GTA 6 MOST EXPENSIVE GAME EVER? & MORE

Hey folks, it's Friday, May 8th, 2026, and Jake Baldino is here to cover this week's video game news. It's been a busy week, especially towards the end. First up, more news on Grand Theft Auto 6. Following last week's interview with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, Business Insider estimates suggest GTA 6 could be the most expensive game ever made, with Take-Two potentially having spent $1 billion to $1.5 billion on it so far. While Zelnick didn't confirm figures, he did say it was "expensive." Given Grand Theft Auto V's success, this massive investment in development and marketing seems plausible. The in-game footage seen so far looks incredible, and a huge marketing push is expected soon. In Xbox news, Asha Sharma continues to implement changes. This week saw leadership shakeups, bringing in AI-focused executives from Microsoft Core AI. Interestingly, Xbox officially canceled the development of their Co-pilot AI, seemingly to reprioritize efforts on core experiences, hardware, and the platform itself. These leadership changes appear to be positive so far, aiming to reignite Xbox's drive for new games. Nintendo announced a price increase for the Switch 2, now costing $500 in the US, up $50. This was anticipated as Nintendo was seen as a holdout amidst rising costs. Additionally, Nintendo surprise-launched a new Star Fox game, a full remake of Star Fox 64. It features new multiplayer, impressive cutscenes, and a quirky player avatar feature. While some character redesigns have been polarizing, James McCloud's look, especially with sunglasses, is praised. The game, a relatively short but replayable experience, is set to release on June 25th for $50 digitally. This video is sponsored by Raycon, known for premium wireless audio at a fraction of the price. They are highlighting their bone conduction headphones, which offer off-ear audio through vibrations, keeping your ears open to ambient sounds. With a 13-hour battery life and IP68 waterproof/dustproof rating, they are ideal for active users. Over 3 million customers love Raycon, and they come with a 30-day happiness guarantee. You can get 15% off by visiting buyraycon.com/gameranksbc. PlayStation also had significant news. Hiroki Tatoki confirmed work on the next PlayStation, though release date and price are unannounced. They discussed leveraging generative AI for game development and a partnership with Bandai Namco. However, the most striking news was a $765 million impairment loss attributed to the acquisition of Bungie and the performance of Marathon. This accounting term signifies that the acquired asset is now valued less than its purchase price. While this sounds severe, Sony indicated a strategy change to address the issue. The future of Bungie and Marathon remains to be seen. In other unusual financial news, GameStop is reportedly attempting to acquire eBay for $56 billion in cash and stock. The outcome is uncertain, but it's a surprising move from GameStop. The host hopes GameStop doesn't ruin eBay, a valuable source for unique collectibles. New game highlights include a deep dive into "Stranger Than Heaven," an ambitious title with a shifting timeline and multi-decade story. More gameplay for "Assassin's Creed 4 Black Flag Resynced" is out, with developers already addressing player feedback. A new trailer for "Lego Batman Legacy of the Dark Knight" reveals more of the game, which is described as a fun, Arkham-lite experience. New releases this week include "Mixtape," an $18, 3.5-4 hour story game from the creators of "The Artful Escape." It offers a light gameplay experience but a genuinely engaging 90s teenage romp with good humor and music. "Far, Far West," a one-to-four-player co-op sci-fi cowboy shooter, also released to overwhelmingly positive reception, featuring robot cowboys, unique weapons, mounts, and resource management. Finally, Capcom released a free update for "Resident Evil 9" called "Leon Must Die Forever" mode. Described as a roguelike experience with familiar enemies and environments, random weapons, and special abilities, it offers more opportunities to play as Leon, despite not being the desired Mercenaries mode. It's downloading now, and initial impressions are eagerly awaited. That wraps up the news. What are your thoughts on GTA 6's immense cost, PlayStation's impairment loss with Bungie, GameStop's bid for eBay, or any of the new games? Let me know in the comments. I'm Jake Baldino, here every Friday. Thanks for watching, have a great and safe weekend!