TL;DR
- Nvidia reportedly skipped RTX 50 Super and pushed RTX 60 to 2028, offering no consumer gaming GPUs in 2026.
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Switch 2 Edition launches July 30 with 60fps, 4K visuals, and new Rare Blade MOMO.
- Hasbro and Nintendo announced a multi-year Zelda toy partnership starting 2027; first figures revealed at Comic-Con.
- Magic Leap is cutting 193 jobs and pivoting to waveguide technology, retreating from consumer VR headsets.
PlayStation
PlayStation was quiet this week, with only a routine July 23 system update improving messages and usability across the interface.
Xbox
Seven games leave Xbox Game Pass on July 31, including strategy sim Crusader Kings III, indie darling Celeste, and Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord. Microsoft is discounting departing titles by at least 20 percent through month's end as the service continues rotating its library (via Pure Xbox).
Halo: Campaign Evolved, an Unreal Engine 5 remake of the 2001 original, launches July 28 on Game Pass across console, cloud, handheld, and PC. The refresh adds HD visuals, refined controls, three brand-new prequel missions, and four-player co-op, bringing Master Chief's saga to next-gen hardware (via Xbox Wire).
Nintendo
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 arrives on Switch 2 July 30 in full 60fps with 4K support on TV. The Switch 2 Edition adds a new Rare Blade called MOMO with her own story quest, a Merc Assault squad-battle mode, and fresh cosmetics for Pyra and Mythra. Existing owners can upgrade for $9.99 (via Nintendo Life).
Hasbro and Nintendo announced a multi-year partnership to produce toys from the Legend of Zelda franchise, with releases launching in 2027. At San Diego Comic-Con this week, the companies revealed their first three 6-inch scale figures, designed in collaboration with eyewear brands Gentle Monster and Warby Parker. The toys span multiple product categories (via Nintendo Life).
PC hardware
Nvidia is reportedly skipping new consumer gaming GPUs in 2026, breaking a 30-year streak of annual releases. The company has delayed RTX 50 Super and pushed RTX 60 to 2028 as a memory shortage forces focus to more profitable AI accelerators. While unconfirmed, supply-chain reports suggest PC gamers face a lean year ahead (via XDA Developers).
Intel's Arc B770 Battlemage discrete GPU is facing delays as the company struggles with its manufacturing roadmap. The chipmaker has reportedly cancelled its planned Arc Xe3P consumer gaming GPU, narrowing choices for PC gamers outside Nvidia and AMD. An Intel exec reaffirmed Arc's strategic importance, though focus is shifting to professional cards (via VideoCardz).
VR and AR headsets
Magic Leap announced a pivot to waveguides on July 9, cutting 193 jobs as it abandons its first-party headset business. The AR company is shifting toward selling optics technology and integration services to other makers instead of building consumer hardware. The move reflects the scalability challenges facing standalone VR devices as competition from Apple, Meta, and Samsung intensifies (via Road to VR).