Raccoon Logic: We’re doing the last hurrah of the games industry we grew up with
Across the road from The Game Awards, in a car park featuring a couple of trailers and some plastic flamingos, sits the Racoon Logic team. The developer behind the upcoming Revenge of the Savage Planet is demoing the title and conducting interviews with journalists as opposed to doing a big Game Awards trailer. It’s a […]
2024 was the year of Microsoft’s grand pivot | Opinion
At the outset of 2024, the most often expressed concern about this year in the games business was that it was going to have a very sparse and underwhelming release calendar, at least compared to the spectacular heights of 2023. This was to some extent a ripple effect from the pandemic years: a backlog of […]
Tencent directors step down from Epic Games’ board after US Justice Department “expressed concerns”
Two Tencent directors have left Epic Games’ board of directors after the US Justice Department “expressed concerns” about their positions. In a statement posted on the US Justice Department’s website, the report said the department believed the appointment on both the Epic and Tencent boards violated Section 8 of the Clayton Act, an antitrust law […]
Sony to become largest shareholder of FromSoftware parent Kadokawa Corporation
Sony is increasing its stake in Kadokawa Corporation, which will make it the FromSoftware parent’s biggest shareholder. The company announced a “strategic capital and business alliance agreement” which will see Sony acquiring more than 12 million new shares in Kadokawa on January 7, 2025 for around ¥50 billion ($318 million). Added to the Kadokawa shares […]
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance servers close next February | News-in-brief
Dungeons & Dragons: Dark Alliance servers close next February | News-in-brief Source link : Gamesindustry
Reflecting on The Game Awards 2024 | GI Microcast
The latest episode of The GamesIndustry.biz Microcast is available to download now.
This week, our show focuses on The Game Awards 2024. Chris reports on his experiences from attending the event, we discuss some of the big winners, and (inevitably) dive deeper into the big announcements from the night, as well as what […]
Zenimax Online Studios workers unionise
Workers at Elder Scrolls Online developer Zenimax Online Studios have unionised, Communications Workers of America has announced. The union, called ZOS United-CWA, has been recognised by parent company Microsoft and is made of 461 members, including “web developers, designers, engineers, and graphic artists,” the announcement said. A majority of the unionised workers are based in […]
Marvel Rivals is a bright spot in a dark year for live service | Opinion
Turning points are tricky things: they seem so obvious in hindsight, but are tough to spot when they’re actually happening. False positives are common, because all manner of things can seem pivotal in the moment, but transpire to be far less important in the long term. This probably speaks to a general tendency to underestimate […]
Sounds disruptive: How video games are resetting the music medium’s conventions | Playable Futures
This series of Playable Futures articles considers how the design, technology, people, and theory of video games are informing and influencing the wider world. The snowballing intersection of music and video games has been a near-obsessive talking point across both sectors over recent years. From famed musicians taking starring roles in triple-A titles, to placement […]
99 jobs cut at Warner Bros Games Montreal
Almost 100 developers have been laid off from Warner Games Montreal. As reported by Radio-Canada (thanks, Game Developer), on the same day Rocksteady Studios confirmed it was ending support for Suicide Squad less than a year after its debut (December 9), staff were invited to a video conference after which 99 people at WB Games […]
Pokémon and Aardman partner up for "exciting" 2027 collaboration | News-in-brief
Pokémon and Aardman partner up for "exciting" 2027 collaboration | News-in-brief Source link : Gamesindustry
Clear Angle Studios opens new location in Los Angeles
3D capture and processing company Clear Angle Studios has opened a new location in Culver City, Los Angeles. Clear Angle, headquartered in Pinewood Studios, provides character scanning, digital facial and environment capture, prop and costume scanning, and other services. It has been supplying studios with its portable scanning units in Los Angeles for some time, […]
Xsolla teams with StarNest to establish new game development academy
Xsolla has partnered with telecommunications firm StarNest to create a new game development academy. The academy and incubator program established with Azerbaijan’s Innovation and Digital Development Agency (IDDA) will train 90 young designers, as well as offer mentorship, financial support, and opportunities to exhibit their games worldwide. Xsolla is also hoping to establish a regional […]
