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Sony is ending physical disc production for new PlayStation games in 2028, and the widely controversial decision could affect how Xbox and Nintendo approach physical media, according to the company's ex-boss.

Earlier this week, PlayStation made everyone and their unborn children mad by announcing that it plans to discontinue physical production of new games releasing on PS4, PS5, and inevitable PS6 consoles from January 2026. "Following this date, new games will be available on PlayStation Store and at retailers in digital formats only," the company explained.

Former PlayStation Worldwide Studios head, Shawn Layden, who led the company across its PS4 golden years, recently chimed in on the "dramatic decision" in an interview with Eurogamer .

Speaking on how PlayStation's disc-less future could impact the other two console makers, Layden essentially says it's not good news: "Certainly this is an industry where if one company, particularly the leader of the industry, makes a decision of this magnitude, that's going to heavily influence what the other ones do."

The Nintendo Switch 2 is a fairly new console that supports physical cartridges, despite a few less-than-ideal Game-Key Card releases. The likelihood of the Big N completely ditching physical games any time soon is pretty low , then.

Meanwhile, Xbox has pretty openly discussed its next-gen plans for Project Helix , a console that can also apparently play your PC games. What shape that takes isn't totally clear, but there haven't been any promises of a built-in disc drive at the time of writing.

Ending support for physical releases isn't a new point of debate for the company, Layden says, since was apparently asked about it "every year for the last 20 years." But he was always hesitant to pull the trigger until he was "comfortable enough to believe that worldwide, broadband throughout is good enough to support that download experience, good enough to reach the majority of customers," he tells Eurogamer. While he was in charge, that reality obviously never came to pass, though he acknowledges that he no longer works for PlayStation and, thus, no longer knows what their internal data says about the matter.

Regardless, Sony's decision has been hugely unpopular. Developers and publishers across the industry spoke out against PlayStation's all-digital future , citing concerns around game preservation and consumer rights.

Despite huge declines over the last two decades, one analyst recently revealed that spending on physical games in the US actually increased over the last 12-month period. Around $1.6 billion was spent on physical video games in the US alone – certainly nothing to scoff at, and the small increase in business indicates that it's not a market that's ready to die by itself.

Game preservation expert says stop killing games if you don't want piracy, because companies like PlayStation and Rockstar "refuse to offer a meaningful alternative"

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On July 1, Fenris Creations (formerly CCP) completed the full open source release of its in-house Carbon Engine, the tech behind long-running MMO EVE Online and early access space survival game EVE Frontier. The Carbon Engine's repositories are available now on GitHub .

It's an impressive, surprising move in a time when proprietary game engines are increasingly rare. Even studios that were once defined by their in-house tech, like CD Projekt and its Red Engine, have abandoned it in favor of the ascendent Unreal Engine, which recently unveiled the first details of its sixth iteration. Notably, while Space MMOs EVE Online and Frontier are built on Carbon, Fenris' FPS project Vanguard is being built with Unreal.

Something that really struck me here is that Fenris has repeatedly shown a capability and consistency in following through on its promises. When I first visited the studio at the end of 2024 for an early look at EVE Frontier in the PC Gaming Show, Fenris outlined an exciting, ambitious vision for its survival game. That vision included more action-oriented gameplay than EVE Online, one-of-a-kind server-side modding support, and open-sourcing the Carbon Engine.

Less than two years later, Fenris has made good on all three promises: Frontier has dogfighting now, the mod scene is active and intriguing , and now Carbon is open source. That last development particularly buoys my spirits at a time when tech and computing are becoming increasingly closed and proprietary.

Aftermath recently called the Steam Machine an "iconoclastic" device for its commitment to open, customizable computing in contrast with the wider drift of tech, and I feel much the same way about the direction Fenris is moving in.

While development continues on Frontier, Fenris is also working on the ambitious MMO-extraction FPS EVE Vanguard , and EVE Online continues to be one of the great homes of MMO shenanigans online. Recently, one newbie player was set for life thanks to an almost unheard of one-in-a-million drop .

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The next Opel Astra may move away from the traditional hatchback shape.

Opel CEO Florian Huettl says an estate version is already locked in.

The new compact model will ride on Stellantis’ new STLA One platform.

Wagons are quietly leaving the European market, but a few automakers see them as a way to stand apart from the endless run of hatchbacks and SUVs. Opel looks to be one of them. The Stellantis brand is reworking the recipe for the next-generation Astra, walking away from the familiar hatchback shape while making clear the estate isn’t going anywhere.

