The Friday letters page is still upset that GTA 6 doesn’t have a proper physical edition, as a reader names Metaphor: ReFantazio as his favourite JRPG ever.

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

Price shock
So Rockstar Games has officially confirmed that GTA 6 will be digital-only and there will be no physical copy. Adding to this we have learned that certain businesses and an apartment will only be available in the Ultimate Edition, meaning that if you wish to enjoy owning those you will have to pay extra from the standard version to get these.

That’s bad news for GTA fans and quite frustrating and disappointing. Regardless, GTA 6 should be one hell of a game. I will be buying GTA 6, of course, but the price for the Ultimate Edition from the Standard Edition might shock fans.
gaz be rotten (gamertag)

GC: Will it? Earlier in the week people were bracing themselves for the standard version costing £100. Not even the Ultimate Edition is that much.

Not over the moon
Well, I’ve pre-ordered GTA 6: Ultimate Edition and I know I’m getting it and I don’t think both prices are bad. I went for the £89.99 one because how often does GTA come out? About every 13 years, so though I’d loosen the wallet a bit the only thing that worries me is in the details.

It says single-player only and I’m just hoping that doesn’t mean online is another charge. After all, this is Rockstar Games. If online is included I’ll be over the moon. At the moment, I’m just excited. Well, I was till I saw it is 147 days till download day.
David

Breaking the interweb
Why is no one talking about the fact that GTA 6 is potentially going to be really hard or impossible to download for a large proportion of people? Due to the ridiculously high demand everything is going to crash or slow down to a crawl. I don’t really know how it all works on a technical level, but this is going to be a huge (200GB+ ?) download which millions of people are going to simultaneously be trying to complete.

This problem will be exacerbated now that we know there’s no physical copy to get a few GB off a disc, to reduce the amount needed from download. Pessimistically I’m not expecting to be able to easily download and play this game until the new year at the earliest. I realise I’ve said ‘download’ a lot in this message. I’m really looking forward to playing GTA 6, but I just think it’s going to be a real struggle.
Alex

GC: We talked about it today, but you’re right. And 200GB is probably a conservative estimate, even without including the online stuff.

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

Downloads in disguise
I bought the disc drive version of the PlayStation 5 specifically to avoid massive downloads, so the news that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be download-only is annoying, but I won’t boycott it. One major concern lurks in the back of my mind. Can the servers handle the traffic when millions of people try to download such a highly anticipated game at the same time?

Apparently, this isn’t much of an issue these days, due to various strategic measures, put in place for big game releases, but with the internet connection that I presently have downloading the game might take ages.

The price of the standard edition isn’t so bad, but I do think having a physical edition that’s just an empty box with a code inside it is fundamentally rubbish. This option feels like an insult to customers who prefer physical media. Better not to even offer a boxed edition if it’s just a download in disguise, if you ask me.
Michael Veal (@msv858)

World’s worst console
I’ve been watching a few Atari Jaguar software and hardware videos on YouTube recently and goodness gracious me, no wonder the console failed so miserably. Pretty much every game I saw footage of looked absolutely atrocious. Even the supposedly good-at-the-time Alien Vs Predator appeared to have a frame rate which made N64 GoldenEye 007 look like 60fps.

Some beat ‘em-up called Ultra Vortex had to take the crown as the worst game though, it looked absolutely bloody atrocious. I’d be interested to know if any older GC viewers purchased a Jaguar back in the day and what their general impressions were and if they ended up selling the console on the cheap once the game releases dried up… which didn’t take long!
Arteta6Legend

GC: Tempest 2000 was great but yeah, it was pretty terrible otherwise.

Game of the times
I don’t write in as much anymore but as always thanks for all your great coverage and reviews. I just spent the last three months plus playing Metaphor: ReFantazio and I think it’s the best Japanese role-player ever! The story is absolutely superb and really meaningful, both for me personally and for the state of the world. Overcoming our anxieties and daring to dream of a better future is something we should all be striving for.

The voice acting is brilliant, with Heismay and the Liverpudlian Basilio particular standouts, offering some wonderful delivery. The fighting system never got old either, with quick satisfying combat which always challenged you without forcing you to grind. I actually prefer the game to Persona 5 and loved the fact that everything was achievable in one playthrough. Thanks very much to Studio Zero for making such a delightful experience!
Ryan O’D

Bottom 200
Just checking the top 200 USA N64 games list; couldn’t see Space Station Silicon Valley or Rocket: Robot On Wheels. Were they not released in the USA?

