The Tuesday letters page examines the full cost of only buying physical copies of games, as one reader is unimpressed by publishers selling five days early access.

Games Inbox is a collection of our readers’ letters, comments, and opinions. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Where to start
We’re in July now but it still seems like forever before GTA 6 is going to be out, even though it’s less than four months now. The whole thing is going to be so massive it’s going to be surreal just sitting down and playing it on launch day, like a normal game.

If only we knew more about it, I’d try and plan out what I was going to do but at the moment all I can say is what do I want to do more: follow the story or go off and do my own thing in the open world. I’m curious to know what other readers will choose but I think it will probably be a long time before I get around to doing the story properly.

The temptation to just drive off and try and get myself in trouble, and explore the game world, is going to be too tempting. I don’t see that as a negative or even going against what Rockstar planned. I expect to be wowed and be allowed to do exactly what I want. I don’t know if GTA 6 will live up to all the hype but I guarantee it’s going to be a great game.
Cranston

Simulation theory
I’m not going to lie, getting the World Cup winner right five times in a row is pretty impressive for FIFA/EA Sports FC. I’d be curious to know what EA puts this down to. Are they implying it’s just luck or that their stats are so accurate they can perfectly simulate every player exactly?

I guess Spain was one of the favourites going in, but it’s not like the game knew that, it just simulated the team based on the current stats for their players, right? Either way, it’s an impressive and slightly spooky thing.

I’d ask whether Football Manager made its own predictions but that game seems to have tanked its reputation, and on a World Cup year too. I wonder if that means if any other company will try and step and challenge it.
Boatswain

First release
I know that Xbox states Halo: Campaign Evolved releases on the 28th of this month but it actually releases on Wednesday the 23rd, you just have to pay 20 quid over the normal price to play it then.

Early access as it is doesn’t bother me too much, as long as it doesn’t ever extend beyond the current five days norm.

But I’m a bit tired of the release date being given as when the standard edition is available. They should be made to state the premium edition as the official release date.

Will your review be up on the 23rd?
Simundo

GC: Yes, we’re allowed to say the embargo is on Thursday.

Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk

Worth the while
I enjoyed reading Tim Keeling’s Reader’s Feature about collecting and maintaining arcade cabinets. The inclusion of this sort of content keeps me reading your website. I do wonder how much time and effort it takes to curate and possibly edit reader submissions, such as weekend Reader’s Features and Inbox letters, but for me the daily letters and weekend features are what elevates GameCentral over its rivals.

I trust your professional reviews also, to an extent that I tend to use them as my main buying guide, but it’s the hotchpotch of reader submissions that really keeps the site interesting for me. When you invite input on any subject, as long as it’s loosely connected to video/computer games, the tastes and activities of fellow enthusiasts can sometimes prove really surprising.

I might compare reading GC to visiting an art gallery. Turn the next corner and you never quite know what you’ll see or what to expect.
Michael Veal

GC: The arcade one took a while as it was unusually long, but we didn’t mind that as a lot of effort had gone into it, including providing photos.

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Pricing issue
Just read your bit on GAME. It’s got nothing to do with the UK leaving the EU, that was six years ago we left and as for the no new consoles, like GC said, Switch 2 came out. And as for them saying it’s Sony ending physical games, that’s two years in the future.

The reason why GAME failed was the prices and the platform stores, but mostly the prices. I’ve always bought physical games, other then the odd game here and there, but the prices were a joke on PlayStation 4. They were charging £75 for a game you could buy on Amazon and in Tesco £25 cheaper.

And their reason was they pay for exclusivity for free DLC with them, which was Nuketown. They thought gamers were going to pay £25 more four Nuketown, which would be free to everyone after 30 days. The prices were too high, and no Gen Z players could be bothered to get up and walk to the game shop.
David

Great ape
That was a nice retrospective on Donkey Kong Bananza on Monday. For me it’s an immensely fun and inventive achievement that gave me over 70 hours of some of the most joyous, cathartic, tactile gameplay I’ve experienced in my 37 years as a gamer.

I revisited the game last week in the run up to its first year anniversary and was delighted by how effortlessly it still made me smile and become engrossed in its layered playgrounds.

