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Tech Updates: Week of Sep 28

4 updates

Graphics and tools teams get the most from these drops: Babylon.js 9.28.0 improves render correctness and adds root-motion support for animation groups, while also smoothing OBJ AssetContainer and Gaussian Splatting behavior. Aseprite’s patch fixes a tilemap paste crash and layer/sprite copy issues, which matters for pixel-art workflows. Stride’s CLI and samples updates mainly reduce setup friction and keep starter content/versioning aligned for teams on newer .NET paths.

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Today
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 43 minutes ago

🔥🔥🔥 Alleged hacker arrested over leak that exposed GTA Online's daily revenue

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Dutch police have arrested a 24-year-old Amsterdam man tied to ShinyHunters, the group blamed for a Rockstar breach that exposed GTA Online revenue. The leak showed the game earns more than $1m a day, adding another security headache for Rockstar after the GTA 6 footage theft.

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Game Developer Game Developer • 1 hour, 48 minutes ago

🔥🔥🔥 Ubisoft Montreal employees launch collective action to preserve hybrid work schedule

Game Developer reports that Ubisoft Montreal employees have launched collective action to protect their hybrid work schedule. The first step is a petition, signaling staff pushback against any move away from the current arrangement. For teams balancing collaboration and retention, it’s another reminder that workplace policy is now a live production issue.

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Earlier This Week
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • Updated 1 hour, 59 minutes ago

Microsoft boss Nadella says Xbox has to invent "sustainable business model"

GamesIndustry.biz says Microsoft wants Xbox to find a “sustainable business model” as it pushes to reach more players across PC and console. Satya Nadella tied that goal to recent “streamlining,” which has already meant thousands of layoffs and studio closures. He also said Xbox is expected to return to growth in fiscal 2027/28.

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Today
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 2 hours, 41 minutes ago

🔥🔥 The Witcher 3 hits its highest-ever Steam concurrent player count following Remastered launch

GamesIndustry.biz reports that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt just set a new Steam concurrent-player record after CD Projekt Red rolled out its free Remastered edition. The spike passed 120,000 players on Steam alone, helped by visual and gameplay upgrades plus bundled expansions. It’s a strong reminder that meaningful rework can revive a mature hit.

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XBox Wire XBox Wire Official • 2 hours, 43 minutes ago

🔥🔥 The Elder Scrolls Online: Seek Sunken Treasures During the High Seas of Tamriel Event

XBox Wire says The Elder Scrolls Online is kicking off the High Seas of Tamriel event, sending players after sunken treasure across the game’s waters. For developers, it’s another reminder that live events can refresh an MMO’s economy, exploration loop, and social play without a full expansion. The exact rewards and event structure are the main draw here.

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MonoGame (GitHub Releases) Tech • 2 hours, 58 minutes ago

🔥🔥 MonoGame v3.8.6-preview.1 Released

MonoGame (GitHub Releases) has shipped v3.8.6-preview.1, a pre-release update for the cross-platform game framework. The changelog text provided is minimal, so the main takeaway is simply that a new preview build is available for teams tracking the next maintenance line. Developers should treat it as an early look rather than a stable upgrade target.

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XBox Wire XBox Wire Official • 3 hours, 43 minutes ago

🔥🔥 Microsoft Jewel Comes to Mobile with XBOX Achievements and Game Pass Benefits

XBox Wire says Microsoft Casual Games has launched Microsoft Jewel on iOS and Android, its first new mobile release in seven years. The match-3 game adds Xbox Achievements on mobile, cross-progression with PC, and Game Pass perks for subscribers. It’s a small but useful reminder that platform features can still be a meaningful retention hook.

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Ars Technica Ars Technica • 4 hours, 30 minutes ago

🔥🔥 The PS5 hacking scene just took a big leap forward

Ars Technica reports that the PS5 hacking scene has crossed a major threshold: the new Relapse exploit works on consoles up to firmware 13.6, not just years-old builds. For developers, the practical takeaway is that jailbreak access is now viable on far more retail units, and the exploit is dramatically faster than earlier attempts.

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XBox Wire XBox Wire Official • 4 hours, 43 minutes ago

🔥🔥 End of Abyss: Explore and Fight Through the Abyss’ Horror

XBox Wire says End of Abyss launches October 1 on Xbox Series X|S, bringing a sci-fi action-adventure from Section 9 Interactive, a three-person studio formed by former Tarsier devs. The game has shifted from a top-down shooter into a slower, more atmospheric horror-metroidvania built around exploration, tension, and gear upgrades.

