New Game Preview
New Game Preview
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Get a sneak peek at the most anticipated games of the year. From action-packed adventures to mind-bending puzzles, we've got something for everyone. Stay ahead of the game with our exclusive previews!
Animal Crossing: New Horizon's 3.0 Update And Switch 2 Upgrade Look Fun, But Not Game-Changing
Animal Crossing: New Horizon's 3.0 Update And Switch 2 Upgrade Look Fun, But Not Game-Changing Platform: Switch 2, Switch Publisher: Nintendo Developer: Nintendo Release: March 20, 2020 ( Switch ), January 15, 2026 ( Switch 2 ) Rating: Everyone Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the biggest games of the past decade, and despite my assumptions that Nintendo would leave it behind with the Switch 2 generation, that's evidently not the case. Next year, New Horizons is getting a free update adding content for all players, as well as a Switch 2 upgrade , which adds improvements that make use of the new hardware's features and performance enhancements. The announcement was a welcome surprise, so I was eager to join a hands-off demo session earlier this month to get a closer look. The presentation opened with a demonstration of the Switch 2-specific features, which are cute novelties, but few seem truly useful. Nintendo has essentially taken each of the console's new features and mapped them to a function in the game. Mouse controls are the simplest, but most exciting – players can use the mouse function to organize furniture in their house, make custom designs, and draw on the town bulletin board. The least exciting, however, is the megaphone. This new item allows you to call a villager's name into the Switch 2 microphone to bring them towards you, but it only works if you're both outside and they're within earshot. It's a fun concept, but in practice, its requirements seem too limited to be useful, especially since it takes up a precious inventory slot. The Switch 2 also adds GameChat compatibility and increases the number of people who can visit an island to 12. That said, when a second player joins our demo presentation, there's a roughly 30-second loading screen – it would take a lot of patience to get a full party on an island. It also only works if all players are on the Switch 2 version. If you have a dozen people who really want to spend time in Animal Crossing together, it's a fun idea, but I would be shocked if this was a game-changer for many people. Thankfully, the more exciting enhancements will be available to all players, regardless of Switch model. Slumber Islands are the main draw. They're islands you can create, terraform, and decorate to your heart's content with friends. Creative Animal Crossing players have had to restructure their entire island to make creative designs before now, so this not only gives them three additional areas to design – it also frees their home island back up for whatever they want. They also come in multiple sizes: large (roughly the size of a standard island), medium, and small, which each accommodate different scales of design. Slumber Islands can be decorated with any piece of furniture you've acquired in the waking world, along with trees, other outdoor plants, and even villagers – the demo includes a Residents portion of the menu that allows you to spawn in characters currently living on your island into the dream versions. It seems visitors can also spawn in their residents on your island – a second demoer spawns in Bob, for example, a character not present in the host's list of residents. There are a lot of benefits to decorating in multiplayer, but it's important to note that since each island is connected to one player's account, it can only be accessed while they're there. You can't work on the island while they aren't playing, and if they decide to leave, everyone gets kicked out. It's a reasonable precaution, in my opinion, but might be inconvenient if anyone was hoping to treat it like a shared Minecraft server. New Horizons also gains a hotel in this update. You'll have to unlock it, and it's automatically connected to Kapp'n's pier, wherever that's placed on your island. Potential residents can visit and stay in rooms you design based on preset themes – I'd estimate 20 or so – which come with a selection of items that fit that vibe. In this demo, we see the Dreamy theme, which uses lots of pinks and pastel colors with snacks and a big stuffed teddy bear. Of course, you'll also be able to create custom themes, and I look forward to seeing people get creative and weird. Designing rooms earns you tickets, which can pay for special furniture items in the hotel lobby. You can also get tickets by selling a rotating selection of craftable items to Kapp'n in front of the hotel. Players can also put clothing on mannequins in the lobby. When visiting villagers walk around the island, they can be seen wearing these clothes, kind of like how a tourist in New York would walk around wearing an "I Love NY" t-shirt.   Finally, the update adds various crossover decor sets to the game, including Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda, and Lego. Splatoon and Zelda can be unlocked by using amiibo from that respective series, and while amiibo scans are limited by day, it only takes one amiibo from the series to unlock all the crossover pieces. In other words, one Link amiibo can unlock every Zelda item – items aren't linked to specific figures. The demo confirmed my initial thoughts on the update. It's cool that the game is still being supported, and hardcore players will have more options to keep playing each day, but it's not quite revolutionary enough to encourage the masses to all pick the game back up. That said, any complaints about unimpressive or plain features are offset by a simple, encouraging fact: the 3.0 update is free, and the Switch 2 features are only $4.99. Both will be available early next year, on January 15.
