Indie blockbuster Balatro tops 5m units sold | News-in-briefDeveloper invites players to "make a habit" of playing indie gamesImage credit: LocalThunk News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 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:Indie blockbuster Balatro tops 5m units sold

Finland's Film Tampere appoints first head of games to "connect film and games creators""We are immensely proud to have persuaded one of the finest minds in Finlands games industry to join our mission" News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 21, 2025 The film commission for the Tampere city region in Finland has appointed its first head of games.Arto Kayhko - a "mobile games and digital-services veteran" - will promote the region's "fast-growing gaming industry on the international stage" as part of Film Tampere.Kayhko will also be charged in fostering closer links with Finland's gaming community and other digital content-creation industries.The Tampere region's first film/games collaboration is described as a cinematic action game project named Alma, co-developed by Dreamloop Games and Making Movies. It's an adaptation of an upcoming movie of the same name, which is set in Finland during the Second World War and centres on a teenage girl who acquires superpowers and uses them to save her father from the front line. Eighty years later, however, Alma "must pay the price.""We are immensely proud to have persuaded one of the finest minds in Finlands games industry to join our mission to create an integrated future for Tamperes content creation industries," said Film Tampere lead, Fanny Heinonen."Arto brings with him a rare combination of experience spanning games, digital, international and finance, not to mention his talent for relationship-building between shareholders and creatives. As we work to bring our regions creative communities together, these are exactly the skills we need to fuse and build solid partnerships and structures."With Artos help, were a giant step nearer to fulfilling our mission of transforming Tampere into a world-class creative hub."

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader sells 1 million copies | News-in-briefMilestone comes a year after the RPG's debut on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/SImage credit: Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 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:Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader sells 1 million copies

BFI invests another 2m in UK's independent screen sectorFireblade Software, Hazimation, Hyper Luminal, Keelworks, and Wired Productions all secured funding News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 21, 2025 The BFI has made 26 new awards as part of its 2.15m ($2.65m) investment in the UK's independent screen sector, which includes video games.Financed through the UK government's Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS), the financial awards aim to help British firms "achieve new business partnerships, enhance their profile and reach in the global marketplace, and increase revenue generation through export and international expansion."Awards - which range from 50,000 ($61.6K) to 200,000 ($246K) - reportedly generate 22 of net benefit for every 1 of UK Global Screen Fund given.Successfully securing funding this round are Fireblade Software, Hazimation, Hyper Luminal, Keelworks, and Wired Productions. For some, the applications were made to secure funding for new roles like programmers and production staff, whilst others were awarded grants to hire business development support."The UKs independent screen sector has such a wealth of talent and ambition and it is fantastic to see this latest batch of business development awards supporting a breadth of companies and strategies, all focused on international growth and success in the global marketplace," said Denitsa Yordanova, BFI head of UK Global Screen Fund and International Funds.

Bohemia Interactive's revenue jumps 34% this financial year to $60.8mCo-founder and CFO says "the year 2024 exceeded all our expectations" News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 21, 2025 Bohemia Interactive's revenue has jumped by 34% this financial year to $60.8m.In a statement, co-founder and CFO Slavomr Pavlček said "the year 2024 exceeded all our expectations," primarily attributing its boost to DayZ expansion, Frostline.The team also released Arma Reforger on PS5, Vigor on PC, and Ylands on Nintendo Switch. Arma 3 players also received two new DLC packs.99% of the largest Czech game studio's "4.85m copies of games and DLC" came from sales overseas across PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox systems, but Bohemia stopped short of disaggregating that figure further.42% of all sales were made in the US, followed by the UK and Germany at 7% and 6% of the market share, respectively. There has also been "significant growth" in Ukraine and in Brazil."The latest expansion DayZ Frostline, which has won the hearts of gamers around the world, has been a great success," Pavlček said."And the real blockbuster was the military simulator Arma Reforger on PlayStation 5, where it currently has no competition in its genre. In addition, player interest continues to grow on all platforms, even at the beginning of 2025."Arma 2 has sold over 47m units in 15 years.

