Week in Gaming News: February 22-28, 2026
This was one of the biggest weeks of the year for gaming news. Sony revealed a loaded PS Plus lineup for March, Insomniac pinned down a release date for one of the most anticipated PS5 exclusives, and Pokemon's 30th anniversary brought back two GBA classics. Subscription services across the board are delivering serious value heading into March. Here's what happened.
The Big Stories
PS Plus March 2026: The Strongest Essential Month of the Year So Far
Sony announced the PlayStation Plus Essential monthly games for March 2026 on February 25. Four games will be available to claim starting Tuesday, March 3 through Monday, April 6.
| Game | Platform | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| PGA Tour 2K25 | PS5 | Sports/Golf Sim |
| Monster Hunter Rise | PS4/PS5 | Action RPG |
| Slime Rancher 2 | PS5 | Simulation/Adventure |
| The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road | PS4/PS5 | MMO RPG |
This is a genuinely impressive month. Monster Hunter Rise has sold over 18 million copies, making it Capcom's second-best-selling game ever. The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road normally retails for $59.99 and includes the base game plus every Chapter expansion (Morrowind, Summerset, Elsweyr, Greymoor, Blackwood, High Isle, Necrom, and Gold Road). That's years of content in a single download.
Slime Rancher 2, the beloved sequel that's already drawn 15 million fans, rounds out a diverse lineup. PGA Tour 2K25 covers the sports genre with licensed PGA Championship, U.S. Open, and The Open Championship courses.
Why it matters: Four games across four different genres. ESO Gold Road alone could keep you busy for months. If you have PS Plus Essential, don't forget to claim these on March 3.
Marvel's Wolverine Gets a September 15 Release Date
Insomniac Games confirmed on February 24 that Marvel's Wolverine launches on PS5 on September 15, 2026. The studio locked in the exact date via a brief announcement video after previously only committing to a Fall 2026 window.
Here's what we know:
- PS5 exclusive (no PS4 version)
- Described as "darker" and "more brutal" than Insomniac's Spider-Man games
- Shares continuity with the Marvel's Spider-Man series
- First in a planned trilogy focused on the X-Men
- Releases two months before GTA 6 (November 19, 2026)
Given Insomniac's track record with Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which already landed on PS Plus Extra, expectations are high. The September slot gives it breathing room before what will be a crowded holiday season.
Why it matters: Budget-conscious gamers now have a firm date to plan around. And if you're patient, Spider-Man 2's PS Plus trajectory suggests Wolverine could eventually follow a similar path to the subscription catalog.
Pokemon Turns 30: FireRed and LeafGreen Hit Nintendo Switch
February 27 marked the 30th anniversary of the original Pokemon Red and Green release in Japan. The Pokemon Company celebrated with a 25-minute Pokemon Presents livestream and delivered several major announcements.
The headline: Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen are now available on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 eShop, priced at $19.99 each (digital only). They went live immediately after the Presents concluded. The games are available in English, French, and Spanish.
The Presents also showcased:
- Pokemon Pokopia, a new game for Switch with a gameplay demo
- Updates for Pokemon Go, TCG Pocket, Unite, and Masters EX
- The first official Pokemon x LEGO sets, also releasing February 27
Why it matters: At $19.99 each, FireRed and LeafGreen are priced accessibly. These are GBA classics that many gamers haven't touched in over 20 years. If you've got a Switch, this is pure nostalgia at a fair price.
Game Pass February Wave 2: Witcher 3, College Football 26, and Kingdom Come II Incoming
Xbox Game Pass closed out February with a stacked second wave of additions. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition, EA Sports College Football 26, and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora all arrived, with the headliner still on deck.
| Game | Date Added | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Aerial_Knight's DropShot | Feb 17 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora | Feb 17 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC |
| Death Howl | Feb 19 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| EA Sports College Football 26 | Feb 19 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S |
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition | Feb 19 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC |
| TCG Card Shop Simulator (Game Preview) | Feb 24 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Dice A Million | Feb 25 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Towerborne (Full Game Release) | Feb 26 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II arrives on March 3 via Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass. It was a 2025 Game of the Year nominee and one of the biggest RPGs in recent memory.
But four games are also leaving on February 28. Grab the 20% subscriber discount if you want to keep any of these:
| Game Leaving | Notes |
|---|---|
| Injustice 2 | One of the highest-rated fighters on the service |
| Middle-earth: Shadow of War | On Game Pass since July 2019; Nemesis system classic |
| Monster Train | Popular deckbuilding roguelike |
| Expeditions: A MudRunner Game | Off-road simulation |
Why it matters: The Witcher 3 Complete Edition alone represents hundreds of hours of content. College Football 26 is a big EA Sports get. And KCD2 arriving March 3 means this momentum carries right into next month.
Nintendo Switch 2 Price Hike Reportedly Under Consideration
Bloomberg reported that Nintendo is "contemplating" raising the price of the Nintendo Switch 2 this year. Multiple analyst firms corroborate the expectation.
Here's what's being reported:
- Current price: $449 USD
- Predicted new price: Up to $499 USD (per analyst firm Niko Partners)
- Key factor: Nintendo is paying 41% more for the 12GB of RAM in each unit, according to Bloomberg sources
- Other drivers: US tariffs and broader macroeconomic conditions
- Possible approach: Discontinue the $449 SKU and sell only a $499+ bundle
- Nintendo's response: President Shuntaro Furukawa has not confirmed a price hike. The company says it has no current plans to increase the price.
- Analyst timeline: Likely by June/July 2026, possibly after Holiday 2026
To be clear: this is a report and analyst prediction, not a confirmed price change. Nintendo has explicitly denied current plans for a hike.
Why it matters: If you've been on the fence about a Switch 2, the current $449 price point could be as good as it gets. Waiting might cost you $50 more if these reports play out.
Quick Hits
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Steam Next Fest runs through March 2: Hundreds of free demos are live right now, though players are flagging a noticeable increase in AI-generated demos among the roughly 4,000 available titles. Worth browsing, but you'll need to curate. (Steam Next Fest page)
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GTA 6 stays on track for November 19: Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick confirmed during the February earnings call that GTA 6 is "firmly on track." PS5 and Xbox Series X|S at launch, no PC. Marketing starts this summer.
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Game Pass early March confirmed titles: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (March 3), Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster (March 3), and Planet of Lana 2: Children of the Leaf (March 5, day one Game Pass release).
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Resident Evil triple release on Switch 2: RE7 Gold Edition, RE Village Gold Edition, and RE Requiem all launched natively on Switch 2 on February 27, replacing the old cloud-only versions.
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GOG sales roundup: Six simultaneous sales are live on GOG with DRM-free discounts on Spiritfarer, Darkest Dungeon, Dead Cells, and more.
What to Watch Next Week
- March 2: Steam Next Fest ends. Last chance to download free demos.
- March 3: PS Plus March games go live. PGA Tour 2K25, Monster Hunter Rise, Slime Rancher 2, and ESO Gold Road available to claim.
- March 3: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II hits Game Pass. One of the biggest RPG additions to the service this year.
- March 5: Planet of Lana 2 launches day one on Game Pass. The indie sequel arrives directly into the subscription catalog.
- Pokemon Presents follow-up: Watch for additional details from the 30th anniversary presentation as coverage rolls out.
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News compiled February 27, 2026.