The PS4 and PS5 ports of Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 have reportedly sold over 11 million combined copies since they were released on 9 July 2026. That’s according to new estimates from market data firm Alinea Analytics, which suggests Black Ops 2 sold approx. 8.2 million copies alone.

Call of Duty: Black Ops and Black Ops 2 PlayStation Ports Sold Over 11 Million Copies, Analyst Claims

The PS4 and PS5 ports of Treyarch's beloved Call of Duty titles are estimated to have made a combined US $435 million in revenue.

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Whether it’s the Millennium Falcon or Cool Froggy the frog, there’s always something grimy in need of a clean. @jamiehore.bsky.social talks to @powerwashsimulator.co.uk designer Dan Berrecloth about undiscovered secrets and making sure there’s always “some profound stuff hidden amongst the dirt.”

Now the Millenium Falcon's Cleaned, PowerWash Simulator 2 is Bringing Out "Cool Froggy"

"There’s always going to be some nervousness, because [was the first game] lightning in a bottle? [But] we took a bit of a risk and it’s paid off."

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EA has announced the completion of its US $55 billion private acquisition by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Previous reporting suggested that PIF will own 93.4% of EA, while Silver Lake will own 5.5%, and Affinity Partners 1.1%

Electronic Arts Completes $55 Billion Private Acquisition

The deal is considered to be the largest leveraged buyout in history, and appeared to pass global regulatory scrutiny without issue

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Dating gacha game Love and Deepspace has hit its lowest monthly revenue to date after introducing a new love interest in late June 2026, and swiftly removing him over player backlash. Reports suggests its monthly revenue dropped by almost US $30 million between June and July 2026.

Love and Deepspace Hits Lowest Ever Monthly Revenue After Player Backlash

Developer Papergames announced a new love interest for the dating game in June 2026, but cancelled his launch over fan criticism

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The studio behind the Netflix-exclusive football game FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition has reportedly been hit with layoffs just weeks after the game's launch.  Some affected employees have claimed that the “entire team” or “entire studio” has been axed.

Studio Behind Netflix's FIFA World Cup Game Reportedly Hit With Layoffs

Reports from journalists and staff suggest most of the studio has been let go just weeks after FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition was released.

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After being born and then fading away as a Netflix exclusive, the excellent POINPY from @devolverdigital.com and Ojiro Fumoto has returned as a completely free game. We ask Fumoto about the thinking behind that, the experience of working with Netflix, and the secret juice behind his moreish titles.

Poinpy's Revival Is Free, Because of the Kids

"I'm not fond of taking money from kids," says Ojiro 'Moppin' Fumoto.

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According to a document reportedly sent to developers of Xbox 360 games and seen by The Verge, Xbox has plans to make Xbox 360 games backwards compatible with Project Helix, handheld devices, and "Xbox PCs."

Xbox 360 Games Reportedly Coming to PC and Project Helix

Per a leaked document seen by The Verge, developers will be able to opt in to making their Xbox 360 games backwards compatible

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Upcoming co-op party game Planted! is a self-described mix of "extreme sports and gardening." @maddie-b-a.bsky.social asks @clothcatgames.bsky.social how they managed to make one of the most peaceful activities known to man so chaotic.

Planted! Embraces The Chaos of "Horticultural Combat"

Among genre competitors like Overcooked and Moving Out, Planted! is carving its niche with a game that "never plays the same twice"

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Whether it’s the Millennium Falcon or Cool Froggy the frog, there’s always something grimy in need of a clean. @jamiehore.bsky.social talks to @powerwashsimulator.co.uk designer Dan Berrecloth about undiscovered secrets and making sure there’s always “some profound stuff hidden amongst the dirt.”

Now the Millenium Falcon's Cleaned, PowerWash Simulator 2 is Bringing Out "Cool Froggy"

"There’s always going to be some nervousness, because [was the first game] lightning in a bottle? [But] we took a bit of a risk and it’s paid off."

thisweekinvideogames.com

After 13 years in early access, indie survival game Project Zomboid has hit its highest ever concurrent player count on Steam after releasing its latest build — the first major build update since 2021.