Game Informer PreviewsDec 16
Cover Reveal – World of Warcraft: Midnight
Cover Reveal – World of Warcraft: Midnight We’re excited to announce that Game Informer Issue 374, arriving in mailboxes and at newsstands in January, features an extensive cover story on World of Warcraft: Midnight . My 12-page deep dive offers exclusive insights into the making of the upcoming expansion, including its massive player housing feature, the reimagining of the Quel'Thalas zone, a fresh playable Allied Race, and the Demon Hunter class's new Devourer specialization. Notably, we've also secured a few exclusive details about the team's reimagining of Northrend, arguably the game's most iconic location to date, which arrives in the subsequent expansion, The Last Titan. Covering a video game with such a rich history as World of Warcraft requires a measure of thoroughness that's hard to fit into a single story, so associate editor Charles Harte accompanied me to Blizzard's headquarters to author a retrospective that serves as a fantastic primer for anyone reading about the 21-year-old MMORPG for the first time. Subscribers gain early access to the magazine's digital version and can expect supplemental online and video coverage through January.  Game Informer Magazine - Issue 374 (January 2026) While there's plenty to explore about World of Warcraft, that's not all you'll find in this issue. It's our extra-large end-of-year special edition, with 25% more pages than our standard magazines. We've taken full advantage of the extra space, in part through our massive celebration of the games of 2025, including genre winners, Editor Picks, and more. We have a detailed year-in-review for the gaming industry, and the best tabletop games of the year. We're also excited to reveal some exclusive new details on the anticipated Scott Pilgrim EX, leading into our preview coverage for the issue on games like Nioh 3 and SOL Shogunate. And don't miss our fascinating feature-length look at the explosive growth of the Soulslike genre, and our comprehensive look back at the history of Fallout. It's a jam-packed issue, and subscribers can get access at no additional cost. The best way to read and support Game Informer Magazine is to sign up for an annual print and digital subscription, which includes 10 issues per year, fewer ads, access to our digital magazine archive dating back to 1991, and a 5% donation to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital on your behalf. As we promised readers when we relaunched earlier this year, this special end-of-year issue has nearly 25% more pages to accommodate our various Game of the Year features, including The Top 10 Games of 2025 and a 16-page Best and Brightest round-up showcasing our multiple awards and Editor Picks that highlight our favorite game releases of 2025.  The cover art depicts a crimson-haired Blood Elf returning home, spoils in hand, as her neighborhood brims with life in the background. Lil ' Deathwing and Weechi, two well-known pets from World of Warcraft, chase each other beneath the elf's feet as an Orc and a Goblin wave to a Tauren neighbor while driving past on a Mechano-Hog. Take a closer look to find even more references and characters in principal illustrator Bayard Wu's striking illustration. Stay tuned in the coming weeks as we publish online exclusives from our World of Warcraft: Midnight cover story. In the meantime, subscribe to Game Informer Magazine or find it at a newsstand near you.   If you're a subscriber, you can read it all right now . Start exploring the issue
Game Informer PreviewsDec 16
An Exclusive Look At The Dolls Behind Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's Unique Visuals
