Author: Tim Rogers

M80 maNkz has decided to take a break from the team’s active roster due to ongoing mental health struggles. Known for his time with Copenhagen Flames, maNkz has played a crucial role in M80’s success in the NA scene. maNkz’s Absence Credit: Daniel Morris The team, M80, announced maNkz’s absence before the player himself shared the reasons behind his decision to step back. News of maNkz’s leave comes shortly after the passing of BOSS player cynic, causing a stir in the NA scene. It’s commendable to see a player prioritize their mental health over their team. The demands of the…

Epic Games Fortnite is constantly adding new cosmetics through the Battle Pass or item shop. With the game being out for nearly six years, there are now a vast number of skins in the game. Thanks to regular releases of skins and special event skins, the game boasts an impressive range of cosmetics, including skins from popular IPs like Star Wars, Street Fighter, Marvel, and more. It’s highly unlikely to run into a player with the same skin as you, as every player has a unique locker full of cosmetics to choose from. If you’re finding it hard to keep…

Today, there has been unfortunate news from the Call of Duty camp, as Activision Blizzard has announced mass layoffs. Former employees confirmed that Activision is making significant cuts in the eSports department, including releasing casters, on-air talent, senior-level eSports managers, and the entire team of ‘CDL observers’. This news is particularly impactful as it follows just one day after the conclusion of the CDL’s Major I tournament in Boston, which was a great success. Activision Blizzard had the teams work through the Major before laying them off immediately after the event. The future of the CDL is uncertain, with claims…

Do you want to get the latest gaming industry news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our daily and weekly newsletters here. Aonic, a gaming and technology group, has unveiled Megabit as a new collaborative game publisher. The publishing division is designed to champion high-quality mid-sized development studios. This move signals Aonic’s commitment to fostering collaboration within the gaming industry. Aonic already has renowned studios such as Warren Spector’s Otherside Entertainment, Milkytea, Tiny Roar, BKOM, and more under its banner. Now Megabit will add third-party titles too. Megabit is not just a publishing arm; it represents Aonic’s endeavor to…

Video game publisher and developer Kwalee has made a significant investment of €1.5 million into French mobile game studio 8SEC. This move will result in Kwalee’s CFO Matthew Farrow and VP of mobile publishing John Wright joining the 8SEC board.Despite maintaining independent operations in Paris and Lyon, the French company will now benefit from Kwalee’s extensive global team and specialized expertise in user acquisition, monetization, game design, and data science. Kwalee has a dedicated publishing team committed to transforming game concepts into successful and profitable ventures.8SEC, known for its popular titles like Trivia.io, Hero Squad, and Idle Army, has released…

Spend management startup Ramp has acquired AI-powered startup Venue as it expands its procurement offering. Founded in 2022 by TK Kong, Young Kim, and Kevin Chan, Venue’s aim was to “simplify how businesses review, approve, and manage the cost of vendors in use across their company.” The startup raised $1.2 million in funding from investors such as Sequoia Capital, Exponent Founders Capital, and Basecase Capital. Ramp actually acquired the company last August but only announced it today. Kong was tapped to serve as Ramp’s head of procurement after the buy. The acquisition makes sense considering that last summer, Ramp announced…

Apple recently announced new rules for EU app developers to comply with the Digital Markets Act (DMA). After being designated as a “gatekeeper,” the EU required Apple to make changes to increase competition in the app industry. These changes include offering new ways to download apps from outside the App Store, new frameworks and API, a revised commission and fee structure, and more. However, developer responses to the changes have been mixed. Larger companies like Epic Games, Spotify, and Microsoft have come out against Apple’s changes, arguing that they seem designed to ensure Apple’s ability to profit from iPhone apps…

Giovanni Colantonio / Digital Trends The PlayStation Portal is an exclusive handheld gaming console designed to work with the PS5. In our Portal review, we emphasized that despite some compromises, it is an ideal companion for Sony’s current-gen console. However, it’s worth noting that without a PS5, the Portal loses its functionality. But here’s the good news – we’ve found an amazing bundle that includes the PlayStation 5 Slim, a PlayStation Portal, and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 all in one package, at a great price of $750, reduced from $760. This saves you $10 on all of these items. Considering that…

Do you want to get the latest gaming industry news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our daily and weekly newsletters here. Bulwark: Falconeer Chronicles is launching its demo today for the latest city-building game from solo developer and Falconeer creator Tomas Sala. Published by Wired Productions, the game demo is a multiplatform title that will run across the PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. The game invites players into the city-building, tactical warfare and imaginative landscapes of Bulwark. Set in the Ursee, 40 years after the events of The Falconeer, Bulwark empowers players…

Clash of Clans debuted in 2012, nearly 12 years ago. Since then, numerous new games have emerged, major developers like Riot Games and Activision have launched significant mobile games, and the entire handheld gaming industry has evolved. The question remains: has the freemium strategy game managed to withstand the test of time? Is Clash of Clans considered dead, or has it earned a reputation as an indestructible force? Image Credits: Supercell Is Clash of Clans Dead: No, it is not Clash of Clans appears to have solidified its position as an enduring game. Despite being released over 12 years ago,…