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Rare vet O'Connor is Xbox Games Studios new chief of staff
AppWizard
September 3, 2025

Rare vet O’Connor is Xbox Games Studios new chief of staff

Louise O'Connor has become the chief of staff at Xbox Game Studios as of August, confirmed through her LinkedIn profile and reported by VGC. She aims to enhance connection, collaboration, and momentum across the studios. O'Connor has a 25-year history at Rare, starting as an animator in 1999 and eventually serving as art director, incubation director, and executive producer. She recently led the development of the project Everwild, which was shelved during a major restructuring at Microsoft that affected over 9,000 employees.
Xbox and PC Game Pass might not actually be that profitable for Microsoft
AppWizard
July 9, 2025

Xbox and PC Game Pass might not actually be that profitable for Microsoft

Microsoft is planning layoffs that could affect over 9,000 employees, about four percent of its global workforce of 228,000. These layoffs are impacting various gaming studios and projects. The company is shifting its strategy towards artificial intelligence and reducing focus on hardware sales within the Xbox division. Concerns have been raised about the profitability of Xbox and PC Game Pass, with claims that Game Pass may not be as financially successful as previously thought. Christopher Dring noted that the profitability calculations for Game Pass do not include first-party development costs, which could significantly alter the perception of its financial success. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that the layoffs are part of efforts to align with business demands and improve organizational efficiency.
This Week in Crypto Games: B3's Self-Destruct PC, Avalanche Battle Pass
AppWizard
June 22, 2025

This Week in Crypto Games: B3’s Self-Destruct PC, Avalanche Battle Pass

B3, a layer-3 gaming protocol founded by former Coinbase employees, acquired Andromeda Insights, a gaming PC manufacturer, to control the entire gaming ecosystem. Their first product, the B3PC, features a self-destruct storage drive, hardware wallet, encryption, on-chain game support, and offline transaction capabilities. It is available for preorder with a 0 deposit and expected delivery in Q1 2026. B3's protocol supports over 80 games and launched its native token in February 2023. Avalanche introduced a free-to-mint NFT called the Avalanche Battle Pass to incentivize cross-game participation. Developed by Ava Labs and Playfull, the pass allows players to earn rewards by engaging with partnered games and supports over a dozen titles. Off the Grid has over 300,000 daily players, while MapleStory N has reached 770,000 users since its May launch. Pudgy Penguins game Pengu Clash launched on Telegram, and Avalanche's Forgotten Playland implemented in-game NFT support as part of its major update.
Nazara Technologies acquires UK’s console gaming publisher Curve Games for Rs 247 crore
AppWizard
May 20, 2025

Nazara Technologies acquires UK’s console gaming publisher Curve Games for Rs 247 crore

Nazara Technologies has acquired UK-based PC and console game publisher Curve Games for Rs 247 crore (£21.7 million), marking its largest international acquisition to date. This acquisition gives Nazara complete ownership of Curve, which has a portfolio of indie games with over 100 million downloads worldwide, including titles like Human Fall Flat and Lawn Mowing Simulator. The move aims to diversify Nazara's offerings beyond mobile gaming into the PC and console markets, valued at over 0 billion globally. Curve Games reported revenues of Rs 263.5 crore and EBITDA of Rs 114.4 crore in 2024. Nazara plans to allocate Rs 800–1,000 crore for further acquisitions targeting global gaming studios. Other notable acquisitions by Nazara include Fusebox Games, Moonshine Technology, Comic Con India, and others. As of 2:29 pm, Nazara shares were trading at Rs 1,292.8 on the BSE.
Why is PC gaming so expensive? A lesson from Hideo Kojima
AppWizard
March 8, 2025

Why is PC gaming so expensive? A lesson from Hideo Kojima

PC gaming requires significant financial investment, with high-end components like the Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU costing nearly three times that of a PS5 or Xbox Series X|S. Many PC games suffer from bugs and performance issues, as developers often neglect optimization for the platform. Hideo Kojima is noted for producing well-optimized PC ports, exemplified by Metal Gear Solid V, which runs smoothly on modest hardware despite being nearly a decade old. In contrast, newer titles like Monster Hunter Wilds have struggled with performance. The reliance on AI upscaling technologies, such as Nvidia’s DLSS and AMD’s FSR, has not compensated for poor game design, leading to player frustration. Developers often rush game releases to meet profit targets, prioritizing financial gain over quality, which has resulted in a demand for better standards in game development. Gamers expect high-quality experiences that justify their investment, and there is a call for patience in the release of polished titles.
Disco Elysium vets found two more studios
AppWizard
October 14, 2024

Disco Elysium vets found two more studios

Two new gaming studios have been founded by veterans of ZA/UM, the developer of Disco Elysium. Summer Eternal, established by Argo Tuulik and a team including voice actor Lenval Brown and principal writer Dora Klindžić, will be based in Zagreb, Croatia, starting in April. The studio aims to create a worker-owned cooperative to prioritize the voices of creatives. The second studio, Dark Math Games, was formed by four former ZA/UM staff members, including Timo Albert, and is developing a project titled XXX Nightshift, described as a 'true detective RPG.'
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