Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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Grand Theft Auto 6’s Character Population is Rockstar’s “Most Detailed and Varied” Yet
Rockstar Games has detailed the extensive character variety planned for Grand Theft Auto 6, calling it their "most detailed and varied character population" yet. Senior art director Jamie-Lee Lloyd and co-studio head Rob Nelson highlighted the inspiration drawn from Miami's diverse population, with stylist Jillian Carr contributing to the fashion ecosystem. The development team utilized new tools and pipelines to achieve this level of detail, aiming to create an immersive world for players.
The Witcher 3 Remastered looks amazing and it’s free if you own the original
CD Projekt announced a free current-gen remaster for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, alongside the new expansion Songs of the Past. The remaster includes significant upgrades to visuals, combat, traversal, and more, and will be free for owners of the original game on PC and consoles. Existing expansions Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine are also included for free.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered is a free upgrade with revamped gameplay systems — here's everything…
CD Projekt Red has announced The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered, a free upgrade for existing owners launching September 29. This version includes visual and gameplay improvements, revamped combat, new quest tracking, and support for technologies like PlayStation 5 Pro, Xbox Play Anywhere, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC-specific features like path tracing. The announcement also preceded details on the upcoming 'Songs of the Past' expansion and the confirmed 2028 release window for The Witcher 4.
Massively OP Podcast Episode 577: Stars Reach’s next generation trek
The Massively OP Podcast episode 577 covers the early access launch of Stars Reach, the upcoming MapleStory Classic World, a preview of Stormforge, playable Kodan in Guild Wars 3, and Palia's fall roadmap. The hosts also touch on Daybreak Game Company's financials and other meta site topics.
Having taken over Cities: Skylines 2's resurrection, Iceflake Studios are also making a bricky city builder called Lego Skylines
Iceflake Studios, now managing Cities: Skylines 2, has revealed a new city builder titled Lego Skylines. This playful take on the genre encourages players to build functional and beautiful cities with customizable buildings and services. The Lego Group aims for the game to be among the best in the genre, potentially revitalizing the series.
ARC Raiders’ fifth expedition will be its last until early 2027 in order to apply ‘major improvements’
Embark Studios announced that ARC Raiders' expeditions will be paused after the fifth expedition on September 8th, with a return planned for early 2027 featuring major improvements. The studio cited player feedback regarding departure windows, accessibility, and rewards as reasons for the extensive rework. While expeditions are paused, earned buffs and the Zenith cosmetic outfit will still be awarded.
Riot Games is winding down 2XKO active development in December
Riot Games is ceasing active development of its fighting game, 2XKO, in December, though content updates will continue until the end of 2026. The studio cited a lack of sustained player engagement and the high operational costs of the free-to-play title as reasons for the decision. Servers will remain online for the foreseeable future, and all in-game purchases will be refunded.
When Valve killed its Ravenholm game, Arkane founder says "we did not understand" its thinking: "It all came down to the economics behind Half-Life 2 and how the DLCs were selling"
Arkane founder Raphaël Colantonio discussed the cancellation of the Ravenholm game, a Half-Life 2 spin-off, stating that Valve's decision was based on the economics of DLC sales. Colantonio reflected on the decade-long pain of the cancellation but now understands Valve's business reasoning. He also mentioned that the project led to close collaboration with Half-Life 2's art director, Viktor Antonov.
New Paralives update adds the camera options we've wanted from The Sims 4 competitor since its Early Access…
Paralives Studio has released patch 0.1.8 for its life simulation game Paralives, introducing highly requested features such as alternative camera controls and column customization in the Paramaker and Build Mode. The update also includes new animations, optimizations, and various bug fixes, with developers continuing to work on ongoing issues.
Arc Raiders still has a cheating problem because cheats are an $8 billion industry and "we'd need thousands of developers" to counter it, says Embark engineer
Embark Studios engineer Tom van Dijck stated that combating cheating in Arc Raiders is an immense challenge due to the $8 billion industry supporting it, requiring thousands of developers to effectively counter. The studio banned 15,000 accounts recently but acknowledges the ongoing 'cat and mouse game' is difficult to win. Embark also develops The Finals, further stretching their resources.
