Gamereactor UK

Patton Oswalt would love to make a Ratatouille 2 provided it isn't "just a money grab"

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 12:32:00 +0200

As Pixar has been very open to making sequels to some of its most beloved and popular projects as of late, with Toy Story 5 opening this week, The Incredibles 3 and Coco 2 in the works, and Inside Out 2 recently taking over the box office, one has to wonder about whether we'll ever get to return to the streets of Paris for a Ratatouille follow-up.

Speaking about this very situation in an interview with The Daily Beast, Patton Oswalt, who is known as the voice of Remy the Rat in the animated film, mentioned that he'd love to make a Ratatouille 2, but only if it wasn't a cash grab.

"Obviously, I'd love if there was a 'Ratatouille' sequel... if [director Brad Bird] gets an idea, that's the one I wanna do. I don't wanna be the guy going, 'Hey, what if Remy did this?' I want it to be one of those ideas that happens that you cannot get away from. I don't want it to come from us going, 'All right, let's get out the legal pads and let's break down a sequel.'

"There are a lot of movies where that's how they're done, and it always feels inorganic. I want the sequel to be not the same type of movie, but that same energy that 'Terminator 2' or 'Aliens' had, which is, there's an expansion of the story that we that we actually need to tell... This isn't just a money grab. And yes, by the way, we love the money, and we're gonna grab it, but we're gonna get the money by telling an amazing story with whole new dimensions that we didn't even know beforehand."

Ratatouille debuted in 2007 and is one of a handful of flicks from the animation studio that hasn't received a sequel. In fact, aside from A Bug's Life, it's Pixar's oldest film without a follow-up, even if Wall-E and Up fall into a similar category with their premieres being a year and two years, respectively, afterwards.

Would you watch a Ratatouille sequel?

MotoGP leader Marco Bezzecchi apologises to marshal in tears after aggression that led to disqualification

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:33:58 +0200

Marco Bezzecchi has issued an apology to "the entire MotoGP community" for his behaviour toward a trackside marshal, including his team, Aprilia Racing, who will not continue with their appeal, and his fans. "I'm also sorry because I know how much effort and sacrifice marshal make to ensure our safety".

And of course, to the marshal himself, as recorded by MotoGP cameras on Sunday: the Italian rider shook hands with the marshal, embraced him, gave him some gifts (his gloves), the embraced him again and then shook hands with the rest of the marshal.

https://x.com/MotoGP/status/2068600813316894987

What happened between Marco Bezzecchi and the marshal?

In the sprint race on Saturday at the Czech GP, Bezzecchi fell to the ground when he was fifth (making it the fourth time he crashes during sprint races). When he went running back to his bike, it was surrounded by marshals trying to lift the bike. In the rush to return to the race, he pushed a marshal away in the face.

Moments after, when the marshal talked to him Bezzecchi, the Italian slapped him in the face. The images leave no room for interpretation.

https://x.com/bikesontnt/status/2068393552086810856

Bezzecchi was subsequently disqualified for the Czech Grand Prix on Sunday. Aprilia tried to appeal the decision, but it was rejected. Aprilia later accepted the sanction and abandoned his appeal. "We appealed yesterday because we felt the penalty was disproportionate to the action committed, but from now on, it is fair and we accept it", Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola told DAZN. "As a team, we do not tolerate this type of behavior from the rider."

Curaçao earns first World Cup point and goalkeeper makes record-breaking 15 saves against Ecuador

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:06:12 +0200

Curaçao, the smallest country in World Cup history, has achieved its first ever point in World Cup, after a 0-0 draw to Ecuador that could have ended much differently had it not been for one man: Eloy Room. The 37-year-old goalkeeper, oldest player in the squad, made 15 saves against Ecuador to keep the clean sheet and give his country their first ever World Cup point.

In fact, Room made a record-breaking performance: 15 saves is the most ever recorded by a goalkeeper during a single, 90-minute World Cup match. The previous record for a World Cup match was set by Tim Howard: 16 saves according to FIFA (15 according to Opta) for United States against Belgium in World Cup 2014 round of 16 match against Belgium that went to extra time. Eventually, Howard conceded 2 goals in extra time, but he still earned immense praise and even a call from Barack Obama, calling him "Secretary of Defense".

Jokingly, Room said that he needs "a statue in Curaçao" and that Tim Howard "was sweating at home looking at the game".

https://x.com/BBCMOTD/status/2068544966322737434

Room, born in the Netherlands , spent most of his career at the Eredivisie, mainly at Vitesse and PSV, and then joined the MLS in 2019, winning the MLS Cup in 2020 with Columbus Crew. He currently plays for Miami FC in the USL Championship, second tier in North America. Internationally, he once represented Netherlands U-21, but joined the Curaçao national team in 2015, where his father was born.

Curaçao remain fourth at Group E, and could qualify for the next round as group runner-ups if they beat Ivory Coast on Thursday and hope that Germany beats Ecuador.

We congratulate Sonic the Hedgehog on his 35th anniversary

gr@gamereactor.eu (GR Staff) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0200

The screen that couldn't keep up in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 - Jonas Mäki

There are many truly epic moments in Sonic the Hedgehog 2 that I consider almost sacred memories, but I'm going to rewind the tape almost all the way to the beginning, because even though Sonic the Hedgehog was magical and unbelievable, Sega hadn't quite nailed the gameplay yet, and Sonic's speed was often limited to rolling through short corridors. But when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was released in 1992, I was completely blown away. Suddenly there were long, winding paths, and Sonic himself could accelerate by transforming into a ball and building up speed.

Running through Green Hill Zone was epic, but it was on the following stage, Chemical Plant Zone, that my love for the hedgehog really took off. It was faster than anything I—or anyone else—had ever seen before. Sonic truly tore through the level at lightning speed, and in a couple of spots, he could reach such incredible speeds that you could tell the screen could barely keep up. The adrenaline rush was total, and my era as a Nintendo fanboy was over. From then on, I had a place for both Sega and Nintendo in my gamer heart.

Movie hero instead of Mega Drive hero - Fredrik Malmquist

As a Nintendo enthusiast, I've never owned a single Sonic game, yet I understood the character's greatness through friends in my circle in the 90s and beyond. My family's first console was the Super Nintendo, and my siblings and I went wild over Super Mario World. A friend of mine and my brothers kept raving about and playing Sonic on his Genesis. Sure, I got to try it sometimes, but I was mostly just a spectator.

Fast forward to 2022, when Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was set to hit theaters. My oldest son was five, and I let him watch the first movie at home on TV, then we went to see the sequel together in the cinema. They say the most important things in life are the ones we do with our kids. My youngest son has since joined in on the fun and came along to see the next sequel in theatres, and they've also watched the animated series on streaming services at home. The next step is probably for me to introduce both boys to one of the video games...

Sonic 3 on its release day with a handwritten card from the gaming magazine Sega Force - Martin Carlsson

This remains something of a mystery in my gaming career to this day, and there is still no answer as to why Sonic 3 appeared in my mailbox on the very day it was released when I was 10 years old in 1994. A padded envelope from Sega Force—a gaming magazine I subscribed to during the carefree 90s, which was to some extent regarded as a direct (though rather passive and somewhat frivolous) competitor to a Nintendo magazine; it was just a different time, where most things were done in jest and generally had a High Chaparral vibe. I never entered any contests as far as I can remember, and I never called the magazine's hotline via landline for gaming tips. But despite this, a copy of Sonic 3 was in my 10-year-old hands the very day the game was released in Sweden, for reasons that remain highly unclear.

I had played through several versions of Sonic 1 and 2 on both 8 and 16-bit consoles up until that day. I still have the hard plastic card signed by the bigwigs at Sega Force in storage. But the question is, why? Why did I even get the game? I haven't the faintest idea. But I was most likely the first person in Sweden to play Sonic 3, unless you were a journalist back then. The game? Yeah, I loved it dearly. It was also a real treat to pair it with the Knuckles cartridge later that same year.

Sonic Mania is the perfect blend of retro and new - Patrik Severin

I've played Sonic in many iterations, both on Sega consoles and on other platforms. My favourite game featuring the hedgehog, however, is Sonic Mania, as it was perfectly retro without feeling outdated. I still play it every now and then today when I have the time.

The character's 2D adventures are entertaining, and I sometimes replay the originals, however, I don't really have the best relationship with Sonic since I didn't grow up with the character. Rather, I've tried many of the titles primarily in the 2000s and beyond. My favourite memory with the hedgehog is my time with Sonic Mania, a near-perfect interpretation of 2D games from the past with charming music, graphics, and more. Even though the 3D games haven't always received glowing reviews, there are good titles there as well. Sonic is a significant character for the gaming world and an important mascot figure, just as Mario and Crash have been.

