When Sequels Play It Too Safe (Or Too Wild)
Game developers walk a perpetual tightrope when crafting sequels, balancing the fervent desires of a dedicated fanbase with the imperative for fresh innovation. The promise of a follow-up ignites excitement but it also carries the heavy burden of expectation. Stray too far from the beloved original and risk alienating loyal players. Stick too close and […]
Subnautica Founders Sue Krafton for Sabotaging the Release of Subnautica 2
Recently, the game publisher Krafton had utterly gutted the lead team of Unknown Worlds Entertainment and their current project “Subnautica 2” and delayed the release of the game in order to avoid paying the developers a $250 million bonus as according to Game Developer, “Reviewing the purchase agreement – Krafton acquired Unknown Worlds in 2021 […]
Gaming as Therapy: How Digital Worlds Can Aid Mental Well-being
Video games often bear the brunt of criticism, frequently dismissed as time-wasting distractions or worse, catalysts for isolation. Yet, this narrow perspective overlooks a growing body of evidence highlighting their positive psychological benefits, from offering vital stress relief to fostering deep social connections. It is time to re-evaluate how we perceive this pervasive form of […]
The Transformation of Arcades
Before the time when everyone had access to gaming PCs and consoles, there were arcades. These gaming hubs were the ideal hangout spots for kids and teens alike, who found comfort in the long line of colorful machines and endless fun. As technology evolved, so did the video game industry, which was increasingly invested in […]
Umamusume: Pretty Derby Global Release Takes Gaming Community by Storm
Horse racing, especially in Japan, is a very popular sport, with the sport garnering a large audience, high betting turnover and strong cultural relevance would lead to many media being produced around it. “Umamusume: Pretty Derby,” is one such game, with the base premise being that of personified race horses. The game features a wide […]
What is the “Stop Killing Games” Initiative?
Over a few weeks, there has been a lot of discussion over the consumer movement known as “Stop Killing Games”. Ross Scott, the founder of the initiative, has already gone through many hurdles with this movement, and there are plenty more to overcome in the future. However, the main problem this movement faces is misinformation, […]
Subnautica 2 Leadership Team Let Go By Krafton: What Does This Mean for the Game?
“Subnautica,” is one of the most popular indie survival horror games ever made and with the announcement for a sequel and its trailer dropping last year, many fans have been waiting with baited breath for early access to become available to the public. However, with Krafton acquiring Unknown Worlds Entertainment on Oct 29, 2021, fans […]
Borderlands 4 is Pushing It with Collector’s Edition
The gaming industry is in a very controversial position now, with the growing concerns of the high-ranking publishing companies becoming greedier than ever before. Increasing prices and dubious ownership have made video games more of a hobby that only some people can afford. However, with the recent announcement about Borderlands 4 collector’s edition, we can […]
Videogame Hytale Canceled After Ten Years of Development
The video game “Hytale,” that has been in production for ten years and received high amounts of anticipation when announced, has recently been confirmed to have cancelled development after a full decade of work with a recent announcement from Hypixel studios, on their official website, stating that “we’re ending development on ‘Hytale’ and beginning the […]
Five Nights at Freddy’s Secret of the Mimic: New Norm for Mascot Horror?
The iconic horror franchise “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” received its next installment in the game “Five Nights at Freddy’s: Secret of the Mimic,” having been released on June 13, 2025. The new title has received a mixed bag of feedback from fans. The game follows the player as they are tasked to investigate an antagonistic […]
The Imaginative World of Speculative Evolution in Video Games
Speculative evolution can be defined as a science-fiction subgenre and an artistic movement that considers hypothetical and scientific creativity to bring about fictional organisms with an entirely imagined evolutionary history. There are many pieces of successful media that contain elements of speculative evolution such as C.M. Kösemen’s book “All Tommorrows,” “Expedition,” by Wayne Barlowe and […]
Caramel Column’s Alter Ego: An Exploration of Identity
Caramel Column Inc. is a Japanese indie game development company led by Maki Ono and is well known for some of its indie titles such as “Insectarium Alternative March,” a game about investigating strange creatures called Urbanites and “Aznana,” a game about a boy and a disconnected head named Aznana attempting to leave the town […]
