Fox completes its $22 billion purchase of Roku after promising US regulators to keep rival shows on its TV menu for at least 3 years

33 stories 57 sources

Signals on this beat

Old games sold cheaper Building ↑

Atlus will cut Metaphor's Japanese download price to 3,990 yen from 12 November. [8]
Rockstar's GTA Trilogy is 67% off on Steam until 19 November. [33]
Sega sold more games than a year earlier but took less money for them. [7]

AI in how shows are made Building ↑

Toei, the Japanese studio behind Kamen Rider, now uses AI to make some backgrounds. [20]
A Taiwanese company launched an AI system meant to cover a whole film. [46]
The French director Sylvain Chomet denies AI made his Dior cartoon. [36]

Old favourites made into new shows Steady →

Netflix ordered a live-action Stranger Things prequel for 2028. [28]
It also committed to 2 seasons of a Twilight cartoon. [27]
A Korean drama made from a phone comic read close to 3 billion times set a Disney+ record. [22]

Games pulled or pushed back Building ↑

Sony is shutting a Ratchet & Clank phone game that never fully launched. [12]
EA pushed a promised Battlefield 6 feature into 2027. [38]
2K is reported to be recalling Switch copies of Civilization 7 over a hacking flaw. [11]

Pay for the people who make it Building ↑

A new US union deal lets studios hire actors for the demos they use to win funding. [9]
Valnet, owner of Polygon and ScreenRant, agreed to pay its California writers $2 million. [17]

The stories

33 on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

01
Fox completes its $22 billion purchase of Roku after promising US regulators to keep rival shows on its TV menu for at least 3 years

$22 billion

what Fox paid for Roku, the TV system

the deal closed in under five months [4]

100 million

households Roku's system reaches

more than that, by Fox's own count [6]

3 years

at least, that Fox must keep rivals' shows on Roku

its wall around rivals' viewing data stays until at least 2029 [3]

47%

rise in Fox's advert sales, to $2.1 billion

in July to September, before the deal closed [5]
What happened
- Fox completed its $22 billion purchase of Roku on Friday, the two companies announced. [1]
- Roku makes the system built into many TVs that people use to find apps like Netflix and YouTube. [3]
- The US Justice Department cleared it after Fox promised to carry rivals' shows for at least 3 years. [2]
- Fox also promised not to push rivals' shows down in Roku's search results. [2]
- Viewers will still be able to move apps around on Roku's home screen. [2]
- Fox must keep data on what viewers search for and watch on rivals' apps walled off until at least 2029. [3]
- The department found the deal "not likely to result in harm to competition". [2]
- It said Roku needs shows from many companies to keep its viewers. [2] Viewers could switch to other TV systems if Roku got worse. [2]
- The department said it may still act if the facts change. [2]
- Fox now owns two big free streaming services, Tubi and the Roku Channel, and a paid one, Fox One. [4]
- Free services like Tubi are paid for by adverts. [2]
- Fox's advert sales rose 47% to $2.1 billion from July to September. [5]
- Roku's advert sales rose 23% to $727.4 million in the same three months. [5]
Who is involved

Fox is a US media company with live sports and news on TV and streaming. [6]
Roku's founder, Anthony Wood, joins Fox's board and co-runs a new division holding Roku, Tubi and Fox One. [4]
Tubi's boss, Anjali Sud, and Roku's head of adverts, Charlie Collier, are both leaving. [5]
Mustafa Ozgen takes over from Wood as Roku's chief executive. [5]
- Anthony Wood Roku's founder; he joins Fox's board
- Anjali Sud Tubi's boss, leaving
- Charlie Collier ran Roku's adverts, leaving
- Fox Corp a US media company with sports and news on TV and streaming; it bought Roku
- Roku makes the system many TVs use to find streaming apps; now owned by Fox
- US Justice Department the US government's competition watchdog; it cleared the deal on Fox's promises
How it unfolded

Fox first announced the deal in June. [1]
It closed in under 5 months, which is fast for a deal this size. [4]
1. Now data wall stays
2. 2029 earliest it can end
3. June deal announced
4. Friday deal closes
5. Monday San Jose
6. Wednesday Austin
7. Thursday New York
8. June Fox announces it will buy Roku [1]
9. September the US Justice Department asks both firms for more documents [2]
10. 6 November the deal closes, on Fox's promises to keep Roku open [2]
11. 2029 the earliest Fox's wall around rivals' data can end [3]
Why it matters

Whoever runs Roku's home screen shapes what millions of people decide to watch. [3]

How it works

Competition economists call this a vertical deal: a maker of shows buys the screen where shows are found.
Their worry is called foreclosure, meaning shutting rivals out. [2] The question was whether Fox could hide rivals' shows to lift its own. [2]
The department judged that hiding rivals would cost Fox money, because Roku sells itself on having many companies' shows. [2]

