The EU proposes a law to bar paid loot boxes for under-18s and make games show the real price of their coins

The stories

32 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.

1. 01

   The EU proposes a law to bar paid loot boxes for under-18s and make games show the real price of their coins

   6%

   of a company's worldwide yearly sales, the largest fine the Act allows

   the rules would start 12 months after the law takes effect [1]

   18

   the age below which paid loot boxes would be barred

   everyone else would get a switch to turn them off [5]

   13.7 billion euros

   what the Commission says the Act could save EU shoppers a year

   across all online shopping, not games alone [6]

   What happened

   • The European Commission has proposed a law that would bar paid loot boxes for anyone under 18. [1]
   • The European Commission is the EU's executive branch, and it presented the plan on Wednesday. [2]
   • The law is called the Digital Fairness Act, and it also covers apps, shops and social media. [3]
   • A loot box is a paid prize with surprise contents, which the draft calls a variable reward system. [4]
   • Games would have to show the real-money value of their coins, and of anything bought with them. [4]
   • In games aimed at children, paid coins would stay switched off until a parent approves. [1]
   • Everyone would get a way to switch paid loot boxes off. [5] Games would also have to show the odds of each prize. [5]
   • Paying to win, or to move faster through a game, would be banned for children. [6]
   • Everyone could turn off features that push people to keep playing, such as daily login rewards and streaks. [1]
   • The same switch would cover Duolingo's streaks and videos that play on by themselves. [3]
   • A company breaking it could be fined up to 6% of its worldwide yearly sales. [1]
   • The European Parliament and EU governments must approve it first, and can change or drop any part. [6]
   • Eurogamer expects it to become law around 2028 or 2029. [5] It would apply 12 months after that. [1]
   • Some games industry groups called the coin and loot box rules "unworkable, unjustified and disproportionate". [6]
   • EU Commissioner Michael McGrath said: "We are making it harder to do business unfairly." [6]
   • George Osborn, who writes a newsletter on the games business, says EA's Ultimate Team mode could be hit. [5]
   • Ultimate Team is a mode of EA Sports FC that sells paid card packs. [5]
   • Osborn expects many firms to change their games everywhere, since one version for the world is easiest. [5]
   • Eurogamer points to USB-C chargers and removable Switch 2 batteries, both pushed by EU rules. [5]
   • Companies from outside the EU would have to name a legal representative inside it. [3]
   • The Commission would also get its own power to investigate big cases, instead of leaving them to each country. [7]

   Who is involved

   • European Parliament must approve
   • EU governments must approve
   • George Osborn a games business analyst who writes the Video Games Industry Memo newsletter; he expects one version of games worldwide
   • The European Commission the EU's executive branch; it proposed the Digital Fairness Act
   • Michael McGrath the EU commissioner for consumer protection; he presented the Act
   • EA the publisher of EA Sports FC, whose Ultimate Team mode sells paid card packs; among the most exposed

   How it unfolded

   Since October, games with loot boxes get a PEGI 16 age rating by default in Europe. [4]

   In the US, lawsuits against Valve say Steam's loot boxes are illegal gambling. [4]

   A draft of the Act leaked the day before it was presented. [5]

   1. Wednesday the plan is presented
   2. 2028 or 2029 likely to become law [5]
   3. Since 2020 the Commission works on the Act [4]
   4. October games with loot boxes rated PEGI 16 by default [4]
   5. 10 November a draft of the Act leaks [5]
   6. 11 November the Commission presents it [6]

   Why it matters

   Children in the EU would lose paid card packs in games like EA Sports FC, if the law passes. [5]

   Osborn says card games built around random paid packs would find it hardest to change. [5]

   How it works

   Lawyers call one likely result regulatory arbitrage: shaping a product so it falls under the lightest rules.

   The Act partly judges whether a game is aimed at children by its age rating. [1] So an 18-rated game faces fewer limits, and makers may seek higher ratings. [1]

   Seen it before

   Some people sign up for a cheap evening class just to get a student bus pass.

   The truth

   • What is really going on The European Commission has proposed a law that would bar paid loot boxes for under-18s and make games show what their coins cost in real money. [1]It is years from taking effect, but analyst George Osborn expects big publishers to redesign now, and to keep one version for the whole world. [5]
   • The 13.7 billion euros a year the Commission says shoppers could save covers all online buying, not games alone. [6]
   • Which designs count as banned dark patterns depends on a list the Commission has not yet published. [1]
   • Who gains Parents in the EU — Paid coins in children's games would stay off until a parent approves them. [1]
   • Who pays EA and other makers of card-pack games — Random paid packs are built into their games, and Osborn says that makes them hard to switch off. [5]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Which games will count as aimed at children.

     The draft judges it by signs such as age ratings, and how strictly is not settled. [1]

   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether adults could still pay for an edge in games children also play.

     GamesIndustry.biz says the ban on paying to win for children leaves this open. [1]

1. 02

   PS5 passes 100 million shipped

   What happened

   • Sony's PlayStation 5 passed 100 million consoles shipped on 10 November, almost 6 years after launch. [20]
   • Shipped means sent to shops, so fewer than 100 million are in people's homes. [20]
   • It is the fourth Sony console to pass 100 million, after the first PlayStation, the PS2 and the PS4. [12]
   • Sony shipped 2.6 million PS5s from July to September 2026, against 4 million in 2025. [20]
   • Its cheapest version now costs $599.99 in the US, up from $399.99 at launch. [12]

   Who is involved

   • PlayStation first
   • PS2 second
   • PS4 third

   Why it matters

   Eurogamer says higher prices are the main reason fewer people are buying one. [20]

   How it works

   Business analysts call this the installed base: the machines already in homes, which a company keeps selling games to.

