Grand Theft Auto VI Leaks, Kingdom Hearts IV, MW4 Beta
Grand Theft Auto VI dominates the week as leaked footage triggers a legal investigation from Take-Two Interactive, while Kingdom Hearts IV finally secures a late-2027 target. Nintendo Switch 2 also becomes a bigger part of the release conversation, even as its UK price is set to rise and several online services face instability or shutdowns .
The week also highlights a divided industry: independent studios regain control of their catalogues, while live-service projects are reworked, delayed, or taken offline after failing to meet expectations .
Grand Theft Auto VI Leaks Escalate Into a Take-Two Legal Investigation
Grand Theft Auto VI leaks expand from isolated clips into a continuing release of gameplay, assets, story material, and an alleged full map ahead of Rockstar Games’ planned reveal . The footage appears to show a playable build, although the extent of the leaker’s access remains unconfirmed after one report was traced to an impersonating social-media account
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Take-Two Interactive responds by subpoenaing Microsoft and Discord for information that could identify the people behind the leaks. The requests reportedly cover OneDrive data, Xbox accounts, Discord users, and leaked audiovisual material, artwork, dialogue, and other Grand Theft Auto VI content, with the companies asked to respond by September 4 .
The legal campaign follows days of copyright takedowns, while the Cyberleek website reportedly goes offline even as the clips continue circulating . Stop Killing Games rejects any connection to the leak group and condemns the use of illegal methods, while security warnings caution that supposed Grand Theft Auto VI downloads on piracy sites may contain malware; no confirmed playable copy is circulating
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Grand Theft Auto VI remains scheduled for November 19, 2026, giving Rockstar and Take-Two a fixed launch target to protect as more unreleased material spreads online .
Kingdom Hearts IV Sets a Late-2027 Nintendo Switch 2 Release
Kingdom Hearts IV receives its clearest release commitment yet at Disney’s D23 2026 event, where Square Enix shows an extended gameplay trailer featuring playable versions of King Mickey, Donald, and Goofy . The footage also revisits the Coco-inspired world and the real-world Shibuya setting
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Square Enix now targets a late-2027 launch for Kingdom Hearts IV on Nintendo Switch 2. Series creator Tetsuya Nomura and co-director Tai Yasue describe the window as a firm commitment, with Yasue saying the game will “100%” release in 2027 .
The game also expands its platform reach through Xbox Play Anywhere, giving Xbox players access on Xbox Series X|S and the Xbox PC app without purchasing it twice . That combination of a firm release window and broader platform availability makes Kingdom Hearts IV one of the week’s clearest examples of a major Japanese release planning around Nintendo Switch 2 and current-generation hardware.
Nintendo Switch 2 Adds Diablo 4 and The Duskbloods to Its 2026 Conversation
Nintendo Switch 2’s 2026 lineup grows through a mixture of confirmed announcements and reports. Diablo 4 is reportedly scheduled for September 15 as part of the Age of Hatred Collection, which is said to include the Vessel of Hatred and Lord of Hatred expansions, although Blizzard has not formally confirmed the port or date .
FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods is confirmed as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, but it still has no confirmed release date after Nintendo rejects a reported September 24 listing . Its first network test also ends early when widespread server and login failures prevent players from accessing the game
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Nintendo’s platform faces a less welcome change in September, when its UK price rises from £395.99 to £419.99 and the Irish price increases from €469.99 to €499.99 . Studio Wildcard is also ending official server support for ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition on Nintendo Switch at the end of August
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 Beta Expands Before Switch 2 Weekend
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4’s open beta adds the “Entrenched” campaign mission across its supported platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2 . Infinity Ward then releases the beta’s first major multiplayer update, adding a map and mode while adjusting footstep audio, weapon lethality, and map voting in response to early player feedback
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Call of Duty: NEXT details Modern Warfare 4’s multiplayer maps, movement, weapons, modes, and Warzone plans during the first beta weekend . The Nintendo Switch 2 version, developed with support from Digital Legends, marks Call of Duty’s return to Nintendo platforms after 13 years and is scheduled for October, with Switch 2 players joining the open beta the following weekend
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Phantom Blade Zero and Marvel’s Wolverine Set PS5 Release Dates
Phantom Blade Zero now has a confirmed October 29 release date on PlayStation 5 after a State of Play presentation covering its wuxia combat, Wulin setting, story, and involvement from kung fu star Donnie Yen . A rumored PS5 demo remains unannounced despite reports that a playable version briefly appeared on the PlayStation Store
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Marvel’s Wolverine also reaches a major milestone as Insomniac Games confirms the game has gone gold ahead of its September 15, 2026 PlayStation 5 release. The complete version is included on the PS5 disc, and the game features unlockable gold claws for Logan .
