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THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS: ORIGIN TO LAUNCH “HALF-ANNIVERSARY UPDATE” ON AUGUST 26, INTRODUCING NEW HERO BAN

New Hero Ban Completes the Full Lineup of The Seven Deadly Sins, Alongside New Story Content and Half-Anniversary Events

LOS ANGELESAUGUST 25, 2026 – Netmarble, a leading developer and publisher of high-quality games, announced that its anime open-world RPG The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin will launch its Half-Anniversary update on August 26. Players will experience the new hero Ban, new main story content, limited-time celebration events, and more. 

Ban, the final member of “The Seven Deadly Sins” to join The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, will arrive through the update. Known as the Fox Sin of Greed, Ban is a fan-favorite character recognized for his immortal body, exceptional physical abilities, and bold personality. In The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, he appears as a versatile hero who can be used across various team compositions, fighting with Nunchaku, Greatsword, and Gauntlet. 

With Ban’s arrival, all seven members of “The Seven Deadly Sins” – Meliodas, Diane, Ban, King, Gowther, Merlin, and Escanor – will be available in The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin, which marks a major milestone for fans of the original series. Ahead of the update, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin also released Ban’s Character PV and Voice Actor Special Video that are both available to view on the game’s official YouTube channel.

The main story will continue with Act 16, featuring new content set in Ravens, a lawless city filled with crime and thieves. Players can also look forward to the new weekly content “Labyrinth,” where they can use a variety of heroes regardless of their growth level, as well as the equipment growth system “Transcendence” and the new boss Indura Monspeet in the newly added [Transcendence] difficulty. The game recently added the new quest “Memory of Dimensions” on August 12 that recreates the first encounter from the opening episode of the original anime and manga.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin released several recent updates to improve accessibility for new and returning players. After completing the tutorial, players will be guaranteed to obtain the popular hero SSR Meliodas from their first summon. Players who have already completed the tutorial will be able to obtain SSR Meliodas immediately after logging in.

 The “Half-Anniversary Festival“ will also be held to celebrate the game’s anniversary. Through the “Spin, Orb of Greed” event, a total of 500 million Star Fragments will be distributed during the event period. Players can earn event currency by completing given missions and use it to participate in the event for a chance to obtain up to 30,000 Star Fragments at once.

The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin will also introduce its first “Half-Anniversary Poll Event.” From August 26 to September 2, players can vote on a special page for three heroes among those who have appeared through Pick Up Draws since launch. Players can also “snatch” one additional vote for one of their selected heroes that allows them to cast a total of four votes. The top three heroes with the most votes will appear in the “Half-Anniversary Festival Poll” lineup during the Part 2 update on September 16.

Additional Half-Anniversary events will begin on August 26. ”A Small Gift from The Seven Deadly Sins” will allow players to receive rewards by speaking with NPCs from “The Seven Deadly Sins” each day, while the “Half-Anniversary Reward Selection Check-In Event” will offer rewards such as Hero Pick Up Draw Tickets, Regular Hero Draw Tickets, and Brilliant Engraving Seal. More details about the update and events can be found on the official website. 

Based on the hit Japanese manga and anime IP The Seven Deadly Sins, which has sold over 55 million copies globally, The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin lets players explore Britannia in a vast open world. It features tag-based combat, combination skills, and customizable teams using diverse characters and weapons. Multiplayer elements include forming parties for exploration or teaming up to defeat bosses.

ⒸNakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of the Commandments Project,MBS. All Rights Reserved.
ⒸNakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Dragon’s Judgement Production Committee, TX 
ⒸNakaba Suzuki, KODANSHA/The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse Production Committee.
©2026, “PlayStation”, “PS5” are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc.
ⒸNetmarble Corp. & Netmarble F&C Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Netmarble Corporation

Founded in Korea in 2000, Netmarble Corporation is a leading global game developer and publisher. Through acclaimed franchises and strategic partnerships with top-tier IP holders, the company delivers innovative and engaging gaming experiences to audiences worldwide. As a parent company of Kabam, SpinX Games, Jam City, and a major shareholder of HYBE and NCSOFT, Netmarble’s diverse portfolio includes Solo Leveling:ARISE, Seven Knights Re:BIRTH, RAVEN2, MARVEL Future Fight, and The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross. More information can be found at http://company.netmarble.com.

