Santa Monica Studio has delayed God of War Laufey from February 16 to May 20, 2027, to give the PS5 exclusive more finishing time. Also in this roundup: World of Warcraft: Forever is live, Pokémon Pokopia's second paid DLC arrives December 9, Nintendo reports 26.35 million Switch 2 consoles sold, Xbox tests two new ways to play in the cloud, and GOG holds its first showcase on November 5.
God of War Laufey moves from February 16 to May 20, 2027
Santa Monica Studio announced the delay on X at 9 a.m. PT / 12 p.m. ET on November 4. Its statement says the team will use the extra months for "finishing touches" and gives no other reason. The game had been set for February 16, 2027, the date in Sony's pre-order post on the PlayStation Blog in September.
What it means for you:
- New date: May 20, 2027, just over three months later than planned.
- Platform: PlayStation 5 only, as before.
- Pre-orders: the statement doesn't mention existing pre-orders, prices or editions.
Our take: Announcing the delay more than three months before the old date gives buyers plenty of notice. If you pre-ordered for February, nothing in the statement asks you to do anything.
World of Warcraft: Forever is live, with raids on December 9
Blizzard's new take on the original World of Warcraft launched at 3 p.m. PT / 6 p.m. ET on November 4. It sits alongside modern WoW and WoW Classic as a separate, permanent version. It keeps the level cap at 60 but adds new and reworked zones, such as Mount Hyjal, and more than 1,000 new quests.
What it means for you:
- How to play: Blizzard's original announcement says access is included with a World of Warcraft subscription or Game Time.
- The new Skyborne race: it comes with the optional Skyborne Heroic Pack and the bigger editions, which also include the Zephras Isle starting zone. Skyborne can be Horde Shamans or Alliance Mages.
- New dungeons: nine five-player dungeons for levels 13 to 60.
- Raids: Barrow Deeps, Hyjal Summit and Onyxia's Lair open to level 60 players on December 9.
- Hardcore: the ruleset where death carries lasting consequences arrives at an unannounced date after launch.
Our take: If you already pay for WoW, this is an easy one to try, since it costs nothing extra. The paid pack only matters if you want to play a Skyborne.
Pokémon Pokopia's Dazzling Decorations DLC arrives December 9
The Pokémon Company said on November 4 that Dazzling Decorations, the second of three parts of Pokémon Pokopia's Expansion Pass, comes out on December 9, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2. It lets you dress Ditto and your Pokémon neighbors in accessories, and it adds more Pokémon and new items.
What it means for you:
- Price: Part 2 is included in the Expansion Pass, $34.99 on the Nintendo eShop. One purchase covers all three parts.
- Update first: you need the free version 3.0.0 update before you can play it.
- Story progress: you have to finish some important requests in Withered Wasteland before you can start Dazzling Decorations.
- Part 3: it adds a new town to explore and rebuild, and it's planned for 2027.
Our take: Accessories are a lighter addition than a whole new area, so this part is mostly for players who love decorating. If you already own the pass, it's a free addition on December 9.
Nintendo has sold 26.35 million Switch 2 consoles
Nintendo's earnings materials for April to September, released on November 5, show 6.49 million Switch 2 consoles shipped in those six months, 37.4% fewer than in the same period a year earlier. Nintendo says many people kept buying the system, helped by new releases. Nintendo's sales page puts lifetime Switch 2 sales at 26.35 million as of September 30, against 157.20 million for the original Switch.
What it means for you:
- Software is up: Switch 2 games sold 24.49 million copies in the six months, 18.8% more than a year earlier.
- Biggest hits: Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream sold 8.81 million copies, Rhythm Heaven Groove 2.89 million and Splatoon Raiders 2.42 million.
- Forecast: Nintendo left its full-year forecast unchanged and expects to sell 16.50 million Switch 2 consoles in the year to March 31, 2027.
Our take: Fewer consoles but more games sold means Switch 2 owners keep buying games for it. That is good news for anyone hoping publishers keep bringing games to the system.
Xbox Cloud Gaming lets you use your phone as a controller on smart TVs
Xbox started two cloud gaming previews on November 4. On supported smart TVs, you can now use an Android or iPhone as the controller, with the controls opening in the phone's browser. In the US, the new Xbox Nano Controller can also test cloud connect, which links the controller to the cloud server over Wi-Fi instead of Bluetooth to the TV.
What it means for you:
- Phone as controller: turn on Preview Features under Settings > Account in the smart TV app. It's rolling out in every country where Xbox Cloud Gaming is supported.
- Cloud connect: works on supported smart TVs and the web for now. You set it up in the Xbox beta app on Android, or in the Xbox Accessories app on PC if you're enrolled in Xbox Insider.
- Limits: Xbox calls both early tests, and not every game or device works yet.
Our take: The phone option fixes a real problem for TV players who don't own a controller. Cloud connect is only worth trying if you already have a Nano Controller.
GOG holds its first showcase on November 5 at 10 a.m. PT
GOG is marking its 18th birthday with its first GOG Showcase, streaming on GOG's YouTube channel on November 5 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. The store promises news about new games and new features, but it hasn't said which games will appear.
What it means for you:
- Where to watch: the YouTube premiere linked above.
- What to expect: GOG hasn't named any games or features ahead of the stream.
Our take: A store's first showcase is worth a look if you buy PC games there, but with no games named in advance, keep expectations open. We won't guess at the lineup before GOG shows it.