I may be slightly obsessed with Blue Prince, developer Dogubomb's recently released adventure/puzzle/mystery game that sees players drafting rooms in a massive, surreal manor, teasing out clues with each action and each day. It offers a potent blend of escape room-style puzzles (with math, logic, spatial reasoning, and other flavors), strategic room-drafting action straight out of the tabletop sensation Betrayal at House on the Hill, and a personal favorite game paradigm: the player and player character attain knowledge and ply it at close to a 1:1 ratio. It's ostensibly a single player game, but I think it has even longer legs as an unofficial "co-op" experience.Like Outer Wilds, Return of the Obra Dinn, or Asemblance: Oversight, more emphasis is placed on the knowledge you gain by playing and exploring (access to secrets, methods, and rules about the way the world works) more so than an in-fiction leveling system (like XP in an RPG) or similar. While there are more standard elements (a general roguelike run-based structure, some permanent upgrades to your kit and abilities, rng), what feels most important is what you, the player are absorbing, experimenting with, and putting to the test in your actions.What's even more important? When two people—or even more—absorb that information.Related:Putting together a good run sometimes feels like science: you start formulating theories as you observe, and test them out as best you can. Even when those theories are disproven (or you were looking at the wrong variables), you learned something that day, and you take that lesson with you. Seeing those theories proven and disproven may explain why the game is doing so well.Co-op play in Blue PrinceI'm enjoying the game a great deal on my own, but here's a second (and perhaps just as powerful) factor at work here: like a great escape room, it's even more fun with another person. The way my partner and I are tearing through, you wouldn't know it was a single player game: we'll pass the controller back and forth (sometimes for puzzles one of us is naturally better at, sometimes because it's simply dinner time), the non-player grasping my graphing notebook (yes, graphing paper, we are that serious), taking down notes, drawing charts, and offering suggestions and solutions as we draft and puzzle through. The first notes were kind of a mess, but we have that aspect down to a science now, about 30 hours into the mystery.It doesn't hurt that we happen to have complementary puzzle preferences—she's easily ten times better and faster at the parlor rooms, while I've been playing 3D games longer and have spatial reasoning tasks more front of mind—so we very rarely get stuck and generally have a good flow going. We're certainly not the only ones playing this way, of the approximately 12k players on Steam right now (plus players on the Xbox consoles and PS5). A cursory glance at Twitch reveals plenty of streamers playing with their communities (some without explicit "backseating," albeit with various degrees of clue acceptance from chat.)Related:We've had several "holy crap!" moments in our time with the game so far—when a wanton observation about room decorations was "confirmed" in a more definitive clue (and led us to break out the graph paper). Once we figured out the sequence required to take full advantage of the garage, we just about leapt off the couch in excitement. And lets not forget this little nugget: I've been so obsessed with solving one series of puzzles (in the gallery room, IYKYK) that last night, from a bus, I started texting my partner possible solutions (and full justifications for them) to try while I was out of the house.Dogubomb may not have explicitly designed the game for this kind of social play, but it suits Blue Prince's style like a perfect little key to a mysterious lock.Related:Designers wanting to play with this magic, take heed: some element of this comes with the territory whenever you construct so many different types of puzzles. Without giving too much away here, Blue Prince offers many flavors of puzzle and strategy that it naturally lends itself to the escape room logic of "many brains make light work:" just like my partner and I, certain types of players are attracted to (or repelled by) certain kinds of problem solving. It's wildly satisfying (for us and players like us) to collaborate and play this as a team sport and essentially share in the glory.You can support this as a developer by offering that variety, at a high standard of quality. Serve up a tasty buffet of puzzle types, and players like us will team up and happily scour every imaginable inch of the game.

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.BusinessIO Interactive co-founder launches new 'consensus'-driven studioIO Interactive co-founder launches new 'consensus'-driven studioWombo Games has been developing 'Riders of Blackveil' for the last two years.Diego Arguello, ContributorApril 25, 20252 Min ReadImage via Wombo Games.IO Interactive co-founder and former Square Enix chief creative officer Janos Flösser has announced the founding of Copenhagen-based studio Wombo Games.The studio has been working on its debut title Raiders of Blackveil for the past two years. The studio's debut game is an action roguelite that mixes in elements from the MOBA and PvE extraction genres, and it‛s set to launch on Steam Early Access this summer.Flösser, the CEO of Wombo, said the studio will be run in a more "consensus"-focused manner than the previous companies he's worked at. "Raiders of Blackveil is our first title so it’s very special to us," Wombo Games CEO Janos Flösser said in an announcement. "It is a blueprint of our studio because every person at Wombo has contributed directly to its development.""At Wombo, we make decisions by consensus, and plan to continue that with feedback from our players once we launch in early access later this year."Via GameIndustry.biz, Wombo Games is composed of 21 developers, including veterans of long-running series like Tomb Raider, Deus Ex, Just Cause, and Hitman.Flösser‛s portfolio includes managerial credit on five Hitman games, spanning over a decade, from Hitman: Codename 47 in the year 2000 to Hitman Absolution in 2012. He also worked on Kane & Lynch: Dead Men and Freedom Fighters as manager, and is listed as producer for 2007's Hitman film adaptation.Related:The co-founder was also part of Reto-Moto, a studio formed in 1997 by fellow IO Interactive co-founders Jesper Vorsholt Jørgensen, Rasmus Guldberg-Kjær, Karsten Lemann Hvidberg, Martin Munk Pollas, Jacob Andersen, and David Guldbrandsen.Reto-Moto went bankrupt in 2022. Prior to the shutdown, the company sold its sole game, 2016‛s free-to-play MMO Heroes & Generals, to TLM Games. The new owner shut down the servers in May 2023, sharing the figure of 22 million players registered in the game‛s lifetime. The developer launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund a sequel in early 2023, but it didn‛t reach its goal.Read more about:Studio announcementTop StoriesAbout the AuthorDiego ArguelloContributorSee more from Diego ArguelloDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Reality Labs has lost $47.5 billion over the past three years and is expected to continue bleeding cash.

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Huge donation will help The Strong preserve the history of defunct Saints Row developer VolitionHuge donation will help The Strong preserve the history of defunct Saints Row developer VolitionA collection of materials spanning three decades of company history has been donated to the National Museum of Play.Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 24, 20252 Min ReadImage via VolitionThe Strong National Museum of Play has received a donation from defunct Saints Row developer Volition that will help preserve almost 30 years of company history.Andrew Borman, director of digital preservation at The Strong, shared the news on Linkedin (thanks GamesHub) and said the donation includes thousands of game builds, some source material, documentation, props, and awards relating to iconic franchises including Descent, Red Faction, and Saints Row."While we have only just begun to process the collection, I am beginning to understand some of what it might contain," said Borman in a video post, noting the museum has received a disc from 2004 that includes multiple early builds of Saints Row, which was then called Bling Bling.Preserving a digital time capsuleUnderlining the importance of preserving, cataloguing, and archiving video game history, Borman explained how that single item charts the formative years of an iconic franchise—serving as a digital time capsule that shows how the project evolved over the years as design beats and mechanics were added, tweaked, and even torched by the development team."We can [also] explore games that were unreleased and never made it to market, such as various Saints Row spinoffs and their prototypes, many of which haven't been seen before. We are honored to preserve the history and legacy of Volition, and the work of many Volitionites that made such incredible games," added Borman.Related:"There is much work to be done organizing, cataloguing, and migrating data from optical discs and other storage formats before it becomes accessible to researchers and museum guests. I know there are going to be many questions about the collection in the coming months, so I hope to be able to share even more in the future."Volition was purchased by Embracer Group in 2018 when the conglomerate acquired its parent company Koch Media. It was shuttered around five years later when Embracer embarked upon a brutal restructuring program that resulted in mass layoffs, studio closures, and project cancelations.A cohort of Volition have since regrouped to establish co-development studio Shapeshifter Games. The studio is currently working with an unnamed publisher on an upcoming franchise. The Strong is based in New York and regularly celebrates and spotlights video games and the people who make them. You can find out more about the institute right here.Read more about:Game PreservationAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

