#Console

Official PlayStation Podcast Episode 549: Friendly Ghosts

PlayStation Podcast Episode 549 has Tim and Kristen back to discuss the week's news and the games they can't stop playing, with Gillen interviewing Ghost of Yōtei actor Erika Ishii to mark the game's Complete Edition release and one-year anniversary. The episode also covers next week's release highlights including Kingdom Hearts I-III, Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Deck of Haunts, plus God of War Laufey pre-orders, a Control Resonant art and tech deep dive, October PlayStation Plus Monthly Games and Kena: Scars of Kosmora's 2027 launch.

Sony Quietly Improved Base PS5 Hardware with a Number of Internal Optimisations

Sony is shipping refined base PS5 Slim consoles, starting with its Marvel's Wolverine console. A Polish hardware expert found an optimised motherboard layout, tweaked cooling matching the PS5 Pro, a different heatsink, and other minor modifications. The CMOS battery is now easier to access and replace, though the changes are likely cost-saving measures.

GTA 6 Age Rating Details Drug Use, Nudity, and Sexual Fetishes

Official age ratings for GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S have been published ahead of its 19th November 2026 release, rated M for Mature in the USA and 18+ in the UK. The PEGI description details frequent violence, cocaine use, nudity, sexual intercourse, sexual fetishes, and strip club interactions involving breasts and bottom touching. It also notes swearing and discriminatory language, and four more screenshots were revealed today.

A FREE METRO Redux Next-Gen Update is coming this month!

4 Things to Focus on Outside Combat in Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave puts heavy emphasis on out-of-combat activities, with shared meals at the inn raising support points for three characters at a time and weekly arena training that boosts weapon, magic, or movement proficiency. Renown is central to the game's loop and can be earned through subquests, paralogues, and temple visits, with paralogues rewarding 20,000 gold and unlocking recruits but having strict, unannounced deadlines. Each of the four protagonists also has a unique Renown source, such as Cai's kindness quests and Theodora's resource requests.

GTA 6 Gets PEGI 18 Rating, Description Details Decapitation, Drugs, and Sexual Content

GTA 6 has received a PEGI 18 rating, with the description citing decapitation and dismemberment, the ability to snort cocaine from inventory at any time, and nudity, intercourse, and sexual fetish scenes. PEGI also noted players can pay for private dances in nightclubs, animals can be harmed, and discriminatory language appears in TV shows and radio channels. IGN later updated that PEGI has removed the rating page, which now shows a not-found message, and IGN has reached out to PEGI for comment. GTA 6 is still set to launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19, 2026.

GTA 6 Turns the Ridiculous World We Live In Up to 11

Rockstar Games' GTA 6 aims to reflect and amplify today's world with an over-the-top experience, with senior VP of narrative Rupert Humphries calling it a pressure cooker for all kinds of insanity. The game also changes the franchise formula, as escaping trouble is no longer as simple as hiding in an alley until your wanted level drops, with smarter and more persistent police. It launches on November 19 for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

What is a flusher in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4?

In Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 4, flushers are port-a-potties that act as teleporters, sending you to a nearby location or another port-a-potty. The third step of the second part of Geno's story quest requires using a flusher to block Geno from listening to The Order's message, and the best spot is the Chopped Shop POI, which has two in the immediate area.

Detailed content descriptions of Grand Theft Auto 6 are going up:

Control Resonant Made the Right Choice Leaving the Oldest House Behind

Control Resonant takes its story outside the Oldest House of Control (2019), a choice that fits Dylan Faden, who was imprisoned and experimented on inside the building for 17 years. After waking in 2026, Dylan leaves the Oldest House for the first time in 24 years. The piece also notes that tapes in Resonant show Dr. Darling abusing Dylan, contrasting with the likable scientist Jesse encounters in the first game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 boss hopes GTA 6 pushes game prices up, calling it "long overdue and also necessary for this business to survive"

Warhorse Studios co-founder Martin Klima said he hopes GTA 6 will blaze the trail for higher game prices, arguing an increase is "long overdue and also necessary for this business to survive." He pointed to ballooning development costs, a peaked audience of regular new-game buyers, and digital storefronts cutting out retail. GTA 6's Standard Edition costs $79.99 in the US and £69.99 in the UK, with the Ultimate Edition up to $99.99, ahead of its 19 November launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Sony's Quietly Improved Base PS5 Hardware with a Number of Internal Optimisations https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/10/sonys-quietly-i...

