Sony announces price rises for PS5 consoles in Europe, UK, Australia, and New Zealand Decision made due to "backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates" News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 14, 2025 Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced price increases for the base PlayStation 5 in Europe, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, effective today. In a blog post, SIE global marketing vice president Isabelle Tomatis said the decision came as a result of "a challenging economic environment." The price of the PS5 Pro remains unchanged. "With a backdrop of a challenging economic environment, including high inflation and fluctuating exchange rates, SIE has made the tough decision to raise the recommended retail price of the PS5 console in select markets," Tomatis wrote. Prices will also rise in the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region, but these changes aren't listed. Instead, the firm recommends consumers in these areas to check with local retailers or at direct.playstation.com. In Europe and the UK, the PS5 digital edition will now retail at €499.99/£429.99. There are no changes in price for the standard PS5 with disc drive in these regions. In Australia and New Zealand, both editions of the console have experienced price rises. The standard PS5 with disc drive will cost AUD $829.95/NZD $949.95 while the PS5 digital edition will retail at AUD $749.95/NZD $859.95. The individual PS5 disc drive has decreased in price. In Europe and the UK, it will cost €79.99/£69.99 while in Australia and New Zealand, it will retail at AUD $124.95/NZD $139.95.

Influencer report highlights gender pay gap in sponsored content earnings Women earn roughly 32% less than men in the gaming sector, according to the report Image credit: Adobe News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 11, 2025 A new report on sponsored influencer activations suggests a pay gap between male and female-identifying creators across all video platforms, with women earning around 32% less than men. These stats come from Collabstr, which counts sponsored streams or a video of any length in their metrics, and is based on a sample size of 2,414 gaming creators. "We've seen a clear disparity in collaboration rates between male- and female-identifying influencers in the gaming space," Collabstr co-founder Kyle Dulay told GamesIndustry.biz. "On average, male gaming influencers earn about $234 per collaboration, while female influencers earn roughly $160 – that's a 32% pay gap." For context, we asked Dulay if the report featured any more nuanced detail on gender beyond binary self-identification. "Less than 1% of our users select 'Other' as their gender during the signup process, so there is not much we can pull here." Highlighting Twitch as a platform, that pay gap shrinks a little, according to Collabstr's survey. "When we narrow the focus to just Twitch, the gap closes slightly, but it's still significant: female-identifying Twitch streamers earn about 27% less than their male counterparts per collaboration," Dulay said. "While the playing field is slowly leveling out on platforms like Twitch, the overall industry still has a long way to go toward pay equity for creators." When asked about broader creator trends and how gaming compares, Dulay draws attention to how the content is presented. "Female creators tend to have more of a cross-over content style where they might include more lifestyle sort of content into their content style (fashion, cosplay, beauty, vlogs, etc..). Most male gamers are entirely dedicated to the gaming niche and there is less crossover into other content verticals. Quite often, men will not even reveal their face. "Other than the advertising medium (Twitch, TikTok, etc..) there is not much difference between the way the actual collabs are structured versus other collabs we see." When it comes to the gender pay gap between creators, a few factors might be at work. "The gender disparity for gaming influencers on platforms like YouTube or Twitch is much less than it is on platforms like TikTok or Instagram, and with YouTube and Twitch being popular platforms for gaming collaborations it would make sense that male gamers might get a higher share of collaboration volume," Dulay said. "Male creators also tend to have more focused content, where they exclusively showcase gaming, versus female creators who aren't afraid to cross over into other content verticals (lifestyle vlogs, fashion, cosplay, etc..), and by being so niche, men can command higher prices. "Overall, there is the macro problem that women also may be discounting their services versus their male counterparts."

Agonalea Games secures $2m in funding from Mika Capital Mobile developer will use investment to support work on its upcoming free-to-play title Punko.io Image credit: Agonalea Games News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 11, 2025 Buenos Aires-based mobile developer Agonalea Games has raised $2 million in a seed funding round backed by Mika Games. The studio will use the investment to continue development and publish its free-to-play mobile game Punko.io. Agonalea Games was founded in 2018 by Pedro Aira (former Sensor Tower product manager) and Vanina Fregoti (former Pixowl project manager). It has a portfolio of eight original games and has contributed to more than ten titles. "We are investing in Agonalea Games not just with capital, but with strategic support to help them build innovative, standout mobile games," said Mika Games founder Nick Katselapov. This marks the third investment from Mika Games, which previously backed studios including Guli Games and Hot Siberians. The investment firm itself is backed by venture capital firm Flint Capital. Mika Games raised $10 million in its initial funding round in April 2024, and intends to secure a further $50 million. In addition to investing in developers, Mika Games also offers developers support in marketing, game design, and monetisation. "83% of mobile games fail within three years, and a significant factor contributing to this is the lack of financing and business guidance," said Katselapov. "We see a huge market gap here, which presents an immense opportunity that we can capitalise on. Our industry experience as both investors and operators positions us well to select talented teams and ambitious games."

Tequila Works auctions off game rights and IP following insolvency Listings include unreleased games and the studio's overall branding Image credit: Tequila Works News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 11, 2025 Tequila Works has begun auctioning off the rights to its games and IP after filing for insolvency last November. As spotted by VGC, the Spanish developer has set up a page on auction site Escrapalia where it has listed its "intangible assets" including IPs, in-development titles, and the studio's branding. Adventure platformer Rime, action-adventure puzzle game Gylt, and its debut title Deadlight are among those listed, with trademarks and rights for the games available for purchase. There are also vertical slices for unreleased projects including The Ancient Mariner, Dungeon Tour, and Brawler Crawler, alongside the studio's branding, website, and social media handles. Tequila Works filed for insolvency last year due to "prolonged market conditions." A month prior to this decision, the studio laid off a "small number" of its development team. In March 2022, Tencent became a majority investor after providing an undisclosed amount of funds. The investment was used to grow Tequila Works and support the development of more original IP.

