Sonic the Hedgehog will headline Fortnite’s new “Override” season. 

Players will be able to play as Sonic and unlock the Tails Sidekick with the purchase of the Battle Pass for the hedgehog’s 35th anniversary. The collaboration will also feature the Tails Sprite, Rings and Sonic Power Sneakers, which allow players to Spin Dash in their fight against Dr. Eggman. 

“Bringing Sonic and his friends into Fortnite gives generations of fans an exciting new way to experience these beloved characters together and serves as another major moment in Sonic’s 35th anniversary,” Takashi Iizuka, Sonic Creative Officer, Sega of America, Inc., tells Variety. 

The “Override” season also includes classic video game mechanics, such as Cheat Codes and 1-Up Tokens. 

See more gaming news from this week in the roundup below.

DATA/SALES

U.S. video game spending has dropped 10% across content, hardware and accessories compared to last year, according to Circana’s July video games report.

Mobile was the biggest driver of the decline, which totaled just $4.5 billion. Hardware spending reached a low last seen in July 2020 due to the global pandemic, the report also revealed. 

Additional key takeaways include higher hardware prices impacting the selling of PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. Prices in Nintendo Switch 2 will also see a spike in prices Sept. 1. 

Beginning January 2028, Sony will stop producing physical software for new games, although physical software YTD for PlayStation hardware made up 32% of total US consumer spending on new physical games. 

GAME UPDATES/DLC

Get in, losers! It’s time to take your Sim shopping.

“The Sims 4″ is getting two new for-purchase fashion kits for “Mean Girls” and “Clueless,” upgrading players’ online closets with ’90s and early 2000s looks. 

Starting Aug. 27, the Mean Girls Capsule will bring a fetch array of miniskirts and matching sweaters and velour track suits, plus looks inspired by some of the film’s most notable scenes: the jingle bell performance and Mathletes team jacket. The Clueless Capsule Kit will feature Cher’s infamous yellow-plaid set, layered tops, button-front skirts, workout wear and overalls inspired by Tai.

Think you won’t have enough to wear after these fashion kits? Ugh! As if!

IN-GAME EVENTS

“Game of Thrones: Dragonfire” is adding a limited-time “House of the Dragon” event to celebrate the series finale.

Available now until Aug. 24, all dragons released throughout Season 3 are back at the Hatchery. The dragons are identical to those seen on screen and each possess unique passive Habit abilities, troop affinities and powerful synergies. They will return to standard drop rates following the limited-time event.

Players can link their HBO Max and Warner Bros. Games accounts to “Game of Thrones: Dragonfire” to earn rewards by watching the third season of “House of the Dragon” until Oct. 1.

TABLETOP CARD/RPG

Ravensburger announced a digital version of the Disney Lorcana Trading Card Game (TCG) is officially in the works. 

While at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Ravensburger shared Disney Lorcana TCG will be featured at more Disney events and theme parks starting 2027, including exclusive cards at Epcot’s International Festival of the Arts. It is also set to expand across the Disney Cruise Line with its Collection Quests. 

Curator’s Collection Beauty and the Beast Edition, the new addition to the Curator’s Collection line, will release this October at select Disney locations and will feature new artwork of the film’s characters.

The digital version of Disney Lorcana TCG will be playable on desktop and mobile. Fans can check its status on the Disney Lorcana website.

LIVE EVENTS

UNO! just upped the stakes: fans around the world can compete for the title of the tournament champion and a $50,000 grand prize at the UNO Championship Series on Nov. 11. 

Gamers will participate in a series of in-person qualifying tournaments starting in Kissimmee, Florida on Oct. 3, Chicago on Oct. 10 and El Segundo, California on Oct. 17. There will also be digital qualifiers through the UNO! Mobile app. Play your cards right and you just might make it to the live entertainment stage. 

The competition is a two-hour event in Los Angeles bringing top players together for a showdown that will be streamed live on Twitch.

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The Esports Foundation (EF) has postponed the inaugural Esports Nations Cup until November 2027. 

Originally planned to take place in November 2026, the event date was changed after “ongoing assessment of the wider regional situation.”

“The decision to postpone the Esports Nations Cup was not taken lightly,” said Ralf Reichert, CEO of the Esports Foundation. “The response from National Team Partners, publishers, players and communities around the world has shown us how much potential this competition has. We owe them an inaugural ENC delivered under the right conditions and at the level this idea deserves.” 

The Esports Foundation (EF) is a nonprofit organization based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that aims to develop global gaming and esports. The Esports Nations Cup (ENC) is a global international esports competition for nations and territories. 

NEW VENTURES

New game studio Black Pony Immersive has launched from game developers Harvey Smith and Ben Horne.

The studio is built to design and develop first-person action RPGs where players can create their own experiences with emergent game systems.

Smith serves as CEO and creative director for Black Pony Immersive. Horne is the chief operating officer and executive producer. Ricardo Bare is the design director.

Smith served as studio director at Arkane Austin and is known for his work on the “Deus Ex” and “Dishonored” game series. Horne served as production director at Arkane Austin. Bare was most recently creative director at Arkane Studios and has worked as a designer on franchises including “Deus Ex” and “Prey.”

RELEASE DATES

Moomintroll and his family need your help! In “Moomin: Midsummer Madness,” Moominvalley has been submerged by a great flood, and Moomintroll and Little My need to make their way home. Join Moomintroll on his adventure on Nov. 12 for $19.99 USD (€19.50) on PC and Nintendo Switch 1 and 2.

Embark on the journey by solving puzzles and mysteries within the point-and-click adventure game. You might even uncover the secrets of a mysterious floating theatre full of familiar faces. 

These hand-drawn characters are brought to life from the fantasy novel “Moominsummer Madness” by Finnish-Swedish writer and artist Tove Jansson.  “Moomin: Midsummer Madness” is the latest adventure in the Moomin multiverse, brought to gamers by Crossbridge Game Studios and publisher Shochiku Games.

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Construction sites just got a whole lot scarier. PlaySide Studios is expanding its “Dumb Ways To Die” IP and launching even more ways to die with their latest spinoff game “Dumb Ways to Build” on Sept. 10.

In “Dumb Ways to Build,” players can wield a physics-based arsenal of tools to build construction sites and improvise their way out of chaotic and fatal situations. Whether tackling the job site with up to four friends in an online crew or braving it alone in Solo Play, the game puts your building and survival skills to the test.

The game will be available across PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and Xbox X|S for USD $7.99.