AMD Driver Lists ATLite3 and Gainsborough, Possibly Tied to PS6 Orion and Steam Deck 2

Two codenames, ATLite3 and Gainsborough, have appeared in a recent AMD driver. ATLite3 is likely the GPU codename for the PS6's SoC Orion, while Gainsborough may be the Steam Deck 2 SoC and is showing up in shipping manifests, suggesting silicon validation is already underway.

Forest of Deceit Localisation Update Adds Six New Languages, Including Simplified Chinese

Forest of Deceit, the social deduction party game from Ghost Camp and Thomas Mackinnon, has received a localisation update adding German, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Simplified Chinese and Italian. The update is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC, with Xbox Play Anywhere support.

Three More Notable Free Demos Added to the Xbox Store

The Xbox Store has added three notable free demos: Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, whose progress carries over to the full release later in October; FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves, following the full game's launch earlier this year; and Elta: Defy All Gods, which offers 60 minutes of gameplay and already holds a "Positive" reception on Steam. Other newer demos highlighted include The Zibbo Show and DYNASTY WARRIORS 3: Complete Edition.

Toy Story 3 Complete Edition's PS5 Trophy List Echoes the Original with a Few New Additions

Digital Eclipse's Toy Story 3 Complete Edition launches on 15th October, and its PS5 Trophy list has surfaced online ahead of release. The list is identical to the PS3 original but adds three new Trophies, two of which relate to Zurg, who is playable on all platforms in Complete Edition. The third new Trophy involves getting all the customisation packs from the Toy Store.

New GTA 6 Screenshots Focus on Lucia and Jason's Relationship

Rockstar released four new GTA 6 screenshots via Love Magazine, focusing on protagonists Lucia and Jason. The images show the pair in a diner booth and playing pool in what appears to be a biker bar. Rockstar senior vice president of narrative Rupert Humphries said the couple's American Dream is about owning a house and paying off debts, not becoming billionaires.

Today's Top Deals: Xbox Elite Controller, Belkin Switch 2 Cases, and Bose QuietComfort Headphones

Early deals ahead of Amazon Prime Big Deal Days include the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Wireless Controller at $38, a Belkin Switch 2 Travel Case for Prime members at $23.07, and renewed Bose QuietComfort Headphones in Moonstone Blue at $149. The Pokémon TCG Prismatic Evolutions Super-Premium Collection is down to $239.95, and a $100 PS Store gift card is available for $90 with the code "TEFF427."

Toy Story 3 Complete Edition's PS5 Trophy List Echoes the Original with a Few New Additions https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2026/10/toy-s...

Next Halo Game May Be a Master Chief Origin Story, New Report Claims

According to Rebs Gaming, Activision is considering making the next Halo game a hard reboot centered on Master Chief's origin story. This follows Xbox's Sept. 22 announcement that it had handed development of the Halo series from Halo Studios to Call of Duty publisher Activision.

4chan leak claims GTA VI has four endings and relationship mechanics

A Reddit user compiled a 4chan leak claiming GTA VI has four endings determined by romantic or platonic and chaotic or organized parameters, with the good ending where the pair ride off with their son treated as canon. The leak also mentions the Criminal Profile system, date and racing side content, cheating locking players into platonic endings, and a main story that is finished with side quests around 75-80% done. The poster says the leak dates to December 2023 and gained credibility for naming the Criminal Profile system three years before its official reveal, but it remains unconfirmed.

Share of the Week: Marvel's Wolverine – Logan

This week's PlayStation Blog Share of the Week highlights six player-submitted portraits of Logan from Marvel's Wolverine, shared with #PSshare #PSBlog. Next week's theme is Marvel's Wolverine – Allies & Villains, with submissions due by 11:59 PM PT on October 7, 2026, featuring moments with Team X, Jean Grey, or various villains.

