Did You Hear About Awaysis?
Indie studio 17‑Bit is preparing Awaysis, a top‑down sword‑fighting dungeon crawler that emphasizes physics‑driven momentum. The game draws inspiration from classics like Chrono Trigger and Super Mario 64 and debuted with a demo on Xbox after a Day of the Devs showcase in December 2024. Despite early buzz, developer Jake Kazdal says the biggest hurdle is cutting through a market flooded with more than 10,000 new titles annually. The team hopes the unique feel of the gameplay will attract attention in a crowded indie landscape.
Netflix’s Virtual Game Controller App Just Topped the iOS U.S. App Chart
Netflix’s virtual Game Controller app, which turns iPhones and iPads into controllers for its streamed multiplayer games, surged to the top of the U.S. free iOS chart, hitting #1 on April 5 after entering the top 25 a few days earlier. The...
A Plan to Stop Video Game Industry Leaks, with the Help of AI
At the Game Developers Conference, EchoMark unveiled an AI‑powered steganography system designed to embed invisible watermarks in game assets, aiming to stop insider leaks. The technology can survive compression, screenshots, and video captures, allowing studios to trace leaked material back...
PlayStation's Logo-Makers Explain How They Make Logo Number Two, Three and Beyond
At the GDC Festival of Gaming, Sony PlayStation’s Creative Arts team revealed how they built a custom typeface, Machine Nova, to support the evolving Horizon franchise logos. The font was crafted by modifying the original Horizon Zero Dawn lettering, allowing...
Savvy Owns Big Stakes in Gaming's Giants, but Says It Isn't Pushing to Change Them
Savvy Games, a Saudi‑backed conglomerate, has consolidated about $12 billion in equity across Nintendo, Take Two, Square Enix and other top publishers, each representing roughly 5‑10 % of the companies. CEO Brian Ward told GDC that the stakes are an investment vehicle, not a...
Google’s Genie 3 Draws a Crowd at GDC
Google DeepMind unveiled its latest generative AI model, Genie 3, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. The presentation, “The Future of Playable Worlds With Google DeepMind,” filled the Moscone West room to standing‑room‑only capacity, with more than 100 developers turned...
What’s Gone Wrong at Ubisoft
Ubisoft, once famed for delivering multiple blockbuster franchises annually, now faces a barren release calendar, with its last major PC/console launch over a year ago. Recent titles such as Skull & Bones and Star Wars Outlaws received lukewarm reviews and...
Tencent Closes TiMi Montreal Game Studio
The episode reports that Tencent has shut down its TiMi Montreal studio, which never released a game during its five-year existence. The closure was hinted at for weeks, confirmed by a programmer’s LinkedIn post, and reflects a broader retreat by...
Nintendo Considers the $65 Video Game
The episode examines Nintendo's unconventional $65 price point for Switch 2 upgrades, focusing on the Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition and the Animal Crossing Switch 2 Edition. It outlines how this $5 premium sits between Nintendo's previous $0 upgrades and $10 upgrades,...
Sources: Tencent Secretly Funded Struggling Shooter Highguard
The episode investigates how Chinese tech giant Tencent covertly acted as the primary financial backer for Wildlight Entertainment, the studio behind the controversial 2026 free‑to‑play shooter Highguard. It outlines the secrecy surrounding the funding, the turmoil of Highguard’s launch, and...
A More Optimistic Expedition
The episode recounts the author’s experience at the DICE Awards in Las Vegas, where they introduced a new backstage photo challenge for award winners, asking each to capture the most interesting image in the green room. The segment highlights the...
"Vince Was the Real Deal." Gaming Leaders Mourn Vince Zampella in Las Vegas
The DICE Summit in Las Vegas featured a heartfelt tribute to the late Vince Zampella, a visionary game developer behind Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, Respawn’s hits, and Battlefield 6. Industry leaders like EA’s Laura Miele, Geoff Keighley, Phil Spencer, Todd Howard, and...
Epic’s Plans for Its Game Store Include Launching on the Next Xbox
In this episode, Epic Games head of the Epic Games Store, Steve Allison, discusses the platform’s growth and future roadmap, highlighting 67 million monthly users, a 16% conversion rate from free giveaways, and $400 million in third‑party revenue for 2025. He outlines...
Meet Gertie
In this episode, the host chats with a veteran game designer about his latest project, Coven of the Chicken Foot, which centers on an elderly witch named Gertie and her bond with a monster in a decaying fantasy world. The...
"Oh, This Is Gonna Be Very Different": An Ex-Blizzard Developer's Eye-Opening Year
The episode follows ex-Blizzard veteran Chris Sigaty as he reflects on his transition from leading blockbuster launches at Blizzard to building indie‑style games at Dreamhaven, a studio founded by former Blizzard co‑founder Mike Morhaime. Sigaty discusses the challenges of launching...