game studio Archives

AppWizard

June 6, 2025

Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution coming to PC in 2025

Idea Factory International will release Neptunia Game Maker R:Evolution for PC via Steam in 2025. The game launched in Japan on August 10, 2023, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Switch. It will be available globally on those consoles on May 14, 2024, and for Xbox Series on October 29, 2024. Players will assume the role of Older Nep, managing a game studio, developing games, and navigating challenges in the world of Gamindustri. The game features party management, an enhanced battle system, and motorcycle navigation through dungeons. A new trailer showcasing the game has been released.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Windows Weekly 935: Don’t Spritz Yourself

Leo and Paul discuss various topics on the latest episode of Windows Weekly, including Notepad, updates in Windows 11, Microsoft 365, artificial intelligence, and Xbox gaming. A new free newsletter offers time-saving tips and complimentary Field Guides for Windows 11 and Windows 10. Microsoft is reorganizing its AI initiatives and phasing out password management features in the Microsoft Authenticator app. The upcoming June 2025 update for Outlook will introduce new features, and Microsoft 365 Copilot now has general availability for Research and Analyst AI agents. The New York Times has licensed its content to Amazon, and Samsung is reconsidering its partnership with Gemini. Microsoft has delayed the launch of its first-party Xbox and Windows gaming handheld and has secured its first agreement with a game studio union. J Allard, a former Microsoft executive, is among many ex-Microsoft leaders now at Amazon. A tip suggests replacing OneDrive/Google Drive with a NAS, and Microsoft Edge 137 is highlighted as a significant update. Photoshop for Android is now available for free during its beta phase.

AppWizard

June 3, 2025

Dungeons & Dragons “single-player action-adventure” game announced for PC and consoles

Wizards of the Coast has partnered with Giant Skull to develop a new single-player action-adventure game set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The game is directed by Stig Asmussen and is being built using Unreal Engine 5 for PC and console platforms. No release date has been announced, and details about key art or gameplay mechanics are still pending. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast is collaborating with other studios on various projects, including a G.I. Joe game, another Dungeons & Dragons game themed around magic, a sci-fi RPG titled Exodus, and a suspense and horror game.

AppWizard

May 26, 2025

A Roblox farming game made by a teenager ‘in like three days’ had 8.9 million players online at the same time—Steam peaked at 11.5 million across all games on the same day

In 2025, the Roblox game "Grow a Garden" experienced a peak of nearly 9 million concurrent players, surpassing the previous record held by Player Unknown's Battlegrounds on Steam by almost threefold. The game reached a peak of 5 million concurrent users just a weekend prior to this achievement. It was developed by a teenage creator in three days and has gained significant popularity, with a player count that surpassed the population of New York City. Despite initial skepticism about player counts, investigations confirmed the game's genuine popularity, driven by strong user retention and community engagement. A Roblox spokesperson noted that the growth is attributed to an authentic community rather than artificial inflation.

AppWizard

May 1, 2025

PlatinumGames vet Taura founds new studio Eel Game Studio

Takahisa Taura, a former designer at PlatinumGames, has founded Eel Game Studio after leaving PlatinumGames, where he had removed any affiliation from his social media. His departure follows the exit of founder Hideki Kamiya, who has returned to Capcom to lead a new studio named Clovers. Taura is known for his design work on titles such as Nier Automata and Astral Chain.

AppWizard

April 24, 2025

IO and Square Enix vet Flösser unveils new studio Wombo Games

Janos Flösser has founded a new game studio called Wombo Games in 2023, which is developing a strategy roguelike game titled Raiders of Blackveil, set to enter Early Access this summer. Flösser has a background in the gaming industry, having previously worked at IO Interactive and Square Enix. Wombo Games aims to remain small and agile, and has successfully raised funds three times since its inception. A playable version of the game was created within the first month and a half, garnering positive feedback from investors.

AppWizard

April 20, 2025

Once promising developer Tequila Works is auctioning off the rights to its games, including 4 still in development

Tequila Works, a Spanish game studio founded in 2009, has declared insolvency following staff reductions and the cancellation of an unannounced project. The studio's intangible assets, including notable video game intellectual properties like Rime and Gylt, are currently up for auction on the European platform Escrapalia, with bids ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 euros. General manager Térence Mosca stated that prolonged market conditions forced the company into this situation.

AppWizard

March 7, 2025

Horror puzzle action adventure game Ao Oni: The Horror of Blueberry Onsen announced for Switch, PC

Game Studio has announced Ao Oni: The Horror of Blueberry Onsen, set to launch in spring on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The game will support multiple languages including English, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Indonesian. The narrative follows four friends—Hiroshi, Takeshi, Mika, and Takuro—who explore an abandoned hot spring inn rumored to be haunted. New features include engaging character interactions, cooperative play, a chat function, new blue demon species, a high-speed gameplay mode, and an online ranking system. A teaser trailer has been released showcasing the game's atmosphere and mechanics.

AppWizard

February 23, 2025

‘These kids do not care about romance’: Game devs want to know what today’s teens want, and surveys say sex and romance isn’t it

Surveys indicate that today's youth prefer narratives focused on platonic friendships and social connections over romance and sexual themes. At the D.I.C.E. Summit, industry leaders shared that 73% of individuals aged 16 to 24 report feelings of loneliness, attributed to various factors including global events and social media. Research from UCLA shows young people value safety, kindness, acceptance, friendship, and spiritual connection, with a growing disinterest in romance. The 2024 Teens and Screens report reveals that "romance and/or sex" ranked 15th out of 21 media preferences among adolescents, while "friendships and social groups" ranked 5th. The desire for content focused on platonic relationships rose from 51.5% in 2023 to 63.5% in 2024, and the belief that sexual content is not essential to advance a plot increased from 47.5% to 62.4%. Additionally, adolescents are engaging in sexual activity less frequently than previous generations. Mainstream video games have historically featured minimal sexual and romantic content, with recent titles like Baldur's Gate 3 exploring these themes more deeply.

AppWizard

February 20, 2025

Netflix cuts staff from Night School Studio

Netflix has initiated layoffs at Night School Studio, which will not affect the studio's current content lineup. The layoffs were announced in January and are part of a broader shift in Netflix's gaming strategy, which includes the closure of its triple-A Blue studio. Mike Verdu has transitioned to a new role overseeing generative AI, and Alain Tascan has been appointed to lead Netflix's gaming division. Night School Studio was acquired by Netflix in 2021.