19th August video games round-up: Kirby Air Riders looks OK, Silksong gets a Special Announcement tease, and new games are revealed for Game Pass
All the news and events in the world of video games today.
Update: That was the world of video games today on 19th August. A full transcript of everything that occurred today is available below if you wish to digest it all at your leisure.
It's 19th August, and we're back with another daily live report. We'll be running down all the day's news and events, checking in with what you are up to, and providing some hopefully entertaining commentary on the world of video games.
Today we've got plenty going live on the site, but we'll also discuss gamer Christmas in August (Gamescom, with Opening Night Live tonight), and talk about Sword of the Sea, which releases today and goes into the PS Plus Game Catalogue.
Our live coverage of this event has finished.
Good morning, everyone! I hope you're ready for what I expect might be a slightly slow day as the industry looks towards this evening's Gamescom Opening Night Live event.
Sword of the Sea out today
Sword of the Sea, the latest game from Giant Squid (developer of Abzu and The Pathless), releases today. Chris reviewed it for Eurogamer yesterday and it's fair to say he enjoyed it a lot.
Capcom asks PC Monster Hunter Wilds players to wait for "CPU and GPU related optimizations"
PC gamers who are hoping Capcom updates Monster Hunter Wilds to improve performance will have to wait a little longer. A statement made on X.com via the official Monster Hunter account has told players that improvements are coming, but not until this winter.
Hollow Knight: Silksong re-reveal tonight?
It might be happening! Hang on to something, as we might finally be getting a new look at Hollow Knight: Silksong tonight at Gamescom ONL. The show kicks off properly at 7pm BST, and we'll be there covering it all.
the_ewan says: Now that Sword of the Sea has arrived on the PSN store we can answer yesterday's question about the price - outside of a PS+ sub it's £20. And I know if I'm free at 7pm this evening I'm going to be surfing my way around Sword of the Sea, not over to Geofffest August.
To be honest, I wish I was doing that this evening, too. Still, hopefully we'll get some interesting games shown off this evening.
Any excitement for Silksong? Not getting much of a sense of it in the comments.
Is this Nintendo Alarmo or a nightmare?
A post on Bluesky by user Tahk0 has highlighted a rather unnerving Nintendo Alarmo alarm. Would anyone actually want to be woken up to this?
SCARIEST ALARMO ALARM EVER WTF NINTENDO LOL
— TAHK0 (@tahk0.bsky.social) August 19, 2025 at 11:46 AM
[image or embed]
Cardboard Box says: I fell at this point I should register geofflemania.com as its only a matter of time before he decides to use that name as an event
The main event at Geofflemania could be Hell on a Cell - a look at the worst games running on the PS3.
Not the best joke, given you need knowledge of wrestling and the PS3 architecture, but I enjoyed it.
Eight games are leaving PS Plus in September
Some good games are departing the PlayStation Plus Game Catalogue in September. We've got them for you below:
Leaving PS Plus Extra on 16th September:
- UFC 5 (PS5)
- The Plucky Squire (PS5)
- Night in the Woods (PS5, PS4)
- Road 96 (PS5, PS4)
- Pistol Whip (PSVR2)
- Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir (PS4)
- FIST: Forged In Shadow Torch (PS5, PS4)
- Dragon's Crown Pro (PS4)
The Hollow Knight dislikers have entered the building! I might have to be on that team too, if I'm being honest. I tried to play it and just lost all interest, which is odd as I love a good Metroidvania. Big fan of Metroid and Castlevnaia (obvs), but also the Ori games and Axiom Verge.
FTJT says: I liked the Hell on a Cell joke too, but all my friends hate my jokes so I don't know if that augurs well... In other news, I'm going to bravely step forward as totally uninterested in Silksong. Thought HK was very pretty but I didn't find it a joy to play - whereas some real treats in the genre, like Animal Well or Prince of Persia, have made a far more modest impact
MrZappa says: I got lost in Hollow Knight about two thirds in and at that point it lost me. There’s no way back - I’ve tried. I’m not excited for Silksong (but that’s not to say I won’t play it).
MarcusJ says: I’m a big Metroidvania van but Hollow Knight didn’t do anything for me. It seems very well made, but I felt absolutely no connection to the characters or world - which is unusual for me, I can usually get emotionally invested in just about anything. You should see me when I break a mug. I’ve definitely seen enough EG regulars being much more enthusiastic about it, leading me to think I should go back to it one day, though. (Which is a long-winded way of saying, the sequel is not a massive blip on my radar.)
Thanks for liking my joke, FTJT.
Your lunchtime reading from the Eurogamer archive
Wes has been on the blower, moaning that everyone has forgotten about all the great work he did on Eurogamer. "It's OK, Wes," I reassure him as he continues to berate me while writing news stories for IGN. "I'll post one of your best articles into the Eurogamer Live Report at some point soon and everyone will remember you once again."
"Thanks," says Wes, humbled by my generosity. "Make sure you also tell them that I am good at Street Fighter." "OK," I say, unsure if I will say that or not.
