Opus Major raises $10m in seed funding roundInvestment for Paris-based developer led by Griffin Ventures and early investor AlvenImage credit: Opus Major News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Paris-based developer Opus Major has raised $10 million in a seed funding round, led by Griffin Gaming Partners and early investor Alven.As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Opus Major will use the investment to support the ongoing development of its debut, cross-platform multiplayer codenamed Opus #1.The studio also plans to produce a limited-access playable version of the game, and to hire more developers to join its team.Opus Major was co-founded in 2023 by CEO Jean-Nicolas Vernin and chief creative officer Pierre-Armand Nicq.Vernin previously co-founded mobile developer Madbox (where he served as CEO and chief production officer), and was previously an executive producer and editorial director at Gameloft. Nicq worked at Ubisoft for five years before joining Madbox in 2021."Our mission at Opus Major is to make the world jam together," said Vernin and Nicq. "We have experienced countless joyful memories while playing music and video games with friends.""We decided to build our first opus to fulfill this mission. We have been working with our team of jammers to offer a first glimpse at our universe in 2025."Griffin Gaming Partners' Pierre Planche added: "Music and gaming are both powerful ways to connect with people, and Jean-Nicolas and Pierre-Armand are combining them in ways that feel familiar yet unique."

Silent Hill F has not been banned in AustraliaUpcoming game was previously refused classification, but has since been removed from the Australian Classification Board's websiteImage credit: Konami News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 Silent Hill F has not been refused classification in Australia, as confirmed by the country's Classification Board.In a statement provided to independent games site Stevivor, the entry for Silent Hill F published on March 14, 2025 has since been removed."Silent Hill F is not currently classified as 'Refused Classification' in Australia," the Australian Classification Board said."The entry on the National Classification Database has been removed. A classification decision will be published to the National Classification Database ahead of the game's release."Stevivor notes that this entry may have been due to an error with a self-reporting tool used by the ACB. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to the ACB for further clarification.As explained by IGN, this tool is managed by the International Age Rating Coalition, "which is a classification system designed for mobile and digitally delivered games."The IARC tool requires developers to complete an online questionnaire about the game, then the tool automatically provides a rating for participating territories. According to IGN, this rating is published "automatically" on the ACB's National Classification Database.Earlier this month, Konami released a new cinematic trailer for Silent Hill F. The game has since been rated 18+ in Japan, making it the first title in the franchise to receive this rating.Last year, Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact was refused classification by the ACB due to "implied sexual violence."

SpecialEffect's GameBlast25 raises over 130,000 | News-in-briefThe charity event has raised over 1.8 million over the past 12 years, with GameBlast26 announced across February 17 to March 1 next yearImage credit: SpecialEffect News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:SpecialEffect's GameBlast25 raises over 130,000

Assassin's Creed Shadows reaches 2m players | News-in-briefLatest title in the Assassin's Creed franchise has surpassed the launches of Origins and OdysseyImage credit: Ubisoft News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 24, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Assassin's Creed Shadows reaches 2m players

United Videogame Workers union launches at GDC 2025 in partnership with CWAUVW-CWA is the first direct-join union in North America, initial campaign addresses ongoing industry layoffsImage credit: UVW-CWA News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 During the 2025 Games Development Conference this week, industry workers launched the United Videogame Workers union in partnership with the Communication Workers of America.The UVW-CWA is the first direct-join union for developers in the US and Canada, meaning it does not represent a single workplace.Both full-time and freelance workers across various disciplines can join, including those working in art, writing, design, QA, and programming.Those affected by layoffs can also join, as well as workers who want to or are organising unions in their own workplace.As detailed on its website, the union has listed the following demands from employers:Sustainable growth instead of short term boom and bust hiring cyclesAdvanced notice before layoffsPaid time off following layoffsImproved severance payExtended health insurance for laid off workersRecall rights those who are let go get priority when the company starts hiring againWorker control over decisions to use generative AIIts first campaign addresses the ongoing industry layoffs, with the union noting that over 10,500 jobs were lost in 2023 followed by a further 14,600 last year. This comes after GDC's State of the Game Industry report found that 41% of surveyed developers reported being affected by layoffs in 2024.Members of UVW-CWA handed out a petition "demanding dignity and job security for all video game workers" during GDC this week, in addition to hosting panels, a rally, and a launch party, as reported by IGN."The creation of this union was not done in isolation; it's a cumulative effort by the thousands of video game workers who have been fighting for years to redefine what it means to stand together and reclaim power in one of the largest and highest-grossing industries on the globe," said CWA senior director of organising Tom Smith."These workers are taking a bold stand, joining together to build power for the workers behind the games we all know and love."CWA president Claude Cummings Jr. added: "The formation of United Video Game Workers-CWA is an exciting new step in our union's work to help video game workers build power in their industry."As video game studios have consolidated, the workers whose creativity, dedication, and skill bring the games to life have become more an afterthought. They are subject to endless cycles of layoffs and rehiring as corporate executives pursue short-term profits at the expense of a sustainable future."Last year, hundreds of workers at developers including Bethesda Game Studios and Activision Blizzard joined the CWA and unionsed.The launch of UVW-CWA follows the ongoing battle being fought by SAG-AFTRA for over 160,000 video game actors against the use of AI.In a recently released statement, the union said it was working to address "alarming loopholes" put forth by a bargaining group comprised of representatives from firms including Activision, EA, Insomnia Games, Take-Two Interactive, and WB Games.

