Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced didn't have room for all the original game's combat tricks, but Ubisoft is "interested in what people want" back in updates
Ubisoft is listening to player feedback regarding missing combat features in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced. Game director Richard Knight stated that while some elements were lower priority during development, the company is interested in what the community wants to see added back in future updates.
Details leaked for Pokemon King and Queen, which became Sword and Shield – co-evolution, Legendary Pokemon, more
Details have emerged about the original concept for Pokemon Sword and Shield, known as Pokemon King and Queen or Project Rex, following a significant data leak from Game Freak. Key features included a 'co-evolution' mechanic where Pokemon would temporarily combine for power, and Legendary Pokemon based on playing cards like King, Queen, and Ace. The project also envisioned extensive smartphone integration for training and features like movie streaming and QR code scanning.
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen concedes that its mastery system will need more time to bring to PTR
Visionary Realms has announced a delay in bringing the mastery system for Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen to the Public Test Realm due to unexpected complexity in development. The studio plans to release the remaining classes over the next few weeks, with the Wizard class's Elementalist and Spellblade masteries available as a first draft on the current PTR.
A year after its debut, Blizzard is done adding new heroes and maps to Overwatch's MOBA-inspired Stadium mode
Blizzard Entertainment is ceasing development of new heroes and maps for Overwatch's Stadium mode due to low player engagement, with only 3% of players choosing it over the standard 5v5 mode. Game director Aaron Keller stated that while the mode will continue to receive seasonal balance updates and rank resets, the development team will be reassigned to other projects. This decision comes as Blizzard prepares to test new experimental 6v6 modes, including a 'Flex Queue' and 'Dynamic Queue,' to gather data on player preferences and potentially improve queue times and team compositions.
Tales of producer confirms new game is in development, apologizes for long wait
Tales of series producer Yusuke Tomizawa confirmed that a new game in the franchise is in development and apologized for the long wait. He stated that the team is working hard to meet fan expectations, with the last new entry being Tales of Arise in 2021. The interview also touched upon the 30th anniversary of both the Tales of and Persona series.
Dead Space co-creator Glen Schofield retires
Glen Schofield, a veteran game developer and co-creator of Dead Space, has announced his retirement after 35 years in the industry. Schofield, who also co-directed multiple Call of Duty titles and founded Striking Distance Studios, cited the challenging current state of the industry in his announcement. He expressed gratitude to companies like Electronic Arts and Activision for the opportunities he had throughout his career.
Negative reactions to God of War Laufey don't bother star Deborah Ann Woll: "I just know it's great"
Voice actor Deborah Ann Woll, who plays Laufey in the upcoming God of War Laufey, remains unbothered by negative online reactions to a female-led spin-off. She stated that she doesn't engage with social media and believes the game is great regardless of individual opinions. The game is being developed by Sony Santa Monica, the studio behind the mainline God of War series.
GTA 6's Lack of a PC Port Isn't Out of Greed, According to a Former Rockstar Producer
A former Rockstar Games producer explained that the typical delay in PC versions of their games, including Grand Theft Auto 6, is not due to greed but rather a standard development practice. This approach prioritizes console releases before addressing PC ports.
Only 16 Fallout: New Vegas developers still work at Obsidian, says RPG's original writer
Only 16 developers who worked on Fallout: New Vegas are still employed at Obsidian Entertainment, according to the game's original writer. The studio is currently developing a new Fallout title.
EA finally admits adding autosaves to The Sims 4 is a good idea after 12 years, slapping a band-aid on over a decade of heartbreak from crashes and lost progress
Electronic Arts is finally introducing an autosave feature to The Sims 4 on July 21, over a decade after the game's initial launch. This update also includes a Memory Boost to improve performance on Mac and console versions, aiming to reduce crashes and lost progress. Players will have customization options for how and when the autosave occurs.
Glen Schofield Talks $200 Million Call Of Duty Games, Canceled Vietnam Game, And How Dead Space Came To Be
Veteran game developer Glen Schofield is retiring from day-to-day development and discussed his career, including a canceled third-person Call of Duty game set in Vietnam and the significant budgets of Call of Duty titles. He also shared the story of how he pitched and created the sci-fi horror game Dead Space at Electronic Arts against initial company reluctance.
Sätt ditt betyg på A Void Hope!
Mikael Forslind discusses the game industry and how his life as a father has influenced his game development process in an interview about A Void Hope. The article also mentions challenges and opportunities within the industry.
Two Point Studios still has 'a lot planned for Two Point Museum'
Two Point Studios has stated that they have significant plans for future content and expansions for their game, Two Point Museum. Community Manager Leif Bayliss indicated that the overwhelmingly positive player response has allowed the studio to continue developing and supporting the game beyond their initial expectations. This suggests that players can anticipate further additions to Two Point Museum, similar to previous successful expansions like Zooseum and Arty-Facts.
Steam study of over 53,000 games finds "60 – 90% of the growth" in monthly releases on Valve's store is from games using AI and "almost none of them make money"
A study of over 53,000 games released on Steam between July 2023 and July 2026 reveals that 60-90% of the growth in monthly releases comes from games disclosing AI-generated content. However, these AI-flagged games are not significantly more profitable than non-AI games, with the vast majority of titles, regardless of AI usage, failing to generate substantial revenue.
Morning Postmortems/Retrospectives
New details have emerged regarding the canceled successor to L.A. Noire, titled Whore of the Orient. The game, which was in development by the original L.A. Noire team, faced numerous challenges and was ultimately scrapped. IGN reported on the revelations about the game's troubled development.
"Never say never": Criterion aren't ruling out a return to Need For Speed, but Battlefield is their only focus for now
Criterion Games, known for the Burnout and Need For Speed series, is now exclusively focused on supporting the Battlefield franchise as part of Electronic Arts' new strategy. Studio representatives Danny Isaac and Amy Pejic stated that while their current focus is Battlefield, they are not ruling out future projects outside of the series, emphasizing that creative freedom can exist within the vast Battlefield platform. They also confirmed that the Burnout series is unlikely to return, but the future of Need For Speed remains open.
Poll finds 100% of Japanese online game developers are using AI, though mostly for 'user preference analysis'…
A poll of Japanese online game developers revealed that 100% are using generative AI, primarily for user preference analysis and behavior prediction. While concerns exist about AI's impact on creativity and potential homogenization of games, the current primary uses are considered benign. Tools like Google Gemini, Claude, and GitHub Copilot are widely adopted.
NYU opens incubator applications for New York City-area devs
New York University's Tandon School of Engineering is accepting applications for the second year of its NYC Game Design Future Lab incubator. The year-long program will support eight New York City-based indie developers with mentorship, workshops, investor introductions, and access to emerging technologies. Applications for the program, supported by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, close on August 7, 2026.
Making Fallout and Elder Scrolls games will "be harder than ever now" following Xbox cuts, say laid-off Bethesda devs calling loss of institutional knowledge "staggering"
Former Bethesda Game Studios developers report that recent layoffs at Xbox, impacting dozens of staff, will make developing core franchises like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls significantly harder. They expressed concern over the staggering loss of institutional knowledge and its potential impact on future projects, including The Elder Scrolls 6.
Laid-off id Software devs "cannot imagine a path forward where they make another game in id Tech," despite the…
Former id Software developers express doubt about the studio's ability to create future games using the id Tech engine following significant layoffs by Microsoft. Despite a statement from id Software claiming they retain sufficient staff, affected employees believe the loss of institutional knowledge makes continued development of the engine unlikely. This comes as Bethesda reportedly plans to focus on major franchises, including those built on id Tech.