   Sony sold fewer new consoles, but its plan to earn more from existing players is working, Eurogamer says. [20]

   Seen it before

   A cafe with many regulars can get through a month with few new customers.

   The truth

   • Kotaku notes the PS5 trails the PS4 and PS2, which had each sold over 103 million at that age. [21]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How many PS5s are actually in homes.

     Sony's 100 million counts consoles shipped to shops, not sold to players. [20]

2. 03

   Zelda remake sells 5.2 million in 4 days

   What happened

   • Nintendo's remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time sold more than 5.2 million copies in 4 days. [15]
   • That makes it the fastest-selling game Nintendo has published on the Switch 2. [15]
   • About 810,000 of those copies sold in Japan. [22]
   • Only Mario Kart World, at 16.48 million, has sold more among Nintendo's Switch 2 games. [23]

   How it unfolded

   The original came out in 1998 on the Nintendo 64, and the remake launched on 5 November. [15]

   1. 1998 Ocarina of Time on Nintendo 64
   2. 5 November the remake on Switch 2

   Why it matters

   Many publishers moved their games away from November to avoid GTA 6. [24] Nintendo launched in November anyway, and the remake still sold fast. [25]

   How it works

   Marketers call this nostalgia marketing: selling something new by reminding people of something they loved.

   Eurogamer calls the sales a nostalgia-driven effect. [25] Nintendo also sold the remake as a good entry point for new players. [15]

   Seen it before

   A band's reunion tour sells tickets to its old fans and to their children.

   The truth

   • The 5.2 million counts digital and boxed copies, taken from Nintendo's own sales data. [15]

   What comes next

   A live-action Zelda film opens in cinemas on 30 April 2027. [15]

3. 04

   Black Forest Games buys itself out

   What happened

   • Black Forest Games, a German studio, has bought itself back from its owner THQ Nordic in a management buyout. [26]
   • The studio has also founded Third Signal, a new group of independent studios. [9]
   • Andreas Tobler, Third Signal's boss, said some of the decade's best games "came from teams of fifty, not five hundred". [9]

   Who is involved

   THQ Nordic belongs to Embracer Group, which bought many game studios and later sold some. [27]

   • Embracer Group owns THQ Nordic
   • THQ Nordic owned the studio

   How it unfolded

   THQ Nordic bought the studio in August 2017. [28] Since then it has remade the first two Destroy All Humans games. [26]

   It lost roughly 50 staff in Embracer's layoffs in 2024. [9]

   1. August 2017 THQ Nordic buys it
   2. This week it buys itself back

   Why it matters

   Co-boss Adrian Goersch said the team is "excited to shape our own future as owners again". [26]

   How it works

   Lawyers call a game's name and characters intellectual property, and its owner decides who may make more.

   Relic's boss says that without keeping Company of Heroes when it left Sega, "we would have been a dead studio". [11]

   Seen it before

   A band that leaves its record label may lose the right to sell its old albums.

   The truth

   • Eurogamer says it does not sound as if Black Forest kept the rights to Destroy All Humans. [27]
   • Who gains Black Forest Games' managers — They now co-own the studio's group and choose its next game, instead of answering to THQ Nordic. [26]
4. 05

   Laid-off Doom developers start their own studio

   What happened

   • About 20 developers laid off by Doom maker id Software have formed a new studio, Hidden Horses. [10]
   • The studio is owned by its workers, and they elect their leaders. [10]
   • Its first game, Danger Pay, is a single-player shooter set on a deadly TV game show. [29]

   How it unfolded

   Microsoft, which owns id Software, cut 136 jobs there in July, about half the team. [30]

   Why it matters

   "It was probably emotionally the worst day of my life," co-founder Jordan Turner said of the layoffs. [30]

   How it works

   Economists call this an employee-owned firm: the people who do the work also own it and share its profits.

   Producer Andrew Willis says this means the studio is "not subject to investor demands". [10] Its money need not beat other investments, so jobs come before growth. [10]

   Seen it before

   A football club owned by its fans can choose cheap tickets over bigger profits.

   The truth

   • Rock Paper Shotgun's writer calls flat structures "very often just an excuse for the biggest egos". [10]
   • Who pays Former id Software developers — Those starting Hidden Horses must raise money for their first game themselves, through Kickstarter. [29]

   Good news

   • About 20 developers laid off from id Software have started a studio of their own, and every one of them owns a share.

   What comes next

   It plans a Kickstarter campaign to raise money from the public for the game. [29]

5. 06

   AI keeps Geralt's Polish voice young

   What happened

   • CD Projekt Red used an AI tool to make Geralt's Polish voice actor sound as he did years ago. [18]
   • For a new Witcher 3 expansion, Songs of the Past, AI firm Respeecher reshapes his new recordings. [31]
   • Respeecher trained its model on the more than 10,000 lines he recorded for The Witcher 3. [32]

   Who is involved

   Jacek Rozenek has voiced Geralt, hero of the Witcher games, in all their Polish versions. [18]

   • Jacek Rozenek Polish voice of Geralt

   How it unfolded

   A stroke in 2019 left him unable to speak for a time, and changed his voice. [18]

   He recorded a few new lines by 2021, but said the work left him exhausted. [18]

   1. 2019 a stroke changes his voice
   2. 2021 a few new lines, exhausting

   Why it matters

   Mikolaj Szwed, who produces the studio's translated versions, called AI a big concern for voice actors. [32] CD Projekt says it will never alter a voice without permission. [33]

   How it works

   In law and ethics this is informed consent: a person agrees after being told exactly what will be done.

