Sony Group

Wheel of Fortune suspends longtime announcer Jim Thornton amid investigation

Jim Thornton, the longtime Wheel of Fortune announcer since 2011, has been suspended by Sony Pictures Television Studios and the show is recasting while a thorough investigation into reported allegations proceeds. Reports describe a May incident on a commercial flight in which a passenger alerted crew and law enforcement met Thornton at Los Angeles International Airport, though Sony has not disclosed specifics.

Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones drop to their lowest price yet

Sony-TSMC Kumamoto Sensor JV 60/40 Split

Sony and TSMC plan to invest about ¥1 trillion to build a Kumamoto, Japan-based joint venture to mass-produce next-generation image sensors for automotive and robotics, with mass production targeted for 2029. The venture would be ~60% owned by Sony and 40% by TSMC, following a May basic agreement to develop and manufacture these sensors.

GTA 6 Japan Physical Codes Expire 170 Days

Rockstar confirms that GTA 6’s physical “code-in-a-box” in Japan will expire 170 days after the launch date, making unused codes potentially useless by May 8, 2027, due to regional regulations. The rule applies to PlayStation codes in Japan (Xbox codes are not region-locked) and comes as the game plans a digital-first approach with no disc release in the foreseeable future.

Global PSN Outage with 5,000 UK Reports

A global PlayStation Network outage disrupted PS4/PS5 connectivity and services with users reporting login, store access, and licensing issues, prompting widespread frustration and questions about a digital-only future. The outages appeared international and followed mixed signals from Sony’s status updates, fueling discussion about broader server reliability and the impact on ongoing online play.

Major Gaming Company To Stop Releasing Physical Discs

Sony's PlayStation discontinues disc production claiming a shift in consumer preferences toward digital formats, but some gamers are upset due to loss of ownership starting January 2028.