GTA 6 Pre-Orders Open, Xbox Price Hikes, Bungie Layoffs
Jun 20, 2026 — Jun 27, 2026 · 24d ago
The video game industry is navigating a week of stark contrasts, marked by unprecedented anticipation for upcoming blockbusters alongside severe corporate restructuring and rising hardware costs. While players rush to secure pre-orders for the generation's biggest release, platform holders and developers are making drastic adjustments to survive a volatile economic landscape. This shifting reality is redefining how games are bought, sold, and made.
Grand Theft Auto VI Pre-Orders Open Amid Physical Disc Controversy
Rockstar Games has officially opened pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S ahead of its November 19, 2026 release date . The standard edition is priced at $79.99 USD, while the Ultimate Edition retails for $99.99 USD . However, the launch has sparked intense debate as Rockstar confirmed physical retail copies will not contain a disc, shipping instead with a digital download code in the box .
This decision has led some independent retailers to refuse to stock the game entirely, raising broader concerns about the future of physical media . Despite the controversy, early data indicates that PlayStation 5 pre-orders are outpacing Xbox Series X/S versions by a six-to-one margin, prompting major retailers to warn of potential PS5 console shortages this holiday season . The massive gravity of the release has already shifted the holiday calendar, forcing publisher CI Games to delay Lords of the Fallen 2 to early 2027 to escape the competitive window .
Xbox Series X and S Prices Increase Globally as Component Costs Surge
Microsoft has announced a significant worldwide price increase for its Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, effective August 1, 2026 . Retail costs will rise by $100 to $150 USD depending on the model, with the cheapest Xbox console now starting at $499.99 as Microsoft sunsets the 2TB Xbox Series X model . The company blamed skyrocketing RAM and storage component costs, which have surged by more than 2.5 times and are projected to double again by autumn 2027 .
These same component market pressures have heavily impacted Valve's newly opened Steam Machine pre-orders, which start at a premium price of $1,049 for the 512GB model and $1,349 for the 2TB configuration . Valve engineers revealed that rising SSD and memory costs forced them to abandon plans for a cheaper, "barebones" model and ship the device with a single 16GB stick of DDR5 RAM to keep costs from climbing higher .
Sony Cuts Hundreds of Bungie Jobs Following Destiny 2 Commercial Shortfall
PlayStation first-party developer Bungie has laid off 292 full-time employees at its Bellevue, Washington headquarters, effectively wiping out almost the entire Destiny 2 development team . The devastating cuts come after Destiny 2's final major content update fell short of commercial expectations, leading to the departure of studio head Justin Truman and co-founder Jason Jones . Despite these massive layoffs, Sony Interactive Entertainment remains committed to its live-service ambitions, prioritizing upcoming titles like Marathon and Helldivers 2 .
Bungie is not the only studio facing severe labor disruptions, as French developer Quantic Dream is facing a national strike called by the STJV union over proposed layoffs of 115 employees . Striking developers have warned that the highly anticipated action-adventure game Star Wars Eclipse is in serious danger of cancellation because the project cannot be finished if the layoffs are executed . Meanwhile, Electronic Arts has initiated its third wave of staffing cuts this year across its IT, recruitment, and customer support teams, even as executives publicly praise the implementation of generative AI tools in game development .
Nintendo Switch 2 Celebrates Strong First Year with Star Fox and Sonic
The Nintendo Switch 2 has completed its first year on the market with robust hardware sales, successfully revitalizing the physical games market and driving the first year-on-year increase in US physical game spending since 2009 . The console's software library continues to expand rapidly, highlighted by the launch of Velan Studios' Star Fox remake, which critics have praised as an audio-visual showcase for the new hardware . Sega also surprised players by shadow-dropping Sonic Frontiers: Definitive Edition on the platform for $49.99, compiling the base game alongside all post-launch DLC .
To support its long-term hardware and software pipeline, Nintendo has announced a ¥121 billion investment to construct a massive new 10-floor research and development facility in Kyoto, Japan . Officially named the Technology Development Center, the building is scheduled for completion in March 2029 .
Ubisoft Co-Founder Claude Guillemot Passes Away in Tragic Accident
The global gaming community is mourning the tragic loss of Ubisoft co-founder Claude Guillemot, who passed away at the age of 69 in a plane crash near La Baule-Escoublac Airport in France . Claude was one of the five Guillemot brothers who founded the French publishing giant in 1986, helping guide the company from a small family business into one of the largest video game publishers in the world .
Amidst a heavy week for the industry, the indie scene provided a bright spot as Lemorion's artsy hide-and-seek game Meccha Chameleon became a breakout sensation on PC . The budget-friendly title exploded past 7 million copies sold on Steam in less than two weeks after catching the attention of popular streamers .
