Tag: Video Game Industry
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Vince Zampella Dies in Car Crash: Call of Duty Co-Creator Remembered
Overview Veteran game developer and executive Vince Zampella, known for co-creating the blockbuster first‑person shooter Call of Duty, has died in a car crash on a scenic road north of Los Angeles, according to the local NBC‑owned station NBC4. The report states he was driving a Ferrari when the incident occurred. News of Zampella’s passing…
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How Super Mario Bros. Shaped Hideo Kojima’s Path to Game Creation
Introduction: A Landmark Admission In a revealing moment about his artistic origins, legendary game designer Hideo Kojima stated that Super Mario Bros. played a foundational role in his decision to enter the video game industry. This confession shines a light on the unlikely chain of inspiration that propels creative careers. If not for Mario’s world-creating…
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AI in Game Dev: Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Hero Says AI Is Here to Stay, Sparks Debate
Introduction: A Split in the Game Dev Community The conversation around artificial intelligence in game development heated up this week after prominent industry voices weighed in on how generative AI should be used in creating the next big titles. A social media backlash followed remarks from a major studio leader, prompting a broader discussion about…
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Sony Wins Confidential Settlement Over Horizon Clone, Light of Motiram Removed from Major Stores
Overview: A Quiet Resolution to a High-Profile Dispute Sony and Tencent have reportedly settled their legal dispute over a game that critics described as a clone of Sony’s Horizon series. The settlement, described as confidential by both parties, brings an end to a chapter that had drawn attention from players and industry observers alike. As…
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Black Ops 7 Tops US Nov Sales, But COD Standards Slip
Summary: A Bestseller Despite a Benchmark Gap The November 2025 sales landscape in the United States placed Black Ops 7 at the top of the charts, marking a notable victory for the franchise’s newest entry. Yet the performance didn’t fully align with the high-water marks traditionally associated with the Call of Duty universe. Analysts describe…
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Yoko Taro: NieR Creator’s Canceled Projects and the 404 Re:set Saga
Introduction: A Visionary’s Projects in Limbo Yoko Taro, the mind behind NieR and a distinctive voice in the world of video games, has long been associated with bold ideas that push genre boundaries. Yet in recent years, fans have seen more headlines about projects stalling or being cancelled than about new releases. The most notable…
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Why Yoko Taro Keeps Trying to Make Games — and Why They Keep Getting Cancelled
Introduction: A Vision That Won’t Quit Yoko Taro, the mind behind the *Nier* franchise and a long-time provocateur in the video game industry, has a reputation for pushing boundaries, embracing unconventional storytelling, and courting risk. Lately, fans and industry observers have noted a familiar pattern: new projects announced with bold ideas, only to be shelved…
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ARC Raiders Surges: Four Million Gamers Battle to Survive
Arc Raiders Reaches a New Milestone Embark Studios’ cooperative shooter ARC Raiders has crossed a significant milestone, surpassing four million unit sales worldwide and maintaining impressive engagement with more than 700,000 concurrent players across platforms. The figure, reported by Nexon and Embark Studios, reinforces ARC Raiders’ status as a major player in the live-service shooter…
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NetEase Cuts Losses: Fantastic Pixel Castle Jettisoned After Less Than Two Years
Overview: NetEase Ends Internal Studio Ties In a surprising move, NetEase has severed ties with its internal development studio Fantastic Pixel Castle, less than two years after the studio formed to work on a new triple-A MMO project codenamed “Ghost.” The announcement signals a reevaluation of NetEase’s internal investment strategy as the publisher/search for external…
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NetEase Cuts Ties With Fantastic Pixel Castle: Studio Faces Redundancies Without a Publisher
NetEase Severes Ties With Fantastic Pixel Castle In a move that underscores the ongoing financial and strategic pressures in the global game industry, NetEase has ended its internal studio arrangement with Fantastic Pixel Castle. The decision comes less than two years after the studio’s formation, signaling a difficult period for a team that had been…