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LG Innotek CEO Moon Hyuksoo: "Our Next-gen Substrate Technology Will Change the Industry Paradigm"

LG Innotek is continuing its quest to become the world's top company in the field of technology components, with its latest milestone being the successful development of an innovative semiconductor substrate technology. LG Innotek (CEO Moon Hyuksoo) announced on July 3rd that it successfully developed and started mass-producing the world's first copper post (Cu-Post) technology, which is applicable high-value-added semiconductor substrates for mobile devices.

With major manufacturers racing to make smartphones ever thinner, ways to minimize the size of smartphone components have become increasingly sought after. Demand is soaring for mobile device semiconductor substrates that provide maximum performance in a minimal size, such as the RF-SiP (Radio Frequency-System in Package) substrate.

PlayStation 5 Pro to Gain Full AMD FSR 4 Integration in 2026

Sony has announced that the PlayStation 5 Pro will receive the full version of AMD's FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 upscaling technology in 2026. This upgrade delivers the exact same engine that PC users have accessed since its March release, replacing the current PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution (PSSR) system without any reduction in functionality. Coming from Project Amethyst, the update is a collaborative effort between Sony and AMD, launched alongside the PS5 Pro's late 2024 debut. In a recent interview, PlayStation lead system architect Mark Cerny confirmed that the jointly developed algorithm will be implemented on the console exactly as it appears on PC. They are providing the full feature set of FSR 4 to PS5 Pro owners, without any trimmings.

AMD introduced Sony to its comprehensive quality‑assurance practices and helped establish a dedicated QA team focused solely on upscaling performance. Participants from both companies credit this reciprocal exchange with accelerating development, achieving significant milestones in under nine months. Sony plans to distribute the FSR 4 upgrade as a free system update to all PS5 Pro users. Meanwhile, AMD will integrate lessons learned from Project Amethyst into its next RDNA 5/UDNA graphics architecture. Because neither company placed usage restrictions on the shared research, third‑party developers and hardware partners can also adopt these advancements. For PS5 Pro owners, the upgrade will provide a noticeable improvement in image clarity without compromising performance. For next-generation RDNA 5/UDNA GPUs, upscaling optimizations will be even more fine-tuned, as developers have already done the same work for the console.

Intel Considers Abandoning 18A Node for 14A Chipmaking Process

Intel's CEO Lip-Bu Tan is looking at a big change to how the company makes chips for others, Reuters reports citing people who know about it. The new plan might mean Intel stops offering its 18A process technology to other companies. This is different from the strategy of the former CEO, Pat Gelsinger, who had invested heavily in the 18A manufacturing process. Since assuming leadership in March, Tan has been working to reduce costs and find new approaches to revive the struggling chipmaker. By June, he began expressing concerns that the 18A process was failing to attract new customers. Abandoning external sales of 18A technology and focusing on its 14A process would require Intel to take substantial write-offs on the billions invested in its development. Industry analysts suggest these charges could reach hundreds of millions or potentially billions of dollars.

Intel plans to show the board these options later this month. However, a final decision is not expected until this autumn given the complexity and financial stakes involved. Even if they change plans, Intel will still keep its promises about 18A process including producing small amounts of chips for Amazon and Microsoft, and making its own "Panther Lake" laptop processors scheduled for late 2025. Along with standard 18A, Intel is creating two upgraded versions: 18A-P launching in 2026 and 18A-PT arriving in 2028.

The Alters Studio Confirms AI Use After Community Backlash

The latest game to fall into the trap of annoying or even estranging fans by using generative AI without disclosing it is The Alters. Accusations from the community over the use of generative AI in The Alters have been coming from all corners but most prominently from Steam reviews and the game's subreddit. The accusations included everything from AI-generated text in parts of the environment to AI-translated dialogue that included part of the AI prompt in the final game. These accusations became so commonplace that gamers even started to suspect that some of the visual assets had been created with generative AI. Adding insult to injury, there was no disclosure on the game's Steam page that confirmed the use of AI, so it seemed as though 11 Bit Studios was trying to hide the use of AI-generated content in The Alters.

