Gaming - Page 65

An insider has shared that Rockstar Games may only release a digital copy of Grand Theft Auto 6 at launch, and those who want the physical edition will have to wait.

The reason? According to the Polish website PPL.pl, who cites the insider named Graczdari, which the site writes is responsible for managing the physical game sales in Europe, Rockstar Games still hasn't made any plans for a physical release of Grand Theft Auto 6, and more specifically, Graczdari says they are hearing that Rockstar won't release the physical copy of the game alongside the digital version to "prevent leaks".

The insider goes on to say they are receiving "conflicting reports," with some saying the "physical version will arrive three to four weeks after the digital release, while others say it won't happen until early 2027." Additionally, the insider writes that, "more information will be available in mid-February."

Resident Evil Requiem launches on February 27, with CAPCOM confirming that the game will have multiple PlayStation 5 Pro modes: RT (ray tracing) enabled @ up to 60FPS, or without RT it'll crank up to 120FPS.

CAPCOM director Koshi Nakanishi said: "When playing on PS5 Pro, you can take advantage of the ray tracing on/off feature. When it's on, you can play at 4K output, 60FPS, and full ray tracing. When it's off, those with a monitor that supports high frame rates can play at a maximum of 120FPS, with an average of 90FPS. We've spent a lot of time optimizing it".

Nakanishi continued: "What personally impressed me about the PS5 Pro was its high frame rate. You might be wondering if you can really tell the difference, but when you go back to 60FPS, it still feels a bit lacking. The difference in the amount of information makes the world seem more persuasive".

NVIDIA's RTX Remix platform began as an impressive tool for modders, allowing them to take classic PC games and give them a modern ray-tracing visual overhaul via a simple and intuitive interface. With over 100 RTX Remix mods out in the wild and impressive projects like Half-Life 2 RTX looking like full-blown remakes, this week's release of RTX Remix 1.3 brings a new and major feature to the platform.

Called RTX Remix Logic, it enables the Remix platform to "detect game logic," allowing modders to add new layers of immersion and dynamic features to their creations. Game logic can be something as simple as opening a door, pressing a switch, or something like 'when an enemy is close,' which can then trigger visual changes from a pool of 900+ settings and effects.

One example we were shown in person at CES 2026 involved changing the weather, time of day, and season of Half-Life 2's Ravenholm to a random setting whenever you opened the door. Another example was the addition of night vision when looking down a scope, while another had the screen react and warp to alert you when an enemy was close.

As part of its big reveal during the recent Xbox Developer Direct presentation, we got a firm release date of May 19, 2026, for the PC and Xbox Series versions of the highly anticipated Forza Horizon 6. Alongside being the biggest entry in the series to date, it shifts all of its open-world racing action to Japan, presenting the country's large cities, mountainous regions, and forests in stunning detail.

Already available to pre-order, developer Playground Games and publisher Xbox Game Studios have posted the 'Minimum' PC System Requirements for the game. Although we're unsure what in-game settings and frame rate this targets, the desktop GPU requirements are fairly modest - you'll need at least a GeForce GTX 1650, Radeon RX 6500 XT, or Intel Arc A380.

However, in a surprising move, the system requirements also list the Intel Arc B390, the integrated GPU (iGPU) found in Intel's new Panther Lake processors, as part of the 'Minimum' requirement.

GeForce Game Ready Driver 591.86 is here, adding support for ARC Raiders' new Headwinds Update, the new multiplayer 'raid shooter' Highguard that recently launched, and the new 3D real-time strategy RPG Arknights: Endfield. The new driver for GeForce RTX owners also fixes a couple of bugs, including one related to Windows Automatic Color Management.

ARC Raiders, the extraction adventure from Embark Studios, is one of 2025's biggest sellers, with over 12 million copies sold. The Headwinds Update adds new content, rewards, and ways to play the game, with GeForce RTX 50 Series owners getting full access to DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation to boost performance, with DLSS Super Resolution and NVIDIA Reflex available for all RTX gamers on PC.

