Handheld gaming systems are having a moment. Yes, gaming on the go has been a thing since the Game Boy, but the runaway success of the Nintendo Switch and continued growth of mobile processors has brought an explosion of devices that let you play all sorts of games wherever you want. Figuring out the best gaming handheld for you, though, can be complicated. You already know that the Switch is worth buying, but depending on what you want to play, the right handheld could cost you less than $100 or close to $1,000. To help you narrow things down, we’ve extensively researched the handheld market and tested the major contenders, from beefy portable PCs to compact emulation machines.

What to know about the gaming handheld market

Jeff Dunn / Engadget

The market for gaming handhelds can be broken down into three broad tiers. At the top, you have x86-based portable gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or Asus ROG Ally. These are the most powerful handhelds you can buy, as they seek to replicate the experience of a moderately specced gaming desktop. The Steam Deck runs on Linux, but most others use Windows. If you want to play modern, recently released games on the go (and need something stronger than a Switch), this is the type of device you’d get. They can also emulate the widest range of retro consoles. However, they’re typically the largest and most cumbersome devices to hold and their battery life can be short. Naturally, they’re also the most expensive, costing anywhere from $400 to more than $1,000.

Further down on the price spectrum are mobile handhelds like the Logitech G Cloud or Retroid Pocket. These often run Android or Linux and can range from under $50 to $400-ish. They aren’t equipped to play modern console or PC titles, but they’re usually more compact than a portable PC and can still be used for mobile games and cloud streaming. While most are marketed toward those ends, many people actually buy them to emulate classic games through software like RetroArch. Getting emulators to work can be complicated, and accessing the BIOS and ROM files required to play games this way is legally murky. (Engadget does not condone piracy. Backing up files of games you already own for personal use only is considered more defensible, however, so for that a mobile handheld can be a more user- and wallet-friendly way to play the classics on the go.) Today, the ARM chips in top mobile handhelds can emulate games into the sixth generation of consoles.

We’ll call the last tier “handhelds that do their own thing.” This is a catch-all for things like the Switch or Playdate: portable gaming devices that run heavily customized software and aim to provide a unique experience. They aren’t necessarily ideal for emulation or playing the latest multiplatform titles; instead, they often have distinct game libraries. They might not have the widest appeal as a result (Switch excluded), but they’re often easier for less tech-literate folks to just pick up and use.

Best handheld gaming PC for most: Valve Steam Deck

It’s been well-documented over the past year but Valve’s Steam Deck still offers the best balance of price and functionality in the gaming handheld market. Specifically, we’re talking about the entry-level model, which costs $399 and comes with 64GB of eMMC storage (which is easily expandable with a microSD card). The $529 and $649 variants with faster SSDs and, with the highest-end model, a premium glass display are fantastic as well, but a few new Windows handhelds might put dent in their value proposition, at least for some people. (We’ll dig into this more below.)

Nevertheless, the entry-level Steam Deck is still a remarkably capable device. While not every game in the Steam library is compatible with the device’s Linux-based OS, thousands are and the list of officially verified and still-playable titles is growing all the time. It can play some games natively and stably that just aren’t possible on the Nintendo Switch, from Elden Ring to Final Fantasy VII Remake to the Resident Evil 4 remake. The process isn’t quite as plug-and-play as Nintendo’s console, as some games require tweaks to run optimally, and some newer AAA titles are starting to push the device’s limits. But SteamOS makes its settings relatively accessible, and in practice, this is essentially a last-gen console that plays in 720p but can be carried anywhere.

This power makes the Steam Deck a superb device for emulation as well. While some systems need a few tweaks (Wii) and others are more game-dependent (the oft-tricky PS3 and Xbox), most run flawlessly, and just about everything is at least playable. It can even play higher-end Switch games. Using a tool like EmuDeck makes setting all of this up about as easy as it could be, too. Beyond emulation, the Deck’s flexibility makes it a fine device for cloud streaming Xbox games. You can also pair it with a dock and play many (but not all) games at higher resolutions on a TV or monitor.

The Steam Deck’s biggest flaw is its size: At 1.5 pounds, about two inches thick and just under a foot long, it stretches the limits of a “handheld” device. Even if you have large hands, it can be tiring to hold for a couple of hours. Depending on what you play, its battery life can range from eight hours to less than two. The 7-inch IPS LCD display, while decent, isn’t as vibrant as the Switch OLED, and the d-pad is somewhat mushy. All that said, the Deck is a sturdy piece of kit. Its joysticks are pleasingly smooth, the face buttons and triggers are responsive and it dissipates heat comfortably. It doesn’t feel far off from using a normal controller, plus there are four customizable back buttons and two trackpads to make navigating PC-style game UIs easier. And while the whole thing is heavy, its contoured grips slide naturally into the hands. You can read our full Steam Deck review for more details.

