Actor Deborah Ann Woll, who plays the main character Laufey AKA Faye in God of War Laufey, has further discussed the game and its story. The previous God of War games featured Kratos in the lead role, but Laufey focuses on Faye's story. Woll said in an interview that it feels "extraordinary" to think that some people will play the God of War game because the main character is a woman, and a woman played by a popular actor like she is.

"We need as much diversity as possible within these stories so that we can tell even more stories. This is all just about enjoying each other’s perspectives and widening our experiences. If I get to, in some small part, do that for women within gaming, I’m very excited about that," she told CGMagazine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szwYBVY7FsU&rco=1

Woll also pushed back against the idea that God of War Laufey is a game only for women--the themes are universal, she said.

"I think we find universality through specificity. And there is nothing about this experience that Faye is having that anyone else of any gender could not relate to," she said. "This is a story about a parent. This is a story about regret. This is about being a better person than who you were before. And are you enough? Can you possibly make up for those wrongs? It’s about preparing your family for your loss. What do you want to leave to them to make sure that they’re okay?"

She said these are all "universal ideas that don't have anything to do with gender."

"We’re just going to see it through this woman’s perspective. I think about the people who, maybe because of their childhood or their parents now really related to Kratos and Atreus’ story. And felt really seen by that. I love the idea that now we’ll have more people who feel seen by Faye’s story, and hopefully those same people will also feel seen by that," she said.

God of War Laufey is in development now for PS5, but the game does not have a release date yet. In addition to Faye, the game stars a gelatinous cube character named Phranque played by The Boys actor Jack Quaid.

Google is investing $75 million into the privately owned movie studio A24 for AI-based research, according to sources speaking to The Wall Street Journal. A24 is the film studio making the Elden Ring movie from director Alex Garland. It's also behind the upcoming Death Stranding movie from Pig director Michael Sarnoski.

Google is already heavily invested in the media space with its juggernaut YouTube platform, but this would be Google's first investment in a movie studio.

In a blog post, Google confirmed the reporting and said it was a "first-of-its-kind partnership."

"The collaboration pairs a world-leading research lab with the industry’s most filmmaker-forward studio to help artists develop new workflows and techniques. This ensures the tools of the future are shaped by the creators who use them," Google said.

The deal is for "deep research and collaboration" between A24 and Google "spanning multiple projects over time."

"By anchoring Google DeepMind's innovations directly within the creative process, A24 and its filmmakers can help shape new technology in service of their vision and expand their storytelling possibilities," Google said. "This hands-on collaboration provides Google DeepMind with invaluable feedback and guidance from leading artists. In addition, Google has made an investment in A24."

The statement added: "Looking ahead, the partnership represents the beginning of a collaborative journey, one rooted in research and shared curiosity. While the initial focus is on bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and next generation entertainment, the specific goals, technical outputs and creative milestones of this initiative will evolve over time. As A24 and Google DeepMind’s researchers work side-by-side to test, iterate and build, this partnership aims to expand what is possible in the future of entertainment."

Google will reportedly not get access to A24's content library or data, and there is no reason to believe any of these tools would be used in the Elden Ring or Death Stranding movies.

A24 is an independent company but has been ramping up lately, having raised funds in 2024 that led to a reported valuation of $3.5 billion.

A24 working with Google on AI research is likely to cause backlash, in part because A24 has a public perception of being more of a boutique, auetuer-driven studio. Beyond that, there is a growing trend of people rebelling against AI in general in all facets of life.

The movie studio landed its biggest hit ever this year with Backrooms, which has earned $272 million worldwide. It's A24's most commercially successful movie ever, well ahead of the No.2 movie, Marty Supreme ($191 million).

A24 has also signed Curry Barker (Obsession) to write and direct a new Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie.

AI has been a hot-button issue across all industries, including film. The SAG-AFTRA union went on strike in part due to concerns about AI. Video game actors also went on strike and won key AI protections.

CD Projekt joint CEO Michał Nowakowski  understands that some fans of the developer have lost faith in the company "indefinitely" following the Cyberpunk 2077 catastrophe. At the same time, the executive said the Polish developer feels optimistic about its chances to "make it back" with The Witcher 4.

Speaking to Edge (by way of GamesRadar), Nowakowski said Cyberpunk 2077's troubled launch in December 2020 was "heartbreaking" for the studio.

For anyone just catching up, Cyberpunk 2077 launched in a troubled state, and the game had such serious technical issues that Sony pulled it from the PlayStation Store, with players able to claim refunds.

A scene from Cyberpunk 2077.

Despite the issues at launch, Cyberpunk 2077 enjoyed one of the most commercially successful debuts in the history of video games, and CD Projekt's management team was handsomely rewarded with massive bonuses.

Cyberpunk 2077 was later reinstated on the PlayStation Store, and CD Projekt Red steadily supported the game with numerous patches over the years. It's now sold more than 35 million copies, reaching that number faster than The Witcher 3. The turnaround for the game, culminating with the game's 2.0 release and the launch of the Phantom Liberty expansion, was considered to be one of the most compelling turnaround stories in games.

