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Gaming

Is GTA Online shutting down? Grand Theft Auto 6 fans don’t need to worry

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With Rockstar Games moving very slowly toward launching GTA 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles, it leaves current fans wondering how GTA Online could be affected.

For those who might not have played it yet, GTA Online is the hugely popular multiplayer spin-off of GTA V.

Released back in 2013, GTA Online has grown in active players and ambition every year since.

The combination of being able to explore the giant San Andreas map alongside friends and enemies has made it an enduring success across all compatible platforms.

But with Grand Theft Auto 6 coming out, fans are still left wondering if Rockstar Games will pull the plug on services anytime soon.

IS GTA ONLINE SHUTTING DOWN?

The chances of the GTA Online servers shutting down for good across PS4, Xbox One and PC between now and 2023 are improbable.

With no active releases since Red Dead Redemption 2, Rockstar and parent company Take-Two Interactive rely on GTA Online to produce concurrent spending.

Take-Two have plenty of other franchises to draw from, making it easier for Rockstar Games to focus on supporting GTA Online.

And the multiplayer is so popular with gamers that there would be no reason to shut down servers on PC, PS4 or Xbox One.

The only real reason to shut down GTA Online is if Rockstar Games were about to release a new Grand Theft Auto experience.

If GTA 6 was to launch next week with its own multiplayer tie-in, Rockstar Games could be inclined to drop support.

But with recent reports suggesting that the next Grand Theft Auto won’t be ready to play until 2025, there seems no reason to worry about that for now.

The whole idea that Rockstar Games could wait years to release GTA 6 only speaks to how strong GTA Online performs every month.

The full announcement from Rockstar Games explains: “As we continue to move forward with updates and support for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC versions of Grand Theft Auto Online — as well as prepare for this Fall’s launches of the new expanded and enhanced versions of Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S — the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA Online, including website stat tracking via the Rockstar Games Social Club, will officially be shutting down on December 16, 2021.

“In addition, Shark Cash Cards for GTA Online will no longer be sold for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions after September 15, 2021.

“Please note, these changes are strictly for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of GTA Online, and will have no impact on access to, or progress within, the Grand Theft Auto V Story Mode.

“Additionally, website stat tracking via the Rockstar Games Social Club and other features for select PS3 and Xbox 360 titles will be shutting down on September 16, 2021.”

Author: Gary Jones
Read more here >>> Daily Express :: Gaming

Gaming

GTA 6 release date BLOW: Fans face four-year wait for NEW Grand Theft Auto Vice City

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It appears Rockstar Games is in no rush to release the next game in the Grand Theft Auto saga.

GTA 6 is easily one of the most hotly anticipated games of all time, and it hasn’t even been announced yet.

Unfortunately, however, the latest reports suggest that fans are facing a wait of up to four years for the launch of Grand Theft Auto 6.

That’s according to a new leak posted by Tom Henderson, who previously (and correctly) leaked details of Battlefield 2042 and the new Call of Duty.

In his latest video on YouTube, Henderson claims that Grand Theft Auto 6 will have a 2025 release date.

If the reports are true, then the gap between the release of GTA 5 and GTA 6 will be a whopping 12 years.

On a more positive note, GTA 6 will reportedly be set in a modern day version of Vice City, which is definitely one of the more popular locations.

Previous rumours hinted at a 1980s setting, and in more than one location across the globe.

Similar to GTA 5, the next Grand Theft Auto game could feature multiple playable characters.

One of the more surprising suggestions is that GTA 6 will feature an ever-evolving map.

This would bring it more in line with live service games like Fortnite, which routinely adds new points of interest to its map as the seasons go by.

With this in mind, the suggestion is that GTA Online could adopt a Battle Pass system, much like Fortnite.

Of course, it’s all speculation until Rockstar actually reveals GTA 6, which judging by the reports, won’t be for a long time.

As previously reported, Rockstar parent company Take-Two remains happy with the amount of money coming in from GTA Online.

The sustained success of GTA Online means Rockstar is in no rush to release a new game in the GTA series.

While that’s bad news for fans, the flipside is that the next GTA should launch in a much healthier state than rushed open-world games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Fallout 76.

It’s also worth remembering that GTA 5 is getting a PS5 and Xbox Series X upgrade later this year, complete with improved visuals and smoother performance.

Author: Liam Martin
This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Gaming

Gaming

Grand Theft Auto 6 E3 reveal latest: Will GTA 6 make appearance at Take-Two panel?