Project Zomboid Hits New Steam Peak of 121,000 Players After 13 Years in Early Access

Developer The Indie Stone released Build 42.20 on 29 July 2026, overhauling the game's map and making various mechanical changes

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Roblox has reported revenue of US $1.5 billion in the last quarter, alongside 123 million daily active users. The company also reiterated its commitment to AI creation tools on its platform, saying they free “creators from tedious technical work so they can focus on high-value creative design."

Roblox Reports 36% Revenue Boost, Doubles Down on Child Safety and AI

The company posted a 10% increase in average daily active users, and noted a focus on "capturing 10% of the global gaming market"

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A Worker Adjustment filing has confirmed approx. 68 full-time employees have been laid off from the Tencent-owned Lightspeed LA studio, which was working on Last Sentinel. The filing shows senior figures impacted, including the studio’s Art and Narrative Design Directors, as well as several Leads.

Lightspeed LA WARN Notice Shows Multiple Directors Laid Off at Last Sentinel Studio

A worker adjustment notice obtained by TWIV confirms 68 people are being laid off from Lightspeed LA's main base, with further layoffs at a separate mocap facility

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The Sims has a longstanding history of pioneering diversity and representation in the life sim genre. And despite everything happening with EA, the Maxis team insists there's a "huge amount of desire from pretty much every level to be more diverse, more representative."

Despite Everything, The Sims Team Is Still Bullish on Diversity

Senior character artist Jessica Hyland talks about the technical challenges behind character creation tools and what drives the industry to foster inclusivity

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A previously announced price hike for Xbox Series consoles has now come into effect. Previously unspecified prices for regions such as the UK, Europe, and Australia have now been disclosed. Increases are as high as 50% on some models.

Global Xbox Console Price Hikes Come Into Effect, Increases As High as 50%

Xbox has cited the ongoing global memory and storage component crisis for the significant increases.

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To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we're running a sale! 🎉 From now until the middle of August, you can get 20% off new Annual Supporter subscriptions here: thisweekinvideogames.com/sign-up/ Help support the new wave of games media, get benefits and great reads, and feel cool 😎👍

This Week in Videogames@thisweekinvideogames.com · 3w ago

This Week in Videogames has reached its first full year of operation. Thank you to our paid subscribers for helping us sustain an independent, commercial-free, AI-free, and no-nonsense approach to games coverage for everyone. Here's a brief rundown of what we've managed to achieve in Year One:

For a quarter of a century, RTS series Stronghold has survived alongside some of the titans of its genre. @jamiehore.bsky.social speaks to developer @fireflystudios.bsky.social about its next installment, Stronghold 4, its oft-forgotten 16-year-old MMO, and the secret to the studio’s longevity.

Stronghold Has Endured for 25 Years, but Stronghold 4 Feels Like a Fresh Start

"The best games in the industry have this incredible history behind them of a team being kept together and happy and healthy together"

thisweekinvideogames.com

Limerence is new thriller about a woman and her manipulative AI partner. @maddie-b-a.bsky.social speaks to @salixgames.bsky.social director Jessica Saunders about the human story at its center, inspired by numerous real-world experiences, which tries to show that "this could happen to anyone."

AI Boyfriend Thriller Limerence Is Still a Human Story

The indie studio's first attempt at building its own AI was "garbage," pushing them to instead make everything by hand

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007 First Light has proven that IO Interactive was right to be trusted with the James Bond IP. Two months after launch, @jamiehore.bsky.social quizzes Senior Combat Designer Tom Marcham about the lessons IO learned, designing the perfect punch, and finally working on a game “your nan understands.”

007 First Light Made at Least One Nan Care About Videogames

“IO wasn’t a studio that was necessarily known for its combat.. I think now we’ve kind of shown that we can do that, which is very important for us as a studio."

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Sony has addressed multiple questions regarding its decision to end physical disc production for PS5 games in January 2028. CFO Lin Tao reasoned that a large part of the business was already digital, and by discontinuing discs, “we don’t see that there will be any negative impact.”

Sony Doesn't See "Any Negative Impact" On Business By Ending Physical PS5 Disc Manufacturing

Sony acknowledged feedback regarding the decision: “We have received various opinions, and people have strong views… we understand those emotions."

