Since the Not-E3 blitz of summer gaming showcases, things have been relatively quiet since then. Amidst that break, THQ Nordic dropped a new showcase full of trailers to show what the publisher has on the way from its various studios. While it wasn't focused on big-name games like the ones you'd find in dedicated Xbox and PlayStation showcases, THQ Nordic instead has titles in very specific niche genres and IP.

https://youtu.be/ToLh5Ruefxk

Several of them are already available via early access or are already out and have post-launch plans in place, so if you're a fan of games that scratch a very specific itch for interactive entertainment, then you'll want to check out the list below of all the announcements.

Let's Sing 2027 and Let’s Sing ABBA

Revealed in the preshow, Let's Sing 2027 is shaping up to conquer the karaoke video game space. This year's installment features 35 songs from artists such as Ariana Grande and Chappell Roan, and you can join in on singing radio-friendly love songs with or without the original vocals. On top of that, an ABBA pack is also coming to the game on November 3, just in time for the 50th anniversary of Dancing Queen. It includes 32 tracks that your great-grandparents will appreciate, from Waterloo to Mamma Mia. Don't be surprised if they tell you to "gimme gimme gimme" the microphone, Fernando.

Pinball FX

Another preshow video, Zen Studios showed off its collection of Pinball FX tables that it has assembled over the years. The studio has locked down an impressive number of IP for the game, ranging from Peanuts to Star Wars, and if you're looking for some pinball fun, you can find the game on just about every PC and console.

Reanimal: The Prisoner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M05D1Ynuxfg

New DLC is on the way for Reanimal in the form of The Prisoner. While it sadly isn't a crossover with the groovy counter-culture '60s TV show that starred Patrick McGoohan, fans of the Little Nightmares-inspired game can look forward to new environmental puzzles and challenges set within a battle-scarred landscape. You can grab it right now.

Expeditions: Samurai https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ophpG_hgKns

Developer Campfire Cabal dropped a new trailer for Expeditions: Samurai, its upcoming tactical turn-based-combat game set in feudal Japan. Now out in early access on PC, the developer says that the game will receive three major updates while it works on fine-tuning the experience for players, and it'll be focusing on polishing gameplay balance, exploration, stealth, combat, and more.

Titan Quest 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pred8p-zN_Q&pp=0gcJCcQLAYcqIYzv

Now that The Odyssey is the hot new thing in cinemas, it might be the perfect time to check out how the Greek-inspired ARPG Titan Quest 2 is shaping up. Still in early access, today's trailer for the game showed off gameplay for the new Spirit Mastery skills that players can wield in combat. Built around mastering the powers of the Underworld, these powers will allow you to manipulate the forces of life and death to summon spirits and cast spells.

Call to Arms: Panzer Elite https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYzv5ll7GUE

World of Tanks doesn't have a monopoly on armored fighting vehicles, as Call to Arms: Panzer Elite also offers a pretty good spin on the lumbering war machines. A new update is now out for the game on PC, adding two new missions and two new tanks in the form of the M18 Hellcat and the M24 Chaffee. 

Way of the Hunter 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0hkJ6naYQ4

Oh deer, local wildlife has no idea what's in store for it when Way of the Hunter 2 launches on September 29 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The Eternal Life of Goldman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz6dr8xrU5Y

The Eternal Life of Goldman continues to look impressive with every new trailer, and this latest look at the game went behind the scenes of its beautiful handcrafted art, boss fights, and level design. It still doesn't have a release date, but The Eternal Life of Goldman is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

The Guild: Europa 1410 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0nBzCb2zeg

Do you think that you have what it takes to keep the local peasants under control and establish a mighty kingdom during medieval times? Then you'll want to check out The Guild: Europa 1410 and see just how long your dynasty will last while you juggle your responsibilities as a noble in this feudal management game. You can choose to make your fortune through legitimate means or through some less-than-legal methods, and the game will be hitting early access in September.

Wreckfest 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rALY2BE-eI

Wreckfest 2 has grown throughout its early-access journey, and this new trailer was essentially a sizzle reel for the destruction derby racing game.

Gothic 1 Remake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFQ8EMaV_M4&pp=0gcJCcQLAYcqIYzv

Gothic 1 Remake launched earlier this year, and developer Alkimia Interactive outlined its post-launch plans for the game. This will include various updates and new features like photo mode, mod support, alternative progression, and more.

Gothic Classic Trilogy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqnfudVwoHI

In case that's not enough Gothic for you, then you can look forward to playing through the original trilogy of games on console soon. Gothic Classic is now available, Gothic 2: Complete Classic launches on September 29, and Gothic 3 Classic will launch on November 24.  

Gothic: A Shadow's Quest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEb5i_lZj7w

Rounding out the Gothic announcements was the reveal of Gothic: A Shadow's Quest, which will launch through the tabletop crowdfunding platform Gamefound on September 30.

