Gaming
TechnologyThe latest on Gaming from our Technology desk.
Xbox redesign cuts PC app launch time by up to 60%
Xbox Insiders can begin testing a redesigned PC app that Microsoft says launches up to 60% faster, with simpler navigation intended to work better with
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Football Manager 27 Free Preview Runs Until November 3: How to Install
Football Manager 27’s Launch Preview is available through Xbox.com and the Xbox PC app until November 3. Players can claim it through the Add-Ons section, then install it in the Xbox app. PC Game Pass and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can keep playing from November 3, ahead of the full launch on November 10.
22 Days Video Game: GTA VI May Cost Australia $70m
Grand Theft Auto VI’s November 19 launch could cost Australia at least $70 million in lost output if workers call in sick, PR expert Eitan Soloducho warns. Deputy’s Ciaran Hale says businesses may face scheduling pressure before launch as staff take time off to download the game. Workplace specialist Deepak Singh cautions against treating the estimate as a settled economic loss.
Here’s FF14 Evercold release: Dates and new Zephyr job
Final Fantasy 14 director Naoki Yoshida announced that Evercold will enter early access on February 19, 2027, with its full launch on February 23. The Tokyo Fan Festival keynote also introduced Zephyr, a ranged physical damage job that fights with a crossbow and an avian companion. The expansion’s release has moved later than the January timing previously promised.
Gears War E-Day reportedly cost $500 million to develop
Gears of War: E-Day reportedly cost $500 million to make and has sold just over 400,000 copies across console and PC. The reported budget, which excludes marketing, raises questions about the game’s commercial performance and the role of Xbox Game Pass. An October estimate put revenue at $42.1 million from 311,000 sales on Steam and Xbox.
Crimson Desert Enhanced Edition Gets a Five-Hour Trial
Pearl Abyss has opened a free five-hour trial of Crimson Desert Enhanced on PlayStation 5 and Xbox. PlayStation access is limited to Premium and Deluxe subscribers, while Xbox players do not need a paid subscription. Trial progress carries over if players buy the game, but the clock cannot be reset. The trial includes the base game, not the Charting the Unknown DLC.
How Video Game Remakes Turn Nostalgia Into a Selling Point
A few clips of a redesigned The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time were enough to send Kacey Doran straight to her phone. She wanted
Sony Unveils Transparent PS5 Prism Collection, Preorders Nov. 10
Sony has announced transparent DualSense controllers and console cover plates for the PS5 under its Prism Collection. The accessories come in Flare Orange, Emerald Green and Graphite Gray, with preorder dates and prices set. The clear sections reveal internal components, including the console fan beneath the cover plates.
Attack Titan 3 wants to retell the story through trauma
Attack on Titan 3 revisits the anime’s full storyline through an original soldier who must recover from trauma after a mission goes wrong. Producer Hideo Suzuki said the opening setback establishes the Titans as humanity’s enemy and gives the character room to grow. The game also places the player in a mentor role alongside familiar recruits.
Outcry Call Duty Maker Faces After Using Itaewon Footage
Bereaved families in South Korea have demanded that Activision remove real footage of the 2022 Seoul crowd crush from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. The publisher says the clips were meant to convey a fictional story and that it never meant to treat the tragedy lightly.
Don’t Nod Union: Company Driven Wall Years, Jobs Cut
French studio Don't Nod, maker of Life is Strange, has entered safeguard proceedings to stave off insolvency. A workers' union says the company was driven into a wall for years, and that most of the in-house team has been let go while a game continues with outsourcing.
Wardogs Leads Newzoo’s September PC Revenue Rankings
Bulkhead’s Early Access shooter Wardogs topped Newzoo’s September PC revenue charts, ahead of EA Sports FC 27. The game also ranked No.11 for monthly active users within its first three weeks. Newzoo analyst Mert Şahin said mid-priced releases competed with full-price titles, while familiar games drove much of the engagement growth.
Warhorse Studios: Our immediate priority secure systems
Warhorse Studios says attackers accessed company systems and data, prompting the Kingdom Come: Deliverance developer to work with cybersecurity experts and contact authorities. CEO Martin Frývaldský says the studio is focused on securing its systems and assessing the breach. The company has not yet disclosed the attack’s full impact and says it will share further information when it can do so responsibly.
Marvel’s Wolverine Leads US Game Sales as PS5 Sales Rise 22%
Marvel’s Wolverine debuted as the best-selling game in the United States in September, according to Circana data reported by Dark Horizons. The PlayStation 5 exclusive also recorded the strongest launch-month dollar sales for a Sony-published game since Helldivers II in early 2024. Its US performance came as hardware sales moved in different directions: PlayStation 5 unit sales rose, while Switch 2 and Xbox Series sales declined.
Xbox’s brand-new COO already leaves Microsoft after three months
Helen Chiang is leaving Microsoft three months after becoming Xbox’s first chief operating officer. CEO Asha Sharma confirmed the departure in an internal memo, while Xbox declined to discuss personnel matters. The role was created as part of a wider restructuring, and the company says it will share more about COO leadership when plans are finalised.
Super Mario Creator Breaks Silence on AI and Creativity
Shigeru Miyamoto says AI can help people engage with creative work, but warns that enjoying the process can make creators mistake a satisfying result for a strong one. The Nintendo designer shared his view at a press conference after receiving Japan’s 2026 Order of Culture award, drawing a comparison with how computers changed design work.
Call Duty Promises Return as GTA 6 Nears Release
Activision is positioning Modern Warfare 4 as a return to form after Call of Duty’s 2025 release fell in US and UK sales rankings. The game arrives weeks before GTA 6, which marketing chief Tyler Bahl describes as an opportunity to bring more players into gaming. Players can now switch off cosmetic changes that drew complaints.
BioWare closing Mass Effect project ends studio’s 30-year run
BioWare says it is closing after more than three decades and ending early development on its next Mass Effect project. The announcement follows EA’s $55 billion buyout, while a Bloomberg report says the publisher plans to cut roughly 400 jobs across the company. BioWare’s statement focused on supporting its team through the transition.
Xbox Game Pass reportedly plans à la carte subscription
Microsoft is reportedly considering a major Xbox Game Pass revamp that would let subscribers choose features such as cloud gaming, multiplayer and console-only games. The plan, reported by Fortune and cited by IGN, would use a tiered structure. It comes as the service faces internal concerns that subscriptions may be reducing sales of Xbox’s higher-priced first-party games.
Microsoft AMD announces FSR 4.1 for Xbox devices
Microsoft and AMD say FSR 4.1 is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Ally devices, with rollout timing still unclear for consoles. The upscaling technology uses machine learning to sharpen images rendered at lower resolution. Windows Central reports the handheld preview is expected on October 23, while support is also planned for the base Xbox Ally model.
Most Affordable Gaming Console: Switch 1 Costs $230
The Nintendo Switch 1 is the lowest-priced new console cited in BGR’s comparison, at $230 in 2026. But the purchase price does not tell the full story: subscriptions, games and storage upgrades can add to the cost, while Xbox and PlayStation libraries may offset spending for some players.