The hugely popular Space Marine 2 did a great job of delivering third-person action, but what about a big-budget first-person Space Marine game? So far, that doesn’t exist, but the latest Warhammer 40,000 animated show from Games Workshop gives fans an idea of what it might look like.

During Games Workshop’s Big Summer Preview showcase, the UK company revealed the debut trailer for a new animation called The Butcher’s Nails, which is due to hit the company’s streaming platform, Warhammer TV, soon. The gory clip stars a World Eaters Berzerker called Makrath, who joins forces with members of fellow Chaos Space Marine faction, the Iron Warriors, during an assault against loyalist Space Marines backed up by soldiers of the Astra Militarum.

The trailer shows Makrath ripping his enemies to shreds from a first-person perspective, giving us an idea of what a World Eaters Berzerker sees from within his helmet. There are cool, Space Marine HUD elements — the kind you’d expect to see in a first-person Space Marine video game. Makrath’s Bolter is positioned at the bottom of the screen, just as you’d expect in a first-person shooter. You even see the outlines of enemies as if they’re marked, just as you can in so many sci-fi first-person shooters. I particularly like the moment Makrath executes an Imperial Fist with a Bolter shot to the face. Very Doom.

Yes, it very much looks like a first-person Chaos Space Marine game to me, which, now I think about it, I very much want. Space Marine 2 is wonderful, don’t get me wrong. But there’s something about a first-person perspective that I think would make for a more intense experience, and playing as a Chaos Space Marine would be a welcome palate cleanser.

And the World Eaters would be the perfect pick for such a game. For the uninitiated, the World Eaters are the angriest Space Marine legion (their primarch is called Angron!). The Butcher's Nails, after which this animated show is named, are implants that turned the World Eaters into crazed gladiators, and helped them along the path to Chaos. In the current Warhammer 40,000 setting, the World Eaters rampage across the galaxy, slaughtering pretty much anything and everything in their way without rhyme or reason. Angron, now the Daemon Primarch of Khorne, is angrier than ever. Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne! And so on and so forth.

And so, yes, the World Eaters would be the perfect fit for an ultra gory, relentlessly violent, fast-paced first-person melee shooter hybrid, one where you speed towards those righteous Space Marines and squisky Guardsmen and tear them apart.

Hammer and Bolter: The Butcher's Nails Trailer | Big Summer Preview 2026! pic.twitter.com/Noq5SmzQNJ

— Jesus 40k Worldview (@40kWorldview) June 26, 2026

And yes, I know the excellent Boltgun exists, and a sequel is on the way. But I'm talking about a first-person Space Marine game that isn't a boomer shooter and isn't all about making the Ultramarines flex their muscles like the Warhammer 40,000 poster boys they are. Don't get me wrong, Boltgun is great, but what I have in mind is different. It's, well, it's this animation in video game form.

Perhaps The Butcher's Nails will have to do for now. In a post on Warhammer Community, Games Workshop said “much of the action is from Makrath’s perspective — literally depicting what he sees from inside his helmet.” On top of that, “The action is relentless — the entire episode is almost a single non-stop fight scene.”

In other Warhammer 40,000 news, it emerged this week that popular Tabletop Simulator Steam mods that recreate the in-person Warhammer 40,000 game have received takedown requests from Games Workshop, sparking a backlash within the community.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Netflix has announced Stranger Things alumni Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour will return to play a father-daughter duo in a new spy drama series from Adolescence creator Jack Thorne.

The streamer announced the news today, confirming the two actors who played Hawkins' Eleven and Jim Hopper will reunite following a straight-to-series order. It comes from A24, with Thorne attached as writer and executive producer.

Netflix published a synopsis for the show, which currently has no title: "In the series, disgraced FBI agent turned security expert Matt Wolfe (Harbour) is drawn back into the world he left behind when his estranged daughter, Rebecca (Brown) — now an FBI agent determined to follow in his footsteps — vanishes on a mission, forcing him to return to a field that has evolved beyond him."

Despite moving forward without an official title, Netflix has already nabbed a few other names for its crew behind the camera. Included in the list are Brown's husband, Jake Bongiovi, and her father, Robert Brown, as producers via their family's PCMA Productions.

Joe Hipps and Patrick McDonald are also attached as producers for Cut To, with KC Wenson also in the mix for Bravo Axolotl. Brown and Harbour will also serve as executive producers.

"We are delighted to bring this spy drama to life with an extraordinary group of talent we’ve been fortunate to collaborate with before," Netflix head of scripted series, US and Canada, Jinny Howe said in a statement. "Jack Thorne’s ability to find the deeply human story inside a thriller is unmatched, and watching Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour reunite — this time as estranged father and daughter on opposite sides of a crisis — is something audiences are going to love. A24 is the perfect partner to bring this story to our members around the world."

Brown and Harbour have made headlines in the last year for a few reasons. The two, of course, played out their (adoptive) father-daughter relationship as their Stranger Things characters before the Netflix sci-fi show finally came to an end with Season 5 on New Year's Eve in December 2025. It was an event that saw audiences turning out to theaters to see how creators the Duffer Brothers would attempt to tie a bow on stories for Eleven, Hopper, and the rest of the Upside Down crew.

The lead-up to that big finish, however, was marred by real-world controversy surrounding Brown and Harbour. The drama began after The Daily Mail published a November 2025 report saying Brown had filed a harassment and bullying claim against Harbour before production on Season 5 started. Just days after the initial report emerged, the two were seen together at the Stranger Things finale premiere, with no sign of bad blood to be found. At the time, director and executive producer Shawn Levy dismissed the claims.

"I've read a bunch of stories and they range from wildly inaccurate to... there's so much noise around it," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "But the truth is that we view this crew and this cast as family, and so we treat each other with respect, and that's always been bedrock."

Brown later went on to indirectly fight rumors. In late November, she told The Hollywood Reporter that she and Harbour "value our friendship more than anything," adding that it was "really exciting" to "come back together" with Harbour for the Stranger Things finale.

Brown and Harbour will be back to fill similar roles when the untitled Netflix spy drama eventually materializes. In the meantime, you can read about what IGN thought of the Stranger Things finale episode with our 9/10 spoiler review.

Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

As players come to grips with the $1,049 price of the Steam Machine, Valve has said it would "love to make" it more affordable, while warning that a price drop won't arrive "any time soon."

Engineer Pierre-Loup Griffais and Yazan Aldehayyat opened up about the Steam company's hardware strategy during an interview with Digital Foundry. Their words arrive amid shortages for components like RAM and skyrocketing costs for gaming consoles and PCs across the globe.

The Valve team was asked if they would be open to lowering the price of the Steam Machine should these wider issues be resolved. Griffais admitted that there is "no point for us to keep hardware at a high price."

"It's meant to be an enabler of a stronger connection between people and their games," Griffais said, "and not something that we're trying to sell to people for other reasons... [For us], the cheaper the better."

"The cheaper the better" should come as a welcome idea both to those eager to pick up a Steam Machine and those waiting for a price drop. The issue, however, is that the future isn't exactly set up for costs to come down in the near future.

Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said earlier this week that the expectation is for the AI-driven RAM shortage, specifically, to last at least through 2027. While Mehrotra said the hope is that things will start to ease in 2028, as noted by Digital Foundry and as reported by The Register, the memory technology company just locked in historically high prices for five years.