Upcoming Games on Nintendo Switch compilation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZi-I_5TWFA

Finishing up the livestream was a quick reminder that several THQ Nordic games like Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed, Sacred 2 Remaster, SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide, and the Destroy All Humans 2 Remakes are available for--or coming to--Switch consoles.

During the latest investment call for Grand Theft Auto 6's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, CEO Strauss Zelnick weighed in on the future of AI in game development. While Zelnick acknowledges that even his company will utilize AI, he reiterated his belief that the emerging technology won't replace anyone.

"Those [AI] tools are not going to replace anyone," said Zelnick. He also expanded on the company's approach, which he characterized as focusing on creating entertainment rather leading with technology.

"The first of our core pillars is creativity," noted Zelnick. "And we have 13,000 colleagues around the world, the vast majority of whom are people who are creative every day. We believe the technology can enhance their creativity, but we do not believe it can or should replace their creativity."

Zelnick added that he doesn't believe that using AI will significantly lower the price of development, but he argued that it could "meaningfully increase the quality" of the games. The CEO has made similar remarks in the past. During a 2025 investor call, Zelnick said that Take-Two won't use AI as an excuse to lay off its employees.

In addition to his latest AI missives, Zelnick assured Take-Two investors that GTA 6 hasn't been delayed from its launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, Unsurprisingly, Zelnick is predicting that GTA 6 will carry the company through a very profitable fiscal year. He also claimed that GTA 6 preorders are "unprecedented," and it may be the most in-demand game that the industry has ever seen.

Tarik Skubal has been one of the best starting pitchers in all of baseball over the last few years, winning two consecutive Cy Young Awards as a member of the Detroit Tigers. But the Tigers have been having a rough season, and the team dealt Skubal to the Dodgers at the trade deadline this past weekend. Now, MLB The Show 26 is celebrating Skubal's move to Los Angeles with a special Diamond Dynasty card, so everyone can play as the biggest villain in baseball.

Coming later today around noon PT / 3 PM ET, the New Threads Trade Deadline program contains a 99-rated Tarik Skubal. The other players and their ratings are as follows:

• Jo Adell (98)
• Taylor Ward (98)
• Arjun Nimmala (98)
• Ryan Zeferjahn (97)
• Luke Weaver (97)
• Luis Castillo (97)
• Liam Hicks (97)
• Daulton Varsho (97)
• AJ Minter (97)

Yes, Skubal is the only 99-rated card of the bunch (though the extra booster packs contain a few more), and his real-life counterpart joins a team that already had the absolute best starting rotation in all of baseball. It makes the Dodgers even more of a ridiculously stacked team, and Skubal said he has no sympathy for people who blame the Dodgers for buying the best team every year. That being said, the Dodgers have been on a very rough stretch since the trade, so perhaps some form of karma is rebalancing the scales.

Skubal better enjoy the next few months of playing in his Dodgers uniform, because there's a pretty good chance he's not going to get to do it again until 2028. The CBA between the players and the league is set to expire, and a proposed salary cap is the biggest sticking point.

Take-Two Interactive's quarterly earnings call had plenty of new information about GTA 6, including why the game won't have an early access perk. Speaking to investors, CEO Strauss Zelnick was also asked why Take-Two Interactive is selling fewer special versions of GTA 6--so far only the $80 standard and $100 ultimate editions are available to preorder--and why early access wasn't offered as an additional perk, when it is available for its line of 2K sports games like NBA, WWE, and PGA Tour.

 Zelnick explained that the pricing decisions ultimately belong to Rockstar Games, and while it could have charged more for features like paid early access, the studio was once again aiming to provide value to its consumers. "Given the hype around this title, I mean, I think we could have made any number of other pricing choices," Zelnick explained. "But as I said earlier, our focus is on delivering way more value than what we charge for something."

Essentially, Zelnick explained that both GTA 6 editions are already value-packed products in the eyes of the company, and while preorders are exceptionally high, he did note that these could always be canceled before the game launches on November 19. That has led to Take-Two Interactive being cautiously optimistic, but the company is still expecting GTA 6 to help increase its revenue by 20% in its current financial year.

Early access has become more commonplace for new games over the last couple of years, and in addition to Take-Two, companies like Microsoft make extensive use of it to give players extra incentive to buy a premium edition of a game--which obviously costs more than the regular version. Forza Horizon 6 offered a headstart when it launched earlier this year, and Gears of War: E-Day will also have an early access period for owners of the game's special edition.

Meanwhile, GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and you can check out an "extended" preview of the game first on Netflix on August 27--if you're a Netflix subscriber.

GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

You can now check if you were picked for the closed network test for The Duskbloods, but you won't get an email invitation as you might expect.

To see if you can take part in the playtest of From Software's Switch 2 multiplayer title, you'll have to go to the website for the network test. From there, click on the three-line menu on the top right of the page and select "Account" to go to your personal page.

