Featured Product

Elgato Stream Deck XL (32 Keys) Was $249.95 → $199.99 on Amazon

The Stream Deck XL is the version that actually solves the "not enough buttons" problem the standard 15-key model runs into once your setup gets complicated. 32 customizable LCD keys mean scene switches, audio mutes, clip triggers, alert toggles, and macros can all live on one panel instead of buried in menus mid-stream — genuinely useful the moment something goes wrong live and you need a fix in under two seconds.

It works with OBS, Streamlabs, and most major streaming software out of the box, and Elgato's plugin ecosystem means most third-party tools (Discord, Spotify, Twitch alerts) already have dedicated integrations. At 20% off, this is the single most direct production-quality upgrade in this week's list for anyone still running their whole stream off keyboard shortcuts.

Hexgears X5 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard (+ Wrist Rest) Was $65.99 → $58.99 on Amazon

A tri-mode wireless mechanical board that includes a wrist rest in the box, which is a real value-add most keyboards in this range charge extra for. Hexgears has built a reputation on hot-swappable switches at accessible prices, so this is a legitimate entry point if you've been wanting to try different switch feels without committing to a full custom build.

At 11% off, the discount here is modest, but the included wrist rest and tri-mode connectivity (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, wired) make it a fair pick for anyone assembling a first wireless mechanical setup on a budget. 👉 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

USB 3.0 Capture Card (1080p60, Switch / PS5 / Xbox / DSLR) Was $29.99 → $16.19 with coupon on Amazon

A budget entry point for anyone getting into console or camera capture without committing Elgato-tier money. It handles 1080p at 60fps over a plain USB 3.0 connection, plug-and-play with OBS and most streaming software, and it's flexible enough to pull from a Switch, PS5, Xbox, or a DSLR/mirrorless camera for a proper webcam upgrade.

Heads up: the $16.19 price needs a coupon clipped on the product page before it applies at checkout. At 46% off with the coupon, this is an easy way to add a second video source to a setup without a big spend. 👉 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

PowerA Advantage Wired Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 (Officially Licensed) Was $39.99 → $29.84 on Amazon

An officially licensed Switch 2 controller built around Hall Effect thumbstick modules, meaning contactless magnetic sensors instead of the physical contacts that wear down and cause stick drift over time — a real longevity upgrade, not just marketing language. The mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons can be programmed on the fly mid-game, with no menu diving required, and on-board audio controls let you adjust headset volume, mute your mic, or switch EQ modes (Standard, Bass Boost, Immersive) right from the back of the controller.

It's wired, which means zero battery anxiety, and the included 10 ft. detachable USB-C cable gives real room to sit back from the TV. A 3.5mm audio jack rounds it out for anyone plugging in a wired headset directly. At 25% off, it's a strong pickup for a Switch 2 backup controller or a first drift-proof upgrade. 👉 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

Corsair IRONCLAW Wireless SE Gaming Mouse Was $89.99 → $59.99 on Amazon

A larger-bodied wireless mouse built for a palm grip rather than the ultralight fingertip mice that have dominated recent releases — genuinely worth considering if you've found the sub-70g trend uncomfortable for long sessions. It runs Corsair's proprietary Slipstream wireless tech for low-latency, near-wired responsiveness, plus Bluetooth as a backup connection option.

The SE finish adds a two-tone black-and-white colorway on top of the standard IRONCLAW's specs. At 33% off, this is a solid pickup for anyone who's tried the featherweight competitive mice and just wants something that fills the hand properly. 👉 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

What's Streaming

🎮💰 GTA VI Giveaway: New Date — Win Cash Live on 11/14

Heads up — new date. We're moving the GTA VI cash giveaway to Saturday, November 14th, around 9PM CST. The game drops November 19th, and we're giving it the extra runway to make sure there are no more delays — and to see whether a PC rollout gets announced before we draw. Same deal otherwise: instead of preordering GTA VI, BLKSUIT is handing the cash straight to one of you. Spin the wheel, cash lands in your pocket.

