Valve says Steam game reviews now take up to 12 business days, not 3 to 5, after a surge in submissions, and indie games miss their launch dates

The stories

34 stories on this beat today.

Every story told the same way: what happened, who is involved, why it matters, how it works, the truth and the good news.

1. 01

   Valve says Steam game reviews now take up to 12 business days, not 3 to 5, after a surge in submissions, and indie games miss their launch dates

   12 days

   business days a Steam review can now take, Valve says

   its usual target is 3 to 5 [1]

   4,000

   new games on Steam this October, almost double a year before

   SteamDB counted a little over 2,000 in October 2025 [4]

   over 50%

   of October's new Steam games said they used AI

   up from just over 14% in January 2025 [4]

   What happened

   • Valve says Steam now takes up to 12 business days to review a game, not the usual 3 to 5. [1]
   • Steam, run by Valve, is the shop where most PC games are sold. [8] Every game must pass Valve's review before it goes on sale. [4]
   • Small studios say the longer wait has made them miss their own launch days. [2]
   • Valve says submissions have risen sharply in recent months. [1] Much of the delay, it says, comes from reviewing games a second time. [3]
   • Valve now asks makers to run each game through Steam for at least 5 minutes before sending it. [1]
   • Valve wrote: "Believe it or not, sometimes we review builds that have not ever been played through Steam." [3]
   • SteamDB, a data site, counted a little over 2,000 new Steam games in October 2025. [4] This October it was almost 4,000. [4]
   • PC Gamer says new AI tools can now make a working game very quickly. [3]
   • Game Discovery Tool, another data site, found AI labels on just over 14% of new Steam games in January 2025. [4]
   • It found over 25% in January 2026, and over 50% this October. [4]
   • Valve's post does not mention AI at all. [5] Developers suspect AI-made games are clogging the queue, but none can prove it. [5]
   • Studio Daimon, a 9-person studio in Italy, sent its game Food Devils for review on 12 October. [5]
   • Food Devils was due out on 3 November, and it was still awaiting approval that day. [2]
   • On 26 October Valve raised a concern about sexual content, and its director Alfred Kamon replied at once. [5] 7 days later he still had no answer. [5]
   • The studio needs sales before the year ends. [5] Steam pays makers a month after each sale. [5]
   • Cubic Earth's makers had 6,000 wishlists and a trailer seen over 60,000 times. [3] Now, they say, they have lost all momentum. [3]
   • Wheel Make It launched nearly two weeks late, its publisher said, after failing review over one controller option. [2]
   • Small games are hurrying out before GTA 6 and other big November launches arrive. [5] A delay can push them into the busiest weeks of the year. [5]

   Usual review5 business days

   Now, up to12 business days

   Who is involved

   • Valve the company that runs Steam, the main shop for PC games; it reviews every game before sale
   • Studio Daimon a 9-person studio in Italy; its game Food Devils missed its 3 November launch
   • Alfred Kamon Studio Daimon's director; he waited over 20 days for Valve's approval

   How it unfolded

   1. 12 Oct Food Devils is sent to Valve for review [5]
   2. 3 Nov launch day, still waiting
   3. 26 Oct Valve raises a content concern, then goes quiet [5]
   4. 7 days on no answer yet
   5. Now small games hurry out
   6. Mid-November GTA 6 arrives
   7. 3 Nov Valve says reviews take up to 12 business days [1]
   8. 19 Nov GTA 6 arrives, sold only as a download [29]

   Why it matters

   Big studios can ask Valve to speed up their games, developers say. [5] Small studios without that pull wait in line. [5]

   How it works

   Economists call this a congestion cost: Valve says re-reviewing failed games is much of why everyone now waits. [3]

   Each failed build goes back into the queue for a second review. [3] Every game behind it then waits longer, through no fault of its maker. [5]

   Seen it before

   One shopper with a broken card holds up the whole checkout line, and everyone behind them waits.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Valve says Steam reviews now take up to 12 business days because far more games are being sent in and many must be reviewed twice. [1][3]Developers blame AI-made games, and October's new Steam games nearly doubled to about 4,000, but Valve has not said what caused the rise. [4][5]
   • Why it works on people A launch date told to fans feels like a promise, so when Valve's queue makes it slip, players blame the small studio. [3]
   • Valve has not said why submissions rose, so nobody can prove what caused the jam. [5]
   • Valve's page still told makers to expect 3 to 5 days while some waited weeks. [5] Kamon asked Valve to say plainly that it may take weeks. [5]
   • Who gains Big studios selling on Steam — Developers say large studios can ask Valve to hurry their reviews, which small studios cannot. [5]
   • Who pays Studio Daimon's 9 staff — They worked late and at weekends to make 3 November, and the delay may leave the studio short of money. [5]
   • Who pays Cubic Earth's makers — Visits to their store page from Steam's own features stopped after the missed launch. [5]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much of Steam's extra load comes from AI-made games.

     Valve's post names no cause. Kotaku says nearly 50% of October's games disclosed AI, while Game Discovery Tool counts over 50%. [5][4]

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many games October's Steam Next Fest really held.

