Tag: Industry
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News Yooka-Laylee Dev Playtonic Is The Latest Studio Hit By Layoffs
Update: Playtonic releases statement
A handful of staff at UK-based studio Playtonic, best known for creating Yooka-Laylee and for forming the indie publishing label Playtonic Friends, are sharing messages on social media as they have been made "redundant" at the developer. We were first alerted to the news by a Bluesky post from former community...
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News Xbox Has Reportedly Sidelined Its First-Party Handheld (For Now)
The third-party one is still expected
Microsoft's gaming division Xbox was reportedly planning to go all-in on handheld gaming with not only a third-party device expected this year but also a first-party product supposedly targeting 2027. Ahead of the Switch 2 launch next week, the tech giant's plans have apparently changed. In an
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News Iconic Studio Codemasters Is Safe Following Closure Rumour
Update: Debunked!
It's been a little while since any Codemasters-developed game made its way to a Nintendo system; in fact, the latest one may well have been F1 Race Stars: Powered Up Edition for the Wii U in 2014. But the iconic studio has been a staunch of Nintendo in the past, developing and publishing games for the Wii, DS, SNES, NES,...
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News A24 Bringing Elden Ring To The Big Screen With Ex Machina Director
The real question is: Who will play Miriel?
The rumours were true: Elden Ring is getting a movie adaptation thanks to studio A24, with acclaimed writer and director Alex Garland, best known for Ex Machina, Civil War, and for writing 28 Days Later (and the 28 Years Later), at the helm. Deadline broke the news late yesterday and also...
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News Fortnite Devs Hit With Unfair Labour Practice Filing Following AI Darth Vader Fiasco
SAG-AFTRA hits back
Voice acting union SAG-AFTRA has filed an unfair labour practice charge against Epic Games, the creator of Fortnite, and Llama Productions, the game's signatory company, for using an AI-generated voice of James Earl Jones to portray Darth Vader in-game. In a statement posted on its website (via
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News Switch 2's Price May Pose "Challenges" For First-Year Sales, Says Furukawa
Hence the lower-than-expected sales forecast
Nintendo has shared the official English translation for its recent end-of-year financial Q&A, in which the board of directors was asked to clarify a couple of details regarding the Switch 2 sales forecast. In case you missed it, Nintendo last week shared that it is expecting to shift 15 million...
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News Rare's N64 Shooter 'GoldenEye 007' Officially Inducted Into The Video Game Hall Of Fame
Alongside a handful of other titles
[Fri 7th Mar, 2025 00:55 GMT]: Every year, The Strong Museum announces its 'World Video Game Hall of Fame' finalists and for 2025 and after missing out in 2023, Rare's iconic Nintendo 64 first-person shooter GoldenEye 007 is back. It's up against some tough competition including the following list of games: Age...
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News Palworld Dev Announces "Disappointing" Game Changes Resulting From Nintendo's Lawsuit
"We have had to make certain compromises"
Late last year, Palworld developer Pocketpair announced that it was scrapping the Poké Ball-like summoning mechanic from its game as a result of its ongoing Nintendo lawsuit. Well, it looks like the changes aren't stopping there, as the dev has today announced that more "disappointing" changes are yet to...
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News Nintendo Expects To Sell 15 Million Switch 2 Consoles This Financial Year
As Switch 1, predictably, grinds to a halt
Nintendo forecasts Switch 2 sales of 15 million units by the end of the 2025/26 financial year. The company also expects triple that number of software sales (45 million), excluding bundled software such as the Mario Kart World bundle launching alongside the base model on 5th June. This forecast comes from...
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News Former Rockstar Dev Throws Shade At Mario Kart World, Says New GTA Will Be Worth The Price
"You think Mario Kart competes with a game like this"
Rockstar Games blew up the internet this week with the second official trailer for Grand Theft Auto VI and it's led to all sorts of discussion about the current state of the industry including the future pricing of games (yes, it's come up again). Former Rockstar animator Mike York, who...
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News Former Assassin's Creed Lead Isn't Happy About Switch 2's Game-Key Cards
"I hate it. I think it's sort of lame"
An awful lot of talk out of the Switch 2 Direct has focused on the console's new Game Key Cards, whether they are a good thing for the industry and if anyone will actually buy the damn things. Now, in a new interview with VideoGamer, the Creative Director on Assassin's Creed III and
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News Xbox's Latest Multiplatform Release Has Been Announced
Now how about a Switch 2 release?
Over the past year, Xbox has been publishing more first-party IP on other platforms, and in the latest update it's now announced this mission is set to continue with Gears of War: Reloaded. Not only is this remaster of the first game coming to Xbox and PC platforms, but it will also be getting an official release...
