Boss of Grand Theft Auto 6 publishers Take-Two Interactive has said the upcoming game won’t have any product placement or brand collabs.

• READ MORE: The best games to play while you wait for ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’

Since Grand Theft Auto 5 launched back in 2013, product placement and collaborations with real-world brands have become more common in games. However in a new interview, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick has promised Grand Theft Auto 6 won’t feature any of that.

Speaking to Variety, Zelnick said: “We need to be true to the underlying intellectual property and we need to be true to our consumers. It’s a fictional world and everything in it is fictional. So we’re not even at risk of doing brand partnerships because all the brands are made up. And I think that keeps us pure.”

Other Take-Two titles such as their NBA 2K series will continue to feature adverts for real-world products, sponsorships and “brand integration” activations though. “Brands naturally exist within the NBA. And as long as we present them in a natural way, in a way that’s consistent with what you’d experience at a basketball game, it’s great. It’s additive to the experience,” Zelnick explained.

Rather than advertise products, Grand Theft Auto games typically mock popular brands with their own parodies. Last year, it was reported Grand Theft Auto 6 would parody Whatsapp, Uber and Venmo after Rockstar registered a number of new website domain names.

After two delays, Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch November 19. Earlier this week, Zelnick revealed he’s expecting people to bunk off work to play the game on release day.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to be the most expensive video game ever made. Earlier this year, it was reported Rockstar Games have spent more than £2.7billion while developing the follow-up to 2013’s Grand Theft Auto 5. One former developer claimed he spent 39 months making broken glass look more realistic in the game and last year, a report said Rockstar had spent between $200million and $300million to create hyper-realistic water in Grand Theft Auto 6 with a team of 20 working on the project.

Speaking to Variety, Zelnick said he was “scared” about the launch of GTA 6. “I think the minute you stop running scared, you better get a different job if you’re in the entertainment business. Because [if] you claim success before you have it – you will largely be wrong.”

In other news, creators of surreal British horror game Atomfall have announced a TV adaptation is officially in the works.

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Creators of surreal British horror game Atomfall have announced a live-action TV adaptation is officially in the works.

• READ MORE: ‘Atomfall’ is more than just a British ‘Fallout’

Inspired by the real‑world Windscale disaster of 1957 and taking place in an alternative history version of The Lake District, Atomfall was released in March 2025. To date, more than 3.7million people have played the creepy survival mystery title, which picked up the BAFTA for Best British Game last month.

Shortly after its launch, creator Jason Kingsley said the team were “talking to various streamers about tv shows and movies.” He added that none of them were “anywhere close to being announced.”

It’s now been confirmed that Atomfall developers Rebellion Studios are teaming up with Two Brothers Pictures for a TV adaptation of the game. “Atomfall has such a distinctive British tone and setting, and it’s been a real joy developing it alongside the Rebellion team. There’s something very exciting about expanding this strange, unsettling story for television,” said Two Brothers’ Harry and Jack Williams in a statement.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Two Brothers to bring the world of Atomfall to television. Harry and Jack demonstrated a clear love for Atomfall and talked about their own particular endings when they were playing the game. It is always exciting to work with people who share the same passion for creating and telling great stories and we are sure that this partnership will help to deliver a television series that will delight fans of the game and beyond,” added Kingsley.

The Atomfall show will be written by Harry and Jack Williams, who have previously worked on Fleabag, The Assassin, The Missing, Baptiste and The Tourist. Cast and release details are still to be confirmed.

Speaking to NME last year, Rebellion’s Head Of Design Ben Fisher said Atomfall was inspired by Fallout, but developers also looked at ‘60s classics such as Doctor Who, The Wicker Man and The Prisoner. “There was a lot of fear about losing your identity, the tension of fitting in and the conflict between tradition and modernity in those stories alongside a healthy dose of Cold War suspicion. It all influenced the mechanics of Atomfall.”

In other news, Epic Games has confirmed a trio of new Star Wars experiences are coming to Fortnite, including a Darth Vader horror.

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Epic Games has confirmed a trio of new Star Wars experiences are coming to Fortnite, including a Darth Vader horror.

• READ MORE: ‘Pragmata’ review: ‘The Last Of Us’ meets ‘Alien’ in surprisingly wholesome space horror

Starting today (May 1), Fortnite players will be able to use the official Star Wars toolkit to build and share their own games featuring “iconic characters, environments, vehicles and assets” from across the Star Wars universe.

