Console Club

[paul]

David Polfeldt, a 16-year veteran of Ubisoft Massive, will relinquish his role as the mega-studio's managing director effective July 1.

Massive, located in Malmo, Sweden, is one of the largest studios at Ubisoft and is currently working on upcoming games tied to the "Star Wars" and "Avatar" franchises as well as maintaining the popular post-disaster Washington DC-based adventure "The Division 2."

In a memo to staff today, Ubisoft head of studios Virginie Haas said Polfeldt had informed management last fall that he was "ready for a new challenge." He will begin a six-month sabbatical on July 1 and will return to Ubisoft in a "strategic role," Haas wrote.

Ubisoft has identified a new leader for Massive who will start in October, but Haas wrote that they cannot announce that person yet due to a legal agreement with his current employer.

"[T]he studio is in fantastic shape, and I am exceptionally grateful for what we have accomplished together," Polfeldt said in a message posted to Massive's company blog.

"We have already appointed David’s successor and look forward to sharing more details at a later date," an Ubisoft spokesperson said in a statement.

Last fall, Polfeldt published a book about his time in gaming, titled "The Dream Architects: Adventures in the Video Game Industry."

Ubisoft Massive studio head David Polfeldt stepping down - Axios

[dronology]

Talking Star Fox With One of the OG Devs: Giles Goddard! (+1080 to Carve, Zelda Beta & Mario 64)

We sat down* with Giles Goddard, founder of Chuhai Labs and former Nintendo programmer, and talked to him about his time being one of the first foreign employees at NCL in Japan and working with Shigeru Miyamoto, developing classics such as Star Fox and 1080 Snowboarding, and even the Mario 64 title screen face. Always at the forefront of technology, we talk to him about his latest game Carve Snowboarding on Oculus Quest, and also a bit about what's next on Playdate!

[paul]

HUMANOID STUDIOS

Founded by Casey Hudson and talented developers from around the world, we combine excellence in the arts with advanced sciences to deliver the future of interactive entertainment.

We believe in hiring great people, empowering them with the best tools and a supportive environment, and providing them the creative freedom to do their best work. We are building something special, and we invite you to join us.

Humanoid Studios

[paul]

Unul dintre proiectele Silent Hill?

The strategic partnership of Konami Digital Entertainment and Bloober Team
KONAMI, one of the world’s largest game publisher, and Bloober Team, have signed a strategic cooperation agreement. It will include jointly developing selected contents and exchanging know-how.

– It is a historic day for me and the culmination of several years of our work. The fact that such a renowned company as KONAMI has decided to strategically cooperate with the Bloober Team means that we also joined the world leaders in gaming and became an equal partner for the leading players in this market. – comments Piotr Babieno, president of the Bloober Team.

As part of the agreement, the partners declared cooperation in the development of contents and the exchange of know-how.

– We have been providing unique entertainment content and ways to enjoy it through the use of information technology. In the digital entertainment industry, significant changes in the business environment are expected in the future. We look forward to combining Bloober Team’s and our respective characteristics and strengths to create high-quality contents. KONAMI – comments Hideki Hayakawa Representative Director, President Konami Digital Entertainment

Konami Digital Entertainment, which is the core company of Konami Group, develops entertaining content for mobile, console and card games. The company is known for global franchises such as eFootball PES, Metal Gear, Silent Hill, Castlevania, and Contra, as well as the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game series.

The strategic partnership of Konami Digital Entertainment and Bloober Team – Bloober Team IR

[paul]

Funcom acquires majority stake in The Outsiders
The Norwegian company is also opening a new office in Romania, dedicated to QA

Conan Exiles developer and publisher Funcom has announced the acquisition of Swedish studio The Outsiders.

The two parties had been collaborating on upcoming rhythm game/FPS hybrid Metal: Hellsinger, with Funcom acting as publisher and now acquiring a majority stake in the developer for an undisclosed sum.

The executive team at The Outsiders will remain the same, the announcement said.

In addition, Funcom announced it's opening a new studio in Bucharest, Romania, which will be dedicated to quality assurance. It's the company's fourth office, after Oslo (Norway), Lisbon (Portugal) and Raleigh (USA).

Funcom CEO Rui Casais commented: "The Romanian gaming scene is flourishing, and Bucharest in particular is home to many talented people in the tech and gaming industry.

"With our continued growth and increased level of ambition, assuring that we have top quality QA is of the utmost importance. We are therefore very excited to be able to expand to this region with one of the most crucial parts of the development process and we are even planning on adding more functions to this studio over time."

Funcom was acquired by Tencent in January last year for around $148 million.

Funcom acquires majority stake in The Outsiders | GamesIndustry.biz

[dronology]

Hideo Kojima and Microsoft have signed a letter of intent that states the two parties intend to work out the details on a publishing agreement for a new Xbox game, according to sources familiar with the matter. This is a key step in the negotiations between the Metal Gear Solid creator and the Xbox company. This signifies that both parties have agreed to a generalized deal while lawyers continue hashing out the finer points.

