For Gamasutra writers, 2019 is the year that will lay the foundation for absolute skepticism at the time we gather our year-end articles.

That is, we simply cannot believe that some of the important things that happened recently are on January 1, 2019.

“Apex Legends … debuted this year …?”

“No, really?”

• People Googles to verify. *

“Yup, wow, that is 2019.”

After thinking about it for a bit, 2019 is a ghost of a year because of its speed. 2019 is a relentless match of great games and important achievements. And behind all of them are excellent developers, some of whom we want to recognize here.

As always, our list of the top 10 game developers doesn’t necessarily have to be made by the developers who made the best, most financially successful games (though the thing is that doesn’t hurt anyone who gets a chance to make a list). These are developers and studios that have left their mark this year in a meaningful way, shaping the art and gaming business.

Here (in alphabetical order) are 10 individual developers and studios, selected by Gamasutra writers, that exceed our expectations and push the boundaries of creativity, commerce and culture. .

Bungie

The year 2019 begins with the information that Bungie bought the full release license for the game Destiny 2 from the old publisher Activision, this is the first title that Bungie will make throughout the year when it starts overhauling the game. elements of the game, frankly about the new change and discussing life-work balance at the studio.

Many changes to achieve Destiny 2 after the split revolved around creating in-game device custom made more meaningful and creating new, free flavors to play in the basic game. Others focused on overhaul making money through changes to their high-end cosmetics store and introducing a battle of pass associated with a new, more seasonal content plan. In these areas, Bungie has favored a transparent approach to explain changes to her players through regular live streaming or notable in-depth blogs such as director Luke’s film series. Smith.

Throughout all this, Bungie continues to host regular charity events through the Bungie Foundation branch (the latest fundraising event worth $ 1.6 million). In the second half of the year, Bungie turned her vision to a future filled with new franchises, a consolidated publishing group, and Destiny 2 in line with the studio’s vision for live games, showing Bungie committed to thriving and not just surviving in its new post-Activision world. – Alissa McAloon

Capcom

Capcom has constantly managed to breathe new life into its classic series, to the point where the games can reach new audiences and old fans alike.

2019 saw the debut of Capcom, Devil May Cry 5, a release that has been in existence for more than a decade after the last numbered game in the Devil May Cry series (skipping the reboot of Ninja Theory 2013) and create a stylish return for the series. After bringing Monster Hunter a similar revival in 2018, the following year saw Capcom continue that momentum (both the top earners on Steam in general and the driving force in the Capcom’s recent financial statements).

This year’s Resident Evil 2 remake is arguably the game that pushed my argument to Capcom as the prominent developer of 2019; The game brings the classic PlayStation 1 to the modern generation, revamping and changing the places needed to combine with modern games, but still retain the spirit, storyline and horror of the classic game worthy. this glass.

Currently, the game has sold more than 5 million copies and a similar remake for Resident Evil 3 is expected to launch in 2020. While Capcom has been operating for the past few years, 2019 shows Capcom’s expertise in thoughtfully reviving its legacy brands, so much so that its recent success has led the company to consider a similar treatment of inactive IPs. other. – Alissa McAloon

The Coalition

The Gears Alliance 5 Alliance is an incredibly beautiful game by any standard, but what is particularly eye-catching about the most recent entry in the Gears of War series is the breadth of the accessibility options that Lien Intelligent builds directly in the game. While more and more video games are starting to include robust accessibility options, the Alliance (with the help of the Microsoft Microsoft Gaming Gaming for People division) has gone above and beyond that. standards are up.

The studio held a design sprint included in 2017 to learn from players with disabilities and experts on accessibility about their experience and where video games could improve. subtitles, cameras, audio and control options to meet the needs of more players. In Gears 5, those attentive conversations manifest as customizable subtitles, detailing music cues from the background music along with other sound effects, and landing chat for some games. perfect deaf access point from Can I Play That ?, a fully editable control diagram (including trigger mappings) that opens the game to one-handed play as well as full use of the Controller Xbox apps and options for players sensitive to gore or excessive screen vibrations to customize their experience and remove barriers that could make Gears 5 inaccessible.

The Alliance has set a focus on early access, thinking about options that are more than just an appropriate set of settings, and a commitment to talking to your community to find out what changes can fix. best service the individual needs of the player, setting an example for the rest of the industry in the process. – Alissa McAloon

Game Freak

For many years, the Pokemon developer seemed like a Game of Freak on the leash. Like most franchising teams, Pokemon masters have had to balance the need for innovation in every new game with the real baggage of more designed (and Pokemon) systems. 20 years ago.

This year we watched Game Freak change everything in a big way with the release of Pokemon Sword and Shield, both of which introduced new mechanisms and new content while simultaneously being the first major game in the franchise. Import support (via data transfer) of all over 800 Pokemon.

It was a bold choice, and the company was punished for it; Self-described Pokemon fans have gathered on social media and message boards to indign these new games, with some people harassing Game Freak staff with death threats. casualties as part of a bad (and bad brand) Dexit campaign.

This harassment begins despite clear claims from the developer team that indefinitely support for all Pokemon is never guaranteed, and it continues even when games are run. porters and critics praised them for streamlining and innovating on many of the core mechanics of the series.

In the face of the worst behavior a group of fans can attempt to make the best of the new generation of Pokemon games on the new console, we recognize Game Freak as one of the top developers. beginning of 2019. – Alex Wawro

House House

Yes, House House released a game about a goose this year. Yes, that game, the nameless Goose Game, sold 1 million units in three months. But is that enough to put House House on the list of Gamasutra developers? I could only answer with a resounding “HOA”.