ESA launches Accessible Games Initiative to improve visibility of accessibility featuresDevelopers including Microsoft, Nintendo, and Ubisoft aim to provide clear information about accessibility in gamesImage credit: Entertainment Software Association News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced the formation of the Accessible Games Initiative.Developed by Electronic Arts, Google, Microsoft, Nintendo of America, Sony Interactive Entertainment, and Ubisoft, the Accessible Games Initiative aims to provide clear information about accessibility features in games.Firms including Amazon Games, Riot Games, Square Enix, and Warner Bros. Games have since joined the project.The initiative has launched with 24 tags that can be used by developers, which cover accessibility features including narrated menus, input remapping, stick inversion, subtitle formats, and colour alternatives. The full list of tags can be found on the Accessible Games Initiative website.These tags were "developed with insight and feedback sourced directly from players with disabilities, accessibility advocacy groups, and game development teams," the ESA noted.Implementation of these tags is voluntary, and will be showcased on digital storefronts, product pages, or digital catalogues."Tens of millions of Americans have disabilities and often face barriers to experiencing the joy and connection that comes with playing video games," said ESA president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis."We are immediately proud to announce the Accessible Games Initiative in partnership with industry leaders. This initiative demonstrates how impactful we can be when we work together in our industry-wide pursuit of helping more people experience the power of play."

Assassin's Creed Shadows passes 1m players on launch day | News-in-briefSet in feudal Japan, Shadows is the 14th mainline installment in the Assassin's Creed franchiseImage credit: Ubisoft News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 21, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Assassin's Creed Shadows passes 1m players on launch day

Report: Half of all mobile players have received real-world rewards from gamesNew study links reward-based UA with increased motivation to download, play, and recommend mobile titlesImage credit: Almedia Feature by GamesIndustry.biz Staff Contributor Published on March 21, 2025 50% of mobile players have now received a reward with real monetary value from a smartphone game. Meanwhile, 72% of that group say real-world rewards are now "important" when it comes to them selecting a new mobile game to download.Thats according to the second part of Almedia's Rewarded Returns report conducted by Atomik Research, which surveyed over 2,000 mobile players across the US and UK.The reward-based UA approach seeks to acquire, engage, and retain more players by placing a rewards campaign over an existing game.As such, a player might receive cash, Amazon credit, or payouts of other currencies of real-world value for reaching particular stages or achieving certain tasks within a game.The report found that 54% of mobile players are now devoting more time to gaming. Over two-in-five (around 42%) of those users cite rewarded gameplay as highly motivating when it comes to spending more time playing mobile titles.75% of all respondents feel positive to the notion of receiving rewards with real-world value from games.Of the group that have already received such a reward from a mobile release, 85% assert that they continue to play after a games reward campaign concludes, while 76% are more likely to recommend a game that offers rewards with monetary value.The survey points to increased interest in real-world rewards as a motivator of play and downloads.Although it notes that of the player group yet to engage with such incentives in games, 33% cite fraud as a reason for concern and caution around the space. That number jumps to 39% in the group that have engaged with reward-based UA.Our deep study of gamers clearly shows that theres a voracious appetite for rewards across the mobile games industry, said Moritz Hollnder, Founder and CEO at Almedia. Never before in gaming have we witnessed the mass adoption of real-world rewards by players.What we are currently seeing is real-time transformation in how gamers choose what they play based on rewards - and also rewards ability to foster valuable long-term relationships between players and games."Hollnder added: "Its a total rewrite of how and why users engage with gaming content, and a much-needed one at a time where game studios face barriers to acquiring and retaining players in a highly competitive market.

Balatro leads Game Developers Choice Awards 2025, wins Game of the YearLocalThunk's deck-building roguelite also won Best Debut, Best Design, and the Innovation awardImage credit: LocalThunk/Playstack News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Balatro dominated the Game Developers Choice Awards last night, taking home Game of the Year and Best Debut alongside Best Design and the Innovation award.Astro Bot won two awards in the Audio and Technology categories, while Black Myth: Wukong received the accolade for Best Visual Art.Studio Zero's Metaphor: ReFantazio won Best Narrative with Deck Nine Games' Life is Strange: Double Exposure taking home the Social Impact award.As previously reported, Remedy's creative director Sam Lake received the Lifetime Achievement Award, which was presented by Alan Wake and Control actor Matthew Porretta.Lucas Pope was given the Pioneer Award for his contributions to game development both as the creator of Paper's, Please and Return of the Obra Dinn and his work at Naughty Dog.The Independent Games Festival also took place yesterday, with Consume Me awarded the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Developed by Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thompson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, and Ken 'coda' Synder, the game also won the Nuvo and Wings awards.Freehold Games' Caves of Qud won Excellence in Narrative, Moonloop Games' Hauntii took home the Excellence in Visual Arts award, while Suspicious Developments' Tactical Breach Wizards won Excellence in Design.Despelote, developed by Julin Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena, won Excellence in Audio, and Vinny Roca's Slot Waste won Best Student Game.Here are the full list of winners for both ceremonies:GDCA 2025 winnersGame of the Year: Balatro (Local Thunk, Playstack)Best Debut: BalatroBest Visual Art: Black Myth: Wukong (Game Science)Best Audio: Astro Bot (Team Asobi, Sony Interactive Entertainment)Best Narrative: Metaphor: ReFantazio (Studio Zero, Atlus, Sega)Best Technology: Astro BotBest Design: BalatroSocial Impact Award: Life is Strange: Double Exposure (Deck Nine Games, Square Enix)Innovation Award: BalatroPioneer Award: Lucas PopeLifetime Achievement Award: Sam LakeIGF 2025 winnersSeumas McNally Grand Prize: Consume Me (Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thompson, Jie En Lee, Violet W-P, Ken 'coda' Synder)Excellence in Visual Art: Hauntii (Moonloop Games, Firestoke)Excellence in Audio: Despelote (Julin Cordero, Sebastian Valbuena, Panic)Excellence in Design: Tactical Breach Wizards (Suspicious Developments)Excellence in Narrative: Caves of Qud (Freehold Games, Kitfox Games)Nuovo Award: Consume MeWings Award: Consume MeBest Student Game: Slot Waste (Vinny Roca)