     The Verge cites 7,240 games, 65.2% more than June, while Kotaku says over 8,000 demos. [2][5]

   • Nobody knows yet

     When Food Devils and Cubic Earth will be approved.

     Valve has given neither studio a date, and Food Devils' director says he cannot make plans. [5][4]

   What comes next

   Valve says more changes to its review process are on the way. [1]

1. 02

   Itch.io deletes terabytes of AI-made pages

   What happened

   • Itch.io, a website where small makers sell games, says it deleted a couple of terabytes of AI slop. [8]
   • Its rules say mass-produced AI pages count as spam and may be taken out of search. [8]
   • New game pages on itch.io doubled from 3,000 to 6,000 a day in two months. [7]
   • Downloads and purchases have not doubled, itch.io said. [8]
   • Buyers can now tick a No AI box to hide games that say they used AI. [6]
   • Makers of tabletop games, books, comics and soundtracks must now also say if they used AI. [8]

   Who is involved

   • Comics and books must label AI
   • Soundtracks must label AI
   • Tabletop games must label AI

   Why it matters

   Games made by hand were being drowned out by the flood, Rock Paper Shotgun writes. [9]

   How it works

   Information scientists call a box like this a filter: buyers hide what they do not want to see. [6]

   The No AI box hides only games whose makers ticked the AI label. [6] It cannot catch a maker who leaves it unticked. [6]

   Seen it before

   A no-nuts sign on a cake helps only if the baker wrote it truthfully.

   Why each extra game sent to Steam slows every other maker's launch

   Economists call it a congestion cost: each extra game in a shared review line adds to everyone's wait, and its maker pays none of that wait.

   The twist

   A game that fails Steam's review costs its own maker a few days. It also costs every maker behind it in the line a few days, and they had no say in it.

   The picture

   Usual review5 business days

   Review now, up to12 business days

   Step by step

   1. 1 Valve has one team reviewing every new game
   2. 2 Submissions rise, and many games fail the first time
   3. 3 Each failed game goes back into the line
   4. 4 Every game behind it waits longer
   5. 5 The maker who caused the delay pays none of that wait

   The same force, elsewhere today

   Where this chain is also running, in today's other stories.

   • Nexus Mods limits bulk uploads

     one author posting many mods at once pushes every other author's mod down the Recently Added page, so Nexus will cap how many show

   • Itch.io deletes AI-made pages

     new pages doubled to 6,000 a day while sales did not, so every hand-made game sits in a longer list for the same buyers

   • WoW: Forever's AI add-ons

     Warcraft Logs says surging requests are swamping it, so every player using the site waits on the same busy servers

   • GTA 6 needs 212GB

     Kotaku expects console servers to be hammered when everyone downloads at once, so each extra download slows the rest

   Where you've seen this

   Roads at rush hour

   each extra car slows every car behind it, and its driver pays none of that

   A school lunch queue

   one pupil who forgot their card holds up everyone after them

   Phone networks at midnight on New Year's Eve

   everyone texting at once slows every message

   The catch

   It only bites when the line is close to full. With spare reviewers, an extra game slows nobody.

   And the whole of it

   Studio Daimon's nine people, Valve's reviewers and the makers of every new game are standing in the same line. None of them can see how long it is, so each plans as if it were short.

   The truth

   • Itch.io has 1 full-time worker, plus contractors and volunteers. [9] Checking every page by hand is not possible for so few, RPS writes. [9]
   • Who gains Itch.io makers who do not use AI — The new No AI box lets buyers hide every game that carries an AI label. [6]

1. 03

   Nexus Mods makes AI labels a must

   What happened

   • Nexus Mods, the biggest site for fans' changes to PC games, now makes new uploads say if AI was used. [10]
   • Mods marked AI-assisted must also explain how and where AI was used. [10]
   • Owner Victor Folmann said the site will not ban AI mods. [10] A ban, he said, would only stop people mentioning it. [10]
   • Makers of existing mods have 60 days to comply, until 2 January. [10]
   • Nexus Mods says it will not use mods to train AI, or sell them to anyone who does. [10]
   • Some authors upload many mods at once, pushing everyone else's down the Recently Added page, Folmann said. [10]

   Who is involved

   • Victor Folmann owns Nexus Mods

   Why it matters

   So the site will limit how many mods from one author show there at once. [10]

   How it works

   Lawmakers call this mandatory disclosure: a rule that makers must say what is in a product, as Nexus now requires. [10]

   Folmann says AI is in every step of making a mod, so no clear line can be drawn. [10] Labels let each player decide instead. [10]

   Seen it before

   Food packets list their ingredients, so each shopper can choose what to avoid.

   one author posting many mods at once pushes every other author's mod down the Recently Added page, so Nexus will cap how many show

   The idea, in story 02: Why each extra game sent to Steam slows every other maker's launch →
2. 04

