Seed Lab opens the tool box and reveals the expansive construction tools and blueprint sharing that will unlock player creativity from launch.
Zhu Hai City, China – Friday, 22nd August 2025 — Chinese developer, Seed Lab, has today unveiled a range of comprehensive and richly featured construction and DIY customization modes for its upcoming life sim, Starsand Island. The extensive functionality will enable players to unlock their full creativity and build the house of their dreams when the game launches on PC and consoles in early 2026.
As revealed at gamescom, three different construction modes will be available in Starsand Island from launch:
Free-view building: Gives players the ability to intricately design and construct their dream home on their Starsand Island plot.
Character perspective: Enables players to decorate and furnish the interior and exterior of their homestead.
Local view: Allows players to decorate smaller spaces, such as fishtanks.
The free-view building mode is a suite of construction tools, including a range of differently shaped objects, to empower players to create everything from grand manors, Tudor-style houses, to stylish mid-century bungalows and cottagecore dwellings. Options to landscape the building’s surroundings will also be available, with decking, fencing, banners, and more helping to provide maximum ‘curb appeal’ on the island.
Players will be able to save and share their creations through Starsand Island’s ‘Blueprints Library’; these construction plans include everything from the building’s structure, together with object placements, decoration styles, and more, enabling others to download and add them into their own idyllic, pastoral paradise. Pre-designed ‘Official Blueprints’ will also be acquirable from NPCs in the game, giving players strong foundations to tweak their look, or provide inspiration for their own grand designs.
Starsand Island’s free-view construction mode features:
Building texture: Players can ‘paint’ buildings to create different period houses and styles, with eight different textures, including wood grain, brick, stone, paint (including gloss, matte, and metallic), as well as rough or micro cement, and ceramics.
Day/Night cycle: Adjust the time of day in construction mode to see how your build looks at any hour of the day, midnight to midnight, from the break of dawn, high noon, golden hour, or the final rays of sunlight.
Blueprints: Pre-designed homes can be acquired from NPCs in the game as blueprints, while players can also save their own creations and share them in a Blueprints Library for others to download, edit, and use for themselves.
Batch editing: Gives players the ability to select or demolish large portions of their construction, saving time before taking the building’s design in a different direction… or starting again from scratch.
Richardo Wang, Creative Director at Seed Lab, said: “Creating a perfect, pastoral paradise takes more than growing vegetables and making friends with fellow islanders. It is about being able to create your dream house, where every room, every window and door, and every decoration is just as you imagined. Giving players that ability is a wonderful goal to set ourselves, as well as the broader customization of vehicles, pets, and their own character avatar we have in Starsand Island.”
Goltan Gao, Technical Director at Seed Lab, added: “From the beginning, we aspired to create a beautiful life sim that would enable players to create their ideal home. We created a bespoke game engine for Starsand Island that would give them the creative tools to do just that, as well as share them with friends and the wider community. Even as we’re developing the game, our in-house teams have been crafting a magnificent variety of homes and styles, and we are excited to see what our players will come up with once Starsand Island launches.”
About Starsand Island
Escape the Urban Grind to Starsand Island – Your Island Paradise Awaits! Tired of the hustle and bustle? Return to the tranquil embrace of Starsand Island, a gem hailed as the “Star of the Deep Sea.” Here, immerse yourself in a serene pastoral lifestyle: slow-paced days spent bonding with adorable capybaras, cats, and dogs, savoring the thrill of bountiful fishing, exploring the mystical Moonlit Forest, or simply soaking in the island’s untouched beauty. Leave the mundane behind and rediscover life’s simple joys in this coastal utopia.
Get a First Look at Key Locations like Pinkwater, Ganymede, and Ceres
Nicosia, Cyprus | This week, publisher Owlcat Games — creators of Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader — together with Alcon Interactive Group revealed a selection of new environments set to appear in the upcoming narrative-driven sci-fi action RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. This title is set in the universe of the acclaimed TV series The Expanse, available on Blu-ray and streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
The video highlights a handful of key locations players will explore, from the industrial might of Pinkwater to the fragile ecosystems of Ganymede and the bustling corridors of Ceres Station.
“Every place in The Expanse tells a story,” says Alexander Mishulin, Creative Director at Owlcat Games. “When we recreate locations like Ganymede or Ceres, it’s not just about making them look authentic — it’s about capturing the struggles and hopes of the people who live there. That sense of survival and consequence is what we want players to feel as they move through the game.”
