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Jennifer English, the award-winning voice actor of Maelle in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has stepped away from voicing protagonist Gwendolyn in the upcoming action game, Tides of Annihilation. The game’s development team, Eclipse Glow Games, states that this is due to personal health reasons.
The official Tides of Annihilation X account shared a lengthy post announcing the news, stating that in early June, English informed them she would be unable to continue providing the English-language voice of Gwendolyn. “While we were, of course, saddened by her decision, we completely understood and respected Jennifer in prioritizing her well-being,” reads the post. “We are also deeply grateful for the care and responsibility she showed throughout this process.”
English will continue to be involved in Tides of Annihilation’s production in an advisory role, according to the post. In fact, with English’s help and recommendation, Gwendolyn’s English-language voice performer has already been recast. The team does not reveal the new actor’s identity, only stating “Her recent work in video games left a strong impression on both Jennifer and our team—not only for the performance itself, but for the remarkable care and dedication she showed in understanding the character—and we're excited for players to experience her interpretation of Gwendolyn.”
The new voice actor has already recorded lines that will appear in Tides of Annihilation’s upcoming Gamescom demo next month, so attendees will be the first to hear the new performance. Eclipse Glow Games also confirms that it will announce Gwendolyn’s new actor during this period.
Tides of Annihilation was first revealed in February 2025 and is a stylish action-adventure game based on Arthurian legend. Gwendolyn is a warrior and the last surviving person in London after an invasion by otherworldly forces. She must defeat this threat using the power of 10 legendary, colossal knights she encounters along the way. Tides of Annihilation has no release window, but it’s slated to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
It's always a good time on gameinformer.com, and this week is no different. But, we did load up the end of the week with a quite a lot of stuff. And Bethesda shared that it is working on Fallout 5 in the wake of more than 3,000 people being laid off, or being in the process of being laid off by its parent company, Microsoft. We likely have quite a lot of time to go before we play a Fallout 5, and until then, and for this weekend, we have recommendations of what you can play right now. But first, some of that "quite a lot of stuff" I promised a few sentences ago.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse Has 'No AI,' Developer Evil Empire SaysThe Unlikely Story Of How Konami Asked Evil Empire To Make Castlevania: Belmont's Curse The Mermaid Mask Review – Grimoire's GreatestDenshattack Review – Come On, Ride The TrainYou Might Be Able To Play From Software's The Duskbloods During A Network Test Next MonthBethesda Confirms Fallout 5 In Preproduction, Obsidian’s Fallout Game, Fallout 3 And New Vegas Remasters, And Updates On Elder Scrolls VI And StarfieldStardew Valley Is Coming To Magic: The Gathering Later This Month With A Limited Secret Lair Drop
The Mermaid Mask
Charles Harte
The Mermaid Mask, the latest entry in the Detective Grimoire series from SFB Games, tasks players with investigating the death of Magnus Mortuga, captain of a mysterious submarine. It combines point-and-click adventure mechanics with one-of-a-kind puzzles, but it mostly involves talking to a colorful cast of suspects and gathering evidence to track down the culprit. It's a game I'd recommend to just about anyone: its character art is charming and lovingly animated, its music is exciting and intricate, and the writing is stellar, from the larger plot beats to the moment-to-moment dialogue. While it's the third (or fourth, if you're a stickler) game in its timeline, connections to prior entries are minimal, so there's no need to get caught up. For my full thoughts, check out my review.
Denshattack
Kyle Hilliard
It was not specifically designed this way (unless Brian Shea was secretly masterminding this whole thing when he assigned me these reviews), but I reviewed Star Fox (2026), Rhythm Heaven Groove, and Denshattack back to back, which are all games where you play a level for about three to five minutes, and you need to make sure you do a bunch of things correctly in that short amount of time. It was an odd journey to play all those one after another, but perhaps the weirdest of the bunch is Denshattack, which is a high bar when you're competing with Rhythm Heaven Groove, a game where you have to hide from a sneezing moon.
In my review I wrote that Denshattack is "the best post-apocalyptic stunt train driving action sports simulator anime ever created," and I stand by that statement. I even approved it for use in a potential accolades trailer the game may want to use in the future. But the thing I am getting at is that even if it does take on a lot of influences and proudly display their appreciation and love for them, Denshattack feels truly unique. It's a bit like a heightened action sports game, like a Tony Hawk or an SSX, but you're driving a train. It's kind of insane, but also pretty great for that reason. You can read my full review right here.
