Game Developers Conference Archives

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Snail Games blames marketing team for Ark: Aquatica AI trailer

Lead game designer Matt Kohl clarified that the AI-generated animation in the trailer for Ark: Aquatica was created by the marketing department, not the development team, which did not use AI in the game's development. The trailer, unveiled at the Game Developers Conference, received significant criticism from fans, prompting Studio Wildcard to issue a statement distancing itself from the project.

AppWizard

March 26, 2025

Why Sensor Tower acquired VG Insights and how consolidation of data sources could hurt games market

Sensor Tower acquired Video Game Insights, marking its third M&A move following the acquisitions of Pathmatics in 2021 and data.ai in 2024. The company aims to consolidate its position in gaming analytics, expanding its services to include PC and console market intelligence. The acquisitions were partially financed by Riverwood Capital and involved credit-based financing from Bain Capital Credit. VG Insights, founded in 2020, aims to provide comprehensive analytics tools for indie PC game developers, addressing a gap in the market compared to mobile game analytics.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Fans Unsure Whether Sony Will Block PS5 Games on Xbox’s Rumoured PC Hardware

Microsoft is reportedly considering a new Xbox model that may function more like a personal computer, allowing access to various digital storefronts such as Steam and the Epic Games Store. A leaked user interface from the Game Developers Conference supports this idea. If true, this could enable gamers to play Sony titles like God of War Ragnarok and The Last of Us 2 on an Xbox device. However, this model would challenge Microsoft's traditional console business strategy, as it could lead to revenue sharing with companies like Epic and Valve. Opinions in the gaming community are mixed regarding whether Sony would block its games from being played on this new Xbox platform.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

Discord revamps overlay and desktop to make PC gaming easier

Discord has released updates for its desktop application to improve the gaming experience for PC players. The new Game Overlay has been redesigned for better performance and now includes individual widgets for easier access to voice and video controls, as well as the ability to view friends' game streams. The update supports a wider range of games and includes a help section for users. Additionally, the desktop interface has been refreshed with new customization options, including four free themes and three UI Density settings. Users can now resize the channel list for better navigation, and there are improved controls for voice and video during calls, along with enhanced visual indicators for active devices. These updates aim to enhance legibility and reduce visual clutter, with ongoing improvements planned throughout the year.

AppWizard

March 25, 2025

With Nvidia Ace taking up 1 GB of VRAM in Inzoi, Team Green will need to up its memory game if AI NPCs take off in PC gaming

Nvidia unveiled its latest RTX technologies, including the Ace suite of digital human technologies, at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). The game Inzoi, reminiscent of The Sims, is one of the first to utilize Nvidia Ace, enhancing character interactions through 'thought bubbles' that reveal emotions and intentions. The AI system is powered by the Mistral NeMo Minitron, a language model with 500 million parameters, using 1 GB of VRAM. This model is limited to NPCs within the player's line of sight and does not change a character's life trajectory. While smaller models can lead to inaccuracies, the potential for larger models in expansive RPGs is significant. Nvidia has maintained an 8 GB memory standard for its mainstream graphics cards, but the demand for more advanced AI may prompt a reevaluation of VRAM offerings. High-end GPUs like the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080 offer 16 GB of VRAM, which is becoming more common in affordable graphics cards.

AppWizard

March 21, 2025

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s director was ‘starving for new turn-based RPGs,’ and figured if he wanted them, there would be others out there who’d want to play his game

During the 2025 Game Developers Conference, François Meurisse, producer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and COO of Sandfall Interactive, discussed the game's development, which began in early 2019 as a passion project by creative director Guillaume Broche. The game features a parry system and allows players to aim freely with ranged weapons. Broche's inspirations include FromSoftware titles like Sekiro and classic JRPGs such as Final Fantasy and Lost Odyssey, while Meurisse draws from Paper Mario and EarthBound. Meurisse described Expedition 33 as an homage to classic JRPGs rather than a groundbreaking innovator. The game is set to release on April 23, and players can wishlist it on Steam.

AppWizard

March 20, 2025

The United Nations asked Helldivers 2 studio Arrowhead if it’d give a talk on psychological manipulation: ‘Could we brainwash an entire community to fight for a fascist state? … Would we be okay with that? Turns out, yeah’

Helldivers 2 is a game that combines humor and irony with chaotic battle scenarios, inspired by Starship Troopers. Players act as expendable soldiers fighting for a democratic ideal against giant bugs, with comedic elements such as supply drops accidentally harming teammates. Arrowhead CEO Johan Pilestedt described the game as a self-aware commentary on players being pawns in a larger scheme. The game features patriotic visuals reminiscent of the U.S., EU, and UN, alongside aesthetics from totalitarian regimes. The satirical nature of Helldivers 2 has resonated with players, who enjoy roleplaying in its absurd universe. The game employs a live service model that introduces new challenges, maintaining entertainment amidst overwhelming odds. Helldivers 2 is available on Steam for .99.

AppWizard

March 19, 2025

Analysts reveal a vast majority of PC gamers are shying away from games released in the last few years

The PC gaming sector has surpassed consoles in popularity, with the number of PC gamers increasing from approximately 873.5 million in 2023 to 907.5 million in 2024, while console players number around 653 million. A report by Newzoo indicates that 92 percent of PC gamers prefer older titles, with 67 percent of player hours in 2024 spent on games released six years ago or more. Popular older PC titles include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/Counter-Strike 2, League of Legends, Roblox, Dota 2, and Fortnite. The report highlights the growing popularity of live service and free-to-play games, which are favored for their revenue generation potential through microtransactions or subscriptions. Newzoo's findings will be presented at the Game Developers Conference, focusing on player engagement and revenue models projected for 2025.

AppWizard

March 18, 2025

PC gamers spend 92% of their time on older games, oh and there are apparently 908 million of us now

Ben Porter, director at NewZoo, will present insights from the company's annual gaming industry analysis at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). NewZoo's survey indicates that the PC gaming market is growing, with an estimated 873.5 million PC gamers in 2023, projected to rise to 907.5 million by 2024, surpassing the console gaming audience of approximately 653.1 million. A significant portion of PC players, 67%, will spend their gaming hours on titles that are six years or older, while 25% will play games aged two to five years, leaving only 8% for newer releases. The most played games include Counter-Strike: Global Offensive/Counter-Strike 2 (7.1%), League of Legends (6.4%), Roblox (6.2%), Dota 2 (5.8%), and Fortnite (5.4%). Overall, 92% of player time is devoted to games more than two years old, highlighting a preference for established titles over new releases.

BetaBeacon

March 16, 2025

Android 16 looks to be even better for gamers than we expected

Google has introduced Vulkan as the new default graphics API for Android, replacing OpenGL. This change brings advanced rendering features like ray tracing and multithreading, promising richer visuals for games. The shift to Vulkan could influence the choice of gaming handhelds for consumers, especially those running on older versions of Android. There is hope for devices with more recent hardware to benefit from performance enhancements with the adoption of Vulkan. The move is expected to have a positive impact on gaming handhelds, smartphones, and tablets in the long run.