Someone playing Refractive Entertainment's recently released action-RPG Luminary for less than an hour accused the team of using AI for the game's only voiced character. The player said the voice "killed it" for them. There was just one problem: It wasn't AI. It was actually the developer's wife doing her first-ever voice acting gig.

Refractive Entertainment launched Luminary into Steam Early Access on August 11. It's a resource-gathering action-adventure sandbox with an art style that's giving Fable meets Immortals Fenyx Rising. It's cute-looking and well-received, with a "Mostly Positive" rating out of almost 350 Steam reviews. But for an indie developer who says his game's success lives and dies by its Steam review score, one particular negative review caught the creative director's attention.

On September 10, user NyteKnyte posted a short Steam review after only 0.4 hours with the game to say that Luminary looked good but "the awful AI-generated voice killed it" for them. "Feels off, like an AI game," NyteKnyte said in their review. "Hopefully its temporary and gets better, but [the AI voice] killed it for me."

Not long after this review hit the game's Steam page, Refractive Entertainment responded, saying that the “awful AI-generated voice” that NyteKnyte decried was actually the creative director's wife.

"While my wife might not be the greatest voice actress out there (that was her first time), I can assure you she is a real person and not AI haha," creative director Keith Kolod said. "We don't use AI at all in our game, we're just some indie game devs doing our thing with the resources we have."

https://twitter.com/RefractiveENT/status/2098435648218910791

Kolod even shared the negative review on X on September 11 to wonder publicly why people just "automatically assume" that every voice in an indie game is AI just because it doesn't sound like AAA quality. He also thanked those who played Luminary and complimented his wife's portrayal of the Temple Guardian.

In Discord DMs with GameSpot, Kolod said he doesn't have any issues with people using AI for any reason, especially in game development and for voiceovers. However, he doesn’t use the controversial technology because voiceovers are a way for him to "leave parts of me, my family, and friends" in the games he makes.

"That said, Mikell did NOT jump to the opportunity," Kolod explained. "She is shy, felt like it would be bad, and didn't want to hurt the game. I told her this part doesn't need a lot of 'acting.' It's an ethereal goddess who should feel calming to the player as though she has delivered this speech to hundreds of Luminaries over centuries, and that I believe she could do it. The first few takes of recording you could tell she was extremely nervous, even though it's literally just me and her at my computer and a mic. [She] stumbled on words, worried about all of her inflections and how certain words sounded, but with enough takes and only reading a couple sentences at a time, I thought we got a pretty decent run. She was happy it was over."

Kolod said the whole reason he built Luminary was so "me, my wife, and son [could] play together." As a Souls and Elden Ring fan, he wanted something that could introduce newer players to the action-RPG genre without the punishing difficulty of those games while creating something his whole family could enjoy together. Luminary is that for Refractive Entertainment. With no funding, no publisher, and no other job bringing in income, Luminary has a lot of expectations on its shoulders. For Mikell, lending her voice to the game wasn't about becoming a professional voice actor or saving money. She did it because she wanted to help her husband succeed.

"This was my wife's first time voice acting, she wasn't a huge fan," Kolod told GameSpot. "You know how it is--everyone hates hearing their own voice in a recording who isn't a professional. As [much] fun as we had together doing it, it may be a hard sell for me to convince her to do it again. She really just helped me out of love and wanting to see me succeed with Luminary, and helping in any way she could."

Despite the AI accusation, Luminary appears to be off to a promising start for the two-person team at Refractive Entertainment. Two weeks after its Steam Early Access launch, Kolod took to X on August 25  to share that the action-RPG had generated over $100,000 in sales in just one week, with the team pulling in approximately $70,000 in revenue after Steam’s cut. Not bad for a two-person studio with no funding and no publisher.

The attention surrounding Mikell's voice has apparently brought even more eyes to the game, too. Kolod told GameSpot that posts about the story on Reddit and elsewhere have generated views, likes, upvotes, and more wishlists, though he said the team has yet to see that attention translate into a comparable bump in sales. And perhaps nobody was more surprised by the whole thing than Mikell herself. Before Kolod pushed the update to the game containing her voice, she had one request for her husband (who will celebrate 15 years together in November):

“Ok, but I don't wanna hear if people hate my voice in reviews or on X. I did what I could.”

“Little did she know it would turn into our biggest story,” Kolod said.

Japanese airline All Nippon Airways (ANA) has unveiled a Pokemon-themed airliner to celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary this year, and it looks incredible.