The Expanse is set in the future where humanity has colonized the solar system and the people of Earth, Mars and the Asteroid Belt have long been in opposition with one another. When the crew of the Rocinante uncovers an ancient alien technology, a vast conspiracy begins to emerge, one that will bring the solar system to the brink of war. The Expanse: Osiris Reborn expands the universe of the TV series and novels, putting players in the boots of a Pinkwater Security mercenary caught in the chaos of Eros Station’s deadly lockdown. From there, they’ll need to gather a crew, command a powerful ship, and carve their own path across a fractured solar system.
Key features of The Expanse: Osiris Reborn:
Create Your Own Captain: Play as an Earther, Martian, or Belter and take command of the system’s most advanced ship. Shape your journey through identity, leadership, and the pressure of survival.
Lead a Crew: Your companions are more than squadmates — they have pasts, motives, and a voice in your story. Your leadership decisions will determine how squadmate loyalty shifts under pressure.
Tactical Third-Person Combat: Implement real-time strategic cover mechanics using various abilities and squad coordination. Bring two companions into combat while others support from behind the scenes.
Explore a Divided Solar System: Travel across iconic locations from the TV show and books, like Ganymede, Ceres, Mars, and Luna. While traversing the various environments, players must uncover secrets and influence outcomes through their skills and decisions.
A Story-Driven RPG True to The Expanse: Immerse yourself in a narrative grounded in tension, consequence, and the complexity of humanity’s future among the stars.
Owlcat Games is a developer and publisher with a passion for RPGs and narrative-driven experiences. What began as a small team of games industry veterans with a love for tabletop roleplaying has evolved into a truly international studio. Headquartered in Cyprus with over 450 employees worldwide, Owlcat continues to grow, drawing talent from across the globe, and still finds time to roll dice together every week, in person and online.
Previous titles include the critically acclaimed Pathfinder: Kingmaker, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.
About Alcon Interactive Group
Founded in 2016 by Scott Parish and Dan Offner, the Alcon Interactive Group (AIG) is a publisher of original video games such as Blade Runner: Revelations and the award-winning indie game In My Shadow. AIG also develops video games based on Alcon’s original properties, such as The Expanse: A Telltale Story, Blade Runner: Enhanced Edition, and the Emmy nominated Blade Runner 2049: Memory Lab.
London, United Kingdom — Aug. 22, 2025 — Today, The Pokémon Company group revealed that the next themed booster pack for the popular Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket app, Secluded Springs, will be available around the world beginning August 28, 2025.
New Secluded Springs Themed Booster Pack In Secluded Springs, players will encounter fan-favorite Pokémon as originally discovered in the Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver video games, including the powerful Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune. In addition, players will discover more Pokémon from the Johto and Hoenn regions.
For a sneak peek at the Secluded Springs themed booster pack, fans can check out an all-new trailer on the official Pokémon YouTube channel.
Upcoming Events In addition to the Secluded Springs themed booster pack, Trainers can look forward to the following in-app events coming soon.
Zoroark Drop Event (September 3 at 6 a.m. UTC to September 13 at 5:59 a.m. UTC): Take on special solo battles to obtain new promo cards, including Zoroark.
Bonus Week (September 8 at 6 a.m. UTC to September 14 at 5:59 a.m. UTC): Tackle new Bonus Week missions to obtain pack hourglasses and other rewards.
Wonder Pick Event (September 15 at 6 a.m. UTC to September 24 at 5:59 a.m. UTC): Obtain new promo cards featuring Miltank and Phanpy, as well as event shop tickets by completing missions.
Water-type Pokémon Mass Outbreak Event (September 26 at 6 a.m. UTC to October 1 at 5:59 a.m. UTC): Cards relating to Water-type Pokémon will appear in rare picks and bonus picks.
For more information about Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, please visit Pokemon.com/TCGPocket.
*Event duration periods are subject to change. Trainers can stay tuned to in-app notices for complete event details, including eligibility requirements and other terms of participation.
Infold Games announced its debut at Gamescom 2025, one of the world’s largest gaming events, showcasing two flagship titles – Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace. This also marks the first-ever appearance of Love and Deepspace at Gamescom, and the first time Infold Games is presenting multiple titles to a European audience offline.
