How the Journey From Typhoon Studios to Raccoon Logic Came to Be Marcel Kleffmann February 12, 2025 – 3 min read Share this post Pretty wild: How Typhoon Studios ultimately became Raccoon Logic and why © Raccoon Logic Only opened in 2023 was the Istanbul studio. Now, it will be closed (IOI) Business IO Interactive Closes Istanbul Office, Gets Right to Project Fantasy IO Interactive has secured the IP for their Project Fantasy and will finish it independently. However, the loss of their publishing partner means they are closing down their Istanbul office, only established in 2023. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read Andreas Deptolla (Left) was appointed as President of Atari Europe, Richard Snowdon (Right), CEO of Coatsink will be Ataris Vice President of Studios Europe People Atari Appoints Andreas Deptolla as President for Europe and Expands Its European HQ in Münster Atari is expanding its presence in Europe and has chosen Germany as the location for its European headquarters. Andreas Deptolla will head up the European business as President from Münster. Richard Snowdon has been appointed Vice President of Studios Europe. By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read Business Asha Sharma Wields the Axe, Cutting 3,200 Jobs at Xbox As announced, the new head of Xbox is turning Microsoft’s console unit on its head. 3,200 jobs are to be cut, 1,600 of them with immediate effect. Compulsion Games and Double Fine are being spun off via a MBO, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are to be sold, and Arkane is working on a solution. By Stephan Steininger • 3 min read (Background: Ricardo Maruri, Unsplash) gamescom Bringing Your Toddler to gamescom: All You Need to Know Working parent or leisure trip with child? Find all about bringing your baby, toddler or kid to gamescom and gamescom congress, whether you are trade visitor, media, exhibitor or want to check out the entertainment area. By Pascal Wagner • 2 min read Part of the board of DGA, taken from the website (DGA) People DGA Introduces New Board Members, New Student Initiative, and New Award Categories The Dutch Games Association board has appointed Kees van der Zwet and Koen Deetman in place of Laurens Rutten and Viktor Wijnen, who left the board. DGA has also introduced a new student initiative to connect games education and industry better. The Dutch Game Awards got two new categories. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read Products Gothic 1 Makes a Top-10 Debut in German Games Charts in June 2026 THQ’s role-playing game remake failed to take the top spot, partly because EA Sports FC has returned to number one, boosted by the World Cup By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read Michael Hebel is professor for Game Art and Design at the Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences / HNU (Estelle Frey) Campus G+ Researcher Spotlight: Michael Hebel, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences In our ongoing series about games researchers, we portrait the people wo bring game studies forward and define how game making is taught and learned at universities. Today in the spotlight is Michael Hebel of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences. By Pascal Wagner • 6 min read gamescom The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Channels in Gaming Advertorial | The video game industry is witnessing a significant shift as publishers move toward direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, bypassing traditional platform gatekeepers like app stores and console marketplaces. Visit Xsolla at Gamescom to learn more. By Xsolla • 1 min read People Joris Goossens is Newzoo's New CEO Stepping into the role of CEO after three years as CRO, Joris Goossens is replacing Michelle Van der Wilk-Rouhof at market data expert Newzoo. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Only opened in 2023 was the Istanbul studio. Now, it will be closed (IOI) Business IO Interactive Closes Istanbul Office, Gets Right to Project Fantasy IO Interactive has secured the IP for their Project Fantasy and will finish it independently. However, the loss of their publishing partner means they are closing down their Istanbul office, only established in 2023. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Andreas Deptolla (Left) was appointed as President of Atari Europe, Richard Snowdon (Right), CEO of Coatsink will be Ataris Vice President of Studios Europe People Atari Appoints Andreas Deptolla as President for Europe and Expands Its European HQ in Münster Atari is expanding its presence in Europe and has chosen Germany as the location for its European headquarters. Andreas Deptolla will head up the European business as President from Münster. Richard Snowdon has been appointed Vice President of Studios Europe. By Stephan Steininger • 1 min read
Business Asha Sharma Wields the Axe, Cutting 3,200 Jobs at Xbox As announced, the new head of Xbox is turning Microsoft’s console unit on its head. 3,200 jobs are to be cut, 1,600 of them with immediate effect. Compulsion Games and Double Fine are being spun off via a MBO, Ninja Theory and Undead Labs are to be sold, and Arkane is working on a solution. By Stephan Steininger • 3 min read
(Background: Ricardo Maruri, Unsplash) gamescom Bringing Your Toddler to gamescom: All You Need to Know Working parent or leisure trip with child? Find all about bringing your baby, toddler or kid to gamescom and gamescom congress, whether you are trade visitor, media, exhibitor or want to check out the entertainment area. By Pascal Wagner • 2 min read
Part of the board of DGA, taken from the website (DGA) People DGA Introduces New Board Members, New Student Initiative, and New Award Categories The Dutch Games Association board has appointed Kees van der Zwet and Koen Deetman in place of Laurens Rutten and Viktor Wijnen, who left the board. DGA has also introduced a new student initiative to connect games education and industry better. The Dutch Game Awards got two new categories. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
Products Gothic 1 Makes a Top-10 Debut in German Games Charts in June 2026 THQ’s role-playing game remake failed to take the top spot, partly because EA Sports FC has returned to number one, boosted by the World Cup By Stephan Steininger • 2 min read
Michael Hebel is professor for Game Art and Design at the Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences / HNU (Estelle Frey) Campus G+ Researcher Spotlight: Michael Hebel, Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences In our ongoing series about games researchers, we portrait the people wo bring game studies forward and define how game making is taught and learned at universities. Today in the spotlight is Michael Hebel of Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences. By Pascal Wagner • 6 min read
gamescom The Rise of Direct-to-Consumer Channels in Gaming Advertorial | The video game industry is witnessing a significant shift as publishers move toward direct-to-consumer (D2C) channels, bypassing traditional platform gatekeepers like app stores and console marketplaces. Visit Xsolla at Gamescom to learn more. By Xsolla • 1 min read
People Joris Goossens is Newzoo's New CEO Stepping into the role of CEO after three years as CRO, Joris Goossens is replacing Michelle Van der Wilk-Rouhof at market data expert Newzoo. By Pascal Wagner • 1 min read
