Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
Latest coverage
Gears of War's creator is considering returning to game development, but whatever he makes won't be PvP like his last efforts: "Good look to anyone in that space."
Gears of War creator Cliff Bleszinski is considering a return to full-time game development after an eight-year hiatus. Following struggles with alcoholism and sobriety, Bleszinski rediscovered his passion for creating games, though he now prefers Player vs Environment experiences over Player vs Player titles. He has already consulted on a horror game called Soul Walker and is contemplating a larger comeback.
Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced required devs to "rebuild" the 2013 game because Ubisoft…
Ubisoft developers had to rebuild Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag from scratch for the remake, Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced, due to the original 2013 code being unusable. Game director Richard Knight stated that the team is essentially making a brand new game, using the original as a reference rather than reusing its codebase. This approach allows for significant improvements and changes in the remake.
The Sunday Papers
This article discusses various disparate topics within the gaming world, including a car sponsored by the game Umamusume Pretty Derby in Japan's Super GT racing series, controversy surrounding the character Valko in Love and Deepspace, and reflections on game design elements like doors and ladders. It also touches upon the film The Odyssey and a fictional narrative involving a delivery driver.
How Nintendo will beat PlayStation and Xbox to win the console wars - Reader's Feature
A reader argues that Nintendo is poised to win the console wars by avoiding the mistakes of PlayStation and Xbox, who are criticized for focusing too much on power and expensive hardware. The author believes Nintendo's focus on gameplay, creative freedom for developers, and more affordable pricing will attract a larger player base and developers, leading to their eventual dominance.
Hytale plots goblins, gadgets, and dungeons for Chapter 1, future updates on world gen, UI, and crafting
Hypixel Studios has detailed upcoming features for Hytale, including its Chapter 1 update which will introduce dungeons, a goblin faction with new gadgets, and a runes system. Future updates will focus on UI improvements, new cosmetics, minigames, and world generation enhancements like volumetric clouds. Chapter 1 is targeted for release in two to three months, with other features rolling out between two weeks and two months, while crafting reworks are slated for an undated Chapter 2.
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3 and John Wick Not Confirmed for 2028, Clarifies Saber Interactive
Saber Interactive's Chief Business Officer Steve Allison clarified that Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 3, its John Wick game, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic – Remake do not have confirmed release dates or launch windows, despite a previous broad statement suggesting a 2028 release. The company emphasized that Allison was speaking generally about future titles and not making official announcements. Saber Interactive also highlighted upcoming releases like Turok: Origins and confirmed that the John Wick game is a prequel to the movie series and is slated for PlayStation 5.
Tides of Annihilation Lead Actor Jennifer English Steps Down From Role
Jennifer English, known for her roles in Baldur's Gate 3 and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has stepped down as the lead actor for Eclipse Glow Games' upcoming title, Tides of Annihilation, citing mental and physical health needs. While she will no longer voice the protagonist Gwen, she will remain involved as an advisor, and a new actor has been cast for the role. The hack-and-slash action-adventure game is preparing for hands-on demos at Gamescom and has partnered with Nvidia and Epic Games to improve performance.
Erenshor’s solo dev discusses retention issues, the use of LLMs, and the MMO sim’s path to 1.0
Brian Burgee, the sole developer of the single-player MMORPG sim Erenshor, discussed significant player retention issues, with many players leaving within the first few hours or even seconds of gameplay. He also shared his reservations about using Large Language Models for in-game AI due to ethical concerns and unreliability, and expressed optimism for the game's 1.0 launch in Q2 2027.
Kitase says it was hard building a team for Final Fantasy X due to Kingdom Hearts
Square Enix director Yoshinori Kitase revealed that assembling the development team for Final Fantasy X was challenging due to key staff members, including Tetsuya Nomura, being occupied with the Kingdom Hearts franchise. This situation impacted the resources available for Final Fantasy X's production.