Maybe they are there and I’m not seeing them.
Tony Welch

GC: They were both released in the US but neither of them sold very well.

Progress barred
RE: GTA 6. I’ll be honest and say I’m not overly interested in the game, but it is one of those things where closer to the time I would probably be swept up in the hype and might pick it up. The fact it is download-only means I won’t bother now.

My internet isn’t overly fast, so the thought of downloading a 100+ GB game (I hate to think how big it will be) means I’ll never bother. I like buying physical so that I actually own the things I buy. Unfortunately, GTA 6 will be a massive hit, so will make the transition to digital only happen even faster and as others have said, I doubt the PlayStation 6 will even have a disc drive.

I have enough games in my backlog that I could never buy a new game again and I’d be fine, but I will miss the excitement of looking forward to a new release. Progress always means a more rubbish experience for normal people and more money for corporations.
Simon

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GTA Online too
Not overly disappointed about the GTA 6 news, not because I only care about single-player, but because it’s going exactly as expected, and the disappointment has long passed.

I feel like all the clues and info we have had previously alludes to the single-player mode or ‘experience’. There’s been no mention at all about online, or even co-op, which is surely a missed opportunity for a two-protagonist game.

It’s looking more and more like it will follow and play similarly to Red Dead Redemption 2. A very linear game, disguised as open world, the mention of ‘chapter timed content’ confirms the chapter sequences, similar to Red Dead. But also from the trailer there is a lot of running involved, so fully expecting a similar story too, in terms of running from one side of the map on the lam for the majority of the story.

None of this has come from leaks, as I’ve stayed well clear of those and just purely a prediction. I loved Red Dead Redemption 1, but felt 2 was a slog and bore to finish. Hopefully I’m wrong on GTA as it’s my favourite franchise, but my expectations remain low and anything extra is a bonus.

Which brings me on to GTA Online. I played GTA 5 online quite a lot when it was new, but over time stopped. Early doors they hinted at Liberty City being an additional map, which never came through, which makes me think GTA Online will remain as it is and Vice City may become a downloadable map expansion. Possibly free or discounted for owners of GTA 6 (may also be why there’s no disc version, so they can see easily who still owns the game) and likely chargeable to non-GTA 6 owners.

How it runs, is anyone’s guess. Will vehicles and money transfer from map to map or will it be a fresh start when you go to Vice City, but having the option to seamlessly load into Los Santos with your existing assets? I’d guess the latter, I mean they’re not gonna fully ignore the map for online usage, right?
Beems

GC: There haven’t really been any substantial leaks about the gameplay or story.

Inbox also-rans
I was wondering if it would be ok to add this link to the Games Inbox for the Kickstarter I’m involved in? As we’re close to the end of our campaign, I was hoping it could be worth asking for a final boost.
Jamie

Is GTA 6 going to be released in disc version and if so, when?
Coinslot-

GC: There’s a rumour it will in December, but it is only a rumour.

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

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.

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The DWP is sending debt recovery letters this week to former benefit claimants, as new enforcement powers come into force including the potential suspension of driving licences for those who owe at least £1,000 and refuse to repay.

The Department for Work and Pensions has been granted fresh powers to impose sanctions on individuals who have ceased claiming benefits but remain in debt to the department. From now on, the DWP will be authorised to recover funds directly from bank accounts and, in severe instances, can request a court to revoke offenders’ driving licences.

The updated regulations are designed to target fraudsters and debtors who “refuse to pay” their outstanding debts to the DWP. Individuals who may be impacted by these measures should begin receiving correspondence this week, urging them to “get in touch and pay up”.

Work and Pensions Minister for Transformation Andrew Western said: “Hardworking taxpayers deserve a system that pursues those who deliberately dodge their debts, and that is exactly what these new powers deliver. To anyone with an outstanding debt – our door is open and DWP will always work with you to find an affordable way to repay.

“But for those who can pay and won’t – we’re going further than ever before to claw back cash and crack down on fraud.”

