GDC: Developers judge 30% store cuts unfair, PS5 most interesting console

The latest report from the Game Developer Conference (GDC) provides various insights into how developers view the current gaming landscape.

GDC surveyed over 3,000 gaming industry professionals for its 2021 State of the Game Industry report.

Just three percent of developers felt it was fair for digital stores like Steam and GOG to take 30 percent of their revenue. However, perplexingly, three percent believe the platforms should take a larger cut.

62 percent of...

29 April 2021 | Gaming

Game developers can have the accessibility of their titles checked by Xbox

Microsoft is launching a new initiative which enables game developers to send their PC and Xbox titles in to be analysed by accessibility experts.

“Where issues are found, they are noted with reproduction steps, screenshots, and other information to help the developer understand what aspect of a given experience may be challenging for certain gamers with disabilities,” explained Brannon Zahand, senior program manager of gaming accessibility at Xbox.

Xbox has been on...

18 February 2021 | Gaming

Employment in the UK’s booming gaming sector is set to triple

The UK’s gaming sector is booming and bringing with it huge economic opportunities, according to an upcoming report.

Recruitment agency Robert Walters is set to release its report – Gaming: the perfect play for growth – next month, but has provided some early findings.

The UK’s gaming sector is currently valued at around £4 billion and ranges from innovative indie developers to renowned studios like Rare, Codemasters, Rockstar North, Criterion, and Creative...

30 September 2020 | Gaming

Microsoft launches Xbox Academy to inspire the next-gen of game developers

The next generation of gaming is coming, and the Xbox team is doing its part to inspire new talent.

Xbox Academy will help to teach participants about the basics of game design and development, in addition to using popular tools such as Unity.

Gaming was valued at $151.55 billion globally in 2019 and is expected to reach a value of $256.97 billion by 2025. Just this week, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt called gaming "the future of storytelling" (while eating an extra spicy...

7 September 2020 | Development Tools

Microsoft joins App Store backlash after xCloud game streaming blocked

Microsoft has joined the growing number of developers who are disgruntled with the App Store’s policies after its game streaming service xCloud is blocked.

Apple’s notorious “walled” platforms have become more open in recent years, but some frustrating policies remain which restrict developers and lead to a poorer experience for Cupertino’s customers.

Game streaming services are growing in popularity – especially with 5G rolling out – but there's a notable...

7 August 2020 | App Stores

Microsoft decides games can be exclusive to Xbox Series X

Microsoft has decided that developers can make games just for the Xbox Series X, including those from first-party studios.

One of Microsoft's most debated policies for the upcoming generation is that games must also run on the PC and older Xbox One consoles. In recent weeks, that policy appeared to have softened so that third-party developers could decide what hardware to support.

First-party studios, however, still appeared to have to develop games for all the Xbox One...

24 July 2020 | Gaming

Opinion: PS5 and Xbox Series X audio upgrades will be as impressive as their visuals

With the upcoming consoles, audio technology will finally get a generational leap alongside visual fidelity.

One of the most intriguing parts of the PS5 technical announcement was that of the Tempest Engine. System architect Mark Cerny quite rightly said that audio hasn't received the same attention as visual upgrades over the years, despite it being an essential part of the experience.

Sony started its work on a 3D audio system out of necessity for its PlayStation VR...

13 July 2020 | Gaming

Sony games chief says next-gen is a ‘paradigm shift’ as PS5 unveiled

Sony has finally unveiled the PS5's design along with a host of games that will kick off a new generation described as a "paradigm shift".

The internet has had its usual fun with the physical design of the upcoming console. Many have pointed out that it looks like an obnoxious router, while others have likened it to a "new expensive campus," the eye of Mordor, and even an aircraft...

12 June 2020 | Gaming

Unreal Engine 5 PS5 demo was just 1440p, 30 FPS, and lacked ray-tracing

A demo of Unreal Engine 5 running on the upcoming PS5 was running at just 1440p resolution, 30 FPS, and lacked ray-tracing.

The video is a decent graphical showcase of what the next Unreal Engine can do but is relatively disappointing on a technical level. Many gamers are expecting up to 8K games, 120 FPS, and jaw-dropping ray-tracing from the next-gen consoles, but the current demo is more along the lines of the performance from the current PS4 Pro and Xbox One...

14 May 2020 | Gaming

Xbox chief Phil Spencer expects next-gen games to be like ‘2D to 3D’

Xbox chief Phil Spencer is expecting a truly generational leap in games will occur later this year, likened to the jump from 2D to 3D.

We know from the specs that both the Xbox Series X and the PS5 are monsters that finally compete with even high-end PCs. However, there were some pretty photorealistic games available on the One X and PS4 Pro – so can we really expect that much of a jump? Spencer believes so.

Anyone who's been around games for multiple generations knows...

28 April 2020 | Gaming