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The current Astra landed in 2021 as a close relative of the Peugeot 308, and both cars picked up mid-lifecycle updates in late 2025 to keep pace with the VW Golf and Toyota Corolla. A successor is already locked in, though, with Opel confirming it will arrive before the decade is out.

More: Stellantis Confirms The Next Astra And Corsa Land Before 2030

The Astra has carried hatchback and estate bodies since the original showed up 35 years ago, long after sedans, coupes, and convertibles fell off the roster. The next one could be the car that finally breaks that pattern, and it starts with the shape buyers have always taken for granted.

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The facelifted Opel Astra lineup.

Our colleagues from Auto Express spoke with Opel CEO, Florian Huettl, asking him whether the compact hatchback needs to evolve. His answer left the door open. “It doesn’t mean necessarily that the new Astra is a traditional hatchback,” he said.

Surprisingly, the CEO added: “I can tell you that there will be a station wagon, because that’s what our home market in Germany requires, and this is what we will serve” revealing that interior space will be one of the focus points for the next generation.

More: A Designer’s Son Asked For A Shark In 2004, And This Stellantis Brand Has Been Hiding Them In Its Cars Ever Since

The move cuts against the grain of what some mainstream rivals are doing right now. Just last week, the President and CEO of Hyundai Europe came close to confirming the death of the i30 Wagon , with the company steering its R&D money toward higher-margin SUVs instead.

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New Platform, New Possibilities

Opel Astra Sports Tourer

The next Astra will ride on the new STLA One architecture. Huettl said the car will “certainly be a BEV ,” though the platform handles more than electric power, which is why Opel is “currently looking at the right calibration of the powertrain offer.”

More: Stellantis Puts Cheap Cars Under $30,000 Back On America’s Menu

The CEO revealed that while Opel sells plug-in hybrid variants of the Astra and the Grandland, their sales are “by no means at the same level of importance as the fully electric or the hybrid variants.”

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He added that range extender setups are “quite interesting,” although early examples of the technology “may struggle to digest” driving on German highways at 130-140 kmh (81-87 mph). That could change down the line, potentially with help from Stellantis’ Chinese partner Leapmotor .

Production To Remain In Germany

Opel Astra

Despite the recent layoffs from its R&D facilities at the Russelsheim headquarters, the new Astra will be manufactured at the same plant, backed by fresh investment.

More: Stellantis Swears Its Rebadges Won’t Be Lazy, But Only Four Brands Get 70% Of The Cash

A major Astra makeover isn’t the next thing on the calendar, though. Opel has more new models coming first, starting with a new generation of the smaller Corsa expected in 2027, followed by a Leapmotor-based compact SUV and a fresh Mokka. And unlike Stellantis stablemates Citroen and Fiat, both busy with the 2CV and the next Pandina as budget EVs, Opel isn’t chasing that segment.

An official teaser of an upcoming compact SUV based on Leapmotor underpinnings.

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Yet another record-size cruise ship is about to debut — this time in Europe.

Dubbed Legend of the Seas, the 20-deck-high Royal Caribbean vessel will sail from Civitavecchia, Italy, on Saturday on a maiden voyage that will take it to Marseille, France; Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; and La Spezia, Italy before a return trip to Civitavecchia.

Built at the giant Meyer Turku shipyard in Turku, Finland, Legend of the Seas is the latest ship in Royal Caribbean's much-ballyhooed Icon Class series , which is setting new records for ship sizes.

Two earlier vessels in the two-year-old series — Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas — each are about 6% bigger than the previous size leader among cruise ships, Royal Caribbean's four-year-old Wonder of the Seas .

Like both of its sisters, Legend of the Seas measures about 248,660 gross tons. But it's a foot longer than the two earlier Icon Class vessels, making it the new world's largest cruise ship — if only by a tad.

Room for nearly 10,000 people

Like its sisters, Legend of the Seas is able to hold up to 7,600 passengers with every berth full — a record-breaking number that tops any other vessels afloat by a significant amount.

Add in 2,350 crew members, and Legend of the Seas, like its sisters, can sail at times with nearly 10,000 people on board — also a record for a cruise vessel.

Legend of the Seas is loaded with top deck amusements. ROYAL CARIBBEAN As is typical for the world's largest cruise ships, both Icon of the Seas and Star of the Seas debuted in Florida, the cruise capital of the world. But Legend of the Seas will sail in the Mediterranean through late October, when it will reposition across the Atlantic to Fort Lauderdale's Port Everglades .

Related: The 7 types of Royal Caribbean ships, explained

That makes it by far the largest cruise vessel ever to debut in Europe.

Legend of the Seas' Mediterranean sailings, mostly seven nights in length, will begin in Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Barcelona.

