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3 months after launch, Riot announces League of Legends Classic will be killed in January: 'most have gone back to other parts of League'
AppWizard
October 15, 2026

3 months after launch, Riot announces League of Legends Classic will be killed in January: ‘most have gone back to other parts of League’

Riot Games launched League of Legends Classic to evoke nostalgia by reverting to a version of the game prior to 2013, including an older Summoner's Rift map and faster introduction of "new" old champions. Despite this, player interest waned, leading to the mode being taken offline in January 2027, six months after its launch. Riot plans to revisit the concept as an event mode with modifications and has acknowledged mixed player responses. Former esports competitor Alex 'Xpecial' Chu noted that the idea of "classic" varies among players, suggesting that the nostalgia might not resonate as strongly as it does in other games like World of Warcraft or Runescape, which foster deeper community engagement.
Deadlock surpasses Team Fortress 2's all-time concurrent player count peak as it adds a chess wizard
AppWizard
October 10, 2026

Deadlock surpasses Team Fortress 2’s all-time concurrent player count peak as it adds a chess wizard

Valve's game Deadlock, currently in invite-only testing, has reached a peak concurrent player count of 262,145, surpassing Team Fortress 2's previous record of 253,997. This milestone coincided with the release of six new community-chosen heroes. The game's success reflects its popularity in the MOBA genre and highlights Valve's ability to innovate in game development.
Newzoo: F2P Games on PC and Console in 2026
AppWizard
October 6, 2026

Newzoo: F2P Games on PC and Console in 2026

Recent data from Newzoo indicates that free-to-play (F2P) games accounted for 29.3% of total gaming hours across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox in 2025, a decrease of 2.9 percentage points since 2021, while maintaining stable absolute playtime at approximately 31 billion hours annually. Roblox captured 7.9% of all gaming time, up 4.6 percentage points from 2021, while Call of Duty and Fortnite saw declines to 6% and 7%, respectively. The combined playtime of Fortnite and Roblox in the F2P segment rose to 44.2%. The average annual release of new F2P live-service games dropped from over 30 titles in 2017 to 14.7 between 2023 and 2025, a decline of 31%. Revenue concentration remains high, with the top five F2P titles on PC generating 65% of the segment's revenue in 2025, down from 68% in 2021, while console revenue concentration is at 72%, down from 79%. Overall revenue from F2P titles fell by 8.2% on PlayStation and 23.6% on Xbox, but PC saw a 10% increase in revenue per hour played. Gacha games increased from three major titles in 2021 to 17 by 2025, with PC gacha playtime rising by 92% to approximately 1.8 billion hours annually. RPGs grew on both PC and console, with PC RPGs accounting for 14.3% of F2P playtime in 2025, up from 9% in 2021, driven by newer titles like Wuthering Waves and Honkai: Star Rail.
Free-to-play playtime is broadly flat as gacha RPGs drive PC growth, says Newzoo
AppWizard
October 6, 2026

Free-to-play playtime is broadly flat as gacha RPGs drive PC growth, says Newzoo

The Newzoo analysis indicates that the share of playtime for free-to-play (F2P) games is expected to decrease by 2.9 percentage points from 2021 to 2025, reaching 29.3%, although total hours spent on these games remain stable. The decline is linked to the rise of premium games and platforms like Roblox, with F2P playtime on PC increasing while it wanes on consoles. The number of F2P live-service launches peaked at 36 in 2017 but has since dropped by 31%, averaging 14.7 titles from 2023 to 2025. Revenue concentration among the top five F2P titles is decreasing, with their share on consoles falling from 79% in 2021 to 72% in 2025, and from 68% to 65% on PC. Gacha games are growing significantly, with major titles expected to increase from three in 2021 to 17 by 2025, and PC gacha playtime rising by 92%. RPGs are the only F2P genre gaining market share on both platforms, with PC RPG playtime increasing by 5.3 percentage points to 14.3%. New releases include EA Sports Madden NFL 27 debuting at No. 2 on console and Big Walk at No. 3 on PC.
Riot's absurd expectations of player counts 'in the high hundreds of thousands, if not millions' doomed 2XKO from the start
AppWizard
October 2, 2026

Riot’s absurd expectations of player counts ‘in the high hundreds of thousands, if not millions’ doomed 2XKO from the start

Marc Merrill discussed the development challenges of the game 2XKO, which faced difficulties in attracting a sufficient user base to support its live service model after eight years of work. The game required a monthly active user count in the high hundreds of thousands to justify its ongoing operation. The decision to shift 2XKO to a "box game" model resulted in layoffs and reflected broader industry challenges. The podcast highlighted that even with 400,000 daily players, sustaining a monthly unique player count near one million would be difficult. Merrill indicated that 2XKO would likely struggle to exceed 500,000 monthly active users, raising questions about Riot Games' market assessment and the developers' effectiveness.
One of my all-time favorite games just announced an expansion, yet all I feel is fear
AppWizard
September 30, 2026

One of my all-time favorite games just announced an expansion, yet all I feel is fear

Satisfactory has won the 2024 Best Sandbox Award, highlighting its enduring appeal and innovative gameplay. Player Wes Fenlon, who has logged over 400 hours in the game, expressed excitement about the award and his unfinished project involving a central tower for a train network. He noted the game's addictive nature and the challenge of optimizing production chains, which keeps players engaged.
Between 70 and 80% of Blood Bowl 3 games were solo
AppWizard
September 27, 2026

Between 70 and 80% of Blood Bowl 3 games were solo

A significant majority of players engage with Blood Bowl 3 in solo mode, with 70 to 80% of games played in the Eternal Leagues being solo endeavors. The game is set to transition to Warhammer Blood Bowl, which will feature a more sophisticated AI and a revamped user interface. The new version will be available as a free upgrade for existing owners of Blood Bowl 3 and is scheduled for release by the end of the year.
Wait, how did Lego beat Minecraft to making a city builder?
AppWizard
September 21, 2026

Wait, how did Lego beat Minecraft to making a city builder?

Lego has introduced Lego Skylines, which allows fans to build cityscapes with colorful bricks, reflecting a natural evolution of the brand. This has led to discussions about the lack of a city-building spinoff for Minecraft, a game known for its building mechanics. In Minecraft, there are already elements conducive to city-building, such as templated structures, player engagement with villagers, and a community interest in large-scale construction. Additionally, the first generation of Minecraft players is leaning towards more strategic gameplay, and various mods exist that cater to this interest. Despite the potential, there are questions about why Mojang has not developed a city-building spinoff, with possibilities including unfulfilled internal prototypes, the search for suitable partners, and mixed results from previous spinoffs. The idea of city-building in Minecraft is appealing due to the existing captivating villages and the possibility of larger-scale construction.
Over 10 years later, Gabe Newell's advice to devs still holds up
AppWizard
September 20, 2026

Over 10 years later, Gabe Newell’s advice to devs still holds up

Gabe Newell, co-founder of Valve, spoke at the LBJ School of Public Affairs in 2013 about the relationship between hacking and player engagement in gaming. He highlighted an incident from Ultima Online where the character Lord British was killed during his speech, which led developers to roll back the game instead of embracing the event. Newell argued that recognizing the significance of player-driven narratives could enhance the game's lore and experience, emphasizing the importance of flexibility and creativity in game design. He noted that stories arising from player interactions are often more compelling than those created by developers.
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