Game Development
Ongoing coverage on Game Development.
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Grand Theft Auto developers seek union recognition at Rockstar
UK-based employees at Grand Theft Auto VI developer Rockstar Games have requested voluntary union recognition under the Rockstar Game Workers Union, affiliated with the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain. The union aims to negotiate on issues such as pay transparency, flexible working, and crunch. This follows accusations that Rockstar fired 31 employees in retaliation for union activity, which the company denies.
GTA 6 and Nintendo rumoured to be making a Switch 2 port happen
Rumors suggest Nintendo and Rockstar Games are collaborating on a port of Grand Theft Auto 6 for the Nintendo Switch 2, though conflicting reports exist regarding its feasibility and release. While some insiders claim technical hurdles have been overcome, others have heard no confirmation of such a port. Despite potential challenges, both companies are reportedly exploring the possibility due to the game's immense anticipation and potential sales on the platform.
Generative AI is a "virulent plague" and even using it to eliminate "drudgery" has downsides, reckons long-time Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider
Former Dragon Age lead writer David Gaider believes generative AI is a "virulent plague" and not ready for game development, even for mundane tasks. He argues that its use risks inhibiting the training of junior developers and raises significant legal concerns due to unregulated data sourcing. Gaider suggests avoiding the technology until it is properly regulated.
Bad news, Blizzard won't be running a fresh Season of Discovery server in WoW Classic
Blizzard Entertainment has confirmed there are no plans to launch a new official "fresh start" server for the Season of Discovery in World of Warcraft Classic. Senior Game Designer Josh Greenfield stated that opening and managing new servers requires significant resources and is not feasible given other ongoing development priorities. This news comes despite a recent community-driven "Fake Fresh" event that saw a surge in player numbers for the existing Season of Discovery servers.
"We're talking about at least half a decade of horror": former Exodus lead explains why he wasn't keen on doing a Baldur's Gate 4 despite Hasbro offering the chance
Former Archetype Entertainment studio head James Ohlen explained his reluctance to develop Baldur's Gate 4, citing the immense pressure to match Larian Studios' success with Baldur's Gate 3. Ohlen stated that building the necessary tools and infrastructure from scratch would take at least five years and expressed concerns about competing with the high standard set by the previous game. He has since left Archetype due to burnout.
State of Decay studio Undead Labs potentially up for closure, sources claim, with Bethesda and Blizzard also facing layoffs
Microsoft is reportedly planning significant layoffs across its gaming division, potentially including the closure of Undead Labs, the studio behind State of Decay. Bethesda and Blizzard Entertainment are also expected to face substantial job cuts as part of a company-wide "reset." Union workers are negotiating with management to protect jobs or secure severance packages amid these widespread reductions.
The Co-Lead Designer of Baldur's Gate 2 Turned Baldur's Gate 4 Down and I Don't Blame Him — Baldur's Gate 3 Is Pretty Much Impossible to Follow
The co-lead designer of Baldur's Gate 2 has declined to work on Baldur's Gate 4, citing the immense success and high bar set by Baldur's Gate 3. This decision challenges the conventional industry practice of immediately greenlighting sequels to profitable titles, suggesting that Baldur's Gate 3's achievements make a direct follow-up exceptionally difficult.
Xbox is reportedly considering closing State of Decay developer Undead Labs
Microsoft is reportedly considering closing several Xbox-owned studios, including Undead Labs, the developer of the State of Decay series. Other studios at risk include Double Fine, Compulsion Games, and Ninja Theory, as part of a broader 'reset' plan for the Xbox brand aimed at improving profitability. These potential closures could result in hundreds of job losses, with layoffs expected to begin in early July.
Tekken 8 Roger Jr. Trailer Inspired by Viral, Kangaroo-Punching Clip Was Prompted by Former Tekken Director Katsuhiro Harada
Former Tekken director Katsuhiro Harada confirmed his involvement in the reveal trailer for Roger Jr. in Tekken 8. The trailer was inspired by a viral video of a kangaroo punching someone.
