Video Games Weekly — Esports, unions, and big game news
Welcome to a roundup based on the latest Video Games Weekly newsletter. Highlights: a heated controversy around FlyQuest top laner Bwipo, Diablo developers voting to unionize, release/date news for 007 First Light and Yooka‑Replaylee, a new Stardew Valley update, Silksong launch notes, and more.
Key pieces
Bwipo suspension and esports gender segregation
FlyQuest suspended top laner Gabriël “Bwipo” Rau after sexist livestream comments about women and competitive play. The episode sparked a broader discussion about why mainstream esports remain overwhelmingly male and under‑resourced for women, femmes and nonbinary players.
More info: PCGamesN — FlyQuest suspends Bwipo for sexist comments
Diablo team votes to unionize
Over 450 developers on Blizzard’s Diablo team voted to form a union with the Communications Workers of America, part of wider organizing across the industry.
More info: Polygon — Diablo developers vote to unionize with CWA
007 First Light — release date
IO Interactive announced 007 First Light is arriving on March 27 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch 2, Steam and Epic. IGN’s preview coverage has details on platforms and impressions.
More info: IGN — IO Interactive announces 007 First Light release date
Stardew Valley update 1.7
ConcernedApe confirmed another numbered update (1.7) is coming to Stardew Valley, with new content while development on Haunted Chocolatier continues.
More info: Eurogamer — Stardew Valley update 1.7 announced
Yooka‑Replaylee release date
Playtonic’s remaster Yooka‑Replaylee is slated for October 9 on current platforms, with both digital and physical editions.
More info: Kotaku — Yooka‑Replaylee release announced for October 9
Judas (Ghost Story Games) update
Ken Levine’s Ghost Story Games shared development updates and key art for Judas (sometimes stylized Judus), including hints about its relationship mechanics.
More info: IGN — Ghost Story Games shares Judas update & key art
Hollow Knight: Silksong — launch & patch notes
Silksong’s launch caused storefront outages for some players; the developer shipped an early update that slightly reduces difficulty for certain early bosses.
More info: Polygon — Silksong launch issues and first update
Gear & related
Looking for hardware mentioned in recent reviews? Try this Amazon search for the Lenovo Legion Go 2 (affiliate): Lenovo Legion Go 2 on Amazon
Closing & call to action
There’s a lot here — systemic sexism in esports, worker organization, big releases and ongoing updates. What do you think: is the esports industry doing enough to support women, femmes and nonbinary players? Share your thoughts below and on X/Twitter.
— Posted from Video Games Weekly summary