Games

Video

New Oculus VR headset unveiled to tepid reviews, but survey finds optimism for immersive tech

by Nat Levy on March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 at 3:14 pmComment

Facebook-owned Oculus today unveiled its next-generation virtual reality headset that will reportedly some day replace its flagship Oculus Rift. The new $399 Oculus Rift S headset connects to a PC… Read More

Video

Nintendo reveals surprising new Switch game ‘Cadence of Hyrule,’ a Zelda-themed sequel to recent indie hit

by Thomas Wilde on March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 at 1:01 pmComment

Nintendo made a surprise announcement Wednesday morning at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, unveiling a crossover between one of its tentpole franchises and a recent independent hit that… Read More

‘We did get there first’: Seattle game streaming startup CEO laments Google’s video game unveiling

by Thomas Wilde on March 19, 2019March 20, 2019 at 10:57 amComment

Google today jumpstarted the ninth generation of gaming hardware with the announcement of its Stadia project at the Game Developer’s Conference in San Francisco. Big on hype and short on details,… Read More

Game over for game consoles? Google leaves key question of price unanswered in Stadia unveiling

by Nicole Tanner on March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 at 3:35 pmComment

Google’s new game platform, Stadia, promises to eliminate the need to buy a console by making games playable through streaming to any device, be it PC, TV, phone or tablet.… Read More

Google’s Stadia leverages tech advances to bring the lucrative video-game market into the cloud

by Tom Krazit on March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 at 2:42 pmComment

After spending billions over the last few years to upgrade its cloud computing infrastructure, Google thinks it is ready to tackle the needs of some of the most demanding customers… Read More

Video

A console in the cloud: Google unveils ‘Stadia’ streaming service, looks to shake up video games

by Todd Bishop on March 19, 2019March 19, 2019 at 11:24 am1 Comment

Google unveiled a new gaming streaming service called Stadia on Tuesday morning, looking to shake up the video game world by leveraging its experience in cloud technology, and posing a… Read More

Valve veteran and Riot Games developer launch Stray Bombay, a new game studio in Seattle

by Thomas Wilde on March 18, 2019March 18, 2019 at 4:16 pmComment

Even if you don’t know Chet Faliszek‘s name, you’ve likely heard of his work. As one of the writers at Valve Software in the 2000s, Faliszek helped create the stories… Read More

Video

Washington-based brothers behind ‘Dwarf Fortress’ to unexpectedly launch cult indie game on Steam

by Thomas Wilde on March 18, 2019March 18, 2019 at 12:21 pmComment

The cult indie hit Dwarf Fortress is unexpectedly coming to Steam. Silverlake, Wash.-based designer Tarn Adams, the primary creator of Dwarf Fortress alongside his brother Zach, announced via the company’s Patreon… Read More

Facebook aims to unite 700M gamers on its platform with new gaming section

by Nat Levy on March 14, 2019March 19, 2019 at 11:42 am1 Comment

Facebook says it has more than 700 million gamers and fans of games on its platform, and it wants to bring them all together in one place. Facebook today unveiled… Read More

Microsoft to extend Xbox Live to Android and iOS, but company stays mum on Switch and PS4 compatibility

by Nat Levy on March 14, 2019March 13, 2019 at 10:52 pmComment

Microsoft plans to drastically expand the reach of Xbox Live, bringing the online community to iOS and Android devices. Hints of this move, which will let Xbox Live players take… Read More

Microsoft adds new back-end game developer tools, unites services under ‘Game Stack’ program

by Nat Levy on March 14, 2019March 14, 2019 at 7:31 amComment

Microsoft is doubling down on gaming inside its cloud division, bringing together several developer tools and services under one umbrella and introducing new capabilities from a key acquisition made last… Read More

Seattle becomes official stop on Tekken World Tour, elevating its status in the world of fighting games

by Thomas Wilde on March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 at 5:13 pmComment

Every April, fighting-game fans from all over the world come to Washington for the Northwest Majors tournament. Serious players of video games such as Street Fighter, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and… Read More

Microsoft will add Minecraft to Xbox Game Pass subscription service, brings Halo Master Chief Collection to the PC

by Taylor Soper on March 12, 2019March 12, 2019 at 8:21 pmComment

Microsoft is adding Minecraft to the Xbox Game Pass subscription service in the latest example of the company’s move into cloud-based gaming. Minecraft, the popular game with 91 million players… Read More

