Gait Games

**Upcoming Season Three in EA’s Reboot of Skate: A Contentious Addition**

Next month, EA will unveil season three of its free-to-play reboot of *Skate*, presenting a major update: Grom, a skateable island. However, this new element raises concerns as it is purportedly behind a paywall, contradicting previous assurances made by EA prior to the game’s launch.

On February 19, EA and Full Circle released a blog outlining the changes arriving with *Skate’s* third season, scheduled to go live on March 10. The announcement of Grom thrilled many skaters, but the access conditions complicate the enthusiasm. During the initial month of the season, only players who buy the skate.Pass Premium will have full access to Grom. Those who choose not to invest in the battle pass will be barred from visiting the island until April, when a special event will allow all players access for a limited period. After the event, free access will revert exclusively to Premium pass holders, although non-paying players can buy a day pass using in-game currency.

The choice to restrict an island behind a paywall contradicts EA’s pledge made before *Skate’s* debut. In a video released in July 2022, developers asserted that new map areas would not be locked behind paywalls, a promise many believe is now broken as Grom appears to be an enhanced version of the tutorial island, which players have already navigated.

**Community Reaction**

Unsurprisingly, the feedback from the *Skate* community has been predominantly negative. Players have turned to social media and Reddit, expressing their discontent and highlighting the gap between EA’s initial promises and current actions. This dissatisfaction led the official *Skate* account on X to release a statement clarifying their standpoint.

In the statement, EA outlined their dedication to community engagement throughout the game’s development, admitting that plans can change when crafting in public. They reiterated their intention to heed player feedback and continually adapt *Skate* to meet community demands.

Despite acknowledging the challenges inherent in game development, the choice to confine an area behind a paywall has further diminished trust among players. EA had previously committed to avoiding paid loot boxes and pay-to-win mechanics, leading many to question the credibility of these promises in light of the ongoing situation with Grom.

**Context of EA’s Business Choices**

Analysts theorize that EA’s motivations may arise from pressure to increase revenue, particularly following the company’s recent merger discussions that valued it at $55 billion. This profit-driven need might elucidate the company’s deviation from previously stated principles.

As season three nears, the community continues to deliberate the ramifications of these choices, weighing the significance of Grom against EA’s earlier commitments and the broader context of monetization within *Skate*.

Why is everything rolling sideways on my desk all of a sudden? What’s this mysterious force, dragging my chair towards the wall? Why are all the cars in the vicinity tumbling and rolling in the direction of *checks press release* …North Carolina, USA? It can only be gravitational disturbance caused by the impending 1.0 release of a massive strategy project. This time it’s Heart of the Machine, a “4X-style”, “dimension-busting” sci-fi game developed by Arcen Games and published by Hooded Horse.

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**The Shutdown of Midsummer Studios: An Exploration of Jake Solomon’s Path and Vision**

Jake Solomon, a prominent personality in the gaming sector celebrated for his contributions to renowned titles such as *XCOM 2* and *Marvel’s Midnight Suns*, has declared the shutdown of his studio, Midsummer Studios. Established in 2024, the studio sought to transform the life simulation genre, offering distinctive gameplay experiences that enabled players to become storytellers.

In a sincere message shared on X, Solomon conveyed pride in the studio’s accomplishments and offered a peek at their ambitious project, *Burbank*, which fused aspects of life simulations with the narrative approach of *The Truman Show*. He imagined a game where players could create, customize, and disseminate their own television shows, promoting creativity and individual storytelling.

Solomon revealed an important feature of *Burbank*’s design: the incorporation of AI for character memory, reasoning, and dialogue. This innovation was designed to enhance the gaming experience by enabling players to create dynamic characters that fit within the narratives they sculpted, although Solomon stressed that the artistic aspects were the result of human creativity, not AI-generated material.

Even with the creative promise exhibited in *Burbank*, the closure of Midsummer Studios reflects a larger trend within the gaming industry. The frequency of studio closures and layoffs has become a troubling concern, with other significant announcements such as Sony’s choice to wind down Bluepoint Games, known for its remakes of *Demon’s Souls* and *Shadow of the Colossus*. At the time of its closure, Midsummer Studios had a small team of 11 employees, many of whom, including pivotal designers from well-known franchises, will now encounter job instability.

