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This Week (Jun 28 - Jul 4) |
In an unprecedented shift, July begins with not one, but two major headlines that are sweeping the internet. The gaming community faces the upcoming loss of PlayStation physical disc media in favor of a fully digital shift, as well as the entire cancellation of a character set to debut next week in immensely popular otome game Love and Deepspace. However, other games also dipped into the other half of the spectrum, with Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls welcoming their last "antihero" team of fighters, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE with a high-profile collaboration with ATLUS’ Persona, and CODE VEIN 2’s Mask of Idris DLC.
Over on the reviews side, classics Rhythm Heaven Groove and Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition make their debut on the Nintendo Switch 2, and mecha-action game Code RAPID puts out an enjoyable demo for mecha fans to try out.
Here’s a quick look at some of the week’s biggest gaming headlines.
Gaming News At A Glance
PlayStation Says Goodbye to Physical Discs Forever
Love and Deepspace’s Werewolf CEO Valko’s Debut is Cancelled
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Welcomes Blade, Loki, Deadpool, and…Open Beta
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE Starts of 2026 Collaborations With Persona
CODE VEIN 2 Mask of Idris Brings A Whole New World and Character in Summer
Other News and Developments This Week
Review Roundup: June 28 to July 4
Lights, Rhythm, Action!
⚫︎ Rhythm Heaven Groove
⚫︎ Devil May Cry 5: Devil Hunter Edition
⚫︎ Code RAPID [Demo]
Gaming News At A Glance: PlayStation Says No to Physical Discs, Players Say No to LADS’ Valko, Marvel Tokon Says Hi To Loki
PlayStation Says Goodbye to Physical Discs Forever
PlayStation shocks the whole gaming community with their sudden announcement that they will be phasing out physical discs entirely for all upcoming PlayStation games starting January 2028. The company believes that this is reflective of users’ changing consumer habits, with most players shifting over to the digital sphere. Data from their financial reports also show that much of their revenue now comes from "digital software, add-on content, subscriptions, and network services.
Despite the trend, many gamers have expressed outrage from the decision, igniting discussions about media preservation and the woes of digital-only ownership. The loss of physical media means that people will now "truly" own games, as the host can always cease all distribution and access at any given time. PlayStation has already done this before with removing previously purchased films on the PS Store because of licensing issues. However, analysts and others from the community have also shared that this will "not dramatically change the industry."
Love and Deepspace’s Werewolf CEO Valko’s Debut is Cancelled
The 3D mobile otome game Love and Deepspace has made waves across the internet for cancelling the launch of its 6th love interest (LI), Valko, due to massive player backlash. This is the first time in the live-service game space where a character was not postponed but outright removed from the game despite being fully announced and with a full set of content slated for launch.
Most of the player backlash appears to stem from the idea that Valko’s introduction will push Sylus' and Caleb’s main story updates further down the pipeline, as well as the discovery of the game’s story using numbers that pertain to sensitive Chinese history, drawing even more severe scrutiny towards the developers. However, supporters for the LI are pushing for his reinstatement and debut, with several petitions and trending hashtags raising awareness.
Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls Welcomes Blade, Loki, Deadpool, and…Open Beta
In this year’s EVO, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls dropped an explosive announcement showcasing the game’s fifth and final character team consisting of Loki, Blade, Deadpool, and the previously revealed Ghost Rider. Together, they are called the "Samurai Outriders." As a group of antiheroes, the developers teased that they won’t be allies from the get go, but their story in Episode Mode will focus on how they gradually come together to face "threats to the world."
Alongside their addition to the game, developer Arc System Works also shared that a global open beta is scheduled on July 24th to July 26th, hyping up the game ahead of its launch on August 6th. Players can join the open beta on PC and the PlayStation 5, with specific details on recruitment to follow as the beta release nears. Fans can also look forward to Character Guides being rolled out, providing a closer look at the fighters and their fighting styles and quirks.
