In This Week in Gaming, we’re covering major updates including E-Cricket, Garena Free City, Krafton India FIR, Angry Birds 3, Mafia Battle Royale Games, Minecraft Movie, Rust Mobile, Switch 2, Palworld, and much more. Make sure to read till the end so you don’t miss out!
Free Games of the Week
Epic Games Store (PC)
This week on the Epic Games Store, you can claim three free games:
- Arcadegeddon
- River City Girls
- Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms
For next week, two games have already been revealed:
- Botanicula
- Firestone Online
On the Epic Games Android App, The Walking Dead: Bridge Constructor is also free.
PS Plus April Catalog
Sony has revealed the April catalog for PS Plus, which includes titles like Hogwarts Legacy and Battlefield 1. The complete list of games:
- Hogwarts Legacy | PS4, PS5
- Blue Prince | PS5
- Lost Records: Bloom & Rage – Tape 2 | PS5
- EA Sports PGA Tour | PS5
- Battlefield 1 | PS4
- PlateUp! | PS4, PS5
- Alone in the Dark 2 | PS4, PS5
- War of the Monsters | PS4, PS5
E-Cricket: India’s Upcoming AAA Cricket Game
Official Reveal at GDC 2025
A new AAA game called E-Cricket is being developed in India by LightFury Games, a Pune-based studio. The announcement happened at GDC 2025.
About the Studio
LightFury Games consists of a highly experienced team that has worked on over 40 AAA games, including:
- Assassin’s Creed
- Batman Arkham
- Suicide Squad
- Gears of War
- Sea of Thieves
They raised $8.5 million in funding last year.
Game Features
- Built on Unreal Engine 5
- AAA experience focused on esports and realistic cricket mechanics
- Multiplayer gameplay with 22 real human players
- Cloud gaming support via partnership with Amazon Web Services
- Use of AI for:
- Faster development
- Real-time commentary
- Umpires with unique personalities and voices
A teaser trailer was released, and at GDC, a tech demo was shown featuring a stadium scene with two teams: Panthers and Eagles.
Release
Planned launch is early 2026, starting with mobile. Other platforms will follow. Players can register on the official website or Discord.
Cult-Classic Mobile Games Return
Mobile games like Deus Ex Go, Lara Croft Go, and Hitman Sniper that were removed in 2022 are now back. Originally developed by Onoma/Square Enix Montreal, they were taken down after being acquired by Embracer Group. Now, DECA Games has re-released them.
Angry Birds 3 Movie Announced
Paramount Pictures has confirmed the release of Angry Birds 3, set for January 29, 2027. The film is being made in partnership with SEGA, which now owns Rovio.
Sonic Rumble: New Battle Royale Game
Sega is launching a new Battle Royale game based on the Sonic franchise. Called Sonic Rumble, it will release globally on May 8 for iOS and Android.
Gameplay
- Features classic Sonic characters
- Obstacle-course-based competitive gameplay
- Inspired by games like Fall Guys and Stumble Guys
- Pre-registration now open
Rust Mobile Beta Launch
Rust Mobile’s beta test begins on April 16, but only for China and for just 7 days.
The registration process is live via TapTap.
Other games like Delta and Once Human Mobile are also set to launch soon.
Decline of Battle Royale Games
Market Trends
Battle Royale games have seen a significant drop in market share:
- 2021: 19% of total gaming playtime
- 2024: Down to 12%
However, Fortnite has grown massively:
- 2021: 43% market share among BR games
- 2024: 77% market share
Meanwhile, RPG and shooter genres grew from 9% to 13%, thanks to titles like:
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Wuthering Waves
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Starfield
Fortnite recently collaborated with Chainsaw Man to launch a Denji skin.
ICC Planning Mobile Cricket Game
The ICC is exploring the launch of its own mobile cricket game as a new revenue stream. The proposal will be discussed in the upcoming Zimbabwe board meeting.
India is the key target market, where the mobile gaming industry is already worth $4 billion.
However, competition includes games like:
- Real Cricket
- WCC3
- Hitwicket
Minecraft Movie Breaks Records
The new Minecraft movie has outperformed Super Mario Bros. at the box office.
Earnings
- North America: $17 million opening weekend
- Global: $31 million total
Sequel Tease
A post-credit scene hints at a sequel featuring both Steve and Alex.
Director Jared Hess confirmed that Alex will be a lead character alongside Steve — though casting hasn’t been announced.
GTA 6 and Switch 2 Could Revive Industry
Post-pandemic, the gaming industry has struggled to regain momentum. But optimism is returning with GTA 6 and Nintendo Switch 2 on the horizon.
Forecast
- Hardware and game sales projected to reach $92.7 billion by 2027
- Driven largely by GTA 6 and the Switch 2
Star Citizen Still in Alpha After 13 Years
Star Citizen, one of the most ambitious crowdfunded games, has raised over $800 million since 2012, and it’s still in alpha.
Despite delays, it earns $100 million annually through microtransactions and subscriptions.
CEO Chris Roberts has promised version 1.0, but no release date has been shared yet.
BAFTA Game Awards 2025 Winners
Astro Bot Dominates
- Best Game
- Best Family Game
- Best Design
Other Notable Winners
- Helldivers 2: Best Online Game, Best Music
- Metaphor: ReFantazio, Baldur’s Gate 3, Hellblade 2
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows: PlayStation Player’s Choice Award
Palworld Developers Respond to Controversies
Pocket Pair, developers of Palworld, addressed multiple controversies in a recent interview.
