Sony is rolling out mandatory age verification for PlayStation users who want to keep using communication features, according to an email from Sony Interactive Entertainment that started landing in player inboxes this week. Messages, voice chat, and party features will all sit behind the new check, with a global rollout planned for later in 2026 and a confirmed start date of June 2026 for the UK and Ireland.

Players who skip the verification step will still be able to play games, earn trophies, and use the PlayStation Store. The restriction only targets the social layer of the platform, which is where most of the regulatory pressure around under-age users has been focused over the past year.

What Sony’s Email Actually Says

The email, first reported by Insider Gaming, frames the change as part of Sony’s compliance with global regulations. It tells users they will need to verify their age later this year to continue using PlayStation communication features such as messages and voice chat, and that other services will remain accessible without verification.

Sony has not attached a specific global date to the notice. The company has, however, locked in a June 2026 start for the UK and Ireland, where the verification page is already live and some users are being prompted to complete the process ahead of enforcement.

Which Features Get Locked Behind Verification

The list of affected features goes further than just console-level chat. Based on the rollout details confirmed for the UK and Ireland, verification will gate communication, broadcasting, and certain in-game functions.

• Joining a party and voice chat
• Text messaging between players
• Third-party chat programs launched through the console, including Discord
• In-game chat inside supported titles
• Sharing user-generated content
• Broadcasting features

Everything outside that social layer, including single-player sessions, online matchmaking that doesn’t require comms, trophies, and PlayStation Store purchases, stays available whether or not a player verifies.

How The Verification Works

Sony is using Yoti, a third-party identity company, to handle the checks in the UK and Ireland. Players in those regions can verify through a face scan or by uploading a government-issued ID. The assumption across reporting is that Yoti will remain the provider when the rollout expands, though Sony has not formally named a partner for other regions.

Yoti markets itself on a privacy-first approach, but the company has a recent record worth flagging. In January, Spain’s data-protection regulator AEPD fined Yoti $1.1 million for mishandling biometric data collected from users. That detail is likely to follow Sony’s rollout into every market it expands to.

Read More: PS6 Price Could Hit $999 As Analysts Warn Of Next-Gen Cost Surge

Read More: PS Plus Game Catalog April 2026 Lineup Confirmed Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, The Crew Motorfest and Wild Arms 4 Headline Eight New Games

Age Verification Is Becoming A Platform-Wide Trend

Sony is not the first major gaming platform to move in this direction, and the push is being driven as much by regulation as by company policy. Several countries and US states adopted age-verification laws through 2025, framed around protecting minors from inappropriate content. The momentum has carried into 2026, even as privacy researchers continue to raise doubts about whether the laws actually achieve their stated goals.

Discord

Discord announced its own verification system for rollout by March 2026 and faced significant backlash from users worried about data handling. The company pushed its plans to the end of 2026 and now says most users will not need to verify at all, a walk-back tied to concerns about personal data and anonymity.

Roblox

Roblox introduced mandatory verification in January, requiring users to upload a photo before accessing in-game chat. The rollout has not gone smoothly, with ongoing questions about how well the system works and how the collected data is handled.

US Legislation

The US House of Representatives is currently reviewing the Parents Decide Act, which could go considerably further than any platform-level measure by requiring age verification before users can access a computer’s operating system at all.

The Privacy Question Sony Will Have To Answer

Biometric verification at this scale raises the same concerns that have dogged Discord and Roblox. Critics have pointed to the risk that identity data could be leaked, used to track consumer behaviour across apps, or handed to governments without clear user consent. Sony’s choice of provider puts that concern on the record before the global rollout even begins, given the AEPD ruling earlier this year.

For players, the practical trade-off is straightforward. Skip verification and keep playing, but lose access to the social features that define how a lot of people actually use the console. Verify, and trust that Sony and its partner handle the resulting data responsibly.

What Else Is Changing On PlayStation

The verification rollout lands alongside another significant shift. Sony plans to phase out all PlayStation Network branding by September 2026, though the online services themselves are not going anywhere. PSN is expected to return under a new name rather than be dismantled, suggesting a broader rebrand of the platform’s online identity is in motion at the same time the verification system is being introduced.

A firm global date for the verification requirement is still the main missing piece. Until Sony confirms one, players outside the UK and Ireland have time to decide how they want to handle the check, but the direction of travel across the industry makes it clear that opting out of verification will increasingly mean opting out of the social side of gaming.

The post PlayStation Age Verification Is Coming For Chat and Voice Features Later This Year appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Bandai Namco has officially confirmed Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3, ending months of speculation that started when the project was first teased as “Age 1000” earlier this year. The reveal headlined Dragon Ball Games Battle Hour 2026 in Los Angeles, where the publisher also dropped news on Sparking Zero, FighterZ, Xenoverse 2 and Gekishin Squadra.

The next Xenoverse is scheduled to launch in 2027 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam, almost a full decade after Xenoverse 2 hit shelves in October 2016.

What Bandai Namco Revealed About Xenoverse 3

The announcement trailer runs nearly four minutes and sets the new game in an entirely fresh corner of the Dragon Ball universe. The story jumps to Age 1000, a timeline where West City has grown into a sprawling hub that serves as the central setting for the adventure.

