Big revenue drops, studio closures, and the loss of a legendary artist mark a turbulent month in gaming. Here's what you need to know.
Gaming Industry Mourns Viktor Antonov (1972-2025) #
The visionary artist behind Half-Life 2's City 17 and Dishonored's Dunwall has passed away at 52. His urban dystopian aesthetics defined a generation of game environments.
Fun fact: Antonov was an urban explorer in his youth, breaking into abandoned buildings to find inspiration. That's how you get those authentic post-apocalyptic vibes! 🏗️
Starbreeze's Paris Studio Faces Shutdown Amid Internal Tensions #
The PAYDAY developer is cutting deeper than expected. Internal documents reveal plans to terminate 23 more employees (12% of workforce), on top of previous 13-16% cuts.
The French team, crucial for PAYDAY 3's console release and server optimization, participated in France's game industry strike on February 13th.
Key insights:
- Server costs reduced by 5x thanks to French team
- French devs were 3 of 7 core members on Iron Strike team
- No severance packages offered to laid-off workers
Ubisoft's Financial Struggles Put Pressure on AC: Shadows #
The numbers tell a rough story:
- Revenue down 31.4% (€990 million)
- Net bookings dropped 34.8% (€944 million)
- Stock price: €11.32 (down 52% from Feb 2024)
All eyes on Assassin's Creed Shadows (March 20th release) to turn things around. Pre-orders matching Odyssey's numbers provide a glimmer of hope.
Surprise Success: Ōkami's Long Tail Pays Off #
Think Ōkami was a flop? Think again:
- 4.6 million units sold across all versions
- Steady sales for 20 years
- Sequel finally greenlit by Capcom
- Original director Hideki Kamiya returns to helm project
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