Lately I've been focused on finding reasons to be optimistic. Be it the return of Thomas Bangaltar (one half of Daft Punk) to the DJ booth. triumphant B2B set at the Pompidou Center in Paris or simply making a homemade Gromit (half Wallace and Gromit) during a delightful clay modeling workshop in Preston, I found myself leaning towards small victories.
Admittedly, they are more fleeting in the video game industry. But look closely enough and you will see them. Just a few days ago we saw R.V. already there? exceed 1.3 million sales in two weeks. It's a milestone that indie developer Nuggets Entertainment said was difficult to achieve, but one that greatly inspired the team.
Further afield, we recently stopped for a quick chat with local developers at the bustling Thai Games pavilion at the Gamescom Asia x Thai Games Show. During a quick conversation with a young indie developer, we noticed that someone nearby was filming us. They eventually interrupted our conversation to explain, “I’m his mom and I’m so proud!” It was a small, deeply human moment that reminded me that there is still a lot to love about this industry.
Admittedly, there is also plenty to criticize, including the layoffs and questionable corporate statements that have continued with aplomb this week. Personally, I was hoping for a miraculous size change by the time I returned from Bangkok, but as it turns out, my optimism has some limits.
via inverted // Alice Mercante's reporting on the Trump administration's appropriation of images from the Microsoft Halo franchise has revealed new details about the government's messaging strategy almost daily this week. Nine years after then-presidential candidate Hilary Clinton exhorted voters to “Pokemon, go to the polls,” Trump's underlings are using the language of gaming to glorify his image and promote a politics of hate.
via game file // As you might expect, some Halo developers aren't exactly thrilled with the idea of their beloved franchise being used as a political vehicle for the Trump administration. Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto told Game File that he found the DHS/ICE message “absolutely disgusting” and said it made him “sick” to see the series received that way. Jaime Griesemer, who was the lead designer on the early Halo games, said they found the post depicting Trump as Master Chief quite funny, but said ICE's post was beyond the bounds of decency. “Using Halo imagery to call for the 'destruction' of people because of their immigration status goes too far and should offend every Halo fan, regardless of their political orientation,” they added.
via GamesIndustry.biz // Our sister organization's major rebrand has caused a stir in the game development world, and this roundup of responses from our colleagues at GI.biz sheds light on the concerns of the international development community.
via game developer // The former lead environment artist on EA's canceled Black Panther game has made a compelling case that NetEase “borrowed” elements of his portfolio for the art direction of Marvel Rivals. Come for the forensic examination, stay for the almost confessional message from the alleged NetEase employee.
via game developer // It's great that Phil Spencer loves Double Fine as much as we do, and he's right in saying that the studio has developed a dedicated fan base of its own. But, Phil, how can your other employees attract fans if you keep firing them?
via Don't Nod // Life is strange And Lost entries Don't Nod developer has signed a development deal with Netflix to create a new narrative game based on the core IP. The studio revealed the news in its latest financial report and said the game will build on its “proven expertise” in the genre. Netflix will publish the game currently in development at Don't Nod Montreal. It is noteworthy that the project will be financed by a Montreal studio. According to Don't Nod, this will also allow it to explore new formats such as cloud gaming.
via Bloomberg (paywall) // Amazon this week confirmed plans to cut 14,000 corporate employees and said the cuts would help eliminate bureaucracy and pave the way for more efficient artificial intelligence tools. As Bloomberg highlights, the decision will lead to cuts in the company's video game division: Amazon is reportedly looking to cut work on big-budget games (such as MMOs) and cut positions at its Irvine, San Diego offices and its publishing division.
via game developer // During a recent trip to Gamescom Asia, we spoke to Pocketpair's publishing manager John Buckley, who tantalizingly explained that they saw a presentation earlier this year that blew their minds. It was so impressive that they actually signed the title on the spot. This game was Full truckand we managed to convince Pocketpair and developer MythicOwl to share a presentation and budget breakdown that caught everyone's attention. I hope this is a useful resource for anyone trying to pass the publishing test.
