Top Audiences Last Week + Grab... Rogue Waters free for a limited time!

Before I get started today, I have to give a few tips. One is... always double check your snacks before you buy them, you could end up with something you won't enjoy. Two is... grab your preferred snack + the snack you want to try, just incase the new snack stinks. I don't know why I got "Dee's Nuts" to snack on (hey... that's the real name... ya nasty!). Well... I do know. They were supposed to be good, but I regret the purchase. I thought they were going to be covered in sweet southern BBQ flavor like the package said (let me grab a tissue)... but noooo, there was some powder in the bag with some plain peanuts. What's that?! They weren't coated or anything, and the seasoning wasn't hittin' at all. They came in a bag that made them look great... (man) they got me. Enough venting, this is about you, so lets get to those shout outs and free games... shall we?

 🏆This Week’s Top 6 Articles 

Nitro Gen Omega Is the Mecha RPG Spaghetti Anime Fans Have Been Waiting For

FTS: ININ GAMES Announces Comprehensive Improvement Initiative for R-Type Dimensions III

Star Fox Is Finally Ready to Take Flight on Nintendo Switch 2 This June 25!

007 First Light Proves IO Interactive Was Always the Right Studio for James Bond

Top Audiences Last Week + Grab... Calico free for a limited time!

Williams Pinball Volume 10 Brought Fire, Food, and Carnival Chaos to Pinball FX!

 🌍 Top 10... Let's Go! 

Jujutsu Kaisen

1. US USA

2. GB United Kingdom

3. JP Japan

4. DE Germany

5. CH China

6. SG Singapore

7. CA Canada

8. HK Hong Kong

9. TH Thailand

10. FR France

Philippines, Australia, and the Netherlands... came close!

+ A Free Game!

            

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FTS: Where Winds Meet Available on XBOX and Game Pass Now! New "Hidden Mountain" Expansion and custom controller unveiled at XBOX Games Showcase

Where Winds Meet Officially Available on XBOX and Game Pass Now, Unveiling Massive New "Hidden Mountain" Expansion at XBOX Games Showcase

 

GUANGZHOU, China – (June 7, 2026) – Everstone Studio announced that its hit free-to-play Wuxia open-world ARPG, Where Winds Meet, is officially available right now on XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, and XBOX Cloud, joining the XBOX Game Pass library on day one. Having already amassed over 80 million players worldwide since its initial debut, the studio celebrated this major console milestone at today’s XBOX Games Showcase by unveiling its next massive update: a sneak peek at the upcoming third major expansion, "Hidden Mountain." 

Where Winds Meet XBOX Launch & “Hidden Mountain” Expansion Reveal Trailer:

Where Winds Meet is an epic open-world Wuxia ARPG that lets players forge their own legend in 10th-century China, battling with distinctive martial arts and unique weapons across a breathtaking, seamless landscape in rich solo, co-op, and PvP adventures.

 

The Horizon Expands: First Look at the "Hidden Mountain" Expansion
 

Fresh off the success of the "Hexi" and "Imperial Palace" expansions, the newly revealed "Hidden Mountain" expansion continues the mission to offer players a different gaming experience.
 

• The 3D Vertical landscape: This massive new region introduces a breathtaking, multi-layered landscape that further expands the open-world exploration, rewarding curious players with hidden surprises, deep secrets, and traversal challenges at every elevation.
   

The mysterious Mohist Sect: Perched high among these treacherous peaks lies the secretive Mohist Sect. The introduction of this legendary faction brings entirely new mysteries, advanced martial arts mechanics, unique gameplay loops, and major narrative twists to the ongoing Wuxia epic.

 

 

• New Hand Guard Discipline: This fast-paced martial art that players have long anticipated for delivers explosive close-quarters combat. Blending rapid pursuits with relentless counter-attacks when enemies slip up, it channels accumulated inner will into a single, devastating blow capable of shattering anything in its path.

