player community Archives

AppWizard

March 4, 2025

Jon Bellamy replaces Phil Mansell as Jagex CEO

Jagex has appointed Jon Bellamy as its new CEO, succeeding Phil Mansell, who led the company since 2017. Bellamy previously worked at Jagex from 2015 to 2018 and has held positions at London Venture Partners and Huuuge Games. He has also been a board member at Jagex since October 2024. Mansell reflected on his 14 years with RuneScape and expressed confidence in Bellamy's leadership.

AppWizard

February 7, 2025

Vanished for a year, early access dev returns to announce a crisis taught them ‘videogames ain’t it’ and end development on ‘singleplayer EVE’ they’ve been making since 2019

Astrox Imperium is an early access game on Steam, likened to a "singleplayer EVE Online," allowing players to explore a vast universe with a dynamic economy and extensive ship upgrades. The developer, Masula, announced a reevaluation of priorities due to personal circumstances, stating that video games are no longer a priority for them. Masula plans to transform the Campaign mode into a tutorial and release the game as a complete product, but indicated this would be their last project in game development. The community has had mixed reactions, with many expressing empathy and support for Masula, while also inquiring about the possibility of community involvement in the game's future development.

AppWizard

December 16, 2024

‘I’ve spent my entire career trying to recreate the feeling I had when I played D&D for the first time,’ says immersive sim godfather Warren Spector, with new game Thick as Thieves going multiplayer because ‘you don’t play D&D alone’

Warren Spector, co-founder of OtherSide Entertainment, discussed the studio's upcoming multiplayer title, Thick as Thieves, which shifts from traditional single-player immersive sims to a live service PvPvE multiplayer format. Spector has long envisioned multiplayer as the next logical step for immersive sims, aiming to capture collaborative storytelling akin to Dungeons & Dragons. He emphasized the importance of player agency and creativity in creating surprising narratives. Project lead Greg LoPiccolo noted the dynamic interactions that can occur in multiplayer settings. The game's success will depend on ongoing support and community engagement, distinguishing it from other titles like Anthem and Redfall. Players can wishlist Thick as Thieves on Steam or Epic, although a release date has not been announced.

AppWizard

November 12, 2024

Capcom vet Itsuno heading up new Lightspeed studio

Hideaki Itsuno has been appointed to lead the newly established Lightspeed Japan Studio, which will focus on creating triple-A titles in Tokyo and Osaka. Jerry Chen, president of Lightspeed Studios, expressed enthusiasm about Itsuno's involvement, marking the studio's launch as a significant moment in the company's expansion. Itsuno described this venture as "an exciting new chapter," emphasizing Lightspeed's development capabilities and global network while inviting game creators to collaborate on original triple-A action games.

AppWizard

October 16, 2024

Ubisoft insists XDefiant won’t be shut down after season four

Mark Rubin, the executive producer of Ubisoft's XDefiant, stated that there are no plans to shut down the game after its fourth season. He mentioned ongoing discussions for Year 2 of XDefiant, focusing on technical improvements and content for upcoming seasons. Rubin acknowledged a decline in player numbers due to limited marketing efforts, which are intended to give the development team time to refine the game before launching broader marketing campaigns. This is the second time Ubisoft San Francisco has addressed rumors about the game's future.

AppWizard

September 23, 2024

Modder Creates VR Mod for PC Version of ‘System Shock’ Remake [Trailer]

Terminus: Zombie Survivors has sold over 100,000 copies a month after leaving Early Access, according to developer Longplay Studios. The lead developer, In-geon, expressed gratitude for player support and feedback, which has influenced the game's development. The game, initially launched in Early Access in 2021, has undergone significant updates based on community input, enhancing crafting options, survival mechanics, and strategic decision-making. Longplay Studios is working on the 1.1 NPC update to introduce new human adversaries and is engaging with the community for feedback. The game is available on Steam and features a post-apocalyptic world where players must survive against various challenges.

AppWizard

September 22, 2024

Homeworld 3 will get two of its DLC packs this November rather than in 2025

Blackbird Interactive has announced a revised release schedule for Homeworld 3, moving the launch date to November 2023 instead of early 2025. The update will include three free updates and two fleet packs for the War Games mode, aiming to enhance skirmish gameplay and complete features for the "Year One Pass." Player reactions are mixed, with some excited about the changes while others worry about potential reduced support after November. The game currently has a 38% positive user review rating on Steam, with criticism focused on its lack of strategic depth compared to earlier titles in the series. Fraser Brown from PC Gamer noted that while Homeworld 3 tries to innovate, it does not fully capture the essence of its predecessors.

AppWizard

September 18, 2024

There won’t actually be a Sims 5 because EA is going to ‘disrupt the sequel model’ by shoving The Sims 4, Project Rene, and two other games into one ‘massive Sims platform’

Project Rene, the next installment in the Sims franchise, is confirmed to be in development with closed multiplayer testing starting this fall. It is not The Sims 5, but will coexist with The Sims 4. EA's president, Laura Miele, announced a dedicated team to address bugs and enhance The Sims 4, including updates to its core technology. Maxis is preparing to celebrate the 25th anniversary of The Sims series in February and will host a Behind The Sims presentation in January to provide more insights into Project Rene.

AppWizard

August 31, 2024

How to get and equip capes in Minecraft

Minecraft capes have become more accessible to players due to a change in the distribution model by Mojang Studios. Players can acquire capes through various methods, including merging Mojang and Microsoft accounts, watching Minecraft content during special events, submitting custom maps, playing new updates, and receiving seasonal items in the Minecraft Marketplace. In Java Edition, players can equip capes by navigating to the Skins tab in the launcher, selecting or creating a skin, and choosing a cape from their inventory. In Bedrock Edition, players can access capes through the Dressing Room and select their desired cape from the inventory. Optifine allows players to equip custom capes visible only to other Optifine users, which require a donation to obtain. Players can view their capes in-game through the inventory screen or by switching to third-person mode. Certain capes remain exclusive to developers or contributors, making them rare and highly sought after.

AppWizard

August 19, 2024

Riot moves John Needham to head combined publishing and esports biz

Riot Games is unifying its publishing and esports divisions, with John Needham as the leader. The company is restructuring its television and film development into two branches: animation, overseen by Christian Linke, and live-action, led by Brian Wright. CEO Dylan Jadeja emphasized that this reorganization aims to enhance player experiences by integrating games, esports, music, and storytelling. Needham highlighted the goal of creating meaningful moments for players through this unified approach.