#Publishing

Trophy Games acquires Airport Simulator: First Class developer Playrion from Paradox Interactive

Danish studio Trophy Games has acquired Airport Simulator: First Class developer Playrion from Paradox Interactive for a €2.25 million upfront payment plus a three-year earn-out based on net revenue performance, with 30 Playrion employees joining Trophy Games. Trophy Games plans to build a new simulation game series around Airport Simulator, repeating the approach it used after acquiring Airline Manager 4 in 2021. Paradox Interactive CEO Fredrik Wester said the deal aligns its operations around developing and publishing strategy and management games primarily for PC and console.

What developers need to know about funding a game with Kickstarter in 2026

Games companies raised $26 million on Kickstarter in 2025, level with 2024, with 443 video game projects successfully funded, including 55 over $100,000 and 11 over $500,000, according to Ico Partners' Thomas Bidaux. Bidaux says early indicators suggest 2026 will be in line with 2025's pace, but projects now need release-quality footage, ideally a demo, and an already engaged audience, since crowdfunding is fundamentally a marketing and community exercise. Skyhook Games' David Harper says Lawn Mowing Simulator 2's campaign fell below its target in the final 24 hours after a large pledge was removed, and only completed after Kickstarter extended it by a week.

Crowdfunded JRPG Armed Fantasia cancelled as 505 Games parent Digital Bros halts development

Digital Bros announced in a financial statement that Armed Fantasia, published by 505 Games, has had its development discontinued, along with a Battle Islands sequel and Directorate Novitiate. The game raised ¥379,328,385 in a 2022 Double Kickstarter with Penny Blood, missed its planned March 2025 launch and was later delayed indefinitely.

Luma Island is coming to PS5

Feel Free Games announced that Luma Island is coming to PS5, and it can be wishlisted on PlayStation Store starting today. The game launched on PC in November 2024 and has drawn more than 800,000 players, with online co-op for up to 4 players and cross-platform play across PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. It offers three difficulty modes — Cozy, Adventure and Hero — with no stamina bars or inventory limits.

MobyGames Lets Developers Claim Games They Weren't Credited For

Atari-owned MobyGames has launched MobyGames Professional, a paid tier currently in beta with a 1.0 release planned for autumn, allowing developers to claim their game credit pages and build portfolio pages. Product manager Reece Denzel told GamesIndustry.biz at Gamescom that thousands of developers have claimed their pages, with a human-driven verification process to confirm identities while the existing credit verification method remains unchanged. The service also includes a jobs database that matches industry openings to developers based on their work history, genres, and platforms.

TinyBuild revenue rises 18% to $20m in H1 2026, with 85% from first and second-party owned IP

TinyBuild reported an 18% revenue increase to $20 million for the six months ending June 30, 2026, with 85% of gaming revenue coming from first and second-party owned IP. Back catalogue titles accounted for 68% of gaming revenue, supported by evergreen titles including Hello Neighbor and Graveyard Keeper. Gross profit fell from $10.4 million to $9.8 million and adjusted EBITDA dropped from $4.2 million to $3.2 million, while headcount remained broadly stable at nearly 200 employees.

Aion 2 Steam test peaks at 73,000 concurrent players as monetization and art debates carry into global launch

Aion 2's global Steam PC stress test, which began on September 17, reached 73,000 concurrent players on SteamDB, with the full release set for October 5. The article recounts the backlash from its earlier Korea and Taiwan launch over stat-boosting items in loot boxes and core features locked behind paid memberships, and notes that NCsoft adjusted or removed some disputed items during the test. It also covers overseas discussion of differing male and female character outfits and NCsoft's broader push to move beyond traditional MMOs.

Data Analysis: How to Predict a Game's Final Performance Using Steam Demo Concurrent Players?

GamesDiscover compared data from over 2,500 Steam games and found that, by median, a game's peak concurrent players is 3.01 times its demo CCU. The sample covers 2,569 games launched between January 2024 and August 2026 with demo CCU above 50, where the top 20–30% of demos convert at 6.24x and the bottom 20–30% at just 1.29x.

Lord of the Rings Games Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War Finally Come to Switch 2

The acclaimed Lord of the Rings games Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War are finally coming to Switch 2 on 30th September, with all previously released DLC included. Aspyr handled the conversions, and both games are available in a new bundle that can be pre-ordered for 50 percent off, with the bundle priced at £62.99 / $70 without the discount.

New Publisher PUBLSH Launches With Disco Elysium-Inspired Title Pera Coda

New publisher PUBLSH has been founded by former leadership from marketing agency Petrol, co-founded in 2025 by CEO Ben Granados and chief strategy officer Samuel Clarke. Its first title is the episodic murder mystery Pera Coda, a Disco Elysium-inspired game from Turkish studio Elyzio and its internal division Falan Studio, launching on PC in 2027. PUBLSH aims to publish roughly four to five games per year, focusing on projects with development budgets below $20 million.

