In an interview with The Verge during a recent episode of The Vergecast, Yoshida spoke about how another game might match up to Grand Theft Auto 6’s hype. However, he also acknowledged that it might just end up being Rockstar again when it eventually decides to develop Grand Theft Auto 7.

“After 15 years, maybe GTA 7, we’ll see,” he said when asked whether GTA 6’s success and hype will ever be matched by another game. “Or any of these companies from China, they might try to emulate or compete, because there will be [a] 15-year gap after GTA 6. So, no one should underestimate the power of these Chinese companies.”

Interestingly, Rockstar Games itself hasn’t shied away from discussing how much pressure it is facing for Grand Theft Auto 6. In an interview with Game Informer, co-studio head of Rockstar North, Aaron Garbut, spoke about the subject, noting that the team is working its hardest to deliver the best product.

“As the pressure for us on this project is huge, we dealt with that by doing our best to over-deliver. Normally you compromise scale for detail or detail for interaction, but with this project we went the other way – everything is dialed up – detail, scope, breadth, scale, interaction, and density. I don’t think we have ever created anything close to this before.”

For an example of just how highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto 6 is leading up to its November 19th release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, last month’s Extended Look showcase – released as a timed exclusive on Netflix – was seemingly a massive success for the streaming giant. Analysts have estimated that it attracted more than 100,000 new sign-ups in the US, making it the third-highest subscriber acquisition for Netflix this year.

Netflix itself had confirmed that the Extended Look for Grand Theft Auto 6 garnered 31.1 million views in its first week, topping the English film charts for the streaming service in 87 of the 93 countries where this data is tracked.

The Grand Theft Auto 6 Extended Look showcase was around 27 minutes in length and featured plenty of in-engine gameplay footage that showcased a variety of missions, cutscenes, activities, and conversations. While more details about the title will likely be revealed leading up to its release, CEO of Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive, Strauss Zelnick, has referred to the Extended Look as being “one of the hors d’oevres” in the game’s overall marketing plans.

“There’s appetizers, main course and dessert to follow,” Zelnick said before going on to call Netflix “a great marketing partner for us, and distribution partner.” He also revealed that the partnership for the Extended Look came together thanks to “a groundbreaking partnership that Rockstar arranged.”

For more on Grand Theft Auto 6, check out what the studio has said about its world and its two protagonists.

Going further, the YouTuber believes that Sledgehammer Games – the studio behind Call of Duty titles like WW2, Vanguard, and 2023’s Modern Warfare 3 – had already made a prototype that showcased both of the projects’ gameplay mechanics.

“Please keep in mind that Activision’s Halo project is in early development, so things can change. According to the source who told me that Activision was working on a Halo game before its official announcement, Activision originally proposed two separate games: a free-to-play multiplayer game and a campaign-only game.

“I’m told Sledgehammer Games conceptualized and prototyped basic gameplay mechanics for both the proposed campaign and multiplayer projects, such as player movement.”

Reiterating a report by Insider Gaming from earlier this week, RebsGaming also mentioned that the campaign game would be a “soft reboot” of the Halo franchise that entirely skips the events of Halo Infinite. However, other parts of the Halo series would remain canon, including older games. Ultimately, the company made the decision to scrap the two disparate projects and instead decided to go with a “full package Halo game”. Activision is now seemingly considering a full reboot of the franchise for this singular project.

“My source says it is too early for things to be completely set in stone, but they have heard that Activision is currently considering a full reboot of Halo focusing on Master Chief’s origin story.”

While a reboot of the Halo franchise would be far from the obvious choice, especially after the relatively recent release of Halo: Campaign Evolved, it wouldn’t be as improbable as some might think. The stewardship of the franchise being taken over by Activision would certainly lead to the company wanting to leave its own mark on the franchise and making it its own, and a reboot might offer a way to do so while also introducing the franchise to a massive new audience.

The Halo project at Activision is likely still too early to have any details set in stone, however. The only thing that Activision president Rob Kostich had to say about it for now has been that the company wants to “make the greatest Halo game ever.”

“For Halo, our goal is clear: make the greatest Halo game ever, worthy of its universe and legacy, while staying true to what made players love it in the first place. It is a bold ambition, one that this franchise deserves. We have already begun assembling a purpose-built team, unique in capability and talent, ready and excited to deliver this next chapter with the community.

In the meantime, Halo: Campaign Evolved is available on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. Check out our review for more details.

Grand Theft Auto 6 occupies a strange space in gaming, since it is shaping up to essentially be one of the biggest media releases of all time. As such, Rockstar had the freedom to go for a higher price tag than the industry standard of $70. This could be seen when pre-orders started back in June, with the base edition of the title being priced at $80, and an Ultimate Edition being available for $100.

Speaking about his own interest in Grand Theft Auto 6, Klíma said in an interview with PCGamer that it “doesn’t appeal to me at all”.

“I am not going to be playing GTA 6 unless I’m somehow forced to. And the reason why it is so popular—it beats me. It’s something which I just fail to understand.”