Skillprint Flow Launches to Turn Gameplay into Human-Performance Data for AI, Creating a New Revenue Stream for Game Studios

New platform turns gameplay into AI-ready behavioral data while running passively in the background, provides real-time player intelligence, and shares revenue 50/50 with game studios.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – August 25, 2026 – Skillprint today launched Skillprint Flow, an API and toolset that gives game studios a new revenue stream from gameplay they already generate. Flow analyzes non-identifying gameplay data and transforms it into structured human-performance data that helps data partners understand how real people think, learn, adapt, and make decisions, with the goal of building AI that can better understand and augment human capability. Skillprint works with AI labs and other organizations seeking human behavioral data and shares 50% of the resulting data revenue with participating game studios.

The Flow platform runs in the background without introducing new ads or content and gives game studios real-time intelligence into how players experience their games. Beyond revenue, Flow gives developers new signals into player cognition, mood, personality, and flow state. Studios can use this intelligence to understand where players are highly engaged, frustrated, or losing interest and, through Adaptive Play, define how elements such as difficulty and pacing respond in real time.

“Game studios generate valuable human-performance data every time someone plays their games, but today they capture very little of its potential value,” said Chethan Ramachandran, co-founder and CEO of Skillprint. “Skillprint Flow gives studios a way to participate in the growing market for human behavioral data while accessing a new non-ad revenue stream from their gameplay, while also gaining intelligence they can use to better understand and adapt the player experience. We believe this creates a better model where AI gets smarter, studios share in the value, and the underlying data ultimately helps us build AI that works better with people.”

Data that captures and measures how real people think, feel and decide is scarce and increasingly valuable because it can’t be simply scraped from the web or synthesized. Game studios generate these human-performance signals every day but historically have captured none of their value. Flow changes that by transforming gameplay into measurable human-performance intelligence in real-time and at scale.

Skillprint provides this enriched dataset along with a toolkit to its Flow partners at no cost, including a real-time dashboard; a player Flow Score, a per-player, per-session read on flow state that shows exactly where players drop off; and Adaptive Play, which tunes difficulty and pacing in real time to keep players in the flow zone, challenged but not frustrated, engaged but not bored. This intelligence isn’t just a dashboard; studios can act on it inside the game itself.

Skillprint Flow is built on more than 800 game-based cognitive studies, over 500,000 player sessions and over 1,000 games. It maps more than 150 game mechanics to mood, personality, and cognition, and captures 1,200 data points per session, measuring 14 cognitive skills, 9 moods, 5 personality traits, and 3 flow states. The same underlying human-performance intelligence also powers Skillprint Signal, the company recently launched a benchmark for measuring how effectively AI models improve human outcomes. Signal uses that intelligence to evaluate AI; Flow enables game studios to generate it at scale.

Together, Signal and Flow reflect Skillprint’s broader thesis that the next phase of AI should focus not only on making models more capable, but on improving how humans and AI perform together.

Skillprint Flow is designed as a lightweight integration for Unity, Unreal, JavaScript, and HTML5 games, with minimal engineering required. Skillprint Flow is available now to game studio partners at docs.skillprint.co.

About Skillprint
Skillprint is a human-performance intelligence company using gameplay to understand and enhance how people think, feel and perform. Since 2020, Skillprint has combined cognitive science, game mechanics and AI to translate real gameplay into measurable human-performance signals. Skillprint’s mission is to help build a future where AI augments human capability. Learn more at skillprint.co.

Watch the debut trailer for FMV dating sim The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker 

Navigate five relationships as an exchange student posing as a wealthy heir

Los Angeles, California – August 25th, 2026 – Interactive Films has officially revealed FMV dating sim The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker, the sequel to The Fame Game: Welcome to Hollywood, with an all new trailer. Returning to the glamor and chaos of tinseltown, The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker introduces an all-new protagonist as he finds himself in over his head after fibbing about his past.

In The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker, players assume the role of He Shuhanm, an international student posing as a wealthy heir. As a newcomer to Hollywood, you must navigate relationships with five vastly different potential lovers. Each potential romance comes with its own risks as you protect your secrets, and decide who you can trust. Your choices shape your journey and ultimately determine whether you find true love, or find yourself heartbroken in Hollywood.

Hundreds of choices create branching relationship paths and outcomes. Can you keep your cover story from being debunked, or will you reveal the truth? Each choice you make will  send the story in a completely different direction.

The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker will double as a vertical drama on Salty TV and an FMV dating sim. Filmed on location in Los Angeles, The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker already received a lot of interest with more than 200,000 players voting on the casting of its leading ladies.