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News Shuhei Yoshida On Higher Switch 2 Game Prices: "It Was Going To Happen Eventually"
"The heart of the matter lies in production costs"
Ex-Sony and PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida has been talking a fair amount about the video game industry since his retirement earlier this year. But he's had a few things to say about the Switch 2 in particular in recent weeks. And the former president of SIE Worldwide Studios has done it again,...
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Editorial Gamers, The People And Sites You Love, Before It's Too Late
Forever
Well, we've come to the end of a week that's seen the end of two gaming institutions as we've known them for many years. The departure of Dan Ryckert and Jeff Grubb from Giant Bomb on Thursday was swiftly followed by news of layoffs at Polygon following the site's sale to Valnet (owner of Screen Rant). Seeing these top-tier creators and
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News Astral Chain Director/Nier Automata Lead Designer Quits PlatinumGames
Another big departure for the legendary studio
It's been announced in the latest issue of Famitsu Magazine that PlatinumGames designer Takahisa Taura is parting ways with the developer in order to start work on his own company, Eel Game Studio. As revealed in a post by Genki, and spotted by the folks over at VGC, Taura stated on a few social media...
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News 8BitDo Suspends Shipping From China To US In Wake Of Ongoing Tariff Saga
"only products from our U.S. warehouse are available"
Yes, it seems as though the United States' bewildering tariff tactics are not through causing issues for gamers. Not by a long-shot, we'd imagine. Following on from the Nintendo Switch 2 pre-order debacle that's been occurring Stateside, popular peripheral maker 8BitDo has confirmed via its...
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Random Clair Obscur Director Celebrates Amazing Switch RPG Which Launched On Same Day
"After your Expedition, check out The Hundred Line"
Goodness gracious, RPG fans have been spoiled over the past few years, right? In fact, let's point to last week specifically. In the space of two days, three huge RPGs launched across various platforms — Oblivion Remastered, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and, for those of us with a Switch, The...
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News EA And Respawn Hit By Hundreds Of Layoffs As New Project Cancelled
Between 300 to 400 people have lost their job
Electronic Arts is reportedly laying off between 300-400 staff, with 100 of those coming from Apex Legends and Star Wars: Jedi developer Respawn,
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News Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered Is Out Now, But Switch 2 Is Unconfirmed
It looks so nice, too
Bethesda is set to officially reveal The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered tomorrow, 22nd April 2025. A livestream will kick off at 8am PT / 11am ET / 4pm BST / 5pm CET / 1am AET (Wed) during which we presume a trailer will be showcased to reveal all of those tasty visual upgrades. It's also speculated that Bethesda may...
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News After Selling Pokémon GO For $3.5 Billion, Niantic Spatial Is Now Laying Off Employees
68 workers will lose their jobs next month
Niantic is laying off 68 employees next month, following its multi-billion dollar sale of its gaming division which includes the AR mega-hit Pokémon GO, Game Developer reports. The outlet spotted a
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News A New Turn-Based Tactics Star Wars Game Has Been Announced
A collab between former XCOM devs and Respawn
Star Wars will be getting a new single-player turn-based tactics game officially titled Star Wars Zero Company. Although a Nintendo release hasn't been mentioned, there's always a chance with the Switch 2 on the horizon. This new game is being developed by the independent studio Bit Reactor (partly made...
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News Rime Developer Tequila Works Is Auctioning Off Its Game Rights After Bankruptcy
Including some in-development titles
Tequila Works, the developer behind the lovely puzzler RiME, horror cinematic platformer Deadlight, and adorable League of Legends spin-off Song of Nunu, is auctioning off a number of its game rights and IPs. 19 different listings can be found on the auction website
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News UK Retailer GAME Is Selling Off Goods And Fixtures As Head Office Shuts Down
Ovens and card holders are up for grabs
UK high street chain GAME is auctioning off a number of unusual items from its warehouse and head office in Basingstoke, which is closing down. Eurogamer has found a number of listings on NCM Auctions for items, ranging from standard warehouse units such as palette units, metal shelves, and fridges, and...
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News Crash And Spyro Dev Wants To Partner With Team Xbox For A Crack At Banjo
"Banjo's been hibernating long enough, right?"
Having helmed well-received entries in the Spyro/Skylanders and Crash Bandicoot lines, developer Toys for Bob has form with 3D platformers featuring beloved childhood characters. Perhaps unsurprisingly, according to a new interview, the team would be interested in reviving another fan-favourite series:...
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News Ex-PlayStation Boss Comments On Switch 2's "Hefty" Price Hikes
"Exclusivity kind of mitigates the sticker shock"
There has been all sorts of commentary about Nintendo's $80 price tag on Mario Kart World and how this could potentially impact the industry and consumers going forward, and now the former PlayStation boss Shawn Layden has shared his thoughts. Appearing on the 'PlayerDriven' YouTube channel and...
