BOSTON – 12, May 2025 – Show organizers ReedPop and Penny Arcade revealed today at the conclusion of PAX East, the East Coast’s most-attended gaming event, that the 2026 edition of the show returns to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center from Thursday, March 26, through Sunday, March 29, 2026.
PAX East 2025 welcomed more than a hundred thousand attendees from all over the world, with even more fans coming together digitally to participate in the festivities hosted across Twitch, Steam, and other online platforms. Highlights from the jam-packed weekend include a storytime keynote with Greg Miller, a glimpse at ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN from Bandai Namco; and a return to the planet Arrakis in Dune: Awakening from developer Funcom.
The show also featured a massive expo hall with games industry titans, indie developers, tabletop freeplay areas, and intense gaming tournaments in the PAX Arena including the likes of Capcom and Tekken 8. Off the show floor attendees enjoyed thoughtful panel discussions, live concerts, elaborate cosplays, and community meetups. Relive the annual celebration of gaming and pop culture, or catch it for the first time with uploads of all the recorded content on the official PAX YouTube channel.
“I’m ready to do another PAX East next weekend,” said Jerry Holkins, co-founder of PAX, Penny Arcade, and Child’s Play Charity. “But they said it had to be next year, or whatever.”
For the fans who can’t wait until PAX East next year, PAX West takes place in Seattle from Friday, Aug. 29, to Monday, Sept. 1, 2025; PAX Aus in Melbourne, Australia from Thursday, Oct. 9, to Saturday, Oct 11, 2025; and PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia from Friday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025. Badges for PAX West go on sale Thursday, May 22, 2025 with 4-day badges priced at $255, Saturday badges at $70, Friday, Sunday, and Monday badges at $68.50, and BYOC at $50.
PAX, or Penny Arcade Expo, is a festival for gamers to celebrate gaming culture. First held in Seattle in 2004, PAX has nearly doubled in size each successive year, with PAX Prime 2014 selling out of tickets in a matter of minutes. Connecting the world’s leading game publishers with their most avid and influential fans, PAX expanded with a second show in Boston in 2010, and a third in San Antonio in 2015, making it the three largest gaming shows in North America. The first international PAX was held in Melbourne, Australia in 2013. In 2017, Penny Arcade established PAX Unplugged, its first tabletop-focused show, held in Philadelphia.
About ReedPop
ReedPop is a boutique group within RX – one of the world’s leading event organizers. Launched in 2006, the group has become the number one producer of pop culture events globally and a full-service digital content provider and media company. Delivering once-in-a-lifetime fan experiences curated specifically for localized audiences, ReedPop currently features events in North America, Europe and Asia, including New York Comic Con (NYCC), Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2), PAX West, East, and Unplugged, Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC), Star Wars Celebration, MCM Comic Con, Eurogamer Expo (EGX), MagicCon, and more. In addition to organizing and managing events, ReedPop owns and operates the pop culture news site, Popverse, which is the exclusive home for livestreams from all of ReedPop’s major comic cons. The staff at ReedPop are a fan-based group of professionals uniquely qualified to build and serve the communities with whom they share a common passion.
About Penny Arcade
Penny Arcade has been the world’s most popular webcomic for over 20 years, with over 3.5 million readers. Started in 1998 in the living room of Mike Krahulik & Jerry Holkins, it has grown into a media empire encompassing multiple beloved properties such as Lookouts, Automata, and beloved D&D live-play series Acquisitions Incorporated. Penny Arcade was responsible for the creation of Child’s Play, a gaming charity that has raised over $45 million dollars for children across the world. They are also the founders of PAX, the number one consumer gaming festival in North America, with hundreds of thousands of loyal visitors every year.
Averno City is a thriving hive of gang activity and we hit the beat as a fresh-faced rookie with some bhig shoes to fill as Officer Nick Cordell Jr., the son of the just slain previous chief of police and soon find ourselves learning first-hand just how dangerous these streets are in Microids and Fallen Tree Games’ The Precinct.
The Precinct – Gameplay
The Precinct is a neon-noir action sandbox police game set in the crime-ridden streets of Averno City in 1983. Developed by Fallen Tree Games and published by Kwalee, this top-down, open-world adventure puts you in the shoes of rookie officer Nick Cordell Jr., fresh out of the Academy and ready to tackle the city’s rampant crime and corruption.
Patrol the streets by foot, squad car, or helicopter, responding to procedurally generated crimes ranging from parking violations to bank heists. Engage in thrilling car chases through destructible environments, call in backup with an in-depth support system, and unravel the mystery behind your father’s murder. With a dynamic day-night cycle and weather system, Averno City is a living, breathing world that reacts to your actions.
