Good afternoon The update notes are going to be HOT this week and for that I apologize. It's been a hectic few days.
I'm getting ready to head to Bangkok for Gamescom Asia on Tuesday, and juggling some last-minute admin (yes, that includes getting gallons of Factor 50) with the usual flow of news has proven to be quite difficult. I'm about to load my Steam Deck with a bunch of modern indie games for the flight (I'm coming for you, Consume me), because I'm still embarrassingly bad at playing video games the year they came out. I'm also well aware that our favorite year-end results are looking massive.
Once I land in Thailand, I'll do my best to network with big industry figures and local developers so we can continue to bring you the stories that matter. By the way, several people were making the rounds this week. Look.
via game developer // Heart Machine this week announced its second round of job cuts in less than a year and confirmed it was winding down early access development of its game. Hyperlight switch. It's unclear what form the project, which only debuted in January, will remain in, but the studio said it will try to create “something meaningful that's as polished and complete as possible.”
via game developer // Looking for a publishing deal? Then you should check out Deviant Legal's awesome Game Developer's Guide to Publishing Agreements. A gaming law firm has published a free resource to explain the ins and outs of these jargon-laden contracts and help developers understand exactly what they're signing up for. This is a fantastic resource that Deviant Legal founder Rene Otto says will help “democratize access to legal knowledge.”
via LinkedIn // Halo veteran Glenn Israel confirmed his departure from 343 Industries this week and posted a rather cryptic message on Linkedin indicating that his departure came under tense circumstances. Israel served as art director and is credited with working on works such as Halo: Reach And Halo: Infinity. In his Linkedin article, he promised to share his story when the time is right and advised his colleagues to stand firm in the face of adversity. “No illusion of security, no promise of wealth, fame or power is worth sacrificing your health, your dignity, your ethics or your values—and no one can force you to do so,” he wrote. “Stay strong, gather evidence when necessary, and find your place.”
via game developer // How can you create video games without destroying planet Earth? The Sustainable Gaming Alliance has some ideas and has just published a global emissions reporting system called the Sustainable Gaming Standard, which helps companies measure, compare and reduce emissions. “Our goal is to make gaming the most sustainable entertainment medium, and the only way to achieve this is through industry-wide strategic action based on easily accessible and comparable data,” said SGA Managing Director Maria Wagner. If you like the cut of her jib, be sure to check out the SGS.
via game developer // Last week, Funcom confirmed that it was making layoffs shortly after the release of the “biggest release” in its history – Dune: Awakening. We now know that these cuts will lead to Metal: Hellsinger Developer The Outsiders is shutting down. Studio founder David Goldfarb confirmed the news and explained that as a result of the closure, every employee of the Stockholm subsidiary will lose their jobs.
via game file // In an absolutely depressing scoop, Game File reported that Ubisoft recently canceled the Assassin's Creed game, which was set in the United States during the Reconstruction era and had a black protagonist fight for justice against nefarious groups including the Ku Klux Klan. Ubisoft allegedly pumped up the pauses because, according to one anonymous source, the presentation was “too political in too unstable a country.” Complete, despicable madness.
via game developer // You've heard a lot about the shape and structure of EA's stunning $55 billion buyout, but what's next? Veteran reporter and regular developer games columnist Nicole Carpenter tried to answer that question by speaking with a number of business analysts and experts to break down how the take-private deal will impact EA's employees, its products, and the video game industry as a whole. If you have any questions about what the future holds for one of the industry's largest publishers, you should definitely read this book.
