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ubisoft-unveil-ai-dialogue-writing-tool,-prompting-debate-among-developers Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Ubisoft unveil AI dialogue-writing tool, prompting debate among developers

March 22, 2023RockPaperShotgun

Ubisoft revealed Ghostwriter yesterday, marketed as an AI development tool (really just machine learning) that generates first drafts of NPC barks, which are the offhand remarks you might hear when running past NPCs. Skyrim’s “I used to be an adventurer like you” is probably the most famous example of a bark. Ubisoft Ghostwriter has been met with passionately negative responses from some narrative designers, while others have been arguing for its use cases. Read more

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sonic-co-creator-yuji-naka-reportedly-arrested-in-square-enix-insider-trading-investigation Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka reportedly arrested in Square Enix insider trading investigation

November 18, 2022RockPaperShotgun

An investigation into suspected insider trading by former Square Enix employees is underway, and Japanese news site Fuji News Network reports that Sonic The Hedgehog’s co-creator Yuji Naka has been arrested in connection. Naka is alleged to have bought around 10,000 shares in Dragon Quest Tact developers Aiming back in 2020 for ¥2.8 million (£16,800). At that point, Naka was still working with Square Enix on Balan Wonderworld. Read more

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bethesda-allege-doom-eternal-composer-mick-gordon’s-statement-was-“one-sided-and-unjust” Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Bethesda allege Doom Eternal composer Mick Gordon’s statement was “one-sided and unjust”

November 17, 2022RockPaperShotgun

The publishers of Doom Eternal have shared a strongly worded statement aimed at composer Mick Gordon, following Gordon’s recent outpouring on Medium. Bethesda tweeted their statement last night, calling Gordon’s lengthy post explaining his experience working on Doom Eternal’s soundtrack “a one-sided and unjust account of an irreparable professional relationship”. Gordon had replied to an open letter published on Reddit by id Software executive producer Marty Stratton, more than two years after Stratton’s letter was posted online. Read more

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valve-commit-to-updating-steam’s-regional-pricing-more-regularly Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Valve commit to updating Steam’s regional pricing more regularly

October 20, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Valve have updated their Steamworks documentation for developers with a commitment to refresh their suggestions for regional pricing more often. This change in frequency is an effort to reflect global and local economic conditions affecting regions. While the company reminds developers that they are free to set their own prices in different regions, Steam provides regional pricing suggestions based on the price of a game in US dollars. Those recommendations should be updated more regularly, Valve said. Read more

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evga-falls-out-with-nvidia-–-and-quits-making-graphics-cards VG247

EVGA falls out with Nvidia – and quits making Graphics Cards

September 16, 2022VG247

GPU monolith Nvidia is going through a very public divorce with one of its key partners – and they just decided they’re out for good. PC graphics card manufacturer EVGA has announced that it will terminate making all GPU hardware at the end of this current hardware generation, following a large-scale falling out with GPU tech titan Nvidia. In a move that is likely to have significant repercussions across the PC gaming hardware industry, EVGA isn’t just dropping Nvidia – it also has no plans to move into creating GPUs with either AMD or Intel, Nvidia’s two key rivals. Instead,…

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square-enix-dive-headfirst-into-the-uncharted-waters-of-blockchain-gaming Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Square Enix dive headfirst into the uncharted waters of blockchain gaming

September 12, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Japanese publishers Square Enix are taking more steps to implement the controversial blockchain technology in their games. Squenix have teamed with blockchain company Oasys, who describe themselves as “environmentally-friendly”. This is because of their less energy-intensive “proof-of-stake” mechanism compared to “proof-of-work” methods such as those used in Bitcoin mining. Oasys’s plans fits with Squenix’s intention to develop tokenised economies built on blockchain in their future games. Read more

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aeternoblade-2-devs-hit-back-at-pqube-over-game’s-publishing-rights Rock,Paper,Shotgun

