All articles tagged with #game awards
A former Wildlight developer recounts Highguard’s rocky launch after its Game Awards reveal, saying false assumptions about a large ad placement fueled immediate hate and massive review bombs. Despite post-launch patches and a permanent 5v5 mode, the studio announced layoffs including several co-founders, though a core group remains to continue development.
Geoff Keighley publicly rejected online rumors that he has a financial stake in Wildlight's free-to-play shooter Highguard after its Game Awards reveal; Wildlight's Dusty Welch and Epic Games’ Mark Rein defended him, highlighting his support for indie games. Highguard launched with strong early activity and a year-one roadmap, financed by microtransactions but without loot boxes or ads.
Wildlight Entertainment says Highguard's reveal at The Game Awards didn't land as well as hoped; CEO Dusty Welch says a different trailer emphasizing the game's unique loop might have helped, and the lack of pre-launch marketing was a deliberate part of their plan to 'announce, go dark' before showing more of the game. Highguard, a free-to-play shooter, launched on January 26, and the studio—founded by former Respawn developers—remains resilient despite the mixed reception.
Wildlight Entertainment explains their Game Awards trailer and shadow drop for Highguard were a bold, rapid reveal born from a plan to let the free-to-play shooter speak for itself, drawing on Respawn alumni experience while self-publishing and navigating a risky launch cycle in a crowded live-service market.
After a long radio silence since its December Game Awards reveal, Highguard — a free-to-play FPS — announced a January 26 launch showcase and a simultaneous console/PC release, drawing mixed online reactions as fans speculate about gameplay and year-one plans while skeptics question its originality.
Larian Studios’ reveal of a new Divinity game at The Game Awards 2025 has reignited interest in its RPG catalog, with Divinity: Original Sin 2 posting a fresh post-launch Steam peak of 27,409 concurrent players (the best since March 2020) and Baldur’s Gate 3 continuing strong post-launch sales (notable months include Jan 2024 with 297,492 and Apr 2025 with 169,267; current Steam figure around 127,254). Swen Vincke notes continued momentum for both BG3 and D:OS 2, and the studio hints at a Nintendo Switch 2 port and renewed Steam Deck support, signaling broad momentum for its lineup. All figures cited are Steam-only and may undercount totals across platforms.
Insider Gaming reports that Highguard’s Game Awards finale reveal wasn’t paid for by Wildlight; Forbes’ Paul Tassi cited claims that the finale slot was secured by the show or Geoff Keighley, amid skyrocketing trailer costs (finale spots around $500,000). The all‑new shooter drew mixed reactions, with many feeling the reveal harmed hype as the game nears its launch in nine days.
The Indie Game Awards retracted the Game of the Year and Debut Game awards from Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 after it was revealed that the game used generative AI during development, contrary to the awards' policies. The awards were instead given to Sorry We're Closed and Blue Prince, respectively, with the retraction highlighting ongoing concerns about AI use in game development.
The critically acclaimed 2025 game Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 was disqualified from major awards, including Game of the Year, due to its use of generative AI assets, which violates the eligibility rules of the Indie Game Awards, leading to the retraction of its awards and the assignment of new winners.
The Game Awards 2024 set a new viewership record with approximately 171 million livestreams, marking an 11% increase from the previous year, driven by global streaming platforms and new viewing options like Amazon Prime Video, and solidifying its status as a major annual event in the gaming industry.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 experienced a significant sales and player boost following its Game Awards win, with nearly 400,000 copies sold since the event and a notable increase in Steam players, further supported by its new expansion. The game has sold over 5 million copies worldwide and received public recognition from French President Emmanuel Macron.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 experienced a significant sales and player engagement boost after winning Game of the Year at The Game Awards, with sales increasing notably on PlayStation 5 and Steam, and a record number of concurrent players, aided by the release of new DLC and widespread recognition.
Highguard, a hero shooter game from ex-Titanfall and Apex Legends developers, was revealed as the closing act at The Game Awards but received a poor reception, with negative YouTube ratios and widespread criticism, casting doubt on its upcoming release on January 26 and indicating a challenging road ahead for the game.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a debut RPG from Sandfall Interactive, became the biggest third-party launch on Xbox Game Pass in 2025, praised for its story, visuals, and innovative combat, reaching a wide audience through Xbox support and Game Pass.
The Game Awards' Future Class program, aimed at highlighting diverse talent in the gaming industry, has been discontinued after years of support waning and internal advocacy struggles, with inductees feeling used and marginalized, especially after pushing for improvements and voicing concerns about industry issues.