Top Stories

Wanderstop studio Ivy Road to close after funding for second game "didn't come to fruition" (5 min read)

Ivy Road, the indie studio behind Wanderstop, is shutting down after failing to secure funding for its second game, Engine Angel. The closure reflects a broader industry funding crunch, with at least 13 studios shut down in early 2026 alone. (Eurogamer)

'We Understand This May Not Be the Outcome Many of You Were Hoping For' — PUBG Spinoff Shuts Down Before Leaving Early Access (8 min read)

PUBG: Blindspot, a free-to-play 5v5 top-down tactical shooter, shut down after just 53 days in Early Access, never reaching a full launch. Developer Arc Team cited an inability to "sustainably provide" the intended experience. (IGN)

Business & Finance

Some PC Gaming RAM Actually Got Cheaper For The First Time In Months But It Might Not Last (3 min read)

DDR5 RAM prices dipped slightly after Google's TurboQuant AI compression algorithm caused memory manufacturer stock prices to drop, with some kits down up to $40. Analysts warn the relief is likely temporary, as AI demand and manufacturer price hikes continue to dominate the market. (Kotaku)

Studios & People

GreedFall, Steelrising Studio Has To Be Sold By April 14, Or Risks Closure (3 min read)

Insolvent publisher Nacon has until April 14 to find a buyer for RPG studio Spiders (GreedFall, Steelrising), or the 74-person team faces closure. A sale would likely include the studio's IPs and proprietary engine. (The Gamer)

A programmer with terminal brain cancer was caught in Epic's mass layoff, but CEO Tim Sweeney says the studio 'will solve the insurance for them' (5 min read)

An Epic programmer with terminal brain cancer lost his health and life insurance when caught in the studio's 1,000-person layoff. CEO Tim Sweeney publicly responded, saying Epic will resolve his insurance situation. (PC Gamer)

Soren Johnson on keeping his game studio small: 'You get better games if you take longer to make games' (4 min read)

Mohawk Games co-founder Soren Johnson says intentionally staying at 15 staff has kept the studio layoff-free for over a decade. Old World revenue sustains the company, which has released just two games in 13 years. (PC Gamer)

Games & Releases

Xbox’s Big Summer Showcase Returns With Deep Dive On Gears Of War: E-Day (5 min read)

Xbox's summer showcase returns to LA in early June, headlined by a Gears of War: E-Day Direct positioning it as a major fall 2026 release. New Xbox boss Asha Sharma is also bringing back FanFest with a live audience component. (Kotaku)

The Elder Scrolls Game You Probably Forgot Even Existed Won’t Be Around Much Longer (3 min read)

Bethesda is shutting down The Elder Scrolls: Blades on June 30, 2026, leaving Castles as the franchise's only remaining mobile title. The free-to-play RPG struggled with excessive wait times and microtransactions throughout its lifecycle. (Kotaku)

AI/Tech & Tools

Owlcat Games is using generative AI to 'iterate faster' on The Expanse (4 min read)

Owlcat Games is integrating generative AI into development of The Expanse to accelerate iteration speed. The studio joins a growing number of developers openly adopting gen AI as a production tool rather than a supplementary resource. (Game Developer)

Call of Duty Director Shuts Down 'Skill-Based Damage' Claims as Sony Patents System for Maintaining 'Even Playing Field Between Cross-Platform Players' (6 min read)

Sony patented a real-time system that dynamically adjusts gameplay difficulty to balance cross-platform players — think simplified UI tasks or extra visual cues for disadvantaged users. CoD: Black Ops 7's design director denied any such system affects damage values in his game. (IGN)

Culture & Community

Indie studio co-founder believes 'nobody cares about' huge open worlds anymore instead devs should pick just one thing and do it 'exceptionally well' (17 min read)

An indie studio co-founder argues that massive open worlds no longer resonate with players, and that developers are better off identifying one core strength and executing it exceptionally well. (PC Gamer)

‘Poppy Playtime’ Video Game Creators on Chapter 5’s Massive Launch, Film Adaptation and Plotting Chapter 6: ‘What Comes Next Has to Really Hit Hard’ - Variety (13 min read)

Mob Entertainment's Poppy Playtime Chapter 5 sold 275,000 units in its first week, a franchise record. The indie studio is also developing a film adaptation while actively plotting Chapter 6. (Variety)

WoW to get an official pride event, based on a community run that's raised money for 12 years (7 min read)

Blizzard is adding an official pride event to World of Warcraft in patch 12.0.5, inspired by a community-run charity event that has raised money for LGBT organizations for 12 years. 🏳️‍🌈 (PC Gamer)

gg! see you in game!

-james