Tariffs are an industry nightmare, but digital games seem safe – for now | Opinion While the Switch 2 may be the poster child for problems caused by trade tariffs, digital sales of games remain untouched – but there's no room for complacency Image credit: Nintendo Opinion by Rob Fahey Contributing Editor Published on April 11, 2025 The timing of the global battle over trade and tariffs sparked off by President Trump over the past weeks is pretty dreadful for a lot of industries, and the video games sector is no exception. At the point when I'm writing this, most of the heavy tariffs have been paused for 90 days, though a massive 104% tariff on products from China remains in place; however, even the fallback position of a blanket 10% tariff on every other country the United States trades with is still a far higher trade barrier than the norm. Other countries' retaliatory tariffs will probably also be soft-pedalled for a while following the temporary pause – although, of course, by the time you’re reading this the world economy could easily have been turned on its head again. Nintendo's Switch 2 has become something of a poster child for this whole affair, with the long-anticipated console finally having its pricing and launch date revealed almost directly before Trump’s tariffs were announced. Switch 2 was a perfect example case for the media to use to demonstrate the impact of tariffs on consumers Nintendo assembles most of its consoles in Vietnam, which was hit with one of the highest tariff rates in the original announcement – a staggering 46%, which was apparently far outside the company's projections. It has delayed the pre-order program for the Switch 2 in the United States while it tries to figure out how to handle this huge extra cost on what was already a very expensive console. Even the 10% tariff which will apply during this three-month respite threatens to push the cost of the Switch 2 up to the $500 mark. If the threatened 46% tariff is ever implemented, the console could end up costing over $650. Image credit: Nintendo As a hotly anticipated new product, Switch 2 was a perfect example case for the media to use to demonstrate the impact of tariffs on consumers. Of course, it's far from being the only product that will be hit; most gaming hardware is manufactured in Asia, whether it's consoles, PC components, or accessories. Vietnam is a major supplier for a lot of this hardware, as is Taiwan (32% proposed tariffs) and Thailand (36%). Perhaps ironically, the South-East Asian nations have become popular destinations for high-tech factories precisely because of a desire to mitigate the risks of escalating trade tensions by diversifying supply chains away from China. China itself is also a major supplier of things like PC components and accessories, with a 104% tariff likely being a death knell for US sales of many of those products. For Nintendo, the timing couldn’t be worse – Switch 2 is on course for a launch on June 5 and there's not a whole lot of strategic wiggle room in there. Some reports have suggested that the company has even stockpiled hardware in the US already, bringing it in before the tariffs took effect, although this is obviously not a long-term solution. Suggestions that production lines for Switch 2 could be established in the US to get around the tariffs ignore the incredibly long lead time for setting up that kind of manufacturing, but also just push the problem upstream a little. Even if Nintendo could assemble Switch 2 in the USA, most of the components in the system can't be sourced domestically and would have to come into the US from places like Taiwan – so there would still be a heavy import tariff to be paid regardless. There is one silver lining on this cloud, for now at least: the tariffs announced and discussed thus far have been entirely focused on physically imported goods and materials For Sony and Microsoft, the situation is also dire – tariffs on Switch 2 may attract headlines, but major price bumps to PlayStation and Xbox hardware will hurt too – but with their next big hardware launches a bit further down the line, they can at least think a little strategically about how to address this problem. Only a little, though. There's not much clarity on how this situation will develop in the coming months and years, and it's almost impossible to say how the trade environment will evolve during that time. This makes planning exceptionally difficult, and one of the only sensible options these companies will have at their disposal may be to push the launch windows for their future hardware back, potentially even past the end of the current administration’s term in office, and hope that things will have settled down by that point. There is one silver lining on this cloud, for now at least: the tariffs announced and discussed thus far have been entirely focused on physically imported goods and materials, and do not apply to digital goods. In other words, while the hardware is likely to get a lot more expensive, the games themselves are unlikely to be directly affected. There will be indirect effects, of course – there are lots of inputs into the development and provision of games that will be impacted by tariffs, from the hardware developers use to create them to the servers and data centres that provide online gaming services, all of which are going to get more expensive. Games themselves, however, won't be subject to tariffs when sold digitally, and unlike hardware manufacture, moving the production of physical game discs into the USA is a more realistic prospect. Nintendo, though, is going to get hit with an extra curveball here: it’s my understanding that the cartridges it uses for Switch games are all manufactured in Japan, using chips from a Taiwanese supplier, so shifting that production to the USA looks extremely challenging. Image credit: Nintendo Digital products being shielded from the worst of what’s happening is by no means guaranteed in the long run. Some of the retaliatory measures that trading partners like the European Union have been discussing in recent weeks have included placing tariffs or restrictions on non-physical trade such as services, digital businesses, or even US-owned intellectual property. These are primarily being described as instruments to target specific parts of the US economy, but they would in effect be an escalation – and while the games industry isn't an especially notable political target in this trade conflict, it would almost certainly get caught in the crossfire if digital trade tariffs are announced on either side. There's no room for complacency in any regard, and little certainty about the future – a pretty grim state of affairs for an industry that's still to some extent picking itself up after rising interest rates sparked a huge wave of layoffs and closures a couple of years ago. From a strategic perspective, perhaps the biggest problem is that this is happening at a point when the entire industry has been trying to slowly ease consumers towards acceptance of higher pricing for both software and hardware, in line with a couple of decades’ worth of inflation that's largely not been reflected in pricing. If even the 10% fallback tariffs become fixed in place in the medium to long term, it will make pricing even more difficult to adjust and will likely force a strategic shift around the next generation of console hardware in particular. Of course, if the global economy is still reeling from all of this by that point, that may be the least of most people's worries – but for an industry that needs to plan ahead on multi-year timelines, the next few years just got riskier and more uncertain than ever.

Video game M&A rises to $6.6 billion in Q1 2025, driven by mobile acquisitions Scopely's acquisition of Niantic's games business was partly behind the spike News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 11, 2025 Games industry mergers and acquisitions in Q1 of 2025 rose to $6.6 billion, their highest level in over a year, driven by activity in the mobile sector. That big number was partly down to Scopely's $3.5 billion acquisition of Niantic's games business, including the likes of Pokémon GO. That's according to a newsletter by gaming-focused investment bank Aream, made in partnership with InvestGame. This previous quarter was the highest for mergers and acquisitions since Q4 of 2023, when Microsoft completed its purchase of Activision Blizzard. It's worth noting that the report delineates between completed mergers and acquisitions and those that have been announced. Here's a graph documenting recent M&A trends from the report: Image credit: Aream Other key deals made in that timeframe include Miniclip's $1.2 billion purchase of Easybrain, and AppLovin divesting its mobile gaming arm for $900 million as it focuses its business on mobile advertising. The Q1 numbers also include Take-Two's $460 million acquisition of Borderlands developer Gearbox Entertainment. The report points out that overall activity exceeds pre-pandemic levels. This most recent wave of deals is motivated by "strategics taking a more active role in reshaping their portfolios" and a "select group of private consolidators pursuing acquisitions and growing private-equity interest in the space." Elsewhere, the report points out that private financing remains challenging in games, "particularly in late stage rounds", with this quarter the lowest in years: Image credit: Aream There's a similar trend curve for early-stage private investment, particularly Series A funding. The full newsletter has more insights on the state of the industry at large.

