Olly Smith

Olly Smith focuses on how players can squeeze new life and value from the games they already love, highlighting free downloads, DLC drops, and surprise expansions across PC and console. He writes about games for GAMINGbible, where his coverage centres on big franchises, fan-favourite mods, and accessible entry points like Steam free-to-play releases and trial versions. With more than a decade of games writing behind him and credits at major specialist outlets, he brings deep familiarity with immersive sims, adventure titles, and sprawling open-world series. His work is built on clear explanations of what new content offers players, framed by an understanding of series history and community reaction.

Free games and nostalgic PC classics

Smith repeatedly spotlights free or low-barrier games on Steam, often using nostalgia and genre hooks to surface titles that feel like modern spins on childhood PC favourites.

His coverage of a Steam free game that revives a classic PC experience from players’ childhoods sits alongside pieces on a highly rated free puzzle release that can be completed in about an hour, and a dark, story-driven rival to Stardew Valley with a free sample available on Steam. He also follows games positioned as rivals or companions to The Legend of Zelda, covering updates and free tasters that let players try these adventures before committing to a full purchase.

Across these stories, he focuses on what makes each free offer worth a download, how much content is included, and how it fits into current player habits on PC.

Franchise updates, DLC and expansions

A large portion of Smith’s work tracks new and upcoming content for established franchises, with an emphasis on DLC, expansions, and add-ons that extend the life of major releases. He covers reports of new DLC for Fallout 4 and further expansions confirmed in step with the next season of the television adaptation, breaking down what additional content fans can expect and how controversial changes might land. His Skyrim coverage ranges from hidden areas that feel like unofficial DLC to large, DLC-sized fan expansions such as Call Of The Deep, giving readers a sense of how these additions reshape long-familiar worlds.

Similar pieces follow new DLC and announcements for Cyberpunk 2077, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Red Dead Redemption 2, where he documents both official add-ons and in-game freebies that players can claim within specific windows.

Smith also writes about expansions tied to fantasy and sci-fi universes beyond the biggest names, including a Lord of the Rings game trilogy set to receive a substantial free expansion and a fan-made Baldur’s Gate 3 region packed with new quests.

He covers award-contender releases that confirm free DLC launch dates on PC and PlayStation 5, charting how ongoing updates position these games as games of the year contenders. In each case, he stresses practical details - platforms, timing, and scope of new content - while situating expansions within the broader trajectory of their series.

GTA 6 and open-world blockbusters

Smith returns frequently to Grand Theft Auto and other open-world blockbusters, following both official news and the surrounding wave of fan interest. His GTA 6 coverage includes pieces on rival releases arriving on Xbox and PlayStation as stopgaps during the wait for the next mainline entry, early indications of a PC launch with online mode targeting 2027, and soundtrack details confirming multiple major artists.

Earlier work has also picked up on GTA 6 pre-loads with unusually small file sizes, explaining why such anomalies appear and what they mean for players expecting large-scale downloads. Through these stories, he explains how each development affects expectations, whether as a distraction from the wait or a concrete signal of how the new game will roll out.

Beyond Grand Theft Auto, Smith covers open-world crossover projects and systemic updates, such as a mod that brings San Andreas into Red Dead Redemption 2 on PC and patches that add dozens of new horses to Red Dead’s story mode. He treats these changes as part of an ongoing dialogue between developers, modders, and players, showing how new regions, systems, and cosmetic additions refresh sprawling sandboxes over time. This focus on living worlds dovetails with his interest in immersive sims and adventure franchises, reflecting a broader attention to games that reward long-term engagement.

Reviews, previews and practical guides

While much of Smith’s output takes the form of news and update coverage, he also delivers more considered reviews and previews when games or expansions warrant deeper treatment. His review of the Still Wakes The Deep: Siren’s Rest DLC frames the episode as a bite-sized epilogue that returns players to the Beira D for further body horror, assessing how effectively the new content extends the original game’s atmosphere. In a preview for Star Wars Zero Company, he presents the game as one of the strongest Star Wars experiences in years and outlines its release across PC, Xbox Series X/S, and PlayStation 5, giving readers a clear sense of what to expect before launch. These pieces show him shifting from headline-driven news to structured criticism and evaluation, drawing on his long familiarity with genre conventions.

Smith also contributes guides and list pieces that translate his knowledge into practical advice, such as a set of tips for Control Resonant aimed at players starting the game in its launch week.

He produces update round-ups that catalogue planned gameplay changes, as seen in coverage of The Blood of Dawnwalker’s first major update and its seven headline adjustments. Away from his work at GAMINGbible, his reviews are collected on OpenCritic under his name, further indicating a track record of scored critiques across multiple platforms and genres.

Across outlets including Eurogamer, Dexerto, GameSpot and other specialist gaming and entertainment sites, his writing has consistently focused on how games play, how they evolve post-launch, and what new content means for existing players.