Google Play outside billing 🏪 MTG Arena union win 🤝 Micron chip shortage 💾
2026-06-25 · 14 stories · 70 min read
Top Stories
Google will open the Play Store to outside billing on June 30 (2 min read)
Google will enable outside billing on the Play Store starting June 30 in the US, UK, and Europe, with global rollout by September 30, 2027. The company is cutting its commission from 30 percent to 10 percent on the first $1 million in annual developer earnings, with a separate 5 percent billing fee for Google Play transactions. Developers can offer alternative payment systems or direct users to their own websites; customers see a choice screen at checkout. Commissions increase to 20 percent after $1 million in annual earnings, though Games Level Up and Apps Experience program participants retain lower rates. (Engadget)
Magic: The Gathering Arena developers have successfully unionized (3 min read)
Magic: The Gathering Arena developers at Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro have unionized following an NLRB vote on June 2, 2026. The cohort organized under Communications Workers of America as United Wizards of the Coast-CWA (UWOTC-CWA), seeking generative AI assurances, layoff protections, and compensation transparency. Wizards of the Coast declined voluntary recognition and reportedly discouraged unionization; the majority of election participants voted in favor. The union is now focused on ratifying a contract with the company. (Game Developer)
Micron says chip shortage will "improve gradually" in 2028 (2 min read)
Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said the AI-driven global RAM and NAND shortage will persist through 2027 and improve gradually in 2028, but the company has no visibility on when supply will catch up with demand. Long fab-construction timelines, worker shortages, and regulations are slowing expansion. Micron reported $41.46 billion in Q3 2026 revenue, up 346% year-on-year, as major chipmakers prioritize data-center contracts over consumer hardware, driving DDR5 and SSD price spikes that have forced console makers to raise prices. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Business & Finance
US physical game spending rose 3% year-on-year to $1.6 billion for the 12 months ending May 2026—the first increase since 2009. Nintendo Switch 2 drove the bump, with physical software sales on Nintendo platforms up 26%. Analysts expect this to be temporary as other ecosystems continue declining. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Why new investment house Denmu has $50m to give to "auteur" developers (9 min read)
Denmu, a new $50M investment firm founded by Ryan You and Michael Fan, aims to back 'auteur' developers with longer-term partnerships that prioritize creative vision over traditional equity or publisher advance models. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Analysts attempt to make sense of Xbox's latest exclusivity pivot (7 min read)
Xbox is reversing its multiplatform strategy under new CEO Asha Sharma, returning to exclusivity with titles like Gears of War: E-Day. Analysts attribute the shift to questions about Xbox's core business model and the failure of exclusives to drive hardware sales in recent years. (Game Developer)
Jagex partnered with Japanese publisher Graph and South Korean/Southeast Asian publisher H2 Interactive to bring RuneScape: Dragonwilds to Japan, South Korea, and Southeast Asia—the studio's first use of third-party publishers in its 25-year history. The deals support Jagex's RS25 global expansion strategy. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Kadokawa CEO Takeshi Natsuno retained his position despite activist investor pressure, though shareholder support dropped from 90% to 59.68%. Oasis Management criticized Kadokawa for not maximizing Elden Ring's profitability. (GamesIndustry.biz)
Italian studio 34BigThings regains independence from Embracer (3 min read)
Italian studio 34BigThings regained independence from Embracer Group after co-founder Valerio Di Donato reacquired 100% of shares. The Carmageddon Rogue Shift and Redout II developer now comprises over 70 employees and plans major title announcements later this year. (Game Developer)
Atari and MobyGames launch new career development platform called Moby Professional (5 min read)
Atari and MobyGames launched Moby Professional, a career platform offering free and premium tiers ($14.99/month) for game developers to find jobs, network, and access compensation data. Premium features are free during a beta period through summer 2026. (Game Developer)
Games & Releases
GTA 6 will launch at $79.99 standard and $99.99 ultimate edition on November 19, with physical versions containing download codes instead of discs. Analysts debate whether the price point will become the new industry standard and whether more publishers will skip physical releases. (GamesIndustry.biz)
AI/Tech & Tools
Tim Sweeney says only hope for new games is to 'connect to economies of other games' (5 min read)
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney argues that new games can only succeed by connecting their virtual economies to established titles like Fortnite and Roblox, allowing players to transfer cosmetics and items between games. (Game Developer)
Policy & Labor
Former Xbox employees warn of potential for retaliation in rumored impending layoffs (7 min read)
Former Xbox employees are warning of potential retaliation in rumored impending layoffs, citing their own experiences being ousted after filing complaints against superiors. They urge current employees to document evidence and contact HR before the anticipated layoff wave. (Game Developer)
Culture & Community
The Fighting Game Community Grapples With Saudi Arabia Taking Over Evo (9 min read)
Saudi Arabia's Qiddiya Investment Company acquired Evo, the prestigious fighting game tournament, in February 2026. The takeover sparked immediate backlash from the fighting game community over concerns about Saudi Arabia's involvement in esports as part of a broader reputation-management strategy. (Kotaku)
gg! see you in game!
— [james](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesrjennings/)