Game World Observer

Shares of the developers of Crimson Desert plummeted by 30% due to insufficiently high game ratings

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:48:58 +0000

On the morning of March 19, the stock price of the South Korean company Pearl Abyss plummeted. As of the time of writing, each share is priced at 46,000 won (30.7 dollars) on the exchange—this is 29.88% less than the previous evening.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/19/shares-of-the-developers-of-crimson-desert-plummeted-by-30-due-to-insufficiently-high-game-ratings

Crimson Desert has already earned over 20 million dollars on Steam

admin — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:00:54 +0000

Steam users are massively pre-ordering Crimson Desert, report analysts from Alinea Analytics.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/18/crimson-desert-has-already-earned-over-20-million-dollars-on-steam

NVIDIA introduced DLSS 5 with photorealistic AI graphics — the technology did not appeal to everyone

admin — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:04:09 +0000

Yesterday, on March 16, at the GDC 2026 conference, NVIDIA unveiled the next version of their image enhancement and scaling technology, Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS). They claim that DLSS 5 marks “the biggest breakthrough in computer graphics” since the advent of real-time ray tracing.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/17/nvidia-introduced-dlss-5-with-photorealistic-ai-graphics-the-technology-did-not-appeal-to-everyone

A Saudi Arabian company purchased 5% of Capcom

admin — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 11:46:20 +0000

The Electronic Gaming Development Company (EGDC) from Saudi Arabia has become one of the largest shareholders of Capcom.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/16/a-saudi-arabian-company-purchased-5-of-capcom

In two years, PC games will surpass console games in revenue — analysis

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:43:08 +0000

The PC gaming segment will experience significant growth in the coming years, both in terms of revenue and audience. This and much more is discussed in the latest report by the analytics company Newzoo.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/13/in-two-years-pc-games-will-surpass-console-games-in-revenue-analysis

The PEGI rating will be updated. Games with loot boxes will be assigned a PEGI 16 rating, while games with “unrestricted communication capabilities” will receive a PEGI 18 rating

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 14:28:53 +0000

The Pan European Game Information (PEGI) organization is set to make significant changes to its rating system. Starting in June, it will factor in four new criteria when determining age restrictions for games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/12/the-pegi-rating-will-be-updated-games-with-loot-boxes-will-be-assigned-a-pegi-16-rating-while-games-with-unrestricted-communication-capabilities-will-receive-a-pegi-18-rating

In 2025, nearly 6,000 games earned over $100,000 on Steam—a record

admin — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:44:21 +0000

Valve presented at the GDC 2026 conference with a talk where they shared some fresh figures regarding the Steam store. The full presentation is not yet publicly available, but some slides were published on social media by Game Developer journalist Chris Kerr.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/11/in-2025-nearly-6000-games-earned-over-100000-on-steam-a-record

Valve has received two more lawsuits – over loot boxes and music rights

admin — Tue, 10 Mar 2026 12:09:04 +0000

In late February, the state of New York filed a lawsuit against Valve, accusing the company of promoting gambling. As it turns out, those were not the only legal troubles for the company. It is now facing two more lawsuits.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/10/valve-has-received-two-more-lawsuits-over-loot-boxes-and-music-rights

Report: Unity is considering selling its Chinese division and is preparing to close offices in France

admin — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 13:37:48 +0000

Unity is reportedly considering shedding a portion of its business, several media outlets claim.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/06/report-unity-is-considering-selling-its-chinese-division-and-is-preparing-to-close-offices-in-france

Google will gradually reduce the commission in Google Play

admin — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:37:30 +0000

The corporation Google did not wait for the U.S. court to approve its settlement agreement with Epic Games and announced changes to Google Play.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/05/google-will-gradually-reduce-the-commission-in-google-play

Report: U.S. authorities may force Tencent to divest its American gaming assets

admin — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 12:25:58 +0000

The White House has once again turned its attention to investments by the Chinese giant Tencent in U.S. gaming companies, reports the Financial Times, citing sources. According to the newspaper, American authorities fear that such deals could potentially pose a threat to the country’s national security.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/04/report-u-s-authorities-may-force-tencent-to-divest-its-american-gaming-assets

Assets from Chinese developers will be removed from the Unity Asset Store

admin — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:06:24 +0000

They will be removed from the global store version on March 31, 2026.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/03/assets-from-chinese-developers-will-be-removed-from-the-unity-asset-store

Report: Tencent plans to buy a stake in the studio behind Block Blast!

admin — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 12:21:36 +0000

According to Bloomberg, it is in talks to acquire a ‘small’ stake in Hungry Studio.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/03/02/report-tencent-plans-to-buy-a-stake-in-the-studio-behind-block-blast

