Xbox to Sell Ninja Theory, Unreal Engine 6 Detailed, Free GTA 5
Jun 17, 2026 · 1mo ago
The video game industry is facing another turbulent wave of restructuring as major publishers shift their long-term strategies. While Microsoft reportedly prepares to divest from some of its most prominent studios, Epic Games is looking toward a unified future with its next-generation engine, and Rockstar Games balances a major legal setback with a surprise gift for players.
Microsoft Reportedly Planned to Sell Ninja Theory Before Announcing Senua
Microsoft is facing intense scrutiny following reports that it planned to shut down or spin off Hellblade developer Ninja Theory even as it showcased the studio's new game, Senua, at the Xbox Games Showcase earlier this month . According to reports, the announcement of the new project was leveraged primarily to attract potential buyers and draw investor interest in the studio . This revelation comes amid warnings of an impending "bloodbath" of layoffs at Xbox, with Bloomberg reporting that other prominent developers like Double Fine Productions and Compulsion Games are also in active negotiations regarding their futures under the publisher .
Epic Games Unveils Unreal Engine 6 with Fortnite Skin Interoperability
Epic Games has detailed its vision for Unreal Engine 6, which is scheduled to launch in early access in late 2027 before a full release by mid-2029 . The next-generation engine will merge Unreal Engine 5 and the Unreal Editor for Fortnite into a single, unified platform . Epic Games plans to use this technology to enable cross-game interoperability, allowing players to carry their Fortnite skins into other Unreal Engine games and vice versa . Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney framed the move as a way to build a global ecosystem that can rival Roblox as the traditional AAA business model falters . Ahead of the next-generation engine's launch, Epic Games has also rolled out a major Unreal Engine 5 update that improves performance on the Nintendo Switch 2, allowing games to run twice as fast on the console .
Rockstar Games Faces Union Busting Trial and Offers Free GTA 5 Upgrades
Rockstar Games has suffered a major legal setback in the UK after an employment tribunal ruled that fired workers can bring their full union-busting and blacklisting claims to trial this September . The dispute stems from the abrupt firing of staff last autumn, whom Rockstar accused of leaking confidential information, while the IWGB Game Workers Union alleges the terminations were retaliatory . Alongside this legal battle, Rockstar Games announced that players on PlayStation 4 and digital Xbox One versions of Grand Theft Auto V will receive free upgrades to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S versions starting June 18 .
Kwalee Labs Lays Off Entire Luna Abyss Development Team After Launch
Just one month after the successful launch of the sci-fi bullet-hell shooter Luna Abyss, publisher Kwalee has laid off the game's entire nine-person development team . The studio, originally founded as Bonsai Collective before being acquired by Kwalee out of administration last September, saw its team made redundant despite the game receiving highly positive reviews from critics and players on Steam and PlayStation 5 . Former staff members attribute the sudden closure to an overcrowded release schedule in May that left the title overlooked by the wider market .