Inspired by classic cop movies of the 1980s and 1990s, The Precinct combines police simulation with action-packed gameplay to deliver an immersive experience.
The Precinct Developer: Fallen Tree Games Ltd Publisher: Kwalee Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S Release Date: 14 May, 2025 Price: $39.99 USD
Recommended – “The Precinct blends action with police simulation and a solid ’80s aesthetic, but underdeveloped storytelling, rough mechanics, and bugs tarnish what could have been a standout experience.”
Usually in video games players end up facing off against the cops or running from them in one way or another. It might be something as simple as racing away from a police cruiser in a racing game or shooting your way out of a bank robbery. Few titles actually place players in the role of the police themselves tend to either fall into racing games that see players acting almost the exact same as they would anyways or in a complete simulation that tries to hold players to the strictest possible rules.
Now here we have The Precinct from Fallen Tree Games, who originally developed a similar game that had players once again on the opposite side of the law, American Fugitive.Taking what they learned with their previous efforts and looking to create a police game that tries to blend the line between arcade action and simulation, have they been successful with The Precinct?
Story
Set in the 1980s players step into the freshly laced boots of a rookie cop named Nick Cordell Jr. who is fresh out of the academy and ready to help protect the people of the crime-riddled Averno City. The only problem is, he has some rather big shoes to fill as his father was not only the previous police chief but was killed by an unknown assailant. After some ribbing from the fellow officers, Cordell finds himself paired up with “two-weeks from retirement” Kelly whose “bad hip” makes it so Cordell has to drive everywhere and take charge despite Kelly technically being his Training Officer and Cordell his boot.
It isn’t long before Cordell is thrown right into the thick of things when one of the biggest banks in the city is hit by a local gang and the police respond in force, dropping Officer Cordell right into the deep end as he learns that while the police do their best to keep Averno City safe, the Crimson Serpents and JawHeads gangs run rampant even as a third mysterious gang has started to lay low. With Cordell and Kelly heading out on patrol shifts, it will be up to them to gather evidence from random criminals throughout the city and deliver it to the detectives to build-up a case to bring down these gangs once and for all.
The Precinct tells a fairly solid storyline that feels like it is right out of a classic cop movie from the ‘80s, which is precisely what the developers seemed to be aiming for by basing so much of the title’s aesthetic around the ’80s noir aesthetic. Classic officer names such as Kowalski pop up and various jokes about donuts and the like are bantered about, but unfortunately there really isn’t a whole lot of actual meat to the story that The Precinct is trying to tell. Sure, it works like a film, but not as a game. Far too much of the game is simply lacking storyline or even character banter, even if it was subtitled only. The only time anything plot related happens is when players gather enough evidence to unlock a shift to apprehend one of the two gangs’ top members and even this is kept to a surprising minimum. Oh, and a random serial killer that is worked in but given the same level of credence and an “undercover” operation of street racing that just serves as an excuse to have races in the game. Outside of the initial tutorial, there is very little banter with Kelly or any member of the force.
In fact, players will never find themselves working with anyone besides Kelly, which logistically makes sense since Cordell is a rookie, but other than talking to one of two detectives or the chief, characterization is minimal beyond the tutorial and the finale that we can’t go into for spoiler reasons. That being said, at least the storyline does pick up here with the finale with some real character interaction and involvement by the player, giving us just a glimpse at how great it would be if more cases throughout the title had even close to the same level of care as the finale but unfortunately that isn’t the case here. One thing players will find in spades are movie references and jokes from the various civilians they’ll walk past, referencing many classic action and sci-movies at the time. One line that surprisingly wasn’t dropped, though I’ll give it a pass since it is meant to be in the earlier ‘80s, is no “I’m too old for this sh*t.”
Gameplay
As mentioned before, The Precinct tries to find a balance between offering an arcade-style shooter and racer and an actual proper police game and it does a fairly decent job of it. Every day players will be given a selection of shift choices from Kowalski to choose from, be it foot patrol, traffic, helicopter patrol, or traffic patrol, or eventually once players “rank up” enough they can also build their own custom shifts with special unlocked conditions such as increased drug or gang activity, longer time periods, and specific locations. Regardless of what players select, they’ll be sent out into Averno City with an isometric style camera view, this even includes helicopter flying though since controlling the helicopter simply involves maintaining altitude, keeping the spotlight on suspects, and calling in backup, it doesn’t affect it much.
