Today's Summary
Xbox begins testing phone controls on supported smart TVs and direct Wi-Fi connections for its Nano Controller. French game workers’ union STJV challenges Microsoft’s rationale for a proposed Arkane closure, while PlayStudios shuts down Tetris Block Party after a wider restructuring.
Remedy reports stronger quarterly revenue following Control Resonant. A US court restricts transfers from Papaya Gaming’s US accounts as it appeals a judgment, and the ASGC support community reports more than 5,400 job placements.
Rise of Fearless founder Kanessa Muluneh discusses funding and African-owned game development. New Blood’s Dave Oshry explains his preference for independence, while Blizzard makes major balance changes ahead of World of Warcraft: Forever.
Dead by Daylight’s team apologizes after a content giveaway to a streamer, and Xbox highlights independent games in its November selection.
Editor's Viewpoint
This issue has a recurring theme: who holds control when a game or a studio changes direction. A new way to play on a television can lower the barrier for some players, but it remains a preview with limits. For developers facing layoffs or closure, access to the tools and communities that help them find the next job is a much more immediate concern.
The Arkane union’s account is an allegation about management decisions, not an independently established finding. Likewise, the financial figures reported by companies and community groups should be understood in their own context. Those distinctions matter when a single headline can make a disputed decision sound settled. In our view, the most useful coverage keeps those boundaries visible while making room for smaller stories, such as a founder building African-owned game worlds and a support network helping people navigate an uncertain market.
Xbox previews phone controls and direct Wi-Fi for cloud gaming
Xbox is rolling out two cloud gaming previews. Players on supported smart TVs can use an Android or iOS phone as a controller through its browser; in the United States, the Xbox Nano Controller can connect over Wi-Fi directly to a cloud session.
The phone option appears when a player launches a game without a physical controller after enabling preview features. Xbox says direct cloud connection may improve responsiveness, but both tests have limited availability and supported devices. A latency improvement is a possibility, not a guarantee.
Key Points
- Phone controls — Supported Android and iOS phones work through a browser.
- Smart TVs — Preview features must be enabled on a supported TV.
- Nano controller — The Wi-Fi cloud connection preview is available in the US.
- Early test — Device and game support remain limited.
French game union challenges Microsoft’s reasons for proposed Arkane closure
French game workers’ union STJV alleges that Microsoft’s hiring freeze created delays and extra costs on Marvel’s Blade, which were then cited to justify a proposed closure of Arkane. The union says the freeze lasted 19 months.
The union’s account is a claim by workers, not a finding that the allegations are proven. It also says development of Blade is progressing and disputes the economic justification. The statement adds a labor perspective to the uncertainty surrounding Arkane; it does not confirm a sale or the game’s eventual outcome.
Key Points
- Union position — STJV disputes the economic case for closure.
- Hiring — The union alleges a 19-month hiring freeze.
- Game — The statement concerns Arkane’s Marvel’s Blade.
- Status — The claims are attributed to the union.
PlayStudios closes Tetris Block Party after restructuring
PlayStudios has closed Tetris Block Party after restructuring that included four studio closures and 177 job cuts. The shutdown is expected to result in an impairment charge of up to $3.5 million in third-quarter results.
AppMagic estimates cited by PocketGamer.biz put the game at 5.6 million downloads and $8.1 million in in-app purchases; those estimates exclude advertising and web-shop revenue. The company continues to operate its main Tetris mobile game. The report says Block Party struggled to sustain engagement and monetisation.
Key Points
- Restructuring — Four studios closed and 177 jobs were cut.
- Charge — The impairment may reach $3.5 million.
- Estimate — AppMagic estimates 5.6 million downloads.
- Still running — PlayStudios continues its main Tetris mobile title.
Remedy reports revenue jump as Control Resonant reaches a million sales
Remedy’s third-quarter revenue rose to €39.6 million from €12.2 million a year earlier, according to its results reported by PC Gamer. Control Resonant reached one million copies on October 15 and became the Finnish studio’s fastest-selling game.
Only the first seven days of launch sales were included in the quarter. Remedy said close to half of players were new to Control and reported a 1.5% operating margin. The strong launch does not by itself establish the game’s eventual lifetime sales or the company’s full-year result.
Key Points
- Quarterly revenue — €39.6 million versus €12.2 million a year earlier.
- Sales milestone — One million copies by October 15.
- New audience — Remedy says close to half of players were newcomers.
- Margin — Quarterly operating margin was 1.5%.
US court restricts transfers from Papaya Gaming’s accounts
A US bankruptcy court has restricted Papaya Gaming from transferring money out of its US accounts as it faces a judgment owed to Skillz of approximately $730 million, PocketGamer.biz reports. Papaya has appealed the judgment.