Ubisoft Report: Rise in PC Sales and the Success of Assassin’s Creed

admin — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:45:45 +0000

Ubisoft published a report for the third quarter of its current fiscal year, covering the period from October 1 to December 31, 2025. Here are the highlights from the document.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/13/ubisoft-report-rise-in-pc-sales-and-the-success-of-assassins-creed

Embracer Group’s quarterly revenue fell by 26%, but the holding company remains satisfied

admin — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:18:42 +0000

On December 31, 2025, Embracer Group concluded the third quarter of its current fiscal year. In a recent report, the Swedish holding company detailed how this period unfolded.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/12/embracer-groups-quarterly-revenue-fell-by-26-but-the-holding-company-remains-satisfied

Mewgenics recouped its development costs three hours after release

admin — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:05:31 +0000

The game quickly became a hit.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/11/mewgenics-recouped-its-development-costs-three-hours-after-release

Supercell’s CEO on the results of 2025: “It was almost a record year”

admin — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:44:56 +0000

Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen published the company’s traditional blog column, discussing the successes of the past year. We have highlighted the key figures.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/10/supercells-ceo-on-the-results-of-2025-it-was-almost-a-record-year

Former miHoYo employees receive prison sentences for bribery

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:38:10 +0000

The Chinese studio miHoYo, known for Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero, announced that four of its former employees have been imprisoned. They were found guilty of abusing their official positions and accepting bribes.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/09/former-mihoyo-employees-receive-prison-sentences-for-bribery

The President of France does not rule out banning violent video games in the country

admin — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 13:04:59 +0000

All for the protection of the mental health of French children and adolescents.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/06/the-president-of-france-does-not-rule-out-banning-violent-video-games-in-the-country

The active audience of the PlayStation Network has reached a record level — and more from Sony’s report

admin — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 07:16:46 +0000

Sony Corporation released its financial report for October-December 2025. We have selected the key highlights concerning its gaming division.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/05/the-active-audience-of-the-playstation-network-has-reached-a-record-level-and-more-from-sonys-report

Revenue exceeded forecasts — and more from the Take-Two report

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2026 14:13:34 +0000

Take-Two Interactive reported on its third fiscal quarter of 2026, which ended on December 31, 2025. The results were better than the company had anticipated.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/04/revenue-exceeded-forecasts-and-more-from-the-take-two-report

Nintendo Report: Revenue Doubled, Switch 2 Sales Surpass 17 Million Units

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 08:33:29 +0000

Nintendo has announced its results for the first nine months of fiscal 2026 — that is, for the period from April 1 to December 31, 2025. The company reported that Switch 2 sales continued to gain momentum, and as a result, the company’s revenues increased.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/03/nintendo-report-revenue-doubled-switch-2-sales-surpass-17-million-units

In Turkey, there has been a proposal to tighten control over Steam and Epic Games Store

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 08:30:59 +0000

The Ministry of Family and Social Services of Turkey has prepared a draft law, which, if passed, would impose stricter regulations on the operation of Steam, Epic Games Store, and other game stores in the country.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/02/02/in-turkey-there-has-been-a-proposal-to-tighten-control-over-steam-and-epic-games-store

GDC: More and more developers view generative AI as harmful to the gaming industry

admin — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 13:03:28 +0000

The organizers of the Game Developers Conference (GDC) have published the results of their traditional developer survey: this time, 2,300 participants took part. We’ve selected some interesting highlights from the report.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/30/gdc-more-and-more-developers-view-generative-ai-as-harmful-to-the-gaming-industry

“We cemented our leadership on the Amazon Appstore”: Mamboo’s Artur Beresnev on 2025 results

Alexander Semenov — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 15:02:37 +0000

We continue our 2025 wrap-up together with top managers and experts from the games industry. Up next is an interview with Artur Beresnev, CEO at Mamboo Entertainment.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/29/we-cemented-our-leadership-on-the-amazon-appstore-mamboos-artur-beresnev-on-2025-results

“The market finally entered a phase of hypercompetition”: Digital Vortex’s Inna Gosteva about the situation as of the end of 2025

Alexander Semenov — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:53:54 +0000

We continue our 2025 wrap-up together with top managers and experts from the games industry. Up next is an interview with Inna Gosteva, CBDO at Digital Vortex Entertainment.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/29/the-market-finally-entered-a-phase-of-hypercompetition-digital-vortexs-inna-gosteva-about-the-situation-as-of-the-end-of-2025

