For more than a decade, blockbuster comic book adaptations reliably clobbered all competition at the box office. Disney and HBO Max built their streaming strategies around intellectual property from Marvel and DC Comics. The studios turned this pulpy source material into a profusion of interconnected films and series that consistently drove ticket sales and subscriptions--until they didn't. Lately, serious superhero fatigue seems to have set in. Comic book movies regularly tank these days, and not just the ones based on second-string characters like Blue Beetle and Madame Web.

SINGAPORE--Activision Blizzard Inc. is halting most online game services in China in January, including "World of Warcraft," "StarCraft" and "Diablo III," as it and China's NetEase Inc. end a 14-year licensing partnership. Blizzard Entertainment Inc., an Activision Blizzard subsidiary, and NetEase failed to reach a deal to renew their licensing agreements, the two companies said Thursday China time. One obstacle to renewing the deal was a disagreement between the two parties over how data of Chinese players are controlled, people familiar with the negotiations said. Data collected by powerful internet companies and how those are handled has become a point of friction between the U.S. and China in recent years. The existing licensing agreements cover some of the most popular Blizzard titles in China.

Ever since Cats of Zero Wing delivered the oddly worded threat "all your base are belong to us" some 30 years ago, the writing in video games has been received with varying levels of enthusiasm. Often, it's denounced as stilted, hackneyed, and just plain nonsensical. At the same time, it has become a much loved, instantly recognizable genre unto itself. While the earliest iconically bad dialog mostly derived from poor translations--like Magneto in the 1992 X-Men arcade game introducing himself as "Magneto, master of magnet!" and shouting "Welcome … to die!"--a lot of it has been terrible all on its own: Peter Dinklage, for example, tried to take a subtle approach to the lines he was fed in Destiny and sounded unmistakably like he'd been drugged. Infamously, Hollywood has spent billions of dollars trying to adapt game franchises into movies and TV shows, yet decades since a goggling Dennis Hopper horrified children across the world with his turn as Nintendo's Bowser, it still hasn't succeeded.

Netflix is taking a swan dive into the Assassin's Creed video game franchise. The streaming TV giant will create a live-action TV series based on the Assassin's Creed series of video games, published by Ubisoft, the two companies announced Tuesday. Netflix may also eventually develop animated and anime series based on the hugely popular franchise, which chronicles a group of assassins' fight throughout history. "We're excited to partner with Ubisoft and bring to life the rich, multilayered storytelling that Assassin's Creed is beloved for," said Peter Friedlander, vice president of original series for Netflix, said in a statement. "From its breathtaking historical worlds and massive global appeal as one of the best selling video game franchises of all time, we are committed to carefully crafting epic and thrilling entertainment based on this distinct IP and provide a deeper dive for fans and our members around the world to enjoy."

Microsoft is acquiring ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Softworks, publisher of the best-selling video game franchises The Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Doom. The $7.5bn deal (£5.85m) will see all future releases from Bethesda's studios included on the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. Xbox chief Phil Spencer said: "Like us, Bethesda are passionate believers in building a diverse array of creative experiences, in exploring new game franchises, and in telling stories in bold ways. All of their great work will continue and grow, and we look forward to empowering them with the resources and support of Microsoft to scale their creative visions to more players in new ways for you." The move could significantly affect the industry.

Activision has released a mobile version of the popular Call of Duty video game that is free-to-play on Android and iOS devices. 'Call of Duty' is firing a salvo at'Fortnite,' with a new, mobile video game that includes a battle royale mode for up to 100 players. "Call of Duty: Mobile," out Tuesday for Android and iOS devices, is a free-to-play game featuring a variety of maps, weapons, characters and play modes from the multibillion-dollar "Call of Duty: Black Ops" and "Modern Warfare" video game franchises. Other popular multiplayer modes in the game include Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, and Domination. Popular maps from the game franchise that will be included are Nuketown, Crash, Hijacked and more.

'Mortal Kombat 11,' the latest installment in the best-selling fighting game franchise, adds deeper customization options, along with a new story, modes, and improved graphics. If you are a fan of fighting video games, by now you're likely well aware of – or have already purchased – the eleventh main installment in the Mortal Kombat game franchise. That game, "Mortal Kombat 11" ($59; rated Mature for ages 17-up), developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Entertainment, is out now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows PC. You likely know all about the improved graphics of this fighting game (running on Unreal Engine 3), its expanded story – a sequel to 2015's "Mortal Kombat X" – and new custom character variation system that lets you customize your fighter's look, gear, special abilities, taunts, finishing moves, and more. More: Razer built its business on video game hardware.

Less than a year since the release of the Assassin's Creed film adaptation, Ubisoft is set to revisit the world of its hit game franchise in the form of an anime series. Producer Adi Shankar claims the show will be his next project, after Netlifx's Castlevania -- making him the go-to guy for animated video game adaptations. Shankar took to Facebook to make the announcement, adding that Ubisoft approached him to create an "original story." That's all we know about the project thus far. Seeing as Shankar managed to assemble an eye-catching roster of talent for Castlevania (including comic book scribe Warren Ellis and Adventure Time's Kevin Kolde) it will be interesting to see who he calls on this time around.

Gory video games are often thought to make people more aggressive and less empathetic because they normalise brutal violence. But a new study has found that regular players of violent video games are not affected in the long-term. Researchers measured the brain signals of 15 avid gamers and found that their empathetic neural responses were untouched by long hours of violent games. GTA is one of the most successful and controversial game franchises of all time due to its graphic depictions of sex and violence. A new study suggests that violent video video games do not affect players' empathy Earlier this month, a pair of British psychologists claimed that violent video games can have a positive social impact.