Keywords Studios

Whether you're building a small indie game or working on a AAA video game, selecting the appropriate game engine and tools is essential for streamlining your workflow and maximising creativity. We've had a closer look at some of the best game development software available in 2024, including their independent applications, strengths, and use cases. Link in the comments!

A recent study revealed that scaling safety efforts ranks among the top 3 challenges for Trust & Safety professionals. However, with budget cuts unfortunately becoming a common scenario for many leaders, trust and safety teams are being asked to accomplish these goals with limited resources. 🫠 With constantly evolving legislation, rising threats, diverse global users across multiple time zones, an overwhelming number of tech solutions to choose from, and dwindling resources, how can video game studios keep their communities safe 🔐 and compliant ⭐ as they expand? We've got a webinar coming up to answer these exact questions. Join industry experts Sharon Fisher, Global Head of Trust & Safety, and Kaila Jarvis, Global Trust & Safety Advisor, from Keywords Studios, who will share real-world insights and proven strategies to help you: 👩💻 Select the right technology for your unique use case that can easily scale as you grow 💪 Build a high-performing moderation team that’s efficient, adaptable, and ready to handle surges in user activity ⚙️ Develop proactive moderation workflows to detect harmful content and Real-Life Threats, ensuring compliance with global regulations 📊 Use data insights and analytics to streamline moderation processes and ensure seamless community growth Register here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eNTf9n3g

Ahead of #GAconf, our team deep dived into the cool games they play to see what stood out in terms of accessibility and inclusivity. From indie to AAA games, our line-up included Dave the Diver, Star Wars: Outlaws, Home Safety Online, V Rising, Balatro, Astro Bot, Rise of Ronin, and Another Crab’s Treasure. Safe to say, we covered a broad range of genres! The good news: all these games have some great accessibility features and include great inclusive design practices. 🙌 We also spotted areas where improvements could be made. 🔭 Today, we're sharing some accessibility insights from our #AstroBot session. Let us know if you’ve discovered additional highlights yourself while playing this game. Bear in mind that disability is a spectrum and this list is not exhaustive. 🙌 Accessibility wins in Astro Bot: • The team applied best practices such as great contrast in UI elements, interactables, onboarding, etc. • The game has no dialogue, which makes the lack of subtitles a non-issue. • Great creative use of haptic feedback and gyro controls can make gameplay more intuitive for deaf and blind players, enhancing accessibility and immersion. • Visual Aid toggle to accompany important vibration functions with visual cues and make UI larger as well. • PG-content makes for a game that is welcoming to most people, with a lower-risk of triggering content. • Cognitive accessibility: Clear progression, navigational cues, and an overall intuitive design. • Frequent checkpoints and ledge-guard features can prevent frustration by limiting lost progress. • Controller tilt assist, visual aid and camera assist toggles help customise player's experience even further. 🔭 Room for improvement: • Blind players will likely require sighted assistance due to the lack of menu narration, text-to-speech, high-contrast mode, and audio descriptions. • Certain actions may pose challenges for players lacking certain fine motor skills: precisely light and slow analogue stick movements occasionally required. • While the sound design is spot on, the lack of audio customisation may cause barriers for some. In summary, Team ASOBI excels in many areas of accessibility especially via purposeful design considerations, making a game that feels both approachable and accessibility for a wide-range of players. We do hope that blind accessibility improvements can be added in the future. What’s a game that impressed you with its accessibility features and inclusive design? PS: Curious about our findings on the other games we played? Reach out to our team at Player Research to hear their initial thoughts. PSS: Our Game Accessibility Lead, Améliane F. C., will be speaking at the Game Accessibility Conference in the USA on October 29th. Catch her discussing the topic of 'Open Worlds & ADHD – A Tale of Love, Pain and Opportunity'. #AdvancingAccessibility #GameDevelopers

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 has officially launched! 🎉 A massive shout-out to all the incredible teams who made this possible! Seeing Sperasoft and Keywords Studios teams in the credits, especially our dedicated #Belgrade crew, fills me with immense pride 💙 It's time to gear up and jump into the action! But remember... The Truth Lies. #Sperasoft #SperasoftTeam #CallOfDuty #BlackOps #GamesMarketing