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GTA 6 is one of the most hotly anticipated games of the generation, and it hasn’t even been announced yet.

Grand Theft Auto fans are counting down the days until GTA 6 is revealed, which has led to countless rumours about when the big announcement will take place.

With this year’s E3 event getting started over the weekend, all eyes are on the various online panels for updates about the next game in the Grand Theft Auto series.

Sadly, GTA 6 didn’t make a surprise appearance during this weekend’s Microsoft conference, which means it’s unlikely to be announced during E3 2021.

Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive is getting ready to hold its own interactive panel later today (June 14), although no new game announcements are expected.

Instead, the the Take-Two Interactive Panel will focus on ‘Diversity, Equity and Inclusion’, and not new games.

If you’re planning to tune in just in case, the Take-Two Interactive panel will be broadcast at 6.15pm BST on June 14. You can watch it on the official E3 YouTube channel.

Of course, GTA 6 could make an appearance as part of a surprise Summer Game Fest event that’s yet to be announced, so there’s still hope yet.

Without any concrete information surrounding GTA 6, fans have been getting their information via leaks and rumours.

Previous rumours have suggested GTA 6 will be set in the 1970s or 1980s, and feature a single playable protagonist.

Likewise, the next Grand Theft Auto game will allegedly take place in Vice City and Rio de Janeiro.

But despite rumours that GTA 6 will take place in Vice City, Express Online readers would prefer if the action shifted to London.

In a poll with more than 3,200 votes, nearly 1,500 fans said that GTA 6 should be set in London.

That’s compared to just 720 votes for Vice City, 372 votes for Tokyo, and 336 votes for somewhere else entirely.

As for E3 2021, many of the biggest announcements were saved for the Microsoft and Bethesda conference.

Bethesda announced at November 11, 2022 release date for space-based role-playing game Starfield.

Forza Horizon 5 was announced for Xbox devices, where it will launch later this year. Confirming earlier reports, the game will be set in Mexico.

Elsewhere, Microsoft ended the show with a look at new Arkane co-op game Redfall, which is an Xbox exclusive launching in 2022.

Author:
This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Gaming Feed

Gaming

GTA 5 PS5, Xbox Series X release date could spell bad news for Grand Theft Auto 6 reveal

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Rockstar has announced the release date for Grand Theft Auto 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

The improved and expanded GTA 5 will launch for Sony and Microsoft’s powerful new systems on November 11.

According to Rockstar, the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of GTA 5 will contain exciting new features for fans to enjoy.

“The expanded and enhanced versions of Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online are arriving on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S with new features and more, on November 11th, 2021,” reads a Rockstar post.

Rockstar even hints at the release of some kind of GTA 3-related in-game bonuses for Grand Theft Auto Online.

This will coincide with the 20th anniversary of Grand Theft Auto 3, which launched on October 22, 2001 (October 26 in the UK).

“Plus, in honor of the upcoming 20th anniversary of the genre defining Grand Theft Auto III, we’ll have even more fun surprises to share — including some specifically for GTA Online players.”

While most of us will be excited to experience GTA 5 with improved visuals and new features, it’s unclear what this means for the release of GTA 6.

Previous reports have suggested that GTA 6 wouldn’t be revealed until after the launch of GTA 5 on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

Don’t Miss: GTA 5 Android: No download required with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

With GTA 5 hitting new consoles so late in the year, this doesn’t leave a lot of room for Rockstar to make the reveal in 2021.

Indeed, if it doesn’t get revealed at The Game Awards in December, it’s unlikely we’ll see GTA 6 until next year.

Of course, everything surrounding GTA 6 is all rumour and speculation at this point, so nobody really knows what will happen and when.

Outside of the PS5 and Xbox Series X reveal, Rockstar also announced new updates coming to GTA Online this summer.

According to Rockstar, the summer update will involve a new addition to the street racing scene.

“In Los Santos, car culture is back on the streets in a big way, with new opportunities for fans of performance and customization upgrades to get together with like-minded gearheads to test and show off their rides free from interference from authorities and other troublemakers,” Rockstar explains.

“The renewed interest is bringing a new underground car meet into the area, along with new additions to the local racing scene — and demand for stolen vehicles has never been higher.

