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Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Elden Ring: Nightreign,' ‘Oblivion Remastered' and ‘Mario Kart World' Top List of Most-Streamed New Games of Q2 (Gaming News Roundup)
'Elden Ring: Nightreign,' 'The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered' and 'Mario Kart World' topped Stream Charts newly released list of the most-streamed new games between April 1-June 30. While certainly not an exact science, the rankings, which are based on Stream Charts' collected data on hours viewed of live-streamers playing the games in their first week of release, indicate the new titles with the strongest impact on the industry during the past few months. More from Variety Xbox's 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2' Coming to PlayStation; Wizards of the Coast's Jess Lanzillo Joins White Wolf (Gaming News Roundup) Netflix's 'Squid Game' Mobile Game Adds Season 3 Competitions, Including Hide and Seek and Sky Squid Game (Gaming News Roundup) Xbox's Next-Gen Console to Be Powered by AMD (Gaming News Roundup) See the Top 10 chart based on hours watched during first week of release, provided by Stream Charts, below. 'Q2 2025 proved to be a dynamic quarter for game releases, showcasing a clear dichotomy in livestreaming success,' Stream Charts product manager Nazar Babenko said. 'While established franchise titans like Elden Ring: Nightreign and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered leveraged their brand power and strategic updates (such as roguelike elements and Unreal Engine 5 remasters) to dominate viewership, the quarter also highlighted the significant impact of innovative newcomers. Blue Prince and Rematch carved out substantial niches, demonstrating that unique gameplay, critical acclaim, and targeted streamer engagement can drive considerable initial interest, even against industry giants. Babenko continued: 'Beyond the top contenders, we can notice the growing importance of localized appeal and strategic viewer incentives. The strong regional performance of Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond in Japan and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 in France underscores how cultural resonance and 'homegrown' support can significantly boost initial stats. Furthermore, the effective use of Twitch Drops by games like Dune: Awakening and DOOM: The Dark Ages illustrates a sophisticated understanding of audience engagement, transforming passive viewers into active participants and solidifying Q2 2025 as a period defined by both blockbuster appeal and nuanced, community-driven success.' See more gaming news from this week in the roundup below. NEW RELEASES Nintendo's highly anticipated new Switch 2 title, 'Donkey Kong Bananza' launched Thursday. The 3D platforming action-adventure game follows Donkey Kong and a talented young singer named Pauline, 'featuring (literal) ground-breaking gameplay, a host of powerful transformations, and plenty of ways to cut loose and unleash your inner Kong.' Per Nintendo, 'Join the pair as they delve deep underground – and discover that this subterranean world is a lot more than it seems on the surface. Uncover environments such as arid canyons, lush forests and frigid tundra as you peel back the world's Layers on your way to the Planet Core.' VENTURES GamesBeat launched new B2B media product GB MAX. According to the newly independent gaming news outlet, 'GB MAX platform and subscription will provide a robust B2B network that will open the door for today's business leaders to discuss, collaborate, and drive the future of gaming. This is a critical resource for leaders in any sector, from Hollywood and finance to AI and enterprise technology, to better understand and collaborate with the games industry's technology innovation, digital media, and consumer reach.' * Twitch co-founder Justin Kan's DTC gaming revenue platform Stash set a a strategic partnership with finance tech platform Adyen to launch a new 'payment stack designed for the scale, performance, and reliability that mobile game developers require.' Per the companies, 'the launch comes as a growing number of studios and publishers double down on direct-to-consumer (D2C) strategies, building direct relationships with their players.' Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples
Digital Trends
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Can we all just be normal about Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for a second?