Jobs roundup: April 2025 | Des Gayle joins Unity as senior partner relations manager Tom Hardy promoted to senior social media executive at Sports Interactive, Arthur Mostovoy joins Aonic as head of games Image credit: Josh Fray News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 11, 2025 It can be difficult keeping track of the various comings and goings in the games industry, which is why we compile them in semi-regular round-ups. If you have new appointments and transitions in your company that belong here, please send the names of the appointees, new roles and company, prior role and company to newhires@gamesindustry.biz. Tom Hardy | Senior social media executive, Sports Interactive Tom Hardy Sports Interactive has promoted Tom Hardy to senior social media executive. Hardy joined Sports Interactive in July 2019 as a quality assurance tester. He climbed the ladder as QA lead (media and news) in June 2020 before becoming social media assistant in October 2021. He was promoted to social media executive in May 2022, a position he held until being promoted in April 2025. Prior to joining Sports Interactive, Hardy was editor-in-chief of independent soccer website Prost Soccer. He worked in IT support at The Football Association from February 2018 to July 2019. Des Gayle | Senior partner relations manager, Unity Unity has appointed Des Gayle as senior partner relations manager. Gayle is the founder of remote games studio Altered Gene, which is currently working on its upcoming title The Analyst. He has over two decades of experience in the industry, having worked at Microsoft during the launch of the original Xbox, Electronic Arts, Exient, and Digital Legends Entertainment. He was also a producer at Square Enix Collective, with his first project being on Life is Strange in 2015. In March 2023, Gayle joined Radical Forge as a studio executive producer. Gayle is also a board member on UKIE and the deputy chair of the BAFTA Games committee. Joshua Callaghan | Junior account manager, Raptor PR Joshua Callaghan Raptor PR has promoted Joshua Callaghan to junior account manager. Callaghan joined Raptor PR in May 2022 as a public relations assistant on an internship. He was promoted to junior account executive in September 2022, followed by account executive in December 2022 and senior account executive in October 2024. Before joining Raptor PR, Callaghan worked as a freelancer at Lost in Cult as a members club contributor then as a community manager. He was also a reviews editor for Rapid Reviews UK. "In May 2022, I joined [Raptor PR] as an intern after asking Rana Rahman on Twitter about what a career in games PR involves," said Callaghan. "I began at Raptor as an 18-year-old carer, fresh out of A levels with no degree. "Thank you Raptor PR for supporting early careers, and welcoming a budding teen into the industry." Arthur Mostovoy | Image credit: Aonic Arthur Mostovoy | Head of games, Aonic Former Larian studio head Arthur Mostovoy has joined multiplatform gaming group Aonic as head of games. Mostovoy will oversee Aonic's portfolio of titles with "the aim of helping Aonic's team deliver the best possible games to players." Mosotovy joined Larian in 2019, and oversaw development on Baldur's Gate 3. He worked at Pixonic between February 2017 and April 2018, followed by Azur from April 2018 to August 2019. "After nearly six amazing years at Larian, I can't wait to dive into this new role at Aonic," said Mostovoy. "There's much to be excited about happening throughout our teams, across platforms, audiences, and genres. "We are entering a golden age of indies and small teams, resulting in some incredibly creative games. The market share for small indie teams is growing year on year, and this will continue. My role at Aonic is to support these teams in creating and delivering creative titles that can make a major impact."

Japanese devs like Sony and Bandai Namco fold winter bonus into base salary in a bid to attract new talent It's thought the salary boost comes as companies compete for staff Image credit: GamesIndustry.biz News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 10, 2025 Sony and Bandai Namco have abolished employee bonuses in Japan in order to raise base salaries. As reported in Nikkei Business and spotted by Automaton, the winter bonus - one of two yearly bonuses typically shared with Japanese workers - has reportedly been folded into monthly compensation, effectively increasing salaries. According to Automaton, the starting salary for certain entry-level positions at Sony Group has increased by around $330 per month. For Bandai Namco, starting salaries increased from around $1500 a month to $1980 in 2022, and have recently increased again by another $100 per month. It's thought the salary boost comes as companies compete for talent. Bandai Namco reportedly shed over a hundred staff between April 2024 and February 2025. The news follows reports that last October, the Tokyo-based company took a "traditionally Japanese approach to reducing staff by sending workers to rooms where they are given nothing to do, putting pressure on them to leave voluntarily". At the time, it was alleged 200 of its then 1300 employees have been moved into these "expulsion rooms" – or "oidashi beya" – and almost half of these have since voluntarily resigned.

Bloodborne producer establishes Sirius Studio Tokyo studio will focus on console and VR/XR titles "that make users' hearts shine" Image credit: Sirius Studios News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 10, 2025 Bloodborne producer Teruyuki Toriyama has banded with former Thirdverse colleagues Tomohiro Suzuki and Hideki Irie to establish "world class development studio," Sirius Studio. As reported by Famitsu (thanks, VGC), Sirius - a subsidiary of Gz Group - will "prioritize creator independence" after all three developer left prior employer, Thirdvers, after its focus shifted to more casual games. "We were part of a team that produced high-end games at the Japan studio of a company called Thirdverse," explained Irie, via automated translation. "However, Thirdverse has recently decided to shift its business to producing casual games. "Since we were a team that came together to produce high-end games, we had the intention of continuing to make high-end games, so we directly consulted with [CEO of Thirdverse] Hironao Kunimitsu and made the transfer amicably." The Tokyo-based studio will reportedly focus on console and VR/XR titles, developing both new and third-party IPs "that make users' hearts shine."

