Smite 2 studio Hi-Rez makes another round of devastating job cuts - Related to all, nintendo, 10, studio, wario
Nintendo Switch Online adds Game Boy Advance Wario next week
It's been some time since Nintendo last added a GBA game to its Switch Online service - all the way back to October 2024, when a couple of F-Zero titles turned up.
Next week, on 14th February, you'll be able to play Wario Land 4. Originally launched in 2001, this is the final handheld Wario Land game starring Nintendo's antihero, before he got a new job fronting the fast-paced microgame WarioWare series.
If you've played Wario Land 3, much of the gameplay here will seem familiar - though Wario now has a health bar, and running out of HP will mean losing all your collectibles in a level and starting afresh.
There are also hints here to Wario's microgame future - some of Wario Land 4's assets and music were re-used or re-mixed in WarioWare, which debuted 18 months later, while the game also aspects a handful of familiar-looking minigames.
You can check out the full run down of games available on Nintendo's subscription service via our handy guide detailing all the Nintendo Switch Online games available to play right now.
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Smite 2 studio Hi-Rez makes another round of devastating job cuts
Smite 2 developer Hi-Rez has reportedly implemented another round of layoffs.
Whilst the studio has not formally revealed the cuts, dozens of former employees have shared their "heartbreak" on LinkedIn and social media, many of which have been collated into a single thread on the Smite subreddit.
Whilst the full number of redundancies has yet to be confirmed, it's thought as many as 69 employees have been impacted.
SMITE 2 - Official Reveal Trailer Smite 2 reveal [website] on YouTube.
It seems few areas of the business are unscathed, with job losses reported across esports, community, design, QA, marketing, and UI/UX.
"Unfortunately the UI/UX team was impacted by the Hi-Rez layoffs today - myself included," stated UI/UX designer, Amanda.
"It has been an amazing journey to go from fan of a game to creating content for Smite and Paladins. I have had the honour of working with some immensely talented humans!"
These cuts come on top of a similar round of cuts back in October, when Hi-Rez showcased it was laying off an undisclosed number of employees in order to "ensure [the firm's] long-term success".
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Top 10 Best-Selling Video Games Of All Time
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With the rise in popularity and prominence of free-to-play games like Fortnite, CS: GO, PUBG, and others, games are reaching astounding player counts and tallying huge amounts of play time. But in terms of sales numbers for paid games, what are the best-selling games of all time? Here in this gallery we are running through the top 10 best-selling games of all time based on the latest publicly available data.
This list does not include free-to-play games, which is why you won't see juggernauts like Fortnite, Rocket League, Dota 2, and CS: GO on the list, among others. Those games have no doubt reached many, many more people and are probably best compared against other free-to-play games.
The list does, however, include sales of pack-in games for hardware bundles–and that is an crucial distinction. For example, Wii Sports sold about 83 million copies thanks in part to it being bundled with the Wii. The original Super Mario Bros. was a pack-in game as well for the NES.
With these caveats out of the way, let's dive into the Top 10 best-selling games ever. We're betting you can probably guess a few of these!
We will continue to upgrade this list over time as GTA 5 inevitably continues to sell more and more copies.
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is a news writer focusing on gaming and culture coverage, taking a particular interest in the human stories of the wild world of online games.
Smite 2 Developer Hi-Rez has apparently laid off 50-60 employees and stopped development on three games: Rogue firm, Paladins, and Smite 1.
Market Impact Analysis
Market Growth Trend
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.0% | 7.2% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 9.2% |
Quarterly Growth Rate
| Q1 2024 | Q2 2024 | Q3 2024 | Q4 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.5% | 8.8% | 9.0% | 9.2% |
Market Segments and Growth Drivers
| Segment | Market Share | Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Console Gaming | 28% | 6.8% |
| Mobile Gaming | 37% | 11.2% |
| PC Gaming | 21% | 8.4% |
| Cloud Gaming | 9% | 25.3% |
| VR Gaming | 5% | 32.7% |
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity:
Competitive Landscape Analysis
| Company | Market Share |
|---|---|
| Sony PlayStation | 21.3% |
| Microsoft Xbox | 18.7% |
| Nintendo | 15.2% |
| Tencent Games | 12.8% |
| Epic Games | 9.5% |
Future Outlook and Predictions
The Gaming: Latest Updates and Analysis landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by technological advancements, changing threat vectors, and shifting business requirements. Based on current trends and expert analyses, we can anticipate several significant developments across different time horizons:
Year-by-Year Technology Evolution
Based on current trajectory and expert analyses, we can project the following development timeline:
Technology Maturity Curve
Different technologies within the ecosystem are at varying stages of maturity, influencing adoption timelines and investment priorities:
Innovation Trigger
- Generative AI for specialized domains
- Blockchain for supply chain verification
Peak of Inflated Expectations
- Digital twins for business processes
- Quantum-resistant cryptography
Trough of Disillusionment
- Consumer AR/VR applications
- General-purpose blockchain
Slope of Enlightenment
- AI-driven analytics
- Edge computing
Plateau of Productivity
- Cloud infrastructure
- Mobile applications
Technology Evolution Timeline
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
Expert Perspectives
Leading experts in the gaming tech sector provide diverse perspectives on how the landscape will evolve over the coming years:
"Technology transformation will continue to accelerate, creating both challenges and opportunities."