A note on more powerful Steam Deck alternatives

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Owning Steam lets Valve undercut most handheld PCs on price, so the entry-level Steam Deck should remain a killer value at $399. If you’re working with a higher budget and want the most powerful handheld possible, though, it might be worth waiting on a few upcoming devices first.

Both the Asus ROG Ally and Ayaneo 2S run on beefy new AMD chips that should be able to play more demanding games at higher frame rates. The ROG Ally could be particularly appealing: Its 7-inch display has a higher resolution (1080p) and faster refresh rate (120Hz) than the Deck, it’s slightly thinner and lighter, and it'll start at a relatively reasonable $600. Reviews fromothersites say that it is indeed more powerful. And since it comes from an established manufacturer, it’s available at major retailers like Best Buy. It comes in two variants: The higher-end model costs $700 and will start shipping in June, while the base SKU doesn’t have a firm release date just yet. We’ll have a full review of the ROG Ally in the coming weeks and will keep on top of the Ayaneo 2S when it arrives.

Both the ROG Ally and Ayaneo 2S run on Windows 11, which means they can play games from not just Steam, but other gaming clients like Epic, GOG, Itch.io or the Xbox app. Yes, it’s technically possible to play non-Steam games on SteamOS, but that’s not the point of the Deck. And while Valve is doing an admirable job of getting more Windows games working on a Linux-based OS, it’s still running a layer. Every now and then, an update will break something in a given game.

But Windows certainly isn’t immune to things going haywire, and so far, no Windows handheld has really nailed a portable UI as well as the Steam Deck. Battery life is often shorter, too. The early consensus on the ROG Ally seems to be that these are still issues there. Plus, the performance jump may not always be massive; its gains over the Deck appear to be most notable at higher power modes, but running at a higher wattage also means nuking the battery. Still, it's faster. And if everything is working right, a handheld running Windows should have fewer limitations.

Of the Windows handhelds we've tested, we’ve found the Ayaneo 2 and Ayaneo Air Plus to be competent alternatives to the Steam Deck with generally higher performance. The GPD Win 4 is relatively well-regarded, too. But the software experience on these devices isn’t nearly as polished as SteamOS, and devices with better hardware are on the way. We’ll update this guide once we’re able to review the ROG Ally or another handheld with a Ryzen 7000 series chip.

Best budget handheld gaming system: Retroid Pocket 3+

The Retroid Pocket 3+ is an Android device with far less power than the Steam Deck or portable Windows PC, so the only way it can play modern games is via cloud streaming. But if you primarily want a handheld to emulate older games when you’re away from your home console or gaming PC, this is a generally comfortable and, at $149, reasonably affordable way to do so.

We praised this handheld’s predecessor, the Pocket 3, in 2022. The Pocket 3+ is effectively the same device, but with a stronger chipset (the Unisoc T618) and more RAM (4GB). The design is like a smaller Nintendo Switch Lite, which is to say it’s slim, lightweight (235g) and not fatiguing to use for hours at a time. The 4.7-inch touch display isn’t huge, but it’s bright and saturated, with a sharp-enough 750 x 1,334 resolution and a 16:9 aspect ratio that plays nice for cloud streaming and emulating systems like the PSP. (You’ll get borders with some older consoles, though.) The hardware still has some quirks: The face buttons are on the beady side, the start and select buttons are oddly placed on the left-hand side and the analog triggers aren’t pressure-sensitive. The joysticks are on the shallower side, too, though they’re smooth and accurate in action. For the money, the Pocket 3+ is built well and easy to transport.

The Pocket 3+ can emulate consoles up to the Dreamcast/PSP range fairly comfortably, so you’ll have few troubles if you’re mainly looking to play older games from the SNES, PS1 and earlier. With a recent firmware update, the device’s performance has also improved with more demanding machines like the PlayStation 2 and GameCube. It’s still not flawless (particularly with the PS2), but numerous games are at least playable, which is impressive at this price. You can also play most native Android games or stream games from a PC, Xbox or PS5. Battery life will depend on what you’re playing but typically lasts between five and seven hours.

Retroid recently launched a handheld called the Pocket Flip that’s more or less the Pocket 3+ with a clamshell design. It costs $10 more and uses sliders instead of joysticks, but if you’d prefer a form factor that’s closer to a Nintendo DS than a Switch Lite, feel free to get that instead.