Players are recruited into the ranks of the Great Saiyan Squad, fighting alongside both familiar and original allies. Bulma appears in the trailer with English voice acting, and a brief shot around the 30-second mark shows what looks like Piccolo’s cape from behind, hinting at returning faces beyond the new cast.

As with previous Xenoverse titles, character creation sits at the heart of the experience. The trailer leans into this with several stand-ins for custom characters, signalling the series will keep its trademark “make your own Saiyan” hook.

Akira Toriyama’s Final Contributions Are In The Game

Despite Akira Toriyama’s passing in 2024, Xenoverse 3 features original work from the Dragon Ball creator, including never-before-seen characters and key world-building elements. His name appears prominently early in the trailer.

Development on the project reportedly began in the late 2010s, with more than half a decade invested in building out the new world. That long runway explains how Toriyama was able to contribute so heavily before his death, and it puts Xenoverse 3 in rare company as one of the last games carrying his direct creative input.

How The Reveal Played Out Before The Confirmation

The road to this announcement was bumpy. The project first surfaced publicly in January as a mysterious “Age 1000” tease, leaving fans to guess what it actually was. A chunk of the community speculated it could be a successor to Dragon Ball Online, the 2010 MMORPG that never officially launched in the West.

That theory was dented in February when Bandai Namco’s Southeast Asian YouTube channel briefly published material that effectively leaked the game as a Xenoverse sequel. Battle Hour 2026 has now closed the loop with the full trailer and a confirmed 2027 release window.

Everything Else Bandai Namco Showed At Battle Hour 2026

Xenoverse 3 was the headline, but the two-day event packed in updates across the rest of the Dragon Ball games lineup. Here is how the other reveals stack up.

Xenoverse 2 Wraps Up With Future Saga Chapter 4

Xenoverse 2 is heading toward its endgame. Future Saga Chapter 4 was officially revealed as the final DLC for the title, launching in Summer 2026. The chapter is being framed as a climactic farewell to a story that has run for nearly a decade, with the trailer ending on the line “this summer, the last patrol begins.”

Goku SS4 Daima Lands In FighterZ Next Week

Dragon Ball FighterZ gets its next Daima DLC fighter on 22 April, with Goku in his Super Saiyan 4 Daima form joining the roster.

His kit revolves around Wild Dash, a versatile move that branches into four follow-ups.

• Double Combination: a pressure strike that stays safe even when blocked
• Raging Strike: launches opponents upward and feeds into Super Dash combos
• Power Swing: a command throw that breaks guard but whiffs on crouching opponents
• Quick Move: an invincible advance designed to shut down counter attempts

Sparking Zero Adds GT Fighters And A Solo Mode

The Super Limit-Breaking NEO DLC for Sparking Zero brings Vegeta (GT) and Trunks (GT) into a Budokai Tenkaichi game for the first time, alongside a new costume and Super Attack for Goku (Z – End) tied to a fan-favourite moment. The update also introduces Limit Breaker Journey, a solo mode where players grind EXP through battles and events to power up unlocked characters outside of the main story.

Gekishin Squadra Gets A Crossover And A World Championship

The free-to-play Gekishin Squadra is leaning into both fan service and competition. A crossover with Xenoverse 2 will add new hero skins and emotes, with full details still to come. The bigger news is the game’s first offline World Championship, which will fly top players from different servers to Japan to crown a World No. 1. A Half-Year Anniversary campaign with new heroes, emotes and reward events is already live.

Where Xenoverse 3 Sits In The Wider Dragon Ball Pipeline

With Xenoverse 2 officially winding down, Sparking Zero still rolling out DLC and Gekishin Squadra building a competitive scene, Xenoverse 3 inherits the mantle as Bandai Namco’s next big console-scale Dragon Ball project. The 2027 window gives the publisher room to keep monetising the existing slate through 2026 before pivoting attention to the new title.

Wishlists are open now on PlayStation, Xbox and Steam, and Bandai Namco is expected to drip more details through the back half of 2026 as the marketing cycle builds toward launch.

The post Dragon Ball Xenoverse 3 Confirmed for 2027 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony has officially confirmed the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog lineup for April 2026, and it’s a sizeable drop. Eight games are landing on 21 April, headlined by Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, The Crew Motorfest, and Football Manager 26 Console for Extra and Premium subscribers, plus the PS2 cult classic Wild Arms 4 making its way to the Premium-tier Classics catalogue.

It’s a noticeably stronger month than the recent average, with a mix of major first-party content, a competent racing alternative, and a few left-field picks that genre fans have been waiting on. Here’s the full lineup, what each game actually offers, and what you need to know before download day.

Full PS Plus April 2026 Game Catalog Lineup

All eight titles unlock together on 21 April. Seven are available to anyone subscribed at the Extra tier or higher, while Wild Arms 4 sits behind the Premium paywall as part of the Classics catalogue.

One quirk to flag on Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered: PS5 owners get the proper remastered edition, while PS4 players will be downloading the older Horizon Zero Dawn Complete Edition instead. Same starting point, different versions.

The Headline Additions

Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered

Easily the biggest get of the month. Guerrilla Games’ open-world debut returns with visuals and systems brought up to par with Horizon Forbidden West, which is a substantial overhaul rather than a quick polish. If you’ve never played as Aloy or only made it through the original on PS4, this is the version to commit to. The post-apocalyptic world of tribal hunters and towering machines still holds up, and the remaster removes most of the technical reasons people bounced off it the first time.

