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Old School RuneScape overhauls Trouver Parchment system in June 17th patch notes
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zero_punctuation_feedOld School RuneScape has overhauled its Trouver Parchment system in Runescape’s latest patch notes, making significant changes to how untradeable items are handled on death in the Wilderness.
The old system was a persistent pain point for players heading into PvP content. Using a Trouver parchment on an untradeable item at Perdu would protect it from being lost on death, but the parchment itself was consumed each time you died, meaning players had to remember to re-lock their items before every Wilderness trip or risk permanently losing them to a PKer. That’s now been addressed.
How Old School Runescape’s Trouver feature works now
The rework splits untradeables into three tiers depending on their combat value. Items with no combat benefits should never be lost on death, such as the Graceful set, and will no longer be lost on death above level 20 in the Wilderness. Untradeables with some combat bonuses, including the Fire cape, Ava’s assembler, defenders and halos, will still break on death but can no longer be permanently lost. If they do break, you’ll need to repair for a fee at Perdu.
The biggest change is for higher tier untradeables, covering items like the Infernal cape, Void sets, Rune pouch, Divine rune pouch, Ancient sceptres and Dizana’s quiver. These still require a Trouver parchment, but once applied the parchment stays on the item permanently and is no longer consumed on death. Dying above level 20 Wilderness with one of these protected items will leave it mangled, requiring 500,000 GP to repair at Perdu, while dying below level 20 Wilderness will simply break it at the standard repair cost.
One further change is still in the works and didn’t make this update: a warning prompt when attempting to enter the Wilderness with a higher tier untradeable that doesn’t have a Trouver parchment applied. The team has confirmed it’s coming soon. So, you can still perma lose those items if they are not marked with Trouver Parchment.
You can see the full list of changes and items affected in the Trouver section on the patch notes here. It comes as one of the big discussed changes earlier as part of its post Runescape Anniversary announcements back in April.
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Girl Genius for Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Jun. 17th, 2026 04:00 amgirlgenius_main_feedThe Mistfall Hunter demo is currently the most played demo this Steam Next Fest
Jun. 16th, 2026 02:43 pmzero_punctuation_feedMistfall Hunter is currently the highest trending demo on Steam Next Fest, with the game amassing a 14,496 player peak since its launch on Monday.
In addition, the demo continues its momentum, with consistent figures approaching the 15k mark (at the time of writing Tuesday). It beats out other trending demos, with Bandai’s Echoes of Aincrad floating around 11-12k players.
What’s in the Mistfall Hunter demo?
For those who don’t know, Mistfall Hunter is a 1-3 player co-op third person action game with a fantasy class system. The game also uses extraction mechanics to let people raid levels, get loot, and hopefully extract with their well thought over haul.
We covered an old alpha playtest back in September, where, back then, it was managing around 5-6k players, fighting with the original fantasy extraction game, Dark and Darker, with active player base figures. It truthfully seems like it has absolutely smashed it with its Steam Next Fest showing.
Since then, this new demo adds in the Withered Knight, a new class type specializing in heavy armor and two handed weapons, alongside a new map, Hollowgrave. It brings the total to 6 classes, with it including other typical archetypes like Merc with sword and shield, Sorcerer for those powerful mages, blackarrow for Rangers, Shadowstrix for Rogues, and Seer for that Cleric style of gameplay.
The game is also due to release on July 29th on PC, Xbox and PS5, meaning the game is almost finished. It’s getting some complaints of frame stutter and other performance issues across PCs, but so is the way for nearly all Unreal Engine 5 games. Outside of that, there’s certainly potential for it to do well.
You can still try the demo until June 22nd, giving you another six days to play the game if you’d like. For other demos, there’s also Enginefall, which so far feels like a decent attempt to revive and offer a proper endgame to survival crafting PvP players. It’s got a demo which has been released right after having an early beta, which finished just before Steam Next Fest, that’s attracted thousands of players already.
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WoW dataminer reveals new store purchases for an upcoming WoW launch, which could be Classic+
Jun. 16th, 2026 01:25 pmzero_punctuation_feedWoW dataminer hobbyist Stiven posted on X to reveal some new findings from recent branches pushed to servers and CDN (Content Distribution Networks).
Stiven, who datamines potential PTR builds for Retail WoW, also came across something called “WoW Camelot”. Camelot comes with a Heroic and Epic licence, indicating tiered bundle game access.
The data miner clarifies that he believes that Camelot is linked to patch 1.6, which is the BWL (Black Wing Lair) patch. So, where does it take us? The answer to that appears to be towards a Classic title.
Classic 2019 is now in the final patch of Siege of Orgrimmar. Next on the list of expansions is Warlords of Draenor, the expansion that started the original Nostalrius Classic hype in the first place. We may see classic continue for WoD, as that’s some continuity Blizzard has. Plus, it seems a little early for it to be Anniversary Wrath of the Lich King too.
Maybe Blizzard is treating Classic+ more like a proper product, giving paid access with some bonuses for its release. We know something is coming in September, and datamined code-named files that can’t be decrypted could hide exactly what that’s meant to be.
It also comes as Blizzard has continued its lawsuit campaign against Classic+ server providers, eliminating Turtle WoW, and now targeting Project Ascension too. There was also a Classic creator summit too, of which the content is still under wraps.
Blizzard certainly has some World of Warcraft shenanigans planned for the future. But is it Classic+ release versions, or is it whatever else comes after MoP? It’s almost certainly not Midnight, since that’s only in tier 1 of the expansion, and we know that has a roadmap for next year or so.
Interesting times ahead indeed in Azeroth and beyond.
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Stellaris: Nomads launches as first Season 10 expansion
Jun. 16th, 2026 10:06 amzero_punctuation_feedStellaris: Nomads is available now as the first release in Stellaris: Season 10, adding a new empire type built around movement rather than territorial ownership.
The expansion is available as a standalone release, listed at £20.99, and is also included in Stellaris: Season 10. Paradox Interactive has shaken up the usual Stellaris structure by letting players run civilizations that do not claim systems or colonize worlds in the conventional way.
Instead, these empires operate from Arkships, which are mobile habitats that function as the center of their society, industry and military reach.
This is a major release from Paradox Interactive, in a year that looks rich in DLCs for existing gaming IPs, rather than new releases.
Nomadic empires change the usual Stellaris structure
The central feature in Stellaris: Nomads is the new Nomadic Empire type. Nomadic civilizations are not built around fixed borders. Their power comes from moving through the galaxy, creating routes, taking on tasks from other empires and building infrastructure along the way.