The Molasses Flood merges into CD Projekt Red Deal occurred on April 1, 2025, CD Projekt Red initially acquired Boston-based developer in 2021 Image credit: The Molasses Flood News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 10, 2025 Boston-based developer The Molasses Flood has merged with CD Projekt Red as part of the CDPR Group. In a statement posted on its website, it said the merger occurred on April 1, 2025. It had previously been announced in CD Projekt's FY24 financial results "to ensure better alignment in scope and direction" of Project Sirius – a multiplayer set in The Witcher universe announced in 2022. Molasses Flood has "ceased operations" as a "separate legal entity" as a result of the merger, with CD Projekt Red assuming "the rights and obligations" of the studio. The developer clarified the merger will not affect the availability or distribution of its games The Flame in the Flood and Drake's Hollow, and that both will continue to be published by CD Projekt Red. Molasses Flood co-founder Damian Isla said that the decision was "a good and healthy thing for the studio" in post on LinkedIn. "It breaks down some organisational barriers, and better integrates The Molasses Flood team with the rest of the amazing CDPR organisation," Isla wrote. "Overall, it shows a very bright future for Project Sirius. It's going to be an amazing game, and I cannot wait until the rest of the world learns about what we've been working on." Isla also announced that he would be parting ways with the studio. "Molasses Flood has been a huge part of my life for the past decade plus, and I'm proud of having been a part of building something that lasted as long as The Molasses Flood did in a market environment often quite hostile to tiny teams like ours. "I think we made some beautiful, memorable, and quirky things, and I'd also gotten to work with some of the kindest, most generous and talented people in the industry." Molasses Flood was acquired by CD Projekt Red in 2021 for an undisclosed sum. Once acquired, it began working on Project Sirius which was announced in October 2022. Development of this project was written off in March 2023, which cost more than $7 million in 2022 and $2.2 million in 2023. This decision was attributed to a reset in development "based on results of evaluation of the scope and commercial potential of the original concept [...] and ongoing work on formulating a new framework for the company." As a result of this, 29 employees were laid off in May 2023 which made up roughly half its development team. Project Sirius hasn't been abandoned, and is currently still in development. In its latest financial results, CD Projekt Red confirmed that the game had entered pre-production.

The Last of Us TV show renewed for season 3 HBO confirms the show will continue ahead of season 2 Image credit: HBO News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 10, 2025 HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us has been renewed for season 3, ahead of its second season debut on Sunday, April 13. The renewal follows mostly strong reviews for The Last of Us season 2, which partially adapts 2020's PS4 game The Last of Us Part 2, and introduces the key character of Abby played by Kaitlyn Dever. The decision isn't a surprise – back in February, HBO's programming EVP Francesca Orsi told Deadline that a total of four seasons was likely for the show. "We don’t have a complete or final plan, but I think it’s looking like four seasons. I wouldn’t want to confirm that, but it’s looking like this season and then two more seasons after this and we’re done." The Last of Us – starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie – debuted in January 2023 to critical acclaim and huge ratings, with 32 million viewers watching per episode in the US by its end. It was the highest-rated first season in HBO's history, surpassing a ratings record set by Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon a year earlier. Season 2 comprises seven episodes versus the first season's nine, and picks up five years after the first season's finale. The show is co-created by Chernobyl writer Craig Mazin and Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann.

Ubisoft responds to The Crew lawsuit by denying players had "unfettered ownership" of the game The game's servers were shut down in March 2024 News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 10, 2025 Ubisoft has responded to a California class action lawsuit around the shutdown of 2014 racing game The Crew, filing a motion to dismiss the case. Filed back in February by Ubisoft's legal team at Paul Hastings LLP – and captured by Polygon this week – the publisher's legal team explains that the plaintiffs allege they were purchasing "unfettered ownership rights in the game", when the reality is they were "purchasing a license." "Frustrated with Ubisoft’s recent decision to retire the game following a notice period delineated on the product’s packaging," the response says. "Plaintiffs apply a kitchen sink approach on behalf of a putative class of nationwide customers, alleging eight causes of action including violations of California’s False Advertising Law, Unfair Competition Law, and Consumer Legal Remedies Act, as well as common law fraud and breach of warranty claims." Ubisoft's representatives also said the plaintiffs' claims are "time-barred" and therefore beyond the four-year statute of limitations for a claim from when they purchased The Crew. Plaintiffs Alan Liu and Matthew Cassell say they bought physical copies of the game in November 2018 and early 2020 respectively. The lawsuit was filed in November 2024. The decision to delist the game was announced by Ubisoft in December 2023, before the game was taken offline in March 2024. Ubisoft's representatives stated that the packaging of The Crew made the limited licence element clear, and that the plaintiffs do not allege a "cognizable injury". Ubisoft then drew attention to numerous notices on images it provided of physical packaging for the game, including a 30-day shutdown notice and online play requirements. There's also a rebuttal to a specific point about Ubisoft closing The Crew's servers without creating an offline version of the game. "After making their purchases, Plaintiffs enjoyed access to The Crew for years before Ubisoft decided in late 2023 to retire and shut down the servers of the ten-year-old video game. "Plaintiffs received the benefit of their bargain and cannot complain now that they were deceived simply because Ubisoft did not then create an offline version of the discontinued video game." In September 2024, in response to community requests, Ubisoft announced it was adding offline modes to The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. The original 2014 game wasn't included in that move. According to Polygon, the plaintiffs responded to Ubisoft with an amended complaint on March 18 (a copy of which is no longer online). This apparently refutes the statute of limitations argument by saying that there was no reason to believe the game's servers would be shut down until it was announced in late 2023. There's reportedly an additional point about how gift cards can't expire in California, which the complaint connects to The Crew's digital currency. They also provide an additional packaging image which claims the download code for the game would expire in 2099, and "implied that [The Crew] would remain playable during this time and long thereafter". There's a total of nine counts of wrongdoing in the amended complaint, according to the report. Ubisoft has until April 29, 2025, to respond. Game ownership in the age of digital software has become a more contentious issue, with a California state law passed in September 2024 prohibiting digital storefronts from using terms like 'buy' or 'purchase' when they're only obtaining a licence for a piece of media.

