Dbrand, a consumer electronics accessories company that has stumbled into its fair share of controversy over the years, finds itself in that position once again. The Canadian company has announced that its $100 Companion Cube-style wrap for the Steam Machine has been canceled, and anyone who already preordered one will get a refund.

This is happening because Dbrand never asked Valve for permission in the first place. "We made the Companion Cube without a license from Valve," the company said.

Dbrand also shared some behind-the-scenes details about how it got into this situation in the first place. On the day the Steam Machine was announced on November 12, 2025, the company published a concept render and a sign-up page for the Companion Cube. More than 15,000 people signed up for notifications, and Dbrand "built the idea into something real." But at the same time, it did so "without ever asking Valve if we could."

"We’re going to regret that decision for a very long time," it said.

Dbrand said it spent more than 1,000 hours working on engineering and industrial design to create the Companion Cube, creating 44 sets of injection modeling tools for each of the cube's sub-components.

"The entire product was redesigned from scratch more than once, just to get the way it cradles the console exactly right. We literally rented out a university campus to film the launch video," Dbrand said. "This had turned into a passion project for the entire organization."

"Unfortunately, being proud of the thing we made did not give us the right to make it," it added.

RIP

Dbrand started taking people's money for the Companion Cube on June 22. The Companion Cube was extremely popular for Dbrand, becoming the second-fastest selling product in its 15-year history, trailing only the Switch 2 Killswitch.

"Shortly after, Valve’s legal team reached out. They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which Dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout," the company said. "We took everything down and made an appeal. We asked Valve whether there was any way to keep the project alive: properly licensed, with their blessing, on their terms. They said no. Given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer."

The company added: "We made something a lot of people were excited about, then incinerated our shot at bringing it to market. It’s a hard lesson to learn publicly. It goes without saying, but we’ll say it regardless: Valve didn’t do anything wrong here. They built a game franchise a lot of people love and they alone get to decide how it’s used."

Dbrand sent some Companion Cube units out to influencer types, and those will likely become highly valuable collector's items.

What this situation seems to show is that there is clearly major demand for a Companion Cube-style wrap, but it remains to be seen if Valve would ever work with a company on an licensed unit or make one itself. The Steam Machine has a built-in customization option in that its front plate is attached by magnets so you can swap alternate ones in.

Dbrand previously courted controversy for making fun of someone's name in comments deemed to be racist, offering them $10,000 as recompense. Sony, meanwhile, sent Dbrand a cease-and-desist order over PS5 skins. Additionally, Dbrand's Killswitch Switch 2 case was roasted by some for having design flaws.

For those who were lucky enough to be granted access, Steam Machine preorders are open now for the device that starts at $1,050. Early impressions of the Steam Machine say the system does not make complete financial sense.

A leak from nearly a year ago allegedly revealing Blizzard's huge plans for the Warcraft franchise is looking more legitimate after a recent datamine seems to have corroborated a key aspect of it.

In August 2025, Reddit user 5thyatch (as highlighted by Warcraft-content creator Bellular) posted an image of a document that reportedly showed a timeline of Warcraft-related releases up through 2030, including the release windows for the next several World of Warcraft expansions as well as two unannounced games and even two television shows. It also highlighted the release of something called "Camelot" related to WoW Classic for the end of this year.

Though 5thyatch's account and posts have since been deleted, eagle-eyed Warcraft fans on Reddit have now resurfaced the leak using the Wayback Machine in the wake of a recent datamine that looks to add credence to it being the real deal. Wowhead recently found evidence of Heroic and Epic editions of something called World of Warcraft Camelot on Blizzard's internal servers.

Camelot, then, looks to be real, with many fans theorizing it's the long-rumored Classic+ version of WoW Classic that will see Blizzard adding new content to the original, "Vanilla" version of the old-school MMORPG without progressing to the game's numerous expansions. Blizzard has previously teased a major announcement related to Classic for BlizzCon 2026, and the Camelot release window shown in the leak seems to indicate it could be coming shortly after its rumored BlizzCon reveal. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7eBwRRW5ZI

If Camelot is real, then the rest of the leaked document also starts to be more believable, despite how far-fetched some of it may seem at first glance. The leak accurately predicted the release window for WoW's Midnight expansion before it was known, and lists the game's next expansion, The Last Titan, to be coming towards the end of 2027.

WoW expansions, however, are just the tip of the iceberg. The leak also shows a new RTS game titled Warcraft Chronicles is slated for a late 2028 release. It would be the first new Warcraft RTS since Warcraft 3's Frozen Throne expansion in 2003. In addition, an untitled Arthas ARPG is scheduled for late 2029. It's unclear if ARPG in this case means a top-down, Diablo-style game or a character-action RPG starring the Lich King himself, but either scenario would be a major departure for the franchise. 

