It looks like Starfield's second expansion is already in the works ahead of the release of Shattered Space.

First spotted by X / Twitter user Timur222 (via VGC) it appears that Bethesda has trademarked the name 'Starborn' with the US Patent and Trademark Office earlier this month on July 12, which will seemingly be the name of the sci-fi role-playing game's second major downloadable content (DLC).

Starfield story spoilers ahead!

For context, the name 'Starborn' directly refers to a group of space travelers who have journeyed through portals between different universes. Although we don't exactly know what the next Starfield expansion will entail, given the name, it's likely that it could center around these beings the player meets at the end of the main story. 

Starfield's first story expansion, Shattered Space, is set for a Fall 2024 release and will feature an "all-new adventure" focused on House Va'ruun.

Fans were treated to the first official trailer last month at the Xbox Games Showcase, where we got a look at new first-person exploration on an abandoned space station and a vibrant new planet, along with a brief description of what to expect from the story. 

"A mysterious power stirs in the city of Dazra on House Va'ruun's hidden homeworld," it reads. "Investigate a frightening cosmic threat, explore a new planet, and find unique weapons, spacesuits, and gear in this all-new adventure."

Bethesda has previously shared its content roadmap for this year, and has already kept to its plans by releasing significant updates in the form of quality-of-life patches and bug fixes, as well as official Nvidia DLSS support and new ways to travel and customize your ship. 

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Sony has announced yet another limited edition DualSense Wireless Controller - this time based on the upcoming Astro Bot game - and it's an incredibly pretty one.

We get a first look at the controller via an official PlayStation Blog post, in which studio head at Team Asobi, Nicolas Doucet, breaks down this limited edition DualSense controller's design and aesthetics. Eagle-eyed fans may also notice the controller is designed after the one featured in that initial Astro Bot reveal trailer.

"The controller’s design features Astro’s signature blue accents on the handles and buttons, carved-in, sci-fi lines as well as the trademark playful pair of eyes on the touch pad," Doucet writes. "It is a true work of art, and we could not be happier with the end-result at Team Asobi." 

The Astro Bot limited edition DualSense controller will have its pre-orders go live on August 9. It's due to release on September 6; the same day as the Astro Bot game itself. Available at PlayStation Direct and "select retailers," it'll cost $79.99 / £69.99. In the US, that's actually $5 cheaper than the recently announced limited edition Concord DualSense Wireless Controller. And in all honestly, we reckon this Astro Bot model looks nicer to boot.

In case you're unaware, Astro Bot is an upcoming PS5-exclusive platformer. Launching on September 6, it - like Astro's Playroom before it - will utilize the various features of the DualSense controller (such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers) to deliver a uniquely immersive experience. 

Whereas Astro's Playroom was a relatively short pre-installed game that comes free with every PS5, Astro Bot appears to be a much larger and more ambitious title with larger worlds, more levels and no shortage of PlayStation-themed cameos. Developer Team Asobi has also said the game will push the DualSense controller to "a new level".

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Netherrealm Studios has announced the Khaos Reigns expansion for Mortal Kombat 1, which includes a brand new story mode, the introduction of Kombat Pack 2, as well as the return of a fan-favorite feature from series' past.

The four-minute-long trailer for the Khaos Reigns expansions shows off the all-new story mode, which sees a version of Havik from a different (presumably even more messed-up) timeline take center stage as the primary antagonist. Naturally, it's up to the series' roster of limb-chopping warriors to put a stop to his plans.

As ever, Netherrealm's penchant for high graphical fidelity and gratuitous violence is on show here, so Mortal Kombat 1 fans are likely to end up feasting on this new story content when Khaos Reigns launches on September 24, 2024.

In addition to the all-new story, Khaos Reigns will also see the introduction of Kombat Pack 2. Like the first, this will see a total of six characters added to Mortal Kombat 1 as downloadable content. Three of those - Sektor, Cyrax and Noob Saibot - will arrive on the day of release. 

Then there will be three guest characters who have yet to have their release dates announced. They will be Scream's Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian (featuring the likeness of Arnold Schwarzenegger), and Terminator 2: Judgment Day's T-1000 (portrayed by Robert Patrick). The Khaos Reigns bundle will also include the first Kombat Pack which features Quan-Chi, Ermac, Takeda, Omni-Man, Homelander and Peacemaker.

Finally, Khaos Reigns is reintroducing a fan-favorite feature as a free update: Animalities. If you're unaware, these are special Fatality animations that sees your fighter transform into a creature to brutally dismember your opponent at match's end. The trailer shows off a hyena, pufferfish, preying mantis and more, and they're all predictably gruesome.

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Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World has announced a two-month delay for emergency bug-fixing.