The upside for you: entries stay open a whole lot longer, so there's plenty of runway to stack them up.

How to stack entries:
Sub (new or current) — +2  |  Subbed 3+ months — +2 bonus  |  New follower — +1  |  Cheer 500+ bits during the stream — +1  |  Sign up for the newsletter — +1  |  Every gift sub you hand out — +1

👉 Catch the drawing live on Twitch!

Regular Schedule

Catch BLKSUIT live every Monday and Thursday. The GTA VI giveaway stream is now set for Saturday, November 14th. 🔔

This Week in Gaming

🚨 Rockstar Finally Breaks Silence: "Heartbreaking For Our Team"

After more than a week of near-daily GTA 6 leaks, Rockstar issued its first public statement today, August 26 — just one day before the official Netflix reveal. The post racked up 380,000 likes in about an hour. "It would be an understatement to say that having videos of Grand Theft Auto VI gameplay leak in this way has been heartbreaking for our team, and this is obviously not how we intended for you to see the game after all this time," the statement read.

What's notable is the tone. Rockstar is famously silent and methodical about its marketing, and this reads like an actual acknowledgment that the leaks filled a void the studio itself left open. The company apologized for how long everything has taken — "from getting the game finished (nearly there!) to sharing more details and official gameplay" — and said "it is unfortunate that spoilers may impact the experience we intended," asking fans to be patient a little longer.

Notably absent: any mention of catching the leaker, or stopping the leaks. As of this statement, Rockstar still doesn't appear to know how a playable build got out. The GTA 6: An Extended Look premieres tomorrow, August 27 at 3PM ET on Netflix, six hours before it hits YouTube and Rockstar's own channels. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

📖 Leaker Crosses a Line: Story Spoilers Now Circulating

Just hours after Rockstar's statement, the leaker known as Cyberleek escalated. On August 26, they posted what appears to be GTA 6's opening prologue — a 4.5-minute clip featuring Lucia, seen in prison, one of the earliest story beats Rockstar has ever officially confirmed. Unlike the earlier leaks, which were mundane gameplay snippets, this one wades directly into narrative territory.

Outlets covering the leak, including Kotaku, have declined to link or describe it in detail, explicitly warning readers who want to stay spoiler-free to steer clear of anything GTA 6-related online right now. This is the clearest sign yet that the leaks aren't slowing down on their own — if anything, Rockstar's statement seems to have prompted the leaker to push further rather than stand down.

Consider this your own warning: if you're planning to experience GTA 6's story fresh on November 19, now is the time to mute keywords and stay off leak-adjacent corners of the internet, not after tomorrow's Netflix event. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

⚖️ Take-Two Subpoenas Microsoft and Discord Over the Leak

The leak hunt has moved into federal court. Take-Two Interactive has reportedly filed DMCA subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord, seeking records that could help identify who's behind the Cyberleek campaign. Discord's marketing director said as of a few days ago the company had "not yet been served," and that once it was, it would "evaluate" the request.

The scale of the response tells its own story. Rockstar has reportedly gone "all hands on deck" trying to trace the source, and as of the most recent reporting, still doesn't know how the leaker obtained access to what appears to be an actual playable build — not just recorded footage passed along secondhand. That distinction matters: it suggests a deeper access point than a simple screen recording leak, which is part of why this has dragged on far longer than the 2022 incident.

Cyberleek has continued posting throughout the legal escalation, seemingly unbothered by the subpoenas, and has repeated their demand: a public apology and "concrete commitment to be better" from Rockstar regarding physical media, or the leaks continue. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

🎮 Gamescom Opening Night Live: Everything Announced

Gamescom 2026 kicked off August 25 with Opening Night Live, and Geoff Keighley's two-hour showcase delivered on scale. Final Fantasy VII Revelation got a proper new look introduced by director Naoki Hamaguchi. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting a full remaster alongside a new expansion, Songs of the Past, in 2027 — though CD Projekt Red confirmed The Witcher 4 itself stayed off the show floor entirely, with its 2028 window already set.

