Epic on iPhone Japan 📱 Roblox Q1 growth 📈 MMO shelved 🪦
Epic Games Store launched on iPhone in Japan following the Mobile Software Competition Act, enabling alternative app stores and payment options. Epic cited Apple's 5% Core Technology Commission fee as a barrier to third-party store adoption. (GamesIndustry.biz)
May 1, 2026 | Subscribe | Read On Web
Share on X/Twitter | Reddit
Top Stories
Epic Games Store launches on iPhone in Japan (2 min read)
Epic Games Store launched on iPhone in Japan following the Mobile Software Competition Act, enabling alternative app stores and payment options. Epic cited Apple's 5% Core Technology Commission fee as a barrier to third-party store adoption. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Roblox reports strong Q1 growth, revises full-year forecast due to new saftey measures (3 min read)
Roblox reported Q1 revenue of $1.4 billion (up 39%) and bookings of $1.4 billion (up 43%), with DAUs rising 35% to 132 million. The company lowered its full-year forecast due to mandatory age checks and new safety measures. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Matt Firor, former ESO director, discussed why Microsoft cancelled Project Blackbird, an unrealised MMO in development. The comments shed light on publisher portfolio management and strategic shifts. (PC Gamer)
Studios & People
Supergiant Games is hiring for an unannounced project following the success of Hades and Hades 2. The studio has not disclosed what's next, fueling fan speculation about a potential threequel. (GamesRadar)
"AI is Just a Tool"…Building Brand Value with K-Sensibility [Abutton's Kim Dae-hwan②] (5 min read) "AI는 거들 뿐"…K-감각으로 빚는 브랜드 가치[에이버튼 김대훤②]
Abutton CEO Kim Dae-hwan, formerly at Nexon, discusses using AI to reduce repetitive tasks while maintaining human creative control across three simultaneous projects: an MMORPG, FPS roguelike, and soulslike. (Bloter)
Games & Releases
Capcom's Pragmata hit 1 million sales in two days following its launch after 6+ years in development. The strong debut has prompted Capcom to explore franchise potential, signaling confidence in the new IP's long-term viability. (GamesRadar)
FFXIV director Naoki Yoshida announced PS4 support will end around Patch 8.3 (early 2028) due to hardware storage limits, though the next expansion and early post-launch patches will remain compatible. Players have roughly two years to upgrade. (IGN)
Hitman Developer Behind 007 First Light Says In-House Engine Pushed to Its Limits; We Asked About the Resolve to Make a 007 Game for the First Time in 14 Years (43 min read) 『007 First Light』を手がける『ヒットマン』開発者いわく、内製ゲームエンジンは限界まで進化。“14年ぶりの「007」ゲーム”をあえて今作る覚悟を訊いた
IO Interactive's 007 First Light launches May 27, 2026 across PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, with Switch 2 coming summer 2026. The studio pushed its proprietary Glacier engine to new limits, combining Hitman's stealth DNA with cinematic Bond spectacle. (Automaton)
Escape from Tarkov's New ADS Test Implementation Draws Criticism Over "Feels Off" Aiming; Immediate Adjustments Made as Test Server Opens to Public (2 min read) 『Escape from Tarkov』テスト実装の新ADSが「なんか嫌」とツッコミ殺到、即調整。テストサーバーの“一般公開”、波乱の幕開け
Battlestate Games introduced reworked ADS mechanics to Escape from Tarkov's Early Test Server, adding gun wobble for realism. Community backlash prompted immediate adjustments, though the change remains controversial—echoing past debates over inertia mechanics. (Automaton)
CCP Games awarded $80,000 to winners of a mod contest for its experimental survival MMO. The contest incentivizes community-created content and tooling for the new project. (PC Gamer)
Mark Rosewater's Mood Swings Heads To Secret Lair On June 1 (4 min read)
Wizards of the Coast is publishing Mood Swings, a new trading card game designed by Mark Rosewater, launching June 1 as a Secret Lair product for $24.99. The 45-card decks are playable out-of-the-box and feature sketch versions of Magic: The Gathering cards. (GameInformer)
AI/Tech & Tools
Microsoft's Xbox mode starts making its way to Windows 11 PCs (1 min read)
Microsoft is rolling out Xbox Mode to Windows 11 PCs, a controller-optimized fullscreen interface that aggregates games from Game Pass and other storefronts. The gradual rollout began in April. (Engadget)
Culture & Community
I’m Tired Of Sneaking Through Tall Grass In Games (6 min read)
A design critique examining the prevalence and fatigue around 'sneaky grass' stealth mechanics in AAA games, from Assassin's Creed to Horizon Zero Dawn, arguing the trope has become overused and predictable. (Kotaku)
gg! see you in game!
— james