Week in Gaming News: May 9-15, 2026
It was a loud week for the gaming wallet. Subnautica 2 broke a million sales on its first day in Early Access, Nintendo confirmed it's raising Switch 2 prices around the world, and Sony unveiled a PS Plus catalog drop that subscribers have been begging for. Here's what happened.
The Big Stories
Subnautica 2 Launches Into Early Access, Sells 1 Million+ on Day One
Unknown Worlds and Krafton pushed Subnautica 2 into Early Access on May 14 at 08:00 PDT, and it sold over a million copies within hours. The game hit No. 1 on Steam's global top revenue chart and opened with a "Very Positive" user rating.
It's a big leap for the series. Subnautica 2 is the first entry to support 4-player co-op (you can still play solo), and it's set on a new alien world with larger environments, new creatures, and deeper base building. Krafton says Early Access will last "at least two years," targeting a 1.0 launch sometime in 2027 or 2028.
For subscribers, the value play is real. Subnautica 2 dropped on Xbox Game Pass the same day as a day-one title, and it's also streamable on GeForce NOW. PC players on Steam and Epic are paying full Early Access price; Game Pass Ultimate holders are not.
Why it matters: This is the strongest argument for keeping Game Pass active in months when a single day-one launch outpaces the subscription cost. If you've been on the fence, Subnautica 2 alone justifies a month.
Nintendo Hikes Switch 2 Prices Worldwide
On May 8, Nintendo posted a corporate notice titled "Notice Regarding Price Revisions for Nintendo Products and Services." The headline: the Switch 2 is getting more expensive almost everywhere.
Here's the damage:
| Region | Old Price | New Price | Effective Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $449.99 | $499.99 | September 1, 2026 |
| Canada | CA$629.99 | CA$679.99 | September 1, 2026 |
| Europe | €469.99 | €499.99 | September 1, 2026 |
| Japan | ¥49,980 | ¥59,980 | May 25, 2026 |
Nintendo Switch Online subscription prices are also going up in Japan. The company blamed "changes in market conditions" and a "global business outlook," pointing specifically at component costs (memory prices spiked thanks to AI data center demand) and oil prices.
Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa was unusually candid, saying the new pricing "does not fully account for all cost increases." Translation: they could have charged more, but didn't want to kill the console's sales momentum. Nintendo is also publicly bracing for a sales decline as a result.
Why it matters: If you're in the US, Canada, or Europe, you have until September 1 to buy a Switch 2 at the current price. Japanese buyers have less than two weeks. After that, the cheapest current-gen Nintendo hardware costs $50-$100 more.
PS Plus Drops Red Dead Redemption 2 and Star Wars Outlaws Into the Catalog
On May 13, Sony announced May's PS Plus Game Catalog (Extra and Premium). The games go live May 19, and there's one massive headline: Red Dead Redemption 2 finally lands on the service after years of subscriber requests.
The full May 19 lineup:
| Game | Platform | Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Red Dead Redemption 2 | PS4 | Extra/Premium |
| Star Wars Outlaws | PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| Bramble: The Mountain King | PS4, PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| The Thaumaturge | PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn | PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| Broken Sword – Shadow of the Templars: Reforged | PS4, PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| Enotria: The Last Song | PS5 | Extra/Premium |
| Time Crisis | PS4, PS5 | Premium (Classics) |
Separately, the Essential tier's May monthly games (live since May 5) include EA Sports FC 26, Wuchang: Fallen Feathers, and Nine Sols.
Why it matters: Red Dead Redemption 2 is one of those games people kept telling themselves they'd "get to eventually." Now it's free with a subscription you probably already have. Star Wars Outlaws is also a notable inclusion since it only launched in August 2024.
Forza Horizon 6 Early Access Starts Today, Standard Launch May 19
Premium Edition buyers got their hands on Forza Horizon 6 today, May 15, kicking off a 4-day Early Access window. The standard release follows on May 19, hitting Xbox Series X|S, PC (Microsoft Store and Steam), Game Pass Ultimate, and PC Game Pass simultaneously.
