This week, we tackle some of the gaming industry's biggestโand most controversialโheadlines.
We discuss:
* ๐ GTA 6 preorders and its $80 standard edition, the $100 Ultimate Edition that reportedly locks in-game stores behind a paywall, and the move to code-in-a-box releases instead of physical discs.
* ๐ฅ Sony's massive layoffs at Bungie, with roughly 300 employees reportedly losing their jobs.
* ๐ฅ๏ธ The new Steam Machine and its eye-opening price tags, including a $1,049 base model without a controller and a $1,428 high-end version.
* ๐ธ Xbox raising console prices yet again beginning August 1st, pushing the Series S to $499.99 and the Series X to $799.99.
* ๐ New sales figures showing Xbox recording its lowest console sales ever, while PlayStation posts its lowest hardware numbers in 25 years.
* ๐ We also celebrate the **10th anniversary of Inside** and the **30th anniversary of the Nintendo 64 and Super Mario 64**, looking back at the impact these gaming milestones have had on the industry.
What do these price increases, layoffs, and industry trends mean for gamers? Is the industry pricing players out, or is this simply the new normal?