Massive Entertainment
Massive Entertainment business and news from across the web.
Latest coverage
HAEX Revealed at Summer Game Fest, Bringing Co-Op Survival Horror to an Alien-Scarred Wilderness
Dead Astronauts has unveiled HAEX, a new first-person survival horror game with co-op exploration and survival mechanics, revealed during Summer Game Fest. Developed by a team with veterans from Massive Entertainment and Epic Games, HAEX features players managing resources and fighting alien creatures in a hostile, mist-covered wilderness. The game allows up to four players to explore persistent worlds and features a unique mechanic where players can plant alien seeds to alter the environment.
Brave a procedural world of alien monsters and mysteries in Haex
Haex, an open world survival shooter from Dead Astronauts, has been revealed. The game features a procedurally generated sub-arctic world filled with monsters, robots, and mysteries, and is set to launch in 2027 with an Early Access release. Players will explore, gather alien abilities, and uncover the fate of a previous science expedition.
The Division 3 Studio Ramps Up Development With Seven New Job Openings
Massive Entertainment, a studio under Ubisoft, is actively hiring for multiple roles related to The Division 3, indicating continued development. The job listings suggest the game will retain its live-service model and focus on features like character realization, lighting, and facial animation. Despite the departure of former executive producer Julian Gerighty, Ubisoft has confirmed that work on the title is progressing.
Game and Mod Development
Massive Entertainment has made its pioneering crowd simulation software, originally developed for The Lord of the Rings, freely available for use. This tool, which was instrumental in creating large-scale virtual crowds, is now accessible to developers for game and mod creation.
Forza Horizon 6 Proves Xbox Still Has One Franchise No One Can Touch
Forza Horizon 6 continues the franchise's streak of critical acclaim, earning high Metascores and praise for its visuals, gameplay, and open-world design in Japan. This consistent excellence stands in contrast to the struggles of other Xbox franchises like Halo and Gears of War. Playground Games' ability to deliver on fan expectations and maintain quality is highlighted as the key to Forza Horizon's enduring success.
Star Wars Outlaws, Red Dead Redemption 2 and More Join PS Plus Extra/Premium on May 19th
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers will receive several new games on May 19th, including Star Wars Outlaws and Red Dead Redemption 2. The latter will include Red Dead Online. Additional titles like Bramble: The Mountain King and Broken Sword – Shadows of the Templar: Reforged will be available for both PS4 and PS5 players, with PS5 owners also getting Enotria: The Last Song, Flintlock: The Siege of Dawn, and The Thaumaturge. Premium subscribers can also access the arcade classic Time Crisis.
Announcing The Breaking Room: Shatter everything, from a coffee cup to a skyscraper, in this physics-based destruction clicker
The Breaking Room, a physics-based destruction clicker developed by djuD, is set to release in Q4 2026 on PC via Steam. The game features incremental gameplay where players use telekinetic abilities to shatter environments, with upgradeable stats and researchable compounds. The developer, djuD, has over 10 years of AAA industry experience, having worked at companies like Ubisoft and Behaviour Interactive.
A minor Fallout: New Vegas quest got its own ending slide because the team was transfixed by the choice where you make…
Obsidian studio design director Josh Sawyer discussed the arbitrary nature of which quests receive ending slides in Fallout: New Vegas. He highlighted a minor quest, 'Flags of Our Foul-Ups,' which received an ending slide due to the team's fascination with the consequences of a player choice involving drugs.
Devs for The Division discuss how its first iteration was more MMO and less shooter mechanically
Original developers from Ubisoft's Massive Entertainment discussed the early design of The Division, revealing it initially had World of Warcraft-style MMO gameplay with hotbars. The team shifted focus to a more traditional shooter with RPG elements, emphasizing an 'observe, plan, execute' loop.
The Division was originally a World of Warcraft style MMO, but "that skill component wasn't there", says Massive Entertainment
Massive Entertainment revealed that The Division was initially conceived as a World of Warcraft-style MMORPG with a hotbar and companion system. The developers discussed how they shifted the gameplay focus to incorporate more traditional shooter mechanics, leading to the game's eventual launch and success. The article also mentions the game's 10th anniversary and the ongoing development of The Division 3.
