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Elsewhere is a New Activision Studio Working on an Open-World Game With “Emergent Gameplay”
Activision has established a new studio named Elsewhere, reportedly comprised of industry veterans, to develop an open-world game with a strong focus on emergent gameplay. Job listings indicate the project aims to create believable and reactive experiences within a living world. While AAA games focusing on emergent gameplay have become rarer, titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. are cited as examples.
Resident Evil 7 Team Took Cues From The Last of Us To Garner Critical Acclaim, Says Former Exec
Former Capcom manager Miguel Corti revealed that Resident Evil 7's development shifted focus from Call of Duty-like action to narrative-driven gameplay after the critical success of The Last of Us. This change in direction is credited with revitalizing the Resident Evil franchise, leading to acclaimed titles like Resident Evil Village and Resident Evil Requiem.
The Last of Us inspired Resident Evil 7's course correction because the devs "wanted the critical acclaim other games were garnering," ex-Capcom senior dev says
A former Capcom senior manager revealed that The Last of Us served as an indirect inspiration for Resident Evil 7's course correction, influencing its focus on narrative. Developers reportedly sought the critical acclaim garnered by games like The Last of Us, leading to a more focused and scarier experience compared to Resident Evil 6.
No Publisher Wanted Outlast. 60 Million Players Later, The Horror Juggernaut Is Doing Just Fine.
Red Barrels' horror series Outlast, which began as a debut effort from a 10-person team with no publisher interest, has now attracted over 60 million players. The studio's founders, who left AAA studios, self-funded the first game and learned publishing on the fly, eventually finding success with the signature night-vision camera and unflinching gore. The latest entry, The Outlast Trials, has become their most successful game, embracing live-service elements while staying true to the series' core horror identity.
The Last of Us directors used to say "nobody" was making "character-driven survival action games" like them – just don't tell that to Resident Evil
The Last of Us directors Bruce Straley and Neil Druckmann previously stated that "nobody" was making "character-driven survival action games" like theirs. While Resident Evil existed, Druckmann argued it lacked character focus, being "campy, over-the-top violence." The article notes that the genre has since become more populated with titles like The Plague Tale, Dying Light, and Days Gone, and that even Resident Evil remakes seem to have learned from The Last of Us.
Former Naughty Dog Developer Believes We Will “Marvel” at Human-Made Games in The Future
Former Naughty Dog developer Matt Radford believes future generations will marvel at the human craftsmanship in today's games, comparing them to ancient architectural wonders. He suggests that advancements in technology and development processes might lead to a decline in the unique artistry seen in titles like The Last of Us and Uncharted 4, as studios like Naughty Dog continue to innovate.
Former Last of Us and Uncharted 4 dev wonders if we'll "look back" at human-made games like Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet and "marvel at it"
A veteran developer from Naughty Dog, Matt Radford, expressed concern that future generations might look back at current human-made games like The Last of Us and Uncharted 4 with awe, similar to ancient cathedrals. He speculates that new technologies, potentially including AI, could fundamentally change game development and reduce the scale of ambitious projects.
Former Last of Us and Uncharted 4 dev says "the idea of a monolithic GTA 6" or Elder Scrolls 6 is "intimidating," wants more short games instead
Former Naughty Dog developer Matt Radford expressed that monolithic games like Grand Theft Auto 6 and The Elder Scrolls 6 are intimidating, preferring shorter, focused experiences. He cited the time commitment required for long games and the ballooning development budgets as reasons for this preference, though he believes GTA 6 will succeed.
7 dead PlayStation franchises Sony should bring back for PS6 - Reader's Feature
A reader suggests several dormant PlayStation franchises that Sony Interactive Entertainment should consider reviving for the PlayStation 6. The list includes Jak And Daxter, Resistance, MotorStorm, WipEout, PaRappa The Rapper, Gravity Rush, and Warhawk, with potential developers also proposed for each.
Former Last of Us and Uncharted 4 dev has "good and bad" thoughts about Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, but he's glad "someone is taking big risks on art like that"
Former Naughty Dog artist Matt Radford, who worked on The Last of Us and Uncharted 4, expresses optimism for Naughty Dog's upcoming game, Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet. He acknowledges having both positive and negative thoughts but is glad to see a major studio taking significant artistic risks at a high level, noting that Sony's hardware sales strategy allows Naughty Dog creative freedom.
