Ahead of GTA 6's release in November, Rockstar Games has announced an official merch collection for the game, and it includes some snazzy stuff like a t-shirt featuring an alligator wearing sunglasses and drinking a cocktail.

The alligator's name is Macca the Gator, and he's the star of a fictional in-universe TV show of the same name. Presumably we will learn more about this at some point, but I am certainly intrigued.

All the GTA 6 merch you can buy right now.

Available in the Rockstar Store, the collection includes t-shirts sporting that alligator design and numerous others, including the GTA 6 logo. There are also a collection of branded hats in black, pink, and blue, along with a GTA 6-branded Zippo lighter, canvas tote bags, and vinyl stickers, among other offerings.

Of note, Rockstar says its t-shirts should be machine washed cold, but not put in the dryer. Instead, you should hang them on a line, Rockstar says.

In addition to this merch, Rockstar partnered with the NBA's Miami Heat for a "Vice City Collection" of gear you can buy right now.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game will have a lot of great music in it, as well as podcasts, and famous radio hosts.

One of the more interesting game reveals from today's Triple-i Initiative showcase was Gods With Badges, a narrative-driven tactics game about a disgraced police officer returning to the line of duty. What makes Gods With Badges even more fascinating is that it was canceled by its original developer and saved by El Paso, Elsewhere developer Strange Scaffold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXdR706AKPQ

The press release announcing Gods With Badges explained that the project began at Artificer, the Devolver Digital-owned studio behind games like Minos, Sumerian Six, and Showgunners. Originally called Hard Justice, the project ultimately didn't pan out and almost never saw the light of day.

Meanwhile, Strange Scaffold is spearheading an initative called Project Share, which encourages developers to share the original code for their games so other studios can riff on it. This previously helped enable the development of another Creepy Redneck Dinosaur Mansion game and has now saved an Artificer game from cancellation.

The press release explains that Gods with Badges took the work already completed by Artificer and reinterpreted it "through Strange Scaffold's distinctive creative lens." Studio Head Xalavier Nelson Jr. added that he is "deeply grateful to the original developers at Artificer for trusting us with their project, and can't wait for people to see what we've built on this complex, exciting foundation."

Gods With Badges follows a disgraced police officer named Harrow McClellan as she patrols the dystopian city of Scarhelm. Each encounter starts with choice-driven conversations but can devolve into isometric, turn-based combat. Players can even turn off their bodycam to gain access to more combat abilities, though this will obviously affect how the narrative plays out.

I expect this game to tackle subjects like police brutality and the role of law enforcement in an increasingly dystopian world. Gods With Badges will be released on PC sometime in 2027.

When Embark said it would take several months to deliver the major Arc Raiders update it envisioned, days like today were probably the goal. The extraction shooter is once again high up in Steam's charts for both best-selling and most-played games. 

Among best sellers, Arc Raiders currently ranks fifth, behind this week's other big releases, Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Gears of War: E-Day, but those came out earlier this week, and it's still early, so we may see it leap over those before the week is through. Its new cosmetic DLC, the Frozen Trail Collector's Set, is also selling very well. It currently sits at #8 on the best-sellers list.

As for concurrent players, Arc Raiders has eclipsed triple digits on Steam, something it hasn't done since May. It's sitting at 106,000--that's good for 12th on the list--and has actually gained 5,000 more players since I started writing this. Like its sales surge, it seems likely that it'll keep climbing throughout the day. 

Not coincidentally, May was when Embark announced it would be moving to a semi-annual cadence for major updates, with today's Frozen Trail being the first such update since that change. Embark felt it needed more time to deliver bigger updates for players while giving developers breathing room for a healthier work environment. 

I've been fascinated by that bold move because it's rarely seen in the world of extremely popular live-service games. Arc Raiders never really dropped off completely; it still averaged 40,000 concurrent Steam players in September, but it was close to averaging half a million last holiday season, so the fall was precipitous, even if those numbers were likely never to be sustained. 

The first day post-update can't tell the whole story on whether this revised roadmap pays off for Embark, but it's clearly off to a strong start.

Arc Raiders will be free-to-play this weekend on all of its available platforms.

We normally get only one Triple-I Initiative showcase per year, but 2026 is proving to be the exception. The second broadcast of the year from organizers Evil Empire, the Triple-I Initiative was a focused blast of curated trailers and game updates, all rolling out across an almost-hour-long livestream. If you don't have time, fret not, because we've recapped everything below for you to check out. Most of these games also have demos that are now live on Steam, so if you like what you see, you can get an early taste of them right now.

Aftergods https://youtu.be/9tmDraA3FrI

After Ragnarok annihilated most of the deities who safeguarded the land, it's up to the survivors of that cataclysm to form a new pantheon and push back the monsters that have risen up in their absence. The debut trailer for Aftergods featured some godly DNA--it was produced by the team behind the Blood of Zeus and Castlevania animated series--and this top-down survivalite ARPG is coming to PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5.

Waltz and Jam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lfSS002Ezo

Korean developer Flyway Games announced hand-drawn action-adventure Waltz and Jam has a release date, and you can get your hands on this cute little afterlife game starting December 3. It'll be launching for PC, Switch 2, and PS5.

Among Us Story: On Guard https://youtu.be/RzIWYTHHCtI

A new Among Us standalone game in which you have to prove your innocence before the Impostor gets to the rest of the crew? Nothing sus about that! Billed as both a narrative and detective game, Among Us Story: On Guard launches on February 17, 2027 for PC, Switch consoles, and mobile.

