Place: Gamescom, Cologne - 26 August 2026
Every year, Gamescom delivers its fair share of surprises… but few are as spectacularly unlucky — or unexpectedly charming — as the saga behind Road Truckers: New Beginning. What should have been a straightforward indie showcase quickly turned into a comedy of errors that somehow made the game stand out even more.
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More than 50 retro and neo‑retro titles, eight World Premieres, surprise launches, classic revivals, and a historic return for Commodore all combined to create a showcase that felt like a love letter to gaming’s golden age.
Hosted by Pixel Helix, the UK agency specialising in retro games, the debut event aired on 24 August 2026 and united publishers and developers from across the globe. The mission: give retro gaming the stage it deserves.
Affordable upgrades across gaming and productivity
Trust’s August lineup spans ergonomic mice, Bluetooth keyboards, webcams, gaming microphones and even a full racing wheel — all designed to deliver practical, reliable tech at wallet‑friendly prices.
Among the standout offers:
Fallout fans are getting a double-dose of Wasteland charm this week, as Bethesda launches a new wave of collectable companions—plus the triumphant return of a once‑sold‑out favourite.
Fallout’s New Keychain Companion Collection Arrives
Vault Dwellers heading into the Appalachian Wastes can now bring a few friendly faces along for the journey. Bethesda has released the Fallout Keychain Companion Collection, a trio of plush keychains inspired by iconic Fallout 76 brands: Slocum’s Joe, The Blue Brahmin, and Nuka-Cola. The collection is available now through the Official Bethesda Gear Store, powered by DPI Merch.
Each keychain features a fan‑favourite mascot reimagined as a soft, portable companion—ideal for backpacks, keyrings, or simply adding a touch of Wasteland whimsy to everyday life.
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This week, Sony announced that were going to cease production of physical discs from January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles.
It's a decision that means less consumer power for those holding the controller, according to Dr Nick Webber, Professor of Game Studies at Birmingham City University (BCU) and co-lead of the Game Cultures research cluster at the university’s Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research(BCMCR). | ||
It's even easier for game companies to control and remove access to games. Credit: BCU | ||
“Sony's announcement of the end of physical media is unsurprising, given that the majority of video games are now bought digitally,” said Dr Webber.
“But, for both players and for people working in games preservation, the removal of discs from the PlayStation ecosystem, and likely also from XBOX, represents an important shift.
“These changes have to be understood alongside recent, unsuccessful attempts to place legal duties on game providers to support preservation processes and provide ongoing access to games.
“For example, in 2024, the US Copyright Office refused to grant a games preservation exemption from the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and just last month, the Stop Killing Games campaign was rebuffed by the European Commission.
“Unfortunately for players, the end of physical media represents a power shift which makes it even easier for game companies to control and remove access to games.
“For game preservation experts, this change will increase the difficulty of preserving games without the explicit permission of game developers and publishers, as the focus shifts away from challenges such as bit rot and media degradation, and onto the relationship between collecting organisations and IP owners instead.” |
Details of Shadows of Eldemir are below; information taken from the Arif Games website, the game can be wish-listed on Steam and is due for release in 2027. If their previous work is anything to go by, this will be a beautifully crafted horror adventure dripping with atmosphere and ominous stylings. I for one am keen.
Hyperkin’s symmetrical twin‑thumbstick controller, The Competitor, made a splash with PC and Xbox players when it first launched — and now the fan‑favourite gamepad has returned with a bold new look. Introducing the Competitor Murasaki Edition, a regal purple variant that’s exclusive to UK gamers via Argos.
The original Competitor earned applause for bringing premium features to an affordable price point, and the Murasaki Edition continues that tradition. It retains the controller’s fast polling rates, segmented classic D‑pad, and trio of hall effect sensors, supported by metal glide rings and anti‑friction gates for smooth, precise thumbstick control — even during the most heated gaming moments.
Designed for versatility, the Competitor Murasaki Edition works seamlessly across PC, Steam, Xbox consoles, and cloud gaming services including Game Pass. With accurate button mapping, a symmetrical stick layout, and Hyperkin’s trademark build quality, this controller is built for players who want style without sacrificing performance.
Available today for an MSRP of £39.99, the Competitor Murasaki Edition delivers a premium feel wrapped in a striking purple finish — gaming royalty without the royal price.
Find the Competitor Murasaki Edition exclusively at Argos:
https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7995589
Stay up to date with Hyperkin’s latest announcements, product drops, and more by following the brand on X, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
The circus is back in town — and this time, it’s packing paintbrushes, skyscrapers, and a honk button. Clowntown, the latest off‑beat creation from 30XX developer Batterystaple Games, made its grand debut at the PC Gaming Show, inviting 2–8 players to embrace their inner fool in a campaign of co‑operative calamity.