Xbox revenue continues to decline — and more from Microsoft’s quarterly report

admin — Thu, 29 Jan 2026 14:09:38 +0000

The Microsoft Corporation released a report outlining the financial results for the last three months of 2025, marking the second quarter of its fiscal year 2026.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/29/xbox-revenue-continues-to-decline-and-more-from-microsofts-quarterly-report

Hooded Horse: indie developers with access to analytics sell their games better than 95% of indie publishers

admin — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 14:17:03 +0000

The head of Hooded Horse, a publishing house best known for Manor Lords and the upcoming Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era, Tim Bender, gave an interview to PC Gamer. During the conversation, he criticized the vast majority of indie publishers and essentially urged developers to self-publish their games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/28/hooded-horse-indie-developers-with-access-to-analytics-sell-their-games-better-than-95-of-indie-publishers

“Skill-based real-money gaming had a solid, maturing year”: EasyWin’s Ivan Leshkevich on 2025 results

Alexander Semenov — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 15:25:00 +0000

We continue our 2025 wrap-up together with top managers and experts from the games industry. Up next is an interview with Ivan Leshkevich, Founder and CEO at EasyWin.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/27/skill-based-real-money-gaming-had-a-solid-maturing-year-easywins-ivan-leshkevich-on-2025-results

“Our startup nearly doubled in size”: Top App Games’ Nikita Kharlamov and Diana Korkina on 2025 results

Alexander Semenov — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 14:30:36 +0000

We continue our 2025 wrap-up together with top managers and experts from the games industry (and related fields). Up next is an interview with Nikita Kharlamov and Diana Korkina, top managers at Top App Games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/27/our-startup-nearly-doubled-in-size-top-app-games-nikita-kharlamov-and-diana-korkina-on-2025-results

In the United Kingdom, a court will be held regarding the Steam monopoly case

admin — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:55:52 +0000

The Competition Appeal Tribunal in London has decided to forward a lawsuit against Valve to court. The company is accused of “profiteering off British gamers” through Steam.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/27/in-the-united-kingdom-a-court-will-be-held-regarding-the-steam-monopoly-case

The program for WN Abu Dhabi ’26 has been published. Participants include Ubisoft, Epic Games, Google, Mundfish, and others

Ekaterina Gaifullina — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 08:55:14 +0000

The upcoming WN Abu Dhabi’26 has a very packed schedule. This two-day event (February 11-12) will focus on networking and discussions on topics relevant to the gaming industry. We share the first details of the program.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/27/the-program-for-wn-abu-dhabi-26-has-been-published-participants-include-ubisoft-epic-games-google-mundfish-and-others

39% of the new releases in the Microsoft Store in 2025 are low-quality games designed for quickly earning Gamerscore points

admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:41:32 +0000

This was reported by the portal TrueAchievements, which analyzed all games released in 2025 in the Microsoft Store. Their statistics cover games for both Xbox consoles and PC.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/26/39-of-the-new-releases-in-the-microsoft-store-in-2025-are-low-quality-games-designed-for-quickly-earning-gamerscore-points

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was unable to become the best-selling game in the US by the end of 2025. The sales leader is Battlefield 6

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:48:35 +0000

For the first time in history, one of the parts of the Battlefield series surpassed Call of Duty in annual sales in the US. This is according to data from the analytics company Circana.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/23/call-of-duty-black-ops-7-was-unable-to-become-the-best-selling-game-in-the-us-by-the-end-of-2025-the-sales-leader-is-battlefield-6

Ubisoft is undergoing a new phase of reorganization, which has resulted in the cancellation of six games and layoffs

admin — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 13:45:12 +0000

Ubisoft has announced the continuation of a large-scale restructuring of its business. As part of this, the company has decided to divide into five “creative houses” — not without some casualties.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/22/ubisoft-is-undergoing-a-new-phase-of-reorganization-which-has-resulted-in-the-cancellation-of-six-games-and-layoffs

WN Abu Dhabi ’26 is now accepting applications for the game exhibition and indie pitch

Ekaterina Gaifullina — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:45:28 +0000

In three weeks, on February 11-12, a business event for game developers and publishers, WN Abu Dhabi’26, will take place in Abu Dhabi. On the first day of the event, besides other activities, there will be a game showcase and an indie pitch—a presentation with project reviews by experts. Applications are currently being accepted.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/21/wn-abu-dhabi-26-is-now-accepting-applications-for-the-game-exhibition-and-indie-pitch

In 2025, the revenue of the mobile gaming market grew, but only slightly — analysis

admin — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 14:41:00 +0000

The analytics company Sensor Tower has released an extensive report discussing the state of the mobile app market in 2025. We’ve selected key findings related to games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/21/in-2025-the-revenue-of-the-mobile-gaming-market-grew-but-only-slightly-analysis

