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Abiotic Factor's second year of updates confirmed to include official mod support and a DLC taking science to the tropics
Deep Field has announced the year two roadmap for their sci-fi survival game Abiotic Factor, confirming official mod support and a new DLC titled Entropic Break. The year two plan includes a winter update with smaller additions and a free mod launcher with proprietary tools. The paid DLC will take players to a new tropical facility with new items, enemies, and mechanics like fishing and crossovers.
Indie Selects for October 2026: Discover and Progress Through Unforgettable Worlds
The ID@Xbox team has curated six standout indie games for October 2026, available on the Xbox Store. The selection includes Mortal Shell II, Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, Mewgenics, The Sinking City 2, Woodo, and Lou's Lagoon, offering a diverse range of genres from challenging combat and survival horror to cozy puzzles and exploration.
Winners of the UK Best Places To Work Awards 2026 revealed
The UK Best Places to Work Awards 2026 recognized 25 companies for excellence in staff support, with special awards given to Dink, Hangar 13, Jagex, NaturalMotion Games, Rare, and Snap Finger Click. The awards ceremony followed the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit, highlighting studios that excel in creating positive work environments.
Jobs roundup: October | Playstack CEO Harvey Elliott voted chair of UKIE
Several key appointments have been made across the UK games industry. Harvey Elliott, CEO of Playstack, has been voted chair of UKIE, succeeding Maria Sayans. Murray Pannell joins Steel City Interactive as head of publishing, while Dean Anderson leads MV&P's APAC partnerships. Catherine Bygrave is the new head of commercial at Code Wizards Group, and Michał Platkow-Gilewski has been promoted to VP of global communications and marketing at CD Projekt Red.
Here is the full line-up for the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit 2026
The GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit 2026, scheduled for October 1 in London, has announced its full line-up of speakers and sessions. The event will feature keynotes from industry leaders discussing topics such as AI in HR, neurodiversity, workplace culture, and effective leadership. The summit will conclude with the Best Places to Work Awards.
Dicevaders coming to Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch
Dicevaders, a dice-based roguelike deckbuilder set in the StarVaders universe, is launching on September 29, 2026, for both Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. The game will be available digitally for $14.99 and features optional mouse controls on the Nintendo Switch 2.
The worst experience I've had with a game all year: How catastrophic bugs in Mortal Shell 2 nearly killed it for me
Mortal Shell 2 is described as a good game marred by catastrophic bugs and design flaws, particularly in its opening hours. Issues included a lack of checkpoints, extremely dark lighting, and a buggy final boss. The reviewer experienced significant problems with item usage, graphics settings, and the inability to upgrade weapons due to bugs, leading to a frustrating initial experience that was only resolved after patches and extensive exploration.
LocalThunk "leaks" Balatro 1.1, revealing "at least" 4 new Jokers, new Tier 2 voucher, and a promise…
Balatro creator LocalThunk has shared details about the upcoming 1.1 update, including at least four new Jokers, a new Tier 2 voucher system, and a new blue stake. He admitted the update is past its original 2025 due date but emphasized his commitment to not rushing the release to ensure a high-quality experience.
Here are the first finalists for the 2026 GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards UK
The finalists for the 2026 GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards UK have been announced, recognizing excellence in workplace culture and specific areas like CSR, Diversity, Education, Environment, Health & Wellbeing, and Training & Development. NaturalMotion Games leads with five special award nominations, followed by Rocksteady Studios, Jagex, Playground Games, and Rare. The winners will be celebrated at a ceremony in London on October 1, 2026, following the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit.
Balatro developer LocalThunk turns up on Discord to talk about the 1.1 update and life after burnout: 'I truly am…
Balatro developer LocalThunk has communicated via Discord about the upcoming 1.1 update, acknowledging the long delay and his personal burnout. He is now approaching development more like a hobby, prioritizing his well-being and the game's quality over strict deadlines. The update is expected to be the last major content addition for Balatro.