The Incident At Galley House
Marcus Stewart
Based on the text adventure Type Help by William Rous and reimagined by Evil Trout, developer of one of my favorite 2025 games, The Roottrees Are Dead, comes this ingenious new mystery. You control an investigator trying to learn the truth behind the mysterious deaths of a group of people at a mansion called Galley House that occurred in 1936, using a machine that allows you to reconstruct and view scenes from the time of the incident. Like Roottrees, the game becomes an engrossing exercise of listening to conversations and using context clues to determine the identities and whereabouts of each ill-fated visitor to Galley House on that fateful night, a timeline divided into 26 segments. Using deductive skills to fill in the blanks of who was doing what and where, while learning characters’ intriguing relationships with each other, and discovering the truth of the unfortunate circumstance that befell them, is fascinating, cleverly constructed, and keeps you guessing with numerous surprises. Mixing the detective gameplay of Roottrees with elements of Clue makes The Incident at Galley House another worthwhile puzzle game to lose yourself in this weekend.
D-topia
Marcus Stewart
On the surface, this D-topia’s sterile yet charming art direction suggests a cozy experience, and that’s true to an extent. As the 18-year-old Shiro, you’re the latest arrival to a domed AI-controlled city called D-topia, a human paradise according to its blissful human citizens. Designated as a Facilitator, your job is to maintain the city by helping residents with any problems and repairing mechanical issues; going to work involves solving increasingly diverse math/number puzzles that the AI tells you have no practical application other than keeping you productive.
Each day you wake up, go to work, roam the city’s sleek and pristine districts to interact and bond with a colorful cast, and go to bed. But what makes D-topia intriguing is how much its residents enjoy living a life where machines do their thinking for them. D-topia’s AI feeds them, structures their daily routines, and even controls what they see using visual manipulation tech, all in the name of eliminating any form of discomfort, physical and emotional. Despite the apparent lack of struggle, confronting situations that challenge D-topia’s euphoria, such as deciding the fate of a citizen who harmlessly ate more than his allotted snacks or finding a cat whose existence violates the AI’s strict laws, adds a potentially sinister undertone I’m gradually trying to excavate. Chipping away at D-topia’s cheerful facade will hopefully yield fascinating truths about how the sausage is made in this Pleasantville-esque futuristic adventure.
Heave Ho 2
Charles Harte
There are a lot of privileges in this line of work, but reviewing Heave Ho 2 was one of my favorites so far, since it meant I got to spend the day on the couch playing games with my brother. Heave Ho 2 is perfect for that, with its silly physics and collaboration-focused gameplay. As heads with arms, each clasps the other's hand to form a long chain of limbs, clambering across eight worlds as hilarity ensues. I don't love every world (I'm looking at you, Chef's Orders), but it's a hard game to stay mad at, especially because you can play through the areas in any order. At just $10, it's also pretty cheap, and buying Heave Ho 2 during its launch week means you also get Heave Ho 1 for free, so it's a great time to jump in. For my full thoughts, check out my review.
Ascend To Zero
Wesley LeBlanc
You have 30 seconds before the world ends (again) in Ascend to Zero. A clock at the top of your screen in every run of this survivors-like roguelite will not let you forget that, either. Using a variety of avatars, you must enter the final corridors existing on the precipice of the world’s end and fight your way to its apocalyptic core. Your stats will grow with each run, using a variety of currencies, as will your arsenal of weapons, both melee and ranged, and the armor set and other game-changing equipment you bring into this dash to the end. While 30 seconds fly by, your unique time-stop ability pauses the clock, allowing you to inflict heavy damage on surrounding enemies when you’re ready for the seconds to start ticking by again, and using this move to defeat bosses and mobs is key to adding more time to the clock.
While it looks like an action game at first glance, because of its survivors-like combat, where you build upon an auto-attacking set of weapons while moving around to ensure they hit their targets, Ascend to Zero plays more like a management game – how you manage your time, the ways different chips and abilities affect the seconds you have left, and your combat levels, which are always on the rise as more and more difficult enemies await you in the next room, is the difference between success and the end of the world. It’s only $12 but is currently on sale on Steam for less than $10 and is well worth your time.
It's a hot one on The Game Informer Show this week, as Charles, Marcus, and Kyle gather to discuss the sheer smorgasbord of new games they've been playing to beat the summer heat. We lead off with the return of Castlevania from the makers of Dead Cells, as Charles has some impressions of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. From there, we've got Kyle's review of the blisteringly fast new indie that's been making waves, Denshattack!
After the break, we get into the co-op shenanigans of Heave Ho 2, and several puzzling mysteries in D-topia, The Incident at Galley House, and The Mermaid Mask. There's no shortage of new games to play, so if you're trying to stay inside and out of the heat, you've got plenty of options. Hear all about them on this week's episode!