Chao Garden in Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 - Johan Mackegård

Even though Sonic and the gang were ever-present as I was growing up, it was actually never the speedy hedgehog who played the leading role for me and my elementary school friends. Instead of focusing on saving the world, collecting Sonic medals, and getting A-rankings, our focus was entirely on caring for and training the ultra-cute Chaos, which served as a sort of mini-game between levels in the Adventure games. I remember how it all started when I was introduced to the Chao Farm at my friend Viktor's house one day, sometime around third grade, and how I immediately fell head over heels for the seemingly endless possibilities of customising the Chao into their very own individuals with personalities and unique skills. If I fed a Chao enough birds, it would soon learn to fly on its own, and the same went for water-based animals when it came to swimming, and so on.

I remember the feeling of entering various races and martial arts competitions with my little buddies, and how childishly happy we'd get when we emerged victorious from an extra-difficult challenge. I remember the joy and curiosity that arose when we found a new kind of Chao egg in the store, the sadness when a Chao lost its life, and the excitement when one of our charges was about to evolve. Would it be an angel or a devil? A swimmer, a flyer, or a powerhouse of muscle strength? I've often toyed with the idea that Sega might bring back the Chaofarm in a new Sonic game, but honestly, I don't think it would be the same today. Not that they couldn't make a fantastic game out of it, but I think today's climate—with its focus on microtransactions and online activity—would risk damaging that cosy feeling that was the whole point of the experience. However, I do sometimes fire up my old Gamecube to say hello to the little creatures still wandering around the garden, and honestly, that's enough for me.

Sonic... the game (almost) no one had - Johan Vahlström

When I was a little kid and the first Sonic games were available, no one I knew actually had them. Except for one. I'd guess that owning a Mega Drive wasn't particularly popular compared to a Nintendo console, so my only experiences from that time were, as I recall, playing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 at this friend's house, a friend I didn't visit very often either, and it was mostly him who played once we booted up that Sega system. But sure, I got to try it out every now and then, and I liked what I played. It had a speed I wasn't used to and a cool new hedgehog who'd stomp his foot when I didn't do anything for a while. The problem was that by the time I had a console where Sonic was available, the series' quality had plummeted, and I felt no urge at all to play.

So, Sonic is one of those series I've never really been particularly interested in playing, even though I have fun with the old games when I get the chance to play them. If that blue-spiked creature hadn't been so damn cool, I probably wouldn't have even thought about him. He's one of the greatest gaming icons ever, but he never really found a home with me.

One day I'll beat a Sonic game - Conny Andersson

I grew up sometime around what's often referred to in the gaming calendar as "the PlayStation era." By this, I don't mean the physical changes that come with early adolescence, but something more fundamental: I realised that being a "fanboy" was pretty damn nerdy. Even today, traces of my extreme "Nintendo" fanboyism echo within me, but I've left the actual loathing and trench warfare behind and finally realised that it's the games—rather than the console they run on—that matter most.

As you can imagine, it wasn't always like that, as during the NES and SNES eras, I waged some kind of emotional war against anything that was a competitor to Nintendo. Strangely enough, I still owned both the Master System and the Mega Drive, but they were always the neglected consoles in the household. It's really odd when you think back on it. Also, because of this, Sonic became the more anonymous and significantly less exciting counterpart to the world's best of Mario.

Of course, one could argue that the blue hedgehog has had a couple of truly standout games. But while Super Mario Bros., World, 64, and Galaxy all revolutionised the platformer genre in some way, I'd argue that the Sonic games never even came close to those heights. Not everyone will agree, of course, but if you chose to buy a Sega console instead of one from Nintendo back then, you naturally have a completely different relationship with the gaming world's two biggest icons. I do realise that Sonic is one of them, even if he never was for me. I say this as I've never, at least not that I can remember, sat down and played a Sonic game from start to finish.

I've played several, but never started from the first level and made it all the way to the end credits. But I intend to change that. I've always thought that Sonic Frontiers from 2022 looks like it would suit me well, so I'm going to give it a chance. Or rather... I'm not just going to do that. I'm going to seriously sit down with the game and play it from start to finish. Sonic Frontiers will be the first Sonic game I complete (or at least have a memory of doing so), and maybe it'll make me re-evaluate my rather pessimistic view of the hedgehog? I actually hope so.

Sonic Adventure was my gateway to the Sega world - Marcus Persson

I was pretty late to discover Sonic, because even though I played a lot as a little kid, it was exclusively on either Nintendo or DOS. The distributor, Bergsala, as we all know, dominated the Nordic regions, and that was very evident in playgrounds during the early 90s. It was the NES, Game & Watch, and later the Super Nintendo that everyone was talking about. I remember one guy in my circle of friends who had a jet-black Mega Drive, complete with the Menacer gun and tons of cool games, including Sonic (of course). A whole new world opened up right then and there, and even though I'd glance at the Mega Drive and Master System in toy catalogues of the time, it was Nintendo that completely dominated my thoughts.

That changed the first time I visited my buddy—David was his name—at his house and got to play on his Mega Drive. I seem to recall that his older brother had picked it up on a trip to England, where everything was bought significantly cheaper than it was here in Sweden. It felt darker, more grown-up, and simply... well, cooler. It wasn't specifically Sonic so much as that whole Sega vibe. But then it took a while, actually, all the way until the Dreamcast, which also became my first console that was NOT a Nintendo of any kind. And alongside the obvious games like SoulCalibur, Sega Rally 2, and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing, it was Sonic Adventure that I picked up, and boy, oh boy, that intro sequence.

The gritty guitars, the graphics, I really played the crap out of Sonic Adventure, if you'll pardon my language. I unlocked every character, yes, even the horribly boring Big the Cat and his sleep-inducing levels, all to reach that perfect ending with Super Sonic. After that, Sega and the Dreamcast were my life, and to this day I look back on it as the console that has made the biggest impression on me ever. It burned intensely but for a short time and it was magnificent. Sonic kept running, and I followed him, though mostly by playing his old games, both on Xbox Live Arcade and in the compilations released for Xbox and PlayStation 2.

Today, I look at Sega, Sonic, and everything they achieved on the Mega Drive as something almost unbelievable. I don't know how many times I've read through Console Wars by Blake J. Harris (seriously, read it if you haven't), as well as delved into a ton of my own research, especially about the colourful personalities who ran SOA back then. And somewhere deep down, I wish I could rewind the tape and get myself a Mega Drive right then and there, back when they were at their peak.

So... let us know what your fondest, best, and/or funniest Sonic memories are.

Obsession director reveals he was offered $2 million to make Bear the hero

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:12:00 +0200

Obsession director Curry Barker has probably feeling incredibly vindicated over the last month or so. Every decision he and everyone else creatively involved made in making the movie turned out to be the right one, and now it's the most talked-about hit of the year so far. Barker had a fairly long road in getting to this point, though, and had some tempting offers to change his vision of what the film could be.

"When we were shopping this around, there were companies that told me they would give me $2 million if I just rewrote the script to make Bear a hero," Barker explained in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Despite the big bag of cash in front of him, though, the director denied the offer, knowing that story change would ruin his vision.

"I was like, 'I'm not rewriting the script to make Bear a guy that does all the right things. It's so much more interesting that he doesn't do the right thing and instead tries to make [the relationship] work and he just keeps making bad decision after bad decision.' The movie would have been so boring if Bear was going on a journey to figure out the lore of the One Wish Willow. So I turned down more money to tell the story that I was more interested in telling," Barker said.

Bear being the unknowing villain of the film is a very strong choice, and helps play into the horror of Nikki being trapped inside her own body. If Bear spent the film trying to get her out of her wish version, then we doubt it would have been nearly as popular as it has become.

The Halo remake presents bizarre requirements for local co-op

oliver@gamereactor.eu (Oliver Thulin) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0200

If you're one of many who's looking forward to playing the upcoming {Halo: Campaign Evolved} in split-screen co-op late next month, it looks like you can expect needing to jump through some unusual hoops.

Halo Studios has detailed how local co-op will work, or rather what you and your play partner will need for local co-op to work at all, in a Q&A posted on Halo WayPoint. PlayStation 5 players looks to get the strictest requirements, since apparently both players will need their own PS Plus subscription and have their PlayStation accounts linked to unique Microsoft accounts.

Xbox Series players doesn't get it much more lenient since both players will need their own Microsoft account. It looks like just having one player with an account and the other joining in as "guest" on the system isn't allowed in the case of {Halo: Campaign Evolved}.

We think these requirements sound bizarre and weren't sure if we hadn't simply misunderstood part of the messaging, but after reading the following text from Halo Studio themselves it's hard to draw any other conclusion:

"XBOX Series X|S: If you're playing split-screen on an XBOX console, the second player will also need a unique Microsoft account. If you want to play online co-op, you will need an active XBOX Game Pass subscription.

"PlayStation 5: If you're playing split-screen on PlayStation 5, both accounts will need to have PlayStation Plus and be linked to a Microsoft account. Having these active PlayStation Plus subscriptions will also provide access to online co-op play."

It's also stated that Steam user will need to have their account linked to a Microsoft account, but that seems like a more common practice today. However, it does make you think, will it even be possible to play local co-op offline at all?

Does this sound like reasonable requirements for some Halo split-screen to you?