After the allegations started to make the news, though, 11 Bit Studios responded to the accusations, explaining that generative AI was used during the development of The Alters, specifying that "AI-generated text for a graphic asset, which was meant as a piece of background texture, was used by one of our graphical designers as a placeholder." The studio goes on to explain that the asset was never meant to make it into the final version of the game, and that it has conducted a thorough investigation and determined that this is the only instance of AI-generated placeholders making it into the game. 11 Bit Studios also says that there are instances of "last-minute translations" made to some of the licensed movies that characters can watch in the game—these are seemingly the examples pointed out by a game localization expert on LinkedIn. According to the statement put out by the game studio, the studio's usual translation partners were not included in the localization hotfix, which largely adds to the concerns of those who oppose the use of generative AI in media and gaming, since that work would likely have been done by a human instead of an LLM. Ultimately, the studio made the decision to use AI instead of its translation partner because of time constraints, and it acknowledges that it should have disclosed the use of AI from the outset.

LG Display Begins Mass Production of Ultimate Gaming OLED Panel with 4th-Generation OLED Technology

LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, announced today that it has successfully begun mass production of the world's top OLED monitor panel, incorporating its latest proprietary technology as the company accelerates its push into the premium monitor panel market. The 27-inch OLED monitor panel achieves a peak brightness of 1,500 nits thanks to the application of the company's core fourth-generation OLED technology, Primary RGB Tandem.

In addition, LG Display has successfully developed a 540 Hz OLED monitor panel - surpassing the highest refresh rate currently available - and plans to unveil it soon. As a result, LG Display is leading the world's OLED technology across the "triple crown" of key elements that determine gaming monitor picture quality - brightness, refresh rate, and response time.

Borderlands 4 Photo Mode Delayed to Post-Launch Update Despite 'Confidence' and Early Release

The Borderlands 4 hype train is currently more of a hype rollercoaster, with an earlier-than-expected release date, some recent Borderlands Fan Fest press and influencer previews, and a plot trailer all getting fans excited about the upcoming looter shooter. Curiously, though, it seems as though Photo Mode will be missing from Borderlands 4 at launch, according to an X post from Graeme Timmins, the Borderlands 4 creative director. The game's lead clarified that he had the development team "prioritize polishing some other elements, more core to the moment-to-moment experience," and that they had to spend more time on things that would impact player quality-of-life.

This announcement comes somewhat paradoxically after Gearbox CEO, Randy Pitchford, announced that Borderlands 4 would be launching nearly two weeks earlier than expected, backing up his statement with claims that the earlier launch date was a result of "in the game and development trajectory." The Photo Mode feature delay might well come as a result of shifting priorities after community feedback, which has already resulted in Gearbox walking back its decision to completely remove the in-game mini-map, opting instead to include a toggleable combat radar. It's entirely possible that other community-suggested features might be in the pipeline, resulting in Photo Mode being delayed.

Rapidus Announces Collaboration with Siemens for 2 nm Semiconductor Design

Rapidus Corporation, a manufacturer of advanced logic semiconductors, today announced a strategic collaboration with Siemens Digital Industries Software for semiconductor design and manufacturing processes for the 2 nm generation. Rapidus will collaborate with Siemens to jointly develop a process design kit based on the Calibre platform, the industry-standard verification solution that enables highly accurate and efficient physical verification, manufacturing optimization and reliability assessment from semiconductor design through to fabrication, while continuing to further its design and verification ecosystem.

This collaboration supports the manufacturing for design (MFD) concept advocated by Rapidus to achieve high yield and short turnaround time from the early stages of manufacturing. Further, Rapidus and Siemens EDA will build a reference flow that holistically supports design, verification and manufacturing from front-end to back-end. This reference flow provides a smooth development environment for Rapidus' Rapid and Unified Manufacturing Service (RUMS).

