Super Mario Maker 2 relay race, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, expert-level Beat Saber, and more were highlights at this year’s SGDQ
Minneapolis, MN – July 13, 2025 – Summer Games Done Quick 2025 (SGDQ), the week-long, 24-hour video game speedrunning marathon, has come to an end after raising $2,436,614 for Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières. Held July 6-13 at the Hilton Minneapolis in Minnesota, the event saw over 2,600 in-person attendees and many more tuning in online via Games Done Quick’s Twitch channel.
SGDQ was as lively and thrilling as ever, with some of the most popular speedruns including Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, Balatro, Super Mario Maker 2, Blue Prince, Mario Kart World, Beat Saber, and more. Another highlight included the AEW Fight Forever segment, where the audience raised signs and roared with growing excitement as if watching a real wrestling match.
Additionally, SGDQ saw numerous firsts, such as the all-new artist alley where artists, makers, crafters, and indie game developers had booths where attendees could shop and demo games. This year’s SGDQ also featured a live concert by the band The Megas, held onsite at Hilton Minneapolis and broadcast online, performing rock songs of Mega Man and Castlevania.
Game Done Quick’s next event is the all-women and femmes speedrunning showcase Flame Fatales, which will be held online September 7-14 and broadcast live on Games Done Quick’s Twitch. Following that is Games Done Queer, a new online speedrunning event from October 31 to November 2. Next year, Awesome Games Done Quick returns January 4-10 in Pittsburgh, PA.
In case you missed it, every run from SGDQ 2025 is archived on the official Games Done Quick YouTube channel.
About Games Done Quick
Games Done Quick is a series of charity video game marathons that feature high-level gameplay by speedrunners raising money for charity. Since 2010, Games Done Quick has partnered with some of the world’s most impactful charities, including AbleGamers, Doctors Without Borders, Organization for Autism Research, and Prevent Cancer Foundation, all while bringing fans impressive runs from a rich community of speedrunners. To date, Games Done Quick events have raised over $57 million for charity.
About Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is a private international association founded in 1971. The association is made up mainly of doctors and health sector workers and is also open to other professions which might help in achieving its aims. Their mission is to provide lifesaving medical care to those most in need.
MSF provides assistance to populations in distress, to victims of natural or man-made disasters, and to victims of armed conflict. They do so irrespective of race, religion, creed, or political convictions.
As a Private Investigator still haunted by the loss of his family, Miles Windham heads to a mysterious island only to find that the residents are stranger than expected and soon the mansion they are staying in is overrun with monsters. Watch as we take on numerous puzzles and take down the first boss in this indie survival horror from EastAsiaSoft and Retrofiction Games, Dead of Darkness.
Dead of Darkness – Gameplay
Dead of Darkness is a gripping side-scrolling survival horror game that pays homage to classic genre staples like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Set in the mysterious town of Ashfield, players assume the role of Miles Windham, an ex-cop searching for his missing wife. As the investigation unfolds, Miles finds himself plunged into a terrifying nightmare filled with grotesque creatures, haunting secrets, and a heavy sense of dread lurking around every corner.
Blending atmospheric pixel art visuals with methodical exploration, resource management, and puzzle-solving, Dead of Darkness demands smart choices and careful timing to survive. With multiple endings and decisions that shape the narrative, this title delivers a nostalgic yet modern horror experience. Fans of retro horror games will feel right at home—just don’t forget to save your ammo and watch your back.
Dead of Darkness Developer: Retrofiction Games Publisher: Retrofiction Games, EastAsia Soft Platform: Windows, Switch, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S Release Date: 24 Jan, 2025 Price: $19.99 USD
Recommended – “Dead of Darkness channels classic survival horror yet carves its own identity with a twisty story and sharp design. Combat and puzzles are serviceable but dragged down by cheap insta-kills.”
Make sure the wanted posters get your best side and become an Outlaw on July 17
Shanghai, China — July 12, 2025 | XD Games is excited to announce that Torchlight: Infinite is gearing up for its ninth season, and this may well be the most lawless of them all! Welcome to the “Outlaw” Season, set to be a fast-paced adventure filled with new mechanics and a host of thrilling updates to the action-packed ARPG, coming on July 17, 7PM PDT.
TorchCon, held in Shanghai on July 11, has set the stage for an unforgettable season as XD Games unveiled a host of exciting updates for Torchlight: Infinite, including a preview of the new season’s gameplay, new hero reveals, and a closer look at the game’s direction.