   WoW: Forever launches into a protest

   What happened

   • World of Warcraft: Forever, Blizzard's new take on its early World of Warcraft, launches on 4 November. [13]
   • It is an MMO, an online game where many players share one world. [13]
   • Just before launch, Blizzard raised every class's power in a big batch of changes. [12]
   • The Shaman players' Discord server, with about 80,000 members, went read-only in protest. [12]
   • The server said: "Community feedback gets completely ignored and class fantasies are getting destroyed." [12]
   • AI-made add-ons for the game also flooded in before launch, 404 Media reports. [11] One maker made their code private after finding AI copies. [11]
   • Warcraft Logs, a popular stats site, says it is struggling to keep up with surging requests. [11]

   Who is involved

   • Many players one shared online world
   • Warcraft Logs a stats site under strain

   How it unfolded

   1. Before launch class changes
   2. 4 Nov Forever launches

   Why it matters

   The server says its complaint is not about damage, but about what makes a Shaman feel like one. [12]

   How it works

   Players call it the hybrid tax: Blizzard keeps classes that both heal and fight below pure damage classes. [12]

   Shamans can heal and fight, so their damage is held down. [12] The server says it accepts that if the class makes sense. [12]

   Seen it before

   A footballer who can play in any position is rarely the team's top scorer.

   Warcraft Logs says surging requests are swamping it, so every player using the site waits on the same busy servers

   The idea, in story 02: Why each extra game sent to Steam slows every other maker's launch →

   What comes next

   Blizzard says it expects no more big class changes for at least a month. [12]

3. 05

   Ubisoft bids for Xbox's Arkane studio

   What happened

   • Ubisoft, which makes Assassin's Creed, has bid to buy Arkane Lyon from Microsoft, Bloomberg reports. [18]
   • At least two other games companies have also bid. [14] Microsoft has also weighed selling the studio to its managers. [14]
   • Arkane Lyon, a studio in France, made the Dishonored games and Deathloop. [14]
   • A deal would likely let Arkane finish Marvel's Blade, due within a year or two. [14]

   Who is involved

   • Ubisoft bidder
   • Microsoft seller

   How it unfolded

   In July Microsoft said it would sell off Arkane and 4 other studios in its Xbox reset. [14]

   Microsoft closed Arkane's other studio, in Austin, Texas, in 2024. [20]

   Microsoft added a month to its 13 November deadline to find a buyer. [16] Xbox says it is exploring options ahead of a December deadline. [14]

   1. 2024 Arkane Austin closed
   2. July Arkane Lyon put up for sale
   3. 13 Nov the old deadline
   4. December the new deadline

   Why it matters

   If no deal is reached, closing the studio is still on the table, Kotaku reports. [18]

   How it works

   Under French labour law, a firm of over 1,000 staff must seek a buyer for 3 months before closing. [17]

   PC Gamer names it the Florange law, and says it is why Arkane is still open while other studios went. [16]

   Seen it before

   A shop that must advertise its lease before closing gives someone else a chance to take it over.

   The truth

   • Ubisoft itself cut jobs in January, March, June and October this year. [19]
   • Who pays Arkane Lyon's staff — Their jobs depend on a buyer being found before December, or the studio can still close. [17][18]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Who will buy Arkane Lyon, and on what terms.

     Bloomberg's sources say the terms were not available. [14] Xbox has not accepted any offer yet. [15]

   Good news

   • Bloomberg's sources say a deal is far more likely than a closure. [14]
4. 06

   Control Resonant triples Remedy's sales

   What happened

   • Remedy, a Finnish games studio, says its sales more than tripled to 39.6 million euros last quarter. [23]
   • Most of it came from Control Resonant, its new game, out on 24 September. [21]
   • Chief executive Jean-Charles Gaudechon called the game "a defining milestone for the company". [24]
   • Only its first 7 days of sales fell inside the quarter. [23]
   • Remedy made a 0.6 million euro operating profit, against a 16.4 million euro loss a year before. [21]
   • That profit is 1.5% of its sales, a thin margin, PC Gamer notes. [23]
   • Close to 50% of Resonant's players were new to Control, its chief executive said. [23]
   • It is the first game Remedy has published itself. [22] Another 2.4 million people have it on their wishlists. [23]

   Why it matters

   Many players in 2026 stick with games they already play, Game Developer says. [22] So new players are hard to win. [22]

   How it works

   Publishers call this recoupment: Remedy pays its partner Annapurna a share of sales until Annapurna's investment is paid back. [21]

   Once Annapurna has its money back, Remedy says its royalty costs will fall. [21] Then Remedy keeps more of each sale. [21]

   Seen it before

   A friend who lent you money for a bike gets part of your paper-round pay until the loan is repaid.

   The truth

   • Who gains Remedy — Selling Control Resonant itself, its game sales and royalties rose to 35 million euros from 6 million. [21]
   • Nobody knows yet

     Whether Control Resonant has earned back its making costs yet.

