Latest game development news from across the industry
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XBox Wire
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9 hours, 35 minutes ago
XBox Wire
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1 day, 9 hours ago
Gamefromscratch
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14 hours, 2 minutes ago
LunarG
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1 day, 14 hours ago
Babylon.js 9.27.x is the one to watch: KHR_interactivity export support plus normalized occlusion queries and frame-graph coverage for splats, sprites, and particles. If you’re building glTF pipelines or GPU-heavy scenes, this cuts down custom glue and makes visibility/geometry handling more consistent across WebGL/WebGPU.
Tim Ruswick argues that “make small games” is bad shorthand: tiny projects still carry most of the same production overhead as larger ones. He says the real challenge is depth per system, not raw content count, and that small games often take longer because good ideas are harder to cut, polish, and finish.
XBox Wire says Minecraft is getting The Sift, its first new dimension in 14 years, with a playable debut in Minecraft Dungeons II on September 29. Mojang also plans to bring the dimension into Java and Bedrock in 2027, giving builders and modders a new space to explore.
XBox Wire says Minecraft LIVE returns this Saturday, putting fresh Minecraft news and updates back in front of players and creators. For developers, the event is worth watching for any new feature reveals, ecosystem changes, or tooling direction that could ripple through the broader sandbox and UGC space.
GameFromScratch reports that Meta has unveiled two upcoming "game engines" at Meta Connect 2026: Horizon Create and Horizon Studio. The pitch points toward AI-driven creation tools for Meta's Horizon ecosystem, with the resulting content apparently staying inside that platform. For developers, the bigger question is whether these tools are engines in any traditional sense or just a tightly scoped content pipeline.
GDC Festival of Gaming spotlights co-development as a trust-and-process problem, with Beth Elderkin speaking to XDS Spark co-founder Sam Carlisle on GDC Side Quest. The discussion is aimed at studios hiring external teams or joining them, with a focus on collaboration, expectations, and avoiding friction. It’s a timely reminder that co-dev success depends on more than just bandwidth.
XBox Wire says Used Cars Simulator is out now on Xbox Series X|S, blending car-flip management with sandbox chaos. Players inspect, negotiate, repair, customize, and resell vehicles, while also exploring, taking quests, and even dabbling in less legal ways to acquire stock.
Tim Ruswick is kicking off a live broadcast and inviting developers to jump into chat with questions. The format is lightweight and interactive, so the value will come from the discussion rather than a formal presentation. For teams, it’s a chance to hear practical takes and compare notes in real time.
Blender is marking 20 years of Open Movies, a run that spans 17 titles and helped define its community-driven production model. To celebrate, Blender Conference 2026 will feature an installation that presents the projects frame by frame, with visitors able to take a frame home. It’s a small but fitting nod to the open-sharing ethos behind the initiative.
XBox Wire says Gears of War: E-Day is getting a Liquid Death tie-in that unlocks a Legendary animated pose, Chainsaw Flex, plus branded banner, emblem, and icon. The promotion runs in the U.S. from September 25 to November 30, 2026, with a limited-edition chainsaw pint glass also going on sale today.
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GamesIndustry.biz has announced the full line-up for its HR Summit 2026, with talks on AI, neurodiversity, unions, and workplace culture. The one-day event lands in London on October 1 and closes with the Best Places to Work Awards. For studios, the agenda is squarely about people strategy as a business lever.
XBox Wire says Delta Force’s Season Reorientation is live on Xbox Series X|S, kicking off the game’s second-anniversary push on September 26. The update trims match prep, adds cross-region Operations matchmaking, and expands both Operations and Warfare with new maps, modes, and rewards. It’s a clear live-service tune-up aimed at reducing friction without flattening the game’s depth.
XBox Wire says Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve lands on Xbox Series X|S October 2, with Deluxe Edition early access starting September 28. The sequel leans hard into aircraft customization, squad-based command, and more cinematic mission design, while also bundling Ace Combat Zero for Xbox players.
GameFromScratch details a late-September 2026 sweep of gamedev discounts, with Unity Asset Store and Fab among the storefronts highlighted. For teams stocking up on content or tooling, the practical takeaway is simple: there are still active sales and bundles worth checking before the month closes.
XBox Wire details a packed September 28 to October 2 slate, led by new releases and pre-orders across Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Game Pass. For devs, the notable thread is how many projects lean on remasters, UE5, and cross-platform launches to widen reach and refresh older IP.
GamesIndustry.biz reports that Trophy Games has bought Playrion from Paradox Interactive for €2.25 million upfront plus a three-year earn-out. The 30-person studio behind Airport Simulator: First Class will help Trophy turn the game into a broader simulation series, while the deal lifts the company’s 2026 revenue outlook.
LunarG says KosmicKrisp has passed the Vulkan 1.4 CTS on Apple silicon, making it a Khronos-conformant 1.4 implementation. For engine teams, that means a standard Vulkan path on macOS, with validation and tooling working against a real conformant ICD. The driver also adds tessellation, Robustness2, and multi-draw support.
Unity says Meta VR Glasses will be supported from day one in Unity 6.6 via OpenXR, letting existing Quest projects carry over with minimal changes. The device targets hand and eye input, foveated rendering, and lighter-weight VR sessions, with retail launch planned for spring 2027.
GamesIndustry.biz reports that Bethesda boss Jill Braff has told staff Obsidian Entertainment will stay a distinct team after Xbox’s studio shake-up. The studio keeps its leadership, Bethesda keeps Fallout, and the new setup is framed as a reporting change rather than a reset of Obsidian’s roadmap.
GamesIndustry.biz says Kickstarter is still a viable funding lane for games, but only if studios treat it as marketing first. In 2025, game projects raised $26 million on the platform, with 443 successful campaigns and 11 topping $500,000. The takeaway for devs: arrive with a near-finished build, real followers, and a campaign plan already in motion.
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GamesIndustry.biz reports that MindsEye developer Build A Rocket Boy has appointed administrators after its latest layoffs. The move signals insolvency protection, with the studio carrying heavy losses and creditor debt. It follows a turbulent launch, repeated redundancies, and ongoing disputes with staff and unions.
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