ByteAction - Issue 170

ByteAction is a newsletter for game developers and fans

Hello and welcome to the 170th edition of the ByteAction newsletter!

Last week, I had the chance to help organize a game dev meetup here in Barcelona, and it was a clear reminder of how much energy and appetite there is for connection in this industry. Great vibe with people sharing stories and sparking new ideas.

Barcelona is quickly becoming one of Europe’s key hubs for game development, and I can’t wait to see what continues to grow out of this community in the years ahead.

As for what has happened in the games industry recently: A new indie publisher named Artex has launched in Frankfurt, Germany. Reviving the name of a 1990s developer known for Ankh: The Tales of Mystery, Artex is tied to the origins of Deck13. The new venture aims to support indie studios during their early start-up phase.

In other news, Virtuos has confirmed a company restructure, resulting in layoffs affecting approximately 7% of its workforce. Around 200 roles were cut in Asia and 70 in Europe, with fewer than 10 of those in France—where the team working on Oblivion Remastered is based. The layoffs are attributed to lower demand and structural industry shifts.

Lastly, The Chinese Room, known for Still Wakes the Deep and Dear Esther, has officially separated from former parent company Sumo Digital through a management buyout. The move comes after months of uncertainty, following Sumo’s shift to focus solely on development services rather than original IP. The studio now operates independently once again.

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The Byte

1. Roblox is introducing video selfie–based age estimation and a new two-tiered Connections system as part of its efforts to enhance safety and protect minors on its platform.

The Action

2. Microsoft’s recent layoffs affecting 9,000 workers have sparked backlash, as insiders claim the cuts could have been avoided if the company had scaled back its AI investments instead.

Retro Byte

3. Soolra is launching an iOS emulator app and retro controller case that turns iPhones into handheld gaming devices, supporting legally licensed 8-bit era games and user-uploaded ROMs.

Studio Byte

4. Hangar 13 is a game development studio under 2K Games, best known for the Mafia series, particularly Mafia III. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in California, with additional offices in Europe, the studio is recognized for its strong narrative focus and cinematic storytelling set within historical crime settings.

Legal Stuff

5. Amid the ongoing $250 million lawsuit surrounding Subnautica 2, the game's new CEO has pushed back against allegations that its delay was intended to avoid a major payout to former studio leaders.

6. Tomb Raider composer Peter Connelly has been jailed for 16 months for fraudulently securing a second Covid Bounce Back Loan by overstating his company’s turnover.

Acquisitions/Investments

7. Netflix plans to steadily increase its investment in video games, aiming to grow the segment with well-scoped titles that deliver value, while staying disciplined and measured in its approach.

8. Once a booming industry fueled by major investments, esports has seen a sharp decline in investor interest since 2022, leading to layoffs and consolidation, even as the market continues to grow and evolve—particularly in the U.S., its second-largest hub after China.

New Game Corner

9. Mafia: The Old Country - August 8th, 2025

   Mafia: The Old Country is a third-person action-adventure game set in 1900s Sicily, exploring the gritty origins of organized crime. Players take on the role of Enzo Favara, navigating the brutal underworld as he fights to survive and earn his place within the Family. The game promises an immersive, story-driven experience rooted in historical crime drama.

Resource Byte

10. RefineAResume

    Tailor your resume to any job in seconds.

Who’s Hiring?

Senior Game Designer - Coffee Stain Studios - Gothenburg, Sweden

Senior VFX Artist - That’s No Moon - Los Angeles, CA

Lead Character Artist - Larian Studios - Barcelona, Spain

Product Director - Homa - Remote, UK

Render Engineer - Wargaming - Berlin, Germany

Head of Product - Zeptolab - Remote

Brand Manager - Shiro Games - Bordeaux, France

Senior Producer - Naughty Dog - Los Angeles, CA

Senior Animation Programmer - 31st Union - San Mateo, CA

Lead Developer (Unity) - Univrse - Barcelona, Spain

Art Director - Techland - Warsaw, Poland (Remote)

Senior Engine Programmer - 11 Bit Studios - Warsaw, Poland

Lead Engine Programmer - Ramen VR - San Francisco, CA

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. Interview with Nate Fox

    “We love Jin Sakai. We spent a lot of years bringing his story to life. But when we set out on the long road to creating a sequel, we wanted to make something that excited us all at Sucker Punch. We think that enthusiasm and love for building an origin story comes through for players being able to experience something very new as well.”

    Nate Fox

Events

12. devcom & Gamescom 2025 - August 17th - 24th.

    Devcom is the official game developer conference that takes place just before Gamescom. It focuses on the business, creative, and technical sides of game development, featuring talks, workshops, and networking for professionals across the global games industry.

    Gamescom is one of the world’s largest video game trade fairs, held annually in Cologne, Germany. It serves as a major global platform for game publishers, developers, and tech companies to showcase upcoming titles, hardware innovations, and industry trends. The event includes game announcements, hands-on demos, esports tournaments, and panels, drawing a mix of media, industry professionals, and the public.