-
GTA 6 developers at Rockstar Games pushing to pursue official union recognition following 2025 sackings: “The union is now stronger than ever”
Grand Theft Auto 6 has finally locked its 19th November release date and pre-orders are now open. It should be cause for celebration, but with the lack of a proper physical release and after the firing of employees last year (a move considered to be “union-busting” by former and current staff), Rockstar Games is getting…
-
Rocky week for AI as shares slump but no sign of crash – yet
The markets are souring on artificial intelligence, but is this the bubble being burst? Meanwhile, California proposes a tax on billionairesHello, and welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery, US tech editor at the Guardian, writing to you after fending off sunburns at the beach. Today, we’re discussing a rocky week for the AI industry’s finances…
-
“I would fail, and here’s why I would fail” Why Baldur’s Gate 2 co-lead turned down Hasbro’s request to make Baldur’s Gate 4
After Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian passed on the opportunity to make a sequel, brand owner Hasbro/Wizards of the Coast went looking for someone else to do it. And, as it turns out, the company already works with some of the leads behind Baldur’s Gate 2. Read more
-
Generative AI is a “virulent plague” and even using it to eliminate “drudgery” has downsides, reckons long-time Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider
Former Dragon Age wordsmith David Gaider isn’t keen on the use of generative AI in game development, at least in the tech’s current form. In the veteran developer’s view, even if it can be used as a means to speed up the handling of more mundane tasks – which is the way many execs have…
-
State of Decay studio Undead Labs potentially up for closure, sources claim, with Bethesda and Blizzard also facing layoffs
Microsoft may close State of Decay developers Undead Labs as part of Xbox’s imminent hewing back of projects and livelihoods, with Elder Scrolls studio Bethesda and World of Warcraft creators Blizzard also facing significant layoffs in the course of what an anonymous insider has called “the biggest single cut series for Xbox”. To put that…
-
Full Strawberry Moon captured over the UK in stunning photos
Skygazers captured stunning photos of the first full Moon of summer shining bright above the UK
-
WhatsApp to let people chat by swapping usernames instead of phone numbers
The app’s new usernames feature will be rolled out globally over the next few months.
-
‘I felt like Orpheus’: how the designer of Gears of War bounced back from studio closure by producing Hadestown
After suffering the schadenfreude of gamers online, the Tony-winning Broadway musical offered redemption to Cliff Bleszinski‘It was utterly heartbreaking, to be honest, and it certainly didn’t help with my drinking. I’ll leave it at that.” Cliff Bleszinski is recalling the launch of LawBreakers, the arena first-person shooter he put out in 2017. It had been…
-
In pictures: Stunning Strawberry Moon lights up the sky
Clear night skies over Hampshire and Dorset give stunning shots of the Strawberry Moon.
-
Oura Ring 5 review: a stunning generational leap for smart rings
Slimmer, longer lasting and much easier to live with, new Oura sets a very high new bar for health-tracking wearablesOura’s new Ring 5 is a massive upgrade for smart rings, dramatically shrinking in size and weight to bring them right into line with standard wedding bands and other jewellery. It is finally a smart ring…