Game Development
The 14 best games that aren't about killing stuff
Too often it seems like all video games are about gunning down Nazi zombies or assassinating Medicis. Sometimes, you don't want the fate of the universe, or all of humanity, or <i>whatever</i>, resting on your shoulders.<p>These are the best non-violent games for when you just need to chill.<p><i>Tim Mulkerin</i> …
EntertainmentCommentary: Video games are emasculating young men
A 2017 study from Princeton University and the University of Chicago revealed some staggering figures — essentially, young American men are choosing video gaming over work.<p>Read that again and let it sink in: Young American men are choosing <i>video gaming</i> over <i>work</i>.<p>The study said that the number of work …
Conservative ViewStunning visual puzzler 'The Witness' arrives on iOS
After months of teases and rumour, striking 3D puzzle game <i>The Witness</i> has finally landed in the App Store, for both iPhone and iPad. Likened to a modern-day <i>Myst</i>, the open world game sees players wake up on a strange, colorful island with no memory of who they are or how they got there. Only by …
GamingOne of 2016's best games just arrived on iPhone and iPad
Beautiful and brilliant puzzle game "The Witness" is available now on iPhone and iPad. It costs $10, and it's beyond worth your time.<p>Did you play "Monument Valley" or its sequel on your iPhone or iPad? Perhaps you loved it? Then "The Witness" is for you. It's a brilliant puzzle game that demands …
EntertainmentWhy video games cost so much to make
Video game publishers are notoriously secretive about the budgets behind their games, but when a number does slip out, it can be shocking. Games like</i> …
Red Dead RedemptionBaldur's Gate - A 10th anniversary retrospective
BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk discuss how they formed BioWare and created their classic RPG on the 10th anniversary of</i> …
Game Design‘The Video Game Years’ Is The ‘Best Week Ever’ Of Video Game Nostalgia
Video games have the uncanny ability to make almost anything cool. Case in point, sewers. Video games rebranded these cesspools of waste as the cool …
Entertainment'The Witness' Review - Lost in a Maze
From the outset, <i>The Witness</i> [$9.99] is a video game that defies expectations. After a loading screen that suggests ‘for the best experience, use …
Gaming IndustryClassic Postmortem: Firaxis' Civilization V
<b>In honor of the 7th anniversary of the release of the classic strategy title Civilization V, we present this classic postmortem, which first appeared</b> …
Game DesignUnity Launches Machine Learning Agents; Turns Unity Creation Engine Into Artificial Intelligence Powerhouse
Unity Technologies, the creator of the world’s most popular creation engine that reaches nearly 3 billion devices worldwide, has today announced the …
Machine LearningThe New Tomb Raider Will Hold You Over Between Wonder Woman Movies
It was only a matter of time before Lara Croft's tales of tomb raiding got the reboot treatment, and fortunately, the first trailer for the new <i>Tomb Raider</i> looks like a sufficiently fun ride. It might even be the thing we need to forget that the <i>Wonder Woman</i> sequel doesn't come out until the end of …
Tomb RaiderChartboost uses automated ad partners to make more money for mobile game devs
Chartboost has created marketing tools for mobile game developers since 2011, and today it is launching its Chartboost Exchange, giving developers and brand advertisers access to new kinds of automated advertising tools.<p>San Francisco-based Chartboost is opening programmatic access to its in-app …
AdvertisingJapanese video gaming adapting new tech for familiar titles
CHIBA, Japan (AP) — The Japanese video game industry is finding its way out of the doldrums by adapting new technology for decades-old titles. And that energy was evident at the annual Tokyo Game Show, which opened to media Thursday before opening to the public over the weekend.<p>"Our old fans used …
BusinessThe Art & Business of Making Games
<b>September 21, 2017</b><p>Infinity Ward / Activision <br>Engine Software Engineer<br>• Infinity Ward / Activision <br>Sr. Core Systems Engineer<br>• Infinity Ward / Activision …
Game DesignVersus Evil to publish Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire
<b>Obsidian’s cRPG sequel Pillars of Eternity II: Deadfire finds a publisher.</b><p>The sequel to the critically acclaimed – and mostly well-received – <i>Pillars</i> …
GamingCryEngine 5.4 introduces Substance integration and (beta) Vulkan support
After launching into preview two months back, Crytek has released the next full CryEngine update, officially bringing beta Vulkan API support to the …
Game DesignExclusive Interview: Composer Jason Graves talks video game soundtracks
<i>Sean Wilson chats to the Tomb Raider and Far Cry composer about what makes a truly great score…</i><p>Video game music has come on extraordinary leaps and …
Tomb RaiderOwlchemy shares lessons learned making Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality
A few months ago, Owlchemy Labs followed up its success with <i>Job Simulator</i> by releasing <i>Rick & Morty: Virtual Rick-ality</i>, a VR game that expands on …
Game DesignNIER: AUTOMATA SHIPMENTS AND DIGITAL SALES EXCEED TWO MILLION
<i>[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Gamasutra and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource GamesPress.]</i><p><b>LONDON</b> …
Game DesignHTC promises more VR innovation following $1.1B Google deal
HTC is letting some of its talent join Google as part of a $1.1 billion "cooperation agreement" in an effort to expand its smartphone and Vive …
Game DesignReport: Buried in the Switch is code to run NES Golf on the date Iwata died
Word got around this weekend that there may be an emulator that runs the 1984 Nintendo Entertainment System game <i>Golf</i> coded into Nintendo's new Switch …
Game DesignTomb Raider poster gets it in the neck
<b>A poster and action-packed trailer for the new Tomb Raider film has been released - but all everyone's talking about is Alicia Vikander's neck.</b><p>The Oscar-winning actress appears to be the victim of some distinctly dodgy Photoshop in the poster for the film.<p>"Is it just me or is there something off …
MoviesValve’s solution to Steam review-bombing makes no sense
I was target of a review bombing campaign years ago, when I released Telepath RPG: Servants of God on Desura. I had committed the sin of pricing a role-playing game higher than what some players wished to pay, and the offended crowd took it upon themselves to down-vote the game en masse. They …
Gaming IndustryFlappy Bird no longer playable with iOS 11, creator says final goodbye to game
I will remember you<p><i>Flappy Bird</i> is officially dead.<p>Dong Nguyen, the creator of one of the iPhone’s most popular games, has confirmed he isn’t going to update the software for Apple’s newest operating system update. iOS 11 doesn’t support 32-bit apps, instead switching over to 64-bit. Nguyen could …
TechnologyTop video game dev nerve-center Unity can now be used to train AI
Unity, the most popular cross-platform game engine favored by video game developers, on Tuesday opened up its platform for machine learning …
Machine LearningThe state of the VR industry: devs weigh in
Virtual reality has had a shaky 18 months. After years of hype about the world-changing potential of its second coming (following a dud first wave in …
Game DesigniOS’s early AR games play with perspective and pigeons
Augmented reality is one of the most talked-about features of the iOS 11 launch. When Apple unveiled its ARKit, it told developers it wanted to make iOS the “the largest AR platform in the world.”<p>Studios have published apps and games that are testing out new features and playing with the new tech, …
Augmented RealityThe World Doesn’t Need Another Reboot, Unless It’s ‘Tomb Raider’
Maybe you are like me, and you have grown weary of assassin movies generally and pretty-lady-is-secretly-a-dangerous-killer movies in particular. …
MoviesFrisco Game Developer Gearbox Withdraws Resources After Disappointing Battleborn Launch
<i>Battleborn</i> creative director Randy Varnell announced that updates to the video game would soon be coming to an end, but he followed up with big plans …
DallasSnapchat’s new partners attach instant apps and games to ads
Snap wants its ads to open to something interesting rather than a boring mobile website. Today Snap announced 14 new ad Creative Partners that will help build custom games, interactive videos, gyroscope-powered epxeriences, lead generation campaigns, and pre-loaded Instant Apps as destinations for …
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