 

Built Exclusively for the XBOX Living Room Experience 

To celebrate its console debut, Where Winds Meet boasts extensive hardware optimization for peak performance, alongside a custom controller collaboration and exclusive rewards for XBOX Game Pass members. Key highlights include:

Custom-designed Controller: An exclusive, custom-designed XBOX Wireless Controller, meticulously styled to capture one of the game's most emotionally resonant and iconic images, and reflect the elegant yet lethal aesthetics of the Wuxia universe.

 

 

• XBOX Optimization: Full Smart Delivery support with an overhauled UI and enlarged text scaling for couch-friendly readability. Features full HDR, AMD FSR 2 (4K upscale on Series X / 2K upscale on Series S), and deep memory optimizations for stable, fluid frame rates during high-speed exploration and intense sword clashes.
     

• Day One Game Pass Ultimate Perks: XBOX Game Pass members can claim a rich starter pack. Phase 1 starting from June 7 to July 23 (PT) featuring 450 Echo Jade, 90,000 Coins, and essential progression items like Attune Stones, Lingering Melodies and Pillow Pills.
  
  

The winds are calling. Grab your controller now, and we will see you in the Jianghu today!

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FTS: ININ GAMES Announces Comprehensive Improvement Initiative for R-Type Dimensions III

 

ININ GAMES Announces Comprehensive Improvement Initiative for R-Type Dimensions III

Community Feedback Drives New Development Roadmap, Expanded QA Process, and Physical Production Delay

Stuttgart, Germany - 2nd of June, 2026 – Since the digital launch of R-Type Dimensions III on May 19, the team at ININ Games has been closely monitoring player feedback across all channels. Whilst many players and media outlets have praised the game, we recognize that members of the dedicated R-Type community have raised important concerns regarding several aspects of the release. 

Today, we want to share the steps we are taking to address this feedback and ensure that R-Type Dimensions III delivers the experience that fans of this legendary series deserve.

 

Listening to the Community

Our goal has always been to create a collection that honors the legacy of R-Type and celebrates one of gaming’s most iconic shoot-'em-up franchises. We take that feedback seriously and accept responsibility for addressing it.

A Community-Guided Improvement Process 

Since release, our teams have carefully reviewed player reports, reviews, and discussions. Based on this feedback, we have identified several improvements and fixes that will be implemented in a series of upcoming patches.

The first update is currently planned for mid-June, with additional updates to follow at the beginning of July and mid-July. Rather than rushing out isolated fixes, our goal is to address the concerns raised by the community comprehensively.

To help us achieve this, the Steam version will serve as the primary platform for testing and validating improvements before they are rolled out more broadly. We are also inviting experienced members of the hardcore R-Type community to participate directly in the feedback and verification process. Their expertise and passion for the franchise will help us ensure that the changes we make truly address the issues being discussed.

In addition, we are reaching out to content creators and community voices who have provided critical feedback, with the goal of involving them in the process wherever possible. Constructive criticism is an important part of making the game better, and we welcome the opportunity to work together.

Expanded Internal and External Quality Assurance

To strengthen our validation process moving forward, we are conducting a renewed round of internal and external quality assurance. This effort will involve additional testers from multiple regions, including Japan, and experienced community members, to ensure that improvements are thoroughly evaluated before release.

Our objective is simple: every change should be verified not only by our own teams, but also by players who know these games inside and out.

Physical Production Postponed Until Improvements Are Complete

Following discussions with the community, we have also reviewed the production schedule for the physical editions of R-Type Dimensions III.

We can confirm that physical production will not begin until the identified issues have been addressed to our satisfaction. We believe this is the right decision for players and collectors alike, and it reflects our commitment to delivering the best possible version of the game on cartridge and disc.

We know how important physical preservation is to the R-Type community, and we want the physical release to represent the strongest version of the game available. Given the considerable effort invested in bringing the title to physical formats (including the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 cartridge release) we believe taking additional time now is the best path forward for everyone involved.