Love and Deepspace Nominated for Best Mobile Game
As the very first presence at Gamescom, the Love and Deepspace interaction area offers immersive activities, including “Fluttering Touch”(Thermal Standee interactions) and Love Interests Photo Booths,along with exclusive giveaways.
On August 18, Love and Deepspace has been nominated for Best Mobile Game at the Gamescom Awards, marking a milestone in both the award’s and the game’s history. Since June 2025, Love and Deepspace has rolled out multiple themed events, climbing to the top of the iOS charts in more than 30 countries and regions.
Infinity Nikki: Explore Nikki’s Home
The Infinity Nikki booth embraces the theme “Explore Nikki’s Home”, inviting players to step into Nikki’s vibrant world. Players can plant flowers, leave personal notes on a message wall, and play demo builds at the booth.
The booth also features exclusive surprise elements highlighting the collaboration with the globally acclaimed Stardew Valley. For the first time ever, Stardew Valley’s cozy farming life is meeting an open-world fashion adventure, bringing something new and surprising for players to explore together.
About Infold Games
Infold Games is a global studio launched by Paper Games aiming for global expansion. Established in August 2022, Infold Games has achieved remarkable success across multiple countries and regions. Its latest title from the Mr. Love series, Love and Deepspace, officially launched on January 18, 2024, and quickly gained impressive results worldwide. On December 5, 2024, Infinity Nikki launched simultaneously across the globe, earning widespread acclaim from both players and media, with a score of 9 from IGN and an average rating of 80 on Metacritic.
Your journey of becoming a Daymiō in war-torn feudal Japan starts today
Oberhaching, Germany, August 22, 2025 – Polish development studio Superkami and German publisher Toplitz Productions proudly announce the release of Sengoku Dynasty, their masterful blend of life-sim, roleplaying, action-adventure in an open world and village management on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5 and Xbox on PC.
Enter the tranquil and beautiful, yet dangerous world of Sengoku-era Japan, as you become a survivor stranded on a remote island, trying to find a place in the ‘Kingdom of Peasants’ – a society united by the urge of escaping the unforgiving wars and the relentless will to find peace. Rebuild your life, help other refugees, provide them with housing, as well as work and grow your settlements. Find the love of your life, raise a family and transfer power to your heir, so you can continue your dynasty in their shoes. But be careful: Where there is wealth, there is danger in the form of various factions, trying to raid your villages.
While Sengoku Dynasty delivers an engrossing singleplayer experience with dozens of hours of content, it also shines in co-operative multiplayer with up to four participants. So, grab your friends and engage in seamless cross-platform adventures, where you build, explore, fight and survive together, regardless of your favorite platform.
Enjoy all the content including the most recent ‘Bushidō’ update that made the PC version a hit with more than 500.000 units sold to date. Experience the ultimate life simulation of feudal Japan on consoles. Sengoku Dynasty is available now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. More information on the game can be found on the respective store pages.
About Superkami
Superkami is a studio with one mission – to let talented people make the best games they can. As an agile, fully remote studio with a team all over the world consisting of experienced veterans and ambitious newcomers they seek to bring unique content to a whole new audience through their innovation and style. Their first announced title is Sengoku Dynasty – an open-world survival builder set in the beautiful world of medieval Japan.
About Toplitz Productions
The German-Austrian publisher, whose name originates from the mysterious Toplitz Lake in the heart of Austria, develops and publishes games with “heart & soul” for all platforms. The company consists of a healthy mix of experienced industry veterans and young talents, all of whom are passionate gamers. They enjoy working with creative developers on many exciting titles, such as those from the “Dynasty” and “Giant” series.
There have been many different kinds of “cozy life” sim games that have taken standard jobs and made them more charming than they seem. The most common of these happen to be farming games or those that blend farming and magic together to help bridge the gap a bit. Along these same lines we’ve seen things like fishing games, undertaking, and more but few happened to focus on something that most people dread, working in retail. That happens to be where developer Crinkle Cut Games and PQube have ventured into with Discounty, placing players in charge of a rural supermarket that would give nightmares to any longtime retail employee. Packaged in a colorful presentation and solid mechanics set in a town with more behind its charming aesthetic, is Discounty a successful take on a cozy retail game?