   Respeecher's rules say each voice copy needs a signed agreement. [31] Rozenek agreed, saying he has "great trust" in the game's makers. [33]

   Seen it before

   A friend may edit a photo of you, but it is fair only if you said yes first.

   The truth

   • Rozenek says he has not listened to his AI-shaped voice. [32]

   Good news

   • Jacek Rozenek, whose voice was changed by a stroke in 2019, is back as Geralt in Polish, and agreed to the AI that matches it to his old recordings.

1. 07

   Nintendo clears Switch mod-chip code from GitHub

   What happened

   • Nintendo had GitHub, the code-sharing site, take down 144 projects holding code for Switch mod chips. [8]
   • A mod chip is soldered inside a Switch so it can run software Nintendo has not approved. [8]
   • Each chip needs firmware, the code that tells it what to do. [8]
   • Nintendo's notice also named two Switch emulators, Yuzu and Citron Neo, programs that play Switch games on a PC. [34]
   • Nintendo says the firmware gets round the copy protection that stops pirated games running. [8]

   Who is involved

   • Yuzu emulator
   • Citron Neo emulator

   How it unfolded

   In 2024 Nintendo took down about 8,500 copies of Yuzu with a single notice. [34]

   Why it matters

   People who use the chips for homemade games, not piracy, lose the code too. [8]

   How it works

   Lawyers call this an anti-circumvention rule: getting round a digital lock is illegal, whatever is done next.

   Nintendo argues the firmware is mainly made to get round its locks, which the US DMCA law forbids. [8]

   Seen it before

   A school can ban master keys, even if some pupils would only open their own lockers.

   Why a law written for Europe can change the games played everywhere

   Scholars of law call it the Brussels effect: when a big market sets a strict rule, firms often follow it everywhere, because one version costs less than two.

   The twist

   The EU cannot make laws for players in Brazil or Japan, but a game built to sell in Europe often carries Europe's rules there anyway.

   The picture

   One strict marketthe EU's rule

   ↓→

   One versioncheaper than two

   ↓→

   Sold everywherethe rule travels

   Step by step

   1. 1 A big market sets a strict rule
   2. 2 Firms that want to sell there must follow it
   3. 3 Making two versions costs more than one
   4. 4 So the strict version ships everywhere
   5. 5 Buyers in other countries get the rule without voting for it

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Harada and the Xbox Series S

     Every Xbox game has to run on the weaker Series S, and CD Projekt Red says fitting that limit makes the game run better on every other machine too.

   • Nintendo's takedown on GitHub

     A US law reached people in every country, because GitHub keeps one copy of each project for the whole world and removed it once.

   • GTA 6's smaller download in Japan

     The other path: Rockstar appears to leave a small part out for Japan, Australia and New Zealand, so their rules stay inside those countries.

   Where you've seen this

   Phone chargers

   the EU required one charger type, and USB-C spread to phones sold everywhere

   Games consoles

   an EU battery rule pushed Nintendo towards a Switch 2 with a battery owners can remove

   Car exhausts

   carmakers often build to California's strict limits for the whole US, because one engine is cheaper than two

   Website cookie boxes

   many websites show Europe's privacy consent box to visitors from every country

   The catch

   It works only when splitting the product is costly. When a firm can cheaply cut one part for one country, as GTA 6 seems to in Japan, the rule stays local.

   And the whole of it

   A child in Brazil may one day find a switch to turn off loot boxes, because of a law being written in Brussels that no one in Brazil voted on. The officials writing it cannot see every game it will reach. The child will probably never know where the switch came from.

   The truth

   • TorrentFreak reports that some copies of the firmware are still on GitHub. [34]
   • Who pays Homemade-game makers on the Switch — Their tools lost a home on GitHub along with the piracy code. [8]

1. 08

   Tekken's maker wishes the Xbox Series S away

   What happened

   • Katsuhiro Harada, who made the Tekken fighting games, said he wishes the Xbox Series S had never been released. [35]
   • He said it on a developers' panel in Seoul, with a senior Xbox official in the room. [36]
   • The Series S is Microsoft's cheaper, less powerful Xbox, sold beside the stronger Series X. [37]
   • Harada said making games for it "feels like having to do extra work for a slightly weaker child". [35]
   • In the US more people own a Series S than a Series X, so studios cannot skip it, he said. [35]

   Who is involved

   • Katsuhiro Harada Tekken's maker

   Why it matters

   Series S players then blame studios, not Microsoft, for its lower-detail graphics, Harada said. [35]

   How it works

   Software engineers call this optimisation: making a program do the same work with less memory and power.

   CD Projekt Red's Pawel Sasko said fitting games into the Series S makes them run better on every machine. [36]

   Seen it before

   Packing for a small suitcase makes you choose what matters, and that helps on every trip.

   Every Xbox game has to run on the weaker Series S, and CD Projekt Red says fitting that limit makes the game run better on every other machine too.