After repositioning to Florida, it'll operate alternating six- and eight-night sailings to the Western Caribbean and Southern Caribbean with calls at some ports such as Falmouth, Jamaica and Willemstad, Curacao that haven't traditionally seen Icon Class ships .

All Legend of the Seas voyages will also feature calls at Perfect Day at CocoCay , Royal Caribbean's hugely popular private island in the Bahamas.

Designed for families

Like the two other vessels in the Icon Class series, Legend of the Seas has been designed with families in mind.

The Icon Class series of ships boasts more cabins offering extra bunks to accommodate families with children than earlier Royal Caribbean vessels. They also have more amenities geared to families, including new-for-the-line outdoor "neighborhoods" called Surfside that are dedicated to families with young children.

A merry-go-round for young kids at the Surfside area. ROYAL CARIBBEAN The Surfside areas, notably, feature splash areas for babies and kids, pools and lounge spaces for parents, family-friendly eateries and shops.

The Icon Class ships also feature seven pools and the largest water parks ever built on a cruise ship, with a record six waterslides each. No other vessels come close to such extensive water attractions on a cruise ship.

Related: Royal Caribbean ships ranked from newest to oldest

Among new features on Legend of the Seas are a Hollywood-themed Supper Club and new food venues at the top-of-the-ship AquaDome Market.

New entertainment offerings include a version of Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory", which played on Broadway and London's West End.

Initial fares for seven-night sailings on Legend of the Seas in the Mediterranean start at $1,480 per person, based on double occupancy. Fares for sailings out of Florida start at $1,582 per person, based on double occupancy.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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The U.K. Royal Navy has launched a kamikaze drone, the Nyan one-way effector, from a ship at sea, marking a significant step toward the U.K.’s ambition of a so-called ‘hybrid’ naval force. This is just one element of a much broader push toward increased reliance on uncrewed platforms, something that was underscored in the long-awaited Defense Investment Plan , unveiled earlier this week .

During recent trials off the south coast of England, the Nyan one-way effector drone was launched from the experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett , a platform used by the Royal Navy as a testbed for new technologies.

Nyan – The latest addition to our uncrewed air systems capabilities.

A British-built One-Way Effector now proven across land and sea by the @RoyalNavy and @BritishArmy .

Discover more https://t.co/Ap79OQ9W3p pic.twitter.com/Vv2wA31zic

— BAE Systems (@BAESystemsplc) July 3, 2026

The trial, known as Exercise Neptune Reach, involved personnel from the Royal Navy’s 744 Naval Air Squadron, 26 Royal Artillery of the British Army, and the Royal Air Force.

In a statement, Luke Pollard MP, Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry, said : “Britain is serious about the transition to a Hybrid Navy with new, powerful drones at the heart of the Royal Navy. By bringing together Army and Navy expertise to field strike drones from a ship at sea, we are accelerating the capabilities our forces need to stay ahead of our adversaries.”

The experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett with the launcher for the Nyan drone installed. Crown Copyright Royal Navy

The catapult launcher for the Nyan was installed on the ship’s deck. Operators then programmed the drone to fly to a specific target, which it flew to autonomously, while the ship was underway.

Developed starting in 2022, specifically for precision strike, the Nyan was designed and built by Callen-Lenz , a subsidiary of BAE Systems. It is intended to be a low-cost strike platform, with a unit cost of less than £100,000 ($132,000), according to the manufacturer.

The drone has a wingspan of around 9.5 feet and a reported range of more than 93 miles (150 kilometers) — meaning it can hit targets at a greater distance than the Harpoon anti-ship missile . Built mainly of carbon fiber, the Nyan is powered by a small turbojet engine. The design of the drone and its construction include reference to low observability, including a stealthy exhaust nozzle, making it harder for hostile air defenses to detect and destroy.

Royal Navy and British Army personnel prepare a Nyan for launch on experimentation ship XV Patrick Blackett . Crown Copyright Royal Navy

The Nyan drone and launcher have already been tested extensively during land exercises. During Exercise Spring Storm in Estonia this year, the British Army used the system in support of NATO allies on maneuvers. Thereafter, the British Army’s Royal Artillery adopted the Nyan for operational service.

Ahead of that, the Nyan made its combat debut in Ukrainian hands.

In the maritime context, the Exercise Neptune Reach trials from the Patrick Blackett were part of the wider, tri-service Project Vantage. This is focused on rapidly testing and delivering one-way effectors for the Royal Navy.

“This trial makes a significant step forward in delivering maritime one-way effectors at pace,” explained Lt. Cdr. David Burton, Maritime One-Way Effectors Capability Sponsor with the Royal Navy. “Under Project Vantage, we are planning to integrate these capabilities into the Hybrid Navy, combining crewed platforms with uncrewed systems to expand reach, increase tempo and enhance lethality.”