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Gamefromscratch Gamefromscratch Blog • 5 hours, 3 minutes ago

🔥🔥🔥 htn_planner – AAA Inspired Game AI Framework

GameFromScratch reports that former Guerrilla Games and Crytek AI developer Jose Escribano has released htn_planner, an HTN-based planning framework inspired by AAA work on Horizon. It pairs hierarchical task network AI with domain editing tools, compilers, and dynamic bindings, giving teams a more structured way to author game behavior.

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GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 5 hours, 36 minutes ago

🔥 Grasshopper Manufacture becomes independent as it splits from NetEase Games

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Grasshopper Manufacture is splitting from NetEase Games and becoming independent again. CEO Goichi Suda says Romeo is a Dead Man helped sharpen the studio’s direction, and Grasshopper now plans to lean on its self-publishing experience. The move keeps the door open for future collaboration with NetEase.

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Yesterday
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • Updated 5 hours, 43 minutes ago

How indie studios can survive industry volatility | Opinion

GamesIndustry.biz argues indie studios need to build for volatility, not just a hit. The piece points to layoffs, rising costs, and tougher funding as reasons to keep 12–18 months of runway, validate ideas early, and avoid betting everything on a single project.

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Today
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 6 hours, 2 minutes ago

🔥 Zynga reportedly almost acquired Supercell for $400m in 2012, but deal fell through following failure of OMGPop

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Zynga nearly bought Supercell for $400 million in 2012, with Mark Pincus saying the all-cash deal collapsed after Zynga’s board lost confidence following OMGPop. For devs, it’s a reminder that execution risk can kill even strategic acquisitions. The hindsight sting is obvious: Supercell later posted huge profits.

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GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 7 hours, 13 minutes ago

🔥 Dune Awakening's creative director on copying Hollywood, in-game advertising, and why style beats photorealism

GamesIndustry.biz details how Funcom is handling Dune: Awakening’s licensed production, from Jira-based approvals with Legendary to a console push that adds single-player support and deeper difficulty options. Joel Bylos also argues style matters more than photorealism, while floating a future where games borrow Hollywood’s project-financing model.

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GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 8 hours, 49 minutes ago

🔥 Housemarque and Bithell Games join Game Republic New Horizons speaker lineup, Nintendo to host open session for developers and publishers

GamesIndustry.biz says Game Republic New Horizons has added Housemarque, Bithell Games, and a Nintendo developer breakfast to its 2026 lineup. For teams shipping on Switch or chasing stronger VFX and pitch strategy, the event is shaping up as a practical mix of craft talks, platform access, and funding advice.

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Yesterday
Steamworks Development Steamworks Development Official • Updated 10 hours, 17 minutes ago

🔥 Upcoming Changes to the Discounts & Events Section on Steam

Steamworks Development says Steam will start phasing out its manual Discounts & Events calendar in early 2027, replacing fixed promo slots with more dynamic, personalized recommendations. Valve says the test surfaced 10x more games in a day and lifted visits, wishlists, and cart adds. Existing Weekend, Midweek, and Daily Deals will still run.

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Today
GamesIndustry.biz GamesIndustry.biz • 11 hours, 54 minutes ago

🔥 Global game content revenue forecast to rise 2.3% to $229.1bn in 2030, supported by PC and Asia-Pacific market

GamesIndustry.biz reports that global game content revenue is forecast to climb from $204.4 billion in 2025 to $229.1 billion by 2030. S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan sees PC and Asia-Pacific doing much of the heavy lifting, while rising dev costs, pricier hardware, and cautious consumers could slow the pace.

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Unreal Engine Unreal Engine Official • 19 hours, 43 minutes ago

🔥 September’s Epic learning content: MetaHumans, physics, animation, and more

Unreal Engine says September’s free learning drop covers MetaHuman Animator, UE 5.8’s MCP server, and the new Experimental AnimGen workflow. The lineup also touches physics and animation, giving teams a quick way to sample upcoming pipeline tools without waiting for a full production rollout.

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Yesterday
Game Developer Game Developer • 23 hours, 43 minutes ago

Former Dying Light franchise lead joins Bloober Team horror imprint Broken Mirror Games

Game Developer reports that former Dying Light franchise lead Tymon Smektała has joined Bloober Team’s horror imprint, Broken Mirror Games. The move strengthens a label already focused on genre projects, and it signals more senior production and franchise experience inside Bloober’s horror pipeline. For teams building horror, it’s another sign that established IP and specialist leadership remain a strong draw.

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XBox Wire XBox Wire Official • 1 day, 1 hour ago

NBA The Run Kicks off its First Season with a Major Update

XBox Wire says NBA The Run’s first seasonal update is live now, adding five 2000s-era legends, new camera options, and a free batch of gameplay and customization upgrades. For teams building sports games, the patch is a useful example of how to extend launch content without splitting the player base.

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