Sony's fifth-gen home console, launched 2020, reshapes gaming hardware and digital strategy.
Sony has announced it will stop producing physical PlayStation game discs from January 2028. New titles will be sold on the PlayStation Store or as retailer-issued download codes. The decision follows several years of rising digital sales — roughly 78–85% of full-game purchases — and has provoked fan backlash over ownership, preservation and resale.
Microsoft has launched Xbox Backward Compatibility on PC, bringing four original Xbox games to Windows with added graphical features. The rollout signals a broader push to merge Xbox and PC ecosystems, with access extended to Game Pass and existing licenses. The initial batch includes Blinx: The Time Sweeper, Conker: Live and Reloaded, Crimson Skies, and Fuzion Frenzy, with more titles planned.
EA Sports FC 27 introduces The Grounds, an open-world social hub, with Mbappé on the Standard and Ultimate Covers and Jude Bellingham joining on the Ultimate Plus Edition. The game promises refined gameplay, improved AI defence, new live scenarios, and a refreshed progression system, with release set for 25 September 2026 and early access from 18 September for pre-orders.
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.
Carly Simon has announced her first album in years, Comes in Waves, while revealing a Parkinson’s diagnosis and skin cancer treatment. The collection revisits defining moments of her life and career, with songs touching on love, loss and renewal. Readers are invited to explore the full context of her career and health as she moves forward.
Memory prices for DRAM and related chips have spiked as demand from AI-focused data centers, smartphones and consoles outpaces supply. Producers are locking up long-term memory supply, raising costs for consumer devices and cloud services. Apple is testing CXMT memory amid broader price pressures.
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.
Rockstar has released a 26–30 minute "extended look" of Grand Theft Auto VI on Netflix and then on YouTube, after a wave of unauthorised leaks. Netflix and Twitch have reported heavy traffic and brief outages. Preorders have exceeded $260m, investors have pushed Take-Two shares higher, and debate is returning to digital-only distribution and leak-driven spoilers ahead of the Nov. 19 launch.
Beabadoobee’s fourth album Pylon fuses 90s alt-rock with contemporary pop, while her UK arena tour underlines a lasting, if niche, global appeal. The Guardian’s Beabadoobee profile contrasts with widespread popularity of Beabadoobee’s hits, showing a star with enduring reach and evolving sound.