Nintendo Patent Battle š®, Square Enix Automation š¤, Publisher Pathfinder š°
Industry & Legal Moves āļø
USPTO Reopens Nintendoās āSummoningā PatentāIndustry Pushback Intensifies
The US Patent Office has taken the rare step of re-examining Nintendoās broad āsummoningā gameplay patent, drawing widespread industry approval. Critics argue the patent, tied to Nintendoās Palworld offensive, threatens common mechanics and reflects damaging overreach. With Japan already rejecting a related PokĆ©mon patent on prior art, momentum seems against Nintendoās approach. The article contrasts this with Sonyās conventional Horizon claim against Tencent, urging restraint over mechanics-grabbing patents.
Square Enix Targets 70% QA Automation by 2027, Cuts Western Staff
Square Enix plans to automate 70% of QA and debugging by 2027 using generative AI, supported by a joint research team with the University of Tokyoās Matsuo Lab. Hours after the announcement, reports surfaced of mass layoffs across Western operations, including QA, publishing, IT, and more. Leadership frames the move as a āleanā and āagileā overseas restructuring. One report suggests around 140 London staff were told theyāre āat risk.ā
Tools & Tech for Devs š§°
Cracking RotMGās Old Map Seeds with Smart Shortcuts
A developer revisits a 2010 Flash Voronoi map generator and sets out to recover the original seeds used for Realm of the Mad Godās shipped maps. A brute-force search of 2^32 seeds (an impossible ~630 years) gets tamed by optimizationsāyielding close matches like āperlin 30997-1ā for World 5. Several worlds are identified, some with multiple generator styles, though not pixel-perfect. Planned as a 4-hour diversion, the nostalgia-fueled sleuthing took 9āand solved a long-standing mystery.
Drop-In Swimming for Your Game: FS Swimming System Launch
Fantacode Studiosā FS Swimming System adds plug-and-play aquatic movement to your game: surface swimming, underwater diving, and height-based jumps or dives. It sets up quickly, integrates with other FS Systems, and features dynamic splashes and ripples. AI can navigate and follow targets across the waterās surface (no underwater AI). For realistic water rendering, thereās a free KWS2 demo to try.
Game Design Craft šØ
The 12-Step Cheat Sheet to Designing Better Games
This essay reframes fun as progress in prediction under uncertainty and turns that into a 12-step, practical framework. It distinguishes toys vs. games, operational vs. progression loops, and puzzles vs. evolving problems, then shows how feedback, variation, pacing, and systems/economies keep play fresh. It also explains how theme (ādressingā) and player motivations shape who engages. A concise, actionable blueprint for designing games that teach, test, and delight.
Beyond Dopamine: Practical Frameworks for Making Games Truly Fun
āFunā isnāt a single targetāitās a palette. This video surveys taxonomies (Newbury, Caillois, Bartle, 14 Forms of Fun) and shows how to turn 2ā3 chosen fun types into design pillars that guide every feature. Pillars are about player feelings, not genre or art style, and examples from God of War and SOMA reveal how this keeps games focused and resonant. A practical, indie-friendly blueprint for building games people actually love.
Strategy & Playbooks š
Inside Nintendoās Playbook: Mechanics-First Design, Prototypes, and Polish
At NZGDC, Rhys Riley breaks down Nintendoās design DNA: start with a core mechanic, prototype early, and perfect intuitive controls before anything else. Rooted in arcade āfun per coin,ā Nintendoās overlapping teams and 98% retention drive polish, knowledge transfer, and meticulous iteration. From constraints birthing icons (Marioās mustache, Metroidās Morph Ball) to āhard, not stressfulā difficulty and clear design pillars, this is a practical blueprint for crafting lasting fun.
Publisher Pathfinder: A Text Adventure to Find Your Gameās Funder
Industry vet Alyssa Kollgaard (COO, Akupara) launched Publisher Pathfinder, a free text-adventure tool that matches devs with publishers, investors, and services. It consolidates and verifies multiple community databases into a vetted list of nearly 800 companies, with added criteria like pillars and services. Answer a few questions about your game and get tailored matchesāplus a community Discord. The goal: make funding and publishing transparent, actionable, and genuinely fun.