Once there, you'll see your selection results--the page will tell you either way. Unfortunately, if you see blue "You were not selected to participate" text, you didn't make it in, which stings harder than reading "YOU DIED" in Dark Souls.

Here's what the selection results look like for the lucky players chosen.

Those selected for the network test can find their download code on the website starting Tuesday, August 18, at 6 AM PT/9 AM ET. The network test will run at the following times:

• Friday, August 21: 3 AM to 7 AM PT / 6 AM to 10 AM ET
• Friday, August 21: 7 PM to 11 PM PT / 10 PM to 2 AM ET
• Saturday, August 22: 11 AM to 3 PM PT / 2 PM to 6 PM ET
• Sunday, August 23: 3 AM to 7 AM PT / 6 AM to 10 AM ET
• Sunday, August 23: 7 PM to 11 PM PT/ 10 PM to 2 AM ET

There still haven't been too many details about The Duskbloods since its initial reveal over a year ago, so participants will be able to learn much more about the game firsthand through this playtest. From Software has yet to announce a release date, but The Duskbloods is apparently hitting the Switch 2 this year.

Nintendo’s Top-Selling Switch 2 Games Of All Time View Images

A base PS5 or Xbox Series X|S console costs far more today than it did almost six years ago, but despite that, GTA 6 publisher Take-Two Interactive doesn't believe that the more-expensive gaming hardware will slow down its business or sales of the upcoming game. Speaking to investors as part of a briefing on its recent financial quarter, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick did mention that lower-priced gaming hardware would still be preferable, but the current state of the technology could have a surprise silver lining.

"The rising cost of hardware is not a good thing. I don't think it will slow us down any because, you know, we're delivering, we believe we're delivering experiences that people want," Zelnick said. "However, a lower price point for hardware would be a good thing because there'd be more hardware in people's hands. Probably the most relevant thing is the world continues to move to open systems, and that will continue."

Zelnick added that PC used to make up a fraction of sales 20 years ago--around 2%--but in the years since then, the platform accounts for up to 50% of sales. The CEO believes the gap will only continue to grow, and cloud-streaming could also play a big role in bringing more games to more people--and that future isn't too far away, Zelnick believes.

"If you believe in streaming, and to be clear, we really do, and I'm happy to put a timeline on it. I think we'll be in commercial streaming mode within three years, and by commercial, I mean low latency. That can 10x the effective installed base. Now, it doesn't mean we're going to 10x our revenue--and we wouldn't project that we would--but because obviously your avid consumers already had access to video game machines. But I do think it creates great opportunity for titles that are broadly desirable, even outside of core markets."

While the idea of cloud-streaming games isn't new--RIP, Google Stadia--the technology behind it has continued to improve over the years, with Microsoft making big strides in this space. As for consoles, if you haven't bought one yet for highly anticipated games like GTA 6, you might not want to delay that decision for too much longer. Prices look set to increase again next year, while PC gamers are facing another tough year as the biggest manufacturers of RAM chips have reportedly sold out all their production for 2027.

GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

Following the launch of GTA 6 preorders in late June, it immediately became apparent that there was, unsurprisingly, huge demand for the game. Now, in a Take-Two earnings call, the publishing company's CEO said the number of preorders is "unprecedented" across the industry.

Strauss Zelnick said, "No one's ever seen anything like this before at Take-Two, or in the industry." He went on to add that exceptional preorders don't always equal exceptional sales, though. "To be clear, we haven't sold one unit yet. You can cancel a preorder."

While Zelnick declined to comment on sales expectations, he said, "The news is great so far, we're incredibly excited. We couldn't be more excited than we are, and yet we are realistic and, at best, cautiously optimistic. We're going to leave it at that until the thing occurs." He continued, "The level of preorders is unprecedented and astonishing, and we're grateful for that."

The claims came after Take-Two affirmed that GTA 6 is not delayed further, and will still be releasing on November 19. The company also believes that its $80 price tag is "phenomenal value."

While most of Take-Two Interactive's games are priced at $70--which became a much more common MSRP for new releases from 2020 onwards--GTA 6 is one of a handful of titles that will retail for $80--a price that the publisher believes is "phenomenal value" for the open-world game.

Speaking to investors following the release of Take-Two's quarterly earnings, CEO Strauss Zelnick addressed a query about how the publisher had landed on an $80 price point for GTA 6. Zelnick echoed previous statements made regarding the value proposition of GTA 6, and how the publisher is aiming to "overdeliver" on the value attached to that title.

"Our goal is to deliver way more value to consumers than what we charge them," Zelnick said. The truth is that the real cost of a AAA video game is a whole lot lower today than it was 20 years ago. Pricing has not kept pace with inflation, and our goal is to continue to overdeliver for our consumers, because how you feel about any experience is the intersection of the experience itself and what you paid for it. We expect that GTA 6 will be an incredible bargain as experiences go, [this] is a gross understatement because Rockstar Games is known for overdelivering. Our goal is not to maximize price."

