director Archives

AppWizard

August 19, 2026

Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word ‘Immersive’ in the name

Harvey Smith, former studio director at Arkane Austin, has founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive with executive producer Ben Horne. The studio aims to create imaginative first-person action RPGs with a focus on emergent game systems. The development team includes talent from companies like Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition. Black Pony Immersive's mission reflects a commitment to immersive storytelling and gameplay, inspired by the legacy of Looking Glass Studios. The closure of Arkane Austin in 2024 followed the poor performance of Redfall, but there is hope that some creative ideas from that period may be revived at Black Pony. Specific details about their first project are not yet disclosed, but hints are available on their website.

AppWizard

August 19, 2026

Subnautica 2’s latest 1.2 update is friend focused—finally adding the key mechanic to any great multiplayer game

Proximity chat will be introduced in Subnautica 2, allowing players to engage in local voice chats with audio quality that degrades as they move apart, enhancing communication and adding tension during exploration. The update will also include new player emotes for expressing emotions, improved inventory sharing that notifies players when their backpack is accessed, and a player revive feature that allows teammates to restore incapacitated players. These enhancements aim to enrich player interactions and provide a more immersive multiplayer experience.

Winsage

August 18, 2026

CISA confirms 2025 Windows Task Host flaw exploited by ransomware groups

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Windows Task Host, designated as CVE-2025-60710, which is being exploited by ransomware groups. Microsoft released a patch for this flaw on November 11, 2025, and CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on April 13. The vulnerability allows scheduled tasks to operate at the highest privilege level, enabling attackers to delete files and potentially gain full control over a machine. This access can lead to the extraction of credentials, manipulation of endpoint protection, and lateral movement across networks, culminating in widespread ransomware deployment. Security experts emphasize the critical nature of this vulnerability and urge organizations to address it promptly, as it poses significant risks to systems running Windows 11 and Server 2025.

AppWizard

August 18, 2026

Moozi and Dentsu Redder turn milk discovery into an immersive Minecraft experience

Moozi and Dentsu Redder Vietnam relaunched Moozi's children's milk range through Mooziland, Vietnam's first branded Minecraft universe. This initiative features seven interactive islands representing Moozi's milk flavors, inspired by Australian ecosystems. Over seven weeks, children participated in quests guided by Minecraft creator TOGA and gaming influencers, while a nationwide Moozi Fest allowed in-person engagement. The campaign ran from April to July 2026, achieving over 53 million impact views, 700,000 engagements, and a 30% growth in total channel value. The experience aimed to connect children and parents with the brand through exploration and discovery, emphasizing quality and trust.

AppWizard

August 18, 2026

PC Game Pass Has Some Seriously Good Turn-Based RPGs

The text discusses various turn-based RPGs and strategy games available on Xbox Game Pass, highlighting 17 standout titles. 1. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 - A turn-based RPG with innovative combat mechanics and a compelling narrative centered around the Paintress. 2. Heroes of Might and Magic II & III - Classic strategy games known for exploration, resource management, and tactical battles. 3. South Park: The Fractured But Whole - An RPG with grid-based combat and tactical elements, infused with the show's humor. 4. Wasteland 3 - A CRPG set in a post-apocalyptic world, featuring intricate storytelling and strategic turn-based combat. 5. BATTLETECH - A tactical mech combat game focused on managing a mercenary company and strategic planning. 6. Death Howl - Combines grid movement with deckbuilding mechanics in a dark narrative. 7. Echo Generation 2 - Introduces deckbuilding mechanics and multiple characters with a voxel art style. 8. For The King II - A blend of tabletop RPG elements and roguelite mechanics, designed for group play. 9. Gears Tactics - A tactical turn-based game that transitions from a third-person shooter, encouraging aggressive playstyles. 10. Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era - Revitalizes the classic formula with modern production values. 11. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth - Continues the turn-based combat from its predecessor with an expansive world. 12. Persona 5 Royal - A defining JRPG that balances everyday life with supernatural adventures and stylish turn-based combat. 13. The Bard’s Tale IV: Director’s Cut - A first-person dungeon crawler with exploration and puzzle-solving elements. 14. The Thaumaturge - Set in early 20th-century Warsaw, featuring political tension and supernatural intrigue in its narrative. 15. Wartales - Focuses on managing mercenaries in a medieval world, emphasizing survival and personal storytelling. 16. Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire - Offers a turn-based mode in a richly detailed world with complex narratives. 17. Phoenix Point - A tactical game that serves as a successor to XCOM, featuring a unique free-aim system and evolving enemy mechanics.

