Disney has identified Kingdom Hearts as one of its nine billion-dollar game franchises in a company news page timed to its D23 expo. The disclosure precedes a Deep Dive panel that kicks off the series' 25th anniversary events running through 2027.
Shoptaw did not name the other eight billion-dollar franchises in the portfolio.
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Mojang revealed the next Minecraft game drop at Minecraft Live on September 26, adding ice caves and a frozen zombie mob. The update is scheduled for later this year and brings new exploration and combat mechanics to cold biomes.
Minecraft Dungeons II introduces the Sift dimension on September 29, with the same content planned for Minecraft Java and Bedrock editions in 2027. The update represents the first new dimension added to the franchise in over 14 years.
A federal judge ordered Reddit moderator James Williams to pay Nintendo $4.5 million and shut down sites distributing pirated Switch games. The default judgment follows Nintendo’s 2024 lawsuit over Williams’ role moderating a piracy community.
Xbox confirmed it is eliminating 268 roles across Halo Studios, other first-party studios, and the XGS management layer, and is reorganizing studios so Activision develops the next Halo while Obsidian moves under Bethesda. Official Xbox Wire says the company is roughly three-quarters through its previously announced 3,200-role restructuring.
Digital Bros has canceled Armed Fantasia, the Kickstarter-funded RPG intended as a spiritual successor to Wild Arms, along with the Battle Island sequel. The publisher recorded an 18.7 million euro non-cash impairment in its FY2026 results after multiple gameplay reviews and market considerations.