I also continue to be impressed by how technically ambitious the destruction physics are. It’s innately enjoyable creating tunnels and levelling the carefully constructed levels to your heart’s content. The game is a smashingly successful deconstruction of the 3D platformer in general, in my opinion.

The game’s quality is such that I honestly didn’t mind that a new 3D Mario wasn’t present in the Switch 2’s first year, because the nucleus of Bananza’s game design was exactly the sort of dynamic, playful, and original thinking and execution that I have come to expect from Nintendo’s EAD.

Nintendo could’ve easily made Bananza a brand new IP if they wanted to, considering how different its structuring and mechanics feel compared to past Donkey Kongs, or really, anything else made to date for that matter.

A recurring fallacy, I believe, is this notion that Nintendo always rests on their laurels by not bothering to create new IPs. But how many new IPs from other developers actually introduce a single new idea to call their own? Far too few from what I’ve come to learn.

Personally, I’m low-key just as excited to see where Nintendo take the Donkey Kong Bananza IP next as much as I am about the moustachioed jumping maestro’s latest adventures!
GG

75% extra
Heads up if anyone has played Storyteller (it comes free with a Netflix subscription), there has been a massive free update, with new chapters, characters, updated stories, and stamps.

Even though I completed it 100% a few years ago, I found my save is now standing at only 25%!
Ali K

Digital tax
Having never really got into the Assassin’s Creed series before, I decided to get the new Black Flag remake. And it’s kind of highlighted the whole Sony digital debacle.

On the main menu screen it shows a timeline of the recent Assassin’s Creed games. If you click on a title it takes you to the PlayStation storefront to buy said game digitally. If I wanted to complete the collection of games listed, by purchasing the games I didn’t already own via PSN – these being Origins, Odyssey, Valhalla, Mirage, Shadows, and the Black Flag remake – it would cost a whopping £240.

A quick look on Amazon shows it would only be £110 to buy these games in physical form and that’s without using any cashback sites or other discounts. I’m sure if I shopped around other sites I could lower the price even more.

Out of interest, I also went to a website I’d recommend for PC players called isthereanydeal.com and it would only cost £58 on PC. To me this is the issue in a nutshell. Personally, I’m not against digital games per se, just when one company has a monopoly and can dictate prices and set ridiculously high prices.
matc7884

Inbox also-rans
I feel that reader’s pain about the lack of Mass Effect but I’ve long ago accepted that there’s never going to be another one. If I’m wrong I’ll be ecstatic but I’d rather be happily surprised rather than constantly let down by keeping hope.
Preston

Just to let everyone know but there’s a free demo now of Yoshi And The Mysterious Book. A lot of people, including GC, have said it’s better than it looks, so I’m curious to give it a go.
Tibel

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The small print
New Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content.

You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot.

You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter.

MORE: Games Inbox: What new Fallout game will be the best?

MORE: Games Inbox: Are you playing EA Sports FC more because of the World Cup?

MORE: Games Inbox: Is Halo: Combat Evolved worth pre-ordering on PS5?

“We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK”

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US President Donald Trump has said Andy Burnham “has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it” and pledged that the US “will be there to help”.

In an upbeat message on his Truth Social platform, Mr Trump also wished the new Prime Minister – who has spent the evening announcing his new cabinet – “good luck and godspeed”.

The early endorsement of the former Greater Manchester mayor by the American leader comes after the pair spoke on the phone within an hour of the Makerfield MP arriving in Downing Street.

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It will also assuage fears after the Republican president previously described Mr Burnham as “extremely liberal” and “mayor of a town”.

In addition it signals a fresh start in the transatlantic partnership after relations with Sir Keir Starmer grew increasingly fractious over the Iran war.

Mr Burnham was buoyed in Mr Trump’s eyes after reports he could back new oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, which the president has championed.

Mr Trump said at the weekend said people in Aberdeen would be “dancing in the streets” at such a move, albeit unconfirmed.

Donald Trump has shared details of his first conversation with the UK’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham and has hinted at a meeting in the “not too distant future”

Donald Trump has commented on his first phone call with Andy Burnham.

The US president was the first call Burnham made after entering Number 10 as the new prime minister.

Taking to Truth Social Trump wrote: “I had a very good conversation with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Andy Burnham. We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK. We will be meeting in the not too distant future for topics of mutual interest. The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!

