Backlog Pulse — Week of Aug 24–30, 2025
Helldivers hits Xbox, MGS Δ patches fast, Gears goes multiplat, Atari scoops Ubisoft cult hits, Diablo devs unionize, plus releases, deals, and indie picks.
Drez
8/31/2025
Top stories
Helldivers 2 hits Xbox, digs deeper Sep 2
Now on Xbox Series X|S with full cross-play, Arrowhead’s co-op shooter preps Into the Unjust on Sep 2, adding subterranean hive runs, followed by the Dust Devils Warbond on Sep 4. (PlayStation Blog; Xbox Wire). Fast-moving, as of 8:23 am CT. PlayStation.BlogMetal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater lands with quick stability patch
The remake launched Aug 28 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC; v1.1.2 fixes crash cases and odd survival interactions. Watch the official launch trailer if you’re still on the fence. (Steam/patch notes; Steam news; Konami/YouTube). SteamDBSteam StoreYouTubeGears of War: Reloaded goes multiplatform
The remaster is out on Xbox, PC, and franchise firstPS5, with cross-play and Game Pass availability. It’s a faithful glow-up with modern performance targets. (Xbox Wire; Xbox.com listing). Xbox WireXbox.comAtari buys five Ubisoft cult favorites
IP rights to Cold Fear, I Am Alive, Child of Eden, Grow Home, and Grow Up now sit with Atari, hinting at revivals and remasters. (Business Wire; PC Gamer; GamesRadar). Business WirePC GamerGamesRadar+Over 450 Blizzard Diablo devs unionize with CWA
One of the largest union drives in U.S. game development this year, adding momentum inside Microsoft Gaming’s neutrality framework. (CWA; Windows Central; The Verge). Fast-moving, as of 8:23 am CT. CWA UnionWindows CentralThe VergePS Plus September lineup stacks time sinks
Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, and Viewfinder hit PS Plus on Sep 2. That’s platforming craft, cozy grind, and reality-bending puzzling in one drop. (PlayStation Blog). PlayStation.BlogSteam’s Third-Person Shooter Fest runs through Sep 1
Plenty of TPS classics are discounted right now; event page and trailer confirm dates. (PC Gamer; Steam/YouTube trailer). PC GamerYouTubeShinobi: Art of Vengeance slices in on Aug 29
SEGA’s 2D revival from Lizardcube launched across PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC, backed by fresh dev diaries. (PlayStation Blog; Xbox Wire feature). PlayStation.Blog
Releases & patches
MGS Δ: Snake Eater: Aug 28 PS5, Xbox Series, PC. Patch v1.1.2 addresses multiple crash scenarios; launch trailer live. (Steam patch; Steam news; Konami YT). SteamDBSteam StoreYouTube
Gears of War: Reloaded: Aug 26 Xbox Series, PC, PS5; Game Pass day one; cross-play/cross-platform. (Xbox Wire; Xbox page). Xbox WireXbox.com
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance: Aug 29 PS5, Xbox Series, Switch, PC. (PS Blog; GamesPress trailer note). PlayStation.Blog
Gran Turismo 7: Update v1.62 published Aug 27 with new cars and adjustments. (PlayStation Blog). PlayStation.Blog
Fortnite: v37.10 on Aug 26 adds Veiled Precision SMG, Deployable Wall, map updates. (Epic Games news; Epic docs). Epic Games' FortniteEpic Games Developers
Overwatch 2: Aug 27 hotfix live amid Season 18 roll-out and Progression 2.0 chatter. (Official patch notes; PC Gamer context). OverwatchPC Gamer
Indie spotlight
The Knightling (Twirlbound/Saber) — A bright, shield-driven action-adventure with breezy traversal and approachable combat. Launched Aug 28 with a modest discount and positive early reviews. [Steam] and [PS Blog] for background. Steam StorePlayStation.Blog
Chip ’n Clawz vs. The Brainioids (Snapshot/Arc) — Action-strategy mashup where you build, command, and squish jar-brains in co-op or solo. Out Aug 26 on PC and consoles. [Steam] and [Arc Games] for details. Steam StoreArc Games
Zoochosis (Clapperheads) — Bodycam-style horror sim about saving infected zoo animals. PS5/PS4 versions launched Aug 25 alongside a major update. [Gematsu] for the console drop. Gematsu
Business & industry
Atari x Ubisoft IP deal — Five cult titles change hands, signaling remaster potential and Nightdive-adjacent possibilities. (Business Wire; PC Gamer). Business WirePC Gamer
Diablo teams unionize — 450+ Blizzard devs join CWA; eyes on bargaining scope and live-ops staffing. (CWA; The Verge). CWA UnionThe Verge
U.S. spending (Circana July) — Market up 5% YoY to $5.05B; hardware +21% with Switch 2 momentum. (GamesBeat/Circana). GamesBeat
Trailer & demo watchlist
MGS Δ: Snake Eater — Launch Trailer (YouTube/Konami). YouTube
Shinobi: Art of Vengeance — dev feature + trailer (PS Blog; GamesPress). PlayStation.Blog
Battlefield 6 — Labs testing returns; sign-ups via EA community post. Electronic Arts Inc.
Medieval StartUp — Demo now live on Steam (released Aug 27). Steam Store
CRACKED — PvP roguelike Demo on Steam. Steam Store
Deals of the week
EGS freebies — Make Way and Machinarium free until Thu, Sep 4 at 10 am CT. (PC Gamer tracker; Epic news). PC GamerEpic Games Store
PlayStation Store — Ready, Set, Play sale live from Aug 27 for a limited time. (PlayStation Blog). PlayStation.Blog
GOG — Back to School sale runs Aug 26–Sep 10 with 7,500+ discounts. (GOG promo page). GOG.com
Steam — Third-Person Shooter Fest ends Sun, Sep 1. (PC Gamer). PC Gamer
Rumor radar
Nintendo Direct reportedly mid-September, possibly aligning with Mario’s 40th anniversary. Treat as unconfirmed, but multiple reputable outlets signal the window. (VGC; TechRadar; GameSpot). VGCTechRadarGameSpot
Next week calendar
Tue, Sep 2 — Helldivers 2: Into the Unjust update goes live. Time TBA. (PlayStation Blog). PlayStation.Blog
Tue, Sep 2 — PS Plus Monthly Games available: Psychonauts 2, Stardew Valley, Viewfinder. Rolls out during the day. (PS Blog). PlayStation.Blog
Thu, Sep 4 — 10:00 am CT — EGS free-game rotation begins (Monument Valley, Polytopia incoming). (PC Gamer tracker). PC Gamer