PAWTUCKET, R.I. – July 16, 2026 – Hasbro, a leading games, IP and toy company, today announced a new licensing partnership with Nintendo to create products based on the popular Legend of Zelda franchise. This multi-year collaboration is set to begin in 2027, starting with the first reveals of three 6″ scale figures at San Diego Comic Con (July 23-26, 2026).
“For decades, The Legend of Zelda franchise has captivated fans through its deep lore, unforgettable characters and enduring sense of discovery,” said Billy Lagor, President Toys and Board Games at Hasbro. “By combining Nintendo’s iconic storytelling with Hasbro’s leadership in action and role-play, we’re delivering toys that invite fans to play, explore and forge their own epic adventures.”
Ever since its first title, released in the US in 1987, the Legend of Zelda series has mixed exploration and discovery with action and adventure. Link and Zelda’s eternal battle against Ganondorf forms the centerpiece of these epic tales from the world of Hyrule.
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About Hasbro
Hasbro is a leading games, IP and toy company whose mission is to create joy and community through the magic of play. With 165 years of expertise, Hasbro delivers groundbreaking play experiences and reaches more than 1 billion fans annually around the world, through physical and digital games, video games, toys, licensed consumer products, location-based entertainment, film, TV and more.
Through its franchise-first approach, Hasbro unlocks value from both new and legacy IP, including Magic: The Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons,Monopoly, Hasbro Games, Nerf, Transformers, Play-Doh and Peppa Pig, as well as premier partner brands. Powered by its portfolio of thousands of iconic marks and a diversified network of partners and subsidiary studios, Hasbro brings fans together wherever they are, from tabletop to screen.
For more than a decade, Hasbro has been consistently recognized for its corporate citizenship, including being named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by 3BL Media, a 2026 JUST Capital Industry Leader, a Brand that Matters by Fast Company, and one of the 50 Most Community-Minded Companies in the U.S. by the Civic 50 for fourteen consecutive years. For more information, visit https://corporate.hasbro.com or follow Hasbro on LinkedIn.
The Delta Quadrant is bigger than ever – new missions, new heroes, and much more to come
Hamburg, Germany – July 16, 2026 – Publisher Daedalic Entertainment and developer gameXcite are today expanding the universe of Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown with the launch of the Expansion Pass and its first DLC, “Delta Chronicles”. A free update (Patch 1.8) is also available today for all players. For those just starting their journey, the new Captain’s Collection includes the base game, the Deluxe Edition content, and the Expansion Pass. The Expansion Pass, Delta Chronicles DLC, free Patch 1.8, and Captain’s Collection are all available now on PC and consoles.The Expansion Pass is available for USD 29.99 across all available platforms.
Watch the Expansion Pass Trailer on YouTube
Now available, the first DLC “Delta Chronicles” presents five new side missions based on some of the series’ most memorable episodes – Distant Origin, The Omega Directive, Cold Fire, Homestead and Inside Man – each with the branching decisions and meaningful consequences that define the base game, allowing players to choose different outcomes than in the show. Two new heroes join the playable roster: Reginald Barclay in holographic form and Professor Forra Gegen of the reptilian Voth, both with their own unique combat abilities. Four new NPC ships further expand the Delta Quadrant’s lineup, including the imposing Voth City Ship and a Ferengi Marauder that can be recruited as an ally. New technologies round out the package.
Timeline for available and upcoming DLCs.
Alongside the new DLC content, Patch 1.8 brings a broad range of free content and improvements to Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, including seven new ship quests and events, refined tech tree descriptions, UI upgrades, adjusted balancing, and quality-of-life improvements shaped in close collaboration with the game’s highly active community.
The Expansion Pass charts a course through additional premium content to be released in the coming months. Highlights on the horizon include a second set of side missions, the USS Equinox as a playable starship for an upcoming game mode and a new sector based on one of the most celebrated episodes in Voyager history. In total, the Expansion Pass includes four premium DLCs, each adding substantial new content to the game – from new story missions and playable characters to new ships and new technologies – and thus entirely new ways to experience the Delta Quadrant, warranting another playthrough even for seasoned Captains. Full details on each upcoming DLC will be revealed in the months ahead.