Whether or not it actually wins the award come December, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the Game of the Year. No 2025 release has sparked so many long-lasting conversations usually reserved for tentpole releases like Grand Theft Auto or Zelda. It has been gaming's main character for months, standing in as a shining example of what a modern video game should rise to. Yet for all the mainstream conversations that it has generated, so few of them actually seem interested in Clair Obscur. Instead, Sandfall Interactive's critically acclaimed RPG has been submitted as evidence in on-going litigations against what gamers paint as a stale industry in need of new blood. While there are meaningful conversations to have about what game studios can learn from Clair Obscur's success, the way that it has been weaponized and reduced to a piece of confirmation bias in any landscape-shaping argument it fits into leaves me hungry for more substantial dissections of the games we love. Recommended Videos It was clear that Clair Obscur was going to be a big talking point when it launched in April to a wave of glowing reviews. Critics and fans hailed it as a generational RPG that revitalized turn-based combat, delivered an emotional story, and crafted an astonishing original world. 'Game of the Year' talk came fast, which is par for the course when a new game breaks the 90 mark on Metacritic. But the watercooler chats didn't stop there. Soon, mainstream conversations yearned to place it in a broader gaming landscape. Its originality was painted as a shining light in a sea of perceived 'AAA slop.' It wasn't just a good game, but a blueprint for how a boring industry could be saved. Even this very site opined about that immediately following its release. That over-the-top idea only ballooned as the months went on. Sandfall Interactive's slim team size became a talking point. Articles popped up that praised the studio for creating such an accomplishment with only 30 people — a figure that was quickly debunked once critics started adding up all the external developers involved. That didn't stop the disingenuous factoid from setting the stage at Summer Game Fest, where host Geoff Keighly used the number to sell the idea that he was presenting viewers the future of video games. Tons of trailers for smaller games followed, with Keighly often pointing out how many people made them as an indication of quality. My growing frustration with that trend reached a boil this week thanks to a different debate that Clair Obscur has been unwittingly roped into. For years now, some RPG enthusiasts have lamented the death of turn-based games. That anxiety seemed to come most from franchises like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest experimenting with real-time action. Clair Obscur is a loud and proud turn-based game, which made it the perfect spoiler candidate for an industry abandoning a classic way of play. Never mind the fact that turn-based gaming hasn't gone away. Octopath Traveller 2, Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, and Metaphor: ReFantazio (a game that released just last year to similar praise) have all proved that major studios are still very much invested in the subgenre. And yet, the narrative persisted. It all came to a head during a Square Enix investors call, in which the company reaffirmed its commitment to turn-based games and acknowledged Clair Obscur's existence in the process. According to Automaton, those typical business responses were mistranslated and blown out into a larger story: Clair Obscur's success had convinced Square Enix to start making more turn-based games. Finally, the video game industry was saved. Mission accomplished! Every conversation like this is so riddled with holes that you couldn't get them across a puddle, yet they are inescapable. Fans want it to prove their long-standing theories about the video game industry right and treat its success like an irrefutable data point in every argument. It's not a new phenomenon either; this cycle tends to happen with lots of both successes and failures. Baldur's Gate 3 inspired a wave of talking points about what players actually wanted from games. That line of thinking was met with backlash from developers who cautioned against using a very specific win as a crusade. Black Myth: Wukong became a rejection of Western ideology. Concord was viewed as proof that live service games are dead. I both understand where this comes from, because I'm as guilty of it as anyone. It's fun to search for meta-narratives in the things we care about. I'm a football fan (go Pats) and I love nothing more than creating a story out of a Super Bowl matchup. This year's clash between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles became more exciting to me when I viewed it as the Chiefs needing the win to finally prove they were every bit as good as the Tom Brady era Patriots, but they'd have to beat the giant killers who previously thwarted Bill Belichick at the big game. That added stakes to a matchup I wasn't invested in, even if it was imaginary. This sort of meta-breakdown of video games follows a similar line of thinking. Sandfall Interactive becomes the Eagles circa 2018 in this story. As harmless as that can be in small quantities, its forced nature has become unbearable when trying to navigate conversations around Clair Obscur. It's not enough for it to be a great game. It has to be a masterpiece. It has to be a counterpoint to everything we don't like. It has to be the savior of the RPG genre. What's ironic is that none of those hollow platitudes actually tell us anything about the game itself. Engagement with what Clair Obscur actually has to tell us has taken a backseat to imperfect armchair analysis. That's a