Finally, the last week we can make this stupid I can't believe XY before GTA VI joke. I must admit I wasn’t hyped at first and I still wouldn't call me that, but I'm curious how and if they can pull it off!

Currently I'm playing Queen's Domain and Ocarina of Time and I hope I can finish both games before GTA VI. I got the first ending in Queen's Domain and this game is truly something special.

Stories of the week:

Jensen Huang is no longer Nvidia CEO

The Jensen Huang scandal is hardly over

A second affair has hit the news cycle, but that’s not what matters here.

The VergeElizabeth Lopatto

PlayStation cancels Fairgames

PlayStation Cancels Online Shooting Title ‘Fairgames’

There will be no job cuts alongside the cancellation, Sony said

BloombergJason Schreier

Sakurai enters the AI discourse

Masahiro Sakurai doesn’t use AI for his games, but believes that avoiding it entirely could cause devs to fall behind in the “far-too-demanding” industry climate - AUTOMATON WEST

In a recent Famitsu stage event, Masahiro Sakurai discussed his stance on generative AI and the current industry conditions.

AUTOMATON WESTĐorđe P

Gaming News Recap

Week 46 | November 6 - 13, 2026 | Edition 196

This week's news categories: Xbox [08], PlayStation [08], Nintendo [03], Other News [29], Numbers [06], Cross-Media [03], Release Infos [27].

Xbox

1. Starting today Xbox Insiders are getting a new update including: rotating home backgrounds and a switch for the side of the guide

   Source
2. 'Wolfenstein 3' is officially in production!
3. 'Halo: Campaign Evolved' is getting a free Firefight update this winter.

   Source
4. 25 original Xbox games are now available on PC via Xbox Backward Compatibility. The OG Xbox versions of Star Wars KOTOR 1 and 2, Conker and Blinx are getting Xbox Achievements today.

   Source
5. 'DOOM: The Dark Ages' Revelations Slaughter Mode launches November 16^th.

   Trailer
6. Id Software is working on a new game with game direction led by Hugo Martin.
7. Xbox Playback is now available until December 31^st! Playback brings highlights from your available Xbox history across every generation in a personalized experience.

   Source
8. Harada says he wishes Xbox Series S didn't exist. He said it's like doing extra work for a slightly weaker child. But optimizing for lower-spec platforms definitely brings the benefit of making the game run significantly better across all platforms.

   Source

PlayStation

1. PlayStation 5 has shipped over 100M consoles.

   Source
2. Sony has cancelled 'Fairgames'. They say the cancellation comes without job cuts.

   Source
3. Sony is retiring the PS Plus app on PC on December 10^th.

   Source
4. PlayStation Plus Premium/Extra November 2026: 'Death Stranding 2', 'Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii', 'Atomfall', 'Dragon Quest III HD-2D', 'Trepang2', 'MotoGP 26', 'Hell Let Loose', and 'Cricket 26'. For Classic: 'Soul Reaver 2', and 'Freedom Wars Remastered'

   Source
5. 'Grand Theft Auto VI' supports PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) and ray-traced shadows on PS5 Pro.

   Trailer
6. PlayStation Portal Midnight Black Japan-only model launches December 10^th.

   Source
7. QSSR support on PS5 added to 'No Man’s Sky', 'Marvel's Spider- Man 2', 'Control Resonant', 'The Finals', 'ARC Raiders', and 'Hell Let Loose: Vietnam'.

   Source
8. 'God of War Sons of Sparta' is coming to PS4 on November 16^th. Already on PS5.

Nintendo

1. 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' Remake has sold over 5.2M copies in 4 days.

   Source
2. Gifting games to family group members is coming to Switch 1 and 2 on November 16^th.

   Source
3. Dataminers found references to the Master Quest mode in 'The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake'.

   Source

Other News

1. 'Umamusume: Pretty Derby' becomes the first founding partner of the Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix. The Suzuka Circuit's "130R" corner becomes the "Umamusume 130R".

   Source
2. 'Mega Man Legends' new media has appeared on the What's Shooting page of ACTRA Toronto. The union covers workers from the film, radio, TV and digital media industries.

   Source
3. Shift Up delayed the announcement of Project Spirits to 2027.

   Source
4. Sakurai says he doesn't use AI for his work but believes avoiding AI entirely could cause devs to fall behind. "I believe those who use AI without any hesitation are likely to be able to create many more games. So, doing nothing could also be a bad idea"

   Source
5. The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted set for December 3^rd.

   Source
6. The Game Awards/The Keighleys will also be live on Disney+ for the first time. Live on Thursday, December 10 at 7:30p ET / 4:30p PT. They will also be available live on 'Roblox'. Fans 18+ will be able to watch, vote and interact LIVE alongside the show.
7. NVIDIA announces CEO transition: Jensen Huang resigns. Colette Kress, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is appointed interim CEO. Harvey C. Jones is appointed first-ever Chair of the Board.

