Tag: Industry - Page 9
News Sony Reveals iSIZE Acquisition, Not a Games Developer
A UK-based video delivery firm
Sony has today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire UK-based company iSIZE, which specialises "in deep learning for video delivery. iSIZE builds AI-powered solutions to deliver bitrate savings and quality improvements for the media and entertainment industry," the firm explained. The cost of the buyout...
News Bungie Layoffs Reportedly Impacted Around 100 Staff, Revenue 45% Below 2023 Projection
Decision came from Bungie management, not Sony
New reporting suggests this week's layoffs at Bungie, the Sony-owned developer behind Destiny 2, have impacted around 100 staff members, or roughly 8% of the studio's headcount. Bloomberg reports that executives at Bungie told employees two weeks ago that Destiny 2 was running some 45% below revenue...
News Atari Ramps Up Retro Ambitions with Digital Eclipse Acquisition
Another feather to its bow
Update: In a FAQ post detailing the acquisition, Digital Eclipse has confirmed it’ll continue to work on other games outside the Atari catalogue. “While we're certainly happy to have greater access to Atari's fantastic library, we still have the freedom to seek out projects with other parties,” a statement notes. It...
News Bungie CEO Laments 'Sad Day' for Sony Studio Following Layoffs
"These are truly talented people"
Bungie – like a number of other Sony first-party studios recently – has been hit by a wave of layoffs, as the Japanese giant seeks to streamline its business. Despite registering record revenues, the platform holder has been aggressively cutting jobs this year – a trend, which, to be fair, has been consistent...
News Expect a 'Major' Unannounced Title from Capcom Before March 2024
Anticipation levels rising
A "major" unannounced title from resurgent developer/publisher Capcom could be creeping up on us, releasing before the end of its fiscal year. That's March 2024 for those more accustomed to the ever-reliable Gregorian calendar. This news comes to us through a Japanese Q&A segment published alongside Capcom's latest...
News Bungie the Next PlayStation-Owned Dev to Suffer Layoffs
Undisclosed number of employees lose their job
A new report from Bloomberg, which has been confirmed by posts from employees on Twitter, has revealed Destiny 2 developer Bungie has been hit with an u
News It Sounds Like PS5 Is Handily Outselling Its New-Gen Rival in France
Ratio nearing 90 per cent against Xbox now
Many would argue that PS5 has been up against tough competition in 2023, with releases like Starfield and the popularity of Xbox Game Pass giving Microsoft substantial momentum. But despite the discussions you may see on Twitter, Sony’s stranglehold on the new-gen video game market is only getting tighter...
News Elden Ring, Dark Souls Dev FromSoftware Beefing Up for Multiple New PS5 Games
Webinars to introduce roles in December
FromSoftware may have a long history dating all the way back to 1994’s King’s Field on the PS1, but it’s become an industry darling in more recent years. The veteran developer has unexpectedly discovered mainstream success with titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring, and even the sixth instalment in its...
News Remedy Director Wants to Make 'Crazy, Huge-Budget, Dark Gothic Fantasy' Game Next
Sam Lake on life post-Wake
Creative director and both the literal and figurative face of Remedy Entertainment, Sam Lake, is fresh off the release of Alan Wake 2 and is already looking ahead to what comes next. In typical fashion, it's just about the last thing you'd expect. Capping off an extensive and wide-ranging interview with the impeccably...
"This isn’t throw-away stuff we’re making"
Shawn Layden served as chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment World Studios, now known as PlayStation Studios, for years and was hugely influential in shaping the current PlayStation landscape. He's also a digital soothsayer of sorts who foresaw the industry's dark future with remarkable clarity. He...
News Veteran PlayStation Exec Connie Booth Officially Exits the Firm
"We're thankful for Connie's numerous contributions"
Veteran executive and PlayStation Head of Internal Production Connie Booth has officially parted ways with Sony. And although the reasons and circumstances surrounding the departure remain maddeningly unclear, we at least now have confirmation of the rumours that began swirling last weekend. In a...
News Media Molecule Confirms Report of Layoffs, Has Begun Consultation Process
LittleBigPlanet, Dreams maker set to shrink
Update: Media Molecule has confirmed the report, making a public announcement on social media. "Media Molecule has made significant strategic changes during the past year, including shifting our focus from Dreams to our new project," it reads. "We have had to make the difficult decision to begin the...
