{"$schema_note":"Generated by /api/feed from Turso. Latest approved day by default; ?date=YYYY-MM-DD returns that approved day when available. Do not hand-edit.","selected_date":"2026-08-24","updated":"2026-08-24","issue_no":17,"topic":"Star Wars Zero Company","supporting_topic":"Clone Wars tactics launch","social_hook":"Riot is pulling the plug on its own fighting game eight months after launch, and the refunds are already going out.","title":"Star Wars Zero Company | Gaming News #17","tldr":"> Star Wars Zero Company lands August 27, a Clone Wars tactics game where you build and command an XCOM-style squad.\n> Delta Force reshuffled its extraction loot, pushing treasure maps into fewer Field Supply Crates on Zero Dam.\n> Riot is ending 2XKO eight months in, refunding players and shipping just two more fighters.\n> The Pokemon World Championships hit San Francisco this week with a teased new reveal.","cover":null,"recent_digests":[{"date":"2026-08-24","topic":"Star Wars Zero Company","supporting_topic":"Clone Wars tactics launch","lead_title":"Delta Force Moves Extraction Loot Into Fewer Crates and Teases a New Melee","title":"Star Wars Zero Company | Gaming News #17","tl_dr":"> Star Wars Zero Company lands August 27, a Clone Wars tactics game where you build and command an XCOM-style squad.\n> Delta Force reshuffled its extraction loot, pushing treasure maps into fewer Field Supply Crates on Zero Dam.\n> Riot is ending 2XKO eight months in, refunding players and shipping just two more fighters.\n> The Pokemon World Championships hit San Francisco this week with a teased new reveal.","issue_no":17,"cover":null},{"date":"2026-08-23","topic":"ARC Raiders Expeditions Pause","supporting_topic":"extraction shooter roadmap shakeup","lead_title":"ARC Raiders Runs Its Last Expedition Before Pausing the Mode Until 2027","title":"ARC Raiders Expeditions Pause | Gaming News #16","tl_dr":"> ARC Raiders pauses its Expeditions mode until 2027, a roadmap shakeup that hands players one last run starting September 8.\n> Modern Warfare 4's first beta patch quiets footsteps, nerfs the ISO Nightshade, and adds the Cachette map.\n> Hell Let Loose: Vietnam answers a rough launch with a 500-fix patch and promises Huey helicopters in September.\n> Front Mission 3 Remake and 200-player shooter Over the Top: WWI are free on Steam until August 24.\n> Gamescom Opening Night Live returns August 25 with FF7 Revelation and Gears of War: E-Day.","issue_no":16,"cover":null},{"date":"2026-08-22","topic":"Marathon Season 3 Overhaul","supporting_topic":"extraction shooter player retention","lead_title":"Marathon Bets Season 3 on a Full PvE Mode as Daily Players Fall Below 3,600","title":"Marathon Season 3 Overhaul | Gaming News #15","tl_dr":"> Marathon Season 3 lands September 22 with a full PvE mode and a rebuilt early game, Bungie's bet to win back players after a 96% drop.\n> ARC Raiders is handing out a free Subterranean outfit, and the catch is buying a Subway sandwich to unlock it.\n> Call of Duty NEXT dropped the first look at Zodiac, the new Warzone Resurgence map coming with Modern Warfare 4.\n> Dying Light is free to play all weekend on Steam before The Beast arrives September 19.\n> FromSoftware scrapped the opening session of The Duskbloods' first network test after the servers fell over.","issue_no":15,"cover":null}],"items":[{"id":"2026-08-24--delta-force-treasure-map-shuffle","title":"Delta Force Moves Extraction Loot Into Fewer Crates and Teases a New Melee","section":"Extraction shooters","summary":"Your Zero Dam loot routes just changed. Fewer containers means squads funnel to the same Field Supply Crates, so expect hotter fights over spawns. Hold your Delta Coins if you want to compare both melee weapons before spending.","analysis":"Delta Force, the free player-versus-player-versus-environment shooter from Team Jade, pushed its August 21 update and changed where extraction loot spawns. Treasure Maps now drop from Field Supply Crates instead of Travel Bags, and Zero Dam went from 25 Travel Bags to 13 Field Supply Crates with a higher drop rate. A Ratty Sitting Down event adds Rocket Rats on Zero Dam, Layali Grove, and Brakkesh that drop bonus crates. A melee weapon, Desmoulins' Edge, arrives alongside the Sea Gleam draw running to September 12.","url":"https://www.mmoexp.com/News/delta-force-update-guide-new-treasure-map-events-and-sea-gleam-return-this-week.html","source":"MMOExp","image_url":"https://www.mmoexp.com/mmoexp-v250528/images/mmoexp_logo.png","image_source_url":"https://www.mmoexp.com/News/delta-force-update-guide-new-treasure-map-events-and-sea-gleam-return-this-week.html","date":"2026-08-24","tags":["extraction","updates"]},{"id":"2026-08-24--star-wars-zero-company-launch","title":"Star