Top Stories

Why new EU deepfake legislation means games need to be careful when featuring real-world people and locations (4 min read)

The EU AI Act's deepfake transparency rules take effect August 2, 2026, requiring labeling of AI-generated and AI-manipulated content across audio, video, and images. The rules apply globally to studios distributing games in the EU. Recent European Commission guidance clarifies that fantasy and stylized game content is unlikely to trigger the obligation, but photorealistic depictions of real people, celebrity voices, historical figures, and real sports events may require labeling. The obligation extends beyond games to trailers, advertisements, and social media content. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Business & Finance

How Jackbox Games navigated the post-pandemic sales slump ft. Mike Bilder (3 min read)

Jackbox Games CEO Mike Bilder discusses how the studio survived post-pandemic sales decline without mass layoffs by moderating headcount and focusing on core strengths. The company is launching a new publishing division and aims to balance growth with sustainability. (Game Developer)

Games & Releases

It's not just Baldur's Gate 4 – Larian is "not involved in any" Baldur's Gate 3 projects now, but devs tease Divinity news is on the way (3 min read)

Larian Studios confirmed it is "not involved in any" Baldur's Gate 3 projects, clarifying that any BG4 would come from another developer. The studio teased that Divinity news is coming. (GamesRadar)

Fable Has Reportedly Gone Over Development Budget (4 min read)

Fable is reportedly "uncomfortably" over budget ahead of its February release, according to Windows Central. The game is one of Xbox's most anticipated titles, though budget overruns raise questions about the series' financial viability. (The Gamer)

Marvel Tōkon’s Open Beta On PC Is A Mess (5 min read)

Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls' PC open beta is plagued by CPU performance issues, with players reporting excessive CPU usage and memory consumption despite mid-range hardware. The game launches August 6, and reports blame Sony's background services running at startup for the poor optimization. (Kotaku)

Multiple Meccha Chameleon Steam Workshop Maps Got Infected With Malware And Its Discord Server Was Hacked (4 min read)

Multiple Meccha Chameleon Steam Workshop maps distributed malware before developers patched the vulnerability in version 3.1.0. The game's official Discord server was also hacked the same day, though the game itself remains unaffected. (Kotaku)

Culture & Community

The games industry is stifled by a culture of fear (4 min read)

A workshop at the 2026 DevGAMM Madeira Games Summit led by Rami Ismail concluded that the games industry prioritizes algorithmic trends and market research over creative conviction, stifling innovation. The group argued that breakout hits like Balatro and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 succeed through personal taste rather than data-driven design. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Baldur's Gate 3 True Third-Person Camera Mod Goes Viral, Sparks Debate About Whether It Erases the Game's Identity (5 min read)

A viral third-person camera mod for Baldur's Gate 3 has sparked debate among players about whether it fundamentally changes the game's cRPG identity. The mod, released on Nexus Mods, replaces the isometric view with an over-the-shoulder perspective similar to Dragon Age, accumulating 3.9 million views on social media. (IGN)

gg! see you in game!

— james