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Source: Rockstar Games / GTA 6
We don’t have an exact date for when we will return to Vice City in GTA 6, but the window for the highly anticipated game’s release did narrow a bit.
Rockstar Games’ parent company, Take-Two Interactive, revealed in its Q4 2024 earnings report that Grand Theft Auto 6 will arrive in fall 2025.
While that’s not an exact date, it’s a slight update from the more vague “coming 2025” release window.
“Our outlook reflects a narrowing of Rockstar Games’ previously established window of Calendar 2025 to Fall of Calendar 2025 for Grand Theft Auto VI,” Take-Two Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said in the report. “We are highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience, and our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase.”
In an interview with Variety, speaking on the game’s fall 2025 release window, Zelnick added, “I think we’re going to leave it there for now.”
GTA 6’s Rollout Marred By Leaks
Gamers shouldn’t be surprised by the vagueness. Rockstar Games plays it very close to the chest for its games, especially Grand Theft Auto.
Information about the game in the form of leaked materials hitting X, formerly Twitter timelines, September 2022.
Then, the game studio had to release GTA 6’s trailer earlier than planned when a bunch of crypto dweebs leaked it.
The trailer confirmed that the game will feature two male and female protagonists and take us to Leonida, the GTA equivalent of Florida, and we will spend most of our time in Vice City, the game’s take on Miami.
With any news regarding GTA 6, the reactions are pouring in. Some are excited that we seem to be getting closer to a release date, while others want to know the EXACT day we can expect to boot up the game.
With this game, we want Rockstar Games to take its time and deliver a game on the same level as GTA V.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Challenge accepted
4. A perspective we can get behind.
12. Now why would you say that?
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Source: Jeff Fusco / Getty / Comcast
We didn’t ask for it, but another cable-like streaming bundle is coming.
Comcast chief Brian Roberts announced a new three-way bundle featuring Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ is coming at a reduced price.
Speaking Tuesday at MoffettNathanson’s 2024 Media, Internet, and Communications Conference in New York, Roberts said the new package will be called the StreamSaver bundle and will be available to all Comcast broadband and TV customers.
Without revealing many details, Roberts said that Peacock, Netflix, and Apple TV+ will “come at a vastly reduced price to anything in the market today.”
According to Roberts, the goal of this new bundle is to “add value to consumers” and, at the same time, “take some of the dollars out of” the other streaming companies’ businesses.
“We’ve been bundling video successfully and creatively for 60 years, and so this is the latest iteration of that,” Roberts said. “I think this will be a pretty compelling package.”
Social Media Says The Bundle Is Basically Cable TV
The new bundle’s reception isn’t met with the excitement Roberts hoped for. Most users on X, formerly Twitter, are basically saying this is just cable television, which many have cut their cord for, replacing it with streaming platforms.
“let me just go ahead and get a landline too,” one person on X wrote in response to the announcment.
Another user wrote, “Cable is back baby! (Without the same residuals for actors though).
One user pointed out this move could be out of desperation because the streamers are not making as much money as they used to.
“They are all folding. Individually, each business model cannot sustain itself. When you see mergers like this happen, it’s because they are hemorrhaging money. They merge not to become a superpower but to save each other,” the post on X read.
Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Exactly
3. Too damn much
5. Basically
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Source: LyfeShare / LyfeShare App
Planning after a loved one passes is never an easy situation to deal with, both mentally and especially physically. LyfeShare aims to give users peace of mind during the process.
LyfeShare is an “innovative platform with patent-pending technology, dedicated to preserving and sharing your legacy.”
It allows users to securely upload, store, and share important documents that will be useful later, such as when a loved one dies or when you need to refer to critical financial documents to close certain accounts.
That’s not all you can upload; you can also share other essential documents that may get lost over time, like family recipes, photos, birth certificates, and more, to ensure you never forget your family’s history.
The app is the brainchild of Michael Swift and its other founders, who wanted to make estate planning and dealing with the end-of-life process easier, especially for Black and Brown people.
Speaking with AriseTV, Swift talked about creating Lyfeshare, telling the website, “Witnessing the undue burden and added pain caused by disorganized and inaccessible documents during a time of loss ignited the idea for LyfeShare.”
He continued, “The necessity for a solution became clear to create a platform that simplifies document management, safeguards legacies, and ensures critical information is readily accessible when needed most. LyfeShare is not just about storage. It’s about providing support, guidance, and peace of mind to individuals and families navigating life’s most challenging moments.”
How Much Does The Service Cost?