For more information on The Fame Game II: LA Heartbreaker: Steam

About Interactive Films LLC 
Interactive Films (IF), a film and media subsidiary of Snail, Inc., was founded with the goal of reaching new video audiences, engaging enthusiastic viewers, and telling stories across various formats. IF is also the catalyst behind SaltyTV, a specialized film application designed to produce and showcase compelling short-form vertical content. The SaltyTV app is available for download from the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store.

https://interactive-films.com/ 

About Snail Games USA
Snail Games is a leading global developer and publisher, known for delivering innovative, immersive gaming experiences across a range of genres and platforms. With a legacy of technological innovation and a focus on community engagement, Snail Games is shaping the future of interactive entertainment. snail.com

AREA 35 BRINGS TINY METAL 2 TO GAMESCOM, OPENS GLOBAL ONLINE MULTIPLAYER PLAYTEST 

Strategy fans worldwide can now join an online competitive and co-op playtest, while Gamescom attendees can go hands-on with TINY METAL 2 and PROJECT BLITZ

COLOGNE, GERMANY, Aug. 25, 2026 – Developer AREA 35, Inc. is bringing full theater battles to Gamescom, where attendees will have the opportunity to go hands-on with the anticipated tactical strategy warfare game TINY METAL 2 at Hall 10, Booth #C-70-D-071. For fans who cannot make it to Cologne, yet still want a chance to play the biggest TINY METAL game ever made, the fight is coming to them. 

AREA 35 today announced that players around the world can now join the next TINY METAL 2 playtest, a limited-time online multiplayer-focused test built around both competitive and cooperative play, available now through September 13, 2026 EDT. Participants who complete one online match will also earn an exclusive Player Icon and Player Icon Background reward to carry into the full release of TINY METAL 2 on Steam.

JOIN THE TINY METAL 2 PLAYTEST

Built around online multiplayer, the playtest lets commanders face off in Free for All or team up in Co-op across 10 multiplayer maps designed for battles of varying sizes, including large-scale scenarios that support up to 8 commanders.

“Gamescom gives us an incredible opportunity to put TINY METAL 2 directly into players’ hands, but we want the battlefield to extend far beyond Cologne,” said Hiroaki Yura, CEO of AREA 35 Inc. “This playtest is an important step for us because online competition and cooperation are major parts of what we are building. We are excited to have players around the world jump in, challenge each other, fight together and help us make the experience even stronger.” 

The playtest will feature flexible, lobby-based online multiplayer, giving players the freedom to battle alongside or against friends, other participants and CPU-controlled commanders. 

Participants will also experience the latest round of refinements to TINY METAL 2, with improvements across battlefield readability, pacing, audio and visual feedback, balance, and Commander abilities, all designed to make battles clearer, smoother and more satisfying.

TINY METAL 2 TAKES THE WAR TO LAND, SEA AND AIR 
The latest entry in AREA 35’s tactical warfare series is the most ambitious yet. TINY METAL 2 expands the grid-based strategy formula with battles spanning land, sea and air on the same battlefield, including naval warfare for the first time in series history. 

Commanders will lead combined forces that include familiar land and air units, as well as battleships, submarines, transport vessels and other naval units. TINY METAL 2 also expands the series with a roster of more than 15 playable commanders, a large collection of Campaign and Skirmish maps, and new tactical systems designed around playing both together and against other commanders. 

The game’s presentation is also taking a major step forward, featuring music by award-winning composer Go Shiina and performances by the Sydney-based Eminence Symphony Orchestra.

ALSO PLAYABLE AT GAMESCOM: PROJECT BLITZ 
Alongside TINY METAL 2, attendees visiting AREA 35’s booth can also experience PROJECT BLITZ, a fast-paced arcade party game set in the TINY METAL universe. 

Designed for quick, social play, PROJECT BLITZ features short, objective-driven battles where changing objectives, environmental hazards and power-ups can quickly shift the momentum of a match. Easy to jump into but built around tactical decision-making, the game is designed to create lively, unpredictable battles with friends. 

AREA 35 is using Gamescom as an opportunity to put the project in front of players, see how they respond and gather feedback that will help inform its future role in the TINY METAL universe.

About TINY METAL 2 
TINY METAL 2 is in development by AREA 35, Inc. and will be published by AREA 34, Inc. when it releases in spring 2027 on PC via Steam and other platforms. The title is currently available to Wishlist on Steam. 

For more game information, visit the official TINY METAL 2 website.

About AREA 35 
AREA 35, Inc. is a Tokyo-based game and entertainment development studio specializing in Unreal Engine. The company develops, publishes and expands original IP across entertainment, including the TINY METAL series, while also providing development and production services to major publishers and partners worldwide. Its capabilities span contract game development, rapid prototyping and vertical slices, look development and optimization, Unreal Engine consulting, concept art, localization and real-time film production. Beyond entertainment, AREA 35 applies its game-development and Unreal Engine expertise to digital transformation projects and custom applications for major companies. 