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News Nintendo's Bowser Comments On AI And Its Uses
"It's not the only method of game development"
It's one of the hottest issues in the gaming industry right now, so it was only a matter of time before Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser was asked about the rise of AI in game development in his series of Switch 2 interviews. Fortunately, his response was refreshingly pro-human. Bowser (not...
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News Nintendo Shares Plummet In Wake Of Trump Tariff Action
US pre-order postponement woes
In the wake of Nintendo's decision to delay opening its Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders in the US following upheaval and uncertainty around newly-imposed tariffs, the company has seen a 10% drop in its Tokyo-listed shares, reports Bloomberg. Nintendo made the call to hold off on opening pre-orders in the US last week,...
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News Switch 2 To Be Made Available Soon In Unity Game Engine
Helping developers target the launch
This isn't exactly a surprise, but it's been confirmed the game engine Unity will be providing developers with official for Nintendo Switch 2. Here's some PR about how this platform will be "made available soon" in Unity 6 for approved Switch 2 developers targeting the launch of the platform: "...
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News Nintendo Is (Kinda) Returning To Region-Locking With A Cheaper Japanese Switch 2
Priced 49,980 yen, which is around $333 USD
After the Switch 2 Direct wrapped up, Nintendo put out a press release announcing its pricing in different regions, including Japan. However, it appears that Japanese gamers will have an extra, cheaper option if they're happy to have a Japanese-language-only Switch 2. "The Japanese-Language System" is...
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Rumour More Switch 2 Development Kit Rumours Emerge Following Report Of "3-Phase Launch Plan"
Third-party games will reportedly be the second stage
Ahead of Nintendo's Switch 2 broadcast this week, new reports and rumours about third-party access to development kits have emerged. This follows a report last week claiming the Switch 2 would have a "3-phase" launch plan, with third-party games believed to be the second stage. According to...
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News Ubisoft Opens New Subsidiary Backed By Tencent For Assassin's Creed And Other IP
"A new chapter in its history"
Nintendo has shared all sorts of new and exciting reveals for the Switch this week, but it's not the only company that's been busy. Third-party developer and publisher Ubisoft has announced it will be "accelerating its transformation" with a new dedicated subsidiary for Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and the Tom Clancy's...
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News Game Informer Revived By Blockchain Firm Gunzilla Games
The "entire team" is back less than a year after the closure
As you might recall, last week the US publication Game Informer was spotted teasing a possible return less than a year after its closure and today it's been made official with the "entire team" back. The outlet is now backed by the blockchain developer Gunzilla Games after GameStop ended...
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News Nintendo's Monolith Soft Updates Its Switch Portfolio With Latest Release
It's already topping the charts
Monolith Soft has become a huge part of Nintendo's software division and this week it rolled out Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition for Switch. Now that the game is available, it's followed this up with its usual website update, where it's now added this project to its already incredible lineup of games. This...
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News Nintendo s Cross-Industry Effort 'Accessible Games Initiative' As Founding Member
Helping more people experience the "power of play"
The Entertainment Software Association has this week announced a new "cross-industry effort" known as the Accessible Games Initiative and Nintendo of America will be one of the five founding . Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Google and Ubisoft will be ing Nintendo, with the goal being to...
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News Eight Months After GameStop Shut It Down, Game Informer Is Teasing A Comeback
Continue?
After 33 years in the biz, the iconic publication Game Informer closed its doors last August with all of its staff laid off in the process. But now, eight months on, it seems that a comeback may be on the cards. At least, that's what is being teased by a recent video from the outlet. The short clip slowly zooms in on the site's final...
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News Pokémon GO Promises It Won't Introduce "Intrusive Ads" Or Playtime Restrictions
"No, that is not happening"
It's a new era for Niantic's mobile hit Pokémon GO now that the games division has been sold to Monopoly Go! maker Scopely for $3.5 billion. This has naturally raised some concerns about the title's future - with some players reportedly worried about "intrusive ads" and possible restrictions on playtime being introduced...
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News Emio - The Smiling Man Wins Best Adventure Game At Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards 2024
Pokémon's next entry also got a win
Emio - The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective Club has won the best "adventure" game award at the Famitsu Dengeki Game Awards for 2024. Apart from this, the Switch release Pokémon Legends: Z-A took out the most anticipated title, the "hand-drawn 2D action-platformer" Nine Sols won best indie game, and...
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Rumour Xbox Expected To Switch 2 With A New Handheld This Year
Microsoft could be testing the waters...
