Developer News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Today, in its Q1 2024 financial report, South Korean publisher Kakao Games revealed that both of its hotly anticipated UE5 powered action MMORPGs, ArcheAge 2 and Chrono Odyssey, are slated to launch globally next year.

Rockstar Games, the renowned developer behind the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) series, has kept fans on edge with the anticipation of GTA 6. Since the release of the first trailer several months ago, there has been a deafening silence regarding the second trailer and the game's official release date.

Rockstar Games shook the gaming world with the long-awaited announcement of GTA 6, introducing players to two new protagonists: Lucia and Jason. Since then, fans have been on the edge of their seats, speculating about who would bring these characters to life. Amidst the flurry of theories, a new report from LegacyKillaHD has emerged, providing tantalising insights into the actors behind the iconic roles.

Xbox fans and some employees were blindsided earlier this morning when Microsoft announced a number of their studios were being shuttered, including Arkane Austin (Prey, Redfall), Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within, Hi-Fi Rush), Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios. In the hours since then, additional rumors and details about what’s going on behind the scenes with some Xbox teams have emerged.

In a new move, OpenAI will give content creators the power to manage how their content will be used in training generative AI systems. This will be done by OpenAI's new “Media Manager” tool, enabling creators to have control over how they want to include their work in AI research. The tool is also expected to include several choices and features for the creator to include or exclude their work for AI system training. Know more about OpenAI's Media Manager tool.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf appears to be the next big title from developer BioWare and publisher EA, though we've heard very little official information about the title ever since its name was revealed. Things have been heating up in recent months though, with BioWare promising more news about the title this summer, and now EA seems to have all but confirmed the title will be launching within the next 12 months.

Each Tuesday, The Gauntlet in Diablo 4 rolls over to its new week, immortalizing the previous week's scores and refreshing with a new layout, new strategies to find, and new loot to earn. However, with this week's reset time come and gone and no new Gauntlet in sight, Blizzard has stated they're investigating the issue. Diablo Global Community Development Director Adam Fletcher stated on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Blizzard has begun looking into why the Gauntlet didn't reset, but did not give an ETA for the issue.

players tired of their creations wasting their time playing video games like Blicblock and Incredible Sports are in luck because anew mod allows them to experience some excellent real-world titles. Given how flexible and reactive ' systems are, it stands to reason that users could have their Sims spend time sitting at the computer and grinding out levels in their favorite video game. While there are certainly more beneficial hobbies, it's a fun bit of meta-textual design to have characters in the game playing a video themselves.

Players logging in to Diablo 4 this afternoon were greeted with an annual end-of-season message outlining what to expect regarding their Seasonal Characters and Seasonal Stash at the end of Season 3: Season of the Construct — the process remains identical to previous seasons, so veteran Seasonal players aren’t in for any surprises! At the end of Season 3, all Seasonal Characters are automatically transferred to the Eternal Realm and their entire Seasonal Stash transfers with them — Hardcore Seasonal Characters and their stash will instead transfer to the Hardcore Eternal Realm. Transferred items will then be accessible in a new Withdraw Only Stash tab until the end of Season 4.Season 4: Loot Reborn begins on May 14 at 10 a.m.

The now abandoned Redfall had a roadmap of support that was being actively worked on before Microsoft scrapped all development and closed its developer, IGN can reveal.

Microsoft has shuttered three ZeniMax teams: Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks and Alpha Dog Studios. The company is also folding Roundhouse Games into Zenimax Online Studios. Arkane Austin is the home of Prey and Redfall, while Tango is responsible for The Evil Within, Ghostwire Tokyo and Hi-Fi Rush. Alpha Dog is the creator of Mighty Doom and Roundhouse was a support studio for ZeniMax projects.

Earlier today, it was announced that Xbox will be closing multiple studios under its umbrella, including Tango Gameworks and Arkane Austin. Despite having made several high-profile titles between them, including Hi-Fi Rush, Ghostwire: Tokyo, The Evil Within series, Prey (2018), and Redfall, Xbox explained that it will be shutting the studios to funnel more cash into "high-impact" titles from Bethesda.

Cyprus based developer Nekki recently announced that it has partnered with media company Story Kitchen, founded by Sonic the Hedgehog Producer Dmitri M. Johnson, to adapt its upcoming action game, SPINE, into a live-action film.

