Gaming News · Issue #48 · 24 September 2026

TL;DR

• ARC Raiders drops its Frozen Trail first look, a fall update so big the devs call it a soft relaunch before October 8.
• Xbox cuts 286 more jobs, hands Halo to Activision, and puts Ninja Theory at risk.

🎯 Extraction shooters

ARC Raiders Shows Off Frozen Trail, a Soft Relaunch Landing October 8

Embark Studios revealed the Frozen Trail update for its PvPvE extraction shooter ARC Raiders on September 23, and it launches October 8. It adds Pendola Pass, a map built around an old Italian village and a downed enemy vessel, plus two guns (the Stiletto rifle and Bantam revolver), an Amplified Weapons system that pushes 15 existing weapons to a fifth quality tier, a grappling hook, and tether tools for pinning enemies. The devs are calling it a version 2.0 moment after months of player decline.

Player impact: If you bounced off ARC Raiders, this is the reinstall checkpoint: a new map, grappling-hook movement, and a fresh weapon-upgrade grind. Plan a squad return for October 8 instead of jumping in cold now.

Sources: ARC Raiders · GamesRadar+

🔜 Coming soon

Anime Action RPG Silver Palace Preps a Third Beta as Pre-Registration Climbs

Elementa Games opened a global pre-registration milestone event for Silver Palace, its dark fairy-tale anime action RPG, on September 23. Reward tiers run from 15 million to 35 million sign-ups and include a new 4-star character. The studio also confirmed it is preparing a third closed beta while polishing combat and its Victorian art style. No global release date is confirmed, though storefront listings point to early 2027.

Player impact: Sign-ups are free and unlock launch rewards, so register now if the art style hooks you. The third beta is the next real chance to judge whether the combat holds up before release.

Sources: Simulation Daily · Gematsu

🆕 Just released

Dune: Awakening Hits PS5 and Xbox, and Lands Day-One on Game Pass

Dune: Awakening, Funcom's open-world survival game set on Arrakis, launched on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles on September 22 after debuting on PC earlier this year. The console version arrives day-one on Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Premium tiers. Players build bases, craft gear, cross the desert, and fight over spice in a persistent shared world that has held a steady PC base since launch.

Player impact: Console and Game Pass players can now try a survival MMO at no upfront cost if they already subscribe. Check crossplay and your server region before your squad commits to building a base together.

Sources: Pure Xbox · Pure Xbox

🆓 Free to try

Escape from Tarkov: Arena Is Free All Weekend With a New Season and Map

Battlestate Games is running a free weekend for Escape from Tarkov: Arena, the PvP arena spin-off of the hardcore extraction shooter, from September 24 to 27. It lands with Season 3, Morbus Imperium, which brings a new battle pass, The Lab tactical map, and a reworked BlastGang mode. You register on the official site and install the Battlestate launcher to play, and purchase discounts run through October 4.

Player impact: This is a no-cost way to test Tarkov's gunplay without the full extraction grind or the price tag. Play it before September 27, since the free window closes even though the discounts linger to October 4.

Sources: Escape from Tarkov: Arena

🖥️ Hardware

Nvidia's 617.14 Driver Preps GPUs for Gears of War: E-Day and Witcher 3 Remastered

Nvidia released Game Ready driver 617.14 WHQL on September 22. It optimizes GeForce cards for four upcoming games: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, Gears of War: E-Day, Control Resonant, and NCSoft's AION 2, several of which ship with path tracing and DLSS 4.5 features in late September and early October. WHQL means the driver passed Microsoft's certification lab.

Player impact: Update before you launch these games so you avoid the day-one stutter and crash reports that hit players on old drivers. If you are on a GeForce card and playing Gears: E-Day on Game Pass, grab this first.

Sources: KitGuru · VideoCardz

📦 Other

Xbox Cuts 286 Jobs, Moves Halo to Activision, and Puts Ninja Theory at Risk

Microsoft's Xbox division cut 286 roles on September 22 and reshuffled its studios. Activision now oversees Halo, Rare, and World's Edge, with a new team separate from Call of Duty building the next Halo. Bethesda absorbs Obsidian, King takes Microsoft's casual games, and Playground merges with Turn 10 on Forza and Fable. Hellblade studio Ninja Theory faces a proposed closure after two deals fell through. It is part of a plan to cut about 3,200 jobs through fiscal 2027.

Player impact: Fewer studios and staff usually means slower updates and more delays across Xbox's biggest franchises. Halo fans should brace for a longer wait, and anyone following Ninja Theory's games may see them shelved.

Sources: Pure Xbox · Gematsu

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