Astral Ascent https://youtu.be/dgS44SPIixI

Astral Ascent's next update adds some Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 flavor to the popular roguelite, as well as a ton of new content. The free Expedition 33 For Those Who Come After update is now available on PC and console, adding new summons, bosses, and a huggable Esquie. Wheeeee!

Brotato: Primal Dread https://youtu.be/2AvmACnnkps

The Primal Dread DLC for Brotato is out on November 2 for PC, adding bigger enemies, new brotatoes, and weaponized panflutes.

Canyons https://youtu.be/pgq2NDpY_Xk

A new co-op PvE shooter from the creators of Breathedge, Canyons drops you into a brutal, ever-changing world populated with supernatural creatures known as the Awakened. Everything from tombstones to thrones is out to harm you in this strange world, but an itchy trigger finger and Blood Pacts that allow you to wield exotic abilities will help keep you alive long enough to establish a settlement. Canyons is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S in November 2027.

Chained Together https://youtu.be/8PvjKlUvouY

Co-op game Chained Together is getting its first new map on November 12. Your climb out of hell is just getting started, and a new gameplay mode will also test teams by seeing just how quickly they can overcome the trials of the damned.

Dandelion Void https://youtu.be/Psm3fo_ezww

Dandelion Void has a simple premise: The game wants to know if you have what it takes to survive the hostile jungle-choked halls of a derelict spaceship adrift between the stars. You'll need to establish a refuge to keep the horrors at bay, and if that sounds like a grand time, you can try a demo ahead of its Steam Early Access launch next year.

Dave the Diver X Subnautica 2 DLC https://youtu.be/Rp4KqJEnr_U

After teaming up with Sega's Yakuza series and running into Godzilla, Dave the Diver's next crossover brings the wet world of Subnautica to his shores. Out in early 2027, you can expect the casual single-player adventures of Dave the Diver to be fused with the alien oceans of Subnautica 2--which should make for some interesting sushi dishes.

Drunken Goddess Reflux https://youtu.be/VrQPbptH3eQ

Summary: From the developers of "Yunyun Syndrome!? Rhythm Psychosis" comes their latest title: Drunken Goddess Reflux! Play shot-glass Russian roulette against Femme Soule, a demon who loves you to death--literally! Break the rules as you drink in this twisted game of Russian roulette, and push the demon until she spills it all.

Escape The Backrooms https://youtu.be/csuzytGT-G0

And now for some liminal horror! Escape the Backrooms is getting a new "After Party" update in December, adding new levels to the game. New skins are also coming later this month, and if you haven't tried it yet, Escape the Backrooms is a co-op game that builds on the idea of analog horror. It's available for PC and consoles.

False Echo https://youtu.be/wIh2OoWjbyU

Like Papers, Please combined with Das Boot, False Echo's blend of submarine warfare and cryptography thrills will be surfacing on PC in Spring 2027. To give you an idea of what the full game will be like, you can try the demo right now.

Gods with Badges https://youtu.be/MXdR706AKPQ

Fans of turn-based tactics games have been eating well lately, and Gods with Badges from Strange Scaffold (I Am Your Beast, Space Warlord Baby Trading Simulator) looks like another delicious entry in that genre. With a focus on narrative sequences and brutal turn-based battles, players will step into the boots of disgraced police officer Harrow McClellan as she seeks to change lives and pursue her own version of justice. Combat requires you to follow the rules, but turning off your body-cam can unlock special dialogue and combat options if you're prepared to deal with the consequences of going dark.

Haunted Paws https://youtu.be/dCcOI-fwU6w

A spooky co-op game where you get to play as two adorable dogs? Sign us up! Haunted Paws lets you send your puppies on an adventure through a haunted mansion to locate your missing owner, and it's coming to PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Switch 2, and Switch. On PC, you can grab a demo for it on Steam. 

Hela: of Mice & Magic https://youtu.be/Awbht9ANxE8

Out on December 1, Hela: Of Mice & Magic is a cute adventure game featuring a brave little mouse. Set in a world inspired by Northern Sweden, the game encourages you to be a force for good. A PC demo is out now, and the game launches on December 1 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Switch 2, and Switch. It'll also be a day-one release through Xbox Game Pass.

Risk of Rain 2: Hallowed Concepts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5OpnVoxkmE The Escapists 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl_dBtp2PKQ

Team17 revealed a new entry in The Escapists franchise, building on the foundation of previous games to offer more 3D prison hijinks. It's out in 2027.

Machinarium 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GosoACCaBs

Amanita Design has a new Machinarium sequel on the way, almost 20 years after the first game was released. There's no release date yet, but so far it looks like a gorgeous follow-up to the original, with its unique art.

Lazare's Sacrifice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2bTtzyxGak

A narrative deckbuilder that has been designed in collaboration with Damien Monnier--the game designer behind the original Gwent and Gwent: The Witcher Card Game--Lazare's Sacrifice is set during the height of the French Revolution, and it tasks you with not losing your head.

The Talos Principle 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UB-btaymgEY

The final entry in the series, The Talos Principle 3 is once again being developed by Croteam, and it'll offer plenty of thought-provoking puzzles to solve.

