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Mouse: P.I. For Hire, the hand-drawn rubber hose FPS from Fumi Games and PlaySide Studios, launches globally on April 16, 2026 — and if you are planning to jump in from the moment it unlocks, you will want to know exactly when that is, whether a preload is available, and which edition best suits what you are looking for.

This guide covers everything: the confirmed global release times broken down by time zone, the current state of preload availability, and a full breakdown of every edition — digital and physical — including what is inside the premium Mouseburg Edition and how much each version will set you back.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire Release Time — Key Global Time Zones

Fumi Games has confirmed that Mouse: P.I. For Hire will launch simultaneously across all regions on April 16, meaning there is no need to set your VPN to New Zealand to get in early. Everyone gets access at the same moment worldwide.

The confirmed global unlock times are as follows:

Timezones with an April 17 release date

• 🇦🇺 Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST): 01:00
• 🇳🇿 New Zealand Standard Time (NZST): 03:00

These times apply across all launch platforms — PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam and the Microsoft Store.

It is worth noting that Mouse: P.I. For Hire was originally scheduled for release in early 2026 before a brief delay pushed it to April, which the studio attributed to a final polish pass ahead of launch.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire Preload — Is It Available?

As of the time of writing, neither Fumi Games nor publisher PlaySide Studios has publicly announced a preload window for Mouse: P.I. For Hire on any platform. No preload information appears on the official FAQ, Steam page, or console store listings at this stage — though that could change closer to the April 16 unlock. It is worth checking your platform’s store page on the day for any last-minute preload availability.

There is also no early access for either edition of the game. According to pre-release coverage, owners of both the standard and deluxe versions unlock at the same time as everyone else — no early entry is included as part of either purchase.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire — All Editions Explained

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is available in several configurations across digital and physical formats, with pricing that varies depending on platform and edition. Here is a complete breakdown.

Digital Standard Edition — $29.99

The digital standard edition includes the base game and nothing else. It is available on April 16, 2026, across the following platforms at a price of $29.99 USD:

• PC via Steam
• PlayStation 5
• Xbox Series X/S
• Nintendo Switch 2

Xbox players purchasing the digital standard edition also benefit from Xbox Play Anywhere support, meaning a single purchase covers both the Xbox Series X/S console version and the PC version via the Microsoft Store at no additional cost.

Digital Deluxe Edition (Steam Only) — $39.99

A Digital Deluxe Edition is available exclusively on Steam for $39.99 USD — $10 more than the standard edition. It includes:

• The base game
• Access to the first major story DLC expansion (releasing at a later date)
• The full Original Game Soundtrack (OST), featuring compositions by Patryk Scelina and a piece by electro swing artists Caravan Palace
• A digital comic book expanding on the game’s story and characters

The DLC inclusion makes the Digital Deluxe Edition the better long-term value for players who are confident they will want to continue with Mouse: P.I. For Hire after the main campaign. No specific release date for the DLC has been confirmed at the time of writing.

Physical Standard Edition — from $29.99 (July 10, 2026)

Physical editions of Mouse: P.I. For Hire are not available at launch. The physical standard edition releases separately on July 10, 2026, with pricing that differs by platform:

• PlayStation 5 (disc): $29.99 USD
• Nintendo Switch 2 (game-on cartridge): $39.99 USD

The Switch 2 physical version costs more because the full game is included on the cartridge itself — it is not a card containing a download code.

Note that a physical standard edition for Xbox Series X is not part of the announced lineup. Xbox players looking for a physical copy will need to opt for the Mouseburg Edition.

Physical Deluxe “Mouseburg Edition” — from $49.99 (July 10, 2026)

The premium physical release is the Mouseburg Edition, also arriving on July 10, 2026. This is the collector’s package for the game and includes a substantial array of physical extras alongside the game itself.

Pricing by platform and region:

What is inside the Mouseburg Edition:

• The base game
• A 7″ vinyl record featuring four tracks from the Official Game Soundtrack, including original compositions by Patryk Scelina and a track by Caravan Palace
• A double-sided poster (340mm x 340mm) — a map of Mouseburg on one side and a schematic of Jack Pepper’s “Micer” pistol on the other
• A printed comic book with two sticker sheets
• 33 Mouseburg Baseball Trading Cards, based on the in-game baseball card mini-game
• 3 premium Mouseburg postcards

The Mouseburg Edition is the only physical option for Xbox Series X players and the only physical version for PC. Regional availability restrictions do apply, so players outside the listed regions should check local retailer availability before ordering.

Is Mouse: P.I. For Hire on Xbox Game Pass or PS Plus?

Mouse: P.I. For Hire is not planned for Xbox Game Pass at launch — Fumi Games has confirmed this explicitly. As for PlayStation Plus, no official statement has been made either way, and the PlayStation Store page shows a standard purchase listing with no indication of a PS Plus inclusion. Until the developer or Sony confirms otherwise, players on both platforms should plan to purchase the game separately.

What About PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch?

Mouse: P.I. For Hire will not launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or the original Nintendo Switch on April 16. Fumi Games has confirmed that versions for those platforms are planned, but launch timing will be announced separately at a later date.

