American video game publisher, GTA creator, part of Take-Two Interactive
Rockstar Games faces an employment tribunal in Glasgow where 23 ex-employees allege unfair dismissal for union activity in a case linked to 34 dismissals last October over sharing confidential information. Rockstar denies targeting unionists, arguing terminations were due to misconduct and violations of confidentiality.
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.
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.
A look at how streaming and new platforms are reshaping the careers and memory of a BAFTA-winning director, with reflections from collaborators and a peek at archival material and upcoming releases.
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.
A three-part Channel 4 documentary on Lyra McKee’s 2019 murder follows Detective Jason Murphy as he investigates the crime amid a culture of silence and mistrust that hampers justice. The film uses CCTV evidence and interviews, revealing tensions between police and communities in Northern Ireland.
A hacking group calling itself ShinyHunters has claimed it has stolen two to three terabytes of FBI-related data, including a 5,000-line sample with names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and assignment details for thousands of current and former FBI employees. The FBI has said it is aware of the claims, has taken the jobs portal offline and has opened an active investigation.
Rockstar North workers have testified at an employment tribunal in Glasgow, with claims that some were unfairly dismissed for trade union activity. Rockstar denies the claims, saying dismissals followed gross misconduct after sharing confidential information. The tribunal is ongoing as GTA VI nears release.
Xbox is restructuring its internal studios in a bid to streamline decision-making. Halo Studios will be under Activision, Rare and World’s Edge join Activision, and Obsidian moves to Bethesda. Layoffs continue as Microsoft tightens management layers and focuses on flagship franchises.
The FBI has acknowledged a cyber breach affecting thousands of current and former agents, with personal data including home addresses, medical records, and badge numbers exposed. The hacking group ShinyHunters has posted samples and an extortion demand, saying they hold data on tens of thousands. Investigations are ongoing, and fears are rising about targeted fraud and threats to agent safety.
The ShinyHunters cybercrime group is linked to a Dutch arrest after claims it breached the FBI’s jobs portal. Authorities say a 24-year-old Amsterdam suspect is in custody, suspected of involvement with the group and of seeking two murders. FBI and Dutch police are pursuing leads as the case expands across the United States and Europe.