🍪 From Battlefield’s Burn to Banjo’s Farewell and more...

Hello there, memory keepers of the industry. Today we revisit grudges that built empires, farewells from icons, and creative studios deciding between growth and soul. Let’s bite in.

🎯 Battlefield’s Revenge Arc

When asked about Call of Duty’s origins, Battlefield 6 head Vince Zampella didn’t mince words:

“The only reason that Call of Dutyexists is because EA were d*cks.”

Zampella’s split with EA after Medal of Honor: Allied Assault led to Infinity Ward, Call of Duty, and later Respawn Entertainment — all before EA brought him back to command Battlefield 6, which just hit 747,000 concurrent players on Steam.

📢 “It’s poetic — the guy who left Electronic Arts (EA) for Activision now saves EA from Activision.”

🦊 Kiki:That’s not just industry karma — that’s narrative design. EA’s arrogance spawned their biggest rival, and now that rival’s founder is their savior. Delicious irony.

🍪 Chip floats nervously with a “did he just say that on record?!” face.

🕹️ Banjo’s Bard Says Goodbye

After 36 years, Banjo-Kazooie director Gregg Mayles said farewell to Rare Ltdwith one last rhyme:

📢 “Today was my last day at Rare Ltd… Thanks to everyone who played and enjoyed any of the games I helped create.”

From Donkey Kong Country to Sea of Thieves, Mayles helped shape Rare’s identity — and, arguably, part of gaming’s childhood.

🦊 Kiki:A curtain call on the golden age of charm-driven design. Rare hasn’t been “Rare” since the Microsoft era, but Gregg’s pen wrote its soul.

🍪 Chip sniffles softly, clutching a Banjo plushie.

🗡️ Assassin’s Creed Loses Its Creedbearer

Longtime franchise head Marc-Alexis Côté left Ubisoft, reportedly over creative clashes with Vantage Studios, Ubisoft’s new mega-studio meant to unify AC, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. Ubisoft thanked him for “shaping the Assassin’s Creed brand into what it is today,” but Côté’s departure hints at turbulence behind the scenes of Ubisoft’s restructuring.

🦊 Kiki: When the person who literally defined your biggest franchise walks out, that’s not a reshuffle — that’s a red flag. Either management’s “creative houses” are driving people mad, or that big March restructuring finally cracked something inside the Creed.

🍪 Chip peeks from behind a hidden blade, whispering “too many cooks…”

🏯 Sucker Punch Chooses Focus Over Franchises

Ghost of Yotei director Brian Fleming confirmed the studio will remain a single-project team:

📢 “If we were good at juggling four projects, yeah, we’d have a remaster… but we only get to do one thing at a time.”

With a legacy of Sly Cooper, Infamous, and Ghost of Tsushima, Sucker Punch’s next move will define their next five years.

🦊 Kiki: In a world obsessed with “scale,” hearing a dev say “no” to bloat feels like a spiritual cleanse. Fewer ghosts, more soul — and hopefully, fewer activist casting decisions next time. Cough Erika cough.

🍪 Chip slowly slides a box of tissues across the table without making eye contact.

🎵 Rockstar Pays Tribute to D’Angelo

Music and gaming mourn D’Angelo, the neo-soul icon behind Rockstar Games Red Dead Redemption 2’s haunting “Unshaken.” Rockstar wrote:

📢 “Rest In Peace D’Angelo, a true titan of soul. We are eternally grateful for ‘Unshaken,’ which will forever be an enduring part of Red Dead Redemption 2.”

From Brown Sugar to Black Messiah, his sound redefined R&B — and briefly crossed into the wild west.

🦊 Kiki:Few artists transcend mediums — D’Angelo did. “Unshaken” wasn’t just a song; it was Arthur Morgan’s prayer.

🍪 Chip bows his crumb head, whispering “rest easy, cowboy.”