Games

During the recent Insider Gaming Weekly podcast, well-known video game journalist Tom Henderson revealed some new information about the upcoming Assassin’s Creed: Codename Hexe. The game, which was first announced years ago along with Assassin’s Creed: Shadows, is set during the European witch trials, but details have been scarce. Henderson reports that Ezio Auditore da Firenze is expected to appear around the midpoint of Hexe and will train the game’s protagonist – believed to be a female assassin – in the ways of the brotherhood.

With the game launching on August 6th, 2026, the developers are using the remaining months to refine it based on player feedback, ensuring it’s the best experience possible.

I recently dove into the Star Wars Outlaws: Low Red Moon novel – a prequel to the game – and one pairing really stood out. We’re introduced to ND-5 teaming up with Vivert Stag, a former Jedi Initiate, and let me tell you, they make an incredible team. The book actually shows us why, especially in Chapter 43, which is told from ND-5’s point of view. He points out how Vivert’s talents perfectly mesh with his own – her stealth work combined with a fast, aggressive fighting style that’s genuinely impressive. There’s this one scene that really stuck with me: Vivert literally launches herself off a wall, takes out a guard with a perfectly timed kick, sending him right into ND-5’s path for a quick takedown. It’s a fantastic display of teamwork and action.

Ad Astra, starring Brad Pitt, tells the story of astronaut Roy McBride. After years of believing his famous astronaut father was dead, Roy learns he might still be alive. This discovery sends Roy on a dangerous mission to Neptune, where he hopes to find his father and uncover the cause of a mysterious energy surge that could destroy the universe.

The anime Mao was originally scheduled to premiere in April as part of the Spring 2026 season, and now has a confirmed release date of April 4th in Japan. To mark this announcement and the upcoming premiere, new details about the voice cast have been revealed, along with a fresh trailer and poster for the series. You can find a sneak peek at the anime in motion below.

The world of high-budget game development is becoming increasingly shaky, and its long-term prospects are unclear. The industry is moving too quickly, and if things continue at this pace, we’re likely to see more game studios close and talented developers lose their jobs. Luckily, there’s a potential fix – one we’ve known about for a while but haven’t fully embraced: focusing on making smaller games and scaling back the pursuit of increasingly expensive and complex technology. This approach is viable, but significant changes need to happen quickly.

Recently, some people have criticized Pixar, saying their movies aren’t as consistently good as they once were. While films like Soul and Turning Red were praised by critics, others like Lightyear and Elemental led to the feeling that Pixar’s quality has slipped. This idea will be put to the test again with the release of Hoppers, but early signs are positive – the film is receiving incredibly high praise, the best Pixar has seen in the last ten years.

Check the “Coming Soon” section of the LEGO website to see what new sets are being released this spring. Once they’re released, these sets will move to the “Available Now” section where you can buy them right away.

As a long-time fan, I remember being a bit disappointed with the first Mortal Kombat movie. Sure, it delivered on the brutal fatalities we expected, but it took some big liberties with the story. A lot of us were frustrated by the new magical system they called ‘Arcana,’ and honestly, the fact that the actual Mortal Kombat tournament barely happened felt like a miss. The biggest issue for me, though, was focusing the story on Cole Young, a character we hadn’t known before, instead of the established fighters. Thankfully, the trailers for Mortal Kombat II suggest they’re learning from those mistakes, and it looks like Cole might be in trouble!

In a recent live stream, DOOM: The Dark Ages director Huge Martin gave fans an update on the upcoming DLC. He explained that the team has been quiet about it not because of a lack of progress, but because the DLC is incredibly large – more like a full sequel to The Dark Ages than a typical expansion. While he didn’t announce a release date, Martin asked viewers to remain patient for more information.