Despite this, however, Klíma has said that he hopes that Grand Theft Auto 6 is successful. “It’s really good that somebody is making these games that are really technologically marvels,” he said, since it might embolden more companies to pursue the higher price points for their games. In the current state of the market, however, Klíma believes that “The last thing you can do is to increase the unit price.”

“That would help a lot, but everybody’s scared to death about it. Now, hopefully, GTA will blaze the trail, and it will allow us to increase the cost.”

On the other hand, he noted that Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games are two of the companies “who can afford, or who can dare, to increase the price of games, which I think is long overdue and also necessary for this business to survive. So, I wish them all the luck.”

Interestingly, Klíma’s thoughts echo the words of DFC Intelligence analyst David Cole, who spoke about how Nintendo and Rockstar Games might be paving the path for more companies to pursue the $80 price point. Others, however, have disagreed. NYU Stern School of Business professor and industry researcher Joost van Dreunen believes that this price tag is “reserved for only a select few titles and franchises”.

“Gaming is increasingly becoming a luxury category,” van Dreunen explained. “Its economics have historically centered around a winner-takes-most model, and GTA 6 raises the bar again. Publishers who can clear it will pull further ahead, and those who cannot will have to compete on distribution instead, finding new channels, bundles, and pricing models to reach players the blockbusters don’t.”

Grand Theft Auto 6 is coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 19th, and its impending release seems to have already led to console shortages in some regions. According to a report from last month, pre-orders for the game had caused a 33 percent jump in the sales of PS5 consoles in the UK, and a 34 percent jump for Xbox Series X/S.

Starting on October 8th at 9 AM UTC and ending on October 12th at 8 AM UTC, players can experience the full game. Of course, not everything will be available immediately. Buried City, the second map, is available after completing six matches, while Riven Tides unlocks after 20 matches. Stella Montis should be immediately available, but time will tell.

And for those concerned about cheaters, Embark has recently announced a new, harsher stance. While it’s improving its anti-cheat, it will now permanently ban accounts that use cheats. “No warnings, no second chances.”

As for Frozen Trail, it brings some of the most exciting content to the shooter yet, starting with the new map, Pendola Pass. You’ll also face new ARC Threats, new weapons, the Weapon Amplification system to power up older guns, the ARC Frigate, which can be boarded, Raider Outposts, and the Rewards Pass, which replaces Raider Decks. Head here for all the latest details. There’s even a new PvE toggle being tested from October 13th to 20th.

Control Resonant currently holds an 83 Metascore based on 75 reviews. On Steam, it holds a 91 percent “Very Positive” rating based on 5,209 user reviews. Remedy Entertainment has yet to announce sales, however.

As a follow-up to 2019’s Control, the sequel follows Dylan Faden, who wakes from a seven-year coma and embarks on a mission to find his sister, Jesse, and stop the paranatural horrors running havoc through Manhattan. You can check out our review for more details – we scored it a nine out of ten, praising the combat, storytelling, and presentation.

Of course, Remedy hasn’t sat on its laurels since launch. A release hotfix adjusted the health and stun level of most enemies, and two of the Resonants that players will face. However, a larger update brought significant polish to the entire game while adding New Game++ and quality-of-life improvements, including viewing pinned resources at vendors directly from the map.

“It needs to wash over you when you’re sprinting down the busiest street in the city, hearing snatches of a hundred different conversations as you go. If you shift your focus onto something new, it’s going to fill the frame, and it’s going to push back,” he said in a snippet posted by the publication on Instagram.

One example provided is Amborsia, where you’ll see voting signs, hear radio commercials, or see a “political talk show working itself into the state.” But it’s all satirical in the way that Grand Theft Auto is known for. “There is a big focus on not just holding up a mirror,” says Rupert Humphries, senior VP of narrative, “But on making everything satirical, larger than life, and more grotesque.” That may be why the team “ran with” things like “conspiracy theories, the strange ways the public reacts to everyday occurrences,” and so on. Truth is stranger than fiction, after all.

However, as much as Rockstar has been a proponent of realism, from how you steal cars to new criminal profiles that police can build on the characters, it’s seeking a healthy balance. “Sometimes you need things to feel realistic to help with immersion, and conversely, sometimes you need to forego realism in favor of what’s convenient for the player.”

Grand Theft Auto 6 is out on Xbox Series X/S and PS5, and if it wasn’t obvious enough already, this may be the biggest video game launch in years. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick called pre-orders “unprecedented and astonishing.” He later revealed, unsurprisingly, that the $100 Ultimate Edition is more popular.

That doesn’t mean that Jason doesn’t have his own motivations. Writer Elizabeth Gauvey-Kern said, “We wanted both protagonists to be vulnerable, tough, flawed, right sometimes, wrong sometimes, able to learn from each other. That’s what we felt made them authentic, and a great team.”

Writer Alexa D’Agostino agrees, adding, “When you are focusing on writing a fully realised person with their own wants, you’re going to get something perfectly imperfect—with clichés, but also undeniably real.”

