Video game news digest: Thursday, October 8, 2026

Four releases on the calendar, Game Pass's mid-October wave and a Crunchyroll hub coming to PS5: here is what mattered on Wednesday.

Four games launch today, Thursday, October 8

Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival is out on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 and PC, with Pinhead and the Cenobites. Kingdom Hearts Collection [I~III] gathers the HD collections and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2 and PC. Order of the Sinking Star, Jonathan Blow's puzzle game, arrives on PS5, Switch 2 and PC. Forever Ago, a narrative adventure published by Annapurna Interactive, launches on PS5, Xbox Series and PC, and joins Game Pass on day one.

Battlefield 6 and Valor Mortis hit Game Pass on October 13

Xbox has detailed Game Pass's mid-October wave: Battlefield 6 and Valor Mortis join Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on Tuesday, October 13. For Valor Mortis, that is launch day. Forever Ago, Echo Weaver and Neon Abyss 2 kick things off today, followed by Bluey's Happy Snaps and Chained Beasts on October 15. The same day, nine games leave the service, including Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, A Plague Tale: Requiem and Pacific Drive.

Monster Hunter Stories 3 comes to the Xbox app on PC on November 18

Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection, out since March on Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, PS5 and PC via Steam, launches in the Xbox app on PC (Microsoft Store) on Wednesday, November 18, Capcom announced on Xbox Wire. This version supports Xbox Play Anywhere, so one purchase covers Xbox consoles, Windows 11 PCs and compatible handhelds. Saves, add-on content and achievements carry over between devices.

Dawn of War IV holds a closed beta from October 21 to 26

Deep Silver and King Art Games are running a closed beta for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV from Wednesday, October 21 to Monday, October 26, with sign-ups open now. The real-time strategy game launches on PC on Thursday, December 3 (game page).

Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition hits Switch 2 on October 28

Paradox Interactive is releasing Cities: Skylines – Expanded Edition on Switch 2 on Wednesday, October 28. This version includes ten expansions and content packs, among them After Dark, Snowfall, Green Cities and Sunset Harbor. It is listed at $49.99 on the US eShop.

A Crunchyroll hub is coming to the PS5 home screen in spring 2027

Sony Interactive Entertainment and Crunchyroll are building a dedicated anime space on the PS5 home screen, due in spring 2027 with no exact date yet, Gematsu reports. SIE CEO Hideaki Nishino announced it at the Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum, according to IGN. The hub will bring together anime, anime-inspired games and access to the Crunchyroll app.

Star Wars Zero Company: Bit Reactor brings some of its team back

Bit Reactor, the studio behind Star Wars Zero Company, has started bringing back staff it furloughed shortly before the game's launch. "This week, we started the process of returning more of our team back to work at Bit Reactor," CEO Greg Foertsch told Game File. The studio has not said how many people are returning.