The DWP’s complete range of new powers will be progressively introduced from October, allowing those who owe the Department merely four months to settle their debts or establish an affordable repayment arrangement before this cut-off point. Anyone receiving these letters is strongly advised to respond without delay, with official guidance indicating that individuals can prevent the full implementation of these new powers by simply contacting the DWP, reports the Mirror.

The department also notes that staff are able to signpost people to free debt support services where necessary. Those who owe money to the DWP and currently receive benefits will typically repay these debts via deductions from their future payments.

However, when individuals continue repaying these debts but cease claiming benefits, it becomes increasingly difficult for the DWP to recoup the outstanding funds. The driving ban can only be imposed on those who owe the DWP a minimum of £1,000 and have no essential requirement for their licence — for instance, if they rely on their vehicle for work as a courier.

Those facing a ban will initially have their licence suspended only for as long as repayment terms are kept to. Cabinet Office Minister Satvir Kaur said: “Fraud against the public sector and unrecovered debt deny our vital frontline services of the funding they deserve.

“Under these new powers in the PAFER Act, this Government will deliver on its promise to protect hardworking taxpayers and clamp down on those who try to cheat the system.”

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — A little flick of Gonzalo Plata’s big toe helped Ecuador make a great escape.

Plata poked the ball past Manuel Neuer in the 77th minute and lifted Ecuador to a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Germany on Thursday and into the knockout round of the World Cup for the first time since 2006.

“Life is different now. We suffered a lot,” said Plata, a 25-year-old winger who scored his ninth international goal. “We suffered too much in the first two matches. We would have liked to secure qualification much earlier, but now we’re going forward more hungry, knowing we have to give it our all.”

Ecuador, which has lost only one of its last 22 games, finished third in Group E with four points and advanced past the group stage for the second time, headed to a possible matchup with Mexico on Tuesday in Mexico City.

A four-time champion already assured of advancement by winning its first two games, Germany will play its round of 32 game Monday at Foxborough, Massachusetts, most likely against Paraguay, Australia or Sweden.

“On Monday it’s important that we start well,” Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann said through a translator.

Germany’s winning streak was stopped at 11 games, one shy of the team record set in 1979-80.

“The difference was today that the opponent wanted to win more than us, and you could really feel it, especially in the second half,” Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich said.

Germany went ahead on Leroy Sané’s second-minute goal. Aleksandar Pavlović chested the ball and ended up kicking Pedro Vite in the head following Nathaniel Brown’s throw-in, but American referee Tori Penso didn’t whistle a foul. Pavlović passed to Florian Wirtz, who centered to Sané just inside the penalty area to beat goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez.

Nilson Angulo equalized in the ninth minute with Ecuador’s first goal of the tournament following a 1-0 loss to Ivory Coast and a 0-0 draw with Curaçao. Felix Nmecha lost the ball in midfield to Vite. The midfielder passed to Angulo, who dribbled toward goal and beat Neuer to the far post from just outside the area.

Penso originally awarded Germany a penalty kick less than 30 seconds into the second half after Joel Ordóñez took down Kai Havertz, but a video review ruled Sané had first fouled Vite.

With the crowd tensing as time ran down, Plata scored after Vite’s corner kick was nodded on by Kevin Rodríguez, who was 6 yards out at the near post. Neuer, the 40-year-old Germany goalkeeper who ended two years of international retirement for the World Cup, was about to grasp the ball when Plata raised his left foot and stabbed it into the net.

Sebastián Beccacece, an Argentine who has coached Ecuador for two years, sprinted to the front of the stands, his shoulder-length blond hair flowing, to hug his wife, Patricia Persson. He had been pilloried after the poor start and paraphrased a lyric from Argentine rock band Los Redondos.

“In loneliness you cannot always listen to what you hear. You just keep pushing forward. You ignite your fire and you continue,” he said.

A crowd of 80,663 at MetLife Stadium was mostly in Ecuador’s yellow. FIFA said it boosted attendance to a record 3,587,539 in the 56th game of the expanded World Cup, one more than the 52 matches for the 1994 tournament in the U.S.

“We felt at home in all these stadiums,” Rodríguez said.

Ecuador had prepared to return to its training camp in Columbus, Ohio, rather than head home to South America.

