Nintendo shares have seen their biggest drop in 18 months, after the company's quarterly earnings call revealed a decline in profit margins and saw executives fending off rumors of a Switch 2 price hike.

The Japanese gaming company's stock fell as much as 11% in a single day following the earnings call, Bloomberg reports. While the Switch 2 continued to sell well, selling just over 7 million units this quarter to beat the average analyst estimate of 6.5 million, the new console's lower profit margins saw the company's profit ratio take a dip. Despite sales and income mostly trending upwards, Nintendo's profit nevertheless failed to meet projections.

Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa acknowledged that the company was feeling pressure from a difficult market, with component costs increasing due to the AI boom, but said the company is well-positioned to handle it for now. "We are engaging in long-term discussions with our suppliers to ensure we maintain a stable intake of chips," Furukawa said. "We do not expect major impact during the fourth quarter of this year. However, from the next fiscal year onward, if this price hike lasts longer than anticipated, it could potentially put pressure on our profitability."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

AMD, which was confirmed last year to be in a "strategic, multiyear" partnership with Xbox to build its next generation of consoles, has hinted that a new Xbox home console could launch as early as 2027.

As part of AMD's quarterly earnings call, CEO Lisa Su revealed that an Xbox console launch could be coming up sooner than expected, The Verge reports. "Development of Microsoft's next-gen Xbox, featuring an AMD semi-custom SoC, is progressing well to support a launch in 2027," Su revealed as part of AMD's prepared remarks.

The statement doesn't confirm that a new Xbox will release in 2027, but it shows that at least AMD's side of the partnership will be ready should Microsoft opt for a 2027 release date. Xbox shared some details on its next-gen console plans when it announced the AMD partnership last year, teasing a new generation of Xbox hardware "in your living room and in your hands." Microsoft promised the AMD-powered console would deliver more immersive gameplay and higher visual fidelity, all enhanced by AI capabilities.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Despite Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick's enthusiasm for AI in game development, he has promised that generative AI "has zero part in what Rockstar Games is building" when it comes to Grand Theft Auto 6. The statement comes after Take-Two stock plummeted following Google's announcement of its new AI world-generation tool Project Genie.

Zelnick isn't shy about the use of AI within Take-Two, telling GamesIndustry.biz that the company is making extensive use of AI and machine learning and "always has." This includes generative AI tools, which Zelnick says "are driving costs and time efficiencies" within the company.

"On the topic of AI, I've been enthusiastic since the very beginning," he said ahead of the company's Q3 earnings call. "This company's products have always been built with machine learning and artificial intelligence. We've actually always been a leader in the space, and right now we have hundreds of pilots and implementations across our company, including within our studios."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Marvel actor Danny Ramirez had to drop out of The Last of Us Season 3 due to a scheduling conflict, and now his replacement as Manny has been named.

Actor Jorge Lendeborg Jr., known for his roles in Spider-Man: Homecoming and Bumblebee, is stepping in to play Manny, Deadline reported.

What's more, Clea DuVall has joined the cast for Season 3, but there is no word yet as to who she may play. DuVall is known for her roles on the TV shows The Handmaid's Tale and Veep.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

After eight years, the Epic Games Store has established itself as a viable alternative to Steam. Valve's storefront is still the largest digital marketplace for PC games, but Epic says that it never aimed to dethrone it. Epic Games Store general manager Steve Allison says that the company is aware of this and instead strives to co-exist in this ecosystem alongside Steam.

"Steam is a huge part of the PC ecosystem," Allison said to Games Industry Biz. "It's not going away. We're not going to topple Steam. PC gaming, by virtue of the competition and by virtue of us existing, has grown. That growth, per se, may or may not be attributed to all of us competing, but players are shifting a lot of their hobby from consoles to PC. Of course, we'd be thrilled to be 50% or more market share of PC."

Even with Epic estimating that it attracts roughly a 35 - 40% share of monthly active users, it believes the storefront accounts for only 5 - 8% of spending. That's not an insignificant sum, as Epic posted its year-in-review stats this week and confirmed that over $1 billion was spent in the store throughout 2025. Epic plans to attract more PC gamers, starting with a complete overhaul of the Epic Games Store that should deliver a faster, smoother shopping experience.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Fallout season two's long journey has finally reached its end. While this season spent a lot of time following our heroes through Mojave Wasteland, last week set up the final stakes. The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) made his way into the Lucky 38 and reactivated Mr. House (Justin Theroux), Maximus (Aaron Moten) found his fight against the vicious Deathclaws bleed into Freeside, and Lucy (Ella Purnell) faced a moral dilemma as she came face-to-face with the mainframe of the Automated Man devices, which are now fully functioning thanks to her father Hank (Kyle Maclaclan). With all these storylines finally reaching their apexes, it's time to dive into what choices our heroes made.