The leak additionally makes a point to highlight what appear to be tie-in shows related to both the untitled Arthas game and Warcraft Chronicles. When this leak first appeared last year, the idea of Blizzard working on multiple television shows (one animated and one live-action, according to the leak), seemed outlandish. But it would be around six months after the leak surfaced that Blizzard began to signal it had more planned for the Warcraft franchise than just WoW. Blizzard vice president and executive producer Holly Longdale said in February the Warcraft IP is "underutilized" and that Blizzard has "a bigger vision" for Warcraft  "than simply being an MMORPG." That same month, Blizzard president Johanna Faries in an interview said "exciting conversations" were happening regarding Hollywood adaptations of Blizzard IP. 

It's worth noting that even if this leak is geniune, there's no telling when this alleged internal Blizzard document is actually from. It might not represent Blizzard's current plans any longer. The new Warcraft RTS or Arthas spin-off could have been canceled in the last few years, as Blizzard leadership has somewhat infamously said it historically cancels 50% of its projects before they see the light of day. 

Given that Blizzard's parent company Xbox is rumored to be undergoing major layoffs soon, it's unclear how Blizzard's various unannounced projects may fare. Xbox president Asha Sharma in a public memo has signaled a desire for Xbox to focus more heavily on its "industry-defining franchises" that she says have in the past not been "adequately funded" to "compete and win." It's unclear if Xbox considers Warcraft one of those key franchises.

Ahead of its launch in August, Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls' final team of multiversal brawlers was revealed at Evo 2026. Dubbed the Samurai Outriders, this team includes Blade, Loki, Ghost Rider, and everyone's favorite chatterbox antihero, Deadpool. As you'd expect, Deadpool is pure chaos, but he's also a walking tribute to fighting games from across multiple series. As part of his character, Deadpool has somehow obtained a game strategy guide from beyond the fourth wall, allowing him to use attacks from other games in combat.

While the reveal trailer only shared some of Deadpool's gameplay, the references ranged from anime poses to an incredibly obscure PlayStation Easter egg.

First up, yes, Deadpool is indeed doing the infamous Naruto run:

Guilty Gear Strive players will likely recognize this Jack-O pose:

Did the Hulk break Deadpool's $500 sunglasses? Because that sure looks like Johnny Cage's signature attack from Mortal Kombat:

Speaking of Mortal Kombat, get over here and look at this move from the Scorpion playbook:

Toasty!

What's the point in having an advanced healing factor if you don't use it to poke fun at Tekken with a Yoshimitsu-inspired Hara-Kiri attack? This could also be a reference to Deadpool & Wolverine, as the first meeting between the fan-favorite Marvel characters wasn't exactly cordial.

What will Dr. Doom say when he sees Deadpool use one of his aerial stomp-attacks from the Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 days?

And then there's this move, which resembles Vegeta's Consecutive Energy Blast barrage from Dragon Ball FighterZ. Deadpool even drops an infamous Moon Knight quip about resorting to random bulls**t attacks. One of the random objects thrown out is the original PlayStation mascot--and PlayStation All Stars Battle Royale final boss--Mr. Polygon Man:

We're also treated to Deadpool riffing on Guilty Gear some more with a burning Sol Badguy uppercut:

May's forward-charge Mr. Dolphin attack:

And Lady Deadpool uses Jam's Ryuujin Kick during Deadpool's ultimate, which also looks like it was inspired by a Persona team attack:

She also strikes a Sailor Moon pose afterward, and yes, it's adorable:

And finally, that is Nolan North voicing Deadpool once again. The veteran actor has provided his voice in several Marvel games, including the 2014 Deadpool game, Marvel's Midnight Suns, and Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3.

Sony has also confirmed that a Marvel Tokon open beta will start on July 24, and Blade will be playable in it. The fighting game launches on August 6 for PC and PS5, and if you're looking to start building your dream team, you can check out our list of every Marvel Tokon character in the launch roster.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Roster – Every Character Revealed (So Far) View Images

CD Projekt, the parent company of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher studio CD Projekt Red, has a new name that it hopes will unify its businesses. Unfortunately, that name is CD Projekt Red, which is perplexing because CD Projekt Red already exists. So now, there are two CD Projekt Reds.

In a June 23 news post (via Eurogamer), CD Projekt's new name is CD Projekt Red Spółka Akcyjna, with the tacked-on bit at the end being a Polish term for joint-stock company. The company voted on this name to consolidate the operations of its broader businesses, which include OG CD Projekt Red and all of its subsidiaries.

In a statement on the news, CDPR said the intention was to create one main company that does everything CDPR has already been doing. That way, there's no confusion between CDPR the publisher and CDPR the developer ... except there's a lot of confusion between the two with this move.

"The studio's activities currently correspond to the Company's core operational activity, which consists of producing and publishing video games and managing the Company's brands, including through the creation and licensing of accompanying products," CDPR wrote. "In the opinion of the Management Board, the new company name will ensure consistency in the communication of the CD Projekt Red brand, which will, among other things, facilitate the identification of the company with its products on the global market and support recruitment processes."