“Expect high stakes and high action as crews hit the streets to get hold of the latest vehicles on the hot list, challenge each other in new race types, or take part in a series of multi-part robbery missions, where a precisely modified getaway vehicle will be your best weapon — all later this summer.”

Sounds exciting!

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This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Gaming Feed

Gaming

GTA 6 release date NEWS: One step forward, two steps back for Grand Theft Auto 6

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GTA 6 rumours are coming thick and fast this week, although they’re not all positive.

In our latest GTA 6 release date rumour round-up, we look at two contradictory reports about when the next Grand Theft Auto game will be announced, followed by when it could actually launch.

One slightly more positive report suggests GTA 6 is closer to launching than perhaps we first thought.

According to The National, Rockstar is currently in the process of hiring game testers to work in Edinburgh, India and Lincoln.

Successful candidates will need to be competent gamers, and have “knowledge of current generation games consoles and PCs”.

Needless to say, this has led to speculation that a new game in the Grand Theft Auto saga is currently in the testing phase, and could launch sooner than expected.

Unfortunately, however, it’s a case of one step forward and two steps back, because other leaks suggest fans will be waiting a lot longer for the GTA 6 release date.

One prominent GTA leaker claims that Rockstar has the sequel earmarked for a late 2023 release date.

Furthermore, the same source believes that GTA 6 won’t be revealed until after the release of PS5 and Xbox Series X versions of Grand Theft Auto 5.

This would result in GTA 6 being revealed late in 2022, before launching a year later in the tail-end of 2023.

“Questions I’ve been getting, they’re not going to announce GTA VI before GTA V’s next-gen upgrade is released,” reads a ViewAnon tweet.

“RED DEAD REDEMPTION II was announced one year before its original release date. Expect GTA VI to be announced late next year if COVID hasn’t set it back.”

Previous rumours have suggested GTA 6 will be set in the 1970s or 1980s, and feature a single playable protagonist.

Likewise, the next Grand Theft Auto game will allegedly take place in Vice City and Rio de Janeiro.

But despite rumours that GTA 6 will take place in Vice City, Express Online readers would prefer if the action shifted to London.

In a poll with more than 3,200 votes, nearly 1,500 fans said that GTA 6 should be set in London.

That’s compared to just 720 votes for Vice City, 372 votes for Tokyo, and 336 votes for somewhere else entirely.

Author:
This post originally appeared on Daily Express :: Gaming Feed

Finance

U.S. auto dealers are winners as chip shortage lifts vehicle profits

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Author: Reuters
This post originally appeared on Stock Market News

U.S. auto dealers are winners as chip shortage lifts vehicle profits© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Vehicles for sale are pictured on the lot at AutoNation Toyota dealership in Cerritos

By Ben Klayman and Ankit Ajmera

(Reuters) – Mike Bowsher shakes his head in wonder when he hears yet another customer at one of his Buick-GMC dealerships near Atlanta has agreed to pay full sticker price of more than $ 71,000 for a top-of-the-line GMC Yukon XL Denali SUV that is still being assembled at a General Motors (NYSE:) factory.

Customers know what Bowsher has arriving by scanning the online inventories of his six stores in the region, and they are often willing to wait more than a week and pay full price to get their desired vehicle.

“I’m selling about 150% of what I have on the ground,” Bowsher said. “We are selling stuff so far up in the pipeline that they’re putting money down on ‘in-process,’ which is in the plant.”

Automakers from GM to Ford Motor (NYSE:) and Toyota have cut production this year due to the global semiconductor chip shortage. While those automakers have been pinched, dealers are experiencing the best of times. Not only can they charge full price for the hottest-selling trucks and SUVs, but many also have reduced promotional spending and other costs required by full vehicle lots.

“I’ll take this till I’m six feet under,” Bowsher said. “Customers are coming in just saying, ‘I’ll take it, full sticker, get it ready.’ It’s nuts.”

This means record profits for car dealers.

AutoNation Inc (NYSE:) Executive Vice President Marc Cannon called it “Camelot,” comparing it to the legendary castle and court of King Arthur. He wondered whether this could turn into the new operating model in an industry where consumers in the past were conditioned to seek incentives and rebates that reduced vehicle prices by 10% or more.

Profits at AutoNation Inc, the largest U.S. dealer chain, almost tripled last week as gross profit per new vehicle soared 61% to more than $ 2,700 in the first quarter. Rival Lithia Motors (NYSE:) saw its profit per new vehicle jump 33% to $ 2,910 as its quarterly results trounced expectations.