shame, because there's meat on that bone. Clair Obscur asks us to think about how we, as a species, push on in the face of mass grief. It's a story of sacrifice, where expedition after expedition fights in the face of extinction. Many die for that cause, but their sacrifices aren't in vain. Each one helps the next party get a little closer, asking us to rethink success and failure in the context of long-term collective action. It's a thematic cousin to Death Stranding and its sequel, games that stress the importance of human connection as a means of making the world easier to navigate in times of crisis. Perhaps that's just as much a reason why Clair Obscur is resonating with players as the fact that it's turn-based or made by an indie studio. There's a familiar trauma in it, as the fictional Gommage and its impact on the world can be connected to the Covid-19 pandemic. We just went through – and are still going through – a period of mass suffering. Those wounds are fresh. I still remember seeing the pop-up morgues on the streets of Brooklyn. I remember watching the infection rates fall and then spike again, ripping any hope I had for an ending from me. I remember how hopeless it all felt. But I also remember how many people put in hard work to stop it together. Even if some people refused to do their part, many masked, stayed home, kept six feet apart, and anything else they could to stop the spread. It was a collective effort built on selfless sacrifice. I feel all that fueling Clair Obscur's emotional resonance. It begs to be discussed, because what is the point of something being a generational classic if we take nothing else from it? One of the only meaningful conversations I've had about Clair Obscur came before it was out. I had been playing it alongside our reviewer, Tomas Franzese, at the time and we dissected its themes together in isolation. We both cooled on it significantly in Act 3, taking issue with its sudden pivot into a meta-reflection on the nature of art and its role as an escape from grief. It felt like a betrayal on its more human focus earlier on; a needless swerve into a piece of art evaluating its own importance. It was a memorable discussion that helped crystallize where I felt Clair Obscur worked best and where it ultimately fell apart. I hope that discussions like that become more common as the hype settles down. Just as I felt turned off by the 'art about art' pivot in Act 3, I am similarly bored by the tedious talk about how Clair Obscur is changing the industry. None of it does anything to honor Sandfall Interactive's vision, even if it is designed to gas the studio up. Real engagement comes from critics like Ian Walker and Kenneth Shepard, who respect the game enough to interpret what it has to say. It comes like podcasts like Girl Mode that aren't afraid to criticize where the story is ineffective. If you love Clair Obscur, really talk about it. Not what it represents, but the actual game in front of you. If you find that you don't have nearly as much to say about it as you do its influence, maybe it's worth questioning whether you love the game or just the idea of it.
The Verge
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
When a big-time video game gets cancelled, expect Jason Schreier at
EA's Black Panther cancellation explained. Bloomberg to get the details quick, sharp, and in a hurry. This week EA announced it would cancel its Black Panther game, one of three the publisher has in development for Marvel Games. According to Schreier's reporting, EA executives were frustrated with progress on the game after four years in development.
Globe and Mail
21-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Is Take-Two Stock (TTWO) a Buy After Earnings?
Take-Two (TTWO) stock was up on Monday as analysts updated their coverage of the company following its latest earnings report. As a reminder, the video game publisher posted adjusted earnings per share of $1.07 on revenue of $1.58 billion, compared to Wall Street's estimates of $1.10 per share and $1.55 billion in revenue. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks straight to you inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Despite those mixed results, analysts remain bullish on TTWO stock. Morgan Stanley analyst Matthew Cost maintained an Overweight rating and increased his price target to $265 from $210, representing a possible 13.35% upside for the company's shares. UBS analyst Chris Schoell kept a Buy rating for TTWO stock and increased the price target to $275 from $230, a potential 17.63% upside. Five-star Roth MKM analyst Eric Handler reiterated a Buy rating and $265 price target, implying a 13.35% upside for the shares. Analysts remain bullish on Take-Two stock as the company gears up to release Grand Theft Auto VI on May 26, 2026. This could be a huge catalyst for TTWO shares as its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, is the second-best-selling game in history with over 215 million units shipped. Even a fraction of those sales could be a huge win for Take-Two and its investors. TTWO Stock Movement Today While Take-Two had to delay Grand Theft Auto VI to 2026, and its latest earnings were mixed, TTWO stock has remained a strong investment in 2025. The company's stock jumped 3.05% on Monday morning, and has rallied 26.93% year-to-date. Is TTWO Stock a Buy, Sell, or Hold? Turning to Wall Street, the analysts' consensus rating for Take-Two is Strong Buy, based on 15 Buy ratings over the last three months. With that comes an average TTWO stock price target of $253.60, representing a potential 8.3% upside for the shares. See more TTWO stock analyst ratings Disclaimer & Disclosure Report an Issue
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Highlights: Strong Net Bookings ...