The Game Informer Show is a weekly podcast covering the video game industry. Join us every Friday for chats about video game reviews, news, and exclusive reveals alongside Game Informer staff and special guests from around the industry. Support the show by subscribing to our physical video game magazine!
Watch or listen here: Listen to "Castlevania Returns With Belmont's Curse + Denshattack! Review" on Spreaker.Follow our hosts:Charles Harte (@chuckduck365)Marcus Stewart (@MarcusStewart7)Kyle Hilliard (@kylehilliard)Jump around using these timestamps:00:00 - Intro05:45 - Castlevania: Belmont's Curse33:20 - Denshattack!46:57 - The Incident At Galley House1:04:29 - Heave Ho 21:17:48 - D-topia1:37:41 - The Mermaid Mask
Magic: The Gathering is starting to look ahead to 2027. While a handful of sets remain to launch this year, Wizards of the Coast used its stage time at MagicCon Amsterdam today to announce all of its in-universe sets for the coming year, as well as some travel plans for an expanded MagicCon lineup.
2027 will see Magic split between its in-universe and crossover Universes Beyond sets again, with three sets apiece. They'll swap back and forth through the year, alternating releases, so no back-to-back UB sets in 2027. And while we didn't see what the crossovers are, the in-universe sets look pretty fascinating. First up is a little trip under the sea, to Nauctis.
Nauctis: The Sunken Realm - February 5, 2027Set in the new realm of Nauctis, this is Magic's take on an undersea plane where merfolk and other aquatic creatures will, obviously, prevail. It's not just a merfolk set, though, as we also got glimpses of diver suits and other interesting twists on the submerged zone.
Nauctis will kick off a new "multi-year" story arc for Magic: The Gathering, following Reality Fracture's big conclusion this year. And after going underwater, we'll be heading to a familiar plane; in fact, we'll be seeing two of them.
Kamigawa: Titanbreach - June 4, 2027An Omenpath lights up the skies in Kamigawa, and through it, a mass of Ikoria comes plummeting through. The monsters of Ikoria get thrown into a chaotic fight with the denizens of Kamigawa, which lends itself well to both giant robots and kaiju.
I'm personally very excited for this one, as a longtime fan of both giant monsters and giant mechs. Kamigawa: Titanbreach will ring in the summer in June of next year, and then in October, we'll get our last of the in-universe Magic sets: the return of a familiar locale.
Zhalfir - October 1, 2027The kingdom of Zhalfir returns as its own plane, though not without some interesting changes thanks to everything that's been going on since it phased out. The influence of both New Phyrexia and Mirrodin will also be seen here, so this one might be great for the Magic lore fans.
Wizards also confirmed the time-bending Teferi Akosa will make a return in the mind-bending, afrofantasy-inspired Zhalfir set. With that, here's the calendar for 2027:
Wizards of the Coast
More MagicConsWizards of the Coast also confirmed today that it'll be hosting four MagicCons in 2027. Here's the list:
MagicCon: Detroit - February 26-28, 2027MagicCon: Tokyo (Japan) - May 14-16, 2027MagicCon: Las Vegas - August 27-29, 2027MagicCon: Amsterdam - December 3-5, 2027And as a bonus for those who love the Mystery Booster boxes you can pick up at events or through the online Festival In A Box line, there's a new Mystery Booster set, focused on Commander. Wizards of the Coast says there will be some familiar cards mixed in with some new ones, which even include some wild new mechanics. Here's a brief glimpse:
Reality Fracture looms
And while the big news of today's panel focused on 2027, there were still some reveals to be had for the upcoming Reality Fracture set, which will be Magic's last in-universe set for the year. The running theme is neat twists on familiar cards and characters, thanks to Jace's multiverse meddling, and you can see that in different variations of cards like Titanbones and Enlightened Confidant. Here's the gallery of what was shown today:
GALLERY
Reality Fracture will also get some Secret Lair attention through the Secret Lair Bundle, a new twist on the Magic Gift Bundle that includes two Collector Boosters, six Play Boosters, a set of basic lands, and two of 10 Secret Lair Bundle promo cards, all of which are reimagined from the main set with unique artist takes. If Final Fantasy's Chocobo Track cards are anything to go by, those will be in high demand.
There's still a lot more Magic on the way, including three unannounced Universes Beyond crossovers. We're likely to hear more about those at MagicCon Atlanta later this year, but until then, there's plenty of in-universe Magic to speculate on, and possibly some travel plans for anyone trying to go to the expanded MagicCon lineup. There won't be any shortage of cardboard to sling in 2027.