Speaking of all that, regardless of what players take on, they’ll find that they don’t often need to stick to their actual patrol beat if they so please. In fact, other than earning a little less XP per arrest, there is no punishment for patrolling or moving outside of their district. This is likely thanks to the dynamic AI used to generate crimes as players play through their shift. For example, while Cordell might be playing meter maid and laying down parking tickets for blocking a hydrant or being opposite the flow of traffic, the next car down might start getting broken into by a random passerby, giving players the chance to either commandeer (if unlocked) or just summon a new patrol car and give chase to try and arrest the fleeing felon, who might crash into other cars or even begin firing at the player if they happen to have a weapon.
Anytime the player is properly pursuing a subject, be it on foot, in a car, or especially in a helicopter they will build up their back-up meter that will fill in sections and can be used to summon everything from air-support to keep track of a fleeing subject to other squad cars, an armored support vehicle, spike strips, and even a roadblock to slow down the fleeing subject. Many of these forms of back-up must be unlocked but can be quite helpful in putting a stop to someone fleeing, though players can press X to give voice commands to lower their morale and urge them to give up peacefully. Players also have access to two types of non-lethal weaponry in the form of a taser and police baton, though this is only if they are authorized to use restraining force.
One thing of note is that driving in The Precinct feels rather… rough to say the least. Ironically, the initial patrol car players receive may be the best optimized vehicle for handling and controlling as players race through the streets and cut through alleyways since criminals will try to use all manners of shortcuts and back-routes to avoid the cops. At best vehicles feel like they control a little too floaty for my tastes, especially since vehicles have a tendency to perform complete flips when struck or hit by other patrol cars called in as back-up. It is also worth noting that it is also incredibly buggy, especially in the aforementioned “undercover” street races. Numerous times throughout these races I would find myself racing along only for the back half of my vehicle to suddenly clip into the ground, being unable to drive or fix itself in any way. Even outside of races this happened, though at least here Cordell and Kelly could leave the car behind and get a new one. Speaking of bugs, a real nasty one happens to be the fact that the game does have a tendency to crash from time to time to the Xbox dashboard. In these instances any progress the player has made on a patrol is lost entirely as no autosave is kept in these situations. This can make longer patrols a bit of a risk but there is also no punishment for ending a patrol early should players need to.
The Precinct tries its best to try and make sure that players act properly, but the punishments for actually doing something wrong are rarely impactful. Using improper force like trying to beat down or shoot a suspect that players haven’t been given lethal force to can trigger a reload of an autosave during a shift, same as frequently running over the same person multiple times, however just crashing into a crowd of people will do nothing. In fact, there are often times the game will seem to punish the player for doing nothing at all, or using proper force. Multiple times during car chases players may have authority to use force, but ramming a vehicle or trying to perform a pit maneuver (that does not work in-game) can cause an XP reduction upon arrest. In fact, even during a shootout if players are firing at an enemy and they happen to surrender mid-burst and get hit, players will be sent back to auto save. While this makes sense legally, using any weapon with a fast-range of fire such as an SMG or AK-47 can lead to unnecessary trouble. Gunplay in The Precinct is simplistic with players drawing any of the four weapons they can have equipped and aiming with a straight-line and reticle showing where they will actually hit when firing, using twin-stick aiming structure to take down hostile subjects.
Anyways, once players actually apprehend a potential criminal that is where a new interesting element comes into play, properly handling a possible felon. While walking on the street players can stop and frisk anyone, checking their ID and searching their person for any illegal contraband, weaponry, or narcotics before letting them go if they are all clear. If they happen to have a warrant out for their arrest or have an illegal item on their person, players can arrest them and read them their rights but this can potentially trigger a fight or flight response from the subject that can lead to even more charges. Either way, once apprehended, players can then manually assign crimes to the subject with each correct charge giving XP and wrong charge deducting it. Some crimes warrant only a fine while most others involve an arrest and players can choose to either call an escort officer to take them back to the precinct for a small bit of XP or take them back themselves for a solid chunk of XP. Though it is worth noting that even the best cop car only has room for two offenders in the back.