Militsioner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ft-3PUM23Wo

First revealed in 2020, Militsioner is an immersive talking sim with a unique hook--you're being followed by a Godzilla-sized policeman, who is keeping a giant eye on you in spite of your protestations of innocence. You need to pack your bags and skip town to avoid the extremely long arm of the law, but be careful, because the Giant Policeman is watching your every move.

Pony Island 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QX_lfkK2gM

The next game from Inscryption creator Daniel Mullins, Pony Island 2 is getting a public playtest soon.

Stronghold 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg-WjI1EzBA Windrose: Ashlands Update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3K2wjkbfVA Vaultbreakers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDJx0Q8quuE Too Deep To Quit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HKlaGK23M4 Volatiles https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWYRShsmwK8 Revamp https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDundXh6aa0 Jiaohun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUNGg3a-y1M Outward 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tTsMBNhVyig Kingdom Two Crowns: Pharaoh Lands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQx4TODuB2k Living Hell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg_ib0KnwPw Prison of Husks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTOGBRMpEu4 RockBeasts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbhvq6zHLvU Prospice: Anomalous Logistics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cV7PIg5oTA Little Prince Tyger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbaX6FKvLKQ Wyldheart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X88HFhWATps Trainwatch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCVkQiRytK4 Isle Goblin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXTw84DXWj0 Sulfur https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DS-ExBDSFQ

Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie got solid reviews and is making a lot of money at the box office, but where does it rank on the list of highest-grossing Resident Evil movies? It's not at the top, but it's pretty close.

Director Paul W.S. Anderson made six previous Resident Evil movies, starring his wife, Milla Jovovich, and 2016's The Final Chapter currently ranks No. 1 in terms of money at the box office. Anderson's movies did not fare very well with critics, but had dedicated fans who kept going to see them. Together, Anderson's six movies made more than $1 billion.

Cregger's Resident Evil movie currently ranks No. 3 with about $250 million worldwide. It will need to add more than $60 million more to surpass The Final Chapter ($312 million worldwide). It's also still behind 2010's Resident Evil: Afterlife, which made about $300 million globally.

The new Resident Evil movie just came to China, and the franchise is very popular there. If it performs to expectation in China, the movie could reach $280 million soon to become Cregger's highest-grossing movie ever, surpassing Weapons.

Below you can see a rundown of the highest-grossing live-action Resident Evil movies ever, including domestic, international, and global figures. In addition to Cregger and Anderson, director Johannes Roberts worked on the series for 2021's Welcome to Raccoon City, the lowest-performing Resident Evil live-action movie ever.

While Cregger's Resident Evil movie still has work to do to become No. 1 globally, it's already No. 1 domestically. In fact, it's the only live-action Resident Evil movie ever to perform better domestically than internationally, though that may change when the final numbers from China are added in.

The Resident Evil movies are produced by Constantin Films, which bought the rights back in the '90s and has retained them ever since. After Welcome to Raccoon City flopped, Constantin planned to put the film franchise on ice ... until Cregger showed up with a pitch.

While Cregger has said he has ideas for another Resident Evil movie, he's done with franchise movies and is instead making an original movie, The Flood, next.

Highest-grossing Resident Evil movies

8: Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)

• Domestic: $17,000,612
• International: $24,914,303
• Worldwide: $41,914,915

7: Resident Evil (2002)

• Domestic: $40,119,709
• International: $62,865,153
• Worldwide: $102,984,862

6: Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)

• Domestic: $51,201,453
• International: $78,141,316
• Worldwide: $129,342,769

5: Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)

• Domestic: $50,648,679
• International: $97,069,154
• Worldwide: $147,717,833

4: Resident Evil: Retribution (2012)

• Domestic: $42,345,531
• International: $197,813,724
• Worldwide: $240,159,255

3: Resident Evil (2026)

• Domestic: $127,881,769
• International: $121,404,309
• Worldwide: $249,286,078

2: Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)

• Domestic: $60,128,566
• International: $240,099,518
• Worldwide: $300,228,084

1: Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (2016)

• Domestic: $26,830,068
• International: $285,412,558
• Worldwide: $312,242,626

Back almost three decades ago, digital storefronts didn't exist for home consoles. So when The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time originally launched on Nintendo 64 in 1998, the only way to get the game early was showing up at a retail store at midnight (something my dad actually did because I was only 12 years old at the time). 

Best Buy wants to recreate that feeling with the announcement of late-night store openings for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time's launch on Switch 2 next month. In fact, people who have already preordered the remake can even change their order to pick it up in-store at midnight on November 5. Keep in mind that this includes standing in line outside a Best Buy instead of just waiting for delivery at your doorstep.

In addition, the Best Buy midnight launch will have something for people who haven't preordered the game. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time will be available for purchase, but maybe more importantly, the special 40th-anniversary Zelda Switch 2 system and Switch 2 Pro Controller will be available in limited quantities, too. That should be exciting since the Zelda-themed console sold out almost immediately last month.

Nintendo showed off the first gameplay footage for the Ocarina of Time remake in September, and it looks fantastic. The game features a total visual overhaul, which hasn't gone over well with everyone (they're wrong, by the way). The Switch 2 exclusive also has eight other big changes from the original title, including the ability to jump at any time. That sounds funny, but it's sort of a big deal.

Best Zelda Bosses Of All Time View Images

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma continues to reshape the gaming brand, this time with the new XP division. The clever moniker works for Xbox pictures, products, places, and partnerships--the "four investment areas" now overseen by Kayleen Walters (who previously was Mojang Studios president). This all seems like a bigger push into TV, film, and maybe even theme parks for Xbox. But upon closer inspection, there really isn't anything new here, at least not yet.