Aldehayyat doubled down on the idea that Valve would prefer for its Steam Machine to come down in price. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like such a move will be in the cards for quite some time.

"It's obviously hard for us to predict the future, but we're not optimistic it's going to happen any time soon," Aldehayyat explained. "Other people in the industry have said as much."

He continued: "Obviously, we would love to be able to make the Steam Machine more affordable and reach more people, but I don't want to promise to people that it's coming soon. I wouldn't say that this is something that's going to resolve very soon."

Valve pulled back the curtain on its Steam Machine in November 2025 to reveal a device it hopes will bridge the gap between PC and console gaming. It almost immediately began to warn that its price could be quite steep before finally announcing its official price tag earlier this week. For those still catching up, it costs $1,049 for its 512GB model, with its 2TB option priced at $1,349 or $1,428 when bundled with a Steam Controller.

For more about the Valve console, you can read IGN's 8/10 Steam Machine review. You can also see why the company is refusing to subsidize the device, as well as what it had to say about its relationship with RAM companies.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

Humble Bundle has just launched a brand-new bundle that not only collects some of the best Arc System Works games like Guilty Gear -Strive- and BlazBlue: Central Fiction, but also supports the Raiden Science Foundation and its Fight4Rare initiative, which helps ignite hope and advance rare disease research.

This Arc System Works EVO Collection Humble Bundle, which runs through July 17, holds a $340 value and allows you to unlock a bundle of 10 items (games and DLC coupons!) for a donation of at least $5. If you wish to give more, you can get the 13-item bundle for at least $10 and the entire 16-item collection for $20. You can check out all the games and DLC coupons below, but this bundle is very special for a lot of reasons and we wanted to highlight one of them first.

The Raiden Science Foundation and its Fight4Rare initiative were founded by Tommy Pham and his wife, Linda, in honor of their son, Raiden. Named after the God of Thunder himself from Mortal Kombat, Raiden is an incredible kid who began experiencing developmental issues at roughly 3 months old.

Raiden was diagnosed with UBA5 Disorder, which is an ultra-rare genetic condition that only affects fewer than 100 known children worldwide, and this means he can’t sit, walk, talk, or use his limbs. Despite all of this, he is still a “happy kid that behaves like a six-month-old” and “has a personality that lights up every room.” Pham told us that there was virtually no research done on this condition and that he was told there wasn’t much that could be done to help his son, but he wouldn’t accept that answer.

In November 2021, Tommy and Linda launched the Raiden Science Foundation (RSF), with a focus on shining a light on rare diseases that may not impact many people but are still just as important to research, so they can help the lives that mean everything. Since its founding, RSF has partnered with UMass Chan Medical School and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and it is now working to raise $3 million, after receiving feedback from the FDA to manufacture a treatment for UBA5 Disorder and move it into clinic.

To help with this mission to get more attention and research done for rare diseases, Pham also launched Fight4Rare, originally called Kombat4Rare, a fundraiser “inspired by Mortal Kombat, Raiden’s name, and the idea that gamers could help fight for something bigger than themselves.” This initiative was received very positively, and it evolved into Fight4Rare to encompass even more games.

And now we arrive at this bundle, which has even more meaning to Pham, as Guilty Gear -Strive- was released just months before Raiden was diagnosed with UBA5 Disorder. This game not only helped him get through one of his darkest chapters, but it also features a character named Ky Kiske, who is all about hope and uses lightning, which is a pretty amazing connection to Raiden. Oh, and it’s also being featured in this bundle that will hopefully help Raiden and others, and we’ll be breaking down right now what else it includes.

10-Item Bundle (Pay at least $5)

• Melty Blood Actress Again Current Code
• Kill la Kill - IF
• Chaos Code -New Sign of Catastrophe-
• Guilty Gear XX Accent Core Plus R
• Guilty Gear
• 10% Discounts on Guilty Gear -Strive- Season Pass 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

13-Item Bundle (Pay at least $10)

• Everything Included in the 10-Item Bundle
• Blazblue Cross Tag Battle Special Edition
• Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2 Deluxe Edition
• Arcana Heart 3 LOVEMAX SIXSTARS!!!!!! XTEND

Entire 16-Item Bundle (Pay at least $20)

• Everything Included in the 13-item Bundle
• Guilty Gear -Strive-
• Blazblue CentralFiction
• Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes

This is another meaningful way to celebrate Evo 2026, which takes place in Las Vegas from June 26-28. This also has another connection to Tommy and Raiden’s story, as Mark Julio a.k.a. MarkMan has been an important person in bringing this mission of helping find cures for rare diseases to life.

MarkMan is known for his work and passion in the fighting game community, especially with Tekken and as Director of Global Business Development at Evo. He also helped Pham connect with other kind people in the wider fighting game community, and provide guidance and support in launching Fight4Rare.

“For me, Mark represents what makes the FGC so special,” Pham told us. “He saw a family trying to save their son and chose to stand beside them. Through his support, and the support of the broader FGC, what began as one family's fight became a community's fight. That support continues to fuel everything we do today.”

For more, check out the Raiden Science Foundation and its Fight4Rare initiative.

Humble Bundle is part of IGN Entertainment, the division of Ziff Davis that includes GamesIndustry.biz, IGN, and MapGenie.

Adam Bankhurst is a writer for IGN. You can follow him on X/Twitter @AdamBankhurst, Instagram, and TikTok, and listen to his show, Talking Disney Magic.

Towns located near the real-life Mount Yotei in Hokkaido are planning to leverage the success of Sucker Punch’s PlayStation 5 exclusive Ghost of Yotei to attract more visitors to the area outside ski season. Official merch collaborations with local craftspeople and curated tours of in-game locations are just some of the initiatives in the works.

Set in 17th century Japan, Ghost of Yotei puts you in the shoes of Atsu, a warrior setting out to take revenge on the six men who slaughtered her family. Backed up by Sucker Punch's in-depth research trips to Hokkaido, Ghost of Yotei recreates and shows off the natural beauty of Mount Yotei and the surrounding area, prompting positive comments from Japanese people living in the area upon the game’s release last October.

Now, towns in the Niseko region surrounding the real life Mount Yotei are hoping to attract Ghost of Yotei fans to the area, as reported by Nikkei (and spotted by VGC).

The real life Mount Yotei is in Shikotsu Toya National Park in Hokkaido. Nearby is Niseko, which is already a popular tourist destination due to its high snowfall, giving it a long ski season that runs from November to May. During peak months, luxury hotels in the area charge around 200,000yen (approx. $1,200) per night, however this drops to around 10,000yen ($60) in the summer off-season. The towns in the Niseko area are hoping Ghost of Yotei will draw more visitors to the region even when there’s no snow around. “We hope that through playing the game, people will discover not only the area’s winter landscape but also its spring, summer and fall scenery, and that this will lead to actual visits,” a spokesperson from the town’s planning and environment division told Nikkei.

With Ghost of Yotei selling over 3.3 million copies by November 2025, a discussion group was quickly established to explore tourism strategies related to the game. Seven towns in the area, plus tourism associations joined the group. A representative from Niseko told Nikkei: “We want to focus these promotional efforts on seasons other than winter.”

So far, Niseko has teamed up with a Tokyo-based company specializing in IP collaborations and are aiming to sell Ghost of Yotei T-shirts, with further plans to expand the range of officially licensed merch. Local businesses are also getting involved. Kumagera, which makes sustainable products carved from local wood, has already released a series of Ghost of Yotei badges and magnets. There are also plans to offer curated tours of locations featured in the game.