Now we’ve mentioned XP and unlockables a lot and it is worth noting that there are no real RPG mechanics in The Precinct. Yes, players can “rank up” using XP to higher police levels and this will unlock additional vehicles and weapons that players can use while on patrol as well as “unlock tokens” that can be used to obtain random bonuses. This can be anything from carrying extra ammo, having extra health or running stamina, to being able to call in a road-block for help. These unlocks are quite lacking most of the time unfortunately with only a few feeling actually necessary and surprisingly early. That being said, since players can spend tokens in any manner and unlocks aren’t level locked, they can focus on a specific tree if they so wish. There are also random collectables that players can find throughout Averno City, these include unique cars hidden away beneath shacks, plaques on buildings that provide extra history for the city, and even challenging little riddles to obtain artifacts stolen from a museum. The latter of these happens to even have an unlock that can “ping” when players are nearby, though it is incredibly hard to notice to the point that we didn’t even see it for hours after unlocking it. These artifacts are all locked within safes that have pin numbers that are related to a clue nearby that players must figure out, ranging from simple riddles to aforementioned city history.
Visuals & Audio
It must be said that The Precinct does look rather impressive even if the camera angle is kept at an always isometric viewpoint. There are enough details in the various cars that players can drive, including plenty of destructible parts of the vehicles themselves as well as the environment as nearly everything outside of a building can be destroyed. It is nice to note that there are a number of hidden collectable cars throughout the map as well, though players will need to go back to the same location every time they want to drive it again. The character models are decent enough with some solid variety and the same can be said about the character portraits for the limited story sections. The biggest highlight here happens to be the neon lighting and how gorgeous Averno City can look at night, especially when there is rare rain or any type of inclement weather actually.
The voice work throughout the game is handled well-enough, with every part of the story given voice work though it does seem that a few early lines of dialogue from the Chief are a bit blown-out compared to the rest of voice actors, though it only happens right at the start. Otherwise the voice acting is handled quite well, including the randomized call-outs players can make to coax criminals into giving up. The soundtrack features a nice collection of synthesized music that works well for the setting of the game but does lack a bit of the rock that someone would expect for the genre and time period.
Overall
The Precinct brings with it a strong concept that does its best to find an engaging balance between action and police simulation while trying to enforce some proper police limitations on players all while sticking true to the ‘80s core aesthetic and design the team was hoping for. Unfortunately unrealized story and character potential as well as bugs and rough gameplay elements hinder this oft gorgeous looking game from truly shining like it should, instead leaving it with a lot of grime on its badge when its time to clock out at the end of the shift.
Capsule Computers review guidelines can be found here.
EVERSPACE 2 space pilots around the globe can now purchase a brand-new expansion adding more adventure, four new star systems, flyable alien spacecraft, and more.
Hamburg, Germany – May 12, 2025 — The ROCKFISH Games team is excited to share EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients, the new expansion for the award-winning space looter-shooter RPG is now available on Steam, GOG, Xbox, and PlayStation for $24.99 / €24.99 / £19.99 / ¥2970.
This expansion concludes the EVERSPACE 2 story, opening up new explorable star systems packed with new quests, enemies, gear, and challenges for space pilots around the globe. Alongside the release of the DLC, EVERSPACE 2 is receiving a free update filled with quality-of-life features, bug fixes, and support for NVIDIA DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation and AMD FSR 4.
Watch the EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients Launch Trailer
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients adds more than ten hours of new post-game and side quest storylines to the base game. Set after the events of EVERSPACE 2, a new adventure leads pilots deep into star systems controlled by the Okkar, an advanced species whom Humankind has brokered a fragile peace. As Adam and his band of misfits seek out the origins of mysterious Ancient ships attacking Human colonies, truths of this alien race come to light.
As part of the new storyline, players will set out to adventure through four new explorable star systems, each packed with multiple locations filled with new enemies, secrets, and puzzles. New side quests expand on characters and stories introduced in EVERSPACE 2, adding greater depth to the universe.
A new playable Okkar spaceship, the Wraith, enables new playstyle options through powerful ability combos, increased damage opportunities, and an ultimate skill that transforms the ships’ appearance and special abilities. Pilots will be able to further power up their ships to take on the Ancient threat with legendary weapons, a new gear rarity tier, craftable components, and more.
“Space pilots can now jump in to experience the thrilling story that concludes this chapter of the EVERSPACE series. From beginning to end, EVERSPACE 2 has been a project nearly seven and a half years in development—this time has been filled with exciting announcements, growing a fantastic community, and time spent with an amazing team. This expansion embodies all the expertise gained, lessons learned, and many of the exciting ideas developed during this time,” said ROCKFISH Games CEO and Co-Founder, Michael Schade. “I am both happy and sad to say Wrath of the Ancients is our final expansion for EVERSPACE 2 as we set our sights on the horizons of a new project. From our initial Kickstarter, to our win at the Deutscher Computerspielpreis for Best German Game, to this release of Wrath of the Ancients, I couldn’t be prouder of the team and the work we’ve done. Everyone here at the studio is excited for the future, and I can’t wait to share what’s to come.”
