On this week's Inven Weekly TOP Game Rankings, 'World of Warcraft: Forever' claimed the 1st spot. 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4', which was 3rd last week, rose one spot to take 2nd, while 'Onimusha: Way of the Sword', which held the lead until last week, fell two spots to 3rd. 'The War of Genesis Side Story: Rhapsody of Zephyr Remaster', which was 2nd last week, also dropped two spots to 4th. With the emergence of a new No. 1, existing top-tier games fell in succession, leading to major changes at the top of the chart.
In the mid-tier rankings, existing games maintained relatively stable positions. With 'EA Sports FC 27' recording 5th place, unchanged from last week, 'Dynasty Warriors 2: Complete Edition Remaster' and 'Final Fantasy Resonance' also held 6th and 7th places, respectively. On the other hand, 'Hearthstone - Reign of the Black Empire', which had climbed to 4th last week, dropped four places to 8th. In contrast to the dramatic shifts in the top spots, it is notable that 5th through 7th places remained unchanged.
In the lower rankings, 'Trails in the Sky the 2nd' rose one spot from 10th last week to take 9th. Meanwhile, 'Ace Combat 8: Wings of Thebes' dropped two places to 10th. 'Princess Maker: Children of Prophecy', which was 9th last week, was pushed down to 11th this week, falling out of the TOP 10. Overall, it was a week where the top tier was reshaped around 'World of Warcraft: Forever' taking the top spot, while the mid-tier remained stable and minor swaps occurred in the lower rankings.
Last Week's Issues, New Releases, Events, and News
Last week, NC's MMORPG 'AION 2' launched its official global service, breaking concurrent player records. NC announced that since launching official service on October 5, peak concurrent players surpassed 400,000, while SteamDB recorded a peak of 397,905 concurrent players on Steam alone. This represents an increase of approximately 226,000 from the early access milestone of 171,530.
Kakao Games' new MMORPG 'Dokkaebi's World' also ranked high on major app stores during its early launch period. Developed by Supercat, the title climbed to No. 1 on Google Play's popularity ranking upon its official release on October 8, after taking No. 1 on Apple App Store's popularity chart on October 6 when pre-downloads began. Subsequently, on the morning of October 12, four days post-launch, it reached No. 2 on Google Play's top-grossing chart.
In esports, the detailed schedule and official theme song for the '2026 League of Legends World Championship' were unveiled. This year's World Championship will kick off on October 16 in Los Angeles, USA, and culminate with the Finals in New York on November 15, featuring a total of 19 teams from six regions. Four teams from Korea's LCK—Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, and Dplus KIA—will compete, joining from the Swiss Stage starting October 24. Riot Games also released the music video for the official theme song 'Know My Name' on October 9. Featuring the virtual hip-hop group True Damage, the video focuses on 'Faker' Lee Sang-hyeok's World Championship journey and T1's run toward three consecutive championships.
Tests and user metrics for new titles also drew attention. Valve's multiplayer game 'Deadlock', currently in development, set a new personal record by surpassing 260,000 peak concurrent players on Steam on October 9. 'Deadlock' is an unreleased title still in development, accessible only through friend invites from existing participants. Meanwhile, KRAFTON began the first CBT for its new FPS 'PUBG: DED.NET' in the North American region. Running from October 9 to 12 local time for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S players, the test checks gunplay combined with a roguelite progression system, as well as server stability.
The organizing committee for the animation and gaming event 'AGF 2026', scheduled for December, faced criticism from some fans after it was revealed that generative AI was used in a teaser video released on October 6. Although the video credited the use of AI, critics argued that it ran counter to the nature of an event driven by creators and fandom. In particular, previous statements by the committee emphasizing a 'people-centered' festival during last year's event resurfaced, making the promotional video's production method difficult for fans to accept.
For the upcoming 'GTA 6', development build leak issues emerged once again. 'Cyberleek', a previously known leaker, released an additional video roughly 25 minutes long on October 8 and claimed they would leak the game's entire story mode if their meme coin's market capitalization reached $30 million. They also offered a condition that they would refrain from releasing it if Take-Two promised a physical disc launch and a public apology. However, it remains unconfirmed whether the leaker actually possesses the full story mode, and criticism has been raised over tying leaked material to cryptocurrency promotion.
What Are the Notable New Releases, Events, and Update News This Week?
On October 15, Konami's 'Castlevania: Belmont's Curse' is the most noteworthy game of the week. Set in Paris in 1499, 23 years after 'Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse', this 2D exploration action game depicts Trevor Belmont's successor standing against monsters. Developed with the participation of Evil Empire and Motion Twin, who contributed to 'Dead Cells', the title showcases combat and traversal using the whip—the series' iconic weapon—alongside various weapons and a Tarot Card system.
'Over the Hill', a new title from the creators of 'Art of Rally', is an off-road adventure exploring nature in classic 4WD vehicles that supports up to 4-player online co-op. 'The Witch's Bakery' is a 2D adventure RPG where a witch running a bakery in Paris heals people's hearts with magic-infused bread. 'Thanks, Light', from domestic indie developer Writers Games, is a first-person puzzle game where players solve puzzles by switching between 2D and 3D using light and shadows.
