Good morning. Thanks for being part of a growing group of Early Access readers. For those that are new here: Early Access is a newsletter about video games. We cover the biggest news and the biggest games once per week, first to our Substack subscribers on Wednesdays, and then republished here on Fridays. Let’s get started.

🦸 Suicide Squad Review Controversy

What to Know. In a controversial move, WB Games decided not to distribute review codes to any gaming outlets – big or small – ahead of the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game began an Early Access period for purchasers of the Deluxe Edition on January 29 ahead of its full release on February 2.

Why It Matters. Gaming review codes are more than just freebies for journalists; they’re the gatekeepers to a world of informed consumer choices. When companies deny outlets access to review copies, they’re essentially throwing a shroud of secrecy over their game. Every game is a mystery box, leaving players to navigate the hype cycle in the dark, reliant on marketing campaigns and social media buzz that are often riddled with sugarcoated promises and biased opinions. This lack of transparency is a disservice to the entire gaming community – game devs, outlets, and players alike.

But It Gets Worse. If that weren’t bad enough for one of the most anticipated AAA games early in 2024, it quickly got worse when IGN revealed that WB Games was refusing it a review code because of its negative prior coverage of the game. The incident reflects a broader issue of game creators fearing negative criticism, leading to biased review landscapes and ultimately undermining the industry’s credibility.

The Importance of Reviews. VSG is (primarily) a gaming review aggregator, so I’ll freely admit some bias here. But even if you question the value of reviews, one thing that’s certain is that their influence on consumer perception and developer behavior still persists, making fair and equitable access to them crucial for a healthy gaming ecosystem. Of course, not all reviews are created equal. Some outlets prioritize sensationalism over substance, while others bend to the whims of their advertisers. But even flawed reviews offer a valuable glimpse into a game’s soul. They spark conversation, ignite debate, and ultimately, help players decide whether a game deserves their time and money. Silencing reviews through denied access not only robs players of this crucial information, but also stifles healthy criticism, potentially allowing subpar games to slip through the cracks and thrive on hype alone.

🎮 Trouble at Ubisoft

What to Know. Insider Gaming is out with an explosive report that Ubisoft, a large video game company, is facing internal struggles and possible restructuring due to low morale, trend-chasing, and management issues.

A Wild Goose Chase. Ubisoft’s recent years have been marked by a frantic chase after trends like battle royales and NFTs, leading to wasted resources, project cancellations, and ultimately, a loss of touch with player interests. This trend-chasing approach has resulted in numerous high-profile cancellations, including Ghost Recon: Frontline and Splinter Cell VR, and has left employees feeling frustrated.

Plagued by Mismanagement. The report describes Ubisoft as being plagued by delays and mismanagement – unrealistic deadlines, power-hungry managers, and confused developers. Beyond Good and Evil 2, plagued by a development cycle stretching almost a decade and a half, languishes in limbo, while XDefiant’s lurching progress is marred by last-minute feature additions that send the build crashing.

Conflicting Visions. Perhaps the biggest example of mismanagement is Skull and Bones, the ambitious pirate game from Ubisoft Singapore. Early development was reportedly hampered by conflicting visions and power struggles among managers. The constant changes in direction left developers demoralized and confused, with one former employee admitting to simply watching YouTube videos during particularly directionless periods. Eventually, some semblance of order was established, but internal deadlines proved just as unrealistic as the initial vision. Plagued by a decade of internal turmoil and six public delays, the game’s estimated $200 million price tag is unlikely to be recouped, according to Insider Gaming’s sources.

A Questionable Future. The report paints an uncertain future for Ubisoft. The publisher is pushing hard on extraction-based shooters and live services, with three major projects in development (The Division Heartland, Far Cry’s Project Maverick, and a new WW2 IP) and one live service set to release in February (the previously mentioned Skull and Bones). But that raises serious questions. Live service games, while still commercially potent, are facing a reckoning. The once-unquestionable allure of constant engagement and monetization is giving way to concerns about oversaturation, unsustainable development practices, and player burnout. With competition intensifying and trends shifting rapidly, even established live service giants like Bungie’s Destiny franchise are on shaky ground.

