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Gaming News Roundup: January 20–26, 2026
Hytale's Update 2 dropped with major Necromancy magic and mining revamps, reigniting early access hype and sparking a modding boom. Steam's Board Game Fest launched Jan 26 for strategy fans, PS Plus expanded its January lineup, and Game Pass welcomed MIO: Memories in Orbit. Full recap as of 4:07 PM EST, January 27, 2026.
🛍️ Steam Board Game Fest Sale: Strategy Discounts (Jan 26–Feb 2)
Steam's Board Game Fest kicked off Jan 26, offering deep cuts on digital tabletop titles like Wingspan and Root alongside hybrid strategy games. Post-Detective Fest (ended Jan 19), publisher bundles from Focus and SEGA linger for hybrid deals.
Top Deals Under $30
| Game | Discount | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Island 2 | 70% | <$20 |
| Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter | 90% | <$5 |
Daggerless Pick – Deal: Board Game Fest – Wingspan ($14.99) for cozy strategy sessions.
📦 Key Releases & Updates: Hytale Update 2 Leads Sandbox Revival
Hytale dominated headlines with Update 2's Necromancy Grimoire (new spells, undead minions), mining overhaul, world gen v2, crop fixes, and boss balance tweaks. Indies like MIO: Memories in Orbit launched multiplatform to positive early buzz.
| Game/Update | Date | Platforms | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hytale Update 2 | Jan 24 | PC | Necromancy, mining revamp, mod-friendly changes. |
| MIO: Memories in Orbit | Jan 20 | PC/Consoles | Multiplatform adventure launch. |
| Nova Roma | Jan 22 | PC | Empire-building strategy. |
| Heartopia | Jan 20 | PC/Mobile | Casual life sim. |
Daggerless Pick: Hytale Update 2 – Fresh magic breathes new life into the sandbox.
💎 PS Plus & Game Pass January Waves Expand Libraries
PS Plus Extra/Premium (Jan): Resident Evil Village (survival horror classic), Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (expansive RPG), Expeditions: A MudRunner Game (off-road sim), and more for subscribers.
Game Pass: MIO: Memories in Orbit (Jan 20), Nova Roma (Jan 22), with ongoing hits like Mortal Kombat 1 and Star Wars Outlaws.
Daggerless Pick: PS Plus – Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for deep storytelling.
📈 Business Buzz: Hytale Modding Explodes, Community Drives Content
Hytale's Update 2 ignited modding: CurseForge packs "essential" tools, Windows 95 emulation mods, custom NPCs, and robotic arms trend. Fan MMORPG based on Voxelbox foundation recruits help, signaling strong community investment.
Daggerless Pick: Hytale Modding – Player creativity fuels longevity.
⏰ What's Next? (Jan 27–Feb 2)
Board Game Fest ends Feb 2; upcoming indies like Quarantine Zone: The Last and Animal Crossing update.
Daggerless Pick: Board Game Fest – Final strategy grabs.
Hytale Update 2 exciting? Tag @Daggerless on X. Stay sharp, gamers.
— The Daggerless Crew
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