Sucker Punch’s previous game Ghost of Tsushima boosted visitors to Japan’s real-life Tsushima Island, resulting in the game’s director Nate Fox and creative director Jason Connell being named cultural ambassadors. However, more tourism to the island has been a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, Tsushima’s Watazumi Shrine was repaired after a typhoon thanks to donations from Ghost of Tsushima fans. But on the other, it ended up banning tourists in March 2025 due to the bad behavior of some visitors.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners almost featured a different and "even worse" ending than the one it got, according to writer Bartosz Sztybor.

The writer behind Studio Trigger and CD Projekt Red's acclaimed Cyberpunk 2077 anime spin-off spoke about how Season 1's already bleak story could have had fans shedding more tears during a conversation with Anime Corner. In an excerpt from the full, yet-to-be-released interview, Sztybor teased that the ending of David and Lucy's story was almost more tragic than the one we got when the show came to Netflix 2022.

Warning! Spoilers for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follow...

"There was never a happy ending. There were even worse endings," Sztybor said. "There was one ending in which David doesn't die entirely. Arasaka gets him and he ends up fighting in Africa or South America in corporate wars as a robot."

If you've not had a chance to see all 10 episodes of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, you should know that the beautifully tragic tale of David Martinez never shied away from the brutality of Night City. It's a tearjerker from front to back, with his story (and many others) finally coming to an end at the hands of Adam Smasher as Lucy finally gets to take that trip to the moon.

The ending to Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is bittersweet, to say the least. It's hard to imagine what it would have looked like without those final shots of Lucy looking down at Earth as Rosa Walton's "I Really Want to Stay at Your House" plays her out, but Sztybor suggests it nearly wasn't how the story came to a close.

Of course, fans should note Sztybor teased there were worse "endings," suggesting the cut finale where David lives is just one of what could be many different moments that wound up on the cutting room floor. So, even if Season 1 made you cry, you can rest assured things could have been much, much sadder.

For now, the crew from Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Season 1 lives on as side content featured in Cyberpunk 2077. A second season of the show is on the way but currently has no release date, with more expected to be revealed June 29. A prequel manga starring Rebecca was also released back in February.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

May was a catastrophic month for PlayStation and Xbox sales in the U.S., driven by price rises that have clearly had a significant impact on consumer interest in buying a new console.

Sony raised the price of PS5 consoles in April, bringing the cost of a standard PS5 to $649.99, the PS5 Digital Edition to $599.99, and the PS5 Pro to $899.99. Those price rises appear to have dented PS5 sales in the U.S. in May, when, according to new Circana data, PS5 spending fell 43% year-on-year, and unit sales plummeted 58%.

Xbox didn’t do much better. Surprisingly, Xbox Series hardware spending actually grew 7% versus a year ago, but unit sales fell by 12%. That’s the result of Xbox Series costing more in May versus the previous May (Microsoft increased the Xbox console price by $20-$70 in the U.S. last October).

Mat Piscatella, Senior Director, Video Games at Circana said PlayStation hardware unit sales fell to their lowest May total since May 2000, which seems pretty terrible for Sony. Meanwhile, Xbox hardware unit sales were the lowest ever recorded for a May month. Bad all round.

Hammering home the point that getting into console gaming has become more expensive, Circana said the average price paid for a new unit of video game hardware reached $502 in May, up 14% compared to a year ago ($440). May 2026 PS5 average pricing increased by 33% versus a year ago to $672, with Xbox Series up 22%, to $524. Traditionally, consoles get cheaper over the course of a generation, not more expensive.

Microsoft announced another Xbox Series price rise this week, although it doesn’t come into effect until August. I can’t imagine those September Xbox sales are going to be particularly healthy, if what's happened in May is anything to go by.

The price rises are the direct result of the "RAMpocalypse," which is an ongoing global memory shortage and price crisis driven by semiconductor manufacturers reallocating their DRAM and NAND production capacity to high-margin hardware for AI data centers.

“Last October, we increased Xbox console price by $20-$70 in the U.S.” Microsoft said when it announced Xbox price rises this week. “We hoped another price increase would not be necessary, and we have spent the last several months working with suppliers on options. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027.

"The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and other consumer devices, consoles are typically not sold at a profit, but instead for less than they cost to make.”

When Sony hiked the price of PS5, it blamed it on “continued pressures in the global economic landscape.” It’s a similar story for pretty much every hardware manufacturer around. Just look at Valve’s Steam Machine.

When will this console price pain end? No time soon, reports indicate. Microsoft expects another doubling of console storage and memory prices by the fall of 2027. Fingers crossed for 2028, then!

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Bandai Namco has re-imagined classic fighting game characters like Kazuya and Kuma in the first teaser for a Tekken cartoon.

Officially stylized as "TEKKEN! CARTOON," the minute-and-a-half-long trailer mixes live action and animated elements to reveal an unexpected offshoot for the publisher's long-running fighting game series. Just five characters – Kazuya, Kuma, Yoshimitsu, Paul, and Alisa – show up in the video, but we wouldn't be surprised to see more cute versions of fan-favorite characters show up in whatever the final product ends up looking like.

"Your favorite #TEKKEN characters are coming out of the ring and into the cartoon world!" an official description for the animated project said. "Keep an eye on our socials for more news about the TEKKEN! CARTOON."

Will this fight end in a draw?🖌️

Your favorite #TEKKEN characters are coming out of the ring and into the cartoon world! Keep an eye on our socials for more news about the TEKKEN! CARTOON#TEKKENCARTOON pic.twitter.com/sz93CzJzPR

— TEKKEN (@TEKKEN) June 26, 2026

The YouTube description for Tekken! Cartoon also revealed some of what appears to be the staff behind the trailer itself. Included in the lineup is animator Amerhiro, whose work can be seen across both their X/Twitter and Instagram pages and features a similar look to the designs revealed in the trailer.

Tekken! Cartoon might be the last thing Tekken fans expected to see when they woke up today. These are cute and colorful versions of video game icons who have thrown down for decades, and with little information about what exactly it will be or where it will air, fans aren't totally sure what to make of it.

"I thought this was an ad for Tekken snacks or something," one fan commented. "Wasn't expecting this, but let's see what they're doing with it (Maybe)."

"TEKKEN BABIES IS REAL!!" another joked.

pic.twitter.com/zzccihxW6J

— ......Nanobitt..... (@artofnanobit) June 26, 2026

Some fans online are also confused to see another Tekken animated project emerge without any updates on a potential return for Netflix's anime adaptation, Tekken: Bloodline. The show premiered in 2022 and featured visuals that fell a little more in line with the games it was based on.

Tekken! Cartoon has no release date or plot information for now. Meanwhile, despite the exit of series veteran Katsuhiro Harada in December 2025 and Tekken 7 and 8 game director Kohei 'Nakatsu' Ikeda just a few weeks ago, Bandai Namco's fighting game franchise continues to receive updates, with Tekken 8 due to add Baki's Yujiro Hanma as a playable DLC character.

Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).

A major retailer has warned there will be console shortages ahead of the launch of GTA 6 in November, sparking concern that scalpers will cash in on demand for PS5 and Xbox Series X and S this Christmas.