“They did absolutely nothing” — gaming companies criticized the UK’s authorities for their weak support of the industry

admin — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 14:02:01 +0000

The UK National Video Game Council, comprising representatives from various gaming companies, is dissatisfied with the level of government support in the United Kingdom. In their opinion, the government pays very little attention to the game development sector.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/20/they-did-absolutely-nothing-gaming-companies-criticized-the-uks-authorities-for-their-weak-support-of-the-industry

Italy to Investigate Diablo Immortal and Call of Duty Mobile for “Dark Patterns”

admin — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:48:29 +0000

The Italian antitrust regulator, Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercat (AGCM), has launched an investigation into Activision Blizzard. It suspects that the company may have violated consumer protection laws.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/19/italy-to-investigate-diablo-immortal-and-call-of-duty-mobile-for-dark-patterns

WN Abu Dhabi ’26 is coming soon — February 11-12

Ekaterina Gaifullina — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:35:08 +0000

In less than a month, the capital of the United Arab Emirates will host WN Abu Dhabi’26, an event for game developers and publishers organized by WN Media Group. Attendees can expect two days of intensive networking — and a yacht cruise.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/16/wn-abu-dhabi-26-is-coming-soon-february-11-12

Sony blocked one of the largest publishers on the PlayStation Store

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 14:34:53 +0000

It has been reported that as a result, 1,194 games have been removed from the PlayStation Store.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/16/sony-blocked-one-of-the-largest-publishers-on-the-playstation-store

Analytics: MONOPOLY GO! has earned over $6 billion from in-app purchases (IAP) faster than any other mobile game

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:01:04 +0000

Such statistics were shared by the analytics company Sensor Tower.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/15/analytics-monopoly-go-has-earned-over-6-billion-from-in-app-purchases-iap-faster-than-any-other-mobile-game

Meta is closing three VR studios as part of major cutbacks

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 13:55:41 +0000

Meta Corporation will undergo a significant restructuring within its Reality Labs division, which deals with the metaverse and virtual reality technologies. Among those affected will be gaming teams.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/14/meta-is-closing-three-vr-studios-as-part-of-major-cutbacks

Ubisoft is set to lay off another 55 employees

admin — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 13:45:57 +0000

Layoffs will occur at Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm studios.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/13/ubisoft-is-set-to-lay-off-another-55-employees

The head of Suspicious Developments advised indie studios not to rush their growth and not to spend too much time on prototypes

admin — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 14:44:17 +0000

Tom Francis is the founder and head of the British studio Suspicious Developments, which created the games Gunpoint, Heat Signature, and Tactical Breach Wizards. In his blog, he gave some basic advice to indie teams.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/12/the-head-of-suspicious-developments-advised-indie-studios-not-to-rush-their-growth-and-not-to-spend-too-much-time-on-prototypes

“We achieved over 15,000 developers on the platform”: ByteBrew’s Cameron Hozouri on 2025 results

Ekaterina Gaifullina — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 11:50:06 +0000

We continue our 2025 wrap-up together with top managers and experts from the games industry (and related fields). Up next is an interview withwith Cameron Hozouri, CEO and co-founder ByteBrew.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2026/01/01/we-achieved-over-15000-developers-on-the-platform-bytebrews-cameron-hozouri-on-2025-results

CD PROJEKT announced the sale of GOG for $25 million

admin — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 05:45:35 +0000

The new owner of the digital store will be one of the founders of CD PROJEKT, Michał Kiciński.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/30/cd-projekt-announced-the-sale-of-gog-for-25-million

“We are thrilled to see five projects from our portfolio companies among the top 150 most wishlisted games”: GEM Capital on the results of its portfolio projects

Alexander Semenov — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:24:21 +0000

The last days of December are the best time to reflect on what happened this year. This time, we are doing it with representatives of prominent game-related companies. We begin this series with Roman and Kirill Gurskiy, managing directors at GEM Capital.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/29/we-are-thrilled-to-see-five-projects-from-our-portfolio-companies-among-the-top-150-most-wishlisted-games-gem-capital-on-video-game-investments

In Mexico, there will still be no tax on “violent” video games

admin — Fri, 26 Dec 2025 12:42:03 +0000

In September, the Ministry of Finance of Mexico proposed introducing an 8% tax on games containing “violent” content. Three months later, this idea was abandoned.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/26/in-mexico-there-will-still-be-no-tax-on-violent-video-games