In his announcement, Solomon maintained an optimistic perspective, reminiscing about the transformative experiences encountered while working on *Burbank*. He invited the gaming community to share in the vision that the project symbolized, encouraging players to engage with the content that had been brought to life through the team’s commitment.

As Midsummer Studios shuts its doors, the gaming industry is left to contemplate the influence of innovative creators like Solomon and the obstacles confronting small studios in an increasingly unpredictable market. The legacy of his endeavors continues to motivate future game developers and underscores the significance of storytelling within gameplay.

Replaced, the long-in-development dystopian platformer from Sad Cat Studios, has had its release pushed back a little further. The studio have taken on feedback from the demo they recently released on Steam – that’s the one which kept surnaming me – and reckon a few more weeks of acting on it are in order to get the game ready to go.

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### Meta’s Metaverse Evolution: From VR to Mobile Experiences

In 2021, Facebook underwent a rebranding to Meta, marking a notable shift in emphasis towards constructing the metaverse—a shared virtual space. The company’s ambitious vision encapsulated its aim to “bring the metaverse into reality,” unveiling *Horizon Worlds*, a virtual reality (VR) platform created for users to discover and build their own immersive environments. Despite initial excitement, the implementation did not meet expectations, facing criticism over the platform’s visual aesthetics and user interface. Fast forward five years, and Meta is shifting away from conventional VR, repositioning *Worlds* as a mobile-first platform similar to popular games such as Roblox, following substantial investments exceeding $70 billion into virtual and augmented reality.

On February 19, Meta announced its new trajectory in a blog post detailing plans to differentiate its VR projects from *Horizon Worlds*. The company stated that this strategic decision aims to “create more space for both products to flourish.” The shift is evident: Meta plans to convert *Worlds* into a mobile application geared towards a wider audience, particularly young users who prefer engaging with mobile games over VR experiences.

Meta’s announcement signifies a crucial transformation in understanding consumer behavior. According to the company’s statements, early trials with mobile features yielded promising outcomes. Meta expressed a desire to tap into the booming mobile gaming market, highlighting that VR did not lure the user base they had expected. As they disclosed, they started with a limited group of VR creators but soon acknowledged the growth and promise of mobile gaming.

Notably, in its announcement concerning the transformation, Meta pointed out several popular games that had recently gained popularity within *Worlds*, such as *Grow A Garden*, *Steal A Brainrot*, and *Yeet Yourself*. These titles reflect successful concepts from Roblox, indicating that Meta’s strategy may involve mirroring elements that are already engaging gamers on other platforms. However, it is worth mentioning that shortly after the blog post was released, the latter two games were eliminated from the platform, raising concerns about Meta’s strategy and timing in this shift.

The choice to transition away from VR highlights broader trends within the gaming landscape, where platforms like Roblox continue to flourish, attracting millions of active players and generating substantial revenue. This market insight likely impacted Meta’s strategic pivot, acknowledging that a large, unexploited audience exists eager for accessible, mobile gaming experiences.

Looking to the future, Meta reassures that while its priorities may be changing, VR technology is not being entirely abandoned. The company has noted that it remains committed to developing VR hardware and intends to support third-party VR developers. Nonetheless, the recent reorganization of its VR game studios implies that virtual reality will be less prioritized in comparison to more immediate opportunities in mobile gaming and artificial intelligence.

In summary, Meta’s transition from a VR-focused strategy to a mobile-first gaming approach represents a significant shift driven by consumer preferences and market dynamics. As *Horizon Worlds* advances, it will be intriguing to see how effectively Meta can utilize its existing resources to craft engaging mobile experiences that resonate with users and potentially redefine its role in the gaming landscape.

Far from ushering in a technological golden age, artificial intelligence is giving PC hardware its most trying time in years. As huge, hyper-rich tech companies go about building resource-intensive AI data centres in pursuit of future wealth, the resulting memory chip shortages have detonated consumer-level pricing for RAM modules, graphics cards, SSDs, and even ancient hard drives.