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and unsurprisingly, Take-Two is expecting the game to boost its revenue significantly during its current financial year.

GTA 6 — All The Potential Gameplay Activities From Trailers And Screenshots View Images

After announcing an extended look at GTA 6--with a six-hour exclusivity window for Netflix in a first-of-its-kind reveal--Take-Two has said that marketing for the game is incredibly widespread.

During the Take-Two earnings call on August 7, CEO Strauss Zelnick said that Netflix is "a great marketing partner" for the publishing company, and added that it is working "with virtually every social media outlet on Earth." Zelnick explained that this is part of Rockstar's marketing strategy, but didn't elaborate further on specifically how the partnership with Netflix came about.

"Netflix is a close partner of the company," he said. "We're always in conversation about things that we can do together, and this is a groundbreaking partnership that Rockstar arranged with our friends at Netflix." Zelnick added that the company is "really excited" about how it's going to go, but declined to comment further on the terms of the arrangement.

It's not all been positive following the announcement, though. There are concerns around Netflix's ability to keep up with the expected strain on its servers, and the potential for the extended trailer to be immediately ripped from the platform and reuploaded elsewhere. Others believe that a game trailer shouldn't be paywalled.

With GTA 6 still scheduled to launch in November, publisher Take-Two Interactive is expecting its current financial year--running from April 1 to March 31, 2027--to be very profitable. The company is expecting a 20% growth through the middle of the 2026 financial year, with revenue predicted to reach $8.2 billion thanks to GTA 6 and several other games.

According to Take-Two's estimates, it's forecasting that Rockstar Games will be responsible for roughly 37% of its revenue, Zynga 34%, and other games from the 2K label will make up 29% of that revenue. GTA 6 will likely bring in an absurd amount of cash, alongside other legacy titles from Rockstar Games like GTA 5--which is the second-best-selling game of all time--Red Dead Redemption 2, and the microtransactions attached to those older titles.

Zynga still remains a sales juggernaut with its portfolio of mobile games, while the 2K Games label includes annual sports titles like NBA, PGA Tour, and WWE--all lucrative IP that have significant post-launch strategies. To put that into perspective, NBA 2K26 was a big hit this year for Take-Two Interactive, and it has had an "outstanding" year thanks to a boost in microtransaction sales. "Our live-service execution remains a cornerstone of NBA 2K's sustained success," Take-Two Interactive said in its quarterly earnings briefing.

The publisher also has several other games in development like Judas, Project Ethos, and the next BioShock, but no release dates have been announced for them yet. NBA 2K27 is the next big game out of Take-Two on September 4, and an extended look at GTA 6 will be shown exclusively on Netflix for several hours.

GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

GTA 6 is still on track to launch for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, Take-Two Interactive has confirmed. As part of the publisher's quarterly briefing, Take-Two provided updates on several of its projects, including Rockstar Games' long-simmering open-world game--and the rosy financial outlook that the company is expecting from its launch.

"Our excellent first quarter results reflect the power of our portfolio and disciplined execution across all of our labels," Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said during a Take-Two earnings call on August 7. "With these positive trends and excitement around the November 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto 6, we are reiterating our Fiscal 2027 Net Bookings outlook of $8 billion to $8.2 billion."

Whenever the results of a new Take-Two financial quarter are made public, there's always some fear that a GTA 6 delay will be announced. Following its first delay to May 2026 and another reshuffling of its launch date to November, these moves aren't unusual given Rockstar's history of games missing their originally scheduled launch dates. Recently, a former Rockstar Games employee said that he wouldn't be surprised if the game was delayed again by as much as six months.

So far, it looks like it's full steam ahead, and after more than a year without a new look at the game, fans can tune in on August 27 to get an extended look at GTA 6 through Netflix. The streaming giant will be hosting the new content exclusively for several hours, and as you'd expect, a lot of people aren't happy with the next GTA 6 trailer being behind a subscription paywall.

GTA 6: 241 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls is out today, but PC players are experiencing some problems with the game that their PlayStation 5 counterparts don't have have to deal with. Developer Arc System Works noted that the PC port had issues during the open beta last month and it pledged to fix them with a patch on day one. However, PC players are reporting that Marvel Tokon is still suffering from the same problems that made it nearly unplayable during the beta.

As explained by a player on Reddit, Marvel Tokon on PC is plagued by dropped frame rates and stutter regardless of the specs of the machines being used. "It's a problem that [Arc System has] to fix on their side, you can't do anything about it," writes Davids Symphony. "You could be running a 5090 with a 9800X3D at the lowest settings and it'll still happen."

Players who were hoping to take Marvel Tokon for a spin on Steam Deck have also been disappointed to find that it can't even launch in Steam OS/Linux.

"The best part is the community manager on discord saying that, 'Asking for Linux support is like asking for a Switch port,'" writes Rinnekaton on Reddit. "The game uses EAC, and I don't even need to mention that EAC is widely supported on Linux. Linux support for EAC being a simple toggle (direct words from Valve themselves) is common knowledge at this point. In no way is it like porting to Switch."

