Marathon Update Delayed to December | Gaming News #40
Active Matter launched on Steam and console today, and Arena Breakout: Infinite dropped zombie modes in the same window.
Gaming News · Issue #40 · 16 September 2026
TL;DR
- Active Matter launched on Steam and console today, and Arena Breakout: Infinite dropped zombie modes in the same window.
- Marvel's Wolverine arrived as Sony's lowest-scoring first-party game at 77, even as players rate it 4.8 out of 5.
- Game Pass and PS Plus grabbed RuneScape: Dragonwilds day one, and Epic gives away Shogun Showdown and Mindcop from September 17.
- Fallout 76 finally went native on PS5 and Xbox with 60fps, 4K, and VRR alongside its Slasher season.
🎯 Extraction shooters
Arena Breakout: Infinite Drops Zombie Modes Into Its Extraction Shooter in Season 7
Arena Breakout: Infinite, the free-to-play PC extraction shooter from Tencent's Morefun Studios, launched Season 7: Utopia on September 16. The season adds two zombie modes, Infected Zone and Zombie Endless, two top-tier weapons (the A545 and the AK-15SC), seasonal attachments, and a broad combat balance pass. It is a clear break from the game's usual grounded Tarkov-style raids, pushing a PvE horde mode into a title built around player-versus-player loot runs.
Player impact: There is a new free way to run raids this week, and the zombie modes give solo players a lower-stakes entry that does not risk their stash. The balance pass may shift which guns are worth kitting out.
🆕 Just released
Marvel's Wolverine Launches as Sony's Lowest-Scoring First-Party Game at 77
Marvel's Wolverine launched September 15 as a PS5 exclusive from Insomniac Games, the Spider-Man studio. It holds a 77 on Metacritic across 117 outlets, the lowest score for a Sony first-party release this generation, well under Spider-Man (87), Miles Morales (85), and Spider-Man 2 (90). The combat leans on Logan's claws, healing factor, and heavier brutality. Player reception runs hotter, with a 4.83 out of 5 rating on the PlayStation Store and over 92 percent five-star reviews.
Player impact: The critic and player gap is the story: a 77 that owners are treating like a hit. If you own a PS5, the question is whether the brutal combat carries a game reviewers found uneven.
Aniimo Launches Free-to-Play With 200 Creatures and a Merge Mechanic
Aniimo, a free-to-play open-world creature-catching RPG from FunPlus, launched September 16 on PC, PS5, and Xbox, with iOS and Android following September 23. It ships with more than 200 collectible creatures and a signature Twining mechanic that lets you merge with a creature to fight, move, and explore through its body. It supports solo play, four-player co-op, and PvP modes such as Egg Heist. Pre-order bonuses are cosmetic only.
Player impact: This is a free launch anyone can try today with no purchase, aimed straight at the Palworld and monster-catcher crowd. The Twining merge idea is the hook worth testing before you sink time into collecting.
🆓 Free to try
Epic Gives Away Shogun Showdown and Mindcop From September 17
The Epic Games Store's next free-to-keep pair is Shogun Showdown and Mindcop, claimable from September 17 to September 24 at 8:00 AM PT. Shogun Showdown is a turn-based tactical roguelite with deck-building from solo developer Roboatino, and Mindcop is a non-linear detective adventure from solo German developer Andre Gareis. The current giveaway, Astral Ascent and Luftrausers, stays free to claim until September 17, so both offers overlap for one day.
Player impact: Claim Astral Ascent and Luftrausers before September 17, then grab Shogun Showdown and Mindcop after. Free-to-keep means you own them for good, so the only cost is the click.
Sources: Game Rant · Notebookcheck
🕹️ Console specifics
Fallout 76 Goes Native on PS5 and Xbox With 60fps, 4K, and VRR
Fallout 76's Slasher update (Patch 70) arrived September 15 with the game's long-awaited native current-gen versions. It targets 60fps across current-gen consoles, with 4K on Xbox Series X and PS5 Pro, up to 1440p on the base PS5, and VRR (variable refresh rate, which syncs the display to the game's frame rate to reduce stutter) on compatible screens. The update also adds a new Slasher season and questline, fresh Atomic Shop items, and starts rotating older seasons back in alongside the current one.
Player impact: If you dropped Fallout 76 over its rough console performance, the native build with 60fps and VRR is the reason to reinstall. Returning players also get older season rewards back in the mix.
Sources: MP1st · Nuka Knights
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