon Little)Improved Medi Gun heal target selection to prioritize teammate directly under crosshair when teammates are close together (community fix from wget)Improved targetid selection to replicate Medi Gun heal target selection (community fix from wget)Added missing Steam Controller inputs for loadout menus (community fix from Ashetf2)Fixed 3D HUD using the incorrect animations while holding the PASS Time ball (community fix from gidi30)Fixed network state changes for player condition vars (community fix from ficool2)Fixed sentry rockets not sending the object_deflected game event when deflected (community fix from The Fatcat)Fixed Stat Clocks not drawing correctly in UI using playermodelpanel (community fix from rabscootle)Fixed flipped initial pitch/yaw on thirdperson switch (community fix from ficool2)Fixed Short Circuit projectile offset ignoring cl_flipviewmodels (community fix from birchish)Fixed Dragon's Fury fireballs having incorrect projectile path (community fix from wget)Fixed for mismatched cl_flipviewmodels values between client and server (community fix from birchish)Fixed cloak and rage meters being mispredicted (community fix from ficool2)Fixed prediction issues with Spy watches and cloak (community fix from ficool2)Fixed Casual doors player list sometimes using wrong size (community fix from nemmy)Fixed missing alpha mask for generator_01 (community fix from BreavyTF2)Fixed BuildingRescueLevel proxy overwriting TextureScroll on Rescue Ranger oscilloscope (community fix from Voids29)Fixed Botkiller team color bugs (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed Scout.NegativeVocalization04 sound not playing because of a typo in the volumeRenamed sd_marshlands to htf_marshlands (hold the flag) to accurately describe its game modeUpdated the Festivizer model for The Overdose to fix a problem with the LODsUpdated the Mann of the Hour to make the hair blend better with the hat and Scout's skinUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated The Bare Necessities to fix not moving correctly while tauntingUpdated the rigging for The Headliner to fix the pocket and tie stretching during some taunts and default posesUpdated alpha channel for Hydro water texture to remove inconsistenciesUpdated the Case of the BluesUpdated rigging to fix intense stretching during taunt posesUpdated materials to look less flatUpdated the taunt prop for Taunt: HeartbreakerUpdated the materials to add ambient occlusionUpdated the phong and rim lighting to show albedo tintUpdated the materials to add more depthUpdated the model to fix missing facesUpdated the model to fix stretching on lower LODsUpdated pl_frontier_final to fix invisible func_detail water near BLU spawn (community fix from ObsoleteGuy)Updated cp_frostwatch to fix first point death pit being survivable with ÜberCharges on Stage 1Updated cp_manor_event to fix invisible func_detail water near BLU spawn (community fix from ObsoleteGuy)Updated koth_demolitionUpdated map lighting to make it more like a sunset, as well as giving it a more golden colorReplaced the models used for the capture point lights with a different one which has better collision and illuminationReworked the capture point platform to give it a stronger designReworked all the catwalks to give them a more stylized lookReworked the lighting in all the furnace rooms to make them less dark and have a more neutral lookReverted a previous change to the capture point team change steam whistleRemoved all ambient_generics near the furnaces and fire pipeReworked the soundscapes to make them more efficient and work properlyReworked the control room of the crane to give it a better designReworked some ropes from the crane to give them a better lookFixed some props fading out incorrectlyFixed ships in the 3d skybox casting shadowsFixed cubemaps missing on parts of the mapFixed reflective surfaces not having a cubemap attached to themAdded a 128x128 cubemap on the control point so it is more reflective (thanks Zythe)Improved water cubemapsRestructured the spawn platform so players spawn looking at the shortcut, and don't need to pull a U-turn to exit spawn (thanks Lizard of Oz)Improved the visuals on the spawn platform to fit the previous changeFixed a blockbullets allowing players to stand on the exterior side of the helipads (thanks Yazoo)

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Added smoke effect to the Scrooge McCrocketFixed prediction error when crouch jumping (community fix from ficool2)Updated the Snow Dome Unusual effect to decrease brightness and opacity of the glass and floor texturesUpdated the Festive Fleece to fix LOD issuesUpdated the Puncher's Polar Puffer to fix some skinning issuesUpdated The Conscientious Objector to fix missing material parameters (community fix from Lindon)Updated koth_winter_ridge to fix a collision error with projectiles on the dead tree at midUpdated 2koth_abbeyFixed small gaps in doorways outside of spawnUpdated tall crates to add nobuild triggers and make it more obvious they cannot be stood onUpdated clipping in the riverFixed Snipers wearing the Razorback being immune to freezing