But the reputational damage remains intact, Nowakowski said.

"I'm not 100% convinced we went through the full redemption arc," he said. "I'm convinced that we lost the faith of some people indefinitely, and that's a fair thing. But I do hope we will be able to make it back--if not with The Witcher 4, then with whatever comes next."

The Witcher 4 doesn't have a release date yet. It's one of multiple games in the works at CD Projekt Red, with some of the others being a remake of the original Witcher, a new IP, and a game with Saudi Arabia.

With people wondering if GTA 6 preorders will kickstart a new $80 era for standard edition PS5 and Xbox Series X|S games, one new release on Steam already has Rockstar Games beat: Congratulations On Your Purchase. The new red carpet-simulator launched not too long ago, and it can be yours for the mere price of $1,000.

Designed to be a "first-person luxury experience" set inside a palace, the Steam listing says that players can expect a red carpet, a chandelier, and a velvet rope barrier to protect them from "the wrong kind" of people. As for the gameplay, there is no combat, no enemies, no quests, no skill trees, and one box that contains only the feeling of having arrived somewhere important.

Developer Minimal Viable Prestige is also brutally honest about what you can expect from their debut game. "You paid for this. Not accidentally. Not on impulse. You saw the price. You read the description. And then you bought it anyway. Welcome."

For $1,000, I was expecting character models not to look squished.

Of course, players are protected, just in case they take a bad stumble near their PC, open up Steam, input their credit card details, and then click through several confirmation pages during their fall. Steam's refund policy allows for a game to be returned, provided that it hasn't been played for more than two hours or owned for more than two weeks.

Congratulations On Your Purchase might be expensive, but several other special editions of games have also been priced high over the years while offering more content overall in comparison. This $750 Stylish Edition of Resident Evil 6 came with a wearable replica of Leon S. Kennedy's leather jacket, and an $800 Assassin's Creed Origins collector's edition was limited to just 1,000 units.

If you had cash burning a hole in your pocket for a publicity stunt, there was the $190,000 edition of Grid 2 that included an actual car, one Dying Light player could get a custom-built zombie apocalypse shelter, and Saints Row 4 even offered to send you to space if you purchased the one-of-a-kind $1 million special edition.

Prefer not to spend $1,000 on a single game? Then check out our favorite recommendations from the recent Steam Next Fest. All the demos are free to play, and we're pretty certain that each game won't be too expensive when they eventually launch in full.

GTA 6 preorders go live on June 25, and ahead of that, one retailer posted listings for the game showing higher-than-expected price points. A prominent and reliable reporter, however, has said those were just placeholders.

The retailer fnac listed GTA 6's standard edition at €89.99, which is about $103 USD. The listings scaled all the way up to €199.99 ($230 USD). However, billbil-kun of the magazine Dealabs said these listings are just placeholders.

"So those prices are random ones," they wrote.

Many are expecting GTA 6's price for the standard edition to be more than $70, but that remains to be seen. In any event, $80 games are already here.

GTA 6 preorders will go live on June 25 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, so the long wait to find out how much the game will cost will soon be over. In addition to a standard edition, it's expected there will be premium versions people can buy. Many are also theorizing that Rockstar will release a new GTA 6 trailer this week to get people even more hyped up and encourage them to preorder the game.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. A PC edition of the game has not been announced, but history suggests it is coming ... eventually.

Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot died in plane crash on June 19 in an accident that also left another person dead. Guillemot was 69.

Ubisoft said in a statement (via The New York Times) that it was "deeply saddened to learn of the death of Claude Guillemot, co-founder of the group and chairman of Guillemot Corp., in an accident." The statement added: "Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time."

A report from French news broadcaster ICI said the crash happened just before 6 PM local time in La Baule, in western France.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOcx9yZJoDc

Guillemot and one other person in the twin-engine Cessna 421 propeller plane were killed in the crash, the report said. A report from the Associated Press said the other person was a flight instructor. Both were licensed and experienced pilots, the report said.

The mayor of La Baule, Franck Louvrier, said witness reports indicated that the plane "banked and crashed" upon approach to the city's airport.

Claude Guillemot co-founded Ubisoft in 1986 together with his four brothers, including current CEO Yves Guillemot. Yves' son, Charlie Guillemot, was recently promoted to a top position at the company.

Claude Guillemot was on Ubisoft's board of directors. He was the CEO of Guillemot Corporation, a French company that makes gaming accessories and also owns the Thrustmaster brand. He earned a Master's degree in economic science from Rennes 1 University in France.

Halo: Campaign Evolved lands on PC and Xbox Series X|S next month, and for the first time, on a PlayStation console. Ahead of its launch, some confusion has arisen regarding how local split-screen co-op will work on PS5, with many assuming that PS Plus subscriptions would be required for both players. Fortunately, there is some good news as Microsoft has clarified what will be required from players exactly. In an update, the official Halo Studios social media channel clarified that while local splitscreen co-op does require a PlayStation account for each player, it does not require two PlayStation Plus accounts to function.  