This gives players an alternative to the standard Stellaris loop of claiming territory, settling planets and expanding borders. Nomadic empires are designed to operate through movement, presence and interaction with settled civilizations.
The clue is very much in the name, given a dictionary definition of Nomad is “a member of a community or group of people who do not have a fixed, permanent home.”
Arkships replace traditional worlds
Arkships replace traditional worlds as the foundation of a nomadic empire. Each Arkship is described as a capital, fortress and population center, with upgrades available over time.
Players can choose from three Arkship classes, each aimed at a different style of play:
- Military Class: A mobile flagship designed to project power.
- Scientific Class: A roaming laboratory focused on research and discovery.
- Civilian Class: An industrial hub built around resource extraction.
The Arkship system is the main mechanical identity of Nomads, giving players a mobile base rather than a fixed planetary capital.
Waylines and Waystations create a mobile network
The developer notes also outline the Wayline Network. Players construct Waystations to create Waylines, which act as interstellar trade and resource routes.
These routes can be used by the nomadic empire while also providing benefits to settled empires. The system gives nomadic players a way to leave an economic footprint on the galaxy without holding territory, as a standard empire would.
Rather than expanding through borders, Nomadic Empires build influence through movement and connected routes.
Contracts add new empire interactions
The Contract System is another major addition. Nomadic empires can perform task-based interactions for settled empires, earning favor, resources and influence.
Settled empires can issue Contracts, giving both sides a new form of interaction. The feature appears intended to make nomadic civilizations part of the wider diplomatic and economic structure rather than isolated fleets moving between systems.
New origins for nomadic play
Stellaris: Nomads adds several new origins built around different versions of life on the move.
Voidfarers is the standard starting point for Nomadic Empires and is described as a flexible origin for players who want to define their own nomadic journey.
Heirs of the Khan casts the player as the successor of a murdered Khan, evading marauder hit squads until they are strong enough to return and reclaim their throne.
The Sacred Path follows a fleet of pilgrims moving toward ancestral holy sites, framing the nomadic journey as a spiritual pilgrimage.
Forever Cruise focuses on a divided Arkship society, with a wealthy passenger class seeking entertainment and sightseeing while an overworked crew keeps the vessel operating.
The announcement also says Nomadic Empires support several existing origins.
Defender of the Galaxy and the Stellar Cannon
The expansion also adds Defender of the Galaxy, a new Ambition connected to Galactic Nemesis threats from Stellaris: Nemesis. When a Galactic Nemesis threatens the galaxy, the Defender of the Galaxy can rise in opposition and attempt to protect other civilizations.
A new megastructure, the Stellar Cannon, is also part of the release. The announcement describes it as a structure that turns an empire’s energy stockpile into a weapon, firing a beam capable of striking enemy systems across the galaxy.
Champion’s Forge Live! adds a nomadic enclave
Nomads adds a new nomadic enclave called Champion’s Forge Live!, centered on gladiatorial fleet combat.
Players can take part in fleet tournaments across the galaxy, with the winner holding the Trophy relic until the next tournament. The feature adds another mobile, event-driven activity tied to the expansion’s wider nomadic theme.
New civics, perks, paragons and music
The release also includes the Wanderlust Ascension Perk, new renowned nomadic paragons, new tradition swaps and additional music tracks by Andreas Waldetoft and Batzorig Vaanchig.
Several new civics are included:
- Caravan Masters: Focuses on trade networks, relays and caravansaries.
- Deep Sleep: Centers on cryonics, with Arkship crews awakened when they are most productive.
- Void Reavers: Built around raiding and seizing resources.
- Flight Schools: Emphasizes pilot culture and ace crews.
- Star Seekers: Rewards exploration and discovery.
Together, these additions give Nomadic Empires several ways to specialize, from trade and exploration to raiding and fleet performance.
Mod playlist guidance for players
Alongside the expansion, Paradox also issued guidance for players using mods.
The announcement says mod playlists may be deactivated when players load the game, a launcher change intended to reduce crashes or other issues caused by outdated mods. The playlists have not been removed, and players can reselect them from the launcher dropdown.
It also outlines that Steam users can roll back to version 4.3.7 while waiting for mods to update.
Paradox listed several Workshop mods expected to be updated for release day, including DarkSpace, More Events Mod, Full Tiny Outliner, Ethics & Civics: Bug Branch, Real Star Systems, Endless Frontier: An Event Mod and Government Variety Pack.
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Red Wedding
Jun. 16th, 2026 11:00 amsavagelove_feedI am planning my wedding, which is happening this summer. My partner and I are trying to plan an event that’s casual, fun, and full of love. Unfortunately, my parents are MAGA. And they relish trolling me. The other day on a very rare phone call they started going on about wearing MAGA gear at … Read More »
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Impromptu Anal
Jun. 16th, 2026 11:00 amsavagelove_feedA woman who enjoys multiple orgasms doesn’t understand why, physiologically, all woman can’t come over and over and over. Like she can. A gay man wants a new word for the practice of rubbing dicks together, other than “frotting.” On the Magnum, Dan interviews Tracy Clark-Flory whose memoir My Mother’s Daughter: Finding Myself in My … Read More »
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zero_punctuation_feedBlizzard Entertainment has filed a lawsuit against the operators of Project Ascension, another of the Classic+ like private servers.
Project Ascension is one of the largest World of Warcraft private servers currently running. The dev team have done a lot of work on bringing the classic world, with greatly enhanced class design and gameplay mechanics to really set it apart as its own game.
The complaint was filed against Powell and others, who seem to be the names responsible for the project. The complaint is located on Courtlistener, where a copy of the file has been retried from PACERs. Blizzard alleges copyright infringement, DMCA violations, trademark infringement, and participation in a RICO enterprise, the latter typically associated with organised crime statutes.
Project Ascension hit amidst Classic+ anticipation
Project Ascension operates as an emulated private WoW server via a modified, allegedly pirated version of Blizzard’s game client. The server claims over one million players and generates revenue through a “donations” system. Blizzard alleges Powell and Mannion have received millions of dollars through this, funnelled via shell companies in Nevada and New Mexico. The complaint also alleges the servers are hosted by the Russia-based Aeza Group, sanctioned by the US Treasury in 2025 for supporting cybercriminal activity.
