Battlefield 6's latest battle pass skins have drawn fan criticism over design flaws, including a soldier carrying five pistols and a patch that misspells "security" as "secuty." Some players now suspect the skins were made with generative AI, while others feel misled because DICE had said before launch that Battlefield 6 would not feature goofy, immersion-breaking skins. IGN has asked EA for comment.
Aream & Co reports that games industry M&A totaled $57.8bn in Q3. The figure includes EA's $55bn leveraged buyout.
Investment bank Aream & Co reports 54 games industry M&A deals worth $57.8 billion in the third quarter, including the $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts completed on August 5. Content-focused M&A accelerated, with 18 control deals for developers and publishers above $100 million year-to-date, concentrated in Asia, including Alibaba's sale of Lingxi Games to Trustar Capital, Netmarble founder Bang Jun-hyuk's $270 million purchase of Tencent's stake, and Sony Music Entertainment's $180 million minority stake in GungHo. Public market revenue rose 122% year-on-year to $1.3 billion across 13 deals, while console revenue fell 12% to $14.1 billion, with Nintendo down 18%, Xbox 10% and PlayStation 9%.
EA and Full Circle - the developer behind the new early access Skate game (skate.) - don't have a problem with modders and "creativity from players," but they're drawing the line with mods that aim to unlock paid microtransactions and unreleased content. https://bit.ly/4hP8aZ7
EA has announced Wing Commander 3: 30th Anniversary Edition, featuring fully restored FMV sequences taken from the original tapes. The new version will also include a frame rate boost of up to 60 frames per second, an enhancement patch made with the Wing Commander fan community, and "Kilrathi Saga integration." The original 1994 release presented its two hours of FMV in 240p and heavily compressed, and unlike its 1996 sequel, never received an improved video re-release.
At a retrospective panel at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo, EA producer Jim Vessella announced a 30th anniversary remaster of Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger. He said master tapes from the game's production have been unearthed and that the remaster will clean up video compression, run at 60FPS, add post-release community enhancements, and include "the Kilrathi Saga," suggesting all three of the initial trilogy. The game's live action sequences feature performances from Mark Hamill, Malcolm McDowell, Tim Curry and others.
The EU announced action against ten companies including Activision Blizzard, Mojang, Ubisoft, Riot Games, Crytek, Supercell, InnoGames, King, Plarium and Playrix, led by the Italian Competition Authority, over platform-specific virtual currencies that rarely match the price players want to pay. The press release also cites virtual currency bundles, dark patterns, inadequate parental controls and a lack of assistance when accounts are blocked. Epic has said that starting this month players can spend exact amounts of V-Bucks on specific purchases, except on PlayStation.
A remaster of Wing Commander 3 is likely coming from EA, discussed at the Portland Gaming Expo. It includes a 30th Anniversary Edition, Kilrathi Saga integration, master FMVs, and a community enhancement patch, with gameplay up to 60fps and controller support. It is headed to Steam, GOG, and the EA app.
EA producer Jim Vessella revealed at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo that Wing Commander 3 is getting a remaster, after he found 600 source tapes while digitising EA's video archive. Called Wing Commander 3: Heart of the Tiger—30th anniversary edition, it will include source and upscaled FMVs, Kilrathi Saga integration, 60 FPS, controller support, and releases on Steam, GOG, and the EA app.
It looks like Wing Commander 3 is getting a 30th Anniversary Remaster https://www.pcgamer.com/games/sim/it-looks-like-wing-commander-3-is-getting-a-remaster-after-ea-producer-discovers-the-original-fmv-source-tapes-in-the-companys-archives/
Bit Reactor, the developer of Star Wars Zero Company, said this week on Bluesky that it has begun undoing the furloughs that affected over 80% of its staff. CEO Greg Foertsch said the move was a response to unexpected business developments outside the studio's control and was necessary to eventually bring as many people back as possible. Game File cited an unnamed source familiar with the situation saying payroll is back above half its pre-furlough level.
Full Circle issued a statement on the ReSkate mod, saying it does not oppose player creativity but draws the line at mods that bypass its systems to unlock paid cosmetics, release gated content, or profit from unauthorized assets. ReSkate drew over 350 thousand downloads in its first week and runs through Steam's Proton emulation, with its most popular feature being the ability to play the free-to-play game offline. Full Circle says it will add official secure access tools for broader community creation, while ReSkate's developers say they did not intend to undercut the studio and would not fight back if EA's legal team came knocking.
Polygon lists seven racing games worth trying for fans of Fuse Games' Star Wars: Galactic Racer, including Star Wars Episode 1: Racer, Burnout Paradise Remastered, F-Zero GX, Wipeout Omega Collection, Fast Fusion, Reality Drift, and Need for Speed Unbound. Reality Drift has a demo available on Steam now and launches on Nov. 11.
EA and Full Circle issued a statement on mods for the early access game skate., saying they support player creativity but oppose tools that bypass their systems to unlock paid cosmetics, release gated content, or profit from unauthorized assets. The statement follows the modding platform ReSkate reaching 350,000 downloads in hours, offering offline play, custom maps, cosmetics, and servers for the online-only game. ReSkate's developers told PC Gamer they were not trying to replace the live game, and its official channels do not allow mods that freely grant premium cosmetics.
