Epic Games
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Fableborne Affiliate Program Hands Creators a 10% Cut of Referred Player Spending
Pixion Games has launched an affiliate program for its game Fableborne, offering creators a 10% cut of spending from players they refer. This initiative aims to incentivize content creators by rewarding their contributions to player acquisition. The program launches shortly before Season 5 begins on August 12th.
Jobs roundup: August 2026 | Paramount Games appoints Nate Nanzer as EVP, head of commercial & marketing
This article rounds up recent appointments and transitions within the gaming industry. Notable moves include Nate Nanzer joining Paramount Games, Julia Gutnik heading media at Amazon Gaming, and Tracey Thompson returning to Bethesda as VP of communications. Several other companies like Epic Games, Studio MDHR, Games Workshop, and Blizzard Entertainment also saw new hires or promotions.
Jobs roundup: August 2026 | CodeDev Group appoints Ben Board as CEO of The Performance Guys
This article rounds up recent hires and promotions across the gaming industry. Key appointments include Ben Board as CEO of The Performance Guys, Nate Nanzer as EVP at Paramount Games, and Tracey Thompson returning to Bethesda as VP of communications. Several other companies like Epic Games, Amazon, and Microsoft also saw personnel changes.
There's no single-player video games in the top 20 most played PS5 games in July
Live service and sports games continue to dominate the most played lists on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, with single-player titles absent from the top 20 in July. Fortnite remains the most popular game, with titles like Roblox, Minecraft, and annual sports sequels filling out the charts. Data from Circana analyst Mat Piscatella indicates a strong preference for ongoing multiplayer experiences over traditional offline games.
PlayStation and Xbox's most played games are, once again, exactly what you expect them to be
Analyst Mat Piscatella revealed that the most played games on PlayStation and Xbox remain dominated by long-running live service titles and annual sports games, with minimal changes year-over-year. Fortnite leads both platforms, followed by a familiar lineup including Roblox, Call of Duty, and Grand Theft Auto 5, with minor variations between the console ecosystems.
Indies devs band together for 100-game, $10 bundle aiming to help an "unprecedented number" of laid off…
Indie game developers have launched a $10 bundle featuring over 100 games and assets to support developers affected by recent layoffs. Spearheaded by Necrosoft Games, all proceeds, minus processing fees, will go to a Game Industry Hardship Fund managed by United Videogame Workers. The bundle includes titles like A Short Hike and Arranger, with funds intended to help laid-off developers with essential living expenses.
This week's Epic Games free games are roguelite heaven, with an underworld and a mansion to explore
Epic Games Store is offering two free roguelite titles this week: OTXO and Sol Cesto. Sol Cesto is a tactical roguelite with an underworld theme and tabletop-style gameplay, while OTXO is a fast-paced, top-down shoot 'em up set in a randomly generated mansion. Both games are available for free from July 30 to August 6.
Gears Of War: E-Day Is Shaping Up To Be Exactly The Comeback Gears Needed
Gears of War: E-Day is shaping up to be a strong comeback for the franchise, with The Coalition focusing on fluid gameplay and updated controls. The preview highlights the revamped Horde Siege mode, which supports 12 players in large arenas, and the classic Versus multiplayer modes, all built on a new engine. The game is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S and PC in October.
Fortnite adjusts storm circle timings again, because players want more time hunting Sprites
Epic Games has made further adjustments to Fortnite's storm circle timings following player feedback. While early storm circles have returned to their original timing, later circles will now close sooner but more slowly, maintaining the same total rotation time. These changes aim to provide players with more time to hunt for in-game Sprites.
How to get the John Wick Sprite in Fortnite
Fortnite Reloaded has returned with a Simpsons-themed season, introducing the John Wick Sprite cosmetic. This item will be available starting July 30 after the 41.30 update, exclusively within the Simpsons Fortnite Reloaded mode. Players can obtain the John Wick Sprite by eliminating opponents who possess it, finding it in special chests, or winning a match.