     Remedy's operating profit is only 1.5% of sales, and Annapurna's share falls only once its investment is recouped. [23][21]

   Good news

   • Remedy turned a 16.4 million euro loss a year ago into a 0.6 million euro profit. Close to half of Control Resonant's players had never played Control before.
5. 07

   The Elder Scrolls 6 is named Sentinel

   What happened

   • Bethesda confirmed on 3 November that its next Elder Scrolls game is called The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel. [28]
   • The name came 8 years, 4 months and 23 days after the game was first shown. [25]
   • The sandy teaser all but confirms the game is set in Hammerfell, a region of its world, RPS says. [27]

   How it unfolded

   The Elder Scrolls is a fantasy role-playing series, and its last main game, Skyrim, came out about 15 years ago. [25]

   A report last week had already given the name. [25]

   1. Last week a report gives the name
   2. 3 Nov Bethesda confirms it

   Why it matters

   The reveal came less than 6 months after sweeping job cuts at Microsoft's studios, Eurogamer notes. [25]

   How it works

   Marketers call an early glimpse a teaser: Bethesda showed one because fans were demanding news, Skyrim's lead designer said. [25]

   The 2018 teaser showed only some hills, RPS notes. [27] Then fans heard almost nothing for 8 years, PC Gamer says. [26]

   Seen it before

   A film poster months before release keeps people talking about a film nobody can see yet.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     When The Elder Scrolls VI: Sentinel will come out.

     Bethesda says only that it will be some time before it shares more. [26]

   What comes next

   Bethesda says it will be some time before it shares more. [26]

6. 08

   GTA 6 needs 212GB, from 10 November

   What happened

   • Rockstar Games says GTA 6 will need up to 212GB of free space. [29]
   • GTA 6 is the next game in the Grand Theft Auto series, an open-world game out on 19 November. [31]
   • Players can download it early from 10 November, so it is ready at launch. [30]
   • On a base PS5 that is roughly a third of the free storage, Kotaku says. [31]
   • The game costs $79.99 and is sold only as a download. [29] Boxed copies hold just a code. [29]
   • Codes from boxed pre-orders work from 12 November. [31]

   How it unfolded

   1. 10 Nov pre-load starts
   2. 19 Nov the game opens
   3. 10 Nov download pre-load opens
   4. 12 Nov box codes work

   Why it matters

   Kotaku expects console servers to be hammered when everyone downloads at once. [31]

   Players with small consoles will have to delete other games to make room, Eurogamer notes. [30]

   How it works

   Kotaku expects console servers to be hammered when everyone downloads at once, so each extra download slows the rest

   The idea, in story 02: Why each extra game sent to Steam slows every other maker's launch →

   The truth

   • Rockstar says the game needs up to 212GB depending on the device, without giving each console's size. [29]
7. 09

   Xbox hides GTA 6 inside an alligator

   What happened

   • Microsoft built one Xbox Series X into a model alligator about 5 feet long, as a prize. [32]
   • Sony appears to hold the marketing rights to GTA 6, so Xbox cannot name the game. [33]
   • Microsoft's post never says GTA 6. [32] Its marketing boss said the console has "pure Miami vibes". [32]
   • GTA 6 is set in a version of Miami, so the hint is plain, GameSpot says. [32]
   • Microsoft values the console at $800. [32] Entries close on 10 November, and the winner is drawn at random. [32]

   Who is involved

   • Sony holds marketing rights
   • Microsoft cannot name the game

   Why it matters

   The game still comes to Xbox, but Microsoft may not talk about it in its posts. [33]

   How it works

   Marketers call this exclusive marketing: Sony's deal lets PlayStation tell buyers GTA 6 plays best on PS5. [33]

   GTA 6 will likely play much the same on Xbox, Kotaku says. [33] Yet only Sony may say where to play it. [33]

   Seen it before

   At a school fair only the sponsor's logo goes on the banner, even if others sell the same drink.

   The truth

   • The terms of Sony's deal with Rockstar are not public. [33]
8. 10

   Fewer console players try the new Call of Duty

   What happened

   • A smaller share of console players tried Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 at launch than last year's game. [34]
   • Circana, a US market research firm, tracks play on Steam and PlayStation in the US, and on Xbox worldwide. [34]
   • 19% of PlayStation players played it in its first week, against 23% for Black Ops 7. [34]
   • On Xbox it was 17%, down from 29%. [34]
   • On Steam its share rose, to 4.2% from 1.5%. [34]
   • Unlike Black Ops 7, the new game did not launch in Game Pass, Xbox's games subscription. [34]

   Why it matters

   Being in Game Pass usually brings more players, though not always more sales, Eurogamer says. [34]

   How it works

   Market researchers call this engagement: the share of a platform's players who played a game that week. [34]

   Eurogamer links Xbox's big drop to the game not launching in Game Pass. [34]

   Seen it before

   A club counts how many members came to practice, not how many bought the kit.