Which Edition Should You Buy?

At $29.99, Mouse: P.I. For Hire sits competitively for most players, the digital standard edition alongside other notable indie releases on Steam this April — making it one of the better-value launches of the month regardless of which edition you choose.

If you are on Steam and plan to continue with the game after the main campaign, the Digital Deluxe Edition at $39.99 is worth considering for the DLC access and OST alone, particularly given that the DLC will likely be priced separately when it releases.

If you want a physical copy, the standard physical edition covers the basics when it arrives on July 10 — though Switch 2 owners will pay $39.99 for the cartridge version. For collectors, the Mouseburg Edition is the most complete package available and includes enough physical extras to justify its premium pricing for dedicated fans of the game.

Mouse: P.I. For Hire was developed by Fumi Games and published by PlaySide Studios. It launches digitally on April 16, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. Physical editions release July 10, 2026. Releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch will be confirmed at a later date.

Fumi Games and PlaySide Studios are set to release Mouse: P.I. For Hire on April 16, 2026, across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam — with the $29.99 digital release drawing broadly favourable early reviews.

The game puts players in the role of Jack Pepper, a war veteran and former police officer turned private detective operating in the fictional, corrupt city of Mouseburg. Its visual approach sets it apart from virtually everything else on the market: every character, weapon, and enemy is drawn by hand, frame by frame, in the black-and-white rubber hose style of 1930s cartoons — layered over three-dimensional environments. At least one reviewer described the blend as unlike anything they had encountered in a current release.

Versions for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and the original Nintendo Switch are also planned, though Fumi Games has stated that launch timing for those platforms will be detailed separately.

A Warsaw Studio’s Unlikely Critical Breakthrough

Fumi Games, an independent studio based in Warsaw, Poland, is a relatively small indie outfit, and the critical reception to Mouse: P.I. For Hire has been all the more striking for it. Advance reviews, published ahead of the April 16 unlock, have been broadly enthusiastic across major outlets.

One PC Gamer reviewer called it the best shooter they had played in ages, citing the rare achievement of a game whose visual style and underlying mechanics are equally strong. Critics at Kotaku and Final Weapon have offered similarly strong praise, with Final Weapon noting that many full-priced games offer considerably less content and polish than this release. On Metacritic, the game currently holds an aggregated score of 81 on PC and 75 on PS5 — a strong showing for a debut of this kind.

The praise is not entirely without reservation. A small number of reviewers noted that the campaign’s default difficulty leans slightly easy in its middle sections, and that some late-game sequences drag relative to the pace of the rest of the experience. A few critics also felt the detective mechanics — the investigative element implied by the game’s title — are lighter than they might have been. But these are minority notes in an otherwise favourable reception.

The Story: Three Cases, One Sprawling Conspiracy

The narrative begins with a routine job. Jack Pepper, voiced by Troy Baker, takes on a missing persons case involving a former war comrade and amateur magician named Steve Bandel. Within hours, that single case expands into three interconnecting investigations — a murdered woman whose friends want answers, a wave of kidnappings targeting Mouseburg’s shrew population, and a shadowy political movement with ambitions that reach far beyond anything Pepper initially suspects.

Players piece the story together by collecting physical clues scattered throughout each level, pinning them to a corkboard in Pepper’s office, and connecting threads between cases as the campaign progresses. The narrative touches on themes of institutional corruption, class discrimination, and political extremism — heavier territory than the game’s cartoon aesthetic might suggest — and Baker’s voice performance has been widely singled out as a particular strength, balancing the script’s dry humour with genuine dramatic weight.

The campaign spans more than 20 hand-crafted levels set across a variety of Mouseburg locations: city streets, a Hollywood-style film studio, an opera house, underground sewers, and poisonous swamps among them. Reviewers who completed the main story report a runtime of approximately 13 to 15 hours, extending to 18 or 20 hours for players who pursue the game’s substantial collection of side content.

Gameplay: Movement, Arsenal, and Boomer Shooter Roots

In terms of moment-to-moment play, Mouse: P.I. For Hire is a fast, movement-driven shooter with no cover system and no regenerating health. Critics have drawn comparisons to classic shooters including Doom, BioShock, and Quake, as well as to the broader boomer shooter tradition — games built on the principle that staying still is the surest way to die. Pepper begins each encounter with a dash ability and his fists, which the game refers to, accurately, as his mitts. As the campaign progresses, he unlocks a double jump, a wall run, a tail-powered hover descent, and a grappling hook, each of which integrates into both combat and the game’s platforming sections.

The arsenal grows accordingly. Players begin with a standard pistol and work their way toward a Tommy Gun, a shotgun, a shoulder-mounted cannon, and several weapons that depart entirely from historical precedent. The Devarnisher, for instance, strips the paint — and, effectively, the skin — from enemies on contact, triggering an animation in which their bones collapse into a cartoon pile. Environmental hazards, including hanging pianos, explosive barrels, and chemical drums, add a further dimension to combat encounters that reviewers described as consistently entertaining even after dozens of repetitions.