Microsoft and Kojima’s teams have spent months discussing a possible partnership, and now it is more likely than ever that those conversations will bear fruit. The deal is so close that Microsoft has begun preparing for what Kojima will need to make his new game.

Hideo Kojima’s deal with Xbox reaches key milestone

[paul]

New service lets companies place ads inside free-to-play PC and console titles

Electronic Arts and Tencent-backed Hi-Rez Studios are among the first to partner with a new in-game advertising platform.

The platform is titled PlayerWON and is owned by US TV advertising company Simulmedia. It is designed to showcase video advertisements inside PC and console games.

Speaking to Axios, Simulmedia EVP of gaming Dave Madden commented on the acceleration of free-to-play titles across console and PC, and claims that "over 90%" of players never spend money on them.

Simulmedia has already run a pilot advertising campaign inside Hi Rez free-to-play title, Smite. Similar to mobile adverts, the player is given the option to watch a 15-30 second video in exchange for in-game rewards.

The trial reported that 22% of players were "much more" likely to play a game with in-game ads if they received perks for doing so, with 11% of that total more likely to spend money inside the game.

Simulmedia aims to launch in-game ads in around 12 more games by the end of the year.

EA and Hi-Rez partner with in-game advertising platform | GamesIndustry.biz

[mariom99992000]

Sunt din Constanța.am net de la digi.as dori sa mi spuneți ce latenta aveți în jocuri pe consola Xbox eu in battlefield 5 nu pot sa scad sub 38,36.Multumesc anticipat!

[JohnnyUSA]

Daca vrei mai putin, muta-te cu consola langa serverul lor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GabiCutlac]

In jur de 40 e chiar ok, nu știu ce vrei mai bine. In COD nu am avut niciodată sub 70. In BF cam pe la 40 si la mine.

[paul]

Fostul DICE LA devine Ripple Effect si se ocupa de ceva proiect mai mic legat de Battlefield 2042 si un joc neanuntat:

The smallest idea can change the world.

At Ripple Effect Studios™, we believe that true transformation in the game industry begins with small moments, like an enlightening conversation in a hallway or a prototype yielding unexpected results.

Our ambition is to become a studio that excels at everything — not just making games but also the process of how we make them. We want to reach a super level of quality in everything we do, no matter how big or small. This philosophy applies to everything, from constantly refining our development process, to cultivating a positive company culture and growing a thriving community.

“We’re so proud of our work as DICE LA and the DICE team will forever be a part of our DNA, but over the past eight years, we’ve developed our own culture and our own way of doing things,” says Christian Grass, GM of Ripple Effect Studios. “We’re excited to look towards the future, expand the team and establish our own identity.”

In addition to overseeing Respawn Entertainment, Respawn founder Vince Zampella is also managing Ripple Effect. Together he and Christian are focused on bringing in an influx of talented developers, artists, and engineers to make our vision a reality. “The talent here has a great track record of producing high-quality titles, and the studio’s set to make even more incredible games in the future,” says Zampella. “With an amazing new campus coming to Los Angeles and remote positions available, now is a great time to consider joining us."

We’re currently working on a player-inspired experience for Battlefield™ 2042 and starting work on a yet-to-be announced project.

Announcing Ripple Effect Studios

[paul]

Tencent cumpara restul din Sumo Group pentru $1.27 miliarde:

China's Tencent (0700.HK) will buy British videogame developer Sumo (SUMO.L) in a $1.27 billion deal, it said on Monday, adding new titles to its growing portfolio of chart-topping videogames.

The purchase, which will boost the Chinese internet giant's presence globally, brings together Sumo's racing and snooker games with Tencent's more high-profile range of games that includes Call of Duty's mobile version.

Tencent owns 8.75% and is the second-biggest shareholder in Sumo, which has 14 studios in five countries and released the video games including Hotshot Racing, Sackboy: A Big Adventure and WST Snooker last year.

Sumo's boss Carl Cavers said he and co-founders Paul Porter and Darren Mills would reprise their roles.

"The opportunity to work with Tencent is one we just couldn't miss," said Cavers, who founded the company 18 years ago.

Tencent snaps up British video game developer Sumo in $1.3 bln deal | Reuters

[Xander RO]

Finally… era si timpul:

“În cadrul Esports Summit Bucharest, Mara Mareş, Consilier de Stat în Cancelaria Prim Ministrului, a anunţat că legea educaţiei fizice şi sportului va fi amendată astfel încât sporturile electronice (esports) să fie recunoscute oficial în România.”

https://www.mediafax.ro/tehnologie/e...mania-20197688

[paul]

O parte din Respawn lucreaza la un nou joc single-player:

Pleaca o parte din developerii Borderlands pentru a lucra la un proiect propriu:

Several senior developers at Gearbox Software who worked on “Borderlands 3” are leaving the company and going to work on a new independent project together, Gearbox confirmed to Axios.

Gearbox Entertainment founder Randy Pitchford told Axios the group is leaving Gearbox "on the best of terms."

"Before their transition, the group was part of a not-yet-announced pre-production team and their departure will cause minimal disruption in our current plans," Pitchford said.

The company is currently working on new projects involving Gearbox properties.

