Is *Final Fantasy VII Remake* performing at 30fps on Switch 2 a letdown or acceptable? Is the Game Awards infusion truly worth an estimated $12 million in additional sales? And what’s the wait time for fans before *Terminator: Survivors* emerges from its self-imposed indefinite hiatus? It’s the newest installment of [Morning Checkpoint](https://kotaku.com/tag/morning-checkpoint), *Kotaku*’s daily summary of gaming news and culture.

We’re beginning to finalize our year-in-review coverage, yet my thoughts are already looking ahead to my favorite season: backlog season. I’m crafting a list, verifying it—should I finally finish *System Shock 2* instead of just playing *Xenogears* once more?

## *Terminator: Survivors* is barely surviving
With only two weeks remaining until its intended release, Nacon’s post-apocalyptic take on the franchise will not be meeting its scheduled 2025 launch after all. Rather than a new release date, the open-world game has been indefinitely postponed. Additionally, it will not include the previously promised co-op mode. There won’t be an Early Access period either.

“After months of internal assessment, discussions with players and fans of the franchise, we concluded that to provide you with an authentic ‘*Terminator*’ experience featuring the best possible shooting and exploration gameplay, we would need to forgo the cooperative multiplayer,” the publisher [announced on Tuesday](https://x.com/SurviveTheT800/status/2000959289918132344). “We understand this may be disappointing, but we believe this is the right creative choice for a true vision of the world post-Judgment Day.”

## Nintendo investors are anxious about rising memory expenses
That significant [RAM shortage](https://kotaku.com/amd-gpu-prices-radeon-ps5-xbox-steam-machine-2000645803) everyone keeps mentioning? Shareholders are concerned it could significantly impact the Switch 2. *Bloomberg* reported that the costs associated with manufacturing the new console might already be rising. “The price Nintendo has to pay for the 12GB RAM (random access memory) modules in the Switch 2 surged by 41 percent in the current quarter, according to market intelligence firm TrendForce,” [it states](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-10/nintendo-sheds-14-billion-value-after-chip-squeeze-fears-grow).

[What’s driving this?](https://kotaku.com/xbox-series-prices-dram-amd-ai-shortage-2000646851) Well, the [AI bubble, of course](https://bsky.app/profile/mrmunchertoyou.bsky.social/post/3m7zmn5hnkg2b).

## Gamers are returning to *Clair Obscur: Expedition 33* once more
A sweep at the Game Awards, a substantial free update, and a minor sale on Steam have combined to propel the French RPG back up the sales charts. [Alinea Analytics predicts](https://bsky.app/profile/superhys.bsky.social/post/3ma23xntiwk2v) that the game has moved an extra 300,000 copies since the showcase last week. Former players [are also returning](https://bsky.app/profile/matpiscatella.bsky.social/post/3m7zxuzbclk2f). The Game Awards effect [is undeniably real](https://bsky.app/profile/moomanibe.bsky.social/post/3ma2ks7sx7s2a), at least for titles that were already beloved.

## *Final Fantasy 7 Remake* features a free demo on Switch 2
The port comes with the *Intergrade* expansion and is set to launch on Nintendo’s new console on January 22, 2026. Progress from the demo will transfer to the full game. It runs flawlessly, though some fans are let down that it’s capped at 30fps despite the minor visual downgrade. [I experienced the opening earlier this year](https://kotaku.com/ff7-switch-2-remake-framerate-final-fantasy-2000622094) and found it surprisingly impressive in handheld mode.

## The Amazon-backed MOBA studio established by former Ubisoft developers has been resold to Ubisoft
[*March of Giants*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zn2aJ3UmVnk) was unveiled earlier this year. It’s spearheaded by creative director Xavier Marquis, the original creative director of *Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege*, and producer Alexandre Parizeau, the prior managing director of Ubisoft Toronto. [Amazon divested them back