Between missions, players return to a central hub — Pepper’s office and surrounding neighbourhood — where a supporting character named Tammy converts collected blueprints into weapon upgrades, NPCs offer optional side assignments, and a baseball card mini-game provides something to do between shootouts. PC Gamer compared the hub structure to the style found in Dishonored, in that it functions as genuine downtime rather than a loading screen dressed up as a location.

A Visual Style Years in the Making

Mouse: P.I. For Hire was first shown publicly in 2023, at which point it was known simply as “Mouse.” Fumi Games built the project around the rubber hose animation style popularised by early cartoon studios in the 1920s and 1930s — a visual tradition that has seen renewed creative interest in recent years. The studio spent years developing a pipeline capable of combining hand-drawn 2D animation with a 3D Unity engine environment, producing a result in which every on-screen character faces the player directly regardless of movement direction, in the manner of the original cartoons.

The sound design follows the same period logic. An original big band jazz score, performed by a live orchestral ensemble, accompanies every level, and sound effects throughout the game are styled after the analogue audio of early animation. Several reviewers described the combined audiovisual experience as the most committed execution of a single creative concept they had encountered in a recent release.

Release Details

Mouse: P.I. For Hire launches globally on April 16, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. The digital standard edition is priced at $29.99 on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2. Physical editions carry higher price points, including $39.99 for the physical Switch 2 standard edition, with Mouseburg Edition variants priced at $49.99 and $59.99 respectively.

Fumi Games has referenced post-launch DLC for the title, though no release window or content details for that additional material have been announced at the time of writing.

Keep reading: Latest gaming news

Mouse: P.I. For Hire was developed by Fumi Games and published by PlaySide Studios. It launches April 16, 2026, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam. Releases on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch will be confirmed separately.

Hades II officially launched today on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, ending a six-month wait after the game reached its full v1.0 launch on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on September 25, 2025 — itself following an Early Access period on PC that began on May 6, 2024. The game is also available day one on Xbox Game Pass across Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass tiers — and via Xbox Cloud Gaming — meaning millions of subscribers can jump in right now at no extra cost.

For anyone who has been watching from the sidelines while PC and Nintendo players raved about it, today is the day to find out what all the noise has been about.

What Is Hades II and Why Does It Matter

Hades II is the first-ever sequel from Supergiant Games, the studio behind the original Hades — a game that swept Game of the Year awards in 2020 and became one of the most influential roguelikes ever made. The original set a new standard for the genre by combining precise combat, a deep upgrade system, and a fully voiced cast of mythological characters whose relationships evolved with every run.

The sequel had an almost impossible task: build on something that already felt complete. By most accounts it has succeeded. When Hades II reached its full v1.0 launch on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 on September 25, 2025, it became the best-reviewed game of 2025 according to both Metacritic and OpenCritic. That is the version PlayStation and Xbox players are getting today — not a launch-day build, but the fully patched, most complete version of the game that exists.

Price and Platform Availability

Before jumping in, here is a full breakdown of where you can play and what it costs:

PlayStation 5 — Available as a full purchase on the PS5 store. No PS Plus day-one inclusion. Check the PlayStation Store directly for current pricing before purchasing.

Xbox Series X|S — Available as a full purchase or through Xbox Game Pass. The game is included across Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass at no extra cost. It is also playable via Xbox Cloud Gaming, meaning you can stream it on mobile, tablet, or browser without downloading it to a console. Check the Microsoft Store directly for current standalone purchase pricing.

PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) — Available as a standalone purchase at $29.99 on Steam.

Cross-save note: Cross-save is supported across PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) and Nintendo platforms (Switch and Switch 2). According to Supergiant’s FAQ, players can transfer save data between PC/Mac and Nintendo consoles through an in-game menu. The limitation is that PlayStation 5 and Xbox do not join this cross-save pool. If you have been playing on PC or Switch and plan to continue on PS5 or Xbox, your progress will not carry over to those platforms.

What Has Changed From the Original

The biggest shift is in who you play as. Where the original Hades put you in control of Zagreus, the son of Hades escaping the Underworld, the sequel follows Melinoë — Zagreus’ long-lost sister and the Princess of the Underworld. The objective has changed too. Instead of escaping, Melinoë is fighting upward through a larger mythic world to defeat Chronos, the Titan of Time.

Combat feels familiar but plays differently. Melinoë uses longer dashes and a sprint where Zagreus relied on shorter bursts. Her ranged attack is an AOE ability that traps nearby enemies rather than a simple long-range cast. These changes are small on paper but shift how every run flows, particularly in how you position yourself during tougher encounters.

The world is significantly larger. Hades II features more biomes than the original, each with distinct visual styles, enemy types, and environmental hazards. The mythic world now stretches in multiple directions rather than a single upward path, giving runs more structural variety than before.

The upgrade system has expanded. There are now Boons available from more than a dozen Olympian gods including Apollo, Hephaestus, and others who didn’t appear in the original. The combination possibilities are wider than anything in the first game, and the meta-progression system — built around the Altar of Ashes — adds a layer of permanent unlocks that compounds over time.

