Hello and welcome to the latest edition of the Giant Bomb Community Spotlight and I, ZombiePie am once again honored to be your host as we look back at all of the staff and site news alongside the best user-created works, and thanks to Not-E3/SGF 2026, we have a lot to talk about this week.
First, if you are reading this around the time it goes up, we still have Giant Bomb @ Nite Saturday, June 5th 6th, from 6PM-12AM PT coming up and a talk over of the Xbox Games Showcase on June 7th starting around 10 AM PDT! For a full schedule of every conference you can watch and enjoy beyond the ones Giant Bomb is covering, don't forget about Marino's handy article on the site. Every streaming event and conference, no matter how big or small is on it with links to where you can watch them.
As is usually the case, you can watch and join the fun on YouTube, Twitch, or on the site. If you missed any of the streams or talk overs from earlier, here are some handy links to help you out:
- Summer Game Fest 2026 | We Talk Over
- State of Play 06/02/26 | Giant Bomb Talks Over
- Giant Bomb @ Nite | Day 1
With the staff out "on assignment" please keep in mind that site postings of the live streams as well as site fixes and improvements will be on hold until Not-E3/SGF is over. If anything critical breaks, Chuck will be on the scene, but for the most part, your patience and understanding is greatly appreciated.
Earlier in the week a few Giant Bomb users were experiencing caching issues where non-video pages would have some of their elements not load. This included the Privacy Settings pop-up not allowing some users to log in or the login page not working at all. This ended up being a caching issue due to drift from a deployment Chuck dropped before SGF and it can be resolved if you clear or delete your cookies.
If you tried to access the Giant Bomb Emporium and it seemed like the store was down, this was due to Shopify having a partial outage. The store should be up now and if you still haven't bought any Giant Bomb First Anniversary merchandise, now is the time to do so! The options are:
- Giant Bomb Racer Shirt ($28.00)
- Giant Bomb Racing Long-Sleeve ($36.00)
- Giant Bomb Rating Polo ($38.00)
- Giant Bomb Rating Trucker Hat ($28.00)
- Long Bomb Joggers ($55.00)
- Giant Bomb: The Shirt ($28.00)
- Giant Bomb Rating Coozie ($19.00)
- Giant Bomb Racer Garden Flag ($35.00)
- Giant Bomb: The Sweater ($35.00)
Also, if any of this merch tickles your fancy or you think it just looks great, the artist behind this batch of stuff, Alex Griendling, posted a lot of the designs and renders on their personal website!
Some users are reporting that their free shirt coupon isn't working. I don't have an update as the staff are still recording SGF/Not-E3 stuff and Giant Bomb @ Nite stuff at the time of this being written and posted, but I will try to have an update by next week.
A few people have been asking about reviving or restoring accounts that they did not save by logging into Giant Bomb during the opt-in period. There's some hope for you but your account retore request will have to go through [email protected].
And finally, if you missed it, Ryan Davis is/was on the front page of Wikipedia thanks to a special thanks in Minecraft's soundtrack. If you missed it, I've got you covered:
Fan Art
Mike Meme (By: Dan & Various Participants)
For those of you not on bsky, Dan shared a funny photo of Mike that many people pointed out looked like Spider-Man from the Tobey Maguire films. This led to an inundation of photoshopped versions of the photo that you can find below. You can use the link to see the treasure trove of hilarity in one spectacular spot.
If you made versions of this meme that did not include, I want you to know that I saw you and will likely have your works on the Spotlight next week. With this version of the Spotlight already packed to the gills, I had to call it at eight images.
Mike Meme x Halo 3 Video (By: cheese-empanadas)
The video linked above took the Mike Spider-Man meme up a notch by having Mike super-imposed in the "classic" Halo 3 trailer from ages ago. If you want to see what ends up being his rallying call to "finish the fight" I strongly recommend you give it a watch.
Xenomorph Bartender Meme Template (By: Creaky Legs)
Xenomorph Bartender Meets Independence Day (By: mybaconsmellinfine)
If you caught any of Giant Bomb's @ Nite coverage you may recall some tomfoolery the staff and guests had with a Xenomorph suit which included a bit where a man in the costume pretended to be a bartender.
Whelp, Creaky Legs took that bartender video and put over a green screen background which allows ANY OF YOU to use it for you own meme purposes. Thus far, mybaconsmellinfine took them up on their offer and the end result is hilarious!
Community Articles
10 Years of Nü DOOM (By: ford_dent)
Doom (2016) is officially ten years old. What is its legacy and does it deserve credit in reviving Doom and id Software? Is the single-player FPS in a different place today thanks to the game? ford_dent mulls over those questions and more on their latest article on the site.
Indie Game of the Week 470: Boxes: Lost Fragments +
64 in 64: Episode 49: Plats All, Folks! Part One (By: Mento)
Mento is back with another edition of their "Indie Game of the Week" feature and this time
Likewise, why would anyone play 64 minutes worth of Glover and Carnivale: Cenzo's Adventure in the year of our Lord, 2026? Check out Mento's latest 64 in 64 write-up to find out and if they got any of the Retro Achievements in either game.
SuperHarman’s May Journal (By: superharman)
superharman wrapped up a decent amount of games in May as well as other media like movies and anime. If you want to see what they think about Pragmata and Star Wars – The Mandalorian and Grogu, give the article above a read.