GDC Survey: 41% of devs affected by layoffs in 2024One in ten respondents were laid off last year, with roles in game narrative being the most affected at 19%Image credit: GDC News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 21, 2025 The Game Developers Conference released its annual State of Games Industry survey today, which found that one in ten developers were laid off in 2024. Overall, 41% of developers were impacted by layoffs last year compared to 35% in 2023.In partnership with market intelligence firm Omdia and Game Developer, the GDC State of Games Industry report surveyed over 3,000 developers on their experiences of current conditions affecting the industry. These include layoffs, job roles, which platforms they're using, working hours, and generative AI.Going back to layoffs, 29% of respondents saw their direct colleagues affected by redundancy than staff in other teams and departments, which was 18%.The majority of those surveyed cited restructuring, declining revenue, and marketing shifts as the main reason for layoffs.GDC asked developers why they thought layoffs continue to affect the industry, with many placing "the blame on specific issues like Covid-era overexpansion, rising production costs, declining player interest, unrealistic expectations for the 'next big hit', poor leadership and mismanagement."While union support among developers remained relatively unchanged during the ongoing wave of layoffs, one-fifth of developers said they'd talked about unionising over the past 12 months. 29% said their companies were supportive of these talks, while 19% were mixed and 12% opposed.19% of game narrative devs surveyed were laid off in 2024The job role most affected by redundancies in 2024 was in game narrative at 19%, despite this segment seeing the most year-on-year growth from 14% in 2024 to 17% today.There was a decrease in developers working for AAA studios, dropping from 18% to 15%. Of that percentage, almost half of developers work at studios with over 250 employees. In comparison, over half of indie developers work for studios with 20 staff or fewer.The majority of developers continue to work 40 hours or less per week, though this has dropped from 64% last year to 57%.13% of those surveyed are working more than 51 hours per week on average, compared to 8% in 2024. When asked why, two-thirds of developers said it was due to self-pressure a slight decrease from 71% last year.Looking at platforms, PC dominated the year with 80% of developers making games for the platform up from 66% the previous year.GDC suggested that this increase could be attributed to the rise in popularity of the Steam Deck, even though it didn't single out the device as its own platform in its survey. When respondents were asked to name other platforms that interest them, almost half said the Steam Deck.As for consoles, PlayStation 5 came out on top with 37% of developers focusing on projects on the PS5 or PS5 Pro compared to 33% for the Xbox Series X|S.80% of devs are working on projects for PC, compared to 66% in 2023However, Xbox outperformed PlayStation in cloud services. 13% of respondents are making games for Xbox Game Pass, with 9% focusing on PS Plus (Extra or Premium).Mobile development increased for the first time since 2020 with 29% of developers in the process of making games for Android and iOS.Surprisingly, web browser development saw a significant jump in interest with 16% of those surveyed working on these games, up 9% from last year.Elsewhere, live-service games were a major topic of conversation with developers being asked whether this genre was worth the risk in light of titles such as Concord, Anthem, and Redfall being taken offline.42% of developers said they weren't interested in developing a live-service game, and there were mixed opinions on the segment as a whole."Many respondents said they saw value in live-service not only on the financial side, but also in player experience and community building," GDC found. "Others noted their concerns about declining player interest, creative stagnation, predatory practices and microtransactions, and the risk of developer burnout."Another issue was the risk of market oversaturation, with developers noting "how tough it is to break through and build a sustainable player base" with the live-service model.