Netflix unveiled the lineup of games it plans to bring to its game catalog over the course of May. The ones that stand out the most are Sega’s excellent Sonic Mania Plus and Askiisoft’s violently satisfying action game Katana Zero.

The video game industry has reacted with shock and anger after Microsoft shut down several game studios today, May 7, 2024 including Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks, the developers of Redfall and Hi-Fi Rush respectively.

In the last five days, Helldivers 2 was removed from the PC market in 177 countries and the game’s Steam reviews collapsed under the weight of more than 200,000 negative ratings, dropping from Positive to Mixed. It’s now Tuesday and the Helldivers 2 Steam page is overrun with people ranting against Sony and celebrating democracy, and for anyone taking their first glance at the game, it’s all a bit confusing.

American game development studio Illfonic is no stranger to asymmetrical multiplayer games based on popular properties. In the past few years, it has released games like Friday 13th: The Game and Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, which take full advantage of the franchises they are based on to provide fun multiplayer experiences. Following the release of the latter, the developer started working on Killer Klowns From Outer Space: The Game, another asymmetrical multiplayer game based on the comedic horror movie released back in 1988, which promises to be great fun.

Microsoft's Xbox division has decided to shut down four Bethesda Softworks studios, the most prominent being Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks.

Today opened with rather shocking news, as Microsoft announced a number of their studios were being shuttered including Arkane Austin (Prey, Redfall), Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within, Hi-Fi Rush), Alpha Dog Games, and Roundhouse Studios. Considering the recent success of some of these studios (Hi-Fi Rush was the most widely-acclaimed game Xbox had put out in recent years) and the general pro-developer message Phil Spencer and other Xbox execs tried to send while on their studio shopping spree over the pass few years, this has caught many off guard.

Following the news that Microsoft has closed Arkane Austin, along with Tango Gameworks, it has been confirmed that Redfall will not receive any further updates. Those who purchased the Premium Bite Back edition of the game, or the Bite Back upgrade will not be getting the advertised content, including two new characters as a result. It has been confirmed that those who purchased that content will get the value of the upgrade back as part of the Redfall Credit program.

Microsoft is closing four Bethesda studios: Redfall developer Arkane Austin, Mighty Doom developer Alpha Dog Studios, Hi-Fi Rush developer Tango Gameworks, and support studio Roundhouse Games. Xbox Game Studios leader Matt Booty announced the news to staff in an email Tuesday citing a reprioritization of “high-impact titles,” according to IGN. Arkane, Alpha Dog, and Tango Gameworks confirmed the closures on their respective X accounts.

A new leak suggests that projects have already been greenlit for Nintendo's upcoming console. After years of speculation, the President of Nintendo Shuntaro Furukawa, confirmed that the Nintendo Switch's successor — often called " by the Nintendo community — would be revealed later this year, and many quickly turned their attention to what games could be in development for it.

One detail in Sanctuary Hills may point to a dark theory surrounding Vault-Tec while taking inspiration from a real-life location. Sanctuary Hills is the location players are first introduced to in a sequence set in the year that the bombs fell in 2077, being the home of the Sole Survivor and their families.

Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty has announced the shutdown of Arkane Austin and Tango Gameworks amidst huge cuts at Bethesda.

Microsoft has just announced massive job cuts and studio closures for the Bethesda portion of its gaming business. They impact the teams that made excellent games like Hi-Fi Rush.

Microsoft has closed a number of Bethesda studios, including Redfall maker Arkane Austin, Hi-Fi Rush and The Evil Within developer Tango Gameworks, and more in devastating cuts at Bethesda, IGN can confirm.

Microsoft has confirmed it is closing studios with Arkane Austin, Tango Gameworks, and Alpha Dog Studios all having their operations ceased. Roundhouse Games is being absorbed by ZeniMax Online. An email was sent by Xbox Game Studios head Matt Booty to teams, and it has been verified by IGN. The email is below.

Shortly before the launch of , several new details about the game were leaked, including new weapons and bosses. Based on, a popular South Korean manhwa that was recently adapted into an anime, follows protagonist Sung Jinwoo, in a setting where fantasy dungeons and monsters have started to appear on Earth — and, as Sung discovers, he has the unique ability to «level up.»