Stories from 30 years of PlayStation
During EGX in London, PlayStation veterans Chris Deering, David Wilson, Geoff Glendenning, David Ranyard and Masami Kochi took to the stage to share stories from the history of PlayStation. I hosted the special session and there were some fascinating little insights into working on PS1, PS2, PS3 and PS4. To mark the 30th anniversary of […]
Apple faces UK class action lawsuit for “anti-competitive” 30% fee
Apple is facing a class action lawsuit from UK developers alleging that the App Store’s 30% fee is anti-competitive. As reported by Bloomberg, Apple could be paying back up to £785 million in fees to 13,000 developers. The claim alleged that Apple’s 30% cut creates an “anti-competitive tax on the nation’s tech industry,” the publication […]
75% of UK students in favour of esports education in schools
75% of UK students advocate the integration of esports into the school curriculum, with 64% already engaged in esports-related academic activities. This is according to new research commissioned by Tencent in collaboration with the British Esports Federation and Ukie. Conducted by Censuswide, the report surveyed 2,000 respondents aged between 16 and 27 who were interested […]
Google’s Genie 2 AI tool can generate a playable 3D world from a “single prompt image”
Google’s AI tool Genie 2 is a “large-scale foundation world model” capable of generating “an endless variety of action-controllable, playable 3D environments” from a single image prompt. Genie 2 can create different perspectives, such as first-person view, isometric views, or third person driving videos, as well as “complex 3D visual scenes,” with interactive objects like […]
IllFonic “re-aligns to a refined strategy” as it makes “cuts” to its teams
Developer IllFonic has confirmed it has made “cuts” to its staff. In a brief statement, CEO and co-founder Charles Brungardt said it had to “accept the harsh reality” of the “state of the industry” and “re-align to a refined strategy” “with the heaviest of hearts.” “Today we had to accept the harsh reality that the […]
Call of Duty tops revenue chart for October 2024 | Newzoo Charts
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2/3/Warzone/Black Ops 6 was the top-grossing game across the six markets (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK, and the US) analysed by Newzoo in October 2024. Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero!, EA Sports FC 25, and Fortnite took second to fourth place, respectively. Konami’s first attempt at reviving its long-dormant horror […]
New report claims gamers spend more time watching videos about gaming than playing games
Gamers are spending more time watching videos about gaming on YouTube and Twitch than playing games themselves. That’s according to a new report by Midia Research, which concluded that gamers typically spend 7.4 hours a week gaming, and 8.5 hours a week watching game-related videos. The research, which Midia claims “highlights the untapped potential for […]
Helldivers 2 wins Game of the Year at the 2024 TIGA Awards
Arrowhead Game Studios and Sony’s Helldivers 2 was the big winner of the 2024 TIGA Awards, taking home the Best Technical Innovation and Game of the Year prizes last night. Sony Interactive Entertainment also won awards for Best Use of a License, thanks to Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and Best Narrative in Games for The Last […]
Handheld consoles are the industry’s next battleground | Opinion
Only a week or two after confirmation that Microsoft is working on a handheld Xbox device, we now have reports that Sony is also in the early stages of developing a new portable device – its first foray into this market since the discontinuation of the ill-fated PS Vita five years ago. With a successor […]
Burnout 3: Takedown | Why I Love
Why I Love is a series of guest editorials on GamesIndustry.biz intended to showcase the ways in which game developers appreciate each other’s work. This entry was contributed by Mladen Bošnjak, creative director at Misfit Village, currently working on their SCP based thriller Go Home Annie for PC and Consoles. As was the case with […]
Nintendo Switch ending online support exposes fragility of gaming partnerships in China | Opinion
It has been reported that Nintendo announced a discontinuation of its online services for the Nintendo Switch in China. This might seem like a very dramatic development with a profound impact on the console’s life in China, but actually, it’s not. I want to try to explain what this means as best as I can, […]
Mac Walters’ Worlds Untold studio on “pause” as it seeks new funding partner
