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Cartoon Network Developing Game Slate

Cable’s Cartoon Network today unveiled a slate of upcoming video game released based on its original animated programming. The games will be developed jointly with several developers, including Midway Games, Crave Entertainment, D3 Publisher of America, and the Game Factory; according to Cartoon Network, titles in development include games based on the shows Camp Lazlo,The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy,Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi.

By working with a variety of game developers, Cartoon Networks intends to develop a range of properties which collectively span most major gaming platforms.

Midway’s Grim Adventures title is being developed for handheld and console platforms, and will be playable in groups or in a single-player mode. Midway is also producing the game based on Aqua Teen Hunger Force.

Cartoon Network Racing is a melange of elements from several Cartoon Network shows thrown together in a cart racer being developed by The Game Factory. Players can race characters such as Dexter, the PowerPuff Girls, Courage the Cowardly Dog, or Johnny Bravo. Meanwhile, Crave Entertainment is working on Gameboy Advance titles based on Foster’s Home and Camp Lazlo, and D3PA is building touch-screen-savvy games based on Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi for the Nintendo DS.

Publishing schedules for all the games haven’t been announced, but D3PA’s Puffy AmiYumi game should be released by June, while Midway’s titles are expected in time for the end-of-year holiday season.

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Geoff Duncan writes, programs, edits, plays music, and delights in making software misbehave. He's probably the only member…
Game developers are furious over Unity’s new runtime fees
Art of Unity

The makers of Unity, one of the most popular video game engines, announced a new "Unity Runtime Fee" that is set to take effect next year. Game developers aren't taking kindly to the announcement as the new fee is financially punishing, especially for smaller developers using the Unity Personal and Unity Plus plans.
Unity went into more detail about this in a blog post on Tuesday morning. It explains that starting on January 1, 2024, games that pass certain revenue and install thresholds will have to pay the Unity Runtime Fee. For developers using Unity Pro or Unity Enterprise, games "that have made $1,000,000 USD or more in the last 12 months and have at least 1,000,000 lifetime game installs" will have to pay the fee. For smaller developers using the free Unity Personal plan, this threshold is for titles that "have made $200,000 USD or more in the last 12 months and have at least 200,000 lifetime game installs." It doesn't matter whether or not your game was released before January 1 or this announcement, the fee will still apply starting next year if your game boots up with Unity Runtime.
This chart breaks down the fees Unity game developers will have to pay. Unity
According to a chart produced by Unity, Personal and Plus plan holders will end up paying the big fee proportionally, with it being $0.20 per install. For indie titles that have cheaper price tags and don't make that much more than $200,000 but are installed a lot, the financial risk is clear. While Unity said it "set high revenue and game install thresholds to avoid impacting those who have yet to find scale, meaning they don’t need to pay the fee until they have reached significant success," this announcement is not going over well with indie developers, many of whom used Unity Personal because of its cheaper and more accessible nature.
A tweet from game developer Rami Ismail explains that this fee being tied to the number of times the game is installed makes using Unity a risk for developers accounting for subscription service downloads, charity bundles, a free-to-play model, giveaways, and even piracy. Tomas Sala, the developer behind the Falconeer franchise, tweeted about how he's worried about paying exorbitant fees in the future because he's given away so many keys to charity. "This is ball-and-chaining me for an engine I already pay every year," Sala says.
Ultimately, the Unity Runtime Fee will punish developers that release receive don't receive much in the way of revenue but do see high install counts, which is not uncommon in the indie space bolstered by Xbox Game Pass and Humble Bundle. For now, Unity seems to be sticking with its decision, but this is definitely something developers using one of the most popular game engines out there will need to keep in mind when releasing games in the future.
Update: In response to the backlash, Unity posted the following statement on X:
"Today we announced a change to our business model which includes new additions to our subscription plans, and the introduction of a Runtime fee. We wanted to provide clarifying answers to the top questions most of you are asking. Yes, this is a price increase and it will only affect a small subset of current Unity Editor users. Today, a large majority of Unity Editor users are currently not paying anything and will not be affected by this change. The Unity Runtime fee will not impact the majority of our developers. The developers who will be impacted are generally those who have successful games and are generating revenue way above the thresholds we outlined in our blog. This means that developers who are still building their business and growing the audience of their games will not pay a fee. The program was designed specifically this way to ensure developers could find success before the install fee takes effect. We want to be clear that the counter for Unity Runtime fee installs starts on January 1, 2024 - it is not retroactive or perpetual. We will charge once for a new install; not an ongoing perpetual license royalty, like revenue share. We looked for ways to lessen the impact on developers, and provide ways to bring the Runtime fee to zero. If you’re using any of our ad products, Unity Gaming Services or cloud services, etc. please contact us to discuss discounts. We are actively listening to and following your questions closely. Please review our FAQ on today’s announcement. We also invite you to continue to discuss these changes with us on our forums."

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Sifu developer explains why the game’s latest update is its last
Sifu's main character at age 70 in Sifu.

Sifu, from Sloclap and Kepler Interactive, was one of 2022's most memorable games thanks to tough, but fluid combat that felt like it was pulled straight out of a classic action movie. Over time, Sloclap improved the game through a series of updates that added more gameplay options, new modes, and difficulty customization. Now, Sifu's last content update is upon us.

That final update, which is available now, is focused on the game's more hardcore players and fleshes out the Arena mode introduced in an update earlier this year. It includes six new arenas, 75 new challenges to complete within them, lots of new modifiers and cheats, and a Custom Arenas mode that lets players tailor their own challenges. Overall, Sloclap believes this adds 15 hours of gameplay.

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Over 100 PlayStation VR2 games are in development, Sony says
Playstation VR2 headset on a PlayStation-themed wallpaper.

Sony has released a massive FAQ about the PlayStation VR2 on the PlayStation Blog ahead of the headset's February 22 launch. It reveals some key new details about games for the platform, namely that over 100 PS VR2 titles are in development, and that Sony doesn't plan on giving its games physical releases for now. 
For the most part, the FAQ is full of basic information about the PlayStation VR2's specs, how to set it up, and what's required to use it. But the Games section of this FAQ reveals quite a few illuminating details about the future of the system. It reiterates that there will be around 30 launch titles for the system, but also reveals just how much is in the works for the headset. In response to the question, "How many games are in development for PS VR 2?" Sony writes, "There are currently more than 100 titles in development for PS VR2."

That's a good sign, as a new, expensive VR headset like this lives or dies on its game lineup. PSVR2's early days might be a bit odd as Horizon Call of the Mountain is one of its only true exclusives -- and it's not backward compatible with PlayStation VR titles (something this FAQ reiterates. However, those picking one up can still know that lots of games are in the works for it.
Another FAQ question asks, "Will PS VR2 games be digital only or will there be physical disc releases?" -- which is sensible to clarify as this headset's predecessor had physical games. "Initially at launch, PS VR2 games will be digital," Sony says. "Physical disc releases for select titles may be available at a future date." So don't hold on to the idea of picking up a physical copy of Horizon Call of the Mountain; you'll be getting PS VR2 games through the PlayStation Store for the time being.
Check out the full FAQ if you have any technical questions about PS VR2's setup and which games it supports. PlayStation VR will be released on February 22. 

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