Samsung Reportedly Achieves 70% Yields for Its 1c DRAM Technology

Samsung has achieved better production results for its advanced memory technology, according to Sedaily, as cited by TrendForce. The company's sixth-generation 10 nm DRAM, called 1c DRAM, now shows yield rates of 50-70% in testing. This represents a significant improvement from last year's results, which were below 30%. Samsung takes a different path from its rivals, while SK Hynix and Micron stick with 1b DRAM technology for HBM4 products, Samsung opts to create the newer 1c DRAM. This choice comes with more risk; however, it might bring bigger rewards, as the improved production rates enable Samsung to expand its manufacturing operations. The company plans to increase 1c DRAM production at its Hwaseong and Pyeongtaek facilities with expansion activities expected to begin before the end of this year.

These developments also support Samsung's HBM4 production schedule since the company aims to begin mass production of HBM4 products later this year. Yet, experts in the field point out that the product is still in its early stages and needs ongoing monitoring. Samsung planned to begin mass-producing sixth-gen 10 nm DRAM by late 2024. Instead, the company chose to remake the chip's design. This decision caused delays of more than one year however it was made to achieve better performance and yields. The new DRAM products will be manufactured at Samsung's Pyeongtaek Line 4 facility as these chips will serve both mobile and server applications. Separately, HBM4-related production will take place at Pyeongtaek Line 3.

Texas Instruments to Invest More Than $60 Billion Across Seven U.S. Semiconductor Fabs

Texas Instruments (TI) today announced its plans to invest more than $60 billion across seven U.S. semiconductor fabs, making this the largest investment in foundational semiconductor manufacturing in U.S. history. Working with the Trump administration and building on the company's nearly 100-year legacy, TI is expanding its U.S. manufacturing capacity to supply the growing need for semiconductors that will advance critical innovations from vehicles to smartphones to data centers. Combined, TI's new manufacturing mega-sites in Texas and Utah will support more than 60,000 U.S. jobs.

"TI is building dependable, low-cost 300 mm capacity at scale to deliver the analog and embedded processing chips that are vital for nearly every type of electronic system," said Haviv Ilan, president and CEO of Texas Instruments. "Leading U.S. companies such as Apple, Ford, Medtronic, NVIDIA and SpaceX rely on TI's world-class technology and manufacturing expertise, and we are honored to work alongside them and the U.S. government to unleash what's next in American innovation."

Intel Appoints Sales and Engineering Leaders

Intel today announced a series of leadership appointments aligned with its focus on strengthening customer relationships and becoming a more engineering-focused company. Greg Ernst, a respected sales leader with more than 20 years of Intel experience, has been named chief revenue officer. In addition, Srinivasan Iyengar, Jean-Didier Allegrucci and Shailendra Desai are joining Intel in key engineering leadership roles.

"We see significant opportunities ahead to strengthen our product offerings and meet the changing needs of our customers," said Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel. "Greg, Srini, J-D and Shailendra are highly accomplished leaders with strong reputations across our ecosystem, and they will each play important roles as we position our business for the future."

LG Display to Invest Over US$900M Into OLED Technology Differentation

LG Display, the world's leading innovator of display technologies, announced today that it plans to make an investment in new OLED technologies at the trillion-KRW level to enhance its technological competitiveness and growth foundation. The company's board met on June 17 and approved an investment of KRW 1.26 trillion in new OLED technologies to secure a leading position in the display market.

It will focus on infrastructure development, including facilities for applying new OLED technologies. The investment period has been set for approximately two years, from June 17, 2025, to June 30, 2027. This investment is part of LG Display's mid- to long-term capital expenditure (CAPEX) plan, and efforts to improve the company's financial structure will continue independently of it.

Arteris Accelerates AI-Driven Silicon Innovation with Expanded Multi-Die Solution

In a market reshaped by the compute demands of AI, Arteris, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIP), a leading provider of system IP for accelerating semiconductor creation, today announced an expansion of its multi-die solution, delivering a foundational technology for rapid chiplet-based innovation. "In the chiplet era, the need for computational power increasingly exceeds what is available by traditional monolithic die designs," said K. Charles Janac, president and CEO of Arteris. "Arteris is leading the transition into the chiplet era with standards-based, automated and silicon-proven solutions that enable seamless integration across IP cores, chiplets, and SoCs."

