Industry Analysis - Level 2
53 stories
The Witcher 3's Early NPC AI Led to Unintended Behaviours
CD Projekt Red has revealed that early in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's development, the team's focus on realistic NPC schedules resulted in unexpected in-game behaviours, highlighting the challenges of simulating convincing open-world populations
No Man's Sky Marks 10 Years With Less Than 1% of Planets Explored
Hello Games has revealed that, a decade after launch, players have explored under 1% of No Man's Sky's 18 quintillion planets, as the studio celebrates the game's anniversary and teases its next major update
Bethesda Veteran Criticises Starfield's 1,000 Planets Design Approach
A former Bethesda developer has outlined how he would have structured Starfield's planetary exploration, arguing that the game's focus on quantity over handcrafted content limited its impact compared to The Elder Scrolls and Fallout
Bethesda veteran critiques Starfield's 1,000 planets approach
Former Bethesda developer Nate Purkeypile has questioned Starfield's use of 1,000 explorable planets, suggesting the RPG would have benefited from fewer, more distinctive worlds rather than repeated procedural content
Lost Final Fantasy 7 Spin-Off Preserved After Two Decades
Dirge of Cerberus - Lost Episode, a rare Final Fantasy 7 mobile spin-off, has been recovered and preserved after years of being unplayable, thanks to a dedicated effort involving significant technical and financial investment
Lies of P Sequel Faces Pressure After Difficulty Options Update
Lies of P's developers have revealed the internal debate behind adding easier difficulty settings, and how player feedback is shaping the direction and expectations for the sequel
Mark Darrah explains why Baldur's Gate 3 succeeds as a sequel
Mark Darrah, who worked on the original Baldur's Gate games, has highlighted why Baldur's Gate 3 stands out as a sequel, crediting its willingness to evolve beyond the series' classic formula and embrace new influences
Studio Reset Reveals The Eventide, a Neon-Noir Supernatural Mystery
BioWare veterans at Studio Reset have announced The Eventide, a supernatural detective game set in a neon-lit Canadian city, promising creative risks and narrative depth rarely seen in AAA development
RuneScape U-turns on One-Time-Use Microtransactions After Player Pushback
Jagex has reversed its decision to introduce consumable microtransaction cosmetics in RuneScape, moving to a permanent unlock model following immediate negative feedback from the player community
BABYMONSTER's Asa Sparks Ada Wong Comparisons After Viral Selfies
BABYMONSTER's Asa has drawn attention from both K-pop and gaming communities after sharing selfies that closely resemble Resident Evil's Ada Wong, igniting discussion about character likeness and fan culture across platforms
Mario's Dash Move Was a Bug: Miyamoto Explains the Series Staple
Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed that Mario's iconic dash ability in 2D games began as an unintentional bug, not a planned feature, and explains why it was kept in the final release
Baldur's Gate 3 Third-Person Mod Ignites Debate Over Game's Core Identity
A new third-person camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3 has gone viral, dividing the community over whether such features enhance or undermine the classic cRPG experience. The discussion raises questions about player choice and the future of Larian's design philosophy
Xbox Restructuring Shifts Focus to Legacy Franchises Over New Ideas
Xbox has announced a major restructure, cutting 3,200 jobs and parting ways with several studios. The company is now prioritising established franchises like Halo and Fallout, raising questions about the future of original game development
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