Wars Zero Company Turns the Clone Wars Into an XCOM-Style Squad Game","section":"Coming soon","summary":"If you want a Star Wars game that is about planning rather than reflexes, this is the one to watch this week. Check reviews at launch before paying full price, since squad tactics live or die on their mission design.","analysis":"Star Wars Zero Company launches August 27 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and S, with preload and exact launch times detailed August 21. Developer Bit Reactor built it as a turn-based tactics game in the style of XCOM, set during the Clone Wars. You play Hawks, a former Republic officer, and command a customizable squad of Jedi and scoundrels through cover-based fights, base management, and mission planning. The standard edition is $49.99 on PC and $59.99 on console.","url":"https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2026/08/15/star-wars-zero-company-release-date-pre-order-info-and-feature-list/","source":"Forbes","image_url":"https://vulkk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Star-Wars-Zero-Company-Release-Times-Featured.jpg","image_source_url":"https://vulkk.com/2026/08/21/star-wars-zero-company-exact-launch-times-and-when-preload-becomes-available/","date":"2026-08-24","tags":["updates","platforms"]},{"id":"2026-08-24--riot-2xko-development-ending","title":"Riot Is Ending 2XKO Eight Months After Launch and Refunding Players","section":"Other","summary":"If you spent money on 2XKO, a refund is coming, so check your account. The bigger takeaway: a studio the size of Riot is still willing to walk away from a live-service game fast, which is a warning for anyone investing time in a new one.","analysis":"Riot Games said it will stop active development on 2XKO, its League of Legends fighting game, this December, roughly eight months after the PC launch. Riot said not enough players stuck with the game to make it sustainable. It is disabling in-game currency and refunding purchases made before the announcement, and it plans two final characters: Lux in September and Samira in October. Servers stay online and the game stays playable after December.","url":"https://gameinformer.com/2026/08/20/riot-games-will-cease-active-development-for-league-of-legends-fighting-game-2xko-in","source":"Game Informer","image_url":"https://gameinformer.com/sites/default/files/styles/og_image/public/2026/08/20/ea3f4d77/2xko-other-graphic2.jpg.webp","image_source_url":"https://gameinformer.com/2026/08/20/riot-games-will-cease-active-development-for-league-of-legends-fighting-game-2xko-in","date":"2026-08-24","tags":["industry","updates"]},{"id":"2026-08-24--pokemon-world-championships-2026","title":"The Pokemon World Championships Hit San Francisco With a Teased Reveal","section":"Other","summary":"Even if you do not follow competitive Pokemon, this is the weekend Nintendo tends to drop surprise reveals. Worth a watch if you play on Switch 2 or care what comes after Scarlet and Violet.","analysis":"The 2026 Pokemon World Championships run August 28 to 30 in San Francisco, with Pokemon Champions, the dedicated competitive battle game, serving as the main event over the old Scarlet and Violet format. The Preview Show aired August 21 and teased a special announcement for the Switch 2 title Pokemon Pokopia. The Championships usually carry news beyond the brackets, and the tenth-generation games Pokemon Winds and Waves are already dated to 2027.","url":"https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/08/pokemon-world-championships-teases-special-pokemon-pokopia-announcement","source":"Nintendo Life","image_url":"https://images.nintendolife.com/bc7d124cc64f6/large.jpg","image_source_url":"https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2026/08/pokemon-world-championships-teases-special-pokemon-pokopia-announcement","date":"2026-08-24","tags":["platforms","updates"]},{"id":"2026-08-24--how-to-fish-launch","title":"How to Fish Reels In Overwhelmingly Positive Reviews at Launch","section":"Just released","summary":"If your squad wants a break between ranked sessions, this is a low-cost, high-chaos co-op pick that is reviewing better than most launches this month.","analysis":"How to Fish, a physics-based co-op fishing game for up to four players, launched on Steam August 20 and sits at 96 percent positive from more than 1,383 reviews, an Overwhelmingly Positive rating. It leans into chaos with janky physics, boss fish, and guns. It is a change of pace from the shooter grind and a cheap co-op night.","url":"https://www.g2a.com/news/game-spotlights/how-to-fish-is-out-now-on-steam/","source":"G2A News","image_url":null,"image_source_url":null,"date":"2026-08-24","tags":["updates"]}]}