EA Origin to shut down in April 2025Decision follows Microsoft ceasing support of 32-bit softwareImage credit: Electronic Arts News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 21, 2025 EA Origin will shut down on April 17, 2025, as a result of Microsoft no longer supporting 32-bit software.Players that use Origin will need to download and install the EA app, available from EA's website, which requires a 64-bit version of Windows.Games from Origin will transfer to the EA app automatically when players log in with their Origin account. If cloud saves are enabled save games will transfer. However, users will need to manually transfer data of titles that don't support cloud saves.If players are upgrading to a new operating system, they won't need to redownload games. If they are upgrading their PC, data transfer is needed.EA Origin launched in June 2011, followed by the EA App in October 2022. At the time of the EA app's release, the firm said it would slowly phase out Origin.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developer outlines new tools to fight online cheatsTweaks to anti-cheat systems see another 136,000 players bannedImage credit: Treyarch / Activision News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 20, 2025 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 developer Treyarch has tweaked its anti-cheat systems and banned another 136,000 players across Black Ops 6 and battle-royale spin-off, Warzone.In a detailed update to players on X, Treyarch and partner studios Raven Software, Beenox, and Demonware acknowledged that "instances of cheating in Call of Duty [...] are frustrating and severely impact the experience for our community" and outlined new layers of security and protections to combat cheaters.This includes updated detection models - such as to catch aim botting - and better account trust and hardware identifiers to target serial cheaters, helping the game identify and then ban 136,000 ranked play cheats.Addressing IP-based banning, the update said Call of Duty's Ricochet system does not utilise IP-based bans so as not to "take action against" entire groups that may not have been engaging in cheating behaviours.Looking ahead to 2025, there will be major kernel-level driver updates, a reinforced encryption process, and an all-new tampering detection system."Were not slowing down in our mission to shut down cheaters whose only mission is to ruin the fun for everyone else, and were confident that the combination of the updates above, as well as ongoing improvements to our detection systems and Activisions continued legal actions against illegal cheat sellers, will provide a demonstrably healthier gameplay experience going forward," the statement concluded.We recently learned that developing three Call of Duty titles between 2015 and 2020 cost Activision between $450m and $700m per game.

Activision donates $1m to support fire relief in LA | News-in-briefDeveloper releases LA Fire Relief pack on Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Warzone, 100% of proceeds will go directly to Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and Direct ReliefImage credit: Activision News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 20, 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:Activision donates $1m to support fire relief in LA

Cognosphere to pay $20m to settle FTC complaint on Genshin ImpactGames firm will introduce "new age-gate and parental consent protections" and "in-game disclosures around virtual currency" in response News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 20, 2025 Genshin Impact distributor Cognosphere has agreed to pay $20 million to settle charges made by the US Federal Trade Commission.In a complaint filed on January 17, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, the FTC alleged that Cognosphere violated the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and deceived users about the cost of in-game transactions.The FTC claimed that Cognosphere pushed the marketing of Genshin Impact towards children under 13 and collected personal information without parental consent, which goes against the COPPA.It also alleged that Cognosphere "deceived players about the odds of winning" loot box prizes and that the purchasing process for in-game currency is too confusing for consumers. It claimed this misleads players regarding "the amount of money that would likely need to be spent to obtain certain prizes."Under the proposed order, Cognosphere is required to adhere to changes outlined in the complaint including the prohibition of selling loot boxes to children under 16 without parental consent and rectify the misrepresentation of loot box odds, prices, and features.In response to the complaint, Cognosphere said that while it believed "many of the FTC's allegations are inaccurate," it agreed to the settlement because it "values the trust of [its] community and shares a commitment to transparency for [its] players.""Under the agreement, we will introduce new age-gate and parental consent protections for children and young teens and increase our in-game disclosures around virtual currency and rewards for players in the US in the coming months," it said.Director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection Samuel Levine added: "Genshin Impact deceived children, teens, and other players into spending hundreds of dollars on prizes they stood little chance of winning."Companies that deploy these dark-pattern tactics will be held accountable if they deceive players, particularly kids and teens, about the true costs of in-game transactions."Cognosphere is a subsidiary of Chinese developer MiHoYo and publisher of Genshin Impact. It conducts business in the United States as HoYoverse.

