Game File
112 reports, presentations and talks by Game File in the Game Industry Library, the newest “Ubisoft Plans Cuts at German Studios: Workforce Reductions in the Gaming Industry” (2026).
Documents
Ubisoft Plans Cuts at German Studios: Workforce Reductions in the Gaming Industry
The video game industry continues to experience significant workforce contraction, highlighted by Ubisoft’s recent move to reduce its headcount in Germany.
- Ubisoft is planning to reduce its German workforce by approximately 100 employees, with more than half of these cuts expected at the Dusseldorf studio.
- To manage the headcount reduction, Ubisoft is negotiating a voluntary departure program with the Works Council, potentially offering a payout formula based on 1.5 times the monthly salary multiplied by years of service.
- Ubisoft’s total headcount has decreased from 20,729 in September 2022 to 16,590 by March 2026 as part of a broader cost-cutting initiative that aims to save an additional €180 million by 2028.
How the Zelda Ocarina of Time Remake Changes the Classic Game’s Script
The 2026 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Nintendo Switch 2 introduces significant revisions to the game’s original script, marking a departure from the dialogue established in the 1998 original and the 2011 3DS version.
- Nintendo is releasing a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2 on November 5, 2026.
- While the core gameplay, dungeons, and quest structure remain faithful to the 1998 original, the remake features overhauled graphics and updated controls, including manual camera movement and a dedicated jump button.
- Producer Eiji Aonuma stated that the remake includes significant additions to the game's script to enhance character personality.
Xbox’s New Streak Experiment
Microsoft is currently testing a new engagement feature on the Xbox console dashboard that tracks and displays user gaming streaks.
- Xbox is testing a new, highly visible streak indicator on the console dashboard that tracks consecutive days of gaming activity.
- The streak feature appears prominently in the upper-left corner of the user profile, marking a shift from previous, less visible engagement tracking methods.
- Microsoft has established a new entertainment division called 'XP,' which is divided into four specialized groups: Xbox Pictures, Xbox Products, Xbox Partnerships, and Xbox Places.
Unity’s New AI Game-Creation Tool: Unity Spark
Unity is preparing to launch a new AI-powered game development tool, Unity Spark, which aims to democratize game creation by allowing users to build projects through text-based prompts and AI-assisted agents.
- Unity is launching Unity Spark, an AI-assisted game development tool entering beta later this year that allows users to build games via text prompts and collaborative, multi-user AI agents.
- Unity CEO Matt Bromberg explicitly stated that Unity Spark is not a 'one-shot' tool for generating complete games from a single prompt, emphasizing that the platform still requires significant human effort.
- Unity aims to attract tens of millions of users by positioning the platform as a tool for active creators rather than passive consumers of AI-generated content.
Some Furloughed Star Wars Zero Company Developers Are Returning to Work, Studio Says
Bit Reactor, the Maryland-based developer behind the tactical combat game Star Wars Zero Company, has initiated the process of recalling furloughed staff to active duty.
- Bit Reactor has begun recalling some of the staff it furloughed shortly before the summer release of its tactical combat game, Star Wars Zero Company.
- The studio's current pay-rolled headcount has reached more than half of its pre-furlough levels following the recent return of some employees.
- A significant portion of the development team remains on furlough, meaning they continue to be employed by the studio without receiving pay or benefits.
Bobby Kotick’s Lawyers Sent Me a Bad Email (and Later Apologized)
This account details a recurring strategy employed by former Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick and his legal counsel, the firm Clare Locke, to influence media coverage regarding his tenure.
- Former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has employed the law firm Clare Locke to pressure media outlets into adding specific language from a 2023 California civil rights settlement to their reporting on his tenure.
- The requested legal language asserts that no court or independent investigation has substantiated claims of systemic sexual harassment or executive misconduct at Activision Blizzard.
- Journalist Stephen Totilo received a legal threat from Clare Locke regarding a January 2026 article, despite the fact that the requested language was already included in his original reporting.
Six Resident Evil Games Sold Over Three Million Copies: Capcom Epiphanies
The primary objective of this analysis is to evaluate the sustained commercial performance of the Resident Evil franchise by examining Capcom’s internal sales data.
