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In a wild turn for the Subnautica 2 lawsuit, a judge orders Krafton to restore fired Unknown Worlds CEO and gives them 9…
A judge has ordered Krafton to reinstate former Unknown Worlds CEO Ted Gill and return control of Subnautica 2's early access release schedule to him, nine months after his termination. The court found Krafton breached their agreement by firing key employees without cause to avoid a $250 million payout tied to sales targets. Krafton stated they are evaluating their options while focusing on delivering the game to fans.
Obituary: ISM co-founder Clyde Grossman has passed away
Clyde Grossman, co-founder of the Interactive Studio Management (ISM) agency, has passed away. ISM, which has been operating for over 26 years, specialized in providing strategic advice and closing publishing deals for interactive entertainment clients. Grossman was instrumental in the success of numerous game developers and titles, and previously held executive roles at Sony Computer Entertainment of America, Microprose, and Sega of America.
Business and Finance
A Saudi Arabian investment firm, which also owns SNK, has acquired a significant stake in Capcom. Separately, Niantic is leveraging data from Pokemon Go for applications outside of video games, such as aiding robot food delivery.
Welcome to AI Week
GamesIndustry.biz is launching an editorial series focused on the impact of artificial intelligence across the gaming industry. The series will feature articles, interviews, and analysis exploring AI's role in game development, its potential to offset costs, and the divisive opinions it generates among developers, executives, and players.
The Daily Grind: Do you believe failed games are often ‘rugpulls’ and ‘money burners’?
This opinion piece discusses whether failed video games are often intentional 'rugpulls' or 'money burners' where developers knowingly release doomed projects, or if they are simply gambles inherent in game development. The author suggests that while some games may fail, it's important to consider the inherent risks and the possibility of refunds, questioning whether studios should launch games to test their viability.
MMO Week in Review: Pre-seasoning Elder Scrolls Online
This week's MMO news roundup covers updates for Elder Scrolls Online, World of Warcraft's Midnight expansion, and previews for Final Fantasy XIV and Palia. The article also discusses player tendencies to rush MMORPG expansions and features opinions on various titles and industry issues, including comments from Jeff Kaplan regarding Activision Blizzard.
Pokemon Pokopia: Sparkling Skylands Progression Guide
Pokemon Pokopia: Sparkling Skylands has achieved significant commercial success, selling over 2.2 million copies in its first four days and boosting Nintendo's market capitalization by $14 billion. The game's strong performance has generated considerable excitement and speculation about the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2.
Overwatch co-creator claims he was told if game didn’t hit certain revenue goals “we’re gonna lay off a 1000 people and it’s gonna be on you”
Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan revealed that he was threatened with layoffs of 1,000 employees if Overwatch 2 did not meet specific revenue targets. Kaplan stated that unreasonable expectations placed on the Overwatch League contributed to his departure from Blizzard Entertainment.
Shop Sim Gets Wild: Update Adds Thieves, Baseball Bats & Auto-Cashiers
The shop simulation game 'Shop Sim' is receiving a significant update that introduces new mechanics such as thieves, baseball bat combat, and auto-cashiers. Developer Xeirel has detailed changes including reduced profit margins and a reputation system that penalizes attacking innocent customers. This update aims to add more challenge and risk-reward gameplay to the cozy retail sim.
Epic Games defends Fortnite's controversial V-Bucks price hike, insisting it's in "direct correlation to the operating costs" and teasing "amazing things" are coming that'll make you "understand what's been going on"
Epic Games has announced an upcoming price increase for Fortnite's V-Bucks currency, citing "direct correlation to the operating costs" of running the business. This change, effective March 19, will reduce the amount of V-Bucks players receive for their money. Epic Games is also teasing significant new content and features expected within the next six to twelve months.
10 Key Moments That Cemented Sofia Vergara’s Place in Hollywood
This article highlights ten key moments that have cemented Sofia Vergara's status as a Hollywood icon. It covers her breakout role in Modern Family, her journey from Colombia, her business ventures, her transformation in Griselda, and her resilience in overcoming thyroid cancer, showcasing her multifaceted career and enduring charisma.