In 2010, Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West developer Ninja Theory took on the tall task of rebooting Capcom's beloved Devil May Cry franchise. With Capcom encouraging the team to create a radically bold reinvention, Ninja Theory introduced fans to new versions of Dante, Vergil, and the series' lore in its 2013 action game DmC Devil May Cry.
Set in Limbo City, a metropolis secretly controlled by demons, the game serves as an origin story that sees a young Dante battling against the supernatural forces as they, and the city's architecture itself, try to stop him. The game's dramatic change in direction enraged some fans at the time, with much of that anger specifically aimed at its redesign of Dante, who sported jet-black hair instead of the character's signature white hair. Despite the pre-release negativity, DmC Devil May Cry garnered a largely positive reception from critics and fans, with some even hailing it as one of the series' best entries. How does it hold up 13 years later? Let's find out.
Join editors Marcus Stewart and Charles Harte as they revisit the often misunderstood, black-haired stepchild of the Devil May Cry franchise.
Stardew Valley is coming to Magic: The Gathering later this month with a limited Secret Lair drop, and we have our first look at the cards. Revealed during today's MagicCon: Amsterdam panel, Wizards of the Coast says these three Secret Lair x Stardew Valley drops are part of the Superdrop of the Moonlight Jellies and will highlight the many sides of life in the game, including farming, making friends, fighting through mines, and more.
This drop also introduces a brand new card for Magic: The Gathering called "Stardew Valley." It features art from Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe and is inspired by the game's "daily rituals of food, favors, and finding the right gift at the right time," according to a press release. The Life In Pelican Town drop "celebrates the familiar stops that make the valley feel alive." The Flicker In The Deep drop "heads below the cozy surface of the valley, where every glint in the dark could be treasure, trouble, or both," and the Welcome to Stardew Valley drop "captures the rhythm of starting fresh in the valley, where crops, friends, recipes, and wizard-related problems can all fit into the same day." The new "Stardew Valley" card is part of this set.
Here are the cards you can find in each set:
Welcome to Stardew Valley: Stardew Valley, Wedding Rings as "Mermaid's Pendant," Dawn's Truce as "Pierre's Truce," Swords to Plowshares, Rites of Flourishing, Kynaois and Tiro of Meletis as "The Welcoming Committee," Sol Ring, and Food TokenLife in Pelican Town: Crop Rotation, Fountainport as "Community Center," Homeward Path as "Pelican Town," Command Tower as "Tower of Rasmodius," and Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth as "Valley Farmstead." A Flicker in the Deep: Atsushi, Blazing Sky as "Royal Serpent," Miotic Slime as "Big Slime," Arcane Signet, Sword of Forge and Frontier as "Galaxy Sword," Treasure Vault, Ooze Token, and Treasure TokenCheck out the cards in the gallery below:
These limited-quantity Secret Lair drops will go on sale later this month, at 9 a.m. PT/Noon ET on July 27. The foil sets will run you $39.99, and the non-foil ones will cost $29.99.
Wizards of the Coast also revealed many other Secret Lair drops coming this year, as reported by games media freelancer Jason Fanelli, who was in attendance at the panel in Amsterdam. The drops are as follows:
Hatsune Miku (August 10)The Hobbit (August 17)Marvel (August 26)Lofi Girl (August 26)Gene Luen Yang (August 26)Ian Miller (August 26)Masters of the Universe (no date listed)While waiting for all these cards to drop, read Game Informer's Stardew Valley review, and then read Game Informer's Stardew Valley retrospective interview with ConcernedApe/Eric Barone for the game's 10th anniversary. After that, check out this story about why ConcernedApe has shown so little of its next game, Haunted Chocolatier.
Are you going to try to pick up any of these Secret Lair drops? Let us know which ones in the comments below!
Bethesda Game Studios has penned a lengthy studio letter on the developer’s project pipeline for the next several years. Among the updates are confirmation of multiple Fallout projects, including Fallout 5, and notes about The Elder Scrolls VI and Starfield.
Bethesda details the future of Fallout, confirming that Fallout 5 is currently in preproduction, saying it “remains our long-range destination.” This echoes a similar statement he made in 2022, when he said Fallout 5 would arrive after The Elder Scrolls VI, which will likely still be the case. The game is being developed using Creation Engine 3, Bethesda’s next-generation game engine that will also power The Elder Scrolls VI.
Additionally, multiple other Fallout projects are in the works. Bethesda confirms it is developing remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, the former of which was leaked in court documents back in 2023. There are no release windows for these remasters, however.
Fallout 76 will receive its next major expansion in 2027 called Raven Rock, a prequel story to Fallout 3. Fallout Shelter will receive new seasons while Bethesda teases the unscripted TV adaptation of the mobile game that's currently in development at Amazon. Bethesda also confirms there will be no Fallout Day broadcast this year because it is planning to celebrate the franchise’s 30th anniversary in 2027 with a live celebration in Washington, D.C.
