Atlantis
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Documents about Atlantis
Mapping the Atlantis in Inazuma: A Hellenistic Diffusion in Pop Gacha RPGs
This paper examines how popular mobile gacha roleplaying games, particularly Genshin Impact and its Inazuma region with the submerged civilisation of Enkanomiya, function as digital continuations of the transcultural transmission of myths from the ancient Mediterranean to East Asia.
- The paper argues that gacha RPGs such as Genshin Impact constitute a distinct mythological genre, characterised by multi-mythical embroidery, fragmented retelling of myths, hybridised worldbuilding, and devoted fan cultures.
- Its central interpretive claim is that Genshin Impact's Enkanomiya blends Greek sun myths (such as Helios and his chariot) with Japanese mythology, framed as a plausible reflection of historical cultural exchange.
- The paper draws parallels to earlier Hellenistic diffusion, including the Uzume and Baubo comparison, Heracles becoming a guardian figure in Gandhara Buddhism, and the Orpheus-Eurydice and Izanagi-Izanami resemblance traced via Scythian and Korean intermediaries to early Japan.
Amazon Abandons Its Open World Driving Game with Maverick Games
Amazon has officially terminated its publishing agreement with UK-based developer Maverick Games for an unannounced open-world driving title.
- Amazon has terminated its publishing agreement with UK-based developer Maverick Games for their upcoming AAA narrative-led open world driving game.
- Maverick Games, founded in 2022 by former Forza Horizon creative director Mike Brown, confirmed that development of the title remains ongoing as they seek a new publishing partner.
- This move is part of a broader strategic contraction at Amazon Game Studios, which has recently cut MMO development staff, ceased operations on the title 'King of Meat,' and sold the MOBA 'March of Giants' to Ubisoft.
Which New Games 'Ruled' Interest at 2025's The Game Awards?
Simon Carless's final GameDiscoverCo newsletter of 2025 measures which game reveals at The Game Awards generated the most interest, and it opens with a roundup of late-year industry news.
- The 2025 Game Awards reached 171 million global livestreams, marking an 11% year-over-year increase in audience engagement.
- The global games market grew 7.5% in 2025 to reach $197 billion, with PC market expansion driven primarily by premium releases.
- Tomb Raider: Legacy Of Atlantis, Star Wars: Fate Of The Old Republic, Phantom Blade Zero, Resident Evil Requiem, and Divinity emerged as the top five most impactful announcements based on combined wishlist, trailer, and media metrics.
Industry Snapshot: Games, Platforms and Major Announcements (Weeks 49–50)
The snapshot covers weeks 49–50 of 2025, highlighting a mix of award successes, new releases, platform initiatives and industry events that signal sustained momentum across the video-game sector.
- The indie title 'Clair Obscur: Expedition 33' achieved over 5 million cumulative sales, including 3 million units via Game Pass in its first month, while securing Game of the Year honors.
- NetEase’s 'Where the Winds Meet' reached 9 million players in its first two weeks and hit a peak of 251,000 concurrent users on Steam.
- Nintendo expanded its internal development capacity by acquiring Bandai Namco Singapore to establish Nintendo Studios Singapore.
The Game Awards Reveals That Blew Up on Steam
The Game Awards serves as a significant marketing platform for the gaming industry, capable of driving measurable audience interest and immediate commercial success for featured titles.
- Following its nine-award win at The Game Awards, Expedition 33 saw daily sales volume increase by 6x, averaging 69,000 copies per day compared to its previous 12,000-copy average.
- Expedition 33 sold over 200,000 additional copies post-awards, with 76% of sales occurring on Steam, 21% on PS5, and only 3% on Xbox, suggesting Game Pass cannibalized premium sales on the latter platform.
- Total War: Warhammer 40,000 emerged as the top new-game reveal by Steam engagement, gaining 51,000 followers and demonstrating strong resonance with existing Warhammer franchise fans.
Ru Weerasuriya Looks Back at Ready at Dawn’s History and Discusses His New Studio: Atlantis
Ru Weerasuriya, co-founder of the former studio Ready at Dawn, reflects on his career trajectory, the closure of his previous company under Meta, and the launch of his new venture, Atlantis Studio.
- Ru Weerasuriya, co-founder of Ready at Dawn, argues that the VR industry is currently failing to innovate because developers are prioritizing short-term player demands over pushing the boundaries of what the technology can achieve.
- Ready at Dawn was acquired by Meta in 2020 to focus on long-term VR innovation, but the studio was shut down four years later due to a lack of alignment between the studio's creative DNA and Meta’s shifting strategic priorities.