🎨 Happy #ArtStationDay! Today, we’re highlighting a selection of artwork—from recent and past projects—that our teams have added to their portfolios over the past few months. Each piece showcases the creativity and skill that bring video game worlds to life, one pixel, brushstroke, and 3D model at a time. Discover our teams' ArtStation portfolios here: https://lnkd.in/ee6p8F3K #GameArt #GameMarketing

Authenticity shouldn’t just be a buzzword—it should be the cornerstone of any successful video game marketing strategy. We create genuine connections with fans by building teams of passionate and dedicated game enthusiasts who truly understand the needs of our audience. Check out some of our key approaches to creating authentic trailers and content for your video game: https://loom.ly/4_J5zeY #GameMarketing #CreativeProduction

🎬🌍 39% of you signalled during our last poll that you're ready to break free from the physical limits of traditional live-action shoots. 28% of you confirmed that Virtual Production is not just about convenience, it’s about sustainability too. We couldn't agree more. There are plenty good reasons why Virtual Production should be your go-to solution: 🔹 Unlimited environments: Switch between worlds and locations without the cost or time of building physical sets. 🔹 Controlled perfection: Maintain flawless lighting and weather conditions no matter what’s happening outside. 🔹 Reduce waste: No need to strike sets or dispose of materials—everything is digital and reusable. 🔹 Eco-friendly impact: Cut travel and accommodation costs by swapping continents with a click, reducing your carbon footprint. 🔹 Creative flexibility: Easily adjust and re-purpose footage without reshoots. 🔹 Seamless integration: Blend digital assets into live-action scenes to create immersive experiences that traditional sets can't offer. Watch our behind-the-scenes video to see how we’re helping studios create more while leaving less environmental impact. 🌱 #CreativeProduction #GameMarketing

🚀 Exciting news: Keywords Studios joins the EQT Group!   We’re excited to announce the completion of our acquisition by EQT, together with funds managed by CPP Investments and Temasek.   With their support, we’re ready to accelerate growth, expand into new markets, and continue investing in innovative technologies to push the boundaries of video games and entertainment, helping our clients and partners Imagine More.   Thank you to our amazing team, clients, shareholders, and partners for your support—together, we’ll shape the future of video games 🎮   https://lnkd.in/e9SJzF5E #KeywordsStudios #ImagineMore #EQT #GamesIndustry

Congratulations to the team at Camouflaj on the release of Batman: Arkham Shadow! It has been a huge privilege to work alongside such talented professionals for the last two years and we’re beyond fortunate to have been able to collaborate on something truly special. Become the Knight! And have fun cleaning up the streets of Gotham 🦇 #Onekeywords #Keywordsstudios #gameaudio

🛡️ 5 safety-by-design features you must have in place when your game launches 🎮 Implementing the following content moderation features alone won’t ensure that you're fully compliant with all global Trust & Safety regulations, but they are essential building blocks for any communication platform that hosts user generated content from your players. 🔹Clear and transparent guidelines Players must understand the rules. LEGO’s “Captain Safety” video simplifies privacy and safety for younger audiences, while Riot Games’ jargon-free Terms of Use make policies more accessible and less intimidating. 🔹 In-game reporting tools Players should be able to report inappropriate behaviour in real-time. Tools must capture chat logs, images, screenshots, and player info automatically. Acknowledging reports (“Thank you for submitting”) and ensuring reports are reviewed builds trust and accountability. 🔹Content moderation technology Tools like Community Sift (for text, images, and usernames) and Modulate (for voice) can prioritise high-risk content for moderators to ensure quick and efficient responses. While the Digital Services Act doesn't mandate technology use, the UK Online Safety Act requires platforms to monitor and remove illegal content, preventing its appearance altogether. 🔹Escalation process for illegal content A system for identifying and escalating severe issues like child sexual abuse material, self-harm, or extremist content to law enforcement ensures swift protection against real-world threats. 🔹Comprehensive workflows and policies Clear enforcement policies ensure consistent application of community guidelines. The Digital Services Act also emphasises the need for users to appeal actions taken against their accounts, with transparency in decision-making being crucial. 🛡️ If you'd like us to take at look at your content moderation setup to ensure that you're fully compliant with all global Trust & Safety regulations, please get in touch for an audit: https://loom.ly/K88HCto Which of these safety features did save you already? #ContentModeration