News Veteran PlayStation Exec Has Allegedly Left Sony
Behind some of Sony's biggest hits
A veteran Sony executive with an unrivalled CV spanning practically every major PlayStation first-party hit has allegedly left the company. Rumours of bad news started swirling on God of War creator David Jaffe’s social media this weekend, and he eventually went live with a video explaining the situation earlier...
News Looks Like Sony's the Latest to Be Struck by a Slew of Layoffs
Visual Arts Service Group sees cuts
Those of you who pay close attention to the games industry – or even tech sector at large – will know that many companies are being struck with layoffs right now, even the ones that are performing well. It’s perhaps not too surprising to hear that, following a bunch of job cuts at Naughty Dog earlier in the...
News PlayStation Allegedly Under Pressure to Make Major Gaming Acquisitions
Buy or die
Analysts believe PlayStation is under pressure to make a major gaming acquisition, following Microsoft’s successful purchase of Activision Blizzard earlier this month. Multiple industry experts spoke with GamesIndustry.biz, and concurred the Japanese giant needs to make a purchase that would “move the needle for them in a meaningful...
News Netflix Aims to Be PlayStation's Next Big Rival, And It Wants Grand Theft Auto
Here comes a new challenger
With the exception of Nintendo, there’s no question Sony is gaming’s market leader – but its position is not going unopposed. Microsoft recently spent almost $70 billion on Activision Blizzard in order to bolster its competitive situation, while the likes of Amazon and even Apple are eyeing the space with cautious...
News Evidence of PlayStation Trophy Support on PC Mounts
Fingers crossed
While we're obviously massive fans of the PlayStation ecosystem, particularly its peerless stable of first-party studios, there are plenty of things Sony Interactive Entertainment could do to engender further goodwill. One thing we've been wanting for a while now is Trophy support for PS5 games on PC, something which appears to be...
News Ubisoft Exec Says Physical Sales Slowing, But They're Not Going Away
Discs are retro now
Players will always have a preference as to how they collect their games; some like tangible physical copies, and others prefer the transient convenience of a digital library. It's a debate that can get surprisingly heated, as it concerns a subject we are all guilty of getting overly passionate about. It might be all for nought,...
News Sony's Allegedly Testing a Super-Secret Soulsborne for PS5
Market research conducted in London this week
Sony may have hosted tests for a super-secret Soulsborne game, presumably for PS5, this week. The mysterious release was discovered by Reddit, as part of a submission by a market research firm in the UK. According to the listing, the event was scheduled to take place in Oxford Circus between 10th October...
News PS5, PS4 Players Will 'Remain Welcome' As Xbox Closes $69 Billion Activision Blizzard Buyout
Update: Microsoft now officially owns ABK
Update: Well, there we go. Microsoft has wasted no time, and has officially concluded the transaction to acquire Activision Blizzard King. The announcement comes via Xbox Wire, where Phil Spencer writes about this historic merger. Bobby Kotick, CEO of Activision Blizzard King, will remain in place for at...
News Disney CEO Reportedly Being Pressured to Double Down on Gaming
Bob Iger "noncommittal" about an acquisition
It's been reported that Disney's executives are urging CEO Bob Iger to heavily invest in video games. That's according to Bloomberg, in a wider report detailing the company's current struggles. Apparently, senior suits at the entertainment giant are pushing for Disney to acquire a major publisher in...
News Unity CEO John Riccitiello Retiring from Role Following Pricing Debacle
Effective immediately
Unity's audacious plan to charge developers for the privilege of players installing their games has hit an unforeseen snag, with the announcement that CEO and architect of the scheme, John Riccitiello, will conveniently be retiring, effective immediately. The news was announced today in a statement, which proclaimed Riccitielo...
News Report Alleges Abuse at Gollum Developer Daedalic Entertainment
And that ChatGPT was used to write the apology letter
The Lord of the Rings: Gollum will live long in infamy as a terrible game, but as is often the case, it seems there was more to the story than simple mismanagement. An investigative report into the title's chaotic development from German outlet Game Two describes "an atmosphere of fear" at...
News Sexual Harassment Investigation Leads to Arrest of Five Former Ubisoft Executives
Investigation reveals "systemic sexual violence"
A year-long investigation into Ubisoft and reports of sexual misconduct at the company has resulted in the arrest of five former executives. That's according to a new report from French outlet Libération, which has been translated by GamesIndustry.b
News Now Naughty Dog Is Reportedly Downsizing, Cutting Multiple Contract Jobs
Core team apparently unaffected
Unfortunately, it looks like the recent tidal wave of redundancies isn't done sweeping through the games industry. In a new report from Kotaku, it appears Naughty Dog is laying off dozens of contractors. Sources "familiar with the situation" have told Kotaku that Naughty Dog informed those affected of the job cuts...