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:Happy Smissmas 2025!All players who play TF2 during the event will receive a Stuffed Stocking as a gift! Stockings contain goodies for good little Mercenaries.Featuring 6 new community maps: Nutcracker, Sidewinder, Abbey, Winter Ridge, Matterhorn, and Gavle (pronounced yeah-vleh)Added the Winter 2025 Cosmetic CaseContains 23 new community-contributed itemsThe Festivizer can be found as a bonus drop when opening the caseAdded 3 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. StoreTaunt: The Critical FailTaunt: Dead Mann's DrinkTaunt: ChairholderAdded 20 new community-created Unusual effects11 new effects for Unusual hats9 new effects for Unusual tauntsAdded lots of weapons to the list that can be Festivized (community-created changes!)Added community-created Smissmas material for the beach ballAll cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Smissmas 2025 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the event. This does not include crates.Mann Co. Store winter sale!Smissmas runs through January 7th, 2026GeneralAdded 'No Bullets' style for The Gift BringerFixed The Accursed Apparition hiding the Scout's headphonesUpdated the Sizzling Aroma and Toxic Aroma Unusual effects to fix problems with DirectX80Updated the Backbiter's Billycock backpack icon to reflect RED team versionUpdated the El Gigante's Gunbelt to fix a problem with the LODsUpdated the Seamann's Stubble to fix an issue with the materialsUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated cp_cowerhouseUpdated some custom props with further optimizationsAdded playerclip "ladder" to both trucks' rear bed to make climbing more consistent/predictableUpdated ctf_doublecross_eventFixed out of bounds bug (Thanks Dr.TwentyTwo!)Fixed a few minor visual glitchesUpdated cp_gravelpit_snowyAdded a screenshake effect to the laser gun finaleAdjusted holiday events to reduce edict countFixed model panels not encoding pose parameter values (community fix from copperpixel)Fixed Halloween spell projectiles not adjusting to flipped view models (community fix from copperpixel)Network player's handedness preference to spectators (community fix from copperpixel)Fixed Ullapool Caber explosions not counting as melee kills and ignoring damage/radius attributes (community fix from Bitl)Fixed disposable sentries playing denial sound for useful wrench hits (community fix from AJMickey)Fixed Armageddon Pyro taunt not properly cleaning up all particle systems (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed logo spinner from breaking after prolonged rotation (community fix from Horiuchi)Fixed Minigun not spinning, or spinning very slowly, outside of first-person (community fix from wget)Fixed broken view model after switching from the Medi Gun while healing someone (community fix from Vlad)Allow server admins to change powerup mode convars without forcing cheats to be enabled (community fix from Pieter Bijl)Replaced bitwise or operator in CHealthAmmoKit (community fix from CosminPerRam)Fixed MoveableSubPanel showing in Sentry targetID panel while dead (community fix from Horiuchi)Fixed tracer rounds from rifles not being affected by cl_flipviewmodels (community fix from birchish)Fixed Pyrovision nullifying other voice pitch attributes (community fix from LizardOfOz)Fixed being able to throw the Gas Passer through walls (community fix from Bakugo)Fixed IncrementAmmo removing ammo if m_iClip1 was already at Max capacity (community fix from kingofings)Added TF-specific search path tags to TF mod gameinfo (community fix from Thomas Kain)Fixed view punch not being interpolated (community fix from ficool2)Fixed disguise_on_backstab not functioning for stab targets that become ghosts (community fix from FlaminSarge)Fixed chat input using chat_party instead of chat_say_party (community fix from gaelcoral)Fixed overlapping footstep sound when in the third person view (community fix from TheNotoriousFrogposter)Ensure no buffer overflows when sscanf to char buffer (community fix from Dmitry Tsarevich)Fixed players sometimes getting stuck in team unassigned when joining a server (community fix from Bakugo)Fixed sentry gun not performing rocket fire animation when Wrangler controlled (community fix from Horiuchi)Allow impulse 101 on The Ullapool Caber (community fix from alvei)Fixed disguise kit resetting multiple times in high ping situations (community fix from nosoop)Fixed Detonator jumps not being considered self-dmg jumps (community fix from mastercoms)Fixed Detonator making world-detonation sound when attempting to fire underwater (community fix from FlaminSarge)Removed knockback-attribute-specific animation overrides for CTFScattergun (community fix from FlaminSarge)Fixed net_graph not rounding interp to nearest tick (community fix from treacherousfiend)Fixed broken class select animation for The Soda Popper (community fix from Piogre)Fixed $envmap parameter using the wrong mask for The Solemn Vow (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed barbell prop not using phong (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed the Kill-a-Watt and Terror-Watt Unusual effects sometimes stretching (community fix from Ronald_D_D)Fixed Disco Beat Down Unusual effect growing in size when viewed from large distances (community fix from Ron Friedman)Fixed MatchMakingTooltip label using the wrong alignment setting (community fix from Squid-Eevee)Fixed training mode HIT! material alpha channel (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed Bear Necessities not using its normal map (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed prediction errors with modified player gravity (community fix from ficool2)Fixed render box of tf_flame_manager using wrong vectors (community fix from by Hamn)Updated the Energy Orb Unusual effect (community fix from Cipherlock)Fixed particles being orphaned Fixed Medi Gun view model using the third-person particles