ByteAction - Issue 165
ByteAction is a newsletter for game developers and fans
Hello, and welcome to 165th edition of ByteAction newsletter!
As for what has happened in the games industry recently: Former Space Ape developers have launched Offroad Games, a 10-person startup focused on car-themed titles. They're reviving Space Ape’s cancelled racer Go Race: Super Karts and working on a new unannounced IP alongside continuing work on Chrome Valley Customs and Fastlane: Road to Revenge.
In other news, Amazon Luna has signed a multi-year deal with EA to bring top titles to its cloud gaming service, starting with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Fallen Order, and Dead Space. Luna is also expanding to new countries.
Lastly, Game Informer has returned after its August 2024 shutdown, now owned by Gunzilla Games. The publication will operate independently under a new entity, Game Informer Inc.
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The Byte
The Action
Retro Byte
Studio Byte
Villeurbanne based Passtech Games is an independent video game development studio founded in 2012 by Sylvain Passot. The studio specializes in creating action and adventure games, with notable titles including Space Run (2014), Space Run Galaxy (2016), Masters of Anima (2018), Curse of the Dead Gods (2020), and Ravenswatch (2023). In April 2021, the studio was acquired by Nacon, a move aimed at strengthening Nacon's presence in the roguelike game sector while allowing Passtech Games to maintain its creative autonomy.
Legal Stuff
Acquisitions/Investments
New Game Corner
Atomfall - March 27th, 2025
Atomfall is a new survival-action game set in post-nuclear disaster Britain. Players will explore, scavenge, craft, barter, and fight through stunningly recreated landscapes while uncovering the mystery behind the catastrophe.
Resource Byte
If you have kids and you want to offer them quality screenless entertainment - Yoto is a way to go.
Who’s Hiring?
Data Analyst - Wargaming - Vilnius, Lithuania
Senior Game Designer - Coffee Stain Studios - Gothenburg, Sweden
Level Designer - That’s No Moon - Los Angeles, CA
Product Director - Homa - Remote, UK
Producer - Bulkhead - Derby, UK
Art Manager - Fantastic Pixel Castle - Remote, USA
Senior Animation Programmer - 31st Union - San Mateo, CA
Senior Unity Developer - Softgames - Berlin, Germany (Remote)
Senior Gameplay Engineer - Sony Playstation Studios - Los Angeles, CA
Lead Developer (Unity) - Univrse - Barcelona, Spain
Art Director - Techland - Warsaw, Poland (Remote)
Sound Designer - 11 Bit Studios - Warsaw, Poland
Backend Engineer - Xsolla - Montréal, Canada
Client Developer - Snowprint Studios - Berlin, Germany
Lead Engine Programmer - Ramen VR - San Francisco, CA
Senior Environment Artist - Cold Symmetry Games - Remote, USA
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
Interview with Jakin Vela (IGDA)
“When I looked at the GDC survey, I did notice the AI point. About 30% of developers were skeptical about AI use. I don’t know if you were aware, but last year at our IGDA booth, we polled people walking by about where they felt AI was. Were they excited? Were they concerned? About 40% were on the concerned side as far as AI impacting their jobs, impacting their livelihoods. Seeing that report having increased from the previous year’s report–I want to say the last GDC report said 18% of developers were concerned about AI. I think we’re finally seeing people understand the serious impact AI is going to have on their jobs, especially jobs in QA, localization, anything where people are susceptible to being replaced with automation and AI.”
Jakin Vela
Events
Reboot Develop Blue - 14th-16th of April
Reboot Develop Blue is a high-profile game developers' conference held annually in Dubrovnik, Croatia. It brings together industry professionals, indie developers, and renowned speakers from major gaming studios worldwide. The event features keynote speeches, panel discussions, networking opportunities, and showcases of upcoming games and technologies. It’s known for its intimate, high-end setting and attracts top talent from the gaming industry.