News Worms Publisher Team17 the Latest to Suffer Layoffs, CEO Exits
UK company cutting jobs in restructure
Team17, the UK-based developer of Worms and publishing label for the likes of Overcooked, Dredge, and Blasphemous, is the latest games company to be cutting jobs. Initially reported by Eurogamer and subsequently confirmed to
News PS5's Knights of the Old Republic Remake Is Being Wiped from the Internet
Update: Sony says it's due to music licensing
Update: Sony says the reason the Knights of the Old Republic trailers are being removed from its YouTube and social media accounts is due to music licenses expiring. In a statement to IGN, the organisation said: “As part of normal business, we delist assets with licensed music when the licenses...
News Epic Games Laying Off Almost 900 Employees, Fall Guys Dev Hit Hard
Roughly 16% of workforce gone
Fortnite developer Epic Games is set to lay off 870 employees as it seeks to lower costs, a Bloomberg report reveals. In a memo sent to workers
News Xbox Boss Praises 'Fierce Leader' Jim Ryan Following News of PlayStation CEO's Retirement
Why can't we be friends
With Sony announcing that PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan will be retiring in April of next year, this kind of message from Phil Spencer was inevitable. The Xbox boss has taken to Twitter in order to praise 63-year-old Ryan's impact on the industry, as you'd expect. "Jim Ryan has been a great contributor to our industry and a...
News Delete PlayStation Account Search Traffic Rockets Following Alleged Security Breach
A way out
Google Trends data has a registered a 277 per cent increase in “delete PlayStation account” searches following an alleged data breach earlier this week. A ransomware group claimed to have “successfully compromised all of Sony’s systems”, with the stolen data purportedly up for sale. The Japanese giant has responded by insisting...
News Who Is PlayStation's New CEO, Hiroki Totoki?
The dawning of a new age
After almost 30 years at Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), not to mention being president and CEO since 2019, PlayStation boss Jim Ryan has announced his retirement. He will hand over the reins of corporate power to Sony Group Corporation president and COO Hiroki Totoki on 1st April 2024, who will take on the role of...
News Jim Ryan Retires as PlayStation Boss in March 2024
Hiroki Totoki assumes Interim CEO position
Sony has announced PlayStation boss Jim Ryan will be retiring from his role in March 2024. To help with the transition, Hiroki Totoki will assume the position of Chairman of Sony Interactive Entertainment from next month. "Mr. Totoki will work closely with Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro...
News Statue Manufacturer Accuses Sony of Forcing It to Destroy All PlayStation Products
Including paid pre-orders, allegedly
Controversial collectible toy and statue manufacturer Gaming Heads claims that Sony has forced it to “destroy” its inventory of PlayStation products, including paid pre-orders of products waiting to be shipped to customers. In an email shared on social media, the Hong Kong-based firm said that its merchandise...
News Microsoft Documents Show How PlayStation Now Saved Fallout 76
Fallout shelter
Microsoft boss Phil Spencer thought about pulling support for Fallout 76 back when the platform holder acquired developer Bethesda as part of the larger purchase of parent company ZeniMax. In a revealing email, Spencer suggested that if the game couldn't manage 10 million monthly average users (a number it would ultimately surpass),...
News A Video Game Actors Strike Could Happen Following Union Vote for Action
SAG-AFTRA members ready to strike
The actors union group SAG-AFTRA has voted overwhelmingly in favour of a potential strike against the games industry. Members were nearly unanimous, with 98.32 per cent of the vote being in favour of a strike — if a strike is necessary. SAG-AFTRA's vote for a strike is in relation to the Interactive Media...
News Don't Worry About Microsoft Buying Capcom Any Time Soon
Based Capgod
As the dust from the monstrous Microsoft leak begins to settle, the various players and publishers in the industry are making their positions known on the subject of acquisitions. It might seem like hubris, but Xbox chief Phil Spencer was privately musing about acquiring Warner Bros Interactive, Nintendo, or even Valve, which does put...
News Indie Firm Devolver Digital Rejected PS Plus, Xbox Game Pass Deals Over 'Undervalued' Games
Multiple deals turned down
New fiscal results belonging to indie publisher Devolver Digital have revealed the company is beginning to reject deals from Sony and Microsoft to put titles on Xbox Game Pass and PS Plus. Building on
News Bayonetta Director Hideki Kamiya to Leave PlatinumGames
He departs next month
Hideki Kamiya has confirmed he will be leaving Japanese studio PlatinumGames on 12th October 2023. The director of classics like Resident Evil 2, Devil May Cry, and Okami, Kamiya shared the news on Twitter and explained the decision was "based on my own beliefs and was by no means an easy decision to make". It sounds like...