Monster Hunter Wilds debuts at No.3 on revenue charts for February 2025 | Newzoo ChartsCapcom's fastest-selling title took the top spot on Newzoo's premium revenue chartImage credit: Capcom News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Monster Hunter Wilds debuted at No.3 on Newzoo's overall revenue chart for February, despite launching on the final day of the month.Capcom's action RPG took the top spot on the firm's premium revenues (full game sales) chart, as well as the PC revenue chart. It ranked at No.5 and No.6 respectively on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.As for overall player engagement, Monster Hunter Wilds ranked at No.13. Newzoo noted that the game had two open betas in February, "both of which attracted sizable audiences and possibly influenced engagement."Another new release on Newzoo's revenue chart was Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which launched at No.6 with "great sales numbers in its first month" pushing it to No.2 on the premium revenues rankings.Civilization 7 took the No.7 spot, with Newzoo suggesting that "mixed reviews concerning changes in game design" could have potentially "hindered initial sales." However, it noted that the game's monetisation model which includes DLCs that introduce new gameplay mechanics "are expected to drive long-term sales."Avowed also broke into the Top 20, despite being a day one launch on Xbox Game Pass. The title reached No.18 on the individual revenue chart for Xbox, and No.9 on its engagement rankings.Here are the Top 20 games by revenue in the US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy for February 2025, across PC and consoles, according to Newzoo:RankLast month RankTitle11Fortnite23Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, 3, Warzone, and Black Ops 63NEWMonster Hunter Wilds42EA Sports FC 2554NBA 2K256NEWKingdom Come: Deliverance 27NEWSid Meier's Civilization 785Marvel Rivals97The Sims 4106Minecraft119Valorant1212Counter-Strike 2 & Go138Grand Theft Auto 51410EA Sports College Football 251528Hello Kitty Island Adventure1643Destiny 21713EA Sports Madden NFL 2518NEWPGA Tour 2K251914Roblox20NEWAvowedAnd here are the Top 20 games by monthly active users across US, UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy for February 2025, across PC and consoles, according to Newzoo:RankLast month RankTitle11Fortnite22Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, 3, and Warzone 2.033Minecraft46Grand Theft Auto 555Roblox64Marvel Rivals77Rocket League88EA Sports FC 25910Counter-Strike 2 & Go109Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Siege1112NBA 2K251213The Sims 413NEWMonster Hunter Wilds1414Apex Legends1511EA Sports College Football 251619EA Sports Madden NFL 251720Overwatch 1&21815Red Dead Redemption 21917Helldivers 22016EA Sports FC 24

Monster Hunter Wilds is US' best-selling game of 2025 so far | US Monthly ChartsCapcom's action RPG sold more than double than that of its predecessor Monster Hunter RiseImage credit: Capcom News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 Capcom's Monster Hunter Wilds topped Circana's US charts for February, and is the best-selling game of 2025 so far.The action RPG secured the top spot on PlayStation and Xbox's individual platform charts, with more than half of its sales being accounted for on Steam.According to Circana, launch month sales of Monster Hunter Wilds were more than double than the total Monster Hunter Rise generated in March 2021. Monster Hunter Wilds sold 8 million units in three days, becoming the fastest-selling title in Capcom's history.Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 came in second, ranking at the same spot on the PS and Xbox charts.As reported by Circana, the launch month sales of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 were "more than five times higher" than Kingdom Come: Deliverance's launch revenue in February 2018.Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 generated 1 million sales in just 24 hours following its release on February 4, 2025. It then went on to sell 2 million units in less than two weeks.The Top Ten included four more new releases, including Civilization 7 at No.3 and PGA Tour 2K25 at No.4 followed by Avowed at No.7 and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii at No.8. Avowed also ranked No.6 on the Xbox engagement charts.As for mobile content, Monopoly Go remained in the top spot followed by Last War: Survival which moved up two spaces which overtook Roblox for the first time in monthly US mobile spending as highlighted by Sensor Tower's Samuel Aune."Last War: Survival saw a 17% increase in in-app purchase revenue month over month, while both Royal Match and Roblox saw declines of around 9%," said Aune. "If this trend continues, Last War: Survival will be the No.2 game by US mobile gaming in-app purchase revenue."He added: "Also of note are the two Pokmon games: Pokmon TCG Pocket and Pokmon Go. This is the first time that two games with the same IP (though different publishers) have made [the Top Ten] at the same time, an impressive feat."Looking at US consumer spending for February, it fell by 6% year-over-year to $4.5 billion. Circana notes that "spending so far this year is 11% lower than at the same point in 2024 at $9 billion." Video game content spending also fell by 4% YoY to $4 billion.Elsewhere, hardware revenue dropped by 25% to $256 million compared to the same period last year. This marks the lowest February total since 2020, when hardware revenue was $184 million.The report also notes that after the first 52 months in market, PlayStation 5 unit sales are 7% ahead of PlayStation 4 while Xbox Series X|S is behind Xbox One at 19%.Here are the top 20 selling games from the period February 2 to March 1, 2025, data courtesy of Circana:RankLast month rankTitle1NEWMonster Hunter Wilds2NEWKingdom Come: Deliverance 23NEWCivilization 74NEWPGA Tour 2K2552NBA 2K2561Call of Duty: Black Ops 67NEWAvowed8NEWLike a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii94Grand Theft Auto 5103Madden NFL 25118Minecraft^^126EA Sports FC 25139Marvel's Spider-Man 2147Red Dead Redemption 21512Hogwarts Legacy1610EA College Football 251714Helldivers 21818Elden Ring1916Dragonball: Sparking! Zero2015Astro Bot^^Digital sales on Nintendo platforms not included.

