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Oct 7Wed
  1. Kotaku57

    Xbox CEO says the reset is working and teases a family of Gen 10 devices

    According to Windows Central, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma told staff at a townhall that the platform has returned to growth after an all-time low, at more than 2 to 3 times its previous level, and claimed a 30 percent boost in brand sentiment year over year. She cited strong starts for Minecraft Dungeons 2, Gears of War: E-Day and World of Warcraft Forever, and listed goals including Play Anywhere, Disc-to-Digital, making Xbox easier to develop for and making Game Pass more flexible. On Gen 10 hardware, Project Helix, she said Xbox is moving to a family of devices with a console first and some products made in-house and others with partners.

  2. Pure Xbox38

    Forza Horizon 6 Dev Issues Statement In Response To Fan Frustration

    Playground Games has issued a statement saying it has read player feedback about Forza Horizon 6's post-launch updates and is looking into future changes to both in-game content and communication. Fan frustration has centered on the lack of street racing and updates adding little value. A new Horizon Meets update arrives this Thursday with a 7-Eleven Car Meet, 3 new-to-Horizon cars and a new Treasure Car, with the next update themed around City Life.

  4. IGN42

    Forza Horizon 6 Community Is Fed Up With Playground Games, and the Studio Has Finally Responded

    Playground Games has finally responded to the Forza Horizon 6 community after months of silence, saying it hears feedback about post-launch updates and is looking into future changes to in-game content and communication. Players and content creators including STEVIO2175 have criticized the lack of communication, missing features from previous Forza games, and the absence of in-game voice chat. Microsoft and Playground still have not announced a release date for the PS5 version of Forza Horizon 6.

  5. IGN22

    Nolan North Is Staying in Shape Just in Case Sony Calls About Uncharted 5

    Nolan North, who voices Nathan Drake, says he would happily return for Uncharted 5 and has been staying in shape in case Sony calls. Sony has not officially announced a new Uncharted project, though reports say a new entry is in production, possibly led by Uncharted: The Lost Legacy director Shaun Escayg. North said a new Uncharted would be one of the biggest game announcements ever if it happens.

  6. Kotaku47

    Modern Warships Stole an Artist's Aircraft Design and Then Tried to Sell It In-Game for $700

    Modern Warships developer Artstorm has admitted that an independent artist's 2014 ekranoplan design was used in the game without permission. Rather than removing the copied ship, Artstorm said it will contact the artist directly to make things right. According to IGN, the ship costs between $50 and $100 in gacha spins, or as much as $700 to buy outright.

  7. Kotaku62

    Dungeons & Dragons and Magic: The Gathering Teams Are Forming a Union

    Developers behind the Dungeons & Dragons tabletop RPG, D&D Beyond, Magic: The Gathering, and Duel Masters are unionizing and would join United Wizards of the Coast, a union formed earlier this year by Magic: The Gathering Arena developers with the Communication Workers of America. The group is seeking layoff protections, better wages, protections against AI, remote work protections, and full ownership of work created outside WotC offices. United Wizards of the Coast is asking supporters to sign a petition urging parent company Hasbro to voluntarily recognize the union, though WotC leadership previously sent letters to Magic: Arena developers asking them to carefully consider whether they truly wanted a union.

  8. Game Developer56

    Undead Labs studio head says they were 'irresponsibly transparent' about layoffs, says State of Decay 3 still targets 2027

    Undead Labs studio head Philip Holt told The Game Business that he told staff early and directly that layoffs were likely after Xbox announced in July it would divest the studio, and the layoffs came in late September. Holt declined to confirm the number of job losses, saying that turns layoffs into a statistic, though the studio said on LinkedIn the cuts were significant. After separating from Microsoft, Undead Labs went independent and kept the State of Decay property, and Holt says State of Decay 3 is still targeting a 2027 release.

  9. Reddit · Gaming Leaks and Rumours42

    Windows Central: Asha Sharma reiterates that Helix will be a "family of devices" at internal town hall

    Asha Sharma said at an internal town hall that Gen-10 is moving to a "family of devices," with a great console first but also products for players on the go, some made in-house and some through partnerships. She also said the operating system is looking good and that Game Pass will become "flexible for more players," hinting that rumors of additional Game Pass tiers or add-ons are accurate.

  10. Push Square22

    Nolan North Would '110%' Return as Nathan Drake in a New Uncharted Game

    Asked at a Q&A session at Gamergy in Puerto Rico whether he would return as Nathan Drake in a new Uncharted game, Nolan North said "110 per cent. Absolutely," adding it just depends if Sony wants to make money. He said he hasn't heard anything about a new entry, but keeps in shape just in case. Rumours suggest a new game would focus on Nate's daughter Cassie Drake with her father in a supporting role, reportedly led by Uncharted: The Lost Legacy director Shaun Escayg.