It may become difficult to differentiate official news from CDPR the publisher and CDPR the developer now. So, when there's an announcement or a press release, it'll be tough to ascertain which is which and what it means for your favorite games like Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher.

Speaking of Cyberpunk 2077, CDPR is working on a sequel, though information about the project is scarce. Although the studio recently said its reputation hasn't fully healed following the game's disastrous launch, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 drops this fall--and a new trailer is out now.

On The Witcher front, there's been no substantive news about The Witcher 4. But to tide us all over, while "most" of the staff works on the upcoming sequel and new IP, The Witcher 3 is getting an expansion that may bridge the gap between the two games. More news about this DLC, titled Songs of the Past, will be revealed at Gamescom, which will be held in Cologne, Germany, from August 26 to August 30.

Paramount Pictures has released the first trailer for The Angry Birds Movie 3, and this is sure to remind people that, yes, the movie series is still going.

The third movie follows Red (Jason Sudeikis) as faces his "greatest challenge yet," which is being a dad ... and also saving the world. Releasing December 23, The Angry Birds Movie 3 features a big cast of celebrities in addition to Sudeikis, including Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Tim Robinson, Sam Richardson, Keke Palmer, Nikki Glaser, Lily James, and even Mr. Beast.

The trailer has a number of standout scenes, including a memorable sequence where the baby bird continuously pees through a colander, prompting Bomb (McBride) to remark, "It's like the Bellagio fountain!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9DB_aUMzME

The original Angry Birds Movie came out in 2016, with the sequel arriving in 2019, so this is a film franchise that's been running for a decade now. The original movie made $352 million worldwide, but the sequel made less than half ($148 million globally).

As for the Angry Birds game series, Sega acquired the Rovio franchise in 2023 for $776 million. It hasn't been such a successful acquisition for Sega, at least not yet. Sega CEO Haruki Satomi said, "We have unfortunately not achieved the level of results that had been expected prior to the acquisition," according to GI.biz.

Paramount is also behind the upcoming Call of Duty movie from Taylor Sheridan and Peter Berg and the next Sonic the Hedgehog movie. The company is about to take ownership of numerous more popular franchises by way of its $111 billion buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery.

The current generation of gaming has only gotten more expensive lately, and it looks like the next generation of PlayStation consoles will also be a pricy purchase. With concern growing about the yet-to-be-revealed PS6 possibly selling for $1,000 or more when it launches, Sony confirmed that it's not prepared to take a "significant" hit on absorbing some of the costs for its next-gen hardware.

When quizzed about hardware pricing and profitability for the "next-generation platform" during a Q&A session at Sony's Game & Network Services division, Sony executives said that they recognize that hardware is ultimately the most important part of a gaming experience, and they want consumers to recognize this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrvZEiWD7ZM

"As for pricing, it is not realistic for us to absorb all component cost increases, and we have already implemented some price increases outside Japan," Sony Interactive Entertainment president and CEO Hideaki Nishino said. "At present, however, sales are proceeding as planned, and we do not believe this has led to a decline in customer demand. "As a principle, we do not intend to sell hardware at significant losses. At the same time, we are carefully monitoring the market and continuing to evaluate our approach. We believe it is important for us to make every effort to ensure that customers fully understand the value we provide in relation to pricing."

One thing worth noting from Nishino's comments is that sales are still within Sony's projections, even though PS5 consoles have only gotten more expensive with time. Despite that, May was a dismal month for PlayStation in the United States. Spending on PS5 consoles dropped 43% year-on-year, and overall unit sales fell dramatically by 58%, making May the lowest month for PlayStation sales in 26 years. It was also a bad month for Microsoft, as it suffered the worst May performance since the Xbox console first debuted in November 2001. 

The ongoing shortage of memory chips and rising costs have also reportedly thrown Sony's PS6 plans into disarray, with some experts believing that it will only launch toward the end of the decade. Earlier this year, Sony increased the price of the PS5, and the company also said that it has yet to determine pricing or a launch date for its next-gen console.

Meanwhile, things aren't looking too good at Microsoft either. The Xbox Series X|S consoles are also more expensive than ever, and Microsoft hasn't ruled out the possibility of another price hike in 2027.

The Best PS5 Games In 2026 View Images

Microsoft has responded to a report regarding GTA 6 preorders and the apparent gulf between Xbox and PlayStation numbers, saying this early, unofficial third-party information "doesn't represent preorder data."

"We’ve had record orders. People should wait for real data and not clicks on affiliate links," Microsoft said.

This came in response to a data from IGN that said its own internal information from affiliate links from its userbase found that GTA 6 preorders were outperforming Xbox by a rate of 8 to 1. This is not official preorder data from Rockstar or Take-Two, but rather early results from IGN's own userbase. As such, it doesn't represent the full picture of preorders--it was never meant to or billed as such. Still, the story took off, prompting Microsoft to issue a statement.

GTA 6 releases in November.