Darkest Dungeon II developer Red Hook Studios published an update on the game’s mod support earlier this week.

Today, publisher Mindscape Games and developer Aesir Interactive announced Windstorm: The Legend of Khiimori, a new entry in the equine-focused franchise that also features Windstorm: Start of a Great Friendship (which is getting a remaster in June) and Windstorm: An Unexpected Arrival.

Apple's highly anticipated OLED iPad Pro models are only hours away from launch. The devices are rumored to fill the gap Apple has created for the past year or so, and it is one of the reasons why the 'Pro' models will come with an M4 chip instead of an M3. We are expecting big from the company as it is also expected to announce additional models of the iPad. If you are anxiously waiting for Apple's OLED iPad Pro launch, check out the 'Let Loose' event start time in your local time zone or region of residence.

Nintendo has finally addressed the future of the Nintendo Switch,confirming that players can expect news on the company's next major console in the very near future. Rumors have swirled for years that the notoriously elusive publisher has been developing a new console to take over from the Switch given the console's lackluster power compared to the likes of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. While details on what the next piece of hardware will entail are still unknown, consumers now at least have an idea of when to expect the big reveal.

Remedy has announced that it has cancelled Project Kestrel, formerly (formerly Vanguard), which was in development with Tencent. Project Kestrel was meant to be Remedy’s first entry into the Games-as-a-Service business model. The cancellation has been announced as Remedy looks to focus on its existing catalogue of games and IP.

SHIFT UP’s PlayStation 5 exclusive game Stellar Blade has been a massive hit since its late April debut. The developer has teased two intriguing prospects for future updates, which fans greatly anticipated. Stellar Blade will soon have a boss challenge mode and a crossover with the well-liked mobile game Goddess of Victory: Nikke.

A new life simulation inspired by the Studio Ghibli movies has been spotted on Steam.

After Sony U-turned on its controversial decision to force Helldivers 2 PC gamers to account link to PlayStation Network, the game’s community has launched an initiative to drag Steam user reviews out from under rock bottom.

Helldivers 2’s first patch since the PSN login debacle is out now, making some much-needed fixes to the game.

Today, Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment decided jointly with Tencent to cancel the cooperative multiplayer game they were developing.

Remedy has announced the cancellation of its multiplayer title codenamed Kestrel in order to focus on its existing franchises.

Remedy has cancelled one of its in-development multiplayer projects, codenamed Kestrel.

Remedy Entertainment has decided to cancel the game codenamed “Kestrel” in order to focus on other games in its portfolio, the developer announced.

The M4 is expected to be announced later today during Apple’s ‘Let Loose’ event, and with the company already employing the use of TSMC’s 3nm technology before, we immediately assumed that the new silicon would be fabricated on this lithography. However, one report states that unlike the M3 powering various Macs and mass produced on the ‘N3B’ architecture, Apple’s M4 will switch to the updated ‘N3E’ process, resulting in various improvements. The report also mentions that the upcoming SoC will arrive in three variants, which is nothing unusual regarding Apple Silicon releases.

Hades 2 is finally out now in early access, giving us all the chance to jump in and give protagonist Melinoe a spin for the first time. Of course, Hades 2 isn't fully feature complete yet, with multiple big updates planned for later this year and in 2025, so questions have been raised as to exactly how much Hades 2 we'll get to play before we hit a wall. Thankfully, developer Supergiant is on hand to clear that up.

Apple is working on its next big iOS 17 update which will see the light of day soon. The company released iOS 17.4 with a handful of major changes that affect the general public and developers on a system level. The company finally allows iPhone users in the EU to sideload apps and install third-party app stores. Apple is now working to release its next iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone, which currently rests in the beta phase.

Apple Inc. has been developing a homegrown chip to run artificial intelligence tools in data centers, though it's unclear if the semiconductor will ever be deployed, the Wall Street Journal reported. 

Manor Lords launched for PC players late last month, and it only took about a week for modders to add Shrek as a playable character.

It might seem like a boastful name, but Rockstar Games really are rockstars in the gaming world. The developer is responsible for arguably the most important and lucrative gaming franchise of all time with the Grand Theft Auto series. While the open-world crime series is what the studio is best known for, it has dipped its toes into a wide range of genres and styles as a publisher since its first game in 1997. While the studio’s output has certainly slowed, with an over eight-year gap between Red Dead Redemption 2and GTA 6, there’s a backlog of over 40 games in its portfolio. That’s a lot of history to digest, but it’s important to understand the entire scope before we decide which games are the best.