To learn more about AREA 35, visit the official company website.

Hack-And-Slash RPG Dungeons Arise Closed Beta Test Begins This September

Android users get their first look at the voxel art fantasy game next month

Seongnam, South KoreaAugust 25, 2026 | Publisher Kakao Games and developer Tiny Fun Games are excited to announce the first closed beta test for their mobile hack-and-slash RPG, Dungeons Arise. Android players in the United States of America and Taiwan can sign up to the closed beta test, which will take place this September, via the Google Play Store.

In addition to accessible one-handed combat, Dungeons Arise offers players the chance to explore mysterious dungeons in a beautiful, voxel art fantasy world. Dungeons Arise also promises a variety of unique heroes that can be added to a player’s team on their journey, a gameplay system where players can rebuild this ruined kingdom using collected resources, and the ability to match up against other players in a competitive mode.

Players can join the Dungeons Arise Discord server for more information on the upcoming closed beta test.

The Dungeons Arise closed beta test is exclusive to Android users in the United States and Taiwan, and will take place next month.

About Kakao Games

Kakao Games (Co CEOs Taehwan Kim and Siwoo Lee) is a game company specializing in both publishing and development across a wide range of genres, from casual to hardcore titles on PC and mobile. Since its KOSDAQ listing in September 2020, Kakao Games has successfully developed and launched popular titles such as Odin: Valhalla Rising, Uma Musume Pretty Derby, Eversoul, Guardian Tales, and PUBG: Battlegrounds, with multiple global releases on the horizon. Kakao Games remains committed to expanding its portfolio and exploring new opportunities in the evolving gaming landscape.

About Tiny Fun Games 

Tiny Fun Games was founded in May 2024 by industry veterans with experience in game development and publishing at major game companies in Korea. Drawing on their extensive experience in developing and launching a wide range of games, the company aims to create innovative, high-quality titles for players around the world. Tiny Fun Games is currently developing Dungeons Arise, a strategy adventure RPG

FARMING SIMULATOR 25 CELEBRATES 5 MILLION COPIES SOLD & INTRODUCES BANANAS AHEAD OF GAMESCOM

New Milestone reached: 5 Million Virtual Farmers

Since launch on November 12th, 2024, Farming Simulator 25 has sold 5 million copies worldwide. Publisher and developer GIANTS Software announces it has reached this milestone just ahead of the world’s largest consumer video game expo, gamescom. Visitors can celebrate with the makers of Farming Simulator by enjoying interactive stage shows and a hands-on premiere.

“Wow! It’s remarkable to see so many new farmers joining our community”, says Boris Stefan, CSO and Head of Publishing at GIANTS Software. “We’re incredibly proud of how quickly it continues to grow, and grateful for the enthusiasm from our fans and newfound farmers. Beans & Alpacas is already falling on fertile ground, and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone cultivate the red soils of South America when the expansion arrives.”

Announced: Bananas are Coming with Beans & Alpacas

With bananas, Farming Simulator 25 introduces a brand-new dedicated cultivation system: Virtual farmers take care of banana plantations after creating the layout, including setting up a railing system, defining rail counts and directions, and placing the washing stations for processing.

Adding new gameplay depth, Beans & Alpacas also introduces fungicides, which require farmers to spray bananas with fungicides when plant disease occurs. Bananas can be harvested manually with a machete, then hung on the rails to be washed and processed into pallets. Harvesting can be automated by hired workers. On Catuaí, the new map coming with Beans & Alpacas allows bananas to be planted and harvested year-round.

First Hands-on at gamescom, Hall 6

GIANTS Software attends gamescom in Cologne, Germany, from August 26-30. Located in Hall 6, the publisher and developer will present a broad playable line-up spanning Farming Simulator 25: Beans & Alpacas, Farming Simulator: Signature Edition on Nintendo Switch™ 2, Farming Simulator 26 for mobile devices, and Project Motor Racing.

Gamers can expect thrilling Bale Race competitions, giveaways (including the ever-popular straw hats), presentations with more info about Beans & Alpacas, and more. GIANTS Software will welcome partners, media representatives, and other industry contacts at its dedicated business booth B42 in Hall 4.2.