The Absurd And Predictable Backlash About God Of War Laufrey May Finally Drive Me Out Of Mainstream Gaming Discussion (By: bigsocrates)
In case you missed it, the internet isn't exactly taking God of War Laufrey and the prospect of a female-led GoW game very well. bigsocrates
What's The Greatest Video Game: Dig Dug (By: imunbeatable801)
Is Dig Dug still fun to play today? That's the question at the heart of imunbeatable801's latest write-up on Giant Bomb and you can read what they think by clicking the link above.
Forum Posts Worth Checking Out
Announcements
Giant Bomb Premium YouTube Memberships... Are Here (By: Chuck)
As mentioned earlier, YouTube Memberships are here and you can get the early details on what is locked behind them and how they can enhance your Giant Bomb experience. As Chuck lays out in the article, if you already have Giant Bomb Premium and are enjoying Premium features on the site, this might not be for you, but for those of you that have been asking for a YouTube Membership option, read all about it!
General Discussion
SGF '26 Trailer Roundup + A Peek At DotD (By: manburger)
So, how would YOU rate SGF 2026? Did any trailer make you go "WOW!" or was the event overall mid or bad in your books? Can you think of ways to improve the event for next year? To discuss everything SGF feel free to use the forum topic above!
Giant Bomb TV - Android App Closed Beta Test (By: clinteastman)
Hey everyone! clinteastman has another update for the Giant Bomb Android App Closed Beta Test! Get the details in the thread linked below and feel free to share any bugs or issues you encountered!
Retro Gamers: I Need You! (By: hyperfocus74)
How do you prioritize your retro gaming? After making a list of nothing but classics or the best of the best, how do you figure out where to start? Share your thoughts in this thread.
Stuntman Hollywood Announced (By: gtxforza)
Stuntman Hollywood was a surprise from Sony's State of Play. Did any of you predict we'd see a reboot of the Stuntman series? Were you a fan of the previous games?
What Are You Playing/Finishing/Abandoning This Week (May 31, 2026 Edition)? (By: laughingman)
While Not-E3/SGF was happening, what did you end up playing in the background? Did any of you pick up an indie game or AAA release from earlier in the year? Did the announcements for Monster Hunter or Final Fantasy get you playing an older title in the franchise? If so, fire away in this thread!
A New Open World Driving Game From Forza Horizon 5's Director Has Revealed: Clutch (By: gtxforza)
The former creative director of Forza Horizon has revealed their next project: Clutch! Are you excited by its open-world racing based on the reveal trailer? Or does the game look too similar to the ones we already have?
Premium-Only
9 Lives Appreciation Thread (By: figmentspace)
For those of you with Giant Bomb Premium, we have an appreciation thread for Chuck's "9 Lives of Mister Mistofelees" feature on the site! If you are a fan of their feature and the tomfoolery they have been up to on Skyrim, drop a comment over here!
Premium Content Suggestions (By: adamthephantump)
Now that premium features really seem to be hitting their stride, what is your "dream feature?" Is there a game you think is a perfect fit for the Giant Bomb staff you'd like to see them do a deep dive into? If so, share away in this discussion thread!
Grubbsnax Question Thread (By: jeffgrubb)
For those of you with Premium subs, you can head on over to the Premium-Only board and possibly get a question answered during Grubbsnax if you write and post it in this thread. Huge props to Grubb for taking the time to engage with the forums to whip up some community engagement!
Suggestions & Bug Box
Suggestion: Upcoming Streams Box Links To The VOD For Past Events [Response/Unlikely To Happen] (By: datarez)
Chuck has responded to a thread in which a user requested a clickable link to the VOD for a past stream on the "Upcoming Streams" box on the front page to say it is something he and others have thought about but had to unfortunately decline because it would be a heavy lift on Jan and Shawn.
Tier Lists
Tales of Tier List (By: chocobodude3)
chocobodude3 published a tier list ranking every major entry in the Tales of franchise on Giant Bomb! Check out how their list looks and remember if you have Giant Bomb Premium you can use their template for your own tier list ranking!
List
GAMES THAT CAN BE IMPROVED BY ADDING EVEN MORE AEROSMITH +
GAMES THAT POWER STONE WOULD CRAWL THROUGH MILES OF BROKEN GLASS JUST TO LICK THEIR ELBOW +
LIST OF COOL NAMES FOR IF I EVER OWN MY OWN BABY (By: splodge)
I normally don't share shitpost content on the Spotlight, but there's something really "special" about the shitpost lists splodge posted this week. Not only is it funny seeing goof lists written in all caps, but the jokes are masterfully set-up and executed upon.
If you need a good laugh, look no further!
Marvel: Tokon Characters (By: justiceleaguecanada)
justiceleaguecanada has been following Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls since it was announced and used their latest list on to keep track of every playable character announced for the game. If you think they missed something or someone new gets announced for the game, drop a comment!
The GOATs Of Immersive Sims (By: chocobodude3)
chocobodude3 has been replaying some "classic" PC games and used that as an excuse to create a list on the site of what they think are the "GOATs of Immersive Sims!" Do you think they left out any gems of the genre? If so, then feel free to make your own list on the site!
User Reviews
infantpipoc returned to the original Far Cry and wrote a review for it on Giant Bomb! Remember the stealth mechanics in the first game and how it was an homage to The Island of Doctor Moreau?