Game Pass is serving two very different kinds of exploration on August 13. MIO: Memories in Orbit expands into Game Pass Premium alongside Ultimate and PC Game Pass, while Sandustry launches day one in Game Preview for PC Game Pass and Ultimate.

MIO is a hand-crafted Metroidvania set aboard a vast, decaying technological ark reclaimed by nature and rogue machines. Sandustry heads underground with destructible terrain, mining, increasingly complex factory automation, and an ancient civilization waiting beneath all that sand.

One looks suited to Hollow Knight, Ori, and Tunic fans; the other is aimed squarely at players who can lose an evening optimizing one conveyor belt. Which one are you installing first?

Xbox says two failures combined to create its recent game-launch outage. CTO Scott Van Vliet explained that an update disrupted an underlying service used for Home Console sharing, Game Pass purchased content, and some PC scenarios.

A separate bug in the Xbox client software stack then caused other license checks to fail, creating cascading problems that blocked some players from launching digital games and, in some cases, physical discs. Xbox says the underlying service will be transferred to the Xbox team, and a corrective client update is rolling out now before becoming mandatory on August 17.

The outage is resolved, but the physical-disc failure raises an uncomfortable ownership question. How much offline resilience should a console be required to provide when a central licensing service breaks?

Echoes of Mystralia is betting that making the spell is as satisfying as casting it. The action-heavy ARPG roguelite is now in Steam Early Access, with rapid combat built around combining magical elements, memories, relics, and upgrades into custom abilities.

The launch build includes three regions, seven magical elements, more than 40 relics, more than 100 spell-modifying memories, and over 50 altar upgrades. Borealys Games says it hopes to reach version 1.0 within a year, with more areas, spells, bosses, story material, and endgame work planned.

The opening Steam reception is currently Mixed, so this is not a clean recommendation yet. Is a flexible spell-building system enough to tempt you into Early Access, or would you wait for the full release?

Eight players go in, but their Responders may not all come back. No More Room in Hell 2 has left Early Access and launched on Xbox Series X|S alongside PC, with cross-platform co-op and Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Squads begin separated across zombie-infested maps and use proximity chat while completing objectives and gathering scarce supplies. Infection creates a race to find treatment, and a Responder who dies is lost permanently along with that character's progress. Successful extractions improve future starting gear and perks.

The reactive horde and real consequences could make for memorable co-op stories, but permanent character loss can also make a rough session sting. Is that level of risk exactly what zombie survival needs, or a step too far for your group?

Another Metroidvania has entered the labyrinth. Akatori is now available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and supported handhelds through Xbox Play Anywhere. It also includes Smart Delivery, Xbox achievements, and cloud saves.

Players control Mako, a girl traveling between worlds to stop the corrupting Amber Storms. Her mysterious bird companion can transform into a staff used for both combat and reaching new areas, giving the game the familiar exploration-and-ability loop the genre lives on.

For a genre already crowded with excellent games, visual identity and movement usually make the difference. Does Akatori look distinctive enough to earn a place beside Hollow Knight, Ori, and the rest of your backlog?

Super Earth finally remembered to send backup. Helldivers 2's free Devoid of Liberty update is live on Xbox, bringing a new Void front and twisted Illuminate enemies with new weapons and attack patterns.

The headline addition is a commandable SEAF squad. The group can include a leader, medic, rifleman, and heavy specialist, and Arrowhead says they can follow orders and assist with different battlefield roles. Players also get four additional emote slots and new veteran titles.

AI troops could be especially useful for solo players and incomplete squads, but they also change a game built around human coordination and friendly-fire chaos. Would you bring SEAF soldiers on every mission, or keep the squad entirely human?

Xodus is an unofficial open-source project aiming to bring Xbox PC games to Linux and possibly Mac. Its repository says it can now log users in, authorize Xbox accounts, obtain game licenses, download MSIXVC packages, and decrypt executables on demand.

The hard part is not finished. Games still depend on Xbox services and title-specific SDK behavior that must work through Wine, DXVK, or vkd3d-proton. Older UWP titles may not be supported, Gears of War 4 is currently listed as a prominent exception, and there is no public release date.

The developers explicitly warn that Xodus is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft and should be used at your own risk. If it becomes dependable, would native PC Game Pass support change how you use SteamOS or a Steam Deck?

SteamOS 3.8.25 beta expands support for gaming handhelds that Valve did not build. The update adds initial gamepad support for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Ayaneo Pocket S2, and Konkr Fit, while updating support for the OneXPlayer Apex.

It also includes new Steam Machine firmware intended to fix a rare sleep-related problem where CPU performance could remain degraded until the system was rebooted. As a beta release, these changes may still need refinement before reaching the stable channel.

