Highguard Layoffs and Wick's Revenge [Nerfed.ai]
This week on Nerfed.ai, Vanessa Calderon and Marcus Shaw tackle a tumultuous week in the gaming industry. The headline story centers on Wildlight Entertainment, where 'most' of the staff were laid off just over two weeks after the launch of their hero shooter, Highguard. We also dive into the massive three-day international strike at Ubisoft, where over 1,200 employees are protesting studio closures and a strict return-to-office mandate. On a more positive note, Saber Interactive has officially announced a AAA John Wick game with Keanu Reeves reprising his role, and Krafton has revealed Project Windless, an ambitious open-world RPG based on Korean fantasy lore. Marcus provides technical insight into Valve’s hardware delays caused by the global memory crisis, while Vanessa keeps us updated on the latest Game Pass arrivals, including the day-one launch of High On Life 2. The episode wraps with a look at the internal drama and surveillance controversy currently rocking Build A Rocket Boy.
Vanessa Calderon and Marcus Shaw break down a week of extreme highs and lows in the video game industry. From the devastating layoffs at Wildlight Entertainment following Highguard’s launch to the historic strike action at Ubisoft, the industry is in a state of flux. We also look at exciting new project reveals including a AAA John Wick title and Krafton's Project Windless, plus Valve's hardware roadmap hurdles. Finally, we cover the big February drops for Xbox Game Pass including High On Life 2 and Avowed.
Topics Covered
- 💔 The Highguard Fallout: Wildlight Entertainment lays off the majority of its team only 16 days after launch.
- 🪫 Ubisoft on Strike: Over 1,200 workers across Paris and Milan protest restructuring and remote work bans.
- 🕴️ Baba Yaga Returns: Saber Interactive announces a single-player John Wick game featuring Keanu Reeves.
- 📖 Project Windless Revealed: Krafton Montreal Studio unveils an Unreal Engine 5 adaptation of The Bird That Drinks Tears.
- 🔌 Valve Hardware Delay: The new Steam Machine and Steam Frame are pushed back due to industry-wide RAM shortages.
- (00:31) - Hardware and Subs: Valve and Game Pass
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