Top Stories

(사)한국게임정책자율기구, 지난 13일(월) ‘게임산업법 전부개정안 전문가포럼 정책토론회’ 진행 (8 min) South Korea's Game Policy Self-Regulatory Body held an expert forum on April 13 to review a proposed full overhaul of the Game Industry Act, the first major revision since 2006. Key topics included shifting from a regulation-heavy framework to an industry-promotion model, identity verification rules, and anti-cheat/private server enforcement. bbs.ruliweb.com

Newzoo: More than half of PC revenue comes from games outside the Top 20 (3 min) Newzoo data shows PC games outside the Top 20 grew their revenue share from 48% to 56% between 2022 and 2025 — good news for mid-tier and back-catalogue titles. Console spending remains more concentrated, with top franchises still dominating PlayStation and Xbox. GamesIndustry.biz

How China came to dominate mobile games – and how Western companies can compete | Opinion (9 min) Chinese-owned titles captured 7 of the top 15 grossing mobile games globally in February 2026, generating $668M in a single month. Western studios can't compete on scale or live-ops velocity — the recommended path is cultural differentiation and targeted talent acquisition. GamesIndustry.biz

Business & Finance

ID@Xbox global director says Xbox Game Pass is a discovery multiplier (3 min) ID@Xbox global director argues Game Pass functions as a discovery multiplier for indie developers, helping titles reach audiences they wouldn't otherwise find. The claim positions Game Pass as a growth lever, not just a revenue stream, for developers considering the platform. Game Developer

Subnautica 2 Steam change suggests Krafton might be out as its publisher following long legal battle and reinstatement of studio leader (5 min) Krafton has been quietly removed as Subnautica 2's publisher on Steam, with developer Unknown Worlds now listed as self-publisher — a change made April 7th and not reversed. This follows a legal battle over a $250M earnout bonus and a court order reinstating Unknown Worlds' CEO. Eurogamer

Starfield Is A Modest Hit On The PlayStation 5, But Nowhere Near Forza Horizon 5 (3 min) Starfield sold ~140,000 copies on PS5 in its first week, per Alinea Analytics — well below Xbox's PS5 hits Sea of Thieves (1.8M+) and Forza Horizon 5 (5M+). Ongoing crash issues on the platform may be suppressing sales further. The Gamer

Studios & People

Disney’s 1,000+ Firings Shred Marvel Studios Staff As Fans Point The Finger At AI (4 min) Disney cut over 1,000 employees, with Marvel Studios hit hard across visual development, production, comics, and finance — roughly 8% of staff. CEO Josh D'Amaro cited a need for a "technologically-enabled workforce," fueling unconfirmed speculation about AI-driven replacement. Kotaku

Jobs Roundup: April 2026 | CodeDev appoints Andy Norman as COO (2 min) Unreal Engine co-development studio CodeDev named Andy Norman as COO; Norman previously served as studio leader at Keywords' Create Division and was CEO of The Multiplayer Group. DDA also hired Square Enix UK PR veteran Tom Goldberger as VP of gaming. GamesIndustry.biz

Games & Releases

How Capcom's Pragmata blends puzzle-solving with sci-fi combat (6 min) Capcom's upcoming sci-fi action game Pragmata combines environmental puzzle-solving with third-person combat, as detailed in a new design breakdown. The title pairs protagonist Hugh with an AI companion named Diana to drive both mechanics. Game Developer

Hades 2's second post-launch update secretly adds a new game mode (3 min) Supergiant's second post-launch Hades 2 patch adds Dream Dives, a secretly developed roguelite mode with randomized zones and no dialogue, discovered by players. The update also improves romance mechanics in direct response to community feedback. Eurogamer

AI/Tech & Tools

Video game lawyer implores devs to understand ownership and swerve generative AI (4 min) A video game lawyer is urging developers to fully understand IP ownership before using generative AI tools, warning that unclear rights could expose studios to legal risk. Know what you own before you ship it. Game Developer

Infinity Nikki and Love and Deepspace dev: "AI lacks the soul to replace human creators" (3 min) Infold Games CTO Ji Zhang says AI can assist development but cannot replace core creators due to a lack of "soul." He also revealed Love and Deepspace runs on Unity and Infinity Nikki on Unreal, both enhanced with proprietary in-house tooling. GamesIndustry.biz

Policy & Labor

Hollywood stars unite to oppose Paramount and Warner Bros Discovery merger - BBC (4 min) Over 1,400 Hollywood creators have signed an open letter urging regulators to block the $111B Paramount–Warner Bros Discovery merger, warning it will reduce jobs and creative opportunities across the production ecosystem. BBC

Culture & Community

Data and player sentiment highlight the value of authentic LGBTQ narratives (6 min) Player data and sentiment analysis show that authentic LGBTQ representation in games drives stronger player engagement and loyalty. Developers looking to build inclusive narratives have measurable evidence that authenticity resonates with audiences. Game Developer

"Be creative 99% of the time" – Glen Schofield on how creativity can help fix AAA industry woes (9 min) Dead Space creator Glen Schofield argues AAA's struggles stem from COVID-era overfunding placing inexperienced people in leadership roles, not the format itself. He's skeptical AI will shrink team sizes, but urges artists to learn it now. GamesIndustry.biz

gg! see you in game!

• james