Move over Weird Al: Marvel announces crossover with The Muppets

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 09:09:00 +0200

Recently, we reported on the news that DC was teaming up with Weird Al Yankovic for a special comic book crossover event that saw the iconic parody pop star teaming up with Superman and Batman for a dimension-hopping adventure. Considering the constant jostling for power between DC and Marvel, we probably should have seen this one-up attempt on the horizon.

Marvel has now announced a crossover event with The Muppets Show. In September, The Muppets Take The Marvel Universe will arrive and see the cast of puppets crashing into the world of Marvel for a big 50th anniversary celebration of The Muppet Show where "all-new stories" are promised. We're told that this will be a one-shot event and that there will be a slate of storylines being explored.

Writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Pete Woods will see Kermit the Frog, Fozzie Bear, Spider-Man, Miss Piggy, Black Panther, Wolverine, Emma Frost, and more all colliding in a tale that revolves around Rowlf the Dog being kidnapped by Mojo in a bid to start a new streaming service.

To add to this, writer Kyle Starks and artist Mike Henderson will combine for an episode at Muppet Labs where Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker clash with Bruce Banner and Hank Pym for an experiment with Gamma Rays and Pym Particles.

Furthermore, writer Ashley Allen and artist Paco Medina will see what happens when Clea falls ill and Doctor Strange enlists the help of Swedish Chef to solve the crisis.

Writer MacKenzie Cadenhead and artist David Baldeon will then see what happens when Captain Link Hogthrob, First Mate Piggy, and Dr. Julius Strangepork meets Rocket Raccoon and Groot in space.

And finally, there are also other tales promised from writers Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Adam F. Goldberg, and artists E.J. Su and Athila Fabbio.

The issue will debut on September 23 and you can see the cover from Nick Bradshaw below.

Brazil confirms Raphinha suffers a muscle injury: How many World Cup matches could he miss?

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 23:26:51 +0200

Brazil finally won at World Cup with a 3-0 win against Haiti, to stand as leaders of Group C, with 4 points, same points as Morocco, but with a better goal difference thanks to Matheus Cunha and Vinícius Jr. Sadly, there were bad news for the canarinha, as Raphinha left the match before halftime, being substituted by Rayan at the 38th minute, suffering some discomfort.

Now, the Brazilian Football Confederation has issued a statement confirming that the winger suffers a muscle injury in the posterior region of his right thigh. "The player will follow an intensive treatment protocol, monitored by the Brazilian National Team's medical team, aiming for his recovery and return to activities as quickly as possible".

The CBF did not report an estimated recovery time, but according to GeGlobo, Raphinha is for sure ruled out for the third group stage match against Scotland on Thursday, June 25, and would also miss the round of 32 match. Raphinha's potential return would be in round of 16, in two weeks, if the team continues in the competition.

Raphinha has suffered continuous physical problems the past season with Barcelona, and was side-lined for more than three months in total and missed 23 matches, according to GeGlobo. This injury, potentially ending his World Cup run, is a major blow for the player whose future at the Catalan club is not completely clear, having heard offers from the Saudi Pro League.

Claude Guillemot, Executive Vice-President of Operations at Ubisoft, dies in a plane crash

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 17:20:53 +0200

Sad news for the video games industry, and particularly for Ubisoft and the Guillemot family. Claude Guillemot, one of the five brothers who founded Ubisoft in 1986, has died at the age of 69 after the training light aircraft he was flying crashed, according to France 3. The Cessna 421, a twin-engine propeller aircraft he owned, in which he was travelling with a flight instructor whose identity has not been disclosed, crashed on the afternoon of Friday, 19 June near La Baule airport, in the Pays de la Loire region of France.

Claude Guillemot was a key figure in Ubisoft's rise, taking the company from a small shop opened in 1984 to the formation in 1986 of a firm which, through gradual growth throughout the 1990s and 2000s, established itself as one of the world's largest video game companies, with studios spread across the globe and a portfolio of IPs including Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia, Rabbids, Rayman, Just Dance, and Rainbow Six.

Until yesterday, Guillemot continued to serve as Ubisoft's executive vice-president of operations, as well as CEO of Thrustmaster and Hercules, the two companies specialising in the sale of PC peripherals.

Our condolences go out to his family and loved ones at this difficult time.

Ready or Not and Scream VI star Samara Weaving takes her PS5 everywhere she travels

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:19:00 +0200

If you ever wondered what actors do between takes or what they get up to after a long day of filming, in Samara Weaving's case it's gaming. The Ready or Not, Borderline, Scream VI and Over Your Dead Body star revealed she brings her PS5 everywhere she goes.

"All my jobs, I pack my PlayStation 5 in my suitcase, which is insane. It takes up half the suitcase and no one can lift it," Weaving tells Polygon. She said that she brings it everywhere she goes, to get a quick bit of gaming in when she can. For one job, where she placed a racing driver, she even brought some racing sim accessories in a steering wheel and pedals.

https://x.com/Polygon/status/2065135747796029791

Weaving even says she'll avoid going to dinner or shopping with other people working on a film if she's gaming. ""They were like 'hey do you want to go out for dinner?' And I was like 'no, I'm playing Assassin's Creed.'"

Her lifelong passion for games began at school, where she'd go to her friend's house day after day as she was allowed a PlayStation. "I just lived there one summer to the point our parents thought we were gay for each other, which would've been fine," Weaving said.

Shout out to the one friend allowed video games at school. They were the gateway drug for most of us.

Lara Croft actress Alix Wilton Regan dislocated her jaw while recording for the new Tomb Raider

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:32:00 +0200

Alix Wilton Regan is taking over the mantle of Lara Croft, and she's throwing herself into the character with everything she's got. As well as voicing Lara, Regan has also been heavily involved in performance capture, so much so that she accidentally dislocated her jaw in a fight scene.

"The biggest challenge on this has been me restraining myself at points because I throw myself into every scene with such energy. I actually punched myself in the face the other day," she told GamesRadar+. This took place hours into a recording session, and Regan did more damage than she'd first thought.

"I go to do the punch across, right as I go to do the hook, I literally hooked myself in the jaw, dislocated my jaw, popped my jaw out... Anyway, it's fine. I've done it before, but everyone on Zoom was like, 'Shit, no, we killed Lara.' So we obviously paused recording for 20 minutes while I popped my jaw back in place, put an ice pack on it. It was really quite intense."

Regan remembers talking to the "big boss" of the project, who asked about what she'd done to herself, and didn't say much about it. Still, it's incredibly impressive to not only break your own face with a punch, but then also fix it immediately and just pop some ice onto it twenty minutes later. Regan may just have been born to play Lara Croft.

Miguel Almirón, from Paraguay, first player to be sent off for covering his mouth

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:16:29 +0200

Paraguayan Miguel Almirón, 32-year-old midfielder from the Paraguay national team and MLS team Atlanta United, became the first player to be sent off because of the so-called 'Prestianni law', a new rule by FIFA in which players that cover their mouths to say something so that they can't be lipread later are shown straight red card.

It happened in the match against Turkey, at the end of the first half, when he covered his mouth to speak to Mert Muldur, leaving their team with ten players for the second half. VAR officials warned the referee of what he did, who checked on VAR and showed him the red card.

https://x.com/Rodri_velis/status/2068182551575831019

Earlier this year, during a Champions League match between Real Madrid and Benfica, Gianluca Prestianni reportedly said racist insults to Vinícius, but because he covered his mouth, it couldn't be proved. This led to the creation of this rule, initially to be used on World Cup and evaluated later, based on the presumption that, if a player covered his mouth, he said "something that they shouldn't have".

Still, it didn't matter much as Turkey was unable to score and the match ended 1-0, victory for Paraguay after an early goal by Matías Galarza. Turkey ended up eliminated from the competition.

First two teams eliminated from World Cup: Haiti and Turkey pack their bags

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:02:15 +0200

World Cup 2026 has confirmed its first casualties. During the Friday games, early Saturday in European time, Brazil thrashed Haiti 3-0 and Paraguay defeated Turkey 1-0, and both countries have been eliminated from the competition after playing two of the three group stage games.

Haiti was participating for the second time in history. The first time was in 1974, but just qualifying for the tournament was a huge success for the small country, ravaged in the last decades by natural disasters (the 2010 and 2021 earthquakes, numerous floods and hurricanes) and a political vacuum with criminal bands effectively running the country (its head coach, Sébastien Migné, never visited the country in person).

Turkey's elimination has been more shocking: it was their first World Cup finals appearance since 2002, and led by quality players like Arda Guler from Real Madrid, Kenan Yildiz from Juventus and Orkun Kokcu from Besiktas. Bad luck contributed: on Saturday's match they shot 33 times, 6 on target, but fell because of Matías Galarza early goal in the second minute, that allowed Paraguay to go full defensive. In the previous match, they shot 28 times, 7 on target against Australia, but still fell 2-0.

Turkey faces Morocco next, but has no chances of qualifying. In the same group D, United States became the second country to qualify for the next stage, after Mexico, after beating Australia 2-0.

