Epic tells the US Supreme Court that Apple was rightly held in contempt over its 27% fee on purchases made outside the App Store

The stories

32 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

   Epic tells the US Supreme Court that Apple was rightly held in contempt over its 27% fee on purchases made outside the App Store

   27%

   fee Apple charged on purchases that apps sent to the web

   the appeals court said it had a prohibitive effect on developers [4]

   30%

   Apple's cut of digital goods bought through its own iPhone payment system

   Epic says Apple also barred apps from mentioning cheaper prices [1]

   20%

   Google's headline fee after it settled with Epic, down from 30%

   Sweeney says settling avoided years of court fights around the world [2]

   What happened

   • Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, has filed a brief at the US Supreme Court against Apple. [1]
   • "Contempt is for companies that knowingly violate court orders," Epic's brief says. [1]
   • The order told Apple to let iPhone apps send buyers to cheaper payment pages on the web. [1]
   • Apple then charged a 27% fee on those web purchases, Epic says. [1]
   • Apple takes a 30% cut of digital goods bought through its own iPhone payment system. [1]
   • Epic sued Apple and Google on 13 August 2020, the day both pulled Fortnite from their stores. [2]
   • Epic lost most of its case, but the court barred Apple's "anti-steering" rules. [1] Those stopped apps telling buyers about cheaper prices elsewhere. [1]
   • The order was first issued in 2021 and came into force in January 2024. [3]
   • In April 2025 Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers found Apple in "wilful violation" of the order. [3]
   • The court found Apple's bosses kept picking "the most anticompetitive option" despite internal warnings, Epic says. [1]
   • It also found Apple gave the court a "sham" report to defend its 27% fee. [1]
   • In December 2025 the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the finding against Apple's 27% fee. [3]
   • It said the fee had "a prohibitive effect" on developers. [4]
   • But it said Apple may charge a "reasonable fee" tied to its real costs. [3]
   • On 30 June the US Supreme Court agreed to hear Apple's appeal. [4]
   • Apple says the order never mentioned commissions, so charging one could not break it. [1]
   • It says contempt needs "no fair ground of doubt", a test the court has used for more than 140 years. [1]

   Who is involved

   • Epic Games maker of Fortnite and the Unreal Engine; it sued Apple in 2020 and defends the contempt finding
   • Apple maker of the iPhone and owner of the App Store; it asks the US Supreme Court to overturn the finding
   • Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers the US district judge in the case; she found Apple in wilful violation in April 2025
   • The US Supreme Court the highest US court; it agreed on 30 June to hear Apple's appeal

   How it unfolded

   1. Aug 2020 Fortnite pulled from Apple and Google stores; Epic sues [2]
   2. 2021 court orders Apple to allow links to web payments [3]
   3. Apr 2025 judge finds Apple in wilful violation [3]
   4. Dec 2025 appeals court upholds it, allows a reasonable fee [3]
   5. October Supreme Court term begins
   6. Not yet set Apple v Epic is heard
   7. 30 Jun 2026 Supreme Court agrees to hear Apple's appeal [4]
   8. Nov 2026 Epic files its brief [1]

   Why it matters

   Apple told the court millions of app purchases could be affected by the result. [4]

   Regulators abroad are watching what fee US courts accept, Apple argued. [4]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why not just let people pay on the web?

      Before this fight, Apple had never charged a fee on purchases made on the open web, Epic says. [1]

      Web purchases: no Apple fee→Court order→Apple adds a 27% fee
   2. 2

      So why would 27% stop anyone?

      Epic says the fee was set so high that developers would lose money sending buyers to the web. [1]

      Sale moves to the web→Apple still takes 27%→Developer would lose money, Epic says
   3. 3

      How does that compare with Google?

      After settling with Epic, Google cut its headline fee from 30% to 20%, says Tim Sweeney, Epic's boss. [2]

      Apple, inside the app30% fee

      Apple, web link27% fee

      Google, after its deal20% fee
   4. 4

      What does Apple say the fee pays for?

      Apple says even one Fortnite skin uses its screen, chip, tools and App Store, so it should pay a fee. [4]

      iPhone screenApple-made

      ++

      Apple chipApple-made

      ++

      App toolsApple-made
   5. 5

      Did Apple only block game sales?

      No: Epic says Apple blocked cheaper web prices for books, films and music subscriptions too. [1]

      Gamesin-app only

      ++

      Booksin-app only

      ++

      Music and filmsin-app only
   6. 6

      Why fight all the way to the top court?

      Apple fears a fee set in the US would be very hard to change in other countries. [4]

      US court sets a fee→Other countries copy it→Hard for Apple to change
   7. 7

      So what is really going on?

      Apple writes the payment rules for every iPhone app. [1] Only a court order has forced it to change them, so the fight now sits with the US Supreme Court. [4]

   How it works

   Competition lawyers call Apple's old rules "anti-steering": a seller bars apps from pointing buyers to a cheaper way to pay. [1]

   Epic says those rules blocked price competition on purchases inside apps. [1] It says Apple's new rules, the 27% fee among them, had "the exact same purpose and effect". [1]

   Seen it before

   A cinema that bans outside snacks can charge more for its own popcorn.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Since 2020 Apple has fought in court to keep its cut of what people spend inside iPhone apps, and Epic's brief says Apple's own papers show a plan to keep it while appearing to obey. [2][1]
   • Apple says it "strongly, and respectfully, disagrees" with the lower court's findings of bad faith. [1]
   • Nobody knows yet

     When the US Supreme Court will hear Apple's appeal, and what it will decide.

     Ars Technica reported only that the court would likely hear it in the term that began in October; no hearing date has been given. [4]

   • Nobody knows yet

     What a reasonable Apple fee on web purchases would be.