   The truth

   • Activision's only launch statement did not name the game. [34] It praised Call of Duty's $40bn lifetime revenue instead. [34]
9. 11

   Sony joins the live-action Naruto film

   What happened

   • Sony will help pay for Lionsgate's live-action Naruto film and release it outside North America. [36]
   • Naruto is a Japanese manga about a young ninja, and it has sold more than 250 million copies. [35]
   • Destin Daniel Cretton, who directed Sony's Spider-Man: Brand New Day, will write and direct it. [35]
   • That Spider-Man film took $2.5 billion this summer. [35]
   • Lionsgate has now officially approved the film, Deadline reports. [37]

   Who is involved

   • Lionsgate makes it, North America
   • Sony co-funds, rest of world
   • Destin Daniel Cretton writer and director

   How it unfolded

   Lionsgate has held the film rights since about 2015, reports at the time said. [38]

   1. This week Sony wins the deal
   2. Spring 2027 filming starts

   Why it matters

   Sony also owns Crunchyroll, an anime streaming service that shows Naruto series. [35]

   How it works

   Film financiers call this co-financing: two studios share a film's cost and split where they sell it. [36]

   Lionsgate keeps North America and runs the production. [36] Sony takes the rest of the world. [36]

   Seen it before

   Two friends split the cost of a bike and take turns riding it.

   The truth

   • Who gains Sony — It wins the right to release the Naruto film outside North America, and its Crunchyroll already streams Naruto series. [35]

   What comes next

   Sony won the deal after a bidding contest among several studios. [35] Filming is due to start in spring 2027. [35]

10. 12

    Netflix tests an AI tab for picking shows

    What happened

    • Netflix is adding an AI Discover tab to its TV app in the US. [39]
    • Viewers pick a theme, such as Something Light or Scare Me, and get matching shows. [40]
    • A tune button lets viewers keep a pick, or ask Netflix not to show it again. [40]
    • It starts with English users on some smart TVs, and not on children's profiles. [40]

    How it unfolded

    Netflix has long used AI behind its picks. [40] This is the first feature it labels as AI. [40]

    Netflix says it has worked on how to suggest shows for 20 years as its catalogue grew. [41]

    Netflix recently laid off around 1,000 staff as its growth slowed. [39]

    1. For years AI works behind the picks
    2. Now the first tab labelled AI

    Why it matters

    Netflix hopes the tab raises watching time, after viewing per subscriber dropped. [40]

    How it works

    Engineers call this a recommender system: software that guesses what you will like from what you watched. [40]

    Tell it a pick is not for you, and Netflix says it will remember. [40] That pick then stops turning up. [40]

    Seen it before

    A friend who knows the films you loved suggests the next one.

11. 13

    Blue Eye Samurai returns on 19 January

    What happened

    • Netflix's animated series Blue Eye Samurai returns on 19 January 2027. [43] Season 2 has 6 new episodes. [43]
    • In it, Mizu, a sword fighter, hunts in London for the men who may be her father. [42]
    • The show is made for adults by Blue Spirit, a French and Canadian animation studio. [43]
    • Its first season won several Emmys, the top US television awards. [43]
    • Its creators, Amber Noizumi and Michael Green, return to write it. [42]

    Who is involved

    • Amber Noizumi co-creator
    • Michael Green co-creator

    Why it matters

    Blue Spirit is animating it again, so the same team keeps the show's look. [42]

12. 14

    NBCUniversal backs an Indian phone-drama app

    What happened

    • NBCUniversal, the US media group, co-led an $80 million investment in EloElo of Bengaluru, India. [44]
    • EloElo runs Story TV, an app of microdramas made to be watched on phones. [44]
    • Story TV carries over 5,000 microdramas in 6 languages and adds one every 3 hours. [44]
    • Its users spend 95 minutes a day on the app on average, the company says. [44]
    • EloElo will spend the money on local-language shows, a launch abroad and its AI tools. [44]

    Why it matters

    Omdia, a research firm, expects microdramas to earn $14 billion worldwide this year. [44]

    How it works

    Economists call it unit economics: what each show costs against what it earns, which EloElo calls solid. [44]

    Its founder says its AI tool, Dolphin AI, gives it the economics to make the shows. [44]

    Seen it before

    A bakery that makes each cake cheaply can afford a new flavour every day.

13. 15

    Canada's CBC turns to phone dramas

    What happened

    • The CBC, Canada's taxpayer-funded broadcaster, hired Ariel Yang to commission short digital series. [45]
    • She will commission shows under 15 minutes long for CBC Gem, its streaming app. [45]
    • The CBC says vertical microdramas are possible too, if the right ones come along. [45]
    • Microdramas are bite-sized soaps for phones, filmed in shots of 60 to 90 seconds. [45]
    • Canadians already watch them on apps like ReelShort and on social media. [45]

    Who is involved

    • Ariel Yang head of digital originals

    Why it matters

    YouTube has the biggest ad-funded reach of any streamer in Canada. [45] The CBC competes with it for viewers. [45]

    How it works

    Screenwriters call it a cliffhanger: each episode ends on an open moment so viewers watch the next. [45]

    Each short episode is written with a hook, a spike and a cliffhanger, THR reports. [45]

    Seen it before

    A chapter that ends mid-chase makes you turn the page at bedtime.

