The Designers Republic (TDR), founded by Ian Anderson in Sheffield 40 years ago, is celebrated for its influential graphic design work for music acts like Aphex Twin and Pulp, video games, and brands, despite its humble, self-taught beginnings.
Rockstar Games announced Grand Theft Auto VI will be digital-only in a box, while Sony confirmed it will stop making physical PlayStation game discs by January 2028. These moves accelerate the industry's shift to digital, raising concerns for game preservation, consumer rights, and the resale market.
Federal agents arrested Zyaire Wilkins, 21, in Florida, accusing him of involvement in a scheme that hid crypto-stealing malware in online video games. The group allegedly infected 8,000 devices, accessed 80 crypto wallets, and stole at least $220,000 between May 2024 and February 2026. Wilkins faces up to 10 years in prison.
The Rhythm Heaven series returns with Rhythm Heaven Groove, offering bite-sized rhythm-based experiences. While it may lack the experimental spirit of its predecessors and suffers from some latency issues, the new entry provides dozens of fresh challenges and a charming, familiar feel.
Sony announced it will cease releasing new PlayStation video games on physical discs in January 2028, shifting entirely to digital downloads via the PlayStation Store. This move reflects a significant consumer preference for digital media, with digital game sales rising from 13% in 2013 to nearly 80% in 2025.
Philosopher Daisy Dixon's new book, "Depraved," examines controversial artworks, exploring how artist character and harmful creations impact the world. Dixon categorizes depravity in art and advocates for confronting it openly rather than hiding it.
Valve's Steam Machine launches at high price points ($1,049-$1,428), significantly more than competitors like Xbox Series X and PS5, due to global RAM shortages impacting PC component costs. This signals a trend of increasing prices in the console market.
Video game terms like 'killstreak' and 'NPC' are increasingly used in political discourse and propaganda, reflecting gaming's mainstream cultural impact. This shift is evident in White House content and political commentary, highlighting a new era of 'slopaganda'.
La chercheuse Fanny Rebillard explique que la musique de jeu vidéo est un genre unique, adaptatif et interactif, se distinguant de la musique de film par sa composition en temps réel répondant aux actions des joueurs et aux codes du jeu.
A movement called Stop Killing Games is lobbying for legal protections to prevent publishers from shutting down online video games. The group advocates for "end-of-life plans" to keep games playable, proposing that companies allow players to operate private servers. While the European Commission cannot mandate this due to copyright laws, it will work on a code of conduct. In the US, California's "Protect Our Games" act, which requires advance notice before takedown and access for purchased games, has passed the Assembly.
The European Commission will not mandate video game companies to maintain online support for discontinued titles. Instead, it will work with the industry to develop voluntary standards for game preservation and raise consumer awareness of their rights.
A new UK lab, Nerve Lab, is using AI and brain imaging to study how children consume media, aiming to develop tools for better content classification and personalized learning. Researchers are analyzing animated shows for features like pacing and color, and using fNIRS to understand children's math comprehension difficulties.
Summer Game Fest 2026 showcased over a week of new game reveals, release dates, and developer spotlights. Multiple showcases highlighted diverse indie titles, including horror, life sims, and RPGs, with specific events focusing on Black, Latin American, women-led, Southeast Asian, and Australian/New Zealand creators.
A compilation of upcoming video games across various platforms including PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. Titles range from horror and action to RPGs and simulators, featuring sequels, remakes, and new IPs.
The California State Assembly has passed the Protect Our Games Act (AB 1921), requiring publishers to give two months' notice before delisting games, offer refunds, and ensure continued access for players. The bill, which excludes free or subscription-based games, now moves to the State Senate.
The Nex Playground, a new motion-controlled console, launches in the UK, offering camera-tracked minigames for family entertainment. Despite a high subscription cost, it has seen success in the US, outselling Xbox during Black Friday, and aims to promote active play and family connection.
Zeppelin Witheridge, 18, faces charges after a 'Scientology speedrun' social media challenge in Brisbane went awry, involving using a police car as a BMX ramp.
UK adults spend ~7.5 hours daily on screens. Experts argue screen time isn't inherently bad, but how it's used. Active engagement like learning, gaming, creating, or connecting offers benefits, unlike passive scrolling.
Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis spoke about the "singularity" and the tangible arrival of agentic AI systems at Google I/O 2026. He believes AGI has a 50% chance by 2030 and will be more impactful than the Industrial Revolution.
Origin Lab secures $8M in seed funding to create a marketplace linking video game digital assets with AI labs needing world model training data, addressing a key bottleneck in AI development.
GameStop's $55.5bn takeover bid for eBay has been rejected as 'neither credible nor attractive' due to concerns over funding and strategy
The ‘meme stock’ company is remembered for Reddit traders sending its share price into orbit but its move on the auction site looks less likely to take off“Neither credible nor attractive.” No, not a line from a junior minister’s resignation letter on Tuesday. It was eBay’s succinct appraisal of the bizarre $55.5bn (£41bn) takeover offer from video games retailer GameStop, an affair that offers light distraction from the sight of UK 10-year gilt yields at 5%-plus.To recap: GameStop is the “meme stock” company that became famous a few years ago when amateur traders on a Reddit forum piled in furiously in an attempt to burn the short-sellers who were betting on the struggling retailer’s demise. Surprisingly, the Redditers succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. The squeeze drove up GameStop’s share price hundredfold, inflicting hell on serious hedge funds and making the company’s chief executive, Ryan Cohen, an anti-establishment hero. Continue reading...
eBay has formally rejected an unsolicited $55.5bn takeover bid from GameStop, citing concerns over financing and operational risks. GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has faced scrutiny over the feasibility of the deal, which remains significantly underfunded.
For anyone needing a break from binging The Pitt, you can always put in your own shifts as a hospital manager, surgeon, paramedic and of course as a demonic morgue assistantLike the rest of the western world, our household is currently binging medical drama The Pitt, revelling in its visceral depiction of life in a modern emergency department. So far the series has yet to inspire a video game tie-in (though there has been an amusing parody), but fans wishing to try their hand at tense medical (mal)practice, should not despair. Here are eight of the best hospital games spanning more than 40 years of gruesome interactive surgery. Squirt some hand sanitiser and come this way. Continue reading...
