The atmosphere around all things Xbox has become truly rancid in the past week, whether it’s the game studios now suddenly having to bargain for their future, the reports that layoffs are already underway at Zenimax, or the counter-reporting that actually Microsoft will keep everyone’s necks on the line until after their financial year ends on 30th June.
Another awfully demoralising week at one of the biggest and most profitable companies in the world.
In the News This Week
So, let’s catch up on that news, but we’re actually going to start with a bit of GTA.
- Grand Theft Auto VI preorders live from June 25th – cover art revealed
- Report – Xbox is shutting down Ninja Theory, days after announcing their next game
- Report – Redundancies at Microsoft owned Zenimax have begun & 3D Realms co-founder reveals more details
- Gang of Dragon appears to have been cancelled and the studio closed
- Unreal Engine 6 is bringing generative AI into its development tools
- Hellraiser: Revival locks in an October release date for some Halloween horror
- A demo for Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok is out now
- Black Ops and Black Ops II are being ported to PS4 and PS5
- Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles snags New Game + mode in surprise update
- Dead by Daylight 10th anniversary marked with new character, map and major game improvement reveals
Games in Review & Featured Articles
Alright, from so much doom and gloom, should we look in on some exciting games with the reviews and previews of the week? I think so.
- The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales – PS5, XSX|S, NSW2, PC – 9/10
- Constance – PS5, XSX|S, NSW, PC – 8/10
- Bounty Brawl – PC – 7/10
- Copa City – PS5, XSX|S, PC – 6/10
- Tour de France 2026 – PS5, XSX|S, PC – 6/10
We also had a couple hardware reviews, with Miguel clacking away with the Corsair Novablade Pro fighting controller, and Dom standing up, then sitting down, then standing back up again, and sitting back down to test the Flexispot E7 Plus Standing Desk.
The biggest preview of the week comes in the form of Control Resonant, with Remedy’s shift across to melee action working brilliantly alongside the mixed up, kaleidoscopic world.
I also shared a preview of Virtue and a Sledgehammer, speaking to its creators after playing the new demo, and shared some thoughts on the Early Access launch of Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions. It’s nice, but I wish it was already something more.
Dom then got to go hands on with the “My first Forza Horizon” tinged open world racing of Hot Wheels: Infinite Rush, and Jason stopped his watch to shared thoughts on the initial release of Clockfall.
Aran called out the callousness of big business when asking “What the heck are you playing at, games industry?” and Jim pondered the someone less critical, but equally valid, “Is Skull and Bones worth playing in 2026?”
Finish up for the week with What We Played, we had Cat Quest 3, Control Resonant and The Adventures of Elliot on our playlists.
Trailer Park
See the Persona 4 Revival gameplay broadcast
The Division 2: Into The Dark season brings a PvE Dark Zone and more
Planet Coaster 2: Parades DLC floats into the game next week
That’s the round up for this week. Hope you have a great weekend, stay cool, and we’ll see you back here for the scorching week ahead on Monday!