Fighting the good fight: Where Stop Killing Games is today and what's next

daniel@gamereactor.eu (Daniel Grabowski) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 11:00:00 +0200

We all have our favourite games. Whether it be Call of Duty, Resident Evil, or Stardew Valley, we all have that one title, come rain or shine, bad day at work or serious case of flu, it never fails to deliver that big dose of dopamine and escapism to forget all the troubles of the real world. But what if, one day, through no fault of your own you could no longer play your favourite game? How would you feel? And more importantly, what would you do?

Anthem, Concord, Highguard, Marvel's Avengers. What do all these games have in common? That's right, you can no longer play them. Even if you've forked out your hard earned cash to buy them, they're nothing more than memories now. The likes of Concord barely survived a fortnight, while Anthem was around for years before its plug was pulled, breaking the hearts of countless gamers across the world who had not only spent money on the game, but poured hours of their time into something that has been ripped away from them without notice and for reasons beyond their control.

And it's not just games that have already vanished that raise questions. What about the ones millions of people are still playing right now? Destiny 2, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XIV, Rainbow Six: Siege — all of them are built around online infrastructure that won't exist forever. Maybe that's ten years away, maybe twenty, but eventually somebody will have to decide what happens when someone decides it's no longer worth footing the bill for the servers and support ends. Will players still be able to access the worlds they've spent thousands of hours in? Or will decades of content, memories, and purchases simply disappear overnight?

How is that allowed to happen? And it raises the question: should a company be allowed to take something from you that you've paid for? It's not a case of whether they can, they already have; this is a case of consumer rights, and a battle being fought for all gamers worldwide since 2024. You just might not be aware of it.

By whom, you ask?

Meet Stop Killing Games

It all started with one man, a YouTuber named Ross Scott, known online as Accursed Farms, who had the stones to take on the games publishing industry. He founded the Stop Killing Games movement which is looking to secure legislation to end the practice of games being sold as goods designed to be completely unplayable for everyone as soon as support ends. Since its inception it has grown quite a bit, adding more members to its core team, while amassing over two million supporters globally, and has begun over ten legislative inquiries across Europe and America.

According to their website, they are a global coalition of gamers, consumer advocates, and developers pushing for international legal protections. With more and more games requiring some form of online functionality, they are at risk of being destroyed entirely when these servers are shuttered.

To them the practice is a violation of consumer rights. Purchased goods shouldn't self-destruct and if you buy something it should be yours forever. And they are doing everything from petitions to class-action lawsuits across the world to bring about the end of the intentional destruction of digital media.

Pretty serious stuff, right?

Fighting the good fight

A lot has happened in the two years since Stop Killing Games got off the ground, and Ross has achieved a fair bit in that time.

Last year their European Citizen's Initiative hit 1.3 million signatures which meant it would be heard in front of European parliament. Video Games Europe, a trade association that represents the games industry across Europe, hit back almost immediately with a damning statement of the movement: "We appreciate the passion of our community; however, the decision to discontinue online services is multi-faceted, never taken lightly and must be an option for companies when an online experience is no longer commercially viable. Private servers are not always a viable alternative option for players as the protections we put in place to secure players' data, remove illegal content, and combat unsafe community content would not exist and would leave rights holders liable."

Scott isn't naïve, and in response to the criticism as part of a sit down with us last year, he addressed it with his thoughts that not only will the industry find solutions, but any challenges met will have plenty of time to be resolved. "Whatever happens, best case scenario, this is still years out. If any legal changes happen at all, the industry is going to have a lot of notice on this. And the industry will probably come up with solutions, just as with GDPR."

They have supported a class-action lawsuit against Ubisoft in response to The Crew 2's shutting down, and while it generated significant attention, Ubisoft has since put together a working offline version of it.

This 'Hybrid' mode was introduced in October of last year, and Scott argues this in part due to the rising presence of SKG and the European Citizens Initiative as a result of its 1.3 million signatures. "I guarantee you Ubisoft had no end of life plans for [The Crew 2 and Motorfest] prior to this movement."

In the UK, SKG managed to secure a parliamentary debate in November last year after a petition hit 189,000 signatures. Sadly, while they acknowledged that there is an issue regarding game preservation, they did 'not think that mandating end-of-life plans [was] proportionate or enforceable'. Simply put, they had the stance that consumer law was being obeyed but they would continue to monitor the situation.

Where they are now... And what's next?

This month though, a breakthrough has been made with the passing of Assembly Bill 1921, also known as the Protect Our Games Act. The California State Assembly served up a big win for the cause as the floor vote passed 43-16.

SKG said "The bill would require video game companies to give players advance notice before shutting down server dependent games and provide a way to keep purchased games playable afterward, such as offline access, community servers, or another workable option."

SKG called it 'a big update for game preservation' but it is clear there is still plenty of work to be done. Bill 1921 now heads to the California State Senate where it will need plenty more public support to keep the momentum going. This bill is a win for sure, but it doesn't change anything just yet.

It's not all great news, though. A pretty hefty hammer blow was dealt on June 16th when the European Commission reached a verdict. Two months after its public hearing and parliamentary debate in May, the Commission "cannot propose a legal obligation to keep video games playable after they stop being provided commercially", but they will draw up a "code of conduct" on managing games' end of life. It's not the outcome SKG wanted, and it doesn't really seem like much of an outcome at all. When the commission can make the likes of Apple switch to USB-C, this feels more like a refusal than an inability.

And that's where things currently stand. A few breakthroughs, a few dead ends, and plenty of industry pushback, but Stop Killing Games aren't backing down. With so much ground gained over these past two years, who knows what they could achieve within the next two. Whether you agree with the movement or not, SKG has already succeeded in forcing a conversation the industry can no longer ignore.

If you have the time, you can see the hearing at the European Parliament from April 16th here. It covers the Stop Killing Games campaign, legality, and solutions as well as the European Commission's response in detail.

Also, if you feel the need to know more about the Stop Killing Games movement or want to sign up to their Discord, then you can do so here. You can also keep up to date with everything they're doing on their subreddit too.

The world of Vampire Survivors is being expanded with comics and a graphic novel

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:17:00 +0200

Poncle has been exploring many different routes and avenues to expand as of late. This has included themed versions of games that utilise the base formula of Vampire Survivors, including Warhammer Survivors and the recently announced Jujutsu Kaisen project too. But beyond this, there are still plans to evolve the Vampire Survivors franchise both in the form of the roguelike deckbuilder Vampire Crawlers but also in a new collaboration with comic book publisher Titan Comics.

We're told that Poncle and Titan Comics are teaming up for an array of comic books and a graphic novel based on the world of Vampire Survivors. For the comic, this will be a four-issue series that kicks off in September, and which will eventually lead to a collective graphic novel that brings the entire story together into one book, which will launch in March 2027.

As for what the story will be about, a press release mentions: "In this new story, familiar survivors venture through cursed realms filled with unspeakable creatures, hidden histories and increasingly bizarre mysteries as they begin uncovering secrets that were never meant to be found. As they seek answers and battle monsters in an endless library, a corrupted dairy plant, and even a mad forest, a terrible and shocking truth finally begins to reveal itself..."

The story will be penned by Nottingham creator David Hazan and with art from Jimmy Kucaj, with this pair previously working together on Dread the Halls. The first issue will debut on September 9 and you can see its cover art below.

Seth MacFarlane will make a Family Guy movie "when everything else goes to shit"

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 09:12:00 +0200

Despite making over 24 seasons of Family Guy already, Seth MacFarlane seems to show no sign of pumping the brakes on the animated comedy series. In fact, if anything, MacFarlane continues to see Family Guy as his safety blanket, as the actor and creator of the show revealed that he will continue to make new seasons of Family Guy for the foreseeable future and keep the franchise out of cinemas until he absolutely needs to bring it to theatres around the world.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, MacFarlane was asked if he ever would make a Family Guy movie, to which he explained that will only happen if it absolutely needs to happen.

"The Family Guy feature film is something that's still always in the back of my head. I've always had a pretty clear idea of what it's going to be. It's that arrow in the quiver that I keep for when everything else goes to shit. [Could that ever happen while the show is still on TV?] Oh, yeah. I always kind of assume that if I have a really dismal professional failure, like I produce a movie or a show that just fails so badly, the only thing that can cleanse the palette of the audience is the Family Guy movie. That's when I'll do it."

MacFarlane did also note the longevity of Family Guy as a show, explaining: "I think it can go as long as there's an appetite for it. I'm consistently shocked at the numbers for the show, that they continue to be very, very high. I don't know why that is. It's been so long. It's been a quarter of a century that this thing has been on the air!"

Would you ever watch a Family Guy movie or do you think it should remain a television series?

Superman: The Stranger will explore the Man of Steel's early days with a Golden Age of comics visual language

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:17:00 +0200

DC has announced that it will soon be offering up a rather fresh take on the Man of Steel, as Superman: The Stranger will bring a brand new story, one inspired by the visual language of the Golden Age of comic books.

