May
Melbourne entrepreneur builds $3b gaming empire out of solitaire app
Meet the Aussie game designer who’s built a global company by making simple online games better than anyone else.
Nvidia built its culture around 1 principle. And it saved the company
The chip giant’s survival is not only a story of technical innovation. It is a story of humility in the face of failure and the courage to pivot when it matters most.
April
Which crisis sent markets down 57 per cent? Take our weekly news quiz
Have you been paying attention this week? Test your knowledge across politics, business and world news.
Nintendo Switch 2 to launch with new Mario Kart and James Bond games
The gaming company has announced pricing and launch details for its hugely popular Switch console, and a first look at the new Mario Kart World game.
January
This is the worst page on the internet
Stimulation Clicker is a remarkable rendering of how digital life has gone off the rails.
Elon Musk: Tech giant, political force and video game king. Or is he?
For the US billionaire, being a “hardcore gamer” is a key part of his identity. But some in the community are starting to doubt whether he has the time or skill to be on the leaderboards.
Nintendo’s Switch 2 Is Here. Now it’s all about the games
After all the rumours and years of anticipation, we know what Nintendo’s next console is. It’s the Switch 2.
How video games got too good-looking for their own good
With a budget of almost $500 million, Sony’s “Spider-Man 2” game exemplifies an industry whose obsession with realistic graphics has begun to cost it dearly.
December 2024
How Dungeons & Dragons became cool
The role-playing game, celebrating its 50th birthday, was once a nerdy niche. It’s championing by Hollywood creators has won it unprecedented popularity.
November 2024
Aristocrat sells fantasy mobile games publisher for $1.2b
The pokies manufacturer is refocusing on slot machines, lotteries and social casinos, divesting itself from the owner of a popular RPG.
Australian crypto giant Immutable faces SEC blowtorch
The video game software company was founded by the two sons of a Macquarie banker and in 2022 had a valuation of around $3.5 billion.
May 2024
Why anger is rising over Japan’s ‘dangerously’ weak yen
Ryohei Kim is furious at the Bank of Japan because of the record-low yen and the impact it is having on his beloved video games.
January 2024
Microsoft cuts 1900 jobs from games division it bought for $105b
The layoffs at both Activision Blizzard and Xbox, as well as elsewhere in the sector, come as the pandemic boom in playing continues to recede.
How a 13-year-old beat AI to ‘break’ Tetris
For years the limit was thought to be level 29, when the blocks start falling so quickly it seems as if it would be impossible for a human to keep up.
China removes official after video game rules spark turmoil
Feng Shixin was said to have been fired after his agency unveiled new rules that sent video game stocks plunging.
November 2023
Shareholders oust Michelle Guthrie from video game maker’s board
The former ABC managing director has been voted off the board of the video game developer.
Nintendo gets Wes Ball to sprinkle movie magic on Zelda
The games giant scored big with the Super Mario Bros movie. Now it’s hoping for a repeat.
October 2023
This video game maker was Australia’s big hope. It’s on life support
Mighty Kingdom has burned through $35 million in two years and has tapped the market for $1 million more to keep the lights on.
PAC Capital forced to liquidate ‘esports’ gaming fund
The decision is a blow to fund owner Clayton Larcombe, who has promoted online gaming as a promising investment opportunity.
September 2023
Why this Newcastle doctor switched from scrubs to video games
Michael Pomroy made about $140,000 last year playing construction and building games online and posting videos about them after burning out as a doctor.