Seen it before

A school canteen run by a pizza company still sells sandwiches, or pupils would simply eat somewhere else.
The truth
- What is really going on Fox, a US media company with live sports and news, now owns Roku, the menu more than 100 million homes use to find shows on Netflix or YouTube. [6]The US Justice Department let the deal through after Fox promised to keep rivals' shows on that menu for at least three years. [2]
- The Verge says Roku reaches more than 100 million US households. [1] The Hollywood Reporter puts the same 100 million around the world. [4]
- Who gains Fox — It can sell adverts across Tubi and Roku, reaching viewers at the moment they pick what to watch. [5]
- Who pays Rival streamers such as Netflix, YouTube and Disney+ — Many of their viewers now reach them through a menu owned by a competitor. [3]
- Nobody knows yet
  What happens to rivals' shows on Roku once Fox's promises run out.
  
  Most of the promises last at least three years, and the US Justice Department said only that it may act if the facts change. [2]
What comes next

Fox holds meetings with its new staff in San Jose, Austin and New York from Monday. [5]

02
Sega's slot machines carry its quarter
What happened
- Sega, the Japanese maker of Sonic games, made 14.2 billion yen in operating profit from July to September. [7] That is up 42% on a year earlier. [7]
- Profit from those machines rose 331.6%, and that drove the quarter. [7]
- Sega's sales of whole games fell 23.5% to 20.5 billion yen. [7]
- New games brought in 0.3 billion yen, down from 8.7 billion a year before. [7]
- Older games brought in 20.2 billion yen, up 12.2%. [7]
Billion yen
New games0.3
Older games20.2
What Sega's new and older games earned from July to September.
Who is involved

Sega also makes pachislot and pachinko machines, Japanese gambling machines like slot machines. [7]
Why it matters

So Sega's gambling machines and its old games carried a quarter with almost no new release. [7]
How it works

Business-strategy teachers call a company's set of businesses its portfolio. [7] One part can earn while another waits for its next hit. [7]
Sega's machines earned now; its next big games, Stranger Than Heaven and Persona 4 Revival, come in 2027. [7]

Seen it before

A family with one steady wage can let the other parent spend a year starting a risky shop.
Why a game costs less a year after it comes out

Marketers call it price skimming: charge the most at first, to the keenest buyers, then cut step by step for the people who wait.

The twist

Most of a game's later cuts are planned before it comes out, to reach people who would never have paid at launch.

The picture

9,680 yenMetaphor until now
3,990 yenFrom 12 November
One game, two prices, two years apart: the later price is for the people who waited.
Step by step
1. Charge the most at launch
2. The keenest fans buy at once
3. Cut it later, step by step
4. People who waited buy too
5. One game earns from every kind of buyer
The same force, elsewhere today

Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.
- Metaphor gets far cheaper in Japan
  
  Two years after launch, Atlus cuts its download price to under half, on the day a new Switch 2 version arrives.
- Old GTA games cut to record lows on Steam
  
  Rockstar's 2021 Trilogy is 67% off on Steam, cheaper than ever, for players who skipped it at first.
- Sega's slot machines carry its quarter
  
  Sega sold 10.6 million games, more than a year before, but took less money, so each copy brought in less on average.
Where you've seen this

New phones

a new model costs most at launch, and less once the next one is announced

Films

a cinema ticket first, then a cheaper rental, then a subscription service

Books

the hardback comes out first, and the cheaper paperback a year later

The catch

It only works while buyers do not know a cut is coming. Once everyone expects a sale, fewer people buy on the first day.

And the whole of it

A fan who buys on the first day and a student who waits for a sale are both inside the same pricing plan. Each of them sees only the price on the day they buy.
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether wishlists for Sega's 2027 games will turn into sales.
  
  Sega says they beat its benchmark games, but does not say which games those are. [7]
What comes next

Over 2 million people have put Persona 4 Revival, due in February 2027, on a wishlist. [7]

03
Actors can now be hired for game pitches
What happened
- SAG-AFTRA, the US union for actors, launched a new deal for hiring its members on game pitches. [9]
- A pitch is the demo or trailer a studio makes to win the money to build a game. [10]
- Until now there were no union rules for actors working on a pitch. [10]
- A game qualifies only if it has raised no more than 30% of its first budget. [9]
- Crowdfunded games, and games already on sale, do not qualify. [9]
Who is involved
- SAG-AFTRA the US actors' union
- Game studios making pitches
How it unfolded

The union's game actors went on strike for 11 months over pay and AI, between 2024 and 2025. [9]

