Game Development
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Cloud Imperium delays Squadron 42 to 2027 – "There is no way I want to launch into the attention buzz saw of GTA 6"
Cloud Imperium Games has delayed the release of Squadron 42 to Q2 2027, with CEO Chris Roberts citing the need to avoid launching alongside Grand Theft Auto 6. The Star Citizen spin-off, which began development in 2014, will see a limited release to original backers in October. Roberts emphasized that the game requires dedicated attention from the gaming world to succeed.
"Somebody will make the Half-Life 2 of AI" - after the Rideshare controversy, Saber CCO says something will come along and "change people's minds" about gen-AI
Saber Interactive's Chief Creative Officer Tim Willits believes a groundbreaking game akin to "Half-Life 2 of AI" will emerge, changing public perception of generative AI in gaming. Despite recent controversy surrounding its use in "Rideshare Stimulator," Saber is experimenting with AI, with Willits emphasizing the need for innovation and the potential for AI to create new experiences, drawing parallels to the initial skepticism surrounding Steam.
Spanish union calls for ongoing strike action at Ubisoft Mobile Barcelona
The Spanish union Coordinadora Sindical del Videojuego (CSV) is organizing a series of strike actions at Ubisoft Mobile Barcelona throughout September and October 2026. The strikes are in protest against a mandatory return-to-office policy, with the union claiming Ubisoft has refused to negotiate. This action follows a company-wide restructure and a significant investment from Tencent.
Rockstar formed a new LA-based team to develop more realistic NPCs for Grand Theft Auto 6
Rockstar Games has formed a new Los Angeles-based team dedicated to creating more realistic Non-Player Characters (NPCs) for Grand Theft Auto 6. This team aims to enhance the game's interactive fidelity, building upon the detailed environments seen in Red Dead Redemption 2. The studio confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will feature over 600,000 NPC animations and will not include generative AI or microtransactions.
Star Citizen-kampanjen Squadron 42 försenas till andra kvartalet 2027
The single-player campaign for Star Citizen, Squadron 42, has been delayed to the second quarter of 2027. While a limited group of backers and content creators will get to test the game in October, a specific release date for Star Citizen itself has not been provided.
Det här visades i GTA VI-djupdykningen
Rockstar Games showcased gameplay for the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI, featuring protagonists Lucia and Jason. The demonstration highlighted detailed environments, character switching mechanics similar to Grand Theft Auto V, and a variety of activities beyond missions, including diving, racing, and combat. The footage, reportedly running on a PlayStation 5, concluded with a release date of November 19.
Rockstar is cautious about what to satirize in GTA 6: "Specific political issues or memes will date fast"
Rockstar North co-studio head Rob Nelson discussed the challenges of satire in Grand Theft Auto 6, emphasizing the need for timeless themes over fleeting political issues or memes due to long development cycles. He explained that while satire is inherent to the series, they carefully select topics to avoid dating the content, even influencing character dialogue to be less contemporary.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Features “Well Over” 600,000 Animations, Double of Red Dead Redemption 2
Rockstar Games has revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 features over 600,000 animations, more than double the 300,000 in Red Dead Redemption 2 and significantly more than Grand Theft Auto 5's 55,000. The studio also confirmed the game will launch on November 19th for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, will not use generative AI, and will not feature any in-game monetization.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered Minimum and Recommended PC Specs Revealed
CD Projekt has revealed the minimum and recommended PC specifications for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Remastered, requiring at least an Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU, an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 or equivalent GPU, and 12 GB of RAM. The remastered version, a free update for existing owners, will also increase the price of the Complete Edition to $49.99 and includes visual and gameplay enhancements, along with the Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine expansions. The release date for all platforms is set for September 29th.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is “At Least 10 Years Ahead of the Industry” With NPCs, Says IOI’s AI Programmer
IO Interactive AI programmer Berkay Dursun stated that Grand Theft Auto 6's individual NPC simulation technology places Rockstar Games at least a decade ahead of the industry. Dursun clarified that the complex AI in GTA 6 differs significantly from the crowd systems in games like Hitman and Assassin's Creed, which lack true NPC intelligence. He also noted that Grand Theft Auto 6's NPC simulation surpasses that of Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord and IO Interactive's own 007 First Light.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Developers Celebrate Release of Extended Look Showcase on Social Media
Developers at Rockstar Games are celebrating the release of the Grand Theft Auto 6 Extended Look showcase. Several team members expressed pride in their hard work on the highly anticipated title, with some sharing personal connections to the series. The showcase highlighted the game's complex systems and expansive world, with comparisons drawn to Red Dead Redemption 2.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Won’t Have Any Monetization or Use Generative AI
Rockstar North has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 will not feature any microtransactions or utilize generative AI in its development. While details on Grand Theft Auto Online remain undisclosed, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick previously stated that the game was built entirely by human developers. Grand Theft Auto 6 is set to launch on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Directors Say More Details Will be Released After “a Bit of a Gap”
Kingdom Hearts 4 directors Tetsuya Nomura and Tai Yasue stated that more details will be released after a gap, with the game still on track for a late 2027 release. Development is in its final stages, and the team is considering the best time to share new information. Square Enix is also planning something for the franchise's 25th anniversary next year.
