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Wednesday 10 June 2026

It’s Barbie versus Grand Theft Auto in unlikely video game battle

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The upside of the release of Grand Theft Auto VI is that it could single-handedly revitalise the entire gaming industry. The downside is that other publishers have been forced to steer clear of November so they do not suffer in Rockstar’s shadow. One company hasn’t got the memo. The internet is abuzz with news that Atari will release Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee Remastered at the start of the month, followed by Barbie Rewind, a collection of retro Barbie titles, a few days later. This might be judged to be a smart piece of marketing, not least because Barbie has more in common with the GTA series than meets the eye, from coastal aesthetics to customised character wardrobes. Only one of the games is likely to include car chases.

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