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Dead Space creator and Call of Duty veteran Glen Schofield announces retirement: 'I had a front row seat to one of the greatest creative explosions in history'
Glen Schofield, the creator of Dead Space and The Callisto Protocol, has announced his retirement after 35 years in the video game industry. Schofield, who also worked on several Call of Duty titles, cited the challenges of securing funding for new projects in the current market. He expressed optimism for the future of game development despite industry difficulties.
Dead Space creator Glen Schofield retires from game development
Veteran game developer Glen Schofield, known for creating Dead Space and working on multiple Call of Duty titles, has announced his retirement from day-to-day game development after a 35-year career. His last project was 2022's The Callisto Protocol, developed by Striking Distance Studios.
EA Is Finally Trying to Save Your Sims 4 Saves
Electronic Arts is releasing a free base game patch for The Sims 4 on July 21, introducing an auto-save feature and save reminders to prevent progress loss. The update also includes a 'Memory Boost' feature aimed at improving game performance, reducing lag, and potentially fixing memory-related save issues. A further update in September will focus on enhancing Sim autonomy.
Studio founded by former Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes GM lays off staff
Azra Games, a studio founded by former EA executive Mark Otero, has laid off an unspecified number of employees less than two years after raising $42 million in investment. The studio stated the staffing reduction is a shift from a production phase to optimization and polish for its upcoming game, UnGodly. This news follows reports of other studios, including 11 Bit Studios, also undergoing layoffs.
Midday Patches
Several games have received official patches and updates. Bus Simulator 27 released a new trailer, while EA SPORTS FC 26 received version 1.6.4. The Outlast Trials also launched its Season 7 update, introducing new content and trials.
Battlefield 6 tries to win back fans upset at bot lobbies and 'boring' action
Electronic Arts is preparing a major update for Battlefield 6, aiming to address player concerns about bot lobbies and perceived 'boring' gameplay. The upcoming season 4 update will introduce naval battles, new vehicles, weapons, and the return of Wake Island, alongside a potential Top Gun crossover. Despite initial commercial success, the game's popularity has waned, with players expressing frustration over matchmaking and the prevalence of bot-filled lobbies, though some still enjoy the game.
An Apple Arcade version of Madden NFL 27 will arrive on August 7
Electronic Arts' football simulation series, Madden NFL, will be available on Apple Arcade for the first time with Madden NFL 27, launching on August 7. This marks a new platform for the long-running sports franchise.
EA Sports FC 27 cover to bring back Cristiano Ronaldo after 8 years says leak
A leak suggests Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the cover of EA Sports FC 27's Ultimate Edition, marking his first appearance since FIFA 19. Jude Bellingham is also rumored to be a cover star for the standard edition, potentially alongside Ousmane Dembélé or other Real Madrid and Barcelona players. The leak, originating from DetectiveFUT, is not yet 100% confirmed but has a history of accuracy regarding EA Sports FC titles.
EA seems to have killed off the Need for Speed franchise
Electronic Arts appears to have discontinued the Need for Speed franchise. Criterion Games, the long-time developer of the series, has been reassigned to support the Battlefield franchise, indicating the end of new Need for Speed titles.
GDQ Cancels SNK Stream Over Saudi Arabia Ties
Games Done Quick (GDQ) canceled a sponsored Metal Slug speedrun stream featuring SNK due to community backlash over SNK's majority ownership by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and associated human rights concerns. GDQ apologized to the affected parties and pledged to strengthen its sponsor evaluation process.
Games Done Quick apologizes for partnering with Saudi-owned studio SNK
Charity speedrunning event Games Done Quick (GDQ) cancelled a sponsored stream with Japanese studio SNK due to concerns over the company's ownership by a subsidiary of the Misk Foundation, which is linked to Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman. GDQ organizers apologized for failing to conduct adequate review and pledged to strengthen their sponsor evaluation process, stating the partnership conflicted with their values of supporting human rights and inclusivity.
UK software sales chart for the week ending July 11, 2026 – physical Mouse: P.I. For Hire debuts
The UK software sales chart for the week ending July 11, 2026, shows Mouse: P.I. For Hire debuting at #7. The physical version's sales were primarily on PlayStation 5, followed by Nintendo Switch. Nintendo titles like Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream and Mario Kart World also performed well, appearing high on the chart.
EA removes microtransactions from EA Sports College Football 27 following backlash
Electronic Arts has removed microtransactions from EA Sports College Football 27 following player backlash. The developer acknowledged that paid progression options, ranging from $9.99 to $149.99, were a mistake and did not add the intended value. EA plans to focus on delivering valuable features with greater transparency in future titles like College Football 28.
The Sunday Papers
Criterion Games, known for racing titles like Burnout and Need For Speed, is now solely focused on developing for the Battlefield series, as confirmed by studio leadership. Meanwhile, an analysis of Xbox's recent restructuring highlights the company's significant layoffs and the challenges faced by the division, drawing parallels to past industry missteps.
College Football 27 to remove microtransactions after player backlash, though EA maintains they were only added to…
Electronic Arts has announced the removal of all paid progression options from the Road to Glory and Online Dynasty modes in EA Sports College Football following significant player backlash. The company acknowledged that the introduction of these microtransactions missed the mark and did not provide the intended value. EA also stated that future live service plans for College Football 28 and beyond will focus on greater transparency and communication.
As Criterion rebrands on its 30th anniversary, are its beloved racing franchises like Burnout falling away in the rearview mirror?
Criterion is rebranding on its 30th anniversary, emphasizing its current role as a "Battlefield Studio" within Electronic Arts. While the studio's legacy includes beloved racing titles like Burnout Paradise, its primary focus is now on supporting the Battlefield franchise, including recent work on Battlefield 6. Despite industry challenges and past layoffs, Criterion aims to maintain its core values of "Dare, Deliver, and Delight," with discussions ongoing about the potential for future racing game development.
Evening Reading - July 10, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming news items, including a trailer for Dune 3, QuakeCon 2026 plans, a Pokemon GO anniversary event, and Id Software confirming layoffs. It also touches on business news like SK Hynix's stock performance, Apple suing OpenAI, Meta suspending an AI feature, and EA College Football 25 removing microtransactions. Additionally, it highlights deals for Nintendo and Square Enix games, Palworld exiting Early Access, and new map collections.
The Most Anticipated Sports and Racing Games Arriving in the Second Half of 2026
The latter half of 2026 is set to feature a robust lineup of sports and racing games. Key releases include College Football 27 on July 9, Madden NFL 27 on August 13, and anticipated titles like NBA 2K27 and EA FC 27 expected in September. The article also highlights new entries in the Captain Tsubasa, Hot Wheels, Star Wars racing, and Nintendo Switch Sports franchises.
Xbox needs to make a choice, says former PlayStation leader Shawn Layden: be a publisher or a platform, but you can't be both
Former PlayStation leader Shawn Layden argues that Xbox must choose between being a major game publisher or a platform holder, stating it cannot effectively be both. He highlights the need for exclusive content to support a platform, contrasting it with the multiplatform approach required for a top publisher, a dilemma exacerbated by recent Xbox layoffs and strategic shifts.
Ex-BioWare lead writer would take the series to a 'dark and dangerous' place given the chance, while also going 'back to the basics of what made Dragon Age appeal to so many people in the first place'
Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider believes the series is unlikely to have a future under Electronic Arts and BioWare. However, he expressed interest in returning to the series' roots to create a dark and dangerous new installment that appeals to the core fanbase.