     The appeals court said Apple may charge one tied to its real costs, but left the figure for Apple and the district court to settle. [3]

   What comes next

   Ars Technica reported the court would likely hear the case in its term that began in October. [4]

1. 02

   Take-Two's boss says it needs no buyer

   What happened

   • Strauss Zelnick, who runs Take-Two, owner of GTA maker Rockstar, says the company does not need a bigger owner. [17]
   • He said so on David Rubenstein's Bloomberg interview show, days before GTA 6 comes out on 19 November. [18]
   • Its rival EA was recently sold for $55 billion to a group led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. [17]
   • Below about $1 billion a year in sales, it is hard to survive the flops, Zelnick says. [18]
   • Take-Two expects $8 billion to $8.2 billion in sales this year, far past that line. [18]

   Who is involved

   • Strauss Zelnick runs Take-Two; says it can stay on its own

   How it unfolded

   1. This week Zelnick's interview
   2. 19 Nov GTA 6 comes out

   Why it matters

   EA's buyers took on $20 billion of debt, then closed BioWare and cancelled Mass Effect 5. [18]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why would anyone want to buy Take-Two now?

      GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game ever on the PlayStation and Xbox stores. [18]

   2. 2

      Does being bigger help a game company?

      Past $1 billion, "additional scale doesn't seem to help you succeed," Zelnick says. [18]

   3. 3

      Has anyone tried to buy it before?

      EA tried in 2008, then gave up when Take-Two said it was worth more. [17]

   How it works

   Economists call it minimum efficient scale: the size past which growing bigger stops cutting costs.

   Zelnick puts that size at about $1 billion, so a buyer adds little to a firm making $8 billion. [18]

   Seen it before

   A bakery saves a lot with a bigger oven, but past a point more ovens save almost nothing.

1. 03

   Sony bets on owning the next anime hit

   What happened

   • Sony wants to own anime stories that last for decades, a Bloomberg report on its Aniplex studio says. [19]
   • Aniplex chairman Atsuhiro Iwakami wants Demon Slayer to last "10 or 20, if not 50 to 100 years". [20]
   • The Demon Slayer film Infinity Castle took almost $1 billion around the world in 2025. [19]
   • Aniplex makes the shows, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures sell them, and PlayStation and Sony Music promote them. [19]
   • Sony is already one of the biggest investors in Kadokawa, a powerhouse of Japanese light novels. [19]

   Who is involved

   • Aniplex Sony's anime maker; wants hits that last

   How it unfolded

   1. Now Anime on Crunchyroll
   2. 2027 Anime tab on the PS5

   Why it matters

   Sony wants a story it owns outright, so it controls the merchandise sales too. [19]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why does owning the story matter so much?

      Netflix and Disney now compete hard for anime too, so Sony is betting on stories it makes itself. [19]

   2. 2

      How is it making new ones?

      Aniplex and Crunchyroll set up a new studio, Hayate, to make original anime for viewers worldwide. [19]

   3. 3

      Would Sony buy into more publishers?

      Iwakami says Sony would invest in Shueisha, a leading Japanese publisher, if the chance came. [19]

      Kadokawa: already in→Shueisha: if it can

   How it works

   Business scholars call this vertical integration: one company owns each step from making a thing to selling it.

   With Aniplex, Crunchyroll and PlayStation all inside Sony, one hit can earn for each of them. [19]

   Seen it before

   A farm that also runs the shop sells its own apples and keeps what a shopkeeper would take.

   Why a hit story keeps coming back as a show, a game and a tour

   Marketers call it brand extension: a name fans already love sells a new product faster, but one weak product can hurt the name.

   The twist

   A famous name makes something new easy to sell, because the fans already trust it. So a careful owner says no to most offers: one bad spin-off can make fans trust the name less.

   The picture

   63 weeks in top 10KPop Demon Hunters film

   ↓→

   150+ showsGolden World Tour

   Step by step

   1. 1 A story wins millions of fans
   2. 2 Its owner puts the name on a new kind of product
   3. 3 Fans already know and trust the name
   4. 4 So the new product costs less to sell
   5. 5 But a weak one makes fans trust the name less
   6. 6 So careful owners pick their partners

   The same force, elsewhere today

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

   • Take-Two is choosy about a GTA film

     Zelnick calls films line extensions and says there is always the risk of failure, so Take-Two agrees only when its own teams want one.

   • Sony bets on owning the next anime hit

     Sony wants stories it owns outright, so one name can sell shows, games, songs and toys through its own companies.

   • KPop Demon Hunters goes on a world tour

     A film millions already love becomes more than 150 live shows, sold before the sequel is ready.

   • MapleStory lifts Nexon to a record

     Nexon's boss credits brand extensions of MapleStory, an old game whose name now sells new ones.

   Where you've seen this

   Football clubs

   a club's badge sells shirts, stadium tours and video games

   Toy makers

   a building-brick brand becomes films and games

   Snack brands

   a chocolate bar's name moves on to ice cream and cereal

   The catch

   It works only while the new product fits what people love about the old one. A name stretched too far can sell little and make fans trust the original less.

   And the whole of it

   Every fan who buys a ticket, a shirt or a game is part of what makes the name worth extending. The owner, the studio making the spin-off and the fan in the queue each see only their own part of that chain.

   What comes next

   In 2027 Sony will add an anime tab to the PS5's home screen. [19]

1. 04

   Subscribers sue again to undo Paramount's megadeal

   What happened

   • Subscribers have refiled a lawsuit to undo Paramount's $110 billion purchase of Warner Bros Discovery. [13]
   • Paramount, now run by David Ellison's Skydance, plans to bundle Paramount+ and HBO Max in early 2027. [13]
   • Before the deal, an unhappy subscriber could switch to the rival service, the lawsuit says. [21]
   • It says one owner now has "less reason" to make Paramount+ and HBO Max undercut each other. [13]
   • The court has thrown the case out twice; this is thought to be the plaintiffs' last chance to amend it. [13]

   How it unfolded

   1. Before Case dismissed twice
   2. Thursday Refiled in California

   Why it matters

   Viewers who pay for both could face higher combined prices, the subscribers argue. [21]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      What does Skydance plan for the two services?