Marvel Snap and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang unavailable in US following TikTok banMarvel Snap developer Second Dinner is "actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible"Image credit: Second Dinner News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 20, 2025 Marvel Snap and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang were made "temporarily" unavailable in the United States following the TikTok ban over the weekend.Marvel Snap's developer Second Dinner said on social media it and its publisher Nuverse, a subsidiary of TikTok owner ByteDance, were "surprise[d]" to discover that Marvel Snap was affected by the ban."Unfortunately, Marvel Snap is temporarily unavailable in US app stores and is unavailable to play in the US," the developer said. "Marvel Snap isn't going anywhere. We're actively working on getting the game up as soon as possible."Second Dinner has since updated players saying it "hope[s] to have Marvel Snap back online within 24 hours" while "global players should be able to continue to play with no issues."The California-based studio also assured users that it is "committed to ensuring that all players are compensated" for missing out on "time-based content, rewards, and missions."As for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which is developed by ByteDance subsidiary Moonton, users have reported that the app is also "not currently available" in the US according to Pocket Gamer.TikTok was shut down in the US on Saturday (January 18) following a decision by the US Supreme Court to ban the app due to security concerns.Service was later restored after TikTok claimed it received "the necessary clarity and assurance" from president elect Donald Trump that its service providers "will face no penalties" for reinstating the app.

Sony confirms cancellation of live service projects from Bend Studio and Bluepoint GamesNeither studio will be shuttered, but it's unclear if decision will result in layoffs News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Sony has confirmed the cancellation of two unannounced live service titles from Bend Studio and Bluepoint Games.As reported by Bloomberg, a spokesperson said the projects were shut down "following a recent review." It reiterated that PlayStation is dedicated to making online and single-player games."Bend and Bluepoint are highly accomplished teams who are valued members of the PlayStation Studios family, and we are working closely with each studio to determine what are the next projects," the spokesperson said.Neither studio will be shut down, but it's unclear how this decision will impact employees and whether layoffs will occur.In a memo seen by Bloomberg, Sony said it is "working closely with Bend and Bluepoint" and "plan[s] to do everything we can to ensure there is minimal business impact."Bend Studio has been a first-party developer for Sony since 2000 and is known for its work on the Days Gone franchise.Bluepoint Games was acquired by Sony in 2021 as a first-party studio focused on developing remasters and remakes including Uncharted, God of War, and Demon Souls.Last September, Sony pulled its live service hero shooter Concord from sale two weeks after its August release. Its servers were then turned off on September 6.A month later, Sony shuttered Concord's developer Firewalk Studios alongside Neon Koi after evaluating its "games portfolio and status of [its] projects."

Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director Corinne Busche reportedly leaves BioWareBusche worked at EA for almost two decades, joining the developer in 2006 News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director Corinne Busche has reportedly left Bioware.According to our sister site Eurogamer, Busche recently departed from the studio. GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to Electronic Arts for further clarification as to the specific date.Busche has worked at EA for 18 years, joining in 2006 as a designer before moving on to senior design roles including creative director and design director.She became game director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in February 2022, overseeing development with the game's creative director John Epler.Dragon Age: The Veilguard is the fourth entry in the Dragon Age franchise, which launched last October.The copy has been amended to reflect that Busche has reportedly already left her position at BioWare, rather than "in the coming weeks."

Winking Studios announces proposed acquisition of MineloaderTotal consideration amounts to 16.3 millionImage credit: Mineloader News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Outsourcing and development firm Winking Studios has announced the proposed acquisition of Shanghai-based studio Mineloader.The total consideration amounts to 16.3 million, comprising an upfront payment of 14.7 million and a deferred balance dependent on performance over the next five years.The proposal is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2025."This marks the largest acquisition to date and represents a pivotal step that augments our position in the global video games industry," said Winking Studios founder and CEO Johnny Jan."Mineloader's team of more than 460 employees will be a valuable addition to Winking Studios' existing headcount of over 800, boosting our service offerings in this segment and adding new clients."Jan continued: "Mineloader's strengths in console platform games can provide revenue diversity. There are also opportunities for increased business synergies and cross-selling, driving enhanced economies of scale and scalability."Last November, Winking Studio raised $10 million as part of a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange.

