Rockstar Games has removed a fan-made mission simulating the assassination of Charlie Kirk from its popular online crime sim Grand Theft Auto Online, with the publisher even banning the conservative activist's name to prevent similar missions from appearing.

As reported by IGN, developer Rockstar North introduced a new feature in the A Safehouse in the Hills update on December 10, allowing GTA Online players to create and share unofficial missions within the game. Not long after the tool was released, however, users began populating the mission directory with recreations of Charlie Kirk's assassination, with one titled "We are Charlie Kirk" being perhaps the most prominent of them.

Now, according to a January 13 Variety report, Rockstar Games has removed this and added Kirk's name to its repository of banned words. Sources told Variety that the "profanity filter" the company refers to internally will be renamed to underscore that the tool isn't used only to flag obscenities but also various harmful content, too.

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The launch of Hytale in early access yesterday saw over 400,000 people watching the game on Twitch. There is also speculation that the Minecraft-inspired sandbox game has reached almost 3 million sales, though there's confusion around that number currently.

PC Gamer reported on the Hytale's popularity on Twitch, citing 420,000 viewers on January 13. At the time of publication, Hytale has around 112,000 viewers on Twitch, putting it only behind games like League of Legends and Grand Theft Auto V. In addition, a massive rumored concurrent-players for Hytale has been making the rounds, though the figure--2.8 million--seems too good to be true. It all stems from a stream posted by Hytale News on YouTube. GameSpot has reached out to developer Hypixel Studios about the statistic.

The Best Confirmed Hytale Mods So FarSee More

Keep in mind PUBG holds the Steam record for most concurrent players with over 3.2 million people in January 2018. So, it's seemingly hard to believe Hytale is close to that achievement within 24 hours of release, especially considering you need to download the game from the Hytale website.

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Cygames, the developer and publisher behind the popular series of Granblue Fantasy video games, just opened an AI-focused studio. In response to the backlash toward this announcement, Cygames put out a message trying to assuage players' fears about generative AI's use in its games. The message isn't very reassuring, though.

This kerfuffle started on January 9, when a post on Cygames' Japanese website revealed that Cygames AI Studio had been established. The announcement explains that this new studio will research and develop its own models and provide services to others while drawing on Cygames' game development history and expertise.

The use of artificial intelligence, specifically generative AI, has become a very hot-button issue in the video game industry as of late. Games like Arc Raiders and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 have faced backlash over their use of the technology, and each new AI-related gaming announcement online usually draws the ire of fans.

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Actor Ron Perlman is known in Fallout fandom for delivering the now-iconic voice line, "War. War never changes." Perlman will forever be associated with this line and Fallout in general, and now the actor has revealed how he was compensated for the original Fallout game.

"They invited me to do the very first Fallout and gave me $40 and a sandwich," he said in a recent appearance on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, as reported by Dexerto.

The original Fallout game, which was made by Interplay, was released in 1997. It wasn't until some time later that Perlman became aware of the phenomenon that became Fallout.

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The big 3.0 update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons has gone live earlier than expected, bringing with it several major upgrades to the popular--and cozy--game ahead of its Switch 2 release on January 15. If you own it and haven't visited your island getaway in quite some time, you'll be prompted on the Switch screen to update your game. Alternatively, pressing the "+" button on the game's tile and selecting "Software Update" will start the process.

Official patch notes have not yet been released, but Nintendo previously outlined what players can expect from the 3.0 update. Villagers can now catch some Zs on Slumber Islands; there's the new Resort Hotel building you can visit, and Tom Bell is also present with a scheme to make some extra Bells.

Home storage capacity has been significantly increased, new Nintendo items can be purchased, and Resetti's Reset Service lets you clear out flowers, furniture, and more in bulk from your island. On top of all that, there'll also be collaborations with Splatoon, The Legend of Zelda, and Lego.

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Arc Raiders is getting a very short update in the middle of January, but it's one that was needed to nerf the power of two weapons: the Trigger 'Nade and Kettle. Embark Studios acknowledged the issues with both when laying out the details for Arc Raiders' 1.11.0 update.

