#Microsoft

GTA 6 Netflix preview drove over 100,000 sign-ups in six-hour exclusivity window

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6 preview, shown exclusively on Netflix for six hours on August 27, generated over 100,000 US sign-ups, according to Ampere Analysis, making it Netflix's third-largest subscriber spike of 2026 behind Stranger Things' final season and the Rousey vs. Carano MMA fight. The preview reached 31.1 million views on Netflix within four days, with over 5% of viewers who had not used Netflix in 30 days returning to watch it. Nielsen IQ data showed the preview raised PlayStation and Xbox hardware sales in the UK by 33% and 34% respectively.

Newzoo: Most established live-service and evergreen titles were flat or down year over year in H1 2026

Newzoo data shows most established live-service and evergreen titles were flat or declined year over year in H1 2026, with growth limited to titles including World of Warcraft, Diablo 4, Overwatch, Roblox and select Tencent international releases. The firm forecasts 3% console player growth this year, up from 0.5% in 2025, driven by Grand Theft Auto 6 and PlayStation. Tencent led Q1 2026's top 10 public games companies with $10.8 billion in revenue, up 11.9%, as the group totaled $37.4 billion, up 6.7%.

Xbox to publish Kojima Productions' Physint after PlayStation cancelled the project

Kojima Productions unexpectedly received notice from PlayStation Studios in mid-June that it would cancel the Physint project, and the studio has now partnered with Xbox to publish the game. Hideo Kojima said the team was determined to keep the project alive and found in Xbox a partner sharing a common vision, with the two also set to collaborate on storytelling across games, film, and television. PlayStation called it a difficult decision and said its relationship with Kojima Productions remains strong after three decades of cooperation.

Nearly 1,900 Blizzard workers ratify first union contract with Microsoft

Blizzard Entertainment's first union contract with parent company Microsoft was ratified by a workforce vote covering just under 1,900 staff after more than two years of negotiations. The deal includes protections on generative AI use, crediting, remote work, and layoffs, requires AI-assisted workflows to remain under human review, and mandates bargaining before implementing AI tech that would materially impact union employees' work. Blizzard president Johanna Faries called the ratification a significant milestone, while Activision's King rejected a collective bargaining agreement with Swedish unions Unionen and Sveriges Ingenjörer.

An interesting stat that these time limits will only "impact 4% of Game Pass subscribers."

25k likes on a “source: I made it up” post.

UK and China's Shifting AI Mandates | 31/07/26

i stopped trusting this company after perfect dark, but this is so grim

Forza Horizon 6 tops previous series entries on Steam before its official launch

Forza Horizon 6 does not officially launch until May 19, but owners of the $120 Premium Edition can already play it. At the time of writing it has peaked at 128,157 concurrent players on Steam, above Forza Horizon 5's 81,096 and Forza Horizon 4's 75,689. The game has spent 16 weeks in Steam's global top sellers list and currently sits at number two, up three spots this week.

Forza Horizon 6 review: still the car-collecting driving game for everyone

A review of Forza Horizon 6 finds it remains a car-collecting driving game rather than a racing game focused on track craft. Progress is gated by a new Wristband system earned through Qualifiers and PR Stunts, while the parallel Discover Japan track offers relaxed activities such as food delivery and convoy tours. The new Horizon Rush events are timed races on makeshift circuits with pre-determined cars, and the game was reviewed on PC with code provided by the publisher.

The Best Xbox Game Pass Games In 2026

GameSpot rounds up the best games currently available on Xbox Game Pass, spanning big AAA titles, day-one releases, and overlooked gems like 2025's Blue Prince. Game Pass Ultimate's monthly price dropped to $23 after rising to $30 in late 2025, but new Call of Duty games will no longer be included at launch and will only arrive about a year after release. Game Pass Essential costs $10 a month with 50+ games and online multiplayer, Premium costs $15 with 200 playable games, and PC Game Pass costs $14.