Doubling or tripling street-level outlays without harming sales would, you’d think, make a lot of gaming gear makers – especially their accounting departments – very happy indeed. But as those chips have become a scarce commodity at the supplier level, even the bigger hardware businesses are being squeezed as well, and it shows. Razer can’t decide how much their next laptops should cost. Valve are running out of Steam Deck stock and delaying the new Steam Machine. Zotac Korea called the RAM shortage an existential threat. But what of the industry’s smaller players – those producers of the niche, the quirky, the retro?

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**The Hidden Effects of Development Choices: Artur Ganszyniec Shares Insights on The Witcher’s Final Cutscene**

Artur Ganszyniec, the principal story designer for the acclaimed 2007 game *The Witcher*, has recently undertaken a thorough 26-episode, 40-hour playthrough of the game. This reflective journey provided fans with a charming retrospective of the title that established a successful trilogy. It was in the final moments of this nostalgic journey that Ganszyniec disclosed vital reflections regarding a crucial facet of the game’s development: the concluding cutscene.

Ganszyniec indicated that the writers at CD Projekt Red were “not really” engaged in developing the final cutscene, which he labeled as a “mistake.” This separation from the story design team carries significant consequences, as it ultimately influenced the narrative trajectory of *The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings*. The lack of close collaboration on this essential scene led the creative direction for the series to veer off course, pushing the sequel’s narrative into realms that strayed from the original storyline.

This insight emerged as Ganszyniec viewed the game’s climactic ending, which depicts an assassination attempt on King Foltest. After Geralt, the main character, eliminates the assassin, he learns that the conspirator is another witcher. This surprising revelation drives the story directly into the sequel, where Geralt finds himself imprisoned under suspicions of complicity in the assassination.

Ganszyniec revealed that the script for the concluding cutscene was formulated with little to no input from the story team. He remarked, “The script for this…it was created not really involving the story team. So it was sort of, we weren’t really paying attention. And that was a mistake, I think.” This oversight illuminates the inconsistencies found in the conclusion. The closing narration poses a query about Geralt’s fate, which is abruptly countered by an animated cutscene offering an answer. This incongruity suggests that the original writers aimed to pave the way for an alternative narrative direction that was eventually forsaken.

A point of contention is Geralt’s sudden teleportation back to Vizima at the end of the first game, which felt out of place and left many players confused. The narrative suggested by Dandelion, inquiring, “What then happened to the witcher?” seems misaligned with the definitive portrayal presented in the animated outro. Ganszyniec’s clarification sheds light on this disparity, emphasizing how late-stage decisions made by higher-ups—perhaps swayed by executive influence—overrode the vision of the story team.

In spite of these insights and regret related to the narrative choices made, Ganszyniec expressed optimism for the future of *The Witcher* franchise, specifically regarding Fool’s Theory’s forthcoming remake of the original game. He remarked, “Let’s hope that the remake will be a really good game,” showcasing a hopeful anticipation for fresh interpretations of the esteemed narrative.

In conclusion, Ganszyniec’s reflections on the creation of *The Witcher*’s final cutscene expose how creative processes can be shaped by organizational decisions and underscore the necessity of cohesive collaboration within development teams. As fans look forward to the remake, this understanding serves as a captivating reminder of the roots of the narrative that has enthralled players globally.

Ironically, considering the rampant dysentery moving through my campground in brown, sputtering waves, the problem I’m facing in Transport Fever 3 is a blockage. The trucks I’ve loaded with antibiotics are stuck in a traffic jam that stretches all the way to the pharmacy in the next city over. If I’m to save the inaugural Woodstock festival, I must find a way to get traffic flowing again before the timer runs out.

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**The Status of PlayStation Studios: A Review of Recent Acquisitions and Obstacles**

In 2019, PlayStation took a major step forward by acquiring Insomniac Games, the creator of the cherished *Spider-Man* series. This represented a crucial juncture, as it was the company’s first acquisition of a game studio in almost ten years. This initial investment formed part of a broader initiative that saw PlayStation snap up ten additional studios over the subsequent four years, indicating an effort to bolster its portfolio and seize an even greater portion of the gaming industry. Nevertheless, as of February 2026, the outcomes of this acquisition surge have been rather disappointing, underscored by the closure of Bluepoint Games and a widespread inability to effectively transition into live-service gaming.