Why it matters

Studios can now put professional voices in a demo more easily, the union says. [9]
The truth
- Game Developer suggests the deal may aim to keep AI voices out of early demos. [10]
Good news
- Actors in the US union SAG-AFTRA can now be hired under union rules for game demos and pitches, work that had no union rules before.
04
2K reportedly recalls Civilization 7 on Switch
What happened
- 2K, the publisher of Civilization 7, is reported to be recalling physical copies of its Switch version. [11]
- Hackers found that the cartridge has an unfixed flaw that lets them break open Nintendo's Switch 2. [11]
- The flaw sits in the game's chat, and it works through a phone plugged in by USB. [11]
- It does not yet let people play copied Switch 2 games, but it opens saves and mods. [11]
- A few buyers say their orders were cancelled, and one shared an Amazon message blaming 2K. [11]
Who is involved
- Amazon cancelled some orders
- 2K named as the reason
Why it matters

Switch 2 hacking is moving fast, helped by AI coding tools, Kotaku reports. [11]

How it works

Security engineers count every way into a system; a game's chat box is one of them. [11]
Civilization 7's chat accepted typed code, so one game became a way into the whole console. [11]

Seen it before

A house is only as safe as its least-locked window, however strong the front door is.
The truth
- 2K has not confirmed the recall, and Kotaku has asked it for comment. [11]
05
Sony shuts a Ratchet & Clank phone game
What happened
- Sony and the French studio Oh BiBi are shutting Ratchet & Clank: Ranger Rumble, a phone game. [12]
- It never had a full launch: it was only on sale in a few test countries. [12]
- It leaves app stores on 21 November, and its servers close on 1 May 2027. [12]
- In-game purchases are switched off, and player data will be wiped when it closes. [15]
How it unfolded

It came out in the Philippines and Indonesia in November 2025, then reached Canada and the UK. [14]
The last main Ratchet & Clank game came out in 2021. [12]
1. Nov 2025 Philippines and Indonesia
2. Later Canada and the UK
3. Now purchases switched off
4. 1 May 2027 servers close, data wiped
Why it matters

Players holding in-game money must spend it, or ask Apple or Google for a refund. [12]

How it works

Ranger Rumble had a soft launch: a test release in a few countries before going worldwide. [14]
Its worldwide launch, planned for 5 October, was called off. [13] Now the game is closing instead. [13]

Seen it before

A cafe tries a new cake in one shop first, and drops it if few people buy it.
The truth
- Sony and Oh BiBi gave no reason for closing it. [12]
- Who pays Ranger Rumble players — Everything they bought stops working when the servers close, and their player data is wiped. [15]
06
Valnet pays $2 million to its writers
What happened
- Valnet, owner of the games and film sites Polygon, ScreenRant and Collider, agreed to a $2 million settlement. [17]
- A former writer said Valnet treated its writers as freelancers to avoid paying wages and benefits. [17]
- He said he was paid $15 an article for 3 to 4 a day, often below California's minimum wage. [17]
- The money covers California writers who worked for Valnet between December 2019 and August 2026. [17]
How it unfolded

Valnet had also sued TheWrap, a news site, for $64.5 million over its reporting on the company. [18] A judge threw out most of that case, and both sides have settled. [18]
1. December 2019 covered work starts
2. August 2026 covered work ends
3. Now early approval
4. February final approval
Why it matters

Much of what Polygon publishes now comes from freelancers, Kotaku reports. [16]

How it works

Employment lawyers ask who controls the work, not what the contract calls the worker. [17]
The writer said Valnet set his headlines and the shape of his stories. [17] The lawsuit says that much control made him an employee. [17]

Seen it before

A shop that sets your hours and your uniform is your boss, whatever the paperwork says.
The truth
- Valnet admits no wrongdoing, and both sides call the deal a compromise. [16]
- Who gains Valnet's California writers — Each can claim a share of the money for years of work they say paid below minimum wage, once a court approves. [17]
What comes next

A court must give its final approval in February. [16]
07
Metaphor gets far cheaper in Japan
What happened
- Atlus will cut the Japanese download price of Metaphor: ReFantazio from 9,680 yen to 3,990 yen on 12 November. [8]
- The cut is permanent, and it covers the PlayStation, Steam and Xbox versions. [8]
- It lands on the day a Switch 2 version comes out, priced at $39.99. [8]
- Its anniversary edition drops from 15,510 yen to 5,990 yen. [8]
Who is involved

Metaphor is an award-winning 2024 role-playing game from Studio Zero, published by Sega. [8]
Why it matters

Buyers in Japan who waited since 2024 now pay well under half of what first buyers paid. [8]

How it works

Two years after launch, Atlus cuts its download price to under half, on the day a new Switch 2 version arrives.
The idea, in story 02: Why a game costs less a year after it comes out →
The truth
- Atlus has not said whether prices outside Japan will change. [8]
- Who gains Players in Japan who waited for Metaphor — They now get the same game for well under half of what first buyers paid. [8]
08
Toei moves into games and sets AI rules
What happened
- Toei, the Japanese studio behind Kamen Rider and the shows that became Power Rangers, is moving into games. [20]
- Its first game, Hino, comes out in 2027, followed by Killa and Debug Nephemee. [20]
- All 3 are new stories from outside game makers, not games of Toei's own shows. [20]
- Toei has written rules for generative AI, and now uses it to make some backgrounds. [20]
- It aims to raise the share of its sales from abroad from 30% to 50% by 2033. [19]
Who is involved