- Development of the 2015 title 'The Order: 1886' was constrained by a three-and-a-half-year development cycle, leading to the removal of 30% of the game's content and the cancellation of a functional multiplayer mode to meet release deadlines.
Games Lift 2024: Hamburg Incubator Funding
The Games Lift Incubator, an initiative organized by Gamecity Hamburg on behalf of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, has selected five developer teams to participate in its 2024 support program.
- Gamecity Hamburg has selected five developer teams for the 2024 Games Lift Incubator, which begins on September 9, 2024.
- Each selected team receives 15,000 euros in financial support and access to a one-year program featuring workshops, mentoring from over 30 industry experts, and a new joint trip to an international industry event.
- The five winning projects are ForeFeathers (Team Honeybeak), Frisia – Cozy Villages (Rouven Cabanis), Light of Atlantis (Duck ‘n’ Run Games), Pubcrawler (Triflgard), and Tiny Garden (Tales from the Garden).
Cultural Adaptation of Social Games to the Japanese Market
The Japanese social gaming market presents a high-barrier, high-reward environment that requires extensive cultural adaptation rather than simple translation.
- Successful entry into the Japanese market requires deep cultural adaptation, as demonstrated by Nika Entertainment’s 'Atlantis Adventure' maintaining a top position on the Mobage platform for over 40 weeks.
- Visual assets must be localized to match Japanese aesthetic standards, which include bright color palettes, character designs with large eyes and small bodies, and architectural styles that align with local expectations.
- Developers should avoid imagery that could be perceived as mutant-like to prevent negative associations with historical events like the Fukushima disaster.
Gamecity Hamburg at Gamescom 2026: All You Need to Know
Gamecity Hamburg facilitates the participation of five local indie game studios at Gamescom 2026, held in Cologne from August 26 to 30.
- Gamecity Hamburg is sponsoring five local indie studios at the Indie Arena Booth during Gamescom 2026, taking place in Cologne from August 26 to 30.
- The selected studios and their respective projects are Pipapo Games (Map Map), Duck’n’Run Games (Light of Atlantis), Amberdive Interactive (REPLICORE), Buckfish Games (Unbreachable), and Symmetry Break Studio (Deep Fog Signals).
- The Road to Gamescom program provides these developers with delegation packages and preparatory workshops to facilitate networking with international publishers, investors, and media.
Display 2022: Games Master Showcase
The Display 2022 event served as a showcase for the Games Master program at HAW Hamburg, highlighting the creative output and technical proficiency of students after three semesters of development.
- The HAW Hamburg Games Master program serves as a primary pipeline for the German games industry, with many student teams transitioning directly into professional studio founders and award-winning developers.
- The Display 2022 event showcased six diverse student projects, including commercial-ready titles like the co-op shooter Metacore and serious games focused on social issues such as harassment and terminal care.
- Several student teams from the 2022 showcase successfully transitioned into the Games Lift Incubator 2022, demonstrating the program's effectiveness in bridging the gap between academic training and the professional market.
Meet the Road to Hamburg Games Conference Indie Teams: 2023
The "Road to Hamburg Games Conference" initiative serves to bolster the local independent game development sector by providing Hamburg-based studios with professional exposure at major industry events.
- The 'Road to Hamburg Games Conference' initiative provides selected local indie studios with free exhibition space at major industry events to facilitate business growth, networking, and investment opportunities.
- Five Hamburg-based studios were selected for the 2023 program: Bagpack Games, DrownTown, Beardshaker Games, Crumbling Games, and Denise Koch.
- The 2023 cohort showcased a diverse portfolio of projects, including We the Valarii (multiplayer), Lights of Atlantis (puzzle-exploration), Soulitaire (card-based narrative), Crumbling (VR roguelike), and Monstersongs VR (musical-adventure).
Prototype Funding 2023: 410,000 Euros for 6 Projects from Hamburg
Gamecity Hamburg allocated 410,000 euros in 2023 to support the development of six digital game prototypes. This initiative aims to foster innovation and market potential among Hamburg-based companies and start-ups.
- Gamecity Hamburg distributed 410,000 euros in 2023 to fund the development of six digital game prototypes from local studios.
- Amberdive Interactive, Tiny Roar, and Curvature Games each received 80,000 euros for their respective projects: METACORE, Project Renaissance, and Reddie – ReRun of Reality.
- DrownTown and Godcomplex Games were awarded 70,000 euros each for Light of Atlantis and Stack 'Em Up, while Beardshaker Games received 30,000 euros for How to Find Friends.