Latest news with #DukeNukem
Time of India
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
GTA 6 at risk of delisting? Adult games debate heats up for titles like Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row; netizens say 'It is Soviet stuff'
GTA 6, a.k.a. Grand Theft Auto VI, the most anticipated game of all time, is scheduled to be released in May 2026; however, as the time of the launch nears, the rumours and leaks are also growing rapidly. Last week, a leak suggested that Rockstar Games is planning to delay the game even further to May 2026, leaving fans disappointed and furious. While the second lead says that the Rockstar is planning to roll out an age verification rule starting in the UK. Now, a new leak suggests that games like GTA VI and Saints Row are at risk of being delisted in the adult games debate. 'Adult games debate' has grown amid the gaming community recently In the past few weeks, a few topics in the gaming community have sparked discussions, and one of them is the 'adult games debate'. According to Insider Gaming, it was recently revealed that payment processors for some gaming outlets are cracking down on adult and NSFW (not safe for work) games. Amid the growing discussion, some activist responses have emerged in reaction to what is being called 'financial censorship' by certain payment providers and processors. One such example is GOG, which is a digital shopfront that briefly offered a bundle of adult-themed games for free as a form of protest. Following this, now there are growing concerns that titles like Grand Theft Auto, Saints Row, and Duke Nukem might also come under scrutiny, with payment processors potentially pushing for their removal from shopfronts. Risks that the adult gaming community may face According to GamingOnLinux, it was highlighted that a retro digital shopfront had come under pressure from payment processors aiming to restrict adult content. In a statement, the platform in question, ZOOM Platform, confirmed it had been 'targeted' as a part of this broader crackdown. The report went on to note that GamingOnLinux reportedly received an email from the ZOOM Platform team stating that they anticipate the delisting issue to widen. They specifically mentioned that games like Grand Theft Auto, Duke Nukem, and Saints Row could be at risk. While Grand Theft Auto has long been a controversial franchise, its adult content comprises only a small portion of the game. It's certainly not one of those explicit titles tucked away in the collections of some niche Steam users. Netizens react to the 'Adult games debate' As soon as the update surfaced on social media, it quickly went viral, and fans shared their reactions. One said, "Wouldn't the attempt be the best-case scenario? Generally, adult game publishers don't have the financials to take this to court against the big payment once you start taking on big game companies, they have entire legal teams to fight this out." "Might be. I can see some indie porn games being delisted without much fuss, but there is no fucking way Rockstar and Take Two are going to sit quietly if GTA games are delisted," one replied. "GTA is "worse" in what you can do than most of the delisted games." "Between the UK adult content needing an ID and this visa mastercard shite im absolutely worried for the future" One joked, "Never thought I'd be alive to see this sort of censorship. Even if it's just an attempt. It's honestly Soviet stuff, this. Freedoms are genuinely being attacked here."
Metro
06-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
GTA 'at risk' of being removed from stores in adult game crackdown
A video game retailer has warned titles like GTA and Saints Row could be pulled from stores, as payment providers continue to take action against adult content. A number of gaming stores, including Steam and have recently taken action to remove certain types of adult games from their storefronts. This has been instigated by payment providers such as Mastercard, PayPal, and Visa, which have been cracking down on purchases related to adult content. While this has gone some way to removing so-called 'eSlop' from stores, it has sparked wider concerns around censorship at large – with legal adult-themed content being potentially impacted as well. Now, a retro games retailer named ZOOM Platform has echoed these concerns, and named titles like GTA, Saints Row, and Duke Nukem as being 'potentially at risk'. In a post from earlier this month, the team behind ZOOM Platform said one of their payment processors made them aware that a 'fellow member of the industry' was 'concerned about our content'. 'After we heard from the payment processor, we immediately engaged in lengthy discussions with both PayPal and Stripe,' the statement, titled Preserving and Protecting Artistic Freedom, reads. 'We worked with our contacts at the aforementioned payment processors to develop a tripartite solution to ensure the right to free speech and freedom of expression as well as protect the safety of our valued customers and partners.' Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. As a result of these negotiations, ZOOM Platform have implemented two-factor authentication to 'safeguard' accounts, along with a 'wallet system' so users can add funds to their account without needing external payment providers. 'We have no plans to remove any titles, and will do absolutely everything in our power to prevent such de-listings,' the platform added. 