studios Archives

AppWizard

May 10, 2025

‘Thunderbolts*’ Crossing $100M Today, Eyes $30M+ 2nd Frame; ‘Minecraft’ Clicks $401M; ‘Sinners’ Shooting Past $200M; ‘Clown In The Cornfield’ $600K Previews

Disney and Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts is outperforming Shang-Chi’s second weekend, having earned .3 million on Friday and projected to reach approximately million over the weekend, reflecting a 53% decline from its opening week. By Sunday, it is expected to surpass 0 million in total earnings. In comparison, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings achieved .7 million during its post-Labor Day frame in 2021, marking a 54% drop. This weekend's overall box office performance is anticipated to match the same period last year, which recorded .1 million, significantly bolstered by the debut of Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which opened with .4 million. Warner Bros’ Sinners continues to perform well, bringing in .6 million in its fourth weekend, comparable to The Sixth Sense (.5 million) and exceeding It (.2 million) in their fourth frames. The weekend box office breakdown includes: - Thunderbolts (Disney) - 4,330 theaters, Friday .3M, 3-day M (-53%), Total 0.3M/Wk 2 - Sinners (Warner Bros) - 3,502 theaters, Friday .6M, 3-day .3M (-39%), Total .3M/Wk 4 - A Minecraft Movie (Warner Bros) - 3,468 theaters, Friday .7M, 3-day M (-48%), Total M/Wk 6 - Accountant 2 (Amazon) - 3,402 theaters, Friday .58M, 3-day .8M (-39%), Total .6M/Wk 3 - Clown in a Cornfield (IFC) - 2,277 theaters, Friday .4M, 3-day .5M/Wk 1 - Shadow Force (Lionsgate) - 2,170 theaters, Friday .0M, 3-day .7M/Wk 1 - Fight or Flight (Vertical) - 2,153 theaters, Friday .5M, 3-day .5M/Wk 1 Thunderbolts is expected to dominate the weekend box office with an estimated million, reflecting a decline of 60% or less from its debut. Sinners is expected to cross the million threshold today, with a robust fourth weekend forecasted between million and million. Clown in the Cornfield is projected to earn around .5 million, while Shadow Force is eyeing a weekend total of million to million. Fight or Flight is set at .5 million. Briarcliff Entertainment's Juliet & Romeo is projected to earn around million.

AppWizard

May 9, 2025

“A Minecraft Movie” spawns chaos in theaters

Social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X have become crucial in shaping audience interactions with films, transforming word-of-mouth marketing into a global phenomenon that can significantly influence a film's box office performance. Audience reactions on social media can enhance a film's reputation, as seen with "A Minecraft Movie," which thrived on positive buzz despite initial skepticism. Conversely, negative feedback can lead to financial underperformance, as demonstrated by Disney's "Snow White." The in-theater experience has also changed, with audience behavior influenced by social media, leading to varied opinions on the impact of chaos during screenings.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Split Fiction has sold 4m copies

Split Fiction has sold over four million copies, as announced by Electronic Arts (EA) in its financial report for the quarter ending March 2025. EA's CEO, Andrew Wilson, noted that the game exceeded expectations and gained global attention. The game sold one million copies within 48 hours of release and reached two million in its first week. A film adaptation is also reportedly in development.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Zugalu Entertainment acquires Crimson Herring Studios

Zugalu Entertainment has acquired Edmonton-based studio Crimson Herring, with the financial details undisclosed. The acquisition is described as a strategic move to enhance Zugalu's narrative-driven game development. Isaac Otway, CEO of Crimson Herring, will become Chief Operating Officer at Zugalu. Branden Sloane, founder and CEO of Zugalu, expressed excitement about the merger, highlighting the alignment of expertise in crafting narrative-driven games. Crimson Herring recently launched its first title, Sovereign Syndicate.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

Starbreeze reclaims Payday 3 publishing rights from Plaion, says it will ‘significantly accelerate our content development roadmap’

Starbreeze Studios has secured the publishing rights to Payday 3 from Plaion, aiming to enhance content development for the game, which has faced challenges since its September 2023 launch. This acquisition establishes a long-term collaboration between Starbreeze and Plaion for future Payday franchise projects. Despite setbacks, including leadership changes, Payday 3 has struggled to maintain a player base, while Payday 2 remains popular. Starbreeze's involvement may lead to expedited updates and improvements for Payday 3, and the company is exploring broader strategic opportunities for the franchise.