      Ellison said the long-term plan is basically to bring them together. [13]

      Two services→One bundle in 2027→One service later
   2. 2

      What else is the new owner cutting?

      Skydance plans at least $6 billion a year in savings, through layoffs, shared offices and more AI. [13]

      $6 billiona year in planned savings

   How it works

   Competition lawyers call this a horizontal merger: two rivals selling the same thing come under one owner.

   Under one owner, a price cut on HBO Max takes viewers from Paramount+. [13] So each has less reason to cut. [13]

   Seen it before

   Two ice-cream vans on one street keep prices low, until one family owns both.

2. 05

   Xbox lets ads pay for free cloud play

   What happened

   • Xbox Cloud Gaming, which streams games over the internet, now has a free tier paid for by ads. [11]
   • Players can stream games they own for free, after an ad that plays before the game starts. [11]
   • From this month Xbox is also capping how many hours people can stream before paying more. [11]
   • Jonathan Stringfield, who sells ads for Xbox, says games must either cost far more or find other money. [11]
   • GTA 6 costs $80, while GTA 5 cost $60 in 2013, worth about $86 today. [11]

   Who is involved

   • Jonathan Stringfield runs ad sales for Xbox

   Why it matters

   Xbox's strategy chief, Matthew Ball, says ads should offer cheaper ways in, so more people can play. [11]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Why not just raise the price of games?

      Stringfield says big price rises would not be "terribly popular". [11]

   2. 2

      Will ads spread into the games themselves?

      Stringfield says there is "zero world" where ads come to all games. [11]

   3. 3

      Is anyone else doing this?

      EA says the ads inside its own games now have to be "always-on". [12]

   How it works

   Economists call this a cross-subsidy: one group's payments cover what another group gets.

   Advertisers pay Xbox, so players can stream their own games without paying. [11]

   Seen it before

   Free radio is paid for by the adverts between the songs.

   The truth

   • What is really going on Elsewhere, the biggest owners are carrying famous stories into tours, series and films, and Xbox and EA are turning to ads to help pay for play. [8][11][12]
   • Nobody knows yet

     How much Xbox earns from its free, ad-paid cloud tier.

     Microsoft has given no figures for the ads or for how many people use the free tier. [11]

3. 06

   170 game studios closed since 2022

   What happened

   • Amir Satvat, who tracks game industry job losses, has counted 170 studio closures since 2022. [22]
   • North America had 86 of them, Europe 71, Asia 10 and other regions 3. [22]
   • Within North America, 64 were in the United States and 22 in Canada. [22]
   • 66 of the 170, or 39%, had been bought, or had a parent company bought, before closing. [22]

   Why it matters

   92% of the closed studios were in North America and Europe, so their staff took most of the losses. [22]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Did being bought cause the closures?

      Satvat says he cannot prove a purchase caused any closure, and leaves each case to readers. [22]

      Bought→Closed later→Cause: not proven
   2. 2

      Where does the list come from?

      It is a public list on his site, ASGC, built with corrections from people in the industry. [22]

   How it works

   Statisticians warn that correlation is not causation: two things found together need not cause each other.

   39% of the closed studios had changed owners, but Satvat says ownership history alone proves nothing. [22]

   Seen it before

   Umbrellas and wet streets turn up together, but umbrellas do not cause rain.

4. 07

   Analysts expect GTA 6 to sell 55 million

   What happened

   • Brian Pitz of BMO Capital Markets says GTA 6 could sell 55 million copies by the end of March 2027. [16]
   • He thinks 45 million could sell in the first three months alone. [16]
   • That is well above the 34.2 million average of forecasts gathered by Investor's Business Daily. [16]
   • The game costs $80, or $100 for the Ultimate Edition, so one analyst puts the average price near $90. [16]
   • Sensor Tower, a market research firm, estimates 12 million copies and $1.2 billion sold before launch. [16]
   • GTA 6 comes out on 19 November with no online mode at first. [23]

   How it unfolded

   1. 19 Nov GTA 6, story mode only
   2. Not dated GTA Online

   Why it matters

   Take-Two's shares have fallen about 10% this year, to around $228. [16] Analysts see a new GTA Online as what could lift them. [16]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Are these sales figures real?

      No: they are forecasts by analysts, not sales Take-Two has reported. [16]

      Forecast55 million

      vsvs

      Reportednone yet
   2. 2

      When does the online part arrive?

      Push Square expects it in early 2027, but Rockstar has given no date. [23]

   How it works

   Game makers call this a live-service game: one that keeps selling extras to the same players for years.

   GTA Online came out weeks after GTA 5, 13 years ago, and millions have played it for over a decade. [23]

   Seen it before

   A printer is sold once, but its ink is bought again and again.

   The truth

   • Nobody knows yet

     How many copies GTA 6 will really sell.

     The 55 million and 45 million figures are analysts' forecasts, and Sensor Tower's 12 million is an outside estimate; Take-Two has reported no sales. [16]

5. 08

   Sweeney says AI will make studios 10 times faster

   What happened

   • Tim Sweeney, who runs Epic Games, says AI already makes many of Epic's tasks 4 times faster. [6]
   • He expects 10 times as the tools improve. [6]
   • Epic's engineering chief, Marcus Wassmer, cited one early test where the work went up to 20 times faster. [6]
   • Sweeney says teams that refuse AI "will absolutely be left behind". [24]
   • He again attacked Steam's rule that games label AI-made content, calling it "guilt by association". [24]

   Who is involved

   • Tim Sweeney wants no AI label
   • Valve, which runs Steam requires the label

   Why it matters

   Sweeney also runs the Epic Games Store, one of Steam's main rivals. [24]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Do other developers agree with him?

      In a GDC survey, 55% said AI was having a negative effect on the industry. [24]

      55 of 100

      of surveyed developers see harm from AI

   2. 2

      What does Valve's side say?

