GTA 6 Dominates: No Microtransactions, PS5 Pro Sellouts, and Squadron 42 Steps Aside

Rockstar Games confirmed that GTA 6 will launch without microtransactions or generative AI, a statement that landed alongside reassurances from Rockstar North's co-lead that the game will release on time and that an extended look should put quality concerns to rest. The announcement is already reshaping the market around it: PS5 Pro units are selling out and proving difficult to find as anticipation builds, while Squadron 42 — the single-player spinoff of Star Citizen — has been delayed again, with developers citing the industry-wide gravitational pull of GTA 6 as part of the reasoning. Fan reaction to the game itself has been mixed on at least one front, with players vocally unhappy about Jason's voice.

A massive leak from Steam surfaced over 12 TB of Valve assets, reportedly including material related to Half-Life Episode 3. Separately, EA Motive's Iron Man game reveal apparently did not go according to plan, though a leak has since stirred genuine excitement among Marvel fans. Sony is taking a $180 million stake in a Japanese publisher to explore new game projects, with PlayStation described as not directly involved in the arrangement. On the DLSS 5 front, a leaked AI filter being applied to major PS5 titles drew sharp criticism, with reactions describing the results as visually degraded.

CD Projekt Red confirmed that The Witcher 4 will receive a physical edition even if disc-based media disappears — a notable commitment given the ongoing format debate. Metro 2039 is moving away from the moral ambiguity of earlier entries while bringing back the series' hidden Karma system, according to 4A Games. The fan-made native PC port of Donkey Kong 64 is now playable, with its creators specifically noting that no generative AI was used in its development. Elden Ring players are meanwhile stress-testing new gear from the Tarnished Edition DLC, and Mortal Shell 2 received a substantial update addressing riposte damage scaling and adding new items.