Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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Blizzard fire World Of Warcraft developer over use of forbidden magicks to insta-kill bosses for regular players during dungeon run
Blizzard Entertainment has fired a World of Warcraft developer for using development-only spells to instantly kill bosses during a live Mythic+ dungeon run for non-developer players. The studio confirmed the incident, stating that the employee violated the company's Code of Conduct and that action is also being taken against the player accounts involved. Blizzard emphasized that the misuse of developer tools is against policy and that this incident was isolated to a single individual.
Yoshi and the Mysterious Book team details game’s development, started out on Nintendo Switch 1
The development of Yoshi and the Mysterious Book began on the original Nintendo Switch, with a mid-development shift to the Nintendo Switch 2. Key figures from Nintendo and Good Feel, including Hisashi Nogami and Etsunobu Ebisu, discussed the game's origins, the evolution of Yoshi's moveset, and the emphasis on exploration over time limits, drawing inspiration from previous Yoshi titles like Yoshi's Crafted World.
Tomb Raider: Catalyst Delay to 2028 Confirmed by Amazon Games Boss
Amazon Games has confirmed that Tomb Raider: Catalyst has been delayed and is now expected to release in 2028. This delay aligns with previous suspicions regarding the game's development timeline.
Now 73 years old, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto hopes he's still making games in 10 years despite his family's concerns: "Isn't it about time you stopped?"
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda, expressed his desire to continue making games for another decade, despite his family's concerns about his age. While his direct directorial roles have decreased, he remains involved in producing games and leading Nintendo's ventures into theme parks and movies.
Bethesda says layoffs haven't affected 'the roadmap' for The Elder Scrolls 6, it hasn't forgotten Oblivion Remastered, and it's not telling you this because Asha Sharma forced it to
Bethesda Game Studios has stated that recent layoffs at Xbox have not impacted the development roadmap for The Elder Scrolls 6. The studio also confirmed plans for remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, as well as an Oblivion remaster with optimizations intended for the Nintendo Switch release that may come to PC and consoles.
The games industry is stifled by a culture of fear
A workshop at the DevGAMM Madeira Games Summit concluded that the games industry is stifled by a culture of fear, prioritizing algorithmic trends over creative conviction. Rami Ismail led the discussion, emphasizing that risk-averse decision-making and the avoidance of failure are greater threats than uncertainty. The group advocated for reestablishing creativity by focusing on internal coherence, disciplined validation, and trusting taste over market research to drive breakout hits.
Resident Evil 4 Has Sold More Than Twice As Much As Any Other Current-Gen Remake
The Resident Evil 4 remake has achieved 16.8 million lifetime sales, significantly outselling other current-generation remakes like Ark: Survival Ascended and The Last of Us Part I. Data from Alinea Analytics indicates that remakes are a vital and less risky revenue stream for publishers, providing a proven design and fanbase compared to new intellectual property.
Bitcraft’s delayed fishing profession overhaul patch arrives today
Clockwork Labs has delayed the Bitcraft fishing profession overhaul patch by 24 hours due to last-minute bugs discovered before rollout. The patch aims to revamp professions with more engaging activities and diverse rewards, with the fishing update serving as a proof of concept. The new patch is now scheduled to be released today.
Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse – How KONAMI and Evil Empire Reimagined Castlevania’s Return
KONAMI has partnered with French studio Evil Empire, known for Dead Cells, to develop Castlevania: Belmont's Curse, marking the franchise's return after a decade. Producers Tsutomu Taniguchi and Emmanuel Nouaille discuss the collaborative process, emphasizing Evil Empire's passion and expertise in action games as key factors. The game aims to evolve Castlevania's gameplay while preserving its core identity, featuring a new protagonist, Rose Belmont, and a reimagined Paris setting.
New footage emerges of Conker 64/Twelve Tales before it became Conker’s Bad Fur Day, plus an early look at Banjo-Kazooie
New development footage has surfaced for Rare's Nintendo 64 titles, including early versions of Conker's Bad Fur Day (originally Conker 64/Twelve Tales) and Banjo-Kazooie. The Video Game History Foundation released the materials, showcasing significant differences in design, music, and gameplay compared to the final releases.
Former Disney CEO has no memory of approving Kingdom Hearts
Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner has no recollection of approving the development of Kingdom Hearts. His memory was only slightly jogged when informed that the game combined Final Fantasy characters with Disney properties.
Hideo Kojima isn't planning to blast off to space yet because he doesn't want to rush to his "ultimate dream," so he'll "keep on making games" for now
Hideo Kojima stated that while he still dreams of going to space and making movies, he intends to continue making video games for the foreseeable future. He believes that achieving smaller goals along the way is more fulfilling than immediately reaching one's ultimate dream. Kojima Productions is his current development studio.
Secret Halo: Campaign Evolved ending strongly hints that another Halo 2 remake is in the works – "See you in…
The secret ending of Halo: Campaign Evolved, unlocked on Legendary difficulty, strongly suggests that a remake of Halo 2 is in development. Sergeant Avery Johnson's line, "See you in the sequel!", implies a follow-up to the recently released remake, fueling rumors of a complete original trilogy remake project by Halo Studios.
Saudi-led EA buyout receives EU approval, Xbox trials ad-supported game streaming, and Poinpy is eternal - Patch Notes #62
The European Commission has approved the Saudi-led buyout of Electronic Arts, while Xbox is trialing ad-supported game streaming for select titles. Separately, the mobile platformer Poinpy has returned, and news emerges about a revived Kinect game, scrapped Pokémon designs, and legal disputes involving Nintendo and Bethesda employees.
Blizzard fires World of Warcraft dev after using "development-only spells on a live realm" to help a friend…
Blizzard Entertainment has fired a World of Warcraft game master after they were caught using development-only spells on a live realm to help friends cheat through a dungeon and defeat bosses instantly. The company confirmed the incident, stating it was the action of a single employee violating their Code of Conduct and that all such uses of developer tools are logged and monitored.
Ubisoft Q1 net bookings down 9.2%, attributes drop to "high comparison base" from same period last year
Ubisoft reported first quarter net bookings of €255.8 million, a 9.2% year-on-year decrease attributed to a high comparison base from the previous year's Assassin's Creed Shadows launch. The company's performance was boosted by the mobile title Invincible: Guarding the Globe, while Assassin's Creed: Black Flag Resynced saw strong sales and record PC player counts. The report also detailed organizational changes, including the appointment of Christoph Hartmann to lead Creative House 2 and studio closures, alongside layoffs affecting 380 roles.
Starseeker kicks off a big drilling event and plans a new roadmap
Starseeker has launched a new community challenge called Astroneer Expeditions, where players must gather Astral Flux to help refuel the ESS Starseeker's Flux Drive before August 2nd. The game is also undergoing changes to its roadmap based on player feedback from its first month in Early Access, with a new roadmap to be published later.
Quoteworthy
Amazon has indicated a desire for IO Interactive to develop a sequel to the game 007: First Light, citing its success. Former Disney CEO Michael Eisner is also mentioned in relation to the article's content.
Game and Mod Development
Former Ubisoft director Clint Hocking likens large-scale game development to working with 'flaming barrels falling down from a...' months after parting ways with the company. He previously worked on titles such as Assassin's Creed and Watch Dogs.
Evening Interviews
Developers for Hell Let Loose: Vietnam discuss performance, gameplay, and maps in a Q&A session. The interview also mentions an upcoming cross-platform playtest for the game.