According to Embark, the Kettle's maximum fire rate of 600 was "only realistically reachable by players using macros." In other words, it played right into the hands of cheaters who were using outside software for an unfair advantage in the game. After the update, the Kettle can only reach a maximum fire rate of 450.

Similarly, Embark noted that the Trigger 'Nade was dominating PvP battles and players used it more than any other grenade in the game. The nerf for this weapon is limiting the radius of damage to the center of the explosion and increasing the time it takes to detonate to 1.5 seconds to give opposing players a chance to react when it's deployed. This was also meant to make it harder for players to use it as a "trigger-in-air" grenade.

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Rockstar's battle with the The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain went to court last week, in an effort to determine whether more than 30 employees accused of "gross misconduct" were in fact unfairly dismissed. While Rockstar accused the fired developers of sharing important confidential information, it seems that at least some of that information has now been made public via the court case--including some very early details on what may be GTA 6 Online.

People Make Games has been reporting on the faceoff between Rockstar Games and the IWGB since the start, and recently released a video covering the court proceedings so far. As part of the preliminary hearing, Rockstar's legal representative mentioned a "top-secret element of GTA 6," which he said was so confidential he didn't feel confident speaking about it out loud, instead asking the judge to read it in private.

Despite the supposedly top secret nature of this evidence, People Make Games was able to make an appointment to view the documents, as Rockstar had not applied for reporting restrictions to be placed upon the evidence. He has now reproduced those messages in full, showing an apparent conversation by a fired employee who was frustrated at not being able to book time off after Rockstar started cracking down on the number of employees being granted leave at one time.

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The new year has barely begun, but Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, Premium, and Essential subscribers are getting their first Free Play Days of 2026 this weekend. From January 15-18, players who participate in the event will get to play one of the most popular sports games in the world, EA Sports FC 26, for free.

To get the word out, EA and Xbox shared a video of retired German soccer player Toni Kroos--who played for Real Madrid for a decade--working the phones and reconnecting with people.

Now *that's* customer service
Play FC26 and more for free during EA SPORTS #FreePlayDays January 15-18: https://t.co/yeraPKkVEM pic.twitter.com/bgBrCrRd4s

— Xbox (@Xbox) January 13, 2026

Game Pass Premium and Essential cost $15 and $10 a month, respectively. However, Microsoft is currently running a special deal that will let players try Premium for 14 days for only $1. Essential is also getting a $1 preview period, but for 30 days instead of 14. Unfortunately, Game Pass Ultimate isn't getting a discount at this time and the price remains $30 per month.

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Roblox has begun the global rollout of its facial age-check system, which will be required for all players who want to access in-game chat. The rollout has not gone smoothly so far, with some players' ages being wildly miscalculated, others finding workarounds, and some flat out refusing to engage with the verification system due to privacy concerns.

Roblox's age verification system first started rolling out in Australia, New Zealand, and the Netherlands in early December, and now will be extended to all regions where chat is available. The AI-powered age check, which estimates a user's age by analyzing their face, must be completed to unlock chat features. Users over 13 have the option of verifying their age using ID instead.

The estimated ages are used by Roblox to lock off chat with users who are outside of a person's age range--for example, a 13-year-old can chat with users between the ages of nine and 17, while a 16-year-old can chat with users aged 13-20. The new age check is designed to safeguard children from predators, following intense scrutiny on Roblox from legislators, the media, and concerned parents. However, users have quickly proven how easily it can be bypassed.

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High on Life 2 (Switch 2)

$60 | Releases April 20

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High on Life 2 (PS5)

$60 | Releases April 20

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High on Life: "Game of the Year Edition" (Switch)

$50 | Releases January 23

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High on Life 2, the sequel to Squanch Games' FPS with foul-mouthed weapons, is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. After much fan speculation and rumors, a Switch 2 port has been confirmed for April 20. The physical edition for Switch 2 is available to preorder now for $60 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop. High on Life 2's digital editions are currently slated to launch February 13 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Unfortunately, the physical edition for PlayStation 5 has been pushed back and will now launch alongside the Switch 2 version in April.