In the last few years, Paradox Interactive's massively successful strategy portfolio of games like Victoria 3, Stellaris, and Crusader Kings III has been praised for its critical and commercial success made possible by veteran developers. Now, a return-to-office policy is threatening to drive employees away from the company.After the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns of 2020-2021, video game developers began adapting to the needs of a workforce that had spent a year learning how to make games in a remote environment. Some, like Swedish company Paradox Interactive, implemented "hybrid" schedules that offered developers flexibility in exchange for spending up to 3 days a week in the studio.Many developers at Paradox found this framework ideal. It allowed them to balance the costs of childcare and commuting while still seeing peers in-person for necessary work. But in late 2024, Paradox leadership informed employees they would wind down the hybrid work schedule, mandating they be in the office four days a week starting in February 2025, and a full five days a week by September 2025.To get a sense of the overall reception following the policy’s rollout earlier this year, Game Developer spoke with five current and former developers from Paradox Interactive, who all requested anonymity for fear of retaliation. Those conversations, which took place over the last several months, suggest that the policy has proven to be unpopular within the company and has endured a "chaotic" rollout.Related:Deputy CEO Mattias Lilja confirmed the RTO plans in a response to a request for comment from Game Developer. He said the goal of the policy is to establish that working from the office "is now the expected default" and not "a matter of preference." Employees are expected to follow the in-office requirement "as a general rule," but flexibility will be offered to some workers due to "individual circumstances." Employees hired remotely from beyond Stockholm will not be required to move close to the office.Lilja stated that Paradox is prepared to alter the arrangement if Paradox sees "a clearly negative impact."Sources told Game Developer that "negative impact" is already here. According to a survey conducted by the worker's unions Unionen and SACO conducted after the call, over 50 percent of employees said they're considering looking for other jobs. And the sources we spoke with expressed say the talent-bleeding has already begun.Paradox leadership initially said there was no RTO policy in the worksRelated:Rumors of a return-to-office policy began circulating Paradox in November 2024.As these rumors churned, representatives from worker's unions Unionen and SACO asked management if any return-to-office policy was being planned. According to info shared by those unions with Paradox employees via an open Slack channel, company management reportedly denied a return-to-office policy was in the works.All that changed in December, when Paradox leadership internally announced that staff would be required to spend four days a week in the office starting in February 2025. Only then did the company enter consultation with the unions and the employee safety representatives required under its collective bargaining agreement and Swedish law.After the internal announcement, Paradox convened a town hall to address questions from Paradox staff, including those physically in the room and those who were attending the meeting remotely. In a recording of the call reviewed by Game Developer, he told employees that the decision "is not a vote," and that "we as a company need to find ways to work more productively."Remote viewers in the call used emojis to signal their views on the policy, submitting positive "thumbs up" reactions in response to questions criticizing it, and "angry" reactions when Lilja defended the policy.Related:During the Q&A, employees challenged the policy, pressuring leadership to explain its motivation for the decision. One employee in the call asked Lilja referenced multiple research studies that show hybrid working can have a positive impact on productivity. Lilja deflected the question, saying what worked for other companies doesn't automatically work for Paradox.Lilja and Paradox vice president of culture and engagement Paula Thelin attempted to solicit questions on other topics, but employees continued submitting questions challenging the RTO policy. The company offered to host a second town hall to further discuss the end of hybrid working. That second town hall never took place."We quickly realized there would be a high volume of questions around specific cases and personal circumstances," Lilja said in response to our query about the canceled second town hall. "Despite our original intention of having a second meeting with the full company, we elected to answer the broadest questions and share further information through managers instead. This follow-up has already been completed as of early this year."54 percent of surveyed Paradox employees said they are considering leaving the companyParadox leadership seemed just as unconvinced by data on hybrid working from inside the company as it was from outside researchers. Unionen and SACO submitted a presentation of their survey results to the company (which gathered about 300 responses across multiple sub-studios), but this didn't seem to change the mind of management.Game Developer obtained a copy of this presentation, which showed that a combined 54 percent of responding employees reported a return-to-office policy would make them consider leaving the company.34 percent of respondents said the policy would "likely" make them look for a new job, and 20 percent of responding employees stated they are "actively" looking for a new job. About 38 percent of respondents said the policy did not impact their commitment to the company, and only 2.5 percent said it "increased" their commitment to Paradox (the slides did not indicate what response the remaining 5.5 percent selected).But for all the statistics the union provided, sources said the company offered little hard data in return, instead referring back to profits margins not just for the overall company, but for individual games and downloadable expansions. In the town hall, Lilja said there was not a "simple checklist" of variables the company was using to measure productivity, but did state that the cost/product curve of the company was a key metric.Speaking to Game Developer, Lilja downplayed the emphasis on "productivity," first saying that "Direct interaction with one’s team leads to the best collaboration, which is absolutely essential to creating the complex, systems-driven games that Paradox is known for."When asked if employees were specifically told that the policy was meant to improve productivity at the studio, Lilja said he "believes" that message was "communicated to employees." "Working in the office is intended to promote collaboration, which will in turn lead to more productivity, and downstream from that we will continue to see a sustainable and profitable company."He said the company is not changing the policy due to any recent downturns or short-term profit results, saying claims that the policy is being implemented due concerns over profit margins "seem reductive."Image via Paradox Interactive.The company was terse in its exchanges with the unions. According to a memo obtained by Game Developer containing the minutes of a required consultation meeting with Unionen and SACO, the unions presented the survey results as well as concerns from the safety representative about the physical work environment at Paradox headquarters. These concerns covered topics like ventilation, fire safety, temperature control, and noise level in the office.The groups also expressed concern that the safety assessment only began after the policy was announced, potentially indicating risks from the assessment weren't taken into account in the decision to implement an RTO policy. They ultimately recommended that Paradox reverse this policy and return to the 3-day hybrid policy that had been the norm since the COVID-19 pandemic.The company's official point of view, as expressed in the memo, boiled down to one sentence: "The company aims to implement this change to enhance team collaboration and culture, ultimately increasing overall performance." Under Swedish law, Paradox is not required to implement any recommendations made by the union.Will RTO bolster Paradox’s 'collaboration', 'culture', and 'performance'?Lilja told Game Developer that feedback to the policy "has been mixed," but that the company still believes it will "lead to positive changes for Paradox in the long run." He added that Paradox is "moving forward with planning," and has used "vital feedback from employees, Unionen, and SACO to ensure the policy is flexible where needed."It's difficult to find evidence implying productivity at Paradox suffered due to the hybrid work policy. Paradox's public financial results don't draw a direct line between hybrid working and change in operating profit. During the 6-year period from 2018-2024, its year-end reports stated that annual operating profit spiked 34 percent in 2020 and 189 percent in 2022 (at the time CEO Fredrik Wester attributed the gain partly due to the "weakness" of the Swedish krona), and grew a modest 10 percent in 2024.Over the course of those 6 years, the company saw big wins with the release of games like Crusader Kings III, Victoria 3, but also the underperformance of Cities Skylines II, the write-down-grade losses on Harebrained Schemes' The Lamplighters League, and the development reset on Vampire The Masquerade II: Bloodlines. Then in 2023, Paradox laid off most of Harebrained Schemes before selling the company back to its founders and shut down Paradox Tectonic less than a month after delaying the game's June 4, 2024 Early Access launch. The company reported that the latter closure deeply harmed its operating profit in its June 2024 interim financial report.All the employees we spoke with expressed frustration over the emphasis on productivity. Direct costs did steadily increase during this time period—but the canceled projects, underperforming games, and studio closures had a greater impact on the company's profits. Each year it saw declines in profits was accompanied either by public backlash to the quality of its releases (like Cities Skylines 2) or a studio closure. These events represent massive amounts of revenue the company had projected not being realized.With such dramatic events impacting Paradox's balance sheet, it's easy to see why employees might feel like individual productivity boosts won't do much to move the needle. "What incentive do we actually have to be more performant now?," one current employee said to Game Developer. "If we were to be more performant, that would only prove this naive and unfounded theory right.""If we're less performant...best case [we] would prove this theory wrong and in worst case might lose our job, in this economy. Great."Game developers grow frustrated with return-to-office mandates"We do things we think is best, we won't do otherwise," Lilja said during the back-and-forth with employees in the December 2024 town hall. "If you feel strongly against that, you need to look in the mirror and decide if this is the right place [for you]."These words echo those of other game industry employers like Activision Blizzard, Rockstar Games, and Ubisoft, which have also taken tough lines on mandating a return to in-person game development. But with companies laying off employees over the last three years at unprecedented rates, those who simply quit may struggle to find new employment.One source told Game Developer that departures may increase after the summer of 2025, when employees receive their profit-sharing payout and everyone comes back from their summer vacation.Meanwhile smaller studios like Bloober Team have continued to accommodate remote and hybrid work, demonstrating the viability of flexible employment even on years-long development projects.Multiple sources told us rumors are still swirling of key employees being offered exemptions to the return-to-office policy in order to prevent their departures. Liljas denied that this is taking place, saying "we don't view this in terms of 'key employees' so much as what lengths are required to fill certain positions." He added that this has "always been the case for Paradox."There's worry that if enough senior employees decide to leave anyway, the quality of Paradox releases could decline, impacting the productivity that Paradox leadership hoped to improve. Liljas said that it will take about 12-18 months to evaluate the effectiveness of the RTO policy. "It is easy to point to short term changes to one’s individual schedule as obviously negative, and I understand it requires a show of faith to trust that this will be seen as a positive change in the future—but steering Paradox in the long term is my job, and I want to earn our team’s trust to do just that."For now, the game development community can only watch as Paradox puts its theory to the test. If profit margins on upcoming games and expansions do increase—even if a number of key employees exit the company—than it bolsters the argument that forcing workers back into the office boosted productivity.But if its profit margins stagnate or decline and key senior employees and leaders decide to leave, Paradox—and the video game industry—may have to face the fact that forcing people into a building does not automatically improve the process of game development.

The studio says the cuts won't impact the release of upcoming title All Systems Dance.

Tenderfoot Tactics developer Badru has pulled the title from Xbox platforms in solidarity with the Palestinian-lead Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, which has called for a boycott of Microsoft over its ties to the Israeli military."We hope that Microsoft will listen to the voices of their workers and customers and stop all business with the criminal Israeli military, which we have watched conduct an open genocide in Gaza over the last 18 months," said the developer in a statement posted on Bluesky."We hope the broader community will join in the pressure campaign and fight for an end to occupation and apartheid in Palestine and across the world."BDS is specifically targeting Microsoft for providing the Israeli military with Azure cloud and AI services (thanks +972 Magazine) that it says "are crucial in empowering and accelerating Israel’s genocidal war on 2.3 million Palestinians in the illegally occupied Gaza Strip."Notably, the campaign is actively calling for consumers to boycott Microsoft video game products including Xbox hardware and software produced by internal studios such as Bethesda Softworks and Activision Blizzard King."Uninstall and boycott key games owned by the company such as Minecraft, Call of Duty, Candy Crush, etc," reads a call to action on the BDS website, which also implores people to cancel their Xbox Game Pass subscription.Related:BDS is comprised of "unions, academic associations, churches, and grassroots movements across the world" and is attempting to focus boycotts on a small number of major corporations to deliver "maximum impact."Other companies targeted by the organization include Dell, Chevron, HP, Intel, Disney+, and Siemens.Indie developer hopes others across the game industry will support pressure campaignIt remains to be see whether other studios and creatives will join Badru, which is a member of collectively run indie games label Ice Water Games, in boycotting Microsoft. During a recent interview with Aftermath, Badru explained other Ice Water members didn't push back against the decision, but noted the move did initially result in a "small loss of revenue."That small hit, however, has since been recouped following a sales surge on other platforms."With regards to Microsoft, [it’s a] huge target, right?" Badru told Aftermath. "It's a huge part of the economy, especially in Seattle. It feels like everybody sort of works for Microsoft, or at least downstream from it. Microsoft is practically part of the state; it's so interconnected with the U.S. military. Whether we're able to make Microsoft change or not directly, part of the point of targeting them is to be able to advocate around this and show these connections. Otherwise, nobody's interested in Azure Cloud. Nobody wants to talk about whatever Microsoft's bullshit AI is doing. These boycotts create opportunities for us to shine a light."Related:Badru acknowledged that some Microsoft workers have also spoken out against their employer, but told Aftermath it's important to continue applying outside pressure.Indeed, as reported by AP News, two Microsoft employees protested during the company's 50th anniversary celebrations to voice their discontent over its contracts with Israel. Both were subsequently fired.Microsoft employees also launched No Azure for Apartheid in 2024 in partnership with the Palestinian BDS National Committee. The pressure group is calling for Microsoft to terminate all Azure contracts and partnerships with the Israeli military and government.Game Developer has contacted Microsoft for comment.

