80 LEVEL·27wDelicious Jelly Switch Made with TypeGPU
Developers Iwo Plaza and Konrad Reczko created interactive jelly-like UI components (a switch and slider) using TypeGPU, a TypeScript library that wraps the WebGPU API. The components leverage signed distance fields (SDFs) to achieve dynamic, jiggly animations, demonstrating creative possibilities for GPU-accelerated web interfaces.
80 LEVEL·27wUbisoft Blames Its Declining Revenue on Gamers Playing Fewer Games
Ubisoft's UK branch attributes declining revenue to changing player behavior, claiming gamers are playing fewer titles for longer periods. The company cites subscription services, live-service games, free-to-play models, and cloud streaming as factors disrupting the traditional £50-60 single-game sales model. With fewer planned releases and market unpredictability, Ubisoft Limited expects continued revenue decline in fiscal year 2026.
80 LEVEL·29wHow Coding Sim The Farmer Was Replaced Reached 39,000% Revenue Rise
The Farmer Was Replaced, a programming farming simulator using a Python-like language, achieved a 39,000% revenue increase from early access to full release, selling over 400,000 copies and generating $1.65 million in the first 30 days. The success came from rebuilding the Steam page to emphasize programming aspects, adding 11 languages with full localization, improving game polish, and executing targeted marketing including influencer outreach to 10,000 creators, viral Reddit posts, and expansion into Chinese social media platforms like RedNote, which grew China's market share from 0.3% to 20%.
80 LEVEL·29wProgrammer Discovers His Smart Vacuum Was Spying on Him
A programmer discovered his ILIFE A11 smart vacuum was sending unencrypted data including Wi-Fi credentials and home maps to manufacturer servers. When he blocked the data transmission, the device was remotely bricked by the manufacturer. After disassembling it and accessing its unprotected Android Debug Bridge, he found the manufacturer had root access via pre-installed software. The same hardware powers devices from multiple brands including Xiaomi and Wyze, suggesting widespread vulnerability. He successfully restored the device with full local control by removing manufacturer access.
80 LEVEL·29wWaterworld Meets Frostpunk In This City-Building Survival Sim
Drownlight is an upcoming city-building survival game where players manage a settlement around a lighthouse in a flooded post-apocalyptic world. The game features resource management, difficult moral choices, and the challenge of keeping the lighthouse operational as the last beacon of civilization. Players must balance expansion with survival while welcoming drifters and uncovering secrets in the surrounding waters.
80 LEVEL·27wDeveloper Runs Minecraft On Smart Lightbulb
A developer successfully ran a Minecraft server on a smart lightbulb's BL602 microcontroller by creating Ucraft, an extremely compact server implementation. The binary is only 46-90 KB depending on authentication, with heap usage reaching 20-70 KB for up to 10 players. The project demonstrates creative resource optimization for embedded systems and is available on GitHub with build instructions.
80 LEVEL·29wUnty Launched Web-Based No-Code 3D Editor
Unity Studio is a new web-based, no-code 3D editor that enables teams to create and share interactive 3D projects without coding or software installation. It supports importing 3D assets and CAD files, with use cases including training applications, HMIs, animations, and product configurators. Currently in free beta, it will integrate with the Unity ecosystem upon full release.
80 LEVEL·29wTiny Glade-Like 3D Diorama Builder Is Out
Outside the Blocks, a modular 3D diorama builder by former Dying Light artist Michał Kubas, has been released on Steam. The tool allows users to create 3D architectural scenes without traditional 3D modeling software knowledge, featuring an autobuild system, animated characters, customizable materials, and an advanced layer system. Users can add finishing touches like epoxy resin water effects and display creations under glass domes.
80 LEVEL·29wMagical Balatro-Like Card Effects & Animation Made with Blender
Mingwei 'CMZW' Lim created Balatro-inspired 3D playing cards with holographic effects and destruction/conjuration animations using Blender. The project showcases advanced shader work and visual effects, with the card shaders available for free on the creator's Ko-Fi page. The work demonstrates Blender's capabilities for creating game-style visual effects and continues the artist's collection of creative 3D card effects.
80 LEVEL·26wSchedule I Could've Been a Farming Sim If Steam Refused to Platform It
Schedule I, 2025's second-most played indie game, nearly became a farming simulator. Developer Tyler had a backup plan to strip all drug-related content and pivot to farming if Steam rejected the game. The platform approved it, though Australia temporarily blocked it due to missing age ratings. Despite commercial success, the game received no nominations at The Game Awards 2025.
80 LEVEL·28wLow Morale, Falling Stocks, GTA VI Delay: What's Going On at Rockstar?
Rockstar Games faces controversy after laying off 30-40 employees, allegedly for unionization efforts, though the company claims it was for leaking confidential information. The Independent Workers' Union disputes this, stating the private Discord group only discussed working conditions. GTA VI's delay to November 2026 and an 18% stock drop followed the layoffs. An anonymous Rockstar developer revealed that fired workers included veterans across multiple roles, all union members, many from organizing committees. The developer reports morale is at rock bottom, with remaining union members working in fear of similar termination.
80 LEVEL·27wEx-Activision CEO: Elon Musk Would Be Best Owner of Any Game Company
Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick stated on a podcast that Elon Musk would be the best owner of any game company, citing his capabilities despite Musk's limited gaming industry experience. Kotick, a controversial figure who left Activision after Microsoft's acquisition amid workplace misconduct allegations, also praised Musk's Twitter acquisition and priorities. Musk recently announced plans to release an AI-generated game through his xAI company by the end of next year.
80 LEVEL·28w"Most Expensive Plagiarism Machine": Breaking Bad Creator Slams AI
Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan criticizes AI as an expensive plagiarism machine in a recent interview about his new series Pluribus. He expresses concerns about AI companies' profit motives, the potential for AI sentience creating ethical dilemmas around digital slavery, and the lack of regulation driven by US-China competition. While not worried about AI replacing artists, he compares AI-generated content to regurgitated nonsense and blames Silicon Valley for disrupting the world.