Key Points
- The “Pokémon with guns” concept was not intentional
- Core inspiration came from ARK: Survival Evolved
- Denied use of AI-generated art
- Team includes many female artists who prefer to remain anonymous
- No acquisition plans by Microsoft or Sony
- Expansion to be handled by Aniplex and Sony Music, with Pocket Pair advising
Despite criticism, development remains on track.
Free City: Garena’s Open World Crime Game
Garena has released a new open-world crime game titled Free City. It’s a premium mobile game available in select Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern countries.
Key Info
- Global release set for June 30
- Pre-registrations for India may start soon
- Trailer shows strong GTA-style gameplay
This could become the next Gangstar-like mobile hit, especially with GTA 6 hype on the rise.
Mafia: The Old Country Release Date Leaked
In a surprising turn of events, 2K and Mafia developer Hangar 13 made a major slip-up by accidentally revealing the release date of their upcoming Mafia title. The date—August 8—was mentioned in a blog post and quickly removed after being spotted by an eagle-eyed user on X (formerly Twitter). The post was originally meant to promote their PAX event scheduled for May 8, where they plan to showcase new gameplay and the game’s trailer.
The event hasn’t been canceled yet, so fans are eagerly watching to see whether the release date will change or remain the same. Either way, the excitement is real—players are thrilled at the thought of playing Mafia before GTA 6.
The Last of Us: Another Re-Release?
Surprising everyone, a brand-new trailer dropped—not for a new game, but for The Last of Us Complete Bundle, which is exclusive to PS5. This bundle includes both game parts along with all DLCs, priced at $100 for the digital edition. Many are joking about how often the game is being re-released—even GTA V didn’t go this far!
Days Gone Remastered: New Mode Incoming
Days Gone Remastered is officially launching on PS5 and PC on April 25, featuring a brand-new “Horde Assault” mode. Players will face endless waves of Freakers (zombies), starting with just a pistol. As players progress, they’ll find random weapons from bike and supply crates.
The gameplay includes side jobs that reward players with XP and ammo. If you manage to survive 30 minutes, you’ll face the terrifying Ultimate Horde. The mode also features a leveling system to reach Legendary Survival Rank, along with unlockable new characters, cosmetic patches, and more.
TV & Movie Adaptations: What’s New?
- The Last of Us Season 3 has already been greenlit by HBO, just ahead of Season 2’s premiere.
- Devil May Cry’s Netflix anime is now streaming, showcasing a young Dante in a fresh storyline. A sequel was teased in the finale and later confirmed on Twitter—Season 2 is on the way.
- Death Stranding’s live-action adaptation is being developed by A24 and others, and will be directed by Michael Sarnoski, known for A Quiet Place.
- Reports suggest Amazon’s Tomb Raider live-action series has been canceled. Despite a $20 million/year deal, no finalized script has emerged since the project was announced back in January 2023.
7-in-1 Quick Fire Gaming Round-Up
- Nintendo Switch 2 is expected to have performance close to a PS4, according to a Digital Foundry analysis. Games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Hogwarts Legacy show better image quality than on PS4, and Elden Ring is also expected to run at the same resolution.
- Assassin’s Creed Shadows lead actress Masumi (playing Naoe) shared her disappointment over shrine destruction in the game trailers. Growing up with Japanese traditions, she found it unauthentic. Thankfully, shrines have now been made indestructible in the game.
- Xbox Showcase 2025 is confirmed for June 8, where titles like Fable, Gears, and possibly even Elder Scrolls VI may appear. A dedicated direct for The Outer Worlds 2 will also offer gameplay, development insights, and possibly a release window.
- Bungie’s Marathon got a full gameplay reveal on April 12. Reports suggest PC and Xbox players might not need a PSN account, likely in response to the Helldivers 2 backlash.
- FragPunk, a hero shooter already available on PC, is launching on PS5 and Xbox Series consoles on April 29. It will support cross-play, cross-progression, and will include extra aim assist to balance gameplay.
- In an unusual legal case, a gamer sued Ubisoft after The Crew was removed from all player accounts. Ubisoft argued that players only purchase a license to play, not the game itself. While ironic—especially since the activation code says it’s valid till 2099—it highlights an ongoing issue: we pay full price but don’t own the game for life.
- Despite multiple studio shutdowns, Warner Bros. Games is working on a new unannounced IP, reportedly set to launch in 2025. This was discovered via a developer’s LinkedIn profile, who stated they’ve been working on the title since 2023.
Conclusion
This week in gaming has been packed with unexpected twists, from major leaks like Mafia’s release date slip to fresh updates and surprising reveals across franchises. Big titles like The Last of Us are getting yet another re-release, Days Gone is introducing intense new survival modes, and upcoming showcases promise glimpses of fan-favorites like Fable, Gears, and maybe even The Elder Scrolls VI. Meanwhile, adaptations like Devil May Cry and Death Stranding are bringing gaming into new storytelling spaces.
On the flip side, industry issues like game ownership rights and canceled projects such as Amazon’s Tomb Raider series remind us how unpredictable this space can be. Yet despite delays, controversies, or re-releases, one thing’s clear — gaming is evolving fast. So yeah, whether you’re hyped for new announcements or frustrated over old ones getting rebranded, one thing’s for sure: the world of gaming never slows down.
Stay tuned, keep gaming, and keep updated — because this ride is just getting started.
