FlashFeed

Full text

Earlier this month, former SIE Worldwide Studios chairman Shawn Layden said the still-ongoing flailing at Xbox "evince a basic misunderstanding of how the interactive entertainment world moves ." Harsh words indeed—but lest you think he's just a partisan hater, he's now taken aim at his former company, Sony, and its pullback from the PC market.

It's been quite a turnaround from Sony. After years of dogged exclusivity, Sony began releasing its games on PC to significant success—to the point that Shuhei Yoshida, also a former SIE Worldwide Studios boss, said it was "almost like printing money ."

But earlier this year, Sony began backing away from the strategy , and while no formal announcement was ever made, it soon became clear that a PC pullback is happening .

Layden, who also previously served as president and CEO of Sony Interactive Entertainment America and executive vice president and COO of Sony Network Entertainment International, addressed the shift in a new interview with PSI, beginning by noting that in his mind, at least, bringing Sony games to PC was never about making money—it was about getting Sony properties in front of people who otherwise wouldn't see it.

"Not necessarily because they're going to buy a PlayStation," Layden said. "I wasn't that crazy. I didn't think that was going to happen.

"But as we take our intellectual property across other media, whether it's into films or whether it's in television or in comic books or into merchandise, whatever, you need to have as many eyeballs that are aware of this character, of this story, and just concentrating on the PlayStation population and only telling them these stories, and then try to bring it off of that platform into different media, that's going to be a hell of a jump."

While some have suggested that releasing PlayStation games on PC could "devalue" the brand, Layden says the strategy of holding them back for a year or so effectively addresses that concern: "I think if someone's waiting 18 months for something to come on PC, we didn't lose a sale to them. They weren't going to buy the hardware anyway."

"If it's a way to cover costs or the burden of making a port, there is some money attached to that, or the distraction or whatever," Layden said. "I don't know what they're thinking."

I don't either, but I do think it's interesting that we seem to be moving inexorably into a new round of the console wars: Microsoft has indicated that it's also looking at leaning more heavily on console exclusives in order to resuscitate the flagging Xbox brand. In that case, though, the impact on PC gamers should be minimal: Microsoft chief content officer Matt Booty said earlier this month that Xbox exclusives will " still show up on all the normal places where we sell the PC version ."

The material impact of the PlayStation PC pullback is also debatable: PC Gamer's Morgan Park recently reminded that in the short term, at least, we're not likely to miss out on very much .

Here's another fact not to be overlooked: Unlike the ignominious dark days of "PC gaming is dying," PC gaming has never been stronger than it is right now. While year-over-year console revenue growth was close to stagnant, according to a Global Games Market Report published earlier in June, PC revenues leapt by 12%, powering the market past $200 billion in a single year for the first time. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick says PC gamers have to wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 because we're not part of its "core" audience, but he also admits that PC can account for 45-50% of a big game's total sales . I have no idea how to square that either, but I definitely agree with Layden: Bringing Sony games to PC made sense, and taking them away just does not..

2026 games : All the upcoming games

Best PC games : Our all-time favorites

Free PC games : Freebie fest

Best FPS games : Finest gunplay

Best RPGs : Grand adventures

Best co-op games : Better together

Full text

Two NASA astronauts gave a robotic arm a hand up — or rather, a replacement wrist joint — during a successful spacewalk outside the International Space Station on Tuesday (June 30).

Chris Williams and Jessica Meir, both flight engineers on the station's Expedition 74 crew, spent seven hours and 20 minutes repairing the Canadarm2 remote manipulator system (RMS) after it was observed drawing current but not moving as expected in late May. The 58-foot-long (18 meters) arm has been in regular use since it was installed on the orbiting outpost in April 2001.

"For over 25 years, the Canadarm2 has been a crucial part of the International Space Station . The arm was key to our orbiting laboratory and continues to be a workhorse that we rely on. Whether it is performing maintenance or replacing equipment, moving and operating payloads, catching cargo vehicles or helping us out during spacewalks , the arm has played and will continue to play an essential role in our work on orbit," Williams said as the spacewalk ended.

Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams peaks out from behind the International Space Station's Canadarm2 robot arm during a spacewalk on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Image credit: NASA) "It is also a testament to international cooperation," he added. "Canada, the U.S. and the world have come together to make this program a success. We are honored … that we were able to give the arm a helping hand."

Williams and Meir, each wearing a NASA extravehicular mobility unit (EMU), ventured outside the Quest airlock soon after switching the spacesuits to battery power at 8:20 a.m. EDT (1220 GMT) on Tuesday. They made quick work of transitioning to their work station, where they retrieved a spare wrist joint by using a power tool (pistol grip unit) to unbolt it from an exterior equipment panel.

They then turned their focus to the arm, which was positioned nearby. They removed the old unit and installed the new joint (no. 5), bolting it in place. Williams and Meir brought the faulty joint back into the space station to be returned to Earth for analysis and possible refurbishment.

The astronauts completed their work on the arm by reattaching its latching end effector, or hand, which the arm uses to grapple objects and inchworm across the exterior of the station. Mission Control confirmed that the arm had good power connections after the astronauts' work.

Williams and Meir returned to the Quest airlock and began its depressurization at 3:40 p.m. EDT (1940 GMT), marking an end to the spacewalk.

Tuesday's EVA (extravehicular activity) marked the fourth time in history that spacewalkers have worked to service the Canadarm2. Previously, another wrist joint was replaced and both of the arm's end effectors were swapped out for spares.

Expedition 74 flight engineer Chris Williams (at center, as identified by the red stripes on his extravehicular mobility unit, or EMU, outside of the International Space Station during a spacewalk on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. (Image credit: NASA) "We are thrilled to have repaired the mighty Canadarm2 just in time for Canada Day tomorrow! We hope that all in Canada and everyone around the globe can celebrate this achievement," said Meir.

Expedition 74 flight engineers Jack Hathaway of NASA and Sophie Adenot of the E uropean Space Agency assisted Williams and Meir by helping them to don and doff their spacesuits and maneuvering Canadarm2 into position for the astronauts' repair work.

This was Williams' second spacewalk and the fifth for Meir. Williams has now logged 14 hours and 22 minutes, including a previous EVA with Meir. Meir has totaled 36 hours and 6 minutes, including the f irst all-female EVA in 2019 .

Tuesday's spacewalk was the 280th in support of International Space Station assembly, maintenance, and upgrades since 1998.