Blender Rig Add-On 🛠️, NVIDIA AI in Unreal 🎮, Gaming Recession 📉
🎨 Innovations in the Creative Sphere
Rig Creator’s Major Update Adds Facial Rigging and Streamlined Workflow
Rig Creator, the popular Blender add-on by Edward Ureña, just received a major update overhauling its rigging system and adding powerful facial rigging tools to simplify animating expressions. The update also improves bone generators, introduces a new Relationship feature for intuitive bone management, and optimizes the constraints panel. With updated English documentation and a tutorial video, this release makes Rig Creator more accessible and efficient for animators worldwide.
NVIDIA DLSS 4 Now Enhances Unreal Engine 5.6 with Advanced AI Features
NVIDIA expands its DLSS 4 technology to Unreal Engine 5.6, enabling more games and applications to benefit from AI-powered enhancements like Multi Frame Generation, Ray Reconstruction, and Reflex Low Latency. This update promises significant boosts in both performance and graphics quality. Developers working with Unreal Engine can access the latest plug-in, alongside new engine features including mobile development tools and MetaHuman Creator updates.
🎮 Elevating the Gaming Industry
Cast Iron Games Launches in UK to Drive AAA Co-Development and Porting
Industry veterans Arden Aspinall and Jon Seymour have launched Cast Iron Games in Wakefield, UK, under Pneuma Games Group, aiming to deliver reliable triple-A co-development and game porting services. Building on close ties with sister studio Double Eleven, Cast Iron Games commits to high-quality partnerships and nurturing northern England’s rich talent pool. While focusing initially on co-development and ports, the studio plans to expand into full game development as it grows.
Gaming’s Recession Risk: Rising Prices and Falling Youth Spending Sound the Alarm
Recent data reveals a sharp decline in video game spending among young American consumers, dropping nearly 25% year-over-year amid wider economic belt-tightening. Unlike past downturns buoyed by new gaming booms, today’s industry faces weakened consumer perception of games’ value due to rising costs and unpopular price hikes. This erosion challenges the industry’s traditional resilience to recessions, signaling an urgent need to rethink pricing and innovation to survive the looming demand-led downturn.
🧩 Insights from Game Development Leaders
Inside the Success of Fredrik Präntare: From Solo Dev to Studio Leader
Join Fredrik Präntare as he shares the inspiring journey of scaling his indie game studio from two to forty members and selling millions of copies. Discover key insights on teamwork, overcoming challenges, partnering with publishers, and crafting compelling game narratives. This deep dive also explores technical aspects behind games like Core Keeper, offering valuable lessons for aspiring and established game developers alike.
Solo Indie Dev Thomas Stewart Shares 4 Key Game Development Philosophies
Join solo indie developer Thomas Stewart as he dives into four unique philosophies that can guide your journey in creating small indie games. Alongside insights on game development, he shares his personal self-employment experience and promotes his titles Bridges & Docks and Tanks, But No Tanks available on all major platforms. Whether you’re an aspiring solo dev or a fan of indie games, this devlog offers valuable advice and behind-the-scenes perspectives.