Gaming: industry review, top games & platforms
A $200 billion industry that just crossed a quiet but significant threshold.
Launches Thursday, November 19, 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S — no PC version confirmed for launch. Digital pre-load begins November 12. Standard Edition is $79.99, Ultimate Edition $99.99. Remaining milestones to watch: Rockstar's final launch trailer is expected late September-October, and the review embargo is expected to lift late October or early November — both will be genuine spikes in search interest and search-driven traffic worth having fresh content ready for.
You no longer need to know how to code to make a real, playable game. These tools turn a text description (or a few clicks) into a working prototype, from quick browser games to full Roblox and Unity titles:
Saudi Arabia's PIF weighs merging EA with Savvy Games to build a global gaming giant
Bloomberg reported September 10 that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund is considering merging Electronic Arts with Savvy Games Group, combining two assets it already controls into one of the largest gaming companies in the world. PIF took EA private about a month earlier via a consortium buyout valued near $55 billion. A combined entity would fold EA's franchise portfolio (EA Sports FC, Battlefield, The Sims, Madden NFL) together with Savvy's mobile holdings (Monopoly Go!, Pokémon GO, and pending Mobile Legends developer Moonton, a $6 billion acquisition). No final decision has been made, and a merger is unlikely before the Moonton deal closes.
Source: Bloomberg →PlayStation pulls funding from Hideo Kojima's "Physint" — project moves to Xbox
Bloomberg reported September 11 that Sony's PlayStation withdrew financing from Kojima Productions' "Physint" after the project ran over budget and missed deadlines, with the game reportedly still years from completion. A factor cited was the commercial performance of Death Stranding and Death Stranding 2, which fell short of revenue expectations. Microsoft subsequently picked up the project, signaling interest in working with Kojima beyond games into film and TV.
Source: Bloomberg →Nex Playground raises $150M+ Series E, adds Niantic's CFO, expands globally
Nex, maker of the controller-free motion-gaming console Nex Playground, announced September 17 a Series E exceeding $150 million led by Baillie Gifford and BAI Capital, with NBA Investments, Logitech, and a new JPMorgan credit facility joining in. Nex says it has sold over 1 million hardware units and outsold the Xbox Series X|S in the US during the 2025 holiday season. Niantic's Jeff Shouger joins as CFO. Funds are earmarked for expansion into Germany later in 2026 and Japan/Korea in 2027.
Source: Variety →