New Seasonal Mechanic: Outlaw – Carjack & Crime In this thrilling new gameplay mode, players will engage in high-stakes missions to attack TOWER Co. transport vehicles, steal valuable supplies, and fend off waves of reinforcements. Here’s what’s in store:
Carjack Missions: Players engage in action-packed missions where they must chase down bodyguards escorting valuable TOWER Supply Caches. Defeat them to summon reinforcements and gather rewards.
Crime Rating: Their actions will increase your Crime Rating, unlocking new Black Market Bounties that provide even greater rewards—but be warned, higher Crime Ratings also mean tougher challenges.
Special Encrypted Transport: Occasionally, special transports will offer even more valuable loot, with a chance for a Chain Multiplication event, significantly boosting their haul.
Hero Update: Lightbringer Rosa – Unsullied Blade This season introduces a radical transformation for Rosa. After a Mercury Baptism, Rosa evolves into the Unsullied Blade, a magical knight who uses Mana to enhance her attack power. Her new Mercury-based abilities allow her to create a Realm of Mercury, which allows her to deal damage, alongside periodically inflicting AoE damage to her enemies, making her an invaluable addition to the roster.
Watch the “Unsullied Blade” Rosa Hero Trait Reveal:
Focus Skills Another major addition this season sees the Imbue skill system become Focus Skills. These skills charge up based on specific trigger conditions, and when fully charged, they unleash devastating effects, offering players new ways to play. Key skills include:
Sharp Focus: Gains charges with each attack, delivering a massive strike at full charge.
Erosion Focus: Gains charges over time, launching homing projectiles that deal AoE damage.
Ice Focus: Gains charges when damaging frozen enemies, creating an Ice Storm that follows the player.
Thunder Focus: Gains charges while moving, dealing lightning damage to enemies in range when fully charged.
Flame Focus: Gains charges on Ignite, triggering massive explosions when defeating enemies.
New Legendary Gear & Crafting To complement the new mechanics, Torchlight: Infinite introduces new Legendary gear designed to complement the Focus Skills and other gameplay updates. Notable additions include:
Trinity: A Legendary necklace that boosts elemental damage and amplifies the effects of elemental builds.
Quantum Convergence: A Legendary glove that boosts Synthetic Troop minion damage based on life consumption, introducing a new minion-based playstyle.
Solid River: A helmet that doubles Spell Burst damage, perfect for those focusing on Spell Burst builds.
Additionally, the TOWER Sequence system has been introduced to crafting, allowing players to create powerful non-Legendary weapons and shields with unique, build-defining mechanics.
Loot & Map Adjustments The endgame loot experience has been revamped to make looting more rewarding and less repetitive. Secret Realms will now spawn less frequently, but with significantly better rewards, and the Sprout of Legends drop rate has been increased by 200% for those tackling Deep Space content.
New Boss Rotation: Supreme Showdown Endgame players can look forward to a new boss rotation in the Supreme Showdown, featuring the newly reworked General Redscale, who commands Blood Swords and uses crimson blood pools to restrict player movement. This new challenge, along with the return of the Sons of Rising Tide, promises a fresh, exhilarating experience for veteran players.
Quality of Life Improvements This season also brings a suite of quality of life updates, including:
Recycling System: Now, players can recycle miscellaneous items directly from their inventory, along with a preview of the items they’ll receive in return.
Loot Filter Customization: Players can now customize loot drop sounds with their own music files, adding a personal touch to their gameplay experience.
Trade House Updates: The price check system has been improved, allowing for more accurate and consistent pricing data across all platforms.
The Outlaw Season begins on 17 July, and introduces a wealth of new features, content, and gameplay mechanics that promise to keep Torchlight: Infinite players engaged for months to come. From the high-risk Carjack missions to the focus on build creativity and new legendary gear, there has never been a better time to jump into the game.
XD Games
Founded in 2003, XD Games. is a global video games developer and publisher with extensive experience across development, publishing and operations. As of 2022, XD has 38 free-to-play and paid games with over 50 million monthly active users worldwide. In addition, TapTap — a mobile games community and app store — was launched by XD in 2016 and is estimated to currently have 44 million monthly active users. XD’s mission is to assemble like-minded talented games industry craftspeople with a common goal of touching the hearts of players around the world. XD produces games of the finest quality with passion, offering a pure gaming experience, and encouraging players of all ages to embrace the unique joy of video gaming.
Back in 2019 Death Stranding arrived with one heck of a pedigree behind it. Sporting the famous Hideo Kojima at the reins as his first game out of Kojima Productions and featuring Norman Reedus as his lead character, very few fans could have actually expected what the game would revolve around. While it featured all of the nuances and strangeness that came with a Kojima title, the fact that it saw players transferring large bulky packages across the country in a post-apocalyptic world? This led to quite a divisive game at the time where players either enjoyed the experience as it was or were put off a bit by its gameplay, especially since stealth was prioritized and combat was simplified.