Both EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients and EVERSPACE 2: Titans were made possible through partial grant funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of Germany (BMWK).
“As a recipient studio of a grant from the BMWK for this project, I strongly feel this program helps pave the way for studios like ours to stay independent while showcasing German technical expertise and creativity on the world stage,” said Schade. “Through these grants, business leaders like myself are able to create jobs for developers and designers attracted to the industry. We are able to foster young talent, develop intermediate developers into senior team leaders, and create opportunities for creative minds of all kinds. In a time where our industry is struggling, grant programs like these help German studios stay competitive and allow established and new studios to flourish.”
Alongside the launch of EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients, ROCKFISH Games has released a Galactic Edition collecting EVERSPACE 2 and all its expansions into one package on Xbox and PlayStation, and new digital soundtrack and artbook DLCs on PC, collecting music and art created for EVERSPACE 2: Titans and EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients.
EVERSPACE 2: Wrath of the Ancients is fully voiced in English and German and currently localized in thirteen languages, including English, Brazilian Portuguese, Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and Spanish.
Every second Friday, the ROCKFISH Games team shows off content from their latest EVERSPACE 2 dev build on the ROCKFISH Games Twitch and YouTube channel from 8 pm to 10 pm CEST / 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm EST / 11:00 am to 1:00 pm PST. Viewers are encouraged to bring their EVERSPACE questions to ask the dev team.
About ROCKFISH Games GmbH
ROCKFISH Games is an independent game studio specializing in cutting-edge space action RPGs for PC and consoles. Industry veterans Michael Schade and Christian Lohr founded ROCKFISH Games to create a new breed of adrenalin-filled adventures for space shooter fans through their acclaimed EVERSPACE IP. After spending over two decades as joint entrepreneurs in the 3D graphics and mobile gaming space, Schade and Lohr built ROCKFISH Games from the ground up alongside their former team of veteran talents to the current studio of 30 game developers and community experts from across the industry over the past ten years.
Using Kickstarter to build a new community in 2015, ROCKFISH Games reached a runaway success with EVERSPACE, which has sold over three million copies on PC and consoles. Building on this success and propelled by yet another wildly successful Kickstarter campaign in 2019, ROCKFISH Games is dedicated to crafting a compelling next-gen single-player open-world space shooter experience that is driven by quality storytelling while being highly accessible at the beginning and yet deep in its gameplay mechanics to appeal to casual as well as hardcore space action aficionados from around the globe with EVERSPACE 2.
Quebec City – May 12, 2025 – Trust is dangerous. Love is deadly. Today, Nesting Games unveiled the narrative trailer for Directorate Novitiate, an ambitious urban fantasy action RPG set to launch in Early Access this summer.
The trailer introduces Kana Luna, Mercury in the shadows, a young woman torn between two worlds: her everyday life and the hidden, magical criminal empire of the Directorate. Set against the backdrop of 2006 Los Angeles, Mercury is drawn into a web of betrayal, grief, and supernatural conflict.
With quiet intensity and stylized noir visuals, the trailer teases Mercury’s double life. By day, she’s a daughter and friend; by night, an assassin navigating a secret war between Syndicates. As the mysterious Constellation Killer closes in, Mercury faces impossible choices between loyalty, survival, and her own humanity.
Narrative Highlights in the Trailer:
A glimpse into Mercury’s fractured, dangerous relationships
Themes of betrayal, grief, and rage
Hints of the supernatural conspiracy threatening both magical and everyday worlds
About the Game
Directorate Novitiate is a third-person narrative action RPG set in a reimagined magical Los Angeles. Players shape their version of Mercury through branching choices, evolving relationships, and cinematic combat. Every friend, rival, and location holds secrets, and every decision comes with consequences.
About Nesting Games
Nesting Games is an indie studio founded by industry veterans Frederick and Sebastien Brassard, blending AAA narrative expertise with agile, tech-forward production. Based in Quebec City and Los Angeles, the team is redefining what small studios can achieve.
Face new challenges in Legend Mode, or chill out and enjoy the story in Explorer Mode
St. Louis – May 12, 2025 – Butterscotch Shenanigans today releases the version 1.1 update for Crashlands 2, adding new Legend and Explorer difficulty modes, the Compendium, and improvements to the early game experience. Download the free update to the friendship-fueled open-world crafting RPG and sequel to Crashlands, which amassed more than 1.8MM downloads, now on PC via Steam, iOS, and Android.