Remedy Entertainment’s Control Resonant goes gold as well, keeping its September 24 digital launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S intact while delaying physical editions to October 15 . Meanwhile, The Blood of Dawnwalker will launch on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S without a 60fps mode, with console performance modes capped at 40fps
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Silent Hill: Townfall and Black Myth: Zhong Kui Show New Gameplay
Konami and Annapurna Interactive provide a 19-minute gameplay deep dive for Silent Hill: Townfall, the upcoming PlayStation 5 survival horror game from Screen Burn Interactive . The footage follows Simon through the fog-covered Scottish town of St. Amelia, introduces the CRTV device, and shows exploration, puzzles, combat, and the first monster encounter
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Game Science also releases 15 minutes of early gameplay from Black Myth: Zhong Kui, the follow-up to Black Myth: Wukong . The work-in-progress footage introduces the Chinese mythological protagonist, his abilities, the game world, combat, and a prominent parry sequence
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The Sinking City 2 launches on PlayStation 5 during the week, shifting Frogwares’ series from the first game’s open-world detective structure toward more focused Lovecraftian survival horror . Early reviews are mostly positive, though critics continue to debate whether reducing the original’s investigative emphasis improves the sequel
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Double Fine and Compulsion Games Regain Independence From Xbox
Double Fine Productions confirms that it owns, or will shortly own, the intellectual property and publishing rights to every game it created during its seven years under Microsoft . The Psychonauts developer is also preparing a fan vote for its next game and holding its first game jam since 2019
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Compulsion Games completes a management buyout that makes the We Happy Few and South of Midnight developer independent from Xbox. The studio regains control of its original intellectual properties and publishing operations, while CEO Guillaume Provost says the team is already working on an existing project .
Both departures point to a broader shift in the relationship between Xbox and its former studios: developers are retaining more control over their identities, catalogues, and future publishing plans after leaving Microsoft’s portfolio .
Riot Games Ends 2XKO Development as PlayStation Reworks Horizon Hunters
Riot Games plans to end active development on 2XKO in December 2026, less than a year after the League of Legends fighting game’s full release. Riot says the game has not retained enough players to establish a sustainable future, although online play continues and all playable characters are being unlocked .
Riot is also issuing refunds for purchases made in 2XKO . The decision contrasts with PlayStation’s reported response to Horizon Hunters Gathering, which is being substantially overhauled after negative private playtest feedback
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Guerrilla Games is reportedly removing the project’s live-service features and reshaping it into a smaller co-op game with a story mode. Some developers are being reassigned within Sony, while the next mainline Horizon game remains years away . Embark Studios makes a similar retreat from its current schedule by delaying future Arc Raiders Expeditions until early 2027 for major improvements based on community feedback
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Harvey Smith Starts Black Pony Immersive After Arkane Austin Closure
Harvey Smith launches Black Pony Immersive with former Arkane Austin developers, including co-founder Ben Horne . The studio is focused on first-person action RPGs and immersive sims built around expressive systems, emergent gameplay, and detailed worlds
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The new company follows Microsoft’s 2024 closure of Arkane Austin, which left 96 developers out of work, and gives Smith a new platform after roughly two years away from public development work . Separately, Warren Spector announces his retirement after more than 40 years in game development, with Deus Ex, System Shock, Thief, Ultima, and Epic Mickey among his credits
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Roblox Investigation Adds Pressure on Major Gaming Platforms
The US Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism opens an investigation into whether Roblox prioritizes revenue and engagement over child safety . Senators request company records covering collaborations with Sesame Street, the NFL, and FIFA while examining allegations involving sexually explicit and violent virtual experiences accessible to children
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Sony also reports no internally settled release date for PlayStation 6, with continuing component shortages complicating the company’s hardware planning . Together, the Roblox investigation and PlayStation 6 uncertainty show how platform holders face pressure not only from software performance and release schedules, but also from safety, supply, and regulatory concerns.