Top Stories

Report: Bungie planning "significant" layoffs as Destiny 2 development ends (2 min read)

Bungie is planning significant staff cuts following the end of Destiny 2 development, according to Bloomberg reporting. Sony-owned Bungie has no immediate plans for Destiny 3, and internal pitches for other projects have not been greenlit, leaving the studio without a clear next project. (GamesIndustry.biz)

NBA 2K, Zynga and GTA drove Take-Two net bookings up 19% for 2026 fiscal year (2 min read)

Take-Two Interactive reported 19% growth in net revenue and net bookings for fiscal 2026, driven by NBA 2K (10 million units shipped, record recurrent spending up 10%), Zynga's highest bookings since acquisition, and Grand Theft Auto Online (5% recurrent spending increase). The company forecasts net bookings of $8–$8.2 billion for FY27, expecting up to 30% net revenue growth on Grand Theft Auto 6's release. (GamesIndustry.biz)

The big Strauss Zelnick interview: GTA, AI, Roblox and building the biggest entertainment company in the world (8 min read)

Strauss Zelnick, Take-Two CEO for 19 years, declined to reveal GTA 6 details but confirmed a "very significant broad based marketing campaign" differing from GTA 5's 2013 approach, avoiding network television. On AI, Zelnick argued technology won't eliminate jobs and criticized major tech companies that blamed layoffs on AI as dishonest. Take-Two remains a successful independent publisher while peers face acquisition or decline. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Studios & People

Xbox’s New Head Of Strategy Says Console Gaming Is ‘Important, Durable, And Still Growing’ (4 min read)

Matthew Ball joined Xbox as chief strategy officer, stating console gaming remains 'important, durable, and still growing.' His focus is reviving major franchises like Halo and Gears of War, which have declined since the Xbox 360 era. (Kotaku)

Fortyseven Communications to open UK branch; sister agency Indigo Pearl joins the fold (2 min read)

Fortyseven Communications will open a London office and integrate sister agency Indigo Pearl, both owned by Keywords Studios. EVP and co-founder Craig Sinel will lead the UK branch. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Culture & Community

"People want MMOs, and the sales of New World proved it" – Cryptic Studios head Jack Emmert on why MMOs are ripe for reinvention (9 min read)

Cryptic Studios CEO Jack Emmert argues MMO demand remains strong, citing New World's 10 million units sold. He contends the genre's infrastructure and strategy, not market appetite, caused recent MMO cancellations like New World: Aeternum. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Splinter Cell designer says modern lighting has made stealth games harder to read (4 min read)

A Splinter Cell designer argues modern lighting systems have made stealth games harder to read visually, creating challenges for players to understand enemy sight lines and environmental threats. (Game Developer)

gg! see you in game!

— james