Studios of all shapes and sizes have been struck down by the video game industry contraction of the last three years. Triple-A companies, small indies, and mid-sized studios founded by industry veterans have all laid off employees and canceled games in the face of modest declines of player spending and unrealized growth demanded by investors.That third group—the studios founded by former employees of companies like Blizzard Entertainment, Rockstar Games, Ubisoft, etc.—has been a particular punching bag for the thinkfluencers of LinkedIn. To be sure, working at a triple-A studio during the release of a game like World of Warcraft or Assassin's Creed Origins doesn't automatically make you ready to run your own company. But the rhetoric around these failures sometimes rises to the level of contempt—as though the investor class is angry at their own past faith in these developers and is now blaming them for their portfolio woes.However strange the discourse has become, it is true that around 2020-2021, investors poured millions of dollars into studios with these bona fides, and these studios have suffered in the years since. If you're a triple-A dev about to fundraise for your own company, or are at the helm of one now, what can you do to survive?Related:In our ongoing quest to answer that question, the folks at Stray Kite Studios—who are about to release their debut game Wartorn into Early Access—caught our eye. Stray Kite was co-founded by BioShock lead designer and Borderlands 2 creative director Paul Hellquist and former Robot Entertainment colleague Shovaen Patel. The pair met during their overlapping time at Orcs Must Die developer Robot Entertainment and jumped into business together after a 2018 layoff.It's that year "2018" that gave us pause. That's a 7 year run for a small team of former triple-A devs, the kind of feat many of their peers hoped for in the 2020-2021 funding boom. With Wartorn soon to launch, we wanted to ask them about their journey—and now that they're pivoting from co-development to original games, what they think the future is for themselves and the industry.Stray Kite Studios developed the Fortnite Creative game Prop HuntThe "games" tab on Stray Kite's website is slim at first glance. The team is only able to publicly talk about its work on Fortnite's Creative Mode and the Borderlands spinoff Tiny Tina's Wonderlands, and Wartorn makes three. But it's been a busy seven years for Patel, Hellquist, and their colleagues. After starting Stray Kite, they dove into the world of co-development and Unreal Engine development, creating the original Fortnite Creative game Prop Hunt, now one of many islands that are part of the Unreal Engine Fortnite UGC system. They had the unusual task of not only trying to make games for Fortnite Creative, but also solving game design problems to create assets and workflows that Fortnite players could use in their own Fortnite Creative games.Related:"One thing we tried to do in Fortnite was to make games you can't easily make in Fortnite," Patel recalled a bit sheepishly. "There was a little bit of mixed goals when we were working on that stuff."After spending time with Epic, Stray Kite expanded its list of clients, eventually reuniting Hellquist with his former colleagues at Gearbox on Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. Co-development allowed Hellquist and Patel to intimately see how different studios are run, offering a rare opportunity to compare and contrast different ways of making games and picking the ones that worked for their shop. "We've taken some [processes] we've liked from some places...and we've put some things to the side that we know we don't want to do," said Hellquist.When the COVID-era venture capital boom hit the video game industry, Patel said he and Hellquist deliberately chose to avoid that line of funding, continuing to "bootstrap" the company. "It would have been easy to go there," Patel said, also acknowledging the company wasn't "immune" to the layoffs and cost-cutting that started in 2022.Related:Despite those challenges, Patel and Hellquist decided it was finally time for Stray Kite to greenlight Wartorn. The pair said it's a product born of their loves of system-driven games to drive player agency. But peeking over their shoulder, you can see a bit of that Fortnite Creative energy still lingering on the product—because as the pair explained it, Wartorn mashes together genres, systems, and themes that don't work well together at first glance.Wartorn's real-time strategy and roguelike gameplayWartorn is a single-player strategy game as inspired by Bungie's Myth: The Fallen Lords as it is modern roguelikes like Slay the Spire. Players take on the role of two siblings building an army of fantasy creatures to lead a caravan across a war-ravaged country and reunite with their family. Hellquist says Stray Kite is releasing the game in Early Access not just for economic reasons, but because the game is a "genre blend" that needs player feedback in development to properly mix together."We know that we don't know everything we need to know," Hellquist said, accidentally invoking an infamous Donald Rumsfeld quote. "Having players be on that journey with us helps us understand what they need and what they want out of this kind of experience."Image via Stray Kite Studios.The pair explained that Wartorn balances their desire to push "player agency." Sometimes through familiar means, like a systems-driven elemental system that lets players experiment with cause-and-effect (and react to what goes wrong). Some of it is in conventional choice-driven narrative that balances the needs of the caravan against morality, evoking the mechanics of 11 bit studios' This War of Mine and Stoic Studios' The Banner Saga.But even if the pair want players to make their own choices and tell their own stories, they want those choices to take place against the backdrop of real-world struggles. The game's story of two young heroes fleeing a region racked by war is a personal one for Patel, who described how his parents fled Tanzania under the threat of violence. His mom had to abandon the dog that protected her from thieves and his father literally buried gold near his home in the hopes of one day returning to reclaim it.He never did. "There's some gold buried in Tanzania you can go get," Patel joked. "We've got this extremism that happened here, and it's personal to me...and it's personal for so many people in the world and throughout all of human history."Wartorn is a case study of where developers can rely on the "familiar" to experiment with something new. While Stray Kite pushes the boundaries on the game's setting and core gameplay, it's relying on familiar fantasy conventions and the popularity of roguelike progression to help players ground themselves. It's also an ambitious choice to tap the real-time strategy genre—though Patel said he prefers to think of it as "real-time tactics" given the smaller focus. "We've started calling this a real time tactics game, because it's a little closer to that," he said. "We're trying to distance ourselves from that expectation [that there will be] base building and managing people, gathering berries and things like that."One might wonder if blending a dormant genre with roguelike mechanics (something that's not really been done successfully, as Hellquist noted) is a wise choice for a small team trying to stay financially afloat. But the pair hope other developers can join them in making these unusual blends of games. "I'm afraid we as an industry are going to stagnate," Hellquist said. "We don't feel like we can explore in the triple-A space the way he used to. I'm not sure a game like BioShock could be made any more."Financial survival doesn't have to translate to taking the safest choices possible. Stray Kite Studios is trying to show the game industry that taking risks isn't just about fulfilling the creative spirit—when well-grounded, it can be what helps your team evolve and grow instead of remaining stagnant.

Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 24, 20252 Min ReadImage via DiscordFormer Activision Blizzard vice chairman and King Digital Entertainment president, Humam Sakhnini, has been named the new CEO of Discord.It's a notable shift for the voice, video, and text communication platform, which is used by over 200 million monthly active users—including a litany of video game developers and communities.Sakhnini has been appointed to eventually turn Discord into a public company. He'll also help the platform continue refocusing on its "gaming roots" while exploring the opportunities presented by "advertising, micro-transactions, and providing social infrastructure to game developers."Sakhnini will officially step into the role on April 28, 2025. His soon-to-be predecessor, Discord co-founder and long-serving CEO Jason Citron, will remain on the company's board of directors and become an advisor to the CEO.Citron's fellow Discord co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy will remain chief technology officer.In a lengthy message shared with Discord workers, Citron said it was essential the company appoint a new leader from a "position of strength.""I am thrilled to welcome Humam Sakhnini as the next CEO of Discord. After spending significant time together, I have complete confidence in his ability to lead us into the future alongside Stan and the rest of our executive team," he wrote.Related:"Humam brings more than 15 years of experience in the gaming industry, including at Activision Blizzard where he served as Chief Strategy Officer helping guide franchises like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. He later took over from the founders of King to delight the players of their live service games while substantially growing the King business in the public market."That latter detail feels particularly notable given Citron explained Sakhnini was hired to "someday" take Discord public.Outlining his vision for the platform, Sakhnini described Discord as a "foundational part of the gaming ecosystem" and pledged to scale the business while remaining true to the company's core vision."What Jason and Discord co-founder and CTO Stan Vishnevskiy have built is truly remarkable — a platform with an undeniable product-market fit where hundreds of millions of people connect around their passion for gaming and shared interests," he added in a separate announcement."I look forward to working with Stan and Discord's talented team to scale our business while staying true to the company's core mission and the special connection it has with player communities. We're still at the beginning of gaming's impact on entertainment and culture, and Discord is perfectly positioned to play a central role in that future."Related:Read more about:Top StoriesAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