The good times won’t likely end soon as many industry officials see the chip shortage lasting into 2022. Many dealers report thin vehicle supplies, in some cases as low as 15 days worth.

At his company’s Toyota store in Maine, Todd Skelton, chief executive of Prime Automotive Group, had 62 cars in mid-April, down from the typical 300 vehicles.

“We’re now beginning to see not only the depletion of what we had in stock, but nothing following behind it,” said Skelton, whose company has 32 stores in New York, New Jersey and New England across multiple brands.

One concern of Skelton’s is whether reduced supply will drag down overall profits despite higher margins.

And demand is not high for just new cars, as used-car prices are also rising, dealers said.

“If all of a sudden, I don’t have a lot of 2021 Santa Fe’s, I’m going to want as many 2019 and 2020 Santa Fe’s as I can find,” Andrew DiFeo, dealer principal at a Hyundai dealer in St. Augustine, Florida, said.

Not every dealer is ebullient.

Jim Seavitt, who owns a Ford dealer near the No. 2 U.S. automaker’s Dearborn, Michigan, headquarters, said dealers celebrating now could be hurt later if inventories continue to fall.

“They think it’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s a freight train,” he said. “I’ve got 150 cars on the ground. I’ve got maybe 30 cars coming next week. I sell 225 a month. Why would I be rejoicing right now?”

Finance

Exclusive-Baidu's Jidu Auto to invest $7.7 billion in 'robot' smart cars

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Author Reuters
This post originally appeared on Stock Market News

3/3 Exclusive-Baidu's Jidu Auto to invest $ 7.7 billion in 'robot' smart cars© Reuters. Auto Shanghai show in Shanghai 2/3

By Yingzhi Yang, Yilei Sun and Tony Munroe

BEIJING (Reuters) -Jidu Auto, an electric vehicle venture between China’s tech giant Baidu (NASDAQ:) and Chinese automaker Geely, aims to plough 50 billion yuan ($ 7.7 billion) into producing smart cars over the next five years, its chief executive told Reuters.

Xia Yiping said on Friday that the funding would come from Baidu and other investors and Jidu would aim to launch its first electric vehicle (EV) in three years, as is standard for the industry, but would make efforts to speed this up.

Its first EV would look like a “robot” and would target young customers, Xia said, adding that Jidu would analyse big market data before deciding on a final model.

“It will make you feel like it’s a robot that can communicate with you with emotions,” said Xia, who co-founded and served as chief technology officer at Chinese bike-sharing firm Mobike until it was acquired by Meituan in 2018.

Baidu’s Hong Kong-listed shares jumped as much as 1.34% after Reuters reported Jidu’s investment plan.

The launch of the new auto company in January comes as tech companies around the world are racing to develop smart cars after Tesla (NASDAQ:)’s success in commercializing EVs.

Jidu plans to release a new model every one or one-and-a-half years after its first launch, Xia said, without giving a sales target. It plans to hire 2,500 to 3,000 people over two to three years, including 400 to 500 software engineers.

Shanghai and Beijing based Jidu also plans to roll out its branding in the third quarter of 2021, Xia said.

Xia said Jidu, which will use Geely’s open-source electric vehicle platform, hopes to make cars in Hangzhou Bay in China’s eastern city of Ningbo, where Geely has several plants.

It plans to sell its car directly to customers to begin with, without using dealerships.

Chinese search engine company Baidu in January announced it would set up the company with Zhejiang Geely Holding Group to leverage its intelligent driving expertise and Geely’s car manufacturing capabilities. Baidu currently owns 55% of Jidu and Geely has a 45% stake.

Jidu is considering using chips designed by Baidu, which has over the years developed smart car technologies including autonomous driving, high-definition maps and cloud. Baidu first established its autonomous driving unit Apollo in 2017.

Smartphone maker Xiaomi (OTC:) Corp and telecom giant Huawei Technologies are among other Chinese tech giants harbouring auto ambitions.

($ 1 = 6.4939 renminbi)

X: Therefore doesn`t .

Gaming

GTA 6 release date news: New Grand Theft Auto not being revealed until 2022?

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And as fans wait for official word from Rockstar Games on GTA 6 one reliable leaker has had their say.

Tom Henderson is well known for his Call of Duty and Battlefield leaks, and the leaker recently spoke out about GTA 6.

