Week in Gaming News: February 7-13, 2026
Sony dropped a blockbuster State of Play this week with God of War surprises, a new Castlevania from the Dead Cells team, and Marathon's open preview dates. Meanwhile, both Game Pass and PS Plus are making February one of the best subscription months in recent memory. Here's what happened.
The Big Stories
PlayStation State of Play Drops God of War Surprises, Castlevania Revival, and More
Sony's February 12 State of Play ran over an hour and packed in announcements that would've carried an entire showcase a few years ago.
The headliner: God of War: Sons of Sparta is out right now. Sony shadow-dropped a 2D action platformer featuring a young Kratos training alongside his brother Deimos. Mega Cat Studios developed it alongside Sony Santa Monica, and it nails a 16-bit pixel art style with spear-and-shield combat. TC Carson, the original Kratos voice actor, returns for voice and narration. It's $29.99 for the standard edition or $39.99 for the Digital Deluxe.
On top of that, Santa Monica Studio confirmed a God of War Greek Trilogy Remake is in early development. No timeline yet, but the original trilogy getting the remake treatment is a big deal for longtime fans.
The other massive reveal: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. This is a brand-new 2D action-exploration Castlevania developed by Konami alongside Motion Twin and Evil Empire, the teams behind Dead Cells and its Return to Castlevania DLC. Set in 1499 Paris, it's the first original Castlevania entry in over a decade. It launches later in 2026.
Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 brings MGS4: Guns of the Patriots to a platform other than PS3 for the first time since 2008. Peace Walker is included too. It launches August 27, 2026.
Other notable reveals included Kena: Scars of Kosmora (sequel to Bridge of Spirits), a John Wick game, Legacy of Kain: Defiance Remaster, and MARVEL Tokon: Fighting Souls hitting PS5 and PC on August 6.
Why it matters: This was one of Sony's strongest State of Play events. Between a shadow drop, trilogy remake confirmation, and the Castlevania revival with proven developers, PlayStation owners have a lot to look forward to in 2026.
Xbox Game Pass February 2026 Is Stacked with Day-One Releases
Game Pass subscribers are eating well this month. The February lineup includes multiple day-one launches and major catalog additions that make the subscription hard to ignore.
Here's what's available or coming soon:
| Game | Date | Platforms |
|---|---|---|
| Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii | February 3 | Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC |
| Final Fantasy II | February 3 | Console, PC |
| Madden NFL 26 | February 5 | Cloud, Console, PC |
| BlazBlue Entropy Effect X | February 12 | Console, PC |
| Kingdom Come Deliverance | February 13 | Cloud, Console, PC |
| High On Life 2 (Day One) | February 13 | Cloud, Console, PC |
| Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora | February 17 | Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC |
| Avowed (Day One) | February 17 | Cloud, Console, PC |
Madden NFL 24 leaves mid-February, which makes sense given Madden 26 is replacing it. Late February departures are expected to include Cataclismo, Citizen Sleeper 2, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders, and several others.
On the subscription side, reports suggest Microsoft is exploring ways to expand its Game Pass lineup, possibly merging PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Premium tiers or bundling additional third-party services. Nothing confirmed yet, but it's worth watching given Ultimate already sits at $29.99/month after last year's 50% price increase.
Why it matters: Two day-one launches (High On Life 2 and Avowed), plus Like a Dragon, Kingdom Come Deliverance, and Avatar make this one of the strongest Game Pass months in recent memory. If you're on the fence about subscribing, February is a good time to jump in.
PS Plus February Catalog Adds Spider-Man 2 and 9 More Games
PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers get a strong batch of games dropping February 17, headlined by Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
| Game | Tier | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Marvel's Spider-Man 2 | Extra | PS5 |
| Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown | Extra | PS5 |
| Neva | Extra | PS5, PS4 |
| Season: A Letter to the Future | Extra | PS5, PS4 |
| Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin | Extra | PS4 |
| Monster Hunter Stories | Extra | PS4 |
| Venba | Extra | PS5 |
| Echoes of the End: Enhanced Edition | Extra | PS5 |
| Rugby 25 | Extra | PS5, PS4 |
| Disney Pixar WALL-E | Premium | PS5 |
The February Essential games (available since February 3) include Undisputed, Subnautica: Below Zero, Ultros, and Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.
Why it matters: Spider-Man 2 launched at $69.99 in October 2023. Getting a $70 game included in your Extra subscription just over two years later is one of the best value-adds PS Plus has delivered. If you've been waiting to play it, your patience just paid off.
High On Life 2 Launches Today on Game Pass
High On Life 2 released today (February 13) as a day-one Game Pass title on Xbox Series X|S and PC. PS5 players can grab it too, but it's a separate purchase on that platform.
The sequel to the 2022 hit brings back the colorful FPS formula with talking alien guns, adding a new skateboard traversal system for exploration and combat. Early reviews describe it as "louder, weirder, and somehow better" than the original.
Why it matters: Another solid day-one Game Pass launch. If you're already subscribed, this is a no-brainer to try.
GDC Report: One-Third of US Game Workers Laid Off in Two Years
The GDC 2026 State of the Game Industry report dropped some sobering numbers. 28% of survey respondents were laid off in the past two years. In the US, that figure rises to one-third.
The damage goes deeper:
- Half of respondents said their employer conducted layoffs in the past 12 months
- Two-thirds of AAA studio workers experienced layoffs at their companies
- 74% of surveyed students are concerned about future job prospects
- 52% of professionals think generative AI is having a negative impact on the industry (up from 30% last year)
- 82% of US-based respondents support unionization
This week alone, Hinterland (The Long Dark), Wildlight (Highguard), and Riot Games all confirmed layoffs. Hinterland delayed its sequel Blackfrost beyond the end of 2026, and Wildlight let go of most of its team just two weeks after launching Highguard.
Why it matters: The games you're playing are made by people in an industry under serious strain. These numbers represent real careers disrupted. The unionization support (82%) and rising anti-AI sentiment (52%, up from 18% two years ago) signal that workers are pushing back.
Quick Hits
- Ghost of Yotei: Legends, a free four-player co-op mode for Ghost of Yotei, launches March 10 with four classes, four maps, and a raid coming in April.
- Marathon's Server Slam open preview runs February 26 to March 2 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, ahead of the full $40 launch on March 5.
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach hits PC on March 19 via Steam and Epic, featuring unlocked framerates, ultrawide support, and full DualSense support.
- Nintendo Switch 2 keeps building third-party momentum with Yakuza Kiwami 3 and Mario Tennis Fever arriving this week, plus Fallout 4: Anniversary Edition (Feb 24) and Resident Evil Requiem (Feb 27) on the way.
What to Watch Next Week
- PS Plus Extra/Premium games go live on February 17, including Spider-Man 2, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, and Neva
- Avowed launches on Game Pass on February 17 as a day-one title from Obsidian Entertainment
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora arrives on Game Pass on February 17
- Rumored Nintendo Direct in the third week of February, possibly featuring a new 3D Mario for Switch 2 (unconfirmed)
- Marathon Server Slam open preview begins February 26
Track Subscription Changes Automatically
Game Pass and PS Plus both delivered massive lineups this month, and keeping track of what's available, what's leaving, and what's worth your time can be a headache. Vaulted.Games tracks subscription catalogs across Game Pass, PS Plus, and more so you never miss a game joining or leaving your service.
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News compiled February 13, 2026.