Activision Blizzard is making Call of Duty open-source with a free data set of its original Warzone map, Caldera.Released in OpenUSD for non-commercial use, aspiring developers and educators have access to a near-complete version of the map's geometry. The data set also features random time samples that show how players moved around the map.The Caldera map was retired last year so developers could focus on Warzone 2.0. Making it open-source "broadens access to production data," said chief tech officer Natalya Tatarchuk, and "gives back" to the game industry's research community.As for why it was chosen, software engineer Michael Vance explained they wanted a map that showcased "the scale and complexity of our current design philosophy.""One of our goals is to…let researchers test their approaches in real-world scenarios, which will help accelerate the development of new solutions," Tatarchuk continued. "We believe Caldera’s release will be an impactful and material benefit to that effort."
The upcoming Fallout: London mod for Fallout 4 won't be compatible with the Epic Games Store version of Bethesa's RPG at launch.Speaking to VG247, a spokesperson for GOG revealed players who bought the game on the EGS will be unable to access the mod. This issue appears to be specific solely to the EGS, while Steam players can play it by downgrading their version of Fallout 4 to before Bethesda's next-gen update.A version rollback option isn't typically required when developers choose storefronts. But this situation highlights why the feature should be considered, particularly for games with lively communities.Folon and GOG are currently working on the Steam version's downgrade. The same feature is impossible to bring to Epic's storefront, which doesn't support update rollbacks.
Fallout London's saga has mutated out of control
Mod team Folon has been working on Fallout London for years, and it was originally set to release this past April. But just as the mod hit the finish line, a funny thing happened: Bethesda put …
Within two weeks, the Early Access horror game Murky Divers has sold 100,000 copies after its launch in mid-June.Per publisher Oro Interactive, the underwater co-op title has been a successful debut for it and developer Embers. It's such a get that founder Sam De Boeck said Oro will focus on "catchy, content-creator-focused games."De Boeck specifically noted the publisher's interest in horror. No doubt this is inspired by the success of fellow scary co-op games Content Warning and Lethal Company, both of which have seen commercial and viral success this year.For potential partners, De Boeck said Oro will take a "smaller-than-usual" revenue share. Citing Kowloon Nights' business strategy, Oro will have no recoupment period and revenue goes to the developer first.That last point is particularly noteworthy since not all publishers (big or small) are transparent with where the revenue goes. In May, EA reportedly diverted all of Immortals of Aveum's net revenue to developer Ascendant Studios, but that information was later scrubbed and not mentioned again."[Developers] keep IP and sequel rights, and creative and business decisions are theirs …
The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) and YouTuber Youna Kang (aka CodeMiko) are challenging the US Patent Office. The two parties recently filed an amicus brief with the US Supreme Court over a new requirement for trademark registration.As described in the press release, the new rule calls for applicants to provide their home addresses. Odin Law & Media, a firm representing Kang and the IGDA, argued this rule "unnecessarily exposes applicants," particularly those in the game industry.
Indies and all work-from-home devs at possible risk
Beyond YouTubers who make revenue working with developers through streaming or sponsored deals, the USPTO's rule also affects indie studios. Many operate on a work-from-home basis, meaning this rule could them vulnerable to harassment if a hack occurs.Privacy concerns have become even more pronounced in the wake of events such as Bungie's case against a harasser targeting its staff, along with an upcoming trial for a Splatoon player accused of previously se…
Developer Echo Chunk, a studio focusing on AI-powered games, has raised $1.4 million in a pre-seed funding round. That money will go towards its debut title Echo Chess, and other projects it's working on that'll use the technology.Included in that funding was a16z Speedrun, Zynga founder Mark Pincus, and Roblox Corp's AI head Stef Corazza. Echo Chunk founder Sami Ramly commended all funders, saying they "understood our passion for AI’s role in the co-creation process of the future."Echo Chess is a free-to-play title with daily puzzles and sees players become the chess piece they just captured on the board. It went viral after its launch in April, and Ramly described it to VentureBeat as "a collaboration between humans and AI."
