Week in Gaming News: March 8-13, 2026
Both major subscription services dropped heavy hitters this week. Game Pass added Cyberpunk 2077 and expanded Silksong to more tiers, while PS Plus revealed a March catalog headlined by Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 and Persona 5 Royal. Meanwhile, Nintendo is taking the U.S. government to court over tariffs that hit Switch 2 accessories. Here's what happened.
The Big Stories
Cyberpunk 2077 Joins Game Pass, Silksong Expands to Premium
Cyberpunk 2077 landed on Xbox Game Pass on March 10, more than five years after its infamous launch. CD Projekt Red spent years and over $125 million rebuilding the game's reputation, and it's now widely regarded as one of the best single-player RPGs around. If you skipped it at launch (smart move), this is your chance.
A few things to know before you download: the game is available on Cloud and Console only for Game Pass Ultimate and Game Pass Premium subscribers. PC Game Pass is left out. And it's the base game only, so the Phantom Liberty expansion isn't included.
In other Game Pass news, Hollow Knight: Silksong expanded to the Premium tier on March 12. It was previously locked to Ultimate and PC Game Pass since its September 2025 launch. With an OpenCritic score of 91 and a free expansion announced for 2026, that's a strong pickup if you haven't played it yet.
Here's the full Wave 1 lineup:
| Game | Date | Platforms | Tiers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 | March 3 | Cloud, Console, PC | Ultimate, Premium, Standard, PC |
| Final Fantasy III Pixel Remaster | March 3 | Cloud, Console, PC | Ultimate, Premium, Standard, PC |
| EA Sports F1 25 | March 4 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, PC | Ultimate, Premium, PC |
| Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf | March 5 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, PC | Day One |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | March 10 | Cloud, Console | Ultimate, Premium |
| Construction Simulator | March 10 | Cloud, Console, PC | Ultimate, Premium, Standard, PC |
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | March 12 | Cloud, Console, PC | Added to Premium |
| Call of Duty: Warzone Black Ops Royale | March 13 | Cloud, Console, PC | Free-to-play (GP bonus bundle) |
| Nova Roma | March 26 | PC | Ultimate, PC (Early Access) |
Six games are also leaving Game Pass on March 15: Bratz: Rhythm & Style, Enter the Gungeon, F1 23, He is Coming, Lightyear Frontier, and Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island. Grab them at up to 20% off before they go.
Why it matters: Cyberpunk 2077 alone would cost you $30+ on sale. Getting it through a subscription you're already paying for is the budget play. And if you've been on the fence about Silksong, the Premium tier expansion removes one more barrier.
PS Plus March: Monthly Games Live, Extra/Premium Catalog Is Stacked
The PS Plus Essential monthly games went live on March 3 and are available through April 6. This month's lineup:
| Game | Genre |
|---|---|
| PGA Tour 2K25 | Sports |
| Monster Hunter Rise | Action RPG |
| Slime Rancher 2 | Adventure/Simulation |
| The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road | MMO RPG |
That's a solid spread if you like variety. Monster Hunter Rise alone is a 100+ hour game that typically sells for $20-30.
But the real headline is the Extra/Premium catalog arriving March 17. Sony announced the additions on March 11:
| Game | Tier | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 | Extra | Third-person action |
| EA Sports Madden NFL 26 | Extra | Sports |
| Persona 5 Royal | Extra | JRPG |
| Blasphemous 2 | Extra | Metroidvania |
| Metal Eden | Extra | Action |
| The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria | Extra | Survival/Crafting |
| Astroneer | Extra | Sandbox/Exploration |
| Tekken Dark Resurrection | Premium | Classic fighting |
Space Marine 2 and Persona 5 Royal are the standouts. Space Marine 2 was one of 2025's biggest action games, and Persona 5 Royal is a 100+ hour JRPG that regularly appears on "best of all time" lists.
Six games are leaving Extra/Premium on March 17: TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Paradise Killer, Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation Code Fairy, R-Type Final 3 Evolved, Cris Tales, and Circus Electrique. Shredder's Revenge is the one to finish before it goes.
Why it matters: If you're on PS Plus Extra, March 17 is going to feel like a $150+ haul for $0 extra. Space Marine 2 and Persona 5 Royal in the same drop is unusually strong.
Call of Duty: Warzone Black Ops Royale Launches Free-to-Play
Black Ops Royale went live on March 13 as a free-to-play battle royale mode within Warzone. It's part of the Season 02 Reloaded update for Black Ops 7.
This isn't just another Warzone reskin. It's built around the stripped-back design of the original Blackout mode from Black Ops 4: no loadouts, no Gulag, no Buy Stations. All 100 players drop onto a new map called Avalon with only a wingsuit, basic armor, a knife, and a pistol. Everything else you find on the ground.
