This week has a bit of everything: big RPG dates, a chunky Xbox quality-of-life update, PlayStation Plus looking rather tasty, Diablo getting very dramatic, and a new James Bond game that might actually understand why IO Interactive was the perfect studio for the job.

1. Xbox gets more personal, more practical, and better for handheld players

Xbox rolled out its April update, and honestly, this is the sort of update I like: not flashy for the sake of it, just full of useful little things you will probably notice every time you turn the console on.

You can now pin up to ten groups on Home, create custom console colours, disable Quick Resume per game, and use a proper Play History tab. PC players also get a handy “manually add a game or app” feature in the Xbox app, which should make handheld libraries much less messy. Add in Gamepad Cursor and wishlist alerts on mobile, and this feels like Xbox quietly making the whole ecosystem nicer to live in.

2. PlayStation Plus May games are looking very strong

PlayStation announced May’s Monthly Games lineup, and there is a nice spread here: EA Sports FC 26, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and Nine Sols, all available from May 5.

That is a good little trio. FC covers the crowd who just want one more match, Wuchang brings the big Soulslike energy, and Nine Sols is one of those games that keeps getting mentioned by people who really care about sharp 2D combat. Not a bad month at all.

3. Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred is here, and Mephisto is making a proper entrance

Blizzard’s latest Diablo IV expansion, Lord of Hatred, began rolling out this week, bringing the fight to Mephisto in Skovos with new campaign content, new classes, a loot filter, skill updates, Twitch drops, and a suitably heavy metal launch vibe.

Diablo is always at its best when it goes all-in on grand, ridiculous darkness, and this looks like exactly that. Two new classes in one expansion is also a proper treat, especially for players who have been waiting for something fresh to drag through Sanctuary’s latest nightmare.

4. Neverness to Everness has launched globally

Hotta Studio’s supernatural open-world RPG Neverness to Everness launched worldwide on April 29 for PC, Android, iOS, Mac, and PS5, with full cross-platform support.

The pitch is immediately fun: a neon city full of anomalies, an antique shop taking paranormal commissions, stylish companions, urban mysteries, and enough open-world life-sim bits to make it feel like a game that wants you to hang around rather than sprint through it. The PS5 listing also confirms it is free-to-play, which makes this an easy one to try if you are curious.

5. 007: First Light sounds exactly like the Bond game we hoped IO would make

PlayStation posted a hands-on preview of 007: First Light, and the big takeaway is very simple: IO Interactive appears to understand the assignment.

This is not just “Hitman with a tuxedo,” though that would not be the worst thing in the world. The preview describes stealth, gadgets, disguises, hand-to-hand combat, Q tools, and social improvisation all working together. That is exactly where Bond should live: a little sneaky, a little stylish, and occasionally smashing someone through the nearest piece of furniture when subtlety has failed.

6. Remedy revealed how New Game Plus works in Control Resonant

Remedy shared the first details on Control Resonant’s New Game Plus, and it sounds like the second run is being treated as more than just “play it again with bigger numbers.”

Players will carry over upgrades, combat abilities, talents, and artifacts, while traversal abilities stay tied to story progression. New Game Plus also opens up extra build flexibility, new talent nodes, a fourth artifact slot, and tougher encounters. That is exactly the right approach for a Remedy game: give players more toys, then make the world strange enough to deserve them.

7. The Blood of Dawnwalker locks in September 3

Rebel Wolves’ vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker now has a September 3 release date, and the latest deep dive makes it sound like one to keep an eye on.

The big hook is time. Coen has 30 days and nights to save his family, and major actions push time forward. That sounds stressful on paper, but the developers say the system is designed to create urgency without punishing players for exploring. I like that. RPGs are at their best when choices feel meaningful without turning the whole thing into homework, and this could be a very clever way to make every quest feel personal.

That is it for this week. A very good few days for RPG fans, PlayStation subscribers, Xbox players who like tidy libraries, and anyone who has been quietly hoping the next great Bond game was finally on the way.

Xbox had a big week thanks to Forza Horizon 6 launching on May 19, and honestly, Japan still feels like the dream setting for this series.

The new Horizon map leans into Tokyo streets, mountain roads, temples, cherry blossoms, snowy routes, and over 550 cars. Xbox also published a nice behind-the-scenes look at how Playground Games recreated Japanese landmarks, including how the team handled cultural detail and tourist-style exploration through the new Journal system.

My opinion: this is exactly where Forza Horizon should be right now. The series is at its best when the map feels like a vacation you can drift through, and Japan gives it the perfect excuse to be beautiful, fast, and a little bit dramatic.

2. Game Pass is having a stacked second half of May

Alongside Forza, Xbox confirmed the next Game Pass wave, and there is a lot in here Remnant II, Luna Abyss, Escape Simulator, Echo Generation 2, Final Fantasy VI, Jurassic World Evolution 3, and more are either landing now or very soon.

