Steam reviews have been a fairly accurate estimate for units sold, as proved by Jake Birkett, Simon Carless and others. Video Game Insights has found that different review multipliers should be used depending on the year a game came out.

On July 29, Panic opened pre-orders for Playdate, a handheld device for indie games fitted with a crank. It has been making a buzz for its design and cute look for a while. And it seems that the hype was justified, as it took less than 20 minutes to sell over 20,000 units.

The Witcher franchise continues its expansion to other platforms. It’s been revealed that mobile AR game The Witcher: Monster Slayer has already surpassed $500,000 in player spending on iOS and Android.

A redditor posted a story about the cancellation of a AAA game they’ve been working on for a few years. The thread went viral, with other users sharing their own experiences of developing high-budget projects and being shackled by different NDAs.

We continue to share and update the timeline of the ongoing Activation Blizzard story. In the latest news, the company finally confirmed the reason for firing the former World of Warcraft creative director. Activision Blizzard also hired a famous law firm known for preventing employees from creating unions. Meanwhile, Ubisoft employees, who also stepped up amid the scandal, responded to their company’s comments regarding harassment problems.

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has made a statement in response to the open letter now signed by about 1,000 Ubisoft employees, both current and former. Guillemot reiterates commitment to “building a better Ubisoft,” but fails to address the specific demands made by the employees.

Apple’s new IDFA policy implemented with the release of iOS 14.5 has already impacted the mobile market. Developers and publishers are now looking for new ways to keep players engaged and increase monetization. Adding new features in their games might help in it.

Only one video game will compete in the VR category at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, which will take place September 1-11. And it is a narrative-driven adventure The Last Worker.

Just a few months after launching Cascadeur in early access, Nekki has introduced a new version of its character animation tool. It expands the software’s function scope with major changes and fixes.

What is forced arbitration? Why do California employers force new hires into arbitration agreements? How can DFEH represent affected employees of Activision Blizzard in court despite their having signed those agreements? Senior lawyer Evgeny Farafonov at law firm Semenov&Pevzner is here to explain.

Xsolla’s XDC Contest for LATAM Developers wrapped up during the Game Developer Day LATAM on July 27. Silent Hill-inspired horror Tormented Souls from Dual Effect SpA was named the Best Game by Xsolla.

Yesterday was an important day in the ongoing Activision Blizzard story. Hundreds of Ubisoft employees expressed their solidarity with those affected within Activision Blizzard. Ubisoft devs also called for structural changes at their company and across the industry. Back at Activision Blizzard, employees voiced their frustration with Bobby Kotick’s message and staged a walkout, both offline and online.

Soon after Sony acquired Nixxes Software, there has been a lot of discussion on what its role will be within the PlayStation family. Now we know that the studio will help the company bring more games to PC in the future.

Riot Games entered the mobile market last year, and it has already achieved a significant milestone. According to Sensor Tower, the company’s three mobile games have already generated over $100 million.

Tech giants like Tencent act aggressively in the M&A market, buying stakes in many Western studios. Amid the ongoing consolidation, some experts believe that Chinese companies could promote their values through games and even control the way reality is portrayed in them.

New AAA studio That’s No Moon has been founded by the alumni of Naughty Dog, Infinity Ward, Sony’s Santa Monica Studio, EA, and Bungie.

Former PlayStation Studios boss Shawn Layden has shared his thoughts about the games industry’s current state. He is concerned that consolidation will make it “moribund.” He is also skeptical about the Xbox Game Pass subscription model.

On July 27, shareholder rights law firm Robbins LLP anounced it is “investigating Activision Blizzard to determine whether certain Activision officers and directors violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and breached their fiduciary duties to the company.”

In case you’ve been overwhelmed by the sheer number of updates in the Activision Blizzard sex discrimation story, this will help you keep track of the latest developments.