Game Development
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Blizzard Explains Why The StarCraft Shooter Coming In 2030 Was Announced Now
Blizzard Entertainment general manager Dan Hay explained the decision to announce the StarCraft open-world shooter, slated for 2030, at BlizzCon. He stated that the team felt they had enough of the story, characters, and world to share, and wanted to get feedback from fans early in the development process. Hay also noted that setting a firm release date helps focus development efforts.
World of Warcraft: Forever Devs Explain Why the Game Makes WoW 2 Unlikely
World of Warcraft developers Kris Zierhut and Mike Nuthals discussed the game's ongoing development and features, explaining why a direct sequel like 'WoW 2' is unlikely to be necessary. They highlighted the game's continuous evolution as a reason for its longevity.
Discussing 20 years of Company of Heroes with the team carrying its torch into the future
This article reflects on 20 years of the Company of Heroes real-time strategy franchise, discussing its origins, evolution, and the challenges faced by developer Relic Entertainment. It highlights key titles like the original Company of Heroes, Company of Heroes 2, and the troubled launch of Company of Heroes 3, while also touching on the studio's recent independence and future prospects.
Ship of Heroes will officially sunset after just one year of live operation on September 22
Ship of Heroes will officially cease operations on September 22nd, just one year after its launch. Despite efforts to improve the game by lowering the price and removing the subscription, the shrinking development team and a disastrous launch led to its eventual sunset. The developers expressed gratitude to the community for their feedback throughout the game's nine-year development and one year of live operation.
BioWare crunched "21 days on, one day off" making Mass Effect, says former dev: "That was really, really…
Former BioWare cinematic designer Armando Troisi revealed that the development of the original Mass Effect involved extreme crunch, with teams working "21 days on, one day off" to meet impossible goals set by director Casey Hudson. Despite the grueling conditions and technical challenges of using a new engine, IP, and console, Troisi expressed pride in the final product, calling it a profound interactive film.
Final Fantasy 7 Revelation's Knights of the Round boss battle wasn't hard enough, so the devs had an "emergency meeting" to rebuild the iconic summon "from scratch"
The development team behind Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth held an emergency meeting to completely rework the Knights of the Round summon boss battle, as the initial version was not considered challenging enough. Director Naoki Hamaguchi stated that combat director Teruki Endo pushed for a stronger enemy, leading to the decision to rebuild the encounter from scratch to honor the iconic summon's power.
After announcing StarCraft and Diablo 5 years in advance, Blizzard president promises "to ship, and ship big, and…
Blizzard Entertainment president Johanna Faries expressed confidence in the long-term development of StarCraft and Diablo 5, despite their distant release windows of 2030 and 2029 respectively. Faries stated the company's commitment to shipping games on time and emphasized preserving Blizzard's unique culture amidst Microsoft's ownership and recent layoffs.
Former Far Cry boss says it's "an honor" to take over StarCraft: "We won the cosmic lottery"
Former Far Cry lead Dan Hay is heading the development of a new StarCraft game, which will be an open-world shooter. Hay expressed his honor and seriousness in taking on the beloved franchise, calling it a "cosmic lottery." The game, simply titled StarCraft, is set 70 years after Legacy of the Void and is slated for a 2030 release.
Inzoi's experimental new mode transforms it from The Sims into a full social MMO
Inzoi is developing an optional social MMO mode called 'Canvastown' that allows players to interact with up to 50 others in shared spaces and minigames, distinct from its core life simulation gameplay. Game Director Hyungjun Kim emphasized that this 'side project' will not detract from continued development of the main game, which is also receiving updates to its simulation fundamentals and object interaction features.
Inside the Ubisoft Philippines: Studio Tour and Its Work on Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
A studio tour of Ubisoft Philippines revealed the significant contributions of the studio to games like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The tour highlighted the local team's ownership of complete features, from dynamic harpooning mechanics and distinct fort designs to detailed animations and immersive audio.
Inside Ubisoft Philippines: Our Studio Tour and a Closer Look at Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
A studio tour of Ubisoft Philippines revealed the significant contributions of its developers to Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, including co-developing complete features, locations, and systems. The studio has grown over a decade, showcasing expertise in art, animation, world-building, and more, working closely with other Ubisoft studios. The feature highlights the pride Filipino developers have in their work on AAA titles and their role in shaping the future of global game development.
The weird, wonderful world of Miles Buckle, Instagram's parallel universe of video games
Artist Miles Buckle creates imaginary retro-style video games inspired by classic films, reimagining scenes from movies like The Shining and Twin Peaks using game engines and 3D art tools. His work explores themes of nostalgia, memory, and the evolution of visual fidelity in media, often using older game aesthetics like PlayStation 1 graphics to evoke specific feelings.
Why is Blizzard still announcing games years ahead of release? 'We want to convey confidence in some of our biggest…
Blizzard Entertainment's strategy of announcing games years before their release, exemplified by StarCraft and Diablo 5, is questioned as a potentially outdated marketing approach. President Johanna Faries stated the company wants to convey confidence in its major projects and ensure they ship on time, aiming to create a healthy Blizzard culture amidst potential future layoffs.
StarCraft's 2030 release is proof "we're serious," says project lead and former Far Cry boss, and it's "a date that we feel really confident about"
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed a new StarCraft game, an open-world shooter, is in development with a projected 2030 release date. Project lead Dan Hay and associate director AnaLee Haertling expressed confidence in the date, aiming to reassure the long-awaiting community despite the significant lead time.
Nintendo is a far better industry leader than PlayStation and this week proved it - Reader’s Feature
A reader argues that Nintendo is a superior industry leader compared to Sony, citing Nintendo's consistent output of high-quality single-player games and reasonable pricing. The author criticizes Sony's recent strategies, particularly its perceived lack of major game releases and fan-unfriendly decisions, contrasting it with Nintendo's focus on franchises like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake and other beloved titles.
Knight Ball - Free Online Browser Game
Knight Ball is a new 2D arcade browser game that mixes wall fetch mechanics with card power-ups. Currently in development, the game is available for testing and feedback, with a tutorial available online and a Discord server for community interaction.
StarCraft Devs Promise New Game Will Definitely Release in 2030
The developers of the new StarCraft game have stated that the title is planned for a 2030 release. They also provided insights into potential gameplay elements during an interview.
StarCraft: Everything we know so far about Blizzard's new open-world, story-driven shooter
Blizzard Entertainment has announced a new StarCraft game, shifting from its traditional real-time strategy roots to an open-world, story-driven shooter. Set approximately 70 years after StarCraft 2, the game is slated for a 2030 release, with PC and Xbox confirmed as potential platforms. The project is led by Dan Hay, formerly of Far Cry 5.
Final Fantasy 7 remake series director says “it kind of feels like fate” to return to Nintendo hardware, talks Switch 2 sales
Final Fantasy 7 Remake series director Naoki Hamaguchi expressed that bringing the games to Nintendo Switch 2 felt like fate, especially after the series' initial move away from Nintendo hardware. He is eager to see long-time Nintendo fans re-engage with the franchise. Hamaguchi also discussed how the company's shift towards a multiplatform strategy, coupled with a presentation of the Switch 2's capabilities, led to the decision to develop for the console, which has since performed well.
Diablo 5 Forging the Next Era Panel: Everything Announced (Updating Live)
During BlizzCon 2026, Blizzard Entertainment held a panel titled 'Diablo 5 Forging the Next Era' where new details about the upcoming game were revealed. The panel provided significant insights into the development and future of the Diablo franchise.