CEO News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Microsoft's games business saw a 51 per cent increase in revenue for the three months ending March 31st.

Apple enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the tech giant's upcoming launch event, slated for May 7, where the company is anticipated to unveil new iPad Pro and iPad Air models. Amidst the buzz, recent leaks from Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) CEO and Co-Founder Ross Young have shed light on what consumers can expect from the new iPad Air lineup.

Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, has passed comment about Xbox's increased presence on other platforms. Speaking during an earnings call, he said how titles under the Xbox umbrella have been selling rather well on PlayStation Store.

Tango Gameworks has seen some success over the past year thanks to the launch of Hi-Fi Rush (which recently arrived on PS5). While many awaited to see its next big project, perhaps the most surprising announcement to emerge was that Shinji Mikami would be leaving. As the founder, he would directThe Evil Within and serve as executive producer on The Evil Within 2, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Hi-Fi Rush.

No Rest for the Wicked's creative director has defended the idea of launching a game in early access following criticism of the game's current state.

While the long-standing curse of gaming adaptations has been broken for quite a while, the Fallout TV adaptation (just renewed for a second season) stands out from many others not only because of its sheer quality but also because it dared to progress the story further, taking place after the latest games instead of merely adapting existing storylines.

The CEO of Embracer Group, Lars Wingefors, has said that the decision to lose the Embracer name has nothing to do with the industry's negative perception of the brand.

Dark Souls is often regarded as one of FromSoftware's best games, but even diehard fans have to admit that the back half is lacking. Between the lava pools filled with copy-and-pasted dragon butts in Lost Izalith and the pitch-black caverns in The Tomb of the Giants, it's clear that the endgame was rushed.

Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler has taken the time to sing the praises of early access, going as far as to say that FromSoftware’s seminal action RPG, Dark Souls, might have benefited from the communication-driven model if it had been around upon its release.

Following the collapse of a «verbal agreement» reportedly worth $2 billion with the Saudi-funded Savvy Games, Embracer Group entered into a brutal nine-month restructuring programme that resulted in the loss of some 1,400 employees and the cancellation of dozens of unannounced games. CEO Lars Wingefors, whose actions were recently defended by Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch («give Lars a break»), in a new interview, says: «As a leader and an owner, sometimes you need to take the blame.»

When Embracer CEO Lars Wingefors declared an end to the company's nine-month restructuring program at the start of this month, you would have been forgiven for assuming that things would finally settle for the troubled games group.

Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors is taking the brunt of responsibility when it comes to the company's most recent round of layoffs, studio closures, and game cancelations.

Gloomhaven developer Flaming Fowl Studios has announced layoffs, and that it's putting its current project on hold.

The CEO of troubled Swedish games firm Embracer Group, Lars Wingefors, has admitted that he is deserving of criticism for the current state of his company.

Apple enthusiasts have something to look forward to next month as CEO Tim Cook hinted at the unveiling of a new Apple Pencil 3. With the company scheduling a special event on May 7, it's evident that the focus will be on the iPad lineup.

Spoilers for the Fallout TV series.

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Legacy games brand Atari has brought back Infogrames.

Baldur's Gate 3's CEO says that he has "a lot of respect for Bethesda," and that's why his RPG gave way to Starfield ahead of release last year.

This morning, the Embracer Group announced a major transformation of the company, which will be split into three separate publicly listed companies: Asmodee Group, Coffee Stain & Friends, and Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends. The existing Embracer Group listing on Nasdaq Stockholm will be renamed to Middle-earth Enterprises & Friends, and shares of Asmodee Group and Coffee Stain & Friends will be distributed as dividends to shareholders of Embracer Group. The listing and distribution of Asmodee Group shares is expected to occur within 12 months, and Coffee Stain & Friends shares during calendar year 2025.

PowerWash Simulator has attracted more than 12 million players since its release.

A very interesting rumor came out of the latest episode of the XboxEra podcast, with insider Shpeshal_Nick claiming to have heard that a Helldivers 2 Xbox port is currently under consideration at Sony.

No Rest for the Wicked - a new action RPG from the studio behind Ori and the Blind Forest - both is and isn't like Dark Souls, according to one developer.

Baldur's Gate 3 was a runaway success both critically and commercially, and now its CEO has explained his philosophy behind treating the RPG's ever-growing community.

AI Roundup, April 19: In today's AI news, Cisco announced their new security product called HyperShield which uses AI to safeguard applications, devices, and data of businesses. The system primarily focuses on protecting the IT environment. In other news, HarperCollins has partnered with audio AI company ElevenLabs to develop audiobooks. All this, and more in our AI Roundup today.

We doubt we were alone in wondering whether some kind of transmogrification system could reach fashion-conscious Helldivers 2 players grasping hands, but sadly, that won't be the case. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt put this particular pipe dream to bed, definitively stating, «We are not doing transmog.»

Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke recently discussed various topics in an interview published by GamesIndustry. The director of Baldur's Gate 3 talked about avoiding overlap with Bethesda's Starfield (Larian's game launched in early August on PC, while Starfield was released in early September) and his respect for the studio.

The developer of PC city builder Cities Skylines 2 has offered refunds for the game’s latest DLC amid a backlash from players over the state of the game.

Baldur's Gate 3 CEO Swen Vincke has issued a new statement about developer Larian Studio's next RPG, promising that it could be "our best work ever."

The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has addressed player concern about bugs (not those bugs) as the studio continues to release new content and new premium warbonds.

Hasbro, owner of Dungeons & Dragons publisher Wizards of the Coast, is looking for potential partners to work on the future of Baldur's Gate.

Grand Theft Auto maker Take-Two is laying off five per cent of its workforce as part of a new cost cutting program.

New developer Red Rover Interactive has scored $15 million in Series A funding.

AI startup TensorWave, believes that AMD's Instinct MI300X accelerator is a far better option than competitors such as NVIDIA's H100.

Arrowhead Game Studios has confirmed that it will be making changes to Helldivers 2's flame system soon.

The CEO of Palworld studio Pocketpair has responded to Tencent's latest creature-raising clone, saying: "These are incredible times."

Rapture Innovation Labs Pvt Ltd, an audio technology start-up, has announced that Sonic Lamb headphones are now available on Amazon.in. This move aims to provide customers with easy access to the unique sound quality and innovation offered by the headphones.

Swedish games firm Avalanche Studios Group is entering into a collective bargaining agreement with local unions.

The boss of Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead has ruled out a transmog system coming to the hit PC and PlayStation 5 co-op shooter, insisting: “it doesn’t make sense.”

Apple Inc. Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook will announce the company is increasing its commitments to Vietnam by an unspecified amount during his visit to Hanoi.

Jim Keller has an interesting proposition on NVIDIA's Blackwell GPUs, claiming that the firm should've utilized an alternative cost-efficient interconnect method.

CJI Chandrachud advocates ethical AI in legal research; AI investment to boost productivity and worker pay: BlackRock CEO; Instagram enhances content discovery with generative AI integration; Surat municipal schools to offer AI and coding courses- this and more in our daily roundup. Let us take a look.

Possibility Space, an independent game studio with employees distributed across the globe, was abruptly shut down today by its CEO Jeff Strain, former employees revealed on Twitter. The studio launched in 2021 with the goal of creating a AAA title, and it had also hired industry notables like Waypoint's Austin Walker and Ubisoft designer Liz England. Its closure follows the shutdown of Crop Circle Games last month, another studio owned by Strain's Prytania Media, which he co-founded with his wife Annie Delisi Strain.

Possibility Space has shut down, according to former employees.

The Fallout ending may have left you blinded by its blast of twists, turns, and a major location reveal – but it was also hiding a cameo from a major character in the games.

Evercore Heroes, a game developed by Riot, EA, and Rare veterans at Vela Games, has undergone a transformation. The title which was originally a mix of MOBA and MMO PvE elements is now a three-player team action roguelite, according to a new announcement released by its developer.

Mini Motorways maker Dinosaur Polo Club has hired a new CEO in Amie Wolken (pictured).

Killing Floor maker Tripwire Interactive has promoted Matthew LoPilato (pictured) to CEO.

Miniclip has bought UK developer FuturLab for an undisclosed sum.

During today's Triple-i Initiative showcase, Gearbox Publishing unveiled a brand new game it's supporting from indie studio Wabisabi. The game is called RKGK, and it's a color-soaked love letter to 90s anime, 3D platforming, and Mexican graffiti culture.

NetEase has announced a renewed partnership with Blizzard Entertainment to bring World of Warcraft and other Blizzard games back to China! Included in the announcement were statements from NetEase President Ding Lei, Blizzard President Johanna Faries, and Head of Microsoft Gaming Phil Spencer all celebrating the renewed venture and welcoming the Chinese player base home again.

AI roundup: With preference for online exams growing, an online assessment solutions company announced its AI-powered remote proctored exam platform to eliminate the chances of cheating. In other news, South Korea is planning to invest over $7 billion in AI to retain its name as a leading semiconductor chip provider. Know about more such AI news from today, April 9,  in our roundup. 

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The former CEO of Prytania Media, Annie Delisi Strain, has said that the project Crop Circle Games was working on could not attract investment.

 In a recent address at the 2024 Business, Government & Society Forum, Google CEO Sundar Pichai delved into the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the tech giant's products. Specifically, he addressed the critique Google faced regarding the responses of its Gemini AI chatbot. Pichai emphasised that the high expectations set by users act as a catalyst for Google's continuous efforts to enhance its products.

 In a groundbreaking collaboration, former Apple design guru Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are spearheading efforts to birth the "iPhone of AI." Reports suggest that the duo is on the hunt for a staggering $1 billion in funding, marking a pivotal step in their quest to redefine personal technology.

