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Look North World, a developer and publisher, has secured an extra $2.25 million in seed funding, elevating its total to $4.5 million. This funding round was spearheaded by London Venture Partners and included contributions from Bandai Namco Entertainment 021 Fund, Overwolf, Crush Ventures (the venture branch of Crush Music), Hasbro, Pix Capital, and Hibbard Road Partners. The new investment will support the studio's development of original titles—currently numbering 15 in various stages of progress—and research into the creation of games utilizing user-generated content
Equity, the performing arts and entertainment union of the UK, has expressed its backing of SAG-AFTRA's recently declared video game strike. In a statement on its official website, Equity's assistant general secretary, John Barclay, affirmed the union's complete support for its counterpart's "courageous decision to authorize a strike against US video game companies." Barclay emphasized the importance of voice and performance capture artists in the multibillion-dollar industry, noting their critical role in bringing characters to life and contributing to the success of video games
Valve has unveiled several enhancements to the way demos are managed on Steam, along with new options to help developers showcase these demos to potential players. Among the most significant updates is the ability for studios to create dedicated store pages for their free demos. These pages can feature screenshots, trailers, and details about the demo's contents. Conveniently, they will also automatically link to the full game's store page, facilitating wishlisting or purchase by users. According to Valve's announcement, these dedicated demo pages are optional and can be removed at the developer’s discretion. Developers are required to provide a complete written description, screenshots, and tags before a page can be published. This feature is available for demos that are already on Steam
During Hasbro's announcement of its Q2 financial results, CEO Chris Cocks highlighted the company's dedication to enhancing "digital play." He revealed a $125 million budget for video game development, with plans for one to two new titles to be launched annually starting from late 2025 or early 2026. In Hasbro's earnings call Q&A session, transcribed by Seeking Alpha, Cocks emphasized that the recent hire of John Hight as president of Wizards of the Coast and Digital Gaming, along with the addition of several executives with video game expertise to the board, aligns with Hasbro's strategic goals. He stated the intention to grow some of the company's "mid-core and hard-core brands" and transition them to digital platforms
The eagerly anticipated movie adaptation of BioShock has experienced a budget reduction, as Netflix aims to develop it into a "more personal" venture. Variety disclosed this development during a Thursday panel at this year's San Diego Comic-Con, where producer Roy Lee mentioned that the BioShock project is being "reconfigured" due to a leadership change at the streaming company. In March, Netflix appointed Dan Lin as its new head of film, with the producer of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender remake taking over from Scott Stuber, who had been in charge when the BioShock film was initially announced in 2022
Elden Ring has soared 18 positions to land at No.3 on Newzoo's overall revenue charts for June, driven by the launch of its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The game from FromSoftware also made its debut in the Top 20 of Newzoo's monthly active user engagement charts, climbing to No.13 from its previous No.27 spot in May. Meanwhile, Fortnite and EA Sports FC 24 have held onto the top two positions in Newzoo's revenue rankings across all platforms, and Destiny 2 advanced three spots from No.8 to No.5
"Why I Love" is a guest editorial series on GamesIndustry.biz, aimed at highlighting the admiration game developers have for each other’s creations. This contribution comes from Luis Correa, the game director at C2 Game Studio, currently working on the forthcoming title Astor: Blade of the Monolith. As a child, Luis Correa was captivated by games such as The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania, Ninja Gaiden, and Double Dragon. These 8-bit titles, filled with fantastical adventures, incredible worlds, and fascinating characters, fueled his vivid imagination. However, the young Luis could not have foreseen the monumental evolution that games would undergo in the future. Fast forward to 2001, Luis, then 22 years old, had just moved from Colombia to the United States with the ambition of enrolling in Digipen and embarking on a career in game development. This chapter of his life was rife with possibilities but also marked by solitude. Having completed a year as an exchange student to improve his English, he saw his friends returning to their home countries, leaving him alone in Washington State. Fortunately, he managed to acquire a PlayStation 2 console—a challenging feat at the time—and immersed himself in the world of video games within his modest studio apartment.