  11. Kotaku38

    Super Real Mahjong Venus Returns Producer on Topping Japan's Steam Charts: 'Hopelessly Devoted to Those Girls' and 'Left Penniless' as a Teen

    Super Real Mahjong Venus Returns has topped Steam's bestsellers list in Japan, with its VR-enabling DLC also charting above Palworld and Forza Horizon 6. Producer Kentaro Matsui said in an interview that he was "hopelessly devoted" to the game's female characters and was "left penniless" as a teenager losing pocket money in arcades. The revival kept the original characters and scenarios while updating visuals and adding VR support, after a Campfire crowdfunding campaign raised 33.8 million yen, 1690 percent of its goal.

  12. IGN24

    Sony Patent Would Let an AI Model Train NPCs Based on Your Player Data

    Sony has filed a patent titled "AI-adapted non-player character for video game system" that would use data generated by players to modify NPCs, from their design to their behavior in a boss fight, in order to make them more lifelike without further bloating development time and budgets. There is no guarantee the system will reach a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 6, and Sony has recently patented other ideas including AI that detects console problems and delivers patches, plus a controller with an NFC card reader.

  17. Push Square40

    After Crazy Taxi's AI Drama, SEGA Says It's Being 'Very Cautious' About Using the Tech

    SEGA says it uses AI to improve efficiency in publishing and corporate departments and to generate business ideas, but is "very cautious" about its use in game development and does not entrust the creative aspects of games to AI. The stance, given in a Nikkei interview, follows news months earlier that Crazy Taxi: World Tour used generative AI tools during development, later clarified as limited to the "initial research phase" with no AI assets in the final game. SEGA established a Generative AI Committee last year to oversee the tech's usage across the business.

  18. Push Square40

    PS5 Influencer RealRadec Regains Access to Hacked Account, Admits 'Not Many Have My Reach'

    PS5 influencer RealRadec has regained access to his hacked account, admitting his issue was resolved quickly because of his reach, which most consumers lack. He said lax PS5 security has been a problem for some time and "needs to change," noting players can lose games, DLC, save data, and Trophies. It remains unclear what measures Sony will take to prevent these social engineering scams.

  20. Rock Paper Shotgun62

    Eternal Strands developer Yellow Brick Games staff report layoffs

    According to several LinkedIn posts, Yellow Brick Games, the studio behind Eternal Strands, has begun laying off staff to an undisclosed degree. Those posting include senior environment/hard surface artist Derian McCrea, graphics engineer Adam Clapsaddle, software programmer Rebecca Bélanger, QA lead Jessica Chapados Arseneault, and senior level designer Julien Tonsuso. Co-founded in 2020 by original Dragon Age creative Mike Laidlaw and several former Ubisoft developers, the studio self-published Eternal Strands in January 2025 and released a free DLC expansion that April. RPS has contacted Yellow Brick Games for comment.

  21. Rock Paper Shotgun42

    Jagex Pulls RuneScape Trailer and Apologises for GenAI Use, Blaming a "Trusted External Partner"

    Jagex took down its RuneScape 3 Hoard of Dragons expansion trailer, which features the Dragon Slayer II quest and arrives in 2027, after viewers pointed out genAI imagery including a six-fingered knight at 1:18 and a high-jumping knight in sneakers at 0:56. Social manager Alex Sween apologised on the 2007 Runescape subreddit, saying the trailer was produced by a "trusted external partner" who had explicitly confirmed GenAI would not be used. Jagex said it does not use GenAI to create its games, artwork or creative assets and will overhaul its review processes.

  22. PC Gamer22

    Warhorse co-founder says 'AI is not a get out of jail free card' and execs have a 'simplified mental model' of games

    Warhorse co-founder Martin Klima said the idea that studios can lay off half their staff and replace them with AI is "fundamentally flawed," arguing AI doesn't work the way execs' "simplified mental model" imagines. He believes player demand for bigger games will push studios to keep human dev teams the same size but augmented by AI, allowing them to make bigger games for the same cost. Klima added this could mean more branching classes or more missions.

  23. VGC22

    Nolan North says he's '110%' up for playing Nathan Drake in a new Uncharted game, 'if Sony wants to make money'

    Nolan North said at a Q&A at the Gamergy show in Puerto Rico that he would be "110%" up for playing Nathan Drake again in a new Uncharted game, adding it would be one of the biggest games ever if Sony Interactive Entertainment decided to do it. He said he hadn't heard anything about a new game. Last week a report, which VGC can partially verify, claimed Naughty Dog is working on a new Uncharted game that could star Nathan Drake and his daughter Cassie.

  24. GameSpot22

    Call of Duty's Richtofen Actor Wants Him to Come Back, Says 2027's CoD Could Be From Sledgehammer

    Veteran actor Nolan North said he hopes to reprise his role as Dr. Edward Richtofen from Call of Duty's Black Ops Zombies mode, but believes a new Black Ops game might not arrive until 2028 at the earliest. North said he thinks 2027's Call of Duty could be developed by Sledgehammer, though he clarified this is only conjecture and not inside knowledge. He also said he hopes to return as Nathan Drake in Uncharted.