   The idea, in story 07: Why a law written for Europe can change the games played everywhere →

   The truth

   • Sasko also said the Series S's low price lets more people play. [36]
   • Who pays Studios making Xbox games — They do a second round of work to fit the weaker Series S, and take the blame for its lower detail. [35]
2. 09

   Danganronpa's maker ships unfinished discs

   What happened

   • Kazutaka Kodaka, who made the Danganronpa games, said his studio sometimes sends unfinished games to be pressed onto discs. [38]
   • Collector's editions with figures take so long to pack that the disc version is due absurdly early, he said. [38]
   • The fixes then arrive as a download on launch day, called a day-one patch. [38]
   • He said they assume "no one plays games without an internet connection these days". [38]

   Who is involved

   • Kazutaka Kodaka Danganronpa's maker

   How it unfolded

   Sony plans to stop making discs for new PlayStation games in 2028. [38]

   Why it matters

   Shuhei Yoshida, a former Sony games boss, said studios launch "praying no one plays that build". [38]

   How it works

   Factories call this lead time: the gap between finishing a product and the day it reaches buyers.

   Boxed editions need a long lead time, so their disc is fixed long before the game is done. [38]

   Seen it before

   A school yearbook goes to print in spring, so it misses everything that happens in June.

   The truth

   • Kodaka said such discs "barely pass platform certification", the checks console makers run. [38]
3. 10

   GTA 6's download is smaller in Japan

   What happened

   • GTA 6's download in Japan is about 1.19 GB smaller on the PS5 than in most countries. [39]
   • GTA 6 is the new game from Rockstar Games. [40] It comes out on 19 November. [13]
   • Japan's ratings board, CERO, gave it its 18-and-over rating, without the sexual-content warning used in Europe and the US. [40]
   • Players in Japan read both signs as cuts made for their country. [41]
   • The download for Australia and New Zealand is slightly smaller too, missing one file. [39]

   How it unfolded

   Rockstar cut several scenes from GTA 5's Japanese release to meet the country's rules. [40]

   Australia has refused ratings to games over gambling, and GTA Online's casino was removed there in July. [39]

   Why it matters

   Players in Japan may be buying a different game from the one sold elsewhere. [41]

   How it works

   Economists call this versioning: selling slightly different editions of one product in different markets.

   Rockstar appears to ship one game everywhere, and leave a small part out where local rules bite. [39]

   Seen it before

   A film shown on a plane has a few scenes cut, but it is still the same film.

   The other path: Rockstar appears to leave a small part out for Japan, Australia and New Zealand, so their rules stay inside those countries.

   The idea, in story 07: Why a law written for Europe can change the games played everywhere →

   The truth

   • Neither Take-Two nor Rockstar has confirmed any difference in content between countries. [41]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What GTA 6 leaves out in Japan, Australia and New Zealand.

     Smaller downloads and a missing rating warning are the only signs, and neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has confirmed any change. [41]

4. 11

   Logitech gives 7,000 staff a game day

   What happened

   • Logitech, a maker of computer accessories, is giving all 7,000 of its staff a day off to play games. [42]
   • Kotaku reports the day, called Logi Game Day, falls on GTA 6's launch on 19 November. [43]
   • Data firm Deputy found absence among US shift workers rises nearly 9% around a big game launch. [13]
   • Hotel and restaurant workers stayed away most, with absence up 32.4%. [13]

   Why it matters

   Films and shows landing that week, like a new Hunger Games film on 20 November, compete for the same hours. [24]

   How it works

   Economists call this the attention economy: free hours are limited, so games and shows compete for them. [24]

   Logitech chose to give the day to everyone rather than handle thousands of requests at once, Kotaku says. [43]

   Seen it before

   Some schools start late the morning after a big final, because half the class stayed up.

   The truth

   • Tom's Hardware says staff may take the day any time in the next year. [42]
5. 12

   CyberAgent buys into the studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen

   What happened

   • CyberAgent, a media and advertising company, has bought a stake in MHD, the parent company of MAPPA. [44]
   • MAPPA is the anime studio behind Jujutsu Kaisen and the final season of Attack on Titan. [45]
   • The two firms signed a business alliance covering streaming, games, merchandise and events. [44]

   Who is involved

   CyberAgent also owns Cygames, maker of the game Uma Musume Pretty Derby and anime based on its games. [44]

   • CyberAgent buys a stake
   • MAPPA anime studio
   • Cygames owned by CyberAgent

   How it unfolded

   They have worked together before, on anime streamed on ABEMA and on game adaptations. [45]

   In January, Netflix became the only streamer for a set of future MAPPA shows. [44]

   Why it matters

   CyberAgent's boss, Takahiro Yamauchi, wants MAPPA's stories "to cross borders and reach audiences". [44]

   How it works

   Strategy teachers call this a strategic alliance: two firms share work and money without merging.

   CyberAgent bought only a stake, and MAPPA calls itself an independent studio. [45]

   Seen it before

   Two friends who start a band share the gigs and the money, but each keeps their own guitar.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     How big CyberAgent's stake in MAPPA's parent is, and what CyberAgent paid.

     The announcement gives no size and no figure for the stake. [44]

6. 13

   Marvel 1943 is not cancelled, Skydance says

   What happened

   • Skydance told staff Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra has not been cancelled, after a rumour said it would be. [46]
   • Kotaku's source says the game is close to done, but well over budget and cut back in length. [46]

   Who is involved

   The game stars Captain America and Black Panther, and is led by Amy Hennig, who led early Uncharted games. [47]

   • Amy Hennig the game's director

   How it unfolded

   It began as a game for Netflix before moving to consoles and PCs. [46]

   It was first due in late 2025 and has been delayed into 2027 or later. [46]

   Two days earlier, at least 30 people at Paramount Games lost their jobs after Paramount's merger with Warner Bros. [46]

   1. 2025 the first planned release
   2. 2027 or later the new target

   Why it matters

   Kotaku says most of the action uses only one button. [46] IGN says players hoping for a game like Marvel's Spider-Man may be disappointed. [47]

   How it works

   Project managers call this the iron triangle: when time and money run out, the size of the job must shrink.

