Latest news with #gamedevelopment
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Block Blast X Is Redefining Browser Puzzle Games with Addictive Gameplay and Zero Downloads
In an industry driven by mobile apps and high-production cconsole titles, it's easy to overlook the quiet renaissance happening in browser-based games. Yet one puzzle game, Block Blast X, is quietly building momentum by doing exactly what most modern games don't: simplifying the experience while deepening the strategy. Built from the ground up by Sandy Studio, Block Blast X takes inspiration from classic block puzzles, then reimagines them with a farm-themed twist — think cabbages, crates, and colorful crops, rather than the usual neon cubes. But its charm goes beyond visuals. What truly sets it apart is its browser-native design. At a time when most games are designed for app stores first and adapted to browsers as an afterthought, Block Blast X is the opposite. It runs flawlessly across devices, requires no downloads, and offers zero ads. This approach embraces the philosophy behind browser games, where speed, accessibility, and simplicity take precedence. Players enter a 9x9 grid with randomized block drops and must plan moves strategically. The deceptively simple mechanics mask a depth that rewards logic, foresight, and spatial awareness — key reasons why many now regard it as one of the best puzzle games to play online in 2025. The game's official site, hosts not just the game itself, but also guides, developer insights, and FAQs that deepen the user's connection to the experience. This holistic content ecosystem reflects a clear effort to establish Block Blast as a recognized digital entity, not just a flash-in-the-pan title. With an ever-growing player base and increasing attention from casual gamers and puzzle enthusiasts alike, Block Blast X is more than just a new game — it's a strategic move to restore legitimacy to browser gaming in a world increasingly dominated by intrusive monetization models. As browser games continue their quiet climb back into mainstream relevance, Block Blast X is poised to become a flagship example of what's possible when thoughtful design meets timeless gameplay.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hytale developer Hypixel Studios begins 'winding down'
One of Northern Ireland's highest-profile gaming companies has announced it is winding down its in 2018 in Londonderry, Hypixel Studios first project was to be the block-based fantasy game Derry company was acquired in 2020 by Riot Games, one of the world's biggest game a statement, Hypixel co-founder Aaron Donaghey said the company is ending Hytale's development and the winding down of Hypixel Studios is under way. "This is not the outcome any of us - at Hypixel or at Riot – wanted," Mr Donaghey said."But after years of pushing forward, adapting, and exploring every possible path, it became clear we couldn't bring Hytale to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise," he team of about 100 game developers – the majority of which are internationally based remote workers – will be "supported with generous severance and resources" by parent company Riot Games, Mr Donaghey Donaghey said calling time on Hytale "is a painful decision". "We still believe in Hytale," Mr Donaghey said."But after years of pushing forward, adapting, and exploring every possible path, it became clear we couldn't bring Hytale to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise."A YouTube trailer for the now abandoned game has been watched over 60 million said the Hypixel server on Minecraft – which has had more than 18m visitors - is unaffected by the winding down of the development, Mr Donaghey added, is "brutally hard". 'Complex and expensive' Professor Kevin Curran from Ulster University's school of computing, told BBC Radio Foyle that the gaming industry globally is seemingly affected by "a post pandemic correction".During Covid-19, he said, there had been a massive boom in "user engagement and revenue for games"."Games are incredibly complex and expensive to develop and can take five to seven years to develop a game."A lot of gaming companies are restructuring and cutting staff and have been for a good while, " Prof Curran said.