GTA 6 is due out on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S only, which means that if you must have a current generation console from either Sony or Microsoft to play the game. Given Rockstar’s hotly anticipated open world adventure is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time, consumer interest in buying a new console is expected to skyrocket.

That would normally be fantastic news for Sony and Microsoft, but according to The Game Business, retailers are worried they may not be able to capitalize on the demand. According to the site, a “major” games retailer warned there won’t be enough consoles to meet demand over the crucial holiday period.

“We’ve been informed that because of the ongoing issues around hardware component availability, we won’t be getting the units we want ahead of GTA,” the anonymous source said, adding: “Demand will likely outstrip supply during the year end period.”

Both Sony and Microsoft have raised the price of their consoles this year, although the latest price hike from Microsoft doesn’t kick in until August 1. Some are worried Sony may announce yet another PS5 price rise before the year is out (the last price rise, effective from April, sparked a sales collapse in the U.S.). Currently, the PS5 costs $649.99, the PS5 Digital Edition costs $599.99, and the PS5 Pro costs $899.99.

Xbox console price rises effective August 1, 2026:

• Xbox Series S 512GB: $399.99 ---> $499.99
• Xbox Series S 1TB: $449.99 ---> $599.99
• Xbox Series X 1TB Digital: $599.99 ---> $749.99
• Xbox Series X 1TB: $649.99 ---> $799.99

The price rises are the direct result of the "RAMpocalypse," which is an ongoing global memory shortage and price crisis driven by semiconductor manufacturers reallocating their DRAM and NAND production capacity to high-margin hardware for AI data centers.

“Last October, we increased Xbox console price by $20-$70 in the U.S.” Microsoft said when it announced Xbox price rises this week. “We hoped another price increase would not be necessary, and we have spent the last several months working with suppliers on options. Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027.

"The entire consumer electronics industry is struggling with the current components crisis, but the effects are particularly hard on consoles. Unlike phones, computers, speakers, and other consumer devices, consoles are typically not sold at a profit, but instead for less than they cost to make.”

Microsoft executives have insisted demand for Xbox consoles exceeds supply, and that it is struggling to improve the situation. What does this mean for you? Well, if you want to play GTA 6 at launch and you need to buy a current-gen console, doing so sooner rather than later is probably wise. As I’ve mentioned, Xbox Series X and S get more expensive from August, and who knows what Sony will do with the price of PS5?

Not only that, but both console offerings may sell out because of the GTA 6 demand, which could open the door to scalpers cashing in. The last thing anyone needs is to be faced with the prospect of paying $1,500 dollars for an Xbox Series X from eBay just to play GTA 6. I dread to think how much scalpers will list a PS5 Pro for this Christmas if it sells out.

for all the latest, check out our ongoing GTA 6 live report, where we have a steady stream of updates on the game.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

A new study has found that young male gamers in the UK are twice as likely to believe conspiracy theories compared to the country's general population.

The statistic comes from a new report by research firm More in Common and The AKO Storytelling Institute at the University of Arts London (via Video Games Industry Memo), which polled thousands of young Brits on their thoughts, and grouped them based on their average video game usage.

One aim of the study was to identify if video games could be a useful tool to reach those who may have switched off from mainstream media, and instead believed misinformation or disinformation spread by other sources.

Intriguingly, the gaming-heavy group that most stated they agreed with the idea that "secret groups are controlling global events" also stated they were four times more confident that they would be able to spot misinformation.

2,000 British men aged 18 to 24 were polled for the study, a group dubbed "Sceptical Scrollers", who account for 10% of the country's population, though are among those with the lowest income, most likely to be in debt and live in social housing close to where they grew up.

The group is among the least likely to watch terrestrial TV, listen to radio, or read a newspaper, instead favoring to trust news and reports seen on YouTube, via podcasts or social media. But in terms of video games, the group plays more than any other.

So, could video games be used to reach the group? It's unclear. The study found that those within the group valued video games highly as an escape, and a space "free of political ideology." Indeed, the study stated that "most treat games as an alternative to the moral, political and gritty reality they live in, and they want them to stay that way."

When the group was given games to play with a subtle message (one character was revealed to have been manipulated, another centered on being susceptible to misinformation), results were "mixed" — especially after the purpose of the games were explained. "A number of participants felt betrayed," the study stated.

But while video games may not be the avenue to change beliefs, the study does at least show that video games can be a positive aspect in the lives of a group which otherwise feels disenfranchised, and a place of common ground. And while Sceptical Scrollers aren't likely to play a video game designed specifically to contest a conspiracy theory, it's suggested that games which encourage critical thinking can still be useful — such as the social deduction game Among Us, or Papers, Please.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

The Nintendo Switch 2 has ended its first 12 months on sale as the second fastest-selling hardware in U.S. history.

New data from Circana reveals the Switch 2 has a 5.9 million U.S. install base after a year. Only the Game Boy Advance’s 6.5 million units over its first year in the market exceeds it, Mat Piscatella, Senior Director, Video Games at Circana said.

Nintendo has said Switch 2 is its fastest-selling hardware ever globally, despite some sales struggles at the back end of 2025 in western markets. In May, Nintendo said it expected to sell fewer Switch 2 consoles over the console’s second year, because Switch 2 sales "were more concentrated in the launch year in comparison to previous hardware systems." And let’s remember that Nintendo will increase the Switch 2's price by $50, raising the console to $499.99 on September 1.

Perhaps in part due to that price rise announcement, Switch 2 sales were boosted in May. According to Piscatella, May 2026 hardware spending increased by 38% when compared to a year ago, to $249 million, with the Nintendo Switch 2 offsetting a 43% year-on-year drop in PS5 spending (and a 58% dip in unit sales) driven by recent price increases.

Xbox Series hardware spending actually grew 7% versus a year ago, while unit sales fell by 12%. Nintendo Switch 2 was again the best-selling hardware platform in both units and dollars for May and 2026 year-to-date, with PS5 second across both measures and time periods.

Earlier this week, IGN ran a poll asking you which edition of GTA 6 you planned to buy: the $80 Standard Edition, or the $100 Ultimate Edition. Well, after thousands of respondents, the results are in — and they might come as a surprise to some.

Rockstar has confirmed $79.99 as the price of the base GTA 6 game, which is single-player only. This represents a $10 increase on the standard $69.99 price point we’ve seen this console generation, although Nintendo has gone to $80 with games such as Mario Kart World. So, at its cheapest, GTA 6 is still more expensive than most other games.

