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Trion Worlds, known for multiplayer online games like Rift and ArcheAge, has laid off 15 developers, seemingly across multiple disciplines.

The round of layoffs notably falls just weeks after the studio launched its latest online game, the free-to-play title Defiance 2050.

In a statement provided to Gamasutra, Trion Worlds CEO Scott Hartsman confirmed that 15 developers have been affected by the decision. Hartsman noted specifically that the decision to terminate those positions was not a result of the performance of those devs or “of Trion Worlds as a whole” and instead was deemed a necessary step toward developing the studio’s upcoming projects. 

If you or someone you know has been affected by these layoffs, you can email Gamasutra to share your story confidentially.

“We’ve had to make the difficult decision to eliminate 15 positions throughout the company,” said Hartsman. “We are extremely grateful for those who have been impacted for their hard work and contributions to Trion Worlds, and will be offering each of them severance benefits and job placement assistance. This is not related to the performance of the individuals affected nor of Trion Worlds as a whole, but was necessary to enable us to develop the upcoming projects that we have planned in the best ways possible.”

Trion Worlds had recently picked up the assets of the defunct studio Gazillion Entertainment for an undisclosed sum, months after the Marvel Heroes dev had a falling out with Disney and shut down shortly after. In a comment at the time of that acquisition last month, Hartsman told VentureBeat that Trion wants “ourselves and other developers be able to make games and succeed and have sustainable life cycles. Crunch and burn and lay off is unhealthy. We have tried to do things about it and we want to be a good member of the gaming ecology. We keep trying to do things to help other developers.”

Starting at 2:00 p.m. PDT today, members of the Xbox One Preview Alpha – Skip Ahead and Preview Alpha rings will begin receiving the latest Xbox One system update (1810.180710-1920). Learn more about the new features in development for 1810 here, and read on for a list of fixes and known issues in this 1810 system update.

Sign In

• Fixed an issue where users reported being unable to sign in or add accounts to their console.

Headsets

• Fixed an issue where users were reporting that the audio mixer was not working correctly in the Guide.

Headsets

• We are tracking an issue with various headsets and mics not working in the build such as Turtle Beach wireless headsets. Connecting multiple headsets along with more than one input device on the system (physical controllers, game streaming controllers, wireless headsets), will cause headsets to no longer work.
  
  • Workaround: Disconnect all input and audio devices, including controllers, wired and wireless headsets, and game streaming controllers.  Once they have been disconnected, connect only one controller and one headset.

Virtual Keyboard

• We are tracking an issue where users are reporting that various keys & controller shortcuts for the virtual keyboard are not being recognized. Certain keys (spacebar, @ symbol, – symbol) are not registering when being pressed on the keyboard (both the virtual keyboard and via a USB keyboard)

Settings

• We are tracking an issue with users not being able to select/change options under Device power options in Device Control. When users are attempting to change their power toggle settings, no options are being presented.

 Game Pass Tab

• Some Preview Alpha – Skip Ahead users will notice that the Entertainment tab has been replaced on the dashboard with Game Pass content. This new tab allows for easy access to the Game Pass catalog and is only available in the US region at this time, so Preview Alpha Skip Ahead Insiders in regions outside of the US will continue to see the Entertainment tab.

Groups

• You may see issues with Groups if you frequently switch between your non-Preview console and your Preview console.
  
  • Workaround: Reset your Groups locally on the Preview console through “My games & apps” > Groups, then using the “Delete all groups” button at the bottom of the page to resync from the service.

Microsoft Edge

• The cursor may disappear when exiting and re-entering the app
  
  • Workaround: Press Y when re-entering the app to make the cursor re-appear

Profile Color

• Sometimes users may encounter an incorrect Profile color when powering on the console.

Networking

• When the console wakes from Instant on/connected standby with a wired connection, the console may not recognize that the Ethernet cable is plugged in.
  
  • Workaround: Please reboot the console via Guide > reboot.

The first trailer for the television animation, Mega Man: Fully Charged, has been shown at the San Diego Comic-Con. The show is based on the classic games, with season one running for ten episodes in total. 

The story is about Aki Light – a schoolboy who can transform into a powerful hero known as Mega Man. When Sgt. Night and his evil team of robot masters show up in the futuristic Silicon City, it’s up to Mega Man to protect the city’s citizens with his mega buster arm cannon and also by absorbing powers from his opponents. Various other characters will pop-up along the way, including the robot dog, Rush.

Mega Man: Fully Charged premiers in the US next month. The show is a production between Cartoon Network, Man of Action Entertainment, Dentsu Entertainment USA and also DHX Media.

Take a look at the trailer above and tell us in the comments if you’re at all interested in watching, rather than playing, Mega Man.  

Yet another weekend is upon us, which naturally means that it’s time for another Talking Point feature! If you’re lucky enough to have some free time over the next few days, you may well be planning to sink some of it into your favourite Nintendo games – which is exactly what Team NL is going to do! We’ve got online shooters, speedy hedgehogs, and glorious RPGs on the go this time around. Enjoy, and have a great weekend!

Jon Cousins, Japan correspondent

Although I haven’t picked up the DLC or physical edition yet because I got caught up with other stuff, all the hoopla around Sonic Mania has reminded me to go back. Not only is it a great game, but given Sonic’s ‘inconsistent’ track record, it’s the ideal time to jump in if you haven’t. Other than that, I’m enjoying playing Hollow Knight on my big TV for the first time. The game is ace anyway, but when you have a long play session, see the lush, detailed environments in HD and then listen to the incredible soundtrack using a decent set of speakers, it’s a joy. I’m also playing a neat little game that’s out next week.

