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XCOM designer Jake Solomon announces surprise closure of his studio alongside a first look at its canceled life sim, 'the game we poured our hearts into'
AppWizard
February 20, 2026

XCOM designer Jake Solomon announces surprise closure of his studio alongside a first look at its canceled life sim, ‘the game we poured our hearts into’

Jake Solomon, founder of Midsummer Studios, announced the studio's closure and shared a gameplay video of "Burbank," a life simulation game. The game aimed to empower players as storytellers and was described as a blend of "Life Sims + The Truman Show." Despite receiving an 88% review score and being a Game of the Year runner-up for "Midnight Suns," the studio struggled with sales. Midsummer Studios had secured funding from various venture capital partners and Krafton but was seeking additional funding rounds. The gameplay footage of Burbank featured a polished aesthetic, with plans to use generative AI for character voices while ensuring visual art was created by human artists.
Valve's new Steam AI disclosure cares about what you actually see, stressing that behind-the-scenes dev tools are "not the focus"
AppWizard
January 17, 2026

Valve’s new Steam AI disclosure cares about what you actually see, stressing that behind-the-scenes dev tools are “not the focus”

Valve has updated the declaration form for game submissions to Steam, emphasizing the need for developers to disclose any AI-generated content that is "consumed by players," including art assets, music, writing, and marketing materials. This change shifts the focus from development tools to the actual content delivered to players. Developers are required to declare AI-generated elements such as artwork, sound, and narrative. Valve has maintained a separate check for games using AI to generate content or code during gameplay, allowing players to report inappropriate content and holding developers responsible for safeguarding against such issues. The update clarifies the use of AI in game development without completely overhauling the previous guidelines.
Windows 11 25H2 heralds the dawn of Intelligent Computing
Winsage
November 30, 2025

Windows 11 25H2 heralds the dawn of Intelligent Computing

Windows 11 Version 25H2 was released on November 30, 2025, marking a shift from traditional operating system upgrades to a model where Windows is treated as a living service that evolves through feature updates. This version integrates artificial intelligence, notably through the Copilot tool, enhancing user interaction by providing intelligent assistance. The update also improves performance, reliability, and security, addressing increasing cyber threats with fortified default settings and better encryption. Design refinements enhance user experience and accessibility, while energy efficiency optimizations contribute to sustainability. The retirement of Windows 10 in October 2025 emphasizes the importance of Windows 11 as the future platform, with no immediate plans for a Windows 12 release.
Valve dev counters calls to scrap Steam AI disclosures, says it's a "technology relying on cultural laundering, IP infringement, and slopification"
AppWizard
November 28, 2025

Valve dev counters calls to scrap Steam AI disclosures, says it’s a “technology relying on cultural laundering, IP infringement, and slopification”

Tim Sweeney, CEO of Epic Games, criticized the requirement for AI disclosures on Steam store pages, calling them nonsensical and asserting that AI will become essential in game development. A Valve developer suggested that only those aware their products lack depth fear these disclosures. Games like Arc Raiders and Call of Duty Black Ops 7 have adopted AI and must disclose this on Steam. Ayi Sanchez, an artist at Valve, supports AI disclosures, comparing them to ingredient lists for food products to ensure consumer awareness. He argues that transparency is crucial for informed consumer choices and emphasizes the importance of creators over AI-generated content.
New Dev and Beta Build Enables New Agentic Features
Winsage
November 18, 2025

New Dev and Beta Build Enables New Agentic Features

Microsoft has released new preview builds of Windows 11 version 25H2, specifically build 26220.7262, to the Dev and Beta channels within the Windows Insider Program via cumulative update KB5070303. Key updates include: - An experimental toggle for AI components that allows users to enable or disable agentic features. - High-definition voices in Narrator and Magnifier for U.S. English users, featuring one male and one female voice powered by Azure-based text-to-speech models. - An upgrade to the Narrator tool, which can now read mathematical equations in Microsoft 365 desktop applications. - Improvements to the Click to Do context menu for easier access to actions like Copy, Save, Share, and Open, with automatic appearance for large images or tables. - Other adjustments include the temporary disabling of Image Object Selection, minor enhancements to Teaching Tips and Pen Input, and ongoing configuration of the AI Actions feature, along with various bug fixes.
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