CNET
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Minecraft Competitor Hytale Shuts Down After a Decade of Development
Hypixel Studios is shutting down development of Hytale, its Minecraft-like sandbox creator game. The studio, a subsidiary of Riot Games, posted a blog post explaining that financial support wasn't enough to buoy the long development time. The game will not be released to the public. Hypixel Studios has long struggled with delivering on the initial vision for Hytale, and Riot Games' investment in the developer couldn't change the fact that the game had a troubled production. A blog post from Hypixel Studios explains that the development team couldn't keep up with the rising bar of contemporary sandbox gaming. "Over time, as our vision evolved and the genre matured around us, the bar kept rising," the post reads. "Our technical ambitions grew more complex, and even after a major reboot of the game engine, the team found that Hytale still wasn't as far along as it needed to be." The Hypixel Studios team formed in 2016, taking its name from the wildly-popular Minecraft mod and server it created. An initial investment from Riot Games helped the team broaden its ambition from mod-making to full-fledged game development. Riot Games bought the independent studio in 2020, furthering the gaming juggernaut's investment in the completion of Hytale's development cycle. Hypixel spoke about development difficulties in its post announcing the shuttering of development on Hytale. It's unclear what, if any, role Riot played in stopping work on the game, but Hypixel Studios' blog post mentions that Riot Games helped the developer look for other investors before ultimately choosing to end development of Hytale. "As we begin winding things down, [Riot is] ensuring our team is supported with generous severance and resources to help them find what's next," the post reads. "It's not just thoughtful -- it's human. And it shows a genuine effort to take care of the people behind the work." The Hypixel Minecraft server currently runs completely independently from Hypixel Studios, and will not be affected by the studio closure. The latest games industry layoffs continue a nasty trend, as the past several years have been rife with career instability. Over 10,500 games industry jobs were lost in 2023, with an additional 14,600 disappearing in 2024. The layoffs have continued at Hypixel Studios and elsewhere, with Microsoft rumored to be preparing for a sizable layoff next week, according to The Verge. Representatives for Riot Games and Hypixel Studios did not immediately respond for comment.
The Verge
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
Riot is shutting down studio behind its Minecraft-like game
Riot Games is closing the studio behind Hytale, its Minecraft-like game that has been in development for nearly a decade. Hypixel Studios, which Riot acquired in 2020 for an undisclosed sum, is shutting down 'over the next few months,' according to Hypixel CEO Aaron 'Noxy' Donaghey. 'After years of pushing forward, adapting, and exploring every possible path, it became clear we couldn't bring Hytale to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise,' says Donaghey in a post on X. 'This is a painful decision. We still believe in Hytale. We believe in the team, and are forever grateful to every member, past or present, who poured their love into the game.' Hytale has been in development since 2015, when Hypixel was founded as a small indie studio by members of a popular Minecraft server network. A trailer was released in late 2018, and Hypixel was supposed to deliver a beta of Hytale in 2021 following the Riot acquisition a year prior. That beta never arrived, and in 2021 there was a major change to the game engine powering Hytale that set development back. 'Our technical ambitions grew more complex, and even after a major reboot of the game engine, the team found that Hytale still wasn't as far along as it needed to be,' says Donaghey. 'It became clear we'd need a lot more time to get it to a place where it could support the ambitious vision for the game.' The Hypixel closure won't affect the Hypixel server on Minecraft, which is run separately from Hypixel Studios. Despite the studio closure, Donaghey says he's 'deeply grateful to Riot' and that the team is being 'supported with generous severance and resources to help them find what's next.'
Forbes
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Kris Kwok On ‘Mecha Break' And His Team's Enduring Love Of Mecha
'Mecha Break's' journey to release has been a long and challenging one. With Mecha Break's release imminent, it felt entirely necessary to sit down with Kris Kwok and discuss the game in detail. Kris is the CEO of Amazing Seasun Games and has headed up Mecha Break since its precarious inception. However, Kris and his team have stuck it out, and it looks like all their hard work on Mecha Break is about to finally pay off. Before that, I wanted to know a bit more about Kris' background and how he ended up where he is now. 'I majored in Computer Science at university, but it didn't take long for me to realize that making games was far more exciting than playing them. By my junior year, I was already experimenting with game design, using the Warcraft III editor to build mini-RPGs. On weekends, my classmates tested the dungeons I created, and that's when I discovered something fascinating: you can gauge a game's success just by watching players' faces. Their focus, excitement, and engagement are all there, written in their expressions. That's when it dawned on me: great games are all about the players. If they're not enjoying it, the game will end up dead in the water. 'After graduating in 2003, I joined Seasun and eventually produced the JX3 series. The game has been running successfully for over 16 years, with 120 million registered players in China. 