The episode opens up with a bloody civil conflict amongst Caesar’s Legion. In the chaos, Lacerta Legate (Macaulay Culkin) manages to get his hands on Caesar’s corpse and drag it to his tent where he learns that his final will was for the Legion to die with him. Refusing this fate for the Legion, Lacerta kills the nearby soldiers and destroys the will, taking the golden laurels for himself. Officially crowning himself as the new Caesar, he unites the Legion and vows to march into New Vegas to establish a new “Palace.” This is met with thunderous applause.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

All points came to a head this week in New Vegas for the Fallout season two finale. While this season spent a lot of time giving us a glimpse into how the Mojave Wasteland had changed since we last saw it in Fallout: New Vegas, the finale delivered on being an immensely satisfying ending while also setting up bombshells that we can’t wait to see play out in season three. With lots of build up comes lots of opportunity to slip in easter eggs and references from the video games and beyond, so let’s take a look at what was shown this week.

Caesar’s Palace

The finale showed Legate Lacerta (Macaulay Culkin) take over the Legion as the new Caesar. After committing bloodthirsty acts of murder, he promises to lead the Legion to the New Vegas strip with hopes of building a new “palace” for them to call their own. This is a winking nod to the real life Caesar’s Palace resort and casino located on the Las Vegas strip. Opened in 1966, it's one of the oldest operating hotels in Las Vegas and features impeccable Roman theming. The resort was most famously featured as the main setting for the 2009 film The Hangover.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Lego The Lord of the Rings: Sauron's Helmet (538 pieces)

$70 | Releases March 1

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Lego Store

This year marks the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and this spiky Lego replica of the film trilogy's big bad's helmet is a great way to celebrate the milestone. The Fellowship of the Ring wasted no time in introducing Sauron as an almost unstoppable force of evil, and the Lego set perfectly recreates his intimidating helmet as a display piece for your shelf. Priced at $70, it'll be released on March 1.

Lego The Lord of the Rings: Sauron's Helmet (538 pieces) $70 | Releases March 1

Like its other busts, the 538-piece Sauron helmet is designed for adult collectors. In addition to all the pieces that you'll use to craft a detailed replica of the helmet, you'll also build a display stand and a name plaque. A Sauron minifigure holding The One Ring completes the set, and it measures over 13 inches high and five inches wide once fully constructed. Just like the real-life prop designed by Weta Workshop, the completed helmet features imposing horns and a menacing glare, but with a Lego twist.

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Lego Store

Another great Lego Lord of the Rings set is the $460 Barad-dûr Dark Tower. A massive 5,471-piece kit, this is a replica of the infamous location that housed the Eye of Sauron, and it stands nearly three feet tall once fully assembled. The Lego recreation of the dreaded building has five levels and several cool Easter eggs, like a secret passageway to the Palantir chamber. It also comes with 10 minifigures, including Sauron, the Mouth of Sauron, Gollum, Frodo Baggins, Samwise Gamgee, Gothmog, and several Orcs. New stock is on its way to the Lego Store, but you can also get it through Amazon and Best Buy right now.

If you need a smaller Lord of the Rings set, there are plenty of other options to choose from. The $270 Shire set is a vibrant recreation of Bilbo Baggins’ hobbit hole, and it includes nine minifigures to help you recreate Bilbo's 111th birthday party. You can also build something grander, like the Elf stronghold of Rivendell, and add some "you shall not pass!" flair to your bookshelf with the Balrog Book Nook.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Grand Theft Auto VI is coming this year after a long wait, and as it gets closer, rumors have begun to pop up about its launch. One rumor that has gained considerable traction is that the game would launch as a digital-only title, with a physical release coming at some point after release. The logic behind the rumor was that a physical release of the game could lead to early leaks ahead of the game's launch, and that publisher Take-Two might be willing to go to great lengths to avoid this.

As it turns out, though, this is not the plan. Talking to Variety following an earnings call, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed that the publisher does not intend to delay the game's physical release. When asked directly about the rumor that the game will not be available physically on launch day to avoid potential leaks, Zelnick gave a straightforward response: "That's not the plan".

Based on this, it seems that you'll be able to buy the game on disc on launch day if that's your preference, which is good news for physical games stores around the world. Zelnick also said that the game's release date, November 19, 2026, is still locked in, although rumors will likely continue to circulate right through to release date--there's speculation that the game will carry a larger-than-normal price tag, for instance.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

In a recently-released roadmap for the future of Borderlands 4, one milestone was suspiciously absent--the game's Switch 2 port, which was previously delayed indefinitely just 10 days before its original launch date. Now, publisher Take-Two Interactive has revealed why that's the case, and it's not good news for anyone holding out for the game on Nintendo's hybrid console.