Animal Familiars replace the Companions system. In the original, you could unlock Companions — special attacks tied to specific characters. Hades II replaces this with Animal Familiars, small creatures that follow Melinoë throughout each run. Each Familiar has its own passive ability, buffing Melinoë in different ways depending on which one accompanies her. Some provide combat boosts, others offer utility like reducing cooldowns or highlighting hidden items. They also react to events during a run, making them feel like actual companions rather than just stat bonuses.

Gathering adds a new layer between runs. Using Tools of the Unseen, Melinoë can gather reagents from the environment during runs. These materials feed into crafting and upgrade systems back at camp, giving players something to optimize beyond just combat builds.

What the Xbox and PS5 Versions Include

Supergiant confirmed that PS5 and Xbox Series X support up to 120 frames per second. Performance on Xbox Series S has not been separately confirmed by Supergiant at time of publication. Both versions include all post-launch patches that shipped on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2 since September 2025, along with bonus content and quality-of-life improvements developed in the months since.

For Xbox players, Hades II is an Xbox Play Anywhere title — a single purchase covers both Xbox console and PC. It is also streamable via Xbox Cloud Gaming with a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, requiring no download at all.

Is It Worth Playing If You Have Not Played the Original

Yes, but playing the original first will make the sequel richer. The story of Hades II directly follows events from the first game, and many characters Melinoë encounters are ones players will recognize from Zagreus’ journey. The emotional weight of certain story moments lands harder with that context.

That said, the sequel is designed to be accessible without prior knowledge. If you are a Game Pass subscriber who has never touched Hades, the original is also available on Game Pass — playing both in order is the ideal entry point into the franchise.

Development Timeline

• May 6, 2024 — Early Access launch on PC
• September 25, 2025 — Full v1.0 launch on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2
• March 26, 2026 — Xbox and PS5 release confirmed for April 14
• April 14, 2026 — Full launch on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and Xbox Cloud Gaming

Hades II is not a reinvention. If you bounced off the original’s roguelike structure — the repetition, the incremental progress, the runs that end just when they’re getting good — the sequel will not convert you. It is more of what made Hades great, expanded and refined rather than reimagined.

But if that description sounds appealing, there has never been a better time to jump in. The game is available right now on Game Pass, it runs at up to 120fps on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and it arrives with every update and improvement Supergiant has released since the v1.0 launch. Xbox and PS5 players are not getting a lesser version — they are getting the best one. Just go in knowing that if you are starting fresh on PS5 or Xbox, your progress will not carry over from any saves built on PC or Nintendo platforms.

No, Amazon Luna is not fully shutting down. What Amazon is actually doing is cutting off the parts of Luna built around third-party stores, one-off game purchases, third-party subscriptions, and Bring Your Own Library. That is a major rollback, and it will feel like a shutdown to some users, but Amazon is still keeping Luna alive through its own subscription model.

That distinction matters because the sloppy version of this story is “Amazon killed Luna.” That is not true. The more accurate version is that Amazon is shrinking Luna into a narrower, subscription-first cloud gaming service centered on Luna Standard and Luna Premium. In plain English: Luna is staying online, but several features that made it more flexible are going away.

What Amazon Luna Is Changing

Amazon says that starting April 10, 2026, Luna no longer offers game stores, individual game purchases, or third-party subscriptions. That means users can no longer buy games a la carte through Luna the way they could with linked third-party storefronts such as EA, Ubisoft, and GOG, and Amazon is no longer selling outside subscriptions like Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games through the Luna platform.

The timeline is where readers usually get confused. Amazon says previously purchased titles remain playable through June 10, 2026, while Bring Your Own Library support is being discontinued after June 3, 2026. Those are two separate deadlines, which is why many early reports sounded inconsistent. They were usually describing different features ending on different days.

What Happens to Games You Already Bought on Luna

If you bought third-party games through Luna, the bad news is simple: those titles will stop being playable on Luna after June 10, 2026. Amazon’s help page says the games will be removed from Luna after that cutoff.

The less bad news is that Amazon says you should still be able to access those games directly through the original linked platform account—for example, EA, Ubisoft, or GOG—rather than through Luna’s cloud streaming layer. So Amazon is not necessarily erasing ownership of the game license itself; it is removing Luna as the place where that license can be streamed. That is an important distinction, even if it will not comfort users who mainly bought games for cloud access on devices like Fire TV.

This is also where Amazon’s decision becomes harder to defend from a user perspective. The entire point of Luna for many people was convenience: buy or link a game, then stream it without installing it on a console or gaming PC. Once Luna takes away that streaming access, some buyers will reasonably feel that a core part of what they paid for is disappearing, even if the game entitlement still exists somewhere else. That is an inference from Amazon’s policy change and how Luna works as a cloud service, not a separate announced policy.

Will Amazon Refund Purchased Luna Games?

As of the current reporting, Amazon is not offering refunds for those affected third-party game purchases. That is one of the biggest reasons the backlash is sharper than it would be otherwise. When Google shut down Stadia, it issued broad refunds for hardware and game purchases. Amazon is not taking that route here.