Written and illustrated by Wes Craig, this Superman tale will be set in an Art Deco-inspired version of 1938 Metropolis, and will chronicle the early days of Superman's crime-fighting days. We get to meet a regular-Joe Clark Kent as he goes about his day-to-day business, but also the iconic Man of Steel, who begins to falter as he realises his heroic deeds aren't preventing the rich from getting richer nor helping to lift the poor from poverty.

The full synopsis adds: "In Superman: The Stranger, readers will follow Superman at the very beginning of his journey. During the day, Clark Kent does what he can to make ends meet in the bustling city of Metropolis, but when the sun goes down, he leaps into action to keep the city streets safe. As Superman, Clark fights for a better tomorrow, but he feels like he's not affecting change. The rich keep getting richer, and the poor struggle to survive. Can Superman truly save the downtrodden?"

Designed as a six-issue series, Superman: The Stranger will kick off on September 2, with DC Black Label regarded as the publisher representing the story.

Corentin Moutet fined $40,000 for saying the "f-word" seven times live on TV

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:56:57 +0200

Corentin Moutet has been fined for his poor taste joke during an interview at the Queen's Club Championships in London, when he said "f*ck" seven times on live TV in the BBC. The first time was by accident... and the following six times were intentional, trying to play with the BBC reporter, Jenny Drummond, who continuously apologised to the viewers, eventually giving up on the interview.

https://x.com/SNYbetting/status/2066893699154395418

This attitude and intentional swearing has cost him a lot of money: the competition has decided to fine him with $40,000 (£30,325), with represents almost the entire prize money he got for reaching the second round of the tournament in London, £32,800. It is the maximum punishment for unsportsmanlike conduct, BBC reports.

The French player, ranked 36 in the world, will appeal. Moutet is well known by his provocative attitude, which has caused him mistakes in the past, like in the Davis Cup last year, when he wasted a point by doing a (failed) cool move, and eventually lost the match... and France was eliminated.

Moutet was defeated in the last 16 of Queen's Club by Spain's Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.

Marvel's Midnight X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Spider-Man will all kick off on the same day

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:33:00 +0200

When Marvel Comics announced the Midnight label, with this being a darker and more twisted exploration into some of the most famous characters in Marvel history, it planned to debut the three sagas that would start the wider label in a staggered run. Midnight X-Men would debut in August, all before Midnight Fantastic Four in September, and then Midnight Spider-Man in October. The comic giant has had a change of heart.

We're now told that all three inaugural issues for these new comic series will debut on the same day in October. As for why Marvel decided to do this, essentially, it wants to give these debuts a major splash, seeing all three arrive on a day when no other Marvel story will be launching.

"The debut issues of all three titles will hit stands together on October 7 as the only new Marvel comics released that day, an impactful and rare move reflecting the project's unique scope and potential to grip readers."

For more on what to expect from Midnight, you can head over here for an expanded synopsis on each comic book line, but for those looking for something more readily available, the explanation below does a lot of heavy lifting.

"The X-Men no longer fight for acceptance, they hunger for blood. The Fantastic Four venture into the unknown not to save the world—but to unleash terror upon it. And Spider-Man discovers that with great power... comes something monstrous."

Lego made a life-sized version of the Koenigsegg Sadair's Spear that reached 111 km/h

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:15:00 +0200

Lego has teamed up with a variety of car manufacturers over the years to create official and detailed sets on some of their most popular automotive machines. Many of the most complicated ones fall into the Technic range, with these miniature models of the established cars offering a slate of intricate moveable elements including engine units, doors, spoilers, and more.

To this end, Lego and Koenigsegg has teamed up to make a brickified version of the Sadair's Spear car (named after the famed racehorse owned by the Koenigsegg family), one that spans 4,104 pieces, has an authentic V8 piston engine, a functioning 9-speed transmission, Triplex front and rear suspension, a rotating gear disc, and a working 'Ghost Mode' function that effectively compacts the car to make it even more streamline, a mechanic the real car also offers.

This Lego set will be selling from July 4 for £399.99/€449.99. It's quite a big set too at 15 cm in height, 59 cm in length, and 28 cm in width. Check it out below.

To mark the announcement of this set, Lego also decided to create a life-sized Lego Sadair's Spear model too, with this being made from 327,906 pieces and weighing around 1,800 kg. It took 9,400 hours to make and Lego even decided to put the drivable car through the ringer, taking it to the Goodwood estate to drive the car around the Festival of Speed track, ultimately seeing the vehicle reach a top speed of 111 km/h, making it the fastest Lego Technic big build ever (the former record topped out at 50 km/h). Pretty impressive, indeed.

Shinobi: Art of Vengeance is getting a dedicated Switch 2 edition in September

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:45:00 +0200

When Sega and developer Lizardcube launched Shinobi: Art of Vengeance originally, the game debuted on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch 1. There was not a specific version for the Switch 2, even if the game was playable on the platform via the back-compatibility-like element the console offers.

However, this will soon be changing as a Switch 2 edition of the game has been revealed and with plans to launch as soon as September 24. It'll be mostly the same except for the fact that it'll operate at a higher resolution, and it's unclear too as to whether those who own the game on Switch 1 will get an upgrade path.

What we do know is that the Switch 2 edition will arrive in both a physical and a digital format (it's also unclear as to whether the game will be a Key-Card or not), and that it will sell for £24.99 for the Standard version, with options for a Deluxe Edition too.

If you haven't played Shinobi: Art of Vengeance yet, don't miss our glowing review of the game.

Andy Burnham scores dominant Makerfield by-election win as he evolves his campaign to challenge Keir Starmer's labour leadership

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:22:00 +0200

If you aren't up to speed on all things UK politics, you might be wondering why so much fuss is being kicked up about a local election in the north-east of the country. Essentially, it's drawing headlines as former MP and current mayor of the area, Andy Burnham, is looking to use the election as a way to officially kickstart his campaign to challenge Prime Minister Keir Starmer for the role as head of the labour party. It's effectively the next step in this major unseating of power, and one that is being met with a great deal of support from voters.

The Makerfield by-election happened yesterday and the votes have come in and seen Burnham win the poll by a considerable margin. As per the Wigan Council, Burnham secured almost 25,000 votes, which is well over half of the total votes on offer, and nearly 10,000 more than second-placing Reform UK representative Rob Kenyon managed. This means Burnham has been elected as the MP for the area.

Speaking about this result, Burnham talked briefly where he mentioned (as per BBC News) that this was a "turning point" for the UK and that it now provides Labour with a "final chance to change" and get itself ready for the next general election, and to also put Burnham in prime running position should Starmer even step down from the Prime Minister role.

As for the rest of the results from the by-election, Restore Britain saw strong interest, the Conservatives dropped significantly to below 1,000 votes, the Green Party came in above the Liberal Democrats, and the top independent party led by space politician Count Binface came in closely behind with 95 votes.

Dewan

fredrik@gamereactor.eu (Fredrik Malmquist) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0200

The board game Dewan, by French game developer Space Cowboys, has been on the market since January this year. However, when it turned up at my local post office last month, I hadn't heard a word about the game. Dewan is a fast-paced strategy game in which several tribes compete for limited resources and territories. The question is whether you'll have time to sort out your strategy before the last camp is placed on the game board.

Everything you'll find in the board game box.

Parts of Dewan's gameplay will feel familiar to anyone who has played Space Cowboys' Splendor, the strategy game where you trade in jewels and try to amass the most prestige. Dewan also shares certain similarities with Ticket to Ride through its elements of collecting and building, whilst at the same time recalling the classic Settlers of Catan in its focus on expansion and community building.

Whereas Splendor is primarily about building an efficient engine to generate resources and Ticket to Ride focuses on securing key routes, Dewan combines both these ideas with a much more direct battle for the board. The result is a game where every move affects both your own progress and your opponents' chances of achieving their goals.

The game feels both well-designed and well-produced. The various components in the box feature artwork and design that, for me at least, brought to mind Guerrilla Games' Horizon Zero Dawn. The warm colour palette adorns high-quality cards, tiles and wooden components. Each tribe also has camps in unique shapes and colours, which offers a refreshing change from the more traditional colour schemes often seen in games such as Ludo.

The game's warm, colourful palette reminds me of the Horizon series.

During each round, you draw cards or strategically place a camp to outwit your opponents. The choices you make are partly influenced by the mission - or 'Story Tile', as it's called in the game - you've chosen. The cards you collect represent various resources and terrain types required to expand your tribe across the game board. The more cards you collect, the more opportunities you have to place new camps, but at the same time you risk falling behind if your opponents choose to expand more quickly.

The placement of the camps is at the very heart of the game. Each new camp must be connected to your previous settlements, meaning you constantly need to balance long-term planning against short-term gains. Should you continue building towards an area that yields lots of points, or block an opponent who is about to do the same? As resources are limited and the game board gradually fills up, every decision becomes increasingly important as the game progresses.

Story Tiles also give each player their own objectives to strive for. Some missions reward expansion across large areas, whilst others encourage more concentrated building or control over specific types of terrain. This means that two players rarely pursue exactly the same strategy, even if they're using the same basic game mechanics.