“We discussed North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics. The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED! President DONALD J. TRUMP”

New Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has made sweeping changes to the Cabinet — bringing back Angela Rayner and appointing the experienced John Healey as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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The 2026 World Cup may have only just finished, but attention is beginning to turn to the next World Cup in four years time

The next World Cup will feature 64 teams, according to CONMEBOL president Alejandro Dominguez. This summer’s competition in the USA, Mexico and Canada was the first tournament to run with the expanded 48-team format.

Spain edged Argentina in an, at times, ugly final, bringing down the curtain on a competition which featured 104 matches. The next tournament could be even more intense as the bulk of the games will feature in Spain, Morocco and Portugal, while the opening three matches will take place in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has suggested a 64-nation tournament will be considered, but admitted plenty will need to be assessed and investigated before another expansion takes place. Nevertheless, Dominguez did not appear to get this message, as he confidently asserted 64 countries will battle for glory in 2030.

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Shortly after the final, Dominguez posted on X: “The next one is played at home! In 2030, the World Cup comes to Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, a great opportunity for soccer, to celebrate the Centenary of the World Cup with a competition featuring 64 teams.”

The previous day, he shared a similar message ahead of the World Cup final. His language, though, was considerably more cautious than his latest statement, reports the Mirror.

He posted: “We are living through a historic World Cup, the first with 48 teams, a true success. Congratulations dear Gianni Infantino and to all the friends at FIFA for such a great organisation, and congratulations Spain for being the new world champion.

“In 2030, we’ll see you at home with the dream of playing it with 64 teams to celebrate the centenary of the World Cup!”.

His language in the initial post, describing the 64-team format as a “dream” at present, indicates it remains under consideration. This echoes Infantino’s own remarks when first questioned about the expanded tournament.

When pressed on the matter, Infantino told Blue Sport: “These are all issues that we will be examining after the World Cup. When organising a World Cup, it’s important to organise it for the whole world – not just Europe and South America, but effectively the entire world.

“Every nation should be allowed to dream of participating in the World Cup. You can see that the quality of the teams is extremely high, and it’s getting higher and higher, all over the world.

“If you don’t give smaller countries a chance to participate in the World Cup, they’ll lack the incentive to keep improving.”

The 64-team proposal has faced considerable opposition, with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin branding it a “bad idea” while Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, warned it would trigger “chaos” within international football.

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The stepmother of murdered 10–year–old Sara Sharif has been told an inquest into her death will ‘not be a retrial’ – after she asked for it to be held with a ‘diverse’ jury.

Beinash Batool was jailed for life following the discovery of the schoolgirl’s body in a house in Woking on August 10 2023.

In acts described by a judge as the worst crime he had ever encountered, the child suffered more than 100 injuries when she was tied up and a plastic bag was secured over her head with parcel tape.

She was then battered with a cricket bat, metal pole and a rolling pin, strangled until her neck broke, burnt with an iron and bitten.

Sara’s father Urfan Sharif and Batool were jailed for minimum terms of 40 years and 33 years respectively in December 2024.

Her uncle Faisal Malik was found guilty of causing or allowing her death and jailed for 16 years.

Batool has now requested that an inquest into Sara’s death is held with a ‘diverse’ and ‘local’ jury.

Representing Batool, Anton van Dellen argued at a pre–inquest review at Surrey’s Coroner’s Court today that there was sufficient reason for a jury to attend.

Beinash Batool, the stepmother of Sara Sharif, was  jailed for life for murder

Alison Hewitt, counsel to the inquest, said the inquest’s scope would be decided during further hearings.

The court was told previously it could consider whether fear of accusations of racism affected the response to managing and responding to safeguarding concerns around Sara’s treatment.

On this item, Mr van Dellen asked that the coroner may consider ‘a diverse local jury would be well positioned to evaluate’.

Batool and Sharif attended the hearing via video links from prison.

Senior coroner Richard Travers said whether the inquest will be held with a jury would be put on the agenda for the next pre–inquest review.

But he informed Batool at one point in the hearing that the inquest ‘was not a retrial’.

He said: ‘These inquest proceedings are not a retrial – you understand that, don’t you?

‘We are not going behind any findings that were made by the criminal court.’

Sara Sharif pictured in the hijab she started wearing to cover the bruises inflicted by her father

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The next pre–inquest review will be held on September 10 and the full inquest into Sara’s death is set to begin next April.

