Upcoming GTA entry; set in Leonida with Vice City-inspired open world
Xbox will let players convert many physical-disc games to digital entitlements, letting them play digitally on future hardware and cross-play across platforms. The program starts with testing for Xbox Insiders next week and covers thousands of One and Series X titles.
The Netflix-televised preview of GTA VI has showcased dual protagonists, interactive NPCs, and deeper customization, while leaks prompt legal pushback and a Netflix-exclusive unveiling ahead of the November release.
Rockstar Games has apologised after leaked Grand Theft Auto 6 footage circulated online. Netflix will host a special extended look ahead of the game’s November release, while the company investigates the source of the leaks and legal steps are being considered.
Sony has announced it will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs from January 2028. New titles will be sold via the PlayStation Store or as retailer-issued download codes; games releasing before 2028 remain unaffected. The move follows years of rising digital sales and has provoked consumer backlash over ownership, preservation and the second‑hand market.
Major device makers have raised prices and warned consumers after memory and storage costs have surged because AI data‑centre buildouts are buying up DRAM and flash. Apple has increased Mac and iPad prices; Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo have signalled or implemented console and hardware hikes. Analysts say shortages will persist into 2027.
Prices for Xbox consoles and various Apple devices have surged as AI-driven demand strains memory and storage components, pushing manufacturers to raise prices by hundreds of dollars. The trend affects consumers globally as memory costs double and memory shortages loom. The changes come as several publishers report price increases from Microsoft, Apple and others amid an AI infrastructure boom.
Microsoft has announced 4,800 job cuts companywide, including 3,200 roles in Xbox during fiscal 2027 and 1,600 Xbox positions eliminated immediately. Xbox will spin out or divest five studios and reduce management layers as it restructures to strengthen margins while shifting resources toward AI and core franchises. The move has reduced Xbox headcount by about 20%.
Ubisoft Singapore’s Resynced remake trims padding from the 2013 classic, removing tailing missions and Abstergo interludes while sharpening combat, visuals and pacing for a more unencumbered pirate fantasy. Edward Kenway’s Caribbean voyage is brighter, tighter and more focused on swashbuckling action.
The PlayStation brand has announced it will end physical disc production for new games starting January 2028, shifting to digital-only releases. Boxed versions will include download codes. Analysts say the move will improve margins, but consumers will lose resale options and used-book value.
Amazon is integrating its Luna cloud gaming service into Prime Video, making Luna games accessible within the Prime membership. The move follows Luna's prior standalone rollout and aims to broaden gaming access by removing hardware barriers. Publications discuss the potential for ads, the impact on traditional consoles, and the ongoing challenges of latency.
Xbox reports an outage lasting about 20 hours, affecting sign-ins and game launches. CTO Scott Van Vliet apologises and says a licensing service failure caused entitlement checks to fail. Microsoft will harden dependencies and roll out a fix to prevent future disruptions, amid renewed worries about a digital-only future in gaming.
AP and Independent previews highlight new music from Alabama Shakes and Velocity Girl, the Netflix adaptation of The Whisper Man, and the legacy of director Irvin, with forthcoming releases and anniversaries shaping the week.
Apple has announced preorder availability for its new Mac Mini with the M6 chip and the Mac Studio with the M5 Ultra, with shipments slated for September 22. The M6 brings a 12-core CPU, a 12-core GPU and new 2nm process, delivering faster CPU/GPU performance and AI capabilities, while the M5 Ultra targets heavy workloads with up to 36-core CPU, up to 80-core GPU, and massive unified memory. Prices start at $899 for the Mini and $5,499 for the Studio.