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World Premiere: Cats in the Shell, a Mecha-Customizing Roguelike with Thrilling Battles
Raven Studio, formed by veterans from Tencent and NetEase, has revealed its debut title, Cats in the Shell, a mech-building roguelike auto battler published by Infini Fun. The game will feature strategic cat pilots, over 1,000 customizable equipment parts, and dynamic auto-battler sequences. It is set to launch on PC via Steam Early Access in Q4 2026, with a public playtest available now.
GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE’S SUMMER UPDATE ‘WAVE TO YOU’ AVAILABLE NOW
Level Infinite and SHIFT UP have launched the summer update 'Wave To You' for the sci-fi RPG shooter Goddess of Victory: Nikkke. The update is available on PC and mobile devices and introduces new characters, swimsuit costumes, a boss battle, and a mini-game. The game has been downloaded over 45 million times since its launch.
Sega Europe vet Post steps down as West Studios COO, Rovio's Pelletier-Normand taking his place
Jurgen Post is stepping down as COO of Sega Europe's West Studios and will be replaced by Rovio's CEO, Alex Pelletier-Normand, who will hold both positions. Post will remain with Sega Europe in an advisory capacity, while Tatsuyuki Miyazaki takes over his regional managing director responsibilities. This transition follows Sega's acquisition of Rovio in 2023.
Ubisoft taps former 2K president Christoph Hartmann to oversee shooter franchises
Ubisoft has appointed former 2K president Christoph Hartmann to lead its new 'Creative House 2' division, which focuses on shooter franchises like The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. This move comes as Ubisoft restructures its studio ecosystem, which has also involved significant cost-cutting measures and layoffs.
Ubisoft Barcelona staff goes on strike over proposed layoffs
Ubisoft Barcelona employees have initiated strikes lasting until July 17, protesting proposed layoffs that could affect 51 workers. The studio is set to be restructured to focus solely on the Rainbow Six franchise. Workers are demanding job security, adherence to internal promotions, improved salary and benefits, and a return to a 60% remote work model.
Conan Exiles announces four-part Legacy of the Giant-Kings story arc as the game sets new concurrency record
Funcom and Inflexion Games have announced 'Legacy of the Giant-Kings,' a four-part story arc for Conan Exiles Enhanced, with the first part launching on July 21st. This update follows a record-breaking surge in concurrent players for the game's Enhanced version and will introduce new content, including the ability to repair Legendary gear.
Rainbow Six Siege developers go on strike through July to protest mass layoffs and RTO policies at Ubisoft Barcelona
Staff at Ubisoft Barcelona, the studio behind Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege, are striking throughout July to protest mass layoffs and return-to-office policies. The industrial action, organized by the Spanish union La Confederación General del Trabajo, includes demands for protection against future dismissals, reinstatement of promotion packages, and a return to hybrid working.
Steam Machine sticker shock, even more Ubisoft layoffs, and another Xbox price hike - Patch Notes #58
This week's gaming news highlights include the high pricing of the Steam Machine starting at $1,049, Ubisoft laying off 93 employees and closing studios, and Microsoft increasing Xbox console prices again. Grand Theft Auto 6 will retail for $79.99, while Kingdom Come: Deliverance II has surpassed 6 million sales. Tencent is reportedly considering exiting some Japanese studios.
Tencent, Xbox, Game Angels, Ansible and Flick to speak on Game Republic New Horizons investor stage
The Game Republic New Horizons conference will feature speakers from Tencent, Xbox, The Game Angels, Ansible, and Flick Games on its investor stage. The event, co-hosted by Games London, aims to connect game studios with investors and funders. Separately, Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra discussed the ongoing global chip shortage, predicting gradual improvement in 2028 due to increased demand from data centers powering AI.
FromSoftware parent CEO keeps position following activist investors' disappointment in firm's handling of Elden Ring
Takeshi Natsuno will remain CEO of Kadokawa Corporation, the parent company of FromSoftware, despite a significant drop in shareholder support. Activist investor group Oasis Management had pushed for his removal, citing concerns over Kadokawa's handling of Elden Ring's success and potential profit leakage. The company has stated it will review its management structure and business plans.
Tim Sweeney says only hope for new games is to 'connect to economies of other games'
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney believes that connecting virtual economies between different games is the only way for new titles to succeed against established giants like Fortnite and Roblox. He suggests that enabling players to transfer in-game items and investments across games, even those from different companies, will reinvigorate the market and drive player engagement towards in-game purchases over buying full games.
Atari and MobyGames launch new career development platform called Moby Professional
Atari and its subsidiary MobyGames have launched Moby Professional, a new online platform designed to help game industry professionals find jobs, network, and develop their careers. The platform offers free and premium tiers, with the premium features available for free during a beta period expected to last through summer 2026. Moby Professional leverages MobyGames' extensive database of game development credits to provide personalized career insights and job recommendations.
Evening Reading - June 23, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers various gaming industry happenings, including Tencent's reported exits from Japanese studios, EA layoffs, and new game announcements like Montabi and Tanuki: Pon's Summer. It also touches on the upcoming EVO 2026 fighting game tournament and reflections on Sonic's 35th birthday and the legacy of 3D graphics in gaming.
Business and Finance
Tencent is reportedly considering withdrawing from several gaming investments, while GameStop's Ryan Cohen has withdrawn a CEO performance award as the company shifts its focus to eBay. These developments highlight shifts in the business and finance landscape of the gaming industry.
Business and Finance
Tencent is reportedly in discussions to divest its stakes in several Japanese game studios, potentially incurring a loss. Meanwhile, Italy's second-largest independent game studio has successfully bought back its independence from Embracer Group.
Tencent reportedly negotiating exits from various Japanese studios including Marvelous
Tencent is reportedly negotiating to sell its minority stakes in several Japanese game studios, including Marvelous, potentially at a loss. Investments in PlatinumGames, FromSoftware, and Kadokawa Corporation are unaffected. The company is shifting its focus towards user-generated content games and its existing portfolio teams.
Report: Tencent mulling exits from multiple Japanese studios
Chinese conglomerate Tencent is reportedly considering selling off minority stakes in several Japanese game studios, potentially at a financial loss. This move is part of a portfolio reassessment aimed at refocusing on user-generated content platforms. While investments in PlatinumGames Inc and FromSoftware are reportedly safe, the future of other studios like Marvelous remains uncertain.
Tencent is reportedly looking to back out of several studio investments like Story of Seasons developer Marvelous, but…
Tencent is reportedly looking to divest from several minority investments in video game studios, including a 20% stake in Marvelous, the developer of Story of Seasons. This reassessment of its portfolio may involve selling stakes back to original management, even at a loss. Investments in studios like PlatinumGames and FromSoftware are reportedly unaffected.
Report: Tencent plans to exit investments in Japanese studios like Story of Seasons developer Marvelous
Tencent is reportedly considering exiting some of its minority investments in Japanese game studios, including Marvelous, as part of a global portfolio reassessment. This move aims to divest stakes where envisioned synergies have lapsed, though investments in companies like FromSoftware and PlatinumGames are expected to remain unaffected. Tencent has stated its continued commitment to the Japanese game market.
Tencent considering offloading Marvelous and some other gaming companies
Tencent is reportedly considering divesting from some of its gaming investments, including Marvelous, to reallocate resources towards artificial intelligence. This strategic shift is part of a larger industry race among major tech companies like Alibaba Group Holding and ByteDance.