A safeguarding report previously found that in the run–up to the 10–year–old’s murder, neighbours heard bloodcurdling screams but failed to report it as they ‘feared being branded as being racist, especially on social media’.

An occupational therapist sent to the home two years before she was killed noted that Sara, then aged eight, was the only person in the house wearing a hijab but failed to question it, ‘although she has reflected that she may have been reticent to talk about it for fear of causing offence’.

It was later revealed the head covering was hiding bruises inflicted on Sara by her father and stepmother.

The review said it was ‘concerning that race was a bar to reporting possible child abuse’, noting that ‘white fragility – or a defensiveness’ is ‘triggered when white individuals encounter racial stress’ causing them to focus on their ‘own feelings of victimisation’ rather than those being harmed.

The Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership found there were at least four missed opportunities to save ‘a beautiful little girl with a lovely smile and a loud laugh,’ concluding ‘different actions could and should have been taken and the system failed to keep her safe.’

England’s Children’s Commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, said Sara was ‘killed by those who should have loved her, but let down by every service.’

The Muslim schoolgirl was beaten to death by her father Urfan Sharif after the risk posed by the serial domestic abuser was ‘overlooked, not acted on and underestimated by almost all professionals’ despite his 16–year history of attacking women and children, according to the safeguarding review.

Urfan Sharif was jailed for life for murder after the risk posed by the serial domestic abuser was ‘overlooked, not acted on and underestimated by almost all professionals’

Following her death in August 2023, Sara’s 43–year–old father fled to his native Pakistan with his accomplice wife Batool, 30, before phoning 999 to confess to the killing, thinking he had got away with it.

But he was captured and extradited to face trial at the Old Bailey where the pair were jailed for life.

Last month it emerged Sara’s five siblings would remain with their grandfather, who they had been living with in Jhelum, Pakistan since October 2023.

Their future whereabouts, and who would ultimately hold custody of them, were at the centre of a two–and–a–half year court battle in Pakistan between the UK council and the family.

The children were made wards of court in England after their sister’s death, and Surrey County Council has since been pushing for their return to the UK.

However the local authority can no longer continue its legal action in Pakistan. The council had been seeking jurisdiction over the children through the Pakistani courts, but proceedings in the UK are drawing to a close.

While the final decision remains pending, neither of the possible outcomes would result in the children returning to Britain, despite an English court order requiring their return.

The grandfather’s lawyer argued the children hold dual nationality and will be free to return to the UK in the future should they choose to do so.

Contractors have been brought in, more staff hired and a dedicated team have worked to tackle void times in between lets.

More than £1m has been invested in West Lothian in a drive to cut the length of time council houses are left empty between tenants.

Contractors have been brought in, more staff hired and a dedicated team have worked to tackle void times in between lets.

IT has seen an eight day reduction in the turnaround time and more than 1,300 homes with repairs completed in the last year- and more than a thousand homes let.

In a report to the council’s Housing services committee officer pointed to successes since the formation of an interdepartmental voids team to tackle a huge backlog of repairs.

Problems facing the council had been exacerbated by the poor condition of the majority of homes returned as voids- many needing major refit .

The council decided in its annual budget to set aside £1.2 m for contractors to help council staff complete housing improvements.

The current re-letting performance for 2026/27 (April & May) is 64.57 days, a further reduction of 6 days from 2025/26.

The service has rented 10% more properties in the first two months of 26/27 than the same period last year.

The void team brings officers from building services and housing under one roof for joint working to reduce delays in getting homes back out to tenants.

A new agreement between the Council and Scottish Gas provides utility support throughout the time homes are empty.

A total of 1,022 homes were let in the last year. Whitburn and Blackburn saw the most homes, with 90 mainstream tenancies and 145 temporary tenancies agreed.

In Livingston 183 homes were let across the two council wards; in Bathgate 150, Armadale 128 and Broxburn 105.

Other wards saw Breich Valley 136; East Livingston and East Calder 46 and Linlithgow 39.

A report to the committee said the council planned to “reduce the overall number of void properties within the service through a consistent approach to management.”

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Anneliese Midgley, one of the key figures in Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign, has been promoted to the cabinet in the role of chief whip.