Midia Research: Global games industry estimated to reach $236.9bn in 2025Report highlights that as the IMF projects a global inflation rate of 4.2% this year, the "global games market is essentially flat" News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 20, 2025 The global games industry is predicted to increase by 4.6% in 2026 to $236.9 billion, and is expected to reach $280.1 billion in 2031.This is according to a new report by Midia Research, which notes that as the International Monetary Fund has projected the global inflation rate to be 4.2% in 2025, "the global games market is essentially flat."Looking at software, the firm predicts revenues to rise by 4.4% year-over-year to $203.2 billion in 2025. It highlights gains from "several premium releases" this year and in 2026, including Grand Theft Auto 6 and "Switch 2 launch-window games" as well as titles such as Monster Hunter Wilds and Assassin's Creed Shadows. By 2031, software revenue is estimated to grow to $237 billion.PC software is "predicted to outpace other segments towards 2031," reaching $44.5 billion in 2025 compared to $41.6 billion in 2024.Console software is estimated to reach $47.9 billion this year compared to $45.1 billion last year, while mobile is forecast to reach $110.9 billion in 2025 compared to $108.1 billion compared to 2024.Hardware revenues are projected to grow by 8.4% YoY to $20.6 billion, driven by the Switch 2 launch. This follows a decline of 19.9% in 2024 "when Xbox struggled due to its focus on services and off-platform revenues and the original Switch neared the end of its life cycle." Hardware revenues are estimated to reach $24.6 billion in 2031.According to Midia, a key change for the rest of the decade is a refocus on premium titles following an "oversaturation of live-serve games". As a result, in-game revenue is forecast to decrease to 67% by 2031.The firm predicts that consoles will continue to be the most popular choice for premium games, with the ecosystem taking up 60% of the market share compared to 38% on PC.As for multi-game subscription services, the report says that while revenues may see a boost from price increases and the potential addition of ad-based tiers, it has "reached maturity."Midia highlights how Call of Duty's addition to Xbox Game Pass helped overall subscription service numbers rise by 16% YoY to $11.8 billion in 2024. It predicts this amount to grow further in 2025 to $13.1 billion, followed by $18.5 billion in 2031. Image credit: Midia ResearchThe number of global players is expected to increase in 2025 to 3.27 billion, and even further by 2031 to 4.02 billion. Midia notes that cross-entertainment is adding potential consumers via adaptations such as HBO's The Last of Us and Amazon's Fallout.However, it predicts that "most new players will enter the market via emerging countries and regions such as Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa." Midia notes that as internet access and online infrastructure continues to improve, more players will emerge from these areas."Things will continue to be difficult in the games market, and these challenging market conditions mean developers are being forced to think smarter to succeed," said Midia games analyst Rhys Elliot. "Luckily, the industry is teeming with some of the smartest, most creative, and passionate minds in the world. Just don't expect double-digit growth."Elliot continued: "Laying off the employees who create value is short-sighted. After all, a big reason why Nintendo, FromSoftware, and Naughty Dog are so successful is because they retain and nurture talent long term."My recommendation: less waste, less trend-chasing, more innovation, more data-backed segmentation and better (read: humane) treatment of the people in the industry creating value. The market can't keep catering to the same gamers and expect the pie to grow."You can find the full report on Midia's website.

ID@Xbox has paid indie devs more than $5bn since 2013Program saw over 1,000 games launch last year, including Balatro and PhasmophobiaImage credit: Xbox News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 Microsoft has revealed it has paid developers in its ID@Xbox program more than $5 billion since it launched in 2013.In a blog post, ID@Xbox director Guy Richards shared that ID@Xbox saw more than 1,000 games launch in 2024 including Balatro, Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, and Phasmophobia.Richards also spoke with GameRant, revealing that ID@Xbox has worked with over 5,000 developers globally and has shipped an estimated 6,000 games since its inception."If you were to ask anybody who was here when we first started the program if we'd be achieving these numbers in 2025, they wouldn't believe it," he said."That is a huge testament to the creativity of independent developers, as well as the willingness of everybody at Xbox to support developers all around the world and find ways to make it easier to bring games into the ecosystem."Of course, it's also a testament to our fans who have the passion to play all these incredible games coming to all of our devices."