Our Commitment to the R-Type Legacy

R-Type remains one of the most important and respected shoot-'em-up franchises in gaming history. We understand the responsibility that comes with bringing this series to both longtime fans and new players.

The passion shown by the community over the past weeks demonstrates just how much R-Type means to so many people around the world. We have heard that passion clearly.

We are committed to earning back the confidence of players through action, transparency, and continued improvements. The work is already underway, and we will continue communicating our progress as updates become available. 

We appreciate the feedback, the criticism, and the patience shown by the community. Our teams remain fully dedicated to ensuring that R-Type Dimensions III ultimately stands as a release worthy of the franchise's legacy.

Further updates will be shared on the news section of ININGAMES.COM as development progresses.

 Reader's Rest Assured  We also provided feedback to the Tozai Games and ININ Games team. That feedback includes our thoughts as well as... yours! Their desire to listen and update R-Type Dimensions III with the right improvements in mind... is one of the reasons why we do what we do, and I can't wait to see how things turn out. On that note, stay tuned and... game on!

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007 First Light Proves IO Interactive Was Always the Right Studio for James Bond

Some partnerships just make sense.

You don't have to see the final product to know when the ingredients are right. Sometimes you can look at the people behind a project, study their history, understand their passions, and confidently say, "Yeah, they're going to rock this."

That's exactly how I felt when IO Interactive was announced as the developer behind 007 First Light (when it was just a 007 project).

Long before the name and gameplay reveal. Long before the trailers. Long before anyone knew exactly what kind of James Bond experience we were getting.

I knew Bond was in good hands. Not because IO Interactive had made a Bond game before... and not because they had experience with licensed properties.

Because they spent decades proving they understood spycraft better than almost anyone in gaming.

Before we go any further, let's jump into 30 minutes of the initial mission. If you choose to watch the rest of the mission, the option is there... but we leave it at that so you can enjoy the adventure first hand.

 The Hitman Connection 

If you really want to understand why IO Interactive was the perfect studio for James Bond, you have to stop looking at 007 First Light and start looking at Hitman.

For years, IO Interactive has treated espionage like an art form. Agent 47 doesn't have the charisma of Bond, but... plenty of the targets from the franchise have pizzazz.

The Hitman series wasn't simply about eliminating targets. It was about planning. Observation. Adaptation. Infiltration. Reading a room. Manipulating situations. Becoming someone else. Finding creative solutions when things inevitably go sideways.

Those are the exact ingredients that have made James Bond one of the most iconic characters in entertainment history. And I do enjoy a good spycraft film, especially when it's well rounded.

Beyond Bond's smirk and Agent 47's cold stare, the DNA is remarkably compatible.

What separates IO Interactive from many other developers is that they genuinely love the fantasy of being a spy. Not just the action movie version. The strategic version.

The thinking version.

The version where intelligence is just as important as firepower, that's why I believed in this project from day one.

Their passion for spycraft is nearly unmatched in gaming. Outside of the writers and creators behind major spy franchises like 007 and Mission: Impossible, it's a limited amount of teams who have spent as much time exploring the mechanics and psychology of espionage. Hideo Kojima is definitely a... Big Boss in the espionage area, and Splinter Cell gets a shout out, but... when it comes to a Bond game... IO Interactive is the best match in my opinion.

But yeah... this wasn't a studio taking a paycheck from what I see. This was a studio getting the keys to a dream project... and I say that because James Bond was the primary inspiration behind the Hitman series. I can just about imagine what their reactions were when this opportunity first presented itself.

 The Bond Game I Was Hoping For 

The funny thing is that I had absolutely no idea what 007 First Light was going to look like.

Would it lean heavily into stealth?

Would it become an action shooter like the legendary 007 Golden Eye game?

Would it focus on gadgets?

Would it try to emulate the films?