Each player has nine camps, one of which serves as their starting point. Once a player has placed all their camps, the game ends and the scores are tallied. This creates an interesting balance where players who are trailing can try to drag out the game to gain more points, whilst the player in the lead often wants to hasten the end by quickly placing their final camps.

A games night with three friends.

Both my partner and I are big fans of both Splendor and Ticket to Ride, and we immediately felt at home with much of Dewan's game mechanics. The collecting and building feel intuitive, but the strategies and choices offer something new. The game can be approached in many different ways. You can focus on rapid expansion to end the game early and hope your points are enough to see you through. Or you can plan every new camp down to the smallest detail and use its placement to disrupt your opponents' plans.

Dewan also changes noticeably depending on whether you're playing with two, three or four people. The pace is faster in two-player mode, whilst the challenge increases when there are four of you around the table. The dynamic game board adapts to the number of players. With two players, two starting tiles and two playing tiles are used, whilst the number of tiles doubles when playing with four players. This makes the game not only more crowded but also considerably more unpredictable. Areas that looked safe just one round ago may suddenly be blocked by an opponent, forcing you to quickly rethink and adapt your strategy.

I tried the two-player mode with my partner.

This is a game for both board game enthusiasts and more casual players. The rules are simple enough to learn in a single sitting, yet the game has a strategic depth that means it gets more rewarding with every play. Dewan also offers four different scenarios that alter both the game board and the scoring system, giving each round its own unique character. Dynamic events gradually change the game board as the game progresses, forcing players to adapt their strategies. One game might unfold in the shadow of a volcanic eruption, another during persistent rain, or amongst villages built around lakes. Taken together, this gives the game a high replay value and ensures the contents of the box will last a long time.

When I'm asked to recommend board games, I usually ask what sort of games the person usually plays to get a feel for their skill level. Dewan, however, is one of the few games that I can recommend to almost anyone without much hesitation. The contents of the box allow you to customise and vary the gaming experience to such an extent that the entertainment value quickly exceeds the game's price tag. It's easy to get started with, whilst offering enough strategic choices to keep players coming back time and time again.

Trump announced that Apple and Intel are working to design and build chips in the USA

markus@gamereactor.eu (Markus Hirsilä) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:00 +0200

The US president Donald Trump has announced on Truth Social, that Apple and Intel will partner up to build chips in the USA. The thing is, that the Intel executives were not aware of this premature reveal, as reported by Tweak Town.

Apple and Intel has been in talks for months, but the status of those negotiations remains unclear. Neither Apple nor Intel commented publicly after the announcement. So it looks like the companies involved were not ready to confirm a deal like this. Apple still designs its own silicon, and Intel would act strictly as a contract manufacturer.

Now we just wait for Apple and Intel to make an official confirmation.

https://x.com/TrumpTruthOnX/status/2067465597680775458

https://x.com/rogoswami/status/2067599189526134866

Summer enters this weekend with new heat wave reaching extreme temperatures in France and Spain

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:41:51 +0200

Spain, Portugal, and France brace for the second heat wave of the year that will hit even before summer officially begins this Sunday, one that will also affect other countries like United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland, beginning this Saturday, June 20 and lasting until at least Tuesday, June 23.

A ridge of warm and dry air from Africa and the abundant sunshine of the longest days of the year around summer's solstice, will boost temperatures to 40C and beyond in many parts of Spain and France, and in some places they could reach 45C on the worst days of the heatwave, Monday and Tuesday. The heat could be accompanied, particularly in the south of Spain, by dust which would worsen air quality.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZr4xLVjkf9/

In France, the heat wave will be particularly abnormal, and it's feared that the record temperatures for June in the country will be exceeded from Sunday, with Paris reaching 40C, which has caused many public events and even final exams at schools to be rescheduled to avoid peak hours.

Authorities recommend avoid being outside during the worst hours of the day, placing special care in vulnerable people, including the elderly and children.

We discuss the 'Xbox bloodbath' on the latest The Gamereactor Show episode

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:36:00 +0200

It's Friday, which means it's time for another episode of The Gamereactor Show. For today's instalment, the 96th episode of the show in total, we turn our attention to what is clearly the biggest story of the week that was, with a huge amount of emphasis on the 'bloodbath' happening over at Xbox.

We talk about the studios and teams who are seemingly at risk of being shuttered by Microsoft or even sold off, and what it could ultimately mean for Xbox as a company and a gaming division in the tech giant's wider portfolio.

Beyond this, we also touch upon the recent Grand Theft Auto VI update and how this raises a few more major questions, many of which we're expecting to have answered as of next week.

Check out the episode below, or on your podcast provider of choice, be it Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, or Spreaker.

Decriminalisation of cannabis found not to drive up usage, but commercialisation of the drug does

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:12:00 +0200

A new review has found that the decriminalisation of cannabis does not appear to drive up the drug's usage. However, when the drug is sold commercially this will lead to increased usage, and can have detrimental effects on the mental health of users.

As per The Guardian, an international team has been researching the shift in policies on cannabis between 2000 and 2025. They've looked at the amount of users, the drug's potency, and rates of psychoses. In the US, Canada, and other places where cannabis has been commercialised as well as legalised, the potency of the drug increased, leading to more people visiting hospital with psychosis and other mental health issues enabled by the drug's use.

In other territories, where the drug was just decriminalised, there hasn't been much evidence in the change of usage or psychiatric health declining. The same is true in Uruguay, where the drug is decriminalised by heavily regulated by the government.

Tom Freeman, first author on the review and professor of psychology at the University of Bath, said the results were encouraging to countries considering decriminalisation. However, he also said that the way commercialisation is unfolding is similar to the tobacco and alcohol industries. "When there's a for-profit industry, particularly for an addictive product, there's an incentive to sell cheaper products, and high-potency products, because they know that the more they sell, the more money they'll make, and that can increase use," he said.

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave will have a distinctly Spanish flavour

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:42:03 +0200

Many are eagerly awaiting the next instalment in Nintendo's tactical series. Indeed, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave is due to be released on 17 September and will be the first title in the series to be exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2.

Although we don't yet have many details about the game (we imagine we'll find out more over the course of this summer, presumably at Gamescom), fans have been scrutinising every detail Nintendo has revealed about the game, whether in the trailers or the official concept art for the characters we'll see in the game, and have come to an intriguing conclusion.

As reported on the Nintenleaks' YouTube channel, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave will be inspired by Spain. This is all based on an image of the female main character called Leda, who is holding a musical instrument similar to a Spanish guitar. In fact, what she is holding is a vihuela, an instrument originating in the Spanish Middle Ages. Based on this, and also taking into account the style of her clothing and skin tone, we could be looking at the first Fire Emblem set in Spain.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8Lcotjl4zc

Take a look at the official artwork of Leda in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave below. What do you think?

In somewhat of a rare case for a Steam Next Fest demo, Order of the Sinking Star is adding a bunch of new content today

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:30:00 +0200

Order of the Sinking Star, the latest game from Braid and The Witness creator Jonathan Blow and his team at Thekla, has joined thousands of other demos in the current Steam Next Fest. Unlike many of those demos, though, the fantasy puzzle game is getting quite a sizeable content update for its demo, meaning if you played it earlier in the week, you might want to come back for some new stuff.

As explained via a press release, today, the 19th of June at 9AM PST or 17:00 BST/18:00 CEST, demo players will get access to two new heroes in the Bard and the Druid, as well as plenty of new puzzles to solve and new areas to explore. This is your chance to get in even more progress before the full game's launch, and you'll be able to see what happens when the worlds of Order of the Sinking Star begin to collide.

Order of the Sinking Star has already proven a popular demo at Steam Next Fest, listing in the top 5 single-player demos and top 15 overall demos for the festival. The demo for Order of the Sinking Star runs until Steam Next Fest ends, on the 22nd of June, but progress will carry over to the full game, so play while you can.

"The demo gives a taste of the full game, offering players a sense of its scale and depth of design. After working on this thing for 10 years, I am very happy that players can finally try it out," said Jonathan Blow.

Iran formerly complains to FIFA about travel restrictions in the United States

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:27:59 +0200

The Iranian football federation has had enough and has decided to raise their complaints to FIFA, lodging a complaint against the organisers of the competition regarding the strict rules that forbid them of staying overnight at the United States to play their matches.

The team asked to fly from their base camp in Tijuana, Mexico, to the United States two days in advance of their next World Cup match (against Belgium, on Sunday, at 12:00 PM local time in Los Angeles, 21:00 CEST, 20:00 BST). They were denied permission.

"Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran's national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff's plans", the Federation said. "Given that the game will be played at 12pm local time in Los Angeles, the football federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match".

"The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations"

United States has ordered Iran to enter and leave the country within hours of the match. For their opening match against New Zealand, they were allowed to arrive to the country the night before, but that "luxury" was denied for Game 2. This naturally causes physical constraints in the player: less time to prepare for the match, less time to recover. All of that, while the new ceasefire and agreement between US and Iran, expected to be signed today, has been delayed...

