Lots of video game news this week, but the BREAKING story this morning is that Thomas Tuchel has just revealed his final England squad for the 2026 World Cup. If you’ll indulge me, I have a few musings on some rather choice decisions made by the Three Lions coach. I do, of course, understand if you have absolutely zero interest in all things football (soccer). If that’s the case, feel free to skip this week’s intro and head straight for the headlines. No offense taken.
Still here? You beauty.
So, contrary to the opinion of most England fans I actually don’t hate Tuchel’s picks here. Yes, the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, who has been absolutely stellar for Nottingham Forest this season, will be rightfully gutted to not make the cut. But, would he really be starting over Bellingham (a proper talisman on his day) or Rogers? Probably not.
England legend and meme generator Harry Maguire (our beloved ‘slabhead’) will no doubt feel somewhat aggrieved given his resurgence for Manchester United, but Tuchel is evidently more trusting of the players who ensured England qualified unbeaten for the tournament. John Stones is the rogue choice in defense given his recent injury record, although you cannot question his pedigree.
I’ve clocked a few people quibbling about the inclusion of Ivan Toney as what looks to be England’s third-choice striker, but again, we’re really splitting hairs here. I’d have been happy with Dominic Calvert-Lewin or even Danny Welbeck in that role, but we all know Harry Kane and then Ollie Watkins are top of the pecking order when it comes to England’s striking options.
Other notable attacking omissions include Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, who have been underwhelming to say the least for their respective clubs sides this season. Class is permanent, but it doesn’t mean you should be picked for a World Cup squad over Premier League and European Cup winners.
I suspect those England fans currently sharpening their knives are forgetting that the best players do not necessarily make the best team. That might sound counterintuitive, but you need balance and experience to win major tournaments. England have already tried and failed to end the years of hurt by simply throwing a gaggle of star names on a plane—remember the ill-fated ‘Golden Generation’—and hoping they’d mesh come matchday.
Tuchel evidently has a vision and the trophy-winning chops to inspire at least some belief. Let’s not despair until the wheels have actually come off, eh?
Alright, now back to the VIDEO GAMES.
Bloomberg // Sony is reportedly preparing to jettison a “significant” number of Bungie workers after ending development on Destiny 2. Sources told Bloomberg the studio intends to focus on Marathon as opposed to commencing production on Destiny 3, meaning layoffs are imminent.
via Xbox Wire // Microsoft has tweaked the design of its adaptive thumbstick toppers after soliciting feedback from users. The company explained its new designs—which include a highly requested ‘Goal Post’ option—are more capable of enduring high force use.
via Game Developer // The Nex Playground is a controller-free, motion-tracking video game console that outsold Xbox in the United States for a brief period last year. The little console that could is now heading to the UK as part of a slow-and-steady global rollout, and it’s safe to say the leadership team overseeing the device have pretty lofty ambitions.
via The Game Business // New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma continues to put her stamp on Microsoft’s video game division. This week, she named industry analyst Matthew Ball as chief strategy officer and former CVP of Azure OpenAI and AI infrastructure Scott Van Vliet as chief technology officer.
via Game Developer // Do you want to play some video games from the folks who helped make Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Anthem? Well, you’re in luck, because a cohort of veteran devs who helped wrangle those franchises into being have formed a new studio to craft “smaller, more intentional” experiences that are, above all else, story-rich. I am seated.
via Variety // I’ll dig into Take-Two’s financials later today, but we already have an answer to what I imagine is the real question on everybody’s lips: Will GTA VI still launch this year? Right now, Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick is confident the long-gestating sequel will debut in November 2026 (after multiple delays). The company still hasn’t confirmed how much it’ll cost, mind. Are we looking at the first $100 video game? Probably not, in this writer’s opinion.
via Game Developer // After cementing its position as the industry’s leading expert on layoffs, Swedish conglomerate Embracer Group has announced plans to spin off yet another publicly-traded company. The move will see major franchises like Tomb Raider and Metro alongside studios such as Crystal Dynamics and Eidos-Montréal be housed within a new standalone segment called Fellowship Entertainment.