Henderson was responding to a tweet which discussed when GTA 6 could end up getting announced by Rockstar Games.

And adding to the discussion Henderson wrote: “Yeah I agree. I think we’re 18 months away from a GTA 6 announcement tbh”.

READ MORE: PS5 UK stock LIVE: GAME, Very, Smyths, Argos, Amazon restock latest

If Henderson’s prediction is right, it means we could only end up getting new on GTA 6 in the latter half of 2022.

Considering GTA 5 first released back in 2013, that’s a long period of time between news on it’s follow-up.

But there is reason to think we might not be getting news on GTA 6 for some time.

Rockstar Games does have one Grand Theft Auto release planned – and that’s the release of the next-gen versions of GTA 5.

The enhanced editions of Grand Theft Auto 5 are set to launch in the second half of 2021 on PS5 and Xbox Series X.

We don’t have a confirmed release date yet for this new version of GTA 5, but it seems unlikely Rockstar would want to reveal anything on GTA 6 before this enhanced version of GTA 5 releases.

As fans wait for concrete information on GTA 6 there have been plenty of rumours doing the rounds about the next mainline Grand Theft Auto game.

READ MORE: Xbox Series X and S UK stock update: Where to buy next-gen console

It has been claimed GTA 6 will be set in Vice City along with a new location in South America, that it will have a storyline influenced by Netflix hit Narcos and be set in two time periods.

One of the most eye-catching alleged leaks was a claim that Sony had paid huge money to secure the rights to make GTA 6 a timed exclusive for the PS5.

What was interesting about this leak, which first emerged back in 2018, was that it correctly predicted other details about the PS5 which had been yet to be revealed by Sony.

Which could add credibility to the claims made about GTA 6 and timed exclusivity for the PS5.

As with all rumours, it’s best to take this info with a big dollop of salt until official confirmation.

But one thing’s for certain – given how consistently Rockstar has pushed out bonafide instant classics that push that boundaries of what we expect from each generation and gaming, the wait for GTA 6 will surely be worth it.

Gaming

Coming Soon to Xbox Game Pass: Grand Theft Auto V, Xbox Touch Controls, and More

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It’s time to assemble your gaming team, be they friends you take down zombies with, family you play with, or just a squad you compare stats with — we have a fresh batch of games for you. Grab your keyboard, your controller, or your mobile device and your hands for touch controls! Let’s jump in!

Coming Soon

Grand Theft Auto V (Cloud and Console) – April 8
When a young street hustler, a retired bank robber and a terrifying psychopath find themselves entangled with some of the most frightening and deranged elements of the criminal underworld, the U.S. government and the entertainment industry, they must pull off a series of dangerous heists to survive in a ruthless city in which they can trust nobody, least of all each other.

Zombie Army 4: Dead War (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected] – April 8
Hitler’s zombie hordes are back for more in this spine-chilling shooter from the makers of Sniper Elite 4! Abominable occult enemies, epic weapons and a harrowing campaign for 1-4 players await in 1940s Europe, as you fight to save humankind from undead Armageddon!

Zombie Army 4

Disneyland Adventures (Cloud) – April 8
Experience the magic of Disneyland! Take a journey where stories come to life and dreams come true, right in your living room! Explore Disneyland park, from Main Street U.S.A. to Critter Country, where you can join Peter Pan to battle Captain Hook, high-five Mickey Mouse, and hug Snow White.

Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure (Cloud) – April 8
Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure invites families and fans of all ages to experience the worlds of six beloved Disney/Pixar films. Team up with characters from “The Incredibles,” “Ratatouille,” “Up,” “Cars,” “Toy Story,” and “Finding Dory” to solve puzzles and uncover hidden secrets.

NHL 21 (Console) EA Play – April 12
Carve your path to superstardom in an expanded Be A Pro mode and go down as one of the league’s greatest. On the ice, change up your attack with all new moves, dekes, dangles, and evasive maneuvers, inspired by the league’s most groundbreaking innovators.

Rain on Your Parade

Rain on Your Parade (Cloud, Console, and PC) [email protected] – April 15
Travel the world as a cute cardboard cloud and ruin everybody’s day! Unlock new methods of mischief in over 50 levels, each with unique setting and objectives. Make new friends and help them too – it’s an adorable schadenfreude game!