Now, nearly six years later Kojima’s vision for Death Stranding has not only flourished, it has allowed him to continue Sam’s journey in a direct sequel called Death Stranding 2: On The Beach that not only doubles-down on what makes the original so unique, but expands upon other elements to deliver what is hands-down a true showcase of what the PlayStation 5 can do.
Story
Now it is worth mentioning that Death Stranding 2 works as an almost direct sequel to the first game to the point that, other than a brief recap of events through a slide-show, players who have yet to finish or even play the original will feel lost as very little is done to actually explain the various rules, terms, and events that led up to the world being the way it is. Sure, there is a Corpus that fills up over-time and can be reviewed to look up various terms and elements that newcomers don’t know or longtime fans may have forgotten, but it is definitely worth noting that this continuation is enjoyed far better with prior knowledge about the game’s story, especially it’s emotional depths.
That being said, Death Stranding 2 picks up eleven months after the events that took place at the end of the first game with Sam, who helped connect the United States together through the Chiral Network, going into hiding following the fallout with the UCA and his BB, now an eleven month old girl he’s chosen to call Lou. Living in isolation, Sam has managed to thrive with Lou off the grid but when an old friend in the form of Fragile comes knocking at his door asking for his help once again, this time to help expand the Chiral Network to an entirely new country, Sam sees this as an opportunity to return to the world and “reconnect.” Choosing to accept the job with a full pardon for himself and Lou being part of the reward, Sam sets out to Mexico with a number of deliveries to reconnect various bases and prepper shelters to bring Mexico into the Chiral Network and find that, shockingly, a Plate Gate has appeared in Mexico that actually connects the country to Australia of all places, opening up a new realm of possibilities and connections. Or at least it would if Sam hadn’t received an emergency call from Fragile that something was happening and his shelter was under attack.
While the original Death Stranding may have seemed like it had plenty of unique build-up and an impactful narrative in its own right all while setting the various rules of the world in place, it feels like Kojima was really able to let loose almost right out of the gates with Death Stranding 2. Obviously we won’t discuss the various events that unfold throughout the storyline beyond the initial bits mentioned before because not only would they spoil the experience but lessen the impact they have at the same time. Death Stranding 2 brings with it of course Sam as well as a number of familiar faces that make a return as players spend the majority of their time as part of a crew aboard a Tar-traveling “submarine” of sorts called the DHV Magellan. This includes Fragile as well as a rather eclectic cast of newcomers that add to the already ridiculously eclectic cast that made up the original game, with new additions such as Rainy, Dollman, Tarman, and even Tomorrow having unique story elements that players can choose to dive deeper into through certain examinations, sub-missions, and even fourth-wall breaking elements.
With the crew of the DHV Magellan serving as his back-up, Sam finds himself tasked with initially setting up the Chiral Network in Mexico, as a tutorial of sorts, before settling the main plot in Australia where the massive continent separated from everything else is seeking to be brought back into the light. Of course, not only are there new threats to be found in this location as the BTs have seemed to grow stronger and more varied with the expansion of the Chiral Network, but a familiar villain from the past has also returned even stronger than before and with an entire army at his beck and call. This grander plot is one that players will constantly be delving into between deliveries, all while taking on more somber and occasionally action focused events as well that play just as pivotal of a role in the grander storyline. An unknown soldier that plagues Sam’s travels and disturbs the Tar and the dead brings with him a poignant and emotional storyline that is far grander than it initially lets on and plays perhaps one of the biggest parts to Sam’s actual journey compared to the actual journey itself, minus the various twists that happen to unfold near the end of course. In fact, the numerous revelations that occur in Death Stranding 2 can be downright heartbreaking at times, even if clues hinting to them were there the whole time. This level of expressive writing and the character interactions make the writing in the game just as, if not more, enthralling than what was in the original release, especially since it no longer has to hold anything back.
That doesn’t mean that things aren’t always somber and depressing moments of introspection though as there are plenty of moments of levity and Kojima-style humor and interactions spread throughout the game and most of these come from unique interactions with the preppers and the various members on the Magellan. Again, for the sake of avoiding things we can’t say what these are, but players will be in for quite a treat when reaching certain star levels of “Likes” and “Bonds” with some preppers, reaching certain parts of the story, or even taking part in optional sub-deliveries. There are some downright hilarious and ridiculous events that can happen that only Kojima could manage to make not feel out of place given the setting. Now that being said, there are moments that the game’s story does tend to drag a bit and unfortunately not only does this happen at the midway point of the title but also towards the end as well. While it is perfectly reasonable, plotwise at least, for some elements to be disabled that would speed things up a bit, players will find themselves having to take part in some rather extreme deliveries from time to time and, as we will mention later, have been ramped up in scale thanks to the elements of the Australian wilderness and the new random weather events that can take place. These long-haul deliveries may be the more intense and challenging ones, but drag the pacing down quite a bit, especially placed where they are in the storyline.