Huuuge Games cuts 29% of workforce122 employees affected, studios in the Netherlands and Finland shutteredImage credit: Huuuge Games News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 17, 2025 Poland-based Mobile developer and publisher Huuuge Games has announced a 29% cut in its workforce, affecting 122 employees.89 workers facing redundancy are situated in its Polish studio, representing 21% of the branch's staff. The layoffs are expected to be completed by the end of February 2025.Huuuge Games is also ceasing operations at its studios in the Netherlands and Finland. It is discontinuing new game development to focus on its social casino titles.The developer will also cease financing of Bananaz Studios, writing down its assets value by $3.5 million."We deeply value the contributions of all our team members and are taking steps to support those affected through this transition," said Huuuge CEO Wojciech Wronowski."While these decisions are never easy, they reflect a commitment to streamlining operations and accelerating our ability to innovate."As part of its strategic changes, Huuuge games also announced the appointment of Maciej Hebda as treasurer and EVP of finance, effective April 1, 2025. This follows the resignation of Marek Chwałek.

Nintendo patent attorney clarifies company's zero-tolerance position on emulation"While you can't claim an emulator is illegal in itself, it can become illegal depending on how it's used"Image credit: Nintendo News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 The general manager of Nintendo's IP department has clarified the company's position on emulation.Koji Nishiura - who is also a patent attorney - presented a lecture at Japan's Association of Copyright for Computer Software at the Tokyo eSports Festa 2025 last week entitled "The Importance of Intellectual Property Rights in the Game Industry."As reported by Denfaminicogamer (via Automaton), Nishiura acknowledged that whilst emulation software alone is not inherently illegal, an emulator could "become illegal depending on how it's used."For instance, if an emulator copied a title or linked to sites where players could download pirated games, that would constitute copyright infringement. Or if an emulator disabled its game encryption or "technical protection measures," that would violate Japan's Unfair Competition Prevention Act.Nishiura explained that it's because of the subsequent illegal application of emulators that Nintendo is focused on fighting emulation creators like Yuzu - not just to protect its own IP, but that of other developers who produce games for Nintendo hardware, too.Earlier today, Nintendo revealed its first official look at the Switch 2, confirming that the console will release in 2025.

90% of Africa's games industry revenue generated by mobile gamesBut almost 9 in 10 African developers are male, signalling "a need to foster greater inclusivity"Image credit: Africa Games Industry Report News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 A new report into Africa's games industry has revealed that 90% of its revenue is generated by mobile games.66 studios and 55 indie developers contributed to the 2024 Africa Game Developer Survey - a 42% increase on the previous year - of which 92% of survey participants were under 34 years old.However, just 12% of respondents were female, signalling "a clear need to foster greater inclusivity and diversity within the industry."South Africa leads with regard to revenue, generating over $110m between 2020 and 2023. Its overall market is projected to grow to $333 million by 2026, driven primarily by mobile gaming and esports.Nigeria's gaming market - "supported by a young, tech-savvy population and a growing esports scene - generated $249 million in 2021, whilst Kenya generated $46 million in the same year, with "significant growth in mobile gaming and a focus on educational, AR, and VR games.""The African games industry is surging forward, fuelled by a vibrant community and an unwavering spirit of innovation," said Hugo Obi, founder and CEO, Maliyo Games, which organised the survey."This year has witnessed remarkable milestones, from record participation in industry events to groundbreaking collaborations such as the Disney Iwj Rising Chef game."Despite challenges such as limited funding and access to international markets, the industry's momentum is undeniable. New voices are emerging alongside established veterans, creating a dynamic ecosystem supported by talent programmes, community meetups, and regional conferences."

IGF Awards 2025 finalists revealedConsume Me leads the nominations in five categories, whilst Despelote secured fourImage credit: Jenny Jiao Hsia, AP Thomson, et al News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 16, 2025 GDC 2025 has revealed the finalists for the 27th annual Independent Games Festival (IGF).From almost 500 entries, the jurors selected the finalists "after playing, discussing, and meticulously evaluating them" for each category: Audio, Visual, Student, Nuovo, Design, Narrative, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.Jenny Jiao Hsia and AP Thomson, who developed Consume Me, lead the nominations in five categories, including Excellence in Design, Excellence in Narrative, Excellence in Visual Arts, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.Despelote, developed by Julin Cordero and Sebastian Valbuena, secured four nominations: Excellence in Audio, Excellence in Narrative, the Nuovo Award, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize.The full list of finalists - as well as honourable mentions - can be found on the IGF website.The IGF is part of GDC, which is running in person at San Franciscos Moscone Convention Center from March 17-21. The winners will be announced during the IGF Awards on March 26 and broadcast on Twitch.

