Saudi Arabia Leads EA Buyout Amidst Industry Shifts and GTA VI Hype
Saudi Arabian investors have taken Electronic Arts private in a significant $55 billion deal. Grand Theft Auto VI continues to dominate headlines with leaks and exclusive marketing deals. Meanwhile, the industry grapples with AI integration, layoffs, and evolving physical media strategies.
Coverage across 13 outlets
The Sunday Papers
This article presents a surreal journey through a supermarket, encountering various gaming-related articles and discussions. It touches upon "The Blood of Dawnwalker," a sports business scandal involving Steve Ballmer and the NBA, a review of "The Blood of Dawnwalker's" stealth mechanics, and a guide on hosting LAN parties. The narrative blends fictional encounters with commentary on real-world gaming and business topics.
Evening Reading - September 11, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including Saudi Arabian investors considering a merger between EA and Savvy Games, EA Sports confirming the use of generative AI voice tech in NHL 27, and PlayStation reportedly shelving Hideo Kojima's Physint. It also notes Stellar Blade developers confirming game card sizes for the Nintendo Switch 2, the closure of Moss developer Polyarc, and Nintendo's legal win against Switch pirates.
Evening Reading - September 2, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several game announcements and updates, including a sequel for Lollipop Chainsaw set for a TGS 2026 premiere, CD Projekt RED's project allocation update, and the upcoming release of SpeedRunners 2. Other news includes Nexus Mods acquiring SteamDB and mentions of Cassette Beasts 2, LEGO Skylines, Star Wars Zero Company, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and a new Street Fighter movie trailer.
The Sunday Papers
This week's gaming news roundup highlights multiple laptop thefts at Gamescom 2026, impacting indie developers. Articles also explore the narrative depth of Grand Theft Auto 6's character dynamics, the evocative soundtrack of Disco Elysium, and a memorable performance in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3.
Evening Reading - August 24, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news including Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, Marvel Snap's Draft mode, The Witcher 4 targeting a 2028 release, and a class-action lawsuit against Twitch. It also mentions new games like Blasterbug: Last Bug Standing and Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, as well as updates for Elden Ring and The Duskbloods.
EA staff worries over Saudi buyout, Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks, and Peak's last major update - Patch Notes #66
This article covers several gaming industry developments, including employee concerns at Electronic Arts following a Saudi buyout, ongoing leaks of Grand Theft Auto 6, and the final update for the game Peak. It also touches on FromSoftware's new game The Duskbloods, Compulsion Games' management buyout from Xbox, PlayStation's struggles with live-service games, and the use of AI in game development.
Evening Reading - August 17, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including reviews for Mortal Shell 2 and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, and the upcoming DLC for Marvel Cosmic Invasion. It also notes the passing of Hayden Panettiere and discusses the exclusivity of Grand Theft Auto 6 content on Netflix.
Evening Reading - August 7, 2026
This Friday Evening Reading roundup covers various gaming news, including reviews for Spider-Man: Brand New Day and the Razer Soma Chroma gaming chair. Take-Two Interactive reported unprecedented pre-order demand for Grand Theft Auto 6, while Bandai Namco announced record Q1 FY27 sales. The article also touches on PC issues with Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls, new Shackmaps, and upcoming game releases like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
EA taken private by Saudi Arabia, GTA marketing jumps the shark, and Devolver's huge mistake - Patch Notes #64
Electronic Arts has been taken private by an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund for $55 billion. Devolver Digital is seeking to delist from the London Stock Exchange due to the incompatibility of short-term investor demands with the volatile video game industry. Additionally, the next trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI will premiere exclusively on Netflix before a wider release.
Evening Reading - August 4, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including earnings reports from companies like Snapchat, SpaceX, and AMD. It also touches on updates for games such as Dead by Daylight, Marvel Rivals, and Destiny, alongside mentions of indie titles like Ugoku Sushi Bar and the Fire Emblem franchise. The article also highlights industry figures and business developments.
Evening Reading - July 31, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several industry updates, including PlayStation's cautious approach to ending physical disc support, Razer's acquisition of StreamElements, and Unity supplying Netflix Games with a dedicated engine. Nexus Mods updated its guidelines for generative AI tagging, Dragon's Dogma 2 will feature a Hard Mode, and various download deals are available for PlayStation and PC.
Evening Reading - July 30, 2026
This article is a news roundup from Shacknews for July 30, 2026, featuring updates on various games including Silent Hill: Townfall, Battlefield 6, and Gears of War: E-Day. It also touches on business news such as EA CEO Andrew Wilson's compensation and SK Hynix's earnings, alongside mentions of Atari's World Championships and the use of AI in content creation.
Evening Reading - July 29, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several gaming industry updates, including a sequel in development for Wuchang: Fallen Feathers and a DLC release for Pokemon Pokopia. Financial reports from Capcom, SK Hynix, Electronic Arts, Facebook, and Microsoft are highlighted, with EA CEO Andrew Wilson's compensation increasing due to Battlefield 6's success. Additionally, Facebook's Reality Labs reported significant losses, while Silent Hill: Townfall is noted for its innovative use of outdated technology. The article also touches on streaming events and new content for Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
Something for the Weekend – 25/07/26
This week's gaming news includes the release date announcement for God of War Laufey, a delay for Tomb Raider Catalyst, and Xbox testing advert-supported game streaming. New titles like Wreckreation 2 and Modern Warfare 4 were also revealed, alongside reviews for Splatoon Raiders, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Evening Reading - July 20, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news, including reviews for EA Sports College Football 27 and Backyard Baseball, and updates on Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls. It also touches on rumors about the Nintendo Switch 2 and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, a discussion about favorite Grand Theft Auto games, and Microsoft's agreement to use AMD AI infrastructure.
Something for the Weekend – 11/07/26
This week's news includes Microsoft confirming significant layoffs affecting multiple studios, Palworld's 1.0 launch with a large patch, and matchmaking issues for Black Ops players on PlayStation 4 and 5. God of War Laufey is slated for a 2027 release, and a petition to save physical games has garnered over 285,000 signatures.
Evening Reading - July 9, 2026
This edition of Shacknews Evening Reading covers various gaming news and features, including reviews for Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag and Digimon Story, discussions on 2XKO and Guilty Gear Strive, and mentions of Microsoft's potential new Quake game. It also touches on industry layoffs and includes personal anecdotes and internet content.
Morning Multiplex
This article rounds up recent gaming news, including an expedition readiness update for The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu and a new battle video for Ridiculous Space Battles from Cliffski's Blog. It also touches on generational differences in gaming.
Something for the Weekend – 04/07/26
This week's gaming news includes Sony phasing out physical disc production by 2028 and closing PlayStation Store access for PS3 and Vita again. Xbox is reportedly testing a disc-to-digital feature. Several games received release date changes or confirmations, including Onimusha: Warlords and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered. Reviews were published for Rhythm Paradise Groove and WILL: Follow The Light, alongside previews for Fatekeeper, Witchspire, Dziady, Doom: The Dark Ages, and Splatoon Raiders.
Evening Reading - July 1, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several gaming news items, including patch notes for Mario Kart World, PlayStation's planned discontinuation of physical disc production in January 2028, and the reworking of the Endless Legend 2 dev roadmap. It also mentions Krafton's bonuses, Lethal Wedding hitting a Kickstarter goal, and a new Doom: The Dark Ages trailer. Additionally, the article touches on the shutdown of PS3 and PS Vita PlayStation Stores and a review of Rhythm Heaven Groove.