Story
When players, who have circumstances of their own that are only ever briefly mentioned, are brought to the distant small town of Blomkest where they find that their aunt Tellar has been trying to get a “supermarket” going for years and has recently become part of the “Discounty” chain of stores where they do nothing but provide a name and resources for some odd reason. With Aunt Tellar sticking the player in a trailer in her backyard, she sticks all of the labor of getting the Discounty store up-and-running with only a few short days of getting the hang of things before firing the only other employee, leaving players at the mercy of the consumers, business partners, and cash register.
As the store’s only employee it is up to the player to not only order shipments and stock shelves but also “broker deals” with the various other vendors within the town that offer unique items outside of Discounty’s standard fare, and it is worth noting that almost the entirety of the story progresses as players make steps in improving their Discounty chain, be it upgrading the terms of their deals or signing new ones. That being said, while the core storyline does revolve around the Discounty shop, both in regards to its development and how its rapid growth is impacting this small town steeped in its own history and folklore, there are small snippets of story for each of the characters in the game as well, though these are a bit minimal and unfortunately don’t have nearly as much depth as one would hope, especially given the game genre.
Players will be able to spend their free time before and after shift, and all day on Sundays either stocking shelves, ordering new produce and dry goods from the computer or from up to four different business partners they will sign with, or simply exploring the town of Blomkest and finding out more about its inhabitants. Similar to story progression, some of these character interactions are gated behind certain story beats but it is interesting to note that a lot of characters have unique dialogue that mentions various quests and things that the player has done to help the town, even if some of it randomly appears in conversations way later than it actually happened. Like a case where the local fisherman Fisher talked about how good it was of me to find sheep nearly seven hours before.
There are also unique scenes players can witness that reveal a little bit more about the struggles some face, but nothing here has any notable impact other than showing some of the struggles these people are facing out in this town and providing some emotional connection to them. This is partially thanks to the fact that the game’s main storyline can be completed in twelve hours with almost complete completion and most of that time will be spent within the Discounty and the fact that despite the colorful and interesting designed locations in Blomkest it is incredibly dull, especially once players see most side-character scenes. In fact, while we won’t spoil what happens here, the most predictable of events happens when a newfound business grows at a rapid pace and an incredibly ambitious owner with little care for the town itself, and while there are plenty of mysteries that seem to be afoot, it all falls flat. Perhaps it is my fault for expecting a bit more of the storyline and the various aspects it was hinting at and mysterious characters, but Discounty settles on sticking with a “cozy” no punishment way of life even as the credits role and give players access to the endless epilogue mode where ironically some final character moments are hidden away.
Gameplay
An average day in Discounty will involve the player waking up in their trailer (that they can purchase extra flooring and wall colors for as well as minor furniture, all of which can be used in the shop as well) at 6 AM and have three hours of free time to either run around the town and clean up litter that has been discarded by their own shoppers, interact with other residents that are out and about or talking to one of the four business partners that players will eventually be able to sign with and buying exclusive items from them, and of course heading to the shop itself to restock any missing items or ordering new stock all before the opening at 9 AM and the mob descends.
Managing the actual shop itself is kept fairly basic as players only need to worry about making sure to order items when they start to get low on them, keeping the stock boxes in the storage while placing the items out in either different types of shelving or refrigeration units. Players cannot adjust the prices of these items in any way, trying to increase sales of one over another nor are there any “trends” to follow where shoppers may want vegetables more than fish or anything like that. Each shopper comes in already knowing what they want, but attractive shelves and special “items” obtained from the shop or business partner can entice some “impulse” buys as well. Every day players will be given a couple of small “missions” they can try to accomplish as well, be it checking out 5 happy customers, selling a certain amount of household items or drinks, or even ordering crates. These missions reward players with points that can then be used to unlock additional items to sell in the store, fancier posters that players can print out and attract more customers, and even a bar scanner to completely change the way checkout works.
Initially when players take on their role as an all hands on manager, stocker, and cashier in Discounty they will find that they only have a standard register to work with and a log book showing the price of each item that will need to be entered manually. If a customer is buying a tube of toothpaste it’ll be 17 dollars or an apple then it’ll be 5. If they are buying multiple of the same item it is nice to note that players can simply enter the proper price of the multiples without having to use the “multiplication” feature of the register, though it is useful for when some characters purchase strange multiples of a few of the more oddly priced items.