A more powerful Android option: AYN Odin

The AYN Odin is worth considering if you like the idea of the Retroid Pocket 3+ but are willing to pay a little more for better emulation performance with systems like the GameCube, PS2 and Wii. Its Snapdragon 845 processor and Adreno 635 GPU still can’t run 100 percent of games from those systems, but the Odin can do more than the Pocket 3+, and the handful that are playable on both devices will generally perform better here. The device is even capable of playing some 3DS games.

The Odin is also a better piece of hardware than the Pocket 3+. Its layout is pretty much the same, but it has gentle curves on the back that make it easier to grip, a couple of customizable back buttons and analog triggers that’ll play nicer with more modern games and cloud streaming. It has a larger 6-inch 1080p display, and it should still get around five to seven hours of battery life on average. It’s not as portable as Retroid’s handheld, but it has a more substantial feel on the whole.

All of this makes the Odin a better device than the Pocket 3+, but it’s hard to call it a better value. AYN sells three different Odin models: The base version, which often goes for $240, is probably the “Goldilocks” option for most people. A more powerful Odin Pro comes with twice the RAM (8GB) and storage (128GB) but costs $290; at that price, you’re getting pretty close to the Steam Deck, which is comprehensively superior. There’s also the $200 Odin Lite, which is technically more capable than the Pocket 3+ but less of a jump than its siblings. It’s worth noting that AYN has a new “Loki” series of handhelds on the way as well. Nevertheless, the Odin is a standout among mobile gaming handhelds. You can read our full Odin Pro review for more details.

Another good (but pricey) option: Logitech G Cloud

If the Logitech G Cloud cost $150 or so less, it might be the best Android handheld on the market. Its 7-inch, 1080p display is bright, vibrant and altogether more pleasing to look at than the Retroid Pocket 3+, AYN Odin and even the entry-level Steam Deck. Despite having the same screen size as the Deck, it weighs a half pound less and its contoured grips are easy to hold for hours. Its haptics work as they should, and it gets a good 10 to 12 hours of battery life. The big panel makes it a treat for game streaming, and in terms of emulation, it can play into the Dreamcast/PSP range comfortably. Since Logitech is an established firm, you don’t have to worry about extended shipping fees or wait times, either; just grab one from your retailer of choice and you’ll have it in a few days.

Alas, the G Cloud has typically sold for $300 in recent months. While that’s $50 less than its launch price, it’s still too much when the Pocket 3+ and Odin get you most of the way there for much less, and when the Steam Deck can do far more for $100 extra. The Odin is more powerful, too; the G Cloud can still play some GameCube, 3DS and PS2 games, but not as comfortably, particularly at higher resolutions. Plus, while the G Cloud doesn’t feel cheap, its triggers are somewhat shallow, and its face buttons are just OK. (The triggers are analog, though.) And because the device only supports the FAT32 file system, it can’t play any games larger than 4GB off a microSD card. All that said, the G Cloud is still a more luxurious experience than the Odin and Pocket 3+ in many ways. If money is no object, or if you ever see on sale around $200, it’s worth considering.

A premium device for vintage portable games: Analogue Pocket

The Analogue Pocket is the ultimate Game Boy. As we note in our review, its vertical design is built like a modernized version of Nintendo’s classic handheld. The general layout is the same, and it can even work with classic accessories like the Game Boy Camera. But in contrast, it has four face buttons instead of two, a couple of triggers on the back, microSD and USB-C ports and a rechargeable battery rated for six to 10 hours of playtime. Most notably, there’s a gorgeous 3.5-inch display that’s backlit and incredibly sharp (615 ppi) but can look like an old Game Boy screen through different filter modes. This is an elegant handheld with a premium feel, plus it can output to a TV with an optional dock.

Unlike the retro handhelds mentioned above, the Pocket is designed to play actual cartridges, not just emulate ROM files. It can play Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games through its cartridge slot, with games from the Sega Game Gear (and eventually, other systems like the TurboGrafx-16 and Atari Lynx) playable through optional adapters. Like past Analogue devices, the Pocket uses field programmable gate array (FPGA) motherboards to mimic its target systems on a hardware level. In practice, this means the Pocket’s “emulation” of older titles is near-perfect, with a level of responsiveness and visual faithfulness that software-based emulation can’t match. Pop a Game Boy or GBA cartridge in here and you can essentially play it as nature intended.

That said, thanks to a big update last year and an active community around the device, the Pocket can also run ROMs off a microSD card and thus play systems like the SNES and Sega Genesis. At $220, the Pocket isn’t cheap, and its shoulder buttons aren’t as crisp to press as the excellent face buttons or d-pad. Still, if you have a collection of Game Boy, Game Gear or GBA games, the Pocket is the most luxurious way to play them, and it’s only become more versatile since launch. Its biggest problem is that it’s extremely hard to get — expect to wait several months for any new order to ship.