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Obsidian Entertainment's Avowed is a major technical achievement for the fabled role-playing game studio. Though the company has experience with 3D action RPGs like Fallout New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, Avowed brings the fantasy world of the company's isometric Pillars of Eternity series to a massive 3D world. Like its predecessors, Avowed allows players to make a dizzying number of decision in gameplay and dialogue that all intersect and shape their journey. Combine those branching choices with the game's advancements in first-person combat and animation, and you have an exceptionally complex game at risk of launching with a distressing number of bugs.But that didn't happen. Avowed launched to critical acclaim, with some critics noting the game isn't as "glitchy" as many of Obsidian's beloved older titles. The studio's reputation for buggy games was so noteworthy that at the 2025 Game Developers Conference, Obsidian QA lead David Benefield briefly mentioned it in his presentation on Obsidian's improvements to its QA workflow.What are those improvements? According to Benefield, Obsidian has spent the last decade (since the release of 2016's Tyranny) restructuring its QA department to work more closely with the rest of the studio. QA testers became QA analysts, and instead of only running tests on builds of games like Avowed, the QA team began working with designers of all stripes to review their work in Obsidian's narrative tool and Unreal Engine, spotting bugs before anyone hit the "commit" button.Related:That process may sound dauting—but if you want to bolster your QA team, Benefield said you can boil the process down to one phrase: "train your QA team using whatever methods you're training your designers."Obsidian's QA testers got access to Tyranny's narrative toolsThe yearslong journey to reinvent Obsidian's QA department began in 2015 while developing the CRPG Tyranny. Dialogue in Tyranny is accompanied by portraits of characters in different premade "poses" that illustrate their emotional state. Originally these poses were to be set up by the narrative team working in the Obsidian narrative tool, but according to Benefield, that team had become bogged down creating quests and content for the game, and work on implementing poses was falling behind schedule.Implementing these poses wasn't a complex process, it just required hours and hours of work, and the QA team had the bandwidth to take up the task. But with access to the tool they began to realize there was loads of implemented content they'd never seen or tested before.Related:"We found lines that had never been tested, or, in some cases, lines you couldn't even reach as a player due to a bug," he said. "Sometimes they were entire quest branches, small and large, hidden inside these files that unless you stumbled into it as a player, or it was documented somewhere, you wouldn't know that it's even there, meaning...QA couldn't [log] the bug if we didn't know the bug was present."Image via Obsidian Entertainment/Paradox Interactive.Benefield was a tester at the time, and while he was implementing poses, he spotted a potentially game-breaking bug tied to the game's reputation system. In the game's opening hours, players balance demands from different factions like "The Disfavored" and "The Scarlet Forest" to garner reputation, culminating in a scene that will cement their initial allegiance. The scene checks the player's reputation with each faction, which is calculated by numbers that go up or down depending on different choices. Whichever faction the player has a better reputation with will determine what scene plays out and how the game progresses.Because Benefield was working in the narrative tool and could see the number values and narrative node pathways, he did the math and found it was possible for players to make a precise set of choices that would end with equal reputation values with each faction. This was not an intended outcome, and the player wouldn't be able to progress the story.Related:He showed the bug to his lead...who congratulated him on his initiative but said they couldn't file a ticket unless he reproduced it in a build. It took him two hours to test and retest his theory, and the fix took 30 seconds. "I found it personally frustrating to see I'd found such a high-severity bug, but the cost and time to reproduce it would prove to be greater than the time to fix it," he said.Fortunately, Obsidian listened to his feedback, and after this Tyranny bumped the status of its QA testers up to QA analysts (increasing their pay as well) and created a process for analysts to review quest and dialogue node trees before they went into the build.Expanding in-tool testing on AvowedBenefield took a few years away from Obsidian to work as a producer at Nexon, but was hired back at the company as a QA lead on Avowed, where he began more rigorously implementing this process. Avowed's conversation nodes weren't larger or more complex than Tyranny, but now the QA team also had to track animation, audio, and other gameplay bugs that came with first-person combat and animated conversations.Using a sample conversation with a merchant from early in Avowed that checks if a specific party member was present, Benefield showed three ways a mistake in the narrative tool could lead to a bug in the game. If a designer created a node where a "bark" (a line that occurs without dialogue UI) transitions into a full dialogue sequence, the conversation breaks. If a designer forgets to identify a speaker when setting up a node, or the speaker was deleted after the file was created, the conversation breaks. And if someone forgets to put a "red" talk node (that ends the conversation) at the end of their sequence, the conversation breaks. All three of these bugs came up "dozens" of times when making Avowed, and they're "much easier" to spot inside the tools than if they're reported from inside the game.Image by Bryant Francis.In the process of catching these bugs and other logic breaks, the testing team began to spot more advanced (Benefield called them "fun") scripting errors, spotting them in the game's data and flagging the narrative designer. This saved time for both teams since narrative designers now knew the root cause of a bug rather than being told the symptom. "It also saves QA time by finding more bugs-per-minute than in the same time they'd spend testing content in the game."This process wasn't restricted to Obsidian's in-house testers—external testers from service provider QLOC were also given this level of access. Testers from both companies grew so proficient at working with the narrative tool that Benefield began thinking—what if they applied this process to Unreal Blueprints as well?Obsidian's Unreal Engine designers embraced working with QAAfter enough time with this new process (and a healthy holiday break), Benefield began drafting a pitch for the rest of the studio. "If the analysts know these tools so well, and they know the game so well, the only pieces they're missing are how triggers, trigger volumes, and blueprints work on the Unreal side," he argued. "So what if we got them that info too?"The pitch triggered a bit of "imposter syndrome" in Benefield. When he first joined Obsidian, the company's org chart kept QA siloed away from the rest of the design team, and there wasn't a lot of professional overlap between the different ends of the company. There wasn't a mandated divide like you might find at other game studios (this was the tail end of an era where some companies forbade QA from ever speaking with teams outside their department), but it wasn't what you'd call a close relationship. Though the departments became closer over the years, the lingering specter of viewing QA as the grunts at the bottom of the organization was still there.Fortunately—and Benefield said this is one of his "favorite parts" of working at Obsidian—a number of designers quickly warmed up to the idea, and were willing to give it a shot. This led to the creation of the "joint analysis session," where testers and designers stepped through a quest while reviewing the flow of information in Unreal.Image via Obsidian Entertainment/Microsoft."As they go through, the designer calls out every trigger and script used on the quest, literally pulling them up on a shared screen for the analyst to see and ask questions," Benefield said. "We also record these so we can be very brief about our notes and really just focus on what's on screen.""Because QA is only ever seeing how it does play out, this gives [designers] an opportunity to say 'wait, that's what it should have been doing, I didn't realize that's a bug.'"These meetings run for an hour (with multiple meetings scheduled if a quest takes longer). Sometimes bugs were so obvious they could be fixed on a call.Bringing QA and design together improved moraleAccording to Benefield, Obsidian's designers loved these sessions. Bugs were squashed, QA learned more about content they needed to test through conventional means, production continued more efficiently, and maybe most importantly, it was a major boost for morale."I didn't see this one coming, but it was very noticeable to everybody involved and everybody adjacent to these sessions," Benefield recalled. "Folks were enjoying them. [Designers] felt much better about their quests after they'd been beat on during a joint analysis session.Even after these sessions, designers and QA analysts were more comfortable reaching out to each other with questions and comments.Obsidian made a number of other improvements to the QA process during the making of Avowed, but all of them came back to the core practice of training testers on tools used by designers.Though the team still used classic "black box" testing to check for bugs organically emerging in the game, this "white box" method brought joy and collaboration to what can be a grinding field in game development.As Benefield concluded, "By pairing the QA mindset of 'how do I get this to break' with the designer mindset of 'how do I get this to work,' we're allowing these people to work closely to each other, and we get a better product in a shorter amount of time."GDC and Game Developer are sibling organizations under Informa.

Reigns has earned over $20 million to become one of Devolver's most successful franchises.

Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 22, 20252 Min ReadImage via Blue Ocean GamesBlue Ocean Games, a new $30 million early-stage venture fund backed by PUBG maker Krafton, has launched with the aim of supporting 100 indie developers over the next three years.The fund was established by Krafton's former head of investments Damian Lee to "empower promising indie developers who fall outside traditional investment criteria."Blue Ocean said it will leverage a unique Structured Agreement for Indie Launch (SAIL) funding model to create pathways for game concepts that might never otherwise make it to market.SAIL will enable Blue Ocean to provide investment at the concept stage—before a team has created a playable build—and financing of $100,000 developer (up to $300,000 per team) disbursed over two years.In addition, partner developers will receive objective, market-validation milestones as opposed to subjective checkpoints; hybrid equity and revenue share agreements that balance "developer control with investor returns"; and full ownership of their IP.The fund will also offer practical support including incorporation assistance, bookkeeping services, and mentorship from industry veterans. Successful applicants will be grouped into cohorts to create a "collaborative community that can share knowledge and resources."Blue Ocean Games focused on supporting Indies but could expand in the futureRelated:The inaugural fund is specifically optimized for solo developers and smaller teams led by first-time founders, but Blue Ocean hopes to expand support to larger, more experienced teams in the future."There is a structural problem in the indie game industry where the gap between what investors are willing to fund, what developers dream of creating, and what players crave has grown too wide,” said Lee."Beyond simply filling a funding gap, we are trying to reimagine the ecosystem itself. By aligning player demand with developer passion through community validation and reliable funding, our goal is to create an environment where mutual benefits naturally drive success and growth. This isn't just about picking winners; it's about expanding the playing field so that more visions can become reality."Blue Ocean is hoping to discover new talent through "Rising Tide," a new online competition series designed to help developers validate ideas, gain recognition, and advance their projects—irrespective of whether they choose to seek funding.The first Rising Tide challenge is being hosted on May 1, 2025, in partnership with Global Game Jam. Applications for direct funding will open alongside the event.Related:Those interested in learning more about Rising Tide or seeking funding through Blue Ocean Games can find out more here.About the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 22, 20252 Min ReadImage via GamesBeatGamesBeat has become an independent media brand after splitting from parent company VentureBeat.The long-running video game, tech, and entertainment publication said the move will enable "continued growth and innovation."The newly-independent outlet will be overseen by CEO Gina Joseph, formerly chief strategy officer at VentureBeat, and editorial director Dean Takahashi, formerly lead writer at GamesBeat."We are excited about this powerful new chapter for GamesBeat and the industry we are serving," said Joseph. "As a niche independent publication, we'll unlock unparalleled insights, opportunities, and direct access to decision-makers, playing an integral role for this $177 billion industry and the broader interactive tech landscape."We look forward to growing GamesBeat as an influential industry platform, not just for news, but to also foster connections and opportunities for business leaders, helping the industry to thrive while continuing our reputation for delivering authoritative thought leadership that will shape the future of this dynamic space."GamesBeat looking to kickstart 'new era' as an independent publicationTakahashi said the pivot signals the beginning of a "new era" for the publication. "Our goal is to deliver the kind of insightful journalism that offers our audience contextual insights needed to understand how gaming interacts with other high-growth sectors," he added.Related:GamesBeat will be owned by Joseph, Takahashi, and and a cohort of undisclosed investors.In a statement sent to Game Developer, a spokesperson for the publication said it will announce the identities of those investors at a later date.That said, the company has confirmed it was "backed" by a group of strategic advisors including Peter Levin, co-founder and managing director at venture capital fund Griffin Gaming Partners.Live events such as GamesBeat Summit, GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Global Tour, and Games & Hollywood remain a part of the company's plans moving forward."Our events have always been a platform for meaningful connections and genuine conversations" said Joseph. "As we build on this legacy, we will work to foster even more powerful connections, ensuring GamesBeat continues to be a critical point of intersection for the industry’s biggest players."Read more about:Top StoriesAbout the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Hoby Darling named president of League of Legends developer Riot GamesHoby Darling named president of League of Legends developer Riot GamesThe veteran exec previously held senior roles at Nike, Skullcandy, and Logitech.Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 22, 20252 Min ReadHeadshot via Riot GamesFormer Nike, Skullcandy, and Logitech executive Hoby Darling has been named president of Valorant and League of Legends developer Riot Games.The Tencent-owned studio said Darling will strive to turn Riot into the "best place to make games."His appointment comes after former Riot global president Dylan Jadeja vacated the role in 2023 to become CEO of the studio.Prior to joining Riot, Darling held senior leadership roles at several portfolio companies.He led video game peripheral maker Skullcandy as CEO for four years between 2013 and 2017.  Before that, he spent around three years at Nike as Global GM for Nike+ Sport where he expanded the brand through digital platforms and partnerships—including linking up with Microsoft and Xbox to release fitness-focused Kinect title Nike+ Kinect Training.More recently, Darling served as a senior executive on Logitech's global leadrship team. During his tenure at the tech company, he reported directly to the CEO and oversaw a portfolio of leading technology and consumer brands across esports and video games.Darling now intends to help Riot continue developing experiences that "truly matter to players.""The first time I walked into Riot, I felt a scrappy, soulful, and courageous energy I knew I needed to be a part of. I've worked with a lot of companies, and there's something special about a place that takes risks, challenges convention, and stays fiercely committed to its mission," he commented in an announcement.Related:Riot CEO Dylan Jadeja said Darling has a proven track record of helping teams maximise their potential."He'll help Rioters tap into their creativity, sharpen their focus, and channel their competitive fire," said Jadeja. "Most importantly, he understands the importance of nurturing our creative heart and will challenge us to keep raising the bar for each other and for players."About the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Roblox Corporation has introduced a new regional pricing tool for Roblox, one that allows makers of in-game experiences and items to automatically adjust the pricing of items purchased with the in-app currency known as "Robux" to better meet the purchasing power of different regions.Though the value of Robux themselves do not necessarily change when crossing international borders, the currency used to purchase Robux certainly does. "Regional Pricing offers users prices that are more reflective of their local economy, rather than paying the same price regardless of where they are," the company said in its announcement. "For example, without Regional Pricing, users in Vietnam or Brazil would pay the same price as users in the United States to access an experience’s economy.""With Regional Pricing enabled, prices are automatically optimized for each user’s local economy and updated periodically as Roblox’s virtual economy—and the global economy in the physical world—shifts."The invocation of Vietnam and Brazil's currencies can help developers calibrate their understanding of why items and experiences may appear to cost "fewer" Robux in other countries. In Brazil, one dollar is worth about 5.8 Brazilian real. These currency differences can make goods priced against the US dollar more expensive in these regions.Related:Image via Roblox Corporation.In the example shared by Roblox, an item priced at 199 Robux in the United States might cost 139 Robux in Brazil. That's a 30 percent decrease in price between the regions.Roblox Corporation wants 10 percent of global game spending going through RobloxRoblox Corporation boasted that the regional pricing move is part of its strategy to drive 10 percent of global spending on video games to take place on Roblox. And even though this may mean users in weaker dollar regions pay less money into Roblox for each individual purpose, feeling like their spending on Robux will take them further may drive them to spend more money on the platform, and hopefully with developers.If you're concerned about users from outside these regions using a VPN or technology to access cheaper prices, the company says not to worry. "Users using a VPN to access Roblox from a Brazilian IP address would not have access to Brazilian pricing," a Roblox spokesperson said. "Users who access Roblox from a VPN will be shown the default (highest) price for in-game items."Ensuring fairness and preventing misuse are our top priorities for this tool. By using a variety of signals to determine a user’s location, we are mitigating the ability of users to manually update their location to take advantage of lower prices. Users where we cannot confidently determine a true location will be shown the default global (highest) price for in-game items."Related:Of course Roblox faces a far bigger challenge in driving so much spending on its app: the public perception that the company has been slow to respond to what users and analysts say is a lackluster enforcement of safety regulations that put minors at risk of exposure to sexual abuse on the platform.Last November the developer rolled out new tools to help parents control what their children see and hear while playing Roblox. In March of 2025, CEO Dave Baszucki told the BBC in response to its investigation into child safety on Roblox that his message to parents would be "if you're not comfortable, don't let your kids be on Roblox.""That sounds a little counter-intuitive, but I would always trust parents to make their own decisions."