There's nothing about new investments in movies and TV shows with this announcement. There isn't even the reveal of a new game adaptation for the silver or small screen. Instead, there's a lot of celebrating what's been around or in production for years, such as the Call of Duty movie and Fallout: Season 3. We also know A Minecraft Movie Squared is on the way (which should have been called A Nether Minecraft Movie). 

In fact, Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball basically admits on Xbox Wire that all of this stuff was already happening at the company: "It brings together capabilities that have existed across various teams at Xbox for years and aligns them behind a shared mission: helping our franchises reach more people, create deeper connections with players and new fans, and unlock new opportunities for these fandoms to grow around the world." 

Maybe this new department will lead to better returns and more Hollywood movies from Xbox in the future. But right now, it seems like reshuffling the same deck of cards. It's hard not to shake the feeling this is a PR play as an outsider looking in, especially as Xbox continues to close studios and enact mass layoffs. 

This also comes days after Sharma reportedly claimed Xbox has "started to return to growth" at a town-hall meeting, without providing any evidence. Then, just today, Circana reported that Xbox hardware unit sales in the US fell 31% this past August when compared to August 2025--and were the lowest since August 2020. 

The Complete History Of The Xbox Logo: From Green Glow To Modern Minimal View Images

Nothing enhances a crime spree better than a few needle-drop tracks, and in Grand Theft Auto 6, you'll have plenty of music stations to listen to while touring Leonida. Developer Rockstar Games has revealed six of the radio stations and the disc jockeys attached to them, and in a series first, has also confirmed that a series of on-demand podcasts will be available to listen to in the game. You won't even need to be in a car to enjoy some tunes--or some unsolicited opinions--as GTA 6 protagonists Jason and Lucia can connect radio stations and podcasts through their smartphones.

Like previous games in the series, the selection of stations covers a wide range of musical genres, and Rockstar has recruited some star power to voice two of the DJs on Cocoteo FM: Bad Bunny and Lana del Ray. On Back Country Radio station, Del Ray's husband Jeremy Dufrene lends his voice to the character of Mud Dog Mike.

• Cocoteo FM: Modern Latin music, hosted by El Martillo and La Gata
• Back Country Radio: Renegade country music, with DJs MW and Delta Dawne hosting the show. Roving reporter Mud Dog Mike also features with regular updates
• AfroBank FM: The best in African music from DJs Burna and Palmsy, you can tune in for 20th-century classics and undiscovered gems
• The Chamber 106.6: For some heavy metal, this station has a mix of classic and modern tracks curated by DJ Kerry and DJ Tom
• Flash FM: Or if you want some easy listening, Robyn and Alex from Flash FM will dish up a selection of pop hits on Flash FM
• Dirty South Classics: Rounding out the list is a selection of regional rap and hip-hop classics, delivered to your ears by DJs Trick and Trina

Rockstar had previously teased that GTA 6 would feature the "next evolution of in-game radio, and more," offering players a dynamic experience while playing the game. Spotify was also working with the developer to promote GTA 6, and the upcoming GTA 6 album features 34 songs written specially for the game, including new music from Keith Richards and Travis Scott. We don't know what the specifics are of the podcasts yet, but Rockstar has said more details are coming soon.

In related news, serial leaker Cyberleek has resurfaced with a 25-minute video of new gameplay footage, cutscenes, and a tastefully obscured clip of Jason Duval in the shower.

GTA 6: 268 Screenshots To Ease The Wait View Images

Xbox has formalized its plans to extend its video games to places like film and TV via a new division called XP. As part of this, the company is also branching out further into the world of theme parks, though that may not be very surprising or exciting.

Xbox CTO Scott Van Vliet said in a post that "theme parks" will be part of the new XP division. This followed a post from Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball who said the upcoming Minecraft theme park initiative represents "the first of many theme park placements to come."

https://twitter.com/scottvanvliet/status/2108184088905748856

Microsoft has been working on theme park plans for a long time already, having announced plans for a Minecraft theme park back in 2024. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that the park will open in the UK next year with themed food.

Xbox is following Nintendo's playbook here, as the Japanese gaming giant brought its franchises, including Mario and Donkey Kong, to Universal Studios theme parks in the US and Japan already.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0RtbNi8g3A

People should not hold out hope for a dedicated Xbox theme park, though. Ball's wording specifically was that there will be additional "theme park placements" for Xbox in the future. This suggests Xbox franchises could show up in existing parks, as opposed to Microsoft breaking ground on its own dedicated theme park for Xbox. This is how it works with Nintendo, too, as the Super Nintendo World attractions exist within the wider Universal Studios parks.

The Minecraft theme park, too, will exist within Chessington World of Adventures in the UK when it opens next year.

The new XP division at Xbox will include four sub-divisions focused on bringing Xbox franchises to areas like film and TV, consumer products, live events, and brand partnerships. Xbox, of course, already did all of this, but now it's formalized under the XP banner.  Kayleen Walters, formerly the president of Minecraft and a former Lucasfilm executive, is running XP.

Circana has posted its August 2026 monthly report, and unsurprisingly, NBA 2K27 is once again the best-selling game for the month. That's hardly a shocker, as it was the best-selling August game in 2024 and 2025, ending a long winning streak previously held by EA's Madden NFL series of football games. While it didn't clinch the top spot, Madden NFL 27 came in second and fourth place, as the game's Kickoff Bundle version also appeared on the charts.

