Spin Master’s Post

Ermmmm .... isn't the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League a AAA live service game that sucked because of its bad live service experience? "Perrette said Warner wants to take a more "holistic approach" with its four core franchises—Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC—with a particular focus on "expanding into the mobile and multi-platform free-to-play space, which could give us a much better and more consistent set of revenue." To that end, Warner has a number of free-to-play mobile games set to roll out later this year." Okay, but hey, wasn't SS:KtJL a AAA live service game that bombed? What lessons were learnt there? "Despite the growing exhaustion in some quarters with the live-service model, it also figures prominently in Warner's plans: "Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, Hogwarts Legacy or Harry Potter, that is a live service, where people can come in and live and work and build and play in that world on an ongoing basis?" Nope, they learnt nothing. "Speaking at the recent Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telecom Conference, Warner Bros Discovery executive JB Perrette said the company wants to expand more into free-to-play and live service games in order to avoid the "volatile" ups and downs of big-budget game releases." Baldur's Gate 3: Strong writing, thousands of possible endings. SS:KtJL is linear as hell. Helldivers 2: How to make live service co-op work. (I mean like have you seen it???? SS:KtJL is also strong graphically, with okay game play .... when it works, when you get in and doesn't crash on you) So WB is put off by the price tag of putting in AAA effort vs just putting in AAA money; and has a knee jerk reaction by putting their faith in Freemium, Pay2win, Microtransactions games with low cost, low risk - and probably very low quality of engagement. Now this is not a bad overall approach, Games Workshop used this approach to their portfolio of assets. And they had some good hits, AND many duds. And it is usually the AA games that make it.

Last week in Games Industry: Unknown 9: Awakening, a AAA game by Bandai Namco commercially failed at launch. It was also the last game advised by SweetBabyInc. https://lnkd.in/dguiihrh This is important because it's becoming harder to rely on game journalists and reviews. And gamers are forming groups to avoid bad games, like: https://lnkd.in/dXkai9Kh ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dragon Age: Veilguard Context: Past Bioware games like Anthem and Andromeda were failures. People pile on to criticize the game, as it's release is soon. Most criticisms are valid. Player choice was core of Dragon Age franchise. Taking that away is main criticism. But the company does not make changes, trainwreck incoming on 31st October. Here's a good, balanced take from a fan of the franchise: https://lnkd.in/dgX8tVGP ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asmongold got banned from Twitch. Context: Asmongold, a streamer with a huge community of gamers, talked about Palestine on stream. Got removed from Starforge company for PR reasons. The overall situation is a mess, but here's a good take: https://lnkd.in/dv6h_kXm ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GODOT is a game engine, favoured by indie devs. It had a PR disaster. Context: A discord moderator for the game engine went on a banning spree. GODOT claimed they are "Woke" on their twitter. People said "Please focus on engine, not politics" and were banned. Bans were random and targeted even platinum members. What's new? Turns out it was a fan discord server, and the moderator wasn't affiliated, or at least GODOT cut ties. And the amount of backlash over this overwhelmed their official social media. Here's a good take: https://lnkd.in/dbcTSdPH ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ubisoft is still falling down the stairs. Context: Ubisoft Employees are leaving. Xdefiant has poor reception. Ubisoft is getting sued again. Some devs are speaking out, and the token hire culture is really killing the efficiency and creativity. Here's some insider info: https://lnkd.in/d-VxNiAe We also remember that Ubisoft hired Sensitivity Readers, who did the most Insensitive marketing/merch campaign for Japan that made them pull out of the biggest game expo of that market. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- #GameDev #Ubisoft #Bioware #Unknown9 #DragonAge #Godot #Woke #GamesIndustry #Asmongold #BandaiNamco #Sweetbabyinc #DEI #VideoGames #1D3 #AAA #GameNews #News