'As for my favorite games, aside from Super Robot Wars and Armored Core, I'm a huge fan of Apex Legends and the Call of Duty series. I hope that once Mecha Break launches, it can earn the same kind of love from players. But if I had to pick an all-time favorite, it's got to be World of Warcraft.' One of the more interesting things about Mecha Break is that the studio has been very up front about its rocky development process, and that this game has been in development for a long time, as Kris explains. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder 'The idea for our latest project sparked nine years ago. Growing up in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, I was captivated by mecha anime, just like so many kids. I dreamed of growing up and racing cars, flying planes, and piloting mechs. Luckily, entering the game industry gave me the chance to turn that dream into a reality. 'Our team shares this deep connection to mecha, their precision, movement, and intricate design. When creating new mechs, we dig into what makes them so captivating and bring those ideas to life. From concept art down to each mech joint, every detail sparks creative collision and countless refinements within the team. I've been hands-on at every step, designing models, balancing weapon systems, shaping gameplay mechanics, and building an immersive world. 'For me, the magic of mecha lies in their raw power, incredible speed, and overwhelming firepower. These are the core elements showcased in Mecha Break. The goal was to recreate those jaw-dropping, adrenaline-pumping battle scenes that define mecha anime. When we launched the first playable demo, the feedback was phenomenal; it confirmed we were on the right track. Over the past four years, we've refined every detail to amplify that sense of power, speed, and firepower. Player feedback has been clear: piloting a mecha in Mecha Break feels amazing. 'But creating a high-quality mecha game isn't just about our team's passion; it's about fulfilling mecha fans' dreams worldwide. Watching this dream materialize and knowing it's about to reach a global audience fills me with excitement and pride. 'Mecha Break' will be released this July. 'The journey hasn't been smooth. We started the Mecha Break project in 2015. We've faced four complete reboots, team shakeups, and countless challenges. Honestly, it's a game that failed many times but kept going because our passion refused to let it die. That passion carried us through, and today, here we are.' Mecha Break also has a lot of modes and other aspects to its gameplay that make it an involved and complex game, something Kris was happy to elaborate on. 'To meet the high expectations of mecha enthusiasts worldwide, we collaborated with renowned designers like Takayuki Yanase, celebrated for his work on Gundam and Armored Core, to create original concept art. Our team also delved deep into industrial design, studying armor plating techniques and mecha skeleton structures to balance realism and style. By incorporating advanced 'hard surface modelling', we achieved precise articulation in mech joints, rotating seamlessly without clipping, to make every design feel grounded and functional. With advanced tech and multi-functional development, we've crafted stunning combat effects, intricately detailed models, and precise real-time projectile calculations, all to deliver a premium mech gaming experience. 'Mecha Break also redefines mecha combat with maps and gameplay mechanics that go beyond traditional hero shooters. Battles unfold across large-scale environments that seamlessly integrate ground and air combat, giving players the freedom to maneuver, dodge, and enjoy thrilling, fast-paced gameplay. 'To keep the action fresh, Mecha Break offers three distinct modes: 3v3 and 6v6 modes, which emphasize tactical coordination, and Mashmak mode, a PvPvE extraction shooter. Since the Open Beta, Mashmak has seen significant upgrades. The official release adds new bosses, optional PvE instances, and three difficulty levels: Normal, Hard, and Extreme. Each features distinct loadout options and air-drop mechanics. These additions expand the variety of gameplay and make Mashmak more accessible to casual and new players while keeping it exciting for veterans. 'The game also offers extensive customization. Players can unleash their creativity by designing their ideal pilot outfits using free-to-edit sets and accessories, all of which can be adjusted anytime. Each Striker is divided into over ten paint zones, and every zone has more than 120 colors and textures to choose from. Add to that a huge library of patterns, insignias, and accents, and players can truly build a mecha that's uniquely theirs. 'The Base isn't just where players can display their Strikers, it doubles as a living space for pilots. Players can explore the base, get up close and personal with their mecha using boarding platforms, unlock new areas with in-game items, and interact with NPCs to learn more about the lore. You can even invite friends to visit your base, strike custom poses, and take photos. For the release, we're adding more interactive spaces like a gym, cafeteria, and bar, all designed to enhance the immersive experience of life as a mecha pilot. 'With Mecha Break, our goal is simple: combine the thrill of mech combat with the intensity of the shooting genre, while making the dream of piloting a mecha, straight out of anime, a reality. That's the heart of why we created this game. 'We want Mecha Break to immerse players in the world of mecha, delivering explosive action the moment you jump in. 'At launch, we're introducing five new maps and two Strikers, with plenty more on the way. As a live-service game, we'll roll out updates every three months, with four seasons per year. The first two seasons alone will bring three new Strikers each, with six already in balance testing. But we're not stopping there. The Mecha Break universe is expanding with plans for an animated series, collectible mech models, and more.' Mecha Break is released on July 1 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, via Steam. Follow me on X, Facebook and YouTube. I also manage Mecha Damashii and am currently featured in the Giant Robots exhibition currently touring Japan.
