Gamescom is back, Star Wars is going tactical, and GTA VI is about to have one of the strangest big-game reveals in recent memory.

This week, we are looking at what Gamescom actually is and why its announcements matter, putting Star Wars: Zero Company on the radar ahead of launch, and following the increasingly messy road to Rockstar’s Netflix-first GTA VI showcase.

There are also a few worthwhile games to consider if you are looking for something new without paying full price.

Let’s get into it.

Game Radar

PS5, Xbox Series X|S & PC — August 27, 2026 — From $79.99 CAD

This is not your usual Star Wars game. Zero Company swaps lightsaber combos and open-world wandering for a darker, turn-based tactics campaign set in the final days of the Clone Wars.

You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer leading a made-up-of-misfits squad across a conflict happening in the shadows of the war. Expect to recruit operatives, build your team, and make every position, move, and decision count. There is no co-op or competitive multiplayer here, it is a proper single-player strategy game.

BQ Report take: A major franchise taking a real swing at strategy is worth watching. If you like XCOM, Fire Emblem, or the slower, smarter side of Star Wars, this could be an easy pickup. Everyone else should wait for the early reviews, but do not write it off just because there is no lightsaber in the headline.

Today is the day for Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look that premiered first on Netflix at 3 p.m. ET, before becoming free on YouTube and the official GTA VI website in a couple hours at 9 p.m. ET. The six-hour Netflix window was already an unusual way to debut one of gaming’s biggest reveals. Now, it is arriving after a wave of alleged gameplay footage and map images spread online.

The clips (shared by a group calling itself Cyberleek) appear to show Jason driving, fighting, and moving around Leonida, along with what may be the game’s full map. Rockstar has just come out publicly and confirmed the footage is real, but that the release date would not be affected.

If Rockstar’s official look is polished, detailed, and genuinely new, it will still own the conversation. But this is another reminder that keeping gaming’s biggest secret under wraps is almost impossible, and putting the official version behind a subscription, even briefly, only makes the unofficial version more tempting.

Now: 60% off
Ends: September 3

One of the best open-world driving games of the generation is heavily discounted across Xbox and Steam, with the PS5 sale now live as well. If you want a game that is easy to drop into for 20 minutes, or lose an entire weekend to, this is a very safe buy.

Now: Up to 80% off
Ends: September 1

Steam’s Microsoft Flight Simulator franchise sale is live, covering multiple games and editions. It is not a quick casual purchase, the best experience benefits from a controller, joystick, or at least some patience, but they are impressive “sit back and explore” games on PC.

BQ Report take: Not for everyone, but an excellent late-summer deal if you want a slower, more immersive game instead of another combat grind.

Prices, stock, and individual edition availability can change—check the relevant storefront before buying.

If E3 was gaming’s old summer spectacle, Gamescom is now one of the industry’s biggest global stages. The annual event is held at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, where publishers, developers, media, and fans gather for new trailers, playable demos, developer presentations, cosplay, and announcements.

This year’s main show runs August 26–30, after Gamescom Opening Night Live kicked things off on August 25. The early days are geared more toward media and industry attendees, while the show opens fully to the public from Thursday through Sunday.

One of Opening Night Live’s biggest announcements was The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt — Remastered, launching September 29. CD Projekt Red says it will be a free upgrade for qualifying existing owners on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, with upgrades to visuals, performance, and gameplay.

It is a fitting Gamescom story: an 11-year-old RPG is being given a new lease on life just as anticipation builds for the next Witcher era.

BQ Report take: You do not need to watch every Gamescom stream or trailer this week. But it is worth knowing that this is where the fall and 2027 release calendar starts to take shape, and a free Witcher 3 remaster is a very good opening move.

They look identical :(
Fortunately, companies usually label them so it’s easier to tell them apart^*

^*Assume its HDMI 2.0 if there are no labels^{*
(unless you dug it out of a very old cable pile, then its probably older)}

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