The Simpsons Return To Fortnite This Week With John Wick
The Simpsons are returning to Fortnite with new content on July 30, featuring a Reload map of Springfield. This crossover event includes the Simpson's version of John Wick and new loot items. The map will also feature re-lootable chests and the ability to reboot as solo players, with the Tactical Assault Rifle as a new weapon.
Epic Games hires former head of Blizzard's Battle.net
Martin Keely, formerly the senior vice president of Battle.net and technology services at Blizzard Entertainment, has joined Epic Games as VP/GM of the Epic Games Store and Epic Online Services. Keely expressed excitement about contributing to player and developer experiences and fostering an open gaming ecosystem. This move follows other leadership changes at Epic Games, including the departure of Steve Allison, who previously led the store organization.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs are working on a Nintendo Switch 2 version, but note the "big technical challenge" of getting it up and running
Sandfall Interactive is exploring a Nintendo Switch 2 version of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but acknowledges the significant technical challenges due to the platform's power limitations compared to PlayStation and Xbox Series X. The developers are relying on Unreal Engine 5 updates, such as Lumen Lite, to make the port feasible, though no release window has been announced.
Blizzard's former Battle.net lead is moving his expertise over to the Epic Games Store to 'elevate player,…
Epic Games has appointed Martin Keely as the new VP and General Manager of the Epic Games Store, replacing Steve Allison. Keely previously led Activision Blizzard's Battle.net launcher and is expected to improve the player, creator, and developer experience on the Epic Games Store. This move signals Epic's intent to compete more directly with Steam.
Fortnite just made late-game battle royale matches sweatier, with "less time to rotate"
Epic Games has implemented changes to Fortnite's battle royale mode, specifically accelerating the storm circle closure in late-game matches to increase intensity and reduce rotation time. The company is actively seeking player feedback on this trial adjustment, alongside other updates including weapon and item balance tweaks.
Epic Games just hired former Battle.net head, as studio gears up for "the era of Unreal Engine 6"
Epic Games has hired Martin Keely, former Senior Vice President of Technology and Services for Battle.net at Blizzard Entertainment, as the new Vice President/General Manager for the Epic Games Store and Epic Online services. CEO Tim Sweeney stated this move is part of Epic's preparation for the era of Unreal Engine 6 and the development of an open, interoperable gaming ecosystem across platforms and stores.
Epic taps Blizzard's Battle.net lead to fix the Epic Games Store as Steam dominates
Epic Games has appointed Martin Keely, formerly of Blizzard Entertainment's Battle.net, as the new VP and GM of the Epic Games Store. This move aims to improve the storefront's competitiveness against Valve's Steam. Keely expressed his excitement to enhance player and developer experiences within an open gaming ecosystem.
After leaving Epic Games last month, its former 'Unreal evangelist' is now building his own game engine
Former Epic Games "Unreal evangelist" Sjoerd De Jong has co-founded a new company, Immens Engine, to develop a game engine intended as an alternative to Unreal Engine and Unity. De Jong believes the dominance of existing engines has led to stagnation and aims to create a modern engine from the ground up, with a particular focus on accommodating AI integration. The team also includes former Epic technical director Arjan Brussee.
Cyan reveals abandoned prototype for new Myst game, confirms different Myst game is in development
Cyan Worlds has confirmed a new Myst game is in early development, codenamed Mudfish, while also revealing an abandoned prototype called Project Anglerfish. The studio also announced physical editions of its Myst and Riven remakes for PlayStation 5, Xbox, and PC. Separately, game optimization firm CodeDev, also known as The Performance Guys, has launched a new division focused on Unreal Engine optimization, having previously worked on titles like Mafia: The Old Country.
CodeDev launches optimisation division The Performance Guys
UK co-development studio CodeDev has launched a new division named The Performance Guys, dedicated to tackling critical optimization work for game development projects. The division, which includes engineers and technical artists, aims to deliver significant memory usage savings and has already worked on titles like Mafia: The Old Country. CodeDev also developed an internal tool called 'Performance Intelligence' to provide detailed insights into budget and CPU usage, supporting optimization efforts across Unreal Engine, Unity, and proprietary technologies.
