Just last week, Ubisoft reported positive improvements in net bookings for 2025. However, the start of 2026 has been anything but smooth sailing for the French video game publisher. Over 1,200 of its employees in France and Italy participated in a three-day strike from February 10–12, due to frustrations with studio closures and layoffs. It unfortunately does not stop there, as the company just laid off 40 employees at Ubisoft Toronto, according to Canadian publication MobileSyrup.

Ubisoft stated the following to MobileSyrup regarding the dismissals:

“This decision was not taken lightly and does not in any way reflect the talent, dedication, or contributions of the individuals affected. Our priority now is to support them through this transition with comprehensive severance packages and robust career placement assistance.”

The Show Goes On

Ubisoft Toronto houses the people working on the upcoming Splinter Cell Remake, for which development plans were announced back in 2021. The company promised a game built entirely from scratch, with better visuals, atmosphere, and gameplay. They also promised that the gameplay will be linear, not open-world like Ubisoft’s more recent IPs.

Ever since then, it has been a constant flurry of confusing back-and-forth reports. We heard reports that the game was getting a new story, then some early concept, and then reports that the game had been delayed “indefinitely.”

Ubisoft has insisted several times since 2021 that the game is coming, and they are doing so once again now. Keep in mind, we have yet to see any form of gameplay footage, and it’s been five years. It’s strange, isn’t it? On one side, we get consistent annual releases from Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed, and sports games like EA FC without issue. But the moment there is gritty work to be done for new IPs or meaningful remakes, we have these delays.

That’s not a shot at the developers or the individuals working on these games, far from it. In fact, it just highlights how frequently resources are mismanaged and ignored until it’s crunch time. We don’t know how accurate the reports are from employees about how they are treated by publishers like Ubisoft, but when 1,200 of your employees decide on a three-day strike across different countries, something is definitely not right. 

Video game retailer GameStop has reportedly closed hundreds of stores across the United States as the company continues to scale back its physical store presence.

According to social media posts tracking store shutdowns — first highlighted by Polygon — GameStop locations in numerous states have recently closed. The GS Closing blog, which independently monitors closures, currently lists 390 confirmed store shutdowns in the U.S., with an additional 10 locations reported but not yet verified.

The reported closures are consistent with GameStop’s previously disclosed plans. In its most recent filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for the financial year ending, the company confirmed that it shut down 590 U.S. stores during fiscal year 2024. In the same filing, GameStop told investors it expected to close “a significant number of additional stores” during fiscal year 2025.

The retailer’s contraction is not limited to the United States, either. RNZ reports (h/t GamesInudstry) that GameStop has proposed closing its EB Games subsidiary in New Zealand. EB Games Managing Director Shane Stockwell reportedly sent an email to staff stating that the proposal is not final and that no decision will be made until a full consultation process has been completed with affected employees. According to GameStop’s filing, the company operates 38 stores in New Zealand.

GameStop has also continued to wind down its international operations. In recent years, the company has exited markets including Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. It has sold its Italian subsidiary and is currently seeking buyers for its French and Canadian businesses.

While store closures continue, GameStop recently announced a new long-term performance award for CEO Ryan Cohen worth up to $35 million. To earn the reward, Cohen must increase the company’s market capitalization to $100 billion. As of this writing, GameStop’s market cap stands at approximately $9.52 billion, according to GamesIndustry.

The GameStop in my town is closing its doors forever effective 1/7/26.

This hit me in my heart… the world is changing pic.twitter.com/bXy4bCuwMl

— Sny_Tzu (@snytzu) January 3, 2026

Once one of the most dominant video game retailers out there, GameStop’s reputation has shifted significantly over the past decade. As the market moved toward digital distribution, the company has struggled to adapt its traditional retail model. GameStop has also faced long-standing criticism over its trade-in practices, which have often been viewed unfavorably by consumers.

GameStop’s long-term viability has been debated for years, but the company has managed to remain afloat to this point. In 2021, the company experienced a widely publicized stock surge driven by Reddit users on r/wallstreetbets, briefly pushing the company’s market value sharply higher as part of an effort to counter heavy short interest.

As store closures continue, GameStop remains in the midst of a broader effort to stabilize its business amid declining sales and a rapidly changing retail landscape.

