Hitmarker

Google has selected 10 studios for its first African Indie Games Fund, sharing $1 million to support independent developers across Sub-Saharan Africa. 🎮 The cohort includes teams from Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and Kenya, with projects spanning puzzle games, platformers, rhythm adventures and simulations. Alongside equity-free funding, recipients will receive mentorship from Google Play specialists, commercial support and technical guidance from Unity. Google says the programme aims to help the studios improve their games and reach international audiences. Meet the selected studios and read the full story: https://lnkd.in/e_Jhdzns

Game writing is more than writing good dialogue. It’s building worlds, characters and stories that work inside a game. ✍️ The Game Writing Bootcamp is a 17-week, live program where you’ll develop one narrative project through 8 deliverables, 8 feedback sessions and 16 iterations. Led by Kelly Bender, a lead narrative designer and senior game writer with credits including Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, the bootcamp helps you shape your work into a portfolio case study. You’ll also practise studio-style writing tests and get interview feedback. No game engine required. ✅ The bootcamp kicks off on January 16, 2027. Learn more and secure your spot before it's gone: 👉 https://htmr.kr/gds #GameWriting #NarrativeDesign #GameDevelopment

Village in the Shade has sold more than three times its target after a two-year production by a team of around a dozen people. Automaton’s report looks at the scope and planning choices behind the project: https://lnkd.in/ewK8NXAp

Atari has appointed Crossy Road creator Matt Hall as EVP, Atari Mobile, giving him a cross-platform brief spanning mobile, web, PC and console. Read the report: https://lnkd.in/eVYftTCy

Which game kept you coming back to esports this year? The tournaments you cleared your calendar for. The rivalries you followed. The finals you couldn’t stop watching. Esports Game of the Year celebrates the games at the heart of those experiences. At Hitmarker, we also see the careers they create across competition, events, broadcast and community. Which finalist gets your vote, and what made its year stand out? Vote at the Esports Awards 2026: https://lnkd.in/e5kZpe7 #EsportsAwards #Esports

Studio spotlight: Electronic Arts 👇 Electronic Arts is hiring across EA SPORTS FC and EA SPORTS NHL, including a systems software engineer, game designers, a concept artist and an audio artist. The full issue: https://lnkd.in/exsFXjab New every Thursday.

Sucker Punch Productions has reduced its team after the release of Ghost of Yōtei, according to a report citing a former employee and a staff email. Read the latest games-industry workforce reporting: https://lnkd.in/euSvTdyW

Microsoft has introduced a voluntary exit programme covering around 60,000 employees, with Xbox among the divisions reportedly participating, according to Reuters. Eligibility covers staff at level 70 and below in participating teams across Canada, India, the UK and the US. The offer includes financial support and career planning resources. The 60,000 figure refers to employees being offered a package. How many will accept remains unknown, and Microsoft’s public announcement does not name individual participating divisions. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/exRDeRZy

"Dark Roll 2" from Artbarian Games is a physics-based precision platformer set across a dark fantasy gauntlet of deadly traps and shifting terrain. 🔮 Roll and bounce through handcrafted levels, collect gems, solve puzzles and take on bosses. Ghost racing lets you chase your own best time or compete against other players’ runs. Dark Roll 2 launches on 16 February 2027. Wishlist over on Steam: https://lnkd.in/emRiNsye

This week’s Midweek Memo covers Miyamoto’s thoughts on creativity and AI, Dispatch passing five million players, and sadly, reported layoffs at Sucker Punch. There are also five full-time gaming jobs across security, design, art and marketing, January bootcamps from Game Design Skills, and a reminder to back your favourites in the Esports Awards. Take a look 👇