It isn’t the first time Blizzard has gone down this road. The Nostalrius case is the most notable precedent, a private server shutdown that is widely credited as the catalyst for Blizzard eventually launching the official WoW Classic in 2019. It has also recently eliminated Turtle WoW, one of the other Classic+ like servers, which focused more on the RPG side of the game, making Classic+ like content from it. The dev team has since formed its own studio to make a classic MMO.
That’s where things get interesting for the Classic community. In the weeks before the filing, Blizzard quietly invited a group of prominent Classic-focused streamers, including Xaryu, Sodapoppin, Esfand, Guzu, and Savix, to its Irvine campus for an undisclosed event. The targeted invite list, exclusively Classic streamers, has sent fans into a frenzy of Classic Plus speculation. Many in the community expect BlizzCon 2026 on September 12th in Anaheim to be the moment Blizzard finally reveals its plans, with the creator summit seen as a possible lead-up to a major announcement.
Blizzard did this with the Classic beta, having content creators ready to drop information when the beta was officially revealed. It could be a similar backdrop of content for the streamer to have ready and waiting for when Blizzard flick the switch.
Blizzard’s own 2025 Classic wrap-up post teased it had been “cooking on the long-term future of WoW Classic”. That comes after all the mini Seasons of Discovery and Mastery, which changed Classic, but not to a dramatic extent..
But, it seems like the gradual end of Ascension WoW could be on the way now that Blizzard has begun legal proceedings.
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Enginefall Steam Next Fest demo goes live until June 22nd
Jun. 15th, 2026 10:51 amzero_punctuation_feedRed Rover Interactive has launched a free demo for Enginefall on Steam today as part of Steam Next Fest, available until June 22nd. The game is a post-apocalyptic PvP crafting shooter set aboard massive moving trains, aiming to become a longer term PvP survival crafting game, with a much clearer end game loop.
What to expect from the Enginefall Demo?
The demo introduces several new gameplay systems ahead of the full launch later in 2026. Players can upgrade, customise and fortify Dagger Shuttles, which are personal trains that act as mobile bases and raid planning hubs.
There’s also a new Dagger vs Dagger mode, pitting players’ custom-built trains against each other in direct PvP encounters. Hostile NPCs have been added to Titan Train raids, the game’s large-scale loot runs aboard these huge industrial trains, adding extra pressure on top of the existing PvP threat. A revamped tutorial train also walks new players through crafting, progression and base-building before throwing them into the deep end, with an early game difficulty that has PvP turned off while players pick up the basics in real online levels.
Though, it’s not entirely a PvP risk game. Players can set up small deployable bases on each level of a train, giving them a location to drop a safe zone, build walls and doors, and create small bases whilst on these levels.
Think of them like little outposts you’d build while travelling in other survival games. You can block off little corridors in the tunnels, or take up shelter in the bathroom or market and cut areas off, so you can feel safe and secure.
These can all be crafted using metals and plastics you find on levels or bring in during your raids. When they are down, you can respawn a few times, so it’s not all extraction, but it gives those survival experience respawns you can deploy. Think of it akin to a bedroll on something like Conan before that big dungeon you find.
We got a chance to play with the devs, here’s what they described it as
We also got a chance to play the game with Red Rover staff, and get a taste of the game. If you’re a veteran of the survival genre but don’t have the time, it’s worth a try.
Gone are the problems of being offline raided, as your base isn’t accessible as long as someone who doesn’t live on your train is online. There’s a gameplay choice that incentivizes big leaderboards and massive trains for major builds.
Gone also are the days of dominating your local server, as instanced trains allow players to essentially become the bigger fish against all the other players who make it to that point. This can lead to some very extreme gameplay moments where players need to maintain a lot of fuel cores, which can be produced and acquired at higher-tier train levels.
These bases can also get raided by other big trains for those epic war-like levels of guilds versus guilds. It feels similar to those end game maps in games like Once Human PvP servers, Rust, and more.
For those not planning on engaging in epic warfare, you can also be far more relaxed and have smaller Daggers, and just go on the little raids on Titans. Instead, players can consider Dagger battles, giving immersive Sea of Thieves-like vibes, exchanging two passing Daggers, where you could maybe trade or fight each other.
All in all, it seems like there’s no time like the present to give Enginefall a try if you’re a vet of PvP survival games, or looking for a new PvP fix. The game is set to launch later in 2026, so you likely won’t have to wait long from the demo to its upcoming release.
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Meccha Chameleon reaches a million sold, as hide-and-seek continues to sell
Jun. 15th, 2026 09:44 amzero_punctuation_feedIndie developed Meccha Chameleon has sold over a million copies on Steam, per developer Lemorion_1224.
“Back in my day, we used to knock for our friends and then play hide and seek for hours before heading back for dinner. We weren’t stuck on screens!” Thanks for your candid reflection, Deirdre.
The world’s a little different now. Houses cost more than a sixpence, and you have to remortgage a one-bed studio apartment to send a letter using Royal Mail’s first-class postage service.
体に絵を描いて擬態！新感覚かくれんぼ
— LEMORION
『めっちゃカメレオン』
ついに配信開始！
最大24人でステージ追加用modにも対応！
友達とでも野良とでも是非遊んでください！https://t.co/pzNSxdRe7B pic.twitter.com/jySFGxVrk5レモリオン (@lemorion1224) June 10, 2026
So it seems, kids (and adults alike) are enjoying screen-based, online hide-and-seek, or in gamer-speak, “Prop Hunt-style party games” in their droves. Meccha Chameleon is the latest game in the genre to tickle the pickle of streamers and those wishing to indulge in whimsical party games.
The premise is simple: a team-based affair, with hiders, and, you guessed it… seekers. The hiders start as plain white characters and use an in-game color palette to paint themselves so they can blend into surrounding environment. Seekers are then tasked with finding every Hider before the timer runs out.
With the game online and it having a timed mechanic, there’s no risk of Little Jimmy being left under the stairs for countless hours due to negligence or spite. The nuance of hiding is in how well players are able to mimic colors, textures, and the shapes around them and use the painting tool to be as creative as they’re able to be.
I don’t dare get involved. I was given an E grade for my drawing of what was in my pencil case when I was 12, and I just know I’d be absolutely awful.
The game looks a lot of fun, and has reached peak concurrent player counts of 95,482 on Steam. It also drew more than 100,000 viewers on Twitch around launch and the developer has started to outline post-launch updates. There’s already new maps in the offing, and other quality of life improvements for users.