 In a quirky turn of events, Blinkit, the quick-commerce platform, has stirred a wave of laughter across the internet. Following their partnership with Sony for the swift delivery of PlayStation 5 (PS5) Slim editions and controllers in Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru within just 10 minutes, an unexpected demand from a user caught everyone's attention, including Blinkit CEO Albinder Dhindsa.

Former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman were previously reported to have partnered up to develop a device that was dubbed the ‘iPhone of AI.’ While the exact nature of the product is unknown at this stage, the latest information states that the hardware being worked on is not a smartphone, but for the two individuals to complete their goal, they will require funding, which is what their aim is at this time.

Developers at Life is Strange: True Colors studio Deck Nine have voiced concerns about hate speech, crunch, toxic behavior, and management that was in some cases unresponsive to serious concerns and in other cases protected abusers on staff.

During this week, Apple’s Chief Executive Tim Cook sold 196,410 shares of the company’s stock. Based on the average sale price of the transaction, the total value of these shares is $33.2 million, which is a massive payday for the CEO of the world’s most valuable company, but he will not pocket the entire amount.

Embracer is done with their long-term restructuring.

As much as Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that layoffs in the company would be seen as a last resort, the cancelation of the self-driving car venture dubbed ‘Project Titan’ and microLED development for the upcoming Apple Watch Ultra variant meant that a lot of employees would either be laid off or relocated. According to the latest report, more than 700 individuals could lose their livelihood, with the information coming to light after Apple filed WARN notices in the state of California.

Roblox boss Stefano Corazza has opened up about accusations of young developer exploitation on its platform, saying that the opportunity Roblox gives its teenage creators is “a gift."

Saber Interactive has provided a new update on the state of its Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake, confirming that it's «alive and well.»

Sony announced a remake of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic three years ago during the 2021 PlayStation Showcase. Since then, the trailer was delisted, it was indefinitely delayed, and it changed developers. Fears of it being cancelled have been mounting as both Disney and Embracer remain quiet, but developer Saber Interactive insists that it's still in the works and only yesterday revealed that the project is "alive and well".

After years of uncertainty, Saber Interactive's Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic remake is "alive and well," according to the company's CEO.

Long-running games firm Atari has bought the publishing rights to 2004's Rollercoaster Tycoon 3.

The remake of Star Wars KOTOR (Knights of the Old Republic) is alive and well. That's the promise made to the countless fans of the game by Saber Interactive CEO Matthew Karch, speaking to IGN. The executive also said the studio is 'dedicated to making sure consumer expectations are exceeded', which likely hints at several years of development still needed. Indeed, Embracer Group CEO Lars Wingefors recently admitted the game needed more than a year of production.

Sony president Hiroki Totoki will today step into his new role as PlayStation CEO following Jim Ryan's retirement after a more than 30-year tenure at the company. While retaining his duties across the wider business, Totoki's main objective will be to aid the search for a true successor to Jim Ryan while defining «the next chapter of PlayStation's future».

This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic Remake is one of gaming's most elusive projects. Announced in 2021, the long-awaited remake has changed hands multiple times, seemingly stopped development and restarted again, and after six years of development has yet to manifest. Fortunately, we finally have a real, concrete update on what's going on. Saber Interactive is still working on it, and according to the CEO, it's "alive and well."

AI roundup: The US and Britain have joined hands to tackle the risks and challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI). The two nations will closely work together to bring AI safety to the upcoming generations of technology. In other news, DeepTech Startup SatSure plans to revamp agricultural finance by leveraging technology such as AI. This will allow industries to improve decision-making. All this, and more in our AI roundup today, April 2.

Over three years after a disastrous launch, Cyberpunk 2077's developer is now "finally happy" with the state of the RPG.

Developer Certain Affinity is laying off 25 members of staff.

Certain Affinity, the support studio for Halo Infinite, has announced it will be laying off 25 employees; 10% of its workforce.

No Rest for the Wicked, the Diablo-esque action RPG in the works at Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps studio Moon, won't be $70. CEO Thomas Mahler says the game's price point is down to the nature of the team, their shared stance on the rising price of games, and the notable lack of shareholders pawing at the company's books. 

As the Helldivers 2 community formally piles into Malevelon Creek for a surprise Major Order following a failed operation, creative director and Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt says the studio is talking about ways to make such orders easier to understand.

Just like last year, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE has another playful nod to April Fool’s Day. So, what’s the mischief that’s brewing this year? Goddess of Victory lets you step into the shoes of one of the game’s most notorious haters Syuen in the Liar’s Day event.

Sony hasn’t really missed a beat in its transition from the PS4 to the PS5 where hardware sales are concerned, with the company’s current-gen console consistently selling solid numbers, and though it’s highly unlikely that it will manage to beat the PS2’s lifetime sales total of 160 million units, outgoing PlayStation CEO Jim Ryan says that the PS5 is still very much on track to become the company’s “most successful console ever” by other metrics.

Microsoft & OpenAI are planning to build the world's largest AI-focused supercomputer, Stargate, with a valuation of a whopping $100 billion.