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE Starts of 2026 Collaborations With Persona
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE has teased that they will be collaborating with the Persona series (yes, not just Persona 5) as revealed on their Summer Special Broadcast last June 27th. Few concrete details have been announced. NIKKE has had its fair share of collaborations over the years, such as Stellar Blade, NieR Automata, and even Resident Evil, and the introduction of the Persona series adds one more to their already high-profile docket.
While players wait for the collaboration to arrive, the Wave to You summer update was just launched. It brings in a new fully voiced story event set on an island and featuring Marciana, Tia, and Naga on a trip and Cinderella and Grave looking for the missing Hansel and Gretel. A summer vacation getaway quickly becomes something deeper as the two groups come together to discover the island’s hidden secrets. Additionally, Cinderella: Crystal Wave, and Marciana: Marine Study will be pullable as limited SSR characters.
CODE VEIN 2 Mask of Idris Brings A Whole New World and Character in Summer
Action RPG CODE VEIN 2 announces Mask of Idris DLC coming soon through announcements on Bandai Namco’s social media accounts. It will bring players to a new world called the "Waste World", where the protagonist will meet new character Liv Vorda, and what appears to be a different version of Lou MagMell, a longtime ally.
While a specific release date has yet to be confirmed, Game Director and Designer Hiroshi Yoshimura shared in a live interview for Famitsu’s 40th anniversary that the DLC will arrive in the summer, anytime between July and September.
Other News and Developments This Week
⚫︎ 2026 Steam Summer Sale's Must-Play Games: Our Top Recommendations
⚫︎ Summoners War x Frieren Collab Adds Frieren, Himmel, Fern, and More as Playable Characters this June
⚫︎ Love and Deepspace Version 6.0 Officially Welcomes Valko and New Content
⚫︎ Mystic Messenger Makes Comeback on 10th Anniversary, Fans Welcome Them Back With Open Arms Amidst Price Hike
⚫︎ BanG Dream! Our Notes Global Preregistration and Closed Beta Announced
Review Roundup: June 28 to July 4
Lights, Rhythm, Action!
This week, we’ve got three reviews with largely different focuses. Nintendo’s Rhythm Heaven Groove makes its debut, bringing back nostalgia sprinkled with just the right amount of modern innovation. On the action front, we have a classic’s comeback in Devil May Cry 5’s Devil Hunter edition for the Nintendo Switch 2, six years after its original release, and Code RAPID, a new upcoming third-person mech-themed action game that immerses players into its robot-piloting mode.
Rhythm Heaven Groove
Rhythm Heaven Groove is the latest entry in Nintendo’s "weirdest rhythm series" that makes its return to the fold after 20 years. Its signature gameplay is deceptively simple but requires a certain level of concentration, pulling players into its satisfying tap-tap-tap loop.
It comes back bigger and better, providing more ways to test that sense of rhythm, especially with the new combat-RPG dungeon mode, Beatspell. With an "infectious soundtrack and delightfully absurd minigames", it’s sure to have a spot on your "to play" list.
Devil May Cry 5 (Switch 2)
Devil May Cry 5 is a critically acclaimed action-adventure hack-and-slash title by Capcom released back in 2019-2020 and now returns as the Devil Hunter edition for the Nintendo Switch 2, bundled with all of the game’s DLC and additional content. Dante and Nero come back to stop a demon invasion in Red Grave City, only to find themselves in an adventure that was more than they bargained for.
Despite it being literally six years since its original release, this handheld port on the newest gen console to date is the "dream port" that fans deserve. While trading in some visual fidelity and some game modes, it’s still an SS rank re-release that has everything fans loved about the original, only made to play on the go.
Code RAPID [Demo]
Code RAPID is a third-person mecha action game where players take on the role of commanding a Knight, a high-speed combat mech, in a world where the hostile force named Null plagues its lands. It is a mission-based game with real-time high-mobility movement mechanics and deep customization.
It’s not just a simple control-the-robot kind of gameplay, but rather it actually makes you feel as if you’re piloting it yourself, contributing to the immersive experience. Controls are snappy, combat is satisfying, and the loop doesn’t get stale. Unfortunately, the demo has only three missions bundled with it right now, but it definitely set some expectations for what’s to come on the full release.
