Today is a weird day in the industry. Honestly, if you’d told me a year ago that we’d be sitting here on October 14, 2025, watching Rockstar Games head to court over a Discord chat while Nintendo prints money with a 3D Mario re-release, I probably would’ve believed you. This is just how gaming works now.
It’s Tuesday. Usually, that means "reset day" for live-service junkies, but the headlines hitting the wire right now are way more significant than a few new skins or a seasonal patch. We’re looking at a massive legal showdown at Rockstar, a "quiet" release day that actually has some heavy hitters for the Nintendo Switch 2, and a bizarre retail rumor that Microsoft had to squash before it spiraled out of control.
The Rockstar Legal Mess: What Really Happened with the GTA 6 Firings
The biggest thing in gaming news today October 14 2025 isn’t a trailer; it’s a court transcript. You’ve probably seen the headlines about Rockstar North sacking a bunch of developers late last year. Well, today we finally got the "why."
New documents from a UK tribunal have surfaced, and they are wild. Basically, Rockstar is claiming they fired over 30 employees because of a private Discord server. The studio says these devs were leaking "top-secret" features. Specifically, they were discussing a 32-player online mode for GTA 6.
Now, keep in mind that GTA 5 already handles 32 players (if you count the spectators), so it sounds like a small detail. But Rockstar’s legal team is arguing this was "commercially sensitive information." The fired employees, represented by the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), say that’s a load of rubbish. They’re claiming it was actually a move to bust up unionization efforts.
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The timing is what really gets people. These firings happened right around the time GTA 6 got pushed back to its current November 19, 2026, release date. It’s a mess. Whether it was actually about "player counts" or just a way to clear out union-friendly staff is something the courts are going to be chewing on for months.
Nintendo Switch 2 Gets the "Galaxy" Treatment
While Rockstar is fighting in court, Nintendo is just... being Nintendo. If you own the new hardware, today is actually a pretty big day for the eShop.
Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 just hit the Switch 2 today. It’s technically a re-release of the 3D All-Stars version but with the second game finally included. It feels like Nintendo is finally letting these games out of "purgatory," as some fans have called it. Seeing Galaxy 2 running in 4K (docked) on the Switch 2 is legitimately gorgeous.
Also, Just Dance 2026 Edition launched today. Look, I know it’s a meme at this point, but it’s a monster for Ubisoft. This version has 40 tracks, including stuff from Dua Lipa and Madonna. It’s also one of the few games today that actually launched across every single platform—PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and both Switch generations.
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Other Notable October 14 Releases:
- NASCAR 25: This is the big debut from iRacing Studios. It’s out on PS5 and Series X|S today. If you’re a racing fan, this is the one everyone has been waiting for to see if iRacing can actually save the NASCAR license.
- Mohrta: A retro-styled FPS that just hit Early Access on PC. It’s non-linear and looks like something from the 90s but plays way smoother.
- Avatar of the Blood Moon: A smaller PC title that’s getting some "hidden gem" buzz on Steam today.
Why Microsoft is Chasing Down Retail Rumors
Microsoft spent part of today doing damage control. Over the weekend, a rumor caught fire on Reddit (thanks to a user named CodeE1985) suggesting that Target and Walmart were going to stop stocking Xbox hardware.
People freaked out. It’s easy to see why—Xbox has had a rough 2025 with hardware sales. But today, Microsoft PR and Target both put out statements saying it's not true. Target specifically said that some items were just sold out on their website, which triggered the "out of stock" alerts that people mistook for a delisting.
Honestly, the fact that people believed the rumor so easily says more about the "Xbox is going third-party" anxiety than it does about Target’s inventory.
What This Means for Your Wallet
If you’re looking at gaming news today October 14 2025 and wondering what to actually buy, here’s the breakdown.
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The Mario Galaxy bundle is a safe bet if you missed the limited run on the original Switch. It’s a "forever" game. If you’re into sims, NASCAR 25 is the most technically impressive thing out today, but maybe wait for the first round of reviews to see how the physics feel on a controller.
The Rockstar situation doesn't change when we get GTA 6, but it does cast a bit of a shadow over the development. If you care about where your games come from, the IWGB’s legal fight is something to keep an eye on. It might lead to some "festival of gaming" protests at events later this month, like TwitchCon San Diego on the 17th.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your eShop: The Mario Galaxy duo is a beefy download; get it started now if you’re planning to play tonight.
- Monitor the NASCAR 25 reviews: iRacing is a new dev for this series, so verify the "Day 1" stability before dropping $70.
- Steam Next Fest: Don’t forget that Steam Next Fest started yesterday. There are literally hundreds of demos to play right now, including Digimon Story: Time Stranger, which has been getting decent early impressions.