Weekly Roundup: Diablo Devs Reveal New RPG, Warzone Mobile Dies, John Wick Returns from the Dead, and More

Here’s all the news that’s fit to print, as they say in the newspaper biz. Well, not all of it, but you get the idea. 

Darkhaven Kickstarter Gets Kickstarted

Moon Beast Productions, the indie outfit built by veterans of the Diablo series, flipped the ARPG hype switch to 11 by launching both a Kickstarter campaign and a playable pre-alpha demo for Darkhaven on Feb. 16, and it’s already reached over $113,000 towards a $500,000 goal, after the game racked up more than 140,000 wishlists since its initial reveal.

Plus, rather than serve up some polished teaser slice, the team opted for an unfiltered build that lets players dive straight into several hours of open-ended action RPG gameplay in a persistent sandbox world. This comes complete with deformable terrain, shifting seasons, and real player agency baked into the core systems.

Players can experiment with the Witch class up to level eight across three skill trees focused on mobility, positioning, and resource management, exploring a grim fantasy landscape reclaimed by wilderness and home to supernatural horrors. The demo pushes the idea that worlds should evolve and react, not just sit there waiting to be cleared, giving a peek at ambitious mechanics the developers hope will push the ARPG genre forward.

The demo’s release acts as both a thank-you to the community and an open invitation to help shape the game’s future, with studio co-founder Erich Schaefer describing it as a chance to “stay true to the addictive core of classic Diablo-style gameplay” while deliberately shaking up conventions around world evolution, replayability, and player freedom.

The strong wishlist numbers have given Darkhaven early momentum, and the live demo is intended to convert curiosity into committed backers. By opening the doors early, the studio is betting that transparency and player feedback will help shape the game into something that stands apart in a crowded ARPG field. Whether that gamble pays off will depend on how players respond to a world that promises not just bigger loot drops, but a sandbox that refuses to sit still.

Activision Sunsetting Warzone Mobile

Answering the question “How many Call of Duty games do we need?”, Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile is entering an extended wind-down phase. Activision has confirmed that the mobile version of the popular battle royale will stop receiving new seasonal content, gameplay updates, and real money purchases effective immediately. That means players will no longer be able to buy COD Points, Battle Passes, BlackCell content, or any other paid digital items within the game. However, any unspent COD Points already in player accounts can still be used toward available in-game items.

A key part of this service change is that May 18, 2025 is the last day Call of Duty: Warzone Mobile can be downloaded from Google Play and the Apple App Store, and social features across all platforms will be retired. Players who have the game installed prior to May 19, 2025 will still be able to launch and play the game, including online matchmaking and shared content progression, but there will be no fresh updates or seasonal additions going forward.

Activision’s statement makes it clear that this decision comes after careful consideration, acknowledging that while the team is proud of what Warzone Mobile accomplished in bringing an authentic battle royale experience to mobile platforms, it “has not met our expectations with mobile-first players like it has with PC and console audiences.” As part of this transition, the ability to spend real money in the game has been disabled, and any purchases that remain unspent cannot be refunded if unused by players.

Players who uninstall the game risk losing access entirely if they do not reinstall it before the May 19 deadline, though previously purchased content and progression will still be available for those who keep it installed. Cross-progression with other Call of Duty titles remains functional for players who have the game installed, allowing shared inventories and existing items to persist even as active support ends.

Other News This Week

Highguard is still in the gaming public’s consciousness but not in a good ARC Raiders way. Instead, recent claims surfaced that Wildlight Entertainment was secretly funded by Tencent. This was accompanied by Highguard’s official site going dark, and players losing their minds over the game shutting down – even though there’s nothing to suggest just yet that this is going to happen. In fact, quite the opposite: yesterday the official Highguard X account revealed new content.

Sony and Saber Interactive have officially announced a full-blown John Wick AAA game for PlayStation 5 as part of the February 2026 State of Play, developed in close collaboration with franchise creator Chad Stahelski, star Keanu Reeves and Lionsgate. This news was accompanied by plans to expand on the series’ lore in an original story featuring signature gun-fu combat, cinematic camerawork and intense driving sequences. 

The untitled third-person action title, which places players in a distinct chapter of Wick’s life, will also release on Xbox Series X|S and PC, though no release date has been announced yet. Saber says it aims to blur the line between movies and interactive gameplay by faithfully recreating the franchise’s visceral style and immersive environments. If any of this sounds awfully familiar, it’s likely you remember the now-delisted John Wick Hex.

Lastly, despite misleading recent headlines and fan demand, Final Fantasy IX has not been officially announced for a remake, though industry insiders and community speculation suggest that interest remains high and there are reasons fans shouldn’t lose hope entirely. Instead, a children’s storybook centred around fan-favorite character Vivi has been announced, which is what’s stoked the rumour fires.