When Gold and Gummy Hour runs, converted for NZ and Australia

Shacknews reports the first window kicks off at 11 AM PT/2 PM ET on July 4 and runs for two hours until 1 PM PT/4 PM ET. Because of the time difference, that session lands early morning on July 5 for players in New Zealand, roughly 6 AM to 8 AM NZST, and around 4 AM to 6 AM AEST for the eastern Australian states.

The second block starts later the same US day, at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET, running through to 8 PM PT/11 PM ET. For Kiwi players that translates to roughly 1 PM to 3 PM on July 5, while Australian players on the east coast should expect the window to open around 11 AM and close near 1 PM AEST. As always with cross-timezone Fortnite events, it’s worth double-checking the in-game countdown timer once the island loads, since regional daylight saving quirks can shift things by an hour.

What actually changes during the event

Gold and Gummy Hour isn’t just a straight spawn-rate multiplier. Shacknews notes that every player starts the match with a Self-Revive and a Mythic Gold Fish, a weapon that launches opponents into the air on a direct hit and drops a large pile of Gold if it secures the elimination.

Campfires also get a temporary buff, letting players level up their Sprites faster than usual, so it’s worth detouring toward one if you’re actively grinding upgrades rather than just farming loot drops. Combined with the boosted spawn rates, that makes this one of the more efficient windows of the season for players who’ve been sitting on partially-completed Sprite sets.

Where to find each Galaxy Sprite variant

According to Shacknews, the different Sprite types are tied to specific biomes and structures rather than spawning uniformly across the map, so knowing where to look matters more than just running the loop blindly. The outlet lists the following locations:

• Galaxy Water Sprite – near rivers and beaches
• Galaxy Fire Sprite – in urban areas like towns
• Galaxy Earth Sprite – near forests and trees
• Galaxy Ghost Sprite – randomly at nighttime
• Galaxy Punk Sprite – Sprite Chests
• Galaxy Dream Sprite – storage crates
• Galaxy Duck Sprite – Sinister Strip and Frosted Flats
• Galaxy King Sprite – Sprite Chests
• Galaxy Demon Sprite – Sprite Chests

Players still missing specific Gold or Gummy variants should prioritise the biome or structure tied to that Sprite type rather than looting randomly, since the boosted rates only apply for the duration of each two-hour window.

Why it matters: Epic’s Power Hour formula keeps players logging in

Gold and Gummy Hour fits a pattern Epic Games has leaned on heavily throughout Fortnite’s recent seasons: short, high-value windows that reward players for logging in at specific times rather than grinding passively over days. It’s a low-cost way to spike concurrent player counts around a holiday weekend without shipping new content, and it works particularly well for collection-based systems like Sprites, where completionists have a clear incentive to show up on schedule.

For NZ and Australian players, these US-timed events almost always land at inconvenient local hours, whether that’s an early wake-up or a late-night session. Anyone who can’t make either window on July 4/5 will need to wait for Epic to potentially repeat a similar boosted event later in the season, as the publisher has done with previous Power Hour formats tied to other collectible systems.

Read also: Fortnite Gold and Gummy Hours: Start Times and Power-Ups for July 4 Weekend

Source: Shacknews.

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Beyond Valve’s own storefront, Shacknews also tracked simultaneous promotions running on the Epic Games Store, Amazon Luna, Fanatical, Gamebillet, GamesPlanet and GOG.com, meaning bargain hunters have several places to compare prices on the same titles before checking out.

What’s actually discounted

On Steam itself, Shacknews highlighted headline cuts including Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 at $34.99 (50% off), DOOM: The Dark Ages at $23.09 (67% off), and Sea of Thieves’ 2026 Edition at $19.99 (50% off). Blizzard’s own storefront sale layered in extra savings for Xbox Game Pass subscribers on titles like Diablo 2: Resurrected Infernal Edition and the StarCraft remasters.

