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"Shut the f*ck up, no one cares" - former Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan slams "nerd baby rage"
Former Overwatch boss Jeff Kaplan has criticized what he calls "nerd baby rage" from game communities, urging players who dislike a game they haven't played to "shut the f*ck up, no one cares." Kaplan, now working on his new game The Legend of California, stated that developers often ignore overly hostile feedback, finding it unproductive.
GDC: Ramen Acquisition of Coplay Brings Together the Best-In-Class Multi-agent AI Assistants for Unreal Engine and Unity Under One Roof
Ramen has acquired Coplay, integrating Coplay's AI tool for Unity with Ramen's Aura AI assistant for Unreal Engine. This combined offering aims to be the first AI assistant to support 80% of all game platforms and work across both major game engines. Ramen CEO Andy Tsen highlighted the synergy, bringing together the best of AI development for both Unity and Unreal developers.
Clair Obscur and Dispatch lead BAFTA Game Awards 2026 nominations
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Dispatch lead the BAFTA Game Awards 2026 nominations with 12 and nine nods respectively. A total of 42 titles received nominations across various categories, with Ghost of Yotei, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Arc Raiders also securing multiple nominations. The awards ceremony is scheduled for April 17, 2026, in London.
Oscars' two biggest actors had major video game roles early in their careers
Oscar winners Jessie Buckley and Michael B. Jordan have notable early careers in video games. Buckley, who won Best Actress, previously starred in Supermassive Games' The Devil In Me, providing voice and motion capture. Jordan, a Best Actor winner, voiced characters in Gears Of War 3 and starred in VR titles like Wilson's Heart and Creed: Rise To Glory, also expressing a long-standing passion for first-person shooters.
GGWP: AI Moderation Platform Backed by Riot & Sony
ToxMod, an AI system developed by Modulate, analyzes over 160 million hours of gaming voice chat to flag potential violations for human review, aiming to reduce toxicity in multiplayer games. The system, used in titles like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto Online, analyzes speech patterns, tone, and context rather than relying on keyword filters, with a human moderator making the final enforcement decision. Recent updates include improved intent detection and easier integration for developers via Discord's Social SDK.
Asset reuse in videogames is essential, and we need to embrace it, says Assassin's Creed and Far Cry director:…
Alex Hutchinson, director of Assassin's Creed and Far Cry, argues that asset reuse in video games is essential and should be embraced. He points to successful examples from Japanese developers like FromSoftware and Sega's Yakuza series, contrasting them with past controversies and the current industry need for efficiency due to funding challenges.
NEKOPARA Sekai Connect launches April 14 for iOS and Android, this fall for PC
NEKOPARA Sekai Connect is set to launch on April 14 for iOS and Android, with a PC release planned for this fall. The article also features discussions among users about Microsoft's Xbox strategy, Game Pass pricing, and ongoing antitrust lawsuits involving Sony, Valve, and other digital marketplaces.
Nightdive Studios Re-Announces SiN: Reloaded, Promises a Release This Year
Nightdive Studios has re-announced SiN: Reloaded, a remaster of the 1998 boomer shooter, with a planned release in 2026 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch consoles. The remaster will feature enhanced visuals, modern controls, and include the original game, its mission pack, and exclusive bonus content.
Microsoft Seemingly Cancelled “This is an Xbox” Campaign
Xbox has seemingly discontinued its "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign, with related pages on the Xbox Wire website now showing 404 errors. The campaign, which promoted the idea that various devices could be considered an Xbox due to services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Game Pass, was reportedly spearheaded by former Xbox president Sarah Bond. Bond has also announced her departure from Xbox, with Asha becoming the new lead.
ToxMod: How AI Listens to 160M Hours of Gaming Voice
ToxMod, an AI system developed by Modulate, has processed over 160 million hours of gaming voice chat to identify and flag toxic behavior across titles like Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto Online. The system analyzes speech patterns, tone, and context rather than relying on keyword filters, with flagged incidents passed to human moderators for review. Recent updates include improved intent detection and multi-speaker conversation handling, alongside a significant integration with Discord's Social SDK to make the technology more accessible to developers.
Jeff Kaplan Calls Activision Exit His Biggest ‘F**k You Moment’
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan described his 2021 exit from Activision Blizzard as his biggest 'f**k you moment,' suggesting deep dissatisfaction with the company's direction and workplace conditions during a period of significant crisis. His departure and subsequent comments highlight ongoing issues within the gaming industry regarding creative control and developer treatment.
