Games

The past year brought a lot of exciting game releases, from big-budget titles to those created by smaller independent teams. Indie games like Hollow Knight: Silksong and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 were particularly successful, selling millions of copies—Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 even won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2025. Popular AAA games such as Mario Kart World and Battlefield 6 also drew in huge player bases. While 2025 saw many new releases, data shows that players also continued to enjoy older, established games.

While many M-rated games get a lot of attention, some have flown completely under the radar. These games, whether they’re older titles from when the ESRB rating system first started, or more recent releases, aren’t well-known to many adult gamers. Let’s explore a few of them.

Like many ongoing online games, character skins have been a popular topic of discussion for players of ARC Raiders. The game’s developer, Embark Studios, previously expressed concern about overly flashy and unrealistic cosmetic items appearing in games like Call of Duty. Players worried ARC Raiders might do the same to make more money, but Embark promised that any skins would fit the game’s style and overall look. Now, after almost three months, it’s clear Embark has kept that promise – all the new skins available in the game are practical and realistic.

Ponyta, often called the Fire Horse Pokémon, was introduced in the original Pokémon Red and Blue games as one of the first Fire-type Pokémon. It’s easily recognized by its cream-colored body and fiery mane, and is naturally very fast. Ponyta evolves into Rapidash at level 40, becoming a powerful physical attacker. In Pokémon Sword and Shield, Ponyta and Rapidash received new forms specific to the Galarian region. These Galarian forms are Psychic-type Pokémon, with Galarian Rapidash also possessing the Fairy-type. Both the original Ponyta and its Galarian variant have remained consistently popular with fans.

Fans of One Piece are really looking forward to what happens next in the story. Currently, the series is in the Elbaf arc, which follows Luffy and his crew as they explore the land of the Giants. This arc is proving to be very popular, as One Piece sales are increasing again. However, the Elbaf arc won’t last forever. At a recent Jump Festa event, creator Eiichiro Oda announced that he plans to conclude the Elbaf arc in 2026 and move the story forward for Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates.

As a fan, I’ve noticed some games in this genre really throw you in the deep end! They’ll introduce totally new ways of moving or completely unique gameplay mechanics, which can be super confusing at first. Then, on top of that, a lot of these games are just fast. You barely have time to learn the ropes before you’re thrown into the action, so you just have to jump in and learn as you go!

It’s been five weeks since Microsoft last shared what’s coming to Xbox Game Pass. Usually, they announce new games twice a month, but for several years, they’ve combined their December announcements into one. This makes the wait for the first games of the new year a bit longer. This year, the wait ended on January 6th when Microsoft revealed the first set of games coming to Xbox Game Pass in 2026.

Look, I know live-action anime adaptations can be really hit or miss – we’ve all seen some pretty disappointing ones, like the Death Note movie. But I’m seriously hyped about the Solo Leveling live-action! We just got news that filming is finally starting in April 2026, which is amazing! While we don’t know everything yet, Netflix has shared some details – like how many episodes to expect and a few of the actors involved – and they’re promising a really high-quality production. And that’s not all! 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for Solo Leveling, with a new video game and even a possible movie also on the way. I’m so excited to see how this all turns out!

Naruto Uzumaki is a hugely popular character in the Naruto series. His appeal extends beyond the show itself, and he’s inspired many other anime characters. Starting with very little, Naruto worked his way up to become the powerful and respected Seventh Hokage of Konoha.

Starting a new island can seem daunting for players wanting a fresh start. Given the existing, complicated process for moving between islands, many worry starting over will be just as difficult. But don’t worry! This guide will walk you through everything you need to know.