GenAI in game dev still on shaky ground
Generative AI in games is still controversial, though some developers have figured out how to use the technology. Last week, developer Volley also raised seed money, which it plans to use for its own projects made with generative AI.The idea…
Axis Studios, the VFX company behind the cinematic reveal trailer for 2011's Dead Island, has gone into administration. Per GamesIndustry, its shutdown has resulted in 162 employees being laid off.Based in Glasgow, Scotland and founded in 2000, the studio created cinematic trailers for a number of games. Along with Techland's zombie game, it's done work for Microsoft (Halo, Gears of War), Riot Games (League of Legends: Wild Rift), and Digital Extremes (Warframe).Per Scotland's Interpath Advisory head Alistair McAlinden, the studio was losing projects recently. That, along with an "increase in labour costs," greatly impacted Axis, whose directors were said to have explored alternatives before choosing administration.Along with games, Axis also worked in TV and film. It contributed to VFX for Doctor Who, Netflix's Love, Death, & Robots, and Marvel's The Incredible Hulk."Axis has been a studio of choice for key production companies and has produced content for household names," added McAlinden. "It is a great shame to see a creative business in Scotland close its doors."
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A new app has launched for multiplayer phone games in the form of Dusk, and its creators have already secured more money to build it out.Created by Bjarke Felbo and Sanjay Guruprasad, the app is a platform that lets players meet up and play games in a quick and easy matter.Dusk is currently in beta, and the press release notes there's already 50 games on the platform. Those games are made by indie studios using a platform-specific SDK, it automatically runs cross-platform across browsers, along with iOS and Android apps.According to the press release, those beta games are taking off quite well and players have used Dusk's voice chat for "over 50 million minutes" (or over 95 years after conversion) since launch.
Can Dusk properly court the youths?
Guruprasad and Felbo previously collaborated together on Rune, a companion app for mobile versions of PUBG and Call of Duty. Rune's since shut down, but with five million downloads, the two teamed again on an app for casual games and younger players.The allure of the teen dem…
According to IGN, Microsoft has just closed down a "major" team focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). The cuts occurred last week and may signal a larger shift away from the movement which started in 2020.Reportedly, the DEI team shut down on July 1 due to "changing business needs." In an internal email obtained by the outlet, a former lead for the team believes the cuts were done to get ahead of the Project 2025 conservative policy plan."True systems change work associated with DEI programs everywhere are no longer business critical or smart as they were in 2020," they wrote. "The timing was impeccable, so businesses everywhere could reevaluate the path forward should their U.S. federal contracts be at risk if the work continues on its face."In that same email, the former lead alleges Microsoft executives were "investigated and [there was] evidence [of] discrimination, harassment, and toxicity" towards them during their tenure. Despite this, they stressed "impossible mountains were moved" by the DEI teams.
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Arma 3 sold over 500,000 copies during the Steam Summer Sale 2024.The latest summer promotion ran from June 27 to July 11 and evidently generated plenty of interest in Bohemia Interactive's tactical shooter.The studio shared its latest sales milestone in a blog post and noted it managed to shift 100,000 copies in a single day."Welcome to the over over 500,000 new recruits that have joined the Arma 3 community during the Steam Summer Sale 2024," reads the post. "Close to 100,000 of you joined us during the sale's first day—the highest number of copies sold in a single day dating all the way back to the initial Arma 3 Alpha release in March 2013."Bohemia has assembled a comprehensive FAQ for its half-a-million new players to help them find their footing when they eventually touch down.
Arma 3's deep, deep discount
For those wondering how much Arma 3 retailed for during the sale, SteamDB notes Bohemia applied a 90 percent discount to bring the price down to $2.99—a historical low for the title. With the sale now over, Arma 3 is currentl…
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 developer Saber interactive has lamented the leak of an old build that could spoil the experience for players.Footage from a playable version of the title was uploaded to YouTube earlier this week (thanks Eurogamer) and it also appeared that some people had been able to download and play that same iteration.The leak occurred just two months ahead of release, with Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 currently slated to launch on September 9, 2024. Responding to the situation, Saber has implored players to steer clear of footage that comes from a build it claims is almost a year old."Our teams have poured years of hard work, passion, and dedication into creating a game worthy of your hopes and expectations, and it's disheartening that many of the surprises we worked to keep secret were spoiled," reads a post from the studio on X."We're saddened that this build, which will be almost a year old by the time we launch, is how some of our most eager fans will first experience Space Marine 2."