Gaming News Digest — June 29, 2026
Published:
Top news
- Skull and Bones — Ubisoft lowered the system requirements to a GTX 950 or Radeon R9 270X for 720p/30 FPS, down from a GTX 1060. Season 3 is live with performance boosts and expanded endgame content, but the game remains largely empty.
- GTA 6 pre-orders — Pre-orders recouped development costs in one hour, generating $1 billion for Take-Two and beating GTA 5's numbers. The game launches November 19, 2026, with analysts predicting over $7 billion in revenue within the first months.
- GTA 6 price — Adjusted for inflation, the $80 base edition is the cheapest mainline entry since GTA 3, costing less than GTA 3 ($94) and GTA V ($86) at launch. A special edition of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 would have been $230.
- Robo-Ky — Robo-Ky joins Guilty Gear -Strive- as the second DLC fighter of Season 5 on July 2, 2026. This mass-produced weapon based on Ky Kiske's data is a defective model with a formed personality and human emotions.
- SAND: Raiders of Sophie — The extraction shooter launched in Early Access with 21K peak players and $2M revenue in days, but Steam reviews are mixed. The roadmap includes new biomes, weather hazards, world bosses, crafting, clans, factions, and quests, with a unique moving base mechanic.
- GTA 6 pre-order analysis — IGN data shows PS5 pre-orders are eight times higher than Xbox, driven by Rockstar's partnership with Sony and aggressive marketing. PlayStation's larger user base and marketing priority make its dominance likely.
- SKY Agriculture — Farming Simulator 25 gets a new DLC on June 30th, adding 12 French machines for sowing, fertilizing, and tillage. Devs are releasing detailed spec cards for each vehicle until release.
- The Mercenary — Hunt: Showdown 1896 introduces Miriam Conley, a new hunter with a hard past. She disguised as a man to join the 26th Regiment, was exposed after clashing with an officer, and now sells army secrets.
- Battlefield 6 — From June 30 to July 6, the game is free on all platforms with Update 1.3.3.0 fixing tech issues. The trial includes 4 maps and 5 modes, requiring the latest patch and the Battlefield REDSEC app.
- Ex-Bungie employees — Former employees criticize leadership amid massive studio layoffs, citing bad decisions and fat bonuses. Tensions spiked after Marathon's poor launch in spring 2026, though Sony insists the game stays in the portfolio.
- Season 2 of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners — CD Projekt RED and Netflix revealed the main cast for fall 2026, including Wick Kingsley, Dee, Roman Karax, and Talia You. The season continues the story in Night City.
- Hellraiser: Revival — Clive Barker personally oversees the horror game, reviewing scripts and gameplay. Doug Bradley voices Pinhead, and the team focuses on the aesthetic of the first two films, cutting away franchise excess.
- League of Legends Classic — Riot announced a throwback mode inspired by a viral meme, featuring original Summoner's Rift and old items. The mode was confirmed in a parody video of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia."
- SpaceCraft Review — The early access space-exploration and base-builder suffers from empty planets, tedious grind, and boring crafting. Despite decent visuals and potential, progression is painfully slow.
- No Man's Sky — The Swarm update introduces a full-scale alien invasion with hostile swarmers, the Glass Hive ship, and three factions: Royal, Sage, and Weaver. An 8-week event unlocks exclusive rewards.
- Sony vs Microsoft — Microsoft fires back at claims of Sony dominating GTA 6 pre-orders, calling IGN's referral click data irrelevant. Xbox cites its own record pre-orders, while Rockstar remains silent.
Steam deals
- Steam discounts — Planet Zoo at 95% off, HITMAN World of Assassination at 90% off, NBA 2K26 at 86% off, Total War: WARHAMMER III at 85% off, Hearts of Iron IV at 80% off, Stellaris at 70% off.
Epic — free & deals
- Epic Games discounts — The Saboteur at 80% off, DOORS OF HORROR at 75% off, Mirrors Edge: Catalyst at 65% off.
Spotlight
- Hero Battle (Steam) — In a post-nuclear world, four factions fight for resources and survival. Features realistic graphics, special effects, and motion design based on real figures. Details
- Wayward Souls Director's Cut (mod) — A free update adds Spanish, French, and German translations covering over 90% of the game, plus 60+ new dialogue lines and expanded lore. Details
- Batman Arkham Knight model kits — A TikTok review showcases model kits from AliExpress. Details
- Star Ruler 2 (Steam) — A massive-scale space 4X/RTS with hundreds of systems, custom ship design, and political mechanics. Details