The Switch 2 is just around the corner and according to a new report it could be ed by a new Xbox handheld "later in 2025". A new 'exclusive' from Windows Central claims Microsoft is partnering with another company to deliver a PC gaming OEM "think ASUS, Lenovo, MSI, Razer, etc" and something "similar to...
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News Niantic Sells Pokémon GO And Entire Gaming Division For $3.5 Billion
Pikmin Bloom and Monster Hunter Now are also going
It's official — Niantic, the developer of Pokémon GO, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now, has sold its gaming division for a staggering $3.5 billion to Scopely, "a world leader in mobile games". This acquisition comes just a few weeks after reports emerged that Niantic was in talks to sell...
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News Ori Dev Goes "Fully Independent" Following Private Division Sale
Full Moon
Moon Studios, the developer behind the Ori series and the action RPG No Rest for the Wicked, has announced that it is now "fully independent" after purchasing the publishing rights to its next game from the recently sold Private Division. In a new YouTube update on No Rest for the Wicked's next patch, studio co-founders Thomas...
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News LEGO Is Apparently "Building Up" To In-House Game Development
Spilling the TT
For years, LEGO has found great success in teaming up with third-party studios to develop its tie-in game titles. However, it seems that collaborations with the likes of TT Games, 2K and Epic may soon come to an end, as a LEGO executive has suggested that the company wants to take things in-house in the future. In a recent interview...
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News Skullgirls Dev Is Off The Game, Taking Legal Action Against Publisher
"Thank you all for everything - you deserve nothing but the best"
Hidden Variable, the LA-based developer of Skullgirls Mobile, has issued a statement revealing that the team is "no longer involved in the development of Skullgirls Mobile, 2nd Encore, or other Skullgirls IP-related efforts" since 21st January and has initiated legal proceedings...
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News Analyst Fears U.S. Tariffs Could Spell Disaster For Physical Games
"What a mess"
Since taking office in January, the Trump istration has implemented a range of tariffs on goods being imported into the country. The introductions, which came into effect yesterday, include a 25% tariff on products from Mexico and a 20% tariff on goods from China (an additional 10% on what was initially implemented on 4th...
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News Analyst Expects Switch 2 To Sell Like Hot Cakes In Its First Quarter
Pre-empting a battle with the PS6
As it enters its ninth year, it's fair to say that the Nintendo Switch has been quite the sales hit. Like, 150 million units, third best-selling console of all time, kind of a hit. We've previously heard analysts make the low-hanging fruit prediction that Switch 2's sales numbers might not live up to that of its...
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News 20 Years After Its Demise, Publisher 'Acclaim' Is Being Resurrected
Will look to " indie developers and reignite classic franchises"
Back in the day, Acclaim Entertainment was a pretty formidable force in the games industry. It has dozens upon dozens of games under its belt, including the first two Burnout titles, the Turok series, NBA Jam, and of course, Mary-Kate and Ashley: Sweet 16 - License to Drive...
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News Indie Publisher Secret Mode Is Going Solo Following Sumo Group Split
Keeping a Secret
Investment firm Emona Capital LLP announced today that it has completed the successful buyout of Secret Mode — the publisher behind the likes of A Little To The Left, Wobbledogs, Loddlenaut, and more — from Sumo Group, a Tencent subsidiary. This isn't the firm's first foray into the gaming biz, either. Emona Capital currently...
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News Rockstar Games Announces Acquisition Of Dev Behind GTA Trilogy Upgrades
The studio will be renamed 'Rockstar Australia'
Grand Theft Auto developer Rockstar has announced its acquisition of the Australian developer Video Games Deluxe. This Sydney-based team, which worked on the upgrades to Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition last year, will be renamed Rockstar Australia. The same team has previously...
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News Masahiro Sakurai Receives Award From Japanese Government
For his YouTube video tutorials
Masahiro Sakurai, the legendary creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros., has been recognised by the Japanese Government's Agency for Cultural Affairs. Sakurai revealed on social media platform X (spotted via VGC) has been listed as a recipient of the Cultural Affairs' annual Art Encouragement Prize for New Artist
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News Nintendo Switch 2 Doesn't Need To Worry About Steam Deck Sales
Steam Deck has sold roughly 4 million units
As the Steam Deck turns three years old, and many of us laud its praises for allowing accessible PC gaming on-the-go, market research firm IDC has estimated that the handheld console has shifted roughly around 4 million units since its arrival in February 2022. The Verge spoke to the IDC, which uses...
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News Warner Bros. Closes Three Studios Including Team Behind Smash-Like Brawler 'MultiVersus'
The new Wonder Woman project has also been axed
The video game industry has already experienced a lot of layoffs this year and now Warner Bros. has announced it's shutting down three studios. This includes Player First - the team behind the Smash-like brawler MultiVersus, which also announced the end of its service earlier this month and will go...