Of course, this is still a Grand Theft Auto title and for a pair that’s designed to be the modern-day equivalent of Bonnie and Clyde, you can expect “a pressure cooker for all kinds of insanity,” says Humphries.

“If you are going to put all this effort into creating a version of today’s world, it has to be more over the top, more insane, more in your face. Otherwise, you could just go outside and live in the real world.” In a separate quote, however, he notes that there’s “something hopeful and naive about going on the run and pushing a crime spree to its limit without worrying about the consequences.”

Why “naive”? Well, the Wanted system has evolved dramatically in GTA 6. Police will identify each character and doggedly pursue them instead of simply resetting after a period, which often means ditching a ride, changing clothes and more. Many individuals in Leonida are also as heavily armed, if not more, than the protagonists, so personal power feels a lot more grounded than before.

However, “hopeful” remains the key word. “Maybe the American Dream is more modest now. It’s a house for your family and your loans paid off instead of wild success…Miami and Southern Florida are a particular front line for this battle.” How this ties into Lucia’s personal journey remains to be seen, but the connections are hard to deny.

While Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PC, it’s getting an unusual pre-launch marketing campaign. On November 18th, the Miami HEAT will play as Vice City against the Milwaukee Bucks, complete with custom uniforms. Head here for more details.

Comparatively, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown peaked at 13,758 concurrent players at launch in February 2019. And while it’s only the third-biggest Bandai Namco-published title of all time on Steam, right behind Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon (156,171) and Digimon Story: Time Stranger (84,458), Wings of Theve is far above other 2026 releases such as Echoes of Aincrad (19,901), Code Vein 2 (11,499), and more.

Also available for Xbox Series X/S and PS5, Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve focuses on the conflict between the Republic of Sotoa and the Federation of Central Usea. Players take on the legendary callsign, and though it’s revealed to be little more than a propaganda tool, their journey to defeat Sotoa and the bonds formed with Joker Flight are very real.

For more details, check out our review, where we gave it a nine out of ten. You can also check out a new trailer below, which features none other than brand director Kazutoki Kono in a MiG-21.

While there will be “special activities” and “unique game night activations,” they’ll also play on “special hardwood built for Vice City.” As surreal as it sounds, it certainly fits, given the fictional city’s ties to real-life Miami. Taking place one day before the game’s launch is also a stroke of marketing genius, as it will reach a fairly large audience.

Of course, this also markets Court Culture Vice City apparel, which you can purchase from the Miami HEAT Store online and on the spot. These include T-shirts advertising Vice City, from your typical touristy “Welcome” shirt to a spin on the classic “I ❤ NY” slogan. It wouldn’t surprise us if these sold out on game day.

Grand Theft Auto 6 launches on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Several new details were recently revealed, from Leonida and its six major regions to over 170 animal species players can hunt and/or observe (including new additions and Legendaries). Players can also expect localized rain, moving storms, and hurricanes, each rendered with incredible detail.

Since the Kure chapter takes place almost 15 years after the events at Kokura, the location will feature Daito as a grown man who has been “shaped by the experiences of the years behind him.” The chapter itself will be set during the winter months, and as a result, players may even get to experience snowfall hitting the city.

Kure itself is defined by the city being built around waterways, with hillsides and winding backstreets forming much of its identity. The navy is also present throughout the city, and plenty of foreign influences are visible in the streets of Kure. This means that many characters can be seen sporting Western-style fashion.

The trailer wrapped things up by revealing some more of the side activities present throughout Stranger Than Heaven, like the traditional spinning top game of Beigoma, which can be played in Kure as well as Kokura. Other activities include visiting bathhouses, gambling dens, and other attractions, all of which will be available in Kure.

It is worth noting that, unlike the trailer for Kokura, the one for Kure doesn’t go into any details about how the story of Stranger Than Heaven progresses.

The Kokura trailer revealed that Daito is a native English speaker, which leads to him feeling alienated from the rest of the city’s denizens. Widespread prejudice and open discrimination in the city’s 1915 time period were also noted as being important details.

The city of Kokura was described as being built around a strange mix of modernity and tradition in its culture and architecture. While modern culture is on the cusp of breaking out in the city, there are still many in the area who prefer the older ways of life. When it comes to architecture, players can see the quiet battle between modernity and tradition when comparing old-style buildings with the large steel mills.

When it comes to entertainment, since the people of Kokura have to make do without TVs, computers, and even electricity, the trailer showcased plenty of side activities, including arm wrestling matches and tabletop games of Menko.

Stranger Than Heaven is being developed for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, and is slated for release on January 15th, 2027. RGG Studio released another trailer last week that focused on the show business activity. As part of this, Daito will have to take on many responsibilities, from setting up venues and advertising events to producing music and even hiring the appropriate talent to play musical instruments and sing.

For more details on Stranger Than Heaven, take a look at a trailer revealing details about Yu Shinjo’s motivations and personality. And while you’re at it, check out its combat systems.