Welcome back, dear readers. I hope you enjoyed the break because 2026 has commenced with all the grace and decorum of a reversing dump truck without any tires on. Shout out to my fellow Come Dine With Me aficionados.
It might be a new year, but at first glance it seems like the game industry is dealing with the same old problems. Two of the biggest headlines this week revolved around layoffs and studio closures, while Discord also made waves after reportedly edging close to a long-touted IPO. Will there be a pot of gold at the end of that proverbial rainbow? Answers on a postcard please.
Elsewhere, UK studio Kinetic Games—you know, the one behind Phasmophobia—handed us a silver lining by kickstarting a new publishing label focused squarely on indies. There was also some rather tremendous analysis of Steam’s annual Top 100 charts from the folks over at GameDiscoverCo.
I suspect your stomachs might still be full after the holiday splurge, but do try and make some room because you’ll find plenty of food for thought down below.
via Game Developer // Ubisoft picked up where it left off in 2025 by shuttering its mobile-focused Halifax studio mere days after ushering in the new year. Layoffs always raise eyebrows, but the fact the shutdown was announced just weeks after workers at the studio unionized has cause a stir. Ubisoft suggested the closure is simply part of a long-running restructuring process, but union representatives have called on the publisher to clarify the timing of the decision.
via Game File // Nintendo has been accused of violating parts of the National Labor Relations Act in two worker complaints filed to the United States’ National Labor Relations Board on December 9, 2025, and January 6, 2026. External company Teksystems is also named in both complaints, which include allegations of union interference.
via Bloomberg (paywalled) // It’s being reported that video game chat platform Discord has confidentially filed for an initial public offering with help from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and JPMorgan Chase & Co., perhaps indicating it will finally realize its long-held ambition of becoming a public company.
via Game Developer // UK studio Kinetic Games has established a publishing label to extend a helping hand to indies. The Phasmophobia developer will provide financial, legal, and marketing support and is particularly eager to work on titles that are monthly 12 to 18 months out from launch.
via GameDiscoverCo // If you want to understand how the biggest video games are performing on Steam and are a self-confessed glutton for spreadsheets, GameDiscoverCo has you covered. The data-drenched newsletter has published an astute analysis of Steam’s annual (revenue-based) Top 100 rankings to showcase the most notable movers and shakers over the past few years.
via Game Developer // Pistol Whip developer Cloudhead Games made significant layoffs this week due to what CEO Denny Unger described as “industry forces beyond our control.” The studio, which also collaborated with Valve on Aperture Hand Lab, said a lack of platform funding within the VR market and other challenges placed it in an “impossible position.”
via The New Zealand Herald // Video game retailer EB Games is considering shutting down its business in New Zealand. In a proposal communicated to employees by managing director Shane Stockwell, the company explained the move would result in the closure of all stores in the region and its New Zealand Distribution Center. All roles within EB Games New Zealand would be eliminated if management chooses to close shop.
via IGN // The cohort of unionized developers fired by Rockstar last year are seeking interim relief that would ensure they are paid (and some visas are reinstated) while they await a full hearing. The ousted developers in tandem with the IWGB union have accused Rockstar of flagrant union busting. Rockstar, however, claims it fired those workers for leaking confidential information.