Video game developers keep finding new ways to make hide-and-seek a little more fun. I guess even games like Dead by Daylight are largely just hide-and-seek with a twist. I remember when Among Us released a hide-and-seek mode, too. Turns out, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel to sell a million copies if a game’s oodles of fun.
Meccha Chameleon is available on Steam with a base price of $5.99 / £5.29. There’s still a 20% launch discount available until June 16, reducing the price to $4.79 / £4.23.
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Girl Genius for Monday, June 15, 2026
Jun. 15th, 2026 04:00 amgirlgenius_main_feed
zero_punctuation_feedCI Games’ British crew is back, with the developers and creatives back for another Lifting the Veil episode. The episode goes into detail on Lords of the Fallen II, with the game officially getting full coop progression from day 1.
Lords of the Fallen 2 gets shared-progression on day 1
One of the better things about Lords 1 is that the game supported coop play, with it being there for day one. The game will launch with full shared progression, which means that you and your coop partner will both unlock things at the same time as you play together. The other game was sort of a friend invite thing, where you only got stuff based on what the save host had, largely using a buddy system invite if one person owned the game.
The devs are talking about how they learned from the first game about what went and didn’t go too well. So, they factored those points in and built the system from an improved state from the start. So, there’s that to look forward to. The system does mention noting quest completion together, world progression, items and other things of that sort. So, players can complete those things while in-game with their mates. Again, it’s hard to tell what it is or how it works without access to the game, but the devs seem adamant that it seems to work for all the actual progress you may need for coop.
The devs also teased that the game is getting a few other coop secrets to enjoy. So, sounds like cheese is afoot, too. There’s also, of course, summoning players into the game to help with boss fights, as is a Souls-like genre staple at this point for those bosses you just can’t get through.
Lords 2 is also getting a katana, some world events, and other new features
The developers also talked about some of the changes. The main one is the players requested a katana weapon for the game. And, the devs having a mantra of players first, delivered on that archetype. It comes after the devs also added a scythe in a few vlogs before too.
The devs spoke of the katana as a popular weapon among the Souls-like audience, and why it’s hotly requested. The weapon is a popular and fun class type in Elden Ring, the rule of cool, and then getting good stats on these more agile sword weapons. But, the devs want the katana to be a LOTF katana. They describe it as more savage, yet graceful, with the weapon hitting hard and meaty, but also well animated to feel like that skilled martial artist warrior vibe often attributed to it.
There are also some enrichment changes, with the likes of meteors falling and hitting the area. Not sure what it means, but they mentioned that meteors have to land somewhere. So, are there hazards for players to watch when level changes happen? Interesting nonetheless.
You can watch the full vlog here if you’d like, and get the lowdown on 40 minutes of content.
It comes after the devs have been open about coming to Steam, with Summer Games Fest confirming that. It’s also even after recent minor controversy over some Female armor sets, which turned out to be only a few more sexy pieces amongst the hundreds available in-game.
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zero_punctuation_feedSecret Mode has rolled out a free World Cup (ish) update for its retro football management deckbuilder NUTMEG!, adding a new League Cup, World Championship matches, Gaffer Mode, and a few extra reasons to shout at fictional millionaire footballers from behind your desk.
The update, which launched yesterday, adds the new League Cup, known in-game as the Egg Cup. It throws 56 teams into a knockout competition across seven matches during the course of a season, giving players another route to silverware beyond simply grinding their way through the divisions.
Naturally, because this is football, losing is not just losing. Drop out of the cup, and rival teams will waste no time in taunting you for it. Win, however, and you get the only thing that really matters in football management: bragging rights over people who thought they were better than you.
The update also arrives just in time for World Cup fever, with the big tournament having kicked off yesterday, with five new World Championship matches being added to NUTMEG!. These include scenarios inspired by famous international fixtures, such as England vs Argentina in 1986 (we wuz robbed), alongside fantasy “what if” clashes, including England vs Argentina in 1990.
For players who already think they know better than every manager on Match of the Day, the update also adds Gaffer Mode. This ramps up the challenge by tightening the financial side of the game, making broadcast matches longer and more difficult, and generally adding more obstacles for players trying to guide their club to glory.
There is also a new delegated XI selection clipboard, which gives players more control over team selection in delegated matches. Rather than leaving everything up to fate, you can now assemble your preferred lineup for each match and then still blame someone else when it all goes wrong. That is proper football heritage.
What is Nutmeg?
NUTMEG! launched on Steam in March 2026 and casts players as the manager of a football club during the 1980s and 1990s. Instead of a straight management sim, though, it wraps its league climb in deckbuilding mechanics, with training sessions, transfers, tactics, sponsorship deals, ticket prices, salaries, media duties, and fast-paced card battles all feeding into the season.
Players can scout youth talent, sign legendary players, refine tactics through training, and decide whether they want to be a loyal one-club hero or a journeyman manager bouncing from job to job in search of the next big chance.
The free NUTMEG! League Cup update is available now on Steam and currently has 40% off as part of the Football Fiesta sale.
The post It’s coming home – Nutmeg gets free League Cup update with Gaffer Mode and World Championship matches appeared first on The Escapist.
zero_punctuation_feedUpdates will appear here
Xbox Network appears to be having a bad one today, with players reporting widespread connection problems, failed game launches, and login issues across console and PC.
Reports began surfacing on Friday, June 12, with users saying their consoles were connected to the internet but unable to reach Xbox services properly. Some players are being told there is a “temporary network problem,” while others say they cannot launch games, connect to online services, or get past the usual Xbox Network checks.
Downdetector is currently showing a spike in reports for Xbox Network, formerly Xbox Live, with server connection listed as the biggest issue, followed by game launch and login problems. That tracks with what players are saying across social media and support channels, where the general mood is somewhere between “is it my internet?” and “nope, it is definitely not my internet.”
As ever with these things, the official Xbox status page is the one worth watching for confirmation and updates from Microsoft. At the time of writing, some third-party status trackers are flagging the issue as a major outage, particularly around sign-in, but these situations can move quickly. If Xbox Support posts a formal update, we will update this story accordingly.
The problem is especially irritating because Xbox’s modern ecosystem leans heavily on being online even when players are not necessarily trying to play a multiplayer game. Game Pass access, cloud saves, ownership checks, online profiles, backward compatibility, and multiplayer all rely on Xbox Network behaving itself. When it does not, even a short outage can make the whole console feel like an expensive green paperweight.