Pathway (PC) [email protected] – April 15
Assemble a bold team of adventurers and journey through the desert-wilderness. In 1936, Nazi influence has spread, along with rumors of secret excavations, mysterious artefacts, and gruesome occult rituals… Outwit foes in strategic squad combat and locate ancient treasures before they fall into the wrong hands!

MLB The Show 21

MLB The Show 21 (Cloud and Console) – April 20
MLB The Show 21 is coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one on Cloud (Beta), Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Experience faster, deeper, and more intense moment-to-moment action on the field in 4K 60FPS on Xbox Series X|S consoles. Lead your ballplayer to Road to the Show and Diamond Dynasty glory as a two-way star and face your friends on PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 with cross-platform play.

Play Over 50 Cloud-Enabled Games with Xbox Touch Controls

Last September, we were thrilled to launch our first game with Xbox touch controls – Minecraft Dungeons. Since then, touch controls remain one of the top-requested features for cloud gaming, to unlock new ways to play on your Android mobile devices without the need for an external controller. Today, we’re excited to share that we have been working with developers to bring you 50+ great touch-enabled games that you can now play with Xbox Cloud Gaming (Beta). In addition to Minecraft Dungeons, Xbox touch controls are available with Sea of Thieves, Gears 5, Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age, Slay the Spire, and many more games.

Here is a link to the full list of titles: Xbox Game Pass Library | Xbox

Xbox Touch Controls
New Xbox Game Pass Experience on Xbox Console

Playing games with your friends just got easier with Xbox Game Pass on your console. Within the Game Pass, you’ll see a new section that says Play with Friends when you have people on your friends list playing any of the games in Xbox Game Pass. You’ll be able to either jump right into a joinable multiplayer session or begin installing the games your friends are currently playing!

Play With Friends
In Case You Missed It

Genesis Noir ([email protected]) – Now available with Cloud
A noir adventure spanning time and space. When a love triangle between cosmic beings becomes a bitter confrontation, you’ll witness a gunshot fired by a jealous god — otherwise known as The Big Bang. Jump into the expanding universe and search for a way to destroy creation and save your love.

Octopath Traveler – Now available with Cloud
Eight travelers. Eight adventures. Eight roles to play. Embark on an epic journey across the vast and wondrous world of Orsterra and discover the captivating stories of each of the eight travelers. Use each character’s distinctive abilities in and out of battle and make decisions to shape your path.

DLC / Game Updates

Among Us: The Airship Update (PC) – Available now
Prepare for  but beware the Impostor. Hop onto the newest Among Us map: the Airship! Out now for 4 to10 players in local and online multiplayer, work together on the biggest map yet to carry out the greatest plan… though whether that’s as a Crewmate or Impostor is another question. Free hats, new tasks, and even more emergency meetings to call!

Gears 5: Free Batista as Marcus Skin – Available until April 12
Calling all Gears 5 wrestling fans! For this week only, get the Batista as Marcus skin for free in the in-game store. Previously released for use in campaign, the Batista as Marcus skin can now be equipped in Versus and Horde modes.

Grounded Photo Mode Update – Available now
This update brings with it the first iteration of Photo Mode available in single-player games, allowing players to show their creativity and share images from their life in the Backyard. Along with new content and features, this update is helping to pave the way for more to come!

Halo: The Master Chief Collection Season 6 – April 7
The free Season 6 update for Halo: The Master Chief Collection starts April 7! Enjoy new content like Halo 3 armor, vehicle and weapon skins inspired by the Halo: Fireteam Raven arcade game alongside over 100 additional seasonal rewards.  

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Perks

Visit the Perks gallery on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One consoles, Xbox App on Windows 10 PCs, or the Xbox Game Pass mobile app on iOS and Android to claim these rewards:

Sea of Thieves: Ocean Crawler Bundle – Available Now
Claim the Ocean Crawler Bundle of cosmetics for your character and ship, including the Ocean Crawler Jacket and Hat, matching Figurehead and Sails, and a windfall of 10,000 gold!

Gems of War: Shadow Dragon Legendary Starter Pack – Available Now
The Shadow Dragon Legendary Starter Pack available now via Perks, features the Shadow Dragon, Legendary weapon “Order and Chaos”, 10 legendary ingots and 1500 Souls.

Phantasy Star Online 2: April Member Pack – April 7
Snag the April Member Pack which includes Triboosts, EXP, Coins, and more!

Apex Legends: Have Faith Weapon Charm– April 8
Show the competition what you’re made of with your new Have Faith Weapon Charm, brought to you by EA Play! Equip this to your favorite weapon and battle for glory, fame, and fortune in style.