GTA 6 undoubtedly has a high number of preorders, and it makes sense that PS5 numbers would track ahead of Xbox given the higher install base of consoles and the Rockstar-PlayStation marketing deal for GTA 6. In any event, GTA 6 is expected to have the biggest launch of all time, so preorders setting an Xbox record--whatever record that might be--is no surprise, either.

For now, we'll just have to wait for Rockstar or Take-Two to announce preorder data, should they choose to. Preorders opened on June 25 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and as a digital-exclusive game, stock is not going to sell out. Despite that, people are already trying to flip their preorders on eBay for big premiums.

GTA 6 is scheduled for a November 19 launch. It “features a single-player experience,” leading many to wonder what the game’s online plans will be.

GTA 6 is priced at $80 for its standard edition and $100 for the ultimate edition that locks away lots of exciting content behind that $20 extra paywall.

Even though Rockstar and Take-Two have already said GTA 6 is a digital-only game, some have held out hope for a disc-based version. A new report says GTA 6 will not have a disc-based version at launch or months after, as some have speculated.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "There are no plans for Grand Theft Auto VI discs to be printed--not at launch, and not months after."

This came after a fan posted a screenshot of a conversation they said they had with a Rockstar Support agent who informed them, "You will be able to acquire a physical copy during the following months."

GTA 6 won't be on a disc at launch or months after, apparently.

This email was indeed real, THR said, but it's being misinterpreted. The report said the "physical copy" wording was in reference to the physical copies of GTA 6 that will be sold at retailers with a code in the box, not a disc.

The line from the Rockstar Support agent about being able to get a physical copy "during the following months" was described as a "clunky" reference to months after preorders going live on June 25, not the game's November 19 release date.

Why is GTA 6 not releasing on a disc?

There are a number of reasons, experts have said, and many of them come down to Rockstar making more money. No discs also helps mitigate the possibility of the game leaking early. The codes that come in the physical copies do not unlock until November 19 (though preloading begins November 12).

A lot of people love physical media and want to own GTA 6 on a disc, but shipping as a digital-exclusive game won't have any impact on sales overall, experts say. Still, it's a major bummer for people looking to own the game on a disc, even if that disc is merely provides a license that can be revoked at any time.

GTA 6 is releasing with an $80 standard edition and a $100 ultimate edition, the latter of which locks away lots of cool content behind that extra paywall.

The Steam Machine isn't even out yet, though Valve has begun sending out confusing emails about whether people are in the "queue" or on the "waitlist" for the device. That hasn't stopped netizens from doing the inevitable, though: listing their reservations on eBay to make a quick buck.

If you head over to eBay—or GameBay (?), since GameStop really wants to buy the online marketplace—and search for the Steam Machine, you'll see a handful of postings for Valve's upcoming living room PC. The system is already expensive, running between $1050 and $1430 depending on the model, but these listings go for about double the regular price.

The Steam Machine listings GameSpot has viewed so far are all for "confirmed reservations." This means that the eBay seller received one of those perplexing emails from Valve securing their spot in the "queue"—not the "waitlist," which is an important distinction we just broke down. Some of the sellers even state that they'll ship the not-a-console console to you as soon as it ships to them, which could be sometime in early July. It's at a markup, though, with the cheapest going for $1363.70 (now sold) and the most expensive running your wallet a cool $3200.

This isn't all that surprising to see, since this tends to happen with most in-demand or sold-out hardware from the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X to the Nintendo Switch 2 and the Steam Deck. Still, it is kind of curious, particularly since one listing called the Steam Machine "a piece of gaming history." There's no doubt that Valve's upcoming device is fascinating, with early impressions calling it a tiny but mighty piece of gaming hardware. Maybe the hyperbole will help the seller sell their reservation, which is listed for $2600.

With Valve's Steam Machine releasing on June 29, you may be confused as to when you'll be able to actually purchase the not-a-console console. It's a little perplexing, so let us help you make sense of the email you might've just gotten in your inbox.

Valve has begun sending out preorder emails notifying you about the outcome of the randomized drawing you were able to sign up for recently. That email, though, isn't the actual one that allows you to buy the device. Instead, it's a notification telling you whether you'll soon be sent a second email to place an order, or if you'll have to wait for more supply to become available at some point in the future.

What's confusing is the terminology the company's using. If you're in the "queue," you can buy the specific model of Steam Machine within three days of your email. If you landed on the "waitlist," you'll have to wait until more supply becomes available.

This is the email sent to those in the queue, who can place an order soon: "When your Steam Machine 512GB becomes available, we will send you a separate email with the option to purchase. You'll then have 3 days to complete the purchase before we cancel your reservation and move on to the next person in the queue. This is the only email you will receive about the results of the randomization. If you ended up with a reservation queue spot for more than one model, you were allocated a reservation for the highest-end model, and were removed from all the others."

