Rockstar Games co-founder Dan Houser finally has a publisher for his first project since Red Dead Redemption 2. A game banned from Steam amid the NSFW censorship crackdown goes free-to-download. And Microsoft’s canceled “Blade Runner meets Destiny” MMORPG Blackbird continues to sound really cool in fresh leaks. Welcome to Kotaku‘s latest Morning Checkpoint, a daily rundown of what’s going on in gaming and beyond, like what James Gunn’s Superman would have looked like without red underpants. I think he made the right choice.
More details on Microsoft’s canceled MMORPG Blackbird leak
A recent report from True Achievements shares apparent plot details from the ill-fated ZeniMax Online project. Its setting included a planet divided between fire and ice, a floating mega city controlled by AI, and various alien factions vying for power. The game would kick off with players investigating a high-profile murder, embarking on missions that would net them more powerful gear, and dealing with firefights that would erupt between the various groups. It all sounds very neat, making the project’s cancelation all the more unfortunate. Of course, it’s easy to take the most broad contours of an unreleased game and transform them into something amazing in your head, when the actual game, had it survived development and actually shipped, might have been anything but. At least with ZeniMax’s unannounced looter shooter, however, Microsoft executives were apparently also very impressed.
The Elder Scrolls Online briefly goes free-to-play
The Bethesda MMORPG will let folks dive in without paying as part of QuakeCon 2025 which starts August 7. The deal runs through August 12, which should be plenty of time to get through the tutorial section and find out if you dig ESO or not. Released back in 2014, the game has been blowing up on Xbox again recently thanks in part to the arrival of Oblivion Remastered earlier this year. If you’re desperate for more Elder Scrolls, ESO is your best bet right now. The Elder Scrolls 6 is in active development but probably still a couple of years away.
The post-Grand Theft Auto Absurdaverse draws one step closer
Ex-Rockstar creative Dan Houser and Korean publisher Smilegate announced a partnership on Wednesday to ship Absurd Ventures’ “upcoming AAA, open-world, sci-fi action-adventure game” set in the “mind-bending A Better Paradise” universe. What does any of that even mean? Time will tell. Houser is crafting the story alongside fellow GTA veterans Lazlow Jones and Michael Unsworth, with a studio helmed by ex-Niantic and Pandemic Studios boss Greg Borrud. For a taste of what any of this might be building toward, you can check out Houser’s 2024 audio book series A Better Paradise Volume 1: An Aftermath.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown comes to console
Strange Scaffold’s fun turn-based tactical riff on TMNT revealed it’s coming to Xbox and Nintendo Switch on August 14.
The Hell Is Us Demo arrives on August 12
Don’t sleep on this upcoming horror action game led by the Deus Ex art director. Preview buzz back in May was surprisingly positive. It’ll be free to try later this month on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Vile: Exhumed returns from Steam censorship as a free download
The horror game about uncovering toxic online relationships by combing through someone’s computer files was swept up in the payment processor NSFW game crackdown late last month. Solo developer Cara Cadaver and publisher DreadXP announced it will now be distributed for free.