The highly-anticipated first-person shooter was intended to release on September 5, 2024. It'll now launch roughly two and a half months later, on November 20 instead. The game is still set to launch on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PC and day one on Xbox Game Pass.

As reported by IGN, Stalker 2 director Yevhen Grygorovych released the following statement about the latest delay: "We know you might be tired of waiting, and we truly appreciate your patience. These two additional months will give us the chance to fix more ‘unexpected anomalies’ (or simply ‘bugs’, as you call them).

"We are always grateful for your ongoing support and understanding - it means the world to us. We’re just as eager as you are to finally release the game and for you to experience it for yourself."

This isn't the first time Stalker 2 has received a sizeable delay. Back in January, it was announced that the game would miss its original Q1 2024 release date "for the sake of yet another wave of polishing." At the time, it was then slated to launch nine months later in September.

Despite all the setbacks, including a rather terrifying office fire late last year and, of course, the ongoing war in the developer's home country of Ukraine, it seems that fans are remaining excited for Stalker 2. The game won PC Gaming Show 2023's 'Most Wanted' award, so it does appear that the hype is still alive and well for the anticipated shooter.

Until November, then, you may want to tide yourself over with the Stalker: Legends of the Zone trilogy pack which includes all the original games. It also made them available on PlayStation and Xbox consoles for the first time.

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A special edition Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess Xbox Series X console is up for grabs for a limited time as part of a new giveaway.

Microsoft shared its latest sweepstakes on X / Twitter, where it announced that it will be giving players an opportunity to get their hands on a custom Xbox Series X featuring art from Capcom's action-strategy game, along with a special edition controller inspired by the title. 

To be in for a chance to win the custom console bundle, which is worth $544.98, as well a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership, all you have to do is follow the account and retweet the post with the provided hashtag. 

The offer was intended to end on July 31, but Microsoft has now extended the giveaway to August 7. 

The sweepstakes is only open to residents of North America, and you must be 18 or older to enter. 

It's limited to one entry per person or account holder and the winners will be selected on or around August 8, 2024. You can take a look at the official rules of the sweepstakes here.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess launched on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC on July 19. The title was also made available day one on Xbox Game Pass.

TechRadar Gaming gave the game 4.5 stars out 5 in our review, with hardware writer Dashiell Wood calling the game "Innovative, exciting, and endlessly entertaining" and "a beautiful adventure that transcends genres for a highly memorable experience with all the makings of an instant classic."

Elsewhere, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is officially available on Xbox Game Pass following months of rumors, making it the first game in the series to be brought to the subscription service. The title is set to be joined by Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 as a day one Game Pass release when it launches on October 25.

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Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy is apparently coming to Xbox Game Pass next month.

This comes from reliable leaker 'eXtas1s' (via VGC) who claims that the 2017 platform game from Vicarious Visions will make its debut on Xbox Game Pass on August 8.

The same leaker first shared this claim earlier this month, but couldn't offer a release date. At the time, eXtas1s said the trilogy - which includes remasters of Crash Bandicoot, Cortex Strikes Back, and Warped would be the next Activision game to arrive on the service, saying that they had spoken to sources that had seen "certain graphic evidence" that indicated it would be released later this year, as well as the more Activision games on Microsoft's subscription service.

EXtas1s also said that Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy are "coming very soon" but could not "guarantee their arrival to the service in the same month."

The leaker also accurately predicted the most recent launch of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 on Game Pass, which arrived on July 24. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is also expected to arrive on Xbox Game Pass day one for all members when it launches on October 25, making it the first new game in the series to be brought to the service.

Following Microsoft's acquisition of the company last year, Diablo 4 became the first Activision Blizzard game to join Xbox Game Pass in March.

Elsewhere, Microsoft is reportedly considering adding more tiers to Xbox Game Pass, including an ad-based tier and a "cheaper" cloud-based tier, just a few weeks after it increased the prices of its memberships across the board. 

The cloud-based tier would be designed for users who don't want to buy an Xbox console, while the ad-based tier is aimed at those who prefer not to pay anything at all. This is something Microsoft is "currently actively working towards".

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Respawn Entertainment has reversed Apex Legends' latest battle pass changes following player backlash.

Earlier this month, the developer revealed that it would be updating the battle royale's season-long battle pass system, by splitting it into two. The first "half season" would roll out at the beginning of Season 22, then the second would be released during the season mid-point, with each featuring 60 levels of rewards, instead of the usual 110.

The changes would have also removed the ability to purchase the battle pass using Apex Coins - a currency earned in the pass itself - and would instead make players pay real-world money for them at $9.99 / £8.99 per "half season". An optional $19.99 / £17.99 Premium+ track was also revealed, which would have replaced the premium bundle.