Epic is increasing the cost of V-Bucks to “pay the bills” as the cost of “running Fortnite has gone up a lot” – sure, sure.
Epic Games is increasing the price of V-Bucks in Fortnite, citing rising operational costs. The price adjustments will take effect on March 19, 2026, with subscribers to Fortnite Crew receiving fewer V-Bucks per month.
Former Overwatch Boss Describes "F--k You" Moment That Led To Blizzard Exit
Former Overwatch co-creator Jeff Kaplan explained that a significant "f--k you moment" involving financial demands from Activision Blizzard led to his departure. He was reportedly told that if Overwatch didn't meet specific revenue targets, 1,000 people would be laid off, a situation he found surreal. Kaplan also discussed how pressure from investors and the Overwatch League interfered with game development, leading to a focus on quick monetization over new content.
Valve peels back the curtain in rare Steam presentation: "More games are finding success" than ever, and nearly 6,000 made over $100,000 last year
Valve held a rare presentation at GDC revealing that more games are finding success on Steam than ever before, with nearly 6,000 titles earning over $100,000 last year. The company highlighted improvements to its discovery system and daily deals, noting that 1,500 games were featured in 2025, with 69% of them being featured for the first time.
Valve says almost 6,000 games made over $100K on Steam last year
Valve revealed that 5,863 games generated over $100,000 in revenue on Steam in 2025, showing a significant increase from previous years. The company also shared data on the platform's massive data usage, with Steam users downloading 100 exabytes of games in 2025.
Valve says 5,863 titles earned over $100,000 on Steam in 2025
Valve reported that 5,863 games on Steam earned over $100,000 in 2025, a significant increase from approximately 3,000 in 2020. The company also highlighted record-breaking concurrent user numbers, with over 42 million peak concurrent users and 13.9 million in-game concurrent users. Valve emphasized its commitment to growing the opportunity for developers on Steam, citing improvements to Daily Deals that led to a 274 percent year-over-year increase in developer revenue from those promotions.
Pokémon Pokopia boosts Nintendo shares – but what is the secret of its success?
Pokémon Pokopia has become an unexpected success for the Nintendo Switch, boosting Nintendo's share price by 10.5%. Despite initial concerns and supply shortages, the life simulation game has received widespread critical acclaim and is the best-selling title on the eShop. This success is contrasted with Sega's recent struggles, where strong reviews for titles like Shinobi: Art Of Vengeance and Two Point Museum have not translated into high sales, highlighting potential issues with marketing and sales mechanisms.
55-year games industry vet helped make the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but said "I don't care" as long as he got to keep crafting games: "A business does not love you back, unless you are a business person"
Veteran game developer Don Daglow, a pioneer of the first CRPG and MMORPG, shared his perspective on the industry at the 2026 Game Developers Conference, where he will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Despite facing layoffs and bankruptcy, Daglow emphasized that the craft of game development is paramount, stating that 'a business does not love you back' unless one is solely focused on business aspects.
Epic Games claims the cost of running games 'has gone up a lot' as it hikes V-buck prices
Epic Games is increasing the price of V-Bucks in Fortnite starting March 19, citing rising operational costs. Standard packs will offer fewer V-Bucks for the same price, and the Battle Pass and other in-game purchases will also see reduced V-Bucks rewards. This change has been met with player dissatisfaction.
Fortnite to raise V-Buck prices later this month "to help pay the bills" after Epic Games generated over $6 billion last year
Epic Games is increasing the price of V-Bucks in Fortnite starting March 19th, citing the need to "pay the bills" despite generating over $6 billion last year. This change will result in players receiving fewer V-Bucks for their money across various pack sizes. To mitigate disappointment, Epic is offering a 20 percent cashback on premium currency purchases made through the Epic Games Store.