While it's unknown if or when Arc Systems will address Marvel Tokon's compatibility with Steam Deck, the developer has shared the details about its day-one patch. In the meantime, Arc Systems has unveiled a roadmap for Marvel Tokon's upcoming DLC. The first new fighter slated to be added to the lineup this fall is Phoenix Cyclops, a cosmic-powered incarnation of the character from 2012's Avengers vs. X-Men crossover event. In that story, Cyclops, White Queen, Namor, Colossus, and Magik were each given a portion of the Phoenix Force that remade them into god-like beings. If the game follows a similar direction, other members of the Phoenix 5 could be added later.

The current patch notes are below.

Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Day One Patch Notes

Performance Optimizations (Primarily for the PC SKUs)

• Removed unnecessary character animation updates from being performed; resulting in a reduced CPU load.
• Made improvements to alleviate the load on the user interface update.
• Made improvements to address an issue where performance significantly deteriorated when running applications that use overlays or capture video. OBS Studio: Video capture via Game Capture & Discord: Overlays, Video Capture.
• Added an anti-aliasing option to the automatic graphics quality setting to ensure that the appropriate anti-aliasing option is applied based on performance and prevents unintended load increases.
• Fixed an issue that enabled unintended anti-aliasing plug-ins (e.g. DLSS, FSR, XeSS).
• Also included a feature to the custom graphics quality settings and effect options that allow you to change the update frequency of the stage background characters.
• Selecting medium quality of low quality will reduce the update frequency and slightly reduce the load on the CPU.
• Have set the prompt inquiring about performing a shade warm-up at startup to ON by default, making it easier to find and perform a shader warm-up.
• Fixed an issue that caused the shader warm-up to run unintentionally at startup.
• Steam Version: Fixed an issue that caused a delay in sending input data during online matches; resulting in improved online match performance.
• PS5 Version: Implemented additional measure to mitigate input lag.
  

Other Fixes

• Game Screen - Fixed an issue where the game would automatically switch between monitors on setups that featured multiple monitors.
• Online Lobby - Fixed an issue where some players would become invisible after viewing rankings in Ranked Mode and then enter the Online Lobby.
• Ranked Mode - Fixed an issue where the screen would become distorted when a large number of digits were displayed.
• Game Server Connectivity - Improved communication stability between the client and the game server.
• Mouse - Fixed an issue where the game would sometimes crash when using the mouse too quickly in the game's menus.
• Text Optimization - Fixed an issue where performance was significantly reduced when large amounts of text were on screen; particularly when set to Arabic or Thai.
• Connectivity- Fixed an issue where the game would become unplayable if the network connection was lost during the Challenger Alert screen.
  

Gameplay Adjustments

• Input Optimization - Changed the input prioritization to 236 < 623 < 236 after 41236, allowing for a more accurate activation of 623 when using the input 6236.
• Danger - Revised the input handling for ground dashes. Have made it possible to cancel into a skill from a ground dash to make it less likely for aerial special moves to be accidentally triggered.

Out of nowhere, Rockstar and Netflix announced today that an "extended look" at GTA 6 will be available on the streaming platform on August 27. People have been clamoring for a new look at the game, given that it's been more than a year since Trailer 2, but few could have expected the next look at GTA 6 to come via Netflix. A lot of people are disappointed by this, saying Rockstar is effectively paywalling the next GTA 6 trailer by hosting it exclusively via Netflix ... for a time.

To be sure, the Netflix exclusivity is only for six hours, as the footage will later be available on Rockstar's own YouTube page at 9 PM ET the same day. It's also all but guaranteed that people will rip the Netflix footage and post it online before then. But it's the principle of the matter that is upsetting some portion of the GTA fanbase.

GTA 6's next trailer is exclusive to Netflix for its debut.

For critics, the near-ubiquity of a Netflix subscription is irrelevant. They see it as an extra hoop to jump through to watch a video that could be hosted on YouTube for everyone to watch at the same time. Beyond this, people have expressed concerns that Netflix's servers won't be able to handle what is expected to be a massive server load as countless millions of people log on at the same time to watch the footage. Netflix has a spotty track record in this department, too, as previous high-profile streams of sporting events, in particular, have been marred by technical issues.

Rockstar is known to be protective of its content and driven to have it be seen in the best possible light. When the game's first trailer leaked in December 2023, the company responded by releasing the official version sooner than anticipated. Hosting the "extended look" footage on Netflix comes with the risk of technical hiccups that could negatively impact how people perceive GTA 6, even if this is unlikely to have any material effect on how GTA 6 performs.

Of course, it could all run entirely smoothly and without issue. Problems can crop up on YouTube and elsewhere as well, after all.

For its part, Netflix said its deal with Rockstar is a "reflection of what we hope Netflix is becoming: a place where the most ambitious storytelling, from any medium, can find the biggest possible audience." Netflix has been trying to build out its gaming business for years, and this is among its biggest moves to date.