14. 16

    Weta FX and Taiwan plan an AI film hub

    What happened

    • Weta FX, the New Zealand effects studio behind Avatar, is teaming up with Taiwan's TAICCA. [46]
    • TAICCA is the Taiwan Creative Content Agency, and its work includes using new technology to make films and shows. [46]
    • Their aim is to make Taiwan a centre for AI-driven film and TV making in Asia. [46]
    • The plan has 3 parts: joint investment, AI research and training new talent. [46]
    • Weta FX's chief executive, Daniel Seah, grew up in Taiwan. [46]

    Who is involved

    • Weta FX effects studio
    • TAICCA Taiwan content agency
    • Daniel Seah Weta FX chief executive

    How it unfolded

    1. 6 Nov formal launch in Taipei
    2. Then details made public

    Why it matters

    The aim is to plug Taiwanese tech workers and artists into film work around the world. [46]

    The truth

    • The details of the deal are being held back for the launch. [46]
    • Nobody knows yet

      What the Weta FX and TAICCA plan is worth.

      Its details are being held back until the 6 November launch in Taipei. [46]

    What comes next

    It launches formally on 6 November at a festival in Taipei. [46]

15. 17

    Lupin and a Matthew Perry film top Netflix

    What happened

    • The One About Matthew Perry was Netflix's top English-language series from 26 October to 1 November. [47]
    • It is a 3-part documentary about the late Friends actor, and it drew 9.5 million views. [47]
    • Lupin Part 4, a French drama, led every series with 10.8 million views. [47]
    • Season 3 of Nobody Wants This came second in English with 7.2 million views. [47]

    Why it matters

    A French-language series out-watched every English one that week, Netflix's figures show. [47]

16. 18

    NIKKE's PC launcher was tampered with

    What happened

    • The PC launcher for Goddess of Victory: NIKKE was tampered with by a third party, its makers say. [48]
    • NIKKE is made by Shift Up, and Level Infinite publishes its PC launcher. [48]
    • A report on GitHub says the harmful code may have been in use since 23 October. [48]
    • It could install a stealer, software that takes passwords, payment details and crypto wallets. [48]
    • Shift Up and Level Infinite say fixes are out and investigations are under way. [48]

    Who is involved

    • Shift Up makes the game
    • Level Infinite publishes the launcher

    How it unfolded

    1. 23 Oct harmful code may start
    2. Now fixes released

    Why it matters

    Programs such as browsers, Discord and Steam could be affected on infected computers. [48]

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      How many NIKKE players opened the tampered launcher.

      Its makers say investigations are under way and have not given a number. [48]

17. 19

    Xbox's tiny Nano controller goes on sale

    What happened

    • Microsoft's Xbox Nano controller goes on sale on 4 November for $49.99. [49]
    • It is just over 5 inches long and weighs 101 grams, built for children and small hands. [49]
    • It has no vibration, and its battery lost about 10% in 30 to 40 minutes of The Verge's test. [49]
    • It can also connect straight to Xbox Cloud Gaming over wifi to cut lag, The Verge reports. [50]

    Who is involved

    • Stadia controller worked the same way

    How it unfolded

    Google's Stadia controllers worked the same way, The Verge notes. [50]

    Why it matters

    The Verge expects the next Xbox Elite controller to connect the same way. [50]

    The truth

    • Microsoft has not yet announced the cloud feature. [50]
18. 20

    Apps have out-earned phone games since 2016

    What happened

    • Phone games last led in-app spending in 2016, says AppMagic, a firm that tracks app sales. [51]
    • Since then, apps like TikTok and AI chatbots have earned more. [51] TikTok has been the top-earning app every year since 2020. [51]
    • Honor of Kings, a team battle game, has earned over $1.1 billion this year. [51]
    • Among Us had 930 million downloads but earned $52 million. [51]
    • Umamusume earned $1.6 billion from 19 million downloads. [51]

    Why it matters

    Only a handful of top-earning games are still growing, AppMagic found. [51]

    How it works

    Analysts call it revenue per download: Umamusume earned far more from each download than Among Us did. [51]

    Seen it before

    A cafe where a few customers each buy lunch can earn more than one where many buy only water.

19. 21

    Stronghold 4 moves to April 2027

    What happened

    • Firefly Studios delayed Stronghold 4's early-access launch from 7 December to 20 April 2027. [52]
    • Stronghold 4 is a castle strategy and city-building game for PC, sold through Steam. [52]
    • Studio head Nick Tannahill said feedback from Steam's Next Fest was one reason. [52]
    • He wants a full story campaign and skirmish modes ready on day one. [52]

    Who is involved

    • Nick Tannahill head of Firefly Studios

    How it unfolded

    Early access means selling a game while it is still being built, before version 1.0. [52]

    1. 7 Dec the old date
    2. 20 Apr 2027 the new date

    Why it matters

    Players who expected it in December now wait over 4 more months. [52]

    The truth

    • Tannahill admitted the irony of the delay, coming just after the old date was announced. [52]
20. 22

    Final Fantasy 14 widens its matchmaking

    What happened

    • Square Enix will let Final Fantasy 14 players be matched across their region's servers from 10 November. [53]
    • Final Fantasy 14 is an online role-playing game where players team up for dungeons and raids. [53]
    • Until now, a newer player chasing one raid could wait ages for a full group. [53]

    Who is involved

    • Players team up for dungeons and raids

    How it unfolded

    The change came after a successful trial on its Japanese servers. [53]

    1. Now small server groups
    2. 10 Nov a whole region matched

    Why it matters

    Newer players should spend far less time waiting in queues. [53]

    How it works

    Market designers call this a thicker market: Square Enix pools players across a whole region to fill groups faster. [53]

    Seen it before

    A five-a-side game starts faster in a big park than in a small back garden.

