Game industry business news

This week, we talk to Microsoft and Sony about their E3 announcements and what’s to come for the platform holders. In the blue corner, Sony Worldwide Studios’ senior VP Michael Denny discusses PlayLink and how it’s looking to utilise casual gamers’ familiarity with smartphones as a recruiting tool for multiplayer …

One of the developers of breakout hit PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has seemingly left the door open for other console versions of the game. An Xbox port was confirmed at E3 and was described as a console exclusive. Speaking to VG247, however, executive producer Chang Han Kim said: We definitely do have …

PQube has teamed up with LA-based hardware development company Hyperkin to bring the SmartBoy mobile phone accessory to European retail through the Samsung Mobile Accessory Partnership Program. Priced at 59.99, the SmartBoy attaches to Android smartphones to turn them into handheld gaming devices, but it’s also compatible with NTSC and …

While the dust has largely settled regarding the disagreements over Steam’s refund policies, the extent of their impact has been illustrated by Garry Newman. The developer has revealed that his sometimes controversial survival sandbox Rust has revealed that the game has in total been refunded 329,970 times, which in total …

Virgin Media is to host the UK’s firstDestiny 2gameplay event next month in collaboration with Activision and Bungie, the internet service provider has announced. Taking place on July 17th and 18th at a secret central London locationjust before the official beta starts on PS4, Virgin Media Vivid Gamer customers will …

A new reports from IHS Markit has predicted that the Chinese video game success story is going to become even more important over the next few years. In 2016, the Chinese video game market was worth $25.6bn, and this is expected to grow to $29bn this year. This makes it …

Former PlayStation exec and Sony Studios president Phil Harrison has been named as one of the first investors in VR studio Dream Reality. The developer was founded last year by industry veteran and former Sony man Dave Ranyard. Alongside Harrison, the company has also secured investment from independent creative company …

Streaming video service Twitch’s subscription program will soon be available for Affiliate creators. Affiliates will be able to take advantage of the usual $4.99, $9.99 and $24.99 subscription rates. Twitch Prime members will also be able to use their free 30-day channel subscription on Affiliates, too. We designed the Twitch …

Games publishers now have the option of utilising Rewarded Video in their Facebook titles. You may not be familiar with the term but you’ve very possibly encountered the system in mobile games. Rewarded Videos offer players the chance to watch a video ad in return for some sort of in-game …

Playdead’s award-winning platformers Limbo and Inside are coming to retail in a special double pack courtesy of 505 Games, the publisher has announced. The Inside/Limbo Double Pack will arrive on shop shelves later this autumn on PS4 and Xbox One priced at 19.99, says 505. It will land in the …