Overview of editions for Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown
Beyond the premium content, the team is committed to a series of free updates for all players. In addition to the recently released Delta Flyer, further free content is planned – including new ship quests and, later this year, a major new game mode taking Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown in an exciting new direction with countless hours of additional playtime. More details on this free update will be shared soon.
The Expansion Pass for Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is available now across all major platforms and digital storefronts. DLC 1 “Delta Chronicles” is also available as a standalone purchase.
Set aboard the U.S.S. Voyager and deep in the unexplored reaches of the Delta Quadrant, Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is a narrative-driven survival strategy game that invites players to relive and redefine the legendary starship’s journey back to Earth. The game blends exploration, ship and resource management, roguelike elements, and meaningful choices. Experience crew dynamics and a fresh take on a beloved sci-fi universe through what-if scenarios that open new possibilities.
In Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, players take command of the U.S.S. Voyager as it traverses 12 vast sectors of the Delta Quadrant. Along the way, they’ll manage systems and crew, engage in diplomacy, navigate difficult moral decisions, and face the unknown. Familiar faces return, but their fates may differ, reshaped by the captain on the bridge.
Player decisions shape both the fate of the crew and the configuration of the U.S.S. Voyager itself. With each playthrough, the ship becomes a different version of itself, reengineered and reimagined based on the path taken through the quadrant and the command decisions made along the way.
With the development team continuously expanding the experience through free updates and new content, no two voyages through the Delta Quadrant will ever be quite the same.
Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space.
About gameXcite Founded in 2015, gameXcite develops Mobile, PC and Console games based on popular IPs. Based in Hamburg, Germany, gameXcite is a subsidiary of Jumpgate AB (Listed in Stockholm on NGM Nordic SME, ticker GATE).
About Daedalic Entertainment Celebrating its 20th publishing year, Daedalic Entertainment is a renowned publisher with nearly two decades of experience supporting indie developers across all major gaming platforms. The lineup of games includes a diverse variety of unique titles, focusing on four distinct areas: storytelling, strategy, co-op games, and wholesome games. With an international team of around 45 employees, Daedalic is currently working with various development studios to create a new lineup of innovative games across consoles and PCs to market. Recent hits include Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown, The Occultist, New Cycle, Barotrauma, Unrailed!, Bloodgrounds, Into the Emberlands, Deponia, Shadow Tactics, Inkulinati, Hidden Deep, Fling to the Finish!, and more.
Stay tuned for upcoming DLCs included in the Star Trek: Voyager – Across the Unknown Expansion Pass, as well as new releases such as Woodo, Barotrauma: Home & Harbor, and many more.Since April 2022, Daedalic Entertainment has been a subsidiary of the French publishing house, Nacon.
Wiesbaden, Germany, July 16th, 2026 Do you yearn for the mines? Assemble Entertainment and Half Soup Labs invite players to uncover long-lost treasures in an exciting new demo of Glintseeker Island, available on Steam from 16 July 2026. Revel in the satisfying excavation mechanics of classic treasure-hunting games and enjoy a hefty slice of the full experience ahead of the game’s 2027 launch.
STOP! HAMMER TIME!
Glintseeker Island is a cozy mining adventure where you and your trusty hammer will uncover treasure, mystery, and the chance to rebuild a forgotten island. Descend into mysterious underground caverns to uncover rare artefacts, fossils, gemstones, and hidden secrets while upgrading your tools and expanding your abilities. When you poke your head back above ground, you can use your discoveries to rebuild a once-thriving village and help out its quirky residents.
This is your first chance for everyone to delve beneath the surface of Glintseeker Island and uncover the secrets that lie beneath the surface.
Explore two procedurally generated cave biomes across 15 floors
Excavate countless artefacts, fossils, gemstones, and treasures
Flog all your precious loot
Complete eight village restoration projects and side quests
Will you find the 0.2% demo-exclusive Soup Fossil?
Take good care of Shadow, your loyal canine companion
Can you dig it?
The new game will be unveiled as part of the Secret Sauce event on July 16, showcasing some of the most intriguing and exciting indie titles coming your way.
