Key Note Gaming

Activision is investigating issues revolving around mods and hackers in Call of Duty: Black Ops on PS4 and PS5. Last week, Activision dropped ports of Black Ops 1 and 2 on PS4 and PS5 . Although they don't feature any significant improvements or upgrades , fans were extremely happy to see these games accessible on PlayStation. However, the fun was spoiled pretty quickly. Earlier this week, modders and exploiters began compromising lobbies in the Black Ops 1 port , leading to some players calling the game "unplayable." These lobbies allow you to rank up rapidly and basically make the entire progression system irrelevant. Activision took action pretty quickly and removed certain playlists to address the matter; however, concerns remain. YouTuber Tdawgsmitty interviewed one of the game's modders to try and figure out what's happening. As it turns out, the issue is partially rooted in the fact that the game has exploits left over from the PS3 version. "Essentia...

A brand new Halo multiplayer game has been scrapped, according to sources. A popular Halo YouTuber known as Rebs Gaming has reported that a new multiplayer project set in the beloved sci-fi universe was recently cancelled. This report was also backed up by Windows Central's Jez Corden , who stated that the news was "100% true." The new game was codenamed 'Ekur,' and was being worked on by Certain Affinity, a studio that has done a lot of support work on previous Halo and Call of Duty titles. The game's origins began in a totally different project known as 'Tatanka,' which was a battle royale-esque Halo game. However, that was scrapped in favor of Ekur, which was described as a "super big team battle idea," pulling from Halo's history of large-scale multiplayer modes. Halo 5's Warzone mode was seen as a source of inspiration, as well, and the team also toyed with an extraction mode. The project would've used the map that was buil...

Magic: The Gathering had some great sets in 2025 (we see you, Edge of Eternities), but it also became clear some of the fanbase is suffering from, uh, 'non-franchise fatigue'. As crossovers became more prevalent, many felt it just wasn't the same game anymore. That’s not to say Universes Beyond was a total bust. Final Fantasy brought in record-breaking numbers of players , and Avatar: The Last Airbender was a return to some semblance of form after the disappointment of Spider-Man. Still, cardboard waits for no Planeswalker, and there are more sets in 2026 - seven, in total. That’s before we even get into the myriad of Secret Lair drops , and perhaps most worryingly, four of those sets are Universes Beyond. Will they end up being closer to Final Fantasy or Spider-Man? And will the in-universe sets live up to the high bar set by Tarkir: Dragonstorm or Edge of Eternities? Here’s everything coming to Magic: The Gathering in 2026. 2026’s Magic Sets - At a Glance Llorwyn Eclips...

Techland has canceled the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One version of Dying Light: The Beast , blaming the decision on “the technical realities of development.” First-person zombie-slaying Dying Light: The Beast launched on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S last year. IGN’s review returned a 7/10. We said: “Dying Light: The Beast is a goofy, bloody sequel with a monstrous twist, but doesn’t do much else to mix things up.” Techland had intended to release the game on the last generation of consoles, although that always felt like a stretch. So it has proven. In a statement published online , Techland said the compromises it would have had to make to get Dying Light: The Beast on PS4 and Xbox One were too great, and it would now offer refunds. It’s worth noting that both the PS4 and Xbox One are now 13 years old. Here’s the statement in full: After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision that Dying Light: The Beast will no longer be released on PlayStation 4 and Xb...

Ubisoft Barcelona developers who contributed to Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced have spoken out about the company's plans to lay them off — just as their final project becomes a commercial success, selling 2 million copies in around 24 hours. Layoffs at Ubisoft Barcelona were announced last month as part of a wider wave of job losses across the firm. 380 staff are being let go in this latest downsizing, spread across offices in Winnipeg and Belgrade (which will close completely), in Barcelona, and in the company's global publishing division. Ubisoft Barcelona has a history of supporting projects typically led by other, larger Ubisoft studios, such as games in the Rabbids series and Star Trek: Bridge Crew. For Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, the team worked on the game's diving side-missions — a secondary activity that a separate team also worked on in the original Black Flag. "Ubisoft Barcelona did all the underwater levels," wrote Manel Cota,...

It might only be July, but Hallmark is already revealing its first wave of 2026 Keepsake Ornaments. The star of this year’s gaming-themed collection is an impressively accurate recreation of the original PlayStation, complete with light effects and the console’s iconic start-up sounds. The ornament, which is the first time Hallmark has ‘adapted’ a PlayStation console , is now available for purchase exclusively from Hallmark with a retail price of $28.99. Hallmark Debuts PlayStation Keepsake Ornament in 2026 Collection For a decoration that only measures four inches wide, Hallmark's take on the PlayStation packs in the details. Artist Orville Wilson managed to squeeze in pretty much every divet and button you'd find on the actual console, including the trio of Power, Reset, and Open buttons. Given recent news about the digital-only future of PlayStation games , it almost brings a tear to my eye to see that 'Open' button accompanied by a beautiful disc drive. A detailed...

A fresh LEGO leak has revealed a $200 Donkey Kong Arcade Cabinet, reportedly due for release next month. An image posted to the r/Legoleak reddit shows the detailed arcade machine set, complete with Donkey Kong, Jumpman (AKA Mario) and a captive Princess Peach, all in their familiar positions. Several buttons and an arcade stick are present at the base of the machine, while its top is decorated with red "DONKEY KONG" letters. The set is listed as being for ages 18+ and containing 1,367 pieces, with an expected launch date of August 1. Mario: 72051 Donkey Kong Arcade Set Image (via u/Gupytex) by u/CarterBricks04 in Legoleak While further images of the set are yet to surface, it does look like the creation will feature some form of interactivity — perhaps similar to the retro Super Mario NES set that allowed you to turn a crank and scroll through a classic Mario Bros. level. You could imagine dials or buttons here being used to make Jumpman, well, jump, or move barrels alo...