All articles tagged with #digital storefronts
GOG says its 2020 decision to pull the Taiwanese horror game Devotion was driven by business constraints and geopolitical factors, a choice it now acknowledges damaged user trust; the company notes the situation differs from its handling of other titles like Horses and emphasizes ongoing navigation of legal, operational, and commercial realities for its storefront.
Hollow Knight: Silksong will be released on September 4, 2025, with an official price of $19.99/€19.99/¥2300, which is lower than expected, and will be available on multiple platforms including Switch, PS5, Xbox, and PC.
The price of Hollow Knight: Silksong appears to have leaked at around $20, with the game releasing on September 4th, 2025, across multiple platforms. The leak, based on a now-deleted Gamestop listing and a leaker's confirmation, suggests the game will be affordable, with potential for additional content planned by the developers.
John Wick Hex will be delisted from all platforms on July 17 due to unspecified licensing issues, but existing owners can still download and play the game; physical copies will also remain playable. The developer and publisher did not specify the reason for the removal, raising concerns about game preservation and access.
Sega has announced it will delist the SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive Classics from the Nintendo Switch eShop on December 6, 2024, making it unavailable for new purchases. However, those who have already purchased the collection can still download and play it. Some of these classic games will remain accessible through the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service. Sega is also removing similar collections from other platforms like Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer expressed interest in breaking down "walled gardens" within the gaming space to allow players to potentially buy games from other storefronts on Xbox, citing frustrations with closed ecosystems and emphasizing the value of offering users a choice in their storefront experience. Spencer sees this as part of Xbox's mission to make gaming more accessible and break down barriers, ultimately giving players more freedom. This move could potentially change the console landscape in the coming years.
Xbox boss Phil Spencer expresses interest in breaking down walled gardens on Xbox consoles to allow other digital storefronts like Epic Games Store or itch.io, citing the example of Microsoft's approach to Windows. He believes the current model of subsidizing hardware through game sales is becoming less effective and sees value in enabling more stores on Xbox to give players more options and potentially create competitive pricing, aiming to open up the gaming ecosystem and reduce friction for creators and players.
Warner Bros. Discovery is delisting several games published by Adult Swim Games, leaving developers in panic as they face the loss of their games from digital storefronts. Some developers have been told that their games will be delisted, while others are anxiously waiting for news. Warner Bros. Discovery has refused to transfer the games back to the original studios, causing distress among developers. The situation has raised concerns about game preservation and the impact on small developers' livelihoods, prompting criticism of Warner Bros. Discovery's actions.
Warner Bros. Discovery, owner of Adult Swim Games, is removing several games from digital storefronts on PC and console, refusing to transfer publishing permissions to developers, and potentially shutting down Adult Swim Games. Developers are expressing disappointment and frustration over the removal process, with some planning to republish their games independently. This move follows other cost-cutting measures by Warner Bros. Discovery since its merger in 2022, including removing TV shows from its streaming library and shelving nearly finished films.
The popular game Balatro has been removed from several digital storefronts due to a sudden change in its age rating from 3+ to 18+, attributed to a mistaken belief that the game contains prominent gambling imagery. The publisher, Playstack, asserts that the game does not feature gambling mechanics and had previously addressed concerns about potential gambling imagery with ratings boards, who assured them that it would not be an issue. Balatro remains available on PC platforms despite its removal from some digital stores.
Blowfish Studios will soon delist the 3D brawler Obey Me and its DLC from digital storefronts, including the Xbox store, with the removal scheduled for February 15, 2024. While existing owners will still be able to play the game and DLC, no further updates will be provided, and new purchases will be unavailable. The reason for the delisting has not been disclosed, and players have just two days to purchase the game from the Xbox store before it's removed.
2K has pulled Spec Ops: The Line from digital storefronts due to expiring partnership licenses, making it unavailable on platforms like Steam. The game's director expressed confusion over the decision, citing the relevance of its themes. Delisting due to licensing issues is common, as seen with the original Alan Wake, but reinstatement is possible with renegotiated agreements. Spec Ops: The Line, known for subverting traditional game violence, has become a cult classic despite initial poor sales, and its digital unavailability is a significant setback.
EA has reportedly delisted its entire FIFA series, from FIFA 14 to FIFA 23, from all digital storefronts, including the Switch eShop. However, FIFA 22 and FIFA 23 can still be accessed through the EA Play application. This comes ahead of the launch of EA's rebranded football game, EA Sports FC 24, which will have some differences on the Switch compared to next-gen systems. FIFA has also mentioned plans to work with other developers to launch new football games in the future.
In an email leaked from Xbox, Phil Spencer, the head of Xbox, discusses the challenges faced by AAA game publishers in adapting to the shift towards digital storefronts and subscription platforms like Xbox Game Pass. He explains how the role of AAA publishers has changed with the democratization of game distribution and the rise of independent studios with full access to distribution. Spencer highlights the struggle of AAA publishers to create new IP due to the high production costs and risk aversion, leading to a reliance on existing hit franchises. He notes that most beloved games of this era have been created by independent studios, signaling a precarious future for AAA publishers.
Nintendo is closing the digital storefronts for the Wii U and 3DS consoles on March 27, leaving classic games like Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Dual Destinies or Pokémon X & Y no longer widely purchasable on the aging hardware. Fans are concerned about how to preserve this ephemeral but beloved medium as official access gets more limited. Video games require special hardware to play and don't exist in the physical world, making archiving difficult. Emulation and hardware-based solutions like FPGAs have provided safer solutions, but there are legal issues with creating and distributing ROMs. The future of game preservation is in considering more than just the literal games themselves, as all games have additional context that could be lost if not preserved and told.