Gambonanza may be themed around chess, but you don't need to be good at chess to win. We spoke to the dev and give our impressions after a few hours.
Bungie is digging out of some unexpected season 2 launch snafus
While there's been some grumbling abut the inclusion of a "pen & ink" style of John Wick in the Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 battle pass--since Epic has been selling the original John Wick skin in the item shop for seven years--there is one unquestionable upside to having him around. John Wick didn't come alone. He brought his pit bull with him. Yes, John Wick's unnamed dog, which he adopted at the end of the first movie, is also on the battle pass as a sidekick. But unlike John himself, you can't earn the dog just by leveling up. Instead, you'll need to complete a quest--but don't worry, this quest is super easy and won't take very long once you know where to go. The instructions for this one are simple: "Rescue or pet John Wick's dog." But the quest doesn't tell you where to go. Fortunately, he's not exactly hidden: You can find him at the Sinister Strip, in the main lobby of the large casino that stuck around from the previous version of the Strip. On the map, you'll find this place just below the name of the POI, like so: You'll find the dog in a small cage in the center of the lobby, guarded by a pair of NPC baddies. Simply click on the cage to open it, and the dog will be yours. There's no need to worry about getting there first, however, because once the dog has been freed he will just chill out nearby for the rest of the match. Any other players who want to unlock the sidekick can walk up and pet him, as the quest instructs. That really is all there is to it. There are no level requirements to earn the dog, or any additional tasks--though he's not a free pet, so you will need to purchase the battle pass to unlock him.
It'll be playable on modern PCs, too, and there's another "hand-animated" Cuphead game in development alongside it.
Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 is changing up the Battle Royale meta in a number of ways, but none are more significant than the new set of weapons and items you'll be using, and facing off against, for the next few months. Epic Games has tossed four entirely new weapons, including one of John Wick's many trusty pistols, and one new movement item into the loot pool this season alongside a good selection of returning items. Before we get into the weeds on these new guns, let's quickly run through the list of returning weapons in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3: Maven Auto Shotgun, Striker Pump Shotgun, Ranger Pistol, Stinger SMG, the Hunting Rifle, and the loved/hated Chaos Reloader Shotgun. Now, here's what you need to know about the new weapons: Extending Focus Shotgun This shotgun, which has a three-round magazine, is essentially a hybrid of two past Fortnite shotguns. When firing from the hip, it's like a slightly slower version of the Gatekeeper Shotgun, powerful and able to defeat most foes if you hit them with all three shots. When aiming down sights, it's like the Super Shredder from last season, surprisingly deadly at mid-range--especially with the three-round magazine. It might actually be better than the Chaos Reloader, but we'll need to spend a lot more time with it to be sure. Chaos Exploder Rifle This weapon has the feel of Fortnite's old Heavy AR but with rounds that explode for bonus area damage. The area of effect for the explosive rounds is pretty small, but that's a good thing because the Chaos Exploder is also very accurate. So while you shouldn't expect to do a ton of harm from just from the spash damage, where this rifle really shines is in punishing enemies for bunching up--you can rip apart a squad that's huddling too close to each other. Surgical Burst Rifle This gun is, in essence, a new version of Fortnite's old Chapter 1 Burst Assault Rifle that's been cleaned up and improved in every possible way. That's because the old Burst AR was just not a very smooth weapon to use--it's very accurate in the hands of somebody who knows how to use it, but there is no rhythm to it. The Surgical Burst, by contrast, feels great to use and is astonishingly accurate, but it still also manages to feel kinda like that old classic. Sweats are going to love this one. Lancehead Pistol John Wick's handgun has a very large 21-round magazine and a solid gimmick: the player will throw the magazine (does 35 damage) when it's been emptied. It's also really accurate, which isn't surprising for a gun John Wick is supposed to be a fan of. But the Lancehead Pistol also has a unique drawback, because it's not automatic--meaning you'll have to pull the trigger for every shot. It's the first Fortnite pistol in years, in fact, that's like this, so be wary of that the first few times you try to use it. Seven Sliders Having these bad boys in your inventory will make it so all your kneeslides are now powerslides, which is great for movement. But the secret with these boots is that aiming down sights with a weapon while sliding will slow you down to a crawl--but still maintain the slide--while you take your shot. In terms of feel, these play like a ground-based version of the Max Payne-esque Killswitch's Revolvers from Chapter 6 Season 3. Be careful about overheating, though, which will decrease the Sliders' durability more quickly and make your fall on your face. Pro tip: you can lower your heat level by sliding on water.
Monster Hunter Wilds' first expansion, Ascendance, has finally been revealed. In a trailer at Summer Games Fest 2026, Capcom unveiled the future of the game with a massive new expansion called Ascendance. Read more
While fans await the next mainline Hitman game, IO Interactive and Saber Interactive have announced that the original three games in the series are being remastered in a bundle called the Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered. Specifically, Hitman: Codename 47, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, and Hitman: Contracts are included in the bundle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DnU7QV0Oi8 The game's have been "painstakingly rebuilt," according to the official announcement. The new versions of the original games include "upgraded character models, enhanced environments, and high-resolution textures." The remaster bundle also includes the ability to toggle between classic and updated graphics and a photo mode. An example of the improved graphics. The Hitman Classic Trilogy Remastered bundle releases in 2027. It's coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5. It's just the latest project from Saber, as the company is also working on Jurassic Park: Survival, Stuntman: Hollywood, and a new John Wick game. IO Interactive's latest release, meanwhile, was the popular James Bond game 007: First Light. The studio is eyeing multiple sequels, and has also pledged to return to Hitman someday. In other Hitman news, IO Interactive announced at Summer Game Fest that the latest Elusive Target for Hitman: World of Assassination is the rapper Wiz Khalifa. The mission is available now through July 5. Additionally, World of Assassination got a new update this week that added the "World Champions" DLC, which is themed around the World Cup.