Gaming union at ZeniMax reaches deal with Microsoft
Unionised quality assurance testers at ZeniMax have announced that they’ve reached a deal with Microsoft after two years of negotiations. It follows a recent trend of more coherence amongst video game workers to demand greater pay and rights. A new deal has been reached between unionised quality assurance testers...
Current in Gaming
Fortnite returns to US App Store after five-year legal battle
The battle royale title Fortnite is finally back on Apple’s App Store in the US, meaning the game is once again playable on iPhones and iPads. It follows nearly five years of legal trouble between Epic Games and Apple. Fortnite is now once again available on Apple devices, including...
Xbox to integrate Steam according to industry insider
Months after initial rumours Microsoft was plotting to support Steam on Xbox, a gaming insider has made fresh claims that internal testing is taking place. What would this integration mean for console gaming going forward? All signs still point to Xbox becoming more service than hardware in the near future. Sony’s...
Union files charge against Fortnite for AI Darth Vader
SAG-AFTRA, a large union representing over 160,000 actors and media employees, has filed a charge against Fortnite for its use of an AI Darth Vader character. Fortnite and Epic Games are facing legal trouble after the game’s latest update. As part of its recent Star Wars collaboration, Fortnite added an AI-powered...
Bethesda surprise drops Oblivion remake this week
The publisher Bethesda has surprise announced and released a remastered version of Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, nineteen years after its initial release. This shadow drop was a great decision and hopefully more developers follow suit. Elder Scrolls is back! While we may not have any new information on the hugely-anticipated...
Sony increases price of PS5 due to Trump tariffs
The digital-only PS5 is seeing a 25% price increase in the UK as a result of Trump’s tariffs. The changes will also affect Europe and Japan. Those hoping to jump onto the PS5 hype this summer might be in for a nasty financial shock. Sony has announced that it has made the ‘tough decision’ to raise the price of the digital-only PS5 to £429.99 in the UK and €499.99 in...
Research shows over half of Gen Z gamers want Switch 2
According to a study by CNET, 70% of Gen Z and Millennials could be ready to purchase the Switch 2 on release day. It is part of a wider trend that sees young people spending a whopping $700 USD on games and subscriptions annually. Nintendo is currently gearing up to launch its latest console, the Switch 2. Unsurprisingly, it is a direct sequel to the company’s extremely popular original Switch,...
New union launched for game developers in US and Canada
The United Videogame Workers union has been announced at this year’s Game Developers Conference, formed in partnership with the Communications Workers of America and the American Federation of Musicians. More game developers are looking to secure their working rights and benefits with the formation of a new union. The direct-join union was announced at this year’s Game Developer Conference and is officially called ‘The United Videogame Workers’ union, or UVW-CWA...
Opinion – The console wars being over is great news
Title exclusivity has been a major bugbear of gamers for as long as we can remember. With that potentially over, is the future of gaming looking more inclusive – and perhaps less expensive? If you hadn’t heard, the console wars appear all but finito. The tribalistic bloodshed – or more accurately, tit for tat quibbling in social media comments – has reached its logical conclusion after several decades. The short version of...