![]() Not many would agree that Microsoft sending physical media out to pasture is “adorable” there, lads. On top of that, a Microsoft leak revealed that the next version of the Xbox Series X, codenamed Brooklin, won’t have a disc drive, with Microsoft allegedly referring to the console as “adorably all digital”. Physical media lovers are getting shafted too (as always), as games like Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name and Alan Wake 2 are deciding to skip physical copies altogether. Whether it be AI art that was used as background pieces in the System Shock remake, or the threat of AI voice generation being used in place of actual voice acting, it feels like the execs of the industry are continually finding ways to cut corners, reduce costs and sack off everyone underneath them. 2023 has seen a few games launch using AI created assets. The rise of AI “creation” has also led to a number of challenging questions for the gaming industry, with no concrete answers going forward. Unity might have backtracked since that announcement (mostly), but it’s more than likely that Unity opted for the ridiculous announcement first to make their current stance feel reasonable, but regardless, trust in one of the biggest game engines in the world has been utterly severed. Of course, this would affect any games released on subscription services like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass, meaning developers receive less money because another greedy corporation wanted a piece of the pie. Meanwhile, game engine Unity nearly decided to screw over everyone from AAA game developers to small indie companies hoping to create something new and interesting by introducing fees per download if a game uses their engine. Sega was perhaps the most surprising one, as they cancelled Hyenas, which was far into development and received lots of positive feedback from both press and the gaming public at large, while cutting dozens of staff from developer Creative Assembly in the process. However, while the output has been stellar, 2023 has been overshadowed by stories surrounding the human cost of game development, with layoffs at multiple major companies like Epic (which affected studios like MediaTonic), BioWare, Sega, Team17, Microsoft and more. The blockbuster games that have dropped in this year alone would be enough to create an all-star Pile of Shame on its own, never mind all the brilliant games we’ve had over years prior. In terms of games that have launched, that’s certainly true, as the quality of releases this year has possibly never been matched before. ![]() At a cursory glance, you’d think that 2023 had been a banner year for the gaming industry.
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