Saturday, June 27, 2026
Home Blog Page 94

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Teaser Reveals First Look at New Mode

On Thursday, Embark unveiled a new teaser offering the first look at the highly anticipated map condition set to arrive in Arc Raiders next week, the Shrouded Sky.

While the finer details of what the new mode will look like remain shrouded (no pun intended) in mystery for the time being, the latest teaser offers a glimpse at what Shrouded Sky will bring to the extraction shooter.

Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky Teaser

The new Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky teaser was revealed by Embark via the official YouTube handle of the game.

The teaser opens by showing an intense storm brewing topside across the different maps. We also see a Raider trying to make his way through the tempest, but his shields are visibly affected by the harsh conditions.

Later, we see someone trying to contact Celeste, but is unable to do so due to the signal interference caused by the storm.

“Rise above the storm, or get swept away,” the video description reads.

Lastly, the teaser once again confirms the release date for the Shrouded Sky update, which is scheduled to arrive on February 24, 2026.

Keep following TalkEsport for the detailed patch notes of the Shrouded Sky update once it is revealed by Embark.

Ben Starr Confirmed as the Voice of The Visitor in Fortnite

0

Voice actor Ben Starr has officially confirmed that he is joining Fortnite as the voice of The Visitor. The announcement makes Starr the latest high-profile talent to lend his voice to one of the game’s most important original characters.

Starr shared the news on his social media, expressing his enthusiasm for the role. He confirmed that he will be voicing The Visitor, one of the returning members of The Seven, a central group in Fortnite’s ongoing storyline.

Who Is Ben Starr?

Ben Starr is a well-known voice actor in the gaming industry. He is best recognized for his work as Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy 16, a performance that earned him widespread acclaim. He has also lent his voice to Hades 2 and played the role of Verso in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.

His addition to the Fortnite cast adds another major gaming franchise to his growing resume.

The Seven Are Returning to Fortnite

The Visitor’s return is part of a larger event bringing The Seven back into the Fortnite storyline. The Seven are a group of original Fortnite characters who have played a major role across multiple chapters of the game’s narrative.

According to the Fortnite: Love and Legends roadmap for February 2026, The Seven are scheduled to return on February 23. This roadmap first revealed the planned comeback for these fan-favorite characters.

One member of the group, The Order, already made her return to the game as part of an update in January 2026. Now, The Visitor is confirmed as the next member of The Seven to come back, this time with Ben Starr providing the voice.

What Ben Starr Said About the Role

In his social media post announcing the role, Starr did not hold back his excitement. He wrote that he is thrilled to bring back such an iconic member of The Seven, adding a lighthearted comment about how he expects to be “very normal about it.”

The tone of the message suggests a genuine connection to the Fortnite community and a clear understanding of the character’s significance within the game’s lore.

Why This Casting Matters for Fortnite Fans

The Visitor is one of the most recognizable characters in Fortnite’s original storyline. Having a voice actor with the caliber of Ben Starr attached to the role signals that Epic Games is investing in strong performances for its narrative content.

With The Seven’s return set for February 23, 2026, players can expect more story-driven updates in the coming days. Fans of Fortnite’s lore and competitive players alike will be watching to see how The Visitor fits into the current chapter of the game.

Did Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy Die in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5? Their Fates, Explained

0

Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 has finally arrived, and it delivers some of the most shocking moments in the series so far. Two of the franchise’s most beloved characters, Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy, face brutal attacks from the Prototype during the final act of the chapter. But did they actually die? Here is everything we know about their fates based on what happens in the game.

Warning: Major spoilers for Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 follow below.

What Happens to Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy in Chapter 5?

Throughout Poppy Playtime Chapter 5, Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy play very different roles. Huggy Wuggy continues to act as a threat, stalking the player through the factory halls. Kissy Missy, on the other hand, remains a loyal ally who works alongside the protagonist.