In the last Fallout-related update, Bethesda confirmed it is working with Obsidian Entertainment on a new Fallout game, corroborating an earlier report that Obsidian had been mandated to pivot to this project, canceling an Avowed sequel in the process.
Bethesda’s next big project is The Elder Scrolls VI, a project it describes as “our primary development focus today, with the majority of our team currently working on the next chapter of the franchise.”
“The next chapter is on the way. We’re where we planned to be, loving how it looks, and playing it every day,” Bethesda writes.
Bethesda is also promoting closer collaborations between its teams. ZeniMax Online Studios, the team behind The Elder Scrolls Online, will also “partner closely” with Bethesda on the Elder Scrolls franchise in addition to making new updates for ESO. “By aligning more directly across the franchise, we can create even better experiences for players,” writes Bethesda.
As for Bethesda’s newest IP, Starfield, the team is not done with that universe. He states that Year 3 of the game will bring new stories, further gameplay improvements, and more as Bethesda prepares to launch new Starborn content in 2027.
Bethesda’s updates come in the wake of an ongoing massive restructuring of Xbox’s game division initiated by CEO Asha Sharma as a “reset” of the brand, which saw 1,600 employees laid off across its entire game division, with 1,600 more cuts to come over the next several months. Xbox also divested itself of five of its development studios, with Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax, losing its subsidiary, Arkane Studios. ZeniMax as a whole has reportedly been hit hard by the layoffs, with Bethesda Game Studios, id Software, and ZeniMax Online losing hundreds of staff members amid the restructuring. Another element of Asha Sharma's Xbox reset is an initiative to focus on Xbox's biggest franchises, which include Fallout and The Elder Scrolls.
We got our first look at Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson as Kratos and Atreus in Amazon Prime's God of War TV series adaptation back in February, and though the response to it was mixed at best, the studio's track record with other video game properties, like Fallout, kept us optimistic. The show has been significantly set back, however, due to a serious injury Hurst sustained on set, which led Amazon, reportedly, to recast the role of Kratos.
Deadline reports that Hurst, who gained 40 pounds of muscle in anticipation of this role, tore a bicep while performing a stunt on set in late June. He has since undergone surgery and is in recovery, and the TV set's production has been paused and remains on hiatus today. With Hurst likely needing four to six months to recover from this injury and unable to continue the strength training needed to keep up with the stature of his Kratos, Amazon has opted to recast the role rather than wait until probably 2027 to continue shooting with Hurst.
Before this injury, Deadline's sources report that Amazon and the crew had already shot four entire episodes.
The publication reports that following this recasting of the titular God of War, preparations are expected to begin in August, with production and shooting set to resume in October.
God of War has already received a two-season order, with both seasons expected to be shot back-to-back; that remains the plan, according to Deadline. In case you missed it, here's the rest of the announced cast:
Callum Vinson - AtreusEd Skrein - BaldurMax Parker - HeimdallÓlafur Darri Ólafsson - ThorMandy Patinkin - OdinAlastair Duncan - MimirDanny Woodburn - BrokJeff Gulka - SindriIn the meantime, read Game Informer's reviews for the 2018 God of War and its sequel, Ragnarök. Check out the extensive reveal trailer for the next game, God of War Laufey, after that. For more on Amazon Prime's video game adaptations, you can read our review of the second season of the Fallout show or see how Sophie Turner looks as Lara Croft.
Who do you think Amazon should cast as Kratos? Let us know in the comments below!
A few weeks ago, I traveled to Paris to play three hours of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, and while there, I had the chance to speak with some of the developers who worked on the game. The project is an indie developer's dream come true, since developer Evil Empire originally worked on Dead Cells, a game heavily inspired by Castlevania, and now it's getting a chance to make the first new Castlevania entry in years. I asked Konami producer Tsutomu Taniguchi, Evil Empire marketing director Bérenger Dupré, and Evil Empire creative director Emmanuel Nouaille how Evil Empire's initial pitch to Konami went. According to them, there wasn't one; Konami was the one that asked them, not the other way around.
Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
"They actually approach us with a DLC for Dead Cells," Taniguchi told us via a translator. "And it kind of [became] a little negotiation, because they pitched us DLC, and then we said, 'Well, you can do that, but can we create a new Castlevania game with you?' And so, it was our suggestion. And then we started collaborating and discussing and creating the game together, which is what made Castlevania: Belmont's Curse."
