Videos in My Games: Who’s Behind This Content?

Welcome to the latest edition of Video Games Weekly at Engadget. Prepare for a fresh story every Monday or Tuesday, presented in two distinct segments. The first segment features insightful essays and musings on the ever-evolving landscape of video game trends and associated topics, crafted by me, Jess Conditt, an experienced reporter with over 13 years of deep engagement in the gaming industry. The second segment delivers essential video game news highlights from the past week, including notable stories from beyond Engadget.

Enjoy your read, and I look forward to connecting with you again next week.

If I have to read yet another article praising Death Stranding 2 while insisting that you skip the cutscenes, I might just lose it. At what point, after enduring 10 hours of cinematic interludes, do we collectively decide to put the controller down and acknowledge that this isn’t a stellar game? This isn’t to say the gameplay isn’t exceptional — it truly is — but a large portion of the experience feels non-interactive. When do we start labeling a Hideo Kojima project as a CGI movie with brief interactive segments, rather than categorizing it primarily as a video game?

I’m not here to ponder the “video game of Theseus” dilemma, yet it’s a topic that has been circulating in my thoughts due to recent headlines. Reviews for Death Stranding 2 are out, Neil Druckmann has exited HBO to return to Naughty Dog permanently, and the Emmy nominations have revealed a striking 18 nods for video game adaptations. In the meantime, the gaming industry is facing yet another wave of layoffs, with thousands dismissed from Xbox this month, alongside multiple studio shutdowns and game cancellations. Among the most unexpected casualties was Project Blackbird, a promising MMO from ZeniMax Online, which was reportedly shelved to prioritize resources for the development of Fallout 5, a franchise gaining traction following the success of Amazon’s Fallout TV series in 2024.

The intersection of video games and Hollywood is not a novel discussion — even for me — but its relevance has only intensified over time. Sony is particularly committed to a cross-media strategy, making substantial investments in television, anime, and film adaptations of its beloved video game franchises. The recent release of Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding 2 epitomizes this ongoing dialogue.

Kojima is an easy target for critique due to his outspoken ambition to create films, and fittingly, his games have become increasingly cinematic over the years. Both Death Stranding and its sequel are filled with well-known Hollywood actors (as well as Kojima’s preferred directors) and feature extensive non-interactive cutscenes. His upcoming projects, OD and Physint, are touted as having star-studded casts that “blur the lines between film and gaming.”

As a fan of experimental horror games, I admire Kojima’s talent for crafting tension and intricate action sequences. However, my enthusiasm for OD and Physint is tempered by apprehension. The deeper Kojima immerses himself in Hollywood, the more I feel disconnected. I don’t engage with a video game merely to watch a film, and I’m not impressed when an interactive experience is defined through cinematic language. The constraints of filmmaking differ significantly from those in video game development, and it’s disheartening to witness a gifted creator strive to mold video games to fit the confines of film and television instead of exploring the mechanics that render interactive art uniquely compelling. It feels as though Kojima views cinema as the ultimate objective rather than the essence of video games, which is a disappointing perspective for someone who cherishes the medium.

This situation is particularly disheartening amid a climate of instability in the video game industry. It’s frustrating to see substantial financial resources and creative talent directed toward projects that resemble films more than games, especially when it’s increasingly challenging for innovative and original AAA projects to successfully launch. The potential of video games as an art form is far from exhausted — there is still a wealth of possibilities to explore in mechanics, visuals, haptics, and immersive interaction systems. Many stories can only be conveyed through these unique tools. Analyzing game development through the lens of filmmaking diminishes everything that makes this medium so impactful. The only Hollywood quality the gaming industry should strive to replicate is its robust and effective unions.

I appreciate works that inhabit the ambiguous space between definitions; I often find them more appealing. However, I take issue with misguided imitation that is marketed to the audience as innovation. Ultimately, what I’m conveying is that I’m still grappling with the impact of PT.

Essential Video Game News This Week

King Developers: Architects of Their Own Downfall

One of the most shocking revelations from Microsoft’s recent sweeping layoffs earlier this month was the inclusion of King, the studio famous for Candy Crush, among those affected. Historically, King has been a cash cow with impressive returns per employee, often shielding it from layoffs. However, this time, at least 200 employees were let go from the studio. Disturbingly, many of the terminated developers had spent recent years training AI systems to perform their roles, which adds a disheartening layer to an already unfortunate scenario.

Best Buy to Restock Switch 2 Consoles This Thursday

Have you succumbed to the fear of missing out (FOMO) yet? After initially resisting the urge to desire a Switch 2 for a few noble weeks, have you finally admitted that you truly want one? Fantastic — head to Best Buy on Thursday, July 17, when the retailer will replenish its inventory of Switch 2 consoles across all locations. This restock coincides with the launch of Donkey Kong Banaza, creating a perfect opportunity for eager gamers.

Latest Insights on Ken Levine’s Upcoming Game Judas

I’ve been closely monitoring Judas, the BioShock-inspired first-person shooter from Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Games, since its unveiling in 2022, and I genuinely appreciate the mystery surrounding it. I’m eagerly consuming every shred of information about Judas, with the latest tidbit emerging from an interview with Levine conducted by the classic game publisher Nightdive Studios. Levine emphasized that with Judas, his team is dedicated to “telling a compelling story and transporting the player to another world,” rather than focusing on creating live-service or microtransaction features. As Levine articulated, “You purchase the game and receive the entire experience. There’s no online component or live service.”

As of now, there is still no confirmed release date for Judas.

Summer Games Done Quick Raises Millions for Charitable Causes

The enthusiastic team at Summer Games Done Quick has achieved yet another amazing feat, raising millions of dollars for Doctors Without Borders in a single weekend through their unique approach of playing video games in entertaining ways without pause. The recent SGDQ 2025 event concluded on Sunday, amassing a staggering total of $2,436,614 in donations. The organization’s upcoming event is another edition of Flame Fatales, a speedrunning showcase spotlighting women and femme gamers, scheduled for September 7 to 14. We hope to see you there!

Former Subnautica 2 Studio Executives Take Legal Action Against Krafton

The saga surrounding Subnautica 2 continues to unfold dramatically. Earlier this month, the leadership team of Unknown Worlds Entertainment — which is behind Subnautica 2 — including Charlie Cleveland, Ted Gill, and Max McGuire, were dismissed by their parent company, Krafton, resulting in the delay of the game’s early access release until 2026. Additionally, reports from Bloomberg indicate that the studio was poised to receive a $250 million bonus if specific financial targets were met by the end of the year, largely contingent on an early access launch. Cleveland has publicly stated that Subnautica 2 was ready for early access, while Krafton has responded to the turmoil by accusing the terminated executives of neglecting their responsibilities as studio heads. In a significant turn, Cleveland and his colleagues are now reportedly pursuing legal action against Krafton. GamesIndustry.biz has published a detailed timeline of the ongoing Subnautica 2 controversy.

Further Reading and Resources