Teach a man to fish (with guns)
Hey readers,
In a fun twist, there’s a new “friendslop” game that topped the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 beta on the Steam charts. How to Fish is… an unconventional fishing game, let’s call it. How so, you ask? You can punch, shoot, or blow up the fish. With low-fidelity graphics, multiplayer, and a low price below $10, it’s no wonder that How to Fish has already sold over a million copies.
We’re in the middle of Gamescom, so let’s get to it.
This issue will fill you in on:
Grand Theft Auto 6 leaks show off violence, nudity
Image source: Rockstar Games
Who needs Netflix when you have suspicious memecoin hockersh?
A person (or persons) known as Cyberleek continues to post gameplay clips of Grand Theft Auto 6, and Rockstar Games is keen to catch the leaker(s). As of last week, Rockstar reportedly still did not know the identity of the perpetrator, and the studio’s parent company Take-Two filed subpoenas to Microsoft and Discord for records related to the sharing of GTA 6 leaks (though as of Monday, Discord said it had not been served yet).
It’s all very dramatic, but at least one former Rockstar developer thinks that these leaks are inconsequential, calling it a “tiny blip” compared to older GTA-related scandals, such as the Hot Coffee mod in 2004’s San Andreas. It took until the 26th for Rockstar to make a public statement, which stated that the leaks were “heartbreaking for the developers. The statement also includes a reminder that an official “extended look” of GTA 6 will debut on Netflix this Thursday.
How shady are these leakers?
Whoever is running this Cyberleek operation is also using the opportunity to promote a crypto meme coin, claiming that Cyberleek is “raising funds for a secret project” and that “this is not a cash grab.” In other words: trust me, bro.
Cyberleek’s “manifesto,” shared in the form of “commandments,” demands that game publishers end digital pre-orders, stop paywalling content already included in game discs, and guarantee offline versions of online games. There are some overlaps with the Stop Killing Games consumer movement, but the organizers of Stop Killing Games have condemned Cyberleek and its methods, urging players to “not send these people your money.”
Yet, people totally are sending them money, with Cyberleek using paid polls to determine the content of subsequent gameplay leaks. Cyberleek is even charging a $165,000 fee for ad space on its leaks, which sounds like a really bad idea.
What have the leaks actually shown?
I won’t link to any actual leaked footage, but GameSpot has a comprehensive timeline of the leaks. The leaked clips show moments like co-protagonist Jason Duval shooting hoops outside his house, using a taser on security guards, flying planes and driving cars, and, in classic GTA fashion, visiting a strip club.
Later clips also showed some sort of nudist town, a very densely crowded beach, and a GameStop-like retail store. One clip had Jason shooting the word “LEEK” into a wall, implying that Cyberleek has a fully playable build of GTA 6.
Here’s what Gamescom Opening Night Live showed off
Let’s try to summarize Geoff Keighley’s two-hour extravaganza
The world’s largest gaming event—especially after the discontinuation of E3—is Gamescom, which was established in 2009 and takes place in Cologne, Germany every year. And since 2019, The Game Awards and Summer Game Fest founder Geoff Keighley has hosted a stage show for Gamescom, called Opening Night Live.
This year’s Opening Night Live lasted over two hours, ending with a new trailer for Final Fantasy VII Revelation and a new DLC story for The Witcher 3. I’ll list as many tidbits of info that came from the show as I can, but keep in mind that there was a lot more.
A shortlist of trailers and announcements from Gamescom 2026 ONL
Nodusfall comes from Genshin Impact and Honkai Star Rail makers Hoyoverse, but it definitely looks more like Elden Ring than Genshin.
The new Rainbow Six title is a turn-based tactics game in the vein of XCOM.
PUBG Ded.Net looks like an edgier and punkier version of traditional PUBG, and it somehow has roguelite elements.
The Mass Effect-like RPG shooter Exodus now has a release date of April 7, 2027, and one of your companions is a hyperintelligent octopus named Salt, who pilots a mech suit.