Three official Fortnite x Star Wars experiences have also been confirmed:

Star Wars: Escape Vader is a four-player horror co-op game where you have to try and escape a derelict Star Destroyer while being hunted by Sith lord Darth Vader. 

“When we started brainstorming about this experience, we wanted to create something bold, and we wanted to be a little bit different,” said Star Wars: Escape Vader creator Kasper Weber (via Variety). “This is why we landed on doing something horror, because we realised that we all had in common this very twisted childhood question that we all had in our minds when watching the original movies and the sequels – ‘How would it feel to be chased by Vader in some of those iconic ship corridors? How would it be to feel his wrath?”

Star Wars: Galactic Siege is a 10v10 combat game where players do battle in “familiar” Star Wars locations. Points are earned by capturing and holding areas of the map. A star destroyer level is available today, while another inspired by The Mandalorian And Grogu will launch after the movie hits cinemas. 

Star Wars: Droid Tycoon allows you to build and customise 40 different droids while managing your workshop. 

As part of the Fortnite X Star Wars collaboration, players will also be able to get an early glimpse of The Mandalorian And Grogu via a special watch party. The event takes place May 19 at 3PM BST and will feature ten minutes of the film alongside a message from Jon Favreau. A Q+A with Favreau will follow on May 26.

In other news, Undertale orchestral tour ‘The Determination Symphony’ has added four more UK shows to its 2026 run due to popular demand.

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Undertale orchestral tour ‘The Determination Symphony’ has added four more UK shows to its 2026 run due to popular demand.

• READ MORE: The biggest video game concerts you can’t miss in 2026

Announced earlier this year, ‘Undertale: The Determination Symphony’ has been curated by the game’s composer Toby Fox and will take gig-goers on “an emotional musical journey through the Underground, from your first steps among the Ruins to the final moments of your adventure.”

The gigs will see a 25-piece orchestra performing new arrangements of the Undertale soundtrack, accompanied by gameplay footage. “Undertale is a game with a lot of music, it’s good when skilled professionals play the music and people listen to it,” said Fox in a statement.

The Determination Symphony tour is set to kick off in August, and will visit North America, Australia, Canada, Europe, the UK and Asia. Last month, 26 more dates were announced after the initial dates sold out.

Today (May 1) it’s been announced that four more shows have been added to the UK leg due to popular demand. As well as gigs in London, Manchester and Birmingham, ‘Undertale: The Determination Symphony’ will visit Grimsby, Newcastle, Halifax and Newcastle later this year.

‘Undertale: The Determination Symphony’ full UK tour is as follows:

SEPTEMBER
26 – London, Eventim Apollo
26 – London, Eventim Apollo
27 – Manchester, O2 Apollo
28 – Birmingham, Symphony Hall

NOVEMBER
12 – Liverpool, Olympia
13 – Halifax, The Victoria Theatre
14 – Grimsby, Auditorium
15 – Newcastle, O2 City Hall

FEBRUARY 2027
28 – Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall

Tickets for the new shows will go on sale next week (May 4) and can be found here.

ENGLAND! More shows announced!

12 Nov Liverpool
13 Nov Halifax
14 Nov Grimsby
15 Nov Newcastle

Tickets on sale May 4th @ 10am Local

More details at the link below.https://t.co/aPDDh5RBcX#UNDERTALE #UNDERTALESymphony pic.twitter.com/l3fuXN22mU

— UNDERTALE: The Determination Symphony (@UndertaleSymph) May 1, 2026

“Concert-goers can look forward to being filled with determination as the performance guides them through the Underground. From the Ruins and Snowdin to Waterfall, Hotland, and finally New Home, the concert brings iconic characters, battles, and emotional moments vividly to life through music,” explains a press release, with fans encouraged to dress up in Undertale cosplay for the shows.

Organisers have also confirmed they’re looking at bringing ‘Undertale: The Determination Tour’ to South America after backlash from fans.

In other news, a brand new Papa Roach song will feature on the soundtrack for the second season of Netflix’s animated Devil May Cry adaptation.

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A brand new Papa Roach song will feature on the soundtrack for Netflix’s animated Devil May Cry adaptation.