The October 27 order followed a hearing involving the company’s Israeli insolvency proceedings. The court cited concerns about a transfer of more than $70 million before an earlier trial. The company must follow conditions for ordinary payments and the restrictions remain in place until further order.
Key Points
- Court — The US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware issued the order.
- Judgment — The reported total is approximately $730 million.
- Appeal — Papaya has appealed the judgment.
- Next step — Creditors are scheduled to vote on a revised plan on November 8.
ASGC reports more than 5,400 game industry job placements
Always Supporting the Games Community says it has helped with more than 5,400 job placements as it marks four years. Founder Amir Satvat started the initiative in 2022 with an initial goal of helping 100 people find work.
The organization reports more than 60 free resources, a jobs workbook used by 15,000 people each week, and 110,000 coaching chats and reviews. These are figures reported by the community, not independently audited outcomes. ASGC also says its Angels initiative contributed $25,000 to help keep resources free.
Key Points
- Milestone — More than 5,400 placements reported.
- Resources — More than 60 free resources are available.
- Workbook — The group reports 15,000 weekly users.
- Support — ASGC Angels contributed $25,000 for free resources.
Rise of Fearless founder discusses $1 million funding and African-owned games
Rise of Fearless has secured $1 million from Epic Edges Capital, founder Kanessa Muluneh told PocketGamer.biz. The mobile game launched in 2025 and has surpassed 15,000 downloads, according to Muluneh.
The team is reviewing the player experience and technology with outside specialists. Muluneh describes the aim as building African-owned game intellectual property for an international audience, while acknowledging differences in connectivity, payments and infrastructure across African markets. The funding supports further work rather than guaranteeing an audience.
Key Points
- Funding — The company secured $1 million from Epic Edges Capital.
- Launch — The mobile game launched in 2025.
- Downloads — The founder reports more than 15,000.
- Next phase — The team is auditing the game and improving player experience.
New Blood’s Dave Oshry explains why he wants to stay independent
New Blood Interactive CEO Dave Oshry told PC Gamer he would rather eventually close the company on its own terms than sell it to keep it alive. His comments describe a long-term preference, not an announced shutdown.
The company is marking its 12th anniversary and has published games including Dusk, Gloomwood, Amid Evil, Fallen Aces and Ultrakill. Oshry credits a relatively small, remote team and a varied catalogue as part of its approach. His hypothetical remarks should not be read as a timetable for an imminent closure.
Key Points
- Status — No immediate closure was announced.
- Anniversary — New Blood is celebrating 12 years.
- Approach — Oshry favors a relatively small remote team.
- Catalogue — Its published games include Dusk and Ultrakill.
World of Warcraft: Forever gets a major balance pass before launch
Blizzard has raised class damage across World of Warcraft: Forever and increased the health of higher-level creatures to compensate, according to development notes reported by PC Gamer. The changes followed feedback and iteration during the beta.
The team said that trying to keep every class close to Classic-era power constraints forced new elements to come at the expense of existing abilities. The adjustments give designers more room to tune classes while retaining the experience they want. How the balance feels in practice will depend on players’ time with the release.
Key Points
- Classes — Damage was raised across classes.
- Creatures — Higher-level creatures received more health.
- Reason — Developers wanted more room to tune abilities.
- Timing — The balance pass followed beta development.
Dead by Daylight reverses streamer giveaway and apologizes
The Dead by Daylight team apologized after a team member gave downloadable content, items and currency to streamer TheBurntPeanut during an unsponsored stream. The team later said it had removed the granted content.
PC Gamer reports that the streamer offered to return the content or pay for it. The response drew criticism from parts of the game’s community, particularly around how gifts to a prominent creator fit with the team’s stated values. The incident is a reminder that communication around promotional gifts can affect player trust.
Key Points
- Gift — A team member granted content and currency.
- Stream — The article says the stream was not sponsored.
- Reversal — The team says the granted content was removed.
- Response — The developers apologized to players.
Xbox spotlights independent games in November’s Indie Selects
Xbox has published its November Indie Selects, a curated set of six independent games spanning horror, action and other styles. The selection includes Silver Pines, Graveyard Keeper 2 and Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2.
Xbox describes Silver Pines as a survival horror game whose camera can pin clues to a map, while Graveyard Keeper 2 combines crafting, building and farming with a dark medieval setting. The list is an editorial selection from the platform, not a sales chart; players can inspect the games in the Indie Select hub.
Key Points
- Selection — Xbox highlights six games this month.
- Silver Pines — A detective’s camera can pin clues to the map.
- Graveyard Keeper 2 — Crafting, farming and building shape the sequel.
- Discovery — The Indie Select hub is available in the Xbox Store.