And this is the email sent to those placed on the waitlist: "When we did the one-time randomization of the list, your place in line ended up beyond the number of units we'll have in this production run. As we work our way through the reservation queue, some customers may cancel their reservations. If that happens, you may be moved into the reservation queue, and you'll be notified via email that you have a reservation after all. This is the only email you will receive about the results of the randomization. If you ended up with a waitlist spot for one or more models, you'll be placed on the waitlist for the model that you were closest to the front of."

Early impressions of the Steam Machine sound promising, as it operates as a living room PC that appears to be a novel way into PC gaming. It runs well, runs quiet, and runs small. It also runs your wallet, with prices as low as $1050 and as high as $1430. I hope you have half of a month's rent just lying around somewhere.

With Grand Theft Auto 6 a few months away from blowing up the entire industry on November 19, some retailers appear to be getting antsy, as a new leak floating around online is providing new details about the crime sim.

Posted to the notorious GamingLeaksAndRumors subreddit on June 25, gameplay details on GTA 6 appear to come from the Brazilian version of Amazon. Some of this information doesn't seem particularly new—like the dual-protagonist system or the higher graphical fidelity—but other parts sound kinda enticing ... if it's to be believed.

For example, the supposed leak mentions that this rendition of Vice City is "the most massive, dense, and insane map" developer Rockstar Games has ever created. There will be dangerous swamps, crowded beaches, and realistic suburbs "designed to deliver brutal immersion and total freedom."

The two protagonists—Lucia and Jason, who people speculate are either lovers or siblings—possess unique abilities that "directly influence the criminal ecosystem and the tactical intelligence of the missions." That doesn't sound too dissimilar from the roles the triple characters of Grand Theft Auto 5—Franklin Clinton, Michael Townley, and Trevor Philips—had, but with a bit more impact on the game's narrative development and gameplay interactivity.

What may be most fascinating, though, is the role social networks play in GTA 6. If this leak is true, your in-game phone will allow you to follow Vice City influencers, discover "secret side missions" and "world events," and watch viral videos. So, think TikTok, but in GTA. Maybe RobTok? TikCrime? We'll workshop those names.

This all comes together in a vibrant "living world controlled by artificial intelligence." Vice City, according to the leak, will pulsate in "a hyper-realistic way," with NPCs going about their lives based on advanced AI, creating a more immersive experience that allows you to participate in random events and walk into interactive establishments. It's giving Watch Dogs 2, but with what sounds like "a greater sense of immersion." Take it all with a grain of salt, though.

This leak comes right on the heels of Rockstar Games peeling back the curtain on how much GTA 6 will cost—$80, though there is a more expensive $100 Ultimate Edition—and the fact that you only get a download code in the box instead of a disc. Going download-only makes sense in theory in 2026, but while preorders are now live, people have thoughts about the price. This is especially true following Xbox's upcoming price increase, which now means you gotta be rich to buy GTA 6 and a console come November—if your retailer is even carrying the game, that is.

Ahead of its release next month, Ubisoft has released a playable part of Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced online--playable sea shanties, that is. This is technically correct, which is the best kind of correct. Available online through various streaming platforms, the collection includes all the original shanties from the game, brand-new compositions, and the unreleased rendition of The Parting Glass by Sarah Greene. In total, that's 57 tracks to accompany you on your next voyage.

You can listen to it through the links below, but we all know that you're going to have "The Wellerman" on a loop:

https://open.spotify.com/album/59KZr80YaeZ6bT9Nt1sCY3

• Spotify
• YouTube Music
• Apple Music
• Deezer
• Amazon Music
• Qobuz
• Tidal

The original Black Flag's soundtrack required some work to completely unlock, as dozens of shanties had to be located and caught. Appearing in the game as glowing pieces of sheet music, players had to perform acrobatics to acquire each one, and once in their possession, protagonist Edward Kenway's crew would sing them while players were sailing. You could even take these seaworthy tunes on the go with you, as an Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag companion app synced to the game and downloaded the tracks to your smartphone. Sadly, the app has long been discontinued.

Recorded in Montreal by a group of contemporary folk singers and musicians, the Black Flag soundtrack's catchy collection of sailing songs predated the rise of ShantyTok on TikTok around 2021. Scottish musician Nathan Evans recorded a rendition of The Wellerman that quickly went viral, and it wasn't long before more users began to join in with their own performances. For Black Flag, Ubisoft hired musician and professor David Gossage to produce the in-world music, which was then adjusted to fit the game's time period.

Another interesting fact is that the singers recruited for the shanties had to dial back their singing so that they could sound like sailors, not a well-rehearsed choir.

Assassin's Creed Black Flag: Resynced launches on July 9 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Preorders opened up for the game a few months back, and to kick off the marketing for the Black Flag remake, Red Bull Gaming tasked several athletes with recreating Edward Kenway's signature leaps of faith. 

Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced - Standard Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X)

$60 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Digital Deluxe Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC)

$70 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Ubisoft Store Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced Collector's Edition (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC)

$200 | Releases July 9

Preorder at Amazon View at other stores Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Target Preorder at GameStop Preorder at PS Direct

Opinions are mixed on some of the changes that the remake will introduce, but overall, it looks like fans can expect a mix of graphical overhauls and quality-of-life updates.