The best bit is the variety. You can race around Japan, jump into co-op shooting, solve escape rooms, revisit a classic Final Fantasy, or build dinosaur parks. That is the kind of subscription month that makes Game Pass feel like a proper buffet instead of just a backlog trap.

Luna Abyss is the one I’d keep an eye on. First-person action, platforming, bullet-hell combat, and cosmic horror sounds like a very specific mix, but when that kind of thing works, it really works.

3. Yoshi and the Mysterious Book is here, and it looks delightful

The game sends Yoshi into the pages of a magical book, with quirky creatures, colorful worlds, and that softer Nintendo energy that makes a game easy to recommend to basically anyone. It may not be the loudest release of the month, but sometimes that is exactly what makes a game stand out.

My take: I like when Nintendo lets Yoshi be strange and gentle. Not every platformer needs to be a huge mechanical flex. Sometimes you just want a pretty little adventure that makes you smile and gives you a reason to explore every corner.

4. LEGO Batman returns with co-op, suits, Batmobiles, and deep-cut fan service

LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight launches May 22, with Deluxe Edition early access already live. LEGO’s press release says the game includes 100 outfits, a packed Batcave, local two-player co-op, multiple difficulty options, and a September DLC update with Joker and Harley Quinn content.

That sounds like a very confident LEGO game. The older LEGO Batman games already had a lot of personality, but this one seems to be leaning harder into the full history of Batman, from suits to vehicles to references.

I’m always happy when LEGO games remember that they work best as playful tribute acts. Give fans the jokes, give them the unlockables, give them a couch co-op option, and let the chaos happen.

5. 007 First Light is almost ready for mission start

IO Interactive’s Bond game is nearly here. The official PlayStation page list 007 First Light for release on May 27, 2026, with pre-order bonuses and 24-hour early access for the Deluxe Edition.

This one still has my attention because IO Interactive is such a good match for Bond. Hitman already proved the studio knows stealth, disguises, gadgets, elegant locations, and player choice. If 007 First Light can mix that with blockbuster action without losing the cleverness, this could be the most interesting Bond game in a very long time.

Also, the cast list is surprisingly fun, with Patrick Gibson as Bond, Gemma Chan, Lennie James, and Lenny Kravitz all involved. That is not a bad way to make the project feel bigger than just “Hitman but spy.”

6. PlayStation is bringing back State of Play in June

Sony confirmed that State of Play returns on June 2, and this one sounds bigger than the usual quick update show. It is planned for over an hour and will include a closer look at Marvel’s Wolverine.

That alone makes it worth watching. Wolverine has been one of those games people have been waiting to properly see for a long time, and Insomniac usually knows how to make superhero games feel fast, readable, and stylish.

Even better, Sony is doing some theater watch parties in the US through Alamo Drafthouse. That is a fun touch. More game showcases should feel like events instead of just another stream you half-watch with one eye on chat.

7. PlayStation Plus May is a strong catalog month

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium got a nice May lineup, with Star Wars Outlaws, Red Dead Redemption 2, Bramble: The Mountain King, The Thaumaturge, Time Crisis, and more available from May 19.

This is a strong “try something you missed” month. Star Wars Outlaws is the obvious headline if you skipped it at launch, while Red Dead Redemption 2 returning is always a win because, well, it is Red Dead Redemption 2. Bramble and The Thaumaturge also make the list feel less predictable, which I appreciate.

If you have Extra or Premium and somehow still have not played Red Dead Redemption 2, now is probably the time. Clear some space in your life first though. That game does not do “quick weekend project.”

8. Warhammer Skulls brought new reveals and demos

Warhammer fans had their own showcase this week, with the 10th anniversary Warhammer Skulls festival going live on May 21. The event brought sales, updates, demos, and new game announcements.

The big reveals included Warhammer 40K: Chaos Gate - Deathwatch and Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster, plus demos for Warhammer Survivors and Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2.

I like that Warhammer games are not all trying to be the same thing. Tactical RPGs, action platformers, retro shooters, survivor-likes, strategy games - the universe is big enough to support all of it, and Skulls is a good reminder that the franchise is in a healthy place.

Final thoughts

This was one of those weeks where the industry felt busy in a good way. We got major releases, cozy exclusives, subscription wins, showcase dates, and some nice fan-service-heavy announcements.

The biggest story is probably Forza Horizon 6, just because a new Forza Horizon set in Japan is the kind of thing people have wanted for years. But personally, I like the overall spread this week. There is something for racing fans, Nintendo fans, PlayStation fans, LEGO fans, Warhammer fans, and anyone who just wants a good excuse to play something different.

That is a pretty good week.