Toei's boss, Fumio Yoshimura, spoke at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest, a TV and film market in Taipei. [19]
- Fumio Yoshimura Toei's chief executive
Why it matters

Yoshimura wants games to be where new stories start, in place of novels and comics. [20]

How it works

Toei calls it evergreening: keeping one story alive by passing it from parents to children. [20]
Kamen Rider began in 1971. [20] Toys, anime and stage shows have since carried it to a third generation. [20]

Seen it before

A board game your grandparents played gets a new edition, so your family plays it too.
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  How much of Toei's work AI will take over.
  
  Toei's boss says AI does not take away jobs, but Toei has given no figures on how it is used. [20]
09
Netflix has not closed its studio-lot deal
What happened
- Netflix has not yet closed its purchase of Radford Studio Center, a 55-acre film lot in Los Angeles. [24]
- The landlord of Netflix's Hollywood offices said Netflix may close later this year, "or not". [25]
- The deal is estimated at $330 million to $400 million. [25]
$1.85 billionSold in 2021
$330-400 millionNetflix's deal
What Radford sold for in 2021, and what Netflix is expected to pay.
Who is involved

That landlord, Hudson Pacific, rents Netflix more than 700,000 square feet in Hollywood. [26]
How it unfolded

Radford's last owner, Hackman Capital, bought it for $1.85 billion in 2021, then defaulted on a $1.1 billion loan. [26]
1. 2021 Hackman buys Radford
2. Later its loan goes unpaid
Why it matters

Filming in Los Angeles is near historic lows, as studios shoot where work is cheaper. [25]

How it works

Firms weigh owning against renting: owning costs more at the start, renting leaves you to a landlord.
Netflix has been ending some studio leases with Hudson Pacific while it weighs buying. [25]

Seen it before

A family that has rented for years may buy when a desperate seller drops the price.
The truth
- The Hollywood Reporter calls the deal stalled. [25] Deadline says it is coming together on schedule. [24]
- Who gains Netflix — It can buy a whole studio lot for a fraction of its 2021 price, because the last owner's loan went unpaid. [26]
10
A Korean drama sets a Disney+ record
What happened
- The Remarried Empress, a Korean drama, is the most-watched local original launch ever on Disney+ and Hulu. [23]
- The record counts views in its first 3 days after its 3 November launch. [22]
- It is the top Korean premiere in more than 50 countries, including the US, UK and Mexico. [21]
Who is involved

It comes from a Naver webtoon, a phone comic, read close to 3 billion times. [22]
- Disney+ and Hulu their biggest local launch yet
How it unfolded

Disney released it a day early, as thanks to its fans. [22]
It beat Moving, a 2023 superhero drama, as Disney's biggest local premiere. [23]
1. Planned a later launch day
2. 3 November released a day early
3. Wednesdays 2 new episodes
4. 25 November the finale
Why it matters

Its record runs across Europe and the Americas, not only Asia. [23]
The truth
- Why it works on people A record with no number behind it sounds like proof: Disney called The Remarried Empress its biggest local launch ever and gave no viewing figures. [23]
- Nobody knows yet
  How many people actually watched The Remarried Empress.
  
  Disney did not disclose viewing figures, so its record cannot be checked from outside. [23]
What comes next

2 new episodes arrive each Wednesday until the finale on 25 November. [22]
11
Netflix orders a Stranger Things prequel
What happened
- Netflix ordered Other Worlds, a live-action Stranger Things prequel set in the 1950s, due in 2028. [28]
- Netflix revealed it at its yearly Stranger Things Day fan event. [29]
Who is involved

The Duffer brothers, who made Stranger Things, are back, with Kate Trefry running the show. [28]
Joe Wright, the British director of Atonement, directs the first 3 episodes. [29]
- The Duffer brothers made Stranger Things
- Kate Trefry runs the new show
- Joe Wright directs the first episodes
How it unfolded

Stranger Things ended with its final season last year. [28] Netflix has already made a cartoon spin-off, Tales From '85. [28]
1. 1950s where the story is set
2. 2028 when it streams
3. Last year final season
4. Then cartoon spin-off
5. 2028 live-action prequel
Why it matters

Netflix keeps its biggest hit alive with new shows set in the same world. [28]

How it works

Screen businesses call one story world that keeps selling new shows a franchise. [28]
Stranger Things already has a stage play, The First Shadow, and now gets a prequel too. [29]

Seen it before

A toy line keeps adding new sets, because children who liked the last set come back.

