Studio Collapse, Co-Op Acclaim, and NFL Preseason
A recap of the week's biggest stories in gaming and sports broadcasting, from a studio's downfall to a co-op triumph.
Source material: polygon.com
Refactor Games Loses 85% of Staff After Delphi Pulls Funding
Refactor Games, the studio behind FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition, has laid off 85% of its workforce, studio head Nathan Burba confirmed to GamesBeat. Publisher Delphi Interactive pulled funding, and ex-art director Barclay Chantel posted on LinkedIn that the plug was pulled right after the game shipped for Netflix. The game released two months ago as a Netflix exclusive.
FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition Drew Players but Bombed Critically
Despite 1.5 million players in its first week, according to Game File, and a nod in Netflix's Q2 2026 fiscal report as one of its two most successful cloud game debuts, FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition was savaged by critics. Aftermath called it "an embarrassment to everyone involved." The title was the first FIFA-branded game since the organization split from EA Sports, and skepticism about Refactor's ability to replace EA's football juggernaut appears vindicated.
Refactor's Earlier Football Simulator Never Caught On
Before the FIFA game, Refactor Games released Football Simulator on Steam Early Access, a title about American-style football with an irregularly-shaped ball. Despite a very positive user review consensus, it peaked at 188 concurrent players in January 2025 and has reached a maximum of 10 in the last 24 hours, per SteamDB. The contrast highlights the difficulty of building an audience for football sims without the FIFA license.
Big Walk Launches to Rave Reviews Across Platforms
Big Walk, the co-op adventure from House House, launched August 4 on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, and PlayStation 5. Eurogamer awarded a perfect review, calling it "funny, exciting, and deeply rewarding." Insider Gaming's Josh Challies said the hours spent completing it "solidified that friendship." Nintendo Life praised its communication-based design but noted technical shortcomings in the Switch 2 version.
Critical Reception of FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition
Aftermath called the game 'a modern hellscape and an embarrassment to everyone involved,' a stark contrast to the critical goodwill Refactor earned on its previous title, Football Simulator, which holds a 'very positive' user review consensus on Steam—yet peaked at just 188 concurrent players. The FIFA World Cup game drew 1.5 million players in its first week, but many doubted a non-EA soccer title could succeed, and that skepticism proved warranted.
NFL Preseason Kicks Off Aug. 13, Super Bowl Set for Feb. 2027
The 2026 NFL preseason opens with the Hall of Fame Game, and the rest of the league begins play during Week 1 on Thursday, Aug. 13. The season runs to Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2027. Games air on NFL Network, CBS, FOX, and ESPN, and stream on NFL+, Paramount+, and Prime Video.
How to Stream NFL Preseason Without Cable
For cord-cutters, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, and others offer free trials before a paid plan; Sling is the exception. DirecTV's entry plan starts at $59.99 for the first month, while Fubo includes all four broadcast networks. ESPN games require ESPN Unlimited at $29.99/month, or the Disney Streaming Bundle at $35.99. Amazon Prime Video carries Thursday Night Football, and NFL+ offers all games for $6.99/month. Paramount+ covers CBS preseason games from $8.99/month.