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Metacore restructuring to the tune of 'up to 160' redundancies
Metacore is planning a significant restructuring, potentially leading to up to 160 redundancies in Finland, due to the plateaued growth of its hit game Merge Mansion and unsuccessful new investments. Concurrently, Supercell, already a major shareholder, will acquire the rest of Metacore, aiming to scale Merge Mansion back into a leading position within its category.
Rumored PVP Assassin’s Creed game could be the next one on the chopping block after ‘f**king awful’ private playtest
Ubisoft's rumored PVP Assassin's Creed game, codenamed Invictus, is reportedly facing delays or cancellation following a poorly received private playtest. Sources describe the game, which is said to resemble Fall Guys with an Assassin's Creed twist, as 'fucking awful.' This comes as Ubisoft has been canceling multiple projects amid significant financial losses and a decline in stock value.
‘Nightingale is our baby,’ Inflexion boss says, but Conan Exiles Enhanced ‘helps us pay the bills’
Inflexion Games, a studio owned by Tencent, is prioritizing the development of Conan Exiles Enhanced, which is helping to fund their original game, Nightingale. While Nightingale remains their 'baby,' major development on it is paused for the foreseeable future, with the team focusing on Conan Exiles to maintain solvency and keep the studio employed. Inflexion plans to return to Nightingale once the Conan project is complete, applying lessons learned to its future development.
A New The Division PC Game Is Out Right Now, And It's Free
Ubisoft has released The Division Resurgence on PC in early access, available for free via Ubisoft Connect. This RPG looter-shooter is set in New York City and supports cross-saves with mobile versions, with a full launch planned for August. The game will receive seasonal content updates, including a major story expansion in Season 3.
Marvel’s Venom is Reportedly Still in Development
Reports suggest that a Venom game, titled Venom: Lethal Protector, is still in development at Insomniac Games, potentially following the events of Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and targeting a late 2025 release. This contradicts earlier claims of the game being scrapped, though Jason Schreier has disputed some of the information. Insomniac Games is currently focused on the upcoming Marvel's Wolverine for PlayStation 5.
Benoit Richer, Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe game director, leaves Ubisoft
Benoit Richer, the game director for the upcoming Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe, has left Ubisoft to co-found a new independent studio called Servo Games. Richer is the third key team member to depart the project, following Marc-Alexis Côté and Clint Hocking. Assassin's Creed Codename Hexe was announced in 2022 and is being developed at Vantage Studios.
Issues and Activism
Games for Change and Tencent have launched Raising Good Gamers, an initiative aimed at assisting families in navigating video games. The program focuses on promoting positive gaming habits and responsible play among younger audiences.
Far Cry TV Series Won't Adapt Any Of The Games, Showrunner Says
Showrunner Noah Hawley stated that the upcoming Far Cry TV series will not directly adapt any of the existing games. Instead, Hawley intends to explore his own interpretation of the franchise's themes within an anthology format, with each season featuring a new setting and characters. This approach aims to overcome the challenges of adapting video game narratives for television.
Funcom and Nightingale devs rebrand and refurb Conan Exiles with an ‘Enhanced’ UE5 version on PC
Funcom and Inflexion Games, both owned by Tencent, have announced Conan Exiles Enhanced, a free visual overhaul for the survival game built in Unreal Engine 5. This update, launching May 5th for PC players who own the base game, promises significantly improved visuals, performance, and modern rendering technology. While initially launching on Steam and targeting 60+ FPS on most PCs and Steam Deck, there are future plans to evaluate releases on other platforms.
GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE 3.5 ANNIVERSARY UPDATE NOW LIVE WITH ANIS’ GLOBAL IDOL COMEBACK TOUR
Level Infinite and SHIFT UP have launched the 3.5 Anniversary Update for Goddess of Victory: Nikke, titled 'Lights of Hope.' The update features the return of fan-favorite character Anis as the lead singer of T.T. STAR, introduces three new NIKKE characters, offers over 160 free pulls, and includes new main story content. The celebration extends to real-world events with T.T. STAR lighting up landmarks in major cities and culminating in a live performance at Tower Bridge.