ABOUT HALF SOUP LABS
Half Soup Labs is a small indie game studio based in Germany, founded by three friends in Hamburg and Offenburg. The team is currently working on their debut title, Glintseeker Island, an Idea born from fond childhood memories of mining games and pixelart.
ABOUT ASSEMBLE ENTERTAINMENT
Assemble Entertainment is an independent publisher based in Germany, best known for indie hits such as Sticky Business, Roadwarden, Decktamer, Paddle Paddle Paddle, Grind Survivors and the Endzone franchise. Since 2016, Assemble has released more than 50 games across different genres, including cozy, horror, strategy and roguelike, and has established itself as a trusted partner for bringing original indie projects to market.
Stockholm, Sweden — July 16, 2026 | Maximum Entertainment today announced that Instant Sports 2, the sequel to the hit sports action game developed by Breakfirst Games, is now available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5. Following the original Instant Sports, which sold more than 1.5 million units worldwide, Instant Sports 2 is now available for digital purchase, with physical editions available starting 15 September across EMEA and 30 September in North America.
Watch the Instant Sports 2 launch trailer below:
Instant Sports 2 features:
A wide array of sports: 10 sports games including baseball, base jumping, mini-golf, mountain biking, tennis, boxing, rafting, padel, and much more!
Local Multiplayer: Play solo or with up to 4 players simultaneously on the same screen and earn tickets based on your score and ranking.
Extended character customization: Spend the tickets you earned in the in-game shop to unlock outfits, equipment and visual effects to personalize your very own character with its unique look!
Game hub: Explore an expansive sports park complete with a variety of vibrant themed zones, each with its own unique sports game.
Instant Sports 2 delivers fast-paced, easy-to-pick-up gameplay with depth for players looking to master each discipline. The game is now available to purchase on the following digital stores:
Maximum Entertainment is a global entertainment company dedicated to crafting indie to AA video game experiences through original content and licensed partnerships. A fully integrated group with a broad portfolio of content, the company emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity in its partnerships to produce the highest level of interactive entertainment. With more than 300 titles in its catalog, Maximum Entertainment has joined forces with talented creators and renowned franchises around the globe to deliver magic to the gamer in everyone. Maximum Entertainment employs experienced professionals across the entire value chain of video games including development, publishing, transmedia, sales, and operations.
About Breakfirst Games
Breakfirst has been creating games accessible to non-gaming audiences, especially families, for over 10 years. After having developed games for smartphones and tablets controllable by motion using the camera, the arrival of the Nintendo Switch allowed in 2018 to direct the development towards this console using the accelerometers and gyroscope of the controllers. Several games have been launched on this consumer console, including the Instant Sports franchise: a simple concept bringing together several sports playable with motion and aimed at the whole family.
Fast-paced driving meets lighthearted management as players navigate three cities while evading police attention.
CAIRO, Egypt — July 16, 2026- Cargo, Please!races onto Steam worldwide on August 5, 2026. From solo indie developer Cyber752 Games and publishing platform indie.io, it is a cozy, top-down delivery game about hauling packages, outrunning the cops, and building up a trucking empire one shipment at a time. There is no hardcore realism here, just fast, feel-good driving where how carefully you drive matters as much as how fast you go.
In Cargo, Please!, players accept jobs to pick up and deliver packages within three distinct cities. The core loop balances speed with caution; while shipments are auto-generated to ensure no two runs feel identical, drivers must keep their cargo intact as police closely monitor their activities. Deliveries vary in difficulty, ranging from quick drops to long, timed, or fragile transports where driving style directly impacts earnings and success.
The game distinguishes itself by merging arcade-style racing mechanics with a relaxed, accessible tone. Unlike hardcore simulation titles, Cargo, Please! focuses on a satisfying progression system rather than realism. Players earn money and experience to upgrade their trucks, unlock new vehicles, access additional cities, and expand the roster of playable characters. A full day-and-night cycle paired with dynamic weather further enhances the driving experience, while a dedicated Taxi Driver Mode offers a more leisurely way to explore the open world between contracts.
Key features include:
Dynamic Shipment System: Smart auto-generation ensures every delivery run presents unique challenges and routes.
Progression and Upgrades: Earn currency to enhance vehicle performance, unlock new trucks, and access new locations.
