Industry Sees Layoffs, Lawsuits, and New Game Releases
Major game companies like EA and Microsoft are undergoing significant layoffs and facing legal challenges. Meanwhile, new and lesser-known MMOs are emerging, with some offering early access or unique gameplay experiences. The industry also grapples with evolving monetization strategies and the integration of new technologies.
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- Massively OP Podcast Episode 564: Evercold or everwarmer?The MassivelyOP Podcast episode 564 covers recent MMORPG news, including Final Fantasy XIV's 'Evercold' expansion announcement for 2027, Guild Wars Reforged receiving a mobile port, and Aion 2's westward release window. Other topics include new MMOs from Nexon, Palia's upcoming mount expansion, SWTOR's future updates, LOTRO's housing, Conan Exiles Enhanced edition, and the sale of EVE Online back to CCP Games.
- MMO Business Roundup: PlayStation class action, Steam Controller sellout, and GTA6’s ‘core’ audienceThis MMO business roundup covers several industry developments, including a preliminary approval for a $7.85 million settlement in an antitrust class action lawsuit against Sony over PlayStation Store practices. Valve's Steam Controller sold out rapidly, leading to a reseller market. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick stated Grand Theft Auto VI is primarily aimed at console players, despite PC's significant sales share. Finally, Steam's April hardware survey shows over 25% of users are still on Windows 10.
- MMO Business Roundup: Steam Controller, Star Citizen exec departure, and Crimson Desert dev bonusesThis MMO business roundup covers several industry updates, including Pearl Abyss developers receiving bonuses due to Crimson Desert's high sales. Valve has officially debuted its Steam Controller for PC at $99. Additionally, Cloud Imperium Games' vice president of game development, Brian Chambers, has stepped down after an 11-year tenure.
- MMO Business Roundup: Xbox’s resolutions, Microsoft’s employee buyouts, and Meta’s mass layoffsThis industry roundup covers several key business developments, including Xbox's strategic resolutions to expand its reach and Microsoft's offering of voluntary buyouts to a portion of its US workforce. Additionally, Behaviour Interactive has conducted layoffs affecting external development partnerships, and Meta has laid off 8,000 employees while closing 6,000 job postings.
- The MOP Up: Trove looks to the stars for its latest contestThis week's MMO roundup includes Trove's "Space Innovation" decoration contest, Marvel Rivals' new season and creative director's vision, and sales milestones for Crimson Desert. Updates and patches were also detailed for The Elder Scrolls Online, Hearthstone, Throne and Liberty, Dark Age of Camelot, Magic Online, MechWarrior Online, and League of Legends.
- MMO Business Roundup: Steam price tracking, copycat games, and Krafton’s Subnautica 2 roleThis MMO business roundup covers several industry developments, including Valve's potential Steam price tracking feature and accusations of copycat game design against Hoyoverse's Genshin Impact and a Nintendo Switch title related to Hytale. Krafton also clarified its role in supporting the early access launch of Subnautica 2.
- MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Phantom Line, Idle Clans, and Dragon AwakenThis article rounds up lesser-known multiplayer games, including Phantom Line, a co-op shooter in development by Antistatic Studios. It also features Idle Clans, a PC and mobile idle game celebrating its third anniversary with a new expansion, and Dragon Awaken, a 2017 heroic fantasy MMORPG now managed by Games Hollywood, with one fan attempting to archive it.
- MMO Business Roundup: Nintendo’s US patent, The Crew lawsuit, Epic helps a terminally ill former devThis MMO business roundup covers several key industry events. Nintendo's attempt to patent a monster-summoning mechanic was rejected by the U.S. Patent Office, while Ubisoft faces a lawsuit in France over the shutdown of The Crew. Epic Games has committed to covering insurance costs for a terminally ill former employee laid off during recent company-wide reductions.
- MMOs You’ve Never Heard Of: Stardust Exile, Mortumus, Iverian Wars, and Triad Wars RevivedThis article rounds up several lesser-known MMO and MMO-adjacent multiplayer games, focusing on titles with war themes. Updates include a web client for the sci-fi MMORTS Stardust Exile and new gameplay footage for the full-loot PvP MMORPG Mortumus. Additionally, the free-to-play Iverian Wars: Craxion vs. Defugel has launched, and a fan is reviving the Sleeping Dogs spin-off Triad Wars.
- The MOP Up: Stars Reach teaches you how to roleplay alien speciesStars Reach is providing lore and roleplay guides for its alien species, the Elioni and Gertans, ahead of its sandbox MMO's launch. This week's MMO news roundup also includes updates for War Thunder, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Sea of Thieves, and Farm Together 2, a crossover between Palworld and Legend of Mushroom, and NCsoft's acquisition of JustPlay.
- MMO Business Roundup: PEGI’s lockbox accountability, Root’s Discord alternative, Pickmon’s barely legal IP frappeThe Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) ratings system will now assign a default PEGI 18 rating to games featuring lockboxes or similar paid random items, with changes effective in June. A new Discord alternative called Root has emerged, and Grand Theft Auto Online is highlighting player-created content with triple rewards. The creature-collecting survival game PickMon has been unveiled, drawing comparisons to Pokemon and Palworld.
- MMO Business Roundup: Game devs on Marathon concurrency discourse, Matt Booty says no new layoffsMicrosoft's CCO Matt Booty stated there will be no immediate layoffs at Xbox studios. Game developers are defending Marathon's concurrency numbers, while NCsoft is investing in third-party studios JustPlay and emptyvessel. Roblox has launched new development programs, Incubator and Jumpstart, to support creators on its platform.
- MMO Business Roundup: Nintendo’s tariff lawsuit, gen AI in decline, and Discord’s latest security messThis MMO business roundup covers several industry issues, including Nintendo's lawsuit against U.S. tariffs impacting the Nintendo Switch 2, Clickout Media's alleged use of AI-generated content on acquired gaming sites, and the U.S. government's use of game references in propaganda. It also notes a potential decline in generative AI adoption among game developers and a security flaw in Discord's SDK that exposed private messages.
- MMO Business Roundup: Sony pulls back from PC ports, US considers compelling Tencent divestmentSony is reportedly ceasing PC ports for PlayStation 5 games due to concerns over weak sales and brand dilution, though multiplayer titles like Marvel Tokon and Marathon are unaffected. Separately, the U.S. government is considering compelling Tencent to divest from western gaming investments amid data privacy and potential military links concerns.