The Crew Motorfest

Ubivisoft’s Hawaii-set arcade racer is the closest thing PS5 owners are getting to Forza Horizon for a while, given Forza Horizon 6 isn’t coming to PlayStation at launch next month. Motorfest packs hundreds of vehicles and a festival-style event structure spanning Honolulu’s streets, rainforest trails, mountain passes, and volcanic terrain. It’s not the deepest racing sim on the platform, but as a free addition it slots neatly into the gap.

Football Manager 26 Console

The big one for football fans. This entry marks the first time the Premier League has been fully licensed in the series, which is a genuinely meaningful change for a franchise where authenticity is half the appeal. The console version comes with a rebuilt Match Day presentation, fresh motion capture, and refined controller shortcuts that make tactical tweaks between highlights faster. Worth picking up just for the league licence alone if you’ve been on the fence.

Read More: PlayStation Plus April 2026 Monthly Games Lords of the Fallen, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream

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The Rest Of The April Lineup

Warriors: Abyss

Koei Tecmo’s roguelite take on the Warriors formula. Over 100 historical heroes are summonable as party members, and the loop centres on running successive trials of hell with combined hero abilities. It’s a niche genre crossover, but the deck-of-warriors mechanic gives it more legs than a straight Musou clone.

Squirrel with a Gun

The title is the pitch. You’re a rodent, you’ve got firearms, and you’re escaping a secret underground facility while collecting golden acorns. It’s a sandbox shooter slash puzzle platformer that leans entirely into its absurdity, and it’s the kind of palate-cleanser that works well as a free download rather than a full-price purchase.

The Casting of Frank Stone

Supermassive Games’ branching-narrative horror, set within the Dead by Daylight universe. Standard Until Dawn-style mechanics where decisions ripple through the story and characters can live or die based on your choices. Sony positioning this on the catalogue ahead of Supermassive’s next title, Directive 8020, releasing next month is no coincidence.

Monster Train

Long-overdue arrival on PlayStation for one of the most respected roguelike deckbuilders of the past few years. The hook is defending three vertical battlegrounds simultaneously, with six monster clans, 25 covenant difficulty levels, and over 280 cards to build around. If you’ve burnt out on Slay the Spire or Balatro, this is the next logical stop.

Wild Arms 4

The Premium-only addition, and the one with the most surprising backstory. Originally released on PS2 in 2005 in Japan and 2006 in the West, Wild Arms 4 was the entry that broke from the series’ western-themed aesthetic and divided fans at launch, though it’s since picked up a cult following. The new release adds up-rendered visuals, quick save, rewind, and custom video filters. It’s also being sold standalone on the PlayStation Store for $14.99 USD if you’d rather not subscribe to Premium.

This addition also means the bulk of the Wild Arms series is now playable on modern PlayStation hardware. Wild Arms 1 through 3 were already available, leaving only Wild Arms 5 and the PSP spinoff Wild Arms XF outside the modern catalogue.

Don’t Forget The Monthly Games Deadline

Separate from the Game Catalog drop, all PS Plus members at any tier can still claim April’s monthly games: Lords of the Fallen, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, and Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream. The deadline to add them to your library is 4 May, after which they’re gone from the free claim window. Worth grabbing now even if you don’t plan to play them immediately, since they stay in your library permanently as long as your subscription remains active.

What This Lineup Signals For The Months Ahead

April leans heavier on first-party catalogue depth than any month so far in 2026, and the Wild Arms 4 addition hints that more PS2-era classics could be on the way. The Wild Arms series isn’t a Sony-owned property, so its arrival on the Premium Classics tier suggests Sony is still actively brokering deals for legacy JRPGs rather than letting that part of the catalogue stagnate. Wild Arms 5 and Wild Arms XF remain the obvious next candidates if this lands well with subscribers.

The post PS Plus Game Catalog April 2026 Lineup Confirmed Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, The Crew Motorfest and Wild Arms 4 Headline Eight New Games appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Red Dead Redemption is finally getting a physical release on PS5 and Nintendo Switch 2, with both versions reportedly launching on 7 May 2026 at €34.99. The leak originated from a Spanish retailer listing before being expanded by Dealabs’ billbil-kun, who confirmed two separate physical editions are in the pipeline. One catch worth knowing upfront: the Switch 2 version is a Code-in-a-Box release, not a true cartridge.

This is the original Red Dead Redemption getting the physical treatment, not Red Dead Redemption 2. That distinction is causing some friction among fans who have been waiting years for an upgraded RDR2 on current-gen hardware.

What The Leaks Actually Show

Spanish retailer Wakkap accidentally published a store listing for a physical PS5 copy of Red Dead Redemption priced at €32.90, with a 7 May 2026 release date. The listing did not include an EAN code, which initially made it difficult to verify whether it was a genuine physical product or a digital placeholder.

Dealabs’ billbil-kun then followed up with additional findings, confirming the physical PS5 edition and revealing a second physical release for Nintendo Switch 2. According to billbil-kun’s reporting, both editions will retail at €34.99, which is €15 cheaper than the launch price of the digital versions. A separate Micromania listing briefly opened pre-orders for the PS5 version before disappearing, suggesting either an early reveal or a retailer error.

Rockstar Games has not acknowledged either leak at the time of writing.