That makes this change much more painful for users who treated Luna as their main gaming platform rather than an occasional subscription perk. If you bought games specifically to stream them on Luna and do not meaningfully use the linked PC storefronts, this is a downgrade in real-world value, not just a technical policy update. That is not Amazon’s phrasing, but it is the practical effect for a lot of customers.

What Happens to Save Data?

Amazon says save data for affected titles will be available to download for 90 days after June 10, 2026 from the user’s settings page. That does not guarantee perfect compatibility elsewhere, but it does mean players are not being cut off from their progress immediately with no escape hatch.

That is useful, but it is still not a full safety net. Save transfers are only helpful if the linked platform and the specific game support a smooth continuation of progress, and that will vary from game to game. So players should not assume that every Luna save will move over cleanly.

What Happens to Ubisoft+, Jackbox, and Bring Your Own Library?

Amazon’s change does not just hit one-off purchases. It also affects third-party subscriptions. Recent coverage and Amazon’s own notices say Luna is ending support for services such as Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games sold through Luna, with access ending as the transition rolls forward and support disappearing in June. Ubisoft’s own help page says that from June 10, 2026, Ubisoft+ games accessed via Amazon Luna and Ubisoft standalone games purchased on Amazon Luna will no longer be available there.

The Bring Your Own Library feature is also going away. Amazon’s help text says that benefit ends after June 3, 2026, which means even games you bought outside Luna but previously streamed through Luna via linked accounts will no longer be supported through that feature. This is one of the clearest signs that Amazon is moving away from Luna as a flexible cloud hub and toward Luna as a closed subscription service.

So What Still Remains on Amazon Luna?

What remains is Amazon’s own two-tier subscription structure. Luna Standard is still included with Prime, and Amazon describes it as access to a rotating game library plus GameNight party games. Luna Premium is still a paid subscription with everything in Standard plus a broader game library. Amazon’s April 2026 Luna update also says Prime members can currently access more than 50 games where Luna cloud delivery is available.

That means Luna is not disappearing as a service. It is being simplified—some would say stripped down—into a model where Amazon controls the catalog more directly. The company’s public messaging says it is focusing on easier access to games, more social experiences, and a steadier flow of content, with future attention going to Luna Standard and Luna Premium.

Why People Think Amazon Luna Is Shutting Down

Because, from a user’s point of view, this looks like a retreat. Amazon is removing game stores, killing individual purchases, ending outside subscriptions, and shutting down BYOG. If you were using Luna for exactly those things, then the service you signed up for is effectively being dismantled, even if the Luna logo and subscription pages stay online.

So the honest answer is this: Amazon Luna is not shutting down in the formal sense, but it is shutting down a big part of what made it different. Calling it a full shutdown would be inaccurate. Calling it a major scale-back would be fair. Calling it a subscription-only pivot would probably be the most precise description.

Is This a Sign Amazon Has Lost Faith in Luna?

Amazon is publicly framing the move as a strategic refocus rather than a retreat from cloud gaming. A Luna spokesperson told The Verge that the company is moving away from certain store, subscription, and a-la-carte models in favor of approaches it believes will work better long term, while Amazon’s own messaging says more of its content is now available to Prime members and that is where it is focusing its future.

Still, readers are not wrong to see this as a warning sign. When a platform removes ownership-style features and narrows itself to subscription access, that usually means the older model did not deliver enough traction. Amazon has not said “Luna failed,” but the direction of travel is obvious: less platform flexibility, more controlled subscription packaging. That is an inference based on the changes Amazon announced, not a separate admission from Amazon.

What Current Luna Users Should Do Right Now

If you have bought games through Luna or used linked third-party libraries, the smart move is to stop treating this as a vague future problem. Check which games are tied to Luna, make sure your EA, Ubisoft, or GOG accounts are properly linked, verify where those purchases live outside Luna, and plan to download save data before the 90-day window closes after June 10.

If you subscribe to a third-party service through Luna, especially Ubisoft+, do not assume it will quietly carry on. Confirm your subscription status, billing path, and how you will access those games after Luna support ends. Users who only care about Amazon’s own rotating catalog can stay put, but anyone who used Luna as a flexible cloud gateway should be making backup plans now.

FAQ

Is Amazon Luna shutting down completely?

No. Amazon Luna is staying online, but it is ending third-party game stores, one-off purchases, third-party subscriptions, and BYOG support.

When will purchased games stop working on Luna?

Amazon says previously purchased third-party titles remain playable through June 10, 2026, and then they will be removed from Luna.

Does Bring Your Own Library end on the same day?

No. Amazon says Bring Your Own Library is being discontinued after June 3, 2026, which is earlier than the June 10 cutoff for previously purchased titles.

Can I still play my bought games somewhere else?

In many cases, yes. Amazon says affected games should still be accessible directly through the original linked store accounts such as EA, Ubisoft, or GOG.

Will Amazon refund those purchases?

Current reporting says no, which is one of the most criticized parts of the change.

What stays on Luna after these changes?

Amazon is keeping Luna Standard and Luna Premium, with Standard included in Prime and Premium offering a broader library. Prime members currently have access to more than 50 games where Luna cloud delivery is available.

