Best of GamesIndustry.biz — 2025

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   GamesIndustry.biz·32w

   ESA: 48% of video game players are women

   A global survey of 24,216 weekly gamers across 21 countries reveals that 48% of video game players worldwide are women, with women outnumbering men in 10 countries. Mobile devices are the preferred gaming platform at 55% overall, particularly among women at 64%. Players cite fun, stress relief, and mental stimulation as primary motivations, while 77% believe gaming improves creativity and 76% say it enhances problem-solving skills. Half of respondents report that gaming has directly contributed to their professional or educational development through technical or behavioral skills.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·23w

   Open letter claims mobile gamedev is "ignored" because industry perceives it as a "world of predatory monetization and low quality"

   Midjiwan AB CEO Christian Lövstedt published an open letter criticizing the gaming industry for overlooking mobile games despite representing 55% of the global gaming market. He argues mobile gaming is dismissed due to perceptions of predatory monetization and low quality, pointing to award bodies like BAFTA and D.I.C.E. rarely recognizing mobile titles. Lövstedt contends that industry awards and media shape cultural narratives and calls for acknowledging mobile as the largest and most creative gaming platform.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·39w

   "Our game made €4 million," says Rise of Industry's creator. "Three years later, I was broke"

   Alex Mochi, creator of Rise of Industry, shared his experience of how a successful indie game that grossed €4 million left him broke three years later. Despite strong sales and topping Steam charts, various factors including platform fees, refunds, regional pricing, and what he describes as a problematic publisher deal with Kalypso Media/Kasedo Games led to financial difficulties. Mochi eventually sold the IP for what he claims was $5,000 (though the publisher disputes this figure, stating it was $50,000 including advances). The case highlights the financial challenges indie developers face even with successful games, including revenue splits, overhead costs, and the complexities of publisher relationships.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·43w

   Two years after the Unity controversy, how are things going with Godot?

   Following Unity's controversial decisions in 2023, the open-source Godot game engine experienced significant growth in adoption and community contributions. While Godot still lacks some of Unity's features, it offers sufficient functionality for many indie developers and provides the crucial advantage of being open-source, meaning developers truly own their tools. The engine has improved substantially with better 3D support, Vulkan compatibility, and console support through W4 Games. Developers appreciate Godot's flexibility and the security of open-source licensing, which prevents vendor lock-in situations like Unity's runtime fee controversy.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·26w

   The Steam Machine could be an industry turning point | Opinion

   Valve's upcoming Steam Machine represents a strategic challenge to both Microsoft and Sony in the console market, leveraging a decade of development on Steam Deck and SteamOS. The device combines competitive pricing with access to extensive Steam libraries and a Linux-based OS that outperforms Windows in gaming benchmarks through lower overhead and the Proton emulation layer. This timing particularly impacts Microsoft's pivot toward Xbox-Windows integration, as Valve's approach offers similar PC-console hybrid functionality at mass-market prices. The Steam Deck served as a crucial testbed, proving that optimized software can deliver strong gaming performance on modest hardware specs.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·34w

   The painful lessons learned from layoffs

   Two game studios share their experiences with layoffs and strategies for avoiding them in the future. Spilt Milk Studios navigated publisher rejections by launching a Kickstarter and eventually rehired laid-off employees, while Aurora Punks scaled down from 50 to 20 people after rapid pandemic growth. Both studios emphasize the importance of diversified revenue streams, including work-for-hire projects and consulting, rather than relying solely on single game releases. The key lessons include maintaining multiple income sources, building sustainable team sizes, and focusing on consumer-driven revenue rather than depending entirely on publisher funding.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·27w

   What's going on with Acclaim?

   Acclaim, the iconic 1990s game publisher that went bankrupt in 2004, has been resurrected by CEO Alex Josef and industry veterans. The new Acclaim focuses on indie game publishing rather than reviving old IP like Turok or Mortal Kombat, which are scattered across different rights holders. Josef emphasizes a calculated approach, targeting late-stage indie projects to minimize risk while building developer relationships. The strategy prioritizes helping small to mid-size creators gain visibility over chasing nostalgic franchises, despite the brand's retro appeal.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·35w

   Bonfire Studios reveals its first game – nine years after it was founded by ex-Blizzard CCO Rob Pardo

   Bonfire Studios, founded by former Blizzard CCO Rob Pardo, has revealed Arkheron after nine years of development. The team-based multiplayer game combines MOBA, battle royale, and ARPG elements in an isometric "Ascension Royale" format. The lengthy development involved iterating on Unity's DOTS system, rebuilding network layers, and finding the right balance between accessibility and depth. With $25M initial funding and a recent Series B round, the 70-person studio aims for sustainable success rather than massive scale, targeting both Western and Korean markets through publisher Drimage.