The Evil Empire developers supported this series of events. "It's actually a more tricky question than it sounds, because it's like there was no pitching stage, and it was more discussion," Dupré said. "We felt like we could be a good fit together to make this game, because we have this experience with 2D combat, and so we just discussed together. I think we didn't officially pitch it. It was more like a common brainstorm."
Nouaille added that the studios both went through with it because the Castlevania DLC was such a hit. "It was logical to discuss together to find the right project to continue to work," Nouaille said. He then adds, with a touch of sarcasm, "It was very difficult to refuse a proposition."
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania
From the information I gathered from past interviews with Evil Empire, this must have come as an even bigger shock than this duo lets on. In a 2022 interview about Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania (featured on page 16 of Game Informer issue 354, which you can read for free), Evil Empire co-founder Benjamin Laulan told me about how he approached Konami at BitSummit, a Japanese game conference, to ask them to create a retail version of Dead Cells in Japan. Laulan said, "I had this crazy idea that if we worked with Konami, maybe they would let us make an Alucard skin or a weapon that we could include in the game as a bonus for Japanese players." Konami was so receptive, Evil Empire decided to shoot for the moon and mocked up a whole Castlevania-themed expansion.
"[Konami] said yes, straight away, without even looking at the presentation," Laulan told me in 2022. "They said, 'Yeah, we've been waiting for you guys to ask us.' They were actually Dead Cells fans."
To extend the timeline of events to today, this means the simple request for Alucard's sword became a years-long collaboration, resulting in the first new Castlevania game in years. Pretty wild!
For more on Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, you can check exclusive art and our hands-on impressions in the next issue of Game Informer, which launches on Tuesday, July 21. To see what the developers had to say regarding generative AI in the game's development process, click here.
We were recently invited out to Paris, France to play three hours of Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, and while we were there, we got to speak to the development team about how the game was made. In addition to behind-the-scenes details on the relationship between developers Evil Empire and Konami (which you can read more about here), we specifically wanted to know whether the game was made with any generative AI tools and whether the developers had any hard stances about its use. In short, it sounds like neither studio used it.
In Paris, I was able to interview three developers at once: producer Tsutomu Taniguchi from Konami as well as Evil Empire marketing director Bérenger Dupré and Evil Empire creative director Emmanuel Nouaille. After asking whether developers on Castlevania: Belmont's Curse used AI, the question was translated for Taniguchi, who responded first.
"From Konami's point, you know, we haven't used AI. And we don't know what's going to happen next, but we don't really have a stance on it," Taniguchi told us through a translator.
Then, marketing director Dupré (who is French, for context) followed up with a joke, saying, "I must confess, I do use AI to correct my sentences in English." After some laughter from the room, Nouaille gave the most in-depth response.
"To answer the question of the game, no AI," Nouaille said. "It was very important to respect this direction for the team, for the fans, for the industry. For the moment, what is important is to have a real creation. To have our soul in the game. So, I don't have any problem with AI, but in our job, in this game, there is no AI."
We'll have more details about Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, including exclusive art and hands-on impressions from three hours of gameplay, in the next issue of Game Informer, which is set to launch Tuesday, July 21. Castlevania: Belmont's Curse comes to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch, and PC on October 15.
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:Updated Taxi Cabbed war paintFixed mip settings on the stickersFixed using the incorrect wear textureUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated koth_dryfieldFixed the teleporter prison exploitFixed the broken geometry of the RED hut near the pointAttempt to fix a flying RED roof spotted from afarFixed the watercooler facing the wallImproved access to the balcony section to make jumping easierAdded many missing player clip
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 missing sound for Taunt: Circuit BreakerRenamed "Northern Nights" Summer 2026 Unusual effect to "Polar Prism"Updated the Floral Growth Unusual effect to fix orientation/position problemsUpdated the Bald SpotterAdjusted vertex normals and diffuse on headAdjusted normals and specular on head mirrorReduced mesh size slightly toward the front and back of the headFixed some facial flexesReduced texture size of lensUpdated the Surgical ShroudFixed vertex normal issue on coatAdjusted Phongfresnelranges on mirror to improve envmap effectReduced texture size of mirrorUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated koth_dusker to globally improve lighting in outdoor areas for better team recognitionUpdated cp_premudaFixed conflicting files leading to crashesFixed several spawn room errorsAdjusted respawn-times to make capping easierAdjusted sound timings and volumeBrightened up dark spaces and tunnelsSmaller changes all around the map to improve game flowMiscellaneous visual and clipping bugs fixed