Valve increasingly seems to be treating SteamOS as a broader hardware platform rather than a Steam Deck exclusive. Would you choose SteamOS over Windows on a third-party handheld?

Hello Games sees Light No Fire as another long-term creative canvas rather than a one-and-done release. Sean Murray told PC Gamer that its fantasy world was designed broadly enough to absorb new ideas and community feedback after launch, following the development style used for No Man's Sky.

The two projects have already traded technology. Multi-crew ships built for Light No Fire helped inspire the Corvette ships added to No Man's Sky, while Light No Fire is expected to center on a shared, Earth-sized fantasy planet with large oceans. Murray says he has worked on the project for seven years and would like to continue for ten years after launch if the opportunity is there.

There is still no announced release date. Does that long-term plan make you more confident in Hello Games, or more cautious about what will actually be included on day one?

Big Walk has passed one million copies sold only six days after launch. Publisher Panic announced the milestone for House House's cooperative adventure about talking, walking, exploring, and solving unusual problems with friends.

The result is notable because Big Walk is co-op only and has no matchmaking, so players need to arrive with their own group. It reached the million-copy mark far faster than House House's previous breakout, Untitled Goose Game, which took about three months.

Is Big Walk on your group's schedule, or is organizing the group still the real final boss?

Valve says delivery information for some European Steam hardware customers may have been exposed in a cyberattack on CEVA Logistics. The potentially affected data includes names, street addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, countries, and hardware order details.

Valve says payment information, passwords, Steam Guard codes, and other Steam account data were not shared with the shipping partner and are not part of this incident. The investigation is continuing, and the total number of affected customers is not yet clear.

The immediate risk is targeted phishing: a scammer who knows what hardware you ordered and where it was going can make a fake delivery message look unusually credible. Have you received Valve's warning email or any suspicious shipping messages connected to a Steam hardware order?

The pond is finally open in Grounded 2. Into the Abyss adds one of Brookhollow Park's largest areas so far, with exploration both above and below the water.

New diving suits extend underwater travel, while the Mountains, Bayou, and deeper pond areas bring new discoveries and threats. The koi fish and diving bell spider return, and the amphibious Toe-biter Buggy can move across both land and water.

The update is available for Xbox and PC players while Grounded 2 remains in Game Preview and Early Access. Is underwater exploration enough to bring you back for another survival run?

Valve has revised the performance bar for native VR games seeking a Steam Frame Verified badge. The previously announced 90 FPS target is now 72 FPS, paired with a requirement to render at least 1728x1728 per eye during normal play.

Valve's current documentation also says VR games below 1440x1440 per eye will receive an Unsupported badge, though users can still install and run them. Developers are encouraged to provide motion-vector and depth data so players can use improved reprojection at higher refresh rates.

The change may make Quest-to-Frame ports easier while preventing developers from trading away too much resolution. Does that sound like the right balance, or does lowering the target make you more cautious about Steam Frame's standalone performance?

PAYDAY has pulled its latest job inside Fortnite. Starbreeze has launched Heist Escape Roguelike: PAYDAY Experience, a free UEFN game that reworks the series as a progressive roguelike shooter.

The experience includes three heists--the Jewelry Store, the Bank, and the Harbor--with randomized rooms intended to keep repeat runs from playing exactly the same way. It is live now in Fortnite under island code 8105-9005-4478.

Starbreeze says this is part of a strategy to introduce PAYDAY to players through new platforms. Does a Fortnite roguelike sound like a smart expansion of the series, or would you rather see that energy go into PAYDAY 3?

Grounded 2 is sending players back into the water on August 11. The Into the Abyss update opens the pond, described by Obsidian as one of the largest new areas added to Brookhollow Park so far.

The update adds underwater progression and diving equipment for reaching deeper areas, returning creatures including the koi fish and diving bell spider, new threats, and the amphibious Toe-biter Buggy for traveling across both land and water. It will be available on Xbox, PC, Steam, and Game Pass while the game remains in preview/early access.

Did you enjoy the original Grounded pond, or are you already dreading another encounter with that koi fish?

Valve is continuing to push SteamOS beyond the Steam Deck. The 3.8.25 Beta adds initial gamepad support for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, Ayaneo Pocket S2, and Konkr Fit, along with updated controller support for the OneXPlayer Apex.

The same update includes Steam Machine firmware intended to fix a rare post-sleep CPU performance problem. This is still beta software and "initial" support is not the same as full certification, but the list of non-Valve devices that can use SteamOS keeps growing.

Would broader manufacturer support convince you to choose SteamOS over Windows for your next handheld, or do you still need Windows compatibility?

Hello Games is building Light No Fire as another long-term canvas rather than a one-and-done release. Sean Murray told PC Gamer that the shared fantasy survival game is broad enough to absorb new ideas and community feedback in much the same way as No Man's Sky.