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SpecialEffect is a UK charity bringing videogames and accessible controls to the lives of people with physical disabilities. For free. The rising cost of tech has put increased pressure on their work, but they tell @maddie-b-a.bsky.social "We say yes first, and figure out how we pay for it second"

Despite The "Massive Impact" Of Rising Tech Costs, SpecialEffect's Accessibility Ethos Perserveres

The accessible gaming charity says the technological improvements accompanying the increased costs are “still a privilege” to work with.

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After becoming known for porting Minecraft to consoles, 4J Studios is building its own voxel sandbox, in its own engine, and has recruited longtime Minecraft YouTuber Joseph ‘Stampy’ Garrett to help out. @maddie-b-a.bsky.social talks to the studio about the challenges of setting itself apart.

4J Studios is "Well Equipped" to Take On The Voxel Genre With Reforj

"There’s so many cool things that we’d like to do… it just made sense to make our own engine that would be capable of letting us do it"

thisweekinvideogames.com

To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we're running a sale! 🎉 From now until the middle of August, you can get 20% off new Annual Supporter subscriptions here: thisweekinvideogames.com/sign-up/ Help support the new wave of games media, get benefits and great reads, and feel cool 😎👍

This Week in Videogames@thisweekinvideogames.com · 3w ago

This Week in Videogames has reached its first full year of operation. Thank you to our paid subscribers for helping us sustain an independent, commercial-free, AI-free, and no-nonsense approach to games coverage for everyone. Here's a brief rundown of what we've managed to achieve in Year One:

For a quarter of a century, RTS series Stronghold has survived alongside some of the titans of its genre. @jamiehore.bsky.social speaks to developer @fireflystudios.bsky.social about its next installment, Stronghold 4, its oft-forgotten 16-year-old MMO, and the secret to the studio’s longevity.

Stronghold Has Endured for 25 Years, but Stronghold 4 Feels Like a Fresh Start

"The best games in the industry have this incredible history behind them of a team being kept together and happy and healthy together"

thisweekinvideogames.com

The US $55 billion leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts is set to close “on or about the close of trading” on 4 August 2026, according to a new SEC filing. EA said in the filing that “all regulatory approvals required to complete the merger have been obtained."

$55 Billion EA Buyout Set to Close After Securing "All Regulatory Approvals"

The buyout has been conducted by a consortium of investors which includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Jared Kushner’s private equity firm Silver Lake

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ZeniMax Online Studios has announced adjustments to its 2026 roadmap for The Elder Scrolls Online, with several key features and major Update 52 pushed to 2027. This news comes after the studio was hit with over 200 layoffs following Xbox’s round of 1,600 job cuts across its development teams.

ZeniMax Online Studios Delays Some ESO Content Following Layoffs

While a lot of content planned for Season 1 and Season 2 remains unaffected, several key features and major Update 52 have been pushed to 2027

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Sony has told investors that Marathon has "maintained a high user retention rate while also acquiring new players." The remarks sit in contrast to public data regarding Marathon's concurrent player numbers on Steam, thought to be its primary platform, which have been notably declining since launch.

Sony Says Marathon Has "Maintained High User Retention" Despite Declining Steam Player Count

The remarks were made by Sony CFO Lin Tao as part of prepared statements during the company's Q1 FY2026 earnings call

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Sony has addressed multiple questions regarding its decision to end physical disc production for PS5 games in January 2028. CFO Lin Tao reasoned that a large part of the business was already digital, and by discontinuing discs, “we don’t see that there will be any negative impact.”

Sony Doesn't See "Any Negative Impact" On Business By Ending Physical PS5 Disc Manufacturing

Sony acknowledged feedback regarding the decision: “We have received various opinions, and people have strong views… we understand those emotions."

thisweekinvideogames.com

SpecialEffect is a UK charity bringing videogames and accessible controls to the lives of people with physical disabilities. For free. The rising cost of tech has put increased pressure on their work, but they tell @maddie-b-a.bsky.social "We say yes first, and figure out how we pay for it second"

Despite The "Massive Impact" Of Rising Tech Costs, SpecialEffect's Accessibility Ethos Perserveres

The accessible gaming charity says the technological improvements accompanying the increased costs are “still a privilege” to work with.

thisweekinvideogames.com