Anime-Inspired Board Games Thrive: Demonic Adventures & Romance, AI’s Purposeful Role in Social Support, Sony InZone Buds Face Drawbacks, and More Gaming News This Week
The Top Anime-Inspired Board Games for Fans of Demonic Adventures and Romance
Explore the best board games that capture anime’s spirit, featuring demonic exorcisms and romantic tales. Discover titles like ‘The Demon of Beausoleil’, which blends horror with love stories, perfect for anime enthusiasts.
- The Best Board Games That Channel the Spirit of Anime — IGN
- The Demon of Beausoleil Combines Demonic Exorcism and Romance — IGN
- The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time (Picks 100-76) — IGN
Life is Strange: Reunion to be the Thrilling Finale of Max and Chloe Saga
Eurogamer reports that Life is Strange: Reunion will serve as the thrilling conclusion to the Max and Chloe saga, releasing in March. Square Enix confirms it will wrap up the series with a fitting end for the beloved characters.
- Life is Strange: Reunion will be the “thrilling finale to the Max and Chloe saga”, coming March — Eurogamer
- Life is Strange: Reunion will be the “thrilling finale to the Max and Chloe saga”, even though… you know… — Eurogamer
- Square Enix Reveals Life Is Strange: Reunion Will Be the Series’ Conclusion ‘To the Max and Chloe Saga’ — IGN
AI Usage Must Serve Purpose to Retain Social Support, Says Microsoft CEO
In a recent interview, the CEO of Microsoft emphasized the importance of AI serving meaningful purposes in order to maintain societal support for its use. The executive warned that without demonstrable usefulness, public backing could be withdrawn, leading to restrictions on energy-intensive applications.
Director Gore Verbinski Criticizes Unreal Engine as Major Setback for Movie CGI
Renowned director Gore Verbinski expresses strong dissatisfaction with the Unreal Engine, claiming it represents a significant regression in computer-generated imagery quality compared to previous technologies used in filmmaking.
- Director Gore Verbinski says Unreal Engine is ‘the greatest slip backwards’ for movie CGI — PC Gamer
Sony InZone Buds: Top Wireless Gaming Earbuds with Notable Drawbacks
The Sony InZone Buds offer excellent wireless gaming performance but come with significant caveats, including battery life and comfort issues.
Netflix’s Subscriber Growth and AI Integration
Netflix added 23 million new subscribers in 2025, showcasing strong growth despite challenges. The company is also leveraging AI for subtitle localization, custom ads, and other applications to enhance user experience.
- Netflix Added 23 Million New Subscribers in 2025 — IGN
- Netflix Is Now Using AI for Subtitle Localization, Custom Ads, and More — IGN
Russian Politician Calls for Call of Duty Ban Amid Alleged Unfair Portrayal of Russian Soldiers
A Russian politician has called for a ban on the popular video game Call of Duty, arguing that the games frequently depict players as soldiers targeting Russians. The politician suggests this portrayal leads to negative perceptions and proposes developing a homegrown alternative game with more balanced representation.
Percy Jackson Musical Score Inspired by John Williams
The composer of the Percy Jackson musical shares that its score was inspired by legendary film composer John Williams.
- Percy Jackson Composer Says the Show’s Music Was Inspired by John Williams — IGN
- Steam’s ‘complete the set’ bundles can now be gifted, with bits your mates already own accounted for — Rock Paper Shotgun
Intrepid Modder Enables Crossplay Between Hytale and Minecraft
A talented modder has successfully implemented crossplay functionality between Hytale and Minecraft, allowing players on both platforms to interact seamlessly in shared worlds.
- Hytale and Minecraft Get Crossplay Capability Thanks to Intrepid Modder — IGN
- Hytale boss calls last week’s long-awaited early release “the most challenging but rewarding experience” of his life — Eurogamer
Hitman: World of Assassination to Introduce Cross-Progression, Including PS5 Save Support for Switch 2
Hitman: World of Assassination will receive cross-progression features next month, allowing players to carry over their save data from Hitman 2 to Hitman 3 and eventually use PlayStation 5 saves on Nintendo Switch 2. The update aims to enhance player accessibility across platforms.
- Hitman World of Assassination Gets Cross-Progression, Though Hitman 2 to 3 Carryover is Ending — IGN
- Hitman: World of Assassination will finally let you use your PS5 save on Switch 2, plus other variations, from next month — Eurogamer
Ball X Pit Introduces Falconer with Bird-Fired Balls Update
The first major free update for the popular roguelike game Ball X Pit introduces a new character, a falconer who harnesses her two pet birds to fire balls across the battlefield, expanding gameplay mechanics and adding fresh content.
Hitman Announces Cross-Progression and Co-op Mode
IOI reveals Hitman will include cross-progression features and is preparing for a planned co-op mode, as announced last year.
- Hitman’s getting cross-progression as IOI limbers up for that co-op mode it announced last year — PC Gamer
Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Releases for January: Including Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2
Eurogamer reports the next batch of games added to Xbox Game Pass in January, featuring popular titles and a notable addition from the Warhammer 40k universe with Warhammer 40000: Space Marine 2. IGN confirms this as the closing title for January 2026.
About The Author