George Miller Wants Mad Max to Take Another Ride Into Video Games The recently released Furiosa has the satellite blazing with Mad Max fever. Some are celebrating the juncture by rewatching 2015's Fury Road, if not each 4 movies. Others are reasoning astir what could’ve been, peculiarly arsenic it pertains to the 2015 Mad Max game from Just Cause creator Avalanche Studios. Spoilers of the Week: August 12th During a caller interrogation with Gaming Bible astatine Cannes, franchise manager George Miller talked astir the game, which helium isn’t excessively blistery on. He was candid successful calling it “not arsenic bully arsenic I wanted it to be.” To him, it failed due to the fact that the squad had to “give each our material” to Avalanche alternatively of being progressive directly, and “I’m 1 of those radical that i’d alternatively not bash thing unless you tin bash it astatine the highest level, oregon astatine slightest effort to marque it astatine the highest level.” If helium had his way, different Mad Max game would happen, but 1 with Hideo Kojima astatine the helm. The Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding creator has openly been a instrumentality of Fury Road since it came out, and Miller called him the cleanable feline to instrumentality connected that endeavor. “I’ve conscionable been speaking to him,” the manager added. “[But] he’s got truthful overmuch fantastic worldly successful his ain caput that I would ne'er inquire him.” (Kojima, for what it’s worth, saw Furiosa at Cannes and called it a “masterpiece.”) Avalanche’s Mad Max game launched months aft the merchandise of Fury Road, and is successful information acceptable successful betwixt that and Beyond Thunderdome. The crippled got coagulated reviews erstwhile it launched, but the large happening that did it successful was releasing connected September 1, 2015... aka, the aforesaid time arsenic Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. When 2 reasonably large games spell up against 1 different connected the aforesaid day, there’s typically a loser, and successful this case, it was ol’ Max Rockatansky. Here’s wherever things get a small murky, though: putting Mad Max out connected that day was seemingly retired of Avalanche’s hands. Christofer Sundberg, who co-founded the workplace successful 2003, revealed connected X that Warner Bros. wouldn’t budge erstwhile helium suggested the crippled displacement from its September 1 release. As a result, “they blamed america for the atrocious income and cancelled a clump of awesome DLC that was conscionable sitting determination waiting to beryllium released.” To this day, helium admits that helium doesn’t cognize wherefore WB was truthful adamant astir it. Sundberg besides took Miller’s thoughts connected his crippled to task, alleging that WB tried to unit Mad Max into a linear crippled e...

The gaming purchase journey is undergoing radical transformation. The Patient Gamer is waiting longer and longer before they decide to buy. 30% of gamers outright refuse to pre-order. They are also more inclined to stick to what they know. Our Starfield launch, last year, was the only new game to break into the top ten of monthly active users in 2024 The rest are all long established franchises....Alexandra Etzine explains how we help clients navigate these choppy waters. #havasentertainment, #havas, #havasmedia, #gaming, #advertising, #media

The Games Industry Needs Half-Life 3 To Survive The industry feels like its in freefall and it’s all our fault. We didnt pay attention to the warning signs - reduction in new IP, exploding budgets, fast follow methodology of genres and modes, predatory and addictive monetization methods, and we stopped having fun as an industry. We stopped creating and being original, and fans got bored and more demanding. Originality does’nt have to be huge leaps forward, it can be creative surprises. While Im bullish on AI and UGC platforms - story and new game mechanics are most important. But right now we need a big surprise to win back the gamer generation that’s grown tired of the same stuff different year. Yes, I know Half-Life 3 is a mirage but its also a mythical franchise that can infuse the entire industry with energy and set a new bar for story and technical achievement. It’s the kind of game that inspires other developers to reach further and publishers to take bigger risks. Its also the type of game that doesnt feel like a rinse and repeat franchise, so it leaves the player wanting and searching for more originality. It’s the kind of game that will sell millions of indie games, AA publisher games (if they are priced well) and it will pull players away from their phones and back into the world’s we all dream of creating. Please Valve corporation we are counting on you.