The Green Pokemon Jet, as it's called, made its inaugural flight from Haneda to Honolulu today following a big unveiling event--you can see video and images below. The airplane goes well beyond simply getting a Pokemon wrap, though it does have that, too, featuring famous Pokemon like Bulbasaur, along with Pikachu. Because how can you have a Pokemon plane and not include Pikachu? Also on display is Browt, a newer Pokemon coming in Winds and Waves.

https://twitter.com/poke_times/status/2100896394277990526

Inside the aircraft, there are headrest covers, paper cups, and napkins containing Pokemon branding. Beyond that, people flying on it can watch and listen to Pokemon-themed in-flight entertainment, including Pokemon: The First Movie and the best-of soundtrack from the show (1997-2023).

https://twitter.com/FlyANA_official/status/2100827162341192183

In addition to Haneda, which is the busiest airport in Japan, the Pokemon plane will make stops at a variety of airports in Okinawa, Kyushu, and Shikoku.

https://twitter.com/ANA_travel_info/status/2100832382970626300

Pokemon was created in Japan, and this is not the first time we've seen a Pokemon plane. All the way back in 2000, Japan Airlines announced that its fleet of jets would include Pokemon characters printed on the sides for domestic flights, along with Pokemon-themed in-flight entertainment.

In 2024, ANA created a Pokemon-themed safety video, featuring the franchise's adorable little monsters teaching passengers how to stay safe during flights.

There are quite a few months until Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. But you're going to want to get your systems ready now because the download for the final showdown between Cloud and Sephiroth may be big.

According to a September 18 VGC Interview with game director Naoki Hamaguchi, the file size for Revelation will "probably" be absolutely massive. So huge, in fact, that Hamaguchi acknowledged that there was no way the game would fit on one--or even two or three--discs.

"In a word, yes. Things are still getting worked out, but it's probably going to be around 200GB of game," Hamaguchi said. "I understand there are a lot of opinions about this topic, but at the end of the day, the fact is we need to overcome the hardware to a certain extent."

2OOGB is pretty huge, especially when the base PS5 (which is what I still have, sue me) holds approximately 667GB of usable storage space. With many of the games I own clocking in just at or well over 100GB (like The Elder Scrolls Online, Ghost of Yotei, Infinity Nikki, and Mortal Shell 2), I'm already debating with myself what games I delete to make room for Cloud's big sword and Sephiroth's shampoo collection.

Although Hamaguchi knows that the absolutely gargantuan size of Revelation's download prevents the game from shipping on a disc, he still reiterated the team's commitment to some sort of physical release. What that is remains to be seen, but it is important to Square Enix.

"One thing I want to say is, even though the game will not be on the full disc, in the position we’re in, because discs may be dying out, or maybe staying, with Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, we definitely wanted to deliver some kind of physical product," Hamaguchi continued. "That was really important to us. Trust me!"

We don't have an official file size for Revelation, as the game doesn't come out until April 8, 2027. However, we do know that it could take about 100 hours to finish, and with two post-launch expansions starring Vincent and Sephiroth that may be the same size as Remake's Intermission DLC, I suspect Revelation will be enormous.

Bruce Straley, best known for his work at Naughty Dog on the Uncharted and The Last of Us franchises, has apologized to God of War: Laufey studio Santa Monica Studio, after he said he was "not excited" about what the game was offering, at least in some respects.

Straley told Edge that he thinks "every pixel" in Laufey looks "mindblowing and that he is "blown away" by the lengths Santa Monica Studio went to. However, Straley said he is "not excited" by "what you're doing in the game."

Beyond Laufey, Straley said he feels there is "no opportunity to inject fresh, innovative ideas" in AAA games generally.

A scene from Straley's new game, Coven of the Chickenfoot.

In a new statement shared on social media, Straley said, "I want to apologize to the Laufey team for dragging you all into this uninvited and unnecessary negative attention." He said he was trying to make a point about his concerns about the AAA games industry generally, and acknowledged that he made a mistake by naming Laufey specifically.

"I have thoughts about what’s wrong & the possible serious harm done to our industry & how we might be able to fix it. But in trying to have a thoughtful conversation I stuck my foot in my mouth & mentioned Laufey, and that was my mistake," he said.

Straley said games like Half-Life 2, Gears of War, and BioShock--along with games he worked on, including Uncharted 2 and The Last of Us--"set the 'modern AAA' mold." He said these games felt like "they were trying to creative a new experience within AAA."

Secondarily, Straley observed that the quest for "games-as-a-service" in a bid to make the next Overwatch or Fortnite is "not a viable strategy and frankly shows these 'industry leaders' don't know their own brand."

Straley went on to say he believes the gaming industry is suffering from a "lack of good leadership, clear direction, and conviction from the people at the top." These people are in charge of the money, and therefore determine the stability of the business, he said. "I believe if they understand their brand, they could have honest, inspiring conversations with creators to steer our medium to innovate," Straley said.

Straley is now working on much smaller games than he made at Naughty Dog. His new independent studio, Wildflower Interactive, is working on the puzzle-platformer Coven of the Chickenfoot. The game has players taking on the role of an elderly witch named Gertie, who works alongside a "creature-companion" that Gertie cannot speak with. Instead, Gertie needs to "discover the creature's true intentions" in other ways, like through environmental storytelling.