Changing the game? Microsoft’s ‘Xbox One S All-Digital Edition’ may hasten the decline of physical media

by Thomas Wilde on March 10, 2019March 10, 2019 at 10:30 am 6 Comments

Credible rumors have been spreading for months that Microsoft was working on a new, digital-media-only edition of its Xbox One video game console, without a disc drive. This past week,… Read More

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Seattle game developer portrays the challenges of modern-day women in ‘The Window Box’

by Nicole Tanner on March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 at 10:26 amComment

When it comes to female characters in games, there are basically two options: the weak princess type who needs saving or the strong warrior type who isn’t afraid of anything.… Read More

Nintendo jumps into virtual reality with latest Labo cardboard kits

by Nat Levy on March 7, 2019March 7, 2019 at 10:23 amComment

Nintendo is adding new virtual reality kits to its lineup of cardboard Labo accessories for the Switch, doubling down on the surprising initiative first announced last year. The foundation of… Read More

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Beyond the console: Xbox leaders detail Microsoft’s gaming future, led by xCloud streaming service

by Nat Levy on March 2, 2019March 4, 2019 at 6:07 am 6 Comments

The days of the Xbox console as the primary focus of Microsoft’s gaming division are numbered. Microsoft has spent the last few years refocusing its gaming strategy, expanding the Xbox… Read More

Video

Nintendo unveils ‘Pokémon Sword & Shield’ for Switch, saying a ‘new journey’ will begin this year

by Thomas Wilde on February 27, 2019February 27, 2019 at 7:06 amComment

Nintendo abruptly broke its silence today regarding the next core entries in its popular Pokemon franchise. The next original role-playing games in the series are now officially known as Pokémon Sword… Read More

Guild Wars 2 developer ArenaNet lays off 143 employees at Bellevue HQ and cancels projects

by James Thorne on February 25, 2019February 27, 2019 at 3:33 pm 2 Comments

Editor’s note: This story and headline were updated to reflect the WARN notice. ArenaNet, the video game maker behind Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2, is laying off 143 employees… Read More

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé to retire, hand leadership reins to Doug Bowser

by James Thorne on February 21, 2019February 22, 2019 at 10:34 amComment

Nintendo of America’s longtime president and COO Reggie Fils-Aimé is retiring and will be replaced by Doug Bowser. Fils-Aimé, who has spent 15 years with the company, will step down… Read More

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Indie developer Red Hook Studios working on ‘Darkest Dungeon 2,’ a sequel to 2016 hit

by Thomas Wilde on February 19, 2019February 19, 2019 at 2:17 pmComment

Vancouver, B.C.-based indie game developer Red Hook Studios announced on Tuesday that it has begun work on Darkest Dungeon 2, a sequel to the hit 2016 dungeon crawler. The announcement… Read More

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Q&A: Non-profit Take This addresses mental health challenges among gaming community and creators

by Thomas Wilde on February 16, 2019February 16, 2019 at 10:58 amComment

The previous year in the video game industry was punctuated by multiple high-profile layoffs, studio shutdowns, and the occasional genuine scandal. One of the results has been a new public… Read More

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Seattle indie game developer tinyBuild raises $15M, plans to grow using ‘dynamic structure’ strategy

by Taylor Soper on February 15, 2019February 15, 2019 at 10:09 amComment

tinyBuild, the Seattle-area indie game developer and publisher of titles such as Hello Neighbor and Rapture Rejects, has raised a $15 million investment round to fuel growth. Founded eight years… Read More

Video

Nintendo surprises fans with ‘Super Mario Maker 2,’ remastered ‘Link’s Awakening’ and new game ‘Astral Chain’

by Thomas Wilde on February 13, 2019February 13, 2019 at 4:17 pmComment

Nintendo announced a new installment in the Super Mario Maker series this afternoon, along with a polished and remastered edition of the classic Link’s Awakening, a brand-new action game called Astral Chain,… Read More

Video

Game review: Explore and colonize other worlds in ‘Astroneer’ … if you can get past the learning curve

by Thomas Wilde on February 12, 2019February 12, 2019 at 5:06 pm1 Comment

Even after spending the better part of 12 hours exploring it, I still don’t quite feel like I have a handle on Astroneer. It’s got a decent tutorial mission, which… Read More