What comes next

Casting is next, the Duffers said. [28]
12
Netflix commits to two seasons of a Twilight cartoon
What happened
- Netflix has committed to 2 seasons of a Twilight cartoon for adults, Lionsgate says. [27]
- The show adapts Midnight Sun, which retells the first Twilight book from the vampire Edward Cullen's side. [27]
- No voice cast has been named yet. [27]
Who is involved

Lionsgate, the film studio behind the Twilight films, confirmed it on its results call on Thursday. [27]
- Edward Cullen the vampire telling Midnight Sun
- Bella Swan told the first book
How it unfolded

Netflix ordered it straight to a series in September 2024. [27]
Lionsgate's 5 Twilight films took $3.36 billion worldwide from 2008 to 2012. [27]
1. September 2024 series ordered
2. This week 2 seasons committed
Why it matters

A double order is an unusual sign of faith from Netflix, Animation Magazine says. [27]

How it works

Film studios call a story that already has fans a pre-sold property.
Twilight's 5 films took $3.36 billion, so its fans were there before the cartoon was ordered. [27]

Seen it before

A band's new song gets played on radio at once, because its fans are already waiting.
13
An ex-Rockstar director expects GTA 6 on PC sooner
What happened
- Obbe Vermeij, a former technical director at Rockstar, thinks AI may push GTA 6 onto PCs sooner. [30]
- GTA 6 comes out on PlayStation 5 and Xbox on 19 November, with no PC date. [33]
- Vermeij fears people will use AI to turn the PS5 version into an unofficial PC copy. [32]
- He guessed such a copy would cost tens of thousands of dollars in AI computing. [32]
Who is involved
- Obbe Vermeij former Rockstar technical director
How it unfolded

Vermeij left Rockstar in 2009. [31] Rockstar has long released PC versions months or years after the consoles. [31]
1. 2009 Vermeij leaves Rockstar
2. Later PC versions keep coming late
Why it matters

A cheap copy could take sales from Rockstar's own PC version, he said. [32]

How it works

Business strategists call it pre-emption: moving first so a rival never gets the gap.
Vermeij said he would not be surprised if Rockstar brought the two releases closer together. [32]

Seen it before

A shop that opens before a rival's leaflets arrive keeps its customers.
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether GTA 6 will really reach PCs sooner.
  
  Vermeij says he does not know Rockstar's plans. [32] Rockstar has given no PC date. [33]
14
Old GTA games cut to record lows on Steam
What happened
- Rockstar cut its older GTA games on Steam until GTA 6 launches on 19 November. [34]
- The GTA Trilogy is 67% off at $19.79. [33]
- GTA 4: The Complete Edition is 70% off, at about $6. [33]
- The Trilogy has never been cheaper, according to the price tracker IsThereAnyDeal. [33]
- The deals are only on Steam, the one place GTA 6 is not coming to at launch. [33]
How it unfolded

The Trilogy was panned for bugs when it came out in 2021. [33]
1. Now old GTA games on sale
2. 19 November GTA 6 arrives
Why it matters

The sale is timed to end the day GTA 6 comes out. [34]

How it works

Rockstar's 2021 Trilogy is 67% off on Steam, cheaper than ever, for players who skipped it at first.
The idea, in story 02: Why a game costs less a year after it comes out →
15
Chomet denies AI made his Dior cartoon
What happened
- Sylvain Chomet, the French director of The Triplets of Belleville, denies using generative AI in a Dior film. [36]
- The 6-minute cartoon was sold as hand-drawn craft, to launch Dior's holiday season. [36]
- Viewers online pointed to glitches, such as a character with 6 fingers. [36]
- Chomet says artists drew everything, and a tool only filled in some in-between frames. [36]
- His producer, Aton Soumache, says about 20 people made it, including 6 animators. [36]
Who is involved
- Sylvain Chomet French animation director
- Cartoon Brew apologised for its headline
How it unfolded

Cartoon Brew, an animation news site, apologised for calling it hand-drawn in a headline. [35]

Why it matters

Dior chose Chomet for his own drawing style, his producer said. [36]

How it works

Animators call the frames between key poses in-betweens, the most repetitive part of the work. [36]

Seen it before

Writing a story's main scenes is the creative part; copying out the joining words is not.
The truth
- Cartoon Brew calls the evidence of AI compelling, but says it cannot report it as fact. [35]
16
Funko sells less in the US, more abroad
What happened
- Funko, the maker of collectable vinyl figures, sold less in the US but more overall from July to September. [37]
- Its US sales fell 2.4% to $151.7 million. [37]
- Sales rose 11.5% in Europe and 12.1% elsewhere, so total sales grew 3.0%. [37]
- Its finance chief said tariff delays pushed extra sales into the same quarter of 2025, making the comparison harder. [37]
- Its credit lines are used up, and it must make profits to meet its loan payments, ICv2 reports. [37]
How it unfolded

Its last quarter's profit of $15.4 million needed a $25.4 million tariff refund. [37]

Why it matters

Fans in Europe and beyond carried Funko's quarter. [37]
The truth
- Who pays Funko's lenders — With its credit lines used up, a weak quarter falls straight on Funko's ability to repay them. [37]
- Nobody knows yet
  Whether Funko can keep up its loan payments.
  
