So, what does Microsoft buying Activision Blizzard really mean for regular game developers — and game platforms? Well, firstly — it’s fractally complex. No one deal like this is transformative, and no one deal can significantly hasten the path to “the future.” But this acquisition — which used the equivalent of over half of Microsoft’s $130 billion “cash on hand,” […]

The League of Legends series Arcane is still fresh in players’ mind after a three-part debut on Netflix, so it’s no surprise that Riot is returning to that well for its lineup of games. Teamfight Tactics, the non-canon, auto-chess spinoff that lets players build a roster of champions from League of Legends, is adding Arcane antagonist Silco to the fray. […]

Xbox Game Pass is setting subscribers up for a big December as new games like Halo Infinite, Anvil, and Archvale come to the service, along with older favorites like Among Us, Lawn Mower Simulator, and Stardew Valley. Subscribers will also get access to Final Fantasy XIII-2, Rubber Bandits, Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator, One Piece Pirate Warriors […]

Following a ruling in Fortnite creator Epic Games’ lawsuit against Apple, Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says Apple will blacklist Fortnite from its ecosystem until its appeals process makes the judgment final. “Apple lied,” Sweeney said on Twitter. “Apple spent a year telling the world, the court, and the press they’d ‘welcome Epic’s return to the App Store if they agree […]

Netflix has acquired Oxenfree developer Night School Studio, the companies announced Tuesday. The game studio, known for its branching narratives, will create original games for the streaming platform’s nascent foray into video games. Night School Studio founder Sean Krankel said in a blog post about the acquisition that the company will continue working on Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals, which it […]

Hearthstone’s next game mode is Mercenaries, a turn-based RPG starring a tiny squad of Warcraft characters (and at least one non-Warcraft character). Players have a collection of Mercenary characters that they can pit against competing teams in both PvP and PvE modes. Blizzard will release Mercenaries on Oct. 12. Players will start with eight Mercenary characters and the main hub, […]

Hayao Miyazaki’s influence is seen beyond film, and in games across the entire industry. But never before have I felt as if I was playing inside of a Studio Ghibli film until my hourlong experience with Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. Created by Taiwanese developer Silver Lining Studio, Behind the Frame is mostly a short, interactive-fiction game about a […]

Some of the greatest games take the novel experiences of real life and translate them into a cunning virtual experience. For example, this train building game by James Vanas is reminiscent of the feeling of holding one of those plastic 3D bookmarks sold in tchotchke tourist shops. As you tilt it, the game moves like a holographic card. We have […]

The campaign pressing Niantic to re-implement Pokémon Go bonuses and concessions made for social distancing and the COVID-19 pandemic gathered new momentum on Thursday with an open letter, written by the game’s biggest players and influencers, and backed by their large social media audiences. The letter, posted this morning on the Pokémon subreddit The Silph Road, is signed by 28 […]

Riot Games has introduced a new event to the world of Runeterra, where the Ruined King Viego scours the world of League of Legends in search of his dead wife’s soul. To send him and his undead army back, an ancient order called the Sentinels of Light rise up. The group’s leaders, Senna and Lucian, gather up an unlikely band […]