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New EU Regulation Gives Developers & Publishers More Rights; Amazon Delays 'New World' MMO to 2021

EUEU

TheGamingEconomy’s Daily Digest brings you the latest news in the world of gaming. In today’s news: New EU regulation gives developers and publishers more rights against platforms; Amazon pushes New World MMO back to 2021; and Leyou gives Tencent priority in acquisition talks.

New EU regulation gives developers and publishers more rights against platforms

A new piece of EU legislation, which gives European games developers and publishers more protection against distributor platforms, came into effect yesterday (12 July). The new rules mean that platforms are now required to give advanced notice regarding any changes to their terms and conditions, and will make it more difficult for firms to simply remove games from their European platforms.

The new legislation will apply to many game distribution platforms, including giants Google and Apple. The rules are expected to see a whole host of reforms in the gaming ecosystem, pathing the way for a fairer removal system, more open rankings, and more transparency around data access rights.

The new rules currently only apply to platforms which facilitate direct transactions between players and developers and publishers, meaning that consoles will not be subjected to the legislation. However, some platforms will be exempt from the new rules if they meet certain criteria.

The EGDF (European Games Developer Federation), which led the appeal for the EU regulation, hopes that the new rules will spark a move towards fairer industry practices.

Amazon pushes 'New World' MMO back to 2021

Amazon has announced that it is delaying the release of its massively multiplayer online (MMO) game, New World, until next spring. According to an update released by the tech giant on Friday (10 July), the decision was made in response to feedback from test players.

New World was originally scheduled for release in May this year, with Amazon initially postponing the launch until August. After the disastrous release and sudden retraction of sci-fi shooter game, Crucible, just last month, the announcement could be another bump in the road for Amazon’s gaming ambitions.

However, Amazon Game Studios’ director of game technology, Richard Lawrence, emphasised that the firm’s decision was based on its desire to perfect New World. In the blog post announcing the postponement, Lawrence states that Amazon “want[s its] players to feel completely immersed in the game, and [to] know that [its] studio stands for quality and lasting gameplay.”

Lawrence was also keen to indicate that, unlike its unsuccessful predecessor Crucible, demand for New World is not an issue: “We saw that players like the game, and they would like to see even more of it,” he said.

Leyou gives Tencent priority in acquisition talks

Hong Kong gaming firm Leyou technologies is in exclusive talks with holdings giant Tencent over a possible take-over. The firm revealed in a letter to investors that it has agreed to a three-month window of exclusive discussion with China-based Tencent, giving the company a leg up over competing brands that have shown an interest in acquiring Leyou.

As the parent company of several successful development studios, including Splash Damage and Digital Extremes, Leyou is certainly valuable. The company’s appeal is further cemented by its capacity to produce modern service games for PC and its ownership of an array of titles. Both could prove highly beneficial to Tencent as it looks to expand its global presence beyond mobile.

Leyou could also see great benefits if a Tencent take-over is agreed upon – Tencent’s dominance in the mobile sphere could help the firm adapt its titles to the format, increasing Leyou’s audience to include the millions of mobile-only consumers around the world.