Report: Among Us 3D co-dev Schell Games lays off staff
Schell Games, known for co-developing Among Us 3D and creating the I Expect You to Die series, has reportedly conducted its first-ever layoffs. Reports indicate that staff from marketing, art, design, and visual effects departments were affected, with one post suggesting around 14 employees were let go.
Hideo Kojima wants to 'continue to focus on making games' at 63, even as 'the time I have decreases'
Hideo Kojima, at 63, reflects on the decreasing time he has versus his increasing desire to create games. Despite his age, he intends to continue focusing on game development, mentioning the upcoming 40th anniversary of his game-making career and the 10th anniversary of Kojima Productions. He plans an exhibition in Tokyo to celebrate these milestones.
W4 Games raises $18M to expand its international team
W4 Games, a startup founded by former Godot veterans, has secured $18 million in Series B funding, primarily led by Tencent. The investment will be used to expand its international team, accelerate the development of its enterprise offering, and support the growing demand for the open-source game engine Godot. Tencent also signed a multi-year strategic partnership to help scale W4 Games and the Godot ecosystem in Asia.
Synths, impossible physics, and an "erotic experience with a PS5 controller" - the side projects of game devs are a reminder creativity is undimmable
This article highlights the undimmable nature of human creativity through the lens of game developers' personal side projects. Despite industry pressures, developers are pursuing diverse creative outlets, from interactive fiction and VR experiences to physical art and hardware experiments, demonstrating a persistent drive to create for its own sake.
Out of nowhere, Ori studio drops a 10-hour demo for a new city-builder that uses "the best elements of Minecraft,…
Moon Studios, known for the Ori series, has released a surprise 10-hour demo for their new city-builder game, Luma. The game, developed under a new subsidiary called Moonities, aims to blend elements from Minecraft, Sim City, and Civilization. The studio also confirmed that Luma will utilize the intellectual property of their upcoming action RPG, No Rest for the Wicked.
Gamescom Dev head says smaller studios represent the biggest opportunity in the games market
Frederik Hammes, managing director of Gamescom Dev, believes smaller studios represent the biggest opportunity in the current games market, emphasizing the need for business acumen alongside development skills. He also discussed the rebranding of Devcom to Gamescom Dev, extending the event to a full week and integrating it more closely with Gamescom itself. Hammes highlighted the importance of leadership in navigating industry changes, particularly concerning artificial intelligence, and the value of providing a safe space for industry leaders to discuss challenges.
Trine 6 försenas till nästa år efter feedback från speltester
Frozenbyte has delayed the release of Trine 6: Together in Time to March 4, 2027, following feedback from playtesting. The developers will implement two distinct puzzle modes, 'Freestyle' and 'Classic', to cater to both veteran and new players. Additional changes include refining character abilities, adjusting difficulty, and improving the tutorial.
Pokémon Veteran James Turner Rejoins Franchise Following Work on The Plucky Squire
Pokémon development veteran James Turner is returning to the franchise after working on the upcoming game The Plucky Squire. Turner previously contributed to the Pokémon series before his departure.
Godot Engine partner firm W4 Games secures $18m Series B funding, signs deal with Tencent to bolster Asia ecosystem
W4 Games, the commercial partner for the Godot Engine, has secured $18 million in Series B funding, led by Tencent. The company also signed a strategic deal with Tencent to expand the Godot ecosystem in Asia. This funding brings W4 Games' total raised to $33 million and will support international team expansion, particularly in the Asian market.
The Witcher 4 ska släppas under 2028, enligt CD Projekt Red
CD Projekt Red aims to release The Witcher 4 in 2028, according to company representative Michał Nowakowski. While the game will not be present at Gamescom, its expansion, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past, will receive its first public showing. The company also hinted at potential reveals for a rumored co-op Witcher game and the remake of the first Witcher title.