      Former Valve developer Chet Faliszek said Sweeney should ask what a player wants to know about a game. [24]

   How it works

   Economists call a required label a disclosure rule: a seller must tell buyers a fact they cannot see.

   Steam makes developers say when they used AI, and Sweeney argues buyers then judge the tool, not the game. [24]

   Seen it before

   A food label saying a snack contains nuts makes some shoppers put it back unopened.

6. 09

   EA wants ads always on in its games

   What happened

   • EA, maker of EA Sports FC and Battlefield, says ads inside its games must now be "always-on". [12]
   • In June it launched EA Advertising, which sells brands space in its games, such as banners round a virtual stadium. [12]
   • A Philadelphia law firm, Pond Lehocky, can extend its Eagles and Patriots stadium ads into Madden NFL. [12]
   • EA says 700 million fans spend 12 billion hours a year in its games. [12]
   • EA's Andrea Hopelain set out the plan at the GamesBeat Next conference on 2 November. [12]

   Who is involved

   • Andrea Hopelain senior vice president at EA; runs its publishing and marketing

   Why it matters

   Players will see more brands in EA's sports games, placed where real sport already shows them. [12]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Do players mind the ads?

      Hopelain says EA asks player councils and forums how they feel about brands. [12]

   2. 2

      Do players already spend money inside games?

      In a survey of over 4,000 players by Xsolla, a games commerce company, 63% said they spend money in games. [25]

      63 of 100

      of surveyed players spend money in games

   How it works

   Media sellers call this ad inventory: the spaces a publisher can sell to advertisers.

   Each banner in Madden's virtual stadium is new space EA can sell, matching ads at the real ground. [12]

   Seen it before

   A football ground sells the boards around the pitch to local shops.

7. 10

   MapleStory lifts Nexon to a record

   What happened

   • Nexon, maker of MapleStory and owner of Arc Raiders' studio, beat its own forecasts for July to September. [26]
   • Sales rose 17% to 138.4 billion yen, about $865 million. [26]
   • MapleStory's sales rose 72%, a record for any quarter. [26]
   • Dungeon & Fighter fell 33% after weak updates in China. [26]
   • Nexon cut six projects in recent months and moved their money and teams to likelier hits. [26]

   Why it matters

   Staff on the six cut projects were moved to other games, Nexon says. [26]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      What is driving MapleStory?

      Nexon's boss, Junghun Lee, credits "brand extensions" of established series like MapleStory. [26]

   2. 2

      Is AI replacing its developers?

      "Nexon's games are made by people, and that is not changing," the company says. [26]

   How it works

   Nexon's boss credits brand extensions of MapleStory, an old game whose name now sells new ones.

   The idea, in story 03: Why a hit story keeps coming back as a show, a game and a tour →

   The truth

   • Nexon did not name the six projects it cancelled. [26]
8. 11

   Crimson Desert's maker spreads AI further

   What happened

   • Pearl Abyss, the South Korean maker of Crimson Desert, is spreading AI through its "entire development pipeline". [5]
   • It says AI now tests design ideas before anyone builds them by hand. [5]
   • It says its own developers still design the core game and create what is in it. [5]
   • Its next game, DokeV, first aimed at 2023, now targets the second half of 2028. [5]
   • Crimson Desert is due on Nintendo Switch 2 in the first half of next year. [5]

   Who is involved

   • AI tests and speeds up
   • Developers make the game

   How it unfolded

   1. 2023 First target for DokeV
   2. 2028 New target

   Why it matters

   Players have objected once already: AI-made images found in Crimson Desert were patched out after launch. [5]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Who is this message for?

      It came in an earnings letter to investors, who are told AI will bring games out "more expeditiously". [5]

   2. 2

      Is anyone else doing the same?

      Nexon told investors the same week that AI is speeding its coding, translation and code checks. [26]

   How it works

   Engineers call testing an idea cheaply before building it prototyping.

   Pearl Abyss used to test game systems only after building them by hand; AI now lets it test first. [5]

   Seen it before

   A rough pencil sketch before painting saves wasting a whole canvas.

9. 12

   AI copies make studios hide their demos

   What happened

   • Some studios are cancelling public demos for fear AI tools will help others copy their games first. [27]
   • Needle in a Haystack Simulator was cloned several times after its maker shared a video of it. [28]
   • Steam Next Fest in October showed over 8,000 demos, many made partly or wholly with AI. [27]
   • Games released on Steam this October roughly doubled from a year before, investor Lirui Ding said. [28]
   • The number of games getting 500 or more Steam reviews has stayed about the same. [28]

   Why it matters

   Studios that used to announce early to collect wishlists now wait, said Stefan Metaxa of Spiderling Studios. [28]

   Think it through

   1. 1

      Can a studio protect itself in law?

      Lawyers advise registering copyright before release, so a US studio can sue fast. [27]

      Register copyright→Copy appears→Sue quickly in the US
   2. 2

      What can a copycat not copy?

      Raw Fury's James Barnes says copycats "can't copy your audience". [28]

   How it works

   Economists call this the appropriability problem: when copying is cheap, an inventor keeps less of an idea's value.

   A public demo once built fans; now it also hands copycats the design, so studios show less. [28]

   Seen it before

   A pupil who shares homework early may see a friend hand in the same answers first.

10. 13

    Take-Two is choosy about a GTA film

    What happened

    • Take-Two has not ruled out a GTA film or TV series, but says it is "very, very selective". [10]
    • There has been no GTA adaptation in 30 years and 6 main games. [10]
    • Game films are everywhere: 2026 brought Resident Evil, Mortal Kombat 2 and Street Fighter. [10]
    • GTA is "probably the most valuable intellectual property in the entertainment business", Zelnick says. [29]
    • GTA 5 alone sold more than 230 million copies, he says. [29]

    Why it matters

    GamesRadar argues Take-Two has more to lose than gain from a film that falls short. [10]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why not just sell the film rights?

