Renowned game director Stig Asmussen, recognized for his work on the highly acclaimed God of War series and later EA’s Star Wars Jedi games, has announced his departure from Respawn Entertainment to explore new opportunities. Asmussen’s leadership played a pivotal role in rejuvenating EA’s Star Wars portfolio, with both Jedi titles achieving significant critical acclaim and commercial success.
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game development Technology NCSoft’s VARCO: Using AI to Streamline Game Production
NCSoft, the South Korean game developer and publisher behind the popular MMORPG Guild Wars, has recently announced the development of a suite of AI language models called VARCO. These models are designed to streamline game development and offer a range of products and services, including digital humans, generative AI platforms, and conversational language models.
0 243 0August 16, 2023 -
backlash character designs community behavior diversity game development Genshin Impact HoYoverse inclusivity Genshin Impact’s Male Characters Face Backlash: A Concerning Trend
Genshin Impact, one of the most popular games from HoYoverse, has recently been facing criticism and backlash over its male characters. The latest character, Lyney, has received an overwhelmingly high number of dislikes in Korea, sparking a debate among the community. The dislike stems from his accessories, such as the garter belt on his legs and arm straps resembling bra straps, which some find to be feminine and unappealing.
0 175 0August 14, 2023 -
Drew Holmes Far Cry game development IP Director Multiplayer Game Narrative Design Ubisoft Ubisoft’s Veteran Drew Holmes Takes Charge as the New Far Cry IP Director
Ubisoft’s long-time writer and narrative designer, Drew Holmes, has been promoted to hold the reins as the IP director for the beloved Far Cry franchise. Bringing years of experience to the table, Holmes previously served as the narrative lead for the series and is now set to spearhead the future of the Far Cry universe.
0 222 0August 13, 2023 -
Baldur's Gate III contractors crediting game development localization outsourced workers recognition Baldur’s Gate 3 Credits Fall Short in Recognizing Outsourced Workers
Baldur’s Gate III, an eagerly anticipated game that has already garnered significant attention, is facing criticism for failing to credit a number of outsourced workers who contributed to its completion. Freelance localization producer, Katrina Leonoudakis, was the first to identify this issue, highlighting that the game’s credits omitted translators who worked on the Brazilian and Portuguese localizations. These translations were handled by a company called Altagram Group, whose executives and department leads were mentioned in the credits. However, other language translations, such as Italian, were properly credited, despite being outsourced to different companies.
0 172 0August 9, 2023 -
financial year Hardware PlayStation promotional strategies PS5 sales target Sony third-party games Sony Aims to Achieve Record-Breaking Sales Target for PS5
Sony has expressed its belief that sales of the PlayStation 5 can accelerate in order to meet its ambitious sales target for this financial year. The company began the year by selling 3.3 million units of the PS5 during the three months leading up to June. Although this number is higher than the 2.4 million units sold during the same period last year, it fell short of expectations.
0 319 0August 9, 2023 -
DLC development long-term sales potential Mario + Rabbids press reception real-time combat Sparks of Hope turn-based tactical adventure Ubisoft Milan Ubisoft Milan Confident in the Future of Sparks of Hope
Despite a reportedly disappointing launch, Ubisoft Milan, the studio behind Mario + Rabbids, remains unfazed by the performance of its sequel, Sparks of Hope. In an interview with VGC, series producer Cristina Nava expressed confidence in the game’s long-term sales potential, citing the success of its predecessor.
0 180 0August 9, 2023 -
game development Linux portable gaming devices Steam Deck Steam OS SteamOS Holo Valve Windows-based Linux Becomes Second Most Popular OS for Steam Thanks to the Steam Deck
The Steam Deck’s continued dominance in the PC gaming industry shows no signs of slowing down. As one of the best handheld game consoles, its popularity has meant that Linux is now the second most popular OS for Steam. A recent Steam Hardware & Software Survey has confirmed that Linux now accounts for 1.96% of Steam’s user base (a 0.52% rise) as opposed to Mac OSX’s 1.84%. According to Ars Technica, a total of 42% of the Linux figure can be accounted to SteamOS Holo, which powers the portable PC.
0 223 0August 8, 2023 -
Acquisition Competition Regulation Technology Video Games New Zealand Regulator Approves Microsoft’s Proposed Activision Blizzard Deal
New Zealand’s regulator, the Commerce Commission, has given its approval to Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The decision was made after considering the importance of Activision games like Call of Duty, Overwatch, and World of Warcraft to New Zealand gamers. The Commission also assessed whether Microsoft would hinder competition by preventing rivals such as Sony and NVIDIA from offering these games on consoles and cloud platforms.
0 217 0August 8, 2023