Moore's Law, predicting the doubling of transistor count on a chip every two years, is slowing down. As the semiconductor industry accelerates efforts to increase performance and efficiency, especially driven by AI workloads, architectural innovation through multi-die systems has become critical. Arteris' expanded multi-die solution addresses this shift with a suite of enhanced technologies that are purpose-built for scalable and faster time-to-silicon, high-performance computing, and automotive-grade mission-critical designs.

Synopsys Accelerates AI and Multi-Die Design Innovation on Advanced Samsung Foundry Processes

Synopsys, Inc. announced today its ongoing close collaboration with Samsung Foundry to power the next generation of designs for advanced edge AI, HPC, and AI applications. The collaboration between the companies is helping mutual customers achieve successful tape-outs of their complex designs using Synopsys' 3DIC Compiler and Samsung's advanced packaging technologies with fast turnaround time. Mutual customers can improve power, performance and area (PPA) with certified EDA flows for SF2P process, and minimize IP integration risk with the high-quality portfolio of IP on Samsung's most advanced process technologies.

"The adoption of Edge AI applications is driving the need for advancements in semiconductor technologies to enable complex computational tasks, improve efficiency, and expand AI capabilities across various industries and applications," said John Koeter, senior vice president for the Synopsys IP Group. "Together with Samsung Foundry, we're enabling the most advanced AI processors across a broad spectrum of use cases from high-performance AI inference engines for data centers to ultra-efficient Edge AI devices like cameras and drones, all optimized for development on sub-2 nm Samsung Foundry process technologies."

Biostar Launches NVIDIA-based Edge AI Developer Kit, AI-NONXS

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of edge computing solutions, motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, is excited to introduce the AI-NONXS Developer Kit, a high-performance edge AI development platform engineered to accelerate edge AI deployment for system integrators and AI software developers. Designed to support NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Orin Nano series modules, the AI-NONXS Developer Kit empowers users to efficiently build and deploy AI-powered solutions across a broad range of real-world applications. From smart manufacture, smart retail, and automated warehouses to smart cities, transportation, and smart agriculture, the AI-NONXS provides the computing power, flexibility, and reliability required for advanced edge systems.

The AI-NONXS Developer Kit comes with a comprehensive set of industrial-grade interfaces, including 4 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, 1 Micro-USB port, dual Gigabit Ethernet (1 x 1GbE and 1 x 2.5GbE with optional Power over Ethernet), and RS232/422/485, CANBUS, TPM (opt.), audio Line-Out/MIC-In and Speaker out. It operates within a wide temperature range of -20°C to 60°C and supports a flexible power input range of 12 V to 20 V, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environments. For visual input and expansion capabilities, the kit includes HDMI 2.1 (for Orin NX) or HDMI 1.4 (for Orin Nano), dual MIPI CSI connectors, and three M.2 slots (Key-M, Key-E, and Key-B) for storage, wireless communication, and modular upgrades.

TSMC Prepares "CoPoS": Next-Gen 310 × 310 mm Packages

As demand for ever-growing AI compute power continues to rise and manufacturing advanced nodes becomes more difficult, packaging is undergoing its golden era of development. Today's advanced accelerators often rely on TSMC's CoWoS modules, which are built on wafer cuts measuring no more than 120 × 150 mm in size. In response to the need for more space, TSMC has unveiled plans for CoPoS, or "Chips on Panel on Substrate," which could expand substrate dimensions to 310 × 310 mm and beyond. By shifting from round wafers to rectangular panels, CoPoS offers more than five times the usable area. This extra surface makes it possible to integrate additional high-bandwidth memory stacks, multiple I/O chiplets and compute dies in a single package. It also brings panel-level packaging (PLP) to the fore. Unlike wafer-level packaging (WLP), PLP assembles components on large, rectangular panels, delivering higher throughput and lower cost per unit. Systems with PLP will be actually viable for production runs and allow faster iterations over WLP.