Amazon is making a sharp change to Luna that will hit anyone who used the cloud gaming service to buy and stream third-party titles. Starting April 10, 2026, Luna no longer offers third-party game stores, individual game purchases, or third-party subscriptions, and games bought that way will stop being playable on Luna on June 10. Amazon also says those purchases are not eligible for refunds.

The important catch is that Amazon is not erasing ownership in the strictest sense. If a player bought a game through Luna and linked the appropriate EA, GOG, or Ubisoft account, Amazon says the game should still be accessible through that original platform after Luna support ends. What is disappearing is Luna as the streaming layer that let people play those titles without installing them locally.

What Amazon Luna Is Actually Shutting Down

The headline issue is bigger than just purchased games. Amazon’s support notice says Luna is ending support for third-party stores, third-party subscriptions, and a-la-carte purchases. That means EA, Ubisoft, and GOG stores are being removed from the Luna platform, while Ubisoft+ and Jackbox Games subscriptions sold through Luna are being discontinued as well. Active subscriptions bought through Luna will be canceled at the end of the current billing cycle.

Amazon is also winding down “Bring Your Own Library,” the feature that let users stream eligible games they already owned through linked third-party accounts. Amazon’s support language says that benefit is being discontinued after June 3, 2026, while broader reporting says previously purchased third-party games remain playable on Luna until June 10. In practice, the service is being stripped back in stages across early June.

Why the No-Refund Decision Is the Real Flashpoint

The no-refund policy is the part likely to anger users most. Amazon says previously purchased third-party games will no longer be playable on Luna after June 10, yet it also says those purchases are not eligible for refunds because the titles remain owned through the linked third-party store account. That logic may hold legally, but it is still a rough outcome for players who bought games on Luna mainly for cloud access, not for local installation on gaming hardware they may not even own.

That distinction matters. Luna is a cloud gaming service, so for some users the entire point was being able to stream a game to a Fire TV, phone, or low-powered device without buying a console or upgrading a PC. Losing the streaming option while keeping only the underlying store entitlement is not the same thing as losing the purchase entirely, but for some customers it will feel close enough.

Amazon’s Explanation for the Change

Amazon says this is a strategic shift, not a shutdown of Luna itself. In its support messaging, the company says player feedback showed demand for easier access to games, more social experiences, and a steadier flow of content, and that it is now focusing more heavily on Luna Standard and Luna Premium. Amazon spokesperson Brittney Hefner told The Vergethat the service is moving away from certain subscription, store, and a-la-carte purchasing models in favor of approaches Amazon believes will work better for customers over the long term.

That explanation will not convince everyone. On paper, Luna is continuing, but the service is clearly becoming narrower. Amazon launched Luna in 2020 as a cloud gaming rival in the same general conversation as Xbox Cloud Gaming and, before its demise, Google Stadia. It later added individual game purchases in 2023, only to reverse that direction now.

What Happens Next for Luna Users

For users affected by the change, the timeline is straightforward. New third-party purchases and new third-party subscriptions are already gone. BYOG support is being discontinued after June 3, and previously purchased third-party games will stop working on Luna after June 10. Ubisoft’s own help pages also say Ubisoft+ games accessed through Luna and Ubisoft standalone games purchased on Luna will no longer be available there from June 10.

After that, Luna users will be pushed toward Amazon’s in-house subscription structure instead of the more flexible store-linked model. Many third-party titles may still appear inside Luna’s subscription libraries, but the old pitch of buying a game once and streaming it through Luna is being gutted. That is the real story here, and it is why the backlash is likely to center less on technical ownership and more on lost access.

The Bigger Problem for Amazon Luna

Amazon can say Luna is being refocused, but to a lot of players this looks like contraction. The company is taking away one of the clearest reasons to use the service in the first place: convenient cloud access to games bought through outside storefronts. And unlike Google when it shut down Stadia, Amazon is not broadly refunding affected purchases. That comparison is going to follow this story whether Amazon likes it or not.

The blunt version is this: Luna is not dead, but it is becoming a smaller and more closed product. If you used it mainly as a subscription side dish, that may not matter much. If you used it as your actual way to play bought games in the cloud, this is a real downgrade.

Shiro Games has officially set a release date for SpaceCraft, confirming that the online space exploration and building game will launch in Steam Early Access on May 20, 2026. The date is now listed on the game’s Steam page and was also confirmed in an official Steam community update published on April 9.

The announcement gives the studio’s multiplayer space sandbox a firmer launch target after months of demos, playtests, and community feedback. The game is being positioned as a large-scale player-driven experience built around exploration, ship design, planetary industry, logistics, trade, and cooperative play.

SpaceCraft Finally Has a Locked-In Early Access Date

On Steam, SpaceCraft is now listed with a planned release date of May 20, 2026, and Shiro Games repeated that same date in its latest official community post. A new trailer tied to the announcement was also released alongside the reveal.

That matters because this is the clearest public launch signal the game has had so far. For a title that is leaning heavily on community involvement before full release, locking in a date gives interested players something concrete after a long pre-release buildup.

What Kind of Game Is SpaceCraft?