A second studio founded by a BioWare alumni has shuttered in as many days. Mac Walters’ Worlds Untold – which had been backed by NetEase – announced it was “pausing operations” until it can locate further funding. In a statement posted to LinkedIn, Walters said the decision was “heartbreaking”, adding he was “deeply grateful” for […]
PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida to retire in January
Shuhei Yoshida will retire from Sony Interactive Entertainment on January 15 next year. Yoshida has held numerous leadership roles at PlayStation since he joined the team in 1993. His initial role involved working with publishers and developers in Japan to help them create titles for the first PlayStation console. He’s probably best known for his […]
Black Ops 6 is "biggest Call of Duty ever" | News-in-brief
Sales up 10% following Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 launch | US Monthly Charts
US games consumer spending was back on the rise in October, boosted by the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. According to Circana’s monthly data, hardware, software, and accessories sales combined went up 10% year-on-year, reaching $4.7 billion. Breaking down this figure, content represented $4.23 billion, a 12% rise compared to October 2023, […]
Samsung launches free mobile cloud gaming platform for Galaxy devices
Samsung has launched a free mobile gaming platform across its Galaxy devices in North America. The mobile manufacturer has been trialling the streaming service in a beta since last year using a Game Launcher app, now renamed Samsung Gaming Hub. There will be 23 games available at launch, including free-to-play hits such as Monopoly Go, […]
Stalker 2 sells 1m copies in two days | News-in-brief
BAFTA’s 2024 Breakthrough Cohort includes game dev talent from the UK, US, and India
A number of video game developers have been celebrated as part of BAFTA’s 2024 Breakthrough cohort, including contributors to Black Myth: Wukong, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Pacific Drive. BAFTA Breakthrough is described as BAFTA’s “flagship new talent initiative to accelerate extraordinary people working in games, TV and film who are on the cusp or in […]
Why Two Point Studios returned to the office
It doesn’t feel that long since we last spoke to the team at Two Point Studios. In fact, it was two years ago, on the eve of the release of its second game: Two Point Campus. The simulation title had just suffered a slight delay, and one of the reasons the studio cited for the […]
Game District acquires majority stake in Gleam Games
Game District has acquired a majority stake in Gleam Games. Game District says the stake in Gleam “reflects its commitment to expanding into key international markets and strengthening Türkiye’s position as a regional innovation hub.” As a result of the stake, Gleam – a “fast-growing mobile gaming startup” in Türkiye – will see its CEO […]
Thought Pennies cuts headcount as project loses funding
Thought Pennies has let go a number of staff after its publisher “changed strategic direction.” In a statement posted to LinkedIn, chief creator officer Daniel Erickson said that despite “never miss[ing] a milestone” and “great feedback,” the developer had no choice but to cut its headcount given a project is “now without funding.” “Over the […]
New York Game Awards to honour Sam Lake
Remedy’s creative director Sam Lake will receive the Andrew Yoon Legend Award at the 14th annual New York Game Awards. The Andrew Yoon Legend Award is presented to those who have made a significant mark on the industry. Last year, Naughty Dog’s Neil Druckmann received the accolade. Past winners include Hideo Kojima, Phil Spencer, and […]
Microsoft’s Xbox transition moves into high gear | Opinion
It’s been clear for quite a few years that Microsoft’s notion of what “Xbox” actually means has evolved past physical consoles alone. It now describes a whole ecosystem of software and services that spans all sorts of devices, and which is itself just one outlet for Microsoft’s enormous game publishing business. It’s taken a while […]
Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell movie cancelled
Ubisoft’s Splinter Cell movie adaptation has been cancelled, according to one of the film’s producers. As reported by The Direct, producer Basil Iwanyk confirmed the adaptation was no longer in production. Iwanyk signed on to the film in 2013. “The movie would have been awesome […] just couldn’t get it right, script-wise, budget-wise,” he said. […]
Valve accused of “allowing the proliferation of hate” on Steam
The Anti-Defamation League has accused Valve of “allowing the proliferation of hate” on its digital platform and storefront, Steam. Analysing data on an “unprecedented, platform-wide scale”, the ADL’s Center on Extremism said that of the 458+ million profiles, 152+ million profile and group avatar images, and 610+ million comments on user profiles and groups, it […]
