Unity
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EA Has Officially Been Sold, And What Comes Next Could Be Painful
Electronic Arts has been acquired by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund in a $55 billion leveraged buyout, making it the largest LBO in history. The deal has raised concerns about potential layoffs, studio closures, and game cancellations due to the significant debt involved. EA CEO Andrew Wilson will remain in his position, but the company's future financial operations will be less transparent as it moves from public to private ownership.
Evening Reading - July 31, 2026
This edition of Evening Reading covers several industry updates, including PlayStation's cautious approach to ending physical disc support, Razer's acquisition of StreamElements, and Unity supplying Netflix Games with a dedicated engine. Nexus Mods updated its guidelines for generative AI tagging, Dragon's Dogma 2 will feature a Hard Mode, and various download deals are available for PlayStation and PC.
Game and Mod Development
Unity has announced dedicated engine support for Netflix Games. This partnership aims to streamline game development for Netflix's growing roster of titles.
Unity is supplying Netflix Games with a dedicated engine
Unity and Netflix Games have announced a deepened partnership, with Unity providing a dedicated game engine for Netflix's upcoming projects. This engine is already in use by Night School Studio for its new games and has previously powered titles like Black Mirror: Thronglets and Squid Game: Unleashed.
Unity announces dedicated engine for Netflix Games
Unity has announced a dedicated engine for Netflix Games, aimed at optimizing cloud gaming and simplifying cross-platform development. Netflix-owned Night School Studio has already utilized the engine for its recent titles. This partnership follows Unity's recent announcement of Unity 7, scheduled for beta testing in December and a full release in Q1 2027.
Unity brings dedicated engine support to Netflix Games
Unity is providing dedicated engine support to Netflix Games, aiming to simplify the creation of titles across Netflix's mobile and television platforms. This collaboration includes optimizations for Netflix's cloud gaming services, enabling studios to develop games for multiple platforms from a single build. Several Netflix titles, such as Unhinged and Squid Game: Unleashed, have already been developed using Unity.
Fishing arrives on Plooshy Island five days after The Plooshies put it on the roadmap
The Plooshies have released a new fishing minigame for their game Plooshy Island, just five days after it was added to the project's roadmap. The minigame, built from scratch in Unity, includes an inventory system, rarity tiers for catches, and 14 fishing spots, with plans for a daily rotation in the future. This marks the first major gameplay addition to Plooshy Island since its initial release.
After leaving Epic Games last month, its former 'Unreal evangelist' is now building his own game engine
Former Epic Games "Unreal evangelist" Sjoerd De Jong has co-founded a new company, Immens Engine, to develop a game engine intended as an alternative to Unreal Engine and Unity. De Jong believes the dominance of existing engines has led to stagnation and aims to create a modern engine from the ground up, with a particular focus on accommodating AI integration. The team also includes former Epic technical director Arjan Brussee.
Inaugural Asymptotes event puts spotlight on abandoned games
The inaugural Asymptotes event in Melbourne celebrated abandoned and unfinished game projects, focusing on imperfection and non-commercial game development. Organized by Swinburne University students, the event showcased six games and featured panels discussing game design as an artistic practice, contrasting with the industry's commercial focus.
Game and Mod Development
Unity announced that Unity 7 will launch in Q1 2027, and that this new engine is a direct continuation of Unity 6. The article also touches on what developers can learn from the current generation of game criticism.
Unity demonstrates 'an Unreal character running through a Unity world' for the first time
Unity demonstrated a Unity Engine game running natively within an Unreal Engine game, showcasing a step towards an interconnected gaming ecosystem. This collaboration with Epic Games aims to allow Unity developers to publish their games within Fortnite, with a new integration planned for early access in 2027. The demonstration featured an Unreal character running through a Unity world with synchronized physics, lighting, and input.
Unity 7 Roadmap: Public API, CLI and a Free MCP Bring the Editor to Non-Users and Coding Agents
Unity has announced its Unity 7 roadmap, introducing a public API and a command-line interface to allow asset validation and build shipping without needing the full Editor. A free MCP will integrate coding agents like Claude Code and Cursor directly into Unity projects. An early beta is planned for December 2026, with a full launch in Q1 2027, aiming to make the Unity Editor accessible to a wider range of users and automated agents.
Unity 7 to release in 2027, helps devs "ship sharper graphics"
Unity has announced Unity 7, scheduled for release in Q1 2027 following a beta in December 2026. The new version aims to improve development speed with features like faster shader builds and near-instant Play Mode, alongside enhanced graphics capabilities such as dynamic global illumination and neural upscaling. It will also introduce new monetization tools and improved collaboration features for developers.
"Built for that world doesn't mean built to require it": Unity reveal their next game engine while walking a careful line around generative AI
Unity has announced Unity 7, the next iteration of its game engine, promising smoother project transitions from Unity 6 and a more open approach to collaboration. While incorporating generative AI features, Unity is emphasizing that these are optional. The engine will adopt CoreCLR as its default scripting backend for faster performance and introduce a new global illumination system. Unity 7 is set for an early beta in December 2026 and a full release in early 2027, aiming to rebuild developer trust after past pricing controversies.
Unity 7 to launch in Q1 2027; new engine is a "direct continuation" of Unity 6
Unity announced that Unity 7, a direct continuation of the Unity 6 architecture, will launch in Q1 2027 after a beta in December 2026. The new engine features a modern CoreCLR foundation, advanced rendering tools like real-time global illumination, and a new CLI and public API for easier integration with artists' and developers' preferred tools. Unity 7 emphasizes flexibility, allowing developers to choose whether or not to integrate AI coding agents into their workflows.
Unity unveils Unity 7 roadmap with update path that won't break your build
Unity announced its roadmap for Unity 7, promising speedier workflows, an improved ecosystem, and better graphics with a direct upgrade path from Unity 6. The new version will enter early beta in December 2026 and release in early 2027. Unity 7 will also offer more flexibility regarding generative AI integration, allowing developers to choose their level of adoption.
"I'm not a creative. I like spreadsheets" – The low-profile team that powers Marathon, Subnautica 2, NBA 2K, and more
Wolfjaw Studios, founded by Mitch Patterson, specializes in providing essential backend infrastructure and co-development services to major game studios, rather than developing original titles. The Troy, New York-based company has worked on franchises like Destiny 2, Marathon, NBA 2K, and Subnautica, focusing on the 'boring but essential' aspects of game development that creatives often avoid. Patterson emphasizes their stability, long-term client relationships, and their goal to make game development more accessible with manageable budgets.
Why releasing games on the web could be right for your studio in 2026
Web-based gaming presents a significant, often overlooked opportunity for studios in 2026, offering access to a vast audience without storefront restrictions and potential for recurring revenue. While not suitable for large-scale narrative epics, browser games excel with short-form, instantly accessible experiences, appealing to a diverse demographic and allowing for de-risked development cycles and rapid iteration.
Aream & Co: Gaming M&A hits $2.3bn in Q2, highest level since 2022
Gaming mergers and acquisitions reached $2.3 billion in Q2 2026, marking the highest level since 2022, according to Aream & Co. Mid-market acquisitions, particularly in PC and mobile gaming, drove this growth. Despite a decline in mobile installs and spending, PC gaming saw a 13% increase, and Nintendo reported significant revenue gains from its Switch 2 hardware and software.
Business and Finance
Unity has announced that it will hold its second quarter 2026 financial results webcast on a date yet to be specified. The company will share its performance and business updates during the event.