By heading to the website or through the downloaded app, you can sign up for three different prescription tiers: Basic, which starts at $7.99 per month; Standard, which costs $9.99 per month; and Premium, which costs $16.99.
Once subscribed, users will have access to other features like the “Buddys,” giving friends and other family members access to the information.
LyfeShare Features A Unique “Time Release Function” Exclusive To The App
Source: LyfeShare / LyfeShare App
LyfeShare’s patented “Time Release Function” will also be available to subscribers. This function gives users more control over their documents and when they will be available following a loved one’s passing.
Swift spoke about the feature, telling the website it’s “exclusive to LyfeShare, is our intellectual property, setting us apart from other legacy management platforms. It allows users to schedule the release of their documents and information to specific individuals at predetermined times in the future. It offers a strategic approach to legacy management, enabling users to ensure that their important information is shared according to their wishes, even after they’re no longer able to manage it themselves.”
He continued, “Personally, the time release function has changed my life by providing peace of mind and reassurance that my legacy will be managed and shared in the way I intend. It allows me to plan for the future with confidence, knowing that my loved ones will have access to the information they need, when they need it most. Additionally, the ability to schedule the release of information on important dates or milestones allows me to continue to be present and make a meaningful impact in the lives of my family and friends, even after I’m gone.”
LyfeShare is available for download on iOS and the Google Play Store.
You can also sign up by visiting the website.
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Source: NurPhoto / Getty / TikTok
Following President Biden keeping his promise and signing the bill that could ban TikTok in the United States, the social media platform is suing in hopes of keeping that from happening.
Spotted on the AP, TikTok and its China-based parent company ByteDance sued the US Government, challenging the law and calling for the potential banning of the popular video-sharing app and most young adults’ source of “news” if it fails to find a US-approved buyer.
ByteDance has nine months to find a buyer and gets a three-month grace period if it finds a US-approved buyer.
The lawsuit claims the US Government’s law is an attack on free speech that has never been done before and unfairly singles out TikTok.
Per The AP:
In its lawsuit, ByteDance says the new law vaguely paints its ownership of TikTok as a national security threat in order to circumvent the First Amendment, despite no evidence that the company poses a threat. It also says the law is so “obviously unconstitutional” that its sponsors are instead portraying it as a way to regulate TikTok’s ownership.
“For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than 1 billion people worldwide,” ByteDance asserts in the lawsuit filed in a Washington appeals court.
President Biden signed the law as part of a larger foreign aid package. This law is the first time the US has imposed a potential ban on a single social media company.
Advocates of free speech argue that the law is similar to the behavior of oppressive regimes like China, which is ironic because the US is trying to keep US citizen’s private data out of the hands of the Chinese government.
More Details From TikTok’s Lawsuit
The lawsuit states that ByteDance has no intention of selling TikTok, which aligns with reports that the company prefers a ban over a sale. However, if it did, ByteDance would need Beijing’s blessing to make that happen.
Another sticking point is TikTok’s algorithm, which has been the “key to the success of TikTok in the United States,” which the Chinese government “made clear” in its lawsuit would be part of any sale.
According to both entities, the new law would force them to shut down in the US by Jan.19 because operating in the US would be technologically and legally impossible.
The lawsuit also claims that a US-only version of TikTok would be technologically impossible because there would be no “operational relationship” between the US TikTok app and the Chinese company.
While we don’t know what TikTok’s fate will be, one thing is for sure: This will be a long, drawn-out situation.
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Source: picture alliance / Getty / Phil Spencer
The video game world is still reeling after word hit the e-streets that Xbox closed Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog game studios under the Bethesda Games umbrella. Now, gamers are focusing on Xbox chief Phil Spencer and his leadership, or lack thereof. Should Phil Spencer be fired? Is it time for him to go? That’s what many are calling for to happen after this recent round of studio closures and the absorption of one into ZeniMax Online Studios.
While many blame the practice of companies like Xbox and PlayStation acquiring game studios, some also feel that Spencer’s feet should be held to the fire.
Kotaku’s Zack Zwiezen proclaimed in an article that “It’s time to stop giving Phil Spencer a pass,” pointing out the many “bad decisions Spencer has made during his time as CEO and contradictory statements.
Per Kotaku:
In October 2020, shortly after Xbox announced its plans to consume Bethesda, Spencer told Kotaku: “This deal was not done to take games away from another player base” and added that Xbox wants “more people to be able to play games, not fewer people to be able to go play games.” Yet, in March 2023 Redfall director Harvey Smith said that Microsoft stepped in after buying Bethesda and canceled a PS5 port of the vampire hunting co-op game. Starfield shipped only on Xbox and PC. And despite a few Xbox games—like Grounded and Sea of Thieves—jumping ship to PlayStation and Switch, future big titles like Indiana Jones won’t be multiplatform.