The Science Behind Best Friendship in The Jackbox Party Pack 12's MegaPals

MegaPals, one of the five new games in The Jackbox Party Pack 12, is a word association game inspired by Mind Meld where matching answers earns points and the two players who pair up best become the MegaPals. An eight-player game has 28 possible winning pairs, and a between-round relationship chart shows each player's highest-scoring friend. The pack launches October 15 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One.

Xbox Disc to Digital Supports Over 1,500 Games, But No Forza Horizon

Xbox's Disc to Digital feature rolled out to everyone this week, supporting over 1,500 physical games, but none of the Forza Horizon or Forza Motorsport physical editions work with it. The omission is likely tied to licensing, as Forza games are regularly delisted when their licensing deals expire — even the recently released Forza Horizon 6 lacks support. Xbox has said more games may be added over time.

PixelJunk Studio Q-Games Worked on Ace Combat 8's Cloud Tech

Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve launches today, with developer Bandai Namco Aces building a new cloud technology called Cloudly for the game. Q-Games, the Kyoto studio best known for PixelJunk, has announced it worked on the R&D of Cloudly and is listed in the game's end credits. Q-Games is one of several external support studios that assisted with the game's production.

Micron CEO says memory shortages will get worse in 2027

According to The Register, Micron Technology CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said memory demand will exceed supply in 2027 and 2028, with the industry tighter than in 2026, and customers likely paying much higher prices than this year. Micron plans $25 billion in capital expenditure in the first half of its new financial year to bring new factories online in 2028, but says it will take time before supply and demand stabilise. The surge in memory demand comes largely from AI data centres, and Nintendo has already raised Switch 2 prices globally while Sony and Microsoft raised prices for the PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Miami Heat NBA team to rebrand as 'Vice City' in GTA 6 marketing stunt

The NBA's Miami Heat will rebrand as "Vice City" for its November 18 game against the Milwaukee Bucks as part of a GTA 6 promotion called "A Night In Vice City." The event will feature a specially constructed "Vice City Court," reimagined uniforms and special Vice City merchandise throughout Kaseya Center. Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026.

Pokémon TCG Reportedly Launching First-Ever Valentine's Day Set in 2027

The Pokémon Company reportedly plans to launch the franchise's first dedicated Valentine's Day collection, the "Pokémon TCG Valentine's Box," on January 27, 2027, according to Pokébeach. The set is said to resemble the Trick or Trade Halloween line, with mini foil packs of three cards and packaging that folds into a cardboard mailbox for handing out cards. It has not been officially confirmed, and no featured Pokémon has been revealed.

Sony's Revised PS5 Slim Could Be Cheaper to Make, But Not to Buy

Sony has quietly revised the PS5 again with motherboard changes that make the CR2023 battery easier to access, simplify repairs, and adopt PS5 Pro-style liquid-metal containment and revised heatsink materials, plus a lower-cost HDMI retimer chip. These changes could lower production costs and improve assembly yields, but PS5 prices have only risen since its November 2020 launch: the Digital Edition went from $400 to $600, the disc model from $500 to $650, and the PS5 Pro from $700 to $900.

GTA 6's Next Wild Crossover Is With the Miami Heat

Rockstar Games has revealed the next collaboration in its marketing campaign for Grand Theft Auto 6, teaming up with the NBA's Miami Heat. The company already has a $3 million deal with Miami, the inspiration for the game's Vice City setting. For one night only, the Miami Heat will play as Vice City.

Sony's consultation on physical media: better late than never | Opinion

Sony is surveying its development partners for input on its decision to end support for physical game releases, first reported by Moore's Law is Dead. The consultation comes belatedly, underscoring how unilateral the decision was, and suggests Sony may realize it overstepped. The piece expects little change to the announced policy, though a compromise letting companies optionally do physical releases for the rest of the PS5's lifespan might emerge.

8 Things Final Fantasy VII Revelation Is Changing From The Original On PS1

Kotaku rounds up eight changes Final Fantasy VII Revelation makes from the 1997 PS1 original. The game will offer a true open world, though weather events and closed airspaces gate some areas, and Vincent and Yuffie's stories are folded into the main narrative with Vincent's Galian Beast transformation becoming part of his regular combat kit. Director Naoki Hamaguchi said Master materia will not appear because it would break the game, while Knights of the Round may become the game's superboss with its own storyline similar to the Gilgamesh questline in Rebirth.