Squadron 42 Pushed Back to Q2 2027 Due to Grand Theft Auto 6 Being an “Attention Buzz Saw”
Cloud Imperium Games has delayed the release of Squadron 42 to Q2 2027, citing the significant attention Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to draw upon its launch. Studio CEO Chris Roberts wants to ensure Squadron 42 receives adequate focus, especially given its long development cycle since 2014. The company plans to share more details about the revised release window soon and will offer original backers early access in October.
GTA 6's hand-crafted NPCs have over 600,000 animations compared to only 55,000 animations in GTA 5
Rockstar Games has revealed that Grand Theft Auto 6 features over 600,000 NPC animations, a significant increase from Grand Theft Auto 5's 55,000 and Red Dead Redemption 2's 300,000. This extensive animation work aims to create more unique and reactive non-player characters, with a dedicated office in Los Angeles focusing on their development to enhance world realism and immersion.
GTA 6 leaks were “heartbreaking for our team,” Rockstar admits — and the game is “nearly there”
Rockstar Games has confirmed that leaked gameplay footage of Grand Theft Auto VI is genuine, describing the incident as "heartbreaking for our team." The studio apologized for the extended silence and the time taken to finish the game, stating it is "nearly there" and still targeting a November 19 release date. Rockstar is working with parent company Take-Two Interactive to investigate the leak, with Take-Two seeking information from platforms like Discord.
Star Citizen Spinoff Squadron 42 Delayed to 2027, Dev Insists It's Because of GTA 6
Cloud Imperium Games has announced that the single-player Star Citizen spinoff, Squadron 42, has been delayed to 2027. Developer Chris Roberts stated the delay is partly due to the anticipated attention Grand Theft Auto 6 will receive, suggesting it would impact Squadron 42's launch window.
Pantheon’s latest test server patch fixes bugs and expands mastery options for several classes
Pantheon's latest test server patch focuses on bug fixes and expanding mastery options for several classes including Warrior, Dire Lord, Shaman, Cleric, Wizard, Enchanter, Druid, and Paladin. The update also introduces Healing Spell Power as an item stat and allows searching for Mastery nodes by partial name.
James Pond's creator is not happy with the series' allegedly AI-generated legacy collection
Chris Sorrell, the creator of the James Pond series, has expressed strong disapproval of the recently released legacy collection, alleging it was generated using artificial intelligence without proper respect for the original work. Sorrell stated that the developers involved lack respect for the franchise.
Asobo Studio used the soundtrack from A Plague Tale: Requiem during Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy mocap to help the cast 'get into the sadder moments, the darker moments'
Asobo Studio utilized the soundtrack from A Plague Tale: Requiem during the motion capture sessions for Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy. This was done to help the cast, including protagonist actor Anna Demetriou, immerse themselves in the emotional and darker moments of the game. The score for Resonance, composed by Olivier Derivière, incorporates Greek cultural influences to match the game's new setting on Crete.