Xbox was originally set to publish Coven of the Chickenfoot before dropping it, according to another developer. It's still in the works, backed by an unknown financier.

Sony's upcoming Helldivers movie remains in development, and now a key piece of news has surfaced. According to Deadline, Reacher star Alan Ritchson will replace Jason Momoa as the lead, following Momoa's departure earlier this year.

Justin Lin, known for his work on the Fast & Furious and Star Trek franchises, remains attached to the Helldivers movie as director.

Alan Ritchson in Reacher.

The movie is set for release in theaters on November 10, 2027. Ritchson is reportedly going to play one of the helldivers, with other cast to be revealed later. Shams Jorjani, the CEO of Helldivers developer Arrowhead, has said he hopes the movie violently kills off celebrities.

Beyond the Helldivers movie, Ritchson has said he's a big fan of Activision's Call of Duty franchise and would be up for a role in the upcoming movie.

While Momoa won't be in the Helldivers movie, he is set to appear in October's Street Fighter movie as Blanka. Momoa is also coming back for the A Minecraft Movie sequel in 2027, so he's not hurting for roles in video game movies.

Helldivers 2 was released in 2024 and became an enormous success, reportedly selling more than 20 million copies. Arrowhead Studios has said it doesn't, and shouldn't, have final say in how the movie turns out.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation is shaping up to be the biggest entry in the remake trilogy by a considerable margin, as game director Naoki Hamaguchi estimates that a complete playthrough of everything that the game has to offer could take up to 100 hours. That includes the campaign, side activities, and endgame content--something that Hamaguchi has experienced dozens of times for himself throughout the development of Revelation.

This is all part of the job; to ensure that players enjoy a smooth experience, the developers have to check every part of the game for any potential issues. "In a standard playthrough from beginning to end, if I were to review and check every single asset and element in the game, it'll easily take over a hundred hours," Hamaguchi said to GameSpot. "Obviously, I can't do that in each and every single playthrough. As the director, I don't have enough time for that, so sometimes I would just skip combat and focus on checking the main story. In different playthroughs, I focus on different elements."

In total, Hamaguchi said he had completed 46 playthroughs by the time he was interviewed. So how do you get so many game completions under your belt, when the game in question is so lengthy? Hamaguchi explained that he'd devoted all his time to playtesting the game, and he even slipped in a few testing sessions between interviews on the current Final Fantasy 7 Revelation press tour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRA759MHPJs

"I will try to do these playthroughs as much time as time allows," he said. "Yesterday, during a separate round of interviews, when there was downtime, I actually did bring a PS5 controller, so I checked the latest version of the build. Even on business trips, if there's even a small amount of time that I have available, I'll try to check the latest version of the game to see if there are any issues."

While Final Fantasy 7 Revelation might monopolize all your attention when it launches, the team at Square Enix also wants to respect your time. Minigames aren't essential to the game's main campaign, you can skip through cutscenes if you want, and pacing has also been adjusted to keep the story moving. For more on the game, you can check out how Red XIII might steal the spotlight during the snowboarding minigame, why The Witcher 3 continues to inspire Hamaguchi, and what Chadley will be up to in the game.

Final Fantasy 7 Revelation launches for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Switch 2 on April 8, 2027.

Interview conducted by Emma Fyffe.

Nintendo recently held two Direct presentations back to back, with fans hoping that the company would reveal a new Mario game of some kind. While that didn't happen, what we did get was the reveal that Mario Kart World is getting some new tracks. Now, though, it seems the company has some more Mario news for us: new logos and renders for everyone's favorite mustachioed plumber.

It seems that over the last day or so, Nintendo quietly updated the look of the "Super Mario" logo. Honestly, the change is subtle. The colors are the same, just a little less vibrant and a little more gradient. The logo is also on one line instead of stacked, as it has been for the last 30 years or so.

The big "change," though, is in Mario's look. In a passing glance, you might not notice anything different. The mustache is still there. The gloves haven't gone anywhere. The hat looks the same. Everything appears to be in order. But look closer.

https://twitter.com/Swag_K1RBY/status/2100773081853608419

It's tiny, but on his waist is a ... pocket? Yes, Nintendo added functional pockets to the red plumber's overalls, which is great! I always wondered where those flowers and mushrooms went, and now it makes sense. He just stores them in his small pockets.

Unfortunately, if he had a Kingdom Phone--or whatever the smartphone equivalent would be in the Mushroom Kingdom--I'm sure that wouldn't fit in these pockets, especially if it was a foldable device like the newly announced iPhone Duo. I guess Mario can't play Mario Kart Tour before it shuts down forever on September 29.

Those pockets are also so itty-bitty that he probably couldn't hold many Nintendo Switch game cartridges. Not that it matters much, since there aren't any new 3D Mario games coming to the Switch 2 right now.