Gameplay
In many ways Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will feel almost the exact same in many ways since players will still find that the primary goal throughout the game is to make countless deliveries across Mexico and Australia using vehicles, all manner of constructions, and of course Sam’s own two feet to make these journeys to try and join everyone together as part of the chiral network. As a result most of the same mechanics from before exist here as well, such is the gameplay loop and those who may not have enjoyed the original because of this fact will likely still find themselves feeling a bit bored by this loop despite the great storyline surrounding it. That being said, players will still find themselves needing to manage Sam’s weight and packages while porting them around, including making sure to hold either R2 or L2 to steady his balance or both together to grip in rough situations and avoid a fall that can not only damage the items but send them tumbling off of his back.
The more interesting aspect here though is that while players still gain access to various tools such as climbing anchors, collapsible ladders that can be placed to bridge gaps, climb hills, or even cross small rivers, players will eventually gain access to things such as exo-skeletons of various types as well as vehicles to make things a bit easier at least when using such an object is possible to actually navigate the terrain. We say this because one element that Death Stranding 2 does introduce far more of is more mountainous and rocky terrain that can block larger vehicles or hills that can make even speedier ones struggle to crest the hill without burning through their battery. In fact, to make things even more interesting, random weather events can now occur as well in certain locations. While rainfall/timefall was always a persistent threat to packages, vehicles, and built items, now players will find that various other elements will come into play as well.
Crossing through desert locations can see an entire sandstorm kick up, coating Sam entirely in sand and making visibility near zero, making players need to move slowly to avoid crashing or falling off a cliff into danger, rivers that can have flash floods and bust out of their banks, flooding the location and sweeping Sam downriver if he isn’t careful or destroying structures in their path. Even fires can happen from time to time, though this was far rarer, and would spread rapidly to limit where Sam could escape to to avoid damaging himself or his cargo. Even Gate Quakes (earthquakes) happen randomly around the continent and while some may happen away from players, those happening right in their location will force Sam to brace himself to avoid getting knocked over and, if near a mountain or rock formation, can send debris raining down. Nothing makes a treacherous four-wheeling navigation up a snow-covered mountain more dangerous than having a gate quake trigger a small avalanche and nearly send the vehicle and all of its cargo careening off into destruction. Thankfully, the title does auto-save regularly and players can save anytime outside of combat so if players happen to make a mistake and face a “game over” for destroying a cargo item it won’t set them back far.
Speaking of “game overs” or things that can’t really happen thanks to Sam’s ability to repatriate, the game’s combat system has been vastly improved upon compared to the first game. First of all, every piece of equipment that Sam has created either out of the Magellan or at an allied base will already be using rubber-bullets in some way and make them non-lethal. This means that even if players manage to get caught when sneaking around and trying to take enemies down stealthily with a strand or silenced stun-pistol, they can just go loud with an assault rifle or even a shotgun without worry. This means that various missisons that see Sam having to either go and destroy a piece of equipment at a bandit base or retrieve something stolen, they will find the fighting far more enjoyable as a result. Of course stealth is also just as viable as players can improve their relationships with certain preppers and gain silenced versions of previously unlocked firearms as well as extra things such as unique grenades that are as simple as smoke grenades to holographic ones that can lure an enemy right where players want them.
The same can be said regarding encounters with BTs. While players can still try to avoid encountering them as much as possible by sneaking around, holding their breath, and making use of things like blood grenades to eliminate them at a distance, players can now make use of the fact that, after a certain point, even standard weapons are equipped to deal damage to BTs. That being said, it is just as easy to get dragged away and having to fight against some twisted tar monster if players aren’t careful. Combine this with other weaponry such as an incredibly handy and powerful blood boomerang that is just as good at taking out BTs as it is knocking out normal humans and players will feel vastly more equipped to handle the many threats they come across in their deliveries and, of course, the different boss encounters and extended story conflicts that take place throughout the story.
As with the original game, as players bring different locations online with the Chiral Network, and in small forms without it, players will notice various helpful elements left behind by other players that have crossed over to their world through the strand system and “connections.” These can be as simple as a ladder already placed in a difficult climb to far more complicated ones like generators that refuel Sam’s batteries, roads that make navigation easier, to even monorails and mines. This mechanic remains as strong as ever and players can leave little “Likes” to show their support for items built by others and their own items, such as making a “launch ramp” that prevents fall damage to skip past a massive drop safely, will reward them with Likes as well should it appear in other players’ worlds.