Fanatical’s list, as compiled by Shacknews, leaned heavily on recent big releases going cheap, with Borderlands 4 at $36.04 (49% off), Elden Ring Nightreign at $27.59 (31% off) and Escape from Tarkov at $34.99 (30% off) among the standouts. PlayStation ports also featured heavily, including The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, God of War Ragnarok and Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut, all discounted between 28% and 55%.

GamesPlanet’s slate, according to the same Shacknews roundup, included Death Stranding 2: On The Beach at $51.99 (26% off), Silent Hill f at $28.99 (59% off) and a steep 86% cut on For Honor. Meanwhile GOG.com is running its own discounts on DRM-free classics and recent hits, with Hollow Knight Silksong at $14.99 (25% off) and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition down to $10.00 (80% off).

Free games worth grabbing before they vanish

Shacknews also flagged several no-cost claims with hard expiry dates. On the Epic Games Store, I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream and River City Girls 2 are both free until July 9, while Amazon Luna is giving away a rotating batch that includes Tomb Raader IV–VI Remastered (claim before July 17), Paradise Killer (before July 15), Between Time: Escape Room (before July 18), CyClones (before August 1) and XCOM: Chimera Squad (before August 31).

These Luna freebies are a reminder that “free” doesn’t always mean permanent; players typically need to claim the game to their account within the listed window even if they don’t plan to play it immediately, locking in ownership before the offer rotates out.

Why the Steam Summer Sale still matters

Valve’s summer event remains one of the two or three biggest discount periods on PC each year, and it tends to set the pricing floor that other storefronts scramble to match. With Steam, Epic, Fanatical, GamesPlanet and GOG all running parallel promotions this week, players who cross-reference prices across platforms can often shave a few extra dollars off an already-discounted game, particularly on Steam keys resold through third-party retailers like Fanatical and Gamebillet.

It’s also worth noting that all the prices reported by Shacknews are listed in US dollars. Shoppers in New Zealand and Australia browsing Steam, GOG or the Epic Games Store directly will see region-specific NZD or AUD pricing that can differ from a straight currency conversion, so it pays to check the actual regional storefront total before buying rather than assuming the US figure applies.

What it means for players

For anyone who’s been sitting on a wishlist, this is close to the last call for 2026’s biggest PC sale window. Recent releases like The Outer Worlds 2, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 are all sitting at meaningful discounts across at least two storefronts, which is unusually generous this soon after launch.

Players eyeing Escape from Tarkov’s discounted price should also keep an eye on the game’s ongoing server situation, since Battlestate Games has been rolling out major patches that have affected uptime recently.

Read also: Escape from Tarkov Down Today for Patch 1.0.6.0: When Servers Return

With Valve giving no exact end date beyond “a few more days,” the safest move for bargain hunters is to lock in wishlist items sooner rather than later, since summer sale pricing typically reverts without much warning once the event closes out.

Source: Shacknews (Ozzie Mejia).

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What the trailer reveals

The footage opens with Yu Narukami stepping into the TV World for the first time, joined by series regulars Chie Satonaka and Yosuke Hanamura. Siliconera reports that this sequence also captures the first summoning of his Persona, Izanagi, a defining moment for longtime fans of the 2008 original.

Beyond that early scene, the trailer weaves in additional story beats and references content originally added in Persona 4 Golden, including the ability to earn a scooter license. Since Yu Narukami is written as a silent protagonist throughout most of the game, players only hear his voice briefly at the very end of the trailer, courtesy of newly cast voice actor Nazeeh Tarsha.

Part of a broader cast rollout

This is not the first character-focused reveal Atlus has shared for Persona 4 Revival. Siliconera notes that a broadcast in mid-June 2026 gave fans their first proper look at how several cast members appear in the remake, followed shortly after by details on Rise Kujikawa’s redesigned role and her new voice casting.

With Yu Narukami now confirmed, Atlus appears to be steadily working through its roster ahead of launch, giving fans a clearer picture of how the remake will handle both visuals and voice work for a cast that has remained largely silent, in the protagonist’s case literally, since the original PS2 release.