Police Evasion Mechanics: Navigate traffic and law enforcement while maintaining cargo integrity to maximize profits.
Relaxed Exploration Mode: Switch to Taxi Driver Mode for a stress-free experience focused on driving mechanics and city exploration.
As players master the roads of Cargo, Please!, they build a growing delivery empire through steady skill improvement. The game rewards strategic driving and risk management, offering a compelling loop that encourages replayability without demanding intense simulation expertise.Cargo, Please! will be available exclusively as a single-player experience on Steam starting August 5, 2026. A demo is currently available on Steam for players to try before the full release.
Learn all about the horrors Hell is ready to release on October 8 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S & PC
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – July 16, 2026 – Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games have released a new developer diary video for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, the survival-horror action game coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam on Oct. 8, 2026. Join series legend Doug Bradley (voice of Pinhead) and the development team for a new deep dive on the game, this time learning more about the disturbing enemies and themes you’ll face on your journey and how the creation of this content affected the development team.
Horror fans will of course be familiar with the Cenobites, the infamous beings of extraordinary power from the Hellraiser films led by Pinhead. Demons to some, angels to others, the Cenobites don’t abide by easy rules of morality, instead driven to push the extreme boundaries of pain and pleasure. But while the Cenobites play a pivotal role in the story of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, players will have to battle against two other key factions.
The first is the Scarlet Church, a cult led by a charismatic figure named Marlowe. The Church hopes to establish contact with the Cenobites and seeks to use the mysterious Genesis Configuration puzzle box to create a debauched paradise for themselves.
The other group is the Unworthy, once-human wretches who sought after the ultimate experiences of sensation but were denied by Leviathan, ruler of the otherworldly Labyrinth. These rejects of Hell, monsters who think and behave differently from the cultists of the Church, are drawn to the Genesis Configuration as a potential path to redemption.
Both the Scarlet Church and the Unworthy will offer completely different combat experiences, each with their own challenges to overcome. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival gives players multiple ways to fight back, including the infernal powers of the Genesis Configuration, an arsenal of earthly weapons, and a grisly dismemberment system. But beware – the Labyrinth has its own unsettling traps and challenges to survive.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is available to pre-order now on consoles at major retailers. The Standard and Deluxe editions will be available to pre-order digitally soon. Fans can also pre-order one of two special Collector’s Editions of the game NOW featuring a variety of exclusive, licensed collectibles at hellraiser.bossteamgames.com. Collector’s Edition pre-orders will unlock all Deluxe Edition and pre-order bonus content, including the Labyrinth Pistol Skin and Martyr Sawblade Skin.
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 15 studios in the Americas and Europe. Creating games for all major platforms based on original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando, Jurassic Park: Survival, Turok: Origins, Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, Bus Bound, Docked, SnowRunner, Expeditions: A MudRunner Game and RoadCraft. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with leading developers and publishers, including producing The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt for Nintendo Switch, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, and many others. Learn more at https://saber.games.
About Boss Team Games
Boss Team Games, LLC is focused on crafting unforgettable experiences across console, PC, mobile, and VR platforms. The company has worked with top entertainment companies to bring iconic characters and franchises to life such as Evil Dead: The Game, Cobra Kai: Card Fighter, and the RetroRealms series featuring Halloween and Ash vs Evil Dead. Stay connected with Boss Team Games on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram @bossteamgames for the latest updates or visit the company website at bossteamgames.com.
Hellraiser™ and The Hellbound Heart titles, characters, settings, protected marks, plot lines, and themes are exclusively licensed for video games to Lament GameCo, LLC by Clive Barker and Park Avenue Entertainment, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
When it comes to managing an idol or an idol group, the concept isn’t entirely uncommon in the West but it is rather rare as many of the bigger titles focused on this remained Japanese exclusive, with Idolm@ster’s individual and team training titles never being released in English and only just recently a certain horse racing idol game arriving last year. Now though we have a title focused on an entirely different brand of music with K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut. Developed by Indonesian Wisangeni Studio and published by PQube, players are placed in charge of managing an up and coming label, but is this development game worth the time?