Pricing And Edition Breakdown

Here is how the two physical editions compare based on the leaked information.

Neither version includes online multiplayer, matching the existing digital releases. The original PS4 physical release notably shipped without the classic New Austin map insert, and there is no indication so far that the PS5 version will restore it.

The Switch 2 Code-In-A-Box Problem

The Switch 2 version is the awkward one. A Code-in-a-Box release means buyers get a retail box containing only a download code printed on paper, with no cartridge inside. For a game that clocks in at roughly 12GB, the decision is harder to justify than it would be for a 50GB-plus title where cartridge cost becomes prohibitive.

For collectors who want a true physical Switch cartridge, the existing Switch 1 release remains the only option. Both the Switch 1 cartridge and digital versions are eligible for the free Switch 2 upgrade, provided the game has been updated to the latest version on the newer hardware.

Read More: Forza Horizon 6 Limited Edition Xbox Controller and Headset Leaked With Prices

Read More: Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Reportedly Coming to Switch 2 This Christmas

Why Fans Are Frustrated It Is Not RDR2

The leak has reignited a long-running complaint from a section of the community: Red Dead Redemption 2 still does not have a native PS5 or Xbox Series X|S version. The 2018 release continues to run on PS4 and Xbox One code via backwards compatibility, with no upscaled current-gen port despite eight years passing since launch.

Reddit threads responding to the leak surfaced the usual sentiment, with one user joking that they would happily accept “everything other than releasing a PS5 port of RDR2,” and another saying they grew tired of waiting and built a Steam Machine specifically to run RDR2 at 60fps. The demand is clearly there, and Rockstar’s continued silence on the subject is starting to wear thin for a portion of the fanbase.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 reportedly facing further delays, an RDR2 current-gen port would be an obvious goodwill move while fans wait. Whether Rockstar sees it that way is another matter.

Where The Original Currently Stands

Red Dead Redemption was re-released natively on PS5 several months ago, bringing 60fps support at up to 4K resolution along with HDR. Graphical fidelity now sits roughly in line with the highest PC settings, which is a meaningful step up from the original PS4 version that many players were stuck with.

The Switch 2 version, released in December 2025, includes 60fps performance, DLSS support, HDR, and mouse controls via the new Joy-Cons. Nintendo Life scored that release 9/10. The mobile versions on iOS and Android, along with the Netflix release, have collectively crossed 10 million downloads since launching.

What To Watch For Next

Pre-orders have not officially opened yet, and Rockstar has not confirmed any of the leaked details. Given the consistency between the Spanish retailer listing, billbil-kun’s reporting, and the Micromania pre-order page that briefly went live, an official announcement is likely soon. Whether Rockstar will use the same announcement to address RDR2’s current-gen status, or stay silent on it, is the more interesting question.

The post Red Dead Redemption PS5 Physical Edition Leaks For May 7, Switch 2 Gets Code-In-A-Box appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Traysia, a mostly forgotten 1992 Sega Genesis JRPG developed by the now-defunct Telenet Japan, is making a surprise comeback on modern platforms. Publishers Ratalaika Games and Shinyuden have confirmed the game will launch on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam on April 24, 2026.

A Deep Cut From The Mega Drive Library

For those unfamiliar, Traysia (known as Minato no Traysia in Japan) is a traditional fantasy RPG that follows a young adventurer named Roy as he leaves his hometown to explore the world. The game’s story is told across five scenarios, blending classic party-based RPG mechanics with a romance narrative centred on Traysia, a girl who waits for Roy’s return in their home port town of Johanna.

The game originally launched on the Sega Mega Drive in 1991 in Japan before receiving a North American localisation from Renovation Products for the Genesis. To put it kindly, it was not well received. The Japanese magazine Famitsu scored it just 13 out of 40, while Beep! Mega Drive Magazine gave it 5.25 out of 10. The North American release fared roughly the same, and UK publication Sega Pro singled out the game’s poor graphics and shallow gameplay in an import review from 1993. German outlet Video Games compared it unfavourably to far stronger Mega Drive RPGs of the era, including the Phantasy Star series and Shining in the Darkness.

Not Its First Revival

Despite that underwhelming reception, Traysia has quietly experienced a second life in recent years. The game appeared in Evercade’s Renovation Collection 1 back in 2022, and then received a brand new physical cartridge release in 2025 courtesy of Shinyuden, Ratalaika Games, and Edia. That physical re-release featured a redone English translation along with an all-new Spanish language option.

The upcoming digital release appears to be based on that 2025 version. The Steam page lists Spanish as an available language alongside English and Japanese, which strongly suggests it carries over the updated localisation work rather than shipping with the original, rougher translation.

Read More: Final Fantasy 7 New Version Coming To Steam, 2013 Edition Delisted

Modern Quality-Of-Life Features

As with most retro re-releases from Ratalaika, this version of Traysia comes bundled with a set of emulation-based convenience features designed to smooth out the rougher edges of a 30-plus-year-old game.

• Rewind and Turbo functions let players undo mistakes or speed through slower sections at will.
• Save states allow saving and loading at any point, removing reliance on the original save system.
• Screen filters offer visual options including retro-style monitor effects and a black-and-white mode.
• Cheats such as infinite lives and invulnerability are available for those who just want to experience the story.
• A gallery features artwork from the original game’s manual and box design.
• A jukebox provides access to all 21 music tracks composed by Shinobu Ogawa, who also worked on the Valis series. The soundtrack is widely considered one of the game’s few genuine highlights.

