UEFN 100% Revenue 💸, Nuke 17 🛠️, Games Growth Guild 📈
Design Deep Dives 🎮
Indie Dev Reality Check: Scope, Theme, Homage, and Clever Constraints
After critiquing around 150 indie submissions, this creator distills what consistently separates promising games from forgettable ones. Think scope as focus, theme as a guiding constraint, and polish the core interaction before piling on features. Learn why proper homage means studying originals closely (not chasing AAA scope), and how tight constraints—like single screens or pre-made assets—can boost quality. Plus, a smart breakdown of Bullet Heaven design beyond just “surviving.”
Cleaner Sightlines in Realistic Shooters: Vadzim Khadanovich’s Flora Guide
Lead Level Designer Vadzim Khadanovich shares foliage rules that keep realistic shooters readable without sacrificing detail. Define a maximum visibility zone, group small plants with larger shapes to reduce noise, and keep crowns/branches out of key sightlines while maintaining clean trunks at player height. Expect clearer enemy visibility and fewer post-art gameplay fixes. Bonus: related resources on immersive urban environments and Max Pears’ Level Design Kit for UE5.
Creation Tools & Ecosystems 🧰
Nuke 17.0 Open Beta Drops with New 3D and Annotations
Foundry’s Nuke 17.0 is now in open beta, bringing a modernized toolset for VFX, animation, and in-camera workflows. Highlights include a brand-new 3D system, overhauled annotations, and improved Variables to streamline collaboration and live reviews. More features are coming soon—download the beta and share feedback. Plus, Flix 8.0 adds a Storyboard Pro extension for seamless panel exchange.
Epic Gives UEFN Creators 100% In-Island Revenue Through 2026
Epic is rolling out in-island purchases for UEFN, letting creators sell items and paid areas using V-Bucks. Creators keep 100% of transaction value through 2026 before shifting to a 50% share. Monetization rules permit gameplay items, bundles, random rewards, and paid areas, but exclude standard Fortnite cosmetics. With new Creator Portal analytics and $722M already paid out, Fortnite’s UGC economy is set to accelerate.
Market Insights & Growth 📈
Guess the Hits: A Chrome Game to Sharpen Steam Intuition
Jonas Tyroller showcases “Review Guesser,” a Chrome plugin that turns Steam browsing into a game: guess a title’s review count from its store page. It’s a fun way for devs to calibrate their instincts about market success and store page effectiveness. The tool isn’t publicly available yet, but a release is planned after more polish. If you’re into leveling up your marketing intuition, this is an intriguing peek at a practical learning tool.
Games Growth Guild Launches: A Free Global Network for Games Marketers
The Games Growth Guild has launched as a free, verified global community for games marketing and publishing professionals. Members gain monthly sessions and shared resources to sharpen launch, growth, and live event strategies. Guided by leaders from Scopely, Twitch, Krafton, Innersloth, and more, the Guild aims to be a central hub for knowledge and opportunities. Its “give and get” culture emphasizes safety, collaboration, and practical insights.