EA Sports offers $1,500 for student athletes to appear in College Football 26Developer expected to pay $16.5 million overall for the name, image, and likeness of playersImage credit: EA Sports News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 19, 2025 EA Sports has more than doubled payments for college football players appearing in College Football 26 from $600 to $1,500.As reported by The Athletic, the sports segment of The New York Times, EA is expected to pay $16.5 million overall for name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for players appearing in the game.This does not include additional payments to ambassadors and cover athletes, nor the deluxe edition of College Football 26 given to those who opt to appear in the game.In January, EA Sports told The Athletic it had "no news" on changes to its player compensation model.A month later, NIL group Pathway was founded and began obtaining NIL rights for more than 400 players, providing each with an upfront payment of $1,500."From the beginning, we've designed our NIL program to be accessible, direct, voluntary, and equitable for all, offering the same base-level compensation to every Football Bowl Subdivision athlete that opts-in using the OneTeam platform and Compass NIL app," said EA Sports vice president Sean O'Brien."This approach empowers each athlete to make their own decisions. College sports are growing and changing, and our focus at EA Sports is on continuing to put athletes first as we bring them in game in College Football 26 and beyond."Pathway president Casey Schwab added: "This is great news for college football players and aligns with our vision at Pathway, which is to provide the most professional, transparent, and legitimate NIL program for college athletes."We look forward to working with EA and others to achieve our long-term goals."College Football 25 was the first time college athletes were paid for their likeness to appear in-game. EA Sports offered over 11,000 players $600 for their NIL. Players were previously prohibited from being paid due to NCAA rules.In 2023, the College Football Players Association boycotted the low pay of an estimated $500 per player compared to the tens of thousands of dollars paid to NFL players, according to CFBPA vice president Justin Falcinelli.

Ubisoft reportedly implements "anti-harassment plan" for Assassin's Creed Shadows devsSource claims that developer is "advising" employees not to share their involvement on social mediaImage credit: Ubisoft News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 18, 2025 Ubisoft has reportedly implemented an "anti-harassment plan" for developers that worked on Assassin's Creed Shadows.As reported by PCGamesN, an anonymous Ubisoft employee told French news network BFMTV that the plan was allegedly being implemented to discourage employees from sharing their involvement with the game on social media.The employee also claimed that Ubisoft has partnered with Canada's Communications Security Establishment to support its reported endeavor."It's an initiative from Canada," the source said (machine translated by PCGamesN). "There's a team that monitors networks and acts quickly in the event of a targeted attack. Unlike what we've had before, this is serious."According to the report, posts across social media "will be closely monitored by a dedicated unit" and "lawyers are already ready to file complaints in the event of proven harassment."In response, a Ubisoft spokesperson told PCGamesN that its "top priority is the safety of [its] employees.""Our stance has always been that team members' social media channels are their own," the spokesperson said. "Our top priority is the safety of our employees, including online, which is why, as a standard practice across Ubisoft, we offer guidance on navigating social media, digital safety, and support for team members' wellbeing."We also share resources to help prevent and protect against online harassment, something our teams have unfortunately faced."

Sporty Group opens new UK games development hubNew studio led by former Tower Studios CEO Jon HareImage credit: Sporty Group News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 18, 2025 Sporty Group has opened a new games development hub in the UK led by former Tower Studios CEO and creative director Jon Hare.Hare is leading a team of 17 employees who have been working on the Sociable Soccer franchise, which was acquired by Sporty Games last July.The team is currently developing an unannounced free-to-play soccer title which will launch later this year."Working alongside Sporty Group to launch this new studio is a thrilling move that secures our future as a top-tier developer and publisher of sports games with truly global appeal," said Hare. "We have put this together with a capable and driven team and continue to look for new additions."He continued: "Working with such a highly talented group of like-minded developers who, like myself, are committed to raising the bar for sports games, is a dream come true and we look forward to sharing further details of our first titles very soon."Sporty Group vice president of business development, marketing, and media Greg Parsons added: "Jon and this team have a proven track record of creating critically acclaimed titles with universal appeal."Adding this talent to the existing Sporty talent pool will accelerate the growth of our games offerings and enhance our vision of a globally relevant and diversified entertainment destination."Sporty Group is a sports media, gaming, and social platform that runs betting and gaming brand SportyBet, sports app Sporty.com, and owns and operates SportyTV.

PlayStation forms new first-party studio Dark Outlaw GamesDeveloper led by studio head and director Jason Blundell News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 18, 2025 Sony has formed a new first-party PlayStation studio called Dark Outlaw Games, led by industry veteran Jason Blundell.Blundell, who is studio head and director, confirmed the news during an interview with journalist Jeff Gerstmann. He revealed that Dark Outlaw "has been working away in the shadows" on an unknown project."It's such a privilege to be able to do it with Sony as a new first-party studio," said Blundell. "Sony doesn't set up first-party studios all the time. To have that privilege is humbling, it's really nice. I'm really excited."Blundell said the studio is currently "staffing up [and] keeping it kind of low key" as the team develops its game."We're getting the team to jell, getting the ideas clicking I'm a programmer at heart, so let's test those assumptions: Is it working? You're trying to escape velocity."Blundell has been working in the games industry for almost two decades, having been the co-studio head of Treyarch and one of the lead creators on Call of Duty Zombies.He worked at Activision for 13 years, before leaving in 2020 to form Deviation Games with Dave Anthony.In 2021, the studio signed a deal with PlayStation to create an original AAA IP. However, Blundell left Deviation Games in 2022 and the developer reportedly laid off up to 90 employees a year later. By March 2024, Deviation Games was shut down.Dark Outlaw's formation was previously rumoured in May 2024 after former Deviation Games technical director Michael Anthony suggested that the studio was "working on an undisclosed IP."

Star Wars: Hunters to be sunset later this yearZynga's free-to-play shooter launched in June 2024Image credit: Zynga News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 17, 2025 Squad-based arena shooter Star Wars: Hunters is being shut down less than a year after launch.Developed by Zynga and its subsidiary NaturalMotion, the free-to-play title's servers will be taken offline on October 1, 2025. The game will remain in stores and available to download until this date."We understand this news may be disappointing and we want to assure you that this decision was not made lightly," the developer said on its website."Your passion and dedication to the game and its community have meant the world to us, and we are committed to providing visibility and updates throughout the transition process."Season 5 of Star Wars: Hunters will be extended by three weeks, beginning on March 25, 2025.The final update for all platforms, including Switch, iOS, and Android, will be on April 15, 2025. In-game purchases will also be disabled from this date.Any in-game currency purchased but not yet used is not eligible for refund, as the developer states on the FAQ section of its website.