Give intergalactic trucker Flux Dabes a run for her money with the new Legend Mode, a bigger challenge for those who already beat the game in Challenge Mode and said it wasn’t even that hard. All those vicious little aliens and exploding plants on Woanope now hit harder and faster, and poor Flux is just a bit squishier.
But not everyone wants a challenge! Crashlands 2 has farming, fishing, home-building, and an enormous story filled with delightful characters. Want all that without all the stress? Sit down with a cup of tea and a blanket, and try out the new Explorer Mode, fine-tuned for maximum comfort.
Crashlands 2 made some, shall we say, controversial departures from the original. The dev team heard that feedback loud and clear! The 1.1 update brings back The Compendium, which logs all the stuff Flux discovers, shows global stats, and reveals just how many recipes, pets, and other resources you have left to reach 100%. This update also makes your pets into fully active combat companions and adds randomized bonus stats to crafted armor. These changes bring back things that people loved about the original, while still letting Crashlands 2 have its own flavor.
Reviewers of Crashlands 2 frequently said the same thing: “This game is great but I wish it opened up more quickly.” Well, now it does! The 1.1 update adds new Weapons, Gadgets, and Trinkets to the beginning of the game, so you can start experimenting with the deep Equipment Sets system as soon as you start playing.
In addition to those big-ticket items, the 1.1 update improves tons of odds-and-ends throughout the game. Nighttime darkness is now adjustable, base-building has been improved with customizable home teleporters and the ability to build on more of the world, and more!
“Crashlands 2 has only been out for a few weeks, but we’ve been working our butts off to read and address player feedback,” said Adam Coster, co-founder of Butterscotch Shenanigans. “We’ve already deployed 5 small patches, but 1.1 is our first major update. And it turned out that the players were right: the game was already a blast but all of these changes even made us have a lot more fun playing it. We’ll keep improving the game for a while yet, and we’re looking forward to seeing players come back to try out these changes and give us their next round of feedback!”
Crashlands 2 is available now on PC via Steam ($24.99) and mobile via the App Store and Google Play ($9.99) with full cross-platform save syncing. It includes English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazilian), Spanish (LATAM), Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, and Russian localizations.
Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, Butterscotch Shenanigans is an award-winning family-run indie developer. The nine-person team’s previous releases include Quadropus Rampage with nearly 5 million downloads on mobile, Flop Rocket with 1.5 million downloads, and Crashlands with 1.8 million units downloaded worldwide.
The action roguelite rises from Early Access with new hero, final chapter and mythic‑grade loot
Las Vegas, NV — May 12, 2025 — PM Studios™ and its subsidiary development studio TeamSuneat today announced their hack‑and‑slash action-roguelite Dragon is Dead™ ascends to full release June 6, 2025, on PC via Steam. The 1.0 launch crowns a year of community‑driven development that has shaped the game into its most ambitious form yet, ready to welcome the most audacious adventurers!
Dragon is Dead has evolved hand-in-hand with its community, with player feedback directly shaping everything from balance tweaks and combat feel to major content additions. Throughout its Early Access phase, the game earned strong praise from both players and press for its depth, responsiveness, and addictive, just-one-more-run momentum.
The official release marks the culmination of that journey, introducing a climactic final region and boss, the feral new heroine “Hunter of the Beast,” fully customizable difficulty options, and an overhauled Tempering system that enables high-risk, high-reward builds. Every system, story thread, and feature has been sharpened by the community’s insights into a final form worthy of the Dragon Slayer’s legend.
“Dragon is Dead represents a meaningful return to development for us through our internal subsidiary, TeamSuneat,” said Michael Yum, CEO of PM Studios. “This is a raw, unfiltered & gritty project built with heart by a small but fiercely talented team. What they’ve achieved — from the precision of the combat to the scale of the systems — is a testament to their vision, resilience, and creative fire. It captures the kind of bold creativity we’re excited to explore more of. And, we’re incredibly proud to share it with players as a new chapter in our in-house development journey.”
Version 1.0: What’s New?
The full release of Dragon is Dead is packed with exciting new content and features, including:
Final Region & Boss Battle: In the climactic final chapter, the remaining members of the Guernian clan become entangled with the schemes of the Circle of the Dawn, forcing players to confront the ultimate truth behind the dragon’s demise.
New Enemies: Beware the Circle of the Black Dawn, fanatical human worshippers who seized Guernian’s heart after his death. Led by the ambitious Ashat, they seek to expand their power and dominate the world.
