The Switch 2 exclusive launched this week.
As the battle gets underway in Hyrule Warriors: Age Of Imprisonment this week, it seems the team at Koei Tecmo’s AAA Games Studio has already got some future updates planned.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Over 100 jobs in the UK are potentially affected.
Reports have emerged that Square Enix is the latest video game company to be hit with layoffs today, with job cuts across “nearly all areas” outside of Japan including roles in sales, marketing, and publishing.
VGC broke the news earlier today and reports that Square Enix president Takashi Kiryu held a video call to staff outside of Japan — including Europe, the UK, and the US — to tell employees that a “fundamental restructuring of the overseas publishing organization” will be taking place.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
Hi everyone, GTA 6 has been delayed again. It’s now set to arrive on November 19th, 2026, about half a year on from the May 26th date it’d landed on following its last delay. November 19th, 2026 will apparently be a Thursday, just in case you were wondering.
GTA 6 isn’t the only high-profile video game delayed today — Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra has suffered a delay of its own.
Coming just an hour after Rockstar announced GTA 6 had moved from May to November 2026, Skydance Games announced Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra was delayed “beyond early 2026.” In a statement, Skydance Games said the delay was necessary “to fully realize our vision.” Tellingly, no new release window was offered. This is yet another delay to Rise of Hydra, which in May was pushed out of 2025 to early 2026.
Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra is a narrative-driven adventure featuring Captain America, Azzuri, the Black Panther of the 1940s, Gabriel Jones of the Howling Commandos, and Nanali, a Wakandan spy embedded in Occupied Paris.
It hit the headlines early 2024 after an eye-catching trailer revealed as part of Epic Games’ State of Unreal event at GDC. It’s in development at the Skydance Games team, which is led by Hennig (Uncharted) and co-president Julian Beak.
Hennig’s Skydance team is also working on an untitled Star Wars game, which has yet to be fully revealed.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
GTA 6 is delayed again, this time to November 19, 2026, marking the game’s third delay since it first got a release window. But publisher Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick is “highly confident” that this is the last time.
Speaking to IGN on a call ahead of the announcement, Zelnick reiterated the company’s statement that the delay was simply for Rockstar to have time to polish the game. “We wanted to give Rockstar the appropriate amount of time to polish the title and make sure it can be the very best it can be,” he said.
Previously, Grand Theft Auto VI was announced for a fall 2025 release, which CEO Strauss Zelnick told me he felt confident in even as rumors swirled of a delay. The game was later delayed to May of 2026, with Take-Two and Rockstar similarly citing a need for polish.
So I asked Zelnick again: How confident do you feel in this new date? Do you think there’s any chance we’re looking at GTA 6 in 2027?
“I’m highly confident,” he replied “And at the same time, there have been limited circumstances where more time was required to polish a title and make sure that it was spectacular and that time has been well-spent, when our competitors go to market before something was ready, bad things happen. That said, that said, I’m highly confident on the new date.”
Take-Two reported net bookings of $1.96 billion in the best second quarter in company history thanks to the releases of NBA 2K26, Mafia: The Old Country, and Borderlands 4. GTA V continues to sell millions each quarter, having now reached over 220 million units sold lifetime.
Meanwhile, Take-Two fired dozens of employees last week, alleging they leaked “confidential information in a public forum.” Those employees claim they were actually fired for discussing unions and organization at the company, and protested their firing in front of Rockstar North and Take-Two’s UK offices today.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
An avalanche of quality.
The Switch 2 has gotten off to a bit of a weird start.
Although there’s no denying that the console has been a massive commercial success since its launch on 5th June 2025 — officially selling over 10 million units — there’s a niggling, underlying sense of dissatisfaction amongst some fans regarding Nintendo’s first-party lineup (and let’s just save Game-Key Cards for another time, hm?).
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
What if every puzzle you solved revealed another hidden layer beneath? Boxes: Lost Fragments invites players into a world of intricate mechanisms and mesmerizing mystery.
Hi everyone, we are Big Loop Studios – the creators of Boxes: Lost Fragments.
We have made many puzzle games before, but when developing Boxes: Lost Fragments, we decided to double down on intricate and satisfying mechanical designs, sensible puzzles, unexpected quirks, and a bit of surreal surprises. This game is for players who like tinkering with multi-component, beautifully crafted puzzle boxes at a relaxing pace.