This entry is set in Japan and packs 550+ real-world cars. Pre-orders were strong enough to top Steam's Weekly Top Sellers chart for Week 20 (ending May 12), beating out Subnautica 2 pre-orders for that frame.
PlayStation owners aren't shut out, just delayed. Microsoft confirmed a PS5 version is coming later in 2026, though no firm date yet. It's another data point in Microsoft's ongoing policy of bringing first-party titles to PlayStation.
Why it matters: Game Pass Ultimate subscribers pay $19.99/month to play this on day one. The Premium Edition costs significantly more for four days of head-start access. For most players, the subscription path is the cheaper move, especially in a month that also includes Subnautica 2.
Take-Two's May 21 Earnings Call Is the Last Big GTA 6 Checkpoint
Take-Two Interactive confirmed its Q4 FY2026 earnings call for Thursday, May 21 at 4:30 PM ET. This is the first major investor checkpoint since GTA 6 locked in its November 19, 2026 release date, and it's widely expected to be where Rockstar and Take-Two publicly re-affirm that date.
A few reasons this call carries more weight than usual:
- Rockstar has a pattern of dropping GTA 6 trailers around Take-Two earnings calls. Trailer 2 landed on May 6, 2025, days before that quarter's call.
- A leaked Best Buy campaign email suggests pre-orders may open May 18, 2026, running through May 21 (the day of the call). Officially unconfirmed, but the timing lines up suspiciously well.
- Sony has begun emailing PS4 owners encouraging upgrades to PS5 ahead of GTA 6. Many read this as Sony's implicit signal that there will be no third delay.
There's still no official PC release date. Reports continue to point at early 2027 for that version.
Why it matters: November 19 is six months away. If you're planning to buy a PS5 or Xbox Series console specifically for GTA 6, watch the September 1 Nintendo price hike date as a useful pricing benchmark for the whole console market. And if pre-orders do open May 18, expect store availability to be chaotic.
Quick Hits
- MercurySteam layoffs: The Madrid studio behind Metroid Dread and Blades of Fire announced a "workforce adjustment process" on May 12. Headcount impact wasn't disclosed.
- Nintendo Switch Online adds 5 Virtual Boy games: V-Tetris, Jack Bros., Space Invaders Virtual Collection, Virtual Bowling, and Vertical Force hit the NSO + Expansion Pack library in May.
- Xbox Game Pass weekly adds (May 12): Black Jacket, Call of the Elder Gods, and Elite Dangerous (returning).
- Leaving Game Pass May 15: Galacticare, Go Mecha Ball, Kulebra and the Souls of Limbo, Paw Patrol Rescue Wheels: Championship, and Planet of Lana.
- Game Pass Premium gains big titles: Doom: The Dark Ages and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers dropped from Ultimate-exclusive down to Premium-tier access this week.
What to Watch Next Week (May 16-22)
- May 18: Reported start of GTA 6 pre-orders, per the leaked Best Buy email. Unconfirmed by Rockstar.
- May 19: Forza Horizon 6 standard launch hits Xbox, PC, and Game Pass. PS Plus catalog adds Red Dead Redemption 2, Star Wars Outlaws, and six more.
- May 21: Take-Two FY2026 earnings call at 4:30 PM ET. Expect the GTA 6 November 19 release date to be re-affirmed.
- May 25: Nintendo Switch 2 and NSO price increases take effect in Japan.
- Rumored: Insiders have floated a May PlayStation State of Play. Sony has not confirmed a date as of May 15.
Track Subscription Changes Automatically
Game Pass, PS Plus, and Nintendo Switch Online catalogs shift every week, and so do prices. Vaulted.Games tracks every catalog change, every price drop, and every game you wishlist across every store and subscription you use. No more manually checking five different services to figure out where to play the next big release.
[Track Your Subscriptions →]
News compiled May 15, 2026.