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Here are the first finalists for the 2026 GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards UK
The finalists for the 2026 GamesIndustry.biz Best Places To Work Awards UK have been announced, recognizing excellence in workplace culture and specific areas like CSR, Diversity, Education, Environment, Health & Wellbeing, and Training & Development. NaturalMotion Games leads with five special award nominations, followed by Rocksteady Studios, Jagex, Playground Games, and Rare. The winners will be celebrated at a ceremony in London on October 1, 2026, following the GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit.
Sea of Thieves: Season 21, Talk Like a Pirate Day, New Rewards, Amazing Prizes and More!
Sea of Thieves is launching Season 21 and celebrating Talk Like a Pirate Day with new rewards, a free play weekend from September 17-21, and sweepstakes for prizes like an Xbox Series X. The update introduces the Parley Pennant for diplomatic interactions and offers various in-game items and bonuses for Xbox Game Pass subscribers and Microsoft Rewards users.
Coming to XBOX Game Pass: Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons II, Dune: Awakening, and More
Xbox Game Pass is adding a variety of new titles throughout September and October, including Gears of War: E-Day, Minecraft Dungeons II, Dune: Awakening, and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Several games are also leaving the service on September 30th.
"What's the harm in asking?" – Dlala Studios on taking a big swing to get comedy legend Bob Mortimer for the upcoming game Murals
Dlala Studios discusses the surprising process of securing British comedy legend Bob Mortimer for their upcoming game, Murals. The studio founder shares how they took a chance by asking Mortimer's representatives, leading to him voicing the character 'Magic Dave'. The interview also touches on Dlala's journey from work-for-hire on titles like Battletoads and Disney Illusion Island to self-publishing their own original IP, Murals, highlighting the risks and rewards of independent development.
Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie on the Evercade Nexus use the original Rare source code, which included 'a load of stuff' that the studio didn't even know about, Blaze Entertainment says
Blaze Entertainment discovered hidden features, including unreleased tracks and a level editor, within the original source code of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie while developing ports for the Evercade Nexus. Rare provided the N64 source code, revealing content the studio itself was unaware of. These discoveries have been implemented in the new Banjo-Kazooie Double Pack for the Evercade Nexus.
Banjo-Kazooie predecessor Project Dream seemingly uploaded online
Rare's unreleased game Project Dream, the predecessor to Banjo-Kazooie, has reportedly been uploaded to Archive.org. The game was originally in development for the Super Nintendo before being canceled and re-envisioned as Banjo-Kazooie for the Nintendo 64. The authenticity of the uploaded build is currently unconfirmed.
The Rare SNES game that became Banjo-Kazooie has been preserved thanks to a leaker who wants you to "delete…
A leaker has released the ROM files for Project Dream, a canceled Super Nintendo pirate RPG prototype that served as the basis for Rare's Banjo-Kazooie. The leaker cited concerns about the current state of the game industry, including layoffs, anti-preservation tactics, and Microsoft's management of Rare, as reasons for the release. The leaker also expressed strong negative sentiments towards Microsoft and Sony, urging boycotts.
Star Fox Adventures finally hits Switch 2 today, and I'm willing myself to believe the Zelda-like is as good as I…
Star Fox Adventures, Rare's 2002 GameCube action-adventure title, has been added to the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube library. The game is available today, September 9, exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers. The article reflects on the game's controversial legacy and its transition from the original Dinosaur Planet concept.
Now You Can Play Star Fox Adventures On Switch 2 And Decide If It’s Terrible Or Great Yourself
Star Fox Adventures, originally a GameCube title developed by Rare, has been added to the Nintendo Switch Online service for subscribers of the Expansion Pack. The game, which marked a departure from the series' traditional dog-fighting gameplay with its Zelda-like action-adventure style, is now available for players to experience and form their own opinions on its divisive legacy.
Star Fox on Switch 2 is Getting 3 New Battle Mode Stages on September 29th
Nintendo is releasing a free update for Star Fox on Nintendo Switch on September 29th, adding three new stages and split-screen support for up to four players in Battle Mode. Additionally, Star Fox Adventures is now available as a Nintendo GameCube Classic, featuring Fox McCloud exploring Dinosaur Planet.