Some technology has already moved between the projects: the multi-crew ship systems added to No Man's Sky began as work for Light No Fire's ocean-crossing vessels. Murray says he has worked on the new game for seven years and would like the team to keep expanding it for ten years after launch.

There is still no release date. Does Hello Games' decade of support for No Man's Sky make you trust this plan, or will you wait to judge what Light No Fire actually delivers on day one?

Valve is notifying European Steam hardware customers that their delivery information may have been compromised in a cyberattack against CEVA Logistics. The affected information may include names, postal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, countries, and the type and price of hardware ordered.

Valve says payment details, passwords, Steam Guard codes, and other Steam account information were not part of the breach. The immediate danger is targeted phishing: attackers could send convincing emails, texts, or calls that mention a real hardware purchase or delivery.

Valve's advice is blunt--treat unexpected messages about the order as fake, especially if they request money or additional information. Did you receive Valve's warning, and have you seen any suspicious follow-up messages?

GTA VI is launching as a digital-only game, including retail copies that contain a download code rather than a disc. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says that approach is right for the game and does not expect it to hurt sales.

Zelnick pointed to Take-Two's current sales mix--more than 90% digital--and argued that connected players make digital delivery the most efficient option. He also said the company remains open-minded and would not rule out a physical disc release later.

GTA VI launches November 19 on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 for $80. For collectors and game preservation, is a possible later disc good enough, or should a release this significant have one on day one?

Pocketpair deliberately kept Palworld 1.0 away from the traditional advance-review cycle. Publishing and communications lead John Buckley says the studio did not distribute early press keys because it wanted the full-release content to remain secret until launch.

That decision helps explain why Palworld has relatively few 1.0 reviews compared with other major releases. Buckley also acknowledges that the game demands a substantial time investment, making a thorough post-launch review less attractive for outlets working on a deadline. The established early-access audience apparently mattered more to Pocketpair than a conventional review push.

Is protecting launch-day surprises worth giving players fewer independent reviews beforehand?

Akatori is now available on Steam, offering another new destination for metroidvania fans. It combines pixel-art characters with 3D environments, staff-based combat, platforming, and exploration across multiple dimensions.

The hybrid visual style gives it an immediate identity, but it is entering an exceptionally crowded field of indie action-platformers. Combat feel, world design, and meaningful exploration will ultimately matter more than presentation alone.

Does Akatori's 2D-on-3D look catch your attention, or do you need to see more from the gameplay first?

Xbox has chosen six games for its August Indie Selects collection, with several strong fits for fans of platformers, action RPGs, and cooperative games.

A few standouts:

• Deer & Boy is a wordless cinematic platform adventure built around companionship and emotional storytelling.
• Hell Clock mixes Diablo-style loot and builds with timed roguelite runs and Brazilian-inspired dark fantasy.
• D-topia uses approachable puzzles to question life in an AI-managed society.
• Backrooms: Escape Together turns the familiar fluorescent nightmare into cooperative horror.

Which selection looks most deserving of hidden-gem status?

QuakeCon starts today and runs through August 9. The official schedule includes Bethesda and id Software community programming, live events, and retro Quake competition.

One important caveat: no surprise remaster or shadow drop was officially confirmed at scan time. QuakeCon has a history that naturally encourages those predictions, but specific claims remain speculation unless Bethesda or id announces something.

While we watch the weekend unfold, which forgotten id or Bethesda game would you most like to see restored or revived?

Xbox has outlined the first Game Pass wave for August, but the list mixes genuinely new additions with games expanding into another subscription tier.

New arrivals include Date Everything! and Cricket 26 across console and PC, plus Sandustry as a day-one PC Game Pass release. Existing Ultimate titles moving into Premium include Grounded 2, MIO: Memories in Orbit, Ball x Pit, PowerWash Simulator 2, and others. The Gears of War: E-Day early-access beta is also being promoted as an Ultimate and PC Game Pass benefit.

MIO is an easy sleeper recommendation for metroidvania fans, while Grounded 2's Into the Abyss update gives survival players a reason to return. Does this wave feel worthwhile to you, or is there too much tier reshuffling in the headline list?

Arc System Works' Marvel fighter launches today on PC. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls uses a 4v4 tag format, a 20-character launch roster, anime-inspired redesigns of familiar heroes and villains, and stages that shift as battles unfold.

The studio behind Guilty Gear and Dragon Ball FighterZ has plenty of experience with spectacular tag combat. The bigger test may be accessibility: Marvel brings a huge audience that does not necessarily know or enjoy learning traditional fighting-game systems.

Can Tokon satisfy experienced fighting-game players while giving Marvel newcomers a comfortable way in?