revenues Archives

AppWizard

September 7, 2026

Xbox Cloud Gaming Caps Hours: 15 for Ultimate [2026]

On September 3, 2026, Microsoft announced that Xbox Game Pass subscribers will see a shift in cloud gaming access. Starting November 2026, unlimited cloud streaming will be replaced by a tiered hour bank system: 15 hours for Ultimate, 10 for Premium, and 5 for Essential subscribers. Once a subscriber exhausts their allotted hours, they must wait for the next billing cycle or purchase additional time. This change is the most significant since the beta launch of Xbox Cloud Gaming in 2019. The announcement was made on Xbox Wire, and the new structure is reflected on Xbox’s product pages. The new tiered system introduces a scarcity model, with every paid tier now having its own cloud gaming quota. Essential subscribers, who previously had no cloud access, will now receive 5 hours per month. The pricing for the Game Pass tiers is as follows: Ultimate at .99 for 15 hours, Premium at .99 for 10 hours, and Essential at .99 for 5 hours. The free ad-supported tier remains unchanged at 5 hours per month. Microsoft's rationale for the change is based on usage data indicating that most subscribers do not heavily utilize cloud streaming, coupled with the rising costs of operating cloud gaming services. The company has stated that additional hours can be purchased once a subscriber's monthly allotment is used up, although pricing details for these add-ons have not yet been disclosed. The new hour caps will take effect in November 2026, following a shorter notice period compared to NVIDIA's GeForce NOW service, which implemented a 100-hour monthly cap earlier in 2026. The response from gaming communities has been largely negative, with concerns about the limits falling short of typical usage patterns and conflicting with the marketing of Game Pass as offering unlimited access. The introduction of hour caps could impact Game Pass's subscriber base, particularly among those who rely on cloud gaming as their primary access point. Microsoft's internal usage data will determine the extent of this impact, as the company aims to control costs without raising subscription prices.

BetaBeacon

August 11, 2026

Aptoide Games Joins Google Play: First Rival Android Store in Over Decade

The Play Catalog Access Program was implemented on July 22, 2026, as a result of a court order after Google lost a lawsuit filed by Epic Games for illegally monopolizing Android app distribution and in-app billing. The program allows enrolled stores, such as Aptoide Games, to access Google Play's app catalog and offer users the ability to install apps through Google Play's infrastructure, maintaining security and service fees.

AppWizard

August 11, 2026

3 months after the release of Directive 8020, Supermassive Games is laying off even more people

Supermassive Games is reducing its workforce by up to 75 employees three months after the launch of Directive 8020, citing the need for long-term sustainability. This is the third round of layoffs in under three years, with previous cuts occurring in 2024 and 2025 due to challenges in the gaming industry. The parent company, Nordisk Film, reported an operating profit of €140 million on revenues of €2.2 billion in 2025. The number of employees remaining after the layoffs is currently unclear.

AppWizard

July 31, 2026

Cheap Android TV Boxes Pose as Phones and Turn Owners’ Broadband Into Proxies

Bitsight's investigation revealed that inexpensive Android TV boxes are being shipped with applications that can change their hardware identity, allowing them to impersonate popular smartphone brands like Samsung and Huawei. This operation, named Fuyao, is linked to Zhejiang Fengwo IoT Technology Co., Ltd., a Chinese company established in 2019. The H96MAXV11 model was frequently reported among the affected devices. In one day, the operation received 65,957 reports from about 38,000 unique MAC addresses, with many devices misidentified as phones due to spoofed identifiers. Fengwo has also promoted over 120,000 "AI digital humans," though details on this marketing term are vague. The command-and-control server for Fuyao sends phone profiles to devices, masking their actual hardware specifications. The operation uses machine vision technology and a YOLOv8s object-detection model to identify advertisements. Bitsight documented 40 fraud tasks, 21 unique campaigns, and 166 modules across four devices. The operation's payout structure involves 144 operator-owned domains, with an estimated gross return of .25 per device daily, potentially leading to annual revenues in the millions. Attribution to Fengwo is supported by shared TLS certificate data and public patent records, although the patents do not directly address advertising. There is uncertainty about how the fraudulent apps were installed and at what point in the supply chain they were introduced. Device owners are advised to verify Play Protect certification and disconnect suspicious devices.