AppWizard

August 18, 2026

Star Wars: Galactic Racer’s multiplayer ‘tour’ mode is a chaotic arcade racer spliced with a MOBA, and that somehow works brilliantly

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is an upcoming racing game developed by Fuse Games, featuring a single-player campaign with roguelike elements and an online multiplayer mode structured like a MOBA. Players can race across six planets in 12-player races or eight-player podracing, selecting characters with unique loadouts. After each race, players can upgrade their vehicles and choose parts inspired by the single-player campaign. The game emphasizes player agency, with choices affecting gameplay outcomes, and balances accessibility with depth. Environmental hazards add chaos to the gameplay, although the lack of a catch-up mechanic can hinder those falling behind. The game is set to release on October 6.

Winsage

August 17, 2026

Microsoft just rebuilt one of Windows 11’s oldest tools in modern UI, rollout starts in the next few days

Microsoft has transitioned its newly designed Print Management tool into the Release Preview channel for Windows 11, moving it closer to general availability after initial appearances in Beta and Experimental builds. The new Print Management app, built on WinUI 3, replaces the outdated MMC-style console and features a modern layout with a user-friendly interface. It serves as a comprehensive management system for administrators, allowing oversight of printers, print queues, drivers, ports, and print servers. The rollout schedule includes an optional update anticipated for late August and integration into the regular September cumulative update. However, the timeline may be subject to delays. The updated application maintains essential administrative functionality while simplifying tasks such as renaming printers and customizing displayed information. Some legacy elements remain, requiring administrative privileges to launch the app. Microsoft is actively modernizing Windows 11's user interface, including the Print Management tool, as part of a broader initiative to replace outdated components.

AppWizard

August 16, 2026

David Brevik, creator of Diablo, reveals the ‘worst ending’ to any game he’s played: ‘But I really love the game. It’s amazing’

David Brevik co-founded Condor and pitched Diablo to Blizzard Entertainment, which became a cornerstone of the action role-playing game genre. He is currently the President of Skystone Games, which has released titles like Tiny Bookshop and Mistfall Hunter. Brevik is revisiting Marvel Heroes, where he served as creative director and later CEO until the game was shut down. He enjoys playing Minecraft with family and friends and has invested over 400 hours into No Man's Sky. Brevik regularly revisits EverQuest, logging thousands of hours, and also plays EQ '99. He uses Visual Studio for programming and works on game prototypes almost daily. His desktop is cluttered with about 300 icons for games, development tools, and notes.

AppWizard

August 16, 2026

Kingdom Hearts 4 finally has a release window, and it’s sooner than I expected

Kingdom Hearts 4 is set to launch in late 2027, as announced by Square Enix at Disney's D23 fan event. The game will feature a vibrant world inspired by the animated film Coco, where players will navigate the land of the dead and engage in battles. Sora's friends, including Mickey, Goofy, and Hades, will be on a quest to find him after his disappearance at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. The new installment will introduce the Lost Master Arc, primarily set in Quadratum, a realm similar to Tokyo, while still exploring various Disney worlds. Series director Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that development is progressing smoothly. Disney has recognized Kingdom Hearts as one of its "billion-dollar franchises."

AppWizard

August 15, 2026

The bigwigs who want AI-generated NPCs and writing think you’re too dumb to appreciate a good story—don’t prove them right

Saber Interactive's CEO discusses the potential of generative AI dialogue in video games, while skepticism remains due to past failures with AI-driven characters. Companies like Convai and Ubisoft aim to create more immersive experiences with AI NPCs, but the assumption that background character dialogue is unimportant undermines storytelling in games. The richness of game worlds comes from carefully crafted scripts, and AI-generated content may not achieve the same quality. Industry veterans emphasize that good storytelling relies on human experience, and there is concern that companies may prioritize profit over artistic integrity, leading to inferior products. This reflects a broader trend of viewing video games as commodities rather than art forms, highlighting a disconnect between corporate strategies and creative processes.