Halo artwork via Microsoft / Patch Notes logo via Game Developer

I’ve been focused on finding causes for optimism lately. Whether it’s in seeing Thomas Bangaltar (one half of Daft Punk) return to the DJ booth for a triumphant B2B set at the Centre Pompidou in Paris or the simple act of crafting a homemade Gromit (one half of Wallace & Gromit) during a delightful claymation workshop in Preston, I’ve found myself leaning into the small wins. 

They are, admittedly, more fleeting in the video game industry. But look hard enough and you’ll see them. Just a few days ago we saw RV There Yet? surpass 1.3 million sales in two weeks. It’s a milestone indie developer Nuggets Entertainment said was difficult to fathom, but one that has been hugely inspiring for the team. 

Further afield, we recently stopped for a brief chat with some local developers at the bustling Thai Games pavilion at Gamescom Asia x Thailand Game Show. During a quick conversation with a young indie, we noticed we were being filmed by somebody nearby. Eventually, they interrupted our conversation to explain “I’m his mum, and I’m so proud!” It was a small, deeply human moment that reminded me there is still plenty to love about this industry.

Admittedly, there is also plenty to condemn—including the layoffs and questionable corporate posturing that continued with aplomb this week. I’d personally hoped for a miraculous rightsizing by the time I returned from Bangkok, but as it turns out my optimism does have some limits.

Related:Xbox hardware revenue declined by 29 percent during Q1

The White House Responds To Its Use of Halo Imagery: ‘Yet Another War Ended Under President Trump’s Watch’ 

via Inverted // Alyssa Mercante’s reporting on the Trump Administration’s appropriation of imagery from Microsoft’s Halo franchise has turned up new details about the government’s messaging strategy on a near-daily basis this week. Nine years after then-presidential candidate Hilary Clinton told voters to “Pokémon Go to the polls,” Trump’s underlings are using the language of games to lionize his image and push politics of hate.

Halo co-creator says ICE’s Halo-themed recruitment ad “makes me sick” 

via Game File // As you might expect, some Halo devs aren’t exactly smitten with the idea of their beloved franchise being used as a political vehicle for the Trump Administration. Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto told Game File that he found the DHS/ICE post “absolutely abhorrent” and said knocked him “sick” to see the series co-opted in that way. Jaime Griesemer, who was a chief designer on early Halo titles, said they found the post depicting Trump as Master Chief rather amusing, but said the ICE post was beyond the pale. “Using Halo imagery in a call to ‘destroy’ people because of their immigration status goes way too far, and ought to offend every Halo fan, regardless of political orientation,” they added. 

Related:Report: Possessor(s) dev Heart Machine lays off more staff two weeks before the game’s launch

GDC Festival of Gaming: The industry reacts to the controversial rebrand 

via GamesIndustry.biz // Our sibling organization’s major rebrand has set the world of game development abuzz, and this roundup of replies from our peers at GI.biz shines a light on the concerns of the international development community.

NetEase accused of lifting art for Marvel Rivals’ Wakanda map

via Game Developer // The former lead environment artist of EA’s canceled Black Panther game made a compelling case that NetEase “borrowed” elements of his portfolio for the art direction of Marvel Rivals. Come for the forensic art analysis, stay for the near-confessional message from an alleged NetEase employee.

After year of layoffs, Xbox boss muses on power of devs who can sustain their own fanbase 

via Game Developer // It’s great that Phil Spencer loves Double Fine as much as we do—and he’s right to say the studio has built its own loyal fanbase. But Phil, how can your other employees attract fans of their own if you keep laying them off?

Related:Behind Escape from Duckov’s unlikely rise to the top of the Steam charts

Don’t Nod partners with Netflix to develop narrative title based on major IP 

via Don’t Nod // Life is Strange and Lost Records developer Don’t Nod has signed a development agreement with Netflix to build a new narrative title based on a major IP. The studio broke the news in its latest fiscal report and said the game will build on its “recognized expertise” in the genre. Netflix will publish the title, which is in development at Don’t Nod Montreal. Notably, the project will finance the Montreal studio. It will also, according to Don’t Nod, enable it to explore new formats such as cloud gaming. 

Amazon Makes ‘Significant’ Cuts in Video-Game Division

via Bloomberg (paywalled) // This week, Amazon confirmed plans to make 14,000 corporate employees redundant and claimed the cuts will help eliminate bureaucracy and pave the way for more efficient AI tools. As highlighted by Bloomberg, the decision will result in cutbacks across the company’s video game division, with Amazon reportedly looking to scale down work on big-budget titles (such as its MMOs) and eliminate roles across its offices in Irvine, San Diego, and its publishing division.

Here’s the pitch that landed Truckful dev MythicOwl a publishing deal

via Game Developer // During a recent trip to Gamescom Asia we had a natter with Pocketpair publishing manager John Buckley, who tantalisingly explained they saw pitch that blew them away earlier this year. It was so impressive they essentially signed the title on the spot. That game was Truckful, and we managed to convince Pocketpair and developer MythicOwl to share the pitch deck and budget breakdown that turned all the right heads. Hopefully it’ll be a useful resource for anybody attempting to run the publishing gauntlet. 

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