Farming Simulator 25 is available for PC, Mac, PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S. Beans and Alpacas will be available on October 27th as a separate expansion or an edition including the base game. Pre-orders are available on selected channels. The Beans and Alpacas Expansion is included in the Year 2 Season Pass, too, with savings of up to 30% compared to purchasing the content separately. GIANTS Software will also continue to release free content updates and user-generated content on the official ModHub. Visit the official Farming Simulator website

# # # 

About GIANTS Software
GIANTS Software is a globally operating game developer and publisher headquartered in Zürich, Switzerland. Established in 2004, the company is known for creating the popular Farming Simulator franchise. With international teams, including offices in Erlangen (Germany) and Brno (Czech Republic), GIANTS Software develops and publishes simulation experiences worldwide. Beyond Farming Simulator, it is strengthening its position in the genre with Project Motor Racing and a global network of partners and industry ties. For more information, visit the GIANTS Software website.

About Farming Simulator
With more than 40 million copies of the main series sold worldwide since 2008, the Farming Simulator franchise is leading in its genre. Available on all major platforms, the series features hundreds of authentic machines from renowned brands and offers compelling agricultural simulation with relaxing, family-friendly gameplay. It’s based on the powerful GIANTS Engine – built in-house to provide realistic physics, high-fidelity graphics, dynamic systems and extensive modding support. Visit farming-simulator.com for more information.

© 2026 Published and developed by GIANTS Software GmbH. Farming Simulator, GIANTS Software and its logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of GIANTS Software GmbH. All manufacturers, vehicles, machines, equipment, names, brands, and associated imagery featured in this game in some cases include trademarks and/or copyrighted materials of their respective owners. The vehicles, machines, and equipment in this game may be different from the actual ones in shapes, colors, and performance. © 2026 Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC. “PlayStation“, “PS5“ and “PS5 logo“ are registered trademarks or trademarks of Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. Mac is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Nintendo Switch is a trademark of Nintendo. All other names, trademarks and logos are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.

EA SPORTS FC ICONS: FOOTBALL’S LATEST LEGENDS JOIN THE CLASS OF ’27

EA SPORTS FC™ celebrates the Class of ’27, honouring a new generation of ICONs and the defining moments that made them

EA SPORTS FC™ proudly welcomes the Class of ’27 ICONs to EA SPORTS FC™ 27 and the lineup of men’s ICONs to EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile, celebrating football legends through the defining moments that transformed remarkable careers into iconic legacies. Spanning generations, this new class honours players whose unforgettable performances and achievements captivated fans and earned their place among football’s immortals.

Among the new Class of ’27 are Sergio Agüero, Christine Sinclair and Pepe, each taking their place among football’s ICONs in EA SPORTS FC. They are joined by Lúcio and Yaya Touré, whose celebrated careers are now recognised with ICON status following their time as Heroes.

“To be named an EA SPORTS FC ICON means a great deal to me,” said Pepe. “I always played with intensity, passion, and complete commitment every time I stepped onto the pitch. Looking back on that journey, it’s a proud moment to see my career become part of FC’s ICON legacy.”

“To be the first Canadian named an EA SPORTS FC ICON is an incredible honour,” said Christine Sinclair. “Winning Canada’s first major international title was something we had worked toward for so long, and seeing what it meant for women’s soccer back home made us incredibly proud. To have that moment become part of my ICON story, and hopefully inspire the next generation, means a lot.”

Cemented in history, ICONs are reborn in EA SPORTS FC™. Experience unrivalled authenticity as some of football’s greatest-ever players line up alongside modern-day superstars in EA SPORTS FC™ 27, with 21,000+ players across 800+ clubs and national teams, 140 stadiums, and 35+ leagues.

Players who pre-order EA SPORTS FC™ 27 Ultimate Edition or Ultimate Plus Edition by August 31 can get one of the 18 new Class of ’27 ICONs or returning legends* for their Football Ultimate Team™ with an untradeable 85+ OVR International ICON Player Pack.

From last-minute winners to trailblazing transfers, discover the Class of ’27 and the moments that made them ICONs.

THE CLASS OF ‘27 AND RETURNING EA SPORTS FC™ ICONS

Class of ‘27 ICONs

  • Formiga (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)
  • Hege Riise (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)
  • Yūki Nagasato (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)
  • Raphaël Varane
  • Sergio Agüero
  • Tobin Heath (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)
  • Pepe
  • Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
  • Ellen White (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)
  • Christine Sinclair (EA SPORTS FC™ 27 only)

Returning ICONs

  • Zinedine Zidane
  • Ruud Gullit
  • Fernando Torres
  • Gianluca Zambrotta
  • Lúcio (former EA SPORTS FC Hero)
  • Andrea Pirlo
  • Yaya Touré (former EA SPORTS FC Hero)
  • Bastian Schweinsteiger

The football community can join the conversation across FC social channels and on the EA SPORTS FC™ Discord, celebrating the achievements of this year’s ICON roster and sharing their own nostalgic memories of football’s greatest players.