Xbox’s boss has also talked a big game about giving developers the freedom to make what they want to make, explaining in a May 2023 interview with Kinda Funny: “When a team like Rare wants to do Sea of Thieves, when a team like Obsidian wants to do Grounded, and Tango wants to go do Hi-Fi [Rush] when everyone probably thought they were doing The Evil Within 3. I want to give the teams the creative platform to go an push their ability, push their aspirations.”
The article states that Spencer says the right things, but even when those studios get to make the games they want, and if they are critical successes, there is still a chance they will suffer the same fate as these latest studios.
Social Media Reactions
Social media hasn’t been kind to Spencer either, and that’s totally understandable because we are all tired of hearing about these layoffs while people in offices continue to line their pockets with cash while game developers have to figure out how to make ends meet.
Former PS I Love You XOXO co-host and head of Pen To Pixels Janet Garcia also called out Spencer for his comments that have now “aged like milk,” pointing out his penchant for trying to be transparent, something people appreciate about Spencer, leaves him open to these contradictory moments.
“Yeah so many of Xbox’s comments are aging like milk rn. This is the danger of selling the “good guy” narrative. It only works when you do “good” things. That said this is also why PlayStation and Nintendo don’t talk to anyone anymore. They’re like nah I’m not gonna play myself,” Garcia said on X, formerly Twitter.
Former Blizzard President Mike Ybarra Comes To Phil Spencer’s Defense
Former president of Blizzard Entertainment Mike Ybarra tried to empathize with Spencer, writing on X, “I know this hurts him [Spencer] as much as anyone else.”
Ybarra continued, “I’m not trying to defend the decisions. I think we all get ourselves into situations that are tough and unexpected (certainly I have). It’s part of the job, as is the accountability for the outcomes. But he’s a good human and he cares deeply for the creative process and developers. That’s my first hand experience in working closely with him for 8+ years and knowing him for 24+.”
Unfortunately, folks were not trying to hear it and didn’t hesitate to tell Ybarra he was wrong.
What a sad state of affairs.
Hopefully, we will hear from Spencer in his own words about this latest decision.
Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Oh wow.
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Source: Christian Petersen / Getty / Xbox
The video game industry is in turmoil, and you wouldn’t think that’s the case because of the quality of games we have been getting. While we, as gamers, are enjoying a spoil of riches, developers continue to lose their jobs at a ridiculous clip.
Xbox is navigating choppy waters as it shifts its business model, putting some of its biggest exclusive titles on competitive consoles.
One of those titles was the beloved Hi-Fi Rush from Tango Gameworks, one of the many studios Xbox acquired when it acquired Bethesda Game Studios.
In a stunning turn of events, Tango Gameworks is one of four studios, including Arkane Austin, the developer of the massive flop Redfall, Alpha Dog Studios, and Roundhouse Games, which have been closed by Xbox, IGN reports.
Xbox is one of the many video game companies that have been unable to avoid the massive layoffs in the industry. The Microsoft company started the year by laying off almost 2,000 employees, which led to then-Blizzard president Mike Ybarra leaving.
Now comes the news of a new round of layoffs due to significant studio closures under the Bethesda umbrella.
Per GameRant:
Xbox has decided to shut down Arkane Austin, Alpha Dog Studios, and Tango Gameworks, with Roundhouse Games also effectively shutting down by being “absorbed” by ZeniMax Online Studios. In an email from Matt Booty obtained by IGN, it was explained that these shutdowns are about “prioritizing high-impact titles and further investing in Bethesda’s portfolio of blockbuster games.” Arkane Austin worked on the 2017 Prey game and Redfall, Tango Gameworks was known for The Evil Within and the critically-acclaimed Hi-Fi Rush, Alpha Dog Studios was working on the Mighty Doom mobile game, and Roundhouse Games was primarily serving a support role at the time of its closure.
Arkane Austin’s demise could directly result from the disastrous launch of Redfall. Reviewers immediately deemed it a critical flop due to its broken state and abandoned it despite some quality-of-life improvements.
In a statement on X, formerly Twitter, Arkane Studios confirmed the Austin studio’s closure, telling gamers who bought the Hero Pass of the premium Bite Back edition or Bite Back upgrade will be eligible to receive the value of the upgrade.
Arkane says Redfall serves will remain online, but there will be no further updates.
