Call of Duty vs. Battlefield, Dreamhaven Struggles, AI - Tencent & Unity | Game Dev Review #1

GameMakers

GAME DEV REVIEW #1

NEWS:

Top 5 Gaming News

1. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Officially Revealed (GameSpot): Activision has unveiled the next entry in its massive first-person shooter franchise, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 7." The reveal trailer, showcased at Gamescom, provided a first look at the game's near-future setting and hinted at a narrative connected to previous "Black Ops" titles, with a release slated for late 2025.

2. Battlefield 6 Beta Receives Positive Reception (Kotaku): The open beta for EA and DICE's "Battlefield 6" has concluded, with players and critics praising its return to a modern setting, large-scale maps, and destructible environments. The positive buzz is seen as a crucial step for the franchise to regain momentum after the mixed reception of its predecessor.

3. Black Myth: Zhong Kui Announced by Game Science (Video Games Chronicle): The developers of the highly anticipated "Black Myth: Wukong" surprised audiences at Gamescom with the announcement of a new title, "Black Myth: Zhong Kui." This new game appears to be set in the same mythological universe, further expanding the rich world-building that has captivated a global audience.

4. India Passes Bill to Regulate Online Gaming (Reuters): The Indian parliament has passed a new bill that will regulate the country's online gaming industry, including a ban on games that involve real-money wagering. This legislation is expected to have a significant impact on the rapidly growing Indian gaming market and the companies operating within it.

5. Blizzard Co-Founder's Dreamhaven Struggles with Sales (Bloomberg): Mike Morhaime's Dreamhaven sold only 130,000 units of Wildgate one month after launch and 62,000 copies of Sunderfolk since April. Demonstrates the challenges new studios face in an oversaturated market, despite their pedigree.

Top 3 AI x Gaming News

1. Square Enix Tech Demo Shows AI-Generated Detective Game (Square Enix): Square Enix presented a tech demo for a detective game where an AI generates case files, clues, and character motivations. This procedural narrative system ensures that no two playthroughs are the same, showcasing how AI can be used to create systemic and emergent gameplay loops.

2. Unity 6.2 Launches All-In Generative AI Suite (CG Channel): Unity released Unity 6.2 on August 19 with comprehensive AI tools, including Generators for creating sprites, textures, and animations, plus an AI Assistant powered by GPT and Llama models. The update replaces Unity Muse with more flexible third-party AI model integration and expanded coding assistance capabilities.

   Tencent's AI Tool Slashes Art Production Time (Game Developer): Tencent unveiled an AI tool at Gamescom on August 22, 2025, that reduces art production time from days to minutes, streamlining asset creation for developers. The tool's efficiency could lower costs and accelerate game development cycles, sparking debates on artist job security.

DATA:

On August 9, League of Legends: Wild Rift had its biggest spike in daily IAP revenue on mobile… EVER!

GAME DEV LESSONS - WEEKLY RETRO:

1. Playing to Win

2. Standard of Performance and Feedback

3. Initial Soft Launch Focus