An investor who criticized the management of Square Enix has increased their stake in the company

admin — Thu, 25 Dec 2025 14:09:33 +0000

Dissatisfaction with Square Enix’s work does not prevent the 3D Investment Partners fund from continuing to purchase shares of the Japanese company. Recently, they increased their stake from 14.36% to 16.48%.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/25/an-investor-who-criticized-the-management-of-square-enix-has-increased-their-stake-in-the-company

The developers of Rainbow Six Mobile have formed a union

admin — Wed, 24 Dec 2025 14:39:34 +0000

The gaming industry is seeing an increasing number of unions. Now, the Canadian studio Ubisoft Halifax has announced the formation of a labor union.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/24/the-developers-of-rainbow-six-mobile-have-formed-a-union

The Gaming Industry in 2025 by the Numbers — An Overview from GamesIndustry

admin — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:00:37 +0000

The end of the year is approaching. To mark the occasion, the editorial team at GamesIndustry has published its traditional infographic summarizing key figures for the gaming industry. We’ve highlighted the most important insights from it.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/23/the-gaming-industry-in-2025-by-the-numbers-an-overview-from-gamesindustry

Indie projects generated a quarter of the total game revenue on Steam by the end of 2025 — analytics

admin — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 12:18:07 +0000

This conclusion was reached by analysts from Alinea Analytics.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/22/indie-projects-generated-a-quarter-of-the-total-game-revenue-on-steam-by-the-end-of-2025-analytics

Report: Naughty Dog forced employees to crunch to meet the deadline for the new game demo

admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 06:50:53 +0000

Naughty Dog is notoriously known as a studio where employees periodically have to work excessive overtime. According to sources cited by Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier, the team recently faced another round of crunches—this time related to the game Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/19/report-naughty-dog-forced-employees-to-crunch-to-meet-the-deadline-for-the-new-game-demo

Sony resolved its conflict with Tencent — the game Light of Motiram has been removed from stores

admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:06:35 +0000

The dispute over the plagiarism of the Horizon game series has been resolved.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/18/sony-resolved-its-conflict-with-tencent-the-game-light-of-motiram-has-been-removed-from-stores

Tencent has invested in the developers of the bodycam shooter Unrecord

admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:04:02 +0000

According to GamesIndustry, the Chinese giant has acquired a minority stake in Drama Studios. Neither the exact size of the stake nor the amount of the transaction has been publicly disclosed.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/17/tencent-has-invested-in-the-developers-of-the-bodycam-shooter-unrecord

Ubisoft acquired the Amazon Games Montreal studio

admin — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 13:47:25 +0000

The terms and conditions of the deal are not disclosed.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/16/ubisoft-acquired-the-amazon-games-montreal-studio

The creators of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 spent less than $10 million developing the game

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:09:00 +0000

The French studio Sandfall Interactive mentioned this amount in an interview with The New York Times.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/12/the-creators-of-clair-obscur-expedition-33-spent-less-than-10-million-developing-the-game

The UK government will conduct an investigation into the layoffs at Rockstar Games

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:51:30 +0000

The issue of the dismissal of several dozen employees from Rockstar Games was raised at the latest session of the British Parliament.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/11/the-uk-government-will-conduct-an-investigation-into-the-layoffs-at-rockstar-games

According to GameDiscoverCo, most games on Steam earn less after leaving early access than they do at launch

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:59:57 +0000

The founder of the analytical service GameDiscoverCo, Simon Carless, examined how the release of games on Steam unfolded after leaving Early Access in 2025. He discovered that the majority of them failed to surpass their initial performance.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/10/according-to-gamediscoverco-most-games-on-steam-earn-less-after-leaving-early-access-than-they-do-at-launch

Paramount announced the beginning of a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:11:07 +0000

Last evening, December 8, a new development in the situation with the sale of Warner Bros. Discovery was revealed. Paramount announced that it does not intend to hand over the media giant to Netflix competitors and wants to acquire it itself.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/09/paramount-announced-the-beginning-of-a-hostile-takeover-of-warner-bros-discovery

The producer of the Tekken series will leave Bandai Namco after more than 30 years of service

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:17:14 +0000

Katsuhiro Harada will step down by the end of December.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/08/the-producer-of-the-tekken-series-will-leave-bandai-namco-after-more-than-30-years-of-service

Netflix acquires Warner Bros. Discovery — including its gaming studios too

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:39:06 +0000

The transaction amount will be $82.7 billion.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/05/netflix-acquires-warner-bros-discovery-including-its-gaming-studios-too