Xbox brought Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel exclusive launching October 6, along with hands-on details for press. HoYoverse surprised everyone with Nodus Fall, an Elden Ring-inflected action game that looks nothing like Genshin Impact or Honkai Star Rail. Ubisoft revealed Rainbow Six Tactics, a single-player, turn-based spin-off built around Siege operators, alongside Exodus (April 2027) and Warlock, a new D&D RPG from Invoke Studios.

It's been a rough few weeks for Xbox specifically amid layoffs, so the strong Gamescom showing reads as a deliberate reset. CD Projekt Red is also running daily REDstreams through August 30 with previews, guests, and behind-the-scenes content for anyone who wants more than the headline trailers. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

💰 Xbox Series X25 Priced at $899 — Preorders Open Tomorrow

Microsoft opened preorders for its 25th anniversary hardware today via email invites to select fans, with general preorders opening tomorrow, August 27 at 7AM PDT. The Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition launches November 13 at $899.99, a translucent "OG Green" console individually numbered and paired with a matching Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition. It ships with a full digital download of Halo: Campaign Evolved included.

That price puts it $100 above the standard 1TB Xbox Series X and lands in the same bracket as the PS5 Pro — a steep ask for what is, internally, standard current-gen hardware wrapped in nostalgia styling. Purchases are limited to one anniversary collection per customer, and the matching controller will also be sold separately for $79.99 starting October 20.

It's a notable moment to launch a premium nostalgia product: the same week Xbox is dealing with fallout from major layoffs and union protests at Bethesda. Whether that context dampens demand for a translucent green box remains to be seen. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

📴 PS5 Owners Organize Blackout Over Sony's Disc-Free Shift

The #PSBlackout campaign officially began August 23, organized by game preservation group Does It Play in direct response to Sony's July announcement that it's ending physical disc production for new PlayStation games in January 2028. Participants are asked to log out of the PlayStation Network, skip online play sessions, cancel PS Plus subscriptions, and avoid PlayStation Store purchases entirely — on every Sony platform, not just PS5.

What started as a defined one-week protest through August 30 has since escalated. After facing criticism that a single week wouldn't accomplish anything, Does It Play revised its messaging: the blackout now continues indefinitely, "until Sony realizes their mistake," with no fixed end date.

Whether that pressure actually moves Sony is doubtful by the numbers alone. Industry analyst Serkan Toto laid out the math bluntly: Sony has over 120 million active PlayStation users and roughly 50 million PS Plus subscribers, so even 500,000 people cancelling in protest is just 1% of that business — nowhere near enough to make digital revenue look less attractive. Sony's own CFO, Lin Tao, has already confirmed the company intends to proceed with the disc phaseout regardless of the backlash. It's the same underlying tension driving the GTA 6 leaker's stated motive this week: physical ownership, digital-only pricing, and who actually controls access to a game you've paid for. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

This Week in Streaming

⚠️ Streamers Warned: Showing GTA 6 Leaks Can Cost You Your Channel

If you're planning to react to any of this week's GTA 6 leaks on stream, read this first. Rockstar is reportedly running automated software that scans for the leaked footage and map, and it's issuing DMCA takedowns fast — including to large, well-known accounts. Rockstar insider @videotech confirmed it directly on X: "I can confirm Rockstar is currently taking down tweets based on DMCA report screenshots I've been sent. DO NOT POST THESE LEAKS."

For Twitch and YouTube creators specifically, this isn't a slap on the wrist. Accruing copyright strikes can get a channel suspended or banned outright, and Take-Two has already escalated well beyond takedowns — the company has filed DMCA subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord seeking records tied to identifying the leaker. That's federal-court-adjacent seriousness for a leak story, and it signals Rockstar has zero appetite for the footage circulating further.