The internet is having an extensive conversation about what this means. Some believe that the new renders give Mario a more detailed look, while others are hoping we'll see our mustachioed plumber in 4K in 2027. The main thought people are having, though, is that Nintendo finally remembered Mario.

https://twitter.com/jr_taurus62289/status/2100774237526982677

Even YouTuber GameXplain posted a brief overview video of the new renders, talking about how the clothing "just looks way better" because it doesn't seem like Mario's wearing latex. The texture makes our favorite plumber's clothing appear real.

All of this is great, but what would be better is if Nintendo announced a new 3D Mario game. The theory is that the company has something in the works, but nothing has been officially announced yet. These new renders certainly don't confirm anything, but with Mario getting an updated look, we can at least assume that this version of Mario will appear in whatever the next Mario game is.

Thirteen years ago, Sony "won" E3 with a simple public service announcement that dunked on Microsoft's controversial Xbox One DRM plans. All it took was 22 seconds for Sony's Shuhei Yoshida and Adam Boyes to show how game sharing would work on the PS4, resulting in a huge PR win for the company. Fast-forward to 2026, and at the Tokyo Game Show, Yoshida and Boyes reunited to recreate that meme, but with a big difference: This time, there's no disc to pass between friends.

https://twitter.com/yosp/status/2100797688271012195

The original video from Sony--which was infamously put together at the last second--showed just how easy it was for PS4 owners to share physical games, compared with the frequent DRM checks that were initially planned for Xbox One games. Boyes left Sony in 2016, while Yoshida said he was "fired" from his role as SIE worldwide president in 2019, and he departed in 2025 after several years of leading Sony's Independent Developer Initiative.

https://youtu.be/kWSIFh8ICaA

Things have changed drastically since the two left, as Sony announced several months ago that it would cease production of game discs, an announcement that has not gone over well with its users and third-party partners. Sony's reasoning is that with the lion's share of game sales being digital, it can afford to move toward an all-digital future, which also has several positive knock-on effects for its business.

By making its PlayStation Store the only game in town, it can earn more from first-party sales and cut out the retail costs associated with physical games. There are fears that this could be a step backwards compared to a platform like Steam. Sony's PlayStation Store typically offers no refunds on purchased games and lacks several other features that would help make the transition easier.

The other elephant in the room is that you're not purchasing a game from its store, but a license to play it. Sony is currently arguing in a class-action lawsuit filed against it that it doesn't mislead customers into purchasing digital game licenses, as it claims that it's "not plausible" for consumers to think they own their digital products. In comparison, Microsoft's disc-to-digital program has been received positively, as it allows Xbox owners to unlock a digital license for their physical games--but not all games, as some publishers haven't joined the program.

BambooHR, a human resources company that provides software-as-a-service for more than 30,000 companies, has released data that suggests people are taking time off to play GTA 6 this November.

You might have seen anecdotes online, or even stories from people you know in real life, about skipping work on November 19 to play GTA 6. BambooHR's data, though, shows a more concrete trend.

Why work when you can play GTA 6?

Using paid time off (PTO) data from active employees in the US, BambooHR found that PTO requests for the third Thursday of November this year--the day that GTA 6 launches--are running 9-17% above historical averages from recent years.

This data is consistent "at every checkpoint we can measure," the company said in a memo sent to GameSpot.

GTA 6 launches on a Thursday. There is no word on PTO data for the following day, but who wants to go back to work on a Friday? I would theorize people might book that day off, too, but BambooHR didn't share any data for this. A playthrough of the game can take 80 hours to complete, so it's good at least that people can roll right into the weekend and keep playing.

BambooHR acknowledged that it cannot definitively say that GTA 6 is the reason for the increased PTO for November 19. However, the company said the data does show a "real, reproducible signal." Who knows? Maybe people are booking time off from work to play Witch the Showdown in early access, which is also releasing that day.

Or perhaps people are taking time off work to celebrate the births of Jodie Foster and Adam Driver. Maybe people want to mark the 406th anniversary of the Mayflower reaching Cape Cod, or the 163rd anniversary of the Gettysburg Address. We just can't know.

In any event, GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Also launching that day is GTA 6: The Album, which features 34 songs written for the game from a range of famous artists. Unlike the game, the album will be on a disc.

The Switch 2 is a little over a year old, and unsurprisingly, Nintendo says that its console is just getting started. In a new interview, Nintendo of America president and COO Devon Pritchard teased a multiyear plan for the company, revolving not only around producing video games but also expanding its IP into other forms of entertainment. 

"We're at the beginning of Nintendo Switch 2," Pritchard said to Variety. "This is just beginning, and we've already had some really wonderful experiences, both ours and third-party, come to the table, and I can't wait to see what the system is going to do and what our talented developers will bring to the table. But again, those partnerships and touchpoints with companies like Sony and Sony Pictures around how we can bring those experiences more broadly to not only our current players and fans but to new ones, I think that's one of the most exciting things for us over the next few years."