       Zelnick says a film happens only if Rockstar's own creative teams are passionate about it. [10]

       Teams want a film→Take-Two agrees→Otherwise, no
    2. 2

       What risk does he mean?

       There is "always the risk of failure", he says, so the bar is high. [10]

    How it works

    Zelnick calls films line extensions and says there is always the risk of failure, so Take-Two agrees only when its own teams want one.

    The idea, in story 03: Why a hit story keeps coming back as a show, a game and a tour →

    The truth

    • Zelnick named no GTA film or series in the works. [10]
11. 14

    UK animation festival bans AI-made films

    What happened

    • Manchester Animation Festival will refuse films made with generative AI from its 2027 edition. [7]
    • It is the UK's only animation festival whose winners can qualify for both the Oscars and the BAFTAs. [30]
    • Festival director Steve Henderson said the policy "puts artists first". [7]
    • This year's top feature prize went to In Waves, by Phuong Mai Nguyen, which Netflix picked up at Cannes. [7]
    • The five-day festival drew nearly 12,000 admissions, its highest total yet. [7]

    Who is involved

    • Manchester Animation Festival the UK's only Oscar and BAFTA route for animation

    Why it matters

    So from 2027, animators who use generative AI lose that route to the two awards. [30]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Is the rest of the industry going the same way?

       No: the same week, Pearl Abyss told investors it is spreading AI through its whole pipeline. [5]

    2. 2

       Whose side is the festival taking?

       Henderson says the festival wanted "to stand by the creatives" who make animation. [7]

    How it works

    Marketers call a rule like this a quality signal: it tells the audience what they are getting.

    By refusing AI films outright, the festival makes clear to audiences and artists where it stands. [7]

    Seen it before

    A bakery sign saying the bread was baked here this morning tells you how it was made.

    Good news

    • Manchester Animation Festival drew nearly 12,000 admissions this year, its highest total yet.
12. 15

    KPop Demon Hunters goes on a world tour

    What happened

    • Netflix and AEG Presents set a world tour for KPop Demon Hunters, Netflix's most popular film ever. [8]
    • It will run more than 150 shows in nearly 50 cities across 2027 and 2028. [8]
    • The film's singers will not perform live; animated characters will play to the crowd instead. [31]
    • Tickets go on general sale on 20 November, after presales from 18 November. [8]
    • The film has spent 63 weeks in Netflix's global top 10, Netflix says. [8]

    How it unfolded

    1. 18 Nov Presales open
    2. 20 Nov General sale

    Why it matters

    Fans get something new to pay for while the sequel, estimated for 2029, is made. [31]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why tour without the real singers?

       Netflix calls it an immersive show of new animation with live stunts and performers. [8]

    2. 2

       Who else makes money from it?

       Mastercard sponsors the tour, and its cardholders get the first tickets. [8]

    How it works

    A film millions already love becomes more than 150 live shows, sold before the sequel is ready.

    The idea, in story 03: Why a hit story keeps coming back as a show, a game and a tour →
13. 16

    Netflix shows its Magic: The Gathering series

    What happened

    • Netflix showed the first look at Planeswalker, its animated series from the card game Magic: The Gathering. [32]
    • First announced in 2019, it is now due in 2027, with no exact date yet. [32]
    • Netflix makes it with Hasbro Entertainment and Wizards of the Coast. [32]
    • Terry Matalas, who worked on Star Trek: Picard, is the showrunner. [33]
    • Magic came out in 1993 and is now published in 11 languages in over 70 countries. [32]

    Who is involved

    • Netflix makes the series
    • Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast partners on Magic

    How it unfolded

    1. 2019 Series first announced
    2. 2027 Due on Netflix

    Why it matters

    The show is one more product built on Magic, after a digital game, an esports league and comics. [32]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why has it taken so long?

       The Russo brothers left the project in 2021 over creative differences, and it stalled for years. [32]

    2. 2

       Who is drawing it?

       Digic is animating it, with Oscar winner Patrick Osborne as supervising director. [33]

14. 17

    League's 2027 world final shared with Japan

    What happened

    • Riot Games says League of Legends' 2027 world championship will be shared by South Korea and Japan. [34]
    • The early Swiss Stage goes to Nagoya, the first Worlds event ever held in Japan. [34]
    • The quarter-finals and semi-finals go to Suwon, and the final to Seoul Arena, still being built. [34]
    • Riot also moved First Stand 2027 to China and set MSI 2027 for Valencia, Spain. [34]
    • Riot shared the plans on 14 November, Korean time, at a media day before this year's final. [35]

    Who is involved

    • South Korea knockouts and the final
    • Japan the early Swiss Stage

    How it unfolded

    1. 14 Nov Plans announced
    2. 2027 Worlds in Japan and Korea

    Why it matters

    Korean fans who expected the whole event lose the Swiss Stage, which has the most matches. [34]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why Japan?

       Riot says League's esports scene in Japan is growing, and it wants local fans to watch in person. [35]

    2. 2

       Are Japan's teams strong?

       Japanese teams' recent results have been weaker than in the past, Inven Global notes. [35]

       Strong teams once→Weaker results lately

    How it works

    Marketers call this test marketing: trying a product in one place before a full launch.

    Giving Nagoya only the early stage tests Japan's market without staking the whole event on it. [35]

    Seen it before

    A cafe tries a new cake for one week before it adds it to the menu.

15. 18

    Microsoft's outage reached Xbox Live

    What happened

    • A Microsoft outage that began on 12 November hit Outlook, Teams and, reportedly, Xbox Live. [36]
    • Xbox's own status page said everything was fine while Down Detector showed problems. [36]
    • Microsoft blamed a fault from an earlier network capacity upgrade, not hackers or AI. [37]
    • "We are deeply sorry for the disruption," Microsoft said, as it restored services step by step. [37]

    Why it matters

    Players were caught in the same outage that hit some British hospitals and airports. [36]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why did a game service fall with office email?