“They told us: `You will be back here,’” he said. “The staff in the kitchen, in the spa, even the drivers.”

Ecuador isn’t sure of its next opponent or even where the match will be played, so fans can’t lock in travel just yet.

“I hope they brought plenty of clothes in their luggage,” Plata said.

___

This story corrects the name of the Argentine rock band to Los Redondos.

___

AP Sports Writers Eric Núñez and Stephen Whyno contributed to this report.

___

See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here

Officers are diverting traffic flow via the Boyhill Road

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A busy road through Maguiresbridge is closed in both directions after a serious crash.

Northern Ireland Road Policing and Safety has advised driver that the Belfast Road is closed early on Friday, June 12, due to a serious road traffic collision.

Officers are diverting traffic flow via the Boyhill Road.

With delays expected while emergency crews work at the scene, drivers are advised to take a different route if possible while the road remains closed.

NI Road Policing and Safety said in a statement: “Road users are advised the Belfast Road, Maguiresbridge is closed in both directions this morning, Friday 26th June, due to a serious road traffic collision.

” Officers are diverting traffic flow via the Boyhill Road. Please seek an alternative route for your journey at this time.”

Rodríguez addressed the nation on state television channel VTV more than two hours after the quakes.

Prior to that, official information had been very scant, no doubt due to the fact that communication channels to some of the worst affected areas were down. But it is also a result of restrictions placed on independent media under the Maduro government, which have led to the closure of hundreds of mainly local radio stations and news sites, which in the past would have been key to providing localised updates.

Rodríguez was flanked by her brother Jorge, who in his role as president of the National Assembly swore her into office as interim president just days after Maduro was seized, and by Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, another staunch Maduro ally.

Unlike he so often did in the months leading up to the US military intervention, Cabello was not wearing military fatigues. He stood silently next to Rodríguez, as did her brother.

Rodríguez was visibly shaken as she delivered her speech, in which she called “first and foremost” for unity from the Venezuelan people, who for more than a decade have been deeply divided between those who supported Maduro, and his predecessor and mentor Hugo Chávez, and those who opposed him.

She also declared a state of emergency and tasked General Juan Ernesto Sulbarán, the commander of Venezuela’s National Guard, with leading the emergency response.

During the more than a quarter century that Chávez and Maduro were in power, key positions in the government have been held by high-ranking military officers.

Many state ministries have for years been in the hands of generals, and analysts have said that part of the reason why Venezuela’s infrastructure has become so run down is the lack of expertise of those in charge.

Under the watchful eyes of the Trump administration, Rodríguez has recently replaced the general running the ministry of housing with a civilian who has a degree in architecture and the general who headed the electricity ministry with an electrical engineer.

However, years of shortages – exacerbated by US sanctions – and mismanagement have meant that much of the public housing stock in particular has deteriorated.

A shortage of cement, for example, triggered by the collapse of the state-owned cement industry after its nationalisation under Chávez, has meant that badly needed repairs have often not been carried out on buildings and home, making them more prone to collapse.

Claire Walker told Teesside Crown Court how Isabelle Welsh “was the worst [she] had seen her” just a day before she suffered fatal head injuries at her Thornaby home.

The two-year-old’s mother, Alexander Walker, and her new boyfriend, Harrison Simpson, are on trial accused of murder after she suffered a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain.

The grandmother’s police recorded interview was played to jurors as evidence in the trial, which is listed to last six weeks.

Isabelle Rose Welsh (Image: Family handout)

During the interview, she told detectives Isabelle had suffered a broken leg weeks before she died.

Miss Walker recounted how the toddler looked pale when she visited her daughter but believed she was struggling with a virus.

She said “she was the worst I had seen her” when she visited her the day before Isabelle died.

Miss Walker said Isabelle was also complaining about her stomach hurting but thought it was because she had been ‘throwing up’.

Struggling to contain her emotions during the police interview, she said she “is going to regret it for the rest of her life” that she didn’t take Isabelle to the doctors on that day.

When asked about Isabelle’s health and wellbeing in the weeks leading up to her death, Miss Walker told the officers she spotted a bump on her head, bruising around her spine and a ‘fingerprint’ bruise on her hip.

The jury heard how Isabelle was found unconscious at her home when paramedics were called, and they discovered the two-year-old was “gravely unwell and her heart had stopped beating”.