A charming indie game machine: Playdate

The Playdate, from app developer and Untitled Goose Game publisher Panic, might be the most niche device in this guide. It’s a tiny yellow box with a 2.7-inch monochrome display, two face buttons, a d-pad and a physical crank built into its side. Our review called it a cross between a Game Boy and a business card, and it is indeed incredibly compact, measuring about three inches tall and just 0.18 pounds. Its game library largely consists of oddball indies, most of which focus on one or two core ideas instead of stuffing in as many mechanics as possible. A couple dozen of those games come with the Playdate for no extra cost, a few others are available through a built-in store and hundreds more can be sideloaded from shops like Itch.io.

None of this is designed for emulation or capital-m “Modern” gaming, and at $200, it’s wildly expensive given its limitations. Plus, while the display is smooth and sharp enough, it’s not backlit, so it’s difficult to view in dim lighting. But beyond that, the Playdate is as polished as it is adorable, and many of its games are simple fun. Battery life is decent at six to eight hours as well. In a sea of devices that try to be everything for everyone, the Playdate’s goals are admirably focused and low-key. For the most part, it achieves them. If you’re into smaller-scale games and have some cash to burn, it’ll be a charming little toy. Like the Analogue Pocket, however, actually getting a hold of one will take some time: As of this writing, Panic says new Playdate orders won’t ship until “late 2023.”

Honorable mentions

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Razer Edge

The Razer Edge sits in a similar no man’s land as the Logitech G Cloud. As we said in our review, the hardware isn’t bad at all. It’s about as powerful as a flagship phone from 2022, so it can play just about all Android games at max settings and emulate GameCube, PS2 and Wii games well. Its 144Hz OLED display is impressive, and both its speakers and battery life are solid.

But the design is odd: It’s essentially a standalone tablet attached to a Razer Kishi V2, so it doesn’t feel quite as stable as something like the AYN Odin or Logitech G Cloud. The display also has a superwide 20:9 aspect ratio that isn’t well-suited to most retro games, so the effective screen space for emulation isn’t much more than what you’d get from a smaller device. It may be one of the more powerful Android handhelds, but at $400, the whole thing is way too expensive.

Miyoo Mini+

The Miyoo Mini+ is more affordable than our top picks and comes in a well-built, Game Boy-style form factor that fits nicely with older games. Its 3.5-inch display really pops for something in the $70 to $80 range, its battery lasts as long as it needs to, and we found it to emulate retro consoles up to the PlayStation 1 without much issue. As a Linux handheld, its software is extensively customizable, though it can require a bit of tinkering to get the most out of it as a result.

Unfortunately, between stock shortages and its lack of availability at major retailers, the Mini+ has been difficult to actually buy. If you can’t find one, Anbernic’s RG35XX should be a decent alternative; it’s a bit easier to pick up and use once it’s set up, though it lacks built-in WiFi.

Mat Smith/ Engadget

Anbernic RG405M

We weren’t able to test it, but the Anbernic RG405M should be a good alternative to the Retroid Pocket 3+ for those who want something more compact. The two devices run on the same chipset, but the RG405M has a 4-inch display and a more substantial metal frame. Its 4:3 aspect ratio means you won’t have to deal with black bars as much for retro games, too, though it can feel crunched with newer systems and cloud streaming. At $175 or so, it’s also pricier than the Pocket 3+.

Backbone One

At their core, all of the mobile handhelds we’ve mentioned are just modified Android or Linux tablets. If you play more casually, you can get a similar experience by hooking up your existing smartphone to a mobile gamepad like the Backbone One. This connects directly to your phone’s USB-C or Lightning port and immediately works with any game with controller support. Its face buttons are somewhat noisy, and its d-pad is a bit spongy, but it’s comfortable for its size and has all the inputs needed to play modern games, including analog triggers and clickable joysticks. There's also a headphone jack and pass-through charging port, plus a useful app for starting party chats. The One costs $100, which isn’t cheap, but it feels much more natural than using a console controller with a clip.

One of the best surprises of 2020 is about to get a sequel. On Wednesday, Sony revealed Ghostrunner 2 during its latest PlayStation showcase. The company showed a brief trailer highlighting the game's cyberpunk setting. According to the PlayStation Blog, Ghostrunner 2 is set one year after the events of the first game. Players will once again play as Jack, but by the sounds of it, they can expect a vastly more expansive experience this time around. Publisher 505 Games says the game will feature more challenging combat and platformer sections, with levels that allow for more player freedom. You will also get dialogue choices that will allow you to get a better sense of the game's world. Oh, and did I mention you'll get to drive a motorbike in Ghostrunner 2? The game will arrive on PlayStation 5 later this year.       