Pricing And Availability

Traysia launches across all platforms on April 24, 2026. A price has not yet been announced, and the PlayStation Store page has yet to go live at the time of writing. The game is already available to wishlist on Steam for those keen to grab it on PC at launch.

Whether Traysia deserves a second chance is genuinely debatable, but the quality-of-life additions and updated translation at least give curious players a far more accessible way to find out for themselves. For retro RPG enthusiasts and Mega Drive collectors, it is an interesting curiosity if nothing else.

The post Traysia, the Obscure 1992 Sega Genesis RPG, Is Getting a Modern Re-Release This Month appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Sony has confirmed the PlayStation Plus monthly games for April 2026, and it’s a solid lineup. All PS Plus members can claim Lords of the Fallen, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, and Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream from Tuesday, 7 April through Monday, 4 May.

The announcement follows earlier leaks that had already revealed some of the titles, though not the full picture. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered turned out to be the surprise addition that the leaks missed.

What’s In The April 2026 PS Plus Lineup

All three titles are available to every PS Plus tier, not just Premium or Extra subscribers. You’ll have from 7 April to 4 May to add them to your library.

Lords Of The Fallen

Lords of the Fallen is a Soulslike set in an interconnected world five times larger than the original game. You play as a Dark Crusader journeying through the realms of the living and the dead to overthrow Adyr, a resurrected demon god. The game’s standout mechanic is swapping between two parallel versions of the world to solve puzzles and find new paths through its environments.

With nine character classes and hundreds of weapons, there’s a fair bit of build variety on offer. IGN scored it an 8/10, calling it “a great Soulslike” and praising the dual-world system as “an excellent twist to set it apart from the pack.” It joins PS Plus ahead of its sequel, which is set to launch later this year.

Tomb Raider I-III Remastered

This collection bundles Lara Croft’s first three adventures with all expansions and secret levels, brought to modern platforms with upgraded graphics. You can toggle between the remastered visuals and the original polygon look at any time, which is a neat touch for long-time fans. A new Challenge Mode lets you replay levels with custom modifiers and unlock 10 new outfits that give Lara additional abilities.

The timing of this freebie is notable. Tomb Raider I-III Remastered recently drew criticism from fans over new cosmetic additions that were accused of looking like AI-generated assets. Developer Saber Interactive’s staff who worked on the original remaster said the new additions had nothing to do with them. Publisher Aspyr denied using AI-generated art, stating the outfits “were created by our team of artists.”

Read More: Ningtendo PXBOX 5 – Now You May Play PlayStation, Xbox And Nintendo On One Console

Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream

The third game in the lineup is Sword Art Online: Fractured Daydream, a co-op action title built around large-scale multiplayer boss fights. The story follows Kirito after a system called Galaxia causes characters from across the Sword Art Online timeline to be displaced, bringing together allies and enemies from various story arcs.

It supports up to 20 players in a single session, split across five parties of four. There are 21 playable characters, each with a specific battlefield role, so preparation and team composition matter when tackling the high-difficulty raid bosses.

Don’t Forget March’s PS Plus Games

Before you get stuck into April’s lineup, make sure you’ve claimed March’s offerings. You have until Monday, 6 April to add PGA Tour 2K25, Monster Hunter Rise, Slime Rancher 2, and The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road to your library. Once that deadline passes, they’re gone from the monthly rotation for good.

The post PlayStation Plus April 2026 Monthly Games Lords of the Fallen, Tomb Raider I-III Remastered, Sword Art Online Fractured Daydream appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you’ve been thinking about picking up a PlayStation 5, you might want to move quickly. Sony has officially confirmed a new global PS5 price increase, with some models jumping by as much as $150 starting April 2, 2026.

That means the cost of getting into the PlayStation ecosystem is about to get noticeably higher, especially for anyone eyeing the premium end of the lineup.

New PS5 Prices And When They Take Effect

The updated pricing applies across all major PS5 models, including the standard console, the Digital Edition, and the more powerful PS5 Pro.

According to an official PlayStation Blog post by Isabelle Tomatis, Vice President of Global Marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment, the new recommended retail prices are as follows:

United States

• PS5: $649.99
• PS5 Digital Edition: $599.99
• PS5 Pro: $899.99

United Kingdom

• PS5: £569.99
• PS5 Digital Edition: £519.99
• PS5 Pro: £789.99

Europe

• PS5: €649.99
• PS5 Digital Edition: €599.99
• PS5 Pro: €899.99

Japan

• PS5: ¥97,980
• PS5 Digital Edition: ¥89,980
• PS5 Pro: ¥137,980

The price changes take effect globally from April 2, 2026.

Sony has also confirmed that the PlayStation Portal will increase in price:

• U.S.: $249.99
• U.K.: £219.99
• Europe: €249.99
• Japan: ¥39,980

Official Statement From Sony

In the same announcement, Sony acknowledged the impact on players while explaining the reasoning behind the move.

“With continued pressures in the global economic landscape, we’ve made the decision to increase the prices… We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step,” said Isabelle Tomatis.

This lines up with Sony’s broader messaging across multiple sources, framing the increase as unavoidable given current global conditions.