Split Fiction reaches 2m sales in one week | News-in-briefHazelight Studios' latest co-op sold one million units in 48 hours following its launch on March 6, 2025Image credit: Hazelight Studios News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 17, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Split Fiction reaches 2m sales in one week

Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster sells over 5m copies | News-in-briefOverall, the Final Fantasy series has sold over 200 million units globallyImage credit: Square Enix News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on March 17, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster sells over 5m copies

SAG-AFTRA remains "frustratingly far apart" from major game companies"The bargaining group would have you believe that we are close to reaching a deal - this is not the case"Image credit: SAG-AFTRA News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 13, 2025 SAG-AFTRA - the union that represents 160,000 actors, voiceover artists, and other media professionals - has issued an update about the video game strike, saying it remains "frustratingly far apart" from video game studios and publishers.In a statement, the union said it was working to address "alarming loopholes" in a proposal prepared by the bargaining group, which boasts representatives from Activision, Blindlight, Disney Character Voices, EA, Formosa Interactive, Insomniac Games, Llama Productions, Take-Two, and WB Games."The bargaining group would have you believe that we are close to reaching a deal," the union said. "This is not the case. They also are hoping our members will turn on each other. We encourage you to read this extensive updated comparison chart of AI proposals to see for yourself how far apart we remain on fundamental AI protections for all performers."They want to use all past performances and any performance they can source from outside the contract without any of the protections being bargained at all. You could be told nothing about your replica being used, offered nothing in the way of payment, and you could do nothing about it. They want to be able to make your replica continue to work, as you, during a future strike, whether you like it or not. And once youve given your specific consent for how your replica can be used, they refuse to tell you what they actually did with it."The union did acknowledge, however, that whilst it has yet to find enough common ground with the bargaining group, it has had "great success with other employers," with more than 160 upcoming games signing up to the "interim and independent agreements.""Those agreements contain the protections we have been asking the bargaining group for - terms that are clearly feasible and acceptable to a great number of game companies of all sizes, even as the bargaining companies resist," it said."Thats why its important to check the status of any role youre considering. If you get an audition, check the status of the game at sagaftra.org/videogamestrike. Know that the only games that are safe to work - those with AI protections - are those that show up as 'Lets Play'."SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to reach an agreement with the convenience bargaining group over rights and protection concerns raised by the industry's exploration of AI technologies.Yesterday, we reported that two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claimed they had been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes.

Spectre Divide developer Mountaintop to shutter just six months post-launchCEO says the studio is "out of funding to support the game" and "will close doors at the end of this week"Image credit: Mountaintop Studios News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 13, 2025 Spectre Divide developer Mountaintop Studios is shuttering just six months after launch.In a blog post, CEO Nate Mitchell told players the free-to-play shooter "hasn't achieved the level of success [it] needed to sustain the game and keep Mountaintop afloat."It's unclear how many people have been impacted by the closure, but LinkedIn states the company employs between 51-200 people."We were optimistic about the first week. Weve had ~400,000 players play, with a peak concurrent player count of ~10,000 across all platforms. But as time has gone on, we havent seen enough active players and incoming revenue to cover the day-to-day costs of Spectre and the studio," Mitchell explained. "Since the PC launch, we stretched our remaining capital as far as we could, but at this point, we're out of funding to support the game. This means Mountaintop will be closing its doors at the end of this week."We pursued every avenue to keep going, including finding a publisher, additional investment, and/or an acquisition. In the end, we werent able to make it work. The industry is in a tough spot right now."Mitchell said the team was closing down new purchases and refunding any money spent since Season 1 to players, and will be taking the game offline "within the next 30 days.""This has always been a passion project for us, born out of love for this genre. An indie team of insanely talented individuals who came together from around the world to build a game we believed in."We wanted to deliver something innovative and original in a crowded genre that would bring friends together around unforgettable moments," Mitchell concluded. "We shook up the format, created a fresh art style and universe, and partnered with some of our heroes. All of us knew from the beginning that the odds were against us, but that's what we signed up for. It was never a surefire bet. We did it anyway."In the first two months of 2025 alone, 1200 developers have lost their jobs, with cuts and closures at Freejam, Splash Damage, Piranha Games, Jar of Sparks, Ubisoft, ProbablyMonsters, Iron Galaxy, Sumo Group, Liquid Sword, NetEase Games, Toast Interactive, Night School Studio, and - most recently - Callisto Protocol studio, Striking Distance and Until Dawn remake developers, Ballistic Moon.

Netflix Games confirms departure of former president and VP of GenAI Mike VerduFormer Netflix Games president leaves GenAI role after just five months News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 12, 2025 Netflix Games' VP of generative AI, Mike Verdu, has left the streaming giant.Although Netflix confirmed Verdu's departure in a statement to Game File, the company did not comment on why the VP left after just five months in the role, nor revealed who has replaced him.Verdu joined Netflix in 2021 to launch its games division. In November 2024, however, after a management restructure, Verdu was moved into the role of VP of generative AI for games, with former Epic Games exec Alain Tascan brought in to lead Netflix's gaming portfolio."Many view [AI] technology with fear, but I am a game-maker at heart and I see its potential to unlock all of us, to create mind-blowing new experiences for players, to lift us to new heights," Verdu said at the time. "Yes, we'll have to adapt and change, but when have we failed to meet that challenge as an industry?"Netflix has been investing heavily in video games for the past few years, especially since first hiring Verdu in 2021. The entertainment streaming firm acquired multiple studios and opened two internal ones, although it announced in October it would be closing the California studio, and canceled six games as part of plans to "adjust [its] portfolio" in February, along with cutting an undisclosed number of staff from Netflix-owned Night School Studio.Netflix's video games are only available on mobile so far, with lifetime downloads of the 100-plus titles passing 210 million in September.Annapurna Interactive appointed former Netflix Games exec Leanne Loombe as head of games in January.