You know about Twister. The famous party game asks 2-3 players to balance their limbs on a series of colored dots, dictated by an increasingly absurd set of instructions. Right hand red. Left foot green. Repeat until multiple people fall on the floor in presumed hilarity. Now, Hasbro is changing the game: Twister Air is a music-focused, augmented reality alternative to the game that has no floor mat and less risk of falling down that you can play by yourself.

Specifically, Twister Air is a standing version of the classic game that uses a phone or tablet's camera to track player movements, tasking them to match colored Twisters Air ankle and wrist bands with colored dots on the device's screen. The game comes with 8 colored bands, but users will have to download a free iOS or Android app to play it.

At a glance, the game looks a little more like Dance Central than the original Twister. Players do rack up points by striking and holding weird poses, but they do so while listening to one of 16 included music tracks, including a new original song called "Twist in the air." That shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who grew up watching commercials of the game: Twister ads have featured original bops that reflected the tone of multiple eras, from the 1960s, the 1980s, the 1990s and even the 2010s.

Perhaps the biggest departure from the original game, however, is the player count. Twister Air is played in either a solo or two player mode. The days of collapsing into a pile of unbalanced limbs are over.

Twister Air is up for pre-order on Amazon and will be available in stores on August 1st.

Square Enix wants a hit Final Fantasy game that’s just as popular as any game in the storied history. It’s taken seven years to get from the tepidly-received Final Fantasy XV to Final Fantasy XVI, and the company continues to wrestle with what a FF game is in 2023.

The company courted nostalgia with FF7 Remake (and the Pixel Remaster series). At the same time, its MMORPG, Final Fantasy XIV, continues to be a huge success – but what about the prestige title? It has a plan, and it involves giant-summoned monster battles with different styles of play, a single controllable protagonist with guest-star allies, a support dog that grows up with you, horny antagonists, wicked moms and several bleak plot twists to help establish the plot and characters relatively early on. I won’t spoil the story much, but the early segment covers warring nations, vicious family dynamics, slavery and more. I spent six hours playing through the game's opening chapters, and thought: This plan might work. Although heavy in battle tutorials, the opening of the game does a good job of teasing the narrative beats and major players, which is crucial not only to JRPGs like Final Fantasy, but to modern games in general. It’s just a shame the main character is called Clive.

I played some early chapters, which focused on the childhood years of Clive, flanked by his younger, ailing brother, Joshua, who was chosen to house the power of the Phoenix (giant mythical flaming bird, usually wielding healing powers in Final Fantasy lore). This is the game’s first example of an Eikon; magical summoned beasts that seem to live through their wielder, passed on through lineage and seemingly the cause of uneasy peace between nations. Each is assigned to an elemental beat of a fantasy RPG.

During the demo, I got to see roughly six Eikons in action. Sometimes they were going toe-to-toe. Other times, their human host channeled them for upgraded moves and damage. I particularly enjoyed the opening beats of Clive’s adulthood chapter, where you’re forced to navigate a cliffside as Shiva and Titan hurled giant glaciers and boulders at each other. I caught a glimpse (or fought with) beasts representing fire, ice, earth, lightning and wind. However, as you’ve probably gleaned from the teasers and snippets up until now, Ifrit, another fire-based beast, is setting things aflame. That’s not allowed, apparently. Why? I do not know.

Blessings from these Eikons form the basis of Clive’s skills and magic. Equipped with “a blessing from Phoenix” (his brother), the protagonist starts with sword skills, including lifting, rushing, and elemental attacks. Square Enix claims this is the first fully-fledged action RPG in Final Fantasy history, and it doesn’t play like any of its predecessors.

Square Enix

There is no menu. All your items and attacks are done through button combinations and assigned shortcuts, with some degree of customization. I had my doubts from Final Fantasy XV, but Clive proves to be surprisingly agile and most battles were fluid and, honestly, exciting.

While allowing you to swap between enemies, the battle system shines brightest when you’re pitted against big solo enemies or boss fights. As soon as multiple enemies are dashing around, and the camera’s spinning, it’s a bit chaotic – a lot like Forspoken, another game from Square Enix.