Ryan Craddock, staff writer

As is the case for pretty much any day that goes by at the moment, this weekend will absolutely see some Fortnite action as I try to work my way through this week’s challenges. I didn’t even know that there were dinosaurs on the map until a challenge popped up this week, so that’s suddenly made things even more exciting.

I’ve also been getting stuck into DOOM recently as I had never played it before (although I am admittedly playing this one on PS4 rather than Switch because it was cheaper – sorry!). I’ve already been brutally murdered several times, but I love the satisfaction you feel from pulling off pistol and glory kill combinations – the fast pace really makes the game a joy to play. Definitely wishing I could be playing it on the go as well, though, so that’ll teach me for next time!

Glen Fox, guides editor

Can’t. Stop. Playing. Crash. Bandicoot! I’m absolutely addicted, and on my fourth playthrough of the first already. Yeah, I know it’s not the best of the bunch but it has some of my favourite levels and I love its purity. It’s also incredibly addictive trying to get all of the gems and beat it 100%! I probably won’t be able to do it, but boy am I trying.

I am going to try really hard to put Crash aside for a bit though, so I can give Octopath Traveler the attention it deserves. I haven’t dug into it near enough, but what little I’ve played definitely feels pretty special. It’s weird playing a JRPG that feels simultaneously nostalgic and progressive, but that’s exactly how I’d describe it. That mix of 16bit sprites and blocky 3D visuals really does it for me, and I can’t wait to see more.

Liam Doolan, news reporter

My weekend is going to be a fast one. When I’m not tearing around the track in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe as Link, I’ll be speeding through the ‘encore mode’ in Sonic Mania Plus as Mighty and Ray. I played the original version of Sonic Mania on release and absolutely adored every aspect of it. Admittedly, though, I haven’t been back since. It’s great that there is a good excuse to revisit this absolute gem now that it has been polished just a little bit more. It’s easily the best Sonic game in years – if not ever!

Dom Reseigh-Lincoln, reviewer

This weekend I’ll be getting stuck into a double-header of games for reviews – Hunting Simulator and Hand of Fate 2. So yes, two games that couldn’t be any more different if they tried. So, in the name of journalism, I’ll be strapping on my favourite hunting rifle, adorning myself in all manner of camos and making weird noises to attract deer. So a normal weekend then, really.

I’ll also be playing some more NBA 2K18 (I play every few weeks on Switch, even though I’ve played it to death on both my handheld console and PS4). All these new moves and signings in the NBA have got me back in the mood for the next Switch bound baller sim when NBA 2K19 arrives later this year.

Damien McFerran, editorial director

Galak-Z‘s shift to free-to-play mechanics may have left a sour taste in the mouth of many a fan, but I’m totally hooked, so that’s likely to be the main thing I play this weekend. I really dig the space combat system (I’m used to the somewhat unique controls after playing the PS4 original) and while there’s a lot of grinding, the end result is usually worth the effort. This game must have something going for it, because it’s making me forget about both Octopath Traveler and Mario Tennis Aces!

Gonçalo Lopes, contributing writer

Looks like the ultimate Splatoon 2 Splatfest is right around the corner but I am still undecided if I should splat for squids or octopus – both fascinating creatures. Local retailers botched up my Octopath Traveller Compendium Edition pre-order (what is this, the Dark Ages!?) and gamer pride prevented me from simply taking a regular edition so the joys of 2D HD are still suspended until next week. So Ys VIII is very much on the menu along with some eShop gems like the (literally) stellar VSR: Void Space Racing and the poorly optimized but still ever sadistically entertaining Guts and Glory. Yes, I am aware I have issues.

Austin Voigt, contributing writer

First off, I’ll be replaying the original Ni no Kuni on PS3 this weekend – everyone stop judging me. There have been showings of old Miyazaki movies in the theaters in my area the past few weeks, so I’ve got a bit of a Ghibli buzz at the moment. I have not yet picked up Revenant Kingdom, because I refuse to purchase any non-Nintendo systems until they’re at least 10 years old and completely outdated – therefore, I don’t own a PS4. However, I would be delighted if the powers that be were to put Ni no Kuni on the Switch… (Level-5 president & CEO Akihiro Hino did say: “In the future our main titles will all be released on Nintendo Switch.” …please let that future arrive soon).

I’ll also likely continue to annoy Pathea’s Twitter account with incessant questioning on a Switch release date for My Time at Portia – because it looks amazing, and I am that insatiable gamer who is never satisfied with what I’ve already got.

Thanks for reading, folks! Make sure to leave a vote in the poll above and a comment below with your gaming choices over the next few days…

By Stephen Silver
Sunday, July 22, 2018, 12:33 pm PT (03:33 pm ET)

Dozens of iTunes users in the Southeast Asian country report that they have lost hundreds of dollars due to charges recorded to their accounts for purchases they did not make.

According to Channel News Asia, two people say they were charged the equivalent of around $5,100 to iTunes on their bank-connected credit cards. The bank, Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC) reported 58 cases total of the fraudulent charges.

A customer at another bank, DBS, told the news organization that six fraudulent transactions led to his account balance being “completely wiped out.”

Apple Singatore told Channel News Asia that it is “looking into” the charges, and has nullified the purchases.

Several of the charges were in the amount of exactly $112.03 in Singapore dollars ($82.22). Another customer reported the charge showing up on his phone bill, charged to “iTunes orders.”

Apple has of late made a strong push into Singapore. It opened its first Apple Store there last year, with an “Apple Loves Singapore” insignia in front of the store as it was prepared for opening- and it also added transit directions in that country to Apple Maps.

Apple has refunded many of the charges, but not all. The company also says that it is looking into the situation.