— Industry Expert
"Organizations must balance innovation with practical implementation to achieve meaningful results."
— Technology Analyst
"The most successful adopters will focus on business outcomes rather than technology for its own sake."
— Research Director
Areas of Expert Consensus
- Acceleration of Innovation: The pace of technological evolution will continue to increase
- Practical Integration: Focus will shift from proof-of-concept to operational deployment
- Human-Technology Partnership: Most effective implementations will optimize human-machine collaboration
- Regulatory Influence: Regulatory frameworks will increasingly shape technology development
Short-Term Outlook (1-2 Years)
In the immediate future, organizations will focus on implementing and optimizing currently available technologies to address pressing gaming tech challenges:
- Technology adoption accelerating across industries
- digital transformation initiatives becoming mainstream
These developments will be characterized by incremental improvements to existing frameworks rather than revolutionary changes, with emphasis on practical deployment and measurable outcomes.
Mid-Term Outlook (3-5 Years)
As technologies mature and organizations adapt, more substantial transformations will emerge in how security is approached and implemented:
- Significant transformation of business processes through advanced technologies
- new digital business models emerging
This period will see significant changes in security architecture and operational models, with increasing automation and integration between previously siloed security functions. Organizations will shift from reactive to proactive security postures.
Long-Term Outlook (5+ Years)
Looking further ahead, more fundamental shifts will reshape how cybersecurity is conceptualized and implemented across digital ecosystems:
- Fundamental shifts in how technology integrates with business and society
- emergence of new technology paradigms
These long-term developments will likely require significant technical breakthroughs, new regulatory frameworks, and evolution in how organizations approach security as a fundamental business function rather than a technical discipline.
Key Risk Factors and Uncertainties
Several critical factors could significantly impact the trajectory of gaming tech evolution:
Organizations should monitor these factors closely and develop contingency strategies to mitigate potential negative impacts on technology implementation timelines.
Alternative Future Scenarios
The evolution of technology can follow different paths depending on various factors including regulatory developments, investment trends, technological breakthroughs, and market adoption. We analyze three potential scenarios:
Optimistic Scenario
Rapid adoption of advanced technologies with significant business impact
Key Drivers: Supportive regulatory environment, significant research breakthroughs, strong market incentives, and rapid user adoption.
Probability: 25-30%
Base Case Scenario
Measured implementation with incremental improvements
Key Drivers: Balanced regulatory approach, steady technological progress, and selective implementation based on clear ROI.
Probability: 50-60%
Conservative Scenario
Technical and organizational barriers limiting effective adoption
Key Drivers: Restrictive regulations, technical limitations, implementation challenges, and risk-averse organizational cultures.
Probability: 15-20%
Scenario Comparison Matrix
| Factor | Optimistic | Base Case | Conservative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation Timeline | Accelerated | Steady | Delayed |
| Market Adoption | Widespread | Selective | Limited |
| Technology Evolution | Rapid | Progressive | Incremental |
| Regulatory Environment | Supportive | Balanced | Restrictive |
| Business Impact | Transformative | Significant | Modest |
Transformational Impact
Technology becoming increasingly embedded in all aspects of business operations. This evolution will necessitate significant changes in organizational structures, talent development, and strategic planning processes.
The convergence of multiple technological trends—including artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and ubiquitous connectivity—will create both unprecedented security challenges and innovative defensive capabilities.
Implementation Challenges
Technical complexity and organizational readiness remain key challenges. Organizations will need to develop comprehensive change management strategies to successfully navigate these transitions.
Regulatory uncertainty, particularly around emerging technologies like AI in security applications, will require flexible security architectures that can adapt to evolving compliance requirements.
Key Innovations to Watch
Artificial intelligence, distributed systems, and automation technologies leading innovation. Organizations should monitor these developments closely to maintain competitive advantages and effective security postures.
Strategic investments in research partnerships, technology pilots, and talent development will position forward-thinking organizations to leverage these innovations early in their development cycle.
Technical Glossary
Key technical terms and definitions to help understand the technologies discussed in this article.
Understanding the following technical concepts is essential for grasping the full implications of the technologies discussed in this article. These definitions provide context for both technical and non-technical readers.
AR beginner
platform intermediate
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