You don't need to own Black Ops 7 to play. It's completely free. Game Pass members get a bonus in-game bundle (Pack 5).
Why it matters: A full new battle royale experience at zero cost. If you bounced off Warzone because of the loadout meta, Black Ops Royale's back-to-basics approach might pull you back in.
Nintendo Sues U.S. Government Over Tariffs Affecting Switch 2
Nintendo of America filed a lawsuit against the U.S. government in the Court of International Trade on March 6, targeting tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Here's the background: tariffs delayed the start of U.S. preorder sales for the Switch 2. Nintendo managed to keep the console's launch price intact by routing U.S.-bound units through its Vietnam manufacturing operations (lower tariff rate), but peripherals got hit with price increases. The Pro Controller, Joy-Con 2 Pair, Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip, and other accessories all cost more because of these tariffs.
Nintendo wants a full refund of all tariff duties paid, with interest, plus attorney fees. And they have precedent on their side: the Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2026 that the president doesn't have authority to impose tariffs via IEEPA, which could make these payments unlawful.
The lawsuit has been automatically stayed (paused) pending a related tariff case moving through the courts. Nintendo isn't alone in this fight. Over 1,000 companies have filed similar suits, including Costco, FedEx, and CVS.
Why it matters: If refunds are granted and the tariff situation resolves, Switch 2 accessory prices in the U.S. could come back down. For now, budget-conscious buyers should factor in the inflated accessory costs when planning a Switch 2 purchase.
PEGI Overhauls Ratings to Target Loot Boxes and Predatory Mechanics
PEGI (the European age rating system) announced a major overhaul that directly addresses loot boxes, daily login rewards, and pressure-based monetization. The changes take effect in June 2026.
The new rules are straightforward:
| Mechanic | New Rating |
|---|---|
| Paid random items (loot boxes) | PEGI 16 (minimum) |
| Daily quests/login rewards (punishes missing days) | PEGI 12 |
| Daily quests/login rewards (rewards returning) | PEGI 7 |
| Time-limited or quantity-limited purchase offers | PEGI 12 |
| Unrestricted communication (no blocking/reporting) | PEGI 18 |
The industry impact could be significant. Games like EA Sports FC, currently rated PEGI 3, could see dramatic rating increases due to Ultimate Team's loot box mechanics. A jump from "suitable for all ages" to PEGI 16 would change how those games are marketed and sold, especially to parents.
PEGI also introduced four new "Interactive Risk" content descriptor categories to give consumers more granular information about what's in the box.
Why it matters: This won't stop publishers from using loot boxes, but it forces them to be honest about it on the packaging. Parents buying games for kids will now see a clear age rating that reflects the monetization, not just the violence. That's a consumer win.
Quick Hits
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Ghost of Yotei Legends launched March 10 as a free co-op update (Patch 1.5) for all PS5 owners of Ghost of Yotei. Supports up to four players online with four character classes (Samurai, Archer, Mercenary, Shinobi), survival mode, and 12 co-op story missions. No additional purchase required.
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Highguard shut down permanently on March 12, just 45 days after launch. The 3v3 shooter from Apex Legends/Titanfall veterans dropped from nearly 100,000 concurrent Steam players at launch to just 600 one month later. The developer cited "online discourse" as accelerating their failure.
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NetEase pulled funding from Nagoshi Studio (Yakuza creator Toshihiro Nagoshi's new studio) after discovering the debut game Gang of Dragon needed an additional $44.4 million to complete. Funding ends in May 2026. Nagoshi is reportedly seeking new sponsors.
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Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection launched March 13 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. The turn-based RPG spinoff is sitting at an 87 Metascore. Praised for its art style and monster customization, dinged slightly for occasional combat tedium.
What to Watch Next Week
- PS Plus Extra/Premium catalog goes live March 17. Space Marine 2, Madden NFL 26, Persona 5 Royal, and more become downloadable.
- Six games leave Game Pass on March 15. Last chance to play or buy at up to 20% off, including Enter the Gungeon, F1 23, Lightyear Frontier, and Mythwrecked: Ambrosia Island.
- Six games leave PS Plus Extra/Premium on March 17. TMNT: Shredder's Revenge and Paradise Killer are the notable departures.
- Game Pass Wave 2 announcement expected. Xbox typically reveals the second batch of monthly additions during the third week.
- Monster Hunter Stories 3 post-launch reception. Watch for early patch updates and whether the 87 Metascore holds as more reviews come in.
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News compiled March 13, 2026.