The Ultimate Edition is $20 more expensive at $99.99, and comes with a number of eye-catching exclusives, such as exclusive shops and even an exclusive mission. If you need a reminder, here’s everything you get in the Ultimate Edition:

The GTA 6: Ultimate Edition includes:

• '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy and Paradise Garage: A Mud Club monster offering impressive off-road handling for the backwoods of Mount Kalaga and beyond, conveniently stored at a garage in Watson Bay, featuring a weapon locker to customize your loadout for any occasion plus a stash box to deposit stolen goods to be fenced.
• ’95 Grotti Cheetah: Grotti's signature mid '90s sports car and ode to Shore Drive, the ’95 Grotti Cheetah, complete with a minimalist, retro-futuristic livery and available to punctuate later-stage action.
• Vehicles and Vapid Ganado Retro Build at Jason’s Safehouse: Switch gears and soak up the sun in either an Army fatigue-tinged Dinka Enduro motorcycle and Crest Kayak, or inject some muscle and classic stylings into Jason's well-worn Vapid Ganado pickup with exclusive mods including a cab spoiler, rear aerials, and special livery.
• Vehicle Mod Shops: Two preeminent vehicle customization destinations are exclusively open for business with the Ultimate Edition and feature a wide selection of artistic and performance-based vehicle mods. At Rideout Customs in Vice City, transform vanilla vehicles into magnificent works of art with detailed interiors, exquisite rims, and donk stylings. Meanwhile at One-Eyed Willie’s in Lake Leonida, transform off-road vehicles with exclusive mods and even attain custom hand-painted masterpieces.
• Classic Car Collection: Track down a variety of abandoned classic and work-in-progress project cars and revitalize them to their former glory in this special commission from eccentric collector and local fixer, Wyman. Restore these and make them your own, including four vehicles that are only available in the Ultimate Edition.
• Shitzu Squalo: Perfect for casting in Gambit Bay and reeling in catches of all sorts, this gradient pink and blue Squalo docked at Washington Beach is made open-ocean-ready with an explosives-laden weapons crate.
• Hawk & Little Morgan Revolver: Sourced exclusively from the Vercetti Estate and found at Ammu-Nation stores as Jason and Lucia’s story progresses, his and hers versions of the powerful Hawk & Little Morgan Revolver are available with classic Vice City stylings for both Jason and Lucia, including palm-tree-etched grips, engraved detailing, high-performance scope, and personalized finishes.
• Personalized Weapon Variants: Personalized sidearms with detailed engravings for both Jason's Girardi ES9 pistol and Lucia's Klose K17 pistol.
• PTT Youngin$ Compound and Scores: One of Leonida’s loudest and most socially active gangs, the PTT Youngin$ grow premium hydroponics in places you’d least expect. Find a way to raid the PTT Youngin$ Illegal Goods Store in Southside Vice City and escape safely to score some special items and distinct contraband.
• Vice City Styles for Jason and Lucia: Whether poolside or side by side, Jason and Lucia can look the part with exclusive outfits, tattoos, and more.
• Goodtime Gear: A capsule collection of apparel and accessories inspired by the Goodtime State’s hit TV show character, Macca the Gator.
• Stock 305 Clothing Store: Exclusively open for business with the Ultimate Edition, Stock 305 is Stockyard’s premiere destination for elevated streetwear. Style various unique and exclusive looks for Jason and Lucia that complement the murals, tags, and artwork that put the neighborhood on the map.
• Sara’s Unisex Salon: Get signature salon hair styles for both Jason and Lucia, including facial hair for Jason and makeup and nails for Lucia.
• Electric Fang Tattoo: Stockyard’s most iconic ink bar, with over 50 exclusive, signature tattoos for both Jason and Lucia — all designed by the artist collective FAILE.

The Ultimate Edition has sparked significant debate, with some saying Rockstar has effectively charged $100 for GTA 6 before fans won’t want to miss out on all this content. But we wanted to find out if the Ultimate Edition actually will prove to be the more popular choice, even though it’s $20 more. So we asked you.

We’ve had just shy of 3,000 votes so far, and at the time of this article’s publication, 70.7% said they are buying the Ultimate Edition, leaving just 29.3% saying they are buying the Standard Edition. That’s not even slightly close — clearly the Ultimate Edition content has done the trick here. Fans really want it, and most will pay more to get it.

There are a lot of other issues factoring into decisions around GTA 6, of course. The lack of a disc in the physical version is certainly one of the hottest topics coming out of this week’s big reveal, and I’ve seen plenty of people saying they’re going to hold off just in case Rockstar decides to release a box with an actual disc in it further down the line. Some are saying the $80 price point is too expensive, and they will hold off on a sale. My gut feeling is most will want to be there for GTA 6 on day one when it comes out in November. This is looking like the biggest entertainment launch of all time, and the FOMO will be hard to resist.

And then there’s the question of GTA Online. Rockstar hasn’t said anything yet about a potential new version of GTA Online for GTA 6, although fans expect it to arrive eventually. Could that come in time for Christmas? Early next year? Even later? Perhaps some will wait for confirmation before handing over their hard-earned cash.

For now, though, we can safely say that the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition is the overwhelmingly popular choice, which begs the question: is GTA 6 effectively the first $100 game of this generation?

Certainly some seem to think so. "The Ultimate Edition is the default option for this game and the $80 is the cheaper option," said redditor ice_spice2020. "Because how else can you explain Rockstar priced the Ultimate Edition at only $100, why not $120 or $140 like other companies? $20 gap between Standard and Ultimate Edition of a game of this magnitude is too odd to ignore. I bet they really wanted to charge the game at $100, but they know going from $70 to $100 is too big of a jump to warrant it. So they paywalled some of the content. It was one thing to lock items behind, but to even go so far as to making certain locations exclusive to Ultimate Edition (even down to certain side missions) makes the Standard $80 edition look unfinished. I also see people somehow defending it, but to me it sets a dangerous precedent and it will only get worse from here."

Others agreed. "I view it as $100 for the single-player game," said No-Significance2070. Others disagreed, however, and said they weren't bothered by missing out on the Ultimate Edition content. "I couldn’t care less about stores or my character’s appearance," Carniscrub said. "Losing a couple cars is lame but not a deal breaker. $80 is the default."

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Stardew Valley creator ConcernedApe has reassured fans that he’s still working on his next game, Haunted Chocolatier, and explained why it’s taking so long.

ConcernedApe, real name Eric Barone, announced Haunted Chocolatier back in 2021, but amid ongoing work on his phenomenally successful Stardew Valley, progress on the follow-up has been slow going.

In a new blog post titled “Still here, still grinding…,” ConcernedApe insisted he was still working on the game, which he sounds somewhat embarrassed to have to keep on saying. “Feels kinda dumb posting this same thing over and over, but that’s the reality,” he said.

“I know it’s taking a long time,” he continued, before explaining the hold up. ConcernedApe is fussing over every last detail, it seems, in a bid to make Haunted Chocolatier as close to perfect as humanly possible.

“I am being very thoughtful about every aspect of the game,” he said. “The things in the game which the player will be interacting with or using very often need to be ‘perfect.’ They need to be seamless, clear, intuitive, satisfying, aesthetic.”

He used the example of iterating on the recipe book for making chocolates, which sounds like a significant challenge.

“To me, it’s not a simple task, as I torture myself over every last detail,” he said. “This is a UI you will be using fairly often, so it has to be perfect. You need to be able to accomplish your goal with the minimal number of clicks. There needs to be just the right amount of data presented to the player: not so much as to be overwhelming, but not so little as to be trivial or mundane. And the way that this data is laid out on the page is crucial… If the data is all clustered together, it will be disgusting to look at. The data needs to be grouped into compelling, intuitive and easy to read/understand groupings. It needs to look appealing and intriguing. And this is just the bare minimum, that players will likely take for granted. If all of that is accomplished then the player is now comfortable while perusing the recipe book. But I want more than just comfort. I want to delight the player. All of this typically requires me to iterate on something several times before I’m satisfied with it.”

This situation with the recipe book for making chocolates is just one aspect of Haunted Chocolatier, of course. ConcernedApe is applying this same pursuit of perfection to the entire game.