Legendary and Mythic Gear: Discover a wealth of new Legendary gear and a brand new and more powerful Mythic tier of equipment, boasting unprecedented effects to enhance your builds.
Item Quenching: Introducing the ability to quench your equipment! This new system allows players to add new options to their gear and further upgrade the performance of existing ones, adding a new layer of customization.
New Hero “Hunter of the Beast”: A feral -new playable character, the Hunter, joins the fray, bringing unique skills and combat style to the battlefield.
Nightmare More x16: For seasoned adventurers seeking the ultimate test, 16 levels of challenging Nightmare difficulty will unlock after completing the base game. These endgame challenges feature entirely new enemy patterns and systems, not just increased enemy numbers.
About Dragon is Dead
Dragon is Dead is a fast-paced, 2D hack-and-slash roguelite that blends pixel‑precise action with deep RPG customization. Players battle through ever-shifting dungeons, master sprawling skill trees, collect hundreds of powerful Legendary and newly minted Mythic items, and spark wild Artifact synergies — all while confronting Guernian, the last Dark Dragon spreading corruption across the realm. With each death comes new opportunity, as Dragon is Dead encourages build experimentation, fierce persistence and an intense cadence of trial and triumph. Slice, die, and rise again: in Dragon is Dead, every defeat is a rehearsal for your most brutal encore.
Prepare to embark on the final chapter of this epic adventure when Dragon is Dead version 1.0 launches on Steam on June 6, 2025! Wishlist the game on Steam now: Click here
About PM Studios, Inc.
PM Studios™ is a game developer and publisher dedicated to championing indie innovation and delivering bold, unforgettable gaming experiences to players around the world. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Las Vegas, with international operations in Seoul, Korea, PM Studios brings deep expertise in development, distribution, and publishing — with a growing slate of acclaimed titles and popular franchises across console, PC, and mobile.
At PM Studios, creativity comes without compromise. We empower creators, connect communities, and invite players everywhere to unleash their wonder.
Watford, United Kingdom – 12th May 2025 – Independent publisher Wired Productions and developer Pollard Studio invite players to dive deeper into KARMA: The Dark World with the launch of the all-new Free Cinematic Filter Mode on PC and PS5. This new feature transforms the acclaimed psychological thriller into a customizable visual experience, adding a new layer of immersion and cinematic flair to the title that has captivated audiences since its debut on March 27th.
As if that weren’t exciting enough, players can now enjoy KARMA: The Dark World on the go, thanks to its Steam Deck verified status. This milestone enhances the mind-bending dystopian narrative, allowing players to alter their perspective with six distinct filters: 8MM Film, Fisheye, Dreamcore, Old Film, Low Saturation, and the spine-chilling Nori-inspired Black and White.
Watch the new trailer today:
To celebrate todays update, KARMA: The Dark World is now available at a special 20% discount on Steam and Epic Games Store, where the game is officially launching today, making the game just $19.99 / £15.99. This offer coincides with Wired Productions’ birthday celebrations throughout the “Month of Wired,” featuring daily deals, competitions, and surprise game reveals until the end of May.
Inspired by the works of legendary creators such as David Lynch (Twin Peaks), Hideo Kojima (Metal Gear Solid, Death Stranding), and Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar), KARMA: The Dark World blends psychological horror with immersive storytelling, challenging players to uncover the deepest secrets hidden in the minds of their targets. Developed in Unreal Engine 5, the game delivers an intensely atmospheric experience with stunning visuals and a haunting narrative.
KARMA: The Dark World is available now on Steam and Epic Games Store for a limited time at just $19.99, €19.99, and £15.99. PlayStation and GOG players can still claim the title for an indie-friendly $24.99, €24.99, £19.99, with Deluxe Edition, including a Digital Artbook and EP, priced at $34.99, €34.99, £29.99.
Players can Wishlist the upcoming Xbox version with more details to follow in the coming months.
About Wired Productions Wired Productions is an award winning Independent publishing house, proudly presenting a diverse range of specially curated games from some of the greatest storytellers and independent developers. Named as “Indie Publisher of the Year” at the MCV / Develop Awards, Wired is home to an award-winning collection of titles including: KARMA: The Dark World, DIG VR, Gori: Cuddly Carnage, Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles, Arcade Paradise VR, Martha Is Dead, Deliver Us the Moon and many more. Upcoming announced titles include: Hotel Architect, Beneath
About Pollard Studio
Pollard Studio, based in Shanghai, China, is an independent game development studio composed of industry veterans with experience at EA, Virtuos, and other major game studios. Founded in 2018, the studio specializes in narrative-driven experiences that blend psychological depth with stunning visuals. With a core team of 20 developers, including one based in Los Angeles, Pollard Studio is dedicated to crafting unforgettable gaming experiences.
