GTA 6 Hits $1B Preorders as PlayStation 6 Pricing and Xbox Layoffs Shake Gaming – June 2026

Video GamesMonday, June 29, 2026

50 articles analyzed by AI / 288 total

Key points

Audio player

0:00 / 0:00

•Sony's upcoming PlayStation 6 aims to provide a versatile gaming experience that users can enjoy outside the living room, evoking Nintendo Switch's flexibility. However, Sony plans to price the console above $1,000 with no intention of selling at significant losses, reflecting increased development and hardware costs for next-gen consoles.[IGN]
•Grand Theft Auto 6 has generated over $1 billion in digital pre-orders despite lacking any new trailers, confirmed frame rate data, or gameplay reveals, indicating strong fan anticipation and a considerable shift towards digital purchases. This unprecedented preorder volume raises questions about the future retail impact, including on physical stores like GameStop.[Dualshockers]
•Unionized Xbox developers have publicly opposed Microsoft's planned massive layoffs within the gaming division, citing executive failures and demanding enhanced worker protections. These layoffs reportedly threaten key studios such as Undead Labs, developer of State of Decay 3, which is also reportedly facing funding issues and potential layoffs weeks after announcing the PS5 exclusive game.[IGN][Push Square][GameSpot][Kotaku]
•SHADE Protocol, an upcoming Metroidvania game, has gathered remarkable community support with 150,000 Steam wishlists and exceeding its Kickstarter funding goals by six times within one day. The inclusion of a notable singer from Nier Automata and Dark Souls further elevates hype ahead of its release.[GamesRadar+]
•SNK is maintaining strong support for its fighting game community by releasing a significant balance patch for the four-year-old Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves on July 2, 2026. This is aligned with the upcoming SNK World Championship 2026 event boasting a $4.2 million prize pool across multiple popular fighting titles, underscoring the genre's thriving competitive scene.[Push Square]
•Ghost of Yotei's tremendous popularity has spurred official merchandise for the Japanese Hokkaido region featured in the game, significantly boosting local tourism. This mirrors previous success by Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Tsushima in promoting real-world locations via gaming culture.[GamesRadar+]
•Netflix confirmed Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 with a fall 2026 release, revealing new characters and a darker storyline taking place in Night City. The announcement through official teasers has reignited excitement among fans of the Cyberpunk anime series.[GameSpot][Eurogamer][GamesRadar+]
•Indie title Meccha Chameleon, developed by just two people in two months, has impressively sold over 10 million copies on Steam since its release on June 10, 2026. The game's success without any marketing illustrates the rising power of grassroots development in the gaming industry.[IGN]
•Nintendo prepares fans for Splatoon Raiders with a dedicated Direct livestream on June 30, 2026, focusing on this single-player game. An accompanying Treehouse: Live event will provide additional hands-on gameplay, signaling a major new release for Nintendo Switch platforms.[Eurogamer][Polygon]
•Genshin Impact announced its Luna VIII update along with the release of the new character Sandrone, specifying exact launch dates and times. This update continues to expand the long-running action RPG, maintaining its position as a top live-service game.[Destructoid]

Relevant articles

Will PS6 Be Like a Nintendo Switch? Sony Says Its Next-Gen Console Will Enable 'A Seamless Experience That Can Be Enjoyed Naturally Beyond the Living Room'

9/10

Sony described its upcoming PlayStation 6 as potentially offering a seamless gaming experience beyond the living room, likening it to Nintendo Switch. Despite this vision, Sony does not plan to sell the PS6 at significant losses and may price it over $1,000 due to increased development costs.

IGN · 6/29/2026, 2:56:59 PM

GTA 6 Preorders Are Open, and Nobody Actually Knows What They're Buying

8/10

Preorders for GTA 6 are now open despite a lack of new trailers, confirmed frame rates, or gameplay screenshots, leaving consumers uncertain about the product. The game has reportedly generated over $1 billion in digital pre-orders, signaling strong demand.

Dualshockers · 6/29/2026, 10:58:29 PM

'We're Done Paying for Executives' Failures' — Unionized Xbox Developers Hold Press Conference to Make Their Point as Microsoft Reportedly Readies Massive Layoffs

8/10

Unionized Xbox developers held a press conference opposing Microsoft's anticipated massive layoffs, criticizing executive decisions and demanding better worker protections amid reports of large-scale staffing reductions in the gaming division.

IGN · 6/29/2026, 8:49:44 PM

"Life changing": Gorgeous Metroidvania hits 150,000 Steam wishlists, enlists Nier Automata and Dark Souls singer, and reaches 6x its $40,000 Kickstarter goal in one day

8/10

The new Metroidvania game SHADE Protocol achieved 150,000 Steam wishlists and surpassed its $40,000 Kickstarter goal by six times in just one day. The game also secured a singer from Nier Automata and Dark Souls for its soundtrack, signaling strong community interest.

GamesRadar+ · 6/29/2026, 9:01:20 PM

This 4-Year-Old PS5, PS4 Fighter Is Getting a Big Balance Patch on 2nd July

8/10

SNK announced a major balance patch for the 4-year-old fighting game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, scheduled for July 2, 2026, as part of preparations for the SNK World Championship 2026. This event features a $4.2 million prize pool across multiple fighting game titles.

Push Square · 6/29/2026, 7:45:00 PM

Ghost of Yotei was such a hit that the actual Japanese region of Hokkaido is getting official merch amid a tourism rush highlighting areas from the game

8/10

The game Ghost of Yotei sparked significant popularity, leading to official merchandise of the Japanese Hokkaido region featured in the game. This development boosted tourism to areas showcased, following Sucker Punch's similar impact with the Tsushima region.

GamesRadar+ · 6/29/2026, 5:27:23 PM

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 | Official Teaser 2

8/10

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners 2 was officially confirmed with a teaser promising a fall 2026 release. The new season features a fresh cast and promises darker story elements set in Night City, continuing the popular anime adaptation of the Cyberpunk universe.

GameSpot · 6/29/2026, 3:49:11 PM

Steam Hit Meccha Chameleon Was Made by Just 2 People in 2 Months — and Now It's Sold Over 10 Million Copies With Zero Marketing

8/10

Indie game Meccha Chameleon, developed by only two people in two months, achieved over 10 million copies sold on Steam since its launch on June 10, 2026. Notably, the game succeeded without any marketing support, showcasing a remarkable grassroots success story.

IGN · 6/29/2026, 1:54:38 PM

Nintendo has suddenly announced a new Direct livestream for tomorrow

8/10

Nintendo announced a Direct livestream scheduled for June 30, 2026, focusing primarily on the upcoming single-player game Splatoon Raiders. A follow-up Treehouse: Live event will provide additional gameplay details, building excitement among fans ahead of release.

Eurogamer · 6/29/2026, 2:33:27 PM

Genshin Impact Luna VIII update and Sandrone release countdown: Exact date and time

8/10

Genshin Impact revealed its Luna VIII update and detailed the release schedule for the new character Sandrone, including exact dates and times. This update continues to expand the popular action RPG's content offerings.

Destructoid · 6/29/2026, 1:55:16 PM