    Good news

    • Square Enix's trial of wider matchmaking worked on its Japanese servers, and from 10 November Final Fantasy 14 players everywhere can be matched across their region.
21. 23

    Wardogs' makers take December off

    What happened

    • Bulkhead, maker of the shooter Wardogs, will give the whole studio December off, its boss told Edge magazine. [54]
    • Wardogs, a 100-player shooter, launched in early access in September. [54]
    • It is estimated to have sold around 5 million copies. [54]
    • Bulkhead planned for 5,000 players at once. [54] In its first week it hit 84 times that. [54]
    • Boss Joe Brammer told players for December: "Go play GTA 6, we need to detox." [54]
    • Recent reviews are mixed, with only 51% positive. [54]

    Why it matters

    Brammer expects players to drift off for months, and says the game will boom again at version 1.0. [54]

    The truth

    • Brammer said earlier that the studio does not hire people known to complain about forced crunch. [54]
    • Who gains Bulkhead's staff — After Wardogs' estimated 5 million sales, the whole studio gets December off. [54]

    Good news

    • Bulkhead, the studio behind Wardogs, is giving its whole team December off.
22. 24

    A $570 bundle for Xbox's 25th birthday

    What happened

    • Microsoft is selling a 25 Years of Xbox bundle: 25 games for $570. [55]
    • That is about $23 a game, but some items are bundles of several games. [55]
    • Halo: The Master Chief Collection alone holds 6 Halo games. [55]
    • Some of the games are for both Xbox and PC, and some for only one of them. [55]
    • Many of the games are already in Game Pass, GameSpot notes. [55]

    Why it matters

    The anniversary comes in a year of mass layoffs, studio sales and cancelled games at Xbox. [55]

    How it works

    Economists call this bundling: Microsoft sells 25 games at one price, about $23 each. [55]

    Buyers who already own some games pay for them again, so GameSpot suggests checking first. [55]

    Seen it before

    A meal deal is cheap only if you wanted the drink and the crisps too.

23. 25

    Seraph of the End manga ends after 14 years

    What happened

    • Seraph of the End, a vampire manga, will end on 4 December. [56]
    • Its story will end in the 37th book. [56]
    • In it, a virus kills every adult, and vampires enslave the children left. [56]
    • It became two anime seasons of 12 episodes each in 2015. [56]
    • Viz Media publishes it in English, with volume 35 due on 10 November. [56]

    How it unfolded

    It began in 2012 in Jump SQ, a magazine from the publisher Shueisha. [56]

    1. 2012 the manga begins
    2. 4 Dec the last chapter

    Why it matters

    Viz and Shueisha's MANGA Plus publish new chapters in English on the same day as Japan. [56]

    How it works

    Publishers call this a simultaneous release: each chapter comes out in English the day it does in Japan. [56]

    Seen it before

    A match shown live everywhere at once, instead of a replay days later.

24. 26

    Mashle gets a live-action film

    What happened

    • A live-action film of the manga Mashle: Magic and Muscles opens on 19 March 2027. [57]
    • Warner Bros and Fuji TV are overseeing it, and Toho will release it in cinemas. [57]
    • Its hero cannot use magic in a world run on magic, so he relies on muscle. [57]
    • Two anime seasons streamed on Crunchyroll in 2023 and 2024, and it will stream a third. [57]

    Who is involved

    • Warner Bros oversees
    • Fuji TV oversees
    • Toho releases

    How it unfolded

    The manga ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 2020 to 2023, across 18 books. [57]

    1. 2023 first season
    2. 2024 second season
    3. Next a third season

    Why it matters

    The film arrives while Crunchyroll still streams the anime, so the story is on two screens at once. [57]

25. 27

    Girls Band Cry gets a new film

    What happened

    • Toei will open Girls Band Cry the Movie, a new anime film, on 21 May 2027. [58]
    • Girls Band Cry is a 2024 anime about young women forming a band in Tokyo. [58]
    • A stage show runs from 21 to 28 March in Tokyo. [58]
    • The real band from the show plays a concert in Yokohama on 20 March. [58]

    How it unfolded

    It ran 13 TV episodes, then became two films that retold it. [58]

    1. 20 Mar band concert, Yokohama
    2. 21 to 28 Mar stage show, Tokyo

    Why it matters

    The story now sells as a band, a stage show and films, not only as TV. [58]

    How it works

    Media scholars call this a media mix: one story sold as anime, music, stage and film. [58]

    Seen it before

    A band that sells songs, T-shirts and concert tickets under the same name.