There is not much players can do until the service settles down. Restarting the console, checking your home network, or power-cycling the router may help rule out local problems, but if Xbox Network itself is struggling, repeated restarts are unlikely to magically fix it. Microsoft’s own advice for service outage messages is to check the Xbox status page and wait for the affected services to recover.
The outage comes during a busy period for Xbox, following the company’s summer showcase and a fresh wave of Game Pass activity. That does not make the timing suspicious, necessarily, but it does mean more players are likely to notice when the pipes start rattling.
For now, if your Xbox is insisting it is offline while the rest of your house is happily streaming, browsing, and arguing with smart speakers, you are probably not alone. Keep an eye on Xbox Support and the official Xbox status page before performing open-heart surgery on your router.
The Escapist has contacted Microsoft for comment.
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zero_punctuation_feedI get sent a lot of opportunities to play games in development, speak to devs, or even travel around to see them at work. I am lucky like that, I know. I also know that I simply don’t have the time to do many justice because of time pressures, but occasionally one comes along where I keep going back to it because it is so much fun.
Marsupilami 2 – Salsa Palombia has captured me and I keep playing the 30 minutes or so I have been treated to.
Growing up playing platformers on Sega, Nintendo and even the Amiga, Marsupilami 2 reminded me instantly of those good old days. In fact, it probably reminds me of the great Amiga platformers the most and I am really looking forward to seeing the other levels.
Marsupilami 2 – Salsa Palombia is the follow-up to 2021’s Marsupilami: Hoobadventure, once again putting the elastic-tailed jungle hero into a bright, family-friendly 2D platforming setup. This time, the action takes place across Palombia, where a strange melody has swept through the jungle and sent the local animals into a dancing frenzy. Behind the chaos is the Mummy Queen, who has returned from the Underworld with a cursed concert and apparently very little interest in personal space or wildlife welfare.
The big mechanical hook this time is the ability to play as three different Marsupilamis, each with their own move set. Twister can glide through the air, Hope has a spinning leap, and Punch uses heavier bounce attacks to smash through obstacles. The game lets players swap between them to chain moves together, reach new areas, and, hopefully, keep the platforming moving at the kind of pace the series’ springy tail-based chaos deserves.
Salsa Palombia is being pitched as a 2.9D platformer rather than a straight 2D sequel, with four worlds to explore, ranging from the jungle and city to snowy mountains and the Underworld. Alongside the main adventure, there is local two-player co-op, speed-focused Flow Mode challenges, time trials, and competitive Battle Dojos, which should give it a little more to do than simply hopping from left to right until the credits roll.
There is a strong “modern Saturday morning cartoon platformer” energy to the whole thing, which makes sense given the licence. Marsupilami has always been about big colours, big expressions, and that ridiculous prehensile tail, so the promise here is not grim reinvention. It is a cheerful-looking platformer built around character swapping, co-op, and momentum, with enough extra challenge rooms and bonus content to keep younger players and nostalgic adults occupied.
At a glance: Marsupilami 2 – Salsa Palombia launches on September 3, 2026 for PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, and PC. It supports 1-2 players locally, is developed by Ocellus Studio, published by Microids, and currently has a Steam demo and I highly suggest you check it out.
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Pokémon GO scan controversy resurfaces after Niantic Spatial defense partnership
Jun. 12th, 2026 08:38 amzero_punctuation_feedEarlier this year, concerns were raised after it emerged that billions of images and scans contributed by Pokémon GO players had helped train a growing geospatial AI platform.
At the time, when we looked at it last, the discussion focused largely on artificial intelligence, robotics, and whether players fully understood how data gathered through optional augmented reality features could ultimately be used.
Now the story has resurfaced following renewed attention on a partnership between Niantic Spatial and defense technology company Vantor, raising fresh questions about the long-term applications of technology that was developed using player-contributed scans.
Importantly (and indeed legally!), there is no public evidence that Pokémon GO scan data is being directly deployed in military drones or weapons systems. However, Niantic Spatial’s Visual Positioning System (VPS), which the company has said was trained using billions of scans collected through its products and platforms, is now being integrated into navigation technology designed to operate in GPS-denied environments.
A quick recap of the original controversy
The discussion began after Niantic executives revealed that more than 30 billion images had been used to help build what the company describes as a large-scale spatial model of the world.
Many of those images came from optional AR scanning features found in Pokémon GO and other Niantic products. Players could scan real-world locations, landmarks, and PokéStops in exchange for in-game rewards, helping create increasingly detailed three-dimensional representations of physical spaces.
Niantic Spatial has repeatedly stated that this data is used to improve its Visual Positioning System, a technology that allows devices to determine their location by analyzing visual surroundings rather than relying exclusively on satellite navigation.
At the time, the primary focus was on AI training, robotics, and augmented reality. Critics questioned whether players appreciated the scale of the data collection effort and the breadth of potential future applications.
Since this, Niantic has now told Kotaku – “Now as part of Scopely, Pokémon GO data is not shared with Niantic Spatial,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to Kotaku. “AR Scans collected through Pokémon GO were submitted voluntarily by players who opted into the feature and were subject to the applicable Terms of Service and Privacy Policy at the time. The discontinuation of AR scanning and the end of data sharing with Niantic Spatial were part of the transition planning associated with Pokémon GO‘s move to Scopely.”
Why are we talking about this again?
Attention has now shifted to a partnership announced between Niantic Spatial and Vantor, a company that develops geospatial intelligence and positioning technologies.
According to the companies, the partnership combines Niantic Spatial’s ground-based Visual Positioning System with Vantor’s aerial navigation capabilities. The goal is to create systems capable of maintaining accurate positioning when GPS signals are unavailable, degraded, jammed, or spoofed.
Such technology has a wide range of potential uses, including autonomous vehicles, robotics, industrial systems, drones, and mixed-reality applications. It also includes potential military uses obviously.
It is these potential defense and military applications that have attracted the most attention online.
While some commentary has characterized the development as Pokémon GO players helping train military drones, that interpretation goes further than the publicly available evidence supports.
The Drone XL website does state however, “Vantor is not a startup dabbling in defense. Rebranded from Maxar Intelligence on October 1, 2025, it is a prime contractor to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, holding a follow-on award worth $70 million under the agency’s Global Enhanced GEOINT Delivery program, which serves more than 400,000 U.S. government users. This is a company built around national security imagery, now adding GPS-independent navigation to its catalog.”
What has been publicly disclosed is that Niantic Spatial’s VPS technology was developed using large volumes of player-contributed scan data, and that the company has since entered into a partnership focused on navigation technology that may be used in defense-related environments. There is currently no public evidence that current Pokémon GO scan data itself is being directly loaded into military systems.