10 Ways Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced Differs From Ubisoft’s Original Pirate Adventure View Images

PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S saw a significant drop in unit sales in May, according to new data from Circana.

May's US Video Game Market Notes from Circana Senior Director Mat Piscatella detailed this slump, even as the month otherwise saw a 38% year-over-year increase in hardware spending. Sony sold 58% fewer PS5 units last month than in May 2025, as spending on the console dropped 43% year-over-year.

It was the fewest number of PlayStation consoles Sony has sold in May since May 2000, back when the original PlayStation was its only console on the market in the United States.

Meanwhile, Xbox's units sold fell by 12% between May 2025 and May 2026, making for the worst May performance since the Xbox debuted in November 2001. Oddly, Microsoft still saw hardware spending grow by 7% year-over-year despite the drop in units sold, likely due to the multiple price hikes Xbox consoles have received over the past year.

Generally, it seems the past year of price hikes is finally catching up to PlayStation and Xbox. Circana's data points out that the average price of PlayStation and Xbox hardware has increased by 33% and 22%, respectively. That's now clearly impacting how many people will go out and buy a new console, even in a month of high-profile releases like 007 First Light, Forza Horizon 6, and Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.

The continued success of the Nintendo Switch 2, which Circana estimates has sold 5.9 million units in North America, ultimately offset the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S' poor performance. Hardware spending increased by 37% between May 2025 and May 2026. When you also factor in video game sales and accessories, spending increased by 3% year over year.

On Bluesky, Piscatella posted that May 2026 "will be last month with HW growth for a… while. Pricing and Switch 2 launch comp will be a nasty combo."

With GTA 6 launching in a few months, Eric "ConcernedApe" Barone's Haunted Chocolatier is teeing up to be the next big "when the heck is it coming out" game. Announced five years ago, Barone has given a few updates and interviews on the status of the game, and in a new blog post, he wrote about the progress on his Stardew Valley follow-up.

"I know it's taking a long time. A big part of that is that I am being very thoughtful about every aspect of the game," Barone wrote. "The things in the game which the player will be interacting with or using very often need to be 'perfect.' They need to be seamless, clear, intuitive, satisfying, aesthetic."

Barone added that he'd spent time recently revisiting the recipe book for making chocolates, adding that this was one aspect of the game in particular he wanted to be flawless. Since this will be a major component in Haunted Chocolatier's gameplay, Barone wants it to present "just the right amount" of data to players that doesn't overwhelm. That's no easy task and a function that most players will likely take for granted, Barone wrote, saying that the process takes several rounds of iterations before he's finally satisfied.

Beyond that look behind the curtain, Barone explained that this process was also one of the reasons why he hadn't shown off much of Haunted Chocolatier at all. "Partly, it feels like I'm serving a half-baked bread. I would rather serve a fully baked bread. Also, I know that many parts of the game will likely evolve and change before release, so if I reveal them early, I risk disappointing players if the final product does not match their expectations," Barone concluded.

Haunted Chocolatier doesn't have a release date yet, but Barone is aiming for his tale of creating sweet treats and running a confectionery store to be a spooky experience. For now, Barone and the rest of his team remain "knee-deep" in development on it.

Best Cozy Games To Cuddle Up With In 2026 View Images

When Xbox Series S launched alongside Series X and PS5, it presented a compelling argument: Play all of the same games as elsewhere, albeit with lesser performance and visuals, for way cheaper. $300 felt surprisingly reasonable, giving you a way to save $100 compared to the cheapest PS5 and $200 compared to the more premium PS5 and Series X models. With the Series S turning six later this year, you'd expect it--like every other console--to get cheaper over time, as has always been the case. But this is 2026, baby. Welcome to hell.

Beginning August 1, Xbox Series S will cost as much as Xbox Series X did at launch in November 2020: $500. Almost six years after launch, the price will have increased 67%. We've already covered news of this Xbox price increase, and yet the reality of Series S now hitting the Series X's nearly six-year-old launch price is one of the most staggering facts of this entire saga. (For now, you can still grab one for $380 on Amazon or in this Best Buy deal, which is more than you would have previously paid but still a hell of a lot better than $500.)

It's the exact opposite direction the price should be going in based on historical precedent. Yet the Series S is, like virtually any piece of modern hardware that needs RAM and storage, faced with price increases due to the AI-driven chip storage--a shortage, it should be noted, that Microsoft has meaningfully contributed to as one of the biggest purveyors of AI products.

Much has been said about the way gaming consoles are arguably pricing themselves out of relevance. Major change is afoot in almost every way--how games are played, made, distributed, and engaged with over longer and longer periods of time. Series S at launch was a much more palatable option for those who are price-conscious, with Microsoft proudly declaring it "the smallest, most affordable next-generation console." 