   Marvel 1943 went over budget and years past its date, so its makers cut its length and content. [46]

   Seen it before

   With ten minutes left in an exam, you answer fewer questions rather than finish late.

   The truth

   • Kotaku had asked Skydance and Marvel for comment when it published. [46]
   • Nobody knows yet

     When Marvel 1943 will come out, and how much of it was cut.

     Skydance has given no date, and the cuts are known only from Kotaku's unnamed source. [46]

7. 14

   Dark Souls 2 and 3 are back online

   What happened

   • FromSoftware restored the online servers for Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 on 11 November. [48]
   • Players can again invade each other's games and leave messages. [49]
   • Fan-made Seamless Co-op mods kept people playing together, because they do not use FromSoftware's servers. [49]

   Who is involved

   FromSoftware made the Dark Souls games and Elden Ring. [49]

   • FromSoftware Dark Souls, Elden Ring

   How it unfolded

   They had been off for almost 2 weeks after a server issue it never explained. [49]

   In 2022 PC servers for every Dark Souls game were off for most of a year over a security flaw. [49]

   1. End of October servers switched off
   2. 11 November servers back

   Why it matters

   Players who bought these games for co-op and invasions lost those parts for almost 2 weeks. [49]

   How it works

   Security engineers call this incident response: shut a system down, find the flaw, fix it, then reopen.

   GamesRadar says the servers went off over apparent security issues, and FromSoftware says its investigation is done. [48]

   Seen it before

   A swimming pool shuts after a spill, gets cleaned, and opens again.

   The truth

   • FromSoftware still has not said what went wrong. [49]
   • Nobody knows yet

     What took Dark Souls 2 and 3 offline.

     FromSoftware has given only a server issue and an apology. [49]

   Good news

   • Dark Souls 2 and 3 came back online after less than two weeks, where a similar shutdown in 2022 lasted most of a year.
8. 15

   Helldivers 2 lets harmless mods back

   What happened

   • Arrowhead, the studio behind Helldivers 2, says its next fix will let some harmless cosmetic mods work again. [50]
   • Its switch to Easy Anti-Cheat, software that blocks cheats, had broken many fan-made mods. [50]
   • The change drew more than 10,000 new negative Steam reviews. [50]
   • Helldivers 2 sells Super Credits, a currency bought with real money, and some cheat mods spawn them free. [50]
   • Mods that change how the game plays stay banned, because they look the same as cheating. [50]

   Why it matters

   PC players who used mods only for looks lost them, though cheaters were the target. [50]

   How it works

   Security engineers call this a false positive: something harmless flagged because it looks like a threat.

   The anti-cheat cannot always tell a harmless mod from a cheat, so it blocked both. [50]

   Seen it before

   A spam filter sometimes hides a real email from a friend.

   The truth

   • Arrowhead also admitted its roadmap oversold an update and missed patch dates. [50]

   What comes next

   More fixes, such as a new utility belt, are due in early December. [50]

9. 16

   Shrek 2 Remastered gets mixed reviews

   What happened

   • Shrek 2 Remastered, a new version of the 2004 game, launched to "Mixed" reviews on Steam. [17]
   • Only 46% of its 389 Steam reviews were positive. [17]
   • Reviewers complain of missing settings, poor mouse controls and graphics barely better than the PS2 original. [17]
   • Online play needs an Epic Games account, which many reviewers dislike. [17]

   Who is involved

   Aspyr, which also remastered the old Tomb Raider games, made it. [17]

   • Aspyr remaster maker

   Why it matters

   Fans who wanted a fixed-up version of a game they loved got one some say looks no better. [17]

   The truth

   • The claim that AI made the textures rests on reviewers' guesses, such as "my theory is that this is vibecoded". [17]
10. 17

    Square Enix's sales rise 21.9%

    What happened

    • Square Enix's sales rose 21.9% to 163.1 billion yen in the six months to September. [16]
    • Profit from its games rose to 32.8 billion yen, from 16.8 billion yen two years before. [16]
    • It credits Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, which came to Switch 2 and Xbox in June, and older games. [16]

    Who is involved

    Square Enix publishes the Final Fantasy games. [16]

    • Square Enix Final Fantasy publisher

    Why it matters

    Players on Xbox and Switch 2 now get Square Enix's biggest games too, sometimes on the first day. [16]

    How it works

    Accountants call a game's making cost a fixed cost: it is paid once, however many copies sell.

    Square Enix had already paid to make Rebirth, so its Switch 2 and Xbox versions add sales. [16]

    Seen it before

    A baker who already has the recipe can sell the same cake in a second shop.