While you wait for the sequel to arrive, you can catch up or revisit the first game by picking up High on Life's "Game of the Year Edition" for Nintendo Switch when it arrives at Amazon on January 23. Limited Run Games also just announced a physical edition of High on Life for Switch 2. If you'd rather not wait, you can snag the Switch edition and immediately upgrade to the Switch 2 version for free. The Switch 2 Upgrade Pack offers marked performance boosts and visual enhancements.

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Battle Angel Alita: Deluxe Edition Series Box Set (Hardcover)

$80 (was $180)

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One of the best cyberpunk manga of all time is on sale for an incredible price at Amazon. Battle Angel Alita's Deluxe Edition Series Box Set collects the complete original run in premium hardcover format. The Deluxe Edition Series Box Set is on sale for $100 off, dropping the price from $180 all the way down to $80. This is the best deal ever for the six-volume, 2,392-page collection, and this says a lot considering it was published in December 2018 by Kodansha Comics.

And if you're interested in Battle Angel Alita's hardcover collection, you may also want to check out Kodansha's upcoming Ghost in the Shell hardcover set. Scheduled to release February 17, The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Deluxe Box Set is available to preorder for $119 (was $140) at Amazon.

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Nearly a decade on from launch, Pokemon Go continues to add new features and quality-of-life improvements. Following the big leveling revamp back in October, the game has now introduced another highly requested feature: Remote Trades.

Just as Remote Raids allow you to participate in a Raid Battle from anywhere in the world, Remote Trades allow you to exchange Pokemon with another player, regardless of where you both are. However, the feature comes with a few caveats, most notable among them being that it's locked behind a new friendship level called Forever Friends.

Here's everything you need to know about Remote Trades, including how it works, what Pokemon are ineligible, and how to become Forever Friends with another player.

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Battle Royale: Deluxe Edition Volume 1

$44 (was $55) | Releases January 27

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Battle Royale has been a controversial IP since its first release, starting life as a book and then becoming a cult-classic movie. The franchise's success in print and on the big screen led to an inevitable manga adaptation, which returns later this month in a snazzy Deluxe Edition format. The first volume of the Battle Royale: Deluxe Edition will be available starting January 27, and preorders are available at Amazon--and best of all, it's currently discounted to $44 ahead of launch, saving you 20% off its standard $55 MSRP.

Battle Royale: Deluxe Edition Volume 1 $44 (was $55) | Releases January 27

Battle Royale: Deluxe Edition Volume 1 is a 604-page, leather-bound hardcover omnibus featuring the first three volumes of the original manga series that ran from 2000 to 2005. It's unclear if the Deluxe Edition's publisher Yen Press is including a new--hopefully more faithful--translation or the controversial script from the English editions published by TokyoPop. While the Japanese version of the manga closely follows the original novel's plot, the English adaptation--handled by veteran comic book writer Keith Griffen--made substantial changes, resulting in several major plot holes in the later volumes.

Either way, considering TokyoPop's releases have been out of print for several years, this new Deluxe Edition will be the easiest way to read the manga adaptation of the wildly popular franchise. Volume 1 launches on January 27, and we expect the next volumes in the series to go up for preorder in the near future.

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Battle Royale would receive several sequel manga series over the years, but most of these are also hard to find due to their limited print runs. The most recent series in the IP is Battle Royale: Enforcers, which began serialization in 2022. Set decades after the original series, Enforcers takes place in the same universe. After a government artificial intelligence reactivates the infamous Program 68, the unruly kids of Daitoa Academy's Class F find themselves divided into squads, given weapons, and set loose to fight each other to the death. So far, four paperback volumes of the series have been released and translated into English.

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Meta has shut down three of Oculus Studios' internal developers, new reporting has revealed. Twisted Pixel Games, Sanzaru Games, and Armature Studio have all been impacted.

Outlets suchs as The New York Times indicated that cuts were coming to Meta's Reality Labs business, which encompasses first-party VR game development. On Tuesday, developers from the three aforementioned studios posted on X and other social media websites, indicating that they had lost their jobs.

