The phrase that gets thrown around the games industry a lot right now is 'Survive until 2025'.

The hope, or even the expectation, is that next year will see the games business bounce back after two years of faltering sales and mass redundancies.

There are a few reasons for this expectation. First, there's the belief that we'll see continued economic recovery and falling inflation rates, which should result in increased consumer spending and investment. Second, the launch of a new Nintendo console should spark increased interest and sales of new games.

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US workers body SAG-AFTRA says its voice actors strike could still impact projects that have been in development for over a year, including games like GTA 6, despite the terms of its agreement stating they should be safe.

Initially, last week's shock announcement of strike action by video game actors over AI concerns was thought to have minimal impact on games expected to release later this year, as it did not include games that commenced production before August 2023.

Now, however, SAG-AFTRA says all "members who want to show solidarity with the union can elect voluntarily not to work", intimating that it believed the strike could be more disruptive than previously suspected and impact "non-struck" games.

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US workers body SAG-AFTRA says its voice actors strike could still impact projects that have been in development for over a year, including games like GTA 6, despite the terms of its agreement stating they should be safe.

Initially, last week's shock announcement of strike action by video game actors over AI concerns was thought to have minimal impact on games expected to release later this year, as it did not include games that commenced production before August 2023.

Now, however, SAG-AFTRA says all "members who want to show solidarity with the union can elect voluntarily not to work", intimating that it believed the strike could be more disruptive than previously suspected and impact "non-struck" games.

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Yesterday's dramatic announcement of strike action by video game actors over AI concerns may have less of an immediate impact on upcoming titles than first thought.

While the SAG-AFTRA union has indeed voted for voice artists and performance capture personnel to strike from today, a large swathe of projects now appear unaffected.

This includes any video game in development as of a year ago, including (for now) live service games, according to statements from both SAG-AFTRA and the companies the strike will hit, first shared by Kotaku reporter Ethan Gach.

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While he's "blown away" by the beach scenes in the first GTA 6 trailer, former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij thinks the forthcoming open worlder might underwhelm players hoping for a palpable technological update on GTA 5, which has been reworked and re-released extensively since its 2013 launch. This has less to do with GTA in itself, Vermeij says, than with the fact that changes in computing capacity today simply aren't as dramatic as in the days of the very first PlayStation. It's becoming rare, he suggests, that you see a "jump" akin to GTA going 3D.

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While he's "blown away" by the beach scenes in the first GTA 6 trailer, former Rockstar North technical director Obbe Vermeij thinks the forthcoming open worlder might underwhelm players hoping for a palpable technological update on GTA 5, which has been reworked and re-released extensively since its 2013 launch. This has less to do with GTA in itself, Vermeij says, than with the fact that changes in computing capacity today simply aren't as dramatic as in the days of the very first PlayStation. It's becoming rare, he suggests, that you see a "jump" akin to GTA going 3D.

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The highly-anticipated GTA 6 is set to release next year across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. However, Rockstar is yet to say anything at all regarding a PC release.

Now, publisher Take-Two has given further comment on the lack of Grand Theft Auto 6-related PC news, stating Rockstar would "make more announcements in due time".

During an interview at a TD Cowen conference (as transcribed by VGC), Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said "the lack of an announcement is not something that could be set in stone as near as I could tell, because the only thing that happens after the lack of an announcement is an announcement, I suppose, or a continuing lack of an announcement, I guess that could happen too. It doesn't seem to me that either would be set in stone".

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What happens when the boss of a massive video game publisher—in this case the company behind Grand Theft Auto and Borderlands—is asked a question about a PC port that is almost definitely going to happen but hasn’t been announced yet? You get a funny and messy answer from an executive unable to say what we all already…

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Společnost Rockstar Games tradičně nevydává své nové, stěžejní tituly pro PC v den a hodinu s vydáním pro konzole, například Grand Theft Auto 4, Grand Theft Auto 5 a Red Dead Redemption 2 vyšly na PC se zpožděním (a původní Red Dead Redemption pro tuto platformu dosud nevyšel vůbec). Bez ohledu na to někteří doufali, že nadcházející Grand Theft Auto 6 se přinejmenším dočká souběžného vydání i na PC, jenže Rockstar v době oznámení hry v prosinci potvrdil, že se tak opět nestane.

Co přesně to tedy znamená pro plány Rockstaru s PC hrou a kdy můžeme očekávat oznámení týkající se téhož? Generální ředitel mateřské společnosti Rockstar Take-Two Interactive Strauss Zelnick byl nedávno na totéž dotázán v rozhovoru na konferenci TD Cowen, na což odpověděl, že absence oznámení PC verze hry v tuto chvíli nemusí nutně znamenat, že se jí někdy v budoucnu nedočkáme.

