The latest edition of The Sunday Papers brings together commentary and features on games, technology, culture and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Alongside a reflection on unfinished DIY work, the roundup highlights several articles that stood out during the past week.
Generative AI is a major focus. The roundup points to Rob Fahey’s latest GI column, which argues that the games industry is engaged in a campaign to make AI adoption appear unavoidable. The criticism centers on claims that studios are already widely using the technology and on the idea that developers and players will be left behind if they reject it.
Another highlighted piece, by Merritt K for Aftermath, takes a more positive view of technological progress through the example of karaoke. The article contrasts the growing frustration with generative AI and other technology-driven pressures with improvements created by people working out of enthusiasm rather than by large technology companies.
The roundup also discusses Ashley Bardhan’s feature for This Week In Video Games about horror developers who use FMV games to examine violence against women. Cara Cadaver’s 2025 game Vile: Exhumed uses her own photographs and videos to portray several victims of sexual violence and murder. Cadaver describes horror as a way to process trauma and argues that women’s stories have always belonged within the genre.
A separate article looks at BioWare’s influence on modern role-playing games, particularly the normalization of romance systems. The piece argues that BioWare helped establish romantic relationships as an expected feature of major RPGs, an influence that can now be seen across mainstream and independent games.
Grand Theft Auto VI receives attention through Simon Parkin’s feature for Edge. The article presents Rockstar co-head of development Aaron Nelson playing the current build without a prepared script, allowing the game’s systems to guide the demonstration. The roundup describes the presentation as an example of confidence in the game and the team behind it, rather than the tightly controlled previews associated with earlier entries in the series.
The edition also acknowledges the continuing and worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, citing Selma Dabbagh’s writing for the London Review of Books. The excerpt describes the destruction of cities and agricultural land and emphasizes the scale of the displacement affecting nearly two million people.
The music recommendation for the week is “Bashed Out” by This Is The Kit, included as a personal celebration after the writer obtained tickets to see the band.
Sources: Rock Paper Shotgun.