While video game hardware from Nintendo and its competitors typically had a shelf life of around five years, those days are long gone. The Switch launched in 2017 and was around well into the 2020s before the Switch 2 arrived in mid-2025. Nintendo was aware of the potential longevity of its console as far back as 2018, and in 2022, Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa said that the Switch had only reached the halfway point of its life-cycle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3ksQeOLW6A

The console is still being sold alongside the Switch 2, and thanks to it being relatively cheaper than its successor even after recent price hikes, it's a solid option for anyone on a budget, depending on which model you choose. It also has an impressive library of games, making it a tempting last-gen purchase, and Nintendo has yet to announce when it'll be discontinued.

In the years since Nintendo launched the Switch, it has also expanded how it does business, monetizing virtually every part of its operations, from monthly subscriptions for Nintendo Switch Online services to charging several bucks for Switch games to get a Switch 2 upgrade. We've also seen it slowly expand into the world of movies, as it has partnered with Despicable Me's Illumination to produce two highly profitable Super Mario movies so far. The Super Mario Bros. Movie made over $1 billion at the global box office in 2023, and its sequel, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, made an even bigger splash with $1.3 billion.

Nintendo's next big movie is a live-action adaptation of The Legend of Zelda, and upcoming games for the Switch 2 include highly anticipated titles like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake and a new mainline Pokemon game.

Sony recently launched "Live TV on PS5," an offering that gives all PlayStation 5 owners access to 100+ channels of free ad-supported TV and movies. Keith Le Goy, the chairman of Sony Pictures TV, recently discussed the reasoning behind launching the service and why he believes it represents "one plus one equaling a lot more than two."

Speaking to Variety, Le Goy said PS5 already has 40-50 million people who are "incredibly engaged" with gaming, but also love movies and TV shows. Therefore, he said the company saw an opportunity to target these people, who might not otherwise watch linear TV. He said this is a "very hard-to-reach audience," and also one that is "very attractive" to advertisers.

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

People can watch anything on the Live TV on PS5 platform for free, in exchange for sitting through ads. It works similarly to other free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services, including Tubi, Roku, and Pluto.

As with most things in life, Live TV on PS5 came about in part to make money, and Le Goy said he believes Sony can achieve big success here, if it executes.

“So if we can give that audience something that they’re going to like in an environment that they are comfortable with, give our channel partners an audience that they are going to be going after and give their advertisers an audience that’s valuable for them," he said. "That is one plus one equaling a lot more than two."

The executive went on to say Sony is uniquely positioned for success here because the company also owns PlayStation. There are precious few groups of people as passionate and dedicated as gamers, and Le Goy said this could translate to big success if Live TV on PS5 works out.

“That’s the other thing that Sony has, that frankly a lot of other companies would love to have, is a gaming business and the level of engagement with gamers and gaming fans. That is what PlayStation has.”

Sony tried live TV on PS5 before with its PlayStation Vue service. However, that was a paid service that asked people to pay at least $50/month, at a time when people were increasingly cord-cutting. Vue officially shut down in 2020.

The best tool you can own in life is a hammer, and in Control Resonant, fixing Manhattan requires a VERY big one to perform some percussive maintenance. The Aberrant is the melee weapon that you'll wield in battle, and while it can take a variety of forms, it looks especially satisfying to morph it into a gigantic hammer that wouldn't look out of place in a Looney Tunes cartoon if Rob Zombie were directing it. But what would that version of the Aberrant look like in real life? Pretty intimidating and impractical, it turns out.

Ahead of Control Resonant's release next week, the blacksmiths of Man at Arms took a stab at building the Aberrant. In an episode of their YouTube series--and sponsored by Control Resonant developer Remedy Entertainment--the team put together a solid replica, but for the hammerhead itself, they used hollow steel panels and advanced welding techniques to recreate the Aberrant. It's not hard to see why, because having a solid chunk of metal the size of an armchair would make it challenging to work with, let alone wield.

Even with the finished hammer employing a few techniques to keep its overall weight under control, it was still too heavy for even the burliest blacksmith to pick up or even swing around for a few test smashes. For now, it's the world's coolest-looking paperweight.

https://youtu.be/YtrZWU_S62c

Launching on September 24--or September 22 if you spring for the PS5 Deluxe Edition--Control Resonant is already earning high reviews. On GameSpot's sister site, Metacritic, the PS5 version of the game currently has a metascore of 84 from 48 reviews, making it one of the best games of 2026 according to critical consensus. One of its big draws is that it successfully blends the signature weirdness of Remedy's growing universe of interconnected titles with highly engaging gameplay.

"Alongside the stellar art direction and a surprisingly touching story, Control Resonant’s gameplay loop feels more mainstream than anything this team has made since Max Payne," Mark Delaney wrote in GameSpot's Control Resonant review.