• READ MORE: Papa Roach talk mental health, Bring Me The Horizon and “pushing the boundaries” for their next album

The second season of Devil May Cry is due to hit the streamer next month (May 12). Based on the violent fantasy series of games, Adi Shankar’s animated adaptation sees “sinister forces at play, [trying] to open the portal between the human and demon realms. In the middle of it all is Dante, an orphaned demon-hunter-for-hire, unaware that the fate of both worlds hangs around his neck.”

Devil May Cry’s first season featured Limp Bizkit classic ‘Rollin’ as the theme song, while Papa Roach’s ‘Last Resort’ soundtracked the launch trailer. Evanescence also contributed a brand new song ‘Afterlife’ to the series. Explaining Devil May Cry’s nu-metal heavy soundtrack, series creator Adi Shankar said: “My universe is set in a late ’90s/early 2000s PS2 era of the world. It’s not set in modern times. It’s set in my memory of the world, pre- and post-9/11. My music choices reflect this.”

Yesterday (April 28) Papa Roach confirmed they’d be returning to the Devil May Cry soundtrack with brand new track ‘See U In Hell’. The song is a collaboration with rapper Hanumankind and will be released May 7.

NEW MUSIC ft Hanumankind for @netflix Devil May Cry season 2, drops next week. https://t.co/wezEL9HF7J

— Papa Roach (@paparoach) April 28, 2026

Papa Roach are set to release a new album later this year. So far, the group have released three singles from the record – ‘Even If It Kills Me’, ‘Wake Up Calling’ and ‘Braindead’. The group have also confirmed a UK and Ireland arena tour for November – you can get tickets  here.

“ No one song really reflects the whole sound of a [new] Papa Roach album,” vocalist Jacoby Shaddix told NME last year. “We are a rock band, but we like to go down rabbit holes and see how far we can push the boundaries. Our fans are willing to go on that journey, so it’s still an exciting thing for us to get in the studio and discover where this thing is taking us.”

“There are a few songs coming that are a bit heavier, and we did go in and intentionally say ‘Let’s bring back those big, huge riffs’,” he continued. “After all, we’re seeing this resurgence of the nu-metal era happening, so we wanted to celebrate that early feistiness in our guitar riffs.”

In other news, Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch this November and Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick reckons plenty of people will phone in sick at work so they can play.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch this November and Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick reckons plenty of people will phone in sick at work so they can play.

• READ MORE: The best games to play while you wait for ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’

Grand Theft Auto 6 was officially announced in December 2023 and was originally set to launch in late 2025 before it was delayed to May 26, 2026. Last year, Rockstar Games pushed back the release even further, claiming “these extra months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect and deserve.” Grand Theft Auto 6 is now set to launch November 19.

Speaking at game developer’s conference iicon yesterday (April 28) Straus Zelnick, boss of Grand Theft Auto’s publishers Take-Two Interactive, refused to confirm the price of Grand Theft Auto 6.  “Consumers pay for the value that you bring to them, and our job is to charge way way way less of the value delivery,” Zelnick explained (via IGN). “How you feel about something you buy is the intersection of the thing itself and what you pay for. Consumers need to feel like the thing itself is amazing and the price they were charged was fair for what they got.”

“What we think about is making the most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth, in history – and it’s a pretty daunting challenge. If we do that, and if we’re of service to our customers, then the upside will take care of itself,” he said, when asked about how the team will measure the success of Grand Theft Auto 6. “[I] think a lot of people will be calling in sick on November 19,” he added.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to be the most expensive video game ever made. Last month it was reported Rockstar Games have spent more than £2.7billion while developing the follow-up to 2013’s Grand Theft Auto 5. One former developer claimed he spent 39 months making broken glass look more realistic in the game and last year, a report said Rockstar had spent between $200million and $300million to create hyper-realistic water in Grand Theft Auto 6 with a team of 20 working on the project.

In other news, Square Enix has confirmed a pair of modern Final Fantasy games will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 this summer.

The post ‘Grand Theft Auto 6’ release will have people skipping work, jokes boss appeared first on NME.

Square Enix has confirmed a pair of modern Final Fantasy games will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 this summer.

• READ MORE: How ‘Final Fantasy 14’ breaks all the rules of video game music

After originally releasing for the PlayStation 5 back in 2024, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is set to come to the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 3. The second part in a trilogy of remakes of the iconic 1997 turn-based role-playing game, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth picks up shortly after Cloud and his friends have escaped the dystopian city of Midgar at the end of Remake. They “set out on a journey across the planet, [where] new adventures await in a vibrant and vast world.”

“Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is the highly anticipated new story in the Final Fantasy 7 remake project, a reimagining of the iconic original game into three standalone titles by its original creators,” explains Square Enix. “In this game, players will enjoy various new elements as the story unfolds, culminating in the party’s journey to ‘The Forgotten Capital’ from the original Final Fantasy 7. Last year, series producer Yoshinori Kitase hinted that the third and final chapter of the Final Fantasy 7 remake project could launch day one on Switch and Xbox.

Ahead of Rebirth’s release in June, Nintendo Switch 2 players can currently play a free demo – check it out here.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth isn’t the only Final Fantasy game coming to the Switch 2 in the next few months. Earlier this week it was confirmed that online title Final Fantasy 14 will launch in August.

Originally released in 2010 before being rebooted in 2013, Final Fantasy 14 is the most profitable game in the franchise’s long history with more than 30million active users. A dedicated Final Fantasy 14 subscription will be required to play the game on the Nintendo Switch 2, even if you already have a live membership via another platform. Exact details on price and release date will be announced soon.

The Switch 2 version of Final Fantasy 14 will include all the expansions up to 2024’s Dawntrail and it’s expected the upcoming Evercold expansion will be available for Switch 2 users when it goes live in January 2027.

In other news, Chase and Status are the latest dance legends to join the cast of new James Bond game 007: First Light.

The post ‘Final Fantasy’ releasing two modern games on Nintendo Switch 2 this summer appeared first on NME.

Chase and Status are the latest dance legends to join the cast of new James Bond game 007: First Light.

• READ MORE: How the ‘Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’ soundtrack became a breakout smash hit

Earlier this month it was announced that DJ Dimitri Vegas would be featured in 007: First Light alongside his ravey remix of the iconic James Bond theme. It’s now been confirmed that fellow dance titans Chase and Status will also be part of the game’s cast.

“From underground beats to high-stakes espionage, get ready to turn the speakers up,” reads the announcement from developer’s IO Interactive. “Chase & Status are stepping into the world of 007: First Light and this re-imagined origin story for James Bond. Are you ready to join the set?” The post on social media comes alongside an image of the pair performing in the game.

From underground beats to high-stakes espionage, get ready to turn the speakers up.

Chase & Status are stepping into the world of 007 First Light and this re-imagined origin story for James Bond.

Are you ready to join the set?

Pre-order now and unlock a free Deluxe Edition… pic.twitter.com/EnZGly8Urr

— 007 First Light (@007GameIOI) April 28, 2026

“Their arrival lands in the middle of a packed club sequence, where Bond will have to navigate through lights, crowds and a sound system pushing one of the duo’s remixes at full volume. It’s a modern pop-culture touchstone that keeps Bond in step with the world around him,” explains a blog post about the crossover. “From chart-topping tracks to bouncing headline sets, Chase & Status have helped shape the sound of contemporary UK electronic music. Their inclusion adds a distinct edge to 007: First Light, not just as a cameo, but bringing immersive energy that amplifies Bond’s journey.”

Lana Del Rey has teamed up with Bond composer David Arnold for the game’s theme song ‘First Light’ while Lenny Kravitz will be playing antagonist Bawma, The Pirate King in 007: First Light.

007: First Light will launch May 27 for  Xbox, PlayStation and PC while Nintendo Switch 2 users will have to wait until later this summer to play.

In other news, Fortnite has confirmed its next in-game virtual concert will be delivered by Japanese singer, songwriter and virtual YouTuber Hoshimachi Suisei.

The post Chase and Status join ‘007: First Light’ cast appeared first on NME.

Fortnite has confirmed its next in-game virtual concert will be delivered by Japanese singer, songwriter and virtual YouTuber Hoshimachi Suisei.

• READ MORE: Laufey on her unexpected ‘Fortnite’ collab, Coachella and the joy of proving people wrong

Hoshimachi Suisei started posting videos in 2018 before joining virtual YouTuber agency Hololive and releasing music through their INoNaKa Music label. Earlier this year, she launched her own Studio Stellar. Suisei has more than 2.88million subscribers on YouTube while more than 1.2million people listen to her music every month on Spotify.

Now Hoshimachi Suisei is heading to Fortnite for a virtual concert. The ‘Stellar in Fortnite’ gig will take place May 2 at midday BST while a world inspired by Suisei’s music will also be made available for players to explore.

