EA Sports College Football 25 isn't just a big hit for EA, it also marked the publisher's first public use of generative AI. And according to Andrew Wilson, the technology was the only way for EA Orlando to reach the full scope of the game.During last week's quarterly earnings call, the EA CEO was asked about genAI being used to bring real-world players (or "star heads") into the game. Previous sports games required 500-1,000 star heads, but College 25 had 11,000.Because of the deal struck for the game to even exist, getting all of the stars was a "top priority," stressed Wilson. "Our teams are incredible and built workflows to facilitate that, but they were amplified and accelerated through AI and machine learning."EA Orlando's workflows a…
A new bill in Brazil has redefined video games in the country in an effort to grow its slice of the game industry. As spotted by GamesIndustry, the Legal Framework for Game bill was first lobbied in part by games trade body Abragames in 2022.The bill was signed last week by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and will chiefly "foster sector growth [and] create jobs," wrote senator Leila Barros. She and fellow senator Flávio Arns helped lobby the bill alongside Abragames, Brazilian studios, and regional associations.Barros went on to say the new bill will give the Brazilian game industry "more visibility and legal certainty." Outside of games, she hopes the bill will "combat illicit activities and reduce tax burdens."A recent study conducted by Abragames and …
UK studio Kwalee has laid off an undisclosed number of workers. The company confirmed the news to MobileGamer.biz but failed to state how many employees have been let go."We are reshaping our business and our team to best capture the significant growth opportunities that currently exist in the sector, including hiring for 20 new roles," said Kwalee in a statement."Kwalee has the global scale, management expertise and security of funding, combined with a differentiated strategy to take advantage of organic and acquisitive growth opportunities."A source close to MobileGamer claims that up to 40 people could be impacted by the layoffs, but Kwalee indicated that figure is inaccurate and the number of cuts will be lower.
A new video game initiative is turning its focus towards the industry's triple-A indie darlings. Dubbed the Triple-I Initiative, it'll make its debut with an inaugural showcase on April 10.The Initiative comes from Dead Cells developer Evil Empire, with involvement from others like Terraria's Re-Logic and Slay the Spire's Mega Crit. As Evil Empire's Bérenger Dupré explained, the event will center on indie games that "resonate with millions of players around the world."Indie games like those mentioned above usually show up in games showcases as appetizers to the main course of triple-A fare. But they're triple-A in their own way, as made clear when they jump to more platforms or get adapted into TV or movies.Evil Empire COO Benjamin Laulan called th…
A new video game initiative is turning its focus towards the industry's triple-A indie darlings. Dubbed the Triple-I Initiative, it'll make its debut with an inaugural showcase on April 10.The Initiative comes from Dead Cells developer Evil Empire, with involvement from others like Terraria's Re-Logic and Slay the Spire's Mega Crit. As Evil Empire's Bérenger Dupré explained, the event will center on indie games that "resonate with millions of players around the world."Indie games like those mentioned above usually show up in games showcases as appetizers to the main course of triple-A fare. But they're triple-A in their own way, as made clear when they jump to more platforms or get adapted into TV or movies.Evil Empire COO Benjamin Laulan called th…
Silent Hill publisher Konami has confirmed it will raise the base salary of "regular employees" in Japan for the third consecutive fiscal year starting in March 2025.The increase will see workers in Konami's domestic group companies take home an additional 5,000 yen ($32) per month–or 60,000 yen ($395) per year.The Japanese publisher confirmed the news in a notice to investors and said the modest increase will help stabilize income while creating a "satisfying working environment." Konami will also be increasing the initial base salary of new recruits to 300,000 yen from 295,000 yen."In the 50 some years since our founding in 1969, Konami Group has engaged in creating new forms of fun by globally providing innovative products and services that capture the er…
Square Enix has added five new members to its executive officer ranks that help dictate the company's direction and the games it makes.Among those inducted are Naoki Hamaguchi, who directed Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. Tomoya Asano, producer on the Octopath Traveler games, was also promoted.Rounding out the inductees are Diofield Chronicle producer Takamasa Shiba, Foamstars general manager Takeshi Nozue, and Takayuki Hamada.Hamaguchi was previously highlighted for his first time as a solo director for Rebirth. Since working on VFX for Final Fantasy XII, he's brushed shoulders with much of the franchise's key staff, including Yoshinori Kitase and Tetsuya Nomura.With Nomura having chosen to serve as creative director on the remake trilogy, Hamaguchi has taken the reigns on both Re…