An Exclusive Look At The Dolls Behind Dragon Quest VII Reimagined's Unique Visuals Dragon Quest VII Reimagined is the latest game to grace the cover of Game Informer , and to write that cover story, I traveled to Tokyo, Japan, to visit Square Enix's Shibuya offices and play the game, interview the team behind it, and even check out the dolls foundational to this remake's unique aesthetic. While the dolls were out, we captured some exclusive video of each, giving you a close-up look of Reimagined's party members: Hero, Maribel, Kiefer, Ruff, Aishe, and Sir Mervyn.  Alongside that, we spoke to Reimagined director Masato Yagi about the decision to create a doll-like visual style and the diaorama-esque aeshetic of Estard and the surrounding world. But before that, check out this exclusive video about the dolls:    When I ask Yagi how the team landed on these dolls, going so far as to pay a local Japanese doll studio, Studio Nova, to create them, he says it's about Akira Toriyama's art in the original game.  "The reason or factor [for] the doll-and-handcrafted aesthetics is that when you look at the original character designs from Akira Toriyama, when compared with other Dragon Quest character designs, the characters of Dragon Quest VII are drawn in a shorter scale," Yagi says. "I think that really matched the unique aesthetics of the storytelling of Dragon Quest VII. The doll [visual look] really meshed well together [with that art and aesthetic of DQVII]." Yagi adds, "The original story of Dragon Quest VII involved, as you know, the protagonists – as they move forward with their progress and their adventures, more islands [to explore and visit] are revealed; there are more areas that they can explore. I think that system just kind of made sense and just fits well with the diorama aesthetic, too."    You can see firsthand how these doll aesthetics work in Dragon Quest VII Reimagined when it launches on February 5 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Switch, and PC.  In the meantime, check out this article breaking down everything in the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined issue of Game Informer , and be sure to subscribe here if you haven't yet to access the Dragon Quest VII Reimagined cover story , our deep dive into Dragon Quest history with creator Yuji Horii, and so much more. Do you like the doll aesthetic? Let us know in the comments below!
Game Informer PreviewsDec 16
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando Preview—Bringing New Meaning to Bumpy Ride
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando Preview—Bringing New Meaning to Bumpy RideJohn Carpenter's Toxic Commando is an upcoming 4-player co-op shooter from the minds over at Saber Interactives, who are no strangers to a gory good time.
Previews – CGMagazineDec 12
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (PC) Preview—Bringing New Meaning to Bumpy Ride
John Carpenter’s Toxic Commando (PC) Preview—Bringing New Meaning to Bumpy RideJohn Carpenter's Toxic Commando is an upcoming 4-player co-op shooter from the minds over at Saber Interactives, who are no strangers to a gory good time.
Previews – CGMagazineDec 12
Order Of The Sinking Star Preview: Jonathan Blow’s Next Big Swing
Order Of The Sinking Star Preview: Jonathan Blow’s Next Big SwingWe got to check out Jonathan Blow's Order Of The Sinking Star ahead if The Game Awards premiere and event asked him a few questions.
Previews – CGMagazineDec 12
New Fantasy Shooter Highguard Announced From Former Titanfall Devs, Launching In Weeks
New Fantasy Shooter Highguard Announced From Former Titanfall Devs, Launching In Weeks Near the end of tonight’s Game Awards presentation, we got a look at a brand new shooter game from Wildlight Entertainment, a team that includes 61 members of the team that built Apex Legends and Titanfall. After departing Respawn, the team began work on a new shooter called Highguard. The fast-paced gameplay seems to mix mount riding, gun-shooting, power usage, and area capture into an intoxicating mix. The debut trailer isn’t what many have come to expect from game reveals, as it was mostly focused on showing off gameplay. That’s likely because the game is surprisingly close to launch, and is set to release in January. It’s unclear at this juncture precisely how the game mixes storytelling and worldbuilding with multiplayer elements, but much of the gameplay does appear to be competitive in nature. Highguard is set to launch as a free-to-play title on January 26, 2026, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Steam.   