Patch notes released following last week's Developer Update highlight a ton of positive changes to look forward to in Season 4. One exciting change directly impacts the returning endgame dungeon, the Gauntlet — players who earn a Seal of the Worthy in the Gauntlet will be awarded a guaranteed Unique Item at the end of every week! Diablo 4 Season 4 Patch Notes 1.4.0

Bethesda fans should be excited to learn that QuakeCon is returning this summer from August 8 to 11 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas. Bethesda made the announcement on its webpage, promising an array of thrilling activities for gaming enthusiasts.

With the PSN account linking fiasco now in the rearview mirror, what was nearly a disaster moment for Helldivers 2 is now becoming a part of community lore. Fans have been busy working on cape designs since Sony reversed course, at least some of which have seemingly caught the eye of the development team.

It's no secret that is littered with junk for players to pick up and horde if they so desire but a new mod has now made collecting everything significantly less annoying. Bethesda's RPG has a reputation for including all kinds of miscellaneous props to make their worlds feel more alive and authentic and the developer's most recent game did this better than any of its previous titles. Given the amount of useless objects strewn about, the game's inventory system isn't helpful when it comes to organizing everything.

Blizzard's recent Developer Update Livestream filled players in on some of the changes that have been implemented as a result of player feedback following the PTR. Included in these adjustments are changes coming to the Endgame Ladder Bosses! Diablo 4 Season 4 Patch 1.4.0 Patch Notes Now Available Season 4 Developer Update Liveblog Blizzard has taken note of various pain points such as Summoning Material acquisition and requirements as well as the rewards for both the Tormented versions of all the bosses and the non-Uber bosses such as Beast in the Ice or Lord Zir.

Rumors regarding the forthcoming Qualcomm chipset, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4, are circulating with anticipation. Expected to debut later this year, likely around October, the SoC has garnered attention, especially with recent benchmark leaks and insights from tipster DigitalChatStation.

Final Fantasy 14’s servers are currently under a worldwide DDoS attack that’s preventing players from logging into Square Enix’s MMORPG.

Hades 2 — the highly anticipated sequel to a roguelike that Digital Trends considers to be one of the best games of all time — is out now.

Hades II is now available in Early Access for PC players. After performing a technical test from April 16 to 29, Supergiant Games said Early Access for the “bewitching sequel” would follow “relatively soon after.” The developer lived up to its word, as a week after wrapping the preliminary test, PC players can now buy and play the highly anticipated roguelike title for $30.

Anticipated roguelike sequel Hades II was announced back in 2022, and we knew an early access launch was coming sometime in mid-2024, but a specific release date hadn’t been provided by developer Supergiant Games. Well, surprise! Following some technical tests, Hades II officially launches into early access… today! You can check out a new trailer for the early access version of the game, below.

Supergiant Games has confirmed that Hades 2 will be in Early Access until "at least" the end of 2024, although there are some big content updates planned before its full release.

It’s time to slash through baddies and wield the power of some very sexy gods. Developer Supergiant Games released Hades 2 in early access on Monday. The game might be a pre-release version, but it’s certainly not a completely unpolished work-in-progress. A select number of players tried the game as part of a technical test in April, and its characters have already piqued the interest of fans. Now, Windows PC users can download the early version of the game on Steam and the Epic Games Store.

In a press release published on the Polish financial website Bankier.pl, CI Games confirmed to have reached an agreement with Microsoft to bring Lords of the Fallen and Sniper: Ghost Warrior Contracts 2 to Game Pass.

Buckshot Roulette is an ugly, mean little game that pits players in a no-win scenario against a sinister, shotgun wielding dealer. The game is a solo effort from developer Mike Klubnika, and it blew up after its launch on itch.io, in part because it found popularity on short-form video platforms. The game has since launched on Steam and has now sold over a million copies. In a world where big-budget, wonderfully crafted games can – and often do – fall off the radar without making a splash, it’s interesting to interrogate the unexpected success of a small game, especially one that’s designed to be so viscerally unpleasant.

Meta is axing Quest 1 support for Beat Saber, a popular rhythm game where players use glowing sabers to slice musical blocks.