       Xbox Live was reportedly among a long list of Microsoft-owned services that went down together. [36]

    2. 2

       How much else rests on those servers?

       Kotaku calls it a reminder that vast numbers of public services depend almost entirely on Microsoft's servers. [36]

       Microsoft's servers→Xbox Live→Offices and public services
    3. 3

       Who gets money back for the downtime?

       Microsoft offers credits to customers who send proof from their organisation's email domain. [54] Claims from a personal email address are not accepted. [54]

       Organisation emailcan claim credits

       vsvs

       Personal emailnot accepted

    How it works

    Engineers call this a shared dependency: services built on one system fall together.

    Outlook, Teams, Copilot and, reportedly, Xbox Live all went down in the same outage. [36]

    Seen it before

    When a block of flats loses its water main, every flat runs dry at once.

16. 19

    Two and a Half Men goes free on Pluto TV

    What happened

    • Two and a Half Men will stream free for the first time, on Pluto TV, from 20 November. [38]
    • Pluto TV, a free streaming service paid for by ads, is taking five Warner Bros TV series. [38]
    • All 12 seasons, 262 episodes, arrive at once. [38]
    • Veronica Mars, Martin, The Jamie Foxx Show and The Wayans Bros come too. [38]
    • Pluto says Veronica Mars brings 64 episodes and Martin 132. [38]
    • Pluto says adding over 25 old shows this year lifted its ad-paid viewing by 70%. [38]

    How it unfolded

    1. Until now Never on free streaming
    2. 20 Nov Free on Pluto TV

    Why it matters

    The deal comes from an output pact with Warner Bros TV, which now shares an owner, Skydance, with Pluto. [38]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why give a hit show away free?

       Pluto's Will Gurman says free streaming is growing faster than any other part of the market. [38]

    2. 2

       How does this link to the Paramount lawsuit?

       The subscribers' lawsuit says one owner can now plan the release of all its shows together. [13]

       One owner→Shows move between its services

    How it works

    TV executives call this windowing: a show earns again each time it moves to a new kind of service.

    Never before on free streaming, its 262 episodes now earn from adverts on Pluto. [38]

    Seen it before

    A film shows in cinemas first, then on TV, and each time someone new pays to see it.

17. 20

    Survival shooter Pioner shuts down

    What happened

    • GFAGames is shutting down Pioner, its online survival shooter, less than a year after launch. [39]
    • The studio says it "no longer has sufficient funds of its own" to develop the game or run its servers. [39]
    • Pioner entered early access, a paid unfinished version, in December 2025. [39]
    • It peaked at 1,686 players at once on Steam, a few months after launch. [39]
    • By mid-September only a couple of dozen people were still playing. [39]

    How it unfolded

    1. Dec 2025 Early access opens
    2. This week Closure announced

    Why it matters

    Players who paid are asking for refunds, and GFAGames has not answered them. [39]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why did players leave?

       Updates came slower than promised and the team struggled with technical problems. [39]

       Slow updates→Technical problems→Players leave
    2. 2

       Could anyone else have saved it?

       The studio says talks with partners failed to agree the money it needed. [39]

    How it works

    Accountants call server bills a fixed cost: they stay the same however few people play.

    GFAGames says keeping Pioner's servers running needs money it no longer has. [39]

    Seen it before

    A school bus costs about the same to run whether it is full or nearly empty.

18. 21

    Blade Runner's owner talks about a big game

    What happened

    • Alcon Entertainment, which owns Blade Runner, is in talks about a big-budget game based on it. [9]
    • Co-chief Andrew Kosove confirmed the talks to IGN, stressing the word "AAA", the industry's term for its biggest games. [9]
    • Blade Runner has had four licensed games, including a 1997 Westwood Studios adventure still seen as a classic. [9]
    • A game announced in 2023, Blade Runner 2033: Labyrinth, is now widely thought to be cancelled. [9]

    How it unfolded

    1. 1985 First game
    2. 1997 Westwood adventure

    Why it matters

    IGN raised Cyberpunk 2077, a huge hit in a similar style, when asking why Blade Runner has no big game. [9]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why has it taken so long?

       Film rights were costly, so the 1985 game could only be "inspired" by the film's music. [9]

       Film rights cost too much→1985 game uses only the music
    2. 2

       Is a game actually coming?

       No game is announced; Alcon says only that talks are happening. [9]

    How it works

    Lawyers call this a licence: the owner lets another firm use its story under agreed terms.

    All 4 earlier Blade Runner games were licensed, made by other companies with the owner's permission. [9]

    Seen it before

    A school lets a club use its hall, but the club must ask first and keep to the rules.

    What comes next

    The new series Blade Runner 2099 comes to Prime Video on 25 November. [9]

19. 22

    Britain's broadband readies for GTA 6

    What happened

    • Openreach, which runs Britain's largest broadband network, says it is ready for GTA 6's download. [14]
    • Its network technology director, Trevor Linney, said GTA 6 "has been on our radar for a long time". [14]
    • Big Fortnite and Call of Duty releases have already pushed huge amounts of data through the network, he said. [14]
    • Ofcom, Britain's communications regulator, says broadband networks should be well placed to cope. [14]
    • Sony and Microsoft are urging players to download early because of "unprecedented demand". [14]

    Who is involved

    • Openreach runs Britain's largest broadband network

    Why it matters

    Ofcom talks to game companies to keep big launches off the days of big sports events. [14]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would one game slow the internet?

       When millions download the same huge game at once, the load on the network spikes. [14]

       One launch day→Millions download→Network load spikes
    2. 2

       Has a launch caused trouble before?

       Hollow Knight: Silksong's launch last year caused chaos on Xbox, Steam and Nintendo servers. [14]

    How it works

    Network engineers call this peak load: a network is built for its busiest hour, not its average one.