TSMC will establish a CoPoS pilot line in 2026 at its Visionchip subsidiary. In 2027, the pilot facility will focus on refining the process, to meet partner requirements by the end of the year. Mass production is projected to begin between the end of 2028 and early 2029 at TSMC's Chiayi AP7 campus. That site, chosen for its modern infrastructure and ample space, is also slated to host production of multi-chip modules and System-on-Wafer technologies. NVIDIA is expected to be the launch partner for CoPoS. The company plans to leverage the larger panel area to accommodate up to 12 HBM4 chips alongside several GPU chiplets, offering significant performance gains for AI workloads. At the same time, AMD and Broadcom will continue using TSMC's CoWoS-L and CoWoS-R variants for their high-end products. Beyond simply increasing size, CoPoS and PLP may work in tandem with other emerging advances, such as glass substrates and silicon photonics. If development proceeds as planned, the first CoPoS-enabled devices could reach the market by late 2029.

Ultra Ethernet Consortium Announces the Release of UEC Specification 1.0

The Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) today announces the release of UEC Specification 1.0, a comprehensive, Ethernet-based communication stack engineered to meet the demanding needs of modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) workloads. This release marks a critical step forward in redefining Ethernet for next-generation, data-intensive infrastructure.

UEC Specification 1.0 delivers a high-performance, scalable, and interoperable solution across all layers of the networking stack—including NICs, switches, optics, and cables—enabling seamless multivendor integration and accelerating innovation throughout the ecosystem.

NVIDIA NVL72 GB200 Systems Accelerate the Journey to Useful Quantum Computing

The integration of quantum processors into tomorrow's supercomputers promises to dramatically expand the problems that can be addressed with compute—revolutionizing industries including drug and materials development.

In addition to being part of the vision for tomorrow's hybrid quantum-classical supercomputers, accelerated computing is dramatically advancing the work quantum researchers and developers are already doing to achieve that vision. And in today's development of tomorrow's quantum technology, NVIDIA GB200 NVL72 systems and their fifth-generation multinode NVIDIA NVLink interconnect capabilities have emerged as the leading architecture.

NVIDIA Reportedly Progressing Well with "Rubin" AI GPU Development - Insiders Foresee Q3'25 Sampling

Over a year ago, industry moles started chattering about a potential "late 2025" launch of NVIDIA "Rubin" AI accelerators/ GPUs. According to older rumors, one of the successors to current-gen "Blackwell" hardware could debut in chiplet-based "R100" form. Weeks ahead of Christmas 2024, Taiwanese insider reports pointed to Team Green's development of the "Rubin" AI project being sixth months ahead of schedule. Despite this extra positive outlook, experts surmised that the North American giant would not be rushing out shiny new options—especially with the recent arrival of "Blackwell Ultra" products. A lot of leaks seem to be coming from sources at (or adjacent to) TSMC.

Taiwan's top foundry service is reportedly in the "Rubin" equation; with a 3 nm (N3P) node process and CoWoS-L packaging linked to "R100." According to local murmurs, the final "taping out"—of Rubin GPUs and Vera CPUs—is due for completion this month. Trial production is expected run throughout the summer, with initial samples being ready for distribution by September. According to a fresh Ctee TW news report, unnamed supply chain participants reckon that NVIDIA's "new chip development schedule is smoother than before, and mass production (of Rubin and Vera chips) will begin as early as 2026." In theory, the first publicly exhibited final examples could turn up at CES 2026.

Growing Demand for Mid-Size Displays Opens New Opportunities for FMM-Free OLED Technologies

TrendForce's latest report on the display industry reveals that OLED technology—valued for its self-emissive structure, high contrast ratio, and lightweight design—continues to expand its market presence, primarily in small-size applications such as smartphones. However, its penetration into the large-size display segment has been hindered by high production costs and limited capacity. In contrast, the mid-size segment, including monitors, notebooks, tablets, and automotive displays, is emerging as a new battleground, driven by growing consumer demand for premium visual experiences.

TrendForce forecasts that OLED monitor shipments will grow by 80.6% YoY in 2025, with market penetration rising to 2%, and potentially reaching 5% by 2028. Amid this upward momentum, Chinese panel makers Visionox and TCL CSOT are distinguishing themselves by investing in alternative OLED technologies: Visionox through its proprietary technology, Visionox intelligent Pixelization (ViP), and TCL CSOT through inkjet printing OLED—setting themselves apart from Korean manufacturers focused on QD-OLED and WOLED evaporation-based technologies.