“And it’s a big game,” he added. “So there are many things for me to fuss over. But, this is what it will take to make a game I’m satisfied with.”

ConcernedApe also explained why he doesn’t want to show Haunted Chocolatier off too much at this stage of development. “Partly, it feels like I’m serving a half-baked bread. I would rather serve a fully baked bread,” he said. “Also, I know that many parts of the game will likely evolve and change before release, so if I reveal them early, I risk disappointing players if the final product does not match their expectation. Fortunately, I’m in a position where I don’t need to market the game, so I can take my preferred approach.

“As always, I really appreciate your patience.”

Haunted Chocolatier is so far without a release date. Neither does the hotly anticipated Stardew Valley 1.7 update, which ConcernedApe isn’t working on directly. Earlier this year, he explained his current way of working in an interview with IGN.

“Well, part of the reason why I've expanded my team a little bit is so that hopefully I can spend more time working on Haunted Chocolatier," he told us in February. "And it's worked out pretty well so far, I would say. On 1.7, the approach we're taking is that I am like, you might say the creative director and I'm involved with like, 'Okay, here's what we're going to do. Here's some of the ideas.' Then I let the team work on that. And then meanwhile, I'm working on Haunted Chocolatier.

"At some point in 1.7's cycle, I will get heavily involved, because I feel like my hand needs to touch every part of the game, every aspect of the update. I need to go over it and adjust it or at least approve everything. So it will require a lot of my time anyway, but I think the balance has been a little bit more shifted, so that I can spend more time focused on Haunted Chocolatier. And I think it's been working out pretty good. That's been a big change from the 1.3 update or 1.1 or something where it's completely me. I had no time to work on a new game. So that has changed.

"It is difficult because it's hard to shift gears, I guess. If I'm thinking about Haunted Chocolatier, it's difficult to be like, 'Okay, I'm going to one day of the week or two days of the week work on Stardew Valley.' That's not how my brain works. I'm all in one thing or the other. So I've been trying to work on that. I feel like it requires a lot of discipline, which I'm always working to improve on."

And, on Haunted Chocolatier, ConcernedApe told IGN:

"The progress isn't as fast as I would like. Nothing is ever as fast as I would like. The main important thing about Haunted Chocolatier is I'm not going to release anything that I'm not happy with. If I don't think it's a great game, I'm not going to release it. So even if that takes years and years, so be it. That's just what I want to do. Fortunately, I don't feel like there's any real pressure. I haven't received funding from anyone or crowdfunding. There's not going to be any pre-orders.

"I don't actually owe anyone the game. It's like when I want to do it and when I want to release it, it'll get done. I mean, it's true that I've announced the game, that does create a lot of pressure on me because I do feel like I don't want to disappoint the fans by taking too long, but there's no real physical obligation with it. It's more just mental constructs, you might say."

We interviewed ConcernedApe and chatted about topics such as the addition of two new marriage candidates with 1.7, the one secret players still haven't found yet, and why there isn't a Stardew Valley TV show yet. We also chatted with the Stardew Valley community about what the game has meant to them over the years.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Japanese manga artist Shiten Akiyama has confirmed that his debut manga Horizon, which had already built up a cult following among overseas fans, will get an official English release in January 2027.

This is my very first manga.

In Japan, it is still relatively unknown, and there were times when I didn’t know if it would even be able to continue.

There were moments when I felt completely frustrated and powerless, unsure of what I should do next.

Then, I started hearing… https://t.co/4Rasrg0ajs

— 秋山視点｜Shiten Akiyama (@shiten_room) June 25, 2026

Horizon is a mysterious slice-of-life manga about a burnt-out office worker called Meiko. Missing her teenage years, Mieko dons her old school uniform one night and has a life-changing meeting in her local park. Akiyama began the manga in 2025, and it soon picked up a dedicated fan following outside Japan, despite the volume only being officially available in Japanese.

Akiyama frequently posts on Twitter / X in English, interacting with international fans. He also previously tried posting his own English translation of Horizon online for free, but this led to issues with the Japanese publisher.

Now, LA-based publisher Kodama Tales has picked up the licence for an official English release of Horizon. Due out in January 2027, it will be translated by David Evelyn, who's transformed a bunch of manga series into English including City Hunter and Kaiju No.8.

What's up, amigos? I'm handling the translation for this title by Shiten Akiyama. Hope you guys pick it up this January! https://t.co/tJk2MlMicJ

— David Evelyn @ TMG, AX, ANYC, Otakon (@shinhoroko) June 24, 2026

Normally, manga artists and their creations need to become popular in Japan first before they are considered for translation into other languages. However, Shiten Akiyama, who refers to himself as an “unknown rookie manga artist,” is not a big name in Japan and Horizon is his first manga.

“In Japan, it (Horizon) is still relatively unknown,” said Akiyama, posting about the English version’s announcement on X. “I believe this marks a historic moment in the history of manga. This is something we achieved together. It was made possible by Kodama, who had the vision to believe in this work, and by every reader who believed in it and continued to make their voices heard.”

Back in April, Akiyama’s frank post about how struggling manga artists like him “can barely afford cheap coffee” went viral, as did the outpouring of supportive comments and donations from overseas fans (which according to the artist, exceeded over ¥900,000 (approx. $5,600) in less than 24 hours. This was 90% of his funding goal Ko-fi, which is now at 163%.

Image credit: @shiten_room / Twitter.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

Popular Tabletop Simulator Steam mods that recreate the in-person Warhammer 40,000 game have reportedly received takedown requests from Games Workshop.

While Games Workshop hasn’t commented on its action here — and rarely does in cases such as this — one of the chief creators of Tabletop Simulator Warhammer 40,000 mods alleged that the UK company was to blame.

Tabletop Simulator is a long-running and popular physics sandbox designed to let people make their own board games in virtual form. It launched over a decade ago on Steam, where there are thousands of community-created mods, including Warhammer 40,000 mods.

This week saw the launch of the 11th Edition of Warhammer 40,000, Games Workshop’s flagship tabletop game and one of the biggest releases in the company’s history. It sells pricey box sets packed with miniatures to fans, who then assemble, paint, and deploy on a battlefield using the new rules and units introduced by this latest edition of the game.

Already, 11th Edition mods were made available on TS Warhammer Steam Workshop, but two of the most high-profile are now removed. A modder called hutber, who had released an 11th Edition map for TTS just a week ago, took to reddit to say they had removed it “after a request from GW.”

“Seems we're ready for another crack down from GW, which is their right to do,” hutber said in a thread titled "Hutber Map | TTS Map cease and desist." “So we cannot complain of course :D”

ForceOrg, another popular mod used to play Warhammer 40,000 digitally, was also taken down from Steam Workshop. TTS modder Seaborne said in a reddit thread that ForceOrg had been removed as a result of Games Workshop’s action.

“Regrettably, this is going to be our version of the Dark Age Of Technology,” Seaborne said. “Those who have never subscribed to ForceOrg before won't be able to subscribe to it now. Those currently subscribed may still be able to use these mods, but how long this will last is uncertain.”

Games Workshop is notorious for protecting its intellectual property with takedown requests and, in some cases, direct DMCA strikes. Earlier this year, IGN reported on Void War, a strategy game dubbed ‘FTL in a Warhammer 40,000 skin,’ after it was pulled from Steam when Games Workshop issued a DMCA takedown due to an image of a shoulder pad.