  27. Kotaku30

    The PlayStation 5's Operating System Can Now Be Emulated on PC

    The PlayStation 5's operating system can now be emulated on PC, with user VinasExplosao showing video evidence of the PS5's VSH menu running on PC. This is not a kernel-level port and is closer to emulation, so it does not mean PS5 games can run natively on PC. The RPCSX emulator team says booting VSH on PS4 and PS5 firmware has been feasible since early 2026.

  28. Eurogamer39

    Overwatch Fans Unhappy as Five New China-Exclusive Skins Stay Out of the Rest of the World

    Blizzard this week revealed "Defiled Anthem," a new Overwatch event with skins and cosmetics for Shion, D.Mon, Kiriko, Reaper, and Emre, headlined by a transforming "Evolution" skin that changes sound and visual effects as a match goes on. The content is China-specific and has not been announced for other regions, drawing negative reactions from international players. Blizzard previously told IGN that China-only skins stem largely from its relationship with Chinese publisher NetEase.

  29. IGN52

    Former PlayStation Boss Shawn Layden Questions Sony's Decision to Kill Discs

    Former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden questioned Sony's decision to phase out PlayStation discs starting in 2028 on The Expansion Pass podcast. He said digital downloads are more convenient but argued the minority who still buy discs are often the most loyal customers, and that the real issue is ownership. He added that players tend to imagine the worst case, which carries a brand and reputation cost for Sony.

  30. IGN40

    Ex-Undead Labs Boss: State of Decay 3 Was Revealed Early Over Fear of Being Swallowed Up by Xbox

    Former Microsoft-owned Undead Labs boss Holt said State of Decay 3 was revealed early out of concern the studio could be "swallowed up or divested" amid Xbox's acquisition spree before it could show what it was working on. The game was announced at an Xbox showcase in 2020, when only a small team was on it, and development didn't pick up until 2023. It remains in active development and will launch day one on Game Pass, after Undead Labs went independent last month.

Oct 6Tue
  1. GameSpot40

    GameStop Lists Used PS5 Pros at $1,400, Preparing Shoppers for Next-Gen Pricing

    GameStop is now listing pre-owned PS5 Pros at $1,400, or $1,330 for Pro members, a $500 surcharge over a brand-new console amid current stock constraints. Sony raised prices for the PS5, PS5 Pro, and PlayStation Portal in April, with the PS5 Pro moving from $750 to $900 after launching at $700 in November 2024. The Xbox lineup also saw another round of price hikes in August, with the cheapest option being an Xbox Series S at $500.

  2. Game Developer22

    Co-dev case study: How Blackbird Interactive and Secret Mode helped Escape the Backrooms ride the Backrooms hype wave

    Blackbird Interactive and publisher Secret Mode partnered to take over development and console ports of Escape the Backrooms, a game originally made solo by a developer using the pseudonym Fancy. The game has drawn over 4 million players across PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch 2. Work on the project, codenamed Minotaur, began in September 2025, targeting a 1.0 launch on PC, Xbox, and PS5 on October 23 plus a Switch 2 version built from scratch.

  4. Kotaku40

    Valve Could Make $20 Billion From Steam This Year, And It Owes Developers Big-Time

    Alinea Analytics estimates Valve could make $20 billion this year from Steam game sales alone, including $1.7 billion in September 2026, $5.5 billion in Q3, and $16.5 billion so far this year. Steam takes a 30 percent cut of every sale, and with 20,000 games launching on the store each year, the article argues Valve should reduce that cut, create a developer panel, and curate the store in-house.

  5. Push Square40

    Star Wars: Galactic Racer's Limited Multiplayer Is Already Getting Fixed

    Fuse Games is already addressing Star Wars: Galactic Racer's limited multiplayer, planning to raise the maximum party size from three to six players "within the first few weeks of launch." The game currently lacks private lobbies or custom games, and the studio said on Discord it is listening to how players want to play. The title launched to glowing reviews, but its online modes have drawn repeated player complaints.

  6. IGN58

    GameStop and Third-Party Resellers Raise Used PS5 Pro Price to $1,400

    GameStop and third-party resellers on Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart have raised used PS5 Pro prices to as much as $1,400, a $500 markup over Sony's suggested retail price. GameStop's website listed an all-digital PS5 Pro at $1,399 this morning after rumors the night before. The piece attributes the rise to strong demand for the premium console, whose price went from $750 to $900 earlier this year, with GTA 6's release expected to add pressure and component shortages possibly limiting supply. IGN gave the PS5 Pro a 7/10 in 2024 and called its launch price a hard sell.