Net Bookings: $1.58 billion for Q4 2025, top of guidance range. Recurrent Consumer Spending Growth: Increased 14% year-over-year, accounting for 77% of net bookings. GAAP Net Revenue: Increased 13% to $1.58 billion for Q4 2025. Operating Expenses: Increased 44% to $4.6 billion due to a $3.6 billion impairment expense. Fiscal 2025 Net Bookings: $5.65 billion, top of guidance range. Operating Cash Flow: Outflow of $45 million, better than forecasted outflow of $200 million. Capital Expenditures: $169 million, above forecast due to higher game technology expenses. Fiscal 2026 Net Bookings Outlook: $5.9 billion to $6 billion, representing 5% growth at midpoint. Fiscal 2026 GAAP Net Revenue Outlook: $5.95 billion to $6.05 billion. Fiscal 2026 Operating Cash Flow: Expected to be approximately $130 million. Fiscal Q1 2026 Net Bookings Outlook: $1.25 billion to $1.3 billion. Fiscal Q1 2026 GAAP Net Revenue Outlook: $1.35 billion to $1.4 billion. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 9 Warning Signs with TTWO. Release Date: May 15, 2025 For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (NASDAQ:TTWO) concluded fiscal year 2025 with outstanding results, achieving fourth quarter net bookings of $1.58 billion, which was at the top of their guidance range. NBA 2K delivered one of its strongest periods on record, with recurrent consumer spending growth of 42% and a 7% increase in unit sales compared to NBA 2K24. Rockstar Games exceeded expectations with the Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption series, with GTA V selling over 215 million units. Zynga continued to gain momentum, with successful titles like Match Factory!, Toon Blast, and Color Block Jam contributing to strong mobile performance. The company is optimistic about its upcoming pipeline, planning to release 38 titles through fiscal 2028, including highly anticipated games like Grand Theft Auto VI and Borderlands 4. Operating expenses increased by 44% to $4.6 billion due to an impairment expense of $3.6 billion related to goodwill and acquired intangible assets. Recurrent consumer spending is expected to be flat in fiscal 2026 compared to fiscal 2025, with declines anticipated in mobile and Grand Theft Auto Online. The company faced challenges in the mobile gaming segment, with expectations of moderation in trends for mature titles in fiscal 2026. There is uncertainty regarding the impact of console price increases on the company's guidance for the year. The company experienced higher development costs for titles not technologically feasible, impacting operating expenses. Q: With the industry discussing potential game price increases to $80, why did Take-Two choose a $50-$60 price range for Mafia? Will future releases have variable pricing? A: Strauss Zelnick, CEO: We've always had variable pricing, aiming to deliver more value than what we charge. For Mafia, we want to reach as many players as possible, believing that if a game is a hit, revenue will follow. Q: Regarding the $3.5 billion goodwill impairment, is it related to Zynga, and are there structural changes at Zynga? A: Lainie Goldstein, CFO: We haven't specified which unit the impairment is from, but it was a partial impairment due to updated long-term expectations. This is a regular process based on forecast updates. Q: Can Take-Two achieve the low to mid-20% operating margins seen during the peak performance period post-Red Dead 2 and the pandemic? A: Lainie Goldstein, CFO: There's no reason we can't reach those margins again. We're working on cost reduction and efficiency to offset increased development costs, aiming to build scale and improve margins. Q: What drives the impressive performance of the mobile segment, and why is it positioned to grow this fiscal year? A: Strauss Zelnick, CEO: Creating new mobile hits is challenging, but Zynga is succeeding with titles like Match Factory! and Color Block Jam. This success is due to talented teams and effective publishing strategies. Q: What are the long-term assumptions for Take-Two's business post-GTA VI launch, and what are the key drivers for sustainability? A: Strauss Zelnick, CEO: While we don't provide long-term guidance, we're more optimistic than before. We expect sequential growth in fiscal '26 and '27, with GTA VI contributing to record net bookings and free cash flow. Q: How is the Nintendo Switch 2 viewed as a distribution partner, and will more Take-Two titles be available on the platform? A: Strauss Zelnick, CEO: We're launching four titles with Switch 2, more than ever before. We evaluate each platform on a case-by-case basis, aiming to be where consumers are, but not every title will be on every platform. Q: What are the key learnings from scaling games via Netflix, and could Netflix help transform gaming IP into mainstream media? A: Karl Slatoff, President: Netflix is a great partner, serious about gaming, and has a large consumer base. While we've done some media deals like the BioShock movie, it's not the primary driver of our partnership. Q: What are the expectations for operating expenses in fiscal '26, and how do they relate to GTA-related marketing costs? A: Lainie Goldstein, CFO: We expect a 3% year-over-year increase in operating expenses, mainly due to higher marketing costs for current and future titles. We aim for operating expense leverage as net bookings growth outpaces expense expansion. For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. 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