Is there a legal issue?
Based on publicly available information, the debate appears to be more ethical than legal.
AR scanning in Pokémon GO was an optional feature and Niantic disclosed that submitted scans could be used to improve mapping, positioning, and related technologies.
That certainly does not necessarily mean every player understood the full range of potential downstream applications years later, but it also removes the possibility of unauthorized data collection or a privacy breach. Of course, how many children playing Pokémon Go don’t actually read and understand the T&Cs is an argument for another day.
Instead, the controversy centers on a broader question that is becoming increasingly common in the AI era: should consumers be told more clearly when data they contribute to entertainment products could eventually help develop technologies used in entirely different industries?
Understanding the difference between Niantic and Niantic Spatial
One source of confusion in discussions surrounding the story is that Pokémon GO and the navigation technology are no longer housed within exactly the same company structure.
Niantic remains the company best known for developing Pokémon GO and other location-based games.
Niantic Spatial is a separate company created from Niantic’s geospatial technology division. It focuses on mapping, AI, spatial computing, and visual positioning technologies rather than game development.
The recent Vantor partnership was announced by Niantic Spatial, not by the Pokémon GO development team itself.
However, the connection is certainly topical because Niantic Spatial has publicly acknowledged that its spatial mapping technologies were trained using billions of scans and images gathered through Niantic’s consumer products and platforms, so it is not like there are zero links between the two entities.
As AI and mapping technologies continue to evolve, the debate is likely to move beyond Pokémon GO itself and toward a larger discussion about how consumer-generated data is repurposed long after it is first collected.
And soon after that, it won’t matter anyway because we are all just pawns in the game.
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After Action Report #33
Jun. 12th, 2026 11:00 amsavagelove_feedSomewhere in Peru, 1,100 feet above the sea, a handsome masseuse in Peru offered our brave, queer woman weed, sensual massage and “yoni massage.” Seems sketchy, but he got lots of good reviews on Google. After this show comes out we expect an uptick of tourism to Peru… Have you thrown caution to the wind? … Read More »
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Girl Genius for Friday, June 12, 2026
Jun. 12th, 2026 04:00 amgirlgenius_main_feedBattlefield 6 leaks reveal Tsuru Reef gameplay, new VSS sniper as Bilibili leaks continue
Jun. 11th, 2026 02:42 pmzero_punctuation_feedUpdate: June 12th – Just adding another clip since the big patrol boat apparently has guided torpedoes and can serve as a spawn point. How cool.
It’s that time of the season again where Battlefield Labs invites roll out, and the content gets leaked onto Bilibili. This time, the leaks focus on the new map, Tsuru Reef, the large naval theme map coming in Battlefield 6 Season 4. The new leaks show off some of the gameplay on the map, alongside some new weapons and other features.
It’s not the first time this has happened, with the exact same thing happening when Chinese social media leaked the M16 and Golmud changes.
Battlefield 6 leaks show off Reef gameplay and the VSS
Based on the leaks on Bilibili, now shared to Reddit and other social media, highlights some of the changes coming to the game. One of the big features is the VSS, a sniper rifle. It’s a soviet era weapon, with specialist subsonic rounds. While its profile often makes it a quiet sniper in real life, the weapon is often depicted as a stealth sniper weapon, often in dedicated sniper teams or marksman type roles in combat. Based on the leaked gameplay, it looks like its filling that role, but sits in the sniper category of the weapons menu.
We can’t really tell the stats with a limited window showing some mods to the gun in Labs, placing it around 35 damage per round, 20 round magazine, though that’s an attachment, and around 800 ROF rating. So, it places it as quite the mobile sniper that’s capable of pelting enemies, at least in that configuration.
It seems like it’s best used in more forward aggression type Recon playstyles. The ones that take advantage of the more aggressive motion sensor tracking, claymore placing and controlling staples. The leaked attachments also show an ACOG on the gun, indicating they want it in that 2-4x magnification for closer range marksman, helping to suit that playstyle. Alternatively, it looks like it’s a good option for open playlist assaults with a spawn beacon, to play that more aggro sniper role of old.
Tsuru Reef clues dotted in the leaks too
There’s also some footage of the new map. Not quite much is seen, but it does show some of the wave physics. It also shows off one naval boat, which looks like BF4’s Paracel Storm’s RHIB Boat. We do get a hint of what the map looks like too, with each team controlling an island either side of the map. From there, there’s icons of two boats at least, which then sail off in opposing directions to the four main islands to occupy the map.
There’s one on the left and right, with small waterways coming off from the main islands, with one in the north and south, wedged between those islands. There are a few other smaller islands too. Each team looks like they have three close conquest flags to capture using naval boats, with the larger middle section of the North and South Islands having another three, rather evenly spaced out. So, it looks like it will be one of those maps with a huge inflexion point in the middle for deep fighting, while boats pincer and flank around to steal cap conquest points across the various landscapes that come with it.
Given the small canals and waterways separate the island, getting around could take a while, or be quicker with a cost of players wanting to defend those waterways too. Looks like it could be quite the interesting map to be fair.
In addition, the main islands also seem to have vehicle spawns on them too. Some of the more island ones have more boats to capture, helping those flanking and steal cap playstyles. The more island ones also seem to have fast attack vehicle spawns, there also seems to be gun emplacements dotted around too from what we can see. Though, they are not confirmed in the footage.
— Battlefield Info España
GAMEPLAY BARCO EN EL MAPA "TSURU REEF"
(@Battlefield_inf) June 11, 2026
Other footage that appears also suggests there’s home base chopper spawns too, and even jets that can fly in. There’s also a much more armored and slower patrol bot too as featured in the footage above. It’s a full combined arms map kinda deal. The choppers will be even more direct fast attack vehicles for getting on that main island and locking it down, or fast disrupting the more distant islands. Either way, the tactics available with the freedom certainly looks interesting.
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The Witcher 3’s new expansion will miss 2026, but Geralt is heading to Gamescom
Jun. 11th, 2026 01:58 pmzero_punctuation_feedThe Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is somehow getting that new expansion in 2027, because apparently Geralt of Rivia is not allowed to retire, sit in a vineyard, and enjoy a quiet bubblebath anymore. The Witcher 3’s new expansion will miss 2026, but Geralt is heading to Gamescom
CD Projekt Red recently announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, a surprise third expansion for the 2015 RPG. It will arrive on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2027, with Geralt returning for a brand-new adventure.