お知らせ

/／
　#フォートナイト
　ライブ開催決定！
＼

タイトルは『STELLAR IN FORTNITE』
楽曲の世界観を再現したワールドも公開されます

ライブに合わせてアイコンシリーズの復刻も#フォトナにほしまち　でいっぱい投稿してね！#PR https://t.co/BYOhRomVqq

— 星街すいせいStudio STELLAR (@suisei_hosimati) April 27, 2026

Last month a number of Hoshimachi Suisei cosmetics, including skins and the ‘Bibbidiba’ emote, were added to the Fortnite shop as part of their icon series.

Earlier this month, Laufey was announced as the headline act for Fortnite Festival season 14. As well as skins, cosmetics and jam tracks, a live concert experience inspired by Laufey’s recent ‘A Matter Of Time’ arena tour was also added to the game.

“It’s a collaboration you might not expect from me,” Laufey told NME. “When I started out, I was known as this jazz girl and people assumed I was timid and soft.  Running around with a gun [in Fortnite] is absolutely the best way to show that there are so many more layers to me.”

“Fortnite is just so fantastical,” she added. “It’s something that you’d never see in real life but if you closed your eyes while listening to my music, it’s the world you might dream up. It’s uber romantic and very expressionist, in a way. I want to encourage my fans to be the biggest version of themselves. Inside a video game, you’re free to be the most [authentic] version of yourself and not feel like you’re being judged.”

Epic Games recently added a karaoke mode to Fortnite Festival, which has already spawned a number of viral videos. Yesterday, the company confirmed it would be refunding players who had bought any of the D4vd collaboration cosmetics after the singer was charged with the murder of a 14-year-old girl.

In other news, Call Of Duty movie director Peter Berg has gone viral for brutal comments he made about gamers in a 2013 interview.

The post ‘Fortnite’ confirms Hoshimachi Suisei virtual concert appeared first on NME.

Call Of Duty movie director Peter Berg has gone viral for comments he made about gamers in a 2013 interview.

• READ MORE: How Danish raves and Massive Attack birthed Jesper Kyd’s trip-hoppy ‘Samson’ soundtrack

Set to hit cinemas in 2028, the upcoming live-action Call Of Duty movie adaptation will be directed by Peter Berg from a script written by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan.

According to a joint statement from Activision and Paramount, the Call Of Duty movie will be “designed to thrill its massive global fan base by delivering on the hallmarks of what fans love about the iconic series” of first-person shooter video games. “Both companies are committed to honouring the brand’s rich narrative and distinctive style, promising an authentic and exciting experience for longtime fans and newcomers alike.”

Paramount boss David Ellison has also revealed that he’s spent “countless hours” playing Call Of Duty games. “We’re approaching this film with the same disciplined, uncompromising commitment to excellence that guided our work on Top Gun: Maverick, ensuring it meets the exceptionally high standards this franchise and its fans deserve,” he added.

However, an interview Peter Berg did in 2013 has recently been unearthed that is less complimentary about fans of the franchise. Speaking to Esquire, he said America needs to “toughen up” and called people who play war video games “pathetic”.

“Keyboard courage. Can’t stand it. The only people that I give a Call Of Duty get-out-of-jail-free card to is the military. They’re out there serving and they’re bored and they want to entertain themselves? Okay, maybe. Kids? Uh-uh,” he explained. Berg said that some of his Navy SEAL friends played Call Of Duty. “But I tell them I think it’s pathetic. I think anyone that sits around playing video games for four hours… It’s weak. Get out, do something.”

In 2016, Berg directed the live-action ‘Screw It’ trailer for Call Of Duty: Infinite Warfare which starred Michael Phelps and Danny McBride. He returned to the franchise the following year for a live-action trailer for Call Of Duty: Advanced Warfare starring Taylor Kitsch and Emily Ratajkowski.

However, Berg’s comments have left Call Of Duty fans worried about the upcoming movie. “So they’ve hired a director who hates video games? This movie is going to be straight ass,” wrote one X user. “I have a genuine belief that anytime they make a video game movie they specifically seek out the worst director for it possible,” said another. “It’s gonna be another Starship Troopers situation, where the director despises the source material and creates an abomination that’s the spiritual opposite of its origin,” added another fan on Reddit.

The Call Of Duty movie will be released in cinemas June 20, 2028. So far, no details about cast or plot have been shared.

In other news, a new website has launched for Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil movie, confirming the adaptation will hit cinemas later this year.

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