Activision Blizzard subsidiary Z2 shuts down Seattle game studio amid larger layoffs

by Taylor Soper on February 12, 2019February 13, 2019 at 1:19 pm 4 Comments

Z2, a Seattle game studio owned by Activision Blizzard, is shutting down. The office closure is part of larger layoffs announced today by gaming giant Activision Blizzard, which will slash… Read More

GeekWire Calendar Picks: Wizard World, board games, and lots of advice for startups

by Nicole Tanner on February 8, 2019February 8, 2019 at 12:07 pmComment

One of the biggest pop culture conventions in the Pacific Northwest is happening in Portland the weekend of Feb. 22. Wizard World draws in big crowds and big guests every… Read More

Xbox Live on Android, iOS and Switch? Sizing up Microsoft’s latest cross-platform move

by Thomas Wilde on February 4, 2019February 4, 2019 at 12:42 pmComment

In a potentially seismic move for the video game industry, Microsoft is preparing to extend Xbox Live compatibility to several additional platforms, including Android and iOS mobile devices and the Nintendo… Read More

Video

‘Game Development the Musical’ is an entertaining take on the realities of working in video games

by Nicole Tanner on February 3, 2019February 3, 2019 at 11:58 am1 Comment

Working in the video game industry can be glorified by those who don’t understand the ins and outs of game development. Specifically, many people who play games still think a job… Read More

Video

Game review: ‘Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe’ for Nintendo Switch offers a lot of Mario for the money

by Thomas Wilde on February 2, 2019February 2, 2019 at 10:39 amComment

Back in 2013 when it was released, New Super Mario Bros. U got kind of a complex reaction from fans. On the one hand, it’s a classically styled Mario game… Read More

New Oculus VR headset unveiled to tepid reviews, but survey finds optimism for immersive tech

Nintendo reveals surprising new Switch game ‘Cadence of Hyrule,’ a Zelda-themed sequel to recent indie hit

‘We did get there first’: Seattle game streaming startup CEO laments Google’s video game unveiling

Game over for game consoles? Google leaves key question of price unanswered in Stadia unveiling

Google’s Stadia leverages tech advances to bring the lucrative video-game market into the cloud

A console in the cloud: Google unveils ‘Stadia’ streaming service, looks to shake up video games

Valve veteran and Riot Games developer launch Stray Bombay, a new game studio in Seattle

Washington-based brothers behind ‘Dwarf Fortress’ to unexpectedly launch cult indie game on Steam

Facebook aims to unite 700M gamers on its platform with new gaming section

Microsoft to extend Xbox Live to Android and iOS, but company stays mum on Switch and PS4 compatibility

Microsoft adds new back-end game developer tools, unites services under ‘Game Stack’ program

Seattle becomes official stop on Tekken World Tour, elevating its status in the world of fighting games

Microsoft will add Minecraft to Xbox Game Pass subscription service, brings Halo Master Chief Collection to the PC

Changing the game? Microsoft’s ‘Xbox One S All-Digital Edition’ may hasten the decline of physical media

Seattle game developer portrays the challenges of modern-day women in ‘The Window Box’

Nintendo jumps into virtual reality with latest Labo cardboard kits

Beyond the console: Xbox leaders detail Microsoft’s gaming future, led by xCloud streaming service

Nintendo unveils ‘Pokémon Sword & Shield’ for Switch, saying a ‘new journey’ will begin this year

Guild Wars 2 developer ArenaNet lays off 143 employees at Bellevue HQ and cancels projects

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé to retire, hand leadership reins to Doug Bowser

Indie developer Red Hook Studios working on ‘Darkest Dungeon 2,’ a sequel to 2016 hit

Q&A: Non-profit Take This addresses mental health challenges among gaming community and creators

Seattle indie game developer tinyBuild raises $15M, plans to grow using ‘dynamic structure’ strategy

Nintendo surprises fans with ‘Super Mario Maker 2,’ remastered ‘Link’s Awakening’ and new game ‘Astral Chain’

Game review: Explore and colonize other worlds in ‘Astroneer’ … if you can get past the learning curve

Activision Blizzard subsidiary Z2 shuts down Seattle game studio amid larger layoffs

GeekWire Calendar Picks: Wizard World, board games, and lots of advice for startups

Xbox Live on Android, iOS and Switch? Sizing up Microsoft’s latest cross-platform move

‘Game Development the Musical’ is an entertaining take on the realities of working in video games

Game review: ‘Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe’ for Nintendo Switch offers a lot of Mario for the money

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