Players were quick to show their displeasure at the changes, which saw Apex Legends review bombed on Steam with over 81,659 negative reviews as of writing. 

Following the backlash, Respawn has now reversed the changes. 

"You've spoken, and we've listened," Respawn said in a recent X / Twitter post, before confirming that it will be restoring the ability to buy the Premium Battle Pass for 950 Apex Coins with the release of Season 22.

"We recognize that we could have handled the Battle Pass changes better - that's on us," the studio added. "It's our intention to improve the overall value and experience across our Battle Pass offerings."

Respawn then offered a summary of what it intends to change for Season 22. When the new system launches on August 6, the developer will give players the chance to get the Premium Battle Pass, which can be unlocked by "completing a series of simple in-game challenges".

When Split 2 - the second battle pass - releases on September 17, players can get the Premium Battle Passes the same as before: by using 950 Apex Coins.

It also explained that the Battle Pass options will now include better rewards, and with the new challenges, will be faster to complete with only 60 levels.

"Moving forward, we recognize that we need to be more timely, transparent, and consistent in our communications with you," Respawn added. "Your priorities are our priorities: cheaters, game stability, and quality of life updates are top of mind. We need to get better and it's why we're acknowledging them here."

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World of Warcraft's development team at Blizzard Entertainment has officially unionized.

According to Bloomberg, The Communications Workers of America (CWA) has confirmed that over 500 employees, including designers, engineers, producers, artists, quality assurance testers, and more, have formed the "first wall-to-wall union at Activision Blizzard" called the World of Warcraft Game Makers Guild (WWGMG).

In addition to this, 60 Blizzard QA testers have also joined the CWA under a new unit in Austin, Texas called the Texas Blizzard QA United who primarily work on Diablo and Hearthstone.

"We continue to support our employees’ right to choose how they are represented in the workplace, and we will engage in good faith negotiations with the CWA as we work towards a collective bargaining agreement," a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.

The news follows the announcement of 600 person Activision QA union that was formed earlier this year. 

Speaking to IGN, World of Warcraft senior producer Samuel Cooper said that the effort to unionize started in 2021, before Microsoft's acquisition, following the California lawsuit that alleged harassment and inequality at the studio.

"This isn't an attack against our World of Warcraft leadership or something where we're like, 'We hate those guys'," Cooper said. "We just want to make sure that our voices are being heard and that at some point we don't end up as numbers on a spreadsheet. Because you go up high enough and these people have never met any of us, none of the names mean anything to them."

Cooper continued, saying, "We had a lot of folks who, rightly or wrongly, felt fearful before. There are legal protections for organizing, but it can still be scary to have that change… We had CWA folks on campus for weeks on end, right in the middle, next to the big bronze orc. I think that really made people feel like it's not scary. I know they're not allowed to retaliate, but now I have confidence that they're not going to retaliate."

The CWA said (via GameDeveloper) that WWGMG represents a "significant milestone" for employees at Blizzard Entertainment.

"This victory underscores the growing momentum of worker organizing in the video game industry and will hopefully continue to inspire other video game workers to form unions and raise industry-wide expectations for pay, benefits and respect for workers’ rights," it added.

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The PSVR 2 app Steam page is now live, signaling the imminent arrival of SteamVR support for Sony's headset.

The appearance of the Steam page, as well as the app's August 6 launch date, lines up with what was detailed in Sony's announcement of the PSVR 2 PC adapter back in June. In that official PlayStation Blog post, Sony confirmed that the adapter (which costs $59.99 / £49.99) will release when PC support for PSVR 2 rolls out on August 7.

It seems that you'll need to have the PSVR 2 app in addition to the PC adapter in order to perform first-time setup for the headset on Steam. The app also allows setup of the PSVR 2's Sense controllers, confirming that they will be compatible with SteamVR titles.

The Steam page also notes that PSVR 2 owners will be able to perform firmware updates through the app, indicating that Sony will continue to support the headset for the foreseeable future. You'll also be able to set your play area and screen brightness through the app.

It appears that the app will also be needed in general, beyond the initial setup. The Steam page notes: "To play VR games and apps on Steam with PlayStation VR2, PlayStation VR2 App needs to be installed on your PC. Keep the app installed even after initial setup is complete."

Beyond this, there's no indication that the PSVR 2 app will offer any additional functionality beyond initial setup, firmware updates and general SteamVR compatibility. So those expecting to fine tune their VR experience with the app may be disappointed here. 

It's also worth noting that, according to the app's system requirements, you'll need around 700MB of free space on your PC. That shouldn't be an issue for most players, but worth keeping in mind, nonetheless.

