-
Embracer Group Conveys Over 1,300 Staff Dismissals Amidst Restructuring The Sweden-based Embracer Group, renowned for owning a vast array of subsidiaries including THQ Nordic, Saber Interactive, and Plaion among others, acknowledged letting go roughly 8% of its personnel after implementing a restructuring initiative, which kickstarted last year.
In June of 2023, the company initially unveiled this significant restructuring program. Since its introduction, huge staff reductions have occurred within several of its studios. Notably, studios such as Saints Row’s Volition faced complete shutdown in August, followed by TimeSplitters’ Free Radical Design halting its operations in December. Last month, Eidos-Montréal, the brains behind Shadow of the Tomb Raider, also reported laying off... Continue reading -
Take-Two Interactive CEO Reflects on GTA 6 Trailer Leak Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick talks about the recent Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) trailer leak aftermath. The trailer concerning the highly-anticipated game in the Grand Theft Auto line was unveiled abruptly on Twitter / X the day before it was to be officially launched. This turn of events left Rockstar Games, the game's developer, with no other option but to publish the trailer earlier than scheduled, causing a stir among gaming journalists around the globe.
While discussing the company’s latest financial results, Zelnick admitted that the trailer leak was a let-down despite not causing any significant damage to the... Continue reading -
Delayed Payments to PUBG Content Creators Soon to Be Resolved, Says Krafton Many content creators of the battle royale game, PUBG (PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds), have been left unpaid for over four months, unable to withdraw their earnings as part of the 'Creator Appreciation Program'. This issue has not gone unnoticed, with publisher Krafton stating they're working to rectify the situation.
PUBG’s 'Creator Appreciation Program' permits players to designate chosen creators to obtain a 5% cut from any personal in-game purchases they make. Typically, creators are paid monthly, but many stopped receiving their regular payments several months ago. As per our source, these creators can view their pending balances but cannot withdrawal the funds. The... Continue reading -
Rat Revolution: Gloomwood's Cutting-Edge Rodent AI Takes Stealth Gaming to New Heights In the shadowy corners of the gaming world, an unsuspecting protagonist emerges—not your usual stealth game hero, but rather a small, whiskered creature. The developers at Dillon Rogers and David Szymanski's Gloomwood have turned their attention to the minutiae of rodent life, elevating the role of rats from mere background scurrying to a dynamic element integral to the game's immersive sim experience.
The developers' recent expedition into vermin behavior has led to an intriguing breakthrough in NPC AI, encompassing the cheese-seeking antics of the game's rats. The critters exhibit an impressive array of naturalistic behaviors: they forage, feast, and even navigate... Continue reading -
Swiping Responsibly: Navigating Tinder's New Wave of User Warnings Exploring the world of online dating is sometimes like walking through a minefield of unspoken rules and etiquette. For those just starting, especially within the 18-25 age range, making sense of what's acceptable can be daunting. Recognizing this, Tinder is launching new user warnings aimed at guiding young singles toward more respectful interactions. These notifications serve as a gentle reminder to keep online exchanges authentic, respectful, and inclusive.
The initiative operates under three main pillars. Authenticity includes discouraging impersonation and enforcing honesty. Respectfulness tackles the broad scope of behavior, from the tone of messages to respecting other users' boundaries. Inclusiveness focuses... Continue reading -
The initial demo for Headquarters: World War II will be accessible throughout the Steam Next Fest event Gamers will soon have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the intense gameplay of Headquarters: World War II, with the release of its inaugural demo during the Steam Next Fest. From February 5th to 12th, the demo will be available, offering two distinct missions for players to experience: an instructional level and the initial mission of the game's German campaign, where players will engage with the Allies during the historic D-Day invasion.
Slated for a Q2 2024 release, Headquarters: World War II promises to deliver an engaging historical experience through three narrative-driven campaigns representing the UK, the US, and Germany, all... Continue reading -
Bloodborne Kart is not a fan game anymore The fan-created project that has captured the attention of Soulsborne fans, widely known as Bloodborne Kart, is facing a significant challenge. The ingenious idea of racing with cherished figures from the ominous fantasy realm on tracks reminiscent of Mario Kart has encountered legal obstacles.
"The gist of our situation is that we must eliminate any branded elements from what was once Bloodborne Kart," the development team announced on social media. "This change is underway, but it will cause a minor setback. Fear not, the game is still on its way to release! It will simply undergo some aesthetic changes. We haven't... Continue reading -
Day One Rolls Out Private Shared Journals for Collaborative Storytelling The journaling app Day One is enhancing its platform with the addition of Shared Journals, an intimate feature designed for exchanging anecdotes and memories with close ones. This new element essentially establishes a mini-social network, allowing up to 30 people to engage by sharing personal experiences, providing comments, and emoting reactions to each other's journal entries.
Firm on protecting privacy, Day One asserts that these Shared Journals will be distinct from individual personal journals, ensuring entries from private records remain unshared. The commitment to security is further strengthened with end-to-end encryption throughout the platform. Creators of shared journals hold control to... Continue reading -
Last Epoch Sets Official Launch Date Offering Deep ARPG Experience Fans of isometric action RPGs have cause for celebration, as the game Last Epoch has secured its official release date for February 21, 2024. Initially introduced to players in 2019, Last Epoch has distinguished itself as an action RPG crafted by enthusiasts for enthusiasts, boasting a rich assortment of skills, loot, and a barrage of adversaries for players to combat.
The game’s full version, labeled 1.0, will mark its completion with the addition of the Warlock and Falconer classes. Included in the release will be two innovative Item Factions, a feature that enables players to either curate their own loot or... Continue reading -
Supreme Court Rejects Appealing Against Apple-Epic Antitrust Case The United States Supreme Court recently turned down an appeal by both Apple and Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, in relation to an antitrust case pertaining to the App Store's supposed monopolistic behavior. This decision came unexpectedly, in light of a recent verdict that found Google at fault in a similar dispute with Epic Games. It ensures the original decision, which favored Apple by asserting the company had not indulged in monopolistic practices, stays put. However, the original verdict had mandated that Apple allow app makers to direct their users to the internet via links in their apps.
The court-imposed... Continue reading -
Apple Plans Major Changes to its App Store for European Users In the face of upcoming European Union regulations, Apple is gearing up to introduce sideloading support in the App Store within Europe, as stated by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This move is an effort to comply with the stipulations of the impending Digital Markets Act (DMA), due by March 7. This change will mark a significant deviation from Apple's current practice, as outside App Store installations have not been supported previously in any region.
Gurman, in an exclusive edition of the weekly Power On newsletter, reveals Apple's intention to divide the App Store into two separate versions in the coming weeks. This... Continue reading -
Google Introducing More Real-Money Games to Play Store Google has unveiled plans to expand its support for real-money games (RMG) on the Play Store. With this, the tech behemoth plans to allow additional varieties of games in this category while adhering to local laws. The program is scheduled to launch in India, Brazil, and Mexico in June, with further plans to extend its reach to other countries.
In addition to this, Google is pondering a modified service fee model for app subscriptions and in-app purchases. Though they have not disclosed specifics regarding the percentage they would be taking from developers, they have expressed their intention to remodel their service... Continue reading