Black Ops Royale is more of a Treyarch-flavored Warzone than it is Blackout 2, but it’s still pretty fun Call of Duty
The new Black Ops Royale mode for Call of Duty: Warzone is now available, offering a faster-paced experience than the original Blackout mode. Developed by Treyarch in collaboration with Raven Software, the mode introduces new movement mechanics like wall-jumping and a wingsuit, alongside a revamped looting system that replaces traditional loadouts with upgradeable ground loot. While initially launching in Quads only, the mode aims to revitalize Warzone's gameplay loop.
CoD Warzone’s new Blackout-inspired mode has been in development for ‘about a year and a half’ in an effort to ‘shatter the stagnation’ of battle royale
Call of Duty: Warzone's new Black Ops Royale mode, inspired by the original Blackout, has been in development for about a year and a half. This mode aims to combat "stagnation" in the battle royale genre by introducing new mechanics and a focus on looting, while developers consider future integration of player purchases. The new map, Avalon, is also slated to eventually replace Verdansk.
Turing Award winner Tony Hoare, computing pioneer who invented the Quicksort algorithm for a sixpence bet, dies at the…
Tony Hoare, a pioneering computer scientist renowned for inventing the Quicksort algorithm and developing Hoare logic, has passed away at the age of 92. He was awarded the Turing Award in 1980 for his significant contributions to computing, including his work on programming languages like ALGOL W and his advocacy for simple, secure software design.
PEGI revises its age ratings system with considerations for loot boxes, daily quests
The Pan-European Game Information (PEGI) organization is updating its age rating system to include specific game features like loot boxes and daily quests, effective June. New classifications will consider in-game purchases, paid random items, communication features, and daily rewards, aiming to enhance online safety for parents. Games with loot boxes will now be rated PEGI 16 or 18, while those with daily quests will be PEGI 7 or 12, depending on whether they reward or punish players for returning.
Jeff Kaplan calls Overwatch 2 "one of my biggest mistakes," names devs who "didn't like PvP" and executive pressure as reasons for troubled development
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan described the development of Overwatch 2 as one of his biggest mistakes, citing internal team members who disliked PvP and pressure from Activision management for a 2019 release. Kaplan also mentioned that initial ideas for Overwatch 2 were conceived as early as 2015, prior to the original game's launch.
Jeff Kaplan reveals new game, Legend of California, on the Lex Friedman Podcast
Jeff Kaplan, former lead of Overwatch, has revealed his new game, The Legend of California, developed by his studio Kintsugi Games with assistance from Blizzard co-founder Mike Morhaime. The open-world action game features a cowboy aesthetic set in 1800s Gold Rush-era California and will utilize voxel-based gameplay for mining. An alpha test is planned for March, with an Early Access release to follow.
Phil Spencer Was Good for Xbox, but His Legacy Is Complicated - IGN
Phil Spencer is retiring after 38 years with Microsoft, concluding a 12-year tenure as Head of Xbox. His legacy is viewed as complicated, with shareholders seeing massive stock growth while some hardcore gamers point to increased subscription prices, fewer exclusives, and studio closures. Despite these criticisms, the article argues Spencer was a net positive, crediting him with saving Xbox during the Xbox One era, championing features like backwards compatibility and cross-play, and building a strong portfolio of studios and games.
Overwatch's Director Quit Following Outrageous Ultimatum from Blizzard Big Wig
Former Overwatch director Jeff Kaplan has explained his 2021 departure from Blizzard Entertainment, citing an ultimatum from the company's CFO regarding revenue targets. Kaplan felt immense pressure and a lack of trust, leading him to resign after nearly 20 years with the company. The article also touches on the ambitious Overwatch League and the development pressures that led to Overwatch 2.
Jeff Kaplan Says Overwatch League Pressure Helped Drive His Blizzard Exit
Former Overwatch team head Jeff Kaplan revealed in a Lex Fridman podcast interview that immense pressure from the overmarketed Overwatch League contributed to his departure from Blizzard Entertainment. He detailed how unrealistic revenue expectations and commitments to investors diverted resources from game development, culminating in a meeting with Activision's CFO that solidified his decision to leave. Kaplan has since announced his new project, an indie multiplayer action-survival FPS called The Legend of California.