  Its credit lines are used up, and its last profit needed a one-off tariff refund. [37]
17
Battlefield 6's clan feature slips to 2027
What happened
- EA says Platoons, a clan feature for Battlefield 6, will not arrive in 2026. [38]
- Platoons let up to 100 players form a group, share a tag and earn bonus points together. [38]
- EA had promised them for early December, as recently as 21 October. [38]
- A new vehicle, the B-81 Cavalry, is delayed too. [38] EA said both fall short of its quality standards. [38]
How it unfolded

Platoons first appeared in Battlefield 3, as clans like those in big online role-playing games. [38]
1. Promised December
2. Now not before 2027
3. April roadmap promises Platoons
4. 21 October EA repeats the promise
5. This week delayed to 2027
6. After the holidays a new plan
7. 2027 Platoons arrive
Why it matters

Battlefield 6 sells players a timetable of updates, so a missed date breaks a promise. [38]
The truth
- Who pays Battlefield 6 players waiting for Platoons — A feature promised for this December now arrives at some point in 2027. [38]
What comes next

EA will share its new plan for 2027 after the holidays. [38]
18
A Nier: Automata update wants 366GB
What happened
- A Nier: Automata update on Steam made the game ask for 366GB of space instead of about 50GB. [39]
- The update only added 3 languages, Korean and two kinds of Chinese, and players cannot skip it. [39]
- A bug seems to count each of its 8 add-ons as big as the whole game. [40]
- Square Enix apologised, and said players can untick the add-ons to download the base game. [39]
Who is involved

Nier: Automata is an action role-playing game from Square Enix. [40]
Why it matters

Big games already often pass 100GB, so drive space is a real limit for players. [40]
The truth
- Who pays Nier: Automata players short of drive space — They cannot install the update without unticking the add-ons by hand. [39]
- Nobody knows yet
  What made the Nier: Automata update ask for 366GB.
  
  Square Enix says it is still investigating the cause. [40]
19
Tangled rights keep Bloodborne buried
What happened
- Shawn Layden, a former head of PlayStation, says tangled rights are why Bloodborne has no sequel or remake. [41]
- He said Sony, FromSoftware and its parent company, Kadokawa, would all have to agree. [41]
- He said the hardest part is "getting everyone to sign off on the same thing". [41]
- It still plays on the PS5. [41] It has no remaster and no PC version. [42]
Who is involved

Bloodborne is a horror action game from FromSoftware, released on Sony's PS4 more than a decade ago. [41]
- Shawn Layden former head of PlayStation
Why it matters

The game still sells steadily more than a decade on, Eurogamer says. [41]

How it works

Economists call it an anticommons: when several owners can each say no, a thing goes unmade.
Sony, FromSoftware and Kadokawa, 3 owners in all, each hold a part, so any one can stall a sequel. [41]

Seen it before

Three friends who share one console must all agree before anyone can sell it.
20
A contract gap freed Lord of the Flies for TV
What happened
- A gap in an old Warner Bros contract let Eleven Film make a TV series of Lord of the Flies. [43]
- The old contract was unclear on TV rights, because a TV version was not considered then. [43]
- The Golding family kept the TV rights, and Jack Thorne, co-creator of Adolescence, wrote the series. [43]
Who is involved

Its producer, Joel Wilson, told the story on a panel at the Thessaloniki Film Festival. [43]
- Joel Wilson Eleven Film producer
- The Golding family kept the TV rights
- Jack Thorne wrote the series
How it unfolded

Warner owned film rights to William Golding's novel and had tried to remake it several times. [43]
The 4-part series aired on the BBC in February and on Netflix in the US in May. [43]
1. February BBC
2. May Netflix in the US
Why it matters

The book's owners, not Warner, got to choose who adapted it for TV. [43]

How it works

Lawyers read a rights contract by what it grants. [43] A right it does not clearly grant stays with the owner. [43]

Seen it before

Lending a friend your bike does not lend them your skateboard too.
21
Abema funds three new animators' pilots
What happened
- Abema, a Japanese streaming service, picked 3 independent animators to make short pilot anime. [44]
- A pilot is a first test episode, and each finalist gets production money for one. [44]
- One pilot, OXY-HEAVEN, is set in a cafe on a giant ship that is also a nation. [44]
- Another, Amneka, is a fantasy comedy about a tiny school, by a newcomer known as orange. [44]
Who is involved
- Waboku makes OXY-HEAVEN
- orange makes Amneka
How it unfolded

They came from the first open call in Abema's Project PRISMation. [44]

Why it matters

The scheme gives animators outside the big studios a paid way in. [44]

How it works

Studios call this an open call: anyone may pitch, so talent is found outside the usual names. [44]