Shiro Games describes SpaceCraft as an online space exploration and building game where players can move across a galaxy of star systems and planets, mine and refine resources, build ships, automate planetary bases, and manage interplanetary logistics. The Steam page also highlights trading, cooperation, corporations, and a player-influenced economy as major parts of the experience.

The pitch is clearly broader than just survival or ship combat. The game appears to be aiming for a mix of space sim, sandbox building, logistics management, and MMO-style collaboration, with players able to start small and expand into larger industrial operations. Steam tags on the store page currently include Early Access, Open World, Sandbox, Exploration, Base Building, Automation, PvE, PvP, Multiplayer, and Massively Multiplayer.

What Players Can Expect From Early Access

According to the developers’ Early Access notes on Steam, the version launching in May is meant to include the game’s core mechanics and be “fully playable,” with Shiro saying it expects SpaceCraft to remain in Early Access for at least six months.

Shiro says the full version is planned to expand the game with more galaxy content, new sectors, more planets, additional ways to explore the universe, and more social features built around Corporations. The studio also says pricing is expected to rise gradually by the time version 1.0 arrives, depending on how much content and how many features are added during development.

That is the standard Early Access pitch on paper, but the six-month minimum is still worth noting. It tells players this is not being framed as a near-finished launch with a cosmetic Early Access label slapped on top. Shiro is openly signaling that SpaceCraft is still a work in progress and that community feedback is meant to shape what comes next.

Demo Feedback Has Already Helped Build Momentum

The game is not arriving cold. In March, Shiro said more than 70,000 players tried the demo during Steam Next Fest, where SpaceCraft ranked among the top 25 demos out of more than 3,500. In the same update, the studio said the game had reached 300,000 wishlists on Steam and that the demo would remain available.

That is a meaningful sign of interest, especially for a new IP entering Early Access instead of launching as a fully finished product. It also helps explain why Shiro appears comfortable leaning into a community-shaped development model: the audience was already there before the release date announcement landed.

Shiro Games is already known for titles like Northgard, Dune: Spice Wars, and Wartales, so SpaceCraft is not coming from an unknown studio. Recent coverage of the release-date reveal also tied the announcement to this year’s Triple-i Initiative showcase, giving the game extra visibility at a time when Steam wishlists and pre-launch momentum matter a lot.

For Shiro, this looks like a notable swing into a more ambitious online sandbox space. For players, the bigger question is whether the game can turn its strong concept and early attention into a stable, worthwhile Early Access launch. That part will not be answered by the trailer or the Steam page. It will be answered once players actually get into the build on May 20.

SpaceCraft Early Access Release Date

The short version is simple: SpaceCraft launches in Steam Early Access on May 20, 2026. The game’s official Steam page is live now, the demo remains available, and Shiro says the Early Access period is expected to last for at least six months while the team expands the game with more content and features.

If the launch build delivers on the promise of seamless exploration, ship building, automation, and player-driven industry, SpaceCraft could end up being one of the more closely watched space sandbox releases of the year. If not, it will have to prove very quickly that the wishlist momentum was earned for more than just a strong pitch.

Nintendo has officially announced Rhythm Heaven Groove, a brand-new entry in the long-dormant rhythm series, for Nintendo Switch. The game was revealed during the Nintendo Direct on March 27, 2025, where Nintendo described it as the newest installment in the Rhythm Heaven franchise. The company later confirmed that the game is set to launch in 2026, with regional Nintendo pages listing specific dates such as July 2, 2026 in the UK and July 9, 2026 on Nintendo Singapore’s schedule page.

That alone is a big deal for fans. Rhythm Heaven has been one of Nintendo’s most fondly remembered rhythm series, but it has also gone quiet for years. With Rhythm Heaven Groove, Nintendo is not reviving it as a side project or nostalgia throw-in. It is positioning the game as a full new Switch release built around the same fast, quirky rhythm action that made the older entries stand out.

A New Entry, but Very Familiar DNA

Nintendo’s official description keeps the pitch simple: Rhythm Heaven Groove will feature a wide range of offbeat rhythm games backed by music from Tsunku♂, the Japanese musician and producer closely associated with the series. Nintendo’s UK store page describes it as a “colourful collection of funny little rhythm games,” while the broader announcement stresses that the series is returning with a completely new installment rather than a remake or compilation.

That matters because the Rhythm Heaven identity has always been less about spectacle and more about precision, timing, and absurd charm. The series built its reputation on deceptively simple minigames, strange visual humor, and songs that lodged themselves in players’ heads. From Nintendo’s initial material, Rhythm Heaven Groove looks like it is keeping that formula intact instead of trying to reinvent it into something larger and messier. That is probably the right call.

What Nintendo Has Confirmed So Far

Right now, Nintendo has confirmed the essentials but not much beyond them. Rhythm Heaven Groove is coming to Nintendo Switch, it was announced during the March 2025 Nintendo Direct, and it is scheduled for 2026. Nintendo has also highlighted Tsunku♂’s music and the game’s eclectic lineup of rhythm challenges as key selling points.