   Source
8. Fredrik Wester steps down as Paradox Interactive CEO. Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja replaces his role.

   Source
9. Steam Achievement Sets are now available for everyone.

   Source
10. 'Marvel 1943 Rise Of Hydra' current rendition is light on gameplay, primarily using only one button and lacking significant interaction. They're also well over budget and they had to cut back from its original vision both in terms of length and content.

    Source
11. Former Id Software devs have established employee-owned studio Hidden Horses. We're creating a studio where the developers share in its success and have a commitment to it beyond just another job,

    Source
12. Anthropic's Claude AI refuses to work on 'Pokémon' ROM hack. The prompter of Pokémon Arena 2D says: Anthropic has cracked down and Claude models are starting to refuse work on Pokémon fan projects. All that money spent, never took a cent. I'll live on the street and work for free if it helps. Our game is still set for December.

    Source
13. Lego Digital Play has acquired mobile studio ForthStar Games.

    Source
14. Black Forest Games is splitting from Embracer Group.

    Source
15. BioWare co-founder Trent Oster says he's looking into acquiring Bioware's IP and former creative director James Ohlen is interested in joining him.

    Source
16. James Gunn and Peter Safran are stepping down as Co-CEOs of DC Studios. Jeremy Latcham will replace them.

    Source
17. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says 'GTA VI' pre-sales are "running far in excess of our expectations".

    Source
18. According to the booklet of the physical 'Hollow Knight Silksong' version, the game is getting more than one free Content Pack. Sea of Sorrow was announced for 2026.
19. According to Insider Gaming, 'Assassin’s Creed Hexe' has been delayed by a year likely to 2028. Two new games reportedly in development, Codenamed Mars (ancient Rome) and Pocket likely a mobile game set in Jerusalem.

    Source
20. [Rumor] 'Rainbow Six Vegas' is set to return according to Tom Henderson.

    Source
21. SEGA reports over 2.19 million email addresses were compromised in cyberattack on its third-party provider. Sega accounts are not affected.

    Source
22. Humble Bundle got a brand new vibe coded redesign with various security features like two-factor authentication missing.

    Source
23. Fortis Games is shutting down. 440 people are affected.

    Source
24. Bandai Namco is shutting down Reflector Entertainment.

    Source
25. 'Big Walk' developer House House adds AI label. They used LLM to fix some bugs. No gen AI was used. In the final stretch of Big Walk's development, LLMs were used sparingly by House House to help work through difficult technical challenges and bugs.

    Source
26. Skydance reportedly started layoffs at newly acquired Warner Bros Games Division. At least 30 people are affected.

    Source
27. Tripwire Interactive lays off 36 employees.
28. 'Chronicles: Medieval' developer Raw Power Games has lost funding and is at risk of closure.

    Source
29. 'Star Wars Zero Company' developer Bit Reactor has laid off an unspecified amount of staff just a month after bringing some of its furloughed team back to work.

    Source

Numbers

1. 'Mewgenics' has now sold 2M copies. Console version has sold "okay".

   Source
2. 'Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflection' has sold over 1M copies.
3. 'GTA VI ' is the most pre-ordered game on the Microsoft Store and PlayStation Store.
4. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says 'GTA VI' pre-sales are running far in excess of our expectations.

   Source
5. 'Probably Stolen' has sold over 1M copies.

   Trailer
6. My GotY 'Queen's Domain' has sold 200K copies.

Cross-Media

1. Sonic the Hedgehog: Memories and Beyond - 35^th Anniversary Animation trailer is out

   Trailer
2. Official 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Festival set for November 21^st in Mana Wynwood, Miami.

   Source
3. Ingame cartoon show Macca & Friends announced for 'GTA VI'. Runs on Weazel.

   Trailer

Release Infos

1. 'Beholder IV' announced for PC.

   Trailer
2. 'Station to Station' launches November 26^th on PS5 and Switch 2. Already on PC.

   Trailer
3. 'Zero Hour' launches December 3^rd on Xbox Series and PS5. Already on PC.

   Source
4. 'Shikhondo: Blue Pieta' launches December 10^th on PS5 and Switch 1&2. Already on PC.

   Source
5. 'The Spectrum Retreat: Redux' launches November 26^th on Xbox Series, PS5 and PC. Already on Nintendo Switch 2.

   Source
6. 'Elements Destiny' launches December 8^th on Xbox One/Series, PS4/5 and PC.
   Nintendo Switch version on December 15^th!

   Trailer
7. 'Conan: The Black Pyramid' announced for PC.

   Trailer
8. 'Arcade Archives Shot Rider' launches November 12^th on XBS, PS4/5 and Switch 1&2.