There are a few problems here though, one being that managing the buttons is a bit hit and miss using the analog stick on the controller, especially having to hold LT whenever a 0 is needed and another is that there is no real “fail” state when ringing up a customer. Inputting the wrong number simply resets the amount until the right one is entered, giving players no way to upcharge or discount something. In fact the only “fail” that can happen is if a customer gets annoyed enough waiting around they will simply leave and dump their items in the return bin, but that’ll happen almost entirely because of another reason. Once players unlock the aforementioned bar scanner the register will move far faster as players no longer need to worry about value or amount, but simply need to rotate the item to where that type’s barcode would be located, making it far faster and more efficient.
Players gain extra money and customer “visitation” depending on how happy they keep their customers and there is even a mission at one point that requires players to keep it above a certain percentage for a number of days and, thankfully, this mission happens before the incredibly annoying final expansion that adds an incredibly annoying issue that plagues the game from this point on, NPC navigation. While players can easily manage “dirt” left behind on the floors randomly that can slow down customers and lower the appeal of items nearby, one thing that is not manageable are the ways NPCs get stuck standing in a corner or wall in the final upgraded location. This happens randomly and the best way to avoid it happening is simply to avoid placing anything near or in the freezers in that location. Should an NPC get stuck there can be some luck mashing A on them to get them to move but more than likely they will remain in place until the store closes and forces them to checkout or they grow angry enough to storm off and leave. This is an annoying bug that is completely impossible to control at the moment and hopefully will be fixed. Similarly, it is entirely possible for shoppers to arrive a few short minutes before closing and either leave instantly angrily when the store closes or checkout with only a single item on their long list, leaving them angry as well, another aspect players cannot control and while, again, there is no punishment for this, it is annoying.
As mentioned before, once the store is closed players can spend time however they wish, be it restocking shelves and ordering items players are low on, completing the few side-missions or story missions that can be given to them such as figuring out what’s up with the rats, but unfortunately that is really all there is to it. Discounty doesn’t offer the type of fluff that usually comes with the genre such as extra activities outside of the main job, players simply interact with the townspeople as much as they can until their short stories come to a close and that’s it, no extra events, romance, fishing, or even designing since, as mentioned before, players only live in a trailer and furniture is slim pickings. While this is good for those who want a no frills store management sim with a cute side, Discounty might be a bit lacking for those expecting something a little more.
Audio & Visuals
The colorful and cute design of Blomquest looks lovely as players explore the city, leaving plenty of mysteries left untold even as they pass-by buildings boarded up showing that the town was once a bustling hub of activity and colorful sprites for the townsfolk. It is worth noting that character customization can be done at any time but unfortunately the customization options themselves are quite bad when it comes to the hairstyles and hats on offer.
There is no voice work in Discounty outside some minor sound effects when characters are speaking or mice run away. Instead all text is presented in dialogue bubbles above a character’s head and even here some of them had misspellings. The soundtrack features a great collection of simple but very fitting retro style tracks that range from ominous when exploring a creepy location or having something mysterious happen to standard shopping music while managing the Discounty or exploring the town.
Overall
Discounty is a fun and “cozy” type of game that presents a nightmare of a retail experience in an addictive little colorful package. When it comes to managing the store, players will quickly find themselves feeling the flow but unfortunately the story lacks the depth that it hinted at and at twelve hours with a full completion minus a single likely bugged achievement, it also feels like it could have had more to offer to the point that, when the credits rolled initially i couldn’t believe that was actually it, even with the epilogue content. That being said, Discounty will delight those looking for a new type of life-sim game but those looking for a bit more depth should look elsewhere.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice unveiled a new trailer that gives a first look at the high stakes PvP combat where players can swap between 3 different characters tag-team style and unleash devastating PLUS ULTRA combo attacks. Set during the climactic Final War arc, the game invites players to experience “ONE LAST SMASH” through a cinematic story mode and action-packed 3v3 battles that showcase the series’ most iconic Heroes and Villains in their final and most powerful forms.