Why Sony Is Raising PS5 Prices Again

Sony points to a combination of economic pressures driving the decision.

One of the biggest factors is the sharp rise in memory chip prices. These components are essential to the PS5, and supply has been squeezed as manufacturers prioritise demand from AI data centres.

On top of that, inflation, tariffs, and ongoing geopolitical tensions continue to push up production costs across the tech industry.

Analysts say this was likely inevitable. Ampere Analysis’ Piers Harding-Rolls noted that Sony may have previously benefited from fixed component pricing deals that have now expired, leaving the company exposed to rising costs.

This Isn’t The First PS5 Price Hike

This marks the second major PS5 price increase in less than a year.

The earlier hike in 2025 was tied to inflation and global uncertainty, and this latest increase suggests those pressures haven’t eased. Instead, they’ve intensified, particularly with ongoing supply constraints in key components.

There are also warnings that further cost pressures could emerge, especially with geopolitical instability potentially affecting global supply chains.

Could Xbox And Nintendo Follow?

Right now, competitors like Microsoft and Nintendo haven’t announced similar price increases for their latest hardware.

However, analysts believe they could face the same pressures soon.

Nintendo, in particular, may be reluctant to raise prices on the Nintendo Switch 2 while it’s still early in its lifecycle, but rising component costs could eventually force a change.

What This Means For Players Right Now

For players, the immediate takeaway is straightforward. If you’re planning to buy a PS5, especially the Pro model, doing so before April 2 could save you a significant amount of money.

Retailers may still offer the current pricing while stock lasts, but once the new pricing becomes standard globally, deals could become less common.

More broadly, this shift highlights a growing trend. Gaming hardware is becoming more expensive, and consoles are starting to feel less like budget-friendly entry points and more like premium devices.

Where The Industry Might Be Heading Next

With memory shortages, AI-driven demand, and global economic instability all in play, the PS5 price increase could signal a wider shift across the industry.

If these pressures continue, future hardware could launch at higher baseline prices, and mid-generation upgrades like the PS5 Pro may become increasingly niche.

For now, though, one thing is clear. The days of stable console pricing are fading, and players may need to be more strategic about when they upgrade.

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The post PS5 Price Increase Confirmed: Sony Raises Console Costs Up To $900 From April appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

Ghost of Yōtei Legends is officially available now on PlayStation 5, bringing a full online co-op multiplayer mode to players who already own Ghost of Yōtei.

The mode arrives as part of a free update and introduces a supernatural spin on the game’s world, letting players team up to fight mythic versions of the Yōtei Six. If you played Ghost of Tsushima’s Legends mode, the idea will feel familiar, but Sucker Punch has expanded the concept with new enemies, classes, and mission types designed specifically for co-op play.

Legends launched through patch 1.5 and can be downloaded now by Ghost of Yōtei owners. Online play requires an internet connection and an active PlayStation Plus subscription.

Ghost Of Yōtei Legends Brings Supernatural Co-Op Battles

Ghost of Yōtei Legends reimagines the main campaign’s antagonists, the Yōtei Six, through the lens of myth and folklore.

According to Sucker Punch Productions, the mode takes place long after the events of the single-player story, when the tale of Atsu and the warlords has turned into legend. Over time the details of those battles have grown exaggerated, transforming the enemies into towering supernatural threats suitable for multiple players to face together.

Instead of simply fighting powerful warlords, players now face enormous demonic versions of those characters, including bosses inspired by figures such as the Spider, the Oni, the Kitsune, and the Snake.

Each boss also comes with their own faction of enemies and themed sub-bosses. For example, the Kitsune’s forces include a frost-powered elite enemy known as the Snow Woman, while the Snake commands summoners that can complicate encounters.

Three Mission Types Available At Launch

Ghost of Yōtei Legends launches with three different mission structures designed to support both small groups and full four-player squads.

Story missions are two-player cooperative adventures that unfold across a series of twelve missions. A storyteller narrates the events as players progress through the retold legends of the Yōtei Six.

After completing each set of three Story missions, players unlock an Incursion. These are larger four-player assaults on strongholds controlled by one of the supernatural bosses. Each Incursion ends with a boss battle against a giant version of one of the mythic enemies.

Survival offers a different style of co-op challenge. Up to four players defend locations on maps while fighting off waves of enemies. Holding territory allows players to activate powerful Blessings such as spirit allies, while losing control of an area triggers dangerous Curses that make the fight harder.

Each map has its own unique set of Blessings and Curses, which can dramatically change how each match unfolds.

Four Classes Let Players Approach Combat Differently

Players in Ghost of Yōtei Legends can choose from four classes, each built around different combat strengths.

The Samurai focuses on heavy weapons such as the ōdachi and has access to the widest variety of weapon types.

The Archer specialises in ranged combat and can use the yari spear alongside an additional ranged weapon.

The Mercenary uses dual katanas and a set of abilities focused on versatility and utility in battle.

Meanwhile the Shinobi leans into stealth mechanics and wields the kusarigama alongside abilities designed for sneaky approaches to combat.

Each class features its own tech tree, allowing players to unlock abilities, gear, and builds as they progress. Even though every class has a signature weapon, they are not locked to it, meaning players can experiment with different loadouts depending on their preferred playstyle.

Difficulty Levels And Legendary Gear

All missions in Ghost of Yōtei Legends are replayable and feature four difficulty levels.

Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum options allow players to choose between a more relaxed experience or a tougher challenge. Higher difficulties increase enemy complexity and reward players with faster experience gain and better loot.

As players level up they can unlock stronger equipment, including Legendary weapons and gear that become available through higher-level challenges.

The mode also introduces a wide range of cosmetic rewards tied to gameplay feats. Because the mode leans into supernatural storytelling, the developers say some of these cosmetics take a more fantastical direction compared with the grounded single-player campaign.

A Social Lobby With Mini Activities

Ghost of Yōtei Legends also adds a fully interactive lobby space.

Instead of a static menu, players can walk around the area while waiting for teammates. In the lobby, players can tweak their builds, review feats to unlock cosmetics, or practice combat mechanics.

There are also a few light competitive distractions. Players can challenge friends to Zeni Hajiki, the coin-flicking mini-game from the campaign, or try to set high scores in Bamboo Strike challenges.

The lobby also includes a training area designed for practising techniques like perfect parries or testing new character builds before heading back into missions.

A Raid Arrives In April

While the mode launches with multiple activities, Sucker Punch has already confirmed more content is coming.

A four-player Raid will arrive in April, bringing the final encounters with the remaining members of the Yōtei Six, the Dragon and Lord Saito.

Unlike other missions, the Raid is designed specifically for a full team of four players and will require strong coordination and communication to complete.

For now though, Ghost of Yōtei owners can jump into Legends immediately, team up with friends, and begin tackling the supernatural version of the game’s world together.

The post Ghost of Yotei Legends Out Now On PS5 As Free Co-Op DLC appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

If you’ve been waiting to try Bungie’s new extraction shooter, the Marathon Server Slam is almost here. The open preview weekend runs from February 26 at 10 AM PT through to March 2 at 10 AM PT, giving players a few days to jump in before the full launch on March 5.

This Server Slam isn’t just a casual beta. It’s a global technical stress test for Marathon, designed to push the game’s infrastructure at scale for the first time. In short, Bungie wants as many of us logging in, forming crews, infil-ing and exfil-ing as possible so they can see what breaks before launch day.

Marathon Server Slam Release Date And Platforms

The Marathon Server Slam begins February 26 at 10 AM PT and ends March 2 at 10 AM PT. It will be available worldwide.

You can play on Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Cross-play and cross-save are enabled, so you can squad up with mates across platforms and carry your account between them. Importantly, you do not need to purchase Marathon to access the Server Slam.

Console players also won’t need PlayStation Plus during the preview weekend. However, once Marathon fully launches on March 5, a paid online subscription will be required on console.

Preloading will not be available for the Server Slam. Bungie says this is to help manage server load when everything first goes live. Preloading will return for the full launch.

What Makes This A Server Slam

Bungie has been running smaller monthly playtests, but this is the first time all systems are being switched on globally.

Because it’s a stress test, players should expect login queues, disconnects, error codes, and even short-notice maintenance downtime. The goal is to “slam” the servers with as many active players as possible to gather telemetry and fix issues before March 5.

This also means the weekend may feel less stable than launch. Bungie has been upfront that things might break, and that’s very much the point.

Maps And Zones Available During Server Slam

• Perimeter, an edge-site expansion on the colony’s outskirts
• Dire Marsh, the colony’s agricultural research hub

These represent two of the four launch zones. The late-game areas Outpost and Cryo Archive will only be available once Marathon fully launches and Season 1 begins.

The Server Slam is described as a slice of the launch experience. It’s enough to get a feel for the pacing, gunplay, contracts, and progression systems, but not the full package.

Factions, Contracts And Progression

Five factions will offer early contracts during the preview:

• CyberAcme
• NuCaloric
• Traxus
• MIDA
• Arachne

Players can progress through early faction levels and upgrade trees for each of these. The sixth faction, Sekiguchi Genetics, will only unlock at launch.

While you can level up and experiment with upgrades, your overall progression will not carry over to the full game. Instead, your playtime translates into launch rewards.

Runner Shells And Playstyles

The Server Slam includes five of the six Runner shells planned for launch, plus Rook, described as the scavenger experience.

Available shells include:

• Destroyer
• Assassin
• Recon
• Vandal
• Triage

The sixth shell, Thief, will be added at launch alongside Ranked mode and expanded end-game content.

Players can run solo, drop in as a crew, or even form temporary alliances using proximity chat. And yes, you can betray those alliances just as quickly.

Marathon Server Slam Rewards And Arrival Caches

Even though progression resets, Bungie is offering exclusive rewards for participating.

Complete the introductory mission and you’ll unlock a unique Beta.exe emblem and Complex Study player background. These cosmetics are exclusive to Server Slam participants.

Beyond that, your progress unlocks Arrival Caches that will be delivered when Marathon launches on March 5.

Complete your first mission to earn the Standard Arrival Cache, which includes standard implants, Runner shell cores, weapon chip mods, and weapons like Overrun and Hardline.

Reach Runner Level 10 and you’ll unlock the Enhanced Arrival Cache, which upgrades your loot pool with enhanced implants, additional shell cores for each shell, enhanced weapon chip mods, and weapons such as the Enhanced Magnum and Enhanced Hardline.