Their stories converge during a late-game encounter where Kissy Missy steps in to save the player from Huggy Wuggy. She manages to calm him down during their long-awaited reunion. However, this moment of peace is cut short when the Prototype ambushes them both from behind.

Does Huggy Wuggy Die in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5?

The Prototype attacks Huggy Wuggy by stabbing him and slamming him into a wall. It is a violent and sudden assault that appears fatal at first glance. However, Mob Entertainment has left the answer deliberately unclear.

After the attack, Huggy Wuggy is still visibly moving. He lifts his head to look at the Prototype as it prepares another strike. Before anything else can happen, the player is forced to flee the scene. That is the last time Huggy Wuggy is seen in Chapter 5.

Given how important Huggy Wuggy is to the Poppy Playtime franchise, it seems unlikely that the developers would kill him off-screen. He is the face of the series, much like Freddy Fazbear is in Five Nights at Freddy’s. Huggy also survived a massive fall in an earlier chapter, which proves he is far more durable than a normal being. His fate remains open for now.

Does Kissy Missy Die in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5?

Kissy Missy suffers a similar attack from the Prototype shortly after Huggy Wuggy is struck down. The Prototype drives its claws into her body in a brutal impalement. She is last seen lying face down after the assault, which strongly suggests she could be dead.

However, there is a small hint that she may have survived. After the player escapes, a character named Giblet rescues them. Giblet explains that Poppy has been taken by the Prototype and admits that he does not know what happened to Kissy Missy. The fact that her fate is mentioned but never confirmed keeps the outcome uncertain and leaves the door open for a possible return.

Could Huggy Wuggy or Kissy Missy Return in Chapter 6?

Neither character receives a confirmed death in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5. There is no post-credit scene or secret ending that confirms whether they survived or died. The game presents their injuries as severe, but the deliberate ambiguity from Mob Entertainment suggests that at least one of them could come back in a future chapter.

The Poppy Playtime series has a history of dramatic returns and fake-outs. Huggy Wuggy himself already came back after a seemingly fatal fall in an earlier chapter. Removing both characters at once would be a bold creative decision, but nothing in Chapter 5 rules out their survival for good.

For now, players are left to wait for Poppy Playtime Chapter 6 to learn the truth. The focus of the story shifts toward the Prototype’s weakness and the fate of Poppy herself, but the question of the Wuggys is one that fans will keep asking until the developers provide a clear answer.

What Is the Prototype in Poppy Playtime Chapter 5?

The Prototype is the main villain responsible for attacking both Huggy Wuggy and Kissy Missy. Chapter 5 reveals that the Prototype is actually Experiment 1006. Its human identity is Oliver Ludwig, the son of Elliot Ludwig and the brother of Poppy Ludwig, who inspired the Poppy Playtime dolls.

The Prototype appears as a towering mechanical-organic creature with a cracked porcelain jester face, a glowing core, and long skeletal arms ending in sharp, needle-like fingers. It upgrades itself by scavenging parts from other toys, including the arms of Mommy Long Legs, Kissy Missy, and Huggy Wuggy, along with components taken from CatNap.

Resident Evil Requiem Release Date and Times: When Does RE9 Launch in Your Time Zone?

0

Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27, 2026, and it marks the return of Leon Kennedy in his first new mainline appearance since Resident Evil 6. Alongside new protagonist Grace Ashcroft, players will head back to the ruins of Raccoon City for a mix of combat, puzzles, and survival horror. If you want to know exactly when you can start playing, here is everything we know about the Resident Evil Requiem release date and launch times across all time zones.

Resident Evil Requiem Release Date

Capcom has confirmed that Resident Evil Requiem will release on February 27, 2026. The game is the ninth mainline entry in the Resident Evil series and has been one of the most anticipated horror games on the calendar ever since it was first announced at Summer Game Fest 2025.

The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. All four platforms share the same February 27 launch date.

