Business Development

Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has opened up about the use of AI tools in game development. He also threw shade at Steam, saying that the EGS doesn’t ban titles for “using new technologies.”

Erik Peterson, responsible for business development at Valve, has shared some insights into visibility and discovery mechanisms on Steam. Here is how the company helps devs reach players and connect users to games.

Spyro Reignited Trilogy, a remaster bundle for the classic platformer series from Insomniac Games, has hit a major milestone by selling 10 million copies globally. Let’s take a look at how these figures compare to the original titles.

Embracer Group, which was once on an endless shopping spree, is now dumping its first-party studios as part of the ongoing business restructuring. This time, the victim was Red Faction and Saints Row developer Volition, not to mention layoffs at Gearbox Publishing.

WN Media Group has announced a new WN Connect event to take place next Wednesday in Istanbul, Turkiye. Representatives of companies such as Google, Udo Games, Xsolla, 23 Studios, and Game Factory are expected to attend.

NetEase has released its financial report for the second quarter of 2023 ended June 30. The Chinese tech giant posted revenue and profit growth thanks to the steady performance of its gaming business.

The situation around Dark and Darker has taken an unexpected turn. Although the legal fight between Ironmace Games and publisher Nexon is not yet over, PUBG maker Krafton is now considering creating a mobile game based on this IP.

WN Media Group has announced a new WN CEO Summit event. Over 100 game company founders and executives are expected to gather in Istanbul, Turkiye next month.

Market intelligence platform InvestGame has shared a new report on deal activity in the games industry for the first half of 2023. Here are the key findings about the turbulent and generally deteriorating landscape.

New details have surfaced about the collapsed $2 billion deal that Embracer Group was supposed to close earlier this year. It appears that its partner was Savvy Games Group, an investing firm established by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Take-Two has released a new financial report for the first fiscal quarter ended June 30. The company posted strong growth in revenue and net bookings, although its net loss is still growing.

Ironmace Games has suddenly launched its upcoming PvPvE dungeon crawler Dark and Darker into Early Access. Still unavailable on Steam due to a legal battle with publisher Nexon, the game is now being sold through another platform.

Campfire Cabal has been shut down less than a year after its formation. The studio fell victim to a business restructuring currently underway at its parent company Embracer Group.

Unity has released its financial report for the second quarter ended June 30. The company is showing strong revenue growth, while its net loss continues to decrease.

Baldur’s Gate 3 has finally launched today, and Larian Studios looks stronger than ever — both financially and creatively. However, the company has overcome many headwinds in its nearly 30-year history, from crises to publishers that couldn’t care less about the team and their passion.

Game searching and business matchmaking service WN Game Finder has reached a new milestone two months after its launch. The platform is now inviting more developers to submit their projects for free.

What is the best way to pitch a game to a publisher? Rami Ismail, experienced developer and renowned games industry ambassador, has been there, done that. Here are some useful tips on presenting your project as a business case.

What are hybrid-casual games and how are their monetization loos different from hyper-casual? Voodoo head of publishing Thibault de Vésinne-Larüe has opened up about the company’s approach and what metrics it looks at when launching new titles.

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), which assigns age ratings to video games, has asked the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to greenlight a new age-estimating method. According to the organization, it should avoid the collection of any personal data.

Cliff Bleszinski needs no introduction, especially for people familiar with the games industry of the 90s and 2000s. Although he now produces Broadway musicals, creates comic books, and is involved in the restaurant business, he still has countless stories to tell from his gamedev days.

Blizzard Entertainment has been hit with layoffs at its esports team. Although the company recently reported record quarterly revenues, the future of the Overwatch League is currently uncertain, with sources worrying that the entire division might be closed.

WN Media Group and ChinaJoy have joined forces to host two games industry-centric events at the end of July. Attendees can expect valuable insights, networking opportunities, and a glimpse into the latest gaming trends in the Chinese and Asian markets. .

The remake of Resident Evil 4 has reached another milestone four months after its launch. The game continues to climb up the list of Capcom’s best-selling titles of all time.

Some changes are coming to Naughty Dog’s leadership team as the studio’s co-president Evan Wells announces his departure after working there for 25 years.

Dave the Diver is a new hit game, which has become the top-selling premium title on Steam last week. Here are the key details about the project and developer Mintrocket, a separate subsidiary of South Korean publisher Nexon.