Launching soon on PC via Steam, Clowntown is a co‑op party campaign where teamwork, laughter, and mild chaos collide. Players join forces as noble jesters under the watchful eye of the mysterious Ringmaster, tackling over 100 unique minigames and action puzzles designed to make you think, fail, and laugh in equal measure.
From painting masterpieces and constructing skyscrapers to composing cacophonous symphonies, every act of this circus demands creativity and coordination — or at least a convincing attempt.
The main Campaign Mode offers 5–6 hours of hand‑crafted clownery, where friends juggle charades, sabotage, and slapstick teamwork across evolving challenges. Each minigame set grows more absurd as you progress — Face Paint becomes Also Paint, then spirals into Probably Not Paint, turning simple art prompts into time‑pressured chaos.
Wordplay fans can expect escalating madness too: Spelling Bee morphs into Spelling Wasp, and finally Bees Spelling, where clowns literally chase letters with wings.
Between campaign sessions, Clowntown’s Party Mode lets players pick curated or randomised minigame sets, tweak difficulty, and add mutators. Feeling competitive? Flip the script in Contest Mode, where co‑op turns cutthroat, and every clown fights for solo glory.
And yes — every mode includes a dedicated honk button. You can customise the sound. Your teammates cannot mute it.
Clowntown will launch with full support for English, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Japanese, German, Korean, French, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Follow Batterystaple Games on Bluesky or X for updates, and watch the Clowntown reveal trailer now to see the mayhem unfold.
The refreshed lineup introduces two new models for streamers and podcasters, alongside an updated illuminated USB microphone designed for gamers and everyday creators.
Sony’s June 2026 State of Play delivered a stacked lineup. From long‑awaited first‑party heavy hitters to surprise remasters, genre revivals, and a few “wait, WHAT?” moments, this showcase felt like a confident flex of what the PlayStation 5’s mid‑generation stride looks like.
Below, you’ll find a full breakdown of the show, plus a complete release table covering every title revealed or updated during the event.
Sony came out swinging with a mix of blockbuster reveals and deep‑cut fan favourites. Marvel’s Wolverine finally has a release date, Tomb Raider returns with a mythological twist, and Capcom surprised everyone with not one but two Onimusha projects. Add in rhythm‑action royalty, cult classics, and a few ambitious 2027 projects, and you’ve got a showcase that hit almost every corner of the gaming world.
Launching from June 2026, ATOM+ brings full‑fat gaming performance to a device small enough to hang from your keys. Whether you’re on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, mobile, tablet, or even a Smart TV, this tiny titan is built to play anywhere, anytime.
Positioned as a “zero‑compromise” revival, the NEOGEO AES+ is not a mini‑console, not an emulation box, and not a reinterpretation. Instead, it is a faithful, hardware‑accurate recreation of the original AES — complete with full compatibility for vintage NEOGEO cartridges. For collectors and arcade purists, this marks the first time in decades that the original experience can be enjoyed on modern displays without adapters, converters, or aftermarket modifications.
The book examines the defining traits of the “Metroidvania” genre, known for its branching paths, gated progression, and the thrill of unlocking new abilities that reshape the world. Through incisive retrospectives and personal essays, the project retraces five decades of experimentation, breakthroughs, and dead ends that shaped the genre’s identity.
Led by Derrick Bitner, the writing team brings together more than 15 contributors, each exploring how Metroidvanias resonate with players on both mechanical and emotional levels. Essays range from placing Castlevania alongside classical art to reflecting on how games like Animal Well can reframe life experiences for new parents. The book also features striking illustrations by Luan Tie.
Across its 250+ pages, readers will revisit early genre touchstones such as Below the Root and Xanadu, explore unconventional interpretations like La‑Mulana and Tomba, and uncover overlooked gems from Japan’s indie scene, including Hack9 and Pharaoh Rebirth+. Naturally, the evolution of Metroid and Castlevania—from their foundational entries to their modern classics—forms a central pillar of the book.
With [METROIDVANIA], The Communal History of Video Games aims to offer multiple entry points for readers, whether they’re long‑time fans or newcomers curious about the genre’s legacy. It’s an invitation to discover a new favourite, revisit a forgotten classic, or redefine your personal canon.
A Communal History of Metroidvania Video Games — Lost In Cult
Rage of the Dragons NEO brings back the cult-classic Rage of the Dragons, originally released in 2002 for the Neo Geo. This new version revitalises the beloved gameplay while adding modern features like Online and Training Modes, providing an ultimate experience for both long-time fans and newcomers.
Clark argues that games are fundamentally different from every other medium because they are built on verbs, not nouns. Players don’t just consume—they act. Every decision, every interaction, every moment of friction or reward feeds into a living system that shapes how players feel, behave, and stay engaged.