Minecraft soundtrack to enter US National Recording Registry Minecraft: Volume Alpha will be preserved alongside the Microsoft reboot chime News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 10, 2025 The Minecraft soundtrack will be inducted into the US National Recording Registry. Composed by Daniel Rosengeld, Minecraft: Volume Alpha will be preserved alongside the Microsoft reboot chime which was created by British musician Brian Eno. Minecraft's music is the second video game soundtrack to join the registry. The first was the Super Mario Bros. theme in 2023. "These are the sounds of America – our wide-ranging history and culture," said Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. "The Library of Congress is proud and honoured to select these audio treasures worthy of preservation, including iconic music across a variety of genres, field recordings, sports history, and even the sounds of our daily lives in technology." Last year, Minecraft was part of the Swedish games trade body Dataspelsbranschen's Game Culture Canon. It was developed as part of Sweden's minister for culture Parisa Liljestrand's plans to develop an official culture canon for the country. Earlier this week, the Minecraft movie adaptation grossed $157 billion at the US box office during its opening weekend. The film was estimated to earn between $70 million and $80 million. A Minecraft Movie released last Friday (April 4) with a budget of $150 million.

Star Citizen funding reaches $800m | News-in-brief Cloud Imperium's multiplayer remains in early access, aiming for a 2026 launch Image credit: Cloud Imperium Games News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 10, 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: Star Citizen funding reaches $800m

UK minister slams Steam for explicit game promoting "non-consensual sexual contact" and sexual violence "The fact that a game like this is available on Steam is utterly unacceptable," says Women in Games CEO News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 9, 2025 CW: This story contains references to extreme sexual violence - reader discretion advised. UK technology secretary Peter Kyle has slammed Valve's PC storefront, Steam, for hosting a sexually explicit visual novel in which the protagonist engages in non-consensual sexual contact, sexual violence, rape, and incest. Zerat Games' No Mercy is clearly marked as containing "graphic sex and violence, mature language, nudity, and graphic [sex acts]," as well as incest, blackmail, and "unavoidable non-consensual sex," but is not protected by age-verification checks other than instructing players that by "clicking the View Page button, [they] affirm that [they] are at least eighteen years old." As a premium game, it also requires a card to purchase it with. "We expect every one of those [tech] companies to remove content as soon as they possibly can after being made aware of it," Kyle told LBC. "That’s what the law requires, it is what I require as a secretary of state, and it is certainly how we expect platforms who operate and have the privilege of access to British society, and British economy, to do." Kyle suggested that media and communications watchdog Ofcom should have the offending game removed, although Ofcom said it “can’t investigate individual complaints.” "Ofcom is the regulator," Mr Kyle said. "They are tasked with enforcing and they will make the judgment as to whether content is removed in an appropriate time." The Game Ratings Authority – formally known as the Video Standards Agency, which administers the PEGI system in the UK – said: "Game ratings provide parents and players information about the content of video games. In the UK, physical game releases must carry a PEGI age rating by law. Digital games are not legally required to carry an age rating, but the majority of leading stores use the trusted PEGI age rating process to provide confidence to consumers. "Although games on Steam can optionally apply for a PEGI age rating via our classification process, it is not mandated by the platform prior to a game's release. "The Games Rating Authority has not classified this game and has not been approached to classify it since its release." LBC reports it first flagged the game to Steam five days ago but, at the time of writing, No Mercy remains available on the Steam storefront in the UK. In a statement to GamesIndustry.biz, CEO of Women in Games Dr Marie-Claire Isaaman added: "Women in Games is appalled by recent reports surrounding a Steam game, which encourages players to 'become every woman's worst nightmare' and 'never take no for an answer.' "The fact that a game like this is available on Steam - one of the world’s largest gaming platforms - is utterly unacceptable. It sends a clear and distressing message: that violence against women is not only tolerable, but playable. That message has no place in our industry, our communities, or our society. "This is exactly why Women in Games exists. Our mission is to challenge the harmful biases, systemic barriers, and cultural toxicity that continue to drive women and marginalized genders out of games — whether as players, developers, or leaders." "We call on Valve Corporation, the owners of Steam, to act urgently. This game must be removed. Stronger content moderation policies must be implemented. And a zero-tolerance stance on misogyny and hate must be visibly enforced." We've reached out to Valve for comment and will update as/when we receive a response.

The Xbox Games Showcase returns on June 8 | News-in-brief This year's post-show game spotlight goes to The Outer Worlds 2 from Obsidian Image credit: Xbox News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 9, 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: Microsoft has announced that its annual Xbox Games Showcase will take place on June 8, 2025

UK union Equity gathers at BAFTA Game Awards to call for improved conditions for performers "In an industry that generates enormous wealth, Equity members deserve so much better" Image credit: Mark Thomas News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 9, 2025 UK performing arts and entertainment union Equity gathered at the BAFTA Game Award last night to call for improvements in pay and terms and conditions for performers. The action was part of Equity's Game On campaign, which strives to "raise standards for performers working in video games." "It is great to see the successes of the video games industry on show at the BAFTA Game Awards, and for the incredible achievements of its workforce to be celebrated," said Equity assistant general secretary for recorded media John Barclay. "But Equity is here to make sure poor practice frequently reported by Equity members does not continue to be ignored by industry leaders." "The video games industry is worth over £7 billion in the UK alone and in attendance tonight are bosses from some of the richest companies in the world," Barclay noted. "Yet these companies continue to ignore Equity's calls to work with us to introduce union-negotiated agreements in the UK that would improve pay and terms and conditions for our members." He continued: "Pay for video game performers in the UK has stagnated despite games companies receiving almost £200 million in tax breaks; performers do not have proper protections from artificial intelligence or NDA misuse; and they need safer workplaces so they don't injure their vocals or bodies, or experience improper recordings of intimate scenes. "In an industry that generates enormous wealth, Equity members deserve much better." Last July, Equity shared its support for its sister union SAG-AFTRA and its decision to strike against video games companies in the US after failing to reach an agreement with a bargaining group of major games companies. "We stand shoulder to shoulder with SAG-AFTRA as partners in a global fight to secure fair pay and protect our members' rights, which could not be more urgent as we move forward with artificial intelligence," Barclay said at the time. Last month, SAG-AFTRA said it remained "frustratingly apart" from major games companies. It highlighted that the bargaining group, which includes representatives from EA, Activision, Take-Two, and WB Games, "would have you believe that we are close to reaching a deal – this is not the case." The union most recently issued new agreements to permit members to work with students and game jams as the strike continues.

