← all stories

07

2h ago

Silent Hill Producer Explains Ryukishi07 Choice, Global Dev at CEDEC 2026

At CEDEC 2026, Konami general producer Motoi Okamoto detailed the revival strategy for the Silent Hill series, including the decision to entrust the scenario for Silent Hill f to writer Ryukishi07. Okamoto revealed he is a personal fan who has read over 90% of Ryukishi07's works, and argued that producers should read at least half of a writer's bibliography before commissioning them, both out of respect and to understand their strengths. The lecture also covered the global development pipeline: roughly 80% of the current Silent Hill team cannot speak English, so communication with overseas partners in Poland, Taiwan, and the U.S. relies on machine-translated text via chat and email. Okamoto stated that language ability matters less than the ability to make a good game. The team is almost entirely new, with about half of the members in their 20s and no staff from the original series. Assistant producer Taiki Matsuo noted that while development stages are globally standardized, cultural differences emerged around accessibility features and the timing of release quality assurance. The team implemented a Dyslexic font option, a feature Matsuo said is often dropped in Japan due to cost but treated as a quality requirement overseas.

Jul 15

SILENT HILL f and Higurashi When They Cry Hou Collaboration Bundle Launches on Steam

Konami released a collaboration bundle of SILENT HILL f and Higurashi When They Cry Hou on Steam on July 15, 2026. The bundle includes SILENT HILL f, Higurashi When They Cry Hou+, and additional Higurashi scenarios. Ryukishi07, the original creator of the Higurashi series, wrote the scenario for SILENT HILL f, forming the connection between the two horror titles. To commemorate the bundle, a special illustration by kera, who handled character and creature design for SILENT HILL f, was posted on the official SILENT HILL X account. The illustration shows Hinako Fukami from SILENT HILL f and Rena Ryugu from Higurashi standing together. Separately, SILENT HILL f is on sale for 50% off on Steam and the PlayStation Store, priced at 4,290 yen. The Steam sale runs until July 28, and the PS Store sale runs until July 29. The collaboration bundle itself is also discounted due to the sale price. SILENT HILL f, released in September 2025, is set in the Japanese mountain village of Ebisugaoka and follows protagonist Hinako as she explores a grotesque town. Higurashi When They Cry Hou is a sound novel collection that includes the original arcs and new scenarios.

Jul 13

Apex Legends' Cyberpunk 2077 Crossover Adds Night City Map and Mythic Alternator

The collaboration between Apex Legends and Cyberpunk 2077/Edgerunners goes live July 15, transforming the E-District map into Night City with neon, fog, and Arasaka's Citadel. A new Wild Card mode introduces Cyberware abilities: Blackwall Breach and Sandevistan. The first Mythic weapon skin, for the Alternator, features the AI pistol Skippy, which floats and talks during reload. Legend skins include Lucy for Alter, David for Sparrow, Rebecca for Rampart, and V for Crypto.

Jul 11

Apex Legends Cyberpunk Collab Adds Sandevistan, Cyberpsycho to E-District

The Apex Legends Cyberpunk collaboration event launches July 15, 2026, transforming the E-District map into a Night City version. Players can use Sandevistan or Blackwall Breach cyberware, but overuse triggers a cyberpsycho state that disables abilities while boosting melee speed. A Mythic Skippy weapon skin for the Alternator is also available.

Jul 8

Cyberpunk 2077 Mod Recreates Talia From Edgerunners 2

A fan-made mod for Cyberpunk 2077, released on Nexus Mods, lets players reproduce the appearance of Talia, a character from the upcoming Netflix anime Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2. The mod recreates her chrome body modifications shown in the June 30 teaser, including exposed joints and spiky toes, with versions compatible with existing body framework mods.

Jul 6

Cyberpunk 2077 Steam Concurrent Players Top 100,000 After 70% Off Sale

Cyberpunk 2077's Steam concurrent player count has exceeded 100,000 following a 70% off sale that began on June 18. The sale runs until July 10, dropping the price from 8,778 yen to 2,633 yen. The game has sold over 40 million copies globally as of July 3, and a sequel is in development under the name Project Orion.

Jun 30

CD Projekt Changes Company Name to CD Projekt Red

Polish game publisher CD Projekt has resolved to change its official company name to CD Projekt Red, unifying the corporate identity with its game development studio. The change follows a shareholder vote and will take effect after court registration. The company is currently developing multiple large-scale projects under Unreal Engine 5.

Jun 29

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners II Trailer Reveals Standalone Story for Fall 2026

Netflix released the first full trailer for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners II on June 29, 2026, confirming a fall 2026 premiere for the 10-episode anime. Studio Trigger returns to animate the sequel, which tells a standalone story with an entirely new cast of characters rather than continuing the original series. Bartosz Sztybor is back as showrunner. The official logline describes the series as "a raw chronicle of redemption and revenge" set in Night City, where violence has become entertainment and survival often means becoming part of the spectacle. The logline poses the question: "When the world is blinded by spectacle, what extremes do you have to go to make your story matter?" The first Cyberpunk: Edgerunners became a breakout hit for Netflix and CD Projekt Red after its 2022 debut, helping revive interest in the Cyberpunk 2077 game. The new season follows a different set of characters navigating the same dystopian setting.