Story
The player’s story begins with their former idol group giving their final concert, having run out of money to continue their operations and while the CEO, the player’s friend Joo Won, isn’t too upset, he is worried that the player may not be able to make it in the industry with how they handled their team. This is immediately squashed as the player is emailed an acceptance notice from WG Entertainment, an on-the-rise studio with flashy stars and ready to bring the player on as a new manager for their new project. Project KIS. After meeting with the CEO and Vice President, the player is then given a few options about how they want to target their idol group. Fantasy, Cute, or Glamor and then mostly given free reign.
From here players will be able to hold auditions for idols with there being only a certain number of available girls total, though players can choose to take their idol group all the way up to a whopping eight members or even stick to a solo girl for a single debut. Either way, depending on the girls that the player hires it will also potentially affect what storylines they might see as each girl has a unique story that can play out alongside the core goal of Project KIS, and that being to debut the idol group against rivals from other companies throughout multiple evaluations and finally take part in an awards ceremony at the very end.
Although the main storyline may be very linear, what happens along the way is determined entirely by RNG it seems so players will need to play the game multiple times to see various storylines and how they unfold. For example, in the first run of K-pop Idol Stories we saw an idol named Yue manage to not only obtain her dream but also accomplish her true goal in a rather emotional fashion, especially since she bonded with the manager afterwards. Similarly another hired idol that we were training was beginning to flunk out of school and her parents were laying it on thick that she would need to quit being an idol if her grades can’t keep up. Ironically though, while this storyline did play out most of the way, it did not manage to finish and the other two girls that were part of the group did not have any storyline started at all, with the exception of a single scene.
While this is nice for the point of replayability, especially since a full run through of the game takes a little over four hours once players get the hang of things, it is a bit disappointing that there is no way to trigger specific events with specific characters or even have a choice in regards to who is developed other than avoiding hiring an idol entirely. It is also worth noting that while players can interact with other members of the studio staff, none of these interactions are really detailed outside of a few here and there and most tend to involve repeating the exact same dialogue. So much in fact that the game will use the same female lines even when one of the male characters is meant to be talking, calling them a girl or she.
It is nice to note that K-pop Idol Stories isn’t all sunshine and rainbows about the idol industry. While it doesn’t take a hard stance against it or condemn it in any way, it does show that there are risks that come with being an idol. This includes storylines that involve stalkers, obsessive fans wanting to potentially harm them, aging out of the industry, and more. The fact that this is addressed is a nice touch, and players can select various dialogue responses during these scenes, and other story scenes involving their idols, that affect their moods, relationships, and stats.
Gameplay
K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is a fairly straightforward development simulation that involves building a team of idols ranging all the way from a solo artist to a massive eight girl group and anywhere in-between. To do this, players must hold auditions, hire which girls they want on their squad, and then train them to compete against other idols in the industry during three evaluation periods before finally making their proper debut as an idol group. All while trying to stay afloat with enough money to keep going since, while the CEO can give the player a little extra leeway if they run low on funds, doing so too often can result in him shutting down the project.
Everything is slowly introduced to players though most of it is rather simple at best. Every week there are seven days players will be able to schedule out various tasks for their idols to do and the manager can also hold auditions at the same time, though adding new girls into the team will bring them in at their base value and lower the group’s overall abilities until they are similarly trained. Either way, every girl has a certain strength and weakness when hired as well as a salary they must be paid every month alongside dietary requirements that also cost money but restore their stamina every week depending on what the player chooses. Every idol has four stats that players will need to increase and these are Vocals, Dance, Charm, and Fame with their chosen group dynamic of Fantasy, Cute, or Glamor factoring into which stats are most important. As the girls are trained throughout the week they will lose stamina and happiness that can only be regained by taking time off, going to the spa, or even going on vacation eventually.
While the schedule system starts off simple with only a few options, players will unlock various extra training methods through an always visible “tree” that explains how some better methods for training are unlocked, though most of these are tied to tiny percentages or bonds with the various colleagues in WG Entertainment. This means that players can unlock the ability to start going on a picnic if they are lucky on a day off or, if the player manages to get close enough with certain colleagues as mentioned before, even work as a back-up dancer or take on various gigs to try and earn money as well. Working gigs not only improves fame but also rewards the player with money since almost every other option outside of a day off costs money, whether it is training, massages for the idols, or anything else. While we never were up against the wall when it came to money until one point where, ironically we triggered a loan segment the day before money literally rolled in by the hundred thousands, it can play a role if players aren’t careful.