Resident Evil Requiem Launch Time: 9 PM PT Expected

According to the PlayStation Store listing, Resident Evil Requiem is expected to launch at 9 PM PT on February 26, which translates to a midnight ET release on February 27. This follows the standard pattern for major console releases, where games unlock at midnight Eastern Time across the United States.

It is important to note that Capcom has not officially published a release time sheet for Resident Evil Requiem at the time of writing. The PlayStation Store often provides an early indication of launch times, but these listings are not always final and could change before launch day.

If Capcom releases an official time sheet closer to launch, this article will be updated to reflect that information.

Resident Evil Requiem Release Times by Time Zone

Based on the PlayStation Store listing, here are the expected launch times for Resident Evil Requiem across major time zones. Console players can expect a regional midnight rollout, while PC players on Steam and Epic Games Store may see a synchronized global unlock.

  • 9:00 PM PT on February 26 (West Coast US)
  • 12:00 AM ET on February 27 (East Coast US)
  • 5:00 AM GMT on February 27 (United Kingdom)
  • 6:00 AM CET on February 27 (Central Europe)
  • 10:30 AM IST on February 27 (India)
  • 2:00 PM JST on February 27 (Japan)
  • 4:00 PM AEDT on February 27 (Australia)

These times are based on the 9 PM PT listing from the PlayStation Store and may be adjusted once Capcom issues official confirmation.

Resident Evil Requiem Platforms: PS5, Xbox, Switch 2, and PC

Resident Evil Requiem is launching on all current-generation platforms on the same day. Here is the full list of supported platforms for RE9.

The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC through both Steam and the Epic Games Store. There are no last-generation versions planned for PS4 or Xbox One.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version launching alongside the other platforms on day one is notable, as it is not common for third-party titles of this scale to release simultaneously on the Switch platform.

Is There Early Access for Resident Evil Requiem?

No, there is no early access available for Resident Evil Requiem. Capcom has not offered any special edition or promotion that grants players access before the official February 27 launch date. No edition of the game, including the Deluxe Edition, includes early access.

However, physical copies of the game have reportedly had their street date broken by nearly two weeks. Some players may have already received and played the game ahead of its official digital launch. If you see gameplay or spoilers circulating online before February 27, this is likely the reason.

Is There a Resident Evil Requiem Demo?

There is currently no demo available for Resident Evil Requiem. This could make it one of the first mainline Resident Evil titles in recent years to launch without offering a playable demo ahead of release.

Previous entries like Resident Evil 7: Biohazard featured a standalone demo called Beginning Hour, which gave players a hands-on preview of the game before launch. No similar offering has been announced for Resident Evil Requiem.

Resident Evil Requiem Pre-Order Bonus

Players who pre-order Resident Evil Requiem before February 27 will receive the Apocalypse costume for Grace Ashcroft as a bonus. This is the only pre-order bonus item and is included with both the Standard Edition and the Deluxe Edition of the game.

The Standard Edition is priced at $69.99. The Deluxe Edition includes the base game along with additional cosmetic items in a Deluxe Kit.

Resident Evil Requiem Review Embargo Date

For players who want to check reviews before buying, the Resident Evil Requiem review embargo is expected to lift on February 25, 2026, at 7 AM PT. This means reviews will go live two full days before the game officially launches, giving players time to make an informed purchase decision.

What Is Resident Evil Requiem About?

Resident Evil Requiem is set approximately 30 years after the destruction of Raccoon City. The game features two playable protagonists with different gameplay styles.

Grace Ashcroft is a new character and an FBI analyst who is investigating a series of mysterious deaths at the condemned Wrenwood Hotel. This location has a personal connection to Grace, as it is the same site where her mother, Alyssa Ashcroft from Resident Evil Outbreak, was murdered eight years earlier. Grace’s gameplay sections focus on survival horror, stealth, and puzzle-solving with limited resources.