Overall, it was a solid month for new games. Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls debuted in third place, Star Wars Zero Company landed in fifth place, and Big Walk took eighth place. In total, five of the top 10 best-selling games in August were new, with Halo: Campaign Evolved, the Switch 2 port of Elden Ring, Mario Kart World, and Splatoon Raiders rounding out the list. Here's a closer look at August's top 10 best-selling games in the US:

Top 10 Best-Selling Games In The US Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales RankGame TitlePrevious Rank1NBA 2K27New2Madden NFL 27New3Marvel Tokon: Fighting SoulsNew4Madden NFL 27: Kickoff BundleNew5Star Wars Zero CompanyNew6Halo: Campaign Evolved67Elden Ring418Big WalkNew9Mario Kart World1910Splatoon Raiders7

So how does this affect the list of best-selling games in the US so far in 2026? NBA 2K27 has made it onto those charts, but the current record-holder, Resident Evil Requiem, isn't budging yet. NBA 2K27 has instead usurped the third-place position held by Crimson Desert, while other games like 007 First Light and MLB The Show 26 have held onto their respective rankings.

There has been some slight movement between the top-selling games, but things remain largely the same for now. We expect that to change once the data for all games released during the bumper September and October months is analyzed, and of course, GTA 6 is expected to be a sales juggernaut when it arrives in November.

Top 10 Best-Selling Games In The US Ranked on Physical & Full Game Digital Dollar Sales   YTD RankGame TitlePrevious Rank1Resident Evil Requiem12007 First Light23NBA 2K27New4MLB The Show 2645Crimson Desert36Call of Duty: Black Ops 257Forza Horizon 668Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream69Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight810Pokemon Pokopia9 Top 10 Best-Selling Games Of 2026 So Far In The US View Images

Video game console sales in the US hit their worst August in 13 years, as Circana's Mat Piscatella revealed that hardware sales fell 15% from a year ago to 559,000 units. This is the lowest August total since 2013 (423,000 units), with PlayStation sales down 11% year-over-year, Xbox unit sales down 31% year-over-year (the lowest August total since 2020), and Nintendo unit sales down 15% compared with August 2025.

The silver lining (for the companies making these machines) is that higher hardware prices have pushed the average price from $476 in 2025 to $541 in 2026, meaning consumers are paying more for fewer machines on the market. Several factors are at play: current console prices are at historical highs, not lows, driven by global component pressure and mid-gen hardware upgrades like the $900 PS5 Pro, which pushes average prices up. 

Basically, consumers are buying fewer units because the entry barrier is much higher than in past console cycles. After six years, market saturation has also likely set in for the Xbox Series X|S and PS5, and hardware price increases implemented earlier in 2026 triggered a massive buying wave to get ahead of the price hikes. That led to frontloaded demand and drained potential summer console purchases, but for Sony, dollar sales actually grew 17% year-on-year due to higher-tier hardware models, even as unit volume dropped 11%.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKa0c-lIRB0

Historically, August 2013 can also be seen as the twilight phase of the PS3 and Xbox 360 era. It's a tale as old as time, as 13 years ago, gamers were saving their cash and preparing to invest in a PS4 or an Xbox One ahead of their November 2013 launch. We're not seeing that with this console generation, as no successor machines have been officially unveiled and hardware sales have slowed despite the mid-generation push.

When it came to games, NBA 2K27 was unsurprisingly the best-selling game of August, and it's the third-best-selling game of 2026 so far. Madden NFL 27 was the second-best-selling game of August, and thanks to a Switch 2 port, Elden Ring finished August as the seventh-best-selling game that month (and up from 41 in July). Piscatella noted that 2026 year-to-date spending on new physical software has also increased by 5% when compared to a year ago, up to $738 million. Spending on Switch 2 Game-Key Card physical releases has also risen 631%, which has offset a 3% drop in spending across all other new physical media types.

Traditional discs and full-data cartridges continue their steady multi-year decline as more players switch directly to digital storefronts, but because Game-Key Cards were a smaller segment of the physical market in 2025, major publishers' sudden adoption in 2026 drove that massive percentage jump. That added enough dollar volume to pull total physical software spending into positive territory (+5% overall to $738M), further obscuring the ongoing drop in traditional disc/cartridge media.

Total content spending also fell 10% year-over-year to $3.8 billion, bringing year-to-date content spending down 2% to $32.2 billion. Mobile saw the biggest drop, with spending down 18% year-over-year, while console spending fell 7% year-over-year. But PC gaming? It was an anomaly: spending on that platform grew 13% year-over-year, and subscription purchases also rose 3%.

Xbox has officially unveiled a new division dedicated to movies and TV, called XP. The new branch of Xbox will be headed by Lucasfilm veteran Kayleen Walters, who had previously served as president of Minecraft studio Mojang and an executive producer on A Minecraft Movie.

"At Mojang, her record speaks for itself," Xbox chief strategy officer Matthew Ball wrote in a press statement. "Under her tenure, Minecraft grew from an already-record setting 350 million units sold to over 425 million, its merchandising business became one of the top 20 globally. A Minecraft Movie had the biggest opening weekend ever for a video game adaptation and finished #1 at the domestic box office, and Mojang secured the first of many theme park placements to come."

