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Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026: Start Time, How To Watch, And What To Expect
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026 is scheduled to begin on August 25th, following a 30-minute preshow. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the event will feature new game trailers and reveals, including confirmed titles like The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past, Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, and Gears of War: E-Day. The show will be livestreamed on YouTube and Twitch, starting at 10:30 AM PT / 1:30 PM ET.
GTA 6’s Leaks Situation is a Total Mess
The article discusses the significant negative impact of recent Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks on Rockstar Games and its developers, highlighting the creative and security challenges they present. It criticizes the fan frustration over marketing delays while emphasizing that leaks harm the development team and perception of the game, regardless of fan anticipation or pre-order success.
ROG Xbox Ally X20 is Out on October 15th, Priced at $1,299
ASUS Republic of Gamers has announced the ROG Ally X20 handheld gaming PC, priced at $1,299 and launching on October 15th. This anniversary model features a larger 7.4-inch OLED display and minor internal hardware upgrades over the original ROG Ally X. A bundle including ROG XREAL R1 Edition AR glasses is available for $2,499.
Sony Reaffirms Return to Console-Exclusive Games With New “Only On PS5” Ad
Sony has released a new advertisement emphasizing its commitment to console-exclusive games for the PlayStation 5, featuring titles like Ghost of Yōtei, Astro Bot, and Marvel's Wolverine. While Sony continues to release multiplayer games on PC, such as Helldivers 2, the ad suggests a stronger focus on exclusive single-player experiences. This strategy mirrors recent moves by Microsoft, which is also prioritizing exclusives for Xbox Series X/S and PC, though Xbox CEO Asha Sharma notes the current business health necessitates a gradual approach to releasing more exclusive titles.
Report: Hugging Face Sounding Out Buyers at Roughly $13 Billion
AI company Hugging Face is reportedly exploring acquisition interest at a valuation of approximately $13 billion, nearly double a $7 billion offer it previously rejected from Nvidia. The company, known for hosting and running AI models, has engaged a bank to gauge potential buyers. This valuation significantly exceeds its last official mark of $4.5 billion in 2023 and surpasses Microsoft's $7.5 billion acquisition of GitHub.
GTA 6 Leaks: A Timeline Of The Events So Far
A series of Grand Theft Auto 6 gameplay videos and images were leaked online by an individual or group known as CyberLeek, beginning in mid-August 2026. The leaks included footage of gameplay mechanics, the game's map, and various in-game scenarios. Rockstar Games' parent company, Take-Two Interactive, has since filed subpoenas for Microsoft and Discord to help identify the leaker, while CyberLeek has made threats to release further spoilers unless publishers change their digital game practices.
A Third Ori Game Could Be Coming, But The Series’ Creator Doesn’t Believe It
Rumors suggest a third Ori game may be in development, but Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler has dismissed them as "nonsense." Mahler stated that Moon Studios has discussed purchasing the Ori intellectual property back from Microsoft and believes only their studio can do justice to the series. He also commented on Microsoft's perceived mishandling of its studios and legacy IPs.
Opening Night Live 2026 time and how to watch – Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, The Witcher 3 Songs of the Past DLC, and more have already been confirmed to appear
Gamescom Opening Night Live 2026, hosted by Geoff Keighley, will feature new looks at Final Fantasy 7 Revelation and The Witcher 3: Songs of the Past DLC. The two-hour showcase will also include updates on Silent Hill Townfall, Gears of War: E-Day, and Exodus, airing on August 25th.
Former Bethsoft devs claim Microsoft changed the company and mishandled recent layoffs
Former Bethesda developers claim that Microsoft's ownership has led to significant changes in company culture, including the introduction of annual layoffs. They allege that Microsoft mishandled the recent reduction in force, ignoring employee proposals and impacting morale and institutional knowledge.
Gamescom preview - why you should watch Opening Night Live and visit Cologne
Gamescom 2026 is set to be the largest video game event globally, taking place in Cologne from August 26-30. The event will feature reveals for titles like Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, Gears of War: E-Day, and The Witcher 3's new expansion, Songs Of The Past. Hosted by Geoff Keighley, the Opening Night Live show on August 25 will offer a preview of upcoming games, with many major industry players like Microsoft, Square Enix, and Nintendo in attendance, though Rockstar Games and Sony will be absent.