ICONS AVAILABLE IN EA SPORTS FC™ MOBILE TODAY

The Class of ’27 arrives in EA SPORTS FC™ Mobile today, with the roster of new men’s football ICONs available through in-game Challenges. Players can experience defining moments from legendary careers across four PvE matches inspired by iconic matchups, earning a special version of each ICON.

PRE-ORDER EA SPORTS FC™ 27 TODAY

Pre-orders are now available for EA SPORTS FC™ 27, which will launch on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2. EA SPORTS FC™ 27 will be available worldwide to play on September 25, 2026 with Ultimate Edition and Ultimate Plus Edition early access beginning September 18, 2026.

For more information on EA SPORTS FC™ 27, please visit ea.com/fc27 and ensure you’re following our global social channels for all the latest upcoming news and announcements for EA SPORTS FC™.

*The probability of obtaining each ICON in the pool of 18 varies. See https://go.ea.com/fc-27-icons-hub for more information, when available. Conditions & restrictions apply. See ea.com/games/ea-sports-fc/fc-27/game-disclaimers for details.

Sanitarium Enhanced Bringing Improved, Yet Terrifying Psychological Horror Adventure to Consoles for the Very First Time 

Ziggurat Interactive also reveals new name, gameplay for C64™ game collection, Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond 

Denver, CO. (August 24, 2026) – Modern retro publisher Ziggurat Interactive has announced that psychological horror title Sanitarium™ Enhanced is coming to PC (Steam, GOG), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch consoles. Meanwhile, Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond, a collection of Cosmi’s C64™ classics, has received a new name and new details ahead of release on PC (Steam, GOG), Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5. Both trailers were revealed during the inaugural Pixel Arcadia showcase.

Watch the Sanitarium™ Enhanced announcement trailer:

Return to the asylum and try to remember your past all over again in Sanitarium™ Enhanced, a modernised and improved version of DreamForge Intertainment’s award-winning cult horror classic from 1998. In this point-and-click adventure, available for the first time on consoles, you awaken as an amnesiac in a decaying asylum. Escape from your cell and into a genuinely terrifying world featuring villages of deformed children and other grotesque and mutated inmates as you figure out how you got there.

This updated version of the game adds modern features to the visually striking title, including full controller support for consoles and Steam Deck, never-before-seen bonus material, widescreen presentation, and other quality-of-life improvements.

Sanitarium™ Enhanced will be released on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Nintendo Switch consoles. 

Watch the Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond re-reveal trailer:

Heading even further into the past is Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond, which brings together iconic titles Cosmi Corporation’s C64™ game catalogue. Going all the way back to 1983, the collection includes everything from pick-up-and-play shooters and platformers to adventure and simulation games with surprising depth. 

Sharpshooters will love Forbidden Forest’s action, with this package including a medieval-styled remake of the original game, so that you can live that bardcore life, as well as digital comic book stories, box art, and bonus material so you can go behind the scenes, too. Forbidden Forest and Beyond the Forbidden Forest are joined in the collection by Aztec Challenge, Caverns of Khafka, Seal, Delta Man, Chomp!, Chernobyl: Nuclear Power Plant Simulation, Spite & Malice, and Navcom 6: The Persian Gulf Defense.

Cosmi: Forbidden Forest & Beyond will be released on Windows PC via Steam and GOG, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.

About Ziggurat Interactive

Since its founding in 2019, Ziggurat has published over 130 titles, from retro classics to all-new IP franchises. With games currently available across all major PC and console platforms, Ziggurat reaches a wide variety of gamers across all ages, genres and playstyles.

To learn more, visit their official website at https://www.ziggurat.games/.

© 2026 Ziggurat Interactive, Inc. SANITARIUM is a trademark of Ziggurat Interactive, Inc. in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
© 2024-2026 Ziggurat Interactive, Inc. COSMI VALUSOFT and FORBIDDEN FOREST are trademarks or registered trademarks in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.

C64 is a trademark owned by Amiga Corporation throughout the world and registered in the United Kingdom.

Social Deduction Meets Soulslike Combat in Among Shadows, Launching into Early Access 24 Sept.

Ward off a centuries-past cataclysm with up to 10 players in debut Steam demo starting today

HANGZHOU, China – Aug. 24, 2026 –Among Shadows, the asymmetric PvP social deduction game set during an ancient apocalyptic infection from TMXN Games, cleanses the corrupted land on PC via Steam on Friday, 24 September, 2026. Check out the debut demo now through Monday, 31 August.