Leon Kennedy returns as a DSO field agent on a mission to track down Victor Gideon, a scientist with ties to the original Umbrella Corporation. Leon’s sections are more action-oriented, similar to Resident Evil 4. Players can switch between first-person and third-person camera perspectives at any time during gameplay.

Resident Evil Requiem Preload Date

Players who have pre-ordered the game digitally can preload Resident Evil Requiem starting February 25, 2026. This gives a two-day head start on downloading the game before the official launch. The download size is reported to be approximately 73 GB, so preloading is recommended for players with slower internet connections.

Last Updated: February 19, 2026

iQOO S8UL Win Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup After Intense 4-3 Grand Final Against Godlike Esports

0

iQOO S8UL have been crowned champions of the Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup, one of the biggest MOBA Legends 5v5 tournaments ever held in India. The grand final took place in Kolkata on February 18, 2026, and saw S8UL Esports take down Godlike Esports in a tightly contested Best-of-Seven series that ended 4-3. The victory earned the team INR 12.5 lakh in total prize money.

What Is the Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup?

The Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup is a MOBA Legends 5v5 tournament that ran for an entire month before reaching its conclusion in Kolkata. The event featured open qualifiers that attracted 1,024 teams from across India, making it one of the largest MOBA tournaments the country has seen to date.

The open qualifiers used a single-elimination format with Best-of-One (Bo1) matches. Only 16 teams survived to reach the main event brackets, where the competition shifted to longer series formats with higher stakes.

The iQOO S8UL roster is the MOBA Legends 5v5 division of S8UL Esports, a well-known Indian esports and gaming content organization. The team that competed at the Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup consisted of six players.

Mohammad Saad, who goes by the in-game name Apex, served as the team’s in-game leader (IGL). The rest of the roster included Abhijeet Katkar (Abhi), Mehta Jay (J), Chirag Singh (Radium), Debasish Sana (Anti), and Joseph Nehhunjang (Kakarot).

Apex has international experience as well. He previously competed at the MLBB Mid Season Cup 2024, which was held as part of the Esports World Cup and featured a USD 3 million prize pool.

How iQOO S8UL Reached the Grand Final

iQOO S8UL qualified through the open bracket and entered the Group A playoffs as one of the top 16 teams in the tournament. Their path through the main event brackets was clinical and showed steady improvement as the series formats grew longer.

In the quarterfinals, iQOO S8UL defeated Megatron Esports with a clean 2-0 scoreline in a Best-of-Three series. The semifinals saw them face PEAK, where they secured a 3-1 win in a Best-of-Five matchup. The Group A finals against Elusivity Esports was the most one-sided result of their run, as iQOO S8UL swept the series 4-0 in a Best-of-Seven format to book their place in the grand final.

Grand Final Recap: iQOO S8UL vs Godlike Esports

The grand final was the closest series iQOO S8UL played throughout the entire tournament. Unlike their earlier dominant performances, this Best-of-Seven decider against Godlike Esports went the distance and ended 4-3 in favor of iQOO S8UL.

Both teams traded maps back and forth in what turned out to be a fiercely competitive series. iQOO S8UL maintained their composure in the final maps to close out the match and secure the championship title.

iQOO S8UL Rai Star x Gyan Gaming Cup Tournament Results at a Glance

Here is a quick summary of iQOO S8UL’s full tournament run from open qualifiers to the grand final.

  • Quarterfinals (Bo3): iQOO S8UL 2-0 Megatron Esports
  • Semifinals (Bo5): iQOO S8UL 3-1 PEAK
  • Group A Finals (Bo7): iQOO S8UL 4-0 Elusivity Esports
  • Grand Final (Bo7): iQOO S8UL 4-3 Godlike Esports

Apex Legends Permanently Bans Thousands of XIM Users

Respawn has permanently banned more than 2,000 Apex Legends accounts after rolling out a new detection system targeting XIM input‑spoofing devices on console.