She has only been the MP for Knowsley, not far from Makerfield, since 2024 but she has been an influential force in the Labour movement for much longer than that, working for both Sir Keir Starmer and Jeremy Corbyn in opposition, following stints at the TUC.

She has spoken about how, when she was growing up, her family’s life was changed by the “secure, well-paid, unionised job” her father got at a car factory.

Before her political career, music lover Midgey ran club nights in Liverpool, worked in record shops and helped bands including Pulp with press.

She was briefly married to Bob Stanley, a member of indie group Saint Etienne, and has told how the couple shared their first kiss on hearing that Tory grandee and TV personality Michael Portillo had lost his seat in the 1997 election.

Pan Asia Buffet, an all-you-can-eat restaurant has taken over the former Flaming Fusion Buffet unit inside Game On, the leisure venue at Bishop Auckland Retail Park.

The new buffet opened on July 18 after being announced on social media earlier this month.

The new entertainment hub, Game on, which opened at Bishop Auckland Retail Park (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Before opening, Game On told customers: “We’ve got some exciting news!

“With a brand new team and a brand new Pan Asian buffet… coming very soon in a couple of weeks!

“Keep an eye out for our opening date.”

The new entertainment hub, Game on, which opened at Bishop Auckland Retail Park (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The venue added: “It’s a new team we’ve got who’s opened many excellent Asian restaurants.

“We’re doing things differently this time and I’m sure that will be reflected in the food and service.”

A separate post said: “Taste Asia in every bite. Pan Asian Buffet coming soon to Bishop Auckland Retail Park, all you can eat.”

Game On opened in September last year between PureGym and Kosmic Kingdom at Bishop Auckland Retail Park, offering tenpin bowling, adventure golf, pool, darts, and arcade games.

When the venue first launched, Flaming Fusion Buffet also opened upstairs, serving a range of cuisines including Indian and American food.

Flaming Fusion Buffet has since closed, with the newly opened Pan-Asian buffet now operating from the same space.

Born in Doncaster, Keegan started his career at Scunthorpe before being signed for Liverpool by Shankly in 1971.

While at Anfield, Keegan struck up a formidable partnership with Welshman John Toshack, going on to win the First Division title three times as well as the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup twice and the 1977 European Cup.

Following that success, Keegan joined West German side Hamburg and was twice named European Footballer of the Year. He is the only British player to have won the award, which is now called the Ballon d’Or, more than once.

Keegan returned to England with Southampton in the summer of 1980 before moving to Second Division Newcastle, helping the club win promotion back to the top flight – only to then retire.

He won 63 England caps, scoring 21 goals, playing at the 1982 World Cup and was also later captain of the national team.

In 1992, Keegan made his first step into management at Newcastle, leading them into the Premier League and to within touching distance of the 1995-96 title, but they missed out to Manchester United.

The Ootsider, which makes all weather coats, will see 25 of the garments donated to Glasgow’s homeless community.

West Lothian-based social enterprise The Ootsider, which makes all weather coats, has been boosted by a four-figure donation which will see 25 of the garments donated to Glasgow’s homeless community.

Since being founded by local man John Keogh in 2022, the customised outdoor coats and changing robes have been popular with the likes of wild swimmers, campers, equestrian enthusiasts and hill walkers.

These convert from a coat and bag during the day to a sleeping bag at night to keep the wearer warm and dry even in the worst conditions.

The range now also includes wheelchair coats and specialist Parkinson’s jackets.

The Community Interest Company (CIC) ploughs profits from sales into the production and subsequent donation of sleeping coats for the UK’s homeless and rough sleepers, with to date more than 400 coats having been given free of charge to those most in need.

Thanks to the anonymous donation of £4000, a further 25 will now be manufactured and distributed to those sleeping rough on the streets in Glasgow

Welcoming the unexpected gesture, The Ootsider chief executive John Keogh said: “There is more and more pressure being put on temporary accommodation and night shelters in Glasgow.

“As the homelessness crisis continues to grow in the city, it’s important to know there are incredible people out there.

Many of these people do good but want absolutely no recognition for it. They do it because it’s the right thing to do.

“We were honoured to be approached to supply our sleeping coats to help rough sleepers. It’s an incredible and humbling gesture.”

The coats will be made at the company’s new manufacturing base in Pumpherston having previously been made in Dumfries.

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