Jay Peters

Today’s Thinky Direct 2026 featured more than 40 trailers and announcements about upcoming games featuring puzzles and problem solving. Not a bad way to kick off the upcoming run of big gaming events. [Media: https://www.youtube/watch?v=26pAa3Biv4E]

At its upcoming Xbox showcase, Microsoft also won't share news about Project Helix.

Xbox’s chief content officer shared the update on a new episode of the Official Xbox Podcast. Microsoft is using today to set some expectations ahead of the showcase, which takes place on June 7th at 1PM ET; the company also delayed Fable to February 2027. [Media: https://youtu.be/BwYglyND1EA?si=3p3qELUEGBiZiETH&t=648]

The app will combine GitHub Copilot, the Copilot chatbot, Copilot Cowork, and a “new agentic workflow capability internally named Autopilot” into one place, Fortune reports. Sounds like a Microsoft version of something like OpenAI’s “super app” ambitions. Perhaps it will be shown off at Microsoft Build next week? [Link: Exclusive: Microsoft is building a super app that combines coding, chat, and other Copilot AI tools

Ackman, through his Pershing Square hedge fund, had offered in April to take over UMG in a deal valuing the music giant at around €55 billion. But UMG says that the offer “fundamentally and materially undervalues UMG and will not deliver superior value creation.” [Link: Universal Music Group N.V. Board of Directors Declines Unsolicited Pershing Square Proposal

Microsoft is testing a feature for the Xbox Accessories app that shows an image of the type of controller that you’re using in the UI. The company is also testing a way to set a specific hex color code for your console theme and an indicator that tells you when there’s a confirmed Xbox service issue. [Image: https://platform.theverge/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/05/Controller_Preview_Pirate-4e23c26541580356e79c.png?quality=90&strip=all]

The proposed deal, in which Playstack would be owned by a subsidiary of Integrated Media Company (IMC), was reported on by Game Developer. IMC also owns brands like Fandom, Screen Junkies, and TV Guide. According to a statement from Harvey Elliott, Playstack’s founder and CEO, the deal is “a change in ownership rather than a change in who we are.” [Link: Balatro publisher Playstack is being sold to GameSpot owner IMC

Following Rockstar’s firing of more than 30 developers last year in a move accused of being “union busting”, developers at the studio have formed the Rockstar Game Workers Union. According to Game Developer: > Now, the union is preparing to take Rockstar to court over the firings. RGWU says that more and more workers are joining from every one of Rockstar’s sites across Edinburgh, London, Leeds, Lincoln, and Dundee. [Link: The Rockstar Game Workers Union breaks cover

Slots & Daggers, out now on consoles, is a low-key roguelike that you can finish over the course of a few days.

You may have heard that Valve's new Steam Controller can ring like a telephone or do the Wilhelm scream . But did you know it can sing songs, too? Let me show you.