video game industry

Games should carry higher price tags, saying Grand Theft Auto 6 had a real opportunity to raise prices industry-wide but did not take it. The comments add fuel to an ongoing debate among players and developers about rising game prices, inflation, and whether blockbuster releases should set a new pricing standard for the medium.

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing legislation that would require video game publishers to offer refunds when they shut down servers and render a purchased game unplayable. The proposal targets titles sold at full price, such as $70 releases, that become inaccessible once online support ends, and has reignited debate over consumer ownership rights in an increasingly digital, always-online gaming industry.

A veteran video game music composer is running for Congress and is framing his campaign around fighting what he calls 'woke' ideology, according to Fox News. The move puts a gaming industry figure into electoral politics, tying cultural debates in entertainment to a congressional campaign. Details about which district he is running in and his platform beyond this theme remain limited in initial coverage.

Companies facing a lawsuit over video game addiction cannot compel the case into arbitration, according to a ruling reported by Law360. The decision means the addiction claims can proceed in court rather than in private arbitration, a potentially significant setback for the game industry defendants and a notable development for families pursuing such claims.

The National Videogame Museum in the UK has launched a nationwide survey on game preservation, aiming to gather input on how video games should be archived and protected for the future. The initiative, reported by GamesIndustry.biz, invites the public and industry to contribute views on preserving gaming history.

Producer Carter Swan, known for his work on the Resident Evil film adaptations, is developing a movie based on The Crying Boy, a comic book series from publisher Keenspot. The project moves the horror-tinged comic to the big screen, adding another video game and comics adaptation to Swan's slate as Hollywood continues mining genre comics for film properties.

Streaming service Fubo has added four NHL regional sports networks to its lineup for the 2026-27 season, expanding its hockey coverage for subscribers. The move, reported by Sports Video Group, strengthens Fubo's sports offering as streaming platforms compete to carry live regional games. Sports fans and industry watchers are tracking which platforms secure NHL rights as broadcast deals continue shifting toward streaming.

The number of video game publishers operating in Russia is growing at an accelerating pace, according to a report from industry tracker wnhub.io. The finding points to an expanding domestic games sector, with more companies entering the publishing business despite international studios having scaled back or exited the Russian market in recent years.

Reports highlight that 58 other video games are scheduled for release on the same day as Grand Theft Auto 6, yet almost none are known to the public. The story points out how Rockstar's hugely anticipated title is likely to completely overshadow everything else launching alongside it, with other developers potentially facing an impossible task of getting attention that day.

The number of video game publishers operating in Russia is growing quickly, according to an industry report. The growth is linked to Western publishers withdrawing from the Russian market, leaving space for domestic companies to step in and license, localize and distribute games locally.

Overwolf has introduced a media briefing offering that maps audience data across 5,000 video games, giving advertisers and media planners a way to understand and reach gaming communities at scale. The move positions the gaming platform as a bridge between in-game creators and the advertising industry, at a time when brands are increasingly looking to spend inside and around games.

The National Videogame Museum in the United Kingdom has launched a nationwide survey dedicated to the conservation of video games. The initiative aims to gather information that could help preserve gaming history for future generations. It highlights growing concerns in the industry and among cultural institutions that games, as digital and fragile media, risk being lost without coordinated preservation efforts.

A retrospective looks back at the 1990s console wars between Nintendo, Sega and Sony, tracing how fierce competition over hardware, marketing and exclusive games shaped the modern video game industry. The piece argues that the rivalry of that decade drove innovation in graphics, game design and home entertainment, leaving a lasting legacy on how consoles are made and sold today.

Trading card games are expanding onto video game consoles, bringing TCG collecting, buying and selling into the gaming space. According to industry outlet ICv2, retail mechanics for trading card games are now reaching console platforms, a notable shift for a category long tied to physical card shops and tabletop stores. The move could widen the TCG audience and change how collectors and players access cards.

Twenty years ago, Haitian American communities in South Florida protested against Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, objecting to in-game dialogue that seemed to disparage Haitians, and filed a lawsuit over the content. The controversy drew widespread attention and led to changes, and it is being revisited now as a landmark moment in debates over representation and offensive content in video games.

HDR10+ Technologies is increasing its support for video games, extending the high dynamic range format beyond film and television into the gaming space. The move signals growing industry focus on HDR quality for interactive entertainment, as more games and gaming hardware adopt high dynamic range displays. Details on specific partners or titles were not provided.

A technical university in Zagreb is set to launch Croatia's first degree programme in video game development. The course would give students formal training in game design and production in a country whose gaming industry has so far developed without a dedicated university-level qualification. Details on the curriculum and start date have not been widely reported yet.