Combat revolves around four core actions: Target Combo, Counter Attack, Guard, and Unblockable Attack, alongside tactical options like Evade and Counter Crash to escape danger. Players can build their Plus Ultra gauge, and fight to reach the Plus Ultra Combo, a devastating finisher where all three fighters combine their quirk abilities for massive damage. Adding even more intensity to battles is Rising!, a special state that enhances attack power, movement speed, and recovery. Rising can be activated once the gauge is filled, giving players the edge they need to seize victory. When the fight comes down to a single character, Rising! activates automatically, turning the tide of battle.
MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice features dynamic 3v3 team battles and an extensive cast of characters from across the anime and manga’s full timeline, including fully powered versions from the Final War arc. Fans will be able to choose from U.A. students, Pro Heroes, and Villains in their most iconic forms, each with new move sets and visuals inspired by their final appearances. Players will take control of fan-favorite characters such as Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugo, All Might, Tomura Shigaraki, Himiko Toga and more, and they can utilize their unique Quirks to pummel and blast through opponents.
MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice is coming to PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam®.
For more information about MY HERO ACADEMIA: All’s Justice and other titles from Bandai Namco Entertainment Europe please visit https://www.bandainamcoent.eu.
Hands-on demo available at Gamescom and more coming to PAX West
21 August 2025 – The cross-platform Magicpunk MMO Action RPG Crystal of Atlan has officially launched its summer campaign, highlighting the crossover with “Digimon Adventure”, live now as of 21 August, and its appearance in Gamescom and PAX WEST. Download Crystal of Atlan for free in mobile, PC and Playstation now! https://coau.onelink.me/Kb3c/3fijg9na
An accident at the Weapon Testing Ground has connected our world with the Digital World! Machinedramon has invaded Atlan! Get ready to fight alongside Agumon and Gatomon! An epic adventure is about to begin!
Collaborated with “Digimon Adventure,” the first TV anime in the popular Digimon series, Crystal of Atlan makes it possible for players to fight with exclusive pets in cool mounts which can be obtained interesting events. The classic Digimons ‘Agumon’ and ‘Gatomon’ will join us as new pets and help us defeat all powerful bosses, and they can also warp digivolve into ‘WarGreymon’ and super digivolve into ‘Angewomon’ respectively when casting unique skills. While, Crystal of Atlan also have ‘Garurumon’ and ‘MetalGarurumon’ as new mounts with each of its unique skills to help players.
In collaboration with HUAWEI App Gallery, Crystal of Atlan’s Digimon Adventure campaign will be available to play during Gamescom 2025 at stand A-040, Hall 09.1 from 21-24 August 2025. Be sure to check out the exclusive event hosted byKaddiCosplay, featuring xShowTime and@Har_Fie on 22 August. Crystal of Atlan will also participate in PAX West 2025 at Booth No. 617 from 29 August – 1 September 2025.
The first official in-game tournament ‘Crystal of Atlan Super Glenn Cup’ has started and will last until September 14. Players who are good at either PvP or PvE can participate in and fight for the honor. Monikers, titles and other in-game items will be rewarded to top 8 team and exclusive physical bundles will be rewarded to champions and 1st runner-up as well! Players can also watch the tournament in the game and support their friends. For more details, please check the website.
Key Features:
Diverse Classes with No Character Gacha: Enjoy all classes for free, each with over 20 unique skills for deep customization and visually stunning combos. More classes and expansions will be added in the future.
Infinite Combo Potential: Chain up to 12 skills, combining 8 base skills and 2 finishers with normal attacks for seamless and stylish combat.
Fluid, 3D Combat: Experience dynamic angles, aerial combos, and fast-paced action on a full XYZ-axis combat system.
Team-Based Dungeons: Collaborate with others in story missions, Void Realm runs, or large-scale 8-player HexChess battles, requiring coordination and strategy to overcome challenges.
Fair PvP Competition: Test your skills in balanced 1v1 and 3v3 modes where victory is determined by skill, not stats.
Crystal of Atlan is now available for free on mobile, PC, and PlayStation. For more information, visit theofficial website,YouTube channel, follow theX/Twitter account, and search #CoA and #DigimonxCoA on social media.
About Crystal of Atlan:
Crystal of Atlan is a Magicpunk MMO Action RPG that is playable on PC,mobile and Playstation 5. Embark on an epic journey through a fantastical world where magic and technology intertwine. As a free-spirited adventurer, uncover the secrets of ancient Atlan ruins and confront powerful factions with friends.