Plague and chaos ravage a once-prosperous country, turning the lands into a blighted living hell. Trace the infection to its source and halt its spread as a faithful Envoy of the Order of the Secret Fire. 

Engage in fast-paced action combat as one of ten distinct Envoys, each wielding specialized techniques. Master the blade as Samurai, cast devastating lightning bolts as Wind Talker, or unleash holy strikes as heavy-armored Paladin.

Stay ever-vigilant, as Apostles from the Underworld hide among the group, plotting to sabotage the mission. Devious creatures flood the realm once the Blood Moon rises, forcing the Envoys to defend the Lord and his citizens. Slaughter hordes of rotting undead while avoiding deadly traps set by scheming Apostles attempting to assassinate the Lord and claim bloody victory. 

Investigate with a keen eye: infection can emerge anywhere, from an inconspicuous village well to a forbidden cult gathering. Collaborate with fellow Envoys to cleanse each source of infection. 

Scavenge materials and collect scrolls across the map to forge lethal weapons and unlock advanced spells. Return to the church each night to call a Judgment, comparing notes over voice chat to root out traitors before they strike at the worst possible moment.

Among Shadows blends heart-pounding soulslike combat with social deduction elements rooted in a corrupted fantasy world,” said Wuji Wei, Producer, TMXN Games. “Envoys and Apostles around the world can join the demo today for an early glimpse of the full experience before the game enters Early Access on Friday, 24 Sept.”

Among Shadows will be available for $10.99 on PC via Steam Early Access, including language support for English, Korean, Japanese, Simplified and Traditional Chinese. For more information, follow the team on X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, join the community on Discord, and search #AmongShadows on social media.

About TMXN Games

Founded in 2022, TMXN Games was formed by a group of experienced creators who share the same creative vision. The studio takes pride in their flexible work culture, resulting in a more efficient workflow than traditional larger studios. They are hard at work on their debut soulslike social deduction game Among Shadows. 

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition Review

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition

Developer: Aspyr Media
Publisher: Aspyr Media
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Switch, PC, Xbox Series X (Reviewed)
Release Date: Available Now
Price: $19.99 USD – Available Here

Overview

There was once a time when literally every movie was given a video game of some kind. Many of these ranged from being only a few hours long and downright disastrous to being shining gems that were the outliers of the movie game genre, and many of those happened to be those tied to The Lord of the Rings. J.R.R. Tolkien’s books and Peter Jackson’s film trilogy created a wealth of material that thrived on early console generations but beyond direct movie adaptations other games were developed years later and a few of these happened to slip under the radar. One such game was The Lord of the Rings: War in the North which tells a side-story of a small group of heroes setting out on an adventure of their own, one meant to help pave the way for the Fellowship’s movements. So now that the game has been released slightly enhanced by Aspyr Media as The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition, is it worth diving into all these years later?

Story

The game begins partway through the first film, in the small village of Bree where the ragged town is suffering under heavy rain and a few travelers are hunkered at The Prancing Pony inn. Here, the trio of heroes, Eradan the Dunedain Ranger, Andriel the elven battlemage, and Farin the dwarven warrior, are meeting with Aragorn having heard of a vital update and mission. Aragorn informs the three that the Black Riders have been sighted nearby and have torn through the forces of men stationed in a nearby outpost in search of someone and that someone will soon be on their way to Bree in search for safe passage. 

As such, Aragorn cannot investigate himself and tasks the three to venture out to Fornost, a large area of ruins to the north where the forces of Sauron are meant to be gathering under the command of a twisted former human warrior that is now corrupted by the dark lord’s influence into being his “right hand man,” Agandaur and eliminate them, or at the very least serve as a distraction to bring the majority of the forces away from where Aragorn plans on traveling. As such, the trio begins their adventure to chase after Agandaur, leading them on a separate mission that crosses paths more than a few times with familiar faces all in an effort to help ensure that the Fellowship can make their way forward.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North tells the same untouched story as it did back in 2011 and this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sure, it is a bit bare-bones when it comes to depth as none of the three characters that players can play as in their party have much backstory, but the core storyline is strong and fits in perfectly with Tolkien’s lore and the setting of Middle-Earth it is meant to take place in. With this combination fans of The Lord of the Rings will find themselves overjoyed to see cameos of their favorite characters or stopping by signature locations to fight in or simply visit while passing through. There are even little dialogue trees players can have with NPCs throughout the various villages, some of which update as players progress through the game and revisit later on.

