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A Newzoo report challenges the 'F2P is dying' narrative, showing absolute playtime is flat despite a share dip. Gacha RPGs are driving massive growth on PC, adding billions of hours. Yet, engagement isn't proportionally boosting revenue, signaling a crucial industry challenge.

Sony's traditional silent approach to PR is facing a strong challenge from an increasingly vocal fanbase, frustrated by the shift to digital-only games and perceived mishandling of live-service titles. While the recent State of Play delivered some good content, it couldn't drown out protests, prompting questions about the long-term viability of Sony's "impassive mask" strategy. Even *GTA 6* might not be enough to quell the widespread discontent.

Xbox Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball clarifies the company's evolving exclusive strategy, emphasizing a "reliable pipeline of exclusive games" for platform growth, citing *Gears of War: E-Day* and *Clockwork Revolution* as examples. However, he notes that large live-service and some single-player titles like *Halo: Campaign Evolved* and *Fable* will go multiplatform. Xbox acknowledges player confusion about its "framework" for these decisions, promising more clarity.

Quantic Dream's live-service MOBA, *Spellcasters Chronicles*, flopped disastrously, leading to its abandonment after just three months and up to 95 potential layoffs. A French union blames studio leadership, including David Cage, for "incompetence," poor management, and ignoring warnings, creating an "ungodly expensive" game that failed to connect with players.

Behaviour Interactive has confirmed there will be no Dead by Daylight 2, much to the surprise of some fans. Developers Mathieu Cote and Dave Richard revealed this decision at GDC, emphasizing their commitment to the original game. They cited player investment and the pitfalls of fragmenting a live-service community as key reasons, promising instead to keep the existing Dead by Daylight fresh and relevant with continuous updates and support.