Gears of War stumbles at launch as console hardware hits historic lows

Gears of War: E-Day sold an estimated 230,000 copies in its first week, according to analyst figures — a sobering number for a flagship franchise revival. That result lands against a broader backdrop of weakness across the platform business: analyst data suggests Xbox and PlayStation sales have reached new lows, with one analyst warning the US hardware market hasn't been in a more precarious position since the early 1980s. Whether GTA 6 might offset some of that malaise for Nintendo Switch 2 remains an open question — Nintendo of America's president is directing fans straight to Rockstar for an answer.

Konami offered a longer view on the future of Silent Hill, with the company signaling plans for second and third waves of new entries in the series. That's a pointed contrast to the franchise's troubled recent history — a subject Destructoid revisited today, examining how Hideo Kojima's P.T. demo ended up influencing Resident Evil rather than saving Silent Hill itself. Ace Combat 8, for its part, is having a better moment: Bandai Namco's aerial combat sequel has become the fastest-selling game in the franchise's history, with analysts pointing to story as a meaningful driver of that performance.

Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds has mapped out a Year Two roadmap packed with free updates and new collaborations, while Little Kitty Big City is heading to Android and iOS next week. The Skate revival hit a different note — after modders stripped out the game's live service elements, the developers drew a line at tools that bypass their systems to unlock paid cosmetics. And a fan-made designer posted a "remaster" of Grand Theft Auto's driving physics, following the original mod that claimed to fix it — proof that some corners of the internet will never fully make peace with Rockstar's handling of vehicle handling.