Report: 77% of devs expect games industry to grow in 202590% of studios plan to release at least one new game this year, according to game backend provider Metaplay News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 16, 2025 77% of game developers expect industry growth in 2025, with 90% of studios planning to release at least one new title.This is according to Metaplay's Game Development Renaissance report, which surveyed 150 senior Unity developers in the UK and US conducted by independent market research firm Atomik Research.According to the report, most respondents were optimistic about industry growth this year. Over two-thirds of developers expected fewer layoffs and studio closures, and around three-quarters predicted more acquisitions and exits.Looking at funding, 77% anticipate more availability for funding new studios due to an increase in crowdfunding, angel investors, and community-backed investments. According to Metaplay, this allows "for more creative control, flexibility, and early community support."63% of those surveyed also expect game development costs to be lower this year due to the use of technology rooted in artificial intelligence.Elsewhere in the report, more than one in three developers view cross-platform capability as an important factor in shipping live service games, with 71% expecting demand for cross-play to increase.Speaking of live service games, 76% of respondents expect this segment to boost revenue, with 38% suggesting that "regular content and updates" are significant factors when shipping a successful live ops title."Our findings have shown that live ops, cross-platform development, and external technology are at the heart of the game development renaissance," said Metaplay co-founder and CPO Teemu Haila."It represents an era where studios no longer have to rely on raw headcount to achieve growth. Instead, growth is achieved through smarter tooling, leaner teams, and sharper strategy."

Nintendo Switch 2 officially revealedNew hardware includes magnetically attachable Joy-Cons and a USB-C port, will have backwards compatibilityImage credit: Nintendo News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 16, 2025 Nintendo has revealed its first official look at the Switch 2, confirming that the console will release in 2025.In a video published to its YouTube channel, Nintendo showcased the console's new hardware including magnetically attachable Joy-Cons, a USB-C port, and a new button on the right Joy-Con.Last November, Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 would be backwards compatible and that Nintendo Online will carry over.In its latest announcement, Nintendo said that backwards compatibility will be the case for physical and digital games. It does note that certain titles "may not be supported or fully compatible" with the new console.The firm says it will share more information about the Switch 2 on its website at a later date, and will provide a more detailed look during a Nintendo Direct on April 2.

Soul Assembly cuts 15% of workforce"This step was necessary to position the company for future success during a challenging time for the gaming industry," says CEO David SolariImage credit: Ubisoft/Soul Assembly News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 16, 2025 Just Dance VR developer Soul Assembly has laid off 15% of its staff.As reported by UploadVR, employees across its QA, marketing, and animation departments have been affected."This decision was taken to ensure the studio is aligned with the requirements of our upcoming projects," said Soul Assembly CEO David Solari. "We are providing support to the affected team members as they transition to new opportunities and thank them for their contributions."This step was necessary to position the company for future success during a challenging time for the gaming industry."Employees affected have been sharing the news on LinkedIn, including 3D artist Kristina Jonaityte, QA technician Simon Kent, QA team lead Jamie Keys, and senior character artist Jonathan Pearmain."It seems I've once again been caught in the ups and downs of the industry," wrote Pearmin. "I've been made redundant, effective from the end of this week."Based in Leamington Spa, Soul Assembly was formed in 2022 after being spun out of Pixel Toys. As of 2023, the studio has over 70 employees.It has developed titles including Drop Dead: The Cabin, Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister, and Last Stand.