Audio & Visuals
It is a bit hard to describe how outstanding Death Stranding 2: On The Beach looks without sounding like an exaggeration but it must be said that every single character model in the game is almost as realistic as the actor they are based off of in real life. These characters are incredibly expressive and it makes the many poignant moments throughout the story hit even harder because there is no “uncanny valley” here, these look like real people having real emotions to the point that a family member asked if I was watching an old episode of The Walking Dead at one point during an inside-sequence that we won’t spoil here.
The world itself is also presented in gorgeous detail and while things may be a bit bland at times, considering the locations are Mexico and Australia, meaning there are often plenty of areas filled with deserts and sand, the more thriving locations filled with greenery and various prepper locations are outstanding looking. Even the BTs and enemies that players encounter look better than ever and react as intensely as ever, with the aforementioned improved combat making fighting human enemies more interesting to watch and the BTs just as horrifying when taking them on, especially when players need to take down a boss-style one or get dragged away into a battle.
It is also worth noting that the game has mostly realistic looking sunburn, blood, tar, and even sand effects on Sam’s equipment and gear as he walks around. Traveling without a hat can give Sam a burn that only vanishes without a shower while a dust storm will leave him coated head-to-toe in gritty sand that can ironically be washed away just as easily by a tar coating or a trip through some timefall rain. This attention to detail is extensive to the point that players can easily miss out on the little things but still appreciate the overall package because of how impressive it comes across.
Considering all of the voice actors in the game are presented as themselves within the game, it is easy to say that the voice acting here is absolutely top notch. The voice acting in cut scenes is absolutely outstanding and makes every scene pop, including the more outrageous ones, and both the returning cast and new characters introduced this time around are wonderfully portrayed here. In fact, even the preppers themselves have quite a few references including a certain bunny. The soundtrack for the game is similarly stellar, with a number of standard sets of background music through the game’s cutscenes as well as songs that will play when players are getting close to a main-delivery location, something of a reward for making the journey. Thankfully, players can take all of the songs they’ve unlocked or been gifted by preppers and various facilities and put them into a playlist of music that will play in the background while traveling, giving players all the time to enjoy their favorite songs as long as they aren’t near an enemy location or separate from the Chiral Network.
Overall
Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is Kojima at his finest. Refining the travel and delivery mechanics of the first all while expanding on both combat and stealth options make the title simply a masterpiece that is nearly flawless. Between an enthralling storyline that is as emotionally poignant as can be but isn’t afraid of being ridiculous at times and the gorgeous presentation in every regard, Death Stranding 2 is a must-play for anyone who even had a hint of liking the first one, though this sequel won’t do much for those that didn’t like the original.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
Visit a nurturing world and witness the whimsy of childhood friendships in a virtual landscape
MELBOURNE, Australia – 11 July, 2025 –Hidden Memories of the Gardens Between, a significantly expanded VR iteration of developer The Voxel Agents’ award-winning puzzle-based adventure The Gardens Between,, recaptures the magic of childhood friendship on Meta Quest and SteamVR on Thursday, 7 August, 2025, as revealed during the Upload VR Showcase.
Reminisce throughout an endearing tale of friendship between Arina and Frendt as they manipulate the hands of time to relive precious moments of the past. Dive into a beloved story told through the lens of VR and Mixed Reality, with newly added puzzles and unparalleled emotional depth. Embark on a charming journey, brought to life in clever new ways.
Since the original story, two decades have passed, and Frendt is in the middle of moving once again. A diary slips out amongst his possessions, belonging to his dear friend, Arina. As he opens the diary, Frendt is transported back to The Gardens Between, this time, guided by Arina’s cherished diary. Thanks to this fresh perspective, Hidden Memories recontextualizes the original game, allowing new players to jump in without missing any context.
Help Frendt and Arina navigate across captivating island levels, bending time forward and back through fluid hand movements. Reflect upon memories across the islands, manipulate objects, and solve puzzles. Observe as the pages of Arina’s diary come alive, revealing the depth of the duo’s friendship. Glimpse a new perspective of Arina’s adolescence, as told by her treasured diary and experienced by Frendt for the first time.
Interact with tangible objects for whimsical moments in a virtual landscape. Lift a paintbrush to create pieces of art, pick up and examine familiar toys, or piece together beads to form colorful friendship bracelets. Unravel an intimate dreamscape through a whole new lens, as memories of the past tell a heartfelt story in a different light.