Zenless Zone Zero voice actors quietly recast following SAG-AFTRA action"I stand by my choice," actor says News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 12, 2025 Two Zenless Zone Zero voice actors claim they have been replaced for participating in the SAG-AFTRA strikes.As spotted by Eurogamer, Emeri Chase and Nicholas Thurkettle - playing Soldier 11 and Lycaon, respectively - claim they found out their voices had been replaced by reading the patch notes at the same time players did.As it began development before the strike was called on July 25, 2024, Zenless Zone Zero is not subject to the strike, however, voice actors both in and out of the union can choose to support the action.In a Bluesky thread, Chase said: "I was replaced as Soldier 11 because I am unwilling to perform work not covered by a SAG Interim Agreement during a strike for AI protection, the outcome of which will determine the future of our industry."I'd like to clarify that there's a difference between being 'struck' and not being on an Interim Agreement. Union projects that began work prior to the strike and non-union projects are not 'struck.' But they also do not offer the Union-enforced AI rights we are fighting for."Many actors are choosing to voluntarily withhold work on these categories of projects because we feel it is the best way to support the Union's fight for the protections that are critical to our continued ability to create the art we love. I knew that by withholding work it was possible I'd be replaced, though of course I hoped they would choose to leave her silent until I was able to return. I found out the role was recast today alongside all of you."Chase closed on saying they had loved working on the game but [stood] by [their] choices "regardless of the outcome."Thurkettle similarly discussed the issue on Bluesky, saying: "This is what I've been quiet about. I'm not SAG but what game companies want to do with AI is an existential threat. I took a personal stand to ask for protection, and had to be willing to give up the best thing that's ever happened in my professional life. I stand by my choice."GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to YoHoVerse for comment.It follows news earlier this month that the voice talent team that brings Apex Legends' characters to life in French refused to sign contracts that would authorize their voices to be used to train AI.SAG-AFTRA voted to strike at the end of July after it failed to reach an agreement with the convenience bargaining group over rights and protection concerns raised by the industry's exploration of AI technologies.SAG-AFTRA secured agreements with the developers behind 80 upcoming games in September as it staged strike action over better conditions for actors, including protection against the use of AI. In November, SAG-AFTRA announced a new agreement for video game localisation.

Scopely acquires Pokmon Go developer Niantic in deal worth $3.5bnDeal also includes companion apps and services "Campfire" and "Wayfarer" News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 12, 2025 Pokmon Go developer Niantic has agreed to be acquired by Savvy Games Group subsidiary Scopely.The deal, valued at $3.5 billion, matches the details that leaked last month. It includes Niantic's entire game development team as well as its the games Pokmon Go, Pikmin Bloom, and Monster Hunter Now.The deal also includes companion apps and services "Campfire" and "Wayfarer" and will see Scopely assume control of Niantic's popular live events like Pokmon Go Fest.Niantic games have always been a bridge to connect people and inspire exploration, and I am confident they will continue to do both as part of Scopely, said John Hanke, founder and CEO of Niantic.Scopely shares our focus on building and operating incredible live services, has exceptional experience working with the world's biggest and most beloved intellectual properties, and cares deeply about its player communities and game-making teams."I firmly believe this partnership is great for our players and is the best way to ensure that our games have the long-term support and investment needed to be 'forever games' that will endure for future generations.Scopely was acquired by Saudi Arabian multinational game investment group Savvy Games Group back in July 2023 for $4.9 billion. In January, it appointed Nika Nour as SVP and head of international business development.Saudi Arabia has been more and more active in the games and esports industry over the past few years, having invested $38 billion via its Public Investment Fund. The PIF has stakes in companies including Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Nexon, and Capcom. It is also hosting the inaugural Olympic Esports Games, which are now set for 2027.These investments have been controversial due to Saudi Arabia's poor human rights record, most notably on gender inequality and the criminalization of homosexuality, which is still punishable by life imprisonment or execution.

Moon Studios' Ori series tops 15m sales | News-in-brief"Not too shabby for a Metroidvania and a genre we were told is dead," says creatorImage credit: Moon Games Studios News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 12, 2025 This is a News-in-brief article, our short format linking to an official source for more information. Read more about this story by following the link below:Moon Studios' Ori series tops 15m sales