Full Circle, the developer of Skate, published a statement on October 9 addressing community mods after the fan-made modding platform ReSkate went viral. ReSkate lets players play offline, run private servers and build their own maps, and has been downloaded over 350,000 times on GitHub. Full Circle said it supports community creativity but opposes mods that bypass systems to unlock paid cosmetics, release unreleased content or profit from it, and said it is building official, secure creation tools with more news to come later. Skate's active player count peaked above 7,000 on October 5, its highest in months since the game launched in September 2025.
EA announced on the game's official social channels that Star Wars Zero Company, the strategy title from Bit Reactor and Respawn, has sold over one million copies. The same post teased a version 1.2 update due next week without detailing its contents. Bit Reactor has recently been able to bring some furloughed staff back to work.
EA and Dice announced a Dead Space crossover event for Battlefield 6 set in Area 51, where players can unlock unique cosmetics from October 20 to November 7. Season 5 starts October 13 with new Las Vegas-themed maps, followed by European Casino on November 10 and another map on December 8. REDSEC adds Rapid Royale, a faster battle royale with fewer players where kills generate money for respawning.
EA and Battlefield Studios detailed Battlefield 6's Season 5, which adds the full server browser fans have wanted since launch in the December update, letting players create their own servers and set rules like map rotation. Season 5 rolls out in phases, starting with Siege of Las Vegas on October 13, which adds the Vegas Strip and Area 51 maps and Rapid Royale for the RedSec battle royale mode. A Halloween event runs October 20 through November 7 with a non-canon limited-time scenario based on the 2023 Dead Space remake, followed by Casino Heist on November 10 and Frozen Aces on December 8.
Hazelight announced that It Takes Two will get a full Switch 2 upgrade on 15th October, free for owners of the Switch 1 version. The new version supports 1080p and 60fps in Docked Mode, faster load times, and more ways to play together via GameShare, with the Friend's Pass still available. Cross-play launches the same day, letting Switch 2 players team up with friends on PC, Xbox Series, Xbox One, PS4, or PS5, while Switch 1 players can only play online with a Switch 2 player who downgrades to the original Switch version.
Richard Garriott is about to take the Ultima rights back from Electronic Arts. He released the first Ultima in 1981 and a decade later sold the series and his studio Origin Systems to EA for $30 million. He later worked on the MMO Tabula Rasa and spent time as a private astronaut.
Eurogamer published its review of EA Sports FC 27, describing smart iterations and steady developments as a decent forward step for EA's FC series. The review notes the usual cynicism surrounding the series.
Eurogamer's review finds EA Sports FC 27 makes meaningful changes on the pitch, with slower, weightier matches, more manual defending, and AI teammates holding greater distance. The new Grounds is an online social hub with three open areas and Rush modes, which the review treats as a sideshow. Ultimate Team is largely unchanged apart from the Gallery and faster squad-building challenges, while Career mode adds Dynamic OVR and a reworked transfer negotiation menu with a tension meter.
Publisher Assemble Entertainment has announced that Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Don't Dry and Leisure Suit Larry: Wet Dreams Dry Twice will be delisted from Steam on October 23, following the removal of the previous seven games last year. Both titles are currently discounted by 95% on Steam, GOG, and Nintendo Switch, priced at $1.99 / £0.89 each. It is not yet clear whether the Xbox and PlayStation stores will also receive the discount or whether the games will be removed from other storefronts.
USA TODAY Sports and PlayVS announced an eight-team national high school esports championship on October 7, featuring EA Sports Madden NFL, Marvel Rivals and Rocket League in a round-robin format. The top two teams advance to the December 11 national final, and the winner will be crowned the first USA TODAY Sports National High School Esports Champion. The champion will also compete in the inaugural USA TODAY Sports Challenger Series in the spring, with an ALL-USA Esports Team selected from the eight competitors.
Ampere Analysis data shows Marvel's Wolverine sold 2.16 million units in September, with 35% of those sales on physical disc. In Europe, 51% of sales came from the boxed version, while France saw over two thirds physical and the UK two thirds digital. The data arrives as Sony plans to phase out physical disc production for PlayStation by 2028.
Game designer Richard Garriott has confirmed he will regain the rights to the Ultima series from Electronic Arts. He sold the series and his studio Origin Systems to EA in 1992 for $30 million, and under Section 203 of the US Copyright Act authors can terminate past copyright transfers after 35 years; he notified EA in April. Garriott said he gets the rights back officially in 2027 and is in active talks with EA about possible Ultima projects, after which he could re-release the earlier games or make sequels.
Star Wars Zero Company developer Bit Reactor has begun returning some furloughed developers to payroll, with staff numbers reportedly back to "more than half" of what they were before the furloughs. Studio boss Greg Foertsch said they hope to "eventually bring as many people back as possible." The furloughs became public through an ongoing lawsuit between Foertsch and former COO Alison Kelly, and some staff reportedly remain unpaid.