We wanted each puzzle box to hold many layers of hidden mechanisms, riddles, and surprising revelations waiting to be uncovered.
The entire development took around 30 months – way, way longer than initially planned. But this extended period turned out to be a true blessing. As time passed, many ideas evolved naturally into better versions of themselves, and some were completely replaced. For example, the tower-like upward progression of the game was introduced in the last three months of production. Talk about last-minute…
If we have to share another peculiar detail, the initial release had a different ending that players did not like. So, thanks to our fans, we created an even better game.
It was essential for the game to draw you in with its sheer atmosphere even before the puzzles begin. All puzzle boxes needed to be highly detailed and beautiful to just observe. In other words, a triumph of the visual crafts, combined with polished animations, effects, and audio.
We approached each box like a piece of art, carefully considering how each part connects to the whole, how each level transforms and evolves as the player solves different puzzle pieces, and how sound cues could build atmosphere and immersion. The result is a cohesive blend of visuals, animation, and audio designed to draw players deeper into the world without overwhelming them.
The load on our artists and designers was immense compared to previous projects, and they did an excellent job. So prepare to get mesmerized.
Boxes: Lost Fragments rewards logical thinking, careful observation, and a willingness to experiment. The puzzles are varied, from clue finding to mechanical inventions and multi-step challenges that unlock new layers of intricacy. Striking the right balance between difficulty and flow was one of our primary goals. We will let you decide for yourself how close we got to this goal. If you ask us, we think the result leans more towards “enjoyably puzzling” than “brain-meltingly hard”.
Bringing Boxes: Lost Fragments to Xbox allows us to showcase every polished animation and detailed mechanism in full fidelity. The tactile feeling of interacting with the puzzle boxes using the controller’s precise feedback feels especially satisfying on Xbox Series X|S.
Boxes: Lost Fragments launches today on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One. Dive into a beautiful detailed world of puzzle solving today!
Snapbreak Games
Suddenly, you realize that this is no ordinary building and that you are no longer in control of what is unfolding, and perhaps never were. What should have been a quick in-and-out, turns into your own harrowing struggle for freedom and answers.
Inspired by the cryptic atmosphere, intricate machinery, and smooth controls of the best room escape games, we have created a diverse set of original puzzle levels that will test your resolve and skills to navigate this mysterious and compelling journey. Each level is beautiful, unique, and a true delight to explore and figure out.
The post An Inside Scoop of the Boxes: Lost Fragments Development Process appeared first on Xbox Wire.
Square Enix is undergoing mass layoffs today, potentially impacting over 100 individuals, alongside a broader effort to consolidate its publishing organization and focus its development work in Japan.
Via public posts from former employees as well as confirmation from internal sources, IGN has learned that employees in the UK and US are being informed of the layoffs today, with an unknown number of US employees being dismissed by the end of the week, and a possible 137 jobs at risk in the UK. Under UK law, Square Enix must undergo redundancy consultations to see if any jobs can potentially be saved, so the final number in the UK could be smaller. It is not yet clear which teams were impacted by this, or to what extent.
Internally, a slide presentation now publicly available was also shared with employees earlier today, offered a progress report on Square Enix’s ongoing “reorganization of overseas organizations”, of which this restructuring seems to be a part. Per Square Enix, the strategy has already involved “clos[ing] overseas development studios and shift[ing] toward consolidating development functions in Japan.”
As a part of this, Square Enix already sold Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montreal, Square Enix Montreal, and a number of associated IPs to Embracer Group. It also already laid off workers across its Western operations in 2024.
That leaves Square Enix with the Life Is Strange, Outriders, and Just Cause franchises currently managed by its Western studios, as well as the publishing of Powerwash Simulator.
In that same presentation, Square Enix also shared that it expects 70% of its QA work to be handled by generative AI by the end of 2027. The company has stated in the past that it intends to be “aggressive in applying AI” across both development and publishing.
IGN has reached out to Square Enix for comment.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
And you can upgrade from Switch 1, too.
At last, Sega has confirmed that Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition launches on 4th December 2025 for $69.99, right in time for the holidays (via Gematsu).
Note that a physical release, where the game is fully on the cart, will be following in early 2026.
Read the full article on nintendolife.com
What’s better than a few? That’s right… more!
We’re back with even more of Obsidian’s favorite character builds for The Outer Worlds 2. From sharpshooters to smooth talkers, to something else that starts with S, we’re bringing you five new builds to help inspire your own role-playing creations. Like our glorious feature from earlier, we’re once again tapping the experts of Arcadia, The Outer Worlds 2 QA team, to share more of their favorite character builds with us here today.
