Google cuts Epic fees 💰 Dev worker protections 🛡️
Google is cutting Play Store IAP commissions from 30% to 20% globally, settling its dispute with Epic Games. Developers in the Apps Experience or Play Games Level Up programs can qualify for rates as low as 15% on new installs, rolling out by June 2026. (Gamesindustry)
March 5, 2026 | Subscribe | Read On Web
Share on X/Twitter | Reddit
Top Stories
Google resolves dispute with Epic Games, reduces app store fees to 20% (2 min read)
Google is cutting Play Store IAP commissions from 30% to 20% globally, settling its dispute with Epic Games. Developers in the Apps Experience or Play Games Level Up programs can qualify for rates as low as 15% on new installs, rolling out by June 2026. (Gamesindustry)
Ghost of Yotei star: 'workers need more protections' in game development (4 min read)
Ghost of Yotei actor Erika Ishii used their DICE 2026 Outstanding Character award speech to call for fair pay and worker protections in games, pointing to organizations like CODE-CWA as potential paths to change. (Game Developer)
Business & Finance
Pitchify launches new service to connect developers and publishers (1 min read)
Pitchify's new Pitch Direct service lets developers submit pitches directly to publishers with transparent criteria on budgets and timelines. Nine publishers — including Team17, Kwalee, and Curve Games — currently have 15 open submissions on the platform. (Gamesindustry)
Jackbox Games jumps feet-first into third-party publishing biz (3 min read)
Jackbox Games is entering third-party publishing, expanding beyond its own party game catalog. The move opens a new avenue for indie developers seeking a publisher with an established audience. (Game Developer)
Good Games Group acquired the Humble Games and Firestoke back catalogues — 50+ titles including Slay the Spire — and rebranded as Balor Games. The company is positioning itself as a triple-I publisher targeting mid-tier projects that have struggled to secure funding. (Gamesindustry)
Industry veteran Kevin Joyce launched Evolution Publishing to support VR indie studios, taking a revenue share instead of equity or IP. The publisher has three titles slated for 2026 and aims to help devs survive until VR hits mainstream adoption. (Gamesindustry)
Cheer Games raises $4.5m in pre-seed funding (1 min read)
Barcelona-based mobile studio Cheer Games secured $4.5M in pre-seed funding led by Makers Fund and Play Ventures. The studio was founded by former Lion Studios and Hexa Sort leads, and is actively hiring to expand its 11-person team. (Gamesindustry)
Studios & People
Build A Rocket Boy is conducting another round of layoffs following MindsEye's failed launch, as CEO Mark Gerhard doubles down on claims of "organised espionage and corporate sabotage," stating the matter is "moving toward prosecution." The game currently sits at 11 concurrent Steam players. (IGN)
Industry veteran launches indie-focused talent agency Rocket Game Talent (1 min read)
Former PlayStation and Xbox talent lead Fiona Cherbak has launched Rocket Game Talent, a boutique agency bringing AAA recruiting expertise to indie studios, startups, and small teams that lack established hiring infrastructure. (Gamesindustry)
Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit dev Velan Studios opens office in Toronto (2 min read)
Velan Studios has opened a new office in Downtown Toronto, hiring for senior roles across design, art, and animation. The Troy, NY-headquartered studio is also actively recruiting for its headquarters. (Gamesindustry)
Games & Releases
Konami confirmed Castlevania: Belmont's Curse is a traditional 2D action-exploration game with "elaborately crafted maps," not a roguelite — despite being developed by Dead Cells studios Evil Empire and Motion Twin. Launches on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch in 2026. (Eurogamer)
Pokémon Pokopia | Critical Consensus (8 min read)
Pokémon Pokopia, the franchise's life-sim entry co-developed by Omega Force, launched to strong reviews with a Metacritic score of 88 — tied for the highest-rated Pokémon game on the site. (Gamesindustry)
Arc System Works (Guilty Gear, BlazBlue) announced Goritaire, a solo card-based survival game built around managing a gorilla troop using gorilla and banana cards. Launches March 18 on PS5, Switch, iOS, and Android. (Eurogamer)
Culture & Community
Rob Pardo, former Blizzard CCO and Bonfire Studios co-founder, will keynote GDC Festival of Gaming on March 12 with a talk titled "An Odyssey in Building Games That Last," drawing on his work across StarCraft, World of Warcraft, and Diablo. (Gamesindustry)
Why “Esports is Sports” is More Complex Than You Think (7 min read)
Formally classifying esports as a sport creates governance conflicts: publisher-controlled IP, frequently updated rulesets, and home-based competition don't map cleanly onto national sports law frameworks. Countries like Indonesia, Greece, and Colombia are finding this out the hard way. (The Esports Advocate)
Meow Wolf's Tavers TTRPG surpasses crowdfunding goals in 24 hours (4 min read)
Meow Wolf's surreal TTRPG Tavers, designed by Exalted Funeral, doubled its $50,000 Kickstarter goal within 24 hours of launching on March 4. The campaign runs through April 4, with delivery expected December 2026. (Polygon)
gg! see you in game!