“Hidden Memories of The Gardens Between pays homage to precious friendships we hold near and dear to our hearts,” says Simon Joslin, co-founder of The Voxel Agents. “We are ecstatic to share the release date with our fans. We can’t wait for you to see this world in all new lighting, only achievable through the magic of Virtual and Mixed Reality.”
Hidden Memories of the Gardens Between launches on Meta Quest platforms and SteamVR on Thursday, 7 August, 2025. For more information, please visit The Voxel Agents’ official website, and follow the team on X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
About The Voxel Agents
Headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, The Voxel Agents was founded in 2009 by Simon Joslin, Matthew Clark, and Tom Killen to create games that kindle curiosity with a passion for highly focused gameplay. Previous achievements include their highly acclaimed releases The Gardens Between, Train Conductor, and Puzzle Retreat.
11 JULY 2025 – This is not a drill. Firesquid and Traptics have launched Xenopurge in Early Access on Steam. All units, report to command. Your squad’s survival hangs in the balance!
It’s priced at $12.49/€12.49 with a 20% launch discount. Interstellar mercenaries seldom come this cheap! In this unique hybrid of roguelike tactics and auto-battler, players step into the well-polished boots of a M.A.C.E. (Mercer’s Advanced Combat Enterprises) command officer, safely leading from a retro-futuristic command console.
Less safe, are your brave troopers on the ground. Capable fighters, but blind to the greater threats around them. Lead them, and they might get to see another day and another paycheck. Lives are cheap in this business.
Alongside today’s early access launch, Xenopurge’s demo is also available again on Steam, featuring an abridged, replayable mini-campaign to prepare you for deployment.
About the game
Channelling classic Hollywood ‘cassette futurist’ aesthetics, Xenopurge is a game of squad command and tactics seen through the hazy phosphor glow of a half-dozen monitors. Build your squad, equip them, and customize their rules of engagement before deploying them into alien-infested hotspots offering lucrative rewards, should they complete their objectives.
Your troops are trained well enough to engage enemies and hunt targets by themselves, but without your coordination and guidance, their chance of survival is vanishingly slim; that’s why commanders get paid top dollar at M.A.C.E. Monitor those sensors and issue commands to get the job done with a minimum of human blood spilled. Every moment wasted will give the enemy more chances to mobilize. Move fast, hit hard, and extract your assets safely. War is your business, after all, and your job is to keep the company in the black.
“Xenopurge is built around the fantasy of being inside a command room — directing missions, adapting to unpredictable dangers, and feeling the weight of every decision,” said Michalis Papagathangelou, designer at Traptics. “Our goal is to simulate that experience as closely and accurately as possible. Launching into Early Access allows us to collaborate directly with our community and evolve the game together.”
The initial early access version of Xenopurge will feature:
2 playable squads, each with their own distinct combat styles
20 commands, each providing new tactical options in combat
25 unique pieces of equipment for ranged and close encounters
3 difficulty settings fit for junior officers to battle-hardened vets
Content updates will come thick and fast over the course of early access, with the final version planned for release within the year, featuring new squads, gear, missions, and tactical challenges.
Xenopurge will be available in early access on Steam from July 11th with an RRP of $12.49 USD/€12.49 (regional pricing may vary), with a 20% launch discount bringing the game down to under $10 USD/Euro. Tactical veterans will be able to enrol at an even lower price, as Xenopurge will be available in a discounted bundle along with GFX47’s modern-day tactical command gem No Plan B and Misfits Attic’s nerve-jangling classic Duskers for double the low-fi, sci-fi horror.
About the Studio
Traptics is a small game development studio located in Athens, Greece, founded in 2012. Their last title was Homeseek, a post-apocalyptic strategy game released in 2023. Their passion lies in finding unique and refreshing twists on tactical and strategy games such as the upcoming Xenopurge.
Battle hundreds of zombies in this totally new immersive VR experience, releasing August 12!
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – July 11, 2025 – Today Saber Interactive released a brand-new “Swarm” gameplay trailer for World War Z VR, the upcoming first-person, single-player experience based on the blockbuster Paramount Pictures film and Saber’s best-selling game franchise, enjoyed by over 25 million players around the world. The new “Swarm” trailer offers a terrifying glimpse of the overwhelming hordes of zombies you’ll face down in this immersive VR experience inspired by the intense action of the original World War Z video game.
World War Z VR launches on August 12, 2025, and is available to pre-order now for $19.99 on Meta Quest and SteamVR.
In World War Z VR, you’ll choose between seven playable heroes and try to survive gruesome challenges against the undead across three massive unique locations: New York, Tokyo and Marseille. Featuring a variety of customization options to fit any playstyle, World War Z VR brings the franchise’s iconic action and nonstop thrills to life like never before for both VR fans and newcomers alike. With up to 200 ravaging zombies at a time on screen, there’s no time to wait – get ready to lock and load!