Clavicular is hosting an in-person 'reveal-all' looksmaxing masterclass in Miami

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:19:00 +0200

Influencer Clavicular has announced that as soon as next week, he'll be hosting a 'tell-all' "Looksmaxing Masterclass" in Miami. The event will see the rather infamous internet personality present and officially sharing his secret strategies for looksmaxing with those who snag a ticket.

The full event will offer a multitude of opportunities, not least including "live demonstrations" of Clavicular's strategies, but also guest speaker sessions where "real secrets on looksmaxing, business, life, health, and more" will be exposed. There will be Q&A chances, an open party format with music, catering, and sponsor booths, and perhaps most importantly, there will even be "Mog Battles" where "Clav is gonna personally help you improve your looks by being brutally honest with what you need to improve on, in real time with other attendees."

And how do you get into this must-attend event, you might ask? It will have a virtual presence where fans can attend and view a livestream of the show for $97, while in-person tickets are going for $297. There is also a "VIP Experience" for an elite few, where these attendees will get a personal session with Clavicular without any online distractions or viewers and all on a private yacht. The actual price of this session is not mentioned but only 10 seats will be on offer.

And if you were still interested, the event will be happening on June 28. So, will you be attending and learning how to become "unignorable on social media"?

Dengue cases exceed 44,000 in Sri Lanka in 2026 alone

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:09:57 +0200

Dengue fever is common in Sri Lanka, particularly during the monsoon season, when mosquitoes thrive in humid conditions. However, this year's outbreak has been particularly severe, as the population of the mosquito that carries the disease has grown exponentially following Cyclone Ditwah's passage through the region in late November, and the number of cases has risen accordingly. So far in 2026, more than 44,000 cases of dengue infection have been reported on the island, along with 28 deaths, five of whom were children.

In 2025 alone, there were 51,000 cases of dengue in Sri Lanka, according to figures from the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU), but this year the number has doubled. A further rise in the number of patients could put public hospitals under extreme pressure, Sri Lanka's Health Minister, Nalinda Jayatissa, warned on Thursday, as reported by Reuters.

The Sri Lankan government is carrying out a special programme to spray public spaces such as schools, construction sites and public buildings until next Monday, as it attempts to reduce the mosquito population this year. However, it is inevitable that when the rains return, there will be a spike in cases.

Why the God of War: Laufey backlash is unjustified

emily-maisy@gamereactor.eu (Emily-Maisy Milburn) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0200

During Sony's State of Play on the 2nd of June, a spinoff to the beloved God of War series titled 'God of War: Laufey' was announced with 20 minutes of never before seen in-game footage shared, and within it, fans got to see a glimpse into the magical world that the protagonist Faye (played by Deborah Ann Woll) would traverse in order to get home to Kratos and Atreus. Alongside her, a some-what Forspoken-esque jelly cube and its sword friend would guide her to safety (Phranque the cosmic cube will be played by actor Jack Quaid and Rue, the sword, will be played by actress Perlina Lau).

Just minutes after the title was announced, misogynistic vitriol flooded the internet. 'God of Woke' and 'God of War: Laundry' became trending searches online.

Two things can be true at once. The world of Laufey seems far removed from the original God of War material, and the companion choices feel so out of place that it resembles a Nintendo fantasy game fit with talking objects as sidekicks. As original creator of the series David Jaffe put it on his stream during the announcement at the State of Play: "This is not God of War. I don't know what the f*ck this is. This is like some fantasy novel." It is a daring move from Santa Monica Studio to take a beloved IP and remove the 'God of War' from 'God of War' but by offering a fresh perspective from an already established character in the series, God of War: Laufey might be the breath of fresh air that is needed in a male-dominated genre.

Now, just because a game, a spin-off game in fact, is taking a new direction and experimenting with different worlds, companions, and protagonists this does not dictate the quality of the game. One of the most successful games of 2026, Resident Evil Requiem, took a unique approach to the series with both familiar and new faces, dual narratives that are played interchangeably and offer unique combat styles. For Capcom, this move was pulled off to great success and established Resident Evil Requiem and Grace Ashcroft's story as one of the most important in the series. Interestingly enough, however, this game also received similar backlash when it was announced for the same reasons that God of War: Laufey has also been subject to intense criticism.

People are upset that a woman is spearheading the title. Faye is not a new character to the God of War series and she has been a key character throughout Kratos' story, with him even commenting that she "fought beautifully" when she was alive (which is definitely true as her combat shown in the gameplay footage was kickass). In the trailer, Faye awakes in Everywhen, a realm in which various gods fight for power. It's teaming with dangerous magic and ruthless gods and is the perfect setting for a God of War spinoff.

Faye fearlessly walks through the overgrowth of Everywhen and viciously fights her way through a hoard of mysterious plant-creature hybrids, slicing through their attacks with ease. Her movement and combat looks satisfying and effortless, offering an engaging and exciting fight. "I already told you, I will kill you!" she screams at Begtse as he taunts her, misunderstanding her power, similar to some of those who have watched this trailer and taken to the internet to voice their opinions. The gameplay footage ends with what looks like Faye landing the killing blow onto Begtse, ultimately proving him wrong and winning the fight.

One thing that can be noted is that the strange cube sliding around the arena as Faye fights is a little distracting and every now and then it will offer a (somewhat) helpful nudge to aggressors during combat, often to the dismay of the enemies resulting in a large swoop that causes the cube to fly across the arena in defeat. This does seem very out of place for a God of War title and it's understandable that many fans reacting to the trailer for the first time may be taken aback by how different this game feels to the previous instalments. However, this was only the first 20 minutes of gameplay for what we could expect to be a 20-30 hour game based off the other entries in the series. Santa Monica Studio has always delivered on rich and expansive games that are substantial and God of War: Laufey will almost certainly be no different.

It is such a shame that in 2026, we are still seeing misogynistic speech in the gaming community. As a female journalist and gaming enthusiast, seeing female characters in games as powerful and unique protagonists has always been special. In regards to God of War: Laufey, the unjustified and bizarre criticism that Santa Monica Studio is facing by having a strong woman at the helm of a spin-off game holds a mirror to the rigid and never moving standards held by individuals in the gaming community that are outdated and incongruous to the time in which we are living. This backlash would not be half as aggressive if say, Atreus, was the protagonist. Gender has everything to do with the criticism here and it is fair to say that it's depressing that in 2026, people are still scared to see women being figures of power. Faye is a representation of all women; strong and badass. I don't know about you, but seeing how angry some people are at this casting has made me want to play the game even more...

Unrest in the Pakistani-administered region of Kashmir has now claimed 24 lives

alberto@gamereactor.eu (Alberto Garrido) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:56:47 +0200

The Kashmir region has always been a flashpoint and a real challenge for India and Pakistan, which administer two distinct areas. Although it has generally been the Indian-administered part that has most vocally expressed its dissent, recent events call Islamabad's management into question.

The Awami Joint Action Committee (JAAC) is a local social and trade union group that was recently banned, following a call for a strike on 9 June in protest at the reservation of 12 seats for refugees in the 27 July elections to the 45-seat regional legislative assembly. Thousands of supporters took to the streets to protest and clashed with the police. According to Reuters, at least 20 civilians were killed between 6 and 14 June and dozens more were injured. The police chief, for his part, reported that four officers had been killed, nearly a hundred police officers injured and more than 500 people arrested.

The government has effectively sealed off the area and is imposing restrictions on fuel and access to essential goods. Petrol stations are closed, whilst supermarkets and pharmacies are operating on a limited schedule. Internet and satellite access in the area has also been cut off. For an impoverished population already at risk, the lockdown is tantamount to suicide. With no economic activity and no sign that the government and JAAC supporters will reach an agreement, chaos will continue to reign in the streets.

Ethical hacker claims she could have "Rickrolled" the entire FIFA World Cup broadcast after HUGE security failure

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:48:25 +0200

An ethical hacker known as BodDaHacker, who presents herself as somebody who looks for security vulnerabilities and then reports them responsibly to help make the internet safer, claims to have found an incredible security breach in FIFA's World Cup services. Anyone who found that with malicious intent could have altered or disrupted the entire broadcast of the competition.

The hacker first registered in the FIFA Agent Platform, a public portal where anybody can (or could) enter to become a licensed football agent. She was easily able to bypass the client-side guards and landed in the Streaming Management panel, where she found the live production Streaming Management panel, with buttons to start, stop, schedule for all camera angles.

If an attacker found a way into that place, they could have easily stopped broadcast of the match worldwide, or even replace the camera feed with anything else. "An attacker could have Rickrolled the entire FIFA World Cup. Or played Subway Surfers gameplay. Live. On every TV network worldwide. During an active match."

But there's more: she easily got into other key parts of FIFA's media infrastructure, such as the full live match dashboard, match officials data, and even the commentator information system, a dashboard which commentators see during live matches, where they can see information they later share with their audience.

"An attacker could:

Modify editorial commentary notes and publish them to broadcast systems

Adjust the official kick-off moment

Send tactical lineup data

Change scores and match statistics

This data feeds into the Commentator Information System and gets displayed on live television.