The expansion had previously been planned for 2026, but CD Projekt Red has now pushed it into next year.
The good news is that fans will not have to wait until 2027 to see more of it. Songs of the Past is set to appear at Gamescom 2026, where CD Projekt Red is expected to show the expansion in guided presentation form rather than as a playable public demo.
Songs of the Past is being co-developed with Fool’s Theory, the Polish studio also working on The Witcher remake. That is a sensible pairing, not least because Fool’s Theory includes developers with previous Witcher experience, which should help ease the fear that this is just a nostalgic add-on being assembled from old swords and half-remembered tavern songs.
CD Projekt Red has described Songs of the Past as a full expansion rather than a small DLC drop. That is why expectations for Songs of the Past are going to be absurdly high. The Witcher 3 is not just another old RPG being dragged back for a bit of anniversary content. It is one of the defining games of the last decade, and its expansions helped set the standard for what premium story content could be.
There is also the wider Witcher context. CD Projekt Red is already deep into the next major Witcher game, which will shift the spotlight toward Ciri. That makes Songs of the Past feel like a bridge between eras, even if the studio has not fully explained how, or whether, the new expansion will connect to the future of the series.
For now, all we know is that Geralt is coming back, the expansion is bigger than a simple content update, and more details are expected later this year. After nearly a decade away from The Witcher 3’s expansion scene, that is more than enough to get people sharpening their silver swords again.
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Elden Ring Tarnished Edition preorders are live for Switch 2, so hide your summer plans
Jun. 11th, 2026 11:50 amzero_punctuation_feedElden Ring Tarnished Edition is now available to digitally pre-order on Nintendo Switch 2, which is lovely news for anyone who looked at the summer calendar and thought that was when you were going to get through some of your backlog.
Bandai Namco has confirmed that the Switch 2 version of FromSoftware’s open-world RPG will launch on August 28, bringing both the original Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion to Nintendo’s latest console. That means Switch 2 owners are not just getting the Lands Between, but also the Realm of Shadow.
The Tarnished Edition bundles in the base game, the acclaimed Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and some new extras. These include two new starting classes, additional character armor, and the ability to customize Torrent, your loyal Spectral Steed. Finally, horse fashion. It’s always been the real endgame.
Existing Elden Ring players are not being left out completely, either. The new Tarnished Edition content will also be made available to purchase separately for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. So, if you have already conquered the Lands Between on another platform and still feel like you have unfinished business, FromSoftware is politely opening the door again and ushering you through once more.
Originally released in 2022, Elden Ring became one of the most celebrated games of the last decade, combining FromSoftware’s brutally rewarding action RPG design with a vast dark fantasy world shaped by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Bandai Namco says the game has sold more than 30 million units worldwide and received more than 400 Game of the Year nominations.
There is still the big question of how Elden Ring will actually run on Switch 2, because this is not exactly a modest game. The Lands Between are huge and complicated. But if the port lands well, Tarnished Edition could become one of the most important third-party releases on Nintendo’s new hardware.
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition launches for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026. Digital pre-orders are available now. At least it will arrive before the movie’s 2028 release.
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Aston Martin’s new racing sim costs more than your actual car
Jun. 10th, 2026 12:50 pmzero_punctuation_feedAston Martin and Curv Racing Simulators have revealed the AMR-C01-R Hypercar Edition, a new racing sim rig inspired by the Valkyrie Hypercar. It is limited, carbon-fiber, Le Mans-themed, and priced at £58,750 plus taxes – sooooo, sneaking this one in on the sly past your wife may be trickier than usual.
The new simulator has been built to celebrate Aston Martin’s Valkyries competing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and only 24 examples will be made worldwide. Buyers can choose between #007 and #009 race-inspired liveries, finished in Aston Martin Podium Green with either yellow or red accents. Subtle, then.
The Aston Martin racing sim is basically a hypercar for your games room
The AMR-C01-R Hypercar Edition has been developed with Curv founder Darren Turner, Aston Martin’s high-performance test driver and a three-time Le Mans class winner. The idea is to replicate the driving position and overall feel of sitting in a Valkyrie Hypercar, which is handy if you have always wanted to experience elite endurance racing without leaving the west wing.
The sim uses a carbon-fiber monocoque and has been hand-built to order in the UK. It also features Aston Martin’s signature grille at the front, because even your sim rig apparently needs to look like it could judge the rest of your furniture.
Inside, the setup includes a curved 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G95C display with a 240Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and HDR10+ gaming support. It is powered by a high-end PC packing an Nvidia RTX 50 Series graphics card, 32GB of DDR5 memory, and a 2TB SSD. Assetto Corsa comes pre-installed, though the rig is also compatible with other PC racing sim software.
The steering wheel is probably nicer than your real one
Naturally, the steering wheel is not just some off-the-shelf plastic circle of misery. It is inspired by the Valkyrie itself, made from aluminum and carbon fiber, and includes an integrated 5-inch display, magnetic paddle shifters, dual clutch paddles, silicone grips, and adjustable lighting for the buttons and rotary dials.
There is also an electronically adjustable sliding pedal box with 200mm of travel, embedded speakers, and a Sennheiser headset for extra immersion.
None of this is remotely necessary for most people, well, everybody, obviously. But that is also sort of the point. This is not really aimed at someone trying to shave a tenth off their lap time in F1 26 while balancing a wheel stand wedged against the sofa. This is for collectors, racing obsessives, and anyone whose “gaming room” probably has better square footage than most city apartments.
The AMR-C01-R Hypercar Edition is available to order now. Just remember: at £58,750 plus taxes, crashing at Turn 1 will probably be as expensive as doing it in the real thing.
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Everything we know about One Piece: Grand Gourmet
Jun. 10th, 2026 10:04 amzero_punctuation_feedThe phenomenally successful anime, One Piece, is getting a restaurant management game. Of course it is. Why would it not? This is going to be huge, though, so let’s dig in and see what we know about One Piece: Grand Gourmet so far.
Bandai Namco has announced One Piece: Grand Gourmet, a new restaurant management sim based on Eiichiro Oda’s long-running manga and anime series. Instead of another fighting game, musou spin-off, or pirate action adventure, this one puts players alongside Sanji and the Straw Hat Crew as they attempt to build the greatest floating restaurant on the seas.