Seen it before

A school talent show lets any pupil sing, not only the ones already in the choir.
Good news
- Abema, a Japanese streaming service, is paying 3 independent animators to turn their own ideas into pilot anime.
What comes next

The pilots are due next year or later. [44]
22
Taiwan's biggest phone firm backs 10 projects
What happened
- Chunghwa Telecom, Taiwan's biggest phone company, announced 10 investments in films, TV series and music. [45]
- They include 4 drama series, such as the police drama Gunshot. [45]
- Another, Guides to the World Below, is adapted from a popular Taiwanese comic. [45]
- Its 10 investments include stakes in 2 production companies. [45]
Who is involved

Chunghwa also runs MOD and Hami Video, TV and streaming services with more than 3 million subscribers. [45]
How it unfolded

Chunghwa has sponsored the Taiwan Creative Content Fest for 5 years running, and showed the slate there. [45]

Why it matters

Chunghwa says the slate backs Taiwanese stories and links local makers with partners abroad. [45]
The truth
- Nobody knows yet
  How much Chunghwa Telecom is putting into its 10 projects.
  
  Its showcase named the projects but, in Variety's report, gave no amounts. [45]
23
An AI film tool with 24 'crew' launches
What happened
- imCore, a Taiwanese tech company, launched Core Studio, an AI system meant to cover film-making from script to colour. [46]
- It runs more than 24 AI agents, each doing one crew job, such as editing or visual effects. [46]
- It uses its own picture-making model, and can work with outside ones. [46]
- It launched on Saturday at the Taiwan Creative Content Fest in Taipei. [46]
Who is involved

Its team has roots in animation and visual effects. [46]
Why it matters

Its founder pitched it as a whole production tool, not just a picture maker. [46]

How it works

Computer scientists call an AI agent a program that carries out a task by itself, step by step. [46]
Core Studio splits a film into crew jobs and gives each job to its own agent. [46]

Seen it before

A kitchen splits a big meal between cooks, one for each dish.
24
A kidnapped teenager asked for help in Among Us
What happened
- The FBI found a kidnapped 17-year-old from Utah after she asked for help inside the game Among Us. [47]
- Her captor gave her a phone with no mobile data, but she reached the game over Wi-Fi. [47]
- She told another teenager in a match, who told her mother, who called the FBI. [47]
- The FBI found her in Oregon on 1 November, after a 521-day search. [47]
Who is involved

Among Us is an online game with a chat box for players in the same match. [47]
Why it matters

A message in a game's chat became her way out. [47]
The truth
- Kotaku's account rests on a Newsweek report. [47]
Good news
- A kidnapped 17-year-old from Utah is free after she asked another player for help in an Among Us chat. The FBI found her in Oregon on 1 November, after a 521-day search.
What comes next

Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, was arrested and charged in court in Boise, Idaho, on 4 November. [47]
25
Nobody Wants This gets a fourth season
What happened
- Netflix renewed Nobody Wants This, a romantic comedy with Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, for a 4th season. [48]
- The renewal came 2 weeks after season 3 came out on 22 October. [48]
- Season 3 drew 13.4 million views in 2 weeks, below season 2's start. [48]
- Deadline says openings are falling for all of Netflix's returning shows. [48]
- It still had the biggest opening week for a returning comedy on Netflix this year. [48]
- The show has 78.5 million views in all, and reached the Top 10 in 89 countries. [48]
How it unfolded
1. 22 October season 3 out
2. 2 weeks later season 4 ordered
Why it matters

Few live-action Netflix comedies run to 4 seasons or more. [48]
26
Pokemon cards join the Toy Hall of Fame
What happened
- The Pokemon Trading Card Game joined the US National Toy Hall of Fame in its class of 2026. [49]
- It was picked over finalists such as Mahjong, Polly Pocket and Yahtzee. [49]
- Bingo, Care Bears and the playground slide went in alongside it. [49]
Who is involved

The hall is run by the National Museum of Play at The Strong, in the US. [49]
How it unfolded

The card game has been on a historic sales run since 2024, ICv2 says. [49]
1. Since 2024 record sales run
2. 2026 Toy Hall of Fame
Why it matters

Its curator said Pokemon made card games easier to get into, and added its well-loved creatures. [49]
27
A Shonen Jump pop-up shop opens in New York
What happened
- Viz Media, which publishes Shonen Jump manga in the US, opens a pop-up shop in New York today. [50]
- A pop-up is a shop that opens for a short time only. [50]
- It sells goods from series such as One Piece, Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen. [50]
- New York-only items include a $40 T-shirt and an $80 hoodie. [50]
- Buyers who spend over $70 get a free poster while stocks last. [50]
How it unfolded
1. Today pop-up opens
2. Then for a short time
Why it matters

Some goods are sold only at this New York shop, so fans must come in person. [50]
28
Path of Exile 2 gets its full release on 11 December
What happened
- Path of Exile 2, an action role-playing game, gets its full release on 11 December. [51]
- The release adds 2 classes, the Shadow and the Duelist, and the last 2 acts of the story. [51]
- A new league, a season with its own extra rules, adds castle-building and armies. [51]
How it unfolded