Xiaomi XRING SoCs Possibly Limited to 3 nm, New Restrictions Affecting EDA Software Supply

According to the Financial Times, new restrictions—affecting the supply of Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software suites to Chinese companies—will cause major disruption within the domestic chip design industry. The US government's latest trade amendments are expected to impact Xiaomi and its freshly launched flagship XRING mobile chip family; the first iteration is a compelling first-party effort. Unlike many Chinese tech firms, the popular smartphone specialist can access pretty advanced TSMC node processes. Xiaomi's CEO—Lei Jun—announced his team's 3 nm design during pre-launch preview events.

Days later, closer analysis indicated a selection of TSMC's "N3E" node process. Digital Chat Station—a noted smartphone industry expert—summarized an uncertain future: "under this ban (of EDA tools), XRING chips will not be breaking through a 2 nm barrier, and can only revolve around the (current 'N3E') 3 nm node for a long time. XRING O1 will also be the only time in recent years that it can be on par with current-gen (proprietary) Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek mobile chipsets." Crucially, EDA software plays an important role in creating Gate All Around Field Effect Transistor (GAAFET) structures. TSMC's upcoming 2 nm node process is a GAA product. Tom's Hardware believes that several big Chinese tech players, including Huawei, are in the process of developing in-house EDA tools. Not long after unveiling their XRING flagship, Xiaomi outlined an extended Qualcomm chip deal.

AMD's Open AI Software Ecosystem Strengthened Again, Following Acquisition of Brium

At AMD, we're committed to building a high-performance, open AI software ecosystem that empowers developers and drives innovation. Today, we're excited to take another step forward with the acquisition of Brium, a team of world-class compiler and AI software experts with deep expertise in machine learning, AI inference, and performance optimization. Brium brings advanced software capabilities that strengthen our ability to deliver highly optimized AI solutions across the entire stack. Their work in compiler technology, model execution frameworks, and end-to-end AI inference optimization will play a key role in enhancing the efficiency and flexibility of our AI platform.

This acquisition strengthens our foundation for long-term innovation. It reflects our strategic commitment to AI, particularly to the developers who are building the future of intelligent applications. It is also the latest in a series of targeted investments, following the acquisitions of Silo AI, Nod.ai, and Mipsology, that together advance our ability to support the open-source software ecosystem and deliver optimized performance on AMD hardware.

Final The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Update To Add Console and Cross-Platform Mods

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt has just turned 10, and CD Projekt Red announced earlier this week that it would be celebrating the game's 10th anniversary with a set of Special Edition Xbox controllers and a slew of live events and memorabilia. Following those announcements, CD Projekt Red has confirmed that it has at least one more content update planned for The Witcher 3. The next, and seemingly the last, The Witcher 3 patch is slated to more or less unify the game's modification scene, bringing cross-platform mod support to the open-world fantasy RPG. CDPR has not confirmed an exact date for the cross-platform mod support update, stating only that it will be available "later this year."

According to a new support page detailing the cross-platform mod support, modders will now be able to publish their mods for The Witcher 3 on a platform called mod.io, which will allow players and modders to upload and download mods across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. This will be the only way for consoles to access mods for The Witcher 3, however PC players will still be able to use services like Steam Workshop and Nexus Mods, if they prefer. Unlike with third-party sites, like Nexus Mods, any mods published on mod.io will need to comply with certain guidelines laid out by both the console makers, Sony and Microsoft, and the CD Projekt Red Fan Content Guidelines and User Agreement. For this reason, the mod selection available on consoles will be less expansive than what's available on PC, where restrictions are less of a concern. In a technical sense, the only restrictions modders will face when using mod.io is that any console mods that use scripts will need to be made with CDPR's REDkit mod tools. Meanwhile, texture packs and other bundles can be created using any other tools.