The fresh detection was quietly enabled this week and immediately flagged XIM users, triggering a wave of over 2,000 permanent bans across affected accounts, according to community reports and tracking by third‑party sites. This initiative builds directly on a January crackdown aimed at Titan‑series cheat devices, which had already seen more than 1,000 accounts permanently removed from Apex’s ecosystem. Together, the two waves signal a deliberate shift toward hunting hardware-based exploits rather than just traditional software cheats.

XIM adapters are what the console and peripherals connect to, acting as a translation device between mouse and keyboard input and controller input so that the game “believes” it is still being input into with a controller. In games such as Apex Legends, which do not support mouse and keyboard input on console, this allows a player to have the accuracy of mouse and keyboard while still being able to use the aim assist of a controller, giving a substantial and overt advantage. The terms of service on each platform consider these devices to be unlicensed peripherals, putting the use of XIM solidly into “cheating” territory.

Respawn’s action follows several months of community pressure, particularly in light of the positive reception of Riot’s Valorant console beta, which has been praised for its active detection and banning of XIM users from day one. EA and Respawn have publicly stated their intention to increase enforcement, having already seen more than 6 million total bans in Apex since its launch and now averaging over 100,000 bans per month for various types of cheats. More recent anti-cheating reports have also pointed out new measures targeting Direct Memory Access devices and bot farms, with more than 1,300 DMA accounts banned in a 2025 update, with further tools being introduced to lower “infection rates” in matches.

In ranked and high-level public matches, this XIM-specific round of enforcement is a message that input spoofing is no longer a gray area with low risk but a punishable offense with serious consequences.

PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Viewership Soars as Group Stage Averages Double Over Previous Year

If you’re a Counter-Strike fan and you haven’t tuned into PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 over the past few days, then you’ve been missing out. The action-packed tournament, currently underway, has showcased some top-tier competitive CS as the world’s most elite teams battled it out for a coveted spot in the playoffs.

Fueled by its star-studded lineup and the high caliber of CS on display, PGL Cluj‑Napoca 2026 has seen its viewership skyrocket, with fans cheering on their favorite teams and players throughout the course of the Group Stage, which concluded yesterday.

As per data from Esports Charts, the average viewership during the PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026 Group Stage has more than doubled compared to last year’s edition of the tournament, while the number of Peak Viewers has increased by over 65%.

Image Credit: Esports Charts

The highest peak concurrent viewership at PGL Cluj‑Napoca 2026 was recorded during the Falcons vs FURIA match on February 17. While FURIA has maintained strong viewership throughout the Group Stage, this particular matchup drew 522,477 fans watching simultaneously.

In fact, FURIA was the only team to field over 300,000 average concurrent viewers across their matches in the Group Stage.

As the dust settles, teams that have managed to make it out of the Group Stage are now gearing up for the Playoffs. Scheduled to take place between February 20-22, the PGL Cluj‑Napoca 2026 Playoffs are already shaping up to deliver one of the strongest viewership performances of any non-Major CS2 event this year.

Be sure to keep following TalkEsport for the latest updates on PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026.

Riot to Introduce Team-Based Voice Chat in League of Legends

Riot Games is gearing up to implement full team-based voice chat in League of Legends. It will be the first time players can communicate directly with all four solo-queue teammates simultaneously, moving beyond just premade party chat.​

Code mentions and UI pieces for “enable team voice chat” have been spotted on the League of Legends Public Beta Environment, which means that this feature is likely being tested for live implementation. Current builds of the PBE show a voice menu where players can turn on team voice chat, select between push-to-talk and open mic, check their microphone, and assign hotkeys, much like in Riot’s tactical shooter, Valorant.

Most importantly, it seems that both joining team voice chat and auto-joining are turned off by default in these tests, which means that Riot is likely planning to make voice chat an opt-in feature on top of the current ping and text communication, rather than a requirement.