Warlock is an official Dungeons & Dragons video game, but unlike Baldur’s Gate 3, it has real-time action gameplay and apparently follows a more focused and linear story.
1,001 Threads of Mizan is based on the Arabian Nights folklore, and it allows up to three co-op players to fly magic carpets and team up for hack-and-slash action.
The anticipated sequel Metro 2039 now has a February 2027 release window.
In what might be part of his apparent quest to appear in as many video games as possible, Snoop Dogg is featured in an upcoming Hitman mission as a target.
The popular roguelike/cat-breeding simulator Mewgenics is getting a console port with a September 8 release date.
Showa American Story looks like an eccentric satirical action RPG, taking place in an alternate history where Japan has economically and culturally colonized the United States.
Stage Tour is a return to Guitar Hero and Rock Band-like rhythm games, complete with plastic instrument peripherals.
The team behind city-building game Cities: Skylines 2 are making Lego Skylines, which seems like an excellent idea.
One of the more unique titles shown was There Are No Ghosts At The Grand, which stars Lord of the Rings actor Billy Boyd as a sentient power tool restoring a hotel by day and hunting ghosts at night. It’s also a musical!
The Witcher 3 is getting a remaster, which is free for owners of the original game. As announced previously, The Witcher 3 is also getting a new DLC expansion called Songs of the Past, and it’ll release in 2027.
Replay: What else happened?
A screenshot from Blood Dungeon. Image source: Messhoff
Other news hits
The upcoming multiplayer spinoff in PlayStation’s Horizon series is getting a retool, according to a report. Playtest feedback is said to have been negative, so studio Guerilla Games is apparently stripping the game of its live-service elements and turning it into a more “traditional” multiplayer co-op game with a story and smaller scope.
It’s yet another mishap in Sony’s flailing live-service game strategy, which many are blaming for the lack of major PlayStation titles in the past few years.
Closed playtests for The Duskbloods by From Software occurred over the weekend, even though connection issues marred the first session. The remaining test sessions happened as planned, and From Software claims that the network test had more applicants than a similar test for its previous multiplayer game, Elden Ring Nightreign.
Fans are already gravitating toward the character of Zork, who’s just a weird guy.
Riot Games is abandoning 2XKO, its fighting game spin-off of League of Legends. The title released at the beginning of this year but struggled to find an audience, with Riot laying off many of its developers mere weeks after the game’s launch.
Following the liberation of studio Compulsion Games from Microsoft’s corporate clutches, former Xbox-owned studio Double Fine Productions confirmed that it too was now fully independent. To celebrate, Double Fine is launching a Kickstarter to fund a game jam, which will determine what the studio’s next title will be.
For those unfamiliar with the studio by name, Double Fine made classic titles including Psychonauts, Brutal Legend, and last year’s Keper. They also remastered LucasArts titles Day of the Tentacle and Grim Fandango.
Big new game releases include…
Anyone itching for another soulslike can check out Mortal Shell 2 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S), which emphasizes exploration through Zelda-like temples. Critics already agree that it’s a vast improvement from its 2021 predecessor.
Fulfill your fantasy of being a space marine with Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). The third-person shooter will have you in squads of four, gunning down the iconic Xenomorphs seen in the Alien movies.
From the creators of Nidhogg comes a new “bullet heaven” game called Blood Dungeon (PC, Switch, Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S). Taking mechanics popularized by the likes of Vampire Survivors and applying them to a 2D dungeon-crawling space, this crude-looking game promises to be hella addicting.
Out in early access is 1666: Amsterdam (PC), an action-adventure game from the creator of the Assassin’s Creed series. It’s a story about the occult, and a demo is already available to play, but reception to the demo was rather mixed. Good thing it’s in early access, then.
We’ll be back next week with more news for your casual consumption, as always.
Keep on Keighley-ing on,
Chris Compendio