New platform releases for existing games continue. 'House Flipper 2', a simulation game centered on home cleaning and remodeling, releases on Nintendo Switch, while Hazelight's two-player co-op action-adventure 'It Takes Two' launches a Nintendo Switch 2 version. 'It Takes Two' follows a couple turned into dolls who use distinct abilities to overcome obstacles, with the new version featuring improved graphics and frame rates.
On October 17, the survival horror adventure 'Tenebris Somnia' releases. It follows the protagonist searching for her missing ex-boyfriend who becomes trapped in a bizarre parallel world. Influenced by classic survival horror games, it combines 2D pixel art gameplay with live-action videos starring real actors, focusing on limited resource management, puzzles, and combat.
In esports, the '2026 League of Legends World Championship' kicks off on October 16. Starting in Los Angeles, USA, the tournament features a total of 19 teams from six regions worldwide, determining the final champion through the Finals held in New York on November 15. From October 16 to 19, the Play-In Stage featuring four teams will take place, and starting October 24, the Swiss Stage will begin as LCK representative teams including Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, T1, and Dplus KIA join in. Afterwards, the tournament progresses through the Knockout Stage from November 4 to decide the ultimate champion.
What Were Last Week's METACRITIC Scores?
The major new releases with Metacritic scores revealed this week were generally positively received, mostly scoring in the 80s. 'Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3' recorded the highest score at 88 points, while 'Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen' and 'Order of the Sinking Star' were also well received with 83 points each. Distinctive exploration and vast content were cited as strengths for each title, while some games left something to be desired regarding repetitive progression, complex systems, and balance issues.
First, 'Echo Weaver' recorded a Metacritic score of 82 based on 4 reviews for the PC version. It was highly praised for combining a time loop structure with a Metroidvania approach where players gain knowledge to forge paths. Key strengths highlighted include a structure where existing areas and abilities change meaning whenever new information is discovered, refined platforming action, and mysteries unraveling through exploration. On the other hand, critics noted that strict time limits and numerous shortcuts and skills can make progression overly complex, and players might wander without finding goals or find certain platforming sections unfair.
'Neon Abyss 2' recorded an 81 based on 5 reviews for the PS5 version. Fast, flashy shooting combat and a growth system utilizing various weapon and item combinations were well received, along with permanent upgrades supporting replayability and difficulty adjustment options. Many praised it as a sequel that stably expands on the strengths of the original, though critics pointed out that the overall structure is not remarkably new and in-game guidance remains unclear. Some also noted that completing a powerful item combination drastically lowers difficulty, and individual upgrade effects often remain simple numeric increases, limiting the fun of build-crafting.
'Kingdom Hearts Collection 1-3' recorded an 88 based on 20 reviews for the Nintendo Switch 2 version, earning the highest praise on this list. Its vast volume allowing players to enjoy major titles and expansion content in a single package, along with its value for money, was well received. It was lauded as a compilation well-suited for newcomers catching up on the whole story or existing fans preparing for 'Kingdom Hearts 4'. Unlike the previous Cloud version, running the games directly on the device and providing generally stable performance in handheld mode was also listed as a benefit. However, critics noted that older titles show their age, and 'Kingdom Hearts 3' suffered frame drops to 40–50 FPS or stuttering in certain sections. The complex narrative spanning multiple games being burdensome for new players was also mentioned as a drawback.
'Order of the Sinking Star' recorded an 83 based on 11 reviews for the PC version. Its vast puzzle composition, solved by combining different rules and abilities, and a design that constantly introduces new mechanics received high praise. The process where mechanics and rules that initially seemed independent gradually connect to change existing mindsets, as well as the structure of accumulating knowledge while exploring multiple areas, were highlighted as key strengths. On the other hand, over 1,400 puzzles functioned as both a strength and an excessive amount of content, with reviews noting that fatigue increases when a solution cannot be found for a long time. In the latter half, the burden of remembering numerous previously learned rules grows, and some critics pointed out that overly stretched pacing and weak rewards make progression feel like a chore.
'Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen' recorded an 83 based on 25 reviews for the PS5 version. A new region with harsh weather, powerful enemies, a new gear acquisition structure, and dozens of hours of additional content received favorable reviews. Further developing the heavy combat and free exploration that were strengths of the original game while improving convenience features and reducing friction in progression, it was evaluated as expansion content that completes the base game. The new narrative, challenge content, and the Pawn system that feels like adventuring alongside companions remained strong points. Conversely, some issues noted in the base game remained intact, and opinions were raised that repetitive late-game quests and a RNG-dependent gear acquisition structure disrupt the flow of exploration. Continuous battles feeling monotonous and a narrative conclusion falling short of expectations were also cited.
New Game Popularity Poll
This week's poll is a popularity vote for games newly released or scheduled to release between September 11 and November 12. Accordingly, games past this period have been excluded from the poll, and new games have been added.