Tango Gamework’s closure is the biggest surprise due to Hi-Fi Rush’s success following its surprise drop on the Xbox Game Pass and, most recently, its newfound popularity on the PlayStation 5 console.
What a spooky time to be a developer in the video game industry.
You can see reactions to the sad news in the gallery below.
1. No lies detected
2. This is also true
3. We’re old enough to remember the push for Xbox to gobble up more studios.
8. Cold world
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Well done Helldivers. PlayStation is now saying whoops, after gamers made it loud and very clear that they did not rock with the PSN linking requirement to continue playing Helldivers 2 on Windows PC via Steam.
After destroying all the goodwill Arrowhead Game Studios built with Helldivers 2 and its fantastic spin on a live service genre, PlayStation finally admitted they f*cked up by requiring PC players to get a free PSN account.
The decision came after two days of Helldivers 2 players expressing their anger on social media and flooding the game’s Steam page with negative reviews that also hit other PlayStation titles after Steam delisted the popular shooter in 177 countries.
Via PlayStation’s official account on X, formerly Twitter, the company wrote:
Helldivers fans — we’ve heard your feedback on the Helldivers 2 account linking update. The May 6 update, which would have required Steam and PlayStation Network account linking for new players and for current players beginning May 30, will not be moving forward.
We’re still learning what is best for PC players and your feedback has been invaluable. Thanks again for your continued support of Helldivers 2 and we’ll keep you updated on future plans.
What Possibly Led To PlayStation’s Reversal
The fallout from the dumb policy led to Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt expressing his frustration on X. “Waking up to the sunshine of yesterday replaced with a dreary drizzle and shivering winds makes me reflect on how I spent my time those rare few moments when all was perfect,” Pilestedt said.
On Sunday, before PlayStation decided not to proceed with mandatory PSN linking, he noted his company was “talking solutions” with the company, which ultimately led to PlayStation’s change of heart.
He also took some blame on the matter as well, saying he was not completely “blameless,” adding they “didn’t talk about it enough” regarding account linking.
The review bombing and harassment of Arrowhead’s community managers and developers likely aided in PlayStation’s policy reversal.
We’re happy people can spread democracy again and continue the fight to liberate Super Earth.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. For real, they were innocent in the matter.
2. Exactly
3. PlayStation pay attention
8. Only losers do things like this.
9. Lol, chill
10. We do too.
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/ Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony Interactive Entertainment’s decision to require PSN linking has destroyed any goodwill that Arrowhead Game Studios built with its fantastic game Helldivers 2.
Friday, gamers, specifically Helldivers 2 fans, did not have any kind words for Sony Interactive Entertainment, the publisher of Arrowhead’s game, after it announced, “Due to technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional. That grace period will now expire.”
According to Sony, the bonehead decision was “critical” to the “safety and security” of Helldivers 2.
Following the announcement, gamers immediately pointed out that the PSN account linking would lead to many players no longer having access to the game via Steam because certain countries do not have PSN support.
Welp, those worries are bearing fruit.
Helldivers 2 Is No Longer Listed In 170 Territories Because of PSN Linking Requirement
Despite Helldivers 2’s community manager assuring players in countries without PSN support can continue playing the game and not worry about being denied access on Saturday, the game has been pulled from 170 territories lacking PSN support, according to listings from the Steam Database.
The fallout has been instantaneous.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Culture Crave notes that Helldivers 2’s Steam page has “over 100k negative reviews since [the] change was announced” and that “Steam is approving refund requests for players even if they’ve played over 2 hours.”
Like Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Johan Pilestedt, community managers are telling fans to direct their anger toward Sony Interactive Entertainment in hopes that bullying will make the company reverse its crappy decision.
As for the refunds, Valve is ignoring its policy by giving players who logged more than 100 hours spreading democracy and liberating Super Earth.
Steam usually only refunds players who have not exceeded 2 hours of playtime. Honestly, this is an intelligent decision on Valve’s part and an indication of how wrong Sony Interactive Entertainment’s decision was.
Gamers are still sounding off on Xitter about SIE’s ridiculous decision.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. G R E E D
2. Yup, to put it simply.
4. Exactly
8. We don’t want the game to be buried, let’s just hope Sony just changes it’s mind
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Source: Arrowhead Game Studios/Sony Interactive Entertainment / Helldivers 2
Sony might have put on a masterclass regarding self-sabotage with its latest decision, which has Helldivers 2 players on PC BIG MAD.
Arrowhead Game Studios’ Helldivers 2 quickly became one of the biggest releases of the year, but now, thanks to a move by Sony, it quickly hit a sour patch with its loyal players.