„Nedostatek oznámení není něco, co by se dalo vytesat do kamene, protože jediná věc, která se stane po nedostatku oznámení, je oznámení, předpokládám, nebo pokračující nedostatek oznámení, myslím, že to se může stát také,“ řekl Zelnick (přepis přes VGC). „Nezdá se mi, že by jedno nebo druhé bylo vytesáno do kamene.

„Ale Rockstar má k platformám přístup, který jsme viděli už dříve, a další oznámení učiní v pravý čas. Věřím, že správnou strategií pro naše podnikání je být tam, kde je spotřebitel, a historicky tato společnost dělala to, že časem oslovila spotřebitele kdekoli, na jakékoli platformě, která dává smysl.“

Vydání hry Grand Theft Auto 6 pro systémy PS5 a Xbox řady X/S je naplánováno na podzim 2025. Hra GTA 5 byla pro PC uvedena zhruba rok a půl po svém původním vydání, zatímco hra Red Dead Redemption 2 se na tuto platformu dostala něco málo přes rok po svém uvedení, což by naznačovalo, že hráči na PC si na GTA 6 budou muset počkat přinejmenším do konce roku 2026.

Článek Grand Theft Auto 6 na PC – Rockstar „včas oznámí více“ se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

Rockstar Games and publisher Take-Two Interactive have narrowed GTA 6's release window from the previously announced "2025" to "fall" of next year.

Take-Two shared the news during its Q4 2024 earnings report, saying it was "highly confident that Rockstar Games will deliver an unparalleled entertainment experience".

"Our expectations for the commercial impact of the title continue to increase", it added, noting it expects to see "tremendous growth" in net bookings over the next three years.

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Ve svých výsledcích za čtvrté čtvrtletí a celý fiskální rok 2024 Take-Two Interactive oznámilo, že Grand Theft Auto 6 bude spuštěno na podzim 2025. První odhalený trailer uváděl, že velmi očekávaný titul v otevřeném světě dorazí příští rok.

Generální ředitel společnosti Take-Two Strauss Zelnick uvedl: „Když vstupujeme do fiskálního roku 2025 s pozitivní dynamikou, očekáváme, že zajistíme čisté rezervace ve výši 5,55 až 5,65 miliardy USD. Náš výhled odráží zúžení dříve stanoveného okna kalendáře Rockstar Games na rok 2025 na podzim kalendáře 2025 pro Grand Theft Auto 6.

„Jsme přesvědčeni, že společnost Rockstar Games poskytne jedinečný zábavní zážitek, a naše očekávání ohledně komerčního dopadu titulu se stále zvyšují. Při pohledu do budoucna věříme, že naše společnost je připravena dosáhnout nové úrovně úspěchu, a očekáváme, že ve fiskálních letech 2025, 2026 a 2027 dosáhneme postupného růstu čistých rezervací. Jsme přesvědčeni, že při realizaci našich plánů podpoříme náš rozsah, zvýšíme naše marže a zajistíme našim akcionářům špičkové výnosy v oboru.“

Když se Variety zeptali na další podrobnosti o datu vydání Grand Theft Auto 6, Zelnick odpověděl: „Myslím, že to tam zatím necháme. Toto [oznámení] přijde od Rockstar a bude v souladu se způsobem, jakým titul propagují.“

Ačkoli s odkazem na „pozitivní dynamiku“, společnost Take-Two Interactive vykázala za tři měsíce končící 31. březnem 2024 ztrátu 2,9 miliardy dolarů (oproti 610,3 milionu dolarů ve stejném čtvrtletí loňského roku). Z toho 2,18 miliardy dolarů tvoří „náklady na dobré jméno“, zatímco „náklady související s akvizicí“ představovaly 304,3 milionu dolarů a restrukturalizace za 93,3 milionu dolarů.

Grand Theft Auto 6 je ve vývoji na Xbox Series X/S a PS5, přičemž verze pro PC ještě není potvrzena.  Hra se odehrává v moderním Vice City a vystupují v něm dva protagonisté, Lucia a Jason, kteří se pustí do zločinu. Rockstar ani Take-Two neuvedly, kdy budou další podrobnosti, takže zůstaňte naladěni na aktualizace v nadcházejících měsících.