For 2 years players could buy and play it while it was unfinished, in early access. [51]
1. 2 years early access
2. 11 December full release
Why it matters

The story campaign will at last be finished. [51]
29
Miyamoto misses a Nintendo meeting through illness
What happened
- Shigeru Miyamoto, the Nintendo designer behind Mario and Zelda, missed an investor meeting through sudden illness. [52]
- Nintendo says he is stable and should recover within a week. [52]
- He did appear in a recorded Nintendo video show for Pikmin Day on 1 November. [52]
Who is involved

Miyamoto is 73 and has stepped back from day-to-day game making. [52]
- Shigeru Miyamoto made Mario and Zelda
How it unfolded

Days earlier he also missed a Tokyo ceremony for Japan's Order of Culture, a top national honour. [52]
1. 1 November recorded video show
2. This week missed the investor meeting
Why it matters

Miyamoto still works as a producer on Nintendo's films, including the coming Legend of Zelda film. [52]
The truth
- Nintendo gave no details of the illness. [52]
30
PlayStation Plus adds perks, fans ask for discs
What happened
- Sony added perks to PlayStation Plus, its paid online club, such as a 3-month YouTube Premium trial. [53]
- Others include a trial of Calm, a meditation app, and discounts on Audible and Sony goods. [53]
- Many replies to Sony's post asked for discs instead. [53]
Who is involved
- Calm a meditation app, free trial
- Audible discounts
How it unfolded

Sony will stop making discs for new PlayStation games in January 2028. [53]
1. Now discs still made
2. January 2028 no discs for new games
Why it matters

Fans worry that without discs they do not truly own their games. [53]
31
Nordisk Games names a new chief executive
What happened
- Nordisk Games named Stefania Halldorsdottir as chief executive and Asgeir Kroyer as finance chief. [54]
- Allan Mathson Hansen, chair of Nordisk Film, had been the interim chief executive. [54]
- Halldorsdottir said Nordisk should be an active owner that gives its studios what they need. [54]
Who is involved

Both keep running Avalanche Studios Group, one of Nordisk's studios. [54]
- Stefania Halldorsdottir chief executive
- Asgeir Kroyer finance chief
How it unfolded

The move follows a publishing deal between Avalanche and Supermassive Games, another Nordisk studio. [54]

Why it matters

Leaders who already run one of its studios will now run the whole group. [54]
32
SaGa translator Neil Broadley dies
What happened
- Neil Broadley, who translated Square Enix's SaGa role-playing games into English, has died of cancer. [55]
- His death was announced on 6 November, in a post he had written himself. [55]
- He kept translating games through years of treatment for stage four colon cancer. [55]
- He wrote that carrying on "made me feel like my life had purpose". [55]
Who is involved
- Neil Broadley translated the SaGa games
How it unfolded
1. Years treatment for cancer
2. 6 November death announced
Why it matters

SaGa has drawn new attention lately, and GamesRadar credits his translations for it. [55]

What comes next

He brought in his successor, who will carry on translating the series. [55]
33
Fans drive a Save Mass Effect truck around EA
What happened
- Fans drove a Save Mass Effect truck around EA's headquarters in California on Friday. [56]
- Today, 7 November, is N7 Day, BioWare's yearly day for celebrating the series. [56]
- The fan group We Are Mass Effect paid for it by crowdfunding, after a billboard in Times Square. [56]
- The truck's sign sends people to a website, SaveMassEffect.com. [57]
How it unfolded

EA closed BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, on 21 October. [56]
1. 21 October BioWare closed
2. 7 November N7 Day
3. Earlier Times Square billboard
4. Friday truck at EA
5. December Game Awards billboards
Why it matters

BioWare signed merchandise deals before it closed, so new gear keeps arriving, Kotaku says. [56]

What comes next

The group has also paid for billboards at December's Game Awards. [56]

More Gaming editions

Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia's PIF, which bought EA, approach Unity at about $25 billion, Reuters reports, and Unity's shares jump Macronix, the chip maker behind Nintendo's Switch cartridges, quits game chips for data-centre memory after record profits Valve says Steam game reviews now take up to 12 business days, not 3 to 5, after a surge in submissions, and indie games miss their launch dates

Across the beats

COP31 opens in Antalya on Monday with Australia's Chris Bowen, minister of a top coal and gas exporter, running the negotiations Alabama's regulator asks Alabama Power to stop billing customers for its adverts now, three years before a new law bans it The US cleared dozens of Chinese firms to handle Nvidia's H200 chips, and the New York Times found one with an empty office and owners tied to a blacklisted fund

Fox completes its $22 billion purchase of Roku after promising US regulators to keep rival shows on its TV menu for at least 3 years

33 on this beat today.

Why a game costs less a year after it comes out