The safe move: talk about the leaks, cover the story, react to what's being reported — that's all fine. Actually displaying the leaked clips or map images on your stream is the line you don't want to cross tonight, especially with the official Netflix reveal landing tomorrow and giving you a fully legitimate version of the same content to react to instead. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

🤝 Twitch and Amazon Hit With Class Action Over AI Training

Direct follow-up to a story we covered last issue. After Twitch quietly enabled Amazon AI training by default across every account — and its own Chief Product Officer Mike Minton admitted on a livestream that "if it was opt-in, nobody would opt in" — the backlash has now become an actual lawsuit. Warren Pandiscia, a Connecticut-based streamer with roughly 1,000 followers, filed a class action against Twitch and Amazon this week in the Northern District of California.

The 37-page complaint doesn't pull punches: it accuses the companies of using Twitch streams as "a massive dataset necessary to fuel Amazon's AI products" without licensing or permission, and alleges Amazon began scraping streamer content as far back as 2024 — well before the opt-out setting existed at all. The core legal claim is breach of contract: Pandiscia argues creators agreed to Twitch's terms under one understanding of how their content would be used, and the companies changed that understanding after the fact without requiring active consent.

If you haven't opted out yet, the setting is still where we described it last issue: Settings → Security and Privacy → Training for Generative AI. Several users reported the toggle silently reverting to enabled after being turned off, so it's worth checking again even if you already flipped it once — especially now that "we didn't know" is a much harder position for Twitch to hold. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

📊 YouTube's First-Frame View Counting Is Live

YouTube's new view-counting standard officially took effect August 24. A public view now registers the instant a video begins playing — from the very first frame, with no minimum watch-time threshold — across long-form videos, Shorts, and livestreams alike. Shorts have counted this way since early 2025; this closes the gap for everything else.

The practical effect: public view counts are about to look bigger across the board, without actual reach or popularity changing at all. YouTube is keeping the old, stricter watch-time-based measurement inside Studio under a new "Engaged views" label, and the company has confirmed that Partner Program eligibility and monetization still run on that stricter standard, not the new public number.

The catch for anyone tracking performance: videos published before August 24 keep their existing totals under the old system, so comparing a channel's view counts from before and after this date is comparing two different measurement systems, not a real trend. If your numbers look like they suddenly jumped this week, that's the counting method, not a breakout moment. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

💵 Twitch Opens Creator Sponsorships to Affiliates

Twitch rolled out a real monetization upgrade for smaller channels this week. Affiliates — the tier below full Partner — now have access to Creator Sponsorships, the tool that lets brands discover and invite streamers to paid campaigns directly through Twitch, rather than requiring creators to chase brand deals manually through DMs and agencies. Over 11,000 Twitch creators have already run sponsorship campaigns through the program this year.

It landed alongside a limited-time bonus gift sub promotion tied to Twitch's Dual Format streaming option (the feature that broadcasts vertical and horizontal simultaneously), running August 20 through August 27 — so if you've been meaning to set up Dual Format, tomorrow is the last day to catch the bonus.

Opening Creator Sponsorships to Affiliates specifically matters because Affiliate is a genuinely low bar to clear, and it's the tier most new streamers sit in for months before hitting Partner. Giving that group a legitimate path to brand income, rather than gatekeeping it behind Partner status, is a meaningful shift in who gets to actually make money on the platform early on. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

✂️ Patreon Ships Clips + 30 New Creator Features

Patreon CEO Jack Conte unveiled roughly 30 new or revamped features this week, and the headline addition is Clips — an iOS tool that automatically turns a creator's longer videos into short, shareable clips. They can be downloaded and posted off-platform on TikTok or Reels, or shared natively through Patreon's new short-form format, Quips. It's Patreon's answer to the clipping economy that's already reshaping how creators on Twitch and YouTube get discovered, now built directly into the platform instead of relying on third-party clippers.

The bigger structural change is a full overhaul of Patreon's discovery algorithm. The old system recommended creators similar to ones a user already followed, which tended to favor accounts that were already large. The new approach compares individual posts by topic, craft, style, and theme instead of comparing creators to each other — a shift aimed specifically at surfacing smaller creators who'd otherwise never break through. A new "Niches" feature adds topic-based communities on top of that.