In an interview with Variety, spokesperson Alan Lewis has revealed that development on the Switch 2 version is paused. "We made the difficult decision to pause development on that SKU," he told the outlet, while affirming that the company is still committing to the system with upcoming games like PGA Tour 2K25 and WWE 2K26.

The use of the word "pause" indicates that development on the Switch 2 port of Borderlands 4 could, theoretically, resume in the future, as it's not technically cancelled, but there's no guarantee that this will happen. The game reportedly sold below expectations at launch, despite also having the biggest launch in the franchise's history.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Another Magic: The Gathering Secret Lair Superdrop is on its way, two weeks after the Fallout TV show featured in a quartet of themed drops. This time, however, there are seven drops themed around Dungeons & Dragons, and two of them focus on fan-favorite heroes from Baldur's Gate 3.

Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar

First is Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Shadowheart's Devotion, which highlights the half-elf cleric of Shar. Her legendary creature card from Battle for Baldur's Gate is among the five reprints in the drop, along with an ancient dragon and three cards that would synergize well with her in a Shadowheart commander deck:

• Shadowheart, Dark Justiciar
• Beseech the Queen
• Black Market
• Victimize
• Ancient Bronze Dragon

Gale, as he appears on Brainstorm

The other Baldur's Gate 3 drop is called Secret Lair x Dungeons & Dragons: Gale's Ambition, and it features the wizard from Waterdeep. Like Shadowheart, Gale's previous legendary creature card is paired with four other reprints that complement his powers:

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Recently, popular video game stocks like GTA 6 owner Take-Two ($TTWO), game development engine Unity ($U), and sandbox game Roblox ($RBLX) saw huge sell-offs that hammered share prices in the wake of Google's announcement of a new generative AI tool called Project Genie.

The product claims it can create worlds "generated in real time," and people quickly put it to use to create rip-offs of Mario and Fortnite, among many others. The generative AI tool seemingly spooked some investors, prompting the stocks to get hammered. But how big of a threat to the industry mainstays is Project Genie, or generative AI systems like it?

"Wall Street has lost the plot again"

Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics told GameSpot that "Wall Street has lost the plot again" and that generative AI is "not coming to eat the games industry."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

As part of Take-Two's earnings announcement today, the company confirmed that Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI remains on track for release on November 19, 2026. There was no reason to believe it might be delayed again, but the company said today that it remains on track.

GTA 6 was originally set to release in Fall 2025 before it shifted to May 26, 2026 and then again to November 19, 2026. Rockstar said it needed more time to make the game the best it could be.

Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick told IGN that marketing for GTA 6 will begin in earnest this summer. "Any time you're getting closer to marketing beats, you're obviously in a place where your confidence level is as high as it can be," he said of GTA 6 making it out on time this November.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

After a few weeks of rumors, Epic Games finally revealed that Chappell Roan will be the next Fortnite Festival headlining artist when the new music pass launches on Thursday, February 5. As is usually the case with these things, Roan will have a skin, the Pink Pony Club jam track, and other cosmetics on the new Heartcore music pass, along with an additional set of items and jam tracks available for direct purchase in the item shop.

Buying the music pass--which is included with Fortnite Crew, or can be purchased on its own for 1400 V-Bucks--will instantly unlock the Chappell Roan skin. Players can then unlock the rest of the items on the pass, including several musical instruments and an additional style for the Chappell Roan skin, by gaining XP in any Fortnite mode. There should be a number of jam tracks other than Pink Pony Club included on the pass, but we don't know what they are yet. And there will also be some free items on the pass that you can earn without buying it.

Gallery

Over in the shop, we'll have the Roan of Arc skin, with the singer sporting her iconic armored look from the 2024 VMAs. Roan will also be the first Festival Headliner to have a sidekick--a Pink Pony in the style of a Fortnite piñata--which will be part of her shop bundle. Typically, a season headliner also has at least two new jam tracks in the shop, but Epic's announcement didn't mention any new songs other than Pink Pony Club.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Resident Evil Requiem is just a few weeks away, but Alamo Drafthouse is starting the party early with its Resident Evil-inspired menu for its upcoming free screenings. Jill Valentine may not be in Requiem, but the original RE heroine is finally getting Jill's Sandwich, which is a play on the infamous line in the first game.

For the record, a Jill's Sandwich is comprised of double all-beef patties, applewood smoked bacon, melty cheese, pickles, a special burger sauce, and a butter-toasted bun. You can wash that down with a T-Virus Cocktail or a Blue Umbrella Serum, although the Drafthouse employees will probably give you a soda if you ask for it.