Like Forspoken, there’s a smoothness and style to combat here that comes as more moves and skills are added. Clive can switch between Eikon-based movesets, not only differentiated by elemental attributes but by playstyle, too. For example, earth-based Titan attacks offer up a shield and counter system, while wind-based skills manipulate the distance between you and each enemy. If you can counter, or make a well-timed dodge in battle, you’ll be rewarded with a star. At the end of the fight, those stars will translate to battle spoils: extra accessories, items and resources.

My demo was almost exclusively controlling the heroically named Clive. However, there are support actions you can trigger from the d-pad, which directs your faithful hound, Torgal, to heal, strike or distract enemies. I also briefly fought alongside allies, but there didn’t seem to be any way to guide their behavior.

As you’ve probably seen teased in several trailers, FFXVI offers up different styles of battles when giant Eikons go head to head, razing castles, literally creating canyons and glaciers. Sometimes these played like rhythm action games, carefully timed evasions and attacks, while another was like an on-the-rails shooter. Hopefully, this variety spreads across the entire game.

Beyond the Eikon battles, all ofthe boss fights are where this system shines most. And if you’re wary of the notion of a live-action Final Fantasy, the game does feature an intelligent way to make the game more accessible through special accessories.Some of these will auto-heal you (if you have the potions for it) while others can widen the timing window for counters and parries. These offer a way to tailor the game to keep it challenging but avoid difficulty walls – and there were a few even in this early demo.

Outside the fights and the main campaign, there were hints of fetch quest horror, but the ones included in my demo were blissfully nearby, working more to show where to get your supplies and do more lore-building – which is what side quests should do. Still, there wasn’t anything reaching Witcher 3 levels of side quest hell just yet.

Square Enix

Another feature introduced in FFXVI is Active Time Lore (a play on Active Time Battle, the turn-based battle system of older FF games). Here, you can pause during the game and cutscenes and dive into who’s talking, where they’re from and even the region you’re in. It’s a fantastic way of transmitting the plot and everything without overwhelming the player – it reminds me of the X-ray feature on Amazon Prime Video.

FFXVI producer Naoki Yoshida has pointed out that he sees the latest entry as heavily inspired by the likes of God of War, mentioning both the books and TV show Game of Thrones in the same interview. There’s a lot of the latter here. Also, I think this is the first time I’ve seen Final Fantasy characters show… lust? There are some horny people here and for once it’s not tongue-in-cheek, so to speak. So far, this appears to be a different kind of game – I’m intrigued to see how the whole thing turns out. Square Enix has added that it'll be launching a demo featuring the opening beats of the game ahead of its release.

Final Fantasy XVI launches on 22nd June 2023.

Square Enix noted this was a special preview build of the game built for press. Content may differ from the final version.

Behaviour Interactive has revealed what’s next for Dead by Daylight, including two more spin-off games. Perhaps the more intriguing of the two is a project being developed by Supermassive Games. While the game is staying mostly under wraps for now, it seems to build on the formula Supermassive has executed so well on games like Until Dawn and The Quarry.

This will be a single-player interactive story game with a new cast of characters that offers “an intense narrative experience filled with powerful life-or-death choices set within the backdrop of Dead by Daylight,” according to Behaviour. Expect to learn more about the game later this year.

The other spin-off that’s in development is a co-op title from Midwinter Entertainment, which joined Behaviour last year. This game, which is in its very early stages, will focus on the themes of greed and the lust for power. You’ll be able to team up with as many as three other players.

These two games follow on from Hooked On You, a DbD dating sim that arrived last year. A Dead by Daylight film adaptation is in the works too. Behaviour and its partners are currently looking for the director and screenwriter for the project.

Behaviour had a lot more to discuss during the DbD seventh anniversary showcase. There was news on upcoming collaborations for cosmetic items, including team ups with Slipknot and Iron Maiden. Ikumi Nakamura, the former Ghostwire: Tokyo creative director who you may remember from that game’s reveal at E3 2019, has designed some DbD cosmetics too.

On the gameplay front, the stream included a look at the next DbD chapter, which will be available on June 13th. End Transmission will bring sci-fi horror to the game, with a new map set on another planet that doesn't look unlike Atropos from Returnal. The upcoming killer, The Singularity, “is a monstrous amalgamation of restructured organic matter and machine parts seeking to become the perfect lifeform,” Behaviour said. The accompanying survivor is Gabriel Soma, a technician.

Over the next year, Behaviour plans to add four chapters, including End Transmission and two others that will bring another pair of licensed killers from other franchises to DbD. On top of those, there will be two extra survivor-only chapters. We already know who one of those survivors will be: a certain Nicolas Cage.