Originally, senior community manager John Junyszek claimed in a community Q&A that both accounts would each need a PlayStation Plus account and be linked to a Microsoft account. "If you're playing split-screen on PlayStation 5, both accounts will need to have PlayStation Plus and be linked to a Microsoft account," Junyszek wrote at the time. "Having these active PlayStation Plus subscriptions will also provide access to online co-op play."

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

Naturally, PS5 players weren't too pleased with this statement, believing that it would cost extra on top of Halo: Campaign Evolved's $50 price tag to join a friend for some couch co-op. As for the Microsoft account requirement, this will allow for cross-progression across PC and consoles. PC and Xbox owners will only need to create a Microsoft account for local co-op.

Halo: Campaign Evolved will be released on July 28, and Microsoft has already revealed the global launch times more than a month in advance for the game. A complete remake of the very first Halo, the game celebrates the 25th anniversary of the franchise and includes extra content, like improved graphics, new prequel missions, and quality-of-life updates. If you're planning on hopping in, you can check out GameSpot's Halo: Campaign Evolved buying guide and read up on how the game looks great in third-person.

Halo Games, Ranked – The Best Halo FPS Games View Images

It's a story as old as time: a new Destiny 2 update arrives, and almost immediately, someone spots an exploit. The last week has seen some overpowered damage being dished out in Destiny 2, thanks to players discovering a method of stacking mods in the artifact. The result: Super attacks that deal several times the amount of intended damage, absolutely wiping the floor with bosses in the game. As you'd expect, a fix is on the way, but Bungie has allowed this exploit to slide for the last week.

While you're technically supposed to only have one of each mod in use--out of several slots--hopping into a game of competitive PvP is the secret to unlocking this exploit. Hit the Portal, jump into the mode, and as soon as the lobby is filled with players, you can start adding the same mod to each category on the artifact. One of the popular choices has been Thunderous Retort on the NPA Repulsion Regulator artifact, as this mod allows you to dish out bonus Arc Super damage if your Guardian is in an Amplified state or has been critically wounded.

Perfectly unbalanced, as all things should be.

Ordinarily, your Super is quite lethal on its own, as demonstrated here on everyone's favorite training dummy, Carl:

A perfectly respectable Chaos Reach blast.

But what happens if you decide to equip seven Thunderous Retort mods and use a Super-boosting Exotic armor piece like Geomag Stabilizers? You get a beam of Arc energy that can melt through even the toughest of bosses with ease. Just look at those damage numbers!

But this? This is a Death Star blast.

With the right build and gear, the potential for this exploit can get even higher, but you'll only have until later this week to have fun with it. "So, we've been seeing some interesting videos where Guardians are doing near infinite damage to bosses thanks in part to unintended Artifact perk stacking," Bungie on Twitter. "Quite hilarious to watch, to be honest! "While we're planning a fix--next week likely--we think this is a bit fun. Go ahead. Get out there, beat up on Atheon. Destroy some bosses. Do your thing."

While Bungie hasn't given a definitive date yet for the fix, the weekly update on June 22 is likely when you'll see the exploit patched out. If you and the rest of your fireteam are looking to have some fun by obliterating bosses with Chaos Reach beam attacks, now is the time to hop on and do this. Destiny 2 has a long history of exploits that players have run wild with over the years--who can forget the infamous Craftening weekend from a few years back--and one more bug looks like a fun way to send the game off now that it has been sunset.

While Destiny 2 is mostly over, it doesn't have to be the end of your time with the game. You can read up on how the story ends for its beloved cast of characters and how the saga can continue in tabletop form.

Last month, Valve launched its Steam Controller and demand has far outweighed the supply. So much so that as of today, new orders for Steam Controller won't be fulfilled by Valve until 2027 at the earliest.

Valve shared the news on its site, where it noted that it has "no plans to stop making Steam Controller." But the company also stated that the response to the controller has "exceeded our expectations." In the interest of clarity, Valve will now provide customers with three estimated delivery windows for Steam Controller based on when they placed their orders: September 2026, December 2026, and a vague 2027 that came with a promise for more specific info down the line.

Players who have already placed their orders can log into their Steam account to see their order window. Valve noted that the reservation queue is still in effect and it will be sending messages to players when their turn to buy a Steam Controller arrives. Once that email is sent, customers will have 72 hours to finish their order or else they will lose their place in line to someone behind them in the queue.

While the Steam Controller has largely been received well by players who got their hands on it, there have been issues with rumble compatibility that's made it unusable with some games. In an amusing touch, the Steam Controller occasionally uses a famous cinematic scream when dropped or thrown.

In other Valve news, the Steam Deck was recently given a massive price hike, in part due to the ongoing components and memory shortages. Valve has also indicated that Steam Machine and the VR headset Steam Frame should be released this summer, but a specific date and pricing hasn't been shared for either of them.