Ernest Hemingway's observation on how individuals face bankruptcy captures a certain bleakness, yet this quote frequently serves to describe various forms of change, including political and social movements as well as personal achievements. It effectively summarizes the idea of a tipping point: prolonged periods of effort that seem to yield no progress can suddenly lead to a rapid and unstoppable transformation when a critical threshold is crossed.
Paradox Interactive has reported a dramatic 90% decline in profits in the wake of cancelling Life By You. The publisher's second quarter financial results, released on Thursday, reveal profits down to SEK 28.9 million ($2.6 million) from SEK 292.9 million ($27.1 million) in the same quarter the previous year. The write-downs of development expenses for Life By You totaled SEK 208 million ($19.2 million), factored into the operating profits
Epic Games is set to withdraw Fortnite and other titles from mobile app stores prior to introducing its own digital storefront for iOS and Android. The game publisher declared it would be ending its distribution agreements with mobile stores, which it criticized as "rent collectors" that fail to compete effectively and treat all developers equitably, even in instances where those stores provide preferential terms for Epic’s games. Additionally, Epic announced it would pull Fortnite and other games from the Samsung Galaxy store, citing Samsung's move to block side-loading by default on its devices
Additional speakers have been announced for the upcoming GamesIndustry.biz HR Summit in September. This event will focus on the skills crisis and fostering young talent within the industry. Scheduled for September 18 at the Royal Institution in London, tickets can be secured here. Gina Jackson, founder of Skillfull, will present an update on her findings regarding the Skills Crisis. Concurrently, Phil Atkinson from NextGen Skills will lead a breakout session on the potential benefits of apprenticeships
The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has announced a strike commencing at 12:01 a.m. on July 26. This decision follows a unanimous vote by the SAG-AFTRA National Board earlier this week, granting its chief negotiator authority to initiate an immediate strike. The action aims to safeguard voice actors' job security amid increasing use of generative AI by studios. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the national executive director and chief negotiator, stated the strike results from "more than a year and a half of negotiations [about the Interactive Media Agreement] without a deal"
Cathleen Nilson has taken on the role of chief financial officer at Xsolla, the global game commerce company announced. Nilson's appointment comes after a year-long tenure at the software-as-a-service AI company Kami Vision. Prior to this, Nilson held positions at several technology and gaming giants, including Samsung, Turing, and Electronic Arts (EA)
In recent years, major game titles have proven that mobile platforms can compete with home consoles. Notably, "Genshin Impact" has maintained its status as a leading action-adventure game with gacha elements since its simultaneous launch on Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, and PC in September 2020, followed by a PlayStation 5 release a year later. Major intellectual property holders are beginning to adopt this multi-platform release strategy, including home consoles, PC, and mobile devices. This trend is driven by the growing performance capabilities of mobile devices and significant investments by companies like Netflix in mobile gaming through its app. Upcoming releases, such as "Tales of the Shire," will be available on Netflix from day one, while "Paper Trail" launched concurrently on the platform, PC, and consoles
The number of mobile gamers in Germany is growing. According to the German gaming association GAME, by the end of 2023, 24.6 million people in the country were playing mobile games. This is 300,000 more than the previous year
In 2023, the German gaming market experienced a 6% increase, reaching €10 billion in value. According to new data from the German Games Industry Association (Game) and Data.ai, revenue from mobile games nearly doubled to €2.9 billion compared to €1.5 billion in 2018. This marked improvement contrasts with the 1% growth seen last year and was driven by strong sales of gaming consoles, accessories, and in-game and in-app purchases
Improbable, a technology company, has recorded its first annual profit, reporting £11 million in earnings for 2023. This disclosure was made as the firm filed documents with Companies House yesterday. Additionally, the company revealed a 37% increase in revenue year-over-year, reaching £66 million, and reported a cash reserve of £185 million. Established in 2012, Improbable initially specialized in developing technology for large-scale, persistent simulations for video games. However, in 2021, the company pivoted towards metaverse technologies, although some of its tools remain applicable for games and virtual environments
