Xbox will publish Hideo Kojima’s Physint after Sony stopped funding it. Nintendo’s September Direct brought Metroid Ravenous, Kirby and the World Beyond and Switch 2 ports of three Resident Evil games, and no 3D Mario or The Duskbloods. Rockstar North’s Rob Nelson said GTA VI was not “fully formed” when Trailer 1 came out in December 2023, 1,900 Blizzard workers ratified a union contract with Microsoft, Ikea released a Skyrim mod with Matt Berry voicing a shelf, and Sony confirmed September’s PlayStation Plus catalogue.
Xbox Will Publish Physint After Sony Stopped Funding It
Update, 22 September: Kojima has since told IGN that Sony ended Physint’s funding on a June Zoom call and gave no reason, and that the game continues under Xbox with a reduced team. Our account of that interview is here.
Hideo Kojima’s Physint, widely described as a spiritual successor to Metal Gear Solid, will be published by Xbox rather than Sony, according to IGN. PC Gamer reported that PlayStation had tried to cancel the project before Xbox stepped in.
Why it matters: Physint was one of the most closely watched original projects in the industry, given Kojima’s history with Metal Gear Solid and with PlayStation. A platform holder dropped a signed auteur project and its rival picked it up within months.
The PlayTheory take: Xbox has confirmed it is publishing. Scope, platforms and release window are not announced, and we will treat any further detail as unconfirmed until Xbox or Kojima Productions states it.
Nintendo Direct: Metroid Ravenous, Kirby for Spring 2027, Resident Evil Ports, and No 3D Mario
Nintendo’s September Direct delivered Metroid Ravenous, a side-scrolling sequel to Metroid Dread, Kirby and the World Beyond for spring 2027, a free Mario Kart World update with classic SNES tracks, and Switch 2 ports of Resident Evil 2, 3 and 4, according to IGN’s recap and GameSpot’s full rundown. The next 3D Mario and FromSoftware’s The Duskbloods did not appear; GameSpot called the Duskbloods absence a worry and the Mario absence a bust for Switch 2 owners in Mario’s 40th anniversary year.
Why it matters: Directs set expectations for the months that follow, and two of the platform’s biggest anticipated titles missing an anniversary-year showcase will drive speculation about delays or a separate showcase until Nintendo says otherwise. Dates that did land are in our release calendar.
The PlayTheory take: a Direct strong on volume and thin on the names people wanted. Metroid Ravenous and Kirby are solid announcements. Nintendo has said nothing about a 3D Mario in the anniversary year, and until it does that silence is the story.
Rob Nelson: GTA VI Was Not “Fully Formed” When Trailer 1 Came Out
Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson told Trois Couleurs that GTA VI was not fully formed when the first trailer was released in December 2023, according to GameSpot. His words: “You don’t have the game fully formed, you have an idea of what it’s going to be, but you really have to push hard to pull that together.” He said the Tom Petty song in that trailer served as a guiding principle while the team pulled the game together.
Why it matters: Rockstar rarely discusses a game’s development while it is in progress, and this is the trailer that broke viewing records on release. GTA VI launches on 19 November 2026.
The PlayTheory take: a small data point rather than a revelation, a director saying the trailer preceded the finished game. Everything confirmed since is on our GTA VI hub.
1,900 Blizzard Workers Ratify a Union Contract with Microsoft
About 1,900 Blizzard Entertainment employees represented by the Communications Workers of America have ratified a contract with Microsoft, according to GameSpot. The terms GameSpot reports: Microsoft cannot use AI to automate or replace jobs without first talking to the union; laid-off members get job-recall rights, with Blizzard required to offer them an open role within 14 months before hiring externally, plus an additional four weeks of pay; hybrid schedules that allow working from home; guaranteed wage increases; and formal systems for settling workplace disputes.
Why it matters: labour organising in games has been building for several years, and a contract at this scale at one of the industry’s most storied studios gives other developers a written reference point for their own negotiations.
The PlayTheory take: a structural story rather than a marketing one. The AI clause and the 14-month recall right are the two terms other studios’ unions will point at first.
Ikea Releases a Skyrim Mod with Matt Berry Voicing a Shelf Named Kallax Storageborn
Ikea has released a full Skyrim mod in which the actor Matt Berry voices a sentient shelf named Kallax Storageborn, with a new quest, companion and items, according to PC Gamer. GameSpot frames it as an early example of branded content entering games this way, and is uneasy about where the trend could go.
Why it matters: branded content inside a long-running mod ecosystem like Skyrim’s is unusual enough to note on its own, and it raises the question of where advertising inside games and modding communities goes next.
The PlayTheory take: funny and well produced as a stunt, and a preview of brand integrations pitched as fan content.
PlayStation Plus September 2026: RuneScape: Dragonwilds, WWE 2K26 and Ball x Pit
Sony has confirmed the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog for September 2026, headlined by RuneScape: Dragonwilds, WWE 2K26 and Ball x Pit, according to IGN. Extra and Premium tier additions were confirmed separately by GameSpot.
Why it matters: monthly catalogue reveals are a recurring value check for anyone paying for PS Plus, and this month’s mix leans on variety rather than one dominant title.
The PlayTheory take: a solid rather than spectacular month. WWE 2K26 is the biggest draw for most subscribers, with RuneScape: Dragonwilds a good pickup for anyone who has not tried the survival spin-off.
What did you make of the Physint switch, or Nintendo’s Mario silence? Drop into the PlayTheory Discord and tell us whether you read the Xbox move as a coup or a red flag.