   Trailer
9. 'The Road Of Dust And Sorrow' launches February 19^th on XBS, PS5, Switch 1&2 and PC.

   Trailer
10. 'The Outer Worlds 2' DLC Side Effects Guaranteed launches December 2^nd.

    Trailer
11. 'Mouse Work' launches December 7^th on Nintendo Switch 2.

    Trailer
12. 'Marathon' Symbiosis update launches December 8^th!

    Trailer
13. 'The Legend of Heroes: Trails beyond the Horizon' sequel launch by Sep. 2027 in Japan.

    Source
14. 'All Army Attack' announced for PC. Demo launches November 16^th.

    Trailer
15. 'DecoGear Dimensions' Steam page is up.

    Source
16. 'The Falconeer: Revolution Remaster' launches Dec. 2^nd on XBS and PS5. Already on PC.

    Trailer
17. 'Wish Upon a Llama' launches December 9^th on XBO, XBS, PS4/5, Switch and PC.

    Trailer
18. 'isekizima: Ruins and Tails Journey' launches January 19^th on PC. Later on Switch.

    Source
19. 'Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy' launches Jan. 28^th on XBS, PS5, Switch 2 and PC.

    Trailer
20. 'Winter Whiskers' launches December 9^th on PC!

    Trailer
21. 'Icy Tower' (Remake?) out now on PC.

    Source
22. 'DRAGON QUEST RPG The Cursed Tree and the Chosen Isle' officially announced for Android and iOS.

    Trailer
23. 'Medabots Classics Plus' is coming to PC in Japan next month.

    Source
24. 'Guild Saga: Vanished Worlds' launches on PS5 in May 2027. Already on PC Early Access.

    Trailer
25. 'Lucky Luke - The Lonesome Cowboy Collection' launches Jan. 13^th on XBO, XBS, PS4/5, Switch 1&2 and PC.

    Trailer
26. 'Crystals of Irm' delayed to January 21^st 2027.

    Trailer
27. 'Romancing SaGa 3: Destinies United' delayed, now launch on February 4^th 2027.

If you want to hang out with us or want to share the gaming news posts to your own Discord server, feel free to join the //CounterCulture server!

ᴊᴏɪɴ ⁄⁄⋐ ᴅɪꜱᴄᴏʀᴅ ꜱᴇʀᴠᴇʀ

Game of the Week:

TANUKI: Pon's Summer

The Tanuki Festival is just a month away, and the shrine is in disrepair. Follow Pon, a well meaning, if a bit lazy Tanuki with a part-time job at the Post Office, as he works to restore the shrine before summer ends. Deliver packages, make friends, and get the shrine ready for the big festival!

Come spend a summer in Japan
A whole month on a sunlit Japanese island, and you get to spend it as a little tanuki on a bicycle. Meet Pon: part-time postal worker, enthusiastic show-off, and your invitation to a summer of small adventures and people you’ll hate saying goodbye to. There’s a festival to prepare for and mail to deliver, so you’re going to have a very full summer.

Deliver mail, become a familiar face
Hop on your BMX, and bring letters and packages to the island’s colorful residents. Plan your delivery to fit all the awkwardly-shaped boxes on a bike, but don’t keep your neighbors waiting! As you learn your routes and get to know the people along them, the island begins to feel like your home.

Build the heart of your summer
Turn the money and rewards you’ve earned into a shrine worth falling in love with. Rebuild, upgrade and decorate it to your taste, watching your work come together as the Great Tanuki Festival approaches. Pon wants to do a good job. For all his showing off on that bicycle, he cares very much about the people here. When the Great Tanuki Festival arrives, you’ll have somewhere special to welcome the people you’ve spent the season getting to know.

You’re invited. To pretty much everything.
Getting to know the locals comes with an increasingly tempting list of invitations. Make sushi, join a baseball game, step into the sumo ring, and discover what else your new friends have going on. Every activity brings opportunities to earn rewards for the shrine, and another reason to get attached to the people who live here.

Be adorable. Land something ridiculous.
That little BMX can do a lot more than just carry the post. Launch off ramps, catch a rail and string tricks together as you explore the island’s paths and rooftops. Chase the satisfaction of a perfect landing across over 100 BMX challenges. Don’t worry, you’re allowed to look extremely pleased with yourself.

So that's all for this week.
Thank you so much for reading!

If you like our work please consider to share it with your friends. The newsletter and rundown are free and only cost me around 100 bucks a month but it would be great if this project gets sustainable in the future and for that I need your help! Word of mouth is the best way to support //CounterCulture!

There should also be a new interview in the coming days so keep an eye out for that!

I hope you have a nice weekend and see you next week!

Written by Knoebel & edited by viaz with the help of Fabi