The Resident Evil movie from Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger officially releases today, September 18, but like many big movies, it actually debuted the night prior. The movie made $9 million or more in the US for its Thursday previews, according to Deadline, and that's a record for the series.

Experts predict the movie will make between $40 million and $50 million for its first weekend in the US, and now it could go higher, the report said.

Austin Abrams in Resident Evil.

The previous record for a first-weekend Thursday-night haul in the Resident Evil series was $1 million for 2016's Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. No other entry in the series eclipsed $1 million for Thursday previews.

Resident Evil's Thursday previews are pacing well ahead of Cregger's last movie, Weapons, which made $5.75 million in previews and went on to earn $43.5 million for its first weekend in the US.

According to Deadline, the Resident Evil movie had a budget of $75 million, but that does not count marketing expenses. Also worth mentioning is that the Thursday numbers for Resident Evil are based on Deadline's "distribution sources," and not official numbers from the studio.

The Resident Evil movie is getting rave reviews, including an 8/10 from GameSpot. In fact, Resident Evil is now the highest-rated video game adaptation ever.

Cregger has said he has ideas for more Resident Evil movies, but he's also mentioned how he's done with franchise films. He has said he did not fully appreciate how much hardcore fans of the Resident Evil games would reject his idea for his movie, which does not feature any characters or stories from the games.

The Far Cry TV series for FX is starting to take shape, as new cast members for the anthology series have been announced. Joining Rob Mac (who is also a co-showrunner alongside Noah Hawley) are Lizzy Caplan and Steve Buscemi, along with several new faces, including Brendan Gleeson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hamish Linklater, Jamie Demetriou, and Sam Spruell.

According to Variety, all of those actors will appear in the first season of Far Cry, making for a pretty stacked cast. Leigh earned acclaim for her roles in Hateful Eight and Fargo, Spruell was recently seen in Game of Thrones: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Demetriou will be a familiar face to anyone who is a fan of Only Murders in the Building, and Linklater's distinctive voice can be heard in Batman: Caped Crusader, where he plays the Dark Knight. Gleeson is also a big name, having recently starred in Spider-Noir and The Banshees of Inisherin, but if we're talking absolute cinema, you'll know him best for his role as Knuckles McGinty in Paddington 2.

Like the games the FX series is adapting, the Far Cry TV series aims to introduce new settings and characters in each season, so you likely won't want to get too attached to any of the actors in the show's first batch of episodes. As for the Far Cry game series, things have been very quiet since 2021, following the release of Far Cry 6. Ubisoft is reportedly working on Far Cry 7, with the IP now falling under the umbrella of Creative House 1 AKA Vantage Studios.

Alongside other big Ubisoft IP like Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six, Vantage Studios is focused on scaling and extending these established franchises. Chinese multinational technology and entertainment conglomerate Tencent also holds a significant stake in the subsidiary, having invested $1 billion in it.

A huge batch of previously leaked Rockstar files has resurfaced online, giving players a new look at Grand Theft Auto 5's canceled content, including a surprisingly massive Liberty City expansion and the long-rumored Agent Trevor DLC.

The files reportedly total around 192GB, dwarfing the roughly 4GB collection of GTA 5 source code material that surfaced publicly in 2023. GTA modder TJGM has been digging through the newly accessible files and has already highlighted several discoveries, including cut dialogue, canceled missions, development tools, and assets from Rockstar's planned single-player expansions.

One of the biggest discoveries so far is a look at the Liberty City expansion that Rockstar had planned for GTA 5, but ultimately was canned.

TJGM shared an outline of the Liberty City expansion, reconstructed using shoreline data contained in the files. The map appears substantially larger than the Liberty City featured in GTA 4. "The outline of this map is drawn based on where shorelines are," TJGM explained, noting that the files also contain zones associated with shoreline audio.

The discovery provides a clearer picture of how ambitious Rockstar's plans were for bringing Liberty City into GTA 5.

Trevor could have had a James Bond-style mission.

Another file reportedly contains a development zone that suggests Rockstar had begun setting up additional terrain for the expansion. The presence of the map outline and audio zones could indicate that development progressed considerably further than previously known.

The Liberty City content was already known to exist thanks to the 2023 source-code leak, but the new material provides a clearer picture of its intended scale. It also raises the possibility that Rockstar's plans for Liberty City could be pushed toward GTA 6, although that remains purely speculation at this point.

The leak also sheds more light on another canceled GTA 5 project: the Agent Trevor DLC. The DLC was set to star GTA 5's Trevor as a secret agent, but it was later confirmed that it had been canceled due to increased interest in GTA Online. The new leak shares interior screenshots that were apparently intended for the expansion, including a large mansion. The files also contain mission names and descriptions for the canceled single-player content, as well as information about music used during the missions.