Spellbreak: Chapter 2 Pass – April 8
Join the Order of the Vowbreakers as you reveal the secrets of the cataclysmic Fracture! As an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member, you get a free Chapter 2 Pass that unlocks 50 levels of rewards, gold, and exclusive cosmetics. Can you complete the chapter and unlock the Vowguard Inquisitor?

Xbox Game Pass Quests

April Quests launch today with an Easter Egg theme running throughout the month! Keep your eyes peeled as you play your favorite games. Claim and redeem the Points you earn from Quests to use for Xbox gift cards and more.

Try out these select monthly Quests that can earn you double points starting today!

  • Forza Horizon 4 – 150 points: Earn 7,000 Influence.
  • PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds – 150 points: Play 2 matches.
  • Alien Isolation – 150 points: Spend 5 minutes successfully avoiding Alien detection.
  • The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited – 150 points: Find 2 Skyshards or Have 3 Alliance VS Alliance Kills.
Leaving Soon

It’s time to say farewell to the following games leaving the Xbox Game Pass library on April 15, as well as a batch of EA Play games to be delisted from The Play List on April 16. You know the drill, be sure to show these games some love before they go (calling all Achievement hunters here)!

If you want to keep the fun going, you can use your Game Pass member discount to save up to 20% on games leaving the Game Pass library, while Ultimate and PC members can save up to 10% on EA Play games.

April 15

  • Deliver Us the Moon (Console and PC)
  • Gato Roboto (Console and PC)
  • Wargroove (Console and PC)

April 16 (EA Play)

  • Madden 15 (Console)
  • Madden 16 (Console)
  • Madden 17 (Console)
  • Madden 18 (Console)
  • Madden 25 (Console)
  • NHL 18 (Console)
  • NHL 19 (Console)
Starting off April with games you can touch here on the ground, quests for games you can drive, Perks for games you can sail – we’re getting games in all sorts of places. If you haven’t tried Xbox Game Pass Ultimate yet, get your first month for $ 1 and make sure you don’t miss out on any of these games coming up. Find us on Twitter and Instagram, and we’ll be back with more games this month!

Megan Spurr, Community Lead, Xbox Game Pass

Gaming

GTA 6 map location leak: Please let this Grand Theft Auto 6 rumour be true

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The latest Grand Theft Auto 6 leak is one of the most exciting rumour pieces yet. Let’s hope it’s actually true.

According to a post on 4Chan, the next entry in the Grand Theft Auto series will take place in multiple cities across America.

Referred to as ‘Project America’, GTA 6 is said to feature five US cities across a giant map of the US.

That’s on top of a sixth city in a different location entirely: “There is a sixth city in another location that I won’t spoil for you. The rest of the five should be obvious.”

It’s possible the sixth city is the heavily rumoured Rio de Janeiro, while the other five are likely to include Vice City, Liberty City and San Andreas, as well as possible appearances for Las Venturas and San Fierro.

Another interesting tidbit is that Rockstar is supposedly testing features within GTA Online, which makes sense considering the recent addition of The Cayo Perico Heist.

“We test new assets and mechanics constantly in GTAO,” the post continues. “I genuinely don’t know how you all aren’t seeing it.

“Recently we tested our ability to add to the current map. It wasn’t quite as successful as we hoped and that did push dates back somewhat. Though we are confident new hardware can handle it.”

Elsewhere, the brand new game engine is supposedly a stunning sight, with Liberty City, in particular, looking fantastic.

There’s no word on a release date or reveal date, although the poster suggests it will happen very soon.

“You’ll find out how right I am much sooner than you think, as the news wire art is already finished and ready.”

Take-Two probably isn’t in too big a rush to release the game, especially with the ongoing success of GTA Online.

According to Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, GTA 5 has now sold over 140 million units.

Even more impressive (and surprising) is that more copies were sold in 2020 than in any other year since the game launched in 2013.

“In the history of the entertainment industry, there’s perhaps no experience that’s more loved, more expansive, more critically acclaimed and more successful than Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto,” Zelnick explained.

“Grand Theft Auto V remains one of the most iconic titles ever released and continues to exceed our expectations, having sold in over 140 million units.

“In fact, in calendar 2020, more copies of Grand Theft Auto V were sold than in any other year except for 2013 when it first launched on PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.”