Developed by Kairosoft, the studio best known for its compact and dangerously moreish management sims, One Piece: Grand Gourmet looks like a much gentler take on the franchise. There will still be plenty of familiar faces, however, with Bandai Namco promising more than 400 characters from across the One Piece universe.
Here is everything we know so far about One Piece: Grand Gourmet, including its release date, platforms, gameplay, characters, and what you will actually be doing aboard the Baratie Number Two.
What is One Piece: Grand Gourmet?
One Piece: Grand Gourmet is a restaurant management sim set in the world of One Piece.
Players join the Straw Hat Crew aboard the Baratie Number Two, a floating restaurant that starts small but can apparently be transformed into the finest dining destination on the ocean. The basic loop appears to involve gathering ingredients, coming up with recipes, creating set menus, decorating the restaurant, and attracting characters from across the One Piece world as both staff and customers.
Rather than presenting the series in its usual anime style, Grand Gourmet uses a spritely pixel-art look. Bandai Namco says this is the first time more than 400 One Piece characters have appeared in this kind of pixel style in a game.
It is a very different pitch from the likes of One Piece: Pirate Warriors or One Piece Odyssey, but honestly, it also makes a lot of sense. If any anime has enough weird food, strange locations, and massive personalities to support a restaurant sim, it is probably One Piece.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet release date
One Piece: Grand Gourmet is officially scheduled to launch on October 23, 2026.
Bandai Namco lists that date for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android. The Steam page currently shows October 22, 2026, but that is likely down to regional unlock timing rather than a different global release plan.
Unless Bandai Namco updates the date later, October 23 is the one to go with.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet platforms
One Piece: Grand Gourmet is coming to:
- Nintendo Switch
- Nintendo Switch 2
- PC via Steam
- iOS
- Android
That means it will arrive on both current Nintendo platforms, PC, and mobile. There is no PlayStation or Xbox version announced at the time of writing.
The Steam page also lists the PC version as a single-player game with Steam achievements, Steam Cloud support, and Family Sharing. Full PC system requirements have not been detailed yet, with the minimum and recommended specs still marked as TBA.
Who is developing One Piece: Grand Gourmet?
One Piece: Grand Gourmet is being developed by Kairosoft and published by Bandai Namco.
That developer name should immediately make sense to anyone who has ever fallen into the black hole of games like Game Dev Story, Hot Springs Story, Dungeon Village, or one of Kairosoft’s many other cosy management sims. The studio has built its name around small-scale simulation games that are easy to understand, filled with cute pixel art, and usually far harder to stop playing than they first appear.
That makes Kairosoft a pretty natural fit for this kind of One Piece game. Grand Gourmet does not look like it is trying to be a huge open-world pirate adventure. Instead, it seems to be leaning into a focused management loop, then stuffing it full of One Piece characters, locations, dishes, and fan-service interactions.
What do you do in One Piece: Grand Gourmet?
The main aim in One Piece: Grand Gourmet is to build and run a floating restaurant.
Players will work with Sanji to create dishes, pick ingredients, arrange meals into set menus, and keep customers happy. As the restaurant grows, new recipes and opportunities will open up, with players heading out to find more ingredients and ideas.
Bandai Namco has already named a few dishes, including Water-Water Meat BBQ and Sea King Penne Gorgonzola. There will also be special creations inspired by Devil Fruit powers, which should give the game plenty of room to get extremely silly with its menu.
The restaurant itself can also be decorated and customised. Bandai Namco says there will be more than 200 furniture, building, and decorative items, with themes inspired by familiar One Piece locations such as Whole Cake Island and Egghead.
The decoration does not appear to be purely cosmetic either. If certain characters like the look of the restaurant, they may become regular customers.
How many One Piece characters are in Grand Gourmet?
Bandai Namco says One Piece: Grand Gourmet will feature more than 400 characters from the manga and anime.
That includes the Straw Hat Crew, but the wording suggests the roster will stretch far beyond Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brook, and Jinbe. The game will include friends, foes, and other familiar faces from across the wider One Piece world.
Characters can appear as staff and customers, and Bandai Namco says players will be able to experience character events and special interactions that are not found anywhere else.
That could be one of the game’s biggest hooks. A restaurant sim is one thing, but a restaurant sim where hundreds of One Piece characters wander in, react to the décor, ask for bizarre food, and potentially unlock unique scenes is a much stronger pitch for fans.
Can you customise the restaurant?
Yes. Restaurant customisation seems to be a major part of One Piece: Grand Gourmet.
Players will be able to choose from more than 200 decorative items to create their own version of the Baratie Number Two. Confirmed themes include dessert-style Whole Cake Island decorations and futuristic Egghead items, which suggests the game will draw from a broad slice of the One Piece timeline and setting.
The customisation system also appears to feed into progression. Bandai Namco says that if a character likes the design, they may become a regular, so players may need to think about who they want to attract, not just what looks nice.
One Piece: Grand Gourmet trailer
Yes. Bandai Namco released an announcement trailer for One Piece: Grand Gourmet alongside the reveal.
The trailer shows the game’s pixel-art style, restaurant-building premise, character appearances, and the general management sim setup. It also gives a first look at how the Baratie Number Two can grow from a small floating eatery into something much grander.
At the moment, Bandai Namco has not shown an extended gameplay deep dive, so there is still more to learn about progression, difficulty, recipe systems, and how involved the day-to-day restaurant management will actually be.
Is One Piece: Grand Gourmet available to pre-order?
Pre-orders are live on Steam, where the game is currently listed ahead of release.
Bandai Namco’s announcement also points players toward pre-orders, but availability may vary by platform and region. Mobile pricing has not been confirmed yet, and it is not currently clear whether the iOS and Android versions will use the same pricing model as the PC and console versions.
For now, the safest answer is that One Piece: Grand Gourmet is available to wishlist or pre-purchase on some storefronts, with more platform-specific details likely to follow before launch.
What we still do not know
There are still a few unanswered questions around One Piece: Grand Gourmet.
Bandai Namco has not yet confirmed the full list of characters, although we know there will be over 400, the exact differences between the Switch and Switch 2 versions, or whether the mobile versions will have any platform-specific changes. We also do not yet know how deep the restaurant systems will go, whether there will be post-launch DLC, or how progression is structured beyond cooking, decorating, and unlocking more recipes.
There is also no confirmation of PlayStation or Xbox versions, so for now this is a Nintendo, PC, and mobile release only.
When is One Piece: Grand Gourmet out?
One Piece: Grand Gourmet launches on October 23, 2026, for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC via Steam, iOS, and Android.
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