In a bold move that has sent ripples through the gaming community, Hideaki Itsuno, the legendary director behind iconic titles like Devil May Cry and Dragon’s Dogma, has established a new studio in Osaka. This venture not only marks Itsuno’s departure from Capcom after over three decades but also signals a fresh start for the creation of original AAA IPs, a rarity in the current gaming landscape. With a team composed largely of Capcom veterans, including narrative designer Toshihiro Nakagawa and artist Daigo Ikeno, the new studio is poised to leverage their collective experience to craft something truly special.

Japan’s National Diet Library (NDL) has made a significant decision regarding the preservation of video games, stating that Switch 2 Game-Key Cards will not be included in its collection. This decision highlights a crucial distinction in the digital age: what constitutes physical media and how we preserve our digital culture. Established in 1948, the NDL requires all domestic publishers to submit copies of new publications for preservation. While it has successfully archived over 9,600 video games since 2000, the NDL has determined that Game-Key Cards, which serve merely as download keys rather than containing game data themselves, do not meet their criteria for preservation.

A new video game based on the iconic Friday the 13th franchise is officially in development, as revealed during a recent San Diego Comic-Con panel. Robert Barsamian, executive vice president at Horror Inc, confirmed that both a sequel game and a new movie are high on their priority list. This announcement comes after a long hiatus for the franchise, which has not seen a new film since the 2009 reboot.

The ongoing debate surrounding game preservation has taken a significant turn as the EU lobbying group, Video Games Europe, responds to the Stop Killing Games petition. This movement, which has garnered over 1.2 million signatures, aims to compel publishers to provide offline alternatives for games that are no longer supported online. The concern is that enforcing such legislation could lead to increased development costs for live service titles, potentially stifling innovation in the gaming industry.

The recent suspension of the SAG-AFTRA video game voice actor strike marks a pivotal moment in the intersection of artificial intelligence and the entertainment industry. After nearly a year of negotiations and significant sacrifices from its members, the union has reached a tentative agreement with major gaming companies like Activision, Disney, and EA. This agreement is particularly noteworthy as it establishes essential guardrails for the use of AI in voice acting, ensuring that performers’ rights and livelihoods are protected in an increasingly digital landscape.