Undead Labs lays off staff after splitting from Xbox, will find a new publisher for State of Decay 3

Undead Labs has become an independent, employee-owned studio after divesting from Xbox, and announced it is laying off a significant number of employees, some of whom worked on State of Decay 3. The studio will now work with a new publisher to release State of Decay 3, which is still slated for a day one launch on Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft said the studio regained independence on terms similar to Double Fine and Compulsion, which split from Xbox earlier this year with their IP, back catalogs and runway funding.

2026 Japan Games Market Insight Report: Japan Mobile Game IAP Revenue Tops $10 Billion

From August 2025 to July 2026, Japan's mobile game in-app purchase (IAP) revenue exceeded $10 billion (1.56 trillion yen), down 5.1% year-on-year and second in Asia only to China's iOS market. Downloads reached 585 million, ranking 9th globally. eFootball became Japan's top-grossing mobile game from January to July 2026, with record revenue in July.

The PC/Console market hit $30 billion last year across Playstation, Xbox, and Steam.

How Nex Playground is beating expectations during a hardware crisis

Nex Playground has expanded beyond the United States to Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany, with UK sales velocity beating internal weekly and monthly targets. Nex also secured $150 million in equity and debt financing and now makes hardware in Mexico as well as China to shorten lead times. The company says its subscription-driven model kept it profitable last year and is likely to do so again this year.

Xbox lays off 268 people as Activision takes over Halo and Rare, Obsidian joins Bethesda

Xbox is cutting 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios and the XGS management and central functions layer. Activision takes custody of the Halo series along with Age of Empires developer World's Edge and Sea of Thieves maker Rare, while Obsidian moves into Bethesda and Playground Games merges with Turn 10 Studios. Ninja Theory is consulting on a likely closure and Arkane's future is expected to be discussed through the end of the year.

Added a statement from Activision's president regarding Halo, says they've "begun assembling" a team for the next Halo.

Escape From Tarkov Dev Bets on 'Risky' Games With New Publishing Arm

Battlestate Games Publishing, the new publishing arm of Escape from Tarkov developer Battlestate Games, aims to support "hardcore" and "risky" projects, COO Nikita Buyanov said. The label has already received more than 100 pitches, with "maybe five to ten games" already suitable. Buyanov said the effort is more of an experiment focused on risky ideas than potential profits.

Xbox continues reset with Halo Studios layoffs and Undead Labs divestment

Xbox has laid off another 268 employees as part of the restructuring it began in July 2026, affecting Halo Studios, other first-party teams, and the Xbox Game Studios management and central functions layer; Matt Booty said the division is roughly three-quarters of the way through the previously announced restructuring. Undead Labs has transitioned out of Xbox on terms similar to Double Fine and will release State of Decay 3 day one on Game Pass with a new publisher, while Ninja Theory faces a proposed closure and Arkane remains in consultation. Xbox is also merging internal studios, moving Rare and World's Edge under Activision, placing Obsidian under Bethesda, adding Microsoft Casual Games to King, and combining Playground Games and Turn 10, with Activision developing the next Halo led by a new purpose-built team.

NEW: Nearly 300 more jobs cut at Microsoft's gaming team (part of 3,200 announced in July). Majority at Halo Studios, reduced to support

Xbox transfers Rare and Halo to Activision, proposes closing Ninja Theory and cuts another 268 roles

Xbox is transferring Rare and ownership of the Halo franchise to Activision, proposing the closure of Ninja Theory with a staff consultation, and cutting 268 roles in the restructure. Activision will also take on World's Edge and build a new team for the next Halo, Bethesda will absorb Obsidian, Playground and Turn 10 will merge into one studio for Forza and Fable, and Undead Labs has left the business and will release State of Decay 3 day one on Game Pass with a new publisher. Xbox said it is roughly three-quarters of the way through a planned 3,200 job cuts this year.

Secret Mode Bets on Two Pillars: Pure Indie and Higher-Budget Games

UK publisher Secret Mode, now independent from Sumo Digital, is targeting two pillars: pure indie titles and higher-budget games like Star Wars: Galactic Racer, due out on October 6. Chief publishing officer James Schall says the company has seen phenomenal growth over the past 18 months. Secret Mode has also taken on publishing and ongoing development for Escape the Backrooms and Chained Together, and opened its own internal studio in Sheffield.