Newly launched Dragon Snacks Games is on a "mission to craft joyful, community-centered gaming experiences" "After shipping some of the biggest games in the world, we saw the writing on the wall" Image credit: Dragon Snacks Games News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 8, 2025 Jen MacLean, Chris Nemcosky, and Michelle Menard have banded together to form Dragon Snacks Games. With a "mission to craft joyful, community-centered gaming experiences where players don't just play – they create their own social hubs and experiences," Dragon Snacks Games aims to "innovate and redefine the way we play, with inclusive worlds and third places designed for connection, collaboration, and creativity." Bringing expertise from Xbox, Amazon, Scopely, Backflip, and Zynga, the partners say they've "been inside the machine of the industry for years" and have watched "firsthand how the industry was shifting before most people even saw the signs." "After years of greenlighting, funding, and shipping some of the biggest games in the world, we saw the writing on the wall and decided to break out, banding together to do something different," they say. MacLean assumes the role of CEO, while Newcosky and Menard are chief technical officer and chief creative officer, respectively. “We need to stop building games for the players we had five years ago, and concentrate our creativity on the players of today and tomorrow. Gen Z and Gen Alpha demand entertainment experiences that meet their need, and they’re not interested in an outdated industry playbook,“ said MacLean. “Our vision is to create social game experiences that can expand or contract to fill any available amount of time, and that connect players to the people that matter most to them," added Menard. "We know that playing in a safe, trusted space, with high-quality content, and with meaningful interactions with other players are non-negotiables for this audience." Nemcosky said: “By adapting game development to a player-focused methodology, with rapid iteration, always-playable builds, and early and ongoing community feedback, we’re making games the way they need to be made for the future. We’re delivering games tailored for the players of today and tomorrow, and we see our vision as the path forward to successful, sustainable games and companies."

Former Larian Studios head, Arthur Mostovoy, joins Aonic as head of games "We are entering a golden age of indies and small teams, resulting in some incredibly creative games" Image credit: Aonic News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 8, 2025 Former Larian Studios studio head, Arthur Mostovoy, has joined Aonic as its new head of games. Anoic - a multiplatform gaming group comprised of several studios worldwide - states Mostovoy’s remit will cover its entire portfolio of titles, "covering all platforms, with the aim of helping Aonic’s teams deliver the best possible games to players." Prior to Mostovoy's tenure at Larian Studios - at which he oversaw the development of multi-award winning Baldur's Gate 3 - he worked at Pixonic and Azur. “After nearly six amazing years at Larian, I can’t wait to dive into this new role at Aonic,” Mostovoy said. “There’s so much to be excited about happening throughout our teams, across platforms, audiences and genres. “We are entering a golden age of indies and small teams, resulting in some incredibly creative games. The market share for small and indie teams is growing year on year, and this will continue. My role at Aonic is to support these teams in creating and delivering creative titles that can make a major impact.” Aonic co-founder and chief product officer, Olliver Heins, added: “Aonic is building something truly exciting and welcoming a talent like Arthur is a significant step in what we are working towards. His track record speaks for itself and his experience will be invaluable in helping us achieve our ambitions.”

Astro Bot wins big at the BAFTA Game Awards 2025 The PS5 platformer picked up five awards Image credit: Team Asobi, Sony Interactive Entertainment News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 8, 2025 Astro Bot was the big winner at the BAFTA Game Awards 2025, picking up five awards including Best Game. The acclaimed PS5 platformer by Team ASOBI also picked up Audio Achievement, Animation, Family and Game Design awards on the night. Still Wakes The Deep from British studio The Chinese Room also won three awards, with two going to actors Alec Newman and Karen Dunbar for their performances in the horror game set on an oil rig. Last year's smash hit co-op game Helldivers 2 picked up two awards, meanwhile, for Multiplayer and Music. Otherwise, the awards were split across a fairly eclectic spread of games, with card roguelike Balatro, platformer Neva and narrative action game Senua's Saga: Hellblade II among the titles that were recognised. To be eligible for the 21st BAFTA Game Awards, games had to be released between November 25, 2023 and November 15, 2024. As previously announced, the BAFTA Fellowship was presented to pianist and composer Yoko Shimomura, renowned for her work on the Kingdom Hearts, Xenoblade and Final Fantasy series, among many others. Here's the full list of winners: Animation: Astro Bot (Team ASOBI) Artistic Achievement: Neva (Nomada Studio) Audio Achievement: Astro Bot (Team ASOBI) Best Game: Astro Bot (Team ASOBI) British Game: Thank Goodness You're Here! (Coal Supper) Debut Game: Balatro (LocalThunk) Evolving Games: Vampire Survivors (poncle) Family: Astro Bot (Team ASOBI) Fellowship: Yoko Shimomura Game Beyond Entertainment: Tales of Kenzera: ZAU Game Design: Astro Bot (Team ASOBI) Multiplayer: Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios) Music: Helldivers 2 (Arrowhead Game Studios) Narrative: Metaphor ReFantazio (Studio Zero) New Intellectual Property: Still Wakes The Deep (The Chinese Room) Performer in a Leading Role: Alec Newman (Still Wakes The Deep) Performer in a Supporting Role: Karen Dunbar (Still Wakes The Deep) Technical Achievement: Senua's Saga: Hellblade II (Ninja Theory)

QA company Testronic opens new "state-of-the-art testing facility" in the Philippines The firm says "the world-class location is designed to ensure the delivery of QA services of the highest quality" Image credit: Testronic News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 8, 2025 QA company Testronic has opened a new "state-of-the-art testing facility" in Manila, Philippines. Situated in the Mega Tower in Mandaluyong City, Testronic said "the world-class location is designed to ensure the delivery of QA services of the highest quality to clients around the world" and is "fully supported by leading-edge security." Led by Testronic’s APAC program director, Ralph Quiambao, with a focus on functionality QA, the Manila-based QA team "brings a wealth of experience from top game studios, blending design intuition with technical expertise." The company said it has a highly-experienced team, the wellbeing of which is paramount, as "happy testers deliver superior results." "By opening our new office, we are adding the capacity for 360 additional professionals," said Quiambao. "I’ve been leading the QA team here for 12 years and games are more than just a job for us. It’s our passion. Every day our teams here are playing games, both professionally and personally. I may be biased, but it’s this passion that makes us the perfect place for QA. This deep-rooted dedication means our clients benefit from sharper insights, faster turnarounds, and the highest quality testing standards in the industry.” Testronic was established in 1998 in London and now employs 2000 employees across the world in Warsaw, New Orleans, Lisbon, Bucharest, Belgrade, and now in Manila.