The creative director of Helldivers 2 has said he's impressed by the "willpower" of fans after their feedback caused Sony to reverse its decision regarding PlayStation Network accounts being required by all players.

Playing Kafka, a narrative adventure inspired by Franz Kafka’s life and works, will soon be available on Android devices! It lets you scour a universe influenced by three of Kafka’s most well-known pieces: The Trial, The Castle, and Letter to His Father.

Frédéric Julian’s The Last Game is a game which hopefully won’t be your last game. If you’re into the charm of old-school pixel art and the thrill of survival, this top-down action roguelike should be your next pick. Developed and published by Frédéric Julian, this title is up for grabs on Android for $1.99. The indie developer is known for his other cool strategy title on mobile, Cards Knight.

Manor Lords has a quirky bug that makes dead animal corpses stay in your village and contribute to your in-menu numbers, but the game's lead developer says the bug has already been squashed and awaiting deployment.

Veteran RPG developers have weighed in on how Baldur's Gate 3 has (or hasn't) affected how they approach their own games.

Helldivers 2 PC players who live in regions without access to the PlayStation Network will still be able to play the game, even after the account linking mandate comes into effect, according to one developer. 

Realm of Ink will be moving to early access on Steam from May 17th, 663 Games has confirmed. The early access version of Realm of Ink will expand upon the current demo with eight bosses, 20 ink gem skills, 15 ink pets which will have 40 forms, 150 perks, the first 30% of the storyline, and an endless challenge mode. Red the Swordsman will remain as the only playable character in early access.

Apple is making waves in the tech world with its ambitious plans for foldable devices, as revealed in a recent investor note. With speculations surrounding the launch of a 20.3-inch hybrid and a foldable iPhone, Apple is poised to revolutionize the way we interact with technology.

Even though generative AI is a recent development, there's already strong evidence that, like the steam engine, it possesses all the characteristics are needed of a general-purpose technology, argued Andrew McAfee, the Co-Founder and Co-Director of 'MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy' and a Principal Research Scientist at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

India has become a key market for global tech giants, with a burgeoning developer base attracting significant attention. Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, expressed his contentment with India's growing developer community, underlining Apple's holistic approach covering everything from developer support to market strategies and operational efficiency.

Baldur's Gate 3 has 11 species, from human to drow to dragonborn, but with how extensive Dungeons & Dragons is, it was only inevitable that some fan-favourites wouldn't make the list.

Every once in a while, an indie game rises out of the blue to the very top of Steam sales. In 2017, that happened to Dead Cells, an extremely popular roguelite-Metroidvania game that sold several million copies over the years.

Mere days after Skywind got its first progress update in a long time, the sister project Skyblivion was also shown by the TES Renewal team in the fifth entry of the developer diary series.

Blizzard has been hard at work implementing learnings from the first PTR of Diablo 4, analyzing feedback from players, and making tweaks and changes wherever they can. The recent Developer Livestream highlighted some of the changes that will be present at the launch of Diablo 4's Season of Loot Reborn.

Hello! Welcome to the 325th edition of the WoW Economy Weekly Wrap-up! This week we take a look at the latest news on Professions in The War Within Alpha and speculate on what might be the good selling items for gold makers. We also talk about levelling via gathering in Retail and the return of Glyphmas for Cataclysm Classic! Just look at those Token prices! My name is Samadan and I'll be your guide through the World of Gold Making!

In today's Developer Livestream, Blizzard explained how the Armor stat currently works in Season 3, as well as the changes developers are making for Season 4. The thinking behind this change is to balance out how players are experiencing defensives in top-end play and reduce the mystery involved in one-shot deaths players experience. Diablo 4 Season 4 Developer Livestream Summary

With 2024 already producing some true game of the year contenders on PC only a third of the way into the calendar, it's a good time to be looking for the next great video game time sink. While 2023 was arguably one of — if not — best years in gaming history for its slew of top-tier releases, 2024 is somehow making a case for being even better, with a variety of genres represented. AAA games and indies alike are vying for people's attention, and the quality feels like it's almost too good to sustain.

In late November, Blackbird Interactive revealed that the long-anticipated real-time strategy game Homeworld 3 would support NVIDIA DLSS 3. However, we've since received confirmation that this will not be the case.