Release plans and demo event

Persona 4 originally launched on the PlayStation 2, while the enhanced Persona 4 Golden later expanded to Switch, PS4, Vita, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. Persona 4 Revival is currently in development for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC, with Siliconera confirming a release date of February 18, 2027.

Ahead of that launch, a demo event is scheduled to take place in Japan sometime in July 2026, giving players their first hands-on opportunity with the remake before its worldwide release.

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The demonstration reportedly highlighted just how differently each side approaches combat despite sharing the same objective. Both factions need to seize and hold Energy Zones to gain an edge, but the paths they take to get there couldn’t be more distinct, according to the outlet’s coverage of the session.

Firepower vs. Numbers

The Space Marines lean on superior technology, trading high energy costs and smaller squad sizes for concentrated firepower, GamingBolt reports. It’s a classic quality-over-quantity setup that rewards precise unit management and efficient use of resources on the battlefield.

The Orks, on the other hand, play the numbers game. GamingBolt notes that the greenskins rely on swarming tactics, overwhelming opponents through sheer numerical superiority when used with the right level of tactical control. Despite the Space Marines’ technological edge, the outlet’s writer suggested the Orks may have had a slight advantage in this particular showcase, even as upgraded Blood Ravens units threatened to turn the tide.

The result is a multiplayer sandbox built around asymmetric warfare, where the same map objective forces two very different playstyles to collide. That contrast has long been a hallmark of the Dawn of War series, and this new footage suggests developer King Art Games is keen to keep that identity intact for the fourth mainline entry.

Release Date and What’s Next

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4 is being published by Deep Silver and is scheduled to launch on PC on September 17, according to GamingBolt. The multiplayer reveal follows a previous update focused on the game’s story campaign, continuing a steady drip of information as the release date approaches.

With just over two months remaining before launch, fans of the RTS series will likely be watching closely for further Battlefield Reports detailing additional factions, maps, and balance details before the game arrives on shelves.

Read also: Thick as Thieves Studio OtherSide Entertainment Hit by New Round of Layoffs

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Studio Reduced to a Skeleton Crew

The cuts leave fewer than ten employees remaining at OtherSide Entertainment, according to the report. Those who remain will reportedly focus solely on performance maintenance for Thick as Thieves, with a studio spokesperson stating there are “currently no plans for the studio to work on any future games.”

Thick as Thieves was published by Megabit, a label under Aonic Group, which acquired OtherSide back in 2023. The studio told Game Developer, as cited by GamesIndustry.biz, that it was “deeply grateful to the team for their superb work” and regretted the outcome “having pursued every alternative to find a preferable solution.”

Second Round of Cuts in as Many Months

This latest reduction follows a separate round of layoffs just last month, when 17 employees were let go after OtherSide cancelled an in-development project codenamed Argos. GamesIndustry.biz reports the studio described the wider industry climate as “brutally challenging,” which rendered Argos “unviable for now.”

Together, the two rounds of layoffs have significantly hollowed out a studio that once carried a notable pedigree in the immersive sim genre. OtherSide Entertainment was founded in 2014 by Paul Neurath, a figure closely associated with the System Shock and Ultima Underworld legacy.

A Studio With a Complicated Recent History

OtherSide’s fortunes have been turbulent in recent years. In 2020, Tencent acquired the rights to the studio’s System Shock intellectual property, a deal that was followed by a previous round of layoffs at the time, according to GamesIndustry.biz.

With no further titles currently planned and staffing reduced to single digits, the future of OtherSide Entertainment as an active development studio now appears uncertain. The outlet notes that the remaining team’s mandate is limited to keeping Thick as Thieves running rather than pursuing new projects.

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Merge A Nuke has carved out a niche among Roblox’s idle-merge genre, tasking players with combining identical bombs to create increasingly powerful explosives. The stronger the merge, the more passive Cash it generates per second, even while players are offline, making resource management central to progression.