European game sales rose 1% in 2024 | European Annual ReportEA Sports FC 25 topped the charts, followed by Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Image credit: Electronic Arts News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 16, 2025 EA Sports FC 25 was the best-selling game across Europe in 2024, despite being down 5% compared to its predecessor FC 24 in 2023.This is according to GSD data supplied to VGC, which reported a 1% rise in overall PC and console games last year with 188.1 million titles sold across the continent.Breaking that data down, 131.6 million games were sold digitally, which marked a 15% increase over the precious year. As for physical, it saw a 22% decline with 56.5 million titles sold in physical stores.Going back to the charts, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 was the second-best selling game in 2024 despite launching towards the end of the year. It saw 9% more sales than Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 when it launched in 2023.Helldivers 2 was the top new release in 2024, ranking at No.6. Overall, new releases made up 27% of titles sold compared to 34% during the previous 12 months.Elsewhere in the charts, sales of Fallout 4 skyrocketed by 183% ranking at No.19 due to Amazon's Fallout adaptation and discounting.As for hardware, overall sales of consoles dropped by 21%. Each platform saw a decrease in sales, with Xbox Series X|S dropping the most by 48%. PlayStation 5 was the best-selling console, though sales decreased by 20%. Nintendo Switch experienced a 15% fall, despite being in its eighth year.European GSD 2024 Top 10 (Digital and Physical)PositionTitle1EA Sports FC 25 (EA)2Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Activision Blizzard)3EA Sports FC 24 (EA)4Grand Theft Auto 5 (Rockstar)5Hogwarts Legacy (Warner Bros)6Helldivers 2 (Sony)7Red Dead Redemption 2 (Rockstar)8The Crew 2 (Ubisoft)9It Takes Two (EA)10Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Activision Blizzard)

Nintendo under fire once again for omitting original devs from remaster creditsRetro Studios once again excluded from credits, this time from Donkey Kong Country Returns HDImage credit: Nintendo News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 15, 2025 Donkey Kong Country Returns HD remaster is under fire for omitting the original development team from its credits.As reported by Nintendo Life, the remaster - handled by Forever Entertainment - only acknowledges the original developers of the 2010 Wii game with a statement saying the game was "based on the work of the original development staff."This is the second time Retro Studios has been omitted from the credits of a remaster; in 2023, Metroid Prime Remastered was also criticised for leaving Retro Studios off its credits list.At the time, original technical lead engineer Jack Mathews called it a "tragedy," adding: "When my son plays Metroid Prime on the Switch for the first time, the fact that he won't see [my] and my colleagues' names in the credits as the original creators is a punch in the gut."Nintendo has also been challenged for previously excluding contractors and translators from its credit rolls, too.Nintendo has yet to respond publicly to requests for comment.

Palestinian game developer concludes crowdfund almost $50,000 over goalThe team attempted to raise funding and grants but has "consistently rejected"Image credit: Rasheed Abueideh News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 15, 2025 Palestinian game developer Rasheed Abueideh has concluded his crowdfund for a pseudo-3D stealth adventure inspired by a historical Palestinian folk tale almost $50,000 over the original funding goal.Abueideh took the crowdfund for Dreams on a Pillow to Launch Good after "facing a decade of rejection and avoidance from funding partners and publishers who deemed supporting a Palestinian 'too risky' or 'controversial'.""The team has attempted to raise publisher funding and cultural grants for the project, but has consistently been rejected," the Crowdfund page explains."A single publisher responded positively to funding inquiries, one that has experiences in games with sensitive topics - but sadly, even for them, the risk of a Palestinian story was too large."Dreams on a Pillow originally set out to raise around $195,000 but closed at just over $244,000, although Abueideh acknowledged that to realise the final project, he will need to secure around $495,000 to "pay for salaries, outsourcing, and asset creation." However, the money raised from the crowdfund can "move the game from pre-production into a production state."Abueideh thanked the 3336 supporters who funded his project on BlueSky,saying it will "make history in the games industry."

