Grand Theft Auto VI Gameplay Revealed, Witcher 3 Remaster, Fable
Grand Theft Auto VI moves from a week of escalating leaks to its first substantial official gameplay showcase, while CD Projekt Red makes Gamescom 2026 a major event for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered and The Witcher 4 . Elsewhere, Xbox-backed studios reclaim independence, live-service developers pull back from struggling projects, and several major 2027 releases take clearer shape
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Grand Theft Auto VI Turns Leak Crisis Into Official Gameplay Showcase
Take-Two Interactive expands its investigation into the Grand Theft Auto VI leaks by subpoenaing Microsoft, Discord, and X, even as new footage continues to circulate from what appears to be a playable PlayStation 5 build . Rockstar Games calls the situation “heartbreaking,” warns that spoilers could affect the intended experience, and apologizes for how long players have waited for an official look
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That official look arrives through a 27-minute Grand Theft Auto VI Extended Look captured on PlayStation 5. The presentation shows Jason Duval and Lucia exploring, driving, fighting, and committing crimes in a more reactive version of Rockstar’s open-world formula .
Rockstar says the map is roughly twice the size of Grand Theft Auto V’s, while co-studio head Rob Nelson says a playthrough covering the main story and optional narrative goals took 80 hours . The footage also introduces relationship mechanics for Jason and Lucia, a new Criminal Profile tied to the wanted system, and more involved car theft and driving systems
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The scale of the reveal reinforces Grand Theft Auto VI’s importance to the wider market: Netflix briefly suffered a major outage during the premiere, while Newzoo says 2026 console revenue would be flat year over year without the game .
The Witcher 3 Remastered Sets September Release Ahead of The Witcher 4
CD Projekt Red announces The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered for September 29 on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and Battle.net, with existing owners receiving the upgrade for free . The free upgrade also covers owners of the original Switch version, including physical-copy holders
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The remaster updates The Witcher 3’s visuals, combat, traversal, movement, mount handling, enemy behavior, progression, and skill tree while including the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions . CD Projekt Red also shows The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Songs of the Past, a new expansion in which Geralt travels to Letten after Dandelion disappears, with a chain weapon, new enemies, and additional locations
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The announcements give CD Projekt Red both an immediate release and a long-range target. The Witcher 4 is targeting 2028 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC, although the studio stresses that the window is not fixed and could still slip .
Fable, Path of Exile 2, and Final Fantasy VII Revelation Define 2027
Playground Games and Xbox Game Studios release an 18-minute Fable gameplay walkthrough covering Bowerstone, questing, spellcasting, combat, and accessibility, followed by a separate 30-minute combat video . Fable now launches on February 23, 2027, after moving from its previous October window, and Xbox continues to position it as a Game Pass release
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Grinding Gear Games also sets Path of Exile 2’s 1.0 launch for December 11, 2026, ending a year of Early Access and making the action RPG free to play on PS5 at launch . Square Enix meanwhile schedules Final Fantasy VII Revelation, the third entry in the remake trilogy, for spring 2027 across all platforms, including Nintendo Switch 2
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Gamescom Opening Night Live broadens the slate with Ubisoft’s Rainbow Six Tactics, a single-player turn-based strategy game for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC . Paradox Development Studio also reveals Afterworld, while Amplitude Studios announces Humankind II for 2027
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Xbox Expands Digital Ownership as Double Fine Reclaims Its Catalogue
Xbox begins testing a disc-to-digital program for Insiders on August 31, allowing supported Xbox One and Xbox Series X discs to unlock digital versions at no additional charge . The initial rollout supports approximately 1,000 games, but the digital entitlement remains tied to the physical disc, allowing a future owner to activate the same license with that disc
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The move arrives as former Xbox studios take greater control of their own work. Double Fine Productions confirms that it owns the intellectual property and publishing rights to its catalogue after leaving Microsoft, and Tim Schafer says purchases now support the independent studio rather than Xbox .
Double Fine is also returning to Kickstarter, holding its first game jam since 2019, and giving fans a role in choosing the studio’s next game . Compulsion Games separately confirms that it also owns the publishing rights to its games after its time under Microsoft
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Nintendo’s own platform strategy shifts toward higher prices, with a Nintendo Switch 2 bundle containing Nintendo Switch Sports Resort and three months of Nintendo Switch Online announced for $529.99, alongside plans for a September price increase and a more expensive Mario Kart World bundle .
The Blood of Dawnwalker Reverses Its 40FPS Console Limit
Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco initially confirm that The Blood of Dawnwalker will launch without a 60fps mode on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S, with console options capped at 30fps Quality and 40fps Balanced modes . Player reaction quickly changes the conversation around the upcoming September release.
Rebel Wolves then confirms a 60fps Performance Mode for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X through a day-one update on September 3, 2026 . The developer says the option was already being tested but prioritizes announcing it after players challenged the original performance breakdown
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Live-Service Retrenchment Contrasts With Helldivers 2’s Scale
Several studios use the week to retreat from live-service development. 1047 Games ends active development on Splitgate: Arena Reloaded and Empulse because neither game generates enough revenue to cover dedicated server costs, while both move to peer-to-peer hosting .
Riot Games also plans to wind down active development on 2XKO in December after player retention fails to establish a sustainable future for the fighting game . Embark Studios delays all future Arc Raiders Expeditions until early 2027 while it works on major improvements based on community feedback
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The pullback stands in contrast to Helldivers 2, which has surpassed 22.9 million players since its 2024 launch. Sony describes the Arrowhead-developed co-op shooter as one of PlayStation’s biggest games, even as coverage questions whether the company’s broader live-service strategy has reproduced that success .
Terranigma, Metal Gear Solid 4, and Star Wars Zero Company Expand the Release Slate
Clear River Games and Square Enix announce a Terranigma revival for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC, with a 2027 release planned alongside the game’s first official launch in the United States . Pixel Arcadia also reveals the Alien Breed 35th Anniversary Collection, bringing six Team17 games to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch, and PC
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Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 is scheduled to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch on August 27, 2026, bringing Metal Gear Solid 4 beyond its previous PlayStation 3 exclusivity . The retro-focused announcements show publishers continuing to pair remasters and collections with new hardware releases.
Star Wars Zero Company is out now from Bit Reactor and Electronic Arts as a turn-based strategy game inspired by XCOM, with early reviews praising its ambition and squad-based battles . Konami is pursuing an even broader franchise push, with producer Motoi Okamoto saying the company wants to release a new Silent Hill game every year and has multiple unannounced projects in development beyond Silent Hill: Townfall
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