Active Merge A Nuke Codes for July 2026

Per Insider Gaming, the following codes are confirmed working this month:

• ATOMIC — 10,000 Cash and 20 Nukes
• UPDATE2 — 10,000 Cash and 10 Nukes
• BOOM — 5,000 Cash

There are no expired codes to report at this time, according to the outlet, meaning all three listed rewards should redeem successfully for players jumping in now.

How to Redeem the Codes

Redeeming codes in Merge A Nuke follows the same straightforward process used across most Roblox experiences. Insider Gaming outlines the steps as follows:

• Launch Merge A Nuke on Roblox
• Locate the store button on the left side of the screen
• Scroll to the bottom of the store menu to find the codes section
• Type or paste an active code into the text box
• Hit “Redeem” to claim the reward

Players should double-check for typos before submitting, since codes are case-sensitive in most Roblox titles and won’t register if entered incorrectly.

Where New Codes Get Announced

According to Insider Gaming, developer Nuke The Game doesn’t notify players in-game when new codes drop, so tracking down fresh rewards means keeping an eye on external channels. The official Discord server is described as the primary source, with the development team sharing new codes during updates and special events.

The game’s social media accounts also serve as a secondary outlet, with codes often tied to milestones like concurrent player spikes, factory expansions, or the introduction of new bomb types. Insider Gaming notes these codes can appear with little warning and expire quickly, making it easy for casual players to miss out on free Cash or exclusive Nukes.

Since code drops are unpredictable, bookmarking a regularly updated guide remains the simplest way to stay current without manually checking multiple platforms every day.

Read also: Roblox Music Codes for July 2026: Full List of Working Song IDs

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What’s included in the kiosk demo

According to Nintendo Life, the demo includes three levels and lets players experiment with a range of weapons and items featured in the full game. It offers an early hands-on look at Splatoon Raiders’ single-player campaign, which marks a notable shift from the series’ traditional online multiplayer focus.

The kiosk rollout follows Nintendo Life’s own final preview of the game, published earlier this week, which described the single-player experience as promising for fans willing to embrace a different take on the Splatoon formula. The outlet noted that if the stages continue to innovate with fresh platforming challenges and combat encounters, “the Splatoon formula may have finally found its true single-player potential.”

Store-only access sparks mixed reactions

Unlike recent Switch 2 demos for Star Fox and Rhythm Heaven Groove, which are available directly through the eShop, the Splatoon Raiders demo is currently restricted to physical kiosks. Nintendo Life pointed out this distinction, noting that players hoping to try the game digitally will have to wait, if a downloadable version arrives at all.

The in-store-only approach has drawn some criticism from fans who would prefer instant access from home, though it also mirrors a common industry tactic of using retail demo stations to drive foot traffic and hands-on interest ahead of a big release.

Release details

Splatoon Raiders is set to launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 on July 23, priced at $59.99 in the US and £49.99 in the UK. The game is being developed and published by Nintendo, and is billed as a single-player entry supporting up to four players online, according to details shared by Nintendo Life.

Read also: Switch 2 Co-Op Puzzler Orbitals Gets Physical Cartridge Release on Sept 3

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A win-win formula for players and publishers

As Dot Esports outlines, gaming collaborations succeed because they hit multiple business goals at once. They pull in new audiences who might not otherwise touch a given game, they keep existing communities engaged, and they persuade lapsed players to return, all while generating revenue through themed cosmetics and events.

Epic Games’ Fortnite is cited as the clearest example of this cross-pollination effect, having introduced its massive player base to Marvel, Star Wars, and DC Comics through in-game crossover events. Dot Esports also points to Fortnite’s 2020 “Astronomical” virtual concert with Travis Scott, which reportedly drew more than 12 million concurrent players, as proof of how far a single collaboration can spike engagement.

On the revenue side, Dot Esports notes that crossover cosmetics consistently move the needle. Fortnite and Overwatch have both leaned on themed skins, Call of Duty has built entire operator bundles around licensed characters, League of Legends tied itself to Netflix’s Arcane, and PUBG has partnered with various entertainment brands, all strategies designed to boost player spending around limited-time content.