Pocketpair has fired a returning shot against Nintendo and the Pokémon Company in lawsuit against the Palworlddeveloper, arguing that Nintendo's claim to have patents on key game mechanics is "invalid" due to the existence of previously published games.In a series of "preparatory briefs" submitted on February 21, 2025 (reviewed by legal publication gamesfray), Pocketpair argued that the existence of "prior art" covering Nintendo's existing patents invalidates its claim of patent infringement. "Prior art" here references existing published games and patent applications from before the priority date of December 22, 2021.These games include Pocketpair's Craftopia, Studio Wildcard's Ark: Survival Evolved, Square Enix's Final Fantasy XIV, and somewhat unexpectedly, Respawn Entertainment's Titanfall 2.As gamesfray points out, it's notable that Pocketpair doesn't just reference individual games, but also player-made mods for existing games like a 2020 Dark Souls 3 mod "Pocket Souls" and a Pokémon-themed mod for Ark. The mods appear to be cited as examples of types of gameplay available to Pocketpair as inspiration during the time period.Titanfall 2, Tomb Raider, and Far Cry 5 are surprising citations in the Palworld patent caseThe citation of games like Titanfall 2 might surprise developers since Nintendo's patent claims had to do with the game mechanic of capturing in-game characters with capture balls and riding these characters. Gamesfray explains that Pocketpair's contention isn't that these contain the foundations for a combination of game mechanics that culminate in Palworld's gameplay—or in some cases, outright display the patented mechanics concerning "capturing" and "smooth switching" of rideable objects.Related:For example in Titanfall 2, Respawn implemented a mechanic for the player to "catch" incoming bullets and throw them back at the enemy. If a developer took inspiration from that mechanic and created a system that applied that "catch and throw" loop to creatures instead of bullets, Pocketpair's argument is essentially that even if the game was released after the December 2021 patent filing, its existence is based "prior art" and can't be considered a violation.In this case, it's arguing that its own game Craftopia is the "starting point" to arrive at the mechanics covered in the patent, and that one need only "combine" Craftopia with prior mechanics to organically arrive at the patented material without violating them.Pocketpair also cited several pre-2021 games from Nintendo's library including The Legend of Zelda, Pikmin 3 Deluxe, and Pokémon Legends: Arceus as games with mechanics that could be "combined" with Craftopia.Related:It's difficult to tell if these arguments justify invalidating Nintendo's 3 patents. Though Pocketpair's reasoning makes sense on the surface, these arguments are taking place before a patent law court, which may take a more hard-and-fast view when it comes to patented game mechanics.However things shake out, Pocketpair has raised one important point: the volume of video game releases in the last 10 years has created a situation where developers iterate fast and take inspiration from each other's game mechanics at a rapid-fire rate, meaning there are complex combinations of mechanics hitting the marketplace on a yearly basis. Unlike the early days of restrictive video game patent filings, it's more difficult to argue that any developer has a unique claim on a specific mechanic.