Hit Runner Level 30 and you’ll earn the Deluxe Arrival Cache. This includes deluxe and enhanced implants, deluxe and enhanced Runner shell cores for every shell, deluxe and enhanced weapon chip mods, weapons like the Deluxe Magnum and Enhanced Volley Rifle, plus an Enhanced Base Backpack.

All of these rewards will be delivered via the in-game mailbox after launch. Bungie notes that rollout may take time, and Twitch Drops can take up to 48 hours to appear and must be redeemed by March 31.

Twitch Drops During The Server Slam

If you prefer watching before jumping in, the Marathon Server Slam also features Twitch Drops.

By linking your Bungie and Twitch accounts and watching streams in the Marathon category during the event window, you can earn cosmetic rewards for launch. Rewards include a Twitch Sponsored Kit, the SMILEYworm emblem, WEAVEworm background, GLOWworm weapon sticker, and the HMG Twitch Engine weapon skin style.

Any stream under the Marathon category counts, making it easy to stack rewards while learning the maps.

What Carries Over And What Does Not

Your faction progress, inventory, and character levels from the Server Slam will not carry over to launch.

What does carry over are your earned cosmetic rewards and Arrival Caches. On top of that, the experience you gain learning Perimeter, Dire Marsh, and the faction systems will naturally give you an advantage on day one.

With launch set for March 5 and Season 1 bringing additional zones, Ranked mode, the Thief Runner shell, and deeper progression, the Marathon Server Slam feels less like a simple beta and more like a final systems check before everything goes live.

For players curious about how Marathon actually feels to play, this weekend is the first large-scale chance to find out.

The post Marathon Server Slam: All You Need To Know About Dates, Rewards And Content appeared first on Shane the Gamer.

The MARVEL MaXimum Collection has officially been announced, and yes, it finally brings X-Men: The Arcade Game back to modern consoles in a proper, physical release. Konami has teamed up with Marvel Games and Limited Run Games to bundle together 13 classic Marvel titles from the 8-bit and 16-bit era, spanning arcades, home consoles, and handhelds.

Marvel Super Heroes, assemble!

Presenting MARVEL MaXimum Collection! Featuring 13 illustrious games, preserved across all their console and handheld counterparts. Including X-Men: The Arcade Game, Maximum Carnage, and more!

Take to the streets, and welcome to MARVEL MaXimum… pic.twitter.com/qrhEdSSkXZ

— Marvel Games (@MarvelGames) February 25, 2026

For longtime fans who grew up crowding around that massive six-player X-Men cabinet, this is a big one. And for newer players who have only heard stories about it, this might be the easiest way yet to see what all the fuss was about.

X-Men: The Arcade Game Leads The Lineup

Despite its legacy, the game has had a surprisingly limited afterlife. It received a digital release on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 back in 2010, but it has never had a physical console port. The MARVEL MaXimum Collection changes that, marking its first-ever physical release on modern hardware.

This new version includes six-player online multiplayer with rollback netcode, aiming to recreate that crowded arcade energy over the internet. That rollback support should make online co-op feel far smoother than older retro re-releases.

Every Game Included In MARVEL MaXimum Collection

Here is the full lineup:

• X-Men: The Arcade Game, Arcade
• Captain America and The Avengers, Arcade, Sega Genesis or Mega Drive, NES
• Spider-Man/Venom: Maximum Carnage, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Mega Drive
• Venom/Spider-Man: Separation Anxiety, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Mega Drive
• Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade’s Revenge, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis or Mega Drive, Game Boy, Game Gear
• Silver Surfer, NES

That means you are not just getting one version of a game. In several cases, you can directly compare the SNES and Genesis editions, complete with their different visuals, soundtracks, and performance quirks.

And yes, the infamous Silver Surfer on NES is here too. If you know, you know.

Modern Features And Quality Of Life Upgrades

This is not just a straight ROM dump. MARVEL MaXimum Collection includes rewind functionality and save states across all games, which should make brutally difficult sections far more manageable.

There are also cheat menus and display filters, letting players switch between crisp modern visuals and CRT-style scanline effects for a more authentic retro look.

An Archive section is included as well, featuring high-resolution scans of original box art, instruction manuals, and vintage advertisements. A built-in music player allows you to listen to the classic chip-tune soundtracks from every included version.

Composer Chris Huelsbeck is also contributing new music for the collection, adding something fresh alongside the preserved originals.

Platforms And Release Window

MARVEL MaXimum Collection is confirmed for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and Windows PC via Steam.

A specific release date has not yet been announced. The publishers have only said it is coming soon, with more details including pricing expected at a later date.

Limited Run Games is handling the release alongside Konami and Marvel Games, with Carbon Engine supporting the project’s technical side.

Marvel Games In 2026

The timing is interesting. 2026 is shaping up to be a busy year for Marvel Games overall. Marvel’s Wolverine is set to launch on PlayStation 5 on September 15, while other titles like Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls and Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra are also slated for release this year.

The MARVEL MaXimum Collection sits at the opposite end of that spectrum, looking backward instead of forward. Instead of cutting-edge visuals and cinematic storytelling, this one leans fully into arcade chaos, pixel art, and punishing difficulty.

For anyone who missed these games the first time around, or who just wants to relive that era without digging out old hardware, this could end up being one of the more interesting retro releases of the year.

The post Marvel MaXimum Collection Brings X-Men Arcade Back On PS5, Switch And Xbox appeared first on Shane the Gamer.