House House seems to have created a successful game overnight, but many don’t realize – or forget – that the studio also created the great Push Me Pull You and it was really great a strange game. much more than a game about an unnamed, awful goose. The problem is that House House has been working on its craft for a long time, and the unnamed Goose Game is just the culmination of years of work and the idea of ​​a small group of developers committed to fickle and self ask.

There is also the success in the business and marketing of nameless Goose Games that cannot be ignored. This game is a meme machine with concept, design and aesthetics that is very beneficial to toxicity. That infringement helped House House become a publisher and sold them 1 million. It is one of the most modern and best examples of game marketing.

If you closely follow the game development world, you probably know about House House’s tweet from House House’s Michael McMaster including screenshots of a joking team about creating a game about a goose. Welp, I guess House House gave the game development world what you can do with a mischievous joke. – Pairing Kris

Mobius Digital

When creating our annual list of top game developers, in discussions we emphasize the idea that eligible people should do more than “just” publish a game. great. That said, Mobius Digital made this list because of the power of will, it gave birth to one of the best games in recent memory.

It’s been a long time coming – the great game Outer Wilds began a few years ago as a master project by Alex Beachum, who was then taken to Mobius to complete the Outer Wilds as a is the co-director along with an ambitious small group and imaginative people who have to rise above the clouds. Although the idea of ​​the Outer Wilds did not originate from the walls of Mobius, the studio had a visionary to see the value of this concept in the process of developing and nurturing it from a creative and financial point of view. It can see the light of day (and in turn, see many awards).

Mobius Digital has in effect used Outer Wilds as a means to convey the core values ​​of the studio, which is creating emotional impact games and also games that encourage exploration and transmission. Inspiration for curiosity. This year, Mobius Digital showed how mechanics can perfectly serve the story (and vice versa), meaningful companions can still exist in the surrounding universe and how Small teams with galactic-sized ideas can carry out their vision and give the world something unforgettable. – Pairing Kris

Popcannibal

Founded and run by Ziba Scott, Boston indie Popcannibe has produced a series of eclectic games over the past decade. Outstanding releases like Girls Like Robots and collaborations like Elegy for a Dead World have helped Popcannibe gain a foothold in various markets, but it came out this year.

As mentioned in our article on some of the top games of the year, what Popcannibe built in Kind Words is a leap forward in faith in the games and the people who play them. A simple game of writing and answering letters about worries and fears, Kind Words trusts each player to treat other players with empathy and respect. In doing so, it will overcome one of the most painful issues in developing a multiplayer system, countering the trend of dehumanizing others online by making us face concerns. their most human heart.

In a year of global discord, Popcannibe has released a game of trusting vulnerable players and respecting each other’s vulnerabilities. It reminds us of the good things our passionate, close communities can do for each other, and we honor Popcannibe among our top developers of the year. – Alex Wawro

Respawn Entertainment

Respawn Entertainment has had a banner year, not only releasing an outstanding entry in the Battle Royale category with Apex Legends, but also gathering its resources to make a stand-alone single-player adventure with Star Wars Jedi : Fallen Order. Both games show off the incredible mechanical polish the studio has known and showcase how a studio can develop and adapt to meet the challenges of live games while maintaining it. traditional development activities.

But Respawn also deserves a standing ovation for its commitment this year to try to maintain a work-life balance while developing for one of the most hungry audiences in existence. of the game. At GamesBeat Summit in April, CEO Vince Zampella explained that the company will keep abreast of seasonal updates and not pursue weekly updates of Fortnite, to maintain the team’s health. 2019 has witnessed some growing difficulties for the Revival on this path, but the willingness to publicly commit to these quality of life goals is as strong as the games played. onions. – Bryant

Riot Games workers

This year, the employees of Riot Games caught the attention by hosting one of the biggest hikes in the gaming industry history. Because of that, we feel that the employees at Riot deserve to be welcomed, even if the studio management clearly doesn’t meet their needs.

More than a hundred people left Riot in May to protest (among other things), the company’s policy includes mandatory arbitration clauses in employee contracts. This policy was abolished after Riot used it to settle with two employees who filed a class action suit alleging gender-based discrimination, and while the walk prompted Riot to take action. a program that removes forced arbitration clauses from a new employee contract, in the final report the company maintains them for existing employees.

However, when we enter 2020, it is important to recognize the progress that Riot has made, and the work to be completed. Such progress has been made just because individual Rioters are willing to take a public stance, putting them at great risk to their careers and personal lives, to demand better working conditions. For that and more, we honor Riot Games employees and their contributions to the gaming industry this year. – Alex Wawro

ZA/UM

To debut with a creative work like Disco Elysium is a rare thing. And note that I say “creative work” because Disco Elysium is a resounding artistic feat regardless of average. ZA / UM’s game is disturbing, ridiculous, funny and sometimes “too real” in its hidden descriptions of addiction, racism and existential self-awareness. Have a twisted joy when experiencing the world of ZA / UM; you don’t want to live there but that makes us crave the interaction zest, so we continue to suffer the despair of the game’s story because it’s the only way to experience moments Funny “what the hell” surprised players.

That sounds bleak, but hidden deep in the despair flowing in the world of the game is a moral compass, contempt for the elite and an opportunity to give up skepticism and instead. is empathy into a broken world.

This type of work can only be done by a group of creators who see themselves less than a game studio and more than an art movement. You may think that that sounds pretentious but only possible if the result is not there to backup such request. Building the complex world of the Elysium disco, rooted in years of developing tablet-based RPG and novel by game developer Robert Kurvitz, will be influenced and studied by manufacturers. Current and future games. In that sense, what ZA / UM has done is to bring it forward, creating something that is a wonderful unique blend of their own influences and attitudes that will surely inspire the companies. another great thing still doesn’t exist. – Pairing Kris

( Source: Gamasutra )