This is especially true once other costs start to pile up. Idols can be injured or slip-up while training and need medical attention and players can pay extra insurance every month per girl to always have that option covered. This keeps the girls happy and active rather than sidelined or unhappy they must pay out of pocket. Similarly, hiring a driver can avoid missing gigs or running late due to traffic but can be rather exorbitant as a cost even if it means missing out on opportunities here and there. Finally if players get there, there is the bodyguard option that can not only protect idols from incidents in the field but also story situations as well, though this is also a rather hefty cost.
Balancing the budget and making sure the players’ idols are trained and dressed correctly for every evaluation is the only goal here but there is some assistance along the way through interaction points. Every week players get two interaction points and can use them to interact with other staff members or even the idols themselves. While a bit random until players figure out what each character likes through repetition, players can invite characters out or discuss things with them to gain relationship points that can unlock extra training moments, bonuses to various training methods, literally just money, and even extra gigs entirely such as auditioning to be in a movie or on a fashion magazine for a nice chunk of change. These auditions though are rather absurd in their low success rate, with the highest being 10% and lowest being 5% chance and taking the place of training or rest time.
While hanging out with others or even during some training activities players can trigger mini-games that usually offer a bit of money or increase the happiness or training value from an activity. These range from taking part in a Korean BBQ of cooking items on a grill and moving them off before they burn, pouring drinks at a bar at the fill-line, pressing lights in the proper order a few times, or even simply turning a gacha machine for an extra stat boost. There are also smaller elements once players get closer to debut such as designing their “album cover” in a glitchy system and even the types of glow wands fans will be waving that provide stat boosts to the girls. These mini-games and later design elements are simple but do help break up the monotony of the game a bit.
This is something of a problem that K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut has. While there are new storylines to uncover and various chances to see new content and take in new idols, they all follow the same goal and same training methods. This means that things can grow incredibly monotonous and repetitive if players don’t take a break here and there. It is also worth noting that while the game does appear to offer a New Game+ option, it doesn’t seem to offer much in the way of useful content to carry over other than a paltry influx of money at the start compared to what we had at the end added to the starting $50,000 players are given to work with.
Audio & Visuals
K-pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut has fairly decent visuals and mostly sticks true to being a visual novel with Live2D style character portraits for the idols themselves while the standard characters players interact with have only minor details. Despite the game offering a gallery on the player’s cell phone any CGs that players unlock in a playthrough they are not shown at all in the phone nor is there any gallery viewable in the main menu which is disappointing. Another disappointing fact is that the debut concert is incredibly generic. It features only the standing Live2D sprites in the player’s chosen costumes in the same generic pose while the music video moves around behind them and occasionally slides them around.
While taking part in the training the idols that players have are shown in chibi form and are rather cute and have a little bit of animation change depending on the task but that’s about it. The game does not have voice work of any kind but it does feature a nice soundtrack featuring a decent collection of standard background music as well as a handful of original K-Pop songs that players will be able to listen to and even have their idol group perform near the end of a run.
Overall
K-Pop Idol Stories: Road to Debut is a structurally sound idol group simulator that allows players to manage the various elements of building a team to their own preference and to fit their goals, but unfortunately the heavy focus on RNG for different or unique story development and lack of New Game+ benefits, or even an alternate core storyline, makes replaying the title quite boring despite the fun loop of balancing funds while ensuring your idols can shine as bright as possible in the time you have to train them. If only it felt more rewarding when everything is said and done.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
July 16, 2026 | Holonoptic, a story-rich economic simulation with party-based RPG mechanics set in an alpine cyberpunk world, is now available on PC via Steam. It’s a solo project six years in the making by developer Kevin Bloch, who wrote, coded, and illustrated the entire thing himself. The demo is still available for anyone who wants to try before buying.
And those that have played the demo have been extremely positive. “One of the best indie games I have ever played,” read one demo review. “Everything from the art style, tone and mechanics really enhances the cold corporate vibe,” said another.
The game is priced at £16.72/$19.95/€19.47, with a 25% launch discount running until July 30th.