Every gamer that we know uses Discord to some degree. Whether it’s coordinating offensive plays in Madden, trash-talking in NBA 2K26, or just hanging out with your online friends, the platform is the go-to hub for many gaming communities. However, recent reports from Bloomberg suggest significant changes are on the horizon. Discord has confidentially filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO), a move that could take the company public and reshape its operations.

What Does Going Public Mean For Discord?

For the average gamer who might not follow business news, let’s look at this simply. An IPO is essentially a private company deciding to sell shares of itself to the public for the first time. It’s opening up ownership to the public, and of course, big investors. However, a public company has to report its financial results every quarter, answer to shareholders, and prioritize growth and profitability. It’s like the exact opposite of EA going private.

This allows investors to cash out, and the company raises more money. But why make this move now? Well, Discord has raised boatloads of cash, over $500 million in one round back in 2022 alone, and it was valued at $15 billion in 2021. That number is likely much higher now. Despite that, it hasn’t turned a consistent profit in the last few years. Going public gives it the capital to expand, and with investors wanting returns, an IPO is the next logical step other than selling the whole company.

Eurogamer spoke to George Osborn, creator of the Video Games Industry Memo, and here’s what he had to say about it:

“I think the most obvious impact is that the company is going to have to find ways to monetize more aggressively. The question will be how can it achieve that without aggravating its user base too much. Discord is completely reliant on those hundreds of thousands of users, and it’s going to have to strike a different balance than other social networks and media platforms that have gone public before.”

Things Are Going To Change For Gamers

Osborn further raises a great point that Discord’s value does not correlate to what people are paying for. Discord Nitro is a decent cash cow, but it doesn’t exactly translate to incredible year-on-year growth, the type that investors expect. He suspects that Discord might feature more advertising, Discord-exclusive cosmetics for specific games, or maybe even more games (Discord already has quite a few built into the app). 

Again, Discord is something that almost every gamer uses, and that’s quite the compelling target demographic for shareholders and advertisers. On a positive note, user safety might improve as those types of issues become more serious when concerning public companies. Discord isn’t exactly a safe haven for children, and I don’t think I need to elaborate on that too much. At the end of the day, time will tell what this means for Discord, but there will likely be massive changes in the coming year. 

The UK Games Industry Shadow Council (UKGISC) is a rather new player in the UK games industry. It’s an independent group that wants to call out both good and bad practices across the country’s games sector. Their direct approach is targeted at better transparency, accountability, and ethical reform in the industry. In an interview with GamesIndustry, they talked about their goals to improve the overall game industry in the UK.

A Bit Of Context

Industry insiders set up UKGISC, professionals who feel like trade bodies and employers haven’t done enough to fix the ongoing problems. Stories about layoffs, toxic work environments, and all sorts of shocking behind-the-scenes secrets keep pouring out, yet nothing changes.

So a bunch of seasoned professionals sought to themselves to step up and form an interim watchdog. While Kim MacAskill kicked off the thought, she remains outside the council to preserve its independent autonomy.

Who Is Involved And How It Works

Phil Harris, a veteran designer and writer, is the council’s chairman. Working with more than 30 people, some from recruitment, some from education, and others from studios and the gaming industry job market. 

A few of the council members are choosing to stay anonymous, and the reason is well understood. They’re rightfully concerned about the risks that challenging such large publishers and major studios in the industry brings.

As for the council, it’s split into seven committees, each one talking a different specialization: accountability, EDI and safeguarding, industry partnerships, education and research, creative and production issues, and technology and innovation. There’s also the executive core team keeping the knots tied together.

What It Means For UK Devs And Players

The group is collecting confidential testimonies of workers, promising to handle every submission with utmost “discretion, dignity, and respect.”  However, the council’s agenda remains highlighting great studio cultures, and not just showcasing the dark, ugly truths. Their purpose is to set up a clearer, more transparent map of what working in the UK games industry is like, day in and day out.

However, the UKGISC is set up temporarily, and once the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) formally starts covering games, the council plans to hand over its findings and wrap up its work.

Meanwhile, council members are hoping to work with the government-backed UK Video Games Council so that any industry’s future growth is grounded in fair, stable jobs — not just toxic cycles and waves of layoffs.