➀ Astro Bot, the latest first-party exclusive from Sony, has surpassed the sales of iconic PlayStation mascot Ratchet and Clank in its first week of launch in the UK; ➁ Despite being a relatively new IP, Astro Bot's success is notable, especially considering the long-standing history of Ratchet and Clank; ➂ The initial sales figures are specific to the UK, and the global comparison with Ratchet and Clank's 4 million sales in the first two years will be interesting to observe.

➀ The Black Ops 6 beta has set new records in Call of Duty history; ➁ The beta included both closed and open testing phases; ➂ The beta was the largest in terms of total players, hours played, playtime per player, and most matches played.

1. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater's social media accounts have updated their iconography and banners to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the series. 2. Fans speculate that these updates could be part of a marketing strategy for an unannounced game. 3. Following Microsoft's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, insiders suggest the company may be planning to revive the Tony Hawk franchise.

➀ The Nintendo Museum, repurposed from a historic card manufacturing plant, will open on October 2 in Kyoto, showcasing Nintendo's iconic games and history. ➁ Exhibits include a giant Wii Remote and interactive touchscreen floors for playing mobile card games. ➂ The museum also features a dedicated section for pre-gaming era Nintendo, including a Laser Clay shooting gallery and retro-themed Japanese home interiors.

1. Geoff Keighley has confirmed that Hollow Knight: Silksong will not be featured at the upcoming Gamescom Opening Night Live. 2. The game was previously announced as a day-one Game Pass addition with a planned release within a year, but no new timeline has been provided since. 3. Despite the absence of Silksong, the ONL showcase will still feature several highly anticipated games.

1. Wreckfest 2, the sequel to the 2018's popular destruction derby game, has been officially announced by THQ Nordic. 2. The game is set to launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S with an improved physics engine, customizable cars, and new game modes including a split-screen mode. 3. The original Wreckfest was well-received for its unique soft-body damage model and has been released on various platforms including mobile.

1. EA's College Football 25 has seen over 2.2 million players pay for early access, despite the high cost; 2. The trend of charging for early access is becoming more common in the gaming industry; 3. The Deluxe Edition includes 3 days of early access and 4600 College Football Points.

1. Helldivers II and The Last of Us Part II Remastered are the top-selling games in the UK for 2024, both published by Sony. 2. Helldivers II has sold over 12 million copies globally, while The Last of Us Part II Remastered, a PS5 remaster, has taken second place despite no official sales figures from Sony. 3. The success of The Last of Us Part II Remastered may be attributed to the new audience attracted by the TV show adaptation.

1. Star Wars: Battlefront (2015) tops the list of best-selling Star Wars games in the US. 2. The list includes multiple LEGO Star Wars games, highlighting their popularity. 3. The upcoming Star Wars: Outlaws by Ubisoft is expected to impact the sales rankings.

1. GAME UK, a leading video games retailer in the UK, is discontinuing more of its services, including the sale of physical currency cards. 2. The company has been undergoing a series of downsizing strategies, such as ending in-store pre-orders and closing physical stores. 3. Despite these changes, customers can still purchase digital codes for game credits, but physical cards will no longer be available.

1. GAME UK, a leading video games retailer in the UK, has been scaling back its services over the past year, including ending its Reward program and trade-in services. 2. Starting from August 1st, GAME UK will stop accepting in-store pre-orders, and customers will only be able to pre-order through the company's website. 3. The GAME Wallet functionality will also be shut down on August 21st, and any pre-orders set to release after January 2025 will be refunded.

1. Amazon is offering several free games to Prime members during Prime Day, including Rise of the Tomb Raider, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and Chivalry 2. 2. These games are part of the ongoing promotions leading up to and during the Prime Day event. 3. Prime members can claim these games for free, enhancing their gaming experience as a benefit of their Prime membership.