Bryant Francis, Senior EditorApril 18, 20253 Min ReadImage via Nintendo.At a GlanceNintendo is reopening North American pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 on April 24.The console remains priced at $449, with no changes caused by tariffs on foreign goods imposed by the Trump Administration.However, prices on accessories for the console are set to rise by about 5 percent.Nintendo has announced that it's planning to re-open North American preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 on April 24, and that device will still hit store shelves with its original $449.99 price point. This means the console itself will not be affected by tariffs imposed by the administration of President Donald Trump, at least for the time being.But Nintendo hasn't entirely dodged the tariff fireball. According to the company, accessories for the Nintendo Switch 2 will "experience price adjustment," with some now costing more than their initial price points revealed on April 2. Nintendo had originally planned to open pre-orders for the console and accessories on April 9, but delayed them following the eye-popping tariffs unveiled by the Trump administration on the same day the Switch 2 was fully unveiled.Those "price adjustments" amount to a roughly 5-6 percent price increase for devices like the Nintendo Switch 2 pro-controllers, Joy-Con 2 combos, the carrying case, dock, etc. The Pro Controller jumped in price from $79.99 to $84.99, while the price of a new Joy-Con 2 pair is leaping from $89.99-$94.99.The biggest price increases are hitting the Nintendo Switch 2 dock and the Nintendo Switch 2 Camera. The price of a new Nintendo Switch 2 dock is climbing 9 percent from $109.99 to $119.99. The camera is jumping 10 percent in price from $49.99 to $54.99.Related:The price increase on the camera could be disruptive to Nintendo's plans for its new social multiplayer functionality built into the heart of the Nintendo Switch 2. The pitch for "GameChat" is that it would allow the console to be an all-in-one online hangout spot for players to chat with each other whether they're playing the same game or different titles. Nintendo did confirm USB-C support for third-party cameras, which might ordinarily benefit from the price change, but manufacturers may be set to increase prices on those devices as well.The Trump tariffs could still hit Nintendo's bottom lineThough the Trump administration "paused" the majority of its announced tariffs on April 9, that pause only lasts 90 days, and did not exempt the 145 percent tariff on goods manufactured in China.Since the pause began, the administration's messaging on the tariffs has been tumultuous to say the least. Key electronic devices like smartphones and monitors received exemptions on April 11, but video game consoles were not included in that list. However administration officials stated on April 13 that these were not "exemptions" but that these devices had been moved into another category.Related:If the sky-high tariffs go into effect in 90 days, Nintendo's price increases might not be enough to combat the fees charged for each device entering the country. If the company is racing to get ahead of those tariffs, it might be spending this time racing to move consoles from its manufacturing hubs in Vietnam and China to the United States.That means Switch 2 and physical versions of games could still be set for a price increase. As the company stated in its announcement, "other adjustments to the price of any Nintendo product are also possible in the future depending on market conditions."Read more about:Nintendo Switch 2Top StoriesTariffsNintendoAbout the AuthorBryant FrancisSenior Editor, GameDeveloper.comBryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' upcoming 4X strategy game Zephon and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.See more from Bryant FrancisDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.DesignMario Kart World features missions for the first time in 20 yearsMario Kart World features missions for the first time in 20 yearsOriginally introduced in Mario Kart DS, the Switch 2 exclusive is reintroducing missions, this time in an open-world setting.Diego Arguello, ContributorApril 17, 20252 Min ReadImage via NintendoMario Kart World will feature missions for the first time in 20 years.As part of today‛s Mario Kart World Direct, Nintendo showed an in-depth overview of Free Roam mode, which allows players to explore the map in its entirety, seemingly without barriers.During this exploratory phase outside of races, players can bump onto P Switches, objects that start missions. The examples shown included collecting eight blue coins on an obstacle course under 24 seconds, and a race where golden armadillos are blocking the track.Mario Kart DS first introduced Mission Mode in 2005. The feature offered players a reprieve from competitive races with multiple objectives and boss fights.In World, missions aren‛t part of a separate mode, but rather integrated in the open world segment. The trailer noted there are "hundreds of P Switches" across the world, their purpose being to “hone your driving ability outside of races” by completing the missions. There are also collectibles to find, and players can use Photo Mode to take pictures.Cruising togetherOther players can join a session in Free Roam. While this is meant to serve as a hub to kickstart races together, it‛s possible to tag along to explore the map. Game Developer senior editor Bryant Francis noted that it will be interesting if these missions are structured around social play with friends versus linear progression.Related:Based on the examples shown, it could go either way. Considering that Nintendo is pushing the communal online aspect around the Switch 2 with the inclusion of GameChat for video calls during game sessions, as well as its own camera, it wouldn't be surprising if some objectives overlapped with other players.Mario Kart World is set to release as a Switch 2 launch title, which is estimated for June 5. Pre-orders are currently unavailable in the U.S. and Canada over the Trump administration tariffs. In China, Nintendo is reportedly delaying the console indefinitely to asses demand levels in the highly regulated local market. The company has yet to address the pre-orders publicly, although the U.S. tariff pause, announced last week, could provide the company time to amass a Switch 2 stockpile.Read more about:Nintendo Switch 2Top StoriesNintendoAbout the AuthorDiego ArguelloContributorSee more from Diego ArguelloDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Removal of Unity 6 from China 'not tied' to tariffs, says UnityRemoval of Unity 6 from China 'not tied' to tariffs, says UnityDevelopers in China can no longer access Unity 6, but will retain access to the Chinese version of Unity and Unity 2022 LTS.Bryant Francis, Senior EditorApril 17, 20252 Min ReadImage via Adobe Stock/Unity.At a GlanceUnity says the removal of Unity 6 from China, Hong Kong, and Macau is part of its long-term strategy in the region.As of April 7, 2025, game developers in China, Hong Kong, and Macau no longer have access to Unity 6. Unity announced this decision in a post on the Unity China blog, stating that the Chinese version of Unity (referred to as "Unity Engine") will be the primary development tool offered in the region going forward.Was the Chinese version of Unity 6 taken offline because of the 245 percent tariffs imposed on China by the Trump administration? According to Unity, the answer is "no." In a statement to Game Developer, a Unity spokesperson said that the decision to remove access to Unity 6 in the region is "part of the long-term plan that led to the creation of a China joint venture in 2022—it's not tied to current global tariff issues."The company stated the Chinese version of Unity "better meets Chinese developers' needs." Developers in China, Hong Kong, and Macau working on Unity 2022 LTS and earlier versions of the engine will continue to receive support from the company.The Chinese version of Unity is meant to serve a unique marketThe announcement by Unity's China entity offers a little more context for how the Chinese version of Unity differs from the one used around the globe. According to a version of the post viewed through Google Translate, the engine has "demonstrated excellent localized service capabilities in the fields of small game solutions, OpenHarmony solutions, HMI car solutions, etc., which can accurately meet the needs of the Chinese market and customers."Related:"Projects created based on the Unity engine can continue to be released globally without being affected," added Unity China."OpenHarmony solutions" refers to OpenHarmony, an open-source operating system that can interface with Huawei's HarmonyOS operating system. Meanwhile, according to technology consultancy Star, Chinese drivers are increasingly purchasing cars with built-in HMI (human machine interface) connectivity. Dedicated support for both of these features allows Unity developers in the region to more easily target platforms that aren't as widespread in other territories.The post backs up the claim from Unity HQ that the removal of Unity 6 in China is part of a grander business plan focusing on Chinese devices, and is part of the planned "stability" promised by new CEO Matthew Bromberg as the company finds its footing in a post-layoff, post-runtime fee world.But if you aren't one of those developers—and you were counting on Unity 6 to be your dedicated platform for the next few years of development—you might be frustrated to see a key tool taken away from you.Related:Read more about:Top StoriesUnityAbout the AuthorBryant FrancisSenior Editor, GameDeveloper.comBryant Francis is a writer, journalist, and narrative designer based in Boston, MA. He currently writes for Game Developer, a leading B2B publication for the video game industry. His credits include Proxy Studios' upcoming 4X strategy game Zephon and Amplitude Studio's 2017 game Endless Space 2.See more from Bryant FrancisDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Polish studio Bloober Team is rolling out more details about its upcoming survival horror game Cronos: The New Dawn, and one fascinating new feature acts as a new mile marker for how far the Layers of Fear studio has come. Instead of returning to the company's environmental storytelling roots, Bloober is making a survival horror game more technically ambitious than 2024's remake of Silent Hill 2.As in Silent Hill 2, players explore a nightmarish world with limited ammo and gangs of monstrous enemies stalking their every move—but this time, the enemies aren't just hunting the player, but also other enemy corpses. The monsters absorb energy from downed bodies to evolve into greater threats, creating a combat loop where players don't just need to juggle threats coming in from all sides, but also keep an eye on the enemies they kill so they don't become food for the next enemy that spawns.Making a system like this juggles a number of unique disciplines—level design, AI programming, combat design, and more. If Bloober had years and years of experience making survival horror games, this might be expected. If the team inside Bloober making Silent Hill 2 started on Cronos after shipping the remake, it would feel like a natural evolution.But Cronos was made in parallel with Silent Hill 2. That means the developers—led by co-directors Jacek Zieba and Wojciech Piejko—could share insights with their colleagues, but were otherwise still learning how to implement survival horror combat for the first time.Related:What made that process possible? According to Zieba and Piejko, who we spoke with at the 2025 Game Developers Conference, a key factor for success was a trend companies have been pushing back on since the end of COVID-19 lockdown: remote hiring.Without talent from across Poland—and even outside the country—the pair say Cronos' unique combat wouldn't be the same.Complex combat in Cronos calls for creative collaboratorsLike Observer and The Medium, Cronos: The New Dawn is set in Bloober's hometown of Krakow, this time sending players on a time travel adventure taking them from Soviet rule in the 1980s to an apocalyptic hellscape in a future ravaged by an event called "The Change."As Zieba and Piejko walked through a private demo of Cronos at GDC, the pair broke down the specific design decisions that prop up the combat loop. The aforementioned harvesting mechanic at the heart of the enemy AI systems allows for multiple evolutions. Enemies don't just get stronger, they can also learn new attack patterns and mutate into new character models. The pair showed off how basic enemies have two tiers of evolution, meaning players who can't knock down every enemy will face an entirely new kind of monster that could turn the tide in a fight.Related:Image via Bloober Team.The pair explained that gunplay and traversal in Cronos isn't just an updated version of what Bloober made in Silent Hill 2. Player movement and shooting is meant to mimic what is often referred to as the "tank controls" of survival horror games from the late '90s and early 2000s. These games limited player movement, slowed down aiming, and used restrictive camera angles to make it harder to spot enemies at a distance.Though novel for their time, advancements in video game combat as a whole make "tank controls" a less appealing experience for most modern players. To recreate that sensation without relying on decades-old restrictions, Bloober made two key design decisions. The more subtle one was to mandate that guns not fire with a simple trigger press. They need to be charged up, giving enemies time to close the gap.The more surprising choice—one that greatly diverges from Silent Hill 2—was to not give players a "dodge" button. Players instead are given a resource-dependent flamethrower burst that can push enemies away or eliminate dead bodies used for power-ups. The resource-juggling is familiar to survival horror, but denying players a dodge button goes against recent trends. None of this, the pair said, could be done without Bloober increasing headcount and seeking out developers with specific skills.Related:"We bolster a team [with] specific people," said Zieba, noting that Bloober hired a dedicated "gunsmith" whose sole job would be making the charge-heavy guns. "He opened this door—it was easier for us to start [making the game]."Speaking of opening doors, it was Piejko who explained Bloober could only hire some of these specialists because the company still allowed for remote work. "It's easier to get better specialists who love survival horror like us," he said. Zieba said the studio at large still operates in a "hybrid" mode. "But for some of them, we know there is no going back," he said. "There is no reason to go back because we are stronger because of it."You can't make good games without the right peopleBloober Team's policy of continuing to allow for remote work offers a clear example of what CEO Piotr Babieno meant when he spoke to Game Developer about the process of sustainably growing a "safe" studio specializing in single-player horror games. If your studio is breaking into a new genre with complex systems no one on your team has experience with, you'll need to hire externally. And if the number of people in video games with that kind of experience isn't that high, you'll need to meet them where they're at—literally.This doesn't mean remote work is the right solution for every company. But even if you want your workers coming into the office, Bloober's approach offers a clear-cut example of what you can achieve when you seek out developers with specific skills and work within their needs.If your studio is breaking genre ground, or making a game larger than it ever has before, you're going to need talented people. And whether those people need a remote workstation, flexible hours to take care of their families, or even extra support for the cost and time of commuting into the office, meeting their needs—and not demanding they accommodate to yours—can put you on the path to making a Cronos all of your own.Game Developer and Game Developers Conference are sibling organizations under Informa Tech.

Cire Games has broken cover after receiving financing through the Oculus Publishing Ignition fund.

Frostpunk 2 sold 592,000 units as of December 2024 to generate PLN 69.73 million ($18.5 million) in revenue for developer 11 Bit Studios.As noted in the company's fiscal report for the year ended December 31, 2024, the studio saw annual revenue increase by 168.9 percent year-over-year to PLN 140.54 million ($37.3 million) after delivering record-breaking annual sales.That revenue surge was primarily driven by new releases and the launch of Frostpunk 2, but the studio noted that legacy titles such as Frostpunk and This War of Mine also performed "strongly."Games developed by external partners and published by 11 Bit represented 26 percent of the company's annual revenue.Despite achieving significant sales milestones, 11 Bit acknowledged that 2024 was a "tough" year containing "significant challenges."For instance, that sales growth didn't translate into a corresponding increase in margins and the company recorded an operating loss of roughly PLN 2.84 million ($753,000) in 2024. Net profit totalled PLN 6.90 million ($1.8 million), reflecting the recognition of a deferred tax asset."We hoped for significantly more, but in December we made the decision to discontinue the development of a game codenamed Project 8, which led to a non-cash impairment loss of PLN 48.42 million," said Przemysław Marszał, president of the management board at 11 Bit.Related:11 Bit planning to launch another Frostpunk project in 2027The cancellation of Project 8, billed as a narrative-driven console title, resulted in layoffs at the studio.11 Bit said the title was scrapped due to "a deteriorating market environment for the title’s genre, extended production timelines, and escalating costs reduced the likelihood of achieving a positive return on investment to zero."The company also recognised non-cash impairment losses on The Thaumaturge and Creatures of Ava, both of which were released through its publishing division."Certainly, 2024 was a year marked by hard work, significant challenges, and tough business decisions for us. It was also a year of achievements that we are proud of. We experienced failures as well, which we are confident we have learned from," continued Marszał."We are entering a new year that we firmly believe will bring notable improvements in both our operational and financial performance."Looking ahead, Marszał said the company must diversify the scale of its projects and their development timelines to thrive in an industry "undergoing rapid transformation." He claimed that means capitalizing on financially attractive opportunities.Related:With that in mind, the company has already initiated production on another project set in the Frostpunk universe, which it plans to launch in 2027. Another "larger-scale title" has been greenlit for release in 2029."We can confidently outline our future plans. While our 2024 results—affected by non-cash charges—fell short of expectations, both our own and likely those of shareholders and investors, the Company's financial condition remains strong," added Marszał."Moreover, we are confident that, despite substantial outlays on new proprietary and third-party games, our cash position at the end of 2025 will be significantly stronger than it was a year earlier."