Jay Watamaniuk, veteran community manager and writer, has decided to leave BioWare. He has been with the studio for more than 20 years.

Microsoft has started a new round of layoffs, cutting jobs at several divisions. This comes after the company eliminated 10,000 roles earlier this year.

Capcom now has another hit game in its catalog, as Street Fighter 6 reaches a new milestone. Let’s take a look at how its sales compare with other games in the long-running series.

Embracer Group has issued 80 million new B shares. The raised funds will help the Swedish holding company achieve certain goals as part of its restructuring program.

WN Media Group has announced a new WN Connect event that will take place in Shanghai on July 27. It is expected to bring together over 200 games industry professionals from Tencent, ByteDance, 505 Games, and other companies.

Daedalic Entertainment will no longer develop video games in-house after the failed launch of The Lord of the Rings: Gollum. Nacon’s subsidiary plans to focus exclusively on publishing.

Yana Vesnina, M&A Manager at ZiMAD, shares the most common business proposals that game publishers encounter and the challenges associated with them in her column for Game World Observer.

Information about the production budgets of some of the biggest PlayStation exclusives has been accidently made public during the FTC v. Microsoft hearing. Let’s take a look at how these numbers compare to other AAA games.

Deposition of Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activsion Blizzard, was one of the highlights of day four of the FTC. v. Microsoft hearing. Here is what he had to say about Call of Duty and its absence on Switch, as well as his stance on Game Pass and subscription services in general.

The third day of the FTC v. Microsoft hearing featured pre-recorded testimony from Sony Interactive Entertainment boss Jim Ryan. Here is what he had to say about the Activision Blizzard deal and its potential impact on the PlayStation platform.

An excerpt from Jim Ryan’s testimony to the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been made public. The SIE boss has tried to explain why the company won’t share any hardware details about the PS6 or any other upcoming console with Activision Blizzard post-acquisition.

Electronic Arts has announced a restructuring, realigning into EA Entertainment and EA SPORTS. Here is what it means for the company’s business.

Experience gaming executive Nicola Sebastiani has left PlayStation Studios after two years. He helped Sony establish its mobile division and build a growth strategy in this area.

Electronic Arts has updated the list of potential operational risks, adding its view on unionization and AI regulation. Here is what the company has to say about the influence of these factors on its business.

The 23-year journey of Kiloo Games is coming to an end, as the studio is now laying off staff ahead of its closure. The Danish team is best known as co-developer of Subway Surfers, one of the most popular mobile games ever.

The latest WN Conference took place in Istanbul, Turkiye on June 7-8. Here are all the key figures and stats about the networking and dealmaking event for games industry professionals.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has been granted a restraining order against the Microsoft-Activision deal. This means the companies are now temporarily blocked from completing the merger.

Embracer Group has announced a business restructuring. The Swedish holding company plans a multi-phase program aimed at increasing its growth and long-term efficiency.

The US video game subscription market is likely approaching a plateau in terms of player spending. This is according to new data from analytics firm Circana.

Experienced game designer David Ellis is another developer to leave 343 Industries after working on the Halo franchise for more than a decade. This comes a few months after the studio’s restructuring and the departure of other veteran employees.

Street Fighter 6 is having a great launch both in terms of player reception and commercial success. Just a few days after its release, the game has already reached its first major sales milestone.

The latest WN Connect event took place on May 24 in Beijing, China. It was attended by local games industry professionals from NetEase, Perfect World, FunPlus, yodo1, Lilith Games, Cocos, and more.

New details about the drama surrounding Disco Elysium and its creators have emerged thanks to an in-depth investigation by People Make Games. Let’s dive into all aspects of it, from ZA/UM’s shareholder structure and legal disputes to Robert Kurvitz’s creative leadership and his recently registered trademark called “Corinthians”.

The first season of AI Talks, a series of weekly discussions on AI, is coming to an end with a new episode. Join the talk to get some insights on boosting creativity with new technologies and the potential challenges that come with it.

Games and Names is a new podcast launched by AppMagic in partnership with WN Media Group. The first episode, featuring Niko Partners’ Daniel Ahmad, is focused on mobile genres that managed to beat the overall market decline in 2022.