Regional pages add a bit more detail. Nintendo’s UK site currently lists a July 2, 2026 release date for Rhythm Paradise Groove — the regional title used there — while Nintendo Singapore’s release schedule shows July 9, 2026 for Rhythm Heaven Groove. That suggests either a staggered regional rollout or differences in local listing schedules, so it would be smarter not to flatten those into one universal date until Nintendo clarifies it on all major storefronts.

Why This Reveal Matters

Nintendo’s announcement is not just another Direct bullet point. It brings back a franchise that has had real staying power with fans despite long gaps between entries. In a Switch library crowded with sequels, remasters, and giant open-ended games, Rhythm Heaven Groove immediately stands out because it promises something more focused and more character-driven in its design philosophy: short-form rhythm challenges, weird comedy, and music-first gameplay.

That also gives Nintendo a different kind of release for the back half of the Switch era. Not every game has to be a huge cinematic event. A sharply made rhythm game with strong personality can cut through just as effectively, especially when it comes from a series with this kind of cult reputation. Based on the initial reveal, Rhythm Heaven Groove looks like Nintendo understands exactly what people missed about these games.

Still Plenty Left Unanswered

What Nintendo has not done yet is explain the game in depth. There is no full breakdown of modes, no detailed feature list, and no broad gameplay overview beyond the core premise of playing through a variety of rhythm games. The first wave of official information is enough to confirm the return, but not enough yet to answer deeper questions about structure, multiplayer possibilities, or how large this entry will be compared with past games.

Still, the headline is strong enough on its own: Rhythm Heaven is back, and Nintendo is finally giving Switch players a new entry instead of leaving the series behind on older hardware. For fans who have spent years waiting for the franchise to return, Rhythm Heaven Groove is already one of Nintendo’s more interesting announcements, even before the company has shown everything it has planned.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has resurfaced in a way that is getting plenty of attention, and not just because it is finally inching closer to Nintendo Switch 2. Amazon has begun listing pre-orders for the upcoming edition at $79.99, giving fans their clearest look yet at the game’s expected price on Nintendo’s new hardware. What the listing does not provide, however, is the one detail players are still waiting for: an actual release date.

That leaves Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in an awkward but familiar spot. The game is real, officially announced, and still scheduled for 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2 according to Nintendo’s current store page. But despite pre-orders going live at a premium price, there is still no firm launch day attached to it yet.

Amazon Listing Puts the Price at $79.99

The Amazon listing is the headline-grabber here. It shows Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition at $79.99, which immediately puts it at the high end of Nintendo Switch 2 software pricing. That number is likely to trigger debate for two reasons: first, Elden Ring is already a well-established game rather than a brand-new release; second, this version appears to be a Game-Key Card release rather than a full traditional cartridge edition, based on reporting around the listing.

That price is easier to understand once the package is taken into account. Nintendo’s store page says Tarnished Editionincludes the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and additional content such as new weapons, armour, Torrent skins, and more. Bandai Namco’s original announcement similarly described it as an all-in-one version built around the main game and its major DLC.

The Release Window Is Still Broad

The more important detail is what is still missing. Nintendo’s official page currently lists the release date simply as 2026, with no month or day attached. That means the Amazon pre-order page, while notable, does not signal a fully locked launch schedule yet. Reports surrounding the listing have also pointed out that there is still no confirmed retail date attached to the pre-order.

There is also a bit of history behind that uncertainty. When Bandai Namco first announced Elden Ring: Tarnished Editionfor Nintendo Switch 2 in April 2025, the company said it was slated for release in 2025. Nintendo’s current official page now says 2026, which makes clear that the release window has shifted since the original announcement.

What Tarnished Edition Includes on Switch 2

For players who have not followed the Switch 2 version closely, Tarnished Edition is being positioned as the most complete version of Elden Ring on Nintendo hardware. Nintendo describes it as including the full base adventure along with Shadow of the Erdtree and extra customization content. Bandai Namco has also said the added content will be made available on other platforms, but the Switch 2 package itself is being marketed as a bundled edition.

That makes the package easier to pitch to new players than to returning ones. Someone who has never touched Elden Ringcould look at this as a definitive entry point. For long-time fans who already own the game and the DLC elsewhere, the value proposition is tougher, especially at $79.99. That is not a factual contradiction; it is just the obvious commercial reality of the listing.

Why the Listing Matters Even Without a Date

Pre-orders appearing before a release date is unusual enough to draw attention, especially for a game with this profile. It suggests that retail plans are moving forward even if the public schedule has not been nailed down. It does notautomatically mean the launch is imminent. Right now, the safe conclusion is narrower: Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is still officially coming in 2026, Amazon has begun taking pre-orders in the US, and the listed price is $79.99.

Until Bandai Namco, FromSoftware, or Nintendo announces an exact date, that is where the story stands. The price is now out in the open, the package contents are known, and the absence of a release date is becoming more noticeable the closer the game gets to launch. For now, fans know what it may cost to return to the Lands Between on Switch 2. They just do not know when they will actually be able to do it.

Editor’s update, May 12, 2026: A release date has since surfaced through a separate retailer. Canadian store PNP Games briefly listed Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 with a July 10, 2026 estimated ship date — but the same page has since changed to show December 31. Bandai Namco still has not confirmed an official launch date. Read the full breakdown here.