UploadVR confirmed that the entirety of Twisted Pixel Games, Sanzaru Games, and Armature Studios were impacted as part of this round of Meta layoffs. In a statement to Polygon, Meta's Tracy Clayton says these cuts were made so the company could focus on Wearables like its Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses.

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So much time has passed between Fallout games that modern players may believe the lighthearted comedic tone of Fallout 4, Fallout '76, and Prime Video's Fallout series were the way the franchise has always been portrayed. But Chris Avellone--one of the designers of Fallout 2 and a writer for Fallout: New Vegas--believes that Bethesda has lost sight of the way that the games were originally intended to be received.

When asked on X whether Bethesda hates the franchise, Avellone responded, "They just don't fully understand its roots and arguably, don't care--they own the franchise, and they just want to do their spin on Fallout and make that the norm. This usually translates into a colorful, shallow theme park (with some interesting DLC exceptions, like Far Harbor, Point Lookout--and I was one of the ones who liked The Pitt)--still, theme parks are fun for some folks, so if people enjoy it, that's fine with me."

This usually translates into a colorful, shallow theme park (with some interesting DLC exceptions, like Far Harbor, Point Lookout - and I was one of the ones who liked The Pitt) – still, theme parks are fun for some folks, so if people enjoy it, that’s fine with me.

— Chris Avellone (@ChrisAvellone) January 9, 2026

Avellone went on to explain that he doesn't hate Bethesda, and he praised the publisher's open-world games before calling out its weaknesses regarding its linear stories and "their inability to understand how to use the Speech skill. But every developer has their pros and cons."

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Bluey: The Videogame - Gnome Plush Bundle

$27 (was $50) | Amazon Exclusive

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Bluey fans can save big on an adorable Amazon-exclusive edition of the official video game based on the animated series. Bluey: The Videogame - Gnome Plush Bundle for Nintendo Switch is on sale for only $27 (was $50). The bundle launched October 17, so it's probably not surprising that Amazon's current price is the best yet. The standard physical edition of Bluey: The Videogame for Switch is on sale for $18 (was $40) at Amazon, so you're only paying $9 more for the bundle edition.

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The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Manga Box Set

$119 (was $140) | Releases February 17

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Ghost in the Shell is widely considered one of the greatest cyberpunk anime movies of all time, but before its big screen debut, it was a hit manga series. Created by Masamune Shirow, the manga has been around since 1989, and in 2026, the ultimate edition of it will be released. Available to preorder for $112 (was $140) ahead of its release on February 17, The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Box Set brings the original Japanese manga to the West in a high-quality and uncensored package.

The Ghost in the Shell Legacy Edition Manga Box Set $119 (was $140) | Releases February 17

The new Legacy Edition is a deluxe hardcover box set of the Ghost in the Shell manga and its sequels, The Ghost in the Shell 1.5: Human Error Processor and The Ghost in the Shell 2.0: Man-Machine Interface. This reprint includes the original Japanese version of the manga, with restored scenes and artwork that Shirow himself edited out of the western release. Each book comes in a premium slipcase featuring brand-new illustrations by Shirow.

The box set also includes a collection of multicolored Fuchikoma robot stickers, a double-sided poster with Shirow explaining his artistic process, and 10 posters from the rare, limited-edition 1997 Cyberdelics release. Each poster is 10 inches wide and features etched metallic paper, vinyl stock, and holographic spot gloss. They come rolled and packed inside a protective box.

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If you don't feel like waiting for this collector's edition, you can pick up the Ghost in the Shell: Fully Compiled hardcover set for $31.71 (was $55). While this is the censored version, it's still a hard-hitting collection of manga with plenty of graphic violence and mature themes at its core. The hardcover is over 800 pages in size, and it includes all the manga series, the "lost" stories from Ghost in the Shell 2: Man-Machine Interface, notes on the series, all of the original cover pages, and cover art that Shirow illustrated specially for it.