The Division was originally "an MMO with World of Warcraft-style gameplay," devs reveal, and it had hotbars and all before it became a full looter-shooter
Developers revealed that The Division was initially conceived as an MMO with gameplay similar to World of Warcraft, featuring hotbars. This early vision contrasted significantly with the final looter-shooter product, which focused on a different combat loop and setting.
I got murdered by a ladybug in Neverway, and that cemented it as the only game I care about this year
Neverway, the debut title from Coldblood Inc., blends life simulation elements reminiscent of Stardew Valley with a dark, Lovecraftian horror atmosphere. Despite its initial appearance, the game delves into themes of mental illness and spiritual rebirth, offering a unique 'cozy horror' experience. The preview highlights challenging combat, a reactive soundtrack by Disasterpiece, and a compelling narrative that sets it apart from similar titles, with a planned 2026 release.
The Division: Resurgence Review – Mobilised agents
The Division: Resurgence offers a mobile adaptation of the tactical looter shooter experience, featuring cover-based combat and looting in a snowy New York City. While the core gameplay and controls are adapted well for touchscreens and gamepads, the narrative progression is hampered by level gating and repetitive mission objectives, and technical compromises are evident in the graphics and performance on older mobile devices.
'We know exactly where we are going and exactly what we want to do' — The Division 3 senior producer suggests fans shouldn't worry about the departure of the game's executive producer, confirming its roadmap has been 'planned and secured for some time'
Ubisoft has confirmed that The Division 3's development roadmap is secure and planned, despite the recent departure of its executive producer. Senior producer Fredrik Brönjemark stated that the team knows exactly where they are going. The creative director also revealed that the studio considered a free-to-play model for The Division 2 but decided against it, finding their current monetization strategy effective.
The Division: Resurgence Review in Progress – Mobile agents
The Division: Resurgence offers a full-fledged looter shooter experience on mobile devices, set in a familiar snowy New York City. While the core gameplay loop and tactical combat are present, the game struggles with a cluttered UI, typical free-to-play mechanics, and technical compromises in its transition to mobile platforms, despite being built in Unreal Engine.
IOI Partners disowns MindsEye, Krafton collabs with arms dealer, and more cuts at Ubisoft - Patch Notes #44
Several major gaming companies faced significant news this past fortnight. IOI Partners disowned the game MindsEye, Krafton announced a $1 billion partnership with a defense firm while simultaneously losing a lawsuit, and Ubisoft underwent restructuring leading to layoffs and the closure of Red Storm Entertainment's game development. Additionally, unionized game workers are petitioning for immigrant protections, Pokemon Pokopia achieved strong sales, and Nvidia's DLSS 5 technology faced backlash from developers.
Ubisoft ends game development at Red Storm and lays off 105 workers
Ubisoft has ended active game development at its subsidiary Red Storm Entertainment, resulting in the layoff of 105 employees as part of a global cost-saving initiative. The studio will transition to a support role, focusing on IT and engine development. This move is part of broader restructuring efforts within Ubisoft, which has seen multiple studio closures and layoffs this year.
Ubisoft names new Creative House and Creative Network leaders
Ubisoft has announced new leadership appointments to support its Creative House operating model. Julien Bares will manage Creative Houses 3 and 5, overseeing live and casual game brands, while Thomas Andrén will lead the new Creative Network to provide cross-functional support. These changes come as Ubisoft undergoes a significant restructuring, including studio closures and cost-cutting measures.
The Division 2 has set a new concurrent record on Steam, almost doubling its previous peak player count since 2019
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 has achieved a new all-time concurrent player record on Steam, reaching over 27,000 players. This surge is attributed to the game's 10th-anniversary celebration, which includes a limited-time Realism Mode and free access to the Warlords of New York expansion. Future updates and The Division 3 are also in development.
The Division 2 breaks its own concurrent Steam record, 7 years after it was first released
Tom Clancy's The Division 2 has achieved a new all-time concurrent player record on Steam, reaching over 26,000 players during its 10-year anniversary celebrations. This resurgence is attributed to new content, a clear roadmap, and the limited-time Realism Mode, which coincides with the upcoming extraction experience, The Division 2: Survivors.
