Sherbytes: Industry News Megathread, v.2

[KaNesDeath]

Valve just counted to three:

Counter-Strike 2 - Release Notes for 8/19/2024 - Steam News

[ INPUT ] Certain types of movement/shooting input automation such as hardware-assisted counter strafing will now be detected on Valve official servers, resulting in a kick from the match Input binds that include more than one of the following commands will now be ignored by default. Support can...

store.steampowered.com

[ VacNet ]

• Initial testing of VacNet 3.0 has begun on a limited set of matches. If you believe your match was incorrectly cancelled, email us the match details at [email protected]

 

[KaNesDeath]

Amazons Game CEO:

Asked about SAG-AFTRA's strike for better AI protections, Amazon Games Boss claims AI 'has nothing to do with taking work away' from actors because 'for games, we don't really have acting'

Acting out.

www.pcgamer.com

 

[Valhoven]

AI-trainer supercluster Cortex aiming to 'crack' the problems of real-world AI @ Tesla HQ supercomputer centre Austin, TX, USA:

 

[MWB1982]

New Game coming out that is being compared to Bloodborne

 

[Valhoven]

Hats off to Itsuno for the memories:



Hideaki Itsuno is leaving Capcom after 30 years.

This man gave us Devil May Cry 3 to 5 and the Dragons Dogma series.

I'm really curious who will take over the DMC series. You would think they will go forward with it since its successful.

 

[My Spot]

Hats off to Itsuno for the memories:



Hideaki Itsuno is leaving Capcom after 30 years.

This man gave us Devil May Cry 3 to 5 and the Dragons Dogma series.

I'm really curious who will take over the DMC series. You would think they will go forward with it since its successful.

Capcom can use this as an excuse to remake DMC1.

 

[Valhoven]

Significant layoffs announced for Ballistic Moon as soon as Until Dawn finishes:



Until Dawn PS5 & PC developer Ballistic Moon announces “significant” layoffs ahead of the game’s release

 

[KaNesDeath]

Next decade from Sony is going to be interesting:

Sony CFO Says Company Doesn't Have Enough IP

In a recent interview, Sony's CFO says the company doesn't have enough IP, including on its PlayStation gaming side.

insider-gaming.com

 

[My Spot]

Happy 25th anniversary to the Sega Dreamcast. Gone way too soon...

 

[Valhoven]

Amidst dwindling faith in a studio turnaround, Ubi faces pressure to go private again, reports Henderson. Elsewhere, it's been shared that broad layoffs would be part of the plan as well as the ousting of CEO Guillemot and installation of competent management:

 

[Flower2dPeople]

Amidst dwindling faith in a studio turnaround, Ubi faces pressure to go private again, reports Henderson. Elsewhere, it's been shared that broad layoffs would be part of the plan as well as the ousting of CEO Guillemot and installation of competent management:

 

[Valhoven]

So bad, man. This company won't be around in the near future, possibly. Selling to a strategic investor rather than going private is also being tabled apparently but we've all picked up on Ubi putting out feelers or courting offers before this newest slump. Stock has dropped 50% since this time last year and sits at a ten-year low.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

So bad, man. This company won't be around in the near future, possibly. Selling to a strategic investor rather than going private is also being tabled apparently but we've all picked up on Ubi putting out feelers or courting offers before this newest slump. Stock has dropped 50% since this time last year and sits at a ten-year low.

The thing is, I don’t know who can actually come in and help right the ship. Pretty much every major acquisition over the past few years hasn’t proven fruitful whatsoever.

Sony and Microsoft have both had an abysmal track record as of late with layoffs of acquired studios (Bungie) if not outright shutting them down (Arkane, Tango) while Embracer has been such a colossal fuck up that in hindsight their crazy buying spree from 2019 - 2023 turned out to be one of the worst things to happen to the industry since the 1983 video game crash.

 

[method115]

The thing is, I don’t know who can actually come in and help right the ship. Pretty much every major acquisition over the past few years hasn’t proven fruitful whatsoever.

Sony and Microsoft have both had an abysmal track record as of late with layoffs of acquired studios (Bungie) if not outright shutting them down (Arkane, Tango) while Embracer has been such a colossal fuck up that in hindsight their crazy buying spree from 2019 - 2023 turned out to be one of the worst things to happen to the industry since the 1983 video game crash.

I don't even know if MS can because of the deal they made with the CMA and selling their cloud rights to them.

 

[rikwebb]

Tony Hawk and Activision are talking again

Tony Hawk claims he is ‘talking to Activision again’ | VGC

“It’s something the fans will truly apppreciate,” Hawk said.

www.videogameschronicle.com

"I wish I could tell you more, but I can tell you that I've been talking to Activision again, we're working on something," Hawk said. "It will be something the fans will truly appreciate."

 

[rikwebb]

This affects a lot of upcoming games across all platforms

The entire staff of Annapurna Interactive, the video-game publishing division of Megan Ellison's Annapurna studio, resigned this month following a dispute with its owner, according to people familiar with the situation.

Annapurna Interactive President Nathan Gary and his team had been negotiating with Ellison, the daughter of billionaire Larry Ellison, to spin off the video-game division as an independent entity, said the people, who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to share the information with the press. When Ellison pulled out of the negotiations, Gary and other executives resigned and were followed by around two dozen other staffers.

The exodus has led to chaos as game developers partnered with Annapurna try to figure out what this means for their upcoming projects. As a publisher, Annapurna is responsible not only for funding the games but for handling services such as quality-assurance, adapting the products for local markets and marketing. Over the past few days, game makers working with Annapurna have scrambled to find new points of contact and figure out whether the company will continue to honor its agreements.


The spokesperson said that all existing games and projects will remain under Annapurna.

 

[Valhoven]

More industry layoffs, unfortunately, in what looks like a tough time for the space. On a positive note, no game cancellations or studio closures, reports MSFT Gaming CEO Phil Spencer:



Microsoft is laying off around 650 employees in its gaming division today. The latest cuts come months after Microsoft laid off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees, and after the closure of several game studios, including Redfall developer Arkane Austin.

Xbox chief Phil Spencer announced the layoffs to employees in an internal memo this morning, seen by The Verge. The cuts are related to the Activision Blizzard deal, and Spencer makes it clear in his email that “no games, devices or experiences are being cancelled” and no studios are being closed as part of the layoffs today.

 

[Valhoven]

Tony Hawk in collab' talks with Activision. W for MSFT, IMO:



“we’re working on something…the fans will truly appreciate”

Tony Hawk confirmed he’s working with Activision again

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

This affects a lot of upcoming games across all platforms

What studios were working with them, any idea? Just curious as to what games could end up delayed or outright canceled over this.

 

[method115]

What studios were working with them, any idea? Just curious as to what games could end up delayed or outright canceled over this.

I know that made a major deal with Remedy recently (like a week or two ago) so that's really the only thing that I'm worried about.