News Unity Apologises, Partially Walks Back Contentious Monetization Scheme
"I am sorry"
After doing a terrible job of communicating a controversial new pricing scheme (which culminated in an allegedly self-inflicted bomb threat), Unity Technologies has again apologised for the "
News Microsoft One Step Closer to Activision Buyout as CMA Approves of Deal Changes
It's almost over?
Microsoft's bid to purchase Activision Blizzard King for an enormous $69 billion is now closer than ever to finding approval from the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. Thanks to a change in the proposal, whereby the rights to stream Activision's games via the cloud would be entrusted to Ubisoft, the CMA looks to have changed...
News Tomb Raider Developer Crystal Dynamics Hit with Layoffs as Embracer Crumbling Continues
Fool me once
Crystal Dynamics, the developer behind the rebooted Tomb Raider franchise, has been hit with a round of layoffs. This follows the ongoing crumbling of Embracer Group, which announced a large-scale restructuring of its assets in June, resulting in layoffs, closures and cancellations. Back then, Crystal Dynamics stated that it would be
News Callisto Protocol's Glen Schofield Announces Departure from Striking Distance Studios
Founder and CEO will "pursue new opportunities"
Glen Schofield, co-creator of Dead Space and director of The Callisto Protocol, is leaving developer Striking Distance Studios. Schofield founded the studio and served as CEO, which was opened in conjunction with publisher KRAFTON in 2019. As reported by
News Battlefield Takes Priority at Need for Speed Developer Criterion Games
Role of the DICE
Criterion Games has been through so many changes already, and now it's going through yet another shift. The studio, best known for the Burnout series and later its contributions to the Need for Speed franchise, is now primarily a Battlefield support studio. As reported by Eurogamer, the UK-based studio will be putting the majority...
News Apple Insinuates iPhone 15 Pro Will Be a Better Games Console Than PS5, PS4
"It's going to be the best"
The hook with the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro is not only that it’s an outstanding multipurpose device, from phone to full-scale camera – but it also has the power to run modern console games natively. That includes the likes of Death Stranding: Director’s Cut, a release originally funded by Sony, as well as Assassin’s...
News Xbox Almost Flashed Its Cash At Warner Bros, Sees Nintendo As the Holy Grail
"It'd be a good move for both companies"
A genuinely dystopian email sent by Xbox chief Phil Spencer in mid-2020 reveals that the company was eyeing up Warner Bros Interactive in addition to Bethesda as a potential acquisition. Even more concerningly, the executive talks about buying out Nintendo as a “career moment” and “good for both...
News Unity Promises Changes to Controversial New Policy After Causing 'Confusion and Angst'
Update coming later this week
After a week of intense criticism and backlash, Unity has apologised for the "confusion and angst" caused by the announcement of its unpopular Runtime fee policy. In a post to social media, the company has promised to make changes following the strong reaction from the development community. Unity is a game engine...
News Unity Closes Multiple Offices, Cancels Town Hall Following Death Threat
Sigh
Update: Polygon reports that a "reporting party" told responding San Francisco police "an employee made a threat towards his employer using social media.” According to the police, the employee who allegedly made the threats works in an office outside of California. Following the announcement of a controversial new policy just two days ago,...
News Poor Immortals of Aveum Sales Leads to Significant Lay-Offs
Nearly half the entire studio is gone
Almost half of the entire workforce at Ascendant Studios has been laid off as a result of poor sales for its magical FPS Immortals of Aveum. Speaking to Polygon, three employees at the developer said "nearly half of its staff" was let go on Thursday, with bad sales of the game cited as one reason why. Sources...
News Developers Rally Together as Unity Attempts to Clarify Controversial Install Fee Policy
Too little, too late
Unity Technology's decision to announce a controversial new install fee policy went over with the video game development community about as well as you might imagine. And while the company has released the inevitable mea culpa, which does "acknowledge the confusion and frustration" the announ
News Unity's Newly Announced Install Fee Policy Already Causing Disharmony Amongst Devs
Pay to play
Unity Technologies, developer of the cross-platform game engine Unity, today announced a policy that will sting developers with a fee based on truly wild things like how many times a game has been installed. This one's likely to develop quickly, but we'll catch you up on the story so far. In a blog post (spotted by Game Developer), the...
