Rocket Boy
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Documents about Rocket Boy
Games Media Crisis Deepens, Bloober Hunts Weird Horror Titles, and New York Games Week Soft Launches
This weekly edition of The Game Business newsletter and podcast, published October 1, 2026 by Christopher Dring, covers games media layoffs, Bloober Team's new horror publishing ambitions, and the abrupt launch of New York Games Week, along with a roundup of industry news.
- The games media industry is facing severe contraction, with recent layoffs at Future (Gamesradar/Techradar), Metro, and Popverse following earlier cuts at IGN and Restart, driven by declining search traffic and the rise of AI.
- Bloober Team is expanding its horror portfolio through its 'Broken Mirror' label, which currently has five projects in development, including the licensed title 'Saw: Genesis' and the Switch 2 exclusive 'Onyx: The Dark Grip'.
- New York Games Week is soft-launching on October 4, 2026, as a decentralized event series intended to test a new industry gathering model before a full-scale rollout in 2027.
Noxious Fumes
Nathan Brown's Hit Points newsletter (issue #397, September 2026) argues that the western triple-A industry should answer its crisis by copying Japan, and Capcom in particular, rather than waiting for sweeping fixes like AI or the overthrow of capitalism.
- The Western triple-A game industry is facing an existential crisis driven by unsustainable development costs, prompting calls for a shift toward the financially disciplined model used by Japanese developers like Capcom.
- Capcom maintains profitability by keeping budgets in check, retaining long-term staff, and avoiding decade-long development cycles for tentpole franchises like Resident Evil and Monster Hunter.
- The industry is increasingly reliant on 'Myhrvold’s Law,' where software expands to fill available computing power, leading to bloated development that many industry experts argue must be reined in.
Hit Points #373: Serious Hat
Nathan Brown's Hit Points newsletter for 8 May 2026 pairs a personal reflection with a weekly roundup of game industry news.
- Nintendo is increasing the price of the Switch 2 by $50/€50, effective in August, citing changes in market conditions and global economic outlook.
- Both Microsoft and Sony reported significant declines in hardware sales, yet are focusing on next-gen offerings; Microsoft with 'Project Helix' and Sony increasing investments for its next-generation platform.
- CCP Games, maker of EVE Online, bought itself back from parent company Pearl Abyss for $120 million (less than half of the 2018 acquisition price of $225 million), rebranding as Fenris Creations and securing investment from Omega Ventures and Google's Deepmind.
Another Group of MindsEye Authors Has Been Laid Off
Build a Rocket Boy, the studio behind the poorly received MindsEye, has gone through another round of layoffs, according to a May 2026 news report that cites Kotaku's sources.
- Build a Rocket Boy has reduced its workforce to approximately 80 employees following a recent layoff of 170 staff members.
- The studio’s current headcount represents a 90% reduction from its peak size of over 800 employees.
- The downsizing aligns with public statements made in March 2026 by co-head Mark Gerhard, who expressed an intent to reduce the team to at least 100 people.
Roblox’s Age-Based Accounting
Roblox's April 2026 announcement of Age-Based Accounts, a dual-tier system for under-16s, is examined through an interview with Tim Scott, the company's Senior Director of Public Policy EMEA, and the author's analysis.
- Roblox is implementing a dual-tier Age-Based Account system by June 2026, restricting communication and content access for users aged 5–8 (Roblox Kids) and 9–15 (Roblox Select).
- To ensure compliance, all experiences must now undergo developer identity verification, real-time testing by users over 16, and formal rating assignments aligned with IARC standards.
- Over 50% of the platform's total user base has already completed the age verification process, which utilizes technology with an accuracy range of approximately 1.4 years for minors.
Games for Change London: Schedule Announced, 02/04/2026
Games for Change London takes place on Wednesday 15 April 2026 at the Leonardo Tower Bridge Hotel, and its full schedule is now confirmed.
- The Games for Change London conference will take place on April 15, 2026, at the Leonardo Tower Bridge Hotel, featuring over 45 speakers and 150 attendees focused on leveraging player communities for social impact.
- Major industry partners supporting the event include Roblox, Xsolla, Ubisoft, and Supercell, with scholarship programs provided by organizations like UK Game Angels to support students and indie developers.
- Conference programming includes a UNICEF-led workshop on the RITEC Design Toolbox for children’s well-being and sessions on using games to influence urban design and sustainable consumer behavior.
From Leadership to Layoffs: June 26, 2025
This article, published on June 26, 2025, examines the challenges facing leadership in the video games industry amidst a period of significant layoffs and studio closures.
- The video game industry is facing a critical shortage of senior talent, with estimates suggesting that only 50% of the required experienced professionals remain active in the workforce.
- A reliance on short-term financial returns and formulaic live-service projects has created systemic instability, leading to widespread layoffs and studio closures.
- Chasing market fads is a failed strategic approach because development cycles are too long to capitalize on fleeting trends effectively.
Midnight Caller
This document provides an early review of the Nintendo Switch 2 console and its launch titles, alongside commentary on recent industry news.
- Tencent has acquired a 15% stake in Arrowhead Games, the developer of Helldivers 2, for $80 million.
- Tencent has also invested in Lighthouse Games, a studio founded by former Forza developer Gavin Raeburn that is currently looking to expand its 130-person staff by approximately 50 employees.
- The Nintendo Switch 2 has launched with a premium hardware focus, featuring improved haptics, Nvidia-powered performance, and a system-transfer process that allows for the migration of user data between consoles.
“Innovation and Fresh Ideas Remain Crucial”: IO Interactive Istanbul’s Lisa Kretschmer on State of Games Market
The document presents an interview with Lisa Kretschmer, Studio Manager at IO Interactive Istanbul, offering insights into the state of the games market in 2024 and IO Interactive's performance and future plans.
- IO Interactive is currently developing two major AAA titles, Project 007 and Project Fantasy, while continuing to support the Hitman franchise.
- The company has launched a new publishing division, IOI Partners, which will publish the upcoming AAA title MindsEye from developer Build A Rocket Boy.
- IO Interactive is expanding its global footprint by growing teams across five locations, including a new studio in Istanbul that focuses on integrating with the local industry.
Over 2,000 Games Industry Professionals Lost Their Jobs in February, 5x Year-Over-Year
The video game industry experienced significant job losses in February 2024, with at least 2,027 professionals laid off, representing a five-fold increase compared to February 2023 when approximately 386 individuals were affected.
- The video game industry recorded at least 2,027 layoffs in February 2024, a fivefold increase compared to the 386 jobs lost in February 2023.
- Total industry layoffs for the first two months of 2024 have already exceeded 8,000, putting the sector on track to surpass the 10,500 total layoffs documented in all of 2023.
- Sony Interactive Entertainment accounted for the largest share of February's reductions with 900 job cuts, including the closure of London Studio and staff reductions at Naughty Dog, Insomniac Games, and Guerrilla Games.
Three Trends from Pocket Gamer Connects: 25/01/2024
The document, "Three Trends from Pocket Gamer Connects: 25/01/2024," analyzes key themes emerging from the Pocket Gamer Connects London conference, held in January 2024.
- The video games industry is currently operating under a 'survive to '25' mentality, prioritizing fiscal caution and structural reconstruction over rapid expansion due to inflation and high development costs.
- Cross-platform gaming is a significant growth area, with 15 of the top 100 grossing titles now operating across multiple platforms.
- The industry is experiencing a persistent period of contraction characterized by ongoing layoffs and a sober reassessment of business operations following the over-exuberance of the pandemic era.