The Iterative Digest #89
Behind the GDC Paywall, Bayonetta 3, and the dark side of Indie Game Dev.
Hello and welcome to issue #89of the Digest! This week we discuss Bayonetta 3, information kept behind the GDC Paywall, and the dark side of indie game dev.
So without further ado, sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s latest - curated by yours truly! If you like what you see, don’t forget to share and subscribe; your support means a lot to us. Have a great week!
Bayonetta 3 has been announced for October 28th, 2022 by Nintendo and developer PlatinumGames. The game will see players meet “a veritable coven of Bayonetta’s, each more fabulous than the last,” while fighting through the streets of Tokyo, the mountains of China, and beyond.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has completed its acquisition of Destiny Studio Bungie after it announced in January that it intended to acquire it in a deal worth 3.6 billion.
The UK Government has said the games industry must do more to protect vulnerable players from loot boxes and it will not hesitate to consider legislation if companies do not bring in measures to keep players safe.
Warframe studio Digital Extremes has announced a new MMORPG, Soulframe during TennoCon 2022. The free-to-play fantasy MMO will be heavily influenced by themes of nature, restoration, and exploration.
In response to the criticism surrounding Sonic Origin’s issues, the Sega team has told the games community it’s working on an update that will fix a variety of issues.
Sony has announced PlayStation Stars, a new free-to-join loyalty program that will allow players to earn rewards by completing a variety of campaigns and activities. Players will be rewarded for tasks such as earning a specific trophy or being the first in a region to platinum a game. It will be rolled out later this year in a phased regional approach.
Nintendo has announced that it plans to acquire Japanese CG company Dynamo Pictures, which will be renamed Nintendo Pictures and allow strengthened visual content in the Nintendo Group utilizing Nintendo IP. The company in the past has produced CG for a number of movies and TV shows, as well as CG in Final Fantasy XIII-2 and motion capture in Death Stranding, Nier Replicant, Monster Hunter World, and Persona 5.
Reddit user u/FeatheryOmega took the time to give us all a bit of insider access to the information kept behind the GDC paywall in this super informative post over at r/gamedev.
Highlights include The 2022 Failure Workshop; Rules of the Game 2022: Specific Techniques from Discerning Designers; An Approach to Game Art for Solo Devs, Small Teams, and Non-Artists; and How To Keep Your Team From Destroying Your Game as well as closer looks and post-mortems on games like Last of Us II, Inscryption, and more!
July 19th
As Dusk Falls explores the entangled lives of two families over 30 years in an original interactive drama. Starting in 1998 with a robbery gone wrong, the characters’ lives depend on the choices you make in this story-rich adventure heading to PC and Xbox.
In Stray, you play as a lost, alone, cat who must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten cybercity and find their way home. It’s scheduled to come to PS4/PS5 and PC.
July 21st
River City Saga: Three Kingdoms features Kunio, the beloved hot-blooded renegade back to wreck havoc in the world of the Three Kingdoms! The characters take on the roles of famous generals for a game packed with wild action when its hits PlayStation, Switch, and PC.
Jay Kozatt posted an Open Letter from a Developer to Himself back on May 10th that serves as an important reminder of the dark side of indie game dev and why it’s important to be kind to yourself, find your balance, and learn to give yourself a break.
Burnout is real, so please take care of yourself.
Cameron - Evertried
This week I have been engaged in the world of Evertried, a beautifully crafted isometric, tactical rogue-lite where the player ascends a mysterious tower utilizing strategy and positioning in turn-based combat. This is pixel art chess where you’re constantly thinking a few moves ahead to make use of attacks, skills, and traps to clear floors and progress higher to conquer Evertried’s afterlife.
I really enjoyed my time with Evertried, so if you’re interested you can read more over at the TIC blog!
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We are The Iterative Collective - an indie games incubator & publisher! Each week, we shed light on the latest gaming trends for all folks interested in the scene by going through a summary of the latest news from the industry as well as promising upcoming game releases! Click to learn more about us below!