26. 28

    HIDIVE drops 6 anime in November

    What happened

    • HIDIVE, an anime streaming service, will remove 6 series in November. [59]
    • Blue Drop leaves first, on 16 November. [59] Four more go on 30 November. [59]
    • HIDIVE is also adding an English dub of Nia Liston: The Merciless Maiden from 18 November. [59]

    How it unfolded

    The anime has aired in Japan since 6 October, on channels including Tokyo MX. [59]

    1. 16 Nov Blue Drop leaves
    2. 30 Nov four more leave

    Why it matters

    So HIDIVE's shelf changes both ways at once: a new dub in, old series out. [59]

    The truth

    • Who pays HIDIVE subscribers — They lose 6 series this month, and HIDIVE has not said why. [59]
27. 29

    An AI translation app adds Naruto

    What happened

    • Orange, an AI translation company, added 5 Viz Media manga to its emaqi Premium subscription. [60]
    • They include Naruto, Spy x Family, Dr Stone and Kaiju No 8. [60]
    • emaqi is also adding 8 new titles of its own this month. [60]
    • Its emaqi Premium monthly plan began on 1 July. [60]

    How it unfolded

    Orange was founded in April 2021, and set up its headquarters in the US in March 2024. [60]

    1. Apr 2021 Orange is founded
    2. Mar 2024 US headquarters set up

    Why it matters

    Big Viz series now sit beside emaqi's own exclusive titles in one subscription. [60]

28. 30

    A comics distributor eases its terms

    What happened

    • Philbo Distribution, which supplies indie comics to shops, is changing its terms for 2027. [61]
    • Shops will get a flat 50% discount with no minimum order. [61]
    • The final order deadline moves from 60 days before release to 30. [61]
    • It will take back up to 2 unsold comics on orders up to $100. [61]
    • A printed catalogue of its titles starts in January. [61]

    Why it matters

    Philbo says flat pricing lets shops of every size carry independent comics. [61]

    How it works

    Retail economists call this sharing risk: by taking back some unsold comics, Philbo carries part of a shop's loss. [61]

    Seen it before

    A bakery that takes back yesterday's bread makes a cafe braver about ordering.

29. 31

    Kat Kan, who put comics in libraries, dies

    What happened

    • Katharine Kan, who spent over 40 years bringing graphic novels into libraries, died on 12 October aged 71. [62]
    • She worked as a public and a school librarian in Hawaii, Indiana and Florida. [62]
    • She was also a graphic novel adviser to the library supplier Brodart for almost 20 years. [62]
    • She retired a few weeks before she died. [62]

    Who is involved

    • Katharine Kan librarian, comics champion

    How it unfolded

    She began adding graphic novels to libraries in 1983, when they were still new. [62]

    Why it matters

    She also argued for graphic novels inside the American Library Association. [62]

30. 32

    Starlog magazine returns after 17 years

    What happened

    • Starlog, a magazine about science fiction on screen, returns on 13 November after 17 years. [63]
    • The new Starlog will come out once a year, edited by Annalee Newitz, a founder of io9. [63]
    • It will cover the future too, starting with farming on other planets. [63]

    Who is involved

    • Annalee Newitz editor in chief

    How it unfolded

    It launched in 1976 and printed 374 issues before stopping in April 2009. [63]

    Why it matters

    It was one of the few places fans could find reliable news about science fiction. [63]

    Good news

    • Starlog, a science fiction magazine that stopped in 2009, prints a new issue on 13 November.
31. 33

    WildBrain teams up with 88 Pictures

    What happened

    • WildBrain, the company behind Teletubbies, signed a long-term deal with the animation studio 88 Pictures. [64]
    • 88 Pictures will add computer animation capacity to WildBrain's shows. [64]
    • WildBrain also owns Strawberry Shortcake, Yo Gabba Gabba! and Inspector Gadget. [64]
    • WildBrain and its studio House of Cool keep creative control in Canada. [64]

    Who is involved

    • WildBrain owns Teletubbies
    • 88 Pictures animation studio

    Why it matters

    WildBrain says the deal lets it make computer animation on a greater scale. [64]

    How it works

    Economists call this outsourcing: WildBrain keeps the core work and buys extra capacity from a partner. [64]

    Seen it before

    A school band borrows extra drummers for the big concert but keeps its own conductor.

    What comes next

    WildBrain's Vancouver studio moves into a 47,000-square-foot home in January 2027. [64]

32. 34

    A game club for making friends

    What happened

    • The Game Club, founded in 2025, gathers gamers who play the same game each month. [65]
    • Groups of up to 10 meet in person or online to talk about it. [65]
    • In its first year it connected over 1,000 players in 6 countries. [65]
    • November's game is The Holy Gosh Darn. [65]

    Who is involved

    • The Holy Gosh Darn November's game

    Why it matters

    Its founder says it was built to help adults make new friends from scratch. [65]

    Good news

    • In a survey of members, 88% said they made new friends and 78% felt less lonely. [65]

    What comes next

    It plans to reach colleges and universities in its second year. [65]