8BIT NEWS
8BIT News
Return of 8BIT News 
After a 9-month hiatus, 8BIT News, one of the oldest community news channels on the MakeCode Forums is officially coming back.
The revival will follow a staggered rollout plan over the next few months to bring back all core features safely and consistently. Here is the official roadmap for the return:
- August 2026: 8BIT News Core
- The main flagship news feed returns, covering general forum updates and community events.
- September 2026: 8BIT Asks & Game of the Week
- Community interviews and weekly game spotlights will resume.
- December 2026: 8BIT First Alert
- The emergency alert system for major forum updates and breaking news comes back online.
Outsider News Update
Outsider News is currently on indefinite hold. The previous information source used for these reports has folded. Production on this segment will remain paused until a reliable new source for insider information is established.
Blender Movie Project Sparks Forum Interest 
The Collaboration category has seen a sharp rise in activity following a new topic by GoObErsandwichdude64, who announced production on a 3D MakeCode Movie built entirely in Blender.
The thread has quickly evolved into a community casting call where forum users are submitting their avatar designs to be modeled and animated in 3D.
Mod Casting Denied
The project hit an early administrative roadblock regarding the platform’s moderation team. The director originally pitched featuring the mods in the film, but admin AlexK explicitly stepped in and denied permission for the moderation staff to be included in the project.
Development Status
While 3D modeling and basic scene animations are actively underway, the director noted that securing custom voice acting remains the project’s primary development bottleneck. Community members interested in tracking the project can view the full discussion on the Official Thread.
The MakeCode Game Awards (MGA) 2026 
The flagship 8BIT event officially has a confirmed timeline. The MakeCode Game Awards (MGA) 2026 are locked in to begin on September 10th.
This year’s awards feature an extended four-month structure designed to separate standard community categories from elite, high tier developer achievements.
Official MGA 2026 Schedule
- September 10th – October 1st: Nomination Phase
- Public nomination channels open immediately at launch. Users can submit games across all standard categories until the October 1st deadline.
- October 1st – October 31st: General Voting & Reveals
- The official brackets lock. Forum members vote on standard nominees throughout the month, culminating in a live Standard Awards Reveal on October 31st.
- November 2026: Prestige Awards Voting
- The focus shifts to elite categories. November is strictly reserved for deciding the high-tier prestige awards.
- December 2026: The Prestige Reveal Video
- The grand finale. The elite prestige winners will be announced via a dedicated presentation video showcasing the top titles in action, aligning directly with the return of 8BIT First Alert.
Article Assisted By AI WHILE I’m getting used to writing articles again, I promise this is temporary