New Post: Remedy acquires full Control rights from 505 Games for €17m -Remedy has reacquired the rights to its hit action game Control from 505 Games. The Finnish video game developer now owns the rights to the hit 2019 action game, alongside its upcoming sequel and the multiplayer co-operative spin-off game Condor. 505 Games will continue as the publisher of the original Control until December 31, 2024.... Remedy has reacquired the rights to its hit action game Control from 505 Games. The Finnish video game developer now owns the rights to the hit 2019 action game, alongside its upcoming sequel and the multiplayer co-operative spin-off game Condor. 505 Games will continue as the publisher of the original Control until December 31, 2024. The cost of the deal is €17 million, which is the amount that 505 Games had invested in the development of Control 2 and Condor. Remedy notes that due to 'certain receivables', the actual amount it will pay will be less than that. Remedy says that it will weigh-up whether to self-publish or find a new publishing partner for the Control titles. Digital Bros, which owns 505 Games, is shifting its strategy to focus on fewer titles and on IP that it owns with 'long-term value creation'. Control has been a hit for Remedy, shifting over four million units worldwide and generating over €100 million in revenue. The game also connects to the Alan Wake series as part of the Remedy Connective Universe. Alan Wake 2 launched in October last year and has sold 1.3 million units. It was published by Epic Games. “As part of Remedy’s long-term strategy to have more ownership over our business and the IPs we have created, we have gotten back all rights for Control and the in-development Condor and Control," said Remedy CEO Tero Virtala "Having complete ownership over the Control franchise gives us the freedom to decide the best path forward. We will consider our options carefully, knowing that Control is considered an attractive franchise by many partners. Condor and Control 2 have both progressed well in recent months and we expect these projects to reach their next development stages during the first half of 2024. The development of Condor and Control 2 will continue normally when we consider the best publishing, distribution and financing model for these projects.” He added: “As we amicably part ways, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 505 Games team for our partnership over the years and for helping to establish Control as a gaming franchise with a lot of future potential.” function appendFacebookPixels() { if (window.facebookPixelsDone) return; !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f.fbq)f.fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElem

Light & Wonder Inc., a prominent gaming technology supplier, is navigating a turbulent period as it confronts legal issues surrounding its slot game Dragon Train. In a recent video statement, CEO and president Matt Wilson disclosed the termination of the game’s designer. #world #igaming #lightandwonder #designer #newversion #slotmachine #gambling #gaming #technology #dragontrain #develops #aristocrattechnologies #asiacasinonews #acn #trendingnews

New Post: Remedy acquires full Control rights from 505 Games for €17m -Remedy has reacquired the rights to its hit action game Control from 505 Games. The Finnish video game developer now owns the rights to the hit 2019 action game, alongside its upcoming sequel and the multiplayer co-operative spin-off game Condor. 505 Games will continue as the publisher of the original Control until December 31, 2024.... Remedy has reacquired the rights to its hit action game Control from 505 Games. The Finnish video game developer now owns the rights to the hit 2019 action game, alongside its upcoming sequel and the multiplayer co-operative spin-off game Condor. 505 Games will continue as the publisher of the original Control until December 31, 2024. The cost of the deal is €17 million, which is the amount that 505 Games had invested in the development of Control 2 and Condor. Remedy notes that due to 'certain receivables', the actual amount it will pay will be less than that. Remedy says that it will weigh-up whether to self-publish or find a new publishing partner for the Control titles. Digital Bros, which owns 505 Games, is shifting its strategy to focus on fewer titles and on IP that it owns with 'long-term value creation'. Control has been a hit for Remedy, shifting over four million units worldwide and generating over €100 million in revenue. The game also connects to the Alan Wake series as part of the Remedy Connective Universe. Alan Wake 2 launched in October last year and has sold 1.3 million units. It was published by Epic Games. “As part of Remedy’s long-term strategy to have more ownership over our business and the IPs we have created, we have gotten back all rights for Control and the in-development Condor and Control," said Remedy CEO Tero Virtala "Having complete ownership over the Control franchise gives us the freedom to decide the best path forward. We will consider our options carefully, knowing that Control is considered an attractive franchise by many partners. Condor and Control 2 have both progressed well in recent months and we expect these projects to reach their next development stages during the first half of 2024. The development of Condor and Control 2 will continue normally when we consider the best publishing, distribution and financing model for these projects.” He added: “As we amicably part ways, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the 505 Games team for our partnership over the years and for helping to establish Control as a gaming franchise with a lot of future potential.” function appendFacebookPixels() { if (window.facebookPixelsDone) return; !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f.fbq)f.fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElem

Age of Empires Mobile has made a strong debut, raking in $10 million in its first weeks and garnering 4 million downloads worldwide. Leveraging the nostalgia of the iconic franchise, the game aims to tap into the hearts of long-time fans of the franchise. However, this strategy might face a significant challenge, as they might alienate some core fans of the classic game. Besides, new generations of gamers might find hard to connect with the AoE II nostalgia angle. Would the Casual gameplay strategy that worked with Last War or Whiteout Survival work with AoE Mobile? Could be. At the end, AoE Mobile is a 4X, a good point to exploit for UA purposes.