"The bulk of our attention at the moment is dedicated to finishing '[Tiny Tina's] Wonderlands,'" he said, "which is on-track."

One source told Axios the exits represented a departure of some of the studio’s old guard, and said there was excitement in the studio that "fresh blood is now going to be leading the project they left.”

Borderlands 3 top developers quit - Axios

[paul]

We are a new independent AAA game development studio founded by veterans of some of the industry's most recognizable and acclaimed creative teams, established to craft a new generation of narrative-driven, genre-defining experiences that will span both interactive and linear media. With a roster of award-winning talent and decades of combined experience, That’s No Moon and its debut project are backed by an unprecedented partnership and more than $100 million investment from Smilegate—creators of the blockbuster ‘CROSSFIRE’ franchise.

That's No Moon

Let's get the obvious out of the way: yes, the name is a Star Wars reference.

The team at That's No Moon, a new Los Angeles-based developer that emerged from stealth today, chose the company moniker as a nod to a "great moment in entertainment that ignited people's imaginations and delivered something truly unexpected" -- because that's exactly what it hopes to build.

"We wanted [the name] to be impactful, the start of something big," CEO Michael Mumbauer tells GamesIndustry.biz. "We want players to think about our narrative experiences long after the game credits roll and they put the controller down."

Even so, he's talking about a moment in a story that revolutionised its industry -- but Mumbauer and his team sound no less ambitious when it comes to their plans for games. And when you see the collected works of its initial employees, it's easy to understand why.

Mumbauer himself was previously head of PlayStation's Visual Arts group, having contributed to various titles from the Ratchet & Clank, God of War, and Uncharted series and even credits for assisting with Returnal and last year's Ghost of Tsushima and The Last of Us Part 2.

Alongside him, he has veterans from studios such as Naughty Dog, Infinity Ward, Bungie, Electronic Arts and Sony Santa Monica, which was responsible for the 2018 God of War revival.

That's No Moon's first title will be led by creative director Taylor Kurosaki, who previously served as narrative design lead at Naughty Dog and studio narrative director at Infinity Ward, and game director Jacob Minkoff, previously lead designer on The Last of Us -- and it's Left Behind DLC -- and design director for 2019's Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

The studio has actually been operating for around six months and currently stands at just under 40 people, with a goal of reaching 100 by the end of 2022. It plans to specialise in AAA story-driven titles, with its first set to be a third-person action adventure, although its ambitions stretch beyond video games (more on that later).

Why Smilegate poured $100m into That's No Moon and its AAA veterans | GamesIndustry.biz

[paul]

GTA V - 145 milioane:
TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC. (NASDAQ: TTWO) MAY 2021

Update:
- GTA V +5 milioane
- RDR 2 +1 milion
- NBA 2K, Borderlands, BioShock, Sid Meier's Civilization series, fiecare +1 milion
- The Outer Worlds - 4 milioane
- Tiny Tina's Wonderlands in Q4 2022
- versiunea pentru PS5/XS de GTA V are titlul Grand Theft Auto V: Expanded and Enhanced
TAKE-TWO INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE, INC. (NASDAQ: TTWO) AUGUST 2021

[Srachi]

Finally… era si timpul:

“În cadrul Esports Summit Bucharest, Mara Mareş, Consilier de Stat în Cancelaria Prim Ministrului, a anunţat că legea educaţiei fizice şi sportului va fi amendată astfel încât sporturile electronice (esports) să fie recunoscute oficial în România.”

https://www.mediafax.ro/tehnologie/e...mania-20197688

Nu-s eu împotriva competițiilor de jocuri video dar nu au nici o treabă cu sportul, ba din contră.

[paul]

Do not expect a return to the old release cadence for Take-Two Interactive’s publishing labels like Rockstar Games. While a decade ago, Rockstar used to release one game a year, it has only released Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 since 2013.

“The development cycles for our core, immersive releases are still significant,” said Zelnick. “It takes some time to make what we hope will be the best titles in the business. Development cycles are not getting shorter for core, immersive releases. I wouldn’t necessarily expect them to.”

“What has changed is between big releases we continue to engage consumers with add-on content and opportunities to engage in online versions of the game and instances of online multiplayer,” said Zelnick. “That’s what created recurrent consumer spending. But much more importantly, recurrent spending reflects consumer spending and engagement.”

Take-Two boss: 'Development cycles are not getting shorter' | VentureBeat

[Cristy]

Tradus: "Ne-am dat seama ca ne ies bani frumosi din GTA: Online si RD Online"

[paul]

Inca ceva legat de Take-Two:

The publisher also said its 2K label will announce a new franchise later this month, although it did not indicate if that was one of the delayed titles.

"We're bringing 20 titles to market this year, and we expect to bring roughly that amount for the following two years," he says. "And we expect to set records again starting in fiscal '23."

Take-Two sales dip in first quarter | GamesIndustry.biz

Activision Blizzard:
- Diablo Immortal amanat pentru first half of 2022
- inca un mobile Call of Duty

- posibil cross-play mobile-console/PC

- urmatorul Call of Duty, de la Sledgehammer Games, se lanseaza anul acesta, nu sunt probleme de development