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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Cassette Boy looks like a 2D game, but its world is actually 3D. In order to solve its puzzles, you will have to turn and twist the map around, changing the perspective. Things that you can't see from your perspective, for example because they're hidden behind a wall, stop existing - this is called the "Schrodinger system." Hide obstacles out of sight and out of mind or reveal secret passages to advance through the game. Of course, solving puzzles won't be enough. You'll have to pick up weapons and face monsters and bosses as well. Enemies, puzzles, and more await you in this mysterious world!

“SHE WAS 98” is a first-person psychological horror with a creepy, pressurizing atmosphere. You are a young man, the grandson of an almost century-old grandmother who is living out her days in her once cozy but long dilapidated apartment. Her relatives have long ago withdrawn from her, the medics speak of “senile dementia”, but you come to care for her - out of duty? Or in the hope that after her death the apartment will be left to you? Everything starts as a routine: pills by the hour, quiet evenings, the smell of dust and mothballs. But grandma's acting, uh. strange. Sometimes she looks at you like she doesn't recognize you. Sometimes she looks at you like she sees someone else. At night you wake up to her footsteps behind the wall. Or is that not her? "SHE WAS 98" is a story of fear, self-interest and payback. The line between victim and hunter blurs, and every step you take brings you closer to a secret that might be better left unknown.

High on Life 2 (Switch 2)

$60 | Releases April 20

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High on Life 2 (PS5)

$60 | Releases April 20

Preorder at Amazon Preorder at Best Buy Preorder at GameStop Preorder at Target

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

$50 | Releases January 23

Preorder at Amazon See Switch 2 Edition

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)

See at Amazon

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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