During a recent business segment meeting, Sony Interactive's Herman Hulst opened up on the company's approach to PC versions of its first-party titles.Hulst, who'll be co-CEO of PlayStation starting in June, explained single-player games will come to PC after their initial PlayStation 5 launch to drive PC players to buy a console.Live-service games like Helldivers 2 will have simultaneous launches on both systems. Arrowhead's multiplayer shooter benefitted greatly from the same-day launch and quickly succeeded initial sales projections.Speaking to the "dual approach," Hulst called those narrative-based games "the backbone of PlayStation Studios. […] We’re finding new audiences that are potentially going to be very interested in playing sequels on the …
Remedy chief financial officer Terhi Kauppi is departing the Alan Wake and Control developer.Kauppi will step down on June 30, 2024, and Remedy has already started searching for her successor. Her responsibilities will be shared by the company's finance team until a replacement has been found.In a note to investors, Remedy explained Kauppi is leaving to "pursue new career opportunities outside of the company." She joined Remedy in 2018 and according to CEO Tero Virtala has enabled the studio to scale up."[Kauppi] has had an important role in developing our finance and administrative function to a state where we can manage well the needs of a larger organization. She also successfully led the project to transition Remedy from the First North Growth Market Finland marketp…
Swedish investment company EQT Group has tabled a cash offer of £25.5 ($32.4) per share to acquire Keywords Studios. The Financial Times reports the overall deal would value Keywords at £2.2 billion ($2.8 billion).Keywords is a global service provider for the video game industry. It offers services covering audio development, production, QA testing, marketing, player engagement, localization, and more.The company boasts over 70 studios in 25 countries and employs over 12,000 people worldwide. It has worked with clients including Nintendo, NetEase, Take-Two Interactive, Square Enix, Ubisoft, Supercell, EA, Riot Games, and Tencent.Keywords confirmed it's currently in "advanced discussions" with EQT Group in an update to investors. The company explained EQT previously made fo…
Persona developer Atlus has recently lost studio veteran Kazuma Kaneko. The artist has jumped ship over to COLOPL, as revealed in a translated interview from his new employer.Oft known as the Demon Artist, Kaneko joined Atlus in 1988, with one of his first projects being King of Kings. Since then, he's designed characters and monsters for plenty of games, including Devil May Cry 3, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and nearly every mainline Persona entry.Having been so deep in the Atlus system for so long, his final game with the company is Persona 3 Reload.Older developers leaving their studio draws attention, especially when their work is synonymous with its output. Kaneko's art has helped define both Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, particularly with their rising popularity in the West.A sp…
Epic's battle royale shooter Fortnite has transcended its humble origins to become a leading example of what the 'metaverse' could be. Headline-making collaborations with global brands. Iconic skins that unite characters from movies, television shows, video games, and more under one roof. A perpetually evolving narrative that keeps players in orbit. In-game concerts and comedy shows with major artists. User generated content in spades.Yes, the early pitch of a live-service shooter has now morphed into something far greater (and perhaps more lucrative) than was initially envisioned, and Epic is acutely aware of how potential partners view Fortnite within the current entertainment landscape.Just look at Disney. The Star Wars, Pixar, and Marvel Cinematic Universe owner recently…