creative vision Archives

AppWizard

July 26, 2025

How Mycopunk’s devs turned a school project with zero funding into a ‘Very Positive’ Steam launch: ‘We wanted to make our own dream version of Deep Rock or Helldivers’

Modeler Ryan Yan and creative director Liam Cribbs presented their school project, Mycopunk, to potential publishers at GDC 2024. Mycopunk is a co-op first-person shooter where players act as robot exterminators combating a fungal infection on a planet. The game, developed over nine months by students from NYU, recently launched in early access under Devolver Digital. The team, known as Pigeons at Play, believes in the potential of student-led projects and encourages students to pitch games with a solid plan and a fun demo.

AppWizard

July 24, 2025

Ubisoft reports 2.9% dip in net bookings

Ubisoft reported a 2.9 percent decline in net bookings for the quarter ending June 30th, generating €281.6 million. The decline was attributed to the poor performance of Rainbow Six: Siege and a delayed partnership. However, back catalogue sales increased by 4.4 percent, contributing €260.4 million in revenue. Ubisoft is restructuring into Creative Houses to improve operational efficiency, with the first house announced earlier this year, supported by Tencent. CEO Yves Guillemot highlighted the importance of this transformation for enhancing quality and accountability. The new subsidiary will manage major brands like Assassin’s Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six, marking a significant step in Ubisoft's restructuring efforts.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

UAE-based Red Dune partners with Japanese studio Acquire

Red Dune Games, based in the UAE, has partnered with Japanese developer Acquire Corp to develop a series of innovative intellectual properties. Three projects are currently in development, codenamed Tremor, Umbra, and Shadowcar. Acquire has a history of notable titles and was owned by GungHo from 2011 to 2024 before being acquired by Kadokawa. Sultan Darmaki, CEO of Red Dune Games, and Takuma Endo, CEO of Acquire, both expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration and its focus on global creativity and originality.

AppWizard

July 14, 2025

Way of the Samurai studio Acquire Corp and Red Dunes Games announce collaboration on multiple new IPs

United Arab Emirates-based publisher and developer Red Dunes Games has formed a multi-year partnership with Japanese studio Acquire Corp. The collaboration aims to create innovative gaming experiences, with plans for three projects: Project Tremor (kaiju battles), Project Umbra (dark fantasy adventure), and Project Shadowcar (spy thriller). All titles will be global premium releases for console and PC, with premieres at major events like the Tokyo Game Show. Acquire Corp. was recently acquired by Kadokawa Corporation and is known for developing the RPG Mario & Luigi: Brothership for Nintendo Switch. Red Dunes Games, introduced in September 2024, is set to launch titles including Princess of the Water Lilies and Zozo and the Lost Dreams.

AppWizard

July 8, 2025

“Make games and die. That’s my plan”: Coincidence’s Zach Barth on making games about making things, a year of teaching, and being in it for the long haul

Kaizen: A Factory Story is an upcoming video game set in 1980s Japan, described as "an open-ended puzzle automation game" where players create products that lead to further production. The game is developed by Coincidence, a new collective formed by the original Zachtronics team, following its disbandment in late 2022. Zach Barth, the creative director, has a passion for games focused on production lines and emphasizes a more fluid company structure in Coincidence. The game's narrative, crafted by Matthew Seiji Burns, features a Japanese American protagonist navigating Japan's business landscape during its economic bubble, evoking nostalgia for iconic products of the era, though actual products like the Sony Walkman and Nintendo Game Boy will not be included due to licensing issues.

AppWizard

July 3, 2025

Remedy “hoped for a better launch” for FBC: Firebreak

Remedy Entertainment's latest title, FBC: Firebreak, launched on June 17th and attracted one million players in its first nine days. The game peaked at 1,992 concurrent players on Steam, which is considered an important metric for the game's success. Despite the initial player engagement, the launch did not meet the team's expectations, prompting them to implement significant changes in patch 1.2 during the launch week. Remedy plans to develop and release free post-launch content, emphasizing the importance of player feedback while maintaining their creative vision. The game's design philosophy encourages players to engage with the game periodically rather than requiring daily logins.

AppWizard

June 11, 2025

After a weekend packed with game reveals, I can’t stop thinking about Clockwork Revolution’s time-traveling shenanigans

Clockwork Revolution is a steampunk RPG shooter developed by inXile Entertainment, known for titles like Wasteland 3 and Torment: Tides of Numenera. The game features a blend of humor and innovative gameplay mechanics, set in a visually striking steampunk world. The release window is unspecified, but excitement is high among gamers and industry watchers.

AppWizard

June 10, 2025

Six new Android features just dropped, and you can try them out today

Android 16 introduces several new features, including enhancements to RCS group chats, a redesigned Google Photos editor, and improved functionality in the Google Home app. RCS group chat updates allow users to customize group chats with unique icons and names, check RCS status of friends, and mute notifications for specific groups. The Google Photos app features a new image editor with AI-driven suggestions, a Reimagine feature for creative expression, and an Auto frame function for better image cropping. The Google Home app now includes device-specific shortcuts for easier management of smart devices and an upgraded Safety Check feature for scheduling check-ins. WearOS smartwatches can now tap city transit cards even when the Google Wallet app is closed, provided the feature is activated.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Star Trek Beyond writer Jung to helm Mass Effect show

Doug Jung has been appointed as the head writer and showrunner for the upcoming Mass Effect TV series. He will also serve as an executive producer alongside Dan Casey and Michael Gamble. Amazon Studios announced the greenlighting of the series in November 2024, but no official release window has been provided.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Lighthouse Games lands additional funding from Tencent

UK-based developer Lighthouse Games has received another round of funding from Tencent, although the exact amount is undisclosed. Founded in 2023 by Gavin Raeburn, the studio aims to accelerate the development of its inaugural title with this investment. This funding follows an earlier investment from Tencent in the same year, indicating a growing partnership. Lighthouse Games plans to enhance its operations in Leamington Spa to explore innovative creative avenues for their debut title in the driving genre.