Former Sony Gaming Head Decries Impact of Game Subscription Services As "Risky" for Developers

Shuhei Yoshida, the former head of Sony Entertainment, has decried the outsized impact of game subscription services, essentially saying that they had the potential to stifle innovation and put too much emphasis on AAA and first-party games and make it even more difficult for indie developers to break into the scene. In an interview with Game Developer, Yoshida shared his concerns about the rise of subscription services, adding that Sony's approach was less harmful than Xbox Game Pass, specifically because Sony wasn't trying to launch AAA titles straight to the subscription model like Xbox is.

Yoshida's implication is that Sony's model of allowing games to have a traditional release before going to PlayStation Plus is likely a healthier approach than the day-one AAA launches that became popular on Xbox Game Pass. His concerns boil down to the aforementioned issues with innovation, saying that "what [type] of games can be created will be dictated by the owner of the subscription services," and adding that "the big companies dictate what games can be created, I don't think that will advance the industry," however he also takes issue with the financial side of things, implying that, if gamers have day-one access to games on subscription services, they won't want to pay up-front for games. This last point has implications for innovation as much as his former thought, because if game developers depend on subscription services for launches, it might make them more averse to trying new things. These comments seem all the more relevant in a modern gaming landscape, where indie developers seem to be largely responsible for pushing the envelope. You simply need to look at the popularity of games like Hades, Terraria, or the roguelike and survival-craft genre in general for evidence of such.

EA Reportedly Closes Cliffhanger Games; Black Panther Project Canceled

Throughout the Spring season, Electronics Arts (EA) has reduced development team numbers across several of its international first-party game development studios. According to a fairly fresh IGN news report, another North American operation has been shutdown. Cliffhanger Games was working on a triple-A Black Panther intellectual property, with Marvel's full approval—as teased back in mid-2023. IGN's inside sources have leaked an email—allegedly authored by Laura Miele, EA Entertainment's president—that was addressed the latest round of layoffs at Cliffhanger Games, and unspecified "mobile and central teams." Apparently these adjustments are necessary; Miele (reportedly) believes that these changes will: "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities...These decisions are hard. They affect people we've worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We're doing everything we can to support them—including finding opportunities within EA, where we've had success helping people land in new roles." In recent times, company leadership had openly discussed a move away from licensed IP projects. Supposedly, Miele's email mentions a focus on core EA franchises going forward: The Sims, Skate, Battlefield, and Apex Legends.

eXtas1s, a somewhat unreliable source of inside track info has weighed in with related news. The Spanish leaker shared an offbeat claim: "I have learned that around 400 more layoffs are coming at EA, the total closure of Codemasters HQ, and that those developers will be integrated into EA Sports (F1), and a new Need For Speed that is already in development." Going back to late April, EA declared that an unspecified number of layoffs were underway at Codemasters. Earlier this month, the long-running British racing game specialist had stopped working on the popular WRC franchise. Since then, NACON—a French publication house—has picked up the FIA World Rally Championship license. Within the same time period, an official announcement outlined the cancelation of two unannounced projects at Respawn Entertainment. Prior to cessations, the Los Angeles, California-based outfit was working on two "early stage" titles—insider reports suggested that one of these mystery IPs was some sort of nascent Titanfall title. Interestingly, Respawn's leader—Vince Zampella—is steering the next Battlefield game. Several EA studios have been roped into a multipronged production approach.

Owlcat Games Announces Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

Lord Captains! We are proud to announce that our new Warhammer 40,000 game is on its way! Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is already in development, and we urge you not to miss it. Prepare for a completely new story unfolding in the Calixis Sector. By the decree of the Holy Inquisition, you have been chosen for a perilous mission that will dictate the future of the Calixis Sector. Become an agent of the Holy Golden Throne and hunt down all those who would dare stray from the Emperor's light. Hold fast to your duty, eradicate the enemies of the Imperium and battle the horrors of the void in the long-anticipated Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy!

Explore the Warhammer 40,000 universe like you've never seen it before! Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy is an upcoming turn-based CRPG with a unique and thrilling narrative that follows the shadowy agents of the Inquisition. Take on the mantle of an Inquisitor, and use every tool at your disposal to root out corruption, sedition and heresy, bringing the Emperor's wrath to those who would see the Imperium fall. Hunt down clues, investigate mysteries, and uncover vile conspiracies.
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