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   GamesIndustry.biz·38w

   "We got rejected by everybody." Thatgamecompany on the difficulties and opportunities of transmedia

   Thatgamecompany successfully created an animated film based on their game Sky: Children of the Light after major streaming platforms rejected their project. CEO Jenova Chen explains how they overcame transmedia challenges by self-publishing through their game platform, using in-game movie theaters and regional events. The film topped indie theater rankings in Japan, demonstrating how game studios can expand their IP through careful regional strategies and leveraging existing player bases rather than relying on traditional distribution channels.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·1y

    Assassin's Creed Shadows' success shows that the threat of negative campaigns is overblown | Opinion

    Assassin's Creed Shadows has performed well in sales despite intense online backlash and controversy over its protagonists, proving that such campaigns have limited impact on consumer behavior. This success highlights the resilience of the Assassin's Creed franchise and suggests that maintaining the quality of the game is more crucial than succumbing to bad-faith criticisms.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·24w

    Team Cherry says it's "unfortunate" that Silksong launch disrupted other indies

    Team Cherry acknowledged that Hollow Knight: Silksong's surprise release announcement disrupted other indie game launches. The studio revealed the release date only two weeks in advance, forcing competing developers to reschedule their games. The launch was so popular it temporarily crashed major digital storefronts including Steam, Nintendo eShop, Xbox, and PlayStation platforms. The developers admitted they had little control over timing, learning the date just weeks before announcement while rushing to complete the game after years of fan anticipation.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·32w

    Why Relic Entertainment wants to make games more quickly

    Relic Entertainment's CEO discusses the studio's transition to independence after being sold by Sega, focusing on strategies to reduce game development cycles. Key approaches include rapid prototyping (4-week sprints), stricter scope control, maintaining a unified game engine across projects, and leveraging AI for workflow efficiency rather than core development. The studio aims to release games more frequently while managing the balance between production costs, player expectations, and market realities in a maturing games industry.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·28w

    Nintendo wins lawsuit against streamer who livestreamed priated games before release

    Nintendo successfully sued streamer Jesse Keighin for livestreaming pirated Switch games before their official release. Keighin streamed leaked titles over 50 times since 2022, including unreleased games like Mario & Luigi: Brothership and Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, using modified consoles and emulators. Despite receiving numerous takedown notices, he continued streaming and shared emulator links with viewers. The court ordered him to pay $17,500 in damages after he failed to appear in court. This follows Nintendo's broader legal campaign against piracy, including a recent lawsuit seeking $4.5 million from another individual for similar violations.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·31w

    The Drifter wins Game of the Year at Australian Game Developer Awards 2025

    Powerhoof's point-and-click adventure game The Drifter won Game of the Year at the 2025 Australian Game Developer Awards, along with awards for art, narrative, and sound design. Massive Monster received Studio of the Year, while Witch Beam's Tempopo won for music and accessibility. Epic Games' Antony Reed was honored with the Adam Lancman Award for industry advocacy, and Adelaide developer Aiden Gyory received the Rising Star Award for community support and education initiatives.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·42w

    Dead Space creator and Sledgehammer Games co-founder admits "it's tough out there": "Maybe I've directed my last game"

    Glen Schofield, creator of Dead Space and co-founder of Sledgehammer Games, reveals the harsh realities of securing AAA game funding in today's market. After spending eight months developing a horror game proposal with a $17 million budget, publishers pushed for cuts to $2-5 million, forcing him to abandon the project rather than compromise quality. The veteran developer reflects on potentially having directed his last game as the AAA industry remains stagnant, highlighting broader challenges facing experienced developers in the current gaming landscape.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·43w

    YouTuber raided by police for reviewing retro gaming handhelds

    Italian YouTuber Francesco Salicini (Once Were Nerd) was raided by police for reviewing retro gaming handhelds with pre-loaded games. Authorities seized over 30 devices and his phone, accusing him of violating Italian copyright law. He faces up to $17,000 in fines and three years in prison. The case highlights Nintendo's intensified crackdown on piracy and emulation, with the company recently updating policies and taking legal action against various emulation sites and services.

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    GamesIndustry.biz·45w

    Stop Killing Games EU petition tops 1.2m signatories, prompting response from Video Games Europe

    The Stop Killing Games EU petition has gathered over 1.2 million signatures, advocating against the practice of making games unplayable when publisher support ends. Video Games Europe responded by defending publishers' rights to discontinue online services when commercially unviable, citing security concerns with private servers and potential restrictions on developer creativity. The movement highlights tensions between consumer rights and industry practices regarding digital game preservation and planned obsolescence.

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