According to Xbox, XP will focus on four key areas:

• Xbox Pictures
• Xbox Products
• Xbox Places
• Xbox Partnerships

Xbox Pictures, unsurprisingly, will handle film and television projects, as well as other forms of "linear storytelling" using Xbox IP. Xbox Products will create products that are "authentic to the fandom," and Xbox Places will organize live events, immersive experiences, attractions, and broadcasts. Finally, Xbox Partnerships will work with creators, brands, and communities to develop new experiences, sponsorships, and brand partnerships.

Xbox XP

This isn't the first time that Xbox has made a push into multimedia; back in 2012, Xbox Entertainment Studios was unveiled with the ambitious aim of producing TV shows that would air directly on Xbox consoles. All of the big Xbox IP were part of these plans, but two years later, Xbox Entertainment Studios was shut down. Recently, Xbox has leaned more into being more than just a video game company, as Halo eventually made its way to TV screens, merchandise continues to be a major part of its business, and we've even seen it collaborate with IKEA.

One big grab for the studio could be Hideo Kojima, as after Sony cancelled plans to fund his stealth-action game Physint, Xbox quickly swooped in to rescue the project. Kojima's current projects--including OD--are envisioned as more than just games. The Xbox deal is for more than just games, as it covers potential TV shows and movies.

You can look at Death Stranding for an example of how OD and Physint could be expanded. Live-action and anime Death Stranding movies are in the works, as well as an anime series called Death Stranding: Isolations, which will stream exclusively on Disney+ in 2027.

Several projects based on Xbox IP are already in development, including a sequel to A Minecraft Movie, a third season of the Fallout TV series, and a Call of Duty movie. At BlizzCon 2026, Blizzard announced a Diablo animated series is coming to Netflix, and a Minecraft theme park is set to open in 2027.

Ball added that Xbox is now aiming to be the "number-one entertainment company in the world," which likely ties into Xbox boss Asha Sharma's ambitious goals to entertain 1 billion people every day. At the same time, things have been grim behind the scenes at Xbox, as mass layoffs have seen thousands of people made redundant at the gaming division, with more to come. Microsoft has also divested itself of several studios, including Double Fine and Ninja Theory.

As the GTA 6 release date creeps ever closer, the now-notorious leaker Cyberleek doesn't seem to be finished showing off unreleased content just yet.

Having been relatively quiet since August's wave of shorter GTA 6 leaks, Cyberleek has released a 25-minute video of new gameplay footage and cutscenes just weeks before the game's release.

A new post on the Cyberleek subreddit has sent Grand Theft Auto 6 fans scrambling after one user claimed to have spotted a new leak and shared an image of what appears to be a newly uploaded file. The original poster said they couldn't download the file themselves.

Cyberleek had been largely silent for weeks after releasing a series of GTA 6 gameplay clips throughout August, but reports earlier this week suggested the leaker could be preparing another release after a mysterious poll appeared on the website with a deadline of October 8. Activity associated with the project's cryptocurrency wallet was also reportedly resumed. At the time, it wasn't clear whether the original person behind the Cyberleek operation was behind the activity or not.

According to comments in the Reddit post, users are attempting to download the apparently 25-minute long video. One commenter claimed the footage includes "new gameplay footage and cutscenes," while another alleged that protagonist Jason can be seen running around completely naked. If true, this wouldn't be entirely surprising since it was confirmed earlier this week that you can see him nude in the shower, Jason and Lucia can explore the more intimate side of their relationship, and there's even a nudist colony.

The ZIP is reportedly titled "Extended Leek," which is an obvious riff on Rockstar's official GTA 6: An Extended Look. That trailer is roughly 26 minutes long and originally aired as a timed exclusive on Netflix.

Cyberleek's original batch of leaks was enough to cause a headache for Rockstar. Showing everything from basketball and vehicle theft to Vice City locations and various NPC interactions, the leaks eventually prompted a response from the developer.

With GTA 6 now mere weeks away, there's not much longer to wait to get your hands on the real thing. Until then, Rockstar's official footage remains the safest way to get a look at the game without wandering into spoiler territory.

The Remothered games are true cult classics in the way that players find them either insufferable or inspired. As a lover of developer Stormind Games' antique perversions, but also a hater of its convoluted storytelling, I regretfully exist somewhere in between. But I know I won't be able to resist the new Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy when it launches later this month, since the horror game legends who helped make the Italian gothic game are way too good. Red Nun’s Legacy will feature legendary Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka, and its Red Nun enemy is voiced by Resident Evil alumna Maggie Robertson.

Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy latest trailer, which premiered today during the latest Horror Game Awards showcase, revels in the weathered stone buildings and marble fountain angels of the game's Sicilian setting. Stormind Games' developers are based in Sicily themselves, so recreating the decaying decadence of the island for Red Nun's Legacy was like trying to catch a dream right upon waking: You may never remember every detail, but you know the smells and feelings perfectly, because you lived through them. 

https://youtu.be/R-1jZKgAfYQ

A statement to press explains, "The Sicily that Stormind Games recreated in Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy is the Sicily the team has always lived, seen, breathed. This trailer is a visual journey through the real places, textures, colors, and cultural details that shaped the world of Red Nun's Legacy, stemming directly from the memories of those who developed it."

It looks as gorgeous and imposing as a ballet school built by Dario Argento. But so did the original 2018 Remothered game Tormented Fathers and its 2020 sequel Broken Porcelain, and I don't love them as much as I wanted to. 