Grow a green thumb with today’s free content update for the beloved witchcraft adventure
LONDON, UK – May 12, 2025 – Roll up your sleeves and get ready to grow your own garden in the magical witchcraft adventure REKA, with the free ‘Roots & Remedies Update’ available for all REKA players today.
Dive into the Roots & Remedies Update today to get in touch with nature, grabbing all the tools you need to nurture a blossoming garden. Plant seeds to grow pumpkins, cabbages, grains, garlic, sage, wolfsbane, poppies, and more, while using the trusty Old Watering Can to help your garden thrive. Harvest your bountiful crop and head to the new Herbalist Workshop to craft a special potion allowing players to speak to animals living in REKA’s enchanted woodlands.
Watch the REKA ‘Roots & Remedies Update’ Out Now Trailer below:
Also new with today’s Roots & Remedies Update is the arrival of Lost Places, hidden points of interest that reward curious players with loot for solving puzzles and platforming sequences. When exploring the world, keep one eye out for intriguing paintings or concealed chests, as you may never know where Lost Places could be hiding.
To aid with exploration, equip the new Oil Lantern to illuminate your surroundings, hold Swarog’s Torch to ignite flames, and select the new Mortar and Pestle Talisman to teleport back to your chicken-legged home. The Roots & Remedies Update also brings new quality of life improvements, plus a new outfit, trinket, new NPCs and more, all available to enjoy today.
REKA is the debut title of Berlin-based indie game studio Emberstorm Entertainment. Founded in 2020, the team’s goal is to make unique and immersive games with a focus on atmosphere and artistic craftsmanship.
About Fireshine Games
Fireshine Games is a global publisher of digital and physical video games based in London, England, with a focus on finding fun and bringing innovative indie gems to players around the world. Originally established in 2014, Fireshine Games has built a portfolio of digital titles and indie sensations, including award-winning titles Core Keeper and Shadows of Doubt, while partnering with studio giants to bring digital hits to physical release, including The First Berserker: Khazan from Nexon, Atomfall from Rebellion, and Balatro from Playstack.
Free update kicks off a new season, a new perk system, additional features, performance boosts, and fresh quality-of-life improvements!
North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany – May 12th, 2025 — HypeTrain Digital and StunForge are proud to reveal that their “Very Positive” rated tower defense & city builder Nordhold has received its first major content update since it launched in late March. In that time it’s sold over 130,000 copies and currently holds a “very positive” average user ranking across over 1,700 reviews!
This update adds a new Banner System that rewards versatility, a fresh Season with a leaderboard reset, major game-wide rebalancing, tweaks to Endless mode – especially for the spells, as well as performance improvements and quality of life enhancements.
More about Nordhold: Nordhold is a tower defense game for strategy enthusiasts who crave high replayability through endless combinations. Build and manage a cozy medieval Nordic village while enjoying deep tactical gameplay that doesn’t require extensive learning.
Enemies are coming! Every decision matters: build your city, grow the economy, and prepare for enemy waves. Strengthen your defenses, adapt your strategy, and unleash your hero’s full potential. This unique Tower Defense will test your skills – are you worthy to claim a place at Valhalla?
Key Features:
Over 20 buildings, offering diverse strategic development options through unique upgrades and meta-progression.
8 towers with unique abilities offer numerous customization options. Fine-tune your tactics to protect Nordhold effectively!
Choose from hundreds of hero combinations! Which general should defend Nordhold?
Combine Relics to create your unique combination of bonuses. Do you want 5 waves of stronger enemies, which also offer higher rewards? Or 5 waves of cheaper tower construction?
Compete globally or with friends in our ranking system. Can you reach the Valhalla rank?
A global publisher based in Cyprus, EU, HypeTrain Digital works side by side with independent teams to successfully ship their masterpieces to a worldwide audience. Their titles include: Breathedge, Quasimorph, Black Book, The Wild Eight, Stoneshard, Intravenous 2, There is No Light, DESOLATE, Police Stories, 12 is Better Than 6.
About Stunforge
Stunforge is a young German indie game company from North Rhine-Westphalia, founded by two passionate strategy enthusiasts. More than two years ago, they set out to combine their love for deep strategy games with the thrill of tower defense – all wrapped in a rich, Nordic-inspired world. Their first title, Nordhold, is a true passion project that brings fresh tactical depth and high replayability to the genre. Nordhold is currently available on Steam.
