Shell partners with Fortnite to push gasoline
In arguably the most brazen example of gross product placement in recent times, Shell is pushing gasoline propaganda through the vehicle of Fortnite. What are kids most worried about, climate change... what do kids really like, Fortnite. Roll out the prop! In what feels like a work of fiction Black Mirror...
Current in Gaming
Developer protests force Unity to backtrack on greedy policy change
More than 500 game developers signed a collective letter threatening to turn off Unity ad monetisation in response to greedy and blindsiding policy changes announced earlier this month. Unity is already backtracking. Game developers are refusing to be taken for a ride, and we’re here for it. Earlier this month, Unity...
Broken achievements & trophies should not still be a thing
For the ‘completionists’ among us gamers, there’s nothing more frustrating than fulfilling the requirements for a trophy or achievement and seeing it remain locked. Though rarely talked about, this is a significant point of tension between consumers and studios. Picture this, you’ve just completed an entire playthrough of a game...
Xbox introduces strict ‘strike’ system to prevent online abuse
Microsoft’s latest effort to curtail online abuse on Xbox will involve a new ‘strike’ system which may see offending players suspended for up to a year. The tired misconception that the gaming community is toxic has largely been dispelled, but there’s always room for improvement. The latest in a slew of...
Microsoft beats FTC in historic bid to land Activision Blizzard
Microsoft has passed arguably the most vital hurdle to becoming sole owners of Activision Blizzard in the most expensive tech deal of all time. Is this the beginning of an anti-competitive market within gaming? The controversial deal which will dwarf what Disney paid for Marvel is a huge leap closer...
Developer of ‘Gollum’ shutting down after disastrous launch
Publisher of the infamous ‘Gollum’ game Daedalic Entertainment is shutting down its development studio. With big-name titles ballooning in budget, facing increased delays, and putting their developers at higher financial risk, is the industry becoming unsustainable? The studio behind 2023s worst video game ‘Gollum’ is shutting down. Ridiculed online for...
Nintendo latest company to end trading in Russia
Russian gamers will no longer be able to purchase digital games from the Nintendo store, as it ‘winds down’ operations. Nintendo has become the latest company to cease operations within Russia entirely, after suspending product shipments in March 2022. Russian consumers will no longer be able to purchase games digitally via Nintendo’s online shopfront. They will still be able to re-download previously purchased content, but cannot make any new payments nor...
What Nvidia’s AI NPC demo could mean for game development
Nvidia demoed its capabilities for AI and unique character building during Computex 2023. The gaming giant showed how an innocuous NPC could provide generated, off-the-cuff responses to player’s unique prompts during an in-game interaction. Contemporary titles can have anywhere between a handful and hundreds of non-playable characters (NPCs). Primarily intended to carry the overarching narrative forward by delivering missions, these secondary characters carry the bulk-load for creating a sense of emotional...
Is the upcoming bodycam shooter ‘Unrecord’ too true to life?
An upcoming shooter game called Unrecord aims to accurately simulate the bodycam of a tactical officer. But has its developer’s emphasis on overtly realistic mechanics, graphics, and themes created something a little too true to life? The technology available to game developers today is allowing them to create more immersive and marvellous experiences than previously thought possible. Thanks to digital toolkits such as the Unreal Engine 5, we’re able to...
CD Projekt Red announces menstrual leave for employees
CD Projekt Red, the studio behind Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, has announced menstrual leave for employees experiencing pain from their period or menopause. Is this an indication of a more progressive industry going forward? CD Projekt Red has had its fair share of turbulence in recent years, and rightfully so. In the run up to the release of its flagship title, Cyberpunk 2077, the studio entered a mandatory...
