Weekly Steam Square #161: Palworld 1.0, Cat Mail Co., and More
The roundup highlights the breadth of Steam's release slate, with Palworld's full launch as a milestone for the survival crafting genre.
4Gamer.net
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Re:synchronized Draws Mixed Reviews on Steam After Launch
The remake's rocky launch highlights how promotional strategies and technical issues can trigger coordinated negative reviews, even when the game itself receives higher praise in other regions.
Game Spark
Backblaze Q1 2026 HDD Failure Rate Hits 1.39%, New Large Drives Show 0.85% Rate
The data indicates that Backblaze's shift to higher-capacity drives is paying off with lower failure rates, suggesting newer HDD technology is more reliable.
GIGAZINE
Far Far West Dev Log Maps Out New Maps, Melee, and Shields
The dev log shows the studio prioritizing community-requested features like shields while expanding combat and exploration options ahead of more updates.
Game Spark
Azur Lane Summer Fair 2026 POP UP Store to Open July 31 With Swimsuit Goods
The online sales phase starting August 18 extends the event's reach beyond the physical pop-up stores, making the limited goods available to a wider audience who cannot visit the Akihabara and Namba locations.
Inside
CodePhantom Steam Page Opens, 2026 Release Planned
The opening of the Steam page for CodePhantom signals a new mecha action title with a sync-driven combat system, and its planned Steam Next Fest demo gives players a chance to try it before the 2026 launch.
Game Spark
Tanya Degurechaff Vivit Figure Debuts as Crane Game Prize in July
The figure extends the Vivit Figure series to include a character from Saga of Tanya the Evil, providing a new collectible option for fans of the series.
Dengeki Hobby Web
Brave Announces BAT Roadmap 4.0 With Credit Card and BravePay
The roadmap signals Brave's push to turn BAT into a practical currency for daily use, moving beyond ad rewards to physical spending and automated payments.
GIGAZINE
Idle RPG 'Artes Note' PC Version Launches July 13 With Demo Save Transfer
The PC release brings a mobile idle RPG with a substantial text-driven story to Steam, offering a hands-off dungeon crawler for players who value narrative depth alongside automated progression.
Game Spark
Barrier Defense Game Dear Magical Girls Launches Free on Steam July 31
The game offers a free, no-microtransaction experience that uses a barrier defense mechanic to tell a story about the emotional toll of being a magical girl, a rare combination in the genre.
Game Spark
Meta Builds a Chip to Reuse Old Server Memory in New Servers
Meta's Vistara chip turns a hardware incompatibility problem into a cost-saving production tool, with measurable performance gains already in deployment.
GIGAZINE
LightSup! Co-Op Roguelike Playtest Now Live on Steam
The playtest gives an early look at a co-op roguelike that emphasizes friendship and shared adventure, with a multi-platform release planned for 2026.
Game Spark
Nabe Ni Dangan Wo Ukenagara Manga Gets TV Anime Adaptation for 2027
A niche nonfiction manga built around extreme local cuisine and a delusional protagonist is being adapted by a major studio, signaling that the industry sees potential in offbeat, reportage-style source material.
Denfaminicogamer
Cinderia Major Update Buffs Isudara, Adds 10 New Maps
The update shows the developer responding to player feedback on Isudara's difficulty while adding substantial content to the early access title, which has already seen strong sales and positive reception.
Automaton
Mech Action Game ARMED FRAME Suspends Playtest Registration After Overwhelming Demand
The suspension indicates the unexpected demand for a niche indie mech game, driven in part by its distinctive first-person perspective.
Game Spark
Lucky Tower Ultimate Developer Talks Player Creativity, Pendleton Ward, and Future Pets
The interview shows how Studio Seufz turned player curiosity and community feedback into core design pillars, with concrete post-launch plans that include pets and more content.
Game Spark
Discord Analytics Tool comcom Analytics Expands AI Features Beyond Web3
The update signals abc's push to make community analytics accessible beyond crypto circles, positioning comcom Analytics as a cross-genre tool for Discord server operators, including game communities.
GameBusiness.jp
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Final Eight Set at EWC 2026
The EWC's group-stage format and the players' expressed confidence point to a competitive final with a $250,000 prize.
4Gamer.net
Colibrì Inference Engine Runs 744B-Parameter GLM-5.2 on a Consumer PC with 25GB of Memory
Colibrì demonstrates that even a 744B-parameter open model can be run on a consumer PC by trading speed for memory, potentially broadening access to large language models beyond users with expensive hardware.
GIGAZINE
IDOLiSH7 Wafer 27 Brings 32 Cards Featuring Memomelo, Leopard, and More
The 27th edition continues the long-running collectible wafer line for IDOLiSH7, offering new card designs drawn from a mix of recent and classic unit songs.
Dengeki Hobby Web
Kill The Shadow Gets August 5 Release Date on Steam
The game's blend of 2.5D pixel-art characters with 3D environments and a memory-reading deduction partner offers a distinct take on the investigative adventure genre.
Game Spark
PrismML Compresses 27B-Parameter AI Model to Run on iPhone 17 Pro
If PrismML's compression proves practical, Apple could run large dense AI models entirely on-device, reducing server costs and improving privacy without relying on cloud processing.
GIGAZINE
Crimson Desert DLC Confirmed as Paid, Multiplayer Feasibility Under Study
The comments clarify Pearl Abyss's monetization strategy for Crimson Desert's post-launch content while tempering expectations for a multiplayer mode that was part of the game's original online design.
Game Spark
One Piece x NBA Collaboration Merchandise Reservations Open Until July 12
The collaboration offers exclusive artwork not available elsewhere, making it a limited-time collectible for fans of both One Piece and the NBA.
Anime Anime