The hacker couldn't contact FIFA, and then was not thanked or acknowledged in any way

The ethical hacker posted images on her blog to prove her findings, but she didn't alter anything. She tried to contact FIFA to warn them, and said it was the "most stressful night of her life", at 3 AM in Tokyo. She failed to contact FIFA via email, phone, media line, even the WhatsApp number of the Head of Football Technology & Data at FIFA, Sebastian Runge, found on LinkedIn.

She only got lucky contacting MediaKing, the streaming infrastructure that hosts the competition; with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the federal lead on cybersecurity for the FIFA World Cup 2026; and even with an FBI contact, all of whom contacted FIFA. She wasn't able to warn FIFA herself.

Hours later, the issue was solved, but she claims she hasn't received any contact from FIFA acknowledging the breach, thanking her or to discuss compensation. "When a researcher has to call CISA and the FBI to reach you, something is wrong", said the hacker.

Embracer Group joins the list of big names expecting Sony to push PS6 release back to 2028 or 2029

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:35:00 +0200

The PS3 launched in 2006. Seven years later, the PS4 launched in 2013. Seven years later, the PS5 launched in 2020. One could expect that the PlayStation 6 would launch in 2027, then. That is, if one was entirely unaware of the current hardware disaster running through the tech industry. As AI's demand for more RAM and storage means you could spend upwards of $3000 on an 8TB SSD, Sony is wondering whether it should push back the launch of its next console.

It's a rumour we've heard for some time, and one that Embracer Group has recently piled in on. As discovered and discussed in a ResetEra thread, Embracer says "some analysts believe that Sony is now considering pushing back the debut of its next PlayStation console from 2027 to 2028 or even 2029."

This doesn't confirm any delay with Sony's next-generation console, as it's stated further down in the thread by a Wccftech editor that this remains nothing more than a rumour. Also, it's only stated that Sony is considering a delay, and hasn't committed to one yet. However, with the way things are right now, we'll likely either get a delayed PS6, or an incredibly pricey one.

It seems a lot of gamers are feeling the itch to move to the next generation, but if you've got a trusty PS5 right now, you'll likely be able to stick with it past 2027, 2028, and even perhaps 2029 if Sony does as it did with this current generation. Perhaps the next-gen will be defined by high prices and the lack of need to upgrade. First, we'll have to see how these new consoles perform.

Borderlands 4's second and final DLC Vault Hunter will debut in September

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:10:00 +0200

We're actually getting rather close to Borderlands 4 celebrating its one-year anniversary. The looter-shooter launched in early September 2025, meaning there are less than three months until the latest chapter of the popular series has officially been around for over a year.

To this end, Gearbox still has plenty in store in regards to packing out the game and supporting it with exciting content. As part of a recent developer livestream, the studio shared updates on what's coming to Borderlands 4 both in the immediate future but also the near future, with exciting content planned throughout the summer and into autumn.

To begin with, on June 25, Version 1.8 of the game will arrive and bring both a paid and a free DLC. The free DLC is known as Takedown at Hadron Abyss and brings a new raid boss, additional legendary and pearlescent items to hunt, an "extreme endgame challenge", and also cross-platform saves... finally.

On the same date, Bounty Pack 3 will arrive with this known as A Zane to Kill For. It brings a new mission, a new boss and two new minibosses, new legendary and pearlescent gear, one new vehicle, additional skins, plus a fresh Vault Card packed with other goodies.

You can see trailers for both the free and paid DLCs below.

As for the near future, Gearbox revealed the second and final DLC Vault Hunter planned for Borderlands 4, with this known as the character of Loveless, The Hacker. She'll arrive in the game alongside the paid Story Pack 2 in early September, which also adds new story missions, a new map zone, new side missions and activities, extra collectibles, a new major boss, fresh gear to hunt, and more. Check out the first teaser for Loveless below.

Otherwise, the latest roadmap confirms that Bounty Pack 4 will debut on July 30 and Bounty Pack 5 will launch in early September too, meaning now really is an excellent time to dive in or return to Borderlands 4.

Messi's father is recovering favourably from health issue, family ask for respect after fake reports about his death

javier@gamereactor.eu (Javier Escribano) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:02:13 +0200

When Leo Messi scored his first goal in a hat-trick against Algeria, he wiped out tears. He later told they weren't because of the match, and that he's had "tough days".

Days after the match, some reports saying that Jorge Messi, Lionel's father, had died, started circulating in Argentina. In response, Messi's media office said a statement confirming that Jorge Messi was recovering favourably from a health issue, and asked for privacy: "At times like these, we ask for responsibility, prudence and humanity", the Messi family said. "A person's health and the peace of mind of their loved ones should not be the subject of speculation or irresponsible media interest."

Messi family did not specify which health problems Jorge Messi, 68, suffered. Leo Messi father still works as his agent and manager of his businesses and media images, accompanying him since his first arrival to Barcelona to his recent move to Inter Miami.

Argentina could qualify for World Cup knockout stages on Monday, June 22, at 19:00 CEST, 18:00 BST, if they beat Austria.

UK employment tribunal rules against Rockstar, fired employees will be able to bring "blacklisting" claims against GTA studio

alex@gamereactor.eu (Alex Hopley) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:33:00 +0200

As Rockstar looks set to deliver what is probably going to be the biggest video game launch of all-time this November, it probably doesn't need a court case to be dealing with as well. Sadly, it's landed one, thanks to allegations of union busting brought by fired employees, who are being represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB), and won't be letting these accusations slide. If you're not aware of the whole story, it began back in November last year, with 34 employees being fired from the company.

Discord messages revealed the reason behind the firings, which the IWGB claims to be an act of union busting. The case even caught the attention of the UK Prime Minister, and has only grown since then. Now, as per Game Developer, Rockstar has faced a setback, as a UK employment tribunal has sided against the studio, allowing the IWGB and the former employees to bring blacklisting allegations to the trial, set to take place from the 10th of September to the 15th of October this year.

The IWGB defines blacklisting as the "practice of compiling information about workers involved in union activity in order to discriminate against them," as per Game Developer. Rockstar wanted to remove claims of blacklisting from the case to narrow the scope of the trial, something that the IWGB has not allowed to happen.

Ousted union workers can bring the allegation that they were fired for engaging in union activity to the trial this September/October. Ellie Dunstan, one of the sacked employees, said that this is a "huge moment" for the case. "Our case will now be heard in full and put to the test as it should be. The world will get to see for itself the evidence as to what happened last October," she said.

Esports Nations Cup 2026: The 16 invited countries and rosters have been confirmed

ben@gamereactor.eu (Ben Lyons) — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:00:04 +0200

While much of the focus is currently on the Esports World Cup, as the major festival will be looking to take over Paris throughout July and August, later in 2026, the inaugural Esports Nations Cup will also happen. This will be a country versus country event, where we see club action put on the backburner to instead see nations battling it out across a multitude of video game tournaments throughout November.

One such title that will be present is League of Legends, and already the Esports Foundation is getting ahead of the action by confirming 16 of the 32 nations (and their respective rosters) who will be present at the event through direct invitation. The other 16 nations will be determined via online qualifiers in the months ahead.

With the League of Legends ENC Finals happening between November 21-29, you can see the 16 invited teams and their rosters below.

China - Bin, Tian, knight, JackeyLove, ON, Flandre (S), and Monki (S)

South Korea - Zeus, Canyon, Faker, Gumayusi, Keria, and Zeka (S)

France - Adam, SkewMond, nuc, Caliste, Zoelys, Sheo (S), and Hans Sama (S)

Vietnam - Kiaya, Hizto, Dire, Eddie, Taki, Aresss (S), and SofM (S)

Brazil - Xyno, Tatu, Tutsz, Ayu, Frosty, zynts (S), and Morttheus (S)

United States - Dhokla, Blaber, APA, Yeon, huhi, Gryffinn (S), and DARKWINGS (S)

Chinese Taipei - 1Jiang, Junjia, hongQ, Doggo, and ShiauC

Denmark - Wunder, Cboi, Caps, Zven, Doss, Carlsen (S), and Woldjo (S)

Turkey - BrokenBlade, Rhilech, Serin, Aetinoth, Fleshy, Parus (S), and Closer (S)

Greece - Embryos, Pallet, Vladi, Comp, Labrov, Drofan (S), and Peppe (S)

Poland - Tracyn, Inspired, Czajek, Harpoon, Busio, Jankos (S), and Trymbi (S)

Argentina - Ackerman, Kaze, Ceo, Josedeodo, ZOEN, Enga (S), and Lyonz (S)

Spain - Myrwn, Elyoya, Alvaro, Hydra, Flakked, Oscarinin (S), and Legolas (S)

Canada - Vulcan, Spirax, Massu, KryRa, Zamudo, Jojopyun (S), Sheiden (S)

Sweden - Yike, Rekkles, Thebausffs, UNFORGIVEN, SlowQ, Krye (S), and Mishigu (S)

Czech Republic - Carzzy, Jackies, Twight, Bobista, Humanoid, OMON (S), and Patrik (S)