Not everything being uncovered related to canceled expansions, though, as TJGM has also posted early dialogue from GTA 5, including an alternate version of a scene involving Michael and Tracey from the mission "Friend Request." In the unused version, Tracey is watching a fictional TV show called "Jersey Jews" rather than the Fame or Shame content that ultimately appeared in the game.

Alternate dialogue for GTA 5 has been discovered.

Some material being shared isn't simply a collection of screenshots. TJGM has explained that certain images were produced by viewing data in an external program used to inspect the game files and then capturing what was displayed. The files also reportedly contain Rockstar's development tools and other material that can be independently examined.

Perhaps inevitably, the topic of GTA 6 has cropped up. TJGM claims that the new files contain screenshots of the GTA 6 map, although they are reportedly rendered at very low quality. The existence of early GTA 6 material isn't surprising, though. The files originate from the wider Rockstar breach in 2022, during which an attacker obtained a huge quantity of Rockstar development data. At the time, reports indicated that GTA 5's source code had been compromised, along with early GTA 6 material.

GTA 5 ultimately became one of Rockstar's most heavily supported games, but much of the post-launch attention went toward GTA Online rather than the substantial single-player DLC fans were expecting. The resurfaced source code material offers a glimpse at what could have been.

With the GTA 6 release date fast approaching, the timing makes these discoveries pretty interesting. More than a decade after its launch, Rockstar's old development files are still revealing pieces of the game that we were never supposed to see.

Tucked away at the bottom of Rockstar's blog post today announcing GTA 6: The Album was a line about other updates to come for the game regarding its sound and music.

Rockstar said fans should "stay tuned for more details about the music of GTA 6," and specifically the game's "dynamic score." Additionally, Rockstar teased that GTA 6 will feature the "next evolution of in-game radio, and more."

This does not tell us a whole lot. However, it was previously rumored that GTA 6 will feature people like DJ Khaled hosting his own in-game radio station. Drake, meanwhile, may have his own station, too. Beyond this, another unconfirmed rumor claimed that Rockstar will allow Spotify subscribers to import their own playlists into GTA 6.

A previous trailer for GTA 6 showed Lucia wearing earbuds. People theorized that this could mean players will be able to listen to music while walking around, instead of only while driving.

Lucia and Jason in GTA 6.

Spotify has been heavily promoting GTA 6 already, so the two companies are clearly already working together, but it remains to be seen how deep the partnership might be.

In any event, the GTA series is known for its music and artist collaborations, so it would be no surprise to see Rockstar up the ante with GTA 6. The upcoming GTA 6 album features 34 songs written for GTA 6, including new music from Keith Richards and Travis Scott.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, with a PC edition expected to follow sometime later.

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6 has been in development since 2015, and a lot of things have happened since then, including the recent discovery a new species of cat.

The scientific journal Current Biology disclosed the discovery of Leopardus tilcayo--known as the tilcayo tiger cat--this week. The adorable little creature is smaller than your typical housecat, featuring spots and round ears. According to the discovery, the cat species was found in the Bolivian Yungas forest.

The tilcayo tiger cat is the first new cat species discovered in over 100 years.

https://twitter.com/NatGeo/status/2100601922168209413

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz, a co-author of the report, told NBC News that it is currently unknown how many of the cats remain in the wild. She said she discovered the cat basically by accident. She volunteers at a wildlife rehab facility close to La Paz, Bolivia and noticed a tiny cat that she thought was a kitten.

The cat was brought to the facility by a man who was caring for it, feeding it rice and eggs, and later giving it up when he was unable to care for it. Genetic testing was undertaken, and it was discovered that it was indeed a brand-new species of cat never before discovered or documented.

As for more gaming-related things that have happened since GTA 5 came out, GameSpot recently assembled a collection of some of the biggest news stories, including Halo coming to PlayStation, the release of 15+ Call of Duty games, the entire run of Phil Spencer as Xbox CEO, and more.

The wait for GTA 6 has been so long that it's spawned the, “We got ___ before GTA VI” meme. Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick said he is aware of these memes. “I’ve seen some of those," he said.

The wait for GTA 6 is nearly over, as the game is scheduled for release on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will not ship on a disc, but if you want a disc with GTA 6 printed on it, you can buy the game's soundtrack.

The upcoming 99 Nights in the Forest movie, based on the super-popular Roblox survival-horror game, has reportedly brought on a very big name.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, 20th Century Studios--which is owned by Disney--has hired Josh Cooley to write the script. Cooley directed the Oscar-winning Pixar movie Toy Story 4. He also earned an Academy Award nomination for Inside Out. Beyond Disney movies, Cooley directed Transformers One.

99 Nights in the Forest is coming to the big screen.

99 Nights in the Forest is developed by Grandma's Favourite Games and exists on the Roblox platform. It remains one of the platform's most popular games, boasting nearly 150,000 players right this moment.