League has historically been the odd one out among the other competitive game titles in that it never had a way for the whole team to be heard, even as the frustration with misplays caused by uncommunicative solo queue players has been a growing problem in the community. While fans of voice chat believe that quicker, more natural ways to call out things like jungle paths, objective layouts, and cooldowns could ease many of the most infuriating aspects of solo queue play, it could also help close the communication gap between solo players and full teams.

This change also reignites a long-standing controversy about harassment, particularly against women and marginalized players, who already experience harassment at a disproportionate rate in voice chat-enabled games. Community leaders and content creators are demanding robust protections like strict reporting mechanisms, honor or account-standing requirements to use voice chat, and one-click muting for anyone who wants to keep League a text-only game.

Fortnite X Game of Thrones Crossover Rumored to Arrive Soon

A Fortnite and Game of Thrones crossover is rumoured to be on the horizon, according to popular Fortnite data miner AdiraFNInfo. Reports suggest that an update is in development to bring HBO’s beloved fantasy series Game of Thrones to Fortnite, which has sent ripples through the community.

What We Know So Far

Fortnite is famous for its high-profile crossovers with major franchises, bringing their content into the game. Game of Thrones, which can arguably be defined as one of the most popular shows in the world, is speculated to be next in line to get the same treatment as The Simpsons, Back to the Future, and South Park.

AdiraFNInfo‘s claims are backed by other popular Fortnite insiders with a solid track record, and are therefore adding fuel to the fire ahead of EPIC officially confirming any of this. The announcement is expected to arrive soon, possibly tied to an upcoming Fortnite update or event.

A Game of Thrones crossover would mark a major step for Fortnite’s long list of crossovers, and given the magnitude of the show, one can argue this should be its most ambitious collaboration to date. Game of Thrones has been one of the most influential television franchises of all time, with a massive global fanbase, and EPIC can use this to introduce its game to its audience at scale.

When Could It Launch?

None of the leakers have pointed to a release window for the Fortnite × Game of Thrones event, and neither have the developers at the time of writing this article. Deducing the situation regularly, we might see the update arrive in the coming weeks as a part of a seasonal push or drop independently as a major update. Only time can tell when or if this update arrives, but this will definitely be one of the biggest collaborations they have pushed.

The Elder Scrolls 6 Will Use Creation Engine 3, Todd Howard Confirms

The Elder Scrolls 6, one of the most anticipated video games of all time, will run on Creation Engine 3, an upgraded version of the engine used in Starfield, Bethesda’s Todd Howard has confirmed.

In a recent interview with Kinda Funny Games, Howard discussed Bethesda’s plans involving The Elder Scrolls 6, confirming that the studio intends to return to its “classic-style” RPG roots after experimenting with a different formula in titles like Fallout 76 and Starfield

While talking about the much-anticipated successor to Skyrim, Howard revealed that Bethesda has spent the past several years upgrading its Creation Engine to power upcoming projects, including The Elder Scrolls VI and future games.

“We’ve spent the last several years bringing Creation Engine 2, which powers Starfield, up to Creation Engine 3, which is going to power Elder Scrolls 6 and beyond,” Howard said. “Obviously, we do all of the rendering things. We’re really happy with all of the new stuff that we’re doing, but also world systems, loading, how we bring things into the world, [and] how we get that detail close to the camera immediately.”

Needless to say, this sudden announcement has caught many gamers off guard. It marks a notable shift from Todd Howard’s earlier comments in 2021, when he stated that both Starfield and the next Elder Scrolls title would run on Creation Engine 2.

While the engine upgrade is certainly welcome news for fans of the franchise, Howard reiterated that Elder Scrolls VI is still “a while yet” from release, with no official launch date announced as of yet. However, he also confirmed that the majority of Bethesda is currently working on the game and is about to pass a big internal milestone.

“It’s going well, we’re happy with it, and it’s going to be a while yet. We’re happy where we pushed the technology and how the game is coming together,” he said. “We’re able to play it; we’re about to pass a big milestone internally. The majority of the studio is on the game, and some of our partners.”