Xbox reportedly set to announce second round of layoffs this week

Xbox is reportedly preparing a second round of layoffs this week, with a source saying the company will consolidate several of its game studios, according to The Information. VGC reports this could involve mergers or internal changes at Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda, Activision and Blizzard. Xbox had announced plans to cut 3,200 employees in July, with the first round resulting in 1,600 redundancies and the divestment of five internal studios.

Weeks before GTA 6, Rockstar updates mod guidelines restricting missions, maps, storylines and third-party IP

Rockstar Games updated its mod guidelines earlier this month, with the changes circulating online more recently, imposing tighter limits on the modding community. Mods may no longer expand or modify Rockstar's official storylines, plots, missions, characters or established continuity, or mix maps, assets and characters between its games, and multiplayer modding is limited to the official licensed Creator Platform. The rules also bar protected third-party intellectual property in GTA or Red Dead Redemption mods, running mods on platforms where the games were not officially released, and monetisation without Creator Platform permission.

PM Studios mourns PlayStation disc production ending, sees promise in AA market

Sony has announced it will end disc production for PlayStation in January 2028, a decision PM Studios CEO Michael Yum calls "sad and devastating." PM Studios, which handled physical publishing for Black Myth: Wukong, will keep supporting physical releases through code-in-a-box and premium collector editions while investing more in digital titles and AA games, including funding Telltale's The Wolf Among Us 2.

Hideo Kojima describes the scramble to find a new publisher for Physint after Sony pulled funding

In an interview with IGN, Hideo Kojima described the three-month search for new funding and publishing partners after Sony Interactive Entertainment stopped supporting Physint, which ended in a deal with Microsoft-owned Xbox. He said he feared for Kojima Productions' cashflow, moved some Physint developers to the OD team days later, and has not laid off staff. He also mentioned a bank loan taken out after Death Stranding released and pitched Physint as a new IP that could attract film, TV and streaming producers.

French publisher Dear Villagers confirms layoffs of around 15 staff

French publisher Dear Villagers has laid off around 15 employees, down from a workforce of roughly 20 before the cuts. The company said the downsizing follows a reorganization of operations by its owner Plug In Digital, and that it intends to keep publishing and producing games. A spokesperson said the workforce reduction plan affects approximately fifteen positions and that final figures are not yet available, while impacted employees said on LinkedIn that the vast majority of the team, including almost all of QA, was laid off.

Hideo Kojima recounts Physint's move from PlayStation to Xbox as his studio calls itself healthy and profitable

In an interview with IGN, Hideo Kojima said Sony told him in a June Zoom call that it would no longer fund development of Physint, after which he sought a new publisher and the project landed with Xbox. He said he is not in a dispute with Sony and that work on Physint never stopped, though only a small team stayed on key parts while others moved to the Xbox-published horror game OD. Kojima Productions also issued a statement saying the Bloomberg report's claims about its PlayStation relationship, Death Stranding franchise sales, and Physint production planning came from no official or on-the-record source, and that the studio is in a healthy, profitable state.

Hideo Kojima says he "couldn't understand" why Sony put Physint on its cancellation list

Hideo Kojima told The Washington Post he could not understand why Sony put Physint on its list of cancelled projects, calling it the biggest-selling title he could possibly create. He said Kojima Productions received notice from PlayStation Studios in mid-June that funding would stop, then found Xbox as a new partner, with no layoffs and a small team continuing Physint while others moved to OD. Kojima said Physint's plot and game concept are complete, 3D models of its actors are underway, and the studio's relationship with Sony remains strong.

Chuapp Weekly Industry Roundup: TGS2026 Opens, Phantom Blade Zero Passes 3 Million Wishlists, Aniimo Hits 120,000 Concurrent Steam Players

Chuapp rounds up the week's industry news: TGS2026 opened on September 17 with a five-day run through September 21, featuring 759 exhibitors and 3,946 booths, while Chinese exhibitors fell to 93 from last year. Gamma Data's August report put China's domestic game revenue at 31.627 billion yuan, up 8.08% year on year, with Lord of the Mysteries topping 100 million yuan in first-month revenue. Phantom Blade Zero passed 3 million wishlists, Aniimo hit over 120,000 concurrent Steam players on its PC launch day, and Wardogs sold over 2 million copies within five days of its early access release.

Strauss Zelnick Says a Well-Known Franchise Like GTA Still Needs Marketing: "You Always Have to Go Out and Create Enthusiasm"

Take-Two president Strauss Zelnick said even a well-known franchise like GTA still needs marketing, because "you always have to go out and create enthusiasm." He pointed to the Barbie movie as an example of a globally recognized IP that was still marketed heavily. He noted Rockstar's campaign so far has included a soundtrack album, a Dazed cover story, and an exclusive 27-minute Netflix preview that drew 31.1 million views in four days.