Not All Bleak. Despite recent turbulence, Ubisoft boasts an impressive upcoming lineup, potentially its strongest in years. 2024 promises two heavy hitters: Star Wars Outlaws in the first half and Assassin’s Creed: Codename Red in the latter. And 2025 and 2026 bring even more excitement. Ghost Recon returns with Project Over, set during the fictional Naiman War. Far Cry is getting two new entries: Project Maverick, a multiplayer experience, and Project Blackbird, a mainline sequel. And we’re also expecting more Assassin’s Creed adventures.

🔥 Quick Hits

• Microsoft Revenue. Microsoft’s gaming division saw a massive revenue surge in its second fiscal quarter, driven largely by the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. Overall gaming revenue jumped 49% to 7.1 billion, with nearly half of that growth directly attributed to Activision’s popular franchises like Call of Duty and World of Warcraft. Content and revenue sales saw an even sharper increase of 61%. While hardware sales remained mostly flat, Microsoft expects continue strong growth in content and services, fueled by the Activision integration.

• Microsoft Layoffs. Despite the rosy financial picture, Microsoft confirmed that 1,900 staff were being laid off across Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, and Xbox. According to Xbox boss Phil Spencer, the decision had been made after Microsoft and Activision Blizzard’s leadership teams “set priorities, identified areas of overlap, and ensured that we’re all aligned on the best opportunities for growth”.

• Tencent Under Threat. Tencent, the world’s biggest gaming company, is worried about losing its top spot. The company’s gaming revenue makes up a third of its total income, but it has faced tough competition recently. While older games like Honor of Kings and PUBG Mobile are still popular, newer titles haven’t been as successful. Tencent’s stock price plunged last month after China proposed new online gaming regulations, but the rules were later scrapped.

• Destiny 2. Destiny 2’s game director Joe Blackburn is stepping down after the upcoming expansion, The Final Shape. His replacement is Tyson Green, a Bungie veteran who’s worked on titles like Myth II. The expansion itself was delayed from February to June 2024, and Bungie went through layoffs in 2023.

• Shapeshifter Games. Earlier this week, it was reported that Shapeshifter Games – newly formed from veteran developers at Volition (Saints Row, Red Faction) – was co-developing on an unnamed Xbox Game Studios project. We now know what it’s working on, and which Xbox studio it’s collaborating with – none other than inXile and Clockwork Revolution.

• Spec Ops: The Line. 2K’s acclaimed shooter Spec Ops: The Line has vanished from gaming storefronts, reportedly due to licensing issues for its soundtrack and internal struggles at its former parent company, Yager Development, now owned by Tencent. Players who previously purchased the game can still download and play it uninterrupted, but it can no longer be purchased.New Blizzard President. Former Call of Duty GM Johanna Faries takes the helm at Blizzard, pledging to revive the iconic company amidst recent turmoil and staff departures. Her experience with the blockbuster shooter franchise brings new hope, but challenges remain, including internal issues and a legacy marred by player dissatisfaction.

👀 Game Dev Moves

I hope that every employee impacted by recent layoffs falls upward, and I’ll be highlighting some opportunities in game development here every week.

• Microsoft is hiring a Lead Game Designer in Redmond, WA (Hybrid)

• EA Sports is hiring an Associate Game Designer in Orlando, FL (Hybrid)

• Rockstar Games is hiring a LLVM Compiler Engineer in Manhattan, NY (On-site)

🕹 Upcoming Games

New game releases for the week ahead – January 29 to February 4.

• CLeM [PC, Switch] – February 6, 2024
• Foamstars [PS5, PS4] – February 6, 2024
• Border Bots VR [PC VR, PSVR 2] – February 8, 2024
• Helldivers 2 [PC, PS5] – February 8, 2024
• Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition [PS5, XSX, PS4, XBO, PC] – February 9, 2024

View all of the upcoming video game release dates (including DLC) for PS5, Xbox Series X, PC, Nintendo Switch, and more, over on VSG’s release calendar.

That’s all for today. Early Access is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts via email and support VSG, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber via Substack.

Thanks for reading,

Josh