Highguard, the new free-to-play shooter that got its big reveal at The Game Awards, also supports DLSS Super Resolution with the new DLSS 4.5 second-generation Transformer model available via the NVIDIA App. Rounding out the game support, Arknights: Endfield features DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation and DLSS Super Resolution, with NVIDIA noting that performance on GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs is improved by an average of 3X at 4K when enabled.

BioShock creator Ken Levine will release a new game in 2026, but it's not a shooter--it's more of a simulator where choice and consequence shape gameplay.

Judas, the new game from BioShock's Ken Levine, has been in development for over a decade. Half of that time was spent creating the game's principal gimmick: a next-level reactivity system where NPCs dynamically respond to what players choose to do.

In that way, Ken Levine offhandedly jokes in a recent interview with Game Informer that the project is a "Judas simulator" because players take on the role and essentially shape their own version of the titular character, interacting with the world through the eyes of, well, a Judas.

Capcom has a very interesting take on zombies in Resident Evil 9 that channels some of the movie logic found in Romero's 1985 horror classic.

Resident Evil games are heavily influenced by all forms of horror media, and in its multi-decade span, the series has redefined what terror actually is. But like all media--especially a gestalt one like video games--the Resident Evil franchise takes cues from the greats that came before it, and in this instance, Capcom's latest Resident Evil 9 once again borrows from the master of the undead himself, George Romero.

In a recent interview with Game Informer, Resident Evil 9 game director Koshi Nakanishi confirmed the zombies in RE9 can use tools and even chainsaws to attack players. Capcom offered an explanation, and it might sound familiar to horror fans: The zombies still have memories from when they were human, so they remember how to use things like chainsaws. It's a lot like how Bub the zombie remembered how to shoot a gun in Day of the Dead.

Two indie games have recently cancelled their Xbox versions, and while this is undoubtedly the result of the tough realities of games development, it could also show that game developers are putting more priority on PlayStation 5 and PC platforms than they are for Xbox.

Over the past few days, I noticed an interesting development: Indie game devs are starting to cancel the Xbox versions of their games. Recently, I've seen two games do this: 1348 Ex Voto, an extremely stylish medieval sword fighting game, and the other is a game set in a more recognizable and higher-profile brand, with Nickelodeon's Splat Pack, a combination of old retro games put in a single package.

Each group has its own individual reasons on why the Xbox versions are cancelled, and while there's no comments from Limited Run Games on the Nickelodeon Splat Pack other than a confirmation of the Xbox SKU cancellation, the team behind 1348 Ex Voto explained their situation.

Highguard is a free-to-play 'PVP raid shooter' which was showcased at the end of The Game Awards, and it emerged yesterday - to a very mixed response.

On the one hand, the game from Wildlight Studios - which has a number of former Respawn staff on board (of Apex Legends fame) - received a battering (mostly) with the reviews on its Steam page. But on the other hand, some gamers are enjoying it, and feel that Highguard is being unfairly treated by its detractors.

Whatever you think of the game - if you've tried it, or just watched some gameplay footage (and I fall into the latter camp) - there's one thing that's clear: it's highly polarizing.

Banjo: Recompiled for PC is a native port of Banjo-Kazooie, the classic 3D platformer from the Nintendo 64. From developer Rare, it's a game widely considered to be on par with Nintendo's Super Mario 64, and its native PC port supports widescreen and ultrawide resolutions, unlocked frame rates, and mod support.

This is all possible due to the N64: Recompiled project that allows modders to effectively reverse engineer Nintendo 64 games to get them running natively on modern PC hardware - with support for Windows, Linux, and Mac.

Yes, this means this port is playable on the Steam Deck, with modder Wiseguy adding quality-of-life features like analog camera controls, improved input latency, and the ability to keep your collect-a-thon progress when exiting a level or running out of health. The port also includes three one-click mods for players to install, including a high-resolution texture pack and popular "ROM hacks" Nostalgia 64 and Jiggies of Time.