There are many minor side-quests here and there that players can undertake in villages and peaceful locations but none of these are complicated. Some provide some extra world building but most tend to focus on simply giving players something extra to do and give the world a more lived in feeling than sending the trio from battlefield to battlefield. That being said, there are some major side-quests as well that focus entirely on how well players are paying attention at times and secrets they uncover along the way, these side-quests spanning across multiple locations and being quite in-depth for the type of game that The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is.

Gameplay

At its core The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is an action RPG through and through, but not like a modern one that tries to muddy the formula with various other elements or try to add in a stamina meter or respawning enemies and the like, just a classic hack and slash game brought fifteen years into the future. New to this version of the game is the fact that players can swap between the three members of their party at will rather than selecting only one member of the trio to fight as at any given time. Thankfully, regardless of who the player is playing as, the AI will take control of the other two and fights admirably enough and uses their skills effectively, though they won’t use potions if players supply them. Should the player or a member of the party be downed, they can be revived by simply going over and holding A for long enough to bring them back to their feet, though failure to do so will result in a game over and return to the latest checkpoint.

The combat itself is fairly straightforward as mentioned before. Every character mostly controls the same way with a collection of light and heavy melee attacks and different ways they can be chained together into combos as well as their own version of a ranged attack with the ranger utilizing arrows, the dwarf bolts, and the elf an infinite but needing to regenerate supply of magical blasts. Regardless of who players are controlling, players can lay into enemies and, if they are really laying it on thick, can send an enemy into a critical state where they can be executed with a flourish and boost of XP. This will trigger a “Hero Mode” where the player will deal increased damage, chain together hits for more XP, and trigger executions even faster. The trio all share XP though there will always be some variation depending on which characters level up first and grow a bit stronger.

Each of the three characters have their own unique set of skills that they can learn, some passive, some active that require mana to utilize that will regenerate while dealing damage to enemies or using a potion. Some, like the Ranger’s, allow for stealth attacks and brutal finishing blows or long-range use of arrow tricks while the dwarf is a tankier force with many skills drawing aggro and buffing his allies. The elf on the other hand serves a dual role that can see her healing the team while protecting them from projectiles while also unleashing arcane arts of her own. This essentially breaks the team down into a dps, tank, and healer, but it is more complex than that thankfully. There is also a slew of armor and weaponry players can find and purchase to strengthen their party though some of it will have certain level and stat requirements such as strong weapons requiring a certain Strength level.

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North is fairly rote when it comes to standard level progression as, outside of the occasional secret tucked off slightly in a corner, players will be moving from battle arena to arena and taking on enemies until they vanish, occasionally calling in an attack from the giant eagle they befriend early on if they have some magical feathers available. That is far from a bad thing but it also means that progress is straightforward without much random branching or variation. One nice note is that the title supports both online and local co-op, meaning up to three players can play together at the same time without any issue, each taking the role of one of the heroes.

It is interesting to note that while we didn’t experience any bugs with our time in the game per se, we did experience multiple instances where massive quantities of items spawned in a random location either inside of a town, floating in the air in a level, or half-embedded in the ground. These items ranged from everything to the bonus weapons provided with the game’s launch to massive quantities of healing potions, eagle feathers, and other boons. This was obviously an unintentional glitch but not something that broke the game by any means.

Audio & Visuals

It isn’t much of a stretch to say that The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition was simply given a quick pass-over to bring the game up to 4K standards with a solid frame rate that makes it far better than the original but this is not a fresh coat of paint here. Plenty of the janky animations and movements remain here and there and while it is nice to see armor and weapons change as players equip them, the actual character models leave a lot to be desired, especially in conversations. Literally every character model, including the giant eagle, Aragorn, Gandolf, and others, will likely enter a default facial expression after they are done saying their lines in a conversation, eyes half-open and mouth slackjaw, which is rather amusing looking on a massive eagle but an issue nonetheless. Thankfully the enemy executions and dismemberment are nice and brutal still.

The voice work throughout the game is fitting with the cast sounding like they are a perfect match for the setting, though it is worth noting that obviously the team did not acquire the original actors to reprise their roles here in the game but the replacements sound similar enough. The background music is also fitting for a game set in Middle-Earth, though it is a bit too similar in some combat stages.

Overall

The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition dropped out of the shadows as quickly as it vanished into them back in 2011 only this time this janky action game has the time to be appreciated for what it is. A classic somewhat dated action game without the random frills worked into modern games at a discount price. With a new journey to venture on with familiar faces and locations along the way that many may have never seen before, The Lord of the Rings: War in the North – Legacy Edition is a satisfying action game even with its issues.

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