Netflix and Rockstar partnering for this new GTA 6 trailer is not totally out of the blue, however. The two companies have worked together for years, with multiple GTA games being available to Netflix subscribers. They have since been removed, but Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption remains available via Netflix Games.

Other terms of the partnership between Netflix and Rockstar were not divulged. Many have speculated that Netflix backed up a Brinks truck to Rockstar's offices, but the terms could be more nuanced than straight cash. GTA 6 was no doubt an extremely expensive production, and taking money from Netflix for this kind of deal could be a balance sheet matter for Rockstar and Take-Two.

The companies have, after all, already done more to squeeze the playerbase. For starters, GTA 6 is launching at $80, which is $20 more than GTA 5 debuted at in 2013. GTA 6 also has a $100 Ultimate Edition that packs in many compelling digital extras and will likely drive numerous fans to the higher-priced option.

One of the perks of the Ultimate Edition is access to Sara's Unisex Salon, where players can get "signature styles" for Jason and Lucia. People who buy the $80 edition of the game cannot access this, or at least Rockstar has yet to explain how they might be able to down the road or for an additional purchase.

All of this is to say that Rockstar putting content behind a paywall and its efforts to extract more money from its playerbase is no surprise--it's the formula. The deal with Netflix is just the latest example of this.

Here's to hoping Rockstar and Netflix eventually share more information about their partnership, but from Netflix's perspective, it makes a lot of sense as a pure and simple means to drive people to the platform.

In any event, no matter how much people complain about Netflix hosting the next GTA 6 trailer, it's happening. People will need to subscribe to Netflix to watch the GTA 6 extended look right away, regardless of how they feel about it. I respect your principles if you wait six hours to watch on YouTube, but this is all shaping up to be a big win for Netflix.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, unless it's delayed again.

After soaring past an initial goal of $100,000, a Game Industry Hardship Fund bundle on Itch.io is now nearing $200,000 raised with seven days remaining.

The bundle has so far raised more than $163,000, and features 127 games for the minimum price of $10, with the proceeds going towards helping laid-off developers pay for everyday expenses. There are some bigger-name games included as well, including indie titles like Skatebird, A Short Hike, and Arranger.

It's the brainchild of Necrosoft Games director Brandon Sheffield and United Videogame Workers, a CWA union benefiting game developers, who in response to repeated waves of mass layoffs in the past two years wanted to offer affected developers a lifeline.

https://bsky.app/profile/itch.io/post/3msauex3trk27

"The game industry has a problem," reads the bundle. "Too many people are out of work. Reports say 33% of the industry lost their jobs in the last two years, and the jobs they could fill are disappearing as CEOs try to replace them with AI. It's hard for companies to adjust to the new shape of the game industry, but even harder for the people they should be employing."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti-ATJAz94k

Developers in the United States and Canada are able to apply for aid from the fund for money to use on things like food, healthcare, rent, moving expenses, and more, with the funds being distributed by the union. More than 11,000 people have contributed so far, and while $10 is the minimum for the bundle, people are encouraged to donate more. One buyer contributed $5,000.

It looks to be making an impact. OneBGS, the Bethesda Game Studios union, announced the fund had helped cover a member's moving expenses so they could return home after being laid off. The fund will still be live for another week and ends on August 13, with Sheffield hoping to double the amount raised by the end of the campaign. 

https://bsky.app/profile/bethesdaunion.bsky.social/post/3msevpeufsk2j

The last six months alone have seen an unprecedented number of game industry layoffs. Massive cuts at Microsoft saw Xbox lay off 1,600 employees with another 1,600 cuts coming within the next year. Riot Games announced layoffs following the release of its League of Legends fighting game 2XKO. There have been significant layoffs at Ubisoft despite the success of titles like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. Sony even shuttered developer Bluepoint Games entirely earlier this year.

It's not only larger studios that have been affected. Smaller developers are also being hit hard, ranging from Disco Elysium developer ZA/UM to a newly independent Double Fine.

Peak, the mountain-climbing with friends "friendslop" title that sold more than 10 million copies in its first year, is set to receive its final major update on August 11, and it looks to be an appropriate challenge for seasoned scouts.

Dubbed The Final Ascent, the update will introduce two new late-game biomes, the Gloom and The Citadel, which will cycle out with the game's current Caldera and The Kiln biomes. A trailer for the update shows the Gloom to be a ghostly-looking swamp, while The Citadel looks to be a medieval fortress, complete with traps like swinging flails. As if that wasn't enough to overcome, the trailer teases a monster one can only assume will hunt players during their climb.

It's been a wild trail for Peak, a collaboration between developer Aggro Crab and Landfall Games that began life as a game-jam project only to find runaway success when it was released last year. It even became popular enough to receive a Fortnite collaboration that cost more than the game itself.

