studio Archives

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

Elden Ring Nightreign artist wanted part of the game to feel ‘more cozy, more welcoming, more at home,’ so naturally she drew on Dark Souls for inspiration

Saori Mizuno, an Environmental Artist at FromSoftware, discussed the world design of Elden Ring Nightreign, highlighting the intention to create an environment that starts off familiar but gradually shifts into the unknown. The design team focused on themes of light and dark to enhance the atmosphere, with Limveld initially appearing beautiful but revealing a haunting quality. Mizuno drew inspiration from the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away to evoke a sense of longing for home. The Round Table Hold is designed as a cozy and welcoming hub, reminiscent of the Firelink Shrine in Dark Souls. Despite the game's challenges, Mizuno's design encourages players to explore the beauty of Limveld.

AppWizard

June 1, 2025

‘We wish to express our deepest regret’: Bulletstorm and Outriders dev People Can Fly suspends unannounced projects in yet another wave of gaming layoffs

Sebastian Wojciechowski, CEO of People Can Fly, announced the indefinite suspension of two game development projects, codenamed Gemini and Bifrost, and a scaling down of the workforce due to unsuccessful negotiations with a publisher that left the studio without necessary resources. The suspension of the Gemini project is attributed to the publisher's failure to provide a draft for a content rider related to the Publishing Agreement and a lack of communication regarding the project's future. Despite these challenges, People Can Fly is still working on three unannounced projects, Bison, Echo, and Delta, and the development of Lost Rift is progressing, with a demo set to be released during the upcoming Steam Next Fest.

AppWizard

May 31, 2025

It’s not just you: Elden Ring Nightreign’s matchmaking is taking forever if it works at all, and there doesn’t seem to be a fix⁠—aside from queueing with a full group

FromSoftware has acknowledged prolonged matchmaking times in Elden Ring: Nightreign, despite a player base exceeding 2 million. Players, particularly on PC, have reported lengthy waits, and initial recommendations from the studio, such as restarting the matchmaking process and altering NAT connection types on PlayStation, have not significantly improved the situation. Discussions on platforms like the Elden Ring subreddit and Steam forums indicate that there are between 200,000 and 300,000 players online on Steam at any time, raising concerns about matchmaking efficiency. Players are advised to form full teams of three for quicker matchmaking and to consider using Yui's Seamless Co-op mod for duo play as an alternative solution.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Honoring its Pride Month tradition, Tell Me Why is free to keep until the end of June for the fifth year in a row

Tell Me Why, an adventure game developed by Dontnod, is currently available for free on Steam until July 1. This initiative coincides with Pride Month, a trend that has occurred for the past five years. The game focuses on narrative choices rather than complex puzzles, and players are encouraged to consider donating to trans-inclusive charities. All three episodes of the game can be added to players' libraries at no cost.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Services firm Side sets up Sao Paulo studio

Side has opened a new studio in São Paulo, Brazil, described as a "state-of-the-art space," with plans to double its size within the next year. This is Side's second studio in São Paulo, following the establishment of its first location in 2024. The company has achieved a 50 percent year-over-year growth and aims to continue its aggressive expansion strategy. Plans are in place to lease an additional floor in the new building to accommodate further growth.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Atomic Heart studio Mundfish moves into publishing

Mundfish, the developer of Atomic Heart, is launching a publishing label called Powerhouse to support collaboration between developers and investors for innovative game releases. CEO Robert Bagratuni stated that Powerhouse aims to partner with projects that have significant potential and to deliver ambitious titles. Additionally, Atomic Heart has sold over ten million copies since its release in 2023. Bagratuni credited the team's dedication and the players' enthusiasm for the game's success.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Ready at Dawn and Ubisoft vets found new studio Atlantis

A new gaming venture, Atlantis Studio, has been formed by former employees from Ready at Dawn, Ubisoft, and Midgar Studio. It is led by Ru Weerasuriya, founder of Ready at Dawn, and writer Nico Augusto. Weerasuriya previously worked at Blizzard and was the studio head at Ready at Dawn until March 2025, after its acquisition by Meta. Atlantis Studio aims to create a collaborative environment for game development and will focus on titles for PC and console platforms using Unreal Engine 5.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Microsoft unveils “centralized” software update tool for Windows

Microsoft is developing a Windows-native update orchestration platform to improve the software updating experience for IT administrators and end-users. This platform aims to streamline the management of updates across various applications and components within the Windows ecosystem, reducing confusion caused by independent updates for different products. Currently in private preview, developers can access the platform through Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs and PowerShell commands by registering as update providers. The orchestrator will intelligently defer updates based on user activity and system performance, and it will automatically reschedule failed attempts. Additionally, Microsoft is introducing Windows Backup for Organizations to assist with the transition from Windows 10 to Windows 11. This feature simplifies the backup and restoration of settings for Windows 10 and 11 devices. To use this functionality, devices must be Microsoft Entra hybrid joined or Microsoft Entra joined and running a supported version of Windows. The restore feature is compatible only with Microsoft Entra joined devices running Windows 11, version 22H2 and later. The Windows Backup for Organizations feature is currently in a limited public preview for select members of the Microsoft Management Customer Connection Program.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

I can’t believe Elden Ring Nightreign is missing this feature on PC

FromSoftware has released Elden Ring Nightreign, a co-op roguelike spin-off of the Elden Ring universe, now available on Windows PC and Steam, with console versions coming soon. The game features a 60 FPS cap and has received positive feedback for its performance, despite some framerate drops. However, it lacks ultrawide support, which has disappointed some fans. The game is priced at .99, currently available for .99 at Newegg with the promo code XVSAVE.

AppWizard

May 30, 2025

Rematch: All the key details on the 5v5 football game from the masterminds behind Sifu

Sloclap, known for the game Absolver, is developing a new sports game titled Rematch, which is a five-a-side football game. It will be released on Steam, with the release date to be announced. The game features dynamic online multiplayer gameplay where players control a single character, and there are no fixed positions or complex statistics. The base game will cost £21, while the Pro Edition and Elite Edition will cost £30 and £39, respectively, offering early access and additional cosmetic items. The Captain Pass will function as a battle pass with seasonal content, focusing on cosmetics and in-game currency. Rematch does not include fighting elements, as it aims to be a football simulator. The minimum system requirements include Windows 10/11, an AMD Ryzen 5 3400G or Intel Core i5-9400 processor, 8 GB RAM, and a graphics card like the AMD Radeon RX 5500 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 1060. Recommended specs include an AMD Ryzen 3700x or Intel Core 11600k processor, 8 GB RAM, and a graphics card like the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050.