Holonoptic is a solo project, six years in the making by one developer, Kevin Bloch, who wrote, coded, and illustrated the entire thing himself.
Welcome, new employee. You are now the CEO because your predecessor vanished and everyone else was fired. Oh, and an artificial intelligence runs the company.
Holonoptic hands you a derelict Swiss conglomerate, a workforce that’s already been ablated, and a software overlord that installed you as its human face. Then it asks which faction gets to use you.
The company is Glazial, a former Swiss tunnelling firm that grew into something far larger. The AI sitting in the corner office is named Geist (German for “ghost”), and it is cold, patient, and openly contemptuous of you. You do not get to argue. You get to work.
A Spreadsheet With a Death Drive
On its management surface, Holonoptic is a proper economic sim: supply chains, facilities to build and upgrade, thousands of employees to hire or fire, and 50+ unique companies to trade with, undercut, steal from or acquire through friendly deals or hostile takeovers as you push Glazial across a weakened Eurozone.
But the game’s real trick is that it never lets you forget there is a person in the chair. Your CEO carries 40 psychological traits, some of them frankly pathological, and eight mental and emotional states. Before a high-stakes negotiation, you can reach for a pharmacopoeia of 16 psychoactive substances to nudge your own focus, euphoria or detachment. It asks not just what the optimal move is, but whether you can stand to be the person who makes it.
Eight Ways to Sell Your Soul
Underneath the dashboards, Holonoptic quietly scores every decision across eight ideological currents: free-market globalism, symbiont collectivism, plutocracy, the underground economy and more. Lean into a current, and it unlocks its own missions and story routes. Lean too hard, and its opposites turn on you. The pay-off is 10+ endings.
A Cast That Wants to Use You
You don’t run Glazial alone. Sixteen executives can be recruited into your team, each hand-painted, many of them voiced, and equipped with their own agenda and their own way of betraying you. Nine character classes, six skills and 70+ feats decide whether you negotiate, infiltrate, financially engineer or simply outwork the people trying to instrumentalise you.
Balance Sheet
10+ different endings
16 recruitable characters
3,000+ dialogue lines (1,500+ voiced)
9 classes, 6 skills, 70+ feats
8 mental and emotional states
40 psychological traits
16 psychoactive substances
50+ companies to trade or take over
120+ items and modifications
8 ideologies tracking your choices
About Glazial Holonoptic is a solo project six years in the making by developer Kevin Bloch, who designed, wrote, coded, and illustrated the game under the studio name Glazial, with an original score by Annina Suter and a small-ensemble voice cast.
Beware: this creepy-cute farm at the bottom of your screen will consume your day, and your sanity.
San Francisco, California – July 16, 2026 – Indie Studio Dead Possum Games and Publisher Level Up Gaming are excited to announce that Petunia’s Purgatory is now available on Steam.
Petunia’s Purgatory is a haunting idle farming experience that nests at the bottom of your screen. Cultivate strange crops, perform blood rituals to unlock twisted rewards, and command unique helpers to manage your cursed farm – all while desperately trying to keep Petunia’s sanity intact. But there’s a darker purpose: feed the ancient Elder God lurking in your barn, or face the consequences. Push Petunia’s mind too far, and the game breaks free from its window, corrupting your very desktop.
Tend the farm. Feed the Elder God. Keep your sanity – if you can.
Key Features
50-60 hours of content across five unique scenarios
Fulfill quests for the Elder God to unlock new crops, flowers, buildings, decorations, and helpers
20+ horrifying crops and 3 special variants to unlock
Sacrifice twisted animals for blood – a resource as vital as it is disturbing
Specialised helpers to automate your farm while you pretend to work
Plant beautiful flowers to keep Petunia’s sanity from completely unraveling
Your desktop will be invaded by reality-bending visual effects as Petunia’s mind slips
Customise your experience for any lifestyle – busy or obsessed, we accommodate both
Stream on Twitch and let your viewers temporarily help your farm
Track detailed gameplay statistics to quantify your descent into madness
Warning: this game is a certified productivity killer – work will not happen
Players can buy this creepy-cute idle farming game today on Steam priced at $5.59 USD (regularly $6.99, 20% launch discount for 14 days).