Reports dated February 19, 2026, from *Kotaku* and *Bloomberg* indicated that Sony opted to shut down Bluepoint Games, a studio it had acquired in 2021. The studio was well-liked for its remastering endeavors, including a successful remake of *Demon’s Souls* that featured in the PlayStation 5 launch lineup. Unfortunately, following that initial triumph, Bluepoint found it challenging to follow through with new ventures. A live-service iteration of *God of War* was abandoned, and none of the studio’s pitches gained any momentum. As a result, Bluepoint Games ceased operations, leaving its 75 staff members unemployed.

This circumstance has not been singular. PlayStation’s recent acquisition strategy has been riddled with various hurdles. Below is a recap of the other studios bought since 2019, their existing conditions, and the latest happenings:

1. **Insomniac Games** – Acquired in 2019, the studio faced layoffs in February 2024 but is poised to release *Wolverine* this year.

2. **Housemarque** – Acquired in 2021; the studio is successfully debuting its new game, *Saros*, on PS5 this year.

3. **Nixxes Software** – Acquired in 2021; has been an active support studio for different titles such as *Horizon* and *Helldivers 2*.

4. **Firesprite** – Acquired in 2021; underwent layoffs in February 2024 and most recently launched *Horizon Call of the Mountain* for PSVR2 in 2023.

5. **Fabrik Games** – Acquired in 2021; part of Firesprite and has had no releases since 2017.

6. **Bluepoint Games** – Acquired in 2021; closed in February 2026, with its final release being *Demon’s Souls* in 2020.

7. **Valkyrie Entertainment** – Acquired in 2021; has not had a game release since 2015 but contributed to *Concord* in 2024.

8. **Haven Studios** – Acquired in 2022; still yet to release a game and is developing the delayed live-service title *Fairgames*.

9. **Bungie** – Acquired in 2022; has experienced layoffs but is set to release *Marathon* this year following delays.

10. **Neon Koi** – Acquired in 2022; the studio shut down in 2024 after failing to deliver a live-service mobile project it had envisioned.

11. **Firewalk Studios** – Acquired in 2023; launched *Concord* in 2024, which failed shortly after debut, resulting in the studio’s closure later that same year.

While a select few studios, like Insomniac and Housemarque, have flourished, a considerable number have either struggled or completely shut down. The trend presents a bleak outlook: three studios have closed soon after acquisition, with others not managing to deliver meaningful new titles. Some, such as *Concord*, debuted only to be terminated following weak performance, indicating a troubled path for PlayStation as it endeavors to adapt to the live-service paradigm.

The overarching storyline indicates a tumultuous period for PlayStation, facing substantial obstacles arising from its aggressive acquisition strategy. Numerous studios were directed to pivot towards live-service models, which often resulted in setbacks. This chaotic environment has culminated in layoffs, budget decreases, and studio closures.

For staff members in these studios—especially those not involved in high-profile projects like *Wolverine* or *Saros*—there’s a palpable sense of unease regarding their employment. The once optimistic perspective for PlayStation, rich with resources and promising franchises, now seems clouded by potential instability and the challenges tied to a transforming gaming landscape.

I’ve been shying away from The Killing Stone because it’s a deckbuilding card battler, and we do get a lot of emails about those. The game launches into Steam early access today, so it’s time to have a proper gander. Ho now! This is a deckbuilding card battler… set in a mansion somewhere in the Arctic during the 17th century… created by Question Games, developers of ‘unfinished game’ game The Magic Circle and weird suburbia sim The Blackout Club. Yes, the same Question who were founded by people who worked on Bioshock, Thief and Dishonored.

What’s more, The Killing Stone reminds me of Inscryption, in that it appears to be divided between a hellish table-top game and hellish goings-on in the world around that table-top game. To be specific, you’re playing that table-top game against a series of demons, with the souls of the cursed Svangård family hanging in the balance.

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