Blizzard union deal, Switch 2 sellouts, and Dragon Quest's surprise return

Blizzard workers have secured what is being called a historic union contract, one that could set a new standard for game developers across the industry. The deal marks a significant moment for labor organizing in games, coming at a time when layoffs and studio closures have made job security a persistent concern. Separately, a Call of Duty gun skin has surfaced that is only visible on Xbox consoles — a platform-exclusive cosmetic wrinkle that GameSpot notes is unlike anything the series has done before.

Forty-three years after its original release, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii is returning to his NES murder mystery game with a surprise sequel — an announcement few would have predicted from one of gaming's most storied figures. Danganronpa 2x2 also confirmed a new character alongside a release date trailer, while Persona's 30th anniversary livestream has been announced, making it a busy stretch for fans of Japanese narrative games. Silent Hill f has meanwhile collaborated with what is described as Japan's biggest indie game of 2025, adding an unexpected crossover to its promotional run.

Valheim's 1.0 launch drove Steam player counts to a five-year high for the survival game, though still short of its early access peak. That tension between full release and early access expectations echoes comments from the Palworld lead, who expressed concern that Steam early access has lost its meaning as players increasingly treat it like a finished product. On the Nintendo Switch 2 front, a 40th-anniversary console sold out immediately before hitting the secondary market, while coverage of the recent Direct flagged some ports as looking rough — though Metroid Ravenous drew more enthusiastic notices for apparently giving Samus a new level of freedom.