Ubisoft appoints new chief people officer
Ubisoft has appointed a new chief people officer: Sébastien Froidefond. The megacorp says Froidefond will assume the role a week today, November 20, and “lead Ubisoft’s global people strategy, driving excellence in human resources across the company.” Froidefond will report to EVP of communications, Cécile Russeil. Froidefond’s expertise “spans HR strategy, performance management, culture building […]
New Steamwork APIs make it easier for players to switch game versions and beta branches
Steam has introduced new Steamworks APIs to “solve some common challenges to switching game versions on Steam.” Whereas previously, Steam itself suggests “accessing these alternative build branches has been fairly obscure,” the new API makes it easier for the players to identify and load different game versions. In a new blog post, Valve said “these […]
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Half-Life actor Tony Todd dies aged 69
Prolific actor Tony Todd has died aged 69. Todd – whose most recent work, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, isn’t even out yet – was one of the industry’s most distinctive voices, known best for Marvel Spider-Man 2’s Venom and Half-Life’s Vortigaunts. He also voiced Bloober Team’s Layer of Fears 2’s narrator, as well […]
Quantifying the impact of creator programs
Over the past 15 years, influencer marketing has evolved from a novel approach to an essential component of any modern activation related to a game’s launch or significant content update. Most developers and publishers view the concept as a uniquely powerful tool in their arsenal for reaching new players, but determining the tangible potential an […]
Pocketpair shares Nintendo, The Pokémon Company’s demands from Palworld lawsuit
Palworld developer Pocketpair has shared more details from the lawsuit it faces from both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company over alleged similarities between the latter’s titular franchise and its own monster-based survival game. Nintendo and The Pokémon Company first filed a lawsuit against Pocketpair on September 19 – eight months after Palworld launched – claiming […]
GeForce Now to establish 100-hour playtime limit
Nvidia’s subscription cloud gaming service GeForce Now will soon be enforcing a playtime limit of 100 hours per month. The new rule won’t affect Founder memberships, but will impact the newly renamed Performance and Ultimate tiers, Nvidia announced on Reddit. The company said the limit “comfortably accommodates 94% of members.” Unused playtime can be rolled […]
Unity appoints new CFO Jarrod Yahes
Alongside its quarterly earnings report, Unity has confirmed the appointment of Jarrod Yahes as its new chief financial officer. Yahes is fresh to Unity from his CFO position at Shutterstock, where for the past five years he has helped “drive the company’s portfolio expansion into 3D content, data monetisation, and digital advertising.” Before Shutterstock, Yahes […]
Take-Two Interactive hails “strong results” as Q2 2025 net bookings rise to $1.47 billion
Take-Two Interactive marks “another consecutive quarter of strong results,” with net bookings up 2% to $1.47 billion, in line with the top of its guidance range. Both Grand Theft Auto Online and Grand Theft Auto 5 “overperformed expectations,” the latter selling 205 million units worldwide to date. The company also reports that its GTA+ subscription […]
Around 21% of European games professionals have been laid off in the past year
Around 15% of games industry workers in Europe were laid off and subsequently found a new job in 2023/2024, with 6.2% laid off and still searching for work, according to the latest Big Games Industry Employment Survey. The study is conducted every year by recruitment agency Values Value and career platform InGame Job (more on […]
Netflix’s Mike Verdu reveals new role as VP of GenAI for Games
Mike Verdu has finally revealed his mysterious new role at Netflix: vice president of GenAI for Games. Details of what this position actually involves are sparse, but in a LinkedIn post Verdu said he is “working on driving a ‘once in a generation’ inflection point for game development and player experiences” – with generative AI […]
Baldur's Gate 3 surpasses 50m mod downloads | News-in-brief
Discord management platform Levellr raises $1.75m in funding round
Discord community management platform Levellr has raised $1.75 million in a funding round. The strategic investment includes contributions from Mitch Lasky, Fuel Ventures, Colopl Next and Dylan Collins’ LFG Holdings, in addition to senior executives from Krafton, Riot Games, Amazon, EA, and Super Awesome. Levellr also announced the appointment of Dylan Collins as chairman. Collins […]