- Between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, six distinct Resident Evil titles each sold over three million copies: Resident Evil 2 remake, Resident Evil 3 remake, Resident Evil 4 remake, Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil Village, and Resident Evil Requiem.
- The newest entry, Resident Evil Requiem, achieved eight million copies sold within four months of its late-February 2026 release.
- The 2023 remake of Resident Evil 4 maintained strong momentum by selling over five million copies during the 2025–2026 fiscal period.
Meta's AI-Driven Plans for Game Development
Meta is pivoting its gaming strategy away from virtual reality toward AI-driven development tools, aiming to democratize game creation through its new Horizon Create platform.
- Meta is shifting its gaming strategy away from VR toward AI-driven development, launching 'Horizon Create' to allow users to build 2D and 3D games via text prompts without coding or art skills.
- The Horizon Create platform enables users to build games from scratch or 'remix' existing games found within the app, aiming to compete directly with platforms like Roblox.
- Meta’s vision for the future of game development involves real-time, collaborative environments where multiple creators use AI 'agents' to simultaneously modify shared virtual worlds.
Microsoft Makes Big Cuts at Halo Studios, Shifts Franchise to Activision
Microsoft is undergoing a significant restructuring of its gaming division as of September 2026, characterized by workforce reductions, studio reassignments, and a fundamental shift in the management of its flagship intellectual property.
- Microsoft is laying off 268 employees, primarily from Halo Studios (formerly 343 Industries) and Xbox Games Studio management, as part of a broader 3,200-person workforce reduction announced in July.
- Development of the next Halo game is moving to Activision, where a newly assembled team will lead production and publishing, while Halo Studios shifts to a caretaker and support role.
- The potential sale of Ninja Theory has fallen through, leaving the studio at risk of closure and subject to a formal consultation process.
Facing Theft Lawsuit, 2K Exec Argues Against Virtual Currency Transfers
Newly unsealed legal documents from a 2023 class-action lawsuit against Take-Two Interactive reveal the publisher's internal justifications for prohibiting the transfer of virtual currency (VC) between annual iterations of the NBA 2K franchise.
- Take-Two Interactive is currently defending a 2023 class-action lawsuit alleging that the company effectively steals from players by shutting down servers for older NBA 2K titles roughly 2.5 years after release, rendering any remaining purchased virtual currency (VC) inaccessible.
- Take-Two maintains that players do not legally own the virtual currency they purchase, justifying the lack of refunds or transfer options when game servers are sunsetted.
- Michael O’Dwyer, VP of product management for NBA 2K, testified that there is no technical solution to enable the transfer of virtual currency between annual game editions.
Programming Alert: I Interviewed a Control Resonant Developer
The New York Videogame Critics Circle is hosting a Playing With Purpose charity livestream on September 19, 2026, to support educational initiatives for underserved New York City high school students.
- The New York Videogame Critics Circle is hosting a 'Playing With Purpose' charity livestream on September 19, 2026, to raise $2,500 for educational programs benefiting underserved New York City youth.
- The charity event features a pre-recorded interview with Arhi Makkonen, a senior level designer at Remedy Entertainment, scheduled to air during the 6 p.m. hour.
- The interview with Makkonen covers his career trajectory, his previous work on the original Control, and design shifts implemented for the upcoming title, Control Resonant.
Game File: News Round-up
The gaming industry is currently experiencing a shift in long-term development transparency, highlighted by Blizzard Entertainment’s recent announcement of Diablo V and a new StarCraft title for 2029 and 2030, respectively.
- Nearly 86% of Japanese game developers now use generative AI in their work, a significant increase from 51% in 2025.
- Roblox is launching a 'Play Roblox Everywhere' initiative to allow its games to run as standalone apps on PC, mobile, and consoles, as well as in web browsers, to capture 10% of the global gaming market.
- Indie studio closures and layoffs continue, with Heart Machine laying off nearly its entire staff after funding was pulled and Polyarc announcing its closure after 12 years.