Bitter Playdead row goes public as co-founder demands $73K for using a "copyright protected image" on LinkedIn"Last time you tried to bully me, I told you I'd make it public. So here we go" News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 11, 2025 Playdead co-founder Dino Patti has been threatened with a lawsuit after he posted a now-deleted LinkedIn post that shared an "unauthorized" picture of co-founder Arnt Jensen.Patti left Playdead in 2016. In 2017, some of the details behind the acrimonious split between Playdead's management emerged after a Danish newspaper reported on a rift that had developed between him and creative director Arnt Jensen.Now, in a "legal love letter" sent on March 3, Patti said Jensen demanded a little over $73,000 in "suitable compensation and reimbursement." Patti added that he has "repeatedly" had such letters over the last nine years.In its letter, Playdead said: "We want to repeat and caution that your continued use of Playdead's assets and any disclosure and exploitation of inside knowledge about Playdead for commercial purposes is infringing and constitutes breach of confidentiality clauses and of loyalty obligations concerning information obtained during your employment at Playdead."By providing recipients with core insights to the process of developing Limbo, you are falsely giving the impression that you played a significant role, including a creative role, in the development of the game. This gives a false and misleading impression to business partners and to the game industry as you were not actually an essential part of the creative development of Limbo.""My old partner has threatened me with an IP lawsuit because I used a publicly available picture, in a LinkedIn post three months ago, of the game Limbo that we created at Playdead together," Patti wrote on LinkedIn."Arnt, last time you tried to bully me, I told you I'd make it public. So here we go."Patti then detailed the contributions he believes he made whilst at Playdead, adding he thought Jensen was "a genius" but "without me, Playdead wouldn't have existed. That's not ego. That's a fact.""Arnt, please stop the bullying. I will not stop being who I am."In a clarifying email to Game Developer yesterday, Playdead confirmed it had "submitted demands" to Patti concerning alleged "infringement and unauthorized use of Playdead's trademarks and copyrighted works in a commercial and marketing context.""We have found it necessary to take this action to protect our trademarks and copyrights, which are essential to Playdead's business and reputation," the studio said.

AI firm Uthana secures $4.3m to "revolutionize" 3D character animation with generative AIOpen beta gives devs free access to its "groundbreaking platform"Image credit: Uthana News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 11, 2025 Uthana has secured $4.3m to "revolutionize" 3D character animation with generative AI.The $4.3 million funding round was led by IA Ventures, with participation from A16Z Speedrun, Acequia Capital, Cursor Capital, HustleFund, MetaVision, and JonesTrauber.To mark the feat, Uthana is launching an open beta of its "groundbreaking platform for 3D character animation, designed to revolutionize the animation and game development industry."It said that with its technology, "game developers will no longer be constrained by pre-set animation loops or extensive manual rigging," but instead, "motion will be an organic part of game design, responding fluidly to environments, story progression, and user behavior."Uthana added that its "state-of-the-art" AI can animate in "minutes not hours or days," using simple prompts like text-to-motion, video-to-motion, or via its motion library, where you can "use natural language queries to search the company's collection of over 10,000 motions.""Our mission is to 'beat a visual Turing test' for human motion, creating truly lifelike animations," said Viren Tellis, co-founder and CEO of Uthana."Generative AI has the potential to transform how animators and game developers work, by removing tedious tasks like keyframing and the time and expense of motion capture, which is not accessible to many game developers. We believe this will unlock creativity across the industry."Our ambition is to bridge the gap between reality and digital expression," concluded Tellis. "In the coming years, we see AI-driven motion revolutionizing how we interact with virtual characters, pushing the boundaries of immersion, realism, and emotional storytelling."

Leaked video appears to show Sony director conversing with an AI Aloy prototype"This is just a glimpse of what is possible," director said News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 11, 2025 PlayStation is reportedly using characters from its biggest franchises in an AI prototype.A leaked video appeared to show PlayStation's director of software engineering, Sharwin Raghoebardajal, conversing with an early AI Aloy prototype.The video sent to The Verge but since taken offline following a copyright claim from Sony showed Raghoebardajal give a brief tech demo of Aloy communicating with him voice prompts both within the AI prototype and in the game Horizon Forbidden West itself."This is just a glimpse of what is possible," Raghoebardajal said, before demonstrating how Aloy can give players lore and background information upon request.Whilst the voice does not match that of the in-game Aloy, the character model responds intelligently to questions with some synchronised facial expressions and movement. According to Raghoebardajal, this is only an internal demo developed at Sony.According to The Verge's reporting, the AI system uses OpenAI's whisper for speech-to-text and GPT-4 and Llama 3 for its communication and decision-making, whilst Sony's own Mockingbird tech powers the audio-to-facial animation and Emotional Voice Synthesis (EVS) powers speech.Although the prototype was running on a PC, Sony believes it can run the same tech on PS5 consoles with "little overhead."Last week, the voice talent team that brings Apex Legends' characters to life in French reportedly refused to sign contracts that would authorize their voices to be used to train AI.

Xsolla launches all-new direct-to-consimer publishing suite"This solution simplifies reaching players directly," Xsolla saysImage credit: Xsolla News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on March 11, 2025 Xsolla has launched a new direct-to-customer publishing suite.The commerce company said the new suite offers an "all-in-one direct-to-consumer (D2C) solution designed to help developers sell and distribute their games.""Regardless of genre, monetization model, or stage in the game lifecycle, any game can benefit from content management, payments, LiveOps, analytics, and pre-integrated marketing tools to accelerate time to market," Xsolla said in a press release.Xsolla said the Publishing Suite is a modular toolkit that lets developers "achieve their unique goals" and "ensure a successful release" by engaging with players, gathering feedback, optimizing marketing strategies, and driving traffic through pre-order campaigns.It will also maximize direct-to-consumer sales, build a multi-game publishing platform, unite players across platforms, and help developers "grow revenue with in-game and web stores.""With the launch of the Xsolla Publishing Suite, were enabling developers to overcome the challenges of direct-to-consumer sales with powerful, customizable tools," said Berkley Egenes, chief marketing and growth officer at Xsolla."This solution simplifies reaching players directly, helping developers build lasting connections and drive sustainable growth."