The actor is playing himself in the game. Lest you think that Behaviour recruited a soundalike, that’s not the case. Cage "was generous enough to record every grunt, scream and exertion you will hear in Dead by Daylight," Mathieu Côté, head of partnerships for the game, told reporters at a preview event this week. Here's hoping that includes Cage shrieking about bees and his eyes. Anyway, you can find out more about Cage's introduction to the game on July 5th.

The next Mortal Kombat game might not be what you expect. NetherRealm and WB Games have unveiledMortal Kombat 1, a "reborn" take on the series that promises new fighting mechanics and game modes. While most details are under wraps, you'll see many well-known characters as well as "Kameo Fighters" to help you mid-battle. And yes, the gore remains intact — as the teaser trailer below indicates, you can expect plenty of fatalities.

Mortal Kombat 1 arrives September 19th for PC (via Epic and Steam), PS5, Switch and Xbox Series X/S. Pre-order customers get access to a beta in August. A $110 digital Premium Edition will offer early access to the game (September 14th), a Johnny Cage skin made to resemble actor Jean-Claude Van Damme and early access to playable characters and Kameo Fighters when they arrive post-launch. If you're truly devoted, a $250 physical Kollector's Edition will include a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture as well as a matching in-game skin, art prints and a special case.

The reboot is in line with the ending of Mortal Kombat 11 and its Aftermath add-on. However, it's also clearly positioned as an opportunity to rethink the gameplay and story. It's just a question of how much has changed. Not that this reinvention comes as much of a shock given what rivals are doing — Capcom is also shaking up its formula with the World Tour mode in Street Fighter 6.

After launching in North America and Taiwan, Logitech's unusual and relatively expensive G Cloud Gaming Handheld is coming to Europe, the company announced. It's now available in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Finland, with special launch goodies like six months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. 

With a seven-inch 1080p touchscreen and gamepad controls, the Logitech G Cloud resembles handheld gaming devices like the Razer Edge and Ayaneo Air Pro, or even a smaller version of the Switch or Steam Deck. However, it only packs middling specs like a mid-range Qualcomm 720G SoC, 4GB or RAM and Bluetooth 5.1/WiFi 5. That's because it's specifically designed for cloud gaming from services like Xbox Game Pass and GeForce Now, and can also be used to stream console/PC games remotely. 

Given the limited specs, the $350 price raised some eyebrows, though it normally retails for about $300. Since it shipped in December, Logitech has added a number of new features like virtual button mapping for touch-based mobile games, control customization settings and dead zones, and official support for Shadow PC. The latter service allows you to effectively "rent" a reasonably powerful PC starting at $30 per month and play games on it. 

In any case, the G Cloud Gaming Handheld has apparently seen enough success for Logitech to bring it to territories outside North America. As mentioned, Logitech is throwing in up to six months of Xobx Game Pass Ultimate (depending on the country), along with a month of NVIDIA GeForce NOW Priority and a month of Shadow PC. It'll be available starting May 22nd for €359 / £329. 

Microsoft has overcome a significant hurdle in its attempt to buy Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion. As expected, the European Union has rubberstamped the acquisition. The European Commission (the EU's executive arm) said Microsoft will have to ensure full compliance with the commitments it has made to offer its games on other platforms, particularly cloud gaming services.

Activision does not yet offer its titles on cloud gaming services. EC regulators determined that the game streaming market is relatively small as things stand and having Activision games available on cloud platforms could help it to grow. Were Microsoft to offer Activision games exclusively on its own cloud service, that could have impaired competition, the EU said. 

Microsoft has signed 10-year deals with Nintendo and cloud gaming services such as NVIDIA GeForce Now and Boosteroid to make its own games and Activision's available on them. As such, regulators said Microsoft's commitments "fully address the competition concerns identified by the Commission and represent a significant improvement for cloud gaming as compared to the current situation." 

"Video games attract billions of users all over the world. In such a fast-growing and dynamic industry, it is crucial to protect competition and innovation. Our decision represents an important step in this direction, by bringing Activision’s popular games to many more devices and consumers than before thanks to cloud game streaming," the EC's competition chief Margrethe Vestager said. "The commitments offered by Microsoft will enable for the first time the streaming of such games in any cloud game streaming services, enhancing competition and opportunities for growth."

"The EC conducted an extremely thorough, deliberate process to gain a comprehensive understanding of gaming. As a result, they approved our merger with Microsoft, although they required stringent remedies to ensure robust competition in our rapidly growing industry," Activision CEO Bobby Kotick said in a statement. "We intend to meaningfully expand our investment and workforce throughout the EU, and we’re excited for the benefits our transaction brings to players in Europe and around the world."