Spry Fox will become independent again as the studio’s founders buy it back from Netflix

admin — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 14:39:47 +0000

Netflix continues to divest its gaming assets, reports journalist Stephen Totilo from Game File. This time, the company has decided to sell the studio Spry Fox, a pioneer of merge games, back to its founders.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/04/spry-fox-will-become-independent-again-as-the-studios-founders-buy-it-back-from-netflix

“I don’t want glossy, sterile, perfectly acted voices floating in the dead space of a recording studio,” said Georgy Beloglazov of Brickworks Games about working on the new Sublustrum

Alexander Semenov — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:17:26 +0000

On November 26, a remake of Sublustrum, a cult Russian quest game by the Phantomery Interactive team, was announced. The App2Top editorial team spoke with Georgiy Beloglazov, founder and CEO of Brickworks Games, about how the work on the new game is progressing and what it will be like.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/04/i-dont-want-glossy-sterile-perfectly-acted-voices-floating-in-the-dead-space-of-a-recording-studio-said-georgy-beloglazov-of-brickworks-games-about-working-on-the-new-sublustrum

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund will become the owner of almost all of EA after its buyout by investors

admin — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:21:00 +0000

Two months ago, Electronic Arts (EA) announced that it would soon be acquired by a consortium of investors. At that time, it did not disclose the share each participant would receive as a result of the deal, but these details have become known from a recent company report to Brazil’s antitrust regulator.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/03/the-saudi-arabian-sovereign-wealth-fund-will-become-the-owner-of-almost-all-of-ea-after-its-buyout-by-investors

The future of the creators of Shovel Knight is uncertain and depends on the success of their next game

admin — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 15:37:23 +0000

The American indie team Yacht Club Games is not in the best financial shape. Studio leaders disclosed this in a conversation with Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/02/the-future-of-the-creators-of-shovel-knight-is-uncertain-and-depends-on-the-success-of-their-next-game

In 2025, India’s gaming market revenue will exceed one billion dollars — analysis

admin — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 12:50:30 +0000

This is the fastest-growing gaming market among the countries of Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, reports the analytics company Niko Partners.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/12/01/in-2025-indias-gaming-market-revenue-will-exceed-one-billion-dollars-analysis

Thanks to Cronos: The New Dawn, Bloober Team’s quarterly profit increased 32-fold

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:56:36 +0000

Everything is going well for Bloober Team. The Polish studio has published its financial report for the third quarter of 2025 (July-September), in which it reported a rapid increase in revenue.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/28/thanks-to-cronos-the-new-dawn-bloober-teams-quarterly-profit-increased-32-fold

Report: Savvy Games Group in talks to acquire developers of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 14:50:09 +0000

How much they might pay for them is unknown.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/27/report-savvy-games-group-in-talks-to-acquire-developers-of-mobile-legends-bang-bang

Embracer Group announced the sale of two more teams — Arc Games and Cryptic Studios

admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 13:52:13 +0000

The new owner has become the young company Project Golden Arc, founded by the leaders of Arc Games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/26/embracer-group-announced-the-sale-of-two-more-teams-arc-games-and-cryptic-studios

Apple is increasingly blocking developer accounts due to erroneous fraud suspicions, claims the former head of App Store Review

admin — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 14:25:11 +0000

Everything supposedly happens without warnings or evidence.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/25/apple-is-increasingly-blocking-developer-accounts-due-to-erroneous-fraud-suspicions-claims-the-former-head-of-app-store-review

KRAFTON has invested in the developers of the political simulator Suzerain

admin — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:38:20 +0000

The amount has not been disclosed.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/24/krafton-has-invested-in-the-developers-of-the-political-simulator-suzerain

“Over 80% of our audience is on Xbox,” says Pathea about the launch of Superball after six years of development

Alexander Semenov — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 13:29:59 +0000

At the end of October, the cooperative multiplayer game Superball by the Chinese indie studio Pathea Games was released. The studio is best known for their life simulation hit, My Time at Portia. The project took a long time to reach a full release and is still experiencing difficulties. We spoke with Yao Liu, one of the key developers of Superball, about the project’s journey and the hopes of its developers.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/21/over-80-of-our-audience-is-on-xbox-says-pathea-about-the-launch-of-superball-after-six-years-of-development

Ubisoft Report: 1,500 Employees Laid Off in a Year and €1.15 Billion in Net Debt

admin — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 12:59:17 +0000

Ubisoft released its semi-annual financial report after a one-week delay. The company did not announce any new deals: the document was published later due to an accounting error.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/21/ubisoft-report-1500-employees-laid-off-in-a-year-and-e1-15-billion-in-net-debt