From guest fighters to full-blown platforms

According to Dot Esports’ timeline, collaborations weren’t always this central to gaming. From the 1980s through the early 2010s, crossovers were largely limited to guest characters in fighting games such as X-Men vs. Street Fighter, Marvel vs. Capcom, and Super Smash Bros.

Dot Esports credits Dead by Daylight’s 2016 additions of horror icons from Halloween, Resident Evil, and Silent Hill with popularizing licensed collaborations as an ongoing feature of live-service games. The real turning point, however, came in 2018 when Fortnite launched its Marvel-themed Infinity Gauntlet event featuring Thanos, which Dot Esports describes as proof that crossovers could drive both player growth and revenue at scale.

That success reportedly triggered a wave of imitation between 2019 and 2021, with PUBG partnering with franchises like Godzilla and Jujutsu Kaisen, and League of Legends expanding into entertainment tie-ins such as Arcane. From 2020 onward, Dot Esports says collaborations became the norm rather than the exception, with Call of Duty adding licensed operators including Nicki Minaj and characters from The Boys, while Fortnite evolved into what the outlet calls a platform built around dozens of crossovers.

Why players keep chasing crossover content

Dot Esports argues that players gravitate toward collaborations because they bring familiar franchises into games they already love. A Marvel fan, for instance, may be more inclined to boot up Fortnite specifically to play as Spider-Man, while anime fans often return to games purely for crossover events tied to their favorite series.

Writer Jeremiah Sevilla shared a personal example in the piece, noting he returned to Mobile Legends: Bang Bang after its Hunter x Hunter collaboration launched, specifically to obtain skins inspired by characters Killua and Hisoka. Cosmetics from collaborations also let players express identity and taste, whether that’s a Darth Vader skin in Fortnite or a K/DA Ahri skin in League of Legends.

According to Dot Esports, scarcity plays a major role too. Many collaboration items are only available for a limited time, which raises their perceived value and feeds into the broader hobby of collecting skins, weapons, and characters. That time pressure, paired with fear of missing out, keeps players logging in daily to finish event challenges before rewards disappear, while shared hype builds across social media, livestreams, and forums.

The business case developers can’t ignore

From a developer’s perspective, Dot Esports says the numbers speak for themselves. Crossover skins and bundles regularly rank among a game’s best-selling cosmetics, and the outlet points to Apex Legends’ collaboration with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as a standout case, which reportedly pushed Apex Legends to the No. 1 spot on Steam’s global best-seller chart following its January 2024 release.

Beyond direct sales, Dot Esports notes that limited-time collaboration events are also an effective retention tool, giving players fresh reasons to log back in even after they’ve drifted away from a title’s core content loop. With that combination of new audiences, renewed engagement, and strong cosmetic sales, it’s little surprise that publishers across Fortnite, Call of Duty, PUBG, League of Legends, and beyond show no signs of slowing their crossover pipelines anytime soon.

Read also: Rust’s Common Ground Update Adds Clans, Rentable Shops and Apartments

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According to Destructoid, the Atlantic Miracle Evolution is currently live and free to use in FC 26, making it one of the more accessible upgrade paths for players looking to bolster their squad’s defensive line without spending FC Points.

What the Atlantic Miracle Evolution requires

Not every goalkeeper in a player’s club qualifies for this Evolution. Per Destructoid, eligible cards must have a maximum overall rating of 92, a maximum of 10 PlayStyles, and no more than 3 PlayStyle+ traits.

The card also cannot belong to the World Tour or Silver Stars rarity, and it must be a goalkeeper. Once a qualifying card is selected, players need only complete simple match requirements to unlock each upgrade tier.

Three tiers of upgrades to unlock

The Evolution is split into three progressive levels, each requiring the player to complete one match in Squad Battles at Semi-Pro difficulty or higher (or in Rush, Rivals, Champions, or Live Events) using the active Evolution card, as detailed by Destructoid.

