Silent Hill Fans, You’ll Want to See This

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Today’s Insights

• Silent Hill 2 Remake Team Collaborating On A New Project

• Skillz, The Mobile Gaming Site Wants To Pay For Your Skills

• Gamers Beware! Malware Found In Steam Pirate Game

• Infinity Nikki's New Season Is Beautifully Spooky

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✅ Dreamhaven: Record authentic, engaging footage that resonates with players and represents the core of what makes each game special.

✅ Discord: Collaborate with the Collectibles design team to produce diverse collectible animations, including avatar decorations, profile effects, and new collectible types.

THIS WEEK IN GAMING

With Bloober Team and Konami teaming up again, will a new Silent Hill game be the outcome? 

Their last combined endeavor was a big win. Bloober and Konami worked together over the last few years to remake Silent Hill 2, and they were faithful to the source material. The original horror survival game was unleashed in 2001 and was a frightening, jump-scare good time. In October of 2024, the remake emerged from the fog to great praise. By January of 2025, it sold over two million units and had already amassed several awards. 

High praise from Silent Hill fans. Critics and fans alike of the remake praised the contributions to the new game, garnering an overwhelming 86% positive review on Metacritic. In comparison, the original soared to an impressive 89%. The big selling points included faithfulness to the original, the creepy, atmospheric soundtrack, and performance. I mean, let’s face it, the music and distant sounds while exploring a dilapidated, monster-ridden town help to keep the pulse racing. Those things help to make a great Silent Hill game. 

Bloober CEO says collaboration was “incredibly fruitful.” When Bloober Team and Konami announced that their partnership would continue as they spearhead another project, we can only hope it’s more from the Silent Hill franchise. Piotr Babieno, the CEO of Bloober Team stated, “Our collaboration with Konami has been incredibly fruitful, and the success of Silent Hill 2 speaks for itself. By sharing knowledge and experience, we have been able to create high-quality production together.”

Nothing officially announced, but the clues are there. There are some reported Silent Hill games working their way down the pipeline, having an experienced team that was so faithful to an early winner in the franchise is exciting news. The title of this new project by Bloober Team and Konami hasn’t been officially announced, they have said that it will be based on an existing Konami IP. They also say that fans will be just as excited about this collaboration as they are. I don’t know about you, but this has my “spidey senses” tingling.

DEVELOPER INSIGHTS

Time to dust off that old mobile game app you’ve been sitting on and get the backing you’ve been looking for.

Skill-based games are the next mobile trend. Typical mobile game downloads might be slipping and showing a slow downward trend, but skills and real money-based games are taking up the slack in a big way. In 2023, skill games brought in $13 billion, and that number is expected to swell to $40 billion by 2028. Skillz Inc. is poised to be a big part of this trend, with your help, by launching a $75 million accelerator program. 

Skillz wants to bring YOUR game to mobile apps. For the next three years, Skillz wants to help everyday developers like you and me to create, skill-based, highly competitive games, especially if they can include some live-ops strategies. Skillz will provide the financial backing, operational resources, expert guidance, and even a marketing budget to bring at least 25 competitive games to the mobile market. The site also states that they are also open to additional projects that align with the company’s focus. 

Working prototypes are not a requirement, but they are encouraged. If you have a really innovative idea that meets all the parameters, contact the team at Skillz. If you get selected, not only will you get financial support, but select developers will receive additional resources that could include proprietary software development kits, technical and operational support from knowledgeable Skillz staff, and other tools to help increase reach, improve performance, and monetization. 

How to apply for your piece of the pie. Ready to get started? All you need to do is apply on the Skillz Developer Accelerator Portal. It’s a simple process that won’t take long at all. Simply provide your basic information, background information on the project, a demo or a pitch of the game, and a project plan that shows where you want to go after development and what your idea is for post-launch support. If you have a good game that catches their eye, you could be selected! Good luck!

TECH SPOTLIGHT

Malware pirates after your computer’s booty

Steam removes malware product posing as a pirate survival game. PirateFi, an apparent malware product was removed from the online game store, Steam last week. After it was taken down and analyzed, it was found that the person or group who planted it simply modified an existing game. But instead of getting a pirate-themed game, they got malware that was designed to steal passwords, session cookies related to logging in, web browser history, cryptocurrency wallet info, screenshots, and other personal files. 

Malware came from existing template. It was found that the malware containing game, PirateFi was modified from an existing game template called Easy Survival RPG. Which in of itself was a game-making app that lets the user develop their own single, or multiplayer game. The game maker only costs between $400 and $1,100 to create and license a game. The PirateFi game had a specific malware called Vidar attached to it. 

It contained a popular infostealer. Vidar was first discovered in 2018, and its insidious reputation has made it one of the most successful infostealers out there. It has been used in hacking campaigns including an attempt to steal Booking.com’s hotel credentials, and was found in an effort to plant malicious advertisements on Google searches. 

Was your computer affected? Take these steps to remove malware. What should you do if you have or suspect malware? First of all, install or update your existing malware and/or antivirus protection. If you already have malware protection, you might need to upgrade as the program got past your security. Then run a full scan to make sure everything was taken care of. If you still have a stubborn virus, you might need to contact a computer professional to help completely eliminate it and make sure your information is protected. It also wouldn’t be a bad idea to make sure you change all your passwords as well because you never know which ones were taken. 

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Introducing Eerie Season, a stylish goth phase

Infinity Nikki goes through a goth, emo phase. Spooky season may be a not so distant memory, and Spring fashions are on their way, but Infinity Nikki has embraced the spooky. We reported on this beautifully stunning cozy adventure game a few weeks ago, and now we’re checking on a new season with tons of additions. Starting February 26, one day after this publication, a new season launches with new outfits, new quests, and a spooky new aesthetic. Take a peek at the trailer right here.

You can catch the Eerie Season before Spring. For a month, until March 25, Infinity Nikki will launch Eerie Season. Usually a vibrant, pastel, bright atmosphere, during the Eerie Season, everything takes on a darker, Gothic vibe. During this month-long event, Infinity Nikki fully embraces the somber, dark, gray, and black tones of the Gothic era. Not only are the colors and outfits eerie, but Nikki will explore a Victorian-esque castle. Players will have the opportunity to explore Queen Philomia’s Palace and surrounding grounds to find out what’s behind the cursed song lamenting through the halls at night. 

Find treasures and new outfits to keep even after Eerie Season is over. Throughout the spooky palace, Nikki and Momo will journey through the palace ruins, into the inner court dungeon, and then once they’ve satisfied that quest, they will get to visit the high tower. Throughout the exploration, there are 15 Revelations Crystals to be collected, and a new outfit called the Dream Chaser. If players check out the Heartfelt Gifts Store, they can find three more free outfits for Nikki. 

Rewarding Infinity Nikki players. Infold Games appreciates its community of players and the Infinity Nikki world. They continue to work to keep the game running smoothly and add value to the game to reward loyal players. Right now Infinity Nikki is available on PS5, app stores, and PC, but the title will be hitting Steam soon. Keep an eye out or put it on your wishlist to make sure you are alerted when it’s available. 

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