Dragon Quest producer Ryutaro Ichimura said he left publisher Square Enix because the company was prioritizing “safe” projects. Ichimura joined Enix in 2000 and spent most of his career working on the Dragon Quest series, progressing to producer on Dragon Quest 8: Journey of the Cursed King and Dragon Quest 9: Sentinels of the Starry … Read more
Nexon said it has launched an investigation after The First Descendant players noticed a number of seemingly AI-generated advertisements on TikTok, including one that used a content creator’s likeness without permission. The developer/publisher issued a statement after Reddit user iHardlyTriHard penned a viral post collating four AI-like advertisements they had found after “only 10-15 minutes” … Read more
GungHo Online Entertainment, the studio behind Puzzles & Dragons, has claimed that a former senior executive embezzled ¥346 million ($2.35 million) by creating fake work and outsourcing orders to misappropriate company funds. In a statement released on August 14, 2025 (via Automaton), GungHo Online Entertainment alleged that a former senior executive, who was dismissed for … Read more
Alex Mochi, the creator of indie hit Rise of Industry, released a video earlier this week claiming he received just $5,000 from Kalypso Media for the IP. But Kasedo Games, the publisher’s digital sub-label and the publisher of Rise of Industry 2, told GamesIndustry.biz the video contains “several inaccuracies.” In a video posted to YouTube … Read more
Studio Atelico has raised $5 million in a seed investment round, which will be used to support the team’s mission “to redefine the role of generative AI in games.” The funding round was led by Nathan Benaich of Air Street Capital, which announced the investment via its publication, Air Street Press, on August 14, 2025. … Read more
Talk of an impending consumer spending recession and its likely impact on games has been widespread for a few months now, and every new data point only seems to further confirm that the belt-tightening is already underway for many of the industry’s most important target demographics. The tenor of the conversations around this worrying topic … Read more
“This is not a law fit for purpose,” says the journalist and game developer John Szczepaniak. “This is idiocy and insanity of the highest order.” Szczepaniak made the game Lady Priest Lawnmower as a joke – riffing on the ZX Spectrum’s similarly silly Advanced Lawnmower Simulator. But when the UK’s Online Safety Act (OSA) came … Read more
Creative comms and marketing agency Bastion has released its annual video games marketing survey, which reveals that discoverability is the biggest challenge publishers and developers expect to face this year. Published on August 14, 2025, Bastion’s Annual G2M Video Games Marketing Survey 2025 asked 75 developers and publishers from across the globe questions about their … Read more
Nexon has released its Q2 2025-26 fiscal year earnings report, claiming “stronger-than-expected results” as Maple Story and Dungeon & Fighter “sustain revitalized momentum” across the period despite revenue, operating income, and net income all tumbling year-on-year. The collective Q2 revenue of Nexon’s three major franchises — Dungeon & Fighter, Maple Story, and FC Online — … Read more
Indie games publisher Silver Lining Interactive has launched the Silver Bullet Programme, a new initiative that aims to “support and highlight independent game developers who are crafting the next generation of unforgettable gaming experiences.” Announced alongside an explainer video on August 14, 2025, the Silver Bullet Programme offers indie developers up to $100,000 in development … Read more