Set in a not-so-distant future, Ghost in the Shell follows the cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi and other members of the counter-terrorist group Section 9. The cyberpunk manga examines how crime has evolved in this new age of brain jacks, neural chips, military drones, and optical camo. The manga was adapted into a film in 1995, which remains a landmark piece of animation that influenced a generation of anime and Western filmmakers alike, including the Matrix trilogy. If you're interested in checking out the Ghost in the Shell film, it made the leap to 4K a few years ago. This version includes an audio commentary, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and the original theatrical trailer. The film spawned its own unique sequels, spin-offs, and reboots, including Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence and the acclaimed Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex anime series. The series even got a live action adaptation of the original film in 2017 starring Scarlet Johansen. While the film received middling reviews, it at least captured some of the anime and manga's signature visuals.

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The Boy and the Beast Limited-Edition Steelbook 4K Blu-ray

$37 | Releases March 17

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The Boy and the Beast (Blu-ray)

$27 | Releases March 17

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Anime fans looking to complete their collection of Mamoru Hosoda-directed steelbooks are in luck, as The Boy and the Beast is getting a new 4K Blu-ray release later this year. Priced at $37 ahead of its March 17 release--and $27 for the standard Blu-ray version-- the film tells a touching story about a master and his student as they learn from each other and join forces to repel a sinister threat. This version of the film will be sold exclusively through Amazon.

The Boy and the Beast Limited-Edition Steelbook 4K Blu-ray $37 | Releases March 17

This new Blu-ray edition of The Boy and the Beast features artwork of the protagonists as they train on a rooftop during a Shibuya sunset. Bonus materials for this release include a "Making of The Boy and the Beast" featurette, promotional videos, cast and crew commentary tracks, and a collection of trailers.

The Boy and the Beast special features

• Making of The Boy and the Beast
• Promotional video collection
• Cast commentary
• Key staff commentary
• Teasers and trailers

Preorder at Amazon The Boy and the Beast (Blu-ray) $27 | Releases March 17

The Boy and the Beast will also be available as a new standard Blu-ray release. This version includes all of the extras above, and a different cover that features the protagonists Kyuta and Kumatetsu training together.

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Released in 2015, The Boy and the Beast tells the story of Kyuta, a young boy living on the streets of Shibuya, after he is taken in by Kumatetsu, a rough-around-the-edges warrior from the Beast Kingdom who has been searching for an apprentice. Despite their differences and bickering, the duo quickly bonds during their training sessions and learn from each other. When an evil force arises, the pair's bond is put to the ultimate test as the fate of the world hangs in the balance.

The movie was a box-office hit and the second film produced by Hosoda's fledgling animation company, Studio Chizu. Almost all of Hosoda's other films have gotten 4K steelbook releases recently, so if you're looking to dive into expertly crafted anime movies that blend emotional storytelling with fantasy, you can pick these up for a pretty good price currently. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time put Hosoda on the map with its powerful story of time travel and teenage drama, and you can pick it up for just $34 (was $37).

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Hellblade developer Ninja Theory announced Project Mara in 2020, but it may not be going forward--and that might not be a very surprising thing. The game was described as an "experimental title that explores new ways of storytelling." Now, reporter Jez Corden has said the game was "only ever a concept" and was not guaranteed to be seen through to release anyway.

He added: "It could be developed into a game some day, or evolve into something else."

In 2020, Ninja Theory said Project Mara would be a "real-world and grounded representation of mental terror." The description continued: "Based on real lived experience accounts and in-depth research, our aim is to recreate the horrors of the mind as accurately and realistically as possible."

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After announcing a showcase for early 2026 last year, Capcom has now confirmed exactly when the event event will take place--January 15 at 2 PM PT / 5 PM ET.

The Resident Evil Showcase will include "brand-new gameplay and news" for Resident Evil Requiem, the newest entry in the series that's due for release on February 27. That's all that Capcom has confirmed thus far, so it remains to be seen what else the company may have on tap.

In addition to the new game, Sony is producing a new Resident Evil movie, with Weapons and Barbarian director Zach Cregger directing. The movie is coming this October.

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