A palletized Nyan drone is lowered onto its catapult launcher installed on the ship’s deck. Crown Copyright Royal Navy

The Nyan is already in quantity production, with more than 1,000 units manufactured so far, according to Matt Foster, CEO of Callen-Lenz.

The Royal Navy has said that the recent at-sea trials pave the way for further experimentation and also potential future deployment of the Nyan across the fleet.

Beyond the strike mission that the Nyan is currently equipped for, Callen-Lenz has said that the Nyan could be adapted to carry other payloads, or potentially be scaled up for increased range or endurance.

Interestingly, BAE Systems has also outlined the potential for further trials of the Nyan aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth .

In its last Strategic Defense Review , published last year, the U.K. Ministry of Defense described how plans for a hybrid naval force would also affect the two carriers and their air wings:

“The Royal Navy must continue to move towards a more powerful but cheaper and simpler fleet, developing a ‘high-low’ mix of equipment and weapons that exploits autonomy and digital integration,” the review stated. “Carrier strike is already at the cutting edge of NATO capability, but much more rapid progress is needed in its evolution into hybrid carrier air wings, whereby crewed combat aircraft (F-35B) are complemented by autonomous collaborative platforms in the air, and expendable, single-use drones. Plans for the hybrid carrier air wings should also include long-range precision missiles capable of being fired from the carrier deck.”

Already tested extensively during land exercises, the autonomous drone was taken to sea to explore how it could be operated from a ship. Crown Copyright Royal Navy

Earlier this week, the Defense Investment Plan noted that the development effort for the hybrid carrier air wing will include trials of jet-powered drones from the carrier. Previous drone trials aboard the British carriers have involved the QinetiQ Banshee Jet 80+, an adapted target drone, launched from HMS Prince of Wales in 2021. Subsequently, the General Atomics Mojave short takeoff and landing (STOL) drone was operated from the same carrier in 2023, as you can read about here . The Mojave’s impressive STOL capabilities meant that no launch and recovery systems were required for these tests.

A Mojave STOL drone landing on HMS Prince of Wales . GA-ASI

Beyond catapult-launched drones like the Nyan, the Royal Navy has a longer-term ambition for ‘cat and trap’ drone operations aboard its carriers, under an effort named Project Ark Royal.

If successful, Project Ark Royal will see the two carriers start to operate drones that can undertake a variety of missions and then increasingly heavier, complex, and higher-performance ones. In the past, General Atomics has pitched to the Royal Navy a carrier-capable fifth member of its Gambit drone family , intended to fit into a future air wing aboard the U.K. carriers.

A rendering featuring a catapult-equipped HMS Prince of Wales with a Gambit-series drone ready to launch. GA-ASI

Later on, full catapult-assisted takeoff but arrested recovery (CATOBAR) capability could even add fixed-wing crewed aircraft, as we have explored in the past .

Of course, the United Kingdom is not alone in these aspirations, with China and Turkey , most notably, also increasingly exploring using drones aboard big-deck amphibious warfare vessels and other non-conventional-takeoff-and-landing aircraft carriers.

For the time being, the Nyan represents a fairly modest strike capability. Based on its range, what is likely a relatively small warhead, and subsonic performance, it is best understood as a low-cost tactical precision weapon. It lacks the reach and payload of the kinds of long-range precision-fires capabilities that the U.K. Armed Forces are increasingly looking to develop . However, it is an affordable means of engaging targets at relatively short distances and could be particularly effective if launched in large numbers and from a variety of platforms. As we have explored in the past , quantity has its own advantages in this context, and launching swarms of these at enemy ships or shore targets would make them very hard to defend against.

At the same time, experience with the Nyan in a maritime environment will help pave the way for introducing more capable drones.

An experimental Banshee Jet 80 target drone on the flight deck of HMS Prince of Wales during an earlier test of uncrewed technology on the aircraft carrier. Crown Copyright LPhot Ben Corbett

As such, the successful at-sea launch of the Nyan drone marks an important milestone in the Royal Navy’s transition toward a hybrid naval force.

More generally, by demonstrating the ability to deploy low-cost, autonomous strike drones from a moving ship, the trial highlights the U.K.’s commitment to expanding precision strike capabilities and expanding its use on uncrewed platforms.

As the Royal Navy continues to experiment with ship-based drone operations, including air wings featuring uncrewed systems, these kinds of assets are set to play an increasingly important role, complementing traditional platforms and enhancing the fleet’s overall combat effectiveness.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com

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