Why take on the TTS Warhammer 40,000 modding community now after years of inaction? Seaborne speculated that it has to do with the recent release of Warhammer 40,000 11th Edition. In theory, some Warhammer 40,000 fans may be content playing the tabletop game digitally, rather than get involved with what is an expensive hobby in an official capacity — potentially denying Games Workshop revenue that might have come from that.

On the other hand, some say Warhammer 40,000 TTS mods are crucial for letting them play with friends they would never be able to play the tabletop with, perhaps because they’re overseas or have other issues actually meeting up in-person. Some found Warhammer 40,000 TTS mods helped them through Covid lockdowns, and have stuck with it since.

It’s worth noting that while there are many, many Warhammer 40,000 video games out there, none are straight-up recreations of the tabletop experience. Sure, there are Warhammer 40,000 strategy games, some of which are even turn-based. But none follow the rules of the tabletop game, rather established video game conventions. There’s a clear reason for that: Games Workshop doesn’t want to give fans any digital experience that might effectively replace the tabletop, which remains the crown jewel in its portfolio. Warhammer 40,000 video games must offer an alternative, complimentary experience only — it’s a strategy that makes sense commercially, even if there is an obvious market for a direct digital recreation.

The TTS Warhammer 40,000 modding community has been through this before and it eventually returned to basically doing what it had been doing. ForceOrg's continuation will be determined in the next 48 hours, Seaborne said. “Long-term, this is nothing but a momentarily stop gap.” In the meantime, Seaborne suggested TTS Warhammer modders “hide, delist and create backups for your works until the coast feels clear.”

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

Recent comments from Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Hideaki Nishino have suggested PlayStation may move towards more hybrid, Switch-like consoles in the future to match modern on-the-go players.

Speaking to Famitsu in a special interview marking the Japanese game magazine’s 40th anniversary, Nishino briefly touched upon future Sony hardware.

In reference to his 2024 comment that hardware won’t be disappearing any time soon, Nishino was asked whether Sony’s PlayStation brand would continue to focus on consoles. Nishino gave an affirmative answer: “My belief that a console is necessary for playing games hasn’t changed,” he said, adding that Sony “wants to continue providing its own game consoles.”

Nishino also mentioned that he thinks "pick up and play" is the most important quality for consoles nowadays. He said that developing new game console experiences will involve "leveraging technologies that can be used in various forms and locations" and that this would enable Sony "to create something exciting."

"For example, although the PlayStation brand is strongly associated with playing on the TV in the living room, we’re planning to release monitors and speakers so that people can play comfortably in other locations as well,” Nishino said. “We developed the PlayStation Portal as part of this initiative."

Of course, Sony has taken the PlayStation brand away from the TV many times before, going back to the portable screen for the PSone in the early 2000s and the Japan-only Pocketstation. Then there’s the Sony PSP and PSVita handhelds, Playstation VR, and the aforementioned PS5 companion handheld PlayStation Portal.

Back in November 2025, Sony officially launched cloud streaming on PlayStation Portal, which Nishino flagged as an important feature for the handheld. While remote play allows you to stream games directly from your PS5, cloud streaming allows you to bypass the PS5. This means you can give your console a rest, or let someone else use your PS5, either to play a game with you or do something else entirely. Nishino noted that “players seem to be comfortable using cloud streaming, and numbers are increasing at very good momentum. For example, the number of users in January 2026 was 1.5 times that of December 2025.”

With Playstation Portal, Nishino said Sony took on the challenge to create a device that would offer a new kind of gameplay experience. “We were thinking, ‘Let’s try this, let’s try that,’ and I’d like us to move forward with developing products while exploring various ideas in this way.”

Nishino added that while he believes games will continue to be one of the “essential sources of entertainment” for people in the future, lifestyles continue to change and that meeting these needs is a challenge for hardware developers to tackle.

Nishino also reiterated Sony's recent altered stance on PC releases. Last week, Sony nixed PC releases from descriptions of its launch strategy for first-party titles. Sony's new main stance is that it will focus on PS5-exclusive releases for first party single-player games, with live service titles likely to head to both PS5 and PC to bolster the playerbase. Nishino noted that Sony will continue to make platform choices on a per-game basis, releasing on PC in cases where that would "maximize the gaming experience."

What exactly the PS6 will be has fueled gossip for a while, with rumors of a Switch-like dockable console, or even a console with a separate handheld. However, whatever the PS6 ends up being, it’s likely to come with an expensive price tag. With Valve’s Steam Machine recently triggering shocked reactions for its $1,050 starting price, memory manufacturers suggest rising costs could also see next generation consoles like the PS6 exceed the $1,000 mark, and Sony may push back the console’s release to avoid such high pricing.

This isn’t the first PS6 handheld tease, either. Last year, Moore’s Law Is Dead reported on an unannounced PS6 handheld that would be dockable and backwards compatible with PS4 and PS5 games. There was also a brief mention of what was described as a PS6 S, which sounded like it could be to the PS6 what the Xbox Series S is to the Xbox Series X. If true, you’d assume it would be a cheaper option.

Verity Townsend is a Japan-based freelance writer who previously served as editor, contributor and translator for the game news site Automaton West. She has also written about Japanese culture and movies for various publications.

The layoffs Bungie announced yesterday hit nearly 300 staff who worked at the developer’s Bellevue, Washington office, official records have revealed.

A Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notice issued by Sony to the Washington State Employment Security Department, reported by Game File, reveals 292 staff have been let go with a formal separation date set for July 9. This number does not account for Bungie staff outside Washington state. It is unknown how many staff remain at Bungie following the cuts, although the studio was reported to have employed 850 staff as of 2024.

It is Bungie's third round of layoffs in three years. According to The Seattle Times, Bungie once had 1,000 employees in Bellevue, according to a 2023 annual financial report from the city. Between October 2023 and July 2024, Bungie laid off around 320 staff. Local press have called the cuts a "bloodbath."

In its statement yesterday, Hermen Hulst, CEO, Studio Business Group, Sony Interactive Entertainment, spoke about the layoffs in general terms, only saying a “significant” number of employees had been affected, hitting "most of the Destiny team and some Marathon team members.”

Hulst described the decision as "difficult" and "painful," but "necessary to align the studio’s resources with its current priorities and long-term goals." The news follows the recent ending of new content for Destiny 2, and the release of hardcore extraction shooter Marathon, which has struggled for players. Sony has insisted it remains committed to Marathon, whose team is also said to be working on “incubation efforts for future projects.”

The WARN notice redacts individual names, but includes job titles. It reveals staff across all departments were hit, including artists and technical animators, audio leads and sound designers, engineers, producers, and systems designers, and integrated Sony support teams that manage day-to-day Bungie infrastructure.

A number of former Bungie staff have taken to social media to confirm they were hit by the layoffs. Some are Bungie veterans of over a decade. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier said Bungie studio head Justin Truman, who succeeded Pete Parsons last year, had stepped down. According to Forbes reporter Paul Tassi, former Bungie VP of Operations, Poria Torkan, has reportedly taken charge of the studio.

Social media users have also picked up on the mention of “Chief Vision Officer” in the WARN notice. Some are speculating that this is Bungie co-founder and Halo and Destiny creator Jason Jones, who maintains a low profile and rarely speaks to the press. Jones appeared in an official Destiny 2 video released in 2021 in which he was described as Chief Vision Officer. If Jones has left Bungie — and this remains unconfirmed for now — it would represent a true end of an era for the studio behind some of the most iconic first-person shooters ever released.