'We are fervent supporters of artistic freedom and always will be.' Following this announcement, games website GamingOnLinux received an email from the ZOOM Platform team stating that they expect these de-listings to expand further. From their discussions with payment providers, the company claims titles like 'Grand Theft Auto, Duke Nukem, and Saints Row were described as potentially at risk'. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video At time of writing, ZOOM Platform only has Duke Nukem titles listed, so the company is likely referring to how these rules could impact other stores too. Rather than this being the idea of payment providers, it's believed they're acting under pressure from Australian organisation Collective Shout, which is 'against the objectification of women' and 'the pornification of culture'. However, after the actions of Steam and the organisation has since clarified that it only wanted to remove 'content that involved sexualised violence and torture of women', and not 'all NSFW' content. Mastercard has similarly distanced itself from the censorship controversy, at least in regards to Steam, claiming it had 'not evaluated any game or required restrictions of any activity on game creator sites', but Valve has disputed this. More Trending GTA and Saints Row have both been targeted for their sexually explicit nature over the years, and while they're certainly not suitable for minors, they're both a huge leap from some of the overtly explicit titles these measures are designed to take down. Both franchises are, hopefully, too popular to ever be removed from stores, especially when you consider the kind of backlash that would occur, but it is a worrying sign if these titles are being mentioned during talks with payment companies. GTA: San Andreas did come close to being effectively removed from sale in the US, during the Hot Coffee scandal in the mid-2000s, but since then it's never faced any serious legal opposition. The potential impact of these regulations has sparked a petition on which has accumulated over 230,000 signatures. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: PS6 will be 20% faster than next gen Xbox suggests leaked specs MORE: Fortnite's Power Rangers live action trailer is easily its best one ever MORE: A new Nintendo Direct is due this week and Silksong fans want a release date
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Microsoft layoffs: Xbox faces turbulence - up to 2,000 jobs on the line as studio shutdowns loom
It looks like it's going to be a tough week for Xbox employees. There are rumors that Microsoft 's ongoing shake-up could lead to the loss of jobs. Developers are on edge and worried because they've heard rumors that entire studios are closing. Why are Xbox Studios at risk? Microsoft is preparing to lay off employees once more. As part of its organizational restructuring, the tech giant is reportedly planning to lay off employees in the Xbox division next week. Bloomberg reported that managers in its Xbox division are expecting significant layoffs. The Verge quickly supported that, claiming that managers had been notified internally and that the Xbox division might be affected by these cuts as early as next week. ALSO READ: Fito captured: The shocking crimes and net worth of Ecuador's most wanted man, José Adolfo Macias Will Xbox cut up to 2,000 jobs? Internal sources and a gaming industry veteran are warning of even deeper cuts, which is making things even more tense in Microsoft's gaming division. Live Events George Broussard, a seasoned industry veteran and one of the founders of Duke Nukem, wrote on Bluesky earlier today that internal sources anticipate the layoffs to be severe. He stated that up to 2,000 workers could be laid off, which could impact 10% of the Xbox workforce as a whole. The industry veteran has added to the mounting anxiety, and the situation does not appear to be improving. 'News has reported imminent Xbox layoffs , but I'm hearing internal developer stuff where people at most studios are anxious and worried,' Broussard stated. 'Word is that entire studios may be shuttered. Expectation is 1000-2000 people,' as quoted in a report by The Game Post. These cuts are besides those made earlier this year. Microsoft laid off 6,000 workers in May across its gaming division and other businesses. More than three hundred people were laid off earlier this month. Naturally, in early 2024, the company laid off 1,900 employees from ZeniMax, Activision Blizzard, and Xbox. But as of yet, no formal announcement has been made. How is this impacting employees? The increasing volume of reports and the specific information coming to light are making matters worse. Uncertain of whether they will still have jobs next week, developers are waiting in limbo. Rumors that entire studios are in jeopardy heighten the sense of urgency. FAQs How many Xbox employees could be laid off? Insiders fear that 1,000-2,000 jobs will be cut soon. Will Xbox close any of its studios? Rumors suggest that entire studios may be closed as part of the cuts. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Metro
26-06-2025
- Business
- Metro
Xbox layoffs expected to hit up to 2,000 people claims source