The real-life Master Chief isn't too keen about AI taking his job and reproducing his voice, and while Xbox has no plans to replace him, that isn't the case everywhere.

AI is everywhere, and practically every company is trying to use it to save money. Sometimes this means laying off thousands of workers, replacing them with automated systems in an attempt to simultaneously save money and boost productivity. In the entertainment industry, AI hasn't taken over just yet, but some (like James Earl Jones, for example) have sold their likeness to be reproduced by AI.

Microsoft is one such company that has invested heavily into AI, dumping billions into the tech, leading to company-wide adoption. Xbox has utilized AI in unique ways, creating a generative AI simulator that can render games without any coding from a game developer. Xbox has also made deals with AI companies like inWorld to make AI-generated stories, quests, and dialogue.

Following rounds of heavy layoffs, Microsoft may be more careful and selective in which games actually get greenlit at Xbox.

It sounds like Xbox's management may now be more deliberate and methodical with its first-party game approvals. A bit ago, Microsoft conducted hefty layoffs across its entire company, with the Xbox segment laying off hundreds of workers across Xbox Game Studios, ZeniMax, and Activision. Microsoft also shut down The Initiative, a studio that had been working on a costly Perfect Dark project since 2018--that game was also cancelled. The layoffs have significantly harmed Xbox's reputation at a time when the public sentiment around the group is already at an all-time low.

Microsoft doesn't want this to happen again--this process has been grueling, costly, and ultimately has led to a lot of wastage--wasted spending on creating a product that will never actually release--in the entertainment division. According to Craig Duncan, who now leads Xbox Game Studios, the ultimate goal is to ensure Microsoft can avoid "having to" cancel projects, lay off hundreds of workers, and shut down entire content studios.

Remedy steps in to clarify that they have not revealed a release window for Control Resonant, helping clear up erroneous reports.

Days ago, news began circulating that Control Resonant was set for a Q2 2026 release (around June), with Remedy themselves reportedly saying this. Taking a closer look at the report, it was obvious from the get-go it wasn't from Remedy. For one, the share rating was a dead giveaway that this was from an analyst firm, and not from Remedy--the firm Inderes, to be exact.

Indeed that's the case, and Remedy's communication director Thomas Puha has stepped in to squash the rumors: "Since some news [sites] are crediting us saying something that we haven't: Remedy has only ever communicated that the release window of CONTROL Resonant is 2026. Anything else is speculation," Puha said on Twitter.

GTA 6 will be a digital-only game at launch, says reputable leaker Graczdari.

New reports indicate that GTA 6 will be a digital product at launch, with physical disc copies withheld until an undetermined period after release. A purported source close to European game retail chains has told website PPE.pl that Take-Two Interactive has no plans to launch a disc version of GTA 6 when the game is expected to launch on November 19, 2026.

Instead, GTA 6 is expected to be a digital game on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, apparently as a means to avoid spoilers. The move could also be predicated on maximizing profits, as producing and shipping millions of discs can be costly, but is usually seen as a worth-it proposal; all of Take-Two's biggest games are on discs.

The Blizzard Showcase goes live on January 29, starting with World of Warcraft and ending with Diablo in February.

Today, Blizzard revealed specifics around its big celebration plans. The publisher will celebrate its 35th anniversary with two big events: the Blizzard Showcase that kicks off in a few days, and Blizzcon 2026 in September. The showcase will focus on four main franchises, delivering updates for each: World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and Hearthstone.

"We're kicking off 2026 with the Blizzard Showcase, a series of developer-led spotlights featuring big announcements, sneak peeks, and teases across our universes. As we look toward the future, this event celebrates the artists, makers, and visionaries behind our games, and our players who bring them to life, as we celebrate 35 years of community and craft," Blizzard writes.

In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Xbox Game Studios head Craig Duncan gave many details about Playground Games' upcoming reboot of the classic Xbox title, Fable.