    So Openreach plans for the GTA 6 rush, and Ofcom steers big launches away from big matches. [14]

    Seen it before

    A school canteen copes all morning, then jams at lunchtime.

20. 23

    A torch trick may expose GTA 6 codes

    What happened

    • GTA 6's boxed copies hold no disc, only a download code printed inside the cover. [15]
    • Users of the ResetEra forum say a strong flashlight shone into the case shows the code in reverse. [15]
    • Someone could read a code in a shop, use it, and leave the buyer with nothing. [15]
    • North American copies hide the code behind a camouflage pattern, so the trick fails on them. [15]
    • Some European copies have only a plain black strip behind the code, GamesRadar found. [40]
    • GamesRadar tried the trick on US and UK copies and could not read either code. [40]

    Why it matters

    Buyers of the boxed version are the ones who lose if their code is used first. [15]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Has anyone actually lost a game this way?

       GamesRadar found no reports of a stolen code so far. [40]

    2. 2

       How hard would the theft be?

       A thief would need the right copy, a powerful flashlight and a shop willing to take it back. [40]

       Find a weak copy→Shine a light→Return the box

    How it works

    Security engineers call this a side channel: a secret leaks out by a route nobody guarded.

    The code was hidden from sight, but not from light passing through the thin cover. [15]

    Seen it before

    Holding an envelope up to a window can show the letter inside.

21. 24

    Anniversary Xbox sells out in seconds

    What happened

    • Microsoft's green see-through 25th Anniversary Xbox Series X sold out within seconds of a restock. [41]
    • It is meant to sell for $900. [42]
    • GameStop, the US game shop chain, listed it for $4,950. [42]
    • On eBay, resold consoles are averaging around $2,500. [41]
    • Buyers blame scalpers and bots, and Microsoft sold first-come, first-served. [41]

    Why it matters

    Fans who wanted one at the official price mostly missed out. [41]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       How do other console makers stop scalpers?

       Nintendo ran a lottery for Switch 2 in Japan, which over 2 million people entered. [41]

       2 millionentered Nintendo's Switch 2 lottery

    2. 2

       Why did GameStop charge so much?

       Kotaku guesses it was matching the resale prices it saw elsewhere. [42]

    How it works

    Economists call this rationing: when a price is set below what buyers will pay, something else decides who gets one.

    With a $900 price and buyers paying $2,500 elsewhere, speed and bots decided who got one. [41]

    Seen it before

    Cheap concert tickets vanish in minutes and reappear online for far more.

22. 25

    Sony sharpens more games on the basic PS5

    What happened

    • Sony is bringing QSSR, its AI picture-sharpening tool for the standard PS5, to 6 more games. [43]
    • They include Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Arc Raiders, Control Resonant and No Man's Sky. [43]
    • It is the basic console's version of the AI upscaling Sony built for the PS5 Pro. [43]
    • The PS5 Pro now costs just under $1,000, GamesRadar says. [44]
    • The PS5 has only got dearer since launch, yet has passed 100 million sold, GamesRadar notes. [45]

    Why it matters

    Owners of the cheaper PS5 get sharper pictures for free, which weakens the case for the Pro. [44]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would Sony make its own Pro less special?

       GamesRadar suggests Sony has noticed how high the Pro's price now is. [44]

    2. 2

       Do the game studios gain?

       Embark says QSSR brings sharper pictures to "even more PlayStation players". [43]

    How it works

    Engineers call this upscaling: drawing fewer pixels, then filling in detail to make a sharp picture.

    QSSR does that with AI on the basic PS5, so the cheaper console shows sharper games. [43]

    Seen it before

    A phone's zoom guesses missing detail to make a small photo look bigger.

23. 26

    League of Legends' virtual bands reach Netflix

    What happened

    • Netflix is now streaming 10 animated music videos by Riot Games' virtual bands from League of Legends. [46]
    • The bands, K/DA, True Damage and HEARTSTEEL, are made of characters players control in the game. [46]
    • K/DA supplies six of the 10 videos, and the other two bands two each. [47]
    • Several were animated by Fortiche, the Paris studio behind the Netflix series Arcane. [46]
    • The set went live worldwide on 12 November, Riot's first music video deal with a streaming service. [46]

    Who is involved

    • K/DA six of the videos
    • True Damage two
    • HEARTSTEEL two

    How it unfolded

    1. Before Videos only on YouTube and Riot
    2. 12 Nov On Netflix worldwide

    Why it matters

    It adds to Riot's work with Netflix, which already streams its Emmy-winning series Arcane. [46]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would a game company make music videos?

       The bands are made of the game's playable characters, so every video shows off the game's cast. [46]

       Game characters→Form a band→Videos show the game's cast
    2. 2

       Are the songs actually popular?

       K/DA's debut song, POP/STARS, was certified Platinum by the US recording industry body. [46]

    The truth

    • Nothing in the set is new: every video has been released before, Inven Global notes. [47]
24. 27

    New York's mayor starts a youth game contest

    What happened

    • New York City's mayor, Zohran Mamdani, is starting a two-day game-making contest for young people this weekend. [48]
    • Every game must be about getting around the city, suitable for all ages, and free of violence. [48]
    • The top three teams win $3,000, $1,500 and $500. [48]
    • City officials say games support about 7,900 jobs across about 380 firms in New York. [48]
    • It is timed for days before GTA 6, out on 19 November from New York-based Rockstar Games. [48]

    Who is involved

    • Zohran Mamdani mayor of New York City; launching the contest

    How it unfolded

    1. This weekend NYC Game Jam
    2. 19 Nov GTA 6 comes out

    Why it matters

    A career fair alongside lets young entrants meet studios that are hiring. [48]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Why would a city back a game contest?

       The mayor's office says games bring New York $2.6 billion a year. [48]

       $2.6 billiona year from games in New York

    2. 2

       Who are the jobs with?