Indie Jam Marks Fourth Edition With Malaysia’s Largest Indie Game Showcase
The fourth annual Indie Jam, held at Management and Science University, showcased over 60 games from 8 countries, marking Malaysia's largest indie game showcase. The event facilitated networking, mentorship, and career opportunities for emerging developers, alongside student competitions and a pitch competition for business development.
Dead by Daylight studio Behaviour Interactive confirms layoffs
Behaviour Interactive, the studio behind Dead by Daylight, has confirmed layoffs due to a decline in demand for mobile and casual external development projects. The company cited the conclusion of remaining engagements and a lack of comparable future opportunities as reasons for parting ways with some employees. This news follows Behaviour's recent acquisition of The Fun Pimps and the closure of its Midwinter Entertainment subsidiary.
Ubisoft Cancels Animal Crossing-Inspired Game - Report
Ubisoft has reportedly canceled its upcoming Animal Crossing-inspired game, Alterra, which was in development at Ubisoft Montreal for three years. Staff working on the voxel-art title, which featured building mechanics similar to Minecraft, have been reassigned to other projects. This cancellation is part of Ubisoft's broader cost-cutting measures, though the company also confirmed new IPs and installments in the Assassin's Creed and Far Cry franchises are planned.
Is Fortnite Toxic? An Honest Answer Backed by Data (2026) | TAG
Data suggests Fortnite's reputation for toxicity is more nuanced than commonly perceived, with lower rates of identity-based harassment compared to other competitive shooters. While age-driven trash talk and skill-gap frustration are prevalent, especially in modes like Ranked, Epic Games has implemented moderation tools and default communication settings to mitigate harm, particularly for younger players.
GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE CELEBRATES 3.5 ANNIVERSARY WITH GLOBAL T.T. STAR IDOL TOUR STARTING APRIL 23
Level Infinite has detailed the upcoming 3.5 Anniversary event for Goddess of Victory: Nikke, featuring a global idol comeback tour for the character Anis. The celebration includes new NIKKE characters, exclusive skins, a music-rhythm mini-game, main story chapters, and over 160 free pulls. The event also includes a global Commander Cheering Campaign with real-world landmark light-ups.
Vague Patch Notes: No, ‘foreigners’ are not coming for the American games industry
This article critiques the notion that Asian game developers are poised to overtake the American industry due to their embrace of generative AI. It argues that many Asian companies struggle to penetrate Western markets and that the real issues facing the industry include over-reliance on single titles, fixation on graphics, studio cannibalization, and poor working conditions, rather than external threats.
Games and movies are rushing to jump into bed while they're still getting to know each other | Opinion
The London Games Festival highlighted the growing excitement and challenges in adapting video games into films and TV shows. While interest and the number of projects are increasing, a significant gap in understanding between the gaming and film industries persists regarding deal-making and creative control. Both sides are learning to adapt to each other's business practices to capitalize on lucrative partnerships.
Morning Mobilization
This article analyzes how China has become a dominant force in the global mobile games market, highlighting the success of companies like Tencent and NetEase. It also explores strategies for Western companies to effectively compete in this landscape.
XSOLLA BRINGS ACCESSIBILITY, SOCIAL IMPACT, AND ENTERTAINMENT IP LICENSING WITH XSOLLA AGENCY TO LONDON GAMES FESTIVAL 2026
Xsolla is participating in the London Games Festival 2026 with initiatives focused on gaming accessibility, social impact, and entertainment IP licensing. The company is involved in a charity campaign with Stevenage FC and SpecialEffect to fund accessible gaming setups, will present at the inaugural Games for Change London Summit, and will highlight its Xsolla Agency services for IP licensing at Games Meets Music The B-Side.
Phantom Blade Zero isn't using AI: "Human artistry is the value itself"
S-Game has confirmed that Phantom Blade Zero will not use generative AI in its development, emphasizing that all content is created by human artists. The studio highlighted the use of motion capture for characters and martial arts professionals for combat, with hand-drawn maps inspired by traditional Chinese art. This commitment to human artistry is presented as a core value of the game's development.