Key Features
Battle Hordes of Zombies in VR: Endure overwhelming swarms of up to 200 zombies on screen at a time in the ultimate VR zombie experience!
Explore Immersive Environments: Navigate massive levels with total immersion across three real-world locations overrun by the undead – New York, Tokyo and Marseille.
Seven Playable Characters: Select your operative and dive into each mission with your pre-selected AI squad. Equip a wide variety of weapons and perks to give yourself the edge over the most gruesome firefights.
Survive Epic Challenges: Zombies will adapt to their surroundings and your playstyle to hunt you down, while special infected enemies raise the stakes even higher. Choose from three difficulty modes and overcome all odds to live to fight another day!
Pre-order World War Z VR for Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, or SteamVR today to secure four exclusive weapon skins when the game debuts on August 12.
Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer consisting of 13 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, World War Z, A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead, 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 Paramount Consumer Products
Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by a diverse slate of consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products’ portfolio is based on content from platforms including Paramount+, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), cable networks (including MTV, Nickelodeon and Showtime), and Paramount Pictures. Additionally, the division operates Paramount Game Studios. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. To view our range of consumer products and Paramount branded apparel, visit ParamountShop.com.
Bude, United Kingdom – July 11th, 2025 – Triangular Pixels is thrilled to announce that Unseen Diplomacy 2, the highly anticipated follow-up to their award-winning VR espionage adventure, will reveal a brand-new extended trailer during the UploadVR Summer Showcase on July 11th, 2025. Fresh off their recent feature in the Women-Led Games Showcase: Summer Game Fest Edition 2025, the studio is ready to reveal more of the game’s stealth action, inventive gadgets and thrilling physical gameplay!
“We’re excited to reveal more of Unseen Diplomacy 2 in the Upload VR Showcase, with extended gameplay that shows how your whole home can become the mission space,” said Katie Goode, Creative Director at Triangular Pixels. “Mixed reality has always been a key part of the experience, letting players blend the spy world into their everyday surroundings. As we get closer to launch, we can’t wait for players to step into their own spy stories soon.”
In Unseen Diplomacy 2, players take on the role of a spymaster, leading their own elite agency while also getting their hands dirty out in the field in a 1990s inspired retro-futuristic setting with analog technology. Sneak around enemy bases to steal valuable intel and resources, sabotage their plans, and then successfully escape without being noticed. To fully immerse themselves into this role, players will physically crawl, roll under lasers, and dodge side to side while utilizing new gadgets, like the wire clippers, and wearing disguises to dupe the enemy. Those who prefer a less quiet approach can also utilize blow darts. To ensure every mission and campaign feels fresh, Triangular Pixels uses a new system that not only procedurally generates levels, but also tailors the experience based on the space you have and the actions you take.
Beyond the thrilling action, the spymaster’s job is to also manage the agency, adding a strategic layer to the game. Players recruit agents, manage resources, and deploy operatives on high-stakes missions to thwart rogue corporations, mad scientists and secret organizations threatening global stability. Every mission will bring you closer to uncovering the truth, and depending on the choices the players make, the road to success varies from playthrough to playthrough.
Key features:
High-stakes operations: utilize stealth, strategy, and quick thinking to steal assets, gather evidence, sabotage obstacles that will slice, dice, zap, crush, burn or call the guards, and escape unseen
Dynamic and replayable missions: every playthrough is unique, with missions providing fresh challenges. You can play through the Campaign or hop into Quick Play to do your daily exercise and keep track of your fitness journey
New gameplay mechanics: in addition to the locomotion-based stealth, the game features clipping and rerouting wires, hacking computer terminals, enemy robots, disguises, photography, and shooting
Strategic spymaster gameplay: manage your agency, recruit agents, and deploy them on missions to gather intel and outmaneuver enemy counterspies
The Director Graph System: developed by Triangular Pixels, this system allows for generating dynamic, procedural levels that adapt to the play area, hardware, difficulty settings and gameplay preferences, as well as making the process of creating content much easier and allowing level designers to hand craft the flow of levels
Mixed reality integration: Meta Quest 3 players will be able to experience the spy world in their living space, blending the virtual with the real world.
Accessibility: The game comes with new support for those with tremors, one handed play, difficulty control and also supports those needing standing and seated play.
About Triangular Pixels
Triangular Pixels is a BAFTA nominated Cornish independent games studio, founded over 10 years ago by ex-Sony London Studio developers. Triangular Pixels has a passion for fun, light hearted, and manic gaming that is fun to share. They have previously released Unseen Diplomacy and Smash Hit Plunder, and collaborated on projects with other developers like XR Games, Vive and Ramen VR. Triangular Pixels also developed VR tools such as Technie Collider Creator, Technie Virtual Console, and Technie Scene Palette.