Bit Reactor has confirmed it is bringing some furloughed staff back to work to continue supporting Star Wars Zero Company. CEO Greg Foertsch said furloughing roughly 80% of the team before launch, after the studio ran out of money, was a difficult but necessary decision made internally without publisher EA's involvement. It is not yet clear whether everyone furloughed will return, and the studio says more updates on Bit Reactor and Zero Company are coming.
Xbox announced nine games coming to Game Pass in October across console, PC, and cloud, with Battlefield 6 and Valor Mortis arriving on October 13 and Valor Mortis launching day one into the service. Nine titles including A Plague Tale: Requiem and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 will leave Game Pass on October 15. Xbox also said that starting in November it will cap the number of hours Game Pass subscribers can use cloud gaming, requiring them to buy additional play time if they go over the limit.
Bit Reactor, the studio behind Star Wars: Zero Company, began returning some furloughed developers to work this week, CEO Greg Foertsch called it an important step forward. The studio furloughed around 80% of its workforce weeks before launch, and Game File reports more than half of its overall headcount is back on payroll while a fair number of workers remain in limbo. The tactics game sold over 1m copies shortly after release.
A fan-made modding platform called ReSkate makes EA's early access free-to-play skateboarding game Skate playable offline, with support for private servers, custom maps and other mods. It had been downloaded over 350,000 times from GitHub as of Tuesday. Its two creators told PC Gamer they will comply if EA sends a cease and desist, but ReSkate is open source and already has more than 70 forks on GitHub.
Bit Reactor, the studio behind Star Wars Zero Company, said some developers furloughed before the game's launch have begun returning to work, calling the earlier move a response to unexpected business developments outside its control. Game File reports the studio's headcount is back to over half of what it was before launch, while Alinea Analytics estimates the game, made with Respawn Entertainment and EA, has sold over 1 million copies. Bit Reactor did not specify which business developments it meant, and the studio and cofounder Greg Foertsch are in a legal dispute with former chief finance officer Alison Kelly.
Game Pass will add Battlefield 6, Valor Mortis, Forever Ago and more in mid October. The report comes from Gematsu, with the full list and dates in the linked article.
Microsoft announced the games coming to Game Pass in mid October, including Battlefield 6 on October 13, Forever Ago and Neon Abyss 2 on October 8, Valor Mortis and Deep Dish Dungeon on October 13, Bluey's Happy Snaps and Chained Beasts on October 15, and Beyond These Stars on October 16, several of them day-one additions. A Plague Tale: Requiem, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and other titles will leave the Game Pass library on October 15.
After completing its acquisition by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, Electronic Arts still faces creditors over previously issued bonds. The consortium borrowed $20 billion from JPMorgan as leveraged debt, which could weaken EA's credit profile and cost it its investment grade rating. According to The Wall Street Journal, one group of bondholders is seeking 101 percent repayment on two $750 million tranches totaling $1.5 billion, while EA is converting its bonds into assets resembling U.S. Treasury securities by splitting principal and interest.
EA has teased an official return of the Dead Space franchise in a new trailer for Battlefield 6's next season. Players will face the enigmatic Markers from Dead Space in a new limited-time game mode coming to the first-person shooter. The sci-fi survival-horror franchise had been on ice following lackluster sales of 2023's critically acclaimed Dead Space remake.
The latest Battlefield 6 Season 5 trailer shows a Las Vegas map before cutting to two Dead Space engineers staring up at The Marker, seemingly teasing a crossover. Season 5 includes three new maps, among them Vegas Strip and Area 51, plus six new weapons and two new vehicles, with Vegas opening on October 13. Reddit players had already spotted possible Dead Space skins, rumored to arrive in this October's Halloween update, and EA recently charged $40 for a Dead Space skin in Skate.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is out today on Xbox, PS5, and PC, and Amazon Prime members can stream it free on Luna from launch day. The author found no input lag in the Luna version but noted low-res textures, pop-in, and blurriness, and said it lacks multiplayer and only offers single-player races. He suggests using Luna as a quick demo and playing on console or PC for the full experience.
Star Wars: Galactic Racer is available today on Xbox Series X|S and on the Xbox Store. Fuse Games creative director Kieran Crimmins and co-founder Steve Uphill explain that the game uses a runs-based loop where players pick a vehicle and Racer Style, then add parts and upgrades between races, and running out of crashes means wrecking out and restarting the tour. Multiplayer uses a shorter runs-based system decided by a final knockout event, with wins unlocking new characters and customization.
Why this: The official announcement confirms Star Wars: Galactic Racer launches today on Xbox Series X|S and explains how crash penalties and the runs-based loop shape play.
A review of Star Wars: Galactic Racer finds the arcade racer's rogue-lite runs hinge on the two boost types fitted to your speeder. Afterburner is weaker but always available, while ramjet is stronger but must be chained without overheating or hitting obstacles. The three speeder types can be freely built, and the reviewer leaned on boost-heavy setups throughout the campaign, while the podracer is faster, floatier, and cannot be customised.