20th Century bought the rights earlier this year following what was reported to have been a "competitive" dealmaking process.

A survival game, 99 Nights in the Forest has players trying to survive for 99 nights in a haunted forest as they fight monsters and save missing children. The developers behind the game–Alec Kieft, Matthew Hufton, and Cameron Angland–will be executive producers for the movie.

20th Century was also behind the Hitman and Assassin's Creed movies, so 99 Nights in the Forest is not the studio's first video game film.

99 Nights in the Forest is also not the first game hosted on Roblox to get a movie deal, as Grow a Garden and Steal a Brainrot also landed Hollywood development deals.

Popcorn buckets for movies are all the rage today. Basically every big movie has one. But they aren't all created equally. One popcorn bucket that looks like it could be the best one yet is for this October's Street Fighter movie.

Revealed today by Cody Rhodes, the Street Fighter popcorn bucket, which will be exclusive to AMC locations, is modeled after his character Guile's epic hair. The popcorn goes in the bucket, and then you can put it on your head and grab the popcorn from up there. Or you can plop it in your lap and eat the popcorn normally. In a word, the popcorn bucket is perfect. If you need three words, Rhodes said the popcorn bucket is "aerodynamic, ergonomic, delicious."

Check out the glorious announcement video for the Street Fighter popcorn bucket below.

https://twitter.com/CodyRhodes/status/2100619500072686014

Tickets for the Street Fighter movie go on sale this coming Monday, September, 21. Presumably that's also when people can reserve one of these popcorn buckets, so the price should be revealed soon.

The Street Fighter movie releases in theaters on October 16. In addition to Rhodes as Guile, the film features Noah Centineo as Ken, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Roman Reigns as Akuma, Jason Momoa as Blanka, 50 Cent as Balrog, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, and Eric Andre as Don Sauvage.

The film is directed by Kitao Sakurai, who is known for his work on The Eric Andre Show, Twisted Metal, and Beef.

While the Street Fighter movie isn't releasing until October, the next video game movie, Resident Evil, hits theaters on September 18--it's getting rave reviews.

Ahead of its release next month, the official PC specs for Gears of War: E-Day have been revealed. The next game in the series has looked good in recent previews, and if you're aiming to reach a high level of fidelity, you're going to need some fairly chunky PC hardware for 4K gibs and perfect reloads. The good news is that no matter which graphics preset you choose, you'll only need 16GB of RAM--welcome news considering just how much memory costs in the current tech climate.

One thing worth pointing out is that graphics cards without dedicated ray-tracing hardware aren't supported. It's not the first time this has been the case--Indiana Jones and the Great Circle being a prime example--but it does create a hard generational lock for interested players. By making ray-tracing hardware a baseline requirement, the game completely phases out massively popular GPUs like the GTX 1060 or AMD's RX 5000 series, making the RTX 2060 the absolute minimum threshold for playing the new Gears of War.

Developer The Coalition says it has continued to iterate and improve PC stability and performance across a wide range of hardware configurations since July, and if you're aiming to run the game at 1080p and 60fps, you'll need a GPU like an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, an entry-level RTX 5050, or an AMD Radeon RX 6600 with 6GB of VRAM. Hitting the 1440p 60fps sweet spot increases the hardware requirements to GPUs with 8GB of VRAM, while running the game at 4K 60fps means you'll need a 12GB GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT.

It's also worth noting that a solid-state drive is required for the game's installation files, and you'll need to free up 115GB of storage space on it. Across the presets, you can expect support for upscaling technology like Nvidia DLSS 4.5, AMD FSR 4, and Intel XeSS 3.0T, which will ease the burden on your PC. The Coalition added that the game includes a benchmark tool to help you fine-tune how it runs on your system.

Gears of War: E-Day PC Requirements PC RequirementsMinimumRecommendedUltraGraphic presetMediumHighUltraPerformance Specs1080p 60fps1440p 60fps4K 60fpsGPUNvidia GeForce RTX 5050 / Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 /
AMD Radeon RX 6600 / Radeon RX9060Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060ti /
AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT / Radeon RX9060XTNvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti /
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTCPUAMD Ryzen 5 2600X /
Intel i7-6850K / i5-10400AMD Ryzen 5 5600 /
Intel i5-11600KAMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D /
Intel i7-14700KVRAM6 GB8 GB12 GBRAM12 GB16 GB16 GBStorage (SSD Required)115 GB115 GB115 GB

Launching on October 6 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and day one on Xbox Game Pass, Gears of War: E-Day chronicles the first disastrous encounter between the humans living on the world of Sera and the Locust. The developers behind it recently spoke to GameSpot about a wide range of topics, from solving lore problems to how you strip the flesh off of enemies in the game's new take on Horde mode, and it looks like there's even a Smash Mouth-inspired achievement that you can earn if you want to be a real all-star.