Battlefield 6 became the highest-grossing game in the US for 2025, according to analytics

admin — Thu, 20 Nov 2025 15:08:32 +0000

October wrapped up for the U.S. gaming market under the banner of Battlefield 6, according to data from the analytics company Circana.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/20/battlefield-6-became-the-highest-grossing-game-in-the-us-for-2025-according-to-analytics

The creators of Unity and Unreal Engine have become partners

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 14:21:10 +0000

Competing companies Unity and Epic Games have unexpectedly announced a partnership agreement. They have decided to make their platforms more open.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/19/the-creators-of-unity-and-unreal-engine-have-become-partners

The head of KRAFTON may have been looking for a way to avoid payments to the creators of Subnautica using ChatGPT

admin — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 14:02:00 +0000

This is the assertion made by the fired executives of the studio Unknown Worlds.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/18/the-head-of-krafton-may-have-been-looking-for-a-way-to-avoid-payments-to-the-creators-of-subnautica-using-chatgpt

GDC: 60% of game developers in the US reported an increase in salaries, with an average pay of $142,000 a year

admin — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 12:23:39 +0000

The median salary is lower—$129,000.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/17/gdc-60-of-game-developers-in-the-us-reported-an-increase-in-salaries-with-an-average-pay-of-142000-a-year

Analytics: In the incomplete year of 2025, games on Steam have earned over $16 billion — a record

admin — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 13:47:35 +0000

The year 2025 has already become the best year in Steam’s history in terms of game revenue, claims the analytical company Alinea Analytics.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/14/analytics-in-the-incomplete-year-of-2025-games-on-steam-have-earned-over-16-billion-a-record

The Cocos engine was purchased for $72 million

admin — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:49:05 +0000

Now it belongs to the Chinese company SUD, which is developing a cloud platform for app gamification.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/13/the-cocos-engine-was-purchased-for-72-million

Some developers of the extraction shooter Exoborne will be laid off

admin — Wed, 12 Nov 2025 14:21:08 +0000

The Sharkmob studio is preparing to conduct layoffs at its division in Malmö. It announced this in a statement to the GamesIndustry portal.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/12/some-developers-of-the-extraction-shooter-exoborne-will-be-laid-off

The US court is currently not satisfied with the settlement agreement between Google and Epic Games

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 15:40:05 +0000

Last week, Google and Epic Games submitted their proposed settlement to the California court. However, they were unable to secure a swift approval of the deal, as the presiding judge, James Donato, expressed doubts about its merits.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/11/the-us-court-is-currently-not-satisfied-with-the-settlement-agreement-between-google-and-epic-games

The budget for 80% of games released on Steam since 2022 does not exceed one million dollars — analytics

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 11:32:28 +0000

Developers rarely publicly disclose the budget for their games. The lack of official data prompted the analytical portal HushCrasher to try to estimate the cost of creating games distributed on Steam.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/10/the-budget-for-80-of-games-released-on-steam-since-2022-does-not-exceed-one-million-dollars-analytics

Swedish analysts have estimated the production budget of Bloodlines 2 at $62.8 million

admin — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:30:48 +0000

The development of Vampire: The Masquerade — Bloodlines 2 cost 600 million Swedish kronor (62.8 million USD), according to estimates by analysts from the Swedish bank Swedbank. This does not include marketing expenses, which would increase the budget.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/07/swedish-analysts-have-estimated-the-production-budget-of-bloodlines-2-at-62-8-million

Rockstar Games: Fired developers leaked confidential information online

admin — Thu, 06 Nov 2025 14:40:14 +0000

Last week, it was reported that Rockstar Games had dismissed about 30-40 employees. It was initially mentioned that they had blatantly violated discipline, but no further official details were provided. Now, the company has explained in a comment to Bloomberg that the reason for the layoffs was due to leaks.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/06/rockstar-games-fired-developers-leaked-confidential-information-online

Google has reconciled with Epic Games—it is ready to change the Google Play rules

admin — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 13:40:26 +0000

The conflict between Google and Epic Games, which has stretched over five years, may soon come to an end. The companies have reached a settlement agreement and are now waiting to see how the court will respond.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/05/google-has-reconciled-with-epic-games-it-is-ready-to-change-the-google-play-rules

Rockstar Games has fired dozens of employees for “gross misconduct”

admin — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:25:04 +0000

GTA developers faced a wave of layoffs. The British union Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) reported that Rockstar Games parted ways with approximately 30-40 employees in the UK and Canada.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/11/01/rockstar-games-has-fired-dozens-of-employees-for-gross-misconduct