5,400 attendees participated in Europe’s biggest developer conference –
devcom developer conference to be renamed gamescom dev –
Cologne, Germany, August 21, 2025 – The devcom developer conference has come to an end with another successful edition at Koelnmesse’s Confex Center. From October 2025, the conference will officially be renamed gamescom dev, firmly positioning it as the central developer platform at the heart of gamescom.
This year, 5,400 registered attendees (+6% YoY) attended the conference, representing over 2,500 companies from 89 countries. On the expo floor, 53 exhibitors showcased their projects and services, including the popular devcom indie expo – further reinforcing the event’s position as Europe’s largest industry conference and a leading platform worldwide.
“When we started devcom back in 2017, our goal was to create a home for all developers. Since then, this conference has grown into a truly global hub for knowledge sharing, inspiration, and connection in our industry,” said Stephan Reichart, Managing Director of game events GmbH. “Closing this chapter with a record attendance and opening a new one as gamescom dev marks another step in that journey. It’s proof how much the event and its community have evolved and how strong the foundation is for what’s to come.”
Inspiring program across 17 stages
The 2025 edition featured 390 speakers (+30 YoY) across 220 sessions on 17 stages, including the Keynote Stage.
Highlights included:
Stephen Flowers (Arrowhead Game Studios) discussing the narrative design of Helldivers 2
Minh Le (Ultimo Ratio Games) reflecting on 25 years in the industry
Michel Nohra (Sandfall Interactive) reflecting on the combat design of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Ievgen Grygorovych & Mariia Grygorovych (GSC Game World) with a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 post-mortem
Zeke Virant (MachineGames) on first-person interactivity in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Viva La Dirt League discussing the crossover from YouTube comedy to indie game development
Side Events, Community & Exclusive Programs
Alongside the main program, #ddc2025 opened on Sunday with a dedicated agenda for speakers and VIPs, including a welcome gathering, exclusive Cologne experience tours, and the speaker & VIPreception. Business and VIP attendees also joined private mixers on both conference days, an intimate VIP Dinner on Monday, and a leadership summit for selected executives on Tuesday. Another highlight was the devcom award, celebrating outstanding achievements, with winners announced across six categories.
Other community-driven events and collaborations included:
Meta partnered with devcom to power the Sunset Mixer and Developer Night, also contributing to the session program.
Community Clubhouse curated and hosted two dedicated stages on Tuesday, providing additional sessions for devcom audiences.
Scholarship program with 25 partners, giving 220 participants free access on-site and online for devcom & gamescom.
The devcom speaker survey 2025captured current sentiment and trends from 100 speakers and was published ahead of the conference.
From devcom to gamescom dev: Next Steps
As gamescom dev, the conference will strengthen its role within the gamescom brand family, serving as the go-to platform for developers, publishers, and industry professionals.
Upcoming events in the series are the devcom Leadership Summit 2026 (Lisbon, February 25–27), followed by gamescom dev in Cologne, August 2026.
Experience a bevy of aquatic content in early access today
Walnut Creek, California – August 21, 2025 | Maximum Entertainment announced the third major update to chaotic co-op city builder Overthrown, available now in Steam Early Access and Xbox Game Preview. Overthrown invites players to hurl anything and everything to the wide-open sky (from houses and trees to your very own citizens) to create the kingdom of your wildest dreams in a fast-paced race to rule.
Overthrown’s Coastal Update introduces Snappers—aggressive, legged piranha-like creatures that spawn in coastal waters and can invade inland areas in swarms. To combat them, players can now use the Fishing Boat, equipped with a harpoon and underwater tesla coils, or the new Spear, a versatile underwater weapon that can also be used on land for jousting and pole-vaulting maneuvers.
A new lock-on camera system improves melee combat fluidity with optional enemy tracking. The world also expands with a range of new coastal and concealment plants (seaweed, kelp, cattails, tall grass, and saplings) that offer crafting materials and stealth options.
Overthrown is available now in Steam Early Access, in Xbox Game Preview, and available day one with Xbox Game Pass. The game will later release into 1.0 across Xbox Series X|S, PC, and PlayStation 5.
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 Brimstone
Brimstone is a fully remote, international indie team founded in Sweden and spread across more than ten different countries throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia. As a studio we focus on creating chaotic and innovative sandbox games.