During the interview Duncan said that he hasn't played much of the game, but he has experienced has been "mindblowing," specifically with the combat and Living Population. For those who don't know, the Living Population is what Playground Games refers to as the more than 1,000 unique non-player characters (NPCs) that populate Fable's world, called Albion.

Each of these NPCs is handcrafted with a unique name, appearance, personality, worldviews, hobbies, and daily life routines, which involve work and play. Additionally, each of these NPCs is fully voice-acted. Duncan went on to recognize the "special ideas" in the original Fable trilogy, and said that Playground Games has taken those ideas and modernized them, with the executive once again pointing out the Living Population feature.

A YouTuber and hardware engineer, MrYeester, recently posted a video on the "mryeester" YouTube channel that showcases how you too can turn your PC into a coin-activated gaming rig.

The creator of the coin-activated gaming PC explained in the above video that he is treating the PC as if it were an old arcade gaming machine, and to get a PC to work as an arcade machine, some customization needs to take place, specifically with the front-panel on/off button being replaced by an authentic coin acceptor. This device measures the properties of the coins inserted into it and can differentiate between them by identifying their magnetism, weight, and size.

The idea is that once the coin acceptor detects the correct coin, it will trigger the "on button press" signal, which is sent to the motherboard's Power SW header. The coin acceptor can be set to accept only one type of coin, and to get it set up, the modder uses a PSU breakout or adapter to provide 12V to the coin acceptor and relay. The modder then routes the relay output to the motherboard's front-panel header.

The Old School RuneScape team has unveiled the fourth raid to come to the ancient MMO that is teeming with players, and according to the developers, this raid will be the toughest one it has ever released.

Jagex has explained in a recent blog post that The Fractured Archives are located deep beneath Gielinor within an ancient cave used by the god Guthix to store his most treasured items. Players will be traveling to the Fractured Archive for the raid, where they will encounter "agents of other gods, curious creatures, Guthixian guardians, and more". Players will be tasked with stopping the contents of the archive from falling into the wrong hands.

Jagex wrote in the post that they are taking a Theatre of Blood-styled approach to the Fractured Archive raid, which means players will face off against a selection of demibosses, won't encounter any puzzle rooms, and then engage in a final epic boss battle in the final phase of the raid. Notably, players will also be able to solo the Fractured Archive raid, but Jagex is first focusing on making the raid optimized for 2-8 players. Moreover, the developer warns that soloing the Fractured Archive will be "difficult."

Developers have been on a quest for quite some time to get the first DOOM game to run on as many different types of electronics as possible, and now the grandfather of first-person-shooter games has made its way over to earbuds. Yes, the same earbuds you can use to listen to music. DOOM can now be played with them.

Have you ever wondered if earbuds can run the 1993 classic first-person shooter title DOOM? Yeah, neither have I, but nevertheless, I was impressed when I discovered it is not only possible, but is currently happening. This quirky tech project takes advantage of the PineBuds Pro's open-source software to access its tiny processor, which then executes the DOOM code.

Since earbuds don't have a display, the DOOMBuds streams the game's output over the internet to a web browser where the user can watch and play the game remotely. This essentially means the earbuds have been converted into the PC running DOOM, and the browser has become the display and controller. Since the earbuds have very limited performance headroom in terms of horsepower, the developer had to make some concessions to get DOOM to be able to work.

Ubisoft recently announced the third and final restructuring of its company, and it involved closing several studios, cancelling many of its titles, and laying off what is expected to be at least hundreds of people. However, one more franchise could be added to the list of now-dead Ubisoft IPs.

In a recent episode of the Insider Gaming podcast, Insider Gaming founder and editor Tom Henderson said that Ubisoft has quietly killed off the Watch Dogs franchise, which comes on the heels of the editor saying that he has seen internal chat messages between Ubisoft employees who are slagging off the publisher's owners, the Guillemot brothers.

During the podcast, Henderson said that he has heard the Watch Dogs franchise is "completely dead", and that the performance of Watch Dogs: Legion is the reason behind Ubisoft's decision to shelve the IP.