Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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AI Yi-Yi!
Meta's Pocket app allows users to create games without coding knowledge, leveraging AI. Separately, AI actor Tilly Norwood is set to star in the feature film 'Misaligned', and Reddit is implementing measures to combat AI-generated content.
As ZeniMax also faces cuts, Xbox seeks a "significant overhaul" to focus on Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Quake, and other big franchises
Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing a significant overhaul, including layoffs affecting approximately 3200 jobs and restructuring at ZeniMax Media and Bethesda Softworks. The focus will shift to major franchises like Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, Doom, and Quake, potentially impacting the future of other IPs and studios like Arkane.
Microsoft Xbox is shedding 3200 games industry workers, Blizzard and ZeniMax are affected
Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing significant layoffs, cutting 3,200 jobs, which represents 20% of its workforce. Affected studios include Blizzard Entertainment and ZeniMax Media, with Ninja Theory, Undead Labs, Double Fine, and Compulsion Games being sold or divested. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated the business is not healthy and requires a reset, while acknowledging the unlikelihood of achieving a daily active user count of 1 billion.
Xbox Layoffs Hit Id Software And ZeniMax As Focus Shifts To Bigger Franchises
Xbox is undergoing its most significant restructure in history, with approximately 20% of its workforce being laid off. This includes significant staff reductions at Id Software and ZeniMax Online Studios, though these developers will remain operational. Xbox leadership stated the company will focus on higher-priority projects and major franchises, assuring that no previously announced first-party games will be canceled as part of these changes.
Xbox Announces Biggest Restructure in Company History as Thousands of Jobs Are Cut | Invision Game Community
Xbox is undergoing its largest restructuring, involving approximately 3,200 job cuts and changes to its studio structure. Xbox President Asha Sharma stated the current business model is unsustainable due to increasing costs and slower-than-expected growth. Several studios like Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions will become independent, while others like Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are expected to transition to new ownership.
Xbox acquisitions have been a disaster: "In a typical year, we lost 64 cents for every dollar we invested"
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma revealed that Microsoft's aggressive acquisition strategy has resulted in significant financial losses, with the company losing 64 cents for every dollar invested in typical years since 2018. In response to this unsustainable model, Xbox is undergoing a reset, leading to layoffs and the divestment of several studios, including Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs, while others like Arkane Studios are reviewing strategic options.
Microsoft needs to "reset Xbox," says Asha Sharma, as the company lays off 3,200 employees
Microsoft's Xbox division is undergoing significant restructuring, with approximately 3,200 employees being laid off throughout the 2027 fiscal year, including 1,600 immediately. CEO Asha Sharma stated the business is not healthy and operating at lower margins than comparable companies. Several studios, including Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions, will transition to independent management, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are set to be acquired by new owners.
ZeniMax's pivot to big series amid Xbox cuts reportedly isn't a death knell for Doom, Quake and Wolfenstein
Xbox has announced significant layoffs and studio restructuring, affecting studios like Double Fine and Arkane, while shifting focus towards established franchises such as Fallout and The Elder Scrolls for ZeniMax Media. Despite these changes, core series like Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein will continue development. Mojang Studios will now report directly to CEO Asha Sharma, with increased investment planned for Minecraft.
Pantheon Rise of the Fallen shows off the Port of Rulun ahead of its arrival in the next update
Pantheon: Rise of the Fallen is preparing to launch the Port of Rulun in Silent Plains with its next update, showcasing new screenshots of the area. The latest developer digest from Visionary Realms also details ongoing work on combat, progression, UI updates, and NPC additions across various regions.
Xbox are parting ways with Double Fine, Arkane, Undead Labs, Compulsion, and Ninja Theory in the course of thousands of layoffs
Microsoft has announced significant layoffs affecting 3200 employees and is parting ways with five Xbox-owned studios: Double Fine, Arkane, Undead Labs, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory. Some studios will become independent or find new ownership, while Arkane's future is uncertain. CEO Asha Sharma cited rising costs, underperforming acquisitions, and a challenging industry landscape as reasons for the "reset."