Hearing about the future of PlayStation from its top dogs made me so depressed I had to go lie down
Sony Interactive Entertainment executives discussed PlayStation's future focus on monetizing its existing user base through recurring revenue like PS Plus, rather than solely on increasing Monthly Active Users. They also highlighted Artificial Intelligence as a key foundational technology for improving development efficiency and player experience in the long term, while aiming to deliver unique value for next-generation platforms beyond PC alternatives.
Roblox Reveals 18+ Game Plans
Roblox is launching an incubator program to develop six new games rated for 18+ audiences. This initiative aims to expand the platform's content offerings by partnering with developers for a six-month program, with one revealed project being an extraction game.
1666: Amsterdam Was Originally Going to be Published by Xbox Before Funding Was Cut
1666: Amsterdam, a dark narrative action game from Panache Digital Games, was originally planned for publication by Xbox. However, Microsoft cut funding for the project, leading the studio to pursue self-publishing. The game, led by former Assassin's Creed creator Patrice Désilets, is in development for PC and features dark fantasy aesthetics.
PlayStation – and The Gaming Industry – Just Doesn’t Learn With Live-Service
Despite numerous high-profile failures and significant layoffs within studios like Bungie and Quantic Dream, Sony Interactive Entertainment, led by Hideaki Nishino, remains committed to pursuing live-service games. This strategy is questioned due to past setbacks and the company's historical strength in single-player titles, with concerns that chasing trends is leading to wasted investment and development resources.
After leading the studio through 2 rounds of layoffs and 1 game release, the CEO of Supermassive is stepping down
Robert Henrysson, CEO of Supermassive Games and Nordisk Games, is stepping down from his roles. During his tenure, he oversaw the release of Directive 8020 and led the studio through two rounds of layoffs. Henrysson expressed gratitude to the team and indicated openness to future advisory roles in the games industry.
Generative AI is a "plague," says Dragon Age vet David Gaider: "It's not ready for prime time. There's just a lot of executives who really, really want it to be"
Longtime Dragon Age narrative lead David Gaider describes generative AI as a "virulent plague" in the games industry, citing concerns about legal issues, ethical implications, and the potential to hinder junior developer training. He argues that the technology is not yet ready for widespread use and that executives are pushing for it without fully understanding its limitations or impact on creative workflows.
Uncharted PS5 remake scrapped by Naughty Dog, it’s claimed
Naughty Dog reportedly shelved plans for a PlayStation 5 remake of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune to focus on The Last of Us: Part I. A section of the original Uncharted was remade with Uncharted 4's graphics, but the scope of a full remake led to the project's cancellation. The future of the Uncharted series is uncertain, with rumors suggesting Bend Studio may take over.
Next Ghost Recon Game “Greatly Reduced” Says New Report
A new report indicates that the next Ghost Recon game, codenamed Project OVR, is facing significant development challenges. Issues include poor leadership, missed deadlines, and a failed alpha test, leading to a greatly reduced scope for the title.
Insomniac Working on New Marvel Game IP
Insomniac Games is reportedly working on a new Marvel game IP separate from its Spider-Man and Wolverine titles. This new project is in addition to the upcoming Marvel's Wolverine, which is slated for release in September 2026. The studio has a strong track record with Marvel games, including Marvel's Spider-Man, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, and Marvel's Spider-Man 2.
ARC Raiders community divided as negative reviews ramp about content cadence issues
ARC Raiders is experiencing a surge of negative Steam reviews and community division due to concerns over its content update cadence. Embark Studios has shifted from monthly updates to larger, six-month content drops, a move that has split player sentiment. While some players are leaving, others are willing to wait for the substantial updates, but the game's long-term health is being questioned amidst a crowded extraction shooter market.
Quoteworthy
The co-lead designer of Baldur's Gate 2 was reportedly asked to develop Baldur's Gate 4, but declined the offer. They stated that competing against Larian Studios' highly successful Baldur's Gate 3 would be an insurmountable challenge.