Game Informer PreviewsDec 11
Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve Takes Flight In 2026
Ace Combat 8: Wings Of Theve Takes Flight In 2026 During a certain period of gaming history, Ace Combat could reliably be expected to appear as a new game on a roughly yearly basis. But as development processes have lengthened, so too has the wait for a new installment in the arcade-style combat flights of the long-running series. That looks like it will change next year, with the reveal of Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve. The new, mostly cinematic trailer suggests that the series is adding an increased focus on storytelling and character in this new installment, but it’s clear that the game will also still feature high-speed military jets fighting above the clouds. It seems we’ll be waiting a while before we get additional details, but we know that Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve is set to lift off in 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.  
Game Informer PreviewsDec 11
No Law Is An Open World Cyberpunk FPS From The Developers Of The Ascent
No Law Is An Open World Cyberpunk FPS From The Developers Of The Ascent Neon Giant, the developer behind 2021's The Ascent , has revealed No Law, a first-person shooter RPG set in a cyberpunk open world. Revealed during The Game Awards 2025, No Law is currently in development for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.  In the reveal trailer, we get a look at the beautiful city of Port Desire, the sprawling and seedy Unreal Engine 5-developed setting for No Law, as well as Grey Harker, the ex-military veteran that players will control in the game. We meet Harker, who has left his war-torn past behind for a quieter life, at a moment where the past comes calling, and trouble finds him once more. Using his "black-ops instincts and custom hardware," Harker is set on taking back what's been stolen from him and confronting the city that wronged him.  Check it out in the No Law reveal trailer for yourself below:    Neon Giant says No Law is a cyber-noire narrative with deep player agency, noting that "whether you favor precision, stealth, or destruction, your approach defines the experience."  "Master advanced military upgrades, experiment with sci-fi tools and vertical movement, and turn every mission into a personal story of revenge, consequence, and survival," a press release reads. "Set against the backdrop of Port Desire, a sprawling port carved into the cliffs of a restless sea, No Law invites players into a world built on neon sleaze instead of regulation. The city is a hub of import and excess, overflowing with colorful characters whose motives are as murky as the smog-filled skyline. From the rooftop gardens to the alleys below, every inch of Port Desire is alive, reactive, and waiting to be shaped by the player's choices."  Check out the screenshots below for another look at Port Desire:    Ahead of Neon Giant's unveiling of No Law, I spoke with studio co-founder and creative director Tor Frick and co-founder and co-creative director Arcade Berg about the game. They tell me The Ascent taught Neon Giant that the team really wants to push the envelope on immersion.  "The games are very different [...] but there's lots of crossover," Berg tells me. "What we really learned a lot about making The Ascent was how to tell a story with the world. It had a story and side missions, but it wasn't a narrative-heavy game. It told a lot of stories in the environment with the set, with the art, with the conversations NPCs were having, and we learned a lot about in-world storytelling that isn't explicit. Not every story has to be told with words, voice, or text, so we're always trying to ask [with No Law], 'Is there a story there?'"  With No Law being Neon Giant's second cyberpunk game, I was curious about what it is about these types of settings that draws the studio in. Frick tells me cyberpunk worlds allow for a lot of video game actions to fit narratively. "We're very precious about having a world where everything we do in the game fits in the fiction of the world," he says. "That's a big part [of our love for cyberpunk]; we can kind of mold the world to fit what the game needs. [Plus], there's a certain mood and vibe we really enjoy: Judge Dredd, Running Man, all these tongue-in-cheek comfort food experiences, and we really enjoy the lighthearted vibe of those things.  Berg adds that those specific cyberpunk examples use violence as a spectacle, "the kind that makes you smile," and that fits what Neon Giant is going for in No Law.  "The violence in our game is supposed to be a spectacle, too; the kind that makes you smile," Berg says. "There's horrible violence and the fun kind. We can't do dark, sad, and gritty; we want you to have a really good experience playing this game, laughing, at times feeling like a badass, to have the world respond to that, noticing what you're doing, and what you opted not to do. Cyberpunk is cool, and we enjoy it."  The team is calling No Law a cyber-noire story, and Frick and Berg tell me it's because this game has moments to breathe and soak in the vibes – and there's also a detective element to the story, though the duo doesn't share more on that front. That's one way the two think No Law stands out from the obvious elephant in the room: Cyberpunk 2077.  "It's clear that [No Law] is very much different," Frick tells me. "The art style and setting itself, this is a very lush city, and we're focusing a lot more on the density and the intimate feeling. We're not aiming to build a vast open world, but are focused on making a very dense open world with a very different scale and a very personal story."  Frick says Harker's story isn't the end-all, be-all of Port Desire – it's just another story happening in this city. Berg chimes in, adding, "It's much more human and personal and intimate, and we made a lot of cool stylistic choices because of that."  The two close out our conversation by explaining they feel Neon Giant fans like the studio's particular brand of personality – it's the biggest point of positive feedback the studio received from The Ascent.  "If you've played The Ascent, you'll get a feel that [No Law] is the same team," Berg says. "That's what we're aiming for, even with this game that's completely different."  No Law is being published by Krafton and will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC sometime in the future.  In the meantime, read Game Informer's review of The Ascent .  What do you think of No Law's reveal? Let us know in the comments below!  
Game Informer PreviewsDec 11
Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons Is A Dark Fantasy Open World Action Game Coming In 2027
Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons Is A Dark Fantasy Open World Action Game Coming In 2027 Wizards of the Coast has announced a new dark fantasy open-world action game called Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons during The Game Awards 2025. Per the title, it’s set within the world of the popular tabletop game, with players controlling a powerful spellcaster battling the forces of evil. Developed by Invoke Studios, the game stars Kaatri, who is described in a press release as “a veteran warrior who makes a pact to wield otherworldly magic against dark powers.” Kaatri is also voiced by actress Tricia Helfer ( Battlestar Galactica, Lucifer ). Speaking to Jeff Hattam, vice president/creative at Invoke, he says the Warlock was chosen over other D&D classes due to his fascination with the class’s blend of spellcasting prowess and high charisma. “Personally, one of the things that kind of struck me as a little bit odd is that Warlocks have really high charisma and they use that for damage,” Hattam explains. “And I've always wondered what kind of person is it that they can convince some of the most powerful beings in Dungeons & Dragons to bestow magical powers on them? And I attribute that to their charisma [...] I wanted to really craft that and create that with the game, that's really the spark that started this.” Hattam says the Kaatri is a far cry from the “pointy hat wizard” archetype, and her journey delivers a darker tale that has more bite to it than the average fantasy fare. But magic is ultimately at the heart of Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons. “You get magical abilities, spells, rituals, and you use those spells to explore the world, uncover its many secrets, discover the corners of the world, solve challenges, environmental puzzles, and obviously, you'll have encounters and use magic against that as well,” Hattam explains. While it’s a D&D game, Warlock is not an RPG. It’s a third-person action game, so you don’t have a party following you around, though Kaatri will meet helpful allies along the way. The game is also telling a focused narrative as opposed to being a choice-driven experience in the vein of Baldur’s Gate 3. “While D&D is a huge inspiration for the game. We're not trying to replicate it,” says Hattam. “So you are playing Kaatri’s narrative. It's got clear stakes momentum, and you're driving forward with that.” Invoke is keeping the details of the game’s open world under wraps, but Hattam teases that players will rely on magic to explore and can tackle side quests along the way. Invoke plans to reveal the first gameplay footage for Warlock: Dungeons & Dragons next summer. The game is slated to launch sometime in 2027 for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.   
Game Informer PreviewsDec 11