Brass Lion Entertainment lays off 13 as it "realigns" its team "The individuals [impacted] are exceptional professionals whose work we deeply value" Image credit: Brass Lion Entertainment News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 8, 2025 Brass Lion Entertainment has laid off 13 members of staff. In a statement on LinkedIn, the studio said it had made the "difficult decision to reduce [its] team size" as it "realigns" its team around the action-RPG it has in development. "Unfortunately, that means that we aren't able to keep on several talented developers who have contributed greatly to our project and studio culture," the statement added. "The individuals [impacted] are exceptional professionals whose work we deeply value. "If you have openings on your team, we highly recommend considering them for your positions. Please help us spread the word to connect these talented developers with new opportunities." It then listed the 13 developers affected by the cuts and linked directly to their LinkedIn profiles. The statement finished on saying the studio "remains committed to our project and shared mission, and incredibly grateful for their contributions." Brass Lion Entertainment formed in 2019 when three AAA developers Manveer Heir, Bryna Dabby Smith, and Rashad Redic struck out on their own in an effort to build "a diverse and inclusive entertainment studio."

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders delayed in Canada Tariffs in the US have delayed the original April 9 date Image credit: Nintendo News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 8, 2025 Nintendo has delayed Switch 2 pre-orders in Canada from their original April 9 date, in order to line-up with the new, as-yet-undetermined pre-order date for US customers. Much like the US, the Switch 2's release date of June 5 will not change. Pre-orders for the Switch 2 were delayed in the US last week as Nintendo assessed the potential impact of US President Donald Trump's tariffs. In a statement to MobileSyrup, Nintendo of Canada confirmed the delay was a result of the same situation. "Pre-orders for Nintendo Switch 2 in Canada will not start on April 9, 2025 in order to align with the timing of pre-orders to be determined in the US. "Nintendo will provide updated information at a later date. The launch date of June 5, 2025 is unchanged." The Nintendo Switch 2 base unit will cost CA$629 in Canada. The tariffs have created a lot of uncertainty around the US market specifically, since Nintendo manufactures the Switch 2 in countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, both of which are subject to Trump's high-percentage 'retaliatory' tariffs on imported goods. Those tariffs are due to come into force on April 9. Meanwhile, pre-orders for the Switch 2 have begun elsewhere, including Europe. We'll update you when Nintendo sets a new pre-order date for the US market.

Newzoo: PC and console gaming declined by 2% to $80.2bn in 2024 Firm estimates PC and console gaming market to reach $92.7 billion by 2027 News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 8, 2025 Global consumer spending for PC and console gaming fell by 2% to $80.2 billion last year, but is expected to rise to $85.2 billion in 2025. This is according to Newzoo, which today published its PC and console gaming report 2025. The market intelligence firm forecasts that overall market growth to 2027 will reach $92.7 billion and will be "driven predominantly by console." Console took the main market share at $42.8 billion, with premium titles making up 46% of console revenue at $19.9 billion, down 14% year-on-year. Free-to-play games comprised 32% of revenue at $13.9 billion, up 4.5% YoY. Subscriptions saw a 16% share at $6.9 billion, an increase of 14.1% YoY. As for PC, it contributed $37.3 billion with free-to-play games making up 58% of total PC revenue at $24.billion – up 1.4% year-on-year. Premium games comprised 28% of revenue at $10.7 billion, down 2.6% YoY. "Console growth is expected to return in 2025 by key pay-to-play titles," said Newzoo, noting it will be driven by the eagerly-awaited Grand Theft Auto 6 and the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5, 2025. Looking at playtime, it grew by 6% YoY with the fourth quarter of 2024 setting the record for highest quarterly playtime. According to Newzoo, this increase was driven by pay-to-play games and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. New releases represented 12% of total playtime in 2024, with Fortnite remaining the most played game carrying 9.3% of total playtime in 2024 (compared to 9.1% in 2023). "Overall, playtime hours are growing but concentrated in AAA and at times cannibalistic," Newzoo noted. "The battle for audience hours is fierce and nearly zero sum." "PC skews heavily towards older, free-to-play titles while console is slate dependent."

Nintendo says $449.99 price tag for Switch 2 was not affected by US tariffs Firm is "actively assessing what the impact may be" after delaying pre-orders for the console in the US Image credit: Nintendo News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 8, 2025 Nintendo has confirmed that the US tariffs, which were introduced on the same day as the Switch 2 event last week, were "not factored" into the $449.99 price tag. Speaking to The Verge, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said Nintendo is "actively assessing what the impact may be." As a result of the tariffs, Nintendo delayed US pre-orders of the console from its original date of April 9, 2025. The launch date of the Switch 2 (June 5) remains the same. As for why the Switch 2 is priced at $449.99, Bowser highlighted the "longevity" of the new console as a driving factor. "We want to make sure that this is a device that is approachable, that consumers will see as part of their overall entertainment experiences and will understand that it has longevity to it," he explained. "And all of those factors really go into the consideration of the price." Bowser noted the console's new hardware, including a larger LCD display, that the Joy-Cons have been "enlarged and redesigned for durability," and its custom Nvidia processor that enables ray tracing. "You want to consider pricing relative to the Switch since we still have that in distribution. But, really, the consideration was driven much more by what is part of this particular experience versus what is relative to the Switch 1." Bowser also touched upon the price point of Switch 2 games, noting that Nintendo's approach is that each title is a "unique experience" which will be priced based on its content. This is why Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome Tour, a game designed to introduce players to the console, is a paid title rather than a free experience. "As this game was being developed, what's been packed into it is a depth of minigame experiences," he said. "They're very deep, they're very repeatable. And so, we looked at that depth of play experience and opportunity, we felt that $9.99 was a fair price to ask for that." The Switch 2's flagship title, Mario Kart World, retails at $80 – much more than consumers are used to paying for Nintendo games. GamesIndustry.biz spoke to analysts about why Switch 2 prices are so high and how inflation and other factors may have resulted in this decision. During an interview with IGN, Nintendo of America's vice president of product and player experience Bill Trinen echoed Bowser's sentiment on games being priced based on the content they provide. "I would say it's less about the strategy of pricing Mario Kart World, it's more just whenever we look at a given game, we just look at what is the experience, what's the content, and what's the value," Trinen said.