Activision Blizzard has given the green light for employing generative AI tools such as Midjourney and Stable Diffusion to create concept art and marketing materials, according to a recent Wired investigation. The news outlet acquired an internal memo from the company's former chief technology officer, Michael Vance, which sanctioned the use of these AI tools. Although Vance stepped down from his CTO position in January 2024, he remains with Activision as a fellow software engineer. A former employee revealed that the company assured its artists that the generative AI would be utilized exclusively for internal concepts and not for final game assets, emphasizing that AI would not be used to replace them
More than 500 developers working on World of Warcraft have unionized. They have established the World of Warcraft Game Makers Guild within the Communications Workers of America union (WoWGG-CWA). This group, including "designers, engineers, producers, artists, quality assurance testers, and more," has created the "first wall-to-wall union at Activision Blizzard." Additionally, it represents the largest such union at a Microsoft-owned studio, underscoring the growing momentum to organize within the video game industry
Developer Respawn has acknowledged that it "could have handled its Battle Pass changes better" and is committed to enhancing "the overall value and experience across its Battle Pass offerings." Earlier this month, Respawn disclosed a pricing change for its Apex Legends battle passes, indicating that from the next season forward, passes would only be purchasable with real-world currency. Previously, players were able to use in-game currency to obtain their passes
PlayCap, described as a "pioneering angel investment syndicate led by women," aspires to "significantly enhance the representation of women" in the gaming investment sector. Founded by angel investor Bibbi Wikman, PlayCap seeks to bring together experienced investors and newcomers, fostering a "collaborative environment where women with industry experience can make impactful investments." While PlayCap's mission includes supporting women in the industry, it does not limit its investments to women-led gaming companies and "remains open to any promising opportunities identified within the gaming industry"
Twitch, a leading platform in the streaming industry, has revised its rules regarding sexual harassment. The company announced it is "introducing some clarifications to our sexual harassment policy and providing more information on a new AutoMod category aimed at identifying chat messages that could involve sexual harassment." Despite few changes to the core policy, the updates are intended to improve clarity, the team stated
The commercial video games industry, now over five decades old, continues to grapple with mainstream acceptance, especially when contrasted with television and film. Although negative media portrayals and political attacks have diminished compared to past decades, the industry remains under scrutiny, particularly regarding loot boxes, monetisation practices, and concerns about addiction. However, the overall perception is on the rise, with numerous industry professionals and organisations working to highlight the positive impacts of video games. An illustrative example is "Push Play: Gaming for a Better World," a book released in March, authored by NCSoft's president and chief strategy officer, Songyee Yoon. The publication delves into the various benefits of video gaming, reasons behind its widespread appeal, and strategies for tackling the industry’s significant challenges
Agora Gaming Partners, a newly established global advisory firm, has secured $600,000 at its inception. The firm, founded by Pontus Mahler, formerly the vice president at Global Top Round, and Jacques Benchetrit, previously head of M&A and fundraising at the same company, aims to offer publishing and equity deals alongside fundraising services tailored for gaming startups and developers. AGP will kick off operations with an initial roster of six clients, supported by investment from several undisclosed angel investors specializing in the gaming sector
Chinese company Lilith Games, which developed Rise of Kingdoms and AFK Arena, is showing extraordinary generosity. In an interview with PocketGamer, Vincent Ou, head of strategy and investment at Lilith Games, revealed that the company has implemented what they call the "Aladdin Plan," under which they regularly share profits with their employees
Davide Soliani has departed from Ubisoft after a career spanning more than twenty years. The creative director of Ubisoft Milan announced his departure on social media, stating it was time "to embark on a new adventure." "After 25 years, 11 of which were wonderfully spent collaborating with Nintendo on Mario + Rabbids alongside our amazing community of players, I have decided to leave Ubisoft for a new adventure," he wrote. "I can't share more at the moment. Thank you all for everything, truly"