game industry
Xbox's Restructuring Isn't Over: Reportedly Three More Layoff Waves Planned Through January
When Matt Booty addressed Xbox staff on September 22, the message in his "Continuing Our Reset" memo was one of nearing the finish line. The actions taken since July, he wrote, had brought the...
Liquid Swords Bankrupt: Samson Studio's Collapse and the 21 October IP Auction
What Actually Happened: The Bankruptcy, Explained Precision matters here, because a great deal of coverage has gotten the mechanics wrong. Liquid Swords AB (registration number 559275-6240) was...
Heart Machine Layoffs: Hyper Light Drifter Studio Loses "Nearly Everyone" After Publisher Cancels Unannounced Game
Heart Machine Lays Off "Nearly Everyone" After Publisher Cancels Unannounced Game On September 16, 2026, Alx Preston took to LinkedIn to deliver news that many in the independent game development...
Double Fine’s Independence Cost: 23 Laid Off Just Weeks After Xbox Exit
On July 6, 2026, Double Fine Productions was given a new lease on life. As part of a historic restructuring that rocked the entire Xbox organization, the beloved studio behind Psychonauts 2 was one...
id Software Insists It Still Has “The Crew We Need” After Losing Half Its Staff - Is That Enough?
For a studio that practically invented the first-person shooter, id Software has never been one to dodge a fight. But when the legendary developer posted a public statement on July 10, 2025, it...
Level-5's Quirky Pay Raise Program: Pass a Quiz on the Company's Games, Get a Significant Salary Bump
The Quiz: How It Works and Who Can Benefit The "knowledge quiz" covers Level-5's entire game library, stretching from the puzzle-box adventures of Professor Layton to the monster-collecting world of...
**"Bungie Was 'Very Close' to Collapse Before Sony's Emergency Acquisition," Ex-Employee Reveals - as Destiny 2 Surges and Marathon Stumbles**
The dominant narrative among the Destiny community has long been that Sony ruined Bungie. That the Japanese giant swooped in, paid $3.6 billion, and then mismanaged the legendary studio into layoffs,...
Saros Sales Hit 300K in Two Weeks – A Slow Start for Housemarque’s PS5 Exclusive
According to third-party analytics firm Alinea Analytics, Saros has sold approximately 300,000 copies in its first two weeks on the market, generating over $22 million in revenue. Against a reported...
The Untold Story: Why Shuhei Yoshida Says He Was Fired From Leading PlayStation Studios
The Architect of an Era: Yoshida's PlayStation Legacy To understand the weight of this revelation, one must first appreciate the legacy from which Yoshida was removed. For 11 years, from 2008 to...
Why Pete Hines Left Bethesda: Inside the Culture Clash After the Microsoft Acquisition
“I didn’t want to be around to watch it be damaged and abused.” This wasn’t a disgruntled employee’s parting shot, but the raw, protective sentiment of a 24-year veteran. In April 2024, Pete Hines,...