Image: Humane / Kotaku / D-Keine (Getty Images), NetEase Games, Viacom / Activision / Kotaku, Epic Games, Nike / Nintendo / Kotaku, Wizars of the Coast, Photo: Diary of a CEO, Screenshot: Bungie, Nintendo / Kotaku, Ubisoft / Kotaku
This week saw many of the people behind smash hit Marvel Rivals, including the game’s director, get laid off by developer NetEase in a move the company says was made “for organizational reasons and to optimize development efficiency for the game.” Meanwhile Humane, the company behind a $700 AI pin, announced that next week, all of them will stop working, and MrBeast gave an interview to YouTube channel Diary of a CEO which included a host of revealing comments about his outlook on life, money, and content creation. Read on for these stories and more in this week’s roundup.
Image: Humane / Kotaku / D-Keine (Getty Images)
Do you remember Humane’s AI Pin? It was a small $700 device that was supposed to replace your phone, using AI to answer any question and solve all your problems. Well, guess what? It flopped. And now the company behind is being bought by HP, and all the AI Pins still out there will stop working in about a week. - Zack Zwiezen Read More
Image: NetEase Games
Marvel Rivals’ game director and others from the development team behind the hit hero shooter have been laid off. The dismissals have caught many by surprise as NetEase’s comic book blockbuster continues to dominate the charts on Steam and consoles months after its well-received launch. - Ethan Gach Read More
Photo: Diary of a CEO
MrBeast, one of the most popular content creators and influencers in the world, recently sat down for a lengthy interview and talked about how his life has changed as a result of his fame and influence. In the interview, he claims to have less than a million dollars in his bank account and says life was “easier” when he was broke. - Zack Zwiezen Read More
Image: Viacom / Activision / Kotaku
Image: Epic Games
Long gone are the days of companies quietly banning the players who cheat in their games. It’s become increasingly common for developers to name and shame those involved, though Epic Games recently escalated things even further. It not only sued a Fortnite pro who cheated while qualifying for a championship tournament; it also made him publish a video admitting to it. - Ethan Gach Read More
Screenshot: Bungie
Sony is firing back in court in the ongoing lawsuit between Bungie and former Marathon director Christopher Barrett. The Bungie veteran sued the studio in late 2024 after he was fired over alleged misconduct. He called the investigation a “sham” in his lawsuit. Now Sony has responded and published some creepy text messages Barrett sent to female employees. - Zack Zwiezen Read More
Screenshot: Nintendo / Kotaku
Nintendo has announced, with no explanation as to why, that it will be discontinuing Nintendo Gold Points on March 24. The scheme awarded points when buying both physical and digital editions of games, which could then be redeemed as currency on future eShop purchases. But, ahead of the (still unknown) launch date of the Switch 2, they will no longer be awarded. - John Walker Read More
Screenshot: Ubisoft / Kotaku
The term “live-service game” has, in the last few months, become synonymous with enormous financial disasters. Hundreds of millions, possibly billions, have been lost over the past year to the hubristic concept of games people will want to keep playing, and investing in, for years to come. But it’s vital to remember there are live-service games that are still raking it in. One of the most impressive success stories is Ubisoft’s Rainbow 6 Siege, which ten years on from release is due to reveal a major update which is being claimed as “a new era.” - John Walker Read More
Image: Nike / Nintendo / Kotaku
Donkey Kong doesn’t wear shoes. This is a defining trait of Nintendo’s famous barrel-tossin’ ape. But that hasn’t stopped Nike from creating a new pair of sneakers that seem to be directly inspired by Donkey Kong and his popular platformers. - Zack Zwiezen Read More
Image: Wizars of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast continues to pull back the curtain on its summer 2025 expansion of Magic: The Gathering which sees the card game cross over with Final Fantasy, and the results continue to look super cool. The company has revealed 20 of the cards coming to the set so far, and they include everything from fan-favorite heroes and summons to the series’ first-ever boss. There’s even a brand-new mechanic never before seen in MTG. - Ethan Gach Read More
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