AeternoBlade 2 devs hit back at PQube over game’s publishing rights

September 7, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Indie developers Corecell have responded to UK-based publisher PQube with another statement this time critiquing PQube’s contention that they tried to return the console rights to action puzzler AeternoBlade 2. Corecell came forward last week with the second accusation made by an indie team against PQube in less than a month, following A Space For The Unbound devs Mojiken Studio’s claims in late August. Both studios claim PQube withheld money from them. Read more

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unity-rejects-applovin’s-$17.5b-takeover-offer Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Unity rejects AppLovin’s $17.5b takeover offer

August 16, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Unity Software have chosen to reject a $17.54 billion (£14.58 billion) all-stock takeover offer from mobile gaming technology company AppLovin to instead pursue their own planned merger with AppLovin’s rival ironSource. Unity’s board of directors unanimously cast aside the AppLovin offer, which hadn’t been sought by the game engine company, after a “thorough financial and strategic evaluation”. The board has recommended that shareholders vote against AppLovin’s offer. Read more

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unity-really-stuck-their-foot-in-it-this-week Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Unity really stuck their foot in it this week

July 15, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Earlier this week, Unity announced they were merging with mobile ads company ironSource, who are arguably best known for developing a malware installer in 2015. Unsurprisingly, game developers were not pleased. If that wasn’t enough, however, Unity CEO John Riccitiello was interviewed by PocketGamer.biz on Wednesday, wherein he called developers who failed to plan monetisation strategies when creating their games were “some of the biggest fucking idiots”. Oh dear. Read more

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blizzard-acquire-spellbreak-studio-to-focus-on-world-of-warcraft-expansions Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Blizzard acquire Spellbreak studio to focus on World Of Warcraft expansions

June 29, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Blizzard is buying the development studio responsible for magical battle royale Spellbreak, Proletariat, and moving their staff over to work on World Of Warcraft. The purveyors of all things Azeroth confirmed the buyout in a statement to VentureBeat. News of the acquisition comes just a day after Spellbreak’s imminent demise was revealed by Proletariat on the game’s website. Read more

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square-enix-sell-tomb-raider,-deux-ex-and-several-studios-to-embracer-group Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Square Enix sell Tomb Raider, Deux Ex and several studios to Embracer Group

May 3, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Square Enix are to sell most of their Western studios and intellectual property such as Tomb Raider, Deux Ex, Thief and Legacy Of Kain to Sweden’s Embracer Group for $300 million (£240 million) in cash, it has been announced. The studios being sold to Embracer include Crystal Dynamics, Eidos-Montréal and Square Enix Montréal, but not the UK-based Square Enix Collective. This means Square will retain publishing rights to IP including Life Is Strange, Just Cause and Outriders. The deal transfers around 1,100 staff to Embracer and more than 50 ‘back-catalogue’ games. It’s expected to conclude sometime between July and September,…

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activision-blizzard-shareholders-approve-the-company’s-$69-billion-acquisition-by-microsoft Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Activision Blizzard shareholders approve the company’s $69 billion acquisition by Microsoft

April 29, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Shareholders in Activision Blizzard approved overwhelmingly to accept Microsoft Corporation’s offer of $68.7 billion (£54.66 billion) to acquire the company at yesterday’s Special Meeting of Stockholders. More than 98% of the shares voted in favour of the buyout offer, Activision Blizzard confirmed in a statement released on their website. The largest payment for a technology company in recorded history, toppling Dell’s acquisition of EMC Data Storage from 2016, it’s now expected the deal will conclude during Microsoft’s fiscal year, which ends on June 30th 2023. Read more

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mythforce-looks-like-a-first-person-80s-cartoon Rock,Paper,Shotgun

Mythforce looks like a first-person 80s cartoon

April 13, 2022RockPaperShotgun

Beamdog, the Canadian studio behind the ‘Enhanced Edition’ remasters of Planescape: Torment and Baldur’s Gate, have announced their first original game: Mythforce. It’s a roguelikelike first-person stabber with a striking visual style inspired by 80s children’s cartoons. Also, Beamdog are being bought by Aspyr Media, joining the mahoosive Embracer Group as the consolidation of the games industry continues. Read more

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