Players who spread democracy by playing Helldivers 2 via Windows PC via Steam learned today that they will now need a PlayStation Network account to maintain access to the game.
Sony Interactive Entertainment, the game’s publisher, relayed the head-scratching news to players on the game’s Steam page.
“Due to technical issues at the launch of Helldivers 2, we allowed the linking requirements for Steam accounts to a PlayStation Network account to be temporarily optional,” Sony wrote. “That grace period will now expire. See details below in this post.”
Sony claims account-linking with the PlayStation Network is “critical” to the “safety and security” of Helldivers 2.
“This is our main way to protect players from griefing and abuse by enabling the banning of players that engage in that type of behaviour,” Sony said. “It also allows those players that have been banned the right to appeal.”
New players will be required to connect their Steam and PlayStation Network accounts beginning May 6 before they can begin playing the game.
Current players will see a mandatory log-in beginning May 30. They will have until June 4 to link their accounts, allowing them to sign up for a free PlayStation Network account if they don’t already have one.
Gamers Are BIG MAD
The reactions to Sony’s move with Helldivers 2 were instant, with the game’s rating on Steam taking a hit.
One user on X, formerly Twitter pointed out why the decision could be potentially bad saying in a post, “To folks wondering why mandating linking your Sony account to Helldivers 2 on PC is such a big deal, players in many countries, such as Belarus, Phillipines and nearly the entirety of Africa don’t have PSN support, so those Helldivers will be defacto banned in a few weeks.”
Another user pointed to the former Xbox exclusive Sea of Thieves requiring the something similar, and players not overeacting.
“Helldivers 2 backlash seems fake. Steam players need a Microsoft account to play Sea Of Thieves and no one bat an eye,” another X user wrote.
In response to the outrage, Arrowhead Game Studios CEO Johan Pilestedt told gamers to direct their anger at Sony and directed them to PlayStation Support.
Lol, bruh.
There is a good chance that Windows PC players will bully Sony into changing their minds. Until then, you can see more reactions in the gallery below.
2. Damn shame
3. Tsk Tsk Tsk
5. The accuracy
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Source: Bennett Raglin / Getty / Wu-Tang Clan
Word on the video game streets is that the upcoming Wu-Tang Clan video game is coming along and will feature an animation style from Sony’s animated Spider-Man films.
Spotted on Insider Gaming, two separate reports from WindowsCentral’s Jez Corden and VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb (via Game Mess), more details about “Project Shaolin” are emerging.
“Project Shaolin” first appeared on radars thanks to a 2021 NVIDIA leak that revealed a plethora of codenamed project titles in development.
Both Corden and Grubbs reports share details about the game and what gamers can expect from it.
Per Insider Gaming:
According to both reports, the game is a third-person melee-oriented RPG complete with four-player co-op. The game was also said to heavily involve the Wu-Tang Clan members themselves with the game’s soundtrack and would feature the likes of loot, weapons, and gear from defeated enemies. According to the reports, the game is in development at Brass Lion Entertainment, a new studio formed in 2019 by Manveer Heir.
Insider Gaming can corroborate these original reports and understands that the game is currently in its Alpha stage.
The gameplay evolves around fast-paced melee combat in third-person, with a strong focus on having both music and combat intertwined. Players can choose from four different weapons that all have different and unique playstyles (single swords, dual swords, etc.). It’s understood that the game features a massive catalog of the Wu-Tang Clan’s music, most of which has been re-imagined by producer and DJ Just Blaze for the game.
“Project Shaolin” Will Feature Playable Wu-Tang Clan Members
Insider Gaming also reports that all nine Wu-Tang Clan members will be playable characters and that each character will serve as “the player’s limited-time buff that will give you ultimate moves, increased health, and more.”
The website also says it did see gameplay footage of “Project Shaolin” under the condition that they don’t share it and that the animation is similar to Sony’s animated Spider-Verse films.
As for the Wu-Tang Clan, this is not the first time the iconic rap stable’s involvement in the video game space. The group’s love for martial arts and kung-fu flicks led to the development of PlayStation’s game Wu-Tang Shaolin Style in 1999.
The game didn’t feature the actual Staten Island-based rap group members, but they did lend their voices to characters based on their rap monikers.
The members of the Wu-Tang Clan also appear in other games, such as Def Jam: Vendetta and Def Jam: Fight For New York.
We can’t wait to finally see what Project Shaolin looks like when the first trailer arrives. Maybe Xbox might unveil it at its upcoming Xbox Showcase next month.
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