AppWizard

July 29, 2026

Subnautica 2 is responsible for Krafton’s ‘record second quarter performance’ despite the messy legal battle and accusations of sabotage

Subnautica 2 launched in early access in May 2025 after facing corporate turmoil, including the removal of Unknown Worlds' leadership by Krafton and allegations of sabotage. Krafton accused the studio heads of neglect, while the ousted leadership claimed Krafton was stalling to avoid a financial obligation. Despite these challenges, Subnautica 2 sold 5 million copies shortly after its release. Unknown Worlds' CEO, Ted Gill, left his position amid the turmoil, and staff were set to receive bonuses from the earnout. Krafton reported record revenues of KRW 1.29 trillion and an operating profit of KRW 410.9 billion, largely attributed to Subnautica 2 and the PUBG franchise. PC revenue exceeded KRW 500 billion for the first time, but Krafton faced a net profit deficit of KRW 29.9 billion due to costs from acquiring Unknown Worlds and the earnout.

AppWizard

July 25, 2026

Conceived in a secure military facility, this Jedi Knight fansite has been running consistently for almost 30 years: ‘It looks really close to what it did back in 1998’

In the late 1990s, the internet saw a surge in websites, including those dedicated to PC gaming. The Massassi Temple, a website for Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2, was founded by Brian E. Lozier in early 1998. Lozier created the site to share tutorials and support fellow modders after discovering a community of modders while exploring other gaming websites. He learned programming to build the site, which has remained active due to the dedication of its community, despite challenges like the dotcom bubble burst and the failure of some games. The site hosts a vast collection of Jedi Knight content, including mods and multiplayer maps, and serves as a hub for ongoing support and development. Lozier has stepped away from the site multiple times but continues to return to ensure its survival. He aims to create a permanent archive of community contributions and reflects on the evolution of the internet and the shift toward corporate dominance.

AppWizard

July 11, 2026

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced sells 2 million copies in 1 day and achieves the ‘highest concurrent player count ever recorded for an Assassin’s Creed title’ on Steam

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced sold over two million copies within 24 hours of its launch, surpassing newer franchise entries like Assassin's Creed Shadows in player engagement on Steam. Ubisoft expressed gratitude for the enthusiastic response from players, highlighting the game's nostalgic appeal since its original release 13 years ago. The emphasis on two million copies sold rather than player count raises questions about the comparative success of Black Flag Resynced and Shadows. Industry analyst Joshua Wolens noted that nostalgia is a powerful motivator in gaming, and Martin Schelling, the brand boss of Assassin's Creed, emphasized the significance of the game's revival and its connection to players.

AppWizard

July 10, 2026

Id Software founder John Carmack mourns layoffs: “Games need to succeed, not just be beloved”

Id Software is laying off 136 positions, more than half of its workforce, as part of broader layoffs affecting Microsoft and Xbox studios. Co-founder John Carmack expressed sadness over the layoffs, which coincide with the launch of new DLC for Doom: The Dark Ages. He noted that his previous optimism regarding Microsoft's management of the brand is diminishing and highlighted the increasing pressures in the gaming industry. Carmack suggested that Id Software may be viewed as a marginal business by Microsoft, with revenues from Minecraft supporting other studios. He discussed the fierce competition for consumer attention and questioned whether different pricing models or broader audience targeting could have helped Doom succeed. The latest DLC for Doom received praise but arrived too late to make a significant impact. Carmack remains hopeful for the studio's future and expressed doubt about reclaiming ownership of the Doom IP, while also supporting Team Beef's commercialization of legacy open-source games on VR.

AppWizard

July 10, 2026

‘To Continue Being Produced Long Term, Games Need to Succeed, Not Just Be Beloved’ — John Carmack Responds to id Software Layoffs

John Carmack, co-founder of id Software, expressed sadness over the recent layoffs at the studio, which saw 96 employees at its Richardson location and 40 remote positions cut, representing a 50% workforce reduction. This restructuring is part of a broader initiative by new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, which has resulted in 1,600 staff layoffs earlier in the week, with another 1,600 expected throughout the financial year. Carmack suggested that id Software may have been viewed as a "marginal business" within Microsoft's portfolio and noted that its financial contributions to Microsoft appear minimal compared to the tech giant's overall revenue of 1.72 billion. He reflected on the competitive nature of the gaming industry and questioned whether different strategies could have improved id Software's financial performance. Despite the layoffs, he remains hopeful for the studio's future. Fellow co-founder John Romero also expressed support for the affected staff and emphasized the importance of preserving the legacy of iconic franchises like Doom, Quake, and Wolfenstein.

BetaBeacon

June 24, 2026

Mobile Gaming Market 2026: $157B, iOS vs Android Breakdown

The global mobile gaming market closed at 7.60 billion in 2025, showing significant growth from the previous year. In-app purchases reached billion globally across iOS and Android. The trend is clear: mobile gaming is now larger than ever before. Despite Android's dominance in global device market share, the App Store generates significantly more gaming revenue per user. The iOS user base in the United States and Japan skews towards higher disposable income brackets. The settlement of Epic Games' antitrust case against Google has reshaped mobile gaming platforms in 2025–2026, allowing third-party payment systems on the Play Store.