About Fishing is much weirder than you think
About Fishing, developed by Kevin "The Water Museum" Brown and published by Playstack, presents itself as a fishing game but features a bizarre narrative involving a mermaid gentlemen's club and a murder mystery. Despite its unsettling marketing and Nintendo 64-era visuals, the game aims for a unique, intriguing experience rather than horror. It is scheduled for release on PC and PlayStation 5 in 2026.
Mortal Shell 2 dramatically improved in almost every way by first major update
Mortal Shell 2 received its first major update, addressing criticisms regarding its economy, weapon and Shell balance, and world distribution of save points. The patch introduces new currency items, overhauls riposte mechanics, and adds new Beacons, aiming to improve player experimentation and overall experience.
UK software sales chart for the week ending August 22, 2026 – Pokemon Pokopia, Tomodachi Life, and Mario Kart in the top 5
The UK software sales chart for the week ending August 22, 2026, shows EA Sports FC 26 reclaiming the top spot. Nintendo titles remain strong, with Pokemon Pokopia and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream at #2 and #3, and Mario Kart World at #5. Mortal Shell II entered the top 5 at #4.
Mortal Shell II Review | TheXboxHub
Mortal Shell II offers a brutal and satisfying Souls-like combat experience with a unique shell-swapping mechanic and a variety of weapons, including firearms. While the game features a decaying world aesthetic and solid sound design, it is hampered by persistent camera issues and some enemy design similarities. The story involves recovering stolen 'Ova' for the Undermether, and the game is now available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC.
First Mortal Shell 2 balance patch stacks the deck for players: refunds for anyone who wasted Glimpses, bosses nerfed,…
Developer Cold Symmetry has released the first major balance patch for Mortal Shell 2, focusing on player buffs, enemy nerfs, and quality-of-life improvements. The patch addresses the game's resource economy, refunding players who spent Glimpses on Shell maps and increasing Gold drops. Several enemies and bosses have been nerfed, while certain weapons and Tarstones have been buffed.
The Best Games To Play When Your PC Is Basically A Potato
This guide highlights PC games that can run on older or less powerful hardware, focusing on titles that offer engaging gameplay without requiring high-end components. The selection includes a variety of genres from roguelikes like Balatro and Hades to simulation games like Factorio and Stardew Valley, all chosen for their accessibility and low system requirements.
After plenty of time with it, I'm convinced Mortal Shell 2 is an excellent Soulslike, with various overhauls allowing it to realise the vision of the original
Mortal Shell 2 is an excellent Soulslike that builds upon its predecessor with significant overhauls and a confident design. The game features faster combat without a stamina bar, a new Resolve mechanic, and deeper customization through its Shell system. While boss fights are a weak point, the overall experience offers a dense world and engaging moment-to-moment gameplay, making it a strong contender in the genre.
The Golden Idol Saga Nintendo Switch physical release announced
Super Rare Games, in partnership with Color Gray Games and Playstack, has announced a physical release for The Golden Idol Saga on Nintendo Switch. This release will include the base game, its expansions, and all four DLCs on a single cartridge. Pre-orders for both standard and Deluxe Editions open on August 27.
Mortal Shell II Review – Emerge from your shell
Mortal Shell II is a promising sequel that expands upon its predecessor's unique soulslike mechanics, offering a bigger and more complex experience. While the main plot is weak, the game features compelling combat, a wide variety of "Shells" and weapons, and memorable boss fights, though some UI choices and early-game annoyances detract from its polish. The game is available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Mortal Shell 2 review - the perfect Soulslike for beginners
Mortal Shell 2 offers an accessible Soulslike experience, drawing inspiration from Elden Ring with its new open world. While it lacks major innovations and its open world design is questionable, the game features an impressive shell system, a stamina-free combat mechanic, and extensive customization options. It stands as a solid third choice in the genre for players intimidated by FromSoftware's titles.
