In this week’s edition of the GameDiscoverCo newsletter, we delve into the exciting developments in the gaming world, particularly focusing on the influx of new titles on Steam. This week has seen over 20 games launch with more than 50,000 wishlists, including nine that have surpassed the 100,000 mark, all following the Steam Summer Sale.
Platform and Discovery News
Let’s explore some noteworthy updates from the industry:
- The top stories from traditional media, as highlighted by Footprints.gg, include the critically acclaimed Switch 2-exclusive Donkey Kong Bananza, followed by updates on Cyberpunk 2077, Subnautica 2, and Minecraft/Ghost Of Yotei.
- IGN has reported that the Switch eShop has introduced new publishing guidelines in Asia, addressing how game bundles can be sold, restrictions on sensitive content, and the accuracy of product descriptions. This raises the question of whether similar regulations will emerge in other regions.
- Roblox is enhancing its safety platform with a significant expansion, introducing features such as ‘trusted connections’ for players aged 13 and above, age estimation technology, and improved privacy tools, alongside insights for parents of teenagers.
- We were referenced in an analysis of Star Wars Battlefront II’s resurgence, estimating its recent Steam revenue at million, contributing to a total of million. The discussion highlights the game’s current success through one-off purchases.
- Ryan Rigney penned an insightful piece on a ‘cold email’ strategy used by the creator of Spellmasons to garner thousands of wishlists, sparking a debate on best practices in outreach.
- Valve has added a new micro-talk to their YouTube channel, featuring engineer Yosef discussing how Rich Presence can enhance player engagement on Steam. The documentation reveals that showcasing a player’s location in-game can be both innovative and underutilized by developers.
- While we’re not diving into the Subnautica 2 controversy, it’s worth noting that the founders’ lawsuit against Krafton mentions the game’s impressive wishlist total of 2.48 million, showcasing the power of anticipation in the gaming market.
- Jason Della Rocca provided a compelling perspective on investor expectations, emphasizing the shift towards evidence-based investing in the gaming sector.
- The American Time Use survey indicates that individuals spend an average of 34 minutes playing games and using computers for leisure, with watching TV still dominating at 2.6 hours daily.
- In microlinks, PlayStation’s lifestyle ads featuring Lisa from BlackPink highlight the global influence of K-pop, while Xbox announces new Game Pass additions, including Grounded 2 and Farming Simulator 25. Additionally, Discord has launched its Orbs virtual currency for completing quests.
SkillUp’s YouTube channel, known for its succinct weekly round-up show, has recently debuted a ‘video to text’ extension aimed at creating an ad-free editorial site. Our participation in this initiative includes a monthly column focusing on how developers leverage Xbox and PC Game Pass to achieve player milestones.
In notable Steam updates, Valve has improved wishlist data, which now updates every hour in the sales dashboard, enhancing the real-time analysis for developers and publishers. However, some users have reported unusual bugs in their wishlist charts, which may have been addressed recently.
Additionally, the topic of adult games on Steam has resurfaced, with reports that payment providers like PayPal have restricted payments unless certain extreme adult-themed games are removed. Valve has responded by clarifying its content policies while maintaining a relatively open stance on what is permissible on the platform.