That might still strictly be true at $500 with other consoles also going up in price, but the reality is, if you're an average person just looking for a cheap way to play something like GTA 6 this fall--or, frighteningly, any point in 2027 or beyond--you're pretty much screwed.

Lizzy Caplan (Masters of Sex, Mean Girls) has joined the cast for FX and Hulu's upcoming Far Cry anthology series. She is the second confirmed cast member for the show, joining It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob Mac.

Noah Hawley (Alien Earth, Fargo) is the showrunner and executive producer for the Far Cry TV show, while Mac is executive producing the show in addition to starring in it.

Caplan's most acclaimed roles came in Masters of Sex and Fleishman Is in Trouble, for which she earned Emmy Award nominations. She is also known for her role in the Now You See Me series, as well as the controversial movie The Interview.

https://twitter.com/FarCrygame/status/2070221967462928392

Hawley ruffled some feathers recently when he said the traditional gameplay structure of a video game–gameplay and skippable cutscenes--does not make for a compelling TV show story.

Hawley said his aim with the Far Cry show is to "have a dialog" with the franchise but not adapt any specific game or story from the series.

"Games are built in a way that doesn’t make for the best drama," he said.

The Far Cry show will feature a different cast and setting for each season, not unlike other anthology shows like True Detective or The White Lotus. Specific plot details for the show have not yet been confirmed, nor do we know when the show may release.

Following the start of preorders for GTA 6 and the confirmation of its $80 price point, stock analysts have weighed in with their price targets for shares of Rockstar's owner, Take-Two, and many see a bright future ahead.

Although Take-Two's stock price has actually gone down since GTA 6 preorders began, a number of analysts have issued, or reiterated, major gains.

Take-Two's stock is going to surge, analysts say.

Bank of America analyst Omar Dessouky, who said Rockstar should price GTA 6 at $80 to help convince other companies to hike prices as well, has raised his price target on Take-Two stock from $320 to $368. That would be a significant increase from the $233/share that Take-Two is trading at today.

BMO Capital analyst Brian Pitz, meanwhile, increased his target on Take-Two shares from $280 to $285. TD Cowen's Doug Creutz said he's reiterating his Buy rating for Take-Two and a $284 price target. Drew Crum of B. Riley Securities is forecasting a $300 price target, while BTIG's Clark Lampen reiterated his $290 price target. These price targets and related data were relayed by Tipranks.

Take-Two's stock price peaked in 2025 at more than $260 per share, but has fallen since. Year-to-date, Take-Two's stock is down 7% and over the past year, it's fallen by 3%. The stock nosedived all the way down to about $190 in February this year after Google released new AI-based game-making tools. The selloff was foolish, experts said at the time, because AI cannot make sophisticated games or anything that could legitimately compete with GTA 6 or disrupt Take-Two's business in a serious or significant way.

Preorder GTA 6 at Amazon

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. GTA 6 preorders are finally open on both consoles, and you can choose the $80 standard edition or $100 ultimate edition. There will be no disc-based version of the game, at least at launch.

If you thought today's Xbox price hike was jaw-dropping, it appears that Microsoft is preparing for another one in the next year.

Following the June 25 announcement that Xbox consoles will increase worldwide by $100 and $150 starting August 1 (depending on the model), the company confirmed that 2027 (or maybe 2028) could see the cost of Xbox consoles going up one more time.

"Last October, we increased Xbox console price by $20-$70 in the US." Microsoft wrote in a June 25 Xbox Wire blog. "We hoped another price increase would not be necessary, and we have spent the last several months working with suppliers on options. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x, and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027."

This suggests that Microsoft could be planning to jack up the price of Xbox consoles as early as winter 2027. 2028 is entirely viable, too, and while we don't know how much the company plans to increase the cost of Xbox systems, there's the anticipation that another price hike may come in the next couple of years.

This comes not long after Microsoft already bumped the prices of its consoles. A price hike was implemented in May 2025, which saw Xbox consoles increase between $80 and $100 (depending on the model), and another came in October 2025, which pushed up the cost of Xboxes between $20 and $70 (though that was only in the US).

While the ongoing chip shortage is affecting almost every piece of technology--from consoles to laptops to phones--these frequent price hikes are starting to price game consoles out of relevance.

When Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives on November 19, 2026, it will undoubtedly be one of the biggest--if not the biggest--entertainment launches in history. The game will, at least initially, only launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, which have been available for nearly six years. Typically, consoles that have been available for such a long time would be priced significantly lower than they were at launch, letting the current-gen stragglers pick up a console for a nice bargain when it's time to play GTA 6. But nothing is "typical" anymore, and players face a very frustrating reality in 2026. Not only will you not get a discount as reward for your patience--you're going to have to pay much more for a system that's basically identical to the one released in 2020. 

Let's back up a little bit to examine what the situation was like in 2013, when Grand Theft Auto 5 arrived and became the most profitable entertainment product of all time. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 were on their last legs, with their successors scheduled to arrive just a few months after GTA 5's launch. When the Xbox 360 first arrived in 2005, it was priced at $300 for the cheaper Core version. The PS3 arrived the following year, priced at $500 for its cheaper 20GB model. 