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Sony's upcoming live-service multiplayer shooter Concord will not have a battle pass.

Developer Firewalk Studios has put concerns to rest and assured players that its 5v5 shooter set to release later this year won't have a paid battle pass, explaining that it wants to focus its attention on offering a rewarding Concord experience.

"Concord does not have a Battle Pass," the developer said in an X/Twitter post. "We wanted to focus our attention on making Concord a rewarding and robust experience on day one, where just playing the game, leveling up your accounts and characters, and completing jobs yields meaningful rewards."

The shooter will, however, feature microtransactions in the form of downloadable content (DLC) that will allow players to purchase optional character skins.

In terms of post-launch plans, Firewalk said that it will be bringing new Freegunners (playable characters) maps, modes and more through "regular post-launch seasons and updates" that will be available for all players at "no additional-cost". It explained that it will reveal its content roadmap very soon.

When Concord was officially revealed during Summer Game Fest in June, the game received a cinematic trailer introducing us to the game's core cast. Firewalk has now announced that the shooter will come with the first three in-game cinematic vignettes at launch, which will release weekly.

These cinematics will allow players to get to know he characters more and learn about their life as Freegunners, as well as about the broader world of Concord.

Concord's Early Access and Open Beta weekends recently wrapped up, which allowed players on PS5 and PC to experience a trial version of the multiplayer game with all 16 Freegunners unlocked. 

For those who did participate, Firewalk has confirmed that progress from either Beta will not carry over to the game's official launch on August 23, 2024, however, they will receive exclusive rewards upon the game's release.

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An Elden Ring speedrunner has put up a $10,000 bounty for beating an absurdly difficult challenge for the game's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expansion.

As reported by GamesRadar, streamer Distortion2 is kicking off a new speedrunning category centered around Shadow of the Erdtree. Named 'Rune Level 1 DLC%', it actually goes far beyond just a level restriction.

While runners do have to remain at Level 1 throughout their playthrough, they're also limited to weapons found in the DLC's Land of Shadow map. That means that, no, you can't bring in that +10 Moonveil katana that's carried you through the base game.

On top of this, players must defeat every single remembrance boss - which includes some truly nightmarish fights like the Scadutree Avatar and Commander Gaius - as well as Bayle, vile Bayle. Oh, and if all that wasn't enough, while you're assumedly free to collect power-increasing Scadutree Fragments throughout the DLC area, you're limited to leveling up your blessing once per boss defeated.

Distortion2 explains his reasoning behind this limitations in the challenge's announcement video. "Just rune level 1 wasn't really hard enough in my mind," he explains, "as we all know how strong some weapons from the base game can be."

He adds that the Scadu blessing limitation was a way to prevent runners from scouring the map for Scadutree Fragments as seems to be the preferred method in standard speedrunning categories.

Best of all, the Rune Level 1 DLC% challenge is open to everyone. So if you fancy yourself a share of that $10,000 bounty (it's $4,000 for the top spot), you can head over to the category's Discord server to download a custom PC save file that'll get you started. If you think you're enough of a gamer to tackle this monumental challenge, you've got until August 11 to set your best time.

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The PS5's latest system software update has arrived, and as ever, this month has brought some much-needed quality-of-life changes to the console.

As detailed on the PS5 system software update support page, Version: 24.05-09.60.00 is now live. Chiefly, it adds the ability to create a shareable link used for inviting friends to multiplayer gaming sessions. You just need to open up your game's session action card and choose the new option: Share Link. From there, you'll scan a QR code with your phone to generate the link.

Another welcome improvement has come to the PS5's Voice Command feature. It's now possible to open up a title's Game Help action cards by speaking the phrase "Show Game Help." And while the Voice Command feature is still only available in English at present, this is sure to be a helpful accessibility update.

The latest system software update also brings with it the usual round of performance and stability improvements. On top of this, Sony notes that it's sent out a device software update for "some" DualSense Wireless Controller models. Again, to improve stability.

You can read the full system software update notes for Version: 24.05-09.60.00 here:

• You can invite other players to game sessions by sharing a URL to the session.
  - To invite other players, open the game session action card and select Share Link. Then, scan the QR code with your mobile device to share the link.
  - This feature is available only for open sessions that anyone can join. 
  - This feature will gradually be rolled out to all players by July 24.
• Voice Command now supports the ability to open Game Help action cards by saying "Show Game Help".
  - Currently, Voice Command (Preview) is available only in English for players with accounts for PlayStation Network in the US and UK.
• We've improved system software performance and stability. 
• We've updated the device software of some DualSense wireless controllers to improve stability. 
• We've improved the messages and usability on some screens.

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