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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:Updated the Beachcomber's Brim to fix an incorrect materialUpdated Taunt: The Circuit BreakerFixed incorrect team color on propFixed orphaned particlesUpdated the Inglorious PatriotAdjusted the normal map and refined the colorsImproved the weighting on the bottom pocketsUpdated the backpack iconUpdated pl_redwoodFixed various lighting issues Zipline dismount jump speed now ramps up from 1.1x base class speed to 1.8x Decreased delay before a player can dismount a zipline by jumping from 0.6s to 0.25sDecreased delay before a player can dismount a zipline by crouching from 0.3s to 0.1sFixed players who dismount a zipline in mid-air not receiving mini-crits from the Direct Hit and Reserve ShooterFixed the B.A.S.E. Jumper's parachute deploying while using a ziplineUpdated koth_camp_saxtonVastly improved optimization. Further investigation is ongoing.Tweaked log-and-netting walls along the central shore for clearer definitionFixed several instances of minor prop clippingFixed players getting stuck on the wood-carved SaxtonsImproved clipping throughout
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:Updated the Beachcomber's Brim to add a second style that was originally missedUpdated the Northern Nights, Umbral Lights, and Solar Singed Unusual effects to fix a naming conflictUpdated the Blissful Butterflies and Wispful Wings Unusual effects to fix visibility issuesUpdated the Hard Hearing to fix truncated style namesUpdated backpack image for the Pyro's Overalls to fix the alpha channelUpdated the Sandwich Diner and Sideshow war paints to fix the alpha channelsUpdated the Team Union war paint to remove a few rogue pixels
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:Summer 2026!Featuring 6 new community maps: Dryfield, Camp Saxton, Shorelight, Redwood, Premuda, and MojaveAdded the Summer 2026 Cosmetic CaseContains 24 new community-contributed itemsHas a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus itemAdded 4 new community-contributed taunts to the Mann Co. StoreTaunt: The Circuit BreakerTaunt: Buffoon's BivouacTaunt: Faux-calizationTaunt: Friendly FireAdded 12 new community-created Unusual effects7 new effects for Unusual hats5 new effects for Unusual tauntsAdded the Summer 2026 War Paint CaseContains 10 new community-created War Paints that make-up the Summer 2026 CollectionHas a chance to give a taunt Unusualifier as a bonus itemAll cosmetic and taunt cases will grant Summer 2026 Unusual effects instead of their normal Unusual effects during the Summer event. This does not include crates.The Summer event runs through September 15th, 2026GeneralSecurity and stability improvementsFixed bad alpha channel for The Creature's Grin, Rocket Operator, The Bountiful Bow, The Alternative Medicine Mann, and The Candyman's Cap (community fix from Chickenman456)Fixed the "Neo Tokyo" warpaint on the BLU team not matching the RED team because the alpha channel was incorrect (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed bad alpha channel for the Pile of End of the Line Key Gifts' backpack icon (community fix from Grampa Swood)Fixed Stat Clock model attaching incorrectly on dropped weapons (community fix from rabscootle)Fixed Stat Clock values always displaying '0' on world models (community fix from rabscootle)Fixed intel carrier glow disappearing when Spy cloaks (community fix from shockpast)Fixed bad alpha channel for Voodoo Juju's backpack icon (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed Silver Botkiller Mk.I having cubemapping in the wrong area due to a VMT error (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed misspelling on cp_well's BLU rocket clamp texture (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed wrong paths in soundscript events for some taunts (community fix from robbilookatme)Fixed Spy control point response rules lines playing when disguised/invisible (community fix from Churkinator)Fixed weapon Unusual effects (community fix from Cipherlock and rune)Fixed particles being orphaned after deathFixed the Energy Orb Unusual effect desyncing from the weapon when the player moves too sharplyFixed effects flooding the screen when spectating a dead teammate in first person with an unusual weapon (community fix from RGBACatlord)Fixed missing coin effect for HOUWAR's second style (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed outdated description for the Splendid Screen (community fix from Grampa Swood)Trimmed delay at the start of the sound file for the Panic Attack's shooting soundFixed the Engineer not being able to move for a few seconds after using Taunt: Cheers!Updated cp_powerhouse to fix collision problem with crates on final control pointsUpdated cp_fortezzaReworked interior of shack building next to Point ARebalanced ammo packs around Point AImproved visuals across the mapMade rotation for shortcut path shorterUpdated koth_blowoutPrevent sentry guns from being built inside a prop under the stairs in the maintenance roomVisual changes to improve clarity and consistency