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) blocked the Activision acquisition last month over concerns that it would give Microsoft too much of a dominant position in the cloud gaming market, though it does not believe the takeover would pose a threat to competition in the console ecosystem. Microsoft is appealing the CMA's decision. That process is likely to take months to resolve.

In response to the EU's decision, the CMA stood by its claim that Microsoft would still have too much power in the cloud gaming space. "Microsoft’s proposals, accepted by the European Commission today, would allow Microsoft to set the terms and conditions for this market for the next 10 years," the CMA wrote on Twitter. "They would replace a free, open and competitive market with one subject to ongoing regulation of the games Microsoft sells, the platforms to which it sells them and the conditions of sale."

On the console side of the equation, the EU has determined that "Microsoft would have no incentive to refuse to distribute Activision's games to Sony." It noted that Sony is the world's biggest distributor of console games and that in the European Economic Area (EEA), there are four PlayStations for every Xbox sold. The EC suggests that would give Microsoft "strong incentives" to keep offering Activision games on PlayStation.

Even so, were Microsoft to pull Activision titles from Sony platforms, "this would not significantly harm competition in the consoles market," according to the EU. "Even if Call of Duty is largely played on console, it is less popular in the EEA than in other regions of the world, and is less popular in the EEA within its genre compared to other markets," the bloc said. "Therefore, even without being able to offer this specific game, Sony could leverage its size, extensive games catalog and market position to fend off any attempt to weaken its competitive position."

Much of the discourse related to the acquisition has centered on Call of Duty and how eager Sony was to stop Microsoft from making that series exclusive to its platforms (something Microsoft says doesn't make sense for it to do). Call of Duty games are said to contribute hundreds of millions of dollars to Sony's bottom line every year, but cloud gaming has been the bigger sticking point for UK and EU regulators.

In December, the US Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal over concerns it "would enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription content and cloud-gaming business." A hearing in that case is scheduled for August 2nd. Although Microsoft and Activision Blizzard face a tough battle to push the deal through in the UK and the US, the EU approval gives the companies some more momentum.

Japanese developer Game Freak is best known for a little franchise called Pokémon, but throughout the years it has dabbled in other genres, like the strategy title Little Town Hero and the rhythm-based platformer HarmoKnight. Now, the company is betting big on a brand-new action adventure IP codenamed Project Bloom.

Game Freak is teaming up with a Take-Two Interactive publishing label called Private Division. You may not recognize the company by name, but it’s been behind a slew of well-regarded titles throughout the years, like Outer Worlds, Kerbal Space Program, Rollerdrome and OlliOlli World, among others. As for Game Freak, last year’s Pokémon Legends: Arceus proved it could handle open worlds and action-heavy gameplay. The company says Project Bloom is a “bold and tonally different” IP from its prior work.

Not much is known about the game, other than some concept art and a short video announcing the partnership between the two developers. Also, we won’t be playing this anytime soon, as the “sweeping new action-adventure game” isn’t slated for release until Take-Two's 2026 financial year, which runs from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

It might be surprising to hear that Take-Two Interactive is publishing the game, and not Nintendo, which has been Game Freak's partner on Pokémon for over 25 years. While Pokémon is co-owned by Nintendo, Game Freak is an independent developer. To that end, no gaming console has been mentioned as a home for the forthcoming title. As the game won't be released for three years, the home console landscape is likely to look different than it does now. At the very least, the long-rumored followup to the Switch should be out by then.

You can soon log into your Netflix account and build bridges, towers, zeppelins and other structures with jiggly talking balls of goo. The World of Goo, the physics-based hit game by indie developer 2D Boy, is being remastered for mobile exclusively for the streaming giant. And when it launches on May 23rd, you can play it for free, with no ads on in-app purchases, regardless of your membership tier. 

The physics game first launched in 2008 for Microsoft Windows and Wii before it made its way to Android and iOS, Mac OS, Linux and Switch in the years that followed. To win a level in the game, you'll have to use the balls of goo to build structures and get over pits, hills and other obstacles. There are several species of goo, and each one comes with its own unique ability. 

The remaster still features the same levels, puzzles and areas, but the art has been updated to double the resolution of the original game. It has also been optimized for modern screen sizes so that it would look good on any device. The game will save your progress across devices, but take note that it tracks each profile separately. 

Back in March, Netflix announced its plans to add roughly 40 more titles to its gaming library, in hopes that you can find at least one that appeals to you. Back then, Netflix VP of external games Leanne Loombe said users are mostly drawn to three specific types of games, including titles they recognize from elsewhere and ones that encourage daily play. World of Goo certainly fits those two categories.