Warriors, Popes and Espionage: Six Games Shaping October
October is shaping up to be a busy month for players, with a mix of blockbuster shooters, ambitious strategy expansions and long-awaited franchise revivals all competing for attention. Here is a look at the stories that matter.
Activision has revealed the final PC requirements for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, launching October 23. The game demands 115GB of storage space and an SSD, and it will require TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot to run. Minimum specifications call for an AMD Ryzen 5 1400 or Intel Core i5-6600 processor paired with a GeForce GTX 970/1060, Radeon RX 470 or Intel Arc graphics. The security requirements, increasingly common in major releases, are likely to frustrate some players with older motherboards.
Paradox Interactive has released a new Crusader Kings 3 expansion titled Only God, alongside a free 1.20.0 update called Crozier. The downloadable content centers on the medieval Christian church and religious power. Players can rule bishoprics or even ascend to the papacy, managing church finances, dioceses and new government mechanics. A college of cardinals and papal candidate rivalries add political depth, while secular rulers can sponsor antipopes to contest control over church resources and indulgences. A new puppet system lets rulers manipulate key figures through blackmail, bribery and personal influence, then use pliable clergy to push excommunications, holy wars or title claims.
Ubisoft appears to be expanding its Splinter Cell remake team rather than canceling the project. Insider Gaming reports that at least three job listings have appeared for the game in recent months, two of them in the past fortnight, including producer and lead level designer roles. The remake was announced in 2021 and has drawn concern after Ubisoft endured layoffs, studio closures and restructuring. The hiring suggests the team is growing again after earlier cuts, though the listings do not guarantee a release date.
In emulation news, the PS5 emulator KytyPS5 has demonstrated God of War: Sons of Sparta running at roughly 137 frames per second on a system with an AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with 1% lows around 65 frames. The test, conducted by PSXTech, covers only a short gameplay segment, so it remains unclear whether the performance holds across the full game or whether it can be completed from start to finish. The emulator’s repository still describes the project as early-stage with limited compatibility.
Naughty Dog is reportedly working on a new Uncharted game led by Sean Escayg, who previously directed Uncharted: The Lost Legacy and served as creative director on Marvel’s Avengers. Nathan Drake’s story concluded in Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End roughly a decade ago. Reports suggest Drake will appear in some form, though whether as lead, supporting character or brief cameo is unknown, and speculation that his daughter takes over remains unconfirmed.
Franchise veterans are also weighing in on the future. Former Halo creative director Frank O’Connor suggested three possible paths for the series: a classic experience focused on movement, sandbox combat and shooting feel; a more radical reinvention of the game and its world; or a live-service approach. He stressed these were personal ideas, not announced plans. Meanwhile, a Star Wars Jedi trilogy report claims the third installment is targeting a 2027 release, with marketing possibly starting earlier than expected, though Respawn has not confirmed anything.
Finally, God of War: Ragnarok follow-up God of War: Laufey is off to a strong start. After pre-orders opened, PS Store DB tracked the game at second place across 44 PlayStation Store regions, behind only the unreleased GTA 6 in most of them. The higher-priced digital deluxe edition is also performing well. The game, which features a new lead character, launches February 15. These are chart positions rather than unit sales, so they should not be read as revenue figures.