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

Part of Peak's success came down to its low price point. One of the game's devs made a compelling argument that to many players, the price of anything under $8 still feels like it costs $5. That low barrier to entry helped Peak find a huge audience.

Peak has since sold millions of copies. It celebrated its one year anniversary in June, but the developers have always made clear it isn't a live-service game and that the frequency of updates and new content would slow in 2026. In various posts on Steam, the developers have repeatedly referred to The Final Ascent as the last significant content update for Peak. Both Aggro Crab and Landfall are currently working on new projects.

The success of Peak, alongside games like REPO and Landfall's own Content Warning, helped popularize the co-op focused "friendslop" subgenre, though perhaps the entire category could use a new name.

The ongoing collapse of the crypto gaming industry claimed another victim this week, with blockchain startup Proof of Play announcing its demise roughly one year after shutting down its flagship game, Pirate Nation.

Founded by FarmVille co-creator Amitt Mahajan, Proof of Play was one of the many companies that attempted to pair familiar, casual gameplay with crypto token incentives and player-owned assets in the form of NFTs--a premise that most gamers never warmed up to.

“When we started out, we believed games using blockchain tech had the potential to usher in a new, decentralized internet,” the team wrote Tuesday on X. “Ultimately, we couldn't build a product and sustainable business that proved out this thesis at scale.”

Launched in 2022, the browser-based Pirate Nation featured card-driven ship battles and island base-building mechanics, with crypto features layered on top. While Pirate Nation saw initial interest from players, demand faded as the crypto gaming trend lost steam and broader token and NFT prices cratered.

Last August, Proof of Play--which raised $33 million in venture funding--said it would shut down the full Pirate Nation game and instead roll out smaller minigame experiences. The game’s demise also poked a hole in the studio’s claims that Pirate Nation could run forever due to its code being “fully on-chain.”

“The truth is, it wasn't ever going to be a breakout, mass market success,” Proof of Play co-founder and Pirate Nation Product Lead Adam Fern admitted on X last August.

With the studio’s closure, Proof of Play has open-sourced much of the game’s code and art “so it can be helpful to future builders and agents,” per the official X post. The game’s PIRATE crypto token will also continue to be tradeable, though it has fallen 99.8% from its peak price reached soon after its 2024 rollout.

Proof of Play’s downfall is yet another blow to the blockchain gaming trend that has occasionally grabbed headlines, but has so far failed to produce sustainable results. As Bitcoin surged to new highs in 2021, the Pokemon-inspired monster-battling game Axie Infinity lured in millions of players with the promise of crypto token income--but only if they bought or borrowed unique NFT monsters selling for hundreds of dollars apiece.

Many gamers were vocally resistant to the idea of blockchain gaming, however. Not only is crypto widely associated with scams, but the idea of games built around expensive assets fueled fears that publishers could use the framework to extract more cash from fans. And ultimately, crypto titles that looked and played like knockoffs of better-known games weren’t going to convince them otherwise.

Axie Infinity’s in-game economy collapsed a few months later, with a $625 million crypto heist from North Korean hackers adding insult to injury. While some blockchain-linked games have gained attention in the years since, such as Gunzilla Games’ Off the Grid, many more have crashed out--including Deadrop from the now-shuttered Midnight Society and streamer Dr. Disrespect. And most major gaming tokens have fallen 99% or more from their peak prices.

Even traditional gaming titans that dabbled in the space are starting to pull back. Square Enix ended its NFT game Symbiogenesis last year, and just last week, Ubisoft said that it will shut down Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles in October, after telling players in May that it would “progressively transition away from blockchain functionality.”

The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie from Sony Pictures and Nintendo has already cast its Zelda and Link, but what about all the other roles? A new report claims that Australian actor Uli Latukefu, best known for the TV series Young Rock, will play the villain, Ganondorf.

This is according to veteran Hollywood reporter Kyle Buchanan of The New York Times. He said he's "been hearing" that Latukefu got the role, but it's not yet officially confirmed by the studio. Deadline also reported on his casting, going on to say he made a multi-movie deal.

Uli Latukefu could play Ganondorf.

In terms of confirmed casting, we already know that Bo Bragason is playing Zelda and Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is portraying Link. Photos that leaked from set appear to suggest that Severance actor Dichen Lachman may be playing Impa.

The live-action The Legend of Zelda movie releases in theaters on April 30, 2027 from director Wes Ball (The Maze Runner).  “The team is working hard to deliver the film to everyone as soon as possible. There’s less than a year to go until release, so thank you for waiting," producer Shigeru Miyamoto said. Marvel veteran Avi Arad is another producer on the movie.

For more info on the highly anticipated film adaptation, check out everything we know about The Legend of Zelda movie.

As for the game series, the next entry in The Legend of Zelda franchise is this year's highly anticipated remake of Ocarina of Time for Switch 2.

