Showcase after showcase, February just continues to amp up the hype for all these new game reveals and updates coming in left and right. The second week of February welcomed the PlayStation State of Play, an hour-long showcase that definitely surprised many viewers with the announcement of a God of War Trilogy Remake as well as the Beast of Reincarnation launch coming in hot this August, among other explosive reveals.
In other news, multiplayer first-person shooter Overwatch is at the top of its game right now with its rebrand and revamp, attracting many players, old and new, back to its world, Marvel Rivals isn’t to be beat with the introduction of a new hero along with a new Season, and Pokémon is gearing up for Pokémon Pokopia’s release in March. Here’s a bit of what went down during the second week of February!
Gaming News At A Glance
PlayStation’s State of Play Reveals Several Explosive Titles
Overwatch Rebrand Brings In A New Wave Of Players
Marvel Rivals Introduces The Resident Evil Monster Hunter, Elsa Bloodstone
Arknights Welcomes BanG Dream! Ave Mujica As Operators
Stardew Valley Welcomes Two New Marriage Candidates in 1.7
Review Roundup: Feb 8th to 14th
Dragons, Ninjas, Heroes…and A Mountain Climber
Gaming News At A Glance: PlayStation State of Play, Overwatch’s Revival, Arknights x Ave Mujica
PlayStation’s State of Play Reveals Several Explosive Titles
The PlayStation State of Play was aired on February 12th, treating gamers around the world to an hour of exciting reveals and games to look forward to in 2026. Among the highlights is the announcement of a remake for the God of War Trilogy, the definitive release date of August 4 for Beast of Reincarnation, and the upcoming new titles for the long-standing Dead or Alive series in celebration of their 30th anniversary. There was also news about the upcoming yet still untitled John Wick game now set in development, and Marathon's March release date, with a Server Slam Preview going live ahead of launch.
Overwatch Rebrand Brings In A New Wave Of Players
Overwatch really said "new year, new me" with a surprise rebrand, dropping the number 2 from its name and moving forward with new content, new heroes, changes in gameplay mechanics and a new year-long, six-season narrative arc to share with players. Player count has surged to peak heights following its Spotlight Event and Season 1: Rise of Talon release.
Marvel Rivals Introduces The Resident Evil Monster Hunter, Elsa Bloodstone
Marvel Rivals’ mid-season 6.5 update is coming up, and it adds the gunslinging Duelist, Elsa Bloodstone, into the fray. As part of the legendary Bloodstone family, she darts in and out of battle with her hunting prowess to bring her team to victory. As an added bonus, she will also come with a unique team-up with the series’ resident prankster, Deadpool.
Just in time for the season of love and lunar blessings, the game will also launch several Valentine and Lunar New Year celebration events, such as a wedding car parade, a special dance by Iron fist, and a duo and squad-only tournament.
Arknights Welcomes BanG Dream! Ave Mujica As Operators
Arknights collaborates with multimedia music franchise BanG Dream! for its latest side story arc, Somniloquium Serenum. The crossover event is now live and will last until March 3rd, 2026. Ave Mujica members Sakiko Togawa, Umiri Yahata, Mutsumi Wakaba (pictured above), Uika Misumi, and Nyamu Yuutenji are now available as playable characters to be pulled on the limited Headhunting banner in the game.
While Ave Mujica has yet to appear in the BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! rhythm game despite having several partnerships already live and an anime (BanG Dream! Ave Mujica) to boot, at least it has made its mark on another franchise. For now, fans will still have the lovely Arknights-themed band members to look forward to.
Pokémon Pokopia Hypes Up For March Release With Onsite Demo
Ahead of its exclusive release on the Nintendo Switch 2, Pokémon Pokopia is adding up to the hype with an onsite demo for the game available only at the 2026 Pokémon European International Championships, as well as the reveal of its 20-40-hour long main story that continues even after the credits.
It’s looking to be a cozy type of game that centers on rebuilding the island alongside the partner Pokémon, fostering a sense of community through its builder-style experience, much like games like Animal Crossing. Veteran director Shigeru Ohmori said that he wanted to show a different side to Pokémon this time around, highlighting their unique personalities and traits.
Review Roundup: Feb 8th to 14th
Horror In My Month of Love? Yes, Please
Despite being the month of Valentines love, this week was somehow the week of horror, with REANIMAL, Crisol: Theater of Idols, and an early preview of FATAL FRAME 2: Crimson Butterfly REMAKE coming in with a chilling brand of ghouls and dolls and dread. For those feeling a little action-y, sci-fi hack-and-slash Romeo is a Dead Man might just be the one for you—or for sporty action, there’s Mario Tennis Fever. Over at Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties, it brings fans back to protagonist Kiryu’s life in Okinawa. For some cat-breeding (yes) roguelike tactical RPG madness, Mewgenics might just be your purrfect cup of tea.
⚫︎ Romeo is a Dead Man Review | Creativity Isn't Dead, Man
⚫︎ Crisol: Theater of Idols Review | Style Over Substance
⚫︎ Mewgenics Review | Nearing Purrrfection
⚫︎ REANIMAL Review | More Ruthless Than Any Little Nightmares
⚫︎ Mario Tennis Fever Review | Not an Ace We Were Hoping For
⚫︎ Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties Review | Like a Questionable Remake
⚫︎ FATAL FRAME 2: Crimson Butterfly Remake Review | Just As Haunting As It Was The First Time
Over at the Beta Test and Early Access titles, we got a preview of the highly-anticipated open world RPG Neverness to Everness (NTE) through its Co-Ex Test, as well as a "Wanderer Test" for pirate-themed action-adventure game Sea of Remnants. Simulator fans can also check out farming and life-simulator Starsand Island, or chill back as a car mechanic with Car Service Together.
⚫︎ Neverness to Everness Review [Beta Co-Ex Test] | Rolling the Dice on Something Special
⚫︎ Sea of Remnants Review [Wanderer Test] | Massive in More Ways Than One
⚫︎ Starsand Island Review [Early Access] | Gonna Be A Star One Day
⚫︎ Car Service Together Review [Early Access] | Gearing Up For Greatness
