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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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.