industry news
Modders declare petition victory as ARK Survival Ascended team lifts server hosting exclusivity restrictions
Remember when ARK developer Studio Wildcard announced a seven-year partnership with Nitrado for private server rental for the just-released ARK: Survival Ascended, which ended...
Myth of Empires resolves ARK Survival Evolved copyright lawsuit, paving the way for its return
Who here had "Myth of Empires resolves its legal woes to the point it gets to re-release" on their 2023 bingo card? We certainly...
Microsoft eyes October 13 completion date for its Activision-Blizzard buyout
Microsoft appears to be fairly certain that its multi-billion dollar acquisition of Activision-Blizzard will go through, as a company source reports that it's looking...
Former Ubisoft execs and employees were detained by French police over sexual misconduct allegations
It looks as if the French authorities are moving against Ubisoft employees who were among those accused in the studio's wide-reaching sexual misconduct exposé....
SAG-AFTRA members overwhelmingly vote in favor of a video game voice actors strike
Over the past few months, Hollywood has been ground to a halt as voice actors and screenwriters hit the picket lines to fight against...
Roblox sheds 30 ‘talent acquisition’ employees as part of a company plan to improve its profits
We've reported numerous times how the company that runs Roblox has continually seen revenue rise but profits plummet as it outspends those earnings to...
UK government body ‘opens the door’ for Microsoft’s buyout of Activision-Blizzard in preliminary approval
The long shoving match between Microsoft and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) looks to be nearing its final stretch. The CMA has...
Square-Enix sees $2B in stock value disappear and its team management scrutinized
The home of Final Fantasy has been sailing some rocky fiscal seas recently. As multiple outlets reported this past week, Square-Enix has seen its...
Unity’s runtime fee scheme sees game devs shut off Unity ads and employees turn in resignations
The tire fire of Unity's decision to impose "runtime fees" on studios that use the engine continues to burn bright and hot. Game developers...
SAG-AFTRA union prepares for a second strike over video gaming’s use of AI and low wages
The SAG-AFTRA union has already stood up to TV and film companies with no apparent resolution in sight, and now it looks as if...
UK CMA confirms block of Microsoft’s acquisition of ActiBlizz, prompting a restructuring of the deal
The UK's Competition and Markets Authority continues to be a hard hurdle for Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard to clear. As a refresher, the UK government...
BitCraft developer releases source code for its SpacetimeDB backend engine to everyone on Github
How has the 20-person Clockwork Labs studio been able to put together its sandbox MMORPG BitCraft? With the use of its bespoke backend engine...
UK regulatory body seeks additional comments regarding the Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard merger
The long-tail process of the UK approving Microsoft's buyout of Activision-Blizzard has made one more step forward. As a reminder, the UK's Competition and...
The ESRB seeks a COPPA provision to let apps scan children’s faces for age verification
You might have heard the legal disclaimer "ask your parents' permission before going online" in some advertisements aimed at children, which is understandable because...
The FTC suspends its administrative challenge of the Microsoft Activision-Blizzard merger
It would seem as if the US Federal Trade Commission has read the suggested writing on the wall: The government body has officially withdrawn...
Roblox apologizes for data breach that leaked nearly 4000 employees’ personal details
Roblox Corp has apparently suffered a major data breach that leaked the personal details of nearly 4000 past and present workers - including names,...
Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard file a legal request for the FTC to drop its August hearing
Now that the US Federal Trade Commission has been handed two big losses in its challenge of the $69B merger between Microsoft and Activision-Blizzard,...
Genshin Impact voice actors claim that they haven’t been paid for months [Updated]
If you play Genshin Impact, you're likely familiar with the character of Paimon; she's literally the first person who greets you when the game...
MMO Business Roundup: Unity clings to AI, Apple appeals again, Embracer restructures
Business doesn't take a break, and so neither must we. Except for holiday breaks. But then those also can get busy because studios sometimes...
Valve confirms blocking games featuring AI-generated assets on Steam is primarily about copyright law
Most of the time when AI art generators are heralded by game studios and publishers, one of the first questions people begin to ask...