Článek Grand Theft Auto 6 bude vydáno na podzim 2025 se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

Open world crime-a-thon GTA 6 will release next “fall”, according to publisher Take-Two Interactive’s latest earning report, via Eurogamer. This narrows the previously announced release window of “2025” down by, uh, infinity I suppose? A year is an effectively endless stretch in terms of release calenders. But “Fall”, despite not being a real season, is something I can work with.

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It seems like Rockstar is readying up to share some more GTA 6 news with us very soon.

As spotted by the aptly named X account @GTAVI_Countdown, the developer's page was recently updated to include GTA 6 in its database. This update included placeholder spots for four screenshots, cover art, and a release date.

This page was subsequently removed by Rockstar, but not before @GTAVI_Countdown managed to grab a screenshot. In a followup post, the account noted the code with placeholders still remains in the database, as do mentions of digital purchases.

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It seems like Rockstar is readying up to share some more GTA 6 news with us very soon.

As spotted by the aptly named X account @GTAVI_Countdown, the developer's page was recently updated to include GTA 6 in its database. This update included placeholder spots for four screenshots, cover art, and a release date.

This page was subsequently removed by Rockstar, but not before @GTAVI_Countdown managed to grab a screenshot. In a followup post, the account noted the code with placeholders still remains in the database, as do mentions of digital purchases.

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It seems like Rockstar is readying up to share some more GTA 6 news with us very soon.

As spotted by the aptly named X account @GTAVI_Countdown, the developer's page was recently updated to include GTA 6 in its database. This update included placeholder spots for four screenshots, cover art, and a release date.

This page was subsequently removed by Rockstar, but not before @GTAVI_Countdown managed to grab a screenshot. In a followup post, the account noted the code with placeholders still remains in the database, as do mentions of digital purchases.

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Last year, we got the first official teaser for GTA 6, and it was quite something. We all watched Lucia make her way through Vice City as Tom Petty's Love Is a Long Road played on, breaking records in the process.

But, since then, nothing more has come from developer Rockstar. So, to keep quenching that GTA thirst we all have, fans have taken over. And, most recently, one fan has taken that initial Grand Theft Auto 6 announcement trailer, and recreated it with some amusing tweaks that add GTA 5's three protagonists into the fold.

Yes, Franklin, Trevor, and Michael all star in this fan-made GTA6 trailer from Jantsuu.

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Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two has announced it will lay off five percent of its 11,000-strong workforce - equating to around 550 people - and cancel multiple in-development projects. The company said the move was the next stage in its ongoing restructuring plan, which began in February.

In a new filing, Take-Two said it expects to incur between $160m and $200m in total charges as a result of this restructuring program, with $120m to $140m related to title cancellations.

Additionally, it said approximately $25m to $35m will be associated with employee severance and employee-related costs, while approximately $15m to $25m will be related to office space reductions.

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Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two has announced it will lay off five percent of its 11,000-strong workforce - equating to around 550 people - and cancel multiple in-development projects. The company said the move was the next stage in its ongoing restructuring plan, which began in February.

In a new filing, Take-Two said it expects to incur between $160m and $200m in total charges as a result of this restructuring program, with $120m to $140m related to title cancellations.

Additionally, it said approximately $25m to $35m will be associated with employee severance and employee-related costs, while approximately $15m to $25m will be related to office space reductions.

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Mapa Grand Theft Auto 6 by mohla být více než dvakrát větší než její předchůdce, soudě podle probíhajícího mapovacího projektu.

Nejnovější aktualizace projektu GTA VI – Vice City & Leonida State Mapping Project, komunitního projektu, který se snaží obnovit dosud neodhalenou mapu pro nejnovější díl série s využitím aktuálně dostupných informací a měrných jednotek Rage Engine, dále rozvinula rekonstrukci mapy a zdůraznila, že by měla mít rozlohu 125 kilometrů čtverečních a být tak 2,55krát větší než mapa Grand Theft Auto V.

O hře Grand Theft Auto 6 se toho zatím moc neví, protože společnost Rockstar Games dosud vydala pouze jeden filmový trailer, který zběžně představil Vice City a hlavní postavy hry, Jasona a Lucii. Už jen z tohoto traileru je však zřejmé, že hra bude patřit mezi nejlépe vypadající hry s otevřeným světem současné generace konzolí, protože četná srovnání zdůraznila, jak pokročile vypadá vizuální stránka hry ve srovnání s vizuální stránkou hry Red Dead Redemption 2, která i po letech od svého vydání vypadá úchvatně.

