Former PS boss calls for shorter games with worse graphics
As the expectation for games to become bigger and more visually striking grows, former PlayStation president Shawn Layden says the industry should pivot to shorter games with less emphasis on realism to cut development costs. I’ll hazard an early guess that this suggestion probably won’t go down too well on...
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Xbox’s Game Pass obsession has changed the game
Xbox’s Game Showcase is being lauded as its best in close to a decade. More significant, is the fact that the majority of its offering is coming to Game Pass on day one. Microsoft’s vision of making gaming primarily subscription-based is finally taking hold. Who saw that coming? My TV...
I tested the iPhone’s new PS1 emulator Gamma
Nostalgia merchants rejoice. A developer named ZodTTD has created a PlayStation 1 emulator available for free on the iOS App Store. Do you yearn for the polygon-filled primitive days of Diablo, Banjo-Kazooie, and Spyro? If so, we’ve some good news, provided you have an iPhone or iPad. A developer called ZodTTD,...
Touchless tech is a huge gaming accessibility upgrade
Accessibility to games for disabled people used to require expensive specialist equipment. Now, sophisticated – and free – applications like MotionInput are helping to make the hobby more equitable. Picking up a controller or a mouse is second nature to the majority of game enthusiasts, but there is a large...
Is Currys Fortnite ‘Trash Tycoon’ e-waste project genuine?
UK tech retailer Currys has collaborated with Epic Games’ Fortnite with its new ‘Trash Tycoon’ gaming experience. Is it genuinely educational or is it corporate greenwashing for PR purposes? The UK’s largest technology retailer Currys has created a new ‘video game experience’ within Epic Games’ Fortnite called ‘Trash Tycoon.’ The...
GDC 2024 begins with keynote on diversity and inclusivity
Old habits die hard in the business of game development, and industry figureheads are making a point of calling for more inclusivity at this year’s conference and beyond. The annual Game Development Conference kicked off yesterday, and thousands will be attending to partake in the week’s round-tables, lectures, tutorials, and...
Warner Bros. Discovery to double down on live-service games
Despite the publisher releasing Hogwarts Legacy last year to great success, Warner Bros. Discovery’s head of gaming says live-services and mobile will be its main focus moving forward. If you’re into video games, it’s likely you picked up - or at least saw gameplay of - Hogwarts Legacy last year. Despite some controversy surrounding the title and its association with JK Rowling, it was the best-selling game of 2023 in the...
What’s up with the constant gaming layoffs in 2024?
The gaming industry has never exactly been synonymous with job security, but what is causing this unprecedented amount of layoffs in 2024? By 2027, the gaming industry is slated to be worth a staggering $282 billion. That said, what on Earth is going on with the continuous layoffs being reported across major publishers? Sony is the latest in a slew of gaming giants to let hundreds of staff members go in...
Disney invests $1.5bn in Epic Games to create new Fortnite universe
Disney has just secured a $1.5bn stake in Epic Games to develop a new Fortnite universe incorporating all of its major properties – including Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, ESPN, and more. Epic Games has done it again! The latest major coup for the publisher comes in the form of a hefty $1.5bn investment sum from Disney, and surprise, Fortnite is at the heart of the deal. The entertainment giant’s minority stake will...
Xbox gamers are not happy about full-screen ads
Unexpected changes to the Xbox dashboard have become commonplace in recent years, but the unsolicited introduction of full-screen ads is arguably the worst to date. If there’s one unforgiving community you really don’t want to antagonise, it’s gamers. A bona fide way of doing so is to immediately interrupt our sessions the instant the dashboard loads. Alas, Microsoft has deemed this start-up window as the perfect opportunity to hit Xbox owners...
