Amazon layoffs 📉, Play Store KYC 🔒, ARC VCS 🛠️
Godot Dev Boosters 🚀
Godot + Zed: Full Setup Guide with Debugging in Minutes
Turn Zed into a Godot powerhouse with step-by-step setup for editing and debugging GDScript. Configure Zed as Godot’s external editor, add a Launch.json to enable launch/attach debugging, and remember to keep Godot open for language features. Windows users: install ncat from NMap and ensure it’s on PATH. A short video demo ties it all together.
Free FABRIK IK for Godot: OSIK Lands in the Asset Library
Okay Salmon released OSIK, a free, MIT-licensed IK plugin for Godot 4.5+. Built around a FABRIK solver with pitch/yaw constraints, it supports local/global transforms and ships with handy debugging tools. The fully commented GDScript doubles as a learning resource and proof of concept that doesn’t depend on engine-side IK nodes. It’s available now in the Godot Asset Library for both experimentation and production use.
Industry & Policy Watch 🏛️
Amazon’s Biggest Layoffs Since 2022: AWS, Games Division Affected
Amazon is reportedly preparing to lay off up to 30,000 corporate employees—about 10% of its corporate workforce—in its largest cuts since 2022. The reductions span AWS, devices/services, HR, operations, and Amazon’s games division, following a recent AWS outage that hit Roblox, Fortnite, and WhatsApp. CEO Andy Jassy has cited AI-driven automation of routine tasks as a factor, and notifications reportedly begin Tuesday, October 28. The final number may shift with changing financial priorities.
Dev heads-up: Play Store age verification and global KYC coming
Google is rolling out age verification on the Play Store ahead of new US child-safety laws, requiring users to prove they’re 18+ via ID, selfie, credit card, or Verifymy.io. Texas, Utah, and Louisiana will mandate age checks, parental consent for minors, and age data sharing with developers. Rollouts and methods will vary by region. Separately, Google will begin verifying Android developer identities in 2026, expanding globally by 2027.
Pipeline & Workflow Power-Ups 🛠️
Preview Animations Instantly: Mesh2Motion’s New Explore and Rig Overhaul
Mesh2Motion now opens on an Explore page where you can preview animations and swap skeletons instantly—no model import needed. Every Blender skeleton gets an upgraded control rig with separate driver and deformation bones for better IK and cleaner constraints. Creature rigs gain expressive mouths and new bones (wings, stomach) for improved deformations, plus fresh quadruped/fox clips. Bonus QoL: floor transparency, transform space toggle, and expanded human A-pose range.
Why Git and Perforce Hurt Games—And How ARC Fixes It
Veteran dev Nuno Aonso presents ARC, a GUI-first, centralized VCS purpose-built for large, binary-heavy game projects. He explains why Git/LFS add complexity and Perforce stagnates, then demos ARC’s bidirectional shelves, lock queues, ordered changelists, and fast Unreal-scale performance. Built in Jai with integrity checks and simple admin tools, ARC supports trunk-based development and offers indie-friendly licensing (free under $500k, $49/seat perpetual).