Dredge maker Black Salt Games establishes indie studio Team Trifold under new Saltworks Entertainment label

Dredge creator Black Salt Games has launched a new studio, Team Trifold, along with a white-label publisher called Saltworks Entertainment that will serve three New Zealand indie studios. Black Salt Games is funding the development and publishing of Team Trifold's debut game Nothing Lost, which aims to turn the roguelike loop on its head by using death as a core progression mechanic.

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick Says GTA VI Needs to Be 'Marketed Aggressively' Despite Global Brand Awareness

Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said Grand Theft Auto VI still needs to be "marketed aggressively" even though the brand is globally known, arguing that awareness and enthusiasm are different things. Speaking at a GamesBeat Insider fireside chat, he cited the Barbie movie as an example of a recognizable property that still had a robust marketing campaign. He also said marketing cannot convince people that something bad is good.

Publisher drops unannounced game, Heart Machine lays off "nearly everyone"

Heart Machine, the studio behind Hyper Light Drifter, has laid off nearly all of its staff after a publisher decided not to move forward with an unannounced title. Founder Alx Preston confirmed the cuts on LinkedIn, saying the studio still exists but is in a precarious position and that affected staff will receive placement support. The cancelled game would have been Heart Machine's fifth, following Hyper Light Breaker's halted development and a smaller round of layoffs, with Possessor(s) released weeks later.

Nex Playground heads to Germany as publishers pitch old Kinect and Wii catalogues

Nex Playground will officially launch in Germany later this year at €319, after its UK debut and a US launch that the company says beat forecasts. Nex Team president Thomas Kang said every major publisher has approached the company to review its old Kinect and Wii catalogues and consider their IPs. The US price rose from $249 to $299 earlier this year due to component and memory shortages, while the Play Pass subscription stays at $89 annually or $49 quarterly.

Nex Playground raises $150m as hardware sales pass one million

Nex has raised $150 million in funding as sales of its family-oriented active console Nex Playground passed one million units. Its subscriber base grew sevenfold over the past 18 months to nearly one million active subscribers, a figure Nex expects to surpass by the end of the year. The Series E round was co-led by Baillie Gifford and BAI Capital, with participation from NBA Investments, Logitech, Medici Capital Partners and the Raine Group, and will fund international expansion including Germany later this year and Japan and Korea in 2027. Nex also appointed former Niantic and Zynga executive Jeff Shouger as CFO, with Bing Gordon joining its board.

Nex Playground maker Nex raises over $150 million to expand globally

Nex, the company behind the controller-free Nex Playground console, has raised over $150 million in equity and debt financing to accelerate its international expansion, with Europe and Asia as key target regions. Nex Playground has sold over 1 million units worldwide and outsold the Xbox Series X|S in the United States during the 2025 holiday season. The financing includes a Series E led by Baillie Gifford and BAI Capital with participation from NBA Investments, Logitech, Medici Capital Partners and the Raine Group, plus a new credit facility with JPMorgan, and Nex has named former Niantic, Zynga and EA executive Jeff Shouger as chief financial officer.

Bill Skarsgard will star as the hero in Hideo Kojima’s PHYSINT.

1312 Interactive raises $1m in seed funding round

1312 Interactive, India's first dedicated PC and console game publishing house, has raised $1 million in a seed round led by T-Accelerate Capital and ChimeraVC, with participation from Ventana Ventures, Rahul Reddy G., Rohan Murukutla and Dasari Srinivas. The funds will support its publishing infrastructure, including expansion into emerging markets and ongoing support for developers in production, marketing, QA, localisation and distribution. The company is also launching 1312 Playground, a community-led initiative offering studios playtesting, feedback and audience insights before launch.

The Secret to Warframe's Longevity Is Hidden in This Player Meetup

Warframe held its official offline event TennoVIP in Xi'an on September 12, turning it into a Chinese-style garden party with activities like print rubbing, paper-cutting and ring toss. The game, developed by Canada's Digital Extremes, has over 85 million registered users worldwide, about one-third of them from China, according to community director Megan Everett. Creative director Rebecca Ford revealed that a new Warframe inspired by Chang'e is expected to arrive in next year's autumn version.

Why the publisher of Nintendo Life is launching a new PC gaming site, Steam Hype

Hookshot has launched Steam Hype, a PC-focused outlet dedicated to "what's hot and what's next" on Steam, marking its fifth site alongside Nintendo Life, Push Square, Pure Xbox, and Time Extension. The site emphasizes human-led curation and recommendation, with a monthly playlist of new titles and a weekly list of notable updates and releases, overseen by Damien McFerran and led editorially by Dominic Tarason. Hookshot CEO Dickens says the company's majority-independent ownership lets it expand while others contract, with a goal of breaking even within a year.