    The truth

    • Sales from its games are still slightly below two years ago, even though profit from them rose. [16]

    What comes next

    Final Fantasy 7 Revelation will launch on PS5, Xbox, PC and Switch 2 at once next year. [16]

11. 18

    Final Fantasy XIV players mourn the Primals' bassist

    What happened

    • Eikichi Iwai, bass player in The Primals, Final Fantasy XIV's official band, has died at 57. [51]
    • Iwai had played with them at the game's fan festival in Tokyo on 1 November. [52]
    • Players held vigils inside the game, gathering round campfires in its cities on European servers. [51]
    • His other band, Chirinuruwowa, cancelled the rest of its tour. [53]

    Who is involved

    Final Fantasy XIV is Square Enix's online role-playing game, first released in 2010. [52]

    • Eikichi Iwai The Primals' bassist
    • Chirinuruwowa tour cancelled

    How it unfolded

    The Primals have played rock versions of its music since 2014, led by its composer Masayoshi Soken. [52]

    1. 2014 The Primals start playing
    2. 1 November Iwai's last fan festival show

    Why it matters

    PC Gamer says his bass lifted many of the game's best-loved songs. [51]

    How it works

    Sociologists call this a ritual: a shared act that lets a group grieve together.

    Final Fantasy XIV players held the same in-game vigils for the creators of Berserk and Dragon Ball. [51]

    Seen it before

    Classmates sign one card together when a teacher leaves.

12. 19

    A union listing hints at new Mega Man Legends

    What happened

    • A project called "Mega Man Legends - New Media" appeared on the website of ACTRA Toronto, a Canadian actors' union. [54]
    • Its dates ran from 14 September to 1 December 2026, and the listing was deleted soon after. [54]

    How it unfolded

    The first Mega Man Legends came out in 1998, and a sequel followed in 2000. [54]

    A third game was announced in 2010 and cancelled in 2011. [55]

    Its English voices were first recorded in Canada, Kotaku notes. [56]

    1. 14 September listed start
    2. 1 December listed end
    3. 2010 a third game announced
    4. 2011 cancelled

    Why it matters

    Fans who have had no new Legends game since 2000 may get a remake, a collection or a new game. [55]

    How it works

    Economists call this a signal: a small public fact that lets outsiders guess at hidden plans.

    Projects using union actors are listed in ACTRA's public database, which is how fans saw this one. [54]

    Seen it before

    A delivery van outside a neighbour's house gives away a new sofa.

    The truth

    • New Media could mean a game, a film or a TV show, and the listing gave no more detail. [54]
    • Nobody knows yet

      What "Mega Man Legends - New Media" is.

      The union listing was deleted, and New Media can mean a game, a film or a show. [54]

    What comes next

    Mega Man turns 40 in 2027, and Capcom has a new game, Dual Override, for it. [56]

13. 20

    Netflix set to buy a Hollywood lot cheaply

    What happened

    • Radford Studio Center, a 55-acre film lot in Los Angeles, goes to a foreclosure auction on 24 November. [57]
    • A foreclosure auction sells a property its owner could not keep paying the loans on. [57]
    • Netflix is expected to win it for about $400 million, roughly 22% of what Hackman paid. [57]
    • Netflix rents space at Sunset Studios now, and could gather its filming on one lot it owns. [57]

    How it unfolded

    Hackman Capital paid $1.85 billion for it in 2021, and lenders led by Goldman Sachs took it back this year. [57]

    1. 2021 Hackman buys it
    2. This year lenders take it back

    Why it matters

    Filming in Los Angeles is near historic lows, which is why the lot sells so cheaply. [57]

    How it works

    Economists call this a distressed sale: something sold under pressure goes for far less than it once cost.

    Lenders want about $1.3 billion owed on Radford, but few buyers want a lot in Los Angeles now. [57]

    Seen it before

    A house sold in a hurry after its owner loses a job often goes below its old price.

    The truth

    • One source links the deal's shape to a 5.5% property tax worth about $22 million. [57] Another says there are reasons for it that have nothing to do with tax. [57]
    • Who gains Netflix — Owning Radford would let it stop renting space at Sunset Studios and bring its filming together. [57]
14. 21

    Roku quits smart-home gadgets

    What happened

    • Roku, a maker of TV streaming software and devices, will stop selling its smart-home gadgets. [14]
    • Those include video doorbells, cameras, smart plugs and a home-monitoring system. [14]
    • Its hardware losses more than doubled in a year, from $22.9 million to $48.6 million a quarter. [14]
    • Roku blamed most of that on the rising cost of memory chips. [14]
    • It will keep supporting the devices people already own. [14]

    How it unfolded

    It announced the move days after Fox completed its $22 billion takeover of Roku. [14]

    Why it matters

    Owners of Roku doorbells and cameras keep support, but will see no new models. [14]

    How it works

    Strategy teachers call this focusing on the core business: dropping side products to spend on the main one.

    Roku said it is "sharpening our focus" on being the top streaming platform. [14] Its hardware as a whole lost more money as memory chips got dearer. [14]

    Seen it before

    A school club that tries five activities may drop four to do one well.

    The truth

    • Roku had been moving away from these devices for months, and stopped naming them in its results this year. [14]
15. 22

    Peacock rebuilds its phone app for short videos

    What happened

    • Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming service, is rebuilding its phone app around short vertical videos. [58]
    • NBCUniversal executive Matt Strauss said part of the aim is to "win another hour per user, per month". [58]
    • Short clips will lead viewers into full episodes, and fan hubs will gather shows such as Bravo's. [58]
    • The app will also add games and a rewards scheme for subscribers. [58]
    • People who use Peacock on both TV and phone are twice as engaged as TV-only users, it says. [58]

    How it unfolded

    Peacock has made a profit two quarters in a row. [58]

    Why it matters

    Phone users will see more clips pulling them on to the next episode. [58]

    How it works

    Designers call this removing friction: cutting the steps between a viewer and the next thing to watch.

    Product head John Jelley says rival streamers "expect the user to do the sorting". [58] Peacock will suggest the next step instead. [58]

    Seen it before

    A shop that puts sweets by the till sells more sweets.