Roblox Report: Revenue is skyrocketing, but so are losses

admin — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 14:32:33 +0000

The Roblox platform reported its third-quarter results for 2025, ending on September 30. It announced that quarterly revenue exceeded expectations, but this did not save it from incurring losses.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/31/roblox-report-revenue-is-skyrocketing-but-so-are-losses

“We Were Wrong”: Supercell to Shut Down Squad Busters Two Years After Game’s Release

admin — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:39:42 +0000

Squad Busters will become the first game in Supercell’s history to be “killed” after a global release. Previously, the company dealt with unsuccessful projects at earlier stages.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/30/we-were-wrong-supercell-to-shut-down-squad-busters-two-years-after-games-release

Remedy is disappointed with the quarterly results, having lost 16 million euros

admin — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:34:21 +0000

The developers of Alan Wake and Control reported their performance for the third quarter of 2025, which spanned from June 1 to September 30. The past three months turned out worse than Remedy Entertainment had anticipated.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/29/remedy-is-disappointed-with-the-quarterly-results-having-lost-16-million-euros

Report: Amazon to Conduct Massive Layoffs — Gaming Division Also Affected

admin — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 14:34:13 +0000

Amazon Corporation is set to announce a significant round of layoffs today, according to sources from Reuters and Bloomberg. As reported, up to 30,000 employees will lose their jobs.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/28/report-amazon-to-conduct-massive-layoffs-gaming-division-also-affected

Report: The creators of Metroid Dread and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow have been working in crunch mode for almost a year

admin — Fri, 17 Oct 2025 13:19:20 +0000

Current and former employees of the Spanish studio MercurySteam have complained to the publication 3DJuegos about an unhealthy atmosphere in the company. They reported tougher working conditions, overtime, and layoffs.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/17/report-the-creators-of-metroid-dread-and-castlevania-lords-of-shadow-have-been-working-in-crunch-mode-for-almost-a-year

“Threat to National Security”: U.S. Senators Concerned That a Saudi Fund Is Among EA’s Buyers

admin — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 14:34:29 +0000

The upcoming sale of Electronic Arts (EA) to a group of investors has attracted the attention of two American senators. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal have expressed “deep concern” over the deal, particularly disturbed by the inclusion of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) the buyers.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/16/threat-to-national-security-u-s-senators-concerned-that-a-saudi-fund-is-among-eas-buyers

Battlefield 6 has already generated $350 million in revenue — analysis

admin — Wed, 15 Oct 2025 13:40:28 +0000

Analysts from Alinea Analytics released an article detailing the initial sales of Battlefield 6. According to them, the shooter had one of the largest launches among the current generation of games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/15/battlefield-6-has-already-generated-350-million-in-revenue-analysis

The number of souls-like games is rapidly increasing on Steam — study

admin — Tue, 14 Oct 2025 14:30:39 +0000

The analytical company VG Insights released a study on souls-likes on Steam. They examined all the games with the “souls-like” tag, released on the platform from January 2015 to October 2025.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/14/the-number-of-souls-like-games-is-rapidly-increasing-on-steam-study

The Fantastic Pixel Castle studio is on the brink of closure as NetEase has withdrawn support

admin — Mon, 13 Oct 2025 12:38:36 +0000

In the fall of 2023, NetEase launched the studio Fantastic Pixel Castle, appointing veteran Riot Games producer Greg Street to lead it. After two years, the company decided to terminate this relationship.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/13/the-fantastic-pixel-castle-studio-is-on-the-brink-of-closure-as-netease-has-withdrawn-support

Remedy has lowered its financial forecast for 2025 due to the failure of FBC: Firebreak

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2025 12:56:21 +0000

The Finnish company Remedy Entertainment informed investors that it no longer expects to achieve an operating profit by the end of 2025. Instead, it now anticipates losses.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/10/remedy-has-lowered-its-financial-forecast-for-2025-due-to-the-failure-of-fbc-firebreak

Console sales in the US are actively growing—thanks to the Nintendo Switch 2 and rising prices

admin — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 15:15:01 +0000

In August 2025, Americans spent $312 million on purchasing consoles, reports Circana analyst Mat Piscatella. This is a 32% increase compared to the previous year.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/09/console-sales-in-the-us-are-actively-growing-thanks-to-the-nintendo-switch-2-and-rising-prices

The EU’s fight against dark patterns in games could “kill” European game development, says the head of Supercell

admin — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 15:06:25 +0000

The CEO of Supercell, Ilkka Paananen, wrote an open letter criticizing the EU authorities. He is displeased with the proposals for regulating the digital space, which also affect games.

More details: https://gameworldobserver.com/2025/10/08/the-eus-fight-against-dark-patterns-in-games-could-kill-european-game-development-says-the-head-of-supercell