Worth knowing before you get too excited: this launched the same day, August 20, that severance payments vested for the 93 employees Patreon laid off back in July — its second major round of cuts since 2022. Conte has said AI wasn't the reason for the layoffs, and pointed to 300,000+ creators still earning on the platform as evidence the core business is stable. For creators running a Patreon alongside a Twitch or YouTube channel, Clips still closes a real gap — turning existing content into promotional material without manually re-editing anything — just know the company is leaner than it was a month ago. 👉 👉 Check out the article!

Hot Deals This Week

Resident Evil Requiem (+ Exclusive 2-Sided Poster) Was $69.99 → $55.99 (Switch 2) / $53.99 (PS5) on Amazon

Capcom's next mainline Resident Evil brings back the survival horror tension the series is known for, with a new protagonist stepping into a genuinely unsettling setting built on the RE Engine's latest visual upgrades. The Amazon exclusive bundles in a 2-sided poster on top of the base game, a nice physical extra for anyone still collecting.

Pricing differs by platform right now, so check which one applies before you buy: Switch 2 runs $55.99 (20% off $69.99), while PS5 is the better cut at $53.99 (23% off $69.99). Either way, this is a fresh release getting an early discount rather than a deep catalog cut, which is worth flagging on its own. 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

Persona 3 Reload: Launch Edition (Nintendo Switch 2) Was $59.99 → $29.99 on Amazon

A full ground-up remake of Persona 3, one of the most beloved entries in the series, finally lands on Switch 2. The Launch Edition includes an exclusive SteelBook case and a set of expansion content bundled in, on top of the completely rebuilt visuals, modernized UI, and reworked combat pacing that made this remake a standout when it first released on other platforms.

At 50% off, this is a genuinely strong entry point for anyone who's never played a Persona game — the story-driven social sim mixed with dungeon-crawling combat is a very different pace from most JRPGs, and Reload is widely considered the best version of this particular story. 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (Nintendo Switch) Was $29.99 → $27.38 on Amazon

The second remastered trilogy collection brings The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness to Switch with updated visuals, modernized controls, and the option to flip back to classic tank controls for anyone who wants the original feel. These three are the more divisive entries in Lara Croft's history — Angel of Darkness especially was a rough launch back in 2003 — but this collection cleans up a lot of what held them back.

This is a modest discount rather than a blowout, but it's a fresh collection that rarely sees markdowns this early, so worth flagging for series completists or anyone who grabbed the first remastered trilogy and wants to finish the set on Switch. 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

Alone in the Dark (PS5) Was $29.99 → $13.99 with coupon on Amazon

A full reimagining of the horror franchise that arguably invented the survival horror genre before Resident Evil existed. This version brings genuine star power to the leads — David Harbour and Jodie Comer voice and perform the two playable protagonists, Edward Carnby and Emily Hartwood, investigating a Louisiana plantation steeped in Southern Gothic dread. Each character plays through a slightly different version of the story, which gives it real replay value beyond a single playthrough.

Heads up: the $13.99 price requires clipping a coupon on the product page before checkout, so don't skip that step. At 53% off with the coupon applied, this is one of the sharper discounts in this week's list, and a solid pickup if you're looking for something atmospheric rather than jump-scare-heavy. 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster: Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars (Xbox Series X) Was $29.99 → $22.99 on Amazon

Two genre-defining JRPGs from the PS1 era, finally properly remastered and running on modern hardware. Suikoden II in particular is regularly cited as one of the greatest RPGs ever made, built around a massive recruitable cast (up to 108 characters across the series) and a war-torn political story that was unusually mature for its time. This remaster cleans up the visuals while keeping the turn-based strategy and army-building systems intact.

For a long time these games were nearly impossible to play legally at all — original copies of Suikoden II specifically became notorious collector's items running hundreds of dollars. At 23% off, this is a rare chance to experience a genuine classic without hunting down a decades-old disc. 👉 Grab the Deal on Amazon