Microsoft confirms 3200 layoffs and four studio departures
Microsoft has confirmed significant layoffs affecting approximately 3,200 employees across its Xbox business, including 1,600 on the day of the announcement. Four studios, Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs, will either become independent or find new ownership, while Arkane Studios faces strategic review. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma cited slower-than-expected growth in Game Pass, multi-platform strategies, and content portfolio as reasons for the restructuring, which will also involve reducing management layers.
Xbox is laying off 3,200 people and dumping 4 studios
Xbox announced significant layoffs affecting approximately 3,200 employees and the restructuring of four studios: Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. While Compulsion and Double Fine will become independent, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are being sold to new management. The company also confirmed reductions across Activision, Bethesda, Blizzard, King, Mojang, and Xbox Game Studios, with CEO Asha Sharma citing the business's unhealthy state and slower-than-expected growth from Game Pass and multi-platform releases.
Xbox cutting 3,200 jobs and parting ways with Double Fine, Compulsion, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs
Microsoft has initiated a significant restructure of its Xbox division, eliminating 3,200 jobs and parting ways with four studios: Double Fine, Compulsion Games, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs. New Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stated the cuts are necessary due to underperforming bets on Xbox Game Pass and multiplatform releases, as well as a severe hardware crisis impacting component prices. The company aims to streamline operations, reduce management layers, and foster a more efficient development environment.
Microsoft announces 3200 layoffs and four studio departures in "most significant" Xbox restructuring in history
Microsoft has announced a significant restructuring of its Xbox division, including approximately 3,200 layoffs and the departure of four studios. Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions will become independent, while Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are seeking new ownership. Arkane Studios is also under review. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma cited business performance and industry challenges as reasons for the changes.
Xbox Layoffs, Studio Closures, And Spin-Offs: Everything Announced Today
Microsoft has announced significant layoffs and studio restructuring within its Xbox division, impacting 3,200 employees over the current financial year, with 1,600 layoffs starting immediately. Several studios, including Compulsion Games and Double Fine Productions, are transitioning back to independent management, while others like Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are seeking new ownership. The company cited financial underperformance and a need to reset its strategy, focusing investment on higher-priority games and core IPs.
Stop judging games by their sales figures, says Tekken's Katsuhiro Harada: “That’s exactly what you’d expect from someone who’s never actually developed games"
Katsuhiro Harada, former face of Tekken and current CEO of SNK VS Studio, argues against judging games solely by their sales figures. He highlights Hidetaka Miyazaki's career path, emphasizing how FromSoftware's earlier, less successful titles paved the way for the massive success of the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring. Harada criticizes those who cannot appreciate developer growth and suggests this narrow view is typical of individuals without game development experience.
Nintendo promises to keep "aiming for unique entertainment that only we could produce" as it shouts out its continued "originality" following recent fan vote
Nintendo has expressed gratitude after being voted the favorite developer by readers of Famitsu magazine. The company reaffirmed its commitment to producing unique entertainment and maintaining originality in its game development, referencing its history since the Famicom's release. Nintendo also acknowledged the positive reception of Mario and The Legend of Zelda series.
You can sort-of play Mario Kart on YouTube as an "interactive video" that could lead to more complex experiments
A YouTube channel called Atlas Arcade has created a playable "interactive video" of Mario Kart using YouTube's 360-degree spherical video function and custom subtitles. While not a full game, this experiment demonstrates the potential for more complex interactive content on the platform, building on previous adaptations of games like Flappy Bird and Five Nights at Freddy's.
Sony’s “Dreams”: Seeing One Small Piece of a Larger Puzzle
The article discusses the game creation tool "Dreams" released by Sony for the PlayStation 4. It highlights how the game provides an opportunity for aspiring developers to engage in game creation, framing it as a significant piece of a larger puzzle in the industry.
Dark Souls isn't "an especially difficult game," former Tekken boss says – it's in its world where FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki's "true creativity shines through"
Former Tekken lead Katsuhiro Harada believes Dark Souls' true strength lies not in its difficulty, but in Hidetaka Miyazaki's creative world-building. Harada describes Miyazaki as a unique and serious developer whose obsessive approach to creativity shines through in the intricate worlds of FromSoftware's games, including Dark Souls and Elden Ring.
