Rundisc and Focus Entertainment will continue working together. The two companies renewed their business deal, meaning Focus gets publishing rights for the next project from the Chants of Sennaar studio.Per Focus, that project is a "brand-new indie IP" rather than a sequel to the 2023 hit. While sales numbers on the adventure game haven't been disclosed, it received strong reviews, and was one of 2023's best games, according to Game Developer's Holly Green.That the two are teaming up again speaks to how Focus sees Rundisc as a valuable partner to have on hand. Being a smaller studio isn't easy these days, and the relationship between indies and large publishers can be beneficial beyond sales.Chants of Sennaar was published through Focus' Indie Series labe…
South Korean studio Challengers Games has closed down after amassing over 2.4 billion won ($1.73 million) in debt and failing to pay staff for months.The Illang and Second Wave developer shared the news on its website and explained it has shuttered after months of production struggles and financial challenges that left it unable to pay or retain employees.CEO and studio head, Koji Tamura, explained the studio's core projects failed to attract concrete publisher interest or win over players. Despite securing some investment, the studio quickly slipped into debt. By the time multiplayer hero shooter Second Wave was being beta tested in late 2023, Challengers already owed around 2 billion won.At around the same time, the entire animation team and half of the studio's artists also de…
Steam revealed its 20 most-played Steam Deck games for the month of May, and at the top of the list was Hades II.Supergiant Games' sequel had a surprise Early Access release on May 6, and opened to over 100,000 concurrent players. As determined by play time, a lot of players put time into the game, which will remain in Early Access through the rest of 2024.The original Hades, which has also gotten a player boost thanks to its successor, was the fourth most-played game of May. Regarding both, Supergiant thanked players for putting time into them.
Roguelikes roll high on Steam Deck
Roguelikes (either of the action or deckbuilder variety) appear to d…
Making games is expensive, and that includes airing trailers for particular events. A new Esquire report on Summer Game Fest explores how much studios pay to bring a trailer for the now annual showcase run by Geoff Keighley.On the low end, developers will pay $250,000 for a one-minute trailer. The price goes up depending on length, from $350,000 for 90 seconds to a high of $550,000 for two and a half minutes.Previously, this information wasn't transparent, so this offers some interesting insight on what studios (or their publishers) are willing to pay to get eyes on their projects.Esquire notes the 2023 Game Awards had a similar pricing structure. However, it's unclear how shorter trailers less than a minute are priced, or if there are additional costs if a game's actor or c…
Microsoft has tapped Embracer-owned studio Eidos-Montreal to assist with development on Fable.The franchise reboot has been in development at Playground Games, best known for its work on the Forza franchise, for some time. It was unveiled by way of a brief teaser back in 2020, but it was another three years before the studio offered another look at the long-gestating project during the 2023 Xbox Games Showcase.Another trailer was bundled into this year's showcase, this time spotlighting a retired hero played by UK actor Matt King (who you might recognize for his turn as Super Hans in Peep Show) alongside a fresh-faced protégé. It also provided us with a more detailed look at the world of Albion and the people, creatures, and monsters who call it home, but actual gameplay was notably…
Sports Interactive, the studio behind the Football Manager series, has struck a deal with the Premier League organization over the next four years worth of games.Starting with the 2024-2025 season, the 20 clubs that make up England's football league will be fully licensed within the games, from player photos to team logos and kits.The sports management series is a football fixture in the UK, and access to the equally important Premier League helps expand the audience for both. For publisher Sega, the multi-year deal could lead to a renewed, potentially longer deal down the line.
Everyone scores when sports games get to l…
The future of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an unknown, but at the very least, it'll finish the road map for its debut year.Speaking to IGN, a Warner Bros. Games spokesperson said Rocksteady would complete and release the game's post-launch content. Even so, the spokesperson stated WB is "not yet discussing anything that is not announced."Rocksteady first unveiled the four-season roadmap in January ahead of the game's launch. While only the first has released so far, each season will have a free DLC character and storyline for players to go through.Last week, a Bloomberg report dug into Squad's troubled development. Writer Jason Schreirer later implied the studio was preparing to provide "barebones support," reportedly a far cry from its …
VRChat, the studio behind the virtual reality social platform of the same name, has laid off 30 percent of its workforce.The company described the layoffs as a "proactive step towards securing the future success of our business, community, and mission.""We believe it positions us strongly for the years ahead, allowing us to navigate challenges effectively and continue delivering on our mission," reads a statement posted on X."Our founders made this difficult choice to support VRChat's future, and we are so deeply sorry for the impact this decision will have on our team."VRChat said it's currently focused on supporting impacted employees by providing assistance including extended severance packages, extended healthcare coverage, and career placement a…
Jackbox Games is creating a singular hub for its Party Pack series.Dubbed the Jackbox Megapicker, it'll release for free on Steam in July and serve as a launcher for any and all Party Pack titles that players have. Per business development VP Andy Kniaz, the feature has been heavily requested for years.As he notes, the series now has 50 games under its stable. For players, finding games to play and having to switch between packs "takes a lot of effort," which this aims to help mitigate.Once the Megapicker releases, players can view their Jackbox library and pick whatever game directly from there. More information will arrive in the coming weeks, and Jackbox is taking requests on social media for other features to add.
Sinn Studio has raised $2.5 million in funding, all of which is going to put be toward its next project.Per GamesIndustry, most of the money came from investment firm Hartmann Capital. CEO Alek Sinn called it and other contributors like Boost VC and Republic "the right partners" to help "redefine the future of combat in this exciting new era of spatial computing.""We spent seven years surviving the ups and downs of VR as a bootstrapped company, waiting for that industry-defining moment," he wrote. "We're incredibly grateful to Hartmann Capital and everyone else who joined our seed round."
Sinn's VR history
Sinn Stu…
Sinn Studio has raised $2.5 million in funding, all of which is going to put be toward its next project.Per GamesIndustry, most of the money came from investment firm Hartmann Capital. CEO Alek Sinn called it and other contributors like Boost VC and Republic "the right partners" to help "redefine the future of combat in this exciting new era of spatial computing.""We spent seven years surviving the ups and downs of VR as a bootstrapped company, waiting for that industry-defining moment," he wrote. "We're incredibly grateful to Hartmann Capital and everyone else who joined our seed round."
Sinn's VR history
Sinn Stu…