DevGAMM Awards 2026 Reveals 70 Nominated Games For Its 3rd Annual Show: See the Full List

ign.com Oct 22, 2026

DevGAMM Awards 2026 Reveals 70 Nominated Games For Its 3rd Annual Show: See the Full List

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Oct 22, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

DevGAMM Awards 2026 announced 70 nominees from 1,088 entries submitted by 987 teams across 80 countries, with more than half of the titles created by five‑person or smaller studios. The third annual ceremony will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, on November 18, streamed by IGN. Winners receive $100,000 in cash prizes from Scorewarrior and over $40,000 in sponsored awards from Epic Games Store, Unreal Engine, tinyBuild, Unity, and Godot. The event will also feature new game reveals and major updates.

💡 Why It Matters

· The awards spotlight indie innovation on a global stage, offering substantial financial support that can accelerate small studios’ growth and visibility.

Capsules Gaming

Read full article on ign.com

Mass Effect 5 was “special”, dev says, and BioWare’s response to Baldur’s…

Former BioWare veterans revealed that development on a fifth Mass Effect installment progressed far enough to promise unprecedented player autonomy before the studio’s shutdown following Electronic Arts’ acquisition. Tony de Waal, who oversaw cinematics on titles from Mass Effect 2 to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, posted on LinkedIn that the team was crafting “something special,” aiming to surpass the choice mechanics of any existing RPG. He cited inspiration from Larian Studios’ Baldur’s Gate 3 and CD Projekt Red’s recent releases, noting BioBio’s intent to evolve the franchise while honoring the original trilogy. Senior writer Derek Künsken corroborated the claim on X, describing the work as “really cool” but confirming he could not disclose details. Both expressed disappointment that the project will never be released.

💡 The unfinished game illustrates how corporate restructuring can halt innovative RPG development, depriving fans of a potentially genre‑defining experience.

playstationlifestyle.net · Oct 22

Obsession’s New Video Game Crossover Has Every Inde Navarrette Fan Saying the…

Fortnite introduced Nikki Freeman, the protagonist of the 2026 horror film Obsession, as part of its Fortnitemares event on October 21, 2026. The promotional video highlighted a “reverse walk” emote that sparked a wave of commentary on X, with users mocking its similarity to non‑player character movements while others praised its novelty. Nikki’s in‑game skin features a red zebra‑print top, denim shorts, a sad‑face expression, and an alternate blood‑splatter variant, all age‑restricted. She wields a broken‑bottle pickaxe and carries the “No No No…” card emote referencing a restaurant scene from the movie, alongside the returning One Wish Willow back bling. The crossover is available for purchase in the Fortnite Item Shop using V‑Bucks.

💡 The partnership leverages a blockbuster horror franchise to refresh Fortnite’s seasonal content, drawing both film fans and gamers into the platform’s ecosystem.

ign.com · Oct 22

‘Regions Are Cheating and We Need to Address It’ — Wardogs Dev…

Bulkhead has introduced region locking in the multiplayer shooter Wardogs, capping player ping at 175 to curb cheating from distant regions. The move, aimed at protecting the majority of players, has sparked backlash from Asian gamers who feel unfairly blocked and from cross‑region friends denied gameplay. Players have demanded refunds and criticized the policy as discriminatory, while the studio insists the measure is a temporary fix pending stronger anti‑cheat solutions. The controversy highlights tensions between anti‑cheat strategies and global player inclusivity.

💡 The backlash underscores how technical safeguards can unintentionally marginalize specific player groups, challenging developers to balance security with equitable access.

eurogamer.net · Oct 22

Xbox cloud gaming prices revealed, with 50 hours of ad-free game-time priced…

Microsoft announced pricing for its Xbox cloud gaming service, offering three prepaid bundles that grant ad‑free streaming without a Game Pass subscription. Xbox Insiders can purchase 10 hours for $3.99, 25 hours for $7.99, or 50 hours for $11.99, with the full rollout to all users slated for November. The paid tiers supplement the free, ad‑supported version launched earlier this year and promise shorter wait times during peak periods, though some latency may remain. Microsoft previously said monthly usage caps would affect only a small fraction of players, and a separate report cited a 15‑hour limit on Game Pass Ultimate cloud play. The pricing move comes as Xbox undergoes a restructuring that includes layoffs of over 3,000 staff worldwide soon.

💡 By monetizing cloud play without a Game Pass tie‑in, Microsoft tests a direct‑revenue model that could reshape subscription strategies across console platforms.

windowscentral.com · Oct 22

Make sure you have the RIGHT backpack to protect your loot in…

Richard Devine, Managing Editor at Windows Central, writes about Windows, PCs, open‑source software, and gaming. He spends time exploring GitHub for new tools, refining WSL workflows, and bridging Windows‑Linux gaps. Devine also shares gaming experiences, from The Division 2 to Forza Horizon, and discusses community aspects that sustain games. His goal is to provide readers with useful information, practical tools, and a better overall computing and gaming experience.

💡 Devine’s blend of technical insight and gaming passion offers a unique perspective that helps users optimize both their systems and playtime.

playstationlifestyle.net · Oct 22

EA’s New Mass Effect Game Is Being Canceled for a Heartbreaking Reason

Electronic Arts announced the shutdown of BioWare, its long‑standing development studio, as part of a broader cost‑cutting plan that will eliminate 400 positions across the company. The move ends the five‑year development cycle of the anticipated fifth Mass Effect title, which had been in production since its initial reveal. BioWare will lose 50 jobs in the layoff, and the studio’s future projects, including the next Mass Effect, are now cancelled. EA’s restructuring aims to save roughly $700 million by slashing research and development spending amid mounting financial pressure. The cuts also affect other divisions; the upcoming Sims entry, Project Lotus, is scrapped, while EA redirects resources to titles such as Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi and Battlefield.

💡 The cancellation removes the franchise’s last chance to revive fan confidence after recent missteps, while EA’s aggressive budget trimming reshapes the competitive landscape for high‑budget RPG development.