ByteAction - Issue 147

ByteAction is a newsletter for game developers and fans

Hello, and welcome to 147th edition of ByteAction newsletter!

To start with, here’s an interesting stat if you have been following Paris olympics: The Paris 2024 Olympics will be the first Summer Games in over 30 years without an official console video game tie-in, breaking a tradition since the 1992 release of Olympic Gold on the Sega Genesis.

In other news, Germany’s games market has grown by 6% to 10 billion EUR in 2023, that's according to new figures released by the German Games Industry Association.

Lastly, Blizzard's 500-member World of Warcraft development team has unionized, becoming the largest union within Microsoft's gaming division, which now includes about 1,750 unionized employees, according to Bloomberg.

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The Byte

1. Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks announced a $125 million investment in video games, with plans for one to two new releases annually starting in late 2025 or early 2026.

The Action

2. Paradox Interactive's profits have significantly dropped by 90% following the cancellation of Life By You.

Retro Byte

3. AtariX will bring classic Atari games to the blockchain through a partnership with Base, Coinbase’s Ethereum layer-2.

Studio Byte

4. WayForward Technologies, founded in 1990 by Voldi Way, is an independent video game developer and publisher renowned for creating popular titles such as the "Shantae" series, "River City Girls," and "Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp." The company excels in developing original and licensed games across various platforms, often noted for their engaging gameplay and distinctive art styles.

Legal Stuff

5. Manga artist Nekokurage (Erika Ikeda), known for "The Apothecary Diaries," pleaded guilty to tax evasion and received a fine and a suspended 10-month prison sentence.

6. Kenshin Kazama received a one-year prison sentence with a four-year suspension for sending 39 death and bomb threats to Nintendo, causing the postponement of Nintendo Live 2024 and the Splatoon Koshien 2023 National Finals.

Acquisitions/Investments

7. Look North World, a user-generated content game studio and publisher founded by Bungie cofounder Alexander Seropian, has raised $2.5 million.

8. WB Games acquires PlayerFirst Games.

New Game Corner

9. Yars Rising - 10th September, 2024

   From the acclaimed development studio WayForward Technologies, Inc. comes Yars Rising, a 2D action-adventure exploration of one of Atari’s most iconic and beloved classic titles.

Resource Byte

10. Cello

    Easiest way to add a referral program for users and affiliates to any SaaS product in hours. Turn users into your most valuable growth channel.

Who’s Hiring?

Lead Game Designer - Hypersonic Laboratories - Remote

World Director - Bespoke Pixel - Barcelona, Spain

Senior Data Analyst - Original Games - Remote, Europe

Lighting Artist - Gunzilla Games - Remote, Europe

Recruiter - Larian Studios - Warsaw, Poland

UI Designer - Mojang Studios - Stockholm, Sweden

Lead Level Designer - CD Projekt Red - Boston, MA

VFX Artist - Afterburner Studios - Remote

Senior Producer - Haven Studios - Montréal, Canada

Lead Concept Artist - Fortis Games - Remote

Senior Game Designer - Wargaming - Vilnius, Lithuania

Lead VFX Artist - Sega Europe Ltd - Sofia, Bulgaria

Data Analyst - Eneba - Europe, Remote

Gameplay Engineer - Bad Robot Games - Remote, USA

Executive Producer - Techland - Warsaw, Poland

Animation Director - Maximum Entertainment - Remote

Unity Developer - Odderslab - Remote

COO - Flatter Than Earth - Remote, USA

Unity Programmer - Midjiwan - Stockholm, Sweden

Community Manager - 31st Union - San Mateo, CA

Technical Director - Klang Games - Berlin, Germany

Product Designer - SDP Games - Remote

Executive Producer - Build a Rocket Boy - Edinburgh, UK

Senior Gameplay Programmer - People Can Fly - Remote, Worldwide

Art Director - Bulletfarm - Remote, USA

Senior Unity Developer - SocialPoint - Barcelona, Spain

Senior Brand Manager - Remedy Games - Helsinki, Finland

Engineering Manager - Procreate - Hobart, Tasmania

Principal Animator - Maverick Games - Warwick, UK

Game Designer - Dreamcraft Entertainment - Redwood City, CA

Unity Engineer - Carry1st - Remote

Interested in sharing your job posts here? Just click on the button below for more info and reach out to tomas@byteaction.co

Dev Talks

11. Xalavier Nelson Jr interview

    “I also see that getting actively blocked off over time as the industry declares one thing or another impossible to do. A certain scale or scope of project, a certain type of creator. A lot of the advocacy I do today is to try to push for other people like me to be able to still enter this medium and have impact. Players dproeserve the stories those people make. There are just a lot of executives who, for one reason or another, don’t see validity in those stories.”

    Xalavier Nelson Jr

Events

12. Northern Game Summit - 18th-20th September, 2024

    The Northern Game Summit (NGS) is an annual event held in Kajaani, Finland, focused on the game development industry. It serves as a platform for game developers, industry professionals, students, and enthusiasts to network, share knowledge, and explore the latest trends in game development. NGS features a diverse lineup of speakers, including keynotes, panels, and workshops, covering a wide range of topics such as game design, programming, art, marketing, and business development. The event also offers numerous opportunities for attendees to connect with peers and industry leaders.