The Industry News section is designed to offer comprehensive updates and analyses on various elements shaping the video gaming industry. This includes, but is not limited to, mergers and acquisitions, financial earnings, company strategies, and technological advancements. By focusing on the structural developments within the gaming industry, Industry News aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of the factors affecting market trends and company performance.
Fortnite has made a global return to the Apple App Store, with the notable exception of Australia, as Epic Games gears up for the "final battle" in its legal showdown with Apple over App Store fees. This move coincides with mounting international pressure against Apple's practices. Epic vows to continue challenging what it deems anticompetitive behaviors.
Get an exclusive look at Urbance, the upcoming manga-style cyberpunk graphic novel series based on Joël Dos Reis Viegas' 2015 short film. Set in Neopolis, where a deadly virus makes intimacy fatal, Urbance follows two teens defying segregation. With its crowdfunding campaign live, Urbance promises to be one of 2026's most stylish comics, offering a deep dive into a society on the brink of explosion.
Far Far West, the sci-fi fantasy co-op shooter, has achieved a remarkable milestone by selling over 1 million copies in just three weeks on Steam Early Access. Publisher Fireshine Games has simultaneously made a strong stance against the use of generative AI in core game creation, echoing sentiments similar to Hooded Horse. This move contrasts with the industry's mixed approach to AI tools.
Fortnite players can log in to watch an exclusive 12-minute excerpt of The Mandalorian featuring the titular character and Grogu. This live event showcases Epic Games' continued use of the platform for cross-media experiences. The event highlights Fortnite's robust live event capabilities and cross-platform play.
Valve has updated Steam with 17 new game tags, including "Bullet Heaven", a name for the frenetic, upgrade-focused genre popularized by Vampire Survivors. This move reflects industry trends and aims to improve game discovery. The update also removes 27 tags, streamlining the platform's categorization.
Kadokawa, a manga publishing giant, reports a 51.3% drop in operating profits, blaming its excessive reliance on isekai-type works for lacking originality and quality. The publisher of notable titles like Isekai Quartet acknowledges the strategy failed to produce new hits. This shift mirrors the gaming industry's retreat from live-service dominance.
Steam's latest update brings significant changes to its store tags, adding 17 new ones like "Bullet Heaven" and "Xianxia", removing 28 including "NSFW" and "Roguevania", and merging others for improved discovery. These alterations aim to enhance game recommendations and player identification of suitable titles. The move reflects the evolving gaming landscape and player preferences.
Sony has confirmed its narrative single-player games, including Marvel’s Wolverine and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet, will remain PS5 exclusives. PC gamers express mixed reactions, from disappointment to indifference, citing the high cost of PS5 consoles and the availability of alternative PC games. This move reverses Sony's previous staggered PC release approach.
The "Bullet Heaven" genre, popularized by games like Vampire Survivors, now has a dedicated tag on Steam, validating its growing popularity. This addition is part of a broader update by Valve, introducing 17 new tags and removing 28 to enhance game discovery. The move aims to help players find games tailored to their interests and improve Steam's recommendation system.
Microsoft launches Xbox Player Voice, a feedback platform where fans overwhelmingly demand a return to exclusive titles, citing the need for console differentiation. Despite Microsoft's multiplatform success with games like Forza Horizon 5, hardcore Xbox fans feel alienated. The move comes as new Xbox boss Asha Sharma re-evaluates the company's approach to exclusivity.
