Top Stories

VR developer Vertigo Games shutters Amsterdam studio (2 min read)

VR developer Vertigo Games has shut down its Amsterdam studio, with CEO Richard Stitselaar citing ongoing challenges in the VR industry. The studio, originally established as Force Field Entertainment in 2015 and acquired by Vertigo Games in 2021, was owned by Plaion (formerly Koch Media), a Embracer Group subsidiary, since 2020. Recent titles include Metro Awakening, The 7th Guest Remake, and Thief VR: Legacy of Shadow. The closure follows broader VR-sector turbulence: Rec Room shut down in June 2026, Polyarc Games laid off 30 employees, and Meta cut 10% of Reality Labs staff. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Nintendo to debut a Switch 2 model with replaceable batteries in the EU (2 min read)

Nintendo is developing a Switch 2 model with user-replaceable batteries for the EU market to comply with new regulations taking effect February 18, 2026, which require batteries in certain devices to be easily replaceable by end-users throughout the product's lifetime. Compliant consoles will carry an "OSM" code on packaging. The regulation aims to reduce electronic waste and environmental impact. (Game Developer)

No Rest for the Wicked Developer Blames Series S for Xbox Release Delay (2 min read)

Moon Studio's No Rest for the Wicked will launch on PS5 in October for its 1.0 release, but the Xbox version is delayed. Studio founder Thomas Mahler cited Xbox Series S optimization challenges on Discord, saying the team will ship it "after in a good way once it's optimized like crazy for Switch 2 and Xbox." The Series S's 10GB shared memory has created similar delays for Black Myth: Wukong and Baldur's Gate 3, both of which required extended optimization periods. (IGN)

Business & Finance

"We're always on the hunt for new content" – Secret Mode on the surprise acquisition of Chained Together (3 min read)

Secret Mode acquired Chained Together from Anegar Games, the co-op platformer that sold over 10 million copies since June 2024. The deal was backed by private equity firm Emona Capital, which has enabled Secret Mode's expansion since its March 2025 independence from Tencent. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Switch 2 sales drop 87% in Japan following surge ahead of cost revisions (2 min read)

Nintendo Switch 2 sales in Japan dropped 87% to 31,751 units following a May 25 price increase from ¥49,980 to ¥59,980. The original Switch saw sales collapse to 229 units after its price rose from ¥32,978 to ¥43,980. Nintendo cited sustained component costs and forex headwinds as justification for the hikes. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Games & Releases

How the Replaced devs fixed display bloat with a stylish gadget (5 min read)

Replaced developer Sad Cat Studios created the Wingman, an in-game device inspired by GameBoy Camera and Sony Walkman, to manage lore items without bloating the UI. The gadget uses stylized 3D hand animation with pixel post-processing. (Game Developer)

PlayStation Promises 'Many More Stories to Tell' With Kratos in Future, After God of War Laufey (2 min read)

Santa Monica Studio confirmed future Kratos games are planned despite God of War Laufey centering on Faye as the protagonist. Creative director Cory Barlog stated "there's always going to be Kratos games" and the studio has "many more stories to tell with him.". (IGN)

AI/Tech & Tools

"Indie titles now routinely produce launches with AAA-level concurrent player counts" – How to prepare in case of viral success (6 min read)

Nitrado CEO Raphael Stange warns indie developers that games now routinely launch with AAA-level concurrent player counts—Windrose hit 222K, Palworld 2.1M—requiring advance server infrastructure planning. Indie survival and sandbox titles generate longer-tail private server demand than traditional AAA shooters, fundamentally changing hosting requirements. (GamesIndustry.biz)

Steam Machine And Steam Frame To Release This Summer (3 min read)

Valve confirmed Steam Machine and Steam Frame will launch this summer and join the Verified program, allowing developers to certify game compatibility. Pricing remains unannounced. (The Gamer)

gg! see you in game!

— james