The legendary procedurally generated adventure has become a million seller.

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.A Minecraft Movie has grossed $550 million globally in under two weeksA Minecraft Movie has grossed $550 million globally in under two weeksThe video game adaptation has outpaced other heavy hitters such as Captain America: Brave New World.Diego Arguello, ContributorApril 16, 20252 Min ReadImage via Warner Bros. Pictures / MinecraftA Minecraft Movie has grossed $550 million globally in under two weeks.As reported by Variety, the Warner Bros. video game adaptation has grossed $281 million domestically and $550 million globally.The film debuted on April 4, 2025, and remained at the top of the box office for a second week in a row. It grossed $80 million during its second weekend in theatres despite five new releases entering the fray in the United States.So far, the numbers tower over Captain America: Brave New World. The Marvel flick was previously the highest-grossing film of 2025 after scoring $199 million domestically and $410 million globally.In terms of recent video game adaptations, it has surpassed 2023 release Five Nights at Freddy's, which grossed $136 million domestically and $147 million internationally. It has also outpaced Sonic the Hedgehog 3, which grossed $462 million worldwide by February 3, 2025.As if you needed more evidence that video game adaptations are capable of bringing home the bacon, The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned an estimated $1.35 billion at the box office in 2023—prompting Nintendo to commission a sequelThe transmedia train continues to build steamVideo game studios and publishers are increasingly buying into the transmedia hype. Sony, CD Projekt, Microsoft, Kojima Productions, Sega, and others have all greenlit television and movie projects in a bid to bring major franchises like Ghost of Tsushima, Cyberpunk, Fallout, Halo, Death Stranding, and Like A Dragon to television and cinema screens.Related:That truly is just the tip of the iceberg. Last year, Remedy penned a deal with Annapurna Pictures that could result in the creation of movies and TV shows based on Control and Alan Wake.Both Until Dawn and Outlast are also getting the movie treatment, seemingly capitalizing on the attention around the Five Nights at Freddy's movie and its video game counterparts. The work of smaller developers isn't going unnoticed, either, with Ruiner and El Paso, Elsewhere being adapted for the silver screen.Meanwhile, HBO is currently airing the second season of The Last of Us, while Variety reports that a film adaptation of Hazelight Studios' Split Fiction is in the works. Nintendo has also confirmed plans to turn The Legend of Zelda into a movie, and Sega's famous blue mascot will sprint back into theatres for Sonic the Hedgehog 4 in 2027.Read more about:TransmediaAbout the AuthorDiego ArguelloContributorSee more from Diego ArguelloDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Chris Kerr, News EditorApril 16, 20252 Min ReadImage via PanicPlaydate developers have earned over $1 million through the handheld's Catalog storefront since it launched in March 2023.Panic shared the news in an email and explained precisely 289,305 titles have been sold via the curated digital marketplace in that time. Those sales have netted developers exactly $1,043,186 in payouts."Playdate might be an indie platform, but seeing numbers like this makes us realize that even an indie platform can be meaningful in the gaming world. Catalog has been successful beyond our expectations," said Panic."We're so extremely happy and proud to be working with so many amazing developers from all around the globe and helping them sell the amazing things they make! And thank you for buying them."Catalog has been bolstered with the addition of 262 hand-selected titles since it debuted, although that doesn't comprise the entire Playdate library given the ditty device also supports third-party storefronts such as itch.io via sideloading.Panic continues championing Playdate developers through CatalogLast year, Panic told Game Developer it wanted Playdate developers to take centre stage after selling over 70,000 consoles worldwide and addressing a string of manufacturing and logistical challenges."It's beyond our wildest dreams in terms of how many developers have embraced [the platform] and the quality of the titles that we're seeing," said Panic's head of special projects, Greg Maletic. "We want to make sure people know about that and can see what kind of market this has blossomed into."Related:More recently, Panic announced a $30 price increase for Playdate due to rising manufacturing costs—which seemingly caught the company unawares."Guess what: after getting up and running at our new factory, they soon let us know that it would cost quite a bit more to make a Playdate than it did at our previous factory," it said in an email to customers. "We were not very excited to hear this! (What next?!) But as a result, on March 25th (2025), brand new Playdate systems will be priced at $229."At the same time, Panic confirmed it would be offering shoppers the chance to purchase a certified refurbished Playdate for $179, but noted stock would be "extremely limited."Panic will announce what's next for Playdate during an update video containing more details about its next seasonal release slate on April 17. About the AuthorChris KerrNews Editor, GameDeveloper.comGame Developer news editor Chris Kerr is an award-winning journalist and reporter with over a decade of experience in the game industry. His byline has appeared in notable print and digital publications including Edge, Stuff, Wireframe, International Business Times, and PocketGamer.biz. Throughout his career, Chris has covered major industry events including GDC, PAX Australia, Gamescom, Paris Games Week, and Develop Brighton. He has featured on the judging panel at The Develop Star Awards on multiple occasions and appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live to discuss breaking news.See more from Chris KerrDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

April 16, 20254 Min ReadImage via KeywordsTranslator unions Audiovisual Translators Europe (AVTE) and Tramiti have called out multinational game service provider Keywords for ignoring their requests for collective bargaining.Both organizations have accused Keywords of prioritizing the "the race for profit" over the needs of translation workers and claim their attempts to open a dialogue with the company to secure better compensation for freelance translators have been met with a "wall of silence."AVTE is an umbrella association representing national unions across Europe and beyond. Tramiti represents multimedia translators in Italy (mainly working in the subtitling and video game industries) and is a section of Italian union Acta.In a lengthy post on the AVTE website, both claim Keywords has gained a competitive edge in the translation industry by "applying an aggressive profit-first logic" to the detriment of both internal employees and external contractors.AVTE and Tramiti allege Keywords has essentially monopolized the translation industry through mergers and acquisitions, allowing the company to lowball workers with impunity."Keywords' most harmful practice is the 'merging & acquisition' policy, in which they systematically absorb smaller and 'more human' companies, increasingly limiting the alternatives for those who would like to earn a living through translation," reads the post.Related:"The culmination of this process was seen last summer: in preparation for Keywords' acquisition by the equity fund EQT, 31 employees were laid off for no other reason than to increase the company's already high profit margin. Keywords' freelance collaborators, although not directly affected by the layoffs, are experiencing a continuous deterioration of their working conditions and compensation."Keywords accused of refusing to negotiate with translator unions over "rock-bottom rates"More specifically, AVTE and Tramiti claim Keywords intentionally withholds work from inherited contractors on "decent rates" to avoid paying those fees. They also claim the company replaces translation workers who refuse to make their rates more "competitive" with inexperienced newcomers who are more willing to accept lower rates.Keywords is also accused of luring translators in with the promise of experienced-based raises that never materialize, while also employing a "wholesaler approach" to contract work that theoretically allows contractors to take on more projects by accepting a lower rate. ATVE and Tramiti claim it's an approach that only works on paper.Related:"In the past, some collaborators were persuaded to accept very low 'entry-level' rates with the prospect of periodic adjustments based on the newly-gained experience. However, these adjustments turned out to be negligible at first and then became practically non-negotiable. As a result, many freelancers with years of experience in the company are still working at entry-level rates, with a monthly income equivalent to that of an unskilled beginner," continues the post."More recently, to justify its rock-bottom rates, Keywords adopted a 'wholesaler approach.' According to this logic, by accepting a lower rate, one can work on more projects (though no guarantee is provided in this regard), thus earning an equal or higher income. Artificial Intelligence plays a part in this approach too, since it would allegedly justify rates that are two-thirds of those for purely human translation, with the reasoning that the translator wouldn’t be starting from scratch. The problem is that, in the field of multimedia translation, the help of AI is far more hypothetical than real."AVTE and Tramiti say it's a scenario that traps freelancers in a "vicious cycle" where they must overload their slate with poorly paid tasks—leaving them with no time or energy to seek out better opportunities.Related:To remedy the situation, ATVE and Tramiti emailed Keywords' Resource Management on December 13 and December 20, 2024. After failing to hear back, both organizations followed up on February 3, 2025, but claim they were again met with silence.In those messages, both unions say they outlined the difficulties members have encountered working with Keywords and offered to help the company find an "alternative business model" that prioritizes sustainability for both parties."More specifically, Tramiti requested that a minimum, fair rate for entry-level freelancers be set, one that is transparent and negotiable upwards, in order to prevent the exploitation of newcomers and unfair competition, as well as a reconsideration of the new automated project assignment system, which resembles the exploitative mechanisms used for riders and other gig-economy workers," adds the post.AVTE and Tramiti claim the company has yet to respond as of April 14, 2025. Game Developer has reached out to Keywords for comment. Read more about:LaborDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

