The Worst Reviewed Game of the Year

A highly-anticipated game from former Rockstar developers launched last week. To say it was not good might be an understatement. Also, Xbox has a new handheld…kinda. Find out the details and all the latest gaming news. Let’s go!

Xbox’s new Ally

Microsoft reportedly killed their internal Xbox handheld, choosing to focus on their partnership with Asus on the ROG Ally platform.

Xbox announced the ROG Xbox Ally and ROG Xbox Ally X at their press conference during Summer Game Fest. The new handheld device will run Windows 11, have a dedicated Xbox button and implement some new features, including an Xbox full-screen experience for Windows that is designed specifically for handhelds. The Verge has a complete breakdown of the new devices, including the specs:

The Xbox Ally uses a previously unannounced AMD Ryzen Z2 A chip, combined with 16GB of LPDDR5X-6400 RAM and 512GB of M.2 2280 SSD storage. The Xbox Ally X upgrades the chip to AMD’s Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor, 24GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory, and a 1TB M.2 2280 SSD.

Official release dates and prices have not yet been announced, but according to possible leaks, preorders for the device will reportedly start in August with the first shipments going out in October. Prices are expected to be between $499 and $899 for the various models.

MindsEye's a sight to see

When a new game from a former Grand Theft Auto producer is released, it is going to make headlines. However, those involved in the creation of the game hope it does not make this kind of news. 

Build a Rocket Boy Studio was formed by former Rockstar producer Leslie Benzies. They shipped its first game last week, MindsEye, an action-adventure shooter that made headlines before it was released for its request for user-generated content. Last week, the negative attention pivoted to its meme-worthy content.

Since its release, MindsEye has become the worst reviewed game of the year on Metacritic. It is the first game since Cyberpunk 2077 where PlayStation has issued refunds.  The studio says they are “heartbroken” over the buggy launch, and they are “working around the clock” to fix the numerous issues. 

Can MindsEye redeem itself over time like Cyberpunk? Despite the technical issues, it sounds like it is not a very good game. Have you played MindsEye? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Bluesky.

Side Quests (more stories worth reading)

🏅 Nintendo’s Switch 2 is the fastest-selling game console of all time, moving 3.5 million units in four days. 

🖥️ Summer Game Fest viewership increased 89%, reaching over 50 million livestreams. 

🖱️ Valve is finally releasing a native Steam app for Apple Silicone computers, as Apple says it will discontinue support for their Intel models next year. 

🙊 A Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart designer revealed a hidden mini-game that has gone undiscovered for four years. 

🧟 Asmodee purchased the Zombicide board game IP from CMON.

🎭 SAG-AFTRA called an end to its video game actors strike after reaching a tentative deal with the major video game companies.

🍎 Apple confirmed it is moving all its iOS gaming features into a new app. 

🔫 A new Switch 2 update for Splatoon 3 is out, and the franchise is getting a spinoff game called Splatoon Raiders.

🐉 A new report says that Dragon Age: The Veilguard staff dealt with multiple pivots from management about live service components, which they believe doomed the game. 

🧢 Slipgate 2’s CEO apologized for his “Make FPS Great Again” hat he wore on stage during Summer Games Fest. 

🎮 Sony says the PlayStation 6 is “top of mind” and that they are exploring “new and enhanced” ways to play. 

🧟‍♀️ Resident Evil Requiem will launch with the ability to play the game in either first or third-person perspective. 

✈️ Board game manufacturer Panda is expanding production outside of China thanks to U.S. tariffs.

♟️ ChatGPT lost a chess game to an Atari 2600 playing on beginner difficulty. 

🏳️‍🌈 RuneScape’s new CEO cancelled Pride Month events to prevent backlash. Their fan base  was not happy. 

🧟‍♀️ After the success of their Silent Hill 2 remake, Konami and Bloober Team announce they are working on a Silent Hill 1 remake. 

🃏 GameStop is doubling-down on trading cards, saying it is a “natural extension of our existing business.” 

✊🏼 Janet Garcia has an excellent piece about covering Summer Game Fest in Los Angeles among the ICE protests. 

📈 Round numbers: Street Fighter 6 sold 5 million units, Devil May Cry 5 tops 10 million and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 sold over 7 million copies.

New Releases this week: 

Check out our article on 12 New Games to Play in June.

6/16: Gex Trilogy (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC)
6/17: FBC: Firebreak (PlayStation, Xbox and PC)
6/17: Lost in Random: The Eternal Die (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC)
6/17: TRON: Catalyst (PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and PC)
6/19: REMATCH (PlayStation, Xbox and PC)

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