Here's the article, and it's a really good one from way back in 2019:
The Hollow Knight likers have looged on:
Danzig85 says: Absolutely loved Hollow Knight. Anyway, lunch time update. Brought a Pot Noodle to the office (scum I know). I was too vigorous with the fork trying to break up the noodles and punctured a hole in the pot. Bombay bad boy juices squirting all over the counter. Lunch ruined.
callumforsyth says: Hollow Knight defender logging on (sort of). Thoroughly enjoyed my time with it, art, world, music, movement all did it for me. I did find the combat a bit too challenging though, and ultimately fell off 2/3rds of the way through. I put that down to my skill level, but maybe I should be kind to my ego and say the problem was with the game instead :D
Sorry to anyone who had to read some talk about lunch, there. I know it's very unprofessional and not very becoming on a video games outlet such as Eurogamer.
I just ate some Marmite on toast alongside my fourth coffee of the day, so I'm all set for Kirby in 30 minutes.
Big Gamescom update for you now:
Dom has arrived!
Thanks for the photo, Dom. Enjoy the show!
Feature: the eye-widening wonder of Sword of the Sea
"Why is my mind on a 25-year-old book?" wonders Lewis Gordon in this cracking feature on the design sensibilities of Sword of the Sea.
"Because "cathedral of fire" is precisely how I'd describe what I'm seeing in Sword of the Sea, the latest game from Matt Nava's studio, Giant Squid." Here, "Nava is back rendering deserts with virtuoso aplomb: great orange-burned landscapes whose particles shimmer and sparkle in the pristine sunshine. Only now the desert moves more vigorously, roiling like an ocean. And I'm gliding across it on a hoverboard, pulling grab tricks as I get air from each cresting sandy wave."
It's a lovely read for a sleepy Tuesday afternoon. Here's the full thing:
Kirby Air Riders Direct at 2pm BST
Get all the info about Kirby Air Riders for Switch 2 by watching the Direct that kicks off at 2pm BST. Video below:
Kirby Air Riders is being developed by Bandai Namco and Sora. That's interesting, but perhaps not unexpected given Nintendo's history working with external devs.
Who is your favourite Kirby character, then? Gooey has to be up there, surely. Clearly going to be my main in Air Riders.
Helldivers 2 x Halo ODST crossover trailer
Here's the full story: Helldivers x Halo ODST crossover event revealed
MarcusJ says: Despite owning every Nintendo console since the SNES (except the Virtual Boy), I honestly don’t think I’ve ever played a Kirby game.
The good news is that there are loads you can play now!
Kirby Air Riders releases 20th November
Ninendo has announced that Kirby Air Riders will release on 20th November, only on Switch 2.
So, anyone got any thoughts on Kirby Air Riders they wish to share with the class? For me, not being a fan of the original (I think I only played it once at a friend's house), that 45-minute presentation didn't do much to sell me on it. I expect I'll play it and probably like it, but it doesn't scream "essential" from what was shown.
These games are coming to Game Pass soon
Which of these August Game Pass games tickle your fancy? I'll play Gears because it's Gears, but Herdling looks like my kind of game too.
Available Today
- Blacksmith Master (Game Preview) (PC)
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
- Void/Breaker (PC)
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Coming Soon
- Goat Simulator Remastered (Xbox Series X|S) – August 20
- Now with Game Pass Standard
- Persona 4 Golden (Cloud, Console, and PC) – August 20
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, Game Pass Standard
- Herdling (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 21
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
- Gears of War: Reloaded (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 26
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
- Dragon Age: The Veilguard (Cloud, PC, and Xbox Series X|S) – August 28
- Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass, EA Play
Time for those clown outfits, sorry Hollow Knight fans
It looks like we won't be getting a Hollow Knight: Silksong release date tonight, despite teases to the contrary. However, a special announcement is coming at 3.30pm BST on Thursday, so it's not all bad news.
The Everdark Sovereign version of Tricephalos heading to Elden Ring Nightreign this week
The Everdark Sovereign version of Tricephalos shall arrive on August 21, 2025 at 03:00 CEST | 18:00 PDT (20/8) | 10:00 JST.
Engulfed in fire, a somber beast approaches.
May your consecrated strikes be thrice felt.
Stop comparing everything to Red Dead Redemption 2
Jim's been on the blower again, moaning to me about how no one takes his videos seriously. Classic Jim, fishing for a compliment.
"You are a serious video producer, Jim," I say to him while thinking back to all the times he's transplanted his own lips onto real people and video game characters in videos to be funny.
"I need Eurogamer readers to believe I am a generational talent," he goes on, for some reason holding the whole conversation with me as if he's Donald Trump. You be the judge. Here's Jim begging people to stop comparing everything to Red Dead Redemption 2.
I just stretched my legs a little and asked my son what he thought of Kirby Air Riders. He loves the look of it, but he's most excited about Gooey being in it.
"Did you ask Nintendo to put my favourite Kirby character in it?" he asked me. Yes, my son, I am THAT powerful.
Thanks for joining us today. Check the site from just before 7pm BST for live coverage of Gamescom Opening Night Live.