The writing is on the wall for PlayStation and its plans for an all-digital gaming future--or on the PlayStation 5 packaging, to be exact. With Sony ending the production of game discs in January 2028, the PS5 manufacturer has reportedly begun to slap warning stickers on restocks of its console, informing consumers that games will only be available in a digital format 17 months from now.

Spotted by YouTuber Behind the Games--who says the console was purchased by a "trusted source" they know--the sticker includes the following disclaimer:

"From January 2028, newly released games on PlayStation will be available for purchase on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital format only. Discs for games released before January 2028 can continue to be played on this console."

The sticker looks legitimate--and Behind the Games has uploaded a video of it since then--as the same text can be found on the listings for PS5 consoles through European Amazon storefronts, likely so that Sony can comply with consumer laws in that region.

https://twitter.com/BehindTGames/status/2085059320694100095

The company's decision to no longer offer a physical version of PlayStation games has been met with significant backlash so far, with many users calling for a boycott of the company and constantly replying to social media posts with calls for Sony to reverse its decision. Despite the ongoing campaign, Sony is still moving ahead with its plans, with Sony CFO Lin Tao commenting on the backlash during a Q&A session for investors this week.

Tao acknowledged that the announcement had been met with "strong views," but she said that Sony would continue to "cautiously" proceed. The company has in recent months noted how the ratio between physical and digital game sales has only widened in recent years, and in the last quarter (covering April to June), 82% of its game sales were digital.

The co-creator of Halo and designer of Master Chief, Marcus Lehto, has weighed in with his thoughts about the latest Halo remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Posting on social media, Lehto said he has been slowly playing through the game on the Heroic difficulty and he has some issues but mostly he's having a great time and is happy with the game.

"Overall, I really love the upgrades: movement, cinematics, visuals. Damn, the lighting is brilliant," he said. "Do I have gripes? A few, but they are taking a back seat to the fun."

As for why he played on Heroic, Lehto said this was the difficulty level that the original team at Bungie used to test a level for its "fun factor." The Legendary difficulty level is only for those "who love punishment," he said.

A scene from Campaign Evolved.

Lehto shared a number of other insights in his social media posts. He said the team at Halo Studios deserves credit for making the game run in the Unreal Engine, saying this took "real effort" to do.

In terms of his gripes, Lehto said a few of the newly added cinematics are "absolutely cringe," including the new outro cinematic for Assault on the Control Room. Lehto said he "can't un-see" that. But overall he said he enjoyed many of the creative liberties taken and new additions.

Lehto also addressed the improved lighting, saying the original lighting in Combat Evolved for the Flood missions was "f**king awful," going on to call it a "mountain of sh**."

He added that the Assault Rifle in Campaign Evolved "feels great," and he was also impressed by the Covenant weapons. "Much more brutal with a solid punch," he said.

In terms of Campaign Evolved's new system that gives players hints about what to do and where to go next, Lehto said, "I think the hints are too heavy-handed--pandering to a new era of players with 0% attention span."

Also on social media, Lehto addressed the online negativity surrounding Campaign Evolved, saying a platform like X/Twitter "fosters that hate." He said if people got together in the same room to discuss Campaign Evolved and play it, "I bet we would all eventually have a pretty damn good time playing the game together."

Campaign Evolved is notable for being the first Halo game on PlayStation. Early sales data suggests it's not doing great on Sony's console, in part because it's too expensive, according to one analyst.

Campaign Evolved is just the latest remaster of the first game, following 2011's Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. Campaign Evolved, as its name suggests, is a campaign-only game with no multiplayer support. It also features three new prequel missions as part of the Operation Meteorite story arc.

Remakes of Halo 2 and Halo 3 are coming next, according to reports, along with reportedly a brand-new Halo game that is "like Fortnite."

After a decade of dormancy, the Star Fox franchise has seen a huge push from Nintendo in two significant ways. For starters, Fox McCloud had a pretty big presence in The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which made over $1 billion worldwide at the box office. Then, in June, Star Fox, a remake of Star Fox 64, came out exclusively on Switch 2. However, the strong marketing blitz hasn't seemed to lead to a smash-hit sales success for the game--at least not yet.

Nintendo has released new financial results for April through June (the first quarter of fiscal 2027 for the company), and there are no dedicated sales numbers provided for Star Fox. Instead, it's stated that the Switch 2 exclusive has "performed steadily"--a phrase also used for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book. We can glean that Star Fox failed to sell 1 million copies, since it's missing from that list on other financial data. 

To be fair to Star Fox, these fiscal results only cover six days of sales for the Switch 2 game. However, this title would likely be more front-loaded, and nothing is stopping Nintendo from adding that the title has reached specific sales milestones in the past month. "Performed steadily" doesn't really inspire confidence after choosing Fox of all characters to get screentime in the Mario movie sequel.

For more, check out GameSpot's Star Fox review. In addition, Switch 2 owners can try before they buy with a free demo for the on-rails shooter. 

Here Are The Switch 2’s Best-Selling Games So Far View Images