16. 23

    Creators and sport take more of the content money

    What happened

    • Big media and tech firms spent $207 billion on content in 2025, up from $156 billion in 2021, KPMG says. [59]
    • YouTube is now the biggest spender, at about $28 billion a year. [59]
    • Money for independent creators reached $46 billion, up 75% since 2021. [59]
    • Sport now takes 29% of the spending. [59]
    • Film, TV and streaming shows fell from 71% of the total in 2021 to 64%. [59]

    Who is involved

    KPMG is a consulting firm, and its yearly report counts what platforms like Netflix, Disney and YouTube spend. [59]

    • KPMG consulting firm

    Why it matters

    Traditional film and TV makers get a smaller share, though total spending still grows. [59]

    How it works

    Economists call this substitution: when one thing gives more for the money, spending moves to it.

    KPMG says creator videos win because they can "build frequent engagement" and draw loyal viewers. [59]

    Seen it before

    A family that loves one YouTuber may cancel a channel it rarely watches.

    The truth

    • KPMG's totals mix sports rights, creator payments and music costs, so they are not one market. [59]
    • Who gains YouTube and independent creators — Platforms are moving content money to creator videos because they keep viewers coming back. [59]
    • Who pays Traditional film and TV makers — Their share of platforms' content money is shrinking as creators and sport take more. [59]
17. 24

    Lego buys a mobile games studio

    What happened

    • Lego Digital Play has bought ForthStar Games, a mobile studio in Manchester, for an undisclosed sum. [60]
    • ForthStar has grown from 14 former Playdemic staff to 30 people. [60]

    Who is involved

    Lego Digital Play was set up in 2025, apart from the Lego Group, to make Lego games it fully owns. [60]

    • Lego Digital Play set up in 2025

    How it unfolded

    ForthStar's founders, Paul Gouge and Alex Rigby, earlier co-founded Playdemic, sold to EA for $1.4 billion in 2021. [60]

    In September, Lego Digital Play also bought Offroad Games, another UK mobile studio. [60]

    Why it matters

    Its president, Aaron Loeb, called phones the market "where we can reach kids of all ages in every country". [60]

    How it works

    Strategy teachers call this buy versus build: buying a team that already knows a market instead of growing one.

    Gouge becomes Lego Digital Play's head of games, while Rigby keeps running ForthStar. [60]

    Seen it before

    A new school team can recruit pupils who already play, instead of teaching beginners.

    The truth

    • Neither side has said what Lego paid. [60]
18. 25

    Overwatch tests 6v6 with fixed roles

    What happened

    • Blizzard's Overwatch will test a 6v6 ranked mode with fixed roles from the start of Season 6. [61]
    • Players can pick standard 5v5, open 6v6, or the new 6v6 with fixed roles. [61] Fixed roles means 2 tank, 2 damage and 2 support players a team. [61]
    • The fixed-role test runs for the first 4 weeks of the season. [61]
    • Blizzard expects long waits, because each match needs 2 tank players a team, a role few people pick. [61]
    • It will keep open 6v6 to learn whether players choose it for the mode or for its short queues. [61]

    Why it matters

    Players who wanted 6v6 with fixed roles in ranked play now get a test of it. [61]

    How it works

    Economists call this a matching market: a match starts only when every needed role is filled.

    Tank is the least-picked role, and 6v6 needs 2 tanks a team instead of 1. [61]

    Seen it before

    A football match needs two goalkeepers, so it waits until two turn up.

19. 26

    Marvel Rivals explains its missing hate-speech button

    What happened

    • NetEase, maker of Marvel Rivals, says a setup error in September replaced its "Hate Speech" report option with "Crime". [62]
    • Slurs and hate speech in the game rose sharply while the option was missing. [62]
    • Since 24 September, the worst offenders get a 365-day chat ban. [62]
    • Creative director Guangyun Chen explained the error in a new developer diary. [62]
    • He said "simply fixing a UI option wouldn't be enough", so the penalty system was rebuilt. [62]

    Who is involved

    • Guangyun Chen creative director

    Why it matters

    Players abused in chat had no proper way to report it for a time. [62]

    How it works

    Software testers call this a regression: a change to one part breaks something that used to work.

    The team broke the hate-speech option while improving the report screen's design. [62]

    Seen it before

    Tidying your desk, you knock out the alarm clock's plug and wake up late.

    The truth

    • Chen still asked players to report abuse, saying "our operations team verifies every report". [62]
20. 27

    WoW: Forever pays more gold, and blocks the crowded side

    What happened

    • Blizzard's World of Warcraft: Forever now gives gold for most quests at level 48 and above. [63]
    • Players had found that only 25% of the original quests paid gold. [63]
    • Blizzard will not bring back turning extra experience into gold at level 60. [63]
    • In North America, new Horde characters are blocked on PvP realms, because there are too many. [64]
    • On PvP realms, players of the other side can attack anyone at any time. [64]

    Who is involved

    Forever rebuilds the original World of Warcraft, without some features that were added later. [63]

    Why it matters

    Outnumbered Alliance players say they are killed again and again while questing. [64]

    How it works

    Game designers call this a dominant strategy: one way to play beats every other, so everyone uses it.

    Blizzard said gold for experience made it best to "grind creatures for XP and not hand in quests at all". [63]

    Seen it before

    If homework only counts on the last day, everyone does it the night before.