These might as well be pictures of diamonds and gold bars.

But by 2013, both systems had received multiple redesigns that not only added more features and improvements, but came with reduced prices. A new model of Xbox 360 released in 2013 with a $200 price tag. Similarly, the PS3 "Super Slim" released in 2012 and its cheaper 250GB model retailed for $270. Both prices were drastically lower than the launch versions of either system, and in the case of the PS3, it was nearly half off. Sure, the new systems were due to arrive soon, but Grand Theft Auto 5 didn't require them, and this could feasibly be the only game someone played for months or even years at a time--especially with GTA Online. Anyone willing to wait that long before buying a console was rewarded with massive savings. 

In 2026, things look a whole lot different. Due almost entirely to the AI industry's never-ending need for chips, the price of computer hardware has gone through the roof. GPUs and RAM are exponentially more expensive, and the problem affects not just the cutting-edge components, but also standard, consumer-level chips. Rather than gradually lower in price--like we've seen video game consoles do for decades--both the PS5 and Xbox Series X have gotten dramatically pricier. Both standard systems were $500 back in 2020, and now sit at $650 (more on that a bit later). The PS5 Digital Edition is also more expensive than it was at launch--$600 versus $400--so anyone looking to capitalize on GTA 6 not launching with a physical disc isn't even going to be saving much money this way. 

There's been no cheaper redesigns this generation, even though a "slim" PS5 did release back in 2023. The console-makers went from the infrastructure nightmare that was launching a console during a worldwide pandemic almost directly into the AI-led chip shortage. With enough trouble already sourcing components for their existing SKUs, launching a new, cheaper model makes little sense. Launching a more expensive version for price-insensitive gamers with monocles and fancy tuxedos seemed to make sense, though. Regardless, if you want to play GTA 6 at its highest possible fidelity and performance come November 19, it'll cost you $900. If you want the Ultimate Edition of GTA 6, that's another $100 on top of that. And sure, you could save $20 and pick up the standard edition--but it is missing several missions. 

We've never seen such a high barrier to entry for playing a Rockstar game, unless you were just itching to get your hands on Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis a few months after the Xbox 360 released. GTA 4 launched a few years into the 360/PS3 console generation, with prices starting to decline already. Red Dead Redemption followed in 2010, with the systems becoming even more affordable, and Red Dead Redemption 2 launched in 2018--again, years after the PS4 and Xbox One had launched, with their prices much lower than they were initially. 

It would be easier to remain optimistic about the future if it seemed like there was some glimmer of hope--some sign that we were eventually going to get over this hump and see the cost of gaming hardware start dropping again. Instead, the opposite is happening. As I was preparing to wrap up this piece, Microsoft announced yet another price increase on Xbox consoles, bringing the Xbox Series S 512GB console up to $500, which is what the 1TB Xbox Series X cost at launch back in 2020. Meanwhile, the aforementioned Xbox Series X 1TB will now be $800, and the 2TB version is being completely discontinued, likely so Microsoft doesn't have to price it at $1,000. How magnanimous. 

Video games aren't supposed to be a luxury hobby. Grand Theft Auto V would never have sold more than 200 million copies if they were. We're entering a dangerous period that could see the industry morph into something that only the wealthy can even afford to enjoy, and those aren't the people who need to be carjacking someone and stealing their Lamborghini in GTA. At this rate, the people buying an Xbox or a PlayStation will be the same ones buying a Lamborghini in real life.

It's no secret that Sony has been cleaning up the PlayStation Store, with the company removing thousands of so-called "shovelware" games from one developer. Now, though, we're learning that this removal is coming with "stricter guidelines" that are impacting some developers.

According to reports from GamesIndustry.biz and Push Square, the Brazil-based studio Afil Games' partnership with Sony has been terminated in the wake of these supposed "stricter guidelines." It's unclear just what these rules are, but in a June 23 X post, the Brazilian developer clarified that all of its games will be removed from the PlayStation Store.

https://twitter.com/AfilGames/status/2069431282660958413

"As a result of these new guidelines and their incompatibility with our business model, PlayStation has decided not to continue with Afil Games for future releases on the platform," the studio wrote. "We would like to sincerely thank all PlayStation players who supported us throughout this journey. Your enthusiasm and trust have played a significant role in our growth. We remain committed to bringing new experiences to our players through Xbox One, Xbox Series, Microsoft Store, and Nintendo Switch."

Afil Games has released several games on the PlayStation Store, including Chico's Delivery, Collie Call, and Damways--all of which are casual puzzle experiences. At the time of this writing, these games are still available to buy on the PlayStation Store.

Sony has really cracked down on shovelware in the past year. In February 2025, the company removed over 30 supposed "slop" games from the PlayStation Store, and in January 2026, it Thanos-snapped over 1,000 from German publisher ThiGames out of existence.