I'm getting invested because the darkened glamor of Red Nun's Legacy is enhanced by Yamaoka, whose industrial grooves are just as irrefutable as Mt. Etna's mouth leaking lava in the game's far distance. Plus, actor Maggie Robertson, whose take on the bad vampire mother Lady Dimitrescu made fans delirious for a nibble on the neck, will no doubt inspire the same frenzy with her Red Nun stalker.

With these artists' help, I think Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy could become a true classic--no "cult" necessary. It's out on consoles and PC on October 27, and it's coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on December 3.

The Outlast Trials, Red Barrels' co-op horror game set in its wider Outlast universe, just broke its concurrent-player record, eclipsing 120,000 players. The previous high came when the game launched in Steam Early Access in 2023 and the player count climbed to 36,000. 

Today's new record means the indie horror game reset the bar with a total more than four times higher than its previous best.

Red Barrels credited a few big factors for the record. For one, The Outlast Trials is enjoying a huge discount in the Steam Autumn Sale, on sale for $4--though that sale ends tomorrow (Thursday, October 8), if you're interested.

The studio also revealed that roughly half of the players contributing to that total are from China, as the game is seeing a surge in popularity there. Naturally, the Halloween season helps too, even though it's not one of the new horror games coming out this month.

Red Barrels sent the news out on its social media.

The Outlast Trials made its version 1.0 debut in the spring of 2024. Though it's playable solo, it's intended to be experienced as a co-op game for up to four people. Seasonal content and events have come to the game regularly since then, adding new villains, abilities, maps, and more. 

Up next for the game is its annual Geister event for Halloween, followed by Season 8 in December, which will add another new major villain, or "Prime Asset," as well as a new map and more events.

The Outlast Trials is a favorite on GameSpot, featured in our best horror multiplayer games list and our best horror games (overall) list. In my Outlast Trials review, I said it's "capable of being as terrifying as previous Outlast games, and though you’ll trade away some scares when playing with a bigger group, they’re likely to be replaced by nervous laughs as you and your allies narrowly evade monsters in the dark."

Zach Cregger has another hit on his hands with Resident Evil, and it's set to become his biggest movie ever by revenue at the box office.

According to Deadline, Resident Evil is expected to surpass his current biggest movie, Weapons ($270 million worldwide), by the end of this week or sooner. It currently stands at $247.6 million worldwide.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNd1gb19A-c

What's propelling Resident Evil higher was its release in China this week--it debuted there on October 5, and it's expected to make $35 million in China for its first week. If this comes to fruition, Resident Evil should pass $280 million globally this week.

The previous Resident Evil movies from director Paul W.S. Anderson also performed phenomenally in China. The last one, 2016's The Final Chapter, made $159.5 million in China alone, making up more than 51% of the movie's worldwide gross of $312.2 million. It's the highest-grossing Resident Evil movie ever. Cregger's Resident Evil still has work to do to catch up.

Cregger's earlier movie, 2022's Barbarian, made $46 million worldwide. Long before that, Cregger made Miss March, and it earned $4.6 million worldwide.

In terms of all video game movies, Resident Evil ranks No. 17, but if it does indeed reach $280 million, it will pass 2018's Tomb Raider ($274.6 million worldwide).

Resident Evil is doing great commercially and scored solid reviews from critics, so people might expect a sequel. That could happen, but Cregger has said he's finished with franchise movies, even though he does have ideas for more stories.

Cregger's next movie is The Flood, a deep-space sci-fi movie starring Jennifer Lawrence. It has nothing to do with Halo, despite bearing a name with ties to Halo.

What likely would have been the big new enemy faction of the Halo universe, the Endless, have been fully revealed, though it's unclear what role, if any, they will play going forward.

As announced last month by Xbox's Matt Booty, Halo is under new management, with the responsibility of the next game in the series going to a completely new team under Activision. Halo Studios, formerly 343 Industries, will remain as a small team to oversee already-released titles like the recent Halo: Campaign Evolved. However, the majority of the studio, 268 people, have been laid off.

In the wake of the news, the latest (and now last) issue of the lore-focused Canon Fodder blog written by Halo Studios community writer Alex Wakeford has now become a parting gift from the studio to the community. In it, Wakeford reveals a glimpse at what the future of Halo might have looked like under Halo Studios' continued stewardship.

A full look at the alien race known as the Endless.

There are plenty of reveals within, including a look at Zeta Halo environments that may have at one time been planned for Halo Infinite DLC. But the biggest reveal is saved for last: an image that is the community's first full look at the Endless. This new enemy faction was teased in Halo Infinite via the Harbinger, a member of an advanced race that was imprisoned by the Forerunners on Zeta Halo due to their ability to survive the firing of the Halo rings.

In the blog the Endless are referred to as the Xalanyn, children of Abaddon. Wakeford doesn't elaborate further, but states that he hopes the image will "spark your imagination and let your canon curiosities run wild with endless questions."

Each member of the Endless looks wildly different. Some appear vaguely humanoid, while others look more like some type of sea creature. Every Endless member appears alongside a smaller creature that is reminiscent of their Endless counterpart. The Harbinger appears in the image alongside a Skimmer, a new enemy type encountered in Halo Infinite. 

