development strategy Archives

AppWizard

February 21, 2026

Why Final Fantasy is now targeting PC as its “lead platform”

Naoki Hamaguchi, director of the Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy, announced that the PC will be the “lead platform” for future installments of the Final Fantasy series. The development team is now creating visual assets targeting high-end environments on PC first, then reducing them for less powerful platforms. This strategy aims to enhance graphics quality on PC, as seen in the PC version of Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. The shift is influenced by the growing international PC gaming market, despite PC gaming in Japan expanding gradually. However, PC releases have historically lagged behind console launches, with significant delays noted for previous titles.

AppWizard

January 6, 2026

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 developer seems to be working on a secret Unreal Engine project

Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 ranked fourth in Game of the Year discussions for 2025 and is recognized as one of the best medieval games. Developer Warhorse Studios is speculated to be transitioning to Unreal Engine for future projects, as indicated by job listings that require experience with Unreal Engine. A user named Jakub Holík, tech ops lead at Warhorse, has also linked to job ads for an upcoming Unreal Engine project. The publisher, Plaion, has not confirmed any details regarding these speculations. Warhorse may be considering multiple projects or a complete engine overhaul, but it is unclear if Kingdom Come Deliverance 3 will use Unreal Engine. Community manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling stated that while the narrative of Henry has concluded, the Kingdom Come Deliverance IP is not shelved, and immersive RPGs will remain a focus for the studio.

AppWizard

January 3, 2026

Hytale lead says “it’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage” the once-canceled Minecraft-like: “It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state”

Hytale is undergoing significant transformation to become fully playable, as shared by co-director Simon Collins-Laflamme. Initially, the game was described as "barely playable" with all basic functionalities broken. The development team has made rapid progress, achieving in weeks what typically takes much longer. Following Riot Games' cancellation of Hytale in summer 2025, Collins-Laflamme reacquired the game and plans to release it in early access on January 13, 2026. The development strategy focuses on trusting the team and minimizing distractions. Hytale will feature unique crafting mechanics inspired by Terraria, while Collins-Laflamme acknowledges Minecraft as one of the greatest games.

Tech Optimizer

November 29, 2025

Supabase’s $5 Billion Rise Through Open-Source Vision and PostgreSQL Growth | Ukraine news

Supabase has achieved a billion-dollar valuation following a 0 million funding round. Co-founder and CEO Paul Koppleston prioritizes a clear product vision over pursuing lucrative contracts, emphasizing the company's commitment to open-source principles. This approach allows developers to deploy backend systems built on PostgreSQL, enhancing scalability and performance while avoiding vendor lock-in. Koppleston focuses on improving PostgreSQL's functionalities and streamlining integrations to appeal to a diverse user base, including individual developers and enterprises. He believes that not every deal aligns with Supabase's long-term vision, which helps mitigate risks and preserve the company's autonomy.

AppWizard

November 17, 2025

Cities Skylines 2 dev announces split from Paradox, new studio will take over development

Paradox Interactive has ended its partnership with Colossal Order, the studio behind the Cities Skylines series for 15 years, due to disappointing reviews for recent titles. Colossal Order will continue to support the game until the end of the year, after which Iceflake Studios will take over development in 2026. Iceflake's responsibilities will include patches, ongoing work on the Editor and console editions, and future expansions. The core identity of Cities: Skylines 2 will remain unchanged despite the developer transition. Iceflake Studios has a background in mobile games and has received mixed reviews for its city-building game, Surviving the Aftermath.