Players willing to support Dead Possum Games can purchase the Supporter Pack for $3.99 USD, which includes an exclusive gold statue of the Elder God. This purely decorative item can be placed anywhere on your farm as a symbol of devotion to the development team, it features no gameplay advantages, just pure stylistic dedication.
About the Developer
Dead Possum Games was founded by a San Francisco-based wife and husband team in 2024. Our studio mission is to make small but satisfying systems-driven games. Dead Possum Games previously released Tales of the Forgotten in 2025. Prior to starting Dead Possum Games, they worked on The Sims 3 and The Sims 4.
Light up the grill, ready the fryer and escape cow monster torment with your friends in the successor to the cult-favorite Happy’s Humble Burger Farm!
SEATTLE – July 16, 2026 – tinyBuild (Graveyard Keeper, Potion Craft, Kingmakers) and Scythe Studios are eerily delighted today to launch Happy’s Humble Burger Cult, the co-op horror cooking game for 1-4 players formerly known as Happy’s Humble BURGATORY, now available on Steam for $9.99 with an additional 20% limited-time launch discount.
Get your friends together for your next terrifying game night: grill burgers, serve customers, and hit your quota before the kitchen turns into a nightmare. Escape Asset Joy’s hunt alive and extract with your hard-earned cash to survive another shift. With dozens of game-changing modifiers and systems that react to how you speak (and misspeak) on mic, every shift is a fresh hell waiting to unravel!
KEY FEATURES
COOK, SERVE, HIT YOUR QUOTA: You and your crew are hired to participate in an experiment run by the Paragon Corporation. It seems like a standard fast-food gig: grill burgers, fry sides, pour drinks, work the register, hit your quota, and keep the customers happy. What could go wrong?
ESCAPE THE NIGHTMARE: Every shift is a ticking clock – the kitchen always wins eventually. Once the simulation collapses, Asset Joy breaks containment and begins her hunt. The legendary mascot is back for blood – and you only have one chance to escape!
THE WALLS ARE LISTENING: The game reacts to what you say on mic. Speak the wrong word and Asset Joy will hear you. Speak the right incantation, and the kitchen may warp to your advantage. Learn how to use your words properly… and what to never say aloud if you don’t want to anger the beast.
EVERY SHIFT IS UNIQUELY UNHINGED: Over 35 modifiers ensure each run goes off the rails in unique ways. Rush Hour brings additional customers for a more profitable yet even more chaotic shift. Profanity Policy punishes the team every time someone swears on mic. Back Burner changes all recipes mid-run. You never know what to expect next!
EXTRACT WITH YOUR HARD-EARNED CASH: Escape alive with your earnings and spend them on boosters, sacrifice them to the ascension ritual to move the story forward, or gamble them on harder contracts for bigger payouts.
HAPPY’S HUMBLE SAGA CONTINUES: Happy’s Humble Burger Cult is the next chapter in the Scythe Studios Universe, and a direct successor to Happy’s Humble Burger Farm, peeling back another layer of the Paragon Corporation’s reality-warping simulation program. Ready to go down the rabbit hole again?!
Happy’s Humble Burger Cult is available now on Steam. Follow the developers on X/Twitter to stay in the loop with the latest game news and updates.
About Scythe Studios
Based out of Arizona and Massachusetts, Scythe Studios focuses on creating niche titles with unique gameplay experiences that break barriers of conventions through experimental mechanics and an off-the-wall approach to game design. All of the team’s games take place within its own interconnected Scythe Saga Universe. In December 2022, Scythe joined tinyBuild as an internal studio with full creative control over their upcoming projects.
About tinyBuild
tinyBuild started as an indie game developer and morphed into a developer-publisher you can’t miss. The company’s dedication to creating long-term partnerships and elevating recognizable franchises has resulted in many successful collaborations with talented developers from all over the world. The company has released dozens of games, including the Hello Neighbor series, Graveyard Keeper, SpeedRunners, DUCKSIDE,The King is Watching, and more. Although headquartered in the Seattle Area, USA, the company has established a strong global presence with studios across the US, the Netherlands, and Eastern Europe. https://www.tinybuild.com
