Google wants StarCraft II players to help test DeepMind AI

Blizzard and Google release tools to let gamers play the machine learning tech

• ai
• starcraft ii

Teams in London and LA added to Overwatch League

Cloud9 owner Jack Etienne buys London franchise while LA franchise goes to Kroenke Sports and Entertainment

• esports
• overwatch

Kongregate reveals $10m publishing fund

For premium and free-to-play releases, firm not straying from browser and mobile roots

• Publishing
• Funding
• indie publishing

#VisibleWomen hashtag shows off great artwork on Twitter

Artists share their work for all to see

• Women in Games
• art

New releases surge on Steam following Direct launch

1,000 new games have come to the platform since June

• Steam
• steam direct
• ico partners

Ubisoft opens shop in Stockholm, hires DICE vet Patrick Bach to head studio up

Follows Bach's departure from EA in 2016, Stockholm studio to hire 100 people over the next two years

There’s a Call of Duty documentary from Devolver Digital on the way

CODumentary set for September 19th release, media vet Jonathan Beales handling production role

• call of duty
• documentary

Valve announces DOTA card game Artifact

Trailer revealed at The International 2017 DOTA 2 tournament

• esports
• dota 2
• card game
• valve

Dropleaf games subscription service wants to help indies with discoverability

44 titles on the platform already

• dropleaf
• indie games
• discoverability

DOTA 2 International kicks off, prize pool stands at $23.6m

The International prize pot increases $3m year-on-year

• esports
• dota 2
• the international

Spelunky and Downwell developers collaborate on 50 new games

Five-man team of indie vets working on 50 8-bit titles

• ufo 50

Final Fantasy XIV hits 10m players

MMO's cumulative players have almost doubled in the last year

• MMO
• sales data
• final fantasy XIV

2.3m people play Rainbow Six Siege each day, Ubisoft claims

Total playerbase hits 20m, Ubi says Siege is "here to stay"

• rainbow six siege
• games as a service

Metroid fan project developer picked up by Ori maker Moon Studios

Milton Guasti will be working on level design for Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Final Fantasy XIV and Nier Automata called out for rise in Square Enix digital revenue

MMO expansion causes rise in Final Fantasy XIV users, as well as net sales and operating revenue for period