Bungie has struggled financially for some time, and reportedly was on the brink of closure before Sony bought the studio back in 2022 for $3.6 billion. Sony recently reported a $765 million impairment loss due to underperformance of Bungie specifically.

Bungie's issues with Destiny 2 reportedly began around the time of last summer's Edge of Fate expansion, which was said to have underperformed. The decision to pull the plug was allegedly made "earlier this year" after it was decided not to relaunch the franchise as "Destiny Infinity."

Forbes reported that Bungie began discussing different scenarios about "what the future of Destiny 2 would look like" after December's Renegades, its Star Wars-themed crossover expansion, "did even worse [than Edge of Fate] and didn't change sales or retention trajectory."

Destiny Infinity would have been a relaunch alongside a return to the one big expansion model Destiny used to have, but the idea fell by the wayside after it was allegedly decided that the costs and risks were too high, especially in the context of support for Marathon.

Destiny 3 "was considered, as ever, but things didn't swing that way," and there has been no behind-the-scenes hints that a third Destiny game is coming, with the cost of the game's production cited as the key issue.

Destiny 2 launched on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on September 6, 2017, with a PC version following a month later. Behind the scenes, however, tension between Bungie and Activision emerged, and the two companies officially parted ways in January 2019, ending their 10-year publishing deal five years early.

With Destiny in its own hands, Bungie self-published the game, but it couldn't escape financial troubles and layoffs as Destiny 2 expansions failed to hit the mark and the player base dwindled. Extraction shooter Marathon launched early March, with a reported budget of more than $250 million. It too, according to analysts, has failed to meet sales expectations.

Photographer: Troy Harvey/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

FX's upcoming adaptation of Far Cry has cast Lizzy Caplan, who is best known for Freaks and Geeks, Mean Girls, and Cloverfield.

Last year, FX and Ubisoft confirmed that Noah Hawley (showrunner of Fargo and Alien: Earth) will helm an adaptation of Far Cry. The show will be an anthology series with each season telling a new story with a new cast, not unlike the games. As of right now, details are scarce on what the first season will look like, but it's hard to imagine a Far Cry story without a unique location and a psychotic villain.

Caplan's role is being kept under wraps, but she will star alongside It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob Mac (formerly known as Rob McElhenney). Mac's role is also a mystery, but he will also executive-produce the upcoming TV series. Hawley previously stated that he was drawn to the show because Far Cry's structure allows for a wide variety of storytelling opportunities.

"What I love about the Far Cry game franchise is it's an anthology," said Hawley. "Each game is a variation of a theme, the same way each season of Fargo is a variation on a theme. To create a big action show that can change from year to year, while always exploring the nature of humanity through this complex and chaotic lens is a dream come true. I'm excited to partner with Rob and bring our shared irreverent, ambitious sensibility to the screen."

Hawley came under fire earlier this year after making some comments that sounded dismissive of gaming's storytelling capabilities. The filmmaker stated that "games are built in a way that doesn't make for the best drama," and received pushback from players as well as the director of Far Cry 4, Alex Hutchinson.

"My biggest problem is the dismissal of the game stories as pointless," Hutchinson said, addressing Hawley's comments directly. "His position isn't without merit, and his adaptations of Alien and Fargo also basically threw away history. This worked well in Fargo but less well in Alien, which turned into a kind of weird Peter Pan gets a dog story instead of remaining true to the best elements of the brand. I think gamers just want to feel their loves are respected not dismissed as they often were historically."

As of right now, there's no premiere date for Far Cry and production seemingly hasn't even begun, but the casting news does suggest things are ramping up. A new Far Cry game is also in the works at Ubisoft, but the studio has yet to officially unveil it.

(Photo by Noam Galai/WireImage)

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Don't expect Pixar's favorite rat to make a return, as director Brad Bird sees no potential in a Ratatouille 2.

Speaking with Collider, Bird was asked if he thinks there will be a second Ratatouille movie. Bird made it pretty clear that he believes Remy's story is completed and there's nothing left to do with that world. He noted Pixar has tried to nudge him into making a sequel, but he remains firm in his decision to leave it alone.

"No, I don't," said Bird. "They've made little feints towards that to see how I would react. They'll, like, crack a joke, but the joke will be a little bit serious, like, 'Would you?' And I'm like, 'No, we told that story.' Any time you do something that ends up connecting with people, they automatically think, 'How about another?' People have mentioned it about The Iron Giant, which is hilarious to me because the film didn't succeed at all in its initial release. It's caught up in time, but what would you do to follow that up? He's lumbering around, still undiscovered? In other words, to me, that story is told."

Bird did say he's open to revisiting his superhero franchise, The Incredibles, however. Pixar is indeed moving forward with The Incredibles 3, which will be helmed by Elemental director Peter Sohn, but Bird will be penning the script. Bird also voiced Edna Mode, a fashion designer who creates the supersuits for the various heroes, so don't be surprised if he returns to his voice role, too.

Bird's commitment to not continuing the story of Ratatouille may strike some as surprising. Pixar just released Toy Story 5 and, although it is performing very well, there's a looming feeling that the franchise has overstayed its welcome. Some feel that Toy Story 3 was the perfect send-off for Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang, but Pixar has continued to push the series forward. Of course, Disney and Pixar could probably make another Ratatouille without Bird, but they'd risk the chance of not only making a lesser film, but also damaging their relationship with a respected creative.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.

Talladega Nights nearly got a sequel, and it would've taken Ricky Bobby overseas.

In a new interview with Business Insider, Talladega Nights director Adam McKay revealed that the racing comedy nearly got a sequel. The film would've taken Ricky Bobby to Europe after joining an F1 team, where he would've been tested as a driver, but also politically.

"We did have an idea for Talladega Nights 2," said McKay. "It was that Ricky Bobby was going to hook up with an F1 team, and he was going to race in Denmark or the Netherlands and feel like he’s in a communist country because they have nationalized healthcare. So, along with struggling with how fast those F1 cars go, he would have clashed with far-left-leaning Europe compared to America."

McKay went on to note that the only reason the film never went forward is that the team behind the film was exhausted from the first film. They knew that the racing sequences had to be thrilling, and ultimately realized it was much easier to go shoot Step Brothers – a small-scale comedy about two guys goofing off inside a house.

With the increased popularity of F1, especially after Brad Pitt's racing film last year, one might think this idea is worth revisiting. However, it probably won't happen. Not only has 20 years passed since the original film, but McKay and actor Will Ferrell had a big creative breakup some years ago. Gary Sanchez Productions, which McKay and Ferrell founded in 2006, was dissolved in 2019 after the pair decided to part ways.

"It's a shame because we had a great creative partnership," said McKay. "I think both of us underestimated the complications that go with not just having a company, but a very successful company."

"We had it for a long time and did a lot of cool projects. And Ferrell said it publicly, he was never someone who wanted to produce, so he was always half in and half out, but then he would love it and be proud of the company, but by the end, he wanted to move on. It had become too much extra work; it was never his passion. I was really the one who wanted to produce, but a movie star's life is very different than a writer-director's life. So we split up."

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby will briefly return to theaters starting on June 28.

Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN's news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.