AppWizard

May 8, 2025

EA thinks it got Battlefield right this time, projecting confidence to investors in advance of a summer reveal: ‘When we get it right, Battlefield is a giant franchise and often the biggest shooter in the year’

EA is committed to incorporating player feedback into the next Battlefield game following the mixed reception of Battlefield 2042. CEO Andrew Wilson stated that this initiative represents "the biggest playtesting initiative in franchise history," with a dedicated group of playtesters already logging thousands of hours. The upcoming title, often referred to as Battlefield 6, is being developed under the leadership of Vince Zampella and involves multiple studios, including Ripple Effect, Motive, and Criterion. EA plans to expand its Battlefield Labs testing program to include more players ahead of a summer reveal, with only a brief 10-second clip released so far. Rumors suggest the new game will maintain the core elements expected by fans.

AppWizard

May 7, 2025

Hazelight’s Split Fiction sells over 4 million copies in 2 months

Hazelight's Split Fiction sold over a million copies within two days of its release. The game is being considered for a film adaptation in collaboration with Story Kitchen, but co-founder Josef Fares is skeptical about its progress. The studio plans to continue creating original co-op experiences and has no intention of developing live service games.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

GTA 6’s preposterously-gorgeous second trailer has me thinking ‘no-one does it like Rockstar’ isn’t just a compliment, but an omen

The trailer for Grand Theft Auto 6 has been released, showcasing impressive graphics and attention to detail. The game is set for release in 2026 and is expected to be one of the most successful video games in history. Rockstar Games is in a strong position, with GTA Online generating significant revenue, allowing for a lengthy development period. Despite challenges in the gaming industry, including layoffs and the struggles of several studios, major projects like GTA 6 and others from prominent developers are underway. The development of Red Dead Redemption 2 faced issues related to crunch periods, but Rockstar has committed to improving working conditions.

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

CHARTS: Clair Obscur Expedition 33 rose to No.2 in second week

Last week, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 rose to the second highest grossing title on Steam, moving up from third place. Counter-Strike 2 is the top grossing title, while The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered dropped to third. The Steam Deck is fourth, and Schedule 1 is fifth. REPO is now sixth, Rust jumped 32 spots to seventh, and V Rising rose 32 positions to eighth. PUBG: Battlegrounds is ninth, and War Thunder is tenth. The Steam Top Ten for the week ending May 6th is as follows: 1. Counter-Strike 2, Valve 2. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, Kepler Interactive 3. The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered, Bethesda 4. Steam Deck, Valve 5. Schedule 1, TVGS 6. REPO, Semiwork 7. Rust, Facepunch 8. V Rising, Stunlock Studios 9. PUBG: Battlegrounds, Krafton 10. War Thunder, Gaijin

AppWizard

May 6, 2025

Compulsion boss says Xbox isn’t mandating generative AI

Guillaume Provost, head of Compulsion Games, stated that Microsoft does not mandate the use of generative AI in its first-party studios, allowing developers creative autonomy. He emphasized Compulsion Games' commitment to craftsmanship and artistry, indicating that while generative AI could be beneficial in the pre-production phase for tasks like creating storyboards, it is not intended for use in production. Provost noted that Compulsion Games may not be at the forefront of AI adoption due to the nature of their projects, and this aligns with Microsoft's broader vision of innovation without compromising traditional game development practices.