RIGA, LATVIA – July 11, 2025 –Hide The Corpse, the chaotic and quirky VR body-hiding sandbox from publisher HyperVR Games and developer Realcast, seeks out new hiding spots on PlayStation VR 2 on August 18th, as revealed during the UploadVR showcase. Hide the Corpse is also available on Meta Quest.
The cops are on their way, and time is running out! Move through different themed rooms and find a spot to stash Gus the corpse out of sight. Minding a short four-minute timer, drag and maneuver Gus across physics-based levels, hide pieces of evidence, erase incriminating fingerprints, and leave no traces that could lead to a guilty verdict!
Conceal Gus among challenging surroundings in each distinct location. Blend his brightly-colored ‘70s button-up with retro Diner seats, shuffle furniture and trinkets around in the Apartment, or hide in plain sight among modern marvels at the Museum. But wait, it gets weirder! Float away from felony charges on the zero-gravity Spaceship, and send evidence to the seafloor in the Sunken Ship!
Earn points for destroying critical evidence like fingerprints and spend them on the latest in corpse costumes! Opt for an era-appropriate Disco outfit, become the supervillain to Gus’ superhero suit, or get spooky with Zombie clothes and makeup! Overcome additional trials with game-altering Modifiers, like Gas Crisis, where a flatulent Gus’ farts propel him across stages.
“We’re thrilled that our supportive community loves Hide the Corpse – their positive feedback has empowered us to continue to expand Gus’ world with updates and new platforms,’’ said Eneko Barandiaran, Publishing Manager, HyperVR Games. “We can’t wait to invite PlayStation VR players to join the corpse-hiding party next month!”
Hide the Corpse will plan perfect cover-ups on PlayStation VR 2 on August 18th. The game is available on the Meta Quest Store for USD 14.99, with a SteamVR version launching soon.
HyperVR Games is a virtual reality game development and publishing company based in Riga, Latvia, focused on creating immersive and interactive casual experiences. Its titles include Shave & Stuff, Pets & Stuff, Titans Clinic, and Hide the Corpse.
Design and build a custom assembly line to snap individual building bricks together to form charming miniature figurines in a laid-back factory automation experience. Set your own pace while refining each step of the process, experimenting with new machines and bricks to create the perfect production line. Seek serenity, embrace creativity, and reject pressure!
Stack, shape, cut, glue, and paint bricks as they progress through the production line with clever selection of assembly machines. Try out new devices and stacking mechanisms across 24 highly replayable levels that gradually introduce new concepts and machines.
Freewheel in Creative Mode to design and assemble unique new figurines, bringing them to life with custom workflows. Discover the zen of automation and share designs with friends and other players using integrated Steam Workshop support.
Finish off the job by adding completed figurines into themed dioramas that evolve over time, providing the perfect showcases for figurines like red pandas, race cars, and seafaring ships as they come off the production line.
“We love automation games, and with Block Factory, we wanted to create one that welcomes all players and inspires their creativity,” said Pablo López, Co-Founder and Designer at OverPowered Team. “The stages provide an introduction to the mechanics and are a chance to learn and try those out, and we can’t wait to see what players end up designing in Creative Mode.”
Block Factory is available now on PC via Steam for $9.99 | £8.50 | 9.99€ with a 10% discount at launch. The game supports English, French, German, Spanish, Galician, Russian, Italian, and Simplified Chinese.
For more information, wishlist the game on Steam and follow Shiro Games on Bluesky and OverPowered Team on X (Formerly Twitter).
About Shiro Games
Shiro Games is an independent Bordeaux-based studio founded by video game veterans Sebastien Vidal and Nicolas Cannasse to bring new innovative games to life. Based in Bordeaux, France, the studio released its first project Evoland in 2013 and its acclaimed sequel Evoland 2 in 2015. Shiro Games then launched its popular Viking strategy game Northgard on Steam in 2018, which has gone on to sell more than 3 million units across various platforms as well as Dune: Spice Wars, the spice-infused blend of 4X and RTS gameplay. Wartales is their latest title, with several major DLC additions since its release in April 2023.
OverPowered Team is an independent video game developer based in Madrid, Spain. Comprised of passionate developers who met in college over a decade ago, OverPowered Team strives to continually create fun and engaging games. Their previous work includes Ruin Raiders, a turn-based tactical roguelike and Godstrike, a fast-paced twin-stick shooter.
For more information on OverPowered Team, please visit the official website.
