Indie publisher Versus Evil closed and all staff laid off

A creative Stardew Valley fan has put together their own spa and sauna in the game, giving their character a cozy place to relax within their own property. The creation showcases the clever use of a Stardew Valley storage shed, floor tiles, furniture, and even some items that players typically might throw out.

Google is in the news again. This time it has announced yet another round of layoffs that is happening and this time it is all about those working on the voice-activated Google Assistant software and other departments. The number of lay offs is quite large and runs into hundreds. 

Tales of Seikyu, an upcoming co-op fantasy farming sim blending Rune Factory vibes with Japanese folklore, is the first new game of its kind to really catch my attention in as long as I can remember.

This Week in Business is our weekly recap column, a collection of stats and quotes from recent stories presented with a dash of opinion (sometimes more than a dash) and intended to shed light on various trends. Check every Friday for a new entry.

Surgeon Simulator developer Bossa Studios has laid off one-third of its staff, it’s confirmed.

There are some solid additions for Xbox Game Pass subscribers to enjoy as we kick off 2024. With the headliners of the month being Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Resident Evil 2.

It’s a new year, and Xbox is kicking off January with its first batch of new Game Pass titles for 2024. This month is headlined by the additions of Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and the remake of Resident Evil 2. As always, when new games enter a few must leave, and one big departure is Grand Theft Auto V in just a couple of days. Check out the full list below and check out the links to our reviews for applicable titles.

Microsoft has announced the first batch of titles coming to Game Pass in January 2024, and there are some heavy hitters. Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Valhalla arrives on January 9th, while Capcom’sResident Evil 2 is available on January 16th. Both titles will be playable on consoles, cloud and PC.

With AAA titles becoming safer and safer, it is indie games that bring the innovation the video game industry as a whole needs. Much like the past few years, 2023 has seen the release of some excellent titles that twist defined genres into something unique, blending their excellent mechanics with visuals that may not be cutting-edge but are still pleasant enough to the eye.

PlayStation Plus' monthly free games for January 2024 — the new year — have been revealed. The month's offerings include narrative-focused period adventure title A Plague Tale: Requiem, top-down dungeon-crawling action RPG Nobody Saves the World, and third-person vampire-hunting shooterEvil West. The three titles will be available to members of PS Plus Essential, Extra, and Deluxe/ Premium plans, starting January 2. These games can be added to your PS4 and PS5 games library until February 5, after which you'll have to hold on to your PS Plus membership for continued access. If you enjoy any of these titles, you could purchase them for permanent access and continue from where you left off.

The sudden closure of Versus Evil on Friday has had an immediate impact on the industry. The first impact was the loss of jobs for many, who would not have expected this just a few days before Christmas. The next impact was the closure of Jukai Studio, developer of Stray Souls. Versus Evil had published that game earlier this year. Jukai Studio is not the only developer that is having to rethink plans, as other games were set to be published by Versus Evil.

The sudden closure of Versus Evil on Friday has had an immediate impact on the industry. The first impact was the loss of jobs for many, who would not have expected this just a few days before Christmas. The next impact was the closure of Jukai Studio, developer of Stray Souls. Versus Evil had published that game earlier this year. Jukai Studio is not the only developer that is having to rethink plans, as other games were set to be published by Versus Evil.