Dmitry Kachmar, FounderApril 15, 20259 Min ReadImage via author.Over the last couple of years, we’ve been working with developers and platforms from all over the world to remove barriers in the field of web game publication. Through this journey, our team learned a lot and I want to share some of these findings and organize these highlights in a series of articles. We’re going to talk about the distribution, monetization, and the production of web games.In this first post, I want to discuss HTML5 games and where to sell them. This is our first take on this complex problem, and if you find this useful, keep up to date with the rest of the series.So you have a game, ideally several, and all of them are hosted on one platform. Maybe a couple of platforms. Usually when we talk with developers, these are the reasons they give for choosing specific hosting services:Organic traffic—this platform has a lot of users, who are discovering our game and spend a lot of time with it.A lot of visibility—thanks to the peculiar positioning of our platform we are getting additional eyeballs on our game!No marketing expenses—we do not spend any money on marketing, which is kind of insane in the era of mobile stores and over-saturation. It is, frankly, a dream.Monetization—we are getting revenue right here, right now.Easy—we can create a hyper-casual game in under a month and start earning immediately.Web—everyone using the platform can start playing in no time on any device.No region restrictions—no questions here. It just works where I live.Related:Ok, so this is all fine and dandy, but the question still remains, what do I do with all those games? Do I just keep operating them forever? Well, there’s always some challenges to that, here are just some:The long tail is not long.There’s no way to go but down. We’ve learned this the hard way. Most dev graphs (which they will be very reluctant to show you) will mostly look like this. A spike and then a slow death.Image via author.Difficult moderation & competitionPublishing a new game on our platform of choice is getting more and more challenging. The growth of requirements and restrictions is mostly caused by the growth of competition. There are more and more games being uploaded to the platform every day, and our games are just getting squeezed.CostYou could say, “Well, I’m just going to build a new game, and I will keep building these new games, catching waves and capitalizing on them.” However, building a new game requires time and money. Even if you work alone, it’s still going to take time to do and there’s no guarantee your idea is going to work.Related:UncertaintyThe fourth reason is that you don’t know what’s going to happen. You just don’t. Instead of placing all your eggs in one basket and hoping for the best, why not try to diversify, and help yourself make more money in new places.Let’s sum up. You have a number of games, they are localized in English, and can work on the web. You know they are profitable, you know there’s enough retention and ad views, and you know people like them. So here comes the next question - What can you publish?Where can we publish?I’m not going to waste air persuading you to build games for the web. However, I do want to give you some numbers to use as you see fit to figure out what to publish.Time to develop: 1-3 months. Including testing.Cost: under $10 000.Competition: Monkey Mart (300M plays), Level Devil (83M plays), Stickman Hook (574M plays), Subway Surfers (1B plays).The last row of numbers were taken from the presentation done by Poki rep to the Defold community. Yes, Subway Surfers is there, but the other games on the list are much smaller. They do have good quality though, so remember, when you go big - try to keep up.Where can we publish?I think of the web game distribution market as an inverted pyramid.Related:Image via author/respective brands.There’s the top tier that includes platforms like Poki and Crazy Games. Poki has about 30 million monthly active users (MAU) - this is the metric that is traditionally used to calculate the general audience of the platform. 700 billion gameplays/month on Poki. Crazy Games has similar numbers 30 MAU and 300 million games played monthly.The middle layer is all kinds of other platforms. This includes the likes of Y8, Kongregate, and Newgrounds.And then there are these aggregators, like GameMonetize, GamePix, Game Distribution. GameDistribution for example has over 2000 web publishers on their platform.However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. This inverted pyramid is what the platforms want you to think of the web game market, so you don’t move from that platform. The reality is that under that peak there’s a whole other space for web games that has remained invisible for years.Image via author/respective brands.Again, let me take one moment to break it down.First we have websites. Look at the graph from Statista below. In the year 2021, there were 1.88 billion website launches. All of these websites launch and die, with a large number of them growing, maturing, and slowly decreasing their influence. This last part of their journey is something that we are most interested in!Image via author/respective brands.When businesses understand that their website lifespan is close to its end, they need to find ways to revitalize their user base. Another reason to push them towards games— they need to find new ways to show ads. Games often become a perfect medium for this, attracting users and increasing the return on ad spend (ROAS). This is increasingly becoming part of the strategy for not only smaller websites, but also larger media platforms like The New York Times.Social media platforms, chat platforms, streaming platforms—all of these spaces are embracing games! Discord has games, Viber has games, even Linkedin has games. This is possible thanks to the HTML5, and the way this content could be easily integrated into any online service. Even places like Wikipedia could potentially find a place for games.Note about Mobile StoresApart from these general platforms, there are also web-app stores, like Chrome Web Store, where you can potentially distribute games yourself. For this, you can use packaging tools like Electron. You can also go to mobile stores like App Store and Google Play. Currently there are 250,068 mobile games on Google Play, with the top grossing backed by large publishers with deep pockets.Here’s the math for you. If you publish on mobile, you need to invest at least 25% of the budget into marketing, plus pay a 15-30% service fee for each dollar of revenue. If you choose to sign up with a publisher, be ready for the 30/70 split, where 70% goes to the publisher’s pocket. For many developers this kind of spending is completely impossible.With this in mind, the underlying opportunity seems to be humongous. With billions of websites all over the world and easy seamless integration, why do we keep limiting ourselves to chosen platforms, and not diversifying our distribution?With that out of the way. How do you get to that sweet new audience on the web?Challenges of Self-PublishingOn paper it should be easy. You go to Poki and Crazy Games, they approve your game, and you reap the benefits. However, practitioners will know that almost immediately they will be hit with a refusal, or they will just ignore you and never get back. This happens mostly because of quality issues.Moderation on these platforms is usually being done on two levels: technical compatibility and IP compatibility.Technical requirements are usually fairly rigorous, and require important features like a save system, player progression, ad monetization (banner, interstitial, rewarded), in-game purchases, social features (share, invite a friend, add to favorites, etc.), leaderboards, language and device information, and remote configuration.IP compatibility is an overview of all the content you have in the game. The platform needs to make sure that there is no content that violates IP rights from their legitimate owners. This can be quite restrictive, especially for titles with no original content.It is worth noting that even if you go through the moderation process on one platform, you will still have to do it for the competitors: big and small. The further you go, the lower the requirements become, but the higher the risk that the project will not be making any money.Don’t miss out on the opportunityNo matter how you are going to address these challenges, I would encourage you to do it. The main reason being the longer you wait, the more opportunities you are going to miss. The way the web games are progressing today, they have the potential to become gateways to new markets and amazing new adventures for the industry.How to do it—that’s another question. I see three options so far:You can do it yourself. Get a separate employee, or be that employee, who’s going to attack each and every platform, look at each and every store and aggregator, and try to get there yourself. It’s time-consuming, but you’ll learn a lot.Publisher. Publishers are expensive, you will lose on a lot of money, but if they do pick you up, you will know for sure your game is worth it and you will be making money. But note that the publisher will probably take over 70% of it.Game distribution and monetization platforms. To operate in such a vast and fragmented market, new and efficient tools are essential. At Playgama.com, we're bringing to life this kind of vision—a unified platform that connects the entire web and serves as a gateway to the widest possible network of distributors and platforms worldwide (we talk thousands), both gaming and non-gaming. I believe this is the future, and it’s coming very soon.We enter a new stage in the way entertainment is consumed. This new stage will disrupt not only the way we access games, but also ways we monetize and distribute them. We are at the brink of the huge explosion of opportunity for game developers and publishers. The pie is bigger than you think!Image via author/respective brands.Read more about:BlogsAbout the AuthorDmitry KachmarFounder, Playgama.comSee more from Dmitry KachmarDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like

TechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.TechTarget and InformaTechTarget and Informa Tech’s Digital Business Combine.Together, we power an unparalleled network of 220+ online properties covering 10,000+ granular topics, serving an audience of 50+ million professionals with original, objective content from trusted sources. We help you gain critical insights and make more informed decisions across your business priorities.Report: Gamurs Group torches PC Invasion and continues layoffsReport: Gamurs Group torches PC Invasion and continues layoffsThe media conglomerate behind Destructoid and Prima Games has seemingly axed more positions.Diego Arguello, ContributorApril 15, 20253 Min ReadImage via Gamurs GroupGamurs Group, the media conglomerate that owns websites including Destructoid, Prima Games, Twinfinite, and Siliconera, has reportedly laid off more staff across the company.As spotted by GamesIndustry.biz, a number of workers impacted by the latest round of cuts shared the news on Linkedin. That includes Operation Sports assigning editor Christian Smith, Gamurs Group evergreen updates editor Chris Jecks, lead data analyst Thomas Tallentire, SEO manager Jonna Turner, and content strategist Anne Banks.Most of those employees had been working for Gamurs for years. Jecks, for example, started as a contract writer for Twinfinite back in 2015 before rising through the ranks to become contract managing editor in August 2022.Others, however, were let go at the very beginning of their tenure. "Well, I wasn’t anticipating getting this news three months after getting the job, but I've been laid off from my position as Assigning Editor at GAMURS," explained Smith.Gamurs has yet to disclose the number of staff affected or provide a reason for the layoffs—but the company is seemingly well versed in the art of cutting workers loose.In September 2024, Gamurs reportedly laid off 30 people, including staff at Dot Esports, Destructoid, and Twinfinite. As clocked by GamesIndustry.biz, there also appeared to be additional layoffs at Destructoid in February 2025, with more cuts at The Mary Sue and The Escapist following in March.Related:Game media workers have been forced to contend with a growing number of layoffs in recent months. Kotaku Australia was shut down by publisher Pedestrian Group in July 2024, while Ziff Davis conducted soft layoffs in December by asking employees across IGN, Humble, and GamesIndustry.biz to jump ship."PC Invasion is gone"Gamurs' also appears to have completely shuttered its PC-focused publication PC Invasion. Yesterday, ex-employees at the outlet noticed the site is no longer active. It currently redirects to Prima Games."PC Invasion is gone," Digital Trends freelancer and former PC Invasion contributor Anyka Pettigrew wrote on BlueSky. "The gaming website that me and many other writers worked so hard on until GAMURS fired the full-time staff, ghosted the freelancers, and left for dead for months. It just redirects to PrimaGames now. I wrote 1,000+ articles for it btw. It's all gone."Later in the day, Pettigrew noticed that some of the outlet's content archive is progressively appearing on Prima Games. A limited version of the site is also accessible via the Internet Archive.Related:PC Invasion was founded in 2015. At the time of writing, Prima Games hosts author pages of ex-PC Invasion staff members, including founder and editor Paul Younger, and lists articles from 2018 and 2019. The site is also named on Gamurs' brands page."Woke up to find that Gamurs Group has wiped three years of my work from the internet," Insider Gaming senior editor and former PC Invasion hardware editor Mike Straw wrote on BlueSky. "THREE YEARS OF HARD WORK...GONE. [Gamurs Group CEO] Riad Chikhani is nothing more than a snake who has ruined countless outlets. How you sleep at night is beyond me."Game Developer has contacted Gamurs Group for more information.Read more about:LayoffsAbout the AuthorDiego ArguelloContributorSee more from Diego ArguelloDaily news, dev blogs, and stories from Game Developer straight to your inboxStay UpdatedYou May Also Like