Unannounced PS5 Slim Revision Teardown Reveals Redesigned Motherboard and Cooling

A teardown of Sony's unannounced PS5 Slim revision, featuring the new EDM-051 motherboard, shows a redesigned internal layout and an easily removable CR2032 CMOS battery. It also introduces a lower-cost HDMI retimer and a revised liquid-metal cooling design closer to the PS5 Pro's approach, along with changed heatsink construction and materials. There is currently no indication of a meaningful gaming performance difference versus existing PS5 Slim models.

GTA 6 Rebrands Miami Heat to Vice City for One Night Only

The NBA's Miami Heat will be rebranded as Vice City for a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on 18th November 2026, the day before GTA 6 launches, in a collaboration with Rockstar. The court will be themed around the game's version of Vice City with GTA 6's pink marketing tones, and players will wear a custom kit yet to be revealed. A Vice City Collection of merchandise will also be sold, with t-shirts starting at $45 and snapback hats at $50.

Limited Edition Lisa PS5 DualSense Controller Up for Pre-Order, Selling Out Fast

The limited edition Lisa DualSense controller is now available for pre-order via PS Direct worldwide, going in and out of stock in the US and UK, and ships on 30th October for $84.99/£74.99/€84.99. Designed with Lisa, it features her signature bangs and cat-like eyes on the touchpad in a "Chroma Pearl" colourway, alongside a merch collection that the PS Blog suggests may only be available in the US.

Insider Gaming's 28 Games Later Horror Showcase: 8 of 28 Games Confirmed for Xbox

Insider Gaming's 28 Games Later Horror Showcase featured trailers for 28 games, eight of which are confirmed to be coming to Xbox, including Black Tides Draga's Wake, Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy and Tenebris Somnia. Remothered: Red Nun's Legacy launches on October 27, 2026, and Tenebris Somnia on October 16, 2026. Don't Fret has been rumoured for Xbox Game Pass, though no Game Pass mention appeared in its trailer.

The Father of PlayStation Says Games Have Stagnated, Calls for Curiosity in Developers

Ken Kutaragi, known as the father of PlayStation, said at a CEREC opening panel that games have stagnated in terms of content, arguing the way games are made hasn't fundamentally changed since the original PlayStation. He noted the software market is valued at $186 billion, surpassing film and music, but said the industry isn't mature and still faces a turning point toward a "next stage." He urged students and industry professionals to keep their curiosity and adopt the mindset behind the PS1, which was created to "change the world."

Countdown: Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Dungeon Crawl #3 - I Hate This Place

In the third installment of the Ocarina of Time dungeon crawl, the author revisits Inside Jabu-Jabu's Belly and calls it possibly the worst dungeon in the game. The piece criticizes the repetitive Princess Ruto escort mechanics, lack of a central puzzle, and narrow corridors filled with electrical enemies, while praising the dungeon's unsettling atmosphere and the Barinade boss fight. The author hopes the Switch 2 remake will give Ruto more agency and add more tendril telegraphing.

Podcast: Why we're ready for a new Uncharted game

On the latest VGC: The Video Game Podcast, Jordan Middler, Chris Scullion and Andy Robinson discuss the week's biggest news, including the reported return of the Uncharted series. The crew also share their thoughts on Star Wars: Galactic Racer and Gears of War: E-Day. New episodes are available weekly on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music and more.

8 Big October Games We've Already Played: Phantom Blade Zero, Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, and More

IGN has already played eight of October's biggest releases and published previews, including Phantom Blade Zero (October 29), Castlevania: Belmont's Curse (October 15), Final Fantasy Resonance (October 22), Warhammer 40K: Boltgun 2 (October 14), Emberville (October 27), Planet Zoo 2 (October 13), Nintendo Switch Sports Resort (October 22), and Stupid Never Dies (October 22). Phantom Blade Zero offers three difficulty options but stays hard even on default, while Final Fantasy Resonance is described as the most impressive use of HD-2D the writer has seen.