studio Archives

AppWizard

June 18, 2026

Minecraft Releases New Chaos Cubed Update

Minecraft has released its Chaos Cubed update, which has been in development since March 2026, now available for both Bedrock and Java editions. Mojang announced plans for an official port of Minecraft for the upcoming Switch 2, featuring advanced lighting effects, volumetric fog, and performance at 60 frames per second, although a specific release date is not yet available.

AppWizard

June 18, 2026

Xbox is porting two classic Call of Duty games to PlayStation — and they’re coming very, very soon

Treyarch announced that Call of Duty: Black Ops (2010) and Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 (2012) will be ported to PlayStation platforms, likely for PS4 and PS5, starting in July. Iron Galaxy Studios will handle the modernization of these titles. The games have been available on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S since 2016 through Microsoft's Backwards Compatibility Program. There are uncertainties about whether existing PS3 owners will access the new versions for free or transfer their progress. The new ports are expected to integrate with the existing server network. Xbox and PC players have expressed frustration over issues with Black Ops and Black Ops 2 on Xbox, including a locked 720p resolution and hacking problems, as well as the absence of these titles on Xbox Game Pass.

AppWizard

June 18, 2026

PlayerUnknown’s survival game becomes free-to-own and offers Steam refunds ‘without restrictions on playtime or how long ago you bought the game’

Prologue: Go Wayback! has exited early access on Steam, but is considered incomplete with no further development plans. Launched in early access in 2025 by PlayerUnknown Productions, the game faced significant challenges, including staff layoffs, leading to a halt in development. The studio, founded by Brendan Greene, aimed to use the game as a testing ground for its Melba game engine, designed for creating large procedural worlds. A free tech demo, Preface: Undiscovered World, is available in early access. The final version of Prologue includes new features such as enhanced paths, mobile weather monitors, and improvements in cooking, lighting, clouds, and fog.

AppWizard

June 17, 2026

Less than a month before launch, survival RPG Outward 2 delayed into 2027

Nine Dots Studio announced that the release of the survival RPG, Outward 2, has been delayed from July 2026 to 2027. CEO Guillaume Boucher-Vidal expressed regret over the delay, emphasizing the importance of meeting player expectations and the role of feedback from the open beta, which began on June 7. Players reported encountering issues during the beta, and the studio is prioritizing quality over sticking to the original timeline. Boucher-Vidal acknowledged the challenges of ensuring stability for an early access title and apologized to players who planned their summer around the original release date.

AppWizard

June 15, 2026

Xbox is reportedly closing South of Midnight studio Compulsion Games after bragging about its award-winning developers earlier this year

Compulsion Games, known for titles like We Happy Few and South of Midnight, may be facing imminent closure as Microsoft’s gaming division undergoes significant layoffs and restructuring. Reports indicate that Compulsion and Double Fine are in negotiations to potentially spin off to avoid shutdown. Employees have expressed concern over job security, with many searching for new opportunities. Compulsion Games, founded in 2009 and based in Montreal, received critical acclaim for its recent title, South of Midnight, which won several awards. Despite previous praise from Xbox executives for the studio's achievements, the future remains uncertain amid corporate changes.

AppWizard

June 15, 2026

Xbox Game Studios head and chief of staff step down as ‘Xbox reset’ looms

Craig Duncan has announced his departure from the role of head of Xbox Game Studios after a tenure of just over a year and a half. He previously led Rare and guided the development of Sea of Thieves for nearly 13 years. His promotion in 2024 placed him in charge of all Microsoft’s gaming studios, including Double Fine, Halo Studios, inXile, Obsidian, Playground Games, and The Coalition. Concerns have been raised about the sustainability of Xbox's rapid studio acquisitions, with speculation about upcoming restructuring efforts and significant layoffs anticipated, potentially affecting studios like Compulsion Games, Double Fine, and Ninja Theory.

AppWizard

June 14, 2026

FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki references ‘yet to be announced’ games while commenting on controversy at parent company Kadokawa

Hidetaka Miyazaki, head of FromSoftware, indicated that several unannounced projects are in development. He expressed general satisfaction with the development environment provided by Kadokawa, FromSoftware's parent company, highlighting the studio's creative freedom. Meanwhile, Kadokawa is experiencing changes, as the hedge fund Oasis Management has acquired a majority stake and is advocating for significant changes, including the removal of the current CEO. Despite corporate turbulence, anticipation for FromSoftware's future projects remains high.

AppWizard

June 14, 2026

‘I try to play as a completionist and leave no stone unturned and no enemy unkilled’: Returnal director Harry Krueger talks Deus Ex, Resident Evil, and the arcade classic that inspired Housemarque’s best games

Harry Krueger began his journey in PC gaming with Quake 3: Arena and later became a programmer at Housemarque, working on games like Outland and Resogun. He served as Game Director for Nex Machina in 2017 and Returnal in 2021, which won four BAFTAs in 2022, including Best Game. He has logged over 200 hours in Tetris Effect, which he appreciates for its simplicity and finesse. Ikaruga is a game he holds dear, describing it as influential and comforting. Krueger uses PureRef, an image collection tool, for organizing his creative process. His desktop is relatively tidy, with project-related files organized, though he admits to having some clutter.

AppWizard

June 14, 2026

Gears of War: E-Day Demands just 12GB RAM and an RTX 2060, Defying PC Players’ Worst Fears

The Coalition is a leading developer of Unreal Engine and is set to release Gears of War: E-Day on October 6, 2026. They have showcased two Unreal Engine 5 demos: Alpha Point in 2021 and The Cavern in 2022. The minimum system requirements for the game include Windows 10 64-bit, AMD Ryzen 5 2600X or Intel i7-6850K, 12 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 or AMD Radeon RX 6600, DirectX Version 12, a broadband internet connection, and 130 GB of SSD storage. The recommended specifications are Windows 11 64-bit, AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel i5-11600K, 16 GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 or AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT, DirectX Version 12, a broadband internet connection, and 130 GB of SSD storage. The game will feature borderless/exclusive/windowed display modes, uncapped frame rates, ultrawide support, keyboard and mouse/controller remapping, 4K Ultra HD with HDR10, hardware ray-traced lighting, and full optimization for handheld play. The game will not be available on PlayStation 5.

AppWizard

June 14, 2026

Side-scrolling beat ’em up game The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival announced for PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, and PC

Trailmark Games has partnered with Odaclick Game Studio to develop a side-scrolling beat 'em up game titled The Walking Dead: Streets of Survival, set in the universe of AMC’s The Walking Dead. The game will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch, and PC via Steam, with a demo currently accessible for PC users. Players can take on the roles of characters like Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon, and Michonne, engaging in combat against walkers and the Saviors, led by Negan. The game features dynamic combat, iconic weapons, and environments inspired by the All Out War storyline, including locations such as the Sanctuary, Hilltop, and Alexandria. Key features include hard-hitting arcade combat, overwhelming enemy swarms, challenging boss battles, and a replayable arcade challenge mode. A specific release date has not been announced.