Aonic invests $10m in mobile gaming loyalty firm Mega Fortuna"Mega Fortuna is revolutionising how players interact with mobile gaming," says CEO News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 15, 2025 Aonic has made a $10 million minority investment in "mobile gaming loyalty and discovery platform", Mega Fortuna.The investment comes with the option to acquire its full share capital for $70m.Aonic was attracted to Mega Fortuna as its player reward technology could dovetail with other companies in its portfolio."Mega Fortuna is revolutionising how players interact with mobile gaming by seamlessly blending discovery and rewards," said Paul Schempp, Aonic CEO (thanks, VB)."In just two years, they have built an incredible platform that resonates with millions of players worldwide. This investment not only enhances our portfolio but perfectly fits into our Aonic group particularly through significant synergies with Exmox, our leader in performance-based user acquisition."Mega Fortuna CEO, Şeyhmus lker, added: "This milestone is a testament to the exceptional talent, dedication, and innovation of the entire Mega Fortuna team... None of this would have been possible without the incredible teamwork and passion of our people. "Partnering with Aonic and collaborating with Exmox is not just an opportunity to scale our vision but also a recognition of the outstanding effort that brought us here. I couldnt be prouder of what weve achieved together."

Baldur's Gate 3 exceeds 100m mod downloads | News-in-briefLarian introduced mod support in June 2024, surpassed 50 million mod downloads last NovemberImage credit: Larian Studios News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 15, 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:Baldur's Gate 3 exceeds 100m mod downloads

Microsoft to lay off unknown number of staffEmployees across gaming, security, and sales divisions affected News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 15, 2025 Microsoft has announced another round of layoffs, affecting staff in its gaming, security, and sales divisions.As reported by Business Insider, a spokesperson for the firm said these cuts would affect a small number of employees but did not specify how many would be made redundant.They also specified that these layoffs were unrelated to the cuts announced last week that focused on underperforming workers."At Microsoft we focus on high-performance talent," the spokesperson said (via CNBC). "We are always working on helping people learn and grow. When people are not performing, we take appropriate action."Last year, Microsoft cut 1,900 employees from its game division, followed by another round in September 2024 affecting 650 workers.

Sony donates $5m to support LA wildfire relief | News-in-briefDonation will go towards first responders, community relief, rebuilding efforts, and assistance programs News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 15, 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:Sony donates $5m to support LA wildfire relief

Meta to lay off 5% of staff as part of "performance-based cuts"3,600 jobs may be at risk according to reportsImage credit: Meta News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Jan. 15, 2025 Meta has announced that it will conduct "performance-based cuts", with 5% of its workforce facing redundancy.As reported by Bloomberg, CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained in an internal memo that the firm plans to hire new people in these roles by the end of the year."I've decided to raise the bar on performance management and move out low-performers faster," wrote Zuckerberg."We typically manage out people who aren't meeting expectations over the course of a year, but now we're going to do more extensive performance-based cuts during this cycle."He added (via CNBC): "We won't manage out everyone who didn't meet expectations for the last period if we're optimistic about their future performance, and for those we do let go, we'll provide generous severance in line with what we provided with previous cuts."Meta currently has a workforce of over 72,000 as of September 2024. It's estimated that 3,600 jobs may be at risk.The cuts will only affect staff eligible for a performance review.Those affected in the US will be notified on February 10, while workers situated elsewhere will be informed at a later date.Meta previously laid off 10,000 workers and retired 5,000 open roles in March 2023. Zuckerberg attributed these cuts to improving the firm's financial health, including cancelling lower-priority projects and decreasing hiring.

Sony's new patents include AI system to predict player behaviour and reduce online lagAnother includes a trigger attachment to boost gunplay realism News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Jan. 14, 2025 Sony has patented several new systems, including one designed to harness AI to help predict player behaviour, and another to adapt DualSense controllers to be more realistic weapons.The first seeks to utilise AI tech and anticipate player movements in a bid to reduce lag. By using a camera to study and record player actions, Sony's exploring how accurately AI can predict player behaviour.Other patents recently uncovered also propose using AI to impersonate players to catch cheats online, and providing in-game help should the microphone or controller detect player frustration.As reported by Gamerant, in a separate patent filing - which was submitted last summer but only recently released publicly - Sony has also patented a trigger attachment to improve gunplay realism. In the diagrams presented, players hold the controller sideways and aim down between the R1 and R2 buttons.In December, Electronic Arts added 23 new patents to its public library of free accessibility tools, including patents for photosensitivity analysis plugins, intelligent personalised speech recognition, and generating expressive speech audio from text data.