Develop:Brighton 2025 early bird tickets deadline is April 9 | News-in-brief GamesIndustry.biz readers can receive a 10% discount on the purchase of a conference pass using the code EMFQZT News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 8, 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: Develop:Brighton 2025 early bird tickets deadline is April 9, 2025

Michael Sarnoski reportedly attached to direct Death Stranding movie Sarnoski is known for directing A Quiet Place: Day One and Pig, is currently filming The Death of Robin Hood Image credit: Kojima Productions News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 8, 2025 A Quiet Place: Day One's director Michael Sarnoski has reportedly been attached to helm the Death Stranding movie adaptation. According to Deadline, Sarnoski will also write the screenplay. Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen's Square Peg Films are allegedly set to join the project as a producer. The film adaptation of Death Stranding was announced in 2023, with the game's developer Kojima Productions partnering with film distributor A24. "Their presence is singular within the industry; they are like no other," studio founder Hideo Kojima said. "The films they are delivering to the world are high in quality and very innovative." "I have been attracted to their creations, and they have inspired my own work. Their innovative approach to storytelling aligns with what Kojima Productions has been doing for eight years. Now, we are making a Death Stranding movie together." Speaking to Variety last year, Kojima said he wouldn't be directing the film but would supervise the project. "I'll help by communicating with a director I really trust," he said. "There are several Death Stranding adaptation projects currently underway, but there is a different story I've written that's intended for a movie. But I don't have the time to direct it." Kojima Productions launched a division dedicated to music, television, and film in 2021. Released in 2019, Death Stranding features a star-studded cast including Norman Reedus, Mads Mikkelsen, Léa Seydoux, Guillermo del Toro, and Margaret Qualley. Its sequel, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, was announced in 2022. The title is set to launch on June 26, 2025, with new characters portrayed by Ellie Fanning, Shioli Kutsuna, and Luca Marinelli.

IDGA-F strengthens commitment to DEI with new chair appointmentShannon Loftis brings expertise to "further the goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion for developers globally"Image credit: IGDA News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on April 7, 2025 The International Game Developers Association Foundation (IGDA-F) has welcomed Shannon Loftis as new chair of its board of directors.Loftis replaces Ed Fries, who steps down from his director position after two years but remains on the board.Loftis brings "over 30 years in game development and a commitment to inclusion" at Microsoft that will "allow the Foundation to further its goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion for developers globally."I'm thrilled and honored to lead this board, and to work closely with the foundation and with the IGDA, Loftis said.The IGDA Foundation is one of the most inclusive, intersectional, globally-relevant and effective organizations in game development and I believe our mission is more crucial today than ever before.I have worked alongside Shannon since our days at Microsoft; shes an excellent leader whose background and experience in the industry make her a perfect fit to take on the role of Chair, added Ed Fries, former chair. I am confident that the IGDA Foundation will stay true to its values under her guidance.Though connected, the IGDA-F is a separate entity from the IGDA itself and is a charitable organization serving underrepresented and marginalized game developers all over the world through professional development programs, mentorships, scholarships, and game jams.Last year, the International Game Developers Association challenged the United States Patent and Trademark Office following a new requirement for home addresses to be included during trademark registration.

Japanese publisher share prices drop amid tariff uncertaintyNintendo, Sony and Bandai Namco were among those seeing dropsImage credit: Nintendo News by Samuel Roberts Editorial Director Published on April 7, 2025 Financial markets worldwide are reacting to last week's announcement of tariffs by US President Donald Trump, and Japanese game publishers are among those seeing drops in share price.Upon opening earlier today, Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 7%, itself following a 9% drop last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.Publisher stocks are mirroring this trend. In Japan earlier today, Nintendo closed 7.85% down, Capcom closed 6.61% down, Square Enix closed 5.62% down, Bandai Namco closed 7.37% down, Konami closed 5.19% down and Sony closed 10.04% down.This pattern was noted by Kantan Games' Dr Serkan Toto earlier in the day.In the US, NASDAQ-listed publishers Electronic Arts and Take-Two Interactive have each seen single-digit percentage drops in share price since April 1.On the London Stock Exchange, shares in Everplay Group (owners of publisher Team17) and Frontier Developments have been similarly affected.Britain's FTSE 100 has dropped to its lowest level in nearly 14 months, according to Reuters.In the US, last week was the worst for Wall Street since the start of the pandemic in 2020, with stocks off to a volatile start at open today too, according to The Independent.Trump's 10% 'base' tariffs on goods imported into the US went into effect on April 5, while the higher per-country 'retaliatory' tariffs are due to go into force on April 9.The main consumer-facing result of the tariffs so far is the temporary delay of Switch 2 pre-orders in the US, which is manufactured in countries hit by the higher tariffs, like Vietnam and Cambodia.

A Minecraft Movie grosses $157m at US box office over opening weekendWarner Bros. adaptation surpasses expectations, reportedly estimated to earn between $70 million to $90 millionImage credit: Warner Bros. Pictures News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on April 7, 2025 Warner Bros. Pictures' A Minecraft Movie has grossed $157 million at the US box office during its opening weekend and $301 million globally.According to Variety, the film was estimated to earn between $70 million and $80 million. Debuting last Friday (April 4), it had a budget of $150 million.A Minecraft Movie has also become the highest grossing debut of 2025 domestically, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.In comparison, Illumination's Super Mario Bros. Movie earned $146 million during its three-day opening weekend in the US. This makes Minecraft the highest-grossing video game adaptation domestically in terms of opening numbers.However, the Super Mario adaptation was released on a Wednesday (April 5, 2023). When taking its five-day debut into account, The Super Mario Bros. Movie earned $204.6 million domestically and $377 million globally."We're absolutely overjoyed A Minecraft Movie has been so warmly received by audiences around the world," said Warner Bros. studio co-heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy."A Minecraft Movie's decade long journey to the screen was overseen with great care by Warner Bros. Pictures' Jesse Ehrman and his team, and we are thrilled their efforts have resulted in such a tremendous response."Warner Bros. first announced a Minecraft movie adaptation in 2014. A year later, Minecraft developer Mojang chose It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator and cast member Rob McElhenney to direct.By 2019 this choice was changed to Nick & Nora's Infinite Playlist director Peter Sollett.In the end, A Minecraft Movie was directed by Jared Hess, known for Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre.