Daily Game News Digest - 2026-07-29

www.ign.com just dropped a new piece.

Pokémon Pokopia Expansion and Free Update Arrive Next Week, Unlocking Underwater Gameplay

Author: Tom Phillips

Pokémon Pokopia will receive a free update on August 5, 2026 that grants all players the new Dive ability-allowing avatars to stay underwater longer and build beneath the sea. The same day marks the launch of the paid Expansion Pass's first part, Bubbly Basin, a new underwater region featuring dozens of water-type Pokémon, underwater farming, items, furniture and a Sharpedo submarine base, with additional expansions (accessories and a third town) slated for later in 2026 and 2027.

Read the full article: https://www.ign.com/articles/pokemon-pokopia-expansion-and-free-update-arrive-next-week-unlocking-underwater-gameplay

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This just in from www.gameinformer.com.

Double Fine Announces Layoffs Following Split From Xbox

Author: Marcus Stewart

Double Fine Productions, one of five studios spun off from Xbox in its latest restructuring, announced it will lay off 23 employees as it transitions to an independent company. The studio retained its intellectual property and recent titles-including the April-released party game *Kiln* and the Xbox-era releases *Psychonauts 2* (2021) and *Keeper* (2025)-and says it is supporting affected staff during the change. Other spun-off studios include Compulsion Games, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs were sold and Arkane Studios faces a consultation process in France.

Read the full article: https://gameinformer.com/2026/07/28/double-fine-announces-layoffs-following-split-from-xbox

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A fresh post from www.gamerant.com is live now.

Halo: Campaign Evolved Players Uncover Hidden PC Split-Screen Mode

Modders have found that the PC version of *Halo: Campaign Evolved* already contains the console's split-screen co-op code in its configuration files, and a Nexus Mods release (by JPurd123) uses UE4SS to activate it without altering the game executable. The mod works on the Steam edition, requires overwriting two files and adjusting launch settings, but is untested on the Xbox app version and won't function with pirated copies. Halo Studios has not commented on adding an official split-screen patch.

Read the full article: https://gamerant.com/halo-campaign-evolved-pc-split-screen/

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A new article is up at www.polygon.com.

Pokémon Pokopia expansion pass DLC gets deep dive on Bubbly Basin

Author: Ashely Claudino

The Pokémon Company confirmed that the first area of the Pokémon Pokopia expansion pass, Bubbly Basin, will launch on August 5. A new trailer released alongside the announcement shows gameplay from the DLC and verifies the release date. The content will be available for Nintendo Switch 2 as part of the Pokopia expansion pass.

Read the full article: https://www.polygon.com/pokemon-pokopia-bubbly-basin-dlc-new-details/