Dan Ackroyd, Walker’s stepfather, told the police he had tried to perform CPR when he arrived at her home before paramedics took over and managed to restart her heart.

When asked by Mark McKone KC, representing Walker, how she was acting when he arrived at her home, Mr Ackroyd said she was ‘visibly shaking’ and crying.

Despite the best efforts of medical staff, the toddler died in the early hours of September 14 after suffering a fractured skull and brain damage.

Jurors were told Isabelle suffered 21 fractures, including a fatal one to her skull, as well as enduring significant sexual abuse in the weeks leading up to her death.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard how Walker searched online, checking for any information about Simpson being a child sex offender.

Tributes to Isabelle Welsh were outside her Thornaby home (Image: TERRY BLACKBURN)

The court had heard the pair had only been in a relationship for a few months when Isabelle suffered all of her injuries, including the fatal skull fracture.

Simpson, 22, of Greenham Close in Thorntree, Middlesbrough, and Walker, of Hartington Close in Thornaby, deny murder.

The pair also deny four other charges involving Isabelle, including: causing or allowing the death of a child on September 14; two counts of assault by penetration between September 10 and September 14 last year; and cruelty to a person under 16.

The trial continues.

Emergency services remain at the scene of a police incident on the A4232 heading towards the M4. Drivers were seen attempting to cool off outside their cars on what has been the hottest ever June day in Wales after the crash on Thursday evening.

At 11pm the carriageway between the Leckwith Interchange and A48 Culverhouse Cross remains closed. The police did say earlier that the road is expected to remain closed for some time.

The police have urged drivers to avoid the area and use alternative routes.

A statement from South Wales Police said: “Emergency services are at the scene of a road traffic collision on the A4232 Cardiff. The southbound carriageway is closed at Culverhouse Cross. Please avoid the area and seek alternative routes.”

Councillor for Caerau Peter Bradbury wrote online: “There is currently a police incident on the A4232 between Leckwith and Culverhouse Cross. The road is currently closed at Leckwith whilst emergency services are in attendance.

“Further information when available. The road is expected to be closed for some time.”

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The temporary order will run until Saturday after youths started fights and harassed members of the public

Police have slapped a dispersal order on Gorton after reports of youths fighting and harassing innocent members of the public in a recent spate of anti-social behaviour.

Greater Manchester Police implemented the section 35 order on Thursday night (June 25) to run until 5.30pm on Saturday (June 27). The temporary measures give officers the powers to exclude a person or group from a specified area.

The area includes Gorton Train Station, Hyde Road, Matthews Lane, Gorton Lower Reservoir and Pink Bank Lane. Police said the measures were necessary following ‘recent incidents of anti-social behaviour’ including fighting and people being harassed on Thursday.

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Inspector Zac Campbell, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “This order has been implemented to provide further powers for officers in the area to deal with anti-social behaviour affecting our communities

.

“Anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and where this is reported to us, we will look to take action – either through proactive action including arrests or preventative problem-solving work alongside our local partners.”Anyone with information about criminality or incidents of anti-social behaviour is asked to contact police via 101 or our Live Chat function on gmp.police.uk. Always call 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111

Morrisons has issued an urgent recall on a fan-favourite pasta product due to an undeclared allergen risk

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An urgent recall notice has been issued for a popular pasta product sold at Morrisons over an undeclared allergen risk, according to the UK Food Standards Agency.

The supermarket is pulling its Coronation Chicken Pasta from shelves after it emerged that some packs may contain Florida Salad, which includes milk that is not listed on the packaging.

This means the product poses a potential health risk to anyone suffering from an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents. The specific batch affected weighs 230g, carries an expiry date of June 30, 2026, and has the batch code GBB 584 031.

Shoppers who have purchased the product and have a milk allergy or intolerance are urged not to eat it and to return it to their nearest store immediately.

The Food Standards Agency has issued a recall notice stating: “Morrisons is recalling the above product from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. The company has also issued a point-of-sale notice to its customers.

“These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product.”

For full details on all product recalls, the Food Standards Agency and Chartered Trading Standards Institute websites are trustworthy sources of information.

In addition, recall notices should be prominently displayed in stores where a product has been withdrawn from sale, reports Chronicle Live.