Naughty Dog crunch could be "grueling" but The Last of Us and Uncharted 4 artist defends the studio, says it wasn't "evil corporation demands horrific working hours"
VFX artist Matt Radford, who worked on Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us, defended Naughty Dog's crunch culture, stating it's not an 'evil corporation' but motivated people pushing for their best work. While admitting to grueling times, he believes great art has come from this suffering, though the article notes this doesn't fully exonerate the studio from potential peer pressure and management expectations.
The OG Crash Team Racing for PS1 just arrived on PC, but it's sadly yet another recomp spoiled by AI
A new PC port of the original Crash Team Racing, titled Crash Team Racing: Turbocharged, has been released using decompilation techniques. However, the article expresses disappointment as the developer, Camzie99, confirmed the use of AI, specifically Large Language Models, in its creation, which the author views as a negative development despite the port's enhanced features like 4K resolution and higher frame rates.
The Last of Us 2's Troy Baker says the ending's devastating final conversation between Joel and Ellie was originally supposed to be at the start of the game
Actor Troy Baker revealed that the devastating final conversation between Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us Part II was originally scripted to appear at the beginning of the game. Baker, who voices Joel, discussed how the scene's placement at the end significantly impacts its emotional resonance and Ellie's motivation for revenge. Naughty Dog director Neil Druckmann and voice actor Ashley Johnson were also involved in shaping the scene's final delivery.
Hideo Kojima writing a whole Death Stranding character just for him is "one of the kindest things" he's ever done, says Higgs actor Troy Baker
Voice actor Troy Baker shared that Hideo Kojima creating the character Higgs specifically for him in Death Stranding was one of the kindest things the director has ever done. Baker also revealed that Kojima was inspired by his Instagram Live acoustic guitar performances during the pandemic when writing Higgs's character.
GTA 6 and San Andreas show how much game development has changed: In the '00s, Rockstar turned a Clair Obscur Expedition 33-sized budget into $600 million
The article contrasts the development costs and revenue of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with the anticipated costs of Grand Theft Auto 6. San Andreas was reportedly made for under $10 million and grossed around $600 million, while modern AAA titles like GTA 6 have budgets exceeding $1 billion and higher base prices. This highlights the dramatic increase in game development expenses over two decades.
Naughty Dog "exists to sell Sony hardware," former Last of Us and Uncharted dev says, so it doesn't have to be as "profit-driven as other companies"
A former Naughty Dog VFX artist suggests the studio exists primarily to sell PlayStation hardware, allowing it to focus on high-quality single-player games rather than being purely profit-driven. This strategy contrasts with the industry trend towards live-service titles, with Sony leveraging exclusive first-party games to boost console sales.
Kill.Switch - Det bortglömda spelet som Gears of War snodde sitt bästa trick från
The article discusses how the 2003 Namco game Kill.Switch, largely forgotten today, was the true originator of the cover-based shooting mechanics popularized by Gears of War. While Kill.Switch received mixed reviews and was not a commercial success, its innovative 'Offensive Cover System' directly inspired Gears of War and later titles like Uncharted and Rainbow Six: Vegas, fundamentally changing the third-person shooter genre.
Uncharted star says a new sequel would be "one of the biggest games ever," but "it just depends if Sony…
Nolan North, the voice actor for Nathan Drake, believes a new Uncharted sequel would be a massive success if Sony decided to develop it. He expressed his eagerness to reprise the role, suggesting it would be one of the biggest games ever. Rumors of a new Uncharted game starring Drake are currently circulating.
Uncharted Actor is “110 Percent” Prepared to Return for New Entry
Nolan North, the voice actor for Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series, has expressed strong enthusiasm for returning to the franchise for a new entry. While he has not heard any official news, North stated he is "110 percent" prepared and believes a new Uncharted game could be massive, depending on Sony Interactive Entertainment's interest.
Amid Uncharted 5 Rumors, Nathan Drake Actor Says He Would Come Back, But With One Catch
Nolan North, the voice actor for Nathan Drake, expressed his strong willingness to return for a potential Uncharted 5, stating he would