If you’ve yet to experience it yourself, The Outer Worlds 2 features an array of character customization options that take Traits, Skills, Flaws, Backgrounds, and Perks to produce your very own soon-to-be hero (or menace). Later, as you dive further into the game, Perks and Flaws will tweak your character even further, giving you a gameplay experience that grows alongside you.
You can start playing The Outer Worlds 2 today for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It’s also an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Melee/Sneak focused build; Sneak kills make stacking Serial Killer easy.
“This build has high damage, survivability, and mobility. You get peak damage and survivability by running around and weaving in and out of a fight.” – Roberto Bautista, Obsidian QA Analyst
Sneaky snipey gunslinger who’s just trying to get by.
“I really love this build because it’s powerful enough to one-shot enemies from a distance when sneak-attacking. A bit more generalistic to get around, but it does have the most focus on sneak and guns.” – Kota Reyes, Obsidian QA Analyst
Masochistic scientist who’s addicted to Zyranium and inhalers.
“This build lets me survive tough encounters, thanks to the combination of Zyranium Armor and Zyranium-related perks.” – Oskar Miziński, QLOC FQA Tester
Clothing, crit explosive build based around Serendipitous Slayer and SMGs.
“I like when things shoot fast and I like when things explode, so the build is really fun to use.” – Michał Wiśniewski, QLOC FQA Tester
A white-haired man in his late 40s clad in light armor, wielding only melee weapons mostly a hammer shooting out shotgun slugs with each swing.
“It is a melee only build that was able to get me through the hardest difficulty despite the added challenge of restricted weaponry and only one companion.” – Mateusz Błażewicz, QLOC FQA Tester
The Outer Worlds 2 is available October 29 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Battle.net, Steam, and PlayStation 5. It is an Xbox Play Anywhere title and available day one with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
Xbox Game Studios
The Outer Worlds 2 Premium Edition includes:
– The Outer Worlds 2 base game
– Up to 5 days early access
– DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions*
– Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack
– Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
* Story expansions available as released
The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!
As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.
Explore a New Frontier
The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink!
Your Commander, Your Way
Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb!
Enlist Your Companions
Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
Xbox Game Studios
Upgrade* from Standard Edition and receive the following content:
– Up to 5 days early access
– DLC Pass for 2 future story expansions**
– Moon Man’s Corporate Appreciation Premium Prize Pack
– Access to The Outer Worlds 2 Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack
*Requires base game or Xbox Game Pass membership (PC or Ultimate only), all sold separately.
The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!
As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.
Explore a New Frontier
The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink!
Your Commander, Your Way
Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb!
Enlist Your Companions
Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
Xbox Game Studios
The Outer Worlds 2 is the eagerly-awaited sequel to the award-winning first-person sci-fi RPG from Obsidian Entertainment (just look at the exciting number of dashes in this sentence!). Time to clear your calendar – get ready for an action-packed adventure with a new crew, new weapons, and new enemies in a new colony! So much newness!
As a daring and most likely good-looking Earth Directorate agent, you must uncover the source of devastating rifts threatening to destroy all of humanity. Your investigation leads to Arcadia, home of skip drive technology, where the fate of the colony, and ultimately the entire galaxy, rests on your decisions – your strengths, your flaws, your crew, and the factions you choose to trust.
Explore a New Frontier
The Arcadia colony is engulfed in a factional war, as the Protectorate’s so-called benevolent rule is challenged by the rebellion of their religious order and a corporate invasion. As destructive rifts spread across the colony, each faction fights to control or close them for their own ends. Navigate diverse zones, uncover hidden lore, and shape the fate of a system on the brink!
Your Commander, Your Way
Build your character with the abilities and choices that reflect your playstyle. The colony reacts to your every move, crafting a narrative that’s yours to own -whether you’re a disciple of diplomacy, an astute strategist, a crusader for chaos, or something different altogether. And yes, you can dumb!
Enlist Your Companions
Recruit companions with unique traits, backgrounds and goals. Whether you choose to help them achieve their ambitions or steer them toward your own objectives, your influence shapes their growth (or death), making them an integral part of the immersive story you create together.
The post More of Obsidian’s Favorite Character Builds for The Outer Worlds 2 appeared first on Xbox Wire.