       About 65% of the city's game firms are small or independent studios. [48]

       65 of 100

       of New York's game firms are small or independent

    How it works

    Economic development officials call it a talent pipeline: training local young people so nearby employers can hire them.

    Mamdani says he wants young game makers to "build their futures right here at home". [48]

    Seen it before

    A football club's youth team trains local children so the first team has players later.

    Good news

    • Young New Yorkers can build games in a city contest this weekend and meet studios that are hiring at a careers fair beside it.
25. 28

    A big game piracy site's founder retires

    What happened

    • The founder of DODI, one of the best-known sites sharing pirated games, says he is retiring. [49]
    • He marries on 24 November and writes: "No way to own or operate a pirated content site in France." [49]
    • The site stays online: he has handed its domains and accounts to a new team. [49]
    • The ESA, the US games industry group, counted 7.14 million visits to the site in August. [49]
    • It says DODI removed only 22% of the links it reported over the past year. [49]

    Why it matters

    The site links to more than 2,000 games, the ESA says, and keeps running under new hands. [49]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Could the founder be traced?

       The ESA says DODI's crypto wallets sent money to exchanges that check users' identities. [49]

       Crypto wallet→Exchange that checks identity→A possible trail
    2. 2

       Is the site safe for its users?

       A security firm, Cyderes, listed the site in an analysis of a malware campaign in February. [49]

    How it works

    Trade officials call such a site a notorious market: one listed as a major source of piracy.

    The ESA named DODI for the US trade office's piracy review in 2024. [49] It flagged the site again last month. [49]

26. 29

    Five Star Stories English edition held

    What happened

    • Titan Manga has paused shipping the first English volume of the manga The Five Star Stories. [50]
    • It says it is reviewing "the situation" after online claims about the book's translator. [50]
    • Reddit posts claim the credited translator once made fan translations accused of using machine translation. [50]
    • The book, made with Japan's Newtype magazine, slipped from 7 July to 1 September, then 17 November. [50]
    • Nagano began the series in Kadokawa's Newtype magazine in 1986. [50]

    How it unfolded

    1. 7 Jul First date
    2. 1 Sep Delayed
    3. 17 Nov Delayed again

    Why it matters

    Readers waiting since July face another delay, and the translation is now in question. [50]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Are the claims about the translator true?

       Anime News Network says it cannot verify that the translator worked under those fan names. [50]

       Reddit claimsunverified

       vsvs

       News checkcannot confirm
    2. 2

       What has Titan promised?

       Titan says it will deliver an edition that "respects the original work". [50]

    How it works

    Publishers call this a quality hold: stopping shipment until a possible fault is checked.

    Titan put a hold on distribution as a precaution while it reviews the situation. [50]

    The truth

    • Nobody knows yet

      What went wrong with the English Five Star Stories translation.

      Titan Manga has paused the book without saying what the problem is, and the claims about the translator are unverified. [50]

27. 30

    Shots fired at inXile's office campus

    What happened

    • Police in Tustin, California, are investigating a drive-by shooting at the office campus that houses inXile. [51]
    • inXile, owned by Microsoft, makes the Wasteland games and the coming Clockwork Revolution. [51]
    • Officers arrived on 11 November and found several shell casings; nobody was hurt. [51]
    • Police took a suspect into custody on Friday morning. [51]
    • Police say the inquiry into where and why it happened is still going on. [51]

    Who is involved

    • inXile Microsoft-owned maker of Wasteland

    How it unfolded

    1. 11 Nov Shooting reported
    2. Friday Suspect in custody

    Why it matters

    "Our focus is on supporting our team," an inXile spokesperson said. [51]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Was the studio the target?

       Police have not said, and the campus holds other businesses too. [51]

       One campus→Several businesses→Target unknown
    2. 2

       How is inXile doing otherwise?

       Aftermath notes inXile is among few Microsoft studios spared in recent mass layoffs. [51]

    The truth

    • Aftermath learned of the shooting from an anonymous tip, then confirmed it with police. [51]

    Good news

    • Nobody was hurt in the shooting at inXile's office campus, and police have a suspect in custody.
28. 31

    Star Wars: Galactic Racer passes 1.5 million players

    What happened

    • Fuse Games says its first game, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, has reached 1.5 million players. [52]
    • It got there in a little over a month, after a very positive launch. [52]
    • The game mixes fast arcade racing with a roguelike structure, where each run plays out differently. [52]
    • The studio says it "can't wait to share more" about the game's future. [52]

    How it unfolded

    1. Launch Strong reviews
    2. A month later 1.5 million players

    Why it matters

    Fuse's post suggests the team is not done with the game yet. [52]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Is 1.5 million copies sold?

       Not clearly: Push Square says it is unclear whether it counts sales or people who logged in. [52]

       Copies sold?

       vsvs

       People who logged in?
    2. 2

       What do players want added?

       Players are asking for more tracks, more abilities and custom events. [52]

    Good news

    • Fuse Games' first game, Star Wars: Galactic Racer, reached 1.5 million players in a little over a month.
29. 32

    UniVersus card game changes hands

    What happened

    • UVS Games is handing its UniVersus card game to Boss Stage, a Seattle games company. [53]
    • UVS has run the collectible card game for over 4 years. [53]
    • UVS has grown through its deal with Riot Games to make Riftbound, a League of Legends card game. [53]
    • The current UniVersus team will keep making the game under Boss Stage. [53]

    Who is involved

    • UVS Games makes Riftbound with Riot
    • Riot Games owns League of Legends

    Why it matters

    Players of UniVersus keep the same people designing their cards. [53]

    Think it through

    1. 1

       Is UVS in trouble?

       There is no sign of it: ICv2 says UVS has been growing, faster since its Riot deal. [53]

       Riot deal→Fast growth→UniVersus moves on
    2. 2

       Who is Boss Stage?

       A Seattle company built around industry veterans, which will now produce the game. [53]

    The truth

    • ICv2's report gives no price or terms for the deal. [53]