21. 28

    Magnolia takes Jim Queen to US cinemas

    What happened

    • Magnolia Pictures has bought the US rights to Jim Queen, a French animated comedy for adults. [65]
    • It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, and will open in US cinemas next summer in English. [65]
    • It follows a gay influencer whose fame vanishes when a virus starts turning gay men straight. [66]

    Who is involved

    French studio Bobbypills made it, with animation partners in Belgium and Reunion. [66]

    • Bobbypills French studio
    • Belgium and Reunion partners

    How it unfolded

    1. Cannes premiere
    2. Next summer US cinemas, in English

    Why it matters

    Cartoon Brew says independent animation for adults rarely reaches US cinemas. [66]

    How it works

    Film economists call this a distribution deal: a distributor buys the right to show a film in one country.

    Global Constellation, the film's sales agent, sold Magnolia the US rights on the makers' behalf. [65]

    Seen it before

    A band signs with a local promoter in each country it tours.

22. 29

    Two games called Piece by Piece launch together

    What happened

    • Two different games both called Piece by Piece will launch together on the Switch on 25 November. [67]
    • One, from No More Robots, is a cosy game about repairing neighbours' treasures. [67] The other, from Neon Polygons, builds levels out of jigsaw pieces. [67]
    • Rather than fight over the name, they sold the two games together as a bundle. [67]
    • No More Robots is publishing the jigsaw game on Switch, because its makers could not afford the port. [67]

    Who is involved

    • No More Robots pays for the port

    How it unfolded

    Both teams set Steam release dates in the same week in March, two days apart. [67]

    1. March two launches, two days apart
    2. 25 November together on Switch

    Why it matters

    No More Robots boss Mike Rose says Nintendo's teams asked again and again why two games shared a name. [67]

23. 30

    Call of Duty's charity counts 180,000 veterans in jobs

    What happened

    • The Call of Duty Endowment says it has helped more than 180,000 military veterans into jobs in 17 years. [68]
    • It works in the US and the UK, helping former soldiers move into civilian careers. [68]
    • Players can buy an in-game Valor Pack to support it. [68]
    • Sponsor Polaris will give $25,000 once players complete 5 million rides in one vehicle across the games. [68]

    Who is involved

    The pack honours Kyle Carpenter, a US Marine who shielded a comrade from a grenade in 2010. [68]

    • US veterans
    • UK veterans
    • Kyle Carpenter US Marine

    Why it matters

    Buying the pack also earns rewards inside Call of Duty for a limited time. [68]

    How it works

    Fundraisers call this cause marketing: a company ties a product to a charity, so buying it also gives.

    Buying the Valor Pack supports the Endowment, and players get double-experience tokens too. [68]

    Seen it before

    At a school bake sale you get a cake, and the money goes to the class trip.

    The truth

    • The 180,000 figure is the Endowment's own count, given in its anniversary announcement. [68]

    Good news

    • The Call of Duty Endowment says it has now helped more than 180,000 veterans into jobs in the US and the UK.
24. 31

    Steam's queue costs another game its launch day

    What happened

    • A game called Australia Did It missed its 10 November launch while waiting for Steam to approve it. [19]
    • Checks that used to take a few days now take up to two weeks or more, developers say. [19]
    • Several studios blame a flood of AI-made games that fail and are sent again. [19]
    • Valve has added new rules, such as running each game for at least 5 minutes. [19]

    Who is involved

    Every game must pass Valve's checks before it goes on sale on Steam, the biggest PC game store. [19]

    • Steam biggest PC game store

    How it unfolded

    It was sent on 20 October, failed over a small controller bug, and was fixed the same day. [19]

    1. 20 October sent, failed, fixed
    2. 10 November launch day missed

    Why it matters

    Co-developer Rami Ismail said that, at a 30% cut, "I don't really care what the reason is". [19]

    How it works

    Economists call this market power: when one store has most of the buyers, sellers must accept its terms.

    Ismail said Epic's store is the other choice, but "the commercial potential is also much lower". [19]

    Seen it before

    If only one shop in town sells the school uniform, families queue there however slow it is.

    The truth

    • It is unclear whether Valve's new rules have shortened the wait, GameSpot says. [19]
    • Who pays Small studios waiting on Steam — Their reviews and wishlists build towards a launch day they may not be able to keep. [19]
25. 32

    Microsoft's AI upscaler reaches the Xbox Ally X

    What happened

    • Microsoft's AI upscaler, Auto SR, is now out for the ROG Xbox Ally X handhelds. [69]
    • An upscaler draws a game at a lower resolution, then sharpens it, so it runs faster. [70]
    • Auto SR runs on the handheld's NPU, a chip for AI, leaving the main graphics chip free. [70]
    • It now works when the handheld is undocked, not only when plugged into a TV. [69]
    • A coming Performance Mode will allow up to 120 frames a second, up from 60 to 75. [69]

    Who is involved

    It is Microsoft's answer to Nvidia's DLSS, a similar tool. [69]

    • Microsoft Auto SR
    • Nvidia DLSS

    Why it matters

    Players can get smoother play in games whose makers never added an upscaler. [70]

    How it works

    Computer scientists call this upscaling: guessing extra detail so fewer pixels must be drawn.

    The handheld draws fewer pixels, and Auto SR fills in the detail on the NPU. [70]

    Seen it before

    A blurry photo of a friend still looks like them, because your brain fills in the face.

    The truth

    • PC Gamer says AMD's FSR still looks closer to the original where a game supports it. [70]
    • Who gains Players on the Xbox Ally X — Auto SR can smooth games whose makers never built in an upscaler. [70]