Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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Steam refunds are "not for people to play games for free," says dev of short game who criticized Valve's…
Mateo Covic, developer of the short game Paddle Paddle Paddle, has criticized Steam's refund policy, stating it's exploitable and allows players to play games for free. While supporting the refund system overall, Covic argues that the current 'no questions asked' policy within two weeks and under two hours of playtime is too easily abused. He clarified his intention was not to remove refunds but to address players who enjoyed the game and left positive reviews before refunding it.
Doom dev Id is now "about the same size we were when making Doom 2016" after layoffs
Id Software has addressed recent layoffs, stating that the studio remains adequately staffed to continue developing games and technology. Despite significant job cuts impacting over half the team, the developer confirmed its current size is comparable to when it was developing Doom 2016. The studio emphasized its commitment to its core philosophy and supporting affected employees, while looking forward to future projects and QuakeCon.
As Criterion rebrands on its 30th anniversary, are its beloved racing franchises like Burnout falling away in the rearview mirror?
Criterion is rebranding on its 30th anniversary, emphasizing its current role as a "Battlefield Studio" within Electronic Arts. While the studio's legacy includes beloved racing titles like Burnout Paradise, its primary focus is now on supporting the Battlefield franchise, including recent work on Battlefield 6. Despite industry challenges and past layoffs, Criterion aims to maintain its core values of "Dare, Deliver, and Delight," with discussions ongoing about the potential for future racing game development.
Denshattack dev talks bringing the game to Nintendo Switch 2, and decision to skip Switch 1
Undercoders studio director David Jaumandreu discussed why Denshattack will launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 on July 15, 2026, but not the original Nintendo Switch. The team opted to develop for the newer console to avoid hardware constraints and ensure a high-quality visual and performance experience. While they considered the original Switch, they ultimately prioritized the capabilities of the Switch 2 for Denshattack's intended presentation.
Comings and Goings
Ubisoft Barcelona has begun layoffs following the launch of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag Resynced. Additionally, Enginefall developer Red Rover Interactive is cutting 22 roles as part of workforce reductions in the game industry.
I’m Breaking Up With Love And Deepspace
The author expresses disappointment with Infold and Papergames following controversies surrounding the game Love and Deepspace, including an incident where a journalist was asked to avoid showcasing male characters and the subsequent cancellation of a planned love interest named Valko. These events, coupled with player backlash and accusations of historical insensitivity, led the author to delete the game, citing a loss of trust in the developers' decisions and artistic vision.
Resolute Games says with or without external funding, VR MMORPG ‘Eldramoor will get released’
Resolute Games' VR MMORPG Eldramoor is on track for release, with studio lead Lynn Souza stating that development will continue with or without external funding. The game, which previously raised $171,000 on Kickstarter, is currently selling preorders with beta access slated for November. Souza also mentioned plans to expand the development team.
id Software provides proof of life, says it 'still has the crew we need to build the games and tech we're…
Following significant layoffs at id Software, the studio has issued a statement assuring that it retains the necessary staff and technology to continue developing its signature games and the idTech engine. The company stated its current team size is comparable to when DOOM (2016) was in development, aiming to quell concerns about its future capacity and reliance on Unreal Engine.
Id claims it has "the crew we need to build the games and tech we're known for" following mass layoffs
id Software stated on X that it retains the necessary staff to develop its known games and technology, following significant layoffs across the Xbox portfolio. The studio claims its current team size is comparable to when DOOM (2016) was developed, emphasizing a flat, maker-focused philosophy. This comes after reports suggested the layoffs left the company unable to maintain its idtech engine.
Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves devs want to continue the once-a-month DLC in Season 3
SNK producer Shinya Tamaki expressed the company's desire to maintain a monthly DLC character release schedule for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves into Season 3. Tamaki noted that optimizing development teams for this pace was challenging but ultimately successful, leading to fan satisfaction. The team is committed to continuing this content release strategy.
Capcom on why it used RE Engine for Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection
Capcom discussed their decision to use the RE Engine for the upcoming Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection in an interview with Automaton. The company explained the reasoning behind choosing this engine for the compilation of classic Mega Man titles.
Indie dev defends criticism of Steam refund abuse amid review bombing of his game: 'It's wrong to refund a…
Indie developer Mateo Covic has spoken out against players who refund games on Steam after completing them, despite his own game, Paddle Paddle Paddle, experiencing a high refund rate. Covic clarified that his frustration stems from players bragging about finishing and refunding games, not the refund policy itself. The controversy has led to some review bombing of his game, though he maintains his stance that completing a game and then refunding it is unethical.
"Just too gay" - Robert Yang is battling censorship to launch a collection of his award-winning games on Steam and Itch, and it's completely free
Developer Robert Yang is facing censorship issues with his collection of experimental games, Radiator Forever, which is available for free on Steam and Itch.io. Yang criticizes platforms like Steam for stricter content rules, particularly regarding adult and LGBTQ+ themes, which he argues are unfairly applied compared to mainstream titles. The collection, initially featuring four remastered games, will be expanded over time with more of Yang's acclaimed and politically charged works.
A Manor Lords update has just fixed its "degraded" systems - "Next stop: more content"
An update for the medieval city-building game Manor Lords has been released, focusing on technical overhauls and system improvements that had degraded over time. Developer Slavic Magic prioritized these backend fixes over new content for the past four months. Lead Developer Greg Styczeń confirmed that work on new content and features is ongoing and will resume now that the technical issues are addressed.
Resident Evil Requiem cut one of the Leon Kennedy actor's "favorite" lines, and fans agree Capcom has…
Resident Evil 4 voice actor Nick Apostolides revealed a cut line for Leon Kennedy that he considered a favorite, which would have been spoken during the Titan Spinner boss fight. Fans on social media have expressed agreement that the line, "You know, you've been a real itsy-bitsy pain in my ass," would have been a great addition to the game. The discussion has also sparked interest in potentially modding the line into the game.
Capcom explains why Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection uses RE Engine
Capcom developers explained the decision to use the RE Engine for Mega Man Star Force Legacy Collection, citing the need for efficient development across multiple platforms and to convey the original game's fun factor. The RE Engine's capabilities in handling platform deployment costs and maintaining quality were key factors in its selection for the remasters.
Roadmaps and Plans
The article provides an update on the roadmaps and plans for Starfinder: Afterlight, introducing a character known as the Minister of Flesh. Further details on development plans are expected.
Bethesda's last Skyrim concept artist has been laid off after "almost 18 years of dedication to The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield" amid Xbox cuts: "It has been my honor"
Ray Lederer, the last concept artist from the original Skyrim team at Bethesda Softworks, has been laid off after nearly 18 years. His tenure included work on The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, and Starfield. This layoff is part of broader restructuring and cuts within Xbox's gaming division.
Palworld 1.0 Players Spot a Number of Pal Redesigns — and Some Say They Now Look Less Like the Pokémon They Resembled
Players of Palworld have noticed that developer Pocketpair has updated the designs of several "Pals" for the game's 1.0 launch. Some players have commented that these redesigned creatures now bear a less striking resemblance to the Pokémon they were previously compared to.
After 19 months of waiting, Project Zomboid's next update will finally deliver a stable build, "and it's a big one"
The Indie Stone has announced that Project Zomboid build 42.20 is being prepared for the stable branch, marking the end of a 19-month wait since its initial unstable release. This significant update includes numerous changes and new features, with the developer also outlining plans for the rest of the year, including optimization, modding support, and community feedback integration for future builds.
