Would not it? There’s a maelstrom of reports to sift via this week, however earlier than we plunge into the headlines I wished to take a second to GUSH about Cairn, a brand new online game from indie studio The Sport Bakers (of Furi and Haven fame) that is likely to be certainly one of this 12 months’s perfect.
It is a daring assertion to make this early on, however I will stand by it. I sat down with the survival climber at 8pm on Saturday considering I would keep it up for an hour or two earlier than slapping on a film and munching my approach via a bag of delectable crisps (chips, for our American readers) I had saved for such an event.
Exhausting reduce to 2am and there I’m nonetheless glued to the display. Palms sweaty. Eyes blurring. Cairn’s protagonist, Aava, straining each sinew in her physique as she clings to a sheer face on the facet of Mount Kami. It has been minutes since I secured my final piton—the one factor standing between Aava and oblivion.
It would as nicely have been a lifetime. Any false transfer now would virtually actually end in dying, sending Aava crashing into the mountain under at breakneck tempo. The one approach is up. This battle is my salvation.
The upper you climb, the more Cairn turns right into a brilliantly tense battle of wills. The query ‘why am I doing this?’ may cross your thoughts on more than one event, however therein lies the magic. There may be victory in conquering even the smallest peak. Think about what awaits at the summit.
Okay, okay. I am going to rein myself in earlier than this turns into a full-blown overview. Did I point out we’ve some information to get via?
by way of GamesIndustry.biz // MachineGames, the Microsoft subsidiary behind Wolfenstein and Indiana Jones, is pulling workers again into the workplace. In response to studio director Jerk Gustafsson, management is now required to be on-site 5 days per week to drive effectivity and collaboration. The hope is that can set a precedent for others to observe. “We’re shifting more and more in the direction of 5 days per week,” added Gustafsson. Given Ubisoft’s recently-announced RTO mandate has seemingly gone down like a lead balloon internally, you must marvel what MachineGames staffers make of the shift.
by way of Sport Developer // Sucker Punch’s hovering sequel Ghost of Yotei exceeded the expectations of Sony after outperforming its predecessor Ghost of Tsushuma throughout its first three months on cabinets. The PlayStation maker shared the information in its newest fiscal report, the place it additionally confirmed the PlayStation 5 has now sold-in over 92 million items worldwide.
by way of NetEase // File this one below ‘information that did not actually occur.’ Earlier this week, NetEase described widespread stories that it had shuttered a generative AI analysis division and advised workers to desert the tech as “false.” The rumor unfold after veteran designer Goichi Suda advised Eurogamer the corporate was ditching generative AI altogether. Suda’s studio, Grasshopper Manufacture, is presently owned by Netease. That declare was rapidly quashed by a number of Netease representatives. “The scenario described didn’t happen, and we’ve not revealed any associated insurance policies,” mentioned one spokesperson.
by way of Sport Developer // Do you bear in mind what life was like earlier than the RAM wars? That is a sentence our descendants may at some point utter as they scamper via the apocalypse. Till then, we’ve to take care of the truth that the continuing reminiscence and storage scarcity—pushed by rampant investments into generative AI—may drive us to pay more and wait longer for Valve’s upcoming {hardware} slate. Oh, and shout out to Aftermath for this whopper of a headline when overlaying the information.
by way of VGIM // Video games for Change is heading to the Massive Smoke for a one-day occasion on April 15, 2026, devoted to interrogating how video video games generally is a highly effective drive for good. The London occasion will unite 150 folks from the world of video video games, enterprise, and politics. There will be talks, panels, roundtables, workshops, and more. Could possibly be price a glance if that feels like your cup of tea.
by way of Sport Developer // Ubisoft is (nonetheless) in revolt. Forward of an impending worldwide strike known as by 5 unions throughout France, two union representatives have implored long-serving CEO Yves Guillemot to move for the exit with a view to restore an oz. of belief between workers and administration. They really feel it is likely to be unattainable for Ubisoft, which not too long ago introduced more layoffs and studio closures, to regain the belief of its workers with no change in personnel at the very prime.
by way of GamesIndustry.biz // UK co-development specialist Sumo Digital has confirmed yet one more spherical of redundancies. The Tencent-owned firm mentioned it should adapt its enterprise to stay “resilient” amid ongoing instability throughout the online game business. The information got here round 18 months after the corporate laid off 15 p.c of its workforce.
by way of Sport Developer // After years of negotiations, a gaggle of QA workers at Blizzard Albany and Austin rated a union contract with Microsoft that delivers wage will increase, generative AI protections, crediting provisions, incapacity lodging, and a lot more. One union member mentioned the contract makes it simpler to see a “actual, long-term profession” at the corporate.
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