October 20, 2026

Moonlighter developer delays public playtest of next game over concerns of AI cloning

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A recent surge of generative AI-driven game replication is compelling established gaming studios to modify their development approaches—and in one significant indie studio’s scenario, it entails reducing a previously-scheduled public playtest due to concerns over being outpaced by vibe-coding imitators. The indie studio in question is Digital Sun Games, widely recognized for Moonlighter and Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault. The firm is currently developing an upcoming “Tower Defensevania” title named ReVamp and had announced earlier this month intentions to conduct a public playtest to gather player insights, collect data, and enhance the forthcoming game. However, those intentions are now on hold. In a message posted on Steam and Bluesky, the studio communicated to players that the team is “worried by recent reports of games being reverse-engineered, reproduced, and released prior to the original’s launch.” (via Kotaku.) “With the release still months away, a substantial public version of ReVamp seemed like too significant a risk,”... Read More

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October 20, 2026

RocketWerkz’ C# framework ‘BRUTAL’ is now available to all developers

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Kitten Space Agency and Icarus creator RocketWerkz alongside gaming platform provider Ahwoo—both established by seasoned DayZ creator Dean Hall—have revealed the open-source launch of the game development framework referred to as “BRUTAL,” a C#-centered framework that provides developers with an alternative to third-party gaming engines such as Unity, Unreal Engine, or even Godot. This framework integrates C# and .NET with C++ libraries and low-level graphics access, serving as a basis for developers to construct and sustain their own development resources. Such choices have gained appeal following significant issues like the Unity Runtime Fee incident and Epic Games’ declaration regarding the deprecation of Unreal’s Blueprints functionality, which have raised concerns for some developers about the reliability of their technology stacks. RocketWerkz has been actively utilizing BRUTAL in the creation of Kitten Space Agency, though developers in search of an external case study should refer to the latest update on Ludeon Studios’ Rimworld. The developer announced... Read More

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October 20, 2026

New Croatian conference Splitscreen wants to keep “that half-holiday, half-work feeling” of Reboot Develop

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A fresh occasion in Split promises a waterfront location, a global audience merging AAA and indie – and no scheduling application Image credit: Splitscreen A new Croatian development conference is striving to bridge the void left by the recently-passed and beloved Reboot Develop, which concluded this year with the organizer being issued a bankruptcy order. The “no-stress” Splitscreen, occurring in the Croatian capital from April 20–22, 2027, has been established by a fresh team, yet aims to embody the same essence that made its predecessor a favored destination for the global sector. The essential components: a global audience, an ancient town, a coastal hotel where indie developers can mingle (and enjoy cocktails) with AAA veterans – and no scheduling application. The latter was deemed the “most-desired feature” by individuals consulted during the event’s inception, according to director and co-founder Hrvoje Mitic, leading to an emphasis on social engagement rather than the widespread Meet2Match. “The... Read More

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October 20, 2026

Activision QA United-CWA union vote to authorise strike, claims publisher has “failed to bargain in good faith over key issues”

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“Our affiliates are weary of the delays and are ready to take necessary actions to achieve a just contract, equitable pay, and appropriate working conditions.” Image credit: Activision Quality Assurance United-CWA Members of the Activision Quality Assurance United-CWA (AQAU-CWA) union have cast their votes to permit a strike if needed, asserting that Activision has “failed to negotiate in good faith regarding crucial matters” in the quest for an initial contract. The AQAU-CWA’s negotiation committee commenced discussions with Activision in August 2024, following their formation in March when more than 600 QA workers united. Microsoft voluntarily acknowledged the union under its labor neutrality agreement, which it established with the CWA in 2022. The CWA now represents nearly 2,500 employees at Activision Blizzard. “For two years, Activision has postponed and hindered discussions instead of fulfilling their obligation to negotiate in good faith with the committed employees who work on highly successful titles that the gaming community... Read More

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October 20, 2026

GDCA 2027 moves away from nominations-based system, publishers and devs can now submit games for consideration

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Qualified games must have been released on PC or console between January 1 and December 31, 2026 Image credit: Game Developers Choice Awards The 2027 Game Developers Choice Awards (GDCA) will be welcoming entries from publishers and developers for the very first time. Games launched on PC or console from January 1 to December 31, 2026, are qualified. Titles must be submitted for evaluation. GDCA 2027 imposes no entry fees, and the deadline for submissions is November 1, 2026. In the past, the GDCA operated using a nomination-based voting framework via the International Choice Awards Network (ICAN), an exclusive panel consisting of over 500 creators, developers, and industry professionals. Additionally, two new award categories have been added: Best Game Launch and Best Gaming Tech. Victors will be revealed at the 2027 GDCA ceremony on Tuesday, March 2 during the GDC Festival of Gaming. Earlier this year, the GDC Festival of Gaming declared further modifications... Read More

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October 20, 2026

Wizards of the Coast declines to voluntarily recognize D&D and Studio X union drive

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Personnel on the D&D and Studio X groups will now cast their votes in a National Labor Relations Board election Image credit: UWOTC-CWA Wizards of the Coast is denying to provide voluntary acknowledgment to a union initiative by its Dungeons & Dragons and Studio X teams. Personnel will instead participate in a confidential-ballot election supervised by the National Labor Relations Board. As reported by Wargamer, the union, United Wizards of the Coast-CWA, declared the decision via Twitter/X on Wednesday, October 14, and a company representative affirmed it. Wargamer accessed an email purportedly sent to Wizards’ US employees, in which the organization states that it is “not impartial on the issue of unionization.” It further mentions that it prefers to communicate with employees directly instead of through unions. The email indicates that eligible workers have the right to make their own choices, and that Wizards will respect the result of the election regardless of how... Read More

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October 20, 2026

PEGI begins moving existing digital-only games with loot boxes up to a 16 rating

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Games presently rated PEGI 3, 7, or 12 are influenced, with updates being deployed throughout October. Image credit: PEGI Current digital-only games that feature paid random rewards, like loot boxes, are being re-assessed to PEGI 16 if they possess a PEGI 3, 7, or 12 rating at this moment. Connor Hinde, policy manager at the Games Rating Authority, mentioned in a LinkedIn post that the GRA, which oversees PEGI in the UK, initiated the implementation of the revised criteria for a selection of existing digital titles last week. The updated rating is designated PEGI 16 – Paid random rewards. It is applicable regardless of whether a game was originally rated via PEGI’s Classic methodology or the International Age Rating Coalition (IARC) framework. The modifications will persist in being rolled out gradually through October. The GRA recognized that numerous ratings will alter in a brief period and advised publishers and developers with inquiries to reach... Read More

One Column Transparent

Moonlighter developer delays public playtest of next game over concerns of AI cloning

RocketWerkz’ C# framework ‘BRUTAL’ is now available to all developers

New Croatian conference Splitscreen wants to keep “that half-holiday, half-work feeling” of Reboot Develop

Activision QA United-CWA union vote to authorise strike, claims publisher has “failed to bargain in good faith over key issues”

GDCA 2027 moves away from nominations-based system, publishers and devs can now submit games for consideration

Wizards of the Coast declines to voluntarily recognize D&D and Studio X union drive

PEGI begins moving existing digital-only games with loot boxes up to a 16 rating

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