Is PlayStation Running Out of Time to Address the ‘No Disc, No Buy’ Debate?

PlayStation remains steadfast despite the uproar over its recent announcement regarding disc-less purchases. Meanwhile, Nintendo faces a sharp critique from the patent office, and yet another studio is on the verge of shutting down. Welcome to this week’s gaming roundup for the week ending July 24, 2026, where we can’t stop re-watching old Emeril Lagasse clips.

San Diego Comic-Con is in full swing, serving as the only venue this week where you could witness the Rizzler bowling a double strike with his eyes closed in Nintendo Switch Sports Resort. This year’s event feels quieter than usual, with minimal representation from both Star Wars and the DC Universe.

All eyes are on the Marvel panel scheduled for Saturday, where fans are eager for an explanation regarding Robert Downey Jr.’s seemingly invincible Doom in the latest trailer, a stark contrast to the PlayStation Network.

Alanah Pearce, a former writer for God of War Laufey, has revealed that Sony is imposing its strictest social media guidelines on employees amid the backlash from its decision to phase out PlayStation discs by 2028. In a recent YouTube video discussing the situation, she noted, “Sony regularly informs employees about what they can or cannot say regarding certain topics.”

She added, “When I was working on God of War Laufey, I was under a lot of guidelines—still am. They provided me with specific instructions on what I could say when the game was announced. However, in this case, it seems to be the strictest set of guidelines employees have encountered regarding public communications. They likely implemented this knowing it would lead to a significant PR issue, which is no surprise to them.”

In other news, the Pokémon Company’s patent application No. 2026-019762 for an “in-game monster-capturing system” was recently rejected by the JPO. The decision referenced a 2013 YouTube video showcasing similar gameplay from the fan-made game Pokémon Generations. Unsurprisingly, Nintendo was not pleased, stating that the JPO “acted extremely inappropriately by mischaracterizing an infringing product as though it were authorized.”

In response, the JPO criticized Nintendo for failing to base its appeal on patent law. “The mere possibility that the reasons for rejection could be subject to such an unreasonable misunderstanding has no bearing on the assessment of inventive step,” the office argued. Essentially, whether the gameplay involved borrowed assets was irrelevant to Nintendo’s claim of originality.

The Definitive Edition of the 2005 real-time strategy game was initially set to receive an expansion, but that plan was delayed and ultimately scrapped. “While considering the inclusions for last year’s show, we wanted to ensure that Age III: DE players felt part of the franchise celebration, given your immense passion for the game,” the development team stated at the beginning of 2025. “However, the push to include the game led to an announcement of content before it was ready, and we now believe that announcement was premature.”

Fast forward over a year, and the DLC is back on track. “In response to your passion and feedback, we are thrilled to announce that a brand-new expansion is coming to Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition on September 10, 2026,” the team shared this week. “The Baltic Powers brings two new civilizations, new Challenge Scenarios, new game modes, over 25 maps, and more than 50 hero customizations.”

A new entry titled Kingdom Come: Salvation has been spotted in the European Union database, raising curiosity among fans due to references to “matching players,” which hints at a potential online multiplayer feature. Warhorse Studios has yet to confirm any details about the next Kingdom Come game, aside from it being another open-world RPG. The studio is also developing a Lord of the Rings game.

Crisol: Theater of Idols, a Spanish blend of Resident Evil and BioShock, has struggled to gain traction on Steam and consoles despite its intriguing survival horror elements. Developer Vermila Studios has reportedly laid off most of its staff and is facing the possibility of closure.

“Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, we’ve had to let go of the staff at Vermila Studios,” CEO David Carrasco stated. “We’re going to try to keep going for now without shutting down, but the situation is quite challenging, and closure is a real possibility in the coming months.”