Windows 11 could soon let users reserve unified memory for gaming
Windows 11 may soon allow users to reserve a portion of unified memory specifically for gaming and other intensive tasks. This feature, hinted at in Nvidia documentation and found in Windows 11 builds, would give users finer control over how shared memory is allocated on systems with unified memory architectures like Nvidia's RTX Spark and AMD's Strix Halo.
Sony reminds PlayStation users they don't own anything: "The software is licensed to you, not sold"
Sony has reminded PlayStation users via email that digital game purchases are licensed, not sold, meaning users can lose access to them if their account is banned or closed. This communication comes as Sony plans to end physical disc production for new games in 2028, sparking concerns about digital ownership and game preservation. Similar terms of service are also noted for Microsoft's Xbox platform.
Proposed class action lawsuit against Logitech demands money to be given back to customers after $61 million US tariff…
A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed against Logitech, alleging the company passed on the costs of US tariffs to consumers and failed to return funds after the tariffs were declared unlawful. The lawsuit seeks to recover a portion of the $61 million refund Logitech received. Similar legal actions have been taken against other tech companies like Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.
Windows update that breaks some multiplayer games linked to our desire for gaming PCs that light up all the colors of…
A recent Windows update, specifically KB5121003, has caused instability and crashes in several multiplayer games, including Arc Raiders, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls, and The Finals. Microsoft and Embark Studios have identified a driver named inpoutx64.sys, often associated with RGB lighting components, as the likely cause. Microsoft is investigating the issue and has provided a registry edit to disable the driver as a temporary workaround, though this may affect RGB functionality.
"The Ori 3 rumors are nonsense," Metroidvania series creator says, and that Halo has taught Xbox you'll "undoubtedly get more slop" without the right talent working on beloved series
Thomas Mahler, CEO of Moon Game Studios, has debunked rumors of a third Ori game, stating that no such project is in development. He expressed interest in Moon Game Studios potentially buying back the Ori IP from Microsoft to develop a sequel themselves, citing concerns about other studios' ability to capture the series' magic, referencing Halo's struggles under 343 Industries.
Take-Two Interactive files subpoenas against Microsoft, Discord, and X amid ongoing GTA 6 leaks
Take-Two Interactive has filed subpoenas against Microsoft, Discord, and X in response to ongoing leaks of Grand Theft Auto 6. The company is seeking records related to online accounts involved in posting and sharing leaked content, including user data and linked OneDrive and Xbox accounts. This action aims to identify the individuals responsible for infringing on Take-Two's intellectual property rights.
Gamescom 2026 is "proof that the game industry is working towards a better tomorrow"
Despite widespread layoffs and studio closures in the game industry during 2026, Gamescom Director Tim Endres and Stefan Heikhaus, Head of Gamescom at Game, express optimism. They believe the event's full capacity and focus on networking, fan engagement, and future technologies demonstrate the industry's resilience and drive towards a better tomorrow.
Gamescom 2026: Seven Games at the Top of Our Watchlist
Gamescom 2026 is set to feature major announcements and gameplay reveals for highly anticipated titles. Highlights include updates on Final Fantasy 7 Revelation, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt DLC, Microsoft's Fable and Gears of War: E-Day, Metro 2039, Persona 4 Revival, Daniel Mullins' next project Pony Island 2: Panda Circus, and the real-time strategy game Game of Thrones: War for Westeros.
Nobody Knows Who Built Ox Alpha — And That’s the Point of a Stealth Model
A new, unnamed AI model called Ox Alpha has been released on OpenRouter, sparking speculation about its developer, with theories ranging from Chinese entities to Microsoft. The model is described as a 'stealth model' with an anonymous third-party provider, a strategy intended to gather user data and feedback before revealing its identity. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison praised the model, though his company is in the process of acquiring OpenRouter.
Games Inbox: Is the PS5 boycott still happening?
Readers discuss various gaming topics, including a boycott of the PlayStation 5 due to the discontinuation of physical media, impressions of The Duskbloods network test, and reactions to Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks. Other topics include the relevance of Xbox's 25th anniversary, Nintendo Switch 2 impressions, and the debate around physical vs. digital game sales.