In a world of Slime Rancher and Palworld, I still crave more Viva Piñata
This article reflects on Rare's 2006 title Viva Piñata, contrasting its charming life simulation gameplay with the studio's earlier, edgier titles and later Microsoft projects. Despite not being a commercial success, Viva Piñata is praised for retaining Rare's distinctive design magic and offering a surprisingly deep experience with a hidden dark side.
Sea of Thieves promises changes to its cash shop that swing the balance back to earnable cosmetics
Sea of Thieves production director Drew Stevens announced upcoming changes to the game's cash shop, set to begin in October with Season 21. These changes will introduce smaller bundles of high-quality items, more brand collaborations, and cosmetics inspired by Rare's back catalog, while in-game currency cosmetics will see a stronger offering. Additionally, a planned experiment will remove a ship's emissary status upon portal hopping to address PvP player utilization.
Banjo-Kazooie composer says "like 3 companies" have pitched a new entry in the series, but "Rare just…
Banjo-Kazooie composer Grant Kirkhope stated that multiple companies have pitched new game ideas to Microsoft and Rare, but Rare has consistently rejected them. Kirkhope expressed a desire to be involved if a new game is ever made and suggested Day 4 Night Studios or Toys For Bob as potential developers.
Synths, impossible physics, and an "erotic experience with a PS5 controller" - the side projects of game devs are a reminder creativity is undimmable
This article highlights the undimmable nature of human creativity through the lens of game developers' personal side projects. Despite industry pressures, developers are pursuing diverse creative outlets, from interactive fiction and VR experiences to physical art and hardware experiments, demonstrating a persistent drive to create for its own sake.
New Banjo-Kazooie releases are "native ports," so devs could add cut content and "bonus features" to…
Evercade has released a new physical collection of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, utilizing brand new native ports instead of emulation. These ports allow for the addition of cut content and quality-of-life features, such as a tip-toe button, improved camera controls, and the ability to skip cutscenes. Xbox executive Matt Booty also commented on the potential for legacy IP like Banjo-Kazooie.
Human: Fall Flat veterans launch new UK studio Pretty Cool Games with funding from Arknights developer Hypergraph
Human: Fall Flat veterans Sitara Shefta and Will Dudley have launched a new UK-based studio, Pretty Cool Games, with undisclosed funding from Arknights developer Hypergryph. The studio aims to build a sustainable and fair environment for employees, drawing inspiration from Nintendo, Hazelight, Disney theme parks, and The Pink Panther for its debut title. Pretty Cool Games is currently a team of four and plans to expand, with a focus on rewarding employees through share schemes.
Six Nintendo 64 Classics That Are Still Flawless — No Notes Needed
This article highlights six enduring Nintendo 64 titles that remain flawless nearly three decades after the console's release. Games like Super Mario 64, Star Fox 64, Banjo-Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, Paper Mario, and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time are praised for their timeless design and gameplay.
Recension – Agent 64: Spies Never Die
Agent 64: Spies Never Die is a first-person shooter that pays homage to classics like GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark, featuring challenging gameplay and a split-screen multiplayer mode. While it successfully captures the nostalgic feel and difficulty of its inspirations, it lacks some of the polish and features, such as dual-wielding and more impactful animations, found in the original Rare titles. The game offers a substantial single-player campaign and various multiplayer options, making it a strong recommendation for fans of retro shooters.
UK video game industry charity football match raises over £63,000 for physically disabled gamers
The video game charity SpecialEffect's One Big Game football event successfully raised over £63,000 to support physically disabled gamers. The 24-hour event featured teams from various UK game development studios, including Activision, Electronic Arts, and Xbox, competing to raise funds for adaptive gaming hardware and tools.
If you're not paying attention to retro game recompilations, you're missing the most exciting thing in gaming…
The article argues that retro game recompilations, which involve reverse-engineering and rewriting old game code for modern hardware, represent the most exciting development in gaming. These fan-made projects offer enhanced graphics, accessibility options, and improved performance, often surpassing official preservation efforts. While facing challenges like low-effort AI-generated content, the scene is rapidly growing with numerous notable recompilations and more anticipated.
