Key Note Gaming

Big Kingdom Hearts news here at D23, with a new trailer for Kingdom Hearts 4 , a late 2027 release window, and — surprise! — a Disney+ anime series. The new trailer shows the addition of Pixar's Coco. Also at D23, Disney set a November 2029 release for Coco 2. As for the Kingdom Hearts Disney+ anime, it's developed with creator Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix, and reimagines the video game franchise with a brand-new story "that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world." “Kingdom Hearts has captivated gamers everywhere with its unique blend of adventure and imagination,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Kids & Family. “There’s something really exciting about taking a world fans have spent years exploring through the games and bringing it to life in a completely new way. And with a creative team that is working closely with the legendary Tetsuya Nomura, our new s...

The Simpsons: Hit & Run "is coming back in some form," according to series creator Matt Groening. Yes, at least as far as the mind behind Springfield and the Simpson family is concerned, Vivendi Games and Radical Entertainment's classic 2000s video game spinoff will finally soon let players get behind the wheel again. He shared his comments during a The Simpsons panel at Disney fan event D23 2026, but it sounds like, maybe, he should have pumped the brakes when it came to any announcements for The Simpsons: Hit & Run. "I think the original game is coming back in some form," Groening said (via Empire ). Just as Groening let it slip that the Grand Theft Auto-inspired game was coming back, current series showrunner Matt Selman stepped in, saying, "…or not." Whoops. So, is this a premature announcement, or does Groening have it all wrong? It's difficult to say for now, but when the creator of the franchise the game is based on says The Simpson...

We now have our hands on the Nintendo Switch 2 , a new console from one of the biggest names in gaming. Alas, a new console is only as valuable as the library of games you can build on it. Thankfully, Nintendo hasn't been shy about planned releases over the next year. In the second half of 2026, we'll be getting our hands on a mix of Switch 2 exclusives, third-party releases, and the benefit of backward compatibility with any games still launching on the original Switch. Without further ado, here are all of the new Switch 2 games we can look forward to in 2026 and beyond. All Upcoming Switch 2 Games With Release Dates * indicates a Switch 2 exclusive Captain Tsubasa 2: World Fighters (August 27, 2026) Now this is soccer. Or football. Whatever you want to call it, this game lets you pick from 22 national teams with over 110 playable characters to play it. The Captain Tsubasa sequel will include a singleplayer mode following the rise of the ‘king of sports anime’ (with tons of cu...

Magic: The Gathering waits for no player, and its packed 2026 release schedule means I'm still catching my breath after Marvel Super Heroes . Now, we're heading back to Middle-earth for another Universes Beyond set, although this one is doing something a little different. Not only does The Hobbit mark a return to Middle-earth following 2023's hugely popular The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, it also brings Magic back to a more traditional fantasy setting. And if you're looking to pick up some packs, Amazon has discounted The Hobbit Booster Boxes on launch day. Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond Booster Boxes typically cost $209.70 for 30 packs, and The Hobbit has been particularly difficult to find at that price in the run-up to launch. That's effectively $6.99 per pack, but this deal brings the box down to $189.99, or around $6.33 per pack. You also get a foil box topper featuring a reprint from The Lord of the Rings set, complete with special bord...

Xbox's separation from Compulsion Games – one of four studios it spun out independently during the recent Xbox " reset " amidst thousands of layoffs – appears to be complete, as the developer itself is now listed as the publisher of 2025's award-winning South of Midnight on Steam instead of Xbox Game Studios. The change was first pointed out by indie developer Michael Klamerus on Bluesky . (Hat tip to IGN Discord member Tommy for flagging it to us.) Interestingly, Xbox Game Studios is still listed as the publisher of Double Fine's Psychonauts 2 on Steam despite the San Francisco game developer also becoming independent after Xbox's recent sweeping changes. The same is also currently true for Undead Labs' State of Decay 3 and Ninja Theory's Senua , though both of those studios were acquired by other publishers who have yet to be revealed. It's been a rough year for both Xbox employees and Xbox fans – including most recently tepid early sales num...

Netflix is shuttering its Los Angeles-based game studio Night School, best known for side-scrolling psychological thrillers Oxenfree and Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals. The streamer is also shutting down Moonloot, its game studio based in Helsinki, Finland, which has not yet released any titles but was developing an unannounced life-sim project. Speaking with GameFile , a Netflix spokesperson confirmed the company still intends to release games on its platform, saying this latest move was an effort to streamline these efforts. “We see an opportunity to be more focused in our execution, so we are making organizational changes to the business to match those priorities,” the spokesperson said. “We are incredibly grateful to the talented colleagues we’re saying goodbye to today. We thank them for all their contributions to Netflix, and wish them the best. Games continue to be an opportunity for us to expand the variety of entertainment we offer Netflix members.” This news comes just after Night...