Game News Round-Up

UK actors' union Equity introduces minimum rates to address "systemic low pay" for video game performers

Fortnite ditches long-standing promise Battle Pass items won't be available to buy later

• 18 month wait between an item appearing in the battle pass before able to be sold on the store

Meta shuts down Quest developer Ready at Dawn

• Across its 21-year lifetime, Ready at Dawn developed the Echo series for the Meta Quest, along with Daxter, various God of War spinoffs, and The Order: 1886

Sega Financial Results

• The Numbers (Three months ended June 30, 2024)
• Net sales: ¥104.7 billion ($710.5 million, down 3.2% year-on-year)
• Entertainment Contents net sales: ¥72.7 billion ($493.3 million, up 34%)
• Overall decline in net sales but a solid performance from its video games business

Balatro passes 2m sales, with free major update due in 2025

Shipyard Games shuts down

• CEO and co-founder cited lack of investment as the main reason for studio's closure
• Shipyard Games was founded in 2017. A couple months later, Supercell invested $2.9 million in the studio.

Foretold Studios is struggling to pay wages, leaving staff "begging" for help

• The problems date back to at least last September, with current and former staff accusing CEO Michael Kuvshynov of failing to communicate transparently with staff about alleged cashflow issues, and actively recruiting new hires whilst owing outstanding wages to current and former employees.
• Leadership says it will "compensate [staff] once we raise money"

Remedy appoints new CFO

• Santtu Kallionpää will join Remedy's core management team in October, relinquishing his role as VP finance and business at Finnish confectionery company, Fazer