Daily Game News Digest - 2026-07-01

www.gamerant.com filed a new report today.

New Official Harry Potter Release is Coming This Month

A new wave of official Harry Potter content is arriving in July, centered on the mobile game **Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery**, which is re-launching its Summer of Mystery Sorcerer's Stone event, a three-week community challenge (July 8-29), a Norbert's Transport preview, and three undisclosed adventures slated for later in the month, followed by a 25 Years of Magic sweepstakes (July 24-31). The updates come as the franchise celebrates its 25th anniversary, while the successful 2023 release **Hogwarts Legacy** continues to generate sequel buzz and the first season of the Harry Potter HBO series is set for a December 25 debut.

Read the full article: https://gamerant.com/harry-potter-hogwarts-mystery-update-scavenger-hunt/

---

www.gameinformer.com takes a closer look at the latest development.

Report: Microsoft Is Considering Shutting Down Arkane Studios And Canceling Marvel's Blade

Author: Marcus Stewart

Microsoft is reportedly weighing the closure or sale of Arkane Studios and the cancellation of its upcoming Marvel Blade game, which has been delayed to 2027 and is over budget. The move is part of a broader Xbox reset that could see several other studios-such as Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs-shut down or sold, with remaining Xbox studios facing layoffs. No official announcement has been made, and the news is expected to surface ahead of Microsoft's next financial reporting.

Read the full article: https://gameinformer.com/2026/06/30/report-microsoft-is-considering-shutting-down-arkane-studios-and-canceling-marvels-blade

---

This just in from www.polygon.com.

Deadpool: Samurai and other Marvel manga are being removed from storefronts

Author: Elijah Gonzalez

Shueisha and Walt Disney Japan have terminated their publishing agreement for Marvel-based manga, with the contract officially ending on September 30. As a result, Shueisha will cease all physical sales and begin pulling titles such as *Deadpool: Samurai* from digital storefronts between September 28 and September 30. This marks the first public detail on how the split will affect Marvel's manga releases in Japan.

Read the full article: https://www.polygon.com/deadpool-samurai-manga-removed-shueisha-marvel-comics-terminated-agreement/

---

www.ign.com dives into the news.

Mario Kart World Surprise Update Adds New Knockout Tour Routes

Author: Tom Phillips

Nintendo released a surprise 1.7.0 update for the Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World, adding two new Knockout Tour routes-Drill Rally (Wario Shipyard → Bowser's Castle) and Boomerang Rally (Salty Salty Speedway → Whistlestop Summit)-which become selectable after completing any Knockout Tour rally, with more routes promised in future updates. The patch also introduces stickers for Photo Mode and includes a series of balance tweaks (acceleration, gliding speed, jump-boost behavior, item acquisition, etc.) plus numerous bug fixes across races and online play.

Read the full article: https://www.ign.com/articles/mario-kart-world-surprise-update-adds-new-knockout-tour-routes