The image seems to point towards the Endless being almost a replacement of sorts for Halo's traditional Covenant faction, with each Endless supplying a smaller enemy type the Master Chief would have to battle against. Interestingly, an Engineer, an alien race used by the Covenant and seen in previous entries in the franchise, appears alongside a similar looking Endless in the image. This looks to imply the Engineers themselves were created or in some way linked to the Endless.

Unfortunately, this may be Halo fans' first, and last, look at the Endless. According to Halo insider Rebs Gaming, nobody at Halo Studios is currently involved in Activision's new Halo. Activision may completely disregard Halo Studios' work in favor of a clean slate, though Rebs does state Activision's game, while not a direct sequel to Halo Infinite, also won't "retcon any previously established canon." 

Halo's move to Activision comes as Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has put a renewed emphasis on big franchises as part of her "Xbox reset" strategy that has seen widespread layoffs, game cancellations, and studio divestitures.

007 First Light is already out, but it's still accumulating wishlists on Steam, and now that it's passed 7 million wishlists, a very good boy has been added to the game.

With 7 million wishlists, IO Interactive has added Jack the bulldog to the game via its TacSim lobby for everyone. Jack, as a statue model, made his James Bond debut in the 2012 movie Skyfall, sitting on M's desk. The statue survived when the office exploded, though its face got cracked and Union Jack flag was charred. Jack went on to appear in Spectre and No Time To Die. Now, he's alive, and he's in First Light.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/zdKJszWAfwc

IO says Jack should be a "warm, loyal presence" for players between missions, and yes, you can pet the dog.

"Gruff on the outside but endlessly good-natured, Jack has quickly become something of a fixture around MI6, with Bond himself growing rather fond of him between assignments," IO said.

Jack the Bulldog.

In other news, First Light's free Extended Operations DLC is out now, introducing New Game+, a new 00 difficulty mode, and a Photo Mode. The update also adds more TacSim content, including a new mission set in Vietnam.

007 First Light is currently 30% off right now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, bringing it down to $49. A Switch 2 version is coming in March 2027.

A First Light sequel sounds like a matter of when, not if, but it remains to be confirmed.

This is all happening just after October 5, which is James Bond Day. This commemorates the anniversary of the first movie Dr. No's release on October 5, 1962. Coinciding with this, all the James Bond movies were just added to Prime Video.

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Star Wars Zero Company released in late August to great reviews, but its launch was bittersweet, as a large chunk of developer Bit Reactor's staff was furloughed, unsure if they would be returning to work. For at least a portion of them, however, that uncertainty is over, as they're back at the studio.

Speaking to Game File, Bit Reactor CEO Greg Foertsch said the studio had "started the process of returning more of our team back to work" but stopped short of giving specific percentages or figures. Game File's sources said the headcount following this return is more than half of what is was pre-furlough, but it's unclear when or if more staff will return in the future. A lawsuit involving Foertsch and co-founder Alison Kelly is currently ongoing, as well.

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

Games in genres as niche as turn-based tactics can sometimes struggle to make a major impact, but Star Wars Zero Company is about as good as these games get. Alongside a surprisingly approachable prequel-era story, the game mixes classic XCOM-style combat with some unique Star Wars twists, like force-pulling enemies out of cover so they can be obliterated by your blasters.

In our Star Wars Zero Company review, Steve Watts called it "the next great evolution of the genre." For a different twist on Star Wars once you're finished with Zero Company, you can now grab the excellent Star Wars Galactic Racer, as well.

Paradox Interactive has announced Cities: Skylines - Expanded Edition, a Nintendo Switch 2 port of Colossal Order's hit 2015 city-builder. While it's great to see Cities: Skylines make its way to a new platform, this announcement also serves as a reminder that we have no idea when the long-awaited console ports of Cities: Skylines 2 will come out.

Cities: Skylines - Expanded Edition was developed by Tantalus Media, the team behind The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword's Switch port. It'll cost $49, include 10 expansions, expand the buildable area to 25 tiles, support keyboard and mouse, and add a map editor, plus better precision placement and environmental controls. Players can choose between a 30fps mode that focuses on visual quality or a performance mode targeting 60fps.

The Switch 2 port launches on October 28 and will be available at a 70% discount to those who already own the Switch 1 version. Holiday Getaways, Mansions & Manors, and Blueprint Beasts Radio content creator packs will be released for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One versions of the game on the same day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2HnKgl-HV0

While the original Cities: Skylines continues to be updated and ported to new platforms, Cities: Skylines 2 and its prospective console ports have had a much rockier journey. That sequel was supposed to be released the same day on PC and console in October 2023, but the console ports were pushed back to Spring 2024 ahead of release. When the PC version of Cities: Skylines 2 launched, it was riddled with bugs and other issues, and developer Colossal Order spent months fixing them.

In Spring 2024, the console ports of Cities: Skylines 2 were delayed again, this time to October 2024. Unfortunately, the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ports were delayed again, and the developers admitted, "We have not yet met the stability and performance targets we set for the console release." Over two years later, the port is still not out.

In November 2025, Iceflake Studios took over development of Cities: Skylines 2 from Colossal Order, teasing that it will do "continuous work on the Editor and console editions." We have not heard anything about console ports of Cities: Skylines 2 since then.

As Tanatlus Media developed Cities: Skylines - Expanded Edition for Switch 2, not Iceflake Studios, it's unlikely the releases are connected in any significant way. Still, the status of the Cities: Skylines 2 console ports remains a mystery, further complicated by this Switch 2 port announcement and the reveal of Lego Skylines for PC and console.