Halo Studios Reportedly Has No New Campaign Or Multiplayer Game In Development
343 Industries reportedly has no new Halo campaign or multiplayer games currently in development. Projects like 'Project Ekur' have been cancelled, raising concerns about the future of the franchise following the release of Campaign Evolved.
Bethesda confirms new Fallout 76 expansion, closer partnership with ZOS on Elder Scrolls franchise
Bethesda Game Studios and ZeniMax Online Studios have confirmed a major expansion for Fallout 76 titled Raven Rock, serving as a prequel to Fallout 3. The studios are also entering a closer partnership on the Elder Scrolls franchise, with The Elder Scrolls VI being a priority. Additionally, Fallout 5 is in pre-production, and Bethesda is collaborating with Obsidian Entertainment on a new Fallout project and remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas.
Saturday Multiplex
A trailer has been released for the official Ghost Rider character guide in Marvel Tokon - Fighting Souls. The article also mentions Valve's 14-year journey to create the Steam Machine, as detailed by Jason Schreier.
A month after mass layoffs at Bungie, Marathon game director Joe Ziegler is leaving the studio
Joe Ziegler, the game director for Bungie's extraction shooter Marathon, has announced his departure from the studio. Del Chafe III will be taking over as Game Director, with Julia Nardin serving as Creative Director. This follows recent mass layoffs at Bungie and precedes an upcoming mid-season update for Marathon, which will introduce its first proper PvE mode.
I'm not worried about Fallout: New Vegas 2, because Obsidian knows how to make the best out of a bad situation
Despite recent layoffs and a history of challenging publisher relationships, Obsidian Entertainment is well-positioned to create a successful Fallout: New Vegas sequel. The studio has a proven track record of delivering excellent RPGs, even under difficult circumstances, and has demonstrated its ability to capture the essence of Fallout with games like The Outer Worlds. The author expresses confidence that Obsidian's talent and experience will allow them to overcome current instability and deliver another acclaimed title.
Richard Garriott vaguely references Ultima plans, including using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed
Richard Garriott vaguely discussed potential plans for the Ultima series during a birthday livestream, mentioning ongoing discussions about regaining copyright and hoping for more substantial news by DragonCon. He and Chris Spears of Catnip Games suggested using Shroud of the Avatar as a testbed for new Ultima concepts, while Spears also provided updates on Shroud of the Avatar's backend improvements and future episodes.
Controversy-laiden Disco Elysium and Zero Parades studio ZA/UM to lay off large chunk of staff once more
ZA/UM Studio, the developer behind Disco Elysium, is laying off up to 32 employees due to the commercial performance of its spiritual successor, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. This news comes amidst the studio's ongoing and complex history of legal disputes and internal conflicts.
GTA 5 dev "can only imagine the size of GTA 6" – "It must be monstrous"
Former Grand Theft Auto 5 producer John Ricchio anticipates that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be "monstrous" in size and detail, continuing Rockstar Games' trend of increasing scope with each installment. He noted that while the development is difficult, the rewarding aspect of seeing player excitement makes it worthwhile.
Fallout 3 & New Vegas Remasters Confirmed by Bethesda
Bethesda has confirmed that remasters of Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are in development, addressing recent leaks. The company also revealed that Fallout 5 has entered pre-production and provided updates on Fallout 4, Fallout Shelter, and Fallout 76's upcoming expansion. Bethesda's primary focus remains on The Elder Scrolls VI, with significant team resources dedicated to its development.
Kit Ellis: Zelda Tears of Kingdom reveal had higher security than any game he was involved in
Former Nintendo of America employee Kit Ellis revealed that The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom had the highest security of any game he was involved with at the company. He stated that fewer than ten individuals at Nintendo of America possessed the necessary clearance to access information about the game.
Why Game Pass Still Matters
Game Pass remains a significant factor in the evolving video game industry by changing how players discover, test, and experience games. Its large library and subscription model reduce the financial barrier for trying new genres and smaller titles, fostering experimentation and wider audience reach for developers. The service aligns with modern player habits of variety and convenience, and its role is expected to continue evolving with technological advancements.