Jun 16

Razer Devices Bring Light and Vibration Effects to 007 First Light

Razer and IO Interactive have partnered to integrate Razer Chroma RGB lighting and Razer Sensa HD Haptics into the spy action-adventure game 007 First Light, released May 27. The game features over 80 lighting effects and over 80 haptic effects across compatible Razer keyboards, mice, headsets, and controllers, aiming for a cinematic 4D-like experience at home.

Jun 9

PS Store May 2026 Download Rankings: 007 First Light Tops PS5 Chart

Sony Interactive Entertainment published the May 2026 PS Store download rankings on June 9, 2026. In the PS5 category, 007 First Light took first place, followed by Pragmata in second and Resident Evil RE:4 in third. The PS4 category was led by Devil May Cry HD Collection, while Little Nightmares VR Altered Echoes retained the PS VR2 top spot and NTE: Neverness to Everness led free-to-play titles.

Jun 8

Tomodachi Life Leads Japan's Game Rankings for May 25-31

Famitsu's latest weekly sales chart for May 25-31 shows Tomodachi Life on Switch in first place with 52,483 copies sold, bringing its total to over 1.25 million. New releases include 007 First Light on PS5 and Utawarerumono: Past and Present Rediscovered on both PS5 and Switch.

Jun 6

007 First Light Sells 2.7 Million Units in First Week, Year One Content Trailer Released

IO Interactive announced that '007 First Light' has sold 2.7 million units in its first week since release on May 27. The game, a spy action adventure origin story for James Bond, holds a Metascore of 88 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A new trailer also details Year One content including ray tracing, a Nintendo Switch 2 version, New Game+, new missions, and photo mode.

Jun 6

007 First Light Gets New Story Mission Trailer at Summer Game Fest 2026

IO Interactive released a new trailer for '007 First Light' during Summer Game Fest 2026 on June 6, 2026. The trailer, titled 'Bawma Will Return,' shows James Bond heading to Mauritania and suggests the return of his rival, Bawma, the ruler of the black market Aleph. The game launched on May 27, 2026, and is available on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store, as well as PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is in development. The new story mission is planned for release later this year. IO Interactive is known for the Hitman series and is developing this spy action title depicting a young James Bond. The trailer was shown at the new game information event Summer Game Fest 2026, which also featured announcements for other titles such as Attack on Titan 3 and AION2.

Jun 4

Apple Announces 12 Winners of 2026 Apple Design Awards

Apple has named 12 winners across six categories for the 2026 Apple Design Awards, selected from 36 finalists. The winners include Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate, Blue Prince, and apps for Apple Vision Pro. The awards honor design, accessibility, and platform integration, and will be presented at WWDC26 starting June 8.

Jun 4

Amazon Games Will Publish Future James Bond Titles, GM Says

Amazon Games general manager Jeff Gattis told Polygon that future 007 video games will be published by Amazon, following the company's acquisition of creative control over the James Bond IP in 2025. The first game, IO Interactive's '007 First Light', sold 1.5 million copies in 24 hours but was grandfathered under a pre-existing contract, allowing IOI to self-publish it. How IO Interactive will be involved in future sequels has not been disclosed.

May 31

007 First Light Review Calls It a Near-Ideal Playable Bond Film

Game Spark has published a review of *007 First Light*, the new James Bond game developed by IO Interactive, the studio behind the *Hitman* series. The review, based on a playthrough to story completion, describes the game as a near-ideal "playable movie" adaptation of the Bond franchise. It follows a young James Bond before he earns his 00 status, making the story accessible even to newcomers unfamiliar with the film series. The gameplay blends stealth elements reminiscent of *Hitman* with action set pieces including gunfights, hand-to-hand combat, car chases, and explosions. Gadgets such as a hacking watch, a missile-firing pen, and a shockwave camera are available. The review notes that while the stealth sections carry *Hitman*-like DNA, the overall design is more cinematic and guided than a pure sandbox. Players expecting the freeform experimentation of *Hitman* may find the experience somewhat constrained. The game is available now on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Windows via Steam, Epic Games Store, and Microsoft Store. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned for summer 2026.

May 30

Weekly Steam Square Issue 155 Covers 007 First Light and Paralives

The 155th edition of 4Gamer's Weekly Steam Square column, published on May 30, 2026, rounds up notable Steam releases and announcements from the past week. The lead item is IO Interactive's spy action-adventure "007 First Light," a new James Bond game set 13 years after the last one, which sold over 1.5 million copies in its first 24 hours after release on May 27. The column also covers the sandbox life simulation "Paralives," the city builder "Town to City," the mining sandbox "Starminer," the roguelite action game "Realm of Ink," the car repair simulation "Cheap Car Repair," Yacht Club Games' action-adventure "Mina the Hollower," the monster-collecting RPG "LumenTale: Memories of Trey," and the novel adventure "Schrödinger's Call." Additional related articles in the same cluster note a limited-edition gold DualSense controller for "007 First Light" available on Amazon Japan for 12,480 yen, and announcements for "Planet Zoo 2" (October 13 release), "Fable" (delayed to February 2027), and a "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" expansion titled "Songs of the Past" (2027).

May 27

IO Interactive's 007 First Light Hits 56,000 Concurrent Players on Steam

IO Interactive released 007 First Light on May 26 across PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. The spy action-adventure game, which follows a young James Bond during his trainee days, peaked at around 56,000 concurrent players on Steam and holds a Very Positive user rating. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is due in late summer 2026.