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 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 KeyValuesFixed Mk.II Botkiller eyes not glowing in the dark (community fix from Whurrhurr)Fixed Halloween spell attribute text being grayed out during full moons (community fix from FrozenDragon)Fixed attachments on dropped weapons having broken textures for certain war paints and skins (community fix from Piogre)Fixed automatic "Control Point Lost" lines not playing (community fix from robbilookatme)Fixed spacing issues for item descriptions (community fix from DiskIntegrity)Fixed many cases where Spy disguises were broken (community fix from Sean McGeehan)Fixed The Fancy Spellbook's large backpack icon not matching the small versionUpdated VScript to allow set damage for force calc (community fix from doclic)Updated the Snow Merc to count as an assister in the death noticeUpdated the prop for Taunt: Dead Mann's Drink to fix a problem with LODsUpdated the Die Regime-Panzerung to add a 'No Bullets' styleUpdated/Added some tournament medalsUpdated the Mann of the HourRestored missing rim maskMade shapekeys for a few problematic face flexesReplaced incorrect normal mapAltered hair mesh to ensure compatibility with Voodoo-Cursed Scout SoulUpdated backpack icon to represent above changesUpdated koth_demolitionFixed some lighting issues with the pipes next to the control pointReplaced some textures in the radio roomsAdded a clipbrush on the radio rooms to avoid players getting stuck when going in the air (thanks Big Wiggy)Reworked the nobuild on the crane platform to allow Engineers to build on the concrete area (thanks Uncle Dane)Fixed a leftover prop being inside a wallFixed a texture in the jumppad using the wrong cubemapMade the catwalk behind the office building a bit biggerAdded a clipbrush to the pipes on the furnace rooms so players can climb up to the barrelsUpdated plr_hacksaw and plr_hacksaw_eventRemoved attic balconies overlooking the capture zoneMoved a small pickup location into the atticFixed clipping errorsUpdated cp_process_finalFixed various collision issues across the mapMost of these involved changing existing collision from player_clip to bullet_block to prevent splash damage from getting caught on small pieces of level geometry Some of these involved closing off open areas where explosions could vanishSome of these involved making collision areas more clear by including new geometry to better indicate what would collide and what wouldn'tIncreased skybox height across the map to be consistent with other 5CP mapsChanged the small prop pipes at last to be nonsolid, but still block stickiesPlayers should be able to cleanly walk and jump along these pipes without getting stuckAdditionally, rockets and other explosions should collide cleanly through the pipes so they don't block splash damageStickies will adhere to the pipes as expected, rather than clipping through and being hidden by the pipe modelChanged the level geometry around the large pipes on the ground near the last control point. They are now enclosed in glass and have a layer of bullet block so that collision is correct.Increased the height of numerous doors across the entire map. Players should be able to jump normally through the door without hitting their heads. Removed some rocks near the angled ramp at 2nd and replaced them with cratesAdded angled player clipping underneath some of the large awnings at middle to prevent players from getting stuck under the awnings Made exterior fences more consistent with the bounding of the levelChanged some metal textures to better match the mirrored symmetry of the levelAdded some additional detail behind the starting spawn roomCleaned up the displacements in the middle and second to better handle splash damage, and reduced the amount of grass poking through concreteReplaced some small pipes at the 2nd spire to make a more consistent platformMade many existing light props nonsolid to prevent movement issuesMost were already nonsolid, but this should make most props consistentUpdated cp_metalworksFixed various collision issues across the mapMost of these involved changing existing collision from player_clip to bullet_block to prevent splash damage from getting caught on small pieces of level geometryChanged the level geometry at last to have more consistent collisionWhile there are small gaps and holes in the windows/doors of the new bunker and the stack of wood/chickenwire, they are covered with bullet block to prevent collision issuesChanged the way shadows work on certain walls throughout the map to prevent shadows leaking throughRedesigned the second forward spawn for both teams. The spawn has now moved back and into a larger hut structure in the yard before the second control point. Increased the door size of the first forward spawnThe various small door brushes throughout the map have been turned into func_brushes and have had collision turned off so they don't catch splashMade adjustments to the truck ramp at middle. The ramp is now a displacement, which should catch splash damage correctly and allow player to walk up to the wall cleanly. Changed the collision around the very tall light poles throughout the map. Players should no longer get caught on them while in midair (but they still can't land on top of them). Fixed a section of displacement where players could get stuck in the groundSlight visual tweaks throughout the level
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 client crash related to material proxiesFixed Scout.NegativeVocalization04 sounds in Mann vs. Machine not playing because of a typo in the volume (community fix from That Hat Guy)Fixed The Spy-cicle not using its icicle lightwarp (community fix from BreavyTF2)Updated material for cp_coldfront to fix compression issueUpdated the prop for Taunt: Heartbreaker to fix a missing materialUpdated koth_demolitionFixed a player clip on the helipad allowing players to stand outside the playable area (thanks Midnite)Fixed some player clip pixel walks on some doorsFixed a blockbullets floating above BLU spawn (thanks True_Boredom)