Gaming Pulse

Gaming Pulse August 14: Netflix Shutters Oxenfree Studio Night School, Shifts Gaming Strategy

Created: August 14th, 2026 - 05:10 PT

Script

Here is today's Gaming Pulse for Friday August 14th. Netflix has shut down Night School Studio, the developer behind the beloved narrative adventure Oxenfree, as well as Moonloot Games. The company is reportedly shifting its gaming strategy toward party games played on TVs, rather than the prestige, story-focused titles that Night School represented. It is a disappointing end for a studio Netflix once called a key part of its gaming ambitions, and another sign that subscription companies are narrowing their bets toward formats that can reach the broadest possible audience. [1]

Today, 2K Sports has raised the prospect of a serious new challenger to EA Sports FC. The publisher has established a new studio to develop what it calls its “next blockbuster sports franchise.” It has not confirmed a football game, but the timing and language have naturally fueled that expectation. EA’s series remains dominant after its split from FIFA, yet a well-funded rival could finally pressure it on licensing, modes, and annual-release pricing. [2]

There is an urgent preservation deadline for Pokémon players. The Pokémon Company says Pokémon Bank will close on February 25th, 2027, leaving fewer than 200 days for players to transfer collections from the 3DS service into Pokémon Home. Once Bank goes offline, creatures still stored there may become inaccessible. If you have old teams or rare event Pokémon sitting on a 3DS, this is a practical reminder to check the transfer process well before the deadline. [3]

Insomniac also clarified today that Marvel’s Wolverine will be fully playable from its PlayStation 5 disc when it launches September 15th. There will still be a day-one patch, but no mandatory download simply to start playing. That reassurance carries extra weight as Sony moves toward ending physical discs for new releases in 2028. [4]

Finally, Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls appears to have sold nearly half a million copies in its first week, despite its launch-day PC performance issues. Strong early demand, plus improving technical support, suggests the fighting game has room to build a lasting community. [5]

The connecting trend is ownership and access: studios are being reshaped around platform priorities, while players are increasingly watching how their games, saves, and physical purchases will survive the next business decision. Thank you for listening to Gaming Pulse from The Daily FM. See you tomorrow! [6]

Source Evidence

Home

...nd The Spider-Verse Leak Online, And They Look Amazing







Streamers Are Telling Twitch How Much They Hate That Generative AI Training Is Opt-Out By Default







WB Is Releasing Its First NC-17 Movie In Over 20 Years This October















Culture


Netflix Shuts Down Studio Behind Beloved Narrative Adventure Oxenfree


The streaming company is shutting down both Night School Studio and Moonloot


Kenneth Shepard







Warp Week


Judge Throws Out ‘Mortal Kombat Stabbing’ Lawsuit On Free Speech Grounds


Video games are not products, and not subject to product liability claims, judge says


Nicole Carpenter







Games


There Is No Reason Not To Play South Of Midnight Anymore


With Compulsion Games now newly independent, their BAFTA-winning game is now free from Xbox and anything else that might have kept you from trying it


Ash Parrish







News


Ha...

Subscribe, Combine, Customize

Sources

Episodes