Nobody knew. But after finally getting my hands on it, my reaction was pretty simple:

This is badass with the right tools for the adventure.

The game feels confident in its identity... because it already had one to call it's on. It doesn't feel like it's desperately chasing trends or trying to imitate whatever is popular this month. It feels like a studio that knew exactly what kind of experience it wanted to build. It feels like Bond without being the 007 we know today... but that's part of the journey.

 The Combat Makes You Think 

One of the biggest surprises for me was how much I enjoyed the combat, I didn't feel like I was going from one situation to the next with the same moves.

Different button combinations create different outcomes, forcing you to think about how you're engaging enemies rather than mindlessly cycling through the same routine over and over again. For those concerned with getting your can kicked... don't sleep on the easier mode if you need it or just want to get your spy fix with a lower chance of catching L's.

The choice is yours. Either way... if you're willing to meet the game halfway, the combat becomes significantly more rewarding. I have to get better with grabbing and shoving enemies in the direction of others, executing the takedowns, and parrying in time. During training, you will definitely get a feel for hand-to-hand combat, driving, and shooting. Its not one specific thing more than another... unless we're talking about agility, and I like the way training is presented here because it gets you on-board in glorious fashion. Its not stale in the least.

 Don't Ignore the Haptics + Audio 

By the way, can we talk about the haptic feedback for a minute? And this isn't to crap on anyone else, but I don't come across as many games as I'd like that truly deliver on the haptic feedback well. 007 First Light gets two thumbs up for the haptics... because its a legitimate enhancement to immersion.

You feel more connected to what's happening on-screen. Actions have weight. Interactions have texture. Combat gains an additional layer of physical feedback that helps sell the fantasy.

It's one of those features that works best when developers understand restraint and purpose (aka... they understood the assignment).

And while we're handing out compliments, the audio team deserves some recognition too.

If you're planning to play 007 First Light, do yourself a favor. If you have access to a quality surround sound setup... use it. If not, throw on a good pair of hi-fi headphones. This further cranks up the value you'll get from the experience.

The environmental audio, effects, and overall presentation help pull you deeper into the experience. Combined with the haptics, it creates a package that feels complete... and when you're on missions you need to know who's lurking around.

If you're already investing your time into becoming James Bond, you might as well let the experience fire on all cylinders... and get your money's worth out of this $69.99 game!

 Two Thumbs Up(dated) 

Overall, 007 First Light isn't just a Bond game. It feels like it was made by people who genuinely understand why Bond works. That's a much harder achievement than just stringing missions together with some cutscenes in between the action.

Understanding the balance between intelligence, strategy, action, and style is an entirely different challenge.

IO Interactive spent years developing those skills through the Hitman franchise, and now we're seeing the payoff through the character that started them down the path to Hitman. I also respect that this game doesn't feel like a skin of a Hitman game. I greatly appreciate that, not because its bad but... that would've been a cheap move. 

There are complaints out there about this version of Bond... but no one is going to just become 007 out of the gate. We talk to various gamers, and I'll just say that someone visiting Orlando wasn't aware that this was Bond's first mission... they were just annoyed because someone else was annoyed.

We don't know what's to come as things continue to take shape, so on that note I'd say... relax and enjoy the backstory of why he's the best of the best today. The argument got squashed when I mentioned the 2013 relaunch of the Tomb Raider franchise. Lara Croft wasn't the bold gun wielding archaeologist from the jump, we were able to enjoy the journey that built her into a household name.

In regards to launch bugs, IO Interactive is fully aware of them and is on the move. They rolled out an update 1.008 already with the 1.0.1 patch. This resolves a number of issues like narrative crashes, AI triggers, NPC pathing, etc. If you have any to report, submit them accordingly.

IO Interactive saw an opportunity to build the James Bond game they were born to make, and the mission was... successful in my opinion. You can grab the game on Epic Games, PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch 2, and Steam!

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