Level 1 delivers a hefty +15 boost to overall rating (capped at 94), along with +20 Diving (up to 96) and +10 Kicking (up to 83). It also grants the Far Reach PlayStyle+ and Rush Out PlayStyle.

Level 2 adds +10 Handling (up to 91), +15 Reflexes (up to 93), and a four-star Weak Foot rating, plus the Cross Claimer PlayStyle+ and Pinged Pass PlayStyle.

Level 3 rounds things out with +10 Positioning (up to 91), the Deflector PlayStyle+, and the Long Ball Pass PlayStyle. This final tier also unlocks the Sweeper Keeper++ and Goalkeeper++ Roles, giving the finished card serious tactical flexibility.

Best goalkeepers to feed into the Evolution

Destructoid’s guide highlights several strong candidates that meet the eligibility requirements and stand to benefit the most from the boosts. Recommended options include Courtois (TOTS), De Gea (Time Warp), Neuer (Moments), and Courtois (Winter Wildcards).

Other suggested picks are Cech (Ultimate Birthday), Donnarumma (Icon), Rulli (Captains), Martinez (Winter Wildcards), and Vicario (Knockout Royalty). Destructoid also notes that players can apply the Evolution to a card already sitting in an existing chain within their Ultimate Team squad, if one is available.

Given the low barrier to entry and the strength of the final upgrades, the Atlantic Miracle Evolution looks like a worthwhile investment for FC 26 players hunting for a reliable, high-rated goalkeeper without spending real money or in-game currency.

Read also: College Football 27 PC: Best Graphics Settings for Smooth 60 FPS Gameplay

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The showmatch will be coached by Ray Rizzo, a three-time Pokémon World Champion and well-known figure on the Video Game Championships (VGC) competitive circuit, as reported by Insider Gaming. Rizzo’s involvement is meant to guide the non-Pokémon specialists through the battles, adding a mentorship layer to what is otherwise designed as a light-hearted spectacle rather than a serious competitive tournament.

Who’s Competing in the Champion of Champions Showmatch?

Insider Gaming confirmed four of the eight competitors so far, and their credentials are far removed from traditional esports. Ayna Ziordia Botella of Spain holds the title of Whistling Champion, having reportedly won first place at the Master of Whistling competition in Hollywood back in 2023.

Italy’s Nicola Matarazzo is recognized as the Pizza Acrobatics Champion after placing first at the World Pizza Championship earlier this year for his dough-tossing tricks. Representing the United States is Leandro Silva, a professional MMA fighter who also happens to hold the title of Pillow Fighting Champion after winning the Pillow Fight Championship (PFC).

Perhaps the most unusual accolade belongs to Denis Kwan Hong-Wang of Hong Kong, billed as the Doing Nothing Champion. Insider Gaming notes that Hong-Wang won a competition against roughly 100 other participants by sitting motionless on a yoga mat for 90 minutes without sleeping, making noise, or checking his phone. The remaining four competitors have not yet been revealed by Nintendo.

What’s at Stake for the Winner?

Despite the tongue-in-cheek premise, there is a genuine prize on offer. According to Insider Gaming, the eventual winner of the Champion of Champions showmatch will receive a trip to the 2027 Pokémon World Championships, alongside a charitable donation made in their name to a charity of their choosing.

The format positions the event as a fun, cross-promotional showcase for Pokémon Champions rather than a proving ground for competitive VGC talent, leaning into the novelty of pitting real-world “champions” against each other in Pokémon battles under Rizzo’s guidance.

How and When to Watch

The showmatch is scheduled to take place in London on July 29, though Insider Gaming notes that in-person attendance appears unlikely for fans. Instead, the event will be broadcast live on the official Pokémon Twitch channel and the official Pokémon YouTube channel.

Coverage is set to begin at 2 PM BST, which translates to 7 PM EST for viewers in the United States, as reported by Insider Gaming. No Twitch Drops have been announced for the broadcast at this time.

Read also: Rhythm Heaven Groove Gets Nintendo Tokyo Merch and Nintendo Music Tracks

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