The next batch of Xbox layoffs could be the worst so far, with an industry insider predicting studio closures as well. It's been reported for some time that Microsoft is planning another major wave of layoffs throughout the company and a couple of days ago it was claimed that the Xbox division would be amongst those impacted. These layoffs will supposedly happen by the end of June, but previously no exact figures were given for how many people would be affected. If a new rumour is to be believed though, Xbox could lose upwards of 2,000 employees – approximately 10% of its entire workforce. The prediction comes from respected game designer George Broussard, who previously co-founded Apogee Software, better known nowadays as 3D Realms, and was one of the creators behind the Duke Nukem games. In a Bluesky post from earlier this morning, Broussard claims to have heard 'internal developer stuff' from within Microsoft, with anywhere from 1,000 to 2,000 people expected to be let go. Not only that, but there are concerns that entire studios could be shut down, which is sadly all too believable. After all, Microsoft killed no less than three studios last year, including Tango Gameworks, despite its last game, Hi-Fi Rush, winning several awards and purportedly being a success in the eyes of Microsoft. Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. News has reported imminent Xbox layoffs but I'm hearing internal developer stuff where people at most studios are anxious and worried. Word that entire studios may be shuttered. Expectation is 1000-2000 people. Xbox unit has about 10k people in it?, so 10-20%? Good luck to all involved. Brutal. — George Broussard (@ 2025-06-26T02:08:57.231Z Although Broussard estimates that Xbox has roughly 10,000 employees, our research puts the number at about 19,450, once you take into account subsidiaries like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard. Regardless, the worst case scenario of Microsoft letting go 2,000 employees would take a hefty chunk out of the Xbox workforce, putting the total post-pandemic losses at well over 4,000. That includes 650 employees that were let go last September, and almost 2,000 job cuts at the beginning of 2024. So far, more than 2,500 Xbox employees have been let go since Microsoft finalised its $75 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard, which remains the most expensive acquisition in the history of the games industry. Even if the actual numbers are at the lower end of Broussard's estimate, the next round of layoffs will bring the total job losses at Xbox to more than 3,500. More Trending While some cuts were inevitable, to eliminate duplicate jobs post-acquisition, the sheer volume of layoffs is well above the normal and exacerbated by both post-pandemic bloat and Microsoft's enthusiasm for AI. Microsoft may also be looking to cut costs due to the Activision Blizzard purchase not being as lucrative as hoped, with the addition of Call Of Duty games on Xbox Game Pass barely improving subscriber numbers and the series as a whole still bleeding players. This combined with dwindling hardware sales is no doubt what made Microsoft decide to port Xbox exclusives to PlayStation and Nintendo platforms, in a bid to bump up its revenue. Yet despite its games reaching new audiences and performing particularly well on PlayStation, it doesn't appear to be enough for Microsoft, not if it's considering killing more studios to help save money. Email gamecentral@ leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter. To submit Inbox letters and Reader's Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here. For more stories like this, check our Gaming page. MORE: Microsoft confirms next gen Xbox home and portable consoles with AMD partnership MORE: Xbox aggregated game library coming to PC with hints of Steam support MORE: Xbox VR headset officially announced and it's much more expensive than normal
Geek Culture
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Culture
Netflix's 'Devil May Cry' Series Creator Adi Shankar Teases A "Very Different" Season 2
Hot off announcing his plans for a Duke Nukem adaptation, Adi Shankar, showrunner of the Netflix animated series Devil May Cry , has revealed that Season 2 will be a whole new beast compared to its predecessor, embodying more of the video game's feel that fans expect. 'Season 2 is a vvvvveryyyyy different show.' Shankar wrote on X\Twitter in response to a fan question, 'Yes, Dante levels up. His skills improve and you'll see him embrace more of the iconic badassery fans of the game expect.' 'That said, I'm still telling a story, and great characters don't just win — they grow,' he continued, 'What makes Dante compelling isn't that he's unstoppable — it's that he learns and keeps getting stronger.' Still, some fans took to the platform to express their disappointment in the series, especially regarding its portrayal of the well-known franchise side-character Lady and the changes made to its overall plot. To this end, Shankar was quick to clarify that his version of the story wasn't set up to be canon. 'Each franchise is a different beast,' he told another fan on the platform, 'It really depends on the IP. With Devil May Cry , there was already a deep and conflicting continuity across games/manga/etc — so going non-canon and creating my own AU gave me room to honour the spirit without getting trapped in the timeline gymnastics.' With his comments, Devil May Cry's Season 2 is shaping up to be quite different from the first, but it remains to be seen if this change will fall in line with what fans of the games are expecting. The series was renewed in April this year, although it has yet to secure a release date. Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise 'duds' like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3 . He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying. Adi Shankar Devil May Cry Netflix