Jill's Sandwich

The other items on this menu are the Red + Green Herb Hot Dog Combo--which doesn't feature any healing effects from the herbs--and Bingo! Fried Chicken. These items are only available during the Raccoon City Cinema screenings from February 6-27. The films in this mini festival include The Cabin in the Woods, The Thing, The Ring, and Longlegs. The latter is an apt choice, since Longlegs star Maika Monroe recently appeared in a live-action trailer for Resident Evil Requiem.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Rainbow Six Siege creative director Alexander Karpazis is stepping down from his role on the game. Ubisoft announced in a blog post that Karpazis is giving up the role he's held since January 2022, with Ubisoft veteran Joshua Mills taking over in that role.

Karpazis had worked on Siege for eight years and was previously the game's art director before rising to become the overall creative director.

"I cannot put into words the number of ways this game has impacted my life; the incredible team that I have been a part of, the work we have achieved together, the adventures I have gone on, and the people I have met along the way have had a profound effect on me and have enriched my life season after season," Karpazis said. "It has been an honor spending half my professional career working on Siege."

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame is an impossible dream for most professional players, but that journey will be part of a new addition to MLB The Show 26. This year, the game will let players track their character through college and into the Major Leagues. And if they finish Road To The Show: Road to Cooperstown, then a spot in the Hall of Fame awaits.

The number of the college teams is increasing this year from 11 to 19, with University of Arkansas, University of Florida, Stanford University, and University of Michigan among the schools lending their names, logos, and roster to the game. MLB The Show 26 is also adding the College World Series format and bracket.

Diamond Dynasty is back the game as well, with the World Baseball Classic. Through this mode, baseball goes international with stops in the Tokyo Dome and Estadio Hiram Bithorn. Over 500 new gameplay animations have been added, as well as new hitting and pitching interfaces. Fresh rewards and challenges will also be offered through the game's live-service updates.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

With The Ghoul reactivating Mr. House, Lucy discovering the mainframe of her father’s devices, and Maximus having to protect Freeside, the penultimate episode of Fallout season two raised the stakes for an all-out finale in New Vegas. Yet for as much time as this episode dedicated to building up relationships and faction statuses, episode seven still delivered the goods when it came to action and references to the original games. With that being said, let’s dive right in to this week’s easter eggs:

New (California) Threads

When The Ghoul (Walton Goggins) and Maximus realize they need to stock up to battle the Deathclaws that are overrunning the strip, they head to a secret New California Republic armory. While at first nothing seems to stand out amongst the arsenal of weapons, a single piece stands out: an NCR themed suit of power armor. While we’re not quite sure why this even exists, there’s no denying the power of good brand recognition.

Not A Ghoul But Something Much Worse

Throughout the episode, Thaddeus’ (Johnny Pemberton) condition worsens. Curious as to when his nose will fall off, he shows The Ghoul an alarming new mutation he’s developed: a gaping mouth growing in the center of his chest (in addition to his arm falling off). Now while it’s not quite confirmed what exactly he turning into, it’s definitely not a ghoul. For my money, he’s showing signs of turning into a Centaur. One of the most horrifying creatures in the Fallout universe.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

MLB: The Show 26

$60 (Switch), $70 (PS5, Xbox) | Releases March 17

Preorder on Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at Walmart Preorder at GameStop

Sony Interactive Entertainment's popular baseball sim is back. MLB: The Show 26 launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch on March 17, 2026. Developed by Sony San Diego, this entry builds on the realistic baseball mechanics of past titles, offering an immersive digital way to experience America's favorite pastime. You can get the standard physical edition of the game for $70 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, and $60 for the Nintendo Switch version. Preorders are available now at multiple online retailers.

MLB: The Show 26 Preorder Bonuses

By preordering any version of MLB: The Show standard edition, you'll receive the Gold Choice Pack. For the Digital Deluxe Edition, preorders include the Gold Choice Pack and up to 4 days of early access to the full game, starting March 13 at 12:00 AM ET/March 12 9:00 PM PT. These bonuses are only available by securing your copy before the game's launch date.

Continue Reading at GameSpot

Putting AI elements in games has already become a bigger part of the industry, and now Sony wants AI to talk about games as well. Sony has filed a patent for a generative AI podcast that would be starring its video game characters.

The complete patent listing for Sony's LLM-based generative podcast for gamers puts forth some ambitious ideas even though it doesn't settle every issue that may arise from them. According to the listing, Sony sees these podcasts as a way to reach individual gamers with news tailored to their tastes that comes in the form of an audio or video podcast hosted by the main character or characters of a game recently played on the console.

Deepfake voices will sidestep the need for actors, as the LLM creates banter and a news-like program that delivers tips, gaming news, and more games of interest to the player in question. The patent doesn't state if the generative podcast would be limited to Sony's proprietary characters or if it would extend to characters from third-party games.

Continue Reading at GameSpot