Grand Theft Auto 6 je v současné době ve vývoji pro PlayStation 5 a Xbox řady X|S. Verze pro PC zatím nebyla oznámena, ale není pochyb o tom, že další díl série bude nakonec přenesen na PC, vzhledem k tomu, že GTA V i Red Dead Redemption 2 vyšly na PC nějakou dobu po svém konzolovém debutu.

Článek Mapa Grand Theft Auto 6 bude podle odhadů více než dvakrát větší než v GTA V se nejdříve objevil na GAME PRESS.

GTA 6 publishers Take-Two Interactive have announced that they're "rationalizing" their "pipeline" and positioning/restructuring/streamlining for growth by, you guessed it, laying off a load of people and cancelling a bunch of games. As detailed in a US Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Take-Two are doing away with five per cent of the approximately 11,000 people who work for them, and have cancelled several in-development projects worth tens of millions of dollars.

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When Modern Warfare 3 released last year, it pulled in some serious numbers for internet service providers (ISPs). The game's launch and pre-load period resulted in record traffic across EE and BT, which the companies reported as the "biggest single game contribution to a broadband peak". But what does this really mean? And how do ISPs cope when gaming traffic spikes occur? I spoke with EE's director for gaming and future propositional development Sam Kemp to find out.

Inside EE's network - as with any ISP - are records of games and other media in a cache, or CDN. "CDN is a content distribution node inside our network," Kemp says. "Whether it's the latest Apple software release, the latest Fortnite download or the latest Call of Duty game, we work with all of our partners globally to bring all of that content into our network... so when you call down on that film, that game, those maps, it's already in our network." This enables ISPs like EE to provide these downloads as fast and as directly as possible, with metrics "we know are really important to gamers", Kemp says, like "jitter, packet loss, latency, packet sequencing".

He compares EE's work adjusting internet signals - specifically when gaming on a smartphone - to a musician tweaking the "fine-tuned dials at the end of a violin or guitar. If you turn them all in the right way, you get the best sound".

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3,811 days after Grand Theft Auto Online’s 2013 release, players can finally, officially drive the game’s indestructible train. And while it’s only possible in a specific mission in GTA Online’s latest update, it’s still a cool moment for many players.

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Developers at GTA 6 studio Rockstar Games have criticised the company for telling employees they must return to the office full-time next month, calling leadership's decision "reckless".

As reported yesterday, employees at Rockstar have been told to return to the office five days a week, now that GTA 6 is entering the final stretch of development. Studio management cited security and productivity reasons for this upcoming change, which will come into effect in April.

Since this announcement, the Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) has blasted Rockstar for its plans to withdraw remote working provisions for the "majority" of its staff, noting the studio said any exceptions to the new rules will be "rare".

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Employees at Rockstar have been asked to return to the office five days a week, now that GTA 6 enters its final year of development.

As reported by Bloomberg, an email sent to staff by Rockstar's head of publishing Jenn Kolbe stated the decision to end hybrid work was made - in part - with security reasons in mind.

Rockstar was the subject of a high profile hack in 2022, in which over 90 screenshots and videos were released online showing work on the then unannounced GTA 6. Then, last year, the studio released its first official GTA 6 trailer ahead of schedule, after it too leaked online.

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The greatest gaming event of 2023 was the GTA 6 reveal trailer. I am still thinking about it now. Rockstar has mastered the art of making the gaming world pause for a few minutes to experience something lavish and mind-blowing. Their games encourage grandiose thinking. I want this new version of Vice City’s map to be the biggest in history, even though I’m currently exhausted of massive open-world games.

I’m attracted to an open-world sandbox for the chance to catch that fleeting and ephemeral feeling of immersion. GTA 6’s trailer delivered the real essence of immersion for me. If you ask me, a crucial part of immersion is the game’s power to remain in your consciousness even after you’ve put the controller down and turned off the TV, blurring the barrier between the fictitious and reality.

I spent hours in GTA 5 as the embodiment of Trevor Philips, Michael De Santa and Franklin Clinton. You know, just cruising around Los Santos listening to radio stations, earning money as a taxi driver, encountering hilarious random encounters or causing utter 5-star mayhem. This level of immersion pulled me through my screen into the world and narrative of GTA 5 like an early premonition of Alan Wake 2. I’ve been trying to grasp that fleeting sense of immersion ever since, only finding it when experiencing The Witcher 3, Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2. I’m sure you have your own touchstones for this!

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